Daiyu's wife in the Red Chamber

It was the twelfth lunar month when Jia Zheng's family letter arrived in the capital.

At that time, Jia Mu's room was surrounded by pearls and greenery, and there was laughter and laughter. I regret that Chun was not there. I heard that Jia Zheng had written a letter. Except Jia Mu and Mrs. Xing who were still sitting, the rest stood up and waited for Jia Mu to receive the letter. Everyone sat down.

Jia Zheng sent a box of letters. Because she didn't know what was said in the letter, Jia's mother only chose the note of greetings and ordered Baoyu to read it. The rest of the letters related to family affairs were addressed to Jia's mother, Mrs. Wang, and Baoyu. There were also those who asked about the affairs of the mansion. Jia Mu asked Baoyu to sort them out and hand them to everyone, while she ordered Amber to bring her glasses and put them on.

Opening it up and reading it, seeing Jia Zheng saying that Shi Nai intends to betroth Xiangyun to Baoyu, Mother Jia's eyes first flashed with surprise, then turned into full of joy, then covered it up, and said to Mrs. Wang calmly: "Look at what your master told you."

As soon as Madam Wang opened the letter, she frowned slightly.

Jia Mu said to Sister Feng: "Take your sisters to the garden to see if the plum blossoms are in bloom. If they are, ask Miaoyu for a vase."

When Sister Feng heard the sound, she knew that it was news from the historian. The person who had gone to the historian hadn't come back yet.Seeing this, Mrs. Xing and Aunt Xue got up and said with a smile that something was going on in the courtyard, and each left. Unexpectedly, Mother Jia said: "It's about housework. My aunt and eldest wife also stay and listen, so we can discuss it together."

After hearing these words, Aunt Xue and Mrs. Xing sat back to their original places.

The people in the room left one after another, except for the four of us, there were only mandarin ducks and amber and other maids left. Jia Mu waved her hands and told all the maids to retreat. Seeing this, Mrs. Wang also asked Yu Chuan'er to follow. Together.

After a long time, Mother Jia said slowly, "What do you think of what your master said in the letter?"

Mrs. Wang got up and bowed her head, silent.

Seeing Mrs. Wang's appearance like this, Aunt Xue knew that the letter must not be good news. As for Mrs. Xing, she was curious and asked with a smile: "What did the second master say in the letter at home?"

Mother Jia glanced at her appreciatively, and said politely: "Young girl Yun's place where her uncle takes office is not far from the second master. I wrote a letter to the second master a few days ago, thinking that the two families are old relatives and have always been close to each other. Brother Bao and girl Yun grew up in front of me, and they know each other well, and they wanted to promise Girl Yun to Baoyu, but the second master wrote to ask me what I meant."

Aunt Xue's eyes were fixed, and her heart was tumbling, but her complexion was still abnormally calm, and no one could see any clues.

Mrs. Xing didn't hear Sister Feng and his wife talk about this matter, so she didn't know the details. After hearing this, she couldn't help but glanced at Aunt Xue. At that time, the historian suddenly proposed to betroth Shi Xiangyun to Baoyu. Seeing that Jia's mother was very happy, it has been passed down for so many years. Could it be that Shi Xiangyun is really going to replace him?Although she knew that Shi Xiangyun's marriage to Baoyu would bring more benefits to Dafang, but Baochai and Xiangyun still felt that Baochai was better at being a human being.

Thinking of this, Mrs. Xing said with a smile: "There is such a thing? It is a happy event at first, but I don't know what the second master and the second wife are planning, and what is the old lady's plan."

Mrs. Wang interjected: "I'm not happy to say something that I'm not afraid of sister-in-law's jokes."

Mother Jia's eyes were dark, but she said in her mouth, "What's the reason? Just like what Feng girl said in August, the foundation is not worthy? The family status is not worthy? Or is the character and furniture not worthy? We are a Rongguo mansion. , a Bowling Marquis’s mansion is a perfect match. According to my letter, your master is also very willing in his heart.”

Mrs. Wang said in a deep voice: "Miss Shi is the daughter of the Marquis's mansion. How precious is the gold and jade? The first two marriages were discussed with the eldest son of the Duke's mansion. Only Baoyu is not worthy of her. How can there be Miss Shi?" Not worthy of Baoyu's reasoning?"

Mrs. Xing picked up the tea bowl, sipped tea, and listened to the confrontation between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Occasionally, she glanced at Aunt Xue again, secretly admiring her.

In the face of such a sudden and unexpected event that prevented a golden marriage, Aunt Xue kept her composure, with a faint smile on her face, she listened attentively to Mother Jia and Mrs. Wang, with concern in her eyes.

