Jialan: Crossing the Red Chamber

Just returned, Jia Lan felt a little disappointed.

Ming Qing saw that his face was slightly disappointed, and said: "Why don't you go to the teahouse for a meeting."

Looking at the big sun hanging in the middle sky, Jia Lan couldn't help squinting her eyes, sighed and said with a smile: "That's fine, if you meet Brother Liu, let him buy a cup." Every time I go to a teahouse, I will meet Liu Xianglian. Can I meet my old friend again?

Ming Qing lowered his head and said cautiously: "Young master, Mr. Liu left Beijing at the end of June, and there is no news yet."

Jia Lan was stunned.

After a while, he forced a smile and said, "Then go to Jubaozhai to have a look, I haven't been there for a long time."

Ming Qing lowered his head and rubbed his toes, "Jubao Zhai closed half a month ago. Hearing Brother Huan said that the family had something to call, Mr. Qi went back."

Jia Lan asked curiously, "Eldest Young Master Qi has gone back too?"

Ming Qing hummed, and Jia Lan said, "He will be in the capital in May, but I haven't visited him once. I think it's rude."

Ming Qing said with a smile: "Brother Lan has been busy taking exams this year, reading books all day long, apart from the few times the prince was invited to fly eagles, how has he ever gone out to play?"

Jia Lan laughed: "That's right, but Big Brother Qi is accompanied by his third uncle, so he probably won't remember me."

When Mingqing heard Jia Huan's name, his expression changed, but he heard Jia Lan continue: "I remember that my third uncle always said that he would go to Yangzhou with Brother Qi, and I laughed at him for imitating others." I am a student of bacteria, obviously I can’t leave home, but I want to go out all day. You see, Brother Qi has returned to Yangzhou again, and the third uncle is not at home..."

Jia Lan's voice stopped suddenly, his body trembled slightly, and he asked in a hoarse voice: "Sister Suyun said who did Third Uncle go out with yesterday?"

Ming Qing trembled all over, and said, "Follow Master Lian."

Jia Lan said loudly: "Nonsense. The third uncle is still young, how can the wife let him go far away, not to mention that he and the second master Lian are not close." He looked at Ming Qing and asked each word: "Did he just follow suit? Qi also left Yangzhou?"

Ming Qing's legs softened, and he knelt on the ground and cried, "This servant also thinks the same, but dare not say it."

Jia Lan asked in surprise, "What do you mean by that?"

Ming Qing kowtowed and said, "Brother Huan...you ran away to become a monk secretly in the middle of the night last night. Aunt Zhao found Brother Huan not in bed in the middle of the night, so she thought she was called by his wife to write Buddhist scriptures. Who knew that his wife didn't know where Brother Huan was? , and then the wife was looking for it, and then the old lady was alarmed..."

Only then did Jia Lan understand why she wasn't in the yard last night, why the old lady was so tired this morning, and why Li Wan hesitated when talking about Jia Huan.

He thought about it, grief came from his heart, and the cake in his hand almost fell to the ground.

Jia Jun went north in March, Liu Xianglian left Beijing in May, Shui Rong was sent to Luzhou in June, and Jia Huan left home in August.

In the past year, he has been worrying about the imperial examination all the time. Although he occasionally cares about his surroundings on weekdays, he always stops when he touches it, and he can't pay much attention to it.

For these friends, in retrospect, he did too little.

During the five months after Jia Jun's farewell, he only edited three books.Liu Xianglian left Beijing, he learned from other people.Shui Rong was sent to Luzhou, but he didn't see him off before leaving.Now, when Jia Huan left home, he was the last one to know.

Obviously there were many opportunities for him to discover Jia Huan's separation, but he chose to ignore them all.

In this way, what is the difference between him and the lonely person in the previous life.

I was in a hurry all my life, but I only lived in my own world.

Seeing Jia Lan standing in the sun with a dazed face, Ming Qing was suddenly startled.He tugged at Jalan's sleeve and called him.

Jia Lan lowered her head and asked calmly, "Has Prince Beijing returned to Beijing?"

Ming Qing said: "I haven't heard that Luzhou is also very quiet."

Jia Lan stood for a while and said, "Go and lead the horse."

Mingqing led the horse over, and Jia Lan said, "I want to be alone for a while, don't follow."

While Mingqing hesitated, Jia Lan jumped on the horse and left with whip Juechen.

The foot of Liuhe Mountain was different from the quietness of the past, and none of the attendants who used to stand guard in front of the post station were gone.

Jia Lan was a little surprised. He jumped off the horse and led it into the mountain.

The mountains are also very quiet, with occasional bird chirping, especially loud in the secluded woods.

Jia Lan walked slowly in the forest, and suddenly remembered the scene of hunting with falcons.

Beside the big tree, he and Li Li snatched the prey.After that big rock, he and Wei Ruolan joined forces to kill a porcupine.By the stream, he played a prank by putting a crucian carp in Feng Ziying's neck while he was not paying attention.In that cave, he and Shui Rong hid from the rain together.

Every scene, now remembered, is still very clear.

Clarity makes people feel very warm.

Jia Lan smiled slightly.

"Look what I found, a lost deer?"

The laughter not far away shocked Jia Lan, and he raised his head to look over.

He was still dressed in spotless white clothes, still had a blank and clean paper fan, and still had a gentle and friendly smiling face.

