Daiyu of the Red Chamber raised a cat

Early the next morning, the father and daughter went into the city together in a carriage.

All the way from the capital to this point, Xueyan and Zijuan accompanied Daiyu in the big carriage, now with Lin Ruhai, Xueyan and Zijuan would inevitably squeeze with a few maidservants in the carriage behind.The carriage was traveling very fast, but without any bumps. With the charcoal basin burning, even if you didn't wear big clothes, you wouldn't feel cold.Lin Ruhai was extremely glad that he had borrowed this carriage, otherwise the bumpy journey would have made even good people sick, not to mention that Daiyu was weak since she was a child.

The small town is not far from Yangzhou City, but it takes only half a day to enter the city.

Yangzhou is a prosperous place in the south of the Yangtze River. Although it is not as rich and powerful as the capital city, its families are well-off, and the streets are full of people and goods, which are quite impressive.Daiyu looked out through the screen window curiously, most of the peddlers on the street were things she had seen since she was a child, and she liked it very much.

Seeing Daiyu's expression, Lin Ruhai said, "Whatever Yu'er wants, tell daddy, and daddy will send someone to buy it."

Lin Daiyu really liked a few gadgets, they were all played with when she was a child, only common in the south of the Yangtze River, and she hadn't seen them in many years, but she really wanted to play with them when she saw them today, so she told Lin Ruhai bluntly.Lin Ruhai immediately called Li Feng, and gave a few instructions through the window, telling him to pick up a lot of interesting things and buy them, and send them to the girl's courtyard together.

Li Feng agreed, and took a few servants to go shopping.

Here Lin Ruhai, Lin Daiyu and the others went back to Lin's mansion by car, and after Daiyu settled down, she was ordered to unload and salute.Because the New Year's Eve was approaching, when Li Feng went to Beijing, he brought New Year's gifts from several old friends in the capital. When he came back, each family had a gift in return. In addition to the local rituals he bought along the way, he packed more than 20 boxes of bits and pieces.There are four boxes of gifts from Jia's house, one box of cloth, one box of curios, one box of pens, inks, papers and inkstones, books, etc., and one box of odds and ends.Jia Amnesty also gave Daiyu two cages and two extremely rare fans.

Daiyu next to him ignored her, but ordered to open the two boxes Jia Amnesty had given her.

One of the boxes is filled with fine satin of various colors, and the other is filled with nine chains, fan pendants, gold beads, bracelets, jade pendants, hand stoves, chess sets, and other small items, all of which are dazzling and shining. .Daiyu was very grateful for Jia She's care, and seeing that he had given her so many good things, recalling her misunderstanding of him before, she couldn't help blaming herself and shedding tears.

Lin Ruhai persuaded for a while, and was very moved.Although he had been a Beijing official for a few years after he was selected as Tanhua, most of the contacts he had with were descendants of aristocratic families who were born in the imperial examination. He did not have close contacts with Jia She and Jia Zheng. Most of what Jia Zheng and Jia Amnesty learned came from Jia Min.Jia Min often praised Jia Zheng for his love of reading, and his grandfather loved it very much. When he mentioned Jia She, he didn't have many good words to say.Now hearing what Daiyu said, compared with Jia Zheng's pedantic and stubborn, Jia Amnesty is a bit more courageous and loyal, which is very surprising.

Naturally, he was very grateful for his care of Daiyu recently, and secretly planned that there must be something in return in the future.

Just as he was talking, Li Feng also sent two servants to deliver the things he bought.

Lin Ruhai hurriedly moved in, there were two big boxes, filled with many interesting gadgets.Some Daiyu has seen, some have not seen, far beyond the few things Daiyu said.

Lin Daiyu said with a smile: "I just said a few things casually. I didn't expect Mr. Li to buy so many, but I can't finish playing."

Lin Ruhai said: "You keep it. If you can't finish playing, you can give it away to others."

Lin Daiyu accepted the things with a smile, and joked about where to put so many things.Lin Ruhai said casually: "What's the worry? There are more than a dozen houses in your small courtyard, which one can be cleaned up and used as a small warehouse. What can't be kept?"

Daiyu covered her mouth and smiled: "Father still has a way."

Secretly planning, I have to clean up another room as a study.

