Prequel to the Red Chamber: I Am the Second Wife

Wang Ziteng just took a look at Zili's hand, and said without surprise: "He is like this, this is not bad. I told you that I took him to see the world last time. Who would have thought that when I saw Yanzilou The girl's eyes are straight, and she doesn't know if the wine glass is knocked over. People who are stupid will stay where they are. I thought to myself that the girls in their family are all good, why bother to act like a country bumpkin who has never seen the world. As a result, you Guess what? Waiting for the girl to come forward to toast, he and the big girl are twitching. In the end, he fled! I was so angry that I lost my face. You don’t know that the girl Qingqing in Yanzilou—”Prince When Teng Zheng was talking about excitement, he was busy shutting up when he met Shang Zili's excited eyes, and perfunctorily drove Zili out: "What are you listening to, don't look at evil!"

"Bah! Don't play tricks in front of me. You still have the face to tell me not to see anything wrong, why don't you do nothing wrong yourself? Don't be afraid of being heard if you have the guts to drink flower wine!" Zili is not easy to fool , she looked like I want to listen, if you don't tell me what happened that day, I'll complain like a rascal, slumped on the chair and won't leave.

"Okay, I'm afraid of you. I don't know how you have been pretending in the palace these days. Let me tell you, Wang Ziteng gestured to Zili and talked about the situation that day: "I was also troubled It's boring, you don't know, that kind of local bustard wants the girls to do everything possible to catch the customers in order to make money.What's more, Qingqing is a noble woman, and the old bustard has already made rumors that she wants to comb her. I think Qingqing is also a poor woman, and being groomed by those fat-minded businessmen really tarnishes a flower.It would be a good thing for him to mean that.Who knew—" Wang Ziteng shrugged his shoulders and slammed his mouth regretfully.

"You're an older brother! You don't know about the elder sister's engagement to him! Okay, that elder brother-in-law took his brother-in-law to that kind of place. He also told him to meet a bastard woman! Later, he will raise a foreign house, Didn't you cheat the eldest sister!" Zili angrily grabbed the fruit on the table and threw it at Wang Ziteng.When it comes to men, Zili no longer expects such luxuries as integrity and bottom line.

"Thank you sister for giving me fruit. You don't know this, but I planned it for Ziqian. I can't cheat my sister. Think about it, when he first came, he opened his mouth and said Ziyue Shiyun Shut up, just want to study and make progress, flaunting that I have been suffering for ten years, studying hard, full of sage poems and books. That is, you women have never seen such a hypocrite at home. Among other things, In the official circles in Hangzhou, I saw a lot of hypocrites who are full of benevolence and morality, and full of men and women who are prostitutes and hypocrites. You see that the girls in the Jia family are all compared to each other, and he is doted by his parents and elders. I asked, All the girls around him are beautiful girls. You have seen Ziqian's temperament. He has no heart, and only knows how to play tricks. At home, there are parents, brothers and sisters who will take care of her. If she really gets married, who will take care of her! She Stupid, if she meets a lustful, soft-eared husband, she will fall into the quagmire for the rest of her life. I thought to myself, Jia Zheng is also a hypocrite with inconsistent words and deeds? Then I thought about taking him to the Swallow Tower to test Probing." Wang Ziteng gave his sister the look that you wronged me, and took a bite of the fruit.

Zili lowered his head and thought about his brother's words carefully, and couldn't help but stare at Wang Ziteng with admiration. Wang Ziteng didn't say anything else, he was the one who really cared about the sisters. He was unable to express his opinion on his sister's marriage, but he didn't let it go. , Instead, I did my best to help my sister do something.Wang Ziteng's worry was indeed justified. Seeing Jia Zheng's current behavior, he basically looked like a prequel of Jia Baoyu.He has a reserve team of prospective aunts like Xiren and Qingwen around him, waiting for Ziqian to marry, she will occupy a famous and powerful family with her unruly personality.But between men and women, you can't just rely on the power of your mother's family to make her fall in love.

