The Hairpin of the Red Chamber

Since the Jia family wanted to borrow Daiyu and Baochai, they had to talk to Aunt Xue and Lin Hai. Lin Hai had no objection, but Aunt Fang thought about it for a while, and secretly pulled Daiyu and said, "Sister, do you want to take it from home?" The two of you go over there, if there is anything you don’t understand, it’s good to ask the people in the mansion to help.”

Daiyu said: "The people in front of me are enough. If I add more, it will be more than my sisters. Let's forget it."

Aunt Fang was still waiting to say more, but Daiyu had already said, "Oh, I just remembered that I still have something to say to Baochai, so I'm going first." She came out a few steps, and went for a walk in the garden by herself, until evening. Going back slowly, the person Aunt Xue sent to inquire about Baochai had already left, and Baochai was crooked on the kang, doing needlework.

Daiyu said quickly, "You still have the nerve to talk about me, the sky is so dark, why are you sitting in the room and working like this!"

When Baochai heard that it was her, she raised her head and smiled, threaded the needle with one hand, tied the knot, then cut the thread with her mouth, and put down the needle. Although the winter skirt is the simplest style nowadays, it is quite unique because of the vivid hibiscus on the embroidery pattern.

When Baochai saw Daiyu approaching, she smiled and picked up the skirt and gestured to her, "You came just in time, try this skirt for me."

Although Daiyu had already guessed that it was made for herself, after all Baochai's own confession was different than what she had guessed. The corners of her mouth unknowingly twitched, and she walked over slowly. Baochai compared her body. After a comparison, he said, "It's better if it's smaller or bigger."

Daiyu said, "I think it's just right."

Baochai shook her head and said, "This dress is made for you. Yingchun should be fatter than you, and it should be bigger."

Daiyu frowned slowly and said, "Is this for Yingchun?"

Baochai said: "Well, I was thinking of making one for each of them. I originally wanted to use plum blossoms, but then I thought it was too much for yours, so I replaced it with hibiscus."

Daiyu sat on the side and asked, "Okay, why did you think of making clothes for them?"

Baochai said: "Now you have seen the appearance of the mansion. It is so difficult, and there is no one in charge. When I was making clothes, I didn't even have a measure. I can't ask the sisters to make clothes for the New Year." Don't you have any new clothes?"

Daiyu felt even more displeased when she heard it, and said again: "Then let the needleworkers do it, why do you need to do it yourself? I'll ask the people in the house to make four pieces for him."

Baochai laughed and said, "You are usually so smart, why did you suddenly become confused? I make the clothes myself and give them away. That's the friendship between sisters. If I do it specially, isn't it stabbing others?"

Daiyu snorted, and said: "You are considerate, then do it yourself, if you burn your eyes, it's none of my business."

Only then did Baochai feel her anger, and she pulled her hand with a smile and said, "This is blaming me for not making clothes for you again? Didn't I make you a beanie? The embroidery patterns on it are all my own." It was painted, it has been made for more than half a year, and you don’t wear it.”

Daiyu didn't say that she hid this precious and important piece and was reluctant to wear it, but said: "It's so gaudy, who wants to wear that!"

Baochai believed it to be true, and hurriedly said: "At first, I thought about wearing a bright red dress for the New Year. It will be festive, and it will also look grand when paired with peonies. Who knows that your temper has changed again now, why do you fall in love with plain clothes again?"

Daiyu said: "I only love Sujing. You have been with me for so long, don't you know?"

Although she doesn't care about extravagance, but in terms of plain and simple, it is definitely not suitable for her. Baochai smiled, held her hand and said: "Then I will change it again, and change it to a plain one?"

Daiyu said: "Forget it, I've done it for a while, and if I change it again, I'll change it to summer. Who wants to wear it! I'll just accept it first."

Baochai smiled and said, "Then I'll make another one for you next year." As soon as she handed the skirt to Ying'er, Daiyu raised her eyebrows and said, "Is this the one ready?"

Baochai said: "They are all asked to bring ready-made clothes. I put a few flowers on them for a reason. I have been making your dress for half a year. These skirts are really amazing. I'm doing it now, but I'll have to wait until the Year of the Monkey and the Horse Moon!"

After hearing this, Daiyu felt relieved, and smiled deliberately: "That's because you are slow, if I come, I can do it in a few days."

Baochai knew that she was used to being aggressive in front of him, so it was better to provoke her instead, and said, "We are not those craftsmen anyway, so why do we want to compare them?" When he picked up another one, , her hand was caught by Daiyu, Daiyu gestured outside with her eyes, and then raised her eyebrows at Baochai, Baochai understood, and said with a smile: "I just take a look, think about how to embroider, I can't have a few sisters, really All of them are exactly the same, right?"

