Jin Yuliangyuan of the Red Chamber

In Jia's Mansion in Shangdu, Mother Jia's spirit of being excited after receiving the news that Baoyu and his wife were coming back finally reached its peak on a certain day in late March.

He jumped out of the car first, then reached out to help her down, and the two looked up at the plaque on the door together.

In the past, the extraordinary imposing manner of imperially-made Rongguo Mansion has long since lost the spirit of the time, revealing a sense of desolation like the end of the world.

He didn't have much emotion. It can be said that the current scene was within his expectation. Even if the person was not here, the news would continue to pass to him.

Jia Zhen didn't know how to restrain herself, and unscrupulously gathered a group of cronies, gambled, gambled and drank, and almost did all kinds of lewd and immoral things. Self-flow, finally lead to bitter fruit.

Because it also involved a large number of other descendants of heroes and playboys, Shuihong took this opportunity to suppress those people who relied on the old to sell the old on a large scale, but in fact they had become the biggest moths in the country, causing a lot of commotion.

They really wanted to make a fuss, but this time they were handed over to the Ministry of Criminal Justice for review. Yun Teng transferred to the Ministry of Criminal Justice, so he was ruthless, so many of them were caught, and most of these people were related to each other. Come in a bunch.

The ironclad evidence is so strong that even though those old fellows are so angry, they have nothing to say. Even if they want to show their seniority, Shuihong has matured after five or six years of operation. A puppet that they can command at will, so for a while, most of the old dignitaries in Shangdu and Chang'an were defeated.

What is more unusual is that it was Jia She who greeted him at the door.Judging from the current status gap, it is not an exaggeration for him to come out to greet him.

He exchanged glances with Daiyu, the two went in with Qingwen Mingyan, and the others straightened their luggage.It was only when we arrived at the main courtyard, which was also ashamed, that we saw Jia's mother crouching on the bed.

Mother Jia lost a lot of weight, and she no longer had the elegant and rich appearance she used to have, because her flesh was loose, and the skin on her face and hands was also slack, and the clothes on her body seemed to be hanging on a shelf, dangling empty. .

She was in good spirits today, and she was cleaned up by others, with a smile on her face all the time.They came in hand in hand, and she beckoned them to pass.

Seeing this scene, the two felt a little uncomfortable, especially Daiyu.She was already soft-hearted, and Jia Mu still loved her so much, and when she thought of the late Jia Min, she couldn't help feeling sad.The two knelt in front of Jia Mu's bed, she fell on the bedside and shed tears, and his eye circles were also a little red.

Mother Jia stroked the top of her head lovingly, and sighed: "Good boy, don't cry. People will grow old. I can see you before I die, and I can feel at ease."

"What are you talking about!" She hurriedly said, "The ancestor will definitely live a long life!"

Mother Jia smiled, and only said that she was still so childish after being married for so many years.

He put his arm around her shoulders, looked directly into Jia Mu's eyes, moved his lips for a while, wanted to say something, but didn't say it.

Mother Jia sighed dejectedly, waved her hands and said, "Forget it, I don't blame you. You can't live with your own sins, and that's all retribution."

He was slightly relieved.He never regretted the decisions he made, but he couldn't bear to say harsh words when an old man was about to die. If Mother Jia could say that, at least he felt better.

After a while in the room, he realized that the silence was a bit unusual. "Why is there no one?" In the past, there were always many people in Mother Jia's room. Among other things, Mrs. Wang and Li Wan should be there, right?There are also many maids and women. Is it possible that Jia's mother is sick and no one comes to take care of her?

Seeing his doubts, Mother Jia smiled and said, "It's nothing, I just want to talk to you alone for a while, so I let them all go down."

He nodded slightly.Mother Jia was very interested, and asked about the scenery outside the Great Wall and how they were doing outside. After talking for a long time, the two of them patiently answered one by one.

The sky gradually darkened, and there were only low voices in the room, and the dim yellow lights flickered, blurring his face.

"...Speaking of which, you two have been married for so many years, why are you still..." Finally, Mother Jia asked.

His first reaction was to grab her hand tightly, and said in front of her: "It's none of her business, it's me. She is still young, and I was afraid that it would be bad for her health or that she would be in danger, so I never agreed."

Mother Jia hadn't finished her sentence, she opened her mouth to hear him take everything on her, and seeing his obvious protective and defensive posture, she let out a wry smile at the end.

"...Forget it, children and grandchildren have their own blessings, so you can do as you like..." She waved her hand and said to the two, "Hurry up and rest, I'm tired too."

