The Red Chamber: Starting from Saving Xue Baochai

Chapter 12: Crystal Snow in the Mountain

When Baochai heard this, her face was slightly startled, but then she was delighted.

Just when I was about to ask in detail, I heard Ying'er talking non-stop.

"It's so lively outside now! Everyone is talking about Master Shen, saying that he is the mortal star of Wu Qu!"

"The government also sent runners on tall horses to beat gongs and drums along the streets, shouting that Master Shen had won the first prize in martial arts!"

"Also, there are red lists of government offices posted everywhere on the street, and Master Shen's name is at the top, the biggest one!"

Ying'er's eyes were shining and she became more and more excited as she spoke. The girl seemed to have regarded Shen Yuan as her own son-in-law. In her eyes, Shen Yuan and the girl had endless love letters to write every day.

Although she was illiterate, Ying'er was not stupid. Seeing the smiles on the two people's faces when they read the letter, she knew that the content of the letter was not simple.
Baochai had no idea what the girl was thinking about, so she smiled and said, "The red list? Ying'er, do you know his name?"

"I don't know, but I asked the candidates who were looking at the list next to me, and they told me."

"Also, those people told me a lot about Master Shen."

Ying'er clearly remembered that when those people talked about Shen Yuan, their faces were full of admiration.

Little did she know that when this girl heard that Shen Yuan was always successful, her eyes were full of stars, her heart was full of admiration, and her heart was beating like a deer. Even now, her little chest was still bulging.
When Baochai heard what Ying'er said, her soft almond eyes twinkled, her heart seemed to be beating, and she said expectantly, "Tell me about it quickly."

Seeing that her daughter was so anxious to speak, Ying'er did not keep her in suspense and told Baochai in detail what the examinees had said.

Although the girl was illiterate, she had a very good memory and basically restored every important part of the training ground.

Baochai was also excited when she heard this. The boy was so stunningly beautiful that even a man would admire him, let alone a teenage girl.

Moreover, when Ying'er spoke, her words were very vivid, as if the young man in blue was riding a horse in front of them, looking heroic and dashing.

After Ying'er finished speaking, she looked excited, as if she was still not satisfied.

call.
Baochai let out a long sigh and tried hard to calm her agitated emotions.

"I wonder. What is he doing now?"

The girl murmured softly, wanting to see Shen Yuan right now.

Maybe he wanted to express his congratulations to me in person as soon as possible, or maybe there was something else.
The promise on Taiping Lake.

What kind of demands will the boy make? Will they be too much?
Even though they were already husband and wife and had been together many times, the girl still felt shy whenever she thought of the figure in green.

As the winning list was made public, thousands of candidates spread the news enthusiastically.

The wonderful scene that took place at the martial arts examination today spread wildly, and within just one hour, it had swept across the entire Yingtian Prefecture.

It is not difficult to imagine that when these candidates return to their hometowns, Shen Yuan's name will quickly spread throughout Jinling.

At the same time, a summary statement is being published in the Hanmozhai folk tabloid and will be sent to various parts of Jiangnan tomorrow.

"On August 12, the sixteenth year of Yuanzhen, the autumn examination of the military examination was held in Nanjing.

Shen Yuan, a native of Suzhou, first scored full marks in the three subjects of literary examination, skills and bravery, and archery.

During the riding and archery test, he made a gentleman's agreement with Jiang Fan on the spot, setting the shooting distance at eighty steps, shooting twenty-eight arrows, and all hitting the center of the bull's eye.

Later he changed the distance from eighty steps to one hundred steps, rode his horse and shot again, and both arrows also hit the center of the bull's eye.

In the end, he won the first place with full marks in riding and archery, and easily won the first place in the military exam.

In the past hundred years of the Great Zhou Dynasty, after the divine and martial general Feng Tang, there appeared again a person who scored full marks in all four subjects in the military examination.

If nothing unexpected happens, Shen Yuan may be the most likely candidate for the top prize in martial arts next year.

All of a sudden, Shen Yuan was regarded as the most popular candidate for the top prize in the martial arts examination next spring, and he was praised to the utmost.

This is actually not a good thing. As the saying goes, a tree that stands out in the forest will be destroyed by the wind.

As soon as this news came out, Shen Yuan had become a thorn in the eyes of some powerful and influential children.

However, the martial arts examination is an open matter, and Shen Yuan really has no control over what others say.

All enterprising things in the world are intended to move forward. When enemies come, we will fight them; when water comes, we will block it with earth. There is no need to look too far ahead or behind.

There were about two thousand people taking part in the autumn military examination in Jinling Province, but only a hundred or so people passed in the end.

According to custom, on August 15th, the governor would hold a Mid-Autumn Festival banquet and invite the military men who had passed the imperial examination to gather and drink. After that, they would return to their hometowns and would be assigned to military posts after the next spring imperial examination.

According to the regulations of the Great Zhou Dynasty, military candidates can enjoy the treatment of a seventh-rank military official.

Of course, whether or not the vacancies can be filled depends on the specific circumstances in each place.

