The Red Mansions

Chapter 316

Chapter 316

In the inner hall of Ningguo Mansion, the lights are bright and the figures are flickering.

The mother-in-law and maids waited for orders on both sides of the screen.

A piece of fragrant concubine was laid on the bed, covered with a mattress embroidered with peony blooming patterns, Qin Keqing was wearing a red dress, her delicate green silk was twisted into a heart bun, her eyebrows were picturesque, her complexion was white and greasy, she was sitting quietly, You Shi, You Er Elder Sister and Third Sister You were on the side talking.

Because Jia Heng had reported to Ningguo Mansion before going to Rongguo Mansion, Qin Keqing knew that Jia Heng was safe, so she was worried for a while.

Looking up and seeing that the night was falling and it was almost You, Qin Keqing hurriedly ordered the maid to go to the back kitchen to prepare meals.

At this moment, a woman opened the curtain of the quilt, entered the hall, and said: "Grandma, Uncle Heng and Fourth Miss are back."

Qin Keqing got up and said with a smile, "Let's go and meet him."

"The uncle said that the road is slippery late at night, and grandma doesn't need to greet her. It's just that the uncle and the fourth girl haven't eaten yet. You can ask the kitchen to prepare a few more side dishes."

Qin Keqing smiled, and said softly: "Ruizhu, go to the back kitchen and order."

"Yes, grandma." Ruizhu answered and went.

While the few people were talking, they heard voices coming from far and near. The two came in from the outside, bypassed the screen, and entered the hall. It was Jia Heng and Xi Chun.

"Husband, are you back?" Qin Keqing was overjoyed when she saw Jia Heng, and stepped forward, calling softly.

Jia Heng raised his eyes and looked at his wife, Yaotaoyongli, who was beautiful and beautiful. She was also a little pleased, and said with a smile: "Well, have you had dinner yet?"

"No." Qin Keqing said softly.

Jia Heng turned to look at Youshi's three sisters who were smiling and smiling, and asked, "Is there nothing wrong with the mansion?"

After sitting down, Qingwen handed over the brewed tea.

"Everything is fine." Qin Keqing said softly, frowned, and asked, "Husband, why is there such a sudden chaos outside today? I heard that there was a rebellion in the capital camp. Husband didn't encounter any danger, right?"

When the You family's three sisters heard the words, they all looked at Jia Heng, either Yanye, or beautiful, or clear and beautiful, with expressions of concern.

Jia Heng picked up the teacup and said: "I didn't encounter any danger, and I discovered the chaos in time, otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable."

As he spoke, he narrated the story in a few words, Qin Keqing and Youshi's expressions changed slightly, and their eyes were worried.

Youshi thought for a while, and asked, "How did you hear that something happened to Uncle Wang's family? The servants in the mansion just now spread the word that the Wang family has taken refuge in the West Mansion."

Jia Heng nodded and said: "The Wang family's mansion was stormed by rebels. I heard that the family suffered heavy casualties. Only Wang Yi's wife and a daughter came out."

Youshi's complexion changed suddenly, and he said in surprise: "Why is it so good, just... Miss Feng came over a while ago, and said that Uncle Wang's family is very valued by the palace."

During this period of time, Sister Feng came to visit, and in front of Youshi and Qin Keqing, she enthusiastically mentioned the recent family members of her uncle Wang Ziteng in the court and palace.

Third Sister You said in a pretty voice: "The sky is unpredictable, and people have misfortunes and fortunes. There is nothing to say about how much glory and wealth they enjoy, and how dangerous the world is."

Jia Heng took a sip of tea, and said in a clear voice: "Third sister's words are clear. Life is full of ups and downs, good and bad fortune are unpredictable. As the saying goes, if an earthen pot is never broken away from the well, the general will inevitably die before the battle."

Third Sister You's eyebrows were curved, and the figure of the young man opposite was clearly reflected in her bright and rippling eyes, and she said: "Wealth and wealth are sought in danger, and it is the same in ancient and modern times."

But Fang prayed in her heart, the gods and Buddhas have spirits, and bless him, safe and sound, forever and ever.

Qin Keqing stared at Jia Heng and asked, "Husband, do you want to send someone to the palace to give condolences?"

Jia Heng pondered for a moment, and said: "In a few days, the Wang family is in chaos. Wait a few days before going to the Wang family to express condolences."

Qin Keqing: "..."

Jia Heng said: "In the past few days, the aftermath of the Beijing camp incident and the defense of Shenjing City need to be reorganized, so I couldn't spare myself."

He went to Wang Ziteng's mansion at this time. In Wang Ziteng's eyes, he might think that he was taking pleasure in other people's misfortune, so he might as well go with the crowd to mourn.

