The Royal Merchant of the Red Chamber

Time flies, but in the blink of an eye, it has entered the bleak August.After the noisy Mid-Autumn Festival two days ago, Prince Zhonglian and Prince Zhongrui went to Jiangnan hand in hand.It was as if the weather was cloudy and cloudy as the crowd gathered and departed. Since the two left, it had only rained twice, and the temperature dropped suddenly.In the morning and evening, the dew becomes more and more severe, and the wind and cold blow on people's faces and bodies, and the cold soaks involuntarily.There is also a saying that when spring is tired and autumn is exhausted, Xue Panyue doesn't like to go out of the house anymore.Nesting in the gentle village all day long, besides sleeping and eating, I have a very comfortable life.

Today, the sky is high and bright, cloudless, and it is a good day with bright sunshine.Xue Pan woke up naturally after taking a nap, feeling refreshed.After stretching, he got up and got out of bed, walked outside with his shoes on, and there was a crowd of people, tiptoeing and flipping.Xue Pan looked carefully for a while, but saw that the red sleeves were stretched out, and the maids all over the room rummaged through the cloaks and single clothes that had been pressed into the bottom of the box due to the hot sun in the past few months.

There are also several rope racks set up outside the yard, which are covered with heavy clothes packed last year, all freshly washed.There were also a few rough envoys who were carrying out bags of packages for washing and cleaning according to Tian Xiang's instructions. Xue Pan frowned a little annoyed when he saw this.

Hongxiu was walking into the yard with piles of clothes in his hands. Seeing Xue Pan's impatient expression, he quickly smiled and said, "Master, why didn't you go out for a stroll these two days? I don't know what happened these days, but I suddenly became cold." I got it down. Now that I don’t have time to make clothes now, I had to rummage through the boxes and chests to find out the old clothes from last year and deal with them for two days. Then I thought about tidying up again, so I simply put those good things at the bottom of the box Take it out to dry and take care of it, so as not to have a musty smell when you wear it in the future. If you feel impatient, you should go out for a stroll first."

Tian Xiang, who was standing at the door directing the little girls to dry their clothes, also laughed and said: "That's not what I said. The uncle has never been confined in the inner house before. I don't know what happened in the past two days, but he has become a bit more ladylike." The shy ones come. The door does not go out, and the second door does not step."

"I just stood here for a while, why did I provoke you so much?"

Hongxiu immediately smiled and said: "Where, I'm just afraid that the uncle will feel disturbed. The uncle's body is precious, so naturally he can't eat this dust. If something good or bad is choked, how can we make it happen? Even if the old man and wife don't blame, the whole house Slaves are also negligent. If the uncle goes out for a stroll in the courtyard, or goes to Miss Bao's place, or to the master's wife's place to say hello, and come back after dinner, the house will be clean and the yard will be tidy, wouldn't it be the best of both worlds?"

Xue Pan casually put down the teacup in his hand, leaned on the door frame with his arms crossed and shook his head and said, "That's all, that's all. I've only stayed here for a while, and they don't even want to see me. If that's the case, I'll just go out."

Hongxiu immediately laughed and said: "The words of the uncle will kill us. The uncle is the master, and we are the slaves. There is no reason for a slave to despise the master. If the uncle said this, he will really kill us."

Tian Xiang also hurriedly said: "If the uncle dislikes us making too much noise, we should restrain ourselves. It's just that the house is full of dust, so I let the uncle go out for a stroll, and it will be clean when he comes back at night. If the uncle doesn't Love to move, I tell them to sprinkle some more water!"

After finishing speaking, he raised his voice and ordered the little maid who sweeps the yard to carry the basin and sprinkle water.

Xue Pan quickly waved his hand to stop him and said, "I just said that casually, and I didn't really blame you for causing so many words and actions of you. Actually, according to me, you don't have to be so careful. Take care of me For many years, I also regard you as my own sisters. In the future, I would like to marry all of you from my yard. I still accept the idea of ​​tolerance and indulgence. Why do you have to act like this? Let me tell you, your young The older I get, the more reserved my temper is. I might as well let it go when I was in Jinling a few years ago."

