I'm in the Red Mansion

Chapter 63 Lantern Festival Poetry Gathering (Part )

"Oh, by the way, Miss Lin also sent a note! I almost forgot about it."

As she spoke, Hongxiu took out a piece of paper from the book and handed it to Jia Cong.

Jia Cong took the note and did not read the contents of it first. Instead, he admired Lin Daiyu's handwriting.

Lin Daiyu's handwriting is graceful and timeless, and it also has some of his calligraphy style.

It seems that Lin Daiyu has been studying his calligraphy a lot these days.

Jia Cong couldn't help but smile knowingly, and then began to read the contents of Lin Daiyu's note.

It turns out that these five books were not bought by Lin Daiyu alone.

Last time, after the three girls went back, they discussed it and decided to buy five medical books together.

Of course, the cost of buying medical books is not equally divided.

Instead, Xue Baochai contributed more, and Tanchun contributed the least.

And these five medical books were not lent to him, but were given to him directly.

Looking at the five medical books in front of him, Jia Cong felt heavy in his heart.

These three people probably did this because they sympathized with his situation.

I have to endure it from them.

In the Rongguo Mansion, the people who treated him well were not the elders in the mansion.

But there are three younger sisters, plus a little-known Jia Huan.

He will naturally remember the kindness you have shown him, and will repay you when he has the chance.

Jia Cong picked up a medical book and began to read it carefully.

……

As the New Year approaches, Wang Xifeng and Li Wan are preparing for the New Year.

Wang Ziteng was promoted to the Inspector General of Nine Provinces, and Jia Yucun was appointed Grand Marshal, assisting in the military affairs and advising on the government.

Let’s talk about Jia Zhen. He opened the ancestral hall and asked people to clean it, put away the offerings, invite the ancestral tablets, and clean the upper room in preparation for hanging up the image of the deceased.

At this time, everyone inside and outside the Rong and Ning mansions was busy.

It was already the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, and everything was ready. The two mansions had changed the door gods, couplets, and hanging plaques, and had freshly oiled the peach charms, making them look brand new.

The main gate of Ningguo Mansion was wide open all the way from the gate to the main hall. On both sides of the steps, there were tall vermilion lanterns that looked like two golden dragons.

The next day, those who had been granted titles by Lady Jia all wore court robes according to their rank, first sat in an eight-person sedan chair, and led everyone into the palace to pay tribute and pay respects.

After the banquet, he returned to the warm room of Ningguo Mansion and got off the sedan chair. The sons and nephews who had not accompanied him to the court lined up in front of the Ning Mansion gate and waited on him before being led into the ancestral hall.

Jia Jing presided over the sacrifice, Jia She attended the sacrifice, Jia Zhen offered wine, Jia Lian and Jia Cong presented silk, Baoyu held incense, Jia Chang and Jia Ling spread out the prayer mat, and guarded the burning pool.

Tsing Yi music was played, three knights were presented, worship was completed, silk was burned and libations were made, the ceremony was completed, music was stopped, and the guests exited.

Jia Cong followed Jia Lian, feeling bored.

He even hid a book of current affairs in his sleeves, and when he had nothing to do, he would secretly take it out and read it.

After offering sacrifices to the ancestors, Grandmother Jia stayed briefly in Ningguo Mansion and then returned to Rongguo Mansion.

Next, the descendants and the prominent women in the mansion came to wish Lady Jia a happy new year.

Jia Cong followed suit and paid New Year's greetings, then returned to his own courtyard.

After entering the courtyard, listening to the sound of firecrackers coming from outside, the courtyard seemed even quieter.

It seems like two different worlds from the outside world.

The joy is theirs, but I keep the peace alone.

After dinner, Jia Cong stayed to talk with Aunt Mei.

Only when Aunt Mei got tired did Jia Cong stand up and say goodbye.

Back in his study, on New Year's Eve, Jia Cong picked up a book, stood in the Hunyuan Posture, and continued reading.

New Year's Eve was a little quiet, but Jia Cong was completely unaware of it.

As he stood there, Jia Cong suddenly seemed to enter a very mysterious state.

His entire body seemed to blend into the entire world.

