Dream of the Red Chamber: A Refined and Elegant Young Man in a Turbid World

Even someone as powerful as Sun Tai, according to his own account, had only reached the sixth level of cultivation after thirty years of practice, and was unable to advance further. As for experts above the seventh level, only his deceased master had ever achieved that.

Sun Tai hesitated for a moment after looking Jia Cong over.

"Third Master started learning martial arts a little late, but that's alright. If he's determined to practice diligently, he can achieve some success in three to five years..."

Jia Cong's heart sank. Learning martial arts requires early training, and some people start as young as five or six. Now he was thirteen, long past his prime.

But he still managed a forced smile and gave Sun Tai a respectful fist salute.

"I've remembered Master Sun's words. As the saying goes, 'A strict teacher produces outstanding students,' and I hope you will impart all your knowledge to me!"

"Of course! If Third Master can endure that hardship, I will naturally spare no effort!"

As a result, Jia Cong felt the pressure on the very first day. Although he had trained with his bare hands for a while before, his small body quickly became a lump of mud under Sun Tai's high-pressure training.

He practiced horse stance until his legs trembled, feeling as heavy as if they were filled with lead, and cold sweat streamed down his face, soaking through his clothes. He lifted stone weights until his arms ached and went numb, and he could barely hold chopsticks.

Sun Tai, however, showed no mercy and simply said in a deep voice:

"Stand firm! Focus your energy in your dantian! Don't try to cheat!"

If it weren't for the burning desire in his heart to carve out his own path to success in this cannibalistic world of the Dream of the Red Chamber, he probably would have collapsed on the ground long ago and never been able to get up.

Learning martial arts is not something that can be done overnight, but the benefits it brought to Jia Cong were quickly reflected in his daily life, the most prominent being his meals!

The meals in the Jia family were basically rationed, meaning they were delivered by the kitchen. The meals at the residence of Grandmother Jia and the masters were naturally lavish and exquisite banquets. Any leftovers were taken over by the maids and servants, either sold to the mansion or eaten by the family themselves.

Someone like Baoyu must have had a good diet, and every now and then he would receive some rare treats from Lady Wang or Grandmother Jia.

Jia Cong's situation was much more frugal; he ate very little meat at his two daily meals, and even eggs had to be eaten sparingly.

However, after he started practicing martial arts, the public funds would give him an extra allowance for food. In Sun Tai's words, "Martial arts practitioners should eat enough meat to strengthen their muscles and bones and improve their strength. If they just fill their stomachs with plain soup and water, they won't even be able to reach the first level of martial arts, let alone the ninth level."

That's absolutely true. I trained really hard the other day, and at night I lay in bed with aches all over my body. My stomach was growling with hunger, and I couldn't fall asleep no matter how much I tossed and turned. I just wished the little bit of meat I had during the day was enough to fill my teeth.

Now that they have this extra food allowance, the kitchen staff no longer dare to neglect their duties. Every day, the meals delivered always include a bowl of tender braised pork knuckle, a steamed young chicken, and occasionally a plate of braised beef.

Holding his rice bowl, Jia Cong looked at the real chunks of meat inside and felt a surge of strength returning to him.

He shoveled a large mouthful of rice into his mouth, the aroma of meat mingling with the fragrance of rice spreading through his mouth, and the pent-up resentment from his past poverty dissipated considerably.

So this is the benefit of having a powerful backer and income. In the past, even if you were starving, you could only endure it and would never dare to ask for such treatment.

Martial arts training also starts with muscle training. Which fitness enthusiast doesn't drink some protein powder and eat some beef?

From the day Sun Tai entered the mansion, Jia Cong would spend an hour every afternoon practicing martial arts after finishing his studies at Mr. Cheng's place.

It was only summer, and Sun Tai was worried that if he trained too hard, the young master wouldn't be able to handle it. In the autumn and winter, he would have to train for another half hour.

However, news of Jia Cong's martial arts skills spread throughout the Rongguo Mansion. While the gentlemen like Jia Zheng and Jia She didn't take it seriously, it was a remarkable thing in the eyes of Jia Huan and others.

Every time school ended, Jia Huan would shamelessly come over.

"Cong-ge'er, you've caught the eye of those ladies. The household hasn't spent any money on martial arts training for any of its sons all these years. If you rise to high office one day, don't forget our past friendship..."

"Don't make fun of me, Huan-ge. How did you get involved in this whole thing? It's just a way for me to make a living..." Despite saying that, Jia Cong still patted his bulging biceps with a hint of pride.

"Cong-ge'er, you're being too polite. Look at all the young men in the manor, how many of them have their own livelihood? Aren't they all living off the master and mistress? Even my good second brother, if it weren't for the mistress's favor, how could he compare to you..."

Upon hearing this, Jia Cong knew that this kid's loose tongue would cause trouble sooner or later, so he quickly covered the other person's face.

"If anyone hears this and tells your father, I'll skin you alive!"

Jia Huan angrily pried his hands away, a hint of disappointment in her eyes.

"So what? It'd be better to be dead!"

Although Jia Huan is only twelve or thirteen years old, he is thick-skinned and ruthless. His few good points are that he is quite smart in his studies, at least more so than Bao Yu and himself.

The weather was getting hotter and hotter. Every night, Jia Cong would wake up, his cool mat soaked with sweat, and have to run to the courtyard to get some cool water to take a shower.

Whether it's the Rong family or the Ning family, the use of ice is rationed. The ladies and gentlemen naturally have plenty, but for him, it's pitifully scarce. A bucket of ice is half water, and it all melts before midnight.

"Third Master, is it too hot to sleep again..." Chu Lan whispered, standing at the door of the main room, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

"It's a bit hot, but that's none of your business. Go to sleep..."

While Chu Lan responded, she secretly glanced at the muscle lines that Jia Cong had just developed over the past few days. Although they were still thin and frail, girls like this kind of thin muscle, don't they?

Maids like Chu Lan are usually a few years older than their masters. According to the Rong family's practice, they are generally used as concubines for the men, to prevent them from going to brothels and ruining the family's reputation.

Therefore, Chu Lan knew from the beginning that she would eventually be betrothed to this Third Master Cong, so she couldn't help but be more gentle and accommodating in her daily interactions.

Jia Cong was completely unaware, muttering to himself as he wiped himself with cold water.

"Once I make a name for myself, I'll teach those snobbish old women a lesson!"

Tai came to teach almost every day, and the high-intensity training made Jia Cong suffer terribly. His small body was only thirteen years old, and he couldn't withstand such torment. Every day, he practiced horse stance until his legs trembled, and lifted stone weights until his arms went numb. Even when he lay down at night, his whole body ached, and he had to grimace to turn over.

Chu Lan felt sorry for him, so every morning she would prepare a bowl of warm brown sugar ginger tea in advance, and bring it to him to quench his thirst and warm him up after he returned from martial arts practice. Sometimes she would see that his back was so sweaty that he could wring water out of his clothes, but she would only dare to wait from a distance until he rested, and then she would quietly take the wet clothes to wash and dry them, not daring to overstep her bounds in the slightest.