Chapter 464: Heaven Hears of the Marriage

Rongguo Prefecture, Rongqing Hall.

Before entering the hall, Jia Cong had received Yuanyang's verbal reminder. Now, seeing Jia Mu say these words and the expectant expression of Lady Bao Ling Marquis's wife Madam Chen, he knew the situation was as he had guessed: Jia Mu was definitely going to discuss marriage between him and Shi Xiangyun.

Earlier, the Old Madam had denied Lady Xing's proposal for Xing Xiuyan, and even tricked the "wife" into a "concubine." This was to clear the position early so that her plan for the Jia Shi marriage could be realized.

Jia Cong suddenly remembered that year when his birth mother's spirit tablet could not enter the ancestral hall and could only reside in the Mouni Nunnery outside the West Gate.

Of all the people in the mansion, only Daiyu disregarded suspicion and came alone to accompany her, with deep feelings. Her one bow before the spirit tablet made him unforgettable for life.

Every time he entered the examination hall or went out to handle errands, Daiyu would come personally. Even trivial matters like arranging luggage and items, she had to do personally.

When he passed through Yangzhou on his way south to Jin Ling and stayed for only one day, she had already sent a letter to her family early to help him arrange food and use, everything was meticulous and appropriate.

The day he returned to the mansion, she knew he had invited Zhang Youshi to treat her father, and her face was full of joy. She bowed formally to him, her brows and eyes full of feelings, as if she had a thousand words, making his heart beat.

Over these years, accompanying each other in the mansion, spending years together, the feelings deposited day by day were extraordinary.

Wu'er had also told him that ever since the news of the Old Imperial Consort Zhen's bestowed marriage spread from the palace, Daiyu had been ill for several days. It was only after Wu'er's enlightenment that she slightly eased her heart knot. Now that this matter was known to her, it would definitely cause trouble for no reason again.

Could he say in front of everyone that the one he most wanted to marry was Daiyu? It wasn't that the current situation wasn't the time to say such things; as long as the words were spoken, it would be even harder to clean up.

In a great noble family, a young lady like Daiyu, without the permission of her elders, having a private matchmaker's agreement, would not be able to clear her name even if she jumped into the Yellow River.

He was even less willing for his major affairs to be manipulated by an inner-chamber woman like Jia Mu and become a tool for marriage and power between families.

When Jia Mu opened her mouth with those words, his thoughts surged, and for a moment he couldn't think of a good strategy to refuse. Suddenly, he thought of the matter of entering the palace a few days ago...

Only then did he speak in time to stop the Old Madam's words before she could say Xiangyun's name.

As soon as Jia Cong's words about the marriage discussion being "inappropriate" came out, everyone in the hall looked shocked.

Wang Xifeng was also stunned when she heard this, thinking, "What kind of madness is Third Cong having again? He is always sharp; it's impossible he didn't hear that the Old Madam wanted to marry Xiangyun sister to him."

Although the grandmother and grandson had been awkward for more than ten years, this time the Old Madam didn't use things to squeeze him, but was truly kind and well-intentioned, and what she said was a happy event that couldn't be faked.

Wang Xifeng also knew that Jia Cong and Shi Xiangyun were compatible and close in their daily interactions. He would definitely not be annoyed or dislike such a pretty and romantic girl.

Moreover, she was the eldest daughter of the Shi family, a noble family with two marquises in one family. Third Cong couldn't see the benefits of this, and actually said it was inappropriate.

Wang Xifeng originally wanted to open her mouth to ease things a bit, but this kind of major marriage matter was too sensitive with both the Jia and Shi families present, so she didn't dare to meddle. The words reached her lips and she swallowed them back.

It was just that her phoenix eyes kept glancing at Jia Mu's face.

As soon as Jia Cong's words about it being "inappropriate" came out, Lady Bao Ling Marquis's wife Madam Chen's face became awkward and ugly, Jia Mu's face became even more gloomy, and Lady Wang's face was wonderful, with an expression of waiting to see a good show.

Jia Mu said angrily, "What are you saying? You have reached the age of marriage. A man should marry, and a woman should marry. It is a matter of heaven and earth. How can you say it is inappropriate!"

"Now that you have established a mansion and become a Count, do you not have me, your grandmother, in your eyes anymore? Do you look down on me, this old woman, making decisions for you!"

As soon as Jia Mu said these blunt words, the Rongqing Hall was filled with cold air, and everyone's face changed greatly.

