Chapter 3 The third round Daoxiang village tastes almond cheese Xiaoxiang Pavilion regrets making lotus lanterns

It is said that the little girl Jiahui went out with Baoyu with a lantern, but was sent back halfway. When she was walking back, she saw a person standing behind the crabapple flower and waving at him. He just thought it was the elder sister who wanted to order him. He stepped forward to ask a question, but the man disappeared in a blink of an eye.Only then did I remember that just now, the man had a slim figure, handsome eyebrows and eyes, he was clearly Qingwen's appearance, and even his attire was the usual homely clothes in the past.Can't help but turn pale with fright, and ran all the way into the house, when he was about to speak, he was stopped by Qiu Wen's scolding.So I went back to the room with my mouth pouting, and I thought about it all night. When I got up the next day, I whispered to Bihen, Qilu and others, saying: "People say that sister Qingwen is a flower god. I just didn't believe it before." , It turned out to be true. Under the big moon last night, I clearly saw him waving at me, as if he had something to say, but unfortunately I was surprised, and he left. I didn’t know what he was going to say.”

Bihen couldn't believe it when he heard the words: "Chi Tianbai is talking nonsense, Qingwen died early and his bones have melted, and there will come to the yard again. What's more, he said that he became a flower god after his death, and he also said that he was in charge of hibiscus flowers. , but you saw him standing behind the Begonia flower, it is clearly not him." Qilu said: "Could it be that there is another flower god? Musk Moon said that Fu Qiufang is probably also a flower god, could it be him? Baoyu yesterday Er Tete went to sacrifice him and wiped those tears for him, so it's unknown if he came to express his gratitude." Bihen said: "That's just a nonsense that Musk Moon casually talked about to coax Baoyu. Thank you for your sincerity. Believe it too."

Chacha's Qiuwen and Chunyan'er had waited for Baoyu to wash up. Hearing this, Chunyan interjected, "Jiahui is not talking nonsense. I was doing needlework last night, and halfway through I fell asleep and dreamed about it." Sister Qingwen came, just like when we were together in the past, everyone sat around the kang, looked at the needle money and gossiped, and he said that I was not good at embroidering, so he wanted to embroider for me. Then I woke up, although it was a dream, It's really true, the most surprising thing is that my sachet was only half embroidered, and there were still a few stitches missing, but when I woke up, I was able to embroider it." Qiuwen and Qilu both asked in amazement: " But really? Let us have a look, it's Qingwen's needlework." Wei Bihen just didn't believe it, curled her lips and said, "You must be in a slumber, dozing off, I don't know." Chunyan said: " How could it be? Who did you see embroidering flowers in a dream?" Bihen said: "Maybe, I heard that Xiangling still composes poems in a dream. You have mastered embroidery skills, and suddenly you embroidered in your dream." It's not unusual for flowers to come."

Suddenly I heard Sheyue scolding in front of me: "Where have you come all the way? In the blink of an eye, you can go backwards." Everyone hurried forward, but it was Xiren and Sheyue who gave Baoyu to the old lady. When I came back, I wanted to change the clothes when I went out, but I couldn't find anyone, so I called there.Xi Renyin sighed: "You are too careless. When we came back, half of the people were gone, and the house was emptied and no one knew." Qiuwen and Qilu hurriedly said, "I didn't dare to go far It turned out that I poured the water, said a few gossips in the room, and then came after looking at the time. Even if my sister doesn't call, I will come back." Musk Moon said: "I don't have time to settle accounts with you now, Why don't you go to someone and tell the boys outside to prepare the horses? Ask again, who is with Baoyu today?" Chun Yan'er hurriedly agreed to go.Xiren and sheyue checked again what Baoyu wore when he went out, and sent Baoyu out in person.

In addition, since Daiyu received the congratulatory gift from the Beijing Palace on Daiyu's birthday, Jia Mu felt hesitant, but Baoyu said, "I don't know anything else. I saw that jasper lotus leaf jar in the Beijing Palace. It is the prince." According to the lord, it is made out of a whole piece of jade, and there is no other heavy one in the world. It is used to raise fish. It is warm in winter and cool in summer. It is the most rare thing. It is hard for him to give up The tank and the fish are brought here." After hearing this, Jia's mother became more and more serious, and thought about it alone for two days. Today, she called Mrs. Wang and Xifeng, and asked Xifeng first: "How is the fish in the tank? Sister Feng laughed and said, "I'm still talking about it. Since those gifts came, Sister Lin didn't even look at them. She just said that she has no relatives and no reason. How can I accept gifts from others for nothing? I don't accept any of them. I have to keep an account and put them in the warehouse first." The clothes and materials are all gone, the most troublesome thing is the tank fish, which is about to ask the old lady for advice, but where is it suitable to keep it?"

