Chapter 6 In the sixth painting, there is an intention to make a covenant with wood and stone, a needle hidden in the cotton, and a splendid article

After finishing writing, Yin said to Bihen, "thank you for the good tea you made. I won't wait for him to come back. I'm afraid our azalea will find me." After that, he got up and left.Bihen couldn't stay behind him any longer, so he could only watch him go blankly, very suspicious. When Baoyu came back, Sheyue and Qiuwen followed, and there were a lot of maids and women, who dispersed at the door and went to their houses.Bihen brought tea and said, "Miss Lin came here just now. Did you meet her?" Baoyu said, "Is Miss Lin here? Why don't you stay?" I just came from outside the garden, it’s the opposite, I’ll meet you there." He hurriedly asked: "But did you say anything? How is my sister today?" Musk Moon said with a smile: "You also ask slowly, he opened his mouth, Where can he answer your eight or nine questions?" Baoyu laughed too, and asked, "Why don't you keep it?" Bihen said, "Why don't I keep it? This is not freshly brewed tea. You haven’t finished your cup yet. Touch the rim of the cup, thinking it’s still cold. Miss Lin sat for a while, saw Erye’s painting, asked when it was painted, then lost her mind, and took another I started to write a few lines of poems on it, then put down my glass and said I was leaving, I couldn’t stay any longer.”

When Baoyu heard this and read Daiyu's poems, she knew that Daiyu had already understood the meaning of the painting, and her heart was greatly agitated. Thinking that since Daiyu had gone, he didn't want to face it, and if he rushed there at this time, he must be embarrassed and cover up with false words. If he himself might say something wrong, he would inevitably get angry again. , I missed today, and I will go when my mind cools down, and I don't need to mention it when I meet, just pretend that I don't know.However, if you say you won't see him until tomorrow, how can you bear it.So I stood up and sat up and down for a while, repeatedly, and more than a dozen thoughts were turned upside down in my mind.Because Bihen said that Daiyu just drank the teacup, and the rim of the cup was still warm, she couldn't help holding it in her hand, staring at it stupidly, not knowing what her idea was.

Bihen laughed and said: "Why is the good man so crazy again? Could it be that he was scolded earlier?" Qiu Wen said: "So there was a scolding? The old lady was so happy when she heard that the second master didn't finish school. Master is working hard now, Master knows that he must like it, saves a lot of time; he also told the weather to be hot and cold, easy to get sick, although hard work, it should not be too much, it is important to take care of the body, there is no need to give lectures." Just as he was talking, Musk Moon came over with a change of clothes and said, "I'll make sure he'll be happy if I say one thing." Yinbi gestured and said, "But I still remember that on Miss Lin's birthday, Xueyan wanted to go with her. Our competition with needlework? Just because Xiangling suddenly disappeared, everyone felt uncomfortable, so it was delayed. Fortunately, Miss Bao came into the garden from time to time recently, and Yinger followed her back in. He used to be good at needlework On that day, I competed with Xueyan again. Xueyan was very competitive, and said that since it was necessary to compete, it was better for everyone to come up with their work to compare fairly, and said that they would ask Miss Bao and Miss Lin to help judge Just now in the old lady's room, I saw that the mandarin duck was not there, so I figured it was because of this, and when I asked, I really went to the Xiaoxiang Pavilion, and the second master didn't want to join in the fun?"

When Baoyu heard this, he was really happy and said with a smile, "Why don't you go to this kind of elegant meeting?" Then he asked Sheyue, "Why didn't I see you talking about it just now? If you go late and the grand meeting ends, wouldn't it be a pity?" Yue smiled and said: "I just heard about it in the old lady's room, and I knew that the second master would not be able to wait for a moment, even if he wanted to go, so I dare not tell you; otherwise the second master will enter If the old lady finds out, it is a trivial matter to scold us for not being able to wait, and then the wife will hear me saying that the second master Why don't we all be kicked out just because we don't even care about etiquette in the needlework competition? Besides, since Miss Lin was with us just now, the competition must not have started for a long time."

Baoyu felt stabbed when he heard the word "throw out", and he didn't answer at the moment. He asked for tea urgently, changed his clothes, and urged Sheyue to come to Xiaoxiang Pavilion.As soon as I entered the courtyard, there were indeed warblers and swallows, surrounded by red and green trees. Under the bamboo forest in the middle of the courtyard, there was a large carved table made of chicken wing wood, which was filled with everyone's needlework, purses, sachets, handkerchiefs, sweat towels, and fan covers. Twenty or thirty people, including mandarin ducks, azaleas, snow geese, Yinger, Daishu, Chunxian, etc., all hugged Daiyu and asked him to comment. When they saw Baoyu, they all laughed and said, "I'm talking about Miss Baoyu. If you don't come over, there is a second master Bao." Qi Lu and Chunyan also squeezed into the crowd, and when they saw the two of them, they came out alone and said, "It turns out that the second master has already finished school." She Yue said with a smile: "Okay, you two are not waiting in the courtyard, but you will hide here to try to be brisk, don't you want to rebel?" Qilu laughed and said: "I didn't dare to try to be brisk, I really came here after finishing the work, thinking The second master came back from school, heard from my sister about this meeting, so I had to come here. So I wait here to wait on you first. "

Musk Moon spat: "You can talk." Ignore the two of them, and look at the work.I saw that all the embroidered pieces had already been selected and compared, and most of them were of the highest quality. They were still spread out on the table for rewards, but the selected best ones were surrounded in the middle, including an embroidered handkerchief, a bellyband, and a sachet Two, one embroidered Yingluo screen, one round fan embroidered on both sides, and a tiger talisman wrapping arm. He couldn't help holding the wrapping arm in his hand and said with a smile: "Whose is this? How could there be such a thing?" Everyone They all laughed and said, "Let's not talk about who's job, just say that it's good, then it's fair."

