Jia Min looked at him, although his appearance has not changed much, but his temperament has changed a lot, he is less rigid and pedantic than before, and he has more youthful vitality, and I don't know if it is because he is well-informed. Jia Zheng's changes can be seen by everyone. Jia Shishi saw his son who had grown up a lot, his eyes were red before he spoke, Jia Daishan's eyes were more comforted, and the old lady was much more comforted.

Jia Zheng looked at the grandmother, father, and mother in the hall, and his eyes were also red, and then he knelt down and kowtowed three times, "Grandmother, father, mother, the unfilial son is back."

Jia Shishi couldn't hold back any longer, didn't care about being rude or rude, stepped forward to help Jia Zheng, took his hand and said: "My son, you are finally back, you have been gone for more than two years, I know how much my mother misses you." Are you eating well outside, are you warm or not, and the little maid is still thoughtful when waiting" chattered a lot, but he cried first as he spoke.

"Mother, my son is doing well outside, isn't he back now? Jia Zheng was at a loss when he saw Jia Shishi, who was crying, and comforted him while clumsily wiping his tears.

Jia Min pouted when he saw it, thinking that his mother's favorite was the second brother, which was inferior to that Jia Baoyu, but fortunately, the eldest brother was not there, otherwise he would definitely feel uncomfortable when he saw this scene. Seeing Jia Zheng's embarrassed appearance, he stepped forward to take over to wipe away Jia Shi's tears, and said: "Mother, the second brother is running all the way, and he is tired of thinking about it, so let him freshen up first and rest for a while, and it will not be too late for you to ask." ”

"Yes, yes, Min'er is right, let's let Zheng'er go back to the hospital to rest first. Jia Daishan stepped forward and smiled, he patted Jia Zheng on the shoulder, "Yes, it's finally like a look." ”

"Father. Looking at his father, who was still tall, Jia Zheng's heart was stuck in his throat with a thousand words, and in the end, he only called his father.

"Okay, now that you are also an adult, you should be responsible, and you must also know the responsibilities you have to bear, you know?" Jia Daishan saw that it had changed a lot from two years ago, so he expected.

"Okay, Zheng'er just came back, you don't say you care about how he is outside, but you have learned a lesson first, is there such a father as you?" the old lady interrupted, and turned to Jia Zhengdao: "Don't listen to your father, just rest at home these days, and talk about other things later." ”

"Yes, grandmother, how are you doing lately?" He grew up beside his mother since he was a child, and he was greatly influenced by it, and the old lady also had an eldest child by her side, so the old lady was not close, but looking at the obviously old lady, Jia Zheng still cared.

"Grandmother is fine, as long as you three brothers and sisters are safe and harmonious, I will be fine. The old lady laughed.

The house was full of warmth, but Jia Quan outside the house was not very happy, and the second master only explained that he would take the girl back to the house, but he did not say how to place it. And this girl doesn't know whether she is a guest or a servant, if she is placed in the guest room, how can he go back, if she is sent directly to the courtyard of the second master, but the old lady and the wife in the courtyard are arranged whether they are first-class or second-class girls. You can't let the girl stand there all the time, let the girls in the house watch.

Jia Quan stiffened his head and replied at the door: "Master, the slave has something to do." ”

"Come in,"

Hearing this, Jia Quan bowed down and walked into the house, stopped one step closer to Jia Zheng, and asked, "Second Master, how to settle the girl you brought back?"

Jia Zheng went home to see his parents, and he forgot about Rou'er in a moment of excitement. Thinking that he said that he wanted to be a girl by his side, he said: "Arrange her in my courtyard, and the monthly money will follow Qingyao, Qingzhi, Qingluo, and Qingqian." ”

"Second Master, Qing Yao, Qing Zhi, Qing Luo, Qing Qian, they were all let go home by the old lady, and they didn't press the girls in your yard anymore. Jia Quan said and looked at the old lady. This inner courtyard has to pass the eyes of the old lady according to the row, and there has never been a first-class girl who is directly from outside the house as the master's side.

The old lady reacted first and asked, "Girl, what girl, what did Zheng'er bring back?" After speaking, she looked at Jia Zheng and then at Jia Quan.

"Grandmother, I am a Rou'er," Jia Zheng said without explanation.

