Red Mansion: Seizing Jiangdong, starting with pirates

Chapter 332, Snow-Covered Mountains

"Your Majesty, I..."

"Go get your things, and don't tell anyone I'm outside."

Fang Yong gave the order.

Yuanyang trembled, dared not refute, and turned away.

A light purple vest, revealing slender shoulders.

She carefully picked up a package, looked up at Fang Yong, and seeing that Fang Yong had no further instructions, she went into the house.

Inside the house, Grandmother Jia was completely unaware of what was happening outside.

She opened the package herself, revealing several of Jia Min's old belongings: a few toys, a once-popular Western ball, a few hairpins, and a collection of her own poems.

Daiyu's mother also loved poetry.

However, in that era, it was not a glorious thing for a woman to write poetry outside the home, so these poems recorded by Jia Min were only circulated within her own boudoir.

Daiyu paid no attention to the other items, but only took out her mother's poetry collection to examine.

Some of the poems inside were ones her mother had told her, while others were ones she had never heard before. As Daiyu looked at these familiar yet unfamiliar verses, it was as if she were seeing her mother from the past.

Suddenly, a fragment of a poem appeared in the collection.

Viewing mountains and composing poems about snow outside Beijing.

Snow-capped mountains rise higher, and bright clouds disperse in the clear sky.

The frosty powder, scattered like tiny specks, gleams and transforms into jade and salt.

.........

That's all there was to it; I suppose my mother didn't think of the following lines of poetry.

Daiyu picked up the poetry collection and couldn't help but get up and pace back and forth.

After a moment, he recited:

With graceful, free-flowing movements, she trims butterfly wings; with delicate, swaying motions, she cuts goose coats.

Rolling in circles with the wind, layer upon layer of paths lead astray.

When Grandmother Jia heard it, she found it very catchy.

He then praised:
“Min’er used to love poetry just like you, Yu’er.”

Grandmother Jia probably didn't know that the second half of the poem was added by Daiyu during these steps.

Upon seeing this, Daiyu's disappointment deepened.

Gently touching his forehead, his brows furrowed slightly, he said:
“Grandmother, I am not feeling well and cannot stay with you for long. Thank you for the things you brought. If you are not in a hurry to leave, please stay in the palace for a day. It would be my small way of showing my filial piety.”

Grandmother Jia was taken aback: "Eh, Yu'er..."

Daiyu, however, had already turned and left with the collection of poems.

Grandmother Jia stood there, unsure whether to leave or stay. After thinking about the purpose of her visit, she finally decided to shamelessly stay.

Fang Yong did not show up.

He doesn't need to get involved in this kind of thing.

That evening, he went to Daiyu's room.

But then they saw Daiyu sitting alone at the table, quietly looking at the poetry collection in her hands.

Xiao Xueyan watched from the side, her eyes filled with worry, but she couldn't help.

After Fang Yong came over, he patted Xiao Xueyan's head, gave her a reassuring look, and walked forward.

Daiyu sensed someone approaching, turned around, and smiled, "Brother!"

Fang Yong gently embraced Daiyu, and Daiyu relaxed and leaned against Fang Yong's chest.

"Brother, today..."

Daiyu spoke, preparing to tell Fang Yong about Grandmother Jia's visit that day.

Fang Yong smiled and recited directly:

The cold winds freeze over the barren peaks of Chu, leaving them thin and pale; the rivers and lakes are as smooth as ice.

It adds a thousand rivers to the Wu and Chu regions, and overshadows several plum trees in the southeast.

It resembles three million jade dragons retreating, or broken scales flying all over the sky.

The village houses are like silver, and the green mountains stretch for thousands of miles like jade.

Daiyu was incredibly intelligent. When she saw that Fang Yong's poem had the same meaning as the one she had written during the day, she immediately understood.

"My brother already knows!"

Fang Yong gently patted Daiyu's head and said softly:

"From now on, I will accompany you in composing poems."

Daiyu nodded.

"Ah."

Neither of them mentioned Grandmother Jia again.

The next day, Grandmother Jia remained in the palace, hoping to see Daiyu again.

However, Daiyu had no intention of seeing her again.

Fang Yong happened to run into Yuanyang again while passing by outside. After thinking for a moment, he beckoned Yuanyang over and asked:
Did anyone tell anyone yesterday that I came here?

The mandarin ducks were a little scared.

She never expected to run into Fang Yong again.

He shook his head hurriedly and said:

"No, I didn't say anything."

Fang Yong was very satisfied with this, and took Yuanyang's wrist, saying:
"You're quite obedient. Well then, don't leave, stay and work for me!"

Yuanyang's eyes widened, her heart pounding as she looked at Fang Yong holding her hand. She wanted to resist, but dared not move.

She could only let Fang Yong pull her away.

"Your Highness, I... I am a maid from the Jia family."

Yuanyang spoke weakly.

Fang Yongdao:
"You concealed things from me and deceived your master. Won't you face punishment when you return?"

Upon hearing this, Yuanyang looked at Fang Yong with a resentful expression.

I thought to myself, "Isn't this your order?"

Would she dare not hide it?

Fang Yong didn't explain further, but simply pulled Yuanyang into the study and made her start working.

It's just a small thing like serving tea and water.

Qiaoyan stayed by Fang Yong's side, grinding ink while observing the busy mandarin ducks.

Hmph, yet another one...

On the other hand, Grandmother Jia was still unaware that Yuanyang was missing.

She was still waiting for Daiyu.

But Daiyu didn't wait for him; instead, Jia She and his men came to fetch her.

Yesterday, after Jia She returned home from his official duties, he realized something was wrong.

But by then, Grandmother Jia had already entered the palace, and he couldn't stop her.

He only hoped that Grandmother Jia would not cause him any trouble.

However, what you fear most is what happens.

The next morning, the Imperial Guards delivered an impeachment document to my door.

The content is an impeachment against Jia She for being unfilial and failing to properly support his elderly mother.

When Jia She received the impeachment notice, he almost cried.

He wished he could slap himself twice.

Why can't we just stay home and enjoy our lives?

Jia She immediately rushed to the palace and forcibly brought Grandmother Jia out.

Grandmother Jia was still unwilling to leave.

They were shouting about mandarin ducks.

Jia She pushed Grandmother Jia directly into the carriage.

The old lady bumped her head with a thud, and it hurt terribly.

Jia She immediately ordered someone to drive away.

At this point, who cares about mandarin ducks?

They insist on testing the limits of the other party's patience.

Do you really think Fang Yong is a kind person?
That guy was originally a river bandit, and he fought his way into the capital step by step.

Many powerful clans were wiped out.

Sending someone to remind him was already a huge favor to Jia She.

Grasslands, Hezhou.

The New Year on the grasslands has just passed.

This year has been very difficult for the people on the grasslands.

The war had just ended, but the Doray Khan's levies showed no signs of stopping.

Every household was burdened by the heavy taxation, and even the once cheerful cattle and sheep were affected by the somber atmosphere, no longer bellowing.

The arrival of the Zhongxia people brought something new to this land.

For example, the prices of some grains have come down.

Furthermore, the prices of commodities such as salt, tea, and cloth are all cheaper than before.

However, the lives of the people on the grasslands were not much easier; on the contrary, they became even more burdensome.

The reasons were soaring taxes, lower incomes, and a large amount of forced labor.

Even the naturally agile grassland athletes were now so burdened by the heavy load that they could not straighten their backs.

The only difference is perhaps Hezhou.

(End of this chapter)