The Royal Merchant of the Red Chamber

Tu Zhen looked down at Xue Pan silently, showing a shy look, tilting his head and hooking the corners of his mouth.Just as he was about to start joking, he heard a rush of horseshoes galloping up the official road, accompanied by a tumultuous dust.Tu Zhen frowned a little dissatisfied, and looked back, only to see that Dai Quan, who was staying in the palace, followed Gao Wei on horseback.Can't help but be a little surprised.

The crowd stopped their horses ten steps in front of Tu Zhen, and they came up to greet him. Before Tu Zhen could speak, he explained, "Your Majesty Qi Zuo, there is an urgent message from the stick, saying that there is something important to report."

When Tu Zhen heard the words, he pursed his lips indistinctly.Xue Pan said directly: "Since this is the case, Your Majesty should hurry back to the palace! Zhuangzi can go anytime, but don't delay political affairs because of this kind of thing."

Naturally, Tu Zhen also understood that if Dai Quan was able to find this place regardless of the rules, something must have happened.So he took a deep look at Xue Pan, nodded and said, "In that case, I'll go back to the palace first."

Xue Pan nodded, and the two immediately put on the saddle and returned to Shenjing quickly.Until the west street parted, Tu Zhen returned to the palace, and Xue Pan returned to Zhongxinhou's mansion.

All the way back home without a word.When he entered the door, he found that people from Ningguo Mansion were guarding the door, in plain clothes, with a look of sadness on their faces.Xue Pan raised his eyebrows in surprise, and asked, "What happened?"

The young servant said in grief: "Our master... has died."

Jia Jing is dead?

Xue Pan couldn't help being shocked, and quickly asked: "It's fine and there is no disease, why is it gone?"

Hearing the words, the young man from the East Mansion felt embarrassed, but said vaguely: "Our master is practicing in the temple every day, maybe his merits and virtues have been perfected, and he has gone to immortality."

Hearing this, Xue Pan vaguely recalled this description in A Dream of Red Mansions, which probably said that Jia Jing died of poisoning by indiscriminately taking elixir.It is also said that Jia Jing messed around with little girls under the guise of Shuangxiu, and died after losing his health.But no matter how you say it, this is not a decent thing that can be said on the scene.He nodded understandingly at the moment, and said to the boy: "Since that's the case, you don't have to wait for the notification, just follow me in and talk about it. Let's see what mother has to say?"

The young man was grateful for Dade's thanks, and went into the mansion with Xue Pan.

When we arrived at Ruirong Hall, we found that Xue Zhizhang, who had not seen him for a long time, had also returned home.Xue Pan couldn't help being surprised, and hurriedly stepped forward and asked, "Why is father back at this time?"

Xue Zhizhang said with a smile: "The affairs of the court are almost arranged. The rest only needs everyone to follow the rules and set the time to do things immediately. I don't need me to stare there all day. But your majesty has become more and more busy recently. .”

Xue Pan nodded, looked at Xue Zhizhang suspiciously at the servant of Ningguo Mansion next to him, and said, "The master of the East Mansion has died. This kid is here to report."

Xue Zhizhang was also surprised when he heard the words, and after asking the boy a lot, he sent him out of the mansion, saying: "I'll go there right away."

As soon as the words fell, the housekeeper hurriedly walked up to Xue Zhizhang, first saluted the two, and then said in a low and dignified voice: "Someone came from the palace, and said it was an order from the Holy Majesty to ask the master to enter the palace immediately. "

A look of surprise flashed across Xue Zhizhang's face.

Xue Pan immediately thought of what Dai Quan said before the two separated.He couldn't help but said: "Then dad, hurry up and enter the palace! At the Tiekan Temple, there is my mother and I entertaining!"

Hearing this, Xue Zhizhang nodded and said, "Okay."

Saying that, he changed into court clothes and entered the palace with the little eunuch who came over from the palace.

Xue Pan stood in the yard for a while, then turned around and entered the inner hall of Ruirong Hall. After waiting for his mother to get dressed, he helped Mrs. Xue get into the prepared carriage. Go to the threshold temple.

After all, the two mansions are related by marriage, and the four major families are connected with each other. Although they usually have different ways and do not have much contact with each other, but something happened in Jia's mansion. If Xue's mansion is still lukewarm, it is inevitable for outsiders to see it. chilling.

When they arrived at Tiekan Temple Mansion, You Shi was kneeling in the hall to handle various funeral ceremonies.Jia Jing's coffin had already stopped in the main hall, and people from Rongguo Mansion, Shijia, and Wang's family who were able to come also came.The rest who couldn't come also reported their condolences and condolences.A room full of people stood on the ground, some wailed and wailed, some were sincerely comforted, and some were noisy, and the sandalwood in the room was lingering, and the paper ashes from the brazier on the ground were scattered, creating a great commotion.

