Love of Friends in the Red Chamber

In the blink of an eye, time flies, and another ten years have passed.

The winter of this year was extremely cold, the air outside the house turned into ice, at the foot of the emperor, at the root of the imperial city, the soldiers patrolling the city every morning would drag out a few starved to death.However, the plight of the poor cannot reach the eyes of the wealthy.In the Rongguo Mansion, there was a fragrant golden tripod, and warm smoke from the furnace. Jia Lian, who had assumed the position of Duke Rongguo, stood proudly at the gate of the ancestral hall, watching his family wipe a set of gold and silver vessels.

Jia Lian was over forty years old, but he looked younger than his actual age. He was originally handsome, tall and straight. He had been in the officialdom for many years, and he had a majesty in his gentleness.

However, those who knew the details criticized this Master Lian quite a lot. He himself had no ability, and relied on his status as the eldest son of the eldest son to inherit the huge family business, but he failed to take care of his clan relatives.He was nearly half a hundred years old, but he never remarried after the death of his first wife. In the huge Rongguo Mansion, the position of housewife has been vacant for many years, relying entirely on a concubine to take care of him inside and out, which made his relatives and friends very disdainful.

These gossips can't shake Master Lian's status, the only thing that worries this Master Lian is the loss of heirs.He only had one daughter in his life, but he married an unreputable squire. Although he was constantly favored, he never gave birth to a boy and a half girl. Therefore, Master Lian didn't give up until he was 40 years old and adopted from a collateral family. A son, since he is ordinary for the sake of children, he does not love and educate this adopted son very much.

At this time, Master Lian was interrogating the housekeeper Lin Zhixiao: "Did you go to the Ministry of Rites to collect the reward for our family's Spring Festival?" Lin Zhixiao said with a smile: "The former servant has already gone to collect it, and went back to the master. , The master ordered to hand it over to Aunt Ping inside, did the master forget it?" Jia Lian smiled, but said: "I haven't forgotten this, but this morning, Brother Zhen over there came to me and asked me to ask for Ningguo first. It is said that the public’s Spring Sacrifice Rewards were received by the two families together in the past.”

Lin Zhixiao sighed: "Master Zhen is also confused. His old man has tossed and lost Duke Ning's position. Where can he go to ask for spring sacrifices? It must be that the old man has a long way to go, and he can't pass the year before he can come to the master." Come here to fight the autumn wind."

Jia Lian murmured, "Brother Zhen is not such a person. Although he used to be absurd, he was the most loyal person. I think he has just returned from Uliasutai for a few months. I don't know that the spring festival reward is gone. How about this, you take some rice charcoal, chicken and duck from the new year's goods in our house, and send them to his family. Although they are poor now, they are my ancestors after all, so don't be too ruthless."

Lin Zhixiao agreed to go.Seeing that everything was ready here, Jia Lian went into the back house to find Ping'er.Although Ping'er is not the wife of the principal house now, because Jia Lian does not have a wife of the principal house, her status in the mansion is no different from that of the principal house.Although they cannot be greeted and sent off, they sit on an equal footing with the female relatives of other prefectures, but they have the final say behind closed doors.

Ping'er was on the kang in the inner room sorting out needlework gifts for the Jingyuanhou's mansion, now Jia Lian only has such a brother, not to mention that the appearance of Jia's mansion was actually supported by his younger brother, so he naturally cared about everything.The rest of the family is just sympathetic.Seeing Jia Lian coming in, Ping'er hurriedly greeted him, took off the cloak himself, and called the maid to make hot tea.

Jia Lian carefully looked at the gift list, and checked the objects on the kang against each other. Seeing that everything was exquisite and brilliant, he nodded in satisfaction and said, "It's fine for other relatives and friends, but you must pay special attention to brother Cong's." Heart, you must strive for excellence—the siblings are from a rich family, and they are used to rich clothes and fine food, but she doesn't pay attention to anything that is a little rough, and she is afraid that she will reward the servants casually."

