The maid of the red house

Today is the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, the moon is full in the sky, and the world is reunited, but my family members are all separated from each other. If they die, they will be clean, and those who survive will have to suffer.Baoyu let out a long sigh, gathered up the old felt cloak, felt his hands and feet were cold, without any warmth, only the biting cold, he looked back at the house where Juliensheng lived, and silently knocked on the clapper.

In August, Long En, Emperor Gandi of Mengmeng, was released. Presumably, it was because his family members died, exiled, and sold, so he was not dragged to the street for sale.When he came out, he avoided the two Baochai Sheyue who came to pick him up, and also avoided the Xiren who came with Baochai Sheyue, but left with the drunk King Ni Er.

He didn't know how to face Baochai Muskyue and Xiren who had been released early.

Drunk King Ni Er is a good friend of Jia Yun. He once borrowed money from Jia Yun, and had a good relationship with the prison guards in the Prison Temple. Whenever Jia Yun came to visit, Ni Er helped to take care of it. , Baoyu also had some friendship with him.

Although Ni Er was a rascal, he also generously donated money. After Baoyu was released from prison, he had nowhere to go and refused to see Baochai again. Ni Er found him a place to live, and persuaded Baoyu to do less rouge and do more business. Baoyu was pampered and spoiled since she was a child, and there was nothing she could do, except that she was very good at reading and writing. Ni Er wanted him to write letters to others, so that he could earn a few pens and ink money, but Baoyu thought of the sins he had done in his family, so he asked for a letter to write. Work, only walk around at night, don't be ashamed to see people.

After the watch, the sky was getting brighter, Baoyu was full of tiredness, and stopped at the entrance of Ningrong Street, staring at the dilapidated mansion in a daze, but in a year or two, the door and wall remained the same, the inside was dilapidated, and the vermilion paint on the gate was also peeling off better.Looking at the gate with the three animal heads that had been removed from the plaque, Baoyu seemed to have the romantic momentum of riding a horse and whipping his whip in front of Baoyu.

Liu Xianglian said: "Except for the two stone lions at the door, your East Mansion is clean, not even the cats and dogs inside."

The words still ringing in his ears, Baoyu sighed softly, not only the Ningguo Mansion is not clean, even the Rongguo Mansion is the same?Misappropriating the things Uncle Lin left for Sister Lin, and even having his own wife, with so many things, there is no excuse for him, what face does he have to shelter under the influence of Sister Lin's husband's family?

Baoyu walked towards home, but someone laughed and said, "Hey, isn't this the second master of Baoyu Bao? Why are you so down and out?"

Hearing the sound, looking up, Baoyu saw that the people living nearby were all looking at him, and quickly lowered his head and hurried away. Although this is Ningrong Street, the Jia family did not live there, and the person who was talking was the one who had had a good relationship with him at home. The suspected Jin Rong is Grandma Huang's nephew. Although the Jia family was defeated, the offspring of Jia Huang and Jia Yun are all innocent, so they are safe.

Jin Rong flashed his figure and stood in front of Baoyu, proud of his brows and eyes, and said, "Don't go, Second Master Bao, the rouge on my girl's mouth is red and fragrant, Second Master Bao, won't you try it?"

But Baoyu looked very calm, shook his head and said, "No need, I'm just a prisoner, not a second master."

Jin Rong laughed loudly and said: "Of course I know this, but when the second master forced me to kowtow to that little girl Qin Zhong, did he ever think of what would happen today? If you don't kowtow to me today, you won't be able to get out I'll walk forward."

After hearing this, Baoyu blushed immediately, but he couldn't see it for a while because his nose was bruised and his face was swollen.

The traffickers and pawns who got up early to do business all looked over, gradually more and more people, all pointing at Baoyu, some laughing, some sighing, some pitying, whispering to each other, they all continued to watch.

Baoyu made up his mind and said, "Jin Rong, don't bully people too much!"

Jin Rong sneered and said: "Why am I deceiving people too much? Kowtow to me as soon as possible to make amends, otherwise, I'll call Second Master Bao's usual friends, come and see how Second Master Bao looks like when he's in love." !"

