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

Xue Pan was shocked and said, "How do you know?"

Baochai smiled and said, "It's hard to guess. Haven't you been hanging out with some Uncle Feng these days? Then it's strange that I can't guess."

Hearing that the words made sense, Xue Pan couldn't help but smile embarrassingly.Aunt Xue knew that her son didn't spend the money on eating, drinking, whoring and gambling, and she was overjoyed to feel relaxed, so she didn't really pursue the whereabouts of the more than 2 taels of silver.Anyway, the Xue family has a great career, and there is nothing to pursue if it is not Xue Pan's.

It's just that the Jia family built a provincial house, and the Xue family should express it.Now that the family was in dire straits and could not afford a large sum of money in a hurry, Aunt Xue turned to discuss with Baochai, asking Baochai to get some money from the two shops in her hands.In Baochai's heart, she had no defense against her mother and elder brother, and she didn't take the money too seriously, because the store always needs some money to turn around, so after weighing it, she took out 2000 taels of silver, and Aunt Xue was still too sad. too brief.

Baochai hurriedly comforted: "It's nothing. Although the ready-made silver is not very handy, is it possible that our family only has silver? I see that in their garden, curtains and curtains are hung everywhere, and silk cloth is needed. There are too many. There are other gold and silver utensils, all of which are our family’s old business. When these things come out, our family will either contract a part of it, or help thread the needles through it, that’s all.”

That's all for Aunt Xue.The next day Baochai ordered someone to prepare silver taels, and three days later the silk and satin village sent someone to deliver the box full of silver.

In the past few days, Aunt Xue had made an agreement with Mrs. Wang, saying that the Jia family had a big happy event, and the Xue family could not stand by and watch, so they specially prepared 2000 taels of silver and some small gifts to congratulate the concubine Yuan on her return.Mrs. Wang was a little hesitant at first, but when Wang Xifeng suggested something, she realized that the construction of the garden actually cost a lot of money. Now that her natal family is so knowledgeable and knowledgeable, they feel honored, so they readily agreed.

Mrs. Wang told Jia's mother about the matter again, and Jia Lian told Jia Zheng, Jia Amnesty and Jia Zhen.Mother Jia couldn't understand Mrs. Wang's high-spiritedness. Jia Zheng wanted to save face, and she didn't want her relatives to spend so much, but seeing that the cost of building the garden was getting higher and higher, she couldn't care less.

The 2000 taels of silver needed to be packed in two large boxes. When Xue Jiajia Ding carried it all the way to Rongxi Hall, he didn't make too much publicity, but many people still saw it.Mrs. Jia had a lot of miscellaneous words, and she had everything to say at the moment. The most annoying thing was that there were rumors that it was the dowry from the Xue family girl who married into the Jia family.Qianxue accidentally heard it when she passed by, and she was so angry that she almost rolled up her sleeves and wanted to fight hard.

"What kind of person is the girl, how can she be so slandered by them?" Qianxue said to Baochai angrily.

Baochai waved her hand, expressing her indifference: "The pure is clear by itself, and the turbid is turbid by itself. You grew up in this mansion since you were young, and the rumors spread by people below are more or less true and some are false. Not sure."

Qianxue was silent.

Where there are many people, there is right and wrong, Jia's mansion has always been full of various rumors.

For example, when someone saw that Wang Xifeng was gaining power, they spread a rumor that she secretly moved Jia's belongings to Wang's.Qianxue knew that this rumor was false.Although Wang Xifeng had the act of withholding the monthly money for usury, it was just for selfishness. As for moving the Jia family's belongings to the Wang family, that was absolutely nothing. ——Her biological parents died young, and her adoptive parents are also in Jinling, so there is nowhere to move if she wants to!

Another example is that someone made a rumor that Qin Keqing, the grandmother of Rong who passed away strangely in Ningguo Mansion, was a dissolute person and even said that she had an affair with Jia Baoyu, which made Qianxue even more dumbfounded.She was someone who served Jia Baoyu once, so how could she not know the reason behind it: Second Master Bao admired beauty and respected girls' families since he was a child, so he was very close to Qin Keqing, but he also respected him very much.If it is said that Second Master Bao has an affair with her younger brother Qin Zhong, I am afraid it is somewhat credible, but as for Qin Keqing, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.

But at the same time, Qianxue also knew that some of the rumors in Jia's mansion were true.For example, the relationship in the Ningguo Mansion is very chaotic, father and son get together, and even the head of the house is confused with her nominal son Jia Zhu.The old saying, groundless rumors, no waves without wind, are justified.Qianxue is very worried that Baochai will be implicated because of such rumors, which will affect her boudoir's reputation.

Baochai thought of something else.

"It's just that such rumors spread, I'm afraid sister Lin will have a divorce with me again." She said with a wry smile.

In fact, she and Lin Daiyu are similar in talent, learning and appearance, and are about the same age. They should have cherished each other, but there is always a little gap because of Mrs. Wang and Jia's mother-in-law's fight between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.Although she tried her best to make up for it, and Daiyu responded, but the knot still exists.

This time Daiyu returned to Jia's mansion, if there is no accident, Jia's mother should have a plan for her life.First there was the theory of gold and jade, then there were rumors about the dowry, coupled with Mrs. Wang and her own mother's tireless push, Baochai really didn't know how the two would freeze.

After all, she had been predicted by the voice in Jinsuo since she was a child: Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu, one would become her lover, and the other would become her rival in love.However, although Baoyu is very careful and respects girls, Baochai always treats him like a brother Bao, and there is no love at all!Not to mention being hostile to Daiyu, such an elegant and refined woman, just by looking at her, I can't help but feel sorry for her, how could I have the idea of ​​going against her?

