Chapter 29 The Prince's Failed Rebellion
Zhang Xiaojia was accompanying the Empress Dowager and Concubine Chen. The Empress Dowager smiled and said, "Jiajia, could you do me a favor? I'd like to entrust you with the management of some of my properties. Furthermore, I intend to allocate 30% of the profits to support your establishment of a women's medical school."
Zhang Xiaojia looked at the Queen Mother, a cunning glint in his eyes, and said with a smile, "It seems that your mother's niece is seeking a divorce. Do you need my help? Of course I am willing to help, but the condition is that she must serve me for ten years."
After hearing this, the Queen Mother smiled even more broadly and readily agreed, "Okay, then I'll give you 50% of the profits."
Zhang Xiaojia was secretly delighted, thinking that every time he came to the harem, his wallet would be filled up a lot.
Concubine Chen waved her hand and said, "You girl, you are obsessed with money now. From now on, all your aunt's private property will be given to you. Go and do your thing. I want to talk to my sister privately."
In fact, Zhang Xiaojia had been waiting in the harem for a long time, but the emperor never came, so she had no choice but to come to Chuigong Palace.
Seeing Eunuch Mai, he walked up to him and asked, "Eunuch Mai, is there a minister in the palace?"
When Eunuch Mai saw her, he immediately said, "Princess Lin'an, you've arrived just in time. The Emperor is furious about the floods in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Go and give His Majesty a good scolding, so he can vent his anger and put him in a better mood."
Zhang Xiaojia was filled with black lines on her face. She was the punching bag...
She turned around and was about to leave the palace. She was not stupid!
Then Eunuch Mai shouted, "Your Majesty, the Princess of Lin'an requests an audience!"
Inside the hall, the emperor sat upright with a sullen face. Several ministers kept their heads down and remained silent. The atmosphere was so solemn that it was almost suffocating.
Zhang Xiaojia was pushed into the hall by Eunuch Mai. Several ministers in the hall looked at Zhang Xiaojia with gratitude in their eyes. His Majesty was quite angry at the moment, and now that this little ancestor was here, the emperor would probably control himself a little!
Zhang Xiaojia, who was pushed forward, cursed in his heart.
When the emperor saw Zhang Xiaojia, he immediately scolded her: "This is the front hall, and you, a girl from the backyard, are coming here at will? Are you breaking the rules?"
Zhang Xiaojia lowered his head and whispered, "Lin'an is wrong, Your Majesty, please calm down."
The treasury was in a state of financial distress. Half of the money had been used to build cement roads, and at the end of the year, all frontier regions were in urgent need of funds to maintain defense and military expenses. Suddenly, the treasury was stretched to its limits and unable to cope with the current situation.
Thinking of this, the emperor's gaze involuntarily fell on Zhang Xiaojia.
He knew that this girl came from a wealthy family, and if he could get some financial support from her, it might be able to alleviate his current urgent needs. So, the emperor gently waved his hand, signaling the ministers beside him to leave first.
Before leaving, they cast a grateful glance at Zhang Xiaojia. After all, if the county lady hadn't happened to come today, they would have been the ones to bear the emperor's wrath.
Zhang Xiaojia pretended to be dead and caused a flood, which made the emperor angry. The reason was nothing more than that there was no money in the treasury. At the end of the year, money was tight everywhere. If she took it out now, the money would not be returned to her even if taxes were collected next year.
The Emperor spoke bluntly, "Due to the floods in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the national treasury can only allocate 700,000 taels. The remaining 300,000 taels are vacant and must be filled by you. You may choose any item you like from my private treasury as compensation."
With just one mouthful, three hundred thousand yuan is gone. What can Zhang Xiaojia do?
Cold salad!!! Before going to the imperial mausoleum, she took out the county lady’s salary and taxes, which was only 250,000 taels in ten years, and she had to pay 50,000 taels out of her own pocket.
He Fei's annual salary of 50,000 taels was withheld, and the taxes had not yet been paid to her.
She rolled her eyes and then responded obediently, "As you wish, I will hand the money over to the Ministry of Revenue later."
Seeing this, the emperor turned and asked, "Tell me! What do you want from me?"
Zhang Xiaojia replied, "I am now in charge of the properties under the name of Princess Anping. I intend to donate half of them to charitable institutions such as Futianyuan, Juyangyuan, Anjifang, and Louzeyuan in the name of the Empress Dowager and my mother."
The emperor nodded in approval: "This is a very good move."
Zhang Xiaojia continued, "In addition, I would like to ask Your Majesty to grant me two pieces of calligraphy and a list of law-abiding merchants."
The emperor looked at her suspiciously and warned her, "Lin'an, don't cause trouble for me, or I'll put you in solitary confinement."
Zhang Xiaojia said coquettishly, "Cousin, why do you look at me like that? Am I that kind of person?"
The emperor exposed her mercilessly: "You are."