While talking in the living room, the mother-in-law came in and reported, "Master Heng, Grandma, Concubine and Miss Bao have come from Lixiangyuan."

After all, Aunt Xue couldn't hold back, and Baba followed, but she called Xiangling from Lixiangyuan, and said a few words to Xiangling, but there was a delay in the middle.

Xue Pan's life and death are unknown, and Aunt Xue has no choice.

Jia Heng was stunned for a moment, and explained to the questioning gazes, "I came here for Wenlong."

A hint of doubt flashed across Qin Keqing's beautiful eyes, and she asked curiously, "What's wrong with the Xue family brothers?"

"I went to the capital camp early in the morning to work as an errand, and I was affected by the military disaster. I have ordered people to search for it, but my aunt is not at ease, so come over and ask." Jia Heng said calmly, thought for a while, and then He said: "Let the back kitchen prepare a few more dishes. Aunt Xue and Sister Xue haven't had dinner yet. You entertain them first. I'll go take a shower and change clothes."

Qin Keqing nodded, then turned her head and told the servant girl to go to the back kitchen.

While talking, Aunt Xue and Baochai, together with Xiangling, maids Tongxi Tonggui and Yinger, entered the inner hall under the guidance of the Ningfu lady.

Aunt Xue's face was obviously miserable, and her eyes were crying like peaches.

Baochai on the side held Aunt Xue's arm, Lirui's snow-white, smooth and plump face was also full of melancholy, and the almond eyes under the willow-leaf eyebrows were moist and shiny, revealing depression.

"Aunt, Sister Xue." Seeing the Xue family's mother and daughter, Qin Keqing hurried forward and called out affectionately.

Aunt Xue looked up at Qin Keqing, but with tears in her eyes, she called out, "Girl Qin."

Baochai called out, "Sister Qin."

Xiangling also approached Yingying, raised her beautiful face, and called out.

You Shi, Second Sister You, and Third Sister You went forward to talk to Aunt Xue.

Seeing Aunt Xue crying, Qin Keqing frowned, her beautiful eyes showed concern, and asked, "Auntie, why are you crying?"

As he spoke, he handed over a handkerchief.

Aunt Xue cried: "Girl Qin, my useless son went to the Beijing camp. I don't want the Beijing camp to be in chaos, and there is no news now... Well, where is Brother Heng?"

She was crying, her eyes were hazy with tears, and she quickly searched for Jia Heng's figure, but Jia Heng was not there.

Qin Keqing and You Shi's three sisters: "..."

Qin Keqing paused, and said softly: "Auntie, my husband has gone to take a bath and change clothes. Auntie, don't worry, just talk to me first."

Saying that, she took Aunt Xue to sit on Xiangfei's couch.

Aunt Xue's eyes were dim again, and she cried: "That cousin of yours never made me feel at ease since I was a child, and now he is working next to his uncle. ...It's also my fate. Pan'er and his father left early, leaving us orphans and widowed mothers. I will feed Pan'er and Bao girl with feces and piss. If something happens to Pan'er, I... also Not alive."

Baochai was immersed in her mother's grief, suddenly, Liu Ye frowned, and the tears in her almond eyes flashed, just now... what is it?

Qin Keqing comforted: "Auntie, don't be too anxious. My husband told me just now, and he has sent someone to look for it. I think there will be news soon. Auntie's concern is chaotic, and you have to take care of yourself."

You Shi also spoke to comfort him.

Aunt Xue sighed: "Girl Qin, brother Heng needs to worry a lot this time."

Qin Keqing said softly: "Don't worry, Auntie, my husband will definitely do his best."

Aunt Xue wiped her tears, looked at Qin Keqing, and said, "Girl Qin, you are kind-hearted. I knew that girl Xiangling had a hard life, and you treated her like a younger sister. I see that she is like you." Destined, I recognized her as my goddaughter not long ago, and gave her the body deed."

When Qin Keqing heard the words, doubts appeared in her beautiful eyes, and she didn't understand her intention for a moment.

Aunt Xue sighed, and said: "After Wenlong's accident, our house is in a mess now, and Xiangling lives next to you."

The way Aunt Xue came up with was to recognize Xiangling as her goddaughter. Then Qin Keqing praised Xiangling and was willing to recognize her as a goddaughter. After a while, she would naturally...

She had inquired about it before, and Grandma Qin lost her mother since she was a child.

Well, this is the idea of ​​"marriage marriage" that Aunt Xue came up with, mainly because she really didn't think about giving Xiangling to the usually dignified and dignified Uncle Heng for a while.