Mother Jia lowered her head and thought for a while, then sighed: "I said that the little girl is a careless one—if that's the case, let someone else do it. The second girl has gone out, and Bao girl doesn't live much now. Your sister-in-law is a careless one." Well, the third girl is too busy, and the fourth girl is careless. Why don't you just keep that tank of fish in Yihong Courtyard and give it to Baoyu's naughty son. I'm afraid that among these people, he is the only one who knows how to be careful. There are so many maids, so it's not difficult to ask one to take care of fish farming." Mrs. Wang hurriedly said, "I was talking about moving Baoyu out of the garden in spring, because he is a little hot and cold these days, so I just It’s delayed. I’ve cleared out the house next door to me, and I’ll move out when he’s ready. The fish should be kept in another courtyard.” Mother Jia was surprised: “Okay, why did you let him move out? Could it be him? What kind of trouble did you get into by being naughty inside?" Mrs. Wang said with a smile: "There is such a bold guy there. But I think he is a year old, and there are a few girls in the house who have husbands, and they will be together every day. Live here, talk freely, although there is nothing to do, it is not appropriate to let others see. Besides, when he moves out, his father can watch him work hard and teach him." Jia's mother became more and more unhappy, and said for a long time: "You are his relatives. Mother, old man, are you not allowed to control your son because of my loving grandson? It’s just that Baoyu raised his son and sisters together, and suddenly moved out, wouldn’t he be sick? Let’s see him Although he likes to hang out with girls and girls, he knows how to be polite. Even though the girls are willing to fight with him, they don't just let him mess around, and they are willing to go to places where they are not polite. Persuasion. If there is anything beyond the etiquette, I will definitely not believe it." Mrs. Wang hurriedly said: "What the old lady said is true. It's not because of this, but because I'm afraid that he will be greedy and stubborn in the garden. I just want him to move out to calm his temper and study hard."

Jia Mu stopped talking, and went out of her mind for a while by herself. Suddenly she shed tears and sighed, "I don't close my eyes for a day, and these two jade children make me worry." For some reason, he said to Mrs. Wang: "You can remember that an old concubine in the palace passed away the year before last. We went to worship every day and rented someone's yard to live in it. Something about being together?" Mrs. Wang said: "Why don't you remember? They lived in the west courtyard and we lived in the east courtyard. We became neighbors to each other, and we were very affectionate. I only said that the young concubine Beijing was kind and never put on airs. She was the most unassuming person." " Jia Mu sighed: "He is kind, but his body is not good enough. He suddenly got a strange disease a few years ago, and he can't have sex with men, so the identity of this young concubine is just a false name. Beijing Dowager quietly agreed. I said, I want to choose another concubine for the prince. She must be of good background, good-looking, and she must be a talented woman before she is willing to hire her." Mrs. Wang said: "What is so difficult? Baoyu often goes to Beijing Walking around the palace, eating wine today and watching a play tomorrow, when I came back, I said that there are many concubines in that mansion, singing and dancing are always on, every day there are like clouds of customers, there are running water seats, and there are almost all famous opera troupes in the capital. Going in and out of his house, there are more than a dozen houses in the west courtyard, which are specially designed for live-in opera singers, isn't it enough?"

Jia Mu said: "According to the concubine, it is the prince's own idea. Although there are many beauties in his house, it is not satisfactory. This time it is not an ordinary concubine, but three matchmakers and six hires. Ask according to the etiquette of the royal family. The name is Najib, and when he enters the mansion, he will be given the title of title, and the one who is shoulder to shoulder with the young concubine only divides the things, regardless of the status. Therefore, it must be a lady from a famous family, and a daughter of a family can be a match." Mrs. Wang still didn't understand: "Could it be Do they want to be married to us?" Sister Feng suddenly realized: "It's strange that last year on the old lady's birthday, when the wives of the princesses in various mansions came to the banquet, the old lady called the two sisters of the Xue family, sister Lin, sister Yun and the third sister. We went out together to meet you, so it was just to see each other." Mother Jia nodded and said, "You remember clearly." Sister Feng smiled and said, "I still remember the date, isn't it July 28th? Among the guests The Princess of Nan'an, the Young Concubine of Beijing, the Marquis of Jinxiang, and the Boss of Linchang are all relatives of the emperor, with golden branches and jade leaves. I dare not cheer up? I just hate that I can't get close to serve, standing behind the old ancestor, I just saw the wingtips of a phoenix crown." Jia Mu laughed and said, "Just wait, Lian'er is so capable, so I'm afraid I won't be able to earn a phoenix crown for you to wear?"

Sister Feng said with a smile, "I dare not think about the phoenix crown. It's all about wearing a cockscomb." Then she said, "From what I see now, is it possible that sister Lin is going to wear the phoenix crown?" Mother Jia sighed, "I only know five." Among the two girls, Young Concubine Beijing may choose our three girls. I thought Tan girl is smart and capable, and she is the most calculating in her dealings with others. Er and Yun'er already have a husband's family, on the one hand, if they are not asked to go out, they will be suspicious; if they simply pretend not to know, they are indeed taken by the Beijing Palace. It is not difficult for the Wei and Wei families to withdraw their marriage. But it is not. Now it seems that I have made a wrong calculation." Mrs. Wang understood it clearly, and smiled: "It turns out that the Beijing Palace has taken a fancy to Miss Lin. Let's It is a good thing that the mansion has a concubine as expected. Why is the old lady sighing?" Mother Jia glanced at him, then stopped talking.But Sister Feng had already guessed the reason, so she couldn't tell the truth, so she had to keep silent.

It just so happened that a girl came to report that the newly ordered hundreds of bed yarns, curtains, curtains, aprons, etc. had been delivered, and they were all unloaded in the meeting hall, and Second Mistress was asked to distribute them.Sister Feng sighed: "These things were originally for replacement during the next year's festival. Who knew that the place was uneven, thieves were swarming, and the fleet escorting the goods stopped and went all the way, and it was delayed until this time. I knew In this way, it’s better to order it in Beijing. It’s just for the sake of good sewing materials in the south, and the price is fair, so Tete ordered and delivered it there, who wants to miss the job. It’s useless to change them now. Yes." Then I asked Jia's mother to show me.

