The Red Mansions

Chapter 837 Zhen Lan: Sister Xi'er is weird!
Ningguo Mansion, Backyard Flower Hall
You Shi and Cao Shi were talking, and Xiang Yun, Li Wen, and Li Qi who were not far away brought something to Xin Xin to talk to.

Zhen Lan was talking with Tanchun in the room, it was almost noon, and Chai and Dai went to the backyard kitchen to prepare meals.

For the past few days, Daiyu invited a cook to learn how to cook, and planned to let Jia Heng try it.

Zhen Lan sat opposite Tan Chun across a chessboard, with childish eyebrows and eyes like Zhen Qing's, her eyes were as clear as water, she looked at Tan Chun and asked, "Brother Heng said that the Fang family was involved in the case of King Zhao's remnants?" , does the third sister think it is true?"

Tanchun shook his head lightly, took a chess piece and ate one of Zhen Lan's pawns, and said, "I don't know, maybe Brother Heng has some evidence from the Fang family."

Ever since he came to Jiangnan, brother Heng didn't say that she went to the study to help with official affairs. Last time when he went to the study, he met that girl Xiao, who read a book there leisurely, and asked himself what he was doing here.

This……

Zhen Lan picked up the teacup in her palm, took a sip with her eyes downcast, the rich and fragrant tea soup overflowed between her lips and teeth, and wrapped in strands of inexplicable emotions tossing and turning back and forth in her heart.

Is Big Brother Heng... trying to help her out?

I don't know what the second sister said to him in the study, and the fourth sister.

Zhen Lan was thinking wildly, and suddenly a thought came to her mind, she suddenly had a plan, and said softly: "Sister, let me relieve you."

"Sister Lan, let's go." Tan Chun replied, watching Zhen Lan leave.

Zhen Lan carried her skirt across the threshold and out of the flower hall in the backyard. It was at noon in winter, everything was dying, and the new wind was howling.

The girl is dressed in a lotus-colored dress, with a chu waist and a grub collar, and a pink hairpin at the temples. She looks like an elegant peacock as she walks. The cold white and chilling courtyard picture scroll composed of branches and plums is embellished with a bit of red and green.

As soon as Zhen Lan reached the end of the corridor, she suddenly saw the delicate figure standing at the threshold, her heart moved slightly, and she asked in surprise:
"Sister, what are you doing here?"

Hearing Zhen Lan's call, Zhen Xi was startled, looked at the girl not far away in surprise, and said in a slightly higher voice, "Sister San, why are you here?"

And the two who were cuddling and talking in the room got up immediately and quickly straightened their clothes.

Seeing a trace of panic in Zhen Xi's eyebrows, Zhen Lan was even more suspicious, but her face remained calm, and she said softly: "I have something to ask Brother Heng."

Sister Xi'er is weird!
After all, the two sisters are good sisters who grew up together, and Zhen Lan is very sensitive to some subconscious behaviors of Zhen Xi.

At this moment, Jia Heng came out of the inner room, looked at Zhen Lan, and said softly, "Sister Lan'er, what do you want from me?"

Zhen Lan nodded and asked, "Brother Heng, there is something I want to ask Brother Heng, where is the second sister?"

Jia Heng's face was calm, calm, completely clueless, and said: "Sister Ni, she will come out soon."

At this time, Zhen Xue also quickly tidied up, calmed down her breath, and the beautiful woman with picturesque eyebrows smiled as softly as water, and said, "Sister Lan'er, you are here."

Zhen Lan realized that she was not famous for a while, but she still couldn't help being suspicious, and said, "Third sister, how is the talk going?"

Zhen Xue said: "It's all over, the third sister is here to see your big brother Heng for something, you guys are talking here, I'm going to see Xin Xin."

As the beauty spoke, she moved with slightly flustered steps, got up and left the study, and headed outside.

Jia Heng led Zhen Lan into the room, and said in a low voice, "Sister Lan, if you need anything, call me."

As she spoke, she said to Zhen Xi who was at the side: "Sister Xi'er, come in and talk, it's freezing outside."

