Jinpingmei

Chapter 56
The poem said: Qinghe Haoshi is amazing in the world, and the mountains can be moved if they are congenial.Jiren spared no expense in promises, drinking wildly and saying goodbye to the Hundred Nights Period.

Carved plates and beautiful food will gather guests, Wu songs and Zhao dances are fragrant and the wind blows.There are also three thousand scholars in the hall. Who will be rewarded in the future?

It is said that Ximenqing left two song boys behind, and then sent the Miao family back with gifts and some money.Miao Shi took the book, kowtowed and thanked to go out.Not long after that, Chunyan died, and Zhi Chunhong was alone, exactly: all the money was spent to teach singing and dancing, and he stayed with others to enjoy the youth.

But Chang Zhijie begged for Ximen Qing's matter from that day, but he still didn't get it, and the landlord pressed him day and night.It happened that Ximen Qing was coming home from Tokyo, and he would meet the wind today and tomorrow, and after ten days in a row, we had no choice but to meet.As the saying goes: It is hard to meet each other.If one is missing, who do you tell?Every day, I called the earl, and only went to the door of the high-ranking official to ask, and when he said he was not there, he went back empty-handed.When I got home, my wife complained: "You are also a man, you have no room to live in, so you are so annoyed. You usually only know Ximen as a high-ranking official, but today you ask for some money, and you have fallen into the water."

What Chang Zhijie said was speechless, he stared blankly and dared not make a sound.Tomorrow, I got up early to find Earl Ying, and when I came to a hotel, I invited the Earl to have three drinks.The Earl said, "It's not worth it."

Chang Zhijie sat down, measured the wine and served it, and put down a plate of bacon and a plate of fresh fish.After drinking for two rounds, Chang Zhijie said: "Little brother told Brother Qiu and the senior officials of Ximen that we can't meet each other these days, and the house is very tight. Last night, I was nagged by the room all night. I can't bear it." .At five o'clock, I asked my brother to wait for him slowly while the senior officials have not left the house. I don't know what my brother thinks?"

Earl Ying said: "If you are entrusted by others, you must be the last person. I will at least ask the officials to help you today."

After the two had a few more glasses, Ying Earl put off the morning wine.Chang Zhijie persuaded him to have another drink, repay the money for the drink, and went out together, heading straight to Ximenqing's house.

At that time, it was the time of the new autumn, and the golden wind was refreshing.Ximen Qing was drunk for several days, and felt that his energy had dropped a bit.Just in time for Zhou Neixiang to invite wine, I put off the accident and didn't go. I was in the spring dock in the garden, playing with Wu Yueniang, Meng Yulou, Pan Jinlian, and Li Ping'er, looking for flowers and asking willows, so happy.Chang Zhijie and Earl Ying came to the hall and asked that the high official was in the room, full of joy.I sat and waited for a long time, but I didn't come out.I saw a book boy and a painting boy outside the door carrying a box, both in silk clothes, walking in panting, shouting: "I've waited for half a day, and I only got half of it."

Just rest in the hall.Earl Ying asked, "Where is your father?"

The book boy said: "Father is playing in the garden."

The count said, "Please speak up."

The two were still carried in.After a while, the book boy came out and said, "Father, please wait for the second father and the second uncle Chang to come."

The two waited again before Ximen Qing came out.They bowed to each other and asked to sit down.The earl said: "Brother has been busy eating and drinking for a few days, so I don't have time, why are you at home today?"

Ximen Qing said: "Since the day we left, I have been invited to drink all day long. I'm so drunk, I usually don't have much energy. Today, someone invited me to drink again, so I just pushed it away because I have something to do."

The count said, "Where did you bring that box of clothes?"

Ximen Qing said: "Now it's autumn, and everyone needs to add some autumn clothes. Just now, there is only one box, it belongs to your sister-in-law. I can't finish it, so I only hooked half of it."

Chang Zhijie stuck out his tongue and said: "Sister-in-law of the sixth house, there are only six boxes, so it's so easy! It's rare for a small family to get a piece of cloth. My brother is a rich man."

Both Ximen Qing and Earl Ying laughed.The earl said: "These two days, why haven't you seen the cargo ship from Hangzhou? I don't know how to buy and sell goods. In the past few days, I don't know if Li San and Huang Si's silver has been opened in the mansion and sent to brother?"

