That year, there were natural and man-made disasters, drought in the north, floods in the south. War beacons rose everywhere. There were peasant uprisings everywhere. Refugees were everywhere. The government condemned them as' roving bandits'.
As for the Jia family, they holed up in the temporarily safe capital and continued to live their lives in a drunken stupor.
That autumn, people from the fields came to pay the rent. The people in charge of the two residences were furious.
It was because the rent handed over by the fields was too little. It was so little that it was less than three thousand taels of silver.
Twenty taels of silver was enough for a commoner to spend for a year. More than two thousand taels of silver were thrown to the Jia family but it could not even cause a splash.
The Jia family gave a strict order that no matter what, they had to collect another twenty percent of the rent.
The fields had no choice but to go.
That day, Daiyu was joking with Du Er about how Baoyu tore the fan and made a smile.
Du Er was in a daze for a while. She stretched out two fingers and asked Daiyu, "How much is that fan?"
Daiyu laughed, "How much can it be worth? It's good as long as you're happy. "
Du Er sighed, "My family's fee for writing it painstakingly for a year is only about twenty taels of silver. Moreover, those farmers might not even be able to save up a few strings of coins after a year of hard work. You tore the fan for fun. Any fan you took out would be worth dozens of taels of silver. Collect more rent? I'm afraid something big will happen. "
Although Du Er lived in the Jia residence, most of her food and necessities were bought by the old servant from her fee for writing.
She would rather be mocked by the servants of the Jia residence for being shabby and use her own things. Even when Daiyu wanted to share some things with her, she did not want it at all. She once said, "Although you're precious here, those fellows will gossip. It's not like I don't have my own methods. Do I need your help? If I don't, you'll have to tell those fellows about 'borrowing flowers to give to outsiders'. "
Daiyu respected her because of this but she did not like what she heard today. She purposely fanned her nose, "Such a strong smell of money."
Du 'er pinched her: "Alright, I smell like copper. You are a fairy that has descended to the mortal world, you don't need to eat or wear anything, you don't even need to reincarnate!"
Daiyu laughed with her. After laughing, she said, "I've also calculated the accounts for my grandmother's family. If they continue to live like this, it's inevitable that they won't be able to make ends meet. If we don't increase the rent, I'm afraid we won't be able to maintain our reputation as a duke. "
"However, no matter what it is, it can't be short of Baoyu and me."
Du 'er lay down on the couch beside her and looked out of the window. After a while, he said: "Daiyu, you grew up in a wealthy family and have never seen a true tragedy. You have never suffered from hunger or suffering. Regardless of whether you are a noble or a general, once you fall, you will not be able to control it. "
As she said this, she turned her body and looked at Daiyu, "In recent years, things have been getting worse. There are bandits and vagrants outside. My father said that those who reduced taxes, investigated and annexed land were all exiled thousands of miles away. In the end …"
When Du 'er finished this sentence, two streams of tears suddenly flowed down. Daiyu gently wiped them away for her. Du 'er then said slowly with a nasal voice, "Moreover, even a girl like me has heard that your maternal family is not very pleasant to hear. In recent days, it seems that there is a foul atmosphere inside. The servants are greedy and the masters are cruel and absurd. Facing internal and external difficulties, how can they not be defeated? I've followed my father since I was young and have seen many wealthy and beautiful families. Facing internal and external difficulties, they were trampled by vagrants. Those young masters and young ladies either died in the chaos or wandered the streets. Daiyu, you have to plan for yourself early. "
Daiyu actually did not have many friends since she was young. The only one who could speak in the Jia residence was Baoyu.
But Baoyu was a boy after all. He was also getting older.
He could not pull Daiyu to lie on the bed and whisper girl words in the middle of the night, discussing which boy was handsome and what was considered handsome. When they were tired of talking, they would lean against each other and fall asleep.
He also could not pull Daiyu and use the characters in the novels to tease her about her figure, voice and appearance.
He even took out the parts about marriage from Lin Ruoshan's notes and shared them with Du 'er.
Therefore, during this period of time, there was nothing she did not say to Du 'er. She also knew that Du 'er was like her. She would say anything to someone who was sincere.
