Alternative Telling of Dream of Red Mansions: Cherishing Spring

Chapter 18
She didn't dare to turn around to question, and ran down the corridor again.Breaking free from the womb and trying to grow up, looking back now, this long journey is really—— meaningless.

Jia's mother went to the funeral every few days.It is still a good scene with all the water and land ashrams, the family members pay filial piety, and the gongs and drums are loud.Because of the precious status of Jia Mu, even in this extraordinary time, the Holy Majesty still remembers the meritorious deeds of the veterans, and specially decreed that the kings and princes should be given sacrifices on the way.With a decree of kindness, Jia's mansion is very excited. It's really indulgent just to set up a high-rise colorful shed on Rongning Street, set up a banquet, and play music in harmony!Some Shengdou people gathered outside Rongning Street to join in the fun, but they could only see the grand funeral of Jia's mansion, which came from the north like a mountain of silver, and the roadside princes and ministers were constantly coming and going.

"Didn't it mean that Jia's family is useless? Why is it still so vigorous? Tsk tsk——If I live my whole life, it won't be in vain to have such excitement after my death!"

"Confused! The excitement after death is useless! Let's take care of the present first. What do you compare me with others? If you eat the last meal, you will not stop. If you see this ostentation, it is the Holy One. The dead is The old Fengjun of the Jia family, the first-rank madam, not to mention people like you and me, even ordinary petty officials are not as blessed as her old man!"

"I don't believe what you said. Let's not talk about those things that are not lawful. There is one right in front of us. It was just a few years ago, we were still watching here. At that time, the Ning Mansion died. My grandma, my dear, that scene was so lively! I remember clearly that the big book on the inscription is "Protecting the Coffin of Long Jinwei, the Imperial Guard of the Forbidden Road in the Inner Court". I think of the Qin family It's just the wife of a fifth-ranked Dragon Forbidden Captain, so it's so lively!"

"As the saying goes, 'a centipede is dead but not stiff'. However, this time is different from that time. The Sheng Lie at the time of Qin's death was a lively scene. When the old lady came here, she was already at the end of her life. Don't you believe it? After watching this excitement, you and I will go to other places to watch the excitement."

"Big falsehood is true, and great truth is false. The two of us are watching the excitement, so naturally we will go where the excitement is! Tell me, no matter whether you are a big official or small, the most important thing is that the Holy One is willing to honor you, and then there will be more people in the future." You have to see. If the emperor doesn't like it, you won't succeed because you were born a prince!"

"Shhh - what season is this, and the streets are full of screams if there is no day like this? Don't be a dick, you go to Shuntian Mansion and surrender yourself, die or die! Don't drag me down!"

Xichun staggered in the car and wept.The wind from the green silk curtain, swaying with the car, rushed to her face in bursts, licking and biting, disturbing people.Her ears were full of uproar, but the words of those two people somehow reached her ears—— Qin Shi!Her heart twitched violently, she raised her tearful eyes, and stretched out her hand to lift the curtain—looking for the person who spoke.

There are many people on the roadside.The current servants in the mansion are not as useful as they were back then.The team was not in order, but like a ready-made long snake array, meandering and wriggling slowly on the street.Turning the corner, her car seemed to be moving among the crowd.Those strangers, people who had tried their best to avoid before, were dangling close to her nose and eyes.

Xichun opened the curtain cautiously, and she saw two people, a monk and a monk, dressed in ragged clothes, with strange descriptions, it was hard not to pay attention.The lame Taoist covered the mouth of the lame monk, dragged him to squeeze into the crowd, and disappeared in a blink of an eye.

The nonsensical words are like nonsense from the mouth of a bum on the street.Xichun smiled without thinking.There was a strange feeling in my heart.No need for any reason, with so many people now, she can be sure that those words were spoken by the scarlet monk.Seeing them, the original feeling of unhappiness and uncleanness in my heart suddenly dissipated—they were harmless, not repulsive.She understood, as if seeing the cloud shadow on the water.Clear and elusive.

