Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 288
"Quick, Xiangling, bring some tea over here."

Xue Baochai helped Xue's mother to his bed, covered her with a quilt, and then ordered Xiangling to bring water.

"Yes, ma'am."

Xiangling also hurried back to the table, poured a bowl of tea and brought it over, and then carefully took a clean brocade cloth and dipped some water in it to wipe Mother Xue's forehead.

Xue Baochai fed some water, and felt more at ease when she saw that her mother was breathing better. She got up and walked outside the hall, and saw a few servants kneeling there with bruised noses and swollen faces, wailing continuously.

just asked;
"What's going on? Tell me quickly."

"Miss Hui, it was the young master who offended Luo Yunhou on the flower boat. He was beaten and then kidnapped. The young master just said a few words, but it didn't work out."

The young servant was also used to domineering with Xue Pan in Jinling City, and he didn't care much about some inappropriate words, but Xue Baochai felt a headache when he heard it, and it's okay now that it's like this, hey.

Knowing that my elder brother is bound to show off his words every time, it is useless for me to persuade him many times, this time it is fine, I have encountered a powerful one, Luo Yunhou, why are you so familiar, isn't this the aunt of the Wang family's side room? , how could this be the case.

"You guys go down first, I will find a way about this."

"Yes, miss, hurry up, that Lord Hou escorted him to the pier, and I don't know if the young master can bear the pain or not."

The boy was still a little worried, crying miserably there, but Xue Baochai was so angry that he knew that he would not pull him, and went back to the hall without paying attention.

Mother Xue woke up from this matter, and asked with a look of misery on her face;

"Baochai, what's the matter, where is your brother?"

Xue Baochai came over with tea and comforted him;

"It's okay, mother, drink some water first."

"Where can I still drink the water, tell me what's going on, so we can find some people to talk and make peace."

Hearing Baochai's consolation, Xue's mother was even more anxious. She asked anxiously why she could think of anything else.

"Brother was on the Qinhuai River in the morning, and he offended Luo Yunhou with his words, so this will not be deducted."

Xue Baochai also nodded inwardly, the flower boats on the Qinhuai River are a famous place in Jinling, so I, a girl who has never been out of the court, can say anything about that place, so I can only talk about it lightly.

"What, he went to that place again, and I said he couldn't go, he couldn't go, brother Ni must not listen to the persuasion, you see what happened."

Xue's mother was still complaining, this scene seemed to happen over and over again, and Xue Baochai was also upset.

"Fortunately, it is said that he was kidnapped by Luo Yunhou, and now he is at the pier."

Seeing that Xue's mother was still there, Xue Baochai told who was the kidnapped brother.

Xue's mother was also taken aback when she heard the words, the name was so familiar, but she was so anxious that she didn't remember it.

"Mother, it's the one from the Wang family."

Seeing her mother, Xue Baochai didn't seem to remember it, so she went directly to the Wang family and talked about it.

No, Mother Xue just remembered, it's not the one who lived in the side room of the Wang family back then, but now the old lady of the Hou's Mansion outside the pass.

Isn't that his own person? No matter what, they are all from the ancestors of the Wang family. After the relatives said, they are really from the Wang family.

"Who am I? It turns out to be your aunt. This matter is easy to handle. Let's go directly to her,"

Seeing her mother like this, Xue Baochai didn't know how, her mother took it for granted, he is now a noble mansion, and Xue's family is a merchant, although there is such a relationship, but no one knows what it is.

But I can't talk nonsense when I see my mother's appearance now;

"Mother, let's prepare something before we talk, at least there is a reason."

"That's true."

Xue's mother naturally knew the difference in status in her heart, but if she didn't cling like this, how could she see the righteous master rescue Xue Pan.

By the way, right!Mother Xue thought of the Zhuangzi that Mrs. Wang sold to her back then, so she went back to her house to search for the land deed. After thinking about it, she took out 10 taels of silver and put them together in her purse.

When you go out, discuss it with Baochai;
"Baochai, do you still remember Zhuangzi back then, I returned the land deed to him and took 10 taels of silver, do you think it's okay?"

"Well, it's almost there. Bring some of the best Yunwu tea from Fuchu."

Xue Baochai also felt the same, and took some tea unique to Jinling, so she felt relieved.

The mother and daughter discussed it well and did not dare to delay, so they greeted the young servant and the old servant, boarded a carriage and left Xue's residence.

Along the way, I was not in the mood to look at the scenery outside, and I was not in the mood to buy some snacks to satisfy my cravings, so I was a little silent.

Mother Xue's expression became more and more worried, for fear that she, a widow, would not even be able to enter the door of other people's houses.

"Baochai, what do you think if it doesn't work? Your brother doesn't know if he will be beaten."

Xue Baochai didn't know what to do either, so she could only take a step at a time. As for her brother being beaten, she didn't worry about it.

"Don't worry, mother, no matter what you say, you won't embarrass us. If such a big Hou's mansion is in the south of the Yangtze River, if it really bullies us, it won't be a bully if it spreads."

"That's right, that's right, the Hou Mansion's face will not look good when the time comes."

Seeing Xue's mother's appearance, Xue Baochai was speechless for a moment, and her mother didn't understand what she meant at all.

When the carriage was driving on the streets of Jinling City,
Zhang Jinyu also took people back to the camp, and then ordered;

"Pull this guy to the flagpole, hang it up for half an hour, then put it down, give him some water first."

"Yes, Lord Hou."

Zhang Jinyu saw that Xue Pan's face was pale with fright, and he didn't have the heart to look any further. As long as he didn't die, it would be fine. Let me teach you a lesson.

Then he took his personal guards and boarded the upstairs boat with all kinds of packed food.

He went straight to Mrs. Wang's cabin, knowing that the girls must be here.

He didn't even knock on the door, just went in and saw a few girls sitting in the inner room, Qin Keqing and Yang Hanyu were actually playing chess there, and the girls around were knocking on melon seeds that they didn't know where they came from, so they were leisurely.

Seeing her son coming, Mrs. Wang asked;

"Jinyu, are you okay?"

Zhang Jinyu grinned, shook the big and small bags in his arms, ate all kinds of food, and replied;

"Mother, don't worry, the baby is fine. Jinling City is currently under control, and the pier is our own. Wait a minute. These are Jiangnan specialties I bought in the city. Come and try them all."

"That's good."

Before Mrs. Wang finished speaking, the second daughter Yueshu ran over and started to help Zhang Jinyu take the snacks from her arms and put them on the table. When they spread out, the table was full.

Qin Keqing also smiled winkingly and joked softly,

"Lang Jun just moved all the stalls here, there are so many."

"I'm thinking about it. I can't hold it. Ma'am, don't mention it. Jinling's snacks are really different. For example, this one has a unique taste."

Zhang Jinyu took out a bunch of red candied haws, and handed them over. Qin Keqing smiled and took it, took a bite, and accidentally swallowed her saliva, which was a bit special and sour.

Madam Wang also smiled when she saw this;

"Jinling's candied haws are a bit sweet, then sour, and then sour to the end."

Zhang Jinyu also hurriedly took out two skewers and handed them over to her mother. Wang took them over and looked at the same as before, nothing changed, and said with emotion,
"It hasn't changed at all, Zixiang, Qingwen, come here."

Mrs. Wang called out to the two little girls, and Qingwen and Zixiang came over not far behind, especially Zixiang's eyes were fixed on the candied haws in Mrs. Wang's hand. Qingwen was a little ashamed when she saw it. It's so embarrassing to blush.

Mrs. Wang also kindly handed the two bunches of candied haws to the two little girls. Zixiang thanked them and took them to her mouth, looking very satisfied.

Qingwen was more disciplined, she saluted respectfully, and then took it and started to eat slowly.

As for the other three, they sat at the table long ago, picking and picking, and then took some food and wrapped them up in front of Mrs. Wang's table, and finally went back to eat.

"Okay, there are no outsiders, there are so many rules, sit down and eat."

Mrs. Wang saw Xiao Qingwen so reserved, so she said.

Qingwen's eyes were red too, she nodded heavily and sat with Zixiang.

Mrs. Wang looked at the rice cakes, biscuits and sugar cakes in front of the table. They were all her favorites when she was young. It is rare for the two little girls, Yueshu, to remember them.

Pick up a sugar cake and put it in your mouth. It is soft and sweet, just like in memory.

Suddenly, Mrs. Wang asked;

"How about the Jia family?"

Zhang Jinyu sat beside her mother all the time, and didn't dare to disturb her eating. When she suddenly asked about this, she understood her mother's depression in her heart.

"The son sent people to surround the nine-room house of Jia's family. They were allowed to enter and not allowed to leave. As for how to deal with it, it depends on the mother's mood. It just so happened that the attack on the imperial court envoy in the son's hands has raised eyebrows, and it was done by the commander of the guards. , can be regarded as a major treason case, do you want it?"

Zhang Jinyu told the whole story of what she had done, and wondered if she was accusing someone from Jia's ninth room with a knife.

Mrs. Wang didn't answer for a while. After eating the sugar cake, she took another piece of sticky cake. This is a kind of food that is often eaten by the folks in the south of the Yangtze River. After taking a sip, he said,
"It can't be done like this. The Jia family can't conspire against them no matter what. Even if it's a separate house, otherwise, how other dignitaries look at it, they can get involved with the salt merchants. It's nothing more than being accused of copying the house. Since it's around, let's do this first."

As soon as Zhang Jinyu heard it, she knew that her arrangement was a little impatient and inappropriate. Many nobles in the past dynasties surrendered, and not many rebelled, so she was a little reckless.

"What my mother said was that my son was reckless. I wanted to see if I could go directly to Jia's family to get more branches and leaves, but I didn't expect this."

"Well, it's good for those nobles to support them. There is no need to offend them. Now what you want to think about is to strengthen yourself. When Jiangnan is here, this business route will come soon."

Mrs. Wang took a sip of tea and spoke casually.

In fact, Zhang Jinyu also thought about whether Jiangnan can have a fixed site to transport supplies outside the customs. Now those people in the Ministry of Internal Affairs seem to be addicted to selling people, and refugees are sent to outside the customs on the canal every day. It greatly involved all the energy and money of all places outside the pass, and the consumption of supplies and food reserves was too fast.

In particular, Lu Zixian, the guard of Pingyao City, even sent a secret letter, saying that there was a lack of everything outside the customs. There is a shortfall, but too many people consume it quickly.

"Mother is absolutely right!"

(End of this chapter)