Hongxiu immediately smiled and said: "In Jinling, although our family was a wealthy family, it was just a family of imperial merchants. Besides, we are all born and bred, so we can naturally act casually. But now Now that we are in the capital, we belong to the noble family of the Marquis Mansion, and the people who come and go are also dignitaries from the family, so naturally we must pay attention to the rules and not let others look down on us. This is also to make the uncle look good, isn't it?"

Xue Pan immediately nodded and replied: "Sister Hongxiu is naturally reasonable in what she said. It's just that there are no outsiders now, so you should relax a little bit. I feel uncomfortable when I see it so tight. Aren't you tired?"

Tian Xiang interjected: "It's good to get used to it, there's no need to be tired. I'm afraid that if you relax too much, it will become indulgence. At that time, I don't feel it, but it doesn't look like it in the eyes of others. Wouldn't it be self-deprecating at that time."

Xue Pan's heart moved, and he asked, "Sister Tianxiang seems to have something to say?"

Tian Xiang pursed her lips and smiled, "Master, you're worrying too much, what can I say?"

Xue Pan raised his eyebrows suspiciously, and blinked at Hong Xiu.

Hongxiu walked up to him and laughed softly: "A few days ago at the Mid-Autumn Festival family banquet, Second Master Bao brought a maid named Xi Ren with him when he came over, do you remember?"

Xue Pan nodded to show that he knew.

Hong Xiu leaned close to Xue Pan's ear and whispered: "The maid spoke and acted like her master. When she ordered Tian Xiang to pour the tea, she casually said a few words about Tian Xiang. I didn't retaliate in face, but I have been holding back my breath until now."

Xue Pan asked in surprise, "Order?"

Hong Xiu nodded and said with a smile: "Isn't it just an order, that money is a bit big, and those who don't know the details think she is actually a half-master!"

Xue Pan straightened up in disbelief, and asked, "No way, I think that girl Xiren shows off a little on weekdays, but the general rules are pretty good."

"Her manners in front of her master are naturally good, but she has acted like a master in front of us. I don't even look at who I am, I'm just a lowly slave, and I even talked about Miss Lin's rights and wrongs." I was ashamed of calling me two words, and I have never known that I have hated me since that day." Tian Xiang, who was standing at the door watching the little girl work, heard the gossip of the master and servant, and also took a step Walked in, picked up the teapot on the table, poured a cup of tea and drank it down, and then said: "Master, don't blame the servant girl for gossip, the servant girl told the uncle, if the master blames it, the servant girl will not say anything."

When Xue Pan heard this, he was faintly curious, and immediately said with a smile: "If you have something to say, just say it. After all, everyone talks in private, and I don't tell others."

Tian Xiang pursed his lips and smiled, walked up to Xue Pan and whispered: "That day, the uncle was busy arranging the family banquet and didn't pay attention to it. The servant girl saw that the relationship between this sister Xiren and the second master Bao was a bit different. That kind of tenderness and carelessness The appearance of a girl is not something that a decent maid and master can have."

Xue Pan hooked the corner of his mouth, and said with a smirk at Tian Xiang: "I didn't expect you to be quite gossip."

Seeing this, Tian Xiang was a little surprised and said: "Look at the appearance of the uncle, I know it."

Xue Pan just smiled and said nothing.Standing up, he patted the folds of his clothes and said with a smile: "There are some decent maids in Rongguo Mansion who are always more proud than their masters, so you don't have to argue with her, and naturally you can't get angry. The messy things in their family are not just one or two things. Above, you will know later."

Tian Xiang smiled and said, "I've seen their family's decency in just one incident, and the servants don't dare to know anything anymore."