Baoyu stood steadily, even if he fell to such a point, he was unwilling to bow his knees to a villain like Jin Rong.

He didn't move, but Jin Rong refused to let him go. During the stalemate, the sky was bright, and more people went out and walked around. They all looked at this place curiously, and suddenly heard someone say: "Isn't this the second master Bao? Why are you here? Do it again?" Such a cheap job?" As he said, he walked over, a tall and strong figure, not someone else, but a chess player.

When Baoyu saw Siqi suddenly, he was a little dazed. Since he was kicked out, he hadn't seen Siqi again.

Siqi was dressed like an ordinary woman, holding a little girl in his arms, glared at Jin Rong, and said with a sneer, "I don't know who it is, it turned out to be Uncle Jin, why didn't he study hard at home, and started to bully others? Uncle Jin When you bully Second Master Bao here, you also think about who was the one who went to school in the Jia family and fought against the power of the Jia family, and now you are bullying the Jia family."

Siqi is aggressive by nature, even if he is kicked out and married, he is just as tricky and weird. When Jin Rong flirted with ordinary girls a few times, one of them was her sister-in-law, who was chased several streets by her with a feather duster, so when he saw her , Jin Rong felt a pain in his spine, turned around and walked away dejectedly.

Siqi looked at Jin Rong's back, spat, and Fang said to Baoyu, "Second Master, why don't you go to Second Aunt's grandma?" She knew that the Zhou family had come forward to arrange Baochai's food, clothing and shelter, and she couldn't believe Baoyu would do it. She remembered that Baochai had been waiting to be reunited with Baoyu.

Baoyu breathed a sigh of relief, smiled lightly, and said: "Our family is already like this, and the second sister is not easy. When we were in prison, the second sister also sent someone to take care of it. Why should I trouble the second sister? Anyway, I also have a place to live now."

Hearing what he said, Siqi couldn't help but look at him with admiration, and said: "I haven't seen you for a few years, but the second master is more sensible than before."

Baoyu smiled bitterly and said, "After so many things, if I stay still, it's not me anymore. How are you doing now? When you were kicked out, you have never seen each other again. Fangguan, Ouguan, Ruiguan have all become monks. Si'er Ruhua also went out like you, Qingwen died too, things are different, people are really different."

Siqi smiled and said, "Thinking about it now, it might have been a blessing to go out back then."

Baoyu nodded and said, "That's true."

Suddenly Siqi's husband came to ask Siqi to go home for dinner, and Siqi sighed, "Second Master, come and sit at our house, and we will have a meal before leaving."

Baoyu took a look at Siqi's husband, he was honest and honest, not outstanding, and really unworthy of Siqi's appearance, but his eyes were full of tenderness when he looked at Siqi, Baoyu was also happy for Siqi, and when he heard that Siqi kept his meal Shaking his head, he said, "Thank you today, no need."

After finishing speaking, he stopped playing chess and hurried back to his residence. When he met acquaintances along the way, he half covered his face with a clapper. When he got home, he saw Ni Er came out to greet him. Seeing Baoyu's bruised nose and swollen face when he came back, he immediately pulled him and said angrily, "Second Master Bao, who hit you? Tell me Drunk King, I'll settle the score with him!"

Baoyu hurriedly stopped him and said, "Second Brother Ni, there's no need."

Ni Er frowned and said: "How can you not argue? When did Second Master suffer so much? Although I, Ni Er, have no skills, I am a bit thin-skinned locally. I have already ordered a group of friends not to embarrass Second Master. Is there anyone who doesn't Listen? Second Master Yun entrusted Second Master to me, so I can't let Second Master be bullied."

Baoyu wiped his face and said, "I ran into Jia Yucun's sedan chair and was beaten up by the people under him. Today, by coincidence, I was rescued by Manager Yu, so my bones were not broken. If you take a good sore medicine, it will be fine. But what happened to the news I asked my second brother to inquire about?"

Ni Er gritted his teeth and said: "Why is this Jia Yucun still alive? Such an ungrateful person can still be a butcher for an official."

Baoyu said leisurely: "The way of heaven recurs, it's not that it doesn't report, it's just that the time hasn't come yet."

Ni Er sighed, "I have no choice but to look forward to it."