Lady Wang and Lady Bao Ling Marquis's wife Madam Chen were both juniors and couldn't sit on their stools anymore and stood up.

Lady Wang said, "Cong-brother, this is a happy event. It is hard for the Old Madam to think of it, and you still say such things, making the Old Madam angry."

Beside them, Madam Li frowned slightly when she heard Lady Wang's words.

For this kind of marriage discussion, even if there were waves, the words should be spoken tactfully so that everyone could step down.

Lady Wang saying such things at this juncture wasn't adding fuel to the fire?

Moreover, the Old Madam hadn't said Xiangyun's name yet, and Cong-brother said those words in time. The matter hadn't been poked through yet, so there was really no need to make it so stiff.

She quickly said, "Aunt, don't be angry first. Marriage is a major event and needs to be cautious. Cong-brother has also seen the world and understands the truth. He would say so, there must be some reason."

"Otherwise, let him finish his words. If you are still angry, aunt, it won't be too late to teach your grandson a lesson."

Jia Mu listened to Madam Li's persuasion and went down the donkey, after all, Jia Cong's status was different now. Showing the grandmother's prestige was enough; going too far was not good.

Moreover, this marriage couldn't be left halfway, otherwise, Jia Mu's old face would be lost by this evil obstacle, and she wouldn't be able to hold her head up in front of her maternal family in the future.

She said gloomily, "Fine, I will listen to your reason and see what kind of flowers you can say."

Jia Cong said, "Old Madam misunderstood me. The reason why I said discussing marriage is inappropriate is not because I don't respect my elders, but because there is a reason."

Jia Mu looked impatient and said, "There is such a reason, and it just happened to delay your marriage. It's truly a strange thing."

Jia Mu laughed in anger, "You tell me and let me listen, let me listen to this rarity!"

Jia Cong listened to Jia Mu's strange voice and didn't care, saying, "That day I entered the palace to report the mission, I accidentally encountered a matter."

Jia Cong only said half of it and stopped, just looking at the few maids and old women serving in the hall.

Jia Mu and the others heard Jia Cong say the reason was actually related to entering the palace to see the Emperor, and their hearts were startled. She was also a person who was old and refined. Seeing Jia Cong's expression, she reacted.

She let all the maids and old women serving in the hall withdraw, leaving only Yuanyang to serve by her side.

Jia Mu couldn't care about being angry at this time and asked, "You just entered the palace to see the Emperor, what else did you encounter?"

Jia Cong replied, "That day after I reported the mission to the Emperor, the Emperor originally had words to explain, but suddenly the Retired Emperor sent a message through an attendant, asking me to go to Qinghe Palace to see the Retired Emperor and the Old Imperial Consort Zhen."

Jia Mu and the others changed their faces when they heard this. They all knew that with Jia Cong's current position and official rank, entering the palace to see the Emperor and talk was a common thing.

But the Retired Emperor had long retired to the deep palace and did not care about political affairs. Suddenly summoning Jia Cong was something unusual, not to mention adding an Old Imperial Consort Zhen.

Everyone present knew that news had spread from the palace that the Old Imperial Consort Zhen wanted to match Jia Cong and the Third Young Lady Zhen for a bestowed marriage, but there had been no news, and it was unclear whether it was true or false.

Now the Retired Emperor and the Old Imperial Consort Zhen suddenly summoned Jia Cong, which must be related to the bestowed marriage. No wonder Jia Cong said those inappropriate words just now.

Before Jia Mu could ask, Lady Bao Ling Marquis's wife Madam Chen asked first, "Cong-brother, the two nobles summoned you, did they say anything important?"

Jia Cong said, "The Retired Emperor and the Old Imperial Consort Zhen only said some words of praise, and the Old Imperial Consort Zhen even asked me about my perception of the Third Young Lady Zhen."

Jia Mu and the others heard this and thought it was indeed related to the bestowed marriage. Jia Mu asked urgently, "What did you say?"

Jia Cong's expression was strange, "At that juncture, I naturally said the Third Young Lady Zhen was very good, and the Old Imperial Consort Zhen rewarded me with a precious jade Ruyi."

"I only knew after returning to the mansion that the jade Ruyi is a token for a daughter's marriage, and they are all in pairs. Rewarding me with one alone, the implication is hard to understand."

"Because this matter is somewhat unusual, I have never mentioned it to anyone. If it weren't for the Old Madam's anger just now, I wouldn't have said it either."