Baoyu asked Daiyu to comment, and Daiyu smiled and said, "I've seen it for a long time, and I already know what I know. If you say it, you will be preconceived and affect your judgment. You just came in now. It's better to rely on intuition. It's fair." Directly." Baoyu couldn't wait for a long time, and said with a smile: "Since this is the case, I will throw bricks to attract jade." Pointing to the embroidered pieces, he said that this one has a good color matching, that one has fine stitches, this one has flexible flowers and birds, and that one With a clever mind, a bright tongue, no hesitation in compliments, clever words, and using all their advocacy skills, everyone who spoke bluntly smiled and said: "Second Master can really talk. According to Second Master, everything is good, but Which one is the best?" Baoyu laughed and said, "It's hard to say, according to me, all contestants are good and should be rewarded." The crowd laughed even more: "Since this is the case, the second master is What's the reward?" Daiyu said early, "One bottle of sweet-scented osmanthus oil per person." Everyone laughed. Daiyu then calmly commented: "In terms of embroidery work alone, this silk handkerchief with mandarin ducks playing in the water and this embroidery with tiger charms wrapped around arms are both good, but the meaning is vulgar. New needlework matches old stories. No matter how good it is, it is limited; this Yingluo embroidered screen is the best placed on the table, the weaving of the sash is so ingenious and delicate, the colors are also bright, but the embroidery work is ordinary, it can be said to be overwhelming, and it has great benefits, but it is not satisfactory in the end; Although the sachet is small, it has its own advantages. This one has fine stitches and rich colors and layers. It is only inferior to the embroidered swallow. I think the swallow is a bird under the hedge, even if it can fly, it will not fly far; One is not only good in needlework, but also has a better meaning. It is already rare to embroider wild geese on a sachet, but to embroider clouds around this goose, it is even more majestic and proud, so this one should be the crown." Just as he was talking, Xiangyun came with Cuili, and just listening to the last two sentences, he couldn't help laughing and said, "According to your evaluation, these two sachets are comparable." ?” Shi Xiangyun laughed and said, “How can a sparrow know the ambition of a swan?” Baoyu said, “That’s already said.” Because he asked, “Whose masterpiece is this?” Everyone laughed and said, “You can guess. Baoyu said: "How do you guess this? I have never seen any of your embroidery." But Xiangyun has already guessed: "I know. Since it is called guessing, it must be related to the characters. This one is Chunyan's." , this one belongs to Xueyan, but this is it?" Zijuan laughed and said, "It's Miss Yun after all." Xiangyun turned his head and looked for a week, and asked, "Why isn't Sister Bao here?" Daiyu said, "I asked the girl to invite you a few times, but if you can't invite me again, I think she stayed with me for a few days. I can't take it anymore, so I'm afraid." Ying'er hurriedly laughed and said, "What is the girl talking about? She was sending a letter to the former Mei's family, and she was going to marry Miss Qin, so our wife went home to get some dowry. The box cage, our girl also needs to help prepare, so I can’t get out of the way, and I will come to bother you again after a few days. Our girl asked me to make amends to Miss Lin and Miss Yun here.” Xiangyun smiled and said: “You You're too careful, Sister Lin is telling jokes, she's so anxious there." Baoyu was shocked and asked, "When did this happen?" Ying'er said: "The day before yesterday, Mei Hanlin's young master was in a hurry to get married because he came to Beijing to receive a title. The master has not come yet, but he just sent his family to deliver a letter. When Miss Qin gets married, it will be our second master." I'm married to Miss Xing." Baoyu felt piercing when he heard the word "married", and couldn't help saying "ah" again and again.Daiyu also felt sad and was secretly lost in thought.But Xiangyun pulled Ying'er and asked: "Your Qin girl is married, so you will naturally have to be busy for a while. I have heard of your dexterity. That one here is your masterpiece?" Yinger was embarrassed, and picked out the one. Yingluo said, "It's this one. Of course it's not as good as sister Xueyan's." Xiangyun said: "I came late, and I didn't hear everything. I only heard that embroidering little swallows is not as good as big geese, so they are a little inferior. But