Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 126: Mrs. Xing is sick and Shi Xiangyun comes to the house

Miao'er stood up and continued to sob.

Madam Xing sighed, then glanced at Chen Siyuan sideways and said coldly, "She's ignorant, but you're educated!" Turning to Miao'er, she instructed, "Go outside and guard the door. I'll have a good talk with my brother!"

Miao'er agreed, and the quail seemed to go outside to guard.

As soon as she left, Chen Siyuan came over again. Seeing that Mrs. Xing was still frowning, he immediately said happily, "Just pretend for a while. Are you really taking it seriously?"

"Take your claws away!" Madam Xing snorted, looking at Chen Siyuan and saying, "I just talked to Third Sister for a long time, and I think what you said makes sense, but I'm just upset."

"What's wrong? Let me feel it—"

Snapped--

Mrs. Xing whipped him hard, but Chen Siyuan was shameless and came back to haunt her again. Mrs. Xing twisted her body a few times, and finally got what he wanted.

Madam Xing frowned and said, "I only have a little over a thousand taels of silver, and I still need her to help me... She has three thousand taels, so she must have made at least twelve hundred taels this way."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "So you're just jealous?"

"I'm just jealous. Why?"

Chen Siyuan played with her hand and said, "Isn't this simple? In a few days, the wives of the nobles will come to your house for a drink. You can spread the word privately. If you offer a 30% profit, people will surely come to you to ask for money. When you get the 10% profit for free, you can keep it for yourself."

"Really?" Mrs. Xing suddenly smiled like a flower.

Master Chen Siyuan also seemed to lie down in Madam Xing's arms and said slowly, "When did I ever coax you?"

Mrs. Xing giggled like a little fox. Come to think of it, if it weren't for that little thief, Third Sister's dowry would have taken who knows how long to save up. Thanks to that little thief, at least there's hope for the future.

Thinking of the child in her belly, Madam Xing hurriedly pushed Chen Siyuan away: "Get out of here! Who told you to press me?"

Chen Siyuan stumbled a few times and fell to the ground, his face full of grievance, saying: "Okay, you are destroying the bridge after crossing it!"

Madam Xing covered her mouth and smiled, "It's still early in the month, and it's still unstable. Get up quickly."

"I can't afford it."

"Are you still angry?"

"Ask yourself, I think of you everywhere, but do you think of me?"

Mrs. Xing thought about it briefly and felt embarrassed. She stood up and reached out to pull Chen Siyuan up, saying with an apologetic smile, "You're still arguing with him... He hasn't even landed yet."

After the two sat down side by side, Madam Xing said, "I don't know what's wrong with me lately. I've been feeling upset and can't get over it no matter how hard I try. I have to let it out to feel better, but after thinking about it, I don't think that's the right thing to do."

Yes, it’s pregnancy syndrome. The hormone levels fluctuate, so doesn’t that make you bad-tempered?
"Besides, I haven't walked much today, so my calves are probably swollen. Look, I even had my shoes ordered a size bigger."

As she spoke, Madam Xing lifted the hem of her skirt, revealing a pair of embroidered shoes. Chen Siyuan then lifted her legs onto his lap and began to massage them carefully, saying, "I've heard that pregnancy is often like this. While you're still young, walk around more after meals and don't eat too much, or the baby will be too big and difficult to deliver."

Madam Xing spat and said, "How come you know so much about women's affairs?"

"What do you say?"

Madam Xing thought he was deliberately eavesdropping, and though her lips were pursed, she couldn't hide her smile. She couldn't help but lean over and gently touch his cheek. After a moment's silence, she said, "You said you'd start with those old servants, but you don't know where to start?"

Chen Siyuan pondered, "We have it ready. How does Wu Jinzhong's New Year's gift compare to previous years? This man has been in charge of the Liaodong manor for decades, and I don't believe he's clean. If it were up to me, I'd just apprehend him first. Then, I'd lay out all the evidence in front of the old lady, and I'm sure she wouldn't be able to say anything."

Mrs. Xing immediately had an idea. The eight farms in Liaodong had an annual income of over ten thousand taels. If she truly controlled them, she would have at least eight hundred taels in filial piety alone, right?

