King Xiang of the Red Chamber

Chapter 404
As for Shanglinyuan, Zhu Jinghong has returned from the fields and is sitting in the yard having lunch.

After these few days of adapting, Zhu Jinghong has completely integrated into this place and accepted the arrangements given to him by fate.

In addition to accepting his fate, his mentality also changed.

I have made a lot of great achievements in the past, but I am not sure how effective I will be by covering it up through self-contamination and other means.

Through the "rebellious choice of concubine", he really didn't dare to guarantee whether the sixth and fourth sons would doubt him again. With this position now, he felt stable.

It is impossible for a person who is almost imprisoned and almost deposed to have any ideas about a big position.

Then I can boldly organize and train a new army, make great strides in developing the navy, and start wars to disrupt the situation. Only in this way will I have more opportunities to display my abilities.

Normally, it is impossible for Zhu Jinghong to borrow the throne, and a stable and developing court does not need a military monarch.

Instigating the emperor to go to war to grab money, he was completely unqualified to create conditions for himself, and turned the peaceful and prosperous era into a war.

Only when the war continues can Zhu Jinghong be of use and continue to be trusted by the emperor.

Of course, although the truth has been figured out, Zhu Jinghong will not stop complaining every day. This is also a necessary means to maintain his character.

"Your Majesty, let's eat some food!"

While Zhu Jinghong was thinking, Baochai had already put vegetables into his bowl, for fear that he would eat less.

During the three days he stayed in Shanglinyuan, Zhu Jinghong really worked from dawn to dusk, and now he had only cleared two acres of land and sown the seeds.

But even if all the seeds are planted, the subsequent tasks of weeding and pest control are still extremely grueling chores.

"You can eat too!" Zhu Jinghong said with a smile.

"Baochai, you did a good job with this dish today, you just need more salt!"

"I know... eat quickly!" Baochai served Zhu Jinghong another dish.

While the two were eating and drinking, more than a dozen eunuchs appeared, accompanied by two large carts.

Three feet away from their hut, these people stopped and got busy. After ten minutes, they set up the frame of the house.

At this moment, Zhu Jinghong had finished eating and had Baochai to collect the dishes, chopsticks and other items. He then strolled towards a group of eunuchs.

Even though he was wearing a short blouse, when he approached, all the eunuchs stopped and stood in line to salute him.

"The servant sees the prince!"

Walking closer with his hands behind his back, Zhu Jinghong asked, "What's going on?"

The leading old eunuch replied: "Replying to the prince, the slaves and others are here to build a residence for the fourteenth and fifteenth masters according to the master's order!"

"Them? Are they coming too?" Zhu Jinghong was surprised.

"Exactly!"

"What a big mistake has he made?"

"The slave doesn't know!"

Nodding, Zhu Jinghong said: "Then you get busy!"

After saying this, Zhu Jinghong returned to the house. At this moment, Baochai had almost finished washing the dishes.

"Your Majesty... there is no water in the tank, and the firewood is almost gone!" Baochai reminded.

"understood!"

After agreeing, Zhu Jinghong first carried water to fill the water tank, and then took an ax to chop wood and arrange it.

He planned to finish his work and take a nap before going to work in the fields.

Half an hour later, Zhu Jinghong packed up the chopped firewood and went into the house to sleep.

As for Baochai, after washing the dishes and chopsticks, she started to tidy up the house.

Although the place is not big, if things are not put away and cleaned, it will end up in a mess.

Although it was a hut, it was still a home, and Baochai couldn't bear the clutter here.

She was packing up here. Zhu Jingchun and two people were brought here by Cheng Ying. Baochai saw them and immediately entered the house.

"Eh..."

After being pushed awake by Baochai, Zhu Jinghong turned over, closed his eyes and asked, "What's the matter?"

"The fourteenth brother and the fifteenth brother are here!"

"I know, let them have a rest first, and I will ask them to work in the fields later!"

Hearing what Zhu Jinghong said, Baochai was dumbfounded.

"Why don't you go out and take a look?"

"It's not like I don't know him, let's see what he does!"

Seeing that he had said this, Baochai was helpless. Just at this moment, the palace maid who taught cooking arrived, so Baochai went to the kitchen again.

This is already the fifth day, and the old palace maid will not come again in another five days, leaving Baochai with not much time to study.

Washing and cooking, making fire and boiling water, cleaning the house...

Although this is a basic operation for ordinary people, Baochai still needs to study it carefully.

Speaking of Zhu Jingchun, when they arrived at their new house, they almost thought Cheng Ying was joking with him.

"We live here?" Zhu Jingchun asked with a smile.

"Exactly!" Cheng Ying replied.

"Your Highnesses live here. In the next ten days, someone will teach you how to wash and cook. After that, you two have to be responsible for eating, drinking and urinating on your own!"

"Not only you, but also His Royal Highness Prince Xiang. He lives there now!" Cheng Ying pointed to the hut not far away.

"Besides, today's lunch has passed, so your two highnesses can just satisfy their hunger for the time being!"

After Cheng Ying finished speaking, a young eunuch came forward with a food box and placed it on the small table under the eaves of the thatched house.

"Your Highnesses, if there is nothing else to do, I will resign!"

At this time, Zhu Jinghao stepped forward and said: "Eunuch Cheng, why don't you ask for a favor for us and say that we are willing to go back and study hard and never cause trouble to our father again!"

"Your Majesty, I will tell you what your Highness is saying, but you two must stay here first!"

"Farewell!" Cheng Ying no longer wanted to stay here any longer.

After Cheng Ying left, Zhu Jingchun and Zhu Jingchun felt aggrieved, but their growling stomachs woke them up.

"Brother Fourteen, let's eat first!" Zhu Jinghao walked to the table.

However, when he opened the food box, he saw that there were only four steamed buns inside, which happened to be two for each of them.

"What's wrong? Eat!" Zhu Jingchun was a little surprised, and was stunned when he got closer.

"That's it? Just this for lunch?" Zhu Jingchun was so angry that he cursed.

"This old eunuch, how have we ever offended him? How dare he oppress us like this!"

"Brother Fourteen, what shall we eat?" Zhu Jinghao asked the key question.

At this moment, he missed the lunch dishes very much and regretted that he talked too much and didn't take a bite.

"Who eats this..."

After saying this, Zhu Jingchun looked at the hut on the side, and then said with a smile: "How about... let's go to Brother Thirteen's place and see, he might have something to eat!"

Zhu Jinghao nodded quickly: "That's true... Brother Thirteen always has good things!"

So the two of them walked to the hut where Zhu Jinghong was, and within a few steps they arrived at the door of the courtyard. At this time, the door was opened directly.

"Brother Thirteen?" Zhu Jingchun called.

It was obvious that Zhu Jinghong's power was still there, and even in this fenced-in yard, they did not dare to enter without warning.

At this time, Baochai poked his head out of the kitchen, saw these two people and smiled and said: "It turns out to be the fourteenth brother, what are you doing here?"

Seeing Baochai wearing gray cloth, Zhu Jingchun and Zhu Jingchun thought they had recognized the wrong person. Is this the elegant thirteenth sister-in-law?
But the reality is that the person in front of her is the real Princess Xiang.

"Sister-in-law Thirteen, we...we came in a hurry and missed lunch. Do you have anything delicious here?" Zhu Jinghao asked first.

Baochai shook his head and replied: "We only have simple food, and it's already past the hour. If you are hungry... can I cook you some porridge?"

Zhu Jinghao nodded, bowed and said: "That's okay... sister-in-law, please add some lotus seeds and longan!" Zhu Jingchun said next: "If you add a few dishes of side dishes, it can satisfy your hunger!"

Hearing this, Baochai smiled and said: "Both brothers, we only have white rice porridge, side dishes, lotus seeds and so on... We don't have any either!"

"Oh no……"

"Sister-in-law, why are you so stingy!"

Just after the two of them finished speaking, they saw Zhu Jinghong coming out of the middle room with a gloomy face. They were so frightened that they quickly greeted and saluted.

"Brother Thirteen, how good are you these days? The two of us are here to see you!"

"See? Let's just stay with Brother Thirteen, so that he won't be bored by being alone!"

Hearing these two people chattering, Zhu Jinghong just looked at them coldly and told them to shut up.

"You two bastards, your sister-in-law cooks porridge for you personally, how dare you be picky?"

"I asked you to come here to cultivate the land, not to enjoy the blessings. If you want to eat well, go back to the palace and eat!"

"Why aren't you talking? Didn't you talk a lot just now?"

Being reprimanded by Zhu Jinghong, Zhu Jingchun and Zhu Jingchun did not dare to reply at all, and even lowered their heads.

"We are all one family, why talk with a red face? Just say less!" Baochai immediately came out to smooth things over.

After persuading Zhu Jinghong, Baochai looked at Zhu Jingchun again: "Fourteenth brother, fifteenth brother... don't take it to heart, your thirteenth brother has no other intention, I just want you to adapt as soon as possible!"

"The meals here are no different from those of ordinary people. If you want to eat well, you can only get them back in the palace. All you can do now is be patient!"

"We realize our mistake, Brother Thirteen!" Zhu Jingchun admitted his mistake quickly, and then Zhu Jinghao did the same.

"If you want to eat, eat it. If you don't want to eat it, get out. Follow me to work in the fields in half an hour!"

By training these two people to be good farmers, Zhu Jinghong can feel much more relaxed, so this is what he must do.

"Brothers, wait a moment, I'll make porridge for you now!"

"Don't bother me sister-in-law... We have food over there!"

"Yeah... let's go back and eat steamed buns!"

With Zhu Jinghong standing here with a dark face, they didn't want to stay here any longer, so they would rather go back and eat steamed buns.

Seeing them about to leave, Baochai stopped them again: "Come back..."

Hearing this, Zhu Jingchun and the two stopped again, and at this time Baochai had already entered the room.

After a few breaths, she came out with a teapot and teacups and said, "It's too choking to eat just the steamed buns. I have to drink water!"

Zhu Jingchun and Zhu Jingchun were somewhat moved after taking the teapot from Baochai. This was the first warmth after many setbacks today.

"Thank you sister-in-law!"

"Thank you, Brother Thirteen!"

After the two thanked him, they walked to their house, where there were cold steamed buns waiting for him.

After the two people left, Baochai turned back to Zhu Jinghong and said: "Brothers are so good to each other, why are you doing this!"

"They are here to do work. If you talk to them carefully at this time, do you think they will listen?"

"This place is a prison set up by the old man, and now I am the jailer here!"

Hearing Zhu Jinghong's disrespectful words again, Baochai was already numb to it, and then she said: "Don't be too harsh on them, after all, they are still children!"

"Children? We are only one year older than them, and in a few months they will be crowned kings!" Zhu Jinghong said as he sat on a stool nearby.

This left Baochai speechless. After a moment of silence, she said again: "The matter has come to this, and it is useless to complain... Why do you always say those things!"

The direction of Baochai's words is very clear, that is, to let Young Master Zhu Jinghong arrange the emperor, such as saying that the old man does not miss his old relationship.

"I can't tell him what he can do?" Zhu Jinghong said immediately.

Most of these words could reach the emperor's ears, and he spared no effort to maintain his character.

Seeing that Zhu Jinghong refused to listen, Baochai had no choice but to go into the kitchen.

Soon half an hour passed, Zhu Jinghong got up, picked up the hoe, and came outside Zhu Jingchun's house.

Pushing the door open, he saw the two people lying on the bed. Zhu Jinghong immediately scolded: "Still not getting up? It's time to work!"

