The maid of the red house

After Shi Xiangyun died, Baoyu wept bitterly and wandered by the river for many days.

The waves are still there, like weeping.

Baoyu sat on the bank with her head in her arms. She had never found Shi Xiangyun's body and hadn't eaten for many days. She just felt dizzy and dizzy. Immortals are good, but fame and fame can never be forgotten; where are the ancient and modern generals? The pile of grass in the barren mound is gone..."

Baoyu was touched, and raised his head blankly, only to see a white-haired Taoist in linen and straw sandals drifting in, leaning on a cane, hunched over, and continued to sing the song tremblingly: "The world knows that gods are good, only gold and silver are good." I can't forget; in the end, I only hate that there are not many gatherings, and when it is too long, my eyes will be closed! The world knows that gods are good, only the wife can't forget; the king expresses his kindness on his birthday, and he goes with others when he dies."

Baoyu was fascinated by hearing it immediately, staring at the Taoist gradually going away, and the singing was also the same, and he could faintly hear a few words in his ears: "Everyone in the world knows that gods are good, only children and grandchildren can't forget them; there are many infatuated parents in ancient times, and filial children and grandchildren who have seen it?" ?”

The singing finally stopped, the waves approached, and the broken ladle that was lost that day floated to the shore again. Baoyu waded through the water to retrieve it, held it in his hand, suddenly laughed a few times, tears fell, fell into the water, and disappeared immediately. I don't know if I'm crying or laughing, but when people pass by and see it, they all point and say he's a lunatic.

Baoyu took the broken ladle and continued to stagger southward.

He didn't know how long he had walked this way, but he only remembered that he had experienced two cold and hot days before he arrived at the West Sea and asked where Zhou Hong's mansion and prison camp were, but there was still more than a month to go.Baoyu walked with great strides. Over the years, he experienced the cold and heat, and saw the world of mortals, the rich and the poor, and saw them all.

After inquiring about Mrs. Wang's whereabouts, Baoyu looked at the closed courtyard door from a distance, and suddenly felt a little uneasy.He had asked, Mrs. Wang living here alone is ten times better than ordinary exiles, and she doesn't have to be bullied.

Mrs. Wang was washing clothes in the yard, and she didn't know that the precious jade she was thinking of was right outside the door. For several years, she didn't want to go out, so she worked in her own yard. There was also a well in the yard, but she had to fetch water by herself every day. Well, when Mrs. Wang came here, she couldn't do everything well at first, but after a long time, she managed to do everything in an orderly manner.

After washing and hanging the clothes to hang, Madam Wang walked to the main room with tired steps, opened the wicker basket, took out a pancake and ate it with the leftover brown rice porridge from the morning. I can't even afford white rice.

Mrs. Wang remembered that the girls in the family used to dislike even green rice porridge, but now they can't ask for it.

It has been three years since I came here in a blink of an eye, and I don’t know if Baoyu has been released from prison or if he has reunited with Baochai. Although Baochai has repeatedly brought bad news after entering the door, Baochai is virtuous and capable. Even if he is defeated, he can still take good care of Baoyu , will not let Baoyu suffer, otherwise, Baoyu alone will not know how to eat and dress.

Mrs. Wang sighed quietly, and suddenly heard a knock on the door.

Hearing the sound, Mrs. Wang raised her head in surprise, wondering who would come at this time. According to the usual rules, they would send clothes to be washed by themselves in the morning, and the Zhou family would also send rice noodles once a month, and they only came last month. However, now that it is getting late, who will come?I don't like to go out to meet people, except for a few soldiers and servants who bring clothes and rice noodles, I don't know anyone.

The sound of knocking on the door continued, Mrs. Wang hesitated for a moment, put down her rice bowl and went to open the door, but only opened a gap, she didn't dare to open it wide, but saw a Hanako who saw her, and immediately knelt on the ground and kowtowed.

Baoyu was unkempt at this time, but Mrs. Wang didn't recognize her, and asked in surprise, "Who are you looking for?"

Baoyu raised his head, his eyes shining brightly.

