The maid of the red house

Hearing Zhang Huizhi's praise, and seeing the curiosity in everyone's eyes, Daiyu couldn't help but shyly said: "Sister Hui is too famous, but she has only read a few books, what kind of poet is she? My sister's words, where does Gu go? "

Zhang Hui's eyes were bright, with a smile on his face, he said, "Who made you compare with Gu? We are not comparable to Li Taibai, a poetic fairy. He is a poetic fairy among our women, but this title is worthy of the name."

Then he said to the crowd: "I have just read the poems written by the former son. If you still don't believe me, just test her face to face. The poems and articles she made are the most romantic and unique!"

When everyone heard this, except for Sang Wan, Sang Yuan, Mo Xinsan, the rest were very surprised and could not help but look at Dai Yu.

Daiyu hurriedly said: "Don't listen to Sister Hui's nonsense, she is obviously better at what she does. If you don't believe me, just ask Wan'er. If Wan'er doesn't tell, Yuaner knows, even the new sister has seen Sister Hui's work before. poetry."

Mo Xin pursed his lips and smiled, "Don't ask, I don't know."

Sang Wan also waved her hand aside and said: "Come on, come on, you poets, don't talk to me, who said that your sisters are always at the bottom, you have to ask you." She and Sang Yuan came from a family of generals, although they are also literate Zhiyi, after all, without the education of his ancestors, his poems and songs are not good, so everyone will laugh.

Daiyu waited for them to finish laughing before meeting the ladies.

Among them, Zhao Yanran, the daughter of Princess Yongchang, has the most honorable status, after all, she is of royal blood, she is the cousin of today, and she is two years older than everyone else, she is already old enough, so she smiled and helped each other, looked Daiyu up and down, and saw that she was born very well Niao Na is slender and graceful, and she can't help but praise: "It's a strange way to praise, seeing it, I don't think I can't fall in love!"

Daiyu hurriedly laughed and said: "How can Daiyu compete with the sun and the moon with her posture of pu willows and the light of fireflies?"

Yan Ran couldn't help smiling when she heard this, with a smear on her face, she couldn't help stretching out her hand to gently pinch Daiyu's cheeks, and said: "Look at this mouth, it seems to be filled with the elegant spirit of Jiangnan, it's good to hear it." joy."

Zhang Hui interjected again: "Her poems are more spiritual."

Yan Ran said, "Of course I know."

As he said that, he said to Daiyu: "In the Rongguo Mansion this year, during the Lantern Festival, the virtuous concubine visited her relatives. The poems and poems made in the concubine's concubine's concubine's concubine's visitation garden were copied out by the concubine's order, and she recounted their advantages and disadvantages. It's also called engraving in the concubine's concubine's visitation garden, isn't it?"

Daiyu nodded and said, "It's true."

Could it be that it was passed on?Daiyu couldn't help feeling a little worried.

Yan Ran smiled and said: "Although the poems written by you are not the first in the palace, they can be regarded as outstanding. When visiting relatives that day, each family made countless poems. The family eulogy, the harem scrambled to copy it, but we did better, even the empress dowager said that all the spirits and elegant spirits in the world have come to your house."

When Daiyu heard this, she was a little apprehensive, and said, "It's so good, the empress dowager praised it."

Mu Xiuyu will be destroyed by the wind in the forest, how can the Rongguo Mansion stand at the forefront of the limelight?

She was worried in her heart, but she also knew that if the Rongguo Mansion knew about it, they would be more happy than afraid.

Yan Ran smiled softly, and said comfortingly: "Don't be afraid, those poems can only be read inside the harem, they can't be spread outside, and people don't know much about them, and I only saw them when I went to pay the Empress Dowager a visit."

When Daiyu heard this, her face widened slightly.

Yan Ran tasted Daiyu's words and deeds, she was very satisfied in her heart, she smiled and said: "Let's go, I saw some beautiful flowers in Hui'er's house, let's go and write some poems."

Pulling Daiyu over, he turned his head and said to Zhang Hui as he walked, "Hurry up and get the wine ready, and bring out the two jars of pear flower wine you have hidden. Don't be stingy! Let's have wine after we finish our poems."

Zhang Hui spat: "I just love to drink, the princess knows it carefully!"

