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

Xichun was even more aloof than Yingchun. In the past, she would at most sit briefly at Yingchun's place, and she had no interaction with Xichun at all. Why would she suddenly come to invite Xichun to play chess?

Although Jia Cong had a slight understanding of Go, it was only a slight understanding. However, since the other party had come to invite him, he could not be rude. So he generously pushed aside the pile of large coins and loose silver in front of him, got up, and followed the little maid out.

Only the maids and Jia Huan remained in the room, scrambling for the food, and everyone laughed it off.

They went all the way to Lotus Fragrance Pavilion, and only when they entered Liaofeng Pavilion did Jia Cong realize that Xichun was actually playing chess with Miaoyu.

When the two saw him enter the house, they quickly got up to greet him.

"Third Brother, it was Master Miaoyu who invited us..." Xichun's words were even more slurred than Yingchun's, but this was only true for people she didn't know well. She was very close to her childhood friend, Zhineng'er.

Jia Cong glanced at the meek and submissive Miaoyu, finding it amusing to himself, but his expression remained calm and unhurried.

"Oh? Fourth Sister is one thing, but Miss Miaoyu, don't you know that I am a crude and vulgar person? How could I possibly understand the art of chess?"

Miaoyu was not angry at all; instead, she bowed to him with her hands clasped together.

"Please forgive me, Third Master, but it is inconvenient for a monk to invite you, so I asked Fourth Miss to do it for me." After saying this, he took a document from his maid and handed it to Jia Cong.

Jia Cong took it and saw that this was the real estate contract he had previously handled for the other party. He immediately frowned.

"Why are you showing me this document, young lady?"

Miaoyu chanted a Buddhist prayer, her beautiful and otherworldly face revealing no emotion.

"Now that I have converted to Buddhism, how can I manage these private properties? That's why I had no choice but to ask Third Master to help me sell these properties."

Jia Cong didn't mock him further, but simply nodded nonchalantly, then stuffed the document into his sleeve.

"That's not difficult. I imagine the land owned by the young lady's ancestors wasn't bad land. Anyway, it'll be cheaper, and there will be plenty of people who want to buy it."

Miaoyu smiled slightly upon hearing this, flicked her monk's robe, and slenderly guided her ten fingers onto the chessboard.

"In that case, I thank you in advance, Third Master. Today, Fourth Miss and I gained enlightenment through chess. I wonder if Third Master would be interested?"

Jia Cong also became interested, vaguely remembering that Miaoyu's chess skills were extremely high, and that even Xichun had to give her a four-piece handicap to barely win despite her best efforts. He immediately bowed in return.

"Since you've invited me, I'll make a fool of myself."

At this time, the white player moves first in Go, and there are also rules like the "seat system" and "returning the head" that Jia Cong doesn't understand at all. He can only let Miaoyu set up the Go board before picking up a piece and making the first move.

His Go skills were barely amateur level, but while Miaoyu on the other side might not be considered professional, she could easily beat him.

However, Miaoyu, being both a nun and a woman, had a softer playing style and was not good at aggressive moves. As a result, she was caught off guard by Jia Cong and her brows furrowed. She subconsciously twisted the handkerchief in her hand.

In the first fifty moves, Jia Cong was also stunned by his opponent's precise calculations. He couldn't believe that this delicate nun was actually so skillful and calculating in her chess game, and he was instantly at a disadvantage.

But after fifty moves, he deliberately delayed. Go is also a sport; long periods of thinking and calculating moves require mental effort!

Sure enough, half an hour later, Miaoyu's calculation ability began to decline, and Jia Cong seized the opportunity to bite down on a big dragon. His unorthodox methods were not up to standard, but he was extremely daring to fight. Anyway, the barefoot are not afraid of the shoe-wearing, so it doesn't matter if he loses.

However, Miaoyu's skills were profound. After barely escaping a calamity, she still gained a significant advantage in the middle game. However, her pretty face lost its usual aloofness and arrogance. Her cheeks flushed with a hint of exhaustion and coquettishness. She covered her chest with a handkerchief and breathed heavily.

