Through the Ring of Red Mansions

In the early morning of the next day, the whole villa had already been fully prepared, and only waiting for Jiamu to arrive, and because all the family members who came were female relatives, Jia Huan gave all the servants in charge a holiday, leaving only a few clever ones on duty at the gatehouse. However, the rest of the maids and women got busy.

Not long after, I saw several carriages coming from a distance, which were the Baogai carriages of Jia's mansion. Jia Huan hurriedly greeted Jia's mother and waited to get off the carriage. When everyone saw the grand gate wall of the villa, they sighed, "It's really magnificent. It’s not worse than our Grand View Garden.”

Welcomed Mrs. Jiamu Wang and others to the hall in the middle courtyard and sat down. Xiuyun Jinyue came up to direct the little girls to serve tea, and greeted all the wives, grandmas and girls. There, so he said with a smile, "It's rare for you to come out once, so you can go freely, you don't need to stay here, just let those girls serve you."

Xiuyun hurriedly invited the two aunts to the side hall to serve tea, and Jiamu praised with a smile, "I think this girl's behavior is similar to that of the attacker in Baoyu's room. She is very agile and generous. She is a good person."

Xiren was also brought here this time by Baoyu, but he didn't hear it outside at this time. Mrs. Wang smiled and said, "Xiren was originally trained by the old lady, so it is naturally good, or I gave it to Baoyu. Woolen cloth."

After hearing this, Jia Mu said, "These brothers and sisters were surrounded by girls I liked very much, and I was not the only one who gave it to Baoyu. Only Huan'er was young and was not allocated to him at that time, but now it is complete."

Jia Huan couldn't help laughing and said, "Old lady, madam, sit down for a while and have some tea, and then move to the yard. I specially invited a small circus troupe to perform all kinds of operas. It's just for fun. I didn't call today." A decent troupe."

Jia's mother ignored Mrs. Wang, and just smiled at Jia Huan, "There are plays in our garden, and it's weird to listen to the sky. Look at juggling, your brothers and sisters must have never seen those things. "

Jia Huan said, "What the old lady said is that I just called in to give something new to the old lady, wife and brothers and sisters just to see how beautiful they are doing. Another thing , there is a small pavilion on the east side of the villa, built on a hilltop, but it is a wonderful place to view the scenery. Standing in it, you can see the lake at the gate and the surrounding forest clearly. If the old lady is willing to walk around, It’s not bad to go up there and have a look, the road is not very far.”

Because Jia Mu is getting old, she doesn't like activities like mountain climbing, so she shook her head and said, "We're only going to stroll around the lake outside your village. Go with your sisters-in-law,"

Sister Feng and Li Wan hurriedly laughed and said, "They like to climb mountains to see the scenery, and they also want to write poems and calligraphy. What are we going to do? How about walking around here with the old lady."

Jia Huan saw that Sister Feng hadn't seen anyone for a few months, and now she looked very thin, and all the gorgeous clothes on her body were gone. Although it was still a bright peach red dress, there were much fewer hairpin rings on her head. A gold hairpin that looked rich and honored was the one that Jia Huan gave her and Li Wan last time. Fortunately, Li Wan's attire was simple, so it didn't show much.

When the troupe outside was ready, everyone moved to the porch of the yard to sit, watching the show that turned magic into handkerchiefs and flowers, wiped their faces and breathed fire, tamed parrots to pick things up, monkeys got married, and many other programs. The female master even asked a monkey in a big red robe to hold a big peach in its paws and offer it to Jia Mu who was sitting in the middle. She fell down in her arms, Daiyu also laughed so hard that she leaned over the railing of the verandah and couldn't straighten up, Tanchun was good at lighting Jia Huan, she just laughed and couldn't speak...

There are also those maids and women who are standing next to them holding copper coins, silver scorpions and gold scorpions. Everyone watched the parrot perform the show of picking up treasures. Knowing the status very well, he laughed and scolded, "This little bastard is smart, he only picks up gold, and doesn't even look at silver or copper!"