Pulling him into the room, Ni Er first picked up the large coarse porcelain bowl on the rough wooden table and poured him a bowl of crimson red tea, Fang said: "I have already inquired clearly about the matter that the second master entrusted to me. The coffins of the master, the second master, and the uncle Zhen and Zhu, who were deposited in the Iron Kan Temple, have been sent back to Jinling by Lang Geer for burial."

Baoyu was startled when he heard this, and said, "Didn't the sister-in-law take Lan Geer back to the south?"

Not long after the Rongguo Mansion ransacked the house, Li Wan was acquitted and released, and the dowry was returned to him. Because Brother Lan was the only son of a widow and had not yet married and established a business, he was also released. A family nephew was a disciple of Zhang Xuan, so Li Wan went back to Jinling to join his uncle and aunt on the grounds that he had no one to rely on at home, and said that he would come back when he was settled.Baoyu thought that a catastrophe was imminent, and Li Wan's mother and son had left and would not come back. Unexpectedly, Jia Lan returned to the capital and invited away the coffins of Jia's mother, Jia She, Jia Zheng, Jia Zhu and others. Take care of him and Sister Feng, but he can be regarded as a filial son and grandson.

Ni Eryi patted his thigh and said: "At the beginning, I also said that they were heartless and unrighteous, and the whole family was in prison, but they ran away first, ignoring their parents-in-law, grandparents, grandparents, uncles and aunts, and didn't want to come back again. , Said that the hometown has been settled properly, so I went back to Beijing, but I didn’t expect that my grandfather died and my grandmother was assigned, so I can only help the spirit to return to the hometown.”

Hearing this, Baoyu sighed: "It's just for fame, so there's nothing to say. But the old ladies and gentlemen can rest in peace, and I'm also grateful to my sister-in-law and Brother Lan."

Ni Erdao: "What is the second master grateful for? That's what he should do. If he doesn't do this, he might be stabbed in the back."

Baoyu shook his head and smiled miserably.

Only when disaster is imminent can we know the good and evil of people's hearts.

Li Wan was willing to let Jia Lan come back because he was afraid of people making irresponsible remarks. Even if Jia Lan could not take the imperial examination in the future, he would not be able to live with such a reputation for the rest of his life. Presumably, you can live well there.

The family has fallen to such a point that Baoyu doesn't want to criticize other innocent people anymore.

Ni Er said again: "One more thing, my wife has been dispatched to Xihai Yanzi. It is said that it is the place guarded by General Zhou."

Baoyu was stunned when he heard the sound, and then said: "When I get there, I feel relieved a little bit. Sister Lin has a kind heart. If she knows, she will definitely not look on the wife coldly, and she will definitely make arrangements. It's just one south and one north, six or seven. Qianli, I don’t know how my wife endured the hardships of this journey, and I don’t know if we can see each other again.”

Ni Er nodded and said: "I met Uncle Xue a while ago, and I heard from Uncle Xue that Mrs. Lin did indeed send someone to arrange the wife's clothing, food and accommodation, but the wife was sent there, after all, it is no better than staying at home."

Baoyu said: "I see. Before my wife left, she was thinking about me all the time. When spring comes, I will go to my wife."

After Ni Er heard this, he hurriedly persuaded him: "The journey is thousands of miles, how can the second master suffer so much?"

But Baoyu said: "My wife can pass by, why can't I? I have been mediocre in this life and have nothing to do. I can't abandon my wife. No matter how bad my wife is, my wife is my wife."

Ni Er saw that he insisted on this, pondered for a moment, and suddenly said: "If the second master wants to find his wife, why not go to Uncle Xue, Uncle Xue is doing business, travels between the capital and the West Sea, and will go south in February and March , Second Master went with him, not to mention some companions, but also someone to take care of him, Er Master Yun and I should feel at ease."

Baoyu didn't want to bother others. He just laughed and said nothing after hearing Ni Er's words.

Ni Erzhi said that he agreed, and turned to say: "Second Master Yun said, Prince Beijing Jing has returned to Beijing, and he is also looking for you."

