Old things in the Red Chamber

There are many Wubao in the north, with high walls and many tenants. The Wubao can be self-sufficient. Some large Wubao will also be equipped with caravans to go to the Western Regions or go south to the south of the Yangtze River to do business.Tong's natal family has a big Wubao. The eldest brother sticks to the family business, and the second and third brothers lead the caravan to do business. The life in Wubao is quite prosperous, and it is a powerful and powerful place.

This time, Jia Gu father and son and the Tong brothers invited Mrs. Tong in because there were no outsiders. Everyone sat at the same table and said some words after parting.

The Tong family is the happiest when Jia Gu is transferred back to Kyoto. They have been doing business with the Western Regions. Although they make money, the risks are also high. Either they were robbed by sand bandits or some tenants died in the harsh environment. They want to open up new lands. Business Tao is the wish of several generations of the Tong family, and now, the wish is about to come true.

From Beidi to Kyoto is a new commercial road, selling spices, jewelry, and gold from the Western Regions to Kyoto, and then selling silk, porcelain and tea from Kyoto to the Western Regions. A key part of this is being able to pull the banner of the Zhongwuhou Mansion , to avoid being peeled layer by layer by the government on the road.

As soon as Mr. Tong Er said it, Jia Gu nodded in agreement. In-laws are the ones who help each other. Moreover, Jia Gu is a person who values ​​friendship. Back then, he hid the Tong family and Jia Yu in Wubao, and the barbarians set fire to Wubao, so that The Tong family handed over Jia Yu, but Mrs. Tong's father gritted his teeth and refused to hand it over. He was besieged for four months. There was a shortage of salt and medicine in Wubao, and some people died. There was also Mrs. Tong's second uncle, and everyone else was swollen. Holding his neck, Jia Huan was saved just like that.Jia Gu remembered this kindness firmly.Besides, the brothers of the Tong family are not the kind of criminals. If they use his name to run business, Jia Gu will naturally take care of them with all his heart.

After staying for two days, all members of Tong's family ran to the street. First they bought a few shops and left staff to take care of them. Mrs. Tong's two elder brothers rushed home.

"I'm afraid we'll be late and the road will be blocked by heavy snow. We have to go back and tell our parents about the good news of Xun'er's marriage. If we come back early from the Western Regions in the second half of next year, maybe we can catch up with our nephew's big wedding."

Mrs. Tong prepared two large bags of salt. Salt is a monopoly of the imperial court, and private trading is a serious crime, but it is not difficult to get some salt with the power of the Marquis. "Second and third brothers also brought them back and put them in a jar, which can last for several years."

"Don't worry little sister, there is no shortage of salt at home now." Master Tong Er was very excited.Lower your voice, "We found a salt lake in the Devil's Mountain a few months ago, it was full of salt, and there were large pieces of salt rocks beside the lake, boiled into salt water, sieved finely, and dried in the sun After that is fine salt."

Tong Sanye also joined in excitedly, "I just don't dare to sell a lot, and I always sell little by little. The castle owner said, it's okay to sell less, but if you sell more, I'm afraid someone will stare at it. It's no big deal to lose the salt lake." , if you lose your life, you are really finished."

Jia Gu hurriedly asked where the Devil's Mountain was, only to find out that it was in the Western Regions, far away from the Northland.

At the end of the year, each family gave out New Year's gifts one after another, sending away the members of the Tong clan. Mrs. Tong was finally able to control the affairs of the family. In the past few days, she either gave or received gifts. Already down.

"I'm just looking forward to my daughter-in-law coming in. When she comes in, I throw all these human relations to her. You said that our Northland is not so complicated. We all give one to each family. The capital has to consider how many people there are. It is the eldest wife who is favored." Still a concubine is acceptable, whether the son is a concubine who is talented or a concubine who is smart, when it comes to the Rongguo Mansion, the gifts given to the second wife are three times more important than those of the eldest... My brain hurts."

Cailing rubbed Madam Tong's forehead with her stubby fingers, and Jia Gui's family stood up and asked her, "Madam, how do you give the gifts in Rongguo Mansion, please give me an accurate answer."

"I'm not sure, you should prepare first, and give the big house more generously. In addition, I guess the master is waiting for the Rongguo Mansion to send a New Year's gift to the door. Our master's bad temper is because he is in the first grade of junior high school. He will naturally Do fifteen, if someone can't do the first day of junior high school, he will naturally not do fifteen, just wait and see."

Jia Gu was waiting, and so was the Rongguo Mansion. Jia Zheng's idea was very simple. There was an old lady here, so Jia Gu, the son, should have sent it here first.Instructed Mrs. Wang to suppress the New Year gift for the Zhongwuhou Mansion first. When Jia Gu sent the New Year gift to the Rongguo Mansion, when did the Rongguo Mansion return the gift? This is a matter of face. Whoever bows his head first when giving gifts means.

Jia Amnesty waited for a few days, seeing that Jia Cunzhou was quiet, packed some food and play, and asked Lin Zhixiao's family to send it to his younger brother.Over there, Jia Gui immediately returned to the New Year's ceremony, wearing new clothes, and sent it in through Jia Amnesty's black oil gate.Make Jia Zheng angry, you guys are brothers, I just picked it up, right?

Running to Shi Taijun, he said euphemistically, "Marquis Zhongwu has been on duty in the palace, and now Jia Xuan is not at home..." Before finishing speaking, Jia Amnesty came in with a box of ginseng, "This is the story. My brother honors you."

It's still a century-old ginseng, and Shi Taijun didn't even bother to take a look at it this time, "Understood, let's prepare the medicine for Miss Lin."

Jia She stood in front of her, "Look, do you want to reward my old brother with something?"

Jia Zheng's face immediately became ugly, Shi Taijun didn't even look at Jia She, this idiot, "I'm tired, you two go back."

There is also a relative in Rongguo Mansion, who also rushed to the capital day and night, and first brought the New Year's gift to Rongguo Mansion, and it was the New Year's gift of Uncle Lin Hai.

The person who gave the New Year gift was the head housekeeper of the Lin Mansion, and the person who met through the screen was Mrs. Wang, and it was like this every year. He first kowtowed to say hello, presented the gift list, and then greeted his own girl.

The acting master of Zhou Rui's family replied, "Miss Lin is doing well. She has grown two inches taller in our house, and her face has become rounder. Summer will be a bitter summer after all, and she came back in autumn and winter."

After hearing this, Mrs. Lin gave an apologetic smile, "Little bitch, if you can't see the girl, why don't you invite Nanny Wang and Xueyan to come..."

Zhou Rui's family knew this would happen, so they pulled their faces, "Wait."

Turning back behind the screen, Mrs. Wang nodded, Zhou Rui's family really went to the back and called Xueyan and Wang Momo to come over, and took out a letter from their sleeves, "Mommy and Miss Xueyan know what to say and what not to say. What, I won't say more, where is my wife waiting for?"

When Wang Momo and Xueyan met Butler Lin, they first told her that the girl ate and slept well recently, that the old lady and his wife were kind, and that the girl was happy every day... Finally, they took out the letter that Zhou Rui's family had stuffed for her. , "This is a letter from the girl to the master."

Butler Lin didn't doubt that he was there, took the letter with great care, and walked away without looking back.

After delivering the New Year's gifts to Rongguo Mansion, I started to give New Year's gifts to Lin Hai's contemporaries. Human relationships need to be maintained, especially during the holidays.

They don't come to the capital often, and they don't know much about the affairs of each family. The important list has been given away, and there is another list of unimportant gifts. These stewards began to purchase in the streets and alleys of Kyoto. Coincidentally, I ran into an acquaintance who was also the steward of a mansion. When Lin Hai was not released, the two families walked around frequently. Now there are not many people walking around, and the servants are not common anymore.

The two housekeepers met for a drink, and when they heard that Housekeeper Lin had visited the Rongguo Mansion, the acquaintance asked him, "Have you been to the Zhongwuhou Mansion? Your girl is raised by others for two out of three months." Inside the mansion, the last time our old lady celebrated her birthday, the wife in charge of the Hou Mansion brought her here, although I haven't seen her, but our family has seen her."

Butler Lin was so drunk when he heard this, he immediately woke up, "What did you say, our girl was raised by the old lady of Rongguo Mansion... this... this..."

"Lin An, grandma and aunt are not wrong. Marquis Zhongwu and first-class general Jia She of Rongguo Mansion are exactly the same. If you say they are not twins, I will pick out your eyeballs. I just heard that the two families It's a bit embarrassing, anyway, I haven't seen Zhongwuhou's wife go to Rongguo Mansion for a banquet, but the second lady of Rongguo Mansion and your girl are raised in their home. Tomorrow, tomorrow Princess Anyang will hold a banquet, and the beautiful girl will have a big banquet , I heard that the Zhongwuhou Mansion will take your young lady with you after getting the post."

"Old brother, don't drink anymore. I have to buy something and go to Zhongwuhou's mansion. I will treat you to this meal. Brother, you can drink whatever you want. Brother, I will treat you to another meal before returning to Jiangnan. This is really a big deal."

The steward also clearly distinguished the importance, and waved his hand, "Hurry up, Zhongwuhou is a military officer, and there is only one elder brother in his family. Now the official worship is from the fourth rank, and we are going to get married next year. You can buy some festive things and send them."

"Thank you for the pointer, thank you for the pointer."

So much so that at night when Jia Xun was on duty to go home, when he checked today’s gift list, it was rumored that there was another relative who wanted to give a gift, which was sent by Mr. Lin’s house in the south of the Yangtze River. The lights are already lit, "Gifts at night?"

After all, he went to the front hall, and an elderly manager kowtowed respectfully.

"Please, old man, Jiangnan Lin's family, isn't Yanke Lin's family?"

"Exactly, our grandfather was originally from Gusu, and our wife is a girl from Rongguo Mansion."

"It turned out to be from Sister Lin's family." Jia Huan knew the reason for her visit, and said to Jia Gui beside him, "Tell me to the back, invite my cousin out, and let her meet her old family. Come on, it’s not easy after all.”

Butler Lin was overjoyed, waiting anxiously, and accompanied Jia Xun to talk about the scenery of the south of the Yangtze River. After a quarter of an hour, a word came from behind, saying that the girl had arrived, and the boys in the room avoided, leaving Jia Xun and Lin Da. housekeeper.

Seven servant girls came out around Lin Daiyu. When Lin Daiyu saw her acquaintance, she burst into tears. Butler Lin lay on the ground sobbing and crying. She couldn't stop scolding Nanny Wang and Xueyan, slaves who betrayed the master. The girl is not at all. With a round face, the face is almost like an awl.It can be seen that he has long been unfaithful.