Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 140: People die for money (ask for monthly tickets, more updates if more than tickets are given)
You Erjie replied thoughtfully, then ordered, "Go to the main room and check. Third sister has probably finished her meal... bring some tea and snacks."

Xia Zhu naturally knew what You Erjie meant, so she turned around and left.

You Erjie took a deep breath. The silver notes alone amounted to one thousand taels. She was really generous!
That day, Third Sister You fled at night with only a small bag on her back. She had never saved much money, so she probably only had some cash. Since she took refuge with Chen Siyuan, she lived in a small courtyard with her own door and door, and she had maids and servants, and even a silver box filled with thousands of taels of silver notes.

Where did all this come from? Of course, it came from that 'Brother Yuan'!

Old Lady You always raved about the Ningguo Mansion's wealth and Jia Lian's generosity. Second Sister You had visited the Ningguo Mansion countless times, each time earning only a few dozen taels of silver, which her mother had then passed on to her mother. Even if Second Master Lian of the Rongguo Mansion was wealthy, how could he possibly have forked out a thousand taels of silver?
Because of what happened to You Sanjie, You Erjie began to doubt what You Lao Niang had said in the past, but she firmly believed in one sentence: What your father and mother have is not as good as what you have yourself.

Judging from the Third Sister's condition, she must have lost her virginity to Chen Siyuan, otherwise why would she have given a thousand taels of silver for nothing? Now she is dressed in gold and silver, with maids and old women serving her, and she is no worse off than the girls from wealthy families.

You Erjie knew that her family background was inferior to others, and it was wishful thinking for her to want to marry into a rich family in the future. All You Laoan wanted was to become a concubine of a noble family.

How much money did the concubines earn every month? You Erjie knew that Jia Zhen's concubines only received a monthly allowance of two taels of silver for cosmetics. They had to use all their tricks to please Jia Zhen, and only then could they get some extra benefits. How could they compare to You Sanjie's freedom?
Being a concubine doesn't matter who she becomes. Chen Siyuan is younger than me, handsome, generous, and knows someone like Prince Ping of Yan. He might even have a bright future. Thinking about it this way, isn't he a bit better than that damn Jia Lian?
As the saying goes, brothels love money and girls love beauty. Now, You Erjie loves both money and beauty. She has really set her sights on Chen Siyuan and has completely forgotten everything that Old Lady You told her.

While thinking, Xia Zhu tiptoed back, his face seemed to be covered with a red cloth.

You Erjie blinked and asked in confusion, "Could it be that they—"

Xia Zhu quickly shook her head and said, "The third young lady is drinking with...Mr. Yuan."

How could You Erjie not understand the hidden meaning? This wine... I'm afraid it's just wine. Yes, Third Sister has a hot temper, and when she drinks, she naturally becomes unrestrained.

Then Xia Zhu said, "Miss, I just brought some tea. I heard Master Yuan say that Third Miss should learn to manage the accounts carefully. He said that she must find a job in the future and make at least 18,000 silver a year."

Second Sister You was furious! Eighteen thousand silver coins? Was Chen Siyuan just lying to Third Sister You?

On second thought, he heard that maritime trade had been resumed and Chen Siyuan had gained the trust of King Ping of Yan. It was like leaning on a big tree for shade. Maybe he would receive the grace of the noble and be allocated a good business for his livelihood?
Thinking of this, Second Sister You couldn't sit still any longer. She stood up, took a few steps, then frowned and went back. She thought to herself that Third Sister You was guarding her like a thief, and going there now might backfire. She needed to think carefully.

After another half an hour, there was a noise outside. You Erjie went to the window to look and saw You Sanjie dragging Chen Siyuan's arm. The two of them were sticking together for a long time before they walked to the door, and they said goodbye to each other reluctantly after a while.

When You Sanjie turned around, she was tucking her hair together while humming happily.

You Erjie waited for a moment longer before heading back to the main room. Entering, she saw You Sanjie slumped in a chair, legs crossed, her embroidered shoes swung up and down on her toes, a bowl of cheese in her hand. Glancing at You Erjie, she smiled and said, "Second sister, you're sensible this time."

You Erjie came forward with a smile, sat down beside him, and said, "We are all sisters. How could I harm you? Now that you have given yourself to him, have you considered the consequences?"

"What's next?"

"Did he say he wanted to marry her in a formal ceremony?"

As the voice fell, Third Sister You showed no trace of worry. Her eyes were moist and seemed to be shining. She said softly, "Second sister, what is our You family's family background? When Daddy was alive, it was okay. He could always find us sisters a wife from an official family. Now that Daddy is gone, it's Mom who makes the decision. Second sister, don't you know what Mom is thinking?
"I'm tired of living in poverty and I'm obsessed with currying favor with the rich and powerful. Those rich and powerful people aren't stupid either. If we go there, can we still become their principal wife?" He paused and continued, "Brother Yuan is a man of excellent character and talent. He will be an official in the future. For the sake of his future, we must find a suitable marriage."

"Sister, if you say so... could it be that you want to be my concubine?"

"So what if I'm a concubine? Brother Yuan loves me, and I'm living a happy life. Maybe if I can endure a few more years, I'll be the first wife once the first wife dies."

What Third Sister You said was exactly the same as what Old Lady You always said.

You Erjie said, "Since my sister has made up her mind, I can't say much... There is only one thing, you must get married as soon as possible."

Third Sister You put down her bowl of pastry and said with a frown, "The principal wife hasn't even come yet, so how can we take in a concubine first?"

You Erjie frowned and said, "It's not good to drag it on forever... Sister, I should say something I shouldn't say. Now you two are as sweet as honey, and he will naturally agree with you in everything. If he really finds someone he likes in the future, you might lose touch with him. It's better to have something of your own than something your parents have. Sister, you must be careful in the future. Even if something unexpected happens, it's always good to have some money to rely on."

Third Sister You blinked and said playfully, "Second Sister, you're thinking so much. He wouldn't do that." She picked up the cheese and ate a spoonful. There was a hint of hesitation on her face, but then she said firmly, "He wouldn't." After a pause, she whispered to Second Sister You, "Second Sister, you don't know, but Brother Yuan asked me to learn how to manage accounts. He wants to find a good job for me someday."

You Erjie immediately became interested and asked, "Do you know what kind of business it is?"

Third Sister You didn't notice Second Sister You's expression. She just shook her head and said, "I haven't said it yet, but since Brother Yuan said it's appropriate, then it must be appropriate."

You Erjie pursed her lips secretly, thinking to herself, "Eighteen thousand taels of silver a year, that's a lot of money to make. How come Third Sister is so lucky?" You Erjie doesn't ask for anything else. If there is a business that can earn a thousand taels of silver a year, I would do it, not to mention being someone's mistress, even as a concubine!
............................................................

In the blink of an eye, it was the day of rest.

Chen Siyuan had a rare late nap that day, and when he got up, he saw Hongyu rummaging through boxes and drawers, searching for something. Chen Siyuan rubbed his nose briefly, and felt a heat in his nasal cavity, followed by a stream of blood.

Hongyu heard the noise and came over. She screamed and hurriedly found a handkerchief to wipe Chen Siyuan's face.

Chen Siyuan raised his head and got down to the ground, saying, "Quickly get me a basin of cold water. I'm getting a little irritated."

Xiangling heard the noise outside and quickly fetched a basin of cold water. Chen Siyuan used the cold water to pat his forehead and clean his nasal cavity. It took a long time before the nosebleed stopped.

Hongyu asked with concern, "Why is your nose bleeding for no reason? Why don't we call the imperial physician to treat you later?"

Chen Siyuan said, "It's just a common case of internal heat. Why should I see a doctor?" He paused, glanced at Hongyu and Xiangling, and said, "It's the peak of internal heat right now, yet you two only get better every few days."

Liu Wu'er was also there at the time, and Hongyu and Xiangling blushed immediately. After Liu Wu'er went into the study to tidy up, Hongyu whispered, "Master, your body hasn't grown yet, how can you be so unrestrained?" After a pause, she lowered her voice and said, "Master Zhu has been ruined by his mistakes every day, so why would he become seriously ill immediately after being beaten? Master must be on guard."

Chen Siyuan smiled and rolled up his sleeves, exposing his arms and gesturing: "Comparing me with him?"

Chen Siyuan had been eating and drinking well for the past six months, with at least two large bowls of rice for each meal, and countless other vegetables and meats. Not only had he grown an inch taller, but he had also gained some weight. It was only because of his height that he looked frail.

Hongyu looked at him with great excitement, but she still said, "It's not too late in a year, so I'll leave it to you after the new year."

Chen Siyuan was about to speak, smiling, when a maid arrived from outside. Yunxiang greeted her, revealing she was looking for Xiangling. Xiangling hurried out, but returned a moment later with a frown on her face. "Master," she said to Chen Siyuan, "I have to go see my mother today."

Chen Siyuan was startled and asked hurriedly, "What happened to your mother?"

"I caught a cold. It's been three days now, and the medicine hasn't helped."

Chen Siyuan frowned and said, "I think the medicine the doctor prescribed is not suitable for the condition. You can take a carriage and send Qingyu to the Henian Hall under the White Pagoda Temple. Doctor Ding is a master of internal medicine and is best at treating colds... Well, I'll go too."

Xiangling quickly shook her head and said, "Master, you've finally had a day off. You don't have to work any more. Mom just has a cold, it's not a serious illness... If she doesn't get better in a few days, I'll have to trouble you again."

Chen Siyuan, thinking about the many chores he had to deal with today, nodded in agreement. He immediately sent Yunxiang to find Qingyu and told him to accompany him. He then went to Henian Hall to invite Doctor Ding.

Qingyu agreed without delay and went forward with Xiangling who had finished packing.

As soon as Xiangling left, Chen Siyuan had breakfast and asked Hongyu to bring the tin bars and charcoal stove he had bought yesterday.

Tin has a low melting point, melting at just over 200 degrees Celsius, making it ideal for carving. Chen Siyuan first stretched the tin bar into a thin plate, then found a carving knife and began carefully carving it.

Hongyu brought over a spring dress, took a quick look, and said with a smile, "Master, you are truly skillful. This kite is so lifelike... Yes, could it be a gift for the girls to celebrate the birth of their children?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Yes, although poetry, calligraphy and painting are suitable for the occasion, they can't express my feelings. After much thought, I decided to make tin carvings myself."

Hongyu praised the "good idea" and then said, "Master, these two spring dresses are too small. This one looks like it can still fit. I'll go find Xueyan to help me alter it."

Chen Siyuan nodded in agreement, and Hongyu took the clothes and went to look for Xueyan.

Just as Hongyu left, someone else came to the door. Yunxiang was heard shouting in the yard, "Master, Sister Yan'er is here."

Chen Siyuan looked at the half-finished carving and simply put it down, waiting for Liu Yaner to come in.

Not long after, Liu Yan'er led her maid Zhen'er into the room. She bowed and called out "Uncle Yuan" in a wronged tone.

Chen Siyuan frowned and asked, "Why are you here again?"

Liu Yan'er glanced at Liu Wu'er and pleaded, "Sister, please allow me to talk to Master Yuan for a while." She then sent the maid Zhen'er away. When only the two of them were left inside, Liu Yan'er said, "Please forgive me, brother. I shouldn't have drugged you that day."

Chen Siyuan sneered: "Where did you get that from?"

Liu Yan'er bit her lower lip and said, "Let's be frank. Being able to enter the Xue family as a concubine is a blessing... But people are greedy, and I became greedy. Seeing my brother's success, I can't help but feel a little unfair."

Chen Siyuan said coldly, "I paid with my life to get to know you. You're really crazy if you hope to use my background to blackmail me!"

Liu Yan'er simply knelt down and said, "All my mistakes are my fault. Please forgive me from now on."

Chen Siyuan snorted coldly and said, "I didn't do anything wrong, how can I forgive you?"

Liu Yan'er immediately gnashed her teeth. With that vixen, Crested Ibis, coming, Xue Dasha seemed to have lost his soul. How could he care less about Liu Yan'er?
If Aunt Xue hadn't been stopping him, Xue Pan would have taken the crested ibis into his room long ago. Liu Yan'er had been secretly making advances these past two days, but Xue Pan, far from being annoyed, had scolded her instead.

Liu Yan'er suddenly felt desperate, knowing that if she continued like this, she would be outmatched by the crested ibis. She felt terrified and a little afraid of Chen Siyuan.

Now they have only sent a red-crowned crane. If they send beautiful maids to the Xue family one after another in the future, where will Liu Yan'er have a place to stay?

Liu Yan'er said sadly, "Brother, why do you still ask when you already know the answer? Anyway, I will never dare to have any other thoughts again. If I break this oath, I will be punished by heaven and earth."

"Ha, do you think I believe your nonsense?"

Liu Yan'er raised her eyes and frowned, "Are we really going to fight to the death?"

Chen Siyuan said nonchalantly, "Go ahead and tell others about my background and see if anyone believes me. Even if someone does, I'll just leave immediately. I don't know if you'll be able to survive then."

Liu Yan'er was suddenly at a loss and felt extremely regretful. If she had known this would happen, she should not have put drugs in the wine that day.

While he was thinking, Yunxiang outside called out again: "Master, Master Xue is here!"

As soon as the words fell, Liu Yan'er hurriedly stood up and sat down beside her. The door opened immediately, and she saw Xue Pan walking around the screen with a huff. Glancing at Liu Yan'er, he frowned and asked, "Why are you here?"

Liu Yan'er stood up and called out "Master" mournfully. Xue Pan blinked, then concluded that Liu Yan'er had come to Chen Siyuan to ask for his help regarding the crested ibis. He waved his hand and said, "Forget it, you can go back now. There won't be any crested ibis anymore!"

Liu Yan'er was puzzled, but seeing that Xue Pan's face was full of impatience, she did not dare to ask any questions. She quickly bowed to Chen Siyuan and then turned away.

Chen Siyuan invited Xue Pan to sit down, and before he could even wait for tea, he grabbed the teapot and gulped it down. After he finished, Xue Pan said, "Damn it, thief! The Lai family deserves death!"

Chen Siyuan asked, "Could it be that the Lai family has found out about Brother Wenlong?"

"Grandma! Even if they find out, what's the use? Will the Lai family still dare to speak out?" After a pause, Xue Pan glared at her with his eyes wide open and said, "Brother Yuan, you don't know, I was very happy when the red-crowned crane came a few days ago, but my mother and sister kept stopping me from taking her in, saying that she was still young. I'm not the kind of person who would wait for a cow to chew a peony, so I gave up the idea immediately.

Who would have thought that the crested ibis would vomit incessantly last night? I finally managed to get through to this morning, and I quickly sent for Doctor Wang to come and see her. Who would have thought… who would have thought… the crested ibis turned out to be pregnant!

"Ah?" Chen Siyuan was shocked. Really? He hurriedly asked, "Is this true?"

Xue Pan slammed his hands on the table and said, "How could it be false? Imperial Physician Wang told me so himself! My sister turned around and asked that crested ibis, and she finally confessed. It turns out that Lai Shangrong had taken possession of her in October! She was afraid she'd be kicked out of the Lai family, so she kept it a secret."

Chen Siyuan was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, thinking to himself that it was indeed pregnant. Fortunately, he had given the red-crowned crane away that day, otherwise he would have been so angry that he would have been fuming.

Chen Siyuan frowned and said, "This... then Brother Wenlong, please send this girl back. I will send her directly back to the Lai family and see what they have to say!"

The more Xue Pan thought about it, the angrier he became. He said, "I can't get rid of the hatred in my heart unless I scold the Lai family. Forget it, there's no need to bother Brother Yuan about this matter. I'll go talk to Lai Da myself!" Without stopping, he got up and left.

Chen Siyuan chased him to the courtyard gate and saw Xue Pan leaving in a rage. He laughed to himself... What kind of a mess is this? The Lai family sent a maid to apologize without even verifying her virginity. Isn't this just disgusting?
Chen Siyuan turned around and saw the little maid Yunxiang looking eager to try.

"uncle--"

Chen Siyuan nodded: "Just watch from a distance, don't go forward, or you'll get covered in blood."

"Yes, I'm going. Master, please wait for the news!" After saying that, Yunxiang ran out like a gust of wind.

Chen Siyuan didn't bother to care about how Xue Pan manipulated the Lai family. He went back into his room and continued carving. When Yunxiang still hadn't returned by noon, he ordered Liu Wu'er to help him dress neatly and then set off with the receipt from the imperial court.

As soon as he walked out of the door, he saw Lai Dajia walking into Lixiangyuan with a blush on his face. A moment later, he brought out the red-crowned crane carrying a small bundle. Lai Dajia's face turned red with shame, and he opened his mouth to speak, but he really didn't know what to say.

Who would have thought that after making an apology, not only did Mr. Yuan not calm down, but he also provoked Mr. Xue?
When he raised his eyes and was about to see Chen Siyuan, Lai Dajie muttered something, pulled the sobbing red-crowned crane away, and left without saying a word.

Chen Siyuan ignored Lai Dajie and went straight into Lixiang Courtyard. He heard Xue Pan yelling, "You old beast, do you think I don't know how to count? Even now, he's in the Jia family. If he were somewhere else, I wouldn't give him a hard time!"

Aunt Xue tried to console him, "Forget it, forget it. This was originally an apology to Brother Yuan. Why are you so angry?"

"I—" What else could Xue Pan do? He had been captivated by the sight of the crested ibis, and now, feeling extremely disappointed, he was furious. "Mom, that's not right. Brother Yuan and I are brothers. If you bully Brother Yuan, you're bullying me. Brother Yuan is all alone, how can I not stand up for him?"

Aunt Xue was about to say something, but Tongxi, fearing she might say something inappropriate, hurriedly said, "Madam, Master, Master Yuan is here."

As expected, they paused inside, and soon Xue Pan came out to greet them, grinning, "Brother Yuan, you don't know, but I just scolded those two old dogs to death, and Mrs. Lai led them back in disgrace."

In fact, he was very angry about what everyone said, and he kept saying that he had apologized. Aunt Xue was a kind person, so she just said it was okay and sent the man away.

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "I had no intention of keeping that maid, but now that the Lai family has taken her back, it's just right." He then fished out the receipt from his sleeve and handed it to Xue Pan, saying, "I just forgot. This is a receipt from the Imperial Household. Brother Wenlong, look carefully. It has the private seal of Prince Ping of Yan on it."

Xue Pan took it and glanced at it, his face immediately showing joy. He patted Chen Siyuan on the shoulder and said, "Good brother, let's go our separate ways today. I've called a table and we'll have a good drink together."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "I'm busy with all sorts of things today. I have to send receipts to various places... Brothers don't care about this, so let's do it another day."

Xue Pan had no choice but to agree. Chen Siyuan went back inside to see Aunt Xue, drank a little tea, and then said goodbye.

Chen Siyuan went forward to look for her, but Mrs. Wang was not there, so he gave the receipt to Yuchuan'er; he went to Fengjie's courtyard, but Fengjie was not there either, so he left the receipt to Ping'er.

After some wandering, Chen Siyuan finally arrived at the East Courtyard.

Tiaoer led Chen Siyuan into the house, where they saw Madam Xing lying on a soft couch, talking with several of Jia She's concubines.

Seeing Chen Siyuan arrive, Madam Xing greeted him warmly, "Brother, there's no need to be so polite. Come sit down and talk."

Chen Siyuan smiled as he sat down, took out a stack of receipts from his sleeve, handed them to Tiao'er, and said, "The receipts from the Imperial Household have come down. Aunt, just wait and see."

"As expected?" Madam Xing was overjoyed. She took the receipts and examined them one by one. Seeing that there were no mistakes or omissions, she smiled and said, "My brother is very thorough. How could I not trust him?" She then pointed to Miao'er and said, "Go ahead and tell a servant to go around to each household and tell them that the receipts have arrived. I'm not in a good condition, so please ask them to come and get them themselves."

The three concubines were naturally envious. Cuiyun said, "Madam, you are so lucky. This trip and return will earn you 40% of your income. It will only take half a year at most. This money is easier to earn than lending money."

Jiaohong also said: "It's a pity that we don't have any close friends, otherwise we could have benefited from it this time."

Mrs. Xing was naturally delighted. While earning money was important, it was nothing compared to gaining face. She was only a concubine; had those families ever looked upon her with respect? It was because of Chen Siyuan's maritime trade that those families had sacrificed their dignity and begged for permission, and only then was Mrs. Xing able to share some of the profits.

He immediately laughed and said, "What's the point of saying good or bad luck? I'm still young and not very reliable. I almost got cheated last time."

Several concubines argued with a smile, which made Mrs. Xing very happy.

After a cup of tea, Mrs. Xing said, "Don't be so restrained. Go back and rest. I want to talk to my brother."

The three concubines stood up and took their leave. Miao'er and Tiao'er, who were also perceptive, refilled Chen Siyuan's tea and went outside to wait in the porch.

There were only two people left inside. Chen Siyuan approached with a smile. Madam Xing did not refuse and let him play with her hands. Then she said, "Why did I hear that the fool Xue and the Lai family had a quarrel?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and quickly explained the reason.

Mrs. Xing was stunned when she heard this. She said, "It's been four months, and the Lai family didn't notice it? This is really—"

After sighing for a while, Mrs. Xing frowned and slammed the table, saying, "The Lai family is really going too far!" After a pause, she said to Chen Siyuan, "You don't know that the master has extorted two thousand taels of silver from Lai Da because of this matter."

Chen Siyuan nodded, thinking that this was the style of a master.

Mrs. Xing asked in a low voice, "How do you plan to deal with the Lai family?"

Chen Siyuan said, "The Lai family is nothing but dead bones in a grave. To put it bluntly, once the old lady passes away, the two families will definitely take action against the Lai family. The only thing to worry about is Lai Shangrong... He is narrow-minded, vindictive, and has a vicious personality. We must eliminate any future troubles.

Now that he's not studying at the Imperial College, he'll definitely buy an official position someday. All we need to do is prevent him from getting a real position."

Without a real vacancy, the Lai family has no way to change their status. After Lady Jia dies, won’t they still be at the mercy of Jia She and Lady Wang?

On closer reflection, although it may not be entirely appropriate, what is the difference between Lai Da and Heshen? The Emperor Taizong specifically left a letter asking his successor to spare Heshen, but did Jiaqing spare Heshen?
It is possible that Jiaqing hated Qianlong to death in his heart, otherwise he would not have given him the temple name Gaozong.

A new emperor appoints new ministers, and the same applies to wealthy families.

Madam Xing pondered over this and said, "Don't worry about the eldest master. He's just a figurehead in the Fifth Army. He might be able to get a military position, but he has no say in the civil service vacancies. But we must be wary of the second wife."

Chen Siyuan nodded and said, "Then I'll tell the second wife later... We can't let the Lai family's duck that's been waiting for so long fly away."

Madam Xing nodded and said, "After the second day of the second month, Third Sister will be getting married. Since you are a junior, you should go and help her when you have time."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Even for you, I will go and help you."

Seeing Chen Siyuan's increasingly unruly behavior, Madam Xing hummed and refused. Seeing Madam Xing's eyes welling with tears, Chen Siyuan knew exactly what she was thinking. He immediately used all his techniques, including "One Finger Zen" and "Eagle Claw Hand," to appease Madam Xing.

After the matter was completed, Chen Siyuan asked quietly, "Why didn't you refuse today?"

Madam Xing collapsed on the couch and said leisurely, "I don't know why, but as my belly gets bigger, I'm thinking about that more and more."

Chen Siyuan said, "They say the first three months are the most important, but after that it won't be a problem...why don't we give it a try?"

Mrs. Xing was obviously tempted, but in the end she shook her head and said, "No, no, I dare not disturb the fetus." She hesitated for a while and was about to serve Chen Siyuan again.

Chen Siyuan said with a dull expression, "It's always boring to scratch an itch without doing anything."

Madam Xing covered her mouth and smiled, "Then go find Miao'er and Tiao'er... those two little rascals will definitely agree."

Chen Siyuan still remembered that he had gone to look for Third Sister You that night, so how could he be willing to hang out with those two? He chatted with Madam Xing for a while, then leisurely got up and said goodbye.

When Chen Siyuan returned to his own courtyard, Hongyu had already returned. She found a moment to speak to Chen Siyuan and said, "Master, Miss Lin has seen the letter."

"Did you say anything?"

Hongyu smiled and said, "She didn't say anything else, except that your handwriting was a little too flamboyant."

Chen Siyuan nodded and said nothing more. Although he and Daiyu had been in contact, they had never been able to see each other because she lived in Rongqing Hall. Now he just hoped that the villa for the imperial visit would be completed soon, so that he could run into Sister Lin in the garden.

In the remaining time, Chen Siyuan carefully carved it, and then found tools to bend two pieces of tin plates and put them together to make a shell-shaped powder box.

Hongyu and Liu Wuer saw it and were filled with admiration, both saying that Chen Siyuan had a "good idea".

Seeing that it was getting late, Chen Siyuan was about to go to Xiaohuazhi Lane when someone came to look for him.

"Sister Hongyu, Sister Qingwen is here!"

Hongyu hurried out to greet her. Curious, Chen Siyuan approached the door and peered through the glass window. He saw a pretty girl of twelve or thirteen handing a piece of clothing to Hongyu, who then slipped something into Qingwen's pocket. Qingwen then left, laughing.

When Hongyu returned with the dress, before Chen Siyuan could ask, she said, "I went to ask Xueyan to help me alter the dress this morning, but nothing I did turned out right. It was Xueyan who reminded me that Qingwen was the best needleworker in the family, so I went to ask Qingwen for help."

Chen Siyuan asked, "What did you give her just now?"

"Three denarii."

Chen Siyuan was puzzled and asked, "Is Qingwen short of money?"

Hongyu whispered, "Her cousin has lost a large sum of money again. Qingwen cursed him so much, but she even gave away her own money... It's because she's short of money."

Chen Siyuan shook his head, feeling sorry for Qingwen. Then he thought, it's a pity that Qingwen was sent to Baoyu's room so early in the morning. Otherwise, if it was Qingwen sent by the Lai family last time, he would have accepted her.

As dinner approached, Chen Siyuan instructed, "Bring the lunch boxes and distribute them around. I'm staying out tonight."

There is no such thing as an impenetrable wall. Chen Siyuan went to Xiaohuazhi Lane several times, and even found Old Lady You. Hongyu naturally followed his advice.

Knowing that she and You Sanjie didn't need to compete for it, Hongyu didn't say much, but just asked Chen Siyuan to return early.

Chen Siyuan walked as if he were riding a car, went out of the back door and went straight to Xiaohuazhi Lane to look for it.

After knocking on the door and entering, it was unusual that Third Sister You came to greet him. Instead, Second Sister You came to greet him.

Chen Siyuan greeted her and asked curiously, "Where's the third sister?"

You Erjie frowned and said, "My mother came this morning and had another argument with my third sister. My third sister was so angry that she had a headache and is still lying down."

Chen Siyuan hurried to the west room and saw Third Sister You wearing a headband, holding her cheek with her hands, looking very worried.

Seeing Chen Siyuan coming, Third Sister You immediately said aggrievedly: "Brother Yuan——"

Chen Siyuan walked over and sat down on the edge of the kang. He reached out and touched his forehead, and asked with concern, "It was just a quarrel. Why did you get so angry?"

Third Sister You's eyes turned red, and tears began to fall. She sobbed, "Where in the world is there a mother like this? Instead of wishing for my good son, she wants to defraud money from me!"

Today, Old Lady You arrived and brought up the old matter again. Third Sister You had given up, saying she had already committed herself to Chen Siyuan. How could Old Lady You let it go? She kept asking about the betrothal gift and when the marriage would take place.

In her haste, Third Sister You mentioned the one thousand taels of silver that Chen Siyuan had given her. Old Lady You, convinced that the one thousand taels was the betrothal gift, argued with Third Sister You and ultimately snatched away eight hundred taels.

Yu Sanjie was so angry that she forced Yu Laonian to write a letter of engagement. As soon as she left, Yu Sanjie was so angry that she had a headache.

　It’s almost 600 votes. While the votes are doubled, please give some more monthly votes. I will add a big chapter for every 1,000 votes.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)