The bear child of the Red Chamber, Jia Cong

Jia Cong hooked up with Pan Xigui and said that he would introduce him to a job. Pan Xigui was stunned for a moment and said, "I don't know anything."

Jia Cong said: "It's nothing, you are not in charge at all, just help him. He is an honest man with real skills, but he is stupid. There is another capable person who helps him, but that is his wife. It’s not cheap for a woman to come forward, but she happens to be lacking someone who is hardworking, can talk, and is not afraid of suffering and not dying to save face.”

Pan Xigui immediately said joyfully: "A villain is not afraid of suffering! Don't even mention any face!"

Jia Cong nodded, and said proudly with his hands behind his back: "It must be difficult at the beginning of a career. I believe that it will be famous forever in the future."

Pan Xigui couldn't help asking: "Dare to ask your lord, what is your job?"

Jia Cong smiled and said: "I can't tell for a while. When the matter of the Xiangyang Houfu is over, I will take you to meet them. The leader is Shi Qiusheng."

Pan Xigui hurriedly said, "I remember it. The owner's surname is Shi."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Don't! It's not a boss, just a comrade."

Pan Xigui was at a loss.Seeing this, Chen Ruijin also smiled and said: "Don't worry, you will understand after getting along for a while." Pan Xigui then thanked the two of them again, and was ashamed to come to the door empty-handed.Chen Ruijin comforted him a few words, and he left.

After the servant sent Pan Xigui out, Chen Ruijin pondered, "Qi's natal brother and sister-in-law are so rude to Pan Xigui, they must not have Pan Xigui in their plans. The Xiangyang Marquis Mansion did not prepare a separate gift for Mingyi, and Mingyi is not what they wanted. picture."

Jia Cong said: "Since it is not her embroidery skills that can be pictured, it is her herself."

Chen Ruijin frowned and said, "She can have something good for herself. Could it be with the Liu family?" Then he said to himself, "It has nothing to do with the Liu family, otherwise Mingyi would be more important than her."

Jia Cong said with a smile, "Don't guess blindly, find someone to find out." He stood up and stretched his arms, ready to go to Yihong Courtyard in person.

It can't be said that this matter is inside the Qi family. Hualou Restaurant may not know about it, so Chen Ruijin went to Xiangyang Hou's Mansion.Unexpectedly, the old Hou Ye in Xiangyang was seriously ill, and the whole house was full of children and grandchildren standing on the ground.The old man said in the past that he would not be finished soon, and he has not died until now.After peeking at the useless news for less than half an hour, Chen Ruijin thought that it was almost noon, so he had to go back to have lunch, and take a walk outside before leaving.

Then I heard a grandma who didn't know their family ask a woman in the porch: "How about the filial piety clothes prepared for the granddaughter of the fifth uncle?" ranked fifth.

Just listen to the old woman say: "The servant went to their house in person, saw her in person, knew the size, and now people are rushing to make it."

The grandma said: "Hurry up. It's not safe..." She turned her head towards the room, "I can't make it tonight." The old woman hurriedly agreed.

Chen Ruijin followed the woman to a servant's courtyard, where there were all kinds of newly made filial piety clothes.The mother-in-law shouted: "Wu Chengfu's family!" A daughter-in-law rushed out to meet her.The woman said, "The thing you said in the morning, hurry up."

Then Wu Chengfu's family said: "The two are working together to catch up."

The mother-in-law said: "It's okay to add another hand. If you can't say it at night, you have to do it." Wu Chengfu's family understood and recited a Buddha.The woman went in to see the results and left.Chen Ruijin took a peek at the filial piety clothes. Although it was not finished, the material and style must have been made according to the master's rules.

