Red House Farm Stay

Li Hong got up quickly, cupped his hands gratefully and said, "Thank you, Miss Jia, and thank you, Brother Wang."

Ban'er returned a salute, "It's useless for us to keep the rice seeds, but they will be coveted by others. We always want to benefit the people, but we are afraid of causing disasters. Now this is the best of both worlds."

"My son is diligent in government and loves the people. If you give the rice seeds to him, he will definitely be able to play the greatest role." Li Hong's face was full of joy. He himself did not expect that the task could be completed so easily.

"Fortunately you left, Wannian County suffered a serious crime a few days ago." Ban'er looked at him deliberately and said.

Li Hong blushed and bowed again and again, "Prince Zhongshun's rebellion and siege of the city, our son is also very frightened and angry. We were supposed to go to Beijing to help, but the chief of the largest tribe on the grassland died unexpectedly, and the next two princes competed for the position of chief. It's extremely violent. In order to show his ability, he repeatedly violated the border, the prince is really powerless."

It turned out that there was an accident on the grassland, no wonder King Suqing who was supposed to come over did not arrive in this life, Jia Zhuo nodded to express his understanding.

"There is one more sentence, it may be Bai's instruction..." Li Hong hesitated.

"But it doesn't matter." Ban'er said softly.

"The situation outside is very chaotic. I'm afraid many places are going to be reversed. Be careful and don't go out easily." This news is confidential, but Li Hong still told them.

Ban'er shivered, and immediately cupped his hands and said, "Thank you Brother Li for telling me, please be careful when you go out."

Jia Zhuo was sent home, and the two bid farewell not far from Jia's house.

"Jia Lian made it clear that he disagreed. You and Uncle Wang don't come here, so as not to be angry with him. Anyway, I have an idea about this matter."

Ban'er pressed her lips with his fingers, and the soft touch made his heart sway, "You have to take what you deserve. No one is afraid of being angry with your husband when you marry a daughter-in-law. Let's do it according to the etiquette that should be given." gone."

If it is still not enough, Jia Zhuo looked at him and blinked, and the board seemed to understand. He lowered his head and touched her forehead lightly. Jia Zhuo understood what he meant and pursed his lips. Watch him laugh.

Let's do the courtesy first and then the soldiers. After all, we have to do the etiquette before talking about other things.

Just as Jia Zhuo went back to the house and washed his face, Ping'er came over.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to your elder brother's house to have a guest. I think the Tianshuibi skirt is pretty good. How about a jade hairpin? I still have a jade bracelet right now, and the water looks good."

"I don't like it." Jia Zhuo glanced at Ping'er, a little strange, she never cared about what she wore except entering the palace before, why is she so enthusiastic today.

"Don't like it?" Ping'er's smile froze on his face, and he really didn't know what to say.

"Is my dress disrespectful? Or is it not in accordance with the rules." Jia Zhuo frowned, Tianshuibi with a complete set of jade jewelry, did not look like what she should be dressed at her age, and did not understand why Ping'er suddenly let her Dress like this.

"No, I mean, um, forget it, I'm just saying." Ping'er smiled reluctantly.

Jia Zhuo, who was thoughtful, was left behind, opened the closet, picked out a set of peach red beanbags embroidered with silk juniper flowers, and matched it with a white thread skirt, and let Fu'er smoked incense and hung it up.

When she dressed up the next day, she purposely put on a butterfly hairpin made of gold and a pair of pearl earrings before going out.Fu'er went with them, holding a bundle in her hand, which was two sets of changing clothes.She took the time to take a look at the bag, and her Tianshuibi clothes were indeed under the weight.

When he arrived at Jia Lan's house, his legs healed, and he was a hot newcomer. Naturally, many classmates from the same age came, and he entertained them at the front.Jia Lian and Jia Yun both accompanied him to entertain guests.

Many people from the inner courtyard came with their daughters. Jia Zhuo and Wu Yan are relatives of the main family, and they also help entertain the guests.

Li Wan handed several young girls of similar age to the two of them, "You are about the same age, let's play together."