Those two people disappeared, Xichun looked away.There was still a lot of hustle and bustle in her ears, but amidst the overwhelming excitement, a voice rang in her ears.If the surrounding noise is numb, this voice is like a knot that can be sorted out; if Xichun's heart is a cocoon, this voice is the thread that can be sorted out.

The voice said with a smile beside her ears: "Xu Huanhuo! Huobihuu!" Very short words, it sounded like a sonorous recitation, but it was as ethereal as a play, like the wind between your fingers, you can't hold it for a while.It seems true and false, suspicious and false.She recognized that it was the same person speaking now as before.As if a bolt of lightning struck face to face, Xichun was dazed and lost consciousness, and the handkerchief fell on the ground——Wishing heart.attunement.Buddha is helping the world to break through the maze all the time.And at certain times, the transmission of graceful and profound thoughts is as clear and sharp as an arrow piercing through the air, deeply rooted in the mind, and can disappear without leaving a trace like a bird flying across the sky.It can not be restricted by any factors, it is an illusion but it is real.Because of the spread of thought, Buddha's incarnation is everywhere.

She was meditating like this, her state of mind was like rolling clouds in the sky.Sometimes the wind and rain are like darkness, and sometimes there seems to be a ray of golden light shining from the edge of the cloud base.Suddenly, the car wobbled and stopped.Ruhua hurried over to invite her, and replied: "Grandma Liu is here, kneeling on the side of the road with Ban'er and Qing'er crying like tears. The wife is too busy, so I ask the girl to take care of it, saying that the country people don't understand It’s not good for princes to see etiquette.”

Xichun smiled, this is the benefit of the 2000 taels!She gave up her regular share of inheritance, and now Madam Wang is very suspicious of her, and immediately entrusts her with a heavy responsibility, even Sister Feng is inferior.All the people who could be used in the mansion have gone, the sick, the weak, and the out of power.Instead, she made her debut on stage.What is it called? "There is no general in Shu, Liao Hua is the vanguard."

"Etiquette!" She sneered, and then ordered Ru Hua, "In this case, you call Lai Yi'er to bring them properly without bumping into each other. You don't need to bother others, just come to my car."

Ruhua looked at her in a little surprise. This young lady has been obsessed with cleanliness since she was a child. Let alone a countryman, ordinary people are not allowed to get close to her... Today - she dare not ask, she bowed her head and agreed, and brought it quickly.

Grandma Liu is much older than the previous few years, and her face is more and more vertical and horizontal, like a weathered rock, which will collapse when shaken.Xichun held her hand, Grandma Liu's skin was blue, yellow and black, the colors were so mixed that it reminded people of leaves that would wither and decay at a certain time, facing the end of rot.

Life is full of life.

The two of them held hands together, Xichun had mixed feelings in her heart, she opened her mouth to call grandma, the tears just couldn't stop falling, and she couldn't continue the rest of the sentence.Grandma Liu's tears didn't stop. She cried all the way, her voice was hoarse, and she still cried in a hoarse voice: "Girl... old lady... a man of Wanfu Jin'an, how could he just go like this? A bastard like me, Those who eat bran and swallow vegetables are alive, they are living like dogs, they are alive... Tell me, what is going on here?"

The crying voice of the old man is like a mournful Jinghu ringing continuously.Xichun was touched by her, compared to the people in the mansion who came here to meet the occasion, she is an eighty-year-old village woman, regardless of her hard work, she brought her family to pay tribute all the way.This friendship is more precious than the emperor's will!And what they gave her was nothing more than a few dozen taels of silver and some extra clothes.

She treats them like flowers and brocades so sincerely!She is a real person who can make iron with stone, which makes them more and more reflective and empty of love.

