Following Jia Yu’s success in the scholar examinations, he rewarded Qingwen, Wan'er, and Zijuan with ten taels of silver each, and even the rough-work maids in his courtyard received a reward of one tael of silver.
Jia Yingchun, Tanchun, Xichun, and Xue Baochai all found excuses to slip away from the banquet. Jia Baoyu had wanted to follow Jia Yu, but Lady Wang grabbed him and forced him to remain in his seat. Her heart was burning with anger, and she felt nothing but frustration toward Baoyu. *Weren’t you born with a piece of jade in your mouth?* she thought. *If you had any spirit, you wouldn't be overshadowed by a mere concubine-born son.*
When Jia Yu returned to his courtyard, his maids—Qingniao, Hongshu, Hanyi, and Yinglian—had already prepared a table full of pastries and delicacies. Days earlier, Jia Yu had ordered a side room to be converted into a kitchen so he could cook whatever he liked, sparing himself the trouble of running to the main kitchen for food.
Chapter 370