In Dream Of The Red Chamber, Jia She Acquires A Plant-Based Superpower. - Chapter 11

Situ Ruo, knowing that Jia She was planning to descend the mountain that day, had deliberately cleared his schedule to accompany him. He invited Jia She to visit a thousand-year-old ginkgo tree. “This tree is a holy object of our dynasty. The royal temple was built precisely because of it, and ordinary people are not permitted within a hundred meters.”

At this, Jia She’s eyes lit up. He was filled with anticipation for that thousand-year-old ginkgo tree. A millennium-old spiritual tree must contain an astonishing amount of spiritual energy.

Situ Ruo began the climb with Jia She, initially worried about Jia She’s physical condition and constantly observing his complexion. Seeing that Jia She appeared relaxed and at ease, he privately guessed that Jia She possessed deep internal martial arts energy.

When a ginkgo tree nearly forty meters tall came into view, Jia She nearly held his breath. The sight was truly spectacular and awe-inspiring. Standing beneath the tree, Jia She could feel the vastness of heaven and earth and the insignificance of humanity. The spiritual energy beneath the tree was so dense that a single breath was equivalent to an hour of arduous cultivation. Jia She could not help but quicken his pace, standing beneath the tree and crazily absorbing the spiritual energy radiating from it.

The ginkgo tree stirred without wind, and countless golden leaves drifted down. Jia She’s internal energy circulated rapidly, as if forming a connection, a cycle, with the tree. He felt his spiritual energy growing rapidly and even seemed to hear the breathing of the ginkgo tree. In that moment, Jia She looked up in overwhelming joy. His plant-based ability had just broken through.

Situ Ruo, watching from the side, was mesmerized. Jia She, standing beneath the canopy of falling golden leaves, looked exactly like a Daoist immortal on the verge of ascending to the celestial realm. Situ Ruo quietly pressed a hand against his racing heart and silently recited the Clear Heart Sutra, not allowing those absurd thoughts to continue growing in his mind.

With a flick of his mind, Jia She used his spiritual energy to control a falling ginkgo leaf, making it spin and descend just like an ordinary leaf. This ability required no arduous practice; it felt like an innate skill.

Seeing that Jia She liked the tree, Situ Ruo suggested having lunch beneath it. Jia She, craving the tree’s spiritual energy, agreed instantly.

In the afternoon, Jia She left the tree with extreme reluctance. He could not continue absorbing its energy; losing too much would deprive the tree of its nourishment. Upon leaving, Jia She touched the trunk of the ginkgo tree and channeled a bit of his own spiritual energy into it. After his ability reached Level 2, his spiritual energy could accelerate plant growth and acted as a potent tonic for them. Jia She, not having studied his own energy, dared not transfer too much, fearing he might over-supplement the tree.

After returning to the Jia Mansion, Jia She remained in a wonderful mood. He continued his ginseng soup every evening, as cultivation was a process of accumulating small gains into greatness.

Lin Zhixiao came to see Jia She with a bitter expression. “The expenditure for ginseng alone this month has already exceeded seven thousand taels.” He did not want to bother Jia She about money during the New Year, but the funds in Jia She’s private treasury were truly dwindling. Jia She took the ledger Lin Zhixiao handed him. The normal expenses of the East Courtyard were all covered by his private treasury, and the largest recent expense was indeed the ginseng.

Thinking of his own manors, which had poor harvests due to a lack of quality seeds, Jia She realized that if not for Lin Zhixiao’s ingenuity in converting several well-located manors to grow medicinal herbs, the money in his private treasury would not have lasted this long. Jia She set down the ledger and asked, “How much ginseng is left in the manor?”

Lin Zhixiao replied respectfully, “The Prince of Virtue’s mansion delivered New Year’s gifts the day before yesterday, including a whole chest of century-old ginseng.” Jia She guessed that Situ Ruo knew he was drinking ginseng soup and assumed he was physically weak, which was why he had included it in the gifts.

Looking at the remaining funds in the account, Jia She ordered, “There is no need to buy any more ginseng in the future.” When the weather warmed and all things began to recover, the wood-element spiritual energy in the air would also become active. Jia She chose a few antiques and had Lin Zhixiao send them as a return gift to Situ Ruo.

