Red Mansion, Ningfu Scholarly Family

Chapter 266: A Beautiful Girl in a Golden House

……

When the two were halfway there, they suddenly saw a group of people coming out of the restaurant in front of them. They all looked like defeated roosters, with their heads hung low.

It turned out to be members of the British Society.

All the talented students of Yingshe Society failed in this imperial examination, not a single one passed. This was a huge blow to these gifted people.

Naturally, the few of them saw Jia Rong and Ye Mengshu coming towards them, but they had no intention of talking to them. They just lowered their heads and passed by them.

"Hey hey hey."

Ye Mengshu couldn't help but laugh out loud.

It seems to be a mockery.

Suddenly, someone couldn't stand it anymore and jumped out and shouted: "Mr. Ye, what's so funny? You can pass the exam based on your essay. It shows that the examiner is really blind!"

Ye Mengshu laughed: "Don't make a fuss here. If you have the guts, go forward, turn left, and go to the entrance of the Imperial Examination Hall to talk. The chief examiner and the deputy chief examiner are still inside."

"Let's go! Do you dare to go with me?"

"You've already gone, so why shouldn't I dare?"

Seeing the two of them quarreling, the people around them immediately wanted to watch the fun and came over here.

The second senior brother frowned and said, "Okay, Brother Sun, if your writing is not as good as others, go back and continue studying hard. What's the point of cursing in the street? You are no different from a shrew."

The man actually didn't dare to cause trouble at the entrance of the Imperial Examination Hall, so he quickly backed down and said, "Second Senior Brother is right. I was confused and shouldn't have quarreled with a shrew."

"Let's go."

Master Yuan looked at Jia Rong, shook his head without saying anything, and led the way forward.

It’s not that his skills are inferior to others.

But the time is not right for me!
……

Here, Ye Mengshu sneered and said, "I think the British Society boasts a lot, but in fact they are just people with empty reputations."

"It's not that they are just famous for nothing. Their articles are still very good. It's just that they are unlucky."

At a small stall outside the city, Jia Rong and Ye Mengshu ordered a pot of wine and some side dishes.

After a while, the girl at the stall brought a pot of wine and asked quietly with a smile: "Sir, did you win again this time?"

Jia Rong smiled slightly: "Guess."

The little girl smiled and said, "I guess it must be correct, young master is really amazing."

The beautiful proprietress brought the dishes over and glanced at her daughter. The little girl stuck out her tongue, then quickly twisted her waist and ran away.

"Enjoy your meal, gentlemen."

After a while, the proprietress went downstairs.

Ye Mengshu took a sip of wine and said with a smile: "This gentleman is very interesting."

Jia Rong knew what this guy was thinking, and said sternly: "Don't cause trouble, it's not easy for the mother and daughter to live in Beijing."

Ye Mengshu smiled and said, "I know, I know. I was just talking casually. Don't you know me well enough?"

Jia Rong took a sip of wine and said with a smile, "I know you too well. Now that you have passed the imperial examination, you want to indulge yourself, right?"

Ye Mengshu said seriously: "I was ignorant before. Now that I have been lucky enough to pass the exam, I naturally have to serve the country and share the worries of the emperor, so as not to let down what I have learned."

"Well said, it's all clear."

"please."

Soon, the two were slightly tipsy.

Someone outside came in laughing: "You two, why didn't you ask me to hide here and drink?"

If it’s not Xie Jiwen, who else could it be?

Jia Rong smiled and said, "It's not that I didn't want to call you, but I was afraid of disturbing your reunion with the beauty."

Ye Mengshu nodded: "Yes, after all, you have a beautiful woman by your side, and you scare others away. We are both... Damn, you actually brought her out!"

Following Xie Jiwen, another handsome young man came in. Although he was dressed up deliberately, it was just to deceive outsiders. People who were familiar with him could still recognize him at a glance.

"Hello, gentlemen."

Mei Niang bowed to the two of them very generously.

Xie Jiwen took two silver notes in his hand and smiled, "Thanks to Shunzhi, I won five thousand taels. Not only did I rescue Miss Du, but I also got the betrothal money."

Jia Rong suddenly understood.

I had pledged two hundred taels, and it suddenly became two thousand taels.

