The Lewd Grand View Garden

page views:1 Publication date:2023-08-16

In the second chapter, the Grand Council convened in the 　　Qianqing Hall, while Hongzhou, driven by lust, raided the Ningrong Mansion . Upon entering the inner hall of the Grand Council, all the Grand
Council officials rose
to pay their respects
. They all rose to greet him; these were the Grand Council ministers on duty that day: Ma'erkang, Ma Qi, and Zhang Tingyu. After exchanging pleasantries, Hongzhou sat idly on a chair with a fox fur cushion on the north side, listening to their discussion. He found it both
laughable . To someone from the past, matters like the conversion of Miao chieftains to centrally appointed officials, the unified taxation of Henan gentry,
and the etiquette of the English envoy's audience were nothing but old clouds and smoke,
a fleeting dream of life. Compared to the swift passage of time and the ceaseless flow of rivers, these so-called national affairs seemed almost comical, not
worth mentioning, and of no interest in discussing.
Zhang Tingyu mentioned that an imperial censor had impeached the daughter of Longkodo, a disgraced official who had been forced into slavery in the Imperial Household Department.
Hongzhou listened only briefly, and was astonished by the Qing court's strict rules. It turned out that Longkodo had been convicted for several years without a verdict. Even if
Yongzheng didn't punish him, he would release him, but his entire family had already been enslaved. He was taken to Prince Bao's residence,
while his eldest daughter was sent to the Imperial Household Department. For some reason, she hadn't served them well, which had led to the imperial censor's impeachment. Hongzhou
reflected on the Qing dynasty; these imperial censors truly controlled the princes above and influenced public opinion below. Although their words were often harsh and their rhetoric flamboyant
, they were indeed beneficial to the government's rectification. However, Longkodo, once the Grand Secretary, was now implicated,
and his family was forced into hard labor, with even minor mistakes being criticized. It was lamentable how fickle the world was and how
cold human relationships could be.
As Hongzhou pondered this, he
was brought back to reality by Grand Councilor Malkang pointing to a memorial.
Malkang said, "This memorial from the Yangzhou Provincial Administration Commissioner is again impeaching Duke Rongguo, Jia She. Your Highness and the Grand Secretary
, do you think we should submit a summary, or suppress it and observe further?"
Zhang Tingyu hesitated for a moment and asked, "What does Grand Secretary Ma think?"
Ma Qi, though his hair was already white, was one of the most senior Grand Councilors of the Yongzheng era. He didn't mince words and
smiled faintly, "Ahem… what's there to suppress? The Vice Minister of War has a memorial, the Prefect of Huaiyin has a memorial, the Circuit Intendant of Jining
has a memorial, and the Provincial Surveillance Commission of the Court of Colonial Affairs also has a memorial—all impeaching Jia She and his nephew Jia Zhen." Behind this, without
Li Wei's approval, it would be impossible. It's likely that Li Wei personally instructed them; perhaps he already had a secret memorial submitted
. Behind Li Wei is the Emperor's will, and the Empress's face is probably beyond their control.”
Zhang Tingyu, shrewd and calculating, still refused to express his opinion. However, Ma'erkang said, “What Minister Ma says is quite true.
But even if we don't suppress it, this matter has been going on for over half a month. What is the attitude of our Grand Council when the Emperor inquires
?”
Hongzhou's brow twitched slightly upon hearing this. Zhang Tingyu seemed to have seen through him and asked with a smile:
"Speaking of which, the Jia family is practically the Emperor's household servants, and the Virtuous Consort is even more so a member of the Emperor's clan. Your Highness, as the head of the Imperial Clan Court and the Imperial Household
Department, is in charge. I wonder what Your Highness thinks?"
Hongzhou had been planning this matter for half a month, and naturally had a well-prepared speech. He said,
"What is there to say? Corruption, selling official positions, and deceiving the Emperor are all capital offenses, and they have resulted in several deaths. According to the
laws of the Qing Dynasty, they are punishable by execution. Moreover, there is also the crime of treason. Such accusations must be investigated.
Only after the facts are verified can we discuss how to proceed. However, the crime of treason is not easy to verify, but we can discuss the murder case first...
We can only discuss the crimes according to the law. However, the two Dukes Ning and Rong have made contributions in bringing the Emperor into the Central Plains. I'm afraid the Emperor
will still show them favor. Favor comes from above, and punishment is determined by the law. We don't need to have any particular stance."
