Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 165: Dirty Matters

"Money is good, but how can it compare to the Xue family's ancestral lineage?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Aunt Xue frowned and fell into deep thought. The Xue family's current situation couldn't be described as good, but it wasn't too bad either.

He still had tens of thousands of taels of silver in his pocket, and his business outside was still promising. However, since he moved to the capital, his business in Jinling and other places was less supervised, and as a result, the shopkeepers and accountants took advantage of the situation, and many shops were unable to make ends meet.

What the Xue family lacked was, firstly, a head of the family who could control the other shopkeepers, and secondly, relatives who could protect the Xue family.

The former could no longer be counted on Xue Pan, and the latter could only be placed on Baochai. In Aunt Xue's view, the Xue family was like a child with gold in a busy market, and the Jia family was like a hero in a difficult situation. It would be most appropriate for the two to combine their interests.

Who would have thought that the good sister Lady Wang, who had said everything well at first, would change her mind immediately after Yuanchun was made a concubine - she just said that Baoyu was still young and was unwilling to finalize the golden marriage.

Aunt Xue was naturally anxious, as she was arranging a marriage for Xue Pan, and inevitably had other thoughts in mind. She thought that if she swallowed the millions of silver from the Xia family, there was no guarantee that Lady Wang would not change her mind, so she arranged this marriage for Xue Pan.

As for Xia Jingui's character, Xue Pan has the same personality anyway. As long as the Xue family's business can be maintained, what's the harm in making Xue Pan suffer?
After hearing what Chen Siyuan said, Aunt Xue suddenly had second thoughts. "Marrying an unvirtuous wife ruins three generations of a family," she thought. "If I really marry someone who's capable of causing trouble, I'm afraid this marriage won't only bring no benefit, but will actually cause unrest in the family..."

After pondering for a long time, she looked up and met Chen Siyuan's gaze. Aunt Xue's heart was moved again. She thought to herself that Yuan'er had come up with a good idea some time ago to help Pan'er escape the worry of the living dead. He must have thought more carefully than herself, and she was afraid that what he said just now was no different.

Since it was Aunt Xue, she said, "Brother Yuan, what you said makes sense. Then... I'll take another look."

Chen Siyuan nodded and said, "Madam, why don't you carefully examine the character of Miss Xia before making any decision."

Aunt Xue said, "Then let's do as Yuan-ge-er says. We'll make our decision after we've heard his character."

Chen Siyuan nodded, and Aunt Xue sat for a while before getting up to say goodbye.

Chen Siyuan sent her out the door, and when he returned to the main room, Liu Wuer came back with a food box soon after.

Thanks to Sister Liu's care, Chen Siyuan's dinner was always more substantial than others'; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it dinner. After dinner that day, seeing it was still early, Chen Siyuan simply went for a stroll in the garden.

After strolling around, Chen Siyuan went back to the villa on the Dazhu Mountain to sit and relax. He felt that from this high place he could see all the scenery at a glance.

Who would have thought that the sky would be clear one moment, and then dark clouds would roll in from the north. In an instant, thunder roared and rain fell, trapping the stunned Chen Siyuan in his place.

When I came to my senses, I could no longer walk. Suddenly, I heard laughter again. Turning my head, I saw Ping'er running towards me from the winding mountain path. She was laughing, holding up her hands to shield herself from the rain. Her figure passed through flowers and trees, floating like a fairy from Yujing who had descended to the mortal world.

Suddenly, a violent storm erupted, and Ping'er's embroidered ribbon became entangled in the branches of flowers. By the time she untied it, her clothes were soaked. As she neared the villa, she caught a glimpse of Chen Siyuan standing inside with his hands behind his back. Ping'er was startled for a moment, then smiled and said, "Master Yuan is also trapped by the rain?"

As they entered the villa, their cheeks suddenly flushed. It was because Ping'er was soaked in rain, her vest and shirt sticking together, revealing the softness of her shoulders and the slenderness of her waist. The hem of her skirt was dripping with water. Even her shoes and underwear were soaked through.

Chen Siyuan glanced at him and then looked away, thinking that Jia Lian was so lucky. Then he said, "Yes, I was distracted just now, and when I came to my senses, I couldn't leave."

