Love of Friends in the Red Chamber

Let's say that ever since Jia Cong heard that Tanchun had saved money from his private house and asked Baoyu to buy light things for her when she went out, his heart fluttered a few times and he made up his mind.After leaving the school that day, it was still early, so I made an appointment with Jia Huan, and the two brothers went to the market around Liulichang to hang out and play together.So only Cai An, Jia Cong's companion, and Zhao Guoji, Jia Huan's companion, followed, and the others dispersed.Zhao Guoji is the oldest among them. He is Aunt Zhao's brother, and he is Jia Huan's uncle, but the nephew is the master and the uncle is the slave. Jia Cong thinks that only a scheming embarrassment like Aunt Zhao would make such an embarrassment thing—let your brother serve your son.

Originally, I was going to Changdian to play, but on the way Zhao Guoji suggested that Changdian was busy during the Chinese New Year, and there were not many people at that time, so why not go to Liulichang, which is convenient and fun, Jia Cong and Jia Huan rarely come out , How can there be any suggestion, so the four of them took a shortcut to Liulichang.

On the way, Jia Huan talked about Baoyu's quarrel with Daiyu for some reason two days ago, and even smashed the piece of jade he brought. Character.Jia Cong was most concerned about this, so he hurriedly inquired: "I heard that what is the reason for the quarrel?"

Jia Huan then turned his head and ordered Cai An and Zhao Guoji to follow behind more than a dozen steps, while lowering his voice, he said to Jia Cong: "I heard from my mother that this Miss Lin is the second grandma Bao who was appointed by the old lady. She is going to marry Brother Bao—everyone in the house knows about it. Who knows that the wife doesn’t like Miss Lin, but Miss Bao——Miss Bao also has a jade gift from Brother Bao given by a monk and a Taoist priest. What about the paired golden lock. Some time ago, the old lady took Baoyu and the girls to Qingxu Temple to have a wedding ceremony, and the Taoist priest proposed marriage to Baoyu in public, and when she came back, Miss Lin and Brother Bao started arguing, probably because she was jealous." Jia Huan laughed obscenely.

Jia Cong didn't care about this, he just asked: "Did it get better later?" Jia Huan said indifferently: "After two days, the two reconciled. They were angry for three days, and they were good for two days. It was not once. Twice, the jade alone was smashed several times, but it was strange that the jade was strong and never smashed. It's just..." Jia Huan said mysteriously, "On the day they reconciled, the old man The wife said it herself, 'It's not that enemies don't get together', she clearly identified the young couple. You didn't see the ugly face of the wife at that time, and Miss Bao couldn't help it, scolding the little girl to vent her anger. "

"Oh..." Jia Cong thought, in this way, Bao Dai's marriage is a certainty, so why didn't it happen later?Let's wait and see.Chatting like this, we walked to Liulichang.Liulichang is an earthen street. There are antique calligraphy, painting, paper and pen shops on both sides of the road. The doors are not big, but the decoration is exquisite. Jia Cong has made rapid progress in calligraphy recently, and he is naturally very interested in calligraphy. The signboards They are all written by famous masters, such as Huaiyin Shanfang, Ruguzhai, Guyizhai, Ruichengzhai, Cuiwenge, Yidege, Li Fushou Bizhuang, etc. It is not enough to appreciate the past all the way. .There are also many stalls selling gadgets on the side of the road. The prices are cheap, but the things are very delicate.

Antiques are not bought, but all kinds of playthings are bought.Jia Huan bought two carved wooden swords with scabbards, and a hardwood kite string with old strings, which are flexible and usable.Jia Cong bought two boxes of Go pieces. The pieces were carved with black and white Bodhi pieces, all with natural texture and color. It looks quiet and simple.There is also an inkstone toad made of clear mud, which is simple and cute, and is used to pour water into the inkstone when writing.In addition, I bought a lot of clay figurine shows, such as flooding the golden mountain, playing the dragon and the phoenix, marrying a mouse to a daughter, splashing water in front of a horse, and so on.After a while, Cai An and Zhao Guoji were holding it in their hands and holding it in their arms. They couldn't take it any more, and Jia Huan and Jia Cong returned home with unsatisfied intentions.

