Chapter 158: Green Lattice Nunnery
Chapter 158: Green Lattice Nunnery
In the Rongguo Mansion, two housekeepers were killed after checking the accounts, and one was even killed by an eighty-year-old servant.
The rights and wrongs of love and hatred among them were enough to make the future generation's brains make up an eight o'clock ”dog blood drama!”
In the Great Zhou Dynasty, things naturally heated up. In the end, even Emperor Guangde was shocked, and two orders were made for this.
The first intention was to urge all the relatives outside to do what they could and not waste money on the matter of paying a visit to one's parent's or elder's house. But it has been more than half a year since then, and the repair was almost over, so this intention was pure hindsight.
Of course, the Rongguo Mansion and other outside relatives and aristocratic families have to apologize in fear.
As for the second decree, it was inspired by the fact that the 86-year-old loyal servant swore to protect the Master and specially called the city's elderly people over 70 years old to have dinner in the Palace on Emperor’s Day.
Of course, not all elderly people were qualified to enter the Palace to celebrate the Emperor’s birthday.
To prevent the elderly from being overjoyed, and passing away due to being too excited, turning a happy event into a funeral, the Ritual Department specially issued an official document, asking the Central Judicial Office to strictly check the customs and exclude all those who were ill. Only those who could be regarded as old and healthy could enter the Palace to participate in the birthday party.
This was the standard of ”Once the Emperor opens his mouth, the workers have to be tired of handling the orders given.”
After receiving the order, officials at all levels of the Central Judicial Office immediately began to search the city for doctors. Whether they were old and healthy or dying, it was up to the doctor to decide.
In addition, this was also a preparation to shirk responsibility. If someone died in the Palace, they could turn the doctor into a scapegoat.
When all the elderly in the capital have finally gotten a physical examination, the matter of arranging defense has come.
So the officials of the Central Judicial Office had to work overtime.
On October 13, all the matters from top to bottom were finally finished. Han Anbang and Jia Yucun were able to show their kindness and let everyone take turns resting for a day so that they could have enough spirit to prepare for Emperor’s Day on October 17.
Of course, these "people" refer to officials of high rank. Those petty officials and Yamen runners who were not in the ranks had no good fortune. They still have to run errands.
Sun Shaozong was in the second batch of the rest list, which was on October 14.
Since Ruan Rong has been pregnant for nearly seven months, she has become more and more nervous recently. She prayed to God and worshiped Buddha every day, hoping to have a son.
To help her ease her mood, Sun Shaozong planned to take her and Xiangling out for recreation while taking advantage of his resting day.
It was only on October 13 that he left the Yamen and returned home to discuss for a long time, but he still couldn't decide on a specific place.
Because the choices that Ruan Rong mentioned were either a monk's temple or a nunnery. Apparently, she still wanted to worship the Buddha and ask for a son.
This time, Sun Shaozong proposed to go out to play just to let her relax. How could he agree to go to any temple?
When they were unable to make a decision, Shi Liu suddenly sent a post, and it was the official announcement of the completion of the provincial relatives' courtyard of the Jia family. Jia Baoyu sent an invitation to invite Sun Shaozong to have a look tomorrow.
"That's right!"
Sun Shaozong immediately had an idea, "Didn't you want to see your sister? Why don't we go to the Rongguo Mansion together?"
Not only was Ruan Rong satisfied with the proposal, but Xiangling was also delighted.
After all, she has lived in the Rongguo Mansion for some years, and her sisters were all in it. Especially now that the Xue family has moved out, she has no scruples.
There was nothing to say overnight.
In the morning of the next day, Sun Shaozong first asked people to put several layers of cotton mattresses in the carriage, until it was as if he were trapped in a cloud. He then personally led Ruan Rong to get on the carriage.
As for Xiangling, she went to another carriage with Shi Liu and Fu Rong.
After arriving at the Rongguo Mansion, he saw Jia Baoyu waiting outside the door.
After a short absence of more than ten days, he seemed to have changed a little. His temperament was more stable than before. Even his favorite bright red clothes have changed to a low-key black color.
"Second Brother."
He arched his hand, but Sun Shaozong did not hurry to get off the horse but smiled, "Your Sister Rong came along. Now she is inconvenient, let me help her get off the carriage first, and then come to find you."
With these words, he personally drove the carriage to the front yard where Jia Mu lived.
Arriving at the two gates, he carefully helped Ruan Rong out of the carriage and watched Ruan Rong and Xiangling be welcomed in by several women and maids. He then turned back to the gate to meet Jia Baoyu.
He looked Jia Baoyu up and down for a while and then said with a laugh, "The baby fats on your face look more handsome when it is thinner. If you look at this face alone, it may be comparable to Liu Xianglian."
"Liu Xianglian?"
"Uh..."
Sun Shaozong remembered that he had not seen Liu Xianglian before, so he casually said, "He is the son of my old friend. Recently, he has been very cordial to Feng Ziying. If I have the opportunity, let me introduce you."
"Since he’s a friend of yours and also a friend of the Feng family, I must get to know him well."
Jia Baoyu said, raising his hand to make his way in, "Second Brother, how about going to another courtyard first?"
"I was just going to look at your garden and see what it looked like."
After talking and laughing, they entered the Grand View Garden.
Baoyu pointed at the scenes one by one and explained why this place is called ”Winding roads leading to secluded places,” why it is called a ”Desire place,” what's the means of naming ”a phoenix comes with grace to rest,” and what is the beauty of the ”Daoxiang Village.” All kinds of allusions came at random.
"They say you don't like reading, but I think they are mistaken."
Sun Shaozong suddenly remembered something and asked, "Where does Uncle Jiao live now? Don't forget to take me to say hello later."
That day, he led Jiao Da to walk into the government office. On the way, Sun Shaozong talked with the old man very well.
Jiao Da repeatedly sighed that if the children and grandchildren of the Rong-Ning Mansion could have 30 percent of Sun Shaozong's ability, they would not be cheated by a group of gangsters.
Jia Baoyu hesitated, shook his head, and smiled bitterly, "Uncle Jiao said he was from the East Mansion and said he would not move in. Now he is back in the East Mansion. However, looking at the face of the West Mansion, he has also been appointed as a steward, and two honest people have been assigned to serve him."
This was not what Sun Shaozong expected. With great credit, if he had been willing to soften up, he would not have fallen into the present situation.
"That's right."
Jia Baoyu suddenly pointed to a temple not far ahead and said, "A strange man is living in the Green Lattice Nunnery. Now that you are here, you can't miss him."
With that, Sun Shaozong went to the Green Lattice Nunnery and explained to the little nun who kept the door.
Not long after, a young nun with long hair came out of the Buddhist hall. She was wrapped in green silk in plain white gauze, her eyes were vaguely like a picture, she held a green jade dust brush, and her feet were stepping on lotus soap boots.
At a distance, it looked like the Goddess of Mercy.
But Jia Baoyu said, "This is Lord Sun, the famous Master of the Capital. Brother Sun, this female bodhisattva is named Miaoyu. Buddhism, talent, and poetry are all first-class!"