After a period of busyness before the Lantern Festival, Daiyu actually launched a high fever, which scared Jia Min to ask for medical advice, and even more undressed to take care of it, but it was not good, Jia Minyuan himself was not good, and he looked at it a few years ago, and he fell ill in a hurry. Lin Ruhai never managed the affairs of the house, so the house became more and more busy. Looking at Jia Min, who was described as thin, and then looking at a small face that was burned red, it was Daiyu who was not stable in her sleep, and Lin Ruhai was also like a knife and thanked the guest behind closed doors. Until Huang Jiyun didn't know where to turn back to Gusu, he heard that Daiyu was seriously ill and Lin Ruhai closed the door to thank the guests, he was very shocked and hurriedly came to visit. Lin Ruhai saw Huang Jiyun's visit, and his heart was greatly relieved, and he was busy with good food, good food, good wine, and good tea, and when Huang Jiyun showed Daiyu, it was a trivial matter to catch a cold, but because of his frailty, it developed into a cold, and he was also uncomfortable. After many deliberations, he gave Daiyu a prescription. After taking a few doses of medicine, although it was not very good, it also improved slightly, and it was only after the first month that it was very good.

After the New Year, they were going to be busy with the apprenticeship ceremony, and most of the people who were far away had already sent people to send congratulatory gifts at this time, and the people sent by Lin Ruhai to the capital also rushed back quickly.

Since Daiyu's mother and daughter fell ill, Lin Ruhai was also exhausted, and actually forgot about it, when Lin An came to report that his brother had returned, Lin Ruhai was also stunned for a long time before he remembered that he had sent Lin Ping to Beijing quietly to inquire about it a few years ago, and he hurriedly called Lin Ping to inquire carefully.

Under this question, Lin Ruhai was frightened, and the clothes on his back were soaked with sweat in this February day. The lord's long house lives in a side courtyard. The eldest son and grandson and grandmother brought two enchanting little maids to serve, and they were not called reading, nor were they allowed to go to school, and they only played with the girls all day long. The second room lives in the main house, and Mrs. Wang, the wife of the house, actually took the post in the house to collect lawsuits everywhere, even her son-in-law who accompanied the room could also take the name of Rongguo Mansion to order her peers to close the door, saying that she was selling antiques, but the room was full of fakes. These are not the most powerful, the most shocking thing is that the servants in the house are famous for forcibly occupying the fertile land, and the wife of the house is heavy on profit. Compared with these, it is not surprising that the seven-year-old Baoyu, who still lives in Jia's mother's room and plays with his sisters, steals the rouge on the maid's mouth.

Because Daiyu fell ill before the Lantern Festival, Jia Min also fell ill, and the original decision to check the slaves in the house was delayed. At this time, as soon as he heard the news of the Rongguo Mansion that Lin Ping had inquired about, he immediately thought of his own mansion, although he didn't believe that his mansion would be like this, but he was inevitably apprehensive in his heart, so he immediately asked Lin An, who was guarding outside the door, to call the housekeeper Song Shi. Song Shi is not a child of the family, and even the original has been educated, and there is no intricate relationship with the house, thanks to Lin Ruhai's father for saving his life, he has never fought in the house and is very loyal to do things silently.

Lin Ruhai thought about Jia Min's recent physical condition, and really didn't dare to tell her such amazing news at this time, Lin Ruhai didn't know that Jia Min had also sent someone to Beijing to inquire, but it was women and children who went there, and the trip was slower and he hadn't returned yet. said to Lin Ping: "I've worked hard all the way, I haven't seen you yet, right?" From now on, you will take a month's leave, and then go to the account office to receive three months' monthly money, and the lord will reward you! Go back and have a good rest, and don't talk about it. ”

When Lin Ping heard such news, he was originally very worried, but now seeing that Lin Ruhai's face was not different, he knelt down with a smile and thanked him, promising that Lao Tzu would not say anything about this matter before retreating.

Seeing Lin An coming to call himself, Song Shi knew that there was something big, and he didn't dare to delay, so he hurriedly followed Lin An to the study, just in time to see Lin Ping retreat with a smile on his face, and he was still surprised that Lin Ping didn't know what to do before the New Year, and he only came back today. It's good to want to come to the errand class, and I got the master's reward.

