The Red Mansion is so charming

Chapter 100 February Twelfth Celebrates the Year of Spring
It wasn't until the fifth quarter of Xu time that the four gates of the east, west, north, south, and north were closed, and Jia Lian rode to Fengwei Hutong on horseback.I bumped into Wang Xifeng who was holding Qiaojie at the door, and smiled unconsciously: "Why are you here?"

Sister Feng had been waiting at home for a long time but no one came back. Seeing that the city gate was about to have a curfew, she couldn't wait for a moment. When the Xing family came to invite her, Sister Feng took her daughter and brought Ping'er to her aunt's house.Jia Lian really has no other place to go, except to be closest to his uncle's family.

Wang Xifeng patted the ash on Jia Lian's body casually, and said angrily, "Second Master just won't go back, at least ask Zhao'er to send us a letter first, if it wasn't for my aunt who sent someone to call us, I, Heping'er, are still waiting! Now you You can be regarded as a member of the official family, who didn't pay attention in the past, but now you have to change it when you enter the yamen. I, Heping, don't dare to hold you back, I only hope that the second master can always remember us."

Seeing that his wife is so virtuous, Jia Lian happily shook Sister Feng's hand, and they walked into the main gate together.Xing Zhong and the others had just heard the news, and they were also busy welcoming them.Seeing Jia Lian's dusty appearance, Xiuyan ordered people to go to the kitchen to prepare food, while she, Sister Feng, Daiyu and others sat next to the little tavern by the door.

Jia Lian drank three sips of warm tea before laughing and said, "It's really a blessing to have Song Shangshu with us today, otherwise how would we be lucky to meet Mr. Bai? Listen to the meaning of the tea servant in the academy, from the fifth day of the Lunar New Year to today, There were already seven or eight people who came to see Mr. Bai. At first, I just waited in the guest courtyard with Zhengde. Before noon, Song Shangshu sent someone to call for Zhengde. I didn't dare to ask more questions, so I just waited. Seeing that the sun was setting in the west, Mr. Bai's attendants came out and told me that Mr. Zhengde was left to live in the academy. I was shocked and scared. I didn't see my cousin. How could I dare to leave? I had to send Zhao'er back to my aunt first. Sending news. When we went down the mountain, it was Mr. Bai who came with his cousin on his arm and told me that our family didn’t need to rush up the mountain to see Zhengde. Send people to the academy early in the morning."

After hearing Jia Lian's narration, Xing Zhong couldn't help looking at his daughter. Xiuyan thought for a while and said, "I heard rumors that Mr. Bai is very difficult to get close to. Since Second Brother Lian said that he personally rescued Zhengde and sent you off, he must have a lot of affection for Zhengde in his heart. It’s just as simple as being satisfied. We can’t treat a gentleman’s heart with the heart of a villain, and we won’t go up the mountain unless we are told, fortunately, Master Wang can help deliver a message.”

Xing Zhong nodded, and asked someone to consult with Master Wang's study outside.Master Wang is not a stickler. He already liked Zhengde's intelligence and studiousness, and he wanted to teach him a good apprentice. It would be a pity if he gave up halfway. In addition, the Xing family promised to take good care of Master Wang's wife and children, and the monthly payment would increase again. Once doubled, Master Wang has nothing to say.There is only one condition, I want to take my son with me when I go up the mountain, first to be a companion for Zhengde, and second, to follow Master Wang to refine and refine kung fu, so as not to ruin the original foundation.

There was no reason for Xing Zhong not to allow it, so Jia Lian and his wife stayed in the mansion that night.

Early the next morning, Jia Lian went to the yamen to ask for leave. When he happened to come out, he bumped into Jia Rong at the entrance of the criminal department. He was stunned: "What are you doing here so early in the morning? Maybe something happened at home, and you came to look for me?"