"Then I'll tell the master about it when I get back."

Just as she was about to say more, she heard Miao'er outside say, "Madam, the third young lady is here."

Madam Xing was horrified and quickly retracted her legs, pushing Chen Siyuan to the ground. Chen Siyuan was at a loss for words and could only stand aside helplessly.

After a while, Third Sister Xing came in and saw that her eldest sister had an angry look on her face, while Chen Siyuan beside her lowered his head and said nothing.

Third Sister Xing blinked and came in and asked, "What's going on?"

Madam Xing said, "Don't worry, Third Sister. If I don't teach him a lesson today, I'm afraid he'll make mistakes tomorrow and become one of those ignorant young men who have no ambition."

Chen Siyuan bowed and said, "My nephew will remember your aunt's teachings and will not make the same mistake again in the future."

Madam Xing said, "My cousin only left you as his only child. If you don't become a useful person, how can I explain this to my cousin in my grave?"

Third Sister Xing hurriedly advised, "Sister, it's New Year's Day, let's relax for a few days." She winked at Chen Siyuan again and again, and Chen Siyuan hurriedly retreated.

When they got to the door, they saw Miao'er still standing there, so Chen Siyuan leaned over and whispered, "It's okay."

Miao'er stared at Chen Siyuan with her moist eyes and nodded repeatedly. She thought that Chen Siyuan had taken the blame, and she felt relieved.

They all said that Master Bao treated his subordinates well, but whenever something happened, the first one to run away was Master Bao. Unlike the young man in front of him, who was not only kind to himself, but also rushed to the front when something happened.

The fault was not in the wrong place, Miao'er wished he could hand himself over right now.

At the end of the afternoon, Xing Dequan finally staggered back. He found Chen Siyuan and muttered with great joy, "Uncle, I just went to Shuangta Temple. Guess what? Hey, today a girl from Xianqu Bookstore went to pay her respects there. I saw her from afar. She's truly stunning, a beauty of heaven. Tsk tsk, I heard that the lady teacher at that bookstore is most proud of her scholars. My nephew, study hard and write a poem someday so you can take me to see it."

Chen Siyuan just laughed it off.

At this time, the banquet was served all at once, and the four of them gathered in the main room again, eating and drinking well. It was almost mid-afternoon, and they returned to Rongguo Mansion before dark.

Seeing the Rongguo Mansion, Chen Siyuan turned his horse back to the left of the carriage, said something to Madam Xing, and immediately went to look for Xiangling.

After a while, they arrived at Siyanjing Hutong near the Tudi Temple in the outer city. Chen Siyuan got off his horse in front of a sanheyuan and knocked on the door.

A moment later, a maid opened the door and let Chen Siyuan in. She greeted him again, and Xiangling emerged from inside, lifting the curtains.

Seeing that it was indeed Chen Siyuan, he immediately said happily: "Master is here."

"Yeah. How's your mom?"

As they walked inside, Xiangling smiled and said, "Everything is fine. The doctor prescribed some warming and nourishing medicine before the New Year. He said that after a while of rest, everything will be fine."

As he was speaking, he walked inside and saw a little maid helping Zhen Fengshi take medicine.

When Zhen Feng saw Chen Siyuan, she quickly stood up to greet him. Chen Siyuan raised his hand and said, "Madam Zhen, there's no need to be so polite."

Xiangling took off Chen Siyuan's cloak and moved a chair over, so they sat down to talk. Zhen Fengshi saw that Xiangling's wife seemed to be serving them diligently all the time, and she felt uncomfortable.

But on second thought, if this person had not found out about her and had not been kind enough to send someone to escort Yinglian all the way south to look for her, how could the mother and daughter have been reunited?
Although the Zhen family is a distant branch of the Jinling Zhen family, it is also considered to be somewhat prominent. Previously, Zhen Fengshi had hoped that Chen Siyuan would marry her daughter off in a formal ceremony, but today, when she heard that Yinglian had given herself up early, she immediately lost hope.

Well, my daughter has her own luck. One day, she will be your concubine. If she gets the chance, maybe she can be promoted to your wife.

Chen Siyuan asked a few questions and seeing that it was getting late, he took Xiangling back.