"So that's how it is," Ping'er said, covering her chest with her hands. "Just now, I received orders from the Second Mistress to go to the villa to check the gold and silver items. I just came out through the side door and was caught in the heavy rain." She laughed and said, "I was really embarrassed. I thought no one saw me, but who knew that Master Yuan saw me."

Chen Siyuan said, "Today's rain can be said to be washing away the makeup of the pear blossoms."

Ping'er smiled without saying a word, and used her hands to adjust her hair, causing the petals on her hair to flutter down to her shoulders.

Chen Siyuan said, "Every time I see Miss Ping'er, I feel that my politeness is somewhat foreign. Even Aunt Zhao calls me brother, so why is it that when I meet Miss Ping'er, I become Master Yuan?"

Ping'er was surprised and said, "How can you call me brother so casually? You are the master and I am the servant, so we can't mix up the hierarchy."

Chen Siyuan shook his head and made no attempt to argue. Suddenly, he remembered Ping'er's request and hurriedly pulled a piece of paper from his sleeve and handed it over. "I've been so busy reviewing my lessons these past few days that I forgot to send Doctor Ding's instructions. Please forgive me, Miss Ping'er."

"I'm glad that Master Yuan can remember it. I'm really anxious." Ping'er hurriedly took the paper and couldn't wait to spread it out and read it.

Feng Jieer didn't read much, and Ping'er was her right-hand man. She was actually a little better than Feng Jieer and often found written contracts to read to Feng Jieer.

She first took a quick look and saw that the Huanchun Pill was indeed effective and had no other side effects. She immediately breathed a sigh of relief and then carefully read the doctor's instructions.

Ding Daojian did not prescribe any medicine, but only wrote down the medical instructions: adjust work and rest, control family planning, control sexual desire, adjust to cold and heat, control diet, and regulate emotions.

Ping'er frowned after reading it and said, "That's all fine and dandy...but how easy are these two things, namely, finding the right balance between work and rest and regulating one's emotions?"

Chen Siyuan nodded and said, "The visit to my parents is coming soon. Maybe after this busy period, everything will be fine."

Ping'er laughed and said, "Our grandmother is always busy, so it's hard to say."

As she spoke, she folded the note and put it in her pocket, then solemnly thanked Chen Siyuan. Seeing that the rain outside was gradually easing, Ping'er said, "Our grandmother is waiting for my reply, and I can't delay any longer. Master Yuan, I'll go back first."

Chen Siyuan knew that this was just an excuse she made up. Ping'er probably didn't want to be alone with a man and a woman, and if the maids in the mansion saw it, they would spread rumors.

Since he did not try to persuade her to stay, he just watched Ping'er raise her hands to shield herself from the rain, then she lifted her skirt and ran down the villa to the front.

After a while, Hongyu came looking for him, holding an oil-paper umbrella and carrying a straw raincoat.

When they got to the villa, Hongyu said, "It's a good thing you didn't go far away, otherwise I'm afraid I would get soaked too."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "I was just worrying about how to get back. Luckily you came."

He then let Hongyu help him put on his raincoat. Hongyu then asked, "I just saw a figure. How come he ran away in the rain?"

Chen Siyuan said, "It's Miss Ping'er."

"Oh." Hongyu was smart and knew that Ping'er did this to avoid being embarrassed in the future.

Chen Siyuan suddenly asked, "Second Brother Lian has been back for two days. What have you been busy with?"

Hongyu pondered, "I rested peacefully on the first day, but the next day I went out to hang out with my friends." After a pause, the two of them left the villa and headed towards the back garden gate. Hongyu asked, "Why did you ask about Second Master Lian?"

Chen Siyuan whispered, "Miss Ping'er asked me to take Second Sister-in-law's pulse record to Ding Daojian for review. Ding Daojian gave me medical advice, which included birth control and abstinence. Miss Ping'er just said it was fine, but I vaguely heard that Second Sister-in-law wouldn't allow Second Brother Lian to sleep with Ping'er... Well, Second Brother Lian is at this age, he can't just hold it in, right?"

Hongyu smiled and said angrily, "Master, you have to pass the imperial examination one day. Why are you always thinking about what's going on in other people's rooms?"

"I'm just curious."

Hongyu smiled, then rolled her eyes and said, "I do know a thing or two... Second Madam keeps a close eye on him and doesn't allow Second Master Lian to do as he pleases at home. Every now and then, Second Master Lian asks Second Madam for money so he can go out and spend his money."

