The Red Mansion's Late Welcome Spring

When Haitang brought over the meeting gift that Situ Yao had asked her to prepare, Xue Baochai and the others were curious again: Could it be the same thing that was brought out now?

After Haitang took a few steps forward, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately...although they still looked the same, at least the colors were different.

Situ Yao gave Xue Baoqin and Xing Xiuyan a pair of nobile hairpins, Xue Baoqin's peach blossoms and lilac flowers, Xing Xiuyan's apricot flowers and chrysanthemums, and a string of red musk bracelets for each.

"Sister-in-law, it's wrong for you to do this. Why are the things you gave me different from the things you kept for yourself?" Lin Daiyu pouted her mouth pretending to be displeased, and asked.

"I didn't keep this. Haitang always takes care of my things, so it has nothing to do with me." Situ Yao quickly shook her head in denial.

"Miss misunderstood, the Princess wouldn't bother so much. All these golden hairpins have been saved by the Princess for the Princess over the years, and some of them have never been seen by the Princess herself. I thought that since the Princess can't use it, It's better to give it to those who can use it, so when I heard that two girls came to our house for the first time yesterday, I picked out these things." Haitang laughed at the side.

"These things are more expensive than the same. Sister Xing and I feel our hands are heavy just looking at them. Besides, we are not a very respectable family. How many chances do we have to wear such precious things? If we really want to take them back, I'm afraid it's just placed in the box to collect dust." Xue Baoqin looked at the things in front of her and said with some regret.

"It's also because we met for the first time that my sister-in-law and I gave such a heavy gift. Besides, it's not that this thing can't be stored for a long time. It's good to take it back as a family heirloom. Isn't my sister-in-law?" Lin Daiyu listened Xue Baoqin seemed to want to reject their gifts, so she hurriedly said.

"That's right! If you don't accept it, I'll be angry. It's so hard to give a gift, and you don't want to give me face?" Situ Yao understood Lin Daiyu's meaning, and she immediately put her hands on her hips and tensed. face, said

Xue Baoqin has a very bold and optimistic temperament. When she heard Situ Yao's seemingly displeased tone, although she could tell that she was faking it, she accepted the gift without any further excuses. Xing Xiuyan saw that Xue Baoqin had already accepted the gift, Jia Yingchun on the side also indicated that she could accept it, so she put away the things and handed them to Ya'er behind her for safekeeping.

A few girls said that they were appreciating plum blossoms, but it wasn’t just that they didn’t practice. Not long after, Lin Daiyu suggested that everyone write a poem to reflect the scene. Both Situ Yao and Jia Yingchun were not good at composing poems, so they just followed Xue Baochai and the others. A few of them wrote indiscriminately to make up for the numbers. Although Xing Xiuyan didn't learn much poetry when he was in other places, he was still able to cope with it.

It wasn't until later, when the sky was getting dark and a few snowflakes were slowly falling from the sky, that Xue Baochai hurriedly said, "It's snowing? We can't stay any longer, otherwise it will be difficult to wait for the carriage to be on the road."

"Hey?! Are you going back? What a pity, I haven't had enough fun yet." Xue Baoqin said regretfully.

"If Sister Qin is bored at home, she can come to us at any time. The same is true for Sister Xing. We are our own family and we don't have to be restrained in everything. Besides, most of our family is usually only my sister and me, and we are panicking with nothing to do." Situ Yao smiled. Said with a full face.

"That's good! If I have time, I'll come and talk to you." Xue Baoqin nodded happily.

Xing Xiuyan did not agree, she could still tell the difference between the few people, her parents were not from a prominent family background, to put it bluntly, Miss Xue who is here today is still her father's boss. So she didn't dare to be as casual as Xue Baoqin.

After saying their goodbyes, everyone got into the carriage they had come from, and then went on their way home. Jia Yingchun sent Xing Xiuyan home first as usual.

In the carriage, Xing Xiuyan was leaning lazily against the inner wall of the carriage, and Ya'er was still carefully holding the meeting gift Situ Yao and Lin Daiyu gave Xing Xiuyan.

"I still have a crane cloak with a big red feather gauze at my place. I'll ask someone to bring it to you tomorrow. You just came to the capital. You don't know how cold it is in the capital. It's almost New Year's Eve. If you catch cold at this time, it's not good. Uncle and aunt. I don't have any suitable ones, so I will ask someone to bring a letter to my mother tomorrow, and let her and sister-in-law find some good ones to send to you." Jia Yingchun had seen that Xing Xiuyan's clothes were not too warm, only a piece of pink silk The little jacket was passable, but on the way here she felt that something was wrong, and now that it was snowing, she remembered that Uncle Xing's family used to live in the south, where the weather was warm all year round, and the winter was not as cold as in Beijing , I'm afraid they are newcomers, and they won't be able to adapt to the weather for a while.

"Auntie asked someone to bring some winter clothes the day before yesterday, but I didn't wear them because the weather was fine when I went out. Cousin doesn't need to ask someone to tell Auntie anymore." Xing Xiuyan said hastily.

