Dragon Boat Festival on May 5.

Smoke wormwood, dragon boating. Eat eggs and wrap rice dumplings.

Jiafu is busy, busy with the affairs of the festival. As a concubine, Jia Huan is generally very idle during the festival. And at the end of February, he hated Jia's mother because Jia Baoyu fell jade, and the banquet in the backyard of Jia's mansion had nothing to do with him.

Outside the residence, the corridor connected to Aunt Zhao's courtyard is secluded by trees. Jia Huan leaned on the wooden railing, listening to the news that Qingwen went to Jia's mother's room to find out: Mrs. Wang was going to Qingxuguan to burn incense; In two days, Aunt Xue, Xue Pan, and Xue Baochai will come to Jiafu. And some news.

For example, during the banquet, Wang Xifeng sent a small stove to Li Kun, saying that there are three kinds of small stoves: boiling water, boiling porridge, and steaming vegetables. Two-grandma's mouth is so powerful. This "little joke" soon spread throughout Jiafu.

And along with the spread of this paragraph, there is also the news that Jia Huan wrote a script and sold a "huge amount of money" for 30 taels of silver. Although Jia Huan was excluded from the system of Jiafu, there was always news of him that became a topic of conversation in Jiafu.

Jia Huan heard Qingwen say the news, as if he heard the "other boot" that he had been waiting for landing.

When he gave Jia Lian an invitation, he went to "tease" Wang Xifeng, Wang Xifeng has recently recovered from his illness, how could he not react?

Jia Huan didn't care about Wang Xifeng's release of such news. Since he told Jia Lian, he was prepared.

He actually needs to borrow Sister Feng's mouth to explain to the people in Jiafu why he suddenly became a little rich. As long as you pay a little attention, you will know that Jia Huan's most advanced life level has improved.

As Mr. Lu Xun said, "I have always been afraid to speculate on Chinese with the worst malice." Jia Huan also speculated on Wang Xifeng's intentions with the worst malice: she probably thought that this would cut off his financial route.

After all, Jia Fuli doesn't need the young master in the house to make money. Writing poetry is very high-end, but writing scripts is very "low-end" in ancient times, and it has a bad reputation when it is spread. As long as Daddy Zheng and Mrs. Wang say a word, his stall will be considered yellow.

However, when Sister Feng was complacent, she definitely didn't know where her calculations were for her. Sister Feng has little wisdom, but no great wisdom.

Engels once said a very classic philosophical saying: the economic base determines the superstructure. The status of husband and wife in the family has nothing to do with the patriarchal society and the feminist society. It's just about the economic base. Jia Lian has a large amount of financial resources, can he really tolerate Wang Xifeng's dictating to him?

Jia Huan is waiting!

…

…

After the Dragon Boat Festival, the weather seems to be hot all of a sudden.

Jia's mother went to the room, and Daiyu lived. Lin Daiyu sat at the window and looked at the book, and the cicadas were singing outside the window.

Zijuan came in with a bowl of medicine, served Daiyu to take the medicine, and said dissatisfiedly: "Second Master Bao is really." In the past, when the girl was sick, he would definitely come to see it. It's good now, and Miss Xue is stubborn, so I don't come to the girl. ”

After the Dragon Boat Festival, Aunt Xue arrived in Jiafu with her children in Beijing on May 12 and lived in Lixiangyuan. There is one more sister Bao. Baoyu has less time to come to Daiyu. Of course, what Zijuan said was a bit exaggerated.

Lin Daiyu put the medicine bowl on the table in annoyance, and the medicine juice splashed on the table, and said, "He likes to play with Sister Bao, what does it matter to me." ”

Zijuan was startled, didn't dare to say anything more, and hurriedly changed the topic to coax Lin Daiyu. Daiyu's mood eased slightly. As he spoke, he talked about the recent news in Jiafuli.

Zijuan said: "Girl, I heard that the third master of Huan made 30 taels of silver by selling scripts outside. I asked for an article last time, but he excused himself for two days. It can be seen that he is also a scheming. ”

Zijuan rejected Jia Huan once, and she didn't have a good impression of Jia Huan. But everyone who lives on Jia's mother's side has a bad impression of Jia Huan.

Lin Daiyu frowned and said, "You don't know that articles and scripts are not the same category. And he was right. ”

Zijuan secretly wondered in her heart, her own girl didn't seem to agree with the opinions of everyone here where the old lady lived.

Lin Daiyu thought for a while and whispered, "You go for another trip to see if Brother Huan'er is at home?" If you're there, help me pass the time. Summer is long. ”

"Oh." Zijuan took the medicine bowl and went out in response.

…

…

May 24th. Closed.