Ximen Qing said: "I don't know where the cargo ship is loaded, and the books haven't been mailed, so I can't let them go. Li San and Huang Si's are said to be closed at the end of the moon."

Earl Ying sat down next to him, and said in a leisurely way: "Second Brother Chang asked for something at the elder brother's table that day. Brother Chang has no time, so I never said it. Second Brother Chang was forced to panic by the landlord. Every day I was complained by my sister-in-law, but the second brother just made a mess and ignored it. Now it’s autumn cold again, and the leather jacket on his body is in the pian shop. If the brother has good intentions, as the saying goes: To save people, you need to save time. His sister-in-law babbles day and night in the house. Besides, the house I’m looking for lives in, which is also my brother’s dignity. Therefore, Chang’s second elder brother, younger brother Yang, came here to beg brother to help him earlier.”

Ximen Qing said: "I promised him to come, because it cost too much money to go to Tokyo. I was waiting for Han to come home and talk to him. Now it's so important?"

The earl said: "It's not the second brother Chang that matters, his sister-in-law is nagging, so I have to ask brother to be better sooner."

Ximen Qing hesitated for a while and said, "Since it's like this, it's not difficult. Let me ask you, how many houses are enough to live in?"

The earl said: "For the two of them, they also need a facade, a guest seat, a bed room, and a kitchen stove - four houses are indispensable. In terms of price, they also need three or four more silver. .Brother, I just need to get together sooner or later, and teach him to accomplish this.”

Ximen Qing said: "Today, take a few taels of silver with him first, buy a piece of clothing, do some housework, and come over here. When I find a house, I will exchange the silver and make a deal with you, okay?"

The two thanked each other: "It's rare for you to be kind."

Ximenqing then called the book boy, "Go and tell your aunt, a bag of broken silver has been taken out of the leather case."

The book boy promised.After a while, he took out a bag of silver and handed it to Ximen Qing.Ximen Qing said to Chang Zhijie: "This bag of broken silver is the remaining 12 taels from the award from the Grand Master's Mansion in Tokyo that day. You can use it for miscellaneous purposes."

Open it and look at Chang Zhijie, it's all pieces of silver that cost three to five yuan a piece.Chang Zhijie took it and put it in his sleeve, then bowed and thanked him.Ximen Qing said: "I didn't mean to delay you these few days, and you haven't looked for it. Just wait for you to find it, and when I have money, we can exchange it together."

Chang Zhijie is also known as Xie Bude.The three still sat down, and the earl said: "How many ancient people were generous with their wealth, and later their descendants became tall and big, and increased their ancestors' inheritance. Those who were stingy, accumulated a lot of gold and treasures. Later, their descendants were not good, and even the ancestors' graves The soil is not guaranteed. You know that the good will be paid back!"

Ximen Qing said: "Wu that thing is active and not quiet, how can it be buried in one place! It is also born to be used by people. If one person accumulates, one person will be short of it. Therefore, it is extremely sinful to accumulate treasure. "

Just as I was talking, I saw the bookboy bring out the meal.After the three of them ate, Chang Zhijie thanked him and got up, happily walking home with money in his sleeves.As soon as I entered the door, I saw the whole family making a noise and coming out, cursing: "Wu Tong Ye Luo──A bachelor's licensed man! Go out for a day, starve your wife at home, and come home happily, don't be shy. I don’t have a house to live in, and I suffer a lot from others, so I only teach my wife to listen to it.”

That Chang Er just didn't open his mouth, let his wife finish scolding, gently took out the silver in his sleeve, put it on the table, opened it and said, "Brother Kong Fang, brother Kong Fang! I see you are shining and resounding like a priceless treasure, covered with It's numb, I wish I couldn't swallow you down. When you came earlier, you didn't get angry with this whore."

The woman clearly saw a pile of twelve or thirty taels of silver in the bag, and she was so happy that she rushed forward and wanted to snatch it from her husband.Chang Er said: "You will scold a man in your life. When you see Yinzi, come and get close. I will buy some clothes with Yinzi tomorrow, and I will live elsewhere. I will never fool around with you again."

The woman said with a smile on her face, "My brother! Where did this money come from?"

