serious man in the red chamber

Chapter 223

The cold wind howled outside, and the wind and snow beat on the windows, but Jia Mu's house was very quiet.

Jia Mu sat on the soft couch at the top, with a serious face, without the kindness and smile of the past.

Jia Zheng, who had changed into casual clothes, stood aside without saying a word, staring at the ground in a daze.
The chiming clock in the corner rang once. Jia Zheng came back to his senses, turned his head and looked, it was exactly noon.

Jia Zheng pondered for a long time before speaking: "Earlier in the yamen, I heard that the Ministry of Internal Affairs personally handled Chen Yushi's funeral. My son thought it was hand-picked by the Shangyu, so he rushed to Chen's residence to offer incense."

Mother Jia frowned, and only glanced at Jia Zheng, but said nothing.

Jia Zheng went on to say, "For this matter, my son will come to the door to apologize in person after the next year."

Jia Zheng still wanted to talk, but Mother Jia waved her hand: "Go, let me be quiet."

Jia Zheng was taken aback for a moment, gritted his teeth, turned and walked out.

Yuanyang came in, added some sandalwood to the incense burner, and ignited an open fire, making the room as warm as spring.

Jia's mother closed her eyes, and lay down on a crooked face.

Yuanyang smiled wryly, went to the back hall and brought a bowl of tea, and said softly: "Old lady, drink some tea to moisten your throat."

Mother Jia didn't answer.

Yuanyang thought for a while: "Just now, my mother-in-law came back and said that the big flower hall is ready, and the little actors have also arrived."

Mother Jia moved slowly, but she still didn't turn around or speak.

At this time, Yuanyang's eyes lit up.

Lin Daiyu walked in silently from the outside.

Yuanyang felt relieved, and winked at Lin Daiyu.

Lin Daiyu understood, took the tea bowl, walked to the edge and sat down, said with a smile: "The old lady is here to regenerate her energy, today she wants us to get drunk with peace of mind."

Mother Jia turned over and sat up, smiled again, looked at Lin Daiyu lovingly, and said, "It's so cold, what are you doing here again! I'll go after a short rest." After speaking, she took a sip from the tea bowl.

Lin Daiyu said with a smile: "We waited in the big flower hall for a long time and didn't see the old lady. I guess you must be here to recharge your spirits. After a while, let us all get drunk and watch our jokes."

Jia Mu smiled happily: "You girl is also disgusting today. I think I hate me for getting old." She handed the tea bowl to Yuanyang.

Lin Daiyu smiled: "The old lady is a hundred years old, this family still needs you to worry about it."

Jiamu looked at Lin Daiyu with a smile, and asked, "You know everything?"

Lin Daiyu smiled and replied: "Just now I accompanied Sanya to invite my second elder brother."

Jia Mu: "Then what did your second brother say?"

Lin Daiyu: "This matter is more complicated, but the palace has an explanation. The second elder brother said that they can't make things difficult for us, but we can't make it difficult for ourselves. The Chinese New Year will be half a month away, so we can talk about it after the Chinese New Year. .As for Lin'anbo and others, they just want to find a few official positions for the children of the clan in the south."

Mother Jia sighed softly: "Your second uncle is really confused! He is an official but doesn't know how to be an official. When things go wrong, he echoes them and does stupid things that don't understand the general situation! Fortunately, our family is strong now, otherwise we wouldn't know. How many people will be offended!"

Having said that, he took Lin Daiyu's hand, "Can your second uncle still be an official?"

Lin Daiyu smiled innocently: "I don't know about this mess. But I know that the second uncle is filial to the old lady and treats me well, that's enough."

Mother Jia thought about it again, and seemed to have made a big decision: "Then don't stay in the sixth department. When Lian'er is promoted to an official and enters the department, let him go to the Qingshui Yamen to take a part-time job, and stay at home when he has nothing to do. Talk about poetry and Fu with Qing Kexiang."

