New Dream of Red Mansions

"Girl, go over and have a look, the old lady has a lot of relatives here." Xueyan and Chunlan happily entered hand in hand.

Daiyu smiled and asked, "What kind of relative? It makes you so happy."

Chunlan counted: "The mother and sister of the eldest grandma, and Miss Bao's younger brothers and sisters, the eldest wife's natal brother and his family also came. The old lady was so happy that she sent someone to the school to call Baoyu back. Miss Bao and Miss Yun are already there, now only Miss and Miss Lin are missing."

Xiyan and Daiyu went there together, and when Tanchun saw them coming, he smiled and said, "You guys came just in time, I'll take you to meet people."

First of all, he pulled them to Baoqin and said, "This is Baoqin, sister Bao's younger sister."

Baoqin looks no worse than Baochai, on the contrary, it has a unique charm, coupled with innocence and liveliness, the whole person gives people a sense of agility.Daiyu saw that she liked it, and said with a smile, "You look so pretty."

Baoqin pursed her lips and smiled, seeing that Daiyu was unique and liked her talent, so she called "sister".

Tanchun took the two of them to meet Xing Xiuyan and Li's sisters again. Mother Jia recruited Baoqin and smiled at Aunt Xue: "I love Baoqin the most. Miss Bao lives in Xiangyun, so let her live with me." Let's go." Then he said to Baoqin, "You can stay with me as an old lady, I don't know if you want to."

Baoqin nodded generously, "Be more loving to the old lady."

Jia's mother laughed happily, and Aunt Xue also said, "For some reason, Baoqin has voted for your fate."

Mother Jia smiled slightly.

Over there, Mrs. Xing's elder brother and sister-in-law were complaining to Mrs. Xing about the difficulties at home. When it came to the flood in the south of the Yangtze River, and now that the fertile land was washed away, they came to the capital because they couldn't survive.

Baoyu was a little disappointed today. Although he went to school every day, he didn't like to stay in the home school, so he always stayed in Mingyan and went out to wander around, so he also had some understanding of the outside world. It was about to harvest, but it was suddenly washed away by the flood, and many victims were moving north.

He was angry at the court's incompetence, but at the same time, he thought of what Xiyan said, just like what she said, now that there is a court presiding over it and it is so chaotic, what if one day there is no court at all?

But he didn't understand why the imperial court collected so much tax every year, why they couldn't provide quick and effective disaster relief after the disaster struck?Did the imperial court distribute the relief food, and the people below were corrupt, or did they not distribute it at all?

In the final analysis, the Holy One is still unknown, which is why there are so many things.

Now hearing Mrs. Xing mentioning this, she quickly leaned over and asked, "You come from Jiangnan, did you see many people fleeing?"

Mrs. Xing clapped her hands and said: "Oh, there are more than that. Those fleeing for their lives are so densely packed that they can't see their heads. The water keeps rising. We didn't dare to go by water before, so we could only take a carriage. It’s a waterway, otherwise I don’t know when I’ll be able to reach the capital.”

The mournful look on Baoyu's face was even worse.

When Jia Mu saw it, she said: "The imperial court will take care of it. You worry too much about a child. Come here quickly. Your younger sisters will live in the mansion. You will not go to school these days. Go to the garden with your sisters." Go for a stroll here, relax, and think about those disasters all day long, which will spoil a good person."

Baoyu laughed twice.

Xiyan and Daiyu Baochai thought it was a good thing.Although Xiyan felt that Baoyu's thinking was still off, she was already walking on the road anyway, and when she came out with Baoyu, she said, "Baoyu, I once read a story in a chronicle of a different place. Many small fish were washed up on the shallows, and the tide receded, but many small fish were stranded on the beach. A child came to the beach early in the morning and threw those small fish into the sea. Those fish only swam twice in the water. He happily swam into the sea, and a compassionate master happened to pass by. When he saw the small fish that were stranded, he felt sorry for their dying lives. Seeing the hard work of the children, all he could save was thousands of fish. One life, he persuaded him: There are so many small fishes, you can only save so many, why bother? The child looked at the master and said: I just bent down, they are a life, how can they be said to be suffering What about it? The master said, "Saving only this part of thousands of lives, isn't it unfair to the majority of those who lost their lives?" The child bent down and picked up a handful of fish, saying, "It's fair to this fish. It is also fair to this point...Baoyu, we are not saints, what's more, even saints don't have the ability to save sentient beings. All we can do is to help one another. Saying it may be the grace of life."

It's like the Xia family versus the Wang family back then.

Baoyu was thoughtful, and the depression of the past few days disappeared a little.

Baochai said, "Sister Yan's story is a great wisdom, but I don't know which book I read it from?"

