The Hairpin of the Red Chamber

The misfortune of the Wang family involves a lot, from the old in-laws to the servants of the family, all of them are in disarray, rushing around, and after a closer look, it turns out that the one who is wise and safe is the one who earnestly helps, but it is Jia who has gradually become inconspicuous over the years. Zheng - he is quite a pedantic man, but at this time he doesn't care about the morals of his relatives, and he is worried about Mrs. Wang and Baoyu, so he rushes around asking for advice, as if it is his own business.

However, today is different from the past, Jia Zheng now only has an idle title, and there are only a few officials in his family, and only Lin Hai has given an accurate word after traveling for more than ten days. On the face of the relatives, they took a large sum of money and gave it to Jia Zheng, but there was nothing more to do.

Jia Zheng was so tired that he couldn't sleep for several nights. When he got up in the morning, he sat there for a while, and found that there was no one to visit, which added to his depression. He didn't even bother to wear clothes, so he stood by the window with his shoes on. The sweet-scented osmanthus blossoms in front of the court, thinking that Baoyu has nowhere to win the laurel, and it is so easy to become an official, I am afraid that in the future, I will inevitably be implicated by my uncle. In such a big mansion, there is no one to count on except Baoyu, so I can't help but sigh , Even the usual pursuit of fame and fortune faded away, and on a whim, he ordered the boy: "Ask the kitchen to put some wine and vegetables, and go to see if the old man is there? If he is, say to him, 'we The two brothers have not seen each other for two years, and seeing the Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, I wonder if the elder brother will take a little step and come here to get together, so that we can have a little family relationship'."

When the boy heard that he was asked to invite Jia Amnesty, he agreed in his mouth, but when he went out, he lingered, halfway there, he suddenly saw Lin Zhixiao rushing in ahead, the boy stopped and saluted, Lin Zhixiao stopped him and asked: " Is the master in the study?"

The man hurriedly said, "It's at the back."

Lin Zhixiao threw him away and walked over. Seeing his appearance, the young man thought that Jia Zheng might not have time to ask Jia for amnesty, so he stood there and waited. Sure enough, after a while, a woman in front of Mrs. Wang came out and said: "Master asked if you have invited the Elder Master? If the Elder Master agrees, and set it up in the front hall, the Master will go out later, if not, then there is no need."

The man laughed and said, "Not yet, it just saves me trouble." The woman didn't care if she gave her a blank look, and she didn't go to Jia Zheng for a while, so she just smiled and talked shortly with the woman. After chatting for a while, I saw a person introduced from the front. At first glance, he looked a little familiar, but he looked like someone in someone's room. On closer inspection, he looked graceful and wealthy, but he didn't look like he was born as a maid. , she smiled to herself, but the woman said in surprise, "Oh, isn't this Miss Ping?" She stopped in the middle of her speech, stood on the spot, and kept looking Ping'er up and down.

Ping'er is quite different than when she served Jia Lian. Although she still has the same kind face as before, she seems to have an invisible majesty. The little girl is more like a mid-level housewife, or a shopkeeper who runs a business.

When Ping'er heard someone calling, he stopped slightly, glanced at the person, and said with a smile: "So it's Mama Zhang, how is Mama? Forgive me for something urgent, so I can't catch up with Mama."

Seeing Ping'er's expression on dressing up, Zhang's mother guessed that she was probably doing it for Sister Feng's business, so it was not good to delay any longer, so she just smiled and said, "Young lady, come and walk around when you have time."

Ping'er smiled lightly, nodded slightly, and hurried forward, and soon arrived at the outer study, Jia Zheng was already waiting there in homely clothes, seeing a young woman who came, he hesitated for a moment, but still stretched out his hand to greet him: "Are you... "

Ping'er saluted him halfway, and said with a smile: "I am the roommate of the eldest daughter of the Wang family, and I serve her personally."

Jia Zhenglue hesitated for a while, then realized that "the eldest daughter of the Wang family" was referring to Sister Feng, and hearing Ping'er's strange words, he frowned slightly and said, "It was you who spoke wildly at the door, saying that a catastrophe was imminent for my family?"

Ping'er said slightly apologetically: "I was afraid that I might not see the second master, so I was a little presumptuous at the door. Now that I see the second master, naturally I dare not act like that again."

Hearing that she was still called by the old name, Jia Zheng sighed slightly in his heart, feeling quite impermanent in the world, and seeing her dignified and gentle manner, which was no less than that of Yingchun, he felt good about her. , and also felt that this little servant may not have much knowledge, so Yinxu raised his hand and said, "Miss Ping, please tell me something." But he turned his head slightly, put on the air of the master, and refused to look directly at Ping'er .

Seeing his old-fashioned appearance, Ping'er felt a little cordial, and said with a smile: "Actually, what I said at the door was not all lies, your mansion has undergone major changes in the past few years, and the uncle of Ning's mansion is still in exile. The family's rank has not been restored, the population is dying, and many things have to be supported by relatives, if the Wang family is implicated again, I am afraid that even the empress in the palace will not be able to keep the house."