Mother Jia thought for a while and said, "The purpose of ordering these things is to accumulate grain to prevent hunger, so that they don't look shabby when they are used. According to me, they have missed the time, and it is neither a year nor a festival." , simply save a little money, and don’t have to replace all the houses, but just see who’s old or damaged and replace them, and keep the rest, and replace them when they are used. Just ask, if you need anything, just go to your place to get it. Besides, the matter of the Beijing Palace has not been settled, but a few women have come to give some congratulatory gifts for nothing. We don't need to panic first, you You don’t need to tell anyone about it. As for the jar fish, just keep it in your yard, so it’s good to watch, and it’s fine if there is no mistake.” Sister Feng had no choice but to agree, and when she came out, she ordered Ping'er to watch the fish being carried to her courtyard.And withdraw into the garden to the meeting hall.When Fang entered the garden, he saw a little girl holding on to a willow stick and standing beside the stones in a daze. She saw a group of them coming from a distance, turned around and left.Sister Feng didn't know him, but when she saw that he didn't understand etiquette, she shouted angrily: "Stop." She ordered Xiaohong to pull the girl over to ask questions. That girl didn't dare to come over, tugging and stamping, she finally came over, she covered her face with her hands and refused to look up.Sister Feng was even more angry, and ordered her left and right to say: "Pull his hand down. Ask him, what is his name, what does he do, why does the man in that room run around like a ghost instead of standing up and saying hello when he sees his master? Has no one taught him that?" Does he behave?" Hongyu then walked over, asked him in a low voice, then broke his hand and told him to look up.The girl had no choice but to show her face, her complexion was slightly dark, her eyebrows were thin and her nose was straight, her eyes were clear and watery, which was quite attractive.Hongyu recognized it, smiled and said to Sister Feng, "He's a little magpie in Aunt Zhao's house." Then she turned to ask him, "When you meet Second Mistress, you don't talk about making rules, but keep calling and walking away. What's the reason?" Xiao Que made up his mind, knowing that he couldn't hide, so he had no choice but to report: "Because our third master heard that there was a tank of fish and wanted to see it, but he didn't know where it was sent, so it's not easy to mess around in the garden. Chuang, he ordered me to come in and inquire. I asked a few people just now, but they all said they didn’t know, so I’m in trouble here.” Sister Feng laughed and said, “I said who was so sneaky and didn’t wink, so it was Aunt Zhao’s orders. Man, like a master, there must be a servant. It's a pity, he's smart but stupid, but he's not bad for his growth." While talking, he walked away. Because Xiao Que didn't order him to go, he had to follow, secretly looking at Sister Feng's face, she didn't seem to be really annoyed, and she was a little relieved when she heard that he was praised for his good looks, and said more truthfully: "Our third master was going to come to the garden. Afraid to meet the second grandma, if he sees the second grandma in the garden, he will not come in. Our grandma told me not to let the second grandma know. When I saw the second grandma come in just now, I thought that if the second grandma asked, I had to say no. Said, I didn’t dare to lie to the second grandma, so I thought I’d rather avoid it.” Sister Feng said as she walked, “Afraid of what I’ll do? Could it be that I have three heads and six mouths, can I eat people? You’re honest. Seeing. If that’s the case, go and tell your cowardly and unprogressive master, the fish in the tank is now in my house. If he wants to see the fish, he must see me; if he is afraid of seeing me, he must I better keep my head in the room and never come out." Xiao Que went here.When I saw Aunt Zhao and Jia Huan, I didn't dare to tell Sister Feng what she said, but said that I had found out clearly that the fish tank had been carried to Sister Feng's courtyard. After hearing this, Jia Huan had to calm down, but he was not satisfied in the end, because he murmured to his mother: "I am a brother like Brother Bao. Why can he live in the garden, and I will live with you?" Outside. You don’t even have to take a leisurely stroll. At the beginning, you should tell the master and wife about the division of the garden and the house. You should also give me a room and a half. There are many vacant rooms in the garden anyway. Miss Xing and Miss Smith still live in one room, so why don’t you like me living in the same room? Even Lan’er has a Daoxiang village.” Aunt Zhao was ashamed and angry, and scolded: "You just bully me, why is it not mine? Baoyu entered the garden, it was the mother's decree, who dares to disobey the mother and stop it from entering? It is Lan Boy, the house was not specially assigned to him, but he lived with his widow. No matter how bad I am, I will take care of your food and clothing. I accidentally served you three meals and one night. People say that mothers are more expensive than children , what kind of benefits do I ever get from you? I still expect you to lift me up, but you blame me for not giving you strength. You refuse to accept it, and you bring it up with your father, but you don’t see that you have these words in front of your father Tell me. Whenever I see you, the one who shrinks his head and tail, some who are not rigid, not fluent in speech, and slow in thinking, will only run on me, and follow the example of that dead girl who has no mother in her eyes when she is on a high branch. , stepped on my head with all my heart. I have raised both of you for nothing." She began to cry as she spoke. It turned out that after his sisters lived in the Grand View Garden, not only Jia Huan, but also Jia Zhen, Jia Lian, Jia Rong, Jia Qiang, etc. rarely came in.Although sometimes I accompany Jia Mu to wait for family banquets, or invite An Jin to come to the garden in a hurry, it's just to watch the flowers on horseback.Among them, Rong and Qiang Youke were not originally from this mansion, but because Jia Huan wanted to compare with Baoyu and Jia Lan, he felt even more aggrieved, and in the past six months, Mrs. Xing treated him differently because