The maid of the red house

Daiyu's marriage was about to be decided, the master and servant suddenly calmed down. Isn't it just for the sake of being carefree in the future?At this time, there is no worries about the future, and the previous gloomy look was swept away on both faces, and he acted more gracefully.

At this time, Xueyan was looking forward to making an order earlier, so as not to have long nights and dreams.

Judging from Daiyu's usual housekeeping, she is far-sighted, governs by doing nothing, and can be the matriarch of a family. She was married as the eldest daughter-in-law, and she will be the clan wife of the Zhou family in the future. She needs to learn a lot. From the daughter-in-law of the eldest grandson of the Sang family to the daughter-in-law of the eldest son, and then to the old lady, she is also the wife of the Sang family. She knows more things than Jia's mother. After all, Jia's mother is not a family member of the Jia family.Although Zhou Fu would definitely teach Daiyu after she came in, Sang's mother still took this opportunity to teach her.

Daiyu knew about Sang's mother's kindness, and she couldn't learn these things in Rongguo Mansion, so she studied them very hard.

Xueyan fully agrees with Sang's mother's opinion that Daiyu is suitable for the life of piano, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry and wine, but it's not that she can't take on the responsibility of being the head of the house. Seeing that she is too busy and she has nothing to do, she proposes to buy leather.

Daiyu knew that the high-quality leather in the capital was extremely expensive, and that the servant girls in the Rongguo Mansion were proud of having a big woolen dress. When the first autumn came, Mrs. Wang took the two aunts, Zhou and Zhao, to rummage through the boxes and rewarded Xi with several pieces of color. Don't be envious of good clothes, so she thought that the price at the border was the same as that in the capital, so she asked Xueyan to buy them for 500 taels of silver.

They brought a lot of gold and silver in their luggage when they left Beijing, in order to buy some local ritual gifts when they went back.

Xueyan smiled and said: "I don't need so much silver. I asked the price last time. The leather outside the customs is very cheap. The leather that sells for 100 taels in the capital can be bought here for a few taels of silver. I want to buy some for myself. !"

Although she has a lot of big and small woolen clothes, and even a few cloaks, because of Daiyu, Lin Ruhai rewarded them, Daiyu gave them, and Lai's family gave them to her. Not bad, there is no way, there are twenty or thirty boxes of these clothes left by Rongguo Mansion for Daiyu, accounting for more than half of them. Daiyu doesn't wear them at all, so she distributes them to them, so as not to spoil them after a long time, but she wants to save more Some skins, I don’t know if I will have a chance to come to the border next time!

When Mother Sang found out, she said, "What are you buying these for? We have quite a few at home, and I'll send you two boxes later."

Daiyu hurriedly said, "How can I ask for things from my aunt again? Auntie should leave it to Wan'er and Yuan'er."

Xueyan also smiled and said: "My girls have boxes of high-quality leather left by the family, and there is no shortage of them. The most important thing is to buy some. You can send them back home or save them for yourself."

Sang's mother knew that both their master and servant were not short of money. If she often gave it to them, they would feel ashamed of receiving it. After thinking about it, she said: "If you have a baby at home, you don't need to buy it yourself. Besides, if you want a high-quality Good skin, let me tell you in the barracks, these years, the soldiers in the camp often go to the mountains to practice, and the prey they bring back are all tanned, and they have been stored for a long time, and they are usually sold to merchants in the customs. Pulled here with boxes full, don’t you treat them badly?”

Daiyu and Xueyan were both surprised and happy, Daiyu said: "Since that's the case, I might as well buy more."

Mother Sang said with a smile: "That's fine, anyway, I still have to save the dowry to make clothes! Ask the selected ones to send a cart over, we pick and choose, keep the good ones for ourselves, and go back to reward the girls for winter clothes Wear it, it's decent and warm."

Daiyu hurriedly asked Xueyan to go get more money.

Sang Mu said: "500 taels is enough."

But Daiyu said: "Since I bought it once, I will take another 500 taels of silver. Anyway, you are not short of money. After you get something, they get some silver. Maybe you can send it home to make your family have a good year." !” The soldiers did not have family members to follow them and stationed at the border, so they had to entrust their salaries and money back home every year.

Sangmu laughed and said, "Since you have such a heart, why stop it?"

