Old things in the Red Chamber

After the weather got hot, the Hou Ye released by the historian finally returned to the capital.

After being outside for several years, once he returned to the capital, he had to entertain guests at home.Their brothers started their careers by relying on military merits, so there are a lot of colleagues in the army on the table.The two marquis mansions entertain guests at the same time, and the civil servants and military generals sit separately.Almost all the famous and surnamed people in the capital were invited.

After Jia Gu received the invitation, he replied that he would definitely go.Jia Amnesty ran to their house that night.

"Our old lady asked me to come. She heard that the Shi family's cousin came back and invited guests at home, but our family didn't receive the post. The old lady's face was dull and she wanted me to follow. If you mix in together, the historians will be embarrassed to drive me out, and I will repair the relationship between the two families."

"Your old lady's thinking is too beautiful. I found that the people in your family, not only your old lady, all regard themselves as a dish, and think that others should respect and praise your family."

"What you said is so ugly, I'm still sitting here."

Jia Amnesty will not really turn against his younger brother, he is just talking about it.

"Although sometimes you are right, how can I tell you? I am used to living a good life, and I will not know the truth unless I come across this kind of life a few times. It's not because I lost my title, I have been a white body for a few years, and I know some human relationships, or else I am the same as them now."

Jia Gu patted him on the shoulder reassuringly, "It's not too late, it's a good thing for a prodigal son to return when he's lost."

Jia She patted his hand off, and said angrily, "It's a good thing to know how to turn back when you are young. At my age, if you turn back from the wrong way, you will regret it all your life. Let's not talk about it. When the time comes, we will have to deal with our elders." Ma'am, I will follow you to the banquet."

When it comes to the day when guests are entertained, it is the day when everyone in the imperial court does not go on errands. This day is commonly known as Xiumu, and most people wear ordinary clothes. When they meet on the street and say a few auspicious words, civil servants sit in sedan chairs, and generals ride horses. , went to the banquet together.

Jia Gu and his two brothers were also riding on the horse. Looking at the bustling crowd on the street, Jia Gu said to Jia She, "The two masters of the Shi family are too public. What do you think the censor thinks? What do you think the emperor thinks?"

Jia Amnesty was unwilling to tell him such frivolous things, and he himself was not interested in this kind of speculation.So he changed the subject, did not answer Jia Gu, but brought up another topic.

"Didn't it mean that Princess Wei's mansion married a girl from the Shi family? I wonder if I can see people from the Wei family today."

"I can definitely see it. I'm curious when their wedding will be held. From the beginning to the present, it's been a long time. After going around and around, it's the original two who got married. Probably because someone said that they were destined to meet thousands of miles away."

"Fate is something that cannot be said."

The two chatted a few words on the horse, and slowly arrived at the door, where the two brothers of the Shi family greeted the guests.

Followed by four or five juniors, when the whole family saw Jia She, their faces immediately became serious.

Jia Ding, who stayed in Beijing, did not take the initiative to go out with the Rongguo Mansion in the past few years. They unilaterally made it clear that the two families did not want to be relatives.

Unexpectedly, Jia Amnesty would come today, and the two brothers looked at each other.

The older brother said, "I heard that Jia Enhou and Xiahou brothers are in good relationship. Maybe Jia Hou brought him here today. Let's just treat Jia Hou's friends with us and entertain Jia Hou's friends wholeheartedly. It's not to entertain the elders of the Rongguo Mansion wholeheartedly."

With his words, the others agreed and went up to talk to Jia Gu.

Jia Amnesty also didn't talk to their brothers in public, after watching them exchange pleasantries, he followed Jia Gu into the Hou's mansion.

Seeing his deeds, the two Shijia brothers breathed a sigh of relief.

If there was another quarrel between relatives during the banquet today, it would definitely make everyone laugh.This is definitely not something the two brothers would like to see.

The place where Jia Gu and the others stayed was all generals, and when they were drinking, they behaved very rough and yelled, even the sound of gongs and drums on the stage was not as noisy as that on the wine table below.

