Chapter 478: The Funeral Procession

Ningrong Street, early morning, the sky is just beginning to brighten.

The gates of the Rongguo Prefecture are thrown wide open; lanterns shine bright, pipes and flutes play in unison, and from time to time, sounds of wailing drift out.

Today is the day Jia She's spirit is being escorted to the grave. Once the auspicious hour arrives, dozens of men in green robes march out in formation.

The spirit banner at the front is inscribed: "The Spirit Coffin of Jia En-hou, Duke of Rongguo and First-Rank General of the Everlasting Dynasty of the Great Hongjian Reign of the Heavenly Mandate."

All the ceremonial items and furnishings for the escort are newly made, their brand-new luster dazzling to the eye as they flow out from the gates like a stream, appearing magnificent and imposing.

Jia Lian, Jia Cong, and other direct descendants, wearing hempen mourning clothes and carrying the spirit tablets, walk at the head of the funeral procession.

The noble families and hereditary allies of the Rongguo Jia family have all arrived to see the deceased off, many of whom are officials of high rank and great merit.

Among them are Niu Jizong, grandson of Duke of Zhenguo Niu Qing, who now holds the title of First-Rank Count; Chen Ruiwen, grandson of Duke of Qiguo Chen Yi, who holds the hereditary Third-Rank title of General of Weizhen; and Liu Fang, grandson of Duke of Liguo Liu Biao, who now holds the title of First-Rank Count.

Ma Shang, grandson of Duke of Zhiguo Ma Kui, who holds the hereditary Third-Rank title of General of Lord Weiyuan; and Hou Xiaokang, grandson of Duke of Xiuguo Hou Xiaoming, who holds the title of First-Rank Count. The Duke of Shanguo's wife has passed away, so his grandson Shi Guangzhu is observing mourning and could not attend.

These six families, along with the Ning and Rong houses, are what the world calls the "Eight Dukes."

Others present include the grandson of the Prince of Nan'an, the grandson of the Prince of Xining, Marquis of Lady Bao Ling Shi Nai, Marquis of Zhongjing Shi Ding, and Jiang Zining, grandson of the Marquis of Pingyuan, who holds the hereditary Second-Rank title of Baron. Also present is Qi Jianhui, grandson of the Marquis of Xiang Yang, who holds the hereditary Second-Rank title of Baron.

Xie Jing, grandson of the Marquis of Dingcheng, who holds the hereditary Second-Rank title of Baron and serves as a Mobile Corps Commander in the Capital Battalion; and Qiu Liang, grandson of the Marquis of Jingtian, who serves in the Five-City Infantry and Horse Division.

The remaining friends and relatives of the Jia family, such as Feng Ziying, son of the General of Shenwu, Chen Ye-jun, Wei Ruolan, and other princes and young noblemen, are too numerous to count.

The noblewomen of the various families have also arrived in over a dozen large sedan chairs and thirty small ones, which, combined with the carriages of the household servants, number no fewer than a hundred or so, stretching out in a grand procession for two miles.

The Jin Ling Zhen family not only sent two collateral descendants to rush to the Love Shenjing to pay their respects.

Because Zhen Fangqing was in the palace keeping vigil for the late Empress Dowager Zhen, she could not get away and specifically asked the wife of Liu Xian to represent her in sending off the spirit.

In fact, when Jia She's spirit was settled in the West Prefecture, Zhen Fangqing had already sent Liu Xian's wife to the mansion to pay respects, observing the rites with great reverence.

Although the imperial decree of marriage, which had not been fully read, was interrupted by the revocation of the betrothal, it had already created an inextricable connection between Zhen Fangqing and Jia Cong.

Upon hearing of this, Jia Mu was deeply moved and felt a measure of sympathy for the woman who had nearly become her granddaughter-in-law.

For a woman, marriage is the most important thing in life; once a mishap occurs, she may be unhappy for the rest of her days.

