Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 175: This enemy won’t wait even for a day?

The plump and soft hand touched Chen Siyuan's chest, and she tried to pull away as if frightened, but was held tightly by Chen Siyuan and then pressed against his heart.

Through the clothes, the pounding in the chest was transmitted to the palm of the hand, and then transmitted to Aunt Xue's heart. After a moment, even Aunt Xue's own heart seemed to be beating just like Chen Siyuan's.

Looking at him with frowning eyebrows, Aunt Xue couldn't help but feel a lump in her throat when she saw Chen Siyuan's sincere feelings. She felt that after all these years, the person in front of her was the only one who understood her.

Ever since Baochai was born, her husband had been greatly disappointed by Xue Pan's mischievous behavior. He hated her so much that he disliked even Aunt Xue. He took concubines and kept singing girls, and would only visit Aunt Xue once or twice a month, but he would only say a few words before turning over and falling asleep.

Fortunately, Baochai was very capable and intelligent since childhood, which helped to save the situation somewhat. Aunt Xue was busy fighting with those seductresses inside and outside the family, so how could she have the time to discipline Xue Pan?

When Baochai grew up a little, her husband passed away suddenly. Because Xue Pan was still young, the other branches of the Xue family pounced on him and started to fight with him, wishing to divide up all the property of the eldest branch.

Aunt Xue was only a woman in the inner chambers, so how could she know how to deal with the other branches? She had only resorted to sheer arrogance to get around it, and had somehow persuaded the uncle of the second branch to temporarily assign the imperial merchant job to the second branch. She had also asked her own family to intimidate the other branches, and only then was the matter covered up for the time being.

Aunt Xue, on the other hand, was managing the household while educating her children. Needless to say, Baochai was everything Aunt Xue wanted, but her eldest son, Xue Pan, was a scoundrel who refused to improve despite all her teachings. Furthermore, he was known for his daily hawking and horse riding, bullying men and women, and ultimately getting into trouble with the court.

In the past half of her life, apart from the time she was in the boudoir and after she got married, when had Aunt Xue ever lived for herself?

Feeling sad, Aunt Xue couldn't help but let down her guard, opened her heart, and sighed as she recounted the misfortunes of the past few years.

Chen Siyuan held a pair of soft hands, and seeing that she did not retreat, he slowly let go, put his arm around Aunt Xue's shoulders, and soon let her snuggle in his arms.

After talking about the unhappiness after marriage, Aunt Xue continued, "Even in the boudoir, there are few happy times. She was also a girl from the Wang family, but she was able to marry into the Rongguo Mansion. I am a few years younger, so I can only marry into the eldest wife of the Xue family... Even the Shi family is fine. Where in the world can there be such biased parents?"
"Regarding Pan'er's case, it must have been my eldest brother (the Master Wang who visited when Jia Yucun took office) who secretly set his eyes on the Xue family's eldest branch's property. Otherwise, why would my eldest brother allow Jia Yucun to treat her like this?"

Chen Siyuan patted his shoulder gently, frowning and saying, "That's why I feel pity for you... You shouldn't be like this. Who knew your fate would be so unfortunate?"

Aunt Xue raised her head with red eyes, and Chen Siyuan leaned forward slightly. Aunt Xue was startled and couldn't help but tilt her head away.

Chen Siyuan said with a disappointed look on his face, "It's me, Meng Lang... You were born before I was born. I won't hide it from you. I have no other requests in my heart now. I just want to see you often, even if it's just to talk."

Aunt Xue said sadly, "You...Brother Yuan is only this young and has a bright future. Why bother getting involved with me?"

"Love is deep and lasting, and mutual understanding is destiny... How could I not know what you did before? You think I didn't want to avoid it? It's not that I didn't want to, but I couldn't." Chen Siyuan sighed and said, "I know it's true for you... but I just can't help thinking about it."

Aunt Xue's words resonated with her. Ever since that time, when she'd had these enchanting dreams and couldn't help but wait on her several times at night, she couldn't stop thinking about Chen Siyuan. She knew it wasn't right, and she'd avoided seeing him for quite some time, but even when she caught a glimpse of him, her heart still raced.

The agonizing pain and grief inside were too much to share with others. But now, listening to Chen Siyuan's words, it was exactly the same as my own.

