The Red Chamber begins with a bastard

Chapter 457: Ode to the White Begonia (Part )

Jia Huan smiled helplessly and said, "Yesterday, the ancestor gave me this golden pheasant fur coat, and Ping'er insisted that I wear it when I go out. But this golden pheasant fur coat is too gorgeous and doesn't match my original clothes. Ping'er spent a long time to put on this outfit, and she is so uncomfortable, like a magpie, and it has wasted time."

As soon as these words came out, all the girls burst out laughing. Lin Daiyu covered her mouth and laughed, "I think Huandi looks more like a macaw."

Everyone had seen the macaw that Lin Daiyu kept. It was red, yellow, and green, with brilliant feathers. It was indeed somewhat similar to Jia Huan's. For a moment, everyone laughed so hard that they fell down. Xue Baoqin fell into Baochai's arms and rubbed her belly, saying, "Oh, sister, please save me!"

"Pin'er's little mouth really deserves to be torn!" Xue Baochai smiled and twisted Lin Daiyu's little mouth, while smiling: "Brother Huan, don't listen to their jokes, this outfit is really smart."

Jia Huan smiled and said, "Sister Bao did say something fair."

At this time, Li Wan came in from outside and said with a smile: "I am late. What are you talking about? Why are you laughing so happily?"

When Li Wan saw Jia Huan dressed up, she could not help but be distracted, thinking: "What a handsome young man, he is not inferior to Baoyu, and his temperament is even better. In this way, he surpasses Baoyu. It is said that literary temperament nourishes people, and it is really true."

Jia Baoyu was very uncomfortable at the moment, and hurriedly changed the subject: "Since the eldest sister-in-law is here and everyone is here, let's discuss the matter of opening a poetry club."

Li Wan smiled and said, "I had this idea the other spring, but then I thought about it and forgot about it because I can't write poetry. Now that everyone is so happy, I will offer myself to be the host and cheer for you."

Li Wan's courtesy name is Gongcai. Her father, Li Shouzhong, was the chief academic officer of the Imperial College, which is equivalent to the president of a national university today. Therefore, the Li family can be considered a family of scholars. However, Li Shouzhong also believed that a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent. Therefore, although Li Wan can read and write, her talent is average. Of course, when she said she couldn't compose poetry, she was being modest. She could certainly compose it, but her level was limited.

At this time, Jia Huan also smiled and said, "I can't write poetry either, so I'll volunteer to supervise the show. Just enjoy yourself."

Xue Baoqin stuck out her tongue and said, "If Brother Huan can't write poetry, I'm afraid no one here dares to say they can. Let's just disband and stop starting a poetry club."

Although Jia Baoyu was very upset when he heard this, he had to admit that Jia Huan was a great poet. Apart from other things, the four-season palindrome poem "Orioles sing on the bank, willows play in the spring sunshine" was a masterpiece. So he said calmly: "This is a serious matter. Everyone should be encouraged. Don't be modest. Do you agree with me, Brother Huan?"

As expected, every failure is a lesson learned. Jia Baoyu recently angered everyone in Xiaoxiang Pavilion and was driven out by Lin Daiyu. Now he has learned to be more measured in his words. The south wall is indeed the best teacher. The 15-year-old boy who has been loved by everyone since childhood has finally learned to control his emotions. This is a cause for celebration.

Jia Huan smiled and said, "Second Brother Bao is right. Just as my eldest sister-in-law said, let's get excited."

Jia Tanchun said, "Since we have started a poetry club, and we are all poets, the names of our brothers, sisters, uncles and sisters-in-law must be changed to be more decent. Just now, we were discussing nicknames. Sister Bao is Lady Hengwu, Sister Qin is Red Dust Guest, and Brother Bao was given a nickname by Sister Bao, which is Rich and Idle Man."

Jia Baoyu waved his hands quickly and said, "No, this is just a joke from Sister Bao. I'd better use my old name, Lady of the Crimson Cave Flower, or Young Master Yihong will do."

Li Wan smiled and said, "Then I will call myself Daoxiang Old Farmer. No one else will take my place."

Jia Tanchun said, "I have decided to marry Monk Qiu Shuang."

Jia Baoyu shook his head and said, "Layman and the like are all clichés, and are cumbersome. Here we have phoenix trees and banana trees, so it would be better to name one after that."

Upon hearing this, Jia Tanchun clapped her hands and said, "I like banana trees the best. Why not call them Banana Guests? That would be unique and interesting."

Lin Daiyu burst out laughing: "Everyone, take her away quickly, stew her breast and drink wine."

Everyone was puzzled, Lin Daiyu smiled and said: "The ancients once said 'a deer covered by banana leaves', and the girl called herself a guest under the banana leaves, so it must be a deer, right? Take it and make it into deer jerky."

Everyone laughed again. Lin Duidui's reputation was not earned in vain. He was well-read and knowledgeable, and he could easily quote stories to mock others.

However, Jia Tanchun was obviously not someone to be bullied. She immediately laughed and fought back, "Sister Lin, please don't be so quick to insult me. I have already thought of a very suitable nickname for you. In the past, Ehuang and Nuying shed tears on the bamboo, which became spots. Therefore, the spotted bamboo is also called Xiangfei bamboo. Now she lives in Xiaoxiang Pavilion, and there are many bamboos planted around her. Unfortunately, she loves to cry. When she misses her husband, Sister Lin, those bamboos may also become spotted bamboos. So everyone should call her Xiaoxiang Concubine."

Everyone clapped and laughed, saying, "This is a great nickname, it couldn't be more appropriate."

