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

It's truly absurd that the son would be having an affair with his father's concubine. If it weren't for his eldest son being unconscious, Lian-ge'er would be much better off...

However, no matter what, Grandmother Jia still wanted to say some gentle words to the couple and try to reconcile them!

Sister Feng lowered her eyes, her expression turning indifferent. She had finally seen through the true nature of the men in her household. She had no hope of any apologies or anything like that. Therefore, she said softly:

"I don't think the old lady is entirely right! What do you mean by 'In a man's family, which cat doesn't steal fish'? It's one thing for other families, but look at my third brother."

"What a high-ranking official he is now! He has all the limelight in the capital. His power, his age, his looks—what doesn't attract him? If he were just a glutton, wouldn't all the girls outside be lining up to flock to the East Mansion?"

"But look at him, when has he ever caused such a mess! When he returns home, he's either at the yamen or doing official business at home, he doesn't even glance at the maids."

"In my opinion, even if a cat is said to steal fish, it must first be a cat! But my third brother is not a cat, he is a tiger."

"He has high standards, and his heart is always filled with matters of national importance. The filth and stench of others are simply beneath his notice. Unlike some men who are nothing but a pile of mud, yet still insist on crawling into the cesspool."

Her words were both witty and sharp, half praising Jia Jing and half scolding Jia Lian, with a touch of veiled satire.

Grandmother Jia knew she was upset, so she let her vent and didn't respond, just slowly sipping her tea.

Aunt Xue, always quick to chime in, laughed and said:

"Feng girl's mouth is really sharp and witty, but her words, though crude, are not without reason."

"It's strange, but at Jing-ge'er's age, he should be young and timid, but he has a naturally detached and indifferent demeanor, and seems more mature than many older men."

"In my opinion, this is not only about having high aspirations, but also about having good character. You would be hard-pressed to find another person with such qualities in the entire capital. Any girl who marries him in the future will truly be blessed from her past life."

As Aunt Xue spoke, she glanced at Baochai briefly before quickly looking away.

Yes! My daughter was born lucky!

Madam Xing, who had been mostly silent, perked up immediately upon hearing Aunt Xue praise Jia Jing and sensing the implied meaning in her words. She leaned closer to Grandmother Jia and said with a smile:

"Auntie is absolutely right! My Jing-ge'er's character, looks, and talent are so exceptional that you can't find many like him anywhere else in the capital, let alone the entire Han Dynasty."

"I heard that he was busy with official duties all day long, or reading and practicing martial arts. He also handled all the troublesome things at home very well."

"A man as successful and capable as this, who can also manage his family well, is truly a product of the ancestors' accumulated virtue."

Madam Xing triggered her passive skill and began praising Jia Jing!

Grandmother Jia chuckled twice, somewhat speechless, and had no desire to participate in this flattery. She glanced around the courtyard and then asked:

"Feng girl, where's Xiuyan? It's Mid-Autumn Festival today, why don't we see her? Could she have gone home to reunite with her parents?"

Grandmother Jia still had some affection for Xing Xiuyan. She was a quiet and well-behaved maid who didn't talk much. Since she hadn't seen her today, she casually asked her about her.

Upon hearing this, Sister Feng glanced in the direction of the Green Bamboo Nunnery and replied with a smile:

"She went to visit Master Miaoyu at Longcui Nunnery. She said that Master Miaoyu lived alone and it was rather lonely during the Mid-Autumn Festival, so she went to keep her company and talk to her."

"They knew each other back in Suzhou; I heard they were neighbors. Master Miaoyu even taught Xiuyan to read!"

Grandmother Jia nodded, seemingly having thought of something, and after a moment of contemplation, said:

"If that's the case, why not invite Master Miaoyu over as well? Even monks are human beings, and they can't stay cooped up indoors all the time during the Mid-Autumn Festival."

"I've been feeling a bit unsettled these past couple of days, and I was thinking of asking her to come and offer some advice."

Upon hearing Fengjie mention Miaoyu, Grandmother Jia suddenly recalled a strange dream she had the previous night, and thought it would be a good opportunity to invite Miaoyu over to interpret it!

Sister Feng responded and quickly ordered two old women to take lanterns and invite them.

Before half an incense stick's time had passed, Xing Xiuyan accompanied Miaoyu into the courtyard, one after the other.

