The Red Mansions

Chapter 525 Jia Zheng: Hmm...it's the fourth grade

The jade rabbit falls in the west, and the golden crow rises in the east.

The next day, the golden morning sun came down from the clouds and shone in the courtyard of Ningguo Mansion, passing through the flower wall on the west side of the rockery with many mountains and mountains. The roses on it spit out tiny flowers, and the crystal dew rolled back and forth on the stamens, dazzling them in circles. Colorful light.

In the backyard, in the wing room, Jia Heng stood in front of a mountain and river screen, arranging his clothes, and now he has changed into a python suit, with a belt around his waist, holding the Tianzi sword.

On the embroidered pier in front of the dressing table made of mahogany two feet long and about a foot wide under the Xuan window, a girl in a crimson round-collared beanie and a white cross-collared jacket inside is sitting demurely, with Baozhu standing behind her dressing Qin Keqing, As for Ruizhu, a quilt was spread in the inner compartment.

In the bronze mirror, there is a beautiful face with red lips and pink face. At this moment, the jade face is dizzy, rosy like a cloud, and the lazy spring charm flowing like a beautiful cloud of clouds flows from the corners of her eyebrows and eyes.

Qin Keqing picked up the fucui ear and put it on the mirror towards her ear, and asked in a soft voice: "Husband, are you still coming back for lunch?"

Jia Heng said: "After I take Xue Pan over, I will go to the Yamen, so I can only come back later."

When Qin Keqing heard this, her beautiful eyes fluttered, and she gave a soft "um", but couldn't say anything anymore.

Then, the husband and wife left the inner room and went to the living room to have breakfast together, but just as they sat down on the round table, they heard a maid call from under the eaves: "Master, madam, Miss Bao is here."

The chopsticks in Jia Heng's hand paused, not paying attention.

Not long after, I saw Baochai, accompanied by Yinger, enter the hall and saluted Qin Keqing: "Sister Qin, Brother Heng."

Qin Keqing stared at the girl in the pink jacket and the plain embroidered horse-face skirt opposite her. Goodbye today. She has a different mentality from yesterday. After all, she was flustered yesterday, and it was inevitable that she was not calm enough. She got up and pulled Baochai enthusiastically. With a jade hand, he asked with a smile, "Why did Sister Xue come here so early?"

"My mother urged me to come here early in the morning, and I thought that I could go there earlier and come back sooner." Baochai saw a slight smile on her snowy and jade-like face.

Perhaps in front of some serving maids and mothers, Baochai couldn't call her sister, so she kept adding her surname in front of her to deceive her ears.

Qin Keqing nodded with a smile, and asked softly: "Sister Xue, have you had breakfast yet, why don't you sit down and have some?"

Coming here like this, instead of waiting for her husband to go to Lixiangyuan to find her, this is coming to see her, no matter how sincere he is, it is indeed a courtesy.

She also didn't want to look like she was domineering.

Baochai said softly: "Thank you sister for your concern, I have eaten just now, my sister and Brother Heng are eating, don't worry about me."

Calling my sister is a little more fluent now.

Qin Keqing nodded, no longer reluctant.

The main reason is that he seldom talks to sister Xue's family on weekdays, and he doesn't know how to get along with her for a while.

In fact, in the case of Second Sister You and Third Sister You, Qin Keqing may be more at ease, because they are poker friends and girlfriends together.

Qin Keqing sat down again, and couldn't help turning her eyes to glance at the boy in the python suit, and saw that he was holding a porridge bowl, stirring the gruel with a spoon, scooping up a mouthful from time to time, his eyes were lowered, and he didn't look at any of the two of them. One, as if nothing happened.

There was a knot of anger in my heart.

Qin Keqing called Baochai and said, "Sister Xue, I have a few words to tell you after dinner."

Hearing this, Baochai was stunned for a moment, stood up, and said, "Yes, sister."

Jia Heng paused for a moment with the spoon in his hand, and immediately acted as if nothing had happened, just like yesterday, it would be better for him to be a transparent person.