He grabbed Ping'er again, "You have always been capable, and I can't let you go if you come here so easily. Come quickly and help me accompany the guests, this is..."

Wu Yan called the girls in front of her to sit together, "My eldest sister has nothing else at home, but this flower wall is really nice."

Where they were sitting, there was a flower wall opposite, and a rose flower that was as red as rice, covered the entire wall.Rose flowers may not be as delicate as other flowers, but such layers, hanging one by one, clusters, fiery and fiery blooming all over the entire wall, give people a sense of satisfaction, which is definitely not what one or two delicate flowers can achieve. brought.

"It's so beautiful, I want to raise one in my own home." The little girls couldn't help it, and ran to admire it under the flower wall.

Jia Zhuo took a look and found that these girls dressed in different styles, but generally they were lively and bright.She turned her gaze to the other side. Ping'er was talking with a lady. With this lady as the center, there were several ladies sitting there. After the rain, the sky is sunny, and the elegance seems to be an appointment.

The jewelry on her head was mostly emerald or white jade. Seeing Jia Zhuo frowning, Wu Yan almost laughed out loud, "Do you think it's interesting?"

"Drunkards don't want to drink alcohol?" Jia Zhuo guessed.

"I still want to sell a lawsuit. I really can't hide anything from you, a clever ghost. That is Mrs. Du, the wife of General Yipin Zhenguo. She has a son and a daughter, but she has never been married. As for the daughter, she didn't come today. It is said that She is a tiger girl from the general gate, with a heroic appearance. My son is also well-known in the family, with superb martial arts skills, and is the first-class head of the bodyguard by the emperor's side."

"And then." Seeing that she had stopped talking, Jia Zhuo quickly served tea and asked her to continue.

Wu Yan took a look at her, and could only continue to say: "This Mrs. Du was very talented when she was young. Everyone praised her hand-painted small script and even calligraphy. She also ran a poetry club. When she was the most famous, the princess also did After a while, I’ll invite them to the palace to do it. Her natal family doesn’t show up, but she got a lot of limelight when she entered the palace, and was accused of being married to General Du as a fill-in house.”

"Although it's filling in the house, the wife in front didn't leave any sons and daughters behind. She gave birth to both sons and daughters, and she's a lucky woman." Wu Yan talked for a long time, and finally got to the point, "This When Mrs. Du was young, she liked to wear a moon-white dress, or the blue sky, the color of the sky after the rain. Anyway, you can count it yourself. The girls sitting next to her are dressed one by one, and they are all young. favorite color."

"Dare to take my aunt to build a bridge for them, isn't this a scumbag?" Jia Zhuo was a little bit aggrieved for Li Wan.

"This circle is like this. If it is a top aristocratic family, the rich and powerful will naturally dare not, but if it is an ordinary person, it is common for them to take advantage of each other." Wu Yan didn't take it seriously. After all, if Jia Lan was still the young master of the Duke's Mansion, naturally no one would do this , But now, everything starts again, it is too early to want people to put you first in everything and consider your feelings.

"Hey, this is drawing." Wu Yan returned to Jia Zhuo, and turned to look at the girls. An easel and brushes were prepared in front of the flower wall, just in case someone wanted to draw.Sure enough, a girl in a Mifen shirt was sitting sideways in front of the flower wall, and another girl with a round face was holding a paintbrush and was drawing flowers and leaves.

Those who look at the flowers look at the flowers, and those who look at the paintings look at the paintings. There are a few younger ones who are impatient to sit for a long time.

Only on Madam Du's side, it was quiet, and everyone showed aloofness and aloofness, a reclusive and independent ladylike look.

"Miss, Madam let you go over here." Fu'er came over to invite Jia Zhuo.

After saying hello to Wu Yan, Jia Zhuo went over to give Ping'er a blessing, and said with a charming smile, "Mother."

This was the first time Jia Zhuo called her mother, but she was outside. Although there were many acting elements, it still moved Ping'er very much.She stretched out her hand to pull Jia Zhuo, "You are tired from playing, sit with me for a while."