I don't think so. This is not a review of embroidery, but a review of paintings. Since it is a competition of needlework, needles are always needed." First-class skill is good. In my opinion, this necklace and tiger amulet are both good, as well as this fan, but the two sides are exactly the same. I can’t tell where the stitches start from and where they end. According to my evaluation, this fan is the best in embroidery." Daiyu smiled and said: ""Shu" says: 'The painter is for painting, and the thorn is for embroidery'. Embroidery and painting originally have the same roots, and they are rationalized. One case, what is wrong with me judging embroidery works based on painting theory? In the pre-Qin period, royal ministers' clothes were painted and embroidered with various patterns to determine their ranks. Grass and stones were used together to smelt five colors to dye silk. "Painting" is called "painting" if it is only distinguished by pigment, and it is called "painting" if it is distinguished by embroidery. It can be seen that painting and embroidery are not only the same, but also have the same function." When Baoyu heard the word "grass and stone", he couldn't help being moved, and asked: "My sister just said 'grass and stone are used to refine five colors'. I don't know what it means?" The juice is used to dye the background color, and then colored stone powder is used to make pigments to paint the table, and finally white pigments are used to set off the outline. "Zhou Li Kao Gong Ji" contains: "Blue and red are called articles, red and white are called chapters, white and black are called Fu, black and green are called fu, and five colors are called embroidery.' It is also said: 'The position of the five colors in the four seasons is in order, which is called coincidence. Wa's smelting five-color stones to prepare for the que, and breaking the pincers enough to set up the four poles', this is the earliest dyeing method. Therefore, flowers, berries, grass roots, ores, and even precious jade can be used as pigments for painting." When everyone heard that "Baoyu" can also be used as paint, they all laughed.But Baoyu was in a daze when he heard this sentence, suddenly lost something.Ying'er smiled and said, "The girls' words are very nice, and I don't understand. If it's purely about embroidery, Sister Xueyan's needlework is also very good. The round fan with double-sided embroidery belongs to him, their Suzhou embroidery Kungfu is the best in the world, and we can't match it; the tiger charm belongs to sister Ping'er, he didn't come, so he just asked someone to send this wrapping arm." Sheyue laughed and said: "So this tiger charm was embroidered by Ping'er for sister Qiao. Damn, it’s weird, I said who still wears this now.” Xiangyun originally heard that Daiyu thought that the sachet embroidered by Xueyan was the crown of all embroideries. She was afraid that Yinger would be underestimated, so she deliberately pointed to another one as the best. Unexpectedly, it was still Xueyan's. After reading Daiyu's long talk on embroidery, she was amazed, because she looked at the snow geese and said with a smile: "It's rare and rare. This is the way that like a master, there must be a servant. The master compares the principles of "Zhou Li", Although the hype is talking about it, it is only a "paper talk"; the girl is a "splendid article" with stitches and stitches, which is comparable to Xue Lingyun, the god of needles in the Wei Dynasty. What's the trick? Teach us too." Xue Yan She blushed and said, "Miss, I'm overwhelmed. What's the trick? It's just that the stretching should be flat, the frame should be stable, the cutting should be small, the needle should be thin, and the stitching method should be flexible. Embroider the back, embroider the wings with trocar method, the complexion should be darker, the inner color should be light, the trocar should be added to the shoulders of the wings, and the needle can be used for both long and short. Use loose needles and whole needles together, use trocars and thin threads for thick places, add needles for thin places, and thin needles for thin places, and it will be fresh, but that’s all.” Before finishing speaking, all the girls laughed, Du said: "If you say that you know all these acupuncture methods, but who cares about how to apply them, and when and where to use them? I'm free some other day, but I want you to explain them one by one slowly. Come and listen." Seeing that Xiangyun was just holding on to the fan, Xueyan smiled and said, "If the girl likes this fan, give it to the girl. I'm afraid the girl thinks the peony pattern is vulgar." Daiyu