Chapter 349

Every gift was selected according to each person's temperament and preferences, and they are also hard to find elsewhere.

Daiyu, hearing this, her starry eyes brightened a little, and she smiled, pursing her lips.

This rose jade stone belongs solely to me; no one else can share it!

The deeper meaning of this goes without saying!

Jia Jing then said:

"Over at Dong Fu there are also some exceptionally fine Linqing lion cats and mastiffs; I intend to give each of you one or two to keep as pets."

"Choosing a pet also depends on affinity, so I didn't have anyone send them over; when you have free time, go pick them yourselves."

Linqing lion cats and mastiffs are currently the top-tier 'luxury' pets among the nobility of the Da Han Empire, elegant and unique, and are often presented as tribute to the palace.

The mastiff is a small breed of dog that has been popular since the Tang dynasty.

The 'Supplement to the Youyang Zazu' once mentioned the 'Kanguo mastiff' incident—simply put, Yang Guifei let the mastiff disturb the chessboard, helping Emperor Xuanzong escape a predicament, a funny anecdote.

As for the Linqing lion cat, needless to say, a certain 'Daoist emperor who cultivated his form to resemble a crane' was an extreme 'cat slave'.

He once grieved deeply over the death of his beloved Linqing lion cat, burying it in a gold coffin and ordering officials to write a memorial text for its salvation.

Lion cats and mastiffs? I've never kept those before, and I don't know if they're easy to raise!

Daiyu fixed her gaze on Jia Jing, her eyes flickering slightly with a hint of probing.

Actually, the Jia Mansion also has many cat and dog pets; Qin Keqin's room keeps this kind.

Besides those, there are also various species such as parrots, cranes, deer, rabbits, and Western ducks.

Of course, none of them are as rare and distinctive as the Linqing lion cats and mastiffs.

Jia Jing fell silent for a moment, thought it over, and said:

"If you don't like keeping them, then forget it—I originally just thought they were cute and wanted to give you something fun to play with, to add some liveliness to the courtyard."

Jia Jing naturally had no intention of forcing you.

He brought these back because Xiao Jiaoer and Xichun had said they liked the idea of raising them; he happened to encounter them in the northwest and casually brought back twenty-odd.

Actually, these small animals mainly serve as companions; whether one likes them depends on each person's circumstances and temperament.

Daiyu knotted her brow slightly, seemingly not expecting Jia Jing's answer; a flash of urgency passed through her dark, bright eyes, and she said again:

"Perhaps trying to raise them wouldn't be bad; the courtyard indeed lacks a bit of liveliness."

"Moreover, if all the sisters keep them and I alone do not, it would make me seem fussy and out of step."

Jia Jing: '……'

Daiyu's tone and nature haven't changed a bit!

Her ideas are still this oddly angled, jumping left and right, catching people off guard!

Jia Jing's face expressionless, he slowly said:

"Then let's give it a try! If you can't raise them well, later you can have Zijuan and the others look after them—same thing!"

Daiyu pondered a moment; beneath her dark brows, her bright eyes seemed to hold stars and moon, she pursed her pink lips, and said with deeper meaning:

"They might not necessarily raise them well; I'll do it myself!"

Jia Jing fell silent for a moment, fixed his gaze on Daiyu, then lowered his eyes again, and said:

"Then Daiyu can go pick first; there is one that is pure white all over, with one blue and one yellow mandarin-duck eye, long fur dragging to the ground—a snow lion cat."

"I think its appearance is not bad, it has a somewhat pure and aloof aura; you should like it, sister."

As Daiyu weighed Jia Jing's words, a secret joy welled up in her heart; the hand holding the desert rose unconsciously clenched slightly,

Her dark brows slightly furrowed, she feigned hesitation and said:

"If I pick first, Baosister and the others would only be able to choose from what I leave behind; would that put Third Brother in a difficult spot?"

Daiyu's gaze locked onto Jia Jing's stern visage, trying to discern any clue from it.

Jia Jing seemed unaware, his voice still calm as he said:

"Then Daiyu can go together with Yun Mei Mei and the others! There are plenty of varieties, enough for you to choose from!"

Daiyu's heart fluttered, her starry eyes flashed, and she immediately changed her tone:

"Third Brother's kind intentions—if I don't appreciate them, the fault would be mine!"