When Jia's family ransacked the house, Prince Beijing was sent out of the capital again, and he would return the next year, so that Jia's family was isolated and helpless. Baoyu shook his head and said, "I'm a sinner, so I don't have to go to Prince Beijing's mansion, and I don't have the face to see you again." Lord."

Ni Er sighed and stood up to say goodbye.

Baoyu also got up to send him out, but when she turned around, she felt hungry. She went to get a bowl of cold porridge left over from yesterday, and squatted on the threshold to eat it. Said: "Second Master eats this?"

Baoyu looked up and saw Sheyue supporting Baochai and Xiren standing outside the door with a girl.

Standing beside Jiang Yuhan, seeing Baoyu reduced to such a state, she also felt miserable, and saw the attacker half-covering his mouth with a handkerchief, crying: "Second master has been released from prison for a few months, why don't you go to us? In order to wait for the second master, Second Grandma Bao has been in the capital, and did not go back to her hometown with the eldest wife and others. If Sheyue went out to buy vegetables today and met Siqi, and heard about what happened on Ningrong Street, we would not know The second master actually started the job of guarding the watch, letting a mere Jin Rong humiliate and bully like that."

Baoyu glanced at Jiang Yuhan and sighed, "What face do I have to see you now?"

Baochai approached slowly, and said softly: "It's not the second master's fault that our family is in such a state. Why should the second master blame himself in his heart? The second master will come home with me. Let's wait for the wife to come back together. The second master lives in the house." Here, not only do we feel sorry for you, even if the wife knows about it, she must also feel sorry for the second master."

Baoyu stared at Baochai without speaking.

Jiang Yuhan said: "Everyone remembers the second master, and the second master is still not home?"

After hearing this, Baoyu remained silent.

Xiren wiped his tears with a handkerchief, stepped forward and persuaded: "Second Master, I know that Second Master is suffering, but it's just that, you can't blame others for everything, and you should live a good life. Second Grandma Bao and She Yue It's been a hard time, and the second master will feel better when he returns home, and we'll be reunited sooner, my wife is happy when she finds out."

When Baoyu heard her mention Mrs. Wang, he couldn't help but let out a long sigh. Seeing that his face was a little loose, they couldn't help but drag Baoyu home, and boiled hot water to bathe and change his clothes.

Jiang Yuhan glanced at Xiren, and said, "Why don't you serve Second Master Bao?"

Xiren saw that Baochai and Sheyue were all busy in the room, so he laughed and said, "We have devoted ourselves to serving the second master and second mistress. Even if outsiders know about it, they can't fault us. I'm not the second master's girl now. , how can I get in? I only have Grandpa in my heart, but Grandpa doesn’t know.”

Jiang Yuhan heard this, but her eyes dimmed slightly.

If Xiren is very loyal, I can look up to her, but when she said that, she was a bit forgetful, as if enshrining Baoyu, Baochai and others just for the sake of fame, but Jiang Yuhan didn't know how much truth was in what she said. I didn't know that she was the treasure in Baoyu's heart, even Xue Pan and Yun'er in Jinxiangyuan knew it.What is she doing now?If you live with yourself wholeheartedly, how can you still remember Baoyu?If you remember Baoyu, how can you care about reputation?

Although Jiang Yuhan once hated Baoyu for revealing his whereabouts in front of the chief historian of the Zhongshun Palace, after all, he has a different relationship with Baoyu, and he also knows Baoyu's heart, so he doesn't blame him. The red scarf given to Baoyu, knowing that Xiren had been with him, was still very gentle and considerate to her.

Xiren didn't know Jiang Yuhan's thoughts, but felt that she had done the best of both worlds. She not only accepted Jiang Yuhan's love, but also did her best for Baoyu. Although she knew that she was married, she had an affair with Baoyu first. How can I forget.

When Baoyu came out of the bath, she was completely new. Although she was thin and haggard and injured again, she couldn't hide her beauty.

Xiren's eyes flicked over Baoyu's neck, and suddenly he said, "Where is the second master's jade?"

Only then did Baochai realize that he had not seen Baoyu's psychic Baoyu, so he hurriedly asked where Baoyu was.

Baoyu said indifferently: "Everyone has walked out of the prison, what can be kept? It's just a stone, and I don't know where it was thrown for a long time. You don't have to ask, I don't know if I ask."

