[Red Mansions] The Road to Empress Dowager

Due to the emperor's reprimand, the two houses of Jia's mansion had to change land. Although Jia Amnesty wanted to separate the family in his dreams, Jia's mother was still there, so he was still helpless.

On the first night after changing the place, Jia Amnesty rarely entered Madam Xing's room.Jia Amnesty had something to discuss with her, and Mrs. Xing's stiff waist was naturally the object of Jia Amnesty's discussion about the eldest family's family affairs.

The next day, Jia Amnesty and Jia Lian went to Rongqing Hall to greet Jia Shishi.

Sure enough, Jia Zheng and Mrs. Wang were all here, as well as Jia Yuanchun who was accompanying Jia Shishi.At this moment, if they don't curry favor with the old lady, they will really lose face. The old lady is their backer.Fortunately, Xue's family knew that this was a sensitive period, so they didn't join in the fun.

Jia's mother was lying on the kang, and her headache and brain fever a few days ago could not stop the two parties from exchanging land.

After Jia Amnesty greeted her, everyone sat down.

The people in the first room and the second room were alienated, and even Wang Xifeng had no interest in doing the work of pleasing the adjustment.After everyone said something that would be unnutritious, Mrs. Xing spoke up.

"Brothers and sisters, now we are also observing the etiquette and changing places to live. Do you see if the key to the warehouse and the ledger of the farm property warehouse are also taken out. Although I am not as capable as my younger siblings, I can't make my younger siblings work hard."

Mrs. Wang's complexion darkened, and she said lightly, "Nuoda's Rongfu can't be built all at once."

The corners of Mrs. Xing's eyes twitched, but the master had high hopes for her. The master was still gentle with her yesterday, and he was ready to fully support the big wife and daughter-in-law. She could not let the master down.

Mrs. Xing said: "Where are the brothers and sisters? You have been in charge of the mansion for many years, and you are handy. At this time, come out with the account book, and we will go over one by one. Our brother Feng is your niece of the Wang family, and we are also a niece. If you can do it in a day or two, you can always get seven to eight points in a month or two."

Wang Xifeng used to say that she was a housekeeper, but she was in charge of the monthly bills and the expenses of the mansion. Mrs. Wang said it nicely, she was still young, let her practice.But the core property will not be handed over to her. If the core property is in her hands, how can Wang Xifeng be reduced to a dowry?

However, from the three chapters of the original book, Wu Jin, Xiao, Jin and Rent can reflect the size of Ningfu's property, and a Zhuangzi who was not too big during the famine years, besides those special agricultural products, there are two or three thousand silver.In the original book, Wu Jinxiao mentioned that Rongfu's industry is several times larger than Ningfu's, and the income is naturally much more.Where did all these things go, and why did Wang Xifeng need to rely on profit margins and dowry for monthly payments with so much income?

Of course it is not in the hands of Wang Xifeng, the housekeeper. The Erfang family has been the head of the family for 20 years. They have been in charge of the property in the mansion long before Wang Xifeng entered the house.

Jia's mother scolded, "What do you mean by that? The second child's family has worked hard for this family. You have been a relaxed person for many years. Could it be that you are still complaining psychologically?"

Mrs. Xing said: "What is the old lady saying? It's just that the court etiquette is here. Let's not talk about this for a while. After all, Lian'er and his mother's dowry should be in charge of Feng Geer himself. Feng Geer They already have sons and daughters, and even the dowry of the decent mother-in-law has to be taken care of by younger siblings. Others think that the daughters of the Wang family are so incompetent. This in-law's face is not good-looking, isn't it?"

Jia Shishi couldn't help but picked up the tea bowl on the case and threw it at Mrs. Xing: "You rebellious and unfilial thing! I'm not dead yet, you think it's great to have the imperial concubine backing me!"

It turned out that Shi's dowry was also taken by Jia Mu. When Taifu Shi passed away, the three brothers of the Shi family were demoted.Jia Amnesty knew that the Shi family was a daughter of the Shi family, so that the Rong family got involved with Prince Yizhong, and he lost his original powerful wife family, so he could not be the opponent of the Jia Shi family who relied on filial piety.

Because Jia Shishi used the excuse that he would not take good care of Jia Lian, and said that he would squander Jia Lianniang's dowry, so he kept it for him and handed it over to him when he got married.