laughed and said, "Embroider another one." The peony flowers are not vulgar, and it is better to embroider a stone bench." Xiangyun said: "You are good at making fun of people. But you will pinch a little mistake, and you will never let it go. I will do whatever you want now. Said, this fan is about to be ordered. It's a pity that it's still far away from the beginning of summer, and I can't wait." Baoyu laughed and said: "The word says: 'Tuan Fan, Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu'. Only use it in summer." Xiangyun said: "The one with red mouth and white teeth curses other people's diseases. Are you afraid that if I ask for a fan, your sister Lin doesn't have one to cover her face?" Daiyu sneered: "I'll just use it." Is it supposed to be sick all year round? I want to ask, have you ever seen me cover my face with a fan every day? Or people who love to wear fans are bound to get sick?" Xiang Yun smiled and was about to say it again, when he suddenly remembered, often It was Baochai who was holding the fan in his hand, so he refused to continue, but picked up the embroidered handkerchief with the mandarin ducks playing in the water and asked, "Is this embroidered by Sister Yuanyang?" Yuanyang smiled and said, "I am called Yuanyang, so I have to embroider it? That's waiting for the book. The little hooves are moved by spring, so I think about the mandarin duck playing in the water day and night, and even the handkerchief is embroidered with spring." Waiting for the book to listen He hurriedly scolded: "Young Hu, what is the heart of spring, and what is the meaning of spring? There are only a few embroidered patterns. I just embroider them according to the embroidering patterns. The sisters and sisters here have never embroidered mandarin ducks and butterflies. , peonies, lotus, etc. Xueyan embroidered this peony round fan, and Miss Yun rated it first, but I embroidered on the mandarin duck, so you have these words to make up." Yuanyang smiled: "Although it is good, but I don't usually see it. I think you are very good at needlework, but when you embroidered this mandarin duck, you put extra effort into it. It's not that you have a thought in your heart, but what is it for? It can be seen that every stitch and thread has affection. It won't be long before you cross the water and become a mandarin duck. It's gone." Waiting for the book said angrily: "The more you talk, the worse it gets, I will tear your mouth out today." He said chasing after the mandarin ducks to beat them.Baoyu hurriedly held one with each hand, and said with a smile, "don't be annoyed, dear sister. I haven't asked for advice yet. That piece is written by sister Yuanyang." It's not a big deal when the book is waiting, but Yuanyang shakes her hand away and says seriously, "we're gossiping. , it has nothing to do with the second master, so don't talk about it like this." Baoyu blushed suddenly, feeling very bored. Daiyu looked at it and smiled, but didn't speak, and Xiangyun only smiled. Although the screen is good, it is not finished, so it is not considered top grade." When Xiangyun unfolded it and looked at it, it turned out to be a bright yellow palace satin bestowed by the emperor, with many characters of longevity embroidered with red silk thread. Dozens of them, since they are filial to Jia's mother, they are all praised.I looked through the rest of the embroideries that were not selected one by one. Although they are not superior, they each have their own advantages. Cuihui took the bellyband and asked, "This one is good too. Why hasn't there been a review?" Daiyu smiled slightly and said, "Of course it's good." Baoyu snatched it away, blushing and said: " Who brought him here?" Qi Lai hurriedly said: "It was me, because I heard that there was a race girl here, I rummaged through the cabinet, and this apron was the best embroidered, and it was brand new and never worn. Yes, so he was selected for the competition. Sure enough, everyone selected him.” Xiangyun had already recognized that the bellyband was that year when he and Daiyu passed by Baoyu's window, and saw him taking a nap, but Baochai was sitting beside him embroidering, doing exactly this work in his hands.Hearing that Baoyu had never worn one, I couldn't help but looked at him with a smile and asked, "Can't bear it? Don't dare? Don't you want to?" Baoyu had already rolled up and tucked it in his sleeve, and said indiscriminately, "Nonsense, how good is this kind of thing?" See you." He deliberately asked who this embroidery is, but what is the use of that thing.Everyone didn't understand why the three of them were fighting riddles, and