"Brother is right, it's just that Jia Zheng is incompetent, what a hypocrite hypocrite, he's lustful, whether he's really motivated or hypocritical, Ziqian will marry him." Zili said to Ziqian The future is getting worse and worse.

"You don't know that. The fact that I got close to him is the friendship between our two families. As a junior, you should walk around more. There are many friends in the officialdom and there are many paths. The two families will be relatives for a long time. Besides, it’s fine for me to see Jia Cunzhou’s character at this time, and he won’t be able to get out of my hands in the future.” Wang Ziteng sighed, and spread his hands to Zili: “There are ten things that go wrong in life. If she is not satisfied, how can we people feel at ease."

Unsatisfactory things happen in life out of ten, even if Ziqian has got a good-looking and talented husband now, people will change, who can guarantee that the love will last forever.Zili looked at the clay figurine in his hand. The little clay figurine was made according to Jia Zheng's image.To Zili's surprise, the image he pinched was not Jia Zheng's feather fan scarf, a scholar, but a farmer with his trouser legs rolled up and a little monkey on his shoulder.

The little clay figurine was made by a famous teacher in Hangzhou out of the mud from Huqiu Mountain. The image is lifelike, and this little figure has lost the usual stern look of Jia Zheng.Instead, he had a hippie smiling face, wearing short clothes, bare feet and a tattered straw hat on his head, and a little monkey was begging him for food squatting on his shoulder.The little clay figurine is teasing the little monkey with a peach, and the expression on his face seems to be asking, I will give it to you.Zili raised his eyebrows in disbelief, Jia Zheng is really a strange and sullen person.While playing with the little clay figurine, she asked curiously: "The second master of the Jia family really ran away from the Swallow Tower later? He is also a son of a family. He has never eaten pork or seen a pig running?" Zili secretly thought it was wrong, Jia Zheng was the second young master of the Rongguo Mansion, Jia's mother, and even the old lady of the Jia family doted on him, how could he be so new to the world, don't pretend.

"At first I suspected that he was faking it. I was so sad when I saw Qingqing crying. If I had left too, the madam would have said that she would be beaten for neglecting the guests. Why did I do something wrong? So I comforted Qingqing and called the madam for a while. I came to tell her not to embarrass Qingqing. It took a while for the ink to go out. That Jia Cunzhou, guess what, he was walking back and forth by himself like an ant on a hot pot waiting for me to come out. I teased him since he was sympathetic Why don't you go in? Is he worried that the elders in the family will know. He said that although Qingqing is pitiful, if he plays with her on the spot, he will violate the lesson and should not be obsessed with women. But he is still worried, afraid that the old bustard will embarrass Qingqing. So he wants to wait Let me come out and ask me to help. You don’t know, he is a poor child, he is raised like a girl, and he only has a dozen or so taels of silver when he comes out to play. What can he do in the Swallow Tower?" Prince Teng is very disapproving of the Jia family's education methods.

Jia Zheng was still a kind person, and Zili was a little surprised at the outcome of the incident. Jia Zheng was young, just at the age of youth, so he couldn't resist the colorful world outside.However, due to the strict control of the family, he has not lost the bottom line, and he is not all contemptuous towards Qingqing.He was also worried that Qingqing would be embarrassed by the bustard.From this point of view, Jia Zheng is still a kind person.It's just that I don't know anything about the world.

"It's really a flower that comes out of the greenhouse, and I'm at a loss when the wind blows. Brother thinks that Jia Cunzhou is still a good man you can entrust?" Zili looked at Wang Ziteng with his chin in his hand.

"The essence is not too bad. It's just that he can't turn his head and is a little stingy. Even if Ziqian marries, the husband and wife can't be like glue. There will be no such thing as spoiling concubines and destroying wives. I feel at ease. I think you still have more Worry about yourself, don't wait for us to come back from Liaodong, the grandson already has a son!" Wang Ziteng glanced at his sister, took the little clay figurine from her hand and put it away: "It's getting late, you'd better go back Let's go. I'll ask someone to send this to him later. I think he made a set of music pictures, fishing, woodcutters, farming and reading, all kinds of fun." Wang Ziteng looked at the little clay figurine and put it in his purse Installed.

