"Mom, let's just buy a house next to Jia's house. It's close so we can go back and forth easily, and we don't want people to say we're staying at their house."
It was almost three o'clock in the morning, and Xue Pan stayed out in the brothel again without coming back. Baochai was sewing shoes under the lamp while chatting with her mother, Aunt Xue.
Aunt Xue's eyesight was not good, but she refused to light another lamp, and only did the rough work of picking up shoe soles. At this time, when she heard Baochai say that she wanted to buy a house, she shook her head repeatedly, frowned and murmured:
"I think it's good to live in your aunt's house for free. Why should we buy another house and spend all that unjust money?
You little kids don’t know that it’s easy to spend money but hard to save money. In the early years, I came from around your time and used money not as money, but as snow flakes.
People outside say that we have "rich years and heavy snow, and pearls are like earth and gold are like iron." That was the scenery of your grandfather's time in the past. When your father was still in Japan, we were still millions rich. But what situation we are in now, don't you still know in your heart?
?
Your brother's life lawsuit at home was dealt with from top to bottom, and the money was spent like water, and it was too late to feel distressed.
Later, in order to send you to the palace, I also tried to do everything, but your brother was stupid and gave away a lot of money in vain. Now the bamboo basket has been empty, who do you want me to blame?
Although we brought a lot of money from Jinling, even if we have a Jinling mountain at home, we can’t stand it and can’t get in or out.
In the past few years since your father is gone, our dozen or so businesses in Beijing have almost become empty shells.
Pawnshops, grocery stores, and longevity food stores are doing well if they don't lose money. Spice shops and ginseng shops don't have a big buyer in the palace, so they can't count on it.
In things like buying and selling, not making money means losing money. If you lose money for many years, you are not far from bankruptcy.
Did you know that your brother's two claws are just like two bottomless colanders? Nothing happens for a month, and at least he has to spend thousands of taels of silver. If something happens again, he will go out and spread it.
Money can't be stopped.
Yesterday I asked, "Who is that Yun'er? Why did you give me eighty taels of silver just for a trip?" Your brother made such a fuss that he even smashed the teapot and tea bowl.
I won’t ask again in the future, so as not to waste a lot of money on buying teapots and tea bowls.”
.
Although Baochai's needlework is not exquisite, it is better than her quick hands.
She can make a pair of shoes in two nights, so everyone in the Xue family, including the doorkeeper, doesn't have to buy shoes outside.
At this time, Baochai was working hard, but she still tried to make the stitching as detailed as possible. These shoes were her own. If she wanted to wear them into Jia's house, Baoyu would also see them. The workmanship must not be sloppy.
"Oh my god, if you don't buy a house with the money you have, your brother will waste it sooner or later.
It's better to buy a house and live in it ourselves. My brother is getting married soon. He and his sister-in-law must have a place to live, right?"
The sole of the shoe in Aunt Xue's hand made a "pop" sound:
"Don't worry about this matter, your aunt has already discussed it with me.
We live here and we can’t leave even if we die.
I am a widow, your brother is a fugitive, we can’t go back to Jinling, and the Wang family won’t let us in. If we don’t hide here in the Jia family, what else can we do?
This is at the feet of the emperor. If we live outside, with your brother's temperament, he will cause trouble if he can't protect everything. If there is a lawsuit, we can't buy his life even if we go bankrupt.
If we didn't follow Jia's family, with our family background, would we be able to meet noble people like the Princess of Nan'an and the Princess of Beijing?
What's more, their eldest lady has been granted the title of Concubine Xiande and is about to come back to visit relatives. With the old lady of the Jia family having such an old order, how many family members of high-ranking officials and dignitaries can come and go.
If any of these people like you, we can make a good relationship.
Even if we can't curry favor with those high-profile people, it would be nice if we could get to know them. We had connections with high-ranking officials in the early days, so we could become royal merchants and offer business to the royal family. Otherwise, we could rely on opening a pawn shop, how could we have any financial resources?
Rich?"
After Baochai was silent for a long time, Aunt Xue said again:
"Don't worry too much, I have already planned these things.
Even if no other high-ranking official comes to propose marriage, your aunt cannot treat you badly. In the end, there will always be a treasure to protect you.
If he doesn’t marry you, don’t marry anyone else.”
When Baochai heard her mother speak so confidently, she felt confused and couldn't help but say "Huh?".
Aunt Xue knew that Baochai was very thoughtful and had to think over everything, so she smiled and said:
"Don't worry, your marriage to Baoyu is bound to happen.
Your aunt has a shortcoming that I hold in my hands, and she will have to return this favor sooner or later.
Whether it's your marriage or your brother's case, she will interfere with us no matter what, so I don't have to worry."
Baochai also wanted to know what great favor Mrs. Wang owed her mother, but she knew that her mother had a secretive character, so she just lowered her head and continued working without asking any questions.
Aunt Xue's round, fat face was half friendly and amiable under the dim light, and half looked frightening under the dark shadows.
.
Seeing that the surface of one shoe was almost sewn, Baochai asked:
"Mom has the shortcomings of my aunt, but does she have the shortcomings of Feng Yatou?"
Aunt Xue was holding the oil lamp to read the needle. When she heard this, she said impatiently:
"Why are you so confused? Why are you trying to get Lian Er's idea?
If Feng Yatou is here, can you send her over to be Lian Er's mistress? Even if Feng Yatou dies, you will still fill in the house.
How can I be as dignified as marrying Baoyu as my first wife?
Besides, even the domineering Feng Yatou can’t handle people like Lian Er, how can you handle them?
How can he compare to Baoyu? You have your aunt holding him down on top, you holding him on the inside, and an attacker beside you to help you guard him. Only such a man can be eaten to death by you for the rest of your life.<
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Also, don’t forget that you have a brother who has the same breast.
Baoyu won't argue with your brother, and Lian Er may not be able to tolerate such an uncle, so don't make the wrong idea!"
After a pause, Aunt Xue thought to herself again:
"We won't leave anyway. We are determined to live in Lixiangyuan!
I really don’t believe he dares to come and kick us out.
If Jia Lian has the ability, let him come to this yard to argue with me. I won’t let him make a fuss or make a fuss.
We, the Wang family, are all troublemakers!"
.
As a result, it was only early the next morning, and there was a huge crowd outside Lixiangyuan, just like hunting a wolf.
Aunt Xue rushed out, only to see Jia Yun and more than 60 boys carrying opera gear, musical instruments and other sundries to the small warehouse next to Lixiangyuan, and more than 60 women were cleaning up Lixiangyuan.
In the house next to it, twelve opera singing girls and their teachers lived.
When Jia Yun saw Aunt Xue, she immediately stepped forward with a smile:
"Aunt Xue, there is another house in the northeast corner of our house. It has been packed up. Please bring your brothers and sisters to move there. It will be quieter over there than here."
As we were talking, old women from the Jia family who had studied acting and opera came over to take charge of leading, managing and teaching the young actors.
Aunt Xue is about to say "I won't leave", but if her girl lives with an actor, she won't even be able to find an ordinary husband's family in the future.
After standing for a long time, I had to say sadly:
"At least let's pack up our things and move them over first, and then let the actors move in."