These words were tactful, but in reality, he was indecisive and lacked a clear idea, which suited Hongzhou's personality. Several Grand
Councilors , upon hearing this, simply smiled, assuming he didn't want to get involved and didn't take it seriously.
Hongzhou, knowing he wasn't a figure of influence, rose and said with a smile, "Today, I still need to present my nameplate to pay my
respects to Father Emperor, so I'll take my leave first."
The ministers repeatedly said, "Your Highness , please go ahead."
Hongzhou said nothing more, left the Grand Council, and summoned his attendants and a group of
eunuchs . They presented their nameplates and headed towards the inner palace. He sighed inwardly: These old men in the Grand Council seem to be
preparing to take advantage of the Ning and Rong mansions' misfortune. It seems the Jia family's affairs are about to be settled.
Entering the Qianqing Palace to pay his respects to Emperor Yongzheng, he found his elder brother, Prince Bao, Hongli, already there. People say Emperor Yongzheng is
harsh , ungrateful, and ruthless, but fortunately, he has always been kind and tolerant towards Hongzhou, even indulging his arbitrariness. Therefore, Hongzhou
wasn't particularly afraid of this "Father Emperor." He kowtowed to the Emperor and paid his respects, then bowed to Hongli, before standing
aside to listen to his fourth brother, a prince who wielded considerable power and was dashing and debonair, discussing state affairs with the Yongzheng Emperor.
Yongzheng took a sip of ginseng soup and pondered, "Hongzhou… it's best if you listen to this matter from the sidelines for now. It involves the
Imperial Clan Court and the Imperial Household Department; I can have you handle it later. Hongli, continue with the case of Consort Xian's family."
Hongli, unhurried and deliberate, bowed slightly and began to speak eloquently: "Yes, Your Majesty,
I have thoroughly investigated this matter at the Ministry of Justice. There are witnesses and physical evidence. There are a total of twenty-two cases involving Consort Xian's maternal family; they can be summarized as
bribery , selling official positions, extortion, and murder." Jia Zhen, who inherited the title of Duke of Ningguo, received
500,000 taels of silver as "tribute" from porcelain, silk, jade, and gold workshops across the country while working in the Imperial Workshops. In addition, the whereabouts of a red
coral were unknown, and the matter also fell on him. His son, Jia Rong, who
held a position in the Imperial Court, also engaged in corruption. Duke of Rongguo, Jia She, and his son, Jia Lian, were also found to have embezzled more than 100,000 taels of silver while serving as the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Jiangnan. Jia She also seized the people's
property and forced an innocent man, Shi Ting, to his death over a few fans, which is also verifiable. "And Jia Jing, who has already resigned from his official post, is also causing trouble in the Taoist temple
, even trying to interfere in the personnel matters of the magistrate of Jining County; and... Jia Zheng, the Assistant Minister of Works, is
the father of the Virtuous Consort. During his tenure as the Education Commissioner, he bribed and sold quotas for students. Although it was a servant's embezzlement, he is still culpable..."
Seeing his caution, Yongzheng said gently, "Don't hesitate. Not to mention the father of a concubine, even the father of
the Empress , if he commits such a crime, he will be dealt with according to the law."
Hongli said, "Yes, Father Emperor understands." "Then, emboldened, he continued, "Actually, these crimes
have already been verified and are related to the law. The Ministry has already submitted a memorial. However, there are still cases that the Ministry cannot thoroughly investigate
; these are the real major cases..."
Yongzheng encouraged him, "Go on..."
Hongli said, "One case is that in June of the fourth year of Yongzheng's reign, during a family banquet in the inner palace, Father Emperor mentioned the need to investigate
the descendants of the Ming dynasty to revise the History of the Ming dynasty. Later, he didn't mention it again. However, Jia She wrote a letter to his servants in August to investigate in Jiangnan."
"This is clearly an attempt to curry favor with the emperor..."
"What currying favor with the emperor!" Yongzheng interrupted him, "How could he, a mere Jiangning Provincial Administration Commissioner, know what I
casually said in the palace? If it wasn't Consort Xian colluding with her family to leak my words, then she must have bribed the palace
eunuchs to find out my likes and dislikes... Despicable!!!"