"Then what's the matter? As long as I sit in Liangdi's seat, I'll be their mother." Zili was beaten badly by Wang Ziteng, but she pushed back not to be outdone.

"That's right, I want to do more meritorious service on the battlefield. The selection of grandson Liangdi is not only based on the girl, but also Liangdi's father and family background, isn't it?" Wang Ziteng smiled, sent his sister to the door and watched Zili go back before calling someone Take the purse and send it to Jia Zheng.

After a while, the person who delivered the things came back, and his servant Liangquan said: "The second master of the Jia family said that he was really reckless, and he will definitely come to apologize in person someday. It was because I was wandering in the street that I occasionally got very good. I wanted to share a few books with my master on a whim. I got carried away and offended our second young lady, please forgive me."

The prince waved his hand: "What book did he get, as if he got the dog's head gold?"

Liangquan hurriedly took out a book from his body: "It's this one. The second master over there said it's very interesting to read, so if you give it to him, it's a way to make up for it."

Wang Ziteng took it and saw that it was a notebook full of witty stories. He flipped through the pages and found it interesting: "It's very interesting, go and say that I accept it. Don't say anything about it. My sister is not either." You're a stingy man. That's the end of the story." Wang Ziteng flipped through a few pages only to find it amusing, he thought to himself that Jia Cunzhou was a boring person.Who knows that there is such a side, and he was wrong before.This book was very interesting and showed it to Ziqian.

Thinking of this, Wang Ziteng took the book and stood up to look for Ziqian.

When Zili came out of Wang Ziteng's house, she happened to meet Mrs. Tang. When she saw her daughter coming from her son's side, she knew that their brother and sister were talking just now. "Stop, come and help me calculate the accounts of the shop outside." Zili agreed, and walked towards the upper room with Mrs. Tang.

Because there were a lot of things to do, the Wang family had been eating separately for a long time, and Zili did the calculations with his mother for a long time, and waited until it was dark to eat at Mrs. Tang's side before going back.As soon as she walked to Ziqian's door, she saw the prince coming out angrily.Seeing his younger sister, Wang Ziteng stuffed something in her hand and left angrily. "The eldest girl must have quarreled with the uncle, the girl should go back quickly." Ming Qian supported Zili and left the place of right and wrong as soon as possible.As the day of departure approached, Ziqian's temper became even worse, and the whole family avoided the angry young lady for fear of offending her.

"That's right, let's go." Zili squeezed something in his hand, it was a little dark, it looked like a book.Maybe Wang Ziteng wanted to tell Ziqian about Jia Zheng, but he didn't know what made her angry.In fact, it is not a mess that Jia Zheng needs to be properly educated.It's a pity that he was born in Jia's family and was educated a bit crookedly.

After Zili returned to the room and looked carefully under the light, she realized that it was a book that Wang Ziteng gave her.The next morning Zili saw that Wang Ziteng was still angry, and before Ziqian came, she persuaded her brother first: "The old man is leaving, brother don't be angry with her."

"Where do I want to get angry with her, it's clearly her own death. Anyway, I don't want to waste my time, people don't appreciate it, I went to her last night to tell her about Jia Cunzhou, in order to reassure her that her son-in-law is not a playboy Who knows what she said? It doesn't matter to her what she looks like. Since the family wants her to marry a trash, she will just follow everyone's wishes and live with a trash for the rest of her life. Save her life, and others will look down on her Comfortable. When I got angry, I taught her a few words. I don’t want to tell my sister what she said. From now on, I stay away from her. In her eyes, others are bad-hearted. I don’t even think about it. She owes everyone for losing face all day long. Hers. Who wants to treat her well?"

