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

August 16th, early morning.

In the backyard of the East Mansion, several sparrows were chirping merrily in the jujube tree.

Morning light peeked through the half-open windowpanes, spreading patches of pale gold across the blue brick floor.

Jia Jing had just finished practicing his boxing routine and was still slightly sweaty. After a quick wash in his room, he changed into a dark-colored casual robe with a cloud pattern and sat down at a small sandalwood table in the east wing, preparing breakfast.

Several old women brought in a food box containing a large bowl of millet and pumpkin porridge, several large bowls of steamed mutton-filled flatbread, and a few refreshing side dishes: cold shredded lettuce, pickled cucumber, sweet and sour lotus root slices, and a small bowl of shredded chicken noodles.

Just as Jia Jing picked up his chopsticks, about to take a bite, Xiao Hong whispered from outside the curtain:

"My lord, Miss Lin has arrived and is already in the inner hall!"

Jia Jing paused slightly in his chopsticks, then put them down. Daiyu had arrived; this was the first time. He stood up and said:

"Please come in quickly, take him straight here!"

Now that his marriage is being arranged in the palace, there's no need to be too secretive about it!

Before long, the curtain was lifted, and Daiyu walked in slowly.

Today she wore a moon-white cross-collar jacket, covered with a light green half-sleeved top, and tied with a light blue Xiang skirt. As she moved, the hem of the skirt swayed gently, like a pool of spring water ruffled by the morning breeze.

Because it was early morning, she was not wearing any makeup, which made her delicate oval face appear even thinner.

A faint trace of melancholy still lingered between her brows, but her starry eyes shone brightly in the morning light. When she looked at Jia Jing, she was startled at first, then quickly lowered her eyes, and a thin blush slowly crept behind her ears.

Running so readily to the East Mansion is a bit too forward!

But my third brother... if I don't come, he might not take the initiative to visit me for a year or two!

"Third brother is about to eat? Am I... arriving at the wrong time?" The girl was slender and beautiful, and her bright eyes under her smoky eyebrows glanced at the small table, speaking meaningfully.

At the same time, Zijuan, who was behind Daiyu, smiled and bowed to Jia Jing before happily leaving.

Her daughter is incredibly shy; if it weren't for Bao-guniang's persuasion, she probably wouldn't have wanted to come!

Jia Jing walked slowly towards Daiyu and said gently:

"Little sister, what are you saying? You can come anytime. I was just feeling bored eating alone!"

It seems like it's been half a month since he last held Daiyu's hand. Is he feeling a little upset?

Just as Daiyu was about to answer, her delicate body suddenly trembled, and her fair face slowly turned red.

It turned out that Jia Jing had loosely held her hand in his palm. As soon as the warmth covered her, she felt as if her fingertips were being gently licked by a tongue of fire, and her whole little hand froze for a moment, as if it were not under her control.

She tried to pull back, but her strength was as weak as a newborn kitten kicking its legs. In the end, she only managed a slight struggle, and was instead held even tighter.

Those usually aloof and distant eyebrows were now slightly furrowed, and her fair cheeks were flushed red like a sunset as she spoke softly:

"Third brother..."

She tried to pull her hand away gently again, but still couldn't break free.

Yes! She was always sickly and frail, so it's normal that she couldn't break free.

In the end, she could only turn her face to the side, revealing half of her slender and thin red neck, like a crabapple tree slightly leaning back in the wind.

"Little sister! Have you eaten breakfast?" Jia Jing naturally understood Daiyu's reserved nature and asked in a low voice.

"I drank a little bit of bird's nest porridge in the room..." Daiyu said in a soft, trembling voice, as if it were a thread soaked in honey.

"How can you only drink half a cup of porridge? Your hands are so cold, why don't you wear more clothes!"

Jia Jing gently cupped Daiyu's small, stiff, and cold hands in his palm, his tone filled with affection.

"Hmm?!" Daiyu responded softly, her hand already grasping Jia Jing's, her voice trembling as she said:

"I've been feeling a bit agitated lately, so I haven't been eating much!"

