You're Crossing the Red Mansions

Although Lin Ruhai's return to Beijing is very low-key, but the Yanzheng supports half of the empire's finances, and it is not an exaggeration to say that it is a pocketbook.Everyone must pay more attention to his every move, and the most important thing in the court is a well-informed person.Even though Jia Zheng was only a servant of the fifth grade, and he was usually unknown, but since Jia Yuanchun became a concubine, his status was different from before, and he could barely be regarded as a relative of the emperor. In addition, Lin Ruhai held an important position. It was Jia Zheng's wife and younger brother again. Seeing that the holy family was rich, there were not a few people who caught up with them.Since childhood, Jia Zheng only knew how to study stupidly, and behaved rigidly. He was a well-known ignorant.Since he is very incompetent in political affairs and has no political sensitivity at all, fortunately, he has no merits and no faults. Rizhi waited for a few colleagues to come to congratulate him, only to find out that his brother-in-law Lin Ruhai will go to Beijing to report his duties soon, and even whispered to him that there was news in the cabinet that Lin Ruhai might be retained for future use after his return.

After returning to the mansion, Jia Zheng went to pay his respects to Jia's mother, and said the matter cheerfully, and said, "My brother-in-law should be summoned by secret decree when he comes back to Beijing, so his son has not received any news." Listen, he is not as simple-minded as him. It has been a big event for foreign officials to enter the capital since ancient times. If Jia Zheng said that, Lin Ruhai would stay in the capital and give him important responsibilities. If it was really a secret order, how would others know?It can be seen that if the rumors are true, Jia Zheng did not receive a single word, but only explained one point, that is, Lin Ruhai deliberately did not tell.Recalling that day when Brother Zhen's daughter-in-law in the East Mansion had a cold day and said that she would come to pick up Daiyu, I wondered at that time, how could there be any foreign guests staying near the Chinese New Year?Mother Jia frowned, and thought to herself, "It's not good!" I'm afraid the East Mansion got wind of it early, maybe it was Lin Ruhai's entrustment to pick up Daiyu... The more Jia Mu thought about it, the angrier she became, it was Lin Ruhai in the Rong Mansion The upright Yue family, what a son-in-law, how did our family treat you so poorly, without telling you about such a big matter?Are there any rules at all?Is it possible to follow our family to sever justice?Jia Zheng saw that Jia Mu's expression was not good, so he said: "Mother is not feeling well? I must be tired today..." Jia Mu had a headache thinking about it. Firstly, I want to save some face with him, and secondly, I am afraid that if I say it, it will be useless, so I said lightly: "Understood, you go down first, wait for your brother-in-law to come, and talk together." Jia Zheng listened and went out After taking two steps, he turned back and said, "My son is also thinking about it. I just don't know how the Lin family's house is being repaired. Do we want to set up another yard in our house for my brother-in-law to live in for a few days?" Jia Mu was reminded by him, He calmed down, and since that was the case, he simply pretended not to know anything, forgiving Lin Ruhai did not dare to come over to say hello, so he said, "What you want is to tell your daughter-in-law to prepare a yard for my aunt." That's right. , and it doesn't matter whether he wants to come to live or not, the mansion is ready first.

Knowing that his brother-in-law was about to be promoted, Jia Zheng was also happy.After leaving the door of the mother's house, he went to his own yard.Mrs. Wang was taking Caixia to check the account with Jin Chuan'er. Seeing him come back, she quickly collected the account book and came up to greet him, asking for his health.Jia Zheng then told about tidying up the yard for Lin Ruhai. Mrs. Wang never cared much about the Lin family, so she said with a smile, "Her aunt just moved out of the house in the northeast corner, so please invite my aunt to come and stay for a few days." Jia Zheng was confused about domestic affairs, and didn't care about these trivial matters, so he nodded and said, "You can arrange it." After speaking, he nodded his head when he saw his wife, and he was about to go out.Mrs. Wang hurriedly stopped her and said: "Master, stay here. On the first day of the new year, I entered the palace to greet my mother. I have prepared a few things. Would you like to have a look at them?" A golden vase and a pomegranate bonsai inlaid with gemstones are all auspicious omens and are dazzling.Jia Zheng didn't even look at it, but said impatiently: "You can decide these things, and you still have to ask me." Mrs. Wang saw that he was walking out in a hurry, and she knew with her toes that she was going to Aunt Zhao's room Yes, I managed to suppress the anger in my heart, and said with a smile: "I was thinking about my mother coming back to visit relatives on the fifteenth day, so I had to reward some things up and down. We also know that my mother's monthly schedule in the palace is difficult, this time I will take it first. 800 taels in the past?" Jia Zheng stopped, thought for a while, and said: "It should be, but the empress is not the same as in the past this year, and she has to take care of it in the palace, so I might as well send some more, just as all the Zhuangzi's annual cases have been sent over, and it's okay. Let's make it up." Mrs. Wang heard this and sighed: "I don't know, why don't I want to make up the whole number for my mother? It's just that we still owe some money to build a garden, and every house has to prepare New Year's gifts. , everyone in the family has to celebrate the new year too... not to mention far away, Aunt Zhao came to me the day before yesterday and told me that the new girl in her room should make new clothes, and there is money for pens and papers and snacks for Brother Huan Which one can be left behind?" Jia Zheng listened, waved his hand and said, "Young girl can wear whatever you want, why do you need new clothes every year, isn't the money for Brother Huan's schooling paid for by the public? Whatever you want to do, you just have to do it." After hearing what he said, Mrs. Wang calmed down, and immediately smiled all over her face: "Yes, I will do as the master said."