of Jia Amnesty's praise. After that, he caught up with Uncle Xing again, and they went to Ningfu to have banquets together from time to time, and often communicated with Jia Rong and Jia Qin.There is no one there, what is there to do, why is there nothing to say, and then listened to a lot of gossip, teasing ten times worse than before, and hating Baoyu, Xifeng and others even more. Then he lost his temper and said: "If I say a word, you will have these words. When I set a fire on the garden and burn it down, no one can live in it. That's when I saw my method of ringing the third master. I can only say I don't have the guts to be tough in front of my old man, don't you have the guts to say these things in front of my third sister? After all, I'm also a master, you just scold me for three days and two days, why do those people bully me? It's not because I'm not Born to your wife? You don’t say you’re ashamed, but blame me.” Aunt Zhao couldn't help but swelled up when she was accused of being ill, she gritted her teeth and scolded: "Who bullied you? You should argue with whom. It turns out that you can also say that you are a master, so you should show your identity as a master. Only You say these crazy words. If you can act like Lang Geer and put on an old-fashioned and filial demeanor, you will make me like it, and my life will be easier, and I will have more face. Now everyone is saying, An uncle is not as sensible as a nephew. You can't compare with Baoyu, he is spoiled by an old lady, and even the master can teach him a few words; if you can compare with Lange, I can do it too. Save yourself some worry and earn some face. But you are lazy and playful every day, you can’t support the wall, and you don’t know how to pretend to work hard to please your father, why do you blame your father for not wanting to see you?" Jia Huan sneered and said, "I don't want to see me, and I never hit me with a thick stick, but occasionally I teach a few words, and I always flick my finger. How do you want me to live up to you?" Aunt Zhao listened I liked these words again, and vowed to say ruthlessly: "Amitabha, why didn't you kill him last time. It was the old lady who stopped him. If you go back half a day late, you can just beat him to death. Forgive me." It didn't matter, but it made him more and more satisfied. He pretended to be ill and was lazy for more than half a year. He didn't even have to save his father from morning and night. He wished to die in the garden, guarding his sisters all his life and not coming out. The unrestrained girls are lawless, and even a fan who sings opera dares to fight with me. So what now? Isn't that Fangguan kicked out? Girls always want to marry when they grow up, even girls have to marry when they grow up. Let it out and see how he dies." Speaking of Fangguan, Jia Huan thought of something, so he told his mother's ear.Aunt Zhao was overjoyed and asked, "Is it true?" Jia Huan said, "Why not? The nuns and Taoists are in charge of Qin Laosi. That day Shuiyue nunnery held a ceremony, and he served wine there. I will go too." Yes, although it is a vegetarian banquet, it is very delicious, and it is made like a big duck and a big fish. Even the taste is 70% similar. Tofu, Furong tofu, Babao tofu, snowflake tofu soup, crystal tofu skin, there are many kinds of dishes, and the names of the dishes are also particular. Each one tells a story, such as Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, Monkey Picking Peach, and Magu’s Birthday, Chang’e Flying to the Moon, and even In that mansion, elder brother Zhen treats guests. On the first and fifteenth day of the lunar new year, he often borrows a cook from the nunnery and asks someone to wait on him. Although I have never met Fang Guan, the sisters-in-law serving the wine are all dressed in silk and powder, and they are dressed in a bun. E Guan, dressed in red and willow green, is much more seductive than ordinary prostitute fans. Fang Guan was originally an actress, so is it okay to go to this kind of place?" Aunt Zhao said with a smile: "Amitabha, this is called the retribution of the present world. At the beginning, I called him a 'pink head', and even talked back to me, pretending to be a monkey, and pretending to be dead and alive. It should be today. This is still Baoyu's house. People who have lived before! It’s just such an end. I saw flies fighting twenty miles away, and cows pooping under their noses is not theoretical. They only talk. Talk to my wife, but I still don’t believe it. I’m looking at who is serious about fighting with that one. The hoofs are common sense, and they have been wronged. How is it now? It can be seen that it is from here." Jia Huan asked again, "Is the son of the Zhou family in the third room you are talking about? His mother and son often walk around the mansion. The ones who are the most diligent, I only know that they curry favor with those who gain power in this mansion, but they are not in the eyes of Uncle Zhen in that mansion, when will it be like this?" Jia Huan raised his neck, snorted and said: "What you said is all old accounts from the past. At that time, he only cared about monks and Taoists, and he couldn't flatter Brother Zhen even if he had fat and water. Seeing that he was addicted to gambling and lust, so he didn't wait to see him; and later he took charge of Tiekan Temple and Shuiyue Nunnery, and the two Mrs. Jingxu in the nunnery dressed up some aunts to serve wine and serve as vegetarians. So they are very close now." Aunt Zhao became proud, and said with a smack of her tongue: "It's all right now, although the old lady just keeps protecting Baoyu, the old man is willing. I value you, and with the care of Mr. Zhen in that mansion, the property in this mansion will inevitably fall into your hands in the future. That's right, you run to that mansion every night as soon as it gets dark, what exactly do you do?" Jia Huan He laughed and said: "What is there to do? It's just playing for money under the guise of practicing martial arts. There are also Shuanglu, chess, and Ye Zixi, chasing sheep, grabbing red, wiping dominoes, whatever you like, and winning or losing several times in one night." It's a hundred or so." Aunt Zhao said in a panic, "Don't let anyone coax you out of your money." Jia Huan said, "Where do I have money? It's all the gambling money given by Brother Zhen. In fact, I'm not very stubborn, but I just follow Bai to watch." Look, it’s