The Hairpin of the Red Chamber

Jia Zheng's family letter arrived at the Yuanhe county government office only one day earlier than the imperial court report.However, Baoyu had already learned about the Wang family's news before the family letter, and read his father's letter carefully. Sure enough, he saw that there was nothing new in it, but he made an exception after the letter with a few warnings, telling him to be careful, and it must not be done. If you make a mistake, let people catch the handle and become an official. If there are people who owe taxes, you must not forcibly persecute them. It is better to delay the time limit and ask your family to intercede for him in the ministry than to arouse public indignation at this critical moment. What matters, as for the rest of the thieves and other matters, you can handle them according to the routine, and you must not be unconventional and give others a handle.

Baoyu didn't understand Jia Zheng's mind before, and always felt that his father was pedantic and stubborn. Even though he studied diligently later, he was reluctant to obey Jia Zheng's wishes in his own heart. Now he has been an official for several months. Only then did he feel his father's love for his son, sighed, holding the letter, and walked into the backyard. The county government office is not far away from Jia's mansion. It is the living place of the county magistrate. Now it is given to Daiyu and Baochai, and Baoyu lives in the side room.

As soon as Baoyu entered the garden, he saw Baochai and Daiyu admiring the flowers in the small pavilion. It was the turn of autumn and winter, and Daiyu had a slight cough. , but with a worried expression on her face, Baochai put her arms around her shoulders, let her lean on her gently, lowered her head and was saying something, when she saw Baoyu coming in, Daiyu seemed a little embarrassed, and lightly pressed Baochai. With a light push, Baochai also stood up straight, and said with a smile, "But the letter from uncle has arrived?"

Baoyu nodded and said, "It's the same as what Lian's second brother heard, but he told me a few more words, telling me not to provoke people when I follow my duties."

Baochai said: "Although my uncle passed away, the Holy Majesty seems to have spared the Wang family, but it is inevitable to clean up one or two disciples. You are his nephew, so naturally you should avoid suspicion."

Baoyu nodded and said: "Forget it, I came here just to ask Sister Bao, is there really nothing we can do to save Sister Feng? She is a weak woman, exiled outside, I... really can't bear it."

Baochai laughed and said, "I know you are used to pity girls. Don't worry, although your sister Feng is exiled, she may not suffer. Ping'er is here."

Baoyu wondered: "Ping'er is a weak woman herself, and her family has nothing to rely on. Sister Feng is in trouble. She can at most help send some clothes and other things. What can she do?"

Baochai said: "You have been an official for so long. How come you don't know anything about these things? The imperial decree says that it is exile, and it is also exile when you go to Suzhou, and you are also exiled when you go to Liaodong. Sister Feng is just a woman, and the superiors just sentence her. How can I care about it?" Where did she go? When she got there, Jiaozhou County was in charge, and you yourself are a county magistrate, and there are criminals from surrounding prefectures and counties in the county government, and you don’t know how those wealthy ones are doing?”

Baoyu said in a low voice: "That's a man, and they are all petty crimes. Sister Feng is like this, most of them will be sent outside the pass. The north is bitterly cold. How can she survive a daughter's house? Let's talk about the official It costs thousands of dollars to manage, and it can cost tens of thousands of dollars in just one yamen. The so-called tree fell and the monkeys scattered, and the Wang family fell. joint?"

Baochai laughed and said, "You don't have to doubt Ping'er's heart for Sister Feng. It may be true that she doesn't take advantage of the money, so I have asked Lian's second brother to bring us [-] silver. I see Lian's second brother. Brother looks like, I probably have to make up for it myself, and with the support from the Lin family and the Jia family, at least sister Feng's expenses all the way, and the accommodation in the local area are enough."

Baoyu stomped his feet and said, "Why didn't you tell me earlier? I told him earlier, and I will also ask him to bring a money watch to show his heart."

Baochai said with a smile: "Your small salary may not be enough to make up for the tax deficit, so don't come to join in the fun. Besides, we will also count you in."

Baoyu wanted to say more, but seeing that Daiyu was getting sicker, Baochai urged him, "I heard that the magistrate issued an official document to suppress the bandits? Didn't you have some news about the residents on those hills that you interrogated last time? Don't go express it at this time." Gong, what are you waiting for?" He hurriedly sent him away, then turned back to Daiyu and said, "It's windy outside, let's go back first." Seeing Daiyu nodding slowly, he wrapped her in a cloak, and the maids Rolling up the curtains on all sides of the pavilion, surrounded by Daiyu and Baochai, they entered.

When Baochai entered the house, she was only busy asking someone to bring hot water to wipe Daiyu's face, and then brought medicine to Daiyu to drink. After feeding it into her mouth, Daiyu picked up a candied date with her hand and took it into her mouth. She raised her head and stared at Baochai. Baochai smiled and stroked her face and said, "Why are you looking at me like this?"

Daiyu chewed the jujube slowly, swallowed it, and said: "If you feel uncomfortable, just express it, don't pretend to be like this to coax me."