Seeing that Jia's mother was in poor spirits, he didn't stay longer, and stepped back with a deep bow, calling for someone to come in to serve her.

The wind gradually picked up, and the two returned to the yard that had been tidied up.Jia Zheng and Mrs. Wang were still missing, and he didn't bother to ask. After a brief wash and dinner, Daiyu looked a little tired.

"Sleepy?" He took her hand and sat on the bed, she nodded and yawned. "Then go to sleep." "What about you?" Seeing him getting up, she pulled his sleeve and asked with her face raised.

"I'm not tired yet," he said with a soft smile, "Go to bed first, I'll see if there's anything I need to do, and I'll be with you in a while."

"...Okay." She let go of her hand, took off her coat and got into the warm quilt.He sat by the bed and accompanied her, holding her hand. The reassuring temperature came, and she soon fell asleep.

The candlelight was flickering, and after staring at her sleeping face for a while, he stood up, carefully withdrew his hand, tucked the quilt for her, and read the accumulated letters one by one.

About half an hour later, the surroundings became more and more quiet, and he quietly opened the door and went out.

After taking a few sips of porridge, Jia's mother waved away all the girls, blew out the lamp and lay down.She couldn't sleep, staring at the top of the bed with her eyes open in the dark.

After an unknown amount of time, a dark figure appeared beside the bed.

Jia Mu said, "I knew you would come."

The man was silent for a moment, and said, "I also know that you are waiting for me." It was Baoyu. "You still have something to worry about."

"Hehe..." Mother Jia laughed a few times, and said in a low voice, "Sure enough, we can't hide it from you. Since this is the case, let's not go around in circles. Baoyu, I have never asked you for anything in my life. Now I just ask you to look at me. For the sake of this surname, don't let the Jia family be cut off."

"I can't care about anything else," he said after deliberating for a while, "Lan'er is a good person, and I definitely won't ignore him. As for the other things, if I don't make progress myself, there is nothing I can do to help."

Jia's mother seemed to be relieved, and she also understood that in the house full of people, only Jia Lan is considered a talent, and the rest are mud that cannot support the wall.After getting his promise, she was half relieved, and said again: "Lan'er will stop talking, your fourth brother...he is still young, we can't let him imitate others."

He thought about it and nodded.

Mother Jia saw the figure move slightly, and a smile appeared on the corner of her mouth: "There is also girl Yun, she has a straightforward temper, but her nature is not bad. It is also because I have suffered a lot since I was a child. I can't take care of her. I only hope that you can do more Give her a snack and let her have a good home."

This is not a difficult task, even Xue Baochai helped him secretly, let alone Shi Xiangyun?It's just that Jia's mother is thinking so hard now, which makes him a little moved.She has some genuine love for Shi Xiangyun.

After saying all this, she became a lot more lazy, and she didn't mention Jia Zheng and Jia Amnesty at all.

After a while of silence, he said: "If there is nothing else, I will leave, and you should have a good rest." As soon as he moved, Jiamu said again: "...the money in the public is divided equally, there is nothing to worry about. , but I have saved a lot over the years.”

"I won't ask for a cent." He said, there was no room for change, and he didn't want to engage in ridiculous competition with others. "You know, I don't need anything."

Jia Mu smiled and sighed, "I know your temperament, you will definitely do this. Since you don't want it, I'll give it to Yu'er." She glared at Baoyu who was about to say no, "No! I gave her the money from my private house. I even gave her the share of Yun girl, and I will pass it on to you when the time comes."

He hesitated, but agreed.

"There's nothing else, go back, I'm tired too." Mother Jia seemed to have put down a big burden, her tone was full of ease, she reached out to touch his face carefully, and said with a smile: "Go back , have a good time."

His mood became heavy for some reason, and after a reply, he quietly returned the same way.

Back in the room, he took off his clothes and boots lightly, he lifted the quilt and gently hugged her in his arms, closing his eyes to cover the blurred and changing glances.

His body carried a bit of the cold air of nightfall, but his body was warm.She squeezed into his arms, and the five fingers around his back gradually tightened.

The next day, just after dawn, the two were awakened by a burst of noise and faint cries.

He opened his eyes, still feeling sleepy, Mingyan and Qingwen walked around in a hurry outside the door, but they didn't dare to rush in, they were just in a hurry.Hearing movement inside at this moment, he moved forward and saw the master in pajamas opening the door and coming out.

Ming Yan hurriedly approached and said in a low voice: "Master, hurry up and tidy up with your wife, the old lady over there is gone!"

This shock made his head awake for an instant. He widened his eyes and listened intently. Sure enough, the cries over there were very clear. It seems that what he said last night was an explanation for his funeral...

He sighed, went back to the room and said to Daiyu who had woken up and was sitting on the bed wrapped in a quilt: "Look for some clean clothes, let's hurry there too."

Jia Mu's bedroom was already overcrowded, and the ground was kneeling down, all bowing their heads and weeping.As soon as they entered the door, many lines of sight cast their eyes on them.The two of them didn't pay much attention to it, they just glanced at Jia Mu who was already wrapped in make-up on the bed.

In his opinion, Mother Jia still had the relaxed and happy smile on her face when he left last night, but her face was pale and stiff.Daiyu's eyes were red when she saw it, and she threw herself on her knees and sobbed.

He also went forward and knelt down, ignoring Jia Zheng and Mrs. Wang behind him, and wrapped his arms around her shoulders to let her lean on him.

Yuanyang is the number one servant girl by Jiamu's side, and she is also the first to discover that Jiamu has died.At this time, she was wearing plain clothes, standing by the bed with red eyes, watching Daiyu finish crying, and then took out a few folded papers from her bosom and handed them to Baoyu, with a trembling voice: "Second Master, this is what I said to Daiyu early in the morning. The old lady saw it by the bedside, and it said it was to be handed over to you."

The crowd who were crying at the back started to commotion, Jia Lan watched with concern, Jia Amnesty only frowned, Jia Zheng and Mrs. Wang looked a little brighter, and Mrs. Wang covered the veil with a veil and glared fiercely at Yuanyang. One glance, but it's a pity that people didn't see it.

To be honest, there is no problem with Yuanyang's handling of this matter, not to mention that Jia's mother stated in the suicide note that Baoyu should be the master, if it is the current head of the family, he is none other than him.Jia Zheng has no official title, that is, a common man. Although Jia Amnesty has a title, he has no real power. If Baoyu lives here now, he should also be in power.

So he took it without any hesitation, if they themselves would forget it, they don't care about the money, but Jia Mu's order still included Jia Lan Xiangyun's matter, so he had to intervene.

Everyone was whispering and discussing, he read the suicide note carefully, and then said loudly: "The most urgent thing now is to arrange the funeral, I will write the booklet and report it to the emperor, and I have to worry about the rest, and my parents will help. As for I will tell everyone about the last words after the matter is over."

He has become more and more powerful in recent years, and the coercion of the superiors is naturally revealed. After speaking, he began to direct his subordinates to put Jia Mu in the coffin and make arrangements.Everyone wanted to say a few words, but when they saw his serious and handsome face, they were too cold to go forward.

So I started to get busy, sending obituary announcements to various houses I had made friends with, setting up coffins, buying incense, paper, money, and other things, asking someone to calculate the time of coffin suspension and the date of funeral, etc.

He also pushed Daiyu out to work with Mrs. Xing on inner house affairs, and quietly told her that if Mrs. Wang did something wrong, just refute it, and if it didn't work, she would come to him, and let Jialan practice her skills outside , I wrote to Shuihong Shuirong in Chang'an, and Jia Lianfeng's sister Yingchun in Yangzhou to inform them.

Tanchun Xichun was crying hard, Xiangyun Baochai also came, after meeting Daiyu and the others, he couldn't help thinking of the scene when they were together in the past, and looking at the present, it was even more sad and desolate.

After receiving his note, Shuihong's order was quickly issued.Jiamen Shi's family is still a third-rank imperial order. Although the descendants are not up to date, Shuihong did not vent his anger. Of course, it may be because of Baoyu's face that he ordered a proper burial.

All of a sudden, Jia's mansion was full of people. Apart from those who came to express their condolences, many people also came for Jia Jin, a general who hadn't appeared in front of people for more than two years.

The death of Jia's mother was a big blow to Jia Zheng and others.Jia Zheng felt vaguely in his heart that in Mother Jia's will, the elder brother must be in charge of the family, while Mrs. Wang was torn between two contradictory emotions: unwillingness and resignation. There was a daughter-in-law who always sang a different tune in front of her, which made her angry to the point of internal injury.

Anyway, after eleven days, Jia's mother's funeral was finally over, and Jia Lian was too far away to make it back, but everyone else was there.

As soon as the matter was over, the matter of the will was put on the agenda again.In order not to procrastinate for too long, he called all the main parties into the main room after a day's rest.

