Old things in the Red Chamber

Jia Gu looked at Jia Gui shaking his head like a rattle, and wondered who it was, with such a big score.

"I'm guessing, it's not the grandma of the Lin family's cousin. She always comes in directly, so you don't need to report."

Jia Gu was puzzled, but the anxious Jia Gui had already helped him to stand up. "Master Hou, the visitor is an honored guest, so you must not be neglected."

Jia Gu followed him out of the main hall, and saw a strange guard guarding a small figure. The small figure was still pretending to be an adult with his hands behind his back, nodding to the couplet on the door. ?No need to ask any more, the person who came was the Ninth Prince Zhao.The purpose of coming here is naturally to represent his father. He is too young to leave the palace independently, so he still needs approval if he wants to leave the palace.

Even though the other party was a child, Jia Gu also wanted to pay respects, the Ninth Prince hurried forward to support him, but Jia Gu insisted on completing the etiquette before leading him to the main hall.

This kid also has a sweet mouth and is very good at talking, "Today Zhao came to visit my cousin by order. Let's just talk about family rituals."

Jia Gu imitated the old scholars who emphasized that "rituals cannot be discarded."

At this time, Jia Gu's staff members, priests, and family generals were secretly observing the Ninth Prince. For them, it was their duty to help the Patriarch identify the future master.But for these people, the master's master is not my master. The first person they swear allegiance to is Jia Gu, the second is Jia Xuan, the third is Jia Nan, and so on, it has nothing to do with the Ninth Prince.

These people were recruited by Jia Gu from the north, and some of them were his former personal guards who became the current generals.Some counselors of the past have become current aides, and some of the green forests and grass that were collected and paid back then have become today's offerings.The northern region retains some ancient customs. Compared with the capital city, they retain more of the custom of retainers in the Spring and Autumn Period, and the master-slave relationship is close. As the patriarch of Jia Gu, he must be courteous and corporal, and serve the generals as retainers. The most important thing is to be loyal, which includes giving your life.

This has been the case for a long time, and Jia Xie has despised Shi Taijun's argument that "a slave who has served his ancestors has more face than a little master". He feels that a master is a master, and a slave is a slave. Unless the master is stupid, the slave must not The following guilty.

Invite the Ninth Prince to the living room, first serve tea, and then talk about the Ninth Prince's study.The whole process was uneventful, and Jia Gu didn't test the Ninth Prince's reading level. He acted cautiously, and sat awkwardly for a long time. There was a word in the backyard that the uncle had changed his clothes, so Jia Gu accompanied the Ninth Prince to visit Jia.珹.

After a lot of tossing, when the sun was setting, Jia Gu personally sent the Ninth Prince back to the palace, and watched the Ninth Prince's carriage disappear in the palace before turning the horse's head and going home.

When the Hou's mansion went to the room, including Jia Xun who was injured on the buttocks, the people sitting in the room stopped talking when Jia Gu came back. Seeing Jia Gu sitting on the seat, an old man first asked, "Master Hou thinks How is your Highness?"

Jia Gu was very clear about his skills, and judging people was not his specialty. He turned to ask a middle-aged man sitting next to him. The middle-aged man was holding a teacup and had six fingers in one hand. He was the head of the staff. , was also the head of Jia Gu's counselor back then. "What do you think sir?"

Six fingers put down the teacup, "The posture of the upper middle is all up to the day after tomorrow."

The others didn't speak, Jia Gu pondered for a while, "Sir, do you think we can trust each other with our lives?"

Six fingers looked at Jia Gu slightly, "Your Majesty has already had a secret case, so why bother to ask again today? Let's not talk about it. Today, I waited in the dark to observe. It's not because Master Hou has made a decision. Master Hou has been in the military since he was a boy." I have spent half my life fighting with others. Although there are storms in the capital, it is far less enjoyable than being on the battlefield. After all, Lord Hou is nostalgic for the battlefield, thinking of the feeling that his life is hanging by a thread. In the drama of seizing the heirloom, isn't life hanging by a thread? Not only Hou Ye is like this, but we are also like this."

Liu Zhi picked up the teacup again, "As for the man selected by Master Hou, whether he succeeds or not depends on us. He is still young and has a lot to teach him."

Everyone else nodded, and an old man with white hair clasped his fists together, "Master Hou, the second boy of a certain family is a disciple of a master who teaches literature in the palace. I heard that the master can bring students into the palace. I know that Master Hou has a book Wu Daozi's famous painting, please give it to someone, let a boy from a certain family forward it to the master, so that he can win his favor, follow the master into the palace sooner or later, and approach His Highness."