Back at Lixiangyuan for lunch at noon, Jia Cong got the news that "the Marquis of Xiangyang is going to be overwhelmed, it's just a matter of one or two days".Hearing this, Jia Cong hurriedly sent someone to the Falcon Bookstore in the west of the city: "Tell them the owner to keep people careful outside. From this afternoon to evening, people from Xiangyang Marquis Mansion will surely rob Mingyi's mother. Today is It's the Lantern Festival, let the children have a good time, and don't be disturbed by messy things." The kid went happily.

Not long after, the messenger came back and said: "Yin Qiye said, thank you, Third Master, for reminding that the people in charge of the Xiangyang Houfu cannot get close to both ends of the alley." Jia Cong nodded, and put the matter aside for the time being.Then someone told Jia Lan to ask Jia Zheng to say hello to him at night, and then quietly take his mother out to watch the lantern;

At night, there are lanterns all over the street.It was the first time for Jia Cong and Chen Ruijin to celebrate the Lantern Festival in central Beijing, and they walked slowly to the lively places hand in hand.When we arrived at the gate of Qin's cocoa tea shop on Zhuque Avenue, many people gathered around to guess the riddle.Taking a closer look, there was Liu Xianglian riding her daughter on her neck in the crowd, and Qin Keqing was seriously guessing her own lantern riddles beside her.Of course she guessed right!Coaxed my daughter to clap her little hands and applauded, and got a Kitty cat lamp.Jia Cong couldn't help muttering: "There is no such thing as cheating."

Suddenly someone said: "Why did you cheat?" Turning around, it was Liu Xiaoqi, with three children Liu Zhuang, Liu Mingyue, and Liu Mingyi beside him, saying hello to both of them.Chen Ruijin smiled and praised them a few words.

Jia Cong didn't answer, but asked, "Did you bring them out? Don't Ming Yi's parents go shopping?"

Liu Xiaoqi said: "The two of them are not interested." Jia Cong glanced at him again.Liu Xiaoqi understood, and said, "Youxiao went blind in the afternoon, and wanted to come to Qiye's territory to cause trouble. If you stay far away, my people will beat you away."

Jia Cong shook his head: "I'm afraid it's a scholar who meets a soldier, so I can't explain why."

Liu Xiaoqi snorted, "It's the rule in Jianghu that soldiers come first and then salute." When he asked what was going on, Jia Cong told him in a low voice.Liu Xiaoqi frowned.

Liu Mingyi pointed to a little tiger's lamp to ask for it; Liu Xiaoqi looked at the title, but couldn't figure it out.Chen Ruijin pursed his lips and smiled, and went inside to quietly ask Qin Keqing, but he went up to answer the riddle, won the light and came back.Liu Mingyi held up the lamp and said triumphantly to Liu Xiaoqi: "Uncle Qi is not as smart as Aunt Chen!" Liu Xiaoqi clearly saw how Chen Ruijin got the answer, and rolled his eyes.

After a night of leisurely shopping, Jia Cong also won more than a dozen lamps, but holding them was in the way, and most of them were given to the cute children near Zuo.In the end, only an ordinary octagonal revolving lantern was left, and Chen Ruijin got it and held it in his hand.

Go back to Lixiangyuan to clean up the meeting and have some tea.Chen Ruijin looked at the revolving lantern for a long time, and sighed: "I also got such a lantern during the Lantern Festival when I entered the palace. At that time, I still thought it was not novel..."

Jia Cong said: "It is the essence that is refined. Your eyesight was really bad at that time. This is a standard octagonal revolving lantern, which has become a cultural symbol. It has been passed down thousands of years ago and will continue to be passed down thousands of years later. Go. How can those fancy lanterns that change every year have more symbolic meaning than this?" Chen Ruijin gave him a sideways glance, but also let go of those sad and melancholy.