Mother Jia sighed, and said, "Since it's not the property of a person from the root family, why are you dissatisfied? It's rare that Uncle Yun'er opened his mouth. He thought about it for a long time, and he wrote to you because he felt that the two families were equal." Master, you were so excited and full of joy, you poured a basin of cold water, tell your master how to behave?"

Mrs. Wang said: "Baoyu is still young. Didn't the old lady say that in the old days? A monk said that Baoyu should not marry early in his life. It would be better for him to get married later. If Miss Shi's lifelong event is delayed guilty."

When Jia Mu heard this, she didn't know what to say to refute.

This sentence was indeed said by Jia's mother. She was just thinking that Baoyu was two years younger than Baochai, so she could discuss marriage a few years later. For the past two years, the Xue family has never proposed marriage to Baochai, even if they asked Baoqin's Nian Geng horoscope, they did not change their original intention.

Mrs. Wang said again: "Besides, the empress likes Baoyu the most on weekdays, and she often misses Baoyu. She said earlier that Baoyu's marriage must be seen by the empress. How can my master and I go beyond my empress' promise to Lord Bowling?"

Aunt Xue suddenly got up and smiled: "Pan'er said yesterday that she asked me for money to do business, so she can't accompany the old lady."

Jia Mu hurriedly laughed and said, "If my aunt is not in a hurry, just sit down for a while. I have one more thing to trouble my aunt. In the spring, the scorpion I added to my aunt and Miss Xing as Baoshan, now it's on Baoyu, I think about it. , I can't find a good matchmaker, and I want to ask my concubine to give Baoyu a Baoshan, isn't it all four corners?"

Aunt Xue also laughed and said, "I'm really in a hurry. The business at home can't be delayed, and it can easily cost tens of thousands of silver. Pan'er has a bad temper. I'm going back late. I don't know what he's doing at home."

Jia Mu couldn't keep her, so she had to tell Mrs. Wang to send her sister off first.

The two sisters stepped out of the room without saying a word, until they were out of the courtyard, and when they were close to the second door, Mrs. Wang held her sister's hand and said in a low voice: "Sister, don't be upset. The parents ordered the matchmaker's words, and the master took them." If you don't make up your mind to ask, even if the master himself is concerned about your mother's will, he dare not make decisions without authorization. With me, I will definitely not let Bao girl suffer."

Aunt Xue sighed slightly, patted the back of Mrs. Wang's hand, and whispered back: "Sister, I understand in my heart that I just made it difficult for my sister. My sister's situation is really besieged by all sides. I feel very sorry for my sister."

The corner of Mrs. Wang's mouth twitched, with a slight sneer.

Aunt Xue's eyes were red, the marriage between their two families, how could there be so many disasters?

After sending Aunt Xue out of the second door, Mrs. Wang said: "For Baoyu, why can't I bear it? No one can take away Baoyu's heaven-sent fate from me. Sister, just rest assured, I have a lot to say to the old lady."

Back to Jiamu's upper room, Mrs. Wang saw Jiamu sitting at the top and Mrs. Xing sitting at the bottom. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were smiling happily. She concealed all her thoughts and went forward with a smile to report that Aunt Xue had been sent out Now, when Mother Jia said she knew it, Fang sat down and listened to the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law continuing what they had just said, but they were talking about Sister Feng's son.

Soon after Jia Amnesty came back, he named his grandson Jia Xuan.

Mrs. Xing said with a smile: "Brother Xuan is already eight months old, she sits firmly and crawls fast, if she hadn't been dressed thickly at this time, she would have been crawling all over the kang and no one could find her. He also often robbed his sister of gruel to eat, and would cry loudly if he didn't give it to me. Once in my room, it made the master feel so distressed. I asked the imperial doctor and said that he could eat these after half a year old Lian'er and his wife dared to feed him some gruel and minced meat, and he was fatter than before."

Jia Mu sighed: "Okay, this is good. The population is thriving, which is what everyone looks like. At this age, I don't look forward to anything, but I hope that I can hold the great-grandson of Baoyu's family before I die, and I will explain to you when I see your father-in-law." gone."

After finishing speaking, he said to Mrs. Wang: "Aunt Cai was here just now, so it's hard to say. Now, I'll just say it straight."

Mrs. Wang just sat down for a while, and when she heard this sentence, she stood up and lowered her hands.

