The Red Mansions

Chapter 431

Chapter 431

Ningguo Mansion

In the inner hall, the lights are brilliant, the eyes are beautiful, Ying Ying Yan Yan, surrounded by pearls and emeralds, bright clothes, hairpins, rings and jade pendants, under the candlelight, they are colorful.

Qin Keqing was talking to Xichun, as if she was comforting the proud little girl.

Xiangling was sitting on the embroidered pier beside her, resting her chin on her small hand, listening quietly to the conversation of several people in the hall.

The second sister You is holding a letter in her hand, and she is reading it with the third sister You. It was written by You Shi, who went south to Fuling.

At this time, Baozhu came quickly from the outside and said: "Madam, the uncle and Miss Bao are here."

In just these two days, the maids in the mansion, starting from Baozhu and Ruizhu, no longer called Qin Keqing grandma, but changed their name to madam. A title for a young daughter-in-law, and Mrs. is more like a title of honor.

The wife of the Ningguo Mansion may have a strong sense of being in the palace... Well, it frightens Xiaoxiao.

The few people who were talking stopped talking one after another, looking for their prestige.

Hearing this, Qin Keqing saw joy on her snow-skinned face, she got up to meet her, and Xi Chun also got up, looking at the figure reflected on the screen.

Behind the screen, Jia Heng and Baochai, led by Qingwen, appeared in front of everyone.

"Sister Xue." Qin Keqing walked in front of Baochai and took those soft, plain hands.

Baochai also saw a slight smile on her face, which was as white and greasy as pear pistils, and called out, "Sister-in-law."

At this moment, Xichun also came to greet her, called "Sister Bao", then looked at Jia Heng, and said, "Brother Heng."

Jia Heng nodded towards Xichun, with gentle eyes, said with a smile: "Fourth sister."

Immediately, he turned his eyes to look at Second Sister You and Third Sister You, his eyes lingered on the letterhead in Second Sister You's hand, and asked, "Who is the letter from?"

Third Sister You saw melancholy on her glamorous and seductive face, and said: "My sister has received a letter, saying that she has received the coffin and is rushing to Jinling. After finishing the funeral, she will return to Shenjing. I'm afraid it will take three months." gone."

Jia Heng nodded, just turned to look at Xichun, patted Xichun's shoulder lightly, and didn't say much. "

After all, Jia Zhen was involved, so such a festive day was not suitable. As for Xichun, anyway, he didn't see any grief.

It cannot be said that the little girl is cool, and Jia Zhen's meaning to her is nothing more than a stranger.

Jia Heng turned his head to look at Baochai who was talking and laughing with his wife, one was bright and graceful, the other was plump and handsome, almost indistinguishable from grandeur, he was secretly relieved.

"It's good to get along together in advance like this. It's best to become girlfriends, so that there will be fewer troubles in the future." Jia Heng thought and sat down.

At this time, Qin Keqing took Baochai's hand and asked with concern: "I haven't seen my sister much these days."

Baochai looked at the girl opposite, and said softly: "Things at home are messy, and I was bothering Brother Heng to help take care of it just now."

Qin Keqing heard the words, sighed and said, "I also know about my sister's family. Now, Wenlong is healed?"

Baochai looked at the gorgeous and unprovoked woman opposite, suppressed some complicated thoughts, and said: "My brother's injury is almost recovered, and after the first lunar month, he will pass the Wucheng Bingmasi. Brother Heng said he will take care of him. .”

Qin Keqing nodded, and said softly: "Sister, don't worry, you will be able to do what Brother Heng promised, and Wenlong will not be wronged."

In fact, she looked at the girl with a bit of kindness, and there was aura in her eyebrows and eyes.

Baochai said softly, "Brother Heng speaks his word, I can trust it."

He said earlier that he would give her a title, and if he thinks about it... he will definitely be able to do it.

It's just that when I think about it, I feel a little shy in my heart. In front of that man's wife, I always feel a little offended if I have this kind of thought.

Qin Keqing didn't know what Baochai was thinking, so she smiled lightly, looked at Xiangling beside her, and said, "Xiangling, come here."

At this moment, Xiangling held her handkerchief, came over slowly, looked at Baochai, and called out in a low voice, "Miss."

Baochai looked at Xiangling, seeing her rosy cheeks, especially the red mole on her eyebrows, the gentle girl felt a little happy in her heart, with a slight smile on her face, she said, "It looks like I've grown taller."

Xiangling looked gratefully at the girl opposite, and said, "Miss, are you okay?"

