The widowed mother of the red mansion

43. Chapter four and three

Li Wan was taken aback, and hurriedly stood up to meet Sister Feng, while secretly waving at Jia Mu.Mother Jia knew it, wiped away her tears with a handkerchief, and said with a smile: "You are a monkey spirit! This morning I rushed to say hello, and said that I have good things to honor me. Wait until this morning, and the things have not been brought. Instead, they asked me for something to eat.”

Sister Feng didn't answer, but stood by the lacquered pillar for a while with a half-smile, and said: "What's wrong with the old ancestor, it looks like he has been crying?"

Jia's mother said: "Don't mention it, it's good. Just now when I talked to your wife about the past in our house, I couldn't help but think of my poor Pearl. The grandparents and grandchildren couldn't help but feel sad. .Don't spin, where are things?"

Sister Feng snorted and said: "I knew it was for this, so I didn't ask any more. Big bastard, it was my fault. It's just for nothing to make you sad. You adults don't care about villains, so come with me." Have a glass of wine, I’m burning a hot pot of pheasant! Don’t worry, ancestor, the hunters on our village sent a lot of wild game this morning. I didn’t want to eat it, so I took a few bites of the quail cub’s meat, and then quickly ordered someone to pick the quail’s meat and marinate it raw, mix it with sesame oil and put it on a plate, tidy it up and serve millet porridge to the ancestors Is it okay to eat it? Although the food is a bit rough and not as good as japonica rice porridge, it is very nourishing."

Li Wan nodded with a smile, and Jia Mu said happily, "You have always been filial, it's not in vain that I usually love you."

Sister Feng said: "There wasn't much quail meat in the first place, and it was carefully selected. Some of them only made up a plate. According to me, we crowded in front of our ancestors. She was embarrassed not to divide us, and we divided them again. Secretly heartbroken, it's really a dilemma. Big bastard, let's leave her alone and go to my house to eat the pot. Our second master went to the south to collect house rent money, and I and Heping are the only ones in the house to eat. It's strangely deserted."

Jia's mother smiled crookedly and leaned on the ta'er: "You can't get rid of your hatred even if you tear this mouth, and you are so mixed up when you send something. You are so used to it. It's okay if you go and get your big bastard to drink, As long as you don’t feed her too much, she has no flesh in her body, so she can’t help tossing.”

Sister Feng said with a smile, "I'm probably that meat-eating goblin!"

Seeing that Jia Mu had finished what she should say, Li Wan said goodbye to Jia Mu with Sister Feng, and walked to Sister Feng's yard hand in hand.After arriving in the courtyard, as expected, Ping'er stood by the table and waited on a tall copper pot, in which delicious stewed chicken was boiling. There were more than a dozen dishes of exquisite dishes and a bottle of fruit wine beside the pot.

Li Wan said with a smile: "Before you eat, let me know if you have anything to ask of me. I've been in a panic about the princess's affairs recently, but I can't squeeze out the oil."

Sister Feng spat, and said to Ping'er: "Look, this is not respectful. She treats sister-in-law and uncles very lovingly, and she doesn't feel sorry for throwing out any amount of money. It's the only thing that disgusts me. Let's invite her to eat a pot." , but also like a petty brat playing a rogue."

Ping'er laughed and said, "No wonder grandma is suspicious, grandma, you are usually too powerful, no wonder grandma's heart trembles after eating this Hongmen banquet."

Li Wan clapped his hands and said: "Ping'er is fair. She thinks I don't love her, and she doesn't think about how many things she takes from me on weekdays. As long as she likes it, I don't even frown. I will eat it today." She called Qu."

Sister Feng said with a smile: "It's amazing, Ping'er, you evil bastard actually rebelled and helped Grandma beat me!"

The three chatted and laughed for a while, Li Wan and Sister Feng sat on the kang and ate wine, and Ping'er served on the side, Sister Feng said: "You sit down and eat, Grandma is no better than others, she loves you more than me, what's the matter?" scary."