Mrs. Wang suddenly remembered that she saw the beggar who sent Baoyu home back then, and felt very similar, so she hurriedly asked: "You were the beggar who sent Baoyu home that year? How did you find this place?"

Baoyu's eyes are calm, but his heart is full of wry smiles. How sad is it that his mother mistook her for Zhen Baoyu?Isn't it retribution?

Mrs. Wang saw that Baoyu hadn't spoken for a long time, so she opened the door quickly, walked up to him, and said, "You sent Baoyu back last time. I was grateful for your benefits. I asked Baoyu, but Baoyu didn't say who you are. How are you today?" Easy to see here, let's come in and sit down, I'm a sinner, and I don't have anything good to entertain you."

After hearing this, Baoyu stood up, not knowing whether to go forward or turn around and leave.

Mrs. Wang smiled, and was about to say something more, when she suddenly leaned in front of Baoyu, looked at Baoyu in front of her, thought of Baoyu who was handsome and handsome, and said, "Who are you? Who are you after all? Is it my Baoyu?" ? Why is Baoyu here? Why is it like this?"

Baoyu didn't speak.

Mrs. Wang grabbed him, looked at him for a long time, and said excitedly, "Baoyu, why are you here?"

Baoyu said lightly, "Come and see your wife."

Mrs. Wang pulled him to go inside, crying as she walked, and said, "How did you fall to such a state? How did Bao girl take care of you? I heard that Bao girl called Lin girl's husband's family to redeem her." You have come out, and you have returned to your hometown early, but why did you come here? Did you come here by begging for such a journey of six or seven thousand miles?"

Baoyu's eyes fell on Mrs. Wang's unfinished rice bowl, and her stomach groaned like a drum.

Mrs. Wang heard it, and tearfully stretched out the remaining pancakes and rice porridge for him to eat. Baoyu devoured it, and didn't know that she hadn't eaten for a few days. Seeing this, Mrs. Wang's heart was pierced, and she cried: "Baoyu, my Baoyu, you haven't talked to your mother yet, how did you end up in this situation?"

After Baoyu finished eating and his hunger was relieved, Fang looked at Mrs. Wang and said, "I have been away from home by myself. I don't know how long I have been away. It has been a few years. I just wanted to see my wife."

Mrs. Wang whimpered and said, "Why don't you stay at home and come out to find me? It's nothing to make you lose face."

Baoyu glanced at Mrs. Wang's cheek and remained silent.

Mrs. Wang hastily boiled hot water for him to bathe, and took out two clothes for him to change. Daiyu has not treated her harshly in the past few years, and two people who were assigned with her died. She is doing well. Every year, Daiyu would send two bolts of coarse cloth. She missed Baoyu day and night, so she made two clothes for him.

It was easy to finish the work, the moon was in the sky, and there was silence on all sides.

Baoyu sat on Mrs. Wang's simple wooden bed and listened to Mrs. Wang's rambling questions about the farewell. He answered without saying a word. Back to the south, Baochai was also in his hometown, Shi Xiangyun Shenjiang and so on, Mrs. Wang couldn't help sobbing again.

Looking at Baoyu's rough hands and worn-out feet, Mrs. Wang felt distressed, tears streaming down her face, and said: "I only know that you have returned to your hometown, so you don't have to worry about food and clothing. I don't want you to come all the way to find me." , I don’t know where you got the ambition to be spoiled and spoiled since you were a child, and you have traveled such a long way. No, you can’t stay here. Although it is much more stable here than it was a few years ago, and there are no pirates and barbarians to make trouble, but after all Not a place for you to stay long."

But Baoyu said: "The world is so big, how can I have a place to live? I already have my own way, and I feel relieved when I see my wife."

Mrs. Wang was surprised: "What way do you have? What do you want to do?"

Baoyu smiled, a free and unrestrained smile.

Mrs. Wang held him tightly, shook her head and said: "I don't allow you to think wildly, you can't leave me alone, I will go to ask Grandma Zhou, Mrs. Lin, and ask her to send some people to send you back to your hometown."

