Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 129: Make a name for yourself early

Chen Siyuan held her hands tightly and said, "You can hide it for a while, but do you think you can hide it forever?"

Third Sister You huffed, "It's better to keep it a secret for a while. Anyway, I don't want to see them these days."

Chen Siyuan agreed with a smile, but secretly thought that sooner or later he would have to fight with Old Lady You over this matter.

Chen Siyuan was about to go find a human trafficker and buy some things, but Third Sister You said, "You've been busy all morning, why don't you sit down and rest for a while."

Take a break? Then take a break.

Since the two of them had been intimate once, they had been enjoying it endlessly. Third Sister Yu was a bold and aggressive woman, even bolder than the maids Miao'er and Tiao'er, and now she was completely obsessed with Chen Siyuan. She was afraid that Chen Siyuan would take her body at the slightest sign of affection.

Chen Siyuan thought that Third Sister You was helpless at the moment, and if he wanted to kill her now, it would be like taking advantage of her misfortune, so he endured it for the time being.

At noon that day, the two of them came out of the courtyard and ate a little at a shop in front. Then Chen Siyuan went to the outer city's Dazhalan.

First, he bought a large cart of food, clothing and daily necessities, and then ordered a cart of coal briquettes. Then he found a human trafficker and paid thirty taels of silver to buy a maid who was a little over ten years old. He also picked out two women in their forties and hired them to do chores. He was busy for most of the day and only returned to Xiaohuazhi Lane near dark.

There were two carts full of various things, and the coal briquettes were simply piled next to the ear room. Two maids were busy back and forth, placing bedding, spittoons, toilets, rice, flour, grain, oil, and various foods all at once, and a little maid was diligently cleaning the place.

Third Sister You ran back and forth, pointing and giving orders, her heart leaping with joy. The You family was poor, and she and Second Sister You shared a little maid, and she had never had her own maid since she was a child.

After consulting Chen Siyuan, he named himself Chunxi based on the appearance of the little maid.

There were maids from the neighborhood lingering in front of the door, tentatively trying to strike up a conversation with the new woman, and Third Sister You would smile and go forward to answer. The maid would occasionally glance at Chen Siyuan, thinking the girl in front of her was someone else's concubine.

Third Sister You, however, was completely unconcerned. She smiled and answered a few questions, then happily approached Chen Siyuan and said, "Brother Yuan, Aunt Jiang lives at the end of the alley. She has a rice shop at home. I've agreed with her that I'll buy rice and flour from her from now on."

"Just make your own decision." Chen Siyuan pulled You Sanjie into the main room, took out two hundred taels of silver notes from his sleeve, and stuffed them directly into You Sanjie's hand: "Take these silver notes, sister, and exchange them for silver when you have time. Yes, the two maids' monthly allowance is two strings, which covers their food, clothing, and clothes for all seasons. The regular reward is set for half a year.

Chunxi was purchased, and my sister can decide the monthly allowance herself."

"Yes." Third Sister You did not refuse and accepted it generously. In her heart, she had already considered herself Chen Siyuan's woman.

Chen Siyuan pondered for a moment, then said, "I'll be going to the Imperial College in a few days, so I might not be able to visit you for three or five days. I see there's a bookstore on the street, so you might want to rent some storybooks to pass the time." He paused, then said, "I'll find a business later, and maybe I'll leave it to you to manage."

Third Sister You was immediately delighted and said, "Brother Yuan wants to buy a shop? Preferably a silk and satin shop, then I can help out."

Chen Siyuan held her in his arms and whispered, "It's hard to say for now. Sister, learn more about accounting. Who knows, it might be useful someday."

Third Sister You immediately became interested, thinking that Old Lady You knew a widow named Dou, who had opened more than a dozen cloth shops in various places in Zhili and managed them in an orderly manner. Maybe she could go to her house and learn a thing or two from her, which would also help Brother Yuan.

After everything was done and it was getting late, Chen Siyuan was about to return to Rongguo Mansion. Third Sister You's eyes were filled with reluctance, and she leaned against his chest and said, "Why don't you stay here today?"

Chen Siyuan rubbed her cheek and said, "We'll be together for a long time, there's no need to rush...why not wait until my sister gets married?"

Third Sister You felt slightly disappointed, and after a moment she said, "I had wanted to fight for that status, but I'm from a humble family, how can I compare to Miss Lin? Mother and I have argued several times, and although I spoke stubbornly, I was clear-headed. With my family background and little dowry, I can only marry a poor scholar like that at best. If I don't accept my fate, I'm afraid I'll end up being someone's concubine."

As she spoke, she turned and took a half step back, looking up at Chen Siyuan and saying, "Since that's the case, I might as well be Brother Yuan's concubine. If you have me in your heart, even if you don't welcome me into your family, you can just be a concubine. If you pity me, you can take me in as your wife. I can't compete for that useless position, so I don't want to fight for it."

Chen Siyuan was no ordinary person, so he was naturally moved. But even though he was moved, he had a clear mind. Marriage is about matching social status, so Chen Siyuan naturally wanted to find a suitable match, hoping to gain support from his wife's family. Therefore, Third Sister You was clearly unsuitable to be the principal wife.

He had intended to be careful not to reveal it the next day, but Third Sister You had already figured it out herself. Chen Siyuan couldn't help but feel a little pity for her, and lingered with Third Sister You for a long time before reluctantly returning to the Rongguo Mansion.

As soon as she returned to her own courtyard, Hongyu said, "Where has the master gone? He hasn't been seen all day. The eldest lady sent Miao'er to look for him several times, but Miao just sat there for a long time before leaving." After a pause, she continued, "Wang Shanbao and Siqi also came once, but they left when they saw that the master was not there."

Chen Siyuan nodded, thinking that Wang Shanbao and Siqi were certainly grateful for what happened yesterday. And Madam Xing... Oh, yes, it must be because of the maritime trade.

Mrs. Xing was not a cunning person at all. She was extremely anxious about everything. I guess she had made a lot of money, so she sent someone to find him to settle the score?
It was already dark, so Chen Siyuan couldn't go to the East Cross Courtyard. He rested well for the night and went to the East Cross Courtyard early the next morning.

As soon as they passed through the three-tiered ceremonial gate, Wang Shanbao, the family's guardian, was waiting. Seeing Chen Siyuan, his face trembled. He leaned over and whispered, "Thanks to you, brother, for what you did the other day. Our family is grateful for your kindness. You are capable, and we don't know how to repay you... If you have any requests in the future, just tell me, and I will see to it."

Just listen to this. Even Madam Xing was wary of this old woman, so how could Chen Siyuan believe it? He just said, "Madam, you've confused me. What happened the other day?"

Wang Shanbao was startled, then said gratefully, "Nothing, nothing. Master, go find the mistress."

As Chen Siyuan entered the courtyard, he felt someone watching him. Turning his head, he saw a tall, plump figure standing behind the west wing window—Siqi. The girl bit her lower lip, staring intently at him. Chen Siyuan vaguely caught a glimpse of the second young lady, Yingchun, approaching, and quickly averted his gaze, striding quickly back to the main room.

As soon as he entered, he heard Madam Xing excitedly talking about maritime trade. It turned out that the wife of the Marquis of Jinxiang had come yesterday, pressed three thousand taels of gold into her pocket, and begged Madam Xing to allow her to get involved because of their past friendship.

Mrs. Xing pretended to be hesitant, but finally agreed. She was a second wife, and had no face in the East Wing Courtyard, let alone outside. Now that the lady of the Bo family was deliberately making friends with her and was on equal terms with her sisters, Mrs. Xing was naturally very proud and eager to spread the word.

After a long and rambling conversation, Madam Xing finally sent Miao'er, Tiao'er, Wang Shanbao's wife, and Mrs. Fei away. She then said to Chen Siyuan privately, "We've collected nearly twenty-five thousand taels now, so we'll have two thousand five hundred taels if we just pass them along. I'll keep one thousand taels for August. It's not easy for you, and you might have to spend more later."

A mere 1,500 taels of silver—in the past, when Chen Siyuan was swindling people, he could have gotten that much by pretending to be a young master. But now, with a fake like the crow turning into a phoenix, and backed by a top dignitary like the Prince of Yanping, how could he care less about such a small amount of money?

Yin Shi smiled and said, "Just keep it for yourself."

Mrs. Xing was immediately moved, but she frowned and said, "Take what's yours. Although I'm short of money, I can't just take it from you."

Seeing Mrs. Xing's sincere affection, Chen Siyuan thought for a moment and said, "Let's talk about it later. Maybe in a few months I'll set up a business. You can put some money aside as shares. The dividends alone will be enough for you to enjoy in the future."

Mrs. Xing hurriedly inquired about his business, but Chen Siyuan simply smiled and said nothing. She assumed he was just making this up. Mrs. Xing gritted her teeth, but she couldn't get angry. Thinking about it, even though she'd been tricked by the little thief that day, she didn't harbor any resentment. Instead, her heart was half on the child in her arms, and half on the little thief before her.

It's really weird!

Seeing his lazy look, Mrs. Xing recalled the time when they stayed overnight at Nanzhuang after burning incense, and she suddenly felt itchy. But she was also concerned about the child in her arms, so she sent Chen Siyuan away.

It was past midnight and the daylight was just right. Chen Siyuan didn't dare delay any longer and went straight to the stable in front to borrow a horse and headed towards the Xianqu Book House.

As luck would have it, he had just taken his horse and was chatting with the doorman Yu Liu when he saw Jia Lian leading two servants towards him.

Seeing Chen Siyuan leading the horse, Jia Lian was startled for a moment, then smiled and bowed from a distance, saying, "Where are you going, Brother Yuan?"

Chen Siyuan returned the greeting, saying, "When you're too quiet, you want to move. Since the daylight is just right today, why not go for a stroll outside the city?"

Jia Lian came closer and said, "It's a pity that I can't go with Brother Yuan... I was just about to go to a banquet today at the invitation of a friend."

"What a pity. How about tomorrow?"

"Okay, let's get together again tomorrow, brothers."

The two of them exchanged a warm greeting. Chen Siyuan led his horse out of the corner gate, mounted his horse, urged it forward, and headed straight for the outer city.

The Xianqu Book House was located near the Goldfish Pond. Although Shichahai was flourishing at that time, the Goldfish Pond had never dried up.

There are green willows planted near the goldfish pond, and there are pavilions and towers built by dignitaries. There is a fish pond in the garden, and cruise ships and pleasure boats are available on it. It is a first-class place to go in spring and summer.

Unfamiliar with the route, Chen Siyuan searched several times for help, finally finding the Goldfish Pond north of the Temple of Heaven. Sizing it up from a distance, he saw the pond was indeed dozens of acres wide, dotted with verdant willows, lined with pavilions and terraces, and moored with pleasure boats and pleasure craft.

The vast garden beside the goldfish pond is the destination of this trip - Xianqu Academy.

Chen Siyuan, eager to make a name for himself, had carefully reviewed the venue. He'd heard that most of the people who frequented it were high-ranking officials and renowned scholars. Ordinary wealthy individuals were not welcome. They were only allowed in if they had a recommendation from three regular customers or if they had written a poem that caught the eye of the female teacher.

All expenses are free of charge. If you succeed in hooking up with a female teacher, the owner will give you a generous dowry. Because all year round, especially when the imperial examinations are approaching, there are always candidates who are proud of their talents and come here to try their luck.

Chen Siyuan thought to himself that this was a lucky opportunity for him, but he didn't know what lyrics the female teacher would ask him to write.

He urged his horse to go around the goldfish pond and soon arrived near the garden. Chen Siyuan dismounted, found a hitching post to tie the horse, shook off the wrinkles on his clothes, walked with his head held high, and in a moment he arrived at the garden gate.

Looking up, I saw a plaque on the door with the words "leisure and fun" written on it. I don't know which famous artist wrote this. There was also the melodious sound of stringed instruments inside. It was indeed a first-class place.

Chen Siyuan went forward and knocked on the door. It opened slightly, revealing a young maidservant, about ten years old. The maid glanced at him and said with a smile, "Sir, do you want to compose a poem?"

"good."

With a creak, the door opened and the maid invited, "Sir, please sit in the hall for a while. I will go and ask the teacher to give me some questions."

Chen Siyuan agreed and followed the maid into the back room on the side. After he sat down, he was served fragrant tea.

Chen Siyuan sat idle for a while when the little maid returned with a piece of paper. She handed it to Chen Siyuan with a smile and said, "Master Lingyun was the one who rushed to write this today. Young Master, please think about it while I grind the ink for you."

Chen Siyuan took the paper and saw the beautiful handwriting on it. It read: "My old friend has taken up a post in Liaodong, and I am filled with melancholy. Please write a poem for me. The poem is not limited to any other words. Please write the word 'sound'."

Rhyming and phonetic characters?
Chen Siyuan frowned, pondering. The servant girl was incredibly obedient, grinding silently, not daring to make a sound to disturb her. After a moment, the ink was ground and the brush was placed on the pen holder.

Chen Siyuan made up his mind and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. He picked up the brush, dipped it in thick ink, and started writing. In a moment, his pen flew and a poem of longing was completed.

The little maidservant stood aside, looking down and observing. When Chen Siyuan finished writing, she couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, "Young Master, you have great talent!"

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "It's just an occasional gain."

The little maid smiled but said nothing. She leaned over and carefully blew the ink dry. Then she held it in her hands and said with a smile, "Not to mention Master Lingyun, once this poem comes out, even Master Jinyun and Master Jiangyue will be eager to see you. Please wait a moment, I'll be right back!"

Hongliuzhai.

The little maidservant turned around the screen holding a poem, raised her eyes and glanced around, she saw Mr. Jinyun playing the piano and singing on the high platform, the male guest on the left was listening to him with fascination, and on the right side, Master Lingyun was whispering with Mr. Jiang Yue.

The Hong Liao Zhai was a traditional room, with straw mats spread on the floor and a few tables set up, behind which everyone sat cross-legged. A small maid took small steps behind Ling Yun and whispered, "Master Ling Yun, that young man has composed a poem."

Na Lingyun wore a patchwork Taoist robe, a lotus crown on her head, and a whisk at her side. Her face looked no more than twenty years old, her complexion smooth and radiant, her figure naturally alluring, unadorned by makeup. She was graceful and elegant, never bothered by cosmetics, possessing a calm and graceful spirit. Her eyebrows resembled distant mountains, her eyes like autumn water.

He truly is a person who has acquired all the talents and wisdom in one person.

Jiang Yue, standing beside her, was not bad looking, but lacked a certain charm. Without waiting for Ling Yun to reply, Jiang Yue reached out and snatched the poem away, saying with a smile, "Let me take a look first, so as not to pollute the Master's eyes."

He then lowered his head and looked at it with a smile. He was startled and puzzled after just one glance, and then he muttered in a low voice:

One step up the mountain, one step down the water, heading towards the bank of Yuguan.

Late at night, there are thousands of tent lights.

The wind changes and the snow changes, shattering the homesickness and dreams.

There is no such sound in my hometown.

"

Lingyun was about to raise her glass to drown her sorrows, but upon hearing these words, her glass paused. Just then, the zither stopped, and the men to her left clapped their hands in praise. Some said, "The lingering sound lingers in the air," while others exclaimed, "How often can we hear it in this world?" Jinyun ordered the maid to put away the zither, stood up, and said with a smile, "It's just a casual song, how can it deserve such praise? If you don't believe me, just look at Sister Jiangyue and Master Lingyun, they haven't uttered a word."

As they were talking, Jin Yun came over gracefully, took a glance, and said, "Which talented scholar has submitted a poem again?"

Jiang Yue smiled and said, "I think Zhenzhen is really talented this time. Sister, take a look."

Jinyun took it with a smile, glanced at it, and was indeed surprised.

At this moment, the young man with peach blossom eyes on the left wing smiled and said, "Mr. Jin, this is not good. Why don't you read it out loud so that we can open our eyes together?"

"Okay." Jinyun responded and began to recite in her crisp little voice.

Talent is something that cannot be seen or touched, but when it is written on paper, it is like a needle in a bag, which can be seen at a glance!
After the recitation, the three men were at a loss for words. Jinyun handed the poem back to Master Lingyun and said with a smile, "Well, Master Lian, can you tell me if this poem is talented?"

Jia Lian smiled and pondered. Chen Yejun beside him said, "I am ashamed of myself for not being able to match such talent."

Today's host was Han Qi, the son of the Jinxiang Marquis's family. He was a bit older, so he said with a smile, "I'm afraid Lian Er is not convinced. Why don't you write a poem to open the eyes of the ladies?"

Jia Lian smiled and waved his hand, "If I had that kind of talent, why would I have waited until now to show it? I suppose this poem of longing has caught the eye of the two gentlemen."

Jiang Yue said, "Of course I want to meet him, but since it was Master Lingyun who set the question, I think it's Master Lingyun who has to make the decision."

After the words fell, everyone looked at the nun Lingyun. Lingyun seemed to be still savoring the charm of the words. After a while, she said, "Why not invite him over?"

Jinyun sat down and said to the little maid, "Master Lingyun is as good as a bookshop. Now that you've heard about it, why don't you invite her over?"

The little maid bowed and responded, then hurried to the front to invite him.

Chen Siyuan was drinking a cup of tea in the back hall, bored to death, when he heard footsteps approaching. The maid had indeed returned. She bowed and said with a smile, "Young Master is incredibly talented. Both Jinyun and Jiangyue have spoken highly of him. Even Master Lingyun wants to meet him. May I know your full name?"

Chen Siyuan said, "I'm ashamed to say that my last name is Chen Siyuan, and I will be attending the Imperial College after the Lantern Festival."

"It's Master Chen." The little maid bowed again and then extended her hand to invite, "Master, please come this way."

Chen Siyuan nodded and followed the maid into the garden. The garden was three miles in radius, dotted with pavilions, terraces, and towers, as well as rockery and ponds. The remaining snow had melted, revealing a desolate and weathered landscape, a faint sense of age.

Chen Siyuan followed the maid along a winding path, across a small bridge, and around a rockery before arriving at a study. Seeing the plaque above it read "Hong Liao Zhai," the maid helped Chen Siyuan take off his shoes before leading him inside.

Chen Siyuan turned around the screen and took a quick look, immediately catching sight of Jia Lian. He smiled and bowed, "Is Second Brother Lian here too?"

"Huh?" Jia Lian was startled. He stood up and bowed, saying, "I was wondering who this great man was. It turns out to be Brother Yuan! Haha, if I had known this, we should have come together."

"It's just a coincidence."

Jia Lian stood up and introduced Chen Yejun and Han Qi, saying, "Brothers, you don't know this, but this is the nephew of our eldest wife, Chen Siyuan, who is quite talented and famous." Turning around, he introduced, "This is Han Qi, the eldest son of the Jinxiang Earl's Mansion, and this is Chen Yejun, the third son of the Runan Marquis' Mansion."

Chen Siyuan smiled and stepped forward to greet them. Immediately, he heard a female voice beside him say angrily, "Lian Er is so ignorant of etiquette. How can you introduce a guest without also introducing the host?"

Chen Siyuan then looked over, following the sound, and saw three pretty women standing behind a table on the right. The first one wore a lotus crown and a brocade patchwork gown. Her appearance was unparalleled, and her eyes were particularly bright. She was looking over curiously.

In the middle was a slender woman of sixteen or seventeen, whose appearance was comparable to that of the nun, though she lacked a touch of grace. Below her was a girl of fifteen or sixteen, with a slight chubby face and a natural smile that made her look extremely cheerful. In terms of appearance, she was slightly inferior to the first two, but the more you looked at her, the more attractive she became.

Jia Lian now warmly pulled Chen Siyuan over to introduce them, saying with a smile, "It's inevitable that I get a little carried away when meeting my own relatives, and that's my fault. I'll have to drink three glasses of wine as punishment later. Come on, Brother Yuan, this is Master Lingyun, this is Mr. Jiangyue, and this is Mr. Jinyun."

Chen Siyuan stepped forward and greeted the three women one by one. Jinyun and Jiangyue were both smiling, but Lingyun had a stern face and was only concerned with looking at Chen Siyuan.

Chen Siyuan was puzzled, wondering how a nun could have sneaked into the inn. Thinking carefully about Jia Lian's actions, he knew that this nun was probably of high status. Maybe she was a relative of the owner of this place?

After the introductions were made, a maid brought in a few tables and invited Chen Siyuan to sit down. Chen Siyuan sat down with confidence, and another maid served him tea and snacks.

At this moment, Jiang Yue said, "Mr. Chen's writing is truly delicious. I wonder if he has any previous works?"

Jinyun echoed, "That's right, Mr. Chen, you don't know that I like to sing lyrics in my spare time, but nowadays they're all old lyrics, and there are few new lyrics that are outstanding. Not only am I tired of singing, but everyone else is tired of listening to them."

Jiang Yue continued, "The best ones are those kind of boudoir poems. We little girls can't stand hearing about fighting on the battlefield and dying on horseback. On the contrary, those kind of lingering and sad poems are the most suitable for our hearts."

Jinyun covered her mouth and jokingly said, "Yes, sister is about to turn nine, so doesn't that mean she's going to find a perfect husband? Hehehe."

Unexpectedly, Jiang Yue said openly, "What woman wouldn't want a perfect husband? I don't believe that my sister hasn't thought about it in her heart."

After the two girls finished laughing, they all looked at Chen Siyuan.

Chen Yejun on the side cheered, "Brother Yuan is so talented, I'm sure his previous work must be a masterpiece."

Jia Lian also said: "That must be the case...but Brother Yuan has always been bold and unrestrained. If he suddenly wants to be tactful, I'm afraid that—"

Chen Siyuan nodded slightly towards the two women in front of him, pondered for a moment, and then bowed and said, "I'd like to ask for your writing."

Jiang Yue hurriedly ordered: "Hurry up and prepare the writing brush."

A maid had already offered the brush and ink, but Jinyun actually stood up to take it, walked over to Chen Siyuan and said with a smile, "I'll serve you, sir, please put down your pen."

Chen Siyuan took a look. The brush in the tray looked oddly shaped. It seemed to contain an ink sac. He tentatively wrote a couple of strokes, and seeing that it was indeed the case, he finally picked up the brush and started writing.

His writing style had some of the charm of Liu Gu, but it didn't match this poem, so he used cursive script to write it. He finished the poem in one go.

Jinyun was watching from the side, and when the half-que was finished, her face immediately flushed, and she was extremely happy. Her state of mind caught everyone's eyes and naturally aroused their curiosity.

Jiang Yue wanted to come over to take a look, but was secretly annoyed because Jin Yun got there first; Ling Yun saw Chen Siyuan frowning slightly, so she drank another glass by herself.

Jia Lian was the closest, and after just a few glances, he was shocked! Such talent is indeed a distant brother? That's right! If he didn't have talent, how could the master dare to let this person pretend to marry? Oh no, this person might pass the provincial examination one day, and who knows what a commotion the family will have when that happens!
Han Qi and Chen Yejun, standing by, paid no attention, merely glancing at it briefly before muttering to themselves. They were both descendants of noble families, so how could they take such literary flourishes seriously, considering them merely entertainment?

After a moment, when Chen Siyuan put down his pen, Jinyun hurriedly held the paper and blew away the ink, saying happily, "You are truly talented! I'm sure Mr. Chen will be remembered in history."

After the words fell, Jiang Yue said anxiously: "Good sister, bring it to me quickly."

Jinyun smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'll recite it to you."

He cleared his throat and began to recite in his crisp little voice:

If life is just like the first time we met, why should the autumn wind draw a fan sadly?
Waiting for leisure to change but the old people's mind, but the old people's mind is easy to change.

Lishan language stopped the night and half of the night, and finally did not complain.

How Bo Xing Jin Yilang, wishing the same day.

"

After reciting the poem, Jinyun still felt unsatisfied, and Jiangyue was even more lost in thought. This poem by Nalan was originally written in a woman's voice, and the sorrow, sadness, and lingering feelings within it are nothing compared to ordinary poems.

Not to mention Jiang Yue, even Ling Yun stared at Chen Siyuan. After a moment, he suddenly stood up and left the table without even saying goodbye.

Chen Siyuan was puzzled, but everyone was used to it and didn't mention it at all. They just praised how touching and sad the poem "Mulanhua" was.

After a while, a maid suddenly entered and whispered something to the two female teachers. Jiang Yue frowned slightly, sighed, and stood up, saying, "I'm afraid I can't entertain you today. I'm very upset. I'll make it up to you tomorrow." After a pause, she looked at Chen Siyuan and said, "Mr. Chen, there's a poetry gathering at my residence during the Lantern Festival. If you're free, I hope you'll spare some time."

Jinyun personally brought the invitation over again and said with a smile, "Mr. Chen must come, otherwise it will be just like the past years with all the same clichés and no fun."

Chen Siyuan smiled and agreed, then stood up to say goodbye with Jia Lian and the others. The two female teachers only saw them to the door, then sent the maid away to see them off. They hurried back to look for what had happened, but they didn't know what had happened.

After leaving the garden, there was a carriage parked outside. Han Qi, Chen Yejun and Jia Lian all came by carriage, but Chen Siyuan was the only one who rode a horse.

Jia Lian couldn't pretend not to see it, so he said, "Brother Yuan, why don't you ride back with me?"

"it is good."

Chen Siyuan agreed, exchanged a few pleasantries with Han Qi and Chen Yejun, and then followed Jia Lian into the carriage. His horse was ridden back by a servant.

As the carriage rumbled by, Chen Siyuan couldn't help but wonder, and asked, "Second Brother Lian, what kind of person is Master Lingyun?"

"She?" Jia Lian laughed. "She was originally a county lady. When she was fourteen, her talent spread throughout the capital. The old concubine specially summoned her and, in her delight, made her a county lady."

It turned out to be a princess of the clan, but I didn’t dare to provoke her.

Then Jia Lian said, "When I was sixteen, I met Zheng Xie, a newly minted Jinshi, and I fell in love with him. Zheng Xie was forty-three at the time and already had a family. His father was furious when he heard about it. Coincidentally, the Khorchin prince wanted to marry his daughter, so his father simply submitted a petition requesting that his daughter be married off to a distant Khorchin man."

"what?"

Jia Lian smiled and said, "It's not over yet. The county lady died to show her determination, which moved the old concubine to pity her. After that, she simply entered the Jing'an Temple to become a nun. It's been four or five years now. Oh, and Zheng Xie was transferred to Liaodong as a county magistrate a few years ago. The county lady thought that she was dragged down by him, so she was sad."

After saying this, he bumped his shoulder against Chen Siyuan's. Jia Lian jokingly said, "It's only a passing encounter with Zheng Xie, but since we've developed feelings for each other due to his talent, who knows, maybe one day Brother Yuan will become his lover."

Chen Siyuan laughed it off, but in his heart he didn't agree. He was only here to make a name for himself, so why would he care about a young intellectual?

Chatting and laughing, they returned to the Rongguo Mansion and parted ways in front of the stables. Chen Siyuan entered through the corner gate and headed back to his own courtyard. Inside, he pondered for a moment, then picked up his pen and began rewriting the two verses he had copied earlier. After the ink dried, he quietly called Hongyu over and instructed, "Find the snow goose when you have time and send this to Sister Lin."

Is this a letter of affection? Hongyu's lips twitched, but she thought her master always knew what to do, so she didn't try to persuade him. She put the letter in her pocket and turned to leave the courtyard.

It was almost noon, and Hongyu was lingering near the kitchen. She was also approaching. It was Xueyan who had come to collect the lunch box. Hongyu hurried over, pulled her aside, and whispered to her, quietly handing her the letter.

Xueyan was extremely nervous and couldn't help but say, "Sister Hongyu... I'm afraid this time Master Yuan's actions will backfire."

Hongyu smiled and said, "Just follow the instructions. My master knows what's going on."

Xueyan had no choice but to agree. After taking the lunch box and returning to Rongqing Hall, she served Daiyu lunch. After a long while, while Zijuan was out talking to Hubo, she secretly delivered the letter to Daiyu.

"What is this?" Daiyu was puzzled as she held it in her hand.

Xueyan said with a stern face, "It was written by Master Yuan, and I haven't even read it."

Daiyu unfolded the scroll and began to examine it. She saw two verses of poetry on it. She recited them silently, and the fragrance lingered on her lips. While she admired Chen Siyuan's talent, she also felt increasingly confused about what the poem meant. As she continued to read, she caught a glimpse of the last line of writing: "You must become famous as early as possible."

Must one become famous as early as possible? Daiyu frowned in distress, wondering if she had to make him famous herself.
　To answer a reader's question: They say You Erjie and You Sanjie are not much better than Qin Keqing. Well, they are pretty much the same. So why do they keep smearing Qin Keqing?
　　I'm not being mean, am I? I think this book has already glorified Qin Keqing. There are good reasons not to accept Qin Keqing. If Qin Keqing took the initiative, how could such a vagrant be accepted? Wouldn't that be a punishment?
　　You Erjie is willing to do it because she has money, and You Sanjie is love-brained, so she is stronger, right?

　　If Qin Keqing was passive, how lucky would the protagonist be to kill Jia Zhen and Jia Rong as soon as he appeared?
　　According to the logic in my article, Qin Keqing's business of connecting nobles and officials is out of the question, so the protagonist never sees her from beginning to end. What's the problem with this?

　　
　
(End of this chapter)