Daiyu's wife in the Red Chamber

Jia Lian and Sister Feng were most worried about this. Back then, Zhen's family drove four times in succession. How beautiful it was, but now the cost of doing things is higher than that of their own family. .

After being surprised, Sister Feng asked, "What's the matter? Why did you ransack the house? What are the charges?"

Jia Lian showed her the mansion report, and replied: "These days we are busy with the old lady's birthday, but we don't know that something big happened in the court. Today's saints issued more than a dozen decrees one after another, and began to check the money and food in various places and make up for the deficit. The Zhen family, any officials who are short of money and food will be dismissed immediately once they are exposed, and they will be punished according to the amount of the shortfall."

Sister Feng's face was ashen, and she tremblingly said: "So, our family is also among them?"

Jia Lian said in a low voice: "The first thing to check is the officials sent out from all over the country. Old accounts such as the Lianghuai Salt Department, Jiangning Weaving, Suzhou Weaving, etc. These are all big money-losers. There is no order from the capital yet, and it is expected that it will not be far away. .” That is to say, the Jia family has not yet been affected.

Sister Feng was startled, and said, "This is to check old accounts? If you check the Lianghuai salt department, is Uncle Lin in it?"

Jia Lian said: "Uncle Lin's accounts were naturally checked, but I heard from my husband that when Uncle Lin was in office, among other things, the accounts were very clear. There was no deficit left, and even if there was any, it belonged to the predecessor and had nothing to do with him. And Uncle Lin has already paid back the silver owed by his ancestors."

Jia Lian also learned from Li Ming that Lin Ruhai had an agreement with Jia's mother. The two families got married. Only a third-class woman was sent to pick up Daiyu, but when Lin Ruhai was seriously ill, she sent herself to send Daiyu there, and it took nearly a year before she returned to Beijing.He didn't want Lin Ruhai to get the news that Jia Zheng hadn't seen Daiyu, that Mrs. Wang didn't like Daiyu and that she had a good relationship with Daiyu before his death. He was afraid that Mrs. Wang would treat Daiyu badly, so he immediately changed his mind.

Li Ming is Lin Ruhai's confidant and has received Lin Ruhai's great kindness. He told Jia Lian at this time that he followed Lin Ruhai's wishes, but what Lin Ruhai meant, Li Ming was still puzzled, and never told Jia Lian.Even if he told Jia Lian that the Jia family continued to behave indiscriminately, and that they would inevitably be convicted, Lin Ruhai had analyzed it before his death. crime.

Sister Feng raised her eyebrows when she heard about this, and said with a sneer, "So that's it! So that's it! She had her eye on the Lin family's fortune early on. Let me tell you, if it is said that the old lady loves Sister Lin, it is worse than our family's. The three sisters are stronger, second only to Baoyu, but they are not necessarily better than when the concubine was in the boudoir, or even inferior. The food, living and treatment are the same as the three sisters in our family, and there is no difference. On the contrary, sister Lin was named the county magistrate The houfu didn't dare to neglect her, and she was treated like the head of the county, so she never suffered. And when sister Lin first came to Beijing that year, not to mention the satin mentioned by the second wife and the behavior of the sisters who knew the visitor still went to school, Even the old lady who covered the house didn't tell me to clean it in advance. When Sister Lin came to Beijing, someone came to the mansion one day in advance to tell me when she would be home. But after dinner, there was really nowhere to live, so Sister Lin's nanny came to ask about the room. At home, the old lady just arranged it in the green gauze cupboard. Later, when Sister Shi came, she saw that Sister Lin and Baoyu were good friends, and they quarreled a few times. The old lady was impartial, and she didn’t see how to treat Sister Lin favorably.”

The servants of Jia's mansion are all human sperm, but from the events of Daiyu's entry into the mansion and the treatment in the mansion, it can be seen that there are many ways. Since Jia's mother does not attach much importance to Daiyu, naturally gossips follow one after another, and she turns around to flatter her. Baochai.Yuanyang is Jiamu's first confidant and deacon's maid, how does she treat Daiyu on weekdays?Sister Feng had doubts in her heart for a long time, and she finally solved it today.