Having said that, beneath her knotted brows, her lustrous gaze drooped slightly.

For some reason, I suddenly felt my heartbeat quicken a bit, and inexplicably felt a stir of excitement!

Jia Jing's expression stiffened; his gaze fell on the nearby girl with a slightly ruddy complexion, brows and eyes like the waters of the Xiao and Xiang rivers, and he suddenly gave a light smile.

Just then, as the atmosphere between them grew somewhat strange, Zijuan brought in tea, poured a cup each for Jia Jing and Daiyu, and said with a light laugh:

Duke, have some tea!

Jia Jing lifted the teacup, took a sip; the tea was fine Longjing, the temperature just right, the leaves unfurled in the cup and sank piece by piece to the bottom.

Zijuan, long time no see! During this period you've taken very good care of Daiyu.

Not only has her health improved, but her disposition has also become only slightly more open…… Jia Jing said with deep meaning.

Isn't her disposition become more open?

Before, she only dared to secretly knock over a teacup or such; now she dares openly to joke and play with me!

Zijuan, however, didn't grasp the deeper meaning, and said with a smile on her face:

I am merely a maid, doing my duty; my lady's day-by-day improvement is entirely thanks to the Duke's care!

Jia Jing laughed and said:

The words 'duty' are easy to say but hard to practice; Zijuan is of refined nature and virtuous heart, and Daiyu has you, this loyal maid, as her blessing!

From now on, remember: if Daiyu has any matter, you must go to Dong Fu to tell me!

Zijuan's face showed delight, and she spoke loudly:

Duke, you overpraise me! Having a brother like you is truly the young lady's blessing!

Rest assured, I will certainly keep your words in my heart!

Saying that, she paused briefly and then said:

These days that you are not at the mansion, the miss has often been fretting, worried about your safety while you are away…

Zi Juan…

Before Zi Juan could finish speaking, Daiyu, her face flushed with embarrassment, interrupted.

Jia Jing smiled lightly, saying nothing.

Daiyu glared at Zi Juan, then quickly retrieved a letter from the desk, handed it to Jia Jing, and said softly:

This is a letter from my father to Third Brother.

Jia Jing reached out, took it, saw that the sealing seal was untouched, and then slowly opened it.

The letter was written on fine Chengxin Hall paper, folded neatly.

Lin Ruhai's handwriting was slender and upright; each stroke seemed to reveal his character.

Jia Jing began reading from the start, his expression gradually taking on a solemn and serious tone.

Lin Ruhai's letter mainly told him about four matters.

The first matter was to thank Jia Jing for caring for Lin Daiyu, and to thank him for sending personal troops to Yangzhou for protection.

"My frail little daughter, having been under your care, is endlessly grateful… The personal troops you dispatched recently have arrived in Yangzhou, the guard is thorough, especially appreciative of your lofty righteousness…"

The second matter was to praise his military achievements in the Northwest battle.

"Rapid news from the Northwest spreads to Jiangnan, the whole city is exhilarated… Sealing the wolf at Juxu, drinking the horse across the vast sea, ancient famed generals—how could they be surpassed…"

The third matter concerned the salt administration in Jiangnan.

"The corruption of salt governance lies in the violation of principles. Salt merchants dominate, officials collude with merchants, treating the shoreline as private property, using the salt levy as a purse…"

"To reform this vice, one must break this years‑long net. Yet tugging a single hair moves the whole body; delay may cause change, haste may cause chaos, thus one must be doubly cautious…"

The fourth matter discussed Gong Dingzi's implementation of New Policies in Jiangnan.

"Elder Gong, in his imperial commission, implements New Policies in Jiangnan, conducts thorough investigations, his methods are forceful, like thunder weighing ten thousand pounds…"

"He measures fields, recovers overdue taxes, the salt merchants watch sideways, the gentry grind their teeth… Recently, the white lotus demonic aura spreads in Jiangnan; Elder Gong bears a thousand arrows alone, repeatedly falls victim to covert attacks, fearing unforeseen dangers."

"Duke Wanguo, attentive in court, offers slight protection, frequently issues warnings; not out of personal favor, but for state affairs…"