Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 161 Not thinking about progress

"Brother Yuan is really popular."

Chen Siyuan turned his head to look and saw Daiyu looking at him from the side. They exchanged glances for a moment, then turned back. He chuckled to himself: Sister Lin was indeed good at being sarcastic.

She reached out and smoothed the various items hanging from her waist, saying, "These are all thoughtful gifts from my sisters, so I can't favor one over the other." Then she began to count them: "This is the glutinous rice dumplings given by my second sister, the bat string given by my third sister, the gourd string given by my fourth sister, and the five-poison sachet given by my sister Lin."

Daiyu asked, "That's strange! Why isn't there anything that Baojie gave me?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and opened the Five Poisons Sachet, took out a yellow talisman from inside, and said, "Isn't this it? Sister Xue gave me a yellow talisman."

Daiyu blinked, then covered her mouth with a smile and said, "Sister Bao is really easy. Last year, she gave everyone a string of silk beads, but this year, they've all been made into yellow talismans." As she spoke, she also opened her own Five Poisons Sachet and took out a folded yellow talisman from inside. "Here, isn't this it?"

Chen Siyuan smiled, but before he could say anything else, Daiyu asked, "Just these few things? I'm afraid they're a little short."

This refers to You Erjie and You Sanjie.

Both girls had given gifts before, but the Yu family girls were poorly disciplined, and the two sisters were each worse at needlework, so on this Girls' Day, gifts became a matter of ear to ear. Qingwen, however, gave a handkerchief, which she now tucked into Chen Siyuan's handkerchief.

Chen Siyuan asked knowingly, "What do you mean, sister?"

Daiyu snorted, "You know it in your heart, yet you ask me."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Whether I can pass the Autumn Examination tomorrow is still uncertain. How should I answer you, sister?"

Daiyu's heart trembled as she suddenly understood. Indeed, there was no guarantee of success in the imperial examinations. Hadn't you seen countless renowned Jiangnan scholars fail miserably, while an old scholar in his early fifties became a Hanlin in the blink of an eye?

That was Daiyu's father, Lin Ruhai, who passed the imperial examination for a scholar in his early years, and became a juren at the age of thirty. After two more major examinations, he was finally awarded the title of third place.

Everyone knew about the engagement at Rong Xi Tang. If Chen Siyuan did not pass the imperial examination, the engagement would be invalid. Now that she thought about it, Daiyu and Chen Siyuan were just distant relatives. Why would she be so sarcastic?

Daiyu frowned and said, "That's right, I said the wrong thing just now."

Daiyu pondered, thinking, "I've known this all along, so why did she choose to speak to Chen Siyuan like this now?" Perhaps it was because of his exceptional talent and his repeated top rankings in the Imperial College that she had a vague suspicion that he would pass the imperial examination.

Seeing that there was a stalemate between the two, Xueyan pursed her lips and was about to step forward to speak, but Chen Siyuan saw it and just shook his head slightly at her. Xueyan stopped and frowned again.

Chen Siyuan was thinking clearly, how old is Daiyu now? She must be only eleven or twelve years old. Perhaps she is a little naive due to her precocious intelligence, but she can't even be considered to be in love for the first time.

Moreover, for a lady like Daiyu, feelings always have to give way to etiquette. For now, Chen Siyuan only needs to take good care of Daiyu's health. As for teasing her... let's talk about it later.

Besides, with Jia Yucun outside and Lady Wang inside, all they had to do was wait for Chen Siyuan to be on the list of top candidates. How could Daiyu have the final say in this marriage? Even if it didn't work out, it would still be a success.

Chen Siyuan will have to travel around in the future. Instead of deceiving her now, it is better to let Daiyu adapt gradually.

The two were silent for a while. Xueyan looked anxious and couldn't understand what this Mr. Yuan was thinking; Zijuan was secretly happy, thinking that her daughter had become estranged from this Mr. Yuan, and maybe her daughter would be able to stay in Rongguo Mansion in the future.

After chatting for a while, Sister Feng, feeling uneasy, went back with Tanchun first. Once inside, Sister Feng laughed and said, "I feel dizzy." Tanchun then jokingly said, "Sister Feng is a Jiangnan woman after all. How could she not get carriage and boat sickness?"

