[Red House] But for the sake of the king

When he was almost busy with this matter, Lin Ruhai remembered that Lin Xuanqing who was almost forgotten by him, because he asked Lin Sheng to ask Lin Xuanqing's recent situation.

Lin Sheng generally said, "This Mr. Lin is very weird. He didn't go out easily in the past. The three tableware a day was delivered to the room by the slaves. It's strange to say that the slaves haven't heard him say these days. After a few words, I was able to chat with the young master. The slave didn't understand what they were talking about, but only knew that the young master often went to the guest room after seeing Mr. Lin for the first time, and heard from the waiter there that Mr. Lin was teaching the young master how to play chess. Well. When the young master is not going, Lin Xianggong is mostly studying or painting, and nothing else. But the servant also heard that Miss sent someone to visit Lin Xianggong and asked for a painting. "

Lin Ruhai guessed that Daiyu already knew that Lin Xuanqing was the one who sold the paintings that day, and she was curious why her daughter fell in love with his paintings, so she had to arrange a place for him, because she didn't let anyone invite him, but personally Went to the guest room.

It happened that Lin Xuanqing was painting, and Lin Ruhai didn't make a sound. He approached the painting softly and slowly, but he didn't know what it was painting. There was a big rock in the middle, which seemed strange.

After Lin Xuanqing finished the last stroke, he greeted Lin Ruhai, "Hello, Mr. Lin."

Lin Ruhai smiled and said, "Since you are the old man's apprentice, and you coincidentally share the same clan as me, considering your age, you might as well be called a brother, it will be much more convenient in the future."

Lin Xuanqing hurriedly bowed, but there was no joy on his face, and said, "Being respectful is worse than obeying orders."

Lin Ruhai wondered whether it was because of his nature or because he learned such a weird temper from the old man, but this kind of temperament is indeed not suitable for officialdom as the old man said, so he asked, "The old man didn't say in detail in the letter, why did you come to the capital?" ?”

Lin Xuanqing followed the good advice, and she was not at all awkward when she changed her address, "Master only told me to come to the capital to find Brother Ruhai, and he didn't give any other instructions."

Lin Ruhai nodded, "In this case, you stay here first. I also have a few cleaners under my door, each with their own strengths. If you are bored, you can go to them. If you have anything else, tell someone to find Lin Sheng. It’s like your own home, so you don’t have to be restrained.”

Lin Xuanqing said, "Thank you, Brother Ruhai."

Lin Ruhai pointed to the painting on the table and asked again, "What are you painting?"

Lin Xuanqing looked blank and shook her head, "I don't know either."

Lin Ruhai wondered, "Huh? I saw a lot of paintings here, Brother Xian. There were also quite a few when we met in Jinan last time. Why do you say you don't know?"

Lin Xuanqing replied, "I have a strange problem since I was a child. I have dreams every night. It is neither a nightmare nor a good dream. I can't tell what it is. Since I studied with my master, my master has taught me to paint. Tell me to draw all the things I dreamed of."

"Then the painting my little girl bought that day was also what you saw in your dream?"

Lin Xuanqing nodded, if Miss Lin hadn't sent someone to ask for a painting that day, he would not have remembered the father and son he saw that day.Lin Ruhai felt that there must be a mystery in it, and asked again, "I heard that the little girl asked my brother for a painting again, but I don't know what it is like."

Lin Xuanqing shook her head, "I'm not sure, but here's a similar one." Then he picked out a picture from the painting jar beside him, unfolded it and spread it on the table.

When Lin Ruhai saw it, his heart trembled. The painting on it was clearly the scene when Zeng Yuer bid farewell to him and went to Beijing by boat.Yin hurriedly asked, "Is this scene also what you saw in your dream?"

"Yes, all of my paintings are dreamlands. It's strange to say that most of them are related to this girl. If you connect each dream carefully, it seems to be the whole life of this girl. It's a pity that I lost my mother when I was young, and lost my father a few years later, if there really is such a girl, it would be pitiful."

Lin Ruhai thought, after he left that day, Daiyu was like this, and then remembered what Lin Xuanqing said, and hurriedly said, "Most of what you said just now is related to this girl, what about other paintings, are there any more? "

Lin Xuanqing pointed to the painting tank and said, "All the paintings are here. I didn't bring a few when I went to the north. I only painted them when I came in. Brother Ruhai, if you want to see it, you can take it. These are just things outside of me. , I’m just painting every day, and I’m used to it, it’s better than reading a script.”