After a while, Jia Heng finished his breakfast briefly, took a cup of tea to rinse his mouth, and said softly to Ke Qing: "I am preparing the carriage in the front hall, and you sisters are talking."

Qin Keqing tasted the word "sister", her beautiful eyes twinkled, and she said softly: "Then husband, go."

Jia Heng nodded and walked towards the front hall.

Qin Keqing winked at Baozhu, and immediately the surrounding maids and mothers left the hall.

This move also made Baochai feel uneasy again.

Qin Keqing walked closer, took Baochai's jade hand again, and said softly: "Sister, don't be too embarrassed, I know that my sister is not a frivolous person, we sisters just get along with each other normally."

Baochai's face, which was as greasy as a white begonia, slightly raised her face, her moist apricot eyes looked at the beauty opposite, she nodded and said, "Sister."

"Sister Yinglian said earlier that she is kind-hearted, cold on the outside and hot on the inside, so he can often come and walk around when he is not at home, so don't be bored at home." Qin Keqing said softly.

Baochai said softly, "My sister comes from an official family, and she has a gentle and generous disposition. I have always known that."

The two held hands and chatted for a while, chatting casually about family matters.

Qin Keqing said softly again: "Okay, my sister will go pick up Wenlong with him first, and we can talk later when we come back."

Originally, I wanted to talk to the girl in front of me about the matter of the outer princess and princess, but it was inappropriate after thinking about it. The two of them were just acquainted for the first time. The words were revealed to her maid.

In the front hall, Jia Heng ordered Jiao Da to prepare the carriages, two carriages in total.

After waiting for a while, he saw Baochai and Yinger coming from the backyard. Jia Heng nodded at them and got into the same carriage with Baochai without saying a word.

"Brother Heng." Following the sound of the carriage wheels rolling over the bluestone road, Baochai called out, peeping at the python-robed boy at the side, hesitantly said: "You and sister... nothing happened yesterday, right?" ?”

Jia Heng paused, and said: "It's nothing, after I went back yesterday, she kept telling me that my sister is good."

As she spoke, she stretched out her hand to hold Baochai's jade hand, which was soft to the touch and smooth on the skin. She considered her words and said, "My sister can often go there to play around. After a long time, it will be good if you get familiar with it."

He comforted Keqing yesterday, and now he should comfort Baochai.

Baochai nodded her head, bit her pink lips with her white teeth, leaned her head on Jia Heng's shoulder, and said in a low voice: "That's good, otherwise...it's really my fault."

Jia Heng: "???"

What do you mean by this, the smell of tea in the tea?
It seems that in the section of the original book "Listening to the Quwen Baoyu's Enlightenment of Zen", it is said that Baochai said: "This person has enlightened, it is all my fault, and it was all caused by a piece of music I played yesterday. Migration... I'm the culprit."

After a moment of silence, she said: "When Qing and I were children in the wicker alley, she has always been generous and tolerant."

Come out of Liutiaoer Alley... I don't need to say it out loud because of Baochai's mind.

Baochai's apricot eyes moved, she gave a soft "hmm", and said softly: "My sister comes from an official family, she is gentle and quiet, and treats people kindly, I also feel close."

Jia Heng didn't say anything anymore.

It's nothing, it just feels weird.

There was no more words all the way after that, Jia Heng held Baochai's hand and headed all the way to Wucheng Bingmasi Prison.

Because of yesterday's incident, it was originally agreed to "serve" Baochai yesterday, so the schedule has been postponed.

Outside the prison, Xue Pan was wearing a blue brocade robe with a round collar and a purple turban on his head. He had clearly changed into his prison uniform under the control of the prison. He was standing in the prison with a package on his back. Outside, waiting anxiously for Jia Heng and his sister to pick him up.

It's not that I can't go back by myself, but if there is no Jia Heng, the commander of the Wucheng Army and Horse Division, to follow up, the prison will not be at ease. If something happens on the way, I will really want to cry without tears.

"Here we come." Liu Dianyu, who was in charge of the prison, also led a few small officials to stand under the eaves, waiting to see the two carriages with the flags of Rongning and Ningfu in the distance, and said pleasantly: "Uncle Xue, Ningfu Someone is coming."

