serious man in the red chamber

Chapter 45 Returning to the Palace
Ning'an Hall.

Daiyu looked at Baochai and found that Baochai was also looking at her.

Half an hour ago, when the banquet was in full swing, Dai Quan, the chief eunuch of the Qianqing Palace, suddenly came to the door and read out the emperor's imperial edict.

The eldest lady of the Rongguo Mansion, Jia Yuanchun, was conferred the title of Concubine Virtue by the emperor because of her virtuousness, filial piety and virtue.

This news made the Jia family beam with joy, immersed in a joyful and festive atmosphere. This is one of the four concubines, and she also holds part of the real power in the harem.

Jia Mu led Mrs. Xing, Mrs. Wang, Youshi and Qin Keqing who were ordered to enter the palace in court clothes to thank her. Jia Zheng also changed court clothes to serve Jia Mu when she entered the palace.

At the same time, messengers from all walks of life rushed to tell the good news to the old relatives of the family and the family of Xungui.

The Jia family, which was already lively because of Jia Hu's promotion, was even more lively. Jia Lian led Baoyu to Ningrong Street to distribute the happy money in person.

At this time, the atmosphere in the house was a bit strange. Wang Ziteng's wife, Mrs. Li, was late because of something at home, just in time for Jia's mother and Mrs. Wang to enter the palace to thank her. Only Wang Xifeng and Li Wan were left to entertain. The sisters-in-law Li and Aunt Xue were embarrassed.

Mrs. Li looked down on the Xue family, who was born as a businessman, and Aunt Xue naturally didn't want to put a hot face on a cold butt, so she stopped talking after a few pleasantries.

Aunt Xue was sitting there talking and laughing with Mrs. You, Li Wan and Tanchun were with Mrs. Li, and Wang Xifeng was the hardest. Both sides were elders, so they couldn't be neglected. .

Baochai looked at her mother, then at her aunt Li, and sighed slightly in her heart. Although Xue's family is an imperial merchant, it is still inseparable from a business name. It has been a while since I came to Jia's house, and I know more about some things in the capital. I understand, I understand that what Jia Mu said is the truth, the capital is not only chaotic, but also dangerous, and if one is not careful, the family will be destroyed.

If the Xue family wanted to stay in Beijing, they had to be strong enough, or rely on the big tree of the Jia family. As for their uncle Wang Ziteng, he was a clay bodhisattva.

Originally, she was full of expectations for the upcoming selection, but Jia Yuanchun's sudden appointment as a concubine woke her up completely. The palace is a place that relies on the strength of the family. Yuanchun has been in the palace for seven or eight years, and there has been no news. Why? She will suddenly be canonized as a concubine by the emperor, and suddenly she will be one of the four concubines, because the emperor needs to win over the Jia family and needs the support of Jia Hu's army.

And the Xue family couldn't give him support in this regard, maybe he might be a companion for a certain princess or princess, and then leave the palace in a few years, if he was unlucky, he would have to wait until he was in his 20s to be sent out of the palace.

Thinking of this, her heart felt sour, her eyes unconsciously glanced at Lin Daiyu, and as soon as her eyes met Daiyu, Baochai hurriedly turned her head away.

Daiyu blinked, then pursed her lips and smiled.

Xichun: "Sister Lin, what are you laughing at?"

Daiyu suppressed her smile, pursed her lips, and said, "It's nothing, I just remembered something interesting."

Xichun was a clever child, so he wisely didn't pursue the question any further, but obediently responded and stopped talking.

Suddenly, someone yelled, "Second Master is back!"

All the people stood up together and looked out the door.

After a while, Baoyu came in. As soon as he entered the door, he saw that everyone was looking at him, he was slightly startled, and asked: "What, what's the matter?"

Tan Chun stepped forward and pulled him to sit down, and said with a smile, "We all thought it was Second Brother who came back."

Baoyu: "Oh" stood up, "The second elder brother is back."

Hearing what he said, everyone stood up again.

Baoyu went on to say, "I went to the ancestral hall with the elder."

Everyone looked at each other, dumbfounded.

Wang Xifeng laughed, and said loudly: "It's all my aunt's fault, she got up and stretched her muscles without saying a word when she was tired from sitting, so we got up together."

Mrs. You: "Blame me, blame me. My aunt is with me."

Aunt Xue just took advantage of this to step down and said, "When you get old, your bones hurt from sitting for a long time. Sit, sit."

Mrs. Li was so embarrassed that she had no choice but to sit down disgruntled.

Baoyu made Yingchun, Tanchun, Xichun, Daiyu, Xiangyun and Baochai unable to stand or sit.

At this moment, Lai Sheng's family came in with a few old mothers and said, "Second Master is here."

Before he could say a word, he only heard footsteps outside, Yindie, the eldest maid of You family, came in and said with a smile: "Second master is here!"