At that time, Jia She was afraid that he would lose his title because of the Shi family's affairs, and he would not be able to fall out with the historians and the Wang family.Jia Shishi was illiterate (note: it can be seen from the couplets she asked Xichun to read), and loved to enjoy himself, so most of the Tianzhuang shop was managed by Wang Shishi later, and more than half of the furniture, antiques, calligraphy, paintings, etc. were owned by Jia Shishi. Private library.

The last time Mrs. Shi Zhang came to Jia's mansion, she mentioned that Mrs. Jia's mother and wife swallowed dowry, which is a bad reputation.But after all, Jia Lian is from the Jia family. When he was fledgling, he fell out with his elders because of money.Mother Jia naturally wanted to obey her. Jia Lian was indeed raised by Mrs. Wang's side, and with this kind of relationship, she had to be filial.

With the taint of profiteering, ignorance and filial piety, Jia Lian no longer has to hang out in officialdom.

So, at that time, apart from verbal slaps in the face, there wasn't much they could do.Ancient society had its own rules, so we had to wait for time to mature.

At this time, Jia Amnesty felt that the time had come: Jia Zheng was a "hypocrites" and was reprimanded by the emperor, hated by the three princes, Prince Teng was not reused, Mrs. Xing had her mother as her backer, and Jia Lian was the person with the highest official position in the family.

Mrs. Xing didn't expect Jia Shishi to go mad like this, but at this moment she didn't dare to be accused of unfilial piety, so she temporarily silenced her voice.

Jia Amnesty stepped forward and said: "Old lady, Lian'er and his wife are not young anymore, and they really don't dare to worry about their own property. The Shi family still has the dowry list, it's not very good."

Mrs. Xing went on to say: "Old lady, this aunt can't worry about her nephew for the rest of her life. Let the younger siblings be handed over to Lian's daughter-in-law. They are not outsiders, they are all nieces!"

In fact, if the things are brought back, Mrs. Jia Shexing will naturally benefit from them, otherwise how could she be so enthusiastic?

At this time, Jia Lian smiled and went up to Mrs. Wang, bowed his hands, and said with a smile: "Nephew, thank you for taking care of the deceased mother's dowry for many years. My uncle copied a dowry list for my nephew the day before yesterday. Today, my nephew can rest and take a bath. Right, right, if there are some odds, it can be regarded as my nephew thanking my aunt."

Mrs. Wang was so angry that her chest heaved, but she was speechless. Looking at Jia Mu, Jia Shi said, "The dowry is spent."

"what?!"

Jia Shishi took a deep breath and said: "Back then, the Shi family was involved in the Rong family, and now they have the face to raise the dowry? The dowry was already used for your father. Otherwise, the relationship between him and the Shi family would be safe and secure. The first-class general for several years. The dowry was spent on him. If you want your mother’s dowry, ask your father to go.”

Wang Xifeng said: "Old ancestor, human relations are handled, and there are account books in the mansion..."

Mrs. Wang said: "The account books from more than 20 years ago are long gone. Once the house was flooded, it was completely burned."

Jia Lian and Wang Xifeng came here full of expectations, thinking that the time is ripe, but what can they do when they meet such shameless elders?

After all, Jia Lian is a talent in common affairs and has become an official, so he is not so easy to fool, saying: "It's a pity. However, I have copied my mother's dowry list. I have several farms. I will go to the official office to check. The farm has already fallen into someone's hands, if Brother Feng and I have saved enough money, we will go and redeem Zhuangzi. It is also a kindness to my mother."

Things can be given away and sold, but monks can escape, temples cannot escape, land cannot escape, and the land deeds are archived in the Yamen. With Jia Lian's relationship, it is very easy to find out under whose name a Zhuangzi is.Jia Lian had been in charge of the projects of the Ministry of War and often had to requisition land, so he was most proficient in land matters.

Mrs. Wang really changed her face, she glanced at Jia Shishi, Jia Shishi pondered, thinking to himself that the big house is now in a big situation, the benefits are not loose at all, and they will not let it go.

Jia Shishi said: "Lian'er is not busy either. Those things are all used for your father's title, but your mother's three Zhuangzi are still reluctant to stay. It's just that you were really bad in the past, and you are young. Who will take care of these?"

Wang Xifeng's eyes lit up, she knew that those three Zhuangzi were not young.Among them, there is a Zhuangzi in the suburbs of Beijing with [-] mu of fertile land, and there is a Zhuangzi in the south of the Yangtze River with [-] mu, and there is a Zhuangzi in Huguang with [-] mu.

