Prequel to the Red Chamber: I Am the Second Wife

She never thought that Ziqian, who had been silent all this time, could do such an earth-shattering thing. She stared at Mrs. Tang in disbelief, thinking that Mrs. Tang must be joking.But how can a mother make fun of her daughter's reputation? "Mom, are things settled? Let me say something that shouldn't be said. Whose daughter doesn't have a spring, or it's just that the eldest sister has grown up and has vague feelings. So I have some thoughts. Mother Zhou is a confused person. It's because she has made a fuss that she has never seen the world. She must be afraid that the old lady will blame her, so she put the blame on her elder sister. Although she is a nanny, she is not her own. When it comes to important matters, how can she be relied on?" Zi Li An was startled to himself, the Wang family was very disciplined, there were many girls and women around Ziqian, even if Ziqian really wanted to fall in love with that boy, it was impossible for others not to notice.

"If that's the case, your grandmother won't send someone to send an urgent letter quietly. At this juncture, if there is no big accident, the old lady will never disturb your grandfather and father's mind with such a thing. Don't forget, When I was in Hangzhou that day, I assigned household chores to you and learned how to be a housekeeper. Your eldest sister is the person who took care of the night. I know your sister's temperament best. She is gentle on the outside and has the biggest ideas in private. Once things are settled, how can I let go easily. I was also the one who brought up such a corrupt daughter. If it hurts the reputation of the whole family and your future, I can't rest in peace even if I die. Face to face with the ancestors of the Wang family!" Ziqian is already engaged, so what will happen to the Jia family when the news spreads, and what is more important is that the marriage involving the youngest daughter will be good!

Mrs. Tang was angry, anxious, and sad. She was naturally angry when her daughter did something embarrassing, but Ziqian was her first daughter. , it must be Hu Qizhong's son seducing his daughter.Ziqian was young and ignorant, and the servants around him couldn't help and persuade him. After all, he felt sorry for the child. Mrs. Tang was angry and anxious, and suddenly became dizzy.Mrs. Tang thought about it again, her husband said that Hu Qizhong was a close friend of King Wei, and she and King Wei had an unpleasant quarrel over the East Palace, but now she passed the blame to Hu Qizhong and King Wei.Not only did it delay the youngest daughter's future, but it also implicated her husband's official career.Mrs. Tang felt anxious and angry, and suddenly she held her heart and cried out, her expression changed.

Seeing that her mother's expression was not right, Zili panicked. She supported Mrs. Tang only to feel that she was covered in cold sweat and her breathing was short of breath.When the servants came in, they were all shocked when Mrs. Tang's expression was wrong, and they were thrown into a panic.Some called for a doctor to come and see, and some called for a letter to the master asking Wang Dingqian to come back quickly.Zili could still hold on to the scene, she knew that Mrs. Tang must have been stimulated and her heart couldn't bear it. "Why panic, whoever dares to rush out to play twenty boards first, and sent someone to ask for a doctor, and said that Madam is not feeling well. Bring ginseng slices for Madam to suck."

Zili assigned people calmly, and the dispatchers comforted her mother.The servants in the family also gradually stopped panicking. Zili asked the daughter-in-law and the big girls who were in charge to wait outside, and spread the word that no one was allowed to move around casually.Seeing that Zili was calm and self-possessed, everyone didn't dare to take the opportunity to make trouble, and they all settled down to their seats and stayed obediently.After a while the doctor came, Mrs. Tang struggled to arrange the clothes on her body and went outside with the hand of the girl. Zili was a girl and it was inconvenient to meet people, so she could only listen to the movement outside in the green gauze cabinet.