As he said that, he called Guanshi Li's wife and asked Guanshi Li to take care of it.

Li Guanshi's daughter-in-law agreed, glanced at Xueyan, and her daughter-in-law came out carrying the money, and told Li Guanshi so.

After Li Guanshi heard Sang's mother's intention, he hurriedly took him to the place where the army was stationed, an important place for the barracks, he could not go in casually, so he asked the soldiers to pass the message, but Zhou Hong came out instead of ordinary soldiers in charge.

Hearing Guanshi Li's explanation of his purpose, Zhou Hong paused, waved his hands and said, "Go back first, and send it tomorrow." If you want leather, it will take a lot of work, and you can't just pile it up and send it off on the same day.

Li Guanshi had always respected him, so he hurriedly handed over the money first.

Zhou Hong took it, and when he came back from patrol that day, he called the soldiers who kept the furs to send a message, saying that they wanted to buy the furs. They were sent to Sang's house, many of which he had hunted, but he didn't collect the money, and only distributed the money to other soldiers who sent the skins.

Xueyan looked at the two big wagons, beamed with joy, and hurriedly asked to move in.

This batch of skins includes fox fur, mink skin, rex rabbit skin, sheep skin, raccoon skin, deer skin, and wolf skin. There are seven or eight large boxes in total. Among them, two extremely neat snow wolf skins are the most precious. Xueyan raised her brows, and found that there was not a single bad leather. She calculated in her heart that it could be sold for more than 1 taels in the capital.

Xueyan heard that Guanshi Li said that Zhou Hong took care of it, and after looking through it, she looked at Daiyu and smiled.

Daiyu blushed, stared at her a few times, lowered her head and said, "Leave a few leathers for later, pick out the rest you like to make clothes, then put them away, and pick them out tomorrow when you return to Beijing." Send some."

If it was an ordinary item, Xueyan would have accepted it, but faced with so many good leather items, she was a little afraid to accept it.

Hearing her refusal, Daiyu said: "What's the share with Sheng? How many good things are there? Don't you dare to accept the skins of tens of taels of silver?" Pointing to a box, she said: "Move that box into the house and give it to me." It's gone." Pointing to a box, she asked her to take a few out and reward Chunxian Danju, and leave the rest for Zicuckoo, Tinglan, Qinghe, Runzhu and others to take back.

Xueyan thought that the leather would be expensive in Beijing, but here a box was only worth a hundred taels of silver, so she stopped being pretentious. She collected a lot of jewelry, gold and silver, and the leather of a hundred taels of silver was nothing.

Thinking of this, Xueyan felt that she suddenly became rich and powerful.

She has fertile land, gold and silver, jewellery, clothes, and some useless clothing materials saved up. After Daiyu gets married, she will retire as a small rich man, and she will have enough food and clothing for the rest of her life.

Since it is enough to live, there is no need to sell leather.

Originally, she wanted to buy leather to bring back to the capital, keep some for herself, give some away, and sell the rest to the shop. Now that Daiyu gave it to her, she felt that she didn't need to buy it. She had no ambitions, and she didn't need to. The rich and the rich, the ordinary life is better than the intrigue hidden behind the rich clothes and fine food.

As the snow fell one after another, when the snow geese went out to wander again, they wrapped themselves in half-worn orangutan felt cloaks.

Chinese New Year is approaching, and the market is getting more and more lively, the voices of selling things come and go, and you can see all kinds of leather clothes and leather goods everywhere.

Xueyan wore a snow cap and a green silk umbrella, and walked through the streets with Mrs. Zhang. When she lived in Rongguo Mansion, she didn't go out as long as it was snowing. In fact, she liked walking in the snow. I didn't look at it here. Daiyu didn't restrain her, and was finally able to go out in the snowy weather, even the wind and snow couldn't blow away the smile on her face.

After walking for half a day, Xueyan suddenly stopped and stared fixedly at the furs placed in front of an old man under the roadside shed. She went to and fro and asked the price, but because the price was too expensive, she didn't want to buy it. She walked over, Picking out a bright red fox fur from the fur, he asked, "How do you sell this fur?"

It turned out that she had taken a fancy to the Firefox fur in this pile of furs.

This piece of Firefox fur has a lot of red hair and is very complete, with a very long tail. The snow geese fell in love with it immediately.