"Is this Sister Qiao, Sister Feng's only daughter? Yes, she really looks alike." Mrs. Du took the initiative to ask.

"That's right, it's the daughter left behind by my elder sister. She was entrusted to a trustworthy family to raise her, and she just came home a few days ago. She went to the palace to greet the empress, and even the empress said she looked like her."

Ping'er smiled implicitly, seeing that Mrs. Du's eyes did not look strange, she was a little disappointed.That's right, sister Qiao is too far away from the girl she likes.She restrained her disappointment very well, and still talked with the people present about the weather, flowers and plants, as well as endless clothes and jewelry with a smile on her lips.

Jia Zhuo was not interested in this kind of chat at all. When he was forced to ask, he came forward and spread his hands out, "I've only been wearing silk for a few days, so how can I know this? I can tell the difference."

Li Wan was so straightforward that even Li Wan laughed, "This kid hits it off with me, we can talk together. I'll bring you back some of the grain I planted myself in a while, and you can taste it for me. Is it comparable to yours?" planted."

The master said so, who would have the nerve to laugh at something, and even talked about farming along the topic.

"I heard that there are local floods and droughts this year, and the price of food is [-]% to [-]% higher than usual. But I haven't heard of any victims so far. It shouldn't be very serious."

"How can we fight without food, and how can we feel at ease if we don't subdue the rebels?" Everyone was still worried about the last siege of the city.

"The chief culprit has already been punished, three or two small fish and shrimp, they can't jump up." Mrs. Du's words made a circle of people applaud.

"Oh, I couldn't sleep at first, but after listening to Mrs. Du's words, I can sleep peacefully now."

"That's right, I heard that the imperial court has sent General Du to the expedition, so it must be a success."

Only then did Jia Zhuo know that the imperial court had sent someone to go to the expedition, and he was thinking about who to ask, when he heard Madam Du say: "The general just followed the imperial court's military order to go to Guangping and Ankang to rectify the soldiers. Don’t pass it on any more.”

It turned out that it was to rectify the government soldiers, but Jia Zhuo understood the emperor's thoughts a little bit. In the country of Dayue, it is no longer known how many government soldiers are available and how many are not.If you don't hold the government soldiers along the way in your hands, once you go out at one end and encounter the enemy at the other end, you will not be able to return.

Simply advance step by step, rectify the government soldiers, and then go to conquer the rebels. Anyway, the rebels will not be able to escape even if they saw the Chaoping and Kangnan prefectures.It's just that the emperor seems to have forgotten, what about the people of these two prefectures, let them be enslaved and killed by the rebels?

Just as Jia Zhuo came back to his senses, the topic had changed again, this time to Mrs. Du's daughter.

"My daughter was spoiled by her father and elder brother since she was a child. It is purely a joke to say that she is a tiger girl. She is just riding a horse, and she is more lively. A girl should learn and know. Anyway, I am watching , I can barely meet people."

"I've heard about the name for a long time, so I thought I'd see you today." Li Wan couldn't help feeling regretful.

She is very optimistic about the Du family, Yipin Zhenguo General's Mansion, with a detached position, the daughter of the general's family must be in good health.Li Wan didn't like girls who were delicate and weak, who would fall down when the wind blows.She has only one son, and she is pointing to her future daughter-in-law to have more, so as to spread the branches and leaves.

"I went on a horse race with his brother. There will always be opportunities in the future." Mrs. Du smiled lightly. In fact, she deliberately did not bring her daughter. The whole family said that Jia Lan was a good candidate. See it for yourself.This kiss, she doesn't have to be married, how can she show her daughter's eyes to others before she has taken a fancy to him.

She swept her eyes away and looked around at the girl's house sitting next to her, but she didn't like any of them.These people only know how to imitate her dressing style when she was young, but they can't imitate her style at all.It's really imitating others, and they are beyond their capabilities.

Qiaojie's girl has bright eyes, just like her mother, she has a strong heart at first glance.It's a pity that she was reduced to a peasant family halfway, and she didn't get a good education during these critical years, and she was definitely not qualified for the duties of a qualified housewife.

