The Red Chamber begins with a bastard

Chapter 47
In the fourth year of Qiansheng in the Great Jin Dynasty, on the night of the [-]th day of the first lunar month, there was a cold rain outside the window, and the temperature had risen slightly in recent days and dropped sharply. However, Wang Xifeng was in a good mood today, drinking calming tea before going to bed, and soaking her feet in ginger water.

A young maid waited on the side, about sixteen or seventeen years old, although her appearance was not as good as Ping'er, she was still pretty, and her figure was particularly plump, and her name happened to be Feng'er.

It is said that this Feng'er is also one of the second-class maids who have been serving Wang Xifeng, but she had no chance to stand out when Ping'er was there before. Now that Ping'er is gone, Feng'er naturally took the opportunity to take the position of Ping'er.

What is worth mentioning here is that since the last rape incident, Wang Xifeng suddenly realized the truth that "Dayu's control of the water is worse than blocking it." In order to win back her husband Jia Lian's heart, she decided to let the slanderous man eat a bite of meat generously, so with her tacit consent, Jia Lian and Feng Er quickly fell in love.

Wang Xifeng looked at the two of them like fish in water, like glue like paint, not to mention how depressed she was, but she couldn't bear the fact that the child couldn't be caught by the wolf. In order to win back her husband's heart, she had to endure it.Fortunately, Feng'er is still obedient and obedient, and Wang Xifeng's hard work has quickly paid off, and she reunited with her husband Jia Lian, and it is better than before, at least on the surface.

At this time, Feng'er gloated and said: "I heard that Third Master Huan tried to leave the mansion today, but was stopped by the concierge. The reason is that his wife told him to study hard at home and not to run around."

Wang Xifeng smiled happily, and said narrowly: "Madam is really a bodhisattva, Huan Laosan can study hard at home now, and if he can read well in the future, it will be Madam's merit."

Feng'er followed Wang Xifeng's tone, and said with a smile: "Isn't it? It's just that, even if Lao San Huan has money in his hands, he has nothing to spend. He can only eat the food provided by the kitchen, otherwise he will starve to death. The servant girl thinks he can't survive ten days, so I have to come to grandma to ask for forgiveness."

Wang Xifeng sneered: "Not necessarily, this kid is very smart. I heard that on the day of the Lantern Festival, Ping'er asked Qian Huai and Xiao Que'er to buy a lot of dry goods and eggs while leaving the house. It should be able to last for a while."

Feng'er heard the words and said intentionally: "I heard that Huan Laosan had just been rectified by his wife that day. He copied the scriptures until he collapsed, and he fell asleep until the next evening before waking up, so buying dry goods must be Ping'er's idea. Ping'er is really a meticulous and considerate person. I can't compare it, but it's a pity..."

Feng'er stopped on purpose at the end, and glanced at Wang Xifeng secretly, who sneered and said, "No matter how delicate it is, there will always be a time when the food is finished, and even if it can't be eaten, the firewood will also be burned out, right? She will be worried at that time."

Feng'er was about to talk, but Jia Lian, who was wearing a coir raincoat, came in from outside, stomping her feet in the cold, Feng'er hurriedly let go of Sister Feng and went up to her. While removing Jia Lian's coir raincoat that was still dripping, he asked her how she was.

Wang Xifeng pretended not to see it, and asked, "It's raining late at night, why did you go out again?"

Jia Lian complained as he raised his hand, "You think I'm happy, but it's my wife who asked me to find someone to repair the Pear Fragrance Garden."

Wang Xifeng was surprised and said, "Pear Fragrance Garden? It used to be a place that our ancestors raised, and it was not lived in for decades. Why did it suddenly need to be repaired?"

Jia Lian sat down by the stove, drank the warm wine poured by Feng'er, and said: "Isn't this Aunt Xue's family going to Beijing, and they will live in our house if they don't, so my wife asked me to clean up the pear fragrance garden in the northeast corner in advance, so as not to be in a hurry."

Wang Xifeng suddenly said: "So it turns out that although Lixiangyuan is a bit smaller, it still has more than a dozen rooms, and it is better than a single house, with a front and a back, and an independent door leading to the street. It is just right for my aunt's family to live there."

Jia Lian said: "It's not yet decided. Xue's family used to have several houses in the middle of the capital. Although they didn't live there often, they had special servants to guard them. Now they can move in after cleaning, but they may not live in our house."

Wang Xifeng said with certainty: "It will definitely live in our mansion, if you don't believe me, just wait and see."

Jia Lian wondered, "Why?"

