Old things in the Red Chamber

First, Jia Amnesty and Jia Zheng came. As soon as they went upstairs, Jia Gu first apologized to the two brothers, saying that yesterday the servant was vulgar and offended the family members of the mansion.

Not long after, the two Shijia brothers came, five of them gave up their seats, and served the food. Jia Gu poured a glass of wine for each of them, and punished himself with three glasses to make amends.

Let me talk about what happened yesterday first, "my wife and I have raised one, Xun'er, for so many years. We like children very much, but we don't have any in our family. The two historians, Lord Hou, also know what the relationship between me and them is. I entered the genealogy, but General Jia and I are twins. When I saw his youngest son, I felt like my own son. But the upbringing of a male must be decided by the father. Girls can be borrowed to raise them for comfort. .I discussed with my elder brother yesterday to bring his daughter and niece to live in my mansion for half a month before sending them back. Who knows, I, the patriarch who was tired and ignorant yesterday, apologized today.”

The two Shijia brothers said that there is no problem, "This is human nature, and the children of brothers' families are no different from their own."

Jia Zheng twirled his beard, thinking that Jia Gu would work hard on Yuan Chun's affairs, and help Yuan Chun get ahead in the palace, but it's inappropriate to talk about it now, and he also said that it's okay, yesterday was not a collision.

A few people toasting together is considered the end of the matter. This matter has been settled, and the Rongguo Mansion will not be able to talk about it anymore in the future.

But today's matter cannot be easily forgotten. Jia Zheng first called Jia Gu "brother", and then said, "...the old lady is getting old, but she has been wronged. . . . "

Jia Gu motioned to Jia Gui, and showed Jia Zheng a list that he just got in his hand, "I thought so too, I was afraid that the old lady would feel uncomfortable but I didn't say anything, so I asked the judge of the imperial hospital to take the old lady's pulse. It's a pulse case. Regardless of this matter, no matter who is right or who is wrong, the old lady is getting old, who is Tong's... My son will get married at the end of next year. I will explain it to the two Shi Hous here, and I will wait for my daughter-in-law to come in. Don't let Tong's housekeeper, and don't let Tong interfere in the work that will be sent to us in the future. Ming'er Xun'er will pay off, let him go to greet the old lady himself, and make amends to the old lady on his mother's behalf."

The Shijia brothers were very satisfied, and they couldn't make a mistake in handling Jia Zheng in this way. Jia Amnesty promised to take his nephew to see the old lady tomorrow, and the matter that happened today will be settled.

After drinking until midnight, the five of them were drunk and their eyes were hazy. Jia Gu said that he only had one child, Jia Xuan. Poor thing, he wanted to raise the children of his elder brother's family and made it like this. Monthly support Jia Yingchun and Lin Daiyu for 20 days, and send them back to Rongguo Mansion for the remaining ten days.

Jia Amnesty applauded and applauded, but Jia Zheng stared in confusion.

After writing in handwriting, everyone spontaneously pressed their fingerprints, and it was considered dispersed.

Jia Gu was taken to Mrs. Tong's main room by the women. Mrs. Tong was still asleep and dozed off under the lamp. When she saw Jia Gu being carried in, she laughed and scolded, "You still put on a show when you get home. How many drinks can you drink?" I don’t know yet, don’t be like this, if it’s two angels who put you in, it’s fine, the faces of the two women are like orange peels, you don’t dislike it either.”

Jia Gu immediately stood up straight, "It's just pretending to be a little." Sitting on the couch, he watched the women find out his clean clothes and went to the next room to take a bath.

The women took out a piece of paper from his dirty clothes, "Ma'am, what is this?"

When Tong saw it, he smiled, "I know this person is not at a disadvantage."

Lin Daiyu and Jia Yingchun didn't see their uncle when they had dinner the next morning, but they saw their cousin, who came out to greet them, had breakfast alone on the other side of the screen, changed into the clothes for meeting guests, and took The gift box is out.

Jia She was waiting at the gate of his courtyard, and pulled Jia Lian and Jia Cong over. Jia Lian looked sleepy, and was scolded by Jia She.