Jia Mu said: "It stands to reason that I shouldn't have interfered in Baoyu's marriage according to my parents' order and matchmaker's words. I was born to raise him in my room as a child. I love him like my lifeblood. How can I not?" Don't ask? I thought that there would be no good candidates for a while, so I'll let you mess around. If a good relationship happens today, how can you get married just because of a few jokes? Don't say anything else, the person you choose can help you Baoyu what? Help him with his official career? Solve difficult problems for him? Just relying on that elder brother of Bao girl, he is already good enough not to cause trouble, how can he support the Xue family? How can he help Baoyu?"

She drank a sip of tea to moisten her throat, and continued: "I am old, so I am a little confused, but no matter how confused I am, I know that the wife's family matters. You are Baoyu's mother, so you don't want to find someone who can help Baoyu." Wife family? You also know that Baoyu has no great talent in reading. Even if he was born with great fortune, it is hard to say that he will be named on the gold list in a short time. How powerful is my natal family in the capital compared to the Xue family who just arrived in the capital? Yun'er's uncle will come back to Beijing in a year or two, maybe he will have to go up a promotion. Yun girl often goes out with her aunt to socialize, and knows a lot of high-ranking officials, so how is she compared to Bao girl?"

Mrs. Wang sneered in her heart, saying all these things, why did she pick Baochai?Why didn't Shi Xiangyun even say that the two marriages were dismissed?Why don't you say that Shi Xiangyun lost his parents in his infancy?Why don't you say that Shi Xiangyun is not as good as Baochai in his conduct?How can such a girl be said to Baoyu, even Baochai is inferior.

Want to use the power of historians to suppress yourself to agree?Don't they have noble concubines and empresses to call the shots?Although I don't know why the historian suddenly wrote to Jia Zheng, Mrs. Wang disliked Xiangyun even more.

Therefore, no matter what Jia's mother said, Mrs. Wang just refused to let go, keeping her eyebrows low and pleasing to the eye so that Jia's mother could not find a single fault.

Urged by Jia's mother, Mrs. Wang said slowly: "You have to ask your mother about this matter. Although the master and I are Baoyu's parents, it is a matter of Baoyu's life, and we cannot make decisions on our own."

Jia Mu spent a lot of time talking, but she still couldn't talk to Mrs. Wang, so she simply said: "You are like this, how can you tell your master to go back to the historian's house?"

Mrs. Wang said confidently: "What's the hurry? I just said that Baoyu should not marry early. Wouldn't it be appropriate for us to discuss it after the historian Hou Ye and his wife returned to Beijing? Anyway, it was decided by letter at this time. When I came down, I didn't have any courtesy at all, so I can't take it seriously. When I reply to the master, I will ask the master to reply to the historian like this."

As smart as Shi Nai and his wife, they should know that their family does not agree to this marriage after receiving such a reply. If they continue to entangle, they will not look good to each other.Mrs. Wang thought to herself, and said: "Wait until you enter the palace tomorrow to say hello, and write a letter to the master when you come back."

Taking advantage of the situation, he resigned and said that he would prepare something for Yuanchun.

Satisfied, Mrs. Xing left, turned around, and went to visit her grandson in Sister Feng's courtyard, and chatted with her daughter-in-law by the way.

Jiamu stared quietly at the door curtain for a while, saw the mandarin ducks and other people entering in a file, thought for a while, and said, "Pearl, go and call Miss Lin, take the pen, ink, paper and inkstone, and ask her to write the letter for me." letter."

Glass agreed, went out for a while, and called Daiyu over.

Jia Mu said: "Come on, Yu'er, sit down and ask Yuanyang to grind ink. I say you write and write back to your uncle."

Daiyu had no choice but to sit in front of the table, lay out paper and pick up a pen, and write on the paper according to Jia Mu's words. It was nothing more than she felt that Xiangyun and Baoyu's marriage was very good and proper, and she was very happy and comforted when she heard this, and she listed the things after the marriage. All kinds of benefits and so on.After writing this, Daiyu immediately understood the content of Jia Zheng's letter. It was Shi Nai's letter to Jia Zheng intending to promise Xiangyun to Baoyu.

As she wrote, she sighed softly. She really didn't know whether it was Baoyu's luck or Baoyu's misfortune. Everyone only cared about themselves. How could anyone ask Baoyu if he was willing?

The grandparents and grandsons are like this here, and Mrs. Wang is packing some things over there, and goes to the palace early the next morning.

It was the twelfth day of the twelfth lunar month. Mrs. Wang was not at home, and the family was very busy. Jia Zhen got up, visited the ancestral hall, and then came to bid farewell to Jia Mu and others, but she was thinking about Baoyu's marriage. Take it to heart, the family sent him to the Salei Pavilion, and Jia Rong sent him back after three days and three nights. This is a later story.

