[Red House] The First Imperial Merchant

Chapter 78

It has been raining for seven days at the end of March. Although spring rain is as expensive as oil, it is disturbing if it rains like this for seven days without a break, especially when these seven days happen to be the examination time, and the family members of the examinees who are staying at the Tribute Academy It is very difficult, and at the same time, I am worried about the students who take the exam in the grid. The previous candidates for the rural exam came out of the gate of Zigong Academy. It's hot, I didn't expect to encounter this spring rain, it rained for seven days at once, but it worried all the candidates and parents.

Seven days later, the gates of the Gongyuan were slowly opened, and many students were carried out on stretchers by soldiers to find their families. It rained continuously for seven days, and many students were seriously infected with wind and cold, but they were stunned in the examination room because of the three-year exam. Persisted, but after the exam, I felt relieved, and the illness fell down immediately.Shi Mo squeezed into the crowd with an umbrella to look for Jia Huan. He knew that Jia Huan was weak, and his eyes glanced at the students on the stretcher, but they were all wrong. People, they had to stare their eyes wide open and stare at them seriously.

A young man in crescent white robe slowly came out from the gate of the tribute courtyard, his skin was pale and emaciated, Mo Mo looked at him, his eyes lit up, and he shouted: "Brother Huan!"

Jia Huan's head was dizzy, and he bit the tip of his tongue. The pain in his mouth made him wake up instantly, and his footsteps became steady. He quickly walked up to Shi Mo, "Let's go!" With a bloodless face, Jia Huan asked nervously, "Brother Huan, how are you? The master is waiting for you outside in the carriage, insisting on meeting--" Looking up, the master is walking outside, Shi Mo said happily : "Master, Brother Huan looks bad--"

"I just have a little fever and it's nothing serious." Jia Huan waved his hands, trying to stay awake, but two masters appeared in front of him, and he couldn't help grinning and said, "Master, why do you have two!" fall down.

Xue Pan held him in his arms, anxiety flashed in his eyes, and he got into the car. "Shi Mo, take my post and invite the imperial physician, and ask the imperial physician Zhu to come."

The people settled down in Xue's mansion, and the servant girl served hot water to serve Jia Huan and took off his coat. The thin and ribbed appearance he had imagined did not appear. Although Jia Huan was thin on the bed, his skin was firm, and his muscles could be vaguely seen on his lower abdomen, smooth and smooth. Her waist was very beautiful, and the maids blushed all of a sudden, holding a hot handkerchief in their hand and wiping it very carefully.

Xue Pan stared at the hot handkerchief in the servant girl's hand, and it didn't seem like he was wiping Jia Huan's body, but it seemed to be scraping back and forth on his heart, which made him very uncomfortable.He waved his hand, "Put me down, you go and prepare some soft porridge, and you go change a basin of hot water." Xue Pan dismissed the maid in a few words, seeing Jia Huan with his upper body naked on the bed, he felt that the white and tender skin was dazzling. Very soon, the first hand was covered with a quilt, which made it much more pleasing to the eye.

The hot water came up quickly, Xue Pan twisted the veil, lifted a corner of the quilt, and wiped Jia Huan's body carefully, but after a while, a thin layer of sweat broke out again, and after wiping off the sweat quickly, Shi Mo invited the imperial doctor Zhu He also came to the door, had his pulse checked, it was caused by wind and cold, nothing serious, Jia Huan's health has improved a lot in the past three years in Xue's residence, even though he looks thin, his physique has improved a lot.

"Lord Xue, don't worry, but you have a little typhoid fever, and you're exhausted, and you're tired. For typhoid fever, prescribe a decoction to drink and sweat for two days. As for overthinking and sleep for two days, just relax." Zhu said. The doctor smiled. "Mr. Jia's illness has probably gone away. He has taken care of him well in the past three years. You don't have to worry too much. Minor illnesses are fine."

After sending off the imperial doctor Zhu, he took the medicine and decocted it. Jia Huan on the bed had already fallen into a deep sleep, which was very sweet.The porridge was ready, but Xue Pan couldn't help it, so he asked Shi Mo to wake him up, and fed half a bowl of porridge. The bowl was served, and after eating, he lay down on the bed and fell asleep again.

At the beginning of May, when the rankings were released in the township examination, Shi Mo went to the gate of the Gongyuan early to guard, counted 23 from front to back, and shouted happily, "I got it! I got it!" Staring at the list, he counted several times but didn't see his master's name, and walked away in a daze.Shi Mo was very happy, he didn't mind the boy's poking at him just now, he knew that the master didn't win when he saw the boy's depressed appearance, and he didn't know what to do when he went back, so he went up to chat and asked, "Is your master willing to talk?" If you are easy to talk, you won't take them out on others like them.

