Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 272: Farewell

Rongguo Mansion, Lixiangyuan.

A half-worn red-sleeved soft curtain was hung on the door railing of the inner room, which blocked out the cold air from the outer hall.

The kang in the room was warm, and the whole room was filled with a soft and fragrant aroma.

Baochai was doing needlework on the kang. Her face was pale, and her once rosy lips had lost some of their color. Her hair was shiny black and tied up in a slightly loose bun.

She wore a honey-colored cotton-padded jacket, a rose-colored argentemite jacket, and a light yellow silk cotton skirt, all of which were neither new nor old, and looked simple rather than luxurious.

She had been feeling unwell these days and hadn't gone out for several days.

Ever since the day she gave Jia Cong a bear fur coat and saw the exquisite and beautiful sachet around his waist, she guessed its origin.

She was a smart and intelligent person, but she couldn't let go of this matter. She returned home disappointed that day and was in a depressed mood.

Now it is the dead of winter, and there has been heavy snow for several days. My daughter's energy has already declined, and she cannot stand excessive worrying, which has brought out her old illness.

Although she looks good on the outside, she has been carrying a heat poison since her mother's womb, which is a considerable hidden danger.

It is okay in spring and summer, but in late winter and early spring every year, the cold and damp air triggers heat and poison, making it easy to get sick.

Fortunately, I met an extraordinary person when I was young, who taught me the overseas recipe of Xue family's Lengxiang Pills. When the disease breaks out, I can take one pill to suppress it, and I have been living in peace for all these years.

But this time the disease was quite severe, with alternating hot and cold symptoms, and it was quite violent. Baochai took two Lengxiang Pills and her condition only improved slightly, but it was not completely suppressed.

The Lengxiang Pills were of considerable origin, so Baochai did not dare to take too much. Later, she could only take decoctions as a supplement and slowly recuperate at home.

But several days have passed, and things have been up and down, with no sign of improvement.

Baoyu came to see her twice in the past few days. Aunt Xue was very happy to see him and kept talking about her son.

Ever since Jia Cong won the imperial examination, Aunt Xue had regretted talking about their perfect match.

Later, Jia Cong was appointed as the Counselor of the Nine Provinces, and he heard that the old lady had entered the palace to pay a visit to the Empress Dowager, with whom she had a personal relationship.

No one knew what was said exactly, but when he was playing dominoes with the old lady, she looked very peaceful and happy.

Later, when she was talking to her sister, Mrs. Wang inadvertently mentioned that when the Jia family reaches Yu's generation, they will be like their fathers, and this is the way for the whole family to prosper.

Aunt Xue was well aware of this after hearing it. In the future, the two legitimate sons would be in charge. Baoyu would inherit the mansion and Jia Lian would inherit the title. They would share the glory of the Duke's Mansion just like their fathers.

This is not surprising, it is common sense.

Aunt Xue also thought that when Lady Jia suddenly entered the palace, she must have seen that Jia Cong was too outstanding and had the upper hand, and she was afraid that Baoyu would suffer in the future, so she was looking for ways to prevent it.

Maybe the old lady didn't mean to talk about that, but her sister just happened to say that.

No matter what, Aunt Xue still envied Lady Jia. After all, she was a lady of superior rank and was extraordinary. It was so convenient for her to enter the palace to pay homage to the empress dowager.

And the dignity and glory of the Duke's Mansion will be passed on to Baoyu, Lian Ge'er and other legitimate grandchildren in the future.

Although Brother Cong is so outstanding, he can only stand aside according to the clan law of legitimate and illegitimate children.

Even if he could become a first or second rank official in ten or twenty years, it is still impossible at the moment.

After thinking all this through, Aunt Xue's heart was balanced again.

Now that she saw Baoyu was still concerned about her maid, she was naturally happy.

……

When Baochai saw Baoyu coming to see her several times, she thanked him for always caring about her, and the two of them talked for a while.

Later, Baoyu saw the painting "Man Jiang Hong" written by Jia Cong hanging in the room.

Although Jia Cong is now very popular, Baoyu is somewhat disappointed with his enthusiasm for official career and economy and his pursuit of fame and fortune, and feels that he is not one of them.

However, he was not a gloomy person. Daiyu, Tanchun, Baochai and others all had calligraphy works by Jia Cong hanging in their rooms. He felt a little jealous, but not resentful.

He also praised Jia Cong's calligraphy to Baochai, who found it pleasing to the ear. The conversation was becoming somewhat harmonious.

Baoyu also said that although Jia Cong's poem was outstanding, it was too gloomy and sad, and lacked some clarity and ethereality. Poetry and music have always emphasized being joyful without being lewd, and sad without being hurtful...

In fact, Baoyu did not intend to belittle Jia Cong's words, but he always loved the romantic demeanor of girls and the thoughts of wearing flowers and snow in their hair.

The thoughts about family and country, and the rise and fall of the country in Jia Cong's poem "Man Jiang Hong" are very different from his temperament. It even seems to carry the air of official corruption, so he couldn't help but complain about it.

Baochai frowned when she heard this. She had been taught by her father since she was young and had read a lot of books. In terms of talent and knowledge, she was almost on par with Daiyu.

She naturally had her own judgment in her heart, and she did not agree with Baoyu's far-fetched statement.

Brother Cong became famous in Jiangnan with this poem, and now it is sung all over Jinling. Could it be that those literati and scholars have no vision?

She had heard from the people in the mansion that Baoyu had been learning for seven or eight years, but now he had not even finished reading the Four Books, and yet he was complaining about the lyrics written by a top scholar...

Baochai looked at Baoyu in surprise, and then saw the beautiful jade hanging on his chest, which seemed to be swaying back and forth in front of her eyes. She found it even more eye-catching, and lowered her eyelids without saying a word.