This Xi'er, naive, is still going outside at this time, where is Wangfeng?
Zhen Xi responded softly, entered the wing room, and sat down, with doubts on her pretty face, she said: "Third sister, what's the matter, Brother Xun Heng?"

"I want to ask Brother Heng about the Fang family." Zhen Lan looked at the young man and said softly, "Brother Heng said in the posthouse that the Fang family was in collusion with Zhao Wang's remnants. thing?"

Jia Heng pondered for a moment, then said: "The Fang family is indeed suspicious, and they are still investigating."

Zhen Lan hesitated to speak, stopped talking and wanted to speak, and finally said: "These things happened in the family, and this happened to the sister of the princess. Now these people in Jiangnan are used to flattering the high and trampling the low. It's really hateful."

Jia Heng nodded, and said: "Seek advantages and avoid disadvantages, human nature is like this, and those who make things worse are villains."

Isn't Zhen Lan looking for him here just to talk about these things?
Zhen Lan was quiet for a moment, then asked: "Brother Heng, what will the palace do with the family?"

Jia Heng said softly: "Actually, this matter is still unclear. Sister Xi'er asked about it before, and I told her about it."

As he spoke, he looked at Zhen Xi and said softly, "Sister Xi'er, tell your sister."

Zhen Xi said: "Third sister, Brother Heng won't ignore the whole process."

Zhen Lan sighed, looked at the young man, and said, "Brother Heng, I don't know what to do at home to revive the family reputation?"

"Your children can always find a way out by studying, becoming an official, or joining the army to serve side affairs." Jia Heng picked up a cup of tea, and took advantage of the opportunity to suppress the fragrance of fat and powder between his mouth.

Zhen Lan's clear eyes flickered, she stared at the young man, and said softly: "It's a pity that I am a daughter, so I can't make achievements like Brother Heng, and get fame by myself."

In the past two days, she was looking for the "Cijue Biao" written by the boy in his early years to study, and listening to the younger sister Tanchun narrating the past stories of the boy in front of her in adoring language, she felt unbelievable.

She asked herself that if she changed places, she would not be able to fight her way out of all kinds of humble situations.

Jia Heng smiled lightly and said: "Sister Lan'er knows people, even if she is a husband and a child in the future, she will also be the face of Wangfu."

What he said to Zhen Xue earlier was not wrong, he didn't have the idea that there must be no sisters in the Zhen family, and many things happened naturally.

Zhen Lan felt shy when she heard the words, her jade cheeks flushed slightly, she hurriedly said: "The third younger sister is the one who has experienced people, and she can handle military affairs with Brother Heng, which is much better than those ordinary people."

Jia Heng was stunned for a moment, and said: "The third younger sister usually likes these things, and I am willing to talk to her about them, but for girls, in this world, they will eventually marry."

Zhen Lan nodded, her eyes sparkling, she said absent-mindedly: "Brother Heng said so."

It is impossible for her to marry such a vassal king in this life, because the Zhen family has already produced two concubines, and it is even more impossible for a scholar like the Fang family.

If she is no longer at the mercy of others and has power, the only option is to marry Wu Xun.

And looking around, in the entire Han Dynasty, there was no martial arts more outstanding than the young man in front of him. With the power in his hands, even if he raised his hand lightly, the Fang family would be wiped out.

Several people were talking, Qingwen stood outside and called out: "Young Master, Miss Lin is calling Uncle to have dinner."

Jia Heng looked at Zhen Lan, smiled and said: "Okay, let's stop talking, let's go back to eat."

Entering the hall, a group of Yingying and Yanyan sat around two tables, Chaidai, Xiangyun, and Tanchun sat at the same table, and on the other side were You Shi and Cao Shi, and Li Wen and Li Qi were entertaining Zhen Xue and the others. Water Xin.

When everyone saw Jia Heng coming in, they all got up and looked at the boy.

Daiyu said softly, "Brother Heng, it's time for lunch."

Jia Heng nodded, turned from a pair of moist apricot eyes to a pair of sparkling star eyes, and said softly: "It's very lively at home today."

At this time, Shui Xin raised her pink face, looked at Zhen Xue, and said softly, "Mother, why doesn't Godfather join us at the same table?"

