Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 220: Laughter to Relieve Sorrow

Qingzhizhai.

Since Jia Cong entered Qingshan Academy three years ago, his life has been fulfilling and busy. He either studies hard in the academy or goes to Nanjing to carry out imperial errands. In the past six months, he has been busy with the autumn examination.

These days I have finally had some free time. The Great Zhou's spring examination is held every three years, and the next spring examination is still more than two years away, so there is no rush to study now.

As for the court affairs that had come up a few days ago, although Jia Cong felt a little heavy-hearted, after thinking about it behind closed doors for a day, his mind gradually became calm and clear.

I have overcome so many difficulties, so I am not afraid of going through this one more. The imperial power is strict and the world is difficult, but fortunately there is still a long way to go.

It was June, and the heat was getting stronger day by day. Cicadas were buzzing on the tung tree in the yard, their voices monotonous and clear.

In the main hall of Qingzhizhai, a copper basin was placed on the rosewood plank in the middle. It was filled with crushed ice as big as a bowl, and emitting wisps of milky cool air.

Although the Rongguo Mansion was a wealthy family, even in Lady Jia's Rongqing Hall, there was no way to put a large jar of ice like this to cool off.

There was a special underground ice cellar in the palace, where ice and snow were wrapped in dry grass and stored in the winter, and taken out in midsummer to cool down the emperor and his concubines.

Only the richest royal family in the world can waste people's energy. Even ordinary wealthy families can rarely do this.

You can buy ice in the streets of Shenjing, but it is very expensive in midsummer and not affordable for ordinary people.

The ice cubes in Qingzhizhai were not bought, but made by Jia Cong himself. Making ice in summer is too difficult for others, but it is a simple task for Jia Cong.

As long as you grind saltpeter and lime into powder and dissolve them in water in proportion, you can get ice in a short time. Although I can't remember the exact ratio of the two, I will get it after trying a few times.

It took him a lot of effort to collect saltpeter and lime.

He went to the eastern city of Shendong several times and to the quarry in the western suburbs before he collected all the materials. Fortunately, he had some free time recently.

Because midsummer has arrived, business at Xiuniang's perfume shop has been slow recently. After all, on hot days, women's interest in visiting perfume shops will plummet.

He planned to let Qu Hongxiu put ice cubes in the perfume shop, thinking that business would pick up a lot. He could also find a small shop on Xinchun Street and open an ice shop, lowering the price, and probably make a lot of money.

For him, these things were much cheaper and easier than the imperial examinations and official career, and fighting against others.

Thinking of the emperor being so calculating, ungrateful and mean, Jia Cong felt a little bit of resistance in his heart. It was not easy to keep the emperor's job, and it was not good to hang oneself on a tree.

Even if things don't turn out well in the future, I can still become a wealthy man by relying on my business with Qu Hongxiu.

Sitting next to the copper basin of ice were Yingchun and Tanchun, who were specially invited by Jia Cong so that they could feel the effect of making ice.

Daiyu was also called, but Zijuan said that the girl had caught a heat stroke and was resting in bed.

"Third brother, where did you get so much ice? Ice is not cheap at this time of year."

Although Tanchun is a daughter of a wealthy family, she is smart and generous. She is not ignorant of everything and knows some household affairs.

Jia Cong smiled and said, "No need to spend money. I will send some to your room when I get some."

There were no air conditioners or electric fans at that time. In the hot summer, girls had to rely on hand-waved fans. Just thinking about it makes me tired.

Yingchun, who was standing by, asked, "Brother Cong, I heard that the master and his wife want to arrange a marriage for you?"

Tanchun's heart skipped a beat. In recent days, there has been a rumor in the mansion that because the third brother passed the imperial examination, several old relatives in the Jia family valued his future and asked the lady to arrange a marriage for him.

She had this in mind, but it was inconvenient to ask about it among cousins. The second sister was the third brother's biological sister, so it was natural for her to ask about it.

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Madam did ask the master to ask me."

Tanchun couldn't help asking, "What did Third Brother say?"

Jia Cong smiled and repeated what he had said to Jia Zheng that day.

Yingchun was stunned when she heard this: "Brother Cong, the Spring Examination is still more than two years away, and observing government affairs will also take another one or two years. By the time you become an official, won't it be four years later?"