But when Jia Mu saw that Jia Zheng was gone, she sat silently for a while and sent someone to call Sister Feng over, and said, "Go to that mansion in the afternoon to pick up your sister Lin." Sister Feng laughed and said, "The old ancestor is really partial." I can't leave Sister Lin for a moment, and I'm going to be jealous." Mother Jia didn't say anything, but smiled and said, "Remember, if your sister wants to keep playing for a few days, you don't have to force her." Sister Feng He was a little confused when he heard it, but he had a very wink and answered quickly.After she left, Jia Mu's expression was still gloomy.Yuanyang knew Jia's mother's thoughts very well, and hurried up to comfort her, "Miss Lin will definitely miss the love of her ancestors, and the old lady does not need to worry." Jia's mother also knew in her heart that since she left, it would be difficult to come back, so she shook her head lightly. , Asked: "During the past few days when Bao girl moved here, did Baoyu go to her room every day?" Yuanyang replied in a low voice: "Qingwen came over and said that she went once every three or five days, and Bao girl occasionally went to Baoyu's room." Here, it’s all in front of a room full of girls, and it’s okay to talk and laugh.” Jia Mu thought for a while, and said, “Tell Qingwen, be more careful.” Yuanyang quickly answered yes.

When Sister Feng heard what Jia Mu said, she was at a loss and didn't know what it meant.I wanted to discuss it with Jia Lian, but I knew it was useless, so I talked to Ping'er, and just as I was talking about the old lady's attitude, Daiyu also left suddenly. explain.Ping'er greeted him personally.Sister Feng asked with a smile, "But does Madam have something to say?" Zhou Rui's family said with a smile: "That's right, Madam asked the slaves to come and go to the second mistress, saying that she will keep Bao girl at our house for the New Year this year, and tell the servants not to neglect her. Go." After hearing this, Sister Feng smiled and said, "Of course, Miss Bao is a distinguished guest of our family, so who dares to neglect her?" After that, she asked Ping'er to pass on the word to the housekeeper, and told her wife's words. .

After eating tea, Zhou Rui's family saw that there was no one around, so they lowered their voices and said, "There is one more thing I need grandma to do. My wife is going to the palace to send the silver bill to the empress on the first day of the lunar new year, urging grandma to collect the account as soon as possible." What?" Sister Feng couldn't help frowning when she heard this, and said, "Sister Zhou, you know that, didn't I tell my wife last time, that's all the bills for the next year, and the rest It's all after the new year." Zhou Rui's family heard it, and said disapprovingly: "But the empress's important affairs in the palace must not be delayed. Madam asked grandma to think of a way to get another 1000 taels of silver from somewhere." Sister Feng listened to her. In this way, I understood what Mrs. Wang meant, and I lowered my head and thought for a while before saying: "Go back and tell your wife, and I will ask Ping'er to send it to her when I get up early tomorrow." Fang returned satisfied.

Seeing Sister Feng's face turning pale, Ping'er asked Feng'er to ask for a bowl of hot ginseng soup, and hurriedly helped her to lie down, rubbing her chest and persuading her: "Grandma wants to drink more. Anyway, it’s not like we can’t move 1000 taels of silver!” Sister Feng felt disheartened, and sighed: “1000 taels of silver is a small matter, but my aunt is too greedy. Send someone to say this? Is it possible that I want to force people to die? Look at what Zhou Rui's family said, the empress's important affairs cannot be delayed. Since the empress entered the palace, our family has paid a lot of money. Now It’s hard for me to become a concubine, besides building a big garden, what benefits have I given to us? Look, the expenses in this palace will be a bottomless pit in the future. If you ask for it from me every time, where will our little money come from? Enough to make up for?” Seeing this, Ping’er couldn’t help but said: “Grandma knows this, what are you still doing here? This slave has something to say, I beg Grandma to be more careful, what Doctor Zi said last time, Grandma On weekdays, it is difficult to conceive because of excessive worry and worry? Good grandma, it’s really impossible. Let’s go back to the old master. You can safely raise a fat boy for the second master. Who cares about the housekeeper? Do it!" Seeing that she was really worried about herself, Sister Feng couldn't help laughing and said, "It's yours and mine again." Ping'er didn't say a word.

