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

Jia Cong, who was standing to the side, raised his eyes slightly and saw that this elder sister, whom he was not very familiar with, was covered in jewels, but could not hide the weariness and loneliness in her eyes. He sighed quietly a few times.

After Yuan-chun had cried in Bao-yu's arms for a while, she remembered that Jia Cong was still there. She quickly wiped away her tears with her handkerchief and forced herself to cheer up.

"My younger brother Cong is making great progress. He has a dignified posture and acts with composure. He is much more thoughtful than before."

After saying that, he added, "From now on, you and Baoyu need to help each other with all matters in the manor, since you are all family."

Jia Cong bowed deeply and said, "I will follow Your Majesty's instructions and do my best to help Brother Bao, so as not to disappoint Your Majesty and the family."

Consort Yuan nodded, her gaze lingering on him for a moment. Seeing that he was dressed in loose-fitting auspicious robes, yet his posture was upright and his demeanor graceful, a hint of approval flashed in her eyes. "You are all promising young men. Now you are cultivating both literary and martial skills. Do not fail the legacy of your ancestors."

When Consort Yuan returned to visit her family, she couldn't possibly focus all her attention on Jia Cong. She only asked a few questions about what books he was reading and what martial arts he was practicing, before calling Bao-Dai and the other sisters upstairs together.

"I am not particularly quick-witted, nor am I skilled in poetry, as my sisters know well. Tonight, I will merely offer this as a token of my obligation, so as not to waste this beautiful scene. In the future, when I have more free time, I will certainly compose 'A Record of the Grand View Garden' and 'Ode to the Visit to My Family' to commemorate today's events. My sisters, each of you should also inscribe a plaque and a poem, according to your own abilities, and compose them hastily, so as not to be bound by my meager talents. I am delighted that Baoyu actually knows how to compose poems, which was an unexpected surprise. Among these places, 'Xiaoxiang Pavilion' and 'Hengwu Garden' are my favorites, followed by 'Yihong Courtyard' and 'Huange Villa.' These four places must have separate poems inscribed on them to be truly wonderful. Although the couplets you inscribed before are excellent, now each of you should compose a five-character regulated verse so that I may test them in person, and thus not have failed the painstaking efforts I have made in teaching you since childhood." (Original text)

The plot, which should have ended there, was interrupted by Jia Cong's intrusion, causing Consort Yuan to pause before adding a sentence.

"Since you are so talented, you should write it down as well. Together with Baoyu, each of you should compose a five-character regulated verse for these four places. This will not only do justice to the scenery of this garden today, but also let me see the progress of the younger generation of our clan."

Upon hearing this, Jia Cong's face darkened. He thought to himself, "How can being a plagiarist be so easy? Even Baoyu has Daiyu to write down 'A patch of spring chives is green, and ten miles of rice flowers are fragrant' for him. Where am I supposed to find so many famous works to copy?"

But he dared not utter a word of complaint; he could only grit his teeth and bow.

"Yes, though I am dull-witted, I will do my utmost to complete this piece."

As he straightened up, his eyes met Baoyu's. Baoyu grinned at him and gestured for him to hurry up, showing no sign of holding back.

Jia Cong felt a little relieved and could only nod in acknowledgment. He followed Bao Yu and the palace servants to the side hall, thinking to himself that he could only grit his teeth and grit his teeth to get through this ordeal.

Leaving aside Daiyu's situation, Jia Cong followed Baoyu into the side hall, staring blankly at the white Xuan paper, his mind a complete mess, unable to recall any famous poems or essays.

Baoyu was slightly better than him, constantly scribbling and revising on the paper, not bothering to offer any guidance, until Baoyu, Daiyu, and the others rushed into the side hall and began to discuss Jia Baoyu's poems and essays in a lively and chattering manner.

Lin Daiyu, however, was unhappy that her ambitions had not been fulfilled. Seeing that Baoyu was composing four poems on his own, racking his brains, she thought, why not compose two for him, thus saving him some trouble? Thinking this, she went to Baoyu's desk and quietly asked, "Have you finished them all?" Baoyu replied, "I have three, only 'Apricot Curtain in Sight' is missing." Daiyu said, "In that case, just copy the first three. After you finish those three, I'll compose this one for you." After saying this, she lowered her head and thought for a moment, and had already composed a poem. She wrote it on a piece of paper, rolled it into a ball, and threw it in front of him.

