Love of Friends in the Red Chamber

When Jia Huan came in, Jia Cong was admiring a rare inkstone with Daiyu. It was in the morning when Jia Cong went to the silver building where Daiyu was marrying to check the quarterly accounts. The people here didn't know the goods, and they didn't know that they were antiques collected from that dilapidated house. They were scattered together with some calligraphy, painting and antiques. in the sleeve.As soon as I entered the door, I appreciated it with Daiyu.

When Daiyu took the inkstone into her hand and looked at it, she saw that the inkstone was naturally ruddy, small enough to hold, only about an inch wide, and less than two inches high. Fine and dense, engraved with willow branches all around, the knife is soft and delicate.Jia Cong said with a smile: "Such a small thing is not used for grinding ink, but for my daughter's homemade rouge." Daiyu really liked it, and she couldn't put it down to look at it repeatedly. , but it reads a poem of five rhythms: "Investigate the floating clear shadow, chew the fine jade dew; if the heart is at one point, the rest will moisten the Lanzhi." The signature is "Suqing Zhiyan".

Daiyu laughed and said: "It seems that this is indeed an inkstone for my daughter's home. Maybe it is used to adjust fat and make powder. I just don't know who this Suqing is, who got such an elegant and thoughtful gift." Jia Cong Then he said: "Looking at the meaning of the brush, it seems that it was written by Qiu Shizhou. She has a beautiful heart and a beautiful heart. If this inkstone belongs to you, you can be regarded as a confidant. You are no longer lonely." Daiyu smiled, and Jia Huan came in when she was about to say something. Daiyu then put the inkstone into the coral red lacquer box, and while beckoning Jia Huan to sit down, she ordered the servant girl to serve tea.

Jia Huan looked around, he couldn't even feel his eyesight enough, just now he heard Jia Cong and Daiyu's words when he came in, now he wants to come to Zhiyan to have a look, but he sees that the lacquer box is exquisitely made, the top cover of the box is engraved with fine details The portrait of a lady with dark patterns stands on a railing, with an elegant posture, and said: "The third brother and the third sister-in-law are also elegant, but I think this Su Qing must not be a good woman. Who would prepare such a gift carefully for an ordinary couple? It must be given by those romantic scholars." For the girls in the brothel."

Jia Cong was afraid that Daiyu would be displeased when he heard that he was such a spoiler, so he laughed and said, "Why can't a couple give such a gift? Besides, can't it be a gift from a brother to a sister?" So he invited him to his study to chat. Only then did Jia Huan know that this study was originally Daiyu's boudoir.She hastily said panic, and said her words, but Daiyu didn't perfunctory him, and just followed him out.

Jia Huan followed Jia Cong around the corridor to the study outside. This study is very comfortable, open and bright, and there are not many books. They are all read by Jia Cong every day, but there is a bookcase full of celebrities. Fatie, and Song paper emblem ink.Jia Huan then leaned on the grand teacher's chair with the exquisite chair burden, tilted his feet and said, "You are still comfortable here, and sister Lin cares about being exquisite, but I am so cautious that I have no place to put my hands and feet, and I dare not speak casually. Saying a word makes me feel vulgar..." Jia Cong laughed secretly, he was like this at the beginning, and it took a year for him to gradually get better.

The two brothers chatted, and Jia Huan didn't hide it, so he told Jia Cong all his troubles. In fact, Jia Cong knew the inside story better than him. I am wronged, one day you get a good name, naturally no one in this house dares to underestimate you, even if you are fighting now, you still can’t compete with Brother Baoyu, and you will bring trouble to your aunt——I will solve it for you one day , what do you need in the future, just come to me and don't get angry with those bastards." Saying this, he ordered Jin'er to bring two sets of brightly colored jackets he made this spring, Packed it with a bundle and handed it over to Jia Huan. Jia Huanfang gradually calmed down. He had a childish temper, so he put his hands away soon, and his eyebrows beamed when he talked about the interesting things he heard in the mansion.

The two brothers chatted, but now that Jia Cong has seen a lot, and his heart is not what it used to be, there is really nothing to talk about with Jia Huan. It's just that when he first arrived here, he was lonely and boring, and Jia Huan often came to him. The love of being a companion is very perfunctory for him.After Jia Huan left, Jia Cong went back to the inner room, but saw that the inkstone had been left on the desk outside, so he knew that Daiyu was hurt by Jia Huan's words, so he refused to take the inkstone.He didn't point it out, just put the inkstone in the box and put it away as if nothing had happened, thinking that although Daiyu was not rare, he could get a good price if he sold it in the shop.

Sure enough, it was because of Jia Huan's words that Daiyu felt disgusted. She was pure in nature and felt that the fat inkstone seemed to come from a wrong place, so she refused to use it again. It was just that she was reluctant to part with such a delicate object, and Jia Cong knew it well. Knowing that, he secretly sent people out to search again, and within a few days, he got another exquisite chrysanthemum stone inkstone with the words "Mi Fu worships the stone" engraved on the bottom. There is more than simplicity, so Daiyu likes it.

In a blink of an eye, it was Lixia, and Jia Cong went to court every day, serving his duties respectfully, studying the way of being a minister, and paying attention to the career path.This day coincided with his lecture on "Zi Zhi Tong Jian" in the East Palace, and it happened that Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty was first bright and then dark.If so, by the time they take off and change their clothes, they will already be soaked in sweat—the most important etiquette in the Hanlin Academy, even in summer, they must have complete boots and hats, and be meticulous.