Aunt Xue had already opened her heart, and now she felt sympathy for her. Just as she was about to say something, Chen Siyuan said, "Do you know what I've been thinking about? What's in my mind?"

Aunt Xue raised her head and shook it, then she saw Chen Siyuan say firmly, "The afterlife is so illusory. I've finally come to this world, so why would I go against my will and wrong myself? Madam, I can't let go."

As he spoke, he hugged Aunt Xue tightly in his arms, raised his right hand and pinched her chin. He let her eyes wander, but he stared straight into her eyes and leaned over to kiss her.

This time, Aunt Xue did not refuse, but held Chen Siyuan's neck and back tightly, as if she was responding with all her strength.

Outside, a violent storm erupted, and the carriage rumbled along...

Suddenly, an old servant from outside said, "Madam, we're here!"

Aunt Xue was startled and quickly pushed Chen Siyuan away. She carefully put her clothes in order and asked, "Is it still raining outside?"

"Madam, it's still raining."

Aunt Xue grabbed Chen Siyuan's hand and said, "The oil-paper umbrella is useless. Go home and get a straw raincoat for Brother Yuan."

The old servant agreed, and Aunt Xue turned back to look at Chen Siyuan. She felt so tender and affectionate that she couldn't express it in words. She whispered, "You, your autumn exam is coming soon. Don't be distracted by me."

Chen Siyuan played with her hand and said, "How can I have the final say on this matter? If you don't want me to be distracted, why don't you come see me more often?"

Aunt Xue was indeed worried. She thought to herself that she was in a state of distress, and she feared that Yuan-ge would also be tossing and turning at night. Putting herself in his shoes, Aunt Xue bit her lower lip and said, "Pan-er's matter will take some time. I'll just say it's not settled yet and we can just see each other from time to time." After a pause, she added, "But don't be so presumptuous as you were today."

Chen Siyuan looked resentful and nodded in agreement.

Just as the two were about to say something, the old servant came running back and said, "Madam, I borrowed a straw raincoat from the stable."

Aunt Xue frowned immediately, secretly cursing the old servant for his lack of foresight. Why wasn't he usually so considerate, but why was he so considerate now?

Chen Siyuan tugged at her hand, then reached out and stroked her cheek, saying with a smile, "Then I'll go first."

"Ah."

When Chen Siyuan opened the curtains, wind and rain rushed in, and Aunt Xue shivered with cold. Then she saw Chen Siyuan jump off the shaft, put on his straw raincoat, and head towards the corner gate.

Aunt Xue was naturally disappointed and sighed. She waited for Tongxi and Tonggui to come and greet her with oil-paper umbrellas before she got off the car and went back home.

Two lanterns swayed in the wind and rain as the three of them hurried into the northeastern courtyard. Seeing the lights in the front yard go out, Aunt Xue, who was walking along the corridor, frowned and asked, "Pan'er hasn't come back yet?"

Tongxi whispered, "Master drank too much again. Yujin waited for him to go to bed."

Aunt Xue sighed and shook her head, becoming increasingly annoyed by Xue Pan's extravagance. After passing through the hall, they arrived at the backyard, which was brightly lit. Baochai was waiting in the porch to greet them.

Seeing Aunt Xue return, Baochai came along the corridor to meet her and asked, "Mother, is the matter settled?"

Aunt Xue recalled the tenderness she had just shown Chen Siyuan, and she smiled and nodded, saying, "With Brother Yuan taking action, how can it not be accomplished? Secretary Lu has agreed—" Just as she was about to continue her original words, she suddenly remembered her agreement with Chen Siyuan and changed her words, "—I will send the case file over soon."

Baochai had no doubts and breathed a sigh of relief, saying, "Thank God, this matter has finally been accomplished. Brother Yuan is indeed someone I can trust!"

Aunt Xue only smiled demurely in response, thinking to herself that she could indeed be trusted. Over the years, who among her parents, siblings, and children knew her suffering? Only Yuan Ge'er understood her feelings.

Sister Bao thought Chen Siyuan was working so hard for her, and naturally she felt a little more favorable towards him. She also recalled what happened in the previous chapter, when Baochai followed Aunt Xue into the inner room and, after sitting down on the soft couch, asked, "So... did Brother Yuan say anything else?"

"Anything else?" Aunt Xue pretended to be stern. She had said a lot about other things, but how could she tell Baochai about this matter? She immediately said, "Nothing else."

Baochai agreed, thinking to herself that she was being too hasty. How could she do things first and then lecture them? If she really handled it like that, she would probably end up wasting her time and effort.

Moreover, Chen Siyuan once said that one must hit a wall before turning back. Now that the Xue family is safe for the time being, I am afraid that my mother will never give up her outside livelihood and the job as a royal merchant.

The mother and daughter argued for a moment, and Aunt Xue, feeling the chill beneath her, said, "This autumn rain is chilly, and I feel a little cold. I'm tired today. Go and tell Tongxi to prepare some hot water. I'd like to take a bath."

Baochai quickly replied, "Yes, I was just telling Ying'er that the weather had changed today and that it would be a pity for Mama to catch a cold."

She immediately ordered the maid to prepare a bathtub, and Aunt Xue got up and went to the bedroom to change her clothes.

After a while, the door of the main house in the backyard was closed, Ying'er lit the incense burner, and mist rose from the bathtub. Aunt Xue came over wearing her middle clothes, undressed and got into the bathtub.

The warmth soaked through her chest, and Aunt Xue felt warm all over. It not only drove away the coldness in her body, but also brought out the fiery reverie in her heart.

An arm stretched out, and Aunt Xue suddenly ordered, "Tongxi, go get a mirror."

Tongxi agreed and quickly brought over a palm-sized round mirror. Aunt Xue took it and looked in the mirror. She saw that the person in the mirror was beautiful, her hair was black, and there was not a single wrinkle at the corners of her eyes. Aunt Xue couldn't help but smile proudly, thinking to herself that she really didn't age, otherwise that Yuan brother wouldn't be so anxious...

Putting down the mirror, Aunt Xue looked up at the beams of the house, and her mind could not help but think of Chen Siyuan again. She wondered if Brother Yuan was thinking of her now.

Tongxi handed over the bronze mirror, and Tonggui had already wet a handkerchief to help Aunt Xue bathe. Tongxi then went to the bedroom to tidy up, picking up the clothes she had taken off from the bed. When he touched the underwear, he suddenly felt a cool and smooth feeling. Tongxi was very surprised, and he leaned in to sniff it, and his face immediately flushed.

Biting his lower lip, he couldn't help but think, he hadn't even gone to bed yet, why was his wife like this again?

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

In Chen Siyuan's courtyard.

The maid poured hot water into the tub, and instantly a cloud of steam rose. Hongyu dismissed the maid and went into the western room, where she saw Xiangling already helping Chen Siyuan change his clothes.

Hongyu frowned and said, "Master, you will be dead in a few days, and yet now you have to trouble me again. Master, go take a bath quickly to avoid catching a cold."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "It's okay, I'll just send you off to the west... Besides, I'm not as healthy as I was last year."

Hongyu took a closer look and said with a smile, "He looks a bit fleshy, but compared to Master Xue from the concubine's family, he's still a little thin."

Chen Siyuan curled his lips and said, "Comparing me with Wenlong? I'm afraid that even in ten years I won't be able to beat that guy."

With Xue Pan's pot belly, muscular muscles and rough temper, he was destined to go into battle and kill the enemy.

After a few pleasantries, Chen Siyuan went into the hall, took off his clothes, and got naked into the bathtub. As the warm water flooded over his chest, Chen Siyuan couldn't help but hum with pleasure.

He rested his arms on the side of the tub, tilted his head back, and closed his eyes, thinking. Recalling what had just happened, he couldn't help but smile. Most men in this world have bad roots. One will lure decent women into the water, and the other will persuade prostitutes to become good people.

Although Aunt Xue was slightly older than Madam Xing, her appearance was similar, and even more charming by comparison. It would have been fine if Chen Siyuan hadn't known about it, but once he knew she was interested in him, how could he have let her go? As for Baochai...it couldn't be told to anyone anyway, so what was it that Baochai didn't know anything about it?
Aunt Xue is a woman from the inner house. She was forced to take charge of the Xue family's business. She was depressed and had no way to relieve herself. Although she devoted herself to herself, she found it difficult to overcome the barrier in her heart.

That's why Chen Siyuan had just soothed Aunt Xue with his rhetoric. He had said a lot, but it boiled down to two things: Aunt Xue was a good woman, and it was a shame for her to marry into the Xue family. This remark truly opened Aunt Xue's heart, and she continued to complain, with Chen Siyuan listening. He then added that he couldn't help but express his feelings, saying that the past was gone, and there was no future to regain, so he could only cherish the present. This was his way of coaxing Aunt Xue into taking that step.

This tactic certainly worked, which is why Aunt Xue responded so strongly just now.

Unfortunately, the time and place were wrong. Chen Siyuan, knowing full well he couldn't succeed today, was pretending to be a gentleman. I'm afraid Aunt Xue will have another go after she returns... Well, there's still a lot of room for this matter.

Let's put this matter aside for now. The rest of the time should be spent on the Autumn Examination. After all, that's the big deal! Thinking of You Erjie and You Sanjie again, Chen Siyuan decided to go visit them tomorrow, then shut himself up and study hard.

That day, because Aunt Xue made him restless, Chen Siyuan dragged Xiangling and Hongyu around and tossed them around for a while, and only fell asleep near midnight.

Daybreak arrived in a flash. Hongyu was the first to wake up. She put on her coat, parted the curtains, and looked out. She saw the sky had cleared after the rain, and a thick mist hung in the air. Hongyu fumbled for her pocket watch from her pillow, calculated the time by the hands, and seeing that it was almost the morning hour, she decided to wake Chen Siyuan.

Then she suddenly realized, yes, Master had graduated from the Imperial College and no longer had to get up early. She put down her pocket watch, lay down again, and moved her body to press against Chen Siyuan's back, tenderly caressing him for a long time.

Another half hour passed, and the maidservant and Yunxiang came to clean the room. Yunxiang didn't know what the news was, but she kept chattering. Hongyu couldn't lie down anymore, so she had to get up quickly.

When she moved, Xiangling woke up too. The two girls exchanged a glance, teased each other, and blushed again. Then they quietly got up and went to the outer room to wash and get busy.

Chen Siyuan slept soundly, waking suddenly at the end of the morning hour. He lazily let Xiangling help him dress and wash, then sauntered over to breakfast.

Because Chen Siyuan was in a lazy mood, the whole courtyard seemed to be in a more relaxed mood. As usual, the little maid Yunxiang came stealthily and chatted for a long time.

There was the story of Qin Xian's wife at the east corner gate of the garden arguing with Miaoyu's maid, and Li Ma'am scolding Xiren indirectly; and there was the story of Duo Girl, the wife of a high-ranking official, fooling around in the side room with Dai Liang.

Chen Siyuan listened with rapt interest, feeling that the maid Yunxiang had been wasted her talent in this life. If this had happened in the future, with a random "see you on Monday" offer, anyone who didn't want to ruin their relationship would have settled privately, and Yunxiang would have instantly become financially independent!
After encouraging Yunxiang, it was past noon when Chen Siyuan dressed neatly and without asking the servant Qingyu to accompany him, he walked out of Rongguo Mansion leisurely and headed towards Xiaohuazhi Lane at the back.

But that morning, after You Sanjie and You Erjie had breakfast together, You Sanjie called her maid Dongmei over, and the master and servant gathered together to use an abacus and count the accounts.

Dongmei was just as her sister Yunxiang had said. Although she looked a little unrefined, she was a rare and intelligent person. She could keep accounts and use an abacus, and in just a month she was better than Third Sister You.

The master and servant immediately began to calculate. Dongmei was the first to do the math and exclaimed happily, "Grandma, in just a dozen days in June, we've already earned over 1,300 taels. In the entire month of July, we've earned a full 3,900 taels."

Third Sister You nodded in agreement and began to calculate carefully again. After a while, when her results were identical to Dongmei's, she smiled with relief and said, "As usual, keep 2,200 taels for working capital, and the remaining 3,000 taels for profit sharing."

Dongmei said, "Grandma, why don't you save some more? Who knows, Master might need to buy those secret medicines again in the future."

Third Sister You shook her head and said, "Brother Yuan has his own ideas. Just follow them. I'll exchange these three thousand taels for silver notes and send them to Rongguo Mansion this afternoon."

Dongmei naturally agreed.

Just as Third Sister You stretched her back, she looked up and saw Second Sister You walking in with a cup of tea, smiling. Third Sister You rolled her eyes and said, "You're being so attentive for no reason. What's the matter?"

You Erjie glanced at Dongmei, who knew it was inappropriate for her to overhear the sisters' affairs, so she stood up and left. You Erjie then took the stool Dongmei had just used and sat down, whispering, "Third sister, have you thought it through? If you don't give me a penny, I'm afraid Mom will make a fuss tomorrow!"

Third Sister You squinted her eyes, crossed her arms, and said insincerely, "Let her make a scene if she wants. As the old saying goes, 'If you listen to the crickets chirping, why not farm?'" After a pause, she added, "If Second Sister feels that what I've given you is not enough, just use your own money to supplement it."

You Erjie frowned and said, "I gave it all away before, so how could I have any money left for myself? Third sister is now in charge of the pill business, making three to four thousand silver coins a month. If I save a little, it will be enough for mother to eat."

Third Sister You immediately refused to do this and said, "That business belongs to Brother Yuan. I only took a salary. How could I embezzle other money?"

While they were arguing, a little maid, Chunxi, came in and said happily, "Grandma, the master is here!"

The two sisters were both startled. Third Sister You was the first to stand up and greet them with a smile, saying, "I said Brother Yuan would come today, and sure enough he's here!"

You Erjie also put away her sad expression and hurriedly followed You Sanjie to greet them.

As the two sisters left the main room, they saw Chen Siyuan approaching in a moon-white gown. Third Sister You, always uninhibited, ran over and threw herself into his arms, then hugged him tightly, saying happily, "You're here so early! Brother Yuan, why didn't you get some sleep?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and nodded to You Erjie from a distance, then said as they walked, "I'm afraid you'll be worried, so it's better to come earlier."

Third Sister You said, "You've come just in time. I've just finished calculating the accounts. I'll send someone to exchange the banknotes later. Brother Eryuan will take them back home and distribute the profits to everyone."

"it is good."

When they entered, You Erjie served tea attentively and winked at Chen Siyuan.

Chen Siyuan knew at a glance that Third Sister You hadn't agreed to the matter yet. He chatted with her for a while, took a sip of tea, and said, "The Autumn Examination is approaching, so I won't be here for the next few days."

Although Third Sister You missed him deeply, she also put Chen Siyuan first. She leaned on his shoulder and said, "It's only ten days or so. Brother Yuan, just focus on your preparations for the Autumn Examination. Although I miss you, I can bear it."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "After the Autumn Examination, I will take my sister for a nice stroll."

Third Sister You agreed with a smile.

Chen Siyuan then said, "Has your mother come over these days?"

Third Sister You pouted and said, "She did come once. I was doing the accounts in the shop, and Second Sister always got the answers right."

Chen Siyuan said, "My second sister mentioned this to me last time, and I thought to myself, after all, I raised you, so it's better not to make things too awkward. From now on, why don't we set a certain amount for this money and send it to you every month? That way, your mother won't have to argue with you."

When You Erjie said the same thing, her tone was naturally different from Chen Siyuan's.

Third Sister You nodded and said, "Second Sister has mentioned it twice, and I also intend to do so, but that business belongs to Brother Yuan——"

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Just allocate some money from my income every month."

Third Sister You asked, "Then...how much should we allocate?" Without waiting for Chen Siyuan's reply, Third Sister You pondered, "If it's too little, it won't be enough. If it's too much, I'm afraid Mother will spend it recklessly. So, how about twenty taels a month?"

Chen Siyuan asked, "Is it a little less?"

You Erjie, who was standing by, said, "Mother often goes to Ningguo Mansion. I think another twenty taels will be enough for her expenses."

Chen Siyuan smiled and nodded, saying, "In that case, I'll do as you sisters wish."

The three of them were about to talk privately when the maid Xia Zhu came in with a frown on her face and said, "Grandma... Master, it seems that Old An has gone back into the alley."

Fearing another disturbance, You Erjie quickly stood up and said, "I'll go deal with it. Brother Yuan, please wait with Third Sister for a while."

After saying that, she stood up and went out to greet him. At this moment, there was a knock on the door. You Erjie took a few quick steps, opened the door and stopped You Laoan outside.

Chen Siyuan didn't care how You Erjie argued with You Lao Niang. He said to You Sanjie, "This house is a bit cramped. After the Autumn Examination, how about we find another house in the inner city?"

Third Sister You was naturally delighted. Women love to buy jewelry and property. She nodded in agreement and then said, "Brother Yuan, do you have enough money? This time we only got 750 taels of profit. Why not save some more?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "I still have some on hand. It's no problem to spend a few thousand more."

Third Sister You began to daydream, "This house is indeed a little small. I'll at least find a house with two entrances, so I don't have to hire servants and have nowhere to put them."

Chen Siyuan thought that a two-story house might be too small. If he was willing to spend money, he could afford a three-story house. However, such a house had to be found rarely and was not always available.

After a while, You Erjie came back with a smile on her face, saying that Old Lady You had gone back happily, and that she would prepare a feast to nourish Chen Siyuan after the Autumn Examination.

Chen Siyuan naturally agreed with a smile, and then he was affectionate with the two sisters and talked about personal matters for a long time. Near noon, he received three thousand taels of silver notes and then returned to Rongguo Mansion.

When he got home after noon, Chen Siyuan sent his maid Yunxiang to look around and found out that except for the eldest master Jia She, everyone who bought the pill shares was in the room. Chen Siyuan then went to Ningguo Mansion to look for them according to their distance.

It is said that Old Lady You had received a promise from Second Sister You that she would provide her with twenty taels of silver per month, which was two hundred and forty taels a year. In addition, she would come to Youshi every now and then to ask for money, which was enough for her to spend!
For fear of disturbing the happiness between Chen Siyuan and her two daughters, Old Lady You did not even go in and happily returned to Ningguo Mansion.

After finding Youshi, he praised You Erjie a lot, saying that among the three daughters, only Youshi and You Erjie were filial, and that You Sanjie was an ungrateful person.

Yu Shi was at a loss for words, but could only listen to her stepmother's monologue. She knew in her heart that Old Lady You was pointing fingers at her. It just so happened that she had gotten some cakes of tea a few days ago, so Yu Shi sent her maid to pack some for her, which at least silenced Old Lady You.

Old Lady You was delighted with her success, and when she saw that Jia Zhen was still not back, she was about to leave. Suddenly, a maid came in and announced, "Madam, Master Yuan wants to see you."

Yu Shi was surprised and asked, "Brother Yuan? Why is he here?" Then he ordered, "Go and call Rong'er to answer the question."

The old woman was at a loss for words and said, "I went to Rong'er's courtyard early this morning, but when Rong'er heard that it was Master Yuan who came, he said he had a cold and couldn't see anyone."

Yu Shi secretly curled her lips. Jia Rong had recovered, of course. He'd caught a cold a few days ago after a rough time with the maids. It'd been five or six days, so why would he need to avoid people? It was simply fear and hatred for his distant brother that kept him away.

Yu Shi frowned and said, "In that case, please invite someone to the front inner hall." Turning to Yu Lao Niang, she said, "Mother, please let me meet Brother Yuan."

Old Lady You was naturally pleased with this and responded with a smile: "Okay."

The old woman responded and left. Youshi tidied up a little and went to the hall in the middle courtyard with You Lao Niang.

The Ningguo Mansion has three corridors and five courtyards. The main hall is in the second courtyard and is used to receive guests; the inner hall is in the third courtyard and is used to entertain relatives.

Chen Siyuan had nothing to do with the Ningguo Mansion, but because of his two adopted sisters, Youshi considered him a relative, which was why he was entertained in the inner hall.

The mother and daughter entered the inner hall, and soon a maid led Chen Siyuan in.

Everyone had met each other. Old Lady You liked Chen Siyuan in every way because of the 240 taels of silver she received as a pension every year.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Youshi said, "I didn't know that Brother Yuan was here today—"

Chen Siyuan pulled out a stack of banknotes from his sleeve and asked, "Sister-in-law Zhen, do you know that Brother Zhen has invested in Baicaotang?"

After Youshi nodded, Chen Siyuan signaled the maid to come over, handed over the banknote, and turned to Youshi and said, "Third sister has sorted out the accounts these past two days. This is the income for last month. Sister-in-law, please hurry up."

Yu Shi agreed, and when the maid handed her the banknotes, she twisted them lightly in her hand and saw that they were all 100-liang banknotes. Counting them, there were a total of 1,000 liang! She was immediately shocked and asked, "Why is there so much?"

