Three days later is the beginning of autumn, is the autumn of the ambush, this is the autumn tiger when the might, the first night of a rain through, but also blowing a period of west wind, early in the morning, the sound of the sunny weather, actually revealed the coolness. Dun Min Duncheng made an appointment with Le Min the day before, and together with Liu Xiaolin, he went to Zhangjiawan to visit Xueqin's house. The brothers lived in separate houses, and each came out of the gate early in the morning with a mule, and they met each other in time, and almost at the same time looked at their watches, and could not help laughing. On the riding trail, the champion of Lemin on the west side of Hubu Street came to the first. Just arrived at the head of Le Min's door, and saw that Qian Du was dismounting, and he was also taking a group of officials, and there were different people riding horses in sedan chairs. Seeing these two yellow-belted elder brothers coming, they all stood up. A few of them are still his flag slaves, busy coming, some help their brothers to get off the ride, some wait for the mule, please ask for warmth and say that the weather is in a mess. Duncheng was entertained by his brother and these people, and stepped forward with a smile: "The money devil heard that Le Sanye was promoted, and he came to stammer early in the morning?" ”

"Dun Sanye's old eagle fell on the pig, and he saw that the people were dark!" Qian Du was very familiar with them, so he only bowed his hand slightly and said with a smile: "Xiao Lu chose the capital of Hanyang, and introduced him to Beijing, and Le Min turned around to be his top boss, and he wanted to invite him over...... That one-" He made a toast and ate wine, and said: "He didn't have enough face, so he had to ask Huang Shilang of the Ministry of Officials to come forward to be the east, and he paid out of his pocket." Lao Huang didn't have a deep friendship with Le Sanye, and he saved me, Xiao Lu and I are also friends in trouble, it's not good to sweep his fun, I came last night, Le Min said that there are too many socials these days, and I'm afraid I can't go, so I took the lead. Two masters, I arrived before you! Duncheng smiled and slapped Qian Du's chest and said, "What ** weasel (squire) dog badger?" I'm going to—a treat—Lao Ding, it's Huang Yingjie—right—" He suddenly turned his face and asked an official with a six-rank top.

That old Ding seemed to be a slave of the Dun family, and he knelt down and asked Qian'er to ask for peace and said: "If you return to your master, it is Huang Yingjie!" Duncheng smiled: "If you send him a message, just say that the second master and I are going to go out of the city, borrow his car, and ask him to drive over to see off the master in person!" Old Ding Nuonuo promised repeatedly, Dun Min had already come over, and said with a smile: "Just say that Third Master Le has something to do today, ask him to invite him another day, and we won't disturb his interest - understand?" "Got it, got it!" Lao Ding hurriedly said: "This is the grace of the lord, reward his face!" Qian Du saw that the two of them were rushing to the guests, and he also wanted to go out for a walk in the suburbs on a hot day, so he laughed at everyone: "The two Yasukuni generals stirred up Lao Huang's banquet, let's disperse!" I'll eat him another day. Everyone went back to the sedan chair and got on the horse, and Le Min had already greeted him, let him invite Erdun and Qian Du into the house, and said: "They went in and said that there were two yellow belt masters at the door to pick up my guests, I guess it's you, sure enough!" I didn't want to eat this wine, and I was thinking about it, so I didn't come out to pick you up. Just begging for forgiveness. ”

"Okay, let me take it for others!" Duncheng entered the courtyard with a smile, but refused to enter the house, stood under the grape trellis, and said: "You have a daughter-Xu Jiajia - fortunately, the weasel is our coat, and you have changed to someone else, you will not miss the appointment, maybe drag us to accompany the wine!" Searching for it, he picked a bunch of purple grapes, and ate them while filling them up, and called out: "Don't enter the house, it's right for you to pack up and get ready to walk—after a while, someone may come to invite you." ”

Le Min had no choice but not to enter the house, but only told the butler: "Prepare a horse for me." Tell my wife that I will go out to pay a visit to the guest and come back after dark. Ji Zhongtang's son-in-law went to school, and he was married to Qiao Yintai's family, and invited him to congratulate him in the evening, and asked his wife to come over to congratulate him, accompany Mrs. Ji to have a drink, and sue me for a crime - bring me more money, and the silver ticket will be completed. If you come back early, you might rush over! The housekeeper agreed repeatedly, and asked, "Is the silver ticket of one thousand taels successful?" Seeing that Lemin was impatient, he hurriedly went. Duncheng asked, "Can't Xiaolin Gong go together?" ”

