Love of Friends in the Red Chamber

The news that Xue Biao brought back this time was that the higher authorities had approved Xue Pan's life lawsuit to settle the death penalty with 3 taels of silver. After he found out the truth, he returned starry night to raise money.Baochai is the one who knows the family background of Xue's family best. She knows that the family is already poor - all the shops, houses and land have been sold to her brother to clear them up. Now only the family is left, which is still worth a few dollars. , I thought I could keep it for my mother for the elderly, but now it seems that I have to save my brother's life first, and the matter of living can only be discussed later.Aunt Xue also said: "Always go bankrupt and save Pan'er's life, there is always money for food at home."

However, with the marriage of the two daughters, plus Xue Pan's spending in prison over the years, Aunt Xue has not many valuable clothes left.Baochai and her mother worked midnight and only got together 5000 taels of silver. Aunt Xue couldn't help crying again: "Poor my Pan'er, in fact, my daughter-in-law's dowry is thirty to fifty thousand taels of silver, but she refused to take it out to save herself." man..."

Baochai had no choice but to comfort her mother with tears in her eyes. While handing over the packed treasures to Xue Biao to sell, she promised her mother to find a way to get the rest of the money by herself.Although Aunt Xue knew that this matter was too difficult for Baochai, but she was eager to save her son, so Yin Yin asked her to do so.

When Baochai came back here, it was already late at night, but Caiyun on Mrs. Wang's side was still waiting for Baochai, saying that his wife was concerned about Mr. Xue's affairs, and asked the second grandma to go there when she came home. Baochai was busy. Come see Mrs. Wang.Baochai told Mrs. Wang about the turning point of Xue Pan's lawsuit, but when it came to the money for atonement, Mrs. Wang was speechless.In the end, she just sighed repeatedly. Baochai knew that Mrs. Wang's hands had always been loose, and she was the housekeeper of Jia's mansion, so she really knew that her pockets were exhausted. Only Mother Jia still had some old savings in her hands, but that was no matter what. What she wouldn't offer—she couldn't ask for it.

Mrs. Wang wiped her tears and sighed: "Thinking about the relatives who have used us now, they are already poor. If they have not used ours, who will help? Only..." She hesitated, but Baochai knew that she thought of Daiyu , now Daiyu is the only person in the Jia family who has tens of thousands of cash in her hands, but she, like Mrs. Wang, feels that these words are unspeakable. This is different from the eggs that gave porridge and rice. How can I go to beg her now?But if you don't ask, can't you watch your brother fall into a prison and can't extricate yourself?

Baochai resigned from Mrs. Wang and came back, tossing and turning in the room, without sleep all night.Early the next morning, he just fell asleep when he heard someone whispering in the yard.It turned out that it was the housekeeper's daughter-in-law Zhang Cai's family who came over and said that Lixiangyuan had sent someone to deliver [-] eggs, and the wife urged them to send them to Admiral Yang's house as soon as possible, which is disrespectful for being too late.Ying'er was whispering to her: "What are you busy with? The second grandma didn't sleep until the third watch yesterday, and my son just rested for a while, so I will put aside any important matters later." That Zhang Cai's family still wanted to argue , Baochai had already coughed lightly and got up, called Yinger to go in, hurriedly cleaned up, arranged for people to pack the porridge and rice gifts, and personally brought someone over to show Mrs. Wang, who then ordered them to be sent to Admiral Yang's house went.

After this worry, Baochai went to Pear Fragrance Court in person to thank her.Before I got to the door, I saw Xueyan leading four daughters-in-law of rough envoys to this side carrying two baskets woven of thin baskets. Coincidentally, our grandma is ordering me to deliver something?" She said as she lifted the lid of the basket, and saw emerald green cucumbers and bright purple lentil pods placed in the straw, and it has been more than half a month since the beginning of winter, and this season is so unexpected. The fresh and tender vegetables are also mouth-watering.

Baochai laughed and said, "Is this the so-called cave product? I heard that it is very rare, and there are only tributes in the palace from time to time. Is it from Mr. Lin? It must not be much, so why divide it?" Xue Yan He laughed and said: "This is not from my uncle's house, our young mistress even gave some to my uncle and wife. This is a new one from the village outside the city, and it was delivered together with eggs this morning. Our grandma thought it was fresh, and said This kind of thing that does not conform to the season should not be used much, so I ordered it to be distributed to relatives." Baochai nodded and asked her to give it to Mrs. Xing and Jiamu, and then walked into the Pear Fragrance Court by herself.