After a while, the carriage stopped and Jia Heng lifted the curtain from the carriage, looked at Xue Pan calmly, and called out: "Wenlong."

"Cousin Heng, you are here." Xue Pan called out loudly, and ran towards Jia Heng happily.

Then Liu Dian prison approached and bowed his fists and said: "I have seen you in my humble position."

"Liu Dian prison has worked hard." Jia Heng nodded, looked at Xue Pan who seemed to have gained weight, paused, and said: "I will take the prisoner away first, and bring him back tomorrow."

Liu Dianju didn't dare to say anything, he cupped his hands and said with a smile: "Your Excellency, do as you please."

Jia Heng didn't say any more, picked up Xue Pan, and drove back, because the gate of Lixiangyuan was on Xinglong Street, the carriage didn't go on Ningrong Street, but stopped at the gate of Lixiangyuan along Xinglong Street.

When Aunt Xue heard the news, she had already brought Tongxi Tonggui and other maidservants and mothers out to welcome her. When she saw Xue Pan from a distance, she felt her nose sore. Son."

As he spoke, he took Xue Pan's hand closer, held his big head, wiped his tears and said, "Pan'er has lost weight."

Xue Pan: "???"

Blinking, is he thinner?Why does it feel like half a month, my stomach has more meat.

"Mom, go inside and talk." At this time, Baochai, who was wearing a red cloak and came down with Yinger's arm, approached and persuaded in a low voice.

Aunt Xue also calmed down, wiped her tears with a handkerchief, then looked at Jia Heng, and said, "Brother Heng, you might as well sit inside."

Jia Heng said: "Auntie, you two are reunited first, I have to go to the Yamen of Jinyi Mansion to deal with official business later."

The imperial decree issued by Emperor Chongping yesterday will not wait for the autumn decision, but he will also be punished. He will go back and verify the relevant files.

Aunt Xue heard that it was not easy to keep her, she hurriedly said: "Brother Heng, go and get busy."

Jia Heng glanced at Baochai, and instead of looking at each other, he went to Jinyi Mansion without saying anything.

Aunt Xue took Xue Pan by the hand, and Baochai and Ying'er entered the courtyard.

Xue Pan sat down in the wing room, shook his big head, and said with a smile, "Mom, haven't I come back now? Why are you still crying?"

"Stupid child, how have you been these few days?" Aunt Xue said, pulling Xue Pan to check for any injuries, and asked in a low voice, "They didn't let you do heavy work, did they?"

Xue Pan Tongling stared, and said: "How can that be? You don't know that those prison officials knew that I was cousin Heng's relative, and they all fawned on me. I was in that prison, every day Just do two hours of work, one hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon, and spend the rest of the time rolling dice with others. If you want to eat anything, just talk to the jailer and they can buy it. I will give them money and they will eat it. No, it’s said that cousin Heng explained it, and it’s all recorded in his account book.”

Aunt Xue's face was in a daze, as if she was imagining the life in prison that Xue Pan said, and asked, "Can I go out?"

When Xue Pan heard this, the smile on his face stagnated, his head shook like a rattle, and he said dejectedly, "They said they wouldn't let them go out."

In the past half a month, he was so suffocated that he couldn't listen to the music.

"Mom, there are rules everywhere. For Brother Heng's sake, just don't let him suffer. How can he let him go in and out freely?" Baochai frowned, her face slightly shielded, and said in a low voice.

Listening to his elder brother's narration, his heart was also touched a little, he really... regarded his elder brother as his brother-in-law.

Thinking of this, she only felt that her cheeks were slightly hot, and Jin Suo was also a little hot. In front of her mother and brother, what did she want to do?
Xue Pan smiled and said, "My sister is more knowledgeable, that's the reason."

Aunt Xue couldn't say anything, she turned her head and told Tong Xi Tonggui, "Hurry up and bring those snacks here, let the uncle taste them."

He reprimanded: "These two girls are getting more and more tired and lazy, and they don't have any vision at all."