Instead, Hongxiu smiled and said: "But their servants are like that, but the masters are all kind-hearted and easy-going. Especially Bao Erye from Rongguo Mansion and Grandma Xiao Rong from Ningguo Mansion, they are not airy at all when they talk and laugh. No. During the Mid-Autumn Festival family banquet, such a noble person actually went with us girls to joke and joke. No matter how considerate the master of another family is, he is not like this."

Xue Pan also nodded and said in agreement: "Leaving others aside, Baoyu is a rare kind and gentle person."

As for Grandma Xiao Rong, she was a female family member of another family. It was fine for Hongxiu and the others to say a few words. As an uncle, it was not easy for him to criticize in private.

"Second Master Bao is good everywhere, but his body is too fat and powdery, so he doesn't look like a well-established man." Tianxiang said, let out a soft cry, frowned and said: "I forgot, Second Master Bao is noon At that time, I even sent someone to greet the uncle!"

"Greetings to me at noon?" Xue Pan raised his eyebrows and asked, "Is there something wrong?"

Tian Xiang thought about it carefully, shook his head and said, "I didn't say anything, I just came to say hello to the uncle."

"He didn't bring me anything, so he left after asking?" Xue Pan became more and more curious.

Tian Xiang thought for a while, and finally said with certainty: "I really didn't leave anything, and I didn't leave any words. I sent tea and came here. I heard that the uncle was taking a nap, so I said a few gossips and left."

Xue Pan scratched his head inexplicably, and said, "Forget it. I can't stop you from tossing around at home, so I just go to Rongguo Mansion to have a look."

So Hongxiu hurriedly turned over and went into the back room to dig out a set of out clothes to change for Xue Pan. After tidying up, Xue Pan waved his fan and left Zhongxinhou's mansion.

When he arrived at Jia's mansion, he naturally went to visit Jia She and Jia Zheng first according to the rules.One of the two hangs out in the inner courtyard, playing with my aunt and refuses to see each other, and the other spends time in the study, talking about ancient poems with a group of gentlemen.After a few words of greeting, Xue Pan went into the inner house to meet Jia Mu.It happened that Youshi from Ningguo Mansion came to greet Jia Mu.After seeing Xue Pan, it was natural that they exchanged warm greetings again.After a few words of gossip, it was a very embarrassing gentle begging——

"Brother Xue also knows about my daughter-in-law's illness. After two months of procrastination and no improvement, she is getting worse and worse. Brother Xue is familiar with the people in the palace. Can you find a way to find a better doctor for her?" Take a look?"

Xue Pan heard the words, Fox asked: "During the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, I played wildly with the girls and wives in the middle of the night. I saw that she was very energetic. Why is the kung fu not good in the past two days?"

Youshi sighed worriedly, and said, "I don't know what's going on. A while ago, the eldest son of General Shenwu's family found a doctor and prescribed a lot of decoctions. Afterwards, I saw improvement, and it was fine when I returned home. After turning [-], I became lazier day by day, and I didn’t eat or move.”

"Maybe it's the Mid-Autumn Festival when I'm a little tired from playing. Brothers and sisters should know that people who are recovering from a serious illness are always weaker." Xue Pan could only comfort him.It's just that the more he talked, the more he felt that You Shi's words were inexplicably familiar, as if he had heard them somewhere.

Hearing this, Youshi sighed softly: "I thought so too at the time! After all, the past few days were really better, so I didn't take it to heart. But who knew that these two days would become more and more serious. I can't even get down. I don't think it's very good - if it wasn't so serious, I wouldn't bother Big Brother Xue."

Xue Pan frowned and meditated for a moment, then suddenly thought of something, and asked, "Is the birthday of the Ningguo Mansion's grand master coming soon?"

Youshi smiled and said, "Brother Laoxue has a note, but it will be the middle of next month."

Xue Pan calmly looked at Mother Jia and Mrs. Wang, who were smiling warmly, sighed softly in his heart, and said, "Maybe it's because of the wind and cold accidentally during the Mid-Autumn Festival."