Daiyufang let go, looked at it with Baochai, and discussed how to add a few more flowers to the cuffs and neckline, and let the rest be looser.Because Baochai mentioned the matter of Jia's mansion, Daiyu thought for a while, and asked Xueyan to open the storehouse, selected some daily-use facial fat and fragrant pancreas, and asked Zijuan to send it to Sanchun first. When I came back in a while, I said that Yingchun and Xichun kept saying thanks, and Tanchun rewarded him with a handful of money.

Baochai sighed: "After all, the third sister is not an ordinary girl."

This sigh was terrible, Daiyu stared at her and said: "I don't know, but you still feel sorry for her."

Baochai couldn't laugh or cry: "What's the matter with you? Why do you look like you swallowed a firecracker?" After thinking about it for a moment, he said: "You...are you jealous of the third sister?"

Daiyu said: "What am I jealous about? You think too highly of yourself." Just as she was about to walk inside, she was stopped by Baochai, "Going to the housekeeper of Jia's house, Uncle Lin and Fang What did my aunt say?"

Daiyu stopped and said, "Father said that's fine. I'll learn how to be a housekeeper. When I get married, I won't be afraid of not understanding. Aunt Fang wanted to bring me a few people, but I didn't want them. Everyone is a general rule. I am different, it seems to show that my father has a high official position, what does it look like."

Baochai said: "Aunt Fang treats you sincerely, so don't despise her."

Daiyu said: "When did I despise her? You are the one talking about it."

Baochai saw that she had a small face, so he scratched her nose and said with a smile, "You said you didn't dislike it, your face can scare a bird to death."

Daiyu pouted and patted her away, and asked, "What do you say on the other side? I still live in his house as a guest and entrust him to take care of you. You are completely a side relative. If I ask you to be a housekeeper, my aunt doesn't think about anything? I I remember you said that she seemed to want you to marry Baoyu."

Baochai said with a smile, "She's all about errands now. How can she expect me!"

Daiyu straightened up and said, "You guys did a good job, so what's the matter?"

Baochai sighed: "My brother has been in Yangzhou for several years. After all, I am a girl, and I can't come to socialize. Now the family contacts are almost lost. The Ministry of Internal Affairs needs someone to recommend. Nowadays, no one is willing to help. We, the Ministry wants to sell our errands, and Mom is worrying."

Daiyu said: "You have never sold high and bought low, and the three festivals and two lives are on time. Why do you suddenly want to cancel your errand? Ah, I see, it must be those villains who saw that the Jia family was defeated. Xue The eldest brother is not in Beijing, is he bullying you mother and daughter? Hmph!"

Seeing her agitated, Baochai got up and put her arms around her and smiled, "Brother is not in the capital all the year round. I am in the inner house. No matter how capable I am, I can't do much. Besides, I was all focused on how to deal with Jia's house a while ago." , it is inevitable that there will be some omissions in the communication, don't worry, this is a normal way of life, besides, it is better than the previous life. In that life, when we came to Beijing, it was still a good time. In the next few years, although my brother was in Beijing Here, it’s the same as not being here, the errand is lost, the family business has gradually declined, and even I have to light lamps to work at night.”

Now Daiyu can't hear her mentioning her past life the most, she would be annoyed when she hears it, but this time she was uncharacteristically, she thought for a while, and said: "My father is not easy to come forward about the matter of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. If you invite your uncle, it seems It’s too much to make a fuss over, why don’t you ask my uncle, no matter what, it’s always good to lose a little less.”

Baochai shook her head and said, "I'm not afraid to tell you, even if the ministry doesn't accept me, I have to find a way to talk to my mother about how to get rid of the emperor's envoy! Now the palace officials are greedy and cruel, and the chief officials of the ministry are faint. Cowardly, extortionist from top to bottom, this imperial merchant's errand, on the surface, talks about glory, but in reality, unless he is a wealthy and well-connected family, he is as honorable as the title of the Jia Mansion. , no real position, and a big show that attracts people's hatred. When people see us with this job, they don't talk about how our grandfather and father passed on the poems and rites to the family and the book fragrance to the next generation. They only think about what tricks this family used. , fawning over to the chief officer to give him the business, and seeing that we don't have a strong backer, I'm afraid I can't wait to watch our family up and down twelve hours a day, jumping up and down to find a reason to sue us, so that he can replace us It’s good to be here. With such an errand, it’s better for us to open a store, buy some land, and live by our duties. But my mother and my brother take this errand seriously, and my brother came in a few times today I just want to give up the exam and go to a certain errand to revive my family."

Daiyu sneered and said: "This time, I think Brother Xue and Aunt Xue are right. Do you think that after resigning from the emperor's post and doing other business, you don't need to ask for help, and you are not afraid of being framed by others?"