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

At the second gate.

After exchanging a few words with Daiyu, Jia Jing instructed her not to spoil the young actor too much.

He then turned his gaze to Xue Baochai, who had fair skin and graceful demeanor.

"Four months have passed in the blink of an eye. Third brother, you've been fighting on the front lines for so long; you must be exhausted!"

Before Jia Jing could speak, Xue Baochai took two steps forward and softly asked a question.

As she walked, the ruby ​​pendant by her ear swayed gently, its movement barely perceptible.

Jia Jing's gaze lingered on the ruby ​​pendant and the rouge on Baochai's fair, pear-like face, and a strange feeling welled up in his heart!

Baochai has always been a person of minimalist appearance and reserved nature. She usually dresses simply and lives in a simple room, presenting a dignified image of "cherishing her beauty and keeping the door closed during the day".

Today's slightly light makeup and unusual red accessories suggest that the idea of ​​"dressing up for one's lover" is a bit too strong!

Moreover, this initiative to greet them seemed to show more warmth compared to the passive response of Daiyu and others!

Thinking of the report from the Embroidered Uniform Guard regarding the Xue family, Jia Jing roughly understood the situation!

His expression was calm, his brows slightly relaxed, and he suddenly chuckled softly, saying:

"Toiling for the country is nothing but hardship; a few trials and tribulations are all it takes!"

"Speaking of which, it's been a few months since I last saw you, Sister Xue, and you seem to have lost some weight!"

Upon hearing this, Xue Baochai pursed her cherry lips, her bright almond-shaped eyes glistening with tears as she stared at Jia Jing, about to respond.

Xiangyun, standing to the side, burst into a clear and cheerful laugh, and said loudly:

"Third brother is truly heroic! This great battle in the Northwest has pacified the grasslands, destroyed the Northern Yuan, and made him famous throughout the world."

"Such astonishing achievements, yet you describe them as nothing more than a few hardships! If the Northern Yuan and the puppet Qing barbarians heard you say such things, they would be mortified!"

As Xiangyun spoke, she walked to Jia Jing's side, placing one hand on Jia Jing's python robe while turning her head to look at him.

Her apple-shaped face was full of smiles, and she continued with apparent interest:

"Third brother, could you tell me about the fighting in the Northwest? I'd love to hear it!"

"Tell me how you took the enemy's head amidst a sea of ​​soldiers! And about your Fengshan ceremony on Mount Langjuxu and how you pacified the Tianshan Mountains with two arrows! How about that?"

At this moment, Xiangyun was wearing a bright red arrow-sleeved shirt and two large red silk flowers in her hair. Her movements and mannerisms showed her unique straightforwardness and cheerfulness.

Seeing his carefree manner, Baochai couldn't help but sigh inwardly. She had originally wanted to say a few more words to Jia Jing!

Seeing Xiangyun's cheerful appearance, Jia Jing couldn't help but smile slightly.

Xiangyun's frank and unpretentious nature is rare among young ladies in this day and age, and she has a kind of boyish spirit!

It must be said that Shi Xiangyun's personality in the original Dream of the Red Chamber is also one that he admires!

In particular, the famous scene of Xiangyun lying drunk among the peonies perfectly showcases her boldness, unrestrained spirit, and innocent charm!

It's a pity that Shi Xiangyun's underlying character in the original work is "joy mixed with sorrow".

This "heroic, magnanimous, and generous" woman experienced all the bitterness and humiliation of life in her later years, becoming one of the most shocking victims after the collapse of the Jia family mansion.

"What is wealth and honor if one is separated from one's parents in infancy? In the blink of an eye, the setting sun casts its last rays, the Xiang River flows away, and the clouds of Chu fly by."

The verdict suggests that her marital happiness was fleeting, like "the setting sun," and that her beautiful marriage would ultimately fade away like "the Xiang River flowing away and the Chu clouds flying away."

The tragic tone of her name, judgment, and music in the Book of Ill-fated Women all point to her eventual experience of a broken family and country, and separation from her husband.

She may have had a brief but beautiful marriage, but it quickly ended in tragedy, and she herself became a prostitute or a member of the lower class, like the character in the 87 TV series, or spent the rest of her life in a state of upheaval.

The ending given to her in the 1987 TV series "Dream of the Red Chamber" may not be accurate, but it is one of the most likely possibilities!

The story suggests that after her family's downfall, Xiangyun was sold into prostitution on a boat.

After Baoyu came out of the Temple of the Prison God, he saw her in distress by the river, and the two embraced and wept bitterly.

Before he traveled through time, Jia Jing couldn't help but feel sorry for Shi Xiangyun's tragic fate when he saw her end.

The scene where Shi Xiangyun sees the down-on-his-luck Jia Baoyu and repeatedly cries out on the boat, "Brother Ai, redeem me..." is particularly moving!

Fortunately, she has herself in this life, and her fate will be completely different, including her marriage to Wei Ruolan.

Looking at Shi Xiangyun's smiling face in front of him, Jia Jing sighed slightly for a moment, then smiled and said:

"Let's talk about it when we have time! It's getting late, let's go to Rongqing Hall to see the old lady first!"

Yuan Chun, who was standing to the side, clearly shared the same thought and responded with a smile:

"Jingdi is right. The old lady and the others must be getting impatient. Let's go over there first."

then,

The group turned and walked through the second gate. Jia Jing held Xiao Jiao'er's hand with one hand and Xi Chun's hand with the other, and walked towards Grandmother Jia's courtyard!

As dusk settled in from all directions, the horn-shaped lanterns under the Rongqing Hall corridor were already lit.

The dim light shone through the gauze cover, casting halos of light on the blue brick ground in front of the steps, which swayed slightly in the night breeze.

Shadows moved about, skirts rustled, and the hushed voices were like the croaking of frogs in a distant pond, sometimes loud and sometimes soft!

When Jia Jing and the others arrived at the gate of Grandmother Jia's courtyard, before they even entered, they saw Madam Xing, Madam Wang, Aunt Xue, Li Wan, Feng Jie, and others already waiting at the gate!

Madam Xing stood at the front, wearing a dark blue jacket, with gold and silver ornaments in her hair, and her face was covered in a thicker layer of powder than usual, making her look somewhat pale.

Madam Wang stood beside Madam Xing, wearing a blue satin jacket. Although she had a smile on her face, it seemed somewhat forced.

When they saw Jia Jing, dressed in a python robe and jade belt, being surrounded by a crowd, Madam Xing and the others were all shocked and their expressions changed slightly.

Sister Feng was the first to react. She quickly gestured to the maids and servants in the courtyard, and then a chorus of bows rang out.

"Welcome back to the Duke in triumph!"

Then Sister Feng and Li Wan followed suit, bowing and saying in sweet voices:

"Congratulations to my third brother on his victory and being granted the title of Duke!"

Then Madam Wang and Aunt Xue also lowered their bodies slightly, only Madam Xing stood still, and after a long while, she managed to squeeze out a sentence:

"Jing-ge'er, you're back! You've worked so hard..."

His voice was slightly strained, carrying a cautious and ingratiating tone!

Although Madam Xing had rehearsed this scene in her mind many times before, how to say and do when she saw Jia Jing in order to show her affection.

But when faced with his stern and imposing expression, he found himself unable to utter many words!

Jia Jing walked slowly to the front of the crowd and glanced indifferently at the group of people at the courtyard gate.

Apart from Grandmother Jia, almost all the masters of the mansion stood at the gate to greet him!