"I don't remember it anymore. Sister Bao knows that I never remember the name of the book when I read it."

The people in the Grand View Garden didn’t care about the disaster outside, they cared more about the daily life, but after hearing Xiyan’s words, Baoyu wanted to help those fleeing victims outside. A few sheds were set up to distribute relief porridge and the like.Baoyu was so tired that Jia's mother also opened a shed.

Then he also collected some silver, Xiren saw that he took away all the silver boxes as soon as he came back, so he quickly stopped him and said: "Second Master, this is all your silver, what are you going to do with it?"

Baoyu said: "Nowadays, people outside can't be happy. What's the use of keeping the money? It's better to give it to Lin Zhixiao, and let him buy food to save people."

Xiren laughed and said, "It can be seen that you are an idiot. How many people can such a little money save? The court will take care of these matters."

Baoyu's face darkened, "What you said is wrong. If you can save one, you can save one. Well, these are my money. I just take it."

The attacker hurriedly stopped him, "Second Master, although the money is yours, do you want to spend it in the future? I don't care if you want to save people with the money, but you can't take all of it. Why don't you just take it out first?" There are a dozen or eight, and this can save one or two people."

Baoyu wondered, "I have food and lodging in the mansion, and I don't need money. Why can't I take it away?"

"Second master is not in charge of the family and doesn't know how expensive firewood, rice, oil and salt are. The money you use to reward young servants will always cost some money when you go out. Which of these is free to invite friends to drink? Why did the second master forget?"

Baoyu said: "At worst, I won't give rewards in the future, and I won't go out to buy things and invite people to drink." As he said, he took the silver away regardless of Xiren's objection.

He watched his money turned into grain and transported out of the city gate with his own eyes, and then he turned around in peace of mind. After thinking about it, he went to Tanchun again, "Third sister, I think that I am limited after all, why don't we donate one in our garden?" Back, I have inquired about how much I can donate, and a tael of silver outside can keep the two children alive for a month."

Tanchun was touched when he heard this, and said: "Since the second elder brother said so, let's do it. Since we want to collect money, we can't spend any more money. Later, I will ask Sister Lin and Sister Yan for two plates of fruit. The next post is to invite people, everyone who has money will give money, even if there is something that is not used, it is good to donate."

When Daiyu heard about it, she found a set of red gold jewelry. This set of jewelry was given by someone else, and there was no mark on it. Even if she took it out, no one would know it was hers. It was the most suitable, so she donated another ten taels. Silver is it.

Xiyan also searched and found two sets of unmarked silver jewelry, and said: "I don't like when they make jewelry, they have to put a mark on it. Those unique jewelry are good, but once you get them Going out to pawn it or something, others will know it is yours at a glance, it is also troublesome."

"This is the rule. We have to abide by it even if we don't want to, unless you become the mistress in the future, and you personally say not to mark it."

Baochai was the most generous, and one person donated 50 taels, of which Li Wan donated five taels, and the others, except Daiyu and Xiyan, who donated ten taels, were all two taels.

Seeing that the bracelet in Xing Xiuyan's hand was gone, Xiyan looked thoughtfully at the two taels of silver on the plate.

Turning around, he pulled Daiyu and said: "I think it's enough to make such a thing happen once, and anyone who wants to donate again can just find Baoyu in private."

Daiyu glanced at Xing Xiuyan, and said clearly: "You're right, I love her and respect her, and I'll find a way to help her, instead of helping the reason outside and wronging inside."

Xiyan thinks about it too, but there is no good way at the moment.If Xing Xiuyan's parents are up-to-date, she can still help her from the outside, but her parents and Mrs. Xing carved it out of the same mold, if it is made clear to her, it may hurt her face again, think about it: "I think , Let’s start with the second sister, if she is willing to come forward, we will use her name to act in her name, so as to save her face and not make it too difficult for her.”

Daiyu nodded.

In the Grand View Garden, Baoyu was collecting money everywhere, blaming the Holy Majesty for his ineffective relief, but he didn't know that the Holy Majesty was more innocent than him.

The new emperor is a man with great ambitions. Since he ascended the throne, he has been trying to fill the shortfall of the national treasury, control floods and punish corrupt officials. However, the Supreme Emperor is still alive. Over the years, they have just followed the rules and acted according to the rules of the Supreme Emperor, occasionally punishing some corrupt officials and recruiting newcomers.Fiscal revenue has not increased much, but expenditure has been increasing.

In fact, the emperor is really pitiful. He has already saved a lot. In order not to increase his income, he even greatly reduced the scale of the draft when he was drafting for the first time. Except for the noble concubine and a few talented people, all others were sent back to him. Marriage, now his harem is full of old people from his previous family.

