Prequel to the Red Chamber: I Am the Second Wife

Jia Zhu didn't expect Wang Ziteng to stand at the door to pick him up. He stared at the face similar to his mother's outline in disbelief for a moment. "Why did Uncle come here in person? But it really upset me."

"Okay, what are you talking about at home, come down quickly. Your grandfather and grandmother are waiting for you." Wang Ziteng picked up the child and got out of the car.After getting out of the car, a child slightly older than Jia Zhu was looking at him with his head tilted.Wang Ziteng pointed at the child: "This is your cousin." Jia Zhu knew that his uncle had a cousin and a cousin, so he hurriedly smiled at his cousin: "Is it Brother Zhuer? I am your cousin." From now on, you can just call me Jiayan." Wang Shouzhi then pulled Jia Zhu in affectionately.Mrs. Zhang was waiting for them at the second gate. She saw her son dragging a child of similar age in from afar, and knew it was Jia Zhu.

"But here it is, your grandmother was talking about it. The whole family surrounded the nephew and went in." Mrs. Tang also had a little girl beside Wang Ziteng in the main hall, who was Wang Ziteng's daughter Jia De, because today when Jia Zhu came, Wang Ziteng called a pair. Children don't want to go to school to accompany Jia Zhu, it will save him from feeling lonely.Mrs. Tang put her arms around Jia Zhu, booing and inquiring about her warmth. Jia Zhu was looked at by Mrs. Tang's arms, and Jia Zhu only felt warm in her heart.Waiting for Jia Zhu to salute Mrs. Tang, Mrs. Tang pulled Jia Zhu and sat beside her. Seeing Jia Zhu, she couldn't help feeling emotional: "Your mother often writes letters, but I can't meet easily. I saw you today. I also feel comforted. When you came to the capital, you were still a little fluff, and you grew up so much in a blink of an eye. It is naturally good to hear your uncle say that you are going to enter the palace. It is just that you are a child, so I am not at ease. From now on, if you have any grievances or worries, tell me, or tell your uncle that he is serving in the palace, so ask him if you have any questions.” Jia Zhu hurriedly stood up and said yes after hearing what her grandmother said.

Mrs. Tang held Jia Zhu in her arms: "Silly boy, that's the etiquette for outsiders outside. I'm your grandmother, what a ghost. I just like grandchildren talking and laughing by my side. I see you The rules are very good, and your mother must have taught you." Madam Tang asked about Jia Zheng and Zili's situation in Qingzhou, what Jia Zhu likes to eat, and where Jia's residence is now.

Jia Zhu said one by one, hearing that Jia Lian moved to Jia Mu's side, and Jia Zhu lived alone in the courtyard behind Jia Mu's building, Mrs. Tang's eyes flashed an imperceptible look: "Actually, it doesn't matter where you live. That’s right, anyway, you spend more time in the palace and less time at home. I’ll ask someone to pick you up to play when you come out on vacation.” The wife of Jia’s family is really a caring person. When Jia Zhu didn’t come, she would I can't think of Jia Lian anymore. Now that my grandson comes, why does he take Lian'er as a treasure.You must know that Jia Lian's biological mother has been gone for several years, and Jia's mother only remembered it now, it must have been too long.

Jia Zhu's eyes lit up when she heard that her grandmother often picked her up. She was about to say something, but she looked at her uncle with special meaning. Jia Zhu was seen through by Wang Ziteng, and her face flushed.Wang Ziteng said to his mother: "I will take my nephew to see my father. You are so lucky, I heard that you are here, but the master has come down from the mountain. Normally, even a first-rank official came to you, and your grandfather would not reward you." Face" Said Wang Ziteng and pulled Jia Zhu out.

On the way to see Wang Dingqian, Wang Ziteng said casually: "I am naturally happy if you like to come. It's just that you are going to enter the palace alone. There are countless eyes and ears staring at you in that place. You put too much on that plate." One dish, one more look at that thing, one more smile at someone will be noticed and remembered. You have to remember, don't think you are a child and indulge yourself easily."

Jia Zhu listened to his uncle's words and lowered his head to ponder for a long time before he raised his head and looked at his uncle seriously: "Thank you uncle for reminding me, I will remember that. When I came, my mother said something to my uncle, so I followed along." Mother is the same, I have something to ask uncle if it's okay?"