Speaking of this, Sister Feng thought of something again, and said: "When Rong's daughter-in-law died that year, you sent your confidant to Beijing to ask the old lady to show her. The old lady was uncomfortable for several days. I only think that the old lady is because of Rong The death of the daughter-in-law is just like this. After all, the old lady loves Rong’s daughter-in-law very much. Now that I think about it, I am afraid that I am dissatisfied with Uncle Lin’s donation of the family property, but I can’t say anything. It was like this once before this incident. Uncle Lin sent Someone came here once and sent a letter, presumably because they disagreed with the marriage between the two families. It is no wonder that the old lady was not very happy when she heard that Uncle Lin had left another sum of money to Sister Lin to cause civil unrest in Ping'an Prefecture last month. It's beautiful. Fortunately, sister Lin was named the county head by virtue of Uncle Lin's feat, otherwise we don't know how to be bullied in our house."

Jia Lian said with emotion: "Who in the world is selfless? The old lady and the second wife just set their eyes on the Lin family and the Xue family. Both of these two families are rich and have the same heart as the two, but they didn't expect Uncle Lin Changed my mind, Sister Lin got married, and the old lady’s bamboo basket fetched water in vain. Let’s not talk about it, we all know it in our hearts. Promised, what do you say about the second wife?"

Sister Feng said with a smile: "After all, that is my aunt. Let her go. She has violated several laws and regulations. Besides, she has already been convicted by then. So what if the second master resents the second wife? It's useless." .”

But Jia Lian said: "If the second wife hadn't been thinking about the golden and jade marriage, we would not have been accused of losing money."

Sister Feng said: "Forget it, forget it, it's all like this, what's the use of talking about it? Who doesn't know the benefits of Sister Lin? The second wife's temper is left and she believes in a golden and jade marriage. Let's not talk about it in the future. After all, Sister Lin has left the cabinet. It's not good to go out. What other charges are there against the Zhen family? Let's take a look, and then we'll see if there are any in our family."

Although I knew that I had committed a lot of crimes in my family, and I also knew that the future was not good, but when things came to an end, Sister Feng felt a little panic. Who wants to suffer the disaster of ransacking the family?Even if they had made plans early, they still didn't want to end up like this.

Jia Lian looked down at the mansion newspaper, and said: "Early this morning, Xu Jie, the imperial envoy of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, filed bullets to impeach Zhen Yingjia. He was accused of dozens of crimes, and the most serious one was the loss of official funds, which amounted to more than three million taels. The Supreme Emperor said that their family It is owed by the four pick-ups, not out of intention, and should be tolerant, but today's sage said that Zhen's family has been rich and well-fed in recent years, and they were extravagant, which is better than his old man's family. He used it on himself and refused to return it to the national treasury. In addition, there are charges of usury, bullying, buying and selling official positions, champerty lawsuits, associating with foreign officials, and accepting bribes. Thinking about it, there are more than [-] charges in our family. They have all committed crimes, I am afraid that our family will be found in the future, and it will be the same."

As Jia Lian said, he was startled and his face was very ugly. The Zhen family was convicted, and he couldn't help but think of his own family. Even the husband said that his family would definitely follow in the footsteps of the Zhen family, but he didn't know sooner or later.

Sister Feng paused and said: "What the second master said is that we are afraid that our family will not be far from each other. The sage old man is right. The Zhen family lives ten times better than the palace. Their family has been in charge of Jiangning weaving for many years, and how much silk and satin should be paid for? Pass their hands first, keep the good ones for yourself, and pay tribute to the rest. Others don’t know, how can we not know? Even the old lady said that the ones used by the government today are even inferior to those used by the government. Our family When giving gifts, most of the sixty bolts of silk and satin are useful. Their family’s gold mountains and silver seas don’t know how much they rely on power. I'm afraid my natal family won't be able to escape, and my grandfather picked up the car once when he was there, and owed three to five million taels, and later borrowed some more, but didn't pay it back."

