[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-my-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber":3,"chapter-my-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber-my-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber-chapter-15":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","My Life as a Rising Force in the Red Chamber",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2310813,4515,"Chapter 15: Heart Sutra","my-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber-chapter-15",15,"\u003Cp>Lady Xing found Jia Mu’s question utterly baffling—the banquet had already been halfway through; how could the old lady have just now noticed a grandson was missing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She herself had no fondness for that illegitimate brat, and now, with outsiders present and family members watching, she was being blamed for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if she, the legitimate mother, were the cruel one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Xing bit back her anger and said, “That wretched boy has always been stubborn and unruly, never still for a moment. Neither I nor Master Jia can control him—he’s probably hiding in some corner right now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Mu knew Lady Xing resented her, but said nothing else; she simply ordered a maid to fetch him. Since the visitor was a eunuch, there was no need to avoid the womenfolk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone saw the maid lead in a eunuch in his thirties, with a clean, well-proportioned face, dressed in a green brocade fish-scale robe, wearing a black gauze mountain cap, his demeanor calm and composed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am Wang Dong, Chief Eunuch of the Jia Shun Prince’s Mansion, honored to meet Lady Rongguo. By the Prince’s command, I’ve come to deliver the New Year’s Eve gift to your grandson, Jia Cong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Mu, accustomed to the imperial palace, knew the Chief Eunuch was a high-ranking eunuch post—this man was none other than the Jia Shun Prince’s head eunuch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Mu hurriedly said, “Eunuch Wang, you’re too kind. He’s just a child—the Prince’s favor is excessive, and you’ve gone out of your way to come here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dong smiled. “Lady Rongguo, you’re too modest. The Prince always treasures talent; those who catch his eye are all extraordinary souls. A few steps on foot mean nothing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Cong, at only ten years old, had produced calligraphy of such extraordinary distinction that the Jia Shun Prince was utterly astonished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Heart Sutra, a masterpiece of scripture, moved anyone with even a modicum of cultivation or discernment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He asked his many learned guests, and none had ever seen it before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each character a pearl, each line profound and mysterious; silently reciting it could cleanse karma, dispel evil, and reveal the true nature by clearing the dust of the mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had read widely and studied Buddhist scriptures extensively, yet he had never encountered this Heart Sutra before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Jia Cong had carefully examined the calendars and biographies sent by Tan Chun, a few books could not possibly contain everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason was that after Zhou Changyan returned that day, he brought back the Heart Sutra written by Jia Cong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the Retired Emperor’s birthday, officials from all departments would send offerings such as Buddha statues, Buddhist robes, or ancient palm-leaf sutras.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Retired Emperor’s favorite youngest son, the Jia Shun Prince had been steeped in Buddhist teachings since childhood by his father’s side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, he possessed considerable insight into Buddhism; upon seeing Jia Cong’s Heart Sutra, he regarded it as a priceless treasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the original history, the Heart Sutra was the most widely circulated Buddhist scripture, recited for nearly a thousand years by countless devotees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under normal circumstances, the Jia Shun Prince would never send his Chief Eunuch to deliver a New Year’s gift to a child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though only two hundred and sixty characters long, the Heart Sutra expounds the foundational Buddhist doctrines of the Five Aggregates, the Threefold Classification, the Four Noble Truths, and the Twelve Nidanas, directly pointing to the core Buddhist truth of inherent emptiness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But to claim that Jia Cong himself had composed such a Buddhist scripture—that he did not believe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the Jia Shun Prince received the Heart Sutra written by Jia Cong, he was not only awed by the calligraphy, but also stunned by this previously unknown Buddhist scripture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The current Retired Emperor was an ardent Buddhist; since retiring to the inner palace ten years ago, he spent every day immersed in ancient sutras.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This had spurred the flourishing of Buddhism in the Zhou realm over recent years, with more and more people embracing the faith.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Mu felt a pang of unease—this grandson she disliked most was, in others’ eyes, so precious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He did not know that in this timeline, there was no such person as Xuanzang, and the Heart Sutra had not yet been translated into the Central Plains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not that he doubted it—he simply found it impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this could still be explained as Jia Cong possessing an extraordinary talent for calligraphy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Heart Sutra’s meaning is profound, its language clear, concise, and refined—only one who has endured the world’s trials, seen through worldly illusions, and attained great wisdom and insight could have composed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a scripture could hardly be the work of a single person; it may have been the accumulated wisdom of generations of Buddhist masters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Jia Cong was gifted, he was no immortal or deity—he could not possibly have achieved such a feat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then where had he obtained this Buddhist scripture?