Chapter 3 third chapter

In the evening, Mrs. Cha and my aunt knew about the ups and downs between Li Ding and Hui Yi; of course, it was Xiaomei who told the aunt and then passed it on. "It looks like there is a fate." Mrs. Cha said quietly: "Tell the two girls, don't talk too much, just let nature take its course." Because of thinking about it that night, plus Li Ding's happy or angry, moving or still shadows, constantly surfaced in his mind; The next day was still the same as before, and as soon as the dawn appeared, I got up; I saw my aunt coming quietly, and said with a worried face: "The situation is not good!"

Huizhen knew that she was talking about her mother's illness; her heart sank, and she asked anxiously, "What's wrong?" "asthma." broken!Huizhen thought to herself, once an old affliction strikes, she cannot move; her mother's asthma affliction, there is no cure other than lying down and resting; the length of time in bed depends on the weather. Got it? So, I hurriedly pulled my hair, walked through a corridor, pushed open the heavy wooden door, and immediately heard heart-palpiating panting sounds; the little aunt and Xiaomei supported the patient, rubbed his chest and patted his back, and kept scooping it up with a small spoon. Pour warm water into Mrs. Cha's mouth.Huixi ran up to take a look, her mother's eyes were closed, but her expression was still peaceful, she just opened her mouth and panted heavily.

She didn't dare to alarm; because when Mrs. Cha got sick, she was already used to using self-restraint and trying to calm her mind so that she could slowly stop her breathing. Pausing for a while, waiting for Mrs. Cha to open her eyes; Huixi didn't dare to show her affection, and called out calmly: "Mother!" "You wash your face, look at Brother Li, and tell her that I'm sick. This is not a matter of three or two days, I have to move somewhere. I wonder if there is an inn here?" "yes!" When Mrs. Cha closed her eyes again, the aunt waved to Huizhen, went back to the other room, and said in a low voice: "This matter is very troublesome. I asked, and there is an inn in a county thirty miles away. If you move, your illness will get worse; if you won't get better in a month, the tolerance will keep you on the way?"

When Huizhen heard this, she was very anxious, but she didn't dare to show it on her face, she just said, "I'll go and see Brother Li before I talk about it." So the aunt helped her wash up and change her clothes; she found Xiaomei and led the way to Li Ding's place. "It's so early!" Li Ding had just woken up, wearing short clothes and the quilt was not folded, "Look, there is not even a place to sit." "Brother Li, you don't have to be polite." Huixi sat down and said, "Please wear long clothes first, otherwise you will catch cold."

Li Ding hastily put on a padded robe, Huizhen gave Xiaomei a whimper, and she stepped forward to button him. "Ah, dare not be, dare not be!" "Young Master Li, you're welcome!" Xiaomei said, "It's almost time to get dressed, Miss has something important to tell you." Li Ding didn't make a sound, put on his clothes, sat down and looked at Hui Yi; she said with tears in her eyes, "Brother Li, my mother is not well..." Li Ding hurriedly comforted her and said, "Don't be sad, just speak slowly if you have something to say." So Huizhen talked about her mother's situation, and finally asked about the inn; Li Ding interrupted her before she finished speaking.

"You can't move even if there is an inn, not to mention there is no inn here. Miss Cha, please go back first: I will talk to my father and see what is the solution? I will go there in a while." "Yes!" Huixi hesitated to speak, and finally said: "I'm afraid you will be in trouble." "That's impossible. You don't have to think about it so much." As soon as she was gone, he went to see his father; after talking about it, and discussing it for a while, they went to see Bridge again.So when I got to meet Huizhen again, it was already high in the sun.

"My father has discussed with Master Bu, please Aunt Cha to live here. Master Bu will go to the city this afternoon; this is under the jurisdiction of Suizhong County, and the county magistrate is a good friend of Master Bu. Please ask him to report an official business. It is said that my aunt is ill and has to rest here. Please rest assured, Second Master Bu is also a very warm-hearted and enthusiastic person. " "That's really meeting Buddha!" ​​said the auntie, "I owe Master Bu, and you two such great affection, I really don't know how to repay it."

"Auntie doesn't need to talk about these words. Now there is something that needs to be explained to Auntie and Miss Cha first. My father can't stay long, and he plans to leave the day after tomorrow—" "What about you?" Hui Wei asked in a low voice, "Are you going with me too?" Seeing her earnest eyes, Li Ding almost didn't have the courage to speak up; he finally answered: "Yes! I will go together too." With just this sentence, Hui Hao's face turned pale immediately, and the auntie was also in a daze, her face full of fear and uneasiness.

"Oh!" Li Ding said with a pause, "I have to make other plans." After speaking, he got up and left. No one knew what he meant; but Mrs. Cha, who was lying on the kang, knew in her heart that Li Ding would probably stay to accompany their family.Now that the matter has come to this point, she had to say what she had planned to say calmly at this time. The words were only spoken to my aunt, and the voice was very low, and it was inconvenient to breathe, so it took a long time to finish. Huixi has been paying attention to her mother and concubine, but she doesn't know what they said; when she wanted to ask questions, Li Ding went and came back.

"I told my father that we will go here together when Aunt Cha recovers." The aunt first glanced at Mrs. Cha, meaning that she was right; then, she said to Huizhen, "Miss, please thank Brother Li!" "Thank you, thank you!" Li Ding rushed to say, "Helping each other in need is the basic principle of being a human being. Let's stop gossip now, and the most important thing is to see Aunt Cha; Master Bu introduced a doctor, so I have to go and invite him. Let's go." The auntie didn't say anything, she sent him out; when he walked away and turned around, she saw Huizhen standing behind her.