Not to mention the daily food and clothing, it would be reduced again and again, if it weren't for the fact that he is the emperor and has a certain system, he almost wants to make do with three dishes and one soup every day.

What's the use of being frugal?No one can wrong the Supreme Emperor?The Taishanghuang has always been extravagant, and he spends everything in food and clothing.If the emperor dares to reduce the things of the emperor, I am afraid that if he does so, the censor will jump out and say that he is not filial, and his brothers are not easy to get along with.

It's just that the disaster relief needs money, right?The emperor could only issue an order to let several provinces in the south of the Yangtze River open warehouses to release grain first.Jiangnan is known as the land of fish and rice. In Zhejiang, there is a grain depot set up by the imperial court. It is said that there should be a lot of grain stored.

However, the governor of Liangjiang told him that the refugees attacked the grain depots, and the food they saved was less than [-] dan.

He knew that maybe it wasn't the impact of refugees, but that the food had long since disappeared.

Back then, the abolished prince took over Jiangnan and almost turned Jiangnan into his treasury. He was ordered to investigate it, but later, his father cared about the relationship between father and son and recalled him halfway.Even so, he had a rough idea in his mind. He was afraid that Jiangnan was still in his brother's pocket, so Jiangnan had no money to rescue the disaster.

He knew but could do nothing.

At this time, he thought of Marquis Pingyang, and felt a little regretful.

He was afraid that Marquis of Pingyang and the Empress would have a knot in their hearts, and that they would affect the prince, so he had no choice but to let Marquis of Pingyang stay at home when the situation was not stable. Now it seems that he acted too hastily.

It's just that the south of the Yangtze River is a muddy water, and Marquis Pingyang may not be willing to come in at this time.

It's just that besides him, the emperor couldn't think of a better candidate for a while.

The Supreme Emperor and the Empress Dowager strolled around the imperial garden, and the Empress Dowager said, "The Emperor is busy with something these few days, and every time he comes, he is in a hurry."

The Taishanghuang sighed: "I'm afraid the treasury is out of money again." The Taishanghuang naturally knows what kind of stall he left behind, but he has been on the throne for 60 years, and he has learned martial arts and martial arts. He doesn't care about that little flaw, but He is also aware of his son's plight now.Think about it, after going back, the Supreme Emperor went to call the emperor.

The Supreme Emperor looked at the haggard fourth child, handed him the box in his hand, and said: "There are too many interests involved on the surface. If you want to reform, you will inevitably have these and other problems, but is it true that the treasury will always have no money? Here The people here are all the people I used before, and they are still there now, so you can use them, they will serve the royal family all their lives, and now you are the emperor, in fact, I should have given this to you when you ascended the throne Yours, it's just that you let me down, I thought you could do well without these things."

The emperor bowed his head and complained in his heart, father, you obviously held onto the power and refused to give it to your son, but now you are blaming me.Of course, he didn't dare to say this, but took it respectfully.

He knew that as a royal family, there must be hidden stakes.When he was still a prince, he trained a group of people, let alone the father?And these people are obviously different from the people he trained, they involve a wider range, and they involve more things.

The emperor opened the box and realized that it was divided into several departments.Among them are those who specialize in monitoring hundreds of officials. These people are more like dead men who have been hiding in the dark for the royal family all their lives. Most of them are selected from orphans and royal family slaves.

They only serve the emperor. Most of them never marry in their lifetime. Those who want to marry a wife usually have to report to the emperor. Once they marry a wife, they will face the danger of no longer using their wives.

There are also some people who are most interested in the emperor. Most of these people are businessmen and squires on the surface.Most of them take care of the secret business for the emperor.

What surprised the emperor was some of the ledgers inside. Only then did the emperor know that those who he thought were princes actually belonged to his father.

Salt tea from the south of the Yangtze River, iron mines from the northeast, grain from the Central Plains, and even ginseng from the Greater Khingan Mountains.The goods from the south are transferred to the north, and the goods from the north are sold to the south. Father's business is spread all over the country.A light flashed in the emperor's eyes. In this way, what else in the world can be hidden from the emperor?To know where the father's business is going, the eyes and ears are there. These people not only want to help the father to make money, but the most important thing is to act as the eyes and ears. I am afraid that there is everything the father wants to know. .

Thinking of this, the emperor's heart skipped a beat, but he didn't know who the current manager was.Compared with monitoring the officials, the emperor valued this more.Because it is recorded above that these people are all recruited talents, and they can go on the bright side in the future. That is to say, after those people go on the bright side, although they can't be seen on the surface, this person still only cares about him. The master serves.

The emperor opened another booklet, which recorded the names of all the governors and agents of the provinces.The emperor frowned after looking at it, "Why did it change so quickly?" After turning two pages, his eyes were fixed on a name, and the emperor glanced at his resume, a little surprised.

