Daiyu of the Red Chamber owes no one

After Jia She and Yifang set off to take office, Mrs. Wang looked at the empty warehouse, without the usual Zhou Rui's family around her, and wished she could grit her teeth.When Jia She left the room, it was reported that there was a disagreement between Jia She and the Rongguo Mansion in Beijing. Many people secretly said that the Rongguo Mansion had fallen.Everything else was fine, but once Zhou Rui died, the usury Mrs. Wang put outside was cut off from the banker, and it was hard to get it back, which made the Rongguo Mansion's already empty treasury even worse.

In such a large Rongguo Mansion, only the 7000 taels of silver left by Jia She after he left were left among the officials.Of the 2000 taels, 4000 taels will go to Jia Mu's private treasury, and 1000 taels will go to Mrs. Wang's private treasury.When Jia She left, it was time to pay the monthly money. Jia She set off before giving the monthly money. The seven thousand silver was the monthly money of hundreds of people in the mansion, and went to the festival; looking at Jia Mu's birthday, Although it is not possible to make a big deal during the national funeral, it is more expensive than usual, and go to another festival; after Jia Mu's birthday is over, it will be the Mid-Autumn Festival. People still have to do some etiquette, but Mrs. Wang can't do it no matter what.

Jia She, the official lord of the Rongguo Mansion, left the capital. Jia Zheng is a low-ranking fifth-rank official, but Jia's mother has some old friends in Beijing and maintains a decent face.And because Yuanchun's future in the palace is still uncertain, mother Jia's old friends must not be underestimated. If they cut off contact with these families, the Rongguo Mansion will not be able to survive.

It is also because of this that Jia's ostentation cannot be overturned.Therefore, just to arrange etiquette for the old friends of the Duke of the State and the several palaces that still had contact with Jia's mother, Mrs. Wang became worried and came to Jia's mother to discuss again.

Mrs. Wang went to Jia Mu's room and chatted for a long time before she waited for Ai Ai's words: "This year, the old lady will show you how to cook for the Mid-Autumn Festival in various families in central Beijing."

Mother Jia glanced at Mrs. Wang, put away her dim eyes and said, "Since you are in charge of the house, you are the one to take care of it. When you are not rich or honored, the power is in your hands. When you encounter some troubles, you will let go of the picker." reason."

Mrs. Wang's heart trembled when she heard this, and she thought to herself: If in previous years, I found a few decent ornaments in the big warehouse and added a few horses of fashionable materials, it would not look shabby to take them out.Now the big library has been moved by Jia Enhou to nothing, only a few horses of outdated materials that no one wants, and all gifts have to be purchased on the spot. At this time, let me take care of it, but the old lady has to pay for it herself.So he bit his head and said: "Old lady, although a daughter-in-law is in charge of the house, cooking etiquette is also her duty, and a daughter-in-law should not talk about these things, but it is difficult for a clever woman to cook without rice... Old lady, let's see if you can..."

Speaking of this, Mother Jia still didn't understand, she thought to herself: For Baoyu, I snatched [-] taels of gold at this age, so I broke the arm of the Lai family, and now you are plotting against me again. superior.

So Jia's mother also said angrily: "I'm old and I don't pay attention to ostentation. What does pomp have to do with it? You just have to bring a whole table in my room every day, and you won’t die of hunger! As for other family’s gift, we didn’t send it, and they alienate us. How many years have you put your money in usury, and how much interest you have earned, I don’t care, will you come to embarrass me if you encounter any difficulties?”

When Mrs. Wang saw Jia Mu angry, and heard Jia Mu talk about loan sharks, she couldn't help feeling guilty and leaving with a face full of shame.She also had to bite the bullet to buy good things and take care of the rituals. Seeing the money flowing out was like gouging out her heart.

However, Mrs. Wang has been in charge of the house for many years. Earlier, she was helped by Jia Mu, and later Wang Xifeng helped with cooking. Even weddings, funerals, and big festivals, there were no omissions.This time Wang Xifeng took office with Jia Lian, Zhou Rui's family was convicted, Mrs. Wang lost her arm, her eyes were darkened, and she didn't know where to start.

Rich families are very particular about presenting gifts. If you don't give them away, even if they are less than the previous years, it will make people misunderstand that this is deliberately alienating people.An omission, offended the good friend, and cut off the contact.Whether it's for Yuanchun at this moment or Baoyu in the future, Mrs. Wang dare not offend the few rich and noble families left in Rongguo Mansion.Therefore, even if Mrs. Wang feels distressed about the money, she dare not be too frugal.

For this reason, the wife had to ask Aunt Xue again.After all, the Xue family is a wealthy businessman. Although Xue Pan can't get on the stage, he still has some family background.Unexpectedly, although Baochai was a companion student at Shihou's mansion, learning the rules with Xiangyun every day, she also heard about Jia's family.Xue Baochai hastily asked for leave and went home to show her interests to Aunt Xue.

