You're Crossing the Red Mansions

Today, Lin Ruhai was talking with Chen Yiliang in the study.Because the imperial examination will be held in three days, the [-] tribute students who won this trip are looking for relatives and friends everywhere, worshiping teachers and accepting the door. It is very lively to come and go, and it is also a great scene in the capital every spring in May.

Chen Yiliang's temperament was natural and generous, and he didn't have any intentional sourness. Since Lin Ruhai ordered him, he came by himself, but the time came so conveniently that there was still some room for reserve.Although there were many posts about casting for Lin Ruhai, all of them wanted to come and become Lin's disciples, but Lin Ruhai had his own considerations in his heart, and handed them all over to the housekeeper.Although he came from a generation of masters, he was well-clothed and well-fed since he was a child, but his family was not prosperous, and he was sent to four places to practice. A generation of Tanhualang worked hard for more than [-] years before he was promoted to a first-rank official. It can be seen that the current imperial court employs people and avoids vanity Exaggerated, but down-to-earth.

Lin Ruhai is well aware of the malpractices of the government, the old aristocrats, the emperor's relatives, and relatives have colluded with each other, and there are many people who consume the people's fat and people's anointing. Every time the palace examination is a good time to select folk elites.Seeing Chen Yiliang's two episodes, carefully appreciating his conversation, he is not a person with brilliant literary talents, but his discussion of affairs and theories and current affairs are all sharp to the point.When he came to pay homage, he asked the butler to take him to the study in person. The two of them became acquainted with each other, and the more they chatted, the more speculative they became.Just as they were talking lively, they suddenly heard someone from outside reporting: "Master Shi Taijun of the Rongguo Mansion came to see his wife, and the girl came to ask if the master can see you." Lin Ruhai listened, but didn't show anything on his face.Chen Yiliang knew the truth, and quickly stood up: "The students have disturbed the teacher for half a day, and it is time to go back. The teacher taught far-reaching today, and the students benefited a lot. You should go home and think carefully, so that you can live up to the teacher's high expectations." Seeing Lin Ruhai He was the governor, and he was more appreciative in his heart, so he nodded his head and said: "In this case, you can go back first, and come tomorrow or the next day if you want to." Chen Yiliang thanked him solemnly, and the servant outside led him out early.Lin Gui came in and saw Lin Ruhai closed his eyes and said nothing, so he lightly changed a cup of tea and stood behind the door without saying a word.After a long while, Lin Ruhai asked: "Miss accompanied me?" Lin Gui replied: "Yes, just now, the girl asked Qiaomei to secretly bring it. Because the old lady came here without saying hello to our mansion. Now, when the girl went out to greet you, she didn't mention the matter of the master, but let me ask what the master meant." Lin Ruhai took a sip of tea and said with a smile: "In that case, I'll go out and meet you later." Lin Gui He bowed and said yes, then walked away quietly.

When Jia's mother heard that Lin Ruhai's step-wife was pregnant, she couldn't sleep at night. After thinking about it again and again, she wanted to go to Lin's mansion to see it in person.Afraid of saying it first, the Lin family pushed her away, so seeing that the weather was good, they asked Yuanyang to order a few gifts, which were lavish.At first she wanted to take Baoyu there, let him pay homage to her uncle and have a few more words with Daiyu, but then she was afraid that something was wrong, so she changed her mind and brought Sister Feng to Lin's residence.Daiyu was discussing matters with the housekeepers, when she heard the report from outside, she was surprised, first she sent someone to deliver letters to her parents, and then came out to greet her in person.Jia's mother helped Sister Feng's hand to get out of the car, only to see Daiyu standing in the second gate with her maid and mother-in-law, and said quickly, "My son! That's the air outlet, why are you standing so often in this body!" Daiyu When they saw their grandmother, they bent down to salute. Sister Feng hurriedly helped her up, and everyone exchanged a few words and then walked into the inner room.