Jia Min and Zhang Qiong were very surprised that Jia Zheng went out to study but brought back a woman, this kind of thing never happened when Jia Zheng was the most confused, but they didn't expect the seemingly upright Jia Zheng to do such an outrageous thing.

"Bang," Jia Daishan just picked up the tea, but he didn't expect that his son, who thought he had grown up a lot, would never bring back a girl, and he didn't care about drinking the tea, and put the tea cup heavily on the table, making a sound. asked: "You are a big boy who did such a thing, do you think that the reputation of Rongguo Mansion is too good?"

When Jia Zheng heard this, he secretly raised his eyelids and looked at his father, seeing that his face was calm, there was no anger, and there was nothing wrong with his words, this situation made him even more worried, the anger of his family was expected, but his father was calm as usual, if it wasn't for the sound just now, he thought he didn't care.

"Father, I don't. It's just that Na Rou'er is too pitiful, so she was brought back. Jia Zheng said weakly.

It's okay not to say this, but I didn't expect that as soon as Jia Zheng fell into his mouth, he was drenched with tea from the oncoming tea cup. Jia Daishan saw that he was just standing there in a daze, he was furious, and slapped the table and got up, "You rebel, I thought that you would study with Mr. and grow a little bit, but I didn't expect it to be like a ridiculous thing." Even now, I still think that others are pitiful, but there are poor people everywhere in this world, why didn't I see you so kind-hearted before? ”

"Shan'er. The old lady wanted to stop it, but Jia Daishan's movements were too fast and she didn't stop it in time.

"Sir. Jia Shishi, who was stunned, was awakened by the old lady, and hurriedly walked towards Jia Zheng, seeing that he was still stunned, he knew that he was not lightly frightened, and hurriedly wiped the tea on his face with a handkerchief, and saw that he was not injured, and said: "Master, even if Zheng'er has something wrong, you can train it slowly, why do it." Zheng'er has been weak since he was a child, if there is really a good one, you will not regret it, master. Besides, it's not just a girl, why make such a fuss, we don't know how many girls we have to buy from outside every year, this one more and one less is not a big deal. ”

Jia Shishi said that she was crying, Jia Zheng came back, she waited and waited, looked forward to and looked forward to, she was already happy, but she didn't expect to be like this because of a girl who came out of nowhere. slowed down, and said: "Besides, when Zheng'er went out, I wanted Qingyao, Qingzhi, Qingluo, and Qingqian to go with the two, but you said that Zheng'er was with Mr., and it was not appropriate to let the girl follow, if you listened to me at that time, it wouldn't be like this." ”

"What do you mean, I can't blame me for this?" Jia Daishan squinted and looked at Jia Shishi fixedly.

"What did the master say this, when did the concubine blame the master. It's just that for the sake of the girl, it's not appropriate to beat and scold Zheng'er like this. Jia Shishi was a little weak-hearted, although he had resentment in his heart, he couldn't really say it. "There were so many girls in the pardon house before, and I didn't see the master say half a word. Now why bother to criticize Zheng'er, it's nothing compared to pardoning and purifying. ”

"Madam, now you're talking about Zheng'er, why are you involved in pardoning. Seeing Jia Shi speaking before Jia Shi took Jia Amnesty, a trace of fierceness flashed in his eyes, and he looked at Jia Shi deadly. "No matter how ridiculous Yu'er was at that time, she didn't bring the outside into the mansion indiscriminately, thinking that Rongguo Mansion was a place where you could enter casually? Mo said that it was the master, that is, the girl below, who was not innocent, and signed a death deed to enter the mansion. ”

"Old lady, I" Hearing the old lady's words, Jia Shi's heart trembled, she didn't mean to climb on Jia Yu, it's just that she has been used to it for so many years.

The old lady didn't bother to take care of him, turned to Jia Daishan and said, "Don't worry, why is this matter still unclear, why blame him now? ”

"If he is a soldier, his son will be directly subject to military law. He can still stand here. ”

The old lady didn't care, she had a fiery temper, and she didn't know it yet. Then he looked at Jia Zheng and said kindly: "Zheng'er, come here, come to grandmother." When Jia Zheng walked in, he took his hand, looked him up and down, and said with a smile: "I haven't seen you for two years, Zheng'er has grown up a lot, you, don't blame your father, he is for your good, you know?"