Zhen Xue rubbed Shui Xin's forehead with a smile, and said, "Your godfather wants to accompany you, Aunt Lin and the others."

Although Ziyu had never heard of it, the relationship between that girl Lin and Ziyu was unusual.

Xiangyun had a cute smile on Apple's round face, and said softly, "Brother Heng, sister Lin is cooking the kitchen herself today, and she cooked five or six dishes."

Jia Heng stared at Daiyu, and said softly: "Sister Lin is ingenious, it's rare for her to cook by herself, I have to try it out."

The last time I went to Daiyu's house, I saw the recipes on the desk, and obviously started to study cooking, and Chai and Dai began to curl up.

Facing all the gazes, Daiyu said with some embarrassment: "I have learned to cook two dishes from the cook these few days. I just learned it. It may not be very good. Brother Heng, don't laugh at me."

Tan Chun chuckled and said, "Brother Heng, Sister Lin usually stays in the kitchen these few days, it's so smoky that everyone is blackened."

Daiyu glanced at Tanchun shyly, and said softly, "Third sister."

Where is she blackened?

Jia Heng smiled softly, turned his warm eyes to Daiyu, and said, "The oily smoke is a bit choking, sister Lin is weak, you should pay more attention."

Daiyu said "Yes", nodded her head, and said, "Got it."

There was a trace of strangeness in Baochai's moist apricot eyes under her emerald eyebrows, she put down the teacup in her hand, and when she raised her eyes, she suddenly caught a glimpse of the young man with clear eyes, and her heart moved slightly.

Jia Heng sat down, washed his hands under Qingwen's service, looked at Baochai seriously, and asked, "Sister Xue, why don't you see Baoqin?"

This is the reason why he doesn't want to eat with Baochai and Daiyu. He needs to take care of their emotions and allocate his attention reasonably.

"I just sent someone to call her, and I'll be here in a while." Baochai smiled lightly, looked at the boy in the python suit with concern, and asked, "Brother Heng, is he still going to work in the afternoon?"

Jia Heng said: "Go to Jinyi Mansion. With this case together, I will be busy in the next few days."

The matter of the Zhen family's ransacking is easy to handle, and Jin Yang is in charge of it, but there is no clue about the case investigation here.

That Chen Yuan is obviously not a fool, if he breaks away with one blow, it will not be easy to arrest him later.

Daiyu listened to the conversation between the two, her starry eyes shone brightly.

At this time, Bao Qin's soft voice came from outside, saying: "Brother Heng."

Immediately afterwards, the plump little girl with white cheeks was wearing a vermilion jacket and skirt, and she was leading Nona not far away.

Jia Heng nodded to Nona and said with a smile, "Sister Baoqin, come and sit down."

Baoqin smiled and said, "Brother Heng can't even sit here, so I sit with Xinxin."

Saying that, she took Nona's hand and came to You Shi, Cao Shi, Li Wen, Li Qi, Zhen Xue, and Shui Xin.

While talking, everyone started to eat lunch.

Jia Heng picked up the chopsticks, picked up a piece of yuba, put it in his mouth, and chewed it lightly.

Well, there is no over-salt, no dark dishes such as frying, everything is in order, Daiyu must have tasted it after cooking, but it doesn't look too delicious.

Facing Daiyu's expectant gaze, Jia Heng looked at the girl with mountain brows and watery eyes, smiled lightly, and said encouragingly, "My sister is good at crafting."

This is the same compliment as the last time I ate the food made by Baochai, a bowl of water is flat.

Daiyu still needs some affirmation. It is better to focus on how to cook and please him than to be angry.

Daiyu heard the words, the starry eyes under the smoldering eyebrows were bright and clear, she was overjoyed with shame, and said: "Brother Heng just likes it."

Xiangyun also picked up the chopsticks, picked up a pair of chopsticks, and said with a coquettish smile: "Brother Heng, I will try it too."

Then he ate a piece, chewed it a few times, and said softly: "Sister Lin, this one is a bit old, not like the one that Sister Bao made last time."

Daiyu: "???"

Hearing this, Tanchun glared at the clever Xiangyun, and said softly, "Sister Yun."

