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

The brilliance of this poem lies not only in the "praise of the emperor" itself, but also in how it presents a grand political theme in such a natural and beautiful pastoral scene.

Among all the women in the Jia family, only she calmly saw through the political undertones beneath the "vast imperial favor" of the royal visit.

Her poems thus directly address Yuan Chun's deepest desires, and are essentially Daiyu's precise "political statement," reflecting her profound understanding and skillful application of the power discourse system.

Moreover, she could have used this opportunity to "show her talent" and outshine everyone else.

But she ultimately chose to keep quiet and write the poem for Baoyu, putting the Jia family's reputation and Baoyu's future above her own honor and disgrace.

He can be described as someone who knows when to advance and retreat, considers the overall situation, and has good character, demonstrating extremely rational and measured self-discipline.

These are also the reasons why Jia Jing chose to let Daiyu read "Lu Xuangong's Memorials" to cultivate her ability to observe politics.

Upon hearing Jia Jing's praise again, Daiyu's beautiful face froze for a moment, her bright, dark eyes shimmering, and she softly said:

"Third brother, you flatter me! I'm actually only half-understanding these political and career-related topics."

"In terms of knowledge and talent, Third Sister and... Sister Bao are truly women who are no less capable than men!"

"Especially Baochai, she's been reading extensively at home every day, and her knowledge is becoming increasingly impressive. Third Brother, perhaps you could test her sometime!"

In the end, I couldn't help but make a sarcastic remark.

Jia Jing's brows furrowed slightly, his cool gaze falling on Daiyu's face. He found her occasional quirks rather amusing, and said in a clear voice:

"Sister Xue is indeed learned, composed, tactful, adept at interpersonal relationships, and perceptive."

"But Lin Daiyu's innate talent, natural authenticity, unpretentiousness, and profound insight are in no way inferior to anyone else's!"

In Jia Jing's mind, Baochai was practical, insightful, sensible, capable, and meticulous; she was being groomed to be a virtuous and capable wife with the talent of managing a household...

Daiyu's delicate body trembled, and she pinched the handkerchief in her sleeve. What did it mean to praise Baochai and also praise her?

And what does it mean that he is no weaker than anyone else?

My third brother always speaks in such a vague and ambiguous way...

Jia Jing had no interest in continuing the conversation. He stood up, looked at the sky, and said:

"I have a lot of things to take care of this afternoon, so I won't stay any longer!"

"Sister, you can come to the East Mansion to see me anytime you have time. Also, don't forget to pick up the lion cat and the puppy."

With that, he took the letter and prepared to leave.

Daiyu gave a soft "hmm," her expression showing some reluctance.

It's not easy for them to come to their own room, and it's a precious time just for the two of them. But time flies by too quickly, and before they've even talked for a short while, it's time to leave again!

Daiyu pursed her pink lips, thought for a moment, and then suddenly said softly:

"Third brother, wait a minute! I embroidered a few purses in my spare time at home and gave one to the old lady and one to the little boy."

"I also embroidered one for my third brother. The needlework is thick and clumsy, but if he doesn't mind, he can wear it at his waist to carry some small items."

He paused, then added an explanation:

"I received so many gifts from my third brother, and he even went to great lengths to invite a renowned doctor to treat me. He's gone to so much trouble; I should reciprocate in kind!"

Daiyu's ears turned slightly red, she twisted the handkerchief in her hand again and again, her starry eyes lowered slightly, and she dared not look directly at the young man in front of her.

Despite giving herself several reasons, she still felt a little shy about giving him such a private item as a purse in person!

Jia Jing turned around thoughtfully and glanced at Daiyu.

She stood there, her back straight, her eyes lowered, her eyelashes trembling slightly, like a butterfly flapping its wings.

He chuckled softly, thought for a moment, and then said gently:

"My sister is intelligent and kind-hearted; her embroidery skills must be quite good."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a warmth he himself didn't realize: "Where is it?"