"It's natural. Your mother and I are brothers and sisters. You just need to treat me as your mother. If you want to ask anything, just tell me!" Wang Ziteng puffed up his chest and nodded proudly. The fact that Zili trusts himself so much is called Wang Ziteng. Very touched. "Well, do my grandmother and uncle don't like me? I came here yesterday. Although my grandmother is very kind to me, I always feel a little strange. My uncle has no official position, but he doesn't go home all day. I didn't see him when I went to visit Shadow. Brother Lian'er of the uncle's family doesn't pay much attention to me." Compared with the enthusiasm of the Wang family, Jia Zhu felt that there was something wrong with the atmosphere of Jia's house.

"Well, in fact, the habits of each family are different. Our family doesn't like ostentation. It's false and uncomfortable for a family to meet each other. But your grandfather's family is very particular about ostentation and rules. Look at your grandfather's family. How many servants are there, look here, there are quite a few servants. Everyone has their own way of life, and you can choose your own way of life when you are in charge of your own family in the future. If your parents are not around, you have to learn Protect yourself, servants. I don’t think you are unfamiliar with this thing. Remember to treat them with kindness and strength. Be shrewd when you should be shrewd, and be confused when you should be confused. If they see you as young and easy to bully, you just take it. Come out of your own identity, just don't be impatient. If the enemy doesn't move, I won't move. If you want to move, you have to win with one blow, you know?" Wang Ziteng urged his nephew earnestly.After all, Zhu'er is young, so Wang Ziteng can't make his sister worry about it.

When Jia Zhu saw Wang Dingqian, she finally understood why her uncle and mother were such lively and lovely people, because her grandfather was just a smiling old urchin.

"My grandson is here and asked me to see how much Zhu'er has grown." Wang Dinggan put a fruit into his grandson's hand with a smile, and Jia Zhu picked it up and weighed it.

After waiting for Wang Dingqian to hold Jia Zhu and love him, he put his grandson on the ground, and the girl put a cushion on the ground. Jia Zhu stepped forward to kowtow to his grandfather: "Okay, get up. Last time you came, you were still hugged by the nanny." Greet me in your arms, now I have finally received my grandson's head." Wang Dingqian pulled Jia Zhu up, told him to sit on his lap, and asked Jia Zhu what he had learned during his hard journey.

In the evening, when Jia Zhu came back from Wang's house, she first went to see Jia Mu.Seeing Jia Zhu coming back, Jia Mu asked with a smile, "How is it at my grandparents' house? What did you eat? Are you tired on the road?" Gao Xing: "After running for a day, go back and ask the girls to take care of you, don't go out again." Jia Zhu resigned and left

In the house, Chuntao came up with a few maids to change Jia Zhu's clothes, brought water to wash her face and hands, Jia Zhu sat on the bed and asked the maids to take off her boots, and turned her head to see the maid Caiping she brought had red eye circles, as if she had been crying .Jia Zhu asked Caiping: "Why do you have red eye circles, who bullied you?"

Caiping hurriedly said: "No, whoever bullied me, I rubbed my eyes just now." Jia Zhu saw Caiping's words flickering, and knew that she was covering up with lies.Jia Zhu said to Caiping: "You have to follow me into the palace. After a while, you can put a towel on your face, but don't enter the palace. It's a joke like a red-eyed rabbit." Caiping listened to Jia Zhu's words Slightly squatting down towards Jia Zhu, she went out and covered her face with a towel.

Waiting for Jia Zhu to change her clothes, Biyu came in with a plate of fruit and said with a smile, "Master Zhu hasn't slept yet? My wife told me to give him some fruit. He will enter the palace tomorrow, can you pack up your things?" Jia Zhu hurriedly got up: "Sister Biyu is here, please sit down! My things have been packed, I just checked by myself and took out the unnecessary ones. It should not be left behind." Said Qiu Jiang When the tea was served, Biyu saw that it was Qiujiang and asked, "Why didn't you see Caiping?"

"Caiping will follow me into the palace tomorrow, and I told her to go down and rest first. What's the matter with sister calling Caiping?" Biyu was relieved when she heard that Caiping was not there: "It's nothing, I just asked casually, what is it?" The second mistress can take care of people, and the maids around her are all beautiful, it's getting late, and the wife told you to go there before going out." Biyu told the maids to take good care of her and left.

