The Royal Merchant of the Red Chamber

Looking at the Lantern Festival, since the eighth day of the first lunar month, eunuchs have come out to look at the direction first, and teach the pepper room staff where to walk, kneel, sit, and various rules.The eunuchs who inspected the local prime minister and Guan Fang also brought many young eunuchs out to set up defenses everywhere in the capital to block the curtain.Instruct the housekeepers in the provincial pepper house to not mention all kinds of ritual notes.

And on the [-]th and [-]rd day of the first lunar month, from Shunzhen Gate in the palace all the way to Shenwu Gate, Dongxizhimen, Xinjiekou, Xi'an Gate, Zhuque Street, Xuanwu Street, and even to the gates leading to the homes of the four kings, eight gongs and noble officials. The main roads are tightly blocked by curtains.Even if the ministers enter the palace to pay their respects, etc., they must report to the Prime Minister and the eunuch in advance before they can pass.

On the fourteenth day of the first lunar month, the entire area of ​​Shenjing was filled with armored Imperial Forest Army.The guards are strict and the atmosphere is solemn, which can be seen from the serious and solemn faces of the guards patrolling the city every half an hour.

Because of this, the annual Shangyuan Festival Lantern Festival was also cancelled.The only excitement was gone, and Xue Pan had no choice but to prepare to go to Rongguo Mansion to watch a play with peace of mind.

This day is the Lantern Festival, and Xue and his wife will go to the palace to congratulate with big makeup at the time of five drums.Xue Pan, on the other hand, fell asleep until it was mid-sun and did not get up.In the end, Baochai, still restless, came in and woke up the young master who was lingering with Duke Zhou, and asked with a chuckle, "Didn't my brother say that he was going to Rongguo Mansion to join in the fun? It's almost noon now, why is brother still hanging around?" Can't get up in bed?"

Xue Pan waved his hands nonchalantly, yawned and said, "Don't worry about this. I've asked about it before, ladies and gentlemen have dinner at the first quarter, go to Baoling Palace to worship Buddha at the second quarter, and enter Daming Palace to receive the banquet at the first quarter. Looking at the lights, I'm afraid we won't be able to get up until the beginning of the Xu hour. It won't be the end of the Xu hour until Rongguo Mansion! Let's wait for the third quarter of the Xu hour to get up and go to Rongguo Mansion, and we will definitely be able to catch up with the excitement."

Xue Baochai shook his head helplessly, and said, "Brother, you are really..."

Xue Pan was woken up by Xue Baochai, and couldn't sleep anymore.He simply got up to wash, and after breakfast, Xue Pan smiled and asked: "Where is Baoqin, tell her to dress up smartly, people from our Xue family go out to play, even if the other party is a concubine, You can’t let the limelight go.”

Seeing Xue Pan's helpless expression, Xue Baochai was almost speechless.He could only nod and smiled and said, "I've told Baoqin as my brother ordered. But Baoqin is also going to cheer for the empress after all. It's too noisy. I'm afraid Rongguo Mansion won't be able to come down for a while."

Xue Pan sneered nonchalantly and said, "It doesn't matter what they think. We didn't want to go, it's not because they invited you three times and four times. What's more, the imperial concubine is the proud daughter of heaven, so she will naturally dress up exquisitely this time. Ordinary is often compared, it is because of her own weak foundation, what's the use of blaming others?"

Xue Baochai didn't go into details anymore.She was originally the most competitive person, but after her family background went smoothly and her marriage was very happy and high-profile, she gradually lost her desire to compare with others.But if she wants a dignified princess-to-be to bow her head to a virtuous concubine who has not yet consummated her marriage and can't tell what level she is, she naturally has some grudges in her heart.

Now hearing Xue Pan's words, she is also happy to dress up.

So I went back to Wutong Garden to dress up without mentioning it.

Dressing up for a woman's family is always time-consuming and labor-intensive. When the two girls are all ready, the time is almost at the beginning of Xu Shi.Xue Pan sat in the main hall and looked at the two Baochai and Baoqin who came out slowly, his eyes brightened.

