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

On that day, the Rong Mansion held a banquet with dozens of tables. Even Jia She and Madam Xing were beaming with joy. Jia Cong was, after all, their son, and the group of guests flattered him relentlessly, making Jia Cong almost believe that he had become the emperor instead of passing the military examination.

This was no less grand than a small banquet with relatives and friends. Jia Cong drank until he was dazed and unsteady, and was only helped back to Qingyan Hall with the help of Grandmother Jia.

In a daze, Jia Cong only smelled a faint fragrance and vaguely saw a figure in front of him. He thought it was Qin Keqing and thought he was going to pull her into his arms and be intimate with her.

This startled the newcomer quite a bit. Just as she was about to struggle, she realized that Jia Cong had practiced martial arts every day, and her strength at the third level of martial arts was something a mere woman could not break free from.

He mumbled something as he pulled the newcomer closer, still grinning foolishly as he leaned in.

"Be good, don't move around, let your husband take good care of you..."

"You... how could you be so frivolous and rude!" The man covered his face with his handkerchief in embarrassment, but his body went even weaker.

The moment his lips touched that soft cheek, Jia Cong couldn't control himself and wanted to touch her all over, making her feel both numb and tingly. She wanted to struggle but couldn't bear to give up this tender moment.

Ying'er and Jinping entered from outside, carrying a bowl of hangover soup. Upon seeing the scene, the two maids were so startled they nearly dropped the soup bowls. They quickly stepped forward, one on each side, to support Jia Cong's arm, urgently trying to persuade him.

"Third Master, wake up! It's Miss Bao! Not someone else!"

The tug and shout struck Jia Cong like a thunderclap, instantly sobering him up considerably. He hurriedly released his grip, enduring the headache as he released the other man. Cold sweat poured down his forehead, and he repeatedly apologized.

"Sister Bao, I...I behaved improperly after drinking, please forgive me!"

Baochai blushed deeply from his kiss, her ears and the back of her neck turning crimson. She clutched her handkerchief tightly, her eyes lowered, not daring to look up. She wasn't truly angry, only letting out a couple of soft breaths. After a long while, she composed herself, and when she finally looked up, her eyes were slightly shimmering, revealing a hint of barely concealed springtime.

"It's nothing, you just drank too much. I saw you had a few extra drinks at the banquet, so I specially made some hangover soup for you."

While Jia Cong was still calculating whether Baochai would get angry, the other party dared not linger any longer. She gave a slight curtsy, turned around, and led Ying'er out of Qingyan Hall, her pretty face still bearing the lingering shyness.

Jinping stayed by his side to serve him. Seeing Jia Cong sitting there blankly, she hurriedly urged him, "Third Master, please drink your soup. Miss Bao has been thinking about you all day and brought it over herself."

Jia Cong took the soup bowl and drank it all in one gulp. He smacked his lips, seemingly still savoring the warm, soft touch. He also recalled Baochai's expression, which was shy but not angry, and for a moment he was lost in thought.

In contrast, Baochai slipped and nearly fell as she left Qingyan Hall. Ying'er quickly reached out to steady her, and unable to suppress the smile in her eyes, she leaned close to Baochai's ear and whispered a teasing remark.

"My dear girl, it wasn't that the road was slippery! It's clearly because of what Third Master did that your legs went weak!"

Baochai blushed instantly, clutching her handkerchief and gently patting the back of her hand, scolding her softly with a mixture of embarrassment and anxiety.

"Watch your tongue! You're getting more and more unruly!"

There was not a trace of sternness in her tone, her cheeks were still burning from the kiss, and her heart was pounding like a deer. She could only quicken her pace, head down, towards Hengwu Garden, even the pearl hairpins at her temples were swaying in disarray.

As a girl, Baochai was too shy to complain to Jia She or Aunt Xue. She simply stopped going to Yihong Courtyard the next day and instead played with Jia Huan, Yingchun, and others. Jia Cong was too embarrassed to apologize and could only pray that they wouldn't tell anyone, otherwise he would have a hard time in front of Daiyu.

