Indulgence in the Red Chamber

On the second day, the imperial decree really came down, Lin Ruhai was named a first-class prince, and news spread that Daiyu was named Princess Gulun.

The Four Baylor Mansion was bustling like never before.

The princes and brothers headed by the prince, the third, the fifth, the eighth, the ninth, the tenth, the thirteenth, and the fourteenth are all here, saying that they are here to visit Princess Gulun and send some condolences.Yinzhen was tired of socializing, so he left all these things to Jinyu.When everyone in the court heard that elder brothers had come to visit Daiyu at Sibeile's residence, they sent their wives to bring silver taels and supplements to join in the fun, making Jinyu very busy.

Daiyu has been crying and sleeping since she came back yesterday, without a drop of water, and now she has no energy left.Let alone meeting these people.Yinzhen left two imperial physicians in the Wuxiang Hospital to diagnose Daiyu's pulse and treat her.

It took six or seven days for Daiyu to gradually improve.Although she was still crying and sad, she was able to get out of bed and walk around.

One day when Yinzhen came back from the palace, he hurriedly changed his clothes and came to the Wuxiang Courtyard. It happened that Jinyu was holding Honghui and talking with Daiyu here.It turned out that Jinyu didn't expect to bring Honghui here, but that time when the nanny came with Honghui in her arms, Daiyu saw a little joy on her face, and when Jinyu saw her, she brought Honghui with her every day. Come here and sit down, just to make Daiyu happy.

When Yinzhen entered, the maids hurriedly blessed and saluted.Jinyu and Daiyu also stood up.

"You all go down." Yinzhen looked at the girls and women on the left and right, and gave orders, and the nanny hurriedly hugged Honghui and went down with everyone.

"What's the matter today?" Jinyu asked puzzled.

"I just came from Er Niang." Yinzhen looked at Daiyu and sighed in embarrassment, "E Niang said, let's pack Xuanning's things and send them to the palace. She—— Take it personally."

Daiyu was taken aback for a moment, then slowly sat on the bed, bowing her head and weeping.

"Sister, don't be sad. Er Niang has no other intentions. Anyway, Xuan Ning has a lot of things. We found a few and sent them to her, which will make her feel better. If you want to keep what you want, just keep it. That's all for now, could it be that the empress has sent someone over to verify it?" Jinyu gave Yinzhen a helpless look, hoping that Yinzhen would persuade Daiyu as she said.

Yinzhen pursed her thin lips helplessly.Concubine De had originally spoken, asking him to take all of Xuanning's belongings into the Yonghe Palace, and she was quite dissatisfied with Daiyu in her words. I don't know who heard the rumors, but it was Lin Ruhai who dragged Xuanning down If it wasn't for saving Lin Ruhai, Xuan Ning would not have fallen under the cliff, let alone disappear without a trace.Concubine De had been calm in the past few years, but after seeing Xuan Ning, she seemed to be a different person.No matter who it is, as long as there is a conflict with Xuan Ning's interests, she will be furious, even the fourteenth elder brother.

Seeing that Yinzhen didn't speak, Jinyu quickly grinned at him and turned to persuade Daiyu: "Good sister, think about it."

"He's not dead, he won't die." Daiyu looked at Yinzhen with certainty, "He must have been rescued by his senior brother. The fourth master is going to tell Empress Defei that all his things must be kept here. He still needs to use it when he comes back.”

"Brother? What brother?" Yinzhen looked at Daiyu in a daze, thinking that this girl should not be stupid.

"I saw a strange man that day. He said he was Xuan Ning's senior brother and wanted to come to him to take him away. I think he must have been taken away by his senior brother..."

Yinzhen looked at Jinyu sadly, and Jinyu stepped forward to persuade him: "Okay, I believe what my sister said. But there must be an explanation from the concubine De. My sister should pack a few things and send them to the fourth master." go?"

"The clothes, shoes and socks are in the box over there, Xueyan, go help Fujin clean up." Daiyu said, then went into the bedroom and lay down on the bed.

Everyone believed that Xuanning and Lin Ruhai were dead, only Daiyu didn't believe it.

In October of the 35th year of Kangxi, Yinzhen was ordered to escort Daiyu back to Gusu to be buried with her mother with the clothes of her father, Lin Ruhai.Jia Lian of Rongguo Mansion begged Yinzhen to go with him, and Yinzhen thought that they belonged to Daiyu's uncle's clan, so he agreed to Jia Lian's request to take him with him.

The winter of this year came very early. Although Kangxi Yujia's personal conquest, although it suffered a lot of losses, it finally ended in victory.The whole country celebrates together, and all the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty put up papers to praise the emperor Longwei.Kangxi fixed his gaze on Suo'etu.

After the investigation from the Imperial Hospital, Kangxi's tone was revealed, and the Mingzhu party all accused Suo'etu of forming a party for personal gain, instigating the prince, delaying the military plane, and secretly buying and selling official positions. on the head.It is said that he secretly took in the daughter of the third prince Zhu, colluded with the third prince Zhu to secretly rebel, betrayed the court, and a lot of other charges were all charged to Suo'etu.

Kangxi was furious, and an imperial decree dismissed Suo'etu from his post, and ordered the Ministry of Officials to investigate the case strictly.The prince closed the door all day long and never saw any guests. For a while, some people were happy and some were sad.The winter in Beijing is really turbulent.

In November of the 35th year of Kangxi, Yinzhen took Daiyu and returned to Beijing after completing Lin Ruhai's affairs.He wants to rush back to the capital before the water freezes. During these days, the thirteenth elder brother Yinxiang often receives letters. The situation in Beijing and China is very complicated and compelling, so Yinzhen has no chance to relax.

The Lin family has quite a few land properties in the south of the Yangtze River. Originally, Jia Lian said it was inconvenient to manage, so Yinzhen asked Yinzhen to sell them.But Daiyu disagreed, saying: Returning to the Roots of the Fallen Leaves blocked Jia Lian's many reasons. She said that she would come back after living in the capital for a while.

Yinzhen listened to Daiyu in everything, and Jia Lian didn't dare to talk too much.From the beginning to the end, I just followed and watched, and I couldn't get involved in anything.

As for Xuanning's property left in Yangzhou, Daiyu also kept all of it, and still asked the original people to take care of it, and assigned a few of the original Lin family members.He ordered them to send the accounts to the Sibeile Mansion in the capital every month, so that they could have a detailed look at them.

Yinzhen was secretly relieved, thinking that over the past year or so, Xuan Ning had taught Daiyu, a girl over seven years old, speaking and doing things so calmly and with ideas, it is not in vain that Xuan Ning brought her all the heart up.

Seeing that the boat has passed Cangzhou.Daiyu leaned against the door of the cabin, playing with the strange bracelet in her hand in a daze.

Yinzhen came out from the inside, squatted beside Daiyu, looked at the bracelet in her hand and asked strangely: "You hold this bracelet all day long, but you don't wear it, what's the reason?"

"This is his stuff. Apart from those clothes and books, this is the only thing he doesn't know what to do with. Look, there are a lot of characters on it, including heavenly stems, earthly branches, and some incomprehensible ones." Symbols. And these several layers can be turned around, and there is a button here, which sometimes glows, and I don’t know what it does.”

Xuanning's stuff?Yinzhen became thoughtful when he heard it, and took something from Daiyu's hand to look at it carefully.

Sure enough, as Daiyu said, apart from the shape of a bracelet, the structure of this bracelet is similar to that of a compass. There are a series of symbols on it, such as the heavenly stems, earthly branches, four elephants, eight trigrams, etc., and the layers can be changed arbitrarily.It is heavy in the hand, like silver, but it is not.

"What is this for?" Yinzhen frowned and studied for a long time but couldn't figure it out. He shook his head helplessly and returned it to Daiyu: "Since it belongs to him, you should keep it well."

"En." Daiyu took it and put it in her arms.

"Where do you want to live after returning to Beijing?" Yinzhen looked at Daiyu's quiet face, knowing that after Xuan Ning and Lin Ruhai had an accident, she rarely laughed or cried, most of the time she was so quiet, It's like growing ten years old in one day.

"What does fourth master mean?"

"Your cousin said that your grandmother misses you very much and wants to take you to live in their house."

"I'm not going." Daiyu shook her head, looking at the water outside, her face calm.

"Okay, then go to my house."

"I'm going to live in the Old Summer Palace."

"Okay, it's clearly my property, but in fact he bought the land, and the inside was designed by him. It was originally a garden for you. It's just that it's too lonely for you to live alone. There are fewer people and more houses. , it’s quite depressed. When I go back, I’ll buy you two rooms for your family to go over there, and find a dozen good gardeners to go in and give it a good repair.”

"Thank you, fourth master, for your concern."

"It should. My family can't say these things. Besides, you are a princess now, and you have a ready-made salary regulation, and the emperor will not let you be wronged." Yin Zhen smiled faintly, and he who never liked to laugh suddenly smiled, But Daiyu was taken aback.

"Fourth Master, are you alright?" Daiyu asked strangely looking at Yinzhen's dazed smiling face.

"It's okay. I was worried at first, fearing that you would continue to be depressed, but seeing what you did in Gusu, you are very assertive. This way I can feel relieved." Yinzhen nodded, feeling tense in his heart Genxian slowly relaxed, he was really afraid that Daiyu would not be able to get through this hurdle, if that happened, he might not be able to see Xiaoliu even if he died.

"He's not dead, he will definitely come back again." Daiyu turned her head away from Yinzhen.

"..." Yinzhen remained silent, no matter what she thought, as long as she could live strong.

Capital, Ningguo Mansion.

Jia Zhen paced back and forth from her son Jia Rong's room, and Jia Rong stood beside her with her head bowed, not daring to take a breath.

Youshi sat on the side and sighed, looking worried.

"Rong'er? What else did He say?"

"Father, this matter is also ambiguous, and it is inconvenient for Eunuch He to say too much. In short, it is related to the future of the crown prince, I am afraid..." Jia Rong was in the middle of speaking, and did not dare to continue, just took a look with her eyes inner room.

In the inner room, Jia Rong's wife, Qin Keqing, was lying on the bed. Recently, she had been ill in bed for more than half a month. She had been tossing around with doctors and medicines for these days, but her condition got worse.Jia Zhen and Jia Rong talked outside, although the voice was not loud, but it reached her ears intermittently.Worrying all over, knowing that the end has come.I am afraid that if I continue to live, I will implicate the hundreds of people, so I pulled the quilt to cover my face, and wept silently.

"Is this true or not?" Jia Zhen felt reluctant because she liked Keqing's natural beauty.

"My lord, it doesn't matter if it's true or not. The important thing is that the crown prince is going to abandon his pawn to save the car now, and he can't even keep Suo Xiang. Once Suo Xiang's mansion is investigated, some people will say that this matter is false Come true. Besides..." You Shi also hesitated to speak, afraid of Jia Zhen's attitude towards her daughter-in-law, so she didn't dare to say more.

"Besides what? You just finish talking, and I'll see if there is anything worse than this!" Jia Zhen was heartbroken, thinking that this time she went west to supervise the transportation of grain and grass, she still had some credit, even if the emperor didn't For the sake of his ancestors, he will not embarrass himself at this moment.

"I heard the girl in the wife's room in the West Mansion talking quietly, saying that the emperor had ordered someone to secretly investigate the affairs of the young lady in Yangzhou last year. I'm afraid the master's affairs can't be suppressed anymore. The wife and Feng girl discussed it to let the young lady think about it. What is the solution. Tell me—what can be done about this?”

Or abandon the pawn bail car!

Jia Zhen's heart fluttered, her eyes closed, and she said to Jia Rong in a deep voice: "Forget it. Let's do what Eunuch He wants. Even if the prince blames the blame in the future, there is nothing he can do. I can't let the whole family a little The whole family will be buried with you!"

"Father, don't worry, this matter was originally arranged by Suo Xiang. Does the prince know that this matter is not certain? How can he blame us?" Jia Rong nodded, and looked at the door of the inner room with dark eyes.

Three days later, Qin Keqing, Jia Rong's wife, hanged herself in Tianxiang Tower.Jia Zhen donated another silver to Jia Rong as Captain Long, just for the sake of looking good.

