Whose Evil in the Red Chamber

Early in the morning, Zhongjing Hou Shi Ding and Bao Ling Hou Shi Nai brought their wives and daughters to Rongguo Mansion. This time, the historian was thoroughly implicated. Shi Ding's eldest son, Shi Ye, was detained in the prison of the Ministry of Justice. The historian wanted to make some connections to visit the prison, but because Shi Ye was close to Shui Rong, he had to use cronies. How could the prison of the Ministry of Criminal Justice dare to let go at this moment.

The historian came to Jia's house for help this time because he heard that Lin Ruhai's son, Lin Jingxuan, came to the capital with General Zhao this time, and now he has been taken to live in the palace by the empress dowager.Thinking about the relationship between the Lin family and the Jia family's son-in-law, the Shi family brothers wondered if they could get in touch with Mr. Lin through the Jia family.

When Shi Ye's mother, Mrs. Zhongjing Hou Shi Ding, saw Jia's mother, she choked up and said "old lady", and tears fell down. Her sister-in-law, Mrs. Xiao Shihou, also had red eye circles when she saw her.

Mother Jia hurriedly asked the maids to help them sit down. Mrs. Xing, Mrs. Wang and Wang Xifeng calmed down for a while, and then the two sisters-in-law gradually stopped.Mother Jia naturally knew the reason for the Shi family's visit.The Jia family and the ancestors of the Beijing Palace were very close. This time something happened in the palace, the Jia family was still in a state of panic. Fortunately, the Jia family did not send anyone to go to the south of the Yangtze River with Shui Rong, so they did not trap their children in the same way as the historians. in prison.

"Old lady, Ye'er is my only lifeline. If something happens to him, I won't be able to live anymore." After Madam Da Shihou said, she seemed to be in tears again.

Shiye Jiamu also saw this, a child of a good-looking talent, and a nephew of her natal family, Jiamu felt uncomfortable when she heard this. Mrs. Xing has always been stupid, and she doesn't know what to say at this time. Consolation doesn't sound like that.Mrs. Wang was aroused by Mrs. Shihou's words, and when she thought of Zhu'er who died young, she felt uncomfortable, and she didn't have the heart to comfort her.

Wang Xifeng has always been good at speaking, because of her cooperative shop with Wu Niang, now not only in Jinling, but also in Weiyang and Beijing, she has a share of the shops, and the news is better than that of the Jia family.If it was in the past, Wang Xifeng would definitely take this rare opportunity to show off in front of everyone.But today is different from the past, his horizons have been broadened since he was in the boudoir, and Wang Xifeng's intelligence has made a qualitative leap.This time this matter looks so strange, who knows what is the mystery?If you're not careful, you won't be able to show off, and you'll lose yourself.Therefore, Wang Xifeng also pretended that she didn't know everything, and just turned around and said some nice words to comfort her.

The two Mrs. Shi thought that their crying would always attract the Jia family to pick up the conversation, but they didn't expect that the other party was just consoling and had no other intentions at all, so they couldn't help feeling anxious.

Mrs. Shi Ding had no choice but to turn the topic to Lin Jingxuan by herself, and asked straight to the point: "Old lady, I heard that the Lin family's child is also in the capital now. I wonder if it is true or not?"

Everyone in the room fell silent, and Mother Jia sighed and nodded: "Yes, the child did come to the capital, but the empress dowager took the child to the palace with grace, and we have never seen him again." .”

In fact, even without the Queen Mother's order, Lin Jingxuan probably would not have entered the Jia family's door. Although his relationship with Jia Min was not at odds with each other, it was full of respect for each other.

"Old lady, I really have no choice but to ask for such an unfeeling request. I still hope that the old lady will be fulfilled. At least I feel pity for what happened to me. I don't ask for anything else. I just hope that I can see my son. Since he was pressed in that dark place, my heart is..." Mrs. Shi bit the bullet and begged.

Mother Jia naturally understood why she came, but this matter was really tricky. If she could get in touch with that child of the Lin family, the Jia family would not have any clues now.From the letter of her daughter Jia Min, Jia's mother is very clear about the relationship between her daughter and son-in-law and this child.