This doctor, a well-known doctor in the capital, is also enshrined in the Imperial Hospital. He came out with Wang Changchun this time to obtain a military background so that he can donate an official position to his child.Wang Changchun took care of Imperial Physician Wang instead of asking him to go to the front with the army. Instead, he asked the doctors in the city to learn medical skills from Imperial Physician Wang. According to Wang Changchun's words: "You can't spend your whole life outside the Great Wall. How much can you save by yourself?" The wounded? Why don’t you teach the doctors here, how many people can they save? This is all thanks to you.” So Physician Wang opened a clinic in Jinzhou City to recruit apprentices, and while treating patients, he led doctors .Wang Changchun told the imperial court that Wang Taiyi not only saved lives and healed the wounded outside the customs, but also taught students to benefit the people. His Majesty was happy to give Wang Taiyi the same background as a Jinshi, fulfilling Wang Taiyi's long-cherished wish of not being able to get a good reputation in his life.Doctor Wang was even more grateful to Wang Changchun.

As soon as Imperial Physician Wang came in and saw Mrs. Tang, she saw that her complexion was not good, and there was a faint blackness between her brows. Seeing that the servants were holding their breath and not daring to go overboard, she knew that Mrs. Tang must be angry for something look.Waiting for a pulse diagnosis, it was exactly as I guessed, it was shortness of breath and stagnation of liver qi.He withdrew his hand and said to Mrs. Tang: "Madam is a little annoyed and anxious. It's okay. Just rest in peace for a few days and stop thinking about it. The student prescribed a prescription with a dose of pills. Just take a pill before going to bed."

Mrs. Tang thanked the imperial physician and asked the housekeeper to send it out in person. Zili waited for the imperial physician to leave before coming out of the green gauze cupboard. She read the prescription carefully, and handed it over to someone who followed the prescription to prepare the medicine immediately after seeing that there was no problem. Mrs. Tang drank it down.Zili personally served Mrs. Tang to take the medicine. The kitchen had already cooked some fine rice porridge according to his own instructions. Zili filled a bowl of millet and ginkgo porridge and said to Mingqian: "As long as fresh Chinese toon buds, nothing else I don’t want any greasy things. Take out a bottle of rose water, my wife feels bitter after taking the medicine, so I just take it and drink it with water.”

Mrs. Tang's girls, Ping An and Fugui, served Mrs. Tang with millet porridge, and the other went to open the warehouse to get things.Mrs. Tang slowly came to her senses at this time, she leaned on a pillow and said to Zili, "Don't make trouble, they won't dare to rebel. You can sit down and eat peacefully, don't make you tired anymore. Don't worry I won’t die if I can’t catch my breath, things will come to light one day. I can’t let others bully you as long as I live.” Hearing Mrs. Tang’s tone, Zili knew that her mother was trying to protect her shortcomings. Regarding the matter between Ziqian and Hu Qizhong's son, Zili didn't think it was a big deal, but the Hu family had different political stances from theirs, and Ziqian was already engaged to Jia Zheng.Even in modern society, if the engaged couple breaks up suddenly, or the woman cheats, the face of the woman's family will be ugly, let alone this veritable feudal society.

"What's the point of being a daughter serving my mother? Grandfather and father have to rush back day and night." The matter can't be concealed now, and Mrs. Tang has already sent someone to report to Wang Changchun and Wang Ding immediately.Zili calculated the time, his grandfather and father would definitely hurry home when they received the news.There must be a storm at that time, and Ziqian's fate is hard to predict.Or it would be nice for her to marry someone she likes.Without Ziqian marrying Jia Zheng, there would be no second wife who later became dull, and there would be no Jia Baoyu who was born with a jade title.

"I'm afraid it will take a few days before I can come back. I'm ashamed to see your father and grandfather, Zili, don't resent your sister, if you are sad, just blame me as a mother. You are all my October After the pregnancy, the palms and backs of the hands are full of flesh, but which one should I give up?" Mrs. Tang knew what fate awaited Ziqian for the family's reputation and her husband's father-in-law's official position.She was angry, but Ziqian was also her own daughter, Madam Tang's eyes were red again.

Hearing his mother's sad tone, Zili's heart sank. Pig cage dipping and honor killings are reasonable these days!Ziqian will die of illness quietly if he fails in trouble!Zili held his mother's hand silently: "Mom, eldest sister will be fine." But can Ziqian really be fine?Zili couldn't even fool himself.

