Concubine daughter of the Lin family in the Red Chamber

Shen Ze secretly winked at Shen Shi, who was dumbfounded, and only then believed it was true, so he didn't mention it anymore.

Even so, Shen Ze still discussed with Shen Shi to write a letter to his father Shen Yueming: "Just invite father to come alone, it's fine to keep it from others and not tell anyone. Father also understands in his heart, and he will definitely not blame him."

The Shen family hesitated for a moment, but still agreed, it was not for the Lin family, but for the Shen family. Lin Ruhai passed away, and because of Wu Niang's relationship, the Shen family and the Lin family broke off contact.

Now that Lin Ruhai's eldest daughter is getting married, Wu Niang has posted posts for everyone in Suzhou, except for the Shen family. People not only say that the Lin family is wrong, but also feel that the Shen family dislikes the Lin family and is unwilling to associate with them.

If father was invited to come forward, and father is the patriarch of the Shen family, his attendance at the wedding would be the best persuasion, no one would dare to gossip, and it was only father who came alone, presumably Wu Niang would not say anything.

The wedding date was fixed, and Aunt Shen became more and more anxious to move out. Shen Ze had nothing to do with being in the capital. After running around for a few days, there was no news. In the end, she asked Chen Ruiwen to help her find out. Finally, she found a four-bedroom house in Lianhua Hutong, three streets outside Chen's house. The house I entered, the owner of the house was anxious to return to his hometown in Jiangnan, and originally only wanted to rent it out, but after Chen Ruiwen found out, he doubled the money and bought it.

On the day of looking at the house, Aunt Shen and Lin Wanru both went. The vermilion gate, behind which is a shadow wall, turned left and walked upside down, and entered the courtyard with five main rooms, left and right There are three wing rooms, bypassing the screen in the main hall, which is the second entrance to the house.

There are still five rooms in the main room, and three rooms in the left and right wing rooms. At the third entrance, the courtyard is divided into two, with a small door in the middle, and the courtyard is probably reserved for girls to live in.The decoration is very gorgeous. On the left of the fourth entrance is a garden with a small pond, and on the right is a small yard. Not far from the garden is a house where people live, and a back door is opened.

Aunt Shen looked around, she was very satisfied, and said: "This house is good, but the decoration is not good-looking, our Lin family is not so luxurious. The gate is painted black, and the red one is not good-looking at first glance. When you enter the house, keep it Hospitality. I live in the second time, and let your sisters live in the third time, which is also appropriate."

He also said a few things to be changed, and Chen Ruiwen ordered the manager to take notes, and then find someone to start the work.

Aunt Shen is careful.Feeling that everything needed to be changed, followed by three or four stewards who listened and memorized, Chen Ruiwen and Lin Wanru sat in the first mansion to drink tea.

Lin Wanru looked at Chengchen on the roof and the carved beams and paintings outside the house, and asked Chen Ruiwen, "Who lived in this house before? How much did you pay for it?"

Chen Ruiwen smiled and said: "He is a wealthy businessman from the south of the Yangtze River. He lost money doing business in the capital. He said he wanted to go back to his hometown and rent out this house. The rent for the four seasons is also an income. So I gave some more money and bought it. This house It turned out to be an old house, and the rich merchant spent a lot of money to renovate it, and it has only been three or four years." No mention of money.

Lin Wanru smiled and said, "It's not that they don't want to sell it. Are you taking it by force?"

Chen Ruiwen patted her forehead with his fingers: "I still need to rob? As soon as I let the wind go to buy a house, many people will come to my door."

Lin Wanru touched his forehead.Resentfully: "Auntie will definitely not ask you to spend this money. If you keep it from me, how can you hide it from Auntie?"

After Aunt Shen looked around, she went back to the Chen Mansion, and discussed with the Shen family about the purchaser: "Aside from other things, there is no man in the family, so we need to recruit some reliable nursing homes. I still need to buy a few servants, sweeping outside, work in the kitchen, all of which require people, and the girl Daiyu married as a dowry, now I have to buy them and train them slowly."

Shen said with a smile: "If you don't worry, leave this matter to me. Rui Wen will handle the care of the hospital. He is a good custodian, and he is also loyal. As for the servants, I have called someone to help you." You pick it."

Aunt Shen agreed, and took two more silver notes of 5000 taels and handed them to Mrs. Shen: "I know that Rui Wen must have put in a lot of effort to buy a house like this in Lianhua Hutong. I asked him how much money he spent. I also refused to say clearly, I estimate that it will cost 7000 taels of silver, and the renovation will cost a lot of money, and my sister will help me to buy people. The 1 taels of silver will be handed over to my sister Raven spends it first, and I'll take it if it's not enough."

Knowing Aunt Shen's character, Shen was not polite, took the money and handed it to Chen Ruiwen.

What's more, Aunt Shen paid 1 taels of silver as soon as she made a move, which shows that she has a loose hand. Although Aunt Shen married into the Lin family as a concubine, she and Lin Ruhai grew up together. Subsidize some private houses.

Before Lin Ruhai passed away, she even left a generous pension for Aunt Shen. Aunt Shen was not extravagant and widowed. Apart from dressing up Daiyu and Wanru, she was able to save as much as she could. Save less.

