Chapter 763

Ningguo Prefecture, Lixiang Courtyard.

Xue Yima was talking to Baochai when she saw the managing woman bring a box of palace flowers, colorful and exquisitely made.

She asked: "These silk flowers are quite unique. Where did they come from?"

The managing woman said: "The manager of the shop followed the lady's instructions and paid tribute to the old connections in the Imperial Household Department on the first day of the twelfth lunar month.

The other party returned six bolts of tribute satin, a set of official kiln rain-sky blue tea sets, and a box of palace flowers for use.

These flowers are made using the fresh methods in the palace, with twenty-two flowers piled with gauze. The craftsmanship is very high, and they look just like the real thing.

Now the ladies and concubines in the palace all wear this kind. I have already entered the tribute satin and tea sets into the accounts and warehouse. It would be a pity to leave this box of palace flowers alone.

I thought that the young lady and the lady could both wear them, so I brought them for the lady to see."

Xue Yima took the box, looked at the palace flowers inside, and smiled: "These are good things, all of them are currently popular styles.

How can I wear them at my age? It is best to give them to the young ladies in the family to wear."

Xue Yima stretched out her fingers to calculate, and said: "There are quite a few Jia young ladies on the Ningguo side, and now there are Miss Lin, Miss Shi, and Miss Xing.

People have also entered the rooms of Brother Cong and Baoyu. Counting them, there are really quite a few people. I'm afraid this box of palace flowers is not enough to give away."

Baochai sent the managing woman away and said: "Mom doesn't need to worry. I usually only use gold and jade jewelry, and I don't use these flowers and powders.

Let my share be given away. Since it is for the young ladies in the prefecture to wear, let me handle the giving away. Don't let Mom spend her energy.

Although three people have entered Brother Bao's room, I am not familiar with Caiyun and Seeing Cai Xia. They were originally maids around Aunt, and they have seen the world, so they don't covet these.

On the contrary, Sister Xi Ren around Baoyu not only came from around the Grandmother, but she is also a thoughtful person in her daily conduct.

I went to the Ningguo Prefecture for the snow-viewing banquet yesterday and heard the sisters say that Baoyu was outside the Rongqing Hall, again using words to distort Brother Cong, and it happened that the two siblings heard it.

This is not the first time Baoyu has done such absurd things. In the past, he said it behind people's backs, but yesterday he happened to hit the knife's edge.

Second Sister is extremely protective of Brother Cong. I'm afraid that the relationship between the siblings will become more and more distant in the future."

……

Xue Yima sighed: "This Baoyu is not young anymore, and he can't see the situation in the family at all.

With his current status, he still lives comfortably in the Ningguo Prefecture, and Brother Cong hasn't said a single idle word.

This is for the sake of the Grandmother, and also thinking of the relationship with your Uncle. Baoyu should be awake in his heart and be more cautious and respectful.

In this way, even if the second branch is weak in the future, the first branch can pull them along. He doesn't think about the severity of the situation at all, but instead turns back to provoke Brother Cong. How can he be reasonable?

My sister has become more and more confused in the past year. Her usual shrewdness and capability are gone, and she doesn't carefully remind her son."

Baochai said: "Aunt is not not shrewd; she just has a heart disease. It's useless anyway, and we outsiders can't control it. Let's just pay less attention to it.

I heard from the sisters that Sister Xi Ren is not bad. Yesterday, when Baoyu talked nonsense, Sister Xi Ren was still persuading him by his side, so she can be considered a reasonable person.

Let's give Sister Xi Ren two palace flowers, which will be considered as taking care of Aunt's face and fulfilling the etiquette in Baoyu's room.

I will divide the rest into two boxes. Send one box to Sister Feng, including the four for Ping'er and Wu'er, and I will send the rest to the Ningguo Prefecture to be distributed to the sisters."

Xue Yima understood the meaning of her daughter's words. Last time, her sister framed her daughter and Jia Cong for being unclean, which caused her daughter to have a grudge in her heart.

In addition, Baoyu has always loved to provoke with words and has repeatedly been disrespectful to Brother Cong, which made her daughter have a barrier with this cousin.