Lin An bowed at the door and said, "Master, Steward Song has arrived." Immediately, Lin Ruhai's voice came out: "Come in!" The voice sounded cold. Lin An and Song Shigu were shocked, they thought it was a good errand when they saw Lin Ping go out with a smile on his face, but they didn't expect the master to be angry, the master is very few. Song Shi, who was full of doubts, didn't dare to delay, and hurriedly pushed the door in. looked at Lin Ruhai's face at the bottom of the black pot, and carefully closed the door. He asked, "What does the lord command?" ”

Seeing Song Shi come in, Lin Ruhai seemed to be thinking about something, and he didn't pay attention to it for a while, just kept pacing in front of the bookcase. Song Shi didn't dare to disturb, so he hung his head and stood aside and waited quietly.

After thinking about it again and again, Lin Ruhai said: "It has been more than a hundred years since the inheritance in our house, and the personnel are uneven, you go to me to secretly visit, if there are cheaters or lazy people, whether they are housekeepers or long-term servants, or someone in their family." There is no need to alarm them, only manage the roster back and forth to me, if there is a traitor or a bully or a bully, sort out and find the parties, and there is no need to alarm and bring me back! This matter should be done carefully, in secret, not in a hurry, but not too long. Song Shi was shocked when he heard this, knowing that something big had happened? didn't ask much, just bowed down and withdrew.

In the evening, Daiyu saw that Lin Ruhai's face was gloomy, and there were no two mouthfuls of dinner, so she was worried and came to the inner study with a bowl of bird's nest porridge. Seeing that the candles in the house were bright, he pushed the door and walked in without letting anyone report it.

Finding that someone broke in without notification, Lin Ruhai was very annoyed, and was about to scold when he saw Daiyu walking in with a small black lacquer painted gold plum blossom small tea tray in her hand, with a bright smile on her face: "Daddy doesn't use it much at night, Yu'er Dao kitchen gave Daddy a bowl of mother's bird's nest porridge, it's delicious!" After speaking, the two black eyes widened. Lin Ruhai's heart warmed, and most of his depression was gone.

Seeing Lin Ruhai beckoning him to pass, the gloomy color between his eyebrows also eased, Daiyu slowly walked to the side of the case and placed the tea tray on the table, picked up the white porcelain in the plate and offered it to Lin Ruhai with his own hands, Lin Ruhai looked at Daiyu with kind eyes, took the bowl and sighed and put it back in the tea tray.

Lin Ruhai knew that Daiyu had become more and more intelligent recently, and he couldn't help but see it, so he told Daiyu in detail about Lin Ping's return today. Daiyu's heart was not shocked, but her face was full of surprise, especially when she heard that the second room was stealing the main room, and the big house was behind the stable. The expression is very exaggerated, as if it is incredible. Lin Ruhai also sighed when he saw this. Daiyu Moth frowned and thought about it for a while, and asked with a small face, "I don't know if my uncle's family has a cousin?" How is it now? Suddenly, hearing Daiyu ask like this, Lin Ruhai was also stunned, thought about it and replied: "Your uncle has a son, but unfortunately he has not been taught well, and I have inquired about the news," Speaking of this, Lin Ruhai also stopped and said after a while: "There is no big mistake." "It's really Jia Lian, because he hasn't married Wang Xifeng yet, so he is really dispensable in Rongguo Mansion.

Lin Ruhai originally thought that Daiyu would continue to ask, but suddenly the topic changed and Daiyu said: "Daddy has to be good at checking the slaves in our house, especially the purchasers, and the housekeepers, although most of them are family children, but the family children are often intricate, because they have been in the house for several lifetimes, they feel decent, and acting outside is inevitably arrogant, but no matter what kind of face they are outside, what they represent is still in our house, and they are also used in the house." After hearing this, Lin Ruhai nodded very thoughtfully, but his heart became more and more emotional.