With the marriage decree revoked and the Zhen family having lost Empress Dowager Zhen, their foundation and support vanished like smoke. Three years later, the world would have long since grown cold, and who would still be there to decide her marriage?

The revocation of an imperial marriage decree is rare enough, and there has never been any talk of a new marriage decree being issued after such a revocation.

In the eyes of Jia Mu and many other outsiders, this woman's marriage prospects are doomed to wither; with this aborted marriage decree, no one else would dare to marry her.

Because it coincided with the state mourning for the late Empress Dowager Zhen, the protocol for Jia She's funeral was downgraded by two ranks, and all roadside altars and colorful sheds set up by various families were canceled.

Therefore, the Prince of Dongping, the Prince of Nan'an, the Prince of Xining, and others each sent their sons or nephews to assist in the funeral procession according to their seniority.

The Prince of Beijing, being of the same generation as Jia Cong, personally attended the funeral to escort the spirit.

Others cast sidelong glances, but upon careful consideration of the reasons, they did not find it overly abrupt.

The reason is none other than the fact that Jia Cong and Zhen Fangqing were betrothed by the palace, and the Princess of Beijing and Zhen Fangqing are sisters by adoption; although their betrothal was revoked, the two families share an additional layer of obscure connection.

Jia Cong has always harbored wariness toward the Prince of Beijing, Shui Rong, and not just because this man once coveted Qin Keqing.

It is also because the Prince of Beijing has great ambitions; years ago, he wanted to compete with Gu Yankui for the high position of Commander of the Nine Provinces, intending to intervene in the affairs of the Nine Border Garrisons.

At that time, Jia Cong was under the care and promotion of Gu Yankui, entering the Ministry of War to observe governance as a scholar, his future and career tied to Gu Yankui's success.

He deduced that the candidate Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao favored for the Nine Garrisons Commander was none other than the Minister of War, Gu Yankui.

Thus, he used the Prince of Beijing's own strength against him, fabricating the incident of the presumptuous poem at the Prince of Beijing's Autumn Chrysanthemum Poetry Banquet, thereby kicking Shui Rong out of the competition for the Nine Provinces Commander.

Although Shui Rong knows nothing of all this, Jia Cong has already become his opponent in his heart, keeping his distance from Shui Rong in daily life; Shui Rong's many invitations have all been politely declined by him.

This time, for Jia She's funeral, the Prince of Beijing personally escorted the spirit as a junior among the four princes, which appeared somewhat eye-catching.

Jia Lian appeared flattered, but Jia Cong, already a nobleman and in deep mourning, merely thanked Shui Rong with proper etiquette, avoiding any overly enthusiastic gestures, which was entirely reasonable.

This time, his betrothal was revoked due to his father's death, an event that had long since stirred the Love Shenjing, and Jia She's funeral had long been a matter under the watchful eyes of all.

From the moment the auspicious hour for leaving the mansion arrived, the four princes, eight dukes, and old nobles were all present in their full glory.

At such a special moment, the four princes and eight dukes were effectively demonstrating to the world the undeniable cohesion they shared.

Jia Cong was well aware of what Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao might think of such a scene, and how he himself should position himself at this funeral.

He could imagine how many secret agents from the Central Vehicle Office were monitoring and recording every move at the funeral along the way.

Including the Emperor, these old-guard nobles—every single one of them—were full of schemes; Jia Cong truly did not want to wade into these muddy waters.

Therefore, throughout the entire funeral procession, Jia Lian saw the nobles of the four princes and eight dukes out in full force, their faces always wearing expressions of shared honor.

Jia Cong, however, remained calm as water throughout, showing no signs of joy, anger, honor, or favor.

Ningrong Street, Count's Mansion, Jia Cong's courtyard.

Early morning, the autumn sun is warm, and a faint, lingering fragrance fills the air.

In the study, Jia Cong takes out the memorial he has written, spreads it on the table, and prepares to write a memorial requesting leave for mourning.