At night, Jia Zhu deliberately called Qiu Jiang: "I went to my grandfather's house, what happened?" Qiu Jiang saw that the maids and mothers who were sleeping outside were fast asleep, and then said: "Today Caiping went to my wife's place to get something and happened to meet her." Grandpa, Grandpa said some crazy things to Caiping. You know, Caiping was not serving people at home, she has always been weird, and she cried for a long time when she came back. In fact, it’s no wonder that Caiping looks more beautiful than others, and I still like it after seeing it, let alone someone like the old man. This old man is also true, our old man is such a decent person, how come there is such a big brother Well." Caiping is not an ordinary girl, but a gift from someone to Jia Zheng—a fine-quality Yangzhou skinny horse bought with a lot of money!

It's just that Caiping was only 12 years younger. Of course, Zili didn't put this beauty at home. She dangled in front of Jia Zheng's eyes. There is still such a person, waiting for the emperor to arrive in Qingzhou, Zhou Rui's family asked Caiping to serve the emperor.So there was a logical story of who and who by the Daming Lake in the private interview of the emperor in Weifu.

For the sake of the emperor's reputation, Caiping couldn't be asked to follow Shengjia to the capital, so she followed Jia Zhu.Listening to Qiu Jiang's words, Jia Zhu's face was full of black lines, and he could only kneel down to the uncle he hadn't met yet.It was clearly written in the father's letter that the Jia family should treat Caiping kindly, but the uncle is still—it's really rotten wood to carve!

"Sister Qiujiang, please go and persuade Caiping. My uncle probably doesn't know. Tell her not to be as knowledgeable as him. Why didn't I take her to my grandparents' house? By the way, my aunt told me to give this box to me. Caiping, what's in it?" Jia Zhu remembered her aunt's instructions and hurriedly turned to get up.

"That box is here." Qiujiang brought a box with a small lock, Jia Zhu took out the key from his body, and opened it quietly first. "It's an identity document and some jewelry and silver." Qiu Jiang picked it up and looked at it, sighing: "Grandma is really thoughtful. Cai Ping said that she was sold when she was a child. If she enters the palace with her current identity, she may be killed." I despise sarcasm, even if the emperor loves you, you can't confer a position higher than a concubine. Her family has finally been found, and it is a good family. These things can be regarded as her natal family's dowry. I will go and get them to Caiping. Tell her grandma and uncle She is a person who knows how to repay her kindness, and she will definitely remember grandma's kindness in the future."

"Actually, I didn't do anything on purpose. It's convenient for others. Why bother to abuse others? You can give this to her." Jia Zhu looked at the thing and lay down to sleep.

The next morning, Jia Zhu got up to freshen up first, changed clothes and went to the upper room to say hello. Jia Mu hadn't gotten up at that time, she heard Jia Zhu coming and asked the girl to open the door for Jia Zhu to come in. Leaning on the pillow on the bed, she smiled and said, "It's going to be a good trip. If there is anything, send someone to tell the family. Biyu—" Jiamu gave orders, and Biyu came over with a box. "Here is some silver, and there are many places for rewards. You can reward me with it. And this dress, I specially recruited it for you. I want to wear it when the weather is cold. You have never left All of a sudden, the family went to an unfamiliar place alone. How can I not be sad!" Jia Mu said, wiping her tears with a silk cloth.

Jia Zhu looked at a resplendent and resplendent dress underneath the box Biyu was carrying, and saw that it shone under the light, it was really delicate and delicate.He secretly thought that his grandfather was a weaving official, and this thing is probably a rare treasure.If you are wearing it yourself, it will look nice and warm, but isn't that place in the palace eye-catching?Both my uncle and my grandfather told me to keep a low profile.Jia Zhu thought about it and said to Jia's mother: "Thank you grandma for thinking of me. Our grandfather and father both worked on errands for the emperor. Now I can go out to do errands when I grow up. In the future, I can gain a foothold and be filial to my grandmother. It's just It would be a waste of such a good thing for me, it is better to wear ordinary clothes to be more comfortable. Wait for grandma to reward you during the Chinese New Year."

