[Red Mansions] Minruo Spring Breeze Returns to Dream

No.40 The second round is also fate

Jia Zhu and Li Shouzhong's daughter, Li Wan, finally got married. After marriage, they loved each other very much, but Jia Zhu was always surrounded by people who had to serve her. , although Li Wan didn't show it on his face, the displeasure in his heart can be imagined.

After receiving the letter from Peiwen, Jia Min suddenly felt that time passed so quickly, and it was another spring in a blink of an eye.The letter said that the emperor's decree to re-open the talent show has spread wildly in the capital, and now girls of all ages are scrambling to buy clothes and pearl hairpins; Peiwen also mentioned that the Rongguo Mansion also sent people to buy them recently , probably for Jia Yuanchun.

That girl in Yuanchun looks very lucky, but it's a pity that she is only a girl from the family of the fifth-rank officer, so what if she is from the Rongguo Mansion?The heir of the Rongguo Mansion is still the eldest son. To put it bluntly, even entering the palace is just to serve others. It's better to spend some money to clear up the relationship and directly flirt with the brand.At that time, wouldn't it be better to hire a middle-level official to be a wife than to live in the palace?It's a pity that Mrs. Wang couldn't see the loneliness in the inner courtyard of the deep palace, and Mrs. Jia couldn't see the horror of the harem battle, which ruined a girl for life.

Cuihe put down a bowl of rock sugar lily and horseshoe soup, and said, "Madam has not been sleeping well recently and occasionally coughs, so let's have a bowl of lily and horseshoe soup. The doctor said that lily can soothe the mind, moisten the lungs and relieve coughs, so it's the most suitable."

"It's just a few coughs, but you all seem nervous." Jia Min put the letter away, picked up a small celadon bowl and spooned it to his mouth, it was sweet and moist, "This soup is well made, But Mother Lin made it herself?"

"Madam is really amazing, you will know once you taste it." Cuihe smiled, "My brother and sister's slaves are sent away. In spring, the climate is changeable, and it is warm and cold. It is right to eat some soup The body is also good. The maidservant remembers that Nanny Lin hasn't cooked for a long time, but today the nanny said that she wants to cook a good meal for the master, wife, and brothers and sisters."

"Sister Lin's meal is praised by the master. I am greedy when you say that." Jia Min can only sigh "it should be like this" about Yuan Chun's future, "I heard that many girls in Yangzhou City are busy recently. What are you buying for the draft?"

"Yes." Although Cui He didn't understand why his wife changed the subject so suddenly, she still replied, "Sister Cuilan saw it last time when she helped Madam go to the shop to pick up newly-made jewelry. Many officials' wives came to the shop to choose Jewelry. I heard that there are quite a few girls on the list in Yangzhou City, and now all the major silver houses are busy making jewelry and hairpins."

"There are quite a few people with great ambitions." Jia Min commented and said no more, "Go down, and if Daiyu comes, come back to me."

"Yes."

At the beginning of May, Mrs. Xu came to write a letter to Jia Min, saying that she had seen Mrs. Lian, the daughter of the servant of the household department, to Mrs. Jia Lian. , They exchanged letters of appointment, and just waited to get older before getting married.Although Jia's mother complained, but Jia Lian's marriage was decided by his father after all, and seeing that the woman's family background is not bad, after all, she was a second-rank official, so forget it.It's just that she made it clear that Jia Baoyu's marriage must be her decision, and Jia Zheng listened to her, but she hated Wang so much.

After finishing Jia Lian's engagement, it was time for Jia Yuanchun to enter the palace to run for election.In addition to filling the harem, this time the draft still has to select official women as female officials.Jia Yuanchun is only 13 years old, and his stature has not yet fully grown. I don't know who caught the eye. From the primary election, he successfully entered the re-election, and was finally assigned to the empress's side as a female history.

After all, Mrs. Wang was a little disappointed. Her daughter was approved by an expert outside the world, so she was blessed. She thought that this time there would be a great fortune, but she didn't want to be a female official in charge of etiquette for the queen.But Mother Jia didn't think it was a pity, the female officials around the empress were good jobs, none of the female officials next to the empress dowager in the past had been added by Feng Guanxiapei after they were released from the palace.It would be a good fortune if she was favored by the queen and asked to marry her!

After being pointed out by Jia's mother, although Wang was unwilling, she still did not refute.Thinking that her Zhu'er was about to participate in Qiu Wei, she simply went to Jia Zhu's yard, and had a long conversation with her son, nothing more than "Mother is waiting for you to shine on the lintel" and "Don't give up." Tell the people in the big house to look down on you" and so on.Jia Zhu was already a bit preoccupied. These days, she was always worried about whether she could pass the exam, or whether she would be ridiculed if she failed the exam. After listening to Wang's call, she felt even more uncomfortable. Send Wang out.

"Don't worry, my mother is just talking casually." Li Wan saw Jia Zhu's anxiety these days, but she was always stupid and didn't know how to persuade her, "My father said it was good after reading my homework. Yes, it won’t be too bad this time. My aunt sent some herbs from Yangzhou, and she said spring soup is the most suitable. I’ve already asked the kitchen staff to make it for you. Drink it later and rest Work harder in a while."

