Jin Yuliangyuan of the Red Chamber

But in the end the matter was settled, Baoyu wrote a letter to Shui Rong, and the next day the three of them went to Xishan together with their horses to see places.

The craftsmen were there, and soon found a place with more hot springs. It was on the mountainside of the West Mountain, deep in the jungle, and few people went there on weekdays. The hot springs were steaming white in the empty jungle with light snow. , like a fairyland on earth, everyone in the group was intoxicated by the beauty, and decided to build here right now.

Since they came here, of course they couldn't come in vain. The three of them soaked comfortably for a long time, and then went back separately in the afternoon.The craftsmen under Shui Rong began to draw blueprints to prepare for the construction. Baoyu Jialian gave some suggestions from time to time, such as putting an earth dragon under the main house, what kind of stone should be used for the floor, building a large bath in the bedroom, and drawing hot spring water. What kind of attic, what kind of flowers and bamboo should be planted in the garden.

In fact, other professionals are used to doing it, but Baoyu is a little over-excited, and some details still need to listen to the owner's opinion, so the craftsmen have also perfected them one by one according to their ideas, saving water. There are a lot of brain cells, just follow them toss, anyway, it's basically enough, he doesn't have so many requirements.

For other things like buying building materials, Baoyu left it to Fu'er and Mingyan.There are also the stewards of the palace, the three discussed it, and reported to them what the building needed, and finally gave the three of them an account.As for the issue of occupying land, it is not a problem if the prince is there.

The big project in Xishan has started bustlingly. Anyway, in this cold winter months, few people go there. It is much more convenient to keep a low profile.Be busy, and it will be New Years soon.

On the morning of New Year's Eve, Baoyu got up early, burned incense, bathed and combed her hair, and put on brand new clothes.

He seldom wears bright colors. On weekdays, his clothes are mostly black and white, and occasionally blue or cyan, which are all cool colors. Today, he is rarely wearing a crimson cotton gown with a lapel collar and narrow sleeves, embroidered with gold thread. The butterfly wears a flower pattern, the neckline and cuffs are all golden cloud patterns, a gold-rimmed white jade belt around the waist, and a jade plaque hangs on the right side.The temple hair is combed meticulously on the top of the head, and a jasper hairpin runs across it.

Wearing a pair of double-toed sea otter leather boots, the boots are white and about an inch high, making her tall and slender.

He was neatly dressed, and Mingyan was holding a sable fur cloak behind him. "Go to the old lady first." He stood at the door, breathed out a puff of white smoke, and walked forward.Mingyan hurriedly followed.

In the main room, Jia Mu and others had already dressed and sat together.Originally, they were all ordered by rank, and those who were on festivals could enter the palace to receive banquets, but this year, Shuihong ordered that those of the third rank and below should not enter the palace, otherwise it would be too crowded, and even Jia Mu would be stuck. Not to mention Mrs. Xing Wang, so this year she can only have fun in her own house.

When Baoyu came in, the whole family was there, and Jia Lian was also going to enter the palace. He arrived earlier, and Sister Feng and the children were there.Li Wan also arrived with Jia Lan.As soon as he came in, Jia Mu first smiled and said: "You are so energetic today! I will wear more bright colors in the future. What are you doing so dull at such a young age?" Mrs. Wang also said yes with a smile.

Baoyu greeted the elders first, and then said with a smile: "If it weren't for today's special day, I wouldn't want to wear such conspicuous clothes!" Indeed, this person who has been wearing dark colors occasionally wears bright and bright ones, and the whole person is a bit brighter , and appear more energetic.

He is a rare handsome man, with healthy wheat-colored skin, thick eyebrows flying into the temples, bright and energetic eyes, high nose bridge, moderately thick lips, moist red and bright, handsome and tough outline, and tall and straight figure Such as pine.A boy of fifteen or sixteen years old exudes a youthful and sunny atmosphere, but it is mixed with his own steady atmosphere, forming a unique temperament, which unknowingly attracts others and makes people look at it again and again.

Jia Lan looked at the handsome and tall second uncle in red, with undisguised envy and admiration in his eyes.Baochai smiled dignifiedly, but no matter what, he couldn't combine the young man in red with a warm smile on his face and the stern swordsman who was full of evil spirits and swung his sword in the snowy sky.

Mrs. Wang looked at her outstanding son with a proud smile, and then at her demure, gentle and picturesque niece.