Baochai's eyes turned red, and she turned her head to shed tears, which she wiped away immediately, not wanting to be seen.

Jiang Yuhan urged Xiren to say: "Second Master is back, we should go back, let Second Master rest well."

Upon hearing this, Xiren agreed and bid farewell to Xiang Baoyu and Baochai.

The Zhou family had arranged a place to live, and they also had food and clothing, but the Zhou family was not serious relatives after all, and Daiyu was far away from the West Sea, so the food and clothing were not enough for them to live for a long time. When people help, they do some needlework with Sheyue and sell it. With the silver left by Xue Biao and the constant care of Yingchun, life is passable.

When Baoyu came back, both Baochai and Sheyue felt happy, and they only hoped that they could live in peace and stability.

Xiren was also secretly relieved, and often offered food and clothing to them with Jiang Yuhan.

Baoyu did not resign from the shift job, but still went out every night and came back early in the morning. No matter how Baochai persuaded him, he made up his mind. If you don't come back, then."

After hearing this, Baochai dared not force him again.

Looking out at the moon, Baoyu went to visit Sister Feng in the Prison God Temple. Because of Jia Yun and Ni Er and others, Baoyu lived here for more than a year, and got to know each other well. He nodded and said hello and went in. Now the Prison God Apart from the other prisoners in the temple, Sister Feng was the only one left in my house. Looking at her skinny appearance, Baoyu couldn't help but burst into tears.

Sister Feng smiled and said, "Since you have gone out, what are you doing here?"

Baoyu took the food box prepared by Baochai, opened it, took out the food and handed it in, and said in a low voice, "Sister, let's eat something. I've been here for a year or two, and I've seen my sister's body suffer too."

Sister Feng coughed for a while, and said: "If it wasn't for the years of recuperation, I would have died long ago. Even so, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to survive 20 years of imprisonment. I have done many wicked things in my life. Do it, now it's my retribution. I will die when I die, I don't want anything else, I only hope that Brother Kui and Sister Qiao are safe."

After Baoyu heard this, he couldn't help wiping his tears with his sleeve.

When Brother Kui and Sister Qiao were found back, Mrs. Xing only left Brother Kui to support her, but not Sister Qiao. After all, Sister Qiao was redeemed from a brothel, so she has a bad reputation The people in the family were also unwilling to take her in. Only Grandma Liu was kind and took Sister Qiao back to Beijing to meet Sister Feng in the Prison Temple. The mother and daughter cried with each other.

Grandma Liu saw that Sister Qiao was lonely and had no one to take care of her, so she boldly asked Sister Feng to be Ban'er's wife. Sister Feng agreed, and entrusted Sister Qiao to Grandma Liu. She does.

Thinking that a pair of sons and daughters have their own destinations, although they don't know what the future holds, they are better than being helpless, and Sister Feng is relieved.

Baoyu said: "Everyone has his own destiny. Grandma Liu is very righteous, and she didn't dislike Qiaojie from where she came from. She will definitely treat her well. I am also relieved. I am here to see my sister. I am afraid that I will travel far away in the future." , can't come again."

Sister Feng was slightly taken aback, and asked, "Where are you going?"

Baoyu laughed and said, "Find my own way out."

Sister Feng was never literate, and she didn't know Baoyu's mind. She just didn't care when he fell into the old habit again.

Baoyu walked out of the prison temple, looked up at the sky and smiled, and when he returned home, he saw the attacker coming, crying to Baochai, "I don't know why I have such a hard life, and he left me behind."

Baochai persuaded: "This is our fate, there is nothing we can do, you should take care of yourself."

After hearing this, Xiren cried even harder.

Baoyu couldn't help being a little surprised, and asked Sheyue, "What's the matter?"

Musk Moon whispered: "Jiang Yuhan left Xi Ren's sister at home alone, and he left by himself without knowing where he was going."

Baoyu was stunned, and asked: "How did you go so well?" He was still thinking that Jiang Yuhan and Xiren became friends because of the red and green sweaters, which was a gift from God. Xiren often said that they had a very good life, so how could they suddenly Lao Yan split up?

