The Royal Merchant of the Red Chamber

The Guozhang Tong's family is completely over.

This is the general perception of all the dignitaries of the aristocratic families in Beijing.

Since the Empress Dowager's sudden death, within three to five days, most of the power in Shoukang Palace that had been loyal to the Empress Dowager or the Tong family had disappeared.Among them, the higher-ranking nuns were sent to the imperial mausoleum to guard the spirit by a decree from Tu Zhen, while those little maids and eunuchs who had no status or rank disappeared without a trace.

The Shoukang Palace was also reorganized by Tu Zhen under the pretext of the Queen Mother's funeral.Those things that the queen mother used and liked were filled with funerals.The civil and military officials of the whole country saw it in their eyes, and praised the Holy Majesty's loyalty, benevolence and filial piety even more.In the process of tidying up like this, naturally no one noticed that a disc-shaped incense burner wrapped with gold and inlaid treasures and incense seals that was the favorite of a little empress dowager during her lifetime quietly disappeared.

Clean up the palace——

Tu Zhen looked indifferently at the small incense burner on the dragon case.This is the most favorite incense burner of the Empress Dowager, and it is sitting quietly on the dragon table at this moment.The burnt cold ashes lie quietly in the censer, and there are faint traces of unburned and gorgeously colored acacia incense.Tu Zhen looked at it for a while, sighed softly, and ordered to the person in front of him: "Destroy it completely!"

Yun'er complied in a low voice, and stepped forward to carefully hold the incense burner on the dragon case in her hand and put it on the ground again.He took out a jade bottle from his bosom, opened the cork, and the colorless liquid inside flowed out quietly, dripping on the incense burner.Only the sound of "Ziz" was heard, but after a while, an incense burner disappeared.

Yun'er swallowed her saliva, and asked with some anxiety: "Your Majesty Qizuo, the queen mother is dead. But the empress is still in the cold palace. Although the acacia incense is colorless and odorless, it is not easy to detect, but the empress was obsessed with it since she was a child. The foster mother taught about ghosts in the palace... At that time, it was just an emergency, and the empress did not react. But now she is quietly leading in the cold palace, thinking about it day and night, and it is impossible not to notice something. "

Tu Zhen pondered for a moment, sighed softly, and said, "In that case, I will leave it to you to deal with it."

Yun'er lowered her eyebrows and looked at the floor tiles under her feet, then gently agreed.

There was another half-day of silence, and Tu Zhen thought of something in a daze.Suddenly he said: "I remember when I was a child, every time my father came to visit me, my mother would hold me and sit beside my father, and then a pair of catkins would gently pat my back and talk to me softly. That feeling is unusually comfortable and beautiful."

Yun'er blinked her eyes indifferently, and said: "Your Majesty, it's not that we framed them for what happened. If they didn't insist on opposing His Majesty, if they didn't have this obscenity first , We would not have thought of this, nor would we use this matter to drive them into the dust. In the final analysis, since we are fighting, we should be prepared to fail. All of this is their own fault, no one else."

Hearing this, Tu Zhen couldn't help but shook his head and chuckled, "I didn't expect that you, a little girl, are much more transparent than me."

"It's not transparent. Everyone in the world says 'a bitch is ruthless, an actor is ungrateful', Yun'er is both a prostitute and an actor, so she is naturally ruthless and ruthless. Unlike His Majesty, she seems indifferent but actually enthusiastic. But Yun'er thinks that most of the people in this world are ordinary people who seek good luck and avoid bad luck. Gather together when profit comes, and disperse when profit is exhausted. There are also many people who turn against each other for the sake of profit. Therefore, the little enthusiasm that His Majesty has is still to be used. Put it on a good person."

Hearing this, Tu Zhen raised his eyebrows even more curiously, and said with a smile: "According to what you said, who is the good person worthy of my warm treatment?"

Yun'er pondered for a moment, then remained silent.

Tu Zhen shook his head amusedly, waved his hands and said with a smile, "Hurry up and deal with the rest of the matter!"