Ping'er quickly agreed, paused, and asked again: "Mrs. You from Mr. Zhen's house in the alley over there just sent someone to thank you, saying that the master sent someone to deliver the new year's goods?" Jia Lian nodded and asked Jia Zhen to find her He talked about asking for the spring festival reward, and said: "I used to have a friendship with Brother Zhen that is better than others. Now that he is out of time, he should not be too ruthless. I didn't talk about these small things, why didn't you take care of them? "

But she said that Ping'er has a gentle heart and the housekeeper has always handled things fairly. She can be considerate of relatives and friends like Aunt Xue who can't be beaten by three poles. Not only did the person fail to save, but he also made trouble, so he has been brooding about it all the time, and he can't let it go.

However, she didn't dare to say this to Jia Lian, so she smiled and said, "Although Mr. Zhen's family was originally an ancestor, but since his family lost the position of ancestor, Mr. Zhen has assumed the name of patriarch in vain. So many relatives and friends here rely on our house for help. The master is not ruthless, if it is not for the master and our family’s master Cong to ask for help everywhere, I am afraid that the master Zhen is still suffering in Uliasutai, how can it be so easy to redeem Sin, how about coming home?"

In fact, it was Jia Cong who came back to rescue Jia Zhen, but Jia Lian just mentioned a word, and now Ping'er gave half of the credit to him. He became more thoughtful, smiled secretly, and said, "Besides, Mrs. You was not poor in the first place. That year when Liu Xianglian went to Beijing, she bought a house and land for her, and settled it properly. She would have enough to eat and live. If it wasn't for When Master Zhen and Master Rong come back, they still haven’t changed their big-spoiled habits, and her family doesn’t need to seek relatives or friends.”

Jia Lian then laughed and said, "I'm just asking casually. You're like an overturned walnut cart—no one said you intended to treat them poorly." "Where is Fu'er? Didn't you wake up early and say that you are not useful and don't go to school?" Fu'er is Jia Lian's adoptive son, and he is raised in Ping'er's room in name.

Ping'er said with a smile: "Since he doesn't go to school, he has recovered from all illnesses and went to play with the old lady." Speaking of the old lady, she was actually the former Mrs. Xing. Without her husband, she can't ask Jia Lian to rape her. After Jia Lian is in charge, she won't cause trouble anymore.It is impossible to just want her to be rich and honorable, she is still extremely stingy, not only reluctant to give it to others, but also saves a lot on her own clothes, even maids and women are unwilling to serve in her room.

Strange to say, one thing is really subdued. Mrs. Xing has lived for most of her life, and all her children, relatives and friends have not relied on anyone or listened to them. Since she got this adopted grandson, she has really surrendered.She loved that brother Fu like a sweetheart, and if Brother Fu wanted the moon in the sky, he immediately ordered people to move ladders to pick it up.Ping'er reminded Jia Lian in private, "Isn't this another precious jade?" Jia Lian didn't take it seriously. In his opinion, it was a good thing that Mrs. Xing could put her mind on her grandson.

Although Jia Lian didn't have any family affection for Mrs. Xing, rules were still required.After talking for a while in Ping'er's room, I changed my clothes again, and then went to the old lady's upper room to say hello.

Just as Jia Lian walked to the gate of her mother's yard, she hadn't stepped over the threshold when she accidentally threw a firecracker inside. With a bang, Jia Lian was startled, and her face sank involuntarily.

That brother Fu was playing vigorously with the maid, but he almost threw the firecrackers on his father, so he turned pale with fright, and quickly stood up with his hands down.Jia Lian reprimanded, "Didn't you say you were sick? Why are you so naughty? You see that you are the same age as Brother Wei of the Jingyuan Hou Mansion. Brother Wei has already memorized all the four books by heart. You only learned some delicate ones." You're naughty!" Jia Fu didn't dare to speak, and bowed his head to listen to the training.