Jia Zheng and Jia Amnesty's two families, and then there are him, Daiyu, and mandarin ducks.Seeing that everyone had arrived, he took out the suicide note, did not open it, put it on the table and said, "It is clearly written in the suicide note, so I don't want to talk nonsense. What the old lady meant, this mansion will be divided in the future." Family, under the name of Zhuangzi, the uncle and father share the property equally, which is fair."

Mrs. Wang showed joy, but Jia Amnesty said, "There is one thing I need to tell you. We are taking four girls and we are going to Yangzhou." Everyone was surprised when he said this.

Mrs. Xing nodded beside her, "That's right, we've thought about it a long time ago. Anyway, there's Lian'er over there. When the time comes, we'll take what we need and we'll retire there."

Mrs. Wang was naturally happy. Baoyu touched her chin and thought for a while, then said: "That's fine, but this ancestral hall... should belong to the uncle. You are the heir of the noble family." Jia Amnesty did not refuse, and nodded in response Down.

He went on to say: "Besides, the ancestors have a private treasury, and the key should be with Sister Yuanyang." Yuanyang nodded, and he continued, "I don't want any of the things here, but the ancestors said that they should be divided into pieces." Six copies, of which 500 taels of silver was given to Yuanyang—”

He looked at Yuanyang, and said: "It says that Sister Yuanyang has worked hard and been loyal for so many years, which is what she deserves." Yuanyang immediately knelt down and kowtowed, and said in a choked tone: "Thank you, servant girl!"

"One copy, for Lan'er. He's going to take the exam soon, and as long as he wins, he will open the house. These things will be stored for you." Jia Lan knelt down silently and thanked him. Even if there is only one copy, it is already a lot. After all, Jia Lan The mother has collected for decades, and the quantity is still considerable.

"The rest," he said in a deep voice, "give it all to Daiyu as a dowry for her and her aunt. Although it's a bit late, but she has the heart of the old man, and I can't let it go."

Others didn't realize what was going on, but Madam Wang's face had already changed.In fact, Jia's mother's allocation is quite fair. If the government gives them, things will be given to Jia Lan and the others.But the lack of support, Mrs. Wang still feels that other people have taken advantage of the sky. Who doesn't know that Jia's mother keeps all the good things?I didn't get any of it myself, so it's all cheaper for others?

Especially her!She gouged out a fierce look at Daiyu who was standing beside Baoyu, and then received Baoyu's cold stare.She gasped for breath, and turned her head stiffly.

He coldly saw Mrs. Wang's unwilling expression, and blocked her back.The room was silent.He paused, and then said: "The old lady made the decision, let Sister Yuanyang follow Sister Yun, and find a good husband's family in the future. It would be best for the fourth sister to go to Yangzhou, so I don't have to worry about it. The marriage between the third sister and Sister Yun, I will help."

The eyes of Tanchun and Yuanyang burst into brilliance!Even Xichun was the same, what happened in the West Mansion made her feel ashamed, and she was at a loss as to how she would live in the future. It was rare that Mrs. Xing was willing to take her away, and when she arrived in Yangzhou, Lian's second brother would definitely make arrangements for her.

He took a panoramic view of their expressions, sighed secretly, and said to Jia Lan: "Lan'er, the time for the scientific examination is not long. After you have checked your things, set off for Chang'an as soon as possible, and my sister-in-law will go with you." Well, I will enjoy the blessing of my son in the future."

Jia Lan and Li Wan nodded gratefully.

"As for the fourth brother..." He hesitated, but still said, "I've made the decision, let the elder sister-in-law and Lan'er take him to Chang'an, and teach him to read and write, and to behave in a dignified manner." Although Jia Lan felt a little embarrassed, but Jia Lan in the end With a soft heart, and the child is still young and innocent, he agreed.

Jia Zheng is like a pool of stagnant water, and nothing can stir up waves for him. Mrs. Wang's complexion turned blue but she stopped talking. Jia Huan, who had no sense of existence from the beginning to the end, still bowed her head and said nothing.Mrs. Jia Shexing was calm.

Looking at the different moods of this group of people, he was surrounded by a sense of sadness. He was no longer in the mood to continue talking, and waved to Yuanyang a little tiredly, saying: "Go and open the warehouse to divide things, and count them as soon as possible." Set off as soon as possible to separate. Let's go."

She took Mingyan Qingwen to make arrangements, and when she left, she glanced at him with a hint of worry.

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