Jia Heng glanced at the heartless Xiangyun, and thought to himself, Xiangyun is really innocent.

Just like in the original book, no one said that Ling Guaner resembles Daiyu, but Xiangyun has a solid eye and speaks out straight away. Xiangyun has this temperament.

But it's Xiangyun's fault, if he said Xiangyun's words, well, don't think about living this life well.

Baochai glanced at the boy, smoothed things over and said, "Sister Lin is just learning, so it's great to be able to cook like this. When I was just learning, I couldn't even cook well."

Zhen Lan quietly watched this scene not far away, her eyes wandered back and forth on the faces of Daiyu and Baochai, her heart was thoughtful.

It was discovered a few days ago that the two Xue Lin should have some connection with Brother Heng.

Jia Heng cast his warm eyes on Daiyu, seeing the girl with watery eyes who were a little sad, said with a chuckle: "I think it's pretty good, take your time, I can cook better in the future, sister, Let's eat."

When Daiyu heard this, the disappointment in her heart dissipated a lot, and she said softly: "Brother Heng, then I will practice more when I go back."

Xiangyun also realized at this moment that he had said the wrong thing, so he didn't say anything after that, but the girl was a little sullen.

After lunch, Jia Heng left Ningguo Mansion and went to Fusi Town of Jinyi Mansion.

A group of Yingying and Yanyan returned to the courtyard respectively, Zhen Lan and Zhen Xi returned to the courtyard where they lived, entered the wing room, and talked about themselves.

"Sister, what happened during the meal just now?" Zhen Lan took her sister's hand and asked curiously.

Zhen Xi said softly: "Brother Heng and Sister Lin are a couple, right?"

Zhenxi stayed in the mansion for so long, especially when Jia Heng went to Guangdong and stayed with Daiyu for a long time, so she already understood the relationship between Daiyu and Jia Heng.

Zhen Lan's cold eyes flickered under her beautiful eyebrows, and she asked curiously, "Where's Miss Xue?"

Zhen Xi said softly: "It seems to be a relative of Brother Heng, who came to live for a while."

"I think that Miss Xue and Brother Heng should also be a couple." Zhen Lan said softly.

Zhen Xi blinked her bright eyes, and asked, "Why does Third Sister say that?"

"Intuitively, I don't come to the mansion many times, and I haven't talked to that sister Bao a few times, but I can feel that this sister Bao is a person with a heavy heart, like Brother Heng, and she is at the age of marriage, so be good. There must be a reason why the capital doesn't stay here and come here from the south." Zhen Lan said softly with her eyes determined.

The girl was originally a person with a clear mind, even though she had only been in Jia's residence for a few days, she had a general understanding of the Yingying and Yanyan around Jia Heng through secret observation.

What's more, the eyebrows and eyes that you like are often hard to hide, not to mention that both Chai and Dai have skin-to-skin relationships with Jia Heng, so their words and deeds can always reveal a little bit.

Zhen Xi's aura-like eyes were full of surprise, she looked at Zhen Lan, and said, "Third Sister, do you think Sister Xue and Brother Heng are the same?"

Zhen Lan's clear phoenix eyes saw a look of determination, and she said softly: "The daughter of a merchant is good at calculating, and her thoughts are comparable to others. I see that girl from the Xue family is very scheming."

Zhen Xi: "..."

No, if she remembers correctly, third uncle is also in the merchant business, and sister Lan is also considered to be... scheming?
"My younger sister is in the mansion, and she is really willing to become a concubine in the future." I don't know that Zhen Xi is drawing inferences from one instance, but Zhen Lanxiao suddenly asked with an inexplicable look in Zhen Qing's eyes.

Their Zhen family had two concubines, and it was her and fourth sister's turn, as if they had run out of luck, but fourth sister was luckier than her.

Zhen Xi licked her slightly pink lips, and said softly: "Sister, I was given by my family to wait on Brother Heng, so I don't want to expect anything else, besides, Brother Heng already has a wife, I..."

Growing up in a big family like the Zhen family, although she has a weak temperament, she doesn't understand everything, so she naturally knows what it means to be a concubine.

But now she can only be a concubine after going through the door.

