Red Mansions Become Baochai

State-owned enterprises before restructuring.Among the servants, there are those who are as rich as the master like Lai Da, and there are those who are dozens of years old and still working hard like Jiao Da.

The Xue family is like a private enterprise, because the company has good profits and many benefits.Although Xue's employees can't make a lot of money, most people can live a relatively good life.

The next day is going to go out to pay New Year's greetings. Although the Xue family is an imperial merchant, it is also ranked above the official talisman, among the four major families.Ordinary petty officials want to come to pay New Year's greetings to Xue's family.In Jinling City, only a few high-ranking officials in Xinjiang, such as Zhou Jiahe, chief of the Water Transportation Department, and Zhen Jia, president of Jinling Provincial Institute of Physical Education, were the only ones in Jinling City who needed the Xue family to meet in person.

Xue Ke and his wife brought Baochai, and Xue Po went out to pay New Year's greetings. Xue Pan couldn't go out because he said earlier that he was recuperating at home, so he had to watch his cousin and sister go out.

Xue Shen and his wife stayed at home to entertain relatives and friends.Xue's house was decorated with lights and festoons everywhere, which was very festive.There was a big banquet in the hall of Xue's house, a stage was set up, and festive New Year dramas such as "Jumping the King" were performed, and Xue Shen entertained male guests here.

A roll shed was set up in the garden, a big red foreign felt carpet was laid on the ground, and big red curtains were hung everywhere. There were many cupronickel braziers on the ground, and various delicacies, fruits and sweet wines were placed on the table, and two ladies were invited. My son is talking about a fashionable little show, and Liu Shihe and his aunt only entertain the family members of each family here.

Baochai followed her mother into the inner courtyard of the Zhou family, and followed her mother to salute Mrs. Zhou.Mrs. Zhou accepted her gift, but returned a half-respect to Mrs. Xue.After all, although Mrs. Xue is not the wife of imperial orders, but her husband's family is very wealthy and powerful in Jinling City, and her natal brother, Wang Ziteng, is an envoy of the Beijing camp, so it is not easy to neglect her.

This week, the lord has taken in seven or eight concubines, and each concubine has several beautiful maids beside her.The women in this room are all beaded and emerald, wearing gold and silver, dazzling and dazzling.With the addition of all kinds of incense used by women, the room is airtight in winter, and Baochai is dizzy from the smoke.A numb smile was passed around among several women.

Mrs. Zhou was smiling and pulled Baochai to her side, and asked if elder brother was in good health, etc., and gave Baochai a red gold necklace inlaid with precious stones as a meeting gift.

One of the aunts, who was wearing a silver and red gold jacket all over the place, had a very graceful figure, looked at Baochai, and interjected with a coquettish smile: "Miss Xue's family is really pretty, but have you ever read? If you want to talk about books, we all Brother is the smartest, he is only seven years old this year, and he has already read the Book of Songs. Guan Guan Jujiu, Zaihe..."

Still to say, Mrs. Zhou sees her cute manner, and when people come to pay New Year's greetings, she also wants to play matchmaker.Pretend to cough and say: "Aunt Lin is in a good mood today, why don't you bring some fruit tea to treat the guests."

When Aunt Lin saw that Madam still treated her as a servant girl, a sharp light flashed in her eyes.Still with a smile on his face, he agreed in his mouth, and turned his head to let a maid go.

He smiled at Mrs. Xue again: "Our whole brother is about the same age as the eldest son of the family, and his appearance and temper are exactly like ours. He is very gentle and polite. It's just that he has suffered from the cold for the past two days, and my wife does not allow him to come out to see guests." , Madam Xue, would you like to take Miss to have a look?"

When Mrs. Zhou saw Aunt Lin humiliating her in front of the guests, her eyes were already on fire.Mrs. Xue saw that the wind direction was not good, and she had heard many things about the Zhou family before.This Aunt Lin was originally Mrs. Zhou's maid.Mrs. Zhou's eldest son is not very smart, and Aunt Lin's youngest son, Brother Quan, is smart but not in good health.Mrs. Xue didn't want to be involved in the civil war in his backyard, so she hurried out with Baochai.

Mrs. Xue waited in the carriage with Baochai for half an hour, and Xue Kefang came out with Xue Biao.The two children took out the gold and silver cartons they got as gifts for meeting each other, and please count them. There is more than 100 taels of silver and two gold ornaments in one place, which can be regarded as a small fortune.

Baochai is discussing with Xue Biao to buy something for cousin Xue Pan and Baoqin.Xue Ke smiled and said, "I still have to go to Zhen's house today, so let the boy bring you home whatever you two want to buy."

Xue Biao and Baochai were unhappy, even if there were red envelopes to take, and that child likes to meet strangers, and still keeps saluting and saying hello?

Mrs. Xue had already mentioned this Zhen family on the way, his family is the richest family in Jinling City, when the emperor went to the south of the Yangtze River, the Zhen family alone picked him up four times, very powerful.He also asked Baochai and Xue Biao to behave themselves and not to be ridiculed for their lack of etiquette.

It took about half an hour to arrive.The maid took Baochai out of the Zhulun Huagai carriage, and Baochai saw that the Zhen family occupied an entire street.Having been the emperor's palace, it is really extraordinary.

There were two big stone lions squatting in front of the door, and sedan chairs were lined up along the street on the opposite side of the wall. Each parent was accompanied by a group of three, and a group of five were talking and laughing, waiting under the eaves of the gatehouse for the master who came to visit the mansion.

There are three gates with vermilion lacquer animal heads, and the middle gate is closed tightly.The officials welcoming and sending off in front of the west gate are all dressed in robes and gauze hats, bowing to each other and coming in and out; the small gate on the east side is for the family members of the old lady who came to Zhen's house to see the old lady, the lady maid, and the lady's wife, chatting and saying hello There was a lot of noise.

