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

Jia Cong initially wanted to refuse, but then he thought that Xue Ke was a potential problem. Logically speaking, Aunt Xue should have taken a liking to Xing Xiuyan and wanted to arrange their marriage by the beginning of spring.

He immediately slipped Miaoyu's hand into his sleeve, smiled, and gave a curtsy.

"Since it's my second brother's invitation, how can I refuse? I have nothing to do at the end of the year, so it's a good opportunity to meet with the two Xue brothers."

Baoyu was also afraid that Jia Cong would run off to Xiaoxiang Pavilion while he was away. The two of them, each with their own ulterior motives, excitedly left the mansion while pretending to be good buddies.

Xue Pan and Xue Ke had been waiting impatiently for some time. When Xue Pan saw them, he waved hurriedly.

"Hurry, the theater is about to start."

The four mounted their horses, and Jia Cong secretly observed Xue Ke. He was indeed a rare good man in the Dream of the Red Chamber. Not only was he handsome, but he was also polite and well-mannered, unlike Xue Pan, who was so vulgar.

Xing Xiuyan's marriage to Xue Ke can be considered a good match in the Dream of the Red Chamber, but Jia Cong was unwilling to let the good fortune go to outsiders. He was used to being thick-skinned and ruthless, and he was determined to put Xue Ke in a bad light.

Baoyu joked with a smile.

"Brother Xue, why are you in such a hurry? Let's go to the bookstore first, and then we can go to see the opera later."

Xue Pan, lacking any semblance of refinement, was certainly not willing to accept this.

"What's the point of reading this damn book? I might as well just buy a few erotic books..."

But he couldn't go against Baoyu's wishes, so he grumbled and approached Jia Cong behind him, sneaking over there like a thief.

"My third brother is skilled in martial arts and has also received an official position through connections. How about we go to the Sleeping Moon Pavilion for some fun?"

Jia Cong was slightly taken aback, but Bao Yu, pouting, turned back on his horse.

"Brother Xue, you are being a bit too impetuous. Although I have already entered officialdom, I have always maintained a clean and upright character. How could I accompany you to such a place of pleasure?"

Brothels and brothels are not the same thing at all. Visiting brothels was one of the hobbies of the literati, and many scholars and writers were also enthusiastic about it, which even led to many beautiful stories.

But Jia Cong had no interest. Why would he go looking for prostitutes when he had all the beauties in the Rong Mansion to flirt with? Only a blockhead like Xue Pan would like to go into that sort of place.

In fact, Xue Pansheng was not bad-looking. He was broad-shouldered and over 1.8 meters tall, with thick eyebrows, big eyes, and fair skin. However, he had a bit of a dull look in his eyes.

Jia Cong could only smile and bow in return.

"Brother Xue, you are too kind. It's just that my injuries haven't healed yet, which has spoiled your mood."

Seeing that he couldn't get anyone to come, Xue Pan reluctantly lowered his head and accompanied the three of them to the bookstore.

Baoyu bought two sets of storybooks, and Xue Ke also picked out a set. Only Jia Cong pulled Xue Pan aside and chatted idly. Before long, he managed to extract a lot of useful information from this dull-witted bully.

For example, Xue Ke had a low alcohol tolerance; he usually only drank three ounces of rice wine, but when he was happy he could drink four ounces, though he would vomit twice.

Or perhaps this young man has a sleepwalking problem, occasionally getting up and wandering around in the middle of the night, only to be discovered by servants and maids who then quietly lead him back to his bed.

Having obtained a great deal of valuable information, Jia Cong smiled and followed the three to the theater. After watching several performances, he returned to his residence.

The Rong family celebrated the New Year in great style. At the beginning of the New Year, Jia Cong was invited by Baoyu and others to Daoxiang Village to join Li Wan and the Li sisters in the festivities.

The room was filled with a noisy commotion, making Jia Cong feel a little dizzy. His head and face were covered in the scents of perfume and lipstick, along with some sachets and the body fragrance of the women.

He felt slightly awkward. Baochai, Daiyu, and even Xing Xiuyan were all looking at him with affection and their eyes were watery. They were all glancing at each other and leaving him feeling neglected.

But Xiangyun, being playful, boldly pulled him aside and insisted that her third brother teach her riding and archery.

"Since my third brother is free anyway, why don't he teach me riding and archery? Let me try the thrill of drawing a bow and pulling the reins!"

Jia Cong remained calm and simply smiled in agreement.