At this time, some old and cunning people would always wander over from the nearby mansion to have a few drinks with the people here or to get acquainted.

Such a thoughtful person has always been a civil servant. Military generals disdain to do this kind of thing. Even if it is the kind of military general with nine twists and turns in his heart, he will mix with some straight-hearted people. After a long time, he will look down on him Those who play tricks.

So when some civil servants, represented by King Bei Jing, walked over with a smile, although the table did not calm down, the cheerful atmosphere was gone.

"Ouch, my stomach hurts a little right now, I guess I just had a stomachache from eating meat and drinking some cold water."

Jia She thought to himself, you didn't drink any cold water at all.But wisely, he didn't speak, and supported Jia Gu, "In my opinion, why don't we go back."

Master Shi Ding, who stayed here to entertain everyone, saw that Jia Gu was almost lying on the table, so he hurried over to ask what was wrong, and at the same time felt uneasy, for fear that someone in the family would be poisoned after eating.

"Sorry, I'm sorry, I was thirsty when I came here today, so I just took a ladle of water from the well and drank it. I just started eating meat when I came in, and now I've eaten up my stomach. Shihou, let us brothers go first."

"This...it's really unfortunate. We also have a doctor in our mansion. Otherwise, we can drink the medicine here before going back, so as not to suffer."

Jia Gu thought to himself that this place has now become a den of right and wrong, how can he stay here again.

"Thank you for your kindness, your house is too busy, and I will cause trouble for you by staying here, why don't you let me go back first, go home and drink some medicine, lie there and have a good sleep, maybe everything will be fine tomorrow. "

Shi Ding couldn't stop him, he looked left and right, and was about to call his son over to send them out, when a man stood beside him, the grandson of the old man from Beidi, who supported Jia Gu, "Why don't you send the old man back at the end ?”

There are many people with a heart in this scene, and everyone who can become a high-ranking official in the court is not stupid, and all of them stood up immediately to send Jia Gu away.Then each of them asked someone to shake their heads and talk.When Jia Gu left, he found that there were still a few people drinking madly there.

In a word, the scene suddenly became chaotic and became uncontrollable.

When King Bei Jing arrived with a group of civil servants, the place changed completely.

There were a few bearded old generals who were blushing and insisted on taking off their clothes and wrestling.There are also people holding up stools to chase and kill a person they don't like.Most of all, they were looking lewdly at the actors on the stage...

The corners of King Beijing's eyes twitched a few times, and the corners of his mouth also began to twitch. He was about to reach a table with a wine glass in his hand, and said a few polite words.I saw a drunk lunatic climb onto the stage, snatch the troupe's musical instrument, hold a mallet, and start beating on a drum head.

It's fine if he doesn't knock, but once he knocks, half of the generals in the field get excited.Marching and fighting has always been to advance with drums, and to retreat with gold.Hearing the sound of the drum, he picked up the plate and randomly found someone to start fighting two by two.

A group of civil servants who came in later were splashed with wine and covered their faces with vegetables, their faces were flushed with anger, and they kept shouting, "What a disgrace to the gentleman!!!"

Naturally, there was no way to continue the banquet, so the host of the banquet had to pack the generals and send them to the carriage before sending them back to each family.

In the imperial study room, the emperor flipped through the memorial sent by the dark guards, and said to the head of the dark guards, "There are many smart people in this world."

Those who were standing did not dare to speak.

The emperor asked the hidden guards to retreat, and after thinking about it for a while, he felt that the king with a different surname was always a serious problem in his heart. "Except for them, my heart is not quiet. Even if the heads of my family members are beaten into dog heads, the meat is rotten in my own pot, and it is not as cheap as outsiders. If outsiders stare at my own meat, then Can't blame me."

"You went to your cousin's house today, what did they say?" Shi Taijun immediately called Jia Amnesty over when he heard that Jia Amnesty had returned home.The purpose is to ask about his going to the banquet today.