So she only used Sister Xi Ren to fulfill the etiquette of the second branch, and even avoided Caiyun and Seeing Cai Xia, who came from around her sister.

However, this is exactly what Xue Yima wanted. Now she is relying on Jia Cong for her own ancestral business.

Baoyu spoke ill of people behind their backs, and it happened that Jia Cong and his sister bumped into it. They raised Baoyu in the prefecture for nothing, but were distorted by his words. Wouldn't they be angry?

I'm afraid these cousins have already torn their faces apart. At this juncture, Xue Yima does not want to be too close to Baoyu.

To avoid making people feel that the Xue family are all confused people, and to avoid Jia Cong feeling uncomfortable.

Her daughter's way of giving things is also quite methodical, making people unable to pick out faults, and keeping a distance from the second branch. Xue Yima feels it is very good.

……

Ningguo Prefecture, Baoyu's Courtyard.

The courtyard was quiet and cold. Caiyun went to Cai Xia's room to talk, Bichen was tidying up clothes in the outer room, and Sister Xi Ren was sitting on the edge of the bed doing needlework.

Baoyu was lying on the bed flipping through books. The Four Books and Five Classics were impossible; it was just a book of wild history and miscellaneous notes, a book of absurdity for fun.

It's just that he only flipped through a few pages, then threw it aside, pulled the quilt over his head to sleep, tossed and turned, but couldn't sleep. Sister Xi Ren sighed a little when she saw it.

Yesterday, Baoyu spoke nonsense outside the Rongqing Hall and was in a mess in the Rongqing Hall. After returning, he hid in his room to avoid shame.

It happened that he heard the little maids gossiping in the courtyard, saying that the Ningguo Prefecture held a grand banquet in the Dengxian Pavilion yesterday, and not only were all the young ladies in the family there.

The Second Grandmother of the Ningguo Prefecture was also invited to the banquet, and even the maids around the Grandmother, such as Yuanyang, Hupo, and Feicui, had a share in the banquet.

It really made the many maids in the Ningguo Prefecture envious. I heard that these people drank wine and enjoyed the snow, which was very lively, and they were carefree for half a day before dispersing...

Baoyu couldn't help but feel heartbroken when he heard it, only feeling that Jia Cong was so hateful, constantly bewitching and hooking up with the outstanding daughters of the two prefectures.

Letting them sink into the rot of the salary-seeking worms, making it difficult for them to extricate themselves from now on, and in vain tarnishing these beautiful spirits.

Only leaving himself as a lonely ghost, it is truly hateful to the extreme, making people beat their chests and stomp their feet, wishing they could commit suicide.

Baoyu's heart was in great pain, and he pushed the window to face the moon and felt pity for a long time, but he still couldn't extricate himself. After nightfall, he tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

Because he despised the official career and was unwilling to spend time studying poetry and books, and could not entangle with the sisters in the family to pass the time,

Therefore, in the long days, he really had nothing to do, which was truly annoying. He used to love reading erotic novels, but now even this interest has faded...

He could only find some wild history books to read. After reading a few pages, his head was dizzy, and he felt annoyed again. There was no one thing or time in this world that could bear a pure person like him.

Suddenly, a sound came from the courtyard, which was crisp and sweet, calling: "Is Sister Xi Ren sister at home?"

Baoyu paid most attention to the maids of other families. He knew every maid who had some advantages everywhere like the back of his hand.

As soon as he heard this pleasant voice, he recognized that it was Tongxi, the maid of Xue Yima.

Although this girl was beautiful, she was not very outstanding, and she was a notch lower than Jin Chuan, Ying'er, and others, but her voice was extremely good.

Baoyu jumped up from the bed, finally finding some fun, and smiled: "This is Tongxi sister from Aunt's house, who is quite clever.

She came to find Sister Xi Ren sister, it must not be Aunt's instruction, it is mostly Bao sister's instruction."

Baoyu's sad and bored mood seemed to be swept away in an instant. It turned out that Bao sister would still think of him, and joy could not help but arise in his heart.

……

Sister Xi Ren smiled bitterly when she saw Baoyu suddenly energetic, and hurriedly stood up and went out, smiling: "So it's Tongxi sister, come in and sit down quickly."