Baoyu joked a few words and was about to take Jia Lian away, and no one dared to stay longer.Jia Zheng will also enter the palace, but he will not be able to enter until evening, while Baoyu and Jia Lian will go early in the morning, so they will not go all the way.

A while ago, the snow fell for three full days before it stopped. This day was a rare sunny day. Although the wind was still dry and cold, the sun was quite strong. Mingyan was wrapped outside like a blind man and drove the car. It was warm inside the car. Ruchun, fortunately, his master is still very sympathetic to him, there is a special compartment in front of the car, and there is also a stove, so it is always not so cold.

Both Jia Lian and Baoyu were wearing only outer robes, eating steamed buns they bought on the road—was up too early to eat breakfast—beef soup was gurgling on the stove in the car, and the tea smoke was puffing hard. : The aroma wafted out and went straight into his nose.

Baoyu filled a bowl of soup in a large porcelain bowl, scooped up a few pieces of beef brisket, and handed it to him: "Drink it quickly to warm your body, and put some more on it. You will only be hungry when you enter the palace." Mingyan quickly took it Thank you, hulahula eating.

The two people in the car finished eating two baskets of steamed stuffed buns, and the other drank a bowl of soup and a few pieces of meat. Only then did they feel better in their stomachs. "I don't know if we go to see the emperor or wait outside for a while?" Baoyu held a bowl of hot tea and drank it slowly, washing away the taste in his mouth.

"I don't know." Jia Lian shook his head and took a drink of tea, "Someone should pick us up by then, right? This is the first time we've attended such a grand banquet, so we can't just leave the two of us there who don't understand anything." Don't you care?"

"It's true." Baoyu was sweating all over, and wiped his forehead with a handkerchief, "I don't know where I will go. I will go to Yangzhou before February [-] next year!" "February [-] ? Is it Sister Lin's birthday?" Jia Lian understood, and smiled knowingly, "Are you going to hire?"

Baoyu rolled his eyes at him and muttered, "It's just to give a gift!" Jia Lian didn't hear clearly, but he didn't bother to ask him, because the car had already arrived at the gate of the palace.The guards stopped the car, Mingyan jumped down, and handed over a badge that Baoyu had given him earlier in the morning, the two guards looked at each other, nodded and let him go.

Mingyan took the badge and got on the car. He didn't know the way, he only followed Shui Rong once last time, so today he can only walk along the road.But after not walking far, I saw a familiar face—it was the father-in-law from the Shuihong Palace last time.Just as Jia Lian opened the curtain to look out, the father-in-law saw it and rushed over, and a shrill voice said, "Hey! The two sons are here! The emperor asked the old servant to pick you up! "

Jia Lian and Baoyu got out of the car and cupped their hands: "Thank you, Your Majesty! I have a father-in-law." The eunuch smiled and said, "Don't dare to be." "May I ask where we are going?" Jia Lian asked. "Your Majesty, Prince Beijing and several adults are in the Chongzheng Hall! The Emperor asked this old slave to take you two there."

Jia Lian nodded, and Baoyu smiled and said, "Then I will trouble my father-in-law to lead the way." The father-in-law smiled and ordered the little eunuch beside him to lead Mingyan to settle down elsewhere, and he took Jia Lian and Baoyu to Chongzheng Hall.

After several turns and turns, I finally arrived at the entrance of a hall. Although the Chongzheng Hall was not as magnificent as the one I went to last time, it was still decorated with vermilion pillars and glazed tiles, shining brightly in the sun. The word "Fu" and the couplets seem to be beaming.

Opening the thick cotton curtain, I felt a wave of heat as soon as I entered the door. The father-in-law went up to report, and then heard Shuihong's hearty laughter: "You are coming! Come quickly!" Jia Lian Baoyu saw that Shuihong was walking in the west. The door in the side room beckoned to them!

"Ah Rong is inside too! Come in quickly." He smiled and pulled the two of them in. Sure enough, Shui Rong was sitting on the kang, with a long sheet of paper on the table. They took a closer look: it was the Kanyu from the hot spring courtyard. picture. "I've heard that you guys have been tossing about this for a while, so I asked Ah Rong to bring in the blueprints to have a look." Shui Hong pressed the two of them on the kang, and sat down to take a closer look, "Don't say you really know how to draw." Enjoy, this day is more carefree than mine."

