Chapter 338

When Jia Cong mentioned the rule of release after ten years in the palace, everyone in the hall naturally knew what it meant.

According to the Great Zhou palace rules, palace maids who have been in the palace for ten years, have not received imperial favor, have their family's earnest request, and are willing themselves, can be released from the palace to return home at the discretion of the authorities.

Wang Xifeng, who was on the side, was also surprised when she heard Jia Cong suddenly say this.

This Third Brother Cong really dares to say anything.

Wang Xifeng had been married into the Jia family for many years and naturally knew many old family matters. When the new Emperor ascended the throne, the two grandfathers of the two mansions suddenly passed away one after another, and the Jia family lost its pillar of support.

And the only one in the two mansions who could stand up was Master Jing of the East Mansion, the Jia family's star of literature, the only jinshi in several generations.

But no one expected that this jinshi had water in his brain. He was not satisfied with a lifetime of wealth and glory, and foolishly dreamed of immortality, abandoning the huge family business and actually becoming a Daoist priest.

The title of the East Mansion was directly lowered by two ranks and passed to Jia Zhen.

On the West Mansion side, before the grandfather passed away, he was very disgusted with the absurd Great Master. In order to preserve the family's glory, he submitted a will to the palace, splitting the Jia family's hereditary title into two.

The marriage of the second sister was ruined by him, and now he actually wants to ruin the future of the eldest sister. With me here, he won't succeed!

Wang Xifeng heard Lady Wang's words and thought to herself, as expected. Although Third Brother Cong is powerful, he is young after all and doesn't know the family's foundation, so he said these words in vain to be humiliated.

This made Lady Wang feel relieved, and she even felt a bit like a punch hitting cotton, unable to guess what medicine Jia Cong was selling in his gourd.

Even so, the family status of the two mansions plummeted, becoming as precarious as a pile of eggs.

Jia Mu heard Lady Wang's words, and her thoughtful expression faded. Actually, to tell the truth, letting Yuanchun leave the palace like this, Jia Mu was also somewhat unwilling.

Thinking of these, Lady Wang couldn't help but tense up, preparing for Jia Cong to say something absurd so she could fully refute it, and perhaps even use her seniority to suppress him.

Jia Mu heard Jia Cong's words and was somewhat moved, with a thoughtful expression on her face.

Lady Wang knew that Jia Cong had a sharp tongue and was always sharp in his words, accustomed to bewitching people's hearts. Last time, Yingchun's marriage was ruined by him saying there was a risk of piercing the sky, which made the Old Lady stop and let him act.

She thought, this boy has occupied all the glory in the world, and he actually wants to ruin the good things of my second branch. This heart is really deep enough.

So she hurriedly sent her into the palace to seek fortune. This is called not being able to catch a wolf without sacrificing a child. Otherwise, how can the Jia family continue its wealth and glory?

Lady Wang suddenly said, "Brother Cong's words are wrong. Your eldest sister entered the palace to serve noble people because the Jia family has received imperial favor for generations. How can she give up halfway?"

Especially in the past few years, Third Brother Cong seems to have eaten an immortal pill, becoming more and more glorious, and this kind of thinking of my aunt has become stronger...

Lady Wang's gaze toward Jia Cong was already very unkind.

The first branch inherits the title, and the second branch inherits the mansion. In the absence of outstanding descendants, this adds a stable layer to the Rongguo Prefecture's family business.

Brother Cong actually wants to get the eldest sister out of the palace. How can the Old Lady and the Lady be willing? Especially the Lady, who is probably even less willing.

Now he has the idea of letting Yuanchun leave the palace. He will likely talk about the terrifying dangers of the palace to scare the Old Lady into submission.

Wang Xifeng knows her aunt's calculations very well. Originally, Brother Zhu was promising, but unfortunately, he died early. Baoyu's temperament is not one that can rise, so he can't be counted on at all.

At that time, the Old Lady had no other way, so she finally waited until the eldest sister was of age to be selected.

Now the eldest sister has been in the palace for eight years. The silver spent every year to pave the way is at least eight or nine thousand, but there is no result at all.

Her aunt is holding her breath in her heart, just thinking about relying on this daughter to earn her glory and face.

But she saw Jia Cong say nothing, with a calm and light expression, as if what he just said about letting Yuanchun leave the palace was just a casual remark.

Jia Cong heard Lady Wang's words and naturally wouldn't argue with her.

The reason he suddenly proposed that Yuanchun could leave the palace was just to see the reactions of Jia Mu and Lady Wang.