"He's old, nearly eighty." Dun Min frowned and said, "I walked halfway that day, and my head was dizzy. Seventy doesn't stay overnight, eighty doesn't stay for food, I'm afraid something will happen, so I'm back in a hurry, don't call him today. Xueqin died, and the people of Yan Zhai were sick and died, and they were no longer the scene of the year. "Take a long breath. Duncheng was stunned for a moment and said, "People are not like that!" It's like picking out seedlings for crops, picking stubble after stubble, and there are also God who is confused, looking at which one is not pleasing to the eye, and removing it easily. When it is ripe and cut off, it is called all year round, and the flood, drought, plague, locusts, and corpses are all over the field, and it is called a catastrophe. For example, if we go to see Xueqin's house, we will do our best, can we still save him? He said that the horses were ready. The four of them came out together, and each rode out of the city and ran to Zhangjiawan.

Because of those few sentences of dialogue, several people felt a little dull in their hearts. Out of the city through Tongzhou, the population suddenly saw scarce, a blue sky, under the vast sky dome, a green green gauze tent, because of the rain in the night, gurgling and knotting, the willow and old locust in the middle of the road thick shade to avoid, in the wind the branches swaying, the trembling leaves collide and the cicada chirp into a piece, the north side of the official road is far away, the remaining veins of Yanshan are undulating, are covered by the gray-brown Lan air. Although it has reached the autumn solar term, but the weather is still in the middle of the summer, from the crowded city at first glance, looking at this slightly autumn field, several people are fast-minded, a whistle wind swept the trees, the chest is cool, Duncheng was the first to break the silence, happy roar "good wind - fuck, the wind in the city is stinky, sweaty feet stinky human flesh smell!" ”

"That's a good thing!" Le Min's interest was also very high, he took a deep breath, and it took a long time to reveal, "You look at me Le Min, in my old age, I will never learn from Zhang Hengchen's love stack, I will find a place with beautiful mountains and rivers, and take my wife and children to farm and weave!" Duncheng held the reins in one hand and held the speeding mule in the other. With one vertical and one send, he smiled and said: "It's easy to say." "The city is full of wind and rain and near Chongyang" only wrote one sentence, and the urging officials came, and the poem was not interesting - I met Ma Er's nephew in Texas and boasted to me that he had eaten human flesh. I asked, it turned out to be Xiao Langong's old foot skin stuffed dumplings! He was so proud that he said, 'How many people can eat the prime minister's meat!' 'Last time, I met Xu Youde, the governor of Taiwan, and embroidered a dragon's claw on his shoulder, I said why are you so individual? He said: 'When my majesty left, the emperor patted me on the shoulder and said, "Taiwan is important, so I can do it." Don't let me down! "—This is where the emperor photographed, of course it must be embroidered with dragon claws!" People, what is the scene like, this time I want to think of the Peach Blossom Spring, eat wine at night, my eyes are full of wine and food, I was excited to see the emperor, I thought about the loyal monarch, and I saw the silver when I returned to office, and the emperor also forgot, the people also forgot, and the Peach Blossom Land also forgot——"

Before he finished speaking, Qian Du had already lost his smile, and said: "The ancestors have forgotten, the father and mother have forgotten, and the conscience of heaven and conscience has forgotten!" The four of them laughed in unison. Laughing all the way, unconsciously walking for an hour and a half, Duncheng suddenly raised his whip on the mule, and said with a smile: "Do you see the small bridge on this river bay?" The village on the other side of the river is Zhangjiawan. ”

All four men strangled their mounts almost simultaneously. Looking at the town shrouded in greenery under the melting sun, my heart sank suddenly, and the joy all the way suddenly disappeared. This is the first time Lemin has come. Dun Min Duncheng will come every time he returns to Beijing, just two arrows away on the other side of the river, in three thatched huts shaded by old trees next to the village, how many times have they hugged the stove together to cook wine and take off their hats? How many times together, one with a big hair on his back, and a small hair on his neck, and Xueqin along the river bank to walk on the snow to win, singing poems and lyrics? The clear water of this bay is still slippery and eastward, Duncheng once carried Xiao Mao across the stone on his back, pretending to be "accidental", the uncle and nephew fell into the water together, the uncle and nephew were playing in the water fight, Xueqin also jumped in with Da Mao, the four of them splashed in the water, Dun Min and Fang Qing stood on the shore and watched the battle with a smile, as if it happened yesterday. Today, the river is still as shallow as before, the willows on the bank are still swaying in the wind, and the pebbles in the water are still mossy and green, but the old man has passed away...... Duncheng's eyes suddenly filled with tears, but he heard Qian Du say to Le Min in a choked voice: "Look, in the past, this stone bridge, as soon as it went uphill, the Chaimen yard covered by a few old locust trees was Xueqin's house. The big willow tree in front of the courtyard, with a few stones underneath, we often rest and drink under it in summer......"