Beside him, Ying Lian is obediently grinding ink.

Ying Lian has been in the mansion for two years and will turn fourteen next year; these past two years have been stable and happy, and the young girl has grown increasingly charming and moving.

She is dressed in a crimson floral-printed jacket, a white cross-collared under-robe, and a pale pink long skirt, with a bright, pure gold collar around her neck.

Her figure is slender and graceful, her eyebrows curved, her eyes clear and moist, her nose delicate and straight, her lips pink and tender, and her skin as white as congealed fat, glowing with light. In the center of her forehead, a single rouge mole is dazzlingly bright.

Her flawless features hold a moving, naive innocence, and under the soft sunlight, she appears increasingly gentle, beautiful, and a delight to behold.

Ying Lian watches Jia Cong writing rapidly and asks curiously, "Young Master, yesterday I heard Miss Lin say that if you take leave for mourning, you can't be an official anymore?"

Jia Cong laughs, "It's only during the mourning period that I cannot serve as an official; afterward, I can resume my post."

Since Jia She's funeral and the completion of the mourning rites, Jia Cong has followed official protocol and petitioned the imperial court for three years of mourning leave.

Mourning leave for officials is a filial protocol continued by the Great Zhou from the previous dynasty; when officials in office lose their parents, they must resign their posts to observe mourning.

Under normal circumstances, the mourning period is twenty-seven months, and resuming office after the period ends is called "resumption."

However, the actual mourning period varies depending on the official's position; special circumstances that shorten or cancel the mourning period are also known as "revocation of mourning."

Jia Cong's petition to the court for mourning leave due to his father's death is also a necessary procedure.

But another matter causes Jia Cong great regret: according to protocol, when parents die, one is restricted, and by custom, the right to participate in the imperial examinations is also revoked.

This means he will likely be unable to participate in the spring examinations at the end of next year, and the next spring examination will be three years later; if that truly happens, it is a matter beyond his control.

Just as he finishes writing the memorial, the little maid Juan'er comes to pass on a message, saying that an old nanny from the palace has arrived to speak with the Cong Sanye.

Jia Cong finds this strange and hurries to the side hall of the inner courtyard.

He sees an old woman sitting in the hall, in her forties, dressed in palace attire, her hair a mix of gray and white, her posture straight, her appearance elegant, and her expression solemn.

Jia Cong sees that although she is advanced in age, there is a certain quality in her features, and he thinks she must have been an outstanding figure in her youth.

Seeing Jia Cong enter, her gaze narrows slightly, and she says, "Greetings to the Count of Lord Weiyuan. This servant serves beside the late Empress Dowager in the Qinghe Palace.

Today, I have brought an oral decree from the Retired Emperor. The late Empress Dowager has been settled in the Inner Palace for twenty-one days, and tomorrow her coffin will be moved to the Imperial Mausoleum. All officials of the fourth rank and above, as well as noblewomen with titles, must escort the spirit.

The Retired Emperor said that the Empress Dowager held the Count of Lord Weiyuan in high esteem during her lifetime, and he wishes for the Count to escort the spirit tomorrow to fulfill their bond of affection."

Although Jia Cong does not wish for his marriage to be arranged by others and does not like this betrothal, this late Empress Dowager Zhen held no malice toward him.

He had only met her once, but he could clearly feel the regard and appreciation she held for him.

From the Retired Emperor's perspective, Empress Dowager Zhen was his foster mother; although his betrothal was revoked, the Empress Dowager had shown him favor, which is why he was asked to escort the spirit to fulfill their bond.

Jia Cong says, "Jia Cong obeys the decree. I have always been grateful for the late Empress Dowager's favor, and I will certainly escort the spirit tomorrow."

Hearing this, the old nanny's previously solemn expression softens slightly.

Jia Cong thinks for a moment and asks, "May I ask, Lai Mama, is Miss Fangqing doing well in the palace?"