Jia Lian said: "Thanks to the old ancestor for his painstaking efforts, my grandson was able to keep my mother's three villages. It is better to hit the sun than to pick the day. Please ask the second aunt to bring the land deed to Brother Feng."

Mrs. Wang was given a cold look by Jia Shishi, so she had to softly tell Yuan Chun to go to the East Courtyard to get it, and the second room moved to the East Courtyard. Of course those boxes and cages were moved, and Mrs. Wang naturally kept these land deeds very well.

Dafang didn't expect to be able to fight smoothly, so he could only take it step by step.So, the whole family sat here and chatted. At this time, Jia Amnesty hadn't insisted on the butler's matter, because he had to get those land deeds first, and he had to rest in the intermission.

After two cups of tea, Yuan Chun came back with a small box in her arms. Mrs. Wang was heartbroken, but she also handed over the land deeds of the three villages to Jia Lian.

Dafang felt solid when he got it in his hands, and Dafang didn't expect Lai to show the promise of Zhuangzi in the past 20 years.

Then, when Jia Amnesty brought up the matter of Rongfu's property again, Jia's mother refused to budge at this time: "My parents are here, we don't want to separate the family!"

Jia Amnesty said: "The son doesn't want to separate the family. The son thought to himself that it's not good to misunderstand the second brother and the second younger sibling like that outside. The reason is to let the wife and Brother Feng take care of the son's family."

Jia's mother knew to return the three Zhuangzi of the Shi family to Jia Lian Youke. If the second room now handed over the property, then Jia Zheng would be an eighth-rank official, Jia Yuanchun would be a 30-year-old hopeless old girl, and Jia Baoyu would be a "pure "Filial Youth" is really over.

Jia Lian knew Jia's mother's methods, and he also learned some new methods outside, saying: "Master, we can discuss this matter with our second uncle and aunt in private. The second uncle is definitely not a hypocrite, sir. The wife is not in good health, so it is a big sin for us to disturb the old lady here?"

What Jia Lian was wary of was that Jia Shishi would pretend to be dizzy at this time.

You are dizzy, you are dizzy, we can still have a "private chat" with our second uncle and second aunt, just let them hand over our family's property, and it doesn't need your old lady's seal to take effect.You dizzy you, next time we do ours.I just said it in front of you today to respect you, an old lady.

Sure enough, Jia Shishi hated her so much that she just wanted to faint, and after hearing Jia Lian say this, she couldn't faint.

It is common for people to get dizzy when they get old, and how many outstanding figures are "unsafe in their later years", not to mention that Jia's mother is a partial and obsessive old lady.

At this time, dizziness was not an option, because Jia Zheng's reputation was involved, and even the court would watch her take back the housekeeping power, so she couldn't really go back to Jinling.If she really went back to Jinling, it would be because the old lady violated the etiquette.

Feeling ruthless in her heart, she got up from the kang, and Yuan Chun rushed to help him, but she waved Yuan Chun away, walked up to Jia She with a stick, got short, and knelt down.

Everyone was shocked and knelt down with a cry.

Jia Shishi burst into tears, and said: "I implore you, General Jia, and the aunt of your imperial concubine, please don't force me to death. I can't live for a few years, and I want to be alive. Each safe place..."

Jia Amnesty hurriedly kowtowed to Jia Shishi, Mrs. Xing, Jia Lian, and Wang Xifeng all fell on the ground and did not dare to move.

Jia She cried: "What is the old lady doing, my son can't bear it!"

A cold light flashed across Jia Shishi's eyes, and he said, "I beg you, please allow this old bone of mine to live for a few more years..."

No one in this world can afford a mother kneeling down to worship her son, no matter what the cause of the incident is.

Jia She said: "My son has no intention of disobedience, it was just for court etiquette..."

Jia Shishi said: "You have already lived in Rongxitang, what else do you want? Once my old bone dies, the things are still not yours? What's the difference between one year earlier and one year later? You just don't believe it." Is your brother? You are not filial or fraternal, are you worthy of your ancestors?"

Jia She never expected that his mother would do this for the sake of his second brother's family. At this time, he was terrified, and when he heard "what's the difference between one year earlier and one year later", he felt a little comforted, and he was about to respond.