But Mother Jia couldn't say these words to Mrs. Shi, so she had to say: "I understand your feelings, but the child is now in the palace, and we have nothing to do without summoning. At first, there was a concubine to take care of her. Now the empress herself is having a hard time, so it's not good for us to make trouble for the empress."

Even though almost all those present had orders, one could not enter the imperial palace casually. Without a summons from the empress of the harem, trespassing into the forbidden palace would be a death penalty.Because Concubine Chen was a cousin of the royal family, she had always been on good terms with the Jia family, but since she moved to the Supreme Emperor's southern tour, Concubine Chen has fallen out of favor. The concubine, who has no children and no favors, can't take care of herself, so how can she have any spare time to help these people? Woolen cloth?

Mrs. Shi was stunned for a while, then suddenly remembered something, and hurriedly asked as if grabbing a life-saving straw: "I remember that the eldest girl is doing female history in front of the empress, I wonder if the eldest lady can help Mrs. Lin?" Pass a message in front of the young master?"

Mother Jia sighed: "Do you think we didn't think of it? It's just that the Empress Dowager's side is unusual, and it really won't work."

Mrs. Wang's complexion became more and more ugly at this time. The reason why she sent her daughter to the palace to be a female historian was because of the empty harem of the new emperor. To select a group of women from aristocratic families as women's history, there is a meaning of curvy selection of concubines, so the Jia family sent Yuan Chun to the palace.

Unexpectedly, the entrance to the palace is as deep as the sea, so many years have passed, Yuanchun has survived from Jiji to his early twenties, and seeing that he will be released from the palace at the age of 25 and be married by himself, but he is still a female history beside the queen, I didn't even see the concubine's shadow, and instead delayed her wonderful youth. At the age of 25, besides renewing the strings of her Yuanchun, how could she have any good way out?

Every time Mrs. Wang thinks of this, she feels pain in her heart. The eldest son is gone, and the daughter's future is ruined. Now she only has Baoyu as her lifeblood.

After sending away the extremely disappointed Shi family, Jia's mother was really in a bad mood, so she sent everyone back. As soon as Wang Xifeng returned to her room, Jia Lian also came back.For her husband, Wang Xifeng also imitated Wu Niang's kindness and showed her kindness for a long time at first, but that idiot Xue was usually so flirtatious, but when he met Wu Niang, he completely changed his appearance. When he came to him, he should give The sweetness was given, and the temper that should have been lost was also lost. This Jia Lian was like a hob, smiling for a while, but still couldn't help stealing his mouth behind his back.

Wang Xifeng is completely disappointed in him now, if not for still wanting to borrow him to have a son and a half daughter, Wang Xifeng really wouldn't want him to touch her.Also because she no longer had any thoughts about him, Wang Xifeng simply let go, and made an agreement with Jia Lian for three chapters. If there is a maid who likes him, she doesn't have to hide it. Mischievous women hang out.

As soon as Wang Xifeng let go, she seemed to be as happy as Jia Lian. She licked her face and first asked for Xi'er and Le'er, Sister Feng's two dowry maids, and then spent ten taels of silver to buy a handsome maid from outside.Xi'er and Le'er knew Wang Xifeng's tricks, even if they showed their faces, they were trembling for a long time, and they dare not make a mistake in front of Wang Xifeng. The two volunteered to clean her up.

Although Jia Lian likes the new and dislikes the old, Xi'er and Le'er also have some means of competing for favor, but it also keeps Jia Lian's heart. Now that Jia Lian is surrounded by beautiful wives and concubines, he is less guilty of flirting with pink-headed daughters-in-law Take the trouble.

Jia Lian lost her usual energy today, sighed as soon as she entered the door, sat down on the couch, picked up the tea on the bed table and drank it all in one gulp.

Wang Xifeng glanced at him: "Mrs. Shi Jia begged for a long time at the old lady's place today. Presumably the two princes of the Shi family are looking for your man to talk to him because of his cousin, right?"

