The Hairpin of the Red Chamber

Baoyu left Jialian to escort Baochai and Daiyu.Jia Lian rode his horse loosely, approached the carriage, and asked Baochai, "Are you still going to the city? Or are you living in the village?"

Baochai said, "Let's go back to the county government first—Second brother Lian, do you have any news about the water bandits?"

Jia Lian then complained half-truthfully, "I can't do anything! Now people in the city are panic-stricken. Many weavers live outside the city and have to cross the river when they enter the city. They refuse to go to work, saying that they will not come in until the gangsters are captured." .I couldn’t deliver several batches of goods, and I was so anxious that my hair turned gray, but you are still enjoying leisure outside the city.”

Baochai laughed and said, "It's really Daiyu who is not well and needs to rest."

After hearing this, Jia Lian leaned forward and said, "Then she is better now? Can I delay returning to the city now?"

Baochai said: "It's all over. I asked someone to buy some cloth and silk outside a while ago. Brother Lian will see if it's still useful. If it's useful, he will take it for emergency. As soon as the account is paid, I will pay for it." It’s already calculated, just write it down.”

Jia Lian said with a smile, "Sister Xue is still thoughtful. I'm not enough." After finishing speaking, he rode his horse forward to lead the way, and led the people back to the city quickly.

Baochai finished talking with him, and as soon as the curtain was put down, Daiyu curled her lips and said, "He is doing private work outside, and if he doesn't take the public account, you should just ignore him and let him stumble, and you will know the seriousness." What are you doing and contacting the source of goods for him?"

Baochai laughed and said: "When the water is clear, there will be no fish. As long as someone manages it, it is inevitable that some money will be deducted from it. Second brother Lian has already figured it out. If someone else sees us two weak girls, he still doesn't know how to beat them." What's the idea. Besides, I didn't give him the goods for nothing, they were all calculated at a clear price, and I added [-]% interest on every item, and the extra money was directly our money, and if you don't take it for nothing, you won't take it."

Daiyu glanced at her with a smile, and said, "So that's what you came up with. I can't blame you for asking people to hoard goods. According to me, you are too smart. You have to calculate like this in your own business." .”

Baochai called Zhuang Tianqu and said: "Nowadays water bandits are rampant and prices are soaring. Many people would rather pay [-]% more profit than buy cloth. I only add [-]% for the sake of the Jia family. Can't."

Daiyu is not a person who doesn't know how to adapt, just a few jokes, because she heard the conversation outside, she knew that she had entered the city gate, so she poked Baochai again and said, "Are you really trying to scare them? That's your own servant." , what if I can't be scared, or my aunt is annoyed and comes to arrest you personally, what should I do?"

Baochai said with a smile: "You know it's my own slave. If I can't even suppress my own servant, then I have been in charge of the family for so many years, isn't it for nothing? Besides, mother and brother are going to keep their filial piety in Beijing. Brother still has a Jing leads, if you can't make it through, don't worry."

Daiyu said: "You always reassure me, but such things, no matter how you look at them, are not reassuring. Now everyone doesn't know about the two of us. If you know..." Halfway through the sentence, she covered her chest and sighed , and coughed a few times, raised his head and said: "Sister Bao, tell me, what will happen if we tell them directly?"

Baochai was taken aback, and said, "Why do you have such an idea?" Pushing the car door open a crack, and looking around, Jia Lian was still chatting with some yamen servants in front, and there was no stranger around in the car, so Fang retreated Going back, she reprimanded Daiyu in a low voice: "You are still sick, don't keep thinking about it, it is a blessing that we can get along like this, no matter how many, don't count on it."

Daiyu remained silent, and the two returned to the county government office together.Baochai first placed Daiyu in the inner courtyard, and then went out to ask Baoyu. Baoyu had changed clothes at the moment and was coming in to find Baochai. When they met, Baochai didn't need to speak. Yes, it was my mother's idea."

Baochai said, "Those wives said it?"

Baoyu said: "They only said that the concubine came to ask my mother, but they didn't know what she said, but when the concubine came out of my mother, she told them to chase Brother Xue's boy quickly. Shou Tong and Brother Xue were sick, so they quietly followed them out of Beijing. I don’t think anyone in your family would have thought of these things, and Zhou Rui’s family must have come up with the right idea. That old guy is used to making trouble, and My aunt has made a plan, I'm afraid she will tease me again soon, their activities in the inner house are either giving me a girl, or giving me a concubine room, nothing else."

