serious man in the red chamber

Chapter 324 Laba Festival

The Empress Dowager passed away. According to the court system, all the imperial edicts and others were required to enter the court and follow the order according to the nobility system. Jia Mu, Mrs. Xing, Mrs. Wang, Youshi, Qin Keqing and Wang Xifeng all had to go to the court to offer sacrifices. They returned to Ningshou Palace 21 days later. To get to the imperial mausoleum, it would take a month.

There was no one in Rongguo Mansion, and Lin Daiyu wanted to manage the Beining County Prince's Mansion and the Jia Family Chamber of Commerce, so Jia's mother asked Li Wan to lead sisters Yingchun and Tanchun to manage Rongguo Mansion, and also asked Aunt Li and Aunt Xue to take care of them.

Although there was no decree from the palace prohibiting banquets and music, Li Wan consulted with Lin Daiyu and just arranged a few tables of home-cooked meals in the large flower hall in Jia Mu's backyard, and everyone gathered together to eat a bowl of eight-treasure porridge.

In the absence of Jia Mu, Aunt Li and Aunt Xue only took care of their sisters and prohibited them from making appointments with the maids and mothers-in-law, but did not restrict the sisters.

Everyone was at ease. Aunt Li and Aunt Xue invited Mrs. You over, and the three of them sat at the same table.

Yingchun, Tanchun, Baoyu, Xiangyun and Xingxiuyan sat at the same table. Li Wan took Li Wen, Li Qi, Baochai and Baoqin to the same table.

Another table was set up at the door, and Yuanyang, Amber, Jin Chuan'er, Jade Chuan'er, Zicuckoo, Si Qi, Shi Shu, Ru Hua, Cui Lu, etc. sat together.

Everyone was sitting together, talking and laughing, some playing Go, and some playing dice and playing cards. It was very lively.

"Kid, kid, don't be greedy. After Laba Festival, it's the New Year. Drink Laba porridge for a few days, and it's 23; 23, sticky melons; 24, clean the house."

At this time, a clear and sweet voice came in. Everyone looked at each other and looked towards the door.

After a while, Xichun came in singing the song Jia Hu taught her, holding a letter in her hand, running as excited as a bird and shouting: "Second sister, there is a letter from my brother, a letter specially written for me." !”

Yingchun just smiled slightly and didn't answer.

Xiangyun smiled and said, "Can you show it to me?"

Xichun handed the letter over generously: "Take a look."

Xiangyun glanced at the letter and burst out laughing, "This is not a letter to you alone. It clearly mentioned the second sister, the third sister and me."

"On the envelope are written the words 'my sister personally expresses'!"

Xichun's mouth turned up high.

Xiangyun smiled: "Okay, okay." Handing the letter to Yingchun, Tanchun leaned his head over.

Baoyu glanced at the letter in Yingchun's hand, smiled at Xichun and asked, "Did the second brother say when he will come home?"

Xichun shook her head.

Xiangyun sighed: "Second brother said that he asked people from the Chamber of Commerce to prepare New Year gifts for us."

Baoyu: "Why don't you go home to celebrate the New Year?"

Xiangyun said sadly: "It should be like this."

Yingchun folded the letter, stuffed it into Xichun's purse, and asked, "Where is your sister Lin?"

Xichun: "Sister Lin is writing a letter and will be here soon."

At this time, the voices of Lin Zhixiao's family came from outside: "Quick! Take them all in!"

The maids filed in and the dishes were served in an instant.

Then, Lin Zhixiao's family asked some women to come in carrying two small stoves with porridge pots on them, placed them in the flower hall, and then left.

Li Wan stood up, walked to the stove and opened the lid of the pot, and the rich aroma filled his nostrils.

The Jia family's Laba porridge is more particular. They start washing the rice, soaking the fruits, peeling and removing the seeds from the evening of the seventh day of the twelfth lunar month. After the seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, they start simmering it on a low fire until midnight on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. The Laba porridge is not ready until the early morning.

"Miss Lin is here!" The maid's voice came from outside.

Before she could say anything, a group of housekeepers' wives surrounded Lin Daiyu and came in from the outside.

At this time, Lin Daiyu's dress was different from the past. There was a gold and jade phoenix hairpin inserted in her bun. The phoenix carved from mutton fat jade was beautiful in shape.Wearing a bright red brocade robe with a round collar, it is embroidered with colorful phoenix, peony and cloud patterns, and tied around the waist is a lapis lazuli and green double-ringed four-in-one Ruyi palace sash.Everyone stood up to greet him.

Lin Daiyu stepped forward to say hello to You Lao Niang, Aunt Li and Aunt Xue. After thinking for a while, she smiled at Aunt Xue and said, "Congratulations to Auntie. Girl Qin's brother has made great contributions and has been recommended as a sixth-rank official. He is ready to be summoned." Wait for it."