The old man was wearing a dog fur hat and a sheepskin coat. His complexion was dark and weathered. He heard the snow geese questioning him, took a look at the fire fox fur, and then lowered his head, saying, "Ten taels of silver."

In the case that the leather outside the customs is generally cheap, the price of this leather is indeed a bit expensive.

Mrs. Zhang interrupted with a smile: "Is it a bit expensive?"

Xueyan deeply felt the same way. She saw a similar Firefox fur in a fur shop last time, but it cost 100 taels of silver. Of course, [-] taels of silver might not be able to buy a complete Firefox fur in the capital.

The old man shook his head and didn't speak, looking very taciturn.

Xueyan really likes this piece of Firefox skin. She saw a similar one among the skins that Daiyu had collected the other day. The red fox was celebrating, so she wanted to buy another one to make a pair for Daiyu's dowry. I don't want to go to the fur shop when I just left Sang's house to ask, but it has already been bought, so I can't help being disappointed.

Firefox skins are rare, but after pondering for a while, she decided to buy them, but it would only cost two taels of silver.

Looking through the skins piled up in front of the old man, Xueyan picked out two more valuable mink skins, three pieces of ermine skins and two sheepskins with a bucket of pearls, and said with a smile: "Together with the red fox skin, we need How much silver."

The old man glanced at it, and said in a muffled voice, "A total of 36 taels."

Xueyan took off the purse and poured out six small golden locks and handed it to him, saying: "I bought it."

The old man weighed the gold curry, weighed it with a spatula, nodded and said: "Chenghui three taels of gold, 36 taels of silver, not bad." After putting away the curry, he picked up a piece of cotton cloth The furoshiki carefully wrapped the leather she bought, then stood up and handed it to Xueyan with both hands, and when Xueyan took it, he squatted back to the original place.

The leather is very heavy, and the bag is bulging and heavy, and Mrs. Zhang quickly took it, holding the umbrella in one hand and the bag in the other, and said with a smile: "Come and take it, the girl is young and weak, it is better to be strong."

Xueyan pursed her lips and smiled, without refusing, she said, "Go back and treat mom to a good wine."

Turning around and going back, just after taking two steps, I suddenly heard a surprised voice in front of me: "Why did Miss Xueyan go out?"

Xueyan heard the familiar voice, and staring at it, it was Li San, the nephew of Li Guanshi. Behind him were two men who looked like long-term workers, each driving a mule cart. Tightly, Xueyan smiled lightly, blessed Fushen, and said: "I have been out for half a day, and I am about to go back. Mr. Li thinks he has something important to do, so he dare not disturb him."

Li San patted his head and almost lost the leather hat on his head. Facing the majestic Xueyan, he felt that he had nowhere to put his hands and feet, and said: "It's just a rough man, and he can't be called a young master. Girl, don't worry." Embarrassed. When I came back, I bought some leather goods and took them home. I went to the checkpoint tax, and I can get several times the interest in the capital, but it’s not a big deal.”

He didn't expect to meet snow geese here, her bright red clothes set off her face as crystal clear as jade, and she looked really pretty on the snow.

He didn't go back for a long time this time, and what he was waiting for was news from Guanshi Li. He didn't want Guanshi Li, but he didn't dare to agree. When he sent him money to buy melons and vegetables yesterday, he said to him: "I already told my aunt, and my aunt said to replace me." Make some plans, but Miss Xueyan is still young, and she has followed Miss Lin to read and write since she was a child, she is better than a scholar, and the young ladies of ordinary families are not as good as her. Miss Lin's meaning depends on whether Xue Yan is willing or not, and if she is unwilling, we can't stalk him, the important thing is to marry him earlier."

Then Li Guanshi said again: "It's not that Miss Xueyan is beautiful and can read and write. She has been with Miss Lin for many years, and her dowry is also rich. There are many strong ones. Except for a little family business, everything else is good. Not good enough for her."

Hearing these words, Li San couldn't help but feel ashamed when facing the snow geese again.

He has thick eyebrows and big eyes, not handsome, has never been educated since he was a child, and an old mother in his family has been weak and sick in recent years. As Li Guanshi said, except for three hundred acres of land and two yards, a few cows, I have nothing but mules, a few long-term workers, and some savings. I didn’t have a home that year, and my old mother didn’t stop me, and let the servants of the Rongguo Mansion occupy dozens of acres of land. Power can be relied on, but temper is not good, how can he be worthy of the beautiful and knowledgeable Xueyan?