Yun'er bowed slightly, and slowly exited the Qianqing Palace.

The sky in January is high and clear, with a clear and transparent feeling.Under the reflection of such a high and distant sky, the whole Forbidden City also appears a bit magnificent.

Walk slowly along the palace road to the direction of the cold palace.The more you go, the more remote and quiet you are.You can vaguely hear the rustling of clothes and the slight sound of shoes falling on the floor tiles.Walking on such a palace road, Yun'er felt a little dazed and indifferent.

She was originally born in the most desolate and poor village in the northern suburbs of the capital. When she was six years old, she was sold by her parents to the brothel Chuguan because of her poor family.Then there was day after day of training and teaching, until she was 12 years old and began to receive customers for the first time...

She thought her life was going to be like this.Be a fan in a fairly well-known brothel Chuguan until the end of my life. In the future, I will either be kicked out of the brothel to beg along the street, or I will save some money to redeem myself, and then buy a yard to make a living. This is the same in my life. passed.

Until she met Xue Pan in that intentional quarrel, her life changed like a play.First he performed in front of the imperial court, then he was favored by the old sage, and then he personally drugged the old sage for Xue Pan.Unexpectedly, her calmness and self-restraint caught the eyes of the Holy Majesty, and in the end she became a peripheral member of the sticky pole.In this game of plotting against the Tong family, he was successfully promoted to an insider.

From then on, it's life and death.She, Yun'er, is no longer the Fentouyao sister who is willing to be fished by mermaids. She has finally climbed to the position of master by her own efforts.

But now, the one she wants to personally bear is the Queen Tong Man'er, whom she once was not even worthy of admiring.I still remember the first time she was recruited by the old sage into the palace to be favored. When she left the palace, she happened to meet the empress or was deliberately guided by someone.The tall woman slapped herself twice involuntarily, and said that she was as low as dust and dirt, and that she didn't deserve to appear in this kind of place...

Thinking of this, Yun'er curled the corners of her mouth in a composed manner, puffed out her chest and back straightened with great pride.I'm afraid that this empress would never have imagined that it was she, who was as humble as dust and dirt, sent the noble and elegant queen mother and empress to the underworld at the same time.

In front of the cold palace, Yun'er calmly looked up at the sky, a murderous intent flashed in her eyes.

Half an hour later, the body of an unknown little maid was silently carried out of the cold palace.But who cares?After all, the noble and elegant empress is still living in the cold palace, isn't she?

Three days later, Prince Zhonglian led a few teams of Jinyi troops to raid the Duke Cheng's mansion located in Lianhua Hutong with an imperial decree.All the men and women of the Tong family were demoted to common people and dismissed that day.The exquisite and luxurious Cheng Guo Mansion was confiscated, and the money and property looted by the Tong Mansion for generations were also ordered to be confiscated from the officials.Since the establishment of the dynasty, the Tong family, the head of the country, who had been attached to the prosperity and wealth of the apprentice family, finally disappeared at this moment and ceased to exist.

……

Time flies, since the empress dowager died suddenly on the first day of the first month of the first month of the first lunar month, all imperial edicts and orders are followed by the rank system.An imperial edict to the world: No banquet or music is allowed within a year for any family with a noble, so in the good first month, everyone is busy with national funerals and sacrifices.The home of meritorious service, there is no more walking and feasting.Xue Pan was ordered by Tu Zhen to stay at home and stay still. After a month or two of holding back, he couldn't hold back anymore.When he was thinking about how to spend his time, he heard from the door that the Second Master Bao from Rongguo Mansion had come.

Xue Pan was overjoyed and quickly let the person in.Since Baoyu was arranged to go to Yunnan last year, the two haven't seen each other for about half a year.Now that we met, we became more and more affectionate.