Madam Du did not expect to be able to choose a good match for her son in this circle, but she was not disappointed.I just don't know if these girls who have been acting in vain for a long time would cry on the spot if they knew what Madam Du was thinking.

"Master, come here to greet the wives." A maid reported to Li Wan.

"Tell him to come here quickly." Li Wan narrowed his eyes with a smile, this was the highlight of the day.

The eyes of the ladies are all wide open, those who have seen it, check again to see if there is anything missing, and those who have not seen it, just take the opportunity to see clearly.

Jia Lan is dressed in a gray-blue gown, his face is as white as jade, his facial features are delicate but his outline is tough, his straight waist is tall and tall, if he can lead a white horse and carry a silver gun, he will really look like Zhao Zilong in the world.

Even Mrs. Du, who had watched too many heroic youths, couldn't help being stunned. No wonder her husband told her to take a good look at him before leaving, so as not to miss such a good young man, he was indeed a man of talent.

Jia Lan greeted the ladies and ladies, and after saying hello, she went to the front yard again. Some of the girls who were hiding behind their mother secretly went to have a look.Just looking at it, his heart beat like a deer, and red clouds flew up on his face.

Seeing the appearance of the wives, Li Wan was filled with pride in his heart, but he still had to be modest in his mouth, "This incompetent boy smells like alcohol, I'm afraid it will smell of alcohol to you."

"The food hasn't been served yet, how come the wine is served?" Jia Zhuo wondered.

"It must be playing in the front. Who can control their group of monkeys." Li Wan smiled and shook his head, obviously this is a common thing.

"Admiring the flowers and composing poems, how can you have fun without a few pots of sake." Madam Du also smiled, turning her head and looking in nowhere, probably recalling the good times when she was so happy and unrestrained when she was young.

Jia Zhuo really didn't understand the romantic affairs of these literati and elegant guests, and Mrs. Du became more and more convinced that Sister Qiao was not suitable.Ping'er's face turned white and blue, and she was the most embarrassed person.Not only embarrassed, she even wanted to cry.

In the Jia Mansion back then, in the Grand View Garden back then, there was no romance and elegance, no enjoyment, Ruo Luan was elegant, these people together could not compare to a little finger of the girls in the Grand View Garden.It just so happened that sister missed all of this, and became people in two worlds with them.No one can understand the feeling except herself.

Li Wan knew a little bit about her thoughts, but it was inconvenient to comfort her in front of everyone.Just at this moment, Wu Yan took the painting over and smiled, "Look, look, you talkative people, come and take a look at our paintings."

"Hey, this one is really good, hey, this one is also good, with Mrs. Du as an expert, I will not make a fool of myself." Li Wan took the painting and handed it to Mrs. Du for appreciation.

"It's not bad." Madam Du was much more careful when she tasted it. Whose brushwork is delicate, whose portrait is vivid, and whose color scheme is better, can be said to hit the nail on the head.

Ping'er looked at Jia Zhuo with a gloomy face. For the first time, she felt that she was too optimistic.Lost precepts and deeds and systematic education, Miss Qiao is missing too many things that women from aristocratic families should know.But she is 16 years old this year, is there still time?

She had already given up letting Jia Zhuo change into the Tianshuibi clothes, because she understood Mrs. Du's eyes, sister Qiao, she didn't like her.

When eating, Ping'er became even more depressed. Although she had taught Jia Zhuo how to behave, she learned it well.However, Jia Zhuo ate too fast, so fast that she wiped her mouth, and some girls who eat slowly only took a few mouthfuls.

The rules are impeccable, but they are not elegant enough, let alone the natural charm and nobility of a girl from an aristocratic family.No matter how selfish Ping'er is, she also understands that sister Qiao is different from a real daughter of an aristocratic family.

After dinner, some people left directly, such as Mrs. Du, while others stayed and planned to wipe a few cards after lunch break before leaving.

Ping'er was supposed to stay, but he took Jia Zhuo away on the pretext that he was not feeling well.

Back home, Ping'er said gently: "Sister Qiao, let's have a chat."

"Okay." Jia Zhuo did not refuse.