"Let's go over and have a look......" Le Min was also emotional, but not as sad as the three of them, leading the horse to walk on the small stone bridge, sighing: "I still remember the poem that the second master sent me "Gift to the Celery Garden" - the clear water and green mountains are winding paths, and Xue Luomen Lane is full of smoke. Looking for poets to stay in the monk's house, selling paintings to pay for rice and restaurants, Yan City crying songs and sad encounters, Qinhuai Fengyue remembers the prosperity. How much do you know about the new sorrow and old hatred, and when he was drunk, he squinted his eyes and ......, and he groaned, and he was hoarse.

The four of them crossed the small bridge, and Le Min saw clearly that Xueqin's firewood courtyard was not in the town, but was alone on a low hill on the riverbank, but it was densely wooded, and it was only connected to the village from a distance. At this time, it was almost noon, and the dark green grass was far away, and the grass on the winding path was sparsely grown, but they were all upright, and no one seemed to have stepped on them. Looking at the closed firewood door, the low short wall crawling with Xue Luo petunias, so quiet that they could only listen to the gentle murmur of the grass, they felt more and more that it was an empty house, and a sense of foreboding suddenly hit their hearts.

…… As if afraid of stepping on the dirt road, the four men put down the reins, and went to graze grass and drink water by mules and horses, and cautiously went to the door. Duncheng stepped forward, settled down before knocking lightly on the door, and whispered:

"Sister-in-law Xueqin, Fang Qing - I'm the third ...... Come and see you......"

…………

No one answered.

Duncheng looked at the crack in the door, and pushed it away, and the dilapidated firewood door "squeaked" **, and the shaft was broken and crooked to the side. When the four of them entered the courtyard, it was clear at a glance, and it was indeed empty of people here. Le Min looked carefully, the grass on the roof of the three rooms was rotten and black, several places collapsed, and the doors and windows under the eaves were covered with cobwebs...... The seedlings of Artemisia annua grow chest-high in the east and west, and even the chopping wood under the root grass shed of the west gable is rotten, covered with moss, and crawls with slender and yellow Polygonum multiflora vines...... Only under the east window is the forget-me-not flowers blooming very vigorously, and the flowers and leaves are dazzling in the bright sunlight.

Seeing that the door was unlocked, Qian Du pushed it open with his hand, and a badger rushed out of the door, bluffing all four of them. When you enter the door, it is even more desolate: the paper is broken from the window lattice, the sunlight is dappled and the room is shady. It has been damp for about a long time, and the ground is white and fluffy, and there are traces of the claws of unknown small beasts. The wallpaper, which was originally pasted neatly and shiny, was moth-eaten and turned dark blue. There was also a roll of rotten felt thrown on the broken mat on the kang, as well as shredded pieces of paper, which were scattered messily on the kang and under the kang. The bundle of bamboo strips was used by Cao Xueqin to paste kites, and the kang was leaning against the corner of the wall, and it had also rotted and changed color. The painting of the two immortals of harmony and harmony pasted by Duncheng himself against the north wall has also faded and become bleak and dark, and the painting of two boys, a man and a woman, is still smiling at people with open lips, as if to say: "We have seen things here." ”

"Standing in this room, my heart is full of hair." Qian Du said: "Let's go to the village and ask." The three of them were full of sorrow, nodded and were about to withdraw, but Duncheng's eyes were sharp, and he saw a few lines of ink on the west side of the south wall door, and said: "There are wall inscription poems here—yes...... Mr. Yiquan has been here! ”

Dun Min Lemin looked in the direction of his finger, and sure enough, he saw that it was a poem with an inscription, which read:

Wound Creek Layman:

Xie Cao Pond is fragrant, and people don't see tears.

The north wind map is cold and difficult to return, and Bai Xuege's residual dream is long.

The piano was wrapped in a broken sac, and the sword broke through the shadow of the box.

Affectionately ask the Tibetan cultivation land again, and the green stacking hollow is cool at night!