The young man showed a wry smile and said, "Baoyu is easy to talk, it's my wife—"

"You're talking about Jia Baoyu from the Rongguo Mansion?" Seeing the servant nodding, Shi Shi was surprised and said, "I'm from Xue's Mansion, and I usually serve Brother Huan." For the past three years, Jia Huan usually lived in Xue's Mansion , I went back to Jia's mansion for a short time, so I didn't bring Momo to Jia's mansion. The servants in the mansion are too miserable and they haven't been there for a few days, so it's normal that Momo doesn't know Jia Baoyu's personal servant.

"Are you Brother Huan's personal servant? My name is Mingyan, what's your name? How did Brother Huan do in the exam? Did you pass?" It would be fine if Jia Huan didn't pass the exam. Let's talk about the master first when we go back. If the wife doesn't Xi pulled Jia Huan into the water, and he was able to block it.Mingyan was thinking about it, she was in a hurry just now, and the crowd was noisy, so she didn't notice what Shi Mo was shouting.

Shi Mo still remembered the enmity that brother Huan was punished by the staff four years ago. If your wife punishes you when you go back, you can say that brother Huan got a good ranking, although Second Master Bao lost the election, but the mansion is not full of flowers and fruitless."

When Ming Yan heard this, her face turned pale, and she didn't want to talk nonsense with Mo Shi, so she just said a few words and left first, then ran away.

Jia Huan won the 23rd place this time. Although it is not the best, it is not bad. He has officially entered the ranks of Juren masters.Not to mention how happy the mansion is when Shimo returns to Xue's mansion to report the good news. It is only said that Mingyan arrived at the gate of Jia's mansion and hesitated for a long time before stepping in. The first one went to Rongxi hall, where the old matriarch was waiting for his grandson Good news, without the ceremony, let Mingyan come in directly, Mingyan knelt down and saluted, stammered and missed, Jiamu's heart became cold in an instant, Madam Wang felt uncomfortable when she heard it, but still Squeezing out a smile, "Baoyu is still young, waiting for three years is enough. The masters of the Imperial College all say that Baoyu is smart, and Baoyu will definitely be in high school in three years..."

Having lost the election, Jia's mother can only accept this rhetoric.

Mingyan on the ground thought for a long time, wondering whether he should call Jia Huanzhong or not. He was hesitating, so he heard the good news from outside, "Old Madam, Madam, the messenger who announced the good news has arrived at the door, and the elder has already received him outside, saying that it is the mansion Mr. Li Jia has won the favor of Master Juren."

Everyone in the hall was startled, and Mother Jia stood up quickly, and her lost heart suddenly burst into hope, and she hurriedly said: "But you misread, there is Baoyu's name on the list---"

"It happened like this. Our Baoyu was very intelligent when he was young. How could he not pass the exam? This guy must be lazy and didn't look carefully." Mrs. Wang took the words, anxious in her heart, and told Jin Chuan, "Go outside and have a look carefully. The master is still in the yamen. If you learn that Baoyu has won a juren, you will be very happy. Amitabha Bodhisattva will bless you."

Ming Yan, who was kneeling on the ground, drooped his head, and acquiesced in the crime of being lazy, thinking that this would make it even more impossible to say that this person is the third master Huan in the mansion.

Waiting is the most urgent thing, time passes very slowly, a second is like ten thousand years.Jiamu and Mrs. Wang were fidgeting and staring outside. When they heard the sound of footsteps in the yard, Jiamu told Yuanyang, "Go outside and have a look, but Jin Chuan is back."

Sure enough, it was Jin Chuan. When he entered the room, he knelt down and lowered his head. The two people above him didn't see Jin Chuan's pale face. They only heard Jin Chuan whisper: "The messenger outside said that Mr. Jia in the mansion has won the prize. The name of Master Bao was not mentioned."

Mrs. Wang's head exploded all of a sudden, and she fell into a chair dizzy. She held her head and waited for a long time before she could understand the meaning of Jin Chuan's words. , Mingyan and Jin Chuan on the ground were so stared at that their scalps became numb but they dared not get up.

No matter how unwilling and angry Mrs. Wang was, Jia Baoyu finally failed.When Jia Huan returned to Jia's mansion for a short stay this time, he could clearly feel the hospitality of everyone in the mansion, especially his sister, Jia Tanchun, who hadn't seen each other all year round. As soon as Jia Huan stepped into the small courtyard, Jia Tanchun came back with a gift I went to visit my younger brother, but the atmosphere was obviously embarrassing. Even Aunt Zhao, who has always missed her daughter for a few years, was heartbroken by Tanchun's ruthlessness. back.Seeing that Jia Huan treats her coldly and Auntie treats her less warmly than before, she suddenly feels uncomfortable. What she did before was just to survive like a master in this mansion?Is there something wrong with this?Could it be that she wants to live a life like Aunt Zhao, who is looked down upon by everyone, who can be considered a good sister if anyone can step on her?