Chen Siyuan was even more puzzled and said, "That's strange. Isn't Second Sister-in-law afraid that Second Brother Lian might become unruly?"

Hongyu whispered, "A few dozen taels each time is all I can give you, no more."

Chen Siyuan thought about it for a moment, and suddenly it dawned on him.

Cats eat fish, dogs eat meat, and Lian Er, not being full at home, naturally went out to find wild food. He was given a few dozen taels each time, just enough for Jia Lian to drink and have fun, so even if he wanted to, he didn't have the money to keep a foxy woman.

Tsk tsk, Sister Feng is really good at this, she has Jia Lian under her control.

The day passed quickly, and the next day, because there were a few questions that were really difficult to answer, Chen Siyuan left school and went to Mei Hanlin's house.

Unexpectedly, Mei Hanlin was out visiting a friend that day and never returned. Even Mei Chong, who was supposed to receive him, was gloomy and his responses were quite subpar.

Chen Siyuan simply suppressed his thoughts and asked, "I see that Brother Mei has a worried look on his face. Is there something on his mind?"

Over the past six months, Chen Siyuan had been coming here every now and then, and he and Mei Chong had become quite familiar with each other. Furthermore, Chen Siyuan was adept at reading people's expressions, and his compliments always hit the spot, so Mei Chong was not shy about it.

Hearing this, Mei Chong sighed and whispered, "Don't mention it... I met a girl by chance on Dragon Boat Festival, and I couldn't forget her since I returned home. I asked a friend to search around, and that's how I learned her background. I wanted to tell my parents and propose to them someday... But when they heard about her family background, they flatly refused."

Chen Siyuan said, "I see...but that girl's family background is not right?"

Mei Chong said with a bitter face, "His father is Cao Xuezhen, a doctor in the Fengchenyuan of the Imperial Household."

Chen Siyuan felt relieved. The Imperial Household was a self-contained institution, originating from the old camp during the reign of Emperor Taizong. While one still had to pass the imperial examination to be granted an official position, once one achieved the title of Scholar, they could rise through the ranks of seniority and, as long as they knew how to behave, rise step by step.

The outer court looked down upon the inner court officials, especially during the reign of the Supreme Lord, when censors would frequently impeach inner court officials. Even now, the outer court officials never considered the inner court officials their colleagues.

Mei Hanlin came from a noble family, so how could he ruin his future by marrying his children to those in the imperial court?

Chen Siyuan comforted him, "It's just a one-time encounter, Brother Mei, why worry so much? You know, there are always better people out there."

Mei Chong nodded and said, "Don't try to persuade me. Now that I think about it, this isn't a very appropriate thing to do."

Three generations of the Mei family had all been Jinshi (imperial examination) scholars. Mei Chong, whose talent far surpassed his father, Mei Hanlin, naturally dreamed of a successful career. He had previously considered marrying a daughter of the Cao family, but it was a momentary impulse. Once he came to his senses, he naturally didn't want to jeopardize his future.

After a pause, Mei Chong raised his eyes and seemed to be about to speak.

Chen Siyuan scolded, "Brother Mei, just say what you want to say. Why are you hesitating?"

"Well... to be honest, I do have something on my mind," Mei Chong pondered. "In his early years, my father, with the help of the Xue family, was able to marry his children off to their parents. But now my mother is old, and the second daughter of the Xue family is still young... My mother has been ill recently, and she keeps nagging me to get married soon. This..."

Chen Siyuan narrowed his eyes and asked, "Brother Mei...are you planning to cancel the engagement?"

Mei Chong bowed and said, "It's really my mother who can't wait. If the Xue family's daughter were my age, she could marry right away. My Mei family wouldn't break their promise and enrich themselves, causing the world's scholars to laugh at them. I've thought about this over and over again, but I really can't find a reason. Now that I've spoken out, I'll ask Brother Chen to help me find a solution."

Chen Siyuan blinked, and suddenly he realized: This so-called girl from the Cao family mentioned earlier was probably just a prelude. Mei Chong's original intention was to break off the engagement with the second branch of the Xue family.

Come to think of it, the daughter of the doctor in the inner court is not worthy of her, let alone the daughter of the second wife of the royal merchant?

