Qing Wu Red House

In the fifth year of Hongzheng, the third day of December, Zishi.

Accompanied by the Hangzhou army, the Lin family finally moved most of the belongings to Lin's old house after two hours of tossing back and forth.

The old house of the Lin Mansion is located in the northeast of Yangzhou city. I don't even like this yard.Lin Ruhai built another garden, and handed over the yard to Wang Dou, a domestic slave, whose wife was later Daiyu's nanny.At the beginning of the year, Nanny Wang returned from Jia's mansion, and she has been guarding the mansion with her husband and children, and her life is quite comfortable.

Now, the four-entry courtyard welcomes Lin Ruhai back again, but the world is already impermanent, and yin and yang are separated.

Lin Ruhai's mourning hall was set up in the first courtyard, and the huge living room had been completely vacated, with curtains and elegiac couplets hung up.Lin Ruhai's coffin was placed in the center of the main hall. A long black pear wood case was placed in front of the coffin, with white table clothes hanging on it, and a lute made of ham on it. The head was cooked pig's head, cooked pig lungs and liver. For the body, Jiang Taigong is made, white scorpion is decorated with ribbons, white elephant is made of cooked pork belly, and phoenix is ​​made of boiled chicken. ． ． ． ． ．In addition, there are incense burners, wax stands and long-burning lamps on the case.At this time, the guardianship of the mourning hall was handed over to Butler Lin and Aunt Lin, and they had to ensure that the lights were always on no matter day or night, and they could not be allowed to go out.

Outside the mourning hall, more than a dozen mourning sheds, large and small, were set up to mourn relatives and friends.

After stepping through the screen door of the first entrance courtyard, one enters the second entrance courtyard. There are five main rooms in this courtyard, and one side room on each side, which is used for entertaining guests.Lin Haorui's study is also arranged in this courtyard.Entering the third entrance courtyard, it is a place that is long and narrow from east to west, and only four or five meters from north to south. There are no buildings on both sides. In the middle of the north side is the vertical flower gate that enters the inner house.After entering the vertical flower gate is the fourth entrance courtyard, which has three main rooms, four side rooms, and several rooms in the east and west rooms.Aunt Lin arranged Daiyu's room in this courtyard, bounded by the Hanging Flower Gate, which is a dignified inner courtyard.The two aunts lived in Baoxia between the third courtyard and the fourth courtyard.

At this time, Chuxia and Zhixia, the big girls beside Lin Haorui, were bringing four or five little girls to tidy up Daiyu's room. There was a smoker in the room, which was extremely warm.Lin Haorui drew up the list himself, and the two maids searched for the decorations in each box, and they were in a panic.

Lin Haorui ran back and forth between Qinghu Lake and the old house eleven or twelve times, and finally he was almost busy with things. The old house was basically in order, and the layout of Daiyu's room had also taken shape. Quickly came to Qinghu, and personally picked up Daiyu to the old house.

As soon as she entered the Qinghu Lake, she saw the Dongyuan was brightly lit. Daiyu didn't fall asleep at this time, but sat in the room withered, weeping secretly.Thinking of what happened these days, she just felt like a lifetime away.Thinking about the things in Jia's mansion again, it seemed like things in the previous life, so far away from him.Thinking of my father's life, in the end, there was more misery than happiness, and I couldn't help but feel that my father was not worth it.

Daiyu was weak since she was a child, and she was able to support herself under such a big blow. It was just a puff of anger in her heart. She was afraid that if she fell ill again, it would make Lin Haorui more troubled.

"Girl, the uncle has come in!" Xueyan said, and quickly walked over to help Daiyu.Cui Qi didn't go back to the Chu residence, but stayed and was making tea for Lin Haorui at this time.Lin Haorui waved his hand: "Don't worry about it, just collect your things, and we will go to the old house."

When Lin Haorui saw Daiyu, he knew that the girl didn't listen to him to take a rest first, but had been waiting for him all the time, so he couldn't help but feel a little ashamed, and his voice became softer and more pitiful: "I kept my sister waiting for a long time, let's go back now." go home."

Daiyu burst into tears when she heard Lin Haorui's voice.Where does she have a home, she no longer has a home.There used to be a formal home, but now it doesn’t even have a formal home.Seeing Daiyu's miserable appearance, Lin Haorui sighed deeply, put his big palm on the back of Daiyu's head, and pressed her head against his chest.

Daiyu suddenly became stiff all over, she was so surprised that she didn't know what to do.Can she have such a kind gesture?Is the boy in front of him really so close to her?But Lin Haorui didn't think so much at this time, he just remembered that in his previous life, his daughter was always willing to act like a baby with him like this, seeing Daiyu's depressed appearance, he couldn't help but want to comfort her.

Before Daiyu could think clearly, Lin Haorui had already said softly: "Sister, although these words are very weak, I still want to convince my sister that Haorui pledged his life to live up to his father's trust. I know, father don't worry. Don't leave you alone, I'm afraid I will inherit the Lin family but abandon you. Sister, please rest assured, as long as the younger sister is in the Lin family, the older brother will treat the younger sister like a close relative. When the younger sister leaves the court, the older brother will also be the lifelong support of the younger sister."

Daiyu raised her head inquiringly, and what caught her eyes was Lin Haorui's haggard face and unusually determined eyes.She couldn't help feeling a warm current in her heart, and after a long while, she softly uttered: "Brother, I believe it!"

After Lin Haorui heard this sentence, he laughed immediately: "Then, let's go home! From now on, my sister must remember that wherever I am, it is my sister's home!"

