The Bookish Scholar of the Red Mansion

It has been sunny these past few days, and the rainy season in Yangzhou seems to be finally showing signs of stopping. Although it is autumn, the temperature is still very hot, but this does not affect Yangzhou people's interest in going out. On the street, people were coming and going, and the scene was lively.

The Xue family's carriage was waiting quietly at the intersection of Guilan Street, which was the shortcut to Qiupu Street in the west of the city. Baoqin and Chunyan were sitting in the car waiting, feeling a little bored. There are three carriages in the Xue family. Xue Ai and his wife share one, and Xue Biao has his own carriage.

It turns out that Bao Qin does not exist, but Xue Ai loves her daughter so much. He spent a lot of money to build a car specially for his daughter. Baoqin's carriage has a grand appearance and a comfortable and luxurious interior, which is perfect for traveling with her daughter's family.

But Baoqin chose Xue Biao's carriage today, and its shape was much inferior to her own. There are only some cushions, pillows and other items inside, which are far from exquisite and comfortable.

There is still a little while before the appointed time. Baoqin, who was still able to wait calmly, shook his paper fan. Today she wore a set of old-fashioned men's clothing from the early Ming Dynasty, a black round-brimmed hat with a black gauze half-armor, and a red trousers lining. A set of clothes, fastened with a dark red belt, is pleasing to the eye.

This outfit shows off the skin color very well, and only those with fair skin can handle it. Coincidentally, Bao Qin's complexion happened to be as fair as pearls. Sitting with feet together in the car like this, he shook the paper fan, and his handsome young man's demeanor was immediately highlighted.

Chun Yan, who was lying on the wooden window looking outside, suddenly called to the young lady: Miss, young lady. I saw the young master of the Chen family. She and the young lady waited for a long time, and finally it was this slow 'grandpa' Waiting is coming.

Sit down quickly. Bao Qin held her forehead, feeling that her little maid dressed as a book girl still needed to be trained by her young master.

Oh. Chunyan sat down obediently, but his eyes couldn't help but look at Baoqin. Her precious young master holds a fan in his left hand and a skewer in his right hand. The thing in hand is obviously a bit complicated.

This string is no ordinary string. It is a green Buddha bead bracelet. Holding it in your hand, it feels ice-cold. But as the footsteps outside got closer and closer, Baoqin couldn't help but flick the beads with his fingers, his face calm as usual.

Hello, Master Chen.

Hello, Uncle Sun. There are a lot of people on the road. Please wait.

Yes, yes. Please get in the car.

The servant's voice sounded outside, and the visitors also said hello. The voice was hoarse and low, and sounded a little weird. Baoqin heard her mother say that this is a stage that every man goes through, and her brother has also been troubled by it recently.

Due to the hot weather, the two small doors of the carriage were recently removed and replaced with a bamboo curtain to facilitate ventilation and cooling. When Chen Heng stepped forward to lift the curtain, the smile on his face trembled, and he blurted out: Brother Xue... and drifted into the car.

Baoqin smiled, held the right hand of the bead string, raised it to his lips, coughed lightly, and deliberately said in a low voice: Brother Chen, please let Brother Xue wait.

The person made the appointment on his own. Wouldn't it be very rude to back out now? Chen Heng complained to Xue Biao that he couldn't come, so he just didn't say anything. Why did he send sister Baoqin off in his own carriage?

Brother Xue. Chen Heng took Baoqin's name and walked in, sitting close to the curtain. I'm going to trouble you to accompany me today.

Bao Qin shook the paper fan and replied with a chuckle: Brother Chen, why are you so polite? I'm just trying my best. It's not a trouble, so don't worry about it, Brother Chen.

It should, it should. Chen Heng leaned on the carriage, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up and widen, and finally couldn't help laughing out loud, Okay, okay. Let's put these false gifts aside. If you talk too much, it always feels too weird.”

