The Hairpin of the Red Chamber

In early spring, when the weather was still slightly cold, Mrs. Wang sat on the kang, glanced at the account book in her hand, rubbed the center of her brows, sighed, and asked beside her, "Sell the land outside the north gate too. "

After Zhou Rui's family heard this, they hurriedly waved their hands to tell the little maid not to move, and personally took over the box on the chest of drawers.After Jia's house ransacked, Yuan Chun fell ill. His Majesty, thinking of Yuan Chun's affection for Suri, granted a special order to temporarily return the mansion, and Aunt Xue and other relatives donated to him. Fortunately, he settled down again. However, after several twists and turns, his family finally settled down. It's no longer the status of the Hou family. The household items in the house, such as huanghuali, ebony, and red sandalwood, are now replaced with willow wood. In the past, redundant staff were abolished, and now even the daily caregivers have been dispatched. Home is no different.

Madam Wang sighed and took the box from Zhou Rui's family, opened it and took a look, there used to be most of the title deeds of the box inside, but now there are only a few thin ones left.

Mrs. Wang picked up one, rubbed it with her hands, picked up another one to look back and forth, and then picked up another one... After repeating, Fang picked out the one outside the north gate and handed it over to Zhou Rui's family. Zhou Rui's family hesitated, and Fang said: "Madam, the land at the north gate is close to the city, and it's the best field. It's a pity to sell it. Besides, we are in a hurry to sell, so we may not be able to get a good price right away. Otherwise... come first." Pawn one or two thousand silver in the pawnshop temporarily, and redeem it later?"

Mrs. Wang said: "Alright, I'll let you go for a walk."

Zhou Rui's family went to take orders, Mrs. Wang turned around and was about to ask Jin Chuan to pour tea, but realized that Jin Chuan'er's family had already redeemed themselves, so she had to smile bitterly, and asked the little girl who served the tea, "Who is there today?" Come to the door?"

The little maid broke her fingers and said crisply: "The tailor shop and the restaurant came to ask for debts, but they were persuaded by Grandpa Lin to go away. Grandpa You Bing came once, and the master asked Lan Ge to greet him and gave him ten taels of silver. When it was time for wine, the kitchen said there was no meat, so we ordered a table from outside, and it cost two taels, and my concubine sent someone to invite my wife over to the house to talk about it.”

Mrs. Wang frowned and said, "Can you ask the person sent here what is the matter?"

The little girl said stupidly: "No, I just heard that she said she was going to invite my wife, and she gave me a handful of candies." As she spoke, she lifted up the quilting, revealing a bulging pocket at her waist, and Madam Wang cursed angrily, " The idiot "kicked her out, called another woman in, and said: "Go to my aunt's house and ask if there is anything wrong. If it's important, you can answer it for me. If it's not important, during the filial piety , I won’t go out.”

The old lady laughed and said, "Madam, don't ask any more questions. It must be about Uncle Xue! I heard that Uncle Xue is making trouble at home again, but this time it's not as good. My aunt cried several times, praying for blessings, and It’s a matter of doing things, and there’s a lot of movement.”

Mrs. Wang said: "Then I will go again." She got up and got off the kang, looked at the weather outside, and said sadly: "It seems to be very cold this year, and Yu'er doesn't know what happened." She originally called Zhou Rui's family to choose A few upright and honest maidservants planned to live in the mansion for a while, taught the rules, and then sent them to Baoyu. Who knew that they ransacked the house. As a matter of fact, Mrs. Wang had no choice but to leave her behind and do rough work in the mansion first. Baoyu's place was still unattended.

When she talked about Baoyu, the woman couldn't say anything more. She just smiled and said, "Suzhou is a good place. There must be nothing wrong with the second master. When the second master is promoted in the future, he will be transferred back to Beijing. We The family is truly reunited."

Mrs. Wang said: "I hope so." She sat unwell for a long time, because she got up and went out of the house, but seeing the warmth of spring, the singing of swallows, and the singing of warblers, she felt better. The visitor said: "The concubine sent someone to invite the wife again, and asked if the wife is free to go now?"

Mrs. Wang heard such urgency, and thought that there was nothing to do in the afternoon, so she nodded and asked someone to prepare a car—she was going out during the filial piety period, so she specially asked someone to prepare a blue cloth mule cart with only two boys. The servant and the two women traveled all the way, and arrived at Xue's mansion not long after.

When entering the house, it was the same as usual, after entering the inner hall, Aunt Xue came out with red and swollen eyes and a haggard face to pick her up, but sent all the maids out, leaving only the old sisters to talk.