Xichun choked with sobs, and said word by word: "We are not filial! Grandma, we are not filial. When you came into the garden that year and asked for a painting, my ancestors asked me to paint. I kept dragging and grinding. I can’t finish painting. Now people are dead and the garden is gone, so I can’t paint even if I want to.” She cried bitterly, “Grandma, I’m so unfilial…”

Talking about the past, the two cried bitterly, but they couldn't say a word of comfort, their hearts were in pain, so painful that they lost blood.How can two people with broken hearts make up for the wounds of others?Although Ban'er and Qing'er are much older, the personnel and affairs in front of them are all unfamiliar.Crying because I saw my grandma crying.Uneasy, nervous, join in the fun, everything.Although the two children who were new to human affairs were also crying, their eyes looked at the shadowy people outside the car window from time to time, like mountains and seas.

Parting from life and death is the feeling of a knife being cut on the skin, and it must be experienced personally to be truly painful.

Xichun thought for a while, and decided to take grandma Liu, grandparents and grandchildren to live in Tiekan Temple temporarily.Qing'er was shy, sitting in the car and clutching the front of her clothes without speaking.Ban'er looked at her, then at grandma and Xichun, seeing that they were not crying anymore, he opened the curtains and looked out.Xu has someone as a companion, Xu wants to show his boldness in front of Qing'er, Ban'er is much more bold today, after a while he retracts his head, takes a look at Xichun, and asks his grandma: "Grandma, are we Do you want to go to the mansion? I have been here before! I remember that the road is not this way." As he spoke, he winked at Qing'er.

Grandma Liu looked at Xichun and smiled mischievously, then slapped Ban'er's hand with her backhand, and scolded him: "The bigger you are, the more unruly you are!" With a bad start, Ban'er lost his temper a lot.He was already sitting on the side with his head bowed, and he caught a glimpse of Qing'er smiling at him, so he couldn't be underestimated by her!Ban'er thought about it, and argued, "I'm not wrong! It's really not this way! I've been here..."

"Ban'er has a good memory." Xichun praised Ban'er with a smile, and without waiting for Grandma Liu to change her face, she took up the conversation and said, "We have other places to go today." Seeing that she had spoken, Ban'er fell silent.

Xichun was afraid that she and Grandma Liu would be in love with each other again, and it would be shameful to cry all the way and hurt her body. She turned to ask Qing'er a few words, and Qing'er answered them one by one. After a few words, Xichun saw that she was a gentle and refreshing person I liked it very much, so I took off the ring on my hand and put it on for her, and said with a smile: "This little thing, I'll give you a greeting gift."

Qing'er was surprised and delighted, touched the ring and wanted it, but didn't dare to accept it, and looked at Grandma Liu eagerly.Grandma Liu was naturally not allowed to take it, she waved her hand and said, "No! No! Put it away, girl, she is a wild girl from a farmer's family, and she works in the fields all day long. She has no time to wear this. It's a pity to lose it."

Grandma Liu was outspoken, and her words were tantamount to mocking them as rich and idle people.Xichun pursed her lips and smiled, not thinking it was strange.Before she could open her mouth, she heard Ban'er yelling: "Sister, you look so pretty when you smile!" Xichun was taken aback when she heard this, and looked at Ban'er, not knowing how to respond even though she was clever.If it was an ordinary man, she could accuse him of being flirtatious, or deal with him with the rules of an adult game, but Ban'er has a young heart, and he is innocent and simple, and has no flirtatious intentions towards her.There's nothing more overwhelming and unresponsive than compliments like this, bluntly and face-to-face.At the moment, he just nodded and smiled, pressed Qing'er's hand and said: "Don't take it off, what is given to you is yours."

A trace of bitterness leaked from the corner of Xichun's mouth, and he sighed: "It's not convenient now, if I would have picked you up to play in the garden a few years ago, you can be with sister Qiao." It's not easy to refuse, she pushed Qing'er and said: "You wild girl! Hurry up and thank the girl for the reward!"