"Now the situation is unclear. At this juncture, the family is discussing marriage for me. Others will only think that the family has other intentions, which hurts the face of the two saints. Wouldn't that be a crime of deceiving the Emperor?"

Jia Cong actually used the Old Imperial Consort Zhen's matter to block Jia Mu from setting a marriage for him, which was not a good strategy.

He couldn't think of any other way to retreat for a while.

He could only use this inferior strategy, but he described the matter of entering the palace to see the Old Imperial Consort Zhen and being rewarded with a jade Ruyi very vaguely.

And Jia Mu and the others would naturally understand it as he hoped, thus rejecting this marriage in disguise. Although clever, borrowing palace matters was still somewhat hidden.

Moreover, there were many eyes and ears in Rongqing Hall, and it was always impossible to hide things. That was why he asked Jia Mu to dismiss the maids and old women in the hall before saying this.

This was to minimize the possibility of the matter spreading, otherwise, if the wind reached the palace and that Old Imperial Consort Zhen came to push the boat with the current, Jia Cong would be clever but mistaken.

A good family marriage was ruined like this by Jia Cong and ended up with nothing.

Moreover, this matter was proposed by Jia Mu to Lady Bao Ling Marquis's wife Madam Chen, and it ended up in such an awkward state, making Jia Mu feel somewhat embarrassed in front of her maternal family.

However, fortunately, because of the Old Imperial Consort Zhen, Jia Mu could somewhat withdraw, which always seemed to have a reason.

Although everyone in the hall knew that the person Jia Mu proposed for Jia Cong was Shi Xiangyun, after all, the words hadn't come out of her mouth, so it wasn't considered breaking face, and everyone could pretend to be confused.

Lady Wang was originally very dissatisfied that Jia Mu married Shi Xiangyun to Jia Cong. 【4

If he were to rush into arranging a marriage between Jia Cong and Shi Xiangyun at a time like this, wouldn't he be slapping the Retired Emperor and the Dowager Consort Zhen in the face? That would truly be a catastrophe.

Jia Mu looked at Jia Cong with a complex expression and said, "I don't know what kind of nature you have, that you always manage to produce so many strange occurrences."

"Since such a reason has arisen, the marriage the family arranged for you must be set aside for now."

Jia Mu then instructed Lady Wang and Wang Xifeng: "This matter involves the palace. Be careful about what happened in the hall today; do not let a word slip, lest it cause trouble."

"If any servant dares to wag their tongue, and you catch them, beat them to death—that will be the end of it!"

Upon hearing Jia Mu's words, Jia Cong felt a slight sense of relief, but his hidden concerns did not lie there. He had always acted only after careful planning, rarely venturing into danger as he had this time.

Using the matter of the Dowager Consort Zhen to dispel Jia Mu's plans for the marriage had not been too difficult, but tearing down the east wall to patch the west wall was a difficult task.

No matter how brilliant a scheme or strategy might be, it sometimes cannot withstand the overwhelming power of the throne; even with a thousand clever plans, there are times when one is left helpless.

He was not arrogant or shallow enough to believe that he could be invincible and infallible through calculation alone.

If the Retired Emperor, out of filial piety toward the Dowager Consort Zhen, truly bestowed Zhen Fangqing upon him in marriage,

it would not be as easy to dismiss as it was with Jia Mu; he would likely be forced into the union... for now, he could only take it one step at a time.

A perfectly good family marriage had ended up being ruined by Jia Cong and left unsettled.

Moreover, since Jia Mu had taken the initiative to propose this to the wife of the Marquis of Lady Bao Ling, the resulting awkward situation left Jia Mu feeling quite embarrassed in front of her own kin.

Fortunately, because of the Dowager Consort Zhen, Jia Mu was able to extricate herself to some extent, making the situation seem somewhat excusable.

Although everyone in the hall knew that the person Jia Mu intended for Jia Cong was Shi Xiangyun, the words had not yet been spoken, so no one had lost face, and everyone could pretend to be oblivious.

Lady Wang had originally felt very resentful that Jia Mu intended to betroth Shi Xiangyun to Jia Cong.

In the end, although the matter did not come to pass, the unexpected news of the Dowager Consort's gift—which was tantamount to a betrothal—seemed to make this Jia Cong even more favored, leaving her feeling increasingly resentful and stifled.

Her own Jia Baoyu was born with jade in his mouth; his background and origins were far more noble and extraordinary than this Jia Cong's, and he was also very talented. Could it be that the whole world was blind?

