The Royal Merchant of the Red Chamber

It is said that today is Jia Zheng's birthday.Although Xue Pan secretly draws a clear line between many businesses and the Jia family, but on the surface it is still passable.So early this morning, I put on my clothes and came to Rongguo Mansion to pay my respects.

As usual, after exchanging greetings with Jia Mu in Rongqing Hall, the boy led him to eat noodles in the flower hall outside.At that time, the Rongguo Mansion invited ordinary small operas to hang out on the stage, and all the guests mingled with each other and chatted happily.What a lively and noisy scene.

Xue Pan sat on the side, playing with the wine cup with a comfortable expression, while secretly counting the hours.Looking at Xue Pan's absent-minded look, Jia Baoyu leaned forward and asked, "Big brother, what are you thinking?"

Xue Pan came back to his senses, and replied casually: "It's nothing."

Before he could finish a sentence, he suddenly saw the gatekeeper come in in a hurry, and reported to the banquet that the eunuch of Liugongdu, Mr. Xia, had come to issue an order.Everyone turned a blind eye for a moment and looked at each other in blank dismay.Jia Zheng hastily wiped the sweat from his brow, hurriedly withdrew from the table, stopped the play, and set up an incense table to welcome the imperial decree.Sure enough, he came to summon Jia Zheng to enter the palace.

All the people at the table except Xue Pan were anxious and disturbed.There is no longer any interest in eating and drinking.

Mother Jia and others had no choice but to persuade them with good words, and sent all the guests back first.Xue Pan couldn't leave at this juncture because of his relatives, so he had to stay with Jia's mother to comfort her.All the female relatives also stayed beside Jia Mu anxiously, or spoke words of comfort, or remained silent.Only Mrs. Wang's face showed a bit of panic and panic.Xue Pan watched coldly and sighed secretly.

About two hours later, I saw Lai Da and several housekeepers hurried into the Yimen, knelt down in the courtyard, and happily said: "Return to the old lady, by the grace of God, our eldest lady has been promoted Conferred the title of Shangshu of Fengzao Palace, and conferred the title of Concubine Xiande. Now that the master has gone to the East Palace, I will ask the old lady to lead the crowd to thank you."

Before he could finish a sentence, all the people in Jia's house suddenly became noisy.The maids, women and children who were guarding the corner of the courtyard came forward to congratulate them one after another, and all the wives, grandmas and girls also surrounded Jia Mu and Mrs. Wang to congratulate.Jiamu smiled happily, and immediately ordered all the women to reward and celebrate.

Xue Pan watched coldly from the side, and then he leaned over and bid farewell.

Jia Mu and others were thinking about Yuan Chun's concubine, and they didn't want to keep him.Only Jia Baoyu remained indifferent and sent Xue Pan all the way out of the gate.

Xue Pan pulled the bay red horse brought over by the servant and said with a smile: "You go back and join in the fun, and I will go home too."

Jia Baoyu sighed softly: "Is there any excitement to join in. Although it is a happy event for my sister to become a concubine, but for some reason, I always feel a little uneasy in my heart, and I always feel that I am not at ease."

Xue Pan was silent, not knowing what to say.He had no choice but to pat Jia Baoyu on the shoulder and comfort him, "Don't think too much about it."

Jia Baoyu nodded bored, Xue Pan got on the saddle and Shi Shiran went home.

After arriving home, I saw that the maids and boys in the house were in full swing, smiling uncontrollably as they shuttled back and forth.There are many Dazhuang gift boxes parked in the yard, not like their own.Xue Pan raised his eyebrows suspiciously, grabbed a passing girl and asked, "What's going on?"

The little girl smiled and said: "My uncle and wife have gone to Beijing."

Xue Pan was stunned for a moment, only to realize that Wang Ziteng had gone to Beijing to report his duties.

Then happily put down his clothes and entered the main hall, and sure enough, he saw a middle-aged man in his thirties, fair complexion, clear appearance, and elegant manners sitting under Xue Zhizhang, the two were smiling and greeting each other.

Xue Pan entered the main hall, opened his mouth and shouted: "Uncle."