Moreover, how could the people in Duke Houmen's mansion, who enjoyed fine clothes and good food, be willing to marry and live in the countryside to eat simple food?

However, he didn't want to give up.

He heard everything she said to the housekeeper's daughter-in-law at the back door that year, and he thought she was kind-hearted. Later, he heard the gatekeeper's mother-in-law say that if it wasn't for her words, the matter would have spread to the master's ears, housekeeper The daughter-in-law may not care.

If the fourth uncle dislikes his illiteracy, he will ask his husband to teach him to read when he returns home, not to become an official in the imperial examination, but to be worthy of her. For various reasons, he failed to achieve his wish, but if he is asked to learn some piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, he really can't; Come to the family business, be a rich man, and come to marry her in a good manner.

Li San was suffocating in his heart. He didn't believe that he was inferior to the so-called poor scholar. These readings are stronger.

However, if Xueyan falls in love with a wealthy family who can read and write, then he really has nothing to do.

Xueyan didn't know what was going on in Li San's heart. Hearing what he said, he just smiled approvingly and said, "That's a good idea. The leather goods outside the customs are indeed cheaper. After bringing them back to the capital, there are many people in the capital who want to buy good leather!"

Seeing her soft-spoken and smiling face, Li San suddenly felt elated. Because Guan Shi Li had reprimanded her for being reckless, he didn't dare to make any mistakes at this time, and said with a smile: "The girl also thinks it is good? I thought it was better than farming They are stronger, but they can’t do the business of merchants, so they often buy some local rituals and things in the pass and bring them here, or sell them, or barter them.”

Sensing his eager attitude, Xueyan couldn't help but smile very much.

Xueyan is so clever, how can she not know what Li San is thinking?

She knew that she was good-looking, and there were several young servants in the Rongguo Mansion, but because of the rules of the Rongguo Mansion, the maids were only released at the age of 20, and the servants were married at the age of 25, so they did not dare to act rashly. will like myself.

What does he fancy about himself?looks?I met twice, probably only for one reason.

If it's because of beauty, it would be too superficial, but how many men in the world are not beautiful?Mu Shaoai knows lust, beautiful girls are more respectable than ordinary girls, neat girls are more liked than ordinary girls, it's just because of beauty and ugliness, beauty always has three points more than ugly girls.

Xueyan has never thought about lifelong affairs, and this will not be decided in a short while. She plans to wait until she is out of citizenship and become a decent girl from a good family before considering whether to marry or not. Anyway, she does not want to marry, nor does she want to Do not delay.

Apart from protecting Daiyu's marriage, she only had one goal of living an ordinary life, and she didn't intend to live a vigorous life.

However, she also doesn't like people like Li San.

Xueyan was afraid that he would be too addicted, so she hurriedly changed the topic and said goodbye.

Returning to Sang's house in a hurry, Xueyan carried the bundle into the backyard, wiped away the sweat on her face, and was about to lift her feet into the house, when she saw Rongmao waving, she walked over and said with a smile: "Mamama What is it called?"

Mother Rong smiled and said: "Madam is looking for a girl to talk to, sit here, my eyes are a little blurred, help me put the needle on."

After Xueyan heard this, she was not in a hurry to go back to her room, she put down her burden and sat on the kang to help her thread the needle.

Mother Rong took a look at the bag, and when she heard that it was a few pieces of leather she bought, she nodded and said, "It should be so. I went to the market with Mother Zhang a while ago and bought a lot. Zhang, take it home to make clothes for you to wear, or give it as a gift.”

Xueyan smiled, Daiyu has always been very generous to her side.

But at this time, in Daiyu's room, Sang's mother was sitting cross-legged on the kang, Daiyu was sitting opposite, and Li Guanshi's daughter-in-law was sitting on the bed under the kang. "It stands to reason that I shouldn't be a slave to talk too much. I just saw that my distant nephew is very caring and has a lot of money in the family, so I came to ask the girl what she thinks. If the girl thinks it is not worthy, he will tell him before going home tomorrow. In order not to mess around in the future, it will disturb Miss Xueyan's purity."

