Old things in the Red Chamber

The weather was not too cold. First, it was Lin Daiyu's birthday in February. Jia Huan took his wife and children to Gu's house to celebrate Daiyu's birthday.

Because the weather is not too cold, at this time, the cotton-padded clothes of the children in the family are not as thick as in winter. Jia Xuan and Gu Yun first took the four children to fish by the pavilion. Later, Xuan Er said that it was not interesting and wanted to go back Looking for mothers, the remaining three also rebelled, so they had to be sent back by the women. After a while, the number of guests came increased, and the guests sat separately. The men were in the front yard and the women were in the back yard.

After three rounds of drinking in the front yard, because there were people from Rongguofu and Ningguofu, a younger brother of Gu Yun asked Jia Rong, "I heard that many people practice bow and horse in your mansion. I don't know that there is such a thing." son?"

Jia Rong told him in a low voice, because the brothers of the Gu family were civil servants, and these few words did not attract the attention of others. Sitting there limply, he thought that this didn't look like he had practiced bowing and horse all the year round.

Because he looked at Jia Rong a few more times, his second uncle asked, "What is my brother-in-law looking at?"

"Look at Jia Rong, I heard that someone in their family practiced bowing horses. Judging by Jia Rong's appearance, it seems that he has never practiced."

"How could it be possible to practice?" Second Master Qi pouted, "Let me tell you, it's just gathering people to drink, and I'm just cheating people like you who don't know. Look at him, does he look like someone who has drawn a bow? ?”

"Not like."

"So, if I were Gu Er, I'd take his younger brother and don't mix with these people. It's not easy to learn well, and learn badly very quickly."

Gu Yu stood behind them holding a cup, and suddenly asked, "Is this true?"

Second Master Qi and Jia Huan hurriedly turned their heads and bowed their fists to greet Gu Yu.

"I'm here to toast you. It seems that you didn't bother me with your dedication. Second Master Qi, is what you just said true?"

Second Master Qi nodded hurriedly.

After the three toasted each other, Gu Yu nodded and called the concubine's younger brother away from Jia Rong. It seemed that he went to discipline his younger brother.

Another month passed, Mrs. Wang came back from the gate of the palace to see Shi Taijun.

"Still haven't seen your empress?" Shi Taijun saw the expression on Mrs. Wang's expression, and guessed the ending.

"It is said that the empress is ill." Mrs. Wang said with a sad face, "What should I do? I haven't seen the imperial concubine since the Chinese New Year until now. I don't know what kind of illness is. Why is it not getting better?"

Shi Taijun also had such doubts in his heart, because Wang Xifeng had a big belly and couldn't work for her. Shi Taijun called Ping'er back from the East Courtyard and asked her, "Has your grandma inquired about the palace lady these days?"

Ping'er lowered his head and replied, "I have inquired about it. Because I am pregnant with my concubine, no one dares to disclose it. Those who know the news also say that my concubine is carrying it. These days, this decline has been repeated over and over again. Nothing else was heard."

Mrs. Wang anxiously asked, "Where did the imperial concubine hear any news?"

"I only heard that he was ill, and I don't know about the others." Seeing Mrs. Wang's disappointed look, Ping'er said, "Doesn't the imperial concubine often send people to the house? When someone comes, you can just ask." .”

Shi Taijun looked at Mrs. Wang, "Mistress, have you sent someone to collect money at home these days?"

After saying this, Mrs. Wang was startled, the empress should have asked someone to come to the house to collect the silver, but why didn't she come for so long.

Shi Taijun said to Ping'er, "Go back and serve your master."

Seeing Ping'er go down, Shi Taijun asked Mrs. Wang sternly, "Think about it carefully, what did the empress send someone to say last time?"

Ping'er came out of Rongguo Mansion, took a carriage, turned around the courtyard wall and arrived at the gate of the East Courtyard. After entering the gate, before he reached the second gate, he was stopped by several women. Seeing Ping'er, he said, It was like seeing a bodhisattva falling from the sky, "Girl, you are back, please go back and have a look, grandma is angry."