Jia Lian was not at home, they occupied the warm pavilion in the main room, leaned on the Arhat bed, and each leaned on a big pillow behind them, relaxing and comfortable.

"How do you think brother Lang is?" Ping'er spoke first.

"Of course, it is a blessing for any girl to marry him." Jia Zhuo did not hesitate, which is also true.

"Look, Brother Lang is a typical son of an aristocratic family. Like the young master of the Du family, he is a hot candidate for son-in-law in Jinling City. I know that you and Ban'er grew up together. How could you not have feelings for each other? But, since you were young You've only seen Baner, haven't you? You have no idea how many outstanding young people are suitable for you in this world."

Ping'er took a breath, and found that Jia Zhuo didn't interrupt her, but thoughtful instead, she said happily: "I don't want to force you to do something, I understand very well that a twisted melon is not sweet. But, you Can I give myself another chance? Take a look at this Jinling City, take a look at the circle we live in, don’t you like this kind of life? Don’t you like an outstanding young man like your elder brother?”

This couple, one with a bad face and the other with a bad face, cooperated so seamlessly.Jia Zhuo almost stood up and applauded her speech, it was wonderful, it was wonderful.

Jia Zhuo nodded, "I admit that what you said is correct, but you can see that it's just your wishful thinking. Mrs. Du doesn't like me, can't you see it?"

Seeing that her tone was loose, Ping'er said happily: "What does it matter? Looking at this kind of thing, it's about a fate. We will always meet someone who has a fate. Of course, we have to leave you behind." The course is well supplemented."

Jia Zhuo smiled lightly, "If Auntie is still a palace servant instead of a high-ranking empress, do you think there are several families in Jinling City who will open their doors to us today."

"Sister Qiao, you can't say that. Now the empress is the empress, and she has a healthy seventh prince." Ping'er turned her head unnaturally, not looking at Jia Zhuo with mocking eyes.

"Look, you don't even dare to answer my questions. You want me to obey your arrangement and let you decide my future. None of us knows what will happen in the future, just like when the Wang family married my mother to my father , and I wouldn’t expect it to be the same later. Then, I listen to my inner thoughts, at least I’m happy now.”

The conversation broke up unhappy, and Jia Zhuo knew that no matter how many conversations, there would probably be no results.The ideas they uphold are completely different. No matter how much they say, the result is the same, and no one can convince the other.

Jia Zhuo broke up unhappy, but good news spread from Li Wan's end. Li Wan and Mrs. Du made an appointment to go up the mountain to offer incense. Mrs. Du brought her daughter with her, while Li Wan was escorted by Jia Lan.From this, anyone with a discerning eye can see that if everything goes well, the two families will discuss marriage soon.

Jia Lian was very happy to learn that the Du family intended to marry Jia Lan, and he didn't take it seriously when Ping'er said that Mrs. Du didn't like Sister Qiao.

"As long as the Du family marries our Jia family, it's fine. Whether it's Jia Lan or sister Qiao, it's a big deal for the Jia family. You women, just be narrow-minded."

"Don't think about it. Mrs. Du didn't like Sister Qiao today, but Mrs. Li and Mrs. Zhang will be able to see her another day. After all, Sister Qiao grew up in a farming family. In the eyes of those aristocratic families, there is always something missing. I I was wondering if it was Baner..."

"Absurd. Marriage is a matter of marrying two surnames. Do those wives and ladies look up to them? As long as Qiaojie's surname is Jia, as long as Qiaojie is the empress's niece and the seventh prince's cousin, that's fine." enough."

Seeing Jia Lian's expression of color, Ping'er couldn't help feeling sad, men don't know women's suffering.Men only know family and power, they can look up at the infinite sky.But women live in the inner house all their lives, and their mother-in-law, husband, and children are all they have.If the mother-in-law doesn't like it, and the husband doesn't love it, then in this life, it will be reduced to a tool for family marriage, and there will be no happiness at all.

At this time, she could somewhat understand Jia Zhuo's thoughts and understand why Jia Zhuo rejected their arrangement so much.