all about listening to operas and drinking wine. Those people know how to eat and be stubborn. There are meaty and vegetarian ones, elegant and vulgar ones, and they can always come up with different things. Take this nun serving wine as an example. They just didn’t even think about it. They still have a reason, saying that before the Sui and Tang Dynasties there were no nuns or nuns, they were all brothels in disguise, with nicknames, such as Yu Xuanji, Li Xiulan, and Chen Miaochang, all of whom were outstanding. The people who meet are all celebrities, high-ranking officials, and Yang Yuhuan has become a noble concubine. Even the emperor loves her. If Wu Meiniang hadn't walked in the temple, she would have been able to become a real chicken. So they said Shanggu, he regarded himself as Tang Minghuang and Wen Feiqing, and liked to hang out with aunts the most. He was taught to wear a miaochang bun, wear a paddy field shirt, dress up like a Tang Dynasty person, and serve wine for fun." Aunt Zhao was dumbfounded when she heard this, and said, "It's weird, you old man It is said that you are not as good as Boy Lan in writing poems and Fu. Since you are two years older than him, you should naturally have much stronger strength. Running around the mansion is not for the sake of practicing kung fu. Why is it that there is no energy, so it is for this reason. Could it be that Baoyu and Lan boy are also stubborn in the same place?" He also said, "Miaoyu in Yuancui'an is the worst, but she is It’s just a young lady bought by our family with silver, but he’s older than the master because he’s used to him. Usually in the garden, when he sees Baoyu, he’ll smile, and when he sees our mother and daughter, he won’t look straight at him. I wish he’d be taken away that day too. The fans who accompany the wine will fulfill my wish." At first, Jia Huan was only talking about being happy, but when he saw his mother like this, he became afraid again, because he told him: "Don't let your wife leak a little bit of it, and say it out, Brother Zhen and the others are not right, even I It’s not good either.” One sentence reminded Aunt Zhao, and she hurriedly said, “But. Don’t go to that kind of place from now on, if the old lady hears about it, it will be fatal.” At the moment, it was like getting a treasure, I can't wait to show it to others immediately, and I only say that I must not let others know, but I can't hold back, and I don't know who to rap with, and I dare not .So, rubbing his hands, he walked around the room four or five times like a mill, and suddenly remembered that Jialan sometimes went to Dongfu to shoot swans, but he didn't know if he had participated in gambling.So he randomly pointed to a place to visit Daoxiang village. Entering the courtyard, I saw Jia Lan with two or three little girls playing with a pulley beside the earthen well on the hillside outside the fence. He was about to go over to talk and find out some news. A little girl saw him coming and hurriedly raised her voice to announce .Aunt Zhao had no choice but to come into the house, and saw that Li Gongtai had a peony hair combed, a pair of flat square hairpins with the Chinese character for longevity tied around a duck-green handkerchief, and was wearing a home-made duck-green woven cloud and water pattern floral gauze with wide sleeves, a fat body and a long clip. The gown, blue silk lining, white satin collar, decorated with two silver buttons, was sitting on the kang with Aunt Li and Li Qi around a three-legged table. Everyone got up and said hello.Li Wan asked the little girl to pour tea, and took out the apricot cheese cake brought by Aunt Li for him to taste. Because it was inconvenient for Aunt Zhao to talk about the right and wrong of the family, she had to strike up a conversation and ask why she didn't see Miss Li. Aunt Li replied that Li Wen had already made an appointment with someone and was going to go through the door next month, so it was inconvenient to come out and wait for words.Aunt Zhao took a bite of the crisps, and felt soft and sweet, which melted in the mouth, but not as sweet and greasy as usual lotus seed paste and jujube paste crisps. She couldn't help praising: "What stuffing is this made of? My wife doesn't appreciate it as soft as this." Li Wan said with a smile: "It's nothing, just pound the almonds to make pulp, filter out the dregs, then mix with rice flour, add sugar to boil, and then wrap it in powder coat. Yes. You said this soft job, in fact, the Suzhou soft fragrant cake and Xi Shi Huqiu cake that the old lady gave last time are really sweet and soft." Aunt Zhao sighed with a frowning face: "Don't you know that grandma , Really good things, where can we reach our house? Don't talk about eating, it's not a blessing to take a look at it. What can be given to us is naturally hard and rotten, no one wants it, eat a bite of cake, and lose two For example, during the Lantern Festival last time when the glutinous rice balls were distributed, each door was filled with walnuts, pine nuts, grapes, sweet-scented osmanthus, jujube paste, and ginkgo fillings. When we arrived, there were only lard and sugar fillings, and even flour. It's not top-quality, it's yellow and stale, lard is seeping out, and it smells like sugar, it's not sugar, but salt sauce..." Li Wan didn't wait for him to finish, and hurriedly said: "Since my aunt said that this cake tastes good, why don't you take some back and give it to brother Huan?" , He picked up the plate and wanted to fall.Li Wan hurriedly stopped and said, "Just ask the girl to get another box of unopened ones." Yin Ming Suyun took it and put it beside Aunt Zhao, and then put yam balls, lactose mallets, chestnut powder glutinous rice balls and other colorful snacks They picked up a few of them, saved up a whole box, and taught them to bring them to Jia Huan.Aunt Zhao took it away, and sat there like a needle stick in her buttocks for a long time, after all it was inconvenient to gossip in front of relatives, so she had to eat a few more crisps, drank two cups of tea, and said goodbye.do not mention. It is said that Baoyu came back from the Beijing Palace to listen to the opera. Because he was thinking about Xiangling's illness, he didn't go back to the garden in a hurry, but came to Aunt Xue.First, I greeted Ann in front of my aunt, and it happened that Xia Jingui's mother, Mrs. Xia, came and was sitting and chatting with Aunt Xue in the upper room, so