At the beginning, if there was no Baochai, Xiangling would have been bullied by Xue Pan.

Baochai said, "Everything is fine. I heard that your biological parents have been found?"

Speaking of which, my elder brother was in prison, and everything started from Xiangling, but it was the elder brother's own fault, so we can't blame this miserable girl.

Xiangling glanced at the young man who was smiling and talking with Xichun, and said timidly and softly: "Sister... brother-in-law said that mother is in Daru Prefecture, and has sent someone to pick her up."

Seeing the joy on the girl's face with the cinnabar mole in her eyes, Baochai was also a little pleased, her red lips parted slightly, and said: "It's also a happy event to be reunited."

Qin Keqing said: "Sister Xue, Xiangling often tells me that my sister treats her very well and treats her like a real sister."

Although Xiangling is usually dull, but with the older sister Qin Keqing, as she got along with her, she gradually opened up her heart and told Keqing about Xue's family affairs.

Baochai sighed softly, and said, "At the beginning, I couldn't bear it, so I tried my best."

Qin Keqing took Baochai's hand, and lightly placed it on the back of Baochai's white hand, and said softly: "I know my sister's difficulties at home."

Baochai rolled her almond eyes and nodded.

"Ma'am, it's time to eat."

At this time, Ruizhu called Qin Keqing who was talking to Baochai.

Qin Keqing said with a smile: "I was just talking, but I forgot to eat. My sister is also hungry."

As he spoke, he greeted everyone present for dinner.

After eating, Baochai didn't want to stay longer and said, "Sister-in-law, brother Heng, it's getting late, I'll go back first."

Jia Heng nodded, but didn't say "I'll send my sister off" out of my mouth.

However, Qin Keqing said: "Husband, you send sister Xue off."

Hearing this, Jia Heng was startled, stood up, looked at the girl beside her, and said, "Sister Xue, let's go."

Looking at the backs of the two, Third Sister You put down the teacup in her hand, her beautiful eyes seemed to be thoughtful.

Jia Heng and Baochai left the flower hall in the backyard and walked along the Chaoshou corridor. Jia Heng glanced at Ying'er who was accompanying with a lantern, but it was not easy to make mistakes, and said softly: "Sister, just tell Aunt like that when you go back, Let Auntie relax."

Baochai nodded and responded in a low voice.

The two of them walked all the way to Lixiangyuan, and Baochai fixed his figure, looked back at the young man, his moist almond eyes flickered, and said softly: "Brother Heng, it will be good to send it here."

Jia Heng reminded: "Then sister, walk slowly."

Baochai responded softly, and followed Yinger into the courtyard.

Jia Heng stood for a while, then returned with the lantern.

Rikain

In the wing room, the lights were brightly lit. Aunt Xue and Xue Pan waited while talking after dinner.

Baochai and Yinger entered the hall together, and Aunt Xue got up quickly and asked, "My dear girl, why did you come back so late?"

"Sister Heng kept food." Baochai sat down, handed the cloak to Yinger who was beside her, and said.

"What did Brother Heng say?" Aunt Xue asked quickly.

Xue Pan on the side also looked forward to the past.

Baochai took the tea from Yinger, and said softly, "Brother Heng said he would come back once every half month, one day at a time."

After hearing this, Aunt Xue sat back on the chair and breathed a sigh of relief: "It's okay."

Xue Pan smiled and said: "Mom, come back once every half month, and we can have a meal together at home. If you say you are studying in the Imperial College, people will believe it."

Aunt Xue heard the words and said angrily: "If you study in the Imperial College and don't come back for three years, I will admit it."

Seeing the happy faces of the two, Baochai pursed her pink lips and said softly: "Mom, it's getting late, I'll go back and rest first."

She had a sudden feeling that a lot of things had happened that day, especially the person she was confused with just now, and she needed to sort out her thoughts.

"Go ahead, my dear girl is tired too, so I didn't waste my time talking." Aunt Xue was immersed in a happy mood, and said casually.

But Baochai's heart skipped a beat, she really didn't waste her words.

Thinking of the bursts of numbness, I still feel red in the face.

Aunt Xue didn't notice the lingering thought in her daughter's eyebrows, and discussed with Xue Pan about the family business after going to Wucheng Bingma Division.

Baochai went back to her own room, Yinger closed the door, and sat alone in front of the dressing table in the inner room, sitting quietly, dazed.