Wang Ziteng turned his head, seeing Xue Pan stepping in, his eyes lit up, he got up and walked up to Xue Pan, patted Xue Pan on the shoulder and said, "That's right. I haven't seen you for a few years, and you've grown so tall."

Xue Pan narrowed his eyes and said with a smile, "I haven't seen you for a few years, uncle is getting more and more handsome."

Prince Teng was speechless, rubbing Xue Pan's neck and laughing: "It's still not big or small, and has no rules and decency."

Xue Pan took advantage of the situation and grabbed Wang Ziteng's arm and asked, "Uncle finally went to Beijing once, but did you bring a gift for Pan'er?"

Wang Ziteng shook his head helplessly, reached out and pointed Xue Pan's forehead with a smile and said, "It's all placed in the yard. You can clean it up yourself later."

Only then did Xue Pan ask, "Why don't you see my aunt and cousin Wang Ren?"

Before Wang Ziteng could speak, Xue Zhizhang said, "Your aunt is talking to your mother in the backyard. Your cousin Wang Ren has gone to the Ministry of Officials."

Xue Pan nodded, walked up and said with a smile: "I'll go to pay my respects to my aunt."

Xue Zhizhang looked at Xue Pan's detached behavior and shook his head lovingly.

"I haven't seen you for a few years, but Pan'er's temperament hasn't changed at all." Wang Ziteng laughed.

"Why hasn't it changed—it's becoming more and more arrogant now." Xue Zhizhang said with a headache: "You haven't seen his rampant energy to cause trouble, I hate it so much that your teeth itch."

"Pan'er is a lucky person, even if he is a little publicity, brother Xue is not in his pocket, so what are you afraid of!" Wang Ziteng said, and sat down with Xue Zhizhang casually.

Xue Zhizhang asked again: "Brother Wang returned to Beijing this time to report on his duties, but are you planning to stay?"

The prince arched his hands and faced the direction of the palace, and said respectfully: "Everything depends on what the Holy One wants."

Xue Zhizhang nodded, and said casually: "The draft is over, have you heard about the Holy Majesty's wanton concubine?"

When Wang Ziteng heard this, he frowned worriedly, and sighed in a low voice: "I heard a little bit—I heard that the girl Yuanchun in Rongguo Mansion was also banned?"

Xue Zhizhang sighed and said: "It's sealed—Fengzao Palace Shangshu, plus Xiande Concubine."

Wang Ziteng's brows were tightened even more, and he sighed inaudibly: "What kind of title is this?"

"Where are the ranks of the left and right? As for whether they conform to the rules, who cares!" Xue Zhizhang shook his head, and said meaningfully: "But the holy god, this time the concubine, the four princes and eight princes and many dignitaries in the court The female relatives all have a share."

Wang Ziteng reached out and picked up the Yuguotian blue official kiln bodiless tureen bowl on the table, took a sip, and said nonchalantly, "It seems that they are all big households who owe official money!"

As soon as these words came out, the two looked at each other and smiled.Xue Zhizhang said with a smile without a trace: "In the past few days, there have been a lot of high-quality wood, stone, bricks, tiles and expensive decorations in the shops in Beijing. According to the steward, they were specially ordered by Pan'er two months ago."

"Oh?" Wang Ziteng raised his eyebrows and smiled, "I heard that Pan'er is very proud in front of the Holy One. Presumably the Holy One will not hide anything from Pan'er, right?"

Xue Zhizhang shook his head and said with a smile: "I'm not too sure about this—Pan'er seldom mentioned to me the matter between him and the Holy Majesty."

The two of them hooked the corners of their mouths tacitly, and did not continue this topic.

Let's say that Xue Pan hastily entered the Ruirong Hall along the Chaoshou verandah, and he saw a beautiful woman in her thirties sitting and chatting with Madam Xue. The girl speaks.

Xue Pan entered the room, and greeted the two wives first, saying, "I have seen my mother, I have seen my aunt."

Aunt Wang's eyes lit up, she pulled Xue Pan's sleeve with a smile and looked at her: "This is Pan'er, I haven't seen you for a few years, and she has grown so big. I remember that Jinling was not up to my waist at that time, He's taller than me now."

