Mother Jia looked thoughtful and said softly: "Yu'er's father is indeed patrolling salt in Yangzhou now."
Mrs. Wang pretended to be surprised and smiled and said: "Brother Heng is not leading the errands of the Five Cities Military and Horse Division now, so why are you still worrying about the Jiangnan Salt Road?"
These words are a veiled reference to Jia Heng, who has a hand in everything, makes a fuss out of molehills, and makes trouble out of nothing!
Jia Heng glanced at Mrs. Wang coldly, and said calmly: "I am a national warrior, a close minister of the emperor, and the political situation of the court, so I have to pay attention to everything. The second wife doesn't know about the affairs in the court, so you can ask the second master more.
Ask around, but I think that since the second wife has that kind of free time, she might as well pay more attention to Baoyu’s studies.”
He could guess where Mrs. Wang's confidence came from. It should be due to Prince Tengchabian's return to the capital. In fact, Prince Tengchabian should be put to great use after that.
In the Rongqing Hall, everyone was confused after hearing what Jia Heng said.
Uncle Heng is still the same Uncle Heng.
This is because Mrs. Er is worrying too much about Baoyu.
Mrs. Wang's face turned pale at this moment and she felt disgraced.
Sister Feng smoothed things over and said with a smile: "Don't we ladies in the house just don't understand the affairs of men outside? Brother Heng needs to talk to us more."
It can be regarded as a few words of supplement for Mrs. Wang.
Jia Mu frowned, changed the subject, and asked: "Brother Heng, is there anything else dangerous here?"
As soon as these words came out, Sister Feng paused and looked at Jia Heng.
As for Daiyu, Tanchun and Xiangyun also cast doubtful eyes on her, especially Daiyu, whose bright autumn eyes were as full as water, full of worry.
Jia Heng said: "The old lady clearly knows that rectifying the salt affairs and paying more tax money for the country will inevitably involve all aspects. After all, where does the extra tax money come from? This is touching other people's pockets. How can they not be anxious?
Destroying someone's wealth is like killing one's parents! I was thinking about these people, saying that they would not be harmful to Uncle Lin, so I thought about discussing with Sister Lin and sending a letter to Yangzhou to let Uncle Lin be more careful."
Of course, he would not say that he would secretly ask Cai Quan and Qu Lang to transfer people from Beijing to Yangzhou to secretly protect Lin Ruhai.
"When I receive the imperial edict tomorrow and enter the palace to receive my order, I will also submit it to the emperor." Jia Heng's eyes were deep and he was thinking.
Among the relatives and friends of the Jia family, Lin Ruhai was a very good helper. He was a civil servant and had the trust of Emperor Chongping. He was an upright and kind man, much better than Jia Yucun and his ilk.
Jia Heng's worried words had already come out, and the expressions of everyone in the Rongqing Hall changed. Although he said a few words, they could already sense the danger.
Not to mention others, the relatives of Wu Xindeng and Shan Daliang's family all found seven aunts and eight aunts to make trouble in front of the house, as if they wanted to hang in front of the house. If they hadn't listened to Jia Heng's words,
I reported it to the official in time, but I'm afraid I still don't know what to do.
Now Mr. Lin wants to start the salt business, and the dangers can be imagined.
On the other side of the room, Daiyu's little face was as white as snow and frost, her cherry lips were twitching, and her pair of crystal clear eyes were fixedly looking at Jia Heng. She was filled with unspeakable fear in her heart.
Tanchun reached out and took Daiyu's plain hand, and whispered: "Sister Lin, Brother Heng is here, everything will be fine."
Daiyu nodded slightly.
Baoyu's big face showed confusion and said: "Since it is so dangerous, shouldn't my uncle just do nothing?"
The attacker behind him quickly pulled Baoyu's arm and said softly: "Second Master..."
Jia Heng glanced at Baoyu and said in a deep voice: "Things in this world are beneficial to our family, country and society. How can we not do it because we are afraid of difficulties and dangers?"
Baoyu's face was filled with sadness.
Tan Chun said softly: "Brother Heng, this sounds dangerous. As the old saying goes, money touches people's hearts, but money touches others. How can people let it go?"
Sister Feng also said: "You have to be on guard."
Mother Jia said worriedly: "Brother Heng, you need to worry more about this matter. Yu'er's mother left early, and Yu'er's father cannot make any more mistakes."
Sister Feng smiled and said: "Ancestor, you don't have to worry too much. With Brother Heng here, nothing like that will happen."
As she said that, her eyes paused between Jia Heng and Dai Yu, and she thought to herself that the day before yesterday, she had asked her to send a servant to Yangzhou to deliver letters, and also told her to pay attention to her diet. If these two people didn't have any thoughts, she
I don’t believe it anyway.
Thinking of this, he glanced at Baoyu again with his head hanging down.
Jia Heng said: "Sister Lin, just follow me and write a letter."
Daiyu stood up slowly, looked at Jia Heng gratefully with bright eyes, and said, "Brother Heng, please take the trouble."