Ping'er carried her skirt to the backyard and asked them, "Why is grandma angry?"

"It's the grandma from the Ning Mansion next door who came and talked for a while. The second grandma cried and cursed. I heard that something was broken and the people inside are urging you to come back."

Ping'er thought to herself that in the past, Grandma Zhen had a good temper and didn't blush with anyone, how could the two of them have turned against each other today.

Before entering the door, I heard Wang Xifeng pointing at Grandma Zhen and began to scold. The women hid at the door and eavesdropped. When they saw Ping'er coming, they all ran away in embarrassment. , Wang Xifeng sat there crying with her stomach upright, and her maid Xiaohong rubbed her stomach with her, and Grandma Zhen Youshi stood on the ground, her clothes were full of snot and tears, her hair was crooked, and one of her earrings was missing. , with blood on the earlobe, standing there, constantly apologizing to Wang Xifeng.

"What's the matter? Grandma, why are you crying so hard? Regardless of other things, you have to take care of the brother in your belly."

Youshi also said, "Yes, yes, Feng Lazi, you have to take care."

Wang Xifeng's eyes slanted, "The elder sister-in-law is now a virtuous person, no wonder the two sisters can do such a thing..." Xiaohong hurriedly pulled Wang Xifeng, "Grandma, don't talk about this, let's find the second master first. It's important to come back."

Wang Xifeng ate Xiaohong, "Whatever he does, what shall we compare with others, if you look for him, is he willing to come back?"

Xiaohong tugged at her sleeve, motioning her to look at You Shi.Ping'er still hasn't figured out what's going on, Wang Xifeng suddenly stood up as if he had opened up the second vein of Ren and Du, "It's right, Hong'er, hurry up, get our foolish second master back, Call Uncle Zhen Rong'er over, I want to see if the evil thing in the belly of our grandma's sister belongs to our second master."

Ping'er quickly looked at Xiaohong, who nodded.

When Youshi heard this, he started crying again, and before he could speak, Wang Xifeng yelled back, "Don't cry too, what I said will never be wrong, since last winter till now, our master has never followed anyone who is indifferent. If you have hooked up with someone, that evil kind might call you mother."

Originally, Mrs. You had listened to her husband, saying that Second Sister You was really pitiful, but now that the uncooked rice has become a sandwich, she has long been Jia Lian's family, and since she has children, she should enter the mansion.She didn't want to come, because Wang Xifeng was really aggressive, but Jia Zhen couldn't stop her from urging her over and over again. She had no choice but to bite the bullet and come to the door.

Others don't know, but You Shi himself knows what Jia Zhen is. If it's true that the evil in the second sister's stomach belongs to Jia Zhen, it's not seven or eight points, but five or six points.So she is in a calm mood at the moment, but she is looking forward to the brothers Jia Zhen and Jia Lian coming over so that this matter can be resolved, and it will be cleaned up as soon as possible.

Their yard is really noisy. Someone has told Mrs. Xing that Mrs. Xing has been unable to deal with Wang Xifeng. When someone reported it, she was happy without asking why. .

Jia Amnesty is really drinking with his little wife. Last time he took 50 taels of silver to buy a girl who was fifteen or sixteen. , drinking together in the garden here, and from a distance, Mrs. Xing came over with a smile all over her face.

When Jia Amnesty saw it, he asked her, "Is there a happy event?"

Mrs. Xing felt that the two sisters-in-law and sisters-in-law were arguing and couldn't be too happy, so she quickly put away her smile and said with a sad face, "No, it's just been a long time since I came to talk to the master..."

"You go back, it's fine if they serve you." Jia Amnesty didn't think about chatting with Mrs. Xing, the two of them had nothing to talk about, and besides, Mrs. Xing was not the kind of person who was knowledgeable and interesting. Talking to her was useless. happy time.

"Master," Mrs. Xing wouldn't leave in such a dispirited manner, if she left like this, she would not be able to lift her head up for half a year if the little hooves next to her saw the joke.Bringing a glass of wine to Jia Amnesty, "I really have something to tell the master."