Jia Rong pulled the reins of Jia Lian's horse with a smile, "Look at what Second Uncle said, can't my nephew be able to hold his breath and follow Second Uncle's example of living in the yamen? My father got involved in the next year and found me in the Ministry of Punishment. I just came here today to report on an errand for a school inspector, and I was thinking of inviting my second uncle to Deyuelou at noon, but I ran into him at the door, isn't this a rare coincidence?"

Jia Rong was very pleased with herself. Since Jia Lian got a good job, he often talked about it in front of his father Jia Zhen.However, Jia Zhen felt that she had earned enough face by donating to her son as a Wupinlong Forbidden Captain that year, and Jia Zhen felt uncomfortable if she used the money to buy an official now.

However, on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, I went to Yongxing Festival to make Fatty Feng’s house drink, and Jia Lian was inevitably mentioned during the conversation. Everyone praised Jia Lian and said that Jia Lian was a blessing in disguise. .

Jia Zhen was upset, and after thinking about it for a long time after returning home, she secretly found Cheng Zimo's brother-in-law, the minister of punishment, and spent another 1000 taels of silver to get this small errand of the ninth rank.

Sitting on the horse, Jia Lian smiled and said, "Since I'm on duty, I can't go fishing for three days and drying the net for two days like in the past. How much money do you have for a nine-rank petty official? At least be calm in front of your colleagues. I have something to do today. I won’t talk to you any more, I’ll go to my house another day, and our uncle and nephew can catch up on the old days.”

Jia Rongan was willing to let Jia Lian go, and asked why.Jia Lian then told about the fact that Mr. Bai of Bishan Academy had accepted the Xing family's cousin as a closed disciple, and said that he was busy going to the mountain to deliver things to his cousin.

Looking at Jia Lian's beautiful back, Jia Rong felt unhappy, and went to the yamen to pick up an errand in resentment.

As soon as February was approaching, Xiuyan sent people to the mountain several times to deliver food, Bishan Academy was polite and took away the things, but the Xing family was not allowed to see Zhengde.It was Master Wang who got the news, saying that Mr. Bai attached great importance to Zhengde, and he led him to study every day, and even more intentionally brought Zhengde to Lingshan to visit friends when the weather was warm.

After Xiao Baozi left, Lu Shi and Xiuyan seemed to be missing something, and even their food intake was cut in half. Just as the cold and warm alternated, Lu Shi suffered from a cold without realizing it.However, Xiuyan was alerted by this illness, and she didn't dare to be negligent, and hurriedly took care of her mother's daily life.

Lu Shi is half mentally ill and half genuinely ill, but she will recover within two or three days, but Xing Zhong teased her in private, saying that she has the heart of a child.

After February, it will be Daiyu's birthday in a blink of an eye, because of all the big and small things that happened in the family, Daiyu dare not reveal anything in front of everyone, she just wanted to pass by quietly.Unexpectedly, today my sister brought a list and asked her to choose.

"It's your whole birthday this time. I discussed it with my mother and decided to make a big deal. There is Fangfei Garden in the east of the city, and the peach blossoms are already in bud. I asked someone to ask, and the gardener said, in a few days. It must be opened in three or two days. The garden was originally a private property of the Marquis Mansion, but it fell into disrepair, so it was rented out to exchange for some expenses every year. I asked the housekeeper to book it for three days. Our sisters chose a good place and told them to advance Let's arrange it. On February [-]th, invite the old ladies, wives, and young ladies from the east and the west to play. You can go boating, pick flowers, and call two theater troupes to wait. Wouldn't it be more interesting than staying at our house? ?”

Daiyu was moved to tears when she heard sister Xiuyan say that she was in order, "Sister, why bother to mobilize people, I will be very good after eating noodles at home."

Xiuyan smiled and pulled out a letter from her bosom: "Here, that brat Zhengde has written a letter, saying that he will come back to celebrate your birthday, and that he bought a good thing from his master, specially for you. You made a present!"

