The Royal Merchant of the Red Chamber

When Xue Pan was still alive in later generations, he once heard a saying called "If you are well, it will be sunny".At that time, I felt that this sentence was extremely hypocritical, even if I heard it casually, I would feel a burst of creeps, and goose bumps fell all over the floor.However, the world has changed, and when I think about it now, I feel that there is nothing more ironic and beautiful than this sentence.Therefore, Xue Pan couldn't help writing down this sentence when communicating with Tu Zhen on the daily secret music.

The pitch-black ink exudes a strong fragrance, and the regular lowercase letters with hairpin flowers are carefully written on the paper, which is more warm and comfortable against the colorful letter paper.Xue Pan hooked the corners of his mouth in a good mood. After the pen and ink dried, he carefully rolled up the letterhead and put it in a small bamboo tube, tied it to the pigeon's feet and let it out.

The night sky is low, and the figure of the carrier pigeon is fleeting.There was a lot of noise outside, talking and laughing, and there was an endless stream of firecrackers.So even the mere sound of the flapping of wings was inaudible.

Xue Pan stood by the window looking at the cold and high moon, and suddenly felt dazed.

The curtain at the door rattled, and Xue Baochai walked in with Yinger.After reaching behind Xue Pan, he tilted his head and pursed his lips suspiciously, and said softly: "It's a big festival, brother is not playing outside with everyone, why is he hiding in the study alone?"

Xue Pan turned around and smiled at Baochai, "It's nothing. It's just that I wrote two words for leisure. You came just in time. Let's go out together!"

Xue Baochai knew that Xue Pan's words were perfunctory, but seeing that he didn't like talking too much, she nodded and smiled, "In that case, let's go there together."

So the two walked hand in hand, and walked along the winding path in the garden towards Ruirong Hall.The garden was quiet, except for occasional couples of women patrolling the night walking with lanterns. When they saw Xue Pan, they immediately came over to say hello and asked, "Why don't you and the lady go?" Sitting in the main hall? It’s cold outside, so be careful.”

Xue Pan responded with a smile.Thanking all the women one by one: "It's the New Year's Eve, but the nuns are tired to go out for a walk at night. It's fine when you're on duty, and you must drink some warm wine to warm up afterward. I make the decision for everyone. The nuns and boys who are on duty at night will give you an extra month's monthly money, which is considered as the hard work of the night duty during the Chinese New Year."

All the mothers-in-law are grateful for the thanks.

Seeing this, Xue Pan instructed, "It's just that you don't like to drink and gamble when you are on duty at night. When you are resting, go directly to the big kitchen to book a table and have fun. Just say that I said it, and only record my account." That's it."

It attracted all the women to kowtow and thank you for a while.I just feel comfortable in my heart, and my energy for night duty is more and more full.

After arriving at Ruirong Hall, I felt brightly lit and resplendent.There are clanging sounds and clusters of flowers.Everyone sat in the hall and ate and drank while watching the babbling and humming operas on the stage, clapping their hands and applauding from time to time.

Xue Pan and his wife went to the table in front of the Xue family—because the Xue family had a small population, there were only Xue Pan's family, Xue Bian, and Xue Baoqin.Moreover, they are all real relatives, so they didn't do anything to prevent men and women.It's just that there are three tables separated, one table is Xue's couple, one table is Baochai and Baoqin, and the other table is Xue Pan and Xue Biao.The distance between the three sets of tables and chairs is only a passing distance.

Xue Pan came forward to greet his parents.Only then did Xue Zhizhang ask: "It seems that you are not very interested today, but what did the Holy Majesty tell you when you were in the palace?"

Xue Pan shook his head and said with a light smile, "It's just a small chat. Father also knows that I have to report to the Holy One every day."

Xue Zhizhang asked in surprise: "You just came out of the palace today, did you also write a secret letter?"

Xue Pan nodded, and Xue Zhizhang had a funny look on his face.So I didn't ask in detail.

Xue Pan then moved to Xue Biao's side with the hem of his clothes lifted.

On the stage, Yiyi sang a song about a dream in a garden, Madam Xue leaned over and asked with a smile: "I know you are impatient to listen to these, do you want to change it for you?"

Xue Pan shook his head and said, "No need, the singing is pretty good."

Mrs. Xue nodded with a smile and continued to listen to the play.

Xue Biao sat at the side and whispered to Xue Pan: "On the day that big brother returned to Beijing, I didn't spare time to meet him. Brother won't blame me, right?"