It was Jia Lian who judged the situation wisely, and indeed had some talent, and said: "The old ancestor is right. But my grandson dares, it doesn't look good if all the things in our house are in the hands of the second aunt, so many people outside are staring at the second uncle. A sum We can't write two Jia characters, and we don't want our second uncle to carry this reputation to hinder his official career. Why don't we still let the second aunt help take care of the property in Fuzhong's property, while the shop and other properties are handed over to mother and brother Feng. When people come and go, when everyone sees that Brother Feng is in charge, they also know that the second uncle has not taken over the elder brother's property, so it will be good for the second uncle's reputation."

When Jia Shishi sang and recited well, Jia Zheng just didn't say a word. He couldn't fight for property and power for himself, but he couldn't give it up, otherwise Erfang would have no capital.Jia Zheng is a smart man in this regard.

At this time, after hearing Jia Lian's words, Jia Zheng was moved. Jia Zheng was greedy, but he was really trying to gain fame.And he was promoted as an eighth-rank official, and the three princes came to the mansion to "watch" him two days ago, and slapped him in the face in front of people, while Jia She was watching.

Therefore, Jia Zheng said: "Lian'er is right, old lady, Madam is too busy running the Zhuangzi's shop, why don't you leave the shop to sister-in-law and Brother Feng."

When Jia Zheng said this, Jia Shishi also felt that it would be difficult for the big house to keep the property, so he agreed to make a concession.Then, with Jia Amnesty and Jia Zheng helping him up, the turmoil subsided.

Jia Lian thought about it. Prince Ying, who also trained in the Ministry of War, sympathized with him and felt that he should take care of him, so that his status as a poor man could continue.Jia Lian also intends to enter the real circle of top aristocrats. He knows many people from all walks of life, including scholars and cousins, but the royal family only knew the "cousin-in-law" emperor before.Now he can hang out with the prince, the young prince is only seventeen or eighteen years old, not as scary as his "cousin-in-law".

Jia Lian knew about the money owed by the mansion. Prince Fu was practicing in the household department to sort out the old accounts owed. Prince Ying secretly told him two days ago.And the matter of recovering the owed money is mostly after finishing the civil and military Enke examination, and most of the prince Fu, the prince, is in charge of recovering it.

At this time, Erfang spit out all of them, and he couldn't write two Jia characters in one stroke. As the heir of the family, he had to bear some responsibility for this matter.But the ancestor did this and forced their big family to have no choice, so he couldn't bear this responsibility.He had no choice but to take care of himself. Now that he took back the shop as his private house, then Prince Fu, who disliked his second uncle very much, would ask his second uncle and aunt who held most of the property for money.Dafang couldn't stand the ancestor kneeling down, but Prince Fu could afford it, kneeling was useless.

Jia Lian estimated that the family property in the hands of the second uncle may be about the same in silver.But Jia Lian overestimated what Erfang had.

……

When Jia's family was fighting, Tu Yuanyi took Xing Xiuyan out to play and had a picnic.

Xing Xiuyan was really in high spirits, since her last picnic was still in high school.

The location was also chosen near the Lishan Palace, and they rested here at night.For a picnic, you need ingredients first. Xing Xiuyan is in charge of digging wild vegetables, while Tu Yuanyi is in charge of hunting.

Tu Yuanyi led a few Jinyiwei and Dongchang's cronies riding a royal horse in high spirits, and when they beat five deer, seven pheasants, five hares, and three badgers, Xing Xiuyan and his personal maids only picked a few baskets Malantou.

Seeing the gap in "productivity", Xing Xiuyan couldn't help bursting into embarrassment, and Tu Yuanyi rode to her side with a bow and arrow.

"My concubine got quite a lot!" Tu Yuanyi glanced at the baskets of wild vegetables and said with a smile.

Xing Xiuyan gritted her teeth and said, "What's the big deal? If I have learned martial arts, I can even fight a tiger."

Tu Yuanyi smiled and said: "I also beat two tigers, didn't that white tiger skin also make a cloak for my concubine?"

Xing Xiuyan said: "You have learned so many martial arts, what's so strange about hitting a tiger? If I encounter it, my flying knife can kill the tiger. Xiao Xing's flying knife has never failed!"

Tu Yuanyi chuckled, pulled the horse over, bent down and stretched out his hand to fish, and as soon as his inner strength came out, he fished the man onto the horse.

"Try your little Xing Fei knife!"

