The Second Master of the Red Chamber

The Grand View Garden is not peaceful just after nightfall. The chirping of insects and the noise from the distance give this Jinli Fang Garden full of vitality.

Jia Lian was in a good mood after coming out of Xiaoxiang Pavilion. He walked along the narrow path to the main road, and when he was about to step onto the garden gate, a little girl suddenly ran in from the corner of the door and ran into his arms like a rabbit.

After Jiao Didi let out an "ouch", the visitor looked up, his face suddenly turned pale, and he quickly backed away: "I'm sorry, Master, I, I didn't see..."

Jia Lian stood with his arms folded and looked quietly at the eleven or twelve-year-old girl in front of him, who was so frightened that he couldn't speak clearly.Jia Lian remembers her as one of the twelve girls studying opera in Lixiangyuan, named Fangguan.

Perhaps because Jia Lian didn't speak for a while, Xiao Fangguan was so nervous that he knelt down with a pop.

Jia Lian raised his eyebrows, and another slightly older girl walked in from the door.There was some doubt on her face, as if she didn't understand what was wrong with the little sister who was so anxious that she couldn't catch up. It wasn't until she saw Jia Lian three steps away that she finally understood, and then stood aside worriedly.

Jia Lian glanced at her, then walked up to Fangguan, stretched out his feet to touch her smaller body as she knelt on the ground, and said, "Get up, why are you running so late at night?"

The little girl opened her big eyes and looked at Jia Lian stupidly for a moment. After making sure that Jia Lian was not angry, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Her bright little face became vivid, and she didn't know how to reply.

Jia Lian also guessed that it was probably due to his youthful and restless youth, not being born as a maid, and not receiving complete rules and training, so he couldn't help but warned: "It's okay if you meet me this time, but the girls in the garden often move around, they Most of their bodies are delicate, and if you knock them out, wouldn't it be too late to regret them?"

Fang Guan felt ashamed: "I'm sorry, Second Master. I know I was wrong. I won't dare to run around again next time."

After saying this, he saw that Jia Lian had no intention of continuing to lecture, so he stood up quickly.

"Your name is Fang Guan?"

"My servant is Fangguan."

"Where are you coming from?"

"The old lady invited us into the house this afternoon. Later, she asked me and Ling Guan to sing songs for her to listen to. She also gave us food. Ling Guan and I played more in the old lady's house. Damn, just as I was about to go back, I ran into the second master, hee~."

It has been almost two years since the Twelve Officials entered the government, and they probably know Jia Lian's temperament.Hearing that Jia Lian still remembered her name, she felt happy and easily returned to her lively nature. She raised her head and answered the question, her little face smiling like a flower.

Jia Lian shook his head. Although he felt that this girl was indeed attractive, his eyes still involuntarily shifted to the girl next to him.

Although they had met the Twelve Officials a long time ago, they used to be on the stage and mostly painted with silver makeup.It was the first time to see these little girls at such a close distance, especially this one named Ling Guan. It was really difficult not to attract his attention.

Sensing Jia Lian's observation, Lingguan frowned slightly and was about to turn away, but was surprised to find his chin being held by a pair of gentle and strong hands. Then he heard Jia Lian smile and say: "Well, it does look like it."

Jia Lian took a closer look at the young official and found that the girl was very beautiful. What was rare was that her facial features were somewhat similar to Daiyu's.

Jia Lian has also heard her singing voice, which is light and delicate, with the charm of an oriole.With such appearance and singing voice, she was favored by Yuanchun, Jia Mu and others. No wonder the original work dared to directly ignore Jia Baoyu and gave Jia Baoyu a cold look, making Jia Baoyu, who thought he was the center of the world, doubt his life.

But he didn't know if this girl dared to wink at him.

He held Ling Guan's sharp chin with his left hand and waited for a moment with a smile. He found that his face was frightened at first, and then his face turned half red. He tried his best to look away and did not dare to look at him. He did not dare to scold him at all. Jia Lian Then he nodded with satisfaction, stopped and left, leaving behind only two stunned little girls and two caretakers with expressions on their faces.