Mrs. Wang came to discuss with Aunt Xue that on this day, Baochai would come back, and persuaded Aunt Xue to move out of Jia's house overnight.Aunt Xue heard Baochai speak so loudly about the matter that she didn't have time to inform Mrs. Wang, so she moved from Lixiangyuan back to the Xue family's own house.When Mrs. Wang came to Lixiangyuan, the building was already empty, leaving only a few housekeepers.

When the woman saw Mrs. Wang, she came up to salute and smiled and said, "Going back to my wife, my aunt has moved to her house yesterday, and she said that she will come to say goodbye to her today. She also ordered her servants to wait here. If she comes, she should tell her first." " Madam Wang listened, sneered, ignored the woman, turned and went back to her room.

Aunt Xue was thinking about the sisterhood. After moving back to Xue's house, she brought a thank you gift today to say goodbye: she only said that she moved in a hurry, and saw that her sister was too busy these days, so she didn't dare to take these little things. Bother my sister.

Mrs. Wang naturally knew that this was the scene of the disturbance in the former eldest son's house, and her own sister could not live in the house anymore, and she asked Aunt Xue again, so she said it was nothing.After gossiping for a long time, Mrs. Wang tentatively said: "Now I see that Bao girl is getting older and better, why don't you see her walking around our house?"

Aunt Xue said with a smile: "Now that Girl Yun has chosen the princess, and Girl Bao learns the rules with Girl Yun every day, it's good to be able to go home and have a look for ten and a half months, how can I walk around?"

Mrs. Wang smiled again and said: "Sister, you see, Bao girl is only one year older than our Baoyu, so she is a suitable age, and the words on the gold lock on Bao girl's head are the same as the words on our Baoyu's jade. How about after the national funeral, let’s settle down Baoyu and Baoyatou. The royal prince appointed by Yunyatou will only enter the palace after three years of national mourning. There are still two years left. How old will Baoyatou be at that time? We are just a companion , why bother to waste time in that deep palace?"

Mrs. Wang thought: After the death of Mr. Xue, the reason why Aunt Xue came to Beijing was because the businessmen were rich but their status was low.If there are no nobles to rely on, how many people will come forward to blackmail and scold, and how many businessmen with the backing of powerful people will come forward to grab business, and they will be defeated in a few days.Therefore, the Xue family has the power to beg the Jia family. If they beg for the Xue family's wealth, if they make Baoyu and Baochai a pair, they will no longer have to worry about money.

The reason why Xue Baochai recommended herself to be a companion to Xiangyun was because she had aspirations for Qingyun, and she did not hide this ambition from Aunt Xue.Aunt Xue also had some confidence in Baochai's talent and appearance, and she felt that Baochai would never stop with a companion, so she laughed and said: "Bao girl has already accompanied Yun girl to the election, and she is listed in the Ministry of Rites. Getting engaged without entering the palace? Since she chose this path, she would have to be a poor student for a few years, just gaining some insight."

After hearing this, Mrs. Wang had to chat with Aunt Xue for a while, and the two broke up.Mrs. Wang also encountered a soft nail with Aunt Xue, and the hundreds of people in the mansion also began to spend money in their private treasury on food and drink, and became more and more angry.From then on, Jia Mu and Mrs. Wang's mother-in-law and daughter-in-law fought to see who would hold the silver in the private treasury tightly, and who could not see the hard life, and it was necessary to take out the silver, but that is another story.

Since Xia Shouzhong was questioned and beheaded, Mrs. Wang has never been happy with anything. She went to Wang Ziteng's house to give gifts today, but got good news: Wang Ziteng, who was out patrolling the border, was about to return to Beijing. Back, at least half a month, at most a month, Wang Ziteng will definitely be there.Madam Wang finally breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that her elder brother had returned to the capital. These days, no one from a small family would dare to step on her head. When her elder brother returns, let's see who dares!Among other things, as soon as Wang Ziteng came back, those who owed him loan sharks had to obediently hand over the money with interest.

Not to mention the series of things that happened in Jia's mansion because Jia Lian ordered the prefect of Ping'an Prefecture.Just say that the court is not idle.Concubine Zhen and Concubine Wu fell down one after another, and Emperor Ding'an came to the throne again. In order to stabilize the situation in the court and also to establish the prestige of the new emperor, the backstage of the Zhen family naturally had to be eradicated one by one.

Among them, the Zhen family in Jiangnan was the first to bear the brunt, followed by the Wang family in Jinling.When the prince and his party went south to search Zhen's house, Emperor Ding'an also sent someone to call Prince Teng back to Beijing.