As the saying goes, 'It's better to demolish ten temples than to ruin a marriage.' How could Chen Siyuan get involved in such a matter? Yin quickly declined, saying, "Brother Mei, I'm afraid you've come to the wrong person for this matter... If you asked me for advice, I might be able to offer some advice. But now that you've entrusted this matter to me, how can I possibly handle it?"

Mei Chong frowned and bowed, saying, "I am Meng Lang."

Chen Siyuan thought to himself that Baoqin seemed to be younger than his third sister Tanchun. What Mei Chong said just now was not entirely false. Mei Hanlin's wife was indeed in poor health. So... how could he wait until Xue Baoqin was over the age of 15 before marrying her?

Furthermore, the fact that Miss Qin was teased by Lady Jia made even the usually quiet Miss Bao feel jealous, which shows her character. Such a good sister should be left to oneself, how could she be left to an outsider?

He then changed the subject and said, "But this matter may not be hopeless."

"Oh? Brother Shuliang, please speak frankly."

Chen Siyuan pointed out, "The Xue family's eldest branch is now living in Jia's household. As far as I know, the second branch of the Xue family had already made a plan to temporarily place the imperial merchant assets in the hands of the second branch, waiting for the eldest branch's eldest son to come of age before transferring them back. But Uncle Xue died suddenly a while ago, and they're going to have to settle for the imperial merchant assets alone."

Moreover, when the eldest wife came to Beijing, I am afraid that she might bring both families' assets with her to prevent the second wife from regretting her decision... In this case, the eldest wife may not be happy to see this marriage."

Mei Chong suddenly became excited: "Is that so?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and nodded. He thought to himself that while Xue Ke and Bao Qin were ostensibly seeking marriage, they were actually more interested in the inheritance that belonged to the Second Branch. To put it bluntly, they were coming to collect a debt from Aunt Xue. This was why Aunt Xue had deliberately brought Xue Ke and Xing Xiuyan together, intent on tying Xue Ke's hands with affection to prevent a falling out between the two branches.

The Mei Hanlin family is like a towering tree to Aunt Xue. Even for her own selfish reasons, Aunt Xue would probably not be willing to let Baoqin really marry Mei Chong.

Mei Chong thought for a moment and said with a smile, "Thank you, Brother Shuliang, for your advice. I also ask that you please speak to Mrs. Xue privately so that I can visit you in the future to discuss this matter."

Chen Siyuan naturally agreed not to mention it. He had originally wanted to go and talk to Aunt Xue when he had some free time, but his schoolwork was too heavy, and with the quarterly exams approaching, Chen Siyuan had no choice but to concentrate on studying contemporary literature and practicing eight-legged essays.

When the results were posted on the third day of June, Chen Siyuan breathed a sigh of relief when he saw himself once again at the top. After two monthly and two quarterly exams, Chen Siyuan had already earned six points. He only needed eight points to qualify for the August Autumn Examination.

As he walked around that day, everyone, whether Qingwen, Second Sister You, or Third Sister You, beamed with joy upon hearing about this. Third Sister You was so delighted that she even promised him a favor, which filled Chen Siyuan with longing. However, this favor could only be fulfilled during his holiday, so now he could only sigh in despair.

I returned home at the end of the Shen period that day, had dinner and took a short nap, and then walked towards the small courtyard in the northeast while it was still light.

There are two ways to get from Chen Siyuan's courtyard to Aunt Xue's place. One is to go straight along the alley on the east side, and the other is to pass through the Grand View Garden and then turn onto the alley.

Chen Siyuan did not delay and walked straight along the alley. In a moment, he arrived at the small courtyard in the northeast behind Lady Wang's courtyard.

He went forward and knocked on the door. A moment later, a fellow worker opened it. He took a look and said in surprise, "It's Master Yuan. I was wondering who it could be."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Is the concubine here? I have something to discuss with the concubine."

"Yes, sir, please come in first and I'll let my mistress know."

Chen Siyuan agreed and walked slowly inside.

The small courtyard in the northeast is the guest house, with two entrances, front and back, and a three-sided courtyard in the front. Ever since the Xue family moved in, Xue Pan has lived in the front courtyard, while Aunt Xue and Baochai live in the back courtyard.