You Shi said again: "I called many doctors to see the pulse. The public said that the public was right, and the mother-in-law said that the mother-in-law was right, but they couldn't tell why. The Wang Tai doctor in the palace also came to the house to see it more than once. A few days ago What I said on the day was right, but I couldn't evade it in the past two days, so we have to hire someone else."

When Xue Pan heard this, he already had two rules in his heart.He has also met Qin Keqing twice. He is very easy-going, loves to play and make trouble, and is a bright and charming delicate woman.Just seeing that she only went to Zhongxinhou's Mansion once and was praised by Hongxiu Tianxiang and two, one can also know that this woman is absolutely slick in everything she does.And her life experience is unpredictable, many people secretly speculate that she has something to do with the royal family.He also said that her death was implicated in the success or failure of the Rongning Second Mansion...

Xue Pan frowned quietly when he thought of this.It has been decided to go to the palace to find out what Tu Zhen has said.At that moment, he smiled warmly at Youshi and said, "Doctor Wang's medical skills are naturally superb. But he is best at diagnosing Ping An pulse and taking care of typhoid fever. Rong's daughter-in-law's illness has dragged on until now, and maybe it is not in his care." It's within the scope of my expertise. It's not wrong to ask other imperial physicians, but things in the palace are always uncertain, so I'll try my best to ask."

Youshi is naturally grateful to Dade.

Then Mother Jia asked, "Why don't you see Bao girl? She hasn't come since the draft for a while?"

Xue Pan nodded and said with a smile: "Since receiving the imperial edict, Baochai has been staying at home to prepare for marriage, and she really hasn't come out for a while. She often complains to me about being bored! I thought that if the old lady was willing, she would Taking the Sanchun sister from the house to live there for a while can be regarded as talking and chatting with my sister."

Mrs. Wang said with a bit of a distasteful interface: "I was thinking that Baochai would enter the palace for a draft and be able to have a companion with Yuanchun. I didn't expect that Baochai is indeed a lucky girl, and she even pointed at the princess directly. Prince Zhongchun She was already heavily used by the emperor, and she is also a celebrity in front of the empress dowager and the emperor... Now that Baochai can be counted on."

Xue Pan just smiled and said nothing.

Mrs. Wang said again: "I have pity on my Yuanchun. I have been in the palace for so many years. The time has passed, and the time has failed. Why don't you die in the palace—"

Jia Mu suddenly shouted, "What are you talking about!"

Then he explained to Xue Pan with an apologetic face: "Your aunt is also concerned about it, so don't be as knowledgeable as him."

Xue Pan laughed and said, "The old ancestor is too caring, how could I!"

Mrs. Wang couldn't bear it, and said again: "Pan'er, you are the most talkative in front of the Holy Majesty. Why don't you mention Yuanchun and let the Majesty—"

Xue Pan smiled a little embarrassedly and said, "I want my aunt to know that the Holy Majesty's temper is the most arbitrary. What he hates the most is the harem concubines meddling in politics, and besides that, the former courtiers interfering in the affairs of the harem. And Years ago, the Baoqin next to the eldest sister caused such a trouble in Qianqing Palace. The Holy Majesty has always had a bad opinion of the eldest sister. If I said shallowly, the Holy Majesty would not take it to heart. If I said deeply It's..."

Xue Pan sighed and shook his head, looking helpless.

Jia's mother immediately interjected, "The ministers of the former court have nothing to say about the affairs in the harem, so don't embarrass Pan'er, the second daughter-in-law."

Mrs. Wang shut up a little embarrassingly.

Mother Jia glanced at her indifferently, and then smiled at Xue Pan, "But Yuan Chun's situation in the palace is really embarrassing. Pan'er must have heard about the banquet in Qianqing Palace. Although you and your sister Yuan Chun I've never met, but they are real aunts and cousins ​​anyway. I would be grateful if I could help my old man."