Xue Pan grinned and said, "I haven't seen you for a few years, and my aunt has become more and more graceful and beautiful. No wonder the rumors of her harmony with uncle came to the capital. Uncle is still a hero and saddened by beauty!"

Aunt Wang nodded Xue Pan's forehead with a smile from ear to ear, and said, "It's still so good at talking."

After finishing speaking, I introduced the next two girls with cloud temples to meet with Xue Pan.One is named Qinyan and the other is named Qiyan, and they are both Xue Pan's cousins.

After exchanging pleasantries, Wang Ren rushed back.Not seeing each other for several years, this cousin has become more and more gentle and elegant, with a graceful demeanor.He is polite and polite in speech and demeanor, and has a brilliant literary talent.Mrs. Xue saw it and became more and more satisfied.After a few words, Xue Pan took Wang Ren back to his gentle hometown.

As soon as he entered Xue Pan's territory, Wang Ren's temperament suddenly changed.The description is also lazy, and the demeanor is not restrained.There is a bit of cynicism in the unruly, completely gone from the smooth and gentle before.

He looked around carefully at Xue Pan's nest, and secretly at the increasingly beautiful Hongxiu and Tianxiang.Wang Ren smiled at Xue Pan who changed clothes as soon as Pu came in and was lying on the beauty's couch: "I still have such a pleasant life!"

Xue Panxin picked up the pastry that had just been brought from the table and threw it into his mouth, and said casually, "I haven't seen you for a few years, it seems that your uncle is very strict with you!"

Wang Ren curled his lips, shook his head and sighed, "It's hard to say!"

After a pause, he said again: "I heard that you have created another 'golden fan' in the capital, which is more gentle and tender than 'Heaven and Earth'. When will you take me to open your eyes?"

Xue Pan sneered and said, "You just went to Beijing and you didn't stop, and I heard that uncle beat you."

"I just want to say that you took me there, and it's too late for him to reward me." Wang Ren said, and gave Xue Pan a distasteful look, "My father has treated you better than me since I was a child. Who is he?" dear son!"

Xue Pan replied nonchalantly: "You have to ask your aunt about this—"

"Get out!" Wang Ren said, got up and sat next to Xue Pan, pushed Xue Pan and said: "When will you take me to play, I have been suffocated these past few years."

Xue Pan looked at Wang Ren with some disdain, shook his head and sighed, "Hungry ghost!"

Wang Ren ignored him at all, and said to himself: "How about tonight!"

"It's definitely not tonight. You just returned to Beijing, and my father will definitely clean up the dust for you. Let's talk about it tomorrow night!" Xue Pan said, arching Wang Ren and saying: "You sat up and down and squeezed me .”

Wang Ren hooked the corners of his mouth, and simply lay down next to Xue Pan, and said with a satisfied face, "I haven't been so relaxed for a long time, I really miss me."

Xue Pan was speechless, so he had to move inside.He joked and said: "It's so comfortable, I hope it will be like this when you go to Rongguo Mansion tomorrow to pay your respects."

Wang Ren curled his lips in disdain, and said, "Rongguo Mansion? I don't have the time to visit them. They should come up to see us!"

Xue Pan turned his head and looked at Wang Ren who sold Qiaojie to a kiln after the decline of the Jia Mansion with a serious face, and sighed softly: "Do you still hate Sister Feng so much?"

A trace of crazy hatred flashed in Wang Renqing's clear eyes, and his delicate face was slightly distorted and he shouted: "Don't mention her to me!"

Xue Pan sighed softly, and said, "Why bother! It's been so long—"

Wang Ren sat up with a whimper, glared at Xue Pan fiercely and said, "You're never finished. It's so easy for me to come back once. What do you always tell me about her? If you really don't like it, I'll just leave."

With that said, he got up and put on his shoes.Xue Pan grabbed him and sighed: "What are you doing with such a shameless face, I won't say anything if I can't beat you!"

With a cold face, Wang Ren rolled over and fell on the beauty's couch without speaking.

Xue Pan was silent for a while, looked at Wang Ren's straight back and sighed, "Why don't I take you to see the rich and luxurious after dinner today?"

Wang Ren was silent for a while, then turned around and said, "That's about the same."