In the early spring of February, the remnants of last year's winter have all melted away.The earth is enlightened, all things are revived, and the vegetation is sprouting. It is really a beautiful spring.Although the banquet music was not allowed due to the death of the Queen Mother, the young masters who have always liked to have fun have already called their friends and friends to the suburbs for outings in small groups.Even Baoyu, although he doesn't like to walk around with men and women, has visited the Beijing Palace and Prince Zhongyong's residence in the capital for more than a month this year.It is really strange for someone like Xue Pan who has been bored at home since the first day of the first lunar month.

So Baoyu looked at Xue Pan, who was lying on the bed in his middle coat, who was bored, and couldn't help shaking his head and sighing. "Big brother is getting more and more tired. I haven't heard from you for more than a month. It's rare that you are such an active person who can be bored at home."

"Isn't it just in time for the national funeral? You know that I like to play around, and I make a lot of noise when I act. If it's in the eyes of others, it's hard to avoid seeing it. If I'm too sexual, I won't go out at home, so I don't mind Others want to be provocative." Xue Pan said, stretching out his hand to push the fresh melons and fruits specially sent by Zhuangzi to Baoyu, and then asked, "How do you feel about your journey to Yunnan?"

Hearing this, Jia Baoyu sighed involuntarily, and said again and again: "Don't mention it, everything was fine when I went. It's just that when I came back, I accidentally offended someone I shouldn't have provoked. Now I'm so annoyed that I have a headache. gone."

Xue Pan couldn't help being curious when he heard the words.Quickly got up and asked: "What people shouldn't provoke, why don't you tell me?"

So Baoyu told everyone about meeting Prince Zhongyong after they arrived at the southwest border.

When Xue Pan heard this, he quickly said: "I still have an impression of this loyal and brave prince. He seems to be an upright and straightforward person. When the palace gave a banquet, he also spoke out a lot of good things for me. I am I have a good impression of him—the Holy Majesty also told me that his elder brother is a very pure and straightforward person, and he is very friendly. Why do you look like you have a headache? You don't like him?"

Baoyu blushed suddenly, and said uncomfortably, "It's not a headache. I'm just impatient when he sees me and says, 'Man, husband, should have fought bloody battles and made a career. You mess around with the inner curtains, tinkering with these rouge gouaches'. You say I tinker with my rouge cream, what does it have to do with him?"

Xue Pan concentrated, seeing Jia Baoyu's displeasure, and the look of love and affection between his brows, he couldn't help laughing softly, and said: "Then do you think that Prince Zhongyong is the kind of person who caress about human life and fights to the death for fame, the national thief Lu Xie?" stream?"

Jia Baoyu glanced at Xue Pan awkwardly, lowered his head and muttered, "When I arrived in the southwest, I was just in time for a battle at the frontier fortress. The enemy's defeat also dispersed me and the caravan. The bandits of the enemy army were killed, and it was Prince Zhongyong who rescued me in time. Later, he learned that I came with the caravan of the Xue family. Protect me and go back to Beijing."

When Xue Pan heard this, he was even more surprised. "Of course I know that Prince Zhongyong has a good impression of me because of the cannon, otherwise he wouldn't speak up at the palace banquet. But I didn't expect you two to have such a reason?"

Seeing Jia Baoyu's expression becoming more and more awkward, Xue Pan's heart skipped a beat.He asked hesitantly, "Hey, are you..."

After thinking about it, I finally felt that it was impossible.Then he stopped talking embarrassingly, and changed the subject instead: "The first month of this year is not very good, just in time for the Empress Dowager to pass away, so I don't have a chance to visit the mansion. Are Mrs. Shi and all the elders in the mansion all right?" ?”

Asked by Xue Pan, Jia Baoyu also turned the conversation around, and said in a rambling manner: "I can't say whether it's good or not. After all, at the time of national mourning, all the elders in the mansion guard the mausoleum and go to Xiaoci County. I just came back after a month, and I was lazy. The mothers of Xiren and Sister Yuanyang also passed away, and I couldn’t cheer up all day long. Formed male fetus. At this moment, she seems to be sad or something. She is out of energy, and all the big and small matters in the house are handed over to the elder sister-in-law and the third girl. It is a lot of trouble. It makes the house go up and down Jumping, I was so stunned that I had a headache, so I found an excuse to come out."