Hearing that Zhengde was coming back, Daiyu was overjoyed, and couldn't stop saying: "There is no greater good news than this, sister let me have a look." After speaking, she unfolded the letter and read it.Seeing that the font on it was smoother, Daiyu nodded hurriedly: "As expected of a famous teacher, after only a few days of work, Zhengde's calligraphy has become more and more elegant, but the words are still immature."

At the end of the letter, there is also a cute rabbit with simple strokes. Zhengde is a rabbit. When I was a child, Xiuyan would add a few strokes like this below every time he read his homework.Later, when the family invited a husband, Xiuyan was no longer like this, for fear that the husband would underestimate the Xing family.Unexpectedly, two or three years later, Zhengde still remembers this.

Xiuyan touched the ink that had dried up on the letter paper, and murmured in a low voice: "My sister may not know that Zhengde is not a child of our family."

Daiyu was startled, thinking she had heard it wrong, "What did sister say?"

Xiuyan sighed lightly: "Zhengde is the child I picked up six years ago."

Daiyu couldn't believe it, and Xiuyan laughed at herself: "At that time, our family had difficulty even eating. I don't know how many people persuaded us to send the child away. But the child is cute and smart, who can bear it?" What? Why do you think our mother is sick? She didn’t say anything, but my father and I knew that she was afraid that Zhengde would never come back after knowing his life experience.”

"No, Zhengde is not that kind of person."

"Why didn't I think so? It's just that this time I was inexplicably hanging in my heart, as if something big was about to happen."

Every time Daiyu sees Xing Xiuyan, he is the most thought-provoking person, who can make troubles decisively and act vigorously. She always tells Zijuan in private that the combination of Lian's second sister-in-law and Bao girl may not be able to match sister Xing.Seeing her delirious look now, Daiyu had to choose words of comfort.

On February [-]th, Xiuyan personally went to Rongguo Mansion to invite Jia's mother to a banquet.Mother Jia heard that she was eating wine in Fangfei Garden, and she couldn't help but feel joyful: "The last time I went to Fangfei Garden was seven or eight years ago. The concubine Beijing had a banquet, and it was about this time. The yard was full of peach blossoms. , the family of the Duke of Zhen, and the female relatives of the Marquis of Dingcheng and the Prince of Xining, whoops, how lively it is!"

Seeing that Jiamu was happy, Xiuyan laughed quickly and said, "Mom knows that old ladies like to be lively, so she simply invited some ladies from Fengwei Hutong. Mother also asked me to bring a post to Aunt Xue and Aunt Li. Last time I went east Go to the government to invite, my sister-in-law has been dragged down by the matter, this time she must be rewarded."

Mother Jia saw that Xing Xiuyan spoke and acted gracefully, and that the daughters in the family were not as good as her, so her mind became more active, and she hurriedly smiled and said: "Good boy, don't worry, she dare not not go with me in charge!"

Everyone laughed, and in a blink of an eye, Xiuyan saw Jia Baoyu, who was smiling beside her, and said with a hand: "I also call your Xiren, I have another gift for her."

Jia's mother's complexion faded, "I'm a concubine, girl Xing can't afford to take care of her." Jia Baoyu waved at Xing Xiuyan in embarrassment, signaling her to stop talking, so as not to upset the old lady.

Xiuyan deliberately pretended not to see it, and still smiled with Jia Mu: "I treat Brother Bao as my own brother. Is there any reason why I should not care about the people around him? Not to mention Xiren and Lin Yatou's one-day birthday , we all went to Fangfei Garden, leaving Xiren at home, and brother Bao felt uncomfortable, so it would be better if we all had a lively time together. She must be the only one left."

Jia's mother liked Xiuyan's knowledge and rationality more and more, so she hurriedly called someone to the inner courtyard to tell the two wives, Xing and Wang, that no matter how big the event was tomorrow, it was important to celebrate Daiyu's birthday first.

(End of this chapter)