Jia She glanced at her for a while, then signaled to the people next to her, and the wives withdrew gracefully, Madam Xing went over the words in her heart, "Master, someone just said that Zhen'er's daughter-in-law is here." , talking to Feng girl, and the two of them started arguing."

Jia She asked her, "Why are you arguing?"

Mrs. Xing thought that this was different from what I had imagined. Wasn’t it the master who was so angry that he slapped the table and scolded Wang Xifeng for not understanding how to treat guests? The daughter-in-law is making a fuss."

"Then why are you still sitting there? Why don't you go and see, why are you here?"

Mrs. Xing trembled in fright, thinking that I am waiting for you to give me the housekeeping power, otherwise if I go, then Wang Xifeng still doesn't take me seriously, how can I set rules for her.

Seeing her stunned look, Jia Amnesty felt annoyed, "Are you going? If you don't want to go, then don't leave the yard."

Mrs. Xing hurried away, Jia She thought to herself, what is this woman thinking?I drink with a glass of wine, and I feel bad after drinking two glasses. If Lian's daughter-in-law gets pregnant, it won't be my eldest grandson who will suffer.Put the quilt on the table, "Where's Lian'er?"

A maid turned around and replied, "I went out in the morning."

"Hurry up and get him back. Also, follow someone's instructions to take the anti-fetal medicine earlier. By the way, just say what I said, let Zhen'er come and take his wife away."

What and what is this.Jia Amnesty lost his interest in drinking, and thought he should find something for them to do, because they were so noisy every day because they had nothing to do.

After a while, Lin Zhixiao came in person, "Master, something went wrong. I just heard from Grandma Zhen's people that our second master had a relationship with Grandma Zhen's step-sister, and the second daughter of the You family is now married." pregnant."

Jia She thought about it, this is bad, "When your second master comes back, bring him to my yard first."

Lin Zhixiao heard this, and asked him, "Does our mansion only allow entry but not exit?"

"That's right, that's how it should be."

Not long after Lin Zhixiao went down, Jia Amnesty's servants came back surrounded by Jia Lian.

Jia She beat him up and down, ordered him to kneel down, and asked him, "Is there really such a thing between you and the girl from the You family?"

Jia Lian looked at Lao Tzu red-eyed, obviously very angry and faltering, Jia Amnesty saw it, no need to ask, there must be.Looking back, he saw a treasured sword hanging on the wall of the room. He rushed in and drew out the blade. After thinking about it, his son couldn't be killed immediately. He threw away the sword, took the scabbard, and ran out to beat Jia Lian.

Jia Lian knelt, not daring to move, and smoked for a while, the old dandy lost his strength, threw away the scabbard, sat directly on the ground, and asked Jia Lian, "Do you know where you went wrong?"

Jia Lian was quick-witted and quickly replied, "You shouldn't have sex with others in the filial piety of the country and the family."

Jia Zhen's father, Jia Jing passed away years ago, he is Jia Lian's cousin.Talk about the past of Guoxiao and Jiaxiao.

"These are small things. If you take a bowl of medicine, as long as the child is not born in the filial piety period, it will be fine. After the filial piety period, it will be enough to lift that person to the second room. I ask you where you are wrong. It is your fault." Got it, hum, don’t think that Master, I don’t know everything because I drink at home every day. Zhen’er and Rong’er are playing tricks in their house, inviting people to practice riding and archery, but it’s just gathering people to eat, drink and gamble, and then they are attracted by their beauty. People. The sons of King Xiancheng also go there from time to time, don’t you know what they are doing?”

When Jia Lian thought about it now, he suddenly felt cold sweat coming from his back, "Master said it was...it's not that they are flattering our family..."

"Fawn on your size. The two princes in our family are still young. It will be ten or twenty years before they will be fawning on you. Now that the two little dolls can't do anything, why are those scheming people fawning on you?" said Wan sighed, "A few days ago, I was thinking about which yamen your uncle would put you in, and I told him, but now there is some clues, I see, I still tell him not to worry, you are just like your old man , is the life of a dude."

