The Red Mansions

Chapter 598 Daiyu: ...passionate but annoyed by ruthlessness
Night fell, covering the earth, a round of bright and clear moon hanging in the sky, the cold moonlight sprinkled on the vermilion eaves and green walls of Ningrong and Rongfu, shining like water, cold white and bright.

And the courtyards of Jia's mansion were lit up with bright and bright candles. At this moment, if one looked down from a high altitude, one could see the entire Ningrong and Rongfu mansions, as if immersed in a sea of ​​lights.

Since the afternoon, after the imperial decree that Jin Jiaheng was the third-class Earl of Yongning was passed down in the palace, the entire Rongning and Ning mansions, from the masters of the houses to the servants, fell into an atmosphere of joy.

Qin Keqing asked Aunt Cai to allocate some copper coins to reward the maids and servants in each house, and hosted a dinner for all the elders of the Jia family who came to congratulate.

The wife of Baoling Hou Shi Nai led several daughters-in-law, Zhongjing Hou Shi Ding himself brought his wife and young daughters-in-law to congratulate, and even Wang Ziteng's daughter-in-law led Wang Zi to the Jia's mansion to congratulate.

Jia Zheng took leave from the General Administration Department and entertained a group of male guests who came to congratulate him, while the female family members were entertained by Jia Mu and Qin Keqing.

And in one afternoon, the palace's imperial decree to ennoble Jia Heng as Uncle Yongning had already spread throughout Shenjing City, and Jia Shiwang Xue's family naturally got the news.

Apart from core in-laws such as historians and Wang's family, Jia Heng's relatives, such as Cai Quan's wife and Dong Qian's wife, also prepared a gift and came to celebrate Qin Keqing.

As for Grand Concubine Nan'an and Princess Luo of Nan'an, they didn't stay for a banquet. In other words, Grand Concubine Nan'an really couldn't stand the lively atmosphere, so she found an excuse early on and left Ningguo Mansion with Luo Shi.

The nuns and maids in each house were still immersed in the noisy atmosphere, while the sound of gongs, drums and operas continued to come out of Tianxiang Building in Huifangyuan, passing through the vast night, and resounding in Rongning and Ningfu.

In Daiyu's courtyard, the west wing room with a clump of emerald bamboos is lit up, projecting a small and delicate figure on the casement.

"Today is the day when the uncle is conferred a great joy. Why don't you stay with some girls in Dongfu for a while longer?" Zijuan wore a light red jacket and a long plain skirt, her hair was combed in a bun, and her forehead was Air bangs, with rosy cheeks, holding a pile of clean clothes in her hands, walking lightly, walking to the dressing table, looking at Daiyu, who is facing the bronze mirror, looking at the hairpin between her hair .

The lit candlestick on the tall table at one side swayed slightly, giving off circles of red and yellow light. On one side was a girl with a rouge powder box, dowry jewelry, and a long coat embroidered with orchids in the moonlight. Printed draped silk, her figure is like a weak willow supporting the wind, her shoulders are shaved, and under the misty and misty eyebrows of distant mountains, there is a faint and imperceptible sense of melancholy.

At this time, Daiyu stretched out her slender hand, and slowly took off the jade talisman hanging from her neck, and put it in her hand. The jade talisman was white and flawless, soft and delicate, and the lamb on it was petite and cute.

Hearing what Zijuan said behind her, Daiyu said softly, "I don't really like lively things."

Zicuckoo: "..."

After all, she is the little girl known as Hui Zijuan. When her eyes turned, she guessed Daiyu's heart knot at once. On the chair beside her, she put down the folded clothes and said softly: "Girl, sir, he is now In Henan, I was busy with the military affairs of a province, so maybe I didn’t have time to write letters, and now I don’t know when I will come back, speaking of it, the family is celebrating my uncle’s promotion to Earl, but it’s not easy for him to have this day.”

Hearing this, Daiyu's face was in a daze, she held the sheep talisman, and said softly: "At the beginning, Brother Heng lived in Liutiaoer Hutong, before he was married to Sister-in-law Qin... At that time in Rongqing Hall, he saw Bufan Tolerance, and then step by step to today."

When it comes to "marrying Qin's sister-in-law", there is a subtle strangeness in her voice, and there is a complex look on her beautiful face.

At the beginning, the young man standing with his sword in Rongqing Hall had a voice like gold and stone, and his words were clear, as if it was yesterday.