"Father is right." With the Emperor's idea in mind, Hongli found it easier to continue. "Communicating with the inner palace and leaking
palace secrets is a serious crime. Moreover, letters were later found in Eighth Uncle's residence, showing that these words had reached Eighth Uncle's ears
..."
Yongzheng smiled sinisterly and contemptuously, making Hongzhou and Hongli sweat profusely. "They actually passed on a message to
Eighth Prince , who then spread rumors that my search for Ming Dynasty descendants was disrespectful to the ancestral teachings and an attempt to distort the achievements of the late Emperor
... How ridiculous! The Holy Ancestor compiled the History of Ming, and I want to revise and improve it. Does that mean I am not respecting the ancestral teachings? In fact, it's just that I implemented
new policies, blocking their path to wealth, so they are trying to slander me in various ways."
"Your Majesty's instructions are absolutely right." Hongli knew that when Yongzheng brought up the topic of Yinzhi, he
would become increasingly angry and ramble on, so he simply replied, "Actually, bribery, selling official positions, seizing the people's wealth, and
causing deaths are secondary. The important crime committed by the Jia family is their deep-rooted entanglement with Aqina."
"Deep-rooted entanglement?" Yongzheng smiled coldly. "Don't try to hide it. It's actually a heinous crime, colluding with
the inner palace to plot against Aqina. It's just that the Six Ministries are afraid to prosecute them because of Consort Xian's reputation. Heh heh
... Well, even my concubine is colluding with Aqina to seize my throne.
How glorious and honorable I am as emperor..."
Hongzhou, standing to the side, was sweating profusely. In the past month, he had personally witnessed Yongzheng's temper and punishment of
officials , but this time he was particularly furious. Adding to this, the Ningrong Jia family was of particular concern to him. He was increasingly worried that Yongzheng
might say something harsh and unpleasant that would be difficult to handle. He glanced around, trying to gauge Yongzheng's likes and dislikes, and had already thought of how to attract
the emperor's attention back to leave room for maneuver. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Father, the punishment can be decided later, but
there have already been many memorials impeaching the Jia family. I'm afraid the Jia family has already heard the news. We must guard against them transferring their assets
..."
Yongzheng's heart skipped a beat, but he was also delighted. He thought to himself that it was rare for his foolish and absurd youngest son to have such
insight . He then said with a pleasing expression, "Yes, Hongzhou's suggestion is quite correct. Since that's the case, the task will fall to you. I hereby issue
an order: you will take the people from the Imperial Clan Court to inspect the Jia family's property... We'll discuss the matter of punishment later."
Hongzhou was overjoyed. He had originally planned to take this assignment, and he hadn't expected it to come so easily. It should be known that
at that time, confiscating property and inspecting assets was a well-known lucrative job. Officials
could embezzle any property, wives, and daughters of those whose property was being confiscated, as long as they found something they liked. Yongzheng was also aware of this corrupt practice, and by appointing him to conduct the inspection, he
was essentially rewarding him. So he hurriedly kowtowed and left the palace. Thinking that this matter should be handled by the Imperial Clan Court, he
went directly to the court to summon guards and mobilize soldiers. He met with the commanding officer and ordered his officers to
surround Ningrong Street in the south of the city. He then leisurely drank tea in the Imperial Clan Court until the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Study, Xia
Shouzhong, delivered the revised imperial edict from Emperor Yongzheng. After chatting and laughing with Xia Shouzhong and others, he led his men, along with the attendants
of the Prince's Palace palanquin, to Ningguo Mansion to deliver the decree.
Ningrong Street was a town south of the capital, near the source of the Laozhuangzi River. It was a place of spiritual cultivation, seemingly both part of the capital and the
suburbs. Because it was the former site of the residences of the Duke of Ningguo and the Duke of Rongguo, many villagers had gathered there, hence
the name Ningrong Street.