"Miss, please come here. My wife has a few words, and I want to tell the lady." As she spoke, she walked all the way to Huixie's bedroom; when she followed her in, she closed the door. Huixi already had a premonition that what her mother was going to tell her must be a "will"; but why she didn't tell her directly, but asked her aunt to tell her, but she couldn't imagine the reason. "I've been worried for a long time along the way." The aunt said, "It seems that this hurdle is inevitable." "That level." "Madam's illness." The aunt said immediately, "Miss, don't be sad, I will rely on you to support the family in the future. You must be steady!" "Auntie," Hui said anxiously, "Don't mention these things, but tell me quickly what my mother said." "She said that she knew that she would never recover from her illness! It would be better to die here than to die on the road; but even though it is a public barracks, she is not so taboo; after all, she owes her a big favor, so she closed her eyes My heart is also restless—” "Well," Hui Wei interrupted her, "the Li family has friendship with others." "That's exactly what I said, the debt is not only owed to Bu Erye, but also to the Li family and his son. However, we also have to think for the Li family and his son. There is nothing to say about our own affairs; it is other people's affairs. We are so tired that our friends will turn their backs on their backs. It can't be justified. What do you think?" Hui Wei put herself in the shoes of the Li family and his son, but it was really difficult to explain to Bridge; she could not help but take a breath and said, "Then what should we do?" "The wife said that there is only one way, to let Master Bu understand that the affairs of the Cha family are the same as those of the Li family; he has friendship with Master Li, so he is not allowed to ignore the affairs of the Cha family." "The words are reasonable; but how can we get Master Bu to treat our family's affairs as Li's affairs?" "Miss," the auntie smiled slyly, "You are such a smart person, can't you figure it out?" "I can't figure it out; I'm so confused right now!" "Then let me tell you, don't be ashamed! Li and Zha are close relatives, isn't the situation different?" Hearing this, Hui Wei immediately felt feverish behind her ears; her heart was beating so fast that she could hear the sound.Of course, I forgot to answer. "Miss!" The aunt said seriously: "Madam takes extra care, and she must let me make something clear; she has already made up her mind to betroth you to Brother Li regardless of the matter in front of her. Now, the couple who are married to each other just happened to ask Bu Erye to be the big matchmaker, and they managed the wedding in these two days; so that she can rest assured." "What?" Huizhen was taken aback, but at the same time felt unbelievable, "How could such a thing happen?" "Why can't there be such a thing? It is logical, everything seems to have been arranged a long time ago; this is called a natural marriage." Huixi was very confused and could not accept such a sudden marriage; so she didn't know how to express this matter.I just looked at my aunt blankly, unable to speak for a long time. "Miss, you should say something! Although it is the order of your parents, you have to be willing in the end." The last sentence sounded very open-minded; in fact, it was very bad, which aroused Hui Huan's resentment. "At this point, I said I don't want to, okay?" "Why?" Auntie was shocked, "You don't want to? You don't like Brother Li? Is it that you don't like it at all?" "I didn't say he's not good." Huizhen said again: "Whether he's good or not, and whether he wants to or not are two different things." "I don't understand, how can there be two different things." The aunt paused for a while and said, "Missy is a person with ink in her stomach, and I can't reason with you; you just tell me, what should I do?" Go back to Mrs." "I've said it a long time ago, and I can't do it if I don't want to!" There was still resentment in the tone, the auntie was not only uneasy, but also a little dissatisfied, "Miss, it's such a happy event, don't feel wronged like this. Let alone, my wife regards you as her heart, how can you be willing?" It will ruin your life." She then said: "Besides, Brother Li's character, even if he is not worthy of you, it is not far behind. There is nothing perfect in the world, but it is better to have some flaws." "I don't have any grievances. The ancients——" She originally wanted to say, "The ancients sold their bodies to bury their fathers, so there were." But this kind of statement is too much, so I kept silent. The aunt continued her words and said: "You don't admit it, but you don't think so in your heart. Well, I won't talk about your thoughts; Miss, you are very filial, you have to think about your wife's mood, if You don't look happy; there will be a knot in my wife's heart, which is not good for her illness." She paused and said: "I have an idea in my heart, if I hold a wedding here; The wife's illness has recovered, and that's where she said it was." When the word "filial piety" was mentioned, Huizhen felt wronged, and it was easy to bear. After thinking about it, he lowered his head and smiled: "How can I pretend to be happy? Auntie's words simply don't make sense." Seeing