Lin Ruhai ordered people to take all the words to his study, and looked back carefully without mentioning it.

In the backyard, Hongxiu waited for Daiyu to rest, leaving Luqi and Bai Shao to watch, Hongxiu and Zisu went to Tang's room hand in hand.It happened that Xia Lu and Qiu Shuang were basking in the sun under the eaves and doing needlework. When they saw them coming, they hurriedly called out, "Why are you two here? Is there something wrong with Miss?"

Zisu replied, "Miss is fine, she is resting for a while, sister Hongxiu and I have something to go back to the old lady."

Xia Lu said, "Come back later. The old lady was very tired a few days ago, and she didn't have much nap today. She hadn't gotten up yet, and she lay down again after lunch. If there's nothing to do over there, sit down and bask in the sun." , you two little hoofs have become more wild since you went out with the young lady, and you don't see anyone all day long."

Hongxiu smiled and said, "My dear sister, you have wronged us by saying that. As slaves, we naturally follow the master wherever he goes. Look, when we come back, we are busy packing up the things brought back by the young lady. After packing up, the lady was taken away by the mansion over there, and we have to follow. We haven't been here for a few days, and such a big incident happened again. The lady has only learned from the old lady for a long time and is about to take charge of the family Sometimes there are too many housekeepers and daughter-in-laws to answer, and we can't even drink our saliva for a whole hour, so we have to wait on us."

Qiu Shuang smiled and said, "Hongxiu is really honest. Your sister Xia Lu is just a joke, but she actually recognized it seriously. Speaking of it, there are many things in the house over there, and people are often sent to make noise. When Miss goes to the south I came here no less than seven or eight times, but the old lady tried to stop me."

Xia Lu sneered, "It's not that I'm afraid of breaking our family. You guys don't remember when you are young. In the early years, when the master was not promoted to a high official, there was no such enthusiasm there. Now I see the master has done it. A senior member, the young lady has become the goddaughter of the princess again, and she is becoming more and more enthusiastic. She has a grandmother, a father, and no vicious stepmother. If the old lady of the in-laws insists on doing this, it seems that our old lady can't bear it. Miss, it seems like the Lin family has treated their own lady badly."

Qiushuang tugged at her sleeves, "Okay, you're smart, don't say a few words. Didn't you say that the old lady in-law is very kind to our lady? Be polite, especially the old lady Lai who used to come here often, she used to say something in the middle of her words, but she said it beautifully a few times later. If our old lady doesn't allow it, wouldn't it be a disappointment to the old lady in-law's heart for the young lady? .”

Zisu smiled and replied, "Isn't it? Although we don't want to go there, the old lady in the family is really kind to the young lady, and she is no different from their second master. There is only one girl from the Shi family who is disgusting." Every time she finds fault with the lady, her words are too smart, and she has been angered several times. Now there is another girl named Bao, who always likes to go to the lady. It is ridiculous to pretend to be a lady in front of outsiders. The day before I came back this time, Miss was chatting and joking with the girls of Jia's family, because they talked about a few lines of poems and allusions. In front of the old lady, the eldest lady, the second wife, and some grandmas over there, I said to some girls, "Women should focus on needlework. It is not our daughter's duty to write poems and calligraphy. But people like us, It’s a joke if you don’t know a few big characters. It’s serious to only read a few chapters of books that are beneficial to you and me in your free time. If you read too many free books, you will change your temperament.” Grandma Zhu hasn’t said anything yet, she is a guest Miss, I'm not much older, so I don't know who I'm talking about. Besides, in a family like ours, which one of the ladies is not pampered and can read and write. Although they also do needlework, they do it occasionally in their free time. It's just purses and other things, who still does it every day seriously, and it's not the poor who want to supplement their families. It's us, except for the old ladies and young ladies, who need to embroider a few more purses, who would spend all day Jie is holding the needle and thread."

Xia Lu smiled and said, "Look at Zisu girl, it's hard to say a few more words on weekdays, but today it's like pouring beans from a bamboo tube, she said such a big deal. The girl from the Xue family is so unbearable, why did she provoke her?" You. After all, you are also a lady, and you have not left the cabinet, how can you say such things."