"My son couldn't talk to my cousin, oh, it's because my old brother had a bad stomach. Not long after the banquet started today, we all came back."

Shi Taijun has always felt that the eldest son is unreliable, and at this moment, the feeling of hating iron but not steel hits his heart again.

"You failed to say a word to your cousin?"

"My cousin is so busy, I will welcome and see you off. I originally thought to wait until the work is over, but who knows..."

"Can't you come back after he's done?"

"My son went to a banquet with someone else's invitation card. I can't let someone come back, and my son is still sitting at the banquet and eating."

Shi Taijun was so angry that his heart ached, thinking that when he was pregnant with his son, Jia Gu got all his cleverness, leaving this thing in front of him to disgust himself.

"Got it, got it, you go back." Shi Taijun waved his hand casually, and drove the eldest son away, with an extremely impatient expression, and even a bit of disgust.Assuming that he has long been used to his attitude, he stood up and retreated respectfully.

"Invite the second master here, do I have something to say to him?"

Jia Zheng came very quickly. He was chatting with some cleaners in the study, and when he heard the old lady's call, he came immediately, and it took a very short time.

When we met, he first asked his mother how he was, and seeing Shi Taijun's bad face, he carefully asked his mother what's wrong.

In any case, in Shi Taijun's eyes, this son is much more reliable than the eldest son, and he is more filial than the boss in terms of filial piety. He has never disobeyed himself, unlike the boss, who can't do things well even if he is asked to do something. .

"Your historian's brother is back, do you know about this?"

Jia Zheng said bitterly, "How can my son not know? Most of the officials in the capital know about it. If it weren't for Baoyu's wickedness, the two of us might have gotten closer by now."

He himself forgot that it was he who disagreed with Shi Xiangyun and Jia Baoyu's marriage at the beginning, and now he said it with a heartbroken look.Shi Taijun also forgot that the two families had a lot of trouble because of this incident.In her opinion, Shi Xiangyun now has a bright future and has found a prince and grandson.Baoyu also married a daughter-in-law, and the matter should have been overturned a long time ago. They have been relatives for several lifetimes, and this incident should not cause the two families to really not communicate with each other.

"It's all fate. The two of them have no fate. It's meaningless to talk about it now. Girl Yun will be sent out in a few days. What the old lady means is that you go to congratulate me at that time, which will just resolve the dispute between our two families." matter."

Jia Laoer agreed very respectfully.

He also wanted to repair the relationship with the other party earlier.Officialdom has always been a piece of wood with three stakes.Whether it's for themselves or for their family, this relative can't just throw it away.

Shi Taijun was angry with his elder son just now, but he calmed down with his younger son, "Go back first, it's getting late, take a rest earlier."

Just as Jia Zheng left here, Xue Baochai sent someone to Shi Taijun's yard over there.

"Old lady, the musk moon girl in our yard has started, our grandma asked to come and tell you."

After Shi Taijun's calculations, Baoyu's eldest son or eldest daughter should indeed come to fruition.

"Tell your grandma, take good care of their mother and child, and when the child is born, I will reward you a lot."

Lin Daiyu watched the maids pack their things at home. This morning, someone came to report that the eldest daughter of the second master Bao of Rongguo Mansion was born.

In Lin Daiyu's view, it should be very happy to have a daughter and cousin.

Sister Bao should have breathed a sigh of relief.

Just when she was in a trance, a servant girl came in to report, "I just received an invitation letter from Xiangyang Prince's Mansion, saying that their princess invites you to burn incense at Huguo Temple in a few days."

"Xiangyang Palace? We have never had any contact with Xiangyang Palace. Why did they post to our family?"

Lin Daiyu thought about it and felt something was wrong, waiting for Gu Yun to come back.I showed him the post and expressed my doubts.

"Our family has no contact with the inner courtyard of their back house. Besides, they are a clan, and our family has never been to Gao Pan. Today's post is really out of mind."