this scene, the auntie was very pleased; she nodded and admitted: "I don't understand, I don't understand! Ladies, when they talk about this, they can only be happy in their hearts, and they can't show it on their faces. Now stop gossip, Miss, this How do you talk about it? You make up your mind; don't make it your own, but your sister's lifelong affair." Huizhen naturally understands this truth; but she can't get over the idea for a while if she is asked to put aside herself and act as a third party. "Miss, you can open your golden mouth!" "I think." Being forced to nowhere, Hui Yi had no choice but to say with great difficulty: "It's best to ask Mother to tell the old man of the Li family; otherwise, Second Master Tuobu." "That's right! It's best if Second Master Tuobu is a matchmaker." The aunt said, "My wife is waiting for my reply." Then she stood up and left. Naturally, Huixi would not follow her out, her heart was in a state of confusion, not knowing whether it was joy or sorrow.After an unknown amount of time, Hui Xiang slipped in, dangling her two braids; seeing her sister, she stuck out her tongue first, with a mischievous look on her face. "Sister Li," she said from a distance with her hands behind her back, "Mother called you!" Huixiang was furious; thinking about grabbing Huixiang and hitting her palms, she deliberately turned her ear and asked, "What did you say?" "Forget it if you can't hear it." "Come here!" Huixi said with a cheerful face. "What are you doing! You want to give me 'osmanthus candy'?" Hearing this, Huixi hated it even more - Mier Hangzhou Mansion, Zhili Prefecture, Haining; just like Hangzhou, the sweet-scented osmanthus candy is the main fruit of Xiguo; ", "Begging for red eggs" are all joking words used by the close friends in the boudoir.Huixiang is a big kid, but he actually pushes an inch and makes fun of his elder sister recklessly!How to teach Huiqi not to be angry? "Come here! I won't hit you." Huizhen's voice became softer, "I have something to ask you." "If you don't fight, I won't come here either." Huixiang backed away slowly, ready to run away at any time, and replied, "If you want to ask, I can hear you." "You!" Huixiang gnashed his fingers, "If you get scolded in the future, don't come to me." Then imitate Huixiang's usual crying manner: "'Eldest sister, look at fifth brother, pull my braid!'" Huixiang smiled embarrassedly, "I'm not looking for you; I'm looking for Brother Li, no!" She said one word after another: "Looking for my brother-in-law." After finishing speaking, she turned around and slipped away. Hui Xiang was really angry for no reason, wishing to catch Hui Xiang and give him a good beating.At this moment, the second aunt came, her footsteps were hurried, and she looked like she was about to speak from a long distance. "Go quickly, my wife has something important to say! You too, it's a matter of integrity, and it has fallen to this stage, there is nothing to let go of." Huixiang was brought up by the second aunt, and her feelings are very different; she never acted like a baby with the first aunt, but she had no scruples about talking to the second aunt, and it happened that Huixiang was born by the second aunt. I'm going to lose my temper. "I'm not going! Do you know, what did Ah Xiang call me?" "What's your name?" Huixiang was embarrassed to imitate Huixiang's words, so she just said, "Go and ask her." "Okay! I'll turn around and ask her. However," Second Aunt hesitated for a while and said, "I really can't think of what else she would call you besides elder sister; to make you so angry? How old are you, how old is she?" , how do you know her as well?" "Hmph!" Hui Wei sneered, "Look at her smallness, her words are like knives when she hurts people." "Oh!" Second Aunt paid close attention, and also had an air of disbelief, "What's wrong with her?" Seeing Second Auntie's expression, Huizhen really couldn't bear it anymore; with an old face, she said loudly: "Do you know what she calls me? Call—call me Mrs. Li!" The second aunt laughed "puchi", but quickly covered her mouth with her hand, and said in a soothing tone, "Ah Xiang is getting more and more unruly. Look at me, don't turn around and beat her up." Hearing this, Huixiang's anger immediately turned into uneasiness, but she couldn't go back on what she said, and immediately pleaded for Huixiang. After thinking for a while, she felt that there was only one way to save Huixiang from the responsibility of the second aunt. "I won't go out. Unless I ask Ah Xiang to accompany me." "Okay, okay!" Second Aunt seemed overjoyed; she turned around and left. After a while, the second aunt half-led and half-pulled Huixiang in, stood in front of Huixiang, poked her finger on her forehead, and shouted loudly: "You are so unruly, talking nonsense with your eldest sister. Isn't it your daughter?" Sister begs for you, see if I won’t beat you! You still haven’t told elder sister: Don’t be angry, elder sister, you won’t dare in the future.” Hui Xiang bit her finger, with a mischievous smile on her face; she looked at her mother and then at her sister with bulging eyes.Huixi was angry and loved at the same time, and she couldn't hold back her face at first. "Go!" Second Aunt slapped her daughter on the back. Huixiang staggered, fell on Huixiang's body, took