The Red Chamber begins with a bastard

Chapter 415: The Courtesy of Mrs. Jia

Chapter 415: The Courtesy of Mrs. Jia
As winter was the dry season, the water level in the canal dropped. In addition, the boat that Jia Huan and his companions were riding on was a two-story building with a deep draft, so they needed to hire people to pull boats through some sections of the river. It took them a month to reach Tongzhou after stopping and starting many times. They set out from Yangzhou on October 18, and it was now the 19th day of the winter month.

It was noon and the ship slowly sailed into Tongzhou Wharf. Jia Huan stood on the deck, looking at the familiar city in front of him, and couldn't help feeling a lot of emotion. After more than three years, I, Hu Hansan, am back!

Thinking back to the past, in order to escape from Mrs. Wang's control, I resolutely carried the coffin south. The road ahead was long and full of thorns, and good and bad fortune were unpredictable. Only Sister Ping'er was accompanying me. I was lonely and miserable. Fortunately, my two good brothers Tiehu and Xingwei escorted me all the way, otherwise I don't know if I could have survived.

Now I have returned to my hometown, bringing my beauty with me. I have achieved success as a juren. I have fame, money, and connections. It can be said that I have returned home in glory!

Jia Huan turned his head and met the gentle gaze of the pretty maid Ping'er. The latter was obviously also deeply touched at the moment. Her eyes were filled with tears of joy. She smiled sweetly at Jia Huan, and everything was said without words.

Lin Daiyu's illness has now been cured. She stands beside Jia Huan and sees the latter "secretly having an affair" with Ping'er. She is not jealous but rather quite moved. She thinks back then when her brother Huan was exiled, it was only Ping'er who followed him resolutely and served him in the thatched cottage for three years without leaving. She accompanied her brother Huan through the most difficult years without any regrets. Her courage and perseverance are truly admirable.

So Lin Daiyu felt that Jia Huan was right to pamper Ping'er no matter what, because she deserved it.

After a slight thud, the ship finally docked. Mandalin said a little disappointedly, "Sister Ping'er, is this the capital of the Great Jin? It seems even worse than Jinling!"

Ping'er smiled and explained, "Of course not. This is just Tongzhou City, which is still more than 40 miles away from the capital. We have to change carriages. The capital is more prosperous than Jinling. You will know when we get there."

It is said that a red plum becomes redder when he is around red plums, and a black plum becomes blacker when he is around black plums. In fact, it is not true. Ping'er is obviously the one who is untainted by the mud. Although she has served Wang Xifeng for many years, she is not at all like Wang Xifeng, who is as vicious and greedy as she is. On the contrary, Ping'er is kind and generous, so she gets along very well with Mandalin, otherwise Jia Huan would have a headache.

At this time, the boatman finally put up the gangplank, and Lin Zhixiao bowed respectfully and said, "Third Master, Miss Lin, you can get off the boat now."

Jia Huan nodded, and was the first to get off the boat. Then he turned around and stretched out his hand to help the other girls. Only Mandarin found it troublesome and jumped off by herself. She looked around with great interest, and everything she saw was full of novelty.

At this time, a group of people came up to him in a hurry and bowed to Jia Huan, saying, "Hello, Third Uncle Huan!"

When Jia Huan looked carefully, he recognized that it was Jia Rong, Jia Zhen's son and Qin Keqing's husband.

Although Jia Rong is much older than Jia Huan, both in their twenties, he is of the Cao generation, while Jia Huan is of the Yu generation, the same generation as his father Jia Zhen, so Jia Rong still calls him Uncle Huan.

Of course, if it was the ordinary little Jia Huan, Jia Rong would have been giving him face by calling him Brother Huan. After all, Jia Huan was only a concubine's son, while he, Jia Rong, was the legitimate eldest son of the Ningguo Mansion.

However, things are different now. Jia Huan is now surrounded by glory. He was the top three in the boy's examination, the first in the provincial examination, and was praised by the emperor as "a role model of sons and a model of filial piety." Apart from anything else, just the title of a juren is something that Jia Rong has to treat with the utmost respect.