"Master, Master," Jia Lian crawled over, "Son, I swear, the thing in Second Sister You's stomach is not necessarily my son's seed. It's not my son who did that with her."

Jia Amnesty raised his hand and gave another slap, and shouted to the people outside, "Bring a stick, and beat this traitor to death today."

Jia Zhen was invited to the study outside, and Jia She went to the study outside with a sullen face, shaking three times, saw Jia Zhen, and snorted.

Jia Zhen invited Ann and asked him, "Is Brother Lian'er here?"

"Here, it's not good. I asked him to buy me some good fans, but I couldn't buy them. I just rewarded him with twenty sticks."

Jia Zhen sneered.

Jia Amnesty glanced at Jia Zhen, "I also know about the family affairs. You take your wife back, I don't care what happened. I just asked that Nizi and the boy who followed him. It has snowed since years ago until now. Lian'er has never met your concubine, if you still want to be with our relatives, put away this disgusting trick, otherwise, let's make a scene so that everyone knows , anyway, our father and son, who have no official title, are different from you."

Jia Zhen's face turned pale, "How can uncle say that, we are close relatives..." After speaking, she began to cry.

Jia She's face was clouded, "Master, I'm afraid of my own flesh and blood. I was bullied by someone in the Golden Luan Hall, and I'm not my own flesh and blood. Otherwise, I might just hold my nose and admit this dirty thing now. "

Jia Zhen resolutely said goodbye and left with Youshi's carriage.

"I always feel that my heart is not at ease." Jia Amnesty took advantage of Jia Gu's return from the yamen, directly stopped his horse, did not even return home, and the two found a secluded tavern to drink.

"Jia Zhen is not the kind of person who is successful." Jia Gu brought the wine glass from Jia She's front, "I saw that the bags under your eyes are drooping, and you are more than ten years older than me. Have you been drinking again recently? gone."

Jia She nodded, "I know, I know, I will take care of it."

"Don't drink today." Jia Gu put the wine glass aside and pushed a plate of food in front of him, "You forgot, Jia Zhen has something in her hands."

"You mean, about the Qin family and Jia Zhen?"

Jia Gu nodded.

"Didn't the emperor already know about it?"

"Yes, I know, there is a noble concubine involved in this bad thing. But Jia Zhen doesn't know, he thinks there are only a few people who know." Seeing no one around, all the people sitting far away Jia Gu put his fingers in the wine glass and wrote on the table.

Jia She was so startled that he quickly stood up. The waiter and shopkeeper inside the counter were all looking at him. Jia She called out in a disguised voice, "Here are two catties of five-spice beef, sliced ​​thinly, without sesame oil."

The waiter at the shop yelled, "Two catties of five-spice beef." The kitchen followed suit, and the corners of Jia Gu's mouth twitched, "Two catties is a big plate."

Jia Amnesty was not in the mood to talk to him, "What do you think we should do?"

"Go back to your old lady now and let her take care of this matter. Let me tell you, if a woman is involved in this matter, you should let the woman do it. Your old lady is a sperm."

After thinking about it, Jia She felt that it was too right, "There is something in our family that is usually decided by the old lady, so we should ask her to make a decision about this matter."

The waiter came out with a large plate of beef, and Jia Amnesty said to the waiter in the shop, "Wrap it up for the lord, and it will be quicker."

Jia Gu said to him, "At least let me hold a chopstick."

"This is for the old lady, don't think about letting the old lady eat what you left."

The waiter in the shop wrapped it in paper, and Jia Amnesty's boy carried it, and a group of people went back like a gust of wind.

Jia Gu threw his chopsticks away, "Check out and leave."

Shi Taijun already knew about the mess in Jia She's yard.