Having said that, he continued to give orders like this, and said to the crowd: "Leave one or two around to listen, and the nuns and other maids are all gone. There are also preparations for the nuns and maids under the shade of flowers over there." Refreshments, it's good to rest your feet."

Everyone obeyed, and each left a personal girl.

Zijuan also said to Xueyan: "Follow the girl, go there first, if you are tired, come and change."

Xueyan nodded.

The ladies were playing and playing in the garden, and the nuns and maidservants were also in small groups.

Xueyan was free, but by chance, Sang Wan's maid, Xiuyue, was familiar with her, so she introduced her to the maids next to Miss Bie's family. They were all of the same identity, the same girl, they gathered together, chirping, talking about how the clothes look good in color, Jewelry is better than gold and jade, what hair bun goes with what jewelry and so on.

A few more girls asked Xueyan about the patterns and colors of Jiangnan Su embroidery, Xueyan didn't hide anything, and told them one by one.

Xueyan gossiped with the crowd, and when everyone lost interest in needlework and started talking about other things, she moved to the side and sat under the flower tree with her chin resting on her shoulders, watching Daiyu leisurely interacting with the ladies, or Whether it's a couplet of poems against each other, or a high-spirited talk, each smile is like a beautiful flower in late spring, bright and bright.

Daiyu has a few more handkerchiefs, and the chips in the marriage are getting more and more, Xueyan feels very happy.

When we marry a wife, we first look at the lintel, second at the foundation, third at character, fourth at etiquette, and most importantly, at the pulse.

Although Daiyu's handkerchiefs are not as many as others, but these are the daughters of the official families above the third rank, especially Zhao Yanran is the daughter of the eldest princess, Zhang Hui is the daughter of a first-rank university scholar, and Zhang Xuan will be promoted in the first spring of this year. A university scholar is extremely valuable today, the former is after the royal family, and the latter is the daughter of Qingliu, and they are among the best in the capital.

With the status of Rongguo Mansion, Sanchun is determined not to be qualified to be boudoir close friends with them.

In addition, Daiyu also has a few old friends from the Lin family, not counting them. Although Lin Ruhai is gone, all the high-ranking officials left behind are given to Daiyu. Whoever becomes Daiyu's husband-in-law will naturally have a relationship with these families come and go.

In fact, to be honest, Sanchun has the backing of Rongguo Mansion, they can't, let alone Daiyu?Without the power of the entire family of the Sang family, Daiyu, the daughter of a former royal censor alone, would not be able to make friends with them.The Sang family is benevolent and kind, and those old family friends are also kind. They sympathize with her parents who died when she was young, and are willing to take her around.

According to this kind of development, Daiyu will have no worries in the next three years.

Three years from now, Daiyu's marriage should be the worry, and I'm afraid there will be another famine.

Mother Jia insisted on matching Shuangyu, so it would be good to have her overpowering her now, otherwise the Rongguo Mansion would casually tell Daiyu that a relative had been sent far away, and Daiyu would not have time to cry.The husband doesn't like Daiyu, and Jia She is a Zhongshan wolf in choosing a son-in-law for him. Jia Zheng's official position is very small, and except for the old family friends of the Rongguo Mansion, others are ordinary. Can you count on them?cannot.

I just hope that in a few years, Mother Jia will understand that her wish is hard to come by and tell Daiyu a good home.

Xueyan calculated with her fingers, time passed like spring water, since time travel, it has been three or four years, watching Daiyu get rid of the tragedy step by step, the future is promising, she is secretly happy for Daiyu, and she should also take good care of herself in the future After making some plans, she had to decide whether she should go to the countryside to be a small landowner farming according to her heart and live an ordinary life, or take another life.

After a lifetime, she yearns for the sky to be high and the clouds to be calm in her bones, instead of being confused by the prosperity and beauty.

Although the prosperity and wealth in the capital are good, but the richer they are, the more burdens they have to bear. What they face is not only conspiracy and calculation, but also double-faced knives of the same status. Watching the fire from the other side, these girls in front of them may all be good friends with Zhang Hui, But not all of them are as close as sisters to each other, and their families often determine the circle in which they socialize.

The basic necessities of life in the countryside are not as good as those in the capital, but they don’t have so many minds, and even if they do, it’s just a trivial matter.

She should stick to her heart and return to the countryside. Although it is not easy to be a landlord in the countryside, she has served Daiyu once. With the help of her heart, Daiyu's future husband's family will not be too simple. With this relationship, I shouldn't be as unlucky as the crop whose fertile land was occupied by Zhou Rui's family.After all, she also has power to rely on, doesn't she?

