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

Baochai, her eyes crinkling with a smile, looked at Daiyu and Jia Jing and said with a light laugh:

"I'll offer my humble opinion as a starting point, and make a fool of myself in doing so."

"The Snowy Chronicle": A crystal world, cleansed of dust, six-petaled blossoms dot the jade steps. Intending to pave the way for mountains and rivers, not wanting to be the queen of all flowers. Crystal clear enough to illuminate the heavens, why envy the brocade moss for its simplicity? Let us wait for the Lord of Spring to give his command, so that the green fields may be lush and herald the arrival of spring.

After Baochai finished reciting her poem, everyone present cheered.

Jia Jing exclaimed in admiration:

"Now I understand Sister Xue's aspirations! The crystal world and jade steps reflect the purity of snow, which is a portrayal of Sister Xue's elegant and outstanding character."

"The lines 'paving the way through mountains and rivers' and 'nourishing the green fields' reveal the ambition to govern the world and benefit the people. The final couplet uses Zhuangzi's 'The great earth carries me with its form' but reverses its meaning, emphasizing the spirit of dedication to nourishing the earth after the ice and snow melt, and implicitly contains the philosophy of 'cherishing the beauty and keeping the door closed during the day'."

"This single poem evokes the imagery of a hermit in the mountains, pure and pristine like snow—truly remarkable! Absolutely remarkable!"

Jia Jing's words were truly heartfelt praise, and Baochai's poem had a similar feel to "When the mountain flowers are in full bloom, it smiles among them."

The lines "Intentionally paving the way for mountains and rivers, without any intention of monopolizing the beauty of flowers" and "Nourishing the green fields to herald the arrival of spring" embody the spirit of making contributions and dedication.

It also carries the implicit meaning of being a good wife, helping her husband to govern the country and benefit the people, without seeking fame or fortune.

Jia Jing was certain that the poem was written by Xue Baochai after they had just discussed politics, truly befitting her title of "Hengwu Jun" (Lady Hengwu).

Upon hearing Jia Jing's praise, Baochai's fair and delicate face, as white as a pear blossom, flushed slightly.

She was expressing her aspirations through poetry, but in reality, she was also subtly telling Jia Jing that she shared his interests and was willing to support his ambitions.

Jia Jing's praise of her as "a noble hermit in the mountains, pure as snow" touched her heart, and she felt that Jia Jing was someone who understood her.

Xue Baochai gazed at Jia Jing with her almond-shaped eyes, her voice tinged with tenderness, and said:

"Third brother, you flatter me!"

As Daiyu watched the two of them, her bright eyes beneath her delicate brows narrowed slightly, a pang of sadness welling up inside her.

This back-and-forth banter definitely indicates something's up!

With a touch of sadness in her heart, Daiyu watched the snowflakes fall onto the eaves of the pavilion, a scene of quiet desolation.

She softly recited the poem she had written:

"Ode to Snow": The jade pendant left behind by the Jade Terrace falls lightly to the dust, scattering like Han Ying weeping for their old vows. The soul is bound to a lone wild goose lost on a distant shore, tears congeal on withered bamboo echoing in the empty pillars. It will not allow itself to be stained by the catkins in the mud, nor will it melt into the jade in the palm of the hand. Its pure heart of a thousand years finally goes to the water, a clear pool accompanying the bright moon."

After reciting the poem, a few tears welled up in her eyes. She looked at Jia Jing, seemingly waiting for his comments.

Jia Jing pondered and said, "Lin Daiyu's poem uses snow as tears, conveying a sense of aloofness and pride that would rather be pure than defiled, which is completely different from Xue Daiyu's poem."

"Sister Xue speaks of Confucianism's desire to save the world, while Sister Lin seeks the Taoist ideal of preserving one's true self! They both possess a spiritual purity that is 'coming from purity and returning to purity.'"

"This poem reveals Lin Daiyu's character! Like a red plum standing in the snow, she can be described as a lonely fairy tree in a secluded forest."

When Daiyu heard the lines "a secluded fairy tree in a lonely forest" and "coming from purity and returning to purity," she was slightly startled, feeling that Jia Jing's two comments had spoken to her heart.