advantage of the situation and hugged her, and buried her face in her sister's arms.This time, Huizhen naturally lost all anger. "Say it!" Second Aunt was still yelling. "Okay, okay!" Huixi took advantage of the situation and stood up; the second aunt didn't say anything more, and guided her to Mrs. Cha. Finally, it was the second aunt who grabbed Huixiang's braid and came to apologize to the elder sister; the second aunt assured that the younger ones would stop talking nonsense, so it was considered to move Huixiang's footsteps. However, the children's mouths can be sealed; but they cannot be prevented from looking at her with weird and curious eyes.Therefore, the eldest sister had to sit sullenly on the kang with her feet hanging down, pretending to be sacred and inviolable. "Xiaomei," Mrs. Cha said, "take them out to play." Only then did Huixi realize that her mother's asthma had stopped; her voice seemed to be quite energetic, and she couldn't help being very surprised. "This doctor is really a master." Mrs. Cha touched the space between her shoulders with her hands, "Pricked two acupoints with silver needles, and she didn't breathe anymore." Huizhen became more and more surprised, "The doctor has come." She felt relieved, "I don't know anything about it." "Of course you wouldn't know." Second Aunt laughed, "At that time, you wouldn't even be able to hear the thunder." "Sit down, all of you!" Mrs. Cha said, "Let's check carefully, check. The doctor said that the root of my disease can't be cured. I know that not only can't get rid of the root, but also—" She didn't go on, obviously not I would like to say something "guilty talk" that will make everyone sad. "My wife said that I want to see Mr. Li in person; why don't I invite Mr. Li here." The aunt said, "The doctor also said that you can't catch the cold, let alone catch the wind; otherwise you will suffer from asthma immediately. If you say this, Brother Li will go back Having said that, Master Li will definitely understand." "It's okay to invite me here. There are several ways to say it. I have to ask Ah Ji, which way is better?" "How do I know which way to say it?" Huixi replied, "Actually, you don't need to ask me; Mother has discussed it with the two aunts." "The method we have discussed, you have to be willing. You just sit there and listen. If you think the method is good, you don't need to speak up; if you are not happy, you feel that you can't do it, you can talk." Huizhen still objected; the second aunt pulled her clothes and said, "If you think the method is not good, you don't have to say anything, just give a code." Then she pulled her clothes again, indicating that this is the code. "There are two ways. One is to gong face to face and drum to face to face. Say what you have." "Ma'am," my aunt asked, "I don't quite understand, what are you talking about, but it's just marriage?" "If you don't want to discuss it, let's just say: my daughter is your daughter-in-law; see what others say." As soon as Mrs. Cha finished speaking, Hui Yan went to tear the second aunt's clothes; the first aunt happened to see it, and then smiled and said: "Miss, don't be so busy! I heard the second way from my wife." "The second way is to ask Gu. They are five brothers and sisters, and they have to kowtow to Master Li immediately." "This...?" Auntie felt awkward doing this, but she couldn't tell where the awkwardness was. "It was a happy event," Second Aunt explained why she felt awkward, "It's not appropriate to make everyone feel sour." "Then follow the first method." "Let's just follow the first method!" said the auntie. "It's rare to meet such a good doctor along the way. My wife will be healthy every day in the future, so what is there to talk about?" Huixi remained silent.She disapproved of both; but there was no better third.As for the two ways of disapproving, the second is beyond the Son of Man's words; that leaves only the first way. The concubine's mother was waiting; Huizhen thought about it, and couldn't help but say: "Think about it, what's better?" "You think, as long as the matter is settled." Mrs. Cha said, "Why don't you ask Mr. Bu to be a matchmaker? That's not a good idea." "That's right!" Second Aunt echoed, "That would seem to be a bit of a division; and it's hard to talk, it's better to have a face-to-face conversation with the two parents." Huixi couldn't bear it anymore, "There we can talk about a 'two-parent family'." She said, "It's just wishful thinking." "Wishful thinking, there is also wishful thinking. So I have to ask you." Mrs. Cha said seriously: "If you feel wronged, there is still time to say it now." "Ma'am, don't say that!" The auntie was afraid that Mrs. Cha's words would be too harsh and there would be a stalemate, so she hurriedly said, "If you want to talk about grievances, of course it is grievances, but for the sake of younger brothers and sisters, I have to admit my grievances." These words hit Huizhen's heart, and she couldn't help but shed tears of emotion and gratitude; the second aunt wiped her lightly with a handkerchief, and said softly: "You do it yourself, or ask your younger brother to write it. ?” "Of course I asked Ah Zuan to write it." Auntie hurriedly said. "After finishing writing, let him invite Master Li." Ah Zuan’s scientific name is Kezuan—the fifth