Gu Yun flipped through the post, recalled the recent events, and felt that there was nothing to do with King Xiangyang.He couldn't figure out what was going on in his heart.

"Since it's not good for the Prime Minister to invite you not to go, I will go with you on that day."

Lin Daiyu nodded.

Time passed quickly, and the appointed day arrived.Not only Gu Yun also went, but also King Xiangyang.

Men have men's ways of pastime, and women have ways to get along with women. Princess Xiangyang looked Lin Daiyu up and down, and her eyes were full of admiration.

"I've heard that Madam is a beautiful and intelligent woman. I have always wanted to make friends with you. Today I have the opportunity. Madam, don't blame me for being abrupt. It's really only recently that we have finished our work in the palace.

Lin Daiyu talked back and forth with Princess Xiangyang for a long time before she gradually felt relieved.

Although I felt that there were too many problems with the statement that the princess wanted to make friends with me, she didn't reveal any requirements or what I wanted, and I felt a lot more at ease in my heart.

When they got home at night, the couple talked about it in the room.

"Wangfei didn't say anything else, she just kept looking at me, but because this is the first time. Speaking in private, I also think she doesn't seem to have any malicious intentions."

"Maybe it's because of my relationship," Gu Yun speculated, "Recently, a few servants under the King of Xiangyang have often committed crimes, and it's not a big deal. Tan'er, it's all trivial things, and it's not a crime, it must be because of this matter that the couple are interested in contacting our family."

The two of them thought about it, and only this matter could barely be regarded as a matter.After thinking about it for a long time, I couldn't come up with a clue, so I had to sleep together.

At this time, Xiangyang Wang and his wife were also talking about Lin Daiyu.

"You haven't seen it. Everyone says that there is a poetic spirit in his stomach. I have seen a lot of women who study, but it is rare to see Mrs. Lin. Among other things, his temperament is something that no one else can imitate." here?"

King Xiangyang raised his eyebrows, "Can't you learn?"

Princess Xiangyang took off her makeup under the lamp and nodded, "The main reason is that temperament, more like a fairy, don't look at her as the mother of two children now, even if it takes another 20 or 30 years, it will be difficult for anyone to learn it. She has a temperament."

The King of Xiangyang didn't believe it, "If you want to talk about temperament, this king has seen many people with temperament. The Queen Mother's temperament of her mother's respect for the world..."

"You are confused. How can you compare Mrs. Lin with the Empress Dowager? I mean, her temperament is more celestial. To put it bluntly, she is a fairy descending from heaven."

The King of Xiangyang narrowed his eyes, "People say that the celestial beings have always described women as beautiful. The princess means that the celestial beings come down to earth with their own fairy spirit?"

"You finally understand?"

"I understand, I understand, but I didn't see it after all. If I could take a look, I would know how different this immortal energy is from other people's immortal energy."

"My lord," the princess turned around immediately, and said angrily, "Your lord can't have such an idea. She is the wife of a court official. Your idea is too absurd. Our family finally lost your title. I took it back again, but I can't stand you being a moth again."

"Don't worry, your prince is doing great things, not what you think."

The princess was still a little worried, but there was nothing she could do.Seeing King Xiangyang sitting under the lamp, he thought for a while.So I advised him, "I don't know what you are thinking, but it's getting dark now and it's getting late, go to bed early."

The King of Xiangyang didn't seem to hear what she said, and asked again, "Just now you said that Mrs. Lin's fairy spirit cannot be learned by others? You have met so many people and she is the only one who has it?"

"um, yes."

"The king knows."

A beacon fire went straight to the sky.

All the people in the Ministry of War ran out of the house.Jia Gu happened to be in the Yamen of the Ministry of War that day.See that kind of flames.Ask the officials around you, "Look at the direction to distinguish the color, where is the rebellion?"

"In southern Xinjiang, the people there are all aliens, not my own people. There was a rebellion more than 30 years ago. At that time, a [-] army was dispatched to suppress it. It took five years and half of the troops were cut off."