Jia Lian nodded and frowned: "Nowadays the wind is raging and the palace has been folded in. Who dares to stretch out this hand?"

Wang Xifeng raised her eyebrows: "The Shi family has the idea of ​​the eldest son of the Lin family, and they want the eldest sister of the second room to help pass the message to the uncle of the Lin family in the palace."

Ever since Wang Xifeng found out that Mrs. Wang asked her to take over the housekeeping because she wanted her to fill in the big hole in the public account, Wang Xifeng became wary of her good aunt, especially when the other party repeatedly hinted that she could take over the house by making money. After the money came to collect money, Wang Xifeng completely understood what her aunt was thinking.

Rongxitang and the benefits that she has received from hosting Zhongfu for so many years can't satisfy my good aunt, and she wants to continue to take advantage of it and not delegate power, and she also wants to get a good name. Do you think she, Wang Xifeng, is a fool?Although she doesn't like the demeanor of her parents-in-law at all, she is also the daughter-in-law of the big family. The property of the Rongxi Hall and the Duke's Mansion, the flesh and blood in her belly will be the most legitimate heirs in the future.

Therefore, since Wang Xifeng took over the power of housekeeper of Rongguo Mansion, she didn't care much about Mrs. Wang's face, and the relationship between the two aunts and nephews also had a crack, so Wang Xifeng mentioned Mrs. Wang's side, and her tone was not very polite.

Jia Lian has always been very pleased with the discord between his daughter-in-law and Mrs. Wang, so he sneered: "I don't know why at the beginning, but the second uncle wrote to Uncle Lin to teach Mr. Lin, and the second wife did it in front of my aunt. There was a lot of cynicism and ridicule at that child, and at that time, I had already made up my mind over there, and it was too late to make a fool of myself. I heard that Mr. Lin's temper is different from that of his uncle, his heart is like the tip of a needle, so be careful!"

Wang Xifeng also laughed when he heard the words: "That's the reason. When Mrs. Shi mentioned the eldest girl, the second wife's face changed. She wanted the eldest girl to fly to Gao Zhi'er, and saw that Mr. Lin won the queen mother." If the relationship between the family and him is better, there is no guarantee that the queen mother will not love the house and Wu En and the eldest girl. If the queen mother has grace, will she still worry about the eldest girl's life? Even if she can't accompany the dragon, she will definitely be able to tie a marriage The prince's house, right?"

Wang Xifeng really understood Madam Wang's state of mind very well. At this moment, Madam Wang couldn't take advantage of a good opportunity, so she felt very uncomfortable in her heart.

Jia Lian did not continue to ridicule the second room together with Wang Xifeng, but instead heaved a long sigh: "It's too late to say these things now, this time, I'm afraid our family will be in big trouble."

Wang Xifeng sat up straight: "What do you say? But what kind of rumors did Shihou get?"

Jia Lian shook his head: "Uncle Lin took in a student named Zhang Wenzhi when he was in Gusu. At the beginning, both the master and the apprentice were Tanhua, and there was a good story in Beijing. When Uncle Lin went to Beijing to report on his work, he brought Seeing this Tanhua come to the house, Mr. Zhang is now working as an editor in the Imperial Academy and walking in front of the imperial court. This time he let the family know that the emperor will probably make great efforts to check the debt deficit of the household department this time. Take the two palaces first as an example to others."

Wang Xifeng said: "I have heard from my grandfather that when the emperor was in power, many princely families borrowed money from the Ministry of Households, and many of them were meritorious officials. Our royal family also borrowed a lot of money at that time. It is not easy for the Emperor to be sympathetic to Grandpa because the Lifan Academy is in charge of the tribute and congratulatory errands of various countries. Since then, Grandpa has paid off the loan from the Ministry of Households. Could it be that the Jiangnan Salt Service’s huge deficit was also misappropriated by others? Can't the Western Wall be completed?"