Just as he was talking, the carriage stopped for a while.The coachman replied from outside: "Miss Si, the family temple is here." Xichun opened the curtain and glanced out, saw many people at the gate of the temple, and told the coachman, "Take us directly to the back garden, I don't want to see these people! "

"Yes." The coachman rode his horse, and while speaking, the car had already passed the gate of the temple, and drove straight to the back garden.

The car entered the vertical flower gate and stopped.The flowers and trees in the garden are sparse, and in the distance is a piece of green bamboo, which is gloomy and gloomy.The sound of the wind blowing over the bamboo shoots played a beautiful clear sound.Here is the family temple and the inner garden.Seeing the familiar scenery, finally arrived!Xichun breathed a sigh of relief, and smiled at the three of them, "Get out of the car!"

Without waiting for someone to shout, Ban'er jumped out of the carriage. Grandma Liu couldn't stop her shouting, but a car was catching up behind him. hoof.The coachman was frightened half to death, and he tried his best to calm the horse down. When he gathered his composure, he saw that Ban'er was a middle-aged man, and he was dressed in the country. When he looked at him as a rough servant, he immediately became angry and panted heavily. Scold loudly!

Xichun and the others were laughing that the board was a monkey that opened the lock, when they heard a commotion outside.Xichun frowned and put away her smile, because it was a family temple and it was an extraordinary time, so there was no need to avoid anything, and she got out of the car directly.

The driver of that family saw Xichun getting out of the car, they were the best at recognizing people, even if they didn't know each other, he didn't dare to underestimate Xichun.The coachman's attitude changed abruptly, he immediately fell silent, and saluted respectfully.Xichun signaled to his coachman to announce.Not long after, the post was handed out from the car, and the coachman took it, handed it to Xichun, and then retreated far away.

Xichun read the famous post.The person who came was the wife of Chen Gong, Marquis of Wuqing, who helped the emperor put down the Mongolian rebellion in the early years.She thought about it, and motioned quietly to the coachman of Jia's family to take Ban'er, Grandma Liu and Qing'er to the side to wait, while she stepped forward gracefully, stood under the curtain to salute, and said softly: "Jia The youngest daughter, Xichun, asks my wife about the safety of your body."

"You are Xichun? A girl who knows how to be courteous." The people in the car raised their voices slightly, and then lifted the curtain. Seeing that it was her, there was a hint of surprise in their eyes, and their faces became gentle immediately.Mrs. Chen Hou smiled, raised her hand gently and said, "Miss, please get up." After a pause, she looked at Xichun carefully from head to toe, and sighed, "I heard that the girls in Jia's mansion are It's good to be outstanding, I have seen you today, and I believe it completely. Your character and appearance are really rare in the world!"

"Madam praises it absurdly, but Xichun dare not take it."

"Those older sisters in your family... Needless to say, Madam, I have also seen Bao, Dai, Tan, and Yun. When it comes to character and appearance, they are all rare in the world. I can't think of a hidden one. You..." Mrs. Chen Hou smiled kindly, her face becoming more and more kind.She seemed to have a deep affection for Xichun, she couldn't stop praising her, and even stepped down from the car.

Xichun was taken aback, hurried up to help her, led her to the side hall to rest, took time to sneak a peek to see that Baner and others were gone.Apparently the coachman saw the opportunity and took them far away.Xichun breathed a sigh of relief, and turned back to concentrate on dealing with Mrs. Chenhou.She sighed softly: "At that time, Xichun was young and ignorant, the old lady didn't allow me to go out, so as not to make people angry."

"Is it allowed now?" Madam stopped and turned to look at her with a smile, and asked earnestly.

"Now—" Xichun's eyes were red, and after a moment, she smiled and said, "Madam is right? It was never my turn. Now all the sisters are married, and there are sisters Bao and Xiangyun. Now, Sister Feng and Sister Lin are sick, and Xichun has grown up, so it's right to help my aunt with some things."