In the Pear Fragrance Courtyard, the curtain was hanging down, and the warm fragrance was delicate. Daiyu was coming out of the back room, and Zijuan was waiting for her to wash her hands with a handkerchief. I haven't written for a long time, and I'm unfamiliar with it, so my sister can help me to comment." Although Baochai didn't have such a leisurely interest, she had to follow her into the back room to look, and there was a newly written couplet hanging on the wall: The moon is in the sky, the person in the eyes is the person in front of you.

Baochai stared at the word, pondered for a long time, and then slowly smiled and said: "Okay, the word is good, the words are good, and the meaning is better. My sister is now quite enlightened." Daiyu smiled: "The only one who knows me is Sister. Now I also understand that things in the world are rarely perfect, and living a life without being favored or surprised is the best ending."

Baochai said: "My younger sister is a sensible person. If Baoyu can figure this out, then..." She cut off the conversation suddenly, but Daiyu knew what she meant, but although she knew something about Baochai's current situation and Baoyu's self-defeating, but there is no way, and it must not be questioned, so he politely invites Baochai to have tea and talk in the Nuan Pavilion.

This time, what Qing Zhi presented was Biluochun, a famous product in Suzhou, and the tea was served with pine nuts and plum blossom cake.Baochai felt uncomfortable, so she tried to cover it up by talking and laughing: "When I came here just now, I saw Xueyan sending some fresh cucumbers and lentils to the old lady and the eldest lady. It was very rare. I think this cave is a palace. Did it come out?"

Daiyu laughed and said: "It is mentioned in the Han Shu that fire can be used to produce early vegetables in winter. The method is unknown. It was only in the previous dynasty that the imperial dining room in the palace spared no expense to cultivate them for the imperial cooking. The people of the world Everyone thinks it is precious. Who would have thought that Bao Yong, the housekeeper from Zhen's house, can make these things. It's not difficult to say, he looked for the vegetable garden in the lee of the village, and built a warm house with wooden frames. The room, the earth wall at the back, the roof is made of sorghum stalks, smeared with yellow mud, the front is high and the back is low, and the fire channel is passed under the back wall, and the heat of the charcoal fire is used to force the flowers and trees to bloom and bear fruit. It is not a seasonal thing, but The picture is fresh, who often eats it at home—but the interest is extremely high. Last time, cucumbers are sold by the root. Greenhouse vegetables with less than one mu of land can earn thousands of interest in one winter. "

Baochai sighed: "Master doesn't like such a capable person. He originally wanted to return it to the Zhen family, but Brother Cong knows people with his eyes, so he has found a treasure. Now I am just worried--such a big family. , each of them is only rich and honorable, and there is no one to plan and manage, just sit and eat, how can it be done in the long run?"

Daiyu lowered her head and thought carefully: "Isn't that what my sister said? However, my sister has just taken over the housework, and I know the troubles involved. Some old rules and bad habits can only be implemented gradually, and they cannot be accomplished overnight - none of the housekeepers are good at it." It's a good match." When Baochai heard what she said to his heart, she couldn't help crying and said, "Why not? But whenever the slightest interest is touched, someone will make up endless gossip. All the belongings were brought back to her mother’s house, which really made people laugh and get angry—the savage person that Feng girl made!"

Daiyu said with a smile, "This sounds familiar. Don't Tan girls often say the same?" Baochai sighed, "She's the only one in this house and she can help me, but recently, official media have been coming By the looks of it, we are about to make an engagement—I have lost another arm." Daiyu was also concerned about Tanchun, and hurriedly asked, "I don't go there very often, and I don't know that girl Tanchun is going to be engaged. Didn't you hear the old lady mention it?"

Baochai quickly waved her hand and said, "I'm the one who speaks quickly, sister, please don't mention it in front of the old lady—the lady still wants to marry the Beijing Palace."

Daiyu's face changed: "Madam is so careless, the daughter of a dignified mansion, the sister of a noble concubine, to be treated like a petite?"

Baochai lowered her eyes and said softly: "My wife means that although it is a partial house, the palace is different from ordinary people, but it is still decent. Princess Beijing has been in poor health for more than a day. The third sister has always been decisive. In the past, it was natural I can help the concubine's housekeeper, and maybe I can go further in the future, and it is logical, I can help the concubine inside, and I can help Baoyu outside..."

Daiyu was unhappy, and felt sorry for Tanchun, but she also knew that with Tanchun's heart, it was very possible to agree to this unseemly marriage with infinite possibilities in the future—besides, with her status as a concubine , it is difficult to marry into a noble family.