At this time, Zijuan picked up the teapot and poured a cup of tea, cast her eyes on the jade talisman in Daiyu's hand, and said, "Speaking of it, the uncle is not much older than the girl. I don't know how much I have suffered to be able to come to this day. It is now sealed as an earl, but when they met attackers earlier, they said that with the momentum of the uncle, it is impossible to be able to seal the title of a marquis or duke in the future. Speaking of which, the girl's family used to be a fifth-generation marquis, and later it was passed down to the master's generation. Take the imperial examination road."

The girl said, and handed over the teacup.

Daiyu was startled, then in a daze, and said: "That's all about the ancestors."

Zijuan smiled and said: "But after all, the girl is the daughter of a prince and scholar. In terms of her background, she doesn't know how noble she is."

Young girl Huaichun, most of the girls in her family have thoughts that she doesn't understand. Alas, it would be great if Master Heng didn't get married. A girl with such a background can't be a concubine.

Daiyu looked at the empty room and said softly: "The Ze of a Gentleman, who was killed in five lifetimes, is just a person who doesn't care about it now."

Although Daiyu likes to be quiet, it doesn't mean she likes a life where no one cares about her.

Hearing this, Zijuan pursed her lips, her eyes flickered, and said softly: "Girl, don't worry too much. Last time, the uncle wrote a letter from home, didn't he mention the girl? He also asked the girl to take care of herself, I will see After the girl's body is in spring, it is getting better and better, and the medicinal diet and nourishing formula also need to be practiced."

Daiyu said "um", and Yurong was a little absent-minded.

Last time, she was mentioned in the family letter: "The weather in spring is changeable, please be sure to tell Sister Tuo Lin to pay attention to her body, don't suffer from the wind and cold..."

But besides her, she also entrusted the third younger sister, fourth younger sister, and elder sister Bao...everyone has something to say.

Daiyu suppressed the thoughts in her heart, stretched out her hand to remove the earrings on the earlobe, and said softly: "Sister Zijuan, you said Brother Heng... when will he come back?"

Zijuan smiled lightly and said, "Girl, it's not good to say that. Didn't the third girl say that the uncle is in Henan to take care of the aftermath? When the matter is completely settled that day, it will take two or three months."

Daiyu frowned, her starry eyes were filled with worry, she was silent for a while.

For two or three months, he spent day and night with that Princess Xianning, how could Sister Heng... be so calm?You should take care of him too...

Zijuan thought for a while, and suggested: "If the girl has something to do, why don't you write a letter to the uncle?"

While Daiyu was thinking wildly, her jade cheeks were blushing like a cloud of clouds, although Zijuan said "something", but what could be wrong with her?
"It's too earth-shattering, and it's inconvenient to send it." The girl said with a slightly trembling voice.

How can an unmarried girl from Yunying send it to a married husband alone?I'm afraid I'm going to be a gossip.

"That girl, you don't need to send it out. The girl writes a letter when she thinks about it, and then writes too much. If she doesn't want it in the end, she just burns it." Zijuan thought about it seriously, and suddenly she felt blessed and said Said.

However, it seems that one sentence awakened Daiyu, or in this way, it immediately hit Daiyu's sentimental heart.

Letters that will never be sent will be burned after they are written, without anyone noticing.

"What... is it like?" Daiyu frowned, she said in a trembling voice, and then said again: "But it's a little... I'm going on the road when I'm happy, and I'm going back when I'm happy, why should I see Dai's intentions. "

At this moment, it seemed to fit the original work, because Daiyu's usual poems were finally burned to break her infatuation.

Zijuan suddenly remembered something, and said hesitantly: "Girl, if you don't forget it, if it burns, it would be too unlucky."

When Daiyu heard this, she also came to her senses, she bit her lips with her white teeth, as if the bright starry eyes under her smoldering eyebrows were reflecting light, her cherry lips moved, and she said in a low voice, "Then... just don't burn it. .”

She only felt that there were many words hidden in her heart, but she couldn't say a word in front of that person.

I always wanted to ask him why he was so kind to her, just because... her father?

But he had never met his father, and according to his temperament, if he hadn't seen his father, those words of admiration would probably be polite.

Or... Aiwujiwu?
Thinking of this, Fang's heart skipped a beat, but fortunately she was facing the lamp, her cheeks were hidden in the gentle moonlight, and she couldn't see how hot her cheeks were.