Baoyu hurriedly said, "Ma'am, don't disturb Sister Lin's purity. What face do we have now?"

Mrs. Wang felt a pain in her heart, and said: "I haven't wanted to see her these few years, but for you, I can do anything. You rest at home well, and I'll go there now and beg her."

Baoyu held Mrs. Wang back and refused to let go, saying, "Madam, don't go, I won't accept it if you go."

After hearing this, Mrs. Wang burst into tears.

But Mrs. Wang didn't want Baoyu to suffer here because of her own hardships. When Baoyu fell asleep, she immediately opened the door and left the camp. The general's wife's aunt, if you have to look for her for something urgent, you can't afford it if you delay!"

The soldiers all knew how the Jia family treated Daiyu, so they sneered and said, "What is Mrs. Lin's identity? What is your identity? If Mrs. Lin didn't treat Daiyu kindly, you should have a clean life? What kind of money do you get?" Son?"

Mrs. Wang blushed and begged bitterly. Fang was escorted by soldiers to the gate of Zhou's house, begging to see Daiyu.

At that time, Daiyu and Zhou Hong had rested early, and when they heard Mrs. Wang coming, they couldn't help being a little surprised, and said: "Second Aunt usually hates me the most, and she hasn't seen me for several years, why did you suddenly come to the door today? "

Zhou Hong frowned, pressed her down and said, "It's good to rest, let her talk about something tomorrow."

Daiyu got up and put on her clothes, and sighed: "Since the second aunt has come, I can't refuse the door. I think there is something important, otherwise she won't come over. You rest first, I'll go and have a look."

The youngest son, Zhou Bai, burst into tears in the cradle when he heard Xixi's rustling sound.

Daiyu went over in a hurry, ordered someone to hold the lamp, picked up Zhou Bai herself, and inspected it carefully. She was hungry, and her clothes were not dirty. She must have been woken up by herself, and comforted her softly, "Brother Bai, don't cry. , Brother Bai is good, mother is holding Brother Bai here."

Brother Bai is her second son born this year. He has just turned half a year old. He loves to cry very much since he was born, and because he is weak and sick, he can't leave him for a day. She lived outside, except that Zhou Bai was different this time, she was only like Daiyu. If Daiyu hugged someone else, she would burst into tears first, and she refused to live outside. Zhou Hong could only ask someone to put a cradle in the bedroom.

Daiyu coaxed him for a long time, but Zhou Baifang stopped sobbing and fell asleep.

Daiyu put him back in the cradle carefully, and Fang changed his clothes again and came out.

Seeing Mrs. Wang, Daiyu couldn't help being filled with emotions, but she hadn't seen her for a few years, her head was covered with white hair and her face was haggard. Daiyu gave up her seat, ordered someone to pour tea, and said, "Second Aunt came here in the middle of the night, what's the matter?"

Seeing Daiyu suddenly, Mrs. Wang couldn't help but feel a little dazed. Although the woman in front of her was still charming and graceful, she was very charming and graceful. She was not the cautious little girl when she first entered the mansion. She is now an upright person. Mrs. Yipin, because Shen Rui returned to Beijing to report on his duties two years ago, all the military power in the Xihai area was in the hands of Zhou Hong. She was less than 30 years old and was already a first-rank general. I heard that Daiyu had two sons in a row. At the age of four, he has already recognized thousands of characters. Everyone in the Xihai area is said to be a natural talent. Zhao Qi, the eldest son of Xueyan's family, is more than a year older than him, and he is not as good.

Ever since Zhou Hong got engaged to Daiyu, although there were some incidents in the Zhou family at first and they almost fell into disarray, they soon turned the corner. Over the past ten years, Zhou Hong has been promoted step by step, from the fourth rank at the beginning to the current first rank, which is as high as the eighth rank. She gave birth to two more sons, no wonder everyone in the Xihai area said that Daiyu had a good life and good fortune, and there were no concubines and maids making trouble in front of her, and she was rich and honorable.