Daiyu was dazed in a daze. Although she knew that Xueyan would leave her nationality sooner or later, she didn't expect that someone would come to beg Xueyan.

After listening to Li Guanshi's daughter-in-law, Daiyu felt that the distant nephew who was farming in the country was not good enough for Xueyan. With a widowed mother at home, Xueyan was most afraid that her mother-in-law would not take good care of her, and she always thought that Xueyan Calligraphy is good, read a lot, better than the young lady of the average family, more than enough to study with a good family, and the husband and wife get along well with each other, nothing could be better.

This Li San is really too vulgar.

Sang's mother noticed something, and said with a smile: "What's the rush? I want to keep Xueyan by my side for a few more years. Let's wait for a few years. Besides, Xueyan has an idea, so I have to ask her for everything. .”

Daiyu hurriedly said: "Auntie is very right, I think so too."

Sang's mother said to Li Guanshi's daughter-in-law: "Go back and tell your nephew. Just say what you said. Xueyan is still young, so he will wait a few years before thinking about these things. If he can wait, then we will see if he is worthy. Will agree."

Although Li Guanshi's daughter-in-law is her confidant, Xueyan is Daiyu's maid, and Sang's mother didn't plan to step over and take over as her maid.

Moreover, to be honest, Sang's mother also felt that Li San was not good enough for Xueyan.

Li Guanshi's daughter-in-law was a little discouraged, but she had expected this result a long time ago, and she was not disappointed, so she respectfully agreed, and told Li San when she went back, Fang then resigned.

After she left, Sang's mother smiled at Daiyu, "Look how well you've been treated, you've come to beg so early."

Daiyu smiled slightly, then hesitated for a moment, and said, "Auntie is to blame for not agreeing to Manager Li's daughter-in-law's request?"

Mother Sang said: "What's the matter? She's a niece. She's just a slave. Is it possible that I must agree to what I ask? There is no such reason in the world! If it makes her feel annoyed because of this, she will not value her. Besides, she not only thinks Her nephew is unworthy, and she also thinks that she is unworthy. It's just that this girl Xue Yan is a bit too high or too low, so I need to pay more attention then."

Sang's mother felt a little regretful. According to Xueyan's appearance and talent, if she hadn't been born as a girl, she could really marry into a good family and be a young mistress, but if she was born as a girl, it would be difficult to choose a good family.

Daiyu sighed: "Xueyan has her own ideas, except that she wants to quit her nationality, I'm not sure what she has planned."

When she was falling asleep at night, Daiyu asked Xueyan what her plans were for the future. Xueyan was looking out of the window in Nanny Rong's room during the day, just in time to see Steward Li's daughter-in-law going out. Hearing Daiyu's words now, she guessed something in her heart. She said with a smile: "Young lady has already decided on my son-in-law, so is it possible to make a plan? But there is no rush at all!"

Daiyu listened to her teasing, stretched out her hand to beat her shoulder a few times, and spat: "Jiahe speaks serious words, but makes fun of her."

Xueyan said seriously: "It's also serious."

Daiyu told her what Manager Li's daughter-in-law said during the day, and finally said: "I think Li San is not worthy, and a good wife may not stay with a clumsy husband for a long time. Look, there is a sick mother in his family, and I am most afraid of these things. The widowed mother is always tempered." Those on the left tend to treat their daughter-in-law harshly, but it is also a disease. It is not right to fight after marrying, and it is not right not to fight. Besides, there is no filial son in front of the bed for a long time. If things go on like this, some rifts will inevitably arise. The second is that Li San is illiterate. Talented. Third, although his family has hundreds of acres of land, is there less dowry? There is also money, land and savings, and he will give a dowry when he leaves the house tomorrow."

Xueyan couldn't help laughing and sighing after hearing this.The one who laughs is Daiyu who talks eloquently and methodically, but the one who sighs is what good does she have?

So after laughing and sighing, Xueyan said: "The girl is too worried, she doesn't think about these things right now, she won't agree to whether she is worthy or not. Besides, the girl only says that she is not worthy, and she is not worthy of other things! With a belly full of poems and books and a good handwriting, but she was born as a girl, this alone wipes out the benefits."

She will neither belittle herself, nor will she think highly of herself just because she has read a few books.

