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

Jia Cong was eager to talk less to this man, so he quickly took two steps back and let Baoyu go first, watching him stagger towards Grandmother Jia's residence. At this time, Lin Daiyu had not yet moved to the Grand View Garden.

"Tsk, I wonder what this Lin Daiyu looks like. Is she as beautiful as she is in the book?" He clicked his tongue. He had been in the Rongguo Mansion for three months and hadn't seen her or even heard her say a word.

Lin Daiyu entered the Jia family at the age of six. Before and after Lin Ruhai's death, she lived with Grandmother Jia and rarely went out, so it was extremely difficult to see her.

As Jia Cong muttered to himself, he walked on, and soon arrived at Jia Lian's residence. The maidservant in the outer room, seeing him, hurriedly went inside to announce his arrival.

"Grandma, it's Third Master Cong."

Wang Xifeng hurriedly lifted the curtain and came out, beaming as she took his arm.

"Brother Cong, you've come at just the right time. My steamed duck with fermented rice wine has just arrived. Please sit down. Ping'er, go and serve Brother Cong a bowl to try."

Jia Cong sniffed; the room was filled with the aroma of fermented duck. He rarely got to eat such a luxurious dish. He swallowed hard, but then waved his hand and said...

"No rush, sister-in-law, take a look at this." With that, she took out a brocade box from her bosom, carefully opened it, and handed it over.

"Good brother, you're being too polite. We're family, why bother with these formalities?" Wang Xifeng said, but her hands didn't stop. She took the brocade box and her eyes never left the jade phoenix inside.

"This jade phoenix was originally for women, so it's a waste for me to have it. Looking around this mansion, apart from the old lady, only someone like my sister-in-law is worthy of it."

Wang Xifeng laughed so hard she was shaking, and quickly pulled him to sit down.

"Look at what you're saying, it's not like I'm the only one who's suitable. Be careful your father doesn't hear you and tear your mouth apart. Hurry up and try it, it won't taste good when it gets cold."

Jia Cong chuckled twice, took the chopsticks Ping'er handed him, and absentmindedly shoveled a couple of mouthfuls of soup into his bowl. To be honest, once summer arrives, he loses his appetite for everything. The fermented duck is rich but not greasy, and has the fragrance of lotus leaves, making it a delicious and refreshing dish to beat the summer heat.

Wang Xifeng carefully examined the jade phoenix in her hand, liking it more and more the more she looked at it. Neither she nor Jia Cong knew that the origin of this jade phoenix was quite interesting.

This jade phoenix was originally obtained by Jia She before he inherited the title. It was a gift from the late emperor and was used by a noble concubine hundreds of years ago. Whenever the summer heat became unbearable, she would hold this in her mouth to quench her thirst. It was truly a treasure of the time.

After admiring the treasure for a while, Wang Xifeng smiled and handed the jade phoenix to Ping'er, who was standing to the side. She then sat down and looked at Jia Cong, who was gnawing on a duck leg, and said...

"Does it suit Brother Cong's taste?"

He quickly spat out the bone from his mouth and nodded vaguely.

"It was really delicious, thank you for your hospitality, sister-in-law."

Wang Xifeng waved her hand, then continued...

"I heard from Brother Cong that you wanted to learn martial arts? When did you decide to come here?"

Seeing that they had gotten to the point, Jia Cong quickly grabbed a handkerchief from the table to wipe his mouth, then looked at Wang Xifeng with a serious expression.

"My sister-in-law knows I'm not smart enough to read and write, so it's better for me to find another way out than to be scolded by that teacher all day long."

Wang Xifeng nodded repeatedly, looking as if she understood the sentiment.

"That's true. As the saying goes, everyone has their own ambitions. However, this matter still needs to be discussed with Second Master Lian. I can't make the decision myself. Martial arts training is quite expensive, and the manor will probably have to pay an extra expense. But Brother Cong, rest assured, I will speak up for you in front of Second Master."

"In that case, I'll thank you in advance, sister-in-law. Someone of your stature deserves some respect, even from the old lady, right?" Jia Cong flattered Wang Xifeng relentlessly, making her laugh heartily. After chatting and joking around for a while, he ate a bowl of green rice before taking his leave.

After leaving Jia Lian's house, he clenched his fist as if to encourage himself, then turned around and went to the Grand View Garden under construction, looking around curiously.

The renovation of the Grand View Garden, also known as the Imperial Villa, is in full swing at Rongguo Mansion. It is now in the final stages of construction, with craftsmen carrying large and small plants and flowers to plant them one by one.

Just as Jia Cong was gazing absently at the rows of houses, trying to find which one was Lin Daiyu's Xiaoxiang Pavilion, he heard Li Rong's somewhat flustered voice behind him.

"Greetings, Second Master."

He quickly turned around and saw Jia Zheng, with a stern old face, walking towards him. He quickly bowed as well.

"Greetings, Second Uncle."

Jia Zheng was somewhat surprised to see him, as Jia Cong would never normally come to such a place. However, since the other was his elder brother's son, it was inappropriate for him, as the uncle, to discipline him. He simply waved his hand and said...

"What brings you here today, Cong-ge'er, to this villa for your family visit? Perhaps you've finished reviewing your studies?"

"Second Uncle, please forgive my rudeness. I just had dinner at Brother Lian's place. This villa is so beautifully arranged and the scenery is breathtaking. It's just like a fairyland. I was dazzled by the view. Please forgive me."

Jia Zheng stroked his beard with satisfaction. Jia Cong's words had struck a chord with him. The Grand View Garden was his masterpiece, which he had put a lot of effort into. His daughter being made a concubine was a great honor for the family. The Jia family was now flourishing like flowers in full bloom, and their glory was truly remarkable.

"Very well, Cong-ge'er is still young, but he can understand this house. Come, come, let's take a walk together." Jia Zheng was in a good mood and rarely invited people.

Jia Cong wore a bitter expression, thinking to himself that this old man was probably the most difficult person to serve in the entire Rongguo Mansion, but he dared not show the slightest disobedience on his face, and could only nod with a forced smile, then follow behind him.

"If Second Uncle doesn't find me annoying, I will naturally obey."

Jia Zheng beckoned Jia Cong over, and the two entered through the gate of the Grand View Garden. After turning through a moon gate covered with green vines, they saw a small courtyard built by the water, nestled among flowers and trees.

The path beneath my feet was paved with bluestone slabs, slippery with morning dew. The hibiscus on both sides were in full bloom, their pink and purple petals glistening with water droplets, which would flutter down onto my shoulders in the breeze. The courtyard was surrounded by a waist-high fence made of freshly cut green bamboo, which still carried the fresh scent of bamboo. Outside the fence, several rows of new lotus flowers were planted, their round lotus leaves crowded together, holding a few glistening dewdrops.

Occasionally, a red carp would flick its tail, causing the lotus leaves to sway gently, and dewdrops would roll into the water, creating a circle of tiny ripples. The artificial hill opposite was not high, but it was exquisitely stacked, with some saxifrage growing among the craggy rocks, a lush green expanse.

A thin stream cascaded down from a crevice in the rocks at the mountaintop, landing in a blue stone mortar at the foot of the mountain, making a tinkling sound that was even more melodious than the string and wind instruments in the opera.

A stone table sits beside the mortar, with four drum-shaped stone stools. The stool surfaces are polished smooth, indicating that people often come to sit here.