After the emperor wrote two words for her, he knew what this damn girl was going to do!
"I want 70% of the money."
"Cousin, 50%, I'll give you a plan for dealing with the epidemic after the flood."
The emperor snorted coldly as a sign of agreement. "Since you are in charge of Anping's property, the Qi family is too noisy. You should teach them some rules."
Zhang Xiaojia left the palace and asked Eunuch Mai to go to the emperor's private treasury. When she saw the Ru kiln celadon glaze tea cup, she picked it up in her hands. This one was hers.
Eunuch Mai: "Your Majesty likes it very much and is reluctant to use it."
Zhang Xiaojia glared at him and said coquettishly, "I didn't hear it. I have a very good eye."
She left happily holding the Ru kiln celadon glaze tea cup. She had made a good deal, as it was in short supply elsewhere.
After returning to the palace, he took out 300,000 silver coins and asked the guards to deliver them to the Ministry of Revenue.
Zhang Xiaojia sat on the chair. She thought the emperor felt that Anping was humiliated, but she didn't know that the emperor wanted to eradicate the Qi family.
The Qi family was a renowned family. Its head was a legendary figure, possessing a secret entanglement with the eldest princess—who insisted on him becoming a concubine. The head of the Qi family considered himself a great scholar, and he even had a large number of students under his tutelage.
The Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism they advocated firmly believed that human ethics, hierarchy, and the Three Bonds and Five Constant Virtues were all integral to the principles of Heaven. Consequently, they strongly advocated that everyone should strictly adhere to these moral principles and strive to restrain their selfish desires. In their words, this was the so-called "preserving Heaven's principles and suppressing human desires."
Guided by this kind of thinking, the head of the Qi family now puts forward a shocking view: if a woman remarries, she will lose her chastity; however, a man can divorce his wife at will and marry a new lover.
If the Great Zhou dynasty were to prevail, social mores would be instantly transformed. Numerous women would be forced to endure immense pressure, demanding they unconditionally dedicate their youth, happiness, and even their lives to men. Even after their husbands' untimely deaths, women would often be instigated and pressured into remaining widows, preserving their supposed chastity.
Furthermore, the Qi family leader and his ilk vigorously promoted the doctrine of "Three Obediences and Four Virtues." Specifically, women were required to obey their fathers' orders while still married, their husbands' wishes after marriage, and their sons' wishes after their husbands' death. In short, women were placed in an absolutely vulnerable position within the family, with no power of independent decision-making. Even more frightening, they attempted to use this moral constraint to incorporate the Confucian concept of chastity into the national legal system.
This overwhelming and high-profile publicity campaign has even caused even those who have always been conservative and stick to the old ways to gradually express their recognition and acceptance.
You know, the Great Zhou was a great dynasty founded by a female emperor!
Back then, this wise and powerful empress decisively abolished Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism with unwavering force. However, time flies, and now, a full century has passed since the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Unexpectedly, Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism, once suppressed to near extinction, has, like a tenacious weed, shown signs of a resurgence.
Divorce and remarriage of widows were very common in the Zhou Dynasty. If Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism prevailed, the status of women would be even more difficult, which would go against their mission. The Qi family must disappear.
————
Zhang Xiaojia attended the banquet hosted by Duke Wei.
When Wei Jingxuan saw Zhang Xiaojia, she hurried forward. This was her 'ancestor'. She had known since she was a child that she must not offend him. When they were young, they studied together. Zhang Xiaojia was not good at studying, but every teacher and elder liked her. She didn't know why?
"Princess Jin, how are you?" Wei Jingxuan bowed.
Zhang Xiaojia nodded slightly, her eyes scrutinizing her. "Miss Wei, I remember I told you to go to the imperial farm to work. How come you have some free time to show up here today?"
Wei Jingxuan explained respectfully, "Tomorrow is my grandmother's sixtieth birthday. I came back specially to celebrate with her. The day after tomorrow I will return to the imperial farm to continue working."
Zhang Xiaojia heard this and said with an undeniable threat in his tone: "If you dare to be perfunctory about the things I have told you to do, you will bear the consequences."
Changing the subject, she asked, "Where is the eldest princess's illegitimate daughter now?"
Wei Jingxuan followed her gaze and pointed to the woman in yellow clothes by the lake ahead. He said softly, "Look, that's the woman who looks weak, gentle, and well-educated."
Zhang Xiaojia mercilessly mocked her, "If she were truly well-educated and well-mannered, given her background, she shouldn't be at a banquet like this. Your Duke of Wei's Mansion, a family of honor and nobility, actually lacks the integrity of a scholar-official. Look at those noble scholars, which one would invite a woman like her to a banquet?"
Upon hearing this, Wei Jingxuan's face showed helplessness. "County Lady, could you please be more lenient? We at the Duke of Wei's Mansion have never sent her an invitation. She came here with the eldest princess. What else can we do?"