Sixth grade official!Aunt Xue was overjoyed. She had been waiting for the news for two months. If she hadn't received Xue Biao's letter in mid-November, she would have doubted whether the two brothers had an accident.

Mrs. You smiled quickly and said, "Congratulations, auntie."

Aunt Li also smiled and said: "Congratulations, aunt, this is really like a fish leaping over the dragon's gate! From now on, my brother's career will definitely skyrocket."

Aunt Xue's old face also turned red, and she said with great fascination: "Thank you for your good words! Back then, the ancestors of the Xue family were rewarded by Emperor Taizong and granted the title of Ziwei Sheren. At that time, the Xue family had a close relationship with the royal family, and Emperor Taizong also treated the Xue family There are many rewards, which is why the Xue family prospered later!"

Lin Daiyu looked at Aunt Xue with a smile and said, "Congratulations to Auntie in advance. We hope that Auntie's family will help us more in the future. If anything happens, we can discuss it together and make decisions together."

Aunt Xue was startled and waved her hands hurriedly: "I don't dare, I don't dare to ask the prince for more support in the future. If he can get a job under the prince, that would be his destiny!" With that, she pulled Lin Daiyu up. He held his hand and said, "The prince asked the girl to help you say a few words of kindness. I'll thank you first. Thank you." After saying this, he bowed.

Lin Daiyu supported Aunt Xue and said with a smile: "Generally speaking, I don't care about outside things, but who said we are relatives."

As soon as this was said, Aunt Xue was overjoyed.

Lin Daiyu glanced at Xue Baochai first, and then said: "If Auntie really thanks me, let Sister Bao go and talk to me more. If she feels better, she will naturally have nice things to say."

Aunt Xue was a little surprised. She said nice things when she was in a good mood, but what about when she was in a bad mood?This was a way of talking about herself, implying that she could bring down the platform that the Xue family had worked so hard to build with just one word!
Aunt Li looked at Aunt Xue, then at Lin Daiyu, and was secretly shocked. No wonder Li Wan said she was not someone to be trifled with. Her gentle words were full of murderous intent!
No matter how hard your mind is, Mrs. You realizes that something is not right in the atmosphere. She hurriedly smiles and interrupts: "This eight-treasure porridge should be eaten while it's hot. It's soft, glutinous and sweet."

Li Wan said with a smile: "If you endure it any longer, you will become confused."

Tanchun hurriedly asked the little maid to serve porridge. Bowls of fragrant eight-treasure porridge were placed on the table, and the whole flower hall was filled with aroma.

It has been three years, and everyone knows exactly who is thinking what, and they are still good friends even if they see through it without revealing it, and they can only keep it secret.

Soon, the big flower hall was filled with laughter and laughter again.
Wang Ziteng was a stingy man and arranged the Xiyi people into the courtyard where the Manchu envoys originally stayed.

When Major William moved in with his two deputies and the translator, he even praised Wang Ziteng, which greatly improved his impression of his aggressiveness. As a result, he learned the next day that someone had died in the main room of the North House, including 30 people at one time. People, Major William was so angry that he moved from the main room of the north room to the west room while cursing Wang Ziteng.

Dinner is also being served here.

Major William and his two lieutenants were sitting at the dinner table eating rice pudding.

There are many Han Chinese in Nanyang. Major William once had eight-treasure porridge in a Han restaurant, but it was not as delicious as the one sent by the Concierge House.

It wasn't until he finished the third bowl that Major William put down the bowl with satisfaction and rested against the back of his chair.

Two deputies also put down their bowls.

A deputy spoke: "Counting the days, it's time for the Nanyang side to reply. I wonder if those officials agree to the Zhou Dynasty's conditions?"

Another deputy: "I heard that the Zhou Dynasty has formed another navy, and the gap between us is widening. If there is a war, we will all be thrown into the sea by the Zhou Dynasty people to feed the fish!"

Major William sighed. From the bottom of his heart he was unwilling to go to war with this huge empire, but the price they offered was too high, and it would be difficult to execute those war-fighting officers!

At this time, the door was pushed open with a "snap".

Major William and his two lieutenants raised their heads in surprise.

The translator rushed in excitedly and said to Major William: "I just heard the news that King Rakshasa himself led an army of 17 to Ulia Sutai and was fighting the Zhou army led by King Beining. Listen. Said the Rakshasa people suffered heavy losses.”

Major William was surprised: "King Rakshasa himself led an army here?"

The translator nodded.

Major William stood up, walked to the window, pondered for a while, and said excitedly: "This is a good opportunity! Let's spread the news back to the mainland immediately. With the strength of the Zhou Dynasty people, the Rakshasa people will definitely be defeated, even if they are only defeated. The people of the Zhou Dynasty wiped out one hundred thousand troops, which is also very beneficial to us!"

After a pause, "I'll write a letter right now!" He turned around and walked back to the inner room.
(End of this chapter)