Wang Ziteng and Wang Dingqian rushed home earlier that night than Zili expected.As soon as Zili opened his eyes the next morning, he stood in front of the window after the rain and said mysteriously, "Girl, the old man and the old man are back. Just now, someone from the wife's side came to say that the girl doesn't have to go over to say hello today." If you want something to eat, just call the kitchen to bring it over." After watching the rain, he moved closer to Zili's ear mysteriously: "I heard from the people over there that the master and his wife talked in the middle of the night first, and they didn't rest in the morning. I went to pay my respects to the old man. Now the old man and his wife are talking. No one can approach the old man's study."

Zili was worried about Ziqian's fate. She tossed and turned all night last night, but now listening to Hou Hou's words, her heart arose.She grabbed the quilt and asked, "Is mom coming out now? How is the old man?"

"I didn't see the old man's slaves either. I heard from the people who followed the old man that the old man had been urging everyone on the way to win the class teacher, as if he seemed to have foreseen something. Although the old man is getting old, he usually practices breathing. Those who have practiced Zen and enlightened the Tao should be in good health, but the master has a bad complexion." After the rain said, he asked the little girls to fetch water, and served Zili to get up before tomorrow and after the rain.

In the Wang family in the capital, the old lady and the second wife looked at each other and sighed. The second wife is a widow. She has always only focused on her son and ignored housework.Although she is also from a family background, she is generally competent in managing household chores.But she immediately lost her mind after discussing important matters, so even though the old lady sighed and sighed for days, she could only do her best to serve the old lady's daily life and food, and there was no good way to relieve her siege.Seeing the old lady getting more and more haggard these days, the second wife also saw it and was anxious.

"Old lady, drink some ginseng soup." The second wife took the ginseng soup brought in by the girl, and graciously advised the old lady to take care of her body: "This is the end of the matter, let's see what the old lady and uncle think. The old lady should take care of her body." , you have become more and more haggard in the past few days. If the old lady fell ill first at this time, wouldn't it make the old lady and the uncle anxious."

The old lady sighed helplessly, and she took Shentang and said helplessly: "I don't know what happened to the collision, and I want God to punish us like this. If I am an old woman, any punishment will be retribution on me, let the poor My child. It would be great if I swallowed this breath, but unfortunately I couldn't swallow this breath. How is Ziqian girl now?"

"Don't worry, the old lady is surrounded by appropriate people, and she didn't dare to wrong her. The old lady Ziqian knows that she can't be wronged. These days, the eldest girl is still the same, and she eats when she is asked to eat." I just sleep and I don’t talk to anyone.” Thinking of Ziqian’s indifferent and resolute look, the second wife panicked for a while. She watched Ziqian grow up, and the second wife never dreamed that he was always a steady and mature adult. The girl will make such an earth-shattering thing.

She has seen Hu Liangren before, although he is good-looking, but his temper is too irresponsible, and I really can't figure out why Ziqian has his eyes on him.

"Old lady, the old lady has sent someone to deliver a letter!" Following the announcement from the girl outside, a servant dressed as a family member walked in quickly with his head down.

The old lady looked at the boy who was kneeling in front of her and lowered her head, and said, "Your old master asked you to deliver the letter?" The second lady knew that her words should not be heard when she saw this, and she hurriedly led everyone out of the house.Everyone in the room had left and the old lady said to the boy: "You raise your head and speak slowly." Then the boy raised his head slowly, and the old lady was surprised when she saw it, and said: "Why is that?" You are back, and you are also a person with a military position, how can you come back from the front line without a military order?"

Wang Ziteng smiled at the old lady: "The grandson misses the old lady, and the old man asked his grandson to come back because he was worried about others. I didn't come back without authorization. Grandpa also entrusted me with some business." Wang Ziteng said from He took out a letter and handed it to the old lady.