I thought Brother Chen, who writes richly and inkly, likes these red tapes. Bao Qin slightly raised his fan and covered it in front of his nose, revealing only a pair of bright eyes.

It's wrong, it's wrong, brother of the Xue family, it's the elder who is wrong. Chen Heng quickly waved his hands to beg for mercy, and then brought out someone who was not present to take the blame, Where is your brother? You can't come, why didn't you tell me.

He went out to do business. Before leaving, he repeatedly told me not to miss the important things of the Chen family brother.

Brother Xue is very righteous.

The driver of the car whipped his whip, causing the carriage to sway slightly. The car roof hanging between the two swayed a little, but it did not affect their continued conversation.

Then Brother Xue is not loyal?

Same, same. Like brother, like brother. This is the Chengcheng family tradition.

Master Bao smiled, closed his fan, and beat his legs with both hands. The suspenseful atmosphere was finally relieved, and the two of them chatted casually until they reached Qiupu Street.

Most of them talked about Xue Biao's incident. In addition, Chen and Xue had met often when they were young, so it was not considered rude or disrespectful. When we got off the bus, Brother Chen and Brother Xue were already called out one after another.

Qiupu Street is very lively today. The wives and young ladies of each family all brought slaves and companions to play together. As a new commercial street, it mainly serves female customers, so their presence is naturally indispensable.

In time, this place may become another scenic spot in Yangzhou. After all, there are not a few men who come here to play and hang out. Fortunately, the government officials and officers and soldiers patrolled very intensively, so the security situation was very good.

This is Chen Heng's first time here, but Bao Qin has been here several times with her mother. In this case, Chen Heng would leave full power to Bao Qin to lead the introduction. Follow this young master obediently and be part of his entourage.

Chen Heng didn't say this, it was the waiters in the store who thought so. Chen Heng was dressed normally today and did not show off with scholar uniform. In addition, the Confucian scarf on his head made him look like a follower like Chun Yan compared with Bao Qin.

The three of them visited several shops before finding a tea shop in the middle of the street to sit down and rest. Chen Heng took advantage of his free time to focus on the women and young ladies walking on the street.

With his keen mind, he soon discovered that most of the people here were consciously going to some shops. There are also some shops where only a few people go.

This phenomenon was also noticed by Baoqin. She pointed with her fan and asked Chen Heng, Is this the purpose of this trip, brother?

Yes. Chen Heng nodded. He noticed that these frequently visited stores were all exquisitely decorated and had an elegant appearance. Compared with them, some of the shops opened by government offices are indispensable for their countertops.

Not all stores on Qiupu Street are run by the government, but also many jewelry vendors from the city have opened shops here. It can be seen from the previous appearance styles of the two that the former has deep pockets and unusual moves. The latter is more unpretentious and slightly different.

Is this the reason? Chen Heng was a little distressed. He couldn't stop the lady buying the goods from asking, so he was at a loss.

Bao Qin smiled and said, Brother, don't panic, we'll find out after we go in and try.

She turned to look at Chun Yan, and the maid dressed as a book boy immediately leaned over and put her ear to her ears. The two of them whispered before Chunyan took the order and left.

When Chen Heng saw Bao Qin coming up with an idea, he took over the important task of pouring water for him. After all, in the eyes of others, he is one of Master Bao's followers. After finishing his small chores, Chen Heng looked around on the street and waited for Chun Yan to return.

The store owners on Qiupu Street are really smart. It rained last time, and it was sunny again recently. Outside their shops, they all set up tents and roads. Long sheds were connected on both sides of the road to create a shady path for visiting ladies and young ladies to escape the summer heat.

In the middle, on the road that can be directly exposed to the sun, there are some small merchants and hawkers walking around. The atmosphere of the market is coming. Chen Heng saw this and suddenly felt that he could get some resting chairs and place them all over the street in the future. His thoughts were endless and all he had to do was pass the time.

