Chapter 206: No Attachment to Gold and Jade

The 13th Year of Emperor Jia Zhao, Qingshan Academy.

Under the north wall of the Lingxing Pavilion, the academy's runners were posting notices. It was the monthly examination list for the academy's Yi Literature Hall.

Many students waiting for the list to be posted had already gathered here.

Qingshan Academy divided its student body into Jia, Yi, Bing, and Ding Literature Halls, assigning students to the Ding and Bing halls based on their entrance examination results.

Anyone who passed the provincial examination to become a Scholar would be promoted to the Yi Literature Hall to study in preparation for the Autumn Examination.

Because this year was the Retired Emperor's 65th birthday, rumors had been circulating since the end of last year that the Emperor would open an Imperial Grace Examination in the fifth month, though the news had yet to be finalized.

Many students in the Yi Literature Hall of Qingshan Academy held high expectations for this year's Autumn Examination.

Beneath the notices, many students pointed and gestured at the monthly examination list.

Excitement, dejection, indifference, secret joy—all sorts of expressions were present.

A Grand Master, regarding his most esteemed closing disciple, did not seek for him to break through waves or soar to the clouds, but rather only hoped for him to be peaceful and safe, even lacking ambition, which Jia Zheng found somewhat difficult to understand.

Jia Cong, standing to the side, said, "Master Liu is advanced in years. Teaching the descendants of the family and me these past two years has already exhausted his efforts and spirit. I don't even dare to stay at the Liu residence every day, lest he worry too much."

"What is so strange about ranking at the top of the monthly examination? It's just that Master Jing'an has let it be known that Yuzhang is his closing disciple, and from now on, the mountain gate will not open. We have no fate to hope for listening to his teachings."

He was the very person upon whom the Jia family pinned their hopes for revitalizing their reputation. To be merely an ordinary, well-read scholar would be too much of a waste of talent.

The chief examiner for the Autumn Examination in Yongzhou would have to consider the face of the former Education Commissioner. Moreover, in this year's monthly examinations, Yuzhang had ranked at the top, and his academic strength was plain for all to see.

In Liu Jing'an's heart, he likely only hoped for him to be a well-read scholar, accompanied by books and brushes, living a life of ease.

In Jia Zheng's estimation, it was likely that Liu Jing'an was truly advanced in years, his vitality heavy, and he was overly doting on his closing disciple, not wishing for him to experience too many storms and setbacks.

Qingshan Academy's academic strength was indisputably the best in Yongzhou, and even in the entire Great Zhou, it had few rivals.

Jia Zheng was satisfied with the courtesy name Liu Jing'an had chosen. Jia Cong belonged to the "Yu" generation of the Jia family and had once moved the Jiangnan region with his poetry, so the two characters "Yuzhang" were quite fitting.

Cui Anzhi, standing to the side, laughed, "Xiaoyu, you can't envy this. In the world, only Master Jing'an can be called a Master of Literature and Sage of Learning. His teaching and instruction are no small matter."

"Teaching at home for over a decade, the Liu sect has produced seven successful candidates for the Imperial Examination. Not to say it's unprecedented, but it is certainly rare. Yuzhang has such a teaching mentor and studies so diligently."

He, however, did not agree with the deep meaning behind Liu Jing'an's chosen courtesy name. He viewed Jia Cong as the "Qilin Son" of the Jia family, and with Jia Cong's extraordinary talent, he feared it would not take twenty years before he had the qualifications to enter the Grand Secretariat.

"Yuzhang, I truly envy you for having such a good teacher. These past few months, you haven't attended a single class at the academy, yet every monthly examination you still manage to rank first or second."

"How can you make us, who toil away at the academy, bear this?"

Therefore, those who ranked at the top of the Yi Literature Hall at Qingshan Academy naturally had the strength to capture the title of "Jieyuan" (top candidate) in the Autumn Examination of the province.

Among them, one youth was slightly plump, with a dignified appearance, and a pair of eyes that darted around, very lively.

Back when Jia Cong, Cai Xiaoyu, Cui Anzhi, Liu Xiaoping, and others first entered Qingshan Academy, they were assigned to the Bing Literature Hall. After passing the provincial examination last year, they were promoted together to the Yi Literature Hall to prepare for the Autumn Examination.

Two months ago, after Jia Cong celebrated his birthday, Liu Jing'an discussed it with Jia Zheng. Because Jia Cong was gifted and outstanding in literature, he took the deep meaning from the ancient poem: "Reciting the jade chapter clearly, striving to explore the subtle and mysterious."

"Now, all the fellow students in the various halls of Qingshan Academy say that you are the hot favorite for the Yongzhou Jieyuan this year!"

Bestowing the courtesy name "Yuzhang" upon Jia Cong, pinning hopes on his diligence in the sea of books and his academic success.

Liu Xiaoping, who was looking at the list with Jia Cong, suddenly said, "Yuzhang was the top candidate in the Yongzhou provincial examination last year. In this Autumn Examination, as long as there is no major slip-up, passing the provincial examination is a certainty."