Having been granted an official position and a real salary, Jia Cong was to take up his post in half a month, serving as the commander of the Left Thousand-Household Office of the Capital Garrison. He would be in charge of criminal matters, discipline the troops, and manage military records. When manpower was insufficient, he would also serve as a centurion, leading soldiers to patrol the surrounding area, interrogate, capture thieves, and maintain order.

Baoyu, quite envious, took Jia Cong's hand and smiled.

"Good brother, now you're an official, you can go out and play every day, you'll be very free."

Tan Chun and the others chuckled to themselves.

"Brother Bao is talking nonsense again! A proper official position isn't for playing around outside the government office. I've heard that the garrison commander is in charge of criminal justice and military discipline, and is in charge of patrolling and catching thieves—all important duties. How can there be any freedom at all?"

Daiyu glanced out the window, feigning reluctance, and after a long while, casually uttered a remark.

"What kind of carefree official is he? He's just adding another layer of constraint to the mortal world."

She glanced back at Jia Cong and said, "Others are eager to curry favor, but Third Brother is willing to fall into this trap. From now on, with his busy schedule of paperwork and social engagements, he probably won't even have time to read a few lines of a book or appreciate the flowers in peace."

Tan Chun smiled and interrupted, "Sister Lin is saying such detached things again."

Daiyu said nothing more, only letting out a soft snort. There was no envy in her eyes, but rather a hint of disdain for the corrupt official.

Jia Cong thought to himself, if he didn't try to find a way to leave, would he really be exiled to the army along with the Jia family after their property was confiscated? But on his face, he remained calm and smiled.

"What Miss Lin says is true. It's not worth it to take that kind of official position anyway. It's just that it's a favor from the Holy Dynasty, so I can only do my best to fulfill the duties."

Daiyu didn't care much about whether or not she became an official, and neither did Baoyu. They were just envious of Jia Cong, who could leave the mansion without any worries from then on, and could even claim to be on night duty if he didn't return home at night, which gave him more freedom than others.

Moreover, once you become an official, you receive a salary. According to the laws of the court, Jia Cong's official salary for a year is equivalent to 24 shi of rice and 42 taels of silver, plus 90 guan of cash. Although it is not much, it is still a source of income.

A day later, Jia Cong personally brought gifts to the Feng residence and expressed his gratitude to Feng Tang. Feng Tang was now the Deputy Commander of the Rear Army Commandery, whose official rank was more than two levels higher than that of Commander Qiu.

No wonder Jia Cong was granted the official position of the Rear Army Commander-in-Chief; unexpectedly, his superior was none other than Feng Tang himself. He immediately became even more cautious and obsequious, which earned Feng Tang's considerable appreciation.

"My good-for-nothing son says that my nephew is exceptionally brave and skilled in archery and horsemanship, and that he is one of the younger generation who is willing to put in the hard work to practice martial arts?"

Feng Tang stroked his short beard as a servant presented him with a gift box. The Han jade Zhaowen belt was warm and lustrous, the landscape scroll was elegant and refined, the Western-style zither was exquisite and novel, and the Tianhuang stone seal was skillfully crafted. All of these were appropriate and tasteful gifts.

His smile deepened. "We are old friends, why be so formal?"

Jia Cong became increasingly humble.

"Old Master, you flatter me. I only know a little about martial arts and archery. How dare I claim to be brave? It is all thanks to your care in the central government that I have been able to obtain this position. These small gifts are just to express my respect. I have long heard that you, sir, have strict discipline in commanding the garrisons in the capital. I hope you will give me some pointers in the future so as not to neglect your duties."

Feng Tang laughed loudly, slapped the table, and praised, "What a humble and reasonable fellow! My nephew, with such skill and such a sense of propriety, you should just focus on your duties at the garrison. This is exactly the kind of demeanor a son of the Duke of Rong should have!"

Jia Cong hurriedly bowed again to express his gratitude, his words respectful yet measured. Feng Tang saw that he was well-mannered and had no spoiled brat habits, which made him even more appreciative. He immediately left him some tea and snacks, and gave him a few more detailed instructions on how to work in the garrison before letting him leave.