Who knew that Daiyu didn't wait for Lin Ruhai to finish sighing, and suddenly said to Lin Ruhai with a smile: "Why don't you go to your father to write a letter, only saying that my mother is grieving because of my brother's funeral, and let my uncle's son Jia Lian come to the house as a guest?" Lin Ruhai was shocked: "Why is this?" What the hell does Yu'er have again? Daiyu replied with a smile: "Rongguo Mansion and we are relatives after all, if it is too bad to hear the reputation, it will be bad after all, especially in the capital, how much it will affect our family, it is better to call the eldest son of the lord to the eyes of his father, his father has a lot of time to teach, even if he is not successful, he will not have any bad reputation, if he is a mature person in the future, he will be very grateful to his father, and Zhu's cousin has also become married, then Baoyu's second cousin heard that he is very loved by his grandmother, and he thinks that he will not let him travel far, and he heard his mother say that he has a lot of suspicions with his second aunt, And the first aunt is good friends with her mother, why don't you help her? Lin Ruhai felt reasonable after hearing this, and then said: "This matter needs to be discussed with your mother, but my father doesn't know how to speak, your mother is not in good health, how can she let her know about these bad things?" Besides, if your father tells your mother that Rongguo Mansion is not good, won't your mother blame me for stirring up her relationship with her mother's family? After hearing this, Daiyu nodded and said: "Yu'er is not thoughtful, why don't your father tell her mother directly, just make it difficult, and Yu'er will inform her mother?" Mother may accept it, and Yu'er knows that her mother has already sent someone from Zhuangzi to the capital to inquire, and she thinks that there is something wrong, and her mother will always know her father's good intentions. ”

After speaking, he emphasized with Lin Ruhai: "Daddy, remember to check the purchases in our house." Hearing Daiyu mention buying twice, she was puzzled and asked, "What did Yu'er hear?" Daiyu thought for a while and said: "There is a little girl in my yard who bought it from outside, that day I heard her and Hanxiao say that in the past, the steamed buns of two pennies and one could not be eaten, I felt strange in my heart, because I learned to read the accounts in my mother's room, and found that there was no such cheap thing in our house, so I was curious and asked her, but she told me that it was a meat bun, and there was only one three wen outside, and the egg was more expensive to ten wen a piece, but most of the chickens raised by themselves, although they were all praised and sold, but they could occasionally be eaten. I went to ask Aunt Luo's embroidery, and Xiu'er also said that when they lived outside before, the rice was eight wen a catty, and one stone and a hundred catties was only eight hundred wen? Therefore, Yuer felt that the purchase was inevitably suspected of corruption, so she asked her father to investigate it carefully. After listening to Daiyu's words, Lin Ruhai was only full of curiosity, after all, he didn't take care of the housework, and he didn't know much about it, but he also nodded.

Daiyu saw that the depression on Lin Ruhai's face was gradually disappearing, so Fang picked up the small tea tray and said, "Father, wait a minute, Yu'er will go to the kitchen to see if there is any bird's nest porridge, and then send a bowl of hot water with her father, don't waste it anymore." After speaking, he turned around and walked out, until Daiyu's small figure disappeared into Lin Ruhai's study, Lin Ruhai came back to his senses, smiled faintly, but there was a doting in his eyes.

Lin Ruhai thought about it alone in the study, and when he called Song, the second housekeeper in charge of the outer courtyard, he instructed: "You quickly go and check the various prices outside the mansion, send more children out, don't use the family to have children, and use more things bought from outside." You don't need to tell anyone about this, just ask me to go back and forth after inquiring clearly. Although Song Shi was puzzled, he quickly nodded yes, and did not mention the arrangements for retreating.

Lin Ruhai hesitated for a long time in the study, and finally walked to the main room. I saw Jia Min wearing light cyan homely clothes, with loose cloud buns, obliquely inserted white jade plum hairpins, and was very focused on reading a book while sitting on the chaise longue. Kapok and Qiluo accompanied each other, and when they saw Lin Ruhai coming in, they got up and wanted to salute. Lin Ruhai waved his hand to let them retreat, walked to the candlestick, cut the candle flowers with silver scissors, the room was bright, Jia Min woke up in the book, and saw Lin Ruhai still flustered, but the corners of his mouth involuntarily blurred a gentle smile.

Lin Ruhai's heart was soft, he sat down with Jia Min, held her hand in the palm of his hand and slowly said something to let Lin Ping go to Beijing to inquire, Jia Min lowered his eyebrows and thought for a moment after hearing it and smiled: "It's me who didn't think about it, this is my mother's internal affairs, I shouldn't have let the master and his colleagues inquire about it, the master can make Lin Ping go to Beijing for me, but I don't know how to inquire?" The old man just said it bluntly. You and I have been married for many years, and you don't have to be so scrupulous. ”

Lin Ruhai listened to the rear pick up three or four of his words and Jia Min, but saw that Jia Min's face was getting paler and paler, so he stopped talking and didn't want Jia Min to say: "Master, just say it!" Lin Ping can find out, the master doesn't say it, others also know, why hide it from me? Even if you don't say it, it's the same, I also have it in my heart, and the lord said that I only have gratitude to the lord in my heart. Lin Ruhai saw that Jia Min was very persistent, and the husband and wife had a deep relationship for many years, and they would never hide from each other, so they told it all. After hearing this, Jia Min was stunned for a while, and Fang burst into tears and said: "Although the son does not say anything about his father, he never thought that his mother would be so confused!" It's a pity that I'm just a married daughter, and I can't talk much with Fuzhong, but I don't know what to do?! If the imperial history book is impeached, the glory of a hundred years will be ruined! In the future, I will meet my father with a face? After speaking, I couldn't cry.