Speaking of this, Sister Feng couldn't help crying: "If my natal family also committed a crime, like the Zhen family, can the second master tolerate me?" Even though she has had a good relationship with Jia Lian in the past few years, she is still a little worried.

Jia Lian hurriedly took her hand, and comforted her: "We are one husband and wife, how can we tolerate it? If I don't tolerate you, don't I become a character like Jia Yucun? Besides, my father-in-law's family can't escape, so can our family escape?" Is it? Our family was short of a million and only paid back 30 million, but we have not been found out. If we were found out, none of them would be able to escape."

Sister Feng held him tightly, crying and laughing, and said: "I'm afraid that if something like this happens to the Zhen family, the two of us don't care. We still feel lucky and feel that we are not as unlucky as the Zhen family. How can we be like the two of us?" Here to worry about this, worry about that."

Jia Lian sighed, "There's nothing we can do about it. Why don't we go and persuade our father and father-in-law?"

Sister Feng sneered and said, "Didn't the two of us persuade you on weekdays? How many times have you said it in secret? Although we dare not say it explicitly, we have said to the two masters that it is better to pay back the owed money early, and then we will pay back the money owed." Show them the imperial court regulations, who cares? On the contrary, the two of us were alarmist and scolded."

Jia Lian smiled wryly, indeed, even Jia Amnesty felt that with his own power, this would not be the case, let alone Prince Teng, who has been powerful all these years?Most of Sister Feng's arrogance in the past came from Wang Ziteng, who thought it was a trivial matter and didn't take it to heart at all.

After all, she didn't want her husband's family to be punished. After finishing speaking, Sister Feng lowered her head and thought for a while, and said, "Let's talk about it again tomorrow with the Zhen family."

At this moment, Mrs. Wang ordered someone to call for Sister Feng. Sister Feng had to change clothes and go out. When she arrived, Li Wan was also there. Mrs. Wang said in a deep voice, "something happened to the Zhen family. It's nothing important. Take care of the servants. Don't call me." Talk nonsense, make a fuss uncomfortably."

Li Wan bowed to answer, but Sister Feng said: "The Zhen family has been convicted now. Dozens of charges are not important?" Just looking at those charges, she and Jia Lian felt terrified. Thinking about their own family, they became even more terrified. , Why did it not matter when Mrs. Wang said it?As soon as Sister Feng said a word, she suddenly remembered her old self, wasn't she also fearless like this?

Mrs. Wang said indifferently: "There have been so many storms and waves, why do you care about such a trivial matter? In the past two or three decades, it's not that no one impeached the Zhen family for deficits. When was it serious and punished? On the contrary, they got a lot of vacancies, so that they can make up for the deficiencies."

Sister Feng thought to herself that the Supreme Emperor was in power at that time, but now he is in power today. The emperor and the courtiers are different.

Still wanting to elaborate, Mrs. Wang had turned to Li Wan and said, "It's time to enter the palace to stand for election. Have you finished finishing your third sister's clothes and jewelry as usual? Send them over as soon as possible to avoid fuss."

Li Wan hurriedly smiled and said, "Madam, don't worry, it's already done, and I'll send it to Qiushuangzhai myself. The hairpin rings are just upside down. The clothes fit well and are meticulous in every way. They are all made by fine people, no matter how picky they are." Can't fault it, the third younger sister has tried it on, and she likes it very much, and she will wear it when she enters the palace tomorrow, so no one will underestimate it."

Mrs. Wang sighed: "It's just that I can't talk about a suitable marriage. It just happens to be kind, so I asked her to try it. How can I just look forward to it? Bao girl with her appearance and demeanor has lost the election, let alone the third girl?"

Sister Feng sneered in her heart, but said in her mouth: "Don't worry, aunt, who in our family didn't know that the third sister won the noble son-in-law in the lottery that year."