son of Zha Siting, the eldest son Shan Mingyun, who was sentenced to beheaded and jailed; the second son, Keshang, died in prison together with his father;Ke Zuan was sixteen years old, but because of his frailty and delayed development, the torturer asked the officials about his virtue of being good at giving birth, and in his writing, he was listed as "young", and was distributed with his mother.Immediately, I found him and laid out pens, inkstones, and red paper for him; after I finished writing Huizhen's geng post, I taught him a few words, and Xiaomei took him to see "Brother Li" first. "Brother Li, my mother wanted me to see the old man; she asked Brother Li to introduce me." "Oh! Tell me what happened." "I don't know what's going on, I just said that if there is something very important, I have to talk to the old man face to face." "Okay! Come with me." Seeing Li Xu, Chuck Zan first crawled on the ground and kowtowed, which surprised Li Xu; because this is the custom of reporting a funeral, he thought that something had happened to Mrs. Cha, and hurriedly said: "Get up, get up! What's wrong with your mother?" ?” "My mother said that if there is something very important, I need to have an interview with Uncle Li; I originally wanted to come here in person, but I didn't dare to risk the wind, so I came to invite Uncle Li to drive." "Oh, how is your mother's illness?" "Much better!" Hearing this, Li Xu was relieved, stood up and left; his steps were still brisk, but Li Ding was very worried, he caught up with him carefully and kept reminding him: "Walk slowly, walk slowly! " When she arrived at Mrs. Decha's room, she struggled to get up and stood in front of the kang to greet her. The two aunts greeted each other in person. I feel uneasy; but I also know that it's all for Li Xu's sake. "It's easy to say, easy to say. Help each other in adversity, and everything will last forever." "Thousands of years from ancient times to the present, it is natural that this kind of thing is inevitable; like our family, it has only been a few decades, and it is so rare to encounter such a time." "Yes." Li Xu said, "Sister-in-law has something urgent to tell me; please tell me!" "Don't dare, dare not!" Mrs. Cha paused for a moment and asked, "Master Li, what do you think of my big and small girl?" This question is too abrupt.Li Xu had to think about her intentions first; could it be that he had taken a fancy to the kid from the Jingzhong family and asked him to be a matchmaker.If this is the case, I will naturally be happy to obey; after thinking about it, when Huixi is still a criminal child, it is not enough to talk about it.What's more, is there any reason in the world to ask a felon in the army to act as a matchmaker?Then, when Mrs. Cha suddenly mentioned this, it was very suspicious. He was still suspicious, but Mrs. Cha made another statement: "Master Li, a friend in need is more than flesh and blood; if you think there is anything wrong with Huizhen, just tell the truth, don't worry about it at all." "No, no! Mrs. sister-in-law completely misunderstood. To be honest, I was just guessing. When I mentioned the eldest lady to me, it was naturally related to the eldest lady. Could it be a matchmaker? I don't know which family you are looking at?" "Master Li can make a guess. I've taken a fancy to that family, and we'll talk about it later; please, Master Li, talk about the strengths and weaknesses of my little girl first." "There are no disadvantages, but there are too many strengths; virtues, words and demeanors, all four virtues are available. If it is not my compliment, I have seen quite a few ladies from relatives and friends who are outstanding; but compared to Miss Huizhen, they are not as good. It's a big piece!" "Is this true? There are always disadvantages, right?" "A person can't say that he has no weaknesses, but I can't see them." Li Xu continued, "Actually, it doesn't matter if you don't see them; there are so many strengths, but there are small weaknesses, and the flaws can't hide it." "It seems that Mr. Li really has a relationship with Ah Yi, and he sees her so well!" Mrs. Cha said looking at Auntie. "Yeah! It's not fate, where will we be together today?" "That's the truth." Mrs. Cha asked, "Master Li is watching!" "Yes, yes. It was meant to be." "Since Mr. Li also feels that we are destined to each other, we must not miss the fate." Mrs. Cha said straightly, "Would Mr. Li be willing to have a daughter-in-law like Hui Yi?" Hearing this sentence, the father and son coincidentally, one looked to the left and the other to the right, looking at each other in surprise, blinking wildly, as if they had encountered something unbelievable. However, Li Xu's demeanor quickly returned to normal; "Why does Mrs. Sister-in-law have such a whimsical idea?" He asked calmly. "Why do you call it a fantasy when it is logical?" Mrs. Cha said, "My daughter is good, and your son is not bad. They are of the same background and in the same situation. How can they be called a fantasy?" Li Xu didn't answer, and when he turned his face to look, Li Ding had quietly retreated to the door; he wasn't afraid of being embarrassed, it was just a way of modestly retreating to show that he wasn't worthy of Hui Hao. "Master Li, to tell you the truth, I naturally have selfish