Sister Feng said, "It's strange. I didn't feel anything when I took the boat north to the capital, but now I feel dizzy just looking at the water."

Daiyu made a few quips about her delicate body and precious flesh, and soon she saw Baochai and Baoyu approaching the shore. Without waiting for the ropes to be tied, Baoyu jumped down and ran madly into the curtained pavilion, chattering with Daiyu about the scenery on the lake.

Baochai walked quietly behind, with a smile on her face, but based on Chen Siyuan's understanding of her, he was afraid that Baochai must have been jumping up and down in her heart by now!

Sure enough, when Baochai came in, she glanced at Chen Siyuan briefly, then frowned slightly, and then glanced at Baoyu who seemed to be presenting a treasure, and Daiyu who was listening. The meaning was self-evident, but Chen Siyuan just smiled and said nothing.

There is no need to mention the laughter and fun that followed. When the middle of the evening hour had passed, Sister Feng finally managed to gather all the children together, and they all got on the carriage and returned to the Rongguo Mansion in the inner city in a grand procession.

Summer days are long, and by the time everyone returned to the Rongguo Mansion, it was still dark. After a day of fun, everyone was a little tired, so they went their separate ways.

Chen Siyuan was naturally with Baochai. When they entered through the corner gate beside the stables, Baochai could not help saying, "Even when Bao is playing in the water, he is still thinking about Sister Lin. From time to time he glances at her from the awning on the shore."

Chen Siyuan glanced at her sideways and thought to himself, what a capable girl Bao Jie is. She would be infested with maggots.

Then he said, "After all, we grew up together, so we can be considered childhood sweethearts."

Baochai took two steps and said, "Hasn't Brother Yuan ever worried?"

"Worried?" Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Why should I worry? It's not good to know too much about someone... As the saying goes, a childhood sweetheart is worse than someone who comes from heaven."

"Heaven-sent?" Baochai had never heard of this word before. After thinking about its literal meaning, she roughly understood it.

Yes, when boys and girls grow up, they mostly have a brother-sister relationship, and rarely develop romantic feelings.

If this were not the case, Baoyu would not have often gone to play with Baochai after she came into the mansion.

Sister Bao was about to say something when she suddenly heard a shout coming from Mengpo Zhai: "Master, please spare Huan'er this time. It was just an unintentional mistake. Why punish her?"

Then Jia Huan let out a strange cry, and Jia Zheng cursed in a trembling voice, "Shut up! Whether it was an unintentional mistake or not, this evil creature knows it himself!"

Aunt Zhao cried out, "Huan'er is also the master's son, but she crawled out of my intestines, so why is she inferior to others? Everyone in the mansion is surrounded by Baoyu, so who cares about Huan'er? Ping'er is Feng's close friend, and it's possible that the servant has also been bribed by Fengjie—"

Snapped--

"Ah——" Aunt Zhao screamed and burst into tears.

Then Jia Zheng scolded him, "Get lost! Loving mothers often spoil their children. I'd rather not give birth to such an evil child next time!"

Chen Siyuan and Baochai looked at each other, and they understood each other tacitly. They quickly hid behind a pomegranate tree. Ying'er, Yunxiang, Xiangling, Hongyu, Liu Wu'er and others followed suit and hid against the wall.

After a while, Aunt Zhao was seen wiping her tears and pulling Jia Huan, whose face was swollen, out of Mengpo Zhai, walking towards her own courtyard with a sad face.

After the mother and son hid in the corner, Chen Siyuan and Baochai came out together, and then they looked behind them at the same time.

Without any instructions, Yunxiang and Ying'er ran away.

Sister Bao was startled for a moment, and exchanged glances with Chen Siyuan. Then, Chen Siyuan scratched his nose and said, "Well, I'm a little hungry now. I'll send Yunxiang to the kitchen to check."

Sister Bao couldn't help laughing and nodded, saying, "I was thinking the same thing. What a coincidence."

There was a roar!
The sound of cups tumbling could be heard from Mengpo Zhai. The two of them said nothing more, walked quickly past Mengpo Zhai, and in a moment they were in the northeastern upper courtyard. Chen Siyuan and Baochai bowed goodbye and returned with Xiangling, Hongyu, and Liu Wuer. As they reached Lixiang Courtyard, they heard a chattering noise from within.

