Chapter 167

Originally, if it weren't for him, Jing Sheng Di wanted to win over the founding martial merit lineage.

It was only by marrying the daughters of martial merit families — that is, by granting Yuan Chun and others the title of consort — that he could win over and pacify the hearts of the founding martial merit lineage.

But as he gradually became a commanding general, holding 100,000 troops, granting Yuan Chun a consort title gradually became impossible.

Only in the early founding period of the Da Han Empire, when Emperor Taizu sought to consolidate power, were there many instances of marrying into the families of founding meritorious officials.

Since the Chengzu emperor, this situation has greatly decreased.

In the Han Dynasty, most consorts were selected from low-ranking officials or even commoner families; the core purpose was to prevent external relatives from interfering in government.

Especially, it is extremely rare for a girl from a martial-meritorious family who holds military power to enter the palace.

When Emperor Jing Sheng first ascended the throne not long ago, eager to win over and pacify the hearts of the founding martial-meritorious lineage, he would choose a girl from a founding martial-meritorious family to enter the palace.

Even so, the candidates initially rumored to be made consorts mostly came from nominally prestigious martial-meritorious families, such as the Jia family, which previously held only an empty title of a first-rank general.

The nature of such consort selection is extremely subtle, more like a political courting tactic than mere favor.

But since Jia Jing gradually grasped military power, this marital alliance courting method seemed outdated, so the news that Yuan Chun was to be made a consort gradually faded.

Even if Emperor Jing Sheng trusted him more, it would be impossible to let him command 100,000 troops outside while simultaneously making his sister a consort inside the palace.

If Emperor Jing Sheng really did that, it would not be trust in Jia Jing, but suspicion and wariness, even an intent to settle accounts with the Jia family.

And Jia Jing's current proposal regarding Yuan Chun is not merely to have her made a consort as in the original story.

Rather, it is to take advantage of this opportunity when Emperor Jing Sheng reduces palace staff to get Yuan Chun out of the palace somehow.

In fact, since Jia Jing returned to the capital and took command of the 100,000 troops of Bashang Daying, he has had the idea of bringing Yuan Chun out of the palace.

Although Yuan Chun is merely a mid-low ranking female official in the palace, she is nevertheless "a person of the palace."

According to the rules of the Da Han Empire, after being selected into the palace, aside from a very few who are favored and promoted by the emperor,

most are destined to serve the imperial household in the palace until old age, and even after death can only be buried in the capital; thus getting someone out of the palace is no easy feat.

If done rashly, it would easily arouse suspicion of ulterior motives, so Jia Jing has been waiting for an opportunity.

And this time, upon hearing that Emperor Jing Sheng intends to cut palace expenditures and reduce staff, Jia Jing knew the opportunity had arrived.

As for why Jia Jing wants to bring Yuan Chun out of the palace,

the main reason is that Yuan Chun, while in the palace now, will not aid his career but instead has become a political liability and obstacle for him.

He is not worried that Emperor Jing Sheng might one day on a whim favor Yuan Chun, make her a consort and bear a child, putting him in a dilemma.

Emperor Jing Sheng is an extremely rational and diligent ruler; these years since his accession, he has never indulged in women.

In the harem there is only one empress and two consorts; the crown prince is born of the empress, both legitimate and eldest, leaving no opening for officials to engage in political maneuvering over the succession struggle.

His main concern is the Retired Emperor; that is a restless presence, who once used Cao Guogong to win over Jia She.

If this time the news of his victory in the northwest campaign reaches the court, the Retired Emperor is very likely to again think of courting him, and Yuan Chun would be the best entry point.

Although Yuan Chun is now in the empress's palace, making a move on her is not easy for the Retired Emperor, but not easy does not mean impossible.

If the Grand Empress Dowager steps forward and bestows Yuan Chun upon the Retired Emperor or one of his princes, even Emperor Jing Sheng would find it hard to obstruct.