Walking along the corridor and through the hall on the east side of the courtyard, I ran into Liu Yaner walking out.

Liu Yan'er's face was immediately filled with surprise when she caught sight of Chen Siyuan, and she quickly bowed. With fellow travelers present, and at the Xue family residence, Chen Siyuan simply nodded in agreement.

When Chen Siyuan and Tongxi went to the main house in the back garden, Liu Yaner stopped in the hallway, feeling puzzled. She wanted to eavesdrop on what Chen Siyuan and Aunt Xue were saying, but she had no chance at all.

Aunt Xue had been carefully investigating Xia Jingui's reputation for some time, but she hadn't revealed a single word. Liu Yan'er, however, was not one to be docile. She had privately investigated Xia Jingui's character thoroughly.

When Liu Yan'er heard that this girl often got angry and scolded and beat the maids around her, she took a deep breath.

She had married into the Yan family in her early years, and had seen all the troubles in the inner court. Every time she disguised herself as a concubine and entered a wealthy family, the main wife would want to strangle her to death immediately.

Liu Yan'er knew that if such a woman became her grandmother, she would be in trouble. So she sought help from Chen Siyuan while thinking of taking all the money and running away thousands of miles away.

However, Xue Pan did not return for a long time, and Aunt Xue was always looking after him, so Liu Yan'er could only wander around in Rongguo Mansion, unable to use any of her skills.

Seeing Zhen'er coming up to urge her, Liu Yan'er frowned and returned to the main room in the front yard. She sat there for a while, feeling increasingly uneasy. She knew Xue Pan's personality best. She also knew her own situation.

She was only a bit pretty, and she had used her seductive tricks to win over Xue Pan, who then obeyed her every word. But men in this world are always fickle, and if he heard that the new woman was beautiful, there was no guarantee that Xue Pan would be tempted by someone else.

In this case, will I have to let my new grandmother torture me in the future?
She had originally thought of being Xue Pan's concubine, but now it seems... it's true that money is closer than father and mother!

Liu Yan'er had already made up her mind. If the new grandmother was just a bitch, it would be fine. But if she was really the Xia family girl, she would run away. She would take a few thousand taels of silver, disguise herself as a pretty widow, and marry a handsome poor scholar. Who knows, maybe she could get an imperial decree herself someday!

Unable to do anything about it, Liu Yan'er felt annoyed and stood up to walk out. Zhen'er wanted to follow her, but Liu Yan'er frowned and said, "I'm feeling a bit upset right now, so I'll just walk around on my own. You stay home, and if the mistress comes looking for me, come to the garden and let me know."

Zhen'er didn't doubt it and agreed in person. Liu Yan'er then left the guest house and walked into the garden.

But Liu Yan'er entered the garden, crossed the Bee Waist Bridge, and was looking for Liaofengxuan in distress, when she unexpectedly saw a young man in brocade clothes coming out from a waterside pavilion.

Liu Yan'er took a quick glance and recognized the person as Jia Lian. She quickly bowed and said, "Greetings, Second Master Lian."

Jia Lian paused and took a quick look, his eyes suddenly brightening. He folded his folding fan and slammed it in his palm, unable to help but smile, "So it's my younger brother's sister... Has Wenlong sent any letters recently? When will he be back?"

Liu Yan'er said softly, "Master hasn't written to me in the past few days. I think it will take some time before he can deal with the affairs of Jinling."

"I see. Traveling in the summer is always hard, and it's really hard on Wenlong."

Liu Yan'er frowned and said, "That's true. Master, you haven't written to me since you left. I've been thinking about you so much."

As she spoke, she placed her hands on her chest like Xi Shi holding her heart, and Jia Lian caught a glimpse of the snowy area under her neck.

Liu Yan'er had always been known for her charming demeanor, and she had always been a favorite of Jia Lian's. He had been obsessed with her since the first time he saw her. Recently, Feng Jieer, following doctor's orders, had forbidden him from sleeping with her, nor had Ping'er, leaving Jia Lian feeling frustrated. Seeing Liu Yan'er now, he was immediately tempted to make his own move.

To Jia Lian, Liu Yan'er was just a concubine, not his wife. So what if she was his mistress? Could Xue Wenlong really turn against him because of this girl?

He couldn't help but smile and looked Liu Yan'er up and down, and asked, "Where are you going, little sister-in-law?"