Mrs. Wang was envious and jealous in her heart, how long had she been a Yipin wife?At most, it is only rank five, not even the little girl Xueyan, Xueyan has now been promoted to rank four with her husband, and she has both sons and daughters.

Seeing Mrs. Wang's silence for a long time, Daiyu felt slightly surprised and asked again.

Mrs. Wang came back to her senses, lowered her eyebrows and said pleasantly: "I am here today to ask my aunt to ask my aunt to send a few more people to send Baoyu back to her hometown, so as not to suffer with me here. I only have such a treasure. Who would have thought that he would come all the way here alone, how many years he walked, and how many times he went astray, my heart hurts and I can only hope that he is safe."

When Daiyu suddenly heard that Baoyu was coming, she was startled.

Since Xue Biao returned from doing business twice a few years ago, because Xing Xiuyan was pregnant, and because of Baoqin's happiness, he was very worried, so he didn't go out again, and only took care of the shop in Xihai, so he brought it last time The news said that Baoyu, Baochai and others had all returned to their hometown. Although their family letters had not been broken, they never mentioned these things. Unexpectedly, Baoyu came here.

Mrs. Wang said with tears: "All my life, I only want Baoyu to be safe and sound."

Daiyu frowned and sighed, "Second aunt, don't worry, it just so happens that the eldest girl of our family will leave the cabinet early next year and is about to send someone back to Beijing to give gifts. It will be three to five days later. If the second aunt and second brother can wait, that day Let the second elder brother go back home together."

Mrs. Wang listened, bowed her head in thought, and said, "Thank you so much."

Daiyu sighed, Mrs. Wang was cold and indifferent. After so many years, she didn't want to see her again, but she came to ask with this attitude, and she was not at ease. She was about to order someone to clean up Mrs. Wang's guest room. , but Mrs. Wang said suddenly: "Auntie, I'm afraid she doesn't know? Yun girl was sold to an unclean place by the Wei family, and Shen Jiang died."

Daiyu was shocked, and asked: "What's going on? Didn't Yun girl move out of the Wei family to live in another courtyard? Where did the Wei family have the guts to do such a thing?"

Mrs. Wang said indifferently: "The Shi family ransacked the house, and the Wei family naturally has no scruples. These sisters, only the aunt and grandma live in peace and happiness. Ten others can't compare to the aunt and grandma alone. They died, scattered, How can a great aunt have a good life, a husband and wife are honored, and she became a first-class wife at a young age."

Daiyu just felt that these words were extremely offensive. When her father died and then went to Rongguo Mansion, why wasn't she very desperate?If it wasn't for Xueyan's enlightenment, father's arrangement, and Emperor Changgan's consideration, I would have ended worse than my sisters. If I live well and my sisters live miserably, is it my fault?Although she said that she couldn't do anything about the affairs of the capital here, she had made arrangements before leaving the capital, and she had never done anything to be sorry for them.

Yuanyang listened to it, and said with a sneer, "I heard what the second wife said, but it's our grandma's fault? Those girls are not doing well because of grandma? I didn't know that there is such a reason in the world."

Mrs. Wang gave her a hard look, and said, "You are also a girl of our family, but you don't remember the old master."

Yuanyang said: "I am the girl of the old lady. The old lady is gone, and there is no one in the house to protect me. Our grandma saved my family and life, so I belong to grandma wholeheartedly. Even if the old lady's spirit in heaven knows Don't blame me, after all, before the old lady died, only our grandma was sincere to the old lady, unlike others, she had already forgotten the old lady."

Thinking of Jia's mother's serious illness before she died and not even having good ginseng, Yuanyang felt resentment in her heart, but if they had a little bit of filial piety, Jia's mother would not be in such a state.But hearing that Shi Xiangyun ended up miserable, Yuanyang was inevitably a little sad.

Mrs. Wang said coldly: "I should go back, Baoyu is still waiting for me at home."

Daiyu didn't hold her back very much, and ordered someone to send her out, then shed tears and said: "I only know that although girl Yun is a widow, she can live well with her dowry. I never thought that she would end up like this."

Yuanyang hurriedly said: "Grandma, please don't blame yourself. Aunt Shi is like this. Could it be grandma who caused trouble? Besides, when we left Beijing, Aunt Shi was fine. No one thought that such a thing would happen. Afterwards, others I didn’t even mention the family letters when I went to Beijing, and I didn’t know until today.”

Daiyu sighed and said: "Sisters, although there was a quarrel, I didn't take it to heart. How could I have thought that she would have such a fate, even if I wanted to argue, I couldn't do it."

Yuanyang thought for a while, and said: "The world is impermanent, who can control who for a lifetime? At the beginning, they said that the Wei family is good, so they got married. No one expected that the Wei family would fall. Don't think about it. Grandma, go back to the room to rest. , It's already three o'clock, the second wife said these words, it may not be intentional, seeing that grandma is living a good life, she feels upset."

Daiyu's eyebrows were light, and she said: "When I send my second elder brother back, I don't care about all the affairs of their family. I have already done what I need to do, so you don't need to tell me in the future." Once or twice tolerance, it all depends on relatives For the sake of love, but after all, she can't tolerate it for a lifetime. Although she is not a person who must revenge, she can't bear their natural thinking.

Yuanyang nodded and said yes, the Rongguo Mansion ransacked the house, and her brother, sister-in-law and sister-in-law didn't know where they were sold, but she didn't think about redeeming them, nor did she think about asking someone to inquire, after all, they were servants, no matter who they sold to Being summoned, there is no fear of life.

In terms of being cold-hearted and unfeeling, she can stand shoulder to shoulder with Xichun, after all, Daiyu has too many scruples.

Daiyu didn't know what the mandarin ducks were thinking, so she walked into the bedroom and saw the palace lamp on the bedside, she was very safe, Zhou Hong was waiting for her in unlined clothes, Zhou Bai was sleeping soundly in the cradle, Daiyu couldn't help smiling when she saw her , I just feel that the happiest thing in the world is this, having a husband and son, and there are snow geese and sisters outside.

Zhou Hong got up and got out of bed, undressed her, and asked by the pillow, "What is it for?"

Daiyu then explained the reason for Mrs. Wang's visit, and also talked about the current whereabouts of the Suri sisters, and sighed: "I thought they were all well, but I feel sad after hearing these news."

Zhou Hong comforted: "The deceased is already dead, don't think too much about it."

Zhou Hong never cared much about the members of the Jia family, he only cared about one person.

Daiyu nodded slightly, but before going to sleep, she thought of Shi Xiangyun sinking into the river, maybe she was desperate after seeing Baoyu.She sighed in her heart, and said: "Sister Shi is dead, even the bones are gone, and I don't know how to rest in peace under the Nine Springs."

Zhou Hong frowned, and said in a low voice: "I don't know how many women there are without support. Do you still remember the Zhao family's mother Li? She was also a young widow and was sold by the clan. Fortunately, she met Mrs. Zhao's family. , otherwise I don’t know where I am now.”

Daiyu said with emotion: "I am more grateful to Xueyan. If it weren't for her, how would I be where I am today?"

On the second day, Zhou Hong was sent away, and then he went to Xueyan's house.

Xueyan was chasing Hao'er to wash her face, when she heard Daiyu coming, she let Hao'er go and greeted her personally.

As soon as Daiyu entered the door, she saw Hao'er hiding behind a flowering branch with her face half exposed, blinking her big bony eyes. Although her clothes were neat, her hair was disheveled and unwashed, she smiled and said, "Hao'er, are you being mischievous again? Make your mother angry."

Hao'er is the only girl in the two families, she is only three years old, she is very doted on, she is smart and sweet, she can coax all the servants and others to love her, she hurriedly rushed to Daiyu's side, raised her face and said: "Auntie , Auntie, why didn’t brother Xuan come? Let brother Xuan come over, brother Xuan is better at reading than brother, and see that brother still holds a book every day to let me learn to read and not to learn.”

Daiyu took her little hand and walked inside, saying: "You girl, you deliberately diverted from my question again."

Holly stuck out her tongue and was spotted.