intentions; the sons and daughters are still young, and the relationship between the son-in-law is very important. I have been moved by Brother Li's enthusiasm and sincerity along the way; I have already made up my mind .I was thinking about it, but now because of the relapse of the old disease, I am afraid that the future will never last; I really can't let it go if I don't make a decision on this important matter sooner!" Speaking of this, Mrs. Cha squeaked her lips; the auntie knew it, and took a red sandalwood worship box and handed it to Mrs. Cha. "Here is my little girl's geng post. Master Li, we are both in trouble, keep everything simple; just wait for your promise, and we will discuss it later. How can we embellish the appearance of a wedding?" It is not difficult to understand Mrs. Cha's original intention. The main reason for wishing to marry this in-law is for the support of the whole family, and secondly because of Li Ding's character.As for Li Xu, he felt that although "Xiao Ding" was not a good son, Hui Yi was really a good woman, so why would he not want to marry this kind of marriage?It's just that he is different from Mrs. Cha after all, and the obstacles are clearly seen, but the most difficult one is hard to explain—how can Hui Hui get married without authorization?The marriage of a sinful child cannot be ordered by the parents; if there is a need for official approval, at least the chief of the place of exile must be willing to bear it. If it is "Holy Lord Dangyang" - the first emperor is in the sun, this is not a hindrance, as long as he meets a slightly more loyal officer, he will be willing to bear it; because even if he is punished, it will be light, but fines and wages will not hinder the future. .Now the emperor, who is not in the right position, has a biased conscience; he hates Zha Siting deeply, and his crime involves his wife and children, and his original intention is to vent his anger.Now the orphan Siluo has a trust, and the widow and son-in-law can rely on her. Is this what the world hopes for?In this way, the officer who authorized the marriage of Cha's criminal daughter would be charged with a light crime? There is a grievance in this, and it is inconvenient to say it clearly; if it is explained clearly, it is tantamount to announcing that Hui Yi's youth is doomed to be buried in a place of bitter cold; and what is more serious, this statement is tantamount to concluding that the Cha family will never succeed. day.Because Mrs. Cha is so weak; these words are an urging talisman that cannot be accommodated. So he made up his mind and promised to take care of the Cha family orphans and widows; as long as he could.For the matter of marriage, find another excuse to evade. "Let me tell you the truth, is Xiao Ding worthy or not worthy of Miss Huizhen? These things are still out of the question; the ban on intermarriage between Man and Han has not been revoked by decree. Now you and my two families are waiting With a body of sin, you have to be extra cautious in doing things." Li Xu went on to say, "Although I can't have a daughter-in-law like Huizhen, I really want to have such a good daughter as Miss Huizhen. Sister-in-law, let Xiaogou be worthy of a brother and sister!" Mrs. Cha stood there dumbfounded for a long time; the two aunts felt the same way as her, once they became brothers and sisters, they would lose their love.This result is worse than failing to negotiate a marriage. Of course, Li Xu understood their psychology, but in his view, there was no other way to do anything else; so he could only try his best to endure the awkward silence. "Master Li, you said that the ban on intermarriage between Manchu and Han has not been revoked; however, it has long been adopted by the people, and it is said that there are not only Han women in the palace, but also bound feet. So this ban will come to an end sooner or later. It was revoked. We might as well follow the right, first settle the marriage, wait for the ban to be lifted, and then let the young couple worship the heavens and the earth. What do you think?" "I don't know when it will be withdrawn; won't it delay Miss Hui's youth?" "Then let the young couple consummate the house first!" The suggestion that Auntie blurted out was surprising; "No, no!" Li Xu shook his head greatly, "Wouldn't that be a bit of a grievance to the family?" Mrs. Cha had already figured it out in a short while, and thought that Auntie's idea was very clever; she immediately replied, "Master Li doesn't need to worry about this; if you are realistic, I don't feel wronged." Who knew that Huizhen, who was hiding behind the curtain and eavesdropping, felt aggrieved long ago; at this moment, she appeared and said with a flushed face, "Mother! Uncle Li's words are correct. Let me worship at Uncle Li's knees!" " As she said that, she was about to kneel down; and the second aunt knew Huizhen's temperament, and when she heard the word "is doing it", she was prepared, she immediately blocked her body, and said loudly: "Waiting for Godfather It’s a big event, so we have to pick a good date and formally salute. How can we just recognize it so-so now?” The scene seemed quite awkward; but Li Xu's words were very good, "No matter what," he looked at Mrs. Cha and said, "Anyway, I have made a deal with Mrs. Xian's