Although his betrothal to Zhen Fangqing was revoked, the connection between them is extraordinary, and since Zhen Fangqing is keeping vigil in the Qinghe Palace and this nanny serves there, it is only right and proper to ask.

The old nanny glances at Jia Cong and says, "After the Empress Dowager passed away, Miss Zhen was overcome with grief, keeping vigil day and night, sleeping very little, and observing the mourning rites with great reverence.

After the Empress Dowager's coffin was laid to rest, the Retired Emperor granted Miss Zhen permission to observe mourning for the Empress Dowager at the Imperial Mausoleum for half a year to fulfill her filial duty."

Jia Cong is slightly surprised; traditionally, observing mourning is limited to direct blood relatives, and imperial mourning protocol is even stricter; those without blood relation to the princes and grandsons have no qualification to observe mourning.

Zhen Fangqing is a great-granddaughter of Empress Dowager Zhen's maternal family, and perhaps not even of the same direct line, let alone related to the imperial bloodline.

For the Retired Emperor to grant her permission to observe mourning for the Empress Dowager at the Imperial Mausoleum is already a benevolence that transcends imperial protocol, showing how highly he regards her.

After delivering the oral decree and glancing at Jia Cong, the old nanny takes her leave.

Jia Cong thinks of how Jia Mu, Lady Wang, and other noblewomen will certainly be escorting the Empress Dowager to her burial tomorrow, so he asks Qingwen to send a message to the West Prefecture that the Jia family will travel together tomorrow.

Rongguo Prefecture, Rongqing Hall.

Jia Mu, Jia Zheng, and Lady Wang are sitting peacefully, while Wang Xifeng is in mourning attire, though her complexion is full of spirit.

She says, "Old Ancestor, tomorrow we escort the Empress Dowager to the mausoleum; all carriages and horses have been arranged. I have also selected clever maids and nannies to go and serve. Because the Empress Dowager is entering the mausoleum, the various rules and rituals will take three days, and I am currently looking for a place to stay. The Princess of Beijing, Miss Zhen the Second, sent a message.

She says the Prince of Beijing's mansion has already rented a suitable place and has reserved the East Upper Courtyard for the Old Lady, while the Prince of Beijing's Dowager and the Prince and Princess will stay in the West Lower Courtyard.

My living quarters and the Lady's will also be near the East Upper Courtyard, which will be very convenient for serving the Old Ancestor."

This time, for the late Empress Dowager Zhen's coffin to enter the Imperial Mausoleum, officials of the fourth rank and above and noblewomen of noble families must escort the spirit to the burial; Jia Mu, Lady Xing, and Lady Wang are all among those escorting the spirit.

However, Lady Xing is in new mourning for her husband and must observe taboos, making it inappropriate for her to escort the Empress Dowager's spirit, so the Imperial Clan Court asked Wang Xifeng to replace her, as Wang Xifeng is the wife of the Rongguo heir and the future noblewoman holding the title.

This news is a signal that could not be clearer, and Jia Mu, Lady Wang, and the others are all well aware of it.

Wang Xifeng is overjoyed; the noble honor she has dreamed of is now right before her eyes.

Therefore, these days Wang Xifeng has been working with great energy, becoming increasingly filial and attentive before the Old Lady.

Jia Mu says, "Miss Zhen the Second is a good girl; although she has become a Princess, she has not lacked a single bit of proper etiquette, and this time the Jia and Zhen families almost became in-laws."

Wang Xifeng laughs, "The Old Lady is right; Miss Zhen the Second and Miss Zhen the Third of the Jin Ling Zhen family are indeed both excellent.

Take Miss Zhen the Third, for instance; although her marriage to the Third Brother didn't happen, she sent people to express her condolences several times during the Great Master's funeral, which shows she has a heart. It's a pity she and the Third Brother didn't become husband and wife."

