Prequel to the Red Chamber: I Am the Second Wife

The maids and women in Lixiangyuan watched Jia Zhengneng throw Fang'er out cruelly, thinking that Jia Zheng doted on Fang'er on weekdays, but in the end it ended up like this, they couldn't help but silently think to themselves This is the life of a slave.Fang'er heard Jia Zheng's words, her crying sound was broken, and she held Jia Zheng tightly and refused to let go. At this moment, she saw Lai Daqi running in panting: "Second Master, the emperor summoned and prepared to enter the palace quickly. Bar!"

Jia Zheng was startled, he shook off Fang'er's hand and went in to change clothes and hurried to the palace.

Leaving aside Jia Zheng's situation in the palace, Zili lived a leisurely life in Zhuangzi.One day she suddenly remembered the time when she was growing vegetables in Shanyin County to eat by herself, so she asked the girl to find a hoe and other agricultural tools, and find a fertile place in the garden to grow vegetables by herself.

Within a few days, green vegetable seedlings grew on the ground, which seemed to be full of vitality. Zili watered it every day, checked the leaves for insects, and took good care of them. This vegetable garden is lush and growing very well.Zili was watering the vegetable field when Bohe came over in a hurry and whispered something in Zili's ear, Zili raised his eyebrows in surprise: "Oh, I didn't expect the master to suddenly make a decision to kill He really gave up on that girl? It seems that the future is more important than anything else in his heart."

Mint gloated and said: "It deserves it. Fortunately, she was kicked out. She is so frivolous. If she stays, she might rely on her own stomach and be arrogant. This will be her own death, not to blame herself. I don’t know much, and I still have to go around to make people hate me, I really think I’m flying on a high branch and turning into a phoenix.”

"What kind of vision does she have? She learned to be snobbish from a young age. It would be strange if she could know how to advance and retreat. But since the emperor called the master to scold him, I think someone must come to the door in a few days. You Tell someone to prepare, but I want to see what they will say this time." Zili guessed that Jia Zheng would come to the door soon, so she asked the girl to prepare in advance.

Bo He hurriedly agreed, but just after she left, a girl came to report: "The master is here, he looks bad, and he is in a hurry to see his wife."

Zili didn't expect Jia Zheng to come so quickly, she sighed a long time, and said to the girl who came to report, "You ask him to sit first, just say I'm changing clothes, and then I'll come."

Jia Zheng walked back and forth in the study. The scene of meeting the emperor yesterday was vivid in his memory. The emperor's playful tone and sharp eyes made Jia Zheng feel chills all over his body when he thought of it now. The emperor's impression of him was already gone. It started to change.The image of a capable minister and official that I have painstakingly cultivated is gradually collapsing. Everything I have is tied to the emperor's thoughts. I am promoted faster than the Jinshi on the same list. This is enough to be eye-catching in the officialdom In the past, he was proud of himself, so naturally not many people dared to make him an open enemy, but now—once the word spread that he didn't like the emperor—Jia Zheng couldn't help shivering thinking about the possible consequences.

There was a sound of footsteps Jia Zheng hurriedly turned around: "You're here—" Jia Zheng glared at the little girl who came in angrily, and reprimanded: "What's the matter, what about your wife!"

The little girl was stared at innocently, and she immediately pouted her mouth in fright: "I'm going back to my wife. My wife said that I am changing clothes, please wait a moment." gone.

Jia Zheng stared at the little girl who walked away, tongue-tied angrily, and was about to complain and vent when he heard footsteps coming from a distance.It was Zili who came, Jia Zheng didn't care about his dignity, and when he rushed out, a group of little girls came in with tea and fruits.They didn't expect Jia Zheng to come out and almost bumped into each other. Jia Zheng hurriedly stepped aside, but the tea from the little girl's hand still spilled on Jia Zheng's lapel. The little girl was busy begging for mercy, but Jia Zheng could only helplessly. stomped his feet: "Idiot!"

"Wait a minute, master. My wife is changing clothes. This morning my wife got up early to ride a horse, and then went to the nursery to look at the new vegetables. She is taking a bath all over her body. This is the new fruit in the yard, master. Taste it. This is the fruit soup made by the wife herself. Master, don’t you want to try it. The wife is the most proud of this.” After talking, Xiao Ai came out and wiped the tea on Jia Zheng’s body with a towel, and then brought the fruit soup Please Jia Zheng taste it.

Looking at the crystal clear fruit soup in the white jade cup, Jia Zheng suddenly remembered that when he was in Qingzhou, Zili used to make delicate things for everyone to eat.How harmonious the family was at that time, but now he is in a mess everywhere, but Zili is still at ease.Thinking of this, Jia Zheng couldn't help but wonder if the capital city is his place of right and wrong. If so, I might as well find an official to go out.It's just that I don't know what the result will be, so I can only persuade Zili first. "I don't have any interest in eating this. She is so leisurely and I'm going to burn out in the capital. How long are your wives going to be angry?" Jia Zheng complained to Xiao Ai.

"Our wife has never been angry. Why is she angry? The master's words are really strange. It is the imperial doctor who said that the wife's health is not good and needs to be taken care of. No, you should not be tired and rest for a while. Why did the master keep saying that our wife is angry? He also said it clearly, and now even relatives know that our wife is angry because of the master's concubine. Our wife has heard a lot The gossip is sad. She has been holding back for the past few days to see it, but who knows how many times she has been sad behind her back. The wife said that her husband ruined her reputation like that. She might as well cut her hair and become a sister-in-law to save herself from being hurt. We are villains and we can't see it. If the master is not satisfied, just talk to his wife, and no one will harm his family's reputation." Xiao Ai opened her mouth and abruptly said Jia Zheng Qi's face turned blue, and the root of his tongue was hardened.