they didn't have any theory, so they told them one by one. Just as they were in a mess, Amber came carrying a colorful food box filled with gold and filigree carved lintels. Daiyu hurriedly smiled and asked, "What is it?" Amber said, "It's peach blossom and pumpkin soup. Miss Lin and Miss Bao ate it." Xiangyun laughed and said, "It can be seen that the ancestors were biased, so why don't we deserve to eat peach blossom soup?" Zijuan hurriedly stepped forward to pick it up, opened the lid, and saw that the cup was full, It's enough for three or four people, and said with a smile: "Second Master Bao and Miss Yun have eaten here before going. It's enough. Besides, Miss Bao won't come sooner or later, and she probably won't come tonight." Baoyu said: " It's a messenger." He ordered Chunyan to go back and tell her that she was having dinner at the Xiaoxiang Restaurant.Xiangyun laughed and said, "What are you busy with? It's as if you haven't eaten porridge for hundreds of years, just so hungry." Everyone also laughed. Yuanyang knew that the meal was served ahead, so she said goodbye and went.Amber smiled and said: "The old lady said that it is rare for you to enter the garden, so you can use it later when you come back. Just don't just care about your own fun. If there are any good-looking and naughty things, picking up a few exquisite ones will make me seductive." Daiyu laughed and said: "It's rare for the old lady to be happy." She hurriedly ordered Xueyan to use a butterfly to wear a multicolored lacquered tray, put a few of the best embroidery items selected by everyone on it, and went with the mandarin ducks and amber with them. He also told: "If the old lady likes something, don't be stingy, just honor the old lady." Xueyan smiled and said: "Just now Miss Caiyun liked that ball fan, and I gave it as I said, so is it stingy? This I want the girl to tell me, but I don’t think much of people.” All the girls also said to Yuanyang: “If our needlework can fall into the eyes of the old lady, sister, let’s keep it, it’s our great honor. It's gone." The mandarin duck smiled, and went with Hu Po and Xue Yan. When I came to Jia Mu's room for a while, Mrs. Xing and Wang, together with Youshi and Li Wan, were eating around the big table. The little maids were standing aside with washing bowls and towels, etc., and they praised the embroidery case again and again. .Yuanyang hurriedly washed her hands and came forward to wait. Xueyan went because Jiamu didn't look at it carefully, so she had to stand aside and wait.Jia Mu said, "Poor seer, let's eat with your sister Yuanyang." She also asked someone to give him an embroidered stool to sit on.Xueyan just didn't dare.Amber knew that he was in trouble, so she pulled him and waited in her room, talked with him, and then picked up the tent and asked him how to sew.Xueyan saw that it was a Baotou handkerchief embroidered with a shuttle needle, and said: "The method of winding the needle is to choose the needle. The size and thickness of the needle thread are selected correctly, and then twisted denser and pressed tighter. Alright." So he personally selected needles and threads from the brocade box, demonstrated a few stitches, interspersed and twisted them, and explained them in detail. After Jia's mother had finished eating, she rinsed her mouth and washed her hands again, and then Amber brought Snow Goose to the house.Then everyone looked at it carefully again, and joined Jia Mu's interest again, asking the ancestors to comment on the pros and cons.Jia Mu said with a smile: "When I was young, I used needles and threads every day. I was very good at embroidering, such as uniform stitches, rushing stitches, single sets, double sets, and even front and back, piercing, laying, stabbing, spinning, and engraving." , all came. Although I can’t embroider anymore, I still like to look at it, so I collected two pieces of "Hui Wen" that I can't leave. In my opinion, their sisters are also considered good, but they don't like embroidery very much. I love to write poems, but when it comes to embroidery skills, the girl is better than the master." Xing and Wang both laughed and said: "Of course the old lady's hands are clever, who can compare with the old lady? Even if these people are tied together, they are better than the old lady." Not as good as the old lady. From the old lady's point of view, which of these girls' needlework can still catch the eye?" Jia Mu checked again, and pointed to the Wan fan and the Yingluo as the top.Xueyan hurriedly said: "I embroidered this fan, and I have already given it to Miss Yun. If the old lady likes it, just say it. Fortunately, it