Red Chamber 19

"Little sister, would you like some pastry?"

Liu Xiaopang shared his pastry with his younger sister with great brotherly love.

Liu Jiaying's eyes curved into crescents as she took the pastry: "Thank you, brother."

This was the main reason why she never felt jealous or angry.

Who could stay mad at such a cute brother who cared so much for his sister!

Jia Yuanchun watched the friendly siblings, a satisfied smile appearing on her lips.

When Liu Zhong returned home and saw the scene of his beloved wife and young children together, a smile also touched his lips.

When the Emperor conferred titles upon his concubines, it had little to do with anyone other than the families of those concubines.

Jia Yuanchun only visited the Duke of Qi Mansion once to deliver congratulatory gifts before returning home to continue living her own quiet life.

However, not long after, news spread that the Emperor had issued an edict allowing the concubines to return home for a visit.

The families of those concubines immediately began to construct villas for the visits.

They scrambled for building materials, causing prices to soar across the capital and affecting many families who were trying to carry out routine home repairs.

But there was nothing to be done; these were the Emperor's relatives, and no one dared to offend them.

While Jia Yuanchun was at home marrying off her daughter and weaving knots, the Ningguo Mansion sent word of a death, stating that Qin Keqing had passed away.

Jia Yuanchun was surprised and prepared to return to the Ningguo Mansion.

Liu Jiaying pestered Jia Yuanchun, wanting to go along.

Jia Yuanchun refused.

A child's life force was fragile, and she feared that visiting a house where someone had just died would bring bad luck.

Liu Jiaying rolled her eyes: "Then I'll go to the Rongguo Mansion and have my second and third aunts keep me company."

Unable to deal with her pestering, Jia Yuanchun had no choice but to take her along, first going to the Rongguo Mansion to entrust Liu Jiaying to the care of Yingchun and Tanchun before heading to the Ningguo Mansion.

At the Ningguo Mansion, You was "ill" and unable to manage affairs, so Wang Xifeng took charge of handling Qin Keqing's funeral arrangements.

Wang Xifeng had been married to Jia Lian for several years now.

She was not the eldest daughter-in-law of the Rongguo Mansion and held no authority over the household, only assisting Zhang and the Princess with matters; she was not as overworked as in the original story and did not have to force herself to work while pregnant.

After she became pregnant, she took good care of herself, and in addition to giving birth to Qiaojie, she also bore a son named Jia Gui.

Wang Xifeng was very capable and managed the affairs of the Ningguo Mansion in an orderly fashion.

Jia Yuanchun burned a stick of incense and returned to the Rongguo Mansion.

After all, Qin Keqing was her junior, and it was not appropriate for her to stay and keep vigil for her.

Jia Yuanchun went to find her daughter and discovered that her sister-in-law the Princess, her second sister-in-law Li Wan, and the young ladies Yingchun, Tanchun, and Xichun were chatting together.

Her own daughter was playing with the Princess's children and Qiaojie and Jia Lan.

They were discussing poetry and literature, not mentioning the affairs of the Ningguo Mansion.

In truth, the married women were all aware of the messy business going on at the Ningguo Mansion.

The Princess felt both anger and disgust regarding Qin Keqing's death.

The Princess knew of Qin Keqing's true identity.

Back then, Jia Hu had been very puzzled as to why Jia Zhen would choose the daughter of a minor official to be his son's wife and the mistress of the Ningguo Mansion, instinctively sensing something fishy.

At the time, he hadn't thought much of it, but after Liu Zhong reminded him, he went to investigate Qin Keqing's background.

This investigation led him straight to the Deposed Crown Prince, Prince Yizhong.

Qin Keqing was the illegitimate daughter of Prince Yizhong.

Jia Hu was so angry he laughed.

If the Ningguo Mansion wanted to die, they shouldn't drag the Rongguo Mansion down with them!

The Emperor was already firmly seated on the throne; what more did they want to do?

Did they want to join the current Commandery Prince Yizhong in rebellion?

Damn it, the Rongguo Mansion was also within the nine degrees of kinship of the Ningguo Mansion!

Jia Hu dared not delay; he entered the palace to see the Emperor and reported the matter of Qin Keqing to him.

