On this day, Zhang Jieyu sat in the four concubines' sedan to return home. This was the first concubine to return home since Luoshuanga had succeeded the throne. Logically speaking, it was a supreme honor. However, Zhang Jieyu's background and half of the four concubines' honor guard were half awkward.
When Zhang fu received the news, they immediately prepared to welcome Zhang Jieyu. Although time was short, there was still time to renovate the family's garden. In addition, Zhang fu originally didn't have many people, so it was still possible to empty a garden for Zhang Jieyu to live in.
When Zhang Jieyu returned home, all sorts of feelings welled up in her heart. When she left, she was already prepared to never see her family again, whether in or out of the palace. Now that her eyes met with her family once again, pearl-sized tears fell from her eyes. The female official accompanying her saw this and held her hand, reminding her: "Niangniang, please pay attention to your manners."
Zhang Jieyu quickly blinked away the tears in her eyes and tried to maintain her bearing. She walked past her relatives who were kneeling to welcome her and took a seat at the head of the hall. The only women in the family were grandmother Jia and General Zhang's second concubine Zhou. Zhou was originally a capable palace maid who followed Princess Royal Yue Wan all the way from Shaanxi to Yanjing. In order to take care of her master, she took the initiative to tie her hair into a bun and became an aunt. It could be said that she was loyal and devoted.
Later, after Princess Royal Yue Wan gave birth to Zhang Jieyu, her health was not good. In addition, there were many rumors in Yanjing. In the end, this originally proud and tenacious woman was forced to die. Before she died, she was worried about three people: her husband, her child, and Zhou, who was like a sister to her.
Therefore, after discussing with General Zhang, Zhou was taken in as the second concubine. First, after Princess Royal Yue Wan died, there would be a reliable steward. Second, there would be someone to take care of General Zhang's family. Looking at Zhou, the masters in the palace would inevitably think of Princess Royal Yue Wan and remember how they owed Princess Royal Yue Wan. Third, it was also a debt to Zhou. Now that Zhou was considered the second concubine of an official's family, her family could also bask in some glory. Although it might be related to Zhang family, it was not a glory.
Although the Zhang Family's reputation wasn't good, their official rank was still Second Grade Dragon-Tiger General. His mother was also given the title of Second Grade Imperial Lady.
With the help of Madame Zhou, Old Madame Jia knelt down tremblingly and kowtowed to Zhang Jieyu, "Greetings to Zhang Jieyu. May Your Highness be Kim On."
Zhang Jieyu held back her tears. She waved her hand and said, "Please rise. Where is father?"
"General Zhang is kneeling outside."
Zhang Jieyu choked slightly and said, "I'll have to trouble Auntie Zhijing to invite my father in."
Empress Dowager Wang had specially assigned a female official by the name of Zhi Brocade to serve Zhang Jieyu. After Zhi Brocade ordered someone to bring in a brocade screen, she went out to invite General Zhang to speak.
"This humble subject, Zhang Li, kowtows in salute to Consort Liang."
Seeing her father's tall figure through the screen, Zhang Jieyu covered her mouth with a handkerchief to stop herself from sobbing. After a while, she calmed herself down and said, "General, please rise."
Zhi Brocade saw that Zhang Jieyu was unable to calm down and said, "Your Highness, you must be tired. Is the courtyard ready for you to rest in?"
Old Madame Jia was deaf and didn't hear clearly. Madame Zhou hurriedly said, "Your Highness's courtyard is ready. Please come with me."
Returning to the familiar courtyard and room, Zhang Jieyu felt that things had changed. Half a year ago, she was still a pampered young lady in this room. Now, she was the Jieyu that her relatives had to kneel to when they saw her, although she was only a Jieyu in name.
That's right, she was just like her mother, Princess Yue Wan. She only used a special medicine to wash away the chastity mark on her arm. Luo Shuangyan didn't touch her, but from then on, in her life, she didn't even think about the love between husband and wife, or the pleasure of the boudoir, other than glory and wealth.
Material satisfaction made her thirst for spiritual riches. Zhang Jieyu had also read books in peace, even some classics and history books that girls shouldn't read. Otherwise, she would be swallowed up by this sense of emptiness sooner or later.
"Your Highness, are you satisfied? If there is any shortage, please send someone to inform me." Madame Zhou's gentle voice interrupted Zhang Jieyu's wandering thoughts.
Zhang Jieyu touched the furnishings in the room that didn't seem to have changed at all. She smiled and said, "Concubine Zhou's arrangement has always been to my liking. Everything is fine … Aunt Zhi Brocade, I haven't seen my family for a long time. Can I say a few words to Concubine Zhou?"
Zhi Brocade politely bowed her head and led everyone out, leaving space for the two. There was no one around to look, so the two couldn't hold back anymore. They hugged each other and cried bitterly.
"Concubine Zhou, Concubine Zhou, Xuelian, I miss you so much. I miss father so much!"
Concubine Zhou also cried her heart out. She stroked Zhang Jieyu's long hair and cried, "This concubine also misses Your Highness. There's not a moment when I don't think about you. I worry if Your Highness is being bullied in the palace, if there are any blind servants who offend Your Highness. This concubine really wants to go to the palace with Your Highness."