Because Wang Ziteng didn't communicate with each other at the border, he only knew the general situation in Beijing.Passing through Ping'an Prefecture this day, I stayed at the residence of Ran Yu, the Jiedu envoy of Ping'an Prefecture, and inquired about some information by the way.

Wang Ziteng's outing to patrol the border was an errand planned by Concubine Zhen at the beginning, because after Concubine Zhen's Iron Net Mountain incident was defeated, she refused to let it go. After Zhen Guifei died, Wang Ziteng found out that Concubine Zhen died of a sudden illness.Later, King Zhongshun took over the remnant party of Concubine Zhen, and attempted rebellion, so Wang Ziteng became more and more ignorant of the details.

Because Ran Yu, the governor of Ping'an Prefecture, was from Jia Daishan's old department, and the Zhen family and Jia's family were old relatives. Based on this relationship, when Concubine Zhen gained power, Wang Ziteng and Ran Yu were grasshoppers on the same rope, It's old.Therefore, Wang Ziteng thought that it would be good to go to Ran Yu's mansion first to find out the news during the safe week.

This day Ran Yu got drunk and retreated from the servants, drinking and talking with Wang Ziteng.Ran Yu told half-truths and half-truths about Wang Ziteng's outings on patrol these days, [-]% true and [-]% false.

Wang Ziteng listened to Ran Yu's talk for a long time, and said in a daze: "According to what you said, is it the ex-prince who became the throne? It's not me who said that those of us who took refuge in Concubine Zhen didn't know that that day? It must be coming slowly, and it is better to have a success."

Ran Yu said with a sad face: "Isn't that what you said? This Zhen's family is here. I just heard that the prince went to the south of the Yangtze River to search the Zhen's family. The Zhen's family, which was famous in Jinling back then, was just like this. Escorted to Beijing, tsk tsk..." Ran Yu took another sip of wine before continuing, "You don't know the tragedy. Needless to say, Zhen Yingjia and his wife asked to be executed, even Zhen Baoyu, who had never committed any wrongdoing. You said that Zhen Baoyu, who was stupid, was tossed to death in a few days when he was with a group of vicious exiles and felons? The sage actually cut the weeds and exterminated them."

After Wang Ziteng heard this, he was also secretly worried: the four major families in the south of the Yangtze River, including the Zhen family, are all connected and related, one prospers and the other loses. Now that the Zhen family has been raided, the other families are coming slowly.So Wang Ziteng also took a sip of wine and said, "Brother Yi Ran, how do we break this deadlock?"

Ran Yu said: "I am sitting in this throat. When Ping'an Prefecture is in chaos, it will be convenient for soldiers and horses from all over the world to enter the capital. It is for the safety of the imperial city, and the new emperor came after all the guards in the four directions were replaced with trustworthy people." To reduce my military strength, I think it will be less than half a year, or as long as a year, and I have room for turning around.

Brother Ziteng, for the sake of the friendship between our ancestors and the fact that we have been brothers for many years, let me tell you, I watched with cold eyes, this time the new emperor started to take care of people who did not have military power.If Brother Ziteng is still serving as the military envoy of the Beijing camp, the new emperor may not dare to move you easily even with the soldiers and horses in his hands. Now you are clearly promoted to the control of the nine provinces, but you have no military power, which is very dangerous.For the current plan, I advise you to think of a way out.I said these things because I treated you sincerely. If it were someone else, I would not have said so much to him. "He said and took another sip of the stuffy wine.

Why doesn't Wang Ziteng know this truth?If it wasn't for the fact that his family was in the capital, I'm afraid he wouldn't even want to enter the capital according to the order.Hearing Ran Yu's words from the heart, Wang Ziteng was also very grateful.He was sad again, so while drinking with a sad face, he said helplessly: "It's a pity that my family lives in Beijing, so I have to go back. Now that things have happened, I can only take one step at a time. Brother Ran Yu reminds me more, in the future If I can escape this calamity, I will never forget brother Ran Yu's kindness." He drank the wine in the glass while speaking.

Seeing that Wang Ziteng was already drunk, Ran Yu took Wang Ziteng's wine glass and poured it for him, but said: "Brother Ziteng, don't panic, you have not been in the capital for these years when the Zhen family and the Wu family have been in trouble. I'm afraid that the saint may not do anything to you."

Wang Ziteng took the wine glass, drank it down again, leaned his head on the desk, and let Ran Yu pour the wine with him.Ran Yu poured a few more glasses for him.

Wang Ziteng only felt that his eyelids were getting heavy, and then he felt that something was wrong. He stood up suddenly and turned the table, but it didn't move.Wang Ziteng is highly skilled in martial arts, and he was promoted to an official based on his own ability. It is also because of this that his Wang family has the confidence to be so domineering.At this moment, even a wine table can't be overturned, what else doesn't he understand?I'm afraid there is sweat medicine in this wine.