Wang Xifeng is ice-snow and smart. When Jia Lian mentioned the deficit of the household department, she immediately thought of the matter that Mrs. Wang had mentioned to her. At that time, because the Wang family wanted to take over, the money was wasted like running water. Because of this, the emperor Only then did he acquiesce to the Wang family's taking some benefits from the errands of the Lifan Academy, which is considered to be the wool from the sheep.

The fact that wool comes from sheep is not only understood by Wang Xifeng, but also by Wang Xifeng, and of course the emperor and Jingxuan in the palace also understand it. When Wang Xifeng and his wife were discussing this matter, the emperor was also talking about it with Jingxuan.

"At that time, the father and emperor gave them the fat vacancies of the Yanzheng, so that they could repay the money they borrowed from the Ministry of Households for picking up the driver. Your father saw that it was inappropriate and dissuaded him for a while, but the old man became determined after eating the weight, and even reprimanded your father for being mean and ungrateful." He was also in the imperial study at that time, and witnessed Seeing the furious father smash down the memorial presented by the prince's brother, two bloodstains were cut on the face of the prince's brother by the sharp edge of the paper. Thinking of the scene at that time, the emperor's face became more and more gloomy, The title of the Supreme Emperor is not so respectful.

Jingxuan could understand the emperor's uncle (uncle) and put himself in another way. If someone said harsh words to Wei Zhen in front of him, it would be more unpleasant than being humiliated himself.But thinking of the old emperor who seems to be obviously regretting the past, Jing Xuan coughed: "Grandpa Huang was also a little confused back then, but those villains are even more hateful."

"How much they ate in the past, now I spit it out with profit. The king of Beijing Jing is very sensible. He didn't intervene in the salt affairs back then, but he didn't take the filial piety from his subordinates. Now that Shui Rong is closed, I want to see whether his son is more important or money is more important." The emperor sneered, he remembered all these people, and none of them could escape.

Jing Xuan smiled and said nothing, no wonder the emperor knew well that the murder of Xue Mingyi had nothing to do with the Beijing Palace, but he still vaguely put Shui Rong in the prison of the Ministry of Criminal Justice and no one was allowed to visit him.

When leaving the imperial study room, I ran into Zhang Wenzhi who was on duty head-on. This young companion who hadn't seen him for many years, his eyebrows and eyes didn't change much, and his bookish air became stronger.On the contrary, Zhang Wenzhi couldn't help being stunned when he saw Jing Xuan. Jing Xuan has been undergoing the most changes in the past few years, his stature has grown a lot, his eyebrows have gradually grown, and the childish innocence between his eyebrows and eyes has completely faded away. , with a touch of elegance that people can't take their eyes off.

Unlike Wang Qi who always brought up Zhang Wenzhi's resentment, Jing Xuan was not moved much. He didn't give Zhang Wenzhi any trust back then, so he didn't have the anger of so-called betrayal. Just looked it up and left it behind.Seeing Zhang Wenzhi at this time, Jing Xuan didn't show any negative emotions on his face, as if the person opposite was just a stranger who met once, and just passed by.

When Zhang Wenzhi came back to his senses, Jing Xuan was already far away from him after the little eunuch's flattery. Zhang Wenzhi opened his mouth, but in the end it only turned into a wry smile at the corner of his mouth. Now he also understands that the environment of the Lin family is different from others. Everyone is different, and I did make a mistake back then.So what if you just know your mistakes, in the end, you can't go back to the beginning.Zhang Wenzhi thought about it, and couldn't help but think of the little doll Jing Xuan who he thought was more beautiful than the golden boy in the painting when he first saw it, and couldn't help feeling sore in his heart.

"Master Zhang, His Majesty told you to come in." The eunuch in charge at the door of the imperial study reminded in a low voice when he saw Zhang Wenzhi standing motionless at the door.

Only then did Zhang Wenzhi come to his senses, thanked him, and went into the imperial study to be on duty.

On the second day of the imperial court, the king of Beijing came to the court with illness, and asked to repay the debt owed by the palace to the household department. The gesture was full, and the emperor was very cooperative. He bluntly said that he knew the huge amount owed by the palace. Wait for compensation.The well-informed ministers in the DPRK and China more or less got the news, and they were not very shocked at this time, and they were all thinking about how much they could pay back.