Baochai today is wearing a newly made pair-breasted jacket with bright yellow embroidered peony brocade and a pomegranate skirt woven with silk-red silk and rattan patterns.The bright and bright colors make Baochai's skin more white, tender and lustrous, with a graceful demeanor.Wu Ya pressed her black silk into a set of complicated and delicate peony buns, and on her head was wearing a set of silk-studded gold tinsel inlaid with oriental beads that had just been brought in from the southern market. , Under the illumination of candlelight, it exudes a multicolored halo.It seems that Xue Baochai's eyes and teeth are becoming more and more bright, gentle and graceful.

Xue Baoqin next to her chose a pair-breasted jacket with lake green carved silk and lotus pattern in a relatively delicate color, with butterfly flower patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs in a new peach color, and a short pipa jacket with a lotus-colored ink and rattan pattern on the outside. The white fur on the collar and cuffs was swollen, making her look more enchanting and pretty, innocent and innocent.Because she was still young, she didn't wear a heavy jewelry phoenix hairpin on her head, but simply tied a bun that is the most popular nowadays, with two pearl stamens holding silk on her side bun for use. There are begonia silk flowers piled up in light gauze silk, and there are also two strings of begonia-shaped earrings carved from white jade hanging on the earlobes, which are dangling and look more and more cute.

Xue Pan looked at it for a while, then looked at Ying'er and Rui'er who were serving beside Baochai and Baoqin. They were also surrounded by jewels and emeralds.Then he nodded in satisfaction.He opened his mouth and said, "Let's go out now, first go to Lin's mansion to pick up sister Daiyu, and then go there together."

Naturally, Baochai and Baoqin had no objection, so Xue Pan ordered chariots and horses to be prepared outside, and went all the way to Lin's mansion to pick up Daiyu.Because Lin Ruhai and Lin Mozhi were both called by Tu Zhen to play with the emperor in the palace, it is only natural that Lin Daiyu is left in the Lin residence.When Xue Pan and the others arrived at Lin's mansion, Lin Daiyu was lying on the beauty's couch reading a book.Hearing the report from the concierge, he couldn't help crying out in surprise.Hastily walked to the front hall to entertain.

"Didn't Big Brother and Sister Bao and Sister Qin go to Rongguo Mansion to have fun? Why did you come to my house?"

Xue Pan looked at Lin Daiyu, who looked good, and said with a smile: "I know that both Uncle Lin and Mo Zhi'er have gone to the palace to accompany them, and I was afraid that you would be bored at home alone, so I wanted to pick you up to play around. "

Lin Daiyu pursed her lips and said, "I won't go."

Xue Pan laughed and said, "Why don't you go? Didn't the Rongguo Mansion also post a post to invite you? The event of a royal concubine visiting relatives has never happened before, but it is also a rare and lively event. Why don't you go?"

Lin Daiyu curled her lips, and said with a sneer, "It's none of my business for them to make fun of them. I don't want to join in the fuss, lest Lehe not see it, and make myself ashamed instead."

Xue Pan naturally knew that Lin Daiyu had a grudge against the Rongguo Mansion, so he couldn't say anything more.Turning the subject, he said, "It's so easy to catch up with the annual Shangyuan Festival, and I didn't even see a lantern. Don't you feel sorry?"

Lin Daiyu blinked, but did not speak.

Xue Pan said again: "I heard Baoyu say that the lanterns in the family-senting garden are beautiful. And there will be fireworks and firecrackers. At that time, crystal glass lamps will be everywhere on the stone railings, and hanging lights will be dotted on the branches. There are flowers, grasses and heron in the water, it's really a glass world, a world of jewels. Such a beautiful scenery, if you miss it, you will never see it again. Don't you feel it's a pity?"

Lin Daiyu turned around and looked at Xue Pan angrily.

Seeing this, Xue Baochai immediately stepped forward and put her arms around Lin Daiyu's shoulders to persuade her, "My good sister, just follow us. Then you will follow my sister, who will dare to bully you?"

Lin Daiyu hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly.

Xue Baochai immediately ordered Xueyan and Jinse to serve Lin Daiyu to change her dress and come out.Lin Daiyu is naturally beautiful, and she still looks like a fairy concubine without makeup.The upper body is wearing a plain brocade double-breasted jacket with the pattern of an ink and wash landscape painting that has just been made, and the lower body is a pleated skirt of moon white silk with dark flower and rattan patterns.The faint pattern is indistinct under the illumination of the candlelight, and it becomes more and more swaying and flowing when walking.