At this moment, Yuanyang comes to report, "Old Lady, just now Qingwen from the Cong Sanye's side came to pass on a message, saying the Cong Sanye just received an oral decree from the Retired Emperor in the palace.

He is to escort the Empress Dowager's coffin to the mausoleum tomorrow, and at that time, the Cong Sanye will be traveling with the Old Lady and the Lady."

Jia Zheng looks pleased, "Old Lady, this time escorting the late Empress Dowager's coffin to rest requires the qualification of an official of the fourth rank or above. Cong-ge is currently only a fifth-rank official, yet he has this special honor.

Although he was betrothed and then revoked due to his father's death, the Retired Emperor's regard for him has not diminished in the slightest. For Cong-ge to be so valued by his father and the Emperor is truly a profound imperial favor.

Originally, if Cong-ge had taken the spring examinations next year, he would certainly have attained the status of a Jinshi, but because of his father's death, I fear he will be revoked from the examinations, which is a great pity.

Otherwise, next year the Rongguo Jia family would have had a disciple with a proper scholarly background, and Cong-ge's career would not be limited to the fifth rank."

Jia Mu feels complex emotions upon hearing this; every time the Old Lady hears of Jia Cong's achievements, she is happy in principle, as he is, after all, her own grandson.

It is just that in the matter of showing off, Jia Cong is perhaps a bit too much, always causing an inexplicable pressure in the Old Lady's heart.

In the final analysis, Jia Mu is increasingly aware that the gap between her grandsons is simply too wide.

Jia Lian, Baoyu, and the other legitimate sons have achieved nothing, while Jia Cong, a mere son of a concubine, has been ennobled and holds office, his name moving the world.

In a great mansion, one does not worry about scarcity but about inequality; with such a vast difference between the descendants, it is inevitable that there will be hidden dangers of imbalance and internal strife.

When Jia Cong performed meritorious service in Liaodong, the Imperial Clan Court, not knowing what madness had taken them, sent people to the Jia mansion to propose changing the heir, which was a clear omen of this.

Jia Mu frowns and says to Jia Zheng, "When your father was on his deathbed, he left a memorial asking the Retired Emperor to grant you an official position, and ever since then, you have had a heart ailment, never forgetting the two words 'scholarly career' for half your life.

Your Zhu-er was a material for reading, so that was fine, but my Baoyu is also forced by you to study every day, to the point that when he sees you, his father, his courage is half-broken, just like a mouse avoiding a cat.

Now you are pinning all your hopes for a scholarly career on Cong-ge.

For a family like ours, it is most important for our descendants to hold onto the noble titles and family business passed down by our ancestors; why force anything else?

That boy was ennobled at fourteen and has earned such a family business; what else is there to be dissatisfied with? Why go to such lengths to participate in the spring examinations?

Don't keep urging him toward a proper scholarly career; holding onto his current title and official position is the proper thing to do.

Do you only want to be satisfied if this boy is ennobled as a Marquis and becomes a high official? If you really make things so ostentatious, a tall tree catches the wind, and it may not necessarily be a good thing."

Lady Wang laughs from the side, "The Old Lady has experienced many things, and what she says is the proper principle, but the Master also hopes that the descendants of the family will be outstanding, and this intention is also good."

Wang Xifeng sees that the atmosphere in the hall is a bit stiff and hurriedly goes up to make some jokes.

This is Wang Xifeng's most skilled ability, and suddenly the atmosphere in the hall becomes smooth again, making Jia Zheng feel as if he had fallen into a pile of cotton, unable to find any place to exert force.

Jia Zheng sighs slightly in his heart, but this is not the first time he has heard Jia Mu's insights and rhetoric; although he feels uncomfortable, it seems he has long been accustomed to being lectured.

Jia Zheng only feels that the atmosphere in the house is growing increasingly stagnant, but he has no good way to break it, truly feeling helpless.