On the way back, Jia Huan said that he was thirsty, so Zhao Guoji suggested to go to the Bofu Tea House not far away to eat ebony juice and candied crabapple.So the four of them walked forward meanderingly, and they saw the signboard of Bofu Tea House not far away. There were two small doors, and there was a dark curved ruler counter inside. The inside was neatly cleaned and spotless.There are two large blue and white porcelain jars with lids beside the counter. When the lids are lifted, a small porcelain jar is seen inside, and there are sparkling ice cubes on the side to cool it down—it’s cool to look at.

Jia Cong said to give everyone a bowl, and Zhao Guoji said with a smile: "Men, drink a bowl first and try it, but usually people who come here don't drink less than three bowls, it just depends on how big your stomach is." But Huan said disdainfully: "You're just bragging, I don't believe it tastes better than the sour plum soup in the mansion." The shopkeeper and the waiter didn't intervene, just pursed their lips and smiled, and the waiter used wooden raisins to carry it. The ebony juice, served in a small porcelain bowl, was placed on the counter.Jia Cong and the others picked it up, it was cold, sweet and sour, and they couldn't bear to finish it in one go.Sure enough, everyone drank three or four more bowls later, which was considered enjoyable.Then he used some candied and dried fruits at will, and when he was about to leave, Jia Huan let out a surprise and said, "Isn't that Brother Bao?"

When Jia Cong looked quickly, he saw Baoyu talking and laughing with a handsome man, walking towards the opposite restaurant, Liang Yixuan.The man was dressed gorgeously, but he didn't see the nobleness of the young master in his eyes. When Jia Cong was frowning and wondering who this man was, Jia Huan smiled and said, "Brother Cong, don't you even recognize that man? That's the most handsome man in the capital today." The red opera singer Qi Guan." Jia Cong suddenly realized: "So he is Jiang Yuhan." Jia Huan wondered: "Even brother Cong knows?" Jia Cong thought for a while, pretending to be mysterious with a smile: "I also know, This Qi official met Baoyu for the first time, and he gave Baoyu a red sweat scarf as a gift, which is a tribute from the mistress of Qianxiang Kingdom, and was given to Qi official by the prince of Beijing." If you ask about such a confidential matter, Jia How Cong knew, of course it was because of the spoiler of "Dream of Red Mansions".

Here Jia Cong continued to tease Jia Huan: "I just don't know why Baoyu and Qiguan went to sit in the restaurant?" Jia Huan replied without hesitation: "The cuigai shark's fin and fried shrimp section of Liang Yixuan are famous..." He suddenly came to his senses, "Brother Bao is blatantly wandering around as an actor and giving away private things, if father finds out..." He rolled his eyes and smiled wickedly.Jia Cong reminded: "Don't go to sue by yourself, be careful that the old lady and the wife know, and they won't let you off lightly - if such a word spreads, how many people are waiting to be courteous, and someone will tell uncle." Jia Cong Huan nodded again and again.

Let's say that Jia Cong returned to the mansion, changed his clothes, and went to Yingchun's residence in Zilingzhou, Grand View Garden, and sent the playthings to Yingchun.Entering the courtyard gate, seeing the surroundings were quiet, and she didn't know what the maid was doing, so Yingchun leaned on the couch and read the chess record by herself.Seeing that it was Jia Cong, Yingchun smiled and got up to give up his seat. Jia Cong asked Yingchun if he could sit down, took out the chess pieces and other things, and said with a smile: "After the second sister moved to the garden, I wanted to give some fresh and fun things. Things, right as congratulations on the housewarming, but what good things can I have there, even if I can’t get a single word or a picture, I let my second sister laugh at me. I happened to go shopping in the market today, but I saw some things that are not common at home. It's a thing, my sister can keep it for others."