Mrs. Xing had already heard it when she was in the upper room. She was afraid that Jia Lian would scare her precious grandson, so she quickly helped the maid out and said, "I sent him out to be more relaxed. You are a good boy. Why bother to stick to reading? You can read everything." Here comes the nerd."

Jia Lian didn't care much about his heir at all, so he also smiled and said, "I also want to hope that he will have something to do. Brother Cong's brother Wei is good at studying and making progress, so don't let others compare him too much."

The old lady Xing snorted disdainfully: "I watched you grow up, Brother Cong. When you were young, you were so naughty, and you broke your head. When you said you were going to study, you passed the test. Now I look at you. Fu'er is much stronger than he was back then. Besides, Brother Wei's future depends on him to earn, we Fu'er can't escape the future of a Duke when we wait at home..." She rambled like this Although Jia Lian was a little bored when he continued talking, he just smiled at himself and stopped arguing.

Then the old lady Xing ordered her maid to lead Jia Fu to play in the garden. A maid had already brought tea to Jia Lian.Jia Lian took a sip of tea and said with a smile, "I came here today to say hello to the old lady, and to make up my mind about something. It's Sister Yingchun, she wants to go back to her mother's house for the New Year..." Old lady Xing frowned. "What's the matter with her? In the early years, she was like a doormat. She cried as soon as she came back, saying that her son-in-law bullied her; now that her son-in-law is dead, she is in charge of the Sun family. Why does she still want to go back to her mother's house every day?" Come?"

Jia Lian said with a smile: "The parents in her family are short-sighted, and I don't bother to inquire carefully. It's just that the second younger sister is too soft-tempered, so she will inevitably be bullied by relatives and family members. She is orphaned and widowed. She wants to go back to her mother's house to find a backer. It makes sense." Mrs. Xing sighed, and said, "Since you, the elder brother, say so, then send someone to pick her up." Jia Lian had already sent someone there, but reported to her stepmother as usual That's all, he said a few more gossips, then came out and returned to his side.

Ping'er has prepared his official uniform and is waiting to serve him in the yamen.But Jia Lian said, "I'm not going to the yamen today. Change me into a common clothes for going out. I'm going to Jingyuan Hou's mansion." Waiting to change clothes, he asked lazily: "For the New Year's goods from Heishanzhuang, I will let you keep them for your own use, and divide the rest into equal parts for those in the clan who are in poor families. Is there enough money?" ?”

Ping'er laughed and said: "Is there anything that is enough? Now we only have the interests of the farm, and we haven't reported drought or flood for a year. It's just a few points, but Master Cong's mansion sent a lot." For things, I will save the tip of the inside, and mix in the rest, which is enough, I haven't heard any complaints from my family, and you, Brother Zhen, can't say it for a year."

Listening to his concubine making excuses, being so coquettish, Jia Lian just smiled and didn't refute.When you go out, put your hood on tightly. Some family members have already prepared the car.Seeing that Jia Lian had gone out, Ping'er turned around and called Feng'er in. Feng'er is now the housekeeper's wife. Ping'er handed her several large parcels and boxes and ordered her to deliver them to Grandma Liu's Zhuangzi outside the city. Going up, it was an annual gift for sister Qiao, and Ping'er prepared it with all her heart every year, and its richness was incomparable to other families.

Feng'er finished checking the items without making any mistakes, so she smiled and said, "Aunt and grandma just leave it to me to handle, but if you have something important to say, tell me right away, so as not to forget it later." Ping'er nodded and said: " There is one important thing. Miss Qiao hasn't been back to her natal home for more than ten years. Please invite her to come back this year in the third year of junior high school. Although the master never mentioned it in his mouth, he thought in his heart that he is such a flesh and blood. I want to see my little grandson." Feng'er agreed to go.

As soon as Jia Lian went out, the sky became gloomy, and it snowed heavily in a blink of an eye.When he got out of the car at the gate of the Jingyuan Hou's Mansion, the butler of the Hou's Mansion greeted him, only then did he know that Jia Cong had been summoned to the palace early in the morning, and he hadn't come back yet.Jia Lian thought for a while, but had no choice but to say, "Then it's the same with your wife."