Daiyu nodded, let Lin Haorui put on the cloak for herself, supported by Cuiqi, Xueyan and Xiuju took their belongings, walked out of Dongyuan slowly, got into the carriage, and saw ruins and devastation everywhere along the way.Daiyu stared at him bewilderedly, her eyes full of desolation.

Passing through half of Yangzhou City and entering the Lin Family Hutong, you will find the old residence of the Lin Mansion.The old house at this time was brightly lit.Although there are people coming and going, it is also very quiet.

Chu Tianyou brought some people from his own home to help decorate the mourning hall. At this time, he had changed into a plain suit and was in command; Lin Butler stayed in the mourning hall; Aunt Lin led some little girls, folding paper money, tying Paper, pasting cash registers; Aunt Bai led the boys to arrange flowers in the mourning hall; Master Chen was planning to write banquet dishes for the guests; accountant Mr. Bai was arranging bookkeeping; The box was moved into the warehouse first; Zhou Chuan planned to go to buy fresh vegetables and fruits tomorrow morning.

Seeing that Daiyu had returned to the old house, everyone couldn't help but stop what they were doing, and several women in charge came up to welcome her. Aunt Lin smiled and said, "The girl is back, hurry up, go back to the house first. Miss Chuxia They have already put on the charcoal basin, so it must be very warm at this moment." Mrs. Chen in the kitchen said with a smile: "I warmed the bird's nest for the girl, and I will bring it to the girl." Wu Zhi's family from the sewing room said: "It has been given to the girl. The girl took out a brand new brocade quilt, the girl will take a look at it later, but it still suits her!"

Daiyu followed the women to the inner courtyard and glanced back at Lin Haorui.Seeing Lin Haorui standing in the middle of the courtyard, looking at her with a smile on his face, he couldn't help feeling warm.Yes, no matter what, as long as this is still the Lin family, she will still be the legitimate daughter of the Lin family, Lin Ruhai's daughter, and Lin Haorui's younger sister!

"Is there anything else you didn't bring over there?" Chu Tianyou approached Lin Haorui, looked at Lin Haorui and asked with a smile.

"There are still some furniture, and I have ordered Brother Ding to get them." Lin Haorui shook his head and walked towards the mourning hall.He still has a lot of things to decide on his own, such as the dishes for the banquet, the people who will receive the guests, and the list of funerals that must be sorted out, and the furnishings in the mansion need to be packed as soon as possible, so this will be another sleepless day. night.

Standing in front of Lin Ruhai's spirit, Lin Haorui respectfully burned a stick of incense, and then he was as busy as a spinning top, leading everyone in Lin's mansion to prepare for tomorrow.

After Daiyu arrived in her room, she was slightly stunned.She didn't expect that Lin Haorui would help her tidy up the house so carefully in such a hectic situation.She looked at it slightly, and her eyes were attracted by an ancient painting hanging on the wall, which turned out to be Song Huizong's "Ruihe Picture".Daiyu was taken aback for a moment, then smiled faintly.

Her courtyard is at the last entrance of the old house. There are three upper rooms, the middle one is Daiyu's living room, the left one is the bedroom, and the right one is the study. You can see that you put your heart into it.

She sat down at the Eight Immortals table in the living room, and looked at the moderately warm bird's nest brought in by Aunt Chen, her eyes were slightly red again.

Seeing this, Aunt Lin hurriedly said: "The room was arranged by two girls, Chuxia and Zhixia, who are beside the uncle. Does the girl look okay?" Daiyu hurriedly concealed her nod, and said to Chuxia: "Very good!"

Chu Xia smiled at the side: "I don't know what kind of arrangement the girl likes, so I just placed a few items casually according to the uncle's instructions. The uncle said, if the girl doesn't like it, wait for the first seven days, calm down, and let the girl re-arrange by herself." layout."

"Is elder sister the big girl next to elder brother?" Daiyu looked at Chu Xia, who was 15 years old, with a bright and attractive appearance.Chu Xia hastily made a salute: "But you can't be called a sister by a girl, just call me Chu Xia directly, I will take care of the uncle's food and daily life by my side. But the uncle always does it himself, and we don't need anything."

Seeing Daiyu's tired look, Aunt Lin turned around and said to the women: "I know that everyone cares about the girl, but it's late at night, so let's go back first, so that the girl can rest well. I will talk to the girl later. !" Several women hurriedly said yes, resigned from Daiyu, and went on to busy with their own affairs.

Chu Xia took a bundle and took out two blue pajamas: "I know that the girl's packages are lost on the road, Chu Xia thought that the girls in the sewing room in the mansion are still rough, so I just I made two pajamas for the girl, and the girl changed and went to bed earlier!"

Seeing this, Xueyan hurriedly stepped forward to take the pajamas, smiling sweetly: "Thank you, sister Chuxia, you are still thoughtful!"

"Where is my sister!" Chu Xia smiled, "In the past two days, Zhixia and I have been with the girl, if you have anything to do, please tell us!" sleep!"

"Not busy!" Daiyu waved her hand: "Go and tell my brother, the paper money for the first night should be given to my father, and I will go after I change my filial piety!" Chuxia looked at Daiyu's frailty body, I want to persuade you.But I also know that it is useless to persuade.

"Girl, please wear more. The room over the mourning hall is cold, so don't catch the wind!" Chu Xia said with some concern, then turned around and fetched the heavy filial piety linen, and asked Xueyan Xiuju to help Daiyu put it on, and then went to The mourning hall has gone.