Jia Zheng frowned and said, "Everyone knows this, so you don't need to say it."

Ping'er said: "Of course everyone knows this, but everyone can think of these things, but not everyone dares to come here and say these things to the master."

Jia Zheng said: "You came to look for me only to save your master. Since I have contact with his Wang family, if I can help, I will naturally help. If I can't, that's all I can do. You don't need much explain."

Ping'er laughed and said: "Master Jia Er is wrong again. If I just wanted to ask the master to save our girl, I wouldn't have to point out the pros and cons from the beginning. Since I am so honest with the master, naturally it is not only for the sake of the Wang family, but also for the sake of the Wang family. For the Jia family."

Jia Zheng raised his eyebrows and said, "How do you say that?"

But Ping'er glanced at him and said with a smile: "I came from the suburbs, and I didn't get a drop of water all the way. I wonder if the master can give me a cup of tea?"

Jia Zheng hesitated for a moment, and seeing that Ping'er was neither humble nor overbearing, he waved his hand and ordered someone to serve tea. After thinking about it, he asked someone to bring a small footstool, but Ping'er refused to sit down, and stood still, sipping tea, and then Slowly said: "The relationship between the second master and our master is well known in the world, but the grievances and grievances between our master and the family have already spread throughout the capital. Half of the people in the capital think it is reasonable for the second master to run around to rescue us. Among them, the other half feel that the second master is either pretending to be a gesture, or that he has something to do with our master, so he deliberately defends it, and some people even think that the second master is a "Prince Teng Party" and that's why he works so hard."

Jia Zheng suddenly stood up and said angrily: "What's 'Wang Zi Teng Party'? Don't talk nonsense!" You must know that forming a party for personal gain is the most taboo thing in the world. dead.

Ping'er smiled slightly and said: "Second master, don't worry, I didn't say this, it was discussed outside, our master's matter, you officials dare not talk about it, ordinary people don't have so many scruples, At the beginning when your family abandoned our girl and left home, there was a lot of commotion. Many people thought that the two houses would inevitably end up enmity, and even the many troubles in the house later were said to be our royal family's means of retaliation. Seeing that your family is doing so much for the affairs of the Wang family, it's hard not to think too much."

Jia Zheng said angrily: "We have already separated our family. What is done in the mansion over there has long been irrelevant to my mansion. Besides, the discussion outside should also be about the Wang family seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages. Seeing our family's decline, they deliberately want to dump us. How could it be our fault that we lost this poor relative?"

Ping'er calmly said: "What the second master said is indeed reasonable, but unfortunately there are too many rumors outside now, there are all kinds of words, and the saying of 'Wang Ziteng Party' has long been spread, no matter how powerful the second master is, Even if there is no momentum, it will not be able to block the mouths of the people outside."

Jia Zheng suddenly understood, and said with a sneer, "Could it be you who spread the rumor?"

Ping'er smiled and didn't answer, but said: "I'm afraid the master knows about the temper of the emperor today. He is the person who can't rub the sand in his eyes. The rumors are so rich, they come and go, and spread to the ears of the emperor. I'm afraid It's no good for the family."

Jia Zheng said angrily, "The more you talk, the more you don't look like it—how could such low-level market rumors reach the ears of the Holy One?"

Ping'er smiled and said: "If I remember correctly, there has never been much harmony between your mansion and Prince Zhongshun's mansion, right?"

Jia Zheng's face changed color: "What's the relationship with Prince Zhongshun?"

Ping'er said: "I happen to know a few people in Prince Zhongshun's residence, and I heard that they are all discussing this matter, and those are all close friends of the prince. These words are too much, and it is inevitable that I will pass a sentence or two to the prince. In my ears, Prince Zhongshun mentioned that sentence to the emperor again..."

Jia Zheng turned pale and said, "The one who cleans himself will clean up himself! If someone wants to deal with me, I will be wrong in whatever I do, so I have to do things according to my own heart!"

Ping'er shook his head and said: "Second Master's words are wrong. If you are not wrong, no matter how they deal with you, you will be invincible. If you are wrong, no matter how you cover it up, sooner or later someone will report to the Holy Majesty. By the time…"

Jia Zheng said, "From what you're saying, it seems like you have some good idea?"

Ping'er laughed and said: "It's not a good idea, but it can save your family from being implicated."

Jia Zheng stared at the floor tiles in front of him and said slowly, "Say it."

Ping'er took another sip of tea, and slowly said: "The Holy Majesty is about to make great efforts to govern and make a difference, but he suddenly chooses this time to raid the Wang family in such a big way, and the investigation is so thorough. I had an idea a long time ago, and I have been waiting for the right time. Since that is the case, it is just a lie to hand it over to Dali Temple for review. In fact, the conviction is a fait accompli."

Jia Zheng's heart skipped a beat, and he said, "And then?"

Ping'er raised his head with a smile, and said: "Our master is getting bigger and bigger, and now there is a saying of 'Wang Ziteng party' outside, the second master thinks, can such a person still live?"