Xue Pan stepped forward through the crowd, and sighed at You Shi, who was kneeling on the ground with a mournful look, and burned paper money in plain filial attire: "Sister-in-law's mourning is changing. Brother Zhen can't come back for a while, if sister-in-law has any inconvenience For the matter, just open your mouth and tell me."

You Shi nodded, forced the corner of his mouth to Xue Pan, and said in a low voice, "Thank you."

Xue Pan quickly waved his hand and said, "They are all relatives of our own family, so why be polite."

Mrs. Xue, who was dressed in plain clothes but looked more graceful and magnanimous, also said with a smile: "Yes, Jia Zhen and Rong'er are not at home, and there is such a big event in the house, it is impossible for no man to take care of it. Actually, this matter should have been Baoyu came here to make arrangements because of his temperament..."

Mrs. Xue shook her head when she said this, and said again: "If you have any embarrassment on weekdays, if you are inconvenient to deal with things that require a foreigner to do, you can just call Pan'er. I pity you for being a woman. It's exhausting to have to do all these trivial things."

Youshi looked at Mrs. Xue gratefully.When she first got the news, she also sent someone to the Rongguo Mansion to tell her, but Sister Feng said she couldn't get away, Li Wan shied away to take care of the sisters in the mansion and couldn't spare time, and the old lady said that Baoyu had a delicate body Gui, afraid that the smell of monks and priests would offend him, so he didn't agree.Mrs. Wang eats vegetarian food and recites Buddha, saying that she has long ignored ordinary affairs, and Mrs. Xing is too blind to handle things. She has no choice but to temporarily entrust the outside affairs to a few second-class managers at home.He also ordered someone to bring her stepmother to help with the management.

People's hearts are so indifferent, so when Mrs. You heard Madam Xue's greetings, not to mention politeness but entertainment, she felt warm in her heart for a while, and she didn't feel so aggrieved.Immediately, she held Mrs. Xue and took her hands with some emotion, and said in a low voice: "I have already sent someone to bring my stepmother and two younger sisters to help me with cooking, and I have ordered a few housekeepers to take care of the outside for the time being. It’s something that we can survive. Our uncle will be back in three to five days, and it will be fine by then.”

Madam Xue sighed and patted the back of Youshi's hand, not knowing what to say.

As soon as Xue Pan heard it, he knew that it was the second sister You and the third sister You who were coming.Thinking of the turmoil caused by these two sisters, he wanted to remind You Shi, but he didn't know how to speak.He also had to shut his mouth sullenly.

Xue Pan's senses have always been good for this sister-in-law with a gentle personality and a submissive temper.Although she is not as clever and sharp-tongued as Wang Xifeng, and she is not as pretentious as Mrs. Wang, the bodhisattva hides evil intentions on the surface.But Xue Pan just likes her honesty.Since you're not a smart person, don't pretend to be smart, just follow the rules honestly, although there won't be any big success, but as long as the general environment remains the same, if you want to live in peace and stability until the end of your life, there is no problem .This is the way of ordinary people.

It's a pity that most people in Jia's family can't see the facts clearly.I always think I'm smart, but in the end, everything I do is stupid and can't be stupid.In the end, laughing and generosity are light, and the most serious ones, I am afraid, are just like what is written in the book, and the land is so clean in the end.

This is cleverness being mistaken by cleverness.

If the people in the two mansions can really live in peace like Youshi, I am afraid that the Ningrong and Rongfu two mansions will not be so troublesome in the end.Unfortunately……

Xue Pan shook his head and sighed secretly.When he crossed over, he thought that as the son of the Xue family, he must do some practical things so that the four major families could avoid the disaster of copying the family and exterminating the family in the end.And the promotion of the Zhen family, Xue family and even the Wang family also gave him a sense of superiority that he had the chance to win.But when he got to Jia's house, Xue Pan suddenly realized that he could do too little by himself.For the four major families, he is nothing more than an opportunity for transformation.Whether you want to change, in the final analysis, you have to realize it yourself.

For example, the reason why the Zhen family was able to avoid disaster was because Zhen Baoyu's plausible dream awakened the Zhen family. Zhen Yan resolutely raised his family to pay off the debts.What Xue Pan played was nothing more than a go-between.

And it was even more so for the Wang family.As long as Wang Ziteng survives, the prosperity and wealth of the Wang family will definitely be stable.What the Xue family can do is to pile up some money at the right time to make Wang Ziteng's path easier.