The maidservants in the dyeing house couldn't help smiling when they saw it, they still had to prepare for building the stove, washing vegetables and so on.

Xing Xiuyan sat in front of him, following the horse's gallop, the surrounding scenery flew back quickly.

After entering a forest of apricot blossoms, Tu Yuanyi controlled the horse to slow down, but this forest was much more spectacular than those few apricot blossoms in the palace.

The breeze came slowly, the falling reds were flying, and the breeze was tangy, Xing Xiuyan couldn't help taking a deep breath.

Tu Yuanyi lowered his phoenix eyes, saw her smiling like a flower, and asked, "Do you like it?"

"Well, such a large apricot blossom forest is really rare."

Tu Yuanyi rode his horse slowly through the apricot forest, and said with a smile, "I heard you say that your man would give flowers to women, but I will give you a forest of apricot blossoms, are you willing?"

Xing Xiuyan looked at Manlin Chun/se, not as if he was in the world, and suddenly thought of the story of playing with ivory flower namesticks in the original book, he couldn't help laughing.

Tu Yuanyi thought he had succeeded in winning her favor, so he couldn't help being proud, and said, "I know you like it. No one in this world can give you a grove of apricot blossoms except me."

"Will you die if you don't brag?"

"How can I brag? I don't care about the things in the sky, and I can take things from the world."

Ma walked slowly, Tu Yuanyi reached out and broke off an apricot flower for her, and Xing Xiuyan took it, and it was inevitable that his heart would blossom.

"Red apricots are cut against the clouds by the sun." Xing Xiuyan murmured, "Fortunately, the apricot winner will win a noble son-in-law. You don't pick other flowers, but you pick apricot blossoms. You are really conceited."

Tu Yuanyi's phoenix eyes sparkled, he kissed her on the cheek, and said, "Isn't I your son-in-law?"

The two of them rubbed their ears together to admire the flowers, and Xing Xiuyan let him hug him.

But when he became interested, he proposed "Ma-Zhen" unscrupulously. Xing Xiuyan's face turned green, and he struggled desperately not to let go.Tu Yuanyi was very regretful that he could not perform the stunt that made him itch that he read in an isolated book.Tu Yuanyi thought that he would have to coax her to agree once in the future, if not, he would have to force it, otherwise it would be her loss that Xiuxiu didn't experience her husband's unique skills.

When he went back, Tu Yuanyi showed the majesty of the king again, handsome and noble, not like ordinary men.

The eunuchs and maids are all ready.

At the moment, the imperial concubine is cooking, frying, frying, steaming, stewing, and frying many dishes on the picnic stove.She also cooked rice and roasted the sweet potatoes she brought over the fire.

Serving dishes to Tu Yuanyi, who was sitting on the grass next to him, Tu Yuanyi felt that her cooking skills were really good. She said she could cook a few dishes during the draft last year, which was not a joke.

Tu Yuanyi said: "If my concubine and I were an ordinary couple in the countryside, we would have a good life. Concubine Ai is virtuous, and she is good at accounting, needlework and cooking."

Xing Xiuyan served the last dish, sat next to him, and said, "It's a pity that you don't know how to farm land, and the people don't pay taxes lightly. I'm afraid it will be easier for you to be an emperor."

Tu Yuanyi's expression was solemn, and he sighed again, and said: "Xing, the people suffer. Death, the people suffer. I want to let the people live in peace, but manpower is limited after all."

Xing Xiuyan's heart softened in the end, and he couldn't help comforting him: "The sage accumulates every small victory, and finally it is a big victory. Today, the sage has laid the foundation of the country, and future generations will carry on the past and forge ahead. One day, the people will be able to live a truly good life."

Tu Yuanyi looked at her with complicated eyes, and suddenly asked: "If the future generations don't carry on the past, will they be a fool?"

Xing Xiuyan thought to himself: There is no solution to this, no matter how powerful Tu Yuanyi is, it cannot guarantee that his son is as wise as him.

Xing Xiuyan thought for a while, and said: "Your Majesty, only Yan Shenggong has been passed down for more than 2000 years."

A cold light flashed across Tu Yuanyi's phoenix eyes, but Xing Xiuyan smiled and said, "Thinking is far stronger than anything else. Your Majesty wants to pass it on forever, so he must catch up with Confucius academically."

Tu Yuanyi couldn't help but fell into deep thought.