Seeing this, Jia Cong decided not to argue any further, and picked up the two characters, placing them on the chessboard.

"The young lady is a step ahead in chess; my skills are inferior."

Miaoyu subconsciously glanced sideways at Jia Cong opposite her, giving him a reproachful look that seemed to carry a hint of coquettishness.

"Third Master truly possesses the demeanor of a military general; his fierce fighting and grappling are quite overwhelming for me."

Xi Chun, however, remained focused on the chessboard, muttering to herself.

"Third Brother's chess style is quite peculiar; I've never seen anything like it in the game records."

Modern Go differs greatly from ancient Go; times are always progressing. Jia Cong chuckled and stood up.

"Fourth Sister is right, it was just something she was doing for fun."

It was inconvenient to stay long at the young lady's residence. After having some tea, he rose and bowed to the two of them.

"I'll head over now, I'll come and bother you again another day."

Miaoyu also clasped her hands in farewell.

"Thank you for your trouble, Third Master. We will prepare tea and vegetarian food at Longcui Nunnery another day and await your good news."

The next day, Jia Cong handed the land deed to Li Rong and instructed him to find a broker in West Street and tell him that it was the ancestral property in Suzhou belonging to a relative of the garrison commander of the Thousand Households Garrison and that he wanted to sell it.

Once the winter solstice passed, according to the laws of the Great Jing Dynasty, civil and military officials officially entered the most pleasant holiday period of the year. Zhou Haiyong and Yang Shaoyan were polite to him, only saying that Jia Cong's injuries had not yet healed and he was not suitable to be on duty, so he simply did not even go to roll call.

He slept until late morning, when Jia Cong finally got up, yawning. Unexpectedly, Jinping hurriedly lifted the curtain and came in.

"Why are you still sleeping, Third Master? Relatives have come to the manor. The matriarch and the master and mistress want to see you."

He wondered to himself who it was. Surely a nobody like Jia Ping wouldn't bother Jia She and Madam Xing?

After rubbing his teeth with salt and rinsing his mouth, two maids helped him change into a moon-white soft satin undergarment with dark patterns, and an outer brocade jacket with embroidered patterns in a royal blue color. The jacket was waist-length, with red fox fur trim on the sleeves and collar, embroidered with dark gold cloud and scale patterns. He wore a black jade belt, a silver crown on his head, and a silver fox fur cloak that Grandmother Jia had given him before. Only then did he wrap himself in a hand warmer and head towards Rongqing Hall.

Halfway there, he was traveling with Baoyu, and the other party had somewhat put aside their previous animosity, warmly pulling Jia Cong over.

"Good brother, I heard that relatives from the First Madam's family have arrived?"

Jia Cong was slightly taken aback, but then immediately realized that, as the year was drawing to a close, Xing Xiuyan would be coming, along with Baoqin, Xue Ke, and others.

He also pretended to be confused and dealt with Baoyu.

"I don't know many of my relatives, but I suppose I do."

The two entered Rongqing Hall and found Xing Xiuyan and others sitting in the room, as well as Jia She, Jia Zheng, and others.

After exchanging greetings, Grandmother Jia pulled Baoyu aside and patted him on the back before introducing him to everyone. Jia Cong could see clearly that Xing Xiuyan was dressed in a faded blue cotton jacket, her expression showing distress but unable to conceal her beauty. However, her old clothes made her appear even more hunched over and pitiful.

Baoqin, who was slightly ahead, had fair skin and a beautiful face. She appeared to be younger than Baochai, but she was just as plump and radiant.

As for the Li sisters, Wen and Qi, Jia Cong didn't have time to examine them closely before Madam Xing pulled him over and gave him orders in a hypocritical manner.

"From now on, Miss Xing will be your elder sister. Now that Cong'er has taken up an official post, she should also worry about the household."

Jia Cong also feigned a filial demeanor.

"Mother is right, son will understand."

Baoqin was greatly pleased by Grandmother Jia and immediately stayed at Rongqing Hall. The Li sisters went to Daoxiang Village, while Xing Xiuyan was arranged by Wang Xifeng to stay at Yingchun's residence.