When he got home, Sister Feng was waiting for him. As soon as he entered the room, she couldn't wait to ask him how Xue Pan's affairs were going.

Sister Feng knew that Jia Lian went out in a hurry in the afternoon, and it must be because of Xue Pan's affairs.

Jia Lian answered a few words casually, but when he saw that his beloved wife was dressed in rich clothes and extremely beautiful, he suddenly asked: "Have you taken a bath?"

How did Sister Feng expect that Jia Lian suddenly asked this? Although she rolled her eyes at Jia Lian, she still said "hmm" with a hint of shame.

Jia Lian smiled, stood up and picked up his fragrant body from the kang. He was immediately beaten shyly by Sister Feng.

"What are you doing? Dinner has been prepared a long time ago. I'm waiting for you to come back. If you have anything to eat first, let's talk about it later..."

"It won't be too late to eat later. I neglected my wife at noon. Now I plan to make up for it for my husband."

"you……!"

Watching the second grandma, who was dancing with her hands and legs, being carried into the back room by the second master, the two pretty girls looked at each other, but they were not surprised and went down to prepare relevant things.

……

Xue family courtyard, Xue Baochai's boudoir.

When Aunt Xue walked in, Baochai was combing her hair under Ying'er's service.

After taking a bath, Baochai looked unparalleled even without any makeup, and her beauty was impeccable, which made the smile on Aunt Xue's face become even richer.

Taking the wooden comb from Ying'er, Aunt Xue ordered: "Go down and have a rest. I will sleep with you girls tonight, and you don't have to keep vigil in the room."

"Yes, ma'am."

Seeing her mother sending Ying'er away and looking at her mother gently combing her hair in the mirror, Baochai was keenly aware that what her mother was going to say to her tonight would definitely not be simple, which made her heartstrings secretly He raised his head three points and called out "Mother" softly.

Aunt Xue smiled slightly and stroked her daughter's silky hair. Aunt Xue said with a smile: "In a blink of an eye, my girls have grown so big that they have reached the age of marriage."

"Mom~!"

"There is nothing to be shy about. Girls are getting married, and everyone is the same. It's just that my daughter is so good-looking, so she must marry the right man."

Hearing what her mother said, Baochai felt a little less shy in her heart.She already understood that what Aunt Xue was going to tell her tonight was probably her lifelong event, and it seemed that Aunt Xue had an idea.

Otherwise, she wouldn't say anything about a wishful man.After all, the family originally needed her to enter the palace.

As soon as you enter the palace gate, it is as deep as the sea. From now on, your destiny is no longer up to you.

Aunt Xue couldn't help but sigh when she saw Baochai's expression in the mirror.My daughter is just too smart and it’s hard to hide anything from her.

After pulling her daughter's hair into a bun, she pulled her to sit on the edge of the bed. Aunt Xue said earnestly: "Perhaps you have guessed that what I want to tell you tonight is about your participation in the palace. "

"After your brother's incident, I have completely figured it out. It is a difficult road for a woman to enter the palace, not to mention that our family is not what it used to be. Once you really enter the palace, it will be very difficult for the family. What support can I give you?”

Aunt Xue said, seeing that her daughter was silent and just listened with her head down, she continued: "In addition, your brother's troubles have affected your future. In this case, how can I bear to continue? Throw you into that shady place..."

"So, I have decided to go against your father's last wish and not let you enter the palace to stand for election."

Hearing her mother's final words, Baochai was suddenly moved.Once upon a time, she seemed to have complained that her parents arranged her life when she was still young.

Later, as she grew up and understood more things, she gradually understood her parents and the responsibilities from the family, and she was willing to do her best to shoulder this responsibility.

