[Red House Chai Dai] Salted Pork Knuckle, Crab Rice Wine

Baochai first followed Aunt Xue back to Lixiangyuan, and when she went to the old lady's courtyard after dinner, Daiyu's room was already busy: two maids, Zijuan and Xueyan, were directing the little maids to pack their bags, Daiyu was sitting on one side of the bed wiping tears, while Jia Baoyu was trying to persuade her.

Baochai was startled, but she didn't know why, at first she thought it was Jia Baoyu who made Daiyu angry again, because she thought that they grew up together, and their relationship was different from others, so it was not easy to come forward to persuade her , just retreated quietly, met Jia Mu's maid Liuli on the porch, and asked quietly: "Sister Lin, what's the matter? Why is it that she was fine when she came back today, and now she is crying so sad?"

Liu Li also lowered her voice and whispered, "Guye Lin has a letter, saying that he is seriously ill and wants Miss Lin to return to Yangzhou."

Baochai asked in amazement: "What do you mean? Why did you get sick after being so good? It's a long way to go to Yangzhou. Did the old lady say who would take her there?"

Liu Li said: "Second Lord Lian was sent. The old lady said she still asked to bring them back together. I'm afraid we will be leaving in a few days."

Hearing this, Baochai guessed that there must be something in the letter, and I'm afraid that Lin Ruhai's side is not very good.Knowing that it wasn't Daiyu and Jia Baoyu who were arguing, I didn't have to avoid suspicion, so I hurried into the room and comforted Daiyu: "Don't be anxious, your health is important. Uncle Lin recovered from his illness for a while, but you broke down from crying. , so what should I do?" Jia Baoyu was also at the side to comfort Daiyu, and Daiyu stopped crying with great difficulty. Seeing that she was not in good spirits, Baochai didn't want to stay for a long time, and after talking for a while, she went to Mrs. Wang's backyard. Come.

Yingchun was playing chess with Tanchun. When Baochai saw her, she smiled and said, "I can't complain that the second sister is a chess idiot. After going out for a long time, I still think about it when I come home." Yingchun also laughed.

Tanchun hurriedly greeted Baochai and said, "Sister Bao, come quickly! Help me take a look!" When Baochai walked behind her and looked at it, it was true that Tanchun's situation was critical. He returned, and said with a smile: "The general trend is gone. In my opinion, there may be a few more eyes at the end, but it is limited."

After all, Tanchun refused to give up, and took more than a dozen more moves. Fang Tuipan sighed, "Sister Bao is the one who counts correctly. Second sister's chess skills have improved again."

Baochai laughed and said, "Victory or defeat is a common matter in military affairs. What's more, it's just entertainment in the boudoir. Victory or defeat is second." Then he said to Yingchun, "I found the "Four Sons Genealogy" that I talked about last time after I went to my house. , I didn’t see it, but I found a copy of "Arsenal of Immortal Machines", if you want it, I will bring it here tomorrow?"

Knowing that "Arsenal of Immortal Machines" is a very famous game record in Go, Yingchun was overjoyed and said, "In this case, I would like to thank Sister Bao first. I have a copy of "Xuanxuan Chess Classic" here, do you want to read it?"

Baochai knew that "Xuanxuan Chess Classic" was Yingchun's treasure.Although Yingchun has a slow temper, she loves playing chess the most in her life. Usually, this chess book is her treasure, so she can't refuse it. She hurriedly said with a smile: "It's so good. It's just that you can't read it unless you borrow it."

The three of them were laughing, when suddenly Xichun came over and gave Baochai a wink.Baochai knew the situation, and the two walked together to a place where there was no one else. Xichun said: "Since I came back from the Wang family, I always feel terrified, as if something is going to happen. Sister Bao, what do you think if I tell me this?" Brother..."

Baochai lowered her head and thought for a while, but before she could say anything, Xichun shook her head and said, "There are many things that people in the city know about, how can my eldest brother not know about it? I'm afraid that my father wants to go outside to the Taoist temple because of the reason." What about this matter. It was his old man who took that woman home back then, don’t you regret it now? I am innocent and alone, I can’t be implicated by them, and I can only protect myself in the future!” Said one side, Tears came down on one side.

Baochai secretly thought that under the cover of the nest, there is no end for her eggs, and seeing that she was speaking confused, it was difficult to persuade her in this situation, so she could only smile and wipe her tears and said, "That is your brother after all. You were angry for a while, After a while, when the anger subsides, I will think about their benefits. The whole family should not say such rude words." After saying a few words casually, knowing that Xichun didn't want to listen, he left vaguely.

Back at Lixiangyuan, Aunt Xue sent someone over, and Baochai hurriedly left. Aunt Xue immediately asked, "I heard from your second aunt that your Uncle Lin is seriously ill and you want to pick up Sister Lin back home. Is there such a thing?"

Baochai nodded, and was about to speak when Aunt Xue clasped her hands together and said, "Amitabha! It's okay if that's the case. It's better to have one less person. Your second aunt has been wronged all these years. Now She's gone, so you should take the opportunity to go to Baoyu's place more, and gradually get to know each other better, so your second aunt can propose marriage."