Miaoyu wore a moon-white crane-embroidered Taoist robe with a plain white collar showing at the front. A very thin blue sash was tied around her waist. She wore no pearls or jade on her body, except for her long hair, which was tied high on her head and secured with a blue jade hairpin.

The moonlight shone on her, making her appear as slender as bamboo, as if she might melt into the watery moonlight at any moment.

Her face was extremely pale, her eyebrows and eyes were cold and indifferent, and her lips had only a very light touch of blood. When she walked, her steps were light and unhurried, and she had an otherworldly air that was difficult for ordinary people to approach.

"This humble nun greets the old lady!" Miaoyu walked up to Grandmother Jia, put her palms together in a gesture of respect, and said softly.

Grandmother Jia quickly sat up straight and smiled:

"Master Miaoyu, there's no need for such formalities. Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, and since you have some free time, I took the liberty of inviting you here so that we can have a chat."

"Secondly, I had a strange dream last night, and I feel very uneasy. I would like to ask Master for some guidance."

Miaoyu was taken aback. She was a nun who practiced Buddhism while still keeping her hair, skilled in tea ceremony, occasionally meditating, playing chess, and discussing philosophy, but interpreting dreams…

However, having come from a family of officials and being accustomed to the social interactions of the powerful, she was also knowledgeable in some subtle and witty exchanges, and thus she clasped her hands together and said:

"Please speak, madam, I will do my best!"

Grandmother Jia pondered for a moment, recalling the events as she slowly spoke:

"Last night I dreamt of a yellow ox carrying a full moon on its back. It came to me from the southeast, broke a withered branch that was stretching south with one foot, and bellowed loudly to the sky. I was startled and then I woke up."

"After waking up, I felt uneasy. Things are not peaceful outside. The Prince of Nan'an in the court is purging the court of corrupt officials, which involves my third grandson. Although I don't know much about what's going on, I'm very worried! Could this dream be a premonition of something?"

Upon hearing Grandmother Jia's words, the girls who had been playing amongst themselves stopped and all turned to look in their direction.

Xiangyun put down her pen and whispered something in Daiyu's ear.

Yuan Chun, Ying Chun, and the others also put down their work and looked up at Grandmother Jia.

The atmosphere in the courtyard suddenly quieted down because of the words "strange dream" and "purging the emperor's inner circle".

Miaoyu remained silent for a long while, then pondered and said, "Dreaming of an ox coming?... "

He paused, then pursed his lips and said:

"In my humble opinion, the old lady's dream is a very auspicious omen. The ox symbolizes the state and the earth element, and its yellow color signifies that it is in the center, guarding and protecting the capital."

"The moon is carried on the back of an ox, and the full moon is at Mid-Autumn Festival. It is an auspicious time when the moon hangs in the sky and the fields are clear. As for the withered branches that break southward, it means that the south is cut off by itself."

"Old lady, there is no need to worry. According to this dream, good news will come in the next few days. Moreover, the ox can carry the moon and shines under its feet. It means that the country has found a person who can relieve your worries."

Miaoyu tried to interpret the divination using the Zi Wei Dou Shu (Purple Star Astrology) taught by her master. As for whether it was accurate or not, she had a way to deal with it afterward.

Grandmother Jia listened attentively, her expression gradually softening, and she smiled:

"Master Miaoyu, are you just saying these nice things to make this old woman happy?"

While saying this, he had already relaxed and turned to instruct Yuanyang to fetch the string of sandalwood beads that had been given to him in the palace a few days ago, so that he could give them to Miaoyu.

Before he could finish speaking, a commotion suddenly came from the direction of the front gate of the Rongguo Mansion.

A short while later, an old woman rushed into the backyard, panting, and shouted:

"Grandma! Third Miss! Great victory! Great victory! The imperial court has achieved a great victory in Jizhou! The Prince of Nan'an has been captured alive..."

The courtyard fell silent for a moment.

Immediately, one of the little girls exclaimed "Ah!" and the whole courtyard erupted in chaos.

Grandmother Jia beamed with joy and exclaimed in surprise:

"Wow...it's so accurate! This ox...it's truly an auspicious omen! Master Miaoyu, your predictions are divine!"

Upon hearing this, Madam Wang's eyes flickered!