Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 173
The application time has passed,

Just entered the unitary hour, and the Spring House Winter Meeting is not far away.

Rongguo Mansion,
In the ethnology hall, Jia Rui was also restless and depressed after watching the school all day.

It was announced early that get out of class and school were over, and the Jia family children in the house rushed out of the school happily and went back excitedly, but Jia Baoyu was a little unhappy.

I just feel suddenly bored and a little irritable.

Mingyan, the servant next to him, saw that Second Master Bao looked wrong, so he asked cautiously,

"Second Lord, what's the matter, what's wrong with you?"

Jia Baoyu replied listlessly,
"It's a bit boring, and you said why didn't you have a martial arts competition earlier?"

This is true, but this big competition is not at the discretion of the second master, so I have to persuade them with good words.

"Second Master, it's only been two or three days, there must be some, please be safe and don't be impatient, so, Second Master Bao, there are still some snacks on the street in front of the alley, or go buy some food, and then return home ?”

Mingyan's words aroused Jia Baoyu's great interest, and when he touched the money hidden in his bosom, there were still a lot of broken silver and a lot of copper coins, and his heart was moved.

But when he thought that if he sneaked out, his mother would be nagging endlessly there.

"Can this work? What if mother finds out about it?"

When Mingyan heard Jia Baoyu mentioning the second wife, she couldn't help shivering, which was true.

"Second Master Bao, then let's not go and go back to the mansion directly?"

Jia Baoyu is even more unhappy, but you are retreating, that's what I said, look at you.

"Who said we're going back, the street in front of the mansion is so close, so go to the gate and bring two servants, and then two guards, it's okay to go together, just leave after shopping."

It's rare to see Jia Baoyu making such a decisive decision. Ming Yan still hesitated, but seeing the domineering decision made by Second Master Bao, he didn't dare not listen, so he nodded submissively there. Only then did Jia Baoyu look calm, with a sense of relief on his brows, looking at the smoke that was still whistling, he couldn't help but curse,
"Hurry up and prepare, do you want me to go in person?"

Seeing the somewhat stern Second Master Bao, Ming Yan also moved quickly.

Get up and pack the pens, ink, papers and inkstones on the seat of Second Master Bao. You don’t need to take them back, you just need to sort them out and put them away. They are all provided free of charge by the family to the children of ethnology, and Second Master has everything in his own room.

After tidying up, Mingyan asked Jia Baoyu to rest for a while, then ran to the porter's room, called two servants and some guards, and hurried back.

But Jia Baoyu was sitting alone in the hall, besides himself and Jia Lan, who was slowly packing up the books. Seeing this, Jia Baoyu naturally couldn't just sit idly by, got up and came to Jia Lan's side, helping to stuff the books Put it in Jalan's book bag.

Seeing this, Jia Lan also let out a naive cry;
"Uncle Bao, thank you."

Jia Baoyu felt an inexplicable majesty feeling in his heart for a moment, and nodded to save face, then took out a tael of silver from his bosom and handed it over.

"Lan'er, Second Uncle Bao can't take you out, so you can buy some food yourself with this little money."

"This."

When Jia Lan saw that Uncle Bao gave Zizi money, she was also very greedy. Her mother was very strict with herself and would not give her a penny, but it seemed that it was not good to ask Uncle Bao for money, so she was very entangled there.

Jia Baoyu saw that this was not going to work, there was no reason why he couldn't send the money by himself, so he deliberately said with a straight face;

"You, why don't you take it? If you go back late, your mother won't cut you."

"Ah, second uncle, you didn't say it earlier."

Jia Lan was also unambiguous, directly took the money and put it in his arms, picked up the book bag and ran outside.

Looking at Jia Lan who was running away, he also smiled knowingly, and told Jia Lan to slow down on the road. Ming Yan who was outside brought people over, and was almost hit by Master Lan who ran out, and Master Lan who was running away also shook his head. shook his head.

When I came to the school, I shouted outside;

"Second Master Bao, everything is ready, when are we going to leave?"

Hearing Mingyan's shout, Jia Baoyu stretched, got up and walked out, and reprimanded softly;

"What are you shouting for? I'm afraid that others won't know."

Mingyan also repeatedly confessed that he did not dare, and the others dared not even breathe.

Jia Baoyu saw that he was okay, so he nodded and walked out first. There was a side door in the backyard of Rongguo Mansion, and there was an alley when he went out. Then he turned around Ningrong Street and came to Shifang Street.

Although it was already Youshi, there were not many people at all, and there were still a lot of people chatting and asking prices. Jia Baoyu, who was curious about all this, was also dazzled.

Jia Baoyu began to stroll around from the end of the street. Of course, the people with winking eyes avoided this to some extent. After all, a half-grown child with servants and guards looked like a son of a wealthy family. Naturally, it was better not to provoke him. .

Naturally, Jia Baoyu didn't feel that something was wrong, and it was the same at home, he was already used to it, and when he saw the small stalls on the street, he naturally walked over, while the people behind him followed closely, for fear that except for a little mistake, he would not be able to get there. At that time, the second wife, Mrs. Wang, was going to be ruthless.

After turning around for a while, Jia Baoyu didn't buy things randomly. First, he bought a set of folk clay tumblers for more than ten yuan, and then spent half a penny on muffins, candied haws, rice cakes, and sesame seed cakes. Let Mingyan hold her and walk forward.

Seeing an interesting place, I spent three taels of silver to buy a sculpture, which is a model of a yard, with houses, rockery, trees, birds, stone benches, tables, etc., which are lifelike and beautiful, just like a house in their own hands.

Of course, this thing is not a valuable item, but in Jia Baoyu's mind, these gold and silver vulgar things are not comparable to these artistically-conceived things. The so-called gold and silver are all tainted and filthy in the end. Appreciating Luo Yunhou's demeanor, I suddenly felt a little disappointed when I didn't expect to take him to pick up the money, and it was still unavoidable to be vulgar.

There are so many people in the world, and the vulgar is helpless, lamenting it.

Jia Baoyu sighed in his heart, but he was still attracted by these novel gadgets, and then came to a bookstore unknowingly, looking at the bookstore in front of him, Jia Baoyu instinctively resisted, but thought that the second sister liked playing chess more, didn't she? Buy a chess record and give it to her.

After hesitating at the door for a long time, I gritted my teeth and went in. Inside the antique bookstore, there are four books and five classics printed for various imperial examinations.

When the shopkeeper saw that a kid from a rich family came here, he immediately burst into a smile, and hurried out to greet him, and said with a smile;

"The little old man sees your son, what do you need?"

Jia Baoyu was even more disappointed when he saw a shopkeeper with a bit of Confucian style, and seeing himself with such a face. Sure enough, the scholar was still a layman in the end, with fame and fortune attached to him.

Naturally, he replied without a good tone;
"Don't buy books, buy some chess records."

Hearing this son's tone, he was a little impatient, and the shopkeeper didn't dare to talk nonsense. He was relieved to hear that he was buying chess records, and nodded again and again;
"Yes, my lord, there are even orphan copies here, what do you want, my lord?"

Naturally, Jia Baoyu would not buy such a rare book, just an ordinary one, and he didn't have much money on him. The so-called Luoyang paper is expensive, and the price of a book is not cheap. Therefore, literati are still very respected in Dawu.

"Just buy an ordinary chess book."

"Okay, wait a moment, son."

The shopkeeper took out a thick chess book from the back, and Jia Baoyu was also a little surprised. Does the game have to be so big?

Seeming to see your young master's doubts, the shopkeeper said carefully;
"Young master, this is the classic book of Dawu chess. It is not an isolated copy. If you buy one, you basically don't need other chess records."

Hearing such an explanation, Jia Baoyu suddenly realized, and asked directly;
"How much is this?"

The shopkeeper squinted his eyes and rubbed his hands, whispering;
"My lord, only five liang of silver is enough for the younger ones, I dare not ask for more."

Jia Baoyu frowned, Mingyan never thought it would be so expensive, seeing the expression on the face of Second Master Bao, he felt that he might not have enough money, and immediately reprimanded;
"Shopkeeper, are you cheating on our young master? Do you know who the young master is? This is from the Rongguo Mansion."

Before he finished speaking, he was stopped by Jia Baoyu, and the shopkeeper shrank his head when he heard that it belonged to the Rongguo Mansion. No one knew that the Jia family's behemoth was in the capital, so he immediately changed his words;
"My lord, forgive me, forgive me, the little old man has eyes that don't know Mount Tai, even if you take this thing for four taels of silver, the little old man will take it back for four taels of silver."

Jia Baoyu couldn't bear to look at the store that was selling miserably and crying. Isn't it worth five liang of silver for vulgar things.

He took out five liang of silver from his bosom and threw it over, the shopkeeper shook his hand when he received it, and hurriedly said;
"Young master, give me more, give me more."

Jia Baoyu waved his hand and went out without saying a word, and the people behind him followed closely, not daring to stay.

The money was almost spent, and Jia Baoyu looked at the sky and went back in a good mood. Along the way, he also bought some preserved melon seeds and some dried fruits to take with him.

There are even sellers of bayberry, so the more the better.

In order to reduce gossip, Jia Baoyu did not go back through the gate of Rongguo Mansion, but went back the same way and entered the alley, preparing to enter the mansion from the school.

After eating the still warm biscuits, looking back at the things I bought, I was also very happy. Today is a refreshing day.

While eating, he suddenly saw a person in front of him stealthily leading someone into the mansion. Jia Baoyu hastily brought Mingyan and others to look over, but because of the distance, he couldn't see anyone clearly.

"Second Master Bao, it might be a villain, you step back and ask the guards to take a look."

Mingyan repeatedly stopped Jia Baoyu from coming forward, but Jia Baoyu was naturally not afraid, when he saw Mingyan blocking him, he waved his hands and shouted at the people in front of him;

"Who is in front, what are you doing here, sneakily!"

(End of this chapter)