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

Daiyu had a slender and beautiful figure. Her bright, star-like eyes, beneath her delicate brows, sparkled. Moonlight shone on her fair and tender hands, revealing a string of colorful agate beads on her exposed wrist, which looked radiant and lustrous.

The girl parted her pink lips slightly and whispered:

"I heard it from Xiangling. At first, I didn't quite understand the deeper meaning, but now that I've heard about the various changes that have happened in the court recently, I can understand some of the open-mindedness of my third brother that night."

Jia Jing's expression was solemn as he replied in a deep voice:

"What mood is there to speak of! In this era of upheaval, even the emperor in the palace is struggling to move forward. We warriors are merely entrusting ourselves to the blades, killing in the mortal world, and doing our humble part!"

Daiyu gazed intently at the young man beside her and said softly:

"My third brother is a man of both literary and martial talents, with a heart as vast as the mountains and rivers, lofty aspirations, and is a dragon among men. How could he be just a mere martial artist who only knows brute force!"

"If he hadn't joined the army to save the country from its peril, he would probably be a renowned minister and poet by now!"

Jia Jing chuckled softly, considering the initial system's choice between Zhang Juzheng's inheritance and Zhao Yun's inheritance, and shook his head, saying:

"Even if I were to rule the world, given my character and current actions, I would likely still be unable to escape the infamy of being a tyrannical and cruel official! Many people nowadays say I am domineering, murderous, ruthless, and lacking in compassion!"

After Zhang Juzheng's death, wasn't he condemned for "abusing power and disrupting the government, disloyal to the emperor and treacherous to the country," thus completely demoting him from a "savior prime minister" to a criminal?

Looking back now, choosing to pursue a martial career was indeed more suitable for the current situation!

Whether it's waging wars abroad or implementing reforms at home, holding the gun tight is always the most important thing!

Daiyu frowned slightly and softly comforted him:

"The current situation in the court is like tigers and wolves lurking on the steps; how can there be any room for discussing cause and effect or for leniency!"

"My third brother was devoted to the country and assisted the emperor in strictly regulating the bureaucracy. Although his methods were somewhat ruthless, it was all for the sake of revitalizing the nation. Such a selfless and patriotic heart will be judged by history!"

As someone who witnessed Jia Jing's rise from a commoner to his current fame and power, Daiyu had a complete understanding of his achievements, talents, and character!

Thus, how could he not know that if he did not truly have a heart to help the world, why would Jia Jing have tarnished his own reputation, taken such ruthless measures, offended so many civil and military officials, and placed himself in a dangerous situation of open and covert attacks!

After all, his military achievements upon returning from the Northwest were among the most outstanding in history.

Relying on these military achievements and power, he could have easily retired gracefully, left a lasting legacy, ensured the prosperity of his family for generations, and enjoyed wealth and honor. There was no need for him to risk such a scandal by getting involved in the power struggles in the court!

Jia Jing chuckled lightly, choosing not to delve deeper into the topic.

He is not someone who needs comfort from others. Once he makes a decision, he will resolutely move forward without looking back, regardless of others' judgment or being influenced by anyone.

Jia Jing's gaze was deep, his voice as warm as jade. He glanced at Daiyu, then asked:

"Just now, Sister Lin said that Uncle Lin sent a letter with a message to pass on? What is it about?"

If Lin Ruhai had something important to say, he should have written to himself instead of having Lin Daiyu relay it.

Furthermore, the Embroidered Uniform Guard had not received any new information from Jiangnan.

This seems a bit strange.

Daiyu looked at the young man with a look of doubt in his eyes, especially the eyes that seemed to hold the vastness of mountains and rivers beneath his handsome and heroic face, which formed a strong sense of composure that made her slightly lose her composure.

Her cheeks flushed slightly, and Daiyu glanced around with her lowered eyes. After a moment of silence, she whispered:

"It's nothing. Father just mentioned your recent situation, Third Brother, and asked me to send my regards."

"I... I said that just to ask you privately about the attack today. I heard the thieves used a powerful crossbow, and it was poisoned. Are you sure you weren't hurt anywhere?"

She was actually still worried about the safety of the young man in front of her. There were many people in Rongqing Hall just now, so she couldn't ask about many things in detail, nor could she show too much concern.

Jia Jing paused, a warmth spreading through his heart, and said gently:

"Don't worry, not a hair on my head was hurt! I've fought my way through a hail of bullets; I wouldn't be so easily harmed by a few petty thieves!"

Daiyu frowned slightly and said:

"We can't be careless! Once it happens, it's bound to happen again. We need to be more careful when we go out in the future. Everyone at home is worried!"

Jia Jing cast a gentle gaze at Daiyu and reached out to stroke her slightly furrowed brows.

The so-called "wild willow leaf eyebrows" are described in Guo Minzhi's poem as "looking from afar like wisps of smoke from the willows," referring to eyebrows that are curled but not fully extended.