Wang Zifei turned out to be a member of the family of four princes and eight princes, and he was born in the second place. How could he be willing to be a hidden stake?Only then did I think of something that was mentioned two years ago.

The emperor tapped Wang Zifei's name with his finger.

All the chief executives will be replaced within a year or two at most. Only Wang Zifei, he has been in this position for seven years, and he was not resigned until he became seriously ill. It seems that the father is very fond of him, yes, In those few years, the father wanted to use troops against Mongolia, went to the south of the Yangtze River, and repaired the gardens. The money should be raised by Wang Zifei to help the father.

I felt a little envious in my heart, but I didn't know when he would be able to find such a person to take care of himself.

The emperor quickly withdrew his thoughts and began to summon the current chief.He needs to know how much money can be spent from here, and then decide who to send to the disaster relief.

Those officials in Jiangnan are old fried dough sticks. I am afraid that ordinary ministers will be eaten to the bone. What's more, there is still a Zhen family in Jiangnan. This time, there is no Zhen family in the "refugees attacking grain storage case" Including his shadow, he would not believe it even if he was killed.

It's just a pity that the Supreme Emperor embezzled a lot of money to fill the shortfall in the national treasury, and now Manager Fu can't take out much money.In fact, Boss Fu is also suffering. He is a scholar. Although he knows some economics, he is far behind Wang Zifei. To use a scholar...

The Supreme Emperor over there is also sighing, "Wang Zifei is a good person. If he is still here, he can even embezzle it and give me money for disaster relief. At worst, I will pay it back in the future, but the latter few don't have the courage. , the fourth child is more unlucky than me."

The Supreme Emperor put down the wine glass in his hand, and continued to sigh: "There are not many old ministers left, and the only one who can accompany me now is you, but I can't use you in order to maintain my health." Then he shook his head and smiled. Said: "Actually, it's unlucky. The most unlucky thing is that Wang Zifei died. That man wanted to seal his wife's shadow, but his wife died. Now his children can't enjoy his shadow, and they have to be burdened by him. So is Wang Ziteng. A person who is clear on the outside but confused in his heart, he is far worse than his father. He wants to be ruthless, but he offends people all over again. Like his father, he will do it when he sees it, although outsiders always feel that he is too ruthless to the prince. It's too heartless, but fortunately, some people think that he is good to the eldest son and the second son. But you, Wang Ziteng, are out of character."

"I know you can't speak, but I understand. You want to say that Wang Ziteng has done a good job, right? Not bad, since he wants to take care of his nephew and niece's family property, he should kill the grass and roots. How can Wang Ziteng's children have How bad? Are you afraid that he will bite Wang Ziteng when he grows up? But then again, Wang Zifei knows that he is a gentleman on the surface, but he is the most vicious in his heart. It is said that he will not leave nothing behind. Just leave? Who is Wang Ziteng? Who else knows better than him? How can he trust his son and daughter to Wang Ziteng?"

Speaking of this, the Supreme Emperor chuckled, "I'm bored, so I can only think about these things. It seems that Wang Ziteng is right that he didn't kill them all. Wang Ziteng is a madman like Wang Zifei. What is Wang Ziteng going to do to his children? Maybe he can really be used as a backup after death."

Not long after the Taishanghuang finished speaking, there was a sound outside, the Taishanghuang hurriedly put the wine glass back on the plate, saw Li Gonggong come in, waved and said: "Put it away, I will look at it later."

Eunuch Li responded quickly and carefully put away the wine glass and jug.The Supreme Emperor cherishes this set of drinking utensils very much. Even if he doesn't drink, he often takes them out to look at them, especially in the past two years.

If he hadn't confirmed that there was no drop of wine in the hall before he left, he would have suspected that the Supreme Emperor had secretly hidden himself to drink.

After all, the emperor didn't raise too much money, so he had to go to the queen.The queen sat on the couch for a long time after he left, and then sent someone out to invite the uncle of the country, Pingyanghou, to come in.

The queen looked at her younger brother guiltily, and said, "Just help him one more time, just for the sake of the prince."

The unstable status of the emperor directly affected the status of the prince.

Marquis Pingyang was silent for a while, and said: "Sister, don't make any demands on him. Because of what happened last time, you all have knots in your hearts. This time, let's untie the knot in his heart and make him feel ashamed of his sister." It's better than making him feel like it's just a deal."

The queen opened her mouth, but she still didn't say anything.

Since the death of her father and eldest brother and second brother, the third brother rarely called her sister, either Wangfei or Queen. The last time he came back from the border, he came to see him and told him that he would be her and mother's support.This is the second time, also for her.

The queen lowered her eyes, holding back the tears in her eyes.