Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 123 Repeating the same trick
Third Sister You sat in the carriage, occasionally parting the curtains to peer towards the corner gate of the palace. She silently calculated in her mind that it must have been nearly an hour.

Although he felt a little depressed, he was also happy for Chen Siyuan. The Ning and Rong families were both wealthy and powerful, but how could they compare to the Prince of Yanping?
The titles of the first two have been passed down for three generations, and they have long lost their former prestige. They have only maintained their current wealth and status by relying on the glory of their ancestors; the latter is a new noble of the dynasty. Although he is only a prince now, he has been specially granted by the emperor and his mansion has been built like that of a prince. It seems that his promotion to prince will only take a few years.

Her beloved had been favored by such a rising star, so he was sure to achieve great things in the future. She was delighted, but then she thought of her own family background, and suddenly felt as if she was... a step behind. She also pondered what Chen Siyuan had said earlier. Was he implying that her family background wasn't worthy?

Just then, two people suddenly appeared from the corner gate. One was Chen Siyuan, and the other was holding a whisk and wearing a bright red robe. He must have been a eunuch from the palace. The eunuch was all smiles and chatted with Chen Siyuan for a long time before the two of them bowed and said goodbye.

Third Sister You quickly lowered the curtain, pouting and rubbing her cheeks. After a moment, the curtain was opened and Chen Siyuan got into the carriage with a smile.

"Sister, are you getting impatient?"

Third Sister You shook her head and said solemnly, "You, you just said that because you despise my humble family background?"

"Huh?" Chen Siyuan was slightly surprised. He smiled, shook his head, and sat down. He took her in his arms and said, "How could I dislike you? I'm glad you don't dislike me. Your family is a family of officials after all, and mine are just country gentry. How could we dislike you?"

After just a few words, Third Sister You couldn't hold it in any longer. A smile appeared on her face, and she said, "I don't think you would do that! Otherwise—"

"What else?" Chen Siyuan lowered his head and moved closer, his breath spraying on Third Sister You's earlobe, and Third Sister You blushed immediately.

"Otherwise you'll see what happens!"

Chen Siyuan sneered, grabbed Roudi and played with her, saying, "Then I'll wait. Anyway, you won't be able to escape in this lifetime."

"I'm not running away!" Third Sister You muttered, then said happily, "Shall we go to Shichahai now?"

"it is good."

At that moment, Third Sister You gave the driver a clear order, and the carriage headed for Shichahai.

The two of them were naturally quite affectionate in the car, but Chen Siyuan had other thoughts in mind. How difficult is it for ordinary people to change their fate?
One is fate, two is luck, three is feng shui, four is accumulating good deeds, five is reading, six is ​​reputation, seven is appearance, eight is respecting gods, nine is making friends with noble people, and ten is maintaining health.

The theories of fate, fortune, feng shui and worshipping gods are metaphysics. Chen Siyuan dared not believe them completely, nor did he dare not to believe them.

For the remaining few, you should accumulate good deeds before continuing your studies.

What does it mean to accumulate hidden virtue? For example, if a father makes friends and arranges a marriage for his son, and the woman becomes virtuous and supports her husband and raises the children, this is hidden virtue. Or, if a father helps someone in his early years, and that person becomes successful, the reward is returned to the son, which is also hidden virtue.

When Chen Siyuan was reincarnated here, he was just a precarious beggar outside Yangzhou City. Where did his good deeds come from? It was only thanks to his previous identity and the fake marriage certificate that he stole his good deeds.

But this hidden virtue is false, and it is hard to say whether it can come true.

Next, let's study... Oh, let's talk about something else. Chen Siyuan thought he had a wide range of knowledge, but this craft required years of practice. How could he master it overnight?

As for the remaining few, you will make the acquaintance of a noble person, and your appearance will definitely be good enough. The rest is just about fame and health preservation.

Maintaining good health is simple. I've found three good brothers to learn the skill from. As for becoming famous... I wonder if that leisurely bookstore will be open during the first month of the year.

While he was thinking, the carriage arrived at Shichahai and the two of them got out. Chen Siyuan looked around and saw that the ice was indeed crowded with tourists.

Nearby, there were people renting horse-drawn sleighs, various ice sleds, and even ice skates. Chen Siyuan took a quick look and saw that the skates were nailed to long wooden boards and strapped to the shoes. He had to be very careful when sliding on them, otherwise he would twist his ankle.