After coming to Beijing for more than a year, although the members of the Jia family were unreliable in various ways, they treated the Xue family well.Moreover, the emaciated camel is bigger than the horse, the Jia family is the first among the eight princes, and the relationship with the four kings is also warm.As long as the family roots are not involved, Xue Pan can still agree to some trivial matters.Secondly, with Baoyu's relationship in it, Xue Pan really didn't want the Jia family's final situation to be too miserable.Although Sanlai didn't know why, Tu Zhen specifically told him to maintain a good relationship with the four princes and eight princes.Because of these reasons, Xue Pan really couldn't turn a deaf ear to Mother Jia's request, and immediately said with a smile: "The old lady just asks, if there is anyone who can help, Pan'er will never shirk."

The smile on Jia Mu's face immediately deepened by two points, and she immediately said: "It's not an order. It's just that after Baochai's first draft, he has a good relationship with everyone in the palace. Can you ask Miss Bao to be in front of the ladies? Say a few words."

Xue Pan pursed his lips amusedly, and said, "Baochai is now waiting to be married, so it is logical that she cannot enter the palace at will."

The smile on Jia Mu's face froze, her concern became confused, and she even forgot such an important rule.The law of Dayong stipulated that anyone who is selected as a concubine by the heir of the royal family must stay in the boudoir on the day of receiving the decree, and is not allowed to visit relatives and friends at will until they are married.To show respect and obedience to the royal family.This is also the reason why important members of Jia's family went to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival this year at Xue's house instead of at Rongguo Mansion as usual.

Xue Pan was secretly pleased when he saw Jia Mu's expression froze.However, he suddenly realized with a smile on his face: "However, the old ancestor did remind me. I remember that sister Yuanchun is working in the empress palace, why don't I talk to the empress. As for how the empress will behave, Pan'er really Aimo can't help."

He did this in the hope of holding back Jia Mu and Mrs. Wang's actions.After all, Qin Keqing's life experience is suspicious, how to arrange it is also Tu Zhen's own business, and it is not up to the Jia family to meet obstacles and take care of it.Even knowing that the Jia family ended badly, Xue Pan didn't hope that the Jia family would really murder other people's lives for the sake of prosperity and wealth.

Don't you know that although he has good intentions, it sounds like a beating to Jia Mu and Mrs. Wang's ears.Immediately he stopped talking, and quickly said: "This is not good. The queen is also a woman, how could she..."

Xue Pan shook his head and said, "My ancestor doesn't know, but I'm [-]% sure about telling the queen about it. It's just that it's inconvenient for me to go into details with my ancestor."

After all, the queen was rejected by the emperor, such words cannot be said casually.It doesn't matter if you cause trouble yourself, but it's not good if you implicate others.

It was also because of this incident that Xue Pan knew that the queen's position in Tu Zhen's heart was almost zero.Presumably she also urgently needs to establish foreign aid!Although Jia Yuanchun is inconspicuous now, firstly, she is someone close to the queen, and secondly, the status of Rongguo Mansion can be considered prominent.I believe it will be able to enter the eyes of the queen.

When Jia Mu and Mrs. Wang heard what Xue Pan said, they knew that he was doing things sincerely and not deliberately shirked because they were tired of their requests.Immediately holding a smiling face, he apologized with a smile: "Since that's the case, I'll trouble Pan'er. But Pan'er can rest assured that if Yuan Chun can really get the holy family in the future, the Rongguo Mansion will definitely not treat the Zhongxinhou Mansion badly."

Xue Pan heard the words, but he smiled and said nothing, but he didn't think so in his heart.In terms of efficiency, it would be the fastest for him to speak to Tu Zhen himself.However, due to various concerns, Xue Pan did not want to pimp Tu Zhen.Transferring the matter to the queen is nothing more than doing one's best and obeying the destiny.Just like one day when Yuanchun really flourishes, the Rongguo Mansion will never listen to the Zhongxinhou Mansion.It’s fine for everyone to talk and listen to some scenes, who will take it seriously?