I had to meet them together.When the old lady Xia saw that Baoyu was born with autumn water as a god and spring mountain as a bone, she looked like a fairy in Qiongyuan. She smiled happily and clapped her hands in praise: "I only heard that there was a son born with jade in the Rongguo mansion in the capital. It is as precious as jade, and I have seen the real Buddha today, which can compare with Pan'er." Aunt Xue said with a smile: "Where can Pan'er be compared with him? If it is an ordinary young man, Pan'er is still as good as him." Even if he looks neat, if he is with him, it will be a thick wooden stake accompanied by young willow trees." The maids and women all laughed. The old lady Xia repeatedly ordered the maid to open the cage, picked out a few playthings inlaid with pearls as a gift, and took Baoyu's hand to ask questions.Although Baoyu was impatient, he had no choice but to thank him for accepting it, and agreed to gossip for a long time before leaving to see Xiangling in Baochai's room.Just when Baochai went to Mrs. Wang to greet her, Xiangling was lying alone on the outer bed. Seeing Baoyu coming, she struggled to get up.Baoyu hurriedly said: "Sister, lie down. I owe Ante to greet my sister. If I disturb my sister to sit up and worry about it again, it will be wrong." He turned his body sideways to talk to Baoyu. Speaking of Mrs. Xia, Baoyu said: "If you say that your mother is kind and kind, how can you give birth to a daughter who is so domineering and rude?" Xiangling sighed: "If everything in the world has a certain reason, Then there are not so many unjust cases. For example, his temperament is not pampered like a phoenix at home, if not, he would not see others as like bricks; they are all raised by their fathers and mothers , but I don’t know where my hometown is, who my parents are, or I wouldn’t be in such a field. Last night I was thinking about the situation when I came from the south, and I had a dream for no reason. I dreamed that I was sitting on a boat with Hold a flower, and the petals on the branch follow the wind and water. I think my life will end here." Baoyu quickly tried to comfort him. For a while, the little girl Zhen'er brought the meal, and because Baoyu was by Xiangling, Xiangling just said to eat later.Baoyu quickly persuaded him again, and said, "It's not that you've been a normal person to be so polite. Doesn't it make me uneasy?" .Because Xiangling was ill, he didn't dare to eat more, so he had two plates of light side dishes and a bowl of rouge rice porridge with a few slices of lily floating on it to enhance the taste.Seeing that the rice soup was as bright as a daughter's shy face, Baoyu couldn't help staring at it in a daze.I also saw Xiangling casually wearing a peach heart bun, with a Fangsheng plum flower hairpin inserted, wearing a homely and half-worn acacia green makeup and red silk jacket with a gauze waist and a circle of flowers embroidered on the waist and cuffs, A white silk lotus towel is tied around her neck, she doesn't eat vegetables, she just puts the bowl of porridge on her lips, and drinks it spoonful by spoonful. A person, and such a rare bowl of porridge water, it looks like petals falling in spring water, and it is like Xue Tao's peach blossom well. He is as miserable as Xue Tao, and has poetic talent.Thinking about it, I couldn't help being lost in a daze, and actually wanted to cry. Xiangling had a thin stomach and was weak, so he tried to eat a few mouthfuls, then said he was full, put down the bowl, and ordered Zhen'er to put it away.Then he said to Baoyu, "You've been here for a long time. I'm afraid that the attackers should be in a hurry. They might not know how to find you now." Baoyu nodded, stood up, and turned to go.But Xiangling stopped again, and said: "When I see you today, it's considered farewell. The second master doesn't need to come again, I just understand the love. In front of Miss Lin, I would like to ask the second master to say something for me, thank him the day before yesterday Xiangling kowtowed on the pillow for the food he sent, thank you for the books he sent, and those inkstones and papers. He was so fond of him, and he didn’t treat me as a lowly maidservant. He was willing to teach me those things. My life was not in vain if I was a teacher and apprentice with him." Baoyu listened, and the tears flowed down like rain on the eaves.I was afraid that people would see it indecently, so I quickly wiped it off and didn't let it out.Back in the room, I changed my clothes and face, said that the tea tasted bad and asked to change it, and then ordered the little girl to add fragrance, I felt uncomfortable in every way, and was in a daze.When Xiren saw it, he couldn't help but sighed again: "What's the matter with you these days, why did the vice-girl sighed a while ago, and now you're back from listening to a play in the Beijing Palace, you should be happy , but still heaving and sighing like this, what are the deficiencies, and he refuses to say it, just beat the gourd if you have nothing to do, people who are stunned feel blocked, don't be stunned to death?" Seeing him like this, Baoyu couldn't help persuading: "I'm very good. Yes, it's just a day of listening to the play, and it's a little annoying, so I'm here to get back to my senses. Why do you need to think too much? I'll go and see Sister Lin, just to relax." After saying that, he got up and went out. Xiren was stunned, turned around and sat on a bean celadon pier that had just been placed, feeling more and more annoyed.Thinking that in the past, Baoyu would comfort me in every possible way when she showed a little worry and reluctance, but now she is always impatient, and walks away after less than three sentences.This is still the case today, when he married a wife and had children, would he still have himself in his heart?Because I thought about what Xiangling said the day before yesterday to persuade him not to be a concubine, from this concubine, I couldn't help but think of the death of the second sister You in the past, and wanted to use You Er's beautiful face and Xiangling's ice and snow smarts to make the next scene Not only that, but I am not as good-looking as You Er, and my literary talent is even worse than Xiang Ling, what will happen in the future?The more I thought about it, the more frustrated I became, and I couldn't help but quietly shed tears. In addition, Daiyu has felt a little cold since her birthday, and