——Chunliu Jushi Jia Shen Zhengyue Gu Dan tragedy

Sure enough, it was Zhang Yiquan's extremely strong thin gold handwriting.

The four of them were relatively speechless in this ruined house, and they all had words full of heart, but they couldn't talk about it. After a long time, Le Min said: "Let's go to the town to have a meal first, and then inquire about Fang Qing's whereabouts - I estimate that Fang Qing is ......" He wanted to say "changed people", after all, he couldn't bear to say this, so he said: "Or vote for relatives, or go back to Nanjing - let's ask and understand." Dun Min nodded indiscriminately, but Dun Cheng was unwilling, went into the east stove house and looked through it, patted the dust on his hands in disappointment, and said, "Let's go." ”

Zhangjiawan was originally a village, because the Jingshi to the Rehe post road passed through the north of Zhuang, the Huiji River canal was connected, and the goods from the south to Chengde and Fengtian were transferred here to water and drought, so it gradually became a market town. However, because there are not many goods transshipped to the north, although it is a market town, it is not very prosperous. There is only one street in the north of the town, but it still looks like a village from the south. The four people were full of depression and sorrow, and came to the north of the town through the alley, only to see a post station standing next to the wharf, but it was magnificently repaired, and the east and west crossed a street but half a mile long, because it was not a fair, and it was noon in the middle of summer, and the people on the street were very sparse. Several crude medicine shops, tea and porcelain shops are crowded, and there are also houses, paper shops, and coffin shops are all closed, and only a few people sell melons and fruits under the big trees, waving broken banana fans with their hands, and they are powerless to drag and sell in a long voice:

"Hey...... The new seedless watermelon in Kaifeng Mansion...... No sand, no sweet, no money......"

"Melons – a fresh, crunchy bite of honey...... Tongzhou old face melon, the old man has no teeth to eat longevity limit......"

"Plums, plums! The frosted plums that I picked just now are a pound ......"

The four of them asked a few neighbors, and they all said that they had never heard of Cao Xueqin, and they were even more confused when they asked "Cao Zhan". I am afraid that they are all outsiders, and I asked a local family, only to know that there were several families surnamed Cao who originally lived here, and they all moved away last year, and only the ancestral grave of the Cao family still has a family to watch the grave, and then I don't know anything. Because it was nearly noon, and the wind was blowing, and it was as hot as a steamer, the four of them were thirsty and hungry, so they discussed eating and then inquired. Dun Minyin pointed to the post station and said: "There are restaurants on this street, flies are buzzing in the face, I don't think it's dirty - let's eat at the post station!" Qian Du said: "That's it, why can't you just do it?" Xueqin Lingzun didn't want to harass the post station, so he asked someone to smash a black brick. Check a little, maybe it will be reinstated - Xueqin won't fall into ......"

"Hey!" Dun Cheng snorted: "That's Cao Gong[1]

It's bad luck on the head! The boss wants to rectify you, and you dare to impeach you for resisting the bully when you sleep with your head facing north[2]

- Nowadays, in the world, the magistrates who go to the post station all day long and use the money in the official to entertain the past officials are - we eat and give money, afraid that he will be a bird! So saying, he took the mule and walked away. Dun Min Le Min knew that he was anxious because he couldn't visit Fang Qing, so he had to follow.

The inn is at the west end of the street, less than a hundred paces away. At first glance, from the scorching hot sun, I entered the spacious and refreshing inverted Xiamen cave, and the wind and soaking through the hall were cool, which was very pleasant. They all wore plain clothes, which were of exquisite material but dirt and sweat. A few of the post guards who were eating in the doorway couldn't see their heads, and their eyes were open and stunned. Duncheng had a way, pulled out the yellow belt from his sleeve, girded his waist, stomped his feet soothingly, and said to the post man: "Call you post to come!" He smiled at the two of them: "Look, it's still clean and stretching here, right?" After eating, I took a nap here, and I went on a serious errand. "The post guard saw that there was a yellow belt brother inside, and he seemed to run in to report it in the morning. For a while, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching, and a voice said, "Which master is here?" It's a hot day, why don't you come in quickly-" Before he finished speaking, Yi Cheng had already turned out from under the porch, and when he saw the Dun brothers, his eyes lit up, and he shouted: "Ouch! It's our master who is here - the slave Jin Cai'er has asked the two masters to say goodbye! As he spoke, a Qian'er hit him and kowtowed again, and then stood up.

