Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 330: The World Has Many Barriers

Rongguo Mansion, Rongxi Hall.

Liu Yong saw Jia Zheng asking someone to send a message to Jia Cong.

He also felt relieved, for he knew that the prince was a man of great ambition, always courteous to the wise, and had long had a favorable impression of Jia Cong of the Rongguo Mansion.

Now that this man has made military achievements in Liaodong and demonstrated his extraordinary talent in military affairs, he has become more admired and valued by the prince.

However, Jia Cong had never liked socializing in official circles. Last time the palace held an autumn chrysanthemum poetry gathering, the prince had ordered him to pay a visit. However, Jia Cong did not attend the event because he was supervising the production of firearms.

The Palace of Prince Beijing and the Ningrong Jia family have been friends for generations. This time, the prince invited Baoyu to a meeting in the name of old friendship, but his real intention was to get to know Jia Cong.

Liu Yong thought that among the people the prince had made friends with, there were many talented people with their own strengths, but Jia Cong was the only one who was so outstanding in both civil and military affairs and had been awarded a title for his military merits at a young age.

No wonder the prince invited me several times.

……

Jia Cong was talking to his sisters here. When he heard that someone from Prince Beijing's Mansion was visiting, Jia Zheng asked him to go over and talk, but he felt a little uncomfortable in his heart.

He had always been resentful and wary of Shui Rong, but since it was Jia Zheng who delivered the message, he still had to go over and show his face.

When they arrived at Rong Xi Tang, Jia Zheng told Baoyu the purpose of Liu Yong's visit. Jia Cong just listened and asked Baoyu to go to meet the guest. He didn't expect that in the end he would be the one to go.

Last time, Jia Cong used his usurping poem to allow Emperor Jia Zhao to take the opportunity to kick Prince Beijing Shui Rong out of the competition for control of nine provinces. One can imagine how the emperor felt about this man.

In short, the emperor was already deeply disgusted with the old heroes of the Four Kings and Eight Dukes, and getting rid of the old and establishing the new was a foregone conclusion.

Jia Cong also rose to prominence due to the situation. The emperor used various methods to separate him from the old merit camp, leading to the current situation.

Therefore, he would never get involved in the mess caused by Prince Beijing.

In fact, the Jia family has always been on good terms with Prince Beijing and at odds with Prince Zhongshun, who is close to the emperor. Essentially, they are in the wrong position.

It seemed that the Jia family did not realize it. Sometimes Jia Cong even felt surprised that a family of nobles for generations could have such a dull sense of political situation.

However, even with his closeness to Jia Zheng, it was not a good idea to ask the Jia family to distance themselves from Prince Beijing's Mansion, because this would almost make the Jia family betray the group of four kings and eight dukes.

Even though Jia Zheng thought highly of me, as long as I said such words, Jia Zheng would become suspicious of me. This was determined by Jia Zheng's background.

Therefore, no matter how close two people are to each other, once they develop different perspectives and standpoints, the invisible distance becomes difficult to cross.

……

Jia Cong said to Liu Yong: "Cong thanks the prince for the invitation, but I have to go to Liu's residence in Luocang Mountain tomorrow. I have been in Liaodong for half a year and have neglected a lot of studies. The teacher wants to teach me, and Cong dare not disobey.

Besides, next year will be the spring examination period. Apart from being busy with government affairs, I can only study with guests. I dare not go against the expectations of my teacher, so I have to disappoint the prince's invitation."

The meaning of Jia Cong's words was very clear. Not only was he not free tomorrow, but from then on, except for going to the government office, he had to stay at home and study. Don't disturb me...

Liu Yong's face showed disappointment. He knew that this was Jia Cong's excuse to shirk responsibility. Could it be that he was worried about being friends with the prince and was afraid of being criticized? Otherwise, why would he refuse the prince's favor several times?

However, he used the teacher's duty and orders as an excuse, which was irrefutable and could not be faulted at all. It was just that although he was young, he was quite cunning and scheming.

He said, "I didn't expect that even though you are a noble, you are still so devoted to learning. I admire you very much, so I have no choice but to invite you again."

Jia Zheng originally thought that after Jia Cong was conferred the title of earl, he would never again take part in the imperial examinations and would no longer be burdened by the eight-legged essay. This was actually a normal human reaction.

But he always feels a little regretful.

Jia Zheng was born into a noble family, so titles were commonplace to him. Instead, glory in his career was what he longed for all his life.

Due to his limited talent and circumstances, he had no hope of passing the imperial examination. As for his sons Baoyu and Jia Huan, it is better not to mention them...

I thought that even if Rong State produced a talented person like Jia Cong, he would still have a poor career path in the imperial examinations. Perhaps this was the family's destiny.