Xueyan frowned, even without parents, husband and brothers, being a landlord in a woman's hometown is still very controversial.

Let's talk about it at that time, she is only 15 years old this year, and she still has a lot of time to make various plans. Who knows if she will change her mind by then, and will she get involved in her own life.

Having figured this out, Xueyan put down the stone in her chest.

"Why don't you play it together?" Qiu Ju came over with a smile and asked.

Qiuju is one of Yanran's big maids, and now Zhao Yanran is next to Chunlan, so Qiuju and Xueyan are very leisurely, Xueyan smiled and gave up her seat, because of Daiyu's mother Rong and Zhang, She has always had a good impression of the people in Princess Yongchang's mansion, and said: "Sister, sit down quickly, if you feel a little hot, take a rest."

Qiu Ju sat down with a reserved smile and said, "You have lived in the capital for several years, but do you think it's hot here? Thinking about it, is it hotter in your hometown?"

Xueyan said: "Speaking of which, after all, the south of the Yangtze River is hotter and humid than the capital, but here it is rather dry."

Qiu Ju nodded slightly, turned her face halfway, looked at Xueyan's snow-white face and indigo eyebrows, and finally couldn't help asking: "You really don't remember home? You look very kind, as if you have seen him somewhere." As if."

Xueyan was stunned when she heard the words, could it be that she is still like Xiangling, a young lady who was kidnapped and trafficked?

Thinking of this, Xueyan couldn't help laughing. When the lady of the rich family walked around, a group of maids and servants followed her, and she often didn't leave the door without going out. How could she be abducted?The reason why Xiangling was abducted was because although the Zhen family had a good family background, they were just ordinary country gentlemen who were only held by a servant, so they were lost.

Because the original body was too young when she entered the Lin family, only five years old, so she didn't remember her parents in her hometown, but when she received the memories, she vaguely got three or five fragments of memories, the family was desolate and poor.

Xueyan thinks that the main reason why she is not Miss Everyone is that when she was sold into the Lin family, she still carried a red paper seal with her birthday written on it.Generally speaking, every child in every family has a birth date postcard. Rich families don’t have to worry about not writing it down, but poor families also have to remember their children’s birth date postcards. It is said that not only the date of birth, but also the birthplace and surname are included on the post. When getting married, the three generations of ancestors are added, and this is the Geng post.

The birth date, birthplace and surname remain unchanged, so it is written on red paper since birth, and some wealthy families use red satin.The name may not have been taken at the beginning of the marriage, and the three generations of the ancestors have changed from time to time. It may be between the grass and the adulthood, and each of the three generations of the ancestors has been promoted to an official. Therefore, the name and the official positions of the three generations of the ancestors have to be written when the marriage is engaged, and the name is not written. Also makes.

When Xueyan first recognized her relatives, Xueyan read her birthday postcard, which clearly stated that farmers in Suzhou Prefecture, because her family was poor, did not have any scruples about naming her, so she directly wrote her name, called Wang Xiaoniu, which is very vulgar. vulgar name.

Based on all the above, Xueyan thinks that she is definitely not a young lady of a big family, and it is impossible to have relatives of high officials and dignitaries.

If the Wang family really had high-ranking relatives, would they be so poor that they would sell their daughters?

So with a chuckle, he stretched out his hand to roll back the hair on the sideburns, and the two shrimp bracelets on his right wrist, which were as white as white jade, jingled, shining brightly in the sun, and said: "It's so strange, why everyone said Does it look familiar? Elder sister said that today, and the concubine Xiande concubine visited relatives in the first month, and the elder sister Baoqin brought into the palace by the empress also said the same."

Qiu Ju wondered: "Don't you say Mianshan? Only your princess said that! Not only the princess said that, but also your grandma. I didn't believe it. I didn't want to know it until I met today. It was our princess and grandma who saw it." Sure." When Princess Yongchang told Zhang Shi, it happened that Qiuju was serving Yanran, so she also heard it.

As soon as the words fell, Xueyan was taken aback, and said: "The princess also said that? That's strange."

Xueyan thinks that there is absolutely no way she has a weird life experience, so why do you say she looks familiar?

