King Xiang of the Red Chamber

Chapter 10
[Please be sure to turn to the latest chapter, it is very important for the new issue, thank you! 】

After the boy left, Aunt Xue became more and more puzzled, she looked at Baochai and said, "Bao girl, what are you doing?"

"Isn't it good to negotiate things earlier so that we can purchase them calmly?" Aunt Xue became more and more puzzled.

Getting up and pouring a cup of tea, Baochai slowly handed it to Aunt Xue, and then said: "Mother, the matter must be settled today, but they should be anxious now!"

"Only by making them more anxious, these people will agree to our plan!"

Aunt Xue nodded. It was the first time she encountered such a big event, so she always felt uneasy.

After receiving the tea from Baochai, Aunt Xue sighed slightly, she was only lucky to have this daughter.

Besides, in the front hall, seeing Aunt Xue's reluctance to come out, the people in each house of Xue's family became anxious.

If the plan is not finalized earlier, the Xue family may not be able to complete the imperial mission if it is delayed, and the whole family will be in bad luck.

"Second Uncle, what do you think should be done?"

"Yeah, you have to come up with an idea quickly. No one can afford to miss His Majesty's enrage!"

Xue Yuben wanted to wait a little longer, but it could be seen that everyone was in a hurry, and his heart was no longer so firm.

Xue Pan's useless thing, when will he come back?Xue Yucheng was also afraid that something bad would happen because of this.

"The matter must be settled as soon as possible, and then send someone to pass on my words, just say that I invited my wife to come out to discuss the matter!"

So another young man entered the inner house to reply, but soon brought back news that disappointed everyone.

Aunt Xue still said that now that Xue Pan is the head of the family, everything will be decided when her son comes back!
This made everyone very angry, but Aunt Xue didn't want to come out, so they could only stare blankly.

"Send more people to look for Pan'er, they must be found before the sun sets!" Xue Yucheng trembled angrily.

From noon to now, the Xue family has sent three groups of people to search for it, but there is still no news.

In fact, in the current era without mobile phones and surveillance, it is really difficult to find someone in a big city like Yingtian.

When the matter dragged on to this point, everyone in the Xue family panicked, and the idea of ​​provoking crimes and then competing for benefits from the big house has faded by this time.

They have only one idea now, and that is to determine the apportionment amount as soon as possible, and then each house will do its best to complete the imperial assignment.

Each room can hold each other back on other matters, but they dare not neglect the things that the supervisor of ceremonies urgently handed over.

After waiting for another half an hour, Xue Yucheng finally couldn't wait anymore when the sun had already reached the eaves.

"Forget it, let's go invite the wife, we really can't wait any longer!"

Everyone at the scene agreed with this proposal, so they helped Xue Yucheng walk to the inner house.

Seeing that all the houses had come to invite them, and their attitude was extremely sincere, Aunt Xue knew that she had made the right bet this time, and it all depended on Baochai's plan.

So now, she simply listened to Baochai's decision.

When the matter came to this point, Baochai didn't dare to take it too far, and instructed her mother and all the clansmen to make false claims for a while, and finally reluctantly agreed to replace Xue Pan in the discussion.

Although everyone in the Xue family panicked, when Aunt Xue proposed the apportionment plan, everyone still quarreled over it.

However, no matter what others said, Aunt Xue didn't let go at all, and after half an hour of stalemate, she finally settled on this matter.

In other words, Xue's family has collected 12 yuan and [-] yuan, and the emperor's mission can already be completed.

Afterwards, everyone discussed for another half an hour, and assigned the procurement tasks of each room, and then everyone went their own way.

Back at the residence, Aunt Xue was very happy, and when she entered the house, she told Baochai about the situation just now.

"Mother, this matter has come to fruition, but the remaining [-] silver must be made up as soon as possible!"

"If the palace asks to buy things again, wouldn't it be a rush again!"

Aunt Xue nodded, but this matter is not urgent for the time being, anyway, all the rooms will have to come together.

Baochai sighed, and the mother and daughter were silent for a while.

After a while, there was a commotion outside, and after a while, someone came to report that Xue Pan had returned.

"Let him come to me immediately!"

"This bastard, today's matter is so important, he went out to hang out...I have to teach him a lesson!"

After hearing this, Baochai shook her head helplessly, she knew it was useless.

After a while, Xue Pan walked into the courtyard lightly. At this moment, he was still in severe pain. In order not to worry his mother and sister, he even put on a relaxed look.

"uncle!"

Along the way, servants and maidservants saluted one after another, but Xue Pan went straight into the house as if he didn't realize it.

But when he entered the room, he saw his mother sitting in the main hall with a frosty face, holding a ruler in her hand.

Before Xue Pan could speak, Aunt Xue scolded: "You bastard, kneel down!"

No matter how stupid he is outside, Xue Pan's filial piety to his mother is true, and he knelt on the spot immediately after hearing the words.

"Where have you been today?"

"I went to my friend Zhuangzi..."

"What to do?"

"There is food in his family's treasury, and the boy wants to buy it back as imperial food!"

Xue Pan has been pondering these words on the road, so he can answer them fluently at this moment.

Hearing that her son was going to attend to some serious business, Aunt Xue's anger decreased a lot, but she still asked sternly, "Don't you know that today the clan is going to discuss important matters?"

"My son knows, I wanted to come back earlier, but I was delayed on the way!"

"As the head of the family, you don't know the severity of your actions, should you be punished?"

Xue Pan lowered his head and replied, "Yes!"

Without saying a word, Aunt Xue got up and walked in front of Xue Pan, and hit him on the back with a ruler.

Obviously, Aunt Xue has used this kind of corporal punishment education method in the past.

This also just shows a truth, corporal punishment does not have very good educational significance, otherwise Xue Pan would not grow crooked.

Xue Pan already had injuries on his body, and the pain from the beating was even worse, but he still held back his yelling.

"Ma'am, an official from the government office came outside and said that he came to the government office to collect money under the orders of the promoting officer, Mr. Hu!"

The sound of the report outside made Xue Pan's heart hang, for fear that his mother would pursue this matter.

"Collect money? Is our Xue family the government's treasury?"

"The official said that I accepted the uncle's request to help with the necessary expenses, and this time I will only pay for it!"

Hearing this, Aunt Xue glanced at her son in front of her, her questioning intention was very obvious.

"Mother, find a Westerner to buy guns, son..."

Xue Pan didn't expect the person asking for money to come so soon, so he didn't prepare the draft in advance, so that he couldn't make it right now.

"What's going on?" Aunt Xue waved her ruler at Xue Pan.

Xue Pan screamed, but failed to get Aunt Xue's love and affection, and was beaten a few more times.

Baochai on the side looked very anxious, and quickly reminded: "Brother, are you still telling the truth?"

So Xue Pan hurriedly confessed, telling the whole story about bringing a servant to beat someone today, and then being beaten and sent to the government office, and then asking Hu Jin'an for help.

"Nizi, you naughty boy..."

Aunt Xue scolded and beat Xue Pan several times, then sat aside and started crying, making Xue Pan kowtow to admit his mistake.

"Brother, you are at fault for this matter, if you want me to say it, let it go!" Baochai persuaded softly.

"Forget it, where do I save my face?"

"You still have face? You've lost all my face!" Aunt Xue scolded.

Baochai reminded: "Now the family is using money, if you want to use the 8000 taels of silver to buy face, our family will have to sell the house and land!"

"But Hu Jin'an..."

Aunt Xue said resolutely: "Give him some money, and tell him whether it is better to settle the relationship or not, and this matter will be over!"

"Yes!" Xue Pan was a little reluctant.

Baochai added from the side: "The Feng family who are imprisoned, let's also be released, after all, we don't take it for granted!"

(End of this chapter)