She slightly raised her eyes to look at Jia Jing, meeting his deep gaze, and couldn't help but ask:

"Third Brother says I'm a Taoist, and Sister Xue is a Confucian, but I wonder which school Third Brother belongs to?"

Upon hearing this, Baochai also looked at Jia Jing. Although it was Daiyu who asked the question, she also wanted to know the answer.

Jia Jing laughed and said:

"I am both a Confucian and a Taoist. In my actions, I share the same aspirations as Sister Xue; in my character, I admire Sister Lin's genuine spirituality. Sister Xue possesses innate wisdom, while Sister Lin has an ethereal understanding! Both are quite remarkable!"

After speaking, Jia Jing recited a poem he had written:

"On Snow": When the six-petaled snowflakes fly into the house, I sit and watch the green bamboo turn into jade branches. Now it's good to climb up the high tower and look out, covering all the evil paths in the world.

This poem has a similar title to Lin Daiyu's poems and shares similarities in meaning with Xue Baochai's poems.

Both Xue and Lin used snow as a metaphor for tears or aspirations, but Jia Jing's poem directly expresses his feelings.

Appreciating the snow is not limited to the snow itself; it is about thinking about the people of the world and the clarity of governance. The phrase "covering all the evil paths in the world" is meant to cleanse the world of all evil and injustice.

After hearing this, Xue Baochai looked at the extraordinary Jia Jing and praised him:

"What a fine atmosphere, what a grand vision! The last sentence elevates from personal aesthetics to a profound ambition to save the world and bring peace to the people! Third Brother truly deserves to be a pillar of the nation, never forgetting to worry about the country and its people!"

Lin Daiyu glanced at Jia Jing and Xue Baochai, her eyes dimming slightly.

The two of them have become kindred spirits, making me feel superfluous!

My third brother seems distant and close at the same time, even though I knew him two years ago. Hmph!

Under Baochai's influence, Daiyu's thoughts began to change without her realizing it.

Xiangling, who was standing to the side, was also carefully studying the three poems by Baochai, Daiyu, and Jia Jing. For some reason, she still liked Lin Daiyu's poem the most.

Although Third Master and Miss Bao were good to each other, they could not resonate with her.

On the contrary, it was Miss Lin's poem that reminded her of her turbulent and wandering life.

"Hey! It's quite lively in the courtyard, Third Brother!"

Just as the scene fell silent for a moment, with everyone having their own thoughts,

Then, a familiar voice of laughter and chatter came from the back gate; the voice arrived before the person.

As Wang Xifeng, dressed in a dazzling array of colorful embroidery, approached with her servants and maids, Daiyu jokingly said:

"I knew she was the most annoying person! She's always there for any fun event, even when nobody invited her!"

Lin Daiyu and Feng Jie were quite familiar with each other, which is why they joked like that.

Fengjie was not annoyed by Daiyu's words. Instead, she looked at Baochai, then at Daiyu and Jia Jing, and smiled:

"Third brother, listen to this! Being a sister-in-law isn't easy! These sisters-in-law, each one of them has a sharp tongue!"

"I finally managed to get some cordyceps sent in from outside, and I was thinking that Lin girl hasn't been feeling well lately, so I wanted to send her some."

"But when I got to her yard I found out she'd come to your place, so I rushed over here, only to end up getting no good treatment and being chased away in an annoying way. I can't live like this anymore..."

Wang Xifeng knew Lin Daiyu's temperament very well, and her words made Lin Daiyu feel ashamed and embarrassed, and tears were about to fall.

Jia Jing laughed and said:

"Second sister-in-law, please stop joking with Lin Daiyu. If Lin Daiyu weren't close to you, she wouldn't talk to you like that. If she really disliked someone, she wouldn't bother with them at all! You've really figured out her personality!"

"Guests are welcome, please have a seat! We've got some barbecue and hot pot to make today. Sister Xue brought some venison, pickled goose feet, and duck tongues; please try them."

At this moment, Xiao Hong, Ying'er, Zijuan, and the others who were happily eating in the pavilion all put down their bowls and chopsticks and stood in a row when they saw Wang Xifeng arrive. This shows that Sister Feng is still very authoritative in front of the maids.