[Red Mansions] The Road to Empress Dowager

Shi Rui couldn't help but burst out laughing, took a closer look at Xing Xiuyan's work, and sighed: "Miss Xing is such a good crafter!"

Shi Hui raised her head and said: "Of course, Sister Xing is now the most sought after embroiderer by the noble ladies in Gusu. When I was here, I often saw people coming to ask for embroidery. Moreover, she has no skills in chess, piano, calligraphy and painting." If you are not good at anything, the classics and history collections also learn from others' strong points, and there are many women from official families in Gusu who are not as good as them."

Shi Rui knew that Shi Hui was rebellious, but he was not ignorant. On the contrary, it could be said that Shi Hui had some talent, and the person who made her brag like this must have some talent, so he couldn't help but yearn for it.

He wondered: "Such an unusual woman, what family is she from?"

Shi Hui thought for a while, and said: "The family background is not high. I heard that the family was poor. Ten years ago, their family moved to Panxiang Temple to rent a house. They didn't have a good family business. The family used to only have a few acres of Susukida. She didn't either. Brother, her parents ordered her to be alone. Fortunately, she met her master and taught her all the skills, and now their family relies on Sister Xing to live a good life."

Shi Rui sighed: "That's really rare." In any case, no matter how close she is with Shi Hui, it's impossible. If the Shi family had no hope of recovery in the early years, it might have been possible, but now even the father has great ambitions.

When the brother and sister arrived home, they wanted to have a family reunion, but they didn't expect to see guests in the main hall.

Coincidentally, Jia Lian was advised by Lin Ruhai to come to Gusu to seek relatives, and it was the day when Shi Rui came back.

At this time, Jia Lian reported his family name, knelt in front of Shi Bai and cried loudly: "It's not that I don't want my uncle. I have seen Baoyu have a mother and an uncle since I was a child. I would like to have a mother and uncle by my side. But my mother is gone. I have been here since I was a child." I was raised by the second wife, and I never heard that I have an uncle! If Uncle Lin hadn't taught me, I'm afraid I would never see my uncle in my life."

Mrs. Zhang asked in surprise: "In the past few years, we have asked someone to deliver things to you every year. Why don't you know?" After five years of delivering them without a word, Mrs. Zhang felt cold.

Jia Lian mourned, "I'm not the head of the mansion. I really haven't heard anyone report this news. I haven't even seen a thread. I don't know that I also have uncles and aunts who love and care about me. It's not that miserable that even the mansion A useless person that even decent servants look down upon!"

Shi Bai couldn't help gnashing his teeth: "How unreasonable!"

Shi Bai could see that Jia Lian was a bit smart, but he was exaggerating but also full of truth.But this is not known to be true, because he said that "Uncle Lin"'s advice cannot be faked. Lin Ruhai is a person of status. He said that he never said this, and it is not something that a junior can make up casually.

Shi Bai is also a smart person. At the beginning, he and Lin Ruhai were Jinshi of the same discipline, but Lin Ruhai was a third-ranked scholar, while he was the No. 11 Jinshi.Lin Ruhai pointed Jia Lian to come here, and he also intended to befriend Lin Ruhai. Although he hadn't been in contact with him for more than ten years, he was well aware of the officialdom. , It is also beneficial to revitalize the Shi family.

Shi Bai helped him up, just as he saw the Shi family brothers and sisters coming back, they recognized each other again.

And Jia Lian saw that his cousin looks about six or seven points like him, but his temperament is completely different. Although he also has a pair of beautiful peach blossom eyes, his eyes are clear and straight, with his head held high and his chest held high, which makes him feel like a gentleman.Jia Lian couldn't help but feel a little inferior. If he was a modern person, he would feel that it was the kind of show that the buyer met the show of the seller.

Today is really a reunion day, with laughter and tears.

Afterwards, Mrs. Zhang looked at the gifts Jia Lian sent, and she also saw that he had intentions. This person is very proper in dealing with affairs and relationships.

Jia Lian was left to stay for a while, and Shi Bai often took him with him to teach him. It was also early on that he hadn't read much at all, but he knew a few words.Shi Bai felt annoyed in his heart that the majestic Rongguo Mansion raised the eldest son's grandson like this!

Shi Bai thought about his poor little sister again, it was inevitable that he had to take care of her more, her mother had also told her before she passed away, that a few years ago, she had more energy than she wanted.

Shi Bai and his wife heard him talk about the personnel relationship in the mansion, and they almost guessed his situation. An heir has no power or money in the mansion.I haven't even seen my mother's dowry, so it must have been eaten by others.

I had doubted Mrs. Xing at first, but it is obviously impossible for Mrs. Xing to be in the mansion.Jia Amnesty couldn't even live in the Rongxi Hall. Everyone believed that Jia Zheng was the master of the Rongguo Mansion. If he was so incompetent, he might not be in his hands anymore.

Jia Lian stayed for a month, during which time he also went out to visit flower houses, but he was brought back by the Shi family's health servants under orders.