"I'm entering the palace now to meet the emperor, and you all have to deal with it quickly." The others immediately started to move, and Jia Gu rode his horse all the way to the palace.

It wasn't just the people in the Yamen of the Ministry of War who saw the beacon fire.Almost everyone in the capital saw it. At this time, the emperor stood in front of the imperial study room, looking at the column of smoke that shot straight into the sky, expressionless.

Who to send to suppress has become a major issue that needs to be considered at present.

On the Golden Luan Hall, the emperor's eyes moved to Jia Gu's head.I immediately denied the idea of ​​Pai Jia's death in my heart.

"Southern Xinjiang, also known as the Hundred Thousand Mountains, is full of miasma, the sun is hard to see all day long, and insects and snakes are everywhere. It is difficult for cavalry to deploy in the mountains and forests, and only experienced veterans dare to venture into the mountains. I think that in those days The old county king has a good way of calming the chaos, so why not let the Nan'an county king suppress Nanjiang again."

Then a group of old men with white beards came out and seconded the proposal loudly.

The king of Nan'an County also rushed to the ranks, "I am willing to do the work of dogs and horses for your majesty."

The emperor squinted, and the old princes of the clan also looked at each other.

Seeing the emperor's hesitation, the civil servants of the Manchu Dynasty couldn't understand why she hesitated.

"Your Majesty, since ancient times, it has been a common practice for father, son, grandson and grandson to suppress a place. For example, General Fubo of the Han Dynasty, Ma Yuan, deterred the Western Qiang. His descendants continued to deter the Western Qiang until the Three Kingdoms. In the early days, Ma Chao and his father were still intimidating the Western Qiang. Your Majesty, the previous generation of old county kings made great contributions to suppressing the rebellion in southern Xinjiang, and it is the best policy to send the Nan'an County king to suppress the rebellion at this moment."

Another old man with a white beard came out, "Your Majesty, in southern Xinjiang, cavalry is not easy to deploy. Among the generals of the Manchu Dynasty, most of them are used to charging with swords and swords on the plains, and are not used to fighting with people in the mountains. The king of Nanjun went to quell the chaos. best policy".

There are also many generals who want to snatch food from the mouth of Nan'an County King.For a while, people kneeling on the ground in the court hall asked to fight, and the emperor looked at the civil and military affairs of the Manchu Dynasty.The corner of his mouth twitched, "Just as the Qing family said, from now on, the king of Nan'an County will be sent to quell the chaos."

There was a sound of praising the emperor's sage in the court hall, but no one saw the mocking or mocking smile on the corner of the emperor's mouth.

After coming down to court, Jia Gu went to the Minister of the Household Department. "Master Zhao, let's talk."

The one surnamed Zhao has always been an iron rooster, and his face is very ugly at this time. Mr. Zhao can imagine this team going to quell the chaos at this time, which is no different from burning money.

At this moment, he felt pain in his hands, feet, stomach, and head, and said to Jia Gu angrily, "What does Master Jia want to say, I understand that there are still things in the yamen, so I won't talk to Master Jia, and I will leave." .”

"Please leave everything to the boss, you go slowly."

A group of military officials surrounded Jia Gu, "Sir, how much money do you think you can get from Mr. Zhao this time?"

Jia Gu shook his head, "We don't know how much money is left in the Ministry of Accounts, besides, the money in the households is not just for our Ministry of War. But this is a big deal, I think Mr. Zhao will not be short of us." Money here."

A group of generals thought to themselves that he would not dare to lose the money and food of the army abroad. If the household department dared to detain us harshly, they would all go to demolish their yamen together.

In front of the palace gate, officials from various ministries dispersed one after another, and King Xiangyang called to stop Gu Yun.

"Brother Gu, don't go, the day after tomorrow is our Xiaoer's birthday, he doesn't want to make a big deal, he just invited a few familiar families to come to the mansion, Brother Gu and his wife must come the day after tomorrow .”