The Red Mansions

Chapter 408 Don't be afraid of not knowing the goods, but be afraid of comparing goods

Chapter 408 Don't be afraid of not knowing the goods, but be afraid of comparing goods

Rikain

In the wing room, Aunt Xue sat cross-legged on the bed, holding the account book in her hand, and checked the accounts by the orange candlelight.

Previously, Baochai had not lied in Daiyu's house. Since Xue Pan's case and the death lawsuit, the Xue family's business has inevitably been affected.

When Baochai walked to the courtyard, her complexion gradually recovered. Holding a handkerchief, she temporarily buried that person's plundering intrusion in her heart. She took a deep breath, held her handkerchief, climbed up the steps to the eaves, opened the curtain, and entered the room. Wing.

"Good girl, are you back?" Aunt Xue looked at Baochai in surprise when she heard the movement.

"Miss." Ying'er stepped forward to help Baochai untie the red cloak.

Baochai called softly: "Mom, it's so late, why haven't you slept yet?"

Aunt Xue raised her eyes to look at Baochai, and said with a light smile, "To settle the score, I heard from Yinger that you met Brother Heng and Miss Lin?"

Baochai nodded and said, "Sister Lin prepared a banquet, probably because of Uncle Lin's business, to entertain Brother Heng."

According to seniority, Baochai and Mrs. Wang should call Jia Min sister-in-law and Lin Ruhai uncle, which is not inappropriate.

Aunt Xue put down the account book, complex expressions appeared on her fair and plump face, and she sighed: "It's not easy for Miss Lin, I see that Brother Heng treats her like his own sister, last time I invited the royal servants from the palace Doctors help with diagnosis and treatment."

This is also the inherent impression of the relationship between Jia Heng and Daiyu that everyone in Jia's mansion has, they love and love each other very much, as if they were brothers and sisters.

Of course, for a long time, Jia Heng's upright and cold image in front of outsiders, coupled with the fact that he already has a family, and Daiyu is too young, no one thinks about it.

Moreover, Jia Heng is not like Baoyu, who runs to Daiyu every three days, and his company is a confession of long love (dog licking).

Even for Baochai, Jia Heng is the same.

Aside from being here because of Xue Pan's incident, and Aunt Xue's banquet, she wouldn't go to Lixiangyuan when she was free. In the eyes of others, there would be no other associations.

Baochai Yurong paused, the scene of the two of them taking a walk appeared in front of their eyes, and said softly: "Brother Heng and Uncle Lin were officials in the same dynasty, I heard that he respected Uncle Lin in the past, but now because of the salt affairs , so I take good care of Sister Lin."

It's just that Baochai's words are not so much explained to Aunt Xue as they are explained to herself.

Aunt Xue's complexion was complicated, and she said with emotion: "Brother Heng is now a first-class man, and he is the deputy envoy of the Beijing camp, and the governor of Jinyi, who is in charge of the five cities' soldiers and horses. I look at the current posture, It's even more amazing, compared to your uncle back then... Miss Lin is lucky to have such a big brother to protect her."

Some things, such as drinking water, know whether it is warm or not.

Jia Heng is young and has a high position and authority. Aunt Xue is not a fool. What she sees is the envy of other people's children, which can hardly be restrained.

In fact, the reason why Mrs. Wang is resentful and injustice, in the final analysis, is also the reason, the psychological imbalance caused by jealousy.

At the beginning, Jia Heng was bullied by Jia Zhen, Mrs. Wang, who was eating vegetarian food and praying to Buddha, even had some sympathy at that time.

But now, Uncle Heng Weifu from the east and west mansions is using it for himself, and his own precious jade is gradually being marginalized, and it is difficult for anyone to put it on anyone's head.

This is human nature.

Baochai listened to her mother's narration to the young man, and remained silent, biting her lower lip with her white teeth, feeling that the warmth of that man still remained on it.

Aunt Xue sighed and said with emotion: "Actually, brother Heng is okay with our family, he helped the family with business in Beijing earlier, if it wasn't for brother Ni, brother Heng and our family..."