Shi Bai scolded him angrily, and said, "With your talent, you still want to take back the Rongguo Mansion! Why don't you go back early and continue to serve your uncle and aunt immediately!"

Jia Lian finally found a backer who would not miss it, and quickly admitted his mistake and cried bitterly. Shi Bai had no choice but to pick two guards from the southwest to follow him back to Beijing, and they will be strictly guarded from then on.Jia Lian groaned secretly after hearing this, but compared with stealing people and relying on mountains, he had no choice but to choose relying on mountains.He himself is aware of his situation. The reason why he has no status is that he has no backing?The reason why Wang Xifeng rides on his head is because Wang Xifeng has a strong backing?For a person like him who is incapable of writing and martial arts, everything is possible with a backing, but everything is empty without a backing.

Although their backer, Prince Teng, is strong, Prince Teng has only one child.And he has three uncles, and the uncles have cousins, so many people can drown him.Besides, he also knew that his grandfather was once a first-rank official, better than Wang Ziteng.As long as one of his three uncles becomes a second-rank official in the future, he will be able to crush the second room.

Shi Rui will also go to Beijing in winter, and will participate in Chunwei next year, so he plans to go on the road with Jia Lian.I will buy a small yard in Beijing to study behind closed doors, and I will also bring two servants to Beijing to take care of it, unlike when I was in Fujian, I only brought two followers.If he passed the exam, he might become a concubine first, and he would live in the capital for a long time.

……

After all, Shi Rui still misses Xing Xiuyan a little bit, this day he took on the job of bringing his sister home, and Jia Lian was also making out with this talented cousin and his future backer, so he went with him.How could Jia Lian guess what Shi Rui was thinking, but he didn't realize that his cousin didn't want him to go with him.

Xing Xiuyan did not expect that she would meet Jia Lian under such circumstances. When Shi Hui introduced to her that he was the cousin of the Jia family in the Rongguo Mansion in the capital, she asked again: "Which Rongguo Mansion? The Jia family, is it 'Jia is not fake? , is Bai Yu the Jia family who acts as a horse for Tang Jin?"

Jia Lian was modest for a moment, but her smile was a bit smug. Shi Rui felt very uncomfortable seeing Cousin Jia's expression when he saw a beautiful woman, but his father said that his cousin was raised and abandoned when he was a child, and he could only do it for his aunt. I have to wait a little longer.In fact, Jia Lian is already very good, knowing that the other party is a son of a good family, Jia Lian is a prodigal, but he never harms an unmarried woman from a good family. He only touches maids and prostitutes, so there is something dirty They all go to the house.

Xing Xiuyan can't even deny it at this time. If they don't go to Beijing, it can be said that they don't want to marry relatives, but it would be rude not to recognize relatives when they arrive at the door.Besides, there are such variables, who knows what the future will hold, so don't be rude to others.

Xing Xiuyan bowed profusely and said, "Xiuyan has met Jia's cousin."

Jia Lian was startled: "What do you call me? Cousin?"

Xing Xiuyan said: "The current eldest wife of Rongguo Mansion is Aunt Xiuyan."

"You are the cousin of the eldest wife's natal family!?"

"Grandpa passed away early, and my father was raised by my uncle since I was a child. My aunt is the eldest daughter of my uncle. My uncle died, and my aunt got married again. The family was in decline, which made my cousin laugh."

Originally they were talking outside, but at this time Xing Xiuyan wanted to invite them in for a sit-down. Seeing that the Shi family brothers and sisters had no objection, Jia Lian followed them in.

Xing Xiuyan made the tea herself, and took the best tea leaves at home. Watching her movements gave people a sense of tranquility and leisure.The woman is obviously good at women's red, but she is wearing an unpretentious linen Tsing Yi, a head of jet-black hair, and only a white jade hairpin stuck in it.

Xing Xiuyan poured tea and served it to the three of them in order of seniority and youth. Xing Xiuyan said: "My relatives came from afar, so I should have kept food, but I think Mr. Shi's family is afraid that I won't be able to keep the three of you back, so I will leave it alone." No more hypocrisy."

Shi Hui smiled and said: "I just like my sister's straightforward and genuine temperament. If I know that we can't stay today but still say those polite things, it's not polite, and it's embarrassing for us to lie. I said why I have such a fate with my sister. I also have relatives."

Xing Xiuyan smiled and said, "That's what you said, and when others say this, I'm going to panic. You and I can't be compared to relatives."

Shi Hui said: "We are relatives now, my cousin is also your cousin, and I am your sister. Haha, tell you if you have any good things to hide behind my back in the future, tell you not to teach me your trump card. From now on you It would be embarrassing!"

Xing Xiuyan shook her head and said, "Heaven and earth conscience, what good things can I have here, I am an embroidery needle maker, I don't know how to use such a thick and heavy mace, let alone a killer mace, I can't even use a mosquito mace."

Shi Hui giggled when she heard this, and Shi Rui and Jia Lian couldn't help feeling amused.

After sitting for a short time, and it was getting late, the three of them said goodbye.