Dream of the Red Chamber: Starting with a Chronicle of Tragic Love

The days passed by.

At first, Jiao Si was always on edge.

He was extra vigilant whenever there was any noise at the gate of Fengping Courtyard, fearing that the man in black from that night would return.

But as time went by, the man in black never appeared again, and the tense nerves gradually relaxed.

He will refocus his main energy on the upcoming college entrance examination.

Every day, he went back and forth between the academy and Fengping Academy, immersing himself in classical texts and policy discussions.

Of course, it's not entirely unchanged compared to before.

Firstly, Wang Xifeng's "harassment" has become the norm.

She always seems to find an excuse to come to their door.

Sometimes it was "just passing by," sometimes it was "asking about the academy on behalf of the family," and sometimes it was simply sitting idly.

Once she arrived, she was sure to unleash her signature sarcastic remarks.

"Oh, is Young Master Jiao studying hard again?" Wang Xifeng leaned against the doorframe, her phoenix eyes glancing sideways. "Aren't you afraid of turning yourself into a fool?"

"By the way, did Master Liu's letter arrive again today?"

She always seemed to "just happen" to see Die'er delivering letters.

"That girl, Die'er, is always running around. I wonder what Lady Liu wrote in her letter... The 'sweeping the bed to await you' in 'sweeping the bed' must have been so thorough, it's probably sparked!"

"Ping'er," she said, turning to Ping'er who was tidying up the house.

"You're quite the domestic goddess. Aren't you bored serving such an unromantic bookworm all day? Or perhaps, you two have already...?"

As she spoke, Wang Xifeng covered her mouth and chuckled a few times, as if something had already happened between Jiao Si and Ping'er.

Jiao Si was already used to this.

They usually respond with silence or a simple, direct response.

"Um."

"I didn't see it."

"She is willing."

Ping'er would blush with embarrassment every time she heard this, but she couldn't lash out, so she could only gently persuade her from the side.

"Second Madam, Brother Jiao needs to prepare for the imperial examination, you...you should say less."

Secondly, Liu Rushi's letters did indeed arrive frequently.

Die'er would visit Fengping Courtyard almost every few days.

The letters that were sent were either long or short.

The longing remains undiminished between the lines.

The words in the letters became increasingly explicit, but they always revolved around the phrase "awaiting you with open arms".

After reading it, Jiao Si couldn't help but feel a little itchy, but he also knew that now was not the time to indulge in a life of pleasure.

Most of the time, they would simply send a verbal message back to Die'er.

But it's Ping'er.

Whenever butterflies come, he always looks a little awkward.

She started pestering Jiao Si to accompany her back to Yunlou more often.

Thirdly, Xin Like added extra "courses" for him.

Besides writing essays in the traditional eight-legged essay style, every afternoon Xin Like would take Jiao Si to the open space behind the academy for martial arts training.

In Xin Li Ke's words:

The way of both civil and military affairs is to alternate between tension and relaxation.

Burying yourself in books all day is not a wise move. Practicing some martial arts and stretching your muscles will be more beneficial for your studies.

Besides, it's always good to have more options in this world.

Even if the path of the imperial examination is blocked, joining the army to serve the country with one's own abilities is still a viable option.

The person he was sparring with was none other than the girl named Qin.

The girl with the zither had long since recovered from her arrow wound, and her face was still covered by a white veil.

During each sparring session, she was swift in her attacks and her moves were exquisite.

Anxiety always leaves him flustered and overwhelmed.

But she was very careful in her actions, stopping short of causing serious injury.

It's more about providing guidance and correcting oversights caused by anxiety.

Her tone remained gentle yet teasing.

"Brother Bamboo Shoots, your lower body is weak."

The girl's voice came through the veil, tinged with laughter.

"Perhaps she read Lady Liu's letter again last night, and her thoughts drifted to the Cloud Pavilion on the Huai River?"

"This move, 'Southern Woodcutter's Probe,' requires speed and force."

She gently deflected Jiao Si's soft, weak punch.

"Why are you using it so awkwardly? Are you perhaps thinking of Lady Liu's soft, supple waist?"

At such times, Jiao Si could only smile sheepishly and intensify his practice.

He knew that Miss Qin meant well.

This relationship, which was both teacher and friend and mixed with complex emotions, added a unique touch to his tense days of exam preparation.

The days slipped by in a cycle of reading, practicing martial arts, dealing with Wang Xifeng, replying to Liu Rushi, and sparring with Qin Gu Niang.