Jia Gu nodded to Jia Gui, Jia Gui went out to pick up the paintings, the atmosphere in the room became lively, and everyone made suggestions one after another, making Jia Gu feel as if he was back in the past, laying down the chess pieces one by one in advance to bring all kinds of forces in the capital ahead of time. Marking out the camps, everyone takes one step and sees three steps. After discussing, no one wants to go back to sleep. It wasn't until Jia Gui arranged for someone to bring a midnight snack that the people in the hall were shocked to realize that it was already the fourth watch.

The Ninth Prince returned to the palace first to go to the Imperial Study to meet business. In the Emperor's Imperial Study, butter candles had long been replaced. The Emperor raised his head from the memorial, rubbed his eyes and asked the Ninth Prince, "What did you have for lunch?"

The Ninth Prince smiled and said, "Beef noodles. I heard that if the rich and powerful families in Kyoto want to eat beef, they will always report to the government that their cattle fell to death, and then pay the fine. The son thought, could it be that Uncle Gu Si Have you ever thought about it? Kyoto is a plain, no highlands, no ditches, how could cattle fall to their deaths? Besides, farming cattle are precious. I heard that noble families also have land, and there are a lot of them. Naturally, we know that cattle are more valuable than manpower, so if you fall to your death, you will fall to your death."

"This is a matter of virtue. In the eyes of those noblemen, people are not as good as cows, but cows are not as good as their own appetites. In other words, if they have a large piece of land, they will have Therefore, there is no comparison between using people to cultivate or using cattle to cultivate, as long as they can collect rent. For those poor families, cattle are more valuable than people, because cattle eat grass After finishing speaking, I felt boring, and sighed, "The government's laws have always been in charge of the common people. Those rich and powerful, wantonly breaking the law, naturally kill cattle if they want to. You are still young, so you don't understand so much."

The Ninth Prince was not convinced, "My son is not young anymore. The mother and concubine said that the son is an older child, and he should set an example for his younger siblings. In fact, you don't say that your son understands, because relying on the merits of the ancestors, the nobles of the noble family act recklessly. Their virtues are flawed. As long as they take away their titles and seize their land, it can serve as a warning."

The emperor alighted from the throne, knelt down and held his son in his arms, "You are thinking too simply. This is the case with nobles. Killing a family or taking the title of a family is far from the result you imagined. If the person who kills takes the title They will rebel. There is a standard for everything... You are still young, and it is too early for the emperor to tell you this. Go back, go back to see your mother, concubine and sister, and go back to your bedroom to sleep early, tomorrow Don't be late, Master Liu is a great Confucian, so don't be disrespectful."

The Ninth Prince was full of words and didn't say anything. He wanted to show off in front of his father, but his father kept saying that he was young, but he was no longer young.

He kicked and stepped out of the car, straightened his clothes, and respectfully greeted his concubine. His younger sister, Princess Ruhe, clapped her little hands to be hugged by him. The eleventh prince also ran over from the side hall and circled around his brother. Time is the happiest time for Hefei.

After eating, the Ninth Prince looked at the copper leak, it was still early, so he surrounded Hefei to talk to her.

What can be said is also when Hefei was not married.The three children listened with great interest, but today the Ninth Prince asked more questions. "Mother and Concubine, how many Zhuangzi fields does Rongguo Mansion have?"

How does Concubine He know this? Mrs. Wang holds the account books of the whole family. How does she, a young lady who is not valued, know so clearly? Dare to fool their father and son on anything.After thinking about it, I answered seriously, "Hefei is a concubine at home, and the housekeeper is the aunt in the next room. I have never read the account book, and I only heard about it during the Chinese New Year. There are two Zhuangzi in Jinling and three Zhuangzi in Beijing." , there is a Zhuangzi in the north. As for where the north is, I don’t know.”

The Ninth Prince was a little disappointed. Mother probably knew about a small part of it. Among other things, those whose family wealth is put on the surface are people who can see people. I heard that there are many floating wealth that cannot be seen. I won’t gossip of.

He asked again, "Where is Cousin Jia's house?"

Concubine He laughed, "I do know their family's Zhuangzi. Before I entered the palace, I had a Zhuangzi near the capital. After I entered the palace, I heard that I also bought a Zhuangzi in Zhili."

The eleventh prince next to him asked puzzledly, "How does the concubine mother know about their family, but not her own?"

Concubine He's smile became much bitterer, "That's because I feel like a guest at my own house, and I feel like a host at a relative's house."

The eleventh prince still wanted to ask, but was secretly kicked by the ninth prince, and he obediently shut up.

Seeing that it was getting late, Concubine He was worried that the Ninth Prince would be late returning to the palace, and the foster mother punished him, urging him to leave quickly, and brought the eldest son to the gate of the palace with the two young children, watching his carriage far away. Only when she came back with the two little ones, the princess was too drowsy to lift her head.