Sister Feng said with a smile: "Sister, if the family doesn't speak the same language, it's right for him to bother. Who asked you to call him brother?"
These words were somewhat endearing, but they diluted the solemn atmosphere just now, and everyone laughed.
Xiang Yun was more charming and naive, so she laughed and said, "Sister Lin calls Brother Heng eldest brother, and we call him brother."
Everyone was smiling.
When Daiyu heard this, her pretty face as white as snow was stained with a layer of pink, and she said angrily: "That's because I respect Brother Heng and treat him as an elder brother."
I don’t know if it’s because she teases Tanchun too much, but she still can’t call Brother Heng, she always feels...
Seeing the girls laughing mischievously, Jia Mu's originally worried mind was somewhat relieved. She chuckled and said, "Yu'er, go ahead."
"Girl." Zijuan on the side smiled lightly and came over to support Daiyu.
Jia Heng glanced at Tanchun again and said softly: "Third sister, please come over and help me read the manuscript."
When Tan Chun heard this, he was thinking about what Sister Feng had just said: "One family does not speak the same language as the other family", and a complicated feeling of "self-injury and self-pity" surged in her mind. At this moment, she was suddenly called by Jia Heng, and she couldn't help but raise her head.
, that white and rosy face showed a bit of joy, and when meeting those warm eyes, the tip of my heart trembled, and there was a slight sweet feeling,
It's the kind of surprise that makes you feel sad, but is unexpectedly mentioned by someone you care about.
He also stood up, took Daiyu's other hand, and said softly: "Sister Lin."
Xiangyun smiled and said, "Brother Heng, I'll go too."
Jia Mu pretended to be annoyed and said, "Your brother Heng and your sister Lin are writing letters. Why are you joining in the fun?"
Jia Heng glanced at Xiang Yun and said with a smile: "It doesn't matter, Sister Yun is coming over too."
Xiangyun has lived in Xifu for more than a month, and the Shi family will probably urge her to go back in two days.
If possible, he still wanted to help this cheerful little girl. In fact, it would not be a bad idea to stay in Jia's house and live with Jia's mother.
Seeing all the sisters leaving one after another, Baoyu glanced at Xichun, who was described as still young, and Yingchun, who was playing chess as if he didn't care about anything outside, and felt bitterness in his heart.
He raised his face with the full moon of the Mid-Autumn Festival and moved his lips, but his sleeves were pulled down by the attacker beside him.
I saw a few people leaving Rongqing Hall and heading towards Daiyu's courtyard on the side.
Jia Heng entered the brightly lit wing and saw exquisite furnishings on all sides, bright and clean windows, and a Yao Qin placed under the bookshelf. Zijuan ordered Xue Yan to pour tea for Jia Heng.
Zijuan smiled and said, "Sir, sit down first."
After saying that, he went to find a cushion to cover the chair where Daiyu was sitting, and then helped Daiyu sit down.
Jia Heng nodded, then looked at Daiyu and the furnishings behind her.
Speaking of which, this was his first time in the house where Daiyu lived. Because there were several screens separating the front and back, he couldn't see the bedroom where he usually lived. There was a faint fragrance of orchids in the air, and the beast's head was in the air.
The incense cage was not lit with agarwood.
Seeing Jia Heng's eyes calm, as if he was looking at the furnishings, Daiyu felt a little ashamed for some reason. Baoyu often came to this room on weekdays, so she didn't realize it, but when the young man in front of her entered the room, she felt that there was something strange.
A kind of shyness about having someone peek into your privacy.
Tan Chun looked at Jia Heng with bright eyes and chuckled: "What has Brother Heng been busy with recently? I haven't seen him for a while."
Jia Heng said: "When I'm busy, I run back and forth between Jingzhao and Wucheng Bingmasi. When I'm free, I read a book. Last time I told my third sister, come over to me and look for your sister-in-law to walk around more. Why didn't you go?"
?”
When Tanchun heard this, he curled his eyelashes with sadness in his eyes, but he didn't speak for a while.
Xiangyun said charmingly: "Brother Heng, during this time, the third sister is copying Buddhist scriptures. She said that it is approaching the New Year and she wants to pray for the master. She has to copy three scriptures a day."
When Jia Heng heard this, he frowned and said in a deep voice: "Copy Buddhist scriptures?"
Is this a new trick that Mrs. Wang came up with?
In fact, it was really Mrs. Wang's idea.
Previously, Jia Heng praised Tan Chun, saying that she was bright and generous, that she had extraordinary experience, and that she was good at her husband's health. Mrs. Wang felt that her face was bright at first, but the more she went back to taste it, the worse it became.
Besides, her Baoyu is not even as good as her daughter. This thought together makes her a little uncomfortable.
In particular, she had a sense of shame of being seen through. She deliberately promoted and trained this concubine's daughter as her biological daughter, just to show the people in the house that she was better than that charming and evil little prostitute.
, what is the demeanor of a lady from a famous family?
