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

Her voice was clear and her tone was gentle, as melodious as a silver bell.

Jia Jing and the others looked up and saw Xue Baochai walking in slowly with her maid Ying'er and several old women.

Today, Baochai is wearing a crane-feather cloak made of lotus-green brocade with floral patterns and foreign silk thread. The color is a cool and aloof lotus-green.

Wearing a cloak and hood, her reserved and composed personality was even more apparent in the snow.

Several old women behind him were carrying red food boxes, which looked quite heavy.

"The young lady is here!" Xiangling quickly stood up and greeted her.

Jia Jing also greeted her, "Sister Xue, you've arrived! What brings you here today? How is your aunt?"

Baochai's fair face was filled with a smile as she laughed:

"Thank you for your concern, Third Brother. My mom is fine; she's at home talking to my brother!"

"My third brother is usually very busy. I was thinking that since it's snowing today, he should be home. We happen to have some newly arrived venison and freshly made pickled goose feet and duck tongues, so I brought them over for him to try. It's also to thank him for the bird's nest he sent a few days ago."

Jia Jing laughed and said:

"Sister Xue, you're too kind! A little bird's nest is nothing, there's no need for you to come and thank me."

"I've been quite busy these past few days. I haven't even had a chance to thank my aunt at Pear Fragrance Courtyard for the few managers and stewards she lent me!"

Upon hearing this, Baochai's eyes, like pools of autumn water, parted her lips slightly and said:

"Third brother, since you don't want me to thank you, why are you being so formal! What's a few supervisors helping out?"

"However, my third brother has done a lot of good deeds in the past few days, helping the needy, caring for the elderly and children, and promoting education within the clan. These deeds have truly impressed me."

As she spoke, a blush rose on Baochai's fair face.

Ying'er, who was standing to the side, noticed her young mistress's unusual expression and a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes.

In the past, my daughter was always dignified and well-mannered, and rarely showed such a girlish demeanor.

Jia Jing didn't take it seriously, and simply smiled:

"It just so happens that Little Jiao'er wants to eat barbecue and hot pot today. Let's all have a lively time together since it's snowing. Since Sister Xue is here, please sit down and have some!"

Xue Baochai did not refuse. She had been hoping to spend more time with Jia Jing and talk to him. She was genuinely curious about and admired this third brother.

Xiangling welcomed Xue Baochai into the pavilion and brought her a chair and bowls and chopsticks.

Baochai watched as Xiangling, Xiaohong, and Xiaojiao acted completely unrestrained in front of Jia Jing.

She thought to herself: I have often heard people say that my third brother is very stern and strict, especially towards the old women and stewards in the mansion. He has even hit people before. Everyone in the mansion is afraid of my third brother.

Now it seems that's not the case. She understands Xiangling's personality very well; even Xiangling isn't that afraid of her third brother.

It is clear that the third brother was not a troublemaker without cause; it must have been the servants in the mansion who were being unruly that he had to be disciplined.

Baochai looked at Xiangling beside her and said gently:

"Have you gotten used to living in your third brother's yard now?"

Xiangling chuckled and said:

"Third Master is very good to me. There's not much work to do in the courtyard, so he doesn't let us serve him. He even teaches me to read poetry!"

"I'm so lucky. First I met the girl, and now I've met Third Master."

Upon hearing that Jia Jing was teaching Xiangling to recite poetry, Xue Baochai smiled and exclaimed in praise:

"Third brother is truly a man of refined taste and magnanimity!"

Jia Jing said:

"It's also because Xiangling is naturally gifted. She likes to read poetry and has been reading Tang poems non-stop these past few days. I should thank my aunt for giving me such a refined and elegant maid."

Xue Baochai chuckled and said:

"If it weren't for Third Brother's generosity, how could any maid in another family have such good fortune!"

Jia Jing smiled and didn't continue the conversation with Baochai on this topic. He didn't really like this kind of overly polite chat.

Baochai, who was standing to the side, instructed Ying'er and the old woman to bring out the venison, pickled goose feet and duck tongues, so that they could eat something warm to warm themselves up in the cold weather.

Jia Jing tasted a bite of pickled goose feet and duck tongues, and laughed:

"This dish is exquisitely prepared!"

This is a cold dish. The goose feet and duck tongues are deboned and then repeatedly washed with flour.

Simmer repeatedly in chicken broth and fermented rice wine, then remove and drizzle with sesame oil. Refrigerate and seal for a period of time before serving.

The Jia and Xue families were definitely experts when it came to food; wealthy families were very particular about their food and drink.

When Granny Liu visited, the stewed eggplant she ate required seven or eight chickens as ingredients, which shows how extravagant it was.

Even when they drink porridge, it's not the simple way that ordinary families do it.

Baochai smiled and said:

"This is how we eat it in Nanjing! Its history can be traced back hundreds of years, and our family also treats it as a winter custom."

"Several of my sisters and Brother Bao have tried it and all said it was delicious, so I specially brought it here for Third Brother to try!"

Jia Jing placed a piece of food on Xiao Jiao'er's plate, and also gave Xiangling and Xiao Hong a bite to try.

Then, seemingly lost in thought, he asked Baochai:

"Sister Xue comes from Jiangnan. I've long heard of its prosperity. I wonder how the people of Jinling are doing these days? Does Sister Xue have any information?"

Xue Baochai was taken aback, seemingly not expecting Jia Jing to suddenly ask her, a young lady from a humble background, such a question about "official career and economics."

This was the first time anyone had asked her about the livelihoods of the people of Jinling since she arrived at the Jia family mansion.

Baochai thought for a moment, then parted her lips slightly and said:

"Although Jiangnan is prosperous, my brother and the people around me say that the harvest has not been good in recent years, and more and more people are suffering from hunger and cold and are being displaced."

"Every winter, many people freeze or starve to death on the streets, especially the wealthy families..."

Xue Baochai was the type to hide her ignorance and humility, but she also wanted to make a good impression on Jia Jing, so her expression was somewhat hesitant.

Jia Jing frowned and said coldly:

"Behind the red gates, meat and wine go to waste, while on the streets, the bones of those frozen to death lie. Prosperity always belongs to the powerful and wealthy; what does it have to do with the common people!"

"Now, the country is beset by internal and external troubles, and its finances are insufficient. If we cannot reform and eliminate abuses, we fear that the deep-seated problems will become intractable! The new policies have been implemented in Jiangnan for several years now, but have we seen any results yet?"

Seeing Jia Jing's furrowed brows, seemingly worried about state affairs, Baochai felt a pang of emotion.

As expected of my third brother, who was granted a title at a young age, he is different from the wealthy young masters in the mansion. After just one bite of the food from Jinling, he was thinking about the livelihood of the people of Jinling.

However, being able to discuss political affairs with a powerful court official like Jia Jing was something she greatly longed for and yearned for.

Baochai racked her brains, recalling what she had seen and heard in Jinling. Looking at Jia Jing, she carefully chose her words and said:

"Although the new policies have been in effect for quite some time, they are facing numerous obstacles in Jiangnan. I have heard that the court's policies such as merging the poll tax into the land tax and abolition of the fire tax are very unpopular, and the gentry are secretly uniting to resist them."

"Once an official goes to measure the fields, soldiers from the garrison and servants from powerful families organize riots. Officials mostly pay lip service to the task, and it is impossible to implement the measures."