The two of them strolled along Shichahai Lake, Third Sister You stopping every now and then to point out the scenery. Later, they rented an ice sled, and Third Sister You slid freely on it, weaving among the tourists like a butterfly through flowers. Chen Siyuan, having just gotten a good deal, was in high spirits, so he joined Third Sister You in the fun.

The two of them were laughing and playing, attracting the attention of the crowd. Those with discerning eyes could see that Third Sister You was a Westerner, while those with less discerning eyes just thought they were sworn brothers and lamented the decline of morals.

After the hour of Wei, the two of them were tired from playing, so they found a nearby restaurant to eat. During the meal, You Sanjie hesitated and said, "Brother Yuan, it's been a busy year. I'm afraid I can't come to see you until after the New Year."

In reality, how could a young girl like You Sanjie be so busy? Firstly, Old Lady You wouldn't let her go out, and secondly, she had spent all her cosmetics money on hiring a carriage today, so how could she have any money left to go out?
Chen Siyuan picked up a piece of steamed pork with rice flour and said with a smile: "Don't worry, I'll come find you next time."

Third Sister You hesitated and said, "But my mother—"

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Don't worry, I have a plan. Just wait and see."

"Yeah." Since he said so, Yu Sanjie believed it.

After the two of them had eaten and drunk their fill, as it was almost 3 p.m., You Sanjie sent Chen Siyuan back to Rongguo Mansion first.

The two of them were naturally very affectionate again, but they felt that the day was too short. If it were summer, they could at least stay for another hour.

The carriage stopped at the back door of Rongguo Mansion. You Sanjie and Chen Siyuan said goodbye reluctantly, but Chen Siyuan did not leave in a hurry. Instead, he shook his hand and stuffed a brocade bag into You Sanjie's hand.

"What is this?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "I'll give you some of the gifts from the prince last time to reward the servants. I'll be leaving first, so please come back early."

Third Sister You hurriedly watched Chen Siyuan lift the curtain and get off the car. She then saw him through the window as he walked to the back door and waved from afar, and then she walked in with her head held high.

After lowering the carriage curtain and giving the driver instructions, Third Sister You finally examined the brocade bag in her hand. It felt slightly heavy in her hand, and when she shook it, it rustled. Untying the string, she saw a glittering display of gold: coins!

Third Sister You picked up one, estimating it weighed a penny and slightly smaller than a copper coin. It was printed with the words "Joy, Happiness, and Peace" and a peach blossom pattern on the back. A quick count revealed there were probably a hundred of them, which added up to ten taels of gold.
Third Sister You was delighted, yet her mouth pursed. The money was certainly good, solving her urgent need. But compared to the money, she would have preferred a jade pendant inside, a token of their love.

Thinking of this, Third Sister You began to think about Chen Siyuan again. She thought that after all, he was a man, so it was natural that he might be a little careless. If she embroidered a handkerchief for him one day, he would probably remember it.

As she daydreamed, Third Sister You clutched the brocade bag tightly in one hand and supported herself against the wall with the other, a smile plastered on her face. Sometimes, as she thought of something embarrassing, she would blush and giggle again.

When the carriage stopped and the driver spoke, Third Sister You finally came to her senses. She got out of the carriage and tiptoed to the door. Just as she reached out to knock, the door creaked open.

The doorman glanced at Third Sister You and said playfully, "Third Miss is finally back. An Ren had a tantrum and is still waiting for her in the hall."

Third Sister You tightened the brocade bag in her hand and said stubbornly, "Just wait, am I afraid?"

She then took small steps into the ceremonial gate and walked along the winding corridor. A little maid came out from the side room and winked at her, but Third Sister You just smiled indifferently and went straight to the main room.

After entering the room and turning around the screen, he saw You Erjie sitting on the kang in the west end room, doing her needlework. You Laoan was sipping tea from a cup. When he caught sight of You Sanjie, You Laoan flew into a rage. He slammed the cup down and scolded, "You still remember to come back? Why didn't you run off with that poor Chen?"

Third Sister You curled her lips and said, "Mom, what you said is so unreasonable. My brother from the Chen family and I were in love and we were bound by etiquette. How could we elope?"

