The Prince of the Historian of the Red Chamber

Ten years *Chai Dai...see you again.

"Mother, uncle brought food, and a cart of firewood outside." The timid little girl was carrying a big red lacquered food box and gently placed it on the round table.

Xue Baochai put down the account book in his hand, rubbed the space between his brows, glanced at the food box and asked, "Where's your uncle?"

"Uncle left the things in the outer courtyard." The little girl said cautiously, taking a peek at Baochai's expression.

She always knew that she was different from her brothers in the family. Although she was raised under Aunt Huang's knees like Pu Ge'er, Pu Ge'er was a kid who could support her younger brother Gui Ge'er.She is just a girl, and she is also a useless girl. Not only her, girls from the same clan as her are not easy to marry, and famous and wealthy households are not willing to marry girls from the Jia family.A girl who is not well-married cannot bring benefits to her natal family. She is a concubine, and her biological aunt is long gone, and she has to ask her family, which is not well-to-do, to pay a dowry. How can she not be trembling?

Seeing the little girl's petty appearance, Xue Baochai frowned secretly, suppressed her irritability, and reached out to open the red food box. Sure enough, she found a dark blue purse on the bottom layer, which contained 50 taels of silver notes.

Xue Baochai let out a sigh of relief. Although she felt sorry for her brother, this sum of money solved her current predicament: seeing that it was the ninth day of Chongyang, several acquainted wives discussed going to Xiantai outside the city. Xue Baochai didn't dare not to climb the mountain to enjoy the chrysanthemums. Now that her family's business depends on the east wind of these few households, she just wants to get closer.

"Ying'er, go to my box and pick out half a bolt of bright material for Sister Chan, and make her a new dress." Xue Baochai ordered Huang Ying'er while holding the purse with mixed flavors. She also didn't meet her face to face, she knew that her brother blamed her for forcing Shi Gui away at the beginning, she thought that Shi Gui would change his mind when he got tired of her brother and sister, but who would have thought that after so many years of wasted time, Fortunately, my brother is still thinking of love, and often sends some money to eat.

"This one won't work, let's find that peach red one, the color doesn't quite match Sister Chan's." Baochai shook her head when she saw the magenta silk and satin that Yinger brought out.

Ying'er is a little bit embarrassed, the Chongyang Ninth Festival is the day when the family climbs high, those wives will definitely be accompanied by the aunt who waits behind them, the aunt can only wear peach red concubine color, if Sister Chan also wears that pink color, wouldn't it be with the aunts Returned to one place?

Xue Baochai also thought of it, she wanted to take the opportunity to take Sister Chan out to show the wives to see each other, if there is someone who falls in love with Sister Chan, it doesn't matter if it is a legitimate son or a concubine, as long as the relationship between the two families can be strengthened .But even though they have such thoughts, they can't be underestimated. Those women are all merchants' wives, and they don't have much knowledge. They underestimate Sister Chan, so naturally they don't respect her that much.

"Let's find out if there are any other materials of begonia red and silver red." Sister Chan doesn't have the kind of bearing that can't stand up to Dahong, these two are charming and bright, but they still make it.

Ying'er put down the half piece of material, rummaged through it again without hope, then shook her head and said, "It's gone. The family is spending a lot of money. Where have you added outdated and new materials in recent years?"

Xue Baochai gritted her teeth, and said, "Then go and buy a satin-colored brocade for Sister Chan." The magenta satin in Ying'er's hand is really not suitable for Sister Chan, and Sister Chan's temperament is like her second aunt. It's the Spring Festival, and it's a bit cowardly. That magenta is also called poinsettia, and it's not much different from Zhenghong. If this color is worn on her body, it will be overwhelmed by the material, which makes people laugh.

