Chapter 75

Ping'er's face turned red, and she retorted: "Grandmother is so boring, saying such crazy things; he's just a child, what fancy or not fancy?"

Wang Xifeng teased a few words, then said: "No one could have expected that such a person would appear in the family."

"The Old Ancestor only has Baoyu in her heart, and even our Bao Er Ye is pushed to the side, but with Baoyu's personality of mingling in the back chambers, it won't be easy for him to stand on his own feet in the future."

Ping'er was intelligent; although Wang Xifeng only said half of her words, how could she not understand the meaning? She was looking down on Baoyu and complaining for her own husband.

But she dared not take these words; she was gentle and only wanted to live a stable life; those things were not for someone of her status to manage.

Wang Xifeng added: "This Brother Cong is also a blood brother to the Bao Er Ye; this relationship is the closest, and he will be a help in the future."

Ping'er knew Jia Cong had lived a miserable life in the East Courtyard when he was young, and had finally lived a peaceful life after coming to the West Prefecture.

If he were used as a gun and entangled in those matters, it would be dangerous in this big mansion in the future.

Ping'er had always been gentle and kind; although she lived beside the shrewd and ruthless Wang Xifeng, she treated others with kindness and had a good reputation in the mansion.

Although she didn't have a deep friendship with Jia Cong, she felt some sympathy for this concubine-born son who had been discriminated against since childhood, and knew he was a hardworking and motivated child; she didn't want him to fall into these matters.

"Hmm, you send it over today, and tell Zi Juan the method; if Miss Lin wants to eat it, you can tell the kitchen to make it."

Only then did she say another sentence: "I see the Bao Er Ye values him highly, looking more attentive than he is to Baoyu, and Brother Cong seems very grateful to the Master; it's just that we haven't had much contact here."

Wang Xifeng sneered: "You're right; the Master values Brother Cong so highly, and Brother Cong is grateful to the Master; in the future, he will definitely favor Baoyu."

Jia Cong's hair, just washed, was black and shiny, with a faint fragrance of grass leaves; Qingwen's movements in combing his hair were gentle, one hand holding the comb steadily, and the other gathering the combed hair.

Jia Cong thought of how Zhi Shao used to comb his hair like this.

Wuer's small face blushed, and she said to Jia Cong: "Cong Sanye, I have cleaned the snow lotus root and medicinal herbs; I can make one more bowl of Bai Yu Soup for Miss Lin today, but we can't make it tomorrow when we go to Mount Luocang."

Early in the morning, Qingwen boiled a pot of soapberry water, helped Jia Cong wash his hair carefully, used several pieces of cotton cloth to wipe the water from his hair, and then used a comb to comb it carefully.

Just because Baoyu was beaten by the Master with a ruler, she instigated the Old Ancestor to waive Brother Cong's filial etiquette, making him unable to even enter the Rongqing Hall.

Her aunt was actually muddled enough to drag the Master's feet.

Qingwen looked at Jia Cong's handsome face in the mirror, his watery eyes filled with smiles, and her movements became even gentler.

Qingwen blushed and made a face at Wuer: "It's as if you never act infatuated with the Cong Sanye."

If Jia Cong knew the reason, the affection with the Master would be cut in half, and her husband would naturally have an extra blood brother to help.

Wang Xifeng didn't say the rest of the words, because it wasn't easy to say to Ping'er.

Tomorrow Jia Cong was going to the Qingshan Academy to register; everyone's luggage was packed, and four or five boxes were piled up neatly in the room.

Wuer entered from the courtyard and saw Qingwen's appearance, laughing: "If you comb the Cong Sanye's hair, comb it well; why are you staring at the mirror and acting infatuated?"

Bai Yu Soup was the name Wuer gave to this medicinal diet; it wasn't elegant, but fortunately, it was vivid and easy to remember.

Jia Cong smiled and acted as if he didn't hear; it was just the little thoughts of two girls who had just opened their hearts.

The tenth year of Emperor Jia Zhao, the fourth day of the fourth month.

"Has Lin Meimei's complexion gotten better these past few days?"

Since that time he went to see Daiyu with Tan Chun, Jia Cong hadn't been there again, and he couldn't go to the Rongqing Hall, so he hadn't seen Daiyu for a while.