The prince has been trembling recently, not daring to make public.Jia Yuanchun accompanied Jia Yuanchun every day, and then quietly returned to the matter of Hongyu and Qin Keqing. The prince heaved a sigh of relief, learned from the pain and praised Yuanchun for his courage and understanding of the general situation. , into the royal jade butterfly.It was a great joy for Ningrong and Erfu to receive the seal in Yuanchun.If Qin Keqing's death was exchanged for such glory, then for Jia Zhen and others, the death was worth it.

When the news reached Jia Lian's ears, Daiyu and Yinzhen happened to disembark at the pier in the capital.Jia Lian was naturally very happy.Inviting Daiyu to live in Rongfu again, Daiyu still politely declined him.Yinzhen told Jia Lian: "Since it's Princess Gulun's wish, you can just follow suit. The princess is under the care of the emperor, and below is supported by the old married family brought by Gusu. If you really have the heart, go to Yuanmingyuan more on weekdays." Just look at her, that's all."

Jia Lian hurriedly agreed, and sent Daiyu and Yinzhen back to the mansion with his servants before returning home.

Daiyu followed Yinzhen back to Sibeile Mansion, Jinyu took two concubines to welcome the two of them in, and hosted a family banquet for the two of them.Tired all the way, finally arrived home, Daiyu left early after dinner and went back to Wuxiang Courtyard to rest.Jin Yu also asked Li Shi and Gui Xiang to step back, and she personally helped Yin Zhen wash her feet and changed into her pajamas. The two lay down on the bed and talked slowly.

"Fourth Master, I see that Sister Lin has improved a lot, I think she has let go of it?"

"What let go? She doesn't even think that Xuan Ning is dead, she insists that he left with some brother. I think it's hard to untie this knot."

"How good is this?" When Jinyu heard this, she felt worried again.

"Take your time, it will get better after a long time. People will always experience some pain from childhood to adulthood. I think she has matured a lot and has a strong opinion in everything. In a few years, I am afraid that the man will not be as good as him .”

"How do you say that?" Jinyu looked at Yinzhen in puzzlement. This master has always been proud of his talents, and he has never put anyone in his eyes, let alone a seven or eight-year-old girl.

Fang Yinzhen told Jinyu in detail about Daiyu's handling of family affairs in the south of the Yangtze River and the farming business outside.Jinyu was dumbfounded when she heard that, and sighed: "She has only been in Beijing for less than two years, how can she manage all these things so clearly?"

"She is talented, and she sees things from a different angle than us. I think she was taught by Xuan Ning, and her behavior and style are really carved out of his mold." After finishing speaking, Yin Zhen sighed again and turned around. Go and look up at the top of the tent.

"God always plays tricks on people, a natural couple, now they are separated, and heaven and man are separated forever, so that both of them are alone, what can we do?" Jinyu also sighed and turned inward, After silently thinking about the past for a while, Fang gradually fell asleep.

Daiyu lived in Wuxiang Courtyard for the end of winter, and as soon as spring began to warm up, she moved to Yuanmingyuan with Xueyan and others.

In the New Year and the New Policy, Kangxi, in order to demonstrate the decree of governing the world with benevolence and filial piety, and to comfort the families of the soldiers who died during the Western Expedition, eliminated the selection of this year's maids. The post of maid of honor should be released.Therefore, Baochai lost the qualification to participate in the selection this year and had to look forward to the coming year.The Xue family lived in Rongguo Mansion for a long time.

Every time Mother Jia missed Daiyu, she sent someone to pick her up, but Daiyu always had a reason not to come, and after she couldn't pick it up a few times, her thoughts gradually faded away.Seeing the opportunity, Aunt Xue discussed Baochai's life with Mrs. Wang, and Jin Yuzhi's gossip began to gossip in the Rongguo mansion.

When Jia Mu heard these gossips, she felt uncomfortable, and naturally thought of Daiyu again.

The weather in April is the season when the grass grows and the warblers fly.Mother Jia ordered someone to prepare a car and sedan chair for Baoyu's birthday, and took the Yingchun sisters out of Rongguo Mansion to visit the small Zhuangzi outside the city where they used to appreciate plums, and ordered someone to send an invitation card to Daiyu. Said that he missed her very much, and asked her to come over anyway.