Lin Daiyu blinked her eyes a few times, and said: "At present, there is a vacancy for the position of Shaoqing in Guanglu Temple, and it happens to be the fourth rank."

Mother Jia was taken aback for a moment, then laughed loudly, and nodded Lin Daiyu: "You, you have learned badly. You made fun of my old lady, and I will punish you with a glass of wine later."

Lin Daiyu covered her mouth and smiled, but said nothing.

Jia Mu said to Lin Daiyu, "Let's go to the Dahua Hall."

Yuanyang quickly opened the door curtain: "Bring the cloaks of the old lady and Miss Lin."

Four little maids came in, holding the cloaks of Jia Mu and Lin Daiyu, and helping them put them on.

It was snowing and cold outside, and many daughters-in-law of the Ningguo Mansion were waiting under the eaves. When they saw Lin Daiyu coming out with Mother Jia, they immediately rushed over. Someone opened an oilcloth umbrella to protect them from the wind, and someone handed Lin Daiyu Mrs. Tang, surrounded by them. It's rainy.

Yuanyang also put on a thick fur cloak, and followed them to the big flower hall with her maid.

Metropolitan Prosecutor's Office
Mei Changwen, Wang Rulin, and Deng Hanlin sat silently in front of a big brazier, when suddenly a gust of cold wind blew in from the thick curtain, and a censor from the Metropolitan Procuratorate rushed in excitedly and said to Mei Changwen: "Kong The old man entered the palace, and went directly to the Dragon Head Palace."

Mei Changwen was also stunned for a while, before he said, "Thank you for your hard work."

The censor asked urgently, "Aren't we going to play the memorial?"

Mei Changwen waved his hand: "Go and rest."

The censor still wanted to speak, but Wang Rulin glared at him: "Go out."

The censor had no choice but to get out from the crack in the door curtain.

Mei Changwen threw the tongs in his hand, stood up, walked to the window and looked at the snowflakes falling outside the window, heaved a long breath, and said: "I know why Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites, Zuodu Yushi of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, and Guozijian sacrificed wine together." Reporting illnesses in the morning? They guessed yesterday that the Emperor Kong was behind the Nanzong Kong family, so they got scared and got sick and took refuge. "

Wang Rulin and Deng Hanlin looked solemn and remained silent.

They also just heard the news that yesterday the Minister of Rites, Li Shouzhong and Guozijian who took the lead to greet the Kong family of the Southern Sect were ill.

Mei Changwen went on to say: "The Kong family of Nanzong will not end well, it was already doomed from the moment they entered Beijing."

Deng Hanlin was so frightened that he took a deep breath, glanced at Wang Rulin, and turned to Mei Changwen: "Impossible! This is the Kong family? As the saying goes, 'the emperor of flowing water, the iron-struck Yan Shenggong' has been around for hundreds of years , no court would dare to touch the Kong family."

Mei Changwen sneered, and said lightly: "Emperor Taizong conferred the title of Beizong back then, and he didn't admit that Nanzong was an authentic descendant of a saint. Besides, who can guarantee that no heir of Yan Shenggong will survive?!"

Wang Rulin and Deng Hanlin stood up in shock.

Mei Changwen shook his head: "They are too impatient. In fact, as long as Yan Shenggong's title is vacant for a while, even if His Majesty can't remember it for a while, the Ministry of Rites will issue an inscription as usual. A mascot should look like a mascot, I want to swim in muddy water."

"Didn't Mr. Yang Ge say that His Majesty will personally confer the title of Kong Family of Nanzong in the next year?" Wang Rulin couldn't help asking.

Mei Changwen: "Who dares to confront His Majesty in court?"

Wang Rulin nodded.

Mei Changwen turned around and said as he walked: "If my calculations are correct, the Supreme Emperor will use the Kong family to continuously test His Majesty's bottom line, and will continue to instigate and fan the flames between the civil servants, the Emperor, and the honorable military, forcing the Emperor or Even if people from the honorable military attack the Kong family, even if they don’t, the Kong family will die, this is one of the purposes of their coming to Beijing.”