"Buy?" Ying'er was a little bit reluctant. The family has become more and more difficult these years. The old lady and Baoyu have gradually emptied the rest of the family after the ransacking. It’s been almost ten years, and in his 90s, he still has to drag down his children and grandchildren... Baoyu is even more absurd. He ran in a daze for half a year, and after trying so hard to find him, he came back with a monk’s head on his head—probably because he couldn’t eat If you become a monk and wander around, you always say you are depressed when you come home, and you befriend a group of cynical and sour people.

Ying'er privately wanted to save money to study for Brother Gui and Brother Pu, and she didn't want to spend it on Sister Chan.

Just waiting to be persuaded, Baochai said: "The youngest son of Mrs. Shen of Maoshi Company is nine years old this year. I heard that he is very doted on and very naughty. Sister Chan is two years older than him and has a quiet personality. I'm afraid Mrs. Shen would like it."

When Ying'er heard this, she happily responded, "Hey." She was about to go out and buy materials for Sister Chan herself, and she was about to arrive at Chongyang, so hurry up, or else the clothes wouldn't be made. up.

Xue Baochai did come up with this idea, but she dared not place all her hopes on the Shen family. Mrs. Shen was notoriously picky, and she might not like Sister Chan.But even if there is a slight chance, Xue Baochai will give it a try, and become in-laws with Maoshi Company, then the supply of his own goods will be guaranteed, and the purchase price may be half a floor lower.

On the day of Chongyang, Baochai was wearing a crimson purple flowered crepe dress, covered with a brocade fur cloak, with red gold Baochai flowers slanted on the topknot, and a silver ruyi buckle bracelet wrapped around her plump wrists. The cloak and gold hairpin It was her dowry at the bottom of the box, which looked very dignified.

Jia Chan, who was dressed in a new dress, followed half a step behind her, and Ying Er, who was wearing a half-new water red pleated skirt, was waiting for her with two little maids and an elderly woman smiling.In addition to these three, there are two little maids who wait on Jia Baoyu and two women who look after the house, and three male servants who want to go out to press the cart with them. These are all the servants in the family.

"Won't there be a long-term follower at home?" Ying'er was a little worried. There was no man in the house, so she was afraid of something happening.

Xue Baochai got into the carriage directly, and said calmly: "What are you keeping? There are still men in the outer courtyard, and there are no decent female relatives in the family. Why leave a 'stinky man' to attract his attention?"

After hearing this, the servant woman accompanying the car lowered her head and did not dare to say anything, Yinger also shut up and remained silent——Baoyu's temperament has not changed, she still likes Yunying's unmarried girls, and hates dirty men and married ones. Fish eye beads.Baochai deliberately kept those two restless little girls here, just to hold Jia Baoyu back and save him from going to Xiantai Mountain, pointing at other girls without knowing the etiquette, it doesn't matter if they lose their interest Well, it would be bad if he offended someone—the chrysanthemums on Xiantai Mountain are famous far and wide, and today there are bound to be customers like clouds, maybe he will go there to do bad things.

Xue Baochai's ostentation is still enough, she is knowledgeable and interesting, she didn't wear those popular clothes to compete with those wives, but chatted happily with a few wealthy businessmen's wives.

Mrs. Shen of the Maoshi Company really doted on her youngest son as rumored, and brought a nine-year-old brother with her, and got mixed up with a group of female relatives. But I feel that this is probably the second visit of Jia Baoyu who loves "flowers, plants, sisters and sisters".

Mrs. Shen's flamboyant body was covered with a bright red brocade dress and emerald, red gold, and ruby ​​rings. She had five or six fingers, and she smiled quite complacently.

Xue Baochai actually looks down on these "rich households" who have no background. Once these people become rich, they will pile whatever is good on them. , Desperately wear it on the body, fearing that others will not know that they are married.

Seeing that the little brother who loves fragrance and loves jade really got into a conversation with Sister Chan, making gestures and joking beside Sister Chan, Xue Baochai let go of half of his heart, and said with a smile: "Your highness has entered into Master Chen's sect." Ai yo, Mrs. Chen is very picky when it comes to accepting people." Although Sister Chan is shy, her color is really good. Compared with the business girls around her who wear gold and silver, it can bring out a bit taller The temperament of the door girl comes.

