Red Mansions: My Book is Cool

Sitting on the couch at the top of the hall, Wang Xifeng smiled at Yan Yan, the little eunuch on the chair below, but felt extremely depressed in her heart.

The eunuch Xia in the palace also sent someone to 'borrow' 200 taels of silver, saying that he had taken a fancy to a big house, but it was short of 200 taels.It's not halfway through this year, and I have already borrowed 1000 two hundred taels, and I haven't seen the leader yet.

Although he hated it in his heart, he didn't dare to show it on his face, so he had to perform a play and ordered Ping'er to take out two brocade boxes and open them in front of the little eunuch.Inside are two gold collars, one is made of gold silk and beads, the pearls are the size of lotus seeds, and the other is emerald inlaid with precious stones.Both are inseparable from the things in the palace.Wang Xifeng watched, with distressed eyes, and ordered Laiwang's daughter-in-law to take out 400 taels as a deposit, half of which was given to the young eunuch, and the other half to Laiwang's daughter-in-law, and ordered her to take it for the August Mid-Autumn festival.

After the little eunuch left, Jia Lian came out from the inner room, sighed with Wang Xifeng, and felt sorry for each other.Eunuch Zhou just knocked away 1000 taels from him yesterday, he was a little slow in answering it, and the dead eunuch put on a face, so he had to hurry up and give it to him.

"When will this incident happen?" Jia Lian patted her legs and complained, feeling very anxious.He is the successor of the Rongguo Mansion, and most of the property in the mansion should belong to him in the future.But now, three 500 taels today and 1000 taels tomorrow will not be hollowed out.In the future, what use would it be for him to hold an empty shell of the Duke's Mansion?Worse still, there will be famine on its back.

He couldn't help but said: "It is said that 'one person can ascend to heaven'. Whose family's daughter is favored by the emperor, and the family members don't follow her? But our mother is lucky. First, everyone pooled money to build her a grand view garden, which cost a lot of money. A few 10 taels are all out of the way. That's all, you have to give up before you get something? But you see what we have got? It's just a reward of some colored satin and antiques every year, a total of more than 100 taels of gold , It’s only more than 1000 taels of silver, and it’s not enough for the eunuchs in the palace to play Qiufeng once or twice, let alone the large sum of silver that is sent to her every year!”

"If the empress can find a half-time official for the men in the family, that's fine!" Jia Lian shook his head and sighed: "But there is not at all, not to mention our eldest wife, it is the empress's own father and younger brother. It didn't make any profit."

He hesitated for a while, and finally asked the question in his heart: "Brother Feng, what do you think is the situation of the empress in the palace? If she is favored, what, what?" No matter how you look at it, this situation is not like it!

Wang Xifeng was also silent, and after a while, he reluctantly said: "No! The current emperor is strict with the government, how can he promote his relatives arbitrarily? After all, the empress is only a harem and cannot participate in politics. Old ladies and wives also enter the palace I have seen it before, and it is said that the empress is solemnly in the palace!"

Jia Lian didn't believe it in his heart: "But you see, every year the brothers and sisters of the Lin family can receive additional rewards from the emperor. Our family is a foreign relative, and they are closer and higher than them in terms of status, but we have never won it once. If the empress really She is favored, can the emperor not give her this face? Even those eunuchs dare not blackmail our family's money!"

Wang Xifeng was speechless, she was a shrewd person, and she already had suspicions in her heart.But no matter how suspicious it is, it's already hard to get off.It's just that she wants to ignore Concubine Xiande, how can the old lady and wife agree?

She changed the subject uncomfortably: "Speaking of the brothers and sisters of the Lin family, it has been almost three years since the Lin family left, and they have never been to our house. Every year, I only order the housekeeper to bring a gift to the old lady instead of them. Ann, that's all. The festival ceremony is also common, and the total sum is only 1000 taels of silver. In a few days, they will be filial piety, and I don't know what the regulations are?"

"What rules?" Jia Lian sneered and said, "People don't want to get involved with our family, don't you understand? Otherwise, they wouldn't come here for three years. The Lin family's six-year income is under the supervision of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, so they can't move it." Yes. They set an annual limit of 5000 taels of silver, even if there is a surplus, can you still make up your mind? That would embarrass you all over the capital!"

"There are only two siblings in their family, and Sister Lin has to be named county head. Every year, the imperial court rewards her with a lot of salary. How much can they spend when they live in seclusion? I think their life is much more comfortable than ours. !" Wang Xifeng felt envious and jealous at the same time, they were free and easy, but she had to worry about maintaining Jia's family.

"That can't be helped. Who told our family to offend the Lin family?" Jia Lian sighed: "I think sister Lin is a vengeful one. If only my aunt was still alive. If the bones are broken and the tendons are connected, she can't be with us no matter what. The family is divided!"

"Far water can't quench the near thirst! Our family is in a difficult situation right now, and we can't count on the Lin family. Even if they are willing to help, it will take three years!"

Wang Xifeng hesitated for a moment and said: "But I heard from the palace that Uncle Lin left a very rich dowry to Sister Lin back then, which was the dowry and private house of several generations of the Lin family's mistresses. But it's only a small part of sister Lin's dowry. This dowry is not included in the Lin family's property."