But when she followed her mother to Beijing with fear and courage, she lost the election.Although she comforted her mother afterwards and said that she would not be able to choose again until three years later, invisible pressure had already formed in her heart.She knew in her heart that her failure was not her fault, or even Aunt Xue's fault in management, but the family's decline.At this time, the Xue family was no match for the other families behind the daughters of famous officials who were running for election, so her defeat was not too surprising.

But the more this happens, the more she understands how important it is for the Xue family, known as the four major families in the old capital, to have a "noble daughter" in the family.

From this, she could better understand how determined Aunt Xue was to make this decision.Aunt Xue had expressed her intention to cancel her arrangement of entering the palace several times before, but she could not completely make up her mind.

This time, my brother was drunk and hurt others, and even caused trouble in front of the emperor. As Aunt Xue said, it would definitely affect her.Even if she is selected as she wishes in a year, her future will be slim.

If her mother decided not to let her enter the palace to run for election because of this, she would naturally be grateful for her mother's loving heart.

Seeing her daughter's tearful eyes, which was extremely pitiful, Aunt Xue held her hand tightly and said: "I have decided to choose a man with outstanding appearance and ability who can protect you to be your husband. In this case, you will be considered. My brother can't survive this disaster, but you will have someone to rely on in the future so that you won't be bullied."

"Mother!"

Baochai wiped her tears and said, "Mom, there is no need to be so sad. My brother will definitely be safe this time. Brother Lian is extremely talented and there will be a way to protect my brother's life."

Aunt Xue sighed: "I know that you have been the most sensible person since you were a child, and I won't hide it from you. I made this decision, but I didn't just consider it for you.

You must know better than me what kind of person your brother is, and I will not have higher expectations for him.I just hope that your life will be better in the future, and you can help your brother and take care of the Xue family. Mom will be satisfied. "

Although Baochai was grateful for her mother's frankness, she had some concerns in her heart.

"My mother's love for her daughter should be kept in mind. However, my mother also said just now that our family is not what it used to be, and the fact that we have a brother again has made a fuss. Although my daughter does not belittle herself, she also knows that her mother is here. Under such circumstances, it is not easy to find a son-in-law for your daughter.

Although there are many princes and grandsons in the capital, and many of them have good family backgrounds, how many truly ambitious men are willing to be the son-in-law of our Xue family?

In my daughter's opinion, for the present, it is better to let her enter a place of first-class power in the world.Even though it's a little more difficult, if her daughter is really talented, she will definitely be able to make a difference. "

Just like Aunt Xue at the beginning, Baochai also said her words seriously.Even Aunt Xue, who had a calculated idea, felt that what her daughter said was right.

Yes, who among the truly well-off and ambitious people in Beijing would marry the sister of a man whose family was in decline and who had committed a murder?If you only focus on your daughter's appearance, she is probably a drunkard and womanizer, and naturally she is not worthy of your precious daughter.

Thinking of Aunt Xue, she couldn't help but think of her sister, Mrs. Wang. She could tell that Mrs. Wang liked Baochai very much and even wanted Baochai to be her daughter-in-law.

But at this moment, if she proposed the idea of ​​marrying her to her sister, I'm afraid the result would be the same as when she suggested that Yuanchun rescue her son.As a mother, she knew how much Mrs. Wang valued Jia Baoyu.

None of this matters anymore.

She has chosen a destination for her daughter!According to her careful consideration, she felt that it would definitely be a good destination, and it might even be a choice that everyone would be happy with.

Whether it is for my daughter or the Xue family.

Therefore, facing her lonely and courageous daughter, Aunt Xue shook her head firmly: "I know you are a good and talented child, and I believe in your abilities.

But as a parent, you should plan deeply for your children.The road to entering the palace is difficult. Needless to say, you yourself know how difficult it is. Just look at your cousin Yuanchun. With their family background, they have been unknown in the palace for so many years. Never have a chance to get ahead in your life!
I will never allow you to make the same mistake again.Don’t mention the matter of entering the palace from now on. "

Baochai wondered. Based on her understanding of Aunt Xue, Aunt Xue shouldn't have such an idea.Could it be...