is still early in summer, so I must embroider it before it gets hot." Mother Jia looked at it attentively. She glanced at Xueyan, and said with a smile: "I said that Miss Lin is pretty good, she has both her mouth and her hands, and the girl she trained is more skillful than others. If that's the case, you can embroider two fans for me. Each of the squares has one style, what is the pattern, just ask your sister Yuanyang, he knows my thoughts best." Yuanyang agreed, and said: "This Yingluo Eight Treasures embroidered screen is made with Bao girl's Yinger, If the old lady likes it, she will stay. Everyone has already said that if anyone's stuff can be liked by the old lady, it will be a big face, just keep it, it will be a face." Jia Mu was even happier when she heard that, and said with a smile, "In this case, I will look at a few more." Then she compared the fan with the Yingluo repeatedly, and was fascinated by seeing it. After a while, she said, "If you match this Yingluo The double-sided embroidered painting screen is placed on the rouge-frozen stone table, which is novel and elegant." Xueyan said: "In this case, I will discuss with Sister Yinger to do it the same way. , I embroider the painting screen, how about I ask sister Yinger to make a net? I just ask the old lady to give me a size." Jia Mu said happily: "This child is quick-witted and can talk, but he doesn't take merit, but he knows how to use his strengths to make up for his weaknesses. What a smart kid." He also asked Yuanyang to tip money.Xueyan hurriedly kowtowed.Mrs. Xing took the opportunity to say: "These girls really have winks and know the general situation. According to me, the girls in the mansion were raised under the eyes of the old lady, and they were trained by hand. Naturally, all of them are good. Why are they so wrong?" So many were kicked out at once." Mrs. Wang just pretended not to hear and said nothing.It was also inconvenient for Li Wan to speak.But Mrs. You picked up the unfinished picture of a hundred years of longevity and said, "In my opinion, this is the best. Why didn't it fall into the eyes of the ancestors?" Yuanyang smiled and said, "Thank you, Grandma, for your compliment. I embroidered this one. I originally embroidered it. It’s just for celebrating the old lady’s birthday, and it’s not the right day yet, so it’s not over. If you show your eyes today, you won’t care about it when the day comes.” Just as I was talking, Sister Feng also came, and Amber poured tea. Mother Jia asked Sister Feng to pick and choose, and Sister Feng said, "I have no talent. I have no talent when I talk about writing. I don't have talent when I talk about writing. I can't write without poetry." Wu can't embroider, where can you tell whether it's good or bad? Naturally, the ancestors have the best vision." Then he picked out the bound arm and said, "This is our Qiao sister's thing, how come Ping'er's hoof is also used Come to present treasures? If it falls into the eyes of the ancestors, it will be gone. What can sister Qiao wear for tomorrow? You must hide it quickly." As she said, she put it away.You Shi laughed and said, "It can be seen that you are stingy. It's just an armband. Who would want him to do anything except Sister Qiao? The ancestors haven't taken a fancy to it yet." Sister Feng hurriedly asked, "Is it true? If I had known it earlier, I would have I should pretend to be generous, first of all, I said that I honored my ancestors with this. Of course, my ancestors didn't want it, so I had to praise me for my filial piety. In this way, I also earned a good name, and I can keep things. Wouldn't it be convenient? The laughing mother of Jia beat him and said, "You monkey, you are playing with treasures again. If you talk about filial piety, you are also very filial, but you say these words to tease me. If this is the case, you should count all the treasures in your house." Here it is, let me choose, do you think I want it?" Sister Feng said with a smile: "There are a lot of broken porcelain and rotten tiles in my house. If the ancestor wants it, just move it here. I'm afraid there is no place to put it, and I have to put the pearl bottle. Move the emerald vat out to make room for it, and we will be the ones who will be the cheapest." Then she asked Jia Mu which one she thought was better, and because she heard Li Wan say that the picture of a hundred longevity was not selected, she clapped her hands and laughed, "So you are stupid, there is no reason for that." What can't be solved? Naturally, it's because the ancestors knew that it was originally embroidered by Yuanyang sister to the old man, okay, anyway, they