"Don't you still want to ask someone for a dowry?" Jia Lian felt incredible: "Don't forget, sister Lin is not easy to mess with, and she is now the head of the county, so it's up to you to decide?"

"No, I thought that if Baoyu could marry Sister Lin, life would be easier!" Wang Xifeng sighed.

"You're really thinking wildly!" Jia Lian said disapprovingly, "Sister Lin is determined to raise her younger brother, and she has passed the bright road in front of the emperor. By then, she will be old, how can Baoyu wait? Besides, The second wife doesn't want to see sister Lin very much."

Wang Xifeng shook his head, but his heart became deep in thought.The old lady and the second lady wanted to find a noble daughter for Jia Baoyu. The princess, the daughter of a high-ranking official, it is best to give her a princess!The second wife went into the palace happily and said to the empress, please ask the empress to blow the pillow, maybe the emperor can recruit Baoyu as a son-in-law?Baoyu was born with a jade in his mouth, but he has a great fortune, and he looks like a pearl and jade, which is not an insult to the princess.The empress did not dare to agree, but only agreed to give it a try.Unexpectedly, when I accompanied Xiaoxin and mentioned it to the emperor, the emperor said coldly, your family's vision is really good, but what is your brother's official position, what is his fame, and does he have a title?Since there is none, why should you climb up to the royal clan?The empress was so frightened that she quickly apologized, and dared not ask for this grace again.

There is no hope for the royal princess, and the old lady and the second wife are looking for a noble daughter. They thought that everyone would flock to Baoyu, but Baoyu did not win the favor of the famous family because of her status as "National Uncle".No matter how good Baoyu looks, those noble ladies can't see his face, and there is nowhere to display his charm.And it is the parents of the noble daughters who can make the decision. What they value is whether the son-in-law is famous or not, whether he is motivated or not. If he cannot enter the imperial examination, he must have a ready-made title to guarantee his future life!As for these, Baoyu has nothing to catch their eyes. He is just one of the grandsons of the already marginalized Guogong Mansion. He was separated from the second son of the fifth-rank member Wailang in the future, and the property he obtained is not much. .No matter how eccentric Jia's mother was, she could not disregard the laws of the country, so she could only leave her private house to him. In the eyes of Gao Men, Jia Baoyu was just an embroidered pillow besides gold and jade.

After several years of tossing around like this, the old lady and the second wife got nothing. Either they looked down on others, or others looked down on Baoyu, whether they were high or low, Baoyu's marriage has been fruitless until now!

Wang Xifeng sighed with emotion, but didn't think about it any further.But she intuitively felt that the old lady was unwilling to give up on the Lin family!

In the flower hall of the Lin family, Lin Daiyu, Lin Chenxi and little Zhu'er were sitting together talking.She looked at Lin Chenxi, who had grown a lot taller and had already revealed the appearance of a handsome young man, and said softly, "Chenxi, in a few months, our family will be filial piety. In the past three years, you have been studying hard. , my sister saw it in her eyes. You said just now that you are going to take the examination of scholar, but you know that now that you are a supervising student of the Imperial College, it means that you have the reputation of scholar, and you don't need to take the examination yourself."

"I know, sister." Lin Chenxi replied respectfully: "But, I want to try it myself, so that what I get is orthodox, and I won't let people talk about it in the future. Don't worry, sister, in the past three years, I have been taught by many great Confucian teachers in the Imperial College, and I have also worked hard, so I believe I am sure. My goal is to call the name of Donghuamen, but this is to be true and practical. There is no shortcut, it is better to experience it from the beginning. It’s good to train and accumulate experience.”

Lin Daiyu smiled and nodded: "Actually, my thoughts are the same as yours. But, after all, it is related to your own life, and you must respect your choice. Then, you have to prepare well now, and there is not much time left. .Our family removes filial piety, and we only have a meal together as a family, so let’s finish it quietly, don’t disturb others, your courtyard exam is important!"

Three months later, the Lin family returned to a normal life with the exception of Xiao Xiao in a very low-key manner.

More than a month later, Lin Chenxi participated in the county examination, government examination and hospital examination all the way, passed smoothly, and became a freshly baked young scholar.Moreover, with excellent grades, he is the highest-ranking granary student among scholars, and can receive four taels of granary silver from the government according to the law every month.At that time, he was only 13 years old.

The news reached Jia's house and caused a commotion.At this time, they suddenly remembered that the Lin family had already passed their filial piety, and as their wives, they forgot to come to congratulate them; and the Lin family never sent anyone to say a word.

"Did Brother Chenxi become a scholar?" Mother Jia said with a smile on her face, "It's a good thing. It's a year earlier than when Zhu'er entered school. Both my grandson and grandson are promising. Young man, I'm very happy!" His heart was slightly sour, Jia Zhu was directly qualified to be a scholar as a student of the Imperial College, so the so-called entry into school, in terms of name and soundness, was inferior to Lin Chenxi.

When Mrs. Wang heard Jia Mu mentioning Jia Zhu's name, she couldn't help but feel a pain in her heart. Zhu Er died because of studying for the exam.Immediately, she developed a feeling of loathing towards Lin Chenxi again. In order to show off his knowledge, that kid from the Lin family went to the hospital exam on purpose, and asked Zhu'er, who died young, to be compared with him. It's really hateful!