Love of Friends in the Red Chamber

But when Baoyu heard that Qingwen was expelled, it was like five thunderbolts. He couldn't care about anything, and hurried back to the mansion by car. When he arrived at the gate of the mansion, he didn't dare to go back to the garden to see what happened.It just so happened that Mrs. Wang and all the sisters in Jia's house, Li Wan, Xifeng and others were having fun at Jia's mother. Jia's mother knew that Baoyu had gone to Lin's house to visit Daiyu. She was very happy. He asked him what he had eaten, what did Daiyu say, etc. Baoyu had to answer patiently, but because Mrs. Wang was by his side, he didn't dare to say more about bringing Daiyu back, let alone give it to him. Qingwen begged for mercy.

Seeing that Jia's mother was happy, Mrs. Wang took the opportunity to say: "Since the old concubine passed away this spring, the imperial court has decreed that all families with nobles are not allowed to have banquets and music within a year. The girls were disbanded, and some were let out for their own convenience, and some were assigned to different houses if they were unaccounted for. Recently I went to the garden to see, and saw that most of these girls were restless. Daily bickering and frequent troubles. I was very displeased. In addition, the day before yesterday, I heard that Jinshang was very disgusted with the raising of actors in the family of officials, saying that "a family with actors is not a good official", so I said Let the masters release them all, and let their families marry them on their own."

After hearing this, Jia Mu nodded and said, "You handled it very well, and I was just about to tell you to do the same."

Mrs. Wang glanced at Baoyu, which had a strong sense of warning, staring at Baoyu trembling, and then smiled back: "There is one more thing, that is, the maid in Baoyu's room is called Qingwen, and the old lady gave Baoyu a gift." Yes, it was good at first, but recently my daughter got tuberculosis, and I was so frightened that I rushed her family to take her out. This kind of disease cannot be eradicated. Even if it is cured temporarily, don’t let her in—specially The old lady said back and forth." Jia's mother stared at Mrs. Wang sharply, but she couldn't say anything. Seeing Baoyu's crying appearance, she felt distressed, so she reluctantly said: "I originally thought that Baoyu's room, regardless of appearance or speech, could not say anything. Qingwen is a top-notch girl in needlework, needlework, and temper, and she is the only one who can serve as Baoyu's envoy in the future. Who knows that she is not so lucky." Mrs. Wang laughed hurriedly: "The person the old lady likes is originally accurate. It's just that since she has such a symptom, she is really unlucky, and the old lady doesn't need to be sad, just reward her family and treat her." Jia Mu nodded.

Then everyone mentioned that Baoqin's marriage had not yet been decided, and that in the first month of the new year, they would go to congratulate the concubine Yuan on the New Year's Eve and celebrate her birthday. Ma, just can't listen.It was so easy to stay until late at night, and everyone withdrew from Jiamu's room, but Mrs. Wang called Baoyu to her own room, closed the door, and gave him a good warning, telling him to study hard from now on, and not to be in the garden again. The game is deserted: "I am determined to be cruel now. If there are maids to seduce you again, and one will kick out the other, you are not allowed to go to the old lady to mention these little hoofs. It will make the old lady unhappy. I heard that you will not obey."

It was already late at night when Baoyu returned to her room, and when she saw that everyone in Yihong Courtyard was panic-stricken, and they could no longer be found, and thinking about what Daiyu said during the day that she would never come back, she couldn't help but feel heartbroken, and felt all hope was lost, and she threw herself down. Crying choked up on the bed.Xiren repeated all kinds of words but couldn't comfort him, so he had to cry with him until dawn, when Fang fell asleep dimly.On the second day, he had a fever, but he didn't dare to ask for leave, so he had to force himself to go to school, and became more and more depressed. When Mrs. Wang saw him at night, she only said that he was sad for Daiyu and Qingwen, and ignored him, only restrained him more severely. That's all.Baoyu had never been treated like this before, and it was so painful that she couldn't live without it, but she got the news that Qingwen had only been home for two days before she died. He was confused.Mrs. Wang strictly prohibited him from going out except for the school, and he didn't know how to resist, and when he returned to Yihong Courtyard, he was blank, neither joking nor studying, he seemed like a fool.Xiren Muskyue and others were so anxious that they dared not go back.