Xue Pan looked at the three Xue Lin standing side by side, clapped his hands and laughed loudly: "It's so beautiful."

As he said that, he immediately put thick fox fur cloaks on everyone, wrapped them tightly, got into the carriage and drove towards Rongguo Mansion.

When we arrived at Rongning Street, we could only see that both sides of the street had already been covered with yellow curtains, decorated with street lanterns, brightly lit.Jia Zheng waited at the entrance of the street with the men from Hefu. Xue Pan lifted the curtain of the car and said to the eunuch beside him, "I am Xue Pan from Zhongxinhou's Mansion. I have received the letter and came to visit my mother's relatives. Please brothers." Let go."

The eunuch in charge naturally knew that the most proud young master in the palace, even Eunuch Dai would not dare to act presumptuously in front of him, not to mention these humble boys.He didn't dare to glance into the carriage too presumptuously, but seeing that there was nothing unusual, he immediately let the two carriages in respectfully.After another round of flattery, he waved his hand and let him go.

Because there were still female relatives in the carriage behind, Xue Pan couldn't let them get off the carriage, so he had to send the carriage directly to the gate of Rongguo Mansion.At that time, Mother Jia led the family's daughter-in-law, grandma, and girls to stand quietly. Seeing Xue Pan and the others, she couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Jia Mu stepped forward and said with a smile, "Why did you come so late? I thought you would be late."

Xue Pan opened his mouth and replied: "How can it be. It's just that the female relatives have been delayed for a while in putting on makeup and washing."

No matter what Jia Mu thought in her heart when she heard this, she smiled kindly on her face and said, "Girls, of course they like to dress up a bit. What's more, Baochai is now a quasi-prince and concubine, so she came here for us." It's decent. Naturally, you have to dress smartly, so as not to lose face to the royal family."

Xue Pan immediately smiled and said: "The old ancestor is wise. Not only Baochai and Baoqin, but also Sister Lin also came here. Therefore, it took some time to turn around to pick her up."

When Jia Mu heard this, she was really happy, and the smile on her face deepened.Quickly asked: "Yu girl is here too? I heard that her father and elder brother were ordered to enter the palace to accompany them. I thought she couldn't come here. It's a pity in my heart! Our side is full of lively and festive , she is alone in her family, and it is also the Lantern Festival. I feel strange. Who would have thought that she would catch up."

He asked again: "Where is Yu girl?"

Hearing this, Lin Daiyu and Xue Baochai got out of the carriage, went up to Jia Mu and said, "Yu'er has seen my grandmother."

Jia Mu hurriedly helped Lin Daiyu up, looked at her for a long time, and said with a smile: "I haven't seen you for a few days, and Yu'er looks better. This year, our house is only busy with the mother-in-law's family visits, but I didn't have the time to take you to live here. Two days. It will be fine after fifteen."

Lin Daiyu hooked the corners of her mouth and said softly: "Naturally, the empress must be the first."

While speaking, he suddenly heard the sound of horses running outside.Suddenly, another dozen or so eunuchs ran over panting and clapping their hands.Everyone knew that it was coming.Immediately, a guarding eunuch came over and sent the two carriages out of the curtain.Facing west again, he stood with hands down.Jia Mu immediately ordered Xue Baochai and her three daughters to stand in the crowd.Xue Pan hurried to the front to find Jia Baoyu, and stood with him.

At that time, Jia Baoyu looked lonely and stood aside with his head drooping, beside Jia Lian in official uniform.Xue Pan waved his hand, and Jia Lian immediately retreated knowingly.Xue Pan stood still at Jia Lian's place, and whispered to Jia Baoyu, "What's wrong with you?"

Jia Baoyu raised his head and saw Xue Pan in front of him, he couldn't help shouting in surprise, "Brother Xue?"

Under the emotion, he even forgot the rule of holding his breath and concentrating, which attracted all the eunuchs and the men of Rongning Second Mansion to look sideways.

Xue Pan glared at everyone, and said coldly, "What are you looking at?"