Hearing these words, Mrs. Wang was suddenly touched, and said to Li Wan, "If you don't tell Feng girl, I will forget it. You are not stubborn enough in the garden during the day, so why are you making trouble at night? You are a sister-in-law and don't try to persuade Baoyu. Let him mess around."

Li Wan felt aggrieved, and had to tell the difference: "That day was Baoyu's birthday, no banquets and music were allowed outside, and the mansion did not dare to do anything. All the girls in Yihong Courtyard couldn't bear it, so they paid for Baoyu's birthday. , Baoyu felt that it was not lively enough, so he asked people to invite people around. We didn't want to go, but Xiren Qingwen waited for the life and death to pull over, and the third sister sent someone to call me and sister Qin, so we had to sit for a while , just watching Baoyu not tell him to make trouble with people lawlessly."

Mrs. Wang repeatedly praised her for doing a good job. She should have watched Baoyu a little bit, so that Baoyu would not know how to make trouble day and night, and suddenly remembered the past. Instead of mentioning attackers, she asked Qingwen, "Who is Qingwen?"

After hearing this, Li Wan wondered secretly that Mrs. Wang had always been concerned about Baoyu's affairs. How could she not know that Qingwen was given to Baoyu by Jia Mu's maidservant?So he concealed his doubts and replied: "It's the maid given to Baoyu by the old lady. She looks beautiful, speaks well, and does needlework well. All the maids in the mansion are inferior to her, and they are as useful as Xiren."

Mrs. Wang said: "Who is that girl with a water snake waist, slashed shoulders, eyebrows and eyes that looks a bit like Xi Shi? Last time when we were walking in the garden with the old lady, I saw her scolding the little girl. I really looked down on her." That crazy look."

Li Wan thought for a while, and said: "I remembered, I was also in front of me, it was none other than Qingwen that my wife saw."

Sister Feng's intuition was not good, she frowned, and said nothing, she listened to Mrs. Wang's praise of Xiren Sheyue's clumsiness, it was good, she despised Qingwen's frivolity, and was afraid that Baoyu would be seduced by her, so she immediately ordered someone to go called.

Coincidentally, Qingwen knew that Mrs. Wang hated such a romantic and beautiful person like herself the most. She usually didn't dare to show her head. Recently, she felt uncomfortable for days. Not in the eyes of Mrs. Wang, she was reprimanded and insulted for a long time, and she was ordered not to enter Baoyu's room to wait. Qingwen was so angry that she went back to Yihong courtyard in tears.

Sister Feng frowned slightly, feeling more and more that Mrs. Wang was scolding unbearably. Although she disagreed in her heart, she couldn't say it in her mouth. She heard that Mrs. Wang wanted to find out what looked like a goblin in Yihong's courtyard, so she sent Xiaohong to tell Baoyu when she returned to her room.

Baoyu was stunned, just because Qingwen was crying in her room and jumped up and down. Hearing this, she cried unconsciously, "I'm afraid I won't be able to keep it."

Xiaohong smiled and said, "Second Lord, don't cry in a hurry. What's the use of crying? Our grandma means to ask Second Master to be more careful and think of a way to come out, or ask the old lady for help. I'm busy admiring the moon at the Mid-Autumn Festival right now." The wife has no time for the matter, and after the festival is over, there must be action. But the wife said that she wanted to check all the goblins in the Yihong Courtyard except Xiren Muskyue. A few of you who are often naughty with you and know no taboos, all of them look good, which is why my wife usually dislikes them."

Baoyu shook her head and said, "I can't. Madam heard some words from somewhere. She picked out the beautiful girls in my room. Since she said so in front of her elder sister-in-law, Sister Feng, she has made up her mind. Even if the old lady comes forward, It’s also hard to turn back.”

Xiao Hong wondered: "How do you say that?"

Baoyu refused to say what Xiren had said in front of Mrs. Wang, and said: "Go back and tell Sister Feng, just say that I know. If you encounter any difficulties tomorrow, Sister Feng will help you. I will read it in my heart." For the benefit of my sister."

