Jia Baoyu Smashes the Real Jade

Meanwhile, upon learning of Jia Yun's return to the mansion, Grandmother Jia was also quite pleased. Surrounded by Lady Wang, Wang Xifeng, and others, she arrived at Mengpo Studio.

She had come to hear what was going on, but her gaze was immediately drawn to the jade pendant in Jia Zheng's hand.

"This is..." Grandmother Jia walked closer and squinted to take a closer look.

Although her eyesight was failing due to old age, she had seen countless fine things and could naturally recognize the extraordinary nature of this jade pendant.

Especially the unique dragon pattern and the natural jade color made her feel that it was extraordinary.

After hearing Jia Zheng explain the origin of the jade pendant in a low voice, Grandmother Jia felt an even stronger surge of bitterness in her heart.

She curled her lip, saying with an almost sophistry-like sarcasm, "I thought it was some rare treasure, but it's just a jade pendant. My precious jade has one too! He was born with jade in his mouth, and it even has words on it: 'Never forget, may you live a long and prosperous life!' That's a heaven-sent auspicious omen, far superior to this man-made carving!"

The old lady's words were abrupt and unreasonable. She was clearly using the praise of Baoyu to belittle the favor that Jia Yun had received, and she was even subtly comparing the "Spirit Jade" to this prince's jade pendant.

Standing behind her, Madam Xing's lips curled into an almost imperceptible smirk, but inwardly she sneered, "Hmph! She's truly getting more senile with age! Whether that precious jade of yours is real or fake is debatable! Even if it is, it's nothing more than a stubborn rock. How can it compare to a prince's token? If word gets out that the Jia family is using a stone of unknown origin to compete with a prince's jade pendant, that would be utterly treasonous!"

Although Madam Xing was also jealous of Jia Yun, she was even happier to see Grandmother Jia lose her composure for Baoyu's sake.

Jia Zheng also felt that Grandmother Jia's words were inappropriate. He frowned but did not want to refute his mother directly, so he could only steer the conversation back on track: "Mother is right. Baoyu is also blessed with his own fortune."

He then turned to Jia Yun and said seriously, "Yun-ge'er, since His Highness Prince Xin values ​​you so much, this is your opportunity and your responsibility. You don't need to go to the Iron Threshold Temple for now. The children's examination next February is not far away. You should concentrate on preparing for the exam and strive to pass it in one go, so as not to disappoint His Highness's high expectations and your family's cultivation."

Upon hearing this, Jia Yun could only bow helplessly and say, "Thank you for the arrangement, Master Zheng. However, I still have some books and miscellaneous items at the temple that I need to pack up and retrieve."

"Such a trivial matter can be handled by the servants," Jia Zheng waved his hand, showing considerable importance. "Just focus on your studies. I will find you a truly capable tutor to ensure you have a better chance of success this time!"

Whenever the words "studying" and "the outcome" are mentioned, Jia Zheng cannot help but think of the wretched Baoyu who loathed the imperial examinations.

A surge of anger welled up again, and Jia Zheng couldn't help but shout angrily towards the door, "Hmph! Look at Yun'er! And look at that wretched child! He spends all day in the inner chambers, wallowing in women's company, never studying properly, never caring about his studies or future prospects. What kind of future does he have?! He's really driving me crazy!"

His cursing was quite loud, and upon hearing it, the faces of Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang immediately darkened.

Jia Yun's rise to power had already displeased them, and Jia Zheng's comparison of Bao Yu to Jia Yun struck a nerve. The complex emotions they had just felt towards Jia Yun because of the jade pendant were quickly replaced by disgust.

However, at that moment, Jia Yun spoke first.

"Please calm down, Master Zheng. Uncle Bao is exceptionally intelligent and talented, far surpassing ordinary people. While studying and taking the imperial examinations is a good path, it is not the only one. Everyone has their own destiny, and Uncle Bao may have other extraordinary encounters."

His words were very tactful; they neither negated the imperial examination system nor humiliated Baoyu, and they also won him favor with Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Madam Wang's expression softened considerably. Grandmother Jia nodded secretly, thinking that Jia Yun was quite sensible and knew how to protect his family, unlike his outwardly arrogant demeanor.

Jia Yun appeared respectful, but his mind was perfectly clear.

He naturally looked down on Jia Baoyu's unambitious and pleasure-seeking nature, and he also knew that although the decline of the Jia family was not solely Baoyu's fault, his inaction and lack of responsibility were also facts.

Especially after Shi Xiangyun, while working as a prostitute on a pleasure boat, discovered Baoyu and cried out, "My beloved brother, redeem me...", she was then dragged back by a customer, and Baoyu actually... ran away?!

Is this even human?!

Jia Yun's words of defense at this moment were merely a calculated move based on weighing the pros and cons. In this secluded mansion, the more superficial harmony there is, the less open and covert conflict there will be.

Just then, a maidservant suddenly exclaimed from outside, "Second Master Bao, please slow down..."