Jia Huan was a little surprised and asked, "Why is Rong'er here?"

Jia Rong smiled and said, "When the old lady learned that Uncle Huan and Miss Lin would arrive in Tongzhou today, she sent someone to meet them early. Unfortunately, Housekeeper Lai couldn't leave, so this task fell to my nephew."

Ping'er was secretly delighted when she heard this. It was actually sent by the old lady. She didn't expect that the Third Master would receive such treatment now. Lin Daiyu was also happy for Jia Huan. You know, Brother Huan used to be not worthy of the old lady's eyes. Now the old lady even sent someone to greet him, which shows how much she values ​​Brother Huan. But think about it, Brother Huan is now a juren, and he is also the first in the provincial examination of Nanzhili. This is a great honor. If nothing unexpected happens, he will basically be on the gold list in the next spring examination. The Jia family got rich through military exploits, and after three generations, they turned from military to literary. The literary generation only produced one jinshi, Jia Jing, but unfortunately he resigned to become a Taoist priest. Jia Zhu, who was of the jade generation, passed the examination at the age of eighteen but died young. Now that a seed of learning like Brother Huan has finally appeared, it is normal for the old lady to value him.

Besides, how old is Huandi now? He has already achieved the title of Juren. Whether it is Jia Jing or Jia Zhu, he is far inferior to him. Anyone who is not blind knows that Huandi's future is limitless!
Jia Huan was very calm at this time. He nodded to Jia Rong and said, "Rong'er, thank you for taking this trip."

Jia Rong said hurriedly, "It's not hard. The carriage is ready. Miss Lin and the other girls, please get in. The old lady and the mistress are still waiting. Uncle Bao was clamoring to come this morning, but the old lady and the mistress wouldn't let him."

Jia Huan subconsciously turned his head to glance at Lin Daiyu. Big-Faced Bao was clamoring to come to Tongzhou, so it naturally couldn't be that he was here to pick him up.

Lin Daiyu's face flashed with an unnatural look, and she secretly rolled her eyes at Jia Huan, as if to say, "Why are you looking at me? It's not me who asked him to come."

Jia Huan smiled nonchalantly and waved his hand, saying, "Then let's go!"

At that moment, Jia Rong ordered the servants to drive over two carriages. Lin Daiyu and her servant rode in one, Ping'er and Mandalin shared one, and Lin Daiyu's other maids and old women rode in a flatbed cart.

After everything was settled, Jia Rong bowed to Lin Zhixiao and said, "Uncle Lin, Uncle Huan and I will go ahead. These ten servants will stay to help with the luggage. You can order them around. If anyone tries to be cunning, tell me later or I will skin them alive."

Lin Zhixiao smiled and said, "Forget about it. I am not good at making trouble for others."

Jia Rong smiled and said, "I am not worried that Uncle Lin will be too polite to them because they are not from the West Mansion. These evil people are all experienced and the more polite you are to them, the more arrogant they will be."

The dozen or so servants Jia Rong brought with him didn't even dare to do it.

Jia Huan glanced at Jia Rong and said calmly, "There are many fragile and valuable items on the boat. Tell them to be alert and be smart so as not to cause any trouble."

When Jia Rong's eyes met Jia Huan's, he was immediately shocked and shouted, "Have you listened carefully to what Third Master Huan said? Be alert and nimble. If you break or lose anything, watch out for your heads!"

"I heard it clearly!" The servants in Ningguo Mansion answered sternly.

Jia Huan said nothing more, and rode away with his horse lightly under his belly. Jia Rong looked at Jia Huan's back and was secretly shocked. It turned out that Jia Huan's eyes just now seemed to be able to penetrate people's hearts, and made him feel inexplicably fearful.

"Tsk tsk, I heard that Jia Huan led troops to suppress bandits in Jiangnan. It seems to be true. Otherwise, where would he get such a sharp look? Oh my god, I was almost scared to fall off my horse." Jia Rong calmed himself down and followed Jia Huan from a distance on his horse. For a moment, he did not dare to get close.

(End of this chapter)

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