Jia Cong joked again, "Second sister thinks too highly of your younger brother. No one can predict the outcome of the Spring Examination. He may pass it in one try. The examination is held only once every three years. It may take six years."

Tanchun, who was standing by, couldn't help but chuckle and said to Yingchun, "Silly sister, don't let Third Brother coax you. He said this to the master because he doesn't want to discuss marriage."...

At Daiyu's residence, Zijuan was sitting on the porch outside the house, doing needlework with her hands, and a small medicine stove was glowing beside her.

But Jia Cong was seen holding a bamboo basket with white steam coming out of it and water dripping from under the basket.

When Zijuan saw Jia Cong, she smiled and said, "Third Master is here?"

"Why are you sitting outside in such hot weather?"

"The girl has caught a heat stroke, and I'm boiling some medicine for her. I'm afraid it will fumigate her if I leave it in the room."

Zijuan glanced at Jia Cong and couldn't help sighing in her heart.

A few days ago, the old relatives of the Jia family came to congratulate the Third Master on his success in winning the imperial examination. These people were impressed by the Third Master's future and started discussing his marriage with the old lady.

The news had spread in the mansion in the past two days, saying that the master and the mistress were arranging a marriage for the third master. The girl felt uncomfortable upon hearing this and even fell ill.

"I'll bring some ice cubes to Sister Lin. You can put them in a copper basin to cool the room."

When I entered Daiyu's room, I saw her lying on the bed with her hair loosely tied up and holding a book in her hands, flipping through it casually.

"I heard that my sister was sick, so I came to see her. Is she feeling better?"

Daiyu lowered her eyelids slightly when she saw him come in, and said, "It's so hot, it's hard for you to come to see me."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Sister, you are not feeling well, so I came to see you. Isn't that what I should do?"

Daiyu glared at him, her eyes suddenly reddened, and she said, "You say that now, but when we get engaged in a few days, there will be no one else in your eyes."

Jia Cong sighed inwardly, he really underestimated the power of public opinion of the women in the rear house. Jia Zheng, with the instruction of Mrs. Wang, discussed marriage with him in the study, but in just one day, everyone in the house knew about it.

No wonder the story of the perfect match spread so quickly a few days ago.

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Sister, you are talking about the marriage that Master has arranged for me."

Daiyu turned pale when she heard this, turned away from him, and said angrily, "Whether you discuss marriage or not is none of my business."

"Sister, do you know why I study so hard to get a good degree?"

When Daiyu heard him say something irrelevant, she sensed that there was something else behind his words. She couldn't help but turn her head and stared at him with her beautiful, watery eyes.

"It's not just for the sake of gaining a good reputation, it's also for your own affairs. You have the final say. Otherwise, what's the point of living in a big house and being led by the nose by others?"

After hearing his words, Daiyu's eyes gradually lit up. She was extremely intelligent and could easily understand what he meant.

"I have told the master that I dare not go home to work until the spring exam is over and my future is uncertain."

Daiyu came from a family of scholars and officials, so she naturally understood the meaning of it. It had been several years, and her lips slightly curled up, as if she was smiling.

He tilted his head and asked, "You coaxed Second Uncle like this, and he believed it?"

"You know, the master cares most about my studies and his achievements, so he naturally appreciates my thinking. Besides, what girl can wait for me for three or four years before discussing marriage? What's wrong with me marrying her?"

Daiyu blushed and said, "Third brother, you are so shameless. You say you are like gold inlaid with jade. You are so rare. Who would wait for you to marry me for three or four years..."

Halfway through the conversation, she suddenly felt something was wrong, her pretty face turned red as if on fire, and she quickly explained: "I didn't mean that I was three or four years old... Oh, Third Brother, you are so hateful!"

Zijuan was just at the door bringing tea to Jia Cong. After hearing what the two people in the room said, her face turned red, she stuck out her tongue, and quickly retreated.

Suddenly, I bumped into someone behind me and turned around to see: "Miss Bao, why are you here?"

Baochai's pretty face was slightly blushing, but her eyes were relieved. She said, "I heard that Sister Lin was ill, so I came to see her. I...thought I had something else to do, so I'll leave first. Come back another day."

(End of this chapter)