The Bookish Scholar of the Red Mansion

Chapter 184 Brother Su, Brother Hang, I am Sister Yang! (superior)

A big boat is easy to ride on but difficult to wait for; a small boat is easy to wait on but difficult to sit on. I went to Suzhou and Hangzhou to do business. Chen Heng did not care about the comfort of the journey and directly chose a two-story small passenger ship.

The upper rooms on passenger ships are all on the second floor, with only two or three rooms. Chen Heng came a little late and only grabbed one room temporarily, so naturally he had to give it to Bao Qin and others who were traveling together.

Chen Heng, Xinda and Liu Xianglian were crowded into a small room on the first floor. There was only one window in the room, facing the ever-changing river. The air in the house smelled both of the salty river breeze and the fishy smell of fish and shrimp. It should have been caused by the previous tenant bringing similar goods.

The room is not big and there are no tables and chairs inside. There are only a few small stools placed in the corners and a bed that takes up the most space. Xinda, like himself, was not a very particular person, so Chen Heng was worried about whether Liu Xianglian could accept it since he was also a young man from a famous family.

Unexpectedly, Liu Xianglian walked around the bed, raised her hand excitedly, pointed to the seat by the window, and praised: This is good, leave this seat to me. In the evening I asked the boatman for a glass of turbid wine, facing the river Drinking alone will definitely be fun.”

Seeing Leng Erlang's sincere and unpretentious expression, Chen Heng felt relieved. He didn't plan to take him with him at first, but Xue Ai was temporarily replaced by Bao Qin, so he had to take Xiang Lian with him. With people with such skills, the safety factor is indeed higher.

After all, anyone who has seen Xiao Li’s flying knife skill will be deeply impressed.

Liu Xianglian looked around the room, then ran to the bow of the ship with her sword in hand. Northerners are always curious about the scenery south of the Yangtze River. Chen Heng also followed him, said hello to Xinda, got up and went to the second floor.

Men's affairs are easy to manipulate. This is Sister Baoqin's first time going out, so Chen Heng can't help but worry. When Xue Biao saw him off, he didn't say anything. But Chen Heng still noticed the worry in his eyes.

Baoqin's room is above Chen Heng's room. The aisle on the ship was narrow, so Chen Heng deliberately stepped on it to make a heavy sound before standing in front of the door and loudly said: Second brother, it's me, the eldest brother.

He didn't push the door, and waited for a moment before hearing small steps coming from inside. Chun Yan, who was dressed as a book boy, smiled at Chen Heng as soon as he opened it and said, Master, come in quickly, the second master is waiting for you.

Okay. Chen Heng nodded, his pace not fast. After coming in, I took a look at the general situation of the room. I saw that the environment was many times better than the one below, so I felt relieved.

A screen was placed in front of the bed to separate the area for entertaining guests. Bao Qin stood up and stood by the table and chair, watching the Chen family brother approaching, smiled and bowed his head and said, I'm thinking of you, brother.

The little girl was addicted to pretending to be a scholar. Chen Heng also cooperated with her and returned the favor with a smile. Seeing that Chunyan had closed the door, he and Baoqin sat at both ends of the table and said, Be patient for a while. When we get to Zhenjiang, there are many river-crossing boats. Then we will take a good look.

Bao Qin waved to the old lady who was accompanying him to help him pour water, and then replied: Eldest brother, don't underestimate the second brother. When I was a child, I traveled around with my father and suffered a lot.

These words were empty words. How could Xue Ai be willing to let Bao Qin suffer? This was the apple of his eye. Chen Heng saw through it without saying anything, and just expressed some concern about other matters.

Unexpectedly, Bao Qin was having a lively conversation today and pulled Chen Heng to inquire about matters in Suzhou and Hangzhou. It was still early when they set off. The bright morning sun shone in through the propped-up window, and there was nothing on the boat to kill time, so Chen Heng chatted casually with the other party.

Baoqin listened a little, and then a little. After Chen Heng finished speaking, she picked up the paper fan that came from Xue Biao's room, shook it in the palm of her hand, and said curiously: Brother, second brother, there is something I can't understand. Like you, you don't have a stake in the store, and there are people on the street. Mr. Zhao is doing things that are open to the public, and neither inside nor outside will benefit him. Why is he so eager to do so?

Chen Heng did not expect that she would care about this matter, so he explained to his second brother: Who said I am not good? If it is done, I will also have a good reputation if word spreads. What's more - He paused and took a sip. Taking a sip of water, Uncle Lin also promised me that after the matter is completed, he will introduce me to a famous teacher. He will teach me some spells that can fly into the sky and descend into the sea.