Fearing that Daiyu would be tired from the long journey, Lin Ruhai left after a short time, leaving Daiyu to rest.

Recently, the two concubines in the mansion were a little noisy, afraid that they would disturb Daiyu's purity, Lin Ruhai even ordered someone to send a message to let the two of them live in peace for the next two days, and not to go out if they have nothing to do, especially remember not to disturb the girl's purity.Zijuan, Xueyan and others who came with them also drove for more than half a month. Some of them were not in good health and looked sick. Daiyu also asked them not to wait on them, and they all went down to have a good rest for two days. Several young maidservants were newly assigned to serve.

Zijuan observed secretly, and saw that although the Lin family was not as diverse as Jia's family, the servants and servants were all quick-witted, and they looked very straightforward, unlike Jia's mansion, which was bullying others.Even Li Feng's daughter-in-law, who is in charge of the inner house, is always smiling and kind, and she is even more respectful to Daiyu.It's not like Jia's house, but any older nuns and stewards would always pick on Qiao in front of their brothers and sisters, and say some unsavory things.

This is a noble and well-mannered family. Could it be that just because they are older and have served the elder masters, they should not look down on the younger masters?

Mother Wang returned to the Lin Mansion in Yangzhou where she had been away for a long time. She didn't have to look at the faces of the women in the Jia Mansion to be angry with them.Xueyan is three years older than Lin Daiyu, and she was already ten years old when she left Yangzhou, so she is also very attached to her homeland. Although she is still young now, because she serves Lin Daiyu, all the maids respect her very much, not to mention many of them are We played together at the beginning, and we became acquainted with each other within two days.Xueyan pulls Zijuan to chat and play with some girls from time to time, but they don't reject Zijuan as coming from Jia's house, and everyone gets along unexpectedly harmoniously.

Three days later, Lin Ruhai saw that Daiyu's complexion was getting more and more rosy, and she expected that she had almost rested, so she ordered Li Feng's wife to show Daiyu some annual gift lists from various prefectures, and learned how to manage the house.Daiyu is not young anymore, and other girls at her age have already been brought by their mothers to socialize and learn some housekeeping skills.A family like theirs will inevitably marry into a powerful family to be the mistress in the future. These are basic survival skills.

Li Feng's daughter-in-law first called the managers of each place to the meeting hall, and showed Daiyu one by one, and explained who was in charge of which place, who had any relatives with whom, and so on.

Daiyu Bingxue is smart, and she has memorized the general idea after listening to it once.

After everyone retreated, Li Feng's daughter-in-law told Daiyu about the family of officials in Yangzhou and some larger salt merchants.So that Daiyu will remember it in her heart, so that she won't be fooled when she sees her in the future.These respectable families in Yangzhou usually exchange courtesy and courtesy, especially the family members in the inner house, who often hold parties to enjoy flowers and play. Daiyu is ten years old, and she will inevitably participate in such entertainment in the future.

After working for a long time, before lunch, Daiyu lay down on the table bored, and touched the tip of Zhou Hang's ear with her hand.

"Fatty, I really didn't think it would be so tiring to take care of a house. I should have asked my father to ask for a few more people if I knew it."

Zhou Hang was lying on the table playing with a small red pompom, when he heard this, he raised his head and glanced at Daiyu, and let out a "meow".It is said that cats like fluffy balls. Daiyu ordered people to make a lot of them after she knew it. Zhou Hang didn't like it or didn't like it, but just passed the time when he was bored.For example, like today, Daiyu was busy with housework, meeting with various managers, and arranging for people to prepare for the New Year's ceremony. He always had to find some fun.

Just as she was talking, she heard Wang Momo rushing in excitedly, shouting: "Great joy, girl, this is really a great joy!"

Daiyu saw that she was running out of breath, so she hurriedly ordered the servant girl to move the stool for her, and then asked, "What kind of happy event is it that deserves it?"

Panting heavily, Wang Momo took a sip of the tea from Xueyan and said, "It's really a happy event. I just went outside, and I heard the little ones running around telling each other that the imperial decree came from the capital." , Our master has been promoted, although he is still a doctor of Lantai Temple and a patrol official, but his rank has been promoted, and now he is holding the title of the second rank, isn't it a great joy?"