If you go one step further and pass the imperial examination, your rank will be raised accordingly.

These are all things for later, let’s not ignore them for now.

After Shen Yuan returned to the inn and took a bath, he went to meet Baochai.

He did not forget that he was still in a time loop, and unlocking the time cage as soon as possible was his top priority.

You hour, Taiping Lake, Lotus Street.

The sky gradually darkens, and the warm autumn evening breeze blows across your face, giving you a soft and refreshing feeling.

At this moment, the streets are brightly lit, pedestrians are coming and going, and the hawkers' cries are heard one after another.

There are many shops on the street facing the lake. Colorful flags flutter gently in the breeze. Various signs are hung in front of the shops, attracting the attention of passers-by.

Shen Yuan and Baochai were strolling there, with Ying'er following behind them.

"Congratulations, you got what you wanted."

"Miss Xue also deserves some credit."

When Baochai heard this, her soft almond-shaped eyes showed confusion.

"A good wind will help me soar into the sky." Shen Yuan said in a gentle voice, "To me, Miss Xue's blessing is that wind."

Baochai's heart trembled slightly. She resonated with the poem and was moved by the young man's cherishment for her.

A girl's feelings are always poetic, and the emotions between men and women are actually not that complicated.

It is normal for a confused fifteen-year-old girl to develop feelings for an eighteen-year-old gentle and chivalrous boy who cares so much about her.

After walking for a while, Baochai seemed a little tired, so they sat down on a stone bench facing the lake to rest.

After a moment of silence, Shen Yuan took out a jade hairpin inlaid with a golden phoenix pattern from his bosom. There was a pearl hairpin wrapped around it, and the whole hairpin was sparkling.

He handed it to Baochai and said softly, "I've asked someone to make you a jade hairpin. Do you like it?"

This is a piece of uncut jade that he carefully selected and specially had a famous craftsman make it to order.

Baochai turned her head and looked at the jade hairpin. She was stunned for a moment, and asked in surprise and joy: "Why would you suddenly give me this?"

"Seeing that Miss Xue usually wears simple and elegant makeup, I thought that if you wear this, you will look more elegant, right?"

The girl didn't care how valuable the gift was, but she was happy that the boy was thinking about her.

Baochai's heart was moved when she heard this, and her autumn-water almond eyes were full of movement.
The boy should be thinking about her all the time.
Shen Yuan saw the delight on the girl's fair face and said softly, "I'll put it on Miss Xue."

"Ah."

The girl responded softly and lowered her head slightly to make it easier for the young man to move.

A jade hairpin with a phoenix pattern was inserted between her black hair, gently swaying with the sound of her step-shaking ornaments, adding a bit of lively charm to the originally quiet and gentle lady.

Shen Yuan looked at the girl's stunning appearance and said with a smile, "She is quite suitable for Miss Xue's temperament."

Baochai was filled with joy at this moment. She raised her eyes slightly and looked at the young man. His handsome and elegant face was reflected in her beautiful, warm and crystal clear eyes.

As their eyes met, the girl's heart beat rapidly. Her hands, which had nowhere to put, were hidden in her sleeves, gently twisting the silk handkerchief.

In a daze, the girl suddenly remembered something, took out a blue and white sachet from her sleeve, raised her head slightly, and handed it to Shen Yuan.

"This. Is for you~" Shen Yuan took the sachet and looked at it carefully. There were several clouds embroidered on the smooth blue and white silk cloth, and between the clouds, there was a word "Yuan" embroidered.

This symbolizes his rapid rise to fame.

Shen Yuan brought the sachet closer and smelled it. The fragrance was refreshing and soothing.

He looked into those soft almond eyes and smiled gently, "Miss Xue is thoughtful. She is really clever and smart."

Being praised by the young man in person, Baochai was shy and delighted. A dimple appeared on her beautiful face and she said softly, "Girls can learn these things."

Although wealthy families had specialized embroiderers, women in the boudoir were still accustomed to embroidering their own underwear.

"Miss Xue, have you ever embroidered for others?"

"Except for myself and my mother, I only give it to..." The girl's voice was as soft as a mosquito.

Shen Yuan looked at Baochai's shy and lovely appearance, and felt that the present moment was peaceful and beautiful.

Although they didn't say it explicitly, there was a sense of exchanging tokens.

Moreover, the gifts given by both parties are also quite meaningful. The boy gave the girl a customized jade hairpin, and the girl gave the boy a handkerchief embroidered by herself, which is in itself an expression of love.

Given Baochai's temperament as "the crystal snow of a mountain hermit", how could she have done so if she was unhappy or unwilling?

The Chinese nation is inherently reserved, and direct and passionate expressions of emotion are rare.

The two of them expressed their feelings to each other in this way of "reciprocity".

"Sister Xue."

"Ok?"

When Baochai heard Shen Yuan suddenly change the way he addressed her, she seemed a little unresponsive.

Shen Yuan said softly: "We had an agreement on Taiping Lake before."

"Um"

"Close your eyes, sister."