Tongxi held a brocade box in her hand and smiled: "The family got high-quality gauze palace flowers, and the young lady asked me to send two to Sister Xi Ren sister."

Sister Xi Ren took the brocade box from Tongxi's hand and saw two exquisite palace flowers inside.

She smiled: "What a new style of palace flowers. Go back and thank your young lady. It's good that she can think of me."

Bichen, who was on the side, also came up to watch the fun. Seeing these exquisite palace flowers, she felt a little envious, and then felt sour.

Bao young lady sent things to the Bao Er Ye's room, but only sent one to Sister Xi Ren. Could it be that others were not in her eyes?

Isn't it because Sister Xi Ren entered the Bao Er Ye's room and bears the name of a prospective concubine? Could it be that I am worse than Sister Xi Ren?

I also gave my body to Bao Bao Er Ye, but I was unlucky and couldn't fight for this proper name, and now everything is inferior to others.

Her anger rose to the top, and she blurted out: "Tongxi sister, these palace flowers are so beautiful. Did your young lady only send one to Sister Xi Ren sister?"

Sister Xi Ren was also a shrewd person, and immediately heard the subtext of Bichen's words, and her eyebrows couldn't help but wrinkle slightly.

It's just that Tongxi was still a thirteen or fourteen-year-old little maid and didn't have much city government. She heard Bichen ask politely and casually.

She smiled: "Our young lady sent them to the Second Grandmother and the young ladies in the Ningguo Prefecture, as well as the sisters in the Cong Sanye's room."

Bichen asked again: "The sisters in the Cong Sanye's room, aren't they Wu'er and Ping'er, and that Zhi Shao who is not often seen? Did they all get palace flowers?"

Tongxi was slightly stunned when she heard Bichen ask strangely. Although she was young and ignorant, she was not a stupid person, and she immediately noticed something wrong.

She said: "I don't know how the young lady sent things. I only sent flowers to Sister Xi Ren sister. There are still things around the lady, so I will go back first."

……

Sister Xi Ren sent Tongxi to the door and saw the little maid walking a bit anxiously, naturally knowing the reason.

She just returned to the room when she heard Bichen's crisp voice: "Sister Xi Ren sister, you heard it just now. This little maid has already let it slip. It is right for Bao young lady's palace flowers to be sent to the Second Grandmother and the young ladies to wear, and others can't say idle words.

But Zhi Shao, Ping'er, and Wu'er in the Cong Sanye's room all got them, why did only you get one in the Bao Er Ye's room?

Could it be that Caiyun and Seeing Cai Xia in the Bao Er Ye's room are not as good as Wu'er and Ping'er in the Cong Sanye's room?

Isn't this clearly looking down on our Bao Er Ye? Only by sending the things left over by others can we fool the sister and perfunctorily deal with the Bao Er Ye."

Baoyu felt as if he had been pricked by a needle when he heard this. He originally thought that Bao sister could think of him, but it turned out that it was not like that at all.

Sister Xi Ren felt disgusted that Bichen was stirring up trouble when she saw Baoyu's ugly face, and said: "You should close your mouth and stop instigating in front of the Bao Er Ye.

Bao young lady wants to send her own things however she wants. Do you think it should be according to your meaning?

If this word spreads, even relatives will be offended.

You are just a maid, others are too lazy to talk about you, they will only laugh at the Bao Er Ye's room for having no rules and decency. If the lady knows, you will have a lot to suffer.

I know your thoughts. You are not holding injustice for Caiyun and Seeing Cai Xia, you just feel that I shouldn't be the only one who got things. Is this your idea?"

Bichen was exposed by Sister Xi Ren, her pretty face turned red, and she couldn't speak for a while.

Sister Xi Ren said: "You don't look at what time it is now. The first branch is in charge of the Ningguo Prefecture. You are stirring up trouble here, isn't this bringing disaster to the Bao Er Ye?

I am now going in and out of the courtyard, and I don't usually go out, so I don't need to wear such good palace flowers.

I will pass them on to others later, and I can still get a favor back, so that others won't feel uncomfortable if I have them and others don't."