Chang Er didn't make a sound.The woman asked again: "My brother, did you blame me? I just want you to start a family. Now that I have money, I can discuss it with you, but it's not good to buy a house and settle down? It's Qiao Zhangzhi! I As a wife, I have never lost flowers, so it would be in vain for you to blame me."

Chang Er didn't speak.The woman only cared about talking, but she also felt a little bit ashamed of herself when she saw that she often didn't complain, and she couldn't help but shed tears.Chang Er looked at it, sighed and said: "Women, don't plow or weave, and make your husband mad!"

The woman burst into tears.Both of them kept their mouths shut, and no one tried to persuade them, and they sat in a dull mood.Chang Er pondered: "It's also difficult for a woman to do. I have suffered so much and blamed others. I blame him. If I have money today and don't take him, people will say that I am ruthless. Even if the officials know it, they must cut me off." no."

He smiled at the woman and said, "I am kidding myself, who blamed you for coming! You are always making noise, so I had to endure going out, but who blamed you for coming? I understand and tell you: This money was originally from the morning I'm sorry for you, I specially invited Brother Ying to have three drinks in the hotel, and waited together in the official's house. It happened that the official was at home and didn't go for a drink. I got the silver. I can also find a house and exchange the silver with me to make a deal! These 12 taels are for teaching me how to live a life.”

The woman said: "It turns out that it was yours from the high official. Don't spend money now. Find a piece of clothing for the winter so that you can save yourself from the cold."

Chang Erdao: "I was just about to discuss with you, 12 taels of silver, buy some clothes, and do some household chores at home. When I have a new house, it will look better when I move in. I just can't thank you enough. Love, and I will ask him to sit down when I move the house in the future."

The woman said, "Let's talk about it then."

It is exactly: only gratitude and accumulated hatred will not produce dust for thousands of years.

Chang Er talked to the woman once, and the woman said, "Have you come for dinner?"

Chang Erdao: "It's also eaten in the high official's house. You didn't eat, so you bought rice with money."

The woman said: "Tie the silver carefully, and I will come when you are waiting."

Chang Er fetched the castor and bought rice on the street, and there was a large piece of mutton on the castor, and brought it in.The woman greeted the door and said, "Why do you buy this piece of mutton?"

Chang Er said with a smile: "I said a lot of hard work just now, if you don't compete for some mutton, you should also kill some cattle."

The woman pointed at Chang Er with a smile and scolded: "Cruel-hearted thief! Today I hold a grudge in my heart, let's see what you can do to me!"

Chang Erdao: "I'm afraid that one day, I will be called ten thousand times: 'Brother, please forgive me, little whore!' I will only forgive you. Try the means!"

When the woman heard about it, she laughed and went to fetch water from the well.When the woman cooked, she cut a bowl of mutton, put it on the table, and called, "Brother, eat."

Chang Er said: "I just ate the rice, don't eat it. You are so hungry, eat some yourself."

The woman ate by herself.After collecting the housework, Chang Er was sent to buy clothes.Chang Er, with silver in his sleeve, ran straight to the street.I've looked at a few, but none of them like it.I only bought a Qinghang silk women's jacket, a green silk skirt, a moon and white cloud silk shirt, a red silk jacket and a white silk skirt, a total of five pieces.I also bought a goose-yellow satin jacket, a lilac-colored silk straight body, and some linen clothes.Share six taels of silver.Make a package, carry it home, ask the woman to open it and have a look.The woman looked at it and asked, "How much silver did you buy it for?"

Chang Er said: "Six taels of silver."

The woman said: "Although it is not cheap, it is worth the money."

While packing up the box and putting it away, I will go shopping tomorrow.At that time, the woman spent a day happily, and all her complaints were lost in the ocean of the East Ocean.

In addition, Earl Ying and Ximen Qing are still sitting in the hall since they went out on the Changzhi Festival.Ximen Qingyin said: "Although I am a military officer, I have made friends with many officials inside and outside the capital, and recently I have worshiped under the Taishi's door. Those letters and cards for general inquiries seem to flow back and forth, and I can't take care of them carefully. .I want to find a gentleman in the house and teach him to write for me. It’s good to save some effort, but I don’t have anyone who is talented. You can tell me when you see it.”