Wang Xifeng smiled proudly and said: "First, my aunt and wife and sisters haven't seen each other for many years, so they must have a long reunion; second, Uncle Xue's father died early, and it's inconvenient for my aunt to live outside with her children, so the old lady and the master will definitely come forward to keep her; At least there is a master who can suppress this overlord."

Jia Lian said in admiration after hearing the words: "Thank you for your thoughtful thinking. If this is the case, then Aunt Xue's family will most likely live in our house, and we will have to work hard to repair the Lixiang Garden."

Wang Xifeng said calmly: "What are you panicking about? We won't be there until the end of February at least. If we go all the way to visit the mountains and rivers, we'll probably have to go to the beginning of March. There's plenty of time."

Aunt Xue is Xue Baochai's mother, and also a woman from the Wang family. She is sister to Mrs. Wang, and she is Wang Xifeng's aunt. At the beginning of the marriage between Wang Xue and Xue Baochai, Aunt Xue married Xue Baochai's father and gave birth to a son and a daughter. Beijing is here.

It is said that the Xue family is one of the four major families in Jinling, from Shangguan to Ziwei Sheren, and now they are in decline. When Xue Baochai’s father was in his generation, he was able to get a name in the Ministry of Households and receive money and food for the palace to buy miscellaneous materials for the palace. They were the so-called imperial merchants. With this name, Xue Baochai’s father died early. Fortunately, even though Xue Baochai is young, she is very capable. If she hadn't been there to help her mother with the housework, the Xue family would have been ruined by Xue Pan.

However, no matter how capable Xue Baochai was, she was just a woman who couldn't show her face outside, and Xue Pan was a fool, who could do anything but eat, drink and have fun.

Xue Baochai gradually realized that something was wrong, and urged his elder brother Xue Pan to go to Beijing to check the accounts. Therefore, Xue Pan did not come to the capital this time to avoid a life lawsuit, but to rectify the property in Beijing.

In addition, Xue Baochai came to Beijing this time to participate in the palace draft.

It is said: "Emperor Qiansheng emphasizes literature over martial arts, respects poetry and propriety, seeks talents, and is immortal. In addition to hiring concubines and concubines this year, all the daughters of famous officials and officials are personally sent to the Ministry of Education, so that they can be selected as princesses and princesses.

In other words, in addition to selecting concubines this year, the emperor of the Great Jin Dynasty also selected the princesses and princesses as school companions. All women from official families can participate in the election as long as they feel talented and good-looking.

This is also a helpless move. Now the Xue family is left with only orphans and widowed mothers, and the only elder brother, Xue Pan, is ineffective.

As for Xue Baochai, she was a very independent person, and felt that this draft was undoubtedly a good opportunity for the Xue family, so she proposed to her mother to participate in the draft, hoping to be selected, so that she could help her widowed mother and elder brother in the future.
…………

It was late at night, and the cold rain was beating on the cold window. Ping'er yawned while doing needlework, and occasionally looked up at Jia Huan who was still writing after the case. His mood was inexplicably calm and at ease.As the so-called stars live up to passers-by, the third master can have such energy, I believe that one day he will be able to turn the clouds and see the sun, soaring to the nine heavens.

I don't know how long it took, Jia Huan finally put down his pen and stretched long. The case is the fourth and fifth chapters of "The Palace of Eternal Life" he newly transcribed.

Jia Huan read during the day, and took time out after dinner to silently write two "Palace of Eternal Life".Although he is now grounded, Jia Huan believes that Mrs. Wang cannot keep herself locked up in the mansion for a long time, so now she will write out all the "Palace of Eternal Life" silently and organize them into a book. When she can leave the mansion, she will sell them for money.

Although Jia Huan decided to take the route of imperial examination to become an official, it does not conflict with making money, so he has to read books and continue to earn money. As the saying goes, there is food in hand, no panic in the heart, money in the pocket, and confidence.

Seeing that Jia Huan had finally put down his pen, Ping'er couldn't help but smiled softly and said, "Has the third master finished writing?"

Jia Huan nodded and said with a smile: "If you don't finish writing, sister Ping'er's chin can knock on a wooden fish."

Ping'er's pretty face blushed, and she said: "How can someone else, oh, the servant girl poured hot water for the third master to wash his face."

"Don't be so troublesome, you should go to sleep too, it's late at night!" Jia Huan yawned as he spoke, took off his boots and socks, went straight to the kang, put on a quilt and fell asleep.

Ping'er had a look of helplessness on her pretty face, and finally brought hot water, twisted a handkerchief and wiped Jia Huan's face, then put down the curtain, and went to sleep on the small couch outside.

The cold rain is rustling underground, giving birth to the breath of spring!

　Difficulties are temporary, ups and downs are life.There will be times when you ride the wind and waves, hang your sails on the clouds and help the sea.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)