The return of Fengxi of the Red Chamber

Since entering the twelfth lunar month, the Jia family's banquets have never stopped, and they are always full of laughter day after day.

Xu is thinking that after the Chinese New Year, he will go to the general election, and there will be no more comfortable life in the boudoir in the future. This winter festival, Jia Shishi did not restrain her to learn the rules and etiquette, but allowed her to play freely.

Most of the girls who met Yingchun on weekdays also participated in this draft, but some families didn't want their daughters to enter the palace, or there were several girls of the same age, and it was expected that only one of them would be selected, so the atmosphere was quite good. normal.

Taking advantage of the new year, in addition to Jia's family, other wealthy families also held many banquets.Therefore, whether it is Mrs. Xing or Wang Xifeng, they will always take Yingchun to play for a day and a half, and it is right to relax.

It's just that Mrs. Xing and Yingchun really wanted to relax, but as far as Jia Lian and Wang Xifeng were concerned, they tried to find a way to let Yingchun and King Shenjun meet in advance.If the two can have some friendship, it will be more convenient for Jia Lian to plan in the future, and it will not make Situ Yao suspicious.

After all, Situ Yu, the king of Shenjun, is really mediocre now, looking useless. Who would have thought that the girl that Jia's family has carefully cultivated since childhood would secretly make up her mind to marry such an invisible person like him.

On the thirteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, the Mu family of Dongping County ordered a plum blossom banquet, and invited girls and young masters from all families to go.

There are also quite a few girls and young masters of the right age in Dongping County Wangfu. Among them, there are two sons, one is a legitimate son, and the other is a 16-year-old concubine.There are even more girls, one from the concubine, 16 years old, and three from the concubine, sixteen, fifteen, and fourteen, all of whom are at the age of marriage.

As a girl to be drafted, Yingchun has top-notch family background and appearance, and she also received a post from the county prince's mansion.

After Wang Xifeng received the post, he ordered someone to invite Jia Lian to speak: "The Wang family of Dongping County is usually very low-key. Why are they acting so high-key this time? Are you not afraid of breaking that taboo?"

Jia Lian didn't take it seriously, and took out another list, and handed it to Wang Xifeng for a closer look: "Where is the king of Dongping County so bold, how dare he look at each other before the general election. It's just because of today's will, so I give it to the palace. This is a chance for the princes and princesses, so that they can meet the beautiful girls first, and they have a charter in their hearts."

"Look at this list, not only the current princes, but also other idle clans, including the Prince of Shenjun, are all listed one by one. With the face of the Duke of Dongping alone, it is possible to invite so many nobles to come? His family It's just a cover."

Wang Xifeng took a closer look and found that if it was true, it was just the other people on the list, but there were also a son and a daughter of the empress, and even more concubine Shu's son and natal nephew.The relationship between Concubine Shu's natal Zhao family and Dongping County Prince's Mansion has not been harmonious. Normally, she would not come to the Dongping County King's banquet.

Seeing that Wang Xifeng understood, Jia Lian smiled again: "Our second younger sister is really in demand. As far as I know, there are already three princes who want to marry her. There are two other princes who also revealed something to me. It means, this is really a family with thousands of daughters begging."

Wang Xifeng nodded when he heard the words, and agreed: "Second sister is gentle and virtuous, and she has always treated her sisters and brothers with all her heart. Coupled with our family's current power, it makes people jealous. To be honest, I have participated in these few days During the banquet, there were more people who inquired with me, but I pushed them away because the general election was coming soon."

"However, in this case, we have to be more careful at the banquet at the Dongping County Prince's Mansion this time. If someone has bad intentions and takes the opportunity to attack the second sister at the banquet, it will be hard to justify it at that time .”

Hearing Wang Xifeng's worry, Jia Lian's eyes lit up.

Gein had already received news that two princes wanted to win the support of the Jia family, and they really planned to attack Yingchun at the banquet.

Jia Lian originally planned to turn them into an army at that time, but now he has other plans, so he might as well use his plan and create an opportunity for Yingchun and Situ Yu to get to know each other in advance.

During this period of time, Jia Lian has not been idle, and has met Situ Yu a few times, but they are just acquaintances who nod and exchange a few words occasionally.Even so, Jia Lian also felt that this Situ Yu and his sister were really a good match, and they both had the kind of temperament that they suffered from hardships when they were young, so they didn't fight or grab everything.

Another one, both of them like playing chess and tending flowers and plants, and they have common hobbies.

However, Jia Lian didn't plan to tell Wang Xifeng and Yingchun about this matter. Once more people knew about it, there would be an additional risk.Secondly, the two of them are boudoir girls after all, and they have also been educated in the precepts of women and women in their bones. After hearing this plan, I am afraid they will not agree.

Suddenly thought of something, Jia Lian reminded Wang Xifeng: "Sister Xue's family over there, if you see the right occasion, take her away too, it can be regarded as a relationship."

Wang Xifeng thought for a while, and this matter did not interfere with himself and Yingchun, so he nodded and agreed: "The plum blossom banquet at the Prince's Mansion of Dongping County is very suitable. All the dignitaries in Beijing have gone, but there are also some nephews. As for my niece, sister Xue went without paying attention."

In this regard, Jia Lian trusted Wang Xifeng very much, so he said: "You can do as you see."

The husband and wife talked for a while, there was a maid coming and going outside, Wang Xifeng hurried away, there are indeed many things to do next year.

Jia Lian sat for a while, then got up and went to the study to make arrangements for the two-day banquet.

Time passed by in a blink of an eye, and it was the thirteenth day of the twelfth lunar month. Xue Baochai was invited over yesterday, and she was only waiting to go to Dongping County King with them today as a guest.

Wang Xifeng took three of her own girls, plus a cousin Xue Baochai, and a string of maids, and sat down in three carriages.As for Jia Lian and Jia Baoyu, they are men, so naturally they would not travel with their female relatives.

Dongping County Prince's Mansion is the founder of the king, so the location of their house is not far from the imperial city, and the house is also large, with rich and exquisite carved beams and painted buildings.Although it is winter, there are no colorful flowers, but his house also has ingenious ideas, such as decorating with cloth and lanterns, which is very interesting to look at.

The princess of Dongping County, with her eldest daughter-in-law and a group of maids and maids, greeted guests at the second gate.

Ma Shi, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Prince's Mansion in Dongping County, had been on good terms with Wang Xifeng when they were in her boudoir.

Now seeing Wang Xifeng and others coming, he hurriedly responded with a smile: "You haven't come to our house for a long time to play, and you are so eager to ask us to post a post to invite you."

After finishing speaking, he turned his head to look at Yingchun and the others, and exclaimed: "It's really long, it's so beautiful! Your old ladies and wives are also well hidden. With such excellent granddaughters, it's right for them to have more Come out and walk around, let us people see and see."

Wang Xifeng also smiled and replied: "There are many things during the New Year's Eve, and there are few people who can help in our house. How can we have time to go out for a walk? Even my younger sisters can't be idle on weekdays. Our old lady and If your wife has arranged things, you have to help."

"Today is the banquet at your house. Otherwise, I would be busy at home. How could I go out for a day. I said in advance that any delicious and interesting things will be put out early. I finally come out Let’s take a trip, I’ll have a good time, I won’t leave today.”

Concubine Mu is older than Mrs. Xing, and she likes a lively young wife like Wang Xifeng the most. Hearing this, she said with a smile: "The relationship is good. You can stay in our mansion and accompany our old concubine. She is very old. Days miss you."

The group chatted and laughed a few words, and then other people came over one after another, so Wang Xifeng led Sanchun and the others in.

When they arrived at the flower hall where the guests were received, Wang Xifeng went to talk to the familiar wives and grandmas. Yingchun, Tanchun, Xichun and Xue Baochai were four years apart in age, and they had different friends on weekdays, so they went to play separately.

Xue Baochai was only a few months older than Yingchun, and had studied with Jia's family for so long, so naturally she followed Yingchun to socialize.

Jia Yingchun's circle of friends in this life is really not low. They are all princesses and county lords of various palaces, or the eldest daughter of the dignitaries in Beijing. Therefore, Xue Baochai's status as a merchant girl is not enough.

Fortunately, everyone is well-educated, for the sake of Yingchun as a playmate, and because they all know that this is a blind date banquet, they don't want people to say that they are domineering and arrogant.Therefore, even though they were not very enthusiastic towards Xue Baochai, they were all polite and courteous, and no one directly embarrassed her.

At that time, there were more and more people, and the flower hall was almost full. The young girls were impatient and nestled in the room. They each told their mothers and sisters-in-law that they would go to the flower house to enjoy the flowers together, and go outside to enjoy the snow without mentioning it.

Yingchun also went with Xue Baochai, but Xichun, because she was still young, was kept by Wang Xifeng, and she was only allowed to play with the other little girls on the flower rope.

A group of young girls outside were following the two young princesses of the Mu family to the flower house. Along the way, they saw a grove of red plum blossoms, which were in full bloom, attracting everyone to stop and watch.

Seeing that everyone liked the flowers, the two little princesses of the Mu family asked the servants to wrap up a curtain to keep out the wind, and a few nimble little maids made charcoal basins in the pavilion.The girls from each family sat down according to priority, and they had the charcoal stove and the hand stove, and they chatted happily to enjoy the scenery, so they didn't feel that it was cold.

"What's so interesting just looking at flowers, why don't we play some games?" The little princess of the Gu family in Nan'an Palace stood up and suggested with great interest, "Outside my brother and the others are throwing pots and drinking orders and throwing dice. Yes, if we don't have to, we just sit obediently, wouldn't it be boring?"

The little princess of the Mu family listened, and echoed with a smile: "Exactly, we have prepared a lot of naughty ones today, and mother also invited jugglers and tea performers, but they will be played after dinner. And if you listen to it too much, you will be noisy. If we want to play, we must have something very novel and elegant, so that we can live up to this piece of red plum blossoms."

The rest of the people also nodded in agreement, and the fifth princess also became interested, and hurriedly said: "I don't come out very often, I only heard that your parties are very lively, but I don't know what you usually play?"

A few other girls began to introduce in a hurry: "It is necessary to even write poems and paintings, play chess and play the piano, and there are other things such as music and water, fighting grass and flowers, but they are not suitable for playing in winter." Son."

"We can also do crossword puzzles, or tell jokes to have fun, there are so many things to do."

……

Everyone was chatting lively, Yingchun and Baochai didn't speak, but watched with smiles on their faces.

The sixth princess saw Yingchun at a glance, and couldn't help saying: "Sister Jia, do you have any suggestions?"

After hearing this, everyone turned their eyes around the sixth princess and Yingchun, but no one answered.

These six princesses are the princesses born by the empress. They are only 11 years old now. They are lively and cheerful, and they are very favored by the empress.She also has an older brother who is the current second prince, who is eighteen years old and has not yet decided on a wife. The empress, mother and son have always preferred to welcome the spring.

This time the second prince and the sixth princess both came to find out the meaning of welcoming the spring. If both parties are interested, maybe the queen will ask Situ Yao to marry him.

Although Yingchun hadn't dealt with the sixth princess much, Jia Shishi and Wang Xifeng had both told her about the twists and turns behind her, so she didn't understand everything.

Also because Jia Shishi specially warned her last time, she didn't show any timidity, she just smiled slightly and said: "Sisters and sisters are all good, I didn't know which one to choose at the moment. I just thought, we have There are so many people, each of them likes different things, it is better to drive the same thing, whoever likes to play by himself.”

This is a kind way, no one's face has been lost, and no one has highlighted himself.

It’s just that when it’s time to really play, everyone will play in their own way, picking what they like to be good at, not to mention making a fool of themselves, and it’s considered comprehensive.

The girls from other families nodded and spoke as well. Seeing this, the eldest girl of the Mu family ordered her servants to prepare things.They discuss here what paintings to draw, what rhyme content to use for poems, and whether to drink tea or drink when the flying flowers are ordered later, but they are also very busy.

All things were prepared for a while, and there were several groups of people, those who painted, those who played the piano, those who drank tea, those who wrote poems, and those who did nothing but wandered around and tasted things, it was very enjoyable.

When Xue Baochai was young, the master of the Xue family placed high hopes on him, and paid a lot of money to invite famous teachers to teach him.Therefore, whether it is piano, chess, calligraphy, painting, or poetry, Xue Baochai is among the best in everything among this group of girls.It was also because of this that many talented girls no longer cared about her identity, and began chattering around her to ask for advice.

Since Xue Baochai came to the capital, she has looked up to others everywhere, and it was only at this time that she had tasted the taste of being appreciated by others.She has a smooth personality, even if she is surrounded by a group of girls, she is still able to greet everyone with ease.

Yingchun doesn't show off the limelight, and only gives the place to Xue Baochai. She knows that she is different from this so-called "cousin", and she will not be jealous because of it.

At this moment, a girl whom she didn't know well passed by Yingchun with a cup of tea, but her foot slipped somehow, and a cup of tea was buckled on the hem of Yingchun's clothes.

Yingchun is wearing a water-red horse-face skirt today, which cannot be seen once it is stained by tea, and it is full of spots.

Seeing this, the girl turned pale with fright, and stammered an apology: "Miss Jia, I'm really sorry, I, I was too careless."

"It's okay, I'll just change it."

Yingchun stood up with a smile, comforted her, and called the maid beside her to get ready to change clothes.

For banquets on such occasions, girls and grandmas will always bring an extra set or two of clothes, just in case.Naturally, there are also those brought by Yingchun, and they are on Jia's carriage.

A big maid, Banxia, ​​hurried to get it, and two other maids with strong martial arts, Lianqiao and Fuling, escorted Yingchun to the dressing room, and waited with her.Another maid named Manjing stayed with Xue Baochai and never followed her.

Dongping County Prince's Mansion Yingchun has also been here several times. Although they are not very familiar, there are maids guarding along the road. After asking a few people, they found the changing place.There was a charcoal basin and incense burning inside, so it didn't matter if you sat for a while.

After the three of them entered, Lianqiao and Fuling waited for Yingchun to sit down.

Lian Qiao had a straight temper, looked at the skirt and said regretfully: "Qing Wen just made this dress a few days ago, and it took her half a month's work. Whoever sees it doesn't say it's exquisite. It didn't come true, but it was After wearing it for half a day, it was ruined like this, and when she went back, she still didn't know what it was like to feel distressed."

Fu Ling also felt distressed, the workmanship of this material is really rare, but she still knew that it was in someone else's house, so she just said: "Say a few words, and don't brag in front of Qingwen after you go back, she is the most explosive temper, You can't tell how angry you are."

Seeing that Fuling stopped her, Yingchun said indifferently: "Qingwen loves her craftsmanship. I remember that she also made a pair of autumn fragrance color, which is similar to this style. I will wear that one if I remember it tomorrow. She sees others admiring her making clothes, you won’t be so angry.”

The three were gossiping, Lianqiao suddenly moved her nose, rushed to the side of the incense burner, sniffed carefully, and said anxiously: "Girl, there is something wrong with this incense!"

Forsythia and Fuling are all-round maids specially trained by Wang Xifeng and Jia Lian. Not only are they outstanding in martial arts, they are also very proficient in medicine and poison.However, this is the Jia family's hole card, which is very well concealed, and no one else knows about it, so it will come in handy now.

After hearing this, Fu Ling came over to smell it, closed her eyes and thought for a while, and said, "It's not poison, but after smelling it for a long time, my body will become weak and my mind will become dizzy. I don't know who got off the raft. Let's get out of here soon." Go, don't be tricked by others."

Yingchun smiled bitterly, and said in a low voice: "It's too late, I feel weak all over now, I think it's not as good as the two of you, I've already been tricked."

Lian Qiao hurriedly gave Ying Chun a pulse, but she was really weak, the three of them looked at each other, and decided to leave here first.

Fu Ling grabbed Ying Chun and asked her to lean half of her body on her body, while Lian Qiao took the lead and was in charge of scouting the way.Today's incident may not be aimed at welcoming the spring. The Dongping County Prince's Mansion is not safe now.

After leaving the dressing room and finding another hidden place to rest, Fu Ling took a cool mint ointment to refresh Ying Chun.

"Lianqiao, it's fine if I have Poria cocos guarding here. You go to find Pinellia, so that she won't find us and yell again, which will make others suspect. Besides, after you search for Pinellia, bring the clothes here. , you went to find the second sister-in-law yourself, and told her what happened today, so that she could be on guard."

Although Lianqiao was not very relieved, she also knew that Yingchun's arrangement was very appropriate, so she had to hurry up and leave.

On the other side, seeing Ban Xia hurried to the second gate, an inconspicuous maid rushed to the outer courtyard, found a well-dressed young master, and made a conversation like this.The young master's eyes lit up suddenly, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously twitched. It was obvious that he was very excited.

Jia Lian looked at him coldly until he found a reason to leave his seat, then signaled the two servants beside him to follow.Immediately Jia Lian didn't care about it, and just cared about drinking and chatting with friends present for fun, acting like a rich and romantic dude.

Jia Lian's two servants were actually shadow guards. They left behind everyone's eyes and followed the young master alone.The other changed into the costume of a servant of the Dongping County Prince's Mansion, found Situ Yu who was admiring the snow in a corridor, pretended to drop a note casually, and then disappeared.

Situ Yu likes to be his own transparent person, and actually doesn't want to care about other people's disputes, but today he picked up the note by mistake.

There are a few petite characters written on it: The second prince set up a trap, the girl of the Jia family is in trouble, will the county king dare to rescue her?

The place marked below is where Yingchun rests now, between the inner courtyard and the outer courtyard.Because it is close to the flower house and plum grove, both men and women can go there.

Miss Jia?Situ Yu was stunned for a moment, and the figure of Yingchun appeared in his mind.

He had seen Yingchun before. Every year, at the flower viewing banquet held by the empress or other concubines, Yingchun would always go with Wang Xifeng and a few younger siblings.She is obviously not a very old girl, but she is gentle and amiable when she speaks and does things. Whether she is talking to the princess and grandson, or to the servants and maids, she is always talking and laughing at Yan Yan, and she never bows to her.

What surprised Situ Yu the most was that Yingchun got along very well, whether it was with Wang Xifeng's sister-in-law, or with the younger siblings in the next room.It's not the superficial politeness of other families, but the kind and lively joking and joking. Although the whole family has different fathers and different mothers, they are a hundred times better than those born to one father in our own family.

Such a happy atmosphere was too extravagant for Situ Yu, a poor little boy who had not been loved since he was a child. Therefore, every time we saw each other, he would stop and watch for a long time before leaving silently.

Therefore, although the two of them have never spoken, Situ Yu has a very good impression of Yingchun. It is really rare for someone with such a good temper to appear in the Xungui family.

Jia Lian also inquired about this, so he gave Situ Yu the chance of being a hero to save the beauty.

From Jia Lian's point of view, Situ Yu is very lacking in love, but Yingchun is the eldest sister of the Jia family's generation. She grew up taking care of her younger siblings, and their temperaments complement each other very well.

If it really works, it must be a couple.

Of course, the premise is that Situ Yu dares to confront the second prince and help Yingchun break the siege, then there will be a follow-up.If Situ Yu was always cowardly and unwilling to fight, and too unable to stand up, it would not be considered a good relationship. Jia Lian has his own backers to ensure that Yingchun will not lose face.

Fortunately, Situ Yu did not disappoint Jia Lian. After thinking for a while, he suddenly got up and walked quickly to the address on the note.