Xue Pan vaguely remembered that there was indeed such a passage in the Dream of the Red Chamber, but it was so long ago that he couldn't remember it clearly.He couldn't help but asked casually: "What's going on with her?"

Jia Baoyu sighed, and said: "First, her aunt's brother died, and there was a lot of trouble over the money sent. It was 20 taels again, and it was 40 taels again. She was also hanged for being attacked. It's not easy. Her aunt made a lot of trouble again, and it's hard to get along. It's not easy for me to say Sanyatou, her mother, she is so confused. It's a pity that she is such a smart and transparent girl. "

As he spoke, he let out a long sigh.

Xue Pan was confused and found it troublesome, so he waved his hands and said: "In my opinion, you can just listen to the affairs of the inner house. As the saying goes, it is difficult for an upright official to break up housework. We outsiders can't explain clearly. .”

Jia Baoyu nodded, and continued: "It's not just that. I went to Lai everyone's place for a stroll a year ago. I saw that their garden was bought by outsiders every year besides the flowers they wore and the bamboo shoots, vegetables, fish and shrimps they ate. At the end of the year, there is a profit of 200 taels of silver. When I came back, I was tempted, saying that my garden is twice as big as theirs, so I have to rent it to others, and I can get at least 400 taels of profit every year. !"

Xue Pan was even more surprised when he heard it, and he couldn't help getting up and asking, "Could it be that your family is in such a difficult situation that you can even think of such a way?"

Jia Baoyu shook his head, and said casually: "In my opinion, it's a good thing to think about increasing income and reducing expenditure."

"What a fart!" Xue Pan became more and more amused, "It's really a small family talk. What kind of family is your family, and what is the identity of everyone who depends on you? The majestic Rongguo Mansion You are so stretched and unable to make ends meet that you need to earn slave money? You don’t talk about this, but you said that the Grand View Garden is a relative garden built by your Jia family for noble concubines and empresses. Every plant and tree is royal. Now it is given to slaves You are not afraid to spread it to make interest money, and you are not afraid to spread it to make people laugh! Go back and tell her to stop thinking about it! The marquis of the family is a face. What your family is doing now is losing face. It’s all over. How can I get along in this circle in the future?”

When Jia Baoyu heard it, he felt that it made sense for a while.

Xue Pan was impatient to tell him these trifles.Immediately ordered Hongxiu to change the clothes, shoes and socks for going out, took Jia Baoyu's hand and said with a smile: "I didn't think about going out for a walk at first, but you just came, so let's go out together!"

Jia Baoyu put his previous thoughts to the back of his mind, and instead asked with a smile, "Where are you going?"

"The entire family of the Tong family was demoted to common people, and you know about the confiscation of their property. Prince Zhonglian was responsible for all this. After he confiscated the Tong family's property, he sent a letter to me, saying yes. Leave some good things for me. I was lazy a few days ago and didn’t have the patience to pick them up, so come with me today!”

Jia Baoyu naturally knew that Xue Pan wanted to connect himself with Prince Zhonglian and get to know each other.He has also heard that Prince Zhonglian is the most personable and gentlemanly character, so he didn't shirk it immediately, stood up and thanked: "Then thank you, big brother."

So the two went out of Zhongxinhou's mansion together, and rode to Prince Zhonglian's mansion.

The concierge of Prince Zhonglian's mansion naturally recognized this old man of the Xue family who came often.Immediately greeted the steps with a smile, and ordered the boy to help lead the horse, while flatteringly said with a smile: "My lord has not come for a while. Our lord was still talking about it a while ago!"

Then he hesitated to Jia Baoyu who was at the side: "This is..."

"Second Master Bao of Rongguo Mansion, you can call him Second Master Bao."

The concierge immediately obediently called Second Lord, but it was for Xue Pan's face.