Since Mrs. Wang knew it was about Xue Pan, she wasn't too surprised, she just chatted a few words about family matters, and then directed the words to Xue Pan.

Aunt Xue didn't hide much from her sisters, she explained exactly how Xue Pan said that he didn't like women, and how he was only willing to have children with Zhang Jing. After hearing this, Madam Wang said lightly: "I vaguely remember that Pan My brother has a predecessor, where is he now?"

Aunt Xue was startled, and said, "You mean Xiangling? She's at home."

Mrs. Wang said: "According to me, Brother Pan's words are not accurate, but first ask Xiangling to test it out, and then we will know the truth."

Aunt Xue cried after hearing this: "Why didn't you try it! Not only Xiangling, but also the few girls he was close to on weekdays, no matter the maids, or those outside... Cough, I tried them all, alas!"

Mrs. Wang sighed: "If this is the case, then I have no choice but to try to get Zhang Jing to marry over there—didn't I come up with an idea before? I had to follow that."

Aunt Xue cried and said, "I did as you said. Who knew that Lin Hai's bad temper insisted that Zhang Jing was corrupt and sent her out of the city. Now that Zhang Jing is alive or dead, Pan'er is here again. I'm going to die with me, I... I really don't know what to do."

Mrs. Wang wondered: "Lin Hai is not completely inflexible, why is he so stubborn all of a sudden?"

Aunt Xue sobbed, "He thought it was Baochai's idea, so he urged me to send Baochai all the more."

Mrs. Wang was silent for a moment, and then said: "I am Baochai's aunt, and I have watched her grow up. With Baochai's appearance and character, it is more than enough to marry Baoyu. I have always wanted to match them together, but now ...As long as Lin Hai is here, I can't say this, do you understand?"

Aunt Xue said, "You have misunderstood. In fact, it is not Baoyu who Baochai likes."

Mrs. Wang said in surprise, "What?"

When Aunt Xue mentioned Baochai, she cried even harder than before. After sobbing for a while, she said, "Lin Daiyu is what Baochai likes!"

Mrs. Wang shook her hand, straightened her body and said, "You are confused! Are these words so nonsense!"

Aunt Xue cried: "You are also a mother. There is no reason for it. Which mother would say that? I only said it when I had evidence. Besides, Baochai's red pill... was not given to Baoyu, but to Lin Daiyu." .”

Mrs. Wang only felt that the world was absurd, and ordinary words were hard to describe. However, if she compared many things in the past one by one, she felt that it was true. She frowned and immediately asked: "What about... Daiyu? Does she also like Baochai? "This is a major matter that really concerns her son. After she asked, she immediately fixed her eyes on Aunt Xue, hoping that Aunt Xue would say no, but she knew the answer just by looking into Aunt Xue's eyes.

Mrs. Wang only felt a surge of anger rising from her chest. She patted a few cases and stood up, annoyed: "These two...these two... Lin Daiyu, a promiscuous bitch, see that I won't go back to the master, and ask Lin Hai for an explanation. Go!" Got up to leave, but was held back by Aunt Xue, who cried and said, "I called you here to tell you this, but I didn't ask you to settle accounts with Lin Hai... I... I asked you to cover it on my behalf, I kept the matter of the two of her..."

Mrs. Wang suddenly widened her eyes, fixed her eyes on Aunt Xue, and said, "You... I don't think you are confused, you are simply lost and crazy!" Turning around, she insisted on leaving, but she saw Tong Xi at the door leading Four or five rough envoys stopped them. The few people Mrs. Wang brought had been dragged away by them to entertain them, but there was no one there at the moment. Mrs. Wang was alone, and she couldn't stand up to these many wives, so she had to turn around and stare at them. Aunt Xue said: "You have to think clearly, Baochai and Lin Daiyu, this is against heaven!"

Aunt Xue cried: "I don't know! If I had other means, I wouldn't be like this, but now the incense of the Xue family is tied to the two of them, even your family's misfortunes and blessings are the same, I... have to Make this plan."

Mrs. Wang raised her eyebrows and said: "I didn't know that my family is such a big Marquis Mansion that misfortunes and blessings can still be tied to two little bastards...two young yellow-haired girls. You can stop me for a while, but you can't stop me for the rest of your life. Why don't you let me go quickly, I think it's because of sisterhood, let's not mention Baochai for now."

Aunt Xue said: "We didn't intentionally stop you. Sit down and listen to us. After you finish listening, it's not too late to leave."

When Mrs. Wang heard the word "we", she squinted her eyes, but she saw Baochai coming out from the partition wall, smiling happily, and said with a smile: "Long time no see, Auntie."