Jia Lian is two years older than Jia Xuan, and they are five or six points alike, but when they stand together, Jia Lian looks dispirited.Although Jia Xun is two years younger than Jia Lian, she looks a year or two older than Jia Lian because of the wind and sun at the border.In addition, he is tall and straight, with a straight body and a high-spirited attitude, which makes it easy for people to like him.

Shi Taijun dislikes Jia Gu very much, and dislikes Tong's [-] percent, but he has a surprisingly good attitude towards their two sons.

She put on her tortoiseshell glasses, took Jia Huan's hand and looked at it again and again, then touched his shoulder with her hand, "He and the old man are described in the same manuscript." After speaking, she covered her face and cried.

The maids in the room persuaded him several times, and Jia She also persuaded him twice.Jia Xun seemed to be in a hurry. He had hardly seen the women around him cry. In the Northland, those who survived the war for days were the tough ones. He knew that tears were not easy to use in the Northland.

Shi Taijun took Jia Xun to sit beside him, and asked what he usually ate?What are you using?What are you playing?Jia Huan answered bit by bit.He also heard that he was married to a girl from Princess Anyang's family, and told him to live a good life, never to be sorry to other girls, and not to be like a greedy cat who loves one another.

Jia Xun couldn't laugh or cry, and then Shi Taijun was so happy that he asked Yuanyang to open the warehouse, found three or four sets of inkstone brush washers in his collection, and took out the finger-pull dagger and short sword that the old man used back then. She even remembered the old man There was also a carved saddle, which was also taken away by her grandson. It was scattered. When Jia Xun went, he brought a few hundred taels of silver, and when he left, he took Shi Taijun's private house of thousands of taels.

When Jia Xun left, Mrs. Wang dropped a set of teacups angrily, and then went to the Buddhist hall to read scriptures for a long time.When Jia Zheng came back, he focused on how many things the old lady gave away today.

Jia Zheng was a little puzzled. He knew that the old lady would definitely reward Jia Xun with things, but it was a bit abnormal to reward so much. He scolded Mrs. Wang, "The old lady is someone who has experienced big storms. If you give it out, it must be a gift." The reason is that Jia Gu and his wife are rude, the old lady rewarded her and outsiders will only say that she is a generous old man, so don't worry about what is there all day long."

Mrs. Wang almost died of anger, "The things in this mansion will belong to Baoyu in the future."

"Shut up," Jia Zheng was very angry. He knew it was one thing, but yelling it out was another.He put the bowl on the table angrily, "I'll go to pay my respects to the old lady first, where are you staying at Mrs. Zhao tonight?"

That night, Mrs. Wang read scriptures for another half night.

When Jia Zheng went to pay his respects to his old lady at night, he could hear laughter from across the yard, and all the maids in the yard shouted "Baoyu Baoyu".Jia Zheng was also angry. There are a few servants in this world who dare to call out the name of their master so brazenly, and the Rongguo Mansion has the ability to do so. , Jia Zheng felt more tired than ever.

When Jia Baoyu saw his father, he was like a mouse seeing a cat. He dared not speak. Seeing him pretending to be a quail, Jia Zheng became furious, "What do you look like standing here? Have you read the book yet?" ? Where did you read it?"

Jia Baoyu quickly replied, "Returning to the master, I read Lu Ming in the Book of Songs."

Jia Zheng wanted to talk, but was interrupted by Shi Taijun, "Don't scare Baoyu in front of the old woman. He has been unhappy these days, and finally saw a smiling face today, and he was scared away by you. What are you doing here?" Go back if you have nothing to do, going to the yamen sooner or later is very hard work."

Jia Zheng just had to suppress the idea of ​​educating Jia Baoyu.

"I heard that Jia Xuan is here today?"

"Well, here it is, hey, I suddenly saw it, and it looked like your father when he was young. In the past, he said that among my grandchildren, Baoyu looks the most like him. Today, when I look at him, the one I look like the most is Xuan'er." Let Jia Baoyu go back and rest. Under Jia Zheng's watchful eye, Jia Baoyu fled.