in-laws." Whether this in-law is a god-in-law or a son-daughter in-law depends on future opportunities; in fact, even if Li Xu accepts the marriage contract at this time, Hui Huan's status is already determined, but avoiding suspicion is not the way to get along in adversity.Mrs. Cha changed her mind to this, and she had a sudden inspiration; she shouted: "Brother Li!" Usually, Mrs. Cha and the two aunts followed the habits of the children and called Li Ding "Brother Li", so he only thought Mrs. Cha was calling him.But it was the first time for him to address him openly like this; he hastily answered: "I dare not take that!" and stepped forward. "Young master, you are a generation behind me!" Mrs. Cha said this with a smile; she turned to Li Xu and said, "Let's not talk about in-laws; brother, how about you recognize me as your younger sister?" This proposal is really unthinkable; but after thinking about it, I immediately found that this arrangement is beyond words.If Mrs. Cha recognizes Li Xu as her brother, then Li Ding and Hui Wei are aunt cousins; there is no need to avoid suspicion now, and in the future there will be the joy of "kissing each other".Moreover, the relationship between the Cha family and Bridge has naturally become closer; Mrs. Li will not have too much uneasiness here to recuperate. "Excellent! Excellent!" Li Xu laughed heartily, "Big sister, your tricks are really brilliant. Xiao Ding, why don't you kowtow to aunt?" "That's right! The sisters and brothers of Ah Yi also have to kowtow to uncle; get them all." "Ma'am," said the aunt happily, "I don't think you need to be busy. Logically speaking, our sisters also have to invite the uncle to sit down and see you. The most important thing is that the wife has to say hello to the uncle first." The ancestors of the two families will greet each other according to the rules. From then on, the two families become one family, which is a great joy. We sisters, please cook a few dishes. Please invite the uncle and the second master to accompany you. My wife sees this Do it, is it appropriate?" "Not bad, not bad." Mrs. Cha turned her face and asked, "Brother, look at it!" "Yes, yes! This should be done! The first thing to do now is to notify Bu Er Er." Li Xu immediately shouted: "Xiao Ding, go tell your Er Uncle Bu that I will ask him to prepare a table of wine, and then I will serve you." Auntie, go back to the door." "Go back to the door!" Mrs. Cha said with tears in her eyes, "I haven't heard these two words for many years. It's a beautiful thing to go back to the door if you don't want to be in trouble!" As she said, she was so excited that she burst into tears. "The same goes for my wife, why did she shed tears on such a happy occasion. Miss, please persuade me; I'll ask the children to change their names first." So Huixi stepped forward, first smiled and said: "The first time I changed my name, it was really a bit of a hindrance; I have to work harder: Uncle!" "I have to call you Miss Nephew." Li Xu replied, "That cousin of yours used to be a dandy, but now he's still uncomprehending in common affairs, unkind, and sometimes throws a tantrum. You need to take care of it." Him a little." There was a pun in the words, Huizhen just nodded with a blushing face, and had nothing to answer; Mrs. Cha immediately said: "Brother, the words are reversed! I want my cousin to take care of those naughty cousins ​​and cousins." "Of course. It's my nephew, so I have to take care of it too; set up a homework list tomorrow, so that the child's studies cannot be neglected." Actually chatting about family affairs just like this, really like white-headed brothers and sisters who haven't seen each other for many years.When they were chatting vigorously, Li Ding rushed in and said, "Second Uncle Bu is here!" Nabridge described it as magnificent, seven feet tall, with a red face, a lion's nose and a sea mouth, and a white beard; and his voice was loud and loud, as he entered the door: "Congratulations, congratulations!" It seems that there are echoes on all four stone walls. "Is this Master Bu Er?" Mrs. Cha said, "The whole family is very grateful for taking care of you; I haven't gone over to thank you, but instead let Er Master Bu work, I am really disturbed." Kowtow to the Lord." As she spoke, she put on her own bow as a salute. "Don't do this! Don't do this!" Bridge looked at the boys and girls kneeling in a room, and shouted, waving his hands, "Get up quickly! Otherwise, I'm going to kneel too." "Just sit down!" Li Xu took his hand and said, "It's right to accept their heads." Then Li Xu took his other hand, half-pressed and half-supported him to sit down; all the brothers from the Cha family looked at Bridge curiously, especially Hui Xiang, with big black eyes, Just stare at Bridge as he turns. 布里奇也看得孩子们好玩，笑得合不拢嘴；“李大哥，”他说：“有这些一班小外甥陪着你，可不愁日子不容易打发了。” 接着，便一个一个地问名字，问学业，执着手逗笑夸赞，热闹好一阵，才跟查太太客客气气地寒暄。 “查太太，你是李大哥家的姑太太，也就是我布老二家的姑太太；尽管安心住着，不必客气。” “提起这一层，咱们倒得商量商量正经。”李煦接口说道：“能怎么想个法子，把我们这位姑太太留下来，养好了病再走。” “这倒容易。绥中县的金大老爷，挺够朋友的，请他报病，把公事办结实一点儿；等部文下来，再报一个公事，原差都可以遣回。说明白，往后由我这里派人帮着绥中县护送就是。倒是，李大哥你怎么办？” “我嘛，好好跟你喝两顿酒，仍旧上路。” “我是说大侄儿，照道理，自然该跟着你走；不过，查太太这里，似乎也少不得有大侄儿这么一个人照料——。” “他当然留在这里。”李煦抢着说。 “大哥，”查太太立即表示：“小鼎自然送了你去；你一个人上路，我也不放心。” “你不放心我；我还不放心你呢！何况又是一大家子人。再说，我那个在宁古塔的侄儿。只怕也到吉林省城了；赶明儿捎封信去，让他一路迎了过来，就更没有不妥当了。” “那还差不多。既然成了一家人，我也不说客气话。