"Girl, the hot water is ready." At this moment, Xueyan walked around a bamboo and wood screen with paintings of beautiful women and called to Daiyu.

Zijuan gently helped Daiyu's shaved shoulders, and said, "Girl, let's go."

Daiyu gave a "hmm" and followed Zijuan to the inner room. Zijuan ordered Xueyan to lock the gate of the courtyard, and then bolted the door in the room.

Slowly put down the light yellow curtain on the golden hook, turned around, looked at Daiyu, and said softly: "Girl, I will help you take a bath."

Daiyu's cheeks were slightly red, and she said softly, "Sister Zijuan, I... just do it myself."

Zijuan smiled lightly, walked closer, and said, "I have been serving the girl since I was a child, why should the girl be ashamed?"

Daiyu gave a "hmm" sound like a mosquito, and took off her dress at this time, and took off the outer beige and skirt after a while, and only wore a small coat.

Daiyu showed her lotus arms, and said softly, "Sister Zijuan, I'll do it myself next time."

"The girl is still shy, and it's not good to go into the bathtub in a small dress." Zijuan said softly.

Daiyu hurriedly dodged a little, and said in a low voice, "I, I'll be fine if I come alone."

Seeing this, Zijuan was somewhat helpless, and said softly: "Then I'll bring another towel for the girl. Slow down, girl, call me for something, don't fall down like last time."

Saying that, he lifted the curtain and left.

Seeing Zicuckoo leave, Daiyu breathed a sigh of relief, her starry eyes flickered, she reached out to remove a small blue dress embroidered with plum blossoms on her body, and by the light of a candlestick on the small table, she cut her hair. The shoulders are as round as jade, the snowy back is like jade, and the skin is like creamy fat.

Daiyu stretched her hand through the blue silk hair at the back of her neck, untied the bow, and took it aside.

Protecting with the left hand and covering it with the right hand, but the fluffy feeling from the palm of the right hand makes a face as clear as snow blush like clouds.

When I lowered my head, I felt that it was a little more lush, and my heart couldn't help being shy and anxious, so I didn't dare to look at it, like tender Ling's feet stepping on a wooden stool, accompanied by the sound of "crashing" water, the petite and exquisite figure , was obscured by the steaming heat with petals.

She doesn't know when it started, it seems to be last year, or this spring... It's really annoying.

I want to take the scissors, but sister Zicuckoo won't let me...

Daiyu pursed her lips, staring at the candlelight not far away, lost in thought for a while.

"Is the girl alright?" Zicuckoo asked outside the curtain.

Daiyu quickly suppressed the shame in her heart, and her voice returned to the calmness of the past, calling: "It's done."

Zijuan came in, holding a wooden basin and two white towels in her hand, and said softly, "I'll help the girl wash."

Daiyu was no longer ashamed at this moment, gently picked up the hot water with her slender hands, and lifted it up on her white as jade arm, the warm water fell along the smooth and fat skin, only the petals fell.

"Miss, I heard from Qingwen yesterday that Miss Bao often goes to Grandma Heng's place." Zijuan said softly while helping Daiyu take a bath.

At this moment, the door is closed, and there are no outsiders, so the master and the servant are talking about themselves, just as the original book says: "I don't want to see a Xue Baochai suddenly here. Although she is not very old, she has a good character and a beautiful appearance. It is said that Daiyu is not as good as... I don’t love Daiyu, she is arrogant and arrogant, her eyes are unsullied, so she has won the hearts of servants, and even the little girls are more close to Baochai."

In other words, since Baochai entered the mansion, all the servants in the mansion have praised Baochai, and instead let Daiyu go down.

For these gossips, Daiyu felt dejected at the beginning, and gradually took them as normal.

But Zijuan felt a little bit sorry for her own girl, and a little bit disliked Baochai, especially Baochai's maid, Ying'er, who felt that she had too many eyes.

It can be said that the entire Ningrong and Rongfu mansions, especially the Rongguo mansion, did not have a lot of awkwardness in the maids and servants because of Jia Heng's rise in the East mansion.

The splendor inside cannot be described in a few words.

"In the past few days, sister-in-law Heng invited her over to be a guest, and several times, she also invited me over." Daiyu stretched out her hand to wipe her neck, and gently scrubbed the lamb.