The fat on Mrs. Shen's smiling face trembled, her bright red fingers were holding a gold silk embroidered handkerchief, she covered her mouth pretentiously, her laughter was as piercing as an old raven's: "Oh, what a young master, call him directly That’s all, bro! Our brother Ying is the most progressive, and the old ladies in the family all point to him for being old and give him the honor of imperial orders.”

Order?Only the wives and mothers of officials of the fifth rank and above may have the honor, so he can also have such a promise?

Baochai smiled inwardly, but flattered her without a trace.Mrs. Shen felt that Mrs. Xue's speech was the most pleasant, and every sentence could speak to people's hearts. It was a hundred times better than those flattering and flattering ones. What Mrs. Xue said was the truth!

Then he wanted to get close, because he asked, "I heard that Mrs. Xue's mother was also a lady ordered by imperial order?"

Xue Baochai pursed her lips and smiled, "My first mother was a child of the seventh rank." But he didn't mention the Jia family, let alone the eldest sister-in-law who used to be a noble concubine.

Mrs. Shen rolled her eyes. She thought Mrs. Xue didn't have a man who could support her family. She heard that her man was a sour bastard. The tired Mrs. Xue never reported her man's name when she went out. , only calling herself 'Mrs. Xue', now that I heard it, this Mrs. Xue has some confidence.

Taking a look at her precious son who was circling around Sister Chan, Mrs. Shen inquired: "Now that the world is getting better, the descendants of our merchants can also take the imperial examination to become officials. I don't know where Mrs. Xue's brother studied and entered the office?" study?"

Xue Baochai said with a smile: "The two boys in the family are naughty, and I sent them to Antai Academy. They don't seek fame and wealth. The most important thing is to understand some principles."

"Hey!" Mrs. Shen exclaimed in surprise, "This Antai Academy is so great, it's hard for you to give it up!" Since he succeeded to the throne and vigorously established schools, there have been many academies in the Daqing Dynasty. This Antai Academy is an enlightened academy. The highest master is the one who failed in the ranking, but this academy is notoriously strict, because of its strictness, no matter whether there are boys in the academy who are talented in reading, relying on the strictest teaching of the masters, most of them All of them can pass the county examination and government examination in the children's examination, and one or two of them in the tenth middle school can pass the hospital examination and become a student (scholar).

Baochai laughed and said, "If I'm as smart as Brother Ying, I don't need to worry about it. Antai Academy doesn't even give me a rest during the Chongyang Festival. Alas, I only hope that hard work can make up for my weakness, so I won't be in vain." Just let that person suffer."

When Mrs. Shen heard the ironing post, her heart became active. Not to mention anything else, this Mrs. Xue can be ruthless. Maybe her two elder brothers will be able to do something, and the girl in her family is really handsome. , but barely worthy of her brother Ying.It's just that the girl heard that she was a concubine, which made Mrs. Shen a little unhappy.

Seeing what Mrs. Shen meant, Baochai lowered her head and smiled.Randomly waved at Sister Chan, wiped the sweat from her forehead, tapped her forehead, and said lovingly: "Look at you, are you crazy? See how I will treat you when I go back. I will tell you to finish copying the girl." Only the four books count."

Sister Chan had been mentioned by Yinger a long time ago, and she was also able to observe the words and expressions. When she heard the words, she leaned in Baochai's arms and said, "Where is it!"

Baochai's smile deepened, and she called the little girl to come up with the food box, and laughed with Mrs. Shen, "I am a girl who has been confined at home a lot, so I will be happier when I come out, which is out of courtesy." When the tea was served, I ordered Sister Chan to pour tea for the wives as an apology.

Mrs. Shen's eyes lit up, she saw that Miss Chan was demure and quiet, and Mrs Xue also said that she was rude, which shows that her upbringing is extremely strict, and seeing Mrs Xue's demeanor, she is also very rare for this girl.Mrs. Shen thought about it, yes, after all, there is only such a girl under her knees, and the two elder brothers are not around, and there are also concubine daughters who are adopted by the concubine.