Lin Daiyu has the property of the Lin family, so naturally she doesn't look down on her private house, these are naturally reserved for Lin Wanru, Aunt Shen is also a careful budgeter, she bought this house by herself, and when I go, it will be left to Wanru, Lianhua The four-entry house in the Hutong is afraid that it will rise to tens of thousands of taels in more than ten years, which can be regarded as her subsidy for Wan Ru.

When Aunt Shen was busy cleaning the house and buying servants, Shen Ze was busy with the exams for her three nephews, Chun Wei, which was scheduled for the beginning of March, and the examiner was Ye Ancheng, Minister of Industry.

He was also the chief examiner in Chunweili the year before last and the year before last. He was very upright and honest, and the emperor trusted him very much. Ye Ancheng's knowledge was also good. Compared with other ministers, he could discern talents with his eyes.

Shen Xun, Shen Jie and Shen Quan have been studying since they were young. After ten years of hard work, they have made sufficient preparations. Naturally, their rankings are pretty good. Tanhua.

As soon as the red list came out, not only Shen Ze was happy, but also the Chen family was beaming with joy. Before discussing how to celebrate, someone from the palace came to deliver the decree, saying that the emperor heard that Tanhua belonged to the Shen family, and heard that all the children of the Shen family were referenced. He was very happy to be on the list, and was called into the palace for questioning.

This is a great honor, not to mention a few young boys, Shen Ze alone is very happy, leading three nephews into the palace.

The Chen family naturally set up wine to celebrate, and people came to give congratulatory gifts in an endless stream. There are three scholars in one school, which is what the Shen family can do, and everyone who knows it from far and near is not envious.

After Shen Ze left the palace, he closed the door with Shen and had a private conversation: "The emperor asked about my father's health, and I said that because of Daiyu's and Baoyu's marriage, my father will go to Beijing soon. Although the emperor is happy , but I don’t like the Jia family very much in words, I don’t know if the favor you asked for from the Queen Mother will be successful.”

Shen said: "It's not difficult to guess, because of the picture of the Jia family's Lantern Festival fun, so many troubles have been caused, the emperor naturally defended his shortcomings, and only said that the crown prince and the fifth prince are filial, so he angered the Jia family. But for the matter of asking for grace, the Empress Dowager personally agreed, so I won't spoil my face."

Shen Ze said: "It's hard to say, I will ask my father to help me when the time comes."

While talking here, Lin Wanru and Lin Daiyu were picking girls in Ningxiangzhai. There were eight girls standing in a row in the yard, a total of sixteen girls. Aunt Shen asked Lin Daiyu to pick four girls and Lin Wanru to pick two girls. Lin Daiyu modestly asked Lin Wanru to choose first.

Lin Wanru was not too polite, and picked a little girl with a round face, she was only eleven or twelve years old, and her face was full of joy, and then picked an older girl, tall and beautiful, very eye-catching.

Regarding Lin Wanru's vision, although Aunt Shen didn't praise Lin Wanru, she didn't object either. Lin Daiyu asked first, and picked out four outstanding needleworkers in a regular manner, and named them Xiuyun, Xiuchun, Xiulan, and Xiuju respectively.

Aunt Shen was very satisfied, and told Lin Daiyu: "These are the girls you brought over. Loyalty is the most important thing. You take them back and ask Nanny Wang to help them train them well, and also learn to have high eyebrows and low eyes."

Lin Daiyu naturally complied, and went back to the house with the girl, still not leaving the gate.

Lin Wanru named the younger girl Chi Su, and the older girl asked her surname Xie, and called her Xie Niang.

Aunt Shen was a little dissatisfied with Xie Niang, but she couldn't offend Lin Wanru in front of others, so she said after returning to the house: "That Xie Niang is not a safe person at first glance, why did you pick her?"

Lin Wanru said with a smile: "Because of her outstanding looks, several companies did not dare to take it after selection, and it has been delayed for a few years. I heard people say that if a girl can't be sold, those brats will sell her." Go to a dirty place where people can't see, I took her in, at least I saved her once, as long as I train her carefully, I won't be afraid of anything."

He joked again: "No matter how beautiful she is, can she still overwhelm me? I am born with a beauty that I can't give up on."

Aunt Shen couldn't help smiling: "You're the only one who puts gold on your face." She also acquiesced to Xie Niang's stay.

Both Chi Su and Xie Niang were handed over to Lu Ni, who taught them the rules for a while, and Lu Ni often ordered them to run errands, practice their courage, and recognize people. up.

Xie Niang, on the other hand, is like a gourd with her mouth sawn off. Except for telling her to do errands, she stays in the house for the rest of the time and does not go out. She has embroidered seven or eight purses in half a month. Ask her to help Lin Daiyu embroider the dowry.

After Chun Wei's affairs were completely finished, Princess Minghua heard that several young masters of the Shen family had won the prize, so she hosted a banquet and invited Mrs. Shen to take her nephew to have a drink, and even brought the girl from the Chen family and Lin Wanru to participate.

The Shen family readily agreed, but secretly discussed with Shen Ze: "The eldest princess wants to pick a son-in-law, the two princesses are also old, and Xun'er and Jie'er are married, but Quan'er is still married If it is not settled, he is a prostitute, and he is even more eye-catching, if the eldest princess mentions it, what can I say."

Shen Ze smiled and said: "Quan'er is the eldest grandson of the second room. If he married the princess, the second aunt would not object, but after all his biological parents are not around, we are not good at making decisions. It is reasonable to think about the eldest princess, no It's going to make things difficult for people."