Wang Ziteng didn't move the table, but felt powerless, and sat down on the ground, cursing himself: "Ran Yu, you plot against me! You..."

But Ran Yu personally took the cooked beef tendon and tied Wang Ziteng into a rice dumpling, saying: "Boldly rebelling against the thief, Wang Ziteng, you colluded with the Zhen family and intended to rebel, I ordered you to be taken, what else do you have to say?" Then he threw an arrest warrant in front of Wang Ziteng.

Wang Ziteng looked at it, all kinds of expressions of fear, resentment, and disappointment flashed across his face, but he was suffering from weakness and couldn't use all the kung fu in his body, so Ran Yu tied him up.

Speaking of which, Wang Ziteng is not only highly skilled in martial arts, but also has rich experience in the world. If there is a trick in an ordinary jug, he would have seen through it long ago.The reason why Ran Yu got hurt today was that Ran Yu's jug was different from the general jug that was soaked with sweat medicine.

Generally, the wine pot for sweating medicine has its mechanism on the lid of the pot.The person who poured the medicine first poured himself a glass, then turned the lid of the pot lightly, touched the mechanism, and the medicine powder fell into the wine.But in this way, once the mechanism is activated, the whole pot of wine will be poisoned, and the person who gave the medicine will not be able to drink it. It is impossible for Ran Yu to pour wine for Prince Teng and then fill it up again. Prince Teng is poisoned, but Ran Yu is fine. of.

Ran Yu's jug looks like a normal jug from the outside, but the sweat medicine is hidden on the spout.The spout looks nothing on the outside, but it has a delicate partition inside, with two water outlets on the left and right.Put the perspiration medicine on a water outlet again, turn off the engine, and pour wine to the other party from the water outlet with the medicine powder.Then turn off the mechanism and pour yourself wine from another water outlet. The other party drank and was poisoned, but I was completely fine.

It's just that Ran Yu needs to be more careful. At the beginning of the heart-to-heart conversation with Wang Ziteng, the wine he drank was not poisoned.After Ran Yu deliberately described the situation in the middle of the capital as frightening, Wang Ziteng was so frightened that he didn't notice Ran Yu's movements before triggering the mechanism.How did Wang Ziteng know that Ran Yu had already voted for Emperor Taihe when King Zhongshun rebelled, and went to Beijing to break the siege of Emperor Taihe.He only thought that Ran Yu was still the remnant party of the rebels, and he was not guarded at all, so he got the point.

If it is said that Ran Yu fought with Jia Daishan in the battlefield, his martial arts are not weak.But he is not sure that he will win Wang Ziteng, so he used this tricky method to capture Wang Ziteng, which can also prevent Wang Ziteng from resisting arrest and causing unnecessary casualties of officers and soldiers.

Although Wang Ziteng didn't know the details of Beijing, he was very careful when he returned to Beijing this time, and he brought many cronies with him.Only Wang Ziteng went to inquire about Ran Yu's news, it was a confidential matter, only Wang Ziteng and Ran Yu were in the room, so Wang Ziteng was arrested without anyone noticing, when his cronies found out, Ran Yu had already dispatched heavy troops Escort Prince Teng to Beijing.Some of these cronies saw that Wang Ziteng was arrested and knew that the general situation was over, and most of them dispersed like birds and beasts; there were also a few who resisted, but they were still arrested and escorted to Beijing just like Wang Ziteng.

However, since Madam Wang heard the news that Wang Ziteng was about to go to Beijing at Wang Ziteng's mansion, she finally felt that she had a backing, and she was looking forward to her brother's coming to Beijing day and night.Every day, people were sent to wait in the long pavilion outside the city gate, and they only waited day and night, but there was no news of Prince Teng returning home.

This day, Mrs. Wang's newly mentioned confidant, Wang Duan, rushed to reply. Mrs. Wang heard Wang Duan's reply, and the women who came here couldn't care less, and they didn't care that Wang Duan was a servant and shouldn't come in. It's time to go to the hospital, so Wang Duan hastily asked Wang Duan to go back and forth in person.When Wang Duan ran to Mrs. Wang, he was still panting heavily. It took a long time for Wang Duan to catch his breath.

Mrs. Wang was sitting on the chair, holding a tea bowl and drinking tea with a face full of color. She had been sulking for a long time, and today she should feel elated.Mrs. Wang looked at Wang Duan happily, but she heard Wang Duan panicked and said: "No, it's not good... Lord Wang Ziteng has been escorted to Beijing!"

Mrs. Wang's face, which was still very proud at first, turned extremely ugly, and she stood up with a bang, and the teacup in her hand fell to the ground and shattered, and she exclaimed, "What nonsense are you talking about!"