Baochai laughed and said, "The only thing I feel uncomfortable about is that you are too weak. If I want to coax you, I will only coax you to drink medicine and eat well, nothing else is necessary."

Daiyu said: "If I knew that you would be like this after reading the letter, I shouldn't have shown you the family letter. After all, we are so far away, and you can't hear what my father said in Beijing."

When Baochai heard her mention Lin Hai, the smile on her face became a bit forced, and she sent away a few servant girls, sat down beside Daiyu, held her hand and said, "You said it too, we are so far away. No matter what Uncle Lin says in Beijing, it won't hurt me a bit, so I don't mind at all, don't worry."

Daiyu glanced at her and said, "You don't mind, what did you do in the past few days to sleep outside? Don't use my illness as an excuse. Usually, if I am sick, you wish you could stay by my side all the time." Yes, now I'm starting to pay attention to those taboos, who will believe me if I tell you."

Baochai saw that she had blocked all the conversation, and said embarrassingly, "You have said everything, and what do you want me to say? The two of us have a bad reputation outside, and people will misunderstand that Baoyu and I have a relationship." What, it's better than letting people know that it's me and you? Uncle Lin is your father, so he will naturally worry about you when he hears these rumors, and it's reasonable to say something like that. I can't make him change his mind, There is no way to tell him the truth, even if you are worried to death here, there may not be any results, it is better to live your own life and take good care of you."

Hearing what she said, Daiyu became angry again, and said: "You are like this. If you have anything to say, you would rather keep it in your heart than tell me to share it. I didn't take you to visit the grave last time. You You obviously couldn't sleep for several nights, but you always told me to be okay, this time my father wrote to scold you, you don't know why you feel wronged in your heart, but you look like this in front of me, people say that I have a heavy heart, I have something to say I'm still willing to tell you, but you won't tell me anything about what's in your heart!"

Baochai laughed and said, "How long has it been since the tomb-sweeping? You still have the nerve to talk to me at this moment, and you have the nerve to say anything to me?" Seeing her stubbornness, Daiyu gouged her out and was so angry Said: "Don't talk about him left and right! You just tell me, what are you thinking in your heart?" Xing Xing said, and the tears fell down. It was the first time since she fell ill this time that she shed tears. , crying and coughing, when Baochai was about to carry her back, she pushed her away again, so she tied her hands and sighed: "You must tell me, but I don't know what to say. Uncle Lin said that to me." , asking you to deal with me, I am naturally sad, but after thinking about it, it's nothing. After all, Uncle Lin is far away in the capital, so he can't control here, and the relationship between the two of us is much more important than those false names gone."

Daiyu said: "A while ago you cared about these false names, but now you say it's not important, I don't believe it."

Baochai sighed, "I don't care at all. That's a lie. It's just that it's hard to have both in the world. It's true to focus on the important side first. Look at Sister Feng and Ping'er, and then look at us, and you'll know how We are like this, face each other day and night, have no worries about food and clothing, this is already an excellent ending."

Daiyu was startled, and said: "Sister Feng and Hepinger?" She used to see Baochai pay a lot of attention to Sister Feng and Hepinger, and she thought it was only because of her aunts and sisters' affection, but now that she carefully read Baochai's words, she could clearly see Feeling pity for each other, that brow furrowed unconsciously, and asked again: "Are they... the same as us?"

Baochai said: "Although I can't be sure, I'm afraid that it's not far from ten."

Daiyu blinked and said: "I don't have much contact with them, so I don't see much of it, but if they really have such a relationship... I don't think we are much better than them, after all, they have been together from the beginning, and Sister Feng doesn't have to. Pretending to be married."

Baochai said: "Don't the palace know about the two of them? They are all pretending to be deaf and dumb. Sister Feng is fine when she is proud, but when she loses power, I don't know what they talk about behind her back. After we got home, Uncle Lin and Jia's family paid tens of thousands of silver for the sake of their relatives, and Wang Ren asked Ping'er for the rest of the expenses."

Hearing her words, Daiyu put aside her little worries, stood up and said, "No wonder you said Sister Ping'er didn't take any money. I also thought that Sister Feng gave me so much money. Isn’t it so insufficient? It turns out that’s the reason.”

Baochai said: "That's why I asked Lian's second brother to send the money over at this time. If it was sent early, and Ping'er had money in his hand, he would not wrong Sister Feng. If he had to do something for her, he would reveal it as soon as he did." If there are traces, Wang Ren should ask her for money again. If the delivery is late, Ping'er will not be able to buy the joint for Sister Feng and reduce the crime."

When Daiyu heard what she said, she couldn't help sighing: "The two of us are indeed much better than them." Knowing that there is another pair of miserable women in this world, she immediately felt much closer to Sister Feng and Heping'er. After hesitating for a while, he asked Baochai, "Sister Bao, do you think we can try to get Sister Feng to come to Suzhou?"