The post was brought by Ping'er. In the past two years, Sister Feng has figured it out. Daiyu and Ping'er are quite compatible, and Ping'er speaks and does things according to Daiyu's thoughts. I can't even get in the door.

When Ping'er came in, Daiyu was looking at the ledger from the south in the gazebo in the garden.In Xuanning's absence, Daiyu worked harder, thinking that one day he would come back, and she must be happy to see her making the shop he left behind bigger and bigger.This person is good at everything, but he likes publicity. At that time, he bought the heart of the owner of the tea stall by saying "Yangzhou No. [-] Tea House".

Thinking of these, Daiyu became more energetic.So from the teahouses and jewelry stores in Yangzhou, to the real estate in Gusu, to the silk shops, embroidery shops, and jade antique shops in the capital, she has done a lot of business, especially the Songyue Fengquan Tea House under Daiyu's intervention Now it has become the veritable number one in Yangzhou.

Xueyan led Ping'er to the pavilion quietly, and Ping'er stood outside, Xueyan walked in and said softly to Daiyu, "Girl, Miss Ping from Rongguo Mansion is here."

Daiyu looked up and saw Ping'er standing outside, she smiled and said, "Come in and sit when you come, what are you doing standing there?"

"Ping'er pays respects to the princess." Ping'er walked up the steps into the gazebo, and blessed Daiyu with a thousand blessings.

"Get out!" Daiyu chuckled, "Who is the princess here?"

"The girl is a princess, the emperor sealed it with her own mouth, how can there be any mistake?" Ping'er walked up to Daiyu and said with a smile.

"This is not the court, who is talking to you about this? You came alone? But what's the matter with your grandma?"

"It's not that our grandma has something to do, it's the old lady who sent an invitation to the girl, explaining that she's going to have a drink at the Plum Blossom Villa in the west of the city, so she must appreciate it."

"The old lady doesn't dare to take this seriously. Now that I have issued an invitation card, I must go." Daiyu nodded.Thinking that he hadn't visited for half a month, now that the weather is warmer, the business of wine houses in the mountains should be better, so it's time to visit them.

"Young lady is really giving my servant face. I won't be afraid of being scolded by our second grandma when I go back this time." Ping'er was relieved when Daiyu agreed, and the smile on her face became more charming.She chatted some gossips with Daiyu, had another cup of tea, and then said goodbye and went back.

Xueyan sent Ping'er out and came back. Seeing that Daiyu had just finished reading the account book, she hurriedly went up to pack it up and asked, "Miss, why do you suddenly want to go to their banquet?"

"Where is the banquet? We haven't been to Zhuangzi over there for half a month, right? I don't know what's going on recently, so I just go and have a look tomorrow." Daiyu rubbed her sore shoulders, Xueyan hurriedly put down the account book and came to help She kneads.

It happened to be continuous light rain the next day, and the thin mist of rain blew on people's faces, which was cool and indescribably comfortable.Daiyu went out of the city in a car, stopped at the gate of the city, and heard someone shouting from behind the car: "Old Wu, where are you driving?"

The family member who drives Daiyu's carriage is exactly Wu, and they are servants of Yinzhen's house.This old Wu and Yinxiang are very familiar. When he heard someone greet him and looked back, he quickly jumped out of the car to greet that person: "Master Shisan is good. This old slave is sending Princess Lin out for a walk."

"Princess Lin?" Yinxiang was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "Sister Lin is inside?"

"Exactly."

Daiyu heard Yinxiang talking from the car, and raised the curtain of the car: "The Thirteenth Master is going out of the city too?"

"Fourth Brother made an appointment to meet at the Anxiang Wine House in the west of the city. I'll go there in advance to make arrangements. Where are you going?" Yinxiang asked while bending over to look at Daiyu in the car.

"What a coincidence. I want to sit there too." Daiyu said with a smile.

"Could it be the fourth brother's dinner?" Yinxiang smiled in surprise.

Daiyu shook her head and said, "No. My grandmother brought her sisters to gather there. But I didn't know that Fourth Master also invited someone there."