说实在的，真还少不了小鼎；起码这班孩子，也有个人管。” 正谈到这里，忽有布里奇的随从来报：“绥中县金大老爷来拜；已经在厅上了。” “必又是出了盗案，要我派队伍抓'红胡子'；不然，不会这么晚，还亲自跑了来。”布里奇起身说道：“少陪一会；等我把老金应付走了，回头来喝喜酒。” 走不多时，布里奇的随从忽又来请李煦；说是“金大老爷”要见。李鼎是惊弓之鸟，闻言变色，李煦却很沉着，对查太太说：“金大老爷也是旗人，跟舍亲曹家常有往来；大概知道我在这里顺便邀了去见一见。” “是的。”查太太俨然姑母的口吻：“小鼎陪了你父亲去；没有什么事，你就回来。” 李鼎一面答应，一面深深点头，表示领会。去了有一盏茶的时候，并无消息；蕙纕便嘀咕了，“他怎么还不回来？”她向她母亲问。 查太太犹未答话，蕙缃却又多嘴了，“他是谁呀？谁是他呀？”她斜仰着脸问。 蕙纕认为她是故意的，不由得又冒火；二姨娘却不等她发作，就一巴掌拍在蕙缃背上，大声喝道：“什么事都有你的分！偏不告诉你。滚一边去！” “不告诉我，我也知道；他就是表哥，表哥就是他。”蕙缃躲远了说。 “闭嘴！”二姨娘大怒，“看我不拿鸡毛掸子抽你。”说着，起身伸手去抓蕙缃。 一看来势不妙，蕙缃吓得要逃；但出路只有一条，向外走。她先还踌躇，及至见她母亲真的扑了过来，知道不躲要遭殃，拔脚往外就奔，一掀门帘，与人扑了个满怀，抬头一看，大声喊道：“表哥回来啦！” 李鼎成了她的救星；这一声喊，就谁都不会去理她了，急着要听李鼎说些什么？ “是盛京衙门来了公事，沿路查访我父亲；盛京衙门奉到上谕，要我父亲去听宣——。” “有上谕！”查太太不觉失声，“是为了什么？” "I still do not know yet." “小鼎，”查太太的脸色马上黯淡了，“可不知是福是祸？” “很难说，看样子好像没有什么。” 查太太也无从猜测；想了一下问道：“这样，你父亲马上就要动身了。” “我去。我去听宣。” “怎么是你去呢？” “盛京衙门的公事上，是怎么说的，如果我父亲不能'驰驿'，有护送亲丁来听宣，亦自不妨。” “照这样说，一定是福，不是祸！”蕙纕在一旁接口，语声清朗，显得有十足的把握。 于是大家都转脸看着她；查太太问：“你怎么知道？” “'驰驿'是按驿站走，一点都误不得；怕大舅吃不了辛苦，所以准亲丁代为听宣。这是体恤大舅，那里会有什么祸事？” 此言一出，无不心诚悦服她的解释；李鼎首先就笑着说：“到底表妹高明！看起来是福不是祸。” “多亏得大小姐，”大姨娘高兴地说，“几句话去了大家心里一块石头；不然，只怕今天晚上饭都吃不下。” “啊！”李鼎被提醒了，“布二爷请金老大爷吃饭，我可得陪客去了。”说着，起身就走。 “小鼎，小鼎！”查太太大声嘱咐：“你们爷儿俩不管多晚，得来一趟。” 李鼎答着。直到二更将到，父子俩才来；都是红光满面，看样子酒喝得不少，而且喝得很痛快。 “这顿饭的工夫不小。”查太太含笑问道：“金大老爷今天晚上总住在这里了？” “对了！明儿一早，小鼎跟他一起走。”李煦答说。 “上奉天？” “他还回城；小鼎上奉天。” "When are you coming back?" “十天。”李鼎很有把握地，“十天一定赶回来。” “这么快！” “本来一个单趟，也不过七天——。” 原来由北京到奉天，名为“前七后八”，一共十五站；出关以后已走了一站，按着站头走，还有七天，可到盛京。李鼎为了早早赶到听宣，跟布里奇商量，借他那匹一天能跑两百多里路的“菊花青”，打算一天赶一站半；也就是一个宿站，一个尖站。这样，在第五天就可以到盛京了。 “尖站打午尖，能住吗？” “不要紧！”李鼎答说，“布二爷派人送了我去，尖站不能住，还可以借住营房。” “这样拼命赶路，累出病来就不好了。”查太太看着李煦说，“能不能跟布二爷商量，派个得力的人，由奉天先送信回来，让小鼎按着站头，慢慢走。” 李煦尚未接口；李鼎抢先说了，“不要紧！信里说不清楚，还是我赶回来，当面讲的好。”说到这里，瞥见灯影中的蕙纕，便即说道：“表妹，把你的笔砚，借我用一用。” “喔，”蕙纕踌躇着说，“好久没有用了，还不知道搁在哪儿，得现找。” “怎么？”查太太奇怪地问，“你平时记帐用什么？” “拿眉笔将就着使。” “眉笔也行。”李鼎又说，“顺便给我一张白纸。” 于是蕙纕取了眉笔与纸来；问了句：“能写字吗？” “我试一试。” 石黛眉笔，笔芯是扁的，李鼎书不成字，废然说道：“算了！爹说给我，到了奉天要去看那几位，我记住就是了。” “恐怕你记不住，烦你表妹写一写吧！” 听这一说，李鼎便要起身让她坐在炕上，好倚着炕几作字；查太太便说：“你何必下炕，往里挪一挪就行了。” 李鼎如言照说；蕙纕踌躇了一下，终于坐上炕去。李鼎将蜡蠋往里移了一下，用手遮着火焰，恰好躲在烛火后面，可以细看蕙纕写字。 “是开一张让你表哥到了奉天，拜客的单子，”李煦说：“我念你写：吏部衙门——。” “大舅！”蕙纕打断他的话问：“是六部之首的吏部？” "good." “不在京里吗？” “奉天也有六部。当初太祖，太宗原是在奉天——。” “啊，我懂了。”蕙纕再一次打断他的话，“就像明朝一样，明太祖原是定鼎南京；所以南京也有六部。” “你看你！”查太太用责备的语气说，“老抢大舅的话，一点规矩都没有！” “不要紧！不要紧！”李煦赶接口，“外甥小姐肚子里的墨水儿不少，以后我倒是不愁没有人谈谈了。”接着又念：“吏部衙韩应魁。世交。” 蕙纕一面问“那个应”。“那个魁”；一面写在纸上。由于笔芯是扁的，写法便与用毛笔不同；倒有些像刻印，转折反侧、斜挑直上，手势的变化极多，也极快；她生就一双“朱砂手”，手掌手背，红白相映，落入李鼎眼中，不由得想起另一双“朱砂手”——震二奶奶的那双丰腴温暖的手。 绮念一起，心头一震；神魂飞越，缭绕南天。正当玄游太虚之际；突然发觉耳边有热气在嘘，顿时大吃一惊，急急转脸看时，是蕙缃正待跟他耳语。 “有话不大大方方说！”蕙纕呵斥着，“干嘛弄出这鬼鬼祟祟的样子？” “好！我说。”蕙缃大声说道：“大妈有话要跟表哥说。” 听得这一句，蕙纕先就跨下炕来，意思是让出一条路；李鼎道声：“劳驾！”下炕到了大姨娘那里。 “明天是她姊姊生日。”大姨娘低声说道：“你明天一早吃了她的寿面再动身。” “啊！”李鼎踌躇着说：“只怕辰光不对；跟金大老爷约好了的，五更天就得动身。” “我知道。你到时候来就是。”大姨娘又说，“话可要说在前面，不是什么好东西；无非拿今晚的剩菜，替你煮一碗炝锅面，热呼呼地吃下去，可以挡一挡早寒。” “好！我准来。”李鼎咽口唾沫，搓着手笑道：“这会儿我就觉得身上暖和了。” 回到原处，蕙纕已经将单子开好；查太太便催他们父子早早归寝。蕙纕去点燃一盏灯笼，交到李鼎手里时，欲语又止；终于还是默不作声，只是一直送到门外。
刚回到住处，布里奇便到了，手里提着一个打成长条形的包裹，里面是二十个五两头的银子；先就说好了的，供李鼎到了奉天，应酬打赏之用。另外有托捎的几封信，一一交代明白，坐下来闲谈，少不得又提到那通待李鼎去听宣的上谕。 “啊！”李鼎很兴奋地说，“蕙纕的话，倒有点道理，他说这回是福不是祸——。” 听他转述了蕙纕的话，布里奇蓦然一拍大腿：“真是有道理！”他趁势站了起来，“这下，我也放心了。大侄儿，我跟你爹等你的好消息吧！” 送走了居停，李煦少不得还有好些话要叮嘱儿子；上床已经三更。李鼎心中有事，一阵阵莫名亢奋，使得他魂梦皆惊，勉强睡得一个更次；想起蕙纕的生日，觉得应该送一份礼才好。 于是一面寻思；一面起来，请巡夜的老兵，替他去提了一壶热水来，洗了脸精神一振，想起有个紫水晶的镇纸，送礼倒也相宜；便开箱子取了出来，揣在身上，来赴查家的寿面之约。 一踏入院落，只见右首那间屋子，灯火荧然；小梅恰好开门出来，发现李鼎，立即回身说一句：“客人来了！”然后迎上来笑嘻嘻地道一声：“表少爷早！” “不能不早。”李鼎向里一指：“屋子里那些人在？” “两位姨娘，大小姐。” 此时大姨娘已开门来迎，李鼎一踏进去，立即感到气氛温煦，有如春风拂面。桌上燃着一支巨烛，烛影中二姨娘含笑相迎，却不见蕙纕的影子。 “请坐吧！先喝杯酒，再吃面。”说着，二姨娘提起锡镟子开始斟酒。 “多谢，多谢！”李鼎看桌上四个冷荤碟子，却只得一副杯筷，未免不安，踌躇着说：“莫非就我一个人独享？” “我看，”大姨娘说：“请大小姐来给表哥饯行吧！” 李鼎的手正好触及衣袋中的镇纸；当即说道：“对了！应该先拜生。还有不成敬意的一样生日礼。”说着，探手入怀取出那枚镇纸，放在桌上。 大姨娘拿起来一看，惊喜地笑道：“你看，还是条牛！” 二姨娘看了一下，转身就走；不一会陪着蕙纕来到席前，李鼎便拱一拱手道贺：“表妹，大喜！” 蕙纕矜持地笑着，一眼瞥见大姨娘手中，顿时双眼发亮；大姨娘便将镇纸递了过去，“这玩意一定趁你的心！”她说“巧极了！” 李鼎蓦然意会，“表妹肖牛？”他问。 由于是指名发问，蕙纕便转脸看着他点一点头；依旧低头把玩那具紫水晶雕成的卧牛，轻轻地抚摸着，显得爱不忍释似地。 这时二姨娘已命小梅另外取来三副杯筷，摆设好了，相将落座；蕙纕犹自将卧牛托在手掌中，不断左右观玩。 “收起来慢慢看吧！”大姨娘说，“就不为饯行，也该喝杯酒谢谢表哥。” “谢谢表哥！”蕙纕端起酒杯，抿了一口。 “再喝一口！”二姨娘说，“添福添寿。” 蕙纕便又抿了一口；李鼎久已不曾经历这种闺中小叙的场面，看到蕙纕那种略显腼腆的神态，不觉勾起少年的无穷回忆，一时不辨身在何处了？ “我们也敬表少爷一杯！”大姨娘邀同二姨娘一起举杯，“一路来，不知道费了表少爷多少精神，真正感激不尽。” “两位姨娘别这么说！原是彼此照应。” “现在成了一家人；将来也一定是一家人，情分更不同了。”大姨娘用郑重的神态说：“将来三个小表弟，全靠表少爷照应。” 这句“将来也一定是一家人”，意味深长；李鼎不由得转脸去看蕙纕；不道人同此心，她也是情不自禁地的来看李鼎。如明湖秋水的清澈双眸，倏地惊起无数涟漪，一张脸自觉烧得坐不住，很快地起身走了。 李鼎方欲有言，二姨娘急急摇手阻止；李鼎也会意了，只要一开口问一句，这天便不复能再见蕙纕。 于是行所无事地闲谈着；谈的是蕙缃及三兄弟。少不得也提到蕙纕，讲到许多弟弟妹妹跟大姊淘气，捉弄得蕙纕啼笑皆非的趣事，引起一屋子的笑声，终于又将蕙纕引出来了。 “这该吃面了。”二姨娘起身说道：“我看看去。”临走，向李鼎使个眼色，示意他找话跟蕙纕谈。 李鼎原有话要说：“表妹，你说上谕是福不是祸，布二爷亦深以为然。本来他也替我爹担心；现在，他自己说可以放心了。” “是啊！我们跟太太也是这样。不过，大小姐，”大姨娘说：“你倒再想想，是怎么样的一种喜事？” “这可难猜了。官场上的事我不大懂。” “会不会——？”大姨娘突然将话咽住，脸上是困惑的神情。 “怎么？”蕙纕催促着，“会不会什么？” “不相干！”大姨娘摇摇头，“是我胡猜，不会有的事。” 既然她不愿说，蕙纕也就不再追问；“表哥，”她问：“你把镇纸送给我，自己可使什么？” “这原是玩物，没有多大用处；而且我写字的时候也不多。” “要用的时候，就不方便了。我有一对铜尺，是名家刻的；不如表哥拿了去用。” “不必，不必！” “我有了紫水晶的镇纸，又加上一对铜尺，不太多了。你可是一样都没有，可不大公平。” “一样换两样，不也是不公平吗？” “虽是两样，可不抵你一样——。” “这样，”大姨娘突生灵感，“一样换一样；铜尺，大表姊留一支，送表少爷一支。” “不，不！”李鼎急忙表示异议，“好好儿的一对，拆开了可惜！” “表少爷，你这话说错了。原是一家人，并没有拆开。” 李鼎恍然大悟，大姨娘作此建议，别有深意；这一回有了前车之鉴，不敢再去看蕙纕，只装作不解似地，举杯饮酒，别无表示。 蕙纕没有接口，可也没有反对；大姨娘亦很知趣，不再多提此事。恰好面也来了；于是李鼎将余沥一口喝干，低头吃面。 炝锅面要用小锅来烩，才会入味；因此一锅面盛出来，仅得一大碗、一小碗。大碗款客，小碗让蕙纕分享；她却不动筷子，只说不饿，可也并未表示，这一小碗面，请那位姨娘先用。 二姨娘一看就明白了；等李鼎快将这一碗重油多加辛辣香料的热汤面吃完，她拿小碗移了过来说：“表少爷再添！” “不行了！”李鼎摩着腹部说，“面是真好吃；已经吃多了。” “既然好吃，就再吃。”二姨娘面无表情地说，“是表妹特为替你留下来的。” 李鼎不由得转脸去看，蕙纕是装作不闻的表情，也没有什么愠色；这就意味着，她确是希望他能努力加餐。这一来，李鼎无论如何也要贾其余勇了。 “这顿面吃得很舒服；浑身都暖了。谢谢，谢谢！我得走了；只能我等金大老爷，不能让他等我。” “一路顺风。”大姨娘领头相送，“早去早回，等你的好消息。” “我尽快赶回来。”李鼎略停一下看着蕙纕说：“家父，拜托两位姨娘照应。” 这就很显然了，实在是托蕙纕照应；她却不便接口，自有二姨娘代言：“自己舅舅嘛！表少爷放心好了；从今天起，请舅老爷到这里来吃饭，自有外甥女儿陪他。” “这样就太好了。” 一路谈，一路送出门；晓风寒劲，蕙纕不由得拿衣袖遮着鼻子和嘴