"Since you've asked me to speak, I won't answer. The wind is strong and the bow is heavy. If you really want to learn, I'll take you to practice nearby when the weather clears up in a few days. First, learn how to hold the bow; there's no rush."

Upon hearing this, Xiangyun was overjoyed. She couldn't suppress her playful charm; she simply grabbed Jia Cong's sleeve and gently pulled away, her face beaming with happiness.

"Third brother is so considerate; just don't cheat!"

Baoyu teased from the side, "Sister Yun has always been honest and straightforward, but she insists on learning this tough skill. Be careful, she might not be able to draw the bow and make a fool of herself. I saw you fall flat on your face while chasing butterflies the other day."

Daiyu raised her delicate eyebrows slightly and gave a cold sneer.

"If you're going to learn, don't give up halfway, lest Third Brother wastes his time and effort only to end up with a reputation for fruitless labor." After saying that, he turned his head away and stopped looking at people.

Seeing this, Baochai quickly put her arm around Daiyu again.

"Sister Lin, please don't tease her. Sister Xiangyun is pure of heart; it was just a momentary whim. Brother Cong is kind-hearted, so it's only natural that he agreed. Since there's nothing to do during the year, it would be nice to let the sisters play together and add some elegance. It's better than sitting around bored." In three or four sentences, she first comforted Daiyu, then smoothed things over with Xiangyun, but finally couldn't help but glance at Jia Cong, a deep sense of melancholy flashing in her eyes.

Xing Xiuyan sat in the corner of the room, still wearing the new clothes that Jia Cong had sent her before the New Year, which made her look even fairer, but she did not utter a single word from beginning to end.

She lowered her eyes and twisted the hem of her clothes. When she had been gazing at Jia Cong, a hint of jealousy had appeared in the soft light in her eyes, but it was quickly concealed between her brows. She looked docile and lonely.

Exhausted, Jia Cong could only manage a forced laugh.

"A little play is nothing to worry about; it's just to keep things going and amuse my siblings."

Li Wan quickly responded with a smile.

"Brother is right. We should enjoy ourselves during the New Year. Just be careful."

Laughter and chatter resumed in the room, but the subtle emotions hidden beneath the rustling of hair and the fragrance of clothes were known only to each person in their own heart.

They finally dispersed just before dinner. Baoyu was summoned by Lady Wang to dine with her, while the others returned to their lodgings noisily. Only Yingchun, who lived close by, went with Jia Cong.

Along the way, Jia Cong chatted with Yingchun a couple of times, and his second sister's evasive answers to every three questions made him quite amused. He wondered if the blush on her face was from the wind or the cold.

Xing Xiuyan followed silently behind the two. They arrived at Zilingzhou first, and Yingchun went inside with her maid. Xing Xiuyan, however, timidly stepped forward and boldly curtsied.

"It's terribly cold outside. Third brother, why don't you have a cup of hot tea before you go back?"

Jia Cong's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly nodded with a smile.

"Then I will trouble you two elder sisters."

None of the maids and servants in Yingchun's room were afraid of Jia Cong. Everyone knew that this master had beaten Wang Zhu'er to a pulp before, and now he was a high-ranking official. If they mistreated him, their whole family might go to jail. So they immediately straightened up and served him with utmost care.

Just as the tea was brewed and served, a young maidservant stood at the door, her hands clasped in warm breath, and called softly.

"Miss Xing, someone is looking for you at the side gate... saying they are a relative of yours."

Xing Xiuyan trembled, a strong fear flashing in her eyes, yet she had no choice but to respond softly.

"Okay, I'll go right now." He said, getting up.

Upon hearing this, Jia Cong roughly understood the situation and quickly stood up to stop him.

"Where are you going, sister? Are your uncle and aunt here?"

Xing Xiuyan's eyes were filled with despair, and her tone became low.

"If it wasn't them, who else could it be?"

A hint of impatience flashed across Jia Cong's face, and his brows furrowed immediately.

"What are you doing here during the New Year? Didn't we just give them five taels of silver before the New Year?"

"Perhaps they've come to pay New Year's respects," Xing Xiuyan said with a wry smile, then called over Chu Lan and was about to put on her cloak again.

Jia Cong couldn't sit still any longer, so he simply stepped forward as well.

"Wait a minute, let me go with my sister to take a look."

"Third brother, you..."

"It's alright, they're all relatives anyway. I want to see what my uncle and aunt are doing here."

The jealousy she had felt moments before now shone even brighter, like a fire fueled by the wind. Xing Xiuyan curtsied gratefully.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Third Brother."