At this moment, Ningrong Street was devoid of its former bustling prosperity and thriving population. Every ten steps a guard,
every five steps a sentry, soldiers stood at attention, their cold iron spears and silver guns flashing. From within the Ning and Rong mansions, the faint sounds of wailing could be heard. A
few idle villagers watched from afar, some mocking the fallen rich and reveling in the officials' squandering of their fortunes. Hongzhou,
of course, paid them no heed. He led his eunuchs and soldiers along the red-lacquered plaque that read "Imperial Construction of Ningguo Mansion," and entered the gates
of the Ningguo Duke's mansion. An eight-bearer, yellow-canopied, silk-embroidered sedan chair stopped. Only
after the eunuchs lifted the curtains did they emerge to observe. Inside the gates, a pall of gloom hung heavy; the entire Jia family had already heard the news. The hereditary Duke of Rong, Jia She, the head of the Ning and Rong mansions
; Jia Zheng, the father of the Virtuous Consort; and Jia Zhen, the hereditary Duke of Ning, the patriarch of the Jia family clan, along with Jia Lian, Jia Rong,
Jia Qiang , Jia Yun, Jia Qin, Jia Baoyu, Jia Jun, Jia Huan, and other male members of the family, regardless of their official positions, were already kneeling in a
dense, unbroken mass. Several children not yet of age were accompanied by kneeling matrons. The older ones were ashen-faced, while the younger ones were weeping uncontrollably.
Upon seeing Prince Hongzhou enter, they all kowtowed with a thunderous roar.
Jia She, already over sixty, was now the head of the group in terms of official rank. He knelt and wept, saying, "Your Majesty, we, your guilty subjects Jia She,
Jia Zheng , Jia Zhen, Jia Rong, Jia Lian… respectfully welcome Your Highness."
Prince Hongzhou, now somewhat familiar with court etiquette, replied listlessly, "There is an imperial decree."
The crowd erupted in another chaotic kowtow, wailing and shouting "Long live the Emperor!"
Hongzhou's face darkened. He took out a yellow silk edict from his sleeve and coldly read: "Jia
Zhen, the hereditary First-Class General of Mighty Valor and Duke of Ningguo, and Jia She, the hereditary First-Class General of Valiant Might and Duke of Rongguo, and others; their conduct is perverse, greedy and shameless, they exploit
the people and harm innocent civilians, they are intolerable under the law, and they do not abide by it; their clans and followers have colluded with the remnants of Aqina's faction,
bribed the harem, and acted in ways unbecoming of subjects, thus damaging the wisdom of the Holy Ancestor and defying my imperial orders, arousing
the wrath of both gods and men; I, following the ancestral laws and the late Emperor's instructions, will not act according to my own selfish desires, nor will I be swayed by nepotism." " Those who are imprisoned must
be severely punished according to the laws of the land. The hereditary title is hereby revoked, and the title of Consort Jia Yuanchun is stripped! Prince Heqin,
Hongzhou, is hereby ordered to lead the Imperial Clan Court, the Court of Colonial Affairs, and the Infantry Commander's Office to inspect the properties of the Duke of Ningguo and the Duke of Rongguo…and their families…all
members of the clan are to be detained upon receipt of this decree. Once the properties are investigated and any remaining members are identified, they will be punished together .
This is the imperial decree!" After proclaiming this, the emperor put away the yellow silk edict. In ancient times, imperial edicts like this could be slightly embellished, but
Hongzhou, without showing any emotion, subtly added the words "family members," which was common practice. Hongzhou had his own
plans , and the kneeling crowd, in this moment of utter devastation, dared not question him. However, the eunuch Xia Shouzhong behind him
raised an eyebrow, smiled slightly, and then looked down at the ground.
Jia She, Jia Zheng, and the others were already sobbing uncontrollably, but they had no choice but to obey and kowtow again, saying, "Your Majesty,
we accept your decree and beg for your judgment."
Confiscating property was commonplace during the Yongzheng Emperor's reign, and the soldiers were already used to it. Hong Zhou raised his hand to signal, and immediately, the soldiers ,
like hungry tigers and wolves, split into several groups and rushed into the inner courtyards of the Ning and Rong mansions. They smashed doors and broke down windows, ransacking chests and cabinets. Immediately,
chickens flew and dogs barked, rabbits scurried and hawks howled, and wailing sounds echoed from the inner courtyard walls.
Hong Zhou thought for a moment, then stepped forward, making a gesture to help Jia Zheng and the others up, and said comfortingly, "Zheng..."
"Old man, old man, I am also acting on imperial orders. You need not be so distressed. His Majesty will surely grant further decrees."
