Dream of the Red Chamber: Start by gaining Zhao Yun's martial prowess, and be ennobled in a sin

Hearing the familiar phrases from Jia Huan's mouth, Jia Tanchun frowned and scolded him:

"I told you not to pick up those filthy words; they're disrespectful and you've wasted your education!"

"Lan-ge'er did well on the exam because he studied hard. I heard from my sister-in-law that Mr. Qin from the school said that Lan-ge'er can take the exam next year!"

"And you? When will you make any progress? I'm not asking you to pass the imperial examinations, but can you at least stop ranking at the bottom?"

Jia Huan was scolded by Tan Chun and looked like a wilted cat, his head drooping, his eyebrows raised and lowered as he looked at Tan Chun with a flickering gaze.

After a long pause, he finally spoke, his neck stiff:

"He's not as good at martial arts as me! I don't want to study anymore, I want to learn martial arts, join the army, and like my third brother, become a high-ranking general and achieve great things!"

Jia Huan, looking half-dead and miserable, still talked about wanting to be ennobled and appointed as a general, which made Jia Yingchun and the others around him burst into laughter.

Tan Chun was furious, her eyebrows furrowed, and she shouted:

"Do you think that becoming a general means you don't need to study, that you don't need to learn military strategies and tactics, and that you don't need to work hard?"

"Third Brother's literary talent is no less than his martial arts skills. Ask Little Jiao'er; Third Brother still reads every day! His poems and essays are no worse than those of those who have passed the imperial examinations; he just doesn't show it off usually!"

"Sit up straight! You're not going anywhere until you finish writing these one hundred characters today!"

Under Tan Chun's intimidating presence, Jia Huan dared not say another word. He obediently picked up the pen on the table and began writing again.

Having witnessed this scene, Baochai gently advised:

"You're being too harsh. Brother Huan is still young, he's only been in school for two months, and I see his handwriting has already improved somewhat. Why be so strict with him!"

Tan Chun pursed her lips and said:

"If it weren't for the fact that he's made some progress lately, I wouldn't even bother with him!"

"Now, the clan school implements an elimination system; students who rank last in three exams will be expelled!"

"If I don't push him, he'll be expelled from the clan school. That would truly be a shameful and worthless life!"

How could Tan Chun not care about her own brother, who shared the same mother? It's just that Jia Huan was raised by Aunt Zhao before, and his temperament was unruly, so he wasn't close to her!

As a concubine's daughter, her survival in the household and her future marriage were all in the hands of Madam Wang.

Therefore, he had to be cautious in his actions and considerations, always taking into account Lady Wang's feelings and not daring to get too close to Aunt Zhao and Jia Huan.

If it weren't for Jia Jing's concern for her sisters, and Jia Huan's progress in the clan school, she wouldn't have kept him by her side to teach him.

On the other side, Daiyu was talking to Xiangling, while Shi Xiangyun, Xiaojiao'er, Xichun, and Jia Baoyu were watching.

Daiyu's bright eyes, glistening beneath her delicate brows, seemed to hold a few tears as she smiled and asked:

"How many poems have we read together these days, the ones I've circled for you? Your foundation in poetry is still shallow; there's no rush to compose. You should focus on reading and memorizing more good poems from our predecessors!"

Xiangling, while copying something over her shoulder at the table, replied with a smile:

"I've read all the poems circled in red! I've even memorized over two hundred of them. I've gained some understanding of their meaning, but I don't know if it's accurate. Let me tell you about it."

Daiyu chuckled and said, "It is precisely through discussion that we can make progress. Tell me about it."

A thoughtful look flashed across Xiangling's beautiful eyes as she softly said:

"In my opinion, the beauty of poetry lies in the fact that some things cannot be expressed in words, yet they feel real upon reflection. Some things seem illogical, but upon reflection, they are full of reason and emotion."

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Daiyu's bright, clear eyes as she smiled and said, "That makes some sense, but I wonder where you got that idea?"

Xiangling smiled and said:

"I read his poem 'Frontier,' and the couplet reads: 'A lone plume of smoke rises straight in the vast desert, the setting sun is round over the long river.' But how can smoke rise straight? The sun is naturally round: the word 'straight' seems illogical, and the word 'round' seems too vulgar."

"After closing the book and thinking about it, it's as if I actually saw this scene. If I were to find two more words to replace these two, I couldn't find any more."

"There is also the line 'The sun sets and the river turns white, the tide rises and the sky turns blue': the words 'white' and 'blue' seem illogical. But it seems that only these two words can fully describe it, and saying them feels like saying an olive weighing thousands of pounds."

"And then there's 'The setting sun lingers at the ferry crossing, a lone wisp of smoke rises from the ruins': how did he come up with those words 'linger' and 'rise'!"

"When we came to the capital that year, we moored our boat at dusk. There was no one on the shore except for a few trees. A few families were cooking dinner in the distance, and the smoke from their cooking was a deep blue-green that rose straight up into the clouds. Who knew that when I read these two lines last night, it felt like I was back in that place again."

Upon hearing this, Xiangyun, who was standing nearby, clapped her hands and laughed, saying:

"If that's the case, there's no need to look at the poem. Understanding doesn't depend on quantity; hearing you say these two lines, I know you've already attained 'samadhi'."

Then he turned to Jia Baoyu, who was standing to the side, and asked:

"Don't you think so, brother?"

At this moment, Jia Baoyu seemed not to hear Shi Xiangyun's question, his gaze fixed on Xiangling's beautiful, radiant, and snow-white face, muttering to himself:

"Indeed, daughters are made of water and sons are made of mud. I feel refreshed when I see daughters, but I feel suffocated by the stench of sons."

As he spoke, he turned his gaze to Xiangling's moist, full red lips and said dreamily:

"Xiangling, what kind of rouge are you wearing on your lips? Can I taste it?"

Seeing that Xiangling was ignoring him, he continued to speak to himself:

"Third Brother Jing is often not home, what's the point of you being alone in the yard! How about I ask the matriarch to let you come to my room?"

With a smile on his face, Jia Baoyu stared intently at Xiangling, growing more and more fond of her the more he looked at her, and deeply regretting that he hadn't asked his aunt for this pretty maid first.

My aunt was wrong too. With such a good maid, why didn't she give her to me instead of Jing San Ge?

He was very fond of Xiangling's temperament, and Xiangling's appearance was similar to that of Rongge's daughter-in-law in the East Mansion. He really wanted to get closer to her.

So he thought he might as well go and beg the old ancestor to bring her to his room. There was also that Qingwen in the old ancestor's room, who was also good-looking, so he could bring her over as well!

"snort!"

Xiangling looked somewhat displeased and gave Jia Baoyu a cold snort. This Second Master Bao is too annoying!

Lately, she keeps clinging to me and talking nonsense, without any sense of propriety!

She was a maid in the Marquis's room, and the Marquis was Bao Er Ye's brother. How could she possibly marry her brother's maid?

Besides, I don't want to go anywhere right now. The Marquis has treated me so well, never blaming me and even letting me study poetry under Miss Lin.

These days have been the happiest and most carefree days of my life, and I have no desire to go to Master Bao's courtyard!

Now, all I hope for is to stay by the Marquis's side forever, even if I'm just a maid. That way, my life won't have been in vain!