The status of the princesses in the palace is far inferior to that of the prince. Therefore, compared with the powerful nuns of the princes, the nuns of the princesses are much more gentle. They took the princess away and did not gossip. Mama, I have to say a few words about Da and Concubine.

I'm used to this kind of life, and I don't feel bitter. Hefei took off her hair and went to see her daughter first. The daughter changed into her pajamas and slept obediently in the big bed, her little face flushed.I went to see my son again, the youngest son will not be able to support him for a few years, and the concubine cherishes the time when mother and son are together, and personally tucked him in the cool quilt. More to say, on a hot day, it's enough to cover your belly so you don't catch cold. This confused lady thought it was winter, and she had to hug everyone to cover her with a quilt.

It's true to say that people are confused, and it's true that they are blessed. Nunnies never leave their little master's side. If those shrewd mothers would break apart the words of the little masters and analyze them, they would even do it themselves. The slaves felt that His Royal Highness Ninth Prince spoke of the two Jia families in different tones today, but the empress didn't notice it.

The nurturing mother who was slandering her stomach heard footsteps in the courtyard, and knew that the one who could come at this time was the emperor, so she couldn't help but smile on her face, and said to the concubine with a smile, "Your Majesty, the emperor is here, hurry up to pick him up." drive,"

Licorice supported Concubine He out of the side hall, Concubine He was still worried about her disheveled hair, "The emperor won't blame me for this?"

Speaking of reaching the main hall, the emperor changed his clothes under the service of the palace servants, and sat on the couch where the concubine He often sat. A young court lady was waiting on him attentively. , "The maids here are quite spiritual."

Concubine He felt as if a bucket of ice water was being poured over her head, and she was stunned.The maids in the palace flattered the emperor, this kind of thing has always happened, not to mention, last month the empress in the palace next door was slapped in the face, now it's my turn.

The emperor didn't shake the folding fan in his hand, "And this lady-in-waiting has been educated, and she has something to say with Zhen Zuo, which is really impressive."

The palace maid Yingying bowed down. She has been in the palace for more than a year and has been serving outside the hall. She finally seized the opportunity, so she will naturally use all her abilities.

Licorice helped Concubine He go forward, pressed her on the couch, and poured her a glass of water.The emperor looked at the concubine and knew that he was unhappy so he didn't say anything, and even asked and answered with the maid.

"So you have read the white horse is not a horse debate? Daughter daughter, very few people read this."

"The emperor praised it absurdly, and the servant girl is also half-knowledgeable. If the emperor can explain the confusion, it will also be the blessing of the servant girl."

The emperor turned his head and looked at Concubine He, "It would be a good thing if our Ruhe grew up like this in the future."

Concubine He stared blankly at the emperor, seeing his brows and eyes smiling, opening and closing his mouth but not knowing what he was talking about, and smiled blankly at the emperor.

"In that case, go and move to Fengzao Palace. If there is a female history missing, you can do it first." The emperor put his arms around the concubine and concubine across the small table, "My concubine, go to bed early, the court meeting tomorrow, I will Get up early."

For Concubine He, this is really a surprise, as long as this maid is not in front of her, everything is easy to talk about.He happily supported the emperor, helped him into the bedroom, and brought water to wash his feet.

The emperor tilted his head and asked Hefei, "Don't you know this woman well?"

There was no one around, and there was no sense of superiority when speaking. The emperor reached out and touched the concubine's hair, speaking tenderly.

"She has almost never stayed with the concubine, and the concubine only found out today that there is such a talented woman in the Pixiang Palace."

"It is said that a woman's lack of talent is virtue. This is not true, but it is also true. When she stopped me from being courteous to me tonight, do you know who I thought of?"

Concubine He wiped his feet with a cloth towel, and thought about the concubine in her mind, "The concubine is dull."

"Your advantage lies in the two words of dullness. There are many smart concubines in this palace, why are you so lucky, have you ever thought about it?"

"The blessing of a concubine is bestowed by the emperor."

"That's true, indeed, when I saw you at the imperial sister's house..." I smiled and didn't go on saying, "Now we have three children, and you are still young. Maybe you can give me another child if you raise them for a few years." I gave birth to a child, and to tell you the truth, when I saw that court lady, I remembered your cousin, do you think they look alike?"

"In terms of talent, it seems to be similar."

"No, no, concubine, when it comes to ambition, they are alike. Come on, don't stand still, I will get up early tomorrow."

Concubine He climbed onto the bed from the end of the bed, and just laying down, the emperor's voice said, "You, I never asked, after your cousin left, who has the power fed by the Rongguo Mansion with gold and silver for decades turned to? ?”