Jia's mother wiped her eyes with a smile and said, "How did you tame the embarrassment? It can be seen that it took a lot of effort." A series of voices called for appreciation, and the woman who had been prepared by the side hurriedly took down the master of the troupe The bamboo dustpan is full of broken silver coins.

In addition, the maids and women could not fail to see one or two jade faucets in the courtyard. The little girls who used to use them in the villa complacently showed them that water would come out when they were twisted, which caused everyone to be surprised and laugh.

At lunchtime, Jia Huan really fulfilled his promise, and called two master chefs from Jinxiu Restaurant to cook the signature dishes in the kitchen. Lady Xu also made some Huaiyang-style dishes. Waiting sighed, "It has a very southern flavor, you probably won't be able to taste it, and Yu'er and I know it."

Although Sister Feng was quieter and less talkative than before, she was still very good at observing words and expressions. Seeing that Jiamu and Daiyu were both gloomy, she hurriedly laughed and said, "This is also the filial piety of Brother Huan. Unfortunately, we are all unlucky. Today, we have a headache." After eating it once, I realized that Nanbianer’s food is so delicious, and I envied the old lady and sister Lin who have been eating it for so many years.”

Mother Jia couldn't help laughing and said, "You are the only one who is full of gluttons, now don't be ashamed, let Huan'er get another box for you to take home."

Sister Feng smiled and said, "I had such an idea, but I was embarrassed to say it. Now my ancestors have said it for me, which saves me trouble!"

Jia Huan said with a smile, "It's better to take it home and eat it while it's hot, and there will be more later. Don't be full now, you won't be able to eat better later."

Sure enough, there were many kinds of desserts after the meal, including fruit mousse, puddings of various flavors, chocolate cream cake, egg tarts, and chocolate truffles that Jia Huan cherishes very much. Only this one served a small plate But Jia Mu, Mrs. Wang, Feng Sister Baoyu Daiyu and others ate one.

Baoyu knew that these were the very famous Western desserts in Jinxiu Restaurant, so he couldn't get enough of each bite, "This Westerner is really amazing, how did he make milk into such cream, and this pudding looks like It’s our jelly, but it’s much tastier than jelly.”

Baochai laughed and said, "These desserts are sweet and soft. They were originally loved by adults and children. Now it seems that the watercress is not served, which is already very extraordinary. It is strange that Jinxiu Restaurant is now the only one in the capital. , there is no other place that can compare with it. These things are exquisite enough even if they are motivated."

After hearing this, Mrs. Wang couldn't help sighing, and said to Jia Huan, "Sister Bao's words touched my heart, but it's a pity that I don't know if my mother can taste these novelties that Baba bought from the West in the palace. It's a pity that she was sent to that invisible place at a young age, and now this mother wants her to try something new, but it's so difficult!" As he said, he wiped his tears with his handkerchief, and everyone didn't know why for a while, All are silent.

At a glance, Jia Huan saw that Mrs. Wang and Baochai meant to sing together, and seeing Yuanchun mentioned, she didn't know what the foreshadowing was, so she didn't speak. Sister Feng put everything aside now, and she also saw the deep meaning. Jia's mother didn't say a word, only Sanchun, Baoyu, and Baochai rushed up to persuade her. Baoyu said, "Nowadays, on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, foreign relatives are allowed to visit. If my wife wants my mother to taste these fresh things, why not?" Let Huan'er get some, and it won't be troublesome to present to the empress when my wife goes to pay her respects."

As soon as Jia Huan heard Baoyu's words, he knew it was going to be bad. As expected, Mrs. Wang cried, "If the good ones are at home, why can't they get them for her? Who knows how many rules there are, you sisters They use the good hairpin rings and ointments from Jinxiu Pavilion, but she can use them casually. Who knows how strict the regulations are in the palace, even if there are some good things, the empress dowagers, empresses, empresses and concubines don't have them, how can she use them? I dare to use it."