Because Jiamu and Mrs. Wang failed to persuade each other, the masters and sons who heard the letter did not dare to cause trouble, and each rested in the house. Daiyu went to find Xichun by herself, refusing to pay attention to the dispute between Xiangyun and Baochai.

But when he saw Yuan Chun, who was still rich and handsome, he couldn't help shedding tears. After talking about the cold and warm, he complained to Yuan Chun about what happened yesterday, and said in a nonchalant manner: "Where is it that Bao girl is not good? It is clearly Yun girl who is not Well, no one has seen each other before thinking of Baoyu. When we didn’t talk about marriage before, why didn’t we mention marriage? After being rebuffed twice, I remembered it? I knew that the old lady didn’t want Baoyu’s daughter-in-law to marry me. With a single heart, we can handle Baoyu's marriage in different ways."

After listening silently, Yuan Chun nodded and said, "Mother, don't worry, I know. I will reply to my father as my mother said. If it is not good to refuse Lord Baoling, I will wait until Lord Baoling returns to Beijing after his term is over." Since Shi Nai wrote to Jia Zheng, it would be difficult to refuse him, but he had to delay until they could no longer procrastinate. Xiangyun's marriage is not in a hurry, but the younger sisters are always in a hurry.

Mrs. Wang said happily: "Your Majesty, do you mean to refuse?"

Yuan Chun smiled and said: "That's right. Although Girl Yun's family background is indeed stronger than Girl Bao's, how can people like us need to read these things? Even if the family is poor, just give a few taels of silver, and always say something good to Baoyu Shuhui's daughter-in-law, a girl like Yun, who behaves in the world and has a temperament and character, is absolutely unacceptable, even worse than sister Lin, let alone Bao girl."

Mrs. Wang followed with a smile and said, "Exactly, Miss Lin was very stubborn with Baoyu in our house when she was young. Even though she was always mean to Bao girl, her speech and behavior were a hundred times better than that of Yun girl."

Go out of the palace and go back to the mansion, reply to this letter, and send it out together with Jia Mu's.

After Jia Zheng received the letter, he stood up first, took Jia Mu's letter with both hands and opened it. After reading it, he sat down and looked at Mrs. Wang's. Although his wife and mother had disputes, how should he reply Shi Nai? Got an idea.

Before, he was also in a dilemma.

He never pays attention to the choice of Baoyu's wife, but he values ​​Xiangyun. Unexpectedly, although Jia's mother agrees, Yuan Chun refuses.

Before sending the letter back to Beijing, Shi Nai sent a letter to Jia Zheng and received a letter from Jia Zheng within a few days. Seeing that he had to go back to Beijing to ask Concubine Xiande and Jia Mu, Shi Nai felt a little embarrassed. If there is something wrong, Jia's mother must agree to this marriage, but Jia Yuanchun has always attached great importance to good luck, and Jia Zheng is not an unsophisticated person.

After receiving Jia Zheng's second letter, Shi Nai sighed and told his wife the contents.

Mrs. Shi Nai sneered and said: "They really have a good idea. I don't know if the gift-giver from Jia's family and our people have arrived in the capital. I asked our people to invite Princess Nan'an to join us."

Shi Nai counted and said: "It should have arrived long ago, so I don't know what the result will be. I hope this will go well." In fact, he didn't bother about Xiangyun. What Xiangyun did made him feel cold, but Xiangyun The marriage is uncertain, so it is difficult for the children below to talk about relatives, lest outsiders say that their parents and children are not separated, or that there is something wrong with their family, which has caused Xiangyun to have no family for a long time.

Not long after the letters from Mother Jia and Mrs. Wang were sent out, the servants who gave the gifts and the mother-in-law of the historian arrived in the capital.

The latter was divided into two groups, one went to Jia's house to give gifts, and the other went to Nan'an Prince's Mansion to give gifts, and found Nan'an Dowager Concubine.Concubine Nan'an was the most familiar with Xiangyun, she protected Xiangyun several times, and upon receiving Mrs. Shi Nai's request, she came to the door the next day.

Unexpectedly, even if Concubine Nan'an went out in person, she still returned without success.

After Xiangyun learned about it, a trace of sadness appeared in his eyes.

No matter how they confront each other, how they plan, Daiyu is living her life quietly, and she is looking at the things Wei Ruolan sent, which are extremely flat glass, transparent as water, different from the glass nowadays, divided according to the size of the window paper Open and bind on the window, you can see the snow scene outside the window without pushing the window.