Daiyu retorted: "The dowry is rich and the appearance is outstanding. I'm afraid I won't be able to be the housekeeper's grandmother? Besides, it is better to find a scholar who is a farming and studying family. It is better than a crop. Even if you are not studying, there are many good grades and prospects here at the border. It is difficult for a military master to marry a wife, what is better than that Li San?"

Xueyan chuckled, and said to her: "Young lady, I don't want to think about it. If a girl is born, how confident is she in marrying her? Not to mention that the imperial examinations are difficult and dangerous. Since ancient times, there were not many gray-haired people who took the imperial examinations in any year. Old? At the age of 40, you are already young and promising. If you meet someone who is 50 and [-] years old, then you have to worry about it! A poor and down-to-earth scholar who has tried many times just because he thinks everything is inferior The only thing I can do is to study well. For the sake of studying, I don’t want to farm and support my family. I’m afraid that I’ll spoil the nobleness of my studies. Is this kind of dowry that can be used? It’s just that I passed the exam. Flaws, already old and yellow, and the dowry has been exhausted, so one can imagine what will happen."

Daiyu was stunned for a moment, she only thought that Xueyan should be worthy of studying, but she never thought about it.Indeed, if one’s color fades and one loves to relax, and those who are unlucky in their studies have a lot to gain, even if they don’t abandon their wretched wives, they will inevitably end up sad because they value their concubines and despise their wives.

Xueyan said again: "Besides, even if you are willing to marry a high-ranking military master at the border, if you don't want to be high-ranking, it's fine. After all, you are an official, much better than ordinary people, but if you are not high-ranking, you are not qualified to accompany you, and you will be separated for a long time. Miss, think about what will happen to Lieutenant! In the future, when the ranks rise, don’t you think you are born as a girl? Going out to socialize is inferior after all. Besides, the rules in the army’s family are inevitably rough, and there are many people who spoil their concubines and kill their wives!”

Daiyu said: "Not necessarily, Mr. Jia's husband in Jiayu Village is said to be from a girl background, and he was a concubine to help her upright. Because Mr. Jia is now a third grade, she has also risen with the tide, and the brothers and sisters of her natal family are not the same as the girls and men in the mansion. Sit on an equal footing?"

Xueyan smiled lightly, and said: "In my life, I only wish that being ordinary is a blessing, and I don't think about high officials and rich salary."

Daiyu frowned and said, "I guess you're like Li San?"

Xueyan couldn't help laughing when she heard that, she neither liked nor disliked Li San, she just said: "Just now the girl listed three unworthy things, both inside and outside the words, the girl still thinks so, do you think you can get such a person?"

Daiyu felt relieved, nodded and said: "What I'm saying is that this matter is not urgent right now. We have to follow up for several years anyway. Maybe there will be a good choice tomorrow." Xueyan has worked hard for her for so many years, she will not Let Xueyan be wronged.

Seeing that she didn't mention this matter anymore and closed her eyes to sleep peacefully, Xueyan was finally relieved and couldn't help but secretly amused.

At this point, she should really think about her life.

To be honest, she felt that she could not be high enough to be low enough, so she never thought about marrying. It was hard to say what kind of talent she would marry. After marrying high, she felt that she lacked self-confidence. Marrying ordinary people felt that her appearance and talent were humiliated. It's a dilemma.

Because of this matter, Xueyan felt uncomfortable for several days.

Daiyu was considerate of her in her heart, so she didn't ask her to do any work, and she still learned from Sang's mother.

Looking into November, the cold wind is getting heavier and the snow is getting thicker. There have been several incidents at the border where a large number of Tartars harassed the people and plundered their property. They were all suppressed by Zhou Hong's troops, who were arrested or killed without mercy. .

Xueyan often told Daiyu the news she had inquired about, and Daiyu was admiring and worried at the same time, and often stared in a daze at the mirror.

Seeing her state of affairs, Xueyan secretly laughed.

One after another the Tazi soldiers rebelled, and Sang Long lived in tents for several days, discussing strategies with his subordinates and preparing for battle.

She also felt that the atmosphere in Guancheng was gradually becoming tense. She had read the book and knew that after the end of Ming Dynasty, after Li Zicheng occupied the capital, because of his lust for beauty, he occupied Chen Yuanyuan, which caused Wu Sangui to become furious and lead the Qing soldiers into the pass. It became the territory of the Tartars. At that time, the Qing soldiers were young. Fortunately, the Emperor Taizu led the army and spent more than [-] years to drive out the Tartars. After the Emperor Taizu took the throne, he always treated the Qing soldiers Don't take it lightly.