Zijuan said softly: "Miss Bao goes there more often than Miss. I heard that Grandma Heng often keeps Miss Bao for dinner. Seeing Miss Bao's elegant dress, she also gave her some jewelry."

Daiyu sighed quietly, and said: "Sister Bao has an older brother, so she doesn't have to worry about it, and there are times when she goes to the East Mansion."

After thinking for a while, he pursed his lips and said, "As for the jewellery, didn't the palace reward some pieces last time, and they were left there without wearing them."

Zijuan gave a "hmm" and turned to say: "Girl, Miss Bao is said to be fifteen years old this year, do you think Auntie is not worried?"

"Huh?" Daiyu paused for a moment with her scrubbing hands, a little confused, and a trace of suspicion appeared in her starry eyes.

Zijuan lowered her voice and said softly: "Xu is fifteen years old, and at the age of Ji, it is supposed to be settled, but because of her brother's affairs, it has been delayed."

Daiyu frowned, and said angrily, "My aunt has to worry about these things, so we won't talk about them behind our backs in the future."

"It's not behind your back." Zijuan paused, and said softly: "Girl, I'm just surprised that she got close to the uncle last year. She often went to see the uncle because of the young master of the Xue family, and stayed there once she went. long time."

When Daiyu heard this, her heart tightened, her starry eyes flickered under her smoky eyebrows, and she said solemnly: "Sister Zijuan, this matter is related to the reputation of my daughter's family, and Brother Heng, so it's not good to talk about it."

After Sister Zijuan said, she also seemed to recall that when she came back last year, she saw Brother Heng and Sister Bao walking in the corridor... and observing during the recent period, Sister Bao's behavior was indeed a bit abnormal.

Hmm...probably not.

Zijuan nodded, and said: "Girl, I'm just wondering, this word is rotten in my stomach, and it's not easy to tell others. The girl is very thoughtful, so I asked the girl. Speaking of it, Master Heng is such a good person. , that is, becoming a relative."

After all, the Taoist behind him is good or bad, and there are some things that are difficult to say, so Zicuckoo will stop there.

Daiyu gave a "hmm", her starry eyes were dazed, and she sighed deeply in her heart.

That is to say, becoming a relative...

"Girl, if you have free time, you can also go and have a conversation with Grandma Heng. Before, the uncle worried about the girl's health. Now that the uncle is not at home, the girl also goes to sit with Grandma Heng more. It is also a courtesy." Zi Juan said softly: "I see, Grandma Heng also likes the character of a girl, even a girl, why doesn't she seem to get close to Grandma Heng?"

Daiyu thought for a while, bit her lower lip with her white teeth, and said softly, "I've been there many times in the next year, and besides, Sister Heng's place has been lively enough recently, I go too often, I'm not happy In the eyes of outsiders, it’s not good either.”

It's not that she doesn't want to go there, it's just that she goes to play every day, and it's not good to be seen by outsiders.

"Miss, you just look forward and backward." Zijuan also felt a little helpless when she heard this, her lips moved, and she sighed softly: "It would be good if Master Heng was at home."

She could feel the loneliness of her own girl, and she didn't see anyone coming to talk to her on weekdays.

When Daiyu heard this, her jade cheeks were stained with blush, and she said angrily: "When Brother Heng was here, I didn't go there too often. He used to be very busy, but now he has been appointed as an uncle. I don't know how busy he will be in the future. When I come back, I can’t come here often.”

When it comes to the end, deep in her heart, there is also a bit of unspeakable resentment.

That person's side is either the princess's or the princess's. Even if he comes back, he won't sit with her...even for a short while.

She doesn't come back once in ten and a half months. He is now in charge of state affairs. She knows that she is busy with official duties, but... it doesn't take long to come and sit for half an hour.

If you knew this earlier, why bother?
Zijuan suddenly said: "Second Master Bao went to the school. If he is at home, although he is a little annoyed, the girl's place is still more lively."

Daiyu: "..."

After thinking about it, he said softly: "My sisters are all grown up, even if Second Brother Bao is at home, he doesn't play around like a child in the past. His uncle expects a lot from him when he gets married and starts a career."

Besides, she's grown up too, she's not a child anymore, and she needs to learn about the differences between men and women, so she avoids it.

In fact, since Baoyu was urged to go to school by Jia Zheng as a "guard against thieves", it can be said that there is not even a single person who shouts "Sister Lin" in Daiyu's place.