Old Man You stood up and frowned, lecturing him, "A girl dressed up as a man, gave up her dignity and went to find a wild man when she had time. Isn't that elopement? This is still a good thing to hear. Do you want to hear the unpleasant thing?"

What is more unpleasant than elopement is of course promiscuity.

Third Sister You covered her ears and shook her head, saying, "I won't listen! Besides, Brother Chen has a promising future. How can he be considered poor? He even went to Prince Yanping's mansion today."

At this time, You Erjie had already stood up and came over, trying to stop them.

Old Man You was slightly taken aback when he heard this, but he still refused to believe it and asked, "Him? Prince Yanping's Palace? Does he know which way the palace door opens?"

Third Sister You snorted complacently and said, "I personally sent him off, and he didn't come out for a full hour. How could I not know?"

"Have you taken a closer look?" Old Man You asked, puzzled. "Strange! When did he become involved with Prince Ping of Yan?"

Third Sister You smiled and said, "Brother Chen is a man of excellent character and talent, so it's not surprising that he has won the favor of nobles. Yes—" Third Sister You took out the brocade bag from her waist, untied the silk ribbon, and took out twenty coins. She generously stuffed them into the hands of Second Sister You: "Brother Chen received a reward from the prince last time and gave me some money, saying that he would save it for rewards during the New Year. I borrowed two taels of silver from Second Sister before, and here, I will repay you double."

Third Sister You lowered her head to look at it, but before she could see it clearly, it was snatched away by Old Man You.

"Let me take a look!" Old Man You picked one up and examined it carefully against the candlelight. The front read 'Joy and Health', while the back had a peach blossom pattern. The workmanship was exceptionally fine, clearly no ordinary item. "Oh, it looks like it might actually be from the Imperial Court."

Third Sister You snorted twice, picked up a chair and sat down casually. She poured herself a cup of tea, her embroidered shoes swaying back and forth as she said with increasing pride, "Could it be fake? I heard that Prince Ping of Yan wanted to recruit Brother Chen to serve as a chief in the inner court, but Brother Chen was so focused on obtaining a good reputation that he wanted to be called out outside Donghua Gate, so he didn't agree."

Old Man You came to his senses and teased, "He's just thinking about the daughter of the Lin Salt Commissioner. What does it have to do with you?"

Third Sister You said, "I have heard it clearly this time. Brother Chen and daughter Lin are destined to be heirs."

"Jianjiu?"

You Erjie, who was standing aside, pondered, "If that's the case, doesn't it mean my younger sister has a chance to become the principal wife?"

Although this concubine could be considered the legal wife, it depended on which side was used. If it was counted from the perspective of the Lin family, Chen Siyuan could certainly marry another legal wife.

Third Sister You said, "Yes."

You Erjie couldn't help but feel a little envious. Although Jia Zhen was also a handsome man, he was still in his forties. How could he compare to Chen Siyuan, a man of the same age and with such a bright future?

Old Man You couldn't help but soften his expression, but he still said stubbornly, "Even if there is a future, what good will it do? If you sit in the government office for three years, won't you still be poor?"

"I'm happy to!" Third Sister You said, "Even if I have to eat coarse food with him, what's the big deal? Besides, it's just a few years of hardship. If I really get into the government, I can at least be a prefect when I'm sent out. Three years as a prefect, and you get 100,000 silver coins. If I don't accompany Brother Chen to suffer hardship now, what good will I have in the future?"

Old Man You's expression softened a bit, and he said, "Anyway, you can't let him fool you into going just yet." He added, "If he's free during the New Year holidays, invite him home and I'll take a closer look."

After Third Sister You gave a vague response, Old Man You came over and said with a smile, "This money looks festive. I'm just wondering what to give as a big reward. Third Sister, why don't you give me some—"

Third Sister You stood up and left: "No way! That was given to me by Brother Chen!"

You Laoan was so angry that he stamped his feet and pointed at the receding figure and said, "You, I raised you for more than ten years in vain!"

You Erjie stood aside, her expression changing constantly, and no one knew what she was thinking. (Note 1)

............................................................

The next day, Chen Siyuan went ahead to look for Jia She.

As the end of the year approached, Jia She simply excused himself from the study room, claiming that his old illness had relapsed and that he was unable to walk. He was too lazy to go to the study room, so he simply asked someone to bring Chen Siyuan to the main room.

Chen Siyuan entered and saw Jia She and Madam Xing sitting high up in the hall, feeling a little strange. After greeting them according to the rules, Jia She casually told them to take a seat and served tea. Then Jia She asked, "Brother Yuan, did you go to Prince Yanping's palace again yesterday?"

"Yes, the prince sent someone to invite my nephew yesterday to discuss things."

"Explain?"

Chen Siyuan then briefly explained his suggestion.

Jia She blinked and frowned when he heard this. "Brother Yuan, this is your fault. I believe I have treated you well. How could you not think of me when you are making a fortune?"

Mrs. Xing also said, "That's right. Your uncle has helped you so much, and you can't say it this time." After a pause, she said, "Master, maybe you are a little too impatient. There are more than one business. I'll ask you to think of another one later."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "Uncle, you misunderstood. How could my nephew forget my uncle?" He paused and said, "To be honest, yesterday my nephew shamelessly asked the prince for a chance to get involved."

"Oh? What kind of business?"

Chen Siyuan said, "Let's go to Fusang for sea trade. But I'm afraid there won't be any chance to make quick money this time. After paying the actual amount, it will take at least half a year to turn it over, and the profit will be at least 40%." "Hmm..." Jia She was a little reluctant. If he could make 20% in just ten days like before, it would be much better. After half a year, the profit was only 40%, which was really too little.

However, Chen Siyuan knew that with the endorsement from Prince Ping of Yan, the wealthy families in the capital would flock to the city like a swarm of carp crossing the river.

How much interest can you get from lending money these days? Monthly interest is only 5% to 8%, and legal compound interest is only 3%. A pawnshop can earn 50% interest on a six-month pawn. The calculation is tricky, though: after paying double the interest, you also get the right to use the item.

Even if pawning is a lucrative business, why would those wealthy people choose to cast their silver into 200-jin silver winter melons and store them in their cellars? It's because there are only so many ways to make a living in this world, and the marginal effect is obvious. Throwing more money into it will not only yield little return, but may even be worse than before.

Everyone knows that maritime trade is lucrative, but it has always been managed by merchants from Min, Zhejiang, Guangdong, and Guangxi. Ships on the sea are merchant ships once they enter a port, but once they leave, they can do anything!
Prince Ping of Yan presides over the Imperial Court and enjoys the emperor's considerable trust. This genuine maritime trade trip to Fusang, perhaps with a letter from the emperor and naval escort along the way, is definitely no small undertaking. Setting off in the spring and returning before the typhoon arrives—what could be safer?
After a round of trading, the treasures, Japanese swords, and Japanese fans had to be sold slowly, but copper bars, silver ingots, and even Japanese satin were all in high demand. Calculating the profit, at least double! The Imperial Household took 40%, presumably with the intention of using the chicken to lay eggs.

Jia She pondered, but Mrs. Xing had an idea and said happily, "Oh, then you must count me in as a share. I still have some money saved, and this time, brother, take it all."

At this moment, Jia She suddenly thought of Daiyu's untouched fortune of tens of thousands of yuan. Unfortunately, they were all dead objects, not living money. They were either land deeds in Suzhou or shops in Beijing, and there were also antiques, calligraphy and paintings. It was difficult to liquidate them at the moment. Jia She couldn't help but secretly resent it. If the marriage had been confirmed the previous time, wouldn't he have been able to borrow the chicken to lay eggs this time?
Now, look what happens, I go to a mountain of treasures but come back empty-handed!
Thinking of this, Jia She looked at Chen Siyuan with a look of disappointment. Then he thought of Jia Lian who had made trouble, and suddenly he felt annoyed.

Seeing Jia She's expression change several times, even Mrs. Xing was unsure of his thoughts, so she could only secretly glance at Chen Siyuan.

After a while, Jia She said, "This will take half a year. I must save some money for self-defense... I'll give you three thousand taels this time."

Chen Siyuan agreed obediently, lingered for a moment, then stood up and said goodbye.

As soon as he left, Master Jia She slammed the table and scolded, "It's all that bastard Lian'er's fault! If it weren't for him ruining the good thing, I would have made at least 20,000 or 30,000 silver coins this time!"

Mrs. Xing, now holding her child in her arms, couldn't help but feel a little greedy. She said, "Master, don't you know Lian'er? Not to mention the Wang family, even Xing'er and Zhao'er outside are half his family."

"You bastard!" Jia She cursed, "Since ancient times, men have been in charge of the outside world and women have been in charge of the inside world. How can a good man let himself be bullied by someone in the house?" He stood up and left.

Mrs. Xing stood up and asked, "Where are you going, Master?"

Without even turning his head, Jia She said, "I'll go take a look at the back. If Lian'er dares to neglect me, I'll definitely give him a good lesson this time!"

Madam Xing walked two steps forward, then turned back and leaned back on the couch, her hands on her belly, frowning in thought. She only had a little over a thousand taels of silver now, and how many hundreds of taels could she earn in half a year? It was a pity that Third Sister's marriage couldn't be delayed any longer, or else it would be embezzled, and the total would be twelve hundred taels!
Sister Feng's children's courtyard.

Chen Siyuan, mindful of Feng Jieer's kindness, came over and mentioned it to her. Feng Jieer, also a straightforward person, said, "Oh, this time I'm all thanks to Brother Yuan again." With the endorsement of Prince Ping of Yan, Feng Jieer was even more forthright this time. She thought, "I don't have much money on hand, but I can offer three thousand taels. I wonder if Brother Yuan—"

Chen Siyuan agreed: "Okay, then three thousand taels. I'll come back to look for my second sister-in-law after we've settled it after the New Year."

Sister Feng smiled and said to Ping'er, "Look at Brother Yuan, he's thinking of us when it comes to good things." Then she looked at Chen Siyuan and said, "Last time, your Second Brother Lian was busy, but this time at the New Year's party, your Second Brother Lian said he must drink with Brother Yuan."

Chen Siyuan agreed with a smile, then stood up and said, "Then rest, sister-in-law. I still need to go ask Madam."

Sister Feng looked surprised and stood up to see him off, saying, "Brother Yuan has such a charisma that he will achieve great things in the future. Go quickly, the lady will be delighted to hear the news."

At that moment, Sister Feng and Ping'er escorted Chen Siyuan out. Chen Siyuan walked around the painted screen wall and through the moon-shaped gate to find Mrs. Wang. He ran into Jia Lian, who was returning from the East Courtyard with a dejected look on his face.

The two met and greeted each other. Jia Lian had no mood to talk and went back to Fengjie's courtyard.

After entering, he leaned back on the kang in a dejected manner and sighed, "Ah, this is a bad year."

Feng Jieer was sitting behind the table on the kang, flipping through the account books. When she heard this, she glanced up and saw a shoe print on his waist. She was immediately surprised and said, "Oh, what happened?"

Jia Lian said with a mournful face, "Don't mention it. I don't know what's wrong with the master today. He just came to the villa and was picking on me. I went up to him to try to explain, but he flew into a rage! Look, he kicked me. Fortunately, I didn't let up yet, otherwise I would have been soaked."

Sister Feng frowned and said, "Why would I kick you for no reason?"

Ping'er laughed and said, "Second Master must have been slacking off these past few days, and the First Master must have heard about it. I'm afraid he's going to use Second Master as a pretext for his subordinates this time."

Sister Feng relaxed her brows and said, "That's hard to say. These people are quite cunning. The bricks and stones brought in yesterday didn't look new, yet they were reported as if they were new."

Jia Lian said with an embarrassed look, "Don't worry about the bricks and stones... Didn't I give you a pair of cat-eye earrings last time?"

Wang Xifeng choked and said immediately, "That can't be too outrageous. The account needs to be reviewed by Madam and the Old Lady."

Jia Lian sneered, "If you live on the mountain, you eat the mountain; if you live on the water, you eat the water. The eldest master takes the lead in corruption, and the subordinates follow suit. It's already good enough, how much have they embezzled? What about the imperial mausoleum--"

When Sister Feng glared at him, Jia Lian knew he had spoken out of turn, so he quickly clicked his tongue twice to cover it up.

Ping'er also understood the situation and went outside to busy herself.

As soon as Ping'er left, Jia Lian said, "I just ran into Yuan'er. Why did he come this way?"

Sister Feng snorted twice and said, "You are so prejudiced. Brother Yuan has found another way to make a fortune, and he immediately came to me to tell me about it."

"Again?"

"This time, the real deal is in motion. Prince Ping of Yan is acting as guarantor, raising funds to send five seagoing vessels to Fusang, and promising a 40% interest rate within six months!" After a pause, he added, "You can't hide away this time."

"Me?" Jia Lian said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "I have to curry favor with him! Perhaps the master just remembered what happened before and kicked me."

Sister Feng rolled her eyes and said, "It's been so long, I'm afraid the Master has forgotten it."

Jia Lian shook his head and said nothing. As long as his biological father had money, everything would be fine. Last time, he had cut off his biological father's business worth hundreds of thousands of silver coins. This grudge would probably not be resolved in the next three or two years.

Without mentioning the situation in Fengjie's courtyard, it is said that Chen Siyuan had been led into the inner hall by Jin Chuan'er at this time.

Mrs. Wang sat at the head of the table, looking over in surprise. A hint of a smile crossed her face. "Why is Brother Yuan here today?"

Chen Siyuan bowed and said, "Madam, I've been staying at your house for a long time and I've been very grateful for your care. Secondly, I just happened to come across a good thing, which I've mentioned to the master before, and I'm here to ask if you'd like to get involved."

Mrs. Wang was moved and said with a smile, "It's amazing that you are thinking of me. Jin Chuan'er, please have a seat."

Jin Chuan'er moved a chair, and Chen Siyuan lifted his robe and sat down. Without waiting for Mrs. Wang to ask, he told her about the sea trade trip to Fusang.

Mrs. Wang was a daughter of the Wang family. Although her dowry was not as generous as that of Daiyu's mother, Jia Min, it was still very generous. After years of accumulating money, after buying some land and shops, she still had several thousand taels of silver left.

After Chen Siyuan finished speaking, Madam Wang asked, "It is indeed the Prince of Yanping who guaranteed it."

"It is absolutely true. The receipt tomorrow will definitely have the seals of Prince Ping of Yan and the Imperial Household."

Mrs. Wang was delighted. Who wouldn't want to have more of their own money? She immediately praised him, "Brother Yuan is truly capable. Although he was fooled by that fake assistant last time, at least he didn't fool his own family. This time, his luck has turned, and he's actually won the favor of Prince Ping of Yan."

"You are so kind, ma'am."

Mrs. Wang thought for a moment and said, "I don't have much money on hand, so how about... three thousand taels?"

"Okay. Then after this matter is finalized after the New Year, I will come back to look for a wife."

Seeing that Chen Siyuan was about to leave, Madam Wang said, "You child, why are you leaving after just a few words? You didn't even drink a cup of tea. If the eldest lady finds out later, I'm afraid she'll blame me for being too harsh. Yuchuan'er, quickly make some maple dew tea and get some poria cocos powder. I'll take it back to Brother Yuan later."

After giving the order, he looked at Chen Siyuan and said kindly, "Brother Yuan looks weak and it's the time for him to grow up, so we can't neglect him. This Poria cocos cream mixed with human milk is very nourishing. I have some stored here and will bring some to you later."

Chen Siyuan bowed and thanked: "Junior thanks Madam."

Mrs. Wang now likes Chen Siyuan more and more. He is knowledgeable and interesting, and always thinks of his relatives when there is any benefit. Because of his marriage certificate with Daiyu, even though he is Mrs. Xing's nephew, Mrs. Wang treats him closer.

Seeing Chen Siyuan's sharp yet polite demeanor, his handsome appearance, and his youthful energy, he vaguely resembled Jia Zhu. Mrs. Wang couldn't help but sigh, "Oh, my boy is so ambitious and so lucky! He's a hundred times better than my unmotivated and mischievous devil."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Brother Bao is a bit older than you. He'll be more sensible in two years and will make progress on his own. Madam, there's no need to be too anxious."

How could Mrs. Wang believe it? She didn't know Baoyu's character.
She shook her head repeatedly, saying, "I don't know what he's like. He spends all day hanging out with women, and even then he's very interested in reading miscellaneous books, but when it comes to reading the Four Books and Five Classics, he loses interest." At this point, Mrs. Wang couldn't help complaining, "It was a good thing you went to look for the master last time, otherwise I don't know what kind of trouble Baoyu would have made."

Chen Siyuan pondered, "If not now, when will the maggots come?" He immediately said, "Madam, please forgive my frankness. Brother Bao comes from a distinguished family and doesn't need to inherit a title. It's fine for him to be a wealthy and idle person. But even a wealthy and idle person must understand the truth and distinguish between loyalty, kindness, treachery, and flattery. Brother Bao, at this age, has been kept in the backyard for so long that he probably can't tell right from wrong. If he is led astray by outsiders, it will be difficult for him to correct himself in the future."

Mrs. Wang immediately agreed! Isn't this referring to Qin Zhong? My sister said that he was hanging out with Zhineng in Shuiyue Temple, and even Baoyu's reputation was ruined!

"Brother Yuan is absolutely right!"

Chen Siyuan added, "Madam, let me be frank. People outside are treacherous. If they only lead Brother Bao to do bad things, it would be fine. But I'm afraid they might also bring some unclean things here."

Although Chen Siyuan hadn't said it explicitly, how could Mrs. Wang not understand the implicit meaning? With frequent exchanges between the East and the West these days, all sorts of venereal diseases were carried aboard ships. For example, Jia Zhen of the East Palace, ever since he had Rong'er, had taken in countless concubines, yet why hadn't he fathered any children?

It was probably a heart disease! Although it was cured, no more children were born.

She only has Baoyu as her baby boy, and she wants to continue the family line. How could she dare to let Baoyu get infected with a disease?
Mrs. Wang frowned and said, "Brother, what you said is quite reasonable. That's why I won't let him go to private school these days."

Chen Siyuan said, "Reading is good for understanding. Since Brother Bao doesn't want to go to a private school, why don't you invite a teacher to teach you?"

Mrs. Wang shook her head and sighed, then smiled bitterly, saying, "Why not? I don't know how many people he's driven away recently. The master feels embarrassed and refuses to invite anyone to teach in his home anymore."

Chen Siyuan pondered, "Perhaps it's because Brother Bao is still at home, so he feels he has someone to rely on, so he's not worried. If he were sent to the teacher's home for instruction, without that person to rely on... wouldn't that be better?"

Mrs. Wang blinked and smiled, "I didn't realize it was such a good idea, brother."

Chen Siyuan added, "Also, the maids around Brother Bao... must be divided into loyal and treacherous ones. Those who are unruly, arrogant because of their favor, and only know how to fool around must not be kept."

Mrs. Wang agreed deeply and said, "Of course I don't know. But Baoyu has been raised by the old lady since he was born. The maids are all arranged by the old lady. As a mother, I can't interfere at all."

Chen Siyuan feigned surprise and said, "How can this be possible? Madam was able to cultivate such a talent as Brother Zhu, and Brother Bao is being personally taught by Madam, so even if he's not as good as she is, I don't think he'll be much worse. If we continue to let him act recklessly, I'm afraid he'll have a hard time living as a rich and idle person in the future." After a pause, Chen Siyuan feigned enlightenment and said, "Ah, junior, I've said too much."

Mrs. Wang said, "How could I be so talkative? My brother's words are from the heart, and they resonate deeply with me. But...ah..."

Chen Siyuan observed his expression and said soothingly, "Don't worry, Brother Bao is still young, and Madam will always have the opportunity to teach him well."

Mrs. Wang nodded in agreement.

Seeing that the time was almost up, Chen Siyuan hurriedly rose to take his leave. Madame Wang actually stood up and walked with him for a few steps, then sent Yuchuan'er to take some Poria cocos cream.

He walked him straight to the door, and when he returned, he said to Jin Chuan'er, "Such a good boy, who would have thought he was the eldest lady's nephew?"

Jin Chuan'er echoed with a smile, "A dragon gives birth to nine sons, each one is different. It's not surprising to have a good one in the family."

Mrs. Wang smiled, then thought of what Chen Siyuan had just said, and it immediately took her to heart. She thought to herself, if Qingwen, that vixen, couldn't be driven away for now, she would have to chase Bihen, that little bitch, out too! This matter, I'm afraid, will also be blamed on Xiren.

　Note 1: You Erjie and You Sanjie were not of the same mind. They had different personalities: one sought stability, loved money, and was somewhat calculating, while the other was bold and straightforward. If You Sanjie hadn't died, You Erjie would still have left her behind and entered the Rongguo Mansion.

　　In addition, starting today, we will be soliciting subscriptions for individual updates.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)