Sister Xi Ren became more and more angry as she spoke. The smart and reliable ones in the courtyard were squeezed out. First there was Xiao Hong, and then Sheyue left.

It happened that Qiuwen and Bichen, who were not worrying, could stay safely and were still making trouble in front of the Bao Er Ye every day. Can this life be good?

Sister Xi Ren used to be kind to others and only wanted to leave a good reputation inside and outside, which is why she let Bichen speak without scruples.

Bichen never thought that Sister Xi Ren would be aggressive, and she tore off her face, her heart and face burning.

Sister Xi Ren walked to the door and called the little maid Chunyan, saying: "You take this brocade box of palace flowers and go to the Ningguo Prefecture now.

If the woman guarding the door stops you, you say you are looking for Sheyue girl, and when you see her, say I gave her these palace flowers.

I don't need them in the courtyard, unlike her who is running around inside and outside, and she can use them as an outfit."

……

Ningguo Prefecture, Wang Xifeng's Courtyard.

Baochai followed Jin Chuan, holding a brocade box in her hand, bypassed the shadow wall covered with withered vines, and entered the courtyard where the snow had not yet melted.

Seeing a rough maid sitting in the wind-sheltered place at the door of the main house, she called to the inside when she saw Baochai and Jin Chuan coming: "Bao young lady is here."

As she spoke, she lifted the scarlet felt curtain. Baochai took Jin Chuan into the room and saw Wang Xifeng sitting on the kang under the south window in the inner room.

Behind her was a brocade backrest, and her right hand was resting on a large red round flower pillow, and she was talking to Wu'er and Ping'er about the miscellaneous affairs of the prefecture.

Baochai smiled: "I came at the right time, it just so happens that the three of you are here."

Wang Xifeng smiled: "Why does Baochai sister have time to come over? Feng'er, go and serve hot tea to Bao young lady."

Baochai smiled: "Because the family got a box of palace flowers for use, it would be a waste to leave them idle, so I sent them for you to wear in your daily life. The styles and colors are all good."

I left some there, and I will send them to Second Sister and Lin sister later."

Wang Xifeng picked up a pink palace flower from the brocade box and played with it in her hand.

She smiled: "It is worthy of being something used in the palace. It is made so exquisitely. It's not like it was just picked, but it doesn't wither in all four seasons."

Wang Xifeng leaned forward slightly and inserted the palace flower in her hand into Ping'er's hair bun.

Ping'er was already beautiful and graceful, a top figure among the maids of the two prefectures. Set off by this pink palace flower, the whole person became vivid and looked even more charming and moving.

Wang Xifeng smiled: "It is indeed a good thing, and the style is popular. The whole person is different when wearing it.

It is just right for you to give it to Ping'er and Wu'er. They are all at the age of flowers, and they should be dressed up like this to look good.

It's a pity that your Lian Second Brother was exiled to Liaodong. Except for daily jewelry, I rarely wear these fresh flowers and beautiful flowers. It's a waste for you to give them to me.

According to my opinion, you should give Ping'er and Wu'er two each, and keep the remaining two for yourself to wear."

Baochai naturally understood Feng Jie's meaning. Jia Lian was exiled thousands of miles away, and Wang Xifeng was like a widow guarding the door. It is common sense for a woman not to wear heavy makeup.

She smiled: "Sister Feng doesn't know, I usually only use jewelry, and I don't use these flowers and powders."

Wang Xifeng smiled: "What you said is a bit wrong. If the Grandmother hears it, she will definitely nag.

You are at the age of flowers, and you have such a beautiful appearance, so you should wear more flowers and also seek good luck, not be too plain.

You shouldn't mix with the sisters every day and fade the matter of dressing up.

I am a person who has come over. The words are rough but the reason is not rough. Even if a woman dresses for the one she likes, men just like to see women with fresh flowers."

Wu'er and Ping'er couldn't help laughing when they heard Wang Xifeng's straightforwardness.

Baochai was also teased by Wang Xifeng until her pretty face was pink, and she couldn't help but think of Jia Cong...