I am more and more satisfied.

He praised Sister Chan in every possible way, made Brother Ying stubborn with her, and treated Xue Baochai faintly with a different degree of intimacy.When the other wives saw it, they knew what it meant. Among them, the Maoshi Company was the richest, and they always regarded Mrs. Shen as the most important figure among their wives. In the mind of the youngest son, just now he asked his own daughters to surround Brother Ying and make jokes, but now Xue Shi, a second-rate businessman, took the lead, so he couldn't help spitting a few words with bitterness and jealousy.

Xue Baochai is immobile and born well, sitting there looks like a painting of grace and grace, which makes the wives very boring.

I had no choice but to digress.

"Hey, look at those two carriages." A lady dressed in gold embroidered with chrysanthemums on a red background stretched out her finger with a red gold and ruby ​​ring, and pointed to the carriageway on the mountain road.

The wives were losing their spirits, so they hurriedly turned their heads to look.

They are sitting in the octagonal stone pavilion on the third of the height of Sendai Mountain.The mountain body of Xiantai Mountain is very gentle, but it is not low. There are many platforms to be found on the mountain, so there are many pavilions and pavilions for people to rest and enjoy the scenery.

Drunk and enjoy chrysanthemums in late autumn, and look for plums in the snow in early spring.

The world is magnificent.

This Xiantai Mountain is huge, and there are many people who come here.So there are some tricks in it.

It is said that "autumn frost makes the chrysanthemum city flowers, and the endless beauty writes the sunset glow", this chrysanthemum is naturally the most beautiful to deceive frost.The high places are extremely cold, and the chrysanthemums in the high places are the most "cold chrysanthemums than Qionghua".From the foot of the mountain, there are layers of chrysanthemums going up. The closer to the top of the mountain, the more beautiful and the more expensive the varieties. It is said that in the Yaobi Garden on the top of the mountain, there is a cluster of "green peony" and "rouge spot snow". "Shizhang Bead Curtain" and other rare and expensive species.

But that Yaobi Garden is not a place that everyone can go to, it is the other garden built by the current emperor, it is the most lenient, and visitors are allowed to go in to enjoy the flowers, but even so, those who dare to go are dignitaries and nobles.This Xiantai Mountain goes from the foot of the mountain to the top of the mountain, the more valuable the status goes up, the lower the status can enjoy the scenery at the foot of the mountain, each has its own place to go, each has its own interest.

It is said that climbing on the Chongyang Ninth Festival, but in the final analysis, it is the business of each family. Those who are interested in climbing, get up early in the morning and go to Yuntai Mountain, which is not far from Xiantai Mountain. That is climbing and looking far. Sendai Mountain is a place where ladies and gentlemen from all families come to relax and relax.

Among Xue Baochai's wives, none of their older sons followed, most of them did not want to be restrained by their mother's side, but preferred to find a few friends to admire the beauties in the sea of ​​flowers.Where can you usually see so many ladies?

These wives don't say anything, but they still envy those wives who have their sons accompanying them. (Of course, Mrs. Shen's elder brother Ying is not counted, and his mother and sister's accompanying him are almost the same.)

The house that the lady pointed to had four young masters riding horses guarding both sides of the carriage. Among the four young masters, two of them, needless to say, were seventeen or eighteen years old, tall and handsome, and full of vigor; The young master, who is still small in stature, also has an aura of calmness and prestige.

A wife said enviously: "Those two young masters look only nine or ten years old. Look at their aura, oh, how handsome they are on the horse. It will be great in a few years." The little girls over the age of [-] looked, and sure enough, all the little girls had curious and shy expressions on their faces, even Sister Chan was no exception.

This lady felt more at ease. In order to get close to the Shen family, they brought along their daughters and nieces who were about the same age as Brother Ying. This Mrs. Shen and the younger brother of the Shen family immediately fell in love with Xue The wife's daughter makes people feel very uncomfortable.