After a while, all kinds of dishes filled with candied snacks, preserved fruits and nuts, melon seeds and peanuts, apples and oranges were placed all over the table, a dazzling array.

"Sister, how did I hear that King Zhongshun, who ruined our family last time, has fallen?" Xue Pan sat sideways on the chair, raised his legs, picked up the peanuts on the plate, peeled them, and poured them into his mouth Throwing away, there is no fear of being in prison for the first time.

Aunt Xue on the side, still liked seeing this, with a smile on Fengrun's face, she reprimanded: "Standing is not standing, sitting is not sitting."

Baochai sighed inwardly, a little unwilling to talk to her elder brother, but facing the smiling Aunt Xue, she finally said: "It was an earthquake not long ago, and I heard that the mausoleum of the emperor in the palace was shaken down. Said that corrupt ink was found."

"Earthquake? I heard about this in the jail. I heard that cousin Heng was the presiding judge of this case, and many officials were arrested. King Zhongshun was also abolished." Xue Xue As Pan spoke, his face was excited and he said: "I just heard that Big Brother Heng went to Jinyi Mansion, I think it was because of this matter."

"Mom, do you still remember that our family's imperial business business is the Zhongshun Palace's secret tricks? What did I say back then? Brother Heng won't forget it. Now look, how is it? How long has it been going on?" , Now it's bad luck!
Aunt Xue frowned, looked at Baochai, and said, "Did your brother say that?"

Xue Pan: "..."

Baochai said softly, "I seem to have said so."

"Mom, look, my younger sister has a better memory." Xue Pan raised his eyebrows and smiled.

The three mothers were talking, and suddenly a nanny under the veranda called out: "My aunt, the old lady and the second wife heard that Mr. Xue is coming, so they called my aunt to talk."

When Xue Pan was released from prison to "release the wind", Jia's mother had to intervene anyway, asking about the current situation, which was also a considerate courtesy among relatives.

Aunt Xue looked at Xue Pan, and said: "Let's go there now, and you also greet your aunt and the old lady."

Xue Pan clapped the peanut shells in his hands, and said with a smile, "I'm going to kowtow to the old lady and aunt."

Not to mention that the three members of Xue's family went to Rongqingtang to meet Jia Mu.

But it is said that in Daming Palace, in the inner study room, at noon, Emperor Chongping was reviewing the memorials behind the case. At this time, he picked up one from the memorials and read it. Linger for a moment.

The Shuwen contains: "...Wailang Jia Zheng, a member of the Department of Officials in Dushuiqing, Ministry of Industry, was awarded the title of benevolent official in the past, and he was not transferred after completing three ranks in the Ministry of Industry. The Ministry of Industry is incorruptible and diligent, which was not tolerated by Pan and Lu Erliao in the Gongling corruption case. It has been more than half a year since Ding You, the former Youtongzheng of the General Administration Department, has been vacant. Congratulations to the judge."

Emperor Chongping pondered for a moment, raised his eyes and asked Dai Quan beside him, "In what year did Jia Zheng get the official?"

Dai Quan was originally standing with his hands down, lowering his sense of existence. Hearing this, he quickly replied with a smile: "Your Majesty, I remember, it seems that when Duke Xiaorong was dying, the emperor sympathized with the meritorious officials. Officer."

Emperor Chongping paused when he heard the words, and said, "It's been so long?"

After thinking about it for a while, he picked up the ink pen to read it around, wrote four characters, followed what he played, then put the memorial aside, and said: "Have someone hand this memorial back to the Ministry of Officials."

Seeing this, Dai Quan was shocked. Sure enough, Jia Ziyu cared about his family, loved his house and his family, and gave priority to the official career of all relatives.

At noon, the memorials and fruits submitted by the Ministry of Officials were sent back again, and a director surnamed Xu from the Ministry of Officials Wenxuan Qingli Division quickly went to the Ministry of Industry to inform Jia Zheng.

Rongguofu

Jia's mother was talking with Xue Pan and Aunt Xue. Because Xue Pan was an unmarried man, only Sister Feng, Li Wan and Mrs. Wang sat aside to accompany her.