Jia Zheng turned around and said, "Jia Xun is only fifteen, not a few years older than Baoyu. I heard my colleagues chatting today. Compared with people of the same age, there is something to be said, which made the prince's son-in-law of Anyang very happy. Baoyu can't draw a horse or draw a bow. If his knowledge is not as good as that of a military officer, then..."

"Baoyu is the son of a young man. Xi'er was in the frontier since he was a child, can he compare? His body and bones are much stronger than Baoyu's." Shi Taijun was a little angry, "Baoyu's body is weak, if you force him to make progress like Zhu'er , when you cry."

Jia Zheng had no choice but to give up.

Jia Huan took the things home, but Mrs. Tong got angry when she didn't see it. She was quite surprised and said, "I didn't really shame me yesterday, but I really didn't like it." She looked at the things in the room. , "They are all good things, they just look a little old."

Jia Huan didn't care, ordered someone to pack it up, and went back to the yard to study and race horses. His life was very boring, reading, horse racing, sleeping, and eating.

But Lin Daiyu and Jia Yingchun have been living a good life recently, and they also told Tong tactfully, "I want to go home and see the old lady."

Tong said to the two of them, "Your uncles have discussed it. From now on, the two of you will stay with me for 20 days, and go back to accompany the old lady for [-] days."

Then he took the two of them to work at home, tied up swings in their yard, took them on horseback and pitched pots, and played cards and read books when they were free. After only two days, Jia Yingchun felt that there seemed to be too much flesh on her waist. After a while, Lin Daiyu slept a little deeper at night.

In a blink of an eye, Jia Baoyu had been quarreling at home for seven or eight days, begging someone to bring his second sister, Sister Lin, back soon, so Mrs. Wang asked Wang Xifeng to lead the team and set off with Xue Baochai, Jia Tanchun and Jia Xichun.

It was Jia Gusan's duty that day, Jia Xing went to the palace to be on duty, and the carriage of Rongguo Mansion went straight into the backyard. When Wang Xifeng met, she talked wildly. Their little girls hadn't seen each other for a few days, and they were very close.A group of people were talking in the upper room.

Mrs. Tong looked at these little girls, and the light in her eyes almost burst out, "Oh, I just want a girl. Who knew that only you, brother Xun, are such an idiot."

Jia Tanchun stood up gracefully, "Auntie, I don't know if brother Xun is at home, let's greet him."

To let Madam Tong choose, she likes a straightforward girl like Jia Tanchun the most, who suits her taste best, but her father is Jia Zheng, and Madam Tong just feels regretful that she is not on the same road as Jia Gu.

"Your brother Xun is on duty and is not at home. See you someday when you are at home."

When Jia Tanchun came, Jia Yingchun was even more confused, and Lin Daiyu became more cautious, "Is uncle there? I should say hello to uncle."

Mrs. Tong sent someone to ask, and sure enough, Jia She and Jia Gu were drinking in the study again.

Jia Gu said casually, "The girls are invited."

The mothers-in-law went to the front yard to clear the place, and opened umbrellas for the girls, leaving Wang Xifeng to talk with Mrs. Tong. The three sisters of the Jia family, plus Xue Baochai and Lin Daiyu, five girls took a car and walked for more than 20 minutes. Minutes to the cloister in the middle of the backyard.

Jia Gu and Jia She moved the wine stall here, looking at the autumn scenery all over the courtyard, you drank one cup and another cup to your heart's content.

The two brothers were the only ones in the corridor, and there was no one to serve them. Jia Gu poured wine for Jia She with the wine jug, and saw five girls approaching surrounded by women.

Jia Yingchun came forward to introduce everyone, first Xue Baochai who lived here, then Jia Tanchun and Jia Xichun, Jia Gu sat still and said, "Uncle had a bit too much to drink today, and I don't have anything good for you. I will look for you when you go back." Auntie, just say what I said, and gave a generous gift. Good children, you are living here now, what is missing? Send someone to tell your aunt that someone is disobedient and mischievous. Don’t mention that they are hiding it, just send someone Just tell your aunt."

After the children returned to the backyard, Jia Gu asked Jia She, "That girl from Xue's family, is she not talking about selection now?"

Jia She nodded, "Even if I don't go out all day, I know that the selection process has already been completed. She must not have been selected."