"No matter what, we are all going the same way. It just so happened that I was tired from riding a horse, so I just borrowed your car." Yinxiang said, turning over and throwing the reins to the followers behind him, telling them to take a step ahead, but he himself jumped Get into Daiyu's carriage.

Daiyu's carriage was very spacious, with a soft couch in the middle and long soft stools on both sides.When Xueyan and Chunxian saw Yinxiang getting into the car, they hurriedly moved aside, and they got out of the car together and sat outside leaning against Old Wu.

"Sister, I haven't seen you for a few days. You have lost weight again." Yinxiang sat on the soft stool beside Daiyu, looked at Daiyu's thin cheeks and shook his head with concern.

"I met Si Fujin the day before yesterday, and she said that I have grown taller. Maybe it's because I grew taller because of the food I ate, and I will only gain flesh when I don't grow taller." Daiyu chuckled.

"It would be great if that's the case. That kid Hong Hui should grow up too, why is he still so fat? When we meet again, I'll have to ask my sister-in-law."

"Who compares with children? Honghui is only a few months old?"

"Hehe, that's what you said. But it's a matter of growing tall and fleshy. I'll ask the new Huaiyang chef in the palace to make some dim sum for you another day."

"No need, I also have two cooks of Huaiyang cuisine. The fourth master just found them from the south. At first, I wanted to eat vegetables from the south, but now I have them, but it's not the taste I remember. Let's forget it. " Daiyu shook her head.

The two talked and laughed happily.Yinxiang never mentioned anything about Xuanning, and Daiyu knew that they were all out to make her happy, so naturally it was even worse to be sad.The carriage bumped all the way and walked a few miles before turning into the mountain.

From a distance, I saw a wine cover hanging on the top of a tree, apricot yellow with red borders, fluttering in the wind, it is particularly conspicuous, with two big characters "Dark Fragrance" embroidered on it, which was exactly Xuan Ning's original handwriting.

"The words on the cover of this wine should be changed." Yin Xiang squinted his eyes and looked at the mountain scenery outside.

"Change it to what?" Daiyu followed his gaze to see that the terraced fields in the mountains were cultivated neatly layer by layer.

"Look at how solid this large area of ​​crop land is. Huang Ama likes this kind of scenery. It would be better to change it to Daoxiang Village."

"There is no rice here, and only some seasonal vegetables are grown. In winter, besides plum blossoms, there is also winter wheat. It would be better to call it Maixiang Village." Daiyu also laughed.

"Otherwise, there are still chickens, ducks, geese and rabbits in this village. Do you have to change from this? You are originally from the south, and six or seven of the people in my Qing Dynasty eat rice. Daoxiang Village is better."

"Then it's up to you. I'll ask someone to change it later. But once the name is changed, it will lose the taste of a wine house."

"Don't be afraid, the word Daoxiang Village makes people think of Xinghua Village. How can there be no wine?" Yinxiang smiled, got up and got out of the car: "I'll take a step first, my sister is in that yard, I'll go later pick you up."

"It's fixed in the Spring Shadow Bamboo House."

"Okay. I'm in Nuanxuewu. I'll look for you when they leave. If you leave early, you can come and look for me. Let's go back all the way." Yinxiang had already got out of the car, and told Daiyu again with the window open.

"Understood, you go now." Daiyu nodded, watching Yinxiang get on his horse and leave.

Xuan Ning stared at the white roof, recalling Daiyu's sad face in the dream over and over again.After thinking and thinking, the pain in my heart was extremely painful, and finally I couldn't help but shouted: "Seven-star ladybug!"

"Number [-], I'm not deaf, I can hear you talking, why are you so loud?" The female nurse sat motionless in front of the computer on one side, concentrating on playing games, the heroine on the computer screen was fighting hard, Blood flowed three feet all around, and the corpse of the monster lay on the ground.

"I want to pee! Let me down!" Xuan Ning frowned and growled.

"Just pee, the catheter is connected properly." The female nurse continued to fight monsters without raising her head.

"Pfft——" Xuan Ning almost vomited blood. Grandma's was just two arms injured. Is it necessary to tie the whole person to the bed and insert a catheter?