The Red Chamber begins with a bastard

Chapter 493: Grandmother Jia Falls Ill

After Jia Huan came out of Hengwu Courtyard, he continued to run for a lap before finishing his morning exercise and returning to Yuewei Residence. Ping'er and Mandalin were both nervous when they saw that Jia Huan's hand was wrapped in gauze, but when they heard that it was just a little skin break, Mandalin shrugged and walked away, while Ping'er asked questions distressedly and applied the golden wound medicine again.

Mandalin brought hot water to wash Jia Huan's face, saying, "It's just a little skin break. In my opinion, there's no need to bandage it. It will heal naturally in two days. Sister Ping'er, you've spoiled him too much. How can he lead troops to fight in the future?"

Ping'er's face flushed as she said, "Swords are merciless and the battlefield is dangerous. I hope that Third Master will not have to lead troops to fight in the future and live in peace. When he was fighting pirates in the south, he risked his life. I was really worried about him."

Mandarin shrugged and said, "I hate fighting, too, but if Master Jia... wants to be an official, he might have to lead an army in the future. I've noticed that the current emperor of your Great Jin likes to use civil officials as commanders."

Mandarin was right. Emperor Qiansheng sent three consecutive governors of Liaodong, all of whom were civil servants, including the current governor of Liaodong, Xiong Tingbai.

Ping'er laughed and said, "You bastard, you are still calling us 'our Great Jin'. You are the Third Master's man, so aren't you a citizen of the Great Jin? But you are right. The Emperor values ​​civil officials over military officials. It is true that he likes to employ civil officials. But our Master is still young. Even if he passes the imperial examination and becomes an official, it is far from his turn to lead the troops."

Mandalin puffed out her chest, looking particularly tall, and said proudly, "That's possible. At the beginning, Lord Lin asked the Third Master to take charge of suppressing the bandits. Your Great Jin... We have an old saying in Great Jin, 'A man with ambition never ages, and a man without ambition lives in vain. Sister Ping'er, you haven't seen how insidious and cunning Jia is in battle. He always strikes unexpectedly and beats the enemy to a pulp."

Jia Huan said with a bit of a smile: "Mandalin, your Chinese has improved a lot, but what do you mean by insidious and cunning? Are you insulting me or praising me?"

Ping Er smiled and said, "We should use our intelligence and wit to come up with a hundred strategies and make plans."

Mandarin said with a grin, "That's about right!"

Jia Huan put his arms around the waists of the two maids, kissed them on the cheeks, and said with a smile, "Come on, you don't have to flatter me. I know my own worth."

Mandarin said, "Jia, I am serious. If you were born in Portugal, you would definitely be the governor. I swear. But you have to wait until you are an adult. You are still too young."

Jia Huan thought to himself, I am only young in body, but the soul inside is older than a girl like you. If it were modern times, I would be in college and you would still be in elementary school.

Jia Huan patted Mandarin's round, melon-like cheeks and said with a smile, "After saying a lot of flattering words, are you trying to coax me into taking you out on the street again?"

Mandarin's eyes lit up and she said with a smile, "I really haven't been out on the street for a long time."

Jia Huan nodded and said, "The weather is good today, I'd like to take you out for a walk and feel the atmosphere of the folk festival, but you have to wait until I greet the old lady."

Mandalin jumped up with joy, hugged Jia Huan's neck and kissed him. Ping'er secretly glared at him, but she couldn't hide her envy.

When she was in Nanjing observing the mourning period, she did not have so many worries. Ping'er often showed up in public, and it was even common for her to go to the market with Jia Huan. But now that she is back at home, she is worried about leaving the house, because the Jia family is a prominent family, and young maids in the backyard are not allowed to go out easily unless they have a legitimate reason, such as being picked up by family members.

For example, Xiren was not a born child of the Jia family. She had family and relatives outside the mansion. During every New Year, her mother and elder brother would come to pick her up and take her home for New Year tea. Ping'er was originally a maid who came with Wang Xifeng's dowry. She had no relatives outside the mansion, so naturally she did not have this benefit.

Seeing Ping'er's envious look, Jia Huan smiled and said, "I'll mention it to the old lady and the mistress later, and ask her to take you out to worship Buddha and burn incense. I'm sure they'll agree."

Ping Er was extremely happy to hear this, but she said with some worry, "I'm afraid it will be hard for Madam to pass this test." Jia Huan said calmly, "Then I will say that I am praying for the Spring Examination."

Ping'er fell silent upon hearing this. Everyone knew that the old lady and the master attached great importance to the Third Master's participation in the imperial examination next month. And it was the first month of the year. Even if the Madam was not happy, she should not object to her and Mandalin going out to worship Buddha and pray for the Third Master, right?

Mandalin said with a smile: "Look, Sister Ping'er, I said Jia was cunning... Oh, he is so smart and clever!"

Jia Huan smiled and said, "You guys pack up and get ready first. I'll go pay my respects to the old lady and we'll set off when I come back."

Ping'er and Mandalin immediately packed up and changed their clothes, while Jia Huan went straight to Jia's grandmother's room. As soon as he arrived at the door, he ran into his cheap father Jia Zheng.

Jia Zheng looked solemn, as if he was troubled. It was not until Jia Huan bowed and greeted the master that he reacted. His face darkened and he said, "You wicked son, why are you running around instead of studying hard in your room?"

Jia Huan was speechless. Damn it, he really felt uncomfortable if he didn't curse her. But there was nothing he could do. After all, she was his father. He could only endure the scolding and replied in a neither humble nor arrogant manner: "I am here to pay my respects to the old lady."

Jia Zheng's face was slightly stiff, and he had obviously just realized that this was Jia's grandmother's courtyard. He stroked his beard and coughed, saying, "Your grandmother is not feeling well. Go in, kowtow through the curtain, and then leave. Don't disturb her rest."

"But I still have something to report to the old lady and the lady," said Jia Huan.

Jia Zheng frowned and asked impatiently, "What's the matter?"

Read the error-free version at 69shuba! 6=9+shu_ba is the first to publish this novel.

"Today is the fourth day of the Lunar New Year. I plan to take you out to burn incense and worship Buddha to pray for the imperial examination next month."

Jia Zheng sneered, "If you don't work hard at ordinary times, it will be useless to cram at the last minute. If you want to do this, you'd better work harder at home and write more articles."

Hey, is Dad Zheng an atheist?
Just when Jia Huan thought he could not leave the house, Jia Zheng suddenly changed the subject and said, "Go ahead, at least to make yourself at ease. Give me a few more taels of silver as incense money. I don't expect you to pass the imperial examination, but at least you can pass the imperial examination and come back as a Jinshi, so as not to bring shame to our ancestors!"

I'm awesome! You say one thing and mean another!
Jia Huan laughed secretly and said quickly, "Yes!" He went into the house and kowtowed to Grandmother Jia through the curtain.

After Jia Huan finished his kowtow, he was about to stand up and leave when he saw Jia Zheng walk in and said through the curtain, "Mother, Lai Da has invited the imperial physician. He will be here soon. Please sit behind the curtain and feel your pulse."

After a while, the weak voice of the stepmother came out and said, "No need. I am an old woman in my seventies or eighties. I am not afraid of seeing a man outside. Let the imperial physician come in and take the pulse and examine the patient directly."

"Yes!" Jia Zheng retreated respectfully. After a moment, he and the housekeeper Lai came in with an imperial physician.

Jia Huan hesitated for a moment, followed Lai Da silently, and quietly entered the inner room.

(End of this chapter)