But on Daiyu's side, since Baoyu came, it has been hard to find her again, and she can't help but feel cold, and at the same time, Jia Mu and Mrs. Wang often send people to deliver things. She went to school, but she couldn't see him anymore. Daiyu couldn't help feeling dissatisfied, thinking that she had offended him with her words last time, so he disappeared.Although this Daiyu has cried a few times in private, she is busy learning housekeeping from her aunt and two sisters-in-law every day, which takes up a lot of time and energy, and it is not uninteresting, so she is not the same as before. Putting all my happiness and hopes on Baoyu like that, although my mood is unavoidably gloomy at times, most of the time I am still cheerful-he actually wholeheartedly lives in the Lin Mansion and never thinks about the Grand View Garden.

These days, Jia Cong went to Lin's mansion frequently, he came to talk with the uncle of the Lin family about learning, but because Aunt Lin liked him, Daiyu and him would naturally meet each other every time she left a meal.Jia Cong made everything right, although he was close but never Meng Lang, the poems and essays he read with Daiyu were also upright and peaceful, which made Daiyu unconsciously think of the situation when his father was alive, so he left Jia's mansion and became close to Jia Cong better.

However, Jia Cong couldn't single-mindedly flatter the beauty, he knew that if he couldn't gain fame, he wouldn't even be able to compare with a decent servant in Jia's mansion, so he worked harder.The Grand View Garden has become even more depressed. Since Daiyu and Baochai moved away one after another, Xiangyun was also taken back by the historian to be married, and Baoqin also returned to Xue's house. The second girl was hired by the elder Jia She soon It was given to a military officer surnamed Sun, who was going to be married after the next year. Mrs. Wang released some older maids, including Yingchun's big maid Siqi and Xichun's big maid into the painting, but did not add newcomers— — There are fewer and fewer people in the garden, and the fees are getting tighter and tighter. Everyone complains about being mean.

On this day, Jia Amnesty and Jia Zheng invited their colleagues to enjoy the snow and plum blossoms in Qinfang Pavilion in the garden. One is to let the children learn how to socialize, and the other is that although Baoyu doesn't study hard, he is very capable in chanting poems and inscriptions, and he also has the intention of showing off in front of everyone.Jia Cong heard that his father was there, so he didn't dare to dress too plainly and casually—knowing that the elder master and the second master have different personalities, and the most important thing is to look decent—so he changed into the newly made azure blue and red two colors. A Japanese satin fringe jacket with floral patterns, covered with colorful silver arrow sleeves, small satin boots with azurite soap bottom, wearing a belt inlaid with three treasures and suet jade that Jia She had only awarded two days ago--clothes make people rely on horses Saddle, unexpectedly looked energetic and suave, compared with Baoyu and others who were deliberately wearing half-worn clothes.

Because it was a casual gathering, everyone sat casually in a pavilion with one color of glass panes, with white snow and red plums outside. Because Jia Cong lived nearby, he arrived early. When he came, he saw seven or eight people who looked like officials in the pavilion. Some of them brought their own children, and rushed to meet them one by one, but among them was Mei Hanlin who had just returned to Beijing. The young master of the Mei family was handsome and handsome, but he was comparable to Baoqin. Unfortunately, his family looked down on the Xue family, so the marriage was postponed until today. Although Mei Hanlin was invited, he knew the relationship between the Xue family and the Jia family. The origin is not particularly close, on the contrary, Jia Zheng is very courteous, it can be seen that Mei Hanlin's strokes are highly praised by scholars, which is admirable.

Most of the guests Jia She invited were dandies, and the first one was Duke Qing. He was no longer young, but he had a cynical face, he was not dressed in style, he was gorgeous, flamboyant, humorous, and his conversation was vulgar. He found that every time he spoke, Mei Hanlin frowned unconsciously, and couldn't help but secretly amused, wondering why his father and uncle invited guests together.

Soon Baoyu and others also came, and everyone began to write poems. The title of the poem was not tricky, but it was about plum blossoms. It's just for the occasion, but I put a lot of effort into writing it.It was written in a short time, and everyone commented that Baoyu's poems were elegant in style and good in rhetoric, while Jia Zheng and Jia She praised the young master of the Mei family's poems, which were upright and subtle, and had a style of masters. Mei Hanlin then praised Jia Cong's poem narrative analysis, Duanjin is in line with the ancient method, so they judged each other and boasted a lot, and they all got rewards. Of course, Baoyu got the most. Namei Hanlin also sent Jia Cong a piece of tribute ink engraved with the words "Lantai Elite" alone.Jia Lan was still young and didn't care, so Jia Huan felt uncomfortable.