Musk Moon was silent, although Xiren said that she enshrined them to spend their days, but she didn't devote herself as much as she did in the garden. After all, she was married as a woman. She used to have such an idiot. When I served Shi Xiangyun, I only had one Shi Xiangyun in my heart, but after I followed Baoyu, I only had one Baoyu in my heart. For this reason, I did not hesitate to follow Mrs. Wang and betrayed Jiamu. Maybe it was because life was not going well after marrying Jiang Yuhan. I also often miss the comfort when I was in the Rongguo Mansion. She didn't care about helping others, but she was born as Baoyu. If things go on like this, Jiang Yuhan will never return.

Baoyu sighed, "Why are our girls so miserable?"

After hearing this, Xiren wept even more bitterly.At the beginning when Hua Zifang proposed marriage to her, they were ordinary people with poor families and not good-looking. Xiren was raised by Tao Ye in the Rongguo Mansion, so it was inevitable that she had a high opinion of herself and didn't like it. Although she knew Jiang Yuhan She is a good actor, but Jiang Yuhan was born beautiful and had a family business, Xiren was very willing in her heart. After getting married, she also lived a good life.

Once Jiang Yuhan left, what should I do with the rest of me?My elder brother has married his sister-in-law. Although my elder brother loves me, my sister-in-law is tolerant. Since she and Jiang Yuhan were raped by others, my sister-in-law will not allow her to enter her mother's house.

Baochai was also sentimental about her life experience, and was speechless for a while.

Baoyu said: "Don't cry, it's all our retribution. Jiang Yuhan may not come back when he goes out. You can go home and wait for a while. This is his home. He can't ignore it. He will come back in the future." Also unknown."

After hearing this, Xiren said, "I hope so."

Xiren thought to himself that Jiang Yuhan was also very considerate when he was taking care of Baoyu, and he was not a heartless person. After listening to Baoyu's advice, he went back with tears in his eyes and waited for Jiang Yuhan to come back. People still disturbed him every day, and he moved twice. Get rid of, and later moved back because he was afraid that Jiang Yuhan would not find him, but he never heard from him throughout his life, let alone talk about it later.

Seeing the fate of Xiren is also unbearable, Baochai can only sigh, not knowing how to speak.

But Baoyu said to Baochai: "I have already quit the shift work with Ni Er, let's pack up and go home. This is not a place for us to stay for a long time, and we cannot live on the yard bought by Sister Lin for the rest of our lives."

The family treated Daiyu like that, how could he have the face to cling to them.

Baochaigu also fulfilled his wish, hesitated for a moment, and said: "Tader will go south soon, why not go with him."

Baoyu shook his head and said, "Why disturb his purity?"

But Baochai knew that the journey would be difficult and dangerous, and regardless of Baoyu's wishes, she finally went to find Xue Bian. It happened that Xue Bian was about to go south, but she just dropped by, so she agreed, and when they arrived in Jinling, they sent them to Jia's family to leave.

Jia Zhen is dead, Jia Rong and Wang Rensi are in Beijing and have not returned. The Jia family is now dominated by Mrs. Xing and Brother Kui. Sister Feng saved a hand when buying the sacrificial field. If I can give it to Brother Kui, I signed a contract with the clan when I bought the land, and divided it into [-]% to the clan. Although Mrs. Xing is mean, she is not without the talent of a housekeeper. She has so much property in her hands, no one else can compete with her, but she is safe.

After Baochai and Baoyu came back, Mrs. Xing only allocated a small courtyard for them to live in. She didn't care about anything else. They ate and drank the same as those in the clan.

After a few days of stable life, when Baochai got up early in the morning, Baochai saw that Baoyu had disappeared.

Musk Moon hurriedly said: "I'm going to find the second master right now, kowtow to the eldest wife, and beg the eldest wife to send someone to look for it."

Baochai shook her head slowly, and cried: "No need, he didn't want to stay, we forced him and found him, now that we've returned to our hometown, he's relieved, let alone stay. He won't come back, just like Jiang Yuhan left Xiren behind, he won't come back."

After hearing this, Musk Moon couldn't help crying bitterly.

