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

Inside the Jingwu Academy.

Jia Jing led several maids into the main house in the backyard, which was even cleaner than the courtyard.

The books on the bookshelf have been reorganized and are now neatly arranged according to the classics, histories, philosophical works, and literary collections.

The writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone on the table had been replaced; the brush and ink were new, and a lotus-colored gauze curtain had been hung on the bed.

A pot of jasmine on the windowsill was in full bloom, its fragrance subtle and lingering in the night breeze.

Looking around at this familiar scene, Jia Jing couldn't help but sigh to himself: Nothing beats going home!

"Third Master, everything in the courtyard has been packed up. Are we moving to the East Mansion tomorrow?"

Upon entering the inner room, Qingwen saw Jia Jing looking around and couldn't help but approach him expectantly to ask a question.

Xiangling straightened the cushions on the chair for Jia Jing to sit on, then picked up the teapot and poured tea. The tea was emerald green, and steam rose gently.

At the same time, he looked at Jia Jing with a hint of joy on his face, waiting for his reply about the move.

It must be said that both Xiangling and Qingwen were both surprised and delighted about moving to Ningguo Mansion!

Although the two lived well in the Rongguo Mansion and held a superior position among the maids.

However, there were quite a few masters in the West Mansion, so the two of them were not entirely at ease!

Moreover, although the Jingwu Academy is good, it is still just a courtyard. How can it compare to the grand and magnificent Duke's mansion in the East?

They had been to Ningguo Mansion before and knew that Ningguo Mansion was even better than Rongguo Mansion in many aspects!

It has a large garden, pavilions and towers, small bridges and flowing water, etc. Its beauty lies not in its extravagance, but in its orderly layout, strict regulations and magnificent appearance.

Therefore, they were filled with anticipation and joy about this move.

Jia Jing sat down in the chair, took the tea that Xiangling handed him, took a sip, and smiled:

"Excellent! The Emperor has bestowed upon me the Ningguo Mansion as a secondary residence. Until the Jingguo Duke's Mansion is completed, we will all settle in the East Mansion!"

"Pack your things and move over with the carts first thing tomorrow morning."

"Zhuque should have settled things over there. We'll stay in the main courtyard of Ning'an Hall in the middle of the road."

The layout of Ningguo Mansion follows the ancient ritual system of "the court in front and the palace in the rear," and is divided into three sections: the central route, the western route, and the eastern route.

It embodies the strict principles of "axial symmetry and clear distinction between primary and secondary elements".

The central courtyard is at the heart of the entire mansion's axis, serving as a symbol of majesty and the central hub of the entire residence. It is also the place where grand ceremonies are held, important guests are received, and official business is conducted.

From the main gate through the ceremonial gate, the main hall, the warm pavilion, the inner hall, to the main hall and the backyard, a series of doors lead in, creating a solemn and imposing atmosphere.

In fact, it was equivalent to the main courtyard of Rongxi Hall, where the second branch of the Rongguo Mansion lived, serving as the head of the household's office and residence.

Besides the central road, there are also the East Road courtyard, the West Road courtyard, and the back garden, Huifang Garden.

The western courtyard is mainly where the Jia family ancestral hall is located, while the eastern courtyard is the main living area for other family members.

Huifang Garden, needless to say, is the back garden of Ningguo Mansion, and its scenery is extremely beautiful.

The garden not only boasts beautiful scenery, but also features several key buildings such as Tianxiang Tower, Dengxian Pavilion, Ningxi Pavilion, and Conglu Hall.

Hearing Jia Jing's definite answer, Qingwen and Xiangling both smiled with delight and pursed their lips, giving a soft "hmm".

After taking a couple of sips of tea and exchanging a few brief words with them, asking about their experiences at home over the past few months,

Jia Jing put down his teacup, looked up at the weary-looking group of people, and said:

"It's getting late, you should all go and rest!"

Xiangling yawned softly and said gently:

"There's still water boiling in the pot, I'll go get it for Grandpa!"

Jia Jing laughed;

"You all go and rest, I'll do these myself!"

His long military service had instilled in him the habit of taking care of his own daily life, and he was actually quite uncomfortable being waited on by maids!

Upon hearing this, Qingwen pursed her cherry lips, a hint of stubbornness on her bright and beautiful oval face, and said:

"We are the master's maids, and it is our duty to serve him. If we don't even do these basic chores, others will think we are frivolous and tactless!"

As she spoke, Qingwen went straight forward and unbuttoned Jia Jing's outer robe.

Xiangling turned around to fetch hot water, and soon returned with a copper basin filled with steaming warm water.

Jia Jing smiled at Qingwen's "lacking self-awareness" but did not insist on doing it himself.

Xiangling soaked a handkerchief in a basin, wrung it out, and used it to wipe Jia Jing's face.

Qingwen had already helped Jia Jing take off his outer garment and hang it on the clothes rack.

She opened the wardrobe again, took out a moon-white undergarment, unfolded it, shook it, and held it in both hands for Jia Jing to change into.

Jia Jing watched the two busy themselves and enjoyed the feeling of being served.

After Xiangling finished washing up Jia Jing, Qingwen had already helped him change his clothes, let his hair down, and tidied up the bed, lifting a corner of the quilt to cover him up.

Xiangling cut the lamp wick in the room shorter and quickly prepared mosquito repellent mint scent and cold tea to quench her thirst at night.

"Master, do you need Xiangling and me to keep watch tonight?" Qingwen's eyelashes drooped slightly, and her voice trembled almost imperceptibly in the shadows hidden in her eyes.

Xiangling blushed upon hearing this, looking at Jia Jing with a slightly shy expression.

The so-called night watchmen were mainly responsible for guarding the night, serving tea and water when people got up at night, and watching over the fire.

This is one of their core responsibilities as first-class maids.

Previously, Jia Jing had never required anyone to keep watch at night. He was not Jia Baoyu and did not have the habit of having people stand guard and take care of him at night.

The maids on night duty mainly slept on the kang (heated brick bed) in the outer room of the master's bedroom, on the bed outside the gauze curtain, or on the incense burner, so that they could be called upon at any time. Of course, some also slept on the master's bed.

Qingwen's slightly awkward yet affectionate behavior made Jia Jing frown. After the incident with Baochai, he could guess a bit of what the two were thinking.

After all, a good maidservant doesn't want to become a concubine's head maid! The two of them have grown up now!

"I don't need anyone to keep me company, go to sleep!" Jia Jing glanced at the two of them, waved his hand, and didn't say anything more.

Xiangling paused for a moment, took a step back, curtsied, and said:

"Master, you've had a busy day, you should rest early."

Qingwen stared at Jia Jing's calm face for a while, her eyes flickered, her face flushed, and she also curtsied, then turned to go to the outer room to tidy up, gently closing the door behind her.

After reading for a while, Jia Jing lowered the bed curtains, and the lotus-colored gauze curtains shone with a warm glow in the candlelight.

He reached out and pulled out the jade pendant from beside his pillow; the two characters "Hengzhi" gleamed warmly in the candlelight.

He held the jade pendant in his palm, examined it closely, and then took out a peace buckle with a swastika knot, his expression unreadable.

The candlelight flickered, and the outer room gradually quieted down. Footsteps faded into the distance, the curtain fell, then rose again, then fell again.

One by one, the lights in Jingwu Academy went out.

Nothing was said that night, and dawn broke at night.

As dawn broke, Jia Jing got up, changed his clothes, and went to practice martial arts under the jujube tree in the courtyard, performing a set of punches.

Afterwards, he took a shower with cold water, changed into formal attire, and went to the main hall to deal with some military affairs that had been piling up in the court!