Qiu Ju thought for a while, then smiled and said, "Perhaps you really look like no one. Although your princess has said this, she also said that there are many wonders in the world, and there are many people who have similar eyebrows and eyes that are not related to each other!"

Xueyan said: "The princess is very right! Even your girls, there are many girls with eyebrows and eyes like your girls."

Among the twelve little opera troupes, Lingguan looks somewhat like Daiyu, Li Qingwen, a maidservant, looks somewhat like Daiyu, Xiangling looks like Qin Keqing once, Jia Baoyu and Zhen Baoyu are thousands of miles away, Even though they are old relatives, in fact there is no blood relationship within a few generations, but they look exactly the same, so it can be seen that this appearance does not mean anything.

Seeing that she was not curious, and agreed with Princess Yongchang's statement, Qiu Ju couldn't help but feel a little strange, and said with a smile, "I'll tell you tomorrow when I think about it. At first I thought it was nothing, but now I don't want to say who I look like. Got curious."

Xueyan smiled and said, "Then I'll have to trouble my sister."

She is not enthusiastic about this, she just thinks that everyone is trying to satisfy her own curiosity.

Suddenly Daiyu waved and said, "Snow Goose, come here."

Xueyan got up and said goodbye to Qiuju, walked over, and said with a smile, "What's the girl's name?"

Daiyu took Xueyan and smiled at the crowd: "Since you have to copy the lines of the poems we wrote today and take them back, ask this girl to copy them! She can't do anything else. She has practiced calligraphy for several years. It’s still upright enough to catch the eye.”

It turned out that they had just surrounded the flowers and composed many poems and linked many lines. The poems were written on their own powder paper, and Daiyu took the pen to record the lines. After several disputes, Daiyu proposed to copy it out and bring a copy with each of them.

They all have identities, even if they are taken away, they are just for self-importance, and they are not passed on outside the boudoir.

I don't want them all to be lazy, and feel that it is too tiring to copy more than a dozen copies. If they copy their own, they are impatient. Although there are a few girls around them who can read and write, calligraphy is difficult to see, so Daiyu Think of snow geese.

Xueyan has been practicing calligraphy diligently since she learned to read and write with her, and has never slackened in the slightest. Sometimes she is so diligent that Daiyu is ashamed of herself.

Yanran then asked Xueyan to write two words to look at.

Daiyu picked up the pen, dipped it in enough ink and handed it to Xueyan, who could only smile and put it on the paper.

"Good words, good words." Yan Ran picked it up, looked at it, and praised: "As expected, like a master, there must be a servant. Sister Lin, if you do this, you will be a troublesome servant girl."

Daiyu laughed and said, "Her name is Xueyan, and she has been with her for many years!"

Zhang Hui hurriedly called two maids to come up, one was holding the paper, and the other was grinding ink for Xueyan.

There are not many poems, but after transcribing more than a dozen copies, the number is a bit too much. Xueyan immersed herself in writing, and copied meticulously. It took more than an hour to write down what they needed.

After careful proofreading, there were no omissions or mistakes, and Xueyan sent it to the audience.

After reading it, Yan Ran was very happy, and ordered Chunlan to take it away. Coincidentally, a banquet had already been set up at this time, so she said to Zhang Hui, "It's hard for her to write for so long. I'm lucky to reward her with two glasses of wine."

During the meal, he picked up some dishes on the table and gave them to Xueyan. Xueyan accepted it with a smile on his face, but in fact it was tasteless.

Although the master of the Rongguo Mansion likes to reward the dishes on his table to show his favor, Xueyan has never eaten other leftovers. She followed Daiyu, or Daiyu asked them to accompany her. Eat, or let them eat by themselves, and never reward them with what they have left.

After finally using it up, Xueyan hurriedly came up to serve Daiyu to wash.

When the song ended in the evening, Yan Ran returned home with the pen and ink she had transcribed, and went to Princess Yongchang's room to pay her respects.

Mrs. Zhang knew that this little girl was very stubborn, and she was afraid that someone invited by her natal family would offend her. She didn't want to see her look happy, so she knew that she had never been neglected. Take it."

With a smile on the corner of Yan Ran's mouth, she said: "I saw Miss Lin today, it's really great."

Princess Yongchang sat on top of her head. After hearing this, she was taken aback for a moment, and immediately said angrily: "Is it because of this that you replied to Huier's post? You are really naughty. Tomorrow, I will follow you to the palace and invite the empress dowager to come back to her hometown." Teach and teach well."

