Chapter 1293

In the bitterly cold winter, wealthy families all stayed indoors to keep warm,

while the poor commoners could only stuff reeds into their tattered clothes to ward off the cold,

just as the poet demon Bai Juyi wrote: "Selling charcoal, what do I seek? My clothes and food!"

Even if some commoners risked their lives laboring, they might still fail to meet basic needs of warmth and food!

On Rongning Long Street, servants pushing doors and sweeping snow began setting up tents, then distributed food and some old clothes to the people on the street,

Standing behind them, Lin Daiyu watched their pitiful state, her eyes filled with pity,

"Sister, do you see? This is the common folk—what you once squandered daily is what lets them survive!"

Standing behind Lin Daiyu, Zhang Cheng spoke softly,

"For today, what I will teach Lin Daiyu is 'reality'!"

"Thank you, Young Lady, thank you, Young Lady"

Distributing hot porridge, Lin Daiyu gazed at the grateful old woman's face, and unconsciously her expression softened,

"Jue Ge'er, how dare you bring the sisters to do such a thing!"

As Zhang Cheng watched Lin Mei and the others helping, a red-clad, green-sashed boy with a large face approached from afar,

Indeed, he is the treasure of Rongguo Mansion, the darling grandson Lady Jia loves most, Jia Zheng's mortal enemy—Da Lianbao!

"Baoyu, are you itching for a fight again?"

Turning his head, Zhang Cheng couldn't help but glare at him,

Upon hearing Zhang Cheng's words, Jia Baoyu trembled, cold sweat pouring as he said: "I, I didn't provoke you! You, you can't hit me!"

"Go play somewhere else!"

Seeing Da Lianbao's appearance, Zhang Cheng felt disdain—he truly feared one punch would shatter him!

Approaching Lin Daiyu, Jia Baoyu looked disdainfully at this group of commoners: "You lot are so filthy and smelly—don't you know to go wash up? How utterly inauspicious! And you, sister—how can you associate with these people? I find it heartbreaking to watch!"

"Pa!"

Setting down the ladle she used to stir the porridge, Lin Daiyu turned her head and said: "Jia Baoyu, if you utter another word, I'll beat you to death!"

Stunned, Jia Baoyu never imagined his beloved Lin Mei would despise him so,

Thinking this, Jia Baoyu immediately seized the Spirit-Link Jade from his chest: "If even Lin Mei doesn't like me, what use is this troublesome jade?"

Saying this, Jia Baoyu slammed it hard onto the ground,

"Pa-da!"

The Spirit-Link Jade bounced on the ground and finally came to rest nearby,

Shocked at the scene, Jia Baoyu's attendants stared dumbfounded, rushing forward to pick it up: "Second Young Master, you mustn't drop this! If it breaks, we're doomed!"

Saying this, a crowd hurried to comfort Baoyu,

But Jia Baoyu, sulking, crossed his arms, wearing the look of "If you don't coax me, I won't be happy,"

Yet seeing Jia Baoyu's expression, Lin Daiyu's anger flared from her heart, wickedness rose from her gall, and she lunged forward, kicking him over,

"Pfft!"

His body flew forward, Jia Baoyu crashed into the freshly piled snow,

Before he could react, Lin Daiyu lunged again, raining down punches: "I let you smash the jade, I let you block me from doing good for mother, I let you call—"

One punch after another struck Jia Baoyu's face, Lin Daiyu's movements left Zhang Cheng dazed,

For he never expected that after Lin Daiyu recovered, she'd be even fiercer than himself,

At this age, she could press down and beat Jia Baoyu—when she reaches her prime, won't she be coming for me?

Zhang Cheng: "Sister, you hit Baoyu—now you can't hit me!"

Lady Jia: "Good grandson, you hit Baoyu—now you can't hit Grandma!"

"It kills me, save me, save me, Third Sister, Second Sister."