At the same time, streams of heat arise from the qi and blood, blending into the bones and flesh, making the whole body feel warm and comfortable.

babble?
Is this the state of Hunyuan Zhuang Gong reaching its peak?
It seems that Second Senior Brother is at this level now?
It seems that the eldest senior brother has not yet reached the state of great success!
I'll wait until next year when we meet again to see what they look like.

Thinking of this, Jia Cong couldn't help but smile. Jia Cong couldn't help but open the proficiency panel.

【Name: Jia Cong】

【Four Books and Five Classics (Minor Achievement): 398/500】

【Eight-Section Brocade (Perfect): 56/5000】

【Calligraphy (Perfect): 1381/5000】

[Sketch (Perfect): 111/5000]

[Medical Skills (Minor Achievement): 111/500]

[Hunyuan Zhuang Gong (Great Achievement): 6/1000]

【Eight-part essay (proficient): 103/200】

【Bajiquan (minor success) 37/500】

[Hunyuan Zhenjing (Introduction): 53/100]

[Wind and Cloud Sword Skill (Proficient): 137/200]

[Archery (Minor Achievement): 112/500]

[Blood-drinking Spear Technique (Beginner): 43/100]

[Riding (beginner): 1/100]

[Physique: 14]

Sure enough, the Hunyuan Posture Meditation reached the great success level.

Constitution increased by two points again.

A physical fitness of 14 points is almost half the strength of an ordinary adult male.

For him, this is probably the biggest surprise on New Year's Eve.

At the fifth drum of the next day, Jia's mother and others dressed up according to their ranks and brought all the stewards to the palace to pay their respects.

After the banquet, he went to Ningfu to offer sacrifices to his ancestors before returning. After receiving the sacrifices, he changed his clothes and rested.

Li Wan and Feng Ji were busy every day inviting people to New Year's dinner. There were operas and wine in the hall and courtyard, and relatives and friends came in an endless stream. It took them seven or eight days to finish.

The Lantern Festival is approaching.

Of course, the busyness is all theirs and has nothing to do with Jia Cong.

These days, he still works hard on his attributes every day.

The county examination was going to start in February, and now it was almost the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. He had less than a month left, so Jia Cong became more and more anxious.

On the evening of the 15th, Grandmother Jia ordered several banquets to be set up in the large flower hall, arranged a troupe of small plays, and hung all over the hall with colorful lanterns, and led the sons and nephews, grandsons, and granddaughters-in-law of the Rong and Ning mansions to have a family banquet.

There were about ten tables set up in Jia's mother's flower hall. Beside each table was a table with three things on it, a stove, a vase, and burning the imperially bestowed lily palace incense.

Before the banquet began, Jia Zheng suddenly stood up and said to his grandmother, "Mother, on this Lantern Festival, with the sky clear and the moon shining brightly, how can we not write poetry?"

"How about having a few young people write a poem each to liven up the festival?"

Hearing Jia Zheng's words, Jia Cong couldn't help but show a strange look on his face.

Young people are required to write poems on the Lantern Festival? Why didn't he see this in Dream of the Red Chamber?
Or was it because he traveled through time that caused the plot to shift?

After thinking for a moment, Jia Cong vaguely guessed Jia Zheng's intention.

Maybe it’s because Madam Wang emptied the Jia family’s treasury and secretly lent all the silver to the Wang family?

Mrs. Wang was stripped of her housekeeper rights, but the Wang family has not returned the money to this day.

The Wang family does not have that much money to return to the Jia family for the time being, and Wang Ziteng happened to be promoted again.

The Jia family couldn't push too hard.

Because of this incident, the second branch’s reputation in Rongguo Mansion was greatly damaged.

There is even a subtle trend circulating secretly that the head of the second wife is not as good as the head of the first wife.

As the head of the family, even if the eldest wife is a spendthrift, she will not ruin the family all at once.

The head of the second house simply moved the entire Jia Mansion to the second wife's parents' home.

Jia Cong suspected that this rumor was spread by Jia She.

And now Jia Zheng is planning to organize a Lantern Festival poetry gathering, probably intending to use Jia Baoyu to break the impasse.

(End of this chapter)