Baochai came back to her senses, and said softly: "Mom, didn't Brother Heng say he would take care of Brother? As long as Mom doesn't have any worries, Brother Heng will treat our family as always. Besides, Brother said he would go for three years, but the death lawsuit , Mom sees that there is such a treatment, and let him come back to visit relatives once a month?"

Aunt Xue's complexion changed when she heard the words, and she let out a long sigh.

How could she not know that what her daughter said was reasonable, and perhaps she had already shown affection, but she couldn't get over this hurdle in her heart.

But the reality also told her that she should not hold grudges, not even a little bit of resentment, otherwise, if someone is dissatisfied, as long as she moves her finger, no matter whether it is her own son or the business of the shop, it will be bad luck.

It can be said that at this moment, Aunt Xue really has mixed emotions of annoyance, fear, and... wanting to please Jia.

Aunt Xue was quiet for a moment, then suddenly raised her eyes to look at Baochai, and said, "I just heard from Yinger that Brother Heng is still calling you to talk about your brother?"

Baochaifang's heart skipped a beat, her face remained unchanged, she frowned, her apricot eyes were filled with worry, and said: "Brother Heng said that my brother is in the Wucheng Military Division, so he won't be wronged, mother, he is so big. All the officials have talked to this point, and they don't know what to do... In fact, they don't have much relationship with us."

Aunt Xue nodded, acquiescing to her daughter's words. To be honest, the master Heng in Dongfu is a descendant of Ningguo, and they...the Xue family...does not have much relationship.

It's just that there is something wrong in the bottom of my heart.

Baochai also felt that she had talked too much, so she picked up the teacup beside her for fear of getting suspicious, and said nothing more.

The mother and daughter were talking, when the curtain suddenly opened, Xue Pan was leaning on a cane, his cheeks were rosy, and he said in a low voice, "Mom, my sister is right, I went to Wucheng Bingmasi, it's better than losing my head, I've been lying on the bed for the past few days, and I've thought about what it means, this Brother Heng is actually protecting our family."

Aunt Xue: "???"

Looking at his son's big head suspiciously, he secretly thought, his son, was he beaten stupid?

Xue Pan approached, sat on the embroidered pier beside him, and said, "Mom, how could it be such a coincidence that I was imprisoned by Wucheng Bingmasi under his command?"

Aunt Xue frowned upon hearing this, and remained silent for a while.

Xue Pan said in a low voice: "Mom, if people really want to ignore us, they can still report to the palace? Look, the palace uses him a lot now. I heard that he was made a baron a few days ago. Wen Xing said, Heng Biao Brother was promoted again, and now he is in charge of the Beijing camp. Do you know how many people there are in the Beijing camp, and how many military officers? But they are all in his charge."

Xue Pan served as an army guard in the Beijing camp with Wang Ziteng for a period of time, and he had seen with his own eyes how powerful and dignified the Jiedu envoy of the Beijing camp was.

Baochai's jade face was slightly different, her apricot eyes were narrowed, and she stared at Xue Pan with a look of "Are you my brother?"

But after thinking about it, he also figured it out a little bit, Xu's elder brother thought that telling that person such words would save him from suffering in Wucheng Bingmasi.

Aunt Xue was also taken aback by Xue Pan's words. After a while, she said: "Pan'er, what you said is a bit like what your uncle said."

At the beginning, Jia Zheng's words of consolation were similar, because he saw with his own eyes that Emperor Chongping treated Jia Heng with great courtesy, so he felt that it must be the emperor's kindness, and he used these words to comfort Aunt Xue.

Baochai said: "What my brother said may be true. Mom, if people don't care about my brother, it won't affect him in the slightest. Now my brother has suffered a lot and is not in danger of his life. It is luck and misfortune that depend on each other."

Xue Pan smiled and said, "That's what I mean, it's my sister who sees it clearly."

But Aunt Xue sighed and said: "Okay, it's rare for you two brothers and sisters to persuade me so much. After two days, I will go to Dongfu to sit with Brother Daoheng's daughter-in-law."