After the reward was over, Jia Cong sat in the corner to drink tea and listened to the conversations of the elders, but the young master Mei gradually came to chat, and the young man became familiar with it in a short while, so the young master Mei praised Jia Cong for his talent just now. The poem "Shadows follow the flying snow, and the fragrance is mixed with the ice" has a very good intention, and he said: "I see that my brother's calligraphy is very sophisticated, so it can be seen that he has put in a lot of hard work." The only thing Jia Cong is proud of is My calligraphy is not too humble: "Calligraphy is very pleasant. I first came to Zhao Mengfu's "Tianguanshan Tuyong" for the first time. I was very happy to see it, but Master Lin Jiarui forbade me to write it. Charming, that's why I worked hard on Yan Zhenqing's "Struggling for a Seat" and Liu Gongquan's "Mysterious Tower". As for the style of pavilions and pavilions that are popular among scholars today, I have no talent at all, and I have never dabbled in kung fu in the end." Na Mei The young master praised him very much: "Brother is indeed elegant and noble, different from popular customs." Jia Cong also praised his poems and essays, and the two felt like old friends at first sight.

Young Master Mei looked at Kong'er and saw that everyone was going to admire a painting, so he approached Jia Cong and asked in a low voice: "Dare to ask Brother Shi, are you familiar with the Xue family, the relatives of the Zunfu?" Jia Cong knew that he was asking. His fiancée, Bao Qin, couldn't help laughing, but it was related to Mrs. Wang, so he should be cautious in his words and deeds, so he replied: "Aunt Xue and my aunt are sisters, cousins ​​of the Xue family are also common. "

Young Master Mei paused for a moment, and said: "If it is said that cousin Ling, I have met outside, it is really... I don't know his family's tutor..." His face turned red, and Jia Cong knew that he was Seeing Xue Pan's domineering and ill-informed image outside, he worried that Bao Qin would be like his brother, so he laughed and said: "I don't know, although Xue's family is an imperial merchant, it is also a family of poetry and etiquette. Not only brothers Since I was a child, even the sisters are quite literate, except for my cousin Pan, who has a rough temperament, which is quite different from your brothers and sisters, and Aunt Xue's family is also very troublesome." Young Master Mei groaned, and wanted to talk again. Asked, but his face became more and more red.

Jia Cong said again: "If the essays are good, then the talents of the Xue family sisters are beyond the reach of the foolish brothers." He chanted the plum blossom poem written by Baoqin when he was enjoying the snow in the old year to Master Mei: "Shu The branches are bright and the flowers are beautiful, and the children of spring makeup are luxurious. There is no snow left in the garden, and there is sunset in the flowing water and empty mountains. The dream is cold with the red sleeve flute, and the fragrance of immortals is in the crimson river. The predecessor must be a Yaotai species, and there is no doubt about it. difference."

That Young Master Mei was obsessed with hearing it, so he murmured again: "The previous body must be from the Yaotai family, and there is no doubt about it. The artistic conception is profound, and the brushwork is ethereal... To be honest, I have a relationship with the little sister of the Xue family. The contract was made, but my father hates his family's merchants, and every time he wants to terminate the contract... I don't know his character and appearance..." Jia Cong laughed and said, "A person is like a poem."

But I heard Mei Hanlin over there just say: "The matter of children's marriage should not be hasty. The so-called misstep will cause eternal hatred. Forgive the old and don't just do it alone." Young and promising, I marry my daughter to him, why not?" Jia Zheng hurriedly persuaded: "Brother, don't misunderstand Mei Hanlin's kindness, the Sun family's generation of martial arts is indeed not suitable for my family." Jia She said: "We What about martial arts?" It turned out that they were talking about Jia She's recent selection of a son-in-law for Yingchun, and Jia Cong was listening, knowing that Sun Shaozu must have a bad reputation to be criticized so much, no I understand why my father insists on making this marriage, and it is a pity that Yuanzhong lost another good daughter.