When Daiyu heard this, she knew that although what she said was not pleasant to hear, it was the truth from the bottom of her heart. She was speechless for a while. After a long time, she said, "What can I do? Du 'er, I am the only one left in my family. Where can I go? I also know that uncle's family is full of mistakes. But first, I live here. I have to use every scrap of grass and paper from them. I also have a part in their family's mistakes. Second, I am a medicine pot and an outsider. There is nothing I can do. Moreover, grandmother is here too. Baoyu is here too. What can I do? "
After saying this, she sighed lightly, "If that day really comes, in order to repay their kindness, I will just die with them."
Du 'er quickly pinched her mouth and spat, "What death, you have to live a long life!"
She then said, "Don't be afraid, I will take care of you! You have a brush and I have a brush. Which one of those scholars can write better than us? "
Daiyu laughed and poked her, "We are two women, we still have to take care of you! If it weren't for the fact that you borrowed Uncle's old writing brush today, if your true identity was revealed, people would say, 'A woman who uses her writing brush and ink to make money from these heretical books, I don't think you're a decent person. Who would want you?' But I will leave you out. "
Daiyu's words were half a laugh and half a warning.
Du 'er was married to a Zheshan family. They were also scholars. They would definitely not want a daughter-in-law who wrote heretical books. If people found out, not only would Du 'er's brush and ink fees be taken away, the marriage would also be ruined.
Du 'er was silent.
Daiyu was a rich young miss who grew up in the Xiao Qi Luo group. She also had some literary popularity. Although she did not have any opinions about her living off her brush and ink fees, she did not look down on her. Although she said that she didn't look down on it at all, she still didn't think much of it. She felt that women should treat the art of writing as an interest or as a way to vent their emotions. Just like "The Dream of the Golden Turtle". Selling it for money was still a disgrace to the educated.
But this time, Daiyu was doing it for her own good. There was nothing wrong with what she said.
If she was really found out, the world was not as weird as her parents. Most likely, she would be slandered.
Du 'er turned over and said weakly, "I was hungry then, how could I care so much? I couldn't possibly starve to death and ask his family to marry a skeleton, right? "
She sighed, "Did I not have such concerns in the past? But if I really fell to that stage, no matter who you were in the past, it would all be for a bite to eat. Even if it was an important matter, you would still be able to cast it aside. "
Daiyu pushed her, "Alright, I was just joking and made you sad. It's my fault."
Du 'er said, "Then let's talk about something less sad."
They talked about the recent commotion caused by "The Dream of the Golden Turtle". At the beginning, it was a scholar who criticized "The Dream of the Golden Turtle", saying that this book "must have been written by a frog at the bottom of a well."
He pointed out the loopholes in "The Dream of the Golden Turtle". When people read it, it was indeed so.
The author wrote about the customs of the north and south, but they were all close to books and not reality. For example, how yellow the Yellow River was, and what it looked like when it flooded. Mount Hua was tall, but how tall was it? The waterfall of Mount Lu actually flowed horizontally.
Also, some parts that people thought were realistic were laughable when they looked closely. For example, when farmers quarreled, they actually talked about the laws of the imperial court. It could be seen that farmers in the current era were illiterate in the fields. At most, they had seen a few landlords, and did not even know where the yamen was. Moreover, did they know what laws the imperial court knew?
At this point, Daiyu laughed coldly, "Am I not a 'frog at the bottom of a well'? I have lived for so long, not to mention interacting with farmers, I don't even know what the neighborhood looks like. At most, I have seen the scenery of a few places in the south. Not to mention the Yellow River, Mount Hua, Mount Lu. I have only seen it from books. "
Du 'er advised, "What's there to be angry about? They don't know that you are a woman of the boudoir, and cannot move around as you please. Some people also criticized the things I wrote. "
Daiyu was lost in thought, and suddenly said softly, "I am not angry at them. I just … I have checked many, many books. But I have not seen it with my own eyes, so I have not seen it with my own eyes. Du 'er, tell me, in this lifetime, will I really never see how majestic the Yellow River is, or how tall Mount Hua is? "
Du 'er was stunned.
Daiyu said softly, "I have seen Uncle go to so many places. I am envious. "
Daiyu was a person who studied, wrote, and was the most serious person.
She was secretly happy that her works were praised by so many people. Hearing such criticism, she did not care, but secretly checked many geography books, the Water Classic notes, etc.
After all, she had not seen it with her own eyes, and the descriptions were lacking.