Brother, you didn't tell the truth to your second brother. Bao Qin shook his head with a straight face. Today she is wearing a scholar's scarf and a white silk singlet, with a style reminiscent of the Wei and Jin Dynasties. In addition, her appearance is extremely beautiful, and her eyebrows are slightly raised, making her look delicate and airy.

Chen Heng was stunned for a moment, but he didn't expect that the other party would be so unwilling to let him go. I couldn't help but laugh, which even prompted the other party to ask, Brother, what are you laughing at?

He had no choice but to remain silent for a short time, listening to the sound of the waves rising one after another. The wind on the river was booming outside and the sun was rising like gold. Chen Heng thought for a while and said frankly: Second brother, do you know what Tang poetry is my eldest brother's favorite?

Bao Qin blinked, her eyes round and lively. Even if he keeps a straight face and says nothing, he still looks a bit soft.

What is it? she asked.

Chen Heng shook the hand hanging on his leg and muttered: Weeds and flowers beside the Suzaku Bridge, and the sun was setting at the entrance of Wuyi Lane.

This is a famous saying by Liu Yuxi that has been passed down through the ages. It is impossible for anyone who has read the book not to recognize it. The good brother had just finished reciting the previous sentence, and Baoqin had already continued to chant, In the old days, the king and the swallow in front of the hall flew into the homes of ordinary people.

Baoqin paused and recited again, In the old days, the swallows in front of the Wang Xietang Hall flew into the homes of ordinary people. She seemed to understand Chen Heng's motives.

It was originally a poem about the impermanence of the world. Looking at Chen Heng's face full of youthful spirit, it actually gained a rare vitality.

After this confused reply, Baoqin didn't know what he thought of. He shook his fan and finally smiled. There were two small pear dimples at the corners of her mouth, and her faint smile was as beautiful as a hundred flowers.

Unfortunately, there was a strand of hair hanging down from her temples, being blown by the fan. It must have been caused by the rush when boarding the ship today.

Chen Heng noticed this and felt guilty secretly in his heart. What kind of life is Brother Xue's sister living at home? In order to do this favor for herself, she had to accompany him to eat and sleep in the open air.

Baoqin first noticed Chen Heng's eyes, and then noticed the scattered hair. She raised her hand casually and said calmly: Brother, why should you care? My second brother loved reading Xu Xiake's books when he was a child. He wished he could travel thousands of mountains and see the sea with him. This time, with the help of eldest brother, we can truly As I wish.

She said it so casually and happily that Chen Heng could only squint his eyes and smile. He thought about it and explained: I just remembered what your brother said about you when he praised you.

Ah? Baoqin was stunned, but also became interested, and hurriedly asked, What did brother say?

He said - Chen Heng said in a long tone, In ten years, you can go out again and see what kind of women in the world can beat my sister.

Baoqin's face turned red when he heard this. I didn't expect that Xue Biao would talk about him like this behind his back. He should let Chun Yan scold him less often in the future. Afterwards, Chen Heng explained the cause and effect of the incident, and when he heard Xue Biao's comments about Lin Daiyu.

Bao Qin praised and teased at the same time: Not to mention how my brother's painting skills will be in the future, just this eye for appreciating people. Being a crazy visitor among flowers is enough.

Hahahaha. Chen Heng couldn't help laughing. He didn't expect that the second brother would arrange to kiss the eldest brother like this.

Brother, why are you laughing again? Bao Qin subconsciously covered half of his face with a fan, hiding the smile at the corner of his mouth.

Chen Heng pricked up his ears, pointed out the window suddenly, and said, Listen. Baoqin's room has three or four windows, which are all open at the moment for ventilation. At this moment, a burst of high-pitched and joyful singing floated into the house along with the river breeze.

Chen Heng listened carefully again and recognized Liu Xianglian's voice. Apparently, Leng Erlang had found a good seat and was enjoying the scenery while singing loudly.

The singing is in the tune of opera, the singing is clear and has a long lasting charm. Every word and word conveys the pride and joy of a young man.

Why go back and hurt the past, and pretend to be a young man.

It is a great thing to have a good friend like Liu Xianglian by your side during the journey. When Chen Heng saw that he was hunting, he stood up and said goodbye to Bao Qin, and left with small steps.