And if you pay attention to the original work of the Red Chamber, you will find that Bao Dai spends most of her time in a cycle of playing around, being awkward, crying, and coaxing.

Zijuan chuckled and said: "If you don't always like to be quiet, you can also play mahjong with Grandma Heng and Grandma Lian. I heard from that girl Suyun that Grandma Zhu often goes there too." "

Daiyu sighed softly, and said, "It's good to play occasionally, but young girls can't play every day."

Although Daiyu knew that Qin Keqing's place was lively, no matter if it was Second Sister You, Third Sister You, or Sister Feng, if they got together occasionally, talking and laughing would be okay, but let Daiyu sit with them and play mahjong, laughing and talking. No shape, it was a kind of mental torture for Daiyu.

Daiyu likes to be quiet, otherwise she wouldn't live in the Xiaoxiang Bamboo Forest in the Grand View Garden, but being quiet doesn't mean rejecting the excitement, it just means that she has more spiritual freedom to choose.

"Third Miss and Miss Yun are also going to the East Mansion." Zijuan sighed.

Daiyu sighed softly, and said: "They go, I usually just read at home."

Tanchun usually has to go to the study of Ningguo Mansion to help organize and copy the documents from the Jingying and Wucheng Bingmasi. When Jia Heng comes back, he can check them easily. The rest of the time is either practicing calligraphy, reading books, or just staring blankly.

Xiangyun is a game that anyone can play with.

Just now I can play with children of a few years old with great interest, and sometimes when I am with Daiyu, I don’t take care of some trivial emotions of Daiyu, and I may suddenly "giggle" when I am sentimental about Daiyu , several times down again and again, made Daiyu dumbfounded.

As a result, Daiyu seemed to be a "lonely person" in the two prefectures of Rongning and Ningxia.

Zijuan said softly: "Girl, alas, Master Heng loves the girl, if there is no rebellion in Henan, he also said to take the girl to go outing outside the city to enjoy the flowers, and now I don't know when he will come back."

At the end, he sighed.

She didn't know how to persuade her own girl, and she even vaguely guessed some of the girl's unaware thoughts, and it was because of Uncle Heng.

After all, Uncle Heng doesn't hang around girls every day like Second Master Bao, and he also has a family, but back then... why did he provoke girls?Now let the girl worry about it.

Daiyu said quietly: "Now he is in Henan. I heard from my third sister that he led the army to put down the rebellion, and even fought with others himself, and captured the bandit leader alive."

Even if you come back to the capital, but come to find her, it's...should be, the third sister and the others are his clan sisters, they can still help him, and she...

Zijuan saw that Daiyu was in a low mood, so it was difficult to say anything.

After Daiyu finished bathing and changing clothes, she came to the bookshelf, remembered what Zijuan had just said, took out a piece of letter paper, and began to concentrate on writing, but after a while, looking at the words on the letter paper, her cheeks were already as red as clouds.

She is... what did she write?

I saw the words on it: "The flowers have faded, the red and green apricots are small, when the swallows fly, the green water is surrounded by people, and the willows on the branches are few and far between... The laughter gradually fades away, and the passion is annoyed by the ruthlessness."

Daiyu was distracted for a moment, picked up the paper, and tried to crumple it into a ball, but after a while, she felt reluctant for some reason.

But at this moment, this poem by Su Zizhan expresses a certain inner voice that has been hidden for a long time.

Putting down the writing brush in her slender hand, she stared at the hazy moonlight outside the window in a trance, Daiyu's starry eyes flickered under her smoky eyebrows, and when the shyness gradually disappeared, an indescribable loneliness and sense of loss hit her heart.

Especially the faint noise coming from a distance, and the sound of opera in Dongfu, the house is surprisingly quiet, it seems that even the sound of the late spring wind blowing bamboo leaves and gently brushing against the window can be clearly heard .

Suddenly, an indescribable loneliness and desolation hit the girl's heart.

Daiyu's staring eyes fixed for a while, then looked down at the paper on the desk, picked up an envelope, put it in solemnly, pressed the corner of the paper, picked up a pen, wrote a line of small characters on the envelope paper, and then hid it in the in ancient books.

Immediately, she sat down dejectedly, holding the sheep talisman in one hand, and resting Ruyu's cheek in the other slender hand, in a daze.

(End of this chapter)