Then Jia Cong retreated to the duty station, and the little eunuch who had been serving him brought a washbasin towel to help him change his clothes, and another follower handed him a bag. The inner clothes were all made of ice silk, and he was sweating for a while. After taking off all my clothes, I felt much refreshed.The little eunuch brought another cup of iced sour plum soup, and Jia Cong sipped it, the heat gradually subsided.

After a while, seeing that the crown prince didn't send an order, he knew that there would be nothing to do today, and was about to leave to go home, when he saw Eunuch Xia, the eunuch of the inner palace, come in with a smile, and said, "Jia Cong listen to the order." Jia Cong knelt down quickly Next, listen to that Eunuch Xia said slowly: "I will tell Jia Cong to see you at the Daming Palace." After speaking, he smiled and stepped forward to help Jia Cong get up, and brushed the dust from his lower lapel, and stood there holding hands and asking for warmth. Jia Cong, seeing his attentiveness, knew that it was not a disaster, so he quietly stuffed a mutton fat jade Pixiu into his palm, and Eunuch Xia didn't refuse, and put it into his sleeve while thanking him.Jia Congcai asked: "Dare to ask my father-in-law, what is the matter of the emperor's minister entering the palace?" Eunuch Xia laughed and said: "Our family doesn't know about this, but it is always a good thing to be summoned by the emperor." , "In the future, Mr. Jia will become famous and prosperous, and he will take care of our family."

Jia Cong calmed down for a while, straightened his official uniform, and went to the palace to meet his majesty, but the emperor was not in the main hall, but was discussing state affairs with the cabinet ministers in the upper study.When Jia Cong went in, he saw that his room teacher, Master Shen, and the governor of the river, Lin Jiarui, who had returned to Beijing to report on his duties, were all present, looking at him with a smile on his face.

Jia Cong got up calmly and stood respectfully on the ground, but the emperor ignored him, but turned his head and continued to listen to Lin Jiarui's presentation of the strategy for harnessing the river.It was the first time for Jia Cong to get so close to the holy man on the ground, so he took a peek at the holy man, and saw that the current emperor is in his prime, tall and thin, with a kind complexion and sharp eyes. prestige.Thinking of this, he bowed his head even more, only listening to the conversation between the monarch and his ministers, while trying to figure out the reason for summoning him in his heart.

That Lin Jiarui is well known to Jia Cong, calm and capable, sitting there talking eloquently, talking with words, explaining the strategy of harnessing the river and the estimated cost very clearly, the emperor nodded frequently at first, but then frowned .After Lin Jiarui finished speaking, the emperor took a sip from the tea bowl, and then slowly said: "Lin Qing's strategy for controlling the river is very clear, but who would have thought that such a huge country would have such an empty treasury that even the amount of money needed to manage the river?" Is it difficult to raise money?" After finishing speaking, he sighed softly.

There has always been a strict division between monarchs and ministers, and they are concerned about the death of the master. Since the emperor sighed, several ministers knelt down to plead guilty. , a small part comes from the national treasury, and most of it is raised by the provinces along the river, so it is not too tight." Lin Jiarui also explained her fundraising plan in detail, and the emperor nodded frequently.It took enough time for a meal before the monarch and his ministers discussed and clarified the matter of river governance.

The emperor called the ministers to present tea and said with a smile: "Today's discussion is really enjoyable. If the courtiers and workers can be so diligent in state affairs, I will have no worries." Said: "Jia Qing, you kneel in front." Jia Cong hurried forward and knelt down.

The emperor said calmly: "I have judged you many times with the ministers of the cabinet. Aiqing's education is profound. What's more rare is that you come from a noble family without arrogance. You are cautious and diligent, which is in line with my wishes. I intend to I don’t know if you can take on this difficult task.” Jia Cong’s heart moved, and he quickly kowtowed and replied: “Thunder, rain and dew are all the favor of the king, and I am willing to do my best for my emperor. How dare you resign?” The emperor nodded in satisfaction: "In this way, the Shen University scholar can draw up an edict, inventing an edict to appoint Jia Cong as the counselor of the Governor's Mansion for Zhihe, and raise his official rank by two levels."

So Jia Cong became the counselor of the fifth rank, and the people of Jia's mansion were happy and worried.Joy goes without saying, worry is that the river is laborious but in vain. The river is governed every year, and the embankment is broken every year. , there are very few people with outstanding political achievements, even the current river governor Lin Jiarui, I don’t know how many officials are waiting to see his jokes.However, how many people in Jia's mansion really care about Jia Cong?Jia Amnesty only said that his son was fighting for his face again, and Mrs. Wang felt cold in her nose, and she also stood on the dry bank, watching the river swell. voice, but there is no word of concern, only Daiyu is really concerned.

Jia Cong himself is very satisfied with this arrangement. Although he is a noble man in the East Palace and has a light job, he always feels that he is wasting his time and has not done anything practical.On the contrary, for Zhihe, the civil engineering he learned in his previous life happened to be applicable, and he had a lot of exchanges with Lin Jiarui before, so this appointment cannot be said to be without Lin Jiarui's recommendation.Another thing Jia Cong guessed was that he thought that Lin Jiarui's talents were more suitable to live in the center and serve as the prime minister. I am afraid that letting him serve as the deputy of the river this time is also a place for cultivation and borrowing. It is inevitable that Uncle Lin will have something else later. It is an important task, and it is difficult for him to manage the river alone.Therefore, he is full of enthusiasm and can't wait to take up the post immediately.