The chief censor of the salt department is in charge of the Jiangnan salt administration, and the two Huaihe Rivers are the main salt-producing areas. The position is important and cannot be held by non-emperor cronies.Therefore, although the Xunyan Yushi is a third-rank official position, he has always been promoted. In the past, Lin Ruhai had the second-rank title on his body. trust.

When Daiyu heard about it, she realized that it was Lin Ruhai who had been promoted, and she was very happy in her heart.

Wang Momo smiled and said: "Soon there will be noisy boys coming, the girl should at least prepare some rewards, don't let them turn around and say that our family is stingy."

The so-called noisy happiness means that the messengers come to congratulate and ask for rewards.Daiyu hurriedly prepared for the first-class award, and ordered someone to call Li Feng's wife, and told her to write down that the master was promoted, and the maids, servants, and boys in the house were all in charge of half a month's money, and then invited A group of small operas sang in the garden for two days, so lively and lively.

When Lin Ruhai came home that day, Daiyu first congratulated her, and then asked Lin Ruhai how he was feeling today, and whether he had coughed again.

Looking at Daiyu's concerned face, Lin Ruhai ironed the post full of heart, and said with a smile: "Don't worry, Yu'er, I'm almost ready." Then he ordered someone to bring a box, and said: "The sage gave me something, Yu'er Take a look, see if there is anything you like, keep what you want."

There were gold, silver, and many Western pearls in the box, which were dazzling, but Daiyu didn't look at them, she just picked up a small fluffy ball and stared at it, wondering in her heart, isn't it Pang Pang who likes to play? pom-poms, how did the sage give this to Daddy?

Lin Ruhai thought about it and didn't think about the meaning of the sage giving such a fur ball. It is neither precious nor has any special meaning.He didn't know that the saint master took care of it after the occasional flight in the capital, and this little ball was given for the kitten to play with.

Lin Ruhai, who couldn't figure it out, simply didn't think about it, secretly thinking that maybe the little eunuch who was tidying up the cage was playful and accidentally fell into it.

Thinking about it, Lin Ruhai pointed to a piece of jade in the cage and said to Daiyu: "This piece of mutton fat jade is top-grade. Another day, I will invite a skilled craftsman to carve a very elegant and beautiful pattern, and then put a net on it for you to wear." I'm talking." Then he pointed to another thing, "This pine flower stone carving Ganoderma lucidum inkstone is also excellent, just as you also like to brush ink, ordinary inkstone has an unpleasant smell to some extent, and the handwriting written on it It's not heavy either, this imperial gift is no better than those vulgar ones, it's better for you to use it."

Seeing that Lin Ruhai picked out all the good things for Daiyu, he said to himself that there were not many left.

Daiyu smiled and said, "That's all, Daddy, I already have enough things, I will keep the rest for Daddy."

Lin Ruhai ordered the box to be put away with some regrets, and asked Daiyu carefully if she could still take care of the family affairs, if she couldn't take care of it, she could tell the housekeeper and mother-in-law to do it as much as possible, so as not to tire herself.

Daiyu naturally agreed to all of them.

However, when they heard that Lin Ruhai had been promoted again, all the officials and prominent salt merchants in Yangzhou City secretly increased the annual ceremony that they had prepared.On the contrary, many of those who had already sent them in advance were deeply regretful. The official thought that a saint like Lin Ruhai valued them. If he got his favor and occasionally mentioned a sentence or two in the secret recitation, would they not be able to make a fortune in the future?The salt merchants were even more cautious in making a living under Lin Ruhai's hands, for fear that the gift would be too thin to be compared by others.

The wealth of salt merchants in Yangzhou is famous all over the world. In the past, those rich merchants like to show off their wealth and compare themselves. Although Lin Ruhai always enforces the law impartially and does not favor one person over another based on gifts, the salt merchants themselves make comparisons, and no one wants to lose face .

That day, after breakfast, Daiyu went to the conference hall to listen to the affairs of the daughters-in-law who were in charge. As she was talking, Gao's family, a big salt merchant, came to present New Year gifts.When Daiyu saw the list of New Year's ceremony, she was startled, what do you think it says?

1000 taels of gold, [-] Western beads, a box of brocade, a pair of elegant sapphires, and an emerald pomegranate...