Baochai looked puzzled, but still did as she was told and slowly closed her beautiful eyes.

"Hmm~"

After a moment, a sweet groan from the girl was heard.

Shen Yuan didn't waste time, he moved closer and kissed her soft red lips directly.

Baochai felt the warm and fragrant breath. Although her heart was in a panic, she did not dare to open her eyes. She closed her almond-shaped eyes tightly and her eyelashes trembled slightly.

The girl's cheeks were burning hot, as if she felt the boy's passion was about to melt her, and her body suddenly became a little weak.

Shen Yuan reached out and embraced the beauty in his arms.

There were trees on both sides of the stone chair to cover it, and it was night time, so no one would pay attention to the actions of the boys and girls here.

But the maid Ying'er was beside them, and saw everything they said and did.

The girl was already stunned and stood like a wooden chicken at this moment.

This this.
Why did Mr. Shen suddenly kiss her girl?
As expected, she guessed it right, Mr. Shen wanted to be her son-in-law.

But doesn’t this person remember that there is Ying’er next to him?

Not at all scrupulous
I wonder if she will get styes after seeing these?

Well, I can’t watch it!
I was about to turn my head away, but after thinking about it, I stopped myself.

Uh~ She seems to be the girl's maid. If the girl marries Mr. Shen in the future, she will have to learn these things, otherwise she will be too clumsy.
Well, Ying'er only watched it because she wanted to do her duty as a maid, and she didn't have any other thoughts.
That's it~
After a lot of ideological struggle, Ying'er finally convinced herself and decided to continue watching the two of them.
How could Shen Yuan not know that there was a big light bulb next to him? He didn't go too far. After half a quarter of an hour, he left that softness and sweetness.

Baochai felt Shen Yuan's lips moving away from hers, and her heart was filled with shyness, but also a little sweet. This girl, who was known for being heartless yet still charming, was already moved at this moment.

The girl slowly opened her eyes and met those gentle eyes. Their eyes met, showing even more tenderness and affection.

She blinked and said softly, "Is this what you want? Are you flirting with me?"

"Yes and no." Shen Yuan held Baochai's white jade hand hidden in her sleeve and whispered softly in her ear: "Actually, I have another request."

When Baochai was suddenly held by the young man, she felt even more shy, but she did not struggle and let the young man knead her.

When the relationship between the two has developed to this point, the window paper has been broken, the relationship has been silently confirmed, and their hearts have become closer to each other.

The girl's eyes flickered, and she smiled softly, "Master Shen, is this considered pushing the envelope?"

Shen Yuan didn't know what he was thinking about, and felt a little strange. One foot was too long, but half a foot would be fine.

He stroked the girl's hair and said lovingly, "It doesn't count, because you are mine now."

Baochai puffed up her cheeks and said angrily, "I am not an object, how can I become yours?"

"Sister Xue will become my wife."

When Baochai heard this, her heart seemed to skip a beat. She was in a daze, with the word "wife" echoing in her mind.

Wife?
The girl had never thought about what it was like to be a wife.
It was still young before, so she didn’t have time to think about it. Later, when she lost her innocence for no reason, she didn’t dare to think about it.

And now, the man who had claimed her innocence said that she would become his wife.

It was inevitable that the girl felt emotional, but fortunately, she now liked him.

While the girl was deep in thought, she heard Shen Yuan calling her, "Sister Xue."

Baochai came back to her senses and looked into those affectionate and determined eyes.

"Ok?"

"Next spring, when I win the title of Wu Kuang, I will come to your house to ask for your hand in marriage. Is that okay?"

Baochai was not mentally prepared for this request at all.

Rather than a request, it was more like a promise the young man made to her that if she won the title of martial arts champion next year, he would give her a grand wedding.

Before she could answer, Shen Yuan said, "If you are willing, I will protect my Miss Xue for the rest of my life."

When Baochai heard this, her soft, almond-shaped eyes seemed to gleam with a bright light.

She could feel the sincerity and seriousness in Shen Yuan's tone.

How could she not be moved by the young man who was galloping bravely on the parade ground today under the attention of everyone and now showed such tenderness to her?

"Hmm," the girl hummed softly, holding back her falling tears, and smiled sweetly, "Whether you are the top scholar or the top scholar, I don't care about these things. Even if you are still a scholar, I will marry you if you come to propose to me."

"I can't let my Miss Xue down." Shen Yuan said gently, "I want you to be more glorious. After all, it only happens once to every girl."

Baochai felt sweet and warm in her heart. She quietly leaned her head on the boy's shoulder, feeling the tranquility and beauty of the moment.

"Shen Yuan."

"Ok?"

"I am very lucky in this life. I met my Mr. Shen."

"I am happy with it, too."

Shen Yuan couldn't help it, he leaned forward and kissed those two soft lips again.
Ying'er: "(⊙▽⊙)"

Just as Shen Yuan was trying to taste the sweetness, an ethereal sound rang out in his mind.

"Congratulations on successfully unlocking the time cage again."

(End of this chapter)