In Lady Wang's mind, such an honorable and noble event as an imperial betrothal should have happened to her Jia Baoyu; only then would it be fitting and mutually enhancing.

Not to mention Lady Wang's wild fantasies, although the wife of the Marquis of Lady Bao Ling was very disappointed today, there was a reason for it, so she could not say much.

Jia Mu also felt a bit apologetic toward her niece-in-law, and after exchanging some idle chatter with Li Shi, with Wang Xifeng chiming in with jokes, the atmosphere gradually eased.

Sister Yuanyang, who was serving behind Jia Mu, had witnessed the entire process and felt somewhat disappointed that the marriage between Shi Xiangyun and Jia Cong had not succeeded.

She had met that Miss Zhen San once at Rongqing Hall, but as far as her own small thoughts were concerned, she was ultimately a stranger; how could she be as close as the eldest Miss Shi?

Seeing Jia Cong face his grandmother's reprimand just now without changing his expression, speaking eloquently, and resolving the matter in just a few words, Li Shi found him extremely crisp and efficient.

Now he sat by as if nothing had happened; for one so young, such composure and presence were truly extraordinary.

It was no wonder he had accomplished so many great things before reaching the age of twenty, and she could not help but feel regret for her niece, Shi Xiangyun.

Feeling disappointed, she smiled and said to Jia Mu: "Auntie is blessed, and the grandson you have raised is also blessed. Jia Cong is so capable and is highly regarded by the palace; I fear he will be enfeoffed as a marquis or appointed as a minister in the future."

Jia Mu shook her head and said: "Don't spoil him with such words. He is only a junior, and having been through so much, how could he handle all this?"

"For him to have such rank and status at his age is already a great grace from Heaven; one cannot be too greedy. A person's fortune in life has its own destined limits; it is only natural to let things flow steadily."

"I have lived for so many years and have seen many things; I know clearly that there is no such logic where he could be promoted every day and occupy all the benefits in the world."

Li Shi said a few more polite words and then prepared to take her leave. Although the marriage did not happen today, at least they hadn't lost too much face, so it was best to quit while they were ahead.

Just as Jia Mu was about to have Wang Xifeng see Li Shi out of the mansion, Jia Cong also prepared to rise and return to the Eastern Prefecture.

Suddenly, he saw Qingwen hurry into Rongqing Hall, her pretty face flushed, as if she had walked too quickly. She first paid her respects to Jia Mu.

Then she said to Jia Cong: "Cong Sanye, an imperial eunuch has come to the Eastern Prefecture, saying he is here to proclaim an imperial decree for you. Please go over quickly to receive it."

Wang Xifeng, who was just about to see Li Shi out of Rongqing Hall, stopped in surprise upon hearing this.

Jia Mu also looked astonished, while Li Shi turned back and muttered: "Could it really be an imperial decree for a marriage?"

Jia Mu was also shocked when she heard this and said: "There was no word of this beforehand; it shouldn't be happening this quickly, should it?"

Jia Cong did not dare to delay and hurried back to the Eastern Prefecture with Qingwen.

At this point, Li Shi also stopped and did not leave; whether out of curiosity or because she was not entirely willing to give up, she stayed to hear the final outcome of this matter.

Wang Xifeng, however, thought that since the Old Lady hadn't managed to arrange the marriage, she must be feeling very uncomfortable.

So she chimed in from the side: "In my opinion, it won't be a marriage decree. If it were, the Dowager Consort would have bestowed it when she gave Brother Jia Cong the ruyi the other day; she wouldn't have waited until now."

"Brother Jia Cong just solved a major case in Jin Ling and performed meritorious service; could it be a reward from the palace?"

When Jia Mu heard Wang Xifeng's words, she didn't feel any more at ease; instead, she felt even more stifled.

Just a moment ago, she had acted worldly-wise, saying that for Jia Cong to have such rank and status at his age was already a stroke of heavenly luck, and how could he be easily promoted again.

Her words had barely left her lips when the palace issued an imperial decree for a reward; wasn't that slapping her own old face?

Thinking of this, Jia Mu felt somewhat embarrassed and had Sister Yuanyang follow them to the Eastern Prefecture to see what the imperial decree actually said.

The Great Zhou Palace.

Zhen Fangqing's carriage arrived outside the Meridian Gate, sent word into the palace, and waited quietly outside the palace gate.

