Love of Friends in the Red Chamber

As a result, Mrs. Wang's side became more and more distressed. First, the living quarters were small. Originally, there were only Jia She and his wife and a few concubines living in the four-in-one courtyard, but now Jia Zheng and his wife, Li Wan's mother and son, Aunt Zhao and Jia Huan lived in. And Aunt Zhou led all the maids and women, and it was very difficult for everyone to squeeze together.Mrs. Wang married quite a lot of family members. They have served in various places in the Jia Mansion for many years. Now when they are kicked out, they all come to Mrs. Wang crying and begging. Mrs. Wang is kind and takes them all in. The daily hustle and bustle, Jia Zheng's meager salary, and how to support such a large family on his own without knowing how to make a living, made him even more troubled.

Li Wan assisted Mrs. Wang in taking care of and supporting her every day, but it was difficult for a clever woman to live without rice. Mrs. Wang had to use the private house she had accumulated for many years to supplement the family, and at the same time let out a few old family members who had done their best, and also reduced some expenses. There was nothing lacking in their hands, so they were naturally happy, and gradually settled down.However, the honor and decency can't be compared with before, but Madam Wang only cares about the precious jade in her heart, and she doesn't care about other things. Li Wan and others are inevitably aggrieved.

Baochai just stays in Lixiangyuan these days, worrying about Baoyu.Fortunately, she didn't have to worry about housework, but her mind was much calmer, but the external worry was that Aunt Xue was lonely, and the internal worry was that Baoyu was still stupid, and she couldn't smile all day long.In such days, Baochai began to have a deeper understanding of Baoyu.She found that even when she was beaten by her father, Baoyu still cared about Miaoyu's safety. When he woke up, the first question he asked was Miaoyu's whereabouts. Not Miaoyu, she thought, maybe Baoyu really is a natural kind of love, and such infatuation may only be affected by true love.

For many days, she sat quietly under the sweet-scented osmanthus tree in Pear Fragrance Garden, looking at Baoyu's sleeping face through the window. This person fell asleep, but she looked like when she first entered Jia's mansion, warm and moist as jade, It's forgettable.Her heart, which has always been calm, has also trembled in these few days.

Baoyu gradually became confused for a while, and then understood for a while. When he understood, he always saw Baochai by his side, never leaving him day and night. He was a very soft and gentle person by nature, but in the past, he locked his heart forcibly in order to lose his love forever. , now Baochai doesn't use those great principles to enlighten him, but instead shows tenderness everywhere, and he is gradually influenced. After all, the harmony of the piano and the zither made a good relationship.

Not to mention Lixiangyuan and Fenghuayu, but Xichun returned to Ningguo Mansion after leaving Ou Xiangxie, and his temperament changed drastically. He quarreled with Youshi every day, and there was no peace.At the beginning, Youshi only said that Xichun was lonely since she was a child, and that a sister-in-law is not easy to quarrel with her sister-in-law, so she often endured it, and even sometimes Jia Zhen heard some gossip, and Youshi covered it up for Xichun.Unexpectedly, after a long time, I realized that Xichun was determined not to live in Ningguo Mansion, and she either locked herself in her room and recited Buddhist scriptures every day, or shed tears for no reason.If the servants offended her even slightly, she would sternly reprimand her, and she would only give up if she had to make a fuss with You Shi and force her to be severely punished.Youshi gradually couldn't bear the disturbance, and became impatient in his heart.

In the early morning of this day, Youshi was arranging for the stewards to pack up the autumn and winter cotton clothes, put them out to dry and wash them, and watched the boys pile up charcoal in the side room above the platform in the backyard. It was dusty and dusty, and they were very busy. At that time, I saw Cai Ping, the maid who was serving Xichun, approaching, and she dared not speak for a long time.You Shi then asked: "What's wrong with the fourth girl?" Caiping then whispered back: "Going back to grandma, the fourth girl said that it's too noisy here, disturbing her cleaning, and it's also dirty, let grandma change the place." .”

Youshi couldn't help being furious: "What a rich lady, what a charming girl whose ten fingers don't touch the spring water. If you don't dump these charcoals, what are you burning in winter? Go and tell that little aunt, it's already high in the sun, don't sleep for a while, I can't lose a little bit of meat, so I'd rather be patient, follow my elder brother and sister-in-law, not as rich and honored as the old lady, I have wronged the girl!"

Seeing that Youshi was angry, Caiping didn't dare to argue, hurried back, and didn't dare to learn Youshi's words to Xichun, for fear of being wrong again, she just said that the eldest grandma was looking at people piling up charcoal for the winter, please forgive me.Xichun ignored it.However, within two days, there were rumors in the two residences that Xichun was lazy by nature, watching the servants pile up charcoal for her sister-in-law, disturbing her to sleep late, and quarreling with her sister-in-law.Li Wan, who was originally on good terms with Xichun in the Rong Mansion, was shocked to hear such rumors, thinking in her heart that a young girl with such a reputation was rumored, how would she choose a match in the future?However, her own house is also a mess now, so she can't care about Xichun.She has lived in the garden these years, she can act independently, and she is handy with money, and has never been wronged in the slightest.Now he is helping Mrs. Wang in housekeeping in name, but in fact he is constantly mediating the troubles caused by those tricky slaves.This day, I was upset and bored, so I came to Lixiangyuan to talk to Baochai.