"Isn't this the dog who watched the garden at the fourth aunt's grandmother's house to make money?" Dun Min smiled: "You will also be an official?" How did you choose here? Jin Cai'er said with a smile: "Xiao Lu is just a running guy in the stable of a mule and horse dry shop, and he is also the prefect of Hanyang!" In the world, it is easiest to be an official! I, a sesame official, didn't owe it to my aunt and grandmother! -" Dun Cheng interrupted him and said, "Don't fucking nag endlessly-this is Hubu Qianye, this is the new Huguang Governor Le Sanye-quickly get us rice, there is mung bean soup-just the one they drink, let's drink a pot first!" ”

Jin Cai'er agreed repeatedly, kowtowed to Le Min again, got up and ordered: "Give the master a drink of livestock - it's too hot in the upper room, go up to the landlord and pick it up in the aisle, it's cool and clean." Tell the guys and tell them to clean up the dishes! - Look at it, look at it, the clothes of the four masters are soaked with sweat! There is a dressing booth in this post, and those that don't fit first change it down. It's such a hot day, wash it for a while and it will dry! As he spoke, he led the four of them inside. Zhang Luo changed into clean clothes at the changing booth and directed himself to the landlord. Sure enough, it is a wide and more than a court gate, the vermilion lacquer copper nail is supplemented by the ring, the Linqing brick paving of one color, but the hole is open, the north and south winds can pass through the court, a few people have come to this, they don't know the hot and steaming people outside the annoying weather.

"I've walked through countless stations." Seeing that a chair table had been set up, Le Min sat down, looked around with mung bean soup, and said: "It's really the first time I've seen such a regulated post station, this is like a temple?" - Like ...... What about the regulations in the palace! Jin Cai'er said with a smile: "Master Zhongcheng doesn't see it badly!" This is a post station under the management of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, not under the control of the ministry. Because the first emperor and Jinshang came back from Chengde every time, when they entered the city of Beijing, they couldn't be wrong, and they were ready to come early, so they stayed here for a while. Ordinary officials are not allowed to live here, and this upper house is even more forbidden. Look, the west wing is now living in Heilongjiang General Jidu, called the singer to eat wine, he wanted to live in the upper room, I said he didn't dare to ......" while saying, the dish has been served. Dun Cheng smiled: "You are a killer, you are telling us!" Don't worry - don't even eat wine, don't serve any more dishes, we don't live here, eat your bowl of cold water over noodles, we will rest for a while and have serious things to do! ”

That Jin Cai'er didn't depend on the level, or sifted a big pot of wine, waited next to him, invited the four of them to sit at the table, laugh, eat and sing, and the silk and bamboo string songs in the west chamber were not interesting, Dun Cheng was about to ask Jin Cai'er about Fang Qing's whereabouts, but Dun Min stopped and said: "Listen - this poem has charm!" Everyone listened carefully, the strings and pipes between the west chambers were all lived, only to hear the sound of the zither dingdong, like a cold spring dripping water, a female voice like a song like chanting slowly:

The east wind is sticky spring clothes, and the scenery is not depressed.

The flowers in the Fuli Palace are exhausted, but the feather hall is sparsely populated.

When they meet Nanyan, they are all sad couples, and the good words Xiwumo fly at night.

The past was gone, and Liang Yuan looked back and disobeyed.

"Well, good!" Le Min took a sip of wine and said, "I can't imagine that the singer in this remote town can also be Yayin for this!" ”

"Not good, not good!" A man with a thick throat and a big voice in the West Chamber laughed loudly: "It's hard to meet this stinky donkey (Nanyan is sad)-what kind of fucking words is this!" ”

The four of them were stunned, and they couldn't help but smile. But I heard General Najidu say again: "Lao Tzu is a Confucian general, and he likes to read "Dream of Red Mansions" the most!" Well, this and this-General Fengtian told Lao Tzu that he had heard a set of "Dream of Red Mansions" songs, would you? - Good! You sing, Lao Tzu will reward you with five taels of silver. Mom pulls a slap, knowing that he is bragging-Master Niu, she sings your memory, and goes back to Fengtian to fight with him in the ring to see who really understands "Dream of Red Mansions"! ”

Before he finished speaking, Duncheng didn't swallow a sip of wine, and squirted out all of it. Qian Du choked and coughed, and Le Min Dunmin also laughed and fell. Jin Cai'er was busy and came over to beat Duncheng's back. While the crowd was listening, the woman was already saying:

Meng Chun turned into a sunny day, and the rain and wind were strong.

The silver banner is full of joy and day, and the fire tree star bridge celebrates the upper yuan.

The plants and trees in the famous garden are rejuvenated, and the lantern appreciators celebrate the moon.

The cold and clear plum blossoms are only used by the Lin family, and they do not make a fortune to the prosperity of the Golden Valley......

"It's 'Drum Head.'" Le Min sighed: "The lyricist is good, but he still lacks scrutiny. Hanlin Temple smells bad. Duncheng sneered: "You can afford to look down on the Hanlin Academy too much." The top ten of the Jingshi are ridiculous, and the first smile is the article of the Hanlin Academy! Qian Du said: "Don't talk, eat and drink and listen!" Then they were silent, and heard the woman sing softly:

Lin Daiyu has a thin life, she is a pearl fairy grass Linfan. On the bank of the Ling River, thanks to the care of the messenger of Shenying, the nectar irrigation of the house every day, she became a fairy in the police fantasy palace. Received Shen Ying's deep favor and did not repay it, and this heart is unforgettable in the previous life......

"Well, with the sound of this kite, it's really exciting!" Dun Min said. "—that's good!" Jidu in the West Chamber also said in a voice: "It's good...... It's the same as "Dream of Red Mansions" I read! Lao Niu, Ma Labazi, don't pull a word for me to remember......" Shaoqing listened to his snoring like thunder. In the long and short intermittent snoring, the sheng song continued.

Lin Daiyu unfortunately lost Chunxuan early since she was a child, and she had no choice but to come to her mother's uncle's house to take care of her health. My grandmother's love is like a pearl hanging in her palm, and she plays with Baoyu's ears and temples. Welcome to visit the cherished spring girl Jiaolian, as well as the Baochai Baoqin Erchanjuan...... Living together in the Grand View Garden, the national colors and heavenly postures gathered together, and a Begonia Poetry Society took turns to turn around. Poetry is endowed, flowers are appreciated, and the world is full of beautiful scenery and pleasures......

The singing girl is really extraordinary, sometimes confessing, describing the voices of the characters in "Dream of Red Mansions", one moment Jia Mu, one moment Mrs. Wang, Lin Daiyu's delicate and clever, Xue Baochai's calm and steady, Jia Baoyu's infatuation and warmth, Wang Xifeng's capable and spicy...... All of them are full of emotion; The drum struck the strings again, and suddenly the sound was clear, sometimes like a sigh, sometimes eloquent, like a narrative, although it was an ordinary slang and love words, she sang every word and every sentence to hook the soul. Jidu, who was calling the church seriously, slept soundly, but Le Min and the other four who were listening were fascinated by it, and they didn't know where they were. After a while, the strings stopped singing, and the four of them came to their senses, and they hurriedly took a few mouthfuls of food, and then listened to the sound of cleaning up the cups and plates in the West Chamber, the sound of Master Niu asking for tea and water, and the sound of the singer thanking him...... Then four women walked out holding their instruments. Walk quietly out of the post station. Jin Cai'er was about to arrange a house to rest when he saw that he was full of wine and food, and saw the laundry woman coming out of the north corner door of the West Chamber with a basket, so he stopped and said, "Fang family, are your clothes dry?" It's these masters, send it here - you still haven't received eight coins of silver last month, and I'll pay you it at the account office later. ”

"Yes." The woman didn't raise her head, stood at the bottom of the stairs with her eyebrows lowered, and promised softly: "Xie Ye's care-the clothes have been dried." If you are in a hurry to wear it, I will go to the south gate room to iron it and then send it over, will it? ”

"Done! Go ahead - I'll leave them there when they're ironed, and come early after you have dinner, and the Lord in the West House has a lot of clothes, so wash them out as soon as possible, so that you won't be too late to put on them. ”

Dun Min looked at the back of the woman walking thoughtfully, and was about to ask Jin Cai'er something, but Dun Cheng blurted out on the side and shouted, "Sister-in-law Fangqing!" ”

Le Min Qian Du was taken aback, only to see the woman tremble, slowly turned around, glanced at the four of them, but did not look up, silently squatted for a blessing, and said: "I'm sorry master, I heard the sound - I thought it was called me......" Duncheng Le Min looked at her seriously. I saw that she was wearing a whitened indigo coat, a lot of mud and sand particles were stained on the corners of her black market pants, her face was black and yellow, her hair holding her bun was almost completely white, her sideburns and forehead were full of fine and dense wrinkles, only the shallow dimples at the corners of her mouth, her slightly frowning eyebrows, and the red mole on her right cheek, as if she was still the charm of the old days, in front of these three people, she could never hide that she was Mrs. Cao Xueqin - Fang Qing.