After all, the commotion was a bit big, and Wang Xifeng was pregnant with a child recently, so she became the focus of Shi Taijun's attention. The old lady is very good at distinguishing between insiders and outsiders. Jia Zheng didn't discuss it, and Jia She and Jia Zhen ran into each other. The old lady asked the reason first, but she still favored Jia She in her heart.When Jia Lian's matter was put before her, Shi Taijun thought in his heart, "Lian'er is a greedy cat, and Zhen'er is not a good person. In this matter, Jia Lian is probably at fault, but what the boss said is not wrong. , the wicked things that Jia Zhen has done are not one."

When Jia She came back at night with a paper bag of beef, he flatteringly handed the paper to Yuanyang, Shi Taijun snorted.

"Knowing that you're fine, you won't be filial to me. I know what's going on in your yard. What did Lian'er say?"

"Lian'er has something to do with that person, but that happened last year, unless there is something wrong in her stomach, Lian'er cannot be involved in this matter."

Shi Taijun said happily, "You are not confused. Let me tell you, whether this matter has something to do with Lian'er or not, we can't accept it. The princes in the palace have important faces. Speaking of which, if Lian'er is not Check things, let the princes look bad, when he goes to court, people say "nephew like uncle", not to compare the decent uncles of the country, but to compare the princes to uncles with corrupt morals. When the time comes, we will I can't justify what happened today with all my mouth."

"You said so."

"This is a big deal. Lian'er is my grandson, and I feel sorry for the lady in the palace. You don't need to bring two catties of beef. I've already beaten it today. Don't interfere at this time. In a few days , we will see the outcome.”

"It's all up to the old lady to manage."

"Don't always think that I'm partial to the second brother. Tell me, compared with the ugly son, I don't give my heart to you two brothers. In our family, it is the girls who are promising, but you also know, girls Far water can’t quench the near thirst, and the family needs you to stand firmly in the imperial court. Seeing that your generation is dying, I can only count on Baoyu, Baoyu is the future of our family.”

Jia Amnesty's emotion at that idea vanished in an instant.Mu Mu said, "What you said is true." But he felt reconciled in his heart, thinking that Baoyu hadn't heard of studying and making progress in recent years, so he might as well be worse than Cong'er.I couldn't help showing off to Shi Taijun, "Speaking of which, I'm going to end in a few days. I've already sent Cong'er to take the exam. Why don't they let their brothers go together, and they can also be companions."

When Shi Taijun heard it, she was a little moved. She had absolute confidence in Baoyu, and never thought that Baoyu would not pass the exam. It’s enough for our family to donate his birth to him.”

The donated ones are convincing.

Jia Amnesty insisted on letting Jia Cong take the test, and as soon as he said it, Jia Cong's wife also said that his time had come.

"It's good to let them see and see. When they interact with others in the future, it will be a good story to tell. Old lady, maybe in a few days, everyone envies our family. It is also an honor for our brothers to be on the list."

Shi Taijun thought about it, "You are right. There are women in the palace, and their brothers will become scholars again. Their future is just around the corner. What you said is true. It's hard for you to think about Baoyu. You go back and look at it." Cong'er, you don't need to come to pay me a visit these days, you just need to study in your room, and you can use whatever you eat, tell me, and I will allocate it to him from my case."

Jia Amnesty stood up and thanked him for Jia Cong, and asked quietly, "Where is the precious jade?"

"When I tell your brother, let him look at Baoyu and you look at Cong'er. If there are two civil servants in the family, those who have passed the exam seriously will go underground. I will see your father, and I will have the face to speak."

Speaking of this person, the old lady wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, "The old man is complaining about me because of the ugly son, he hopes that our family will all become civil servants, and we will be full of nobles in the future. In the end, Xi'er If I become a military officer, I'm afraid that the old man will blame me again when he goes underground."

Speaking of the dead father, the resentment and anger in Jia She's heart caused by the partiality of the old mother has also diminished a lot, "Every year during the sacrifice, the son comforts his father on behalf of his old brother and Xun'er. He must have heard it. In addition, brother Nan must be in the Yin Court, and my father is happy."

Shi Taijun nodded, "I know you are filial, go back, don't worry about Lian'er's affairs, just look at Cong'er, it's his luck to pass the exam in the future."

Jia Amnesty comforted her a few words and withdrew.