As Lin Zhixiao was leaving, he hesitated as if he had more to say. Jia She told him to speak plainly. “Master, in past years, other houses would send special gifts to you. This year, none of the other three families have sent anyone to deliver gifts, nor have they invited you to join them for a gathering.”

Jia She had wondered what Lin Zhixiao would say, but hearing this, he chuckled. “I repaid the arrears to the Ministry of Revenue, effectively roasting the other three families over a fire. Why would they send me gifts?”

“Social obligations are too troublesome. If they do not send anything, so be it; I am happy to be left in peace.” He was not the real Jia She, who valued the family’s future more than his own life. He stayed at home to cultivate, had no necessary work or social obligations, and did not care whether his reputation was good or bad. The four great families appeared glorious, but in reality, they were already on a downward slope. He knew the future political landscape; he was trying to avoid the other families, so why would he try to get close to them?

Mother Jia sent a maid to invite Jia She, but Jia She did not even meet her, having Lin Zhixiao refuse on his behalf. Mother Jia was rejected by Jia She again, and she was so furious that she slammed her hand against the table, cursing. “This unfilial son, what exactly does he want to do? Since repaying the Ministry of Revenue, he has done nothing but skulk in the East Courtyard every day. I do not know what he said to Jia Zhen to make him go mad and repay the debt as well.”

“In past years, our mansion was bustling with guests; it was never as cold and shunned as it is this year.”

“I have humbled myself to apologize to the other families and wanted to call that unfilial son to apologize at the dinner table. We are all on the same boat; how can we have grown so distant?” Mother Jia was angry that Jia She was uncooperative and that he ignored the future of the Jia Mansion in his actions.

Jia Zheng had been hit hard recently: first, Jia Lian’s rank equaled his, then Jia Rong also became an assistant secretary. Lady Wang had not had a single moment of peace; the servants in the manor were snobbish and had already secretly defected to the Eldest Branch’s side. She and Wang Xifeng had developed a subtle rivalry. Wang Xifeng had been feigning illness again, so Lady Wang had to handle many of the manor’s trivial matters herself. Whenever she brought up household management, Wang Xifeng could always find an excuse to decline.

Jia Zheng and Lady Wang listened as Mother Jia cursed Jia She, both feeling speechless. Mother Jia did not dare to curse to Jia She’s face, so she only called them in to vent. They had heard these same rants so many times that their ears were calloused. Wang Xifeng kept her head down, acting invisible. As long as her husband was successful, even if she did not manage the household, no servant dared to defy her. Wang Xifeng realized deeply that her status in the mansion was not something she earned by being overbearing, but by Jia Lian’s success. Jia She did not know it himself, but by having Jia Lian enter the Ministry of Revenue, he had also pulled Wang Xifeng back from a crooked path.

Mother Jia complained for a long time, but seeing no one echoed her, she felt bored and eventually quieted down. On New Year’s Eve, Jia Zhen personally came to invite Jia She to Ningguo Mansion for a small gathering at noon. Knowing Jia She did not like crowds, he added, “Uncle, I have not invited anyone else; I only wish to share a drink with you. I hope you will honor me with your presence.”

Jia She thought that he could not afford to be too solitary, so he agreed with a nod. Mother Jia was so angry upon learning Jia She had gone to Ningguo Mansion that she shattered a teacup. If Jia Baoyu hadn’t been by her side, she would have spent an hour cursing her unfilial son.

During the meal, Jia She saw Jia Rong and Qin Keqing. Seeing that the couple was on good terms, he smiled and told them not to stand on ceremony. Qin Keqing rarely saw Jia She, and the Jia She in her memories was not this young. When she left after paying her respects, she tugged on Jia Rong’s sleeve and whispered, “The Eldest Master’s changes are truly great!”