Baochai was worrying about Daiyu in her heart, she was startled when her mother said such a thing, and hurriedly said: "What does mother say? Seeing that next year is the day of the palace election, it is time to take care of her." I need to prepare some homework, and I need to ask my uncle and aunt to help me a lot. If I am selected, I will live up to my father's expectations. Why are you talking about marriage proposal at this time? Besides, I am two years older than Brother Bao. Look at him like a younger brother. How can we talk about marriage?"

Aunt Xue said with a smile: "So you are still a child, not sensible. A third-year girl, holding a gold brick. It is a good marriage."

Baochai said anxiously: "Brother Bao is still a bunch of childish..."

Aunt Xue was displeased and interrupted her: "What do you know about children? It will take several years at least to say that from discussing marriage to settling down and then getting married. Now Baoyu is still young, and in a few years Baoyu will grow up. You When you look at it again, it is naturally different. You also know the current situation of our family, if you really marry the son of the Duke's Mansion, you can support your brother."

Baochai felt anxious, and argued with Aunt Xue again, and Aunt Xue's face darkened: "In the past, your father said you were sensible, and spent a lot of money to hire Grandma Sun in the palace to teach you. It was to teach you Talking to your mother like that? Don't you know that marriage is the order of your parents?" Seeing that Baochai finally lowered her head, Fang softened her tone: "Besides, I just said that. If you can enter the palace, it will naturally be more important. good."

Only then did the mother and daughter put the matter aside, and for a moment Baochai remembered what she had seen and heard at Wang Ziteng's house, and said to Aunt Xue: "In my opinion, my brother is so familiar with Brother Zhen and the others these days. It's not right after all. Although the Ning Mansion is a relative's house, but the reputation outside is so bad, my brother has to avoid suspicion."

Aunt Xue was only thinking about the promise made by Xue Pan, Feng Guanxiapei, and the court order, so why would Baochai's words be taken to heart?Disapprovingly said: "If you didn't make friends with your brother Zhen, how could your brother know that Uncle Feng? Now you see that he is busy all day, wouldn't it be better than just messing around before?"

Baochai's dissuasion was fruitless, so she had to give up.After that, she really devoted herself to the selection of the palace, and silently read the collection of classics and history several times, and practiced piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. He was busier than when Daiyu was there.All of a sudden, Qin Keqing died suddenly, and everyone had different opinions. The whole family was shocked, but Baochai knew that it must have happened.

Aunt Xue brought people to deliver the sacrifice in person, and she heard a few words from the gossip. When she came home, she said to Baochai, "It's said that Rong's daughter-in-law died strangely. They said everything. Some people said she wasn't Sudden illness, he was hanged in the Tianxiang Tower, otherwise, why did Master Zhen invite monks and Taoists to practice the ritual? Seven to seven days is a big deal, no matter what wrongdoings are done."

Baochai blushed when she thought of Jia Zhen and Qin Keqing's relationship when she saw it with her own eyes, but if she wanted to remind her mother of this, she couldn't do it anyway.Aunt Xue has lived in Jia's mansion for a long time, how could she not know about the abuses here?It's just that I didn't think of it for a while.Seeing Baochai's appearance, she woke up early, and hurriedly covered it up with other words, saying: "There is another strange thing. Your sister-in-law Zhen in the East Mansion has an old illness at this juncture. I heard that your elder brother Zhen was very angry. I want to divorce my wife. If husband and wife get along, there will be some quarrels. It's just that you shouldn't get angry at this time. Let's not talk about anything else, the only thing is that such funerals must be handled by someone inside, so as not to be lost before your order. How can this be a good thing?"

Baochai knew that Aunt Xue was just talking casually, so she replied casually: "There must be a way for the car to reach the mountain, and there must be a way when it arrives. Maybe sister-in-law Zhen's illness will be cured again, and besides, their family is so old. There are so many capable people, can't you find one or two to take care of?"

As soon as Aunt Xue heard that she was right, she let go of the matter and went to talk to Baochai about family affairs.At this moment, Xue Pan rushed into the room and ordered people to prepare plain clothes, and he was going to the Ning Mansion to express his condolences.Aunt Xue hurriedly said that she had already been there, Xue Pan smiled and said: "It's our family's intention for mother to go, but my son also has some meanings, this etiquette is absolutely indispensable."

After hearing what he said, Aunt Xue knew that he had been hanging out with Jia Zhen all day, so she nodded and said, "You are really sensible. This is the truth."

Xue Pan laughed again and said, "I remembered one more thing. We have a very good coffin board in our store, which was brought by father Tete back then and prepared for Prince Yizhong, Lao Qiantui. This board has not been unsawed and painted, it is sealed in the store, no one dares to ask. Now that Mrs. Qin is dead, it is a favor for us to give this board to Brother Zhen."

After hearing this, Baochai hurriedly said: "No way! The full name of the board is Mingyue Frostwood, which grows on the Tiewei Mountain in Huanghai. It will not break for ten thousand years. How can ordinary people use this kind of board? Don't add trouble to Brother Zhen!"

Xue Pan said: "How do you know! Then how can the Qin family be an ordinary person? If it is an ordinary person, the palace will specially issue an imperial decree, ordering the palace minister to come and watch the funeral? Besides, I just try to explain the ins and outs clearly. , use it or not, it’s up to him to decide.”