Still, never been kinder.

Jia Lan lowered his head and suddenly laughed softly.

This person seems to appear by his side anytime, anywhere.

It never seems to go away.

41. Jialan, Zhongju

Shui Rong led Jia Lan around and around halfway up the mountain, neither of them said a word, but when they occasionally encountered potholes in short trees, Shui Rong looked at Jia Lan's dazed expression, and gently reminded him.

At this time, Jia Lan would first look at him with some confusion, and then frown at the obstacles, and go around quietly with a sound of oh.

Seeing him like this, Shui Rong felt a little distressed. He looked at the big sun that had reached the mid-heaven, and grabbed the young man beside him who was walking forward with his head sullen, "It's getting late, let's go back."

Jia Lan seemed to have lost his soul, his eyes were not focused, and he nodded slightly: "Yes."

Shui Rong sighed secretly, grabbed his wrist and led him away, but Jia Lan didn't break away.Shui Rong walked and said, "When your third uncle left, he asked me to bring you a word."

Jia Lan was shocked, and said bitterly: "He really left with Big Brother Qi." Otherwise, how could he meet Shui Rong, "What did you say?"

It was probably just some words of care, Jia Huan chose to leave at this time because he was afraid that Jia Lan would be sad when he saw it in person.

"Don't be sad, it's not like you don't know how Qi Yi treats him, so why bother yourself?" Shui Rong said slowly.

Jia Lan stopped, sighed and said, "I know Big Brother Qi is a man, so I'm relieved. Now I just regret how mean I was to Third Uncle in the past. He knew he wanted to leave home, but he never comforted him."

Shui Rong said: "You are busy with your studies all day long, Huan'er must understand where you have time to be distracted, that's why I didn't tell you."

What Shui Rong said was reasonable, Jia Lan stood there for a while, patted his face, took a deep breath, and then said with a smile: "Now it's like this, and his wish for many years has been fulfilled, I should be relieved, why bother?" Get tangled up."

Seeing that he seemed to have figured it out, Shui Rong nodded and smiled, "It should have been like this a long time ago."

The two strolled around the courtyard a few more times, and Shui Rong joked about the court, which made Jia Lan lean forward and back, amused a lot.

At noon, Mr. Mo came to look for him and said that lunch was ready.Only then did Jia Lan realize that the morning was about to pass, so she couldn't help laughing: "I always feel that when I'm with the lord, the time passes very quickly."

Shui Rong smiled and said, "It's a great honor." Then he ordered Eunuch Mo to send someone to Jia's mansion to inform Jia Lan of his whereabouts.

Jia Lan didn't stop Eunuch Mo from leaving, so he followed Shui Rong to the side hall.

After eating, Shui Rong took Jia Lan into the study.Looking at the calligraphy and paintings on the wall, Jia Lan suddenly thought of Ming Qing's words, and couldn't help asking: "Didn't you go to Luzhou? When did you return to the capital?" He remembered that there was an express rule in the heavens that officials were not allowed to leave their subordinates. place.

Shui Rong smiled and said: "Going to Luzhou is just an excuse. If it's true, if I want to go back to the capital, I'm afraid no one can stop me."

Jia Lan frowned and said, "It's just breaking the rules, and someone with a heart took advantage of it." But he still hasn't forgotten the rumor that the Prince of Beijing was involved in the political struggle between the Crown Prince and the Third Prince.

Shui Rong said: "Don't worry, not many people know about my visit to the capital this time."

Jia Lan nodded: "It's better to be careful."

Shui Rong said: "You're a big kid, you're teaching me a lesson. How come you didn't pay attention, and taught a small exam, which hurt your body? After the exam, you're so skinny."

Jia Lan touched his slightly protruding cheekbones, and laughed a few times in a concealed way, but didn't dare to speak.

Shui Rong approached, raised his hand and scratched his thin cheek casually, then stopped and sighed: "In the past, people only heard that the imperial examination was fatal, but now I really see it."

Jia Lan said with a smile: "It's not that serious. It's just that I haven't eaten properly for a few days. It looks scary. After a few days of feeding big fish and meat, you can see that it will become white and fat again."

Shui Rong smiled and said, "I only hope for this."

After all, Shui Rong left the territory privately, so it was very inconvenient. Originally, he planned to go with Qi Yi, but when he saw Jia Huan leaving, he guessed Jia Lan's mood, so he had to stay for an extra day.Seeing that Jia Lan has returned to her old mentality, she has no choice but to leave even though she feels reluctant.

Fortunately, he got the news that Liu Xianglian will arrive in the capital in a few days, and Shui Rong told Jia Lan that if there is something unpleasant in his heart, he can go to Liu Xianglian, and he will be willing to listen.

Jia Lan was naturally very happy when he heard the news, and kept saying hello.Seeing his joyful and excited expression, Shui Rong couldn't help being angry and funny.

Talking for an entire afternoon, before leaving, Jia Lan took out the bag of beautiful epiphyllum flowers from his bosom and wanted to return it to Shui Rong. Shui Rong said that it was originally given to him. , and didn't refuse, and happily put the kit in his arms again.

Being with Shui Rong solved many knots in Jia Lan's heart. Ming Qing was very happy to see this, so he sued Li Wan.Li Wan was also relieved when he found out that he saw Jia again.