"Your parents are educated and you know how to be frugal. I think I'm confused. I still have some good things to give to you when you go home." Mother Jia smiled and waved her hand to tell Jia Zhu to eat breakfast quickly and go In the palace.

Waiting for Jia Zhu to leave, Biyu looked at the bird gold cloak in the plate, not knowing what to do.Jiamu glanced at the clothes in Biyu's hands, and sighed, "Isn't the child raised by her side separated from me by one floor? Forget it, it's really awkward to wear it too conspicuously in the palace. If that's the case, put it away." Bar."

Hearing Jiamu's tone, Biyu knew that Jiamu was sad, and hurriedly persuaded, "Zhu'er is just here, and the children are born, and his wife is his real grandmother, who always cuts off the unbroken blood relationship. After a while Time will be enough." Jia Mu only sighed when she heard Biyu's words: "Let's look at the future slowly. I hope Zhu'er won't be as unfamiliar as his mother."

Biyu listened to Jiamu's complaint and Zili hurriedly lowered her head and pretended not to hear.The sound of a little girl walking outside, Jiamu asked Biyu to go and have a look, Biyu came back and said, "It was Wang Ziteng who took Zhu'er into the palace, and she has gone now." Jia Mu heard that it was Wang Ziteng who came to pick Jia Zhu up. He became more and more gloomy.This grandson is good, but unfortunately he is not very considerate.

Zili took Jia Zhu's letter and read it over and over a dozen times. Xiao Ai and Bohe watched Zili's eagerness to swallow his heart, and tried to persuade him but dared not. Li grew up with one hand and one foot, but suddenly he was going to the capital. The mother and child could not see each other year after year, and everyone would miss it day and night.Zili reluctantly put down the letter paper and sighed: "I have grown a lot in writing and said that I have grown taller. I am worried that he doesn't have enough clothes. You called the needleworker to come and I will make clothes for Zhu'er."

"Grandma is thinking about Pearl so much. Yesterday you ordered someone to make a sweat-absorbing fine cloth shirt and purse for Pearl, as well as boots and sandals wrapped in cowhide. Now you are going to make clothes, which are called needlework." The people on board can't do it even if they don't sleep all night. Why don't you wait for the letter from your uncle and grandma, and then discuss about making clothes for Zhuer. Seeing that Zili was about to mutter, Mint hurriedly brought tea in her hand and told Zili to calm down.

Wang Ziteng and his daughter-in-law Zhang are really good uncles and aunts in China, and their nephew Jia Zhu is doing their best. Zhang is careful, and Jia Zhu is worried about clothes, shoes, socks and food. She wrote to Zili in half a month. Talk about Jia Zhu's situation.How much food you eat every day, how much you grow taller, etc. are all small details in life. Naturally, Wang Ziteng doesn't care about the children like this. He is mainly Jia Zhu's protector.Now Wang Ziteng is close to the emperor, and everyone who sees them will smile and greet Wang Dutong. Jia Zhu is Wang Ziteng's nephew, so naturally no one dares to make him angry. less hassle.

"Did Zhu Er write a letter? What did you say? The last time I wrote a letter was last month. If you are crazy about playing, you will forget about your parents." letter.

"This is Zhu'er's letter to me. He still hates you for mentioning him in the letter last time, but he didn't mention you." Zili held up Jia Zhu's letter, deliberately teasing Jia Zheng. "Isn't it all about you supporting him? I just said that you should practice riding and shooting, pay attention to your body, don't show off in front of others, and go hunting with the prince and don't go to dangerous places. That sentence is wrong! You still help Zhu'er !" Jia Zheng deliberately put on a straight face in anger, snatched the letter from Zili's hand and looked at it.

"What you said is all correct nonsense. Zhu'er despises you for being long-winded. You also know that he can't say specific things in the letter, he can only talk in general terms. It's better for you to talk in general terms, and you What’s the point of correspondence? It’s better not to write. Zhu’er is your son, not your subordinate! She always lectures whoever likes to listen with a straight face. If you talk about the truth, those gentlemen can explain it much better than you. Why didn’t Yuanchun disappear? Where did this girl go?" Zili didn't like restraining children, but she found that Yuan Chun was going to grow crooked again.