When Lin Daiyu saw Jia Huan also clapping his hands, she secretly glanced at him, lowered her head with a slightly dizzy face, and said nothing, which was considered as her consent.

Since Jia Yingchun lived in Zhuijin Pavilion in Zilingzhou, she was called Lingzhou, while Jia Xichun lived in Nuanxiangwu in Ouxiangxie, so she was called Ouxiangxie.

Li Wan asked with a smile, "Everyone has a nickname, what's yours, Huan'er?"

Jia Huan smiled calmly and said, "It's fine with me."

Xue Baochai and Lin Daiyu said almost in unison: "Master Yuewei."

Xue Baoqin said with a smile: "Sister Bao and Sister Lin are thinking the same thing." Lin Daiyu and Xue Baochai looked at each other and smiled: "If Brother Huan is not called Master, how can he live up to his dignity today?"

Li Wan clapped her hands and said with a smile, "Since everyone has a nickname, we should address each other by it from now on. If anyone makes a mistake, he will be punished. I am the oldest in terms of age, so you all have to follow my advice. Do you agree with Huan'er?"

Li Wan asked no one else but Jia Huan. Naturally, it was because Jia Huan had the title of a juren, which made him different from the others. In addition, Jia Huan was mature beyond his years, so in Li Wan's subconscious mind she obviously did not regard him as a minor.

Jia Huan smiled and said, "Of course I will listen to my eldest sister-in-law... Old Farmer Daoxiang."

Lin Daiyu smiled secretly and nodded at Jia Huan from a distance, saying, "You almost got punished."

Li Wan smiled and continued, "No need to punish them for now. These rules are only used when we start a poetry club. Normally, we should still use the normal names. Now that there are eight of us in the poetry club, the second and fourth girls and I don't know how to write poems, so we three must leave. I will be the president, responsible for supervising and setting questions, and the second and fourth girls will be vice presidents, responsible for limiting rhymes and transcribing."

Jia Yingchun and Jia Xichun both had limited talent and were not good at writing poetry, so they both quickly agreed, "That's right."

Everyone knew that these two people really couldn't write poetry, so they didn't force them and agreed.

Li Wan smiled again and said, "My place is big, so you can go to my place to hold a club. Although I can't write poetry, the poets don't mind being a vulgar guest. If you let me be the host, I will naturally become elegant."

Jia Baoyu said hurriedly: "In this case, let's go to Daoxiang Village."

Li Wan waved her hand and said, "Don't worry, let's just discuss the rules first. I'll invite you when I'm ready."

Xue Baochai said calmly, "If we want to start a poetry club, we should also decide on a few days to hold it. If we just hold it more often, it will be boring. I think it is enough to hold it twice a month. We should set a date and hold it rain or shine. In addition to these two days, if someone is willing to join a club, and everyone is willing to join, then we can join another club. Wouldn't it be lively and interesting?"

Jia Huan smiled and said, "Sister Bao, this is a good idea. I fully agree with it!"

When Xue Baochai's eyes met Jia Huan's, her heart suddenly felt like a stone falling into water, causing ripples, and she quickly looked away.

Li Wan nodded and said, "Since no one has any objection, then we will follow what Bao said and hold a club on the second and sixteenth day of each month. These two days will be fixed. If anyone wants to join the club, we will discuss the time later."

Jia Tanchun smiled bitterly and said, "It was clearly me who sent the invitation, so you must let me be the host first, so as not to disappoint me."

Li Wan nodded and said, "In that case, how about we open a club here tomorrow?"

Jia Tanchun was always generous and forthright. She waved her hand and said, "Tomorrow is not as good as today. Now is good enough. Old farmer Daoxiang, you set the questions. Lingzhou limits the rhymes. Ouxie supervises the performance!"

Li Wan thought for a moment after hearing this, and pointed to the bottle of white begonia on Tanchun's desk and said, "This white begonia is rare in the winter, so why don't we all write a poem about it? The title is "Ode to the White Begonia."

Jia Baoyu was overjoyed when he heard this. This was what he was best at. He hurriedly said, "This is good, Second Sister... No, Lingzhou, please speed up the rhyme."

Li Wan smiled and said, "If you call me wrong again next time, you will be punished."

Jia Yingchun said: "In that case, I will limit the rhyme."

She walked to the bookshelf and selected a collection of poems. She flipped open a page and found a seven-character regulated verse. She said, "I got it. Write a seven-character regulated verse."

Then Yingchun closed the poetry collection again, turned to the maid Xiuju who was leaning against the door and said, "Just say a word."

Xiu Ju was leaning against the door and said the word "door".

Yingchun smiled and said, "It's the rhyme of 'men'. The first word should be 'men', and the remaining four words can be chosen by drawing lots. Shishu, bring the rhyme box over here."

The secretary then took out the rhyme box that Jia Tanchun usually used, selected all the brands with the same rhyme as the word "men" and put them in a drawer, and then asked Xiu Ju to pick out four brands at random. When everyone looked at them, they were: Pen, Hun, Hen, and Hun.

In other words, next you have to use the five words "门、盆、魂、痕、昏" as rhymes to compose a seven-character regulated verse about the white begonia. Wow, this is very difficult. Not only is the title of the poem limited, but the rhymes are also limited. It is like dancing in handcuffs and shackles. It is really difficult to do it without some skills.

Jia Baoyu's face changed at this moment, and he frowned and said, "It's not easy to use the words basin and door!"

Jia Huan was also feeling a little overwhelmed at this moment. There were too many restrictions, and it was not easy to be a plagiarist. This was really troublesome!

(End of this chapter)