Seeing that his head was covered with sweat, Baochai deliberately smiled and said, "If you ask me to tell you, anyway, you want to support the family wholeheartedly. It would be a good thing to have a concubine and have children earlier. Why are you so anxious?"

Baoyu stomped her feet and said, "Sister Bao came to tease me again! If someone is really sent there, the matter of the two of you will be discovered immediately, and it will not be a joke."

Baochai said: "You can choose a girl from a good family first, and then report back to your wife. Seeing that you have taken care of yourself, and it will hinder Uncle Lin's face, I am afraid she will not send anyone here again."

Baoyu said: "No! No!" Feeling that he was too eager, he hurriedly said, "Aside from this, is there any other way?"

Baochai sneered and said, "It turns out that what you said in the past is all deceitful. In fact, you don't care about family foundations and world titles."

Baoyu stomped anxiously and said: "I... I don't care about it, I just... I just think it will take a while, another three or four years, when I will be able to do well as an official, and you two will It’s easy, it’s not too late to talk about the heir.”

Baochai laughed and said, "If you can persuade your wife with this, then I won't persuade you either."

Baoyu saw that she was acting as if she didn't care, and bowed again and again: "Sister Bao, I know you have helped me a lot, but this time I must ask you to give me another idea, I... I don't want to take a concubine, I don't want anyone anywhere."

Baochai stared at him and said: "Your intention is so firm, could it be that... there is someone else in your heart, so you don't want to get involved with others?"

Baoyu said: "There is absolutely no such thing! I go on business trips with Shangguan every day, and it is too late to deal with the water bandits. How can I have time to think about these things?"

Baochai said: "You don't want to take a concubine. There must be a reason. I know the reason, so I can prescribe the right medicine. Otherwise, I don't know the ins and outs of this. In case you just have a whim and coax me to give you advice, turn around." You changed your mind again, regretting not taking concubines and having children earlier, and then you blame me again, isn't it because I am two-faced?" Presuming to leave, Baoyu grabbed her sleeve in a hurry and said: "Sister Bao, don't go ! I... I tell you it is."

Baochai stood still and waited for him to speak. Seeing that she would not leave, Baoyu immediately let go of her hand, but hesitated for a while before saying, "I...I don't have a sweetheart either, but there are some old things that have not been settled, and now I still have some things that I can't let go of. Me and others... that, I can't do it either, so I thought to delay it for a few more years, and then I'll be the District Office when my mind is settled."

Baochai laughed and said, "Is there anything Dai'er and I don't know about your past? How come you can't think of anything worth letting go of? It can be seen that you are still perfunctory." Turning around again, Baoyu was so anxious that he fell Shouted: "It's Liu Xianglian! He...he's in my house."

Although Baochai knew that this matter must have something to do with Liu Xianglian, she never thought that Baoyu would be so bold. She suddenly turned around and said, "You... took him in?"

Baoyu nodded slowly, and said: "Now in the county government, you and Daiyu, and Liu Xianglian, neither of them can be found out. I... I have sent Li Gui and the others to live. If my mother sends someone here, I will You must not let her enter the mansion."

Baochai looked at him and said, "You have to think clearly, Liu Xianglian is now... a water bandit."

Baoyu smiled bitterly and said, "Sister Bao really knows everything, but she didn't tell me."

Baochai sighed: "I was afraid that you would come out like this, so I deliberately kept it from you. Now one of you is an official and the other is a bandit. It is best not to have any further entanglements."

Baoyu was silent.

Baochai knew that although he was weak, like Daiyu, he had a temperament different from ordinary people. Once he decided on something, he couldn't change it, so he sighed again and said, "One or two are not called." I'm relieved."

Baoyu heard her tone, it seemed that Daiyu had some problems, and immediately said: "Sister Bao, as long as you solve this problem for me, you can tell me to do anything, and I will only take it as a matter of you and Shaoer." Do your best on your own.”

Baochai glanced at him and said, "I've only been an official for a few months, and I haven't learned anything else. I'm proficient in using these twists and turns, hum!"

As long as Baoyu is willing to help, Baoyu's face will immediately clear the clouds and see the sun. Hearing Baochai talking about him, he just pretends that he didn't hear him, but he just uses the tricks he used in the boudoir to make excuses.