There are also many rare curios, as well as many authentic calligraphy and paintings and rare books bought by Tou Lin Ruhai.Xu heard that Daiyu had returned to Yangzhou, and there were two boxes of various small playthings, which were given to the daughter of the Xunyan Yushi.

Roughly a good deal, the value is not less than [-]. Has Lin Daiyu ever seen such a gift?Although it is not considered corruption to receive gifts on the second birthday and the third festival, it is not good to spread the word if the amount is too large.He didn't dare to accept it for a while, so he ordered someone to entertain the male and female servants who gave the gift, and at the same time sent someone to tell Lin Ruhai with the gift list to ask for his opinion.

Lin Ruhai took a look at the gift list, smiled thoughtfully, and wrote: Don't be afraid, daughter, just accept it.Then he ordered his family to send it back quickly and hand it over to Daiyu.Seeing that Lin Ruhai was so frank, Daiyu expected nothing would happen, so she accepted Lin Ruhai generously.

Unexpectedly, this is just the beginning. In the next few days, people will give New Year's gifts every day, and sometimes there will be several houses a day. Although the number is not as high as Gao's house, they are still quite a lot.Although the Lin family also returned gifts, less people went out and more came in, adding up to a profit of 20 to [-].

According to Lin Ruhai's wishes, Lin Daiyu locked them in the warehouse without moving anything.

On New Year's Eve, Lin Ruhai took Lin Daiyu and a few confidantes into the warehouse, checked it carefully, wrote it into a booklet, and sent it to the capital together with the secret paper six hundred miles away, and presented it to the emperor, and expressed his willingness to give the New Year's gift Turn it into silver and donate it to the court.

Although it is said that three festivals, two longevity and ice charcoal filial piety are the default gray income in the officialdom and do not need to be reported to the Holy Majesty, but Lin Ruhai does not lack these, and he does not want to make the Holy Majesty suspicious.The censor of the salt class is in charge of more than half of the tax revenue of the court, and has a heavy responsibility. How could the emperor not secretly send someone to watch?Even if he didn't say anything, the emperor knew how much gift he had received.Instead of letting others investigate the secret performance, it is better for him to tell the truth that it is useless for him to keep so much money. He and his daughter can't spend the Lin family's property in a lifetime, and donating it to the court can also benefit the national economy and people's livelihood.

Lin Ruhai was originally an old subordinate of the Supreme Emperor, the reason why he was able to regain the trust of the new emperor was not only that he was upright, honest and loyal to foreign countries, but also because he was always more cautious than others.He is loyal to the emperor, not to a certain person, but to the righteousness and the country.When the Supreme Emperor was in power, he was loyal to the Supreme Emperor, and he is still loyal and devoted to his duties when he is on the throne.

He is loyal to the people and to the country.

Today's sage is not a faint king, so he naturally knows that Lin Ruhai is the real literati with arrogance, which can be of great use.

The capital is thousands of miles away from Yangzhou, and even if the horse is on the fast track, it will take a few days for the secret music to be delivered to the capital.

Let's say that the Lin Mansion is already bustling with preparations for the New Year.

It was night, lights of various colors were hung inside and outside the gate of the mansion, and a banquet was built in the hall. Lin Ruhai sat at the head, Daiyu sat at the head of Lin Ruhai, and Li Feng's wife led the servants and maids to kowtow in the hall. Lead the stewards and servants outside to kowtow outside the hall.Daiyu had ordered people to prepare a lot of gold and silver scorpions, as well as many purses, wreaths and other things, and gave them to everyone.

A banquet was set up for a while, and Daiyu and Lin Ruhai sat together to watch the new year.

Zhou Hang is unhappy, he is really unhappy!

Since Sister Lin returned home, she has been busy every day, and she hasn't talked to him properly for a long time, and she didn't notice that his throat was a little uncomfortable these two days.

Sneezing, Zhou Hang rubbed the corners of his eyes that were crying unconsciously, and flicked his tail with a gloomy face.

"Fatty, what's the matter?" Daiyu picked up the kitten and touched the cat's nose. She felt a little hot, and couldn't help being shocked. Lin Ruhai saw that her expression was not right, and hurriedly asked what was going on.Daiyu said: "In the past two days, Fatty has been a little sleepy. I don't care because he has a good appetite. Don't you catch a cold?"