Wang Xifeng picked a rose-red palace flower from the box and inserted it into Baochai's hair bun. The flowers were red and the temples were black, which was interesting, and she immediately added a sense of richness and beauty.

Ping'er and Wu'er both praised it for looking good. Wang Xifeng smiled: "I didn't say it wrong, you should dress up like this at your age."

……

Baochai took Jin Chuan back to Lixiang Courtyard, took the remaining box of palace flowers, and the two went to the Ningguo Prefecture again.

Just as they walked to the small door in the alley of the two prefectures, they saw a pretty little maid coming out. When she saw Baochai, she bowed and then jumped away.

Baochai recognized that it was Baoyu's little maid Chunyan, and couldn't help but feel a little strange. Baoyu had never been able to enter the Ningguo Prefecture, so his maids naturally wouldn't come to walk around.

Why did this Chunyan come out of the Ningguo Prefecture? Baochai thought for a while and couldn't get the point, so she didn't take it to heart.

After entering the small door of the Ningguo Prefecture, she saw that the snow in the inner courtyard had not melted along the way, and the scenery was still very pleasing to the eye, making Baochai's mood more relaxed and happy.

After passing a stone bridge, she stood at the bridgehead and looked at herself in the water, seeing the cold light of the waves under the bridge, and some broken ice floating on the water surface.

Under the reflection of the clear waves, the palace flowers in her hair were beautiful and red, and her appearance was very bright.

A smile appeared on Baochai's face. Sister Feng was indeed right. The palace flowers were quite good-looking...

After Baochai entered the Ningguo Prefecture, she went to Daiyu's courtyard first, but didn't meet anyone. The maid Xueyan said that the young lady had gone to Second Sister's courtyard.

After going to Yingchun's courtyard again, she lifted the red brocade warm curtain at the door of the main hall and saw that the room was full of popularity.

A chessboard was placed on the marble round table in the center. Shi Xiangyun was playing chess with Xing Xiuyan, and Seeing Tan Chun was sitting on the side watching the battle. The chess pieces fell on the board with a crisp sound.

The kang under the south window was covered with a large red felt, the east board wall was placed with a brocade backrest and pillow, and it was covered with a light pink satin seat cushion.

Yingchun and Daiyu were sitting on the warm kang, drinking hot tea and chatting.

Baochai smiled: "It's still Second Sister's place that is popular. The sisters are all in one place, which saves me from running around everywhere."

……

She took the box from Jin Chuan's hand, put it on the kang table and opened it. The full box of palace flowers was dazzling and entered her eyes.

Yingchun smiled: "What exquisite palace flowers. I really haven't seen them before. Where did they come from?"

Baochai told the origin of the palace flowers and smiled: "I have already sent them to Sister Feng, and Ping'er and Wu'er have also got them. These are for the sisters to enjoy."

Yingchun took one and wore it on her temple, which was beautiful. Xiangyun and Xiuyan, who were playing chess, couldn't sit still at this time and all came over to watch the fun.

Yingchun said: "These palace flowers used in the palace are different from those bought outside. They are made so exquisitely and delicately."

The sisters laughed and took the colors they liked and inserted them into their hair buns. Baochai also picked one and helped Daiyu wear it on her temple.

For a time, the flowers on the temples were beautiful, the beautiful faces were competing for spring, and the laughter was full, a scene of beautiful daughters.

Yingchun picked two palace flowers and said to the maid Xiuju: "Send these two palace flowers to Zhi Shao sister. At this time, she is mostly in the small courtyard on the south slope."

Baochai smiled secretly when she heard it. Second Sister is really protective of Brother Cong. Knowing that Wu'er and Ping'er both got them, she didn't forget to take care of Zhi Shao, for fear of missing her.

Not long after Xiuju went out, Sheyue entered the main hall and smiled: "It's so lively today. The young ladies are all here, and they are really complete."

The sisters looked back and saw Sheyue wearing a light green bottom inlaid collar jacket, a white embroidered cotton skirt, a dark green incense-soaked sweat towel tied around her slender waist, neat and capable.

Her pretty face was beautiful, her face was glowing, she was smiling, and she was wearing exquisite yellow palace flowers on her bun... (End of chapter)