After the two of them left the courtyard, Chen Siyuan took the reins and looked around. "Let's go a little further. I wonder if we can run into anyone renting a carriage or sedan chair... How did you get here?"

Xiangling wrapped herself in a rat-skin coat and said with a smile, "Xun Yuliu slipped a dime into the driver's pocket and sent me here." After a pause, she added, "Didn't you come here on horseback? Why don't we ride back together?"

"Okay."

Chen Siyuan agreed and immediately helped Xiangling onto the horse. He then climbed on top himself, holding Xiangling in his arms. He urged the horse slightly and headed towards the inner city amid Xiangling's exclamations.

There were only two stirrups on each side, leaving Xiangling with nowhere to rest her legs, so she pulled the horse's mane tightly and pressed her body against Chen Siyuan's chest. As they exited the alley and turned onto the street, Chen Siyuan, feeling playful, urged the horse even faster, causing Xiangling to exclaim in surprise.

Fortunately, it was already dark, otherwise he would have been scolded by that corrupt scholar for being disrespectful. After entering the inner city, Chen Siyuan rode slowly and said to Xiangling, "Did your mother see through it?"

Xiangling tilted her head to glance at Chen Siyuan and whispered, "I told her myself."

Chen Siyuan said, "Tsk, I imagine your mother must be beating her chest and sighing."

Xiangling chuckled and said, "No, although Mom was a little disappointed, she didn't say anything else. Besides, Master treats me very well, and I am willing to be your concubine."

What a nice girl! Chen Siyuan tightened his arms, and when no one was around, he tapped her earlobe, then urged his horse on.

They returned to Rongguo Mansion in a moment. They went through the corner gate and the alley to return home. As soon as they entered, Yunxiang came to greet them.

"Grandpa, grandpa, today the Madam, the Concubine, the Grandmother Zhu, and the Second Madam have all sent their invitations. Starting from the sixth day of the New Year, the Madam will be the host first, followed by the Concubine, the Grandmother Zhu, and the Second Madam."

Returning to one's parents' home on the second day of the Lunar New Year was a custom established by Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty, and has been passed down for centuries. Starting on the third day of the Lunar New Year, relatives began to visit each other. On the third and fourth days, Jia She and Jia Zheng were required to visit the homes of the four princes, while the remaining six dukes and colleagues were reserved for the younger generation.

Chen Siyuan agreed with a smile, and when he entered, Hongyu brought the invitation to him.

At a glance, Mrs. Wang's banquet was scheduled for the night of the seventh day, Mrs. Xing's for the sixth day, Li Wan's for the eighth day, and Sister Feng's for the ninth day.

Just after putting down the invitation, Hongyu said, "I heard earlier that the Shi family will come on the fifth day of the first lunar month, and Miss Yun will also come at that time. This time, I will wait until the fifteenth day before returning to the Baoling Marquis Mansion."

Miss Yun? Shi Xiangyun?
Chen Siyuan was fascinated. He had seen Chai and Dai, but he didn't know how charming Shi Xiangyun was.

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

East Cross Courtyard.

Mrs. Xing, having heard Chen Siyuan's advice, felt uneasy. She had returned to the East Wing for a long time, but hadn't seen Jia She return. She sent someone to snoop around, only to discover that an official from the Fifth Army had come to visit, and Master Jia She, in his joy, had allowed him to admire his private collection of fans.

It was almost dinner time when Jia She returned leisurely.

How could Mrs. Xing still be so depressed? Listening to Jia She's rambling about what was happening outside, she couldn't help but grumble, "Master, that New Year's gift from Wu Jinzhong this time...why doesn't it look right?"

"Not right?" Jia She snorted coldly, "That old fellow has been in charge of the farm for decades, and when has he ever been right? This was the number for the first twenty years. How much land has been reclaimed in recent years? How could it still be this number? Forget it. If I'm not deaf or dumb, I won't be a patriarch. I'll just make ends meet."

Mrs. Xing immediately became concerned and said, "We can't just let it go like this. I heard that old man Wu Jinzhong has been giving gifts to the Lai family privately, some of which are worth several hundred taels. The master is the eldest son and has inherited the title, so why hasn't he presented any gifts?"

Jia She sneered, "Just wait and see. Now that the old lady is still around, these servants think they have something to rely on. To put it bluntly, can the old lady still protect them forever?"

Madam Xing pondered, "Master, I'm not being nosy. The people below are aware of what Wu Jinzhong is like. We're being so careless and pretending we don't know. Master, do you think the people below will follow suit?"

"What can I do? I wanted to change the village head several years ago, but I just can't get past the old lady."

Madam Xing offered a suggestion, "Master, why don't you find someone to investigate the matter in Liaodong? Once you've got evidence, go straight to the government office and file a complaint against the servant for allegedly bullying his master. Then, bring all the facts back before Old Madam. What can Old Madam do then?"

Jia She remained silent, his mind already churning. He pondered for a moment: his own son, Jia Lian, was a playboy by nature. He would complain bitterly about a trip to Ping'an Prefecture, so why would he want to endure hardship in Liaodong? His remaining nephew, Chen Siyuan, was a man of great potential, but he had to attend the Imperial College after the age of fifteen.

Jia She frowned and said, "I don't have any capable people. If I send my servants to investigate, they might be bribed."

Madam Xing said, "Master, please don't forget Yun'er."

"Brother Yun...Jia Yun?" Jia She blinked and thought to himself that this man was a suitable one.

Since he had been assigned the task of buying flowers and trees, Jia Yun had been truly dedicated to his work. Even before the New Year, without Jia She's instructions, he had already sent a fan from the Ming Dynasty. More importantly, the accounts were kept clear, without a single mistake or omission.

This man was a descendant of the Jia family's illegitimate branch. His family was poor. I heard that his mother had to rely on washing clothes for others to support him in his early years.

"Jia Yun is quite good, but what good is he on his own?" Madam Xing said with a smile, "Yuan'er has made a few friends. They were originally soldiers in the Western Expedition Army, and one of them is even a sentry. Master, please hire an accountant and let Yun'er lead him. With those people as guards, this thing will be done, right? Wu Jinzhong won't be back until the 15th. Let's let Yun'er ride a fast horse ahead. Who knows, by the time Wu Jinzhong arrives in Liaodong, the accounts will have been thoroughly checked!"

"Yes!" Jia She clapped his hands and jumped for joy. Then he thought about it and it seemed wrong. He glanced at Mrs. Xing suspiciously and asked tentatively, "Was it Brother Yuan'er's idea?"

Madam Xing smiled wryly and said, "Can't this be my own idea?"

"You?" Jia She said disdainfully, "You've already had this idea. You would have come up with it long ago!"

Mrs. Xing was choked and immediately became very angry.

Then Jia She stood up and paced back and forth with his hands behind his back. The more he thought about it, the more he thought it was right. He immediately called a maid and said, "Come, send a boy to call Yun'er! Oh, and ask Yuan'er to come too!"

Mrs. Xing said, "Master, why don't you call him tomorrow? It's just time for dinner now."

Jia She waved his hand and said, "What do you know? This matter should be dealt with urgently."

A little later, Chen Siyuan arrived first. Jia She greeted him warmly and privately mentioned to Chen Siyuan the matter of going to Liaodong to check the accounts. He naturally agreed with Chen Siyuan's idea.

He then said, "My uncle is filial, but he can't always obey the old lady. The people below are corrupt and demand bribes, and more than half of the mansion's expenses go to supporting the servants. They are still not satisfied, so shouldn't we investigate them strictly? Yun'er is careful and handles things properly. My uncle has promised him a bright future, and this trip will surely be a success."

"That makes sense." The more Jia She pondered, the more he felt it was right, and he couldn't help but think more highly of Chen Siyuan. Seeing that the maid only served ordinary Lu'an tea, he immediately became annoyed and slammed the table, saying, "How can we serve Lu'an tea to Brother Yuan? Go get my newly acquired Wuyi black tea!"

The maid hurriedly changed the tea, and half an hour later, Jia Yun hurried over. He was initially puzzled by the master's sudden summons, but was slightly relieved when he saw Chen Siyuan was there too.

After greeting him respectfully, Jia She told him to take a seat and briefly mentioned the matters concerning the villa for the imperial visit. Suddenly, he changed the subject and said, "Brother Yun has done a good job. I was just about to send him on a mission."

Jia Yun quickly turned to look at Chen Siyuan. Seeing him nod implicitly, he quickly stood up and bowed, "Master, please give your orders."

"Alright! Go to Liaodong in the next two days. Take my business card, my accountant, and my guards. Check the accounts of the eight estates in your family carefully... Well, especially Wu Jinzhong's property. You must check it thoroughly. If there is any corruption or abuse of power, go straight to the local government and have those dishonest servants locked up!"

Jia Yun was horrified and didn't know whether he should agree or not.

But Jia She continued, "If you can do it well, you can donate money to become a student in the future. Then I can find a future for you by doing some traveling."

Jia Yun was immediately overjoyed! Had he married Chen Siyuan just to make a living? Now that the master had promised, if a student donated money to become an official, he could at least secure a career as an eighth or ninth rank official, and perhaps even a sixth rank official if he persevered.

With such a future, at least I can build a family business. What else can I ask for?

Jia Yun immediately responded solemnly, "Yes, nephew, I will check the accounts carefully. If even a penny is missing, Master will hold nephew accountable!"

"Okay! Remember not to make this public." After a pause, Jia She continued, "I will go find two accountants tomorrow. You will leave on the fourth... fifth... sixth at the latest. You must check the accounts before Wu Jinzhong returns."

"Yes."

After the plan was finalized, Jia She tried again and then sent Jia Yun back.

Afterwards, he said to Chen Siyuan, "Are those friends of yours reliable?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "She's quite skilled, and she's just settled down in the capital... Oh, the other two haven't been found yet. My uncle will pick the older maids and send them over. I'm sure they'll remember our kindness."

Jia She stroked his beard and smiled, "Brother, this is a good idea." With this calculation, he could save money by giving the two maids who were of age.

After careful consideration, Jia She couldn't help but feel proud and eager to do something big.

On the third and fourth days of the Lunar New Year, Jia She and Jia Zheng took their wives to visit the four royal families. Apart from Jia Yun's arrival early on the third morning to deliver a New Year's gift, Chen Siyuan had nothing else to do. He first went to the outer city to find his three good brothers and told them about escorting Jia Yun.

The three brothers now lived in a small house near Anhua Temple, tending to the vegetables on their few acres of land. They were really bored. When they heard that there was a job, they naturally accepted it without hesitation.

Afterwards, Chen Siyuan went to Liulichang again. Thinking that all the sisters in Rongguo Mansion would celebrate their birthdays in the spring, he carved some clay figures and planned to find a place to burn them into porcelain ornaments.

On the fifth day of the first lunar month, the maidservant Yunxiang, who had transformed herself into a gospel-telling god, came running in just after noon, saying, "Master, Master, Miss Yun has entered the mansion. I heard she went to Rongqing Hall with the wives of the Marquis of Baoling and the Marquis of Zhongjing."

Chen Siyuan said, "I see," but he didn't go to Rongqing Hall to observe. It wasn't until the afternoon of that day, when Rongqing Hall hosted a banquet for Marquis Zhongjing and Marquis Baoling, that Chen Siyuan went forward.

Rongqing Hall was slightly more cramped than Rongxi Hall, and this time there was a screen between them, so Chen Siyuan only met the two marquises of the Shi family. As for Shi Xiangyun, he only heard of her voice but never saw her in person.

Chen Siyuan didn't force it, thinking that Xiangyun was younger than Tanchun at the moment, and she might not have grown up yet, so what was there to see?
The next day was the sixth day of the Lunar New Year. Mrs. Xing was entertaining guests, and Chen Siyuan naturally wanted to help. Six tables were set up in the east wing, but seeing that there wasn't enough space, they set up another table in the side room.

In addition to the four kings and eight dukes, there were also Jia She's subordinates, old friends and younger generations. The male guests and female family members were separated from each other, and the table in the side room was specially used to entertain the younger generation of the family.

Chen Siyuan worked hard for a while, and when he saw that the banquet was ready, he came to report to Madam Xing. Madam Xing also understood the situation and said with a smile, "You should go to the side room to have some wine and food, and keep an eye on them to prevent them from making trouble again."

Chen Siyuan was immediately delighted. This move clearly made it easier for him to spend time with Daiyu. Although they weren't alone, at least they could see each other.

Without saying anything else, Chen Siyuan went to the side room.

Entering, they saw that the banquet had already begun, and next to Baochai sat a young girl whom they did not know. She was wearing a bright red satin jacket with a front opening, decorated with multicolored flowers, a white cross-collared jacket underneath, and a long pink skirt.

He had round eyes, an oval face, a high nose bridge, and a rather hard facial structure. Even when he sat down, he was an inch taller than Tanchun who was sitting next to him. When he stood up, it was even more impressive, as he looked almost three inches taller than Tanchun.

Its body shape is like a bee waist, a monkey back, crane posture and mantis shape, especially its long legs, which make it a natural clothes rack.

Tanchun nudged the little girl with her elbow and said with a smile, "Here he comes! This is the brother Yuan I was talking about."

Xiangyun took one look at Chen Siyuan and immediately felt that his face was amiable. She smiled, revealing her missing front teeth and canine fangs, and bowed from a distance: "Greetings, Brother Yuan!"

Chen Siyuan bowed and greeted all the sisters before looking at Xiangyun: "Are you the sister of the Shi family?"

Shi Xiangyun said cheerfully, "Brother Yuan, just call me Xiangyun. Yesterday, I heard Third Sister praising him so much, and the poetry was so inspiring. I was wondering where Brother Yuan was from, but when I saw him today, I found out he was just a scholar. Hehehe——"

Baochai laughed and said, "So, Miss Yun thinks... that meeting someone is not as good as hearing about them?"

"No way! It's just a little unexpected."

Yingchun then called out, "Brother Yuan, please come and sit down."

"Okay." Chen Siyuan glanced at Yingchun with a smile. Not knowing what the second lady was thinking, he quickly lowered his head and dared not look at her again.

As he sat down, Shi Xiangyun said, "Why didn't you see Brother Yuan yesterday? I had a great time playing with Brother Bao, my elder sister, and my younger sister—" As she spoke, she held her chopsticks in one hand and counted with her fingers on the other: "—rolling dice, playing backgammon, and writing couplets. Yes, yes, we even went to the back to pull out an ice bed."

An ice bed is just a large ice cart, but instead of sliding on it yourself using ice picks, it is pulled by a group of servants, which saves a lot of effort.

Without waiting for Chen Siyuan to reply, Tanchun said, "Brother Yuan needs to review his studies. After the 15th he will go to the Imperial College to study."

"So that's how it is," Xiangyun continued. "Yes, everyone said that Brother Yuan had chosen names for everyone, but I happened to be away at the time, so I missed it. And, I saw that Second Sister, Third Sister, Bao Sister, Sister Lin, and Fourth Sister all had porcelain maids, but why didn't I have one?"

Daiyu rolled her eyes and said, "It's only been a short while since we last met, and you can't tell who's the elder sister and who's the younger sister?"

Xiangyun snorted at Daiyu and said, "We compared yesterday. I'm taller than you. You are the younger sister, Sister Lin!"

Yingchun laughed and said, "You call Tanchun Third Sister and Sister Lin, and yet Tanchun calls you Sister Lin. Isn't this a mess?"

Xiangyun smiled and said, "You guys mess around, I know what's going on."

Everyone burst into laughter again.

The little girl was cute and innocent. Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Yes, of course. I'll give it to Sister Yun in a few days. As for choosing a name - how about Qian? Qianqian, bright green feathers, and the silver river."

"Qian" means flourishing vegetation. When used in a person's name, it implies that the person is full of vitality.

Xiangyun was delighted to hear this and clapped her hands in praise, saying, "This is good! It's much better than the word 'rong'."

Xichun said, "It's strange. Every time Sister Yun comes, she always frowns at Sister Lin."

Tanchun laughed and said, "They've been like this since they were little. How come Fourth Sister hasn't gotten used to it yet?"

Chen Siyuan took a quick look and said, "Why don't I see Brother Bao?"

Yingchun, who was standing by, said, "She was called to meet the female elders."

Chen Siyuan thought to himself, this might be a sign of some attraction. Mrs. Wang was also interesting. Before Yuanchun was crowned as a concubine, she looked down on Daiyu. After Yuanchun was crowned as a concubine, she even looked down on Baochai.

As for the fact that Shi Xiangyun had always been competing with Daiyu, it was probably because Shi Xiangyun had been kept in Lady Jia's room before. Once Daiyu came, she had to return to the Baolinghou Mansion because she had some resentment in her heart.

After glancing at Daiyu and seeing that she didn't care, Chen Siyuan felt relieved.

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

In the main room, there is a screen as a partition, one side is for male guests and the other side is for female guests.

Mrs. Wang had been dragging Baoyu along with her to answer questions with the other women. Seeing Baoyu scratching his head, she said, "This devil of a man is just like me. He still hasn't grown up. Well, go find your sisters and have something to eat and drink."

Baoyu was as if pardoned. He said goodbye to everyone with a smile, turned around and left in a hurry.

Several female members of the family naturally praised Baoyu. Then they turned around and saw their host, Mrs. Xing, coming. Seeing her protruding belly, they immediately went forward to greet her.

Mrs. Xing was now in a state of grace, and even pretended to be shy as she said, "Who would have thought that after being quiet for the past few years, you would be here at this age."

A female relative said, "It's a blessing. I heard it was obtained from the Niangniang Temple?"

Another female member of the family said, "The Miaofeng Mountain Niangniang Temple is the most effective, especially if you plant some purple bamboo after praying. There will definitely be good news in the future."

Another female relative said, "It would be great if it was a boy, as it would give us hope for the future. Don't be like me, as I have four girls in a row."

As they chatted and laughed, Mrs. Xing replied while secretly observing Mrs. Wang. Seeing Mrs. Wang leading the maid to change clothes, Mrs. Xing hurriedly said, "Oh, leave me alone. I'm going to change clothes too."

Then he followed Mrs. Wang and went to the west wing.

When they reached the door of the wing room, Madam Xing called out, "Sister-in-law, I'm looking for you for something."

Madam Wang stopped, turned around and asked in surprise, "Sister-in-law, is there something wrong?"

Madam Xing lowered her voice and said, "Isn't it the business that Brother Yuan started? He insisted on getting involved for a thousand taels. My sister-in-law knows I'm not well off. I only have fifteen hundred taels. If you find it useful, why don't we join forces and get involved a little bit?"

Mrs. Wang naturally had no shortage of money, but what she was curious about was what Mrs. Xing was planning.

While he was thinking, he heard Madam Xing say again, "It seems that we, the masters, are not as good as the ones in charge."

"What do you mean, sister-in-law?"

Madam Xing said, "Sister-in-law, don't you know? Wu Jinzhong just sent the New Year's gift, and the next day he sent several hundred taels of silver and other valuables to the Lai family. Tsk tsk, I don't know who is the master now."

These two were both old servants of the Jia family, so Madame Wang naturally disliked them and frowned, saying, "That's a little inappropriate."

Madam Xing glanced around, then leaned over and whispered, "In my opinion, the servants in this house shouldn't be too pampered. Otherwise, if they get into trouble outside, won't it be blamed on our family? The old lady is kind, I don't interfere, and my sister-in-law is a vegetarian and a Buddhist. But the subordinates are acting recklessly and have ruined the Jia family's reputation for no reason."

Mrs. Wang became even more suspicious and couldn't figure out what Mrs. Xing meant.

Mrs. Xing was anxious, but there were some things she couldn't say directly. After a brief thought, she gritted her teeth and said simply, "Sister-in-law, you don't know, but the master has sent people to the Liaodong farm to check the accounts today."

Mrs. Wang blinked and finally understood what Mrs. Xing meant... They were going to join hands to cut off the old lady's left and right arms. This was a good thing!
Although she didn't know why Madam Xing had changed her mind, Madam Wang was pleased to see it happen. She said solemnly, "We should investigate! If we can't find anything, that's fine. But if we do find out they're indeed cunning, my sister-in-law and I will go to the old lady one day and drive these rebellious servants out of the house!"

(End of this chapter)