The Red Chamber begins with a bastard

Chapter 376 Good Omen

Mandalin caught Xiao Yuanyuan and was about to punish her when she heard the sound of horse hooves outside the yard and Shi Tou Xingwei calling out at the door.

"Good sister, please forgive me... Hey, the Third Master is back, I'll go open the door!" The little girl who had been begging for mercy suddenly had her eyes light up, she took the opportunity to break free, and ran to open the door.

"Oh, what a little kid with a big heart." Mandarin muttered, raised her hand to tidy up her hair, and then followed him out with her two elegant long legs. As a result, she heard Yuanyuan exclaiming from a distance: "Brother Shitou, is this a leopard?"

Mandarin quickly quickened her pace and ran out, and saw Shitou Xingwei leading a horse triumphantly. On the horse's back was a spotted leopard, which had an arrow in its left eye that went straight through its forehead. It was already dead.

"Oh my God, you actually hunted a ferocious leopard!" Mandarin couldn't help but exclaimed. Leopards are extremely fast and it is generally difficult to hit them, let alone shoot an arrow into the eye.

"I'm lucky today!" Shitou said proudly, and then turned around and pointed: "There's more behind!"

Mandarin and Xiao Yuanyuan looked up and saw Jia Huan riding his horse towards them leisurely. He was dressed in a short suit, with a hunting bow and quiver slung across his body and a black headband on his forehead, which added a bit of heroic spirit to his gentle and elegant temperament.

Mu Ye and Jin Bao, two servants, followed closely behind Jia Huan, leading horses. On the horses' backs were a sika deer and several other small animals.

Under Xiao Yuanyuan's admiring gaze, Mu Ye and Jin Bao looked very proud, with their heads held high and their chests puffed out, walking with a breeze, as if they were generals returning victoriously.

It turned out that Jia Huan and Lu Xiangsheng had agreed to go out of town hunting today. The weather was clear and cool in autumn, which was a perfect season for hunting. Moreover, everyone had good luck. Not only did they shoot two sika deer, but the Stone Boy even shot a leopard.

Since ancient times, Jinling has been a densely populated and prosperous place. But hundreds of years ago, there were still many wild animals in the mountains and forests around Jinling. There are even documented records of the appearance of South China tigers during the Ming Dynasty. Now, of course, there is not even a single tiger hair.

Jia Huan got off his horse and entered the house. Xiao Yuanyuan quickly brought in a basin of water for him to wash his face and hands.

"Jia, you went out of town hunting without taking me." Mandarin complained dissatisfiedly while bringing a cup of tea.

After wiping his face, Jia Huan handed the towel back to Xiao Yuanyuan. He took a sip of the tea and said with a smile, "I originally planned to go to Mochou Lake with Brother Jiandou. Hunting was just a sudden idea. Since you want to go, I will take you out of the city to hunt some other day."

The foreign maid immediately changed her anger into joy and said, "That's almost right, it's a pity that I didn't bring my rifle from Yangzhou."

Jia Huan shook his head and said, "Even if I bring it, I can't use it. In the Jin Dynasty, it is a serious crime to privately possess firearms and armor."

Mandarin shrugged and said, "In Europe, even civilians can own firearms. Your Great Jin is too strict. Even nobles cannot own firearms. How boring! You even asked me to make a flintlock rifle, but it can't be used after I make it."

Jia Huan said calmly: "It can't be used now, but it may be of great use in the future. By the way, I'm going out today, is everything fine at home?"

Xiao Yuanyuan immediately rushed to say, "Miss Xue was here and left not long ago."

"Miss Xue?"

"It's Sister Bao, the one you saved at the risk of your life!" Mandarin said with a hint of sourness.

Jia Huan hurriedly asked, "What does Sister Bao want to see me about?"

Mandarin shrugged and said, "She didn't say anything. She just sat and chatted for a while and then left."

"Miss Xue said she just happened to pass by." Xiao Yuanyuan added.

After a moment's thought, Jia Huan turned to the front yard and found Xing Wei and others who were preparing to skin the leopard. He ordered, "Xiao Mu, take advantage of the fact that it is still light now and send the deer to the Xue family. Say that I am honoring my aunt with the deer, and let my cousin Pan and Bao-jie have a taste of it."

Mu Ye quickly agreed and carried the sika deer on his horse to the Xue family.

Over there, Xue Baochai had just returned to the Xue Mansion. She had changed into her home clothes and was paying her respects to her mother when Mu Ye delivered the deer to the door and had it carried in by the Xue family's servants, attracting a crowd of servants to watch and discuss.

When Aunt Xue heard that Jia Huan had sent a wild deer, she was naturally very happy and ordered Mu Ye to be brought to her for questioning.

Mu Ye was quite clever. He bowed and said, "I greet my aunt and madam. May you be blessed and live in peace and happiness."

Aunt Xue smiled kindly and said, "What a clever boy! What's your name and where are you from?"

Mu Ye replied hurriedly, "My name is Mu Ye, and I am from Jiangdu County, Yangzhou Prefecture. I was originally a salt collector under the command of Censor Lin. I was appreciated by Third Master Huan, and now I serve Third Master." "Oh, so you are Master Lin's man. No wonder you are so smart. Was this wild deer hunted by Brother Huan himself?"

Mu Ye smiled and said, "It was shot by our Third Master himself. He didn't dare to enjoy it alone, so he specially ordered me to bring it to you as a tribute to you, my aunt, and to let my brother and sister have a taste of it."

