The bear child of the Red Chamber, Jia Cong

Woke up this morning to serve Fourth Master Ding and went to the Yamen, while Bai Lan sat on the kang in a daze.For a long time, the little girl reminded in a low voice: "Auntie, why don't you go say hello to grandma today?"

Bai Lan shook her head: "No, I'm going on a long trip today."

The little girl was taken aback for a moment: "Traveling away? Where is Auntie going?"

Bai Lan said: "Last night, the fourth master agreed to let me go to Ping'an Prefecture to buy a household registration of a good citizen. I'm afraid I will have long nights and dreams, so I want to leave today."

The little girl said: "Let the fourth master send someone to buy it for my aunt. Why bother to come to my aunt for a visit?"

Bai Lan said: "I've made up my mind to go in person, and fourth master has agreed. Let's pack up our bags and start." As he spoke, he was about to get up.

The little girl was anxious, and grabbed her: "Auntie, don't be reckless! Such an important matter needs to be discussed in the long run. When the fourth master comes back, we can discuss it and arrange a convoy of escorts before we can leave! Otherwise, what should we do if we meet bad people on the road."

Bai Lan smiled and said, "Didn't you go to the Taiping Escort with me two days ago? It's very safe to entrust them to deliver the darts."

The little girl stumbled and said: "But their family is very expensive! Their bodyguard told me yesterday that their bodyguard agency is the only one in the whole country that is the most expensive. It is clear that they have such a large family property, so it is not good for the family to arrange staff? Besides , what if a group of reckless men who have never seen a woman have any evil thoughts?..."

The little girl kept persuading her, but Bai Lan could no longer hear her.It was as if a thunderbolt hit the top of my head, my ears were buzzing, and my brain hurt.The pain immediately spread throughout the body, like needles pricking from head to toe.I don't know how long it took, the ears gradually became able to hear the sound, and the little girl was crying, still trying to persuade her not to go.Bai Lan closed her eyes and slowed down, she fell onto the kang and did not move.With tears in her eyes, the little girl persuaded Huizi again, and covered her with a quilt.

Suddenly a daughter-in-law came in and said, "It's time for Auntie to go and say hello to grandma." The little girl waved her hand: "Auntie is really sick, let her rest for a while."

After lying down for a long time, Bai Lan turned over.The little girl hurried forward to serve.Bai Lan's eyes were pinkish and smooth, and it was obvious that she had cried once.Nai wiped away his tears, called the little girl to come closer and said, "There is a letter on my case, which is addressed to Sister Huang of Jixiang Embroidery Workshop. Don't tell anyone, go out quietly and hire a carriage, and send it to Xianyang for her. Make sure no one notices it. After it’s delivered, ask her to write me a reply letter and come back right away.” Nai took out five taels of silver and gave it to her.

The little girl took the money and said: "Don't worry, grandma, no one will know about it!"

Bai Lan nodded: "Go and come back quickly."

The little girl changed into the clothes she was going out with, hid the letter in her bosom, and left quietly.Bai Lan clenched her hands into fists, her nails pinching her palms so painfully.

After a while, Bai Lan sat at the desk and wrote a letter to Fourth Master Ding.After thinking about it, I took the envelope and sealed it.I looked around the house a few more times.She had already deposited all the valuable and important things in the HSBC bank yesterday, so she just roughly packed up the leftovers and hid them on her body, packed two changes of clothes with her bag, and sat in a daze.Yesterday the escort said that they would arrive two quarters of an hour earlier than the agreed time, even if the two quarters of an hour earlier was counted, it would still be half an hour, Bai Lan was on pins and needles.Nai took a piece of paper and wrote down a rhythm.After finishing writing, she considered the words and sentences and made slight revisions.After changing it, the small western alarm clock on the shelf suddenly rang - the time to be decided with the Escort Bureau was approaching.

Two servant girls ran in: "Auntie, what's the matter?"