"My grandson knows. Jia Zheng had never spoken so intimately to his grandmother in his forgetfulness, and when he was a child, he often saw his brother talking to the old lady like this. At that time, he was very jealous, so he said a lot of bad things about Jia Yu in front of his mother.

"What a good boy. The old lady cried, and saw that Jia Shishi was still standing there with an aggrieved face, and said lightly: "Madam, you can also sit down." Granddaughter-in-law, grandmother still has some account books that she hasn't finished reading yet, so it's wrong for you to take Min'er to see if it's wrong. In the end, he turned to Zhang Qiong and Jia Min, whether it was Zhang Qiong or Jia Min, it was not appropriate to be present to listen to this matter.

Jia Daishan was angry, Jia Min and Zhang Qiong both stood up and looked at each other. I was worried about Jia Daishan being angry, and now I heard what the old lady ordered, and I knew that I wanted them to avoid it.

"Yes, Grandmother. The granddaughter-in-law went back with her sister first. The two of them saluted and left.

"Zheng'er, what did you say about that girl. The old lady asked when she saw the two of them leaving the sky.

Jia Zheng saw that the three people sitting there all looked at him, and he knew that he couldn't hide it, so he had to say it slowly.

It turned out that on the way back to Mr. Jia Zhengsui, the boat would dock at the nearest town every four or five days, and the boatmen and the servants would go to the town to serve vegetables and buy some fresh goods such as vegetables and fruits. Sometimes, the husband will take them to the town to browse, or learn about the local customs, or personally buy local products to give home.

In the evening of this day, the boat stopped and sailed to Baoding Ferry, and there will be four more days of travel before the next ferry docks, because it is too late, so it needs to stay for one night, and it will not be able to leave until tomorrow morning after picking fresh vegetables.

Baoding Ferry is a famous official ferry, the previous dynasty had a large number of construction, the construction of a considerable scale. On weekdays, in addition to the official eunuchs ferrying and recreation here, there are a large number of merchant ships and fishing boats gathered here, and Baoding Guandu has become very prosperous. Since ancient times, Baoding has been the "thoroughfare" of "three passes in the north, nine provinces in the south, four parts of the region, and Zhongzhou in the crown". There are also places of interest and historic sites such as Daci Pavilion, Baiyangdian Lake, and Ancient Lotus Pond. At the request of some students, he decided to stay here for a few days before leaving.

On this day, Jia Zheng wanted to travel ashore with the gentlemen, but he didn't eat a bad stomach, or he was not accustomed to the water and soil, and he kept vomiting and diarrhea. The gentleman told him to rest on the boat, and the few little guys who followed him were also afraid of anything bad, so they persuaded him to rest well.

In the evening, Jia Zheng did not wait for Mr. and them to come back, but only sent a small servant back to say that because his classmates met his cousin, he invited them to go to another courtyard, and first, to have a good talk with his younger brother who had been away from home for two years. The second is to hold a banquet to thank Mr. and everyone and his brother for taking care of them. The gentleman was also very kind, but he had to go with him. And because there were many houses in the other courtyard, he left them and his party to rest for one night. So he sent someone back to ask Jia Zheng to go with him.

Jia Zheng's body was already weak, so he didn't want to go, so he pushed it tactfully. That night, Jia Zhengyin slept too much during the day, just leaning on the bed and reading, but he didn't expect to faintly hear the woman's cry for help. And the voice grew louder and nearer, and he hurriedly got up and called the little man who was on the vigil, and accompanied him to the ship's armor to have a look. But when the two of them walked to the boat, they only heard a 'plop', and vaguely saw a woman jumping into the water from the shore, and there were several small fights on the shore chasing, and seeing the woman jumping into the river, no one could swim in the water, so she had no choice but to scold and go back.

Jia Zheng saw that the girl was still struggling in the water, so it could be seen that she didn't know how to water, so he asked the little girl to call the boatman up. When the boatman heard that someone had fallen into the river, he got up in a hurry, and before he could put on his clothes, he came to the boat. But when he saw that it was a woman in the river, he was a little troubled, although he knew how to water, but he went into the water to save people like this, which damaged the girl's reputation. It's just that if you don't save him, you can't get over it in your conscience.

