Chapter 789: Liu Guozong's tampering with Dream of the Red Chamber, part one

Liu Guozong's tampering with Dream of the Red Chamber, part one

May 12: Liu Guozong's tampering with Dream of the Red Chamber, part one

My words went through many twists and turns, but eventually returned to the topic of Baoyu breaking his jade: "Do you have a jade like mine?"

This is Baoyu's obsession. How could anyone else have that jade? It is a rare marvel brought from his mother's womb.

When Daiyu answered Baoyu "no," Baoyu heard it and felt very displeased.

Baoyu was not unhappy with others, but with himself. Baoyu, while cursing his own jade, took it off and smashed it. This is what Shakespeare said: If you cannot remember the most trivial foolish thing you did for love, then you have not truly been in love.

The love between Baoyu and Daiyu began with Baoyu smashing his jade.

Baoyu smashed the jade aiming at that jade itself. He had no other purpose; it was merely a momentary impulse, a foolish act.

Who would have thought that Jia Mu would get angry, saying: "You wretch (the term 'wretch' is an affectionate insult meaning something that does evil)! When you're angry, it's easy to hit or scold someone; why bother smashing that vital thing?"

"When you're angry, it's easy to hit or scold someone," Jia Mu educates her descendants in this way, which is chilling! How can people casually scold and beat? Baoyu, in front of everyone, especially in front of guests, smashed his jade—this is an extremely rude and ill-mannered display. Faced with Baoyu's rudeness and lack of upbringing, as the head of the family, Jia Mu did not reprimand him but instead protected and indulged him. This is how Baoyu became spoiled by those who dote on him.

Let's not discuss how Jia Mu educates her descendants for now; first, let's talk about the story of Baoyu and Daiyu's first love.

"Why did you smash the jade! Losing your temper in front of guests?"

Baoyu, tears in his eyes, explained why he smashed the jade: "All the sisters in the household don't have one; only I do, and that makes it boring; now this goddess-like sister has come and also doesn't have one; therefore this is not a thing."

This is the reason Baoyu smashed the jade: the household sisters don't have one, this goddess-like sister doesn't have one, but I alone have it, which must not be a good thing. If it's not a good thing, it should be smashed.

The reason is just that simple.

Daiyu is naturally thin-skinned. As a noble lady's daughter, she is also the flower's spirit, the bone of poetry, the soul of the moon. She is inherently sentimental and aloof, suspicious; she cares greatly about the words and glances of those around her.

When she took her first step into the Jia mansion, she had secretly warned herself: "Be careful every step, pay attention at all times, do not say an extra word, do not take an extra step, lest people ridicule her." But she had just said: "I don't have it. That jade is also a rare thing; how could everyone have it?"

Daiyu's words were not wrong, and they were factual: "That jade is a rare thing; how could everyone have it?" Yet this factual statement, when spoken in the Jia mansion, stirred ripples in the spirit of the main figure of the Jia household, Baoyu; these ripples almost caused an upheaval in the Jia mansion.

Daiyu secretly pondered: "I have only just arrived, and because of a single sentence I have stirred up such trouble. If Baoyu, because of my single sentence, smashed that jade, would that not be my fault as well?"

Thinking of this, Daiyu involuntarily shed crystal tears………