He patiently accompanies Jia Mu in some small talk, and seeing that Jia Mu has relaxed her expression, he finds an excuse to return to the Mengpo Study.

Today, Shan Pinren, Zhan Guang, and others are all there, and Jia Zheng feels it is more comfortable to discuss poetry and literature with his guests, saving himself from worrying alone.

The next day, the procession escorting the late Empress Dowager Zhen's coffin departs from the Cia'an Gate of the Great Zhou Imperial Palace.

All the high officials and noblewomen participating in the escort had long been waiting on both sides of the Cia'an Gate, and once the funeral procession left the palace gates, they each gathered into the procession.

Soon, a procession stretching for miles, with banners flying, imposing in momentum, magnificent and vast, marches toward the Hongxuan Emperor's mausoleum in the southern suburbs.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao not only had the current Empress personally escort the spirit but also sent his two adult sons, Prince Zhao and Prince Ning, to escort the spirit together; there was no shortage of princes, princesses, and imperial sons-in-law from the imperial family escorting the spirit.

Not to mention hundreds of high officials of the fourth rank and above, as well as all the noblewomen in the Love Shenjing.

The funeral procession for the late Empress Dowager Zhen was of such high specification and grand mourning that it was very rare.

Seeing such a glorious funeral procession, Jia Cong thinks of Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao's usual methods and feels more of a cautious vigilance in his heart.

He remembers that in the original trajectory, after the late Empress Dowager Zhen passed away, it was not long before the Jin Ling Zhen family was stripped of their titles and their mansion confiscated by the Emperor.

The news of Jia She and Zhen Shiwen's involvement in the smuggling and private manufacture of firearms has now been sent to the palace through the secret reports of the Jin Ling Embroidered Uniform Guard, and Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao will certainly conduct a thorough investigation.

It is only a matter of time before the Zhen and Jia families are implicated and punished for this.

If it weren't for his timely submission of the breech-loading gun blueprints, and if it weren't for Jia She's timely death, the Embroidered Uniform Guard would likely have dug out important information from Jia She long ago, and the disaster would have arrived long ago.

But the whole matter will not completely erase all traces with the deaths of Zhen Shiwen and Jia She; things in this world, if pursued relentlessly and investigated to the bottom, will always reveal clues.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao bestowed such high-specification treatment on the late Empress Dowager Zhen's funeral, far exceeding the same precedent, extraordinary and magnificent, with imperial favor shaking the court and the wild.

However, if the Zhen family's affair is exposed one day, the Emperor's severe penal laws, stripping of titles and confiscation of mansions, will also be strictly enforced by state law, with favor and crime treated equally, impartial and unbiased, leaving others with nothing to criticize!

The entire three-day burial ceremony was conducted with great luxury, and once everything was completed, the imperial clan, officials, and noblewomen who participated in the escort returned to the city one after another.

Jia Cong also followed the carriages of Jia Mu and the others, preparing to return to Ningrong Street together.

After the procession left the Imperial Mausoleum and had traveled for the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, Jia Cong suddenly saw a large carriage parked by the side of the road, and besides a few guards, there was a woman and a little maid beside the carriage.

Jia Cong recognized the woman as a manager of the inner courtyard of the Jin Ling Zhen family, who had once been ordered by Zhen Fangqing to pay respects to Jia She at the Rongguo Prefecture.

As for the little maid with standard, delicate features, Jia Cong had also seen her a few times in Jin Ling; she was Zhen Fangqing's personal maid, though he did not know her name.

Jia Cong was only stunned for a moment when he saw the little maid waving at him continuously and running toward him quickly. Jia Cong ordered the procession to stop, turned his horse's head, and rode slowly toward them.

"Count of Lord Weiyuan, I am Miss Zhen the Third's maid, Bei'er. Our Miss is in the carriage and asks the Count to come over to meet her."

Jia Cong felt a slight tremor in his heart; he had known Zhen Fangqing in Jin Ling and had always admired this woman of outstanding talent and wisdom, but after all, they had not interacted much, and that was all there was to it.