Xiaohong was full of doubts, so she had to leave.

Baoyu went to Qingwen's room. Seeing that there was no one else in the room, she was the only one holding her face and weeping bitterly. She couldn't help sitting by the side and told her what Sister Feng had sent Xiaohong to say, and said tearfully, "I understand you in my heart." Aggrieved, just now Xiaohong said that she was afraid that the wife would do something tomorrow. If the wife scolds you like this today, she will not let you in the future, I thought, I can't keep you. "

Qingwen cried: "I'm not convinced after all. Although I was born more beautiful and I usually don't let others, how could I have seduced you? Why did I become something like a goblin? If the second master doesn't keep me, where can I go?" ? You won’t leave even if you touch your head to death.”

Baoyu hurriedly said: "Live well, what are you doing with these bad words? I have an idea, and I'm afraid you won't follow it."

Qingwen was out of breath from crying, and finally calmed down. When she asked what her idea was, Baoyu said in a low voice: "Sister Lin left a yard for me to take care of when she left. There was an old couple guarding the gate, but they were clean. There are also many rooms. If Mrs. Ming'er really sends you away, you should go out first, and I will quietly ask Mingyan to pick you up there to recuperate. Having said that, I'm afraid there are as many people in our yard as you, otherwise my wife wouldn't say that. At that time, except for those with parents and family members, I will quietly arrange them to be your companions. ,how?"

Qingwen said with red and swollen eyes: "Second Lord, does this mean that the wife will kick us out?"

Baoyu sighed: "Although I can't be very sure, there are eight or nine points. I was worried a few months ago. Even you know that your wife has an ear god here. You are not good at being a human being, and you offend me again." There are many people who slander you, why can't you figure it out now? It's just that I don't know when it will happen, and I never thought it would be today."

Qingwen said blankly: "Could it be that I really can't stay?"

Baoyu waved his hand and said, "Let's go, I'll be clean when I leave. I'll make arrangements for you while I still have a little bit left, so I don't know who will slander you again. I'll take my thoughts out of my heart and give them to you." , are you agreeing or not? If you agree, don’t cry and take good care of your illness. I don’t know if there is a good doctor who will take care of you when you go out.”

Qingwen said with tears: "Second Master said so earnestly, why should I not? It's hard for Second Master to be spoiled and spoiled, but to think so thoroughly. Even if Second Master doesn't say anything, I know my wife won't tolerate me .”

Baoyu comforted her for a long time, and quietly ordered Mingyan to go to the courtyard to organize and tidy up for future use.

But Xiaohong replied to Sister Feng, and Sister Feng smiled and said, "Baoyu is old, and there is something he can do to solve it. Just ask him to make plans early, and don't worry about other things."

The next day, she was watching Jia Ying and Jia Xuan doing their homework in the room. Jia Xuan has already been enlightened, and now it is Qiao Jie who teaches him. A few women came, looking pale, flustered, carrying a lot of things, and went to the second wife's room, I don't know what to say about confidential matters."

Sister Feng's complexion changed, and she asked, "When did it happen? The second wife left everything behind?" As far as she knew, it was a crime for a criminal to transfer property, and it was also a crime for another family to hide the criminal's property.

Xiaohong said: "I don't know when it happened, but I must have come here to avoid people. When people left, they didn't take anything with them."

This means that Mrs. Wang left things behind.

Sister Feng immediately asked someone to invite Jia Lian to come, and asked Xiaohong to go down with a pair of children. When there was no one in the house, Fang said bitterly: "We are afraid that there will be more crimes. That's good, but the second wife has left the Zhen family behind." property."

After Jia Lian heard this, she frowned and said, "It's really audacious to the point of not knowing the heights of heaven and earth! What a crime the Zhen family committed, the second wife dared to stay. Grandma went to tell the old lady and asked the old lady to come forward and take care of it." Second Wife, it's not that we don't want to miss the old relationship, it's just that our family can't protect itself, how can we keep those things from the Zhen family?"