"Brother Thirteen, how can we do any work!" Zhu Jingchun sat up and replied.

"No? Can't you learn if you don't? Get up quickly and follow me to the ground!"

"Brother Thirteen, I have no energy today!" Zhu Jinghao said from the side.

"Really? That's just the time for me to stretch your muscles and bones!" After saying that, Zhu Jinghong put down his hoe and started to rub his fists.

The two of them didn't dare to let him rub their muscles. They immediately jumped up from the bed and picked up the hoe placed behind the door.

"Brother Thirteen, let's go right now!" Zhu Jingchun said with a smile.

Although working can be tiring, getting spanked will hurt, and you may have to work even if you get spanked.

The two of them went into the fields together. When they learned that such a large area of ​​land had to be hoeed, Zhu Jingchun's legs went weak.

But with Zhu Jinghong here, the two of them could only work honestly and learned farming under the professor of the old eunuch.

People are different. Although working is very tiring and boring, these two people still find fun. They really think it is much more fun than studying.

Apart from the lack of service and poor food, the rest were all advantages in the eyes of these two people.

From the first hour ([-] o'clock) to the first day of the lunar month ([-] o'clock), the three brothers only rested for half an hour, and they ended their work when the sun was almost setting.

"Brother Thirteen, I'm so tired. I have to sleep when I get back!"

"Brother Thirteen, let's take a rest tomorrow!"

Walking in front, Zhu Jinghong said in a deep voice: "Have a rest? If you don't take care of the crops in the field well, I'm afraid you won't be able to leave here!"

This sentence alone dispelled Zhu Jingchun's desire for comfort.

The three of them returned to their residence. Zhu Jingchun and the other two were about to go back to their hut, but were stopped by Baochai coming out of the kitchen.

"Fifteenth brother and fourteenth brother, let's eat together from now on...it will be troublesome for you to cook by yourself!"

Originally, Zhu Jingchun and his wife were worried about food and drink, and they felt dizzy at the thought of having to cook for themselves. Baochai's words at this time were like the sound of nature.

However, they did not dare to agree, but looked at Zhu Jinghong's face.

"See what I'm doing? Why don't you thank your sister-in-law quickly!" Zhu Jinghong said coldly.

"Thank you Thirteenth Sister-in-law!"

"You are truly a living Bodhisattva who saves all sentient beings!"

The two of them smiled happily and praised, and then followed into the small courtyard. At this moment, food was already laid out in the middle room.

"Sister-in-law Thirteen, you did all this?" Zhu Jingchun was a little surprised.

Although it was very different from their daily food, they were still particularly surprised when they thought that Baochai made it by himself.

"My old mother and I cooked it together. She also said that she would teach you how to cook. I said that no man can enter the kitchen, so we might as well eat together from now on!"

"Some people came just now and brought your rice, flour, grains and oils. I asked them to put them on our side!"

"Your clothes have also been delivered. Remember to change them when you go back..."

Baochai was talking and making arrangements for his meal, but at this moment he was interrupted by Zhu Jinghong: "They wash their own clothes, they have to do something by themselves!"

Zhu Jinghong couldn't bear his wife washing clothes for others, even if they were blood brothers.

Allowing them to eat easily would be a very kind and righteous brother... Zhu Jinghong thought.

"Yes, yes, we wash it ourselves, wash it ourselves!"

Seeing Zhu Jinghong's unkind look, Zhu Jingchun and Zhu Jingchun didn't dare to hesitate at all, and immediately patted their chests to reassure themselves.

Baochai naturally wouldn't force it, so he smiled and said, "Let's eat!"

Seeing that several people were about to start having dinner, the old palace maid and the old eunuch who were in charge of taking care of them just took their leave.

After working all afternoon, Zhu Jingchun and his wife were extremely hungry. At this time, they didn't care whether it tasted good or not. They picked up the bowls and started to eat the rice. They didn't have any of the coquettishness in the palace.

(End of this chapter)