Before we knew it, the time for the provincial examination had arrived.

It was still dark when we arrived.

The area outside the Nanjing Examination Hall was already teeming with people.

Students from all over gathered here, waiting for the fateful leap over the Dragon Gate.

Accompanied by Xin Like, Jiao Si and a group of students from Chongzheng Academy arrived early at the examination hall to wait.

Xin Like patted him on the shoulder.

I didn't say much.

He simply said in a deep voice, "Calm down and just do what you've learned."

Jiao Si nodded.

Take a deep breath.

Just as I was about to join the flow of people to check in, I suddenly heard a commotion next to me.

A rather impressive sedan chair came to a stop.

Two people stepped out of the sedan chair one after the other.

The man in front of them was dressed in official robes, with a thin face and a complex expression.

It was Qian Chou, whom I hadn't seen in a long time.

Following behind was Hong Chou, a student of Chongzheng Academy, dressed in a scholar's robe and with a respectful expression.

As soon as Qian Chou stepped out of the sedan chair, his eyes searched around.

The focus quickly shifted to Jiao Si.

A smile immediately spread across his face.

He quickly stepped forward.

He was the first to bow to Jiao Si.

His tone was extremely humble:

"Jiao Yishi! It's been many days since I last saw him; his demeanor is even more impressive than before!"

"With Jiao Yishi's talent, he will surely pass the imperial examination today!"

Hong Chou, who was behind him, also hurriedly stepped forward.

He bowed deeply.

The voice was loud but deliberately affected:

"Junior Brother Jiao! No, Senior Brother Jiao!"

"I, Hong, was blind in the past and failed to recognize that my senior brother was a person who carried the token of the founding emperor and was destined by heaven. I am truly ashamed!"

"Today I see my senior brother on his way to the exam. I wish him great success in his studies and that he will achieve the highest honor!"

"If he achieves success in the imperial examinations one day, it will surely be a blessing for our Great Yi Dynasty and a great fortune for Your Majesty!"

These words repeatedly mentioned "His Majesty" and "the blessings of the Great Yi".

The hat was put on high and in a hurry.

Not only Jiao Si was stunned.

Even the students around them turned to look and started talking amongst themselves.

Jiao Si frowned slightly.

He felt very strange.

Qian Chou, imprisoned in the Eastern Depot's jail, wished he could devour its flesh raw.

Hong Chou initially refused to vouch for him because of Wang Xifeng's coercion.

The fact that these two have now completely changed their attitudes is truly bizarre.

He pondered for a moment.

It was only after the "Yellow Dragon Mandate Talisman" was confirmed that his "special status" changed the attitude of these sycophants.

He didn't want to linger with the two of them any longer; he just wanted to get into the exam room as soon as possible, so he gave a brief reply:

"Lord Qian, Senior Brother Hong, you flatter me."

"Jiao is just an ordinary examinee today, no different from other students."

"Whether one can pass the imperial examination depends entirely on one's literary skills and knowledge, and has nothing to do with anything else."

"If you two have nothing else to say, I, Jiao, will take my place."

Qian Chou quickly stepped aside to make way.

The smile on his face remained unchanged:

"Please, Mr. Jiao!"

"In the past, because of his nephew... alas, the pain of losing a loved one, in a moment of anger, Qian committed many offenses within the Eastern Depot, which was truly absurd!"

"I hope that Mr. Jiao will be magnanimous and not hold it against you."

"From this day forward, I, Qian, will surely turn over a new leaf."

Hong Chou chimed in from the side:

"Exactly, exactly!"

"Junior brother... Senior brother is magnanimous and will certainly not hold such a trivial matter against me. As for my withdrawal from the guarantee last time, it was truly due to coercion and I had no choice but to do so. Senior brother, please don't blame me!"

Jiao Si said no more.

He nodded to Xin Like, then turned and followed the crowd through the checkpoint.

They entered the heavily guarded gates of the examination hall.

As Jiao Si's figure disappeared through the door, the fawning smile on Qian Chou's face vanished instantly.

Instead, there was a somber atmosphere and a deep-seated resentment.

He waved.

He gestured to the sedan chair bearers to move the sedan chair to a secluded corner in the distance.

Hong Chou followed Qian Chou respectfully.

They waited until they reached a secluded spot.

Hong Chou bowed deeply to Qian Chou with utmost respect.

He called out in a low voice:

"Father."