Seeing Lin Ruhai's disappearance, Jia's mother didn't say a word, sat down and took a few sips of tea, and asked with a smile: "I heard that your wife is happy, so I hurried over to have a look, but I don't know if I can see your wife? "Daiyu got a letter from the girl earlier, Fu Qiufang replied that she was not feeling well, and she would go to the mansion to greet the old lady some other day.Daiyu couldn't tell that this was a perfunctory word, and she knew in her heart that her stepmother didn't want to socialize.So he smiled at Jia Mu and said, "Grandmother doesn't know. My mother has been pregnant since she was tested, and she has been in poor health. My father also told me to rest. I just sent someone to go. Mother is sleeping. It's not good to disturb her. " When Jia Mu heard this, her complexion changed in an instant, and then she said kindly, "But it's not a coincidence that I came." Then she said, "Girl Feng, give the gift for Mrs. Fu to your sister." Sister Feng listened She quickly took out a bronzing red post from her cuff, and Daiyu refused when she saw it, but Jiamu said meaningfully: "Although your mother is gone, you still have your grandmother and two uncles." , This is a gift that should be given to Mrs. Fu, and I can't lose it." Hearing her voice, Daiyu seemed to come to support her, and she wanted to explain something, but after thinking about it, she still pretended not to understand. .Mother Jia thought that Fu Qiufang was pregnant, Lin Ruhai spoiled his wife, and her granddaughter would be wronged, so she hurried to let Daiyu take the opportunity to complain about her difficulties, but she was still as calm as water, and she didn't have any ideas in her mind.Looking back at Sister Feng, she asked how Daiyu was living at home these days, and then said that her sisters and sisters in the mansion missed her very much, and that she might not see her after the relatives garden was built. , I have already reserved a house for her, and I should go back to live in Yunyun when I am young.Sister Feng naturally laughed and made fun of it.After hearing this, Daiyu quickly thanked her grandmother and two aunts for their concern, and they both spoke very politely and lively.

Besides, when Lin Ruhai heard that Fu Qiufang declined Jiamu's visit, he couldn't help smiling, and when it was almost time, he sent someone to ask Jiamu to meet in the flower hall.Naturally, it was not easy for Sister Feng to go with her, so Daiyu wentssip with her and ask about various things in the mansion skillfully.Sister Feng couldn't help being surprised. In her impression, Daiyu was originally a petite beauty lamp, which would be broken when the wind blows. After seeing her today, she realized that she should be treated with admiration in three days. She is more capable, and there are a bunch of housekeepers waiting outside. She is also very handy in organizing the Dalin Mansion, and she is very moved in her heart.

When Jia's mother saw Lin Ruhai, it would be hard for her to take more money. After all, this son-in-law is now a bride and new son. If there was not Daiyu in front of her eyes, the relationship between Lin's family and Jia's family would be broken.Lin Ruhai naturally invited Jia Mu to the table, and then said that he was busy with business and got stuck in the study, so he should have gone out to meet Yunyun.Why couldn't Jiamu hear this, so she had no choice but to say that she came hastily, and she didn't tell the aunt in advance.Lin Ruhai smiled and didn't answer.Seeing his indifference, Jia Mu said again: "This time I heard that Mrs. Fu was happy, so I was naturally happy, so I tidied up and came over to have a look. Daiyu didn't go through anything when she was young, my aunt. It's a man's house again, it's a big deal for this woman to have a body, you have to be careful." Lin Ruhai nodded and said, "Madam Tai is absolutely right." When Jia Mu heard him change her address, it was obvious that she didn't want to recognize her relatives, and she felt in her heart I can't say anything if I'm dissatisfied, but I still have to put on a smiling face: "Guye, you know that among my children, Min'er is the only one who loves me. I went, I only lost a daughter who knows the cold and the hot, I heard that Mrs. Fu is virtuous and dignified, and I wanted to see her today, thinking that if she doesn't dislike her, I will have the cheek to recognize her and be a daughter again. "It's not uncommon for a family with good in-laws to recognize the continuation as a daughter, but Lin Ruhai doesn't think of the coldness of the Jia family. The door didn't even bother to step in.So he said: "My wife was born in a humble family, but I have wronged Mrs. Tai, so I don't need to mention this matter." When Jia Mu heard that he refused firmly, she couldn't help being very embarrassed.