The next day I heard that the Marquis of Xiangyang had passed away.Jia Cong hurriedly sent someone to Falcon Bookstore to ask, and sure enough, Liu Xiaoqi said that from last night to this morning, three groups of people had been beaten away.Two of them were sent by the Xiangyang Marquis Mansion, and one was obviously not from their mansion.Because they were wearing filial piety clothes, the members of the Liu family also stopped them from passing by, saying that it was bad luck that would hit their family's business.The leader choked up and said that his uncle was gone, and he came to report the funeral for his own sister.When the members of the Liu family asked him that his surname was also Qi, they beat him away with their fists.

Chen Ruijin couldn't help standing up: "I'm a little curious. What is the Xiangyang Houfu doing? It seems that the Qi family must be forced to mourn the old Lord Hou."

Jia Cong thought about it for a long time, then shook his head and said, "Even I, a magic stick from later generations, can't guess it."

Chen Ruijin smiled and said, "I'll go check it out." Nai turned around and went inside to change clothes and left.

Jia Cong also said: "In a few days, I will also join in the fun and pay homage to him! I knew Qi Jianhui before." Because of this name, it is very popular for future generations. "It's just that after going south, I seldom return to Beijing, and it's rare to see each other."

Chen Ruijin said: "Why don't you go now? You should also inquire about it."

"There has been no contact between our mansion and their mansion, and it's a bit abrupt for me to go." Jia Cong thought for a while, "Maybe Second Uncle will go. How about sending someone to follow him?"

"It's better to let Lang Geer follow."

Jia Cong was right after thinking about it, so he ordered someone to call Jia Lan over, and gave him instructions for a long time.Jia Lan said, "Don't worry, third uncle, I understand." Jia Cong nodded and patted him on the shoulder.

Chen Ruijin went to Xiangyang Hou's mansion and took a look. The gate of the mansion was opened, and the mountains and mountains were shaken by crying.People inside and out are all people, most of them are relatives of Xiangyang Marquis Mansion, and there are also guests from outside.People from the Yin Yang Department of Qintianjian are choosing a date, and they have chosen to stay for 49 days, and the funeral will be held three days later.When she was working for Liu Dengxi in the early years, she had spied on many dignitaries in Beijing, and most of the people who came here today were friends with the mansion, but there were some people she didn't recognize.

Not long after, Jia Lan came to prepare a sacrificial ceremony under Jia Zheng's order.First went to worship in front of the spirit, and then talked with the children of Qi's family who accompanied the guests.When a new customer arrived, he said, "Go do your work. I'll gossip with people and return to my home." The Qi family member cupped his hands and greeted others.Jia Lan spent half a day in Xiangyanghoufu before leaving.

Chen Ruijin didn't get any news from this trip, but Jia Lan said, "I saw two people. I've seen them a few times before. They are important to the special envoy of King Chu. But they went earlier than me, so I left them." I haven't left yet, and I haven't seen worship or help, as if I was just waiting there."

Jia Cong said: "Xiaoqi sent someone to say that Xiangyang Houfu is a good student. He changed five or six daughters-in-law and never wore filial piety clothes. He pretended to be going to buy embroidery with Qi's to confuse the Liu family. When they arrived at their house, they cried and complained that the old man was gone last night, and asked Mrs. Qi to go over and put on sackcloth and mourning. Of course, Mrs. Qi refused, so they went up and dragged her crying, and Ming Yi beat her up."

Chen Ruijin said: "It's fine. Everyone in their family is good at fighting, no matter how big or small they are."

Although Jia Lan was also curious, he kept his mouth shut and didn't ask.Jia Cong thought about it: "Lan'er, do you know if the King of Chu has anything to do with the Xiangyang Marquis's Mansion?"

Jia Lan lowered his head and said, "Nephew doesn't know."

Jia Cong said: "You just look at the scene and see if you have dated before."

"Never heard of it."

Jia Cong said: "It can be seen that even if they have contacts, they are secretly."

Chen Ruijin said: "Brother Lan knows it, and others must know it too. If they communicate secretly, how can they avoid it?"