Seeing her serious expression, I couldn't help but laugh and tease her:

"It's rare to hear so many words of concern from Lin Daiyu; it makes me feel especially pleased!"

Lin's reputation as a "contrarian" is well-deserved; although he usually criticizes those who deserve it.

But when the two were alone before, Dai Yan and Dai Yu had said quite a lot, but today she was unusually so, offering both comfort and concern.

It's likely that the attack she suffered today deeply shocked her, which is why she changed her usual reserved and demure nature and expressed her fervent emotions so openly!

At this moment, Daiyu's cheeks flushed slightly from Jia Jing's somewhat intimate gesture of stroking her eyebrows. An unprecedented panic flashed through her heart, and she looked shy and awkward. She glanced at Jia Jing with her starry eyes and subconsciously said in a soft and cute tone:

"What are you saying, Third Brother? It sounds like your sister is just being unreasonable and throwing tantrums!"

Jia Jing smiled and said:

"It's not that she's being unreasonable. Lin Daiyu was always worldly-wise but not cynical. She spoke from the heart, without hiding or concealing anything, and was genuine and unpretentious."

Sure enough, women are good at pretending. In just a few words, Daiyan Daiyu appeared again!

Daiyu clutched the hem of her dress with her slender hands, her jade-like cheeks flushed crimson, her heart trembled slightly, and beneath her delicate brows, her bright, watery eyes gazed at Jia Jing, seemingly with some doubt, and asked in a low voice:

"To be worldly-wise without being cynical? To be genuine and unpretentious? Is that how it is?"

The gist is that these few sentences are quite pleasant to hear; please continue, I want to hear more!

Jia Jing gazed at her slightly flushed cheeks, his eyes scrutinizing her without any sense of oppression, as if he were appreciating the brushstrokes that had just been applied to a painting.

He smiled, his voice neither too loud nor too soft:

"I've met many people: those who are eloquent, perceptive, and charming; those who are virtuous, obedient, and innocent; and those who are foolish, stupid, wicked, and malicious."

"The more you hear, the harder it is to distinguish which is true and which is false, but you are different."

Now he is surrounded by people with all sorts of motives, and there are countless flatterers and sycophants. He has heard too many nice words.

Just as he had told Ping'er before, what he actually wanted now was the truth.

Upon hearing this, Daiyu clenched the hem of her dress tightly with her hand hidden in her sleeve, turned her head slightly to hide her blushing profile in the darkness, the white jade earrings on her earlobes twitching, and the joy in her starry eyes was barely suppressed.

The people the third brother mentioned as being good at talking and reading people's expressions should refer to Feng'er and his aunt.

Who is that feeling of warmth and comfort? Could it be my aunt?

Could it be that the virtuous one is Bao Yatou?

Could the well-behaved one be the fourth sister?

The innocent and carefree one must be Sister Yun!

The confused one is probably... the old lady!

Stupid, wicked, malicious...

In the end, only the four words "You are different" kept echoing in my mind!

She was unique and special in her third brother's heart! The deeper meaning behind this seemed self-evident!

Seeing that Jia Jing had stopped talking after speaking, Daiyu stared at him for a few more moments, and finally couldn't help but purse her lips and tentatively ask, without really meaning it:

"Maybe it's just that he's a glib and annoying person, but what's the difference?!"

Jia Jing smiled, and, unusually, made a teasing remark, saying:

"Being talkative and gossipy, isn't that also a kind of difference?"

Daiyu stamped her foot, her starry eyes gleaming as she looked at Jia Jing, her expression a mixture of reproach and annoyance:

"So this is how my third brother makes fun of people!"

Jia Jing straightened his expression and said:

"I have always known that Lin Daiyu is pure of heart, deeply affectionate, and has a clear sense of right and wrong!"

"Although it may sometimes seem a bit aloof and arrogant, this purest and most genuine nature, untouched by worldly dust and grime, is truly unique and rare! I remember back then..."

Daiyu's "truthfulness" is not a lack of worldly experience. On the contrary, she is "worldly-wise" and quick-witted. When she first entered the Jia family at the age of six or seven, she was already able to read people's expressions and behave appropriately.

At that time, she keenly realized that she had misspoke from Grandmother Jia's answer about reading, and then followed Grandmother Jia's tone and changed her words in front of Baoyu, saying "I know a few characters".

When offered a seat by Jia Zheng, she knew it was for him and refused to sit until Lady Wang repeatedly invited her to sit on the kang (heated brick bed), at which point she finally sat down next to her. After the meal, she immediately adjusted her habits and, as was the custom, rinsed her mouth.

This shows that she was well aware of the social customs and etiquette in high-class families, but she still chose not to be worldly or slick, and always maintained her true self.

Upon hearing this, Daiyu's bright, dark eyes, framed by her delicate brows, suddenly sharpened. She looked up at the young man beside her, biting her cherry lips as she whispered.

"And what about back then?"