Baochai was in the room watching Yinger and Xiren brewing medicine. When Li Wan came in, she hurriedly gave up her seat, and Yinger went to pour tea.Li Wan laughed and said, "Brother Bao, how is it better today?" Baochai asked with a smile, "It's better. I didn't recognize anyone a while ago. I understand everything since yesterday, but I still have headaches from time to time. No, I fell asleep again." Li Wan sighed, "This time, the master is really cruel. It was a matter of no shadow, but Miaoyu is a hateful person, and Baoyu can work hard on these people, holding hands It's nothing at all, we're all used to it - I hate Huan'er, but I tell the master as a matter, and it's just... Isn't it adding fuel to the fire? If it's like this, then Miaoyu will be fine, as soon as she leaves It's over."

Baochai lowered her head slightly, just listening, then raised her head and asked, "Yes, Baoyu was still concerned about Miaoyu's whereabouts before. I don't know what happened to her?" Li Wan sneered: "What else can I do?" She is a nun, born enchanting, and there are savings left to her by her parents in her purse, she is not a person who can settle down, maybe she has to lean against a big tree to enjoy the shade, and then find a big house to cling to—— I heard she went back to the south."

Baochai then said: "It's okay for the fallen leaves to return to their roots. Where did she come from? If she goes back there, there will be a result." It's like crazy, wanting to follow Miaoyu to become a monk! She is not a girl from an ordinary family, like our family, a girl who suddenly became a monk, what kind of rumors are spread? She sees the sky , her brother and sister-in-law ignored her. A while ago, the color screen she was serving in front of her secretly came to tell his wife that the fourth girl had a few words with the eldest grandma that day, and she was about to twist her hair when she returned to the room, so they hurriedly snatched away the scissors When I came down, I didn’t dare to tell Uncle Zhen and Grandma Zhen over there, so I had to come here to ask my wife if I could bring her girl to support me.”

Baochai hurriedly asked, "What does Madam say?" Li Wan sighed, "Madam is powerless now, and these people still can't afford to live. I and Lang Geer only live in three rooms, one bright and two dark. There is not even a serious study room. Aunt Zhao and Brother Huan are next door. There are only two rooms, and they can’t live in it because of the noise every day. Those maids live in the servant room, arguing about a place to sleep every day... It’s ridiculous that Brother Huan provokes them. After such a big disaster, Aunt Zhao still has the face to complain, why Baoyu can live in Lixiangyuan, and Brother Huan lives in such a narrow place? This is the old lady's words, so who can I blame?"

Baochai remained silent, and Xiren, who was fanning the stove beside him, sighed, "Grandma, although the courtyard at Lixiangyuan is bigger, it was only a place for the old man to rest, and the layout of the house is small, plus... Second Master Bao has taken in several aunts in the past two years, and each of them has three or five maids to serve them. I only live in the second mistress's room, and I don't have my own room." Ying'er's eyes turned red, and she went out.

Baochai then asked Li Wan, "Why hasn't Brother Lan not been to school for the past two days?" Good knowledge, Lan Geer mentioned it, and admired it very much. Unfortunately, after the separation, the study room is gone, and the master can't afford so many bundle repairs. That Mr. Yin is a sensible person, and he didn't wait for the master to speak. I’m not going to resign. I thought Lang Ge’er’s studies were important. If it didn’t work, I would pay to keep this gentleman. I sent someone to ask, and I heard that he and Cong Ge’er had a good relationship. Cong Ge My son invited him to join the River Governor's Mansion, and after the new year, we will go to govern the river together."

Baochai thought that Baoyu had studied with this Mr. Yin for a few days, and couldn't help but feel stabbed, but Li Wan didn't realize it, and continued: "Baoyu has been ill these few days, and you haven't gone there either. My wife is too busy." Come on, let me help you for a few days. I am not a proficient hand. In addition, I just separated, and I have made up a lot from my savings. My wife said before, after all, these people They are all used by you, and when Baoyu is better, you still have to be the housekeeper." Baochai agreed, and Li Wan breathed a sigh of relief, and did not sit any longer, and Shi Shiran went.

Here Ying'er came in angrily and said: "Grandma is going to beat her up, she just gave us the hot stove." After Baochai was silent for a while, she said softly: "Under the nest, are there any eggs? "

In the evening, Baoyu woke up and took medicine again. Baochai saw that Baoyu seemed to be day by day, and felt relieved. Jia Mu and Mrs. Wang also sent people to ask questions. Baochai answered truthfully, so he thought about it. In two days, I will go to Dongfu to visit Xichun.Unexpectedly, before she could do anything for Xichun, she heard that Xichun received bad words from Youshi one day, and in a fit of anger, she cut off all her hair. Hearing the news, the whole family panicked.

Mother Jia is getting old now, her energy is declining, and Jia Amnesty's troubles made her even more discouraged, so now she lives with her eldest son, and she no longer interferes with housework as before, and just turns a blind eye and closes her eyes to follow in everything. Children and grandchildren make trouble.It's just that Mother Jia couldn't be indifferent to this matter. After all, Xichun was brought up to Rong Mansion and raised under her nose, how could she be allowed to spend her whole life as an ancient Buddha at a young age?

However, no matter who came to persuade her, Xichun was determined to become a monk, and did not agree to live with Jia's mother, but only asked to live in the Changcui nunnery in the garden, so as not to come out to be polluted by dust.Jia Zhen didn't really have much affection for this girl, so she let Youshi make the decision and let Xichun worship the old nun of Tiekan Temple as a teacher, ordained ordained as a monk, but she didn't live outside the mansion, and was only confined in Changcui in the Grand View Garden. In the nunnery, someone opens the garden once a month and goes in to deliver firewood and rice. Only a few old women accompany and serve, and they are actually isolated from the outside world.Xichun then had her wish fulfilled, no more talking to others, just chanting scriptures and seeking the Dharma, in the Grand View Garden, accompanied by plants, trees, birds and animals, with decaying grass and cold smoke, morning bells and evening drums, like an ancient well without waves.