Yan Ran said: "How can I complain? It's just that the poems you saw were all good. I didn't believe it. After seeing this sister Lin, she was quick-witted, and the lines in the poems were delicate and unconventional. They are not as good as her. I just don’t know what about Xue Baochai who is equal to her, seeing that poem is also very good, and it is more suitable for the word "Praise the Holy Spirit."

It turned out that Yanran Palace went to school with the princesses and princesses. Because they were dissatisfied after reading the congratulatory eulogy praised by the empress dowager, they chose Zhang Hui as the host for a while. However, she really put her heart into it.

Mrs. Zhang laughed and sighed after hearing this, and said: "Miss Lin is fine, she has a lot of affection with her natal family, but Miss Xue's family, I'm afraid I won't be able to see her again, after all, she has never had any contact with her."

Princess Yongchang said: "He has seen it, that is, Yan Ran has never seen it, forgot?"

Mrs. Zhang hurriedly said: "Where did I forget? I still remember! She has a good appearance and bearing, and she has a kind of charm and coquettishness than Miss Lin. We usually see women of high and low ranks who rarely match her, but their status is low." some."

Yan Ran's eyes lit up, and she said: "Seeing Sister Lin today, I think it's rare in the world, isn't it possible that there are others on par?"

Mrs. Zhang nodded.

Yan Ransu likes to compose poems, but she is not very talented, so she can't help but think about it, but then she thinks that Baochai's identity is really difficult to get into the eyes of these girls, so she has to give up. See family background.

Princess Yongchang sighed: "The girls in Rongguo Mansion are rare, what a pity."

Yes, it's a pity.

Not only Princess Yongchang thinks this way, Mrs. Zhang also feels the same way.

If the Rongguo mansion had female relatives to take them out and learn how to socialize, even if they couldn't get into a first- and second-class family, they would still be able to talk about a good marriage, but they didn't pay much attention to it in the mansion, so Jia She's daughter was already old enough. I don't have a home yet, and I haven't come to propose marriage, and I don't have promises when I'm older, let alone mention it below.

Princess Yongchang asked Yanran to go back to her room to rest, and when she was no longer seen, Fang asked Mrs. Zhang, "I heard that the Sang family values ​​Da Lin's daughter very much now, do you have any clues?"

Mrs. Zhang pondered for a moment, and said, "It's hard to see what's going on. Mom often sighed and said that although the Sang family supports Miss Lin, she can learn more and suffer less grievances, but in the end the marriage must be decided by the Rongguo Mansion. If Mr. Shi If you don't let go, the Sang family can't show Miss Lin a home. If the Sang family is watching, no matter how bad the Rongguo Mansion is, it won't be a home for Miss Lin to look after."

After she finished speaking, she felt puzzled and asked, "Why is the princess asking this?"

Princess Yongchang smiled and said: "I think Miss Lin is pretty good, and I want to be a great matchmaker for her tomorrow."

Mrs. Zhang was startled, with a puzzled expression on her face, but she felt vaguely in her heart that this matter could be done. Maybe there was Princess Yongchang as a matchmaker, so her parents didn't have to worry about it. When she returned to her natal home, she had heard from her parents that she was entrusted by Lin Ruhai. , Daiyu took care of one or two in the wedding.

"I don't know what family the princess is looking for?" You have to know something in your heart.

Princess Yongchang waved her hand and said: "Don't ask, Miss Lin is still young, even if she says it now, she may not be able to achieve it, let's wait a year or two, if she has an idea, when the time comes to become a big matchmaker, will they still refuse?" If the emperor hadn't been merciful to these veterans, she wouldn't have looked down upon Rongguo Mansion's methods.

Mrs. Zhang sighed: "Miss Lin's marriage is probably not easy. If there is a girl from another family, there must be a door-to-door marriage by now. Although she has no parents, she has a family property! It is from the Rongguo Mansion. If there is a princess as a matchmaker But it is her luck. It is good to have Shi Taijun protecting her now, but if Shi Taijun cannot be chased away tomorrow, Miss Lin has only two ways to go, one is a dead end, and the other is to let the Rongguo Mansion decide to send her away casually. It's gone." In this way, the Lin family's property will not be pursued.

Princess Yongchang shook her head and said: "Don't think too well, the Rongguo Mansion is tempted by this property, how can you know not to be tempted? After all, the Lin family's property is not a small amount. She just walked around the downtown market with a three-year-old baby with gold ingots in her arms. No matter who sees it, everyone wants to snatch it, just to see if I can be merciful and save a little more for her."

The older Princess Yongchang was, the more merciful her thoughts became, and she felt pity for Daiyu, so she said such words.

Mrs. Zhang sighed secretly, and said: "After all, it's because there are no parents to rely on."

In fact, Daiyu is not the only one with such a fate in the world, but she lives in Rongguo Mansion, and Rongguo Mansion is the second-class family in the capital, and there is another empress who doesn't know how to restrain herself, so don't look at her.

Although Princess Yongchang said something earlier, she was not at ease after all. When she brought her beloved daughter into the palace to greet the empress dowager, she met many big sedan chairs at the gate of the palace, their heads were crowded, and she frowned and said, "Why? thing?"

A busy maid replied: "Today is the twelfth day, the day when the family members of the Jiaofang in the harem can enter the palace to pay their respects."

Princess Yongchang suddenly realized, and said: "But I forgot the grace of the saint."

Although there were many mothers of concubines in the harem, but Princess Yongchang's status, there was absolutely no reason why they should not be blocked, so everyone gave way and let the princess's sedan chair in first.

It was the husband of Rongguo Mansion who made way for Princess Yongchang first.

Princess Yongchang showed a little approval on her face, and asked through the curtain if Mother Jia was well.

Wang Fu hurriedly replied respectfully: "Everything is fine, but it's hot and I don't like to move much. I ask my brothers and sisters to talk with me."

Princess Yongchang smiled and said: "Tomorrow, the old ladies will be free, so it's better to take the young ladies to walk around the house often. I just love the girls in our family. All of them are good, better than my daughter."

Wang Fulian said he didn't dare, and his expression was very frightened.

Princess Yongchang smiled slightly, and walked away in a big sedan chair.

Wang Fu watched Princess Yongchang's sedan chair enter the palace gate, and was stunned for a while. Finally, everyone went in, and it was her turn. Jia Zheng's rank was not high, and Wang Fu's order was the lowest. It was not the last to enter the palace in the name of the national government to see Yuanchun, and soon he was allowed to go to the Queen's Palace to pay his respects together with the family members of the pepper house.

Coincidentally, the empress was distributing things, and she ordered eunuch Xia to deliver something in person, and said: "The small Buddhist hall is the most afraid of heat, and the ice and things used in summer must not be short."

Eunuch Xia knew that the identity was different over there, so he responded respectfully, took his things and stepped back.

The queen took time to say to the person who came to pay her respects: "It's been a long time since we met, don't delay here, let's go."

Thank you for being busy, and leave one by one.

After leaving the Queen's main palace, Wang Fucai walked to Fengzao Palace where Yuanchun lived.

Before entering Fengzao Palace, there was a Baoqin sent by Yuanchun to meet her at the gate. Mrs. Wang followed her in and walked all the way. Looking at the yellow tiles and red walls, although her nature was calm, she couldn't help being agitated. This is the place where her daughter lives, and it is the most honorable place in the world. The daughter not only brings glory to the family, but also brings confidence to her mother.

But mother and daughter are separated, and the flesh and blood are not perfect after all. Well, she can see her daughter every month to comfort the pain of missing her.

Lead Wang Fu to the place where Yuan Chun usually sits and sleeps. Yuan Chun only wears homely clothes. Although they are home clothes, they are the best in the world. : "Mother, don't be so polite, our mother finally met, so let's talk for a while."

Wang Fu said with concern, "Is everything alright, ma'am?"

This is what she is most worried about. There are many young and beautiful concubines in the palace. After all, Yuan Chun is two years older than today's Sheng.

"Everything is fine, how is the house? The old lady is safe? Is Baoyu still naughty?" Yuan Chun's eyes flashed a wry smile, but this smile was not easy to show in front of Mrs. Wang. As the official book of Fengzao Palace, he was named a virtuous concubine, but when it comes to favor, he is not as good as Zhou Gui, let alone Wu Guifei.

When Baoyu was mentioned, Mrs. Wang showed a deep smile on her face, and said, "Mistress Lao, please remember. Hello, old lady. Baoyu is not very naughty since he lived in the garden."

Yuanchun nodded and said: "Baoyu is naturally intelligent. He was taught to recognize thousands of characters when he was three or four years old. None of the children in the mansion can compare with him. If he studies poetry and books well, he will be awarded the gold list. Although he studied with his sisters in the garden, In the end, I should ask the master to discipline and discipline me, so I can go to school well."

When Wang Fu heard Yuanchun's praise of Baoyu, he was very happy. When he heard that Baoyu was asked to study, he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. He sighed, "Why don't you not know what your mother said? It's just that Zhuer got such a result from reading, and a part of her was gouged out. Now that Baoyu is born weak, how can he dare to restrain him? Besides, he is afraid of the old man, and every time he sees him, he trembles with fright. The more he looks at it, the more pitiful he feels, so he has to rely on the old lady to let him study with his sisters for a while. As a companion. Thinking that Baoyu is still young, it is a bit absurd to be young, and when Minger marry him a good wife who knows how to advise her husband to study economics, she will know how to make progress when she thinks about it."

Hearing this, Yuan Chun couldn't help thinking of Baochai and Daiyu's looks and talents, as well as the dispute between Jia's mother and Wang's husband, and suddenly felt embarrassed, saying: "Does Baoyu's mother have any ideas?"

Mrs. Wang was very energetic, that's why she entered the palace, so she sighed softly: "The old lady saw that Miss Lin was good, but she thought that Girl Bao was good. Girl Bao always knew how to persuade Baoyu to make progress, so she was calm and peaceful. , never messing around with Baoyu, very agreeable, but the old lady only values ​​Lin girl, what should I do?"

Mrs. Wang felt a little wronged in her heart. She was almost 50 years old, her temples were already gray, and she had to set rules in front of Mother Jia.She only hated herself for being unable to even be the master of Baoyu's marriage. According to her parents' order and the matchmaker's words, could it be that she couldn't marry her son a daughter-in-law who was as she wished?

After Yuan Chun listened to it one by one, according to her thinking, Daiyu naturally had status, but according to her preferences, Baochai finally got the favor of the husband, and the latter is the niece of the husband's direct relative, and she will act with the husband in the future. Her mother had white hair on her temples, and she couldn't help feeling distressed, and advised: "The old lady is getting old, and it's also for the sake of her granddaughter's life. Mother, don't argue with the old lady. If the mother really likes Baochai, Baoyu's marriage will be in the future." And it's time to call the shots!"

Wang Fu immediately beamed with joy, nodded and recited Buddha's name without end, and smiled for a long time: "How dare you argue with the old lady? Although Lin girl is good, she has one bad thing, that is, she is not as knowledgeable as Bao girl. Lin girl only cares about talking to Baoyu." Poetry and Fu, I never know how to persuade Baoyu to make progress, so I can't be a good wife and mother."

Yuan Chun smiled lightly and said: "I can't blame sister Lin. After all, her surname is Lin, and she is also a younger sister. How can she tell her elder brother what to do? of."

Wang Fu was taken aback, deeply convinced.

Yuan Chun sighed slightly, although she was deep in the palace, she knew that Daiyu is not as good as before, not to mention anything else, just a relative of the Sang family is enough to look down on everyone, not to mention there are so many old friends in the world, so she advised Mrs. Wang: " Sister Lin is not useless, just these few things are beyond the reach of Bao girl."

When Xue's family came to Beijing, apart from Jia's mansion and Wang Ziteng's house, there were no relatives or friends who came and went. Mrs. Wang knew very well that she was very happy when she heard that Yuan Chun valued her. Son, said: "I also know that Miss Lin has the benefits of Miss Lin, but marrying a daughter is high, and marrying a wife is low. Besides, if she enters the door, there are old ladies guarding her, and there are so many relatives and friends watching, how dare she marry her?" Use her as a daughter-in-law? It spread a little bit, but it's not true."

Her voice became lower and lower, she covered the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief, and whispered: "Although Bao girl's background is relatively low, it was said earlier that she has a stable and peaceful temperament, acts generously, has a family of millions, and has a dowry. The most important thing is that Baoyu has a piece of psychic treasure. The empress knows well, but Baoyatou has a golden lock, which was given by a monk and Taoist priest. A couple, look, ma'am, isn't this a good match from heaven? Could it be that what the monks and priests said is still wrong? Last month, Baoyu was trapped, and all his anger was gone. After reciting Ling Baoyu once, Baoyu will be healed, such a good fortune, there is no other, how can you not believe it?"