Jia Huan took Qian Huai to inspect the market outside in the morning. In the afternoon, he was at home thinking about his next plans. Of course, he could not be satisfied with a net worth of 200 silver. This is still far from the need to leave Jiafu.

Jia Huan himself estimated that he would be worth two or three thousand taels of silver, and the expenses included: the cost of leaving the capital, buying a household registration, buying a real estate, reinvesting the starting capital, and so on. He didn't plan to leave the capital all the way. Moreover, he wasn't sure if Ruyi and Qingwen would want to leave with him, but he had to set aside their budgets.

Therefore, he also needs to look for opportunities to make money in the market.

In the afternoon, when Jia Huan was writing a plan with a quill pen at his desk, Qingwen came in from outside the door with Zijuan, "Third Master, Zijuan is here." Since there was an "oolong" before the Dragon Boat Festival, her relationship with Jia Huan has become better.

Jia Huan raised his head and looked at Zijuan. The "Hui Zijuan" in the Dream of Red Mansions is a very plain-looking maid. The age is similar to that of Mandarin Ducks, Raiders, Jin Chu'er, etc.

Zijuan said: "The third master is good." The girl wanted to read the third master's script, so she sent me to ask if there was any. As he spoke, his eyes curiously fell on the quill pen in Jia Huan's hand. The writing is all brushes, how can there be goose feathers?

Jia Huan couldn't help but smile and shake his head when he heard Zijuan say what he meant. Wang Xifeng passed on the news, but Father Zheng and Mrs. Wang had not yet expressed their position, but first attracted Lin Daiyu to ask him for a book. handed the "A Chinese Ghost Story" written two days ago to Zijuan, and said, "I just wrote a copy two days ago. You tell Miss Lin: Don't write annotations. I'll show it to the bookseller when I get back. ”

Jia Huan didn't have the idea of getting close to Lin Daiyu for several reasons. But this does not mean that he will refuse to communicate with Lin Daiyu.

"Oh, I'll bring it." Zijuan didn't expect Jia Huan to be so refreshing this time, and took over the book full of ink fragrance.

She felt a little guilty in her heart, arranging Jia Huan in Daiyu's house just now. She's not the kind of person who will be reciprocated. Now that I think about it, Jia Huan is afraid that he didn't mean to perfunctory her.

But Zijuan definitely didn't know that she was actually mistaken: Jia Huan was indeed perfunctory to her last time. Jia Huan has a script at hand, Daiyu will borrow it, he will not shirk and cherish himself. But if not, it would be impossible for him to write articles specifically for Daiyu to meet her needs.

Qingwen sent Zijuan out, and ran into Ruyi and Xiaoque walking in. The four smiled and greeted each other.

Here the purple cuckoo leaves. Aunt Zhao's eldest maid, Xiaoque, said with a smile: "Third master, my aunt's rouge gouache is gone, let you help buy some in the shop." Seeing Ruyi's puzzled look, Xiao Que explained embarrassedly: "Auntie's monthly festival of the Dragon Boat Festival has offered sesame oil to Ma Daopo, bless the third master without illness or pain." ”

There is no reason to let Jia Huan pay Aunt Zhao to buy rouge gouache. It's just that Aunt Zhao's money was "coaxed" away by Ma Daopo.

Jia Huan was a little speechless in his heart for Aunt Zhao's belief in gods and Buddhas, but it was not easy to say anything about her. Freedom of faith and admiration. He nodded immediately, "I see." Let Qian Huai buy it tomorrow. ”

His current long-term follower is Qian Huai, and he is very clever in doing things. He no longer needs to deal with these trivial errands.

…

…

Zijuan returned to Daiyu's room and happened to meet Baoyu and Baochai to see Daiyu. Raider, Qianxue, Ying'er and other maids are all there. The room was full of laughter and excitement.

Compared to Jia Huan's desertion, it seems to be much more lively. This is the center stage of life in Jiafu. Zijuan suddenly felt some sympathy for Jia Huan in his heart.

Daiyu sat on the embroidery pier, holding a fan in her hand to cover her mouth and smile, and when she saw Zijuan coming in, she asked with a smile, "Have you ever wanted to come?" ”

"Hmm." Zijuan collected her emotions and gave the bound book in her hand to Daiyu.

Baoyu interjected curiously, "Sister, why are you coming?" ”

Daiyu took the book, unfolded it, and said, "Didn't you say last time that you were looking for Brother Huan'er to ask for an article?" He said no. During this time, I heard that he made 30 taels of silver by selling a script, so I thought about asking Zijuan to go to him and ask for a notebook to pass the time. ”

Baoyu leaned in front of Daiyu, looked at the cover page that said "A Chinese Ghost Story", and said curiously: "What is this story?" ”

Daiyu pursed her lips and smiled: "It's just newly written, of course, it's a story you haven't read." ”

Xue Baochai was wearing a pale yellow shirt and had a beautiful appearance. In just a few days since she came to Jiafu, she has won the favor of Jiafu. Seeing Baoyu and Daiyu getting close, he chuckled gracefully. I knew that the statement of Jiafu Li Baoyu and Daiyu's childhood sweetheart was true.

