Family
Jia's first wife Lady Li was a daughter of Li Feng, who was suspected by Sima Shi to have conspired with the emperor Cao Fang in 254 and executed. By that point, Lady Li had borne Jia two daughters—Jia Bao and Jia Yu. Because Jia wanted to show his loyalty to Sima Shi, he divorced Lady Li, who was exiled. He then married Guo Huai (not to be confused with Guo Huai, who is also a fellow officer of Wei), who bore him two daughters as well—Jia Nanfeng and Jia Wu. She also bore him a son, Jia Limin -- but her unusual jealousy and cruelty would doom her son. One day when Jia Limin was two, when Jia Limin's wet nurse was holding Jia Limin, Jia Chong had just returned from the palace, and he saw his son and caressed him. Lady Guo saw this and misinterpreted and, believing that Jia Chong was having an affair with the wet nurse, killed the wet nurse. Jia Limin was so distressed by the death of the wet nurse that he grew ill and died. Later, Lady Guo bore him another son, but the same thing happened again—she killed the wet nurse after suspecting an affair between the wet nurse and Jia Chong, and the son again died in distress. Therefore, Jia Chong was sonless.
In addition to Jia Nanfeng, who became crown princess, Jia Chong's oldest daughter Jia Bao also married an imperial prince—Emperor Wu's younger brother Sima You the Prince of Qi, who was considered the most talented and virtuous among the imperial princes. At one point, when Emperor Wu grew ill, the people and the officials were all hoping that Prince You would inherit the throne instead. The mayor of Luoyang, Xiahou He (夏侯和) tried to persuade Jia to support Prince You—pointing out that both Crown Prince Zhong and Prince You were his sons-in-law. Jia declined, however, perhaps because he was fearful of his wife.
After Emperor Wu established Jin, he declared a general amnesty of political prisoners and their families, and Jia's first wife Lady Li was able to return from exile. Believing that Jia might want to take his first wife back, Emperor Wu offered to allow him to have two wives—but Jia, fearful of Lady Guo, never took Lady Li back despite entrities from Jia Bao and Jia Yu. Rather, he established a separate residence for Lady Li but never visited her—but Lady Guo, jealous of Lady Li, nevertheless had her associates set up watch near Lady Li's residence for any signs of Jia Chong. Once, Lady Guo went to visit Lady Li herself, but became humiliated when she tripped and fell at Lady Li's feet; she would never again visit Lady Li.
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