The Jia family members were all pale-faced, speechless, and the room was completely silent. They never expected that
Emperor Yongzheng's furious outburst would set such a tone. If the decree was interpreted as "perverted behavior,
greedy , cruel to the people, and harming good citizens," the ringleaders would likely be sentenced to at least hanging, and their clansmen
would probably be demoted to hard labor. If it were further stated that they "colluded with the remnants of Aqina's faction, bribed the harem, and acted in ways unbecoming of officials,
" according to the Qing Dynasty law and Yongzheng's character, the ringleaders would be executed by slow slicing, and the accomplices would be beheaded. There was no
hope .
After a short while, Jia She, Jia Lian, and Jia Rong remained limp and trembling on the ground.
Only Jia Zhen, regaining his senses for a moment, collapsed to the ground, wailing, "Your Majesty!" Realizing the emperor wouldn't
hear his cries at this point, he knelt and crawled a few steps to Hongzhou's side: "We beg Your Highness
for your boundless mercy! We have already confessed our crimes! We beg Your Highness to grant us a glimmer of hope!"
Hongzhou's calculations were as follows: how the Jia family was punished was of no concern to him whatsoever. His only interest lay with
the Jia family's women, hoping that their particularly severe punishment would allow him to recruit several beauties into his household as slaves, so
he could indulge in debauchery with Daiyu and Fengqing, satisfying his desires for a thousand years. However, being from a thousand years in the future, he couldn't bear to witness such
severe punishments and the grief and fear of his subjects. At this moment, he couldn't help but feel a pang of compassion. He then
weighed . He then said, "Elder She, Elder Zheng, do not be distressed. Thunder and rain are all imperial grace. The emperor will naturally decide how to
deal with you. You should speak up where I have the right to speak..."
Jia Zhen still kept asking him for help. Hongzhou ignored him. The Jia family members were all
useless fools. Only Jia Zheng, though not the heir to the title, was
the most esteemed, being the father of the Virtuous Consort and the face of the household. His face was ashen. After a long silence, he knelt and wept,
saying, "Your Highness, this sinful subject, a lowly weed, has failed the Emperor's grace and is ashamed of my ancestors' virtue. I am despicable and greedy, my conduct flawed. I live in constant
fear and dare not cover up my mistakes or evade responsibility. I only beg to be executed quickly. I only beg Your Highness to plead with the Emperor on my behalf.
If there is any crime punishable by the extermination of my entire clan, I hope you will consider the Virtuous Consort… no, Consort Yuanchun, who served the Emperor for many years, and spare her life.
Even in the netherworld, I will be grateful for Your Highness's boundless grace."
Hongzhou, hearing his words, guessed that he had already heard rumors of the "Eighth Prince's Party" and anticipated
the worst-case scenario. Seeing that Jia Zheng had answered appropriately, he said, "Elder Zheng, please don't be like that. Speaking of your crimes, your
actions are secondary; what's more serious is your intentions. In fact, you have betrayed the trust of the Emperor and the late Emperor. The best course of action now is
to behave yourself and properly state the crimes of your clan. If there is punishment, you must not complain, and you may still hope for the Emperor's mercy. For example,
when inspecting your family property this time... you must not hide anything."
Upon hearing this, the three men repeatedly kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty, we would never dare to."
Hongzhou then pressed on, "Then let me ask you, besides the residences of the two mansions, where else do you have a home?"
"Family members?"
Jia Zhen hurriedly replied, "Your Highness, there's also the back street of the Rongguo Mansion, the villa built for Yuan Chun's visit home.
Initially, Her Highness Yuan Chun decreed that it was now inhabited by the women of the household..."
Seeing the veiled meaning, Hong Zhou immediately put on a stern face and frowned, saying, "What villa for the imperial visit? Back then, you squandered national
funds and depleted the treasury's silver; under the guise of welcoming the emperor, you built such a luxurious garden. I heard that this villa, the Grand View Garden, stretches for several
days, overstepping the bounds of the imperial system and resembling a royal garden. It's absurd and extravagant, and the emperor's anger is one of the reasons for this..."
Jia She and the others readily agreed.
Hong Zhou continued, "So, regardless of whether the women live there, I am ordered to inspect the family property and their families, and naturally,
I will confiscate them all! Can't I inspect the women?! Humph."