Jia Jing remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the girl, and said:

"Then come and have something to eat with me!"

Then, he led her to a small table, sat her down, and personally set up a bowl and chopsticks for her, serving her half a bowl of millet and pumpkin porridge.

The morning light fell on his face, highlighting his sharp features. However, because he had just practiced martial arts, his eyes and brows had lost some of their usual coldness and gained a touch of warmth from everyday life.

Jia Jing gently pushed the bowl towards Daiyu and said softly:

"This porridge is cooked until very soft and tender, which is good for your spleen and stomach. Drink some to warm yourself up!"

Daiyu looked up at the gentle young man beside her. The anxiety she had felt after not seeing him for more than ten days slowly dissipated. She lowered her head, picked up a spoon, and slowly scooped up a spoonful.

The porridge was cooked perfectly, sweet but not cloying, and the warmth seemed to slide from my throat all the way to my heart.

She sipped her drink slowly, occasionally glancing up to see Jia Jing placing a slice of sweet and sour lotus root on her plate, saying:

"Lotus root is good for the stomach, so you can eat more of it!"

Daiyu's cheeks flushed slightly, she puffed out her cheeks, and said softly:

"Thank you, Third Brother!"

Jia Jing looked at her and instructed her:

"Although your illness has improved, you are still a bit thin. You should eat well every day. If there is anything you want to eat but are not comfortable telling your third sister, just have Zijuan tell me, and I will have someone prepare it for you!"

Compared to Baochai, Daiyu was indeed a bit thinner!

Upon hearing this, Daiyu felt a sweet flutter in her heart. She glanced at herself, blinked her bright, dark eyes, and looked at the young man beside her, saying in a soft, endearing tone:

"Doesn't Third Brother prefer someone a little thinner...?"

Before he could finish speaking, he seemed to sense something was amiss and quickly stopped talking.

Jia Jing: "..."

Straightening his expression, Jia Jing said:

"I like you regardless of your weight, but first and foremost, you need to be healthy. Good health means no illness, no worries, and a happy mood! Besides, you're at the age where you're growing, so eating more to supplement your nutrition is always a good thing!"

Daiyu looked at Jia Jing with her glistening, starry eyes, remained silent for a moment, and then said in a sweet voice:

"But I heard Qingwen say that her third brother once told her that a true beauty is one who has the appearance of a flower, the voice of a bird, the spirit of the moon, the grace of a willow, the bones of jade, the skin of ice and snow, the figure of autumn water, and the heart of poetry..."

Yes, such an ethereal and fairy-like description is entirely in contrast to her previous delicate appearance, and it does not match Bao Yatou's plump figure at all.

Upon hearing this, Jia Jing couldn't help but chuckle:

"I did say that, but that was to Qingwen. She doesn't like reading and is overly concerned with her appearance, so that was my advice to her! But you are different."

Hearing the young man's words beside her, Daiyu's starry eyes, beneath her delicate brows, flickered, and she softly said:

"Am I different?"

Although she asked the question, Daiyu already had the answer in her heart; she just wanted to hear Jia Jing say it himself.

Jia Jing said softly:

"If you ask me, my answer will certainly be that a truly beautiful woman does not need to be exceptionally beautiful but should possess an elegant appearance; she does not need to be exceptionally talented but should possess a righteous heart; her spirit should be pure, her character upright, her words reserved, and her actions measured. She should be able to manage a household, know when to advance and retreat, uphold her principles, and weather storms together. If she is like this, even without exceptional beauty, she is better than countless others in the world."

Simply put, this is the difference between a wife and a concubine!

Compared to the above sentence from "Youmeng Ying," judging a person solely by their outward aesthetics and artistic temperament can only be considered a typical literati sentiment.

Now that Jia Jing bears the heavy responsibility of the nation and is a top-level figure of power, how could he possibly use that kind of standard as a mate selection criterion?

Of course, it's not that appearance isn't important, but compared to appearance, he undoubtedly values ​​character, virtue, inner strength, and shared values ​​more.