Xue Pan smiled and replied: "What are you talking about? You are promising, and I am too happy to be happy. Why do you blame me for such a trivial matter? It's just that if you fail to go to high school next year, Enke, I will really blame you."

Xue Biao hooked the corners of his mouth, and said confidently: "Brother, don't worry, I am confident."

Xue Pan nodded, and continued: "Your master is Gu Yu, the emperor of the three dynasties, and his disciples are all over the world. With this relationship, when you enter the officialdom in the future, you will naturally have many contacts, and the starting point will be higher than others. I don't know. How much. I will also properly mention your name in front of the Holy One. As long as you are capable, I will never bury you. But only one point, if you have no ability, don’t even think about how I will praise you. Notice This ability and status must match, otherwise, it will be a minor matter for me to lose my virginity, but it will be a crime if the whole family is implicated."

Xue Biao nodded knowingly and said: "I understand, don't do porcelain work without diamonds. With the Rongguo Mansion as an example, who would be so overconfident!"

After a year, the scandal that the Rongguo Mansion actually sold the concubine in order to save his relatives has spread all over the capital.Originally, their family didn't like interacting with other people. Once this incident happened, most of the nobles of the family stayed away.

Rongguo Mansion has been faintly excluded from the circle now.

Poor Jia’s family is in a mess. The hostess is dreaming of wealth and wealth, while the host is obsessed with the women’s skirts or the compliments of the guests. No one has noticed Rong Ning, who was once known as the leader of the eight princes. What is the state of the Second House?

The embankment of a thousand miles was destroyed by an ant nest, and it has become a sign of decay and decline. If you don't be vigilant, the building will collapse at that time, and it will be irreparable.

Thinking of this, Xue Pan sighed slightly.He didn't feel sorry for anything else, but just felt sorry for Jia Baoyu, a muddle-headed nobleman, who would be so at a loss when the time came?

It's just sympathy, sympathy, Rongning and Ningfu's two houses have already become obsessed in order to gain a higher level of speculation, I'm afraid they won't listen to anyone who persuades them at this time.At that time, instead of being ungrateful, he would offend others. Xue Pan would not bother with such a thankless task.He is not afraid of him alone, but his father is the head of the Xue family, and he is the only heir of the Xue family. The prosperity and prosperity of the entire family of the Xue family depends on them both.The greater the responsibility, naturally one cannot act rashly.

Just Baoyu...

Xue Pan sighed, and suddenly heard the boy on the gatehouse outside report: "Report to the master, madam. The second master Bao of Rongguo Mansion has come to greet the master and wife."

Before the words fell, everyone jumped.

Mrs. Xue got up quickly and looked at the sky outside, and said, "It's so late, why is he here so late?"

He asked again, "Do you have anyone with you?"

The young man nodded and said: "There are a lot of guards following, and they let them go when they reached the door. Only Second Master Bao and his book boy Mingyan were left waiting in the side hall above the door."

Xue Pan got up immediately and said, "Please come in soon."

The boy immediately nodded in response, turned around and left.But after a while, Jia Baoyu walked in wearing a beautiful costume and a crown.But Mingyan was left at the concierge to eat the pot.

"Greetings to Uncle and Aunt." Jia Baoyu walked up to him, saluted and smiled.

"My son, it's hard for you to think about coming in this cold day." Madam Xue said, she quickly dragged him inside, and ordered the servant girl to pour tea.

After Jia Baoyu went to the hall to meet his brothers and sisters, he took off his big fur cloak and sat down at Xue Pan's table.Feeling a gust of hot air blowing towards his face, Jia Baoyu couldn't help but look at it curiously.

Xue Pan laid pipes for heating the entire Xue family mansion in accordance with the geothermal method of later generations. Every winter, even if there is no silver silk carbon brazier indoors, it is as warm as spring.Sitting there, Jia Baoyu could only feel the warm air coming from the soles of his feet, so he couldn't help but smile and said, "Big Brother will figure it out. Your house is much warmer than ours when winter comes."

"My son, drink some warm wine to warm yourself up. It's so late, why did you come here by yourself?" Mrs. Xue said, and personally bought a glass of wine for Jia Baoyu.

Jia Baoyu got up to take it, raised his glass and drank it down, then said with a smile: "I heard that my elder brother came back from Tianjin Wei, and I wanted to come here to greet my uncle and aunt a long time ago. I just sent Mingyan to inquire about my uncle. The family is still in the palace and has not come back, that's all. Now I heard that the big brother is back, so I came here with tea."