Originally, when Mrs. Chen Hou saw her face suddenly changed, she suddenly realized that she had said the wrong thing, and she was regretting her own slip of the tongue, but she didn't want Xichun to not care, and immediately rescued her.She cherishes Chun's thoughtfulness even more in her heart.Listening to her narration, her words are soft, her voice is miserable, and she is so pitiful, and she can't help but stretch out her hand and hold her in her arms to comfort her: "Good boy, you are so good, tell me what to say, madam I feel sorry for you, but I'm afraid you won't want to."

"Don't dare!" Xichun raised her eyes to look at her in surprise, exhaled softly, and hurriedly knelt down to salute, "Mrs. Xie is wrong!" Resisting it, her expression was both sad and gentle, making people love and pity, Madam was obviously moved by her...

"Madam..." Xichun seized the opportunity and said slowly, "I still have to apologize to Madam. My family accidentally bumped into Madam just now. The child is a distant relative of my family. He came from afar with his grandma for the funeral. My family has been bored in the car for a long time, and behaved recklessly, I hope Madam will not blame me."

"It's not him, I can't see you yet. Don't worry, why would I care about a kid who doesn't understand anything?"

"Thank you ma'am."

Mrs. Chen Hou looked at Xichun and nodded with a smile, as if she had forgotten the matter that should have been pursued just now, she just talked with her, took her hand into the side hall to rest.The two sat down firmly, the servant girl brought tea, and Xichun gave it to her personally.Mrs. Chen Hou sipped her tea and watched her chatting a lot.The two of them lingered in the garden, fortunately Xichun came to Tiekan Temple these few days to accompany these princes and wives who came here by chance, so there is no problem with her.

Mrs. Chen Hou didn't leave reluctantly until the shadow of the sun held the mountain.Xichun sent her to the Chuihua Gate, and the setting sun slowly painted the flowers and plants on the garden gate with a layer of light gold, so the ordinary flowers and trees also added a bit of enchanting beauty.At this time, the sky was full of clouds, a layer of orange yellow, a layer of rose purple, and many colors stacked together, so beautiful that it was dazzling, as if a fairy lost her hand while washing her clothes, and the seven-color heavenly clothes were scattered in the Milky Way.

Before leaving, Mrs. Chen Hou squeezed her hand and said a few words in a low voice.Xichun's face flushed suddenly, and she looked at her slightly flustered.Mrs. Chen Hou turned around and left with a smile. Xichun was still standing there in a daze. When someone got on the car and left, the car disappeared on the path covered with vines. Those words still rang in her ears: "You promised me No? Look at me! What a fool! How could you know? Don't be too late, I said I will love you, so I will help you pay attention."

Xichun smiled, not taking her promise to heart.Xichun didn't care much about Mrs. Chen Hou's special affection for her.This may be just a kind of etiquette, a little curiosity, and a little feeling of congeniality.In the environment they live in, everyone has common scheming and upbringing, and they are familiar with the behavior and speech when facing different people on different occasions.Hypocrisy is also a kind of education, life has made them well-trained, and their behavior is natural-many people will show favor to others because of need, and she was just now.She thought, maybe Mrs. Chen Hou was too bored, and she would soon forget what she said.

So soon Xichun stopped thinking about this almost non-existent problem.What can make Xichun turn pale with fright and frowned is another question - do I look so lonely and old?Xichun was flustered, caressed her face absently, thinking to herself, did her expression give away her thoughts?It's still the age that has begun to fade slightly between the eyebrows-her heart is a woman, and she is afraid of the fleeting youth.See clearly that youth is the instinctive tension after a song and dance.

What a woman struggles for all her life, the enemy of a woman is definitely not a man, who is not that important; it is herself, the confrontation with the time until death.Afraid of growing old, of aging every inch of my body—very, terrified.Even helpless to want to die.No matter how you cover it up, numb yourself, and put a huge boulder on it, at some point, that fear will still stubbornly emerge from the bottom, biting a woman's heart.

(End of this chapter)