Zili was busy persuading his brother not to be angry: "I know that my brother really loves us as sisters. There is something wrong with the elder sister, just leave her alone and wait for her to understand. I actually have an idea. Goodbye. My brother told the second young master of Jia's family that he will get a good grade after going to school well, so that he will look good, have a safe future, and my sister will be happy. At that time, everyone will be happy. I think Mr. He of our family is a capable person He compiled the papers of the Chunwei and Palace Examinations for ten years, and even recited the above articles for us. I think that thing is very good, you take it to the second young master of the Jia family, and memorize the above articles. Although you can’t even win three yuan, it’s okay to be a scholar.” Zili knew that Jia Zheng was a hard-educated person, and such a person is the most suitable for exam-oriented education.

Wang Ziteng nodded: "That's right, I've read [-] Tang poems by heart, I can't compose a poem, and I can say a few sentences. Your method is good. I will go and talk to him. I listen to what he said every day. His mother said Not a single sentence is on point. Let’s talk after memorizing the understanding of the predecessors.” Zili nodded with a smile: “Exactly.”

Just as Ziqian came in, Ziteng hurriedly signaled his sister to change the topic.Neither brother nor sister spoke.The old lady was indifferent to Ziqian, and Mrs. Tang was also very helpless to her eldest daughter, and she couldn't express anything in front of her mother-in-law.Seeing that everyone was silent when she came in, Ziqian was touched, and became more and more resentful.

What was my sister talking about just now?Why didn't you talk when you saw me coming in.Ziqian pulled the corner of his mouth at Zili and smiled.

"Second sister didn't say anything, she was talking to elder brother about seeing him off." Zi Meng hurriedly interrupted, and she became more and more afraid of elder sister.

Ziqian glanced coldly at Zimeng and sneered, "You don't need to be courteous in front of you. You have learned to climb high and step down at a young age. Before you can fly to a high branch, you have no shame in fawning on it. It's a pity I don't appreciate it, you are a stepping stone for others and no one wants it." Zi Meng's face turned red and then pale when Ziqian said it, and tears rolled around her eyes.The nanny next to Zimeng couldn't stand it anymore, she hurriedly persuaded: "How can the eldest girl talk like that? The third girl is kind, why bother to use the girl as a raft to embarrass her. The old lady and the wife are still watching, girl Words and deeds should also be restrained."

With a slap, Ziqian slapped Zimeng's nanny hard across the face. She raised her eyebrows and pointed at the nanny: "I was also taught by you? Don't look at your own status and dare to beat me! Usually it's just Seeing that you are old and call you nanny, you think of yourself as your master!"

Seeing that Ziqian was getting more and more unsightly, Zili was also furious, so she blocked the nanny behind her and looked directly into Ziqian's eyes: "Look at yourself in the mirror, do you still look like a young lady? ? You said that others don’t give you face, and don’t look at what you have done? Tell you that face is earned by yourself, you pat your heart and think about it, can your little calculations be spread out in the sun? Don’t call I said it nicely. I think you are really covered in mud and fat, and you are about to lose your mind. If you do this again, I will throw you into the pool to sober up first!"

Ziqian looked at Zili in disbelief, that younger sister who was always in a daze, and the younger sister who was always patient with her, was like a changed person.She looked at the silent old lady and Mrs. Tang, and suddenly wailed, turned and ran away holding her face. "The big girl is crazy. I think what Zili said is right. Where did she find the evil fire? I looked at her for a few days and figured it out. Who knows, I still haven't realized it. It's because I'm too used to her as usual. Kill her. None of you will help her! Tell her to go hungry for a few meals. The sickness in her heart cannot be cured by a doctor." The old lady looked gloomy and glanced at Mrs. Tang and Prince Zili. Although she felt sorry for her daughter, With the old lady speaking, Mrs. Tang could only bow her head silently.