Sister Feng sighed. These words were not only persuaded by Ping'er, but also by sister-in-law Zhen in the house.It's just that if you really go back to the big house, how can you still have the glory of today, not to mention servants, women and girls, and even the people who have served your ancestors for several lifetimes are all polite when they see you?If he really lost the right to be a housekeeper, wouldn't he be like Li Wan, burning lamps and pulling wax every day, living a hard life, what hope can he have?No, this kind of life is unbearable.Thinking of this, Sister Feng couldn't help bracing herself up, and asked Ping'er to find two gold collars and a set of emerald headbands in the warehouse, and sent Wang'er out to deposit 1000 taels of silver back.

In the evening, Jia's mother was lazily lying on the kang, and Yuanyang was about to persuade the old lady to get up and eat something, only to hear outside that Lian's second grandma had come.After hearing this, Jia Mu sat up and asked anxiously, "Did Miss Lin come back with you?" Hu Po replied in a low voice, "Second Mistress came alone." , Signaling Sister Feng to come in.Sister Feng's face was full of spring breeze, thinking that she came back only after drinking, so she didn't need Jia's mother to ask questions, so she said everything about going to the East Mansion: "I went after lunch, and when I entered the door, I said that the old lady Miss Lin, I want to take her home. Sister-in-law Zhen came out to pick her up in person. After hearing this, she only said that the fourth girl hadn't played with Sister Lin for a few days, and she laughed and promised to send Sister Lin back. I wanted to see Lin On my younger sister's side, it was Sister-in-law Zhen who pulled me along and talked with her for a long time." Then You Xiaoxiao saw that Sister Feng came in a hurry, and she opened her mouth to say the words of her ancestors, how could she not know what Mother Jia meant, guessed That's why Xifu got the news and was in a hurry to take Daiyu back.Fortunately, Sister Feng was easy to dismiss, and she didn't chase after a few words.Because the family had already prepared several sets of clothes and colorful purses for the eldest sister for the New Year, they hurriedly took her to Xinlan Courtyard. The two of them laid out the kang for half a day, and talked for a long time to make her smile, and finally forced to keep it. He sent her away after eating.

Mother Jia was silent when she heard this.This matter was also expected, from the time when Dongfu was sent to Yangzhou for medical treatment, and then when Daiyu left neatly with Brother Zhen and his daughter-in-law, the love between the Lin family father and daughter for Rongfu gradually faded. .Thinking about it, Jia's mother felt a sense of sadness in her heart. It's nothing else. After all, she is old and can't even take charge of Baoyu's affairs?I haven't died yet, how can the second daughter-in-law be so eager to send her niece from her natal family?If she hadn't treated Lin Yatou harshly behind her back, how could things have come to this point?How about a good plan, and when I lie on the kang in a daze, let the two of them be at the mercy of their hearts?delusion!Mother Jia told Sister Feng to go back to rest, then she closed her eyes and leaned on the couch again. Yuanyang came to beat her legs slowly for her.Jia's mother asked, "Who else is in Miss Lin's room?" Yuanyang replied, "Chunxian is here." Jia's mother nodded, "Go and tell her yourself, let her watch the room for Miss Lin." It's almost Chinese New Year, give her another tael of silver." Yuanyang quickly responded.Mother Jia was silent for a while, then suddenly opened her eyes and said, "Go out now and call everyone Lai, and take my sedan chair to the Shi's house to pick up Girl Yun, and just say what I said, let Girl Yun come and celebrate the New Year with me this year." After hearing this, Yuanyang didn't dare to delay, and was about to go out when Jiamu said again: "Yun girl is here, just let her go to sleep in the cubicle in my back room. You call Amber and ask someone to pack it up quickly. Yun girl likes it." The bright colors are all changed for her according to the excitement; there are also clothes and food, and I usually remember her stature, so I ask the embroidery workshop to make some new clothes for Lianye, because I can't wear new clothes on the New Year's day. , I don’t agree. I remember that there was a wild duck coat delivered from outside in the box, so I quickly took it and asked someone to pack it up, and told the people in the kitchen, Yun girl is here, and I will send an extra box according to her favorite food every day come over."