Chapter 327

Jia Jing's deep gaze fell upon Baichai's jade-like visage, and they softly said:

"Hengzhi is better than Hengwu; the character 'wu' is too lonely and desolate, while 'zhi' is pure, elegant, moist, and independent—perfectly matching your noble character, little sister; I like it very much!"

"Hengwu" is a kind of herb, from Wang Jia of the Jin dynasty's *Shiyi Ji*: "The emperor rested in the Yanliang chamber, and in a dream Lady Li bestowed upon him the fragrance of hengwu."

Lady Li was Emperor Wu of Han's most beloved consort; after the consort's death, Emperor Wu of Han longed for the consort endlessly and dreamed of the consort sending him the fragrance of hengwu.

Therefore, behind the two characters 'hengwu' lies the imagery of longing, loneliness, and the yearning for what cannot be obtained.

Moreover, 'hengwu' specifically refers to the combined name of the two vine-like herbs duheng and miwu; the characteristic is soft, creeping growth, clinging to things such as rocks or trees and winding continuously upward.

'Zhi' refers to bai zhi, an herb with an upright straight stem, symbolizing noble character.

The characters 'heng' and 'zhi' are often used together, symbolizing talent and virtue both present, and an identity that is independent and self-reliant.

Jia Jing's meaning in saying this is that they will no longer let Baichai be that 'longing‑unfulfilled' Lady Li,

but to be a person who is 'hengzhi fragrant on the breeze, wind and mist bearing grace', independent and self‑reliant, truly alive.

This is acceptance, and also a promise!

Upon hearing this, Baichai's heart burst with joy; the fair, soft face instantly flushed crimson, and the watery almond eyes curved like crescent moons.

They dared not meet Jia Jing's deep gaze any longer, lowered their head, and gently pressed their forehead against Jia Jing's chest.

The golden threads of the robe's python pattern pressed against their forehead, icy cold; yet beneath that chill lay the heartbeat.

Beat after beat, neither hurried nor slow, just like that person.

Jia Jing's hand hovered in mid‑air, paused a moment, then descended and landed on their shoulder.

They did not pull them into an embrace, merely leaving the hand there, like a mountain set upon a plain, steady and unmoving.

A gust of wind blew past, making the grass on the wall rustle with a shushing sound.

The moonlight was white as frost, spread over the blue‑stone slabs, over Baichai's shoulder, and over Jia Jing's lowered eyelashes.

The two shadows fell on the ground, one tall, one short, close together, as if glued by the moonlight.

Baichai's tears still flowed, soundless, drop by drop falling onto Jia Jing's python‑robe, but at this moment the taste of those tears must be sweet!

The corner of their mouth curled up, forming a faint, light arc that even they themselves did not notice.

Having met a good person in this life, what more could one seek!

Baichai closed their eyes, forehead pressed against Jia Jing's chest, listening to that steady beat after beat, feeling that all the world's clamor had faded away.

The night wind scattered the fragrance of osmanthus, the floral scent permeating the air!

For a moment, neither of them spoke, nor did either move.

Only the moonlight drifted slowly, lengthening and shortening their shadows, like the slowest pendulum in the world.

…………

By the time Jia Jing returned to Jingwu Yuan, it was nearly midnight, the night deep, and the gate of Jingwu Yuan stood ajar.

Jia Jing pushed the door open; the scene inside the courtyard was not greatly different from before.

Only the formerly crowded martial‑arts platform and weapon racks had been emptied, and the stone table and bench beneath the jujube tree were now covered with oilcloth.

All other items had been neatly put away, clearly Zhu Que had arranged for the personal troops to move house!

From now on, although the Rong Guo Mansion will still station personal troops to guard this side, it will not let them continue to reside here!

Jia Jing looked around, greeted a few of the on‑duty personal troops, then headed straight for the rear courtyard.

The rear courtyard was brightly lit; the lanterns at the gate cast a dim yellow glow, illuminating a small patch of blue‑brick ground before the steps.

When Jia Jing pushed the door into the rear courtyard, Xiangling, Qingwen, Xiaohong, and Xiao Jiaoer, having heard the movement, had already lifted the curtain and stood at the doorway awaiting Jia Jing.

Seeing Jia Jing enter, Xiao Jiaoer, wearing a cyan shirt, was the first to excitedly cry out:

"Third Uncle, you have returned!"