At this moment, the face in the mirror was as charming as a pear, with eyebrows like emerald feathers, skin like snow, moist almond eyes slightly drooping, and there seemed to be a bit of confusion and joy in the eyes.

"girl."

Accompanied by a burst of fragrance, Yinger approached and helped Baochai take off the hairpin and other accessories on her head, put it in a brocade box and hid it, and said with a light smile: "Miss, this hairpin is not usually worn by the lady, it seems to be I bought it new."

Baochai withdrew her thoughts, glanced at Yinger, and said angrily, "Get to the bottom of it."

Ying'er smiled slightly, and while she was collecting all kinds of dowry, she said in a low voice: "This morning, my wife even mentioned it. I said it was newly bought by the girl, and my wife didn't ask much."

As a personal servant girl who has served Baochai since she was a child, it is impossible to be unaware of it, but she always knows her own lady's temperament, so she is not reckless and nonsense.

Baochai gave a "hmm" and said in a low voice, "It was given to me by someone else, so don't tell mom about it."

As a servant girl, she has a delicate mind and loves her like a sister. I am afraid that she will often go to the East Mansion in the future, and she will need her help to cover it up. Otherwise, if she sees him alone a few times, she will be suspicious in the eyes of interested people.

In fact, the personal servant girl at this time is the same as the driver of later generations, and she can't hide it at all.

Ying'er was stunned when she heard the words, but she didn't think it was weird at all, she thought it was a little bit early, but now she felt like the last boot fell to the ground.

Glancing left and right, lowering his voice, he said: "Miss, although that person is rare in the world, but I look at the one at home, and he is not easy to get along with."

When Baochai heard the words, she frowned, recalled the gentle and peaceful scene when she had dinner just now, sighed in her heart, but said softly: "She is a good person."

Seeing that her daughter didn't seem to understand what she meant, Ying'er said: "The girl has her own opinions since she was a child, I don't want to talk too much, I just feel wronged for the girl."

She felt that if the girl had met that man earlier, with the girl's appearance, she would have been a regular wife by now, and ordered her to be his wife.

Baochai Yurong paused slightly, and said softly: "There is nothing to be wronged or wronged."

Ying'er nodded and said with a light smile, "Then I'll help you hide it."

Baochai:"……"

After sorting out my thoughts, yes, I can only hide it now.

……

……

But Yuanchun left Ningguo Mansion, returned to the wing room where he lived, sat behind the desk, felt restless for a while, stretched out his hand to touch his cheek, it was as hot as fire, and couldn't help sighing softly.

At this time, Xiren came in and was about to offer tea, seeing the tear stains on Yuan Chun's face, he didn't ask why, but said: "Miss, I'll get you a basin of water to wash her face."

Yuan Chun's thoughts changed, and under the crescent eyebrows, there were a pair of red and swollen eyes from crying, and said: "Don't be busy."

She felt that with the current appearance, it would be better if she saw her mother later.

Sure enough, after sitting for a while, he heard Baoqin, entered the room, and said, "Miss, the wife is here."

As soon as Mrs. Wang entered the wing room, she didn't pay attention to Yuan Chun's expression, she hurriedly asked, "Big girl, what did Brother Heng say?"

Yuan Chun lifted up his snow-stained face, which was still stained with tears, and said in a low voice: "Mom, Brother Heng has made up his mind about entering the ancestral hall. As for the others, Brother Heng said he will take care of it."

Mrs. Wang was about to speak, when she suddenly saw tears on Yuan Chun's face, her heart skipped a beat, she grabbed Yuan Chun's hand, and said anxiously, "Are you... being bullied?"

Yuan Chun's heart skipped a beat, he shook his head and said, "Mom, brother Heng has already made up his mind about kneeling in the ancestral hall, so I won't say anything more. As for Baoyu's future, brother Heng is still willing to take care of it."

Seeing this, Mrs. Wang's face changed, and she sighed: "It's hard for you, it depends on his face."

Guessing that her daughter was probably dumped by that person, it would be difficult to let her go in the future.

Mrs. Wang said again: "It's your uncle who lost power, and our mothers were wronged. When your uncle was still in the Beijing camp, how could that person be as big as he is now?"

Xu Shi saw that her daughter was angry, and Mrs. Wang no longer concealed her true thoughts.

In other words, Jia Heng has never been convinced.

Yuan Chun frowned, but didn't respond for a while.

Mrs. Wang said: "In the afternoon, brother Yi's daughter-in-law came and said that Zi'er has now entered the list of concubines to be selected by the king of Wei. There is probably good news. At that time, when your uncle recovers, Baoyu will still have you, so you don't have to suffer from those useless things." gas."