In fact, I have some guesses about the thoughts of my two children. No matter what people think, now that the Dongfu is powerful, they always hide their knots and hate people so much that it is a disaster for her Xue family.

Originally, there was Pan'er and his uncle standing outside, but now... the Xue family can only count on the Jia family.

Xue Pan chuckled and said: "Mom is right to think so, I think Brother Heng is good, this time, I don't blame him."

Aunt Xue was a little angry and funny, and said: "You, the scar is healed and the pain is forgotten. Well, you should rest earlier, your sister and I still have something to say."

Xue Pan smiled and said: "I can't sleep, come and listen to what Mom has to say."

Aunt Xue looked at the simple and honest big head, and felt a little helpless in her heart. Fortunately, she didn't hide from Xue Pan the matter of going to Beijing to be elected, and she even helped to arrange it. She turned to look at Baochai, Asked: "What did your aunt say?"

This is a matter of asking Madam Wang to test her tone.

Baochai looked hesitant, and she didn't want to say anything, but under the gaze of her mother, she said softly: "Mom, I don't have any intentions towards Brother Bao..."

Aunt Xue was not annoyed, and said softly, "It's good for me to look at Baoyu."

Xue Pan was listening, but his face changed drastically, and he said anxiously: "Mom, do you want my sister and Baoyu to..."

Aunt Xue's face turned pale, and she angrily said: "Slow down, what are you talking about in the middle of the night?"

Baochai frowned, and glared at her elder brother, her heart filled with embarrassment.

Xue Pan hastily covered his mouth with his hand, but his big face was full of displeasure, and he said in a low voice: "Mom, Baoyu...he can't win the title of title, and he doesn't look like an official in the imperial examination. Aren't you pushing your sister into the fire pit?"

Not afraid of not knowing the goods, but afraid of comparing goods.

With Jia Heng and other peers on the sidelines, even Xue Pan, looking at Baoyu, feels uncomfortable no matter how you look at it.

It's not that Xue Pan wanted to promise his sister to Jia Heng, but he raised his eyes unconsciously.

In addition, accompanied by Jia Heng, I went to Dali Temple for a while, and I saw the appearance of the powerful and powerful people in the places I passed by. As long as I am not a real fool, I can tell who is superior and who is inferior.

The problem is that Jia Heng does not have a beard like Jia Zheng, but is as old as himself.

Aunt Xue said angrily: "It's not you, and your sister was hurt, what can I do now, I can only choose the general from the lame..."

"Mom." Baochai turned pale and called urgently.

Aunt Xue also felt a slip of the tongue, opened her mouth, and sighed: "Forget it, forget it, don't say anything."

Xue Pan shook his head, and said in a low voice: "With my sister's appearance, not to mention Brother Heng, at least I have to find a noble official. How can Baoyu do it? You think the title of Xifu can fall to On his head? Like me, he doesn't like reading, how big an official can he be?"

When Baochai heard Xue Pan's words, her eyebrows twitched, and she felt extremely ashamed.

Aunt Xue glanced at Baochai who was sitting on pins and needles, and said angrily: "You still say."

How could she not know that Baoyu is not the best.

As a mother, would she not want to help Bao Yatou find a young, promising, powerful and powerful person, but she can't find it even with a lantern?

Whoever wants to marry the daughter of a merchant has an elder brother who is in prison.

Brother Dongfu Heng, those are characters that only come out once every few years, let alone married.

If Brother Heng is not married, she will definitely agree, it is a match made in heaven, but is this not marriage?

Being a concubine is obviously not allowed, even if it is a flat wife... no, absolutely not.

Aunt Xue dispelled the throbbing thoughts in her heart.

Baochai's face was gloomy, and she couldn't sit still. She said, "Mom, tell brother, I'm going to rest."

Seeing Baochai's leaving figure, Aunt Xue let out a long sigh, her daughter's appearance...how could her life be so miserable.