This is the "Apricot Curtain in Sight" scene. At this point, Jia Cong was already in despair, and only then did he manage to recall a few lines of famous poems and piece together a poem.

Rice paddies stretch out in disarray, woodcutters roam freely east and west. Wild waters reflect the azure sky, clear clouds follow the setting sun. Cattle and sheep return to the ancient lanes, lamplight flickers from the sparse fences. Gazing beyond the cold mountains, the traveler has yet to return.

When Baochai saw Jia Cong pick up his brush and begin writing, her eyes lit up.

"Brother Cong's poem is quite unique. He is truly a man of both literary and martial talents, unlike us who are just bookworms."

Jia Cong gave a bitter smile and listlessly put down his brush.

"Sister Bao, please don't tease me. Her Majesty ordered me to compose four poems, and I've only received one so far. I don't know how I'm going to explain it to her..."

Baochai covered her mouth and laughed.

"Brother Cong is known for his great talent. How could four five-character quatrains possibly stump you? You're probably just trying to outdo Brother Bao and win first place in front of the Empress."

Jia Cong was in a difficult situation. He watched as Baoyu wrote with great speed and effort, and the eunuch would soon come in to urge him on.

Unexpectedly, Daiyu quietly approached at this moment. While Baochai and the others were looking at Baoyu's poems, she subtly raised her eyebrows as if to scold him.

"You're so slow, you've only managed to put together one poem in half a day."

Jia Cong lost interest in joking with the beauty, and sighed while rubbing his forehead.

"If Miss Lin only came to see the joke, then her wish has been fulfilled today."

"Who has the patience to watch you scratching your head like a monkey? I'm just repaying the favor of the lip rouge I gave you before. Just copy the words on this paper and don't say that I gave it to you, so you won't be seen as a busybody." After saying that, Lin Daiyu quietly threw down a crumpled piece of paper.

Jia Cong was slightly taken aback, and then looked up to see that Daiyu's lips were more moist and luscious than usual, obviously because she had used the lipstick he had sent her before. This Lin sister was always like this, always pretending to be unwilling when helping others.

There was no time to express his gratitude, so he hurriedly grabbed the crumpled paper, unfolded it, and saw that it contained three five-character quatrains. He quickly spread out his brush and ink and began to copy them.

A sparse shadow falls quietly across the window, a clear spring flows around the house. Tall bamboos are lush and green, fine grass ripples with the softness of spring. The wind whispers through the treetops, smoke floats serenely by the stone's edge. The Xiaoxiang region is full of refined charm, I idly lean against the small pavilion in autumn.

Wild paths are adorned with fragrant thickets, and courtyards are shaded by dense creeping vines. Morning dew clings to the fragrant herbs, and ivy sways gently in the spring breeze. The fragrance travels far without being overly ornate, its purity and depth revealing a serene tranquility. Emerald hues gather on the idle steps, and a gentle breeze carries their fragrance throughout the courtyard.

The morning sun shines brightly on the vermilion doors, and the blooming flowers reflect their crimson hue on the pavilion. Sparse branches are bathed in warm green, and fragrant buds sway in the spring breeze. The path winds around, soft with fragrant dust, and the window reflects the rich, vibrant shadows. Spring is in full bloom in the quiet courtyard, and the fragrance of flowers fills the curtains.

Jia Cong wrote with lightning speed and quickly finished copying. Meanwhile, Lin Daiyu had already quietly retreated behind Baochai and the others, casually wiping nonexistent dust off her fingernails with a handkerchief.

Baoyu had finished copying the text. He took a handkerchief to wipe the ink stains from his fingers, then stood up and pulled Jia Cong over.

"Let's hurry up and go, lest we keep Her Majesty waiting."

After the Imperial Concubine Yuan finished reading, she was overjoyed, exclaiming, "She has indeed improved!"

It is also noted that the poem "Apricot Curtain" is the best among all the poems and essays, which shows that at this time Daiyu still leans more towards Baoyu.

Jia Cong breathed a sigh of relief, finally managing to get away with it. A short while later, the eunuch brought over delicacies such as jade cakes and golden slices, which were considered as a reward from the Imperial Concubine.