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

Baochai hesitated for a moment, then, without saying much about Grandmother Jia and Baoyu, pointed to the two poems on the table and asked:

Have you read these two poems? When did Third Brother write such masterpieces?

More than the two poems, Baochai wanted to know the background and intention behind Jia Jing's writing of them.

Hearing Baochai talk about poetry, Xiangling's face showed even more interest, and she replied with a light laugh:

"Bamboo and Rock was written by Third Master yesterday for Fourth Master Cong, Third Master Huan, and Grand Master Lan to encourage them to have perseverance in their studies and martial arts practice."

"The other poem, 'The Howling Wind,' was written by the Third Master himself last night after I returned from the palace. He seemed to have something on his mind at the time!"

At this point, Xiangling paused, then asked softly with a hint of curiosity and doubt:

"Girl, I don't quite understand this poem, but it feels very comforting to read, like something is melting in my chest."

"Could you tell me what this poem means?"

Last night she asked her third master, but he just smiled and didn't answer, unlike usual when he explained it to her.

Upon hearing this, Baochai smiled gently, a hint of contemplation on her pear-shaped face, and sighed softly:

"You truly deserve the title of 'poetry fanatic,' you definitely have a knack for poetry, your intuition is spot on. This poem, 'The Howling Wind,' has a lofty theme, speaking of a state of mind of profound understanding!"

After a moment of silence, her almond-shaped eyes gleamed, and she explained in detail:

"In the first two lines, 'dangerous and peaceful' refers to both danger and peace. Together, they probably mean all the ups and downs, good and bad, fortune and misfortune, success and failure in the world."

"These things shouldn't be kept in your heart in the first place; it's better to let them drift away like clouds in the sky."

"When the clouds come, the sky doesn't necessarily get dirty; when the clouds go, the sky doesn't necessarily get brighter. The sky is still the sky."

"It neither retains clouds nor fears clouds, and the same is true of the heart."

"The mind is inherently 'empty'. All sensory experiences such as honor and disgrace, gain and loss, life and death are merely passing guests, not the master."

"If the mind is occupied by them, it loses its natural state."

"It seems that this also contains the Buddhist philosophy of mindfulness, that is, not being disturbed by external things and keeping one's original mind unmoved."

The last two lines, “The palace is quiet in the deep of night,” describe the silence of the imperial city at night, with all the gates closed and no sound to be heard.

"Innerly, it describes the profound and unpredictable nature of the imperial court; this must be the sentiment that my third brother expressed last night, moved by the scene before him!"

"But soon his vision was no longer limited to the palace walls. 'The moon shines on the mountains and rivers, and the wind blows from the ends of the earth.'"

"At this moment, people are no longer inside the palace walls, but stand between heaven and earth, looking out at the boundless expanse where the wind blows."

"What my third brother probably meant in the last two lines was that only when one's heart is not bound by trivial things can one see a wider world."

"My third brother, though serving in the imperial court, has his heart set on the vast land and its people. His broad-mindedness and transcendent perspective are truly admirable!"

While explaining the poem "The Cold Wind" to Xiangling, Xue Baochai was also secretly pondering Jia Jing's intention in writing the poem.

Last night, she was summoned by the Emperor to a meeting, which lasted until so late. After returning, she wrote this poem. This behavior made her think a lot.

In her view, the "quietness of a thousand doors" in the poem is not true quietness, but rather a state of inner peace.

It expresses the idea that no matter how strong the wind blows, if you calm your mind, the world will be still. "Ten thousand miles of wind" refers to the breadth of mind, not distance.

The entire poem is about "stillness," but it precisely reflects that the court is about to become turbulent.

What a person holds in their heart will leave a trace when they put it into writing.

A storm is brewing. The third brother, at the center of power, is pursuing inner clarity and calm.

She probably understood what the poem was trying to express!

Xiangling, who was listening intently, couldn't help but sigh after a long while:

"So that's how much Third Master said in just a few lines of poetry. How broad his mind must be."

"When I write poetry, I always feel that I can't avoid the things in front of me, but in this poem, floating clouds, the vast sky, and the wind blowing for thousands of miles are all boundless."

"When people stand in such a vast world, the little troubles of daily life seem insignificant."

After expressing his feelings, he couldn't help but sigh again and said:

"Alas! I thought I had grasped some of the essence of poetry, but it seems I'm still far from it!"

Xiangling seemed somewhat dejected; a few days ago, she had a dream in which she heard a line...

He wrote the wonderful lines, "It is difficult to conceal the essence, the shadow is graceful and the soul is cold," and "Even Chang'e should ask, why not let them be reunited forever?" He won the praise of all the young ladies in the mansion, who said that he was not only well written, but also exquisite and interesting.

Who would have thought that compared to his own Third Master, he was now far inferior!

Baochai spoke softly, chuckling lightly:

"Why are you so downcast? Third Brother's poetic talent is unparalleled; even we are far inferior to him!"

"You've only been studying poetry for a short time, yet you've already achieved such a high level of skill; it's truly remarkable!"

"And if we really talk about it, in terms of the quality of the poems alone, 'Bamboo and Rock' is actually slightly better than 'The Chilling Wind'."

"However, the latter poem, with its lofty theme, magnificent scope, and refined style, doesn't quite resemble a poem; it's more like a Buddhist verse that directly points to the nature of mind!"

Baochai offered Xiangling a few words of guidance and comfort, which was quite rare for her.

After all, they were the only two personal maids by Jinglang's side, and they were from his own family. Even if she became that person's disciple, it wouldn't stop them from getting close to each other.

Xiangling lowered her eyes, her gaze flickered, and her voice softened as she said:

"No wonder Third Master always says that the young lady is sensible and insightful; she truly understands Third Master!"

If my master found out about this boasting, wouldn't he kill me, his rebellious disciple?

Upon hearing this, Baochai's almond-shaped eyes flashed with an undisguised shyness and joy. She picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, suppressed the emotion in her eyes, and asked casually:

"Oh? My third brother has mentioned me to you before?"

Xiangling's honest expression remained unchanged. Her gaze fixed on the ground, she softly hummed in agreement.

"They were just telling us that we should treat the young lady with respect and not neglect her!"

I did just say we should show respect, but I meant we should show respect to both of them...

Upon hearing this, Baochai smiled gently on her gentle and graceful face. Although her beloved Jinglang was busy, he had not forgotten her after all!

"Sorry to keep you waiting, little sister!"

Just then, footsteps came from under the corridor.

Jia Jing pushed open the door and entered. He was wearing a black python robe with a jade belt around his waist. His hair was tied up with a white jade hairpin, looking neat and tidy. The fragrance of his martial arts training bath still lingered on his clothes.