Yingchun smiled and thanked, while looking at the chess piece, although it is not expensive, but the material is natural and moist, and it is not heavy in the hand.She loves playing chess the most, so she likes it very much.Watching the inkstone toad and clay figurine show again, it felt more fresh, and he couldn't put it down to watch it again and again, saying: "Cong'er has a heart. A few days ago in the third sister's house, I saw her some things that Baoyu bought from outside. What are you talking about?" The air stove in the pile of clay, and the small basket made of willow branches, I love it, but they were all snatched by Sister Lin, Sister Yun and Fourth Sister. The third sister said that she would find Baoyu to buy them. , I haven't seen a shadow yet..."

Jia Cong just nodded, saying in his heart that Baoyu was busy dating the actor, so he didn't think about it.But he said in his mouth: "These are not worth anything. I usually pass by those big corridors and temples after school. There are many interesting things. If the other sisters and sisters like it, the second sister can just give them to them, and then tell me to buy it." It's not worth a lot." The siblings talked for a long time, only to see a maidservant with clear eyebrows and neat manners come out from the back room to lift the door curtain to serve tea. Jia Cong thought to himself: "This second sister's room The people who serve are too tired and lazy, and they can't even keep up with my room."

But Yingchun got these things, and sure enough, the sisters all liked them very much, and within a few days, they sent a maid, Xiuju, to invite Jia Cong to Zhuijinlou. There are only these two close-fitting servant girls who serve loyally, the rest are sharp-tongued, bullying Yingchun's good nature, and they are concubines, not very respectful.The monthly money and allowances for welcoming the Spring Festival are often deducted by these mothers, so there is no spare money to buy things, only the sisters help her.Now that I got a good one, I am naturally willing to share it with my sisters, so Tanchun went to the clay figurine show of Yanchan and "A Mouse Marries a Daughter". Yingchun asked Jia Cong to buy it again, Yingchun has always been easy to talk to, not to mention she has grown up so much, and she has never seen these sisters come to ask her for anything, so she naturally agreed.

As a result, Jia Cong has been to the Grand View Garden a lot recently, and got a lot of interesting things: In addition to toad-shaped inkstone drops, there are also different shapes such as shepherd boy, old cow, and gourd; there are also sorghum leaf woven inkstones. The green grasshoppers, dragonflies and butterflies are exactly the same as the real ones and are lifelike; there are also grasshopper cages made of reeds and bamboo strips, which are divided into upstairs and downstairs. Among them, crawling up and down and chirping is also interesting...

In this way, the sisters in the Grand View Garden all know that there are interesting things in the Yingchun House, and they often ask Yingchun to find Jia Cong to buy things. Even the innocent sister Lin is moved by those little things, but she naturally does not For Jia Cong, You Baoyu worked hard for her and made her happy.

Not long after such a pleasing day, the undercurrent surged again.Because Baoyu didn't come to school for several days, Jia Cong was puzzled and asked Jia Huan if Baoyu was ill.However, Jia Huan secretly told him an explosive news: "Brother Bao has been shameless for the past two days. He beat Jin Chuan'er and kicked him out." Jia Cong wondered after hearing this, "Isn't Baoyu the one who should be beaten the most? Why did you only punish that maid?" Jia Huan curled his lips and said, "Who said Isn’t it? It’s not a day or two for my wife to be partial to Baoyu—that Jin Chuan’er deserves it. She usually smiles when she sees Baoyu, but she doesn’t answer me when she sees him. The son has suffered from Baoyu, and told her to go to the water like that."

Within two days of saying this, a strange incident was spread in the two mansions—the wife's maid, Jin Chuan'er, was thrown into a well and died.Everyone is puzzled, because the wife is the most merciful and compassionate person. She eats vegetarian food and recites Buddhism on weekdays. She doesn't even step on ants.This time, Jin Chuan'er was thrown out suddenly, and Jin Chuan'er jumped into the well for a moment. Everyone guessed that it was related to Baoyu.Jia Cong also strained his ears to listen to the following.

The author has something to say: I really want to go to the old market.