When he returned to the first floor, he searched around. Only then did I find Liu Xianglian with disheveled hair on the bow. He was having a drink and chatting with a few tourists. After drinking one glass, he returned three glasses. He was in a very good mood.

Brother Chen, come on, come on.

As soon as she saw Chen Heng, Liu Xianglian rushed up and waved, sincerely inviting him to be a drunkard in the world. Chen Heng laughed, and when he became interested, he took the initiative to join him for a drink.

Liu Xianglian became happier as she drank, clapped her thighs and continued singing. The sound of the waves is still there, unable to hide the ambition and pride. One sound merges into one tide, one tide urges another, and the sound is endless.

Leng Erlang's singing skills are so wonderful that people can't help but be intoxicated by it.

…………

…………

After changing boats in Zhenjiang, the group sat for another day and a half before arriving in Suzhou City. Chen Heng has only been to Suzhou City once among these people. But that time, he and Xin Suzhao also went straight to Hanshan Temple. I don’t know much about the various places in Suzhou.

Fortunately, the Weaving Bureau was a well-known place in Suzhou, so they hired two carriages to take everyone to the best Qifu Inn in the city. After opening a few rooms, I asked the waiter and found out the location of the weaving bureau.

Everyone was a little tired after the journey, so Chen Heng asked the waiter to prepare two tables of dishes. After eating and drinking, everyone gathered in Chen Heng's room to discuss the next plan after taking a short rest.

Among them, Liu Xianglian was the most interested. They were the first batch of people to arrive. The steward sent by the Xue family to help was instructed by Chen Heng to leave a few days later. Therefore, among the people in the city, apart from Chen Heng and the owner of Baoqin, the only ones left were Xinda, Liu Erlang, Chun Yan, and the nun sent by Aunt Xue to take care of Baoqin.

There's no rush. ​​Chen Heng suppressed everyone's curiosity, took out a name sticker from his hand, handed it to Xinda and said, Take it and hand it to the Suzhou government office. Let's just say that the younger generation of the Xue family is subject to As entrusted by Mr. Lin of Yangzhou, I came to pay a visit to Mr. Futai.

Xinda often followed Chen Heng in and out of Xue's and Lin's homes, and was already aware of this matter. He is usually cautious, so Chen Heng feels relieved to leave it to him. Xinda took the name card and left immediately.

The remaining Bao Qin and Liu Xianglian were a little confused. The latter quickly asked, Aren't we going to the Weaving Bureau? Why are we going to the Suzhou Government Office again?

Chen Heng smiled and said nothing. He only took Bao Qin and told him about going to the government office tomorrow. Although he had never been an official, he had been working hard in the workplace in his previous life. He often watched Uncle Lin receive guests, so he knew the habits of officials nowadays.

By the time Xinda left and returned, Chen Heng had already simulated it several times with Baoqin. We were busy until late at night, and everyone's energy was a little exhausted. Seeing that the situation was similar, Chen Heng also sent everyone to rest.

On the second day, Chen Heng and Xinda were dressed as long-term companions, with Liu Xianglian and Xue Baoqin standing in front of them. The four of them walked into the Suzhou government office together and met Zheng Chengen, the then prefect of Suzhou.

Zheng Chengen was still behind Lin Ruhai in the examination room, and the two were good friends when they were in Beijing. When Zheng Chengen went to Suzhou, he asked Lin Ruhai many times about the situation in the city. It can be said that the two had a very good personal relationship.

The name post is a real name post, and the Xue family is also the real Xue family, and they are accompanied by the children of Duke Li. Zheng Chengen only had the attitude of an elder and chatted with the juniors for a few words.

It was really small talk and not much time. Mr. Futai has such a noble status. If it weren't for Lin Ruhai's autographed name card, the visitor's family status would also be noble, and he might not even be able to drink a cup of tea in the government office.

Of the four people who were given food by Zheng Chengen, only Bao Qin and Liu Xianglian were allowed to sit down and eat. During the dinner, Zheng Chengen first inquired about the situation of the Lin Mansion. Seeing Xue Baoqin's fluent answers, he asked about her relationship with Liu Laisu.

When he heard that the two of them were indeed just visiting Suzhou, they were really entrusted by Lin Ruhai to pay them a visit. Zheng Chengen was less wary and ate a few more mouthfuls of food. However, he had many things to do, so halfway through eating, he got up and went about his business.

Mr. Zheng only showed up for a moment when they parted, and asked Xue Baoqin to deliver his handwritten private message to Lin Ruhai on his behalf. There was nothing important in the letter, just a few casual remarks. But it was also an unexpected surprise of this trip, and Chen Heng was immediately overjoyed. This thing may be of great use even if it is not good.