"Sister-in-law Fangqing......" Duncheng lost the fan in his hand, walked down the steps to the patio with trembling steps, stared at her face, tears had blurred her eyes, tried her best to suppress all kinds of feelings in her heart, and said: "Don't you even recognize the second and third Dun and the third master?" The pair of twins in Zhang Yuer's family, others can't tell the difference, I call one accurate, don't you still praise me for being a 'thief's eye'? ”

When Le Min heard the word "Zhang Yuer", his head roared, and he staggered before he stood firm, and when he saw Duncheng coming down the steps, he followed him with a fixed mind, and carefully reviewed the trembling voice of the demented "Fang family" and said: "It's really ...... Fang Qing's sister-in-law...... How did you get here...... Where has this place come? ……”

Fang Qing seemed to be sleepwalking, carrying a basket, looking at this and that with her dazed eyes. Suddenly, as if pricked by a needle, her basket fell to the ground, her hands covered her face and she cried loudly, her whole body trembled with convulsions, and tears poured out through her fingers.

This came to alarm all the people in the post house, the officials living in each room looked out of the window, and the post guards also probed their brains and whispered, I don't know what the two yellow belt "masters" and the governor of Huguang are, and the woman who comes to the post house every day to sew clothes, what is the relationship, and what is the origin, and the encounter is so sad. Le Min stayed with him for a while, and was the first to wake up, knowing that the Dun brothers were temperamental, and it was difficult to come back to his senses for a while. Yin smiled with tears in his eyes: "Sister-in-law Fangqing, we all came to visit you on a special trip. It's also providential to finally meet here—everyone should rejoice. Du Sensei cried - Jin Cai, find us a place to speak - just eat and pass through the court. Fang Qing hasn't eaten yet, so she has some ready-made snacks! ”

"Ahh Yes, there is! Ready-made, ready-made! Jin Cai'er looked dizzy, and was crying inexplicably by them, standing to the side like a fool, listening to Lemin's instructions, and hurriedly laughing: "Eating in the court is bright, not a place to talk - the sunset in the east and west compartments is hot, just in the landlord's ear room, the north and south windows are opened, it is convenient to talk inside, and it is cool, and it has been cleaned up, so please sit in the ...... with Mrs. Fangqing" As he spoke, he personally guided them back to the stairs. Seeing that Fang Qing was still crying like a tearful person, she couldn't comfort herself, so she asked the post guard to bring water to wash her face, so she pulled out, because the master of the house had already rested for lunch, and called him up again to order: "Several broad relatives of the Fang family have come to recognize their relatives, and they haven't eaten yet, if there are any good dishes, make two plates, and the fried noodles with shredded pork will be made - and Zhang Yu'er has a share, don't slack off......"

After Zhang Luo for a while, Jin Cai'er returned to the west ear room, and saw that Fang Qing was already crying, and was telling that there was no place for him to sit here, so he stood at the door and listened quietly.

“…… He just went away without saying a word. Fang Qing sat in the most ventilated and cool place under the east window, she had completely calmed down, but occasionally with convulsions and sadness when she spoke, she told Xueqin's friends before her death: "It was Chinese New Year's Eve at that time, it was snowing heavily, and firecrackers and fireworks were ringing all over the sky...... Every family is celebrating the New Year, who can they go to to report the funeral? Who can be asked to help with his funeral? I was three months pregnant, or I would have hanged myself with a rope. Once it's a hundred, I won't hesitate at all! Give him Yizhen, light a lantern, and burn incense, and I don't know where he got so much energy and spirit...... I sat against the wall that night next to him, he was a real dead, I was a living dead......"