Baochai and Baoyu have very different interests and ambitions in many aspects, which are even diametrically opposed, otherwise there would not be such a wonderful marriage between them.

If she hadn't met Jia Cong in Jinling, perhaps nothing would have happened like this...

But she encountered it.

Hearing Baoyu still sighing, Baochai's long, curved eyelashes trembled slightly.

...Jia Cong has been very busy these days.

He went to the firearms workshop early in the morning and directed the craftsmen to check and count the number of finished firearms and porcelain mines again.

Finally, pack it properly and wait for shipment the next morning.

He then took out a sketch he had prepared long ago, which he had drawn with reference to the red cannon of later generations.

Liu Shizhen was asked to bring the craftsmen to discuss the matter first, and to develop a renovation plan using the two falconets transported to the workshop as models.

After dealing with the affairs of the firearms workshop, he went to the Fifth Military Camp to meet Shi Ding, Marquis of Zhongjing. The 500 musketeers selected this time would go north with Jia Cong.

These 500 musketeers will be responsible for escorting the transportation of firearms, and will be rotated after arriving at Liaodong Town.

Although Shenjing is thousands of miles away from Liaodong Town, it is within the territory of Da Zhou after all, so there is no risk.

Moreover, these five hundred musketeers are already an extremely strong fighting force.

Not to mention these musketeers, before being selected into the Musketeer Battalion, they were all elite soldiers in the Five Army Camps. In addition to muskets, each of them was also equipped with a standard goose-feather knife.

If they drop their muskets, they will become a strong infantry force.

With this musketeer force, it is enough to ensure that this large number of firearms can be safely transported to Liaodong Town...

……

After returning home, he entered the inner courtyard, walked along the winding corridor, passed the East Flower Hall, and went to visit Daiyu in her room.

Zijuan came over last night and told me that the girl accidentally caught a cold and had a cough again.

When he entered Daiyu's room, he saw that she looked well. He then asked her if she slept well at night, how many times she coughed a day, and what she had eaten today.

Daiyu knew that Jia Cong would set out for the north the day after tomorrow, and that he might be gone for another half a year, so she felt very reluctant to let him go.

Seeing that he asked so many trivial questions as soon as he came, if it were in the past, I would definitely tease him for being long-winded, but now I took the trouble to tell him everything one by one.

In fact, Daiyu's health has improved a lot in recent years compared to when she was a child. Although she still has some minor illnesses, she has never had a serious illness that would damage her foundation.

It's just that he has had deficiencies since his mother's womb, so he is still weaker than ordinary people.

If you are exposed to the wind between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, you will develop a cough.

According to Jia Cong's later knowledge, people with weak constitutions usually suffer from chronic bronchitis. In this era, there were no anti-inflammatory drugs, so the slightest carelessness could lead to extremely dangerous conditions.

Daiyu glanced at Jia Cong, who was in high spirits, and felt quite envious.

"It would be great if I could be like my third brother, who is free from all diseases and can travel around the country. Even the other sisters in the garden are healthy all year round, unlike me who is so troublesome."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Sister, your health is much better than in previous years. Don't worry. When you grow up a few years, your body will be stronger and you won't be sick so often."

When Daiyu heard Jia Cong say that she had grown stronger as she grew older, she felt a little uncomfortable. She even subconsciously lowered her head to look at her body which she could see her feet.

She had always envied Yingchun and Baochai for their graceful and exquisite figures...

She frowned and said with some dissatisfaction: "Third brother, what do you mean by growing up a few years? I am not a child anymore."

Jia Cong saw Daiyu's little action just now and tried hard to hold back his laughter. Daiyu is one year younger than him, so what else could she be but a child?

He quickly restrained his expression and explained, "The medical books say that men are considered mature when they reach the age of dancing elephants and women are considered mature when they reach the age of jigui."

Daiyu was well-read and had often heard the embarrassing gossips of the maids, so she was naturally not completely ignorant.

After hearing the word "coming of age", her pretty face turned red. Jia Cong also felt that it was a bit awkward to talk about this topic, so he quickly changed the subject.

"I will teach you two methods. If you do them every day, when I come back from the north, maybe your health will be much better."

Daiyu's eyes lit up: "Really? Then Third Brother, please teach me."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "In fact, the method is very simple. It is winter now and my sister cannot stand the cold. Just walk around in your room for a stick of incense every day and it will be very beneficial."

Then he looked around Daiyu's room again, as if looking for something.

Then he walked to the bookshelf against the wall, stood on tiptoe and reached out to reach the top shelf, then used his left hand after reaching it with his right hand.

At this time, Zijuan also came over curiously, but she didn't know what Jia Cong's strange behavior meant.

"My sister does what I do every day, standing on tiptoe and using both hands to reach the top of the bookshelf, and she stops when her hands and feet become numb."

Daiyu looked curious: "Third brother, are you kidding me? I think walking tall can keep me healthy..."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Sister, don't underestimate walking. The feet are the foundation of the body. If the feet are light and healthy, all diseases will be avoided.

There is a lot of talk about being high in ancient books. Its force is directed upward, stretching muscles and bones, unblocking blood vessels, and can store essence and nourish the spirit.

Sister, as long as you keep doing it every day, it will definitely be beneficial to your health. "

Although Daiyu was still half-believing and half-doubting, she was getting older in recent years and was no longer an inexperienced woman. She also felt that her body was frail and was afraid that it would be bad for her future...

When she heard Jia Cong say that her health might get better when he returned from the north, she was deeply touched.

A pair of bright eyes sparkled as she looked at Jia Cong for a few seconds.

Before leaving Beijing, my third brother specially taught me some ways to keep fit. I just follow them every day and never let his efforts go to waste.

(End of this chapter)