On that day, all the maids around Ziqian had been replaced, and after listening to the rain, they found out that the kitchen they came to did not bring anything for Ziqian to eat.Now a few women around her are watching over her, and she may not be able to move around at will.Although Zili felt sorry for her sister's situation, Ziqian did it on her own.If you don't do it, you will die. Since she likes to do it, she has to bear the consequences herself.

As the day of Wang Changchun's expedition approached, there was a tense atmosphere in the Wang family, and relatives and friends all came to practice farewell.Because the emperor was going to Jinling, the Jia family naturally had to go there first to prepare for the pick-up.Rongguo Gong Jia Daishan took a step first, and Jia Mu took her daughter and flattered the old lady and walked back slowly.

Mrs. Tang took the time to arrange a banquet, and specially invited the old lady of Jia's family and Jia's mother over.At the banquet, the two little girls, Jia Min and Zili, couldn't finish talking.Jia Min said: "I still think that you are in Hangzhou. There are still days when our two families will not see each other. Who knows that you will go to Liaodong with your family. I don't know when we will see you again."

"We can always meet. The elders in the family are all serving the court, so how can they go wherever they want. It will take me a year to go. I'm afraid you will already have Chenglong by then." Son-in-law, why are you still thinking of me?" Zili looked at Jia Min covering his mouth with a silk cloth and laughed.

"You brat made fun of me, you have something to say about me, why don't you think about it—" Jia Min looked meaningfully at Zili and stopped talking.The news that Zili will enter the palace in the future is not a secret in the Wang family, Jia Min naturally knows.Zili didn't want to mention that, and smiled at Jia Min: "My good sister, don't be angry, I'm talking nonsense. We will be relatives in the future." Zili changed the subject, but she still wanted to be in front of Jia Min for Ziqian. Say good things: "In the future, my sister will ask you to take more care of her. She has a straightforward temper and doesn't have a heart. Don't take anything bad if she says something bad."

"Sister Ling is already well. My mother said she was virtuous yesterday. My second brother got the exam paper secret book like a treasure." Jia Min took a piece of fruit with chopsticks and ate it.

Since Jia's mother thought that it was the three-year secret volume that Ziqian instructed Jia Zheng to do, she went along with the flow and acquiesced.

Wang Changchun set off for Liaodong with his son and grandson. Half a month later, Mrs. Tang served the old lady, took widowed siblings and a group of children, and Wang Ziji took his family to escort them all the way north. Wang Ziji's mother and son, Mrs. Tang is going to take her daughter and daughter-in-law to Liaodong.Unexpectedly, Ziqian suddenly became seriously ill, and the old lady could only ask her to stay and recuperate.Mrs. Tang took her son Li Zimeng and daughter-in-law Zhang and set off for Liaodong with Wang Ziteng who came to pick her up.

There were troops protecting them along the way. Although it was desolate outside the pass, they were well prepared and protected before departure, so Mrs. Tang and her party went smoothly.A few days later, we arrived in Jinzhou City.Everyone was very emotional when they met.

In the past, the General's Mansion had been damaged a lot by the flames of war. Although Wang Changchun had taken a rest after he came, it could only accommodate people.Zili didn't complain, she took her family to pack their luggage and clean the house.Mrs. Zhang also suffered hardships in her natal family before, and she was not picky about the general's mansion.

The family talked about their divorce, and Wang Ziteng said to his wife and daughter: "This place can't be compared with the capital city of Hangzhou. I asked you to come here and wronged you."

"Father and grandfather are for the country and for the family, so we don't want to pick and choose who we are. This place is much more free than Beijing and Hangzhou." There are not so many rules here, and Zili relaxes a lot in front of his father.

Without waiting for Wang Ziteng to speak, someone suddenly announced loudly outside: "Master, the old man is called Master. It seems that something serious happened, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince passed away."

This sentence was like a thunderbolt hitting everyone's heads, Zili was shocked, why did the prince die suddenly!Then the grandson would become a child without a father.The emperor loves King Wei so much, he is afraid that there will be a big storm in the court.