Now, hearing Jia Cong say that he would take the imperial examination next year and restart the imperial examination, Jia Zheng was really overjoyed.

In Jia Zheng's opinion, with Jia Cong's literary talent, it would be no problem for him to become a Jinshi as long as he took the spring examination.

He never expected that the Jia family would be able to enjoy the glory of being a Jinshi again since Jia Jing passed the imperial examination thirty years ago. This really made him feel very happy.

Liu Yong noticed that Jia Zheng was smiling when he saw him off, and he didn't know why he was so happy. ...

When Baoyu saw Jia Cong leave, he wanted to leave Rongxi Hall as well, but he saw Jia Zheng just stepping out of the doorway and turning back to Baoyu and saying, "Baoyu, stay. I'll ask you about your homework later!"

After saying this, Jia Zheng did not even turn around and continued to see Liu Yong out, leaving Baoyu feeling as if he had been struck by lightning, his face pale and his legs weak.

Baoyu looked at Jia Cong's leaving back and couldn't help feeling resentful. Damn Jia Cong, you have been granted a title and become an official, but you still read those pedantic books and take the imperial examinations.

You have brought out the master's worries, and now it's killing me!
Now Baoyu was thinking about how to ask the old lady for help.

It is no use for Baoyu to look for Mrs. Wang now. Ever since Jia Cong passed the imperial examination, Mrs. Wang would nag Baoyu whenever she had free time, asking him to study hard and at least save face for herself.

……

On the way back, Jia Cong's mind was filled with thoughts. The last time the Prince Beijing's Mansion held the Autumn Chrysanthemum Poetry Banquet, Shui Rong had already invited him. This was his second invitation.

Of course Jia Cong could see that Shui Rong's invitation to Baoyu to the meeting was just a cover, and his real purpose was still his own.

Shui Rong has always created the image of a wise king, but in history, all the wise kings were not easy to deal with.

Judging from Shui Rong’s performance in the last competition for control of nine provinces, he is not a wise king who regards fame and fortune as nothing.

Emperor Jia Zhao would use the usurpation poem to expose Shui Rong's true colors, and he must have seen through the ambitions hidden in Shui Rong's heart.

And such a hereditary king of a different surname had shown his intention to get close to him several times.

Jia Cong would not simply think that Shui Rong had repeatedly invited him just because he admired his literary talent. Could it be that he wanted to talk about the bright moon and the fresh breeze?

The supreme ruler in Qianyang Palace would not think so, and Jia Cong was certain that if the chief historian of the palace came to the palace this morning, he would appear in the Zhongchesi line report in the afternoon.

However, what Jia Cong is concerned about right now is not Shui Rong, this boring guy with wild thoughts.

But it was the information Jiang Liu had found out a few days ago, about Jia She's strange fur shop and the complicated relationship between him and Sun Shaozu.

Behind Sun Shaozu is the Sun family, the hereditary commander of Datong.

Gu Yankui happened to discover the fraud of border troops in Datong...

Half a year ago, Jia She instigated Jia Qiang to seek a job in the firearms workshop...

All this confusing information is like a tangled mess, and it is impossible to make sense of it for the time being.

……

When Jia Cong returned to the East Mansion, he heard the clear laughter and jokes, which seemed to touch his heart and wash away the complicated thoughts in his mind.

Beautiful figures were coming and going in Yingchun's courtyard. It didn't take Jia Cong long to go to the West Mansion before the entire courtyard was almost cleaned up.

It would not be so quick if Xiu Ju and the newly bought maids and nannies were the only ones involved.

Zhishao, Wu'er, Yinglian, Qingwen and others in Jia Cong's room came to help.

Today, Daiyu and others came with their personal maids including Zijuan, Shishu, Ying'er, etc.

These people were all very quick-witted and skillful, and they did everything naturally and smoothly, such as hanging up the tents, spreading the quilts, and putting things away.

They would even chatter about how to arrange things to make them look better.

Yingchun took Xichun, Daiyu and other sisters to stroll around the mansion. They each picked out a courtyard they liked and came back together.

Among them, Daiyu and Tanchun had more opportunities to come and stay for a short time, while Xiangyun actually just came to join in the fun, as her time in the Jia Mansion was limited after all.

Baochai did not choose a place, but just said that if she came, she could live with Daiyu, Tanchun and others.

Although she had long been obsessed with Jia Cong, she was sensitive and aware that Jia Cong had no other thoughts about her. Compared with Daiyu and the three sisters Chun, she was still a little distant.

The elegant lady in the boudoir, who used to be calm and composed in dealing with human relationships, became unlike the original Baochai when facing the person of her heart. She lost her wisdom and sense of propriety, and became more reserved and restrained.

(End of this chapter)