When it comes to cowardice, Mrs. Wang's eyes are filled with coldness.

Clearly thinking about how he begged hard the day before yesterday, when the situation was chaotic, now thinking about it, his heart feels like fried, aggrieved and angry.

Yuan Chun's beautiful eyes flickered, and he asked: "The king of Wei came out of the palace to open the mansion, did he choose Zi'er as his concubine?"

Mrs. Wang said: "It's not the main concubine. I heard that the empress thinks about the continuous descendants of the Tian family, and will choose the remaining ones as talents to praise. , no matter how bad you are, you can be a talented person in the palace."

Once the list is determined, generally speaking, there is always a consolation prize.

Yuan Chunyu paused for a moment, and said softly: "Uncle, I don't seem to have mentioned this matter to Brother Heng. Didn't Brother Heng say earlier that our Duke's family is extremely rich, so we don't need to seek the wealth of our relatives?"

When Mrs. Wang heard this, she burst into sneers, her face was as indifferent as ice, and she said: "He is a very high-ranking official now, so he doesn't need to seek the wealth of the country's relatives."

If her family's Baoyu didn't get a good reputation in the imperial examinations, she wouldn't even have a title in the future. Once the old lady went, it was uncertain whether the Duke's mansion could still live.

Yuan Chun sighed softly, his mother's prejudice against Brother Heng grew deeper.

Mrs. Wang looked cold, and said: "He is in charge of the Jia family, and now he has convinced the old lady with that set of words. He is the patriarch, and he doesn't care about the Jia family's affairs. Now he can't be in charge of your uncle's house, right?"

Yuan Chun just listened now and didn't answer any more, but he was thinking about other things. She had promised him that she would not intervene in such family matters in the future.

Mrs. Wang took Yuan Chun's hand, looked at her daughter, and said: "Girl, you are the one who cares most for your mother. After this year, you are already 22 years old. You could have been a concubine. I know, Wei Niang had a dream some time ago, and it was just as real. I dreamed that you became a concubine and returned to Ning to visit your relatives. I don’t know how grand the scene is... You are now in the eldest princess’s mansion, and your own affairs are also You have to worry about it, and you can't just rely on others."

When mentioning the dream, Yuan Chun didn't know what to think of, Yanmei blushed like a cloud, and said softly: "Mom, I will pay attention to what you said."

Seeing that her daughter was "behaved" as before, Mrs. Wang hesitated for a moment, and said in a low voice: "He said that your marriage fell on him. As a mother, I understand it. He won't let you marry into the palace. That kind of ordinary person, so that he can be a good official, but also worried that we will overshadow him."

Jia Heng first brought Yuan Chun out of the palace, and then rejected the marriage in the Chu Palace. These fell on Mrs. Wang's heart, and she had long suspected her motives.

Yuan Chun said: "Mom, you misunderstood, brother Heng was right earlier, he hindered the clan."

Mrs. Wang shook her head and said: "Just listen to those kind of scenes, the Zhen family, and your uncle, by the way, and the king of Nan'an County, this time it's not good, Princess Wei is at his house. People add together, it is impossible to see the long-term without him, a junior."

These are some inside stories that Wang Yi's daughter-in-law and Mrs. Wang revealed earlier. The daughter of the Wang family in Nan'an County is also waiting for selection this time.

Yuan Chun raised his beautiful and handsome face, saw his mother was almost obsessed, and sighed: "Mom, everyone has their own fate, so you can't force it."

Mrs. Wang said: "Baoyu was born with jade, so he has a great fortune. You were also born in the first month of the first lunar month. This is a sign of fortune."

As time passed, Baoyu was beaten bedridden, her reputation was damaged, Jia Zheng was so angry that she was half dead, and Jia's mother was in a sad mood. The more Mrs. Wang thought about it, the more uncomfortable she was. It's so hard to find a good son-in-law, I'm afraid it will be like a dream, the most honorable.

Thinking about it day and night like this is almost becoming a bewilderment.

Yuan Chun had no choice but to comfort Mrs. Wang until it was getting late when the attacker came in and called out, "Madam, girl, it's time for dinner."

Mrs. Wang said: "You eat first, and I'll go and see Baoyu."

With that said, he left Yuanchun's house.

Looking at the back of Mrs. Wang leaving, Yuan Chun had complicated thoughts and sighed faintly.

She can't stay in this house after fifteen years, and she can't see it.

(End of this chapter)