Jia Baoyu has always acted according to his own nature and did not stick to etiquette.Because Xue's family and Jia's family are relatives, Jia Baoyu feels that the two families are different from each other.So it doesn't matter what the reason is, just come here when you think about it.

Mrs. Xue shook her head, and asked again: "You just came here, does the family know?"

Jia Baoyu nodded and smiled and said, "I have already reported it to my ancestors. My ancestors agreed, and said don't forget to ask me to tell my elder brother that my mother will come to play on the day of my visit!"

Everyone was stunned, and only then did they know why Jia Baoyu made a fuss about coming, and Jia's elders did not object, it turned out that they wanted to use the relationship between Jia Baoyu and Xue Pan to persuade the noble concubine to visit her relatives.

In order to pave a way for himself to reach the heavens, the Jia family is so pressing every step of the way that they don't even care about worldly etiquette...

Xue and his wife looked at each other and frowned secretly.

Seeing this, Xue Pan immediately sat next to Jia Baoyu and exchanged pleasantries with him.Not seeing each other for a year, the two naturally have a lot to talk about, and Xue Biao is also gentle and amiable, Jia Baoyu is also willing to talk to him a few more words because of his admiration.And Xue Pan deliberately changed the subject, Jia Baoyu actually forgot to invite Xue's family to watch the ceremony and concubine to visit relatives.

The banquet didn't end happily until the second drum was played in the evening.Jia Baoyu followed Xue Pan back to Wenrou Township to stay, because he insisted on making a fuss and refused to sleep alone in the guest room, Xue Pan had no choice but to arrange him into the main room to sleep with him for one night.It is simply that Xue Pan's custom-made babu bed was twice as big as the standard one, so it is not too crowded for Duojia Baoyu, a young man who has not yet matured in stature.

There was nothing to say all night, and at five drums the next day, everyone in Xue's family made up again, put on a full set of deacons, and went to the palace to congratulate.Naturally, he also took Jia Baoyu's oil bottle with him, and when he arrived outside the palace, he handed it to Jia Mu and others who had been waiting for a long time.

Because today is the first day of the first lunar month and also the birthday of Yuanchun.Mother Jia and others warmly invited all members of Xue's family to go to Fengzao Palace to wish Yuanchun and Qianqiu, but they were politely rejected by the excuse that men other than Xue's father and son were not allowed to enter the harem.

Mother Jia and others naturally invited Mrs. Xue and Baochai to have an audience, but before they could reply, the ceremonial official sang the salute at the front again, and everyone took advantage of the situation to separate.

After receiving the banquet, Xue Pan naturally followed Dai Quan into the Hall of Mental Cultivation to talk to Tu Zhen.Needless to say how envious and admiring the crowd are.Because Jia's mother waited outside on the only way, Mrs. Xue and Baochai had no choice but to follow Jia's family members to Fengzao Palace.

Besides, in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Xue Pan sat on the kang in the warm pavilion and chatted non-stop with Tu Zhen, filled with righteous indignation, even ignoring pastries and milk tea——

"Isn't it just a noble concubine visiting relatives? I didn't say no, why did you press so hard? Yesterday I sent Baoyu to lobby in the middle of the night, and this morning I blocked the palace gate to persuade. I'm sure I'm still guarding the long alley blocking my mother and sister. It's really..."

Tu Zhen looked at Xue Pan's swollen face, beaming with joy, shook his head and said with a light smile, "You're being cheap again and acting like a good boy. With your temperament that loves to join in the fun, I'm afraid that you would be invited to join in the frivolous fun. Now, he ran up to me again and said such harsh words. Can I still make an order not to ask you to go?"

Xue Pan smiled and replied: "I am willing to go is my own business, so I can't force it like this? It seems that our Xue family is afraid of their Jia family. It's just a concubine who hasn't slept yet. Forget it, I have to kowtow to her when I go..."

As he said that, he hummed several times, and stared at Tu Zhen several times as if he wanted to find fault.

Hearing this, Tu Zhen fixedly looked at Xue Pan, and said calmly, "Don't you wear the jade badge of my status when I was the prince? Since you are like me, and since I am here in person, who would dare to let you go?" If you kneel down, aren't you afraid of being broken?"

Only then did Xue Pan snort twice in satisfaction.He arched his body, rubbed against Tu Zhen, and said with a flattering smile: "Even if I'm not afraid of kneeling, but when I think of my parents who are so old, I still have to kneel for her. How heartless I am!" ……It hurts."