Hongxiu said, "It's not that Zisu is biased. If you see Sister Xia Lu, you must think the same way. The servants in the mansion over there all say that she is good, but it is more considerate in dealing with people, and give a few more rewards if there is nothing to do. But if it is true according to what she said, where did she know so many things, she talked about the truth, and even explained the words of the lady, it is really disrespectful. It can be seen that the daughter of the merchant is the emperor merchant , but that's all."

Xia Lu spat at her, "You also know that she is the daughter of a businessman, so what are you fussing about? How can such a person be compared to the Lin family's poetry and book heirs? She cares about it. Don't tease the lady, just persuade her more, so you don't have to be so idle. Anyway, according to the old lady, the lady is getting older, and there is no one in the house over there. Such a big man is still in the house. Inner courtyard, don’t go there in the future.”

Zisu hurriedly replied, "It's fine if that's the case. The young lady doesn't argue with them, she's just sullen, because she's afraid that she'll spoil her body. Fortunately, the young lady is smart. Every time she gets angry, she makes up a few poems or satirizes her." , or self-deprecating, it can actually vent a lot. By the way, the doggerel I told my sister last time was about that Miss Shi."

Xia Lu smiled and said, "That's how it is. It's strange that our lady's poems are so good, and I still have to thank those two girls. By the way, what you said last time reminded me, the Jia family Master Bao, is it still the same?"

Hong Xiu disdainfully said, "It's not like that, it's just that we have a good skin. We didn't want to provoke him at first, but we always meet in the yard of the old lady who lives in the same family. Last time I passed by the door, I found that he was still like that It’s all about mixing rouge cream for the maids, but she even grabs a few girls around her to eat the rouge on their mouths. When I wake up early or at night, I don’t care if I want to break into the lady’s room. How much have I thought about it all these years? There is a way to perfuse him, but he is an ignorant person, if this continues, I will be exhausted."

Zisu hurriedly said, "Don't, if my sister has no idea and we can't stop it even more, then how dare we go in the future. People say that he was born with jade, he must be extraordinary, I think he Where is Baoyu, it is clearly a stubborn rock. But I heard from their maid that this master is most afraid of his uncle, and he dare not even move when his name is mentioned."

Xia Lu sneered, and said, "That's right. Their family doesn't say anything else, only the word 'filial piety' is absolutely correct. Look at that uncle, who has lived in a side courtyard for many years. Keeping filial piety for the father-in-law of the old country is true because he dare not disobey his mother's order. Looking at those names again, if it is said that the second master Lian came in the order of the two families, why is there another second master Bao? Really? I don't know what to say. Grandma Lian, who is an upright grandma, would have been the second grandma for the rest of her life if she hadn't been called out by the old lady in our house that year. It’s not surprising to be biased, but for people like them, the old lady in-law is also from the big family, and it’s the old order, so why do these unseemly things all the time.”

Qiu Shuang hurriedly interrupted her, "What do you say, you are getting more and more confused. Anyway, it is someone else's business. If the old lady finds out, she will teach you a lesson. Their family's business, free their own rules , It’s just digging out of the sky, what have we to do. After talking for a long time, you two have something to do with the old lady, maybe it’s because of this.”

Hongxiu said, "Of course not. It's just a white complaint to my sisters. There's just one thing. Recently, the lady doesn't know what's wrong. She sighs every day and doesn't think about eating or drinking. We asked her what's wrong, but she didn't say anything. , Seeing that the little face is sharp, so I deliberately went back and forth to the old lady. We have no choice, just ask the old lady to think about it."

A few people murmured for a while, but couldn't say anything, and heard some movement inside, and knew that the old lady had woken up. Xia Lu hurriedly put away her needles, and took the two of them in to answer.

Tang shi was naturally worried when she heard this. The child grew up beside her, loving and loving her like eyeballs.In addition, Lin Ruhai once said that an expert said that Yu'er was not easy to see crying, so he was even more cautious and did not dare to let her have any troubles.Now that she heard that she was too worried to think about food and drink, she immediately became anxious, and when Daiyu had a rest, no matter how many things were waiting to be ordered, she was the first to come and talk.