The two of them had nothing to say, and when they were sitting dry, it was Daiyu who sent someone to invite Jia Mu to come over, saying that she had set up a table beside the blooming peony bushes in the garden, and asked her grandmother to stay and eat with Lian's second sister-in-law. I will go back after dinner.Lin Ruhai also got up and said: "In this case, Mrs. Tai might as well get together with Yu'er again, I won't accompany you." As he said that, he flung his sleeves and walked away, his back very elegant.Mother Jia came to Lin's mansion without success, so she couldn't even think about eating. When she saw Daiyu, she reluctantly said a few words, only saying that she would take Sister Feng away if there was something to do in the mansion.Seeing that she couldn't keep it, Daiyu hurriedly handed over the return gift she had prepared, and said many words of thanks. Sister Feng took a look at Jia Mu before accepting it.Daiyu laughed again and said, "I should have invited the old lady and aunt to come and visit me later. When my mother is in better health, I will send a post to invite you." Unable to speak out, he had to leave resentfully.Qiaomei followed Daiyu to the second gate, and when she came back, she told Daiyu verbatim what Jia's mother had said to Lin Ruhai.Daiyu shook her head, her expression was slightly sad, and her pretty eyebrows hurriedly persuaded: "Girl, the old lady is naturally planning for their Jia family, so you don't have to think about it." Thinking about when I first entered the Rongguo Mansion, my grandmother took good care of me, but now I can't help but feel chilled, so I sighed: "If my mother is still alive, there will be such messy things. Fortunately, my father loves me, and my mother behaves well. Dafang, let's have less contact with Jia's family in the future."

But it was said that Jia Yun accepted You Xiaoxiao's post today, so she couldn't say she was confused. When Mrs. Bu saw it, she just urged not to delay, so he packed up and came to Ningfu.You Xiaoxiao invited him to the meeting room, and said straight to the point: "I also chatted with your mother for a long time the day before yesterday, and I know that your business has improved a bit now, but I thought it would be too hard for me to grow flowers and grass in the wind and rain. It just so happens that some of my properties here still lack a competent person, so you might as well take a look first." Jia Yun heard this, and knew that Aunt Zhen wanted to help take care of her private property, so she quickly stood up and took the account books respectfully.When I opened it, I was shocked. It turned out that the two well-established taverns on Zhuque Street were both listed on You Xiaoxiao's account.Speaking of which, they are all famous places to eat in the capital. One serves Shandong cuisine, called Liuhelou. The sweet and sour live fish and crispy pork pot stickers are excellent. There is nothing bad about eating them. The other serves Sichuan cuisine, called Liuhelou. The building is full of fragrances, and there are so many guests every day, even if you go late, there is not even a seat.