"Nothing." Bai Lan said, "It's the alarm."

The maid asked in surprise, "What alarm?"

Bai Lan had already pressed the bell and said, "It's just a small Western seafood." Putting down the alarm clock casually, she pointed to a maid and said, "Help me carry my clothes, come with me."

The two servant girls looked at each other, and the one who was accused agreed to go forward to pick up the burden.Bai Lan turned around and left, the servant girl followed closely behind.

The two went all the way to the west corner gate.Passing by the guest house mentioned by Kong Biaotou on the way, Bai Lan glanced sideways and said, "Yesterday I vaguely heard someone burning paper in this yard?"

The servant girl wondered, "Burning paper here?" She also turned her head to look, "I've never heard of it. Who would dare to come here to burn paper. A woman disappeared yesterday."

Bai Lan frowned: "It's gone? What did you do?"

This maid is also a bitch.Seeing that the master asked her for news, he said cheerfully: "Yesterday, she didn't go to work during the day. The lady in charge sent someone to look for her, but found that her bedding was in a mess and she was not at home. Looking around, the house was full of people. Not seeing anyone."

Bai Lan said, "Maybe you went to see your son?"

The servant girl shook her head: "Her man has long since disappeared, and she has not left a man and a woman behind. She has lived alone for the past 30 to [-] years. She has not been seen from any door in the house. Yesterday afternoon, out of fear of something unexpected, The stewards led people to check the wells everywhere. Now there is no one alive or dead, so I am afraid of people."

Bai Lan thought: "Since I didn't see anyone early, I must have gone out of the house. I have only been here for less than three months, and I heard that the night watchers have gradually released their birthdays. The mother-in-law has gone out, and those who are busy eating, drinking and gambling It’s not like she doesn’t have a badge.”

The maid couldn't help praising: "My aunt is so thoughtful! It makes sense." Bai Lan smiled lightly.So he put the matter aside and chatted with her about some homework.

During the conversation, the two had already left the west corner gate.Outside the door was a small street, and there was a medium-sized four-wheeled carriage parked not far from the street, with four large characters on the body: Taiping Escort.There is also the address of the escort agency written next to it.Bai Lan's whole body relaxed instantly, and her feet staggered.The maid was so frightened that she hurriedly supported her.Going closer, I saw a coachman jumping down from above, it was the one who pulled the rattan box to go to the bank yesterday.Seeing that he was an acquaintance, Bai Lan felt more at ease.

She then turned around and took the bundle from the maidservant's hand and said, "Go back and tell grandma that I have something urgent to go to Ping'an Prefecture, which was ordered by fourth master last night. If she wants to know what I'm going to do, Just ask Fourth Master. I'll be back when I'm done." The servant girl wanted to ask, but when she heard that Fourth Master asked auntie to do things, she didn't dare to ask again.Bai Lan said again, "Tell her again that there cannot be two tigers on one mountain. She has power and I have money, so they could be evenly matched. But now I am on the top of her mountain, and I am at a disadvantage. It's better to occupy the mountain separately."

The servant girl was stunned: "What did my aunt say?"

But at this moment the coachman came over and said, "Is that why the guest officer has such an idea for luggage?"

Bai Lan said with a smile: "I've been working in your bodyguard bureau and bank for the past two days, and I've also listened to sister Mei's advice to me yesterday, so I already understand. What kind of luggage do you want? Just bring money. If you have a bank, you don't even need money. "

The driver laughed loudly, took Bai Lan's baggage and threw it into the car lightly: "Please, sir."

Bai Lan glanced at him with a smile: "Wait a minute." Then she took two taels of silver from her bosom and gave it to the maid, "If you weren't grandma's, I would actually like you too." After saying that, she turned and got into the car.The servant girl took the money a little awkwardly, and took two steps back.The coachman whipped and urged the horse, and the wheels wrapped in rubber tires turned slightly.The maid stood in a daze, watching helplessly as the carriage drove out of the side street and disappeared.