Jia Lian laughed and said, "If you want to build ten or eight of them, it won't be a problem. Why do you have such a sour and jealous tone?" Shui Rong said for him, "That's what I said, but they plan to come to Chang'an next year. Besides, there are more good places there! How can we look at such small things as us."

Shui Hong glared at him with a smile: "It's like I'm eating alone. Don't provoke me, we will go together when the time comes, and these two rich men don't care about the money." This is talking about Jia Lian and Baoyu.After they talked for a while, Baoyu said, "Didn't the father-in-law just say that there are a few more adults? Why aren't you here?"

Shuihong smiled and said, "Oh, there is no one else, but the Minister of the Ministry of Officials, as you know, Yun Teng. We talked for a while, and he left before you came." "Oh." Baoyu nodded. "Let Ah Rong take you to the front for a banquet in a while, and I will change my clothes and start the banquet. Then I will meet Yun Teng." Shui Hong smiled and winked at them again, "The Ministry of Officials is in charge of the officials. appointment, you need to build a good relationship! Don’t say I didn’t help you.”

Jia Lian Baoyu smiled helplessly.

"By the way, why didn't you see Gu An? Has he come yet?" Jia Lian asked.Ordinarily, they are all going to enter the palace today, why haven't they heard him come now?Shui Rong said: "He hasn't come yet, I have someone waiting at the gate of the palace, and when he comes, he will be led to me directly." "Well, the future brother-in-law, you can't neglect it." Baoyu pretended to be serious Nodding, Shui Hong and Jia Lian both laughed.

The four chatted and laughed for a while, and sure enough, someone came to report soon, saying that it was Gu An who came, and Shui Rong taught someone to bring him in.Gu An came in to meet Shui Hong and Shui Rong, and met Jia Lian Baoyu, Shui Rong led the three of them to the front hall, and Shui Hong went to change clothes to prepare for the banquet.

The front was very lively. The first and second ranks of the imperial court and the royal family were crowded into the hall. Everyone was talking and laughing, and the atmosphere was very lively.When Shui Rong brought in three young men with excellent appearance and character, the hall was silent for a moment, and then recovered.Different eyes fell on the three of them, with a little scrutiny, but none of the three showed any anxiety or nervousness, which made people look up.

Shui Rong led the people inside, and ministers kept coming up to pay respects to King Beijing, so he introduced Jia Lian, Baoyu and Gu An, and they heard that they were the No. [-] scholar in Jinke and the top ten. Surprised.

In fact, everyone like Baoyu still knows it. After all, the Jia family still has some contacts in the capital. People who are familiar with Jia Zheng basically know that his second son has a great future.Unexpectedly, No. 7 also belonged to the Jia family, and was also Jia Zheng's nephew.

As for Gu An, many people know his family background to some extent, and he himself is a gentle and modest gentleman, and the three of them stand upright in this hall like Zhilan Yushu. People who will be reused by the emperor in the future should not be underestimated. I don’t know why I don’t know, but there are definitely smiles on the faces, and they all came forward to cheer, saying that the three are really dragons and phoenixes among the people. It's the young Yingjie Yunyun.

After finally meeting all the courtiers, Shui Rong took them to meet the princes one by one.For the New Year palace banquet, several princes from Dongping, Xining, Nanan, Zhongshun and the princes from various prefectures are going to come, there are quite a few, not to mention their sons are more than one, some even bring three, one by one It took as long as a cup of tea to exchange greetings.

Let Baoyu see, except for King Zhongshun, the other princes seem to be easy to get along with, and the daughters-in-law that Shuihong pointed out to their son in the middle of the year are all pretty good, so they are all smiling, watching I am really happy.Shui Mohao still kept his face upright, showing no signs of happiness or anger.Baoyu wondered: Is this prince paralyzed or deep in thought?By the way, does he have such a deep city mansion?

However, he couldn't allow him to think so much. After finally identifying people, he finally found a place to sit down and have a sip of tea. A man in an official uniform who looked less than 30 years old came over. He punched Shui Rong, then scanned Gu Anjialian and Baoyu three people next to each other, and finally fixed his gaze on Baoyu's face who had just swallowed a mouthful of hot tea, and said:

"Are you the No. [-] guy who hasn't even grown hair yet?"

The author has something to say: Years ago after I was busy, I visited relatives and friends from the first day of junior high school, and I didn’t stay at home all day... Also, because of the many dreams I had a while ago, I opened up my mind and wanted to write a new article. My heart was itching, and I finally pulled back my train of thought, hehe...