couldn't escape anyway, so they refused to praise it in vain, and took the share, so it's better to leave space to praise The other two, wouldn't it be two things left in vain?" Everyone who said that said laughed.Mrs. Wang also said: "If you say you are stingy, you will really lose all the shame of being stingy. I just think that the old lady thinks as much as you do." It's broken." The crowd roared with laughter. Mother Jia said to Xueyan again: "Si Yatou's garden picture has already been drawn. It is really generous and beautiful. I am a little bit reluctant to give it to Grandma Liu. I want Si Yatou to draw another picture, and I am afraid that he will have two more. Now I would like to ask you, can you embroider a very spacious picture screen like that? There is no need to embroider on both sides, as long as one side is flat." Youshi and Li Wan said: "This It's a good idea. It's just that the four girls have to paint for two years. If it's embroidery, wouldn't it be more troublesome?" Xueyan said: "That's not true. The reason for the slow painting is that it takes a long time to paint in the stomach for layout and coloring. I dared to write the manuscript. I heard that the four girls had revised several times and scrapped several drafts, so the painting was slow. Now I embroider as usual, and I don’t need to re-arrange the final draft. I just need a good copy. It’s not difficult. It’s just that it will take a year.” Jia Mu smiled and said: "Although you say it's easy, I know it's not that simple. Although the principle of painting and embroidery is the same, the techniques are different after all. Landscapes, pavilions, figures, trees, flowers and birds are all mentioned in the painting, but the embroidery needs to be embroidered." Thousands of needles and thousands of threads, thickness, movement, ups and downs, and details, all need to be thoughtful and thoughtful, which is the most labor-intensive. Well, let me tell Lin girl personally that I will not let him order you from now on, and you can just embroider wholeheartedly." Sister Feng said, "Go and see your sister Lin when you have time. If he doesn't have enough girls, you can pick another one for him." Sister Feng quickly agreed, and said: "According to me, let the outside painters draw out a picture according to the drawing of the fourth girl, and Xueyan girl can just make the needle according to the drawing. Wouldn't it save you some time to think about it? I will pick a little girl to help him cut the thread and thread the needle, or it can be ten days and a half months earlier, and the old lady will like it earlier." Jia Mu laughed: "If this is the case, it will be even better." After talking for a while, Sister Feng resigned with an excuse because she saw You Shi secretly winking at him.Youshi deliberately sat down and said a few more words, then resigned from Jia's mother and went straight to Sister Feng.Fang turned around the screen wall of glazed emerald double dragons playing with pearls, and saw a jasper lotus leaf vat half a man's height half buried in the soil under two thick century-old locust trees beside the south wall of the courtyard, and planted in the water. There are some catnip flowers, and there are a pair of shining golden carps, which are four or five feet long, swimming back and forth.Sister Feng was sitting on the cool bench under the tree picking her teeth. When she saw him coming, she smiled and said, "You have a heavy butt. As soon as I came back, I urged the girl to prepare tea. Now the tea is cold, so you come in. The teeth are long." It took half a year to go backwards.” Qiutong was picking out shoes with the girl in the wing room, when she heard You Shi come in, she hurriedly lost her face and came out to say hello coyly.Youshi didn't look at him directly, went to the jasper vat under the tree to have a look, then knocked on the side of the vat with his hand, making a loud noise, and couldn't help laughing: "Why is fish so precious, why don't you bury it for him?" A tank here? Isn’t the fish swimming in the pond?” Sister Feng said: "You don't know the reason for this place. This is the pair of golden carps sent by the special dispatcher of the Beijing Prince's Mansion on Sister Lin's birthday. It is said that the main family is safe and more than auspicious. It was also sent together to support these two feng shui fish, which are said to be warm in winter and cool in summer, so they are not easy to get sick." You said to the Buddha: "Amitabha, this is a laborious thing. Fish are living things, and they are not easy to get sick." Cold-resistant and heat-resistant, and afraid of being full and hungry, if one of them is carelessly fed to death, how good would it be then, wouldn't it be self-defeating?" Sister Feng said, "Who says it's not? I'm just worrying about this. These two fish are actually more troublesome than serving two big living people." You Shi cast his eyes for another week, and said with a smile: "People say, 'Pomegranate tree in the canopy fish tank, sir, fat dog and fat girl', now that you have this fish tank here, it is almost complete, only one pomegranate tree is missing. You don’t bear seeds (seeds).” Sister Feng laughed and scolded: “You are so cute, you dare to tease your mother. My mother does not bear seeds (seeds), who raised my son to be so big.” 