"Take me to see your grandmother"
Old Madam Wei is also a member of the royal family and the late emperor's cousin. The seniority levels in the capital are so confusing that Zhang Xiaojia can't even look at them straight, and she can't even figure them out.
Wei Jingxuan took Zhang Xiaojia into the flower hall where guests were received.
Old Madam Wei was talking to someone. When she saw Zhang Xiaojia, she stood up and went forward to greet him.
Zhang Xiaojia quickly stepped forward, held her hand, and said, "Auntie, Jiaer is here to see you."
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Wei's smile widened, and she said repeatedly, "Great, great, Jia'er is here. I'm so happy. Come on, sit down and talk."
Madam Wei was so happy not only because Zhang Xiaojia's visit brought her joy, but also because Zhang Xiaojia directly addressed her as "Auntie," which implied the emperor's recognition and respect for her. This friendship made her feel warm and proud.
Zhang Xiaojia slowly pulled out a beautifully framed scroll from her sleeve and respectfully presented it to Madam Wei with both hands: "Auntie, this is a birthday gift that the Emperor specifically asked me to give to you."
Madam Wei took the scroll with both hands and unfolded it carefully. She saw that the handwriting on it was smooth and magnificent. It was the congratulatory message written by the emperor himself.
She scrutinized every word, her face filled with inexpressible joy and excitement. "This truly is the Emperor's handwriting! This gift is truly so important. I'm truly grateful."
After saying this, Madam Wei gently rolled up the scroll and held it in her arms as if it were a treasure. She took Zhang Xiaojia's hand and expressed her gratitude again: "Jia'er, I thank the emperor. I will remember this kindness in my heart."
Zhang Xiaojia reminisced with Madam Wei. She inquired about her recent health and discussed various interesting events in the capital. Madam Wei listened patiently, nodding and smiling from time to time, her eyes filled with fondness and satisfaction.
When Zhang Xiaojia came out, Wei Jingxuan had already been given a death order to take good care of this ancestor.
The back garden of Duke Wei has the style of Su-style architecture, which is very different from the square layout of the capital, and its decoration is extremely exquisite.
As soon as you step into this garden, it feels like you have stepped into an ink painting of the south of the Yangtze River. The water flows under the small bridge, and the pavilions and towers are scattered around. Almost every corner constitutes a beautiful landscape painting.
When they reached the edge of the arch bridge, Wei Jingxuan looked at Zhang Xiaojia and suddenly grabbed her arm, pleading in a low voice, "My grandmother's sixtieth birthday is tomorrow. Are you here to cause trouble for our Wei family or for someone else?"
Zhang Xiaojia looked at her innocently and said, "Xiao Xuanxuan, am I such an unreasonable person?"
"You are, you are the one who refuses to give in."
Zhang Xiaojia said slowly, "It's also right to be unyielding. Anping's property is in my hands."
Wei Jingxuan understood. She looked at the group of girls across the arch bridge and was about to breathe a sigh of relief when she saw Qi Banxia walking from the lake to the group of girls.
It’s over!!!
Next time, Duke Wei will definitely not send a message to the eldest princess.
When a group of girls saw Wei Jingxuan and Zhang Xiaojia coming over, they saw that it was actually the Princess of Lin'an County. Many of them couldn't help but twitch their lips. Why did this "ancestor" come here? Shouldn't she be asked about her well-being by the ancestor of Duke Wei?
Most of the girls bowed to Zhang Xiaojia and said, "Princess Jing, hello!"
A small part of them said to Zhang Xiaojia: "Lin'an County Master, An!"
The girls named Lin'an County Princess were all childhood classmates of Zhang Xiaojia.
Zhang Xiaojia raised his eyes, looked at Qi Banxia, and asked in a rather unfriendly tone, "What's your name?"
This group of girls here are all daughters of wealthy families, and are valued by their families. Their families will tell them what is happening outside. Many of them know that Anping's property now belongs to Zhang Xiaojia, but no one knows whether Anping gave it to Zhang Xiaojia or asked Zhang Xiaojia to manage it on behalf of him. The only thing that is certain is that it now belongs to Zhang Xiaojia, especially the few who were classmates with Zhang Xiaojia. Their attitudes immediately changed, and they walked directly to Zhang Xiaojia.
Qi Banxia smiled gently and said, "Qi Banxia."
Zhang Xiaojia's expression changed, and his voice became even colder: "Whose girl is she? How come I've never seen her before?"
Qi Banxia recognized Zhang Xiaojia.
She was the most famous noblewoman in the capital, the only wife of Prince Jing, and the only cousin of the emperor. In addition, the emperor reserved the position of concubine for her, which caused a lot of commotion in the summer.
Qi Banxia: "The eldest princess's family."
"How dare you! In the royal family tree, the eldest princess only has Anping as her only child. She was also given the imperial surname He Anping by the late emperor's uncle. When did the eldest princess keep a lover and have children?"
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