The three elders of the Jia family were not fools and immediately understood that the prince wanted to see the women's looks, perhaps to select
a few to fill the harem. At this moment, they dared not have the slightest doubt and readily agreed.
In ancient times, the women of wealthy families were usually confined to their chambers and
rarely . However, during the reign of Emperor Yongzheng, there were many cases of officials' entire families being raided
and their property confiscated. This eventually became a custom: whenever officials were raiding the residences of convicted officials, they would often interrogate the women of the family as well. If any caught their eye
, whether a wife, concubine, young lady, or maid, they could be made into servants for the officials. Although
this violated official rules, people were naturally inclined
to curry favor, and gradually this became the norm. If a woman who was taken in could gain the favor of the official in the future, it would not only save the family
from further suffering but also prevent the family from being destroyed. Furthermore, sometimes, protecting her could slightly mitigate the official's
punishment . If a woman who was taken in possessed a virtuous heart or attempted suicide, it would inevitably implicate her family. Last year,
Liu Mo, the governor of Sichuan, confiscated the property of a sub-prefect and took the sub-prefect's youngest sister as a slave. After a month of abuse,
she apparently could not bear the mistreatment and committed suicide. The Ministry of Rites even issued a proclamation rebuking him for "negligence in instructing his family members,
disobedience , and disrespect as a maid, intending to commit suicide, thus defying orders; the perversion of his family is evident..." He was imprisoned and
had several more crimes added to his list, which can be considered as further advocating and condoning this system of taking other people's wives and daughters as slaves.
However, Hongzhou, as a prince and the youngest son of Emperor Yongzheng, was a first-rate figure in the Qing Dynasty at this time, far superior
to the governor of Sichuan. If he took a fancy to a woman from a family and wanted a few to be his slaves for his pleasure, even if it was not the family of a convicted official
or even just the daughter of an ordinary official, he could ask for it at will, and no official would have any reason or
courtesy .
At this critical moment, with the Jia family on the verge of collapse, Hongzhou's willingness to speak up, specifically mentioning "inspecting the family
members," offered a glimmer of hope, even if one dared not expect the prince to protect the Jia family. It was almost an act of extraordinary
favor the three elders of the Jia family say at this point? They repeatedly kowtowed and agreed.
Jia Zhen then gave a few instructions, and Jia Lian, still sobbing, took Xia Shouzhong out to make the arrangements. Hongzhou sat there
for a while, merely flipping through the letters and books presented by the soldiers confiscating the property. After a short while,
Xia Shouzhong returned, bowing to Hongzhou and saying, "Your Highness, the villa is also awaiting your
orders ."
Hongzhou grunted and said, "I'll go take a look."
Jia Zheng, Jia She, and Jia Zhen rose to accompany him, but Hongzhou turned back and glared at them. The three of them immediately froze like startled birds,
not daring to take a step.
Hongzhou ignored the search and confiscation proceedings and went straight to the Prince's sedan chair. Eight men carried it with a thunderous
roar, crossing half a street before entering a garden. Just as Hongzhou was about to eagerly lift the curtain to peek out, his personal attendant...
The eunuch had already approached, lifting the silk curtain of the sedan chair draped with dragons playing with a pearl, and reported, "Your Highness,
the women of the Ning and Rong Jia families kneel and await Your Highness's judgment."
Hongzhou stepped out of the sedan chair and looked up. He saw a five-bay main gate with tiled roofs and mud-eel ridges. The door railings and window frames
were all intricately carved with fresh patterns, without any vermilion or white paint. The walls were all polished, and the white stone steps below were carved into the shape of Western grass
and flowers . Looking to the left and right, all the walls were snow-white, with tiger-skin stones laid out naturally, truly avoiding any vulgar or gaudy appearance.
The main gate was wide open, with the three characters "Grand View Garden" inscribed above it, written by the virtuous Consort Yuan Chun
. The gates on the left and right were nine zhang wide, a royal standard. A stretch of green mountains blocked the view in front, and in the distance, there were clusters of green shadows, bamboo groves, and blooming flowers. Red buildings, pavilions, and bridges stood gracefully,
their magnificence beyond words, and their tranquility beyond description. The magnificent buildings and pavilions were indeed a first-class garden in the capital.