By the time Chun Yan came back, he had already collected his thoughts and watched the other party happily take out two pieces of jewelry made of similar materials.

Baoqin is the most proficient in such objects. She picked it up directly from the table and weighed it in her hands. Then he smiled and said: It's pretty much the same. They all use enough ingredients.

What about the style? Chen Heng asked nervously. He was not good at it, so he asked Brother Xue for advice.

Baoqin looked at the objects in his hands for a while, and saw that the left hand was a peacock bead curtain, and the right hand was a gold and stone inlaid with jade. For a moment, he felt they were the same, so he just praised them both. After the young lady finished speaking, Chun Yan added: Miss... ah, young master, you don't know.

She pointed at Bao Qin's left hand, With the same materials, theirs sells this stuff at a cheaper price. Chunyan first went to a private store, and then to a store opened by the government. The cheap things she mentioned were purchased from the former.

Chen Heng reacted immediately and asked on the spot: Is it much cheaper?

This one is worth one or two eight cents. Chun Yan pointed to Baoqin's right hand again, This one is worth two or two cents.

Could it be a price war? Chen Heng thought subconsciously. Baoqin saw him thinking and vaguely guessed Chen Heng's thoughts. She knew in her heart that although her brother was smart, he didn't understand women's hearts well enough. In the shadow under the shed, he shook his head and said, Brother, you can't just look at it from above.

Upon hearing this, Chen Heng knew that the other party had something to say, and immediately asked for advice. When Bao Qin saw that he was seeking truth and knowledge, he narrowed his eyes and said frankly, There are only three melons and two dates among the people who can come here to buy things. Brother, look...

Bao Qin pointed to the mother and daughter in the distance who were holding an umbrella and were followed by two or three servants carrying goods. For people like them, good-looking style and fine workmanship are the most important things.

Chen Heng nodded and continued to listen to Bao Qin's explanation.

Although we have to shop around, the one with the best quality and the lowest price comes first. But if you go to several places to buy something like this, it would be impossible without someone's guidance behind you.

When Bao Qin said this, Chen Heng also understood. Now that we know that there is someone behind the scenes and it is not an unintentional act by the ladies, it will be easier to handle. Just go back and find a way to find out the reason slowly.

But who would have thought, Bao Qin suddenly said: Brother, you might as well go back and wait a few more days. When my brother figures it out, I'll ask someone to tell you.

Why is this so embarrassing? Chen Heng didn't know if there was any risk involved. Just when he was about to shake his head and refuse, Bao Qin had already stood up, Now that I have some free time, why don't I go play with my younger brother? Just think of it as a gift of thanks.

When you see the other person, you don’t give yourself a chance to speak. Chen Heng could only smile and said: You can go shopping as long as you want, it's just a matter of help... He knew that he probably couldn't persuade the other party, so he simply said, ...you need to pay attention to safety. If anything happens, just ask him first. People told me. I don’t want Brother Xue to come back and settle the score with me.”

Baoqin turned around and stepped into the bright sunny day. The shadow of the brim of the hat cast on her face, the girl's red lips opened slightly, and laughter immediately followed, He can't do it, and I... can't do it either.

Chen Heng smiled and fell silent. He knew the Xue family's generous nature and said no more. I just accompanied the other person and walked around Qiupu Street several times.

The three of them had a great time, and when they saw that it was almost time, they prepared to return the same way. On the way back, Chen Heng did not go with Bao Qin. He had other places to visit. The two said goodbye at the street corner, and Baoqin, who was satisfied, got into the carriage and left.

Miss, I had a great time today.

Chunyan had already begun to pull off the scarf on her head and was about to change into her daughter's dress. In the past, when she went out with Bao Qin, she was always restrained by her wife or the nanny in charge. There were very few opportunities to roam freely like today.

Baoqin's clothes are still in her room. He only took off the brim of his hat and put it on his seat. She flicked the prayer beads and said with a smile, I also had a lot of fun shopping.