Xueyan consulted a large number of historical books. The emperor Taizu should not be a time traveler, because this era still has strong traces of feudal society, which is quite similar to the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Maybe it is really just an overhead world of the Dream of Red Mansions.

But she lives here, and maybe she will marry and have children in the future, so she no longer regards this place as a book.

More patrol soldiers were sent to the border to check the entry and exit of the city more strictly. A large number of merchants did not dare to stay long and returned to their hometowns one after another. Li San was among them. Can not help but feel a little frustrated.

Shanhaiguan is only two to three hundred miles away from the capital. Li San is young and strong, but he returned to the capital in a few days.

On the way, he also encountered a group of robbers, but because he was traveling with many merchants, there were many nursing homes, so he didn't lose anything. When he arrived in the capital, Li San sent the leather goods and medicinal materials he brought to a familiar fur shop and changed hands. With 700 taels of silver in hand, he took the ginseng antler and other tonics he bought for his old mother outside Guanwai, bought a bunch of new year's goods, and took two long-term workers to prepare to go home.

When passing by Ningrong Street, Li San stopped suddenly, staring at the plaques of their mansion for a while, looking at the Rongguo Mansion from a distance, it seemed that the door was wide open. Back then, he was the one who saw the snow geese behind their mansion , and fall in love at first sight.

Thinking of this, Li San let out a long sigh with a gloomy expression.

A long-term worker, Xu Er, said: "Boss, it's time to go back. After a while, I'm afraid it will snow."

Li San looked at the sky, it was indeed overcast, he shook his whip, and was about to leave when he suddenly saw many officials in official uniforms and eunuchs with white faces and beardless, sending them out It should be the master of the Rongguo Mansion, and there are a few servants I have seen behind him. All in all, they all have very happy faces.

Li San stopped the car, did not go forward, and waited for everyone who came out to leave, and then said to Xu Er: "What happy event did they encounter again?" The matter of the Rongguo Mansion.

Xu Er shook his head and said with a smile, "How do we know if there is any happy event? How about we go and find out?"

Li San thought for a while, waved his hands and said, "Listen, what did they say?"

Xu Er listened, and a gust of wind passed, and there were some faint words, as if it was a holy gift of marriage, great joy, and a month's monthly money for the whole family.

What they were talking about was a marriage bestowed by the Holy Spirit. Miss Lin was overjoyed. The old lady said that each of the family members would be rewarded with a month's money.

Li San and others were far away, couldn't hear clearly, and didn't like it, so they drove away.

Jia Amnesty, Jia Lian, his father and son, and other officials who sent them away to announce the decree went to Jia Mu's room to congratulate. Not decent."

Because he and Jia Zheng ignored common affairs, and Mrs. Xing didn't tell her, she had kept it from him for several months, and I only know today.

Hearing these words, Jia's mother smiled, looking at the imperial decree that had been enshrined, she was happy for Daiyu, but also felt a little sad, and asked Jia Amnesty, "Go to inquire, but have you gone to the Zhou family to proclaim the decree?" The marriage granted by Emperor Changqian was only given to the two elders, so Daiyu and Zhou Hong could declare the decree even if they were not at home.

Jia Lian hurriedly went out to inquire, and came back half a day later: "It has been announced, and the regulations are slightly higher than ours."

Mother Jia sighed: "This is inevitable. The Zhou family is first-rank after all. When my uncle left, he was only from the second-rank. Their family rules are always higher. Now that Yu'er's marriage has been settled, she is waiting for the Zhou family to come to propose marriage. When I was young, Yu'er needed to get home, so I had to send her back to pick her up. Besides, it's time to prepare all the things for Yu'er's dowry."

Hearing the word dowry, everyone had something on their minds, so they didn't speak a word.

Seeing this, Jia's mother felt sour in her heart.

Sister Feng hurriedly smiled and said: "After hearing the news earlier, we have already started to prepare for Sister Lin. This year, all the money sent by the Zhuangzi shop is used to buy things for Sister Lin. Don't worry, the old lady, Sister Lin's dowry will definitely be ready. That's right."