Struggling while shouting, Jia Baoyu finally rolled over, nose swollen and face bruised, staggering toward the distance—only to see Lin Daiyu rush forward, grab his collar, yank him to the ground, and unleash another barrage of punches,

Shocked at the scene, Jia Yingchun and others stared dumbfounded,

For usually, though Baoyu might provoke Lin Mei, it was only "bang bang bang"—three punches at most,

But now, they've already thrown nearly thirty punches, and Lin Mei shows no sign of letting Baoyu go!

Leaving Rongguo Mansion, Jia Zheng was seen preparing to mount his carriage for a refined chat with an old friend,

But just as he stepped out, he saw Ningguo Mansion distributing porridge,

And for this, Jia Zheng felt deep approval—after all, Ge'er is far wiser than his eldest son,

Yet just as Jia Zheng's face lit with satisfaction, he suddenly clutched his beard—because over there, it seemed someone was being pressed to the ground and beaten, and if he wasn't mistaken, the one being beaten was Da Lianbao,

"What in the world is happening!"

Rushing forward, Jia Zheng hurried to inquire,

"Uncle, you've finally come—Baoyu, Baoyu is bullying me!"

Tugging at Jia Zheng's sleeve, Lin Daiyu spoke with a tearful face,

"Wa mei. yo."

Lifting his swollen, bruised head, upon hearing this, Jia Baoyu immediately retorted,

But having been beaten so severely, his speech was slurred,

"You blasted shut your mouth, Daiyu—you speak!"

Pointing at Jia Baoyu and roaring, Jia Zheng flared with anger,

For compared to Baoyu, he would rather believe Lin Mei's words,

"Winter has come—Mother once pitied these commoners in her day, so I wished to pray for her blessings, go out and distribute porridge—but who would've thought, who would've thought Baoyu would say they're filthy and smelly, and tell me not to do this—wu wu wu."

Nine parts true, one false—Lin Daiyu's performance left Zhang Cheng and Jia Wei utterly stunned,

"You're lucky you were born, sister prays for mother's blessings, yet you dare to cause trouble—today I'll beat you to death!"

Looking angrily at Jia Baoyu, Jia Zheng's fury instantly flared up,

"Uncle, catch it!"

Throwing the sword in his hand, Zhang Cheng shouted loudly,

"Pa!"

Catching the sword, Jia Zheng instinctively drew it from its sheath, but upon seeing the cold gleam, he couldn't believe it: "Jue Ge'er, this?"

"Uncle, the sword scabbard, the sword scabbard, that hard one!"

Speaking to Jia Zheng, Zhang Cheng quickly shouted, having suffered a loss, having forgotten to bring the iron thorns when going out—otherwise, Da Mianbao would at least have to lie down for ten days or half a year,

"Dang lang!"

Handing the long sword to the servant beside him, Jia Zheng gripped the sword scabbard and began to whip fiercely,

"Ah, ah, ah!"

In pain, Jia Baoyu sprang up like a carp flipping and ran toward the end of the long street,

Watching Jia Baoyu's figure, Jia Zheng chased after him, whipping fiercely: "You still dare to run, you wretch—today, no one who comes will spare you!"

Watching Jia Zheng disappear into the distance, Zhang Cheng coughed and said: "Continue distributing porridge, continue distributing porridge"

Looking at Jia Zheng's formidable martial bearing, Zhang Cheng said with a relieved expression: "If only Uncle had joined the army back then—this kind of aura, even the Jurchens would fear it!"

Embarrassedly looking at Zhang Cheng, Jia Wei said with a speechless face: "Uncle, you really can't stand to see Baoyu well, can you? He'll probably have to lie up for several more days when he goes back!"

"Cough cough cough! How would I know—Lin Mei's little sister went up and just started fighting!"

Saying this, Zhang Cheng looked at Lin Daiyu and said: "Younger sister, you're too fierce—this isn't good, do you understand?"

Rolling her eyes at Zhang Cheng, Lin Daiyu continued back to distribute porridge, for if Jia Baoyu hadn't come up to cause trouble, she wouldn't have acted, nor dared to smash jade in her presence—Jia Baoyu thinks he's someone, but she could upend a sleeping Wu Song, and on her elbow she could run a horse—she's a top-notch man, Lin Daiyu!

(End of chapter)