Upon seeing this, Chuan Yue was filled with countless emotions. A thousand years later, reading *Dream of the Red Chamber*, he had composed a poem: "Built with
exquisite craftsmanship, embracing mountains and waters, how much effort was put into its construction? All the scenes of heaven and earth are present, this fragrant garden truly deserves the name 'Grand View.'" Seeing the actual scene now, he realized the ingenuity and brilliance
of the garden's landscape, the magnificent buildings, and the opulent grandeur—truly beyond the power of words to describe.
Looking at the blue stone steps, the floor was already covered with kneeling women in red, green, and shimmering hues. At the head
of the group, four women knelt in a row, arranged like swan wings. Hong Zhou compared them to the figures of the Ning and Rong mansions he remembered.
The first two forties, one in dark blue, the other in purplish-brown, both dressed in elegant Hanfu. Their faces were streaked with tears, showing
signs of sorrow; these must be the two leading ladies of the Ning and Rong mansions, Lady Xing and Lady Wang. The one on the left, slightly younger and quite
beautiful, knelt half a step behind; this must be Lady You, wife of Jia Zhen, the head steward of the Ning mansion. That was all, but the woman to his right
immediately caught Hongzhou's eye:
She was a young woman of about twenty, dressed differently from the other girls and ladies, her beauty striking,
like Chang'e from the moon, adorned with dazzling embroidery, like a goddess. Her attire was exquisite: a gold-threaded, pearl-encrusted bun, a
phoenix-shaped hairpin with pearls, a red-gold dragon-patterned necklace, a pea-green palace sash, and a pair of
rose- jacket embroidered with gold butterflies and flowers, over which was a five-colored, carved silk, dark blue, silver-fox fur coat, and
a jade-green, flower-sprinkled crepe skirt. Her features were striking: phoenix-shaped eyes, willow-leaf eyebrows, a slender figure, and a captivating
charm. Her face held a cool, aloof air, and her smile preceded her words. Hongzhou immediately recognized her from ancient texts—she must be
Wang Xifeng, the young wife of Jia Lian of the Rongguo Mansion. Beauty is truly captivating; such a charming young woman would be irresistible to
any man with even a shred of lust or admiration for beauty.
Hongzhou had assumed that the Grand View Garden was filled with alluring beauties, countless virgins, and charming maids, enough to dazzle his
eyes and overwhelm his heart. He never expected that among the kneeling beauties vying for his attention,
this stunning young woman would be the most prominent.
Just as he was about to look around for Daiyu and the others, Xia Shouzhong stepped forward and announced, "This is
the Prince of Heqin." As the leader of the women, Madam Xing knelt and crawled a few steps forward, kowtowed, and said, "This sinful woman
, Madam Xing, on behalf of the women of Ningguo and Rongguo Mansions, kowtows to Your Highness, wishing you a thousand years of peace and health."
Immediately, a cacophony of sweet, delicate voices chanting "Kowtowing to Your Highness, wishing you
a thousand years of peace and health" rose and fell, nearly swaying Hongzhou's very soul. At this moment, Hongzhou saw a group of beautiful women curled up like kittens. He thought of
the ancient kneeling ceremony, which truly brought satisfaction to the one being knelt to. His lust was aroused, and he wished he could immediately go up
and embrace them, to flirt with them, or even pick a few to take back to the palace. He didn't care about the confiscation of Ningrong Palace; he just wanted to be
surrounded by beauties. However, when he thought of Wang Xifeng's stunning beauty, other
thoughts to have as many beauties as possible before he could stop. Therefore, he was in no hurry and remained silent, maintaining his composure.
Xing Shi did not notice Hongzhou's expression and began to introduce herself according to the rules: "This sinful woman, Lady Xing of the Jia family,
Lady Wang of the Jia family..." She was about to finish her sentence
when Hongzhou felt he did not want to hear the women's words. He coughed and raised his hand, saying, "No need."
Lady Xing quickly stopped speaking. The beauties were all puzzled but dared not look up at this newly rich and absurd prince,
wondering how he would deal with them. Most of the women were sheltered ladies, accustomed to such sordid affairs. However, with
signs of Ning Rong's downfall emerging for months, the household was in a state of panic, and rumors of confiscation and other taboos circulated
throughout . Today, news indeed arrived, and everyone wondered if the Prince would truly, as rumored, select a few
women to be enslaved.
Unexpectedly, Hong Zhou said, "You, you come and register."