If Baoyu was still at home, Baochai would be able to live on even if there was no glory and wealth. Now that Baoyu is gone, Baochai will be left without in-laws, husbands, and children. How can such a person live?

Baochai's heart was ashamed, and she choked up with sobs for a long time and said, "Golden and jade match, gold and jade match, what kind of gold is this? What kind of jade?"

The wind blows the screen window, like weeping and complaining, there is no speech to ask the flowers, and there is no speech to ask the willows.

But Baoyu is now walking in Jinling City, passing by the old house of Li's family, and meets Jialan head-on.Jia Lan had just come back from practicing riding and archery. When she saw Baoyu, she immediately stood still. The uncle and nephew were facing each other, and they didn't know what to say. in a small courtyard.

It turned out that after Li Wan brought Jia Lan back to Jinling from the capital in a hurry, he said he would run away, but after all, she was a married widow and could not live in her natal family for a long time, so she asked her family to buy a small courtyard next to her. After the coffins of Zheng and others, he took Jia Lan alone to watch his filial piety at home. He did not live in his natal family, nor did he live in the Jia family clan in Jinling. The ladder itself, life is not bad.

Jia Lan had already passed the imperial examination to become an official, so Li Wan urged him to practice riding and shooting diligently, planning to join the army.

Baoyu inquired around the neighborhood for a while, and knew that their mother and son were doing well, so he finally felt relieved, went out of the city, and went all the way to the southwest. Begging, being driven out as a beggar, begging from the poor, only half a bowl of leftover soup, begging from the rich, before going up the steps, has been pushed away.

I don’t know how many days passed on the way, and when I arrived at the bank of the Xiangjiang River, Baoyu was holding a broken ladle, which contained leftover vegetable soup, and soaked a piece of steamed corn bread, which gave off a faint smell. He didn’t dislike it. Swallowing soup and chewing steamed buns, I suddenly saw several gorgeous boats floating on the water, which were very conspicuous.Baoyu often saw such boats when he was on watch, but they were actually brothels, and most of the pleasure-seekers were high-ranking officials, so they didn't look at them much, just sneered, and continued to eat and drink with their heads down. Cleaned up, I held it in my hand and planned to go ashore.

One person on the boat stands leaning against the railing, and the bustle in the cabin seems to have nothing to do with her. The feasting and feasting, surrounded by pearls and emerald greens, is not her intention. After a closer look, it is not someone else but Shi Xiangyun who has been missing for a long time. She caught a glimpse of Baoyu's body. Suddenly, his whole body trembled, and he muttered to himself: "That's it? Impossible, why did the second brother become a beggar?"

She turned her head and begged the boatman: "My lord, please, move the boat a little closer, just a little closer, to the shore."

The boatman glanced at her, but did not agree, and was about to leave with the oar, Shi Xiangyun hurriedly took off the jade bracelet on his wrist, pulled out the gold hairpin from his head, stuffed them all into the boatman's hand, and begged: "Please come to the shore, sir. Let me see if I have met an old friend."

When the boatman saw the golden and jade objects she handed over, he rolled the boat to the shore.

Shi Xiangyun looked up into the distance, and said loudly: "Is that the second brother on the shore? Second brother, is it you?"

Baoyu raised her head in astonishment, only feeling that the voice was familiar, but she was far away, and the sky was dark at that time, so she couldn't see clearly. When the boat was close in front of her, Fang waded forward and said, "Who are you?"

Shi Xiangyun looked closely at the approaching Baoyu. Although his clothes were ragged and his face was haggard, there was no doubt that it was Baoyu. At this moment, how could the old sun look like a full moon?After seeing it, Shi Xiangyun couldn't help crying loudly, reached out and grabbed Baoyu's protruding hands, and said: "Second brother, I am Yun'er, second brother, why are you here? You look like this? I just want to see you again It’s not until you and Sister Bao, I didn’t expect to meet you here.”

The broken ladle drifted away along the river, and Baoyu was taken aback, a little in disbelief, and said, "Sister Yun, why are you here?"

Shi Xiangyun cried: "I was sold by the Wei family."