Chen Siyuan turned his head and saw seven or eight girls moving boxes or hanging clothes to dry. It was very lively for a while.

Hongyu took a look and whispered, "Master, maybe this is the girl that the mansion bought from Jiangnan."

"Yeah." Chen Siyuan responded and led the three women back to his own courtyard.

After a short rest, the sound of singing could be heard from Lixiangyuan. Xiangling frowned and said, "Listening to music regularly is a refined thing, but it's too close and will definitely disturb my studies."

Chen Siyuan thought to himself that he had a good relationship with Lady Wang from the second house, so maybe Lady Wang had already made arrangements.

After another half hour, Yunxiang came back and said as she entered the main room, "Master, what a coincidence! Sister Ping'er sent Old Master Huan off this afternoon... When Third Master came back, he happened to run into Old Madam. Then Old Madam complained to Master, and Master said something like, 'Why do you spoil your wife?' Master got angry and just beat Third Master Huan up. If Aunt Zhao hadn't come earlier, she might have been beaten to death!"

Jia Huan was corrupted by Aunt Zhao, and I wonder if he can correct himself when he grows up. So, "Marrying an unvirtuous wife ruins three generations, and choosing a bad husband ruins a lifetime."

Seeing that Yunxiang hadn't left, Chen Siyuan asked, "What else did you hear?"

Yunxiang babble asked, "Master, have you seen Master Lian today?"

Chen Siyuan was dazed for a moment, then he remembered that he had not seen Jia Lian, so he asked, "Why didn't Second Brother Lian come today?"

Yunxiang smiled and said, "It is said that the eldest master received the news yesterday and sent Second Master Lian to Ping'an Prefecture early this morning."

Chen Siyuan was dumbfounded. If his thoughts were correct, Jia She and the governor of Ping'an Prefecture must be doing something that should not be seen by the public. Such things should have been done in secret, but who would have thought that even the maids in the mansion knew about it!

Perhaps the emperor still has some concerns, so he hasn't touched the Jia family yet. When those concerns are gone, what the Jia family did today will be a death wish!

Before he could come to his senses, Yunxiang continued, "And what else? This morning, Chang Ge'er brought back some people, and he brought back twelve little actors. Um... Having said that, sir, take a rest. I'll be leaving first."

"Come back!" Chen Siyuan called out to Yunxiang, wondering, "Where are you going?"

Yunxiang's eyes flickered as she said, "Lixiang Courtyard is bustling with activity right now. I'll go take a look."

Chen Siyuan was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, and he just waved his hand to send him away.

After a short rest, Chen Siyuan remembered that Mrs. Xing had returned to her parents' home today, and should have returned by now. He gave her some instructions and got up to look for her in the east wing of the courtyard.

He walked through the black oil gate and just arrived at the third-level ceremonial gate when he ran into Miao'er who was walking out.

Miao'er looked surprised, and smiled, "My wife sent me away just as I was about to go look for my brother, but I didn't expect him to come here."

Chen Siyuan asked, "When did my aunt come back?"

"About an hour."

Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, Chen Siyuan leaned over and took a sip of rouge, then met Miao'er's charming eyes and said, "I'll go see my aunt first, and I'll deal with my sister later when I have time."

Miao'er was immediately delighted and led Chen Siyuan into the main room.

Mrs. Xing was lying half-sideways on the soft couch. She had been tossing and turning today and her face looked a little tired.

Chen Siyuan greeted her, sat down, and exchanged some ordinary words. After sending the maids and servants away, Mrs. Xing frowned.

Chen Siyuan stepped forward to massage his calves and said, "But you feel uncomfortable?"

Madam Xing shook her head: "It has nothing to do with me...it's my third sister."

"Hmm? What happened to her?"

Mrs. Xing hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "Third sister has been married for almost two months. Fang Lin is great in every way, except for this... he's a little troubled in bed."

"what?"

Mrs. Xing simply stood up and muttered something to Chen Siyuan. Originally, Fang Lin was good in every way, but every time he made trouble at night, it would end abruptly after a few breaths, and every time, it would make Third Sister Xing's excitement go downhill.

Third Sister Xing was reluctant to say more about these things, but Madam Xing, having benefited from the little thief's kindness, took notice of the matter from the outside. After repeated questioning for a long time, Third Sister Xing finally spoke hesitantly.

After all, she is her biological sister, so Mrs. Xing couldn't help but feel a little worried.

After she finished speaking, Madam Xing asked, "Do you still have those pills you gave to the eldest master? Give me some later and I'll send them to my third sister."

Chen Siyuan nodded with a wry smile, not knowing whether the pill could cure the symptoms.

After discussing this, Chen Siyuan turned and said, "It's been quite some time since we dealt with the Wu family, why haven't we seen any other movements?"

Madam Xing frowned and said, "Don't mention this matter. The second wife mentioned it to me a few days ago. I turned around and mentioned it to the eldest master, but he immediately changed his expression... Humph, maybe he got some benefits from those who manage the affairs."

Hmm? Jia She would definitely do this. Killing a chicken to scare the monkeys is like killing a chicken to frighten the monkeys. Even Lai Da rushed to Jia She to pay his tribute, so naturally the rest of the family would follow suit.

The master made a fortune, so naturally he didn't want to kill the goose that laid the eggs.

Well, let's wait and see. Even if Jia She is unwilling to take action, I'm afraid Lady Wang can't wait any longer.

The two of them discussed it for a while, and Madam Xing frowned again and said, "What happened to Third Sister is a small matter. I am thinking about Dequan now."

Seeing that Chen Siyuan was not paying attention, Mrs. Xing kicked him.

Chen Siyuan immediately gasped: "Hiss, murder! You won't have a good future if you break it."

Madam Xing said, "If you don't want to, then don't. Otherwise, you'll be seduced by those vixen."

Chen Siyuan immediately grabbed Madam Xing's feet and scratched them until she rolled around like a maggot before letting go.

Mrs. Xing chuckled but didn't seem annoyed. She just said, "He's my brother after all, so you should be considerate."

“How can I care?”

Madam Xing stood up and came over to massage him, whispering, "Your three brothers have all been placed in the inner palace... If it really doesn't work -"

"No." Chen Siyuan shook his head and refused decisively, saying, "Your brother is really out of tune. I can't sell my face to him."

Mrs. Xing immediately let go and frowned, saying, "Well, he really doesn't recognize me after he pulls up his pants." Chen Siyuan was at a loss whether to laugh or cry: "What's the connection? Don't you see what kind of person he is? Can he do his job honestly? Well, don't make a fuss. I'll find a job for him later."

Mrs. Xing then turned her anger into joy, and in turn rubbed Chen Siyuan's shoulders, hesitating for a while before stopping.

The next day, the sky was covered with dark clouds in the morning. Hongyu and Liu Wuer both said that the rain might continue for a day or two.

As Chen Siyuan was on his way to the Imperial College, it began to drizzle. The cloth curtains on the car windows had been replaced with bamboo curtains, and Chen Siyuan parted them slightly, letting in drops of rain on the wind.

Today, we had an appointment to go out for a walk with Qingwen after school this afternoon. Looking at the rain, I'm afraid it won't stop for a day or two, so Chen Siyuan frowned.

Dage Lane.

Raindrops fell from the eaves. Qingwen lay on the kang, doing her needlework, occasionally looking out. Seeing that the rain outside showed no sign of stopping, Qingwen frowned and pursed her lips, feeling a little unhappy.

There was a rustling outside, and then Aunt Qu, with her clothes wet, walked in, holding a plate with several small melons in her hand.

Catching a glimpse of Qingwen, he came over with a smile and said, "Miss, try some of these new melons! I just had one and it was incredibly sweet."

Qingwen forced a smile and said angrily, "Madam, you're yelling at me again. I'm just a maid. How can I deserve to be called a young lady?"

Aunt Qu said, "Why not? Is that maid outside so blessed? I think it's only a matter of time."

She rented a small courtyard and hired two maids to take care of her. Ordinary concubines did not have such face. Her daily food and clothing expenses were even less than those of ordinary wealthy families. It can be seen how favored Qingwen was.

Qingwen smiled, feeling proud, and fell silent. She had always been proud and arrogant, and she felt that in terms of appearance and character, no other young lady could compare to hers. It was a pity that she came from a humble background, otherwise she would have been just a girl.

She was also very capable and could live well even if she left her master's family. Therefore, when she was a child, she grew her nails two inches long and painted her nails with rouge. Although she never said it explicitly, her behavior was like that of a girl from the mansion, which offended many people.

Qingwen put down her work and took a bite of the melon. It was indeed crisp and sweet. After praising it, Qingwen asked, "Mammy, how long will this rain last?"

Aunt Qu took a look and said, "It's hard to say... I'm afraid it will take until tomorrow."

Qingwen frowned and sighed, and suddenly felt that the melon in her hand was no longer sweet.

Aunt Qu observed her expression and said, "Are you worried that Master Yuan won't come at noon?"

Qingwen shook her head and said, "Master said he would take me out for a stroll after school today. But it's raining now. I'm afraid we can't go."

Aunt Qu covered her mouth and smiled, "Even if we can't go today, wouldn't it be the same if we wait until the rain stops the day after tomorrow?"

Qingwen muttered a response, but she remained unhappy. When midday passed and Chen Siyuan still hadn't arrived, Qingwen grew increasingly unhappy. She gave up her work and simply lay on the kang, her hand on her cheek, staring blankly outward.

Qingwen didn't know when she felt sleepy and fell asleep in a daze.

She was hazy in the dream, as if she was back to several years ago, when her father handed her over to the human traffickers. No matter how Qingwen cried and called "Mother", the cruel father did not turn back to look at her.

Suddenly the scene changed, and it was back to the day when she was seriously ill. Qingwen was filled with despair, when suddenly she saw her mother's blurry figure coming towards her.

Qingwen was deeply saddened and was about to cry out when she suddenly felt her body shaking.

She woke up in a daze, her tearful eyes still a little blurry. Qingwen blinked, and the face in front of her gradually became clear. It was Master Yuan!

"Haunted?"

Qingwen rubbed her eyes, stood up, and asked, "Master...what time is it?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Since I'm here, it must be after 3 p.m."

It turned out that it was all a dream. Qingwen said shyly, "I just had a dream." After a pause, she continued, "Why didn't the master come at noon? I was worried about you."

Chen Siyuan said, "Something's got me stuck."

"Oh," Qingwen replied, pouting, "It's raining outside. I'm afraid we can't go today."

Chen Siyuan took out a handkerchief and wiped Qingwen's face. He smiled and said, "Then let's wait until the rain stops." He put the handkerchief away and took out a small, long box from his bosom. "Here, this is for you."

"Give it to me?"

Qingwen was pleasantly surprised. She took the box and opened it carefully, and saw a gold and gem-inlaid dragonfly hairpin inside.

Two tiny rubies served as the dragonfly's eyes, and its body was made of gold. I don't know how its wings were made, but when the golden hairpin shook slightly, the dragonfly's four wings began to vibrate up and down.

Qingwen was instantly delighted, and in her heart she was extremely proud of the hairpin, but she said, "Is this suitable for a maid like me?"

Chen Siyuan was teasing, but suddenly said seriously, "Yes...it's indeed a bit inappropriate. I'll find someone more plain later."

As he spoke, he reached out and snatched the hairpin from Qingwen's hand, who was staring at him eagerly. He exchanged glances with her, chuckled again, and then put the hairpin on Qingwen's head. He said, "What's the problem with whether it's appropriate or not? There's no one else to control you. I gave it to you, so just wear it."

Qingwen laughed playfully, then scolded, "Master, you're teasing me again."

She landed happily, slipped on her embroidered shoes, and hurriedly said, "Master, please sit down. I'll go get some snacks. Today, Madam Qu bought some sweet melons. I find them very delicious. Master, please try some too."

"it is good."

Chen Siyuan propped himself up on the edge of the kang, his hands behind his back. He soon felt the room getting a bit damp and cold, so he said, "It's a bit damp. Remember to light a charcoal fire tonight. We'll find a carpenter to re-lime the floor later."

Qingwen responded to the question and then came in with a tea tray. After placing it on the kang table, she said, "I've been in the room the whole time, but I don't feel any dampness."

Chen Siyuan said, "You are still young, it's not good for you to get wet."

Qingwen smiled and sat on the edge of the kang with one leg. She reached out her nail-painted hands and made tea for Chen Siyuan. She then split the melon and handed the half with the navel to Chen Siyuan: "Master, try it quickly."

Chen Siyuan took it, tasted it, and immediately praised it: "It is indeed crisp and sweet. I wonder which farm it is made from. I will buy a cartload later."

Qingwen said, "These melons are bought as they're eaten. Who buys a whole cart of them? If you leave the melons uneaten, they'll probably lose their flavor in two or three days."

"I see." Chen Siyuan didn't argue. He had a point in buying a whole cart. The Rongguo Mansion was a large family with a large business. If they gave melons to everyone, a cart of melons would barely be enough to share.

Qingwen smiled and ate the other half with the melon stem, feeling refreshed.

Just as I was about to ask, I saw Chen Siyuan suddenly yawning after eating the melon.

"Master, didn't you sleep at noon?"

"Well, I didn't sleep. It's strange, I'm used to taking a nap, but suddenly I stopped and I feel very sleepy this afternoon."

Qingwen said, "Since that's the case, why don't you lie down for a while, sir?"

"Alright."

Qingwen hurriedly ran down to take off Chen Siyuan's shoes, and saw that Chen Siyuan's clothes and trouser legs were covered with mud spots, and she couldn't help but feel puzzled.

Because the Imperial College, the Confucius Temple, and the royal palace are nearby, the roads are paved with bluestone slabs, so even if it rains hard, it won't get covered in so much mud. Where did you go at noon?

Since they were just getting acquainted, Qingwen was reluctant to let him take off his pants. Chen Siyuan moved to the kang, pulled Qingwen's pillow and lay down, yawning and mumbling, "I'm really sleepy. I'll take a nap."

Qingwen responded and found a brocade quilt to cover him. Then he quickly tidied up the kang table and took it to the outer room.

The door was open, and Qingwen was just thinking about doing some needlework when Nanny Qu came over.

Qingwen quickly shook her head and leaned closer, saying, "Master is squinting right now."

Aunt Qu nodded in understanding and whispered, "You are so lucky, young lady. Congratulations."

Qingwen was puzzled and asked, "Madam, what good news are you talking about?"

Aunt Qu smiled and said, "Qingyu just said that at noon, Master drove to Huguo Temple and visited more than ten shops before finally choosing a hairpin for the young lady... Tsk tsk, it's obvious that Master is thinking about the young lady. Isn't this a great joy? One day, the young lady will definitely become a concubine!"

Qingwen suddenly realized that it was no wonder there were so many mud spots on her trouser legs. It turned out that her master had gone to choose a hairpin for her. At the moment, she was both embarrassed and happy. She tilted her head and played with the ends of her hair in confusion. She said a few random words and sent Madam Qu away.

She turned around and found a small palm-sized mirror. Looking at herself in the mirror, she found the dragonfly hairpin particularly pleasing.

After putting down the mirror, Qingwen tiptoed into the inner room and saw Chen Siyuan already fast asleep. When she reached the kang, she took a few glances and, for some reason, began to laugh.

After a moment, Qingwen simply took off her shoes and climbed onto the kang, her bare feet. She wasn't bothered to get a pillow from the kang cabinet, so she simply leaned on her arm and looked at Chen Siyuan. She thought to herself, this is a blessing in disguise for me, isn't it?
For some reason, Chen Siyuan suddenly opened his eyes, startling Qingwen. Just as she was about to say something, she saw Chen Siyuan reach out and hug her in his arms, mumbling to himself, "Don't make trouble, I want to sleep for a while."

"Yeah." Qingwen huddled nervously in Chen Siyuan's arms, and relaxed after a moment.

She moved her arms across her chest, extended her right hand and placed it on Chen Siyuan's back, feeling incredibly safe. She had clearly slept for an hour in the afternoon, yet she didn't know when she had fallen asleep again.

There was no nightmare this time, but rather a charming feeling.

After an unknown amount of time, Qingwen heard a noise and opened her eyes in a daze, only to see Chen Siyuan rubbing her arm.

Qingwen glanced out the window and saw that it was pitch black. She immediately stood up and asked, "It's already this late? Is the master going back?"

Chen Siyuan said, "He slept too soundly... I'm afraid there won't be any food to eat if I go back now, so I might as well eat something here."

Qingwen was immediately delighted, and remembering her beautiful dream, she quickly put on her embroidered shoes and went to order dinner.

Chen Siyuan stretched his arm for a while, the numbness in his right arm finally fading, and he finally felt somewhat more relaxed. He put on his shoes and went back to the floor. He didn't know why Qingwen always avoided him. Even when they ate together, she was so absorbed in her food that she only gave vague responses to Chen Siyuan's words.

Chen Siyuan was puzzled and wondered if he had molested Qingwen while she was asleep.

Because it was too late that day, Chen Siyuan did not ask Qingwen. After dinner, he hurried back to Rongguo Mansion.

As he entered his house, Hongyu came to greet him holding an umbrella, saying, "Master, why are you back so late? The mistress sent Jin Chuan'er to look for you twice."

Mrs. Wang is looking for me? I guess she is anxious to deal with those old servants?

Then Hongyu continued, "The next time Jin Chuan'er came, she saw that Master had not returned yet, so she told him there was no need to rush, and that Master could just go to the Madam's Courtyard when he had time tomorrow."

Chen Siyuan nodded in agreement, took a short rest, read a book for a while, and fell asleep early.

The next day, Chen Siyuan returned from school. After having some tea and snacks, he hurried to Lady Wang's courtyard.

When they arrived, they saw the two sisters, Jin Chuan'er and Yu Chuan'er, playing around in front of the door. Chen Siyuan approached them and asked, "Is the Madam here?"

After the two maids greeted her, Jin Chuan'er said, "Master Yuan, you've arrived at the right time. Madam has just returned from Rongqing Hall and is currently reciting sutras. Master, please wait a moment. I'll go and tell Madam."

Jin Chuan'er went inside to report, and Yu Chuan'er led Chen Siyuan slowly inside.

A moment later, Jin Chuan'er returned and led Chen Siyuan into the main room. Chen Siyuan looked up and saw Madam Wang sitting in the hall with a worried look on her face.

"Brother Yuan is here?"

"Forgive me, Madam. I was tied up with some chores yesterday and only returned home after dark."

Mrs. Wang smiled and said, "It's not a pressing matter. Brother Yuan is here today for the same reason."

Chen Siyuan was immediately invited to take a seat, and the maids served tea and snacks. The two exchanged a few pleasantries, and then Mrs. Wang said, "I spoke to my eldest sister-in-law about this a few days ago, but she later said that my uncle had no such intentions. Does Brother Yuan know what the reason is?"

How should Chen Siyuan respond to this? He quickly glanced at Jin Chuan'er and Yu Chuan'er.

Mrs. Wang understood and waved her hand to send the two maids away.

With no one else inside, Chen Siyuan finally spoke, "I suspect that several of the stewards in the mansion have given gifts to the master. As the saying goes, one shouldn't strike a smiling face. Since those people have bowed to the master, it's not appropriate for the master to pursue the matter further."

Madam Wang frowned and said, "So that's how it is."

She had been in Rongguo Mansion for over twenty years, and with eight concubines scattered around her, how could she have hidden the fact that the eldest master had accepted gifts? Besides, Jia She had also been wary of the second wife.

Some things are hard to say directly, so this time Mrs. Wang was just asking questions even though she knew the answer, and she went to Chen Siyuan for advice.

Mrs. Wang then said with a worried look, "I'd say this family really needs to be renovated. It's only May, and the treasury is already running low, so we've had to divert funds from the villa where the emperor came to visit us. How can this go on in the long run? I'd really like to renovate it, but I'm afraid it won't be enough on my own... Does Brother Yuan have any ideas for getting the eldest master to pay attention?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "That's easy."

　It's raining all night and the broken house is in ruins. I don't have many manuscripts left. I have been busy with the funeral of my wife and grandmother these days, and everything has happened at the same time.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)