The Earl said: "Brother, if you want to be different but have something, it's hard to do so. The first thing is to learn, and the second is to have character. You also need to be easy to get along with. You don't talk right and wrong, turn your lips and tongue, that's it. Alright. If you are a mediocre person who is good at learning and is used to mischief, how can you use him! My little brother has only one friend. He is now a scholar in this state. He is also the like of Confucius and Mencius. He and his younger brother, brothers of the Tong family, are very affectionate. I remember that ten years ago, he should propose two strategies, and the examiner praised them very much. I don’t want another one to surpass him. , and then failed. Later, after taking a few subjects, I couldn’t help turning gray. Now, although the books and swords are scattered, the family still has a hundred acres of land and three or four houses to live in.”

Ximen Qing said: "A few children are enough for his family, but why are they willing to come and sit in the restaurant?"

Earl Ying said: "The farms that existed before were all bought by those big families, and now only the skins of hands are left."

Ximen Qing said: "It turns out that it is a field that has been sold, what is the amount!"

The count said: "It really doesn't count. He is only a wife, only about twenty years old, very beautiful, and has two children, only three or four years old."

Ximen Qing said: "His family has a beautiful wife, so he is willing to come out?"

The count said: "The joy is that two years ago, my wife wanted to steal a man, so I went to Tokyo with someone. The two children died of acne again. Now he is the only one left, and he will definitely come out."

Ximen Qing laughed and said, "He said he was good, he was just a fool. What's his last name?"

The Earl said: "The surname is Shui, he is really talented and knowledgeable. If I use him, I will take care of the love letters and poems, and each piece will add to the glory of my brother. When people read it, they will think that Ximen officials are so talented!"

Ximen Qing said: "You are all in a panic, but I don't believe it. You memorized some of his books. I will read them and listen to them. When I read them well, I will invite him to my house and allocate a room to live in. Just one mouthful, and I will listen to it." It looks good."

The earl said: "I remember that he sent a book and asked me to find a master for him. This book, a few sentences in my mind, read and listen to my brother: before sending Huang Yinger's book to my brother, don't think about it, don't talk about it." .All the family trusts Lai to be healthy. The characters are on the side, and the officials are standing next to them. Sometimes they must be convenient. Envy is like a rafter, and the communication is sparse, and the pen is like a cloud."

After Ximen Qing heard this, he burst out laughing, and said, "Since he wants you to find a good master for him, why don't you send a book and write a song instead? And it's not good. You know he Talent and learning are barren, and character is scattered."

The earl said: "I don't want to judge him. It's just because he and I are friends of the third generation, and they went to the same school since childhood. The master once said: "The students of the Ying family are as clever as the students of the water, and they will definitely grow up later."

Do the writing behind, do the same thing, no more jealousy, great brother.Therefore, I don't stick to my appearance, so I write a song at will.What's more, that song is also very interesting. "

Ximen Qing said: "It's nothing else, just what is the fifth sentence?"

Bai Jue said: "Brother, I don't know. This is the hardest way to dismantle the characters of Baidao. The character for 'she' is next to the character for 'official'. Isn't it the word for 'guan'?" Be sure to recommend. So I said: "Sometimes it is convenient." Brother, do you think there is a word in his words that is gossip? Just these few sentences, it is not good to write down all the things in your heart on paper. Mile!"

Ximen Qing was told by the earl that he was so good, so there was nothing to say.I had no choice but to say to the earl, "I don't know how his character is?"

The earl said: "His character is higher than his talent and learning. The year before last, he was sitting in a mansion of Li Shilang. There were dozens of maids in Li's family, and all of them were beautiful. All of them are beautiful in Longyang. That Shui Xiucai lived for four or five years without any evil thoughts. Later, the maids who didn’t want to be hurt by a few bad things saw that he was like a saint, so they embraced him day and night. That Shui Xiucai again A very merciful person, so soft-spoken and hooked up. Therefore, he was kicked out by the master and aroused the neighbors. Everyone said he was useless. In fact, Shui Xiucai was always calm. Brother Ruo invited him to come home , with many girls and servants of yours sleeping and sleeping together, do you think the water scholar is chaotic? It won't be chaotic."

Ximen Qing scolded with a smile: "You idiot, just talk about fooling around. The gentleman Ni Guiyan invited by my colleague Xia Longxi the month before said that he has a scholar named Wen. Let's wait until he comes. "

Exactly: generals are not good at martial arts, but children can always write.

(End of this chapter)