She had set out from the Love Shenjing, traveling day and night, wishing only to reach the Love Shenjing as soon as possible. As a delicate woman, her body was exhausted and weary, and she didn't even have the energy for much contemplation.

Now, standing before the Meridian Gate and looking at the high palace walls, her worries grew even heavier; she didn't know how the Dowager Consort was doing now.

However, palace security had always been strict, and the procedures for non-palace personnel to enter were very cumbersome. Even though Zhen Fangqing had lived and been raised in the palace for many years as a child, she still had to follow every rule.

The guards at the gate checked the waist token Zhen Fangqing had brought out of the palace years ago and forwarded it to the Imperial Horse Office, which was responsible for palace entry, to record and transmit the information.

After going through procedures in the relevant departments of the Twelve Directorates, it took quite some time before it was finally reported to the Deputy Director of Eunuchs, Guo Lin. After receiving his approval, the Imperial Horse Office sent word to the Qinghe Palace.

Zhen Fangqing waited at the Meridian Gate for over an hour before an old nanny from the Qinghe Palace, accompanied by two young eunuchs, came to escort her into the palace.

Along the way, Zhen Fangqing heard the old nanny say that the Dowager Consort had fainted once last night. Although she had been resuscitated by the imperial physician and seemed to be out of immediate danger for now, her heart was filled with even more fear and worry.

However, things were not at their worst, and for the moment, the Dowager Consort Zhen was doing fine.

Zhen Fangqing followed the old nanny into the Qinghe Palace and then into the Dowager Consort Zhen's sleeping quarters, where she saw a palace maid feeding the old woman some ginseng soup.

She couldn't help but tear up and said: "Fangqing pays her respects to the Old Ancestor."

Although the Dowager Consort Zhen's hair and clothes were neat, her complexion was dark and her illness was deep. She smiled and said: "Good child, I have finally waited for you."

Hearing this, Zhen Fangqing felt a pang of sorrow. Since she was a child, her father had sent her into the palace to be raised and to keep the Dowager Consort company.

Compared to her grandmother, who enjoyed wealth and comfort in the back chambers at home, Zhen Fangqing felt closer to the Dowager Consort in her heart.

Since she entered the palace, the Dowager Consort, with her advanced age, wisdom, and profound worldly experience, had guided her in everything, from which Zhen Fangqing had benefited greatly.

Her later return to Jin Ling to inherit the family business, and her wise and decisive handling of affairs, all stemmed from the upbringing and influence of the Dowager Consort Zhen since she was a child.

When she left home to travel far away as a child, she had also found it hard to part with her parents, but looking back, her father Zhen Yingquan's decision to send her into the palace could be said to be far-sighted and deeply wise.

The Dowager Consort Zhen said: "A few days ago, your second sister came to the palace to see me and talked about the other brothers, and she cried for quite a while."

Zhen Fangqing frowned slightly: "The Old Ancestor is ill; why did Second Sister have to talk to you about such inauspicious things?"

The Dowager Consort Zhen said: "I have lived past eighty and am a person of deep blessings; there is nothing I cannot handle. There is no need to avoid such things; after all, they are her own brothers."

"The old saying goes that wealth does not last three generations, and that the grace of a gentleman is cut off after five. Since the founding of the dynasty, the Zhen family has flourished for several generations."

"However, the moon waxes and wanes, and flowers bloom and wither; there is no family in the world that does not eventually decline."

"Over the years, I have often received letters from home, and I have had you younger ones visit me."

"I know a little about the family affairs. In fact, by your father's generation, the family descendants were already showing signs of decline."

"Fortunately, there is still someone like your father. Although he did not hold as high an office as his elder brother, I did not misjudge him; he is the most outstanding person of that generation in the Zhen family! By your generation, there is no talent left among the Zhen descendants; they are either addicted to the comforts of the back chambers and lack ambition, or they are filled with insatiable desires and act recklessly."

Speaking of this, the Dowager Consort Zhen touched Zhen Fangqing's temple and smiled: "You, this girl, are the one most dear to my heart, but unfortunately, you are a daughter."

Her gaze then became somewhat solemn: "I entered the palace at seventeen and have been away from my home in Jin Ling for over sixty years, and I have never returned since."

"I know clearly that once I pass away, the Zhen family will likely find it hard to fare well, but I can no longer worry about that."

"Now, in my old age, I need a dear descendant like you to keep me company, so that the feelings and unfinished matters of my life can have a place to be entrusted and passed on..."

(End of chapter)