She looked at Aunt Xue suspiciously: "Mother is so insistent, could it be that she already has... someone in mind?"

Aunt Xue looked slightly unnatural, but she also knew that enough preparations had been made, so she moved her hips and sat closer, holding her daughter's hands in her arms, pretending to be relaxed and said: "What do you think of your second brother Lian?"

……

Rongguo Mansion, Sister Feng's Children's Hospital.

Two little maids from the main office were in the yard, playing Cuju with Qiao'er, making Qiao'er's childish and clear voice fill the whole yard.

This scene fell into the eyes of Yingchun, Tanchun, Xichun and Xiangyun who came hand in hand, and their faces suddenly burst into aunty smiles that did not belong to their age.

Shi Xiangyun stepped into the atrium first. When Qiaoer, who was playing happily, saw her, he immediately stepped forward with a pair of short legs and shouted: "Aunt Yun, Aunt Yun, come and play with me..." …”

"Haha, okay, but you have to let me hug you first!"

Shi Xiangyun quickly picked up Qiaoer and gave her a peck on her tender face.Then seeing Sanchun gathered around her, she quickly turned sideways to prevent Qiao'er from being taken away. She smiled and asked the little cutie in her arms: "Qiao girl, isn't your father back? Why don't you let him play Cuju with you?" ?”

It was okay for Shi Xiangyun not to ask. As soon as he mentioned Qiao Jieer, he immediately pouted and said, "My father is bad, and my mother is also bad. They don't even play with me, so they just whisper in the house."

"Whisper?"

Miharu and others looked at the main rooms, which were brightly lit but had closed doors.Yingchun Tanchun seemed to have some understanding, Xichun didn't know why, but Xiangyun didn't focus on it. She only talked to Qiaoer: "Yeah, then they are bad. But it doesn't matter, your father and mother If I don’t want to play with you, can Aunt Yun play with you?”

"it is good……"

Tanchun next to him noticed that his sisters and others seemed to be visiting at the wrong time, so naturally he would not rush forward and knock on the door, and they all consciously circled Qiaoer.

Among them, Tanchun was the first to pick up the bamboo Cuju ball, put it under his feet and kicked it, causing Qiaoer to struggle to get out of Shi Xiangyun's arms and run after her.

Inside the main house, the atmosphere was completely different from that in the courtyard.

After a long and suppressed groan, there was the sound of rustling clothes.

"You're still laughing! It's all your fault..."

Naturally, the movements in the courtyard cannot be hidden from the people in the house.Therefore, Sister Feng, who felt ashamed, cursed angrily when she saw Jia Lian, who was still leaning on the couch and looking at her with a smile, after putting on her clothes.

Then he stood in front of the standing mirror. After feeling that there was nothing wrong with him, he left Jia Lian and hurried out.Seeing Xiang Ling guarding the door of the inner hall, she asked, "Where is Ping'er?"

Xiangling said honestly: "Sister Ping'er is preparing a banquet in the flower hall."

Sister Feng nodded.Before Jia Lian became successful, the couple basically ate on the small table on the Kang in the west room.

There is also a dining room in Toji's room, but it was not used before, but now it is considered inadequate.

It just so happens that her small garden is spacious enough, and the flower hall in the middle is perfect for banquets.Today, Jia Lian returned home. She was originally planning to help Jia Lian. Who knew that Jia Lian was so impatient that he dragged her to have fun as soon as he got home, and even got hit by his sisters-in-law!
"You go in and help your second master change."

With a casual instruction, Sister Feng stood at the front door and took a deep breath. Then she lifted the heavy curtain and smiled at the sisters-in-law in the courtyard: "Hey, I heard the chirping outside. Which gust of wind brought you here? ?”

The clear and crisp voice made Yingchun and Tanchun, who came over after hearing the sound, feel that maybe they had overthought before, and that brother Lian and sister-in-law Lian might just be discussing business matters. (End of chapter)