Ping'er laughed and said, "Then I'll borrow from grandma." After that, he half-squatted on the little table under the kang, and accompanied them to eat and drink.

When the wine was half full, Sister Feng quietly said to Li Wan: "You can make up an idea for me. The wife is very worried these days. She said that the lady in the palace sent someone out to get the money, and the wife herself is still worrying about the etiquette of her natal brothers. Well, I really can’t move around. The old lady has always liked you, so you think of a way to take out a box or two of her useless things as money, let’s put aside the matter in front of us, and wait for our master to come back with the money I'll pay you back together, okay?"

Li Wan smiled and said: "You look at me drunk and say such stupid things. I am not the one who looks at the old lady's things. You can discuss this matter with Yuanyang. What are you doing with me? I just said that this wine is not for nothing. Yes, there is indeed a great mechanism. When I go back, I will find someone to buy some pheasants for you, don’t try to trick me into doing that.”

Sister Feng said with a smile: "My dear girl, you usually say that I am a crystal heart, but you are really smart. The old lady's stuff is just a joke. To put it bluntly, I need you to show some sympathy." Let me borrow from you, I will take care of my wife's affairs first, and then slowly honor you, how about it?"

Li Wan said: "Is the family really so poor?"

Sister Feng said with a smile: "You don't know the price of firewood if you are not in charge of the family. It was almost impossible in the past, and it has become more and more difficult in the past few years. It is just such a little money. I have to take care of everything and look good. It is not that I tear down the old wall to make up for it." The west wall sells fans in winter and summer jackets, how can it be mixed up now? Do the math, our annual income is only [-] taels of silver, and we lose [-] to [-] taels in half a year. How much was spent on building the garden last year? I said I’m afraid I’ll scare you when I come out. The usual family relationships and the use of the palace, it’s really good to crush myself. I’ve also discussed with my wife to reduce our family’s expenses in the future, otherwise it’s really I'm going to beg for food."

Li Wan laughed and said, "It's time for our family to clean up."

Sister Feng said: "Grandma, don't just pick the things that don't matter, just say whether you can help me! I beg you like this. If the family is really defeated, Brother Lang may not benefit."

Li Wan said: "Look, if I don't take out the money, I'll be a sinner in the family. I shouldn't take the money. Now that you're pitiful, I have to take a look at the coffins I've saved up over the years. Throw this bottomless pit at home to see how long it can last. How much money do you need?"

Sister Feng smiled and said: "Not much, I have already pawned two of my gold collars, and the difference is only 1000 taels. I also know that no one should take the money, and you should take the money. It's all about emotion and reason." I'm not right, this time I'm really in a hurry, don't blame me. There are so many people in the family, only you have some private savings, and we can't make up our minds if the old lady's things are moldy. You know the temper of the eldest lady. If you want her A penny is worse than killing her! The girls only know how to hand them over for food and drink, and save the change to buy rouge and hair oil. Baoyu is even an outsider and unreliable. Big bastard, tell me, I can still Who are you looking for?"

Li Wan said: "You think my money came from the wind blowing in the sky, 1000 taels is not a trivial matter, I went back to find some jewelry pawns at the bottom of the box, let Biyue bring them to you."

When Sister Feng saw Li Wan's answer, she said happily, "Don't worry, big bastard, the money will be returned to you within two months. As the saying goes, you are short-handed. Since I took your money, I have to do things for you." .”

Li Wan laughed straight: "Is there anything I can do for you?"

Sister Feng said: "I know what's on your mind."

After Li Wan returned to the house, he wanted to take out a bank note from the money box and send it directly to Biyue, but after thinking about it for a while, he opened the drawer and took out a string of bead necklaces from a box inside. Ask Biyue to pawn the money outside and send the money to Sister Feng.

Biyue laughed and said, "This string of pearls is really pitiful. The cabinet is full of jewelry heads that grandma doesn't like. It's rare for grandma to touch her and she will go outside. It's not that grandma doesn't have money. Why don't you just send cash over there?"

