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

Jia Zheng pointed to the scenery before him, stroked his beard, and smiled, "What does Cong-ge'er think of this place?"

Jia Cong looked around and felt a gentle breeze on his face, the fragrance of lotus blossoms mingling with the rhythm of bamboo, which soothed his soul and dispelled much of the summer heat. The faint chirping of cicadas in the distance made the courtyard even more tranquil, and he couldn't help but exclaim in praise:

"In reply to Second Uncle, this place is excellent! As the ancient poem says, 'A thatched gate overlooks the water, and the fragrance of rice blossoms fills the air.' If the moon is bright and the stars are few, and the evening breeze carries the scent of lotus blossoms, it would be a wonderful place to study."

He knew that Jia Zheng valued fame and official rank highly, so he said that to curry favor with him.

Jia Zheng's eyes lit up, and he looked Jia Cong up and down with some surprise before nodding and smiling.

"Cong-ge'er has indeed made progress. Tell me, is there anything else worthwhile about this place?"

Jia Cong wore a bitter expression, thinking to himself, "I can't write any kind of classical essay, nor can I write any masterpieces. Why are they holding me back now?" But he didn't dare stop talking.

"Hmm, from this perspective, it resembles a scene of a bright moon startling a magpie on a branch, or a gentle breeze stirring cicadas in the middle of the night. If we call it indoors, it's like the fragrance of rice blossoms celebrating a bountiful harvest, with a chorus of frogs—truly a wonderful place!"

Jia Zheng seemed unable to believe his ears. How could anyone believe that such fine poetry and prose came from the mouth of a thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy?

"Did Mr. Cheng teach Cong-ge these lines of poetry?"

Jia Cong felt a pang of panic. He couldn't determine which poems and prose had appeared in this world, but judging from Jia Zheng's expression, it seemed that Xin Qiji's masterpieces hadn't been published.

"It wasn't taught by Mr. Cheng. I just found the scenery pleasant and felt inspired to say it." Jia Cong was unwilling to give up this opportunity to show off and stubbornly held on to his pride.

But Jia Zheng was even more shocked after hearing these words.

"Don't talk nonsense! Such fine poetry is not something a mere child like you could compose!"

When questioned by Jia Zheng, Jia Cong's temper flared up; he was no longer the timid, submissive boy he once was.

"If Second Uncle doesn't believe it, so be it; he was just joking anyway."

But Jia Zheng wasn't about to let it go. He grabbed his sleeve, frowned, and

"How dare you speak nonsense at such a young age! According to Mr. Cheng, your usual writing is not even as good as Huan'er's. How could you possibly compose poems and essays? Tell me quickly, who ghostwrote them for you!"

Jia Cong struggled free from Jia Zheng's grasp; even programmers have their tempers.

"A true man acts with integrity and uprightness; when has he ever needed someone else to do his bidding? Whether you believe me or not, it's just a joke anyway. I'll take my leave now." With that, he turned and left.

Before they had taken two steps, they heard Jia Zheng shout angrily from behind.

"Insolence! How can there be such an unruly youth in the clan? Even if you are my elder brother's son, you should know your place and have a sense of shame. Come here, seize this boy and come with me to see my elder brother!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Jia Cong felt a sudden tightening on his shoulders. Two servants beside Jia Zheng grabbed him from either side and were about to drag him out of the garden.

When Jia Cong was grabbed by the two servants, his temper flared up immediately. He had been training for quite some time, and although he wasn't particularly strong, he could easily break free from the two servants.

Immediately, Jia Cong forcefully flung himself away, met Jia Zheng's angry gaze, bowed respectfully, and said...

"If you don't trust me, Uncle, I will go with you. These servants are so clumsy, they'll get my clothes dirty and I'll get a scolding from Madam."

Seeing that he was neither humble nor arrogant, Jia Zheng, who was about to fly into a rage, calmed down. Looking at Jia Cong's handsome appearance, he was less delicate than Bao Yu, but more heroic.

"Well, so be it. Cong-ge is my elder brother's son, and it's not appropriate for me, as his uncle, to discipline him. But you're so young and you're already spouting nonsense. If this continues, you might end up committing crimes in the future. Come on, let's go see your elder brother!"

After Jia Zheng finished speaking, he waved his sleeves and walked ahead. Jia Cong dared not be presumptuous anymore and obediently followed behind him.

His mind raced as he tried to explain the origins of the poems to Jia She, when Jia Zheng suddenly stopped in front of him, nearly causing him to bump into him.

"Second Master, the Old Madam wants to speak with you and asks you to come over quickly." The speaker was Yuanyang, a maidservant of Grandmother Jia.

Jia Zheng valued filial piety and dared not keep his grandmother waiting for long. He frowned slightly and nodded to Yuanyang.

"Yes, I'll be right there." Having said that, he glanced at Jia Cong behind him, then raised his hand and added,

"Cong-ge, come with me to see the old lady first, and we can go to your brother's place later." This was to prevent him from running away.

Grandmother Jia was the highest-ranking elder in the Rongguo Mansion. She lived a life of luxury and was respected by others. She seemed to be indifferent to affairs, but she was actually very perceptive.

Jia Cong had a rather favorable impression of the old lady, and since he had no way to escape at the moment, he could only offer a slight bow.

"Yes, I'd also like to pay my respects to our ancestor."

The two arrived at Grandmother Jia's residence, a courtyard with five sections. Upon reaching Grandmother Jia's room, Yuanyang went in first to announce their arrival.

"Grandfather, the Second Master has arrived."

Jia Zheng also quickly called out into the house.

"Grandma, your son is outside."

Grandmother Jia's voice sounded very pleasant.

"Come in quickly, it's hot outside, don't catch a heatstroke."

Jia Cong followed Jia Zheng cautiously into Jia Mu's quarters, quickly bowing to her on the couch.

"Grandson greets the Ancestor."

Grandmother Jia found it strange. Logically speaking, Jia Cong was Jia She's son, and she rarely saw this grandson. Why was he appearing with Jia Zheng today?

"Good, good, good. What brings you here today, Cong'er?" Grandmother Jia didn't dislike Jia Cong, but her attitude towards him was far less than that towards Baoyu.

Upon hearing Grandmother Jia's inquiry, Jia Zheng hurriedly stepped forward, respectfully cupped his hands, and said...

"Just now, my son went to inspect the villa for the family visit and happened to run into Cong-ge'er. As his uncle, I shouldn't discipline him on behalf of my elder brother, but this boy is full of lies at such a young age, so I was just about to take him to my elder brother!"

Before Jia Cong could explain, Grandmother Jia, with Yuanyang's help, slowly sat up. True to her status as the lady of the Duke's mansion, every gesture exuded nobility and elegance, yet her words carried a hint of resentment.

"Nonsense... Cong'er is not even of age yet, children shouldn't be so careful with their words, you, as his uncle, are being a bit too nosy..."

Although Jia Zheng was pedantic, he was always filial. Upon hearing what Grandmother Jia said, he hurriedly bent down.

"Grandma, it's not that I'm being harsh, but rather that his behavior is despicable. I'm afraid he'll go astray in the future, which is why I decided to inform my elder brother first..."

"Oh? Then tell me, how did Cong'er make that mistake?"

Jia Zheng quickly straightened his clothes and stood up. He then vividly recounted the scene of his encounter with Jia Cong in the Grand View Garden, emphasizing each detail.

"If Cong-ge'er has learned some real knowledge from Mr. Cheng, I will naturally be happy for my brother. But scholarship cannot tolerate any falsehood. Relying on others to write for you is ultimately not the right way. Grandma, don't you agree?"