Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 618 Something happened in the West Courtyard
Luoyunhou Mansion,

Upstairs in Dongyun,

Baozhu went up to the attic with an unhappy face and a little aggrieved. She gave the good things to the Marquis, but the lady was not willing to part with them. She was complained about, so she went up to the attic angrily.

My pace slowed down a bit, and I entered the top floor.

I saw two soft pillows placed near the window in the hall. Mrs. Wang and Qin Keqing approached the window and lay on them, covering them with a blanket.

The two Yueshu girls were waiting by their side, busy serving tea and water, and occasionally peeling a piece of fruit themselves and putting it in their mouths, which was very pleasant.

Hearing the sound of someone going upstairs, he looked up and saw Baozhu, the personal girl next to Madam, with an unhappy look on her face.

Yue'er teased and said,

"Ah, isn't it Baozhu? Why, did Ruizhu bully you again?"

"Look at this look on his face. He looks aggrieved. Ouch."

Unexpectedly, the little girl Baozhu almost cried.

"Yes, old lady."

Qin Keqing raised his head and pointed his eyes at Baozhu to speak.

"Get up. Remember, no incense will be lit in the house from now on."

Qin Keqing didn't know Mrs. Wang's comforting intention, so he introduced in words the past affairs of aromatherapy. Some ladies in the house were proficient in everything from nvhong to incense.
"Oh, you actually know how to prepare spices, such a good technique,"

Mrs. Wang opened her eyes and looked at Qin Keqing's charming face. She was a noble lady who took advantage of that boy.

"Well, it's better to choose a day than to hit the sun. Yue'er, bring some spices and those rare things bought from the Western Regions and give them a try."

"If mother likes it, my daughter-in-law will prepare it for you."

"Okay, don't ask. Girl Baozhu is so well-behaved. Jin Yu must have come back, but did she scold you?"

Mrs. Wang knew very well that it must be that boy.

Naturally, Qin Keqing also knew that some of her husband's behaviors were a little weird. She liked incense, and it was the first time she had heard of the bad health, so she paid attention to it.

Baozhu understood, walked to the two of them in small steps, and then greeted Mrs. Wang.
"The old lady is fine. The slave has not been reprimanded. When the Marquis came, the slave was lighting incense. The Marquis said that in the future, less incense would be bad for the health. The slave did not understand this and made the Marquis angry."

This scene,
Mrs. Wang and Qin Keqing naturally took notice. Qin Keqing's face turned red, turned sideways, and asked,
"What's the matter? Who made you angry? Didn't they ask you to clean up in your husband's house?"

"It's good that mother likes it. My daughter-in-law used to use ordinary spices when she was at dad's house. She had nothing to do, so she bought a few more kinds, as well as a lot of floral seeds. She grinded and mixed them by herself, which gave her some experience."

Baozhu's eyes turned red and he confessed first.
Mrs. Wang waved her hand,
"No matter how little things make him angry, he won't do it if he doesn't point it out. Mr. Marquis has some hobbies that are different from outsiders. You just need to know about it and don't spread it to others."

Bao Zhu pouted, still a little reluctant, stood up and muttered,
"But the ambergris was bought by Madam with a lot of money, but it's not used yet."

When Baozhu saw the young lady asking, the old lady was also beside him, he was a little scared, he would not cause trouble for the young lady, he hesitated and couldn't explain clearly.

"Speak up."

"That's because he's not lucky. Let's use it in the lobby from now on. This thing is a good thing. It won't be much in a year, but you are interested."

Qin Keqing glared at Baozhu, scaring the little girl into silence.
Mrs. Wang didn't mind and comforted,

Shu'er was not polite and started teasing her.

Just when everything was quiet in Luoyunhou Mansion.

Outside Rongguo Mansion,

As the old lady's carriage stopped outside the main entrance, the mandarin ducks followed Wang Xifeng, one after the other, and helped the old lady get out of the carriage. They ignored the concierge's flattery and went straight into the mansion.

Entered the courtyard,
Go to Rongqing Hall,

along the way,

Mother Jia's face was a little ugly. On the surface, she was going to Jing'an Temple to offer incense. However, when she saw the ladies of the capital, she changed her previous attitude. She knew in her heart that the Jia family's status in the capital was in jeopardy. For her own sake, , although he behaved as always, it was a pity that the contempt in his eyes could not be seen.

I haven't had this kind of experience for a long time, and even when I got married, I didn't mention it.

When I met Mrs. Wang today, although she didn't say much and didn't mention anything about the Ningguo Mansion, she also made her attitude clear. She wanted to stay out of it and do whatever she could.

"Girl Feng, are you okay with Madam You?"

"Back to the old lady, Mrs. You has been living in seclusion these days. She lives in the courtyard with my sister-in-law, so she should be fine."

In the yard of sister-in-law Li Wan, Wang Xifeng always asked Ping'er to pay attention. She knew something about the things in the yard. Sister-in-law You didn't feel worried anymore after that night. She spent her free time doing some female celebrities in the room.

As for the elder sister-in-law Li Wan, she is still so harsh. She urges Langeer to review her homework morning and night. I don't know if I can succeed in Enke's way. I don't know what to do then.

"That's good."

Jia Mu stopped asking, the three of them were walking.

I saw outside the house gate,
A boy ran in in a panic, pushed the boy who was sweeping the floor to the ground, and cursed.
"You don't even know how to give way."

His arrogant and domineering appearance made many servants obey him. Mother Jia frowned. Is there such a person in the house now?

Wang Xifeng was even more angry after hearing this. There is such a short-sighted person. Looking back, who dared to yell in Rongguo Mansion?
This person looked quite familiar. I didn't think about it for a while, but the mandarin duck next to me said,
"Isn't this Li Gui, the wet nurse's son that the second wife gave to the second master Bao? Why are you so anxious?"

With Yuanyang’s reminder,
Wang Xifeng temporarily suppressed the anger in her heart, looked at the visitor's panic, and shouted,

"Li Gui, what made you yell there, huh?"

Li Gui walked in a hurry, only thinking about showing off his power inside the door. Unexpectedly, as soon as he entered the side courtyard, he heard the second grandmother's voice. He was startled, staggered, and fell to the ground. As soon as he looked up, he saw the old lady. He and his second grandmother were all there, so frightened that they knelt on the ground and worshiped;
"Slave Li Gui, I just came back from reading the notice at the Yamen. I met the old lady, the second mistress, and Miss Yuanyang."

Li Gui knew that his yelling just now must have been heard by his master, so he had to give a big salute. As for saluting Yuanyang, no one in the Rongguo Mansion knows that Yuanyang was given to Luo Yun by the old Taijun and the old lady of the Hou Mansion. The concubines appointed by Hou Ding were repeatedly announced to each house, and etiquette must not be lost.

"The Yamen notice, what are you doing there?" Jia Mu was attracted by Li Gui's words and casually went to the Yamen to see some notice. Could it be that there was news about Ning Mansion, so she asked.

Li Gui was kneeling there, still thinking about how to beg for mercy if he was punished by his master. He was distracted for a moment, didn't hear clearly, and didn't know what he was saying.
Wang Xifeng's eyes widened and she cursed with evil intent,
"You're a bitch, why don't you tell me what you're doing at the Yamen."

Li Gui was startled and quickly kowtowed and replied,

"Back to the old lady, back to the second grandma. When I got up today, I went out to buy some ink for the second master Bao. I wanted to ask the second master Bao how to collect the two taels of silver given by the court. After all, the second master Two silver coins is quite a lot."

Of course Wang Xifeng knew about the two taels of silver. It was all a favor from the imperial court and His Majesty.
"Tell me the point, what happened."

It's just that those few taels of silver were not noticed by Jia Mu and Wang Xifeng. What they cared about was the announcement from the court.

"Going back to Second Grandma, I didn't know that when I went to the Yamen, I saw many people around me, and then I squeezed in to take a look. Unexpectedly, there was a change in the imperial court. In the past, when taking exams at the local Gongyuan, you needed to hold a white ticket to enter.

Nowadays, Hanyuan Hall has been added, and you need to hold a red ticket to enter. There seems to be some explanation. By the way, it is said that major academies, Imperial College, and officials can hold a red ticket to enter the imperial examination of Hanyuan Hall. "

Although Li Gui couldn't read fully, he couldn't stand the fact that there were so many students rushing to take the exam. Someone read it over and over again, so he naturally memorized it. In order to receive the reward, he stayed there for a while and memorized it several times before returning.

who knows,
I came back in a hurry and ran into the second mistress and the old lady. I didn't see the reward, but I was afraid of punishment.

Mother Jia is no stranger to the Hanyuan Palace. It was a newly built palace after His Majesty ascended the throne. Later, His Majesty still stayed in the Yangxin Palace. This newly built palace has never been used. Last time, I heard that it would be used as one of the examination rooms. , although there are rumors, they may not be implemented. It seems to be decided today, but there is some confusion about the red and white lottery.
According to this slave, those holding red lottery tickets should be candidates from aristocratic families, major academies, and the Imperial College, while other children from poor families holding white lottery tickets should go to the Gongyuan Academy. After going back and forth, it is possible that there is something else that cannot be said, but it is the other way around. When I thought about it, Baoyu must have a red lottery. The Hanyuan Palace to protect from wind and rain is better than staying in the Gongyuan.

"How to change the lottery!"

"Well, when you go back to the old lady and go to the Military and Horse Department to collect the money, you can take the original signature and change it on the spot. Someone from the Ministry of Internal Affairs will distribute it there."

Li Gui answered honestly. He had confirmed this repeatedly. The matter of receiving money was not a trivial matter.

"Well, in that case, take Jia Baoyu's lot and exchange it. Girl Feng, you can send a few more people to follow to make sure nothing goes wrong. As for the two taels of silver you received, Li Gui, you can keep it yourself."

Li Gui was overjoyed. He didn't expect to get money for nothing, so he quickly kowtowed.
"Thank you, old lady, for the reward. Thank you, Second Mistress, for the reward."

Wang Xifeng was also worried. After the examination room was set, it seemed that Enke's time would not be too late. The chief examiner of Hanyuan Hall was Zhang Jinyu, the Marquis of Luoyun. I don't know if there was a replacement. This damn slave didn't say, but Jia My mother didn't ask, and I couldn't talk too much, so I asked the concierge to send a few boys to follow him and change Master Bao's examination certificate.

After finishing, go to the pear garden to receive the reward.

After hearing this, several people were overjoyed and hurried to the house to look for Jia Baoyu to take the visa test.

Just as Jia Mu and her group continued to walk into the mansion, Su Yun stood carefully behind the flower bed in the west side of the courtyard and looked toward the east courtyard. She did not dare to delay when she saw someone leaving.

I quickly walked up the west path to find my grandma Li Wan. I didn't dare to delay on the way. I also hugged the cakes in my arms tightly and walked to the corner in front of Lin Daiyu's yard. A small accident , slipped, tripped, and fell down on her ankle. Suyun burst into tears from the pain, but she held on to the cake in her arms.

It was because of these days that Miss Li Wan couldn't eat, vomited at night and couldn't sleep, and lost a lot of weight, so Suyun went out to buy some delicious pastries so that grandma could have one more bite. Unexpectedly, she heard the news in front of the house. , I fell down when I was in a hurry to go back, it was useless.

Suyun tried to get up several times but failed. Her eyes turned red and tears fell down.

And by chance,
Lin Daiyu took Qingwen for a stroll in the garden. When they walked to the courtyard gate, they heard crying outside and couldn't help but be curious.

"Qingwen, can you hear the crying?"

Qingwen replied abruptly,
"I heard you, miss."

Still dragging her voice, Qingwen was extremely unaccustomed to staying in this small courtyard during these days. She had nothing to say and could not see the Marquis. She could not chat with the little girl all day long. Moreover, Lin Daiyu liked to be quiet and often I sat in the study all morning and only came out to eat when it was time to eat. There was no waiter on the meal. The girl named Xueyan ate too much.
Thinking that after staying at Miss Lin's house for many days, he would finally be able to return to the Marquis' Mansion, he felt at ease to take care of her.

"It's true. Let's go out and see what's going on."

Lin Daiyu's beauty is still fairy-like. She is accompanied by plain clothes and skirts, which is worse than that of a Taoist fairy. This outfit is free and easy, and over time, it makes the women around her feel ashamed. Even Qingwen, who is outstanding for her pretty face, feels ashamed. .

"Yes, ma'am."

Qingwen was also curious. There were almost no people coming to the west courtyard of Rongguo Mansion. Who could be outside.

Qingwen walked over first, opened the courtyard door, looked for the sound, and looked to the west. She saw a woman wearing a light yellow skirt sitting on the ground, holding something in one hand and covering her ankle with the other, approaching At first glance, isn’t this Sister Suyun?
"Sister Suyun, what's going on?"

Qingwen hurriedly walked over and helped Suyun up.

"Yes, sister Qingwen, my sister accidentally fell,"

Suyun pushed hard with one foot and supported Qingwen with one hand, and finally stood up. Although there was some pain in her ankle, it was much better, but walking was still a little difficult.

Before I finished speaking,

Lin Daiyu came out of the yard, saw the scene in front of her, and knew that she was the personal maid of her elder sister-in-law Li Wan, so she asked with concern,
"What's going on? Why don't you go to the courtyard and rest first."

When Su Yun saw that the person coming was Miss Lin, she felt a little guilty. She had something important to report. How could she stay? She shook her head repeatedly.
"Thank you Miss Lin for your kindness. I don't feel any pain now. Grandma is still waiting."

After saying that, she was about to leave. The sight of her limping was heart-wrenching. How could Lin Daiyu let her go like this? Seeing that she couldn't stop her, she could only order,

"Qingwen, just follow Suyun and send her back. Be careful."

"Yes, Miss Lin."

Seeing Su Yun's retort, Qingwen was not polite and directly helped her, and the two of them walked westward in a crooked way.

Although Lin Daiyu was a little suspicious, she didn't ask any more questions. Although her sister-in-law didn't talk much on weekdays, she also took good care of herself. She could just choose a day to visit Lange'er.

"Miss, take the medicine."

Suddenly he was awakened by the call of the snow geese behind him, his face turned bitter, he pursed his red lips, and turned back helplessly.

west side,

The small courtyard where Li Wan lived,
In the west wing room,

Li Wan held the basin and retched, unable to vomit, and his face looked a little haggard and ugly. Seeing this scene, his personal maid Biyue was anxious, so she hurriedly changed a bowl of hot tea and walked to her side.
"Grandma, drink some tea and be patient. I'll go find a doctor in your house."

As soon as he put down the tea bowl, he was grabbed by Li Wan, who was still retching. His hand was pale and the veins were prominent. It was obvious that he had used a lot of strength. Li Wan covered his mouth with one hand and said with difficulty,
"No, absolutely not! You must not go!"

(End of this chapter)