Tu Zhen's face darkened, and he glared at Xue Pan viciously, and said solemnly: "The majesty of the Tian family, how can it be a joke?"

Xue Pan poked Tu Zhen viciously and said, "Don't be like this, aren't my parents also your in-laws?"

Tu Zhen raised his eyebrows, glanced at Xue Pan with a half-smile, and asked suspiciously, "In-laws?"

Xue Pan was taken aback by Tu Zhen's sudden aura, cleared his throat quickly, and said with a spineless sneer, "If you think calling them father-in-law and mother-in-law would make you feel better... I don't mind either."

Tu Zhen glared at him, and said, "If you don't keep your mouth shut, be careful that misfortune comes out of your mouth."

"Are you willing to let me be in trouble?" Xue Pan said, leaning forward and kissing Tu Zhen.

Tu Zhen reached out to wipe the saliva off his face, and defined Xue Pan's provocative behavior from time to time: "Since you are so impatient, I don't have to wait three years to consummate the house with you. How about you tonight So stay?"

Xue Pan: "..."

After some fuss, Tu Zhen spoke up and said: "As the emperor grows older, he feels more and more lonely and lonely. I see it in my eyes, and I am also very impatient. I just think about how to relieve the emperor. Depressed in my heart, with my heart of benevolence and filial piety. Tentatively set the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the day of Shangyuan, I invite many humerus veterans of my father's youth to accompany me to speak, and I feel that I can also relieve the embarrassment of the emperor's hero's twilight."

Seeing Xue Pan looking at him with bright eyes, a smile flashed in Tu Zhen's eyes, and he said: "When Zhongxin Hou was young, he was the accompanying guard of the emperor, and he accompanied the emperor to talk and relieve boredom. It couldn't be better. As for Mrs. Loyalty Hou... Let's talk with the Queen Mother as an example of a married woman!"

Xue Pan hurriedly put his arms around Tu Zhen and kissed him twice, thanking him with a smile: "Thank you, Lord Long En."

Tu Zhen shook his head expressionlessly when he saw Xue Pan's appearance of flattering him whenever he asked for a favor.It's just that there is a smile in his eyes, but it's so gentle that it's about to drip water.

Xue Pan took a fixed look at Tu Zhen, then simply stretched out his arms to lower Tu Zhen's head, put his lips together and kissed him lightly.

The delicate kiss landed on the corner of Tu Zhen's lips, and was printed on Tu Zhen's moderately thick lips.Tu Zhen's lips were moist and hot, and every time Xue Pan kissed them, he felt good to the touch.He has been influenced by the open mind of later generations, since he feels that he likes Tu Zhen, he will not put on airs, it's sisiaiai.Although I'm not ready to lie down and be loved and loved by myself, but a kiss, a touch or even a touch from time to time... are all acceptable.

But Tu Zhen is rigorous and indifferent by nature, and the concubines and concubines around him are all noble ladies who are as rigid as wood by the rules of the palace. He has never seen Xue Pan so uninhibited, tender and passionate.Often, without saying a few words, Xue Pan's intentional or unintentional behavior provoked him to forget about the business. When he came back to his senses, he did not know how many weird requests Xue Pan had agreed to.

But now, Tu Zhen, who came back to his senses, looked helplessly at Xue Pan who was pressing on him across the kang, and heard him say with a mysterious face: "My lord, since you promised, you can't go back on your word. After the spring of next year, I will start to break ground and start construction."

Tu Zhen frowned, sighed and said, "What did I promise you again?"

Xue Pan said bluntly: "Your Majesty can't be foolish. He clearly agreed to my request. A gentleman's words are hard to follow, but His Majesty's golden words cannot be reversed."

Tu Zhen felt a sharp pain in his temples, squinted his eyes slightly and asked in a deep voice, "What did I promise you, huh?"

"Jinwu Zanglang!" Xue Pan blinked his eyes and said with an innocent face: "I said that I will build a hot spring village outside the city for the Holy One to relax and play. Although the luxury and grandeur may not be comparable to Qiankun Palace, but The comfort and warmth will definitely make the Holy Majesty feel that it is more comfortable than this. When the Holy Majesty is tired, he will follow me to the Zhuangzi—just the two of us, and we will come back when we have a good time, how about it?"

Tu Zhen only felt a surge of anger in his heart, but he asked calmly, "Is this what you call Jinwu Zanglang?"

Xue Pan rubbed his nose and said with a chuckle, "Your Majesty feels moved?"