Speaking of this, Fang Qing was already full of tears, but she no longer wailed, and the four of Dun Min continued to sigh and weep. “…… I still have some silver in my hand—it was sent by Mr. Qian and Mr. He years ago. I wanted to cut off seven and send him again. I don't want the third uncle of the Cao family to come to the door on the sixth day of the first month, and take a few brothers from the family to block the door and ask for accounts. I said, why don't you wait for someone to be buried, and the few acres of land allocated to us will be given to you to pay off your account? The second uncle said: "You are not from the Cao family at all, but you are just a girl from Zhan'er." Cao Zhan's business has nothing to do with you! 'Get me out of the door!' I was really anxious at the time, and I also splashed, I didn't care about my face and shame, and said: 'I am pregnant with Cao Ye's blood and bones!' If you want to give birth to a brother, what do we say? I also said: 'I didn't come to the Cao family without roots, roots, and no reason, I was the master of Fu Xiangye!' They said...... They said: 'You are such a hard backer, you are looking for Fu Liuye!' With his words, it is still our Cao family! Cao Zhan is so sick that he is dead and alive, will he have a son with you? There is ...... Also...... It's also a wild seed! 'Regardless of the three-seven-twenty-one, they are like robbers who enter the house, but everything that can be used is removed......"

Fang Qing said that she was hurt, and her eyes were full of tears, she held her mouth and choked for a long time, and then said: "At that time, there was really no way to go to heaven and no door to enter the earth, and I was afraid of hurting the fetus, so I didn't dare to make a fuss to the death...... It's snowing, and the wind is blowing, and I'm hungry again...... I didn't go ten miles away, and I couldn't take a single step. It was the third sister-in-law of the Zhang family who went back to the door and came back, passed by, pulled me into the car, and dragged me back.

"In the car she said to me, 'Do you know what they're all about? It's Xueqin's book! It was rumored in the inner court that what was the order of the prince to submit the original manuscript of "Dream of Red Mansions" - the Cao family was so frightened that they wanted to move, and they were willing to let it go if you had money? If you really alarm the emperor, what's the use of you looking for the sixth master? It's not more than fifteen or years in the first month, and you are wearing filial piety to the door of the sixth master, is it appropriate? - Go back, and stay in my house, I don't care anyway, our mouth is also loyal. First pass safely, give birth to a brother, the wind is calm, fight a lawsuit with them, and then it's not too late to see the sixth master......

"I was sad, angry and afraid, thinking that the third sister-in-law's words were reasonable, and there was only one way to go at that time, so I went to live with her. Who knew that one illness was two months...... It's really difficult for Brother Zhang, they themselves are also having a hard time, and they are dragging their three children, and they are waiting for me to be sick and confined. Fortunately, the old man of his family is the patriarch, he is kind and upright, no one is right or wrong in the next life, and the Cao family has also moved away, so I can settle in this Zhangjiawan, for fear that people will come to ask questions, so I changed my name to the Fang family...... With the kindness of the Zhang family, Xueqin's blood was preserved. I really don't know how to repay it......"

"I was sad, angry and afraid, thinking that the third sister-in-law's words were reasonable, and there was only one way to go at that time, so I went to live with her. Who knew that one illness was two months...... It's really difficult for Brother Zhang, they themselves are also having a hard time, and they are dragging their three children, and they are waiting for me to be sick and confined. Fortunately, the old man of his family is the patriarch, he is kind and upright, no one is right or wrong in the next life, and the Cao family has also moved away, so I can settle in this Zhangjiawan, for fear that people will come to ask questions, so I changed my name to the Fang family...... With the kindness of the Zhang family, Xueqin's blood was preserved. I really don't know how to repay it......"

The brothers Qian Du and Dunmin were terrified when they heard it, but Le Min was thinking about the name "Yu'er", and when he saw Fang Qing's snow tears, he took the time to ask: "Fang Qing, the third sister-in-law Zhang you are talking about, is it the neighbor Yu'er who originally lived in Xueqin, Beijing?" Fang Qing was stunned for a moment and said, "Don't you know?" You've lived in his house for three years! Alas...... God doesn't have long eyes......"

That's how things are! Sometimes a car full of words is nonsense, and sometimes a sentence is a book, and a thousand words cannot be said. Lemin's face turned pale in an instant. The frustration of the science field changed the color of the world, and he was desperate and despaired, and it was also such a hot summer day, he was seriously ill and fainted...... Zhang Yuer's father rescued her, and Yuer fought with him for several years...... The past flashed clearly one by one, and it was like a fog, blank, and I couldn't remember anything clearly. The strange and strange fate is so close to fate, and they meet here again...... He said indifferently: "God-you can really arrange ......" and didn't care about everyone, he walked out of the house in a daze, seemed to look around a little frighteningly, and turned around and asked Jin Cai'er: "Jade - where is the third sister-in-law Zhang - take me there!" ”

>[1]

Cao is the father of Xueqin.

[2]

The emperor faces south and calls the emperor - this refers to unprovoked pickiness.