That's right, you can buy whatever you like. Master Chen and I are the ones who did the hard work. Chunyan smiled secretly in her heart and only focused on braiding her hair.

Seeing that the maid was busy with her head down, Bao Qin subconsciously glanced at her. Through the gauzy wooden window, the back figure that was getting away quickly disappeared into the sea of ​​people, making it difficult to see her.

In the swaying carriage, silence began to fall again.

The sky is full of sunset, still brilliant. The wheels passed by, kicking up a cloud of dust on the ground. The wind is rustling and the clouds are drifting.

It's not a gentleman's hand that makes the bamboo curtain move in the wind.

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On the way home, Chen Heng went to a rice shop and other places. He has nothing to do on weekdays, so he likes to record trivial things. It was a coincidence that we came here today. Chen Hengcai passed by the door of the store and saw a price increase sign hanging in the waiter.

Chen Heng went up to chat with the other party and learned that the harvest in Suzhou and Hangzhou was also poor this year, and there were very few grain ships coming and going on the docks. The heavy rain in the south of the Yangtze River affected more than just Yangzhou, and the subsequent effects also came like a tide.

The worried Chen Heng returned home. During dinner in the evening, Mrs. Zhou and Mrs. Gu really complained about the price of rice and vegetables at the table. Recently, some things have been rising at an outrageous rate.

Although Zhou and Gu both work on Qiupu Street, they have different divisions of labor and come into contact with different people. Mrs. Gu pulled Mrs. Zhou into the conversation, Mom, you don't know. Several families in our house are worried about not being able to pay their wages this month. The men in their families all died on the way to escape...

Mrs. Gu clicked her tongue a few times, probably feeling that it was unlucky to talk about this topic in front of the men in the family, so she simply kept silent. But Mrs. Zhou kept nodding aside and said, Who says it's not the case? This terrible thing has suddenly risen so fast. If they can no longer pay out money, their lives will be over. They will have to find another way to make a living immediately.

In today's Yangzhou, what serious path is left for the elderly, weak, women and children? ? ? Chen Heng's face darkened upon hearing this, and he even lost most of his mood for eating.

I wonder when the prefect will be well? Let me tell you, all the officials in the government office are not as capable as Prefect Lin. When he is not sick, everyone's life is good!

Chen Gaishan, who stayed at home every day, didn't care much about this matter. He has been taking care of most of Chen Qing's recent marriages. He immediately interrupted and said: You have time to talk about this, why not think about Da Ya's wedding. There are only a few days left!!

Yes, this is the biggest thing in the family. Mr. Gu and Ms. Zhou immediately asked Chen Gaishan about the details.

When Chen Heng finished eating and went upstairs, they were still discussing.

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August 24th, five days before Chen Qing's wedding. Many high-ranking ladies in Yangzhou suddenly went out together to visit Xue's house.

They were invited by Bao Qin this time, and they often interacted with each other. In addition, the Xue family became quite famous in Yangzhou because of the banquet last month. It also made more people aware of the existence of the Xue family in Yangzhou and their family’s personal connections.

Every family has the intention of making friends with the newly wealthy people who have emerged in this way. A gathering like this is natural. It was an excuse to take a look at the Xue family's family background and see if the entrance to the reception was appropriate. This was also the reason why everyone came to take a look.

Bao Qin got up very early today. Not only did she choose a fancy dress, but the jewelry on her body was also very expensive. The outfit specially made for him by Xue's mother had been hidden in the drawer, but today she took it out and put it on.

Chun Yan has not seen such a young lady for a long time. She is dressed in light yellow and vermilion clothes, with her head full of pearls and emeralds swaying, showing her infinite charm.

This is the first time that the Xue family has officially invited a big family in the city to visit them since Xue Biao became a scholar in high school, and the ones who came were their female relatives. Bao Qin's outfit also suited the occasion. No way, it's Sister Wei and Sister Lin who are coming, so she doesn't have to be so tired. It's a pity that they are not in Yangzhou now. Baoqin knew that she could only go to the banquet alone.