Seeing Lady Wang flatly refuse this matter, he sneered in his heart. Lady Wang is cruel but shallow in strategy, not even as good as Jia Mu, yet she has such wild ambitions.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao first abolished the hereditary title of the Ningguo Prefecture, then came up with the means to change the heir of the Rongguo Prefecture, and finally let himself be granted a title and move out of the mansion, not only cutting off the roots of the Ningguo branch but also greatly weakening the Rongguo branch.

He dislikes and rejects old nobles like the Four Kings and Eight Dukes like discarded shoes, to an extreme degree.

Now Jia Mu and Lady Wang actually still want to rely on a woman, harboring extravagant hopes to seek imperial favor. It's just wishful thinking behind the three-foot-high walls, blocking their sight and hearing.

They say that when a mediocre woman is in charge, the house collapses, and it is indeed not wrong at all.

In the original trajectory, Yuanchun was hastily titled a consort and soon died mysteriously, which actually explained many problems...

Although according to common sense, as a junior, he is not qualified to influence the future of the sisters in the family.

But there are always more ways than difficulties. Wasn't the evil fate between Yingchun and Sun Shaozu completely cut off by his own means?

It's just that this eldest sister in the family is different. She is a female official in the deep palace. No matter how capable he is, he has no way to use means in that place.

He can only wait until Yuanchun's ten-year period is up, and then see if there is an opportunity. Since he could ruin one, couldn't he ruin the second?

Jia Mu looked at Jia Cong's departing figure and said, "What this boy said is not unreasonable. The eldest girl has been in the palace for eight years without any movement. I'm afraid it's very difficult."

Lady Wang's face was tangled, but her gaze revealed an unusual calmness: "Old Ancestor, the eldest girl is already twenty years old. Even if she leaves the palace, what can she do? It's better to stay for a few more years and see if there is an opportunity."

Jia Mu sighed and stopped talking.

But Wang Xifeng, who was on the side, felt a chill in her heart when she heard this.

Daughters of ordinary families start talking about marriage at thirteen or fourteen. If the marriage is settled, they will marry when they reach the age of fifteen.

Even if it is delayed for a few years, they must marry at sixteen or seventeen, otherwise, they won't be able to marry.

Her aunt's meaning is that the eldest sister is already twenty years old, so even if she leaves the palace, it will be difficult for her to marry. It's better to stay in the palace and wait for that ethereal imperial favor.

Isn't the Lady trying to exhaust her own daughter? How can a mother's heart be so hard...

Jia Cong walked out of Rongqing Hall and looked back at the red-bottomed golden-lettered plaque under the eaves of the hall. It was truly indescribably wealthy and magnificent.

But behind that warm curtain at the door, there was an indescribable gloom hidden.

He thought of Jia Mu's hesitant expression just now and the stiffness and coldness on Lady Wang's face.

It was as if it could chill the heart.

In the official office of the Fengzao Palace, he detailed the interesting things about the sisters at home. Who was listening with great interest, her eyes full of longing and joy?

That beautiful woman standing in the shade of the tree with a gentle smile, the mottled light and shadow reflecting her graceful and moving figure.

It made him feel a helpless suffocation and oppression in his heart.

They say that there is no true love in the royal family since ancient times. Isn't this kind of great family clan of nearly a hundred years just as cold and heartless?

Wealth has lost its mind, and glory has tarnished family affection.

For the two women who were selected into the palace, with no future and unable to extricate themselves, their greatest wish was the concern of their family.

But in the face of wealth and glory, these were too extravagant for them.

He bypassed the marble screen in front of the hall, passed through the small three-room hall, passed through the hanging flower gate, and walked all the way to the southeast corner gate of the Lixiang Garden.

After passing the wind and rain corridor in the alley and entering the back garden of the Count's mansion, he felt relieved and went straight to Yingchun's courtyard.

Under the bright green banana leaves in the courtyard, at a blue stone round table, Daiyu and Yingchun were playing chess. One was pretty and agile, the other gentle and approachable.

There was also a furnace of calming incense burning on the stone table, fragrant and refreshing. Seeing Tan Chun and Baochai were watching the battle nearby, and Xichun was chasing butterflies in the flower bushes.

Everything was so beautiful, full of leisure and comfort.

Hearing only the sound of chess pieces falling leisurely, the beautiful figures and the fragrance of powder filling the sleeves made the depression Jia Cong had accumulated in Rongqing Hall gradually disappear.

When the sun tilted slightly to the west, someone came from the West Mansion to pass a message, asking Daiyu, Seeing Tan Chun, and the others to go to Rongqing Hall to talk, and the sisters dispersed.

(End of chapter)