When Jia Zheng saw the boatman coming out, he just stood there in a daze, so he didn't go into the water to save people, and said anxiously: "The boatman, why are you still stunned there, you don't save people, that girl is dying." ”

The boatman couldn't just get ready to go into the water to save people, and remembered that there was a small boat next to him, so he immediately rowed to the girl, and let her grab the bamboo pole and climb onto the boat.

Jia Zheng saw that the girl was rescued and wanted to come forward to inquire and ask, but he didn't expect to walk to the girl's side, and she fainted, and he subconsciously hugged him. Jia Zheng said anxiously: "Girl, girl, are you okay?" "But I didn't respond after calling for a long time. Jia Zheng just had to carry it back to the cabin. Later, he asked the boatman to go ashore and ask a doctor to take a look.

"Second Master Jia, you see it's late at night, and life is sparse, where is the old man going to find a doctor, I think the girl is afraid that she will fall into the water and suffer from the cold, it just so happens that I still have some herbs to go to the cold on the boat, first take the decoction to the girl, if it is not good tomorrow, I will go to ask the doctor." "The boatman is embarrassed, but look at the girl lying on the bed, her whole body is wet, if you sleep like this all night, I'm afraid it's not good for your health, but now the boat is all men. looked at Jia Zheng and said, "Second Master Jia, you see that this girl's clothes are wet, I'm afraid it's not good for her body to sleep like this." ”

Jia Zheng was stunned when he heard the words of the boat family, he thought about saving people, but he didn't notice this, but what to do with this clothes, he thought about it, and said: "Boat family, you are going to light the stove and put it next to the bed, and wait for the girl to wake up. ”

"Second master, that ginseng was specially prepared for you by your wife, who let others eat it, if your wife knows about it, don't punish the slave. "Mo Yan doesn't follow the way. That's a two-hundred-year-old wild ginseng, and the wife of the year is a thousand confessions to keep it well, if the second master has a case, this can save lives. Now the second master wants to give it to a girl he doesn't know.

Jia Zheng saw Mo Yan's reluctant face, and scolded: "You slave, you don't listen to the words of the second master, I'll let you take it, and you're still prevaricating here." ”

Mo Yan was scolded, and he was shocked, and hurriedly said: "Second master, the slave will go." With that, he skewered out, faster than the rabbit ran. Jia Zheng and the girl were in the house, but Jia Zheng didn't expect that it seemed inappropriate for a lonely man and a widow to stay in the same room.

Jia Zheng looked at the woman lying on the bed who was only fifteen or sixteen years old, wearing a jade-colored wisp of flowers, a white silk skirt, black hair was loosely held with only a silver hairpin, the jade was pale, the willow eyebrows were frowning, the lips were like red lings, and the waist was like a slender willow.

Mo Yan walked to the door and looked at Jia Zheng with a distressed face looking at the girl on the bed, but she was fascinated and didn't move. Looking at the ginseng tea in his hand, he was very embarrassed not to go in. But he was afraid of disturbing his second master, and before he could think clearly, he saw the boatman coming from the other side. He coughed lightly, and Fang walked in: "Second master, this ginseng tea is ready." ”

As soon as he finished speaking, he saw the boatman come in with a stove, and after setting the stove in bed, he went out to decoct the medicine again.

"Second master, the girl is still unconscious, what should I do with this ginseng tea?"

Jia Zheng looked at the girl lying down, and then looked at the ginseng tea in Mo Yan's hand, and was also embarrassed.

Until the boatman decocted the medicine, this ginseng tea had not been fed to the girl Xun. The boat family thought that this medicine must be drunk, so he said: "Second Master Jia, do you want to hug that girl and let Mo Yan feed her." Anyway, there are only three of us here, when the girl wakes up, if she doesn't mind, she can't defend herself, if you don't mind, you will take it, anyway, you hugged it just now, and besides, listen to the other people on the boat, Jia Erye's family is very rich, and it is nothing to have one more girl. ”

Jia Zheng couldn't, so he had to do what the boatman said, but he didn't notice the smug look on the boatman's face and the sinister smile on his lips.