"Grandfather means that it is his own flesh and blood. As long as the elder sister can wake up, the previous ones will not be pursued. The marriage of the Jia family is still for the grandfather to talk about. Let's call off the marriage with their family. To the outside world, only say that it is the elder girl. She is not in good health, and she has already invited an expert to look at her. In recent years, it is not suitable to get married. You have to practice in a temple to get rid of the misfortune of illness and hardship. After a few years, the rumors have passed before finding a good family for her. As for the Hu family By the way, their son seduces a woman from a good family, even if the trouble goes to the sky, they will not be reasonable. Even if the trouble comes to His Majesty, the matter is not that simple. Who doesn't know that Hu Qizhong is the confidant of King Wei, so he is not worried that His Majesty will think Anything else?" Wang Ziteng and the old lady were talking about Wang Changchun's plan.Ziqian made too much trouble, so he could only put her in the family temple for a few years, and wait for the matter to pass.

After thinking about it, the old lady felt that her husband had a good idea, and she sighed: "That's all I can do. The Hu family is very sensible and didn't make a fuss. They just quietly picked up their children, and even asked someone to come and say that their brother If you're ignorant, it's not good to have a fight between the two families. The meaning is not mentioned on both sides. It's good if the matter can be covered up."

"It's just that my sister is going to be wronged outside. According to my grandfather's wishes, many people in the capital know that my sister is not in good health. The news of her renunciation and practice will be released slowly so that it will not attract attention. Too many people in the hospital Bian has already made arrangements, with the help of Imperial Physician Wang. He has invited a close friend of the Imperial Hospital. Tomorrow, I will personally invite him to come over to give my sister a "pulse diagnosis". I will arrange the rest. I still have to hurry Go back to the inn outside the city. Now that I have an official status, I can’t enter the capital without being called. So I come to dress up like this and go home. Grandma takes care of her health and asks my younger brother to inform me if there is anything. I still have to go The Ministry of War can't stay at home for too long." Wang Ziteng said, stood up and wanted to leave.The old lady looked at her grandson with some reluctance, but she could only give some instructions and watch him leave in such an emergency.Just before Wang Ziteng had left for a cup of tea, a report came from outside: "Hu Qizhong from the Hu family came to the door in person. He said he had something important to see the old lady."

The old lady was startled, thinking to herself, didn't the two families have a tacit agreement not to mention this matter?What is he here for?I didn't want to see Hu Qizhong at first, but the old lady was worried that things might change and could only say: "Please come in."

The housekeeper invited Hu Qizhong to the main hall, and after a while the old lady came out surrounded by a group of maids and women.Hu Qizhong, on the other hand, stood up very respectfully, and went forward to say hello graciously. Seeing his modest attitude, the old lady was half relieved. The two people who were not familiar with each other didn't have much to say, especially after such a thing happened, the two of them were neither embarrassed nor awkward. After a few pleasantries, we will get to the point.Hu Qizhong stood up and bowed deeply to the old lady: "Wansheng came to your house today for nothing else. In fact, parents all over the world love their children the same. I have only one son under my knees for half my life. He is mine. Lifeblood, please ask the old lady to allow the marriage of the two children."

When the old lady heard that the smile on her face disappeared, she stared at Hu Qizhong for a few times, and said in disbelief: "Mr. Hu was joking, my Ziqian has already been betrothed to someone else. Besides, there is something wrong with my daughter's marriage." Her parents make the decision, but I can't make the decision. Let's wait for her father and grandfather to come back."

"Wansheng also knows that my dog ​​can dream about the daughter of your mansion, but the dog is deeply in love with the daughter of your mansion, and Wansheng is very envious of the talents of the old man and brother Dinggan, and has the intention of making friends. Please also The old lady agreed for the sake of the two children. There is a saying that it is better to settle enemies than to tie them. If the two families can turn their hostility into friendship, it is a win-win thing for Qin and Jin. My son doesn't know how deep he is, and I can't shut him up forever. I'm worried that one day the child will run out and cause trouble, and the family will not look good." Hu Qizhong had something in his words, and he started threatening the Wang family's reputation.