At the beginning of June, the commercial reform ushered in an important moment. Ludi and Pinghai opened two commercial coasts for the first time, but the Pofeng, which had been prepared for three years to go to sea, failed to set off smoothly. The nautical expedition was very difficult for the land-based Daqing Dynasty. It is too incredible and risky to say, for the unknown sea area, whether it is in terms of shipbuilding technology or sailing experience of the captain, all problems need to be overcome. After three years of preparation, it is obviously still not perfect.

The Pofeng, which represents the Daqing Kingdom, ranges from one to sixteen. A total of sixteen large ships are docked on the Pinghai Sea. Shipbuilding technicians are doing their best to make the Pofeng more perfect. The leader of the voyage has a lot of headaches. Obviously, the ministers who have been in high positions for a long time are not rare and willing to risk their lives to go to unknown areas, no matter how rich the conditions that Emperor Pingkang opened----the ship's money brought back Divide it into two.

Leaving aside the issue of going to sea for now, Xue Pan really wants to go out to explore the sea, but he grew up in the inland north of modern times, and his water quality is at best in the range of swimming pools, and he has no experience in sailing skills. , the Daqing Dynasty lived in peace for ten years, and war broke out again in the west. After ten years of rest and recuperation, Ma Feicaosheng began to move the idea of ​​moving to the Central Plains, especially when the cold winter was coming. , Western Battle Report, Ximan frequently harassed the small town on the western border, killing, looting, burning and fleeing quickly. By the time the soldiers stationed there arrived, Ximan had long since disappeared.

The temples began to be noisy again, and the majority of the Zhuhe faction stood. It was only seven or eight years ago that the Nanyi was repelled, and finally the Black Lotus Sect came out in the fourth year of Ansheng. Although the Black Lotus Sect was not popular, the army You don't need to eat and drink while marching, do you?The money was wasted, and after a few years of delay, the national treasury became more and more abundant due to the business reform, but after this battle, the wealth accumulated in the past few years will be wiped out again.

Daqing took the initiative to talk about peace, and this talk came to the end of the year, but the result was not satisfactory, Ximan was aggressive, and the conditions proposed were very humiliating

Emperor Pingkang was getting old and began to focus on money and power. He didn't want to send troops to fight, but the situation was not as good as others.There is still a war, it is just a question of who to send.Prince?For the prince to lead the battle, the first one he recommended was his grandfather’s confidant general Ji Zhong. This is the general who followed Xue Pan to repel the Black Lotus Sect back then. Emperor Pingkang is not that stupid to stretch his hand into an army of hundreds of thousands!

He sat in this seat for too long, and it also started from the brothers fighting.At that time, his father appointed his elder brother as the prince, but the prince was seated for ten years, and his father was still in good health. It seemed that the prince could still be the prince for at least ten years.The crown prince is not willing to stay in the position of crown prince for a long time, so there is only one move if he wants to take the position, and it will be his turn when the dragon chair is empty!It will be a matter of time before the palace is forced, and if the crown prince loses, it will be his turn to take the dragon seat.Emperor Pingkang didn't want to follow his father's old path, so even if the second son was the crown prince, he wouldn't have any other thoughts before his death.

That's the one who chose King Fu's faction, but the third son was young and hadn't entered the temple, and there were only a few generals who could be used in it, and they were all incompetent. He didn't give an order immediately, but Xue Pan was really very powerful at such a young age, and he was able to subdue the stupid young man to be obedient, which was a great skill.

This delay has come to the end of the year.

The burning, killing, and looting in the cold winter of the western barbarians was even more severe, and the war was imminent.Emperor Pingkang received urgent border reports every few days since he was sealed, and he was also anxious. Finally, in the 32nd year of Pingkang, early spring.

The sixteen ships of the Pofeng in Pinghai have been completed and are waiting for the owner to break out of the wind.Emperor Pingkang thought for a whole winter, and finally issued an imperial decree directly. The prince and Xue Pan went to Ximan, leading an army of 30, the prince supervised the army, and Xue Pan was the general.Another imperial decree let the 13-year-old third prince, Yu Pofeng, go to sea to show me the prestige of Daqing, and Ji Zhong's name suddenly appeared in the escorting crowd.

Xue Pan was really worried when he received the imperial decree. Although the ship was equipped with cannons and gunpowder, to Zhao Hongyi, the enemy might not be the small country of HNA but the people inside the ship.Fortunately, although Zhao Hongyi is young, he is the leader of the Pofeng and has real power. It is not a problem for Xue Pan to put Wang Jia and the sharpshooter team in. No matter what, he must first protect the safety of Fu Wang.

That night, Jia Huan stared at the silhouette on the window, and resolutely knocked on the door of Xue Pan's study.

"Master, I decided to go to sea with King Fu." Jia Huan said firmly.