In fact, Aunt Xue treated Daiyu like this in the original book. Seven times, Aunt Xue had a lot of intimate conversations with Daiyu. Daiyu was so moved that she recognized Aunt Xue as her godmother.

Hearing this, Qin Keqing looked at Xiangling at the side, met those timid eyes, her beautiful eyes flickered, and she understood Aunt Xue's intention in a flash of thought.

Perhaps Aunt Xue thought that the two families were not too close, and that the husband didn't care about Xue Pan, so...

Although the traces of pursuit are a bit heavy, but because of the concern about the life and death of his son, the care is chaotic, which is understandable.

Qin Keqing thought for a while, and said, "Auntie can let Xiangling stay with me."

Seeing that Qin Keqing agreed, Aunt Xue breathed a sigh of relief.

She was also forced to have no choice.

The Ning Mansion is not short of money, and giving money seems like an insult to others, what else can she give?

Baochai watched quietly from the side, her apricot eyes sparkled slightly, and she sighed quietly.

Turning his eyes to look at Xiangling, he thought, living in Ningfu might be a good thing.

In the wing

Accompanied by the sound of "哗啦啦", Jia Heng closed his eyes and rested his mind, and said softly: "Qingwen, you have made progress."

Qingwen blushed, and in order to relieve her embarrassment, she had nothing to say and said, "My lord, the cousin of Mrs. Xue's family is not a good person."

"Who did you listen to?" Jia Heng smiled slightly and asked curiously.

Qingwen said softly: "Xiangling and Yinger, they didn't speak ill of his young master, but that Xiangling was clearly bought by Xue's family who beat someone to death before they went to Beijing. It's life-threatening."

Jia Heng asked in surprise, "Does Xiang Ling talk to you a lot?"

"The master of the West Mansion is here, and the maids are all together, how could she not talk? It's just that Xiangling looked a little dumbfounded." Qingwen said crisply.

Jia Heng couldn't help laughing, following the sound of the water "crashing", hugged Qingwen, and said softly: "Don't underestimate her, she is now studying and learning to read with her young lady, in another two or three years , the collection of Wenhua Yingxiu is not as quick-witted as yours, and the word "crazy" is still different from an undeveloped fool."

When Xiangling studied poetry, there was a sentence that "the essence wants to cover up the material, and the shadow comes from the beauty and the cold".

"Hmm." Qingwen's jaded face was flushed, and she let out a grunt from her nostrils, her delicate body seemed to be limp into a ball of mud.

Jia Heng whispered in his ear: "You can also read a lot now, take the time to find more books on poetry and songs to read."

Qingwen's cheeks were burning hot, she bit her lower lip with her white teeth, and said softly: "But I...don't have time, and I'm learning music scores from Baoqin recently, son, I think that...musical skills have improved a little bit."

Jia Heng was silent for a moment, then said, "I'll let you practice later."

While the master and servant were talking, Jia Heng also initially let go of the tiredness of the day, changed into ordinary clothes, tidied up his appearance, took a deep breath, and turned around when he saw the calm expression on the face of the person in the mirror. Come.

I saw Qingwen, with a pretty melon-seeded face flushed, with winking eyes like silk, drinking tea and swallowing.

Jia Heng said softly: "Okay, I'm going to eat first, you can go after packing up."

Stepping into the hall, I saw Aunt Xue and Qin Keqing talking together, and when they saw Jia Heng coming in, they were both stunned.

Jia Heng looked at Aunt Xue and Baochai calmly, and said hello: "Aunt and sister are here?"

Aunt Xue said sadly, "Brother Heng."

Jia Heng pondered for a while, and said: "Auntie, later on, there will be a general from the Beijing camp going to the residence to discuss matters. If there is news of Wenlong, he will definitely bring it back. Auntie and Sister Xue will have dinner first."

Aunt Xue felt relieved when she heard the words, and hurriedly said, "Okay."

The people were eating food in the hall. Not long after, they heard the report from the outside woman, saying, "Master, Cai Guerrilla is here, and he said he was here to report military affairs."

Hearing this, Aunt Xue, who looked sad and unwilling to eat, showed excitement on her face, and said anxiously: "Brother Heng, could it be that Pan'er has heard from you?"

Jia Heng put down his chopsticks and said, "Auntie, wait a moment, I'll go and have a look."

Aunt Xue got up quickly and said, "Brother Heng, let me go and listen."

Jia Heng thought for a while, nodded and said, "Auntie can listen in the back hall of the flower hall."

Fang Ji, Ni Biao and others went to the Yaowu camp, and were affected by the attack led by Luo Rui. If they were killed unfortunately, the body should not be hard to find. If they escaped successfully, they would probably go to the camp of the Chinese army. If there is neither a corpse nor to go to the camp of the Chinese army, then it is only possible to flee to the deep mountains and old forests outside the city of Shenjing.