The more she flipped through those records, the more she thought about how majestic the Yellow River was, how grand Mount Tai was, and how tall Mount Hua was. The more her heart wavered.
Du 'er was stunned, and then comforted her, "How many people in the world have seen it? Who knows, when you get married, you will be able to see it. Or if you have some fortuitous encounter, who knows. When you came from Yangzhou, you took a boat up north, didn't you see the Grand Canal? "
Daiyu said, "You talk too much, crazy girl who talks about 'marrying' or not marrying. Furthermore, you are talking nonsense, who will take me to another place? There is no one in my house. "
When she said the last sentence, her eyes turned red.
Du 'er saw her like this, and also said, "Fine, fine, fine, I made you sad this time. You should go find your Bao gege. He is a man, he often travels outside, he should know more. "
Daiyu smiled bitterly, "Although Baoyu … he is still a bird in a cage. He can't make too many decisions. Even if you ask him, he probably won't know. Besides, it is better to see it with your own eyes than to ask. "
Du 'er had no choice, he could only suggest to go catch butterflies, and not talk about this anymore.
After that, the two of them went to play.
Not long after, because the masters of the Jia mansion wanted to eat abalone, ginseng, bird's nest, and fill up the bucket with leftover food, many of the tenant farmers in the seventeen fields of the Jia family starved to death, and gradually became refugees.
The Jia family had no choice but to recruit another group of people.
Unexpectedly, a storm arose.
In the past month, a group of refugees who dared to rob the warehouse and pay rent to the Jia mansion were beaten to death in Rongguo's manor, and sent to the officials.
Then, there were people who were loaned by the Jia family, who ran to the Jia mansion and hanged themselves. The hanged man's son angrily reported the case to the officials. Because of this, Jia Lian and Sister Feng took the case and ordered the officials to beat the hanged man's only son to death.
There were also a few major incidents in the mansion. First, Jin Chuan jumped into the well and died. The missing Qi Guan was questioned about Baoyu. Baoyu was almost beaten to death because of these two incidents.
This time, Daiyu did not visit Baoyu. She only took a look and left.
Du 'er teased her, "I used to avoid your Bao gege. As long as he came, I would not come. Why are you avoiding him now as well? "
Daiyu did not speak. After a while, she opened her mouth, "I probably didn't care about Jin Chuan's death. This girl was muddle-headed, always provoking Baoyu, I don't blame Madam for chasing her away."
She continued slowly, "But after reading too many of Uncle's books and seeing Jin Chuan's death, my heart turned cold. Although I feel sorry for him, when I think of a person's death, I feel cold. Today Jin Chuan died, but if it was me in the future, would he be able to protect me? Who would be able to protect me? Which family doesn't have elders and servants? If a wife has to be troubled by her elders, or even by her husband, but she has no family and no one to help her, wouldn't she have to die like Jin Chuan? Uncle's books said that a girl is also a human life. Today, Jin Chuan jumped into the well and died because of the humiliation. Her family is still here, so she doesn't care about the reward money. My family is not here, if I die in the future, there won't be anyone to receive the reward money, wouldn't I be worse than Jin Chuan? "
Du 'er was also a little distressed and quickly advised, "You are a young lady, how can you be compared to a girl? Why are you talking so much nonsense again? Shut up! "
Because of this thought, Dai Yu hadn't been able to eat well for a few days.
Today, she finally had some appetite. The girls, including Zi Juan, hurriedly ordered the servants to cook medicine and porridge. Daiyu was left alone in the room, reading.
Slowly, she suddenly felt that something was wrong: there was someone else's breathing in the room.
She slowly got up and suddenly wanted to run out and shout, but a shadow came out and covered her mouth.
Daiyu was so frightened that her whole body trembled. Suddenly, she heard that person say, "Young lady, don't shout, I won't harm you."
Daiyu thought that a thief had sneaked in, but when she heard that person's voice, she felt that it sounded familiar. That person covered Daiyu while turning around. Only then did Daiyu see that it was an actor.
It was one of the actors who played the role of Qing Yi in "The Dream of the Golden Turtle" in the fu. He was not more than fifteen or sixteen years old, and was a very beautiful boy.
Because he practiced acting all year round, his hand strength was much stronger than Daiyu, the sickly young lady.
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