Zheng Chengen is busy with his affairs and has no time to see off these juniors. As a fourth-grade official, it is not easy for him to invite his old friends and juniors to have a few bites of food. No one minded, as the housekeeper escorted him out.

What's more, Chen Heng and others came here just for this steward named Ying. When the two parties were parting, Bao Qin pretended not to care and asked, I want to buy some good silk for my parents. I am a newbie here and I don't know which cloth shop in Suzhou has better products.

Most of the people who can be chosen as stewards have a delicate heart. As soon as they heard these words, they were dragged to the gate of the government office and introduced to the shops in the city. Manager Ying spoke in great detail, and after introducing them bit by bit, he added at the end, Master Liu and Master Xue, if you have time, you can also go to the Weaving Bureau and have a look. The cloth they have is first-class. It’s good.”

Bao Qin nodded in agreement. It was her first time to cheat and deceive, so she was a little nervous and forgot to reply. But Liu Xianglian beside him was an expert on the stage. Seeing that Bao Qin didn't catch the words, he took the initiative and said: Hey, can we also enter the Weaving Bureau? When I was in the capital, I didn't dare to run to these places.

When he said this, Manager Ying already smiled and said: The capital is the capital, and Suzhou is Suzhou. There was something about showing off his family status in his words, and the next sentence was indeed true, If you two young masters want to go, I will It would be easy to ask someone to deliver a message to you and buy some scattered things back.

In the spirit of hospitality, Ying Guanshi will handle some small things that Zheng Chengen has no time to deal with. Liu Xianglian was overjoyed when she heard this, but there was only a faint smile on her face, and she said politely: I'd like to ask the steward to help me.

Easy to say, easy to say.

Manager Ying smiled and sent the four of them out of the house. The hungry Chen Heng hurriedly pulled the three of them back to the inn. Everyone sat in the house and had time to celebrate the first stop of the trip, which was a success.

Brother, I... Bao Qin wanted to apologize for his previous mistakes.

Chen Heng, who was busy eating, quickly waved his hand and said no. He only laughed once and said, Have a good rest, we have to go to the Weaving Bureau tomorrow.

Liu Xianglian was excited about the acting energy just now. When she heard Chen Heng's words, she rolled her eyes and immediately added: No, just in the name of fun, if you come to the door in high spirits tomorrow, you will be in danger of being exposed. I Look, we’d better go out for a walk and have some fun and do all the tricks.”

Unexpectedly, Leng Erlang had such delicate thoughts, Chen Heng immediately nodded in agreement. The four of them had dinner and played in the city until late at night before returning to the inn.

During this period, Baoqin had a strong shopping urge and bought a lot of things. The waiter in the inn was amazed when he saw the guests coming back with their hands full of things.

On the second day, we had lunch at the inn. The four of them still went out, stopped a carriage and headed to the Weaving Bureau. When he got to the door, he asked the concierge to call him. Soon, an internal official in purple came out. Before the four of them were in front of them, he already said with a smile: I just heard from the steward of the government office yesterday that the young master of the Liguo family came to Suzhou with the young master of the Xue family. Today we are going to visit Suzhou. It’s really a coincidence to see distinguished guests coming to our door.”

I have heard that Suzhou and Hangzhou have beautiful scenery, but it has been raining heavily for several months. I was thinking of going out to relax.

Today's Baoqin speaks much more naturally than yesterday. The internal officer laughed and led them into the bureau again. They walked through the courtyard covered with cloth and then came to a hall, where a high-ranking eunuch in scarlet clothes was sitting.

This man's surname was Yin, with a white face and no beard, a pair of triangular eyes, and a faint smile on his slender lips. When he saw Xue and Liu, he immediately smiled and said, Who is from the Duke's family? , it turns out to be you Liu Xianglian, Liu Erlang.

Liu Xianglian was a little surprised when she heard this. She didn't know why the other party knew her name. She quickly smiled and said, I don't know when I met my father-in-law. I am young and I only focus on playing on weekdays, so I can't remember.

Who in the capital doesn't know your reputation for loving going to the Liyuan. The eunuch smiled and guided Xue and Liu to sit down and drink tea.

I’ll pass on Chapter 1 first. Chapter 2 involves too much data and information, so I’ll check it out again. The update time is uncertain, but there will definitely be one. You don’t have to wait deliberately, you can take a nap after watching it.