When Aunt Xue was almost "begging" for Xue Pan in Ning Mansion, she was in the barren hills more than [-] miles away from Shenjing City.

In the cave, a bonfire was piled up, and the two surrounded the fire, but it was extremely cold in the mountains at night, even though they had to warm themselves by the fire, they were still shivering from the cold.

Xue Pan's lips were black and blue from the cold, and because of the arrow wound on his buttocks, he could only sit sideways, staring at the distant night in pain with a dazed face, and tears rolled down from his big copper bell eyes.

The one who went to Te Niang joined the army. If he hadn't joined the army, he would be drinking with his arms around the little lady right now.

At this moment, with the sound of footsteps, a middle-aged general with a burly figure and a resolute face flashed in from the outside. His arms were wrapped with cloth strips and blood was stained. It was Ni Biao.

It turned out that Ni Biao led his own soldiers, escorted Fang Ji and Xue Pan, and fled along the forest to the mountains. In the end, there were only three people left, and after walking for an unknown amount of time, they finally got rid of the pursued Liwei camp enemy. soldier.

Seeing the person coming, Xue Pan got up quickly, but didn't want to affect the injury on his buttocks. He let out a "hiss" and hurriedly supported the cold rock wall. His big copper bell eyes widened and he asked anxiously. Said: "General Ni, did you find it and eat it?"

Ni Biao entered the cave holding a torch, and said in a low voice: "Xiao Ya Nei, it's snowing heavily, and the prey is hard to find, so I caught two of these."

As he spoke, he grabbed two snakes whose heads had been chopped off.

Seeing the snake, Xue Pan's face changed with fright, and his voice trembled: "Is this edible?"

At this moment, Fang Ji turned his face, which was scratched by the dead branch, and said: "The snake meat is roasted, enough to satisfy hunger."

A bitter look appeared on Xue Pan's face, and his big head hung down. Anxiety and despair were intertwined, welling up in his heart.

He grew up so big, how did he suffer so much?

Ni Biao squatted down, picked up the dagger and sliced ​​the snake meat, then set it up on two branches to roast, and sighed: "I don't know what's going on in the Beijing camp yet."

Fang Ji was silent for a moment, and said in a low voice: "I'm afraid the situation is not optimistic. Luo Rui will definitely incite the soldiers to riot if he occupies the Yaowu Camp. Respond to the clamor and break into Shenjing City..."

Ni Biao sighed again: "How did you get to this point?"

Fang Ji also sighed: "Actually, there are already signs of mutiny. The dismissed generals and soldiers surrounded the Yamen of the Ministry of War. Hey..."

In the end, I was very annoyed.

Ni Biao frowned and said, "Sir, Luo Rui instigated the Beijing soldiers to enter Shenjing City, how will the situation develop?"

"The city of Shenjing will inevitably suffer a catastrophe, and Jie Shuai may be in danger of his life." Fang Ji frowned into the word "Chuan" and said in a low voice: "The whole army has been defeated, Shenjing is in chaos, and the world is full of troubles."

Xue Pan was terrified when he heard it, and asked anxiously: "Well, Mr. Fang, my uncle..."

Fang Ji looked solemn, and said: "It is really time to break into Shenjing City, there is no doubt that the imperial court will use the leader of Jieshuai to appease the rebel generals, and Jieshuai is in danger!"

Xue Pan tremblingly said: "This..."

"There are tens of thousands of soldiers from the Beijing camp, and if they enter the city of Shenjing, a great chaos is inevitable." Fang Ji looked towards the forest under the moon outside the cave, and said in a low voice.

Xue Pan's eyes suddenly lit up, and he hurriedly said: "Mr. Fang, my cousin Heng is leading the five city soldiers and horses, so he won't ignore it."

Fang Ji sighed: "The tens of thousands of soldiers and horses in the Beijing camp are echoed by the eliminated generals and schools living in Shenjing City. Even Jia Yunhui can't stop them."

Thinking of the military robbery in Shenjing City, Fang Ji's expression became sad.

After this incident, the prestige of the imperial court was lost, not to mention the whole army and martial arts, it would be good if no other troubles occurred.

Xue Pan's expression changed with fright at Fang Ji's words, and he forgot the pain of the arrow wound on his butt for a moment.

I don't know if the war will affect Jia's family or not. Once it affects Jia's family, his mother and his sister... It's over!

Thinking of this, Xue Pan was terrified, and he was tired, hungry and wounded, and fainted amidst the exclamations of Ni Biao and Fang Ji.

(End of this chapter)