Chapter 319: Zhonghua Restores Lady Rongguo

The Zhou imperial palace, Zhonghua Palace.

This was the most heavily guarded place in the entire palace, for it was the residence of the retired Emperor Yong'an of the Great Zhou.

The eunuch supervisor Old Ouyang Bin stepped quietly with head bowed into the grand hall; he was sixty years old, his hair white, yet his face ruddy, posture upright, gaze calm, showing no sign of age.

Though Old Ouyang Bin held the esteemed position of eunuch supervisor, the highest among palace eunuchs, since the retired emperor abdicated in favor of Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao,

Old Ouyang Bin had retired with the retired emperor to Zhonghua Palace, devoting himself entirely to serving His Majesty, still bearing the title of eunuch supervisor, but all authority over palace eunuchs had been entrusted to the deputy supervisor Guo Lin.

Even the Zhongche Office, which he had personally managed, was fully handed over to Guo Lin's control, with not the slightest interference retained.

Old Ouyang Bin's relinquishment of power mirrored the retired emperor's own abdication and transfer of authority to Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao.

Within and beyond the court, all knew this former eunuch supervisor, who once dominated the inner court, was the retired emperor's most loyal confidant.

Inside the grand hall, an old man clad in a blue nine-dragon imperial robe was painting ink on his desk; his face was lean, his spirit vigorous, every gesture radiating authority.

The old man, upon seeing Old Ouyang Bin enter, waved his brush twice in the air, and all the palace maids and eunuchs standing by silently withdrew outside.

A low, solemn voice came from behind the desk: "Speak."

At that moment, Old Ouyang Bin slightly raised his head and saw, on the sandalwood rack behind the desk, a newly hung calligraphy scroll.

"The emperor may not be the best son, nor the best… brother, but among my children, his strategic acumen and talent most embody the essence of a sovereign!"

Whether the retired emperor or Old Ouyang Bin, both were sharp-minded men; they knew that although Zhonghua Palace was heavily guarded, Zhongche Office still had its eyes within.

Among the retired emperor's sons in those days, some were brilliant and extraordinary, yet the current emperor had been utterly obscure during his time as a prince, plain and unremarkable, never favored by the retired emperor.

A sudden gust of wind blew into the hall, gently stirring the hanging scroll, making its elegant, vigorous script appear even more compelling.

No one had expected that once he ascended the throne, he would, contrary to all expectations, reveal a cunning and strategic mind that inspired awe; in fourteen years of reign, his governance surpassed all previous dynasties.

The first two lines of the calligraphy were sharp as swords and halberds: "The mighty Yangtze flows eastward, its waves wash away all heroes!"

…

Lady Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

In an instant, the grand hall became empty, leaving only the old man and Old Ouyang Bin.

Sometimes they needed these watchers present; sometimes they required absolute isolation—there were always ways.

As the retired emperor spoke his final words, a tone of helplessness and profound sorrow emerged—like needle points, like cold undercurrents—and Old Ouyang Bin, hearing it, felt a chill and involuntarily stepped back.

The retired emperor set down his brush and sighed: "This boy, at such a young age, has already shown exceptional literary and martial prowess, bearing the ancestral spirit—rare indeed. He reminds me of many past memories…"

It was a calligraphy piece, meticulously written by Jia Cong, sent days ago by Old Ouyang Bin's eunuch from Lady Rongguo Mansion as a gift for the retired emperor's inspection.

"A marquisate is insufficient for a duke's household; only a hereditary marquisate with perpetual succession can stand equal to a hereditary marquisate with rank reduction, free from subjugation!"

"Heaven, Earth, Sovereign, Parents, Teacher—perpetual succession upholds the grand principle that the sovereign comes before kin. Jia Cong is a clever man; he will surely understand the emperor's deeper intent."

Old Ouyang Bin had served in the palace for forty years, devoted to the retired emperor's side; he had witnessed the bloody turmoil of those days and understood the grief behind the retired emperor's words.

Old Ouyang Bin replied: "Jia Cong is a man of fortune; had he not received His Majesty's gift, he would never have earned the emperor's grace of perpetual succession."

"Yet I discovered him too late…"

Old Ouyang Bin bowed his head: "Your Majesty, His Majesty has issued an edict appointing Jia Cong as a second-class Lord Weiyuan Marquis, granting him perpetual succession, and bestowing upon him the former Ningguo Mansion, which the Ministry of Public Works has already begun modifying."

The retired emperor smiled faintly: "Naturally, this is partly my doing, but the emperor's favor toward Jia Cong also stems from his own calculations."

When Jia Cong entered, he saw Jia Mu, Lady Wang, Wang Wang Xifeng, and other women present.

Another person seated there surprised him—it was Zhang Zhang Youshi, wife of Jia Zhen of the Eastern Mansion.

Since the Ningguo Mansion was seized and the Ningguo title stripped, Zhang Zhang Youshi had lost her third-rank noble title and now lived solely on her dowry within Lady Rongguo Mansion.

Somehow, Jia Cong sensed that Zhang Zhang Youshi's gaze toward him seemed to avoid him.

Jia Mu, seeing him enter, asked: "I heard someone from the Ministry of Public Works' Construction Bureau came looking for you today?"