when she woke up early, she felt her head heavy and her body soft, and she was impatient, so she only said she wanted to sleep, and she didn't ask the maids to wait on her.Zijuan was about to prepare for Mrs. Wang's birthday on the first day of March, and within two or three months, she took care to collect the dried tea leaves so that they could be stuffed into gauze covers and sew pillows, and she happily came out to work.Seeing Xueyan keeping both hands, cutting powdered paper and folding lotus flowers, he asked him: "If you don't help embroider pillowcases, how can you make paper flowers?" "The day of the mother's distress", I cried so sadly, I thought it would be better to follow our Suzhou rules, make a few lotus lanterns, light them up and float in the water, saying that people in the underworld will see them, and they will see them when they are illuminated. I am a relative. Our master and wife have been away for so long, and the girl is crying every day, and I can’t comfort anything else. It’s just a thought to help make a few lotus lanterns and float along the water. Sure enough, the master and wife The Yin Linger received it, and it can also bless our girl and find a good family as soon as possible." Zijuan spat: "You are going to die. This is also stubborn? The lights were put on in the Grand View Garden, and the higher-ups knew about it. Did you return it? No way to make the girl sad." Xueyan pouted and was not convinced, Xin said that the girl is sad every day anyway, so use me to make it.However, Zijuan woke him up when he said that the lanterns could not be floated in the garden. How much trouble was caused by the burning of paper by the lotus official, and he was kicked out later. How could it be related to this.But he still argued strongly: "Even if someone sees it, I just say it's because of stubbornness, they may not know it." Zijuan scolded: "People say that you are ingenious, and you have a pair of ingenious hands for nothing. Why are you so stubborn? You only know that the girl is from Suzhou, don’t you know that the old lady and the wife’s hometown are also in Jinling? There are 100% of the people in this garden, and 80% of them are from the south. How can there be even a lotus lantern? I don’t know each other. What’s more, those aunts and sister-in-laws, don’t they have eyes on the back of their foreheads, so they are so easy to coax? Sitting at home honestly, I’m afraid that they will pick bones out of eggs, so you will fall into the net.” The two of them were arguing outside, only saying that the girl was asleep.Unexpectedly, Daiyu was feeling uncomfortable, she was not asleep, she just opened her eyes lazily.Hearing Xueyan talking about floating lanterns, and talking about her parents, the tears had already flowed down and wet half of the pillow towel, thinking that if her parents were still alive, why would they be so miserable and wandering like they are now?When I heard Zijuan teach Xueyan a lesson, I felt more and more emotional, thinking that I, Lin Daiyu, lost her parents when she was young, and lived under the fence.They always have a vacation, and when they go home to see Lao Tzu from time to time, there is nothing to say or do, as if they are in prison here, unless they marry far away, there is no time to go out.Thinking of marrying far away is even more heart-piercing, with a lump in her throat and a loud cough. Zijuan and Xueyan didn't expect the girl to wake up, they suddenly heard the earth-shattering coughing inside, hurried in and saw Daiyu shaking and hugging her arms into a ball, her face was pale, she was out of breath from coughing Angrily, they shouted repeatedly, handed tea and handkerchiefs, exchanged glances with Ku Konger, guessed that he probably heard the conversation, and felt regretful.One wants to make a lotus lantern, which is really what Sister Zijuan said, and it doesn't make the girl sad; the other wants to teach the snow geese what to do, and the girl hears that she doesn't think about him, isn't it chilling? The two of them thought, while taking care of the girl, their own tears also came down, and they couldn't spare their hands to wipe their faces.That Daiyu leaned out half of her body from the bed, coughing harder and harder, her body sank limply, and the two of them could barely hold on. Tears streamed down her face, she was shocked, she turned pale and ran straight over, ignoring any taboos, hugged Daiyu and shouted: "Good sister, what's wrong with you?" Zijuan and Xueyan supported Daiyu, feeling tense, and it was rare for Baoyu to hug him. They did not have time to think about it for a moment, and each pulled away, one went to pour water, and the other twisted a handkerchief to Daiyu. After wiping his face, he took the time to wipe his face carelessly.Daiyu leaned softly in Baoyu's arms, but she gradually breathed evenly. She pushed Baoyu away with all her strength, and said shamefully, "What's wrong with you..." Before she finished speaking, tears flowed down, she just looked at Baoyu and didn't speak. .Sitting on the chair beside the bed, Baoyu also stared blankly at Daiyu, as if her heart was being stabbed by a knife, wishing to suffer for him.After a long while, he said softly, "My good sister, how can you ask me if you don't spare your body like this?" Daiyu looked at him, she couldn't say a thousand words, she wanted a thoughtful word from him in her heart, but Baoyu really said it hotly, but he couldn't bear it, and blushed anxiously: "What are you talking about?" Talk?" Baoyu also knew it and made a quick mistake. She wanted to make an apology, but she couldn't say anything, because she lowered her head and wanted to say nothing. She kicked the pot lightly with her foot, and slowly shed tears.Seeing him like this, Daiyu couldn't help but feel tender, and sighed: "I heard that Aunt Li brought Sister Wen here, why don't you go to Daoxiang Village to say hello?" Stopped, and turned, "If you can get up, I'll accompany you for a walk, and it will work." Zijuan came back after pouring water, and when he heard this, he laughed and said, "Second master can talk. Seeing the girl like this, I don't feel well after resting for half a day. How can I still have the strength to visit?" Baoyu said, "" This is not true, it is because my sister has been lying down for half a day. If she can get up, she should take a few steps to refresh her mind. What's more, it's just a cold, and although she is weak and