Immediately, Xiao Jiaoer took a few quick steps and ran to Jia Jing's side.

Xiangling, Qingwen, and Xiaohong likewise stepped forward with eager faces, and together performed a great salute to Jia Jing:

"Congratulations, Master, on your triumphant return to the mansion!"

Jia Jing glanced at the three, a hint of a smile appearing on their face.

Xiangling stood on the left, wearing a light cyan outer shirt over a moon‑white waistcoat, hair neatly combed, a white magnolia pin at the temple, presenting a graceful and elegant figure.

A pair of clear, bright eyes, like a mountain stream flowing over stones, and the scholarly air about Xiangling grew a little stronger.

Qingwen stood on the right, wearing a moon‑white nightgown with a cyan satin vest, a slender waist and tapered shoulders.

The youthful immaturity at the corners of Qingwen's eyes and brows had faded somewhat, and Qingwen's figure now carried a hint of allure.

Xiaohong stood behind, wearing a pale cyan waistcoat, quiet and composed.

All were young maidens in their early teens, their complexion not ordinary, quite pleasing to the eye.

"Everyone, rise!"

Jia Jing waved a hand, then led the few straight to the main hall.

Xiangling, Qingwen, and Xiao Jiaoer naturally followed Jia Jing's steps.

"Third Uncle, why did you return so late? We've been waiting and are exhausted!" Xiao Jiaoer asked in a clear voice.

"Mm, Master had business and returned late; if you're tired, why not sleep first?" Jia Jing laughed.

Xiao Jiaoer placed their small hand into Jia Jing's large hand, eyes shining like two stars, and said happily:

"I am now a big child; on the first day Master returns, I naturally must wait for Master together!" hee‑hee!

Jia Jing took Xiao Jiaoer's hand, turned to look at Qingwen and Xiangling, and asked:

"How have things been at home lately?"

Xiangling's gaze was clear, pausing for a moment on Jia Jing's face before quickly lowering, and Xiangling spoke softly.

"All is well; Third Miss often sends people to inquire, and the Second Mistress also frequently has Sister Ping'er bring things."

"Moreover, Miss Lin and Miss Baichai often come by for a chat."

Beside her, Qingwen sized up Jia Jing from head to toe, as if checking whether he was injured, and she said in a cheerful voice:

"Master has been ennobled as a duke of the state, we servant girls naturally rise with his fortunes; now we are even more respectable than Grandma's senior maid YuanYang—no one dares to slight us!"

Saying this, Qingwen paused, then lowered her head and said:

"I'm just worried about Master's safety at home!"

Hearing this, Jia Jing smiled. After not seeing them for several months, Qingwen and Xiangling's attitude toward him hadn't worsened; if anything, they'd grown a bit closer.

As for their situation at home, he was actually quite clear about it.

What Qingwen said about being more respectable than YuanYang is actually not nonsense!

In the past, the maid hierarchy of Rong Guo Mansion naturally consisted of the "Ping, Xiren, and YuanYang" trio as the three top leaders!

Then the second tier consisted of the chief senior maids from each young lady's quarters, such as Zijuan and Shishu.

The third tier was the ordinary First-Class Maids like Sheyue.

Undoubtedly, a maid's status is closely tied to that of her master.

YuanYang is Grandma's chief senior maid, Xiren attends to the master Jia Baoyu—the "lifeline" of the household—and Ping'er is the capable assistant of Housekeeper Grandma Wang Xifeng.

They are all First-Class Senior Maids; although they are servants, their status ranks just below the young masters and mistresses of each household.

Far beyond what ordinary maids can compare to, they often receive treatment in the Jia Mansion that far exceeds their station.

However, ever since Jia Jing rose to prominence, the power structure among the maids of the Jia Mansion has also changed.

Although Ping, Xiren, and YuanYang remain the ceiling of the Jia Mansion maid hierarchy, two people have quietly surpassed them: Xiangling and Qingwen.

As Jia Jing's personal First-Class Senior Maids, Xiangling and Qingwen will even become his "inner-circle attendants"; although they currently hold no real authority, their status is already exalted.

Thus, the maid hierarchy of the Jia Mansion has quietly shifted to a "two surpassing many strong" pattern!