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had invited Jia Cong to a literary gathering merely out of admiration for his calligraphy—a gentlemanly exchange of talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bound by his status, he could not personally visit to inquire, so he devised the excuse of delivering a New Year’s gift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dong was the Jia Shun Prince’s childhood companion, sharp, meticulous, experienced, and his most trusted confidant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sending him to deliver the gift ensured that, with his skill, he would uncover the origin of the Heart Sutra—that was precisely why the Prince had sent him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dong, ever observant, glanced around the banquet table and his eyes settled on Jia Huan at the far end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He recognized that all the youths present were Jia Mu’s grandchildren; the one wearing a five-colored jade pendant must be the Jia family’s famed boy born with a jade—Bao Yu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Prince’s head eunuch, Wang Dong was well aware of such legendary tales from the capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he assumed Jia Huan at the end of the table was Jia Cong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the boy’s appearance was sordid and base, nothing like the genius the Prince had described—he was puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Jia Mu said, “He’s not here today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dong looked confused—the Jia household was holding a New Year’s Eve banquet, with all grandchildren present, yet Jia Cong was absent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could the rumors circulating in the streets be true? If so, this old lady was growing senile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tan Chun, sensing the awkwardness, quickly said, “Grandmother, today Third Brother Cong isn’t feeling well and couldn’t come. My sister and I were just about to visit him—let us show this eunuch the way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Jia Mu and Lady Wang breathed easier—family shame must not be aired publicly, and Tan Chun had deftly covered it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Wang had always treated this illegitimate daughter kindly only to cultivate a good reputation for herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, seeing her quick-wittedness and ability to preserve dignity before outsiders, she regarded her with new respect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Mu was even more pleased—among her three granddaughters, she had always valued Tan Chun most; today’s act proved she had not misjudged her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dai Yu, the most perceptive, had always been close to Tan Chun, and understood she was not merely shielding Jia Mu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even she had noticed: yesterday, Jia Cong received a letter from the Jia Shun Prince; today, the Prince sent a messenger with a New Year’s gift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An outsider valued Jia Cong so highly, while his own family treated him with coldness and disdain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Cong’s talent had already emerged clearly; compared to the petty squalor within the inner quarters, it was utterly unworthy of mention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When this Chief Eunuch returned and spread the word, others would only laugh at the Jia clan for its narrow-mindedness and self-sabotage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some might even cruelly say the grandmother was foolish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the entire family would lose face—the grandmother might be spared, but her eldest son would grow even more hostile toward Jia Cong, making the poor Third Brother’s life even harder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dai Yu smiled inwardly—Tan Chun was a clever girl, sharp-minded, and already making amends for Third Brother Cong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Eastern Wing’s Granary Storage Room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Aunt Zhao left, only Jia Cong and Zhi Shao remained inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The events at Rongning Hall had spread through the Eastern Wing within half a day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The housemaids and servants, ever prone to fawning over the powerful and trampling the weak, sensed the shift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They learned that the bastard son of a courtesan had caught the Prince’s attention and was invited to a literary gathering meant only for scholar-officials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They also heard that Second Master of the Western House had suddenly taken notice of Jia Cong too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps he was about to rise in fortune; though his birth mother was lowly, he was still the Old Lady’s own grandson, his lineage unblemished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, before Lady Xing’s orders arrived, the gossipy cooks began secretly giving them better rations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tonight, when Zhi Shao went to the kitchen for meals, the rice was freshly steamed, and there were several seasonal dishes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Added to the snacks Jia Cong had bought in the afternoon, this New Year’s Eve meal was unusually lavish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the solitary candlelight, master and maid enjoyed a proper New Year’s dinner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Zhi Shao cleared the dishes, Jia Cong lit another candle and opened a commentary on the Four Books given to him by Jia Zheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From outside the granary room came sporadic firecracker pops and passing laughter, festive and cheerful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the joyful world outside, immersed in the coming Spring, the Granary Courtyard was a cold, isolated place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhi Shao, afraid of disturbing Jia Cong’s reading, quietly fetched a ladder and pasted the couplet Jia Cong had written on the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, several beautiful fireworks exploded above the courtyard; Zhi Shao rubbed her reddened little hands, her face bright with delight as she watched the fireworks blaze and fade into silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Cong heard the noise and stepped outside, seeing Zhi Shao’s slender waist, thin clothing, and her small face flushed red from the cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“On such a freezing day, you go out dressed like that? You’ll freeze your skin off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Cong took her tiny hands and blew warm breath on them to warm them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked up at the couplet she had just pasted: “Zhi Shao, which character do you think I wrote best?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhi Shao giggled. “Every character you write is perfect, Third Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a soft knock echoed at the courtyard gate—distinct in the quiet, secluded Granary Courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1741,"2026-06-20T12:19:54.434Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","52ca1f92825a892974410e229c2d2a6955c0c072593582d08c96b64117dba841","my-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber-chapter-16","my-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber-chapter-14",920,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmy-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber-cover.jpg"]