Since the day of the court, the household department has been very busy. It began to count the silver, utensils, antiques, etc. sent by the Beijing palace. The carts of property were sealed and sent from the palace to the household department. There were soldiers guarding along the way. Opening the way, the people watching on both sides didn't know what happened, and they thought that which house had been ransacked, and there were endless discussions.

Even the King of Beijing was forced to use the antiques collected by his family for generations to pay off his debts. Which family in Beijing who owes money to the Ministry of Households does not weigh their own weight?Therefore, during the following period of time, the household department seemed to be the busiest of the six departments.

But the emperor doesn't seem to care about face. A few days after King Beijing paid off the debts of the household department, the matter of Shui Rong's interrogation by the three divisions came to fruition. Although Shui Rong intervened to seize Xue's property afterwards, he did not buy Shan The thief murdered Xue's father and son.In the end, the result was sent to the imperial court for personal approval. Although the emperor severely reprimanded Shui Rong for his lack of virtue, and his words were quite ruthless, the final punishment was a lot of thunder and little rain, and he was only punished for embezzling Xue's family property was paid back in full for one year as a fine for thinking about mistakes behind closed doors.

Just after the historian almost went bankrupt and even sold Zhuangzi on the outskirts of the city to pay off his debts, Shi Ye, who had been imprisoned in the Ministry of Criminal Justice for more than a month, was also released because his fame was revoked and he was ordered never to use it again. , but at least they managed to save their lives. The two families of the Shi family now have only one man, Miaomiao Miao, who saved Shi Ye's life, and the two families dare not ask for anything else.

There are so many things like this, these aristocratic families are now numb to the actions of the current emperor, and the current emperor is simply not willing to surround himself with it. This is no proof to judge the case, it is clearly a ransom with money!But now the emperor has been in the deep palace for a long time and doesn't care about things, even the most proud old ministers of the year are gone;

Wanting to unite again to test the pressure on the emperor, but the Beijing Palace started. Those with their own children who were suppressed in the Ministry of Punishment, such as the Shi family, were busy collecting money and were short-lived, so that they could "redeem" their children out as soon as possible. , how can you join forces with them?Without a single force, these people have no ability to shake the Ninth Five-Year Lord on the dragon chair, so they can only honestly prepare to pay back the money.However, some sharp-eyed people discovered that most of the released ones belonged to the Beijing Palace.Prince Zhong'an also paid back all the debts, but there is no news about Prince Zhong'an's son so far.

Unlike those people who turned against Yingtian, Huan Qian, who is now in charge of the household department, is very comfortable. It is rare that so much money has poured into the tight household department, which makes him dizzy and dizzy every day. More and more money was deducted from the account book, and he couldn't close his mouth. Holding the account book, he went to the palace to repay the emperor: "This is good, the money is tight in the shipping department. This is just a good time to transfer a large sum of money. The South China Sea has been a little restless recently, and it is time to let them see how powerful our navy is! Also, this year's southwest drought, I was worried about getting some money from there. I bought a sum of money to buy food and grass for disaster relief, and now I have everything..."

Hearing Xiao Shi shaking his head while holding an account book, the emperor's face was soft, but his eyes were filled with a bitter cold light.When he led troops to fight in southern Xinjiang, if the elder brother of the prince hadn't been watching the household department to prepare food and preparations for him, his soldiers would have starved to death and frozen to death by his own people if they hadn't died in the hands of the enemy. die.

Back then, the Ministry of Households was even tighter than it is now. It is conceivable how the prince's elder brother struggled to deal with the swarm of locusts because of him, and how he was attacked by the swarm of moths.Frozen three feet does not happen in a day, and it is never just the boss who kills the prince's brother. These people, everyone has a share, and no one can escape.

Brother Prince, I will definitely show you a real grand event.I will never show any face to those who eat vegetarian meals in the place of corpses.

Hence, the present-day brother-controlling emperor really doesn't care about the so-called face.