Lin Ruhai was also upset, seeing Jia Min so sad, he could only say something of relief. Thinking about it again and again, Daiyu suggested that she go to the letter to call Jia Lian to Gusu, Jia Min was also stunned after hearing it, Fang Yixi said: "Yu'er said very well, and there is no need to specify Jia Lian, Zhu'er has also married, Baoyu is still young, and her mother will not let her go far, only Lian'er is thirteen years old, and there is no mother to take care of her, my eldest brother is also not awake, and the second sister-in-law is not looking at Lian'er." It is better to call the lord to him, and the lord will teach and teach, and it is unknown whether he will be able to bear the lintel in the future. The first sister-in-law is knowledgeable, and Lian'er is also smart. Master and take care of it, now we have only one daughter left under the knees of Yu'er, and Lian'er will not be able to rely on Yu'er in the future. Lin Ruhai also nodded after hearing this, and said: "Yu'er has become more and more wise in the past six months, I am often worried that her wisdom will be hurt, and my wife is more concerned." His daughter Jia Min would not postpone it, and heard Lin Ruhai sigh and say: "Today, Yu'er talked about the purchase, I don't know if you know?" I heard that there is something in Yu'er's words, it should be true. Jia Min listened to the specific question from the back, and when he heard it, his face suddenly changed, and he hurriedly called Kapok and said, "Go and take out all my account books!" Seeing that Kapok was stunned for a moment, he said angrily: "Go quickly!" Kapok Fang came back to his senses, squatted down and bowed and withdrew.

After a moment, he turned around, followed by four or five little maids, each holding five or six account books in their arms. Jia Min walked to the table and quickly unfolded it, found the kitchen to buy a copy and flipped through it. But the more she looked at it, the more ugly her face became, Lin Ruhai walked behind her when she saw this, pressed her shoulder and said, "Mrs., don't be angry, we have already prepared, haven't we?" But I heard Jia Min crying: "Master, let's see, although I am somewhat prepared, I never thought of such a situation!" After speaking, he handed the account book to Lin Ruhai. Lin Ruhai didn't look through the account books, but only said to Kapok and the others: "You guys retreat, I don't want to hear about today's events in anyone's mouth." Do you understand? The tone was calm, but Lin Ruhai had been an official for many years and was extremely coercive, Kapok and the others took a deep breath and nodded Fang retreated, and when the two of them were left in the room, they looked down at the account books, and their faces were also ugly, but in the end, they were the people of officialdom, and they quickly calmed down and said: "Mrs. Don't be silent first." Before Lin Ruhai finished speaking, Jia Min was furious and said, "Is the master going to reveal this?!" The voice was very sharp, Lin Ruhai only felt a pain in his ears beside him, frowned and comforted: "Don't worry, Mrs., how can these black-hearted minions who betray their masters easily let go." It's just a two-day delay. Jia Min looked at Lin Ruhai very puzzled when she heard this, after all, she is now in charge, and she feels embarrassed when something like this happens, so the more she thinks about it, the more angry she becomes.

Lin Ruhai breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Since the kitchen is like this, what about the others?" I sent Song Shi to inquire about the market prices of various items on the market, and when Song Shi came back, we will compare them one by one, and inquire carefully, just as I said last time, or corruption, or bullying, or bullying, all kinds of mistakes can be found out, and the house can be cleaned up! And you can't keep these moths deep and hide them, if things are bad in the future, wouldn't it be the reputation of my Lin family that has been ruined for a hundred years? If you and I are gone, it will be our Yu'er who will be harmed! How can I keep him? Jia Min heard that Lin Ruhai had a plan, so he didn't say much, but his face was very ugly, Lin Ruhai saw this and said: "Mrs., don't think about it, who doesn't have three or five bad ones in the house?" What's more, we are a family that has been inherited for a hundred years. Jia Min knew that Lin Ruhai did not blame her, and she was so comforted, Fang felt a lot more relieved, and thought of Lin Ruhai's words and these people who would harm Daiyu in the future, and secretly determined to investigate to the end!