You Xiaoxiao saw that he was not a person who was surprised at first glance, so she felt a little satisfied, and said with a smile: "My natal family has no reliable people, and the managers hired outside can't know the bottom line, and I can't often supervise, and daily meetings are also inconvenient. Nowadays, Xiangmanlou is more promising than Liuhelou. The shopkeeper is good. It’s just that I saved enough money a while ago and said that I want to go back to my hometown in Shanxi. You are capable, and the masters and uncles in the academy are full of praise. If you want to take over, I will give you 300 taels of silver a year according to the salary of the original shopkeeper. If you do well, there will be additional dividends at the end of the year I won’t treat you badly.” Jia Yun’s heart skipped a beat when she heard this, she had worked hard all year round and it was only two or three hundred taels of silver, and she would still sit at home and drink the northwest wind in autumn and winter, if she really agreed According to Mrs. Zhen, if you keep the drought and flood protection, you can get 300 taels of silver for one year, plus dividends, maybe 300 taels of silver, and you are a big shopkeeper.So she hurriedly said with a smile: "Auntie is very kind, my nephew wants to take it over, I'm afraid I can't do it well, and I will miss the job." You Xiaoxiao knew that he was willing, and smiled again: "I don't blame you for hesitating, the tavern business is hard. , as long as you have the heart. No one can do it right away. You are new to it and learn with humility. Coincidentally, I also sent someone to invite the shopkeeper of the Liuhe Building. Although he is older than you I'm still young, but I used to do it in restaurants, so I'm more experienced. You often discuss it together, and if you have any good ideas, you can use them when you see them. I just check the cash register at the end of the year." This is Jia Yun nodded repeatedly after listening to the business of doing big business.After waiting for a while, I saw a man in charge outside, only sixteen or seventeen years old, wearing a blue shirt, very refined.You Xiaoxiao had already asked someone to take the screen over, and smiled at him from behind: "This is the shopkeeper Xiao Yang of Liuhelou, the two of you have had dinner together at the mansion at noon. Yun'er don't have to worry, let the shopkeeper Xiao Yang Take you to Xiangmanlou to find the old shopkeeper to make a handover, and after a month you will directly hand over the account to me." Jia Yun heard this and knew that it was the meaning of the investigation, so she quickly agreed, and then said yes. Shopkeeper Xiao Yang greeted them before leaving the meeting room together.Huanyan hid behind the screen, watched them go, and asked in a low voice, "Why didn't Grandma just say that Shopkeeper Xiao Yang is the younger brother of Sister Yindie?" You Xiaoxiao put down the tea bowl and said with a slight smile: "Silly girl, What's the point of being so deliberate? You'll see it, don't worry."

It turns out that after You Xiaoxiao excavated You's private treasury, she knew that it would not be a long-term solution to collect large sums of gold and silver. Except for those farms that did not move, the rest of the cash was to ask the confidants Jin Sanxi and his wife to go out and search for it. I found some shops that can grow hair.She first bought a few shops in the west city, and then went to find some skilled ladies to build silk and satin clothing shops.Later, because Yindie's younger brother was doing very well in the tavern, and seeing that the kid was capable of success, he moved his mind and asked people to buy two taverns on Suzaku Street that could not survive, and one was given to Yindie. Brother Die runs the restaurant, which specializes in Shandong cuisine, and another manager has been hired. Knowing that people in Beijing like Sichuan cuisine, they cook Sichuan cuisine.Because of honest management, delicious food and low price, the business is booming day by day.Although the boss asked a lot of money when he sold the facade, now the two taverns can earn 8000 yuan a year, and all the fruits, vegetables, meat and eggs can be transported from their own village for expenses. Grange, in addition to labor costs, has nearly 10 taels of net silver left each year.The more you Xiaoxiao works, the more she thinks about it, and she has already asked Jin Sanxi to go out to scout the place, and is going to buy another silver building to do it.She led her confidants to make a fortune silently, except for Jia Zhen who knew a little bit, but he was a person with [-] taels of cash a year, and he never cared about his wife's property. Waiting for everyone to be silent.

Jia Yun and shopkeeper Xiao Yang met each other late, because they both came out to make a living at a young age, and they knew their own joys and sorrows. After lunch, they went to Xiangmanlou to hand over the business, and the two talked for a long time. .Because Xiangmanlou was closed for rectification in the past few days, and there were not many trivial things in Liuhelou, shopkeeper Xiao Yang invited Jia Yun to sit at his home.Jia Yun knew that they would be in a long-term relationship in the future, so she didn't refuse, so she followed him.The Yang family is located in a secluded alley, just at the end of the back street of Ningguo Mansion, a small house with two entrances.On the blue and white wall outside, there is also the word "Yang Zhai" written on a poplar wooden sign, which is quite organized.Seeing that everything was neatly tidied up and the front yard was open, which was bigger than her own home, Jia Yun couldn't help but praise her a few words.Shopkeeper Xiao Yang smiled and turned to the screen wall to welcome him in. He saw a well at the west end of the courtyard, planted with a pomegranate tree and a jujube tree. Wealthy scene.Looking at the two pots of auspicious lotuses sitting at the door, there are some koi carps in them, which seem to be cruising. The location of this house is very good, the surroundings are quiet, and it is very comfortable in the spring afternoon.Jia Yun thought that her home was not only cramped, but also lived in a busy city. Although the neighbors on the left and right were very enthusiastic, they were messing around day and night. She couldn't help but feel envious. It must be the housework accumulated for Aunt Zhen's errands. If I can work hard and get Aunt Zhen's love, I will be able to live such a carefree life in the future.