That was why he had resisted the sudden betrothal that followed, but after such twists and turns, Zhen Fangqing had nearly become his wife.

Although his father had died and his betrothal was revoked, he could not help but develop a strange feeling for Zhen Fangqing—a feeling both familiar and strange, appearing vastly different from their meeting in Jin Ling that day.

Jia Cong dismounted, stepped onto the carriage shaft, lifted the curtain, and was greeted by a refined and refreshing fragrance.

He saw Zhen Fangqing sitting in the carriage, dressed in plain white mourning clothes, her ribbons light and slow, simple and unadorned, beautiful and elegant, her demeanor graceful.

Her hair was simply combed into a bun, with no other jewelry, and her eyes were as clear as water, shining with light, as if she could see into a person's heart at a glance.

Seeing Jia Cong enter, she smiled slightly, her pear dimples appearing faintly on her snow-white, crystalline face, moving and generous, without the slightest restraint of a young lady from a boudoir.

Jia Cong noticed that she had lost almost a full circle of weight since Jin Ling, and although her eyes were clear, she could not hide a trace of fatigue.

Zhen Fangqing said, "Yuzhang, it has been a long time since we parted in Jin Ling. Since I arrived in the Love Shenjing, I have been in the palace, and today I specifically invited you to meet."

Jia Cong replied, "Miss the Third, you have lost much weight since Jin Ling. I hope you will restrain your grief and take care of your health."

Zhen Fangqing smiled, "When you went to Jin Ling, I said that when we had time, we would share wine and music, but we never had the chance."

Speaking of this, Zhen Fangqing blushed slightly, "At that time, I never thought that you and I would have today's affair, nearly... nearly becoming... perhaps it is truly a fate without a future."

Jia Cong was always eloquent, but hearing the irrepressible bitterness in Zhen Fangqing's words, he did not know what to say.

Zhen Fangqing smiled slightly, the shyness of a young girl on her face slowly fading, her expression returning to clarity, "I have received the Retired Emperor's grace to observe mourning for the Empress Dowager at the Imperial Mausoleum for half a year.

I know Yuzhang is the Jieyuan of the Yongzhou provincial examination, and you will certainly attain the honor of a Jinshi in the spring examination at the end of next year. At that time, I should still be in the Love Shenjing and will be able to witness your glory in the examination hall."

Seeing Zhen Fangqing change the subject, Jia Cong felt a slight relief in his heart.

But hearing her mention the spring examination, he showed a bitter smile, "My father has just passed away, and according to the state's protocol, I will certainly be revoked from this spring examination. I will probably only be able to catch the spring examination three years later."

Hearing this, Zhen Fangqing looked at Jia Cong's regretful expression, her beautiful eyes flickering slightly, and she comforted him, "Since the Count passed away, you have already been revoked... from the betrothal.

Perhaps the Emperor's grace will not revoke your participation in the examinations, so you need not worry too much."

Jia Cong smiled slightly, "I hope your words come true, Miss the Third."

Zhen Fangqing smiled again and said, "I am living alone in the Love Shenjing, observing mourning for half a year. When I return to Jin Ling, Yuzhang, come and see me off. I don't know when we will be able to meet again after that."

Jia Cong nodded affirmatively and replied, "I will certainly come then."

Zhen Fangqing looked at him again and said, "Your family is waiting, so go back first, and we will meet again later."

After Jia Cong got off the carriage, Zhen Fangqing lifted the curtain and watched the Jia family's procession move away.

She thought for a moment and said to the maid Bei'er, "Tell the coachman to return to the palace immediately."

Bei'er asked curiously, "Miss, your residence at the Imperial Mausoleum has been settled, why do you suddenly want to return to the palace?"

Zhen Fangqing's eyes shone, "I want to return to the palace to beg the Retired Emperor for a favor."

(End of chapter)