Holding Daiyu's hand, Tang said worriedly, "Yu'er, tell grandma the truth, have you encountered any unsatisfactory things these days?"

Daiyu felt that something was wrong, why did the good-natured grandmother ask this, but she still answered honestly, "No, everything is fine at home, I only do these things all day long, there is nothing wrong with it."

Tang asked again, "Then someone in Jia's family made you angry. That Shi Xiangyun belongs to Xue Baochai?"

"How can it be, don't tell me if they dare or not, maybe granddaughters are easy to bully like this." Daiyu comforted Tang with a smile, "Daddy always said that Yu'er's mouth is most like grandmother's. She can speak well, and they I can't say that I have no shortcomings for them to grasp, so I won't let them bully me. Besides, I have never been close to them, and I am too lazy to care about them. Where did I get angry? Grandma, don't listen to that A few girls are chewing their tongues, everything is fine for Yu'er."

Tang said, "If everything is fine, how can you say that you are sighing and not thinking about food and drink? This is their nonsense? In my opinion, there is something big going on. You are young, so don't think about it. You should tell grandma , can I give you an idea?"

Daiyu realized that she was like this these days, and wondered that the girls looked at her with some strange eyes, because she replied, "It's nothing, I'm afraid the granddaughter is thinking too much. Grandma knows that our family is here. A guest?"

Tang asked suspiciously, "You mean the one who lives in the front? Isn't he the child of your father's family, and is it related to him?"

Daiyu said, "I followed my father to the south, and I met that gentleman in Jinan. I bought a painting from him that day. I was deeply touched when I saw it. I always feel that the person in the painting seems to have known each other, but I can't say Come on. A few days ago, I learned that Mr. was at our house, so I asked him, but he only said that he didn't know, but the painting was a scene from a dream. So I asked for another one, and it turned out to be I am more familiar with it, as if the person in the painting is myself. I heard from my husband that the girl in the painting was originally a young lady, but later she lived in my grandfather’s house with no father or mother, and many troubles happened.”

Tang said, "If that's the case, then it has nothing to do with you. Although your mother left early, your father is fine. Why did you drag it on yourself? It can be seen that you are thinking too much."

Daiyu shook her head, "I shouldn't have said that, it seemed like I was cursing my father, but I just felt that it was a bit weird. It couldn't be my previous life, otherwise it wouldn't be like this again. Usually when I listen to operas, my family has fallen into trouble." My poor lady, but I have never thought about myself. Although I don't have a mother, my grandmother and father treat me so well, better than Heng'er. Even my grandmother loves me, how can I have such thoughts. But It’s just these two paintings, it’s funeral flowers, and it’s homesickness, I feel something is blocking my throat, I always feel comfortable crying, but there are no tears.”

Tang took her into his arms, "Silly Yu'er, maybe that gentleman draws so well, you are too thoughtful and think too much."

Daiyu still felt her nose sour, "I just can't help thinking about it. Grandma, if, if you weren't here, would I also be sent to my grandmother's house by my father?"

Tang comforted her, "Where is it? Your father loves you so much, why would he have the heart to send you to your grandmother's house? The Lin family is so big that they can't afford to support you as a little girl? You have also read the account book. It's not a problem to raise a hundred or eighty villains, so how can you send them away. Besides, you are so old, and now there are so many people in pain, why bother to think about these things that won't happen. It will be a few years Going out, I'm afraid I won't be able to get you back." Having said that, Tang knew that if it was true that she hadn't made it through, Ruhai would never remarry, and Daiyu had no one to raise her, she could only Sent to Jia's house.

Daiyu suddenly heard the words of going out, she didn't care about being sad, her face was flushed, and she whispered, "Grandmother is teasing me again."

Tang smiled and said, "Aren't you joking? Girls always go out one day. Hey, I don't know if the old lady can wait for that day. Our Yu'er must be the most beautiful in the world when we wear our wedding dress." bride."

"Grandmother." Daiyu twisted her body and buried her face in Tang's arms, not daring to look up.How dare she listen to such embarrassing words.

Tang stroking her back, she planned to talk to Lin Ruhai about this matter, so as to find out who that guest was.Otherwise, if he stays like this for a long time and makes a few more paintings, wouldn't Yu'er be even more cranky.