coughing, it's okay to wear more clothes. If you just lie down Now, a minor illness fell asleep and a serious illness came." Zijuan heard that it was reasonable, and tried her best to encourage Daiyu to get up: "The girl has been lying in bed for a long time, and I am afraid that I will not be able to sleep well at night, so I might as well go out and take a break. Or sleep better." Daiyu couldn't refuse, so she sat up and drank a couple of sips of tea, feeling a little refreshed, so she faced the mirror and had her hair evened out.Baoyu opened the makeup box early, and personally chose a floating flower hairpin to plug in for him.Daiyu blushed again and snatched it away with her hands. She said angrily, "Who asked you to do anything?" She stuck it in front of the mirror.In the mirror, Baoyu saw that her peach cheeks were flushed, her almond eyes were full of anger, she stared at her with longing, and she was overwhelmed with love, so she sat down and looked at the mirror obsessively, and looked at Daiyu in the mirror.That Daiyu hastily turned her back and didn't teach him to read.Baoyu was embarrassed, so he wanted to interrupt with something, but when he saw that the curtains were raised high, and some dried tea leaves and jasmine petals were drying on the window sill, he asked, "This is used tea, what are you doing drying it?" Zijuan just happened to come in with a blue woven golden flying fish over-the-shoulder gauze robe, and replied after hearing the words: "It was for my wife, and it is made of cotton wool as a pillow. It is the most effective for headaches. Since the last time my wife I couldn't sleep because of the yelling, and the girl heard it, so she started to do it carefully, and it has been saved for two or three months." Baoyu said: "If I knew it earlier, I should have told me to put it away, and the two of them saved together, wouldn't it be more and faster. If there is an extra one, I can help the master to make one." Daiyu said to Zicuckoo, "Before a pillow is finished, the whole world will know about it. If people hear it, they will think that we specialize in making pillows." Zijuan smiled and did not argue, but Baoyu felt complacent and said with a smile, "Why should my younger sister be so careless? The fourth younger sister makes a few boxes of jasmine incense for others every year. Who would laugh at him for not being able to open a spice shop? I used to help these sisters To celebrate my birthday, I also dried orchids and gardenias and mixed them in paraffin wax. After all these years, I don’t know how to make dozens of boxes of candles as gifts.” Daiyu said with a downcast face, “What can I compare you to? I’m not you. People from my family. You young masters and young ladies occasionally come in the mood to make a box and a half box of incense candles. It’s a taste of elegance; I know what you mean to say that I have never given you a gift, but these are my childhood obsessions. If I give it to others, if I give you the same gift as them, I will neglect my sister, so I always refuse every year. So perfunctory, where are you thinking?" Daiyu had nothing to say, she turned to Zijuan and said, "It's so boring now, why did you find this jacket again? It's so bulky." Baoyu hurriedly persuaded her Said: "Now that the spring is cold, you should be more careful in putting on and taking off your clothes. You must not be sloppy. If you think they are bulky, I will carry them upside down for you." Daiyu spat, turned and went out, Baoyu hurriedly followed. When the two of them walked to the Dicui Pavilion, they saw Aunt Zhao coming out of Daoxiang Village from afar. Lin Daiyu hurriedly pulled Baoyu's sleeve lightly.Baoyu understood, so he and Daiyu went to the pear tree by the pavilion to take shelter temporarily, watched gulls and herons fighting for the ferry, fish sipping flowers, and said poems and articles, ancient and modern famous paintings, because they asked: "A few days ago, doctor How does my sister feel after taking the newly changed prescription?" Daiyu said, "It's just that, and I asked him what he did?" Baoyu said, "I heard someone say that the dispensing pharmacy not only dispenses medicine for the mansion these days, but also I don’t know if it’s true or not, but it’s not a big deal if they just throw away a few taels of silver to make up for it, but I’m afraid they don’t care about dispensing the medicine for my sister.” He said, sighing: “Pei Hang used to I met Yunying at Lanqiao post, and I searched for jade pestle and mortar to offer it. I pounded the medicine for a hundred days, and then I got the panacea. I took it and became immortal. If I can get this jade pestle, I will pound medicine for my sister for a thousand days. " Daiyu's cheeks were red, and she spat, guessing that Aunt Zhao had gone far, and said, "It's already too late, let's go." The two returned to Daoxiang Village. Li Wan and Aunt Li were packing up the parcels, and there were many calligraphy and painting hairpin rings piled up on the big kang in the main room. Seeing the two of them, he hurriedly invited Li Qi to sit down in the inner room, and asked Li Qi to accompany him, and said with a smile: "Thank you two for thinking about it, I I'm helping Wen'er check out some jewelry here, just talk for a while, I'll come over right away." Annoyed at the little girl for not guarding outside the door, she only cares about stubbornness, and orders Suyun to pour tea.Baoyu said: "We are not guests. We came here to see sister Qi. Sister-in-law just mind her own business and don't pay attention to us." After a mess, Li Wan still went out with Aunt Li to clean up.Li Qi didn't come to the garden for a long time. When she saw Bao and Dai, she was very affectionate. Because she offered tea to offer crisps, she took Daiyu to the kang to talk.Seeing a branch of peach blossom in a celadon vase on the table, Baoyu asked Li Qi, "I remember that this was a narrow-necked vase with a pattern of butterflies wrapped around branches in Chenghua fighting colors. It's so delicate and smooth, why did you change to this rustic thing now?" Li Qi blushed, paused and said, "Who knows? It's all up to everyone's liking." Baoyu didn't care, so she He also talked about Daiyu's birthday when everyone had a social event, but it was a pity that Li Qi was not there. He also said that the third day of the next month is Tanchun's birthday, so Li Qi should stay there until the birthday is over before leaving.exactly: