Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 173 Why Are You More Anxious Than Me?

Ten days later, it was the end of July. Chen Siyuan got the questions that Tao Jiancheng had missed, and he thought about taking the monthly exam in one day. Although the eight-part essay was a bit rigid, the opening question was particularly exciting.

All his classmates and friends knew Chen Siyuan was planning to take the Autumn Examination in August, so no one was competing with him. Once the exam was over, everyone came to congratulate him. Chen Siyuan knew that no matter how he performed, he would top the list and get the points, so he didn't refuse. After school, he invited everyone to a tavern and stayed there until they were drunk.

At the beginning of the You period, it was almost dusk.

At Qingwen's place in Dagezi Lane, Qingwen had dinner with two maids. She walked around the courtyard for a while to digest the food, then returned to her room, lit a lamp, sat on the kang with one leg tilted, and began to carefully knit a shoe pattern.

She wore a long vest with a bean green background, floral embroidery, and a water blue silk cross-collar with a dark pattern. She wore an ivory cross-collar jacket underneath, and a copper-green long skirt. Under the skirt, her bare feet were wearing a pair of embroidered slippers with high front and low back.

After getting familiar with the needle and thread, Qingwen held the embroidery needle and pricked her temples, then began to carefully sew the shoe pattern. In a moment, she inadvertently glanced and saw an unbound book under the kang table.

Qingwen's pretty face suddenly turned red!
In the afternoon, Aunt Lai finally came again and talked about all sorts of things. When she asked about Qingwen and Chen Siyuan, Qingwen just stammered and gave vague answers.

The one who blamed everyone frowned and gave a long lecture, saying things like, "Master Yuan has a bright future," "Little Flower Branch Lane has two vixens," and "Many of the maids in the garden can't move their legs when they see Master Yuan."

This made Qingwen shy, and she started to scold him with a stern face. Lai Dajie didn't take it seriously. He gave her some instructions and then, before leaving, secretly slipped a scroll to Qingwen, telling her to read it privately when she had time.

Qingwen was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. She couldn't read, and holding the book was like looking blind. What was the point of looking at it? After seeing off Aunt Lai, Qingwen couldn't contain her curiosity. She finally opened the book and took a look. Then she was so embarrassed that she couldn't face anyone.

It turned out that the book contained only a few words, and the rest were pictures of sex. Qingwen was just beginning to fall in love, and at most she had overheard Baoyu's affairs, so how could she have seen such pictures? In a moment of anxiety, Qingwen threw the book to the ground and jumped up and down to stomp on it.

After she calmed down, Qingwen wanted to burn the booklet, but she thought that if the master saw it, he might think that she was a vixen, so she copied it again.

She did find a brazier, but after a long pause, she decided not to burn the book. She thought to herself, "I'm still indebted to Auntie for her kindness. Why not take another look at it?"

After reading it, Qingwen not only forgot to destroy the book, but also spent the rest of the afternoon in a trance, sometimes thinking of the shameful appearance in the book, and sometimes the picture became a picture of herself and the master...

Qingwen put down her shoes, reached out to pick up the book, and was about to flip through it again while biting her lower lip when she suddenly heard a knock on the door.

Qingwen was startled and quickly put the booklet on the ground and stuffed it into the bottom of the box. Then she picked up her clothes and looked out.

The old man opened the door and said in surprise, "Hey, how come you are so drunk?"

The servant Qingyu and the coachman held Chen Siyuan in the middle of the room. Qingyu said, "School was dismissed at 3 p.m., and a group of classmates urged me to treat them to a banquet, so I accepted. We didn't go far, but found a restaurant nearby. More than a dozen people toasted each other, toasting me.

The master was probably pleased, and really accepted everything that was offered to him. He drank a whole jar of Juhuabai. His face only blushed slightly in front of him, but as soon as he went out and saw the wind, he immediately passed out. "Madam Qu, please help!"

"Hey, hey." Nanny Qu responded and hurriedly took over the coachman's position to support Chen Siyuan towards the main house.

When Qingwen came out, she was startled and quickly ordered two people to help Chen Siyuan into the kang in the west room. She also ordered, "Madam, quickly make some hangover soup. If there's none at home, send someone to buy some before it gets dark."

Aunt Qu replied, "There's a medicine shop just down the street. I'll go get some. It'll be ready in a moment."

Nanny Qu turned and left in a hurry. Qingwen looked at Qingyu again and asked, "What did the master order?"

Qing Yu scratched his head and said, "Master is drunk, what instructions can he give? I just asked him where he was going, and he said he wanted to come to my sister's place."

Qingwen's brows relaxed, her heart soothed. Then she frowned again and thought, "Since that's the case, Master, please stay with me tonight. You...you should stop saying anything when you go back."

She knew that she couldn't show herself in public, otherwise she would inevitably cause trouble for the master, so it was better to keep it secret if possible.

Qingyu was also smart, and said with a smile: "Okay, then I will say that the master went to Xiaohuazhi Lane."

Qingwen smiled and praised, "He's quite clever, not bad." As she spoke, she turned around and took two sweet-scented osmanthus candies from the tea tray on the table. She stuffed them into Qingyu's pockets and said, "Tell him this when you get back. If anyone asks you anything, just say he's drunk."

Qing Yu agreed, threw a piece of osmanthus candy into his mouth, and then turned around to say goodbye.

Qingwen was thinking about Chen Siyuan, so she sent the old man to see him off, and then she turned around and went into the west room.

A quick glance revealed Chen Siyuan, dressed in a brocade robe, slumped on the kang, his brow furrowed, his breath reeking of alcohol. Qingwen, unfazed, leaned forward and reached out to help Chen Siyuan remove his boots. Just as she was about to take off his coat, Chen Siyuan suddenly opened his eyes.

Qingwen was startled and asked hurriedly, "Master, would you like some tea? Madam Qu has gone to the pharmacy to get a hangover prescription."

Chen Siyuan sat up straight and just said "spittoon".

Qingwen hurriedly found the spittoon, but Chen Siyuan snatched it away and started vomiting violently into the spittoon.

After vomiting, Qingwen brought her some tea to help her rinse her mouth, and soon she smelled a sour and foul smell all over the room.

It was already autumn, and Chen Siyuan had passed out drunkenly again, so it was inconvenient to open the doors and windows for ventilation. Qingwen, however, found a fumigation basket and roasted some camphor to dispel the sour, foul smell.

When he turned around, Qingwen climbed onto the kang, crept over to him on her knees, and untied his robe. It took a lot of effort to get it off. Then she wet a handkerchief and began to wipe him carefully.

He first wiped his hands and feet, then changed the handkerchief to wipe his face. Qingwen looked at him intently, and became dazed after only two wipes.

When my uncle is awake during the day, he is fresh, handsome, and has an extraordinary bearing. His eyes are particularly sharp, as if he can see through your thoughts if you look at him for too long.

At this time, his eyes were closed tightly, and his cheeks were flushed again, making him look even softer... Well, my uncle is really handsome.

Qingwen smiled and was about to wipe it, but Chen Siyuan, with his eyes closed, reached out and grabbed her wrist. Then he narrowed his eyes, snatched the handkerchief and threw it aside, then pulled it into his arms. Qingwen screamed and fell into his arms.

"uncle?"

Chen Siyuan said vaguely, "It's itchy, but it won't hurt to spend a day..." He paused, frowned, and said, "It's a headache."

Qingwen said modestly, "Then let me give you a massage?"

"Yeah." Chen Siyuan agreed, and then let go of Qingwen.

Qingwen rustled to her feet, crawled on her knees for a while, then sat down again. She laboriously moved Chen Siyuan's head onto her legs, then stretched out a pair of hands as smooth as mutton-fat jade and began to massage Chen Siyuan's body.

As Qingwen kneaded him, Chen Siyuan's brows gradually relaxed, his breathing became long, and he fell asleep without knowing when.

The door outside opened and soon Aunt Qu came in and said, "Miss——"

"Hush—" Qingwen turned around and said to Madam Qu, "Master has gone to bed. I've made the hangover soup, let it cool and keep it ready. You might get up to drink it in the middle of the night."

"Hey."

"Pour me another cup of warm tea."

Nanny Qu agreed, tiptoed out and closed the door, then glanced inside through the window, then covered her mouth with a smile and went to the side room.

In the western room, Qingwen kneaded her feet for a long time until she felt her hands and thighs were numb. Qingwen opened her arms and shook them, but Chen Siyuan turned over and lay on his side, holding Qingwen's feet in one hand.

The large palm was warm, and there was a breath coming from it, which made Qingwen's face blush and itch.

Qingwen bit her lower lip, feeling neither amused nor sad. She thought to herself, why did the master have to fiddle with her own feet when there were so many other things he could do...

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

Rongguo Mansion.

The maidservant Yunxiang pried open the door and peeked out. Hongyu stopped in front of the door. Qingyu muttered to himself across from her. Hongyu said, "Since the master has gone to Xiaohuazhi Lane, why didn't you come and tell us earlier?"

Qing Yu smiled awkwardly and said, "Master, we had a drink today and it ended at the beginning of the evening hour."

Hongyu nodded, then smiled and said, "I see. You've been working hard all day following me, so go back and rest."

Qing Yu responded and then left happily.

When Hongyu turned around, she saw the maid Yunxiang swishing back into the side room. Hongyu frowned and shook her head, not knowing what to say to her. She then walked into the main room and said to Xiangling and Liu Wu'er, "Master, you won't be coming back today."

Xiangling smiled and said, "I'm craving the rouge goose breast that's coming later. Don't try to snatch it from me later."

Hongyu smiled and said, "Eat, eat, eat. Sister, aren't you afraid that Master won't come home one day?"

Xiangling didn't care at all. She just spread out the food box, picked up the chopsticks and started to eat.

Liu Wuer came out of the study and said, "The East Courtyard and the concubines sent people to look for Master this afternoon. Sister, should you go back and tell them?"

Hongyu was about to answer when she heard a knock on the door. Turning around, she saw Yunxiang slip out and open the door, then shouted, "Sister Tongxi is here again!"

Hongyu laughed in anger and cursed, "Stop talking nonsense! What do you mean by 'again'?"

Tongxi pointed at Yunxiang in an angry tone, "What? Don't you want to see me?"

Yunxiang immediately said awkwardly, "No, I, I was just saying it casually."

Tongxi thought to himself that he had often come here to visit Uncle Yuan these days, so it was no wonder that Yunxiang said that.

When Hongyu came closer, Tongxi said, "I'm not going in. Has your uncle returned yet?"

Hongyu smiled apologetically and said, "I was just about to go to the concubine to tell her that my master drank too much outside today and said he wouldn't be coming back."

Tongxi blinked, pointed northwest, and said, "Going to Xiaohuazhi Lane again?"

Hongyu said worriedly, "That's right."

Every time he returned from Little Flower Branch Lane, he looked sickly and languid, needing to hold onto his waist after every few steps. The Yu sisters were so focused on their own well-being, completely oblivious to the fact that their master hadn't yet fully grown. How could he endure this in the long run?
Tongxi frowned and sighed, "Forget it. When your master comes back, I'll definitely ask him to come visit my wife. To be honest, my wife and the young lady are on pins and needles right now. I'm afraid they're extremely anxious."

Hongyu nodded and said, "Master will announce the results tomorrow, and we will be back before noon."

Tongxi agreed, chatted a few more words, and then hurriedly turned around and left.

Hongyu was about to close the door when Yuchuan'er, the lady's former servant, came looking for her.

Yuchuan'er said from a distance, "Don't close the door! Madam wants to see your master for something."

Why did even the wife want to look for her own master? Hongyu hurriedly stepped forward and whispered to Yuchuan'er about Chen Siyuan's drunkenness. Yuchuan'er said, "Then I'll go tell the wife first. You can tell your master tomorrow if you think of it."

"Well, I saved that."

After seeing Yuchuan'er off, Hongyu pondered for a moment, then carried her lantern and walked towards the east wing. She didn't enter the third-tiered ceremonial gate, but instead told Qin Yujia about Chen Siyuan's drunkenness. Qin Yujia went inside to report, then returned to the third-tiered ceremonial gate a short while later, saying only that the eldest wife had learned of the matter.

Hongyu returned to her own courtyard, carrying the lantern. As soon as she entered, she frowned and said, "I don't know what's going on. Why are they all looking for me?"

Xiangling and Liu Wu'er both shook their heads in confusion. Suddenly, there was a noise behind Hongyu. She turned around and saw the little maid Yunxiang with a sly look on her face, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

Hongyu was immediately furious and lectured him, "Who did you learn this sneaky trick from? If you have something to say, just say it."

Yunxiang laughed playfully and ran into the main room, lowering her voice and saying mischievously, "I do know a thing or two. Over in the east wing, I heard that the eldest master and the second master, Lian, went to the farm downstairs to settle accounts and arrested three dishonest farmhands. They scared the steward Dai so much that he ran to the eldest master's study in the afternoon and knelt for a long time."

As he spoke, he frowned slightly. "I don't know about the Madam, but I do know about the Concubine. This morning, an old shopkeeper named Zhang came by, and for some reason, the Concubine was happy and ordered the kitchen to prepare a banquet. But for some reason, she turned around and sent Sister Tonggui back to the kitchen, saying that we should proceed as usual and that if the banquet hadn't been prepared, then there would be no banquet."

Hongyu pouted and said, "This is so out of context, who knows what's going on?"

Yunxiang blinked her eyes and said, "Master, you must know something about this. I'll tell you, and you'll definitely be able to figure it out."

Hongyu was startled, thinking to herself, "Isn't that what's going on?" She waved her hand away like a fly, saying, "Why learn something else? Why do you have to learn to gossip about your wife? You might not be able to get married one day!" Yunxiang ran out with a pout, mumbling, "I don't want to get married yet. After all, you can support me forever."

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

Big Grid Lane.

When Chen Siyuan woke up, the dawn was just breaking. He opened his eyes and saw a pair of small, diamond-shaped feet pressed against his chest, their nails smeared with impatiens juice. It could be described as "a golden dragon with a kingfisher-green phoenix as its head, and a pair of jade lotus hooks as its background."

Chen Siyuan was dazed for a moment, but when he took in the interior, he realized he was at Qingwen's place. Thinking back to yesterday, he vaguely remembered toasting everyone, accepting every offer, and not knowing when he'd gotten so drunk.

Yawning, Chen Siyuan felt playful and couldn't help but reach out and scratch the soles of the feet. The pair of feet immediately retracted into the quilt. Then Qingwen rubbed her eyes and stood up rustlingly. She looked at Chen Siyuan and frowned and said angrily, "Master, are you up?"

Seeing Qingwen's eyes turn red, Chen Siyuan was immediately puzzled and asked, "I'm awake, but you look like you're still asleep."

Qingwen pouted and said, "Master is still talking!"

Yesterday, he'd held her feet tightly, and Qingwen struggled for a long time before finally undressing. Then, she and Chen Siyuan engaged in a physical brawl. She'd thought she'd be able to sleep peacefully, but Chen Siyuan wouldn't stop even in his sleep. At first, Qingwen thought Chen Siyuan was hiding something against her, but then she recalled the scene in the booklet and was so ashamed she couldn't move.

Later that night, Chen Siyuan kept yelling for water, and Qingwen tossed and turned twice. She finally fell asleep at 3:00 am, and now it was only 4:00 am, so she didn't sleep well, did she?
Qingwen wanted to complain, but she couldn't find the words. She stood up sleepily, put on her slippers, and said, "Master, are you thirsty?"

"There are some."

Qingwen went to the outer room and poured a cup of warm tea. While serving it to Chen Siyuan, she said, "I was worried that the master would be thirsty, so I specially asked the maid to light a fumigation cage yesterday. The iron teapot has been placed on the fumigation cage to keep it warm. It's still warm now."

Chen Siyuan smiled and agreed. Just as he was about to stand, he felt a splitting headache. Qingwen hurried over to massage it, then said, "Madame Qu has prepared some hangover soup. I'll go get some for you, Master."

He immediately put on his clothes and left in a hurry. A moment later he came back trembling with a cup of sobering soup.

Chen Siyuan took the soup bowl with one hand and pulled Qingwen onto the kang with the other, saying, "It's cold mornings and evenings now. You're wearing so little. Be careful not to catch a cold tomorrow."

Qingwen smiled without answering, and went straight into the brocade quilt. She stretched out her feet and stepped on Chen Siyuan's instep.

Chen Siyuan did not dodge. After drinking the sobering soup, he kept looking at Qingwen with a smile.

After a moment, when Qingwen's feet had warmed up, Chen Siyuan took the initiative to step on her. Qingwen refused to do so. The two of them started fighting under the quilt, and in the end, their four feet were stuck together, and it was unclear who won.

Qingwen asked, "Will the notice be posted today?"

"Well, it doesn't matter whether you look at it or not. It's definitely number one."

"Oh." Qingwen responded, with a look of wanting to say something but hesitating.

Chen Siyuan said, "I won't be coming to the Imperial College for the time being. After the Autumn Examination, I'll just buy a house in the inner city and you can move there."

Qingwen's heart was immediately soothed, and she hurriedly said, "If you pass the Autumn Examination, you will be a Juren. Will you then move into the new house?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and shook his head, "I'm afraid I'll stay in Rongguo Mansion for a while longer... Sister Lin is still in the mansion, and I have to take care of her."

Qingwen frowned, thinking, then asked, "What if those two go too?" Seeing Chen Siyuan nod, she quickly said, "Then won't I have to serve them?"

At this time, because of Chen Siyuan, the reputation of the You sisters was not ruined. Qingwen only became suspicious because she was a stranger to them.

Chen Siyuan said, "You are my personal maid, just show respect to me, and don't worry about anything else."

Qingwen heaved a sigh of relief, patting her chest gently. "I'm just afraid those two concubines won't tolerate anyone... Let me make it clear to Master first: if a quarrel really breaks out, I won't let them off!"

Seeing Qingwen's serious expression, Chen Siyuan smiled and reached out to pinch Qingwen's nose, saying, "Okay, okay, whatever you say."

He thought to himself that this was bound to happen sooner or later. Third Sister You was busy with her business now, her mind preoccupied with accounts, so she probably had no time to find fault with Qingwen. But Second Sister You... oh, wouldn't it be easy to control Second Sister You? He could just give her some head ornaments and jewelry every now and then to keep her obedient.

Qingwen's mood calmed down, and she thought of the scene in the booklet again. She felt so shy that she didn't dare look directly at Chen Siyuan. She heard the sound of sweeping outside and hurriedly said, "I'll go find Madam to prepare breakfast."

Chen Siyuan saw Qingwen disappear like a gust of wind. The scene of Qingwen blushing just now was still in his mind. How could he not know what the girl was thinking?
There was no need for Qingwen to serve him at the moment. He dressed himself neatly, had breakfast with Qingwen, and waited for Qingyu to come looking for him before he took a carriage to the Imperial College.

As expected, Chen Siyuan topped the monthly exam again. He had accumulated eight points, enough to graduate from the Imperial College.

After reading the list that day, Chen Siyuan went to the back to find Tao Jiancheng, who congratulated him and said that he would register for Chen Siyuan today.

Chen Siyuan thanked Tao Jiancheng, turned around and said goodbye to his friends, then carried his book box and left the Imperial College.

After getting into the carriage, Chen Siyuan lifted the curtain and glanced at the Prince of Yanping's Mansion diagonally opposite. He forced himself not to look over there and ordered to go straight back to Rongguo Mansion.

Near noon, Chen Siyuan entered the Rongguo Mansion from the back door and arrived at his own courtyard in a moment.

Hongyu and others came out to greet him. While helping Chen Siyuan change his clothes, they told him what happened yesterday.

Chen Siyuan frowned secretly when he heard this. It was okay with the eldest master and Madam Wang, but who knows what benefits Dai Liang had promised, which was why Jia She was wavering again. And could something have gone wrong with Aunt Xue as well?
Suppressing his doubts, Chen Siyuan thought for a moment and walked along the alley to look for Aunt Xue.

Soon they arrived at the northeast courtyard. Tongxi reported to the inside and hurriedly invited Chen Siyuan in. There were two entrances to this place, front and back. When Chen Siyuan passed through the first entrance and the hall, he saw a woman in the main room, peeking through the curtains.

As soon as he glanced over, the curtains immediately closed and shook.

Chen Siyuan thought to himself, "Is this the courtesan Jia Lian sent over?" This fool Xue truly has no idea what he's talking about. How could a concubine live in the principal house? If the Cao family found out, I'm afraid the marriage would be in jeopardy.

Walking through the hall to the backyard, he looked up and saw Aunt Xue coming out with a worried look on her face.

"Brother Yuan... you're finally here."

Fearing that Aunt Xue would reveal her true feelings, Chen Siyuan hurriedly bowed and said, "I entertained my classmates yesterday and stayed overnight outside... Madam, you're anxious to find me, but did something go wrong?"

"Ah..." Aunt Xue frowned and sighed, saying, "Let's talk about this matter inside."

Chen Siyuan agreed and followed Aunt Xue into the main room. The two sat down as host and guest. Aunt Xue seemed very anxious and did not exchange any pleasantries. She started talking without waiting for the fragrant tea to be served.

Aunt Xue had sent Zhang Dehui to look for Gao Zhongxun. After three days of waiting, he indeed met the Ministry of Justice's Secretary and the Treasury Officer. Zhang Dehui hosted a banquet for them, and after some negotiation, the two men offered a price of six thousand taels.

Shopkeeper Zhang Dehui, of his background, was naturally smooth and tactful, and he thought the two men's offer was just a false one. He immediately drank and drank, got them drunk, and then flattered them again. The steward, delighted, immediately lowered the price to three thousand taels, patting his chest and promising that it would be done in just three to five days.

Zhang Dehui was overjoyed and immediately counted out three thousand taels of silver notes and spent some money to find two girls to serve the two men.

When the matter was reported to Aunt Xue later, she was delighted and praised the old shopkeeper for his skillful handling of the matter.

Upon hearing this, Chen Siyuan frowned.

Sure enough, Aunt Xue said again that after a few days, Zhang Dehui went to look for the two again, but they were hesitant and evasive.

Zhang Dehui did not mind the trouble and went back every other day until he forced the two men to take the case files back.

Aunt Xue was naturally overjoyed, thinking that the clouds in the sky had dispersed. She immediately ordered Tongxi to prepare a banquet and entertain Chen Siyuan well in the evening.

Who knew that Sister Bao was very careful? She looked at the case file carefully, but saw only the private seal of the Ministry of Justice, and no official seal of the Ministry of Justice. It could be that those two people had deceived the Xue family!
Aunt Xue was horrified and quickly found someone who knew the matter to listen. When she saw that it was indeed the case, she immediately became panicked.

After she finished her rambling, Aunt Xue said, "Brother Yuan, look at this...what went wrong?"

Chen Siyuan frowned and shook his head: "Madam, you are confused. The malpractices in various departments have existed for a long time. Madam, do you think that the six thousand taels will only be shared by the Secretary and the Minister of the Treasury? These two are just passing gods of wealth. The lion's share must be sent up.

The steward was drunk and boasted that he only accepted three thousand taels of silver. How could he not regret it later? He paused and said seriously, "My concubine, you must know that not everything in this world can be negotiated with business tactics."

"Ah?" Aunt Xue said in a panic. "What should I do? I'm afraid I've offended those two. I'll just wait for Brother Yuan to come back and ask him for his opinion. Only then can I go and settle the score with them."

Chen Siyuan waved his hand and said, "I'm afraid that Madam Concubine has indeed starved these two. If you want to make amends, Madam Concubine will immediately prepare five thousand taels of silver and secretly send it to the Secretary's house at night. Within three days, the case file will be handed over to Madam Concubine."

Aunt Xue didn't have time to regret it now. She stood up and said, "Then let's do as Yuan-ge'er says. I'll have someone prepare the banknotes right away!" After a pause, she suddenly felt a sense of fear and looked at Chen Siyuan pitifully and said, "Well... Yuan-ge'er, if you have nothing to do, I wonder if you could come with me?"

Aunt Xue was no longer a girl, yet she possessed a mature charm, her eyes untouched by the ravages of time. She wore a dark blue brocade jacket that hugged her voluptuous figure, the lapels revealing a snow-white lining. On her wrist, she wore an emerald bracelet. The contrast of green and white was even more alluring than a young woman's bare wrist.

Even though he was extremely anxious at this moment, his eyes could not hide the laziness that came from being pampered for so long.

Chen Siyuan wanted to stay out of it, but this family is no match for him... Well, as the saying goes, "see the Buddha to the west", he might as well go along for the ride.

So Chen Siyuan restrained his gaze and bowed in response: "Okay, then I will follow the concubine for a walk."

Aunt Xue breathed a sigh of relief and said thoughtfully, "Excellent, excellent! I'll send someone to prepare the banknotes, and when they're ready, I'll go look for Brother Yuan."

Chen Siyuan was about to respond when he heard a chaotic sound of footsteps outside. He turned around and saw Tonggui leading Hongyu hurriedly inside.

Hongyu bowed hastily and said anxiously, "Master, Miao'er sent a message saying that the eldest lady has started a movement."

Is it time to start? Is it time to give birth?
Chen Siyuan was suddenly startled and almost left. Fortunately, he had lived two lives, so he suppressed his thoughts in an instant and looked at Aunt Xue.

Aunt Xue said, "That matter must be done at night. Brother Yuan, go to the east wing first. I will be there later."

Chen Siyuan agreed and immediately led Hongyu to rush to the east wing.

He had just entered the black oil gate when Jia Lian came hurriedly.

The two of them gathered together, and Jia Lian didn't care about the embarrassment of selling pills, and came over to greet Chen Siyuan.

Chen Siyuan frowned and asked, "Has the midwife arrived?"

Jia Lian was startled for a moment, then quickly said, "The midwife has been prepared early this morning and has been staying at the mansion. Brother Yuan, there's no need to be too anxious."

Chen Siyuan shook his head and said, "It's my aunt's first time giving birth, and at this age... It really makes me worried."

Jia Lian sighed and agreed, his face full of embarrassment. As Mrs. Xing's due date approached, Wang Xifeng kept nagging Jia Lian.

If it was a girl this time, it would be fine. It would just mean an extra dowry, and the old lady would prepare it herself. But if it was a boy, who knows if the eldest master would be so fond of his youngest son that he would want to let him inherit the title?

At first Jia Lian thought it was just nonsense, but he couldn't stand Feng Jie'er's nagging, and now even he himself was not sure.

Unable to pass through the three-tiered ceremonial gate, the two entered the outer study to wait. Inside, Jia She was still calmly gazing at his collection of fans.

The two came forward and greeted each other, and Jia She told them to sit down. Chen Siyuan felt very uncomfortable. After all, she was the first woman in his life, so how could he sit still?
Seeing that there were maids and servants coming and going at the third-tier ceremonial gate from time to time, Chen Siyuan could no longer bear it and stood up and said, "Uncle, please lend me your pen and ink."

Jia She waved his hand, and Chen Siyuan went to the table, ground the ink himself, and then used the brush to draw a strange object.

Jia She, who was watching from the side, was extremely puzzled and asked, "What is that Yuan'er is painting?"

"Uncle, these are pliers, specially used for women in difficult labor. Aunt is so old, and this is her first time giving birth, I'm really worried. Why don't I ask someone to find a blacksmith to make them quickly? Maybe they can be of some use."

Jia She was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, and could not help but scold him, "Nonsense! Madam is giving birth, and there are already doctors and midwives. Why are you meddling so recklessly?" After a pause, he smiled and said to Jia Lian, "You should learn from her. Look at how filial Yuan-ge is! Ever since your mother became pregnant, she's come to visit her every three or five days, bringing either nourishing foods or some food. Have you ever brought her a single needle or thread, you idiot?"

Jia Lian agreed, secretly curling his lips. How could he be the same as Chen Siyuan? Who the hell would want to have a mother who was five or six years older than him?

After teaching Jia Lian a lesson, Jia She continued, "Look at you, how come you're even more anxious than I am? Tsk, you should always remain calm when facing a major event... Brother Yuan, don't make a fuss, just wait patiently."

(End of this chapter)