Sister Feng nodded slightly, and told Jia Lian to watch her children do their homework, and then go to Jia Mu's side.It happened that Jia's mother was lying on the couch, and Mrs. Wang said to her why the Zhen family was convicted, and now they have confiscated their property and returned to Beijing for punishment.

When Jia Mu heard this, she was feeling uncomfortable. When she saw Sister Feng coming, she asked, "What are you doing here?"

Sister Feng stood still and listened to a few words, and said tactfully: "It's because of the Zhen family's affairs. Our second master said that the Zhen family had privately transferred their property outside to several relatives and friends. According to the law, it is a serious crime to hide the belongings of criminal officials, so I came here to ask my aunt if anyone from the Zhen family has brought anything." When she spoke, she pretended not to know that the Zhen family had come.

Mrs. Wang said disapprovingly: "It's due to the old relationship, how can it be as strong as you said? The old friendship between us and the Zhen family these years, we can't just sit by and watch."

Jia Mu listened to Sister Feng's words, but she was thoughtful.

Sister Feng said with a smile: "I didn't say to stand on the sidelines and ignore it. If we were really like this, we would be ruthless. I thought, we would rather take out our own money to buy them a house and land if their family fell, and we can't accept it." The things in their house will be given to them after they come out. The ancestors and aunts think about it, is what I said reasonable or not? We will only give up a few taels of silver, but we will get a good name, and we will not have to bear the responsibility, isn’t it? Beautiful in every way?"

Jia Mu said: "What Feng girl said is reasonable, I would rather be more cautious. People like us are naturally not afraid of these things, and they have not confiscated these things in the past, but there are always such villains in the world who wait for the opportunity to move. Wouldn’t it be a big deal to let them know and sue us?”

Mrs. Wang has already received her things, several boxes of jewels and belongings, now that Zhen's family is in the limelight, but it is not easy to send them back, so she can only prevaricate: "I see, old lady, don't worry."

Sister Feng kept her eyes open and asked people to inquire afterwards, but she didn't see any movement in the upper room.

Jia Lian and Sister Feng only felt that the situation was urgent. After the Mid-Autumn Festival, they each proposed to Jia She and Wang Ziteng to make up the shortfall and return the owed money.

Who would have thought that one of these two is incompetent and self-confident that he has paid back several 10 taels of silver and is better than others, and he is really reluctant to part with himself, and the house really has no money. When the crimes would be implicated in their own family, they ignored them. On the contrary, they said that Lianfeng and his wife were worrying unnecessarily, leaving them sighing and depressed.

Sister Feng said angrily: "If you don't care about it, let's not talk about it. There is only one girl, the fourth sister, who was born last month. It happened to be the old lady's birthday and she hadn't taken off her clothes. After all, it's been 27 months." Hurry up and tell her that a marriage is serious."

She said and sighed: "I just have pity on our sister Qiao and brother Xuan."

Jia Lian said in relief: "Don't even think about these things. I have thought about our family's crimes. It probably won't hurt the two siblings. Besides, even if we are engaged, it is not without regret. The second sister is fine, the second brother-in-law It's a concubine, our family is ruined, Mrs. Baoninghou won't do anything to the second sister. It's the fourth sister, although she grew up with the second and third sisters in our family, and the diet and daily life are exactly the same, after all, she is not a concubine, Dongfu has a bad reputation It's hard to find if you go to the high gate, and if you're low, you're afraid that our family will lose and she will be bullied by her parents-in-law."

Just as she was talking, Xiaohong came in in a hurry and said, "Grandma, grandma and Master Bao really guessed it. My wife just went to Yihong Courtyard to investigate, and she has taken Qingwen out, and ordered that only her be taken away." Throw out the close-fitting clothes, and leave the rest of the good clothes for the good girls. Not only Qingwen, Si'er, Fangguan, Ouguan and all the singing girls in the garden were thrown out."