两个嘲戏一回，同进屋来。平儿端上茶来，尤氏接了，方向凤姐儿慢慢的说道：“你前回说的娘娘赐画的事，你哥哥也就着人四处打听着，说贾雨村犯的是贪污案，查出亏空约有千万之数，因此调京候审，还未定罪。若肯退回全部赃款，量不至重罚。又因前日皇上出宫围猎，四王共同监国，这件事便淹蹇住了，倒给了那贾雨村腾挪机会，这些日子里，只在各相府侯门间蹿个不了，四处求人告贷，帮忙疏通。你哥哥也帮着留心打点，不为别的，怕他一时急了，乱咬乱说，牵连无辜也是有的。倒也不必太担心，他不过是我们常来常往的一个客，并无深交，将来他的事出来，无论发放贬职，都不与我们相干，不过从此小心些，远着来往，也就是了。” 凤姐道：“正是这话呢，就只怕两位老爷这一向同他走的近，一时半会脱离不开。”又命平儿将前日北静王府送的纱取两匹出来，递与尤氏道，“这也是北静王妃送林妹妹的，都是进上的好料子，他不要，收着也是白收着，你拿了家去给蓉哥媳妇做两件衣裳穿吧。”尤氏将手一捻，只觉轻薄软透，温存细腻，不禁笑道：“这是什么纱？看着黑漆漆的不起眼，摸上去竟像是小孩儿手一样，又纤巧又柔软，像是带着体温的，从前没见过谁穿这个。”凤姐笑道：“连我竟也不认得，还是老太太说，这叫香云纱，做了衣裳夏天穿着，出汗不沾身，越穿越凉快，又不起皱，说是一两纱比一两黄金都贵呢。就是颜色不好，非得找个顶巧的绣娘，大红大绿三镶三滚的绣了来，才可以压的住。” 尤氏谢了收起，又向前凑了一凑问道：“这北府里给林姑娘送礼，又是鱼又是纱的，好不金贵，到底是个什么意思？我听你珍大哥说，那在各府里常走动的冯紫英，有一次忽然同他打听林姑娘的来历，说是宝玉在扇子上写了许多诗句传出去，不知怎么被北静王爷看见了，大为叹赏，听说是这府里的小姐写的诗，所以问人。” 凤姐一拍腿叹道：“我说这件事来的蹊跷，原来是宝兄弟闹的！”因向尤氏细细的说明，“我也是瞎猜，若不是你，也不说了——老祖宗前些日子找我去，说北静太妃从前亲口说过，北王要为自己亲选一位侧妃，不但要模样好，还得文采了得，必得谢道韫、班婕妤一流人物。既依你所说，想来必是先取中了才，复取中了貌。那日北静少妃来府里为老太太祝寿，只怕就是亲自相看来了。我起先还纳闷儿呢，说少妃亲自为王爷选妃，怎么就单单看上了林妹妹？若以相貌，薛家两位姑娘并不输给他；若论待人处事的大方亲切，三丫头和史大姑娘更觉活络；且少妃自己已经是个病秧子，再为王爷选一个药罐子，安的什么心？莫不是怕将来侧妃与他争宠，所以故意找个体弱多病的，好使他不能同自己斗法不成？” 尤氏笑道：“你自己是个醋缸，只当人人都同你一样心眼儿多。”又道，“若是这样说，这件事倒有七八分。九成是北王见了林姑娘的诗，便留了心，所以请少妃帮忙相看模样儿，听说竟是个才貌双全的，就相准了，却因并不是咱府里的姑娘，且年龄又小，不便造次，所以请冯紫英帮忙打听身份来历。再听说是个翰林之女，焉有不喜的？若不是为老太妃守制，只怕前年就要下聘的，好容易等的孝满，又知道林姑娘今年及笄，就先下了重礼试探动静，也是投石问路的意思。只怕这缸子鱼便是讯号儿。” 凤姐皱眉道：“这冯紫英是谁？这样多事。他又如何知道林妹妹身世？莫非是珍大哥同他说的？”尤氏道：“你怎么忘了？这冯紫英就是神威将军的公子，与诸王府侯门均极熟络，同你大哥也极相投。从前你侄儿媳妇病重时，就是他荐了一位张太医来，把的好脉息，比铁口神算还准呢。你大哥说见冯紫英问的奇怪，便含糊答应他，说林姑娘本是这府里的亲戚，老太太的外孙女儿，素日也不容易见到，并不曾说什么。依我猜，仍是宝玉同他说的，他与北府原走动的频，和冯紫英这些王孙公子也都常相往来的。”凤姐叹道：“必是这样。宝玉有口无心，乱说话也是有的。别人再赞他两句，什么不说？这事情果然闹出来，才是饥荒呢。” 尤氏笑道：“你也是闲操心。这又有什么好烦恼的？果然我们家里再出一位王妃，难道不是喜事？论人品才情，我听说那北王也是好个人物儿，且是一人之下万人之上的，除了皇上也就是他家最大，林姑娘果然嫁过去，难道还委屈了不成？不是我说句过头的话，只怕比咱们大姑娘还得体面呢，虽然名头上皇妃娘娘和王妃娘娘差着一层，可到底是北王亲自相中的人，便又不同了。”凤姐也不便深谈，只道：“看着罢了。”又说一回闲话，便散了。 且说宝玉在潇湘馆同着黛玉、湘云一道吃了饭，又下了一回棋，才回至怡红院来。袭人已从家回来了，正站在廊庑下遥等，见他回来，忙上前接着，堆下笑道：“巴巴儿的赶回来侍候你吃饭，你倒好，说不回来就不回来了。你就是猫儿食，走到那里吃到那里，别处的饭菜一定比家里香不成？春燕来说的时候，厨房已把你那份送来了，更没有端回去的理，所以叫小丫头端去吃了，倒是老太太特特的打发人送了一盅桃花南瓜羹来，我还给你留在那里。若要吃，便热了来。”宝玉笑道：“老太太也给了林妹妹，我已经吃过了。”又道辛苦，问，“花大哥得了什么？怎么不多住几天？” 袭人叹道：“哥哥嫂子本来也要留我过了'洗三'才回来的，我想着这么大个屋子，这么些事，那里走的开这些天？所以赶着回来了，只好到日子再出去就是了。生了个女孩儿，也罢了，都说头胎开花，二胎结子。”宝玉道：“女孩儿才好，该好好备分礼，贺一贺花大哥的。”袭人道：“太太和二奶奶已经赏过了。”又把赏的金银锞子、一对手镯、四条湖绉手巾拿与宝玉看。 宝玉道：“太太是太太的，论理我这份却不该省，也罢，就照宝姐姐那锁的样儿打只金锁吧。”袭人笑道：“我才说要求百家钱替侄女儿打只银锁，你又要打金的了。他们得了金的，那里还看得上我的银锁。”宝玉笑道：“我的金锁只是拿钱买去，却不比你求百家钱来的真心，送礼贵在诚意，却不可以金银衡之。”袭人道：“既这样，你也与我一文钱吧。”宝玉解开荷包，散碎银子不少，却再找不出一文钱来，恨道：“平时散钱乱扔，偏到用的时候，再想不起那里找去。”仰着脸儿苦想。恰好麝月进来，听说找钱，笑道：“这才是古话儿说的，一文钱难倒英雄汉。”宝玉、袭人都笑了。 袭人又与麝月讨了一文钱打百家锁，麝月又另与了三钱一只的金耳挖子做“添盆”之仪，又问他都向园里谁讨钱来，别房的姐妹随了些什么礼，届时“洗三”又要回些何礼，一长一短的说些闲话。宝玉听着，起先只觉有趣，忽又想起宝琴即将成婚，只怕隔不两年便也如袭人所说“开花结子”，不禁悲伤感叹。因拿了一本书呆呆的看。袭人那里知道他的心思，见他看书，只当要用功，便向头上拔下一根紫玉钗来，将灯剔得亮些，又沏了盏果仁泡茶，叮嘱小丫头好好侍候着，自己便不肯在跟前扰他分神，因出来找秋纹等说话。却见众丫环都拥在一处，正谈论日间赛针线的事。 原来怡红院诸人俱有绣品送去，便如袭人等不肯参与的，也自有小丫头代拿了他的针线去比。却惟有春燕儿的香袋一枝独秀，虽未得冠，却也出尽风头，因此众人都以为奇，因平时并不见他长于此道，遂又翻起前些时他说梦见晴雯替他绣花的事来，都道：“原来是晴雯暗中相助。可惜只帮了几针，倘若整个是晴雯的针线，必要夺冠的。”春燕也道：“晴雯姐姐真正多情，人虽去了，魂梦却只守着怡红院，再不肯就此舍了我们的。”说着，见袭人进来，便都掩口不说了。 袭人笑道：“你们只管顽吧，疯了一日还不够，都这会子了还只管叽咕，吵了二爷看书，是要骂的。”春燕笑道：“二爷再不为这个骂人。今儿他在潇湘馆里，顽的比谁都高兴呢。姐姐没看见，真个是热闹，林姑娘、史姑娘做评判，难得他们两个高兴，不但没有小瞧我们的针线，还比出大文章来，诗啦词啦说了许多，我都听不懂。说的真是好呢。” 碧痕笑道：“既说听不懂，怎么知道是好？不过是夸了你两句，就轻狂起来，打着林姑娘、史姑娘的旗号，只管自卖自夸起来。我可听见说林姑娘评出来的状元并不是你，是人家自个儿的丫头雪雁，可见藏私，不过拿你过桥儿，给雪雁垫底儿罢了。”春燕儿扭头道：“我不信，若说他要过桥儿，怎么不拿别的针线搭桥，就算是垫底儿，也自然是因为我这个不错。” 麝月笑道：“这我倒可以做证的，林姑娘再不藏私。倒是云姑娘一心想帮莺儿，又另选了一把牡丹花的扇子说好，不料也是雪雁做的。说是什么苏州双面绣，我正经第一次看见，难得他两面有花，竟是一模一样，连个线头都找不见，人家说'天衣无缝'，大概就是这个意思了。且雪雁讲的那些针法也都极通的，咱们都说要拜他为师跟着学呢。后来雪雁又回来说，连老太太见了都夸呢。”袭人也道：“林姑娘才不至于那般小气。自然是他识的雪雁的双面绣，所以才不肯说扇子好；倒是香袋儿、汗巾儿这些物件随处可见，林姑娘也未必知道那个是那个人的，所以从公评来，却偏选了雪雁的为首，不过是误打误撞，你别诬赖好人。”碧痕笑道：“我不过一句顽话，倒惹出你们三个人一车子话来。”又道，“刚才我替二爷换衣裳，看他袖子里笼着一条肚兜，是从前姐姐替他做的，问人才知道，原来绮霰拿去比赛来着，怎么竟也没评上状元？”袭人一愣，只道：“我的针线功夫原本平常，没评上又有什么好奇怪的。”就此掩过不谈。 碧痕因又说起宝琴许嫁的事来，叹道：“他们家倒真是热闹，刚办完了白事，又办红事，这才是人常说的：只闻新人笑，不闻旧人哭呢。”麝月笑道：“所以说你不通，这句话比方的是男人喜新厌旧，娶了新人，就不理那前头的人了，并不是说一家子办红白事。香菱死，同琴姑娘嫁人，是不相干的两件事，只管混比。”袭人也说：“好好儿的说婚嫁，怎么又说到白事上去？看叫人听了不吉利。” 忽见王夫人房里的小丫头走来，说找花大姐姐，太太有话说。袭人诧异，这么晚了，太太却有什么话，只得起身叮嘱道：“我去去就来，你们也早些睡吧，别只顾着顽，也灵醒着些，小心二爷叫人。”碧痕笑道：“姐姐去吧，看太太屋里有月钱放呢。姐姐若不放心，我进里边去陪着二爷可好？就只怕姐姐越发不放心了。”袭人啐了一口道“回来再同你算账”，便同小丫头去了。exactly: