Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 105: Guidance from a Noble Person
It is said that Chen Siyuan returned from Rongxi Hall that day and was very hardworking when he got home. He went into the study and studied hard. At night, he read by lamplight until three o'clock in the morning.

The next morning, I picked up my pen and tried to think about the topic and continue it myself, but the ink smudged the paper and I couldn't write a single word for a long time!
He simply put down his pen and cursed in his heart: If he was really qualified to take the imperial examination, he would have ended up in Yangzhou long ago. Why would he come to the Jia family to seek personal gain?
I can still recite laws and regulations, but I can't get started with the eight-legged essay without the guidance of a famous teacher.

Counting on his fingers, the Autumn Examination will be held next year, and the same will happen the year Daiyu reaches the age of marriage. Even if he cheats, he must pass the exam within five years, otherwise Sister Lin will be gone!

It is futile to expect to learn these skills in the Imperial College. It is better to spend a lot of money to seek guidance from a famous teacher, so that you can have more confidence.

But he had just arrived, so where could he go to find a famous teacher? Even if he went to ask for help, whether they would accept him or not was still another matter!

As the saying goes, "When you feel sleepy, there is a pillow." Just as I was thinking about the problem, someone came to visit me suddenly.

Hongyu went out to greet her, and turned around to bring in Yuchuan, who was standing beside Lady Wang.

Chen Siyuan was extremely puzzled. He came out of the study and bowed, saying, "I wonder if Madam has asked Miss Yuchuan to come..."

Yuchuan smiled and said, "I'm just a maid, how can I be called a lady? Master Yuan, just call me Yuchuan from now on." After a pause, she pulled out a visiting card from her sleeve and said, "Madam, seeing how hard Master Yuan has worked, is deeply grateful. I told Master yesterday, and he recommended several famous teachers. Master Yuan, if you have time tomorrow, please send your invitation. If you can catch the eye of one of them, that would be wonderful. If not, Madam said we can find other ways."

Chen Siyuan was immediately overjoyed and said with a smile, "I was just wondering where the master was, and it occurred to me that Madam had already thought of him. Sister, please thank Madam for me later. I will come to thank you in person when I have time."

Yuchuan smiled and said, "Master Yuan, you're too polite. Oh, Madam also said that Master Yuan is still young and looks frail, so it's not appropriate for him to continue walking through the private alley between the two mansions. He should just walk directly through the inner courtyard from now on."

Is there such a good thing?

Chen Siyuan expressed his gratitude again. Yuchuan handed over her name card and message, then left.

Chen Siyuan held the invitation in his hand and pondered it, immediately guessing most of what Mrs. Wang was thinking. She was simply delighted to see his engagement with Daiyu come to fruition, and even tried her best to facilitate it.

He had previously thought that because he was Mrs. Xing's nephew, Mrs. Wang would definitely have a prejudice against him, but he didn't expect that now she looked at him differently because of the marriage certificate.

What's the saying? The enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend; but the saying "There are no eternal friends, only eternal interests" is certainly true.

The fight between the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law actually benefited an outsider like me.

Chen Siyuan was known for his generosity, and the maid Yunxiang was known for her unruly ways. She had been eavesdropping outside the door the entire time. She slipped in and asked curiously, "Master, what does the Madam mean by this?"

Hongyu picked up the feather duster and scolded, "Why are you talking so much? What does Madam want? Do you think she should tell you the whole story?"

The little maid Yunxiang screamed and ran away. Hongyu was also very puzzled about losing her feather duster. She came over and said worriedly, "Master, the lady's behavior... Why do I feel uncomfortable?"

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "Anyway, it's a good thing. Why do you care so much?"

Seeing that he didn't say anything, Hongyu had to keep it in her heart.

A little later, someone else came to visit. This time it was Sister Feng and Ping'er.

Jia Lian's erratic behavior yesterday had severely offended Chen Siyuan...at least that's how it looked to outsiders. But Chen Siyuan knew his own business; he'd stolen the marriage certificate from Jia Lian, and he was lucky to be in this situation.

It was not so that Daiyu and Baoyu had no feelings for each other at that moment, and Daiyu was concerned about the Lin family's ancestors, so how could they have made such an appointment yesterday?

Not to mention that Chen Siyuan is a fake, even if he is really Chen Siyuan, the Chen family and the Lin family are very different in status. Even if the Jia family grits their teeth and agrees, I am afraid they will not be able to pass Jia Yucun's test!
Because Chen Siyuan did not hate Jia Lian in his heart, but he had to pretend to be angry.

After a while, Chen Siyuan welcomed Feng Jieer and Ping'er in.

Everyone sat down as host and guest. Chen Siyuan had a sullen face and spoke less than usual.

Sister Feng thought to herself that Brother Yuan was indeed angry. She immediately stood up and bowed, "As your sister-in-law, I apologize to Brother Yuan on behalf of your second brother."

Chen Siyuan didn't dare to take it. He stood up and stepped aside, then bowed and asked, "Second sister-in-law, what are you doing?"

Feng Jieer said, "No matter how many mistakes you make, it's all your second brother Lian's fault. Once his temper gets out of hand, he's so reckless that no one can stop him. I don't know what made him go crazy yesterday... Brother Yuan, please forgive me."

Chen Siyuan sighed and said, "Second sister-in-law, you are too kind."

After he sat down, Sister Feng explained, "It was Uncle Lin who had given instructions before, and he didn't know that Brother Yuan had already received the letter..." As she spoke, she glanced at Liu Wu'er and Hongyu.

Hongyu quickly pulled Liu Wu'er away and moved away from her.

Feng Jieer then said, "Your second brother Lian was worried about having to explain to his family, so he—he wasn't really at odds with Brother Yuan."

Chen Siyuan smiled bitterly and said, "Don't say anything, Second Sister-in-law. I come from a humble background and feel I'm not worthy of you at this moment. It's normal for Second Brother Lian to have such a prejudice..."

Feng Jieer said, "I know you have a grudge in your heart, but apologizing in person won't do. I'll have a banquet in a few days and let your second brother express his grievances in person."

"No, no, no."

Sister Feng raised her eyebrows and said, "This matter is his fault in the first place. Brother Yuan, please don't get involved."

Feng Jieer was straightforward, and the matter was settled. She then said, "Yes, I was talking to Madam yesterday, and we mentioned Brother Yuan. Madam saw that Brother Yuan was ambitious and had some of the qualities of Brother Zhu, so she felt sympathy for him. She said that Brother Yuan was weak and frail, and that the draft in the private alley was too strong. From now on, Brother Yuan should just walk through the inner house, and there's no need to go around anymore."

Chen Siyuan thanked her, but inwardly he was pondering the matter. He thought to himself, "Madam Wang sent someone to tell me about something, and now Sister Feng is telling me about it too. What does this mean?"

According to Feng Jieer's words, it was Lady Wang who ordered it, and Feng Jieer agreed to it. Then Yu Chuan said again... Is this because she is afraid that Feng Jieer will pretend to obey but actually disobey?

So, at this moment, Sister Feng is on the old lady's side. This niece and aunt are not as close as imagined.

Feng Jieer and Ping Er stayed for a while and then said goodbye and left.

Seeing that it was still early, Chen Siyuan no longer wanted to study in seclusion, so he took Jia Zheng's visiting card and went to visit the famous teacher according to his name.

He had just recovered from a cold and couldn't stand the cold wind, so he simply paid money at the stable and hired a coachman to take Chen Siyuan on a journey.

As the saying goes, 'Money makes the world go round'. With this money, not only was there a fumigation cage in the carriage, but the driver also found a wolfskin mattress to cover Chen Siyuan's legs.

The carriage drove out of Rongguo Mansion and headed towards the outer city.

The smoke rising from the carriage was so hot that Chen Siyuan couldn't stand it anymore, so he simply opened the curtain and looked out the window.

I didn't expect that something bad would happen just by observing it!
As he passed a carriage head-on, he heard a "Huh?" sound. Chen Siyuan turned around but saw no one in the carriage. A moment later, guards blocked his way.

The guard bowed and asked, "Is that Master Chen in the carriage?"

The driver replied, "This is Master Yuan in the carriage. Does this distinguished guest have anything to say?"

The guard said, "Please move aside, Master Chen. My master wants to see you."

As the curtains were drawn aside, the guard stretched out his hand and pointed at the carriage parked at the entrance of the alley.

Chen Siyuan took one look and his heart skipped a beat. What he feared was bound to come true. This guard looked familiar; he was the same guard who had accompanied the nobleman before.

The situation was unfavorable, and the scholar had encountered soldiers. Chen Siyuan simply dismounted from the carriage and headed straight for the carriage at the alley entrance. The screen remained inside, but this time the nobleman was without a maid. Inside, a suitable incense burner filled the room with the aroma of borneol.

Chen Siyuan sighed and sat down, then bowed and said, "I wonder if you have anything to ask me?"

The nobleman smiled and said, "Don't panic, I'm just curious."

After a pause, he continued, "Chen Shuliang, a native of Yangzhou, was adopted by the renowned con man Geng Jun when he was young. At the age of twelve, he pretended to be the son of the prefect of Huzhou and defrauded salt merchants, scholars, and others of nine hundred taels of silver. At the age of thirteen, he pretended to be a scion of the Xu family in Huating and swindled 1,300 bolts of silk from various weaving mills in Hangzhou Prefecture... Haha, with over a thousand taels earned annually, I imagine he lived a very comfortable life.

I am puzzled. Why would you choose to leave your good life behind and come to the capital? And it seems you want to take the imperial examination?"

Chen Siyuan spoke frankly, saying, "If I had been born into a good family, why would I have cheated people out of their money? Back then, as a beggar in Yangzhou, I couldn't say if I could survive the next day. Would being a noble person be an option for me?"

"There is great terror between life and death... Yes, I am afraid I will be like you."

Chen Siyuan continued, "As the saying goes, 'People make mistakes, horses slip.' This Quezi Sect isn't a long-term path. This year, Master was exposed and his back was broken. He lingered for two months before passing away. I saw it with my own eyes, and my heart was chilled. That's why I wanted to clear my name."

"Whitewash? That word sounds fresh."

Chen Siyuan remained silent for a long time, but the nobleman remained silent. After a moment, Chen Siyuan asked, "Does the nobleman have any other questions?"

The nobleman said, "I know everything about your past and background. I'm just curious, do you have any other abilities?"

"This...please forgive me for not understanding."

"Can you write some frivolous poetry?"

"Yes, I wanted to earn the title of a madman."

"Oh, anything else?"

"This……"

The nobleman then asked, "If you become an official in the future, how will you behave?"

Chen Siyuan said, "If you can enter the Hanlin Academy, that would be great. Even if you can't, you still have to go to the Censorate."

The nobleman laughed and scolded, "How cunning! Are you trying to gain a reputation by selling your integrity?"

"Yes."

"I thought if you had any ability, I would lend you a helping hand, so what? But you don't learn from the good, but insist on learning the ways of the Qingliu... Tsk, what use is there for the country? What the court lacks now is capable officials."

Chen Siyuan was startled when he heard the words "This prince will lend you a helping hand". The one who dared to say such words was definitely not Prince Beijing, and probably not Prince Zhongshun either!
Suddenly, I remembered that the current sage had a younger brother, whom he had treated with great affection since childhood. The two of them were as close as brothers and as close as father and son. Although he was only a county prince now, it was only a matter of time before he became a prince!

This person was given the title Yanping, which was the ancient name of Changping. At that time, Changping was under the jurisdiction of Shuntian Prefecture. The fact that he was given such a title showed that the current emperor trusted him very much.

Chen Siyuan was so obsessed with personal gain that he wouldn't miss such a good opportunity. He immediately said, "Your Highness, I also understand some economics."

"Oh?" Prince Ping of Yan pushed open the car window and pointed to a nearby shop. "In that case, tell me how to sell off that bamboo hat."

Chen Siyuan thought, knowing this was the perfect time to shine. This man was the Prince of Yanping, a bigger influence than the Jia family! And he had something on him, so when would he approach him?

Yin Shi stood up and said, "Your Highness, please wait a moment. I will be back soon."

He then opened the curtain and got off the carriage. He went to the shop to negotiate with the shopkeeper, thought for a moment, then turned around and got back on the carriage.

Then he bowed to the person behind the screen and said, "Your Highness, I have some plans."

"tell me the story."

Chen Siyuan said, "The straw hats are priced at fifteen cents. I have negotiated with the shopkeeper and if we buy all of them, each will be priced at four cents. We also have cotton hats in the shop, which are slightly more expensive than the straw hats."

I will go back and negotiate with all the newly opened shops in the city, offering to promote their business and pay them if they succeed. I will then hire people to write the names and slogans of each shop on the bamboo hats, and then sell them to the rice shops in the city for five cents each. I have an agreement with them that for every twenty kilograms of rice purchased, I will give them a bamboo hat and a cotton cap as a gift.

King Ping of Yan thought for a moment and said, "You are losing money."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "It's not over yet. The money I make is from the promotion fees for newly opened shops. It's almost the twelfth lunar month, and if there's snow, ordinary people will definitely wear bamboo hats and cotton caps. Your Highness, you can imagine that at this time, the streets will be filled with bamboo hats and cotton caps with shop names and gimmicks written on them. Isn't it more effective than shouting at the top of your lungs and advertising in newspapers?"

"Well, that makes some sense."

Chen Siyuan continued, "So, after this first time, I'll have credibility. We'll discuss this again someday, and the promotion fee will naturally increase. Then, in spring and summer, I'll give out oil-paper umbrellas, and in autumn and winter, I'll give out bamboo hats and cotton caps. I'll also hire people around me as shopkeepers, and send them out to Yangzhou, Hangzhou, Songjiang, Jinling, Guangzhou, Quanzhou, and other prosperous places to repeat this... Is your Highness satisfied with this?"

"Hiss..." King Ping of Yan took a breath of cold air.

The screen was a four-fold screen. Prince Ping of Yan reached out and pushed it aside with a rustling sound.

Chen Siyuan looked over and saw that the man in front of him was wearing a pure white fox fur coat with a bright red python robe underneath. He was standing tall and handsome, with an air of luxury.

Chen Siyuan took a quick look and quickly lowered his head.

King Ping of Yan laughed and said, "I didn't expect to get such an unexpected surprise today! Hahahaha... Chen Siyuan, look up."

Chen Siyuan looked up as he was told.

King Ping of Yan smiled and said, "Since you have such ability, why don't you take the right path earlier?"

Chen Siyuan smiled bitterly and said, "The righteous path of the world is full of vicissitudes... Your Highness may not know that for a commoner like me to engage in this business, I'm afraid it won't be long before the powerful and influential come to force me. That's why I'm so determined to get out of this business. I must gain fame and honor to protect myself."

Prince Ping of Yan smiled and said, "What a coincidence! I am in charge of the inner court and I am least afraid of interference from the powerful. Chen Siyuan, may I recommend you to join the inner court?"

Chen Siyuan hesitated. Going to the inner palace would be fine, but what about the agreement with Lin Daiyu?
"Not happy?" King Ping of Yan asked in surprise.

Chen Siyuan hurriedly bowed and said, "Your Highness, I have an appointment with someone, so I must pass the Shuntian Prefecture County Examination."

Prince Ping of Yan blinked, then suddenly said with amusement, "Are the girls of the Jia family really that good? Could they be even more outstanding than Xiangling?"

Chen Siyuan was speechless. Good fellow, even Xiangling was investigated... Yes, the Imperial Household had the Ministry of Punishment, which was the Jinyiwei of Dashun!

Prince Ping of Yan smiled and pulled out a note from his sleeve, saying, "You are a rare talent. Since you are so determined to take the imperial examination, I cannot stop you. Take this note and go to the outer city to find Mei Yucheng when you have time. That old man owes me a huge favor. With his guidance, if you are not a stubborn person, you will pass the Shuntian Prefecture provincial examination in just a few attempts."

Chen Siyuan accepted it respectfully and asked, "Your Majesty, I wonder who this Mr. Mei is—"

"He's an old fellow. His family inherited some talent for imperial examinations, but he himself is a piece of rubbish. He only passed the imperial examination when he was almost sixty years old. He was lucky enough to be appointed as a Hanlin."

Sixty years old... Hanlin... Mei Hanlin? Could this be the family of Xue Baoqin's future husband?
(End of this chapter)