Seeing that Jia Jing's expression remained unchanged, Daiyu's expression softened somewhat. She turned to Zijuan beside her and said:

"Quickly, go and fetch the purse I embroidered for my third brother!"

Zijuan could no longer hide her smile and sweetly responded.

He walked quickly to the cabinet in the room, opened the drawer, and took out something.

It was a white satin purse embroidered with a green bamboo branch. The bamboo branch was slender, and the bamboo leaves were sparse. There were no superfluous patterns, and it was as clean as a Chinese ink painting with a lot of blank space.

The edges of the purse were neatly gathered, and the tassels were light green, woven using the concentric knot technique.

Zijuan presented the gift to Daiyu with both hands. This time, Daiyu did not stay in the room but quietly left.

Daiyu lowered her eyes and handed the purse to Jia Jing. As their fingertips touched, ripples stirred in her heart.

"Third brother, is it still acceptable to look at?"

Jia Jing took the purse and examined it. It was made of moon-white plain satin with green bamboo embroidery. The stitches were fine and even, and each stitch was firmly and neatly placed.

He turned the purse over again and glanced at the back to confirm that there were no words like "Hengzhi" on it, only a very thin edge that was neatly finished without leaving a trace.

Jia Jing was somewhat taken aback, as the gift of a purse between men and women in this era carried a special meaning.

Although not often used as a token of love, items made by hand with needlework often carry a hint of affection.

Just like in the original novel, when Daiyu gave Baoyu a purse, it was a subtle act of betrothal.

In Zhiyan Zhai's commentary, this matter was also summarized as "to cut the purse to tie up two intentions".

However, Daiyu just mentioned that Grandmother Jia and the young actors also received some, saying it was as a gesture of gratitude.

The meaning behind this act of giving a purse is somewhat ambiguous and unclear!

This is completely different from Baochai's direct expression of her feelings last night...

but,

This may be the difference between Baochai and Daiyu's personalities.

Baochai's ability to directly express her feelings last night was not due to her outgoing personality, but rather a proactive choice made after rational consideration.

Her background left her no room for hesitation or subtlety, and her actions were supported by Aunt Xue, which could be considered as having the endorsement of her parents.

Daiyu is sensitive, lives under someone else's roof, and has no one to rely on, so even if she has intentions, she can't express them directly.

At most, one can only probe or hint; otherwise, one is not only afraid of being rejected, but also afraid of being looked down upon for one's character.

Having figured this out, Jia Jing chuckled and joked:

"Among all the sisters and brothers in the household, no one else has this purse. Did Sister Lin give it to me alone?"

Grandmother Jia and the young actor, one old and one young, naturally don't count.

Jia Jing's words were, on the one hand, a subtle attempt to confirm Daiyu's feelings, and on the other hand, a way of easing her anxiety and nervousness by speaking in Daiyu's voice.

Upon hearing this, Daiyu's delicate body trembled slightly, her jade-like face paused, and she looked up at Jia Jing, saying haltingly:

"Perhaps...no!"

If everyone in the household receives one, then it truly becomes just a gift of thanks, without even the subtle hint of meaning!

And are purses so easy to make? This one alone took her several days!

Jia Jing roughly understood the situation and didn't say anything more, only leaving behind the following sentence:

"My sister's purse is very well made, just what I wanted! Thank you for your hard work!"

He immediately turned around, strode out of the room, and headed towards the East Mansion.

Daiyu stood in the room, watching Jia Jing's figure gradually disappear into the distance, listening to the courtyard gate open and close again, before finally withdrawing her gaze with a troubled mind.

She lowered her head, looking at her empty palms. Her fingers curled slightly, the slight coolness from his touch still lingering on her fingertips, refusing to dissipate.

"Perfectly suited to my taste?" What does that mean?

After a long while, she sighed inwardly, her expression filled with a sense of melancholy.