Aunt Xue said with a smile: "Leave the matter to Feng girl, the old lady just waits to add makeup to Miss Lin."

Thinking of Daiyu's good deeds, marrying into the family of a first-rank official was the imperial order of the fourth rank in the past, Jia Mufang turned her grief into joy, and said with a smile: "When the time comes, we must not be stingy anymore, just such a granddaughter, I can't marry again." Too shabby."

After finishing speaking, he told Sister Feng: "my sister is young, and she is married now. Among the six ceremonies, she only goes to the engagement ceremony. You have to wait a few years for the date of application and marriage. For the time being, I will buy antiques, calligraphy, paintings, furnishings and decorations, and buy wood to fight." For furniture, silk and satin should only be purchased two months before the date of the wedding, so that the colors and patterns will not become fashionable after a few years."

Sister Feng smiled and agreed.

The sisters, as well as the newcomers Xue Baoqin and Xing Xiuyan, all gathered together to talk. Baoqin was young and enthusiastic, and she was also the granddaughter of Jiamu, because she said, "When will Sister Lin come back? I want to see you."

Jia Mu said: "She is still in Shanhaiguan now."

As he spoke, he couldn't help thinking of Daiyu, and told Jia Lian, "send to pick up my sister quickly."

Jia Lian didn't want to, seeing that the New Year was coming, he was always spoiled and used to it, waiting for the New Year's Eve to worship his ancestors and drink, how could he be willing to travel in the wind and snow?Then he smiled and persuaded: "There's no rush. There's no way to hold a happy event in the twelfth lunar month. Even if we are engaged, the first month of the new year will have to come out. What's more, it's very cold, icy and snowy. Sister Lin is weak. I'm afraid she can't bear to go on the road."

When Jia Mu heard this, she was also worried about Daiyu, and said, "Since this is the case, I will go as soon as spring begins."

Jia Lian agreed.

After he left with Jia She, Li Wan and his sisters came forward like birds out of a cage, and all congratulated Jia Mu. One said that Daiyu was blessed, and the other said that she would not be able to make fun of her when she came back. , chirping, chirping, quacking, it was very lively, Du Xiangyun said: "I will laugh at Sister Lin when I see her."

Baochai laughed and said, "Could it be that the joke came back because she laughed a while ago?"

Xiang Yun's face turned red when he heard this.

Everyone remembered that Xiangyun was also engaged early, and they all looked at her and smiled, Tanchun said: "Tomorrow, I will see Sister Lin. I'm afraid I don't know how much there is to talk about in general!"

Xiang Yun rushed forward and said, "Tear off this mouth!"

Everyone laughed, and Baoqin came over to persuade them.

Looking at the colorful flowers in front of him, only Baoyu didn't know where his soul flew.

He originally thought that on weekdays Dai Chaiyun was waiting to meet Tanxi, but Daiyu was different from others, she would not leave even if others left, but unexpectedly, an imperial decree gave her a marriage Give a big vulgar!

Although Baoyu admired her selfishly and was secretly charming, she gave the old handkerchief as a gift, but it was all her own wishful thinking, and Daiyu did not respond at all. The love is not deep, and at this time when I learned of Daiyu's marriage, although I was very sad compared to getting married, it was not to the point of dying.

Mother Jia was most worried about this darling grandson, she was afraid that he would make a fuss over Daiyu's marriage, but seeing that he didn't seek death or life, it was just inevitable that she was sad, so she breathed a sigh of relief, not to mention the rest of the princes and so on.

Li Wan was the happiest for Daiyu the most, thinking about what he would choose from the dowry to add to her makeup when she came out of the cabinet.

The orphan of the Lin family bestowed marriage on the eldest son of the Zhou family. The news spread, which greatly surprised the officials of the capital. Some envied Lin Daiyu's blessing, and some satirized the Zhou family for insulting the gentleman and marrying a young lady from a scholarly family. Some of them gloated about other people's misfortunes, and even some poor people were very jealous. They said in private that Zhou Hong would get rich if he married a daughter from an extinct family.

Zhou Fu was very annoyed when he heard this, and said: "You are really small! I have a black heart and a rotten heart, so I came to a crooked faction."

Zhou Fu knew the size of Daiyu's dowry, although it was thicker than others.