The women exchanged furtive glances, realizing that Hong Zhou was pointing at
Wang Xifeng, the most alluring woman in both the Ning and Rong mansions.
Upon being pointed at, Wang Xifeng's face flushed crimson, and the other beauties also blushed with embarrassment. The Prince's
meaning was clear: he disliked the words of the mature woman, Madam Xing, and had immediately taken a liking to Wang Xifeng's captivating beauty.
At this moment, Sister Feng's heart was in turmoil. She was nine parts ashamed and wanted to bury herself in the ground, yet she also felt
a touch of pride in being the most beautiful among the women. Although she couldn't fathom the meaning behind the Prince's decision to call her out
, she had heard whispers in her private quarters about the Prince's various licentious habits and strange behaviors. She knew that in front of everyone, this gesture
was tantamount to the Prince declaring that he wanted her. Could it be that he would choose her later? But for now, she
was Jia Lian's wife and a daughter-in-law of the Jia family, and her face and status were paramount in the garden. However, the Prince's command was like the will of Heaven,
carrying the strict decree of the court. No matter how ashamed or embarrassed she felt, how could she dare to be negligent? Her pretty face flushed red, she choked back a sob,
and barely managed to say, "Yes."
She then knelt forward and began to announce her name one by one, her voice sweet and melodious. When her name was mentioned, the woman would raise
her forehead and kowtow, as if to let the Prince recognize her and admire her.
"A total of 339 women from the Ning and Rong mansions and their relatives from other branches of the family have been summoned."
"Excluding those who are ill and unable to move, 320 women are kneeling in attendance today."
"Three ladies of the 'Wen' generation: Lady Wang of the Jia family, Lady Xing of the Jia family, and Lady Wang of the Xue
family." (Note: "Shuren" and "Gongren" are ancient imperial titles; Lady Wang, being the mother of Yuan Chun, is of a slightly higher rank.)
"Seven close relatives of the 'Yu' and 'Cao' generations, including You Shi (wife of Jia Zhen),
a maid named Wang Shi (Xi Feng), Li Shi (Wan), Qin Shi (Ke Qing), Xia Shi (Jin Gui), Zhao Shi
(Xiu Dan, Jia Zheng's concubine), and Zhou Shi (Hui Ying, Jia She's concubine)."
"Four unmarried women from the Jia family within the mansion: Jia Shi's maiden names are Ying Chun, Tan Chun, and Xi Chun; and there is one
maidservant who has not yet been named."
"There are nine unmarried daughters from the close relatives of the household. The Xue family's maiden name is Baochai, the Lin family's maiden name is Daiyu, and the Shi family's maiden name is..."
Xiangyun, Li Qi, Li Wen, Xing Youyan, You Zhi (You Erjie), You
Ying (You Sanjie), and another newly named Xue Baoqin. "
There are thirty-nine maids serving in various departments of the mansion."
"There are one hundred and twenty-seven maids serving in various departments of the mansion."
"There are one hundred and six nannies and old women of various kinds in the mansion."
"There are also eighteen actresses and performers serving in the mansion; nine nuns; and one Taoist nun who still has her hair."
"There are also sixteen young girls who are servants and nannies in the mansion."
Hongzhou didn't stand on ceremony. As each girl was named, Fengjie carefully examined her complexion and figure. Unfortunately,
she remembered several names, including Daiyu and Xing Youyan, who had reported illness and hadn't come out yet. After Fengjie
finished the assembled beauties fell silent.
At this moment, all the women in the Grand View Garden knew that the Jia family was facing imminent disaster, and even their nine generations of relatives would not escape calamity. Although the Jia family
was a
prestigious clan, compared to the absurd Prince Hongzhou, the emperor's own son, they were like figures in the clouds. Now that they had been ordered to confiscate the family property and inspect the women, they feared he would take some away to serve as
slaves . They had all registered, awaiting the prince's selection, each one wondering who he would choose.
Unexpectedly, after listening to Fengjie's registration and examining everyone, Hongzhou merely smiled indifferently at Fengjie and the others, saying, "Alright, since
the count of the women is correct, make a register."
Xia Shouzhong quickly replied, "Yes." Hongzhou's sedan chair had already risen and left the Grand View Garden,
leaving behind a group of beautiful women, bewildered and uncertain of their fate.

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