The two cried for a long time and finally stopped crying. They each took a handkerchief to wipe their tears. Concubine Zhou personally wrung a handkerchief and helped Zhang Jieyu tidy up her appearance. She poured a cup of tea and said in a hoarse voice, "Your Highness, drink some water to moisten your throat."
Zhang Jieyu didn't take it and pushed it back, saying, "Concubine Zhou, you drink first."
Concubine Zhou smiled and said, "Silly child, there's such a big pot, how can I be short." Only then did Zhang Jieyu take it. At this moment, the two finally calmed down and could talk properly.
Concubine Zhou said with concern, "Although the ranks of the harem have been rearranged this time, Your Highness also profited from the disaster and became a secondary third rank Jieyu. You can be considered to have made a name for yourself. However, Your Highness still hasn't had a child. You can't be considered to have a firm foothold in the harem. Furthermore, Your Highness and His Majesty are cousins. For now, the only way is to have a child. Manao was carefully selected by this concubine at home. She's an orphan and everything is in our hands. She can be trusted. Even if … … she's gone, it doesn't matter. "
Zhang Jieyu understood what Concubine Zhou didn't say. As long as the child was born, Manao was dispensable. If she was loyal as usual, then it was fine. But once she had thoughts she shouldn't have, the Zhang family had the ability to quietly make her disappear.
Concubine Zhou asked again, "This time, this concubine didn't see Manao. Did something happen?"
Zhang Jieyu shook her head and avoided the important matter, "It's nothing. This concubine let her stay in the palace to look after the courtyard. After all, this concubine can't be at ease except for her."
Concubine Zhou carefully looked at Zhang Jieyu's expression. She frowned and asked, "Niangniang, tell this concubine the truth. Did this girl have thoughts she shouldn't have?"
Zhang Jieyu was afraid that she misunderstood Manao and quickly explained, "Concubine Zhou, please don't misunderstand. This concubine ordered her to stay in the palace because the Empress Dowager came to find this concubine and said something. It's roughly the same as what concubine Zhou said. Also … … the Empress Dowager told this concubine what happened to mother that year."
Speaking of Princess Royal Yue Wan, Concubine Zhou was filled with sorrow. Her tears fell again, "The imperial family is heartless. What's more heartless than the imperial family are the rumors spread by those who rejoice in other people's misfortune."
Zhang Jieyu hesitated and asked, "The Empress Dowager said … … that year, mother was really, really by the palace's nannies … …" She really couldn't say the word body examination. To a woman, having a body examination was a great humiliation, let alone a princess like Princess Royal Yue Wan.
Concubine Zhou covered her face with a handkerchief and nodded while crying. That scene was much more tragic than what Empress Dowager Wang had described. She still remembered it to this day. She remembered how her master was dragged down like a criminal. At that time, she was also pressed to the ground in a sorry state. Several times, she struggled to get up to save her master. Then, she attracted the anger of Qing Ming Emperor. She was dragged out of the hall, stripped naked and beaten.
Princess Royal Yue Wan was someone who couldn't tolerate sand in her eyes. She definitely couldn't tolerate other people's slander, especially the suspicions from her family. Moreover, this body examination was half public in the palace. The nannies responsible for the body examination were her mother's old nannies. They also represented her father, the Empress, and even some people who she didn't know what they were thinking. She felt like a pig waiting to be slaughtered. Her limbs were pressed down, her thighs were forcibly separated, and her private parts were pried open. One, two, three, four … … she didn't know how many.
With such a great humiliation, as soon as Princess Royal Yue Wan was released, she immediately wanted to bang her head against the wall. Fortunately, there were many people at the time, so she didn't do it. But even so, how many people were in the palace? How many people were in Yan Jing City? Could it be that she had to do it in broad daylight for everyone to see?
The thing that this world didn't lack the least were evil people who didn't mind watching a show. No matter how you were, even if you were perfect, they could still forcibly open a crack and say that generals used weapons to kill people. Evil people like them could kill people with just their mouths, but they would never feel that it was their fault. They would even feel proud of themselves and think that they were capable people.
No matter how strong and optimistic a person was, after experiencing this kind of thing, they would still change. Princess Royal Yue Wan began to become taciturn. When no one was around, she would secretly harm herself. If it wasn't for concubine Zhou bumping into her, who knew if she would bleed out like this and die in a corner where no one was around.
"In this world, there are many blind people who say that niangniang doesn't look like Princess Royal, but this lowly concubine thinks that these eyebrows, these eyes, this nose, this mouth, they all clearly came from Princess Royal's body …" Thinking of Princess Royal Yue Wan who died of depression at the age of puberty, concubine Zhou cried even harder. Her tears surged out like a flood from a broken dam.
She would never forget when she returned to her master's side after recovering from her injuries. When she woke up in the middle of the night to keep watch, she saw a blade that reflected the moonlight and was stained with blood. Princess Royal Yue Wan's empty and numb eyes. It was as if she couldn't feel any pain as she mechanically cut her own arm. The originally white and tender jade arm was already badly mutilated by her.
At that time, concubine Zhou, who was still called Kaiyan, immediately threw herself forward and tightly held the blade. She cried out: "Princess Royal, Princess Royal, wake up, don't be like this. Someone come — — someone come — — master, cut this servant's arm, cut this servant's arm. Don't hurt yourself like this, someone come — —"
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