Li Wan said: "I've been in the limelight recently, so I'd better pretend to be poor. Pawn the ticket to your second grandma and get it back after a while. We have to show it to others."

Biyue leaves as promised.After a while, Biyue came back and said, "I pawned 200 taels of silver and sent 1000 taels to Second Grandma's room. I put away the remaining 200 taels and brought them back. Second Grandma rewarded me with a dress and returned it to my second grandmother. I want to say thank you to my grandma."

Li Wan said: "You divide the extra money into two parts, one for Miss Lin and the other for Miss Shi, just say that the old lady gave it privately, and ask them not to talk about it outside. In fact, what the old lady meant today I understand, of course we can't wait until the family is separated to take care of them, anyway, it's the money from the pawn, it's better to buy them all, in exchange for a moment of peace."

Biyue smiled and said, "Miss Lin is fine, but Miss Shi is always on the show, so she doesn't seem to be short of money."

Li Wan said: "She is also very strong-minded. She usually lives in the Xiaoxiang Pavilion, and from time to time she rewards one or the other. I'm afraid that people will say more about her. After a long time, how can I care about it?"

Bi Yue sighed, "Grandma is still kind."

Li Wan said: "It's just that I happen to have it. If I don't, I can't change it even if I want to help."

Biyue took the money and went to the Xiaoxiang Hall, Daiyu and Xiangyun listened to it, and asked her to sit down and drink tea and snacks, mostly as a thank you.Xiangyun was worried that he didn't have enough money to start a society. Now that he had 100 taels, he couldn't help but feel happy, and said to Daiyu: "After a while, the chrysanthemums will bloom. Let's hold a chrysanthemum appreciation party? By the way, I will write some poems by him. Have a drink."

Daiyu quietly said to Xiangyun: "Next time the proprietor will be Sister Bao. It's not your turn yet. What's the rush? If you have money, throw it away. If you want to drink, I'll take you to the big house." Drink everywhere, don't bring those people with you."

Xiangyun nodded hurriedly: "I'm thinking about those fat geese in her yard. Let's catch them with our own hands, bleed and pluck their feathers, and then put them on the rack to roast, not to mention how delicious they are!"

Daiyu scolded with a smile: "Which lady is as rude as you after drinking other people's wine? Don't forget that there are still people in her room."

Biyue watched from the sidelines, deeply surprised.

With the illusion brought by Fengyue Baojian, the bleak night that I thought was not so difficult to endure.Before going to bed every day, Li Wan couldn't help thinking, what kind of Zhou Ne would he see today?The pain of missing her deceased husband also subconsciously eased a little.

Zhou Naben was the second-best son of the Zhou family in Beijing. He was very talented, but he was bullied by his wife all the time, and he was kicked out of school without reading well.His biological mother died young, and the dire situation at home made him thoughtful and forbearing since he was a child. He was clumsy and dull outside, but he was extremely smart in private.

Every day, like reading a storybook, Li Wan watched Zhou Na's life fragments from childhood to adulthood intermittently in his dreams, as if he was watching another Jia Zhu's life, with mixed feelings in his heart.When Zhou Ne was beaten, she couldn't help being sad; when Zhou Ne was injured, she was extremely nervous; when Zhou Ne won military merit, she was elated; when Zhou Ne punished those who bullied him, she felt happy and secretly admired him.

Zhou Na has many similarities with Jia Zhu. For example, both of them were born in the same year. Na likes to move, Jia Zhu likes to wear white, and Zhou Na prefers dark colors.So Li Wan was sometimes confused and sometimes sober, not knowing whether he was looking at Jia Zhu or Zhou Na, or whether the two were mixed together and could not be separated.

If Jia Zhu is still alive, he will be about the same age as Zhou Na.

Li Wan closed his eyes, put Fengyue Baojian beside his pillow, and fell into a deep sleep.Tonight may be another good night's dream.