Chapter 242: Daiyu: Which Miss Bao, Miss Bei—this distant‑cousin of mine must have been forgotten by him

Mrs. Zhen glanced at the laughing, cheering crowd and said expressionlessly:

"It is not the Duke of Jin, but the Duke of Jing! The 'Jing' character in this year's reign title, Jing Sheng."

"His Majesty said the reign title should serve as the duke title for the Champion Marquis, to demonstrate the unity of sovereign and subject."

"He also said the Champion Marquis is a minister of Da Han's revival, a precious jade of Da Han! The reign title should reflect his esteemed status!"

Mrs. Zhen finished and sighed: What Duke of Jin? How could one be as noble as a Duke of Jing?

To use the reign title as a subject's noble title is such a great honor!

This links the fate of the Da Han Empire with its ministers!

Even an ordinary prince, could he receive such treatment?

Yuan Chun, Tan Chun, Xiang Yun, Daiyu:???

Duke of Jing?

Using the reign title as a noble title?

First‑rank Duke of Jing?

No wonder they misunderstood; this unprecedented title, who could have imagined it?

Everyone in the pavilion stared at each other, each feeling their minds were a bit insufficient.

…………

The night was as black as ink, the moonlight like water.

The May wind was as soft as silk, blowing from the northeast corner of Shenjing City, brushing the layered green‑tiled eaves of Rong Guo Mansion, making the copper bells hanging from the eave corners tinkle gently.

Moonlight spilled over the roof ridge, as if a thin layer of frost had been laid.

Inside and outside the mansion, lights shone brightly.

The main gate of Rong Guo Mansion stood wide open, no longer barred with halberds; two large vermilion lanterns hung high on the lintel, their light making the three characters "Rong Guo Mansion" glow.

Tied to the horse posts before the gate were a dozen‑plus horses, and sedan chairs lined up from the entrance to the street corner.

The sedan bearers crouched at the base of the wall, cracking sunflower seeds, chatting idly while waiting for their masters.

The gatehouse was piled with name tablets and gifts; Lin Zhixiao moved back and forth with a few young servants, his feet barely touching the ground, sweat on his forehead, yet his smile never faded.

All this was because shortly after Mrs. Zhen arrived that afternoon, the imperial decree awarding Jia Jing had already reached Rong Guo Mansion.

Jia Jing was formally ennobled by Emperor Jing Sheng as a first‑rank Duke of Jing, a second‑rank Champion Grand General, a Senior Pillar of the State, and was granted a python robe and jade belt.

Along with the decree came countless gifts of palace gold and silverware.

Thus the Jia Mansion fell into a frenzy of celebration!

Tan Chun had Feng Jie allocate silver from the mansion's treasury, rewarding the young servants, maids, and old women of the household.

She also ordered the kitchen to set a banquet for the relatives, old friends, and guests who came to celebrate.

Since the decree, the three great families of Shi, Wang, and Xue need not be mentioned; Shi Ding, Shi Nai and others came with their wives and children to offer congratulations in person.

Mrs. Zhu, wife of Wang Ziteng of the Wang Family, also arrived with her sons Wang Yi and Wang Li.

Then most of the founding line's martial heroes arrived, especially the lady of Niu Jizong of the Marquis of the State's mansion, and the inner families of the Divine Martial General's residence and the Jinxiang Marquis's mansion, who sent lavish gifts.

In addition, the Nian family, the Yue family, the Bashang Daying martial heroes, and colleagues from the Ministry of Works led by Jia Zheng also came to pay their respects.

The male guests were received by Jia Zheng, while the inner families were entertained by Jia Mu, Mrs. Xing, and others.

The Northern Tranquil King's consort and Lady Li stayed until evening before departing; Jia Mu and Princess Zhen of the Northern Tranquil King chatted amiably about life in Jinling.

They also thanked Northern Tranquil King Shui Rong for his support of Jia Jing in court discussions.

The moon sank in the west.

The lamps in Rong Xi Hall and Rong Qing Hall were still lit, the play still performed, and some guests were still raising cups.

Daiyu's small courtyard.

A few stalks of Xiang bamboo in the courtyard rustled in the night wind; the lanterns in the corridor still glowed, though the candles had burned more than half away.

The light was dim and warm, enveloping the whole courtyard in an amber glow.