As the saying goes, Cao Cao arrived.

The curtain was flung open with a "whoosh," and Baoyu rushed in like a gust of wind, heading straight for Jia Zheng, his eyes fixed on the mutton-fat jade dragon pendant.

"I heard Yun-ge'er got a fine jade. Where is it? Let me see it quickly!" Bao-yu's tone was urgent, tinged with a hint of grievance at being ignored. "What kind of treasure is it that makes you all so fuss? Could it possibly be better than my magical jade?"

It turned out that he had vaguely heard people talking about "jade pendant", "a gift from Prince Xin" and "no less than the magical jade" while he was outside the door. A sour feeling rushed to his head and he could no longer hold back.

Seeing his recklessness, Jia Zheng was about to reprimand him, but Baoyu had already caught sight of the dragon pendant on the desk.

The jade pendant was as smooth and lustrous as solidified fat, with a coiled dragon, its shape ancient and simple, its inner radiance precious; one glance was enough to tell it was no ordinary item.

What infuriated him even more was that the texture and size of the jade were somewhat similar to the magical jade pendant he wore around his neck!

A sense of being offended and replaced suddenly gripped him.

"I thought it was some rare treasure!" Baoyu suddenly grabbed the jade pendant around his neck and slammed it to the ground, his voice trembling with tears. "It's just a worthless piece of trash! You all have new 'precious jades' now, what's the point of keeping this broken stone? You might as well smash it!"

The magical jade landed on the blue brick floor with a crisp clanging sound, yet remained completely intact.

The whole room was shocked!

Grandmother Jia cried out "Oh dear!" her heart aching with pain.

Forget her anger, and cried out repeatedly, "You wretched child! You're going to kill me! Quick, pick up the jade!"

As the old lady scolded, she hugged Baoyu tightly in her arms, calling him her precious darling, "Your jade is a gift from heaven, unique and irreplaceable! No one can compare! Stop talking nonsense!"

Madam Wang was also so frightened that her face turned pale. She stopped twirling her prayer beads and hurriedly bent down to pick up the jade, carefully blowing away the dust as if it were truly her lifeblood.

Upon hearing this, Jia Zheng's expression changed drastically, and he found Jia Yun increasingly pleasing to the eye.

Look, that's what a sensible and polite person should be!

He looked again at Baoyu, who was being held in Grandmother Jia's arms and looked aggrieved, and couldn't help but sigh heavily.

Wang Xifeng was incredibly clever. Seeing this scene, she quickly stepped forward with a smile to smooth things over, taking Jia Mu's arm with her voice crisp and sweet.

"Oh, my dear grandmother! What you're saying! Brother Bao's jade is a gift from Heaven, one of a kind! Yun'er's jade is a gift from Prince Xin, representing the Prince's high regard for him! These are all blessings for our Jia family, each with its own merits, how can you compare them?"

"Take the Guanyin statue and Buddhist shrine in your house, for example. They are both good; do you really need to rank them? Don't you agree?"

With her witty remarks, she flattered both Grandmother Jia and Baoyu, while also saving face for Jia Yun, cleverly covering up the inappropriate sour remark.

A storm seemed to have been suppressed.

However, the deep waters of the Rong and Ning mansions were stirred up again by Jia Yun, the koi fish that suddenly leaped out of the water.

The incident of Baoyu smashing the jade added an intriguing ripple to this turbulent situation.

Jia Yun stood respectfully below the hall, listening to Grandmother Jia's gentle words to Baoyu, his eyes fixed on the jade pendant that Lady Wang was carefully holding, but his heart was filled with coldness.

After all, he's his own grandson.

Jia Yun stepped forward and bowed to the still-shaken Lady Wang and the Grandmother Jia, who was comforting Bao Yu, saying, "Grandmother, please calm down. Uncle Bao's jade is a celestial auspicious gift, carrying the fortune of our Jia family. How can it be compared to ordinary objects? This piece of mine is merely an object admired by His Highness Prince Xin. It just so happens that the material is decent. I would never dare to compare it with Uncle Bao's divine destiny."

Jia Yun's words were against his conscience but were very appropriate. They saved Bao Yu's face and also won him favor with Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, the expressions on Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang's faces softened considerably.

Grandmother Jia nodded secretly, thinking that Jia Yun was quite sensible and knew how to protect his family, unlike his arrogant appearance.

Knowing he was now living under someone else's roof, Jia Yun adopted an extremely humble attitude. This statement saved face for both Grandmother Jia and Baoyu, while also highlighting the extraordinary origin of his jade pendant—a gift from a prince, representing the emperor's boundless grace.

When Jia Zheng saw Jia Yun say this, and also saw his mother's resentful appearance, he stopped scolding her and simply waved for Jia Yun to leave and prepare.

Jia Yun bowed and left the study, leaving behind a room full of people with different thoughts, but he felt increasingly lost.

This isn't my own home after all!