Xue Ke's long follower cast a name card, and two green silk carts came out in a short time.Mrs. Xue took Baochai and sat on it. All the women put down the curtain of the carriage, and then ordered the servants to lift it up, and went in front of the gate of Yiyi on the west side and got down.

Mrs. Xue and Baochai supported the servant girls of the Zhen family, and walked through the veranda hung with parrot thrushes.As soon as you enter the back garden, you walk to the innermost courtyard on the west side.Walk along the screen wall painted with auspicious patterns such as "Songhe Yannian", "Magpie Climbing Plum Blossom", "Kirin Sending Child" and so on.

Behind the screen wall is a large garden. In the middle of the yard is a clear and shallow pool. The bottom of the pool is paved with fine white sand and stones. There are many koi in the pool, which are clearly visible because of the clear water.The colorful fish swim around even in winter, very happy.Baochai guessed that it must be the reason why the hot spring water was drawn from the bottom of the lake.

The seven blue-brick main houses are all hard-mounted and tile-roofed, with Su-style colored paintings painted on the squares, and there are three side rooms on the left and right.There are three large characters of "Cixuan Hall" written by the Supreme Emperor himself on the door.

Mrs. Xue and Baochai came in, and a few maidservants in red, black and green greeted them with smiles. They opened up the soft red curtain and said with a smile, "Mrs. Xue is here."

I saw a very rich old lady leaning on the soft couch in the back room, her hair covered with silver threads was combed into a bun, and only a piece of Hetian white jade inlaid with emerald green five blessings was inserted into the flat square.Wearing an azure-colored embroidered gold silk blessing character coat on his body, and a beaded color embroidered golden group longevity jacket on the outside, he was joking and laughing with everyone.

Under the wall facing the entrance is a screen carved with red sandalwood, inlaid with mother-of-pearl and embroidered with longevity characters, painted with pictures of myths and stories, carved and painted with mountains, pavilions, trees, and figures, and immortals come riding on auspicious clouds, and the back is decorated with pictures of flowers and birds. A peacock is engraved on the two leaves in the middle, and various auspicious birds are dotted around.

Under the screen is a case made of ebony wood. On both sides of the case are wide chairs carved with patterns of cranes and colorful clouds on the backs of the chairs, which are the main seats.The eight chairs arranged with goose wings on the left and right sides are all made of rosewood, and they are chairs made for guests.Now it is full for the wives of various families.

Mrs. Xue led Baochai to the soft couch. A servant girl had already put a futon on the red velvet carpet.The mother and the son bowed down like onions, and Baochai said respectfully according to what his mother said: "I have seen the old matriarch, I wish the old matriarch a happy life and a healthy life, and everyone will share the plum blossoms in the old age."

When Taijun Zhen heard this, he smiled so that the wrinkles on his face bloomed like chrysanthemums.He took out his reading glasses, pulled Baochai over and looked at her carefully, and Baochai also looked at her with a smile.

Zhen Taijun saw that Baochai was dressed neatly and pleasingly, and said to Mrs. Xue: "This child is very good-looking, and he can speak very well. In autumn, I heard that he was ill. Now he looks good."

Mrs. Xue hurriedly smiled and said: "Thank you, old matriarch, for thinking about it, the child's illness has recovered early in the morning, otherwise I wouldn't dare to bring her to see your old man."

A daughter-in-law next to her laughed out loud, and Baochai turned her head to look at her, only to see that she was wearing a narrow satin jacket with orange and red embroidered double phoenixes, and a light yellow and moonlight skirt on one side.The corner of the skirt is pressed with a uterine sash mixed with gold bead thread, and the head is combed with a sunrise chain bun, which is plump and tall, and a pearl hairpin inlaid with five phoenix phoenixes is inserted, with a gold hinge pendant butterfly wiping the forehead, with beautiful eyes and pretty cheeks. , tall and slender, radiantly dressed, with jewels all over her body.It seems that she is very familiar with Mrs. Xue.

The daughter-in-law quickly said to Mrs. Xue: "I think my niece is also very good. She doesn't have the petty air of the small family who comes out to be coquettish and timid. She can't talk when she sees people. She's much better than a mother like you." .”

Taijun Zhen patted his knees and laughed in circles: "It's the same when I see guests talking, come and tear her mouth." The maidservant next to her agreed with a smile, how could anyone come forward?

Mrs. Xue also laughed and said, "The old lady was joking again. When I came back to see your old man, didn't she hold my hand and say that with this granddaughter-in-law to accompany you to relieve your boredom, you can eat half a bowl more every day?" .”

Mrs. Zhen, seeing Mrs. Xue exposed her, was not angry but happy, and laughed and scolded Mrs. Xue for not coming to see her until the New Year's Eve.He smiled and said to Baochai, "This is Yang Shi, the daughter-in-law of your elder brother Zhen Baoyin. You can just call her sister-in-law."

Baochai hurriedly saluted with a smile and said hello, and called Mrs. Zhen, very puzzled, why this Yang family has a bit of Wang Xifeng's character.

As expected, Mrs. Yang was very happy, she took off a string of purple jadeite bracelets in her hand, and made a meeting gift for Baochai.

Mrs. Xue hurriedly stopped her and said: "This is a good thing made inside, it's too expensive, I'm afraid I still found it from the old lady, where can I give it to the child?"

Mrs. Zhen laughed and said, "If you don't tell me today, I'll forget it, but it's not my property. Let's get rid of the thief name now."

Called Baochai over, personally put it on her wrist, and said with a smile, "Good boy, this is my gift for you. Your aunt's