After all, Yuan Chun is a person of the palace, and the Grand Empress Dowager and the empress both have direct authority over her.

Furthermore, Lady Wang and Wang Ziteng are also restless elements; their intention in sending Yuan Chun into the palace was to cling to the imperial family.

If, while Jia Jing is away on campaign, they collude with the Retired Emperor's side,

using Yuan Chun to send out erroneous allegiance signals, that would land him in an unfavorable political situation.

Another reason is that, in fact, Yuan Chun herself does not enjoy her stay in the imperial palace.

This can be seen from the scene in the original work where Yuan Chun returns home to visit her family and meets relatives in a private chamber.

Yuan Chun speaks through tears, describing the palace interior as a "place of no enjoyment" and a "where one cannot see people," completely as if she had emerged from a confined prison.

The glory and splendor that the Jia family admires is, for Yuan Chun—a girl in the palace with no relatives to turn to—merely an abyss, making her suffer bitterly within it.

Since keeping Yuan Chun in the palace brings no benefit and only harm to both Jia Jing and herself, it would be better to take this opportunity to bring her back to the Jia household.

Xia Shouzhong heard Jia Jing deny his guess, felt somewhat surprised, and said with a laugh:

"What is it? Marquis Jingwu, speak plainly; since the miscellaneous household has taken your silver, if it can be done we will certainly not refuse."

This is Xia Shouzhong's usual line of talk: if it can be done, we won't refuse; if it cannot be done, naturally it's hard to say.

Jia Jing lifted his gaze to look at the distant tall and deep palace walls, his eyes profound, and slowly said:

"I wish to ask the interior minister not to promote my elder sister and grant her favor, but to have the interior minister, taking advantage of this palace staff reduction, send her away from the palace."

"To be frank, the elderly matriarch at home is aging; lately she often mentions that her granddaughter, who served as a female historian in the palace, has not been seen for many years."

"These past few days she has been so preoccupied that she cannot eat or drink, lying ill in bed.."

"It happens that His Majesty has just bestowed grace, intending to reduce palace personnel. If we can obtain the interior minister's assistance, to fulfill familial bonds, this marquis would be deeply grateful."

Jia Jing naturally could not state his true motive, but instead used the pretext of Jia Mu's longing for her granddaughter.

The Da Han Empire governs the world through filial piety; invoking filial duty is a most suitable justification.

As for Jia Mu being ill in bed, that is true, but it is not because she misses Yuan Chun; rather, … she is old, her headache ailment has flared up again, and she is resting at home.

Regarding the matter of bringing Yuan Chun out of the palace, Jia Jing tries to involve himself as little as possible.

He had already mentioned this to Jia Mu at the Lantern Festival; Jia Mu was initially not very willing.

After all, the Jia family has spent considerable expense over the years on Yuan Chun, hoping that one day she would be ennobled as a consort, lifting the Jia family to soaring prosperity and becoming noble relatives by marriage.

As a result, Jia Jing's saying he wants to bring her out turned all those years of expectation and effort into empty fantasy, and she really finds it hard to accept.

But after Jia Jing clearly explained the benefits and drawbacks, especially elaborating on the possible risks to Jia Baoyu and Jia Zheng,

Jia Mu sensed Jia Jing's "painstaking effort," hesitated for a long time but still gritted her teeth and agreed; also that day Jia Mu's headache ailment flared up again.

Meanwhile, upon hearing Jia Jing's words, Xia Shouzhong felt relieved in his heart.

If Jia Jing were asking him to arrange for Yuan Chun to be favored and granted favor by Emperor Jing Sheng, seeking noble status as an external relative,

even if he could do it, he would not agree, because carrying it out entails considerable risk and would easily offend the empress and noble consorts in the palace.

But if it is merely to take advantage of this opportunity to reduce palace staff and send Yuan Chun away from the palace, for him that would just be a minor matter.