But it is said that Jia Heng returned to Ningguo Mansion, and under Qingwen's service, he took a bath and changed clothes, and came to the wing room where he lived.

A few days passed, and the bloodstains on the back had disappeared, and Ke Qing's relatives had also left.

Qin Keqing seemed to have just taken a bath, her black hair was casually tied into a bun, she was wearing a light red collared jacket, her face with hibiscus stamens was not applied with makeup, compared to the gorgeous and gorgeous makeup in the past, it was like a lotus flower, fresh and natural.

A little more girlish innocence.

Qin Keqing was leaning sideways on the pillow, covered with a pair of mandarin duck brocade quilts, holding a book in her hand and reading to herself, her beautiful eyes were as bright as water, when she saw Jia Heng, she smiled and asked, "My lord, is this from sister Lin?" Are you back then?"

Jia Heng sat down on the bed nearby, took off his shoes and socks, and said softly: "Well, I talked with Sister Lin for a while, the cook from Xifu cooked a table of Huaiyang cuisine and Suzhou cuisine."

Qin Keqing laughed lightly and joked: "My husband will take me to taste it next time."

Jia Heng said softly: "Then it's better to invite the cook over and cook here, it's the same."

Qin Keqing smiled, put the book in her hand on the small table beside her, leaned her body against the bed, and unbuttoned her jacket, revealing her round and greasy shoulders, and her peony-embroidered skirt. color apron.

Jia Heng removed her clothes, lifted the quilt, and lay on the bed, followed by the two servant girls Baozhu and Ruizhu, put down the golden hook, and the hooked curtain fell slowly.

Not long after, there was the sound of the young couple talking on the bed.

……

……

next day

The morning light on the seventh day of the first lunar month shone on the courtyard of Ningguo Mansion. After breakfast, Jia Heng went to the inner study to review the official documents of the various government offices that had been copied by the soldiers and horses of the five cities in the past few days.

Facing the copybook in the outer hall, Qingwen suddenly called softly: "Master, the third girl is here."

Jia Heng was stunned for a moment, looking at Tan Chun who came not far from the outside.

The girl wears a round-neck gown embroidered with multicolored folded chrysanthemums on a light blue background, a white cross-collar jacket on top, and a long beige skirt. She has handsome eyes and eyebrows, and a beautiful face.

Jia Heng nodded and asked, "Third sister, have you finished your meal?"

Seeing the young man's tone calm and unwavering, Tanchun's face was as usual, like the sound of a mountain spring ding-dong, Qing Yuezhong trembled, and said: "I've had breakfast, come and see, brother Heng, is there anything you need to order?" ?”

Jia Heng said with a smile: "The third sister came just in time. You should gather these official documents with seals according to the time, and these, and the account books of the two cities that were sent by the tax department, also help to calculate..."

After listening to the order, Tanchun was overjoyed, said "En", came to Jia Heng's side, and got busy.

Jia Heng didn't talk to Tanchun anymore, and took up a pen and ink to write official documents or use seals.

Time flies, and in the midst of busyness, it's half noon.

"Young Master, the old lady sent someone to call for Young Master, saying that there are guests from the West Mansion, and we will have dinner together in the afternoon, do you want to go to the mansion to meet Young Master?" At this time, Qing Wen entered the study and said softly.

Jia Heng put down the brush and asked, "Did you tell me which one it is?"

At this time, Tanchun also stared at Qingwen.

Qingwen said: "I heard that it is Uncle Wang's house. The whole family and the female relatives have come to see the old lady and the master."

Wang Ziteng finally came, worried that he would be shut down in the East Mansion, so he first went to the West Mansion to visit Jia Zheng and Jia Mu.

In fact, when Mother Jia saw Wang Ziteng bringing her son and daughter-in-law, she finally felt relieved from the anger that had been pent up in her heart for more than ten years.

Jia Heng thought for a while, his face paused, he guessed some of Jia's mother's thoughts, and said: "Sister, are you here, or come with me to meet?"

Tanchun said softly, "I'll go with Brother Heng."

(End of this chapter)