Everyone's heart trembled, and they quickly bowed their heads in silence.

Xue Pan then turned around and asked Jia Baoyu, "What were you doing hanging your head down just now, who scolded you?"

Jia Zheng immediately turned his head to look at Jia Baoyu. He has been busy these two days with visiting relatives and picking him up, and he has not had time to discipline this beast in the future. Could it be possible that he will be bullied?

Jia Baoyu gave Xue Pan a sad look, and said softly, "Of course no one said anything about me, it's just that I can't make it through myself."

Xue Pan raised his eyebrows and looked at Jia Baoyu suspiciously.

Jia Baoyu paused, leaned up to Xue Pan and said softly, "Last night I went to visit Jingqing's tomb. After a few months, it was crushed by the snow and it was a mess and muddy. I feel a little uncomfortable. He was such a clean and gentle person before he was alive, but now he is nothing more than a cultivated loess. My sister looks rich and noble now, but since ancient times, the gate of the palace is as deep as the sea. You say she is really happy Is it? Will it be like Jing Qing, who will wither and rot in that deep and cold harem in the end?"

Xue Pan looked at Jia Baoyu with a gloomy expression, and sighed inexplicably.

People in the world say that Jia Baoyu of Rongguo Mansion is a fake treasure and a real stubborn stone, living in a muddle without knowing the hardships of the world and the warmth and coldness of human relationships.But in his opinion, Jia Baoyu is a rare sober and transparent person, but his temperament is too soft and docile, even if he sees through it, he dare not resist.I would rather shrink my neck to avoid the world than face the wind and rain.

Therefore, he always said that if he was lucky, he would die before all the sisters, and the tears of the sisters sent him to heaven, even if what happened in the future, he would not live in vain.

Sometimes Xue Pan couldn't help wondering whether Jia Baoyu had faintly noticed the decline of Rongning and Ningfu, and was afraid that in the future, he would not be able to bear such hardships, so he had such a passive and reclusive attitude. ?

Thinking of this, Xue Pan couldn't help but shook his head and smiled self-deprecatingly.I just feel like I'm thinking too much.

The two were whispering at the side, and the sound of silk, bamboo, bells and chimes came from ahead.A group of eunuchs passed by with dragon banners and phoenix pads, pheasant feathers and Kui heads, gold burners, phoenix embroidered canopies, crown robes and shoes.In the end, the eight eunuchs came slowly with a gold-topped golden phoenix embroidered palace.

Jia Zheng led all the men to kneel down immediately, while Xue Pan dragged Jia Baoyu to hide at the back. He was wearing the jade badge of prince status that Tu Zhen gave him back then, so he couldn't kneel down, but if he was the only one standing It was too conspicuous to be in the same place, so without thinking, Xue Pan dragged Jia Baoyu and retreated to an inconspicuous corner, waiting for Fengyu to pass by, and everyone got up.Then he followed the men into the Rongguo Mansion.

Because Xue Pan's actions just now were too concealed, and the majesty of the imperial concubine's driving was too solemn, none of the men in Jia's family noticed Xue Pan's actions.Except for the eunuchs and maids standing silently on both sides.It's just that these court ladies and eunuchs naturally know Xue Pan's dignity, let alone a virtuous concubine, ten or a hundred virtuous concubines combined may not be worth Xue Pan's words in front of the Holy Majesty, let alone Xue Pan's waist. The shining jade badge of the prince's identity is very eye-catching under the light.Therefore, everyone turned a blind eye and closed their eyes, as if they hadn't seen it.

Let's say that the concubine Xiande entered the room and changed her clothes under the guidance of concubine Zhao Rongcai, and then came back to Shangfeng Yu to visit the garden.

Xue Pan also took Jia Baoyu and the two into the yard to look around.At that time, there was a lot of fireworks in the family visitation garden, and colorful fireworks bloomed in the night. The garden was full of cigarettes, colorful and colorful, and the lights reflected each other everywhere.

Pavilions, pavilions, railings and stone platforms, carved beams and painted buildings, dead branches and trees are all tied with colorful lanterns, made of glazed agate, made of crystal glass, tied with silk and silk, and glued with colored rice paper. There are also river lanterns in the shape of mandarin ducks, waterfowl and even lotus flowers floating in the river. Xue Pan looked at them with good eyes, and praised repeatedly: "It's so beautiful, it's even more beautiful than the lanterns in the palace last year. .”