But now, in the eyes of Uncle Heng, he is outdone by her Baoyu family, and he feels like he shot himself in the foot.
Tan Chun's face paused slightly, and he said softly: "This Buddhist sutra must be copied by the biological children to their parents, so that it can be sincere and effective. Brother Huan and the second brother have gone to school now, and I am alone at home. I copy three articles every day, so I am not too tired."
, I can also practice calligraphy, and I finished copying it yesterday.”
Jia Heng pondered for a moment, smiled, and said in a clear voice: "Just finish copying. If you don't feel tired, go back and tell the old lady and the second master that you can come to my place and help me sort out the copy.
Copy some official documents, and I'll hire you for twenty taels per month."
Tanchun: "..."
Then there was a joy in his heart, his bright eyes sparkled, and he said softly: "Brother Heng, can I... do it? I can't..."
Although he said he couldn't do it, the joy in his brows and eyes overflowed, and he was eager to try it in his heart.
Jia Heng smiled and said: "Why not? I can teach you if you don't know it. No one is born with it. Mainly, I do lack a processor around me. My third sister is good at writing, so she can help me."
I write some official letters and so on."
Daiyu blinked her starry eyes, and there was some inexplicable meaning in her eyes, as if some keywords flashed in her heart.
Red sleeves add fragrance, girls' school book, January 20, monthly schedule, hire you...
Maybe she was overthinking it.
Tanchun nodded and said softly: "Brother Heng, I have to tell my ancestors and father about this. I don't know... whether I can agree or not."
Jia Heng said: "There should be no problem."
In the original work, Jia Zhen asked Sister Feng to assist the Ningguo Mansion, but there was nothing to say. Besides, Tanchun was still young, so it was nothing to help the clan leader to manage affairs.
Xiangyun smiled, tilted his head, his face as white as an apple with dizzy skin showed a smile, and said jokingly: "One month and two taels? Brother Heng, do you think I...can do it?"
Jia Heng looked at the beetle-shaped Xiangyun, especially the plateau-red face. He resisted the urge to stretch out his hand and pinch it. He thought for a moment, looked into those big bright eyes and said, "I
There is still a need for someone to lead the horse and hold the stirrup. Why don't you, Sister Yun, put on men's clothes and work hard back and forth, and I will give you twenty taels of silver a month?"
This is a joke.
Xiangyun: "..."
"Pfft..."
Daiyu, who was originally worried, couldn't help laughing, her flower branches trembled, she quickly covered her mouth with a handkerchief, and looked at Jia Heng with her bright eyes under her smokey eyebrows.
Because Jia Heng usually looks majestic and upright, but he doesn't like to tell jokes, but just now he was joking seriously, which was a bit novel and interesting.
However, when Daiyu raised her eyes, she met a pair of warm eyes, looking at her with a smile without saying a word.
Curved eyelashes trembled, she held the handkerchief and tilted her head slightly, and a thought came to her mind, "It turns out that he... doesn't like to laugh."
After a second thought, my heart moved slightly. Could it be that I just saw a sad face on my face, and then...
Tanchun also had bright eyes and smiled like crescent moons. Looking at Xiangyun's aggrieved look, he became even more amused.
Xiang Yun's charming voice was filled with a hint of embarrassment as she said, "Brother Heng has learned bad things from Sister Lin, and he will also become a petty person."
Daiyu: "..."
Jia Heng smiled and said: "Okay, stop making trouble, Zicuckoo, go get paper, pen, and letterhead."
Daiyu raised her eyes to look at the young man and said softly: "Brother Heng, go over there and write in front of the desk."
Jia Heng nodded, stood up from his seat, and led Daiyu towards the long case row.
Xiang Yun also wanted to follow, but Tan Chun pulled him back and said with a chuckle: "They wrote to Uncle Lin, we can just wait here."
Xiangyun nodded and sat down again.
Here, Jia Heng came to the desk, took the letter paper, and spread it out on the desk.
Jia Heng looked at Daiyu on the side and said in a clear voice: "Sister Lin, write a letter home as usual and say that I mentioned this matter to you and you are worried. Then I will attach a letter explaining the interests and benefits.
, these two letters can also make Uncle Lin pay more attention to me."
If he rushes to write a letter and mentions the rectification of salt affairs, or even informs him of the benefits and disadvantages, there will be a problem of "talking briefly but talking deeply".
And by using Daiyu's name, we can save some communication costs of correspondence.
Daiyu's mind was shrewd, and she suddenly understood the key point and said softly: "Brother Heng, the day before yesterday I... mentioned Brother Heng in the letter, as well as the third sister and the second brother Bao. My father knew that Brother Heng
Yes, I think that as long as Brother Lai Heng explains his interests, my father will pay special attention to it."
Jia Heng nodded and said, "That's good."
Then, the two of them took paper and pen and started writing letters.
One on the left and one on the right, standing behind a desk, the lantern in the west window dimmed out the soft candlelight, elongating the two figures, one tall and one petite, projected on the wall, and due to the angle... they vaguely overlapped.