"Alright." Jia Zhu coughed twice, "Go and rest too."

Seeing that he was coughing, Li Wan originally wanted to ask the imperial physician to come, but thinking of her husband's stubborn temper, she swallowed the words and only sighed lightly before opening the door and going out.

After all, Jia Zhu failed to get good grades in the autumn exam. It wasn't that he didn't take the exam, it was just that he fell ill during the exam and was carried back to the mansion.Because he hadn't finished answering the subject, he couldn't take the imperial examination this time.Wang only cared about complaining that Li Wan didn't take good care of Jia Zhu, and babbled about "failing to win the exam", which made Jia Zhu, who was in a daze, feel even more depressed after hearing this.

The news spread back to Yangzhou, and when Lin Ruhai talked about it with Jia Min, he was also emotional: "Zhu'er's article is really good, and I got suggestions from Master Li and his friends. If I can enter the palace examination this time, I will definitely get a good ranking." Yes. It's a pity that his body is not up to par, so it seems that we have to wait another three years."

"I'm afraid that Zhu'er will be disappointed this time, and I feel frightened, so I never want to take the imperial examination again." Jia Min twisted her handkerchief and said, "It's really strange to say that we gave Zhu'er so much support. The prescriptions and medicinal materials for his body, why can’t his body get better? He was the most naughty man in the mansion before, but he became more delicate when he grew up. "

"Maybe it's because he has a heavy heart." Lin Ruhai took a sip of tea, "He is the eldest son of the second house, so with so many younger siblings watching, he naturally hopes to perform better."

"Probably so." Jia Min herself is far away in Yangzhou, and she doesn't know anything about Rongguo Mansion, but she really feels that even if she lives a new life, sometimes she still can't match the arrangement of fate.Yuanchun still entered the palace, and Zhu'er still failed to pass the imperial examination to become an official. Could it be that she wants to watch Zhu'er die young like in her previous life?

"What's wrong with you, you've been frowning all day long?" Lin Ruhai had sharp eyes, seeing Jia Min's frowning expression, he asked, "Are you worried about Zhu'er?"

Jia Min didn't deny it, she just said: "Zhu'er has been close to me since I was a child, even if I'm sick this time, I can't go and have a look..."

"What's the matter, let people go and see him. Didn't we get a few good ginseng recently? You can just send someone to Zhu'er." Those things were all sent by Westerners. After Lin Ruhai collected them Keep it in the library, "Also, there may be an accident in Yangzhou City recently, you tell the people in the mansion to be more careful; tomorrow I will tell the guard at the gate to tell us that we have not seen any visitors in our mansion recently."

Jia Min's heart shuddered, and he nodded solemnly.

In the next few days, Jia Min was on the alert, and several wives of salt merchants outside asked to see her but were rejected.Gradually, news came that the talented people in the palace had collided with the holy driver, and were directly relegated to the lowest rank of changing clothes, and were confined to the back hall of Fengzao Palace;After the Liu family, another salt merchant declined. At the same time, the Teng family jumped up and gradually gained a firm foothold in Yangzhou.

"Ma'am, Mrs. Teng's family sent someone to send a post, asking Madam to come to the house tomorrow to make tea and appreciate the plum blossoms." Cuilan handed over a post, "Although this servant can't read, the material of this post is not good enough. With the words on it, I think it is very elegant. Madam smells it, and there is a fragrance of cold plum."

"Probably some spices were added during the ink-making process. But the characters are well written. It seems that Mrs. Teng's family is also knowledgeable." Jia Min said, "Is this post unique to me, or Do all the wives have them?"

"The aunt who sent the post said that every lady gave a copy." Cuilan replied.

"Go and inquire first, see if Mrs. Yang, Mrs. Yao and Mrs. Chen are going. If I go, I will come down." This Teng family appeared strangely, there was no such salt merchant in her previous life, so she should not rush to agree, "Go and get the ledger from the private treasury." It's not surprising that Li Duo, this human relationship still needs to be done well.

Mrs. Teng's posts are so elegant, and her words are as good as people's. Presumably, she will not be as vulgar as Mrs. Cheng's, so gift giving is also a skill.Good pens, inks, papers and inkstones are indispensable, but women always like pearls and hairpins jewelry, so Jia Min simply added a set of clams and pearls. The pattern is from the south, and it looks very elegant; The little girl's things have to be added, and the hand stove, which is necessary after winter, is also a good choice.Jia Min wrote "a pair of silver-gilt incense burners with hundreds of flowers and cloisonné enamel" on the Chengxin paper, and then wrote a pair of white jade longevity locks.

"Madam, you have made inquiries. Madam Yang, Madam Chen, and Madam Yao will all be there." Cuilan came in and reported, "Madam Yang asked the servant to tell Madam that she will go with Madam tomorrow."

"Okay." Although making tea and admiring the plum blossoms is a pleasure, it's not good to be cold, "Go and take out all my newly made winter clothes. It will be just right for you to wear tomorrow."

"Yes."

The author has something to say: It’s so cold, my fingers are going to freeze... The previous job was ruined, and I have to go to the interview tomorrow, bless me...

Regarding the son who died at the age of three in the original book, I am not going to write about it. In my opinion, one son and one daughter are the best.