The carriage drove for a while, and the driver said casually: "If we had known that the guest officer didn't bring your girl with us, we would have prepared a smaller carriage."

Bai Lan spat: "You shopkeeper charged me so much money, even sending a carriage was stinging, how stingy."

The coachman smiled and said, "It's not easy to do business, but it's all about careful work."

Bai Lan was silent for a moment, then sighed: "There is really no one in this world who can be relied on."

The driver's eyes moved: "Money is reliable."

"Not bad." Bai Lan sighed again, "Only money is reliable."

The coachman smiled and said, "You women like to think too much. In my opinion, it is reliable to say that there are brothers."

Bai Lan thought for a moment and said, "Boss, can you go to Chunfeng Building first?"

"Guest officer can go wherever he wants."

On the other side, the maid of Ding's family returned to the mansion, she didn't dare to delay, and went straight to Fourth Grandma Ding to answer the question.Fourth Grandma Ding heard this and frowned and said, "You said, Fourth Master sent Aunt Bai to work in Ping'an Prefecture?" The maid nodded.Grandma Ding thought for a long time, "Didn't she take her girl who came out of the brothel with her?"

The maid said: "The little fan went out early, and told us not to bring her lunch at noon, she ate outside. Aunt Li asked what she was doing, and she said she was doing things for my aunt. Aunt Bai never talked to us. We dare not ask about important matters.”

Grandma Ding thought for a long time again: "How did you and your aunt go out today, and what did she tell you on the way, you can tell me again from the beginning."

The servant girl agreed and started from the beginning.When Bai Lan heard that someone was burning paper in the deserted guest courtyard, Fourth Grandma Ding hurriedly asked, "Why haven't I heard about this?"

The servant girl said: "The servant has never heard of it. I think that little fan heard it from somewhere." Grandma Ding's heart was beating like thunder, and she immediately called someone to check.

Not long after, the daughter-in-law came back and said: "There is indeed a pile of paper ashes and undissolved leftovers in the yard. There is a hole under the big maple tree, and some paper ashes are buried in the hole, and a pile of paper ashes is placed beside the hole. A shovel." As she spoke, she took out an earring, "The servant found this."

Fourth Grandma Ding looked at it, and it was a pendant inlaid with white jade and gold the size of a fingernail.She thought for a moment and said, "I seem to see someone wearing such a thing, but I just can't remember."

The daughter-in-law said: "This jade looks good when you look at the head of the water. Ordinary servants may not be able to afford it. It must be rewarded by some wife, grandma, or girl."

Grandma Ding looked at it again: "It's strange. I have seen it. Forget it, take it out and find someone to identify who it is." The daughter-in-law responded and left.Grandma Ding shouted, "Come back!" The daughter-in-law hurried back. "Let's show it to Grandma." She said, "If you're not in her position, you won't seek her own government. These things belong to my sister-in-law. Is it possible that I should do it for you? Even tell her about the ashes. .” The daughter-in-law took the order and left.

After a while the woman came back and said: "The eldest grandma said thank you to the fourth grandma, she has led people to investigate."

In the afternoon, Grandma Ding brought her two important daughters-in-law to visit Grandma Fourth.Fourth Grandma hurriedly stood up to greet her.The eldest grandma sent everyone else out, and said in a low voice: "Fourth sibling, where did you hear that someone burned paper in that yard?"

The fourth grandma said: "Auntie Bai heard what her little girl said in our yard, and she casually said it to the girl next to her, and then passed it to my ears. Is there something wrong?"

The eldest grandma frowned: "I don't know. In that yard...the eldest daughter of the third room cast a heavy curse when she was about to get married. The earrings have been found out, and they belong to Mrs. Guan who suddenly disappeared yesterday." The fourth grandma took a breath.The eldest grandma glanced at her, "There is one more thing."

"Sister-in-law, please speak."