The more Yuan Chun listened, the more curious she became. She said why the husband didn't ask for instructions to enter the palace last month, and hurriedly said, "How is Baoyu? Why didn't you bring a message to the palace for such a big matter?"

Wang Fu sighed: "The monk and Taoist said that except for his own wife and mother, no one can be seen. He only cares about Baoyu and Feng girl in the room. How can he come into the palace to pay his respects to his mother? Since the psychic Baoyu is so effective, think about it." Jinsuo also has a history, which is also the reason why we value Bao girl."

Yuan Chun hesitated for a moment, and said, "Uncle Lin is gone, and Sister Lin also has a dowry."

She often communicates with her family. Although she is unknown, she is also an extremely intelligent woman. How can she not know that all the property of the Lin family has been brought into the mansion, and now a lot of property has been spent. Yu returned all this property when she got married, but she also knew the situation in the mansion well, where would there be money to return it?

Mrs. Wang hurriedly said: "Although Miss Lin has some, I don't know how many there will be when I enter the door!"

Yuan Chun also knew this reason, and he was silent for a long time, and said: "Forget it, Baoyu is still young, so it makes sense. The rose fragrance and sweet-scented osmanthus dew that my son brought in before were distributed in the palace today. Mother took a few bottles home. Try it, if you think it's good, I'll send some more tomorrow."

Wang Fu was not very able to obtain the things that make progress, but now he relies on his daughter to obtain it, and he feels very honorable on the face.

I wanted to say something more, but when it was time to leave the palace, Yuan Chun suddenly felt sad, Mrs. Wang consoled her a little bit, and before she left the palace, now that she had Yuan Chun's intention, she was sure of making decisions about Baoyu's marriage.

After the Flower Festival, Yuanchun sent Xia Shouzhong to Rongguo Mansion to send 120 taels of silver, ordering him to go to Yuxu Temple for a three-day peace offering from the first day to the third day of May, singing opera offerings, and asking Jia Zhen to bring the men to kneel down and worship Buddha, They were sent over with the money, as well as the rituals of the Dragon Boat Festival, and they were signed one by one.

It happened that Daiyu and other sisters Jiamu were talking in the room, and they were surprised when they saw what they had given them.

It turns out that Baochai and Baoyu are the same in these ceremonies, two high-grade palace fans, two strings of red musk beads, two phoenix-tailed Luoduan, and a collar of lotus mats, while Daiyu and Sanchun sisters are the same, with the fewest things, only Two palace fans and Zhuzhuer, nothing else.

The things are ordinary, but those who come out of the palace are very decent.

Because Baoyu didn't go out, Jia's mother asked Baoyu to take it away, and asked her to remind Baoyu to thank Baoyu at five o'clock the next day. The rest of the girls around her sisters all went up to collect the rewards from their own girls. Xueyan held a fan He Shuzhu'er raised his head slightly, and saw a chill flashing in Jiamu's eyes.

Jia Mu said: "The weather is getting hotter and I'm tired. Let's go stubborn!"

Everyone knew that Jia's mother was unhappy, so she hurriedly got up and left one after another. After leaving the room, she had nothing to say, and they all left.

Daiyu returned to her room, looked out of the window at the high sky, and thought to herself: when visiting relatives, she and Baochai received the same praise and rewards, but when they moved into the Grand View Garden, Baochai was taller than herself For a while, the sisters who overwhelmed the mansion became the only names in the decree that kept pace with Baoyu. I think the second aunt contributed a lot.Now that such a ceremony of rewarding comes down, it is to tell Jiamu, and also to tell the house, etc., that she agrees with the golden and jade marriage.

When it comes to Baoyu, Daiyu throws it away with a sore heart, but she doesn't care.But she knows that her marriage can only be decided by Jia Mu, and it doesn't matter whether she wants to or not. Whether she is marrying Baoyu or not, she can only resign herself to fate.

Xueyan and Zijuan looked at her very worriedly, fearing that she would be angry because of this ritual.

Unlike Zijuan, Xueyan thinks that if Daiyu is angry, it must not be because Yuanchun agrees with Jinyu's marriage, and Daiyu has long since lost her mind about it, but because her family and Sanchun