Jia Jingdao;

"The reason I asked Xiangling to become your apprentice was because I sensed the warmth and kindness hidden in your heart, unlike others. I knew you would sincerely teach her and impart all your knowledge..."

Not only Xiangling, but also Zijuan, Xiaojiao'er and others, Daiyu's "truthfulness" is first and foremost reflected in her attitude towards the people around her.

Her relationship with Zijuan had long transcended that of mistress and servant; it was more like that of two close sisters. Zijuan could "discipline" her like a little sister, and Daiyu would not only not get angry, but would also listen attentively.

Only this genuine empathy earned Zijuan's unwavering loyalty and lifelong devotion.

Especially towards those she considers her own people, she not only doesn't pretend or flatter, but also wears her heart on her sleeve.

Such people may have a bit of a temper when you get along with them, or even cause some minor disagreements, but once you've spent a lot of time with them, you'll undoubtedly feel very reassured and at ease.

It must be said that "sincerity," as a quality of being a person, sometimes truly surpasses a thousand sweet words.

Daiyu paused for a moment, then turned her head away, the moonlight casting a thin layer of silvery white light on her profile.

Her lips curved slightly, then quickly faded. Her voice carried a deliberate calmness, yet it couldn't conceal the softness beneath.

"At first, I thought my third brother was deliberately trying to give me another reputation for being a 'know-it-all'." As she spoke, she looked up at him, her eyes filled with a hint of reproach, a smile, and a glint of barely concealed brilliance.

"Now you've become the one with a discerning eye for talent?" Before she could finish speaking, she turned her face away, her expression full of joy, as if afraid he would see the blush on her ears.

Pure-hearted! Deeply emotional! Clearly defined in love and hate!

Third brother is indeed my confidant. Even though we've only met a few times, he understands me so well!

Jia Jing looked at the girl beneath her delicate brows, her starry eyes filled with shy joy, and chuckled softly:

"It's good for my sister to smile more! Just like what you said to me earlier, praise and criticism will be judged in due time, and that's very true."

"But do you know why there is praise and criticism? It's because everyone has different eyes. Some people see you as an orchid, while others see you as a blade of grass."

"Orchids have their fragrance, and grass has its resilience. If there were only one perspective in this world, then history books would only have one color."

"Sister, you don't need to care about what others think of you or what they say behind your back! Look at this garden, there are thorns next to the peonies and mud under the lotus flowers, but the peonies still bloom and the lotus flowers are still pure."

"Just be your own flower, and those who appreciate flowers will come. If you're always trying to please everyone, that's really making things difficult for yourself."

Upon hearing this, Daiyu's heart skipped a beat. Beneath her delicate brows, her bright, dark eyes looked at the young man beside her with deep emotion, and she could no longer hold back, her voice trembling as she said:

"Third brother...but...where is the person who knows flowers?"

Her voice was barely audible, her heart was pounding, and her pretty face was flushed red, the blush extending all the way to her earlobes!

After saying that, he scurried forward like a gust of wind, as if about to leave.

The night breeze blew in from outside the corridor, ruffling the stray hairs at her temples before falling back down. The moonlight between them swayed slightly in the wind, as if something unseen was slowly approaching.

At the end of the long covered walkway is a small courtyard with several clumps of green bamboo, casting dappled shadows in the moonlight.

When the wind blows, the bamboo leaves rustle against each other, making a soft sound, as if someone is whispering something.

The water in the pond reflected the moonlight, shimmering with a silvery-white glow, and a few lotus leaves clung to the surface, motionless.

The shadow of the old osmanthus tree by the pond falls on the water, broken and gathered again by the ripples. It has nothing to do with romance, but it seems to be telling the story of someone's children's secrets.

Jia Jing smiled, his voice low and carrying a hint of the cool night breeze, and gave his instructions:

"Slow down! It's a bit dark on this side of the road, watch your step."

As he said this, he quickly took a few steps to catch up, turning slightly to the side as if he had unintentionally given way by half a step.

The moonlight stretched his shadow long, falling at her feet, just enough to block out the darkest patch of blue bricks in front of her.

Just as Daiyu was about to speak, her delicate body suddenly trembled, and a hint of shyness and panic welled up in her bright, dark eyes.

Because her hand, hidden in her sleeve, had fallen into a warm, gentle palm.

His palm was dry and warm, carrying a warmth that even armor couldn't block—a warmth belonging to another person—and she felt a moment of longing for it.

Daiyu's breath hitched slightly, her delicate body trembled, and her cheeks flushed crimson. Her fingertips twitched unconsciously, but she didn't pull them back. That moment of hesitation was like the moonlight shining through the clouds, half bright and half dim, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.

The moonlight fell on her trembling eyelashes, as if someone had gently plucked a string in her heart.

The two walked side by side on the moonlit bluestone path, their shadows stretched and overlapped by the night wind, like two bamboo stalks standing side by side, their roots intertwined underground, yet each growing quietly.