Jia Baoyu was also aware of this, and casually took out two gold ingots from his bosom and handed them to the porter, who immediately smiled more sincerely.

At this moment, the boy who went in to deliver the report also came back, walked up to the two of them, and said with a smile: "My lord ordered you to go in immediately!"

So he led Xue Pan into the mansion.

Although Prince Zhonglian's mansion is not as magnificent as the Zhongxinhou's mansion, it is quiet and elegant, and it has a special flavor of leisure and indifference.Among them, the rockery, flowers and stones, quiet paths, fish ponds and lotus ponds all show a gentle temperament like a gentleman like jade.

The two of them entered the lobby following the servant's lead, and Tu Zhan had already arrived.Seeing Xue Pan stepping into the door, he couldn't help but smiled and said, "I called you here a few days ago, but you have been too lazy to move. I was thinking whether to send someone to deliver it to you, but I didn't expect you to come here today."

"Okay, what are you doing to deliver things to our house? You don't have to make people look at them and make wild guesses. Wouldn't it be neat and tidy for me to come and get them myself?" Xue Pan said, picking a seat at random and sitting down. .Jia Baoyu on the side saluted respectfully and greeted him.

Although the two were unfamiliar, it was not the first time they had met.Especially Tuju's habit is even more warm and gentle, he smiled and exchanged a few words with Jia Baoyu, and then ordered his servants to bring up the good things for Xue Pan.

There is a small box full of things, all of which are rare and precious gems in the world.For example, there are mutton fat white jade the size of a silver plate, there are eight luminous pearls the size of a fleshy Yinger's fist, or a fine and lifelike peony bonsai piled up with gold.The white jade is the pot, the green jade is the stem, and the gold thread is piled up with flowers.For example, a total of [-] full and round South Pearls are stacked in a sandalwood box... Each of them is a rare treasure.Moreover, they all followed Xue Pan's habit, choosing gold, silver, pearls and jade.As for the authentic calligraphy and paintings like "ghost painting symbols", they were not in the way of Xue Pan's eyes.

Xue Pan casually looked at it for a while, but in fact the thing itself is nothing.The Xue family in Jinling is the most wealthy in the world, so naturally they don't care about these gold and jade things.What is rare is an attitude that is only borrowed, so Xue Pan happily accepted it.

After everyone drank a round of tea, he sighed slightly: "The queen mother has just been busy with the funeral, and the Holy One is busy with the expedition to Dongpu. It is said that the second brother has been appointed as the commander of the expedition, and now the government and the public are all discussing this matter. I heard that Marquis Zhongxin has not returned home for a few days. On the contrary, I am waiting for the idle king. Although I have a noble status, I can't help much."

"That's not necessarily true." Xue Pan shook his head and said, "The Holy Majesty often tells me that fighting brothers is a father-son soldier. The prince is thoughtful, transparent and flexible, although it is impossible to go to the battlefield to fight the enemy. , but in the future, there will be opportunities for the prince to show his skills!"

With a twitch in his heart, he couldn't help asking: "Oh, Pan'er thinks so?"

Xue Pan nodded.

Tujue laughed and said, "I think you can't be idle even if you're a troublemaker. I'm just waiting to see you show off your power! Now it seems that you are going to make a fuss?"

"It can't be said that he is in the court." Xue Pan paused, and asked: "Did the prince know about the Jingcheng Chamber of Commerce in my hand?"

Tuju nodded and smiled, "Of course I know."

"Since the establishment of the Jingcheng Chamber of Commerce, it has been required to pay 1000% of its income as taxes every year. Now, it can pay almost [-] million taels of silver every year. This is only the merchants in the chamber of commerce. Think about it, if everyone in the world If all businessmen pay taxes...how much money would this be?"

Tujue's eyes lit up, and he said, "So, you are going to—"

"Implement industrial and commercial miscellaneous taxes!" Xue Pan put the tea mountain in his hand on the table, and said with a firm smile.