——Luxurious fans——

Xue Panhua's luxurious and luxurious luxury building is located in Zhangtai Street, where the lights are the most homonymous and the crowds are the most dense.After dinner, when the lights came on and the honest people closed their doors and hid on the hot kang to rest, Zhangtai Street gradually became lively.

There are colorful lanterns and colored balls of various shapes everywhere, coquettishly dressed women standing on pavilions and pavilions to show their heads and poses. From time to time, a canopy cart will pass by leisurely on the road, and occasionally someone will pass by on a tall horse.Xue Pan and Wang Ren walked on Zhangtai Street on foot, and asked about the taste of rouge and gouache, Wang Ren took a deep breath with some enjoyment.

"Nenyu is warm and fragrant, lingering and wanton, this is romantic and happy!"

Xue Pan looked at Wang Ren contemptuously, tugged at his sleeve lightly and said, "Restrain yourself, don't be so worthless."

"If you stayed in the frontier fortress where the mother birds don't fly for three years like me, you will do the same." Wang Ren glanced at Xue Pan nonchalantly, and asked, "Where is the luxury and wealth?"

Xue Pan straightened Wang Ren's clothes, pointed to the front with a smile and said, "It's right there."

Wang Ren looked intently at the direction Xue Pan was pointing at.The scenery he saw made him involuntarily open his mouth, and his expression was blank.

Xue Pan sneered softly: "Pay attention to image, image."

Only a thousand steps away in front of you, there stands a pavilion very different from the current architectural style.The whole body is covered with black jade-colored tempered glass, which looks more and more quiet and mysterious in this radiant Zhangtai Street.The candlesticks inlaid on the whole building are brightly lit with candles, covered with colorful glass, which emits seven colors of light under the refraction of candlelight.On the top of the small building nearly three feet high is a huge plaque with the words "Paper drunk and gold fan" written on it.

At the entrance stood two handsome young men in red uniforms.He is seven feet tall, with well-proportioned limbs, and the well-tailored bright red Shu brocade dark pattern robe is worn on his body, showing a more beautiful figure.Seeing Xue Pan and Wang Ren approaching, he immediately bowed and smiled, "Welcome."

Xue Pan waved his hands casually, and the two young men immediately opened the glass door, one on the left and one on the right, and Xue Pan led Wang Ren into the luxury.

The red Persian carpet under the feet has been spread from the door to the innermost reception desk.

The floor is covered with the creamy white tiles of the lightsaber guest.The whole hall is spacious and bright, and above the head is a large chandelier made of crystal with a diameter of about one foot.There are countless candles inserted on it, covered with crystal clear glass, emitting a psychedelic glow.

Slim and pretty girls with pearls on their hair and tight-fitting red cheongsams stood in two rows on the left and right sides of the carpet, smiling and bowing: "Welcome."

Yingying Yanyan, Qiao Xiaoqianxi.The visual shock made Wang Ren feel a little dazed for a moment.

Seeing this, Xue Pan was amused.Pulling people through the hall directly into the inside.The lights dimmed in an instant, and the ambiguous blue or red-orange lampshades shrouded the candles, exuding ambiguous and distant light.Groups of gentlemen sat around round tables, with a large stage in front of them.A wide red curtain hangs down from the roof, and when it hits it, it emits a bloody halo.

Xue Pan took Wang Ren to a random corner and sat down.Immediately, a woman in scantily dressed clothes came forward and asked with a smile, "I wonder what the guest needs?"

"Bring a bottle of the newly arrived Western wine a few days ago, and bring some fruit cakes." Xue Pan casually ordered.

The woman responded in a low voice, turned and left.After a while, Xue Pan brought up what Xue Pan had ordered.

The woman bent down with an ambiguous expression, exposed her full breasts in front of everyone, and asked Xue Pan: "Does the guest need any special services?"

Xue Pan waved his hand and said, "No need for now."

The woman gave Xue Pan a disappointed look, then turned and left.

Wang Ren immediately approached Xue Pan and asked, "What's going on?"

"It's boring to say it, you can see for yourself later." Xue Pan said, reaching out and pulling out a golden pocket watch the size of a walnut from his pocket, saying: "It's about time."