The Emperor did not care much about an illegitimate daughter like Qin Keqing, but he made a mental note against the Ningguo Mansion.

When the time came to deal with the Four Kings and Eight Dukes, the Ningguo Mansion would be the first to be cut down.

The Emperor reassured Jia Hu that the Ningguo Mansion was the Ningguo Mansion and the Rongguo Mansion was the Rongguo Mansion, and he would not blame the Rongguo Mansion for the actions of the Ningguo Mansion.

Having received the Emperor's guarantee, Jia Hu finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Jia Hu did not tell anyone else about this matter, only Zhang and the Princess.

He didn't even tell Jia She.

He was afraid that his father would get drunk and let the secret slip.

But Jia Hu knew that Lady Jia Shi was also well aware of this matter.

She was harboring the same intentions as Jia Zhen, wanting to place a bet and treat her as a "rare commodity to be hoarded."

Yet they failed to consider whether they possessed the capabilities of a Lu Buwei.

Jia Hu could not help but lament in his heart that his grandfather had passed away too early; without his grandfather's restraint, his grandmother had become reckless and bold in her actions.

Fortunately, only Jia Zhen would listen to her—Jia Zheng also obeyed Lady Jia Shi, but he was too rigid, and there were certain things Lady Jia Shi could not involve him in—so the trouble they could stir up would not be too great.

Did they think that by marrying the illegitimate daughter of the Deposed Crown Prince, they could leap into becoming imperial relatives and achieve the merit of supporting a new emperor?

They should just wash up and go to sleep; that could only be achieved in their dreams.

Jia Yuanchun did not know the identity of Qin Keqing, but Liu Jiaying did.

While playing with the children, she pricked up her ears to listen to the women's conversation, but unfortunately, they were chatting about poetry, which she could not understand.

In her previous life, Liu Jiaying was a science student who hadn't even memorized all the Tang and Song poems, so how could she possibly grasp their deeper meanings?

In this life, let alone becoming a talented woman like Lin Meimei, she couldn't even appreciate the quality of poetry like Yingchun or Xichun.

Liu Jiaying did not hear any useful information at Rongguo Mansion, so she returned to the Liu Family in low spirits, and the next day, she couldn't even be bothered to go to Rongguo Mansion.

It was better to stay at home and sleep in; if she wanted to hear gossip, wasn't there still Jiqiu?

The funeral for Qin Keqing was held on a grand scale, and the families of the Four Kings and Eight Dukes all set up road altars for her.

This forced Jia Hu and the Emperor to suspect that someone in each of the Four Kings and Eight Dukes' households knew Qin Keqing's true identity.

It was highly likely that these people had all placed their bets on Commandery Prince Yizhong.

The Emperor sneered.

A fine lot, these Four Kings and Eight Dukes.

Did they really think he dared not deal with them?

Vermilion railings and white stones, green trees and clear streams, clusters of flowers and intoxicating fragrance.

What a magnificent scene of an immortal realm.

A graceful figure suddenly appeared, passing through the stone archway inscribed with "Taixu Illusion Realm," and arrived at a palace.

Many beautiful women inside the hall saw the woman and gathered around her.

"Keqing, you've returned so soon?" one woman asked in surprise.

Keqing was none other than Fairy Keqing, who had departed from Qin Keqing's body and returned to the Taixu Illusion Realm.

She replied to Yinchou Jinnu, who had just asked the question: "My mission is complete, so I returned. But sister, didn't you say you were going to lead the soul of the Shenying Attendant into the Taixu Illusion Realm? I had already arranged for him to be in my bedroom in the mortal world; why didn't you come to collect him?"

Upon hearing this, a look of bitterness appeared on Yinchou Jinnu's face: "Sister Jinghuan has gone into seclusion."

Fairy Keqing was greatly alarmed and hurriedly asked: "The plan is nearing its end, why would she go into seclusion?"

Chimeng Fairy replied: "Not long ago, Sister Jinghuan suddenly vomited blood and was severely injured; it seems she suffered a backlash from her magic. Afterward, Sister Jinghuan went into seclusion, and she has yet to emerge. We don't even know if her injuries have improved."