Wang Rulin and Deng Hanlin were really surprised this time, and looked at Mei Changwen together.

Mei Changwen stopped in his tracks, and said in a low voice: "I suspect that the Supreme Emperor promised the Nanzong Kong family a prince."

Wang Rulin and Deng Hanlin were startled when they heard the words, and looked at each other.

Suddenly, there was a noise outside the door, "What are you doing? What are you doing?"

The thick curtain was lifted, and a gust of cold wind immediately blew a lot of snowflakes in. The housekeeper of Zhongshun Palace rushed in with two servants.

A censor and several servants followed in a panic.

Mei Changwen looked at the housekeeper of Prince Zhongshun, and then turned his gaze to Wang Rulin.

Wang Rulin understood, waved his hand, and walked out with Deng Hanlin and others.

The steward of Prince Zhongshun snorted and waved his hand.

The two servants of the palace followed and walked out.

Mei Changwen immediately burst into laughter: "Who are you?"

The housekeeper of Zhongshun Wangfu tilted his head and looked at him: "You are such a noble person who forgets things! Mei Yushi——"

Mei Changwen was silent.

The steward of Zhongshun Prince's Mansion smiled: "Don't think that you are a great censor of the Zuodu capital who is now the third rank. The prince can strip you clean with just one sentence!"

Mei Changwen nodded.

The steward of Prince Zhongshun took out a chapter from his pocket, and said to Mei Changwen, "Look, if you can, please copy it out immediately, Secretary of Communications." Then, he handed the chapter to Mei Changwen.

Mei Changwen swallowed his saliva, took the chapter and opened it to look at it anxiously, with a trace of panic in his eyes.
Jia Mu's Backyard
It was snowing heavily, and Jia Hu, who was wearing a fox fur cloak, led Hu Po to the big flower hall.

In the wind and snow, a melodious flute sound came.

At the entrance of the flower hall, both Jia Hu and Hu Po took off their cloaks, and the women took them, and they walked into the flower hall.

As soon as he entered the door, Jia Hu was stunned.

There were only three large ebony round tables in the flower hall, and on the top one was Jia Mu sitting in the main seat, Lin Daiyu and Shi Xiangyun sat next to each other, Xichun sat next to Lin Daiyu, Xue Baochai and Xing Xiuyan, Tanchun and Yingchun were next in order. There is Jia Baoyu in the middle.

In the next two seats, Mrs. Xing and Mrs. Wang accompanied Aunt Xue to the east, You Shi and Qin Keqing's mother-in-law and daughter-in-law to the west, and Jia Lan, Jia Huan and Jia Cong were sandwiched between Li Wan and Wang Xifeng.

Rikain's teacher stood aside with the girls.

A girl in the central open space of the flower hall is performing a play, without costumes or wiping her face, singing a cappella to the sound of the musician's flute.

I think this is what Jiamu meant. The quiet and elegant sound of the flute is combined with the opera, which is chic and elegant, and Jiamu's taste is really good.

Well, Lin Ruhai also likes the quiet and elegant flute sound and Kunqu opera sung a cappella.

Jia Hu shook his hand, signaling to Yingchun and other sisters not to get up, but to stand by the door and listen quietly.

After the song was sung, Mother Jia and others clapped their hands in praise.

The sharp-eyed teacher had already spotted Jia Hu standing by the door, and hurriedly pulled the girls around him to kneel down, and shouted loudly, "Greetings to the Duke!"

As soon as these words came out, the twelve girls knew that this was the patriarch of the Jia family. They waited for Ning Guogong, and hurriedly shouted: "Greetings to the Duke!"

Jia Hu nodded and smiled, "Get up!"

"Yes."

The teachers and musicians got up first, and then the twelve girls got up unevenly.