Liu Yan'er replied, "I feel depressed and want to go for a walk."

Jia Lian looked around and saw that no one was around, so he said, "There are bound to be some snakes and insects in this garden. It's really not appropriate for my little sister to wander around by herself. How about... I accompany my little sister for a walk?"

Liu Yan'er, from the Yan family, knew what Jia Lian was thinking. She feigned ignorance and said delicately, "Snakes and insects? Well... then thank you, Second Master."

Jia Lian laughed heartily and said, "Wenlong and I are close relatives, so there's no need for my younger brother and sister to be separated..." As he spoke, he waved his folding fan to the north and said, "Shall we start walking now?"

Liu Yan'er bowed and then shyly followed Jia Lian half a step towards the stone cave.

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

But let’s talk about Aunt Xue’s main room.

The two sat down as host and guest. Chen Siyuan drank half a cup of tea and listened to Aunt Xue chattering about Xia Jingui.

It would have been fine if she hadn't listened carefully, but once she did, Aunt Xue was terrified and broke into a cold sweat. Xia Jingui hadn't even reached marriage, and in the past two years alone, she had driven out three maids, one of whom had been blinded by a knife because of her lively eyes, which had incited Xia Jingui's jealousy.

If such a shrew and fierce woman were really married into the family, it would be a real misfortune for the family.

Aunt Xue said sadly, "Thank goodness Brother Yuan reminded me, otherwise I would have thought Miss Xia was a good person... Who knew she would be like this in private!"

Chen Siyuan said, "The saying 'It's difficult to draw the bones of a dragon or a tiger, and you can know a person's face but not his heart' is absolutely true. Furthermore, there are ancient stories like 'Mencius's mother moved three times' and 'killing a pig to teach her son.' In ordinary families, the man is the breadwinner and the woman the homemaker, with the woman shouldering the responsibility of supporting the husband and raising the children. Marrying a virtuous woman can truly bring blessings to three generations."

If you establish a family tradition, your descendants will not make mistakes, and when they find a talented person, they will take advantage of the opportunity to rise up. On the contrary, if you marry someone who is a disaster, I am afraid... it will bring disaster to future generations."

Aunt Xue didn't think about herself at all. She just nodded and agreed, "Exactly, absolutely, that's exactly what you mean." After a pause, she sighed, "Alas, Pan'er's marriage... I'm afraid we'll have to think it over carefully again. Unfortunately, there aren't any suitable women among our relatives and friends. If Brother Yuan has someone suitable, you might as well help Wenlong introduce one."

The speaker may not have intended it, but the listener took it to heart. Chen Siyuan's heart suddenly moved, and he said, "Does the concubine know Doctor Cao of the Imperial Household?"

Aunt Xue thought for a moment before she said, "But is it Cao Xuezhen, the doctor in the Fengchen Court?"

"That's right," Chen Siyuan whispered. "I heard that Doctor Cao has a beautiful, gentle, and virtuous daughter. She's only 28 years old and waiting to be married. Not only are there families in the inner court, but even the sons of officials from the outer court have come to propose marriage. If Wenlong and this girl are married, I think the Xue family will prosper in the future."

"Really?" Aunt Xue was overjoyed, but then worriedly said, "It's just that... this girl is sought after by hundreds of families, and I'm afraid the Cao family may not look down on Pan'er."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Although Doctor Cao comes from the inner court, he is a cautious and careful man. Despite his many years in office, he hasn't accumulated much wealth. I heard he still lives in a small courtyard in the outer city. This woman is Doctor Cao's second daughter. Although she has a very good personality, she can't compare to her older and younger sisters in terms of appearance."

The concubine's family is originally a royal merchant family. If I ask someone to help, maybe I can make this happen."

Aunt Xue immediately had an idea. So what if a daughter of one family was sought after by hundreds of families? She couldn't afford to neglect the important matter of her own son's marriage. Even if it meant sacrificing her dignity, she had to marry a daughter-in-law she liked, so that she could be worthy of her late husband.

For some reason, Aunt Xue couldn't help but glance at Chen Siyuan obscurely when she thought of this, then quickly retracted her gaze. After pretending to be lost in thought for a long moment, she slammed the table and said, "Brother Yuan is right. How can we know if it won't work if we don't try? I'll send someone to pass on a message tomorrow, and then choose another day to visit. I won't care even if it means losing face."

Chen Siyuan bowed and smiled, "My wife is so concerned about Brother Wenlong. I believe Brother Wenlong will be very grateful when he returns in the future."

"Him? If he were even 30% as sensible as Brother Yuan, I'd be satisfied."

Chen Siyuan laughed and then asked, "Madam, do you know where I learned about the Cao family?"

"I don't know about that."

"It's the Mei Hanlin family." After a pause, Chen Siyuan said, "A few days ago, I went to ask for advice. Mei Hanlin's son, Mei Chong, hesitated for a long time before finally speaking. He said that his mother was old and worried that she would not live long, and she was only concerned about Mei Chong's marriage. But Xue's sister was too young, and he was afraid that the Mei family could not wait any longer."

"Baoqin?" Aunt Xue frowned immediately.

Aunt Xue was only a woman in the inner chambers. While she had some schemes, they were merely petty, and she had no idea what was happening outside. Furthermore, the Jinling case had condemned Xue Pan to death, and Aunt Xue was naturally on edge, wary of the Wang family and even more wary of the Xue family's branches.

Previously, the imperial mission fell on the second uncle of the Xue family, and Aunt Xue even suspected that the case of Xue Pan was the work of the second uncle. So how could she have any affection for Xue Baoqin?

Her daughter Baochai's selection hadn't been announced yet, and her ideal match hung in the balance. Yet, Xue Baoqin was already engaged to the Mei Hanlin family. Aunt Xue was filled with jealousy, as she felt she hadn't. She also worried that the Xue family's second branch, leveraging the Mei family's influence, might eventually overpower the first branch. So, she was eager for Baoqin's marriage to fall through.

Hearing Chen Siyuan mention this, Aunt Xue was immediately delighted. She forced a stern face and said, "Such a good marriage, how can you regret it just like that?"

Chen Siyuan said, "It's because Mei Chong's mother is old, I'm afraid..."

"Alas, every family has its own problems," Aunt Xue said, taking the opportunity to say, "Baoqin is indeed too young, so delaying the marriage is not a good idea. Well, I'll write a letter to Jinling later and talk to my second sister-in-law to see what she thinks."

Chen Siyuan nodded in agreement.

Everything was settled, and Chen Siyuan didn't stay any longer, rising to take his leave. Aunt Xue, despite feeling strange, was deeply grateful for Chen Siyuan's advice, so she personally escorted him out. After watching him enter the garden, she reluctantly returned to her main room to reflect.

Chen Siyuan, however, was in high spirits, and seeing that the sun was just setting, he decided to take a leisurely stroll through the garden. He crossed Qinfang Bridge, Cuiyan Bridge, and Fengyao Bridge, and strolled northward. He felt that the sky was bright and his spirits were refreshed.

Because Jia's mother and her entourage had gone to Haidian for summer vacation, the garden inevitably seemed a little empty. Chen Siyuan walked around Nuanxiangwu and arrived near the peony garden. He saw a swing nearby and suddenly felt like playing, so he sat on it and started swinging.

It had just swung twice when suddenly a woman's scream came from the direction of the cave.

Chen Siyuan was no ordinary man, so how could he not recognize that this sound was that of a woman in a state of arousal? He immediately stopped the swing and listened carefully, and indeed, he could faintly hear an unusual sound.

I couldn't help but feel strange, and wondered if some servants or maids took advantage of the empty garden and simply ran away to the cave to have sex?

While he was thinking, suddenly another figure came out of the cave. He hadn't tied the sweat towel around his waist yet and looked around in panic.

Chen Siyuan, seeing it was Jia Lian, ducked down and hid in the peony garden, then reached out and parted the branches to peek in. Seeing no one around, Jia Lian spoke a few words into the cave, and then a woman emerged, sobbing.

Chen Siyuan was stunned. Who else could it be but Liu Yan'er!
Good god, Jia Lian had been coveting Liu Yan'er from before. I thought he had forgotten about her after all these days, but who would have thought that they actually took advantage of Xue Pan's absence to have an affair!
Then he thought again, something was wrong! Why would Liu Yan'er be with Jia Lian for no reason? Hiss... This woman must be planning to save the money and run away!

(End of this chapter)