Jia Cong knew Lady Rongguo Mansion had many spies; since his recent ennoblement, every move of his drew attention, especially when the Ministry of Public Works came calling.

Someone had surely reported it to Jia Mu long ago.

"It was Director Qin of the Construction Bureau; His Majesty intends to convert the former Ningguo Mansion into my residence, requiring all former ducal standards to be downgraded—the Ministry has come for that purpose."

Jia Mu recalled that the Ningguo Mansion had once been the main residence of the Jia family's eldest branch, more luxurious than Lady Rongguo Mansion itself; now it was to be downgraded and altered, and she felt a pang of grief and discomfort.

She hurriedly asked: "Will there be major demolition and reconstruction?"

Jia Cong replied: "Beyond the necessary downgrading, I have instructed the Ministry to dismantle all excessive luxuries in the mansion and remodel them in a simple, unadorned style, eliminating all vain extravagance."

Jia Mu frowned at this; born into a noble household and having spent half her life as a top-rank noblewoman, she was most accustomed to opulence and luxury.

Even Xue Baochai's room, too plain and lacking ornamental decorations, had seemed unpalatable to her—she had personally added precious ornaments—clear evidence of her preference for luxury.

Hearing Jia Cong's intent to drastically alter the Ningguo Mansion, destroying every lavish feature she favored, it would become nothing but a cold, bare cave—she naturally found it unbearable.

Jia Mu could not help saying: "The Eastern Mansion is fine as it is—just modify the downgraded areas. Why make such a drastic upheaval? These are ancestral legacies."

"Ancestral legacies"—Jia Cong sneered inwardly at Jia Mu's words; the Ningguo line had already been stripped and confiscated—what ancestral legacy remained?

"Grandmother, I have been granted the emperor's great grace, ennobled as a hereditary second-class marquis, and bestowed a separate mansion. Now, I am under the eyes of all.

I must act with utmost caution, severing all extravagance and recklessness. I need a marquisate mansion that invites not a single criticism, so I may properly honor the emperor's favor and silence idle tongues."

Jia Mu, hearing his every word invoke imperial grace, found no rebuttal, and merely muttered: "You're quite the politician."

Yet she knew this grandson was no longer the same—he could not be pressed too hard.

At that moment, Zhang Zhang Youshi suddenly said: "Grandmother, I'm feeling unwell. I'd like to retire for a while."

Jia Mu, startled, replied: "Your complexion does look poor. Go rest."

After Zhang Zhang Youshi left, Jia Mu paused, then said: "I called you here today because I need to discuss something. The Eastern Mansion was originally the ancestral residence of the Ningguo branch.

Now that you've received it, you must also shoulder its responsibilities. I wish for Zhang Zhang Youshi to settle permanently in the Eastern Mansion, and when Rong comes back from Qiongzhou, you must also take him in and support him."

Jia Cong felt a wave of nausea; no wonder he had sensed Zhang Zhang Youshi's unnatural demeanor upon entering Rongqing Hall, and why she had just made an excuse to leave.

So this was it—Jia Mu, seeing the emperor bestow the Ningguo Mansion upon him, wanted him to take in the former Eastern Mansion's lady and heir.

She was testing his limits—if he yielded now and accepted Zhang Zhang Youshi and Jia Rong,

Lady Rongguo Mansion would press further, and Jia Mu's hand would inevitably reach into his marquisate mansion. Jia Mu, having spent half her life as the matriarch of the inner quarters, was employing the classic tactics of a household woman.

Likely, decades ago, she had used similar methods to install Lai Er as steward of the Ningguo Mansion—even a wastrel like Jia Zhen could not resist filial piety and social obligation.

The Ningguo Mansion's loss of title was inseparable from the malfeasance of servants like Lai Da; ultimately, Jia Mu bore great responsibility.

Jia Cong suddenly understood why Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao had granted him perpetual succession.

When Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao first had the Imperial Clan Office propose him as heir to Lady Rongguo Mansion, he had already begun to sever Jia Cong's ties to the Lady Rongguo Jia family.

Had Jia Cong merely been granted an ordinary marquisate, under filial duty and ritual law, Jia Mu—as his supreme-rank noble grandmother—could still have controlled him utterly.

Only a hereditary marquisate with perpetual succession could stand equal to Lady Rongguo Mansion's downgraded hereditary marquisate, holding its own without yielding.

Perpetual succession upholds the principle that the sovereign comes before kin!

Jia Mu, having spent half her life as a supreme-rank noblewoman, surely understood this principle well.

Seeing him granted perpetual succession, she feared him—but still refused to abandon her desire to control her grandson.

Hence this scheme—surely Lady Rongguo Mansion, vast as it was, could not even support one woman like Zhang Zhang Youshi?

As for Jia Rong returning in thirty years to be supported in the Eastern Mansion—that was absurd; by then, most here would be dead, and what would be the point?

If, at this critical juncture, I, like some naive youth, truly agreed to this nonsense, the emperor's grant of perpetual succession would become a joke.

This is a matter of position and loyalty. Moreover, having reached this point, I can never again be controlled by Lady Rongguo Mansion!

"This is unacceptable. I cannot agree."

(End of chapter)