With concern in her eyes, Zhen Lan said softly, "Sister, I'm worried that you will suffer and be wronged. After all, a concubine's room is a concubine's room, just like property."

I couldn't help but think of the scene where Zhenxi was waiting outside the study earlier, this is using the third sister as a maid.

Zhen Xi quickly said: "Third sister, you misunderstood, brother Heng is always good to me and never wronged me."

As she spoke, blushes blushed slightly on both sides of her clear and snowy cheeks, and she quickly stopped talking.

Brother Heng hugs her to sleep at night, and he seems to like her very much, so it's not easy to tell third sister about these things.

Zhen Lan looked at her sister's rouge-like face, she had some guesses in her heart, and asked suspiciously: "Then why was my sister blowing the cold wind outside when I was in the study?"

Zhen Xi was stunned when he heard the words, and said in a soft voice: "I'm going out to get some air, and the things Brother Heng and Second Sister said are quite confidential, and I'm not suitable to listen to them."

As he was talking, he suddenly became vigilant. Is the third sister trying to trick her?
When Zhen Lan heard this, Yingche's bright eyes flashed, and her suspicion persisted, but she couldn't ask any more questions for the time being, and said, "If my sister has been wronged, you can tell me, so I can make up my mind for my sister."

If their sisters join forces...

Zhen Lan thought for a while, then lowered her voice and asked, "Sister, did he... bully you?"

"Yeah?" Zhen Xi looked at Zhen Lan shyly when she heard the words, and said in a low voice, "Why is Third Sister talking about this?"

Zhen Lan also looked a little unnatural, and said: "I just asked casually, I'm not worried that you will suffer a disadvantage."

A girl of Ji's age has learned about personnel through reading some books, so she is naturally curious about this matter.

On the other side, Xiangyun and Tanchun also returned to the wing room, but when Xiangyun entered the room, Ge You was lying on the bed, a little bored, holding a red handkerchief in his hand, dazed.

"Sister Yun, what did you say about that just now?" Tan Chun walked up to him, looked at the girl, and said softly, not without complaints in his voice.

Xiangyun sat up, raised his head, and said, "I wish I didn't think so much, I just said it casually. Usually sisters joke like this, but sister Lin didn't laugh and said, and sister Bao helped to talk."

The gloomy look in Daiyu's eyes just now was naturally seen by Xiangyun, and he was a little confused all of a sudden.

Tanchun sighed softly, and said: "Sister Lin, in order to learn how to cook these days, she stays in the kitchen whenever she has time and cooks a few dishes. It's very hard work."

In fact, she knew some reasons, Brother Heng and Sister Lin seem to have hit it off, and it seems that Sister Bao also... Sister Yun shouldn't compare them.

"I know, I ate a lot just now." Xiangyun said.

Tanchun was speechless for a while, looking at the girl with the round face of the apple, couldn't help stretching out his hand to pinch it, and said with a light smile, "I ate so much, and I still say that sister Lin's cooking is not delicious."

Xiang Yun said softly, "I didn't do it on purpose."

Tanchun smiled lightly, and said, "Sister Lin knows your temperament, so she won't blame you."

"Third Sister, do you think Brother Heng only loves Sister Lin and a younger sister now, and not us anymore?" Xiang Yun said bluntly and sullenly.

The two had discussed who Jia Heng loved the most on the boat back then. Back then, Xiang Yun accompanied Jia Heng to visit many places in Kaifeng and Luoyang, and listened to many stories every day. It can be described as the happiest time in a girl's life.

Hearing this, Tan Chun was stunned, and said softly, "Brother Heng loves us all, but Sister Lin... she is different after all."

As she said that, the girl's eyes were dazed, and her mood was a little depressed.

"What's the difference?" Xiang Yun asked a little puzzled.

Tanchun's lips moved, and he said softly, "It's hard for me to say."

The two of them are going to be husband and wife in the future, they will be together for the rest of their lives, they will sleep in the same bed, and they may not even have children, how can they explain this to Xiangyun?

Xiangyun also just sighed for a moment, the girl's sorrow came and went quickly, and then dragged Tanchun to Daiyu.

　The second is later...

　
(End of this chapter)