serious man in the red chamber

Chapter 396
After dusk, snowflakes began to fall again, and several women from the Xue family walked out of Aunt Xue's house carrying two boxes and cages.

A maid lit the lantern on the table.

The table was filled with brocade gift boxes. In the two opened jewelry boxes, various jade, gold and jade jewelry sparkled under the light.

While counting the prepared gifts, Aunt Xue said: "Although it was a bit hasty, this marriage is very good. When I married Yingchun, I was a first-class countess, the head wife, without any filial piety from my parents-in-law, let alone a sister-in-law or a brother-in-law. To cope.

I heard from your brother that Yang Dayong's title will rise in the future. That is a title that will bring wealth for two or three lifetimes. "As he said that, he picked up a phoenix hairpin and wiped it with a handkerchief.

Baochai on the side picked out a jade lock with a gold chain from the jewelry box and handed it to Aunt Xue: "Don't give this longevity lock as a gift. If you give it away, you won't wear it."

Aunt Xue thought for a while, handed it to Tongxi behind her, sighed softly, and said: "After dinner, I asked the old lady that your brother's sixth-grade Zhaoxin school captain Wusan official position must also abide by the system. One year later Your brother is also considered 21."

After hearing this, Baochai was stunned. One year later, she would be eighteen, and her marriage was still not settled.
Aunt Xue saw her in a daze and asked, "What's wrong?"

Baochai came back to her senses: "It's nothing, I was distracted by what mom said. What did mom think?"

Aunt Xue suddenly remembered: "I forgot to tell my colleagues that the Xia family in Xi'an returned to Beijing a few months ago. They were the 'Osmanthus Xia family' who had a very good relationship with our family back then. After your father's death, the two families stopped contacting each other. Unexpectedly, the Xia family The master is gone, and only Mrs. Xia lives with her only daughter. When you were young, you used to play around together. You were still young at that time, so you probably can’t remember it.

I don’t know where they got the news, but they sent the message as soon as they arrived in Beijing. It happened that I was not feeling well in those two days, so I didn’t go. I only sent Xue Biao. It was fate, Xue Biao was going. I met your brother on the way, and you knew who he was. As soon as you heard that he was a relative, you followed him there. "

Speaking of this, Aunt Xue showed a proud smile on her face: "When Qian'er arrived at Xia's house, Mrs. Xia's wife had no son. When she saw your brother's fate, she cried and laughed at the same time. She liked her very much. Later, I heard that your brother was working as an errand in the Ministry of Revenue, and I was even more happy. I immediately asked your brother to stay for dinner, and even asked the girl from the Xia family to come out to meet him.

I heard from your brother that this girl from the Xia family is as good as a flower now. She is also a little literate and very knowledgeable about etiquette. "

After saying that, he took Baochai and sat down beside him, and said in a low voice: "Someone from the Xia family came the next day. What they meant was that the Xia family's wife fell in love with your brother and will destroy the Xia family's current situation." I went through the details of the industry. Osmanthus flowers are grown exclusively on dozens of hectares of land outside Xi'an. There are also many industries in Beijing. They are all relatives and I can't tell them face to face. Money is nothing these days. You have to have power.

Besides, our family lacks that little money from her family!Our caravan traveled to Southeast Asia and brought in more than [-] yuan. "

Baochai smiled and looked at Aunt Xue.

Aunt Xue sighed: "Your brother fell in love with the girl from the Xia family at that time. Now he runs to the Xia family and doesn't pay much attention to the affairs of the chamber of commerce. Every day when he comes back, he begs me to find the official media. To be honest, I don't like the Xia family. In my opinion, no matter what, your brother should marry a girl from an official family, even if she is a concubine."

After hearing this, Xue Baochai's expression changed, and he twisted the handkerchief tightly with both hands.

Seeing her like this, Aunt Xue realized that her words had hurt her daughter, and she regretted it. But the words had been spoken, how could she take them back?

Xue Baochai adjusted her emotions, stood up and brought a bowl of tea to Aunt Xue: "What is mom's plan?"

Aunt Xue took the tea, took a sip, put it down, and looked at Baochai: "Your brother is so lost in his mind now that he can't pull it back. Now that something like this has happened, let's just follow his wishes. At least he knows everything. We are old relatives. When it comes to marriage, they are still uncle and brother and sister. There is nothing missing in the family, but the wedding day is a bit urgent."

Baochai thought for a while: "Since my brother is getting married, my mother will send people to clean up the old house and choose a good day to move out."

"Can't move!"

Aunt Xue immediately interrupted her: "What will you do if you move out? Don't worry about this, I have my own arrangements."

At this moment, Xue Pan rushed in smelling of alcohol. When he saw Baochai, he was startled for a moment and then said, "It turns out that my sister is here, just in time."

Aunt Xue looked at him dissatisfied: "Did you go to Xia's house again?!"

Xue Pan blushed and replied hesitantly: "All the officials in the Ministry of Internal Affairs have been changed. The Xia family is not familiar with the place. I will help them settle old accounts. By the way, I will invite several chief officials to have a drink. Feng Ziying and several children of aristocratic families Keep me company."

Aunt Xue looked at her useless son with hatred.

Baochai spoke: "Brother, is there something wrong?"

Xue Pan then remembered and said hurriedly: "I just sent the chief officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs back to hear the news that the eldest master has joined the cabinet!"

Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai were startled and asked urgently: "Really?"

"After I came out of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, I went to the Ministry of Rites to meet my uncle, and the eldest master entered the cabinet."

Xue Pan nodded vigorously.

Xue Baochai looked at the gifts on the table and said to Aunt Xue: "These gifts must be useless." Aunt Xue nodded and was about to speak.

Xue Pan rushed to say: "I have asked Feng Ziying to help. He has a wide range of ways. Xue Pan is preparing a gift to congratulate the eldest master on joining the cabinet."

Before he could finish his words, Xue Biao's voice came from outside the door: "Madam, the gifts are ready."

Aunt Xue stood up and said to Baochai, "Let's go."

The news of Jia She's entry into the cabinet quickly spread throughout the two mansions, and the courtyard of the Xifu mansion was filled with people celebrating, and it was very lively.
Ning'an Hall Backyard

The night was already deep, but there was still a ray of light in the bedroom.

Jia Hu was sitting in front of the writing desk, writing quickly with his head lowered.

After Lin Daiyu recovered from her illness, the incense cauldron was moved back again, and the fire was burned with fine silver frost charcoal, which was as warm as spring.

A white and tender hand lifted the curtain open.

Lin Daiyu walked out of bed wearing Jia Hu's thick cotton gown, walked to the desk with her shoes on, and said softly: "Aren't you done yet?"

Jia Hu stood up, helped her sit down on his chair, and shouted to the outside: "Zicuckoo, Zicuckoo."

After a moment, Zijuan, her hair disheveled, ran and buttoned up her clothes and hurried towards this side: "What's wrong? Is the girl hungry again?"

Lin Daiyu rolled her eyes at her: "You know, but you still ask!"

Zijuan smiled and said, "There is rice porridge cooking on the small stove in the east wing. I will serve the girl a bowl." Then she looked at Jia Hu and asked, "Is the second master hungry?"

Jia Hu's face sank deliberately: "You know, but you still ask!"

Zijuan really couldn't laugh or cry: "It's my fault, I will apologize to the prince and princess." After saying a blessing, he turned and left.

Jia Hu and Lin Daiyu looked at each other and smiled.

Lin Daiyu picked up the abbreviation on the desk and read it. After only reading a few lines, her eyes were attracted, and then her eyes flashed, and she continued to look down.

After reading the last page, Lin Daiyu closed the folded paper in her hand, thought about it silently, and then looked at Jia Hu.

Jia Hu reached out and held Lin Daiyu's hand, and asked with a smile: "How is it?"

Lin Daiyu is such a smart person. She immediately saw Jia Hu's ambition from this summary. He wanted to use this "newspaper" to influence the gentry, even ordinary people, and control the hearts of the people.

Seeing her daze, Jia Hu reached out and touched her head: "What's wrong?"

Lin Daiyu came back to her senses: "Does this have to wait until the emperor dies?"

Jia Hu nodded.

Lin Daiyu seemed to understand something, but she didn't ask any more questions. She stood up and held Jia Hu's hand.

Jia Hu smiled, helped her to the kang, sat down, and quickly moved two quilts for her to lean on.

At this time, Zijuan came over with a food box, put two bowls of porridge, two plates of side dishes and a plate of pastries on the kang table, presented the chopsticks and left.

Lin Daiyu picked up the spoon in the bowl, took half a spoonful and put it into her mouth: "Why are you so nice to my uncle all of a sudden?"

Jia Hu swallowed the porridge in his mouth and said, "I had a talk with him in the afternoon and we had a good conversation."

Lin Daiyu glanced at him: "Do you believe him?"

Jia Hu smiled and gave her a small dish with chopsticks, "Let's eat."

Lin Daiyu snorted in her nostrils and stopped talking.
(End of this chapter)