Jia Rong nodded in agreement. “I only realized after going to the Ministry of Rites that the Eldest Master is not only on good terms with the Minister of Revenue but also with the Prince of Virtue. This New Year, the Prince of Virtue’s mansion sent a great many holiday gifts to the Eldest Master.” Jia Rong wanted to add that the person who had changed the most this year was not just the Eldest Master, but also his own father, who had been erratic lately. At first, it seemed like he had been provoked; he had purged the entire mansion and executed nearly a hundred servants. A few days ago, he had even submitted a memorial to the throne, requesting the title to be passed to him. Jia Rong prayed: if his father’s recent actions were madness, then he hoped his father would stay mad forever.

At the dining table, Jia Zhen had the servants withdraw and rolled up his sleeves to pour wine for Jia She himself. “Uncle, this is rare, fine wine. I spent a great deal to get it. This cup is for you. If not for you, I would not be where I am today. I will drink it all; Uncle, you may drink at your leisure.”

Jia She picked up the glass goblet and tasted the red liquid. He thought it was some fine wine, but it was just red wine. The red wine Jia Zhen had spent so much on lacked even a trace of spiritual energy, and the taste was not even as good as the plum-blossom tea Situ Ruo had brewed in the royal temple. Jia She took one sip and stopped. For him to enjoy food, it either had to contain spiritual energy or be truly delicious. He had drunk all kinds of modern beverages, and he truly could not appreciate the wine Jia Zhen had produced.

As Jia Zhen drank, he began to cry softly. “Uncle She, my heart is bitter. I have been so scared these days that I have not been able to sleep, and my hair is falling out in clumps.”

Jia She glanced at the hat on Jia Zhen’s head and patted his shoulder to console him. “It is all in the past; there is no need to be so afraid. Life must go on.”

Jia Zhen wiped away his tears, his voice hoarse. “I am just a wastrel who cannot weather a storm, unable to live as calmly as you, Uncle. I have thought several times about following my father’s path and just going to a temple to practice Daoism.”

Jia She looked at Jia Zhen with total disbelief. “You can endure the hardship of practicing Daoism?”

Jia Zhen’s expression grew strange. Weakly, he replied, “My father’s practice even resulted in Xi Chun. His expenses at the temple every year are tens of thousands of taels; how can practicing Daoism be considered hardship?”

Jia She picked up a pork rib with his chopsticks, his tone lazy. “Your father’s practice is not a hardship because you are there; the entire Ningguo Mansion is subsidizing his path. Go flip through the account books when you return; do you think you could practice Daoism and live the same way he does?”

Jia Zhen chuckled softly, his eyes already glazed with intoxication. “Uncle is right. If I stay at the mansion, I can eat whatever I want, and if I keep a low profile, I can still go out to relieve my stress. If I went to the temple, I would just be a servant at my father’s side. He has never liked me anyway; he might just beat me to death. I will not seek out my own suffering.”

“Uncle, you have changed so much that I feel you have grown distant from me.”

Jia She deliberately glared at Jia Zhen with a cold face. “You nearly poked a hole in the sky; you still expect me to give you a pleasant look? Sleep with your pillows raised high tonight; I will give you a pleasant look in your dreams.”

Hearing this, Jia Zhen laughed foolishly and even ordered the servants outside to raise his pillows higher.

Jia She ate and listened to Jia Zhen complain about this and that, picking up quite a bit of gossip. Jia Zhen suddenly leaned close to Jia She, a lecherous, gossiping grin on his face. “Uncle, some people outside say you and the Prince of Virtue are on good terms. Does the Prince of Virtue have that kind of intention toward you?”

Jia She tilted his head, his face filled with confusion. “What do you mean by that kind of intention?”

There truly were no secrets in aristocratic life. The fact that he and Situ Ruo were on good terms was something even Jia Zhen knew. Jia Zhen was clearly drunk, flashing a lecherous smile at Jia She.

“Uncle, do not pretend to be ignorant with me. Is the Prince of Virtue the connection you have in the palace? He must have taken a liking to you and wants to be with you. The Prince of Virtue truly has good taste. Standing by his side, Uncle, you two would be perfectly matched. In the future, may I borrow the Prince of Virtue’s reputation when I go out? Since the Prince of Virtue and Uncle are family, and I am family with Uncle, that is the same as the Prince of Virtue and I being family!”