Jia Zheng was about to kneel down to Xiao Ai, he just felt the suffocation in his heart, his heart ached, his eyes darkened and he almost passed out.It was at this time that Zili came late, with a plain face and no special make-up, she walked in weakly with Minhe, and Xiaoai stuck out her tongue as an excuse to watch lunch when she saw Zili came.Zili supported the table and sat down: "You don't look very good, whoever got angry with you, I will teach the girls for you. In fact, they are all outspoken, not mean-spirited, young, and talkative. I'm used to it. And most of their parents were people who served my grandfather. They are gone, but they still need to be decent. Master, don't be as knowledgeable as them. Is everyone amiable? Do you have to? What's the point of being upside down? You don't understand the reason why family and everything prosper?" Jia Zheng only felt that Zili's words were familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had heard them.

Jia Zheng didn't realize that Zili was mocking him, so he quickly suppressed his discomfort and said to Zili, "I can't help it, the emperor called me to reprimand me yesterday..." Jia Zheng was eloquent. Jue complained to Zili, saying that Fang'er had the audacity to accept bribes from others, the more Jia Zheng said, the more angry he became: "I've kicked her out for this bad thing. I almost ruined it because of her, a lowly servant girl." hands!"

"She collected money because you just made a wish. She is a second-class girl who is dressed shoulder to shoulder with me. Her family has become richer recently, and everyone is greedy. Your little money is far from what you promised at the beginning. , there is nothing wrong with her taking it by herself. You still complain! What a cheapskate, I can't stand it." Zili smiled sarcastically, holding a teacup and savoring it carefully.

"What did I promise? It's all because of her own confusion!" Jia Zheng poked his neck to make things clear.

"As long as you take good care of me, I'm afraid there won't be eight sedan chairs for you. There are only two sedan chairs in our house. I don't think you will bring the old lady's sedan chair to Fang'er, either. I can only let Xian go." Zili's words startled Jia Zheng so much that his eyes dropped, this was what he said casually when he and Fang'er were laughing, how did she know about it.

"Don't look at me, I'm not Qianlier. She spread it by herself. If you don't believe me, you can go back and find out. You don't have to be angry. I have asked someone to bring Fang'er back. Let's wait for her to give birth. If you can give birth to a boy, help her to be your aunt." Zili's tone was flat, as if he was talking nonsense about the nice weather this morning, without any emotion.

Jia Zheng faltered for a long time, he couldn't keep up with Zili's rhythm, what was Zili thinking, was she angry or had she forgiven herself.Zili continued with a straight face: "I've been thinking about it for the past few days. After all, I'm getting old and making fun of others. But the master is in his prime, and it's not good to have no one around him. Aunt Zhou and Aunt Wang are from the same background. They have good personalities, and they should take more care of the master's affairs in the future. Although Fang'er is good-looking and you like her, it is difficult for you to promote her in the officialdom for a day, and you know why. It's either that I don't tolerate others, or The old lady will not allow her to spoil her son like this, as long as she doesn't interfere in the family affairs, I have nothing to do with you treating her as an ancestor."

Jia Zheng couldn't believe his ears, his heart was running fast, so that he could keep up with Zili's train of thought, she meant to forgive herself for not arguing and leaving, but what did it mean to ask Aunt Zhou and Aunt Wang to take care of her? ?Jia Zheng frowned suddenly: "What are you talking about, we are so strange as a husband and wife." As he spoke, he salivated and pulled Zili's arm.

But Zili slapped his paw off and stood up: "For me, only love can have desires. Now I am disheartened, so naturally I have no desires or desires." Zili said. Li flicked his sleeves and was about to leave.

Jia Zheng only thought that Zili was talking angry, but he didn't take it seriously: "As long as you are willing to go back, everything is up to you."

"I don't ask for anything else, I just want to raise Baoyu by myself. After all, the old lady is getting old, and the younger generation will not shirk their responsibilities but make the elders tired. I am not in good health and can't share a lot of family affairs. The eldest wife is too helpful." Zili didn't want to spend his energy on trivial matters of the Jia family.She just wanted to educate Baoyu well, at least to make him a responsible man.

Hearing Zili's tone, Jia Zheng felt more and more uncertain, but he really couldn't control so much at the moment, so Jia Zheng agreed: "Okay, whatever you say, you can pack up your things today and follow me back. Jia Zheng stared at Zili's face closely, hoping that she would immediately nod and agree to go back.Zili was not in a hurry, instead he sat down and took a sip of his teacup leisurely: "I've been out for a long time, and the house may have been changed beyond recognition. I'll ask Zhou Rui's family to go back first, and clean up the house according to my wishes." Anyway, I can't run away, since you have something to do, go back first. Now that the emperor has warned the master, the master should focus more on government affairs, and don't let others take advantage of it."

Hearing what Zili said, Jia Zheng temporarily felt at ease, rubbing his hands together and looking at Zili: "In that case, I'll go back to get down to business first, just tell me how Zhou Rui's family wants to clean up the house." The house she changed and the orchid thrown out by her, I was anxious to go back.

It was like a stone was thrown into the water, and after a ripple, everything returned to normal, as if nothing had happened.But those who served in Lixiangyuan knew that life had indeed undergone great changes. Before Zili came back, he had already cleaned up the wing room of Rongxitang. Jia Zheng was supposed to live there, but Jia Zheng refused to move out. It was Jia's mother who said that the second wife needed to take care of her health, so she lived in the wing of Rongxi Hall.Zili didn't refuse either, and asked someone to pack up his things and move there after returning from Zhuangzi.

Rong Mansion is still headed by Zili, but the old lady said that she was lonely around her and raised Yingchun and Baoyu's young granddaughters and grandchildren by her side.