Hearing this, Tu Zhen couldn't help but slapped Xue Pan with an itchy hand, and said viciously, "It's a good idea. Even if it's Zang, I Zang, you are serious."

Xue Panyue crawled up to Tu Zhen, rubbed his body, and said with a smile without pressure: "If you want to hide, I have no objection—the key is, do you have the money to repair the hot spring village now?"

Tu Zhen: "..."

Seeing this, Xue Pan smiled, straightened up and patted Tu Zhen on the shoulder and said with a smile: "Xiao Zhenzhen, you just follow the uncle obediently. The uncle will definitely make you popular and spicy... Wow..."

Xue Pan covered his aching head from being stared at by Tu Zhen, looked at Tu Zhen with teary eyes, and complained: "A gentleman uses his mouth, but a villain uses his hands."

Tu Zhen: "..."

After frolicking for a while, Tu Zhen said solemnly: "I have sent a secret order to Jiangnan, and on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Zhen Yan will arrive in Beijing according to the order."

Xue Pan looked up at Tu Zhen, his face straightened, and he asked, "Is it too early to do it now?"

Tu Zhen shook his head and said with a smile: "Where did you think of it? It's just that you took an old official to Beijing to talk to your father for a while and then put it back. What other purpose is there?"

Xue Pan suddenly let out a wicked laugh, and whispered to Tu Zhen: "I heard from Yun'er that the emperor asked her to enter the palace to sing on the fifteenth day. Now that you have arranged the program so tightly, Shouldn't it delay people's work?"

Tu Zhen looked at Xue Pan with a livid face for a long time, and couldn't help but hit him again, then said through gritted teeth, "When will you get rid of this obscenity?"

Being knocked on the head again and again made Xue Pan's vigilance against Tu Zhen's violent behavior rise to the highest level. I can't do anything about it. Your Majesty, Rong Weichen, please leave first."

Before turning around, Tu Zhen said calmly, "Come back."

Xue Pan frowned bitterly, complained silently for a while, and then walked up to Tu Zhen casually.

Tu Zhen got up, stretched out his hand to fasten Xue Pan's clothes buttons that were messy and loose due to the previous play, and then pulled Xue Pan to sit down and untie the loose bun again.

Tu Zhen was born rich and honored, and he has never done such a thing of serving others.Therefore, his movements were very clumsy, and from time to time, he would entangle Xue Pan's hair.But he was very careful, and his movements were gentle and slow, lest he accidentally hurt Xue Pan.Even the last bun made him crooked and unsightly.Tu Zhen looked at her for a while, and then said a little embarrassedly: "Let the maid come in and help you recomb your hair."

Xue Pan waved his hand, turned around and looked in the mirror, and said with a nonchalant expression: "I think it's fine. You combed it up easily, and now you take it apart again. When I came today, I brought a cloak , After going out for a while and then wearing the Guanyin pocket, the idlers will not be able to see it."

With that said, he put on his cloak and went out.

Tu Zhen called again: "Come back."

Xue Pan raised his eyebrows suspiciously, and stood in front of Tu Zhen again, waiting for him to speak.

This time, Tu Zhen pondered for a long while, and then said in a low voice: "After the spring of next year... if you want, you don't have to bother to search for Zhuangzi. When I was the prince, I used to be in the northern suburbs in the name of Dai Quan. I bought a hot spring village, and the exquisite location is one in a million. At that time, I just wanted to be quiet. It’s just that many years have passed and things have been complicated, but I have never been there. If you are sincere... then you can go do it?"

Hearing this, Xue Pan glanced at Tu Zhen who looked a little uncomfortable, hooked the corners of his mouth, and replied softly, "Okay."

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Come to a small theater——

It is said that after the beginning of spring, Pantao was enthusiastically planning how to renovate the hot spring Zhuangzi Qianqing Palace, and Dai Quan suggested to Tu Zhen as if death was at home:

"Qizou Your Majesty, Tianwei must not be offended, how could Your Majesty agree to the request of the little Marquis who is vainly trying to pretend to be Jinwu Zanglang?"

Tu Zhen smiled calmly and said, "It's okay."

Dai Quan: "???"

Tu Zhen: "Pan'er once told me that there is a custom in their hometown. Before a man and a woman get married, the man always leaves the house and the woman is responsible for the decoration. The hot spring village in the northern suburbs outside the city was originally mine. "

Dai Quan: "!!!"

At the hot spring village in the northern suburbs, Xue Pan personally led the decoration engineering team to renovate with great enthusiasm...