Baochai also felt blocked, but she couldn't make up Mrs. Wang's fault, not to mention she was full of worries, so she changed the subject and talked about her brother's lawsuit.Daiyu was still thinking about Tanchun, so she just responded slowly, but when Baochai mentioned sister-in-law Jingui's domineering and pungent, she was concerned about Xiangling's good or bad, so she asked a few more questions, as for Xue Pan, she only asked half a sentence. It was never mentioned that Baochai's heart tossed a few times, and she was about to ask for a loan, but she didn't say it after all. Seeing that the sun was setting to the west, and Jia Cong was about to return from the yamen, Baochai said goodbye and left.

On the way back, Baochai was full of tenderness, thinking about it. Among the relatives in the mansion, if there is a person who has thirty to fifty thousand in cash in his hand, besides Daiyu, there is another one. It's better to help than Daiyu——Thinking like this, I went outside the courtyard where Wang Xifeng lived.

But since Xifeng handed over the power of housekeeper, relying on the love of the old lady, she has not moved back to the big house to see Mrs. Xing's face, but still lives in the original courtyard, without the tedious things of the housekeeper, just take care of her. Having fun in front of Jia's mother every day, and taking care of her body in her spare time, her life is more comfortable than before - it's just that Jia Lian is getting more and more out of home, and this couple is just in name only - it can be seen that unsatisfactory things are common in the world.

Baochai used to come and go frequently, but it happened that Jia Lian was not at home, so Ping'er quickly picked her up and invited Baochai into Xifeng's upper room.Baochai entered the Nuan Pavilion, and saw Wang Xifeng sitting on the kang dressed in pink and glossy clothes, and Feng'er was serving medicine by the side, and in the floor-to-ceiling octagonal pastel vase in the corner, there was a branch of wintersweet that looked like a crouching dragon. , floral and medicinal aroma mixed into a peculiar smell.

Baochai paused, and said with a smile, "Sister Feng is safe?" Xifeng had already smiled and got up to give up her seat, and annoyed the maids to exchange for better tea. Fang said to Baochai, "It's been better these two days I was thinking of going to pay my aunt's peace, but the old lady is not feeling well, she is too lazy to go out, and feels deserted, so she arrests me every day to relieve boredom, my sister should apologize to me in front of my aunt."

Baochai hurriedly laughed and said she didn't dare, and after chatting for a while, Baochai stammered about wanting to borrow money to save her brother from prison. It's beautiful, but who knows it's the yellow cedar wood that has run out of hammers. It's decent on the outside and bitter on the inside, and I don't know how much private money I lost behind it. My dowry alone has to pawn a few pieces every month to supplement the family, so that I can live Let’s go on living. Fortunately, my wife has now let my younger sister take care of the house, otherwise I would lose everything, and people would complain—your brother Lian and I are now relying on the twenty or so taels of silver to live on every month, how can there be any surplus?"

Baochai heard that she pushed it cleanly, but she also vaguely wanted to stand on the dry bank and watch the river rise, her heart was bitter, and she no longer had any guilt or arrogance, so she left, and when she arrived at Rongqingtang, several housekeepers came back and forth. Baochai sent them away one by one.I just felt that after walking for a day, I was sleepy and full of sorrow. I was about to go back to my room to rest, but Yuanyang came over to salute Baochai and said with a smile: "I'll ask Second Grandma Bao for instructions. Yinshuang charcoal is always owed the amount, although it will be enough, it is unavoidable to make people worry, in case the supply is not enough one day, the old lady is not kidding—may I ask the second grandma to order charcoal? The library is always closed as before, and you can ask for it when you don’t have enough, so you can’t return it in the spring of the next year?”

Baochai knew that Yuanyang didn't like her very much, and she was dissatisfied because she had cut various expenses in the mansion, especially Jiamu's expenses. I don’t know, the New Year’s goods from Heishanzhuang have not been sent to Beijing this winter, so the silver frost charcoal in the library is still left over from last year, because the purchase outside is uneven, and there will always be black smoke, so the wife ordered First of all, each room can be distributed according to the expenses, and when the New Year's goods in Heishanzhuang arrive, the first one will naturally be given to the old lady first."

The mandarin ducks were sent away here, but Bihen from his room ran over and said, "Second Mistress, go home and have a look. Xiren's elder brother and sister-in-law are here, and they say they want to take Xiren home." Woolen cloth."