"Where can she go? It's just following me for a walk outside. Don't worry, she's fine and she hasn't suffered any grievances. Isn't she just following me to the official school to watch the children's exams? She still has to go to the exam, but I stopped her It's gone." Since Jia Zhu left, Jia Zheng raised his daughter as a son, and once he got used to it, those boudoir rules that never leave the house and never leave the house can no longer restrain Yuanchun.Yuan Chun often dressed up as a servant and followed his father around.Jia Zheng is a down-to-earth official who likes to work at the grassroots level. Yuan Chun relies on his father to go to work on rivers, to inspect the growth of farmland and crops, and to develop businesses on the wharf.At first it was just the little girl who liked to go out to play, but later Jia Zheng wanted to make Yuan Chun more knowledgeable, so he often took her with him.

"Government school! Isn't that place where women are not allowed to enter? You still take her there, waiting to be impeached. You don't respect the etiquette system. Although most of the people in that place are good people who know the book and the etiquette, there are always a few called People who people have to be wary of, I won’t say anything if you take your daughter to other places, but it’s better not to go to such places.” Zili frowned, disapproving.

"I know your concerns. He is ignored now. This time I went to see the children's exam. Zhen Weiren didn't come. I heard that he was walking around trying to get out of the government school and find another job. I didn't pay attention. I just treated it as I don’t know. He was the one who provoked the anger of the public. Although all the people under the king of Wei were arrested and confessed, no one thought he was so vicious. Now Princess Wei hit a pillar and died in a fit of anger. Death, the son of King Wei in the capital was also demoted to common people. The whole family is separated! However, some people have always said that the side concubine of King Wei Qin gave birth to a boy, but he was taken away by others. The emperor asked to find out , but the Qin family died of dystocia, and those Wen Po girls died and ran away. It became an unsolved case." When Jia Zheng said that King Wei's fate could not help but sigh.

Zili's heart skipped a beat, a vague idea disappeared in an instant before she could grasp it. "Since that Zhen Weiren wants to be promoted, why don't you ask him to investigate this case? It would be too virtuous to investigate this matter seriously, but you can't do it if you procrastinate. Don't you say that Zhen Weiren is no longer in the official school? Why don't you ask him to do it? This." Zili's impression of Zhen Weiren is already [-] percent bad, he looks talented, has good knowledge but is so vicious in his heart, he always feels like dancing with snakes when he is around him.

"He doesn't know how to do it. I heard that Princess Wei cursed Zhen Weiren before hitting the wall to seek death. She told him to cut off all children and grandchildren. Even after giving birth, he would be a slave for generations and could not stand up. Then he hit his head to death. Zhen Weiren's wife was already pregnant. When it came time to give birth, it turned out to be dystocia. The adults and children struggled for three days and all disappeared. Now no one dares to marry their daughter to him. Zhen Weiren seems to regret it, but everyone ignores him. There is no regret in the world, and it is too late to regret now It's gone." When Jia Zheng said it, Zhen Weiren also sighed with emotion.

Jia Zheng took out a small mirror from Zili's dressing table to admire his newly grown beard.In this era, except for the eunuchs in the palace, all men have to grow beards.Zili looked at the black circle on Jia Zheng's lips, and couldn't appreciate it: "I don't know what to do, I look at myself in the mirror all day long. It's almost like a mouse's beard!"

Jia Zheng said triumphantly: "I don't have a hairy mouth and I can't do things well. I used to be hard to show the demeanor of an officer in front of people. I was always worried that others would laugh at me as young and inexperienced. Now I'm fine, and I can do it too." Once you are a senior." As an official, if you are too young, others will bully you and have no experience, and they will think that you are a second-generation ancestor relying on your family. If you are too old, you will have no future development.

"Like a pig hair brush, don't let me see you doing this in front of the mirror!" Zili gave her husband a white look, stood up and wanted to leave.

Jia Zheng grabbed Zili and whispered in her ear, "No wonder, you always don't ask me to grow a beard, but it's for this reason. Yesterday, my brush made you red?" Jia Zheng frowned. Looking at Zili's neck, it's hot today, but Zili is still wearing a high-necked shirt with the collar tightly buttoned.

Seen by Jia Zheng's ambiguous eyes, something was wrong with Zili's face, "Look at how I can shave off that fluffy beard of yours!"

The days passed by like this, Zili thought her life would go on like this.