Hearing the sound of the door outside, Yindie, who was doing needlework in the room, came out and met Jia Yun face to face, both of them were stunned.Shopkeeper Xiao Yang was a smart person, and said with a smile: "This is my sister. I think Erye Yun also met with Grandma. Now, thanks to Grandma's grace, my sister has come home to live with me "Yindie lowered her head and restrained her thoughts, and went forward to salute for a while, which was the etiquette for a girl in the middle of a house to see a guest. Seeing her like this, Jia Yun knew that she had been released, so she didn't dare to mention that she was in the Ning Mansion. It was only when she was a relative of a colleague, she quickly returned the courtesy, and then smiled at Xiao Yang's shopkeeper: "What kind of second master am I? I will learn a little more from Brother Yang in the future." Yindie entered the room silently , Cleanly stewed two cups of tea, and sent out a plate of chicken head rice cakes. Shopkeeper Xiao Yang had invited Jia Yun to sit down on the stone bench under the tree.The two sat down and discussed how to do things in the future. They are ordinary people, but they came up with many ways to attract customers.Gradually at night, Jia Yun was about to say goodbye and go home.But shopkeeper Xiao Yang said with a smile: "Brother Jia came to our house, why don't you go back on an empty stomach, and let Brother Jia taste my handicraft today, and eat as you please." Jia Yun hurriedly said: "It's already a day of trouble I'm sorry, how can I trouble Brother Yang any more." Since Yindie only came out once, it's hard to mention it again.Shopkeeper Xiao Yang saw that he insisted, so he smiled and sent him out, and made an appointment to meet Xiangmanlou tomorrow morning.

After returning home, Mrs. Pu heard that her son hadn't eaten for a whole day, so she hurriedly said, "There is porridge in the pot for you, and ask the little girl to bring it to you." Jia Yun agreed, and hurried to her mother's room sit down.Seeing that Mrs. Bu was doing some work under the lamp, Jia Yun saw that the oil lamp was dim, and hurriedly said: "Mother, how many times have I told you that all these trivial things are left to the little girl, be careful of hurting your eyes." Shi put down the needle and couldn't help laughing: "There is only one girl in our family. It is not easy to clean and cook every day. I don't have spare money to support others. She is exhausted. I will do what I can do by myself." Then he asked him to eat slowly, then tied a few flowers under the lamp, and said with a smile: "If you are really filial to me, marry me a daughter-in-law and come home quickly." Letting go of the conversation, he explained what Aunt Zhen was called to do today, and said that he went to Xiao Yang's shopkeeper's house to see Yunyun, but kept the matter of Yindie hidden.After hearing this, Mrs. Bu thought it was because she praised her son in front of You Xiaoxiao that day, and she quickly chanted Amitabha and said with a smile: "Your Madam Zhen has a plan in mind, since you handed over the errand I'll give it to you, so I'll do it well, and I won't lose you in the future." Jia Yun responded, and finished eating in a hurry, and the little girl came over to pick up the dishes and wash them.Mrs. Bu said again: "You have been tired all day today, so you should go and rest quickly. You will have to get up early and go to the restaurant tomorrow." The sound of a woman crying came from the next door, mixed with sharp screams.Mrs. Bu frowned and said: "Listen, Ni Er's daughter-in-law has bought a new concubine again, and it hasn't stopped all day long. That Ni Er is also worried, living a good life, and buying a concubine, it's still a catch." The sharp ones are so noisy." Jia Yun didn't care about these mundane things, she just looked at her house and said: "This house is too thin, it's better to have a single-family courtyard." Bu nodded and said: "Alas , who said no, this is the property left by your grandfather to your father. How can you buy the house easily? Well, they should break up after a while, go and rest." Jia Yun said He went back to the house silently.