Inside, Daiyu reclined on a small couch before the writing desk, wearing a moon‑white nightgown, her hair loose, loosely bound with a single jade hairpin.

She cradled a book in her hands, the *Lu Xuan Gong's Memorial* that Jia Jing had given her, its pages already frayed.

A few pages were still stained with tea, spilled by Xiang Yun a few days earlier, which had pained her for several days.

She could almost recite the book's contents verbatim, yet she still liked to hold it and read before sleeping.

Zi Juan sat on an embroidered stool at the edge of the veranda, holding a folding fan, fanning her at an unhurried pace.

"Miss, you don't look very happy? Today is the great celebratory day of the Marquis's ennoblement; why didn't you stay longer with the matriarch?"

Zi Juan asked Daiyu softly, looking thoughtful.

Daiyu gave no reply, merely staring blankly at the book in her hands, as if entranced.

After a pause, Zi Juan waited; whatever Daiyu was thinking, she could not know, and gently said:

"Miss, your illness has just recovered, you must not let your thoughts wander aimlessly!"

After nearly half a year of acupuncture and medication, Daiyu's illness had healed.

Imperial physician Wu Qian personally came to the Jia Mansion to take her pulse, saying it was normal and that she should simply maintain her health thereafter.

Daiyu gave a faint "hm", her hand pausing briefly on the book, yet she still gave no answer.

Zi Juan glanced at Daiyu, lowering her voice:

"Miss, you're upset because of all these people constantly coming to claim kinship today, aren't you?"

Hearing this, Daiyu's smoky eyebrows furrowed, her jade‑like face faintly sighing, she said calmly:

"What right do I have to be troubled by them! Today Miss Nian, tomorrow Miss Zhen, the day after Miss Jia, and also Miss Bao, Miss Bei."

"So many girls are thinking of him; I, a distant cousin, must have been forgotten by him long ago!"

Zi Juan chuckled at the words, rose, added hot water to Daiyu's cup, and teased:

"I've often heard people talk about 'inner‑chamber grievances'; before I didn't quite understand, but today I think I finally get it!"

Daiyu pursed her lips and let out a soft hum.

Zi Juan straightened her expression and said soothingly:

"Miss, why must you think so much? The Duke's status rises a day higher, his rank a day heavier."

"He hasn't even taken a wife; it's normal for so many to speak of marriage, but the Duke is busy with military duties in the northwest and hasn't paid them any heed."

"You worry over something that doesn't exist; isn't that self‑inflicted trouble?"

"Moreover, the Duke's campaigns abroad are hard enough; if you fail to be understanding, the fault lies with you!"

Daiyu's complexion froze at the words, and after a moment she said:

"You always speak to Third Brother; I can't tell whether you're my maid or his!"

Zi Juan smiled and said:

"Of course I'm Miss's maid; I only advise you not to be impatient, and certainly not to lose composure."

"Miss Nian hasn't even seen the Duke's face to this day, and Miss Zhen is even more of a phantom!"

"As for Miss Bao, I think she should be the one anxious."

"Now the Duke's status climbs higher, the gap between the families widens, and her trying to contend with you would be as hard as scaling the heavens!"

"But you are different; your family has been ennobled for generations, your lord is a pure‑noble civil official, and you met the Duke when you were both obscure…"

Daiyu, hearing this, looked dazed for a moment.

She closed the book; moonlight slipped in through the window, falling on her face and making her already pale skin almost translucent.

She whispered:

"What do you mean 'met when we were obscure'! Back then Third Brother lived in East Kuayuan, merely an ignored illegitimate son."

"His elder uncle was…strict, his aunt cared little, and he was just like…Cong and Huan, an unremarkable one."

"Except for festivals, we rarely saw each other in ordinary days."

"At that time Third Brother's appearance was low‑key and ordinary, hidden beneath the surface; I suppose he was quietly studying literature and martial arts, building his strength."

"The first time I saw him display his brilliance was over two years ago at Rong Qing Tang; unwittingly, he has stepped forward to where he stands now."

"Ancient sayings go, 'If one does not chirp, a single chirp startles; if one does not fly, a single flight soars to the heavens.' That probably describes a person like him!"

Daiyu's expression carried a hint of complexity, wishing she had discovered Third Brother's 'concealing brilliance' earlier.

"Perhaps… perhaps now there would be no matter of Miss Bao, Miss Nian, and the like!"