vrcanaries Chapter 23 Entering the Palace to Cry and Plead
Chapter 23 Entering the Palace to Cry and Plead
"Oh, tell me about it."
Jia Daihua leaned closer, intrigued, and said...
Jia Daishan said with a smile, "Brother, accompany me to the palace tomorrow to express my gratitude. I have received such a great favor, so I should go and express my thanks."
Jia Daihua knew exactly what he was supposed to do in geography class the next day, but seeing the same expression on his younger brother's face that he always wore when he was about to do something, he decided to go and watch the excitement tomorrow.
The next morning, after the morning court session, Jia Daihua went to the Rongguo Mansion to pick up Jia Daishan and take him to the palace to express his gratitude.
The Emperor here also received Jia Daishan's memorial last night, requesting to enter the palace to express his gratitude. Otherwise, he would immediately grant Jia Daishan permission to enter the palace to express his gratitude.
As Jia Daishan and Jia Daihua entered the imperial study and were about to kneel down to pay their respects, the emperor, who was walking quickly towards them, stopped Jia Daishan and said:
"Duke, there's no need for such formalities."
Jia Daishan said sincerely, "Your Majesty, etiquette cannot be disregarded!"
After saying that, he looked at Jia Daihua, who was still kneeling.
Upon seeing this, the Emperor immediately said:
"General, please rise! Please take a seat."
After Jia Daihua expressed his gratitude, he sat down. After watching the Emperor personally help his younger brother to sit down, the Emperor asked again, "Duke, how are your injuries? Didn't I instruct you that you have rendered meritorious service in saving the Emperor, so you should rest and recover without coming to the palace to express your gratitude?"
Jia Daishan said gratefully:
"This old minister is apprehensive. That injury has long since healed. I have troubled Your Majesty."
The Emperor, recalling Jia Daishan's former physique and looking at his emaciated body, sighed with a pale face:
"It's still you, Daishan, who never takes credit for anything you do!"
Jia Daishan respectfully replied, "Serving the court and worrying about His Majesty is simply the duty of a subject. What is there to talk about in terms of merit or not!"
The Emperor smiled and shook his head, pointing at Jia Daishan and saying:
"You, you! After all these decades, do you think I don't know what kind of person you are! If everyone in the court were like you, I would have so much less to worry about."
Jia Daishan also smiled and said, "This old minister is foolish and relies entirely on Your Majesty's disdain."
The Emperor laughed and said, "If you, Jia Daishan, are a fool, then there is no one smart in the entire court."
After saying that, he smiled and said:
"Since our youth, we've been ruler and subject together. Do you think I don't know your temperament? Alright, stop pretending in front of me. What is it that made you drag your still-unrecovered body into the palace to see me?"
Jia Daishan bowed his head, cupped his hands, and smiled:
"Your Majesty's eyes are truly discerning; nothing this old minister does can escape Your Majesty's notice."
The Emperor smiled and waved his hand, saying:
"Stop with the nice words, tell me quickly."
Jia Daishan suddenly stood up from his chair, knelt down, and cried out, "Your Majesty, this old minister has no other desires in his life. Even when he was injured and felt he was about to die, the only thing he could not let go of was his children and grandchildren."
The Emperor had just picked up his teacup to drink when Jia Daishan's sudden movement startled him. He quickly put down the teacup and said to the eunuchs beside him:
"Are they all blind? Hurry up and help the Duke to his feet."
After saying that, he walked over and said to Jia Daishan, somewhat angrily:
"I am such an unreasonable person in your eyes. You can just say what you want to say, why do you have to do this?"
Jia Daishan cried and said, "This matter is due to my personal feelings, Your Majesty!"
Looking at the old man now with tears streaming down his face, the Emperor recalled how spirited and high-spirited Jia Daishan had been back then. He sighed and said:
"You've been a meritorious official who's followed me for so many years, what can't I say? Didn't you used to say that men bleed but don't cry? You're really getting old and sentimental."
After hearing this, Jia Daishan wiped away his tears with his sleeve and said:
"This old minister knows that he should not have lost his composure in front of Your Majesty, but I simply cannot control my emotions. The thought that my grandson almost left me before me makes my heart feel like it's being boiled in oil."
As he spoke, Jia Daishan was about to shed tears again.
After listening to Jia Daishan's account, the Emperor recalled that a secret guard had indeed reported that Jia Hu, the eldest grandson of Duke Rongguo, had fallen into the lake and was almost not saved. The incident was allegedly caused by a maid in the household, who had been imprisoned in the Rongguo Mansion. The Emperor had noticed that no one was hurt at the time, and he was also investigating the assassination attempt that day, so he had not paid any further attention to the matter. Could there be another hidden story behind this?
The Emperor narrowed his eyes and asked:
"Could there be something more to this than meets the eye?"
Jia Daishan said:
“Your Majesty, I investigated that old woman and found that she was threatened. However, when I went to investigate, she had already been silenced and there was no way to find out anything. It is my incompetence.”
The emperor slammed his fist on the table in anger and said:
"Who dares to be so audacious as to plot against the Duke's grandson right under the Emperor's nose? Does he have no respect for the imperial court?!"
The emperor was furious, and everyone was so frightened that they immediately knelt down and said:
"Your Majesty, please calm down! Your Majesty, please calm down!"
Jia Daishan also said:
"It is my fault. I should not have used my family affairs to anger Your Majesty and harm your health!"
The Emperor sighed and told everyone to get up. He then helped Jia Daishan up. He knew in his heart that for Jia Daishan, this old fox, to come to him crying and complaining, Jia Daishan must have found something, but what he found was something that Jia Daishan could not say openly.
The only thing Jia Daishan dared not openly admit was his few immature princes. He knew that as he grew older and his number of adult princes increased in recent years, he gradually became restless and began to win over court officials. The military generals, led by the Jia family, were loyal subjects to him, and he feared that someone might have tried to win them over but failed and was now acting out of resentment.
The Emperor felt somewhat sorry for Jia Daishan, who was loyal to him. If it were anyone else, having just been seriously injured while saving him and then receiving news of his grandson's assassination, possibly by the royal family, they would probably have already harbored resentment and disloyalty. However, Jia Daishan, in order to protect his reputation, did not say anything.
The Emperor felt quite at ease, but felt even more guilty towards Jia Daishan. After thinking for a moment, he said:
"I understand this matter. I will send people to investigate again and give you justice. This matter has caused your grandson to suffer an undeserved disaster. Therefore, I will bestow the title of First-Rank Imperial Lady upon Jia Hu's mother and the title of Fourth-Rank General of Grace upon Jia Hu. After Jia Hu inherits the family's titles, they will not be taken back and can be passed on to his next generation."
Jia Daishan was about to kneel down again, and people online immediately commented:
"I have already decided on this matter. I will issue the decree immediately. You should stop making excuses. Otherwise, you will alienate us as ruler and subject."
Jia Daishan had no choice but to express his gratitude. After being invited to stay for lunch by the emperor, he returned to the Duke's mansion with the various medicines and items bestowed upon him by the emperor.
As soon as Jia Daishan left the palace, the Emperor angrily summoned all the adult princes, including the Crown Prince, to the Imperial Study. He found fault with them, gave them a good scolding, and yelled, "Don't think that just because I'm old, you can do something underhanded. If I find out, I won't let you off the hook!" After he finished scolding them, he calmed down and let the bewildered princes go back.
The prince was also deeply troubled, wondering what had happened.
One of the princes returned to his residence and smashed many things in his study.
The imperial guards reported on the princes' behavior after they returned to their residences. The emperor's eyes darkened as he pondered what it was time to teach these rebellious brats a lesson!