Before he could finish a sentence, he suddenly heard an ambiguous low moan from the stage.Then there was the slight sound of silk and bamboo, faintly, as if a beautiful woman's tender hands were caressing her heart.Wang Ren sat up involuntarily, staring firmly at the stage in front of him.

The thick red curtain opened little by little, and the first thing that caught the eye was a steel pipe glowing with metal, which became colder and colder against the backdrop of the light.

A beauty, a beautiful woman with a voluptuous figure leaned quietly beside the steel pipe, her skin was as white as suet jade, and as smooth as fine silk.The eyebrows are exquisite and picturesque, and the expression is indifferent and alienated.

A light hit the beauty.The beauty's thick eyelashes trembled, and she casually swept away everyone in the audience.

A soft and provocative drum sounded, and the beauty moved slowly to the music.The beautiful figure moved gently against the steel pipe, and the calves wrapped in black satin slowly hooked on the steel pipe, showing off the white, delicate and sexy jade feet more and more.With a slight force on the arm, the boy wrapped around the steel pipe like vines.Then he casually let go of his hands, secretly exerted force on his waist and volleyed in a graceful arc.The silk as smooth as ink fell down with the movement, revealing the astonishingly white skin, and the two bright red spots on the chest were exposed in the air, looking erotic and seductive.

Seeing this scene, the people who were carried down swallowed their mouths dryly.Some people gestured to pick up the fine wine at the table and drank it down, as if this would quench their thirst.Wang Ren's gaze was also firmly fixed on the stage, with a blurred and persistent expression.

Seeing this, Xue Pan slightly hooked the corners of his mouth, and leaned on the back of the chair with a satisfied expression.

Even after watching it many times, Meihu's every move is still so captivating.Not in vain Xue Pan spent a lot of money to create this beauty.

At the end of the song, some people have lost their love in the magic fox's dance skills, and some even pulled the beauty serving the wine beside them to move.Yun'er just ordered people to extinguish a few candles, and the lights in the venue became increasingly dim.At this moment, a group of young girls danced lightly on the stage, stretching their arms and legs, twisting their waists and hips, and the atmosphere became more and more heated.

Wang Ren stared around dumbfounded, and asked in a low voice in disbelief, "How could you be so intoxicated...there are many ministers of the imperial court?"

Xue Pan casually shook the glass goblet in his hand, the dark red liquid swirled along the wall of the cup, rendering layers of blood red.

Xue Pan drank the wine in the glass, and then said with a smile: "Because there is nothing in our wine, and their wine is more or less filled with aphrodisiac."

Wang Ren looked at Xue Pan dumbfounded.

At this time, there were already many customers who couldn't support themselves and stumbled to the private room on the second floor with the beauty in their arms.Xue Pan smiled at Wang Ren and said, "How about it, you have always admired the tenderness and loveliness of luxury and money, do you want me to find one for you?"

Before Wang Ren could speak, Xue Pan added, "Meihu can't do it. He's a red card that I spent a lot of money on. Apart from dancing, he has no other business."

Wang Ren asked with a look of horror: "You dare to do this, does uncle know?"

Xue Pan replied disapprovingly: "Of course he knows."

Wang Ren sighed and said: "Such a sensual dog, no one impeaches you, really..."

Hearing this, Xue Pan sneered and shook his head, pointing to several corners of the venue and said with a smile: "Although the lights in that place are dim, as far as I know, the son of the envoy of the Procuratorate always sits there when he comes. "

Wang Ren asked, "Is that the famous strong point order?"

Xue Pan just smiled and said nothing.Pointing to the upstairs again, he said: "There are many people who are shameless and embarrassed to play in the lobby, so they watch the performances in the specially built private room upstairs. The large black floor-to-ceiling glass windows are isolated, and they can only be seen from the inside. You can see the outside, but the people outside can't see the movement inside—do you know who is so shady?"

Wang Ren shook his head blankly.

Xue Pan slightly hooked the corners of his mouth, and changed the subject, "It's not interesting to stay here all the time. I'll take you upstairs to play."

Wang Ren got up and obediently followed Xue Pan up to the second floor.