Baochai hurriedly said, "Auntie, don't worry, after all, if you want to honor your mother, it's not that you can't hand in things openly, whether it's clothes, jewelry or perfume ointment and water powder, even food is enough."

Mrs. Wang glanced at Baochai and said, "My son, I know what you mean, but even if you send in a few extra copies every time, and let the empress go up to the empress dowager or other nobles, this is not the way to grow after all, those things are not good. It's cheap, how can you just give it away so casually?" Pointing to Jia Huan again, "You brother Huan is a member of the party, but there is no reason to use his face to take advantage of others every time."

Baochai smiled and said, "It's not what my aunt said, I was just thinking about it. Our family used to handle errands for the Imperial Merchant, but now that my father has gone, the errands have been given to the uncles in the family. They are also relatives of my own family. They originally did the work of buying for the royal family. Now let my brother go to find them, and buy the very good clothes and jewelry, ointments, creams and powders in the Jinxiu Pavilion, as well as those delicious foods. Drinks, and put them into the royal purchase list, wouldn't that become a formal rule in the palace? The empress is a noble concubine, and she must be able to get a share every month, since the old lady and the wife treat the empress Sincerely, Jinxiu Pavilion can directly do business with the royal family, this must be a steady profit, wouldn't it kill two birds with one stone?"

After Baochai finished speaking, he looked at Jia Huan again and said with a smile, "But this is just my own idea. I didn't understand the business outside, but Brother Huan would understand."

Jia Huan naturally understood what Baochai meant, but these words sounded nice, and he said that he asked Xue Pan to go to the Xue family's uncle so that Jinxiu Pavilion could directly do business with the royal family. Maybe the shoddy ones were resold, and the lot was drawn alone. If Jia Huan didn't have his own hole cards, he wouldn't be qualified to have a direct dialogue with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and could only be slaughtered by the Xue family.

Thinking about Mrs. Wang, Xue Pan, seeing that the Jinxiu Pavilion has not developed the royal family to buy this thread, they thought it was because there was no way for the Jinxiu Pavilion, so now they jumped out to act as matchmakers, thinking of benefiting from it, but they probably never thought of it Well, Jinxiu Pavilion was originally used by the current emperor as his own small treasury. Once listed as a royal purchase, it would be tantamount to distributing part of the profits to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. How could Long Si agree.

Before Jia Huan could speak, Mrs. Wang said to him, "If it is true, that would be great, but I don't know if Huan'er's partner is willing to do so?"

Jia Huan sneered, "I said directly, no need to ask, he must not agree. It's not like he has no way out. If he wants to do it early, will he wait until this time?!"

Mrs. Wang couldn't help frowning, and said, "Maybe he didn't think of it for a while, or he had some concerns. This is also true. Why don't I go to the palace to pay my respects to the empress on the first day of the next month, and I will mention this matter by the way, so that the empress and the empress can understand each other." If the people in the House of Internal Affairs inform you, it will save those people in the House of Internal Affairs from taking advantage of the opportunity to lower the price and take advantage of it. Even though your friend is also a relative of the emperor, it may be said that he does not want to be angry with these villains."

When Jia Mu heard this, she put down her chopsticks and scolded, "It's worth telling your mother about such a trivial matter. You don't have to ask, Huan'er will prepare a large portion of today's dim sum, and pick out a few more. I wrapped up all the jewellery, gouache, and on the first day of next month, I sent someone to go in for the empress, and Huan'er went back to Yuanyang to pay the money, and the money didn't have to go to the office, it just came out of my private room!"

Mrs. Wang's face was dulled by Jia's mother, she just covered her face and cried, "Women can only see each other for a few times, I just wish I could go with her..."

While Sister Feng winked, Baoyu Jiahuan hurriedly took Daiyu Xiangyun and Sanchun out, but Baochai had no choice but to leave Mrs. Wang behind, and went out of the villa with her sisters to the Green Lake Pavilion that Jiahuan said go.