Jia Cong, however, was not too obsessed with this; obtaining the status of a successful candidate was the most important thing.

Jia Cong laughed, "Zhongwen, you are only saying nice things. 'Hearing the strings and songs, one must know the elegant intent.' Are you asking for something?"

Liu Xiaoping laughed heartily, "Yuzhang is truly my soulmate. I have no fate to listen to Master Jing'an's teachings, so I would like to borrow the current affairs essays annotated by Master Liu to read and improve myself. I hope Yuzhang will grant this."

Cai Xiaoyu shouted, "Good for you, Liu Xiaoping! I thought of this long ago and hadn't had the chance to say it, yet you snatched it first. How treacherous!"

Jia Cong laughed, "The annotated essays are at my manor. Tomorrow, Zhongwen can send someone to fetch them. However, I only have one copy. How you arrange to read them is up to you; it's none of my business..."

Rongguo Prefecture.

Ever since the Old Matriarch had Wang Xifeng release those words, the storm at the Lixiang Courtyard had completely subsided.

Xue Yima Xue was also a woman who had rolled through the great mansions; having heard the words passed down by the Old Matriarch, how could she not know the priorities?

That Zhen Ying Lian was actually Brother Cong's woman. In the Old Matriarch's tone, she was already being raised as a junior, just too young to have consummated the marriage yet.

Xue Yima Xue naturally called Xue Pan over to instruct him personally, sternly admonishing him.

Although Xue Pan was a dissolute scoundrel, he was not entirely lawless. Staying in another's home, he naturally knew the severity of the situation, and he also had to consider the face of his mother and sister. Although unwilling, he dared not have the slightest impropriety from then on.

After Baochai learned of the matter, she also breathed a sigh of relief. With the Jia family having made such a statement, her brother would no longer harbor strange thoughts.

However, not long after that, rumors of a "Gold and Jade Affinity" began to spread in the Rongguo Prefecture.

It was nothing more than the fact that the gold locket Baochai wore was engraved with "Never to leave or abandon, fragrance to last forever," which matched the words "Never to lose or forget, immortal longevity to last forever" on the life-root Baoyu wore.

It was said that Lady Wang and Jia Mu had discussed arranging a marriage for Baoyu, though no one knew which family it was. They only knew that Jia Mu said she had asked someone to check the fate, and Baoyu was not destined to marry early, so the matter was temporarily dropped.

And the talk of "Gold and Jade" spread from that time on.

Jia Cong witnessed with his own eyes the events that later generations would talk about with such relish, happening right before his eyes.

He could not help but sigh at the calculations of the women in the inner chambers, which were no different from the so-called battlefield without smoke, only somewhat laughable.

Baochai was clever and broad-minded. After moving into the Jia manor, it didn't take long for her to get along harmoniously with the sisters in the garden.

She and Daiyu were both relatives from the maternal side, but compared to Daiyu's spiritual refinement and introversion, Baochai seemed to earn more praise from everyone in the manor.

After all, by comparison, Daiyu was all alone, while Baochai had her mother and brother by her side, with family wealth. In terms of human sentiment, this was another point of difference.

And Xue Yima Xue had always been kind-faced, speaking warmly and pleasingly, and even Jia Mu liked to chat with her, which also brought Baochai quite a bit of popularity.

Ever since the talk of "Gold and Jade" spread, for Daiyu and the three sisters, it became a shameful topic of conversation in the boudoir. Any girl of marriageable age would mostly whisper and laugh about it.

When Baochai was not around, Seeing Tan Chun and the others would occasionally tease Baoyu with it.

Although Baoyu felt that the newly arrived Sister Bao was excellent, she still couldn't compare to the goodness of Sister Lin in his heart.

It was just that every time the sisters teased him with this, seeing Daiyu also laughing and chatting without a care, he couldn't help but feel sour and disappointed in his heart.

Baoyu hoped that Daiyu would throw a tantrum or lose her temper because of this, but that was a foolish delusion, like climbing a tree to catch a fish.

He didn't dare smash the jade, knowing Daiyu no longer fell for that trick, and doing so would be pointless. Thinking of his frustration, he couldn't help but grieve over the spring and autumn himself.

Jia Cong was present several times. Encountering such scenes, he would occasionally meet Daiyu's gaze, seeing in her eyes a bright and moving clarity, unburdened and unconstrained, filled with smiles.

The "Gold and Jade Affinity" was once a prophecy of fate's tragedy. Now that fate had changed, the tears and sorrow were no more, and there was only pure joy in the human world.

Baochai knew that the words of "Gold and Jade" were circulating in the Jia manor, and in her heart, she felt ashamed and helpless. From then on, she no longer wore that gold locket, but it was to no avail, for the words had already been spoken, and the talk was endless.

What should happen and what should not happen would eventually come to pass.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 207 =====