And across the screen, Daiyu, Tanchun, Yingchun, and Xiangyun were playing together, and Baochai also came in with Yinger, talking with the sisters.

There is another in Jia Mu's arms, um, it is Baoyu wearing a purple gold crown with bundled hair and treasures, and a round-neck shirt with red arrow sleeves. Zhise said: "In that place, Cousin Wenlong can live so freely."

He didn't know that the place full of smelly men was simply a hell on earth.

Xue Pan sighed: "I just can't go out, it's a bit annoying."

Baoyu asked: "Brother Xue, there are often people who are loyal and loyal. I don't know what strange people and strange things Brother Xue has heard?"

There was a hint of confusion on Xue Pan's chubby face, and he said: "Brother Bao...you mean you know friends, I'm in a separate cell, and I haven't had much contact with other prisoners."

Jia Heng was also worried about the problem of "cross-infection in the detention center" when he was locked up, so he ordered the prison guards not to bring some dubious people close to Xue Pan, so as not to make Xue Pan worse.

Baoyu sighed and said, "It's a pity."

Jia Mu smiled and said, "Okay, in a place like a prison, how can there be good people..."

As he said that, he also felt that something was wrong, so he quickly stopped talking and said: "Children like to be curious and ask questions."

Aunt Xue clutched the handkerchief, and the smile on Fengrun's face was somewhat unnatural.

Sister Feng Danfeng rolled her eyes, smiled and asked, "Brother Wenlong, it was your elder brother Heng who picked you up, right? Why didn't you see him?"

Xue Pan smiled and said: "Cousin, he picked me up and went to work on business."

Jia Mu nodded and continued, "Brother Heng has been busy with that big case for the past few days."

"Just now, Cousin Heng said that he went to the Jinyi Mansion. Cousin Heng didn't say anything, but I heard from the people in the prison that those people might not be able to escape the knife." Xue Pan said with a smile .

Everyone's heart trembled.

Jia Mu sighed: "Such a big case, I'm afraid that many people will be killed."

Mrs. Wang also sighed: "Old lady, the master also said yesterday that only two of the fourth departments of the Ministry of Industry are intact, and the two court officials and two doctors are involved in the case."

Through insinuating yesterday, I finally found out some details about the Yamen of the Ministry of Industry.

Xue Pan rolled his eyes and asked, "Aunt, Uncle must have used it a lot this time."

"Well, it depends on what the palace wants." Mother Jia smiled a little more when she heard this.

"Why should it be raised by one level?" Xue Pan asked.

Mother Jia nodded and was about to speak, when suddenly a nanny outside came into the hall and said, "Old lady, madam, the second master is back. I heard from the young man that he seems to have taken a complaint from the official department." Official uniform."

"Sentence and official robes from the official department? Ancestor, this time a good thing is approaching." Sister Feng said with a smile, "I heard magpies screaming in the room early in the morning, so I don't want to be here."

As soon as these words came out, it was as if a spring breeze had blown in the Rongqing Hall, and immediately, there was joy inside and out.

Without him, God is sorry to see you, in recent years, the Jia family's happy events have all fallen in the East Mansion, why did they ever fall in the West Mansion?
Well, what falls on Xifu's head is often a disaster of punishment.

Jia's mother was overjoyed, she couldn't hide the joy on her face, but she waited for a while, and after the woman had recovered her breath, she asked, "Did you say that you have been promoted?"

The old woman smiled and said: "Old lady, I don't know, I just heard from the boy that the master has been promoted this time, and he also said that he will open an ancestral hall to worship the ancestors."

At this moment, Mrs. Wang had already tightly grasped the Buddhist beads in her hand, but she dared not speak out in view of the previous empty joy "Oolong", she just cast a pair of expectant eyes on the screen, waiting for Jia Zheng to come.

And in the inner room separated by a screen, Daiyu, Baochai and others who were talking and laughing also stopped talking and laughing one after another, listening to the movement outside.