Because of such thoughts, Baochai was inevitably disturbed, so he looked for an opportunity to go to Jiamu's room to greet Daiyu. When he saw Daiyu, everything was as usual, and he didn't notice that Daiyu was wary of her at all.Baochai felt a little confused: Could it be that I was thinking wrong?Mother Jia doesn't care about this at all?Didn't plan to put Daiyu and Jia Baoyu together?

When Jia Mu saw Baochai coming, she smiled very kindly, took Baochai's hand and praised for a long time, but Baochai was a little uncomfortable.Lin Daiyu also sat on the side with a smile, not looking around for Jia Baoyu. He heard that the little Xianggong Qin Zhong was critically ill, so he rushed to visit Qin's house.

Baochai pin felt the meaning behind the words, and guessed that Qin Zhong might not be able to do so, but suddenly remembered that he went to Ningguo Mansion to make amends for Qin Zhong last year, and he couldn't help lamenting the vicissitudes of life and the changes in personnel.

After talking for a while, Daiyu winked at Baochai, Baochai, and they both came out of the room together.

Daiyu smiled inadvertently: "A few days ago, I heard that you helped the family manage some shops, but now you are a moderately rich man. Is there such a thing?"

Baochai also smiled and replied: "You also know my family. It's just that you have nothing to do, just use this to practice your hands."

Daiyu took a deep look at Baochai, Baochai was wondering whether she knew that the 2000 taels of silver was paid by her in advance, when she suddenly saw Daiyu smiled and said: "Since I have nothing to do to practice my hands, I also Want to join in, how about it?"

Baochai was startled, and looked up at Daiyu, somewhat in disbelief.It is common to join hands in the business field. Some people enter the market to operate together, while others act as shopkeepers and wait for the bonus at the end of the year.For a character like Daiyu, no one would misunderstand that she wanted to enter the arena and be vulgar, even if she joined in, it was just to earn a bonus.Baochai was surprised that a person like Daiyu, who was completely untainted by fireworks and never talked about money, would actually tell her that he wanted to join the party?Unbelievable, flattered.

As for why Daiyu suddenly had such a large sum of money, Baochai naturally had a clue in his mind.After Lin Ruhai passed away, there was no one else in the Lin family, and some of the family property must have fallen into the hands of this orphan.However, given Lin Daiyu's disposition that regards money like dung, Baochai thought that these things must be kept by Jia Mu, but she didn't expect Daiyu to keep some of them.

Daiyu met Baochai's gaze, smiled casually, and said, "Why? You don't want to accept it? I see that you have been planning business matters for more than a year, and I think it is very interesting."

Baochai originally wanted to say, "It's nothing, if you're really interested, I'll teach you," but after a second thought, she came to her senses, knowing that Daiyu might not really like these mundane things, so she changed her mind and said: "It's just some common things, and it's not a joke to tell people. You know about our family, we are a businessman, and I was raised as a man since I was a child, that's why I look like this. If it is known by others, see I always come in and out like this without rules, I don't know how to joke in private."

Daiyu sighed, "You're too careful. You've done the right thing, and you have such abilities. It's too late for others to envy you. How can you laugh at me?"

Baochai was taken aback, she never expected that Daiyu would look at her like this, and couldn't help being moved.

After Baochai left, Mother Jia called Daiyu into the room to talk. She screened everyone away, looked at Daiyu for a while, and then sighed, "Your father entrusted you to me. I will protect you day and night. I'm afraid you will be killed." Others bullied her. It's good for you, you didn't doubt her, and you wanted to give her silver flowers instead." Apparently, Mother Jia knew in advance that Daiyu wanted to join the party.

Daiyu said with a smile: "Sister Bao is not a bad person, and besides, she is capable. Why should I doubt her? Although there are profits and losses in business, the worst thing is to throw thousands of taels of silver into the water. If you make money, I can also earn some money to honor my ancestors."

Jia's mother smiled helplessly: "Your father was a good scout, and he taught a daughter like you! It's all in the eyes of money! There are so many girls, but you value her the most! Don't even think about it, she came to our house In the past two years, who in the entire family has not praised her? Now even you say good about her! You are so scheming at such a young age, what will happen in the future?"

Daiyu said: "I don't know why, but I always feel an inexplicable familiarity when I see her. Don't worry, my ancestor, I know she will definitely not harm me."

Mother Jia sighed heavily, and said, "If that's the case, that's all. Anyway, it's only 1000 taels of silver. Now I'm keeping your money, and you know it. To build this garden, the Xue family took out 2000 taels of silver. I want to take out 2000 taels from here, so I can't teach outsiders to be proud, what do you think?"

Daiyu knew that it was Mother Jia who was fighting against Mrs. Wang.She also knew that Mother Jia was all about making Baoyu and her a pair.In the past, when I was young, the children were friendly and intimate, and I didn’t feel anything. Now that I’m getting older, I feel a little uneasy. I always feel that it’s wrong to do this, but I can’t tell the reason.

But Daiyu didn't object either.She didn't value money in the first place, and wanting to join Baochai's shop was just a faint meaning that she wanted to get closer to each other, and she probably didn't understand this meaning herself.What's more, the Lin family has been simple for generations and has a lot of savings. The 2000 taels of silver are only a fraction of it. She has lived in Jia's house since she was a child.

"But let the ancestors decide." She said softly.