Baoyu couldn't help crying, and said: "The Wei family said that you were gone from illness. I don't believe it, and I can't ask someone to find you. Who would have thought that the Wei family is such a person, even bullying people like you."

Shi Xiangyun sobbed and said, "It's all due to money and family business. I was sold by them to a passing merchant, I was gagged and hid in a coffin and brought out of the city. After half a year of torture, I was sold to such a place again. It's really miserable. Second brother, why are you here? Why do you look like this? Where are the master, wife and sister Bao?"

Baoyu said dejectedly: "One loses and one loses, and one prospers and all prospers. Historians ransacked our house, and our house was ransacked not long after."

After hearing this, Shi Xiangyun said in surprise: "How could this be? What about the family? Are they all okay?"

Baoyu shook his head slowly, and said: "The dead are dead, the scattered are scattered, some are assigned, some are imprisoned, some are imprisoned, some are sold, and some are too busy to take care of themselves. They are no longer what they used to be. Lin Lin My sister's blessing, the eldest wife, Aunt Zhao, Cong, Huange, Geerbao and sisters all returned to Jinling safely, and sister-in-law and Lang Geer also have their own places to go."

Shi Xiangyun choked up when he heard this, and said, "Where's the second brother? Why did you come here? It's thousands of miles away from the capital."

Baoyu said: "I went to Xihai Yanzi, where my wife was dispatched. I went south from Jinling. It was the first time I went out far away, and no one followed me. I was begging all the way. I thought I went the wrong way. I didn't know until I got here. It's Xiangjiang, I didn't expect to meet my sister, who would have thought that when we meet again, we will be in such an identity."

Shi Xiangyun cried bitterly on the board of the boat, and said, "Why was my wife sent to the West Sea?"

Baoyu's tears were still wet, and said: "There were a lot of crimes when the house was raided, and the evidence was conclusive, so I was assigned. Fortunately, sister Lin was there and could take care of it. I just went to have a look. When I saw my wife was safe, I also not worried."

Shi Xiangyun raised his head in surprise and asked, "What does Second Brother mean by this? Don't tell me you're not going home?"

Baoyu smiled lightly and said, "The world is so big that there is no place for me. Where can I have a home? I'm just going to find my own way and seek relief."

Shi Xiangyun suddenly said: "You often say that when your sister dies, you become a monk. Do you mean you want to become a monk?"

Baoyu didn't speak.

Shi Xiangyun held his hand tightly, and said: "Second brother, you became a monk, what should you do if you leave Sister Bao? Sister Bao has such a life-long life after all, if you leave, how will the people left behind live? "

Baoyu said sadly: "So what can we do if we stay? The centuries-old family has just collapsed. At the beginning we didn't believe the words of the third sister, but she made her a prophecy. Sister Bao stayed in Jinling. It is better to stick to the family than to follow me, my lord." I'm dead, my wife is at the West Sea, when I see my wife, I will have nothing to worry about."

Shi Xiangyun stared at him blankly, with despair in his eyes, and said tearfully, "I won't keep my second brother."

Baoyu turned his face away, tears streaming down his face.

At this time, the boatman was swaying the oar and wanted to leave the shore, Xiangyun slowly let go of his hand and said, "Second brother, go, you have your way, and I have mine, we can't go back to the past, we can't go back It’s time for me to be naive before. I became such a person, and I only want to never see my old friend again. Heaven has eyes, let me see you again, and everyone will be safe in the future.”

Baoyu reached out to grab Xiangyun's hand, but he couldn't catch it.

The boat went farther and farther, and the night was getting darker. Xiangyun turned his head and took a deep look at Baoyu, and suddenly went straight to the stern, and sank into the river with a splash. Perhaps, only in this way can he be clean.The people on the boat couldn't catch it in time, so they screamed in alarm, the officials and gentry who were having fun in the cabin rushed out, and there were also the madam and others shouting for people to salvage.

The scene in the Grand View Garden suddenly appeared in front of Xiangyun, enjoying orchids in spring, lotus in summer, chrysanthemums in autumn, snow in winter, carefree, that was the happiest time in her life. Unforgettable.

Baoyu vaguely saw Xiangyun sinking into the river, and immediately burst into tears, shouting: "Sister Yun! Sister Yun!"