"The earrings... Mrs. Guan told the two women she has been friends with that you rewarded them from your fourth sibling."

The fourth grandma was shocked: "I have never admired that earring! I have never had such a style of earrings."

The eldest grandma said: "I just thought this matter was suspicious, so I came to ask you to check it. If you didn't give it to me, it would be obvious that Mrs. Guan is lying. Why is she lying about some trivial things?"

Fourth Mistress thought for a long time, and suddenly said: "I remembered who that Mrs. Guan is!"

It turned out that when Bai Lan first entered the mansion, Fourth Grandma was very unhappy, complaining that her husband had abducted Fantou into the house.One day, she went to greet her wife.Just after leaving the hospital, I saw a woman holding a broom and looking up at the leaves.A servant girl who followed said, "Ma'am, what do you see it doing?"

The woman said: "I'll see how many leaves it has, and figure out when it will fall off. Then it will be a bare tree trunk."

The servant girl laughed and said, "What's so interesting about it. Depending on how many it has, it must be removed in winter."

The mother-in-law also laughed and said: "Isn't it? Sooner or later it will be cleaned up, and sooner or later my old woman will have to clean it up. And let it live on the high branches for a while, at most three months."

Fourth Grandma thought of Bai Lan.She thought, the powder is like the leaves on this tree, it will fall off sooner or later.I'll wait and see how many tricks she has, and use them all first.When she was in a good mood, she rewarded the woman with a pair of earrings.Of course not this pair of white jade inlaid with gold.And it was exactly this pair that Guan Pozi wore on her ears that day.

A servant girl next to the Fourth Grandma said: "The slave was serving in the house at that time. The earrings were rewarded to her, and the grandma rewarded the slave with a pair."

The grandma said: "You go and get one and let me see it."

The maid hurriedly ran back to her own room to fetch it, it was a sapphire pendant the size of a grain of rice.Grandma Si nodded and said, "That's it."

Grandma stretched out her palm and put the two pendants together.The servant girl said: "This is too far away."

Grandma smiled and asked, "Look, what's the biggest difference?"

The servant girl said: "It's completely different."

The grandma said: "The price difference is the biggest. Hers is much more valuable than yours."

The fourth grandmother said: "If it was rewarded by other masters, why did she say that I rewarded it? If it wasn't rewarded by the master, she is a sweeping woman, where did she get such expensive earrings?"

The two grandmas were discussing, when someone came to report outside: "Li Cai's family is here, saying that there is something important to go back to grandma."

The eldest grandma hurriedly said to the fourth grandma: "I'll tell her, but she will reply to me as soon as she has the earrings." Then she ordered her to come in.

The woman in charge replied: "The people around the third wife recognized it. This earring originally belonged to the third wife. One day a few months ago, the third wife went to the garden alone, and when she came back, she lost the earring. When the servant asked, she said it was a reward." She hesitated for a moment, then whispered slightly, "The girl said that Mrs. Guan often went to pay her respects to the third wife. The day before yesterday, she had a long conversation with the third wife in the room. She After leaving, the servants went in to have a look, and the third wife's eyes were swollen from crying."

The two grandmothers wondered: "Why is the third wife crying? If it is because of their eldest daughter, it will be these days." The eldest grandmother asked, "But the eldest daughter of the third room didn't write to the third wife?"

Li Cai's family said: "I heard that I haven't come for a while."

The grandma said: "Send someone to the family temple to ask. Her mother only has her daughter. Even if she is a monk, she should send letters to comfort her from time to time." Someone agreed to go.

The eldest grandma thought for a while: "I'll go see the third wife."

The fourth grandmother said: "I will go with my sister-in-law."

The two went hand in hand to the third wife's courtyard.A pretty little maid greeted her with a smile on her face.The eldest grandma asked: "How is your wife?"

The little servant girl smiled and said: "It was not well these few days, but it suddenly got better just now."

"How's it going?"

"A letter from the eldest girl."