Miss, you are really... so beautiful. Chun Yan covered her face with her hands in intoxication. Why did she follow such a beautiful lady.

? Bao Qin stood in front of the mirror, glanced at the silly maid, and said with a smile, Talk too much.

It's true. Chunyan thought that her lady didn't believe it, so she hurriedly walked around Baoqin with the mirror in hand, Look, look at this hanging cloud bun, this beaded hairpin, and this tassel. Oh, miss, I read it in the book Those heavenly beauties are nothing more than that.

I know, I know. Bao Qin held the round fan, smiled and stretched out his hand, letting Chun Yan support him, Let's go, let's go and treat the guests well.

okay.

When Baoqin came to the courtyard of the back house, as the nanny in charge led the ladies from each family to take their seats, everyone was shocked by Baoqin's beauty.

They usually know Bao Qin's outstanding appearance, but when they meet at other people's homes, Bao Qin only dresses plainly and elegantly. This is the first time I have seen such a majestic figure that dominates the crowd like the King of Flowers.

When I first came in, I thought I saw Fairy Chang'e falling into the mortal world.

Some people are making jokes about Bao Qin. These are considered good-natured jokes, but they are also indispensable for people who are secretly yin and yang. The party is like this. There are many people invited today, so the good news will inevitably be mixed.

Baoqin smiled and accepted everything, good or bad. Then he led everyone to sit down and commented on the autumn scenery in the courtyard. The scene was very lively. By the time the snacks and tea were served, everyone had already started talking.

Gold and silver jewelry are indispensable topics of conversation at my daughter’s house. Attentive guests could not help but notice the slightly monotonous gold and jade beaded hairpin on the head of Baoqin.

Among all the expensive hair accessories, its monotony is so conspicuous and special. The originally exquisite workmanship was far inferior to Xue's mother's custom-made items.

Everyone asked Bao Qin to take it off. When they saw the name of the workshop engraved on Chai's feet, they smiled and said, Good sister, why did you go shopping here?

Oh? What's wrong? But what's wrong? Bao Qin showed doubts and explained, A few days ago, I went out to visit Qiupu Street. I saw that it was made of enough materials and was of good quality, so I bought it. ”

Some ladies among the guests chuckled. This is where Baoqin is inferior to them. These people have lived in Yangzhou for several generations. Some news cannot be known by outsiders like the Xue family.

Sister Bao doesn't know that you can't buy anything in these stores recently.

Why is this? Baoqin pretended to be surprised and said sincerely, Sisters, please tell me. If you violate other people's taboos for no reason, won't it make our Xue family rude and arrogant?

The speaker didn't want to answer. Unable to resist some people who felt that Bao Qin was too pushy today, they wanted to dig out their own wealth and shock the scene, so they said: It's not that these refugees are ignorant and have taken away from our family's wealth. Now the big families in the city are tacitly understanding , don’t buy what they make.”

No one has ever told me. Bao Qin was surprised and sighed, complaining, Several sisters still treat me as an outsider.

That's not because your Xue family came late and didn't integrate into our circle. Some people thought about it in their hearts, but they all expressed relief to Bao Qin. After some comfort, Bao Qin asked who was behind this.

The person who spoke before said coquettishly: Your family is still ignorant and has little news. As she said this, Baoqin also listened with a smile, only to hear the other party continue to show off, Those discount shops, every time they sell For anything, you can go to someone with a bill of goods and ask for reimbursement. Tell me, who else in Yangzhou has such financial resources?

It turned out to be like this, thanks to Sister Lao's guidance. Baoqin smiled and nodded. She has always been ice-smart and has excellent vision, so how could she not figure out the identity of this person.

When the man saw this, his face was very happy. Not many people here know about this secret matter. Only people like them, who have close contact with each other, can get some information. For a moment, everyone looked at her with special eyes.