Aunt Xue smiled and glanced at Baochai, who was standing next to her with a dignified manner, and nodded, saying, "Huan'er is really thoughtful. Please thank him on our behalf. By the way, please come to our house for dinner tomorrow."

"I know. I will definitely convey the concubine's words." Mu Ye replied.

Xue Baochai suddenly felt a sense of joy and anticipation in her heart.

Aunt Xue ordered someone to reward Mu Ye with two taels of silver, and then sent him out. Just as she was holding Bao Chai's hand to talk, she saw Bao Qin, who was dressed in plain clothes, walked in and said with a smile, "There is a huge sika deer outside, it must be over a hundred pounds, is it sent by Brother Huan?"

Aunt Xue smiled and said, "Qin girl is well-informed."

Xue Baoqin said with a smile: "I heard people in the mansion say that, and I like to watch the fun, so it's inconvenient for me to rush over to see the novelty."

Baochai said with a smile: "It's just a deer. You have seen it before. What's so rare about it?"

Xue Baoqin smiled slyly and said, "I have seen them, but they were all domesticated. I have never seen a wild deer this big. I heard that it was hunted by Brother Huan himself. Isn't it rare? In my opinion, Brother Huan is really thoughtful. Do you agree?"

Baochai's pretty face couldn't help but get slightly hot, but Aunt Xue didn't notice her daughter's expression was different. She sighed and said, "That's right. Huan'er, this child, even when he hunted a deer, never forgot to honor me. He is closer to me than my own son. But that evil child only makes me angry."

When Aunt Xue said this, she couldn't help but reveal a look of distress. It turned out that Xue Pan's injuries had improved recently, but his temper had become worse and worse. He would beat and scold people at any time. Several maids serving him had been driven away, and the maids in the mansion did not dare to enter his residence. For this reason, Aunt Xue even spent money to buy a good-looking young maid, but she was beaten severely by Xue Pan that night and almost killed.

Xue Baoqin secretly stuck out her tongue when she heard this, regretting bringing up this topic, and quickly changed the subject, "Brother Huan hunted a deer with his own hands today, which is a good omen."

Aunt Xue said softly, "What's the explanation for this?"

Xue Baochai smiled and said, "As the saying goes, the deer calls, and they eat wild apples. According to the old custom, after the results of the provincial examination are announced, all successful candidates will attend the Deer Calling Banquet held the next day, and sing the Deer Calling chapter from the Book of Songs together. Now that the results of the provincial examination are about to be announced, it is indeed a good omen that Brother Huan has hunted a deer."

Baoqin said with a smile: "Deer and fortune have the same pronunciation, which means high official position and generous salary. Isn't that auspicious enough? Aunt, you'd better order the kitchen to prepare a feast of deer jerky tomorrow to entertain Brother Huan. When the results of the provincial examination are announced tomorrow, Brother Huan will definitely be on the list. Who knows, in the next spring examination, Brother Huan may even win the first prize and be on the gold list. If he gets a high official position and generous salary in the future, wouldn't it be the perfect fulfillment of today's omen?"

Aunt Xue smiled happily when she heard this and said, "If that's true, then I, as your aunt, will also benefit from it."

Xue Baoqin glanced at Baochai teasingly, and giggled as she covered her mouth, "As the saying goes, those who are near the water get the moon first. If Brother Huan passes the imperial examination next year, why don't you follow the example of the predecessors and find a son-in-law from the list? This way, not only will you benefit from it... Ouch!"

Before Xue Xiaomei could finish her words, she was grabbed by the blushing Baochai and was about to twist her mouth. Aunt Xue was not well educated, and she was stunned for a moment before she understood what was going on. She smiled unnaturally and said angrily, "What a joke!"

"Look, mother, Sister Qin has become more and more cunning and weird. She even starts to make fun of me. Today I must tear her little mouth apart." Baochai said shyly.

"I won't dare to do it again. Big sister, please forgive me. Aunt, save me!" Xue Baoqin begged for mercy and hid behind Aunt Xue with a smile. The two sisters calmed down after a while.

Mu Ye returned to Taipingli, Zhuque Street, and replied to Jia Huan: "Third Master, the deer has been delivered to Xue's house. My aunt is very happy and praises you for your filial piety. I want to thank you and invite you to dinner tomorrow. By the way, my aunt also gave me two taels of silver."

Jia Huan nodded and said, "I understand. Take the reward and go downstairs to eat and rest."

Mu Ye then retreated happily.

After dinner, Jia Huan took a bath and did his evening lessons as usual. The foreign maid Mandarin came in wearing only pajamas. She stood by the bookshelf and slowly flipped through the books. She glanced at someone with her sapphire eyes and said, "Jia, take me to Xue's house tomorrow too."

"Sure, if you want to go." Jia Huan answered naturally without even raising his head.

Mandarin shrugged: "Forget it, they didn't invite me." Then she put down the book, took long steps, and walked out in a deliberately swaying manner, her plump buttocks and slender waist faintly visible.

Jia Huan looked at the pear-shaped curve behind the foreign maid and couldn't help but feel angry. This foreign girl was clearly playing with fire. If she continued like this, he would really get into trouble.

At this time, the sound of the second watch clapper was heard in the street. Jia Huan quickly calmed himself down, cleared away the distracting thoughts in his mind, and continued to study. The results of the provincial examination would be announced soon, and the metropolitan examination in February next year would be another tough battle, so he must not be careless!
(End of this chapter)