Jia Lian escorted Daiyu back and forth between Suzhou and the capital, so he was acquainted with each other. The two were originally cousins, so even though Jia Cong was not at home, it was not inappropriate for Jia Lian to see Daiyu.

In Daiyu's main room, on the inner kang, Wei'er and Rui'er are sitting opposite each other and writing, Wei'er is doing the homework left by his father, and Rui'er is following the example, accompanying his elder brother to study and drawing a picture by himself .

But Daiyu checked with Zijuan outside for the new year's golden scorpion used for the New Year.Zijuan's man is now the big treasurer of the Silver Building, and he is fully responsible for the production of jewelry and gold and silver utensils for the female family members in the mansion, and he is also doing his duty.

Zijuan poured a sack of golden scorpions into a small basket made of golden silk rattan to show Daiyu, and replied: "These are 360 ​​small golden scorpions, each about six dollars, specially prepared for my wife and master to give to relatives." The children of my family make lucky money. In the old years, my wife said that the patterns of golden curly seeds were vulgar. This year, there are no such auspicious patterns, so I specially asked old craftsmen to make another mold, and made melon seeds, lucky melons, eggplants, corn, peanuts, bean pods... ...all of them are simple and unadorned, and the surface is frosted, so it is not easy for children to hold them in their hands."

Daiyu was also satisfied, and said with a smile: "This idea is interesting, I just said it, and you two will remember it. This is very good. If there is a child coming, just grab him, which is exactly the meaning of the New Year's Eve." ’” He told Yin Kaizi to do the same, Zijuan smiled and agreed.

Then a maid came in and said that the master of Rongfu had come, Zijuan withdrew, and Daiyu ordered Jia Lian to come in.Jia Lian walked into the room and praised first: "My brother and sister's room is elegant. Even the fire cage is not so irritating. Unlike my house, the room is so hot that you sweat." Giving up their seats with a smile, two people, Wei Rui, had already come out to greet the uncle.

Jia Lian embraced Wei'er and asked, "What is Brother Wei doing?" Wei'er showed Jia Lian the handwriting he had just written, and replied, "I'm practicing the words that were popular in Yuan Ri's book, father. I said that I wrote it on the morning of the first day of junior high school and wanted to post it on the desk.

When Jia Lian took the red paper to look at it, it was neatly written with words such as "opening the pen on the first day", "clear pen end", "Wen Si Quan Chung", "Ji Qing Mian Mian", etc., he smiled and praised: "It's already very skeleton, I It looks better than your father's. Your father's handwriting is also called everyone now, and people who ask for it can line up a street, right?" Wei'er replied seriously: "Father said that those people didn't really ask for words. It’s about asking people.” Jia Lian laughed loudly.

Daiyu said with a smile, "little children have a quick mouth, so can they say such things casually?" Then they sent the two children to the study, where the maid brought tea, and Daiyu asked Jia Lian why he came.Jia Lian was also straightforward, maybe he had done this kind of thing more than once, and he was already familiar with it, so he smiled and said: "I don't want to hide it from my sister, so let's just say it straight, anyway, this Hou's mansion is also run by my sister."

Just as Daiyu had expected, Jia Lian was here again to borrow money. He was originally loose in his hands, and in addition to bearing the false name of Duke Rong, he greeted and sent him to the wedding and funeral between relatives and nobles. The minister pretends to be himself and doesn't go out to socialize, but Jia Lian can't shirk it. Every year there is a famine.Fortunately, Daiyu and Jia Cong were not foolish people, and they knew that their elder brother blocked many of their family's entertainments, so they were willing to help each year. Therefore, Jia Lian went straight to his younger brother's house whenever he couldn't get enough money.