Jia Cong frowned: "That's not dark, it's bright. There are not many contacts, so it won't make King Yan suspicious. The Xiangyang Marquis Mansion doesn't know any secrets, and it's not rich, so there's nothing to sell to others. "

Chen Ruijin said: "Whether it's because of the state of Chu or not, the Xiangyang Marquis Mansion wants to take advantage of the funeral of the old Marquis to lure Mrs. Qi to come over. Mrs. Qi is an ordinary girl, it's appropriate to come and rob her, why bother to lure her?"

Jia Cong snorted and said, "Being the tyrant in the west of the new city is nothing but nothing."

Chen Ruijin nodded: "That's right. They were afraid that people from Falcon Bookstore would make a move, so they didn't dare to mess around. Qi's temperament is not strong. From the perspective of those who don't know the details, even though she doesn't want to have any more contact with the Qi family, as long as her brothers The sister-in-law is more powerful, or the Xiangyang Marquis Mansion is more tyrannical, coax her or force her to agree to go to the mansion to mourn the old man, and Falcon Bookstore will not take care of it unless there is a big commotion." Jia Cong said no. feel nod.Chen Ruijin said again, "The most likely one who wants Qi's family is the special envoy of the King of Chu. The Xiangyang Houfu doesn't know where the Falcon Bookstore is, let alone be afraid of them."

Jia Cong thought about it for a long time: "I still haven't figured out anything about the Qi family that the special envoy of the King of Chu and the Houfu of Xiangyang should work together to find."

Chen Ruijin said: "This matter has been rushed and there is no careful plan. It is a temporary idea in the past few days to pull Qi's family to mourn."

"Besides, Mrs. Qi has been in the market for many years and has never been in contact with her family. Why did her brother and sister-in-law suddenly find her? There are so many people in Beijing, it would be difficult for me to find an ordinary embroiderer."

"Since Princess Jian'an helped her back last time, the Qi family no longer hides her ugliness outside. Her appearance and demeanor are obviously not from an ordinary small family. The lines are probably pulled back from the Qi family to Xiangyang From the waiting mansion. First find out where the Qi family is, then inquire about her identity, and go back to find her family and the Xiangyang Hou mansion." Chen Ruijin said, "The special envoy of the King of Chu often goes to places like Falcon Bookstore, and I don't know when. Then I saw it. Could it be that I fell in love with her?"

Jia Cong shook his head: "No. Her man is just a carriage driver. It's not easy for the prince's special envoy to abduct a commoner's woman? Just throw money to buy gifts and strike up a conversation." Then he thought, "What does the king of Chu have to do with her? Is it?" Unconsciously, I made up a bloody drama in the palace.

Chen Ruijin glanced at him: "The current king of Chu is the grandson of the first king of Chu, and he is not yet 20 years old. When the world was divided into feudal states, it became younger and younger."

Jia Cong frowned: "Forget it, I can't guess, let Shi Li send someone to investigate. By the way, I remembered something. When Brother Huan got married in the old year, it wasn't someone from King Jin who wanted to kidnap Jian'an Princess? I've been busy these days, and now it's time to clean up King Jin after I'm done."

"Princess Jian'an said that King Jin will take care of her."

"Huh? How did she clean up? I thought she forgot about that."

"Does she seem like someone who forgets important things?" Chen Ruijin said, "The king of Jin won't live long anyway."

Jia Cong laughed and said, "The women in our family are all so powerful." Turning his head to see that Jia Lan was still standing still, he said, "Is Lan'er not scared?"

Jia Lan shook her head: "My nephew already knows a lot of things." He added, "Although my nephew doesn't know who that Qi is... If she is not worth the effort of the special envoy of the King of Chu, maybe they have misunderstood her. "

"Misunderstood?"

Jia Lan said: "I mistakenly thought she knew something."

Jia Cong and Chen Ruijin looked at each other - the Qi family came from the palace and gave birth to a daughter in the palace.It's quite easy to misunderstand.