Thinking of this, Xue Pan suddenly felt bored.After trying to cheer up and gossip with Jia Mu, Mrs. Wang, etc., he evaded something and went down to Jia Baoyu's residence under the guidance of the little girl.

Since Lin Mozhi moved out from Rongguo Mansion, Jia Baoyu also moved back to Jiamu's residence.When Xue Pan came over, Jia Baoyu was hiding in the study and working hard!It's called reading, but it's actually making rouge.Xue Pan entered the study without making a sound, which gave Jia Baoyu a big jump.

"Brother Xue came in so silently, the whole room is silent, and there is no girl serving brother tea?" Jia Baoyu said, put down his work, and shouted Said: "Assailant, assailant—"

Xue Pan waved his hands repeatedly and said with a smile: "Don't make a fuss, I told them not to make any noise. The purpose is to find out what you are doing. Didn't you say that you are studying hard these days to prepare for the number one exam?"

Jia Baoyu went to the side to clean his hands, and said disapprovingly: "That kind of talk is just to make the ancestors happy, do you believe it?"

"It doesn't matter whether I believe it or not. The important thing is that both your old lady and wife believe it. If you really don't achieve success in the future, I'm afraid these two old people will die of grief." Xue Pan clicked on Jia Baoyu's words. The head teased and said: "Poor dude and Gaoliang, there is no hope for the country and the family."

Jia Baoyu said disapprovingly: "How can they not know what kind of temperament I am? It's just that I am in the middle of the game and refuse to face the reality. If I say it, the power and glory of Rongning and Ningfu have already reached the limit. What is there to be dissatisfied with at the top of the brocade. Let’s rest assured that two years of this quiet life will be over. Tossing and tossing, but it’s just basic necessities, but instead I became a national thief and a ghost, and I was trapped by false fame instead. Feel uncomfortable, why bother!"

Xue Pan listened to Jia Baoyu's plausible words and laughed again and again, but before he could make a sound, he suddenly heard soft words of comfort from behind him. "The second master started talking crazy again. The son promised me to study hard before, why did he repeat it again today?"

Xue Pan turned his head, and sure enough, he saw Xiren wearing a red silk jacket, a lake green vest with pinched teeth, and a moon-white silk skirt walking in holding a lacquered tea tray.

Put the cloisonné official kiln tea cups filled with white gaiwan one by one in front of Xue Pan and Jia Baoyu.Sweeping his eyes over the messy table and case, staring firmly at the small bamboo basket containing petals, Xiren sighed again and said, "I thought the second master was serious about studying in the study! Unexpectedly, you don't have a long memory and are fiddling around." Think of these rouge creams."

Jia Baoyu was taken aback, and hurriedly tugged on Xi Ren's sleeve and smiled apologetically, "My good sister, I was just playing for a while when I was tired from studying. I gave up immediately."

Xiren knew Jia Baoyu's temperament well, so naturally he didn't believe it.Immediately, he said two more words of consolation, and finally said to Xue Pan: "Uncle, too. Our second master has always listened to his words the most, and the uncle should persuade our second master to study well. If not, I will teach you seriously. How our second master does business is also a matter of reason. Always teasing second master with petals and rouge, what's the matter?"

Xue Pan was watching the joke, and Xiren suddenly turned the conversation on himself.Immediately, he couldn't help thinking of what Shen Wutian Xiang had said to him in the afternoon, and he really felt that Xi Ren became frivolous because he thought he had gained face.He didn't like Xiren's personality of pretending to be honest, treacherous, and telling stories at will, but he didn't pay attention to Xiren because of Baoyu's face.Unexpectedly, she is becoming more and more disregarding decency now.

Immediately, his expression faded and he sneered and said: "Miss Xiren's words are strange. Don't talk about your status as the second master of Bao. How can you allow a girl who serves to warm the bed to teach you a lesson. Even if he is a child trying something new, it really gives you two points of dignity." , can't be frivolous on my head?"

As soon as this remark came out, let alone an attacker, even Baoyu was stunned.