Old Lady You, standing by, gasped and said, "One thousand taels! Oh my! Brother Yuan is turning stones into gold. Do you still have any money left in your business?"

Yu Shi hurriedly stopped him, "Mother!"

Mrs. You immediately looked embarrassed and said, "I just said it casually."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "That's all. I'll send you the one thousand taels. If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving now."

Yu Shi said politely, "Brother Yuan, you're leaving right after you arrived? When your elder brother Zhen comes back, I'm afraid he'll accuse me of being rude. At least have a cup of tea first."

Chen Siyuan laughed heartily and said, "Family members don't talk about outsiders. When Brother Zhen is free someday, I will definitely come to your house and ask for some wine."

Yu Shi was delighted to receive a thousand taels, and she smiled and said, "Since Brother Yuan said so, I will have my master prepare a banquet to entertain Brother Yuan."

Chen Siyuan smiled and agreed, then stood up to take his leave. Youshi escorted him out of the inner hall and quickly sent a maid to see him off.

After watching him walk through the hall, Youshi put the banknotes into her sleeves. Turning around, she saw Old Lady You staring at her.

Yu Shi coughed and said, "Mother, this money must be returned to the public treasury."

Old Lady You curled her lips secretly, thinking to herself, if it weren't for the second and third sisters, how could that good son-in-law hand over such a good job to Ningguo Mansion? She was in no hurry to leave, but just kept pestering Youshi, making her miserable, so she didn't mention it...

But Chen Siyuan returned to Rongguo Mansion and went straight to Lady Wang's courtyard. He spoke to Yuchuan'er and waited for half a cup of tea before being invited in.

Chen Siyuan looked up and saw that Madam Wang was bleary-eyed, probably taking a nap. He immediately bowed and said angrily, "Junior Meng Lang, I'm afraid I've disturbed Madam's rest."

Madam Wang asked anxiously, "Brother Yuan, is there something urgent? Could it be that the East Cross Courtyard has changed its mind again?"

Chen Siyuan blinked and said quickly, "Madam, you misunderstood. I'm here to share last month's earnings."

He immediately counted out three hundred taels of silver and handed it over. Jin Chuan'er passed it to Mrs. Wang. Mrs. Wang took it in her hand and then suddenly realized what was going on. She then asked in surprise, "Three hundred taels in just one month?"

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "We opened in the middle of June, and we need to keep some money for turnover, so we only distribute the profits for July."

Mrs. Wang wasn't one to be enamored with money, but she was nonetheless deeply moved. She couldn't help but smile as she said, "I helped Brother Yuan once, but who knew I'd get the better of him again this time... How about I get my money back, and let Brother Yuan keep the rest?"

Chen Siyuan's expression suddenly became serious as he said, "Madam, what you said is not right. As the saying goes, brothers should settle accounts clearly. Since we have already agreed to participate in the shares, how can we change it casually?"

Mrs. Wang covered her mouth and laughed, "Fine, fine, fine. It's my fault. But if Brother Yuan is short of money someday, just ask me for it."

Chen Siyuan thanked Mrs. Wang with a smile, then said that he wanted to send his fortune to Aunt Xue and left.

Mrs. Wang was so proud of this young man that she stood up and escorted him out of the courtyard. After watching him leave through the back door, she said to Yuchuan'er, "People are not easy to compare... If Baoyu can become half as sensible as Yuan'er in the future, I will burn incense to express my gratitude."

After saying that, he shook his head, sighed, and turned back into the main room.

But Chen Siyuan came out of the back corner door and walked a few steps to Aunt Xue's courtyard. Coincidentally, Bao-jie was just bringing Ying-er out after noon, and the two bumped into each other.

Sister Bao was puzzled. Because she had revealed her true feelings that day, her words were naturally more casual than usual. She immediately asked curiously, "Why is Brother Yuan here?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "What do you think, Sister Bao?"

Baochai laughed and said, "I'm not a worm in your stomach, how would I know?"

Chen Siyuan said mysteriously, "Sister Bao, please guess it first. I'm going to go talk to my aunt first."

After that, Chen Siyuan passed by Baochai and went to find Tongxi to report, which made Baochai feel very confused. She wanted to find out more, but it was