The main reason was that he didn't want to create extra trouble before going to the academy, causing unnecessary trouble for himself and Daiyu; anyway, there would be plenty of time in the future.

"Miss Lin's complexion is much better; she looks even better than before she was ill; this Bai Yu Soup of the Cong Sanye actually has such a miraculous effect."

"This Bai Yu Soup can moisten the lungs and nourish the yin, and has a therapeutic effect on coughing blood, but it won't have any miraculous effect; it's not some miraculous elixir."

"How has Lin Meimei's mood been lately?"

"Miss Lin's mood has been very good lately; every time she sees me coming, she smiles and says a lot; every time I go, I see her writing, and there's a stack of paper on the table."

"The Bai Yu Soup is made from medicinal herbs and snow lotus root, which nourishes the qi; you always send it in the evening; Miss Lin has always been thin and weak, and this evening meal is the most nourishing."

"It could also be that Miss Lin's mood has been good lately; the heart is the source of all diseases; if the mood is good, the complexion will naturally be good."

Hearing the voice of Juan'er in the courtyard outside: "Miss Lin, Sister Zi Juan, hello."

"Is the Cong Sanye at home?"

Jia Cong hurriedly had Qingwen fix his hair and went out to meet her, seeing Daiyu standing gracefully in the courtyard, followed by a pretty maid in a green dress and red jacket—it was Zi Juan from Daiyu's room.

Wuer was right; Daiyu's complexion had indeed improved a lot; her face was rosy, like warm jade reflecting the sunset, the bright moon haloing, and she was moving.

"Why is Lin Meimei here? Is your body much better?"

"Thank you, Cong Sanye Cong, for having Wuer send the medicinal diet every night; I'm all better now; Zi Juan, bring the things."

Jia Cong saw Zi Juan holding a small mottled bamboo book box; Daiyu took out two brand-new blue-covered thread-bound books from it.

Daiyu's eyes were filled with smiles, and she said: "I really liked the calligraphy Cong Sanye Cong sent me last time; these two hand-copied books are a return gift for the Cong Sanye."

"These are some annotations on the Four Books that my father wrote based on his own insights when he was studying; my father taught me the Four Books when I was young, and I brought this manuscript of my father's with me when I came from the south."

"I take it out to read when I'm free, just as if I've seen my father; Cong Sanye Cong is going to the academy to study, so these should be useful; I hand-copied a copy to send to the Cong Sanye."

So Wuer said every time she went to send the medicinal diet, Daiyu was there writing; it turned out she was copying this.

These two hand-copied books were thick and solid; opening them, they were filled with dense and elegant handwriting; Daiyu must have spent a lot of effort copying them, and Jia Cong felt a warmth in his heart.

Master Jing'an had sent him a copy of the "Collected Annotations on the Four Books"; although precious, with Master Jing'an's status, this collection was likely written from the perspective of academic research, not specifically for the practical use of the imperial examinations.

Jia Cong read it once yesterday; it indeed had high-level guidance for the imperial examinations, which was thought-provoking and the best for laying an academic foundation, but it wasn't written entirely to accommodate the imperial examinations.

And this hand-copied copy Daiyu sent him was the study insights of the top scholar Lin Ruhai when he was studying for the imperial examinations; every word and sentence was based on the path of the imperial examinations.

Lin Ruhai was able to win the title of top scholar, which proved how refined and brilliant his study insights were; this hand-copied copy was simply a cheat sheet for the imperial examinations.

Daiyu had been taught by her father since childhood and was full of poetry and books; she naturally understood the role of this hand-copied copy for Jia Cong, and this gift also reached his heart.

Jia Cong said gratefully: "Jia Cong thanks Sister Lin for her kindness; I will definitely cherish this copied volume of yours."

Daiyu smiled: "Cong Sanye Cong, no need to be polite; I just hope you will make progress every day and win the top prize in the palace examination soon."

The entire Jia family was clearly declining, yet everyone was unwilling to wake up from their dream of wealth; only Jia Cong would cherish this thing.

If it were someone like Baoyu or Jia Lian, they would only treat it as the rotten words of a greedy ghost or waste paper to pad the table.

In the Qingzhi Study, with bamboo groves and spring sunshine, reflecting the two elegant and jade-like people in the courtyard, time was peaceful.

(End of chapter)