At this time, the smile on Baoyu's face suddenly froze. The self-criticism he had written earlier passed the customs at the master's place early this morning, but before the master left, he was fined to kneel in the ancestral hall, and when he came to pay his respects , was called by the old lady again.

Getting up, he said in a low voice, "Old Ancestor, I'd better go to the ancestral hall."

"It's already noon, it's time to eat, what are you going to do in the ancestral hall?" Mother Jia was smiling, but the smile on her face faded a lot, she frowned, and looked at Baoyu.

Her Baoyu, is she afraid of being beaten last time?

Thinking of this, Jia's mother was annoyed: "It's a great joy today, and we have to open an ancestral hall to worship our ancestors. What kind of ancestral hall should we kneel in?"

Everyone couldn't help feeling weird.

While talking, Jia Zheng also entered the Rongqing Hall from the outside. His face was rosy, and he was holding a copy of his confession in his hand. He bowed to Jia Mu, who was at the top, and said, "Mother."

"Zheng'er, what do you mean? He's a doctor?" Mother Jia asked anxiously.

At this moment, Mrs. Wang finally settled down, and it seems that this time it is not an oolong.

Not only Jia's mother and Mrs. Wang looked at Jia Zheng, but Aunt Xue who was sitting on the side also paid attention secretly.

As for Baochai, Tanchun and Daiyu in the inner compartment, they all listened intently.

Jia Zheng tried his best to calm down his excitement, and said in a calm tone: "Old lady, today the Ministry of Officials pushed, and the memorial was delivered to the palace. With the permission of the palace, my son will be transferred to the right Tongzheng, the Secretary of the General Administration."

"Secretary of General Administration, are you not in the Ministry of Industry?" Mother Jia said in surprise, but she didn't react.

Jia Zheng has been an official in the Ministry of Industry before, but now he is transferred to the Secretary of General Administration. Is this a promotion or a relegation?
Mrs. Wang also looked at the past suspiciously, and began to think about the rank of Tongzheng Secretary You Tongzheng.

"What kind of official is this?" Mother Jia couldn't hold back after all, and asked.

Jia Zheng paused for a moment, feeling a little embarrassed, paused, and said, "Well, it's the fourth grade."

As soon as this remark was made, before Mother Jia could react, Mrs. Wang heard the words, and the Buddhist beads in her hand fell to the ground with a crisp sound, but no one laughed at the lady in charge of the Rong Mansion.

Mrs. Wang felt her heart explode with ecstasy.

It's the fourth grade, but it's not the fifth grade?
This is really... God pity, that Uncle Heng found out his conscience?
So, can her imperial order... also be promoted?

And Jia Mu was also stunned for a moment, and then she was stunned for a while, and murmured: "Is it the fourth grade?"

Sister Feng smiled and joked, "Old Ancestor, Second Master has been promoted to three ranks in a row."

Mother Jia was also overwhelmed by surprise, and murmured: "This, this is really a happy event."

The main reason is that in the beginning, Jia Zheng kept it secret and Jia Heng didn't reveal a word. Jia's mother only thought that it would be good to be promoted to a higher level.

After all, my son has not been in the Ministry of Industry for 20 years, so it's enough to go up to the first rank. Now that he has been promoted to the third rank, the fourth rank is better, and he is much closer to the first rank.

And Jia Mu's words seemed to set off the joyful atmosphere in Rongqing Hall, and it never happened again. This is a real happy event.

Dai Yu in the inner room glanced at Tan Chun through her starry eyes under her smoky eyebrows, and could also see the joy overflowing from the third sister's Yingli eyebrows.

Daiyu couldn't help but glanced at Baochai, only to see that there was a slight smile on her face, but her eyes were shining brightly, and she didn't know what was going on.

Outside, Aunt Xue also smiled and said: "This is really a happy event at the beginning of spring."

Jia Mu smiled and said, "Yes, no wonder the young man in the front yard said nonsense that we have to open an ancestral hall to worship our ancestors, so we have to worship our ancestors."

As he spoke, he suddenly remembered something, and asked with a smile: "It's already noon, why didn't Brother Heng come back?"

(End of this chapter)