As soon as the words were finished, Jia Hu in military uniform and sword came in, holding two boxes of cakes wrapped in oil paper in his hands. His eyes swept over Aunt Xue and the others, and then focused on Xichun.

Xichun was staring at Jia Hu with two big eyes.

Jia Hu walked over with the pastries and said with a smile, "It's been almost two years, I never thought that pastry shop is still open."

Xichun took it, opened it and looked at the still warm pastry, tears fell down instantly, raised her head and said to Jia Hu: "I can't make it better at home." He picked up a piece of pastry and ate it.

Jia Hu looked at Xichun who was munching on the pastry, saw that she had swallowed tears into her mouth, her nose was sore, and quickly reached out to wipe her tears: "My brother bought that shop, and we will make cakes for Xichun in the future. pastry."

Xichun: "Yeah." Wrap the pastry carefully, "I'll eat it at night." She waved her little hand, "Brother, let's see the guests first."

Everyone in the room laughed silently.

Jia Hu first glanced at Aunt Xue and the others, then took off the sword around his waist, looked at Yindie, and then turned his gaze to Xiao Xueyan and Brother Parrot standing behind Daiyu. It should be called Zijuan now .

"Zicuckoo."

"Hey!" Zicuckoo was slightly taken aback, and came up to salute, "Second Master."

Jia Hu handed her the sword: "Take it."

"what"

Zicuckoo took the sword dumbly and held it in her arms.

Baochai caught a glimpse of the gold-plated dragon pattern on the scabbard of the sword, understood that it was a sword bestowed by the emperor, and immediately glanced at Daiyu, thinking: The relationship between the two of them must be unusual.

Li Wan came over and pointed everyone to Jia Hu one by one: "This is sister-in-law's mother; this is Wang's uncle and wife; this is Jinling Xue's aunt."

Jia Hu greeted them one by one.

Li Wan said again: "Miss Bao."

Baochai didn't know how to address her, so Wang Xifeng smiled and said, "They're all from my own family, just call him Second Brother."

"Second brother!"

Baochai stepped forward, bowed her knees and gave Jia Hu a blessing.

The sound is pleasing to the ear.

"They are all relatives, no need to see outsiders!"

Jia Hu sized him up a few times, he was really handsome, because he was two years older than Daiyu, and had a better figure, and also——Bai, what did Xiaosi Xinger say, yes, the snow piled up of.

At this time, he was very close to Baochai, and he could only smell the cool and sweet fragrance. Jia Hu subconsciously sniffed, this was probably the legendary Lengxiang Wan, and it was indeed different from the fragrance of Daiyu.

A blush flashed across Baochai's face, and she hurriedly turned around and retreated.

"Second brother."

At this time, Yingchun, Tanchun and Xiangyun came over and saluted Jia Hu together.

They are no strangers to their sister Jiahu, but they will definitely meet each other often in the future, and they have prepared gifts in advance, which are very practical things—money. They took the three small bags from Yindie and handed them to them one by one.

None of the three of them were wealthy people, not to mention Xiangyun, Tanchun only saved a few shillings of money in a few months, and each small bag contained ten full taels of gold, that is, 100 taels.

Seeing the three people smiling happily, Baoyu leaned over and said cheekily, "Second brother, where is mine?"

Jia Hu smiled, this is a child, he also gave him a small bag, and handed two copies to Yingchun and Tanchun, "This is for Conger and Huaner." Then he said to Li Wan: "Laner The presents have already been sent, some books, paper and pens."

Li Wan was very happy that Jia Hu could think of Jia Lan, and quickly thanked Jia Hu on Jia Lan's behalf.

Jia Hu smiled, and turned his gaze to Daiyu.

Daiyu had already walked over and blessed her gently, "Second brother."

After carefully looking up and down for a while, I haven't seen her for two months, this girl has become more and more relaxed, and it's hard for so many people to talk about it, so she said: "Uncle has a letter and a gift for you, I will send it to you after dinner. "

Daiyu: "Yes."

At this moment, Lin Zhixiao's family came in a hurry and said to Jia Hu: "Second Master, there is a visitor here, and he said it was an old acquaintance." Then, she handed over the name card in her hand, and Jia Hu took it and looked at it. , it turned out to be Mr. Wang, after a little thought, "Please go to the living room, I will change my clothes and go."

Lin Zhixiao's family: "Yes."

"There are two sister-in-laws here." After bowing his hands to Li Wan and Wang Xifeng, Jia Hu then said to Mrs. You, Mrs. Li and Aunt Xue: "I'm sorry, junior!" After speaking, he turned and walked towards the backyard.

Zijuan said in a daze, "Second Lord, Sword!" Stamping her feet, she chased after him with the sword in her arms.

(End of this chapter)