In fact, there are many banned books in the boudoir. Similar to the West Chamber, the Peony Pavilion is not allowed to be seen. She was worried that Jia Huan's words would be similar to this. It's just that when I first arrived, it was not convenient to persuade Bao and Dai at this time.

Baoyu looked at two lines and said strangely: "Why is the trace of this word written so strangely?" It's not like it's written with a brush. ”

Lin Daiyu also nodded, "Hmm." The inquiring looked at the purple cuckoo.

Zijuan said: "I went to Brother Huan's house to see him writing with goose feathers as a pen. It's not for this reason. ”

Xue Baochai couldn't resist his curiosity at this time, and asked for the traces of the book from Daiyu's hand, stroke by stroke, extremely hard, the font was sharp, and it had a sharp edge like a sword. They all say that words are like their people, but Jia Huan is so low-key in Jia's mansion that he doesn't like to speak. She hasn't met this ring brother since she came to Jiafu.

Jia Huan's hard-pen calligraphy is quite popular. After all, it was written from childhood to adulthood, which was much stronger than the brush characters he practiced based on his interests.

Jia Baoyu said impatiently: "Zijuan, what kind of situation can you tell me quickly?" ”

Zijuan recounted what she had observed after a few glances.

Bao, Dai, and Hai were discussing the matter of the quills in the room.

As the daughter of an imperial merchant, Baochai has been literate since she was a child, and has a wide range of knowledge in literature, art, history, medicine, as well as the hundred schools of thought and Buddhist classics.

And Lin Daiyu is a family student, and her father Lin Ruhai was born in Sanding Jiatanhua. The third place in the national scientific examination that year, and the literary literacy is needless to say. And Daiyu's teacher Jia Yucun is also a two-list jinshi and has solid learning. Although Daiyu is young at this time, she has some knowledge.

Jia Baoyu doesn't like to read the Four Books and the Five Classics, but he is full of interest in reading miscellaneous books, has read a lot of books, and is also smart and intelligent, and has his own set of daughter theories, which is quite talented.

The three of them quoted scriptures, argued, and the atmosphere was lively.

This lively scene has nothing to do with Jia Huan. Jia's mother's disgust was like an iron curtain, cutting him off from the center stage of Jiafuli. However, it won't be long before the checks and balances are broken.

…

…

Jia Huan didn't know that the quill pen had attracted attention among the young masters and young ladies in Jiafu. By the end of May, Xue Baochai sent Ying'er to deliver fresh water chestnuts all over Jiafu, and he knew some.

Ying'er carried a basket, wore a goose-yellow tooth-pinching vest, combed the maid's double rings, had bangs, and had some raindrops in her hair, standing in the living room and saying with a smile: "The girl said, if the third master wants to return the gift, he wants a quill." ”

Ying'er looks smart and cute, speaks skillfully, and is very pleasing.

Jia Huan smiled and instructed Ruyi to fetch three quills and said, "Since Sister Bao has spoken, then I will return the gift with a shy face and a quill pen." Quills are susceptible to damage. If Sister Bao is interested, if you want, you can come to me again to pick it up. ”

Xue Baochai has been in Jiafu for so long, he has not met Xue Baochai, and he has not had the opportunity to meet Xue Baochai, who is "faint and knows that flowers are more colorful" and "even if he is ruthless and moving". The main reason is that the areas of activity of the two sides in Jia Province do not overlap much. The easiest place to see Xue Baochai is the East Cross Courtyard. But because he had to write a script, Jia Huan recently went to Mrs. Wang's East Cross Courtyard to play less.

Of course, Jia Huan is not like when he was in college, when he heard that there was a big beauty in such and such an academy, he would wait somewhere to take a look. If you have the opportunity, you will naturally meet Xue Baochai. From his heart, he admires Xue Baochai. Of course, this kind of appreciation is an appreciation of the beautiful women with outstanding talents and appearances from afar.

Ying'er laughed, "The third master is polite." ”

While he was talking, he saw the eldest girl Cuimo in the spring exploration room hurriedly running over, with the rain at one end, looking anxious, "Third master, my aunt is messing with the girl in the girl's room, you go and persuade it." ”

Jia Huan glanced at Cui Mo in surprise, and asked slowly, "Who asked you to come?" ”