Comparing with others at this moment, Brother Ying immediately turned from a beautiful jade to a dross, which made people feel depressed.

Mrs. Shen frowned, looked carefully for a few times, but she was not angry, and said with a smile: "Hey, we can't compare with such a family, even if we can't point it out, don't look down on him just by looking at the ordinary carriage, you must know Yin Xisheng."

This made Xue Baochai look at him differently, no wonder he heard that the owner of Maoshi Company, Mr. Shen, respected his wife very much.

Mrs. Shen said: "The wood for the cart is called maple wood, but it is not the common maple wood we usually see. There is a small country called Lancang country in the south, and this kind of maple wood with dark red-eye patterns is There are some there, unlike ordinary maple, which is afraid of water, this is why it deserves the title of "Putting Wannian Maple"..." Mrs. Shen's natal family is in the timber business, and she said these things clearly.

The Bajiao Pavilion is closer to the mountain road, Xue Baochai and the other wives are talking and laughing, just watching the two carriages go by - even if you don’t know the wood of the carriages, you can know that this family is either rich or expensive by looking at the clothes of the four young masters. It's not like merchants like them, they must go up.

Unexpectedly, the oldest young man glanced at the octagonal pavilion, and asked a few words in the carriage, the two carriages and the young master and his entourage on horseback all stopped.

After a while, a woman came to apologize for the master's family. It turned out that the wife in the carriage was pregnant and couldn't stay in the carriage for a long time, and needed to come out for a breather.

Headed by Mrs. Shen, she hurriedly agreed, and they all got up to welcome the wives of that family.Mrs. Shen also gave a few instructions in a low voice, it didn't hurt her to be careful, it was the mother-in-law who came to apologize that was shocking: how can such a grandeur and etiquette be worn by ordinary rich and noble mother-in-law?

Xue Baochai looked at her, and her heart skipped a beat. With her eyesight, she felt that the woman was not just a nanny from a wealthy family, but rather noble, as if... an old man released from the palace, She had seen such a person a long time ago at an old friend's house, and she had quite an impression.

Xue Baochai was not in the mood to court each other, one must know how big the bowl is and how big the rice is, given their current desolation, the real princes and nobles don't look down on them, and they might offend others by showing their favor abruptly.

The two older boys led a group of male servants away, and surrounded the place from a distance, only the two ten-year-old boys each supported a noble lady. , took a few nuns and girls, and entered the Babao Pavilion.

The lady at the head seemed to be in her early thirties, with a graceful bearing, and a phoenix necklace carved from jasper was placed on her head. Mrs. Shen only took a look up and down and dared not do it again.

The noble lady nodded slightly to everyone in the pavilion, and a servant woman came out after tidying up another stone table facing north and south. After a few layers of brown bear skin cushions, he smiled and said to the young man beside him: "Go and help your mother here, Auntie doesn't need you to help her here."

The young man was born very well, he smiled and said: "Fourth brother takes care of mother, I take care of uncle mother, it was agreed in the morning. If I can't do well, brothers should laugh at me."

The lady was so happy that she hugged the young man and laughed.

The lady at the back also laughed when she heard it: "Brother Yu is right."

The small voice was so gentle and pleasant that the ladies at the table all wanted to see what kind of character it was.Only Xue Baochai was bitten by lightning.

Perhaps it was because she was pregnant. The lady was wearing a small white fox fur cloak, and the cloak didn't have any stray hairs down to the waist. A jade-white face was hidden in the fur, making it even more beautiful.

Hey, this is the character in the fairy book, and all the wives were amazed.

I also wondered why this lady, who looks like she is only in her 20s, has a nine or ten-year-old son?

Xue Baochai stared blankly at that figure, and fell into a gushing memory for a moment.

Perhaps her gaze was too strong and direct, the lady looked over, was stunned for a moment, and then murmured: "Sister Bao?"