Jia Hu smiled slightly: "Keep singing." He went straight to Jia Mu's table.

Walking to Jiamu's side, Jia Hu cupped his hands and said, "Greetings to the old lady."

Jia Mu smiled and said, "Sit down and sit down."

Jia Hu nodded, and said to Lin Daiyu and Xichun, "Give me a seat." He took the stool and squeezed towards the middle.

Xichun: "Brother, let's have a cup of hot wine to warm up." As he spoke, he handed him a cup of hot wine.

Jia Hu smiled: "You still know that you love brother." He took the wine and drank it in one gulp.

At this time, a girl came over with a play book in her hand, and said softly, "Grandpa, please order a play!"

Jia Hu took the playbook and flipped through two pages, then turned his gaze to Lin Daiyu: "You should have some."

Lin Daiyu smiled: "We have already ordered, you can order a good play that you like."

Jia Hu nodded, handed the playbook to the girl, and asked, "What's your name?"

The girl replied: "My lord, I am a civil servant."

Jia Hu nodded, glanced at the eleven girls standing in a row, and asked with a smile, "Who is the senior officer?"

The pretty-looking opera girl came out just now, gave a little blessing, and replied: "Master Hui, I'm a senior official."

Jia Hu looked at it carefully for a while, then glanced at Lin Daiyu again, two words, it doesn't look like it.That's right, if Ling Guan really looks like Lin Daiyu, Youshi will take action to deal with her without Jia Mu and others talking.

Thinking of this, Jia Hu smiled and said: "You just sang an opera, take a break, and change someone else. Ask Fangguan to sing "Looking for Dreams", and only use the huqin and pipe flute, not the sheng, flute, gongs, etc. .”

"Yes."

Ling Guan waited for several girls to retreat together.

Jia Mu asked with a smile, "How do you know?"

Jia Hu smiled: "The last time I accompanied my uncle to an opera theater in Suzhou, I didn't know there were still flute pipes. It is a small theater that has been passed down for a hundred years."

Mother Jia nodded and said nothing.

Tanchun stood up, held up the wine glass with both hands: "Second brother, I propose a toast to you." After speaking, he drank the wine in the glass.

Jia Hu picked up the hot wine that Xichun had poured out and drank it too.

Seeing Xiangyun and Baoyu also stand up, Jia Hu quickly waved his hands: "Sit down, sit down. I have something to do at night, so I can't drink."

As soon as these words came out, everyone was shocked.

Just as Xichun was about to speak, she was stopped by Baochai at the side.

Lin Daiyu stared at Jia Hu for a while: "Don't be brave, just hide if you can."

Jia Hu was stunned for a moment, then looked at Lin Daiyu: "What are you thinking? Xie Qiong and the others will arrive in the capital tonight, and I will go to the camp to take charge of military affairs."

Although these words were light, they clearly penetrated into the ears of Jiamu and the others.

Yingchun and the others felt relieved when they heard the words, and they all looked at Fangguan who was singing a cappella.

"Didn't you say it would take three to five days to enter Beijing?" Lin Daiyu asked in a low voice.

Jia Hu smiled: "Probably homesick."

Lin Daiyu gave him a blank look, then suddenly remembered, she leaned close to Jia Hu and said in a low voice, "Father never goes to those places, so is it your idea?" Then she stretched out her hand and twisted Jia Hu's waist.

Jia Hu was taken aback, the conscience of heaven and earth, it was Lin Ruhai who took the initiative to take him to the theater to listen to the play, and he just paid for it on his own initiative.

Besides, this kind of small opera gardens that have been passed down for hundreds of years are all hidden in the alleys, and people who are not locals don't know it at all. Lin Ruhai looks familiar with the road, and it is not the first time he has gone there.

Thinking of this, Jia Hu gritted his teeth: "My fault!"

Lin Daiyu was taken aback for a moment, then slowly retracted her hand, snorted, and said, "You wait."

(End of this chapter)