Although he didn't care about this little bit of money, he couldn't let it go, so he had to cash it out later. Ye Mengshu asked in confusion, "I'm wondering if you two are hiding something from me? What about winning or losing?"

Xie Jiwen smiled and said, "It's fine if you didn't know. It's too late to know now, and it will only make you regret it."

"No, I also want to know about your regret. Tell me now." Ye Mengshu refused to give in.

Jia Rong laughed and said, "It's the hall at the entrance of the Imperial Examination Hall. The bet on who will win the first prize is ten times the amount."

"That's right." Xie Jiwen sat down, poured himself a glass of wine, and said with a smile, "I bet five hundred taels on Shunzhi, and now it's five thousand taels. When the banker saw me going to exchange the silver, he almost cried."

It's normal to cry.

People work hard to be the banker, but they only make a few dollars, and they give it all to you.

Ye Mengshu really regretted it: "Why didn't I know? Why didn't you tell me?"

Xie Jiwen said: "You can only blame yourself for not having such luck."

Jia Rong said, "Thank you, brother. You are successful in gambling and love. Please treat me to a nice dinner today."

Xie Jiwen smiled and said, "Of course, this is Xie Media Bar today."

Jia Rong smiled and said, "Of course this doesn't count. The thank-you wine for the matchmaker is another matter. Let's set up a big table in Qingya Pavilion. Anyway, you have money now."

Xie Jiwen said bitterly: "How can my two taels of money compare with Shunzhi's? A meal at Qingya Pavilion would cost me fifty taels of silver, wouldn't it?"

Miss Zhao smiled and said, "Mr. Xie, don't be stingy. It's just fifty taels of silver. You should know that a thousand taels of silver can be regained after being spent."

Jia Rong praised: "Miss Zhao is very generous. Brother Xie, you should learn from her."

"Yes, yes." Xie Jiwen said, "You cousins ​​are of the same mind, what can I say? This is the betrothal gift, Shunzhi, you should accept it."

As he said this, he handed all the banknotes in his hand to Jia Rong.

These, of course, cannot be declined.

Jia Rong took it and said seriously, "Then I will accept it. I will check the date for you, write the marriage certificate, and choose a date for the wedding."

Miss Zhao looked at Jia Rong gratefully and bowed: "Thank you, brother, for your help."

Jia Rong held out his hand to help him up, and said with a smile, "As you should. If you are wronged in the future, just come to me. I can still take care of him."

"Ah."

Miss Zhao lowered her head shyly.

Ye Mengshu was already dumbfounded as he watched from the sidelines: "Why are you hiding so many things from me? Tell me what's going on?"

Jia Rong said, "You don't need to know. I'll call you when we have a drink some other day."

The three of them were drinking and joking as they ate and drank. Miss Zhao was pouring wine on the side and occasionally interjected a few words, making everyone laugh.

I have to say that girls who come from brothels are very good at coaxing people.

It was not until the afternoon that the group dispersed.

Xie Jiwen has already bought a courtyard for Miss Zhao and also bought a maid to serve her. Although the courtyard is small, it is indeed in the city and very close to the Wucheng Bingmasi, so its safety is guaranteed.

After a few people looked at it, Xie Jiwen said, "Shunzhi, you can rest assured now."

Jia Rong said, "Okay, Miss Zhao, try to go out less in the next two years."

Miss Zhao nodded: "Don't worry, brother, I won't go out, and Xiaoru will help me prepare meals."

Only after everything was arranged did Jia Rong leave.

It was getting dark outside.

"Master, there is a beautiful girl hidden in the golden house."

Xiao Xiao suddenly stood beside Jia Rong.

Jia Rong was not surprised. He had spotted Xiao Xiao's figure when he first arrived. She must have been waiting outside for you to follow her.

Jia Rong smiled and said, "I was asked to do this. By the way, from now on, you should have someone pay attention to the safety here. If anything happens, please tell me."

"Uh-huh."

Xiao Xiao nodded and agreed.

Jia Rong said again: "I have two gambling tickets here. Let's go and exchange them for money first."

"Ah? Grandpa is still gambling?"

Xiao Xiao said in surprise with her eyes wide open.

……

(End of this chapter)