Daiyu laughed and said, "I was going to send the cash for this year's New Year's gift, but the Empress Dowager in the palace summoned me several times, but she forgot about it." , I have to work for my elder brother to get it." He told the servant girl to go to the study room under the jade unicorn to get the silver ticket.After fetching it for a while, Jia Lian hurriedly took it, glanced at the number on it, and couldn't help but feel elated.

Jia Cong came back from the palace when the lights were turned on. Jia Lian had already left.Daiyu greeted her with a smile and said, "Why did you go in for so long? Isn't the palace busy for years?" Jia Cong shook the snow on his body while sighing, "This time, the Holy Majesty is determined to ask me to join the cabinet. Eldest brother of the Lin family is transferred to the University of Wenhua Palace, because he has been in power for a long time, and the Holy Majesty is not at ease, it means that he wants to change the prime minister."

Daiyu sighed: "I expected such a day to come. The Holy Majesty was too suspicious, but fortunately, the eldest brother of the Lin family was quick-witted, and he finally retreated." Jia Cong laughed and said, "It's just that I have to take care of this hot stove." Daiyu Also smiled: "You are more alert than elder brother, and while you are young, you have experienced the addiction of tens of thousands of people under one person, and you will have a way to retreat when you get it." Jia Cong also nodded and said: "That's right. That's right, as long as you don't get greedy for power, the sage can tolerate it, just like Jia Yucun, who has been in a high position for a long time and is blinded by profit, he will inevitably climb up and fall." Daiyu has a teacher-student friendship with Na Yucun, so it is not appropriate to say more about him. , just laugh it off.

In the blink of an eye, it is the New Year. From New Year's Eve to the first month, the Rongguo Mansion is so busy inside and out. Turning to hit the wooden clock of Rongguo Mansion, everyone knew that their brothers were both prosperous and both prosperous and the other was damaged.Jia Lian did not refuse anyone who came, and he was very courteous, but as he got older, he also knew how to handle small matters by himself, and he had to discuss major matters with his younger brother, so there was nothing wrong with it.

He was busy until the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, when Jia Lian ordered to refuse all outsiders, and set up a few tables of banquets in the big flower hall in the back garden of Rongfu, just to invite relatives and friends.

Mrs. Xing is naturally the seat of honor. Although she is not very old, she imitates Jia's mother's way of dressing and acting in every way. She also asked people to set up a short couch. She leaned on it and looked at the children and grandchildren with a smile. .

On her own seat next to the couch were her beloved grandchildren, including Jia Fu, Jia Wei, Jia Rui, Jia Huan's daughter Jia Fen, son Jia Fang, and Yingchun's adopted son Sun Weiyin. A child can be regarded as sitting with the old lady.Among them, Wei Yin is the oldest, acting like a young adult, very calm, especially taking care of the two girls Jia Rui and Jia Fen, very considerate and thoughtful.

The table on the east side is headed by Daiyu, and there are Youshi, Yingchun, Xiuyan, Jia Huan's daughter-in-law and Qiaojie. family.The other tables were all invited relatives and friends' family members, and some of them brought underage boys to sit with them.

The upper and lower corridors are separated by screens. Jia Lian's chief sits Jia Cong, Jia Huan, and Jia Zhen. In addition, Jia Lan, Jia Rong, Jia Yun and others have their seats, as well as Qiaojie's son-in-law Baner and Xiuyan. His son-in-law Xue Biao also sat at the table.

Dozens of people sat around in a circle for a while, their ears filled with laughter and their eyes were full of beauty.Mrs. Xing looked down, especially thinking that there were few people and it was not lively, and it was no longer the grand occasion that Jiamu used to be.She hated and hated her mother-in-law back then, but she was also jealous and envious in her heart, so now that she has become an old lord, she doesn't know how to deal with it, so she unconsciously imitates Jia's mother everywhere. canine.Just like the wine utensils at the banquet today, they are all made of cloisonné enamel that turns red in the Ming Dynasty. In the eyes of Mrs. Xing, they are rich, auspicious and decent, but in the eyes of a few female relatives who have really experienced wealth, they are unavoidably vulgar.