"Oh! But my mother definitely didn't think about it so carefully. I'm afraid it was prepared by my sister-in-law. Xiuyan, since you are in the capital, you will inevitably encounter some things, but as long as you don't forget your duty, they can't embarrass you. , the banquets that you will have the opportunity to attend in the future are at most like today’s ones attended by your own family. As for other people’s banquets, to be honest, my cousin dare not ask you to go. It’s not that you are not good, but those The daughter of the Duke's family has always been arrogant and indulgent. Not everyone is as kind and generous as Sister Yao. I don't want to see my sisters being ridiculed by others, but I can't be too defensive... The situation in the capital is far worse than you used to be. Xuzhou is much more complicated, I'm going to put my words up front today, so that you won't blame me in the future, in fact, even the third and fourth sisters, I have never brought them to any important banquet." Jia Yingchun feels that today's The situation is far from the original book, and the lack of opportunities for sisters and sisters to get together and play together is a disadvantage for Xing Xiuyan, who is an only daughter. She is worried that Xing Xiuyan will be in this completely different environment from before. It made her feel unjust in her heart, so she had to fight first and then salute.

"I know, my cousin doesn't have to worry about me, I'm not so narrow-minded, but it's true that it's not as free as in Xuzhou. In Xuzhou, my mother didn't restrict me from going out every day. Now, let alone going out , Even if I go to the front yard, my mother will talk about it for a long time." Xing Xiuyan complained sullenly.

"There are many rules in the capital, and my aunt is doing it for your own good." Jia Yingchun laughed.

"But there is one thing I don't understand. On the way to the capital, my parents always told me that in the capital, the rules of defense between men and women are the most important. Even Xue Erye, I met him once when I first met him. I met him once before leaving, but I couldn't see him the rest of the time. My father said that people are called knowing etiquette, so why did I see their Second Master Bao following us a few times when I went to Rongguo Mansion the next day after I came to the capital? The girl stayed in the house all the time, didn't she just leave after saying hello like her cousin?" Xing Xiuyan asked in bewilderment.

"Baoyu is an exception. He grew up in a lot of makeup. How can he compare with those normal men? When you saw him that day, did he behave like a boy should? If you say he is half a girl It's not an exaggeration, it's just because the old lady spoiled him so much and didn't want the second master and the second wife to discipline him too much, so he developed his temper. Of course, we can't say a word about it, but you have to understand, everything is extremely good The man in the girl's eyes is either very promising or too unpromising, he just happens to be the latter." Jia Yingchun chuckled lightly and said with a little disdain.

"So the second master Bao doesn't have to go to school? I heard from Sister Qin that although they spent most of their time traveling around these years, Uncle Xue never let go of their brother and sister's knowledge. Look at Sister Qin's creativity today when she writes poems." Agile, you should be able to tell, right?" Xing Xiuyan asked curiously again.

"Second Master is an old pedant, and he only wants to win the imperial examinations. It is impossible for his son not to study, but if Big Brother Zhu hadn't forced him to study, he wouldn't have died of illness early because of too much pressure. But the later Baoyu and Brother Huan were not talented, so until now, I have never seen any one who has made progress in books." Jia Yingchun said in a cold tone about the trivial matters in the Rongguo Mansion.

"Is that the same as Uncle Xue's family? I also heard from Sister Qin. She said that Sister Bao's brother used to be a bully in Jinling. He only knew how to eat, drink and play. Uncle Xue is going to join the army, but unfortunately her aunt refused, and her uncle gave up the idea by crying and making noise." Xing Xiuyan laughed.

"Hey! Isn't that true? But Uncle Xue is better than Baoyu in that he has a smart younger sister, and Baoyu can persuade him a few words. Unlike Baoyu, as long as others tell him to study and make progress, he will Just scold him." Jia Yingchun nodded with a smile.

When Xing Xiuyan heard this, her eyes widened, as if she didn't know how to react, she thought that Jia Baoyu was also pretty and smart, why did she behave like a child?In a daze, Siqi outside the car had already shouted into the car: "Grandma, the Xing family is here, please get out of the car, Miss Xing."

"Cousin, I'll get out of the car first. If we meet at my aunt's place some other day, let's talk again." Xing Xiuyan knew that Jia Yingchun was not in charge of the family in the Linchuan uncle's mansion, so she consciously didn't dare to say yes. To bother her, only thinking that the two of them would have a chance to meet in Jia's mansion, so after saying hello, they hurriedly got out of the carriage.

After Jia Yingchun watched Xing Xiuyan leave, when she was about to call Siqi back home, suddenly a figure came in, so frightened that she almost screamed out.

"Why are you here? Didn't you go home first?" Jia Yingchun patted her chest and took a closer look, who else could it be if it wasn't Xiao Yun?It's just that he has just arrived at the yamen to get off work, so why has he come here already?

"I just saw it snowing in the yamen. I wanted to say that you just said you were going out to Lin Shangshu's mansion this morning. I was worried that if the snow fell too heavily, it would be unsafe for you to go back. I told them that you should go back first. When I came back, I planned to go there to pick you up, but I didn't expect to see our carriage heading this way, so I followed." Xiao Yun replied.

"Uncle Song has been acquainted for many years, and I haven't gone out of the capital, how can it be unsafe? Is it true that you want to be lazy?" Jia Yingchun curled her lips, her eyes filled with disbelief.

"You heartless girl, I'm really worried about your safety, but you still doubt me? But it's not repaired?" Xiao Yun approached Jia Yingchun's cheek, and said with a little embarrassment.

"No! Stop making trouble, this is on the carriage." Jia Yingchun's pretty face flushed slightly, and she pushed Xiao Yun away angrily.

"Okay, let me tell you something serious, my father-in-law will be able to return to Beijing after a year." Xiao Yun smiled, and casually talked about a piece of news he just got.

"Really?! Why so fast?! The Zhen family..." Jia Yingchun was stunned for a moment, and said with a face full of astonishment.