At this moment, Jia Baoyu also forgot the worries and fears before, and led Xue Pan to wander around the garden.He had browsed through all the scenery in the garden long ago, and now he took Xue Pan to wander around deliberately, picking out the places he thought were the best, and seeing all the places he thought were more beautiful than the other ones. times more refined.After walking a few places, Jia Lian, who was sent by Jia Zheng to look for them, stopped him.

"The second master told you to walk behind the carriage of the empress, lest the people in the palace have a bad temper, and it will be bad if you bump into them again." Jia Lian said, and explained to Xue Pan with a smile: "The main thing is I'm still afraid that Baoyu will get out of trouble and cause trouble for Big Brother Xue."

Xue Pan nodded indifferently, and pulled Jia Baoyu towards Fengyu.As he walked, he asked casually, "How did you do in the Ministry of Households this year?"

Jia Lian nodded with a smile and said, "Thanks to big brother's face, my colleagues in the yamen are good to me. This year's assessment also got a good review. In fact, I know my own ability, but it's just a vegetarian meal. How can I get such a good job?" Evaluation. Not all the superiors rewarded me for the sake of big brother."

Xue Pan hooked the corner of his mouth, and replied: "You don't have to belittle yourself. According to your ability, you should be like a fish in water in the yamen. It's just that as an official and a person, in addition to conforming to the will of the current events, you must also Know how to fight hard. After all, although there are many people who are in harmony with the light, but those who can really gain power and be favored by the emperor are all able to do things for the emperor."

Jia Lian rolled his eyes and said in a low voice, "I depend on my elder brother for my prosperity and wealth. In the future, if my elder brother has any orders, I can just order them directly."

Xue Pan took a fixed look at Jia Lian, shook his head and remained silent.

With his status and status, as long as Tu Zhen doesn't fail, how can he ask for anything from Jia Lian?What he did now was just to pity that he still had a little bit of humanity, and he didn't want to use power to overwhelm others and cause family ruin and death for the sake of a few taels of silver.

It's just that he has already found the direction. Whether he can walk a safe road depends on how Jia Lian will make progress in the future.Some things are born from the bottom of your heart, and what outsiders say is unintentional.

On the other side, Jia Baoyu had long been impatient to hear these two people talking about these traitors, so he waved his hands quickly, dragged Xue Pan forward, and said, "Let's walk faster! I see your mother Abandon the sedan chair and board the boat."

So Xue Pan stopped talking to Jia Lian, and followed Jia Baoyu to the shore. Naturally, the imperial concubine had already boarded the front of the phoenix boat.Xue Pan led Jia Baoyu and several of the Jia family's men to follow behind.The rest of the people were all waiting for the order from the empress at any time, but Xue Pan and Jia Baoyu were just there to watch and play.

Looking at the scenery outside again from the boat, I feel that it is a different kind of crystal clear and brilliant.Under the night, the lanterns are brightly lit, and all kinds of lanterns are piled up everywhere you can see. You can only feel that the eyes are full of indescribable elegance and elegance, competing for glory from top to bottom.

Jia Baoyu pointed to the places on the shore where poems and plaques were inscribed and boasted: "I mentioned these, what do you think, big brother?"

Xue Pan's literary and artistic skills have been lingering on the basis of the Three-Character Classic and the Thousand-Character Classic, so naturally he doesn't know how these couplets of poetry are.However, in the original work, Jia Baoyu knew the improvisational talent of writing poems and prose as he wandered around and played.He nodded repeatedly and praised: "Although I can't see the good or the bad, I just think that these couplets are catchy, so they should be good."

After hearing this, Jia Baoyu became more and more proud.

Jia Zheng stood at the bow of the boat, gave Jia Baoyu a cold look, and shouted in a low voice, "You are such a noisy beast, but you are just a mediocre person who follows what others say, and dares to stand out in front of everyone. What kind of person is your big brother Xue? It's really shameless for you to play tricks in front of him."

When Jia Baoyu heard the words, he immediately hid behind Xue Pan tremblingly, and stopped talking.