When it came to the Jia family, everyone in the Jia family was a bunch of fools who were drunk and dreaming of death. No matter how hard Xue Pan tried, it was useless.Unless Xue Pan can get out and put the future of the Xue family in it, maybe he can keep the wealth and safety of the Jia family.

But will Xue Pan do this?Obviously, that's impossible.Whether it is out of selfishness or family considerations, it is impossible for Xue Pan to do that.

Therefore, all Xue Pan can do is to alienate the Jia family as much as possible.Make sure that you will not be implicated by the Jia family's convulsions from time to time, and then pay money to redeem everyone when the Jia family is in decline, and try to give them a stable environment.

Thinking of this, Xue Pan's mood became more and more depressed.

You Shi watched coldly from the sidelines, but he didn't know where Xue Pan's thoughts went.Mistakenly thinking that the commotion in the lobby made Xue Pan a little irritable, he quickly smiled and said, "There are so many people in this room, and I can't spare myself to entertain them. Brother Xue, why don't you sit in the back with Mrs. Xue, okay?"

Just as Xue Pan was about to speak, he heard a heart-piercing wailing sound from outside.Xue Pan was taken aback, and hurriedly followed the prestige.But it turned out that Jia Zhen and Jia Rong, who were dressed in sackcloth, rushed back day and night.One cried and called Daddy, the other cried and called Grandpa. They were so sad that they wished they could die instead. They crawled in with all their hands and feet, and kowtowed unceasingly.Even a shoe was left outside.

The relatives of the family watched and sighed for the filial piety of Jia Zhen and others.

Seeing it in Xue Pan's eyes, he felt an indescribable irony.In the past, I only heard people saying that they were not filial in life, and screamed indiscriminately when they died, but I didn't know what they meant.Looking at it now... With such grief, why would he miss his sister-in-law and aunt before the end of the filial piety period?

Xue Pan shook his head, looked at Jia Zhen sadly and earnestly ordered Jia Rong to take care of the death, and then told everyone the decree of entrusting Jia Jing to the fifth rank, which was sent by Tu Zhen, and was in a hurry In a mess, Xue Pan quietly tugged on Mrs. Xue's sleeve, and the two went forward and said a lot of condolences, then turned and left.

Just as she was helping Mrs. Xue into the carriage, she heard Jia Rong shouting from behind: "My nephew is also going back to the mansion to attend the funeral, why don't we come along and take care of him. Uncle, do you think so?"

Xue Pan looked back at Jia Rong, and saw that Jia Rong was also dressed in plain filial piety. Although her eyes were red from crying, her brows were bright and cheerful.Coupled with the decent smile on his lips, he looked even more handsome and gentle.

Xue Pan frowned indistinctly, pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Since that's the case, you should hurry up and get ready."

When Jia Rong heard the words, she immediately said, "I'll bring the horses here."

As he spoke, he turned around and led a bay red horse to walk side by side with Xue Pan.

There was no words all the way, and the atmosphere was somewhat depressingly silent.On the entire official road, only the sound of horseshoes and wheels rolling could be heard.Jia Rong, who was sitting on the horse, peeked at Xue Pan several times, and found that Xue Pan was still silent and didn't know what he was thinking, so she couldn't help but cleared her throat, and said without words: "Uncle, do you know that grandpa's funeral is being arranged this time?" , and my mother took her stepmother and two younger sisters as well."

Xue Pan casually responded.

Jia Rong said again: "Uncle, do you know that my two aunts are growing well——"

"What did you say?" Xue Pan asked coldly without allowing Jia Rong to finish speaking.

Jia Rong choked for a moment, not knowing how to react.

Seeing Jia Rong's dazed appearance, Xue Pan sighed with a headache, and felt a shock in his heart, and he was even less in the mood to talk to him.Just when they reached the city gate again, Xue Pan waved his hand impatiently and started to push people away. "It's getting late, you should go home and take care of things first!"

Jia Rong responded shyly, cupped her hands and said, "In that case, my nephew will take my leave first."

Xue Pan waved his hand, motioning for Jia Rong to hit the horse and leave quickly.

Jia Rong went up to bid farewell to Mrs. Xue who was in the carriage, and even got off the horse and stood by with hands tied, waiting for everyone in Xue's residence to pass first.

Seeing this, Xue Pan and others had no choice but to leave first.Naturally, that's right. Although Jia Rong stood on the ground waiting for them to leave first, the face of Jia Rong was sad and mournful, but there was a trace of thieves on his brows, like an old cat that had stolen a fish, and full of excitement of anticipation.

Inside and outside the carriage, Xue Pan and Mrs. Xue looked at each other, and Mrs. Xue sighed meaningfully: "This is from the Jia family..."