After listening to a few auspicious plays, everyone told jokes for fun.All of a sudden the plum branch passed into Jia Lan's hands. Jia Lan was used to being serious and couldn't tell jokes, so he said, "Let me tell the truth, but I heard it. It is said that there was an antique dealer who was playing in the countryside and suddenly caught a glimpse of a family. The bowl that the farmer used to feed the cat was a treasure, so the antique dealer praised the cat over and over again, bought the cat, and when he was about to leave with the cat, he pretended to say that for the cat It’s easy to feed, let me take that bowl too.”

Everyone laughed, and Youshi covered his mouth and laughed: "So it's not for the cat, but for the bowl. This antique dealer is also very cunning." Jia Lan sneered, "It's just that the businessman is cunning because of his interest in profit, and the old farmer is ignorant. And it is easy to be fooled, it is all the fault of not studying." Xue Biao and Ban'er, who were seated at the same table, were a little embarrassed, and they were all embarrassing.

Hearing Jia Lan's words, Jia Cong felt a little uncomfortable. He thought that this person's behavior was really weird. Since he entered the Yushitai, he seemed to have acquired the sword of Shangfang, and became a character who would not recognize his relatives and would kick three feet when he saw a tree.Thinking about it this way, he smiled and said, "Lan'er's joke is funny, but it's not finished yet. There's a tail, do you know?" Jia Lan shook her head in amazement, and everyone urged Jia Cong to continue.

Jia Cong then said slowly: "The farmer laughed when he heard what the antique dealer said, and said: 'You take the bowl, how can I sell cats again?'" Everyone paused, recalled, Everyone couldn't help laughing.Although Sister Qiao is a peasant woman, her conversation is as straightforward as Xifeng's, so she said quickly: "The third uncle's joke is a good continuation. People who treat others as fools, how can they know that they are not fools!" Everyone laughed even more.

Yingchun took her son back to her natal home to celebrate the new year in order to hide from the relatives of the Sun's family. At this time, she was watching her words and expressions, seeing Jia Lan's daughter-in-law's timid smile on the other side of the table, she couldn't help but touch the pain in her heart, and she understood this beautiful woman Why is the young woman newly married for only three years, and she looks like a wilting flower? She herself has had such an unbearable past, but Sun Shao's group is rough and Jia Lan is cold, but both of them have cruel and angry temperaments factor.She looked at Jia Lan's daughter-in-law with pity in her heart, but she was powerless to rescue her. The joy she had just now suddenly disappeared, leaving only desolation.

Although this family banquet was organized by Ping'er, Ping'er was not qualified to sit at the table, so he only made arrangements at the bottom.At this time, seeing that the wine had been served for three rounds and the dishes had five flavors, he ordered the kitchen to cook assorted Lantern Festival, put them in glass bowls and serve them up.The assorted Lantern Festival was prepared by a chef from the south specially invited to come to the mansion in the twelfth lunar month of Ping'er. Although not everyone can speak nice words, everyone appreciates delicious food.After hearing the slight sound of the spoon, everyone praised him, Ping'er couldn't help but feel relieved and smiled in relief.

After eating the Lantern Festival, children flock to the courtyard to watch the firecrackers set off, and the fireworks are bright and the moon is shining brightly.Jia Cong felt that the bustle was really boring, so he used the excuse of changing clothes to take a breath of cool air in the backyard.

At this time, the snow had stopped, and the ground was full of snow, covering all the rockery trees.The sky is clear, the Milky Way flows quietly, and the noise in the front yard is separated from the houses and snowdrifts, just to take advantage of the quietness of this place.The ambilight intertwined by starlight and lights shone in Jia Cong's eyes.Jia Cong looked up at the galaxy and thought to himself:

Was there already such prosperity in time and space hundreds of millions of years ago?

Is it possible that I will stand in the same place in Beijing a few years later to enjoy such beautiful scenery?

The author has something to say: I wish everyone a happy Lantern Festival!