I'm in the Red Mansion

Chapter 142 Fireflies in the Forest and the Moon in the Sky

These wealthy families, high-ranking officials and nobles, when inviting people to dinner or visiting them, have to make reservations in advance and send out invitations or visiting cards in advance.

For example, if you visit someone suddenly, the other person may not be busy and may not have the time to receive you.

They may not even want to receive you.

Therefore, if you don't send a visiting card in advance and visit someone suddenly, you will be a bad guest.

The same principle applies to inviting guests. You should send a message in advance to ask.

Jia Cong took the visiting card and looked at it carefully, and found that it was actually sent by Prime Minister Kou himself, and only he was invited.

Jia Cong tried to guess the purpose of Prime Minister Kou's invitation, but for a moment, he couldn't figure it out.

Logically speaking, the status and position between the two men are so different that there is no reason for Prime Minister Kou to invite him.

But after all, Prime Minister Kou had helped me, and since he had already sent me a visiting invitation, I had no reason to refuse, otherwise I would completely offend him.

Thinking of this, Jia Cong accepted the invitation and ordered Xue Da to reply, saying that he would visit on time three days later.

Nothing happened that night. After breakfast the next day, Jia Cong packed ten rolls of tribute satin and went to Master Zhao's house.

Zhao Shicheng was very happy to see Jia Cong coming.

He really praised Jia Cong.

Then, Master Zhao checked Jia Cong's progress in martial arts and was very satisfied.

It is inevitable that Jia Cong will be able to inherit his mantle and even surpass him in the future.

After returning home, Jia Cong entered the yard, but he didn't hear any sound. It was very quiet inside.

This made Jia Cong puzzled.

There are not many people in his courtyard, and now there are only three maids: Qingwen, Hongxiu and Xiangling.

There were some maids and old women who did the rough work, all of whom were left behind by Xue Pan.

These maids and old women who did menial work dared not make a sound easily in his yard.

But Qingwen is a lively person, and she alone is worth several people.

Since Xiangling moved here, no one has been supervising her, and she has gradually regained some of her nature.

Although she is still cute and naive, she is gradually becoming more lively.

Whenever Jia Cong came back, he could always hear them chattering and playing.

Jia Cong was surprised that they were so quiet this time when they came back.

He couldn't help but sneak into the room to see what they were doing.

After entering the house, I was surprised to find that the three girls were all studying!

It is learning in the true sense.

Xiangling was reading a collection of poems with fascination, while Qingwen and Hongxiu were writing with great concentration.

During this period, Jia Cong taught them eight words every day.

In a blink of an eye, most of the Thousand Character Classic was taught.

It was fine at first because they had to learn fewer words, but later on, when they had to learn more, they found it difficult.

However, they learned to read and write not for the purpose of passing the imperial examinations.

I don't really care about it.

Jia Cong was surprised to see that the three girls were working so hard today.

After entering the room, Jia Cong couldn't help but ask in surprise: "Have you changed your nature today? Why are you all so hardworking? Are you trying hard to become the top female scholar?" Hongxiu smiled and said, "Third Master is back, please sit down and have a rest. I'll have someone bring water to wash your face and I'll go pour tea for you."

After a while, a little girl came in carrying a washbasin.

Bending down and holding the basin in front of him, Jia Cong used the basin to wash his hands with soap and then dried them with a towel.

The little girl then retreated with the basin in her hand.

This life is indeed a bit corrupt, but when in Rome, do as the Romans do, and Jia Cong doesn't want to be too unconventional.

In fact, when Jia Cong first came, these little maids had to kneel on the ground and hold the basin high in their hands to help people wash their hands.

Jia Cong felt that this was too disrespectful, so he changed it to bending over and holding the basin, which was considered a very lenient master.

After Jia Cong washed his hands, he took the teacup from Hongxiu, took two sips and put it down.

Then she asked herself, "Now I should tell you why you are working so hard today. Are you really trying to get the top female candidate?"

Hong Xiu smiled and said, "Third Master, please stop insulting us and say that women cannot take the imperial examinations."

"Even if we can take the imperial examination, how can we pass it with our stupid appearance?"

"It's because Xiangling has been learning from the Third Master for these days and has actually written a poem."

"When Qingwen saw this, she was inspired and also started to practice."

Hearing Hongxiu's words, Qingwen couldn't help but glare and said, "Hongxiu, you're still criticizing me? Aren't you also practicing hard together? You're talking as if I'm the only one practicing hard?"

It is not surprising that Xiangling can write poetry.

After all, in the book "Dream of Red Mansions", she learned to write poetry from Lin Daiyu, and it didn't take her long to write a popular poem.

Jia Cong still remembered the two lines written by Xiangling: A piece of anvil strikes the white sky for a thousand miles, and half a rooster crows at the end of the fifth watch. They were the required lines to memorize for his college entrance examination that year.

He had never expected that Qingwen and Hongxiu would follow suit just because Xiangling wrote a poem.

But you can understand it if you think about it.

We were all maids originally, so why do you suddenly know how to write poetry?
In this era, writing poetry and prose is an extremely elegant thing.

A young lady who writes good poetry will immediately be regarded as a talented woman.

Even if she is the most beautiful courtesan in a brothel, her worth will double if she can write poetry and songs.

Hearing this, Jia Cong couldn't help but smile and asked, "Xiangling, what poem did you write? Show it to me and I'll give you some comments."

Xiangling said shyly, "Third Master, I was just playing with it. It doesn't even follow the correct rhythm. How can it be considered a poem? It's just nonsense. At best, it's just doggerel. I dare not show it to you and pollute your eyes."

Jia Cong laughed and said, "Poetry is originally made up. I can tell whether it is good or not after reading it. Are you afraid that I will laugh at you?"

After hearing what Jia Cong said, Xiangling stood up shyly and showed him the poem she had written.

When Jia Cong opened it, he saw that the poem written by Xiangling was about lovesickness:
It is a dreary night here and now, and I miss you so much that I don't feel the years. Where is the woman I loved last year? Fireflies are in the forest and the moon is in the sky.

Jia Cong read it and couldn't help asking, "Huh? Xiangling, what you wrote is about lovesickness. Could it be that you have someone in your heart?"

Xiangling was shocked when Jia Cong asked her this, and she quickly explained, "Third Master, there is nothing else."

"I just read a lot of poems about lovesickness, and I thought of imitating them and wrote one. In my heart and eyes, there is only Third Master, so how could there be any ideal person?"

"Third Master, I told you the truth. If you don't believe me, I swear that if there is even a trace of falsehood in what I said, then let me..."

Seeing that Xiangling was so scared that she was about to cry and was about to swear, Jia Cong interrupted her.

Then he smiled and said, "I just asked you a question in vain. What's the point of it? It scared you like this?"

(End of this chapter)