There is no need to go into too much detail about the subsequent gatherings, except that this gathering is over. For some reason, Bao Qin got the title of 'The Most Beautiful Woman in Yangzhou', which was unexpected.

It's just that these words were passed around, and I don't know who added the ulterior motive before it, and she became the most beautiful woman in Yangzhou in ten years. I don't know who I am disgusting by doing this.

It's a pity and a sigh.

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August 30th is the wedding date of eldest sister Chen Qing. The Chen family has been busy since last night, and the red silk Happy words are naturally indispensable. The dowry that will be carried out soon is placed all over the house in an orderly manner.

This is the time to earn some status for the eldest sister. Naturally, Chen Heng has to put on a brand new scholar uniform, and even the jade pendant that Bao Qin gave him before is also worn around his waist. All I did was hope that the relatives of the Hu family could see themselves becoming a scholar and be more careful with their eldest sister in the future.

The Chen family didn't have many acquaintances in Yangzhou, and even fewer female relatives could be invited. It was rare for Mrs. Feng to come with Yinglian in person and hide in Chen Qing's boudoir to help. The most unexpected thing is that Bao Qin also came here with her father and brother to calm down the situation for the Chen family.

Among them, Baoqin has to be the female guest of the bride, who can make things difficult for the groom. However, Chen Heng did not know about these arrangements. He wanted to work with his father to first take care of the neighbors who came to support the scene.

When the Hu family's wedding team came, they were beating gongs and drums. Erlang of the Hu family got off his horse and it was time to stop the marriage. Needless to say, Chen Heng's talent and learning were obvious. He also knew what kind of temper this eldest brother-in-law was. Just give a few congratulatory questions that are not difficult, and you will pass the test.

The trouble for the male guest is not his own, there is a treasure harp behind him. Chen Heng secretly smiled and backed away, letting the wedding team go directly. The latter really suffered some hardships when Bao Qin came out.

Fortunately, everyone only used poems as questions and didn't make any fools of themselves. The man invited a lot of talented and knowledgeable people to help, and Bao Qin didn't deliberately make things difficult. All he asked were festive questions that fit the occasion.

When the auspicious time was almost here, poems urging makeup were played, and it was time for Chen Heng to go out with his sister on his back. He is now tall and strong, so there is no pressure to carry Chen Qing out.

But this section of the road has a different feel.

Feeling his sister's tears falling on his back, Chen Heng said to Chen Qing as he stepped out the door: Sister, no matter what happens in the future. Your brother will always be your supporter, as will your parents and grandparents.

Chen Qing, who was wearing a hijab, choked up and said: I know, sister understands in her heart. Brother, sister is also very happy to have you.

On this day, I can't say anything else. When Chen Heng saw that everyone around him was beaming with joy, he couldn't help but shout loudly: Welcome the bride to the sedan chair.

Vocal music is played high and gongs and drums are noisy. The Hu family also gave the Chen family a lot of face, with a long welcoming team and every detail, all doing their best.

Although the old Chen family was in a disadvantageous situation, they still spent all their money. Whether it was Chen Qi, Chen Huaijin or Chen Heng, he spent all his savings to buy for his sister and added a lot of valuable dowries. By doing this, it can be regarded as a good start for the first daughter of the Chen family to get married. Everyone in the neighborhood felt that the Chen family had been underestimated.

Such a huge team, all the way back to Hu's house, naturally attracted the attention of passers-by.

There is no need to say much about what happened next.

After the banquet at Hu's house, Chen Heng returned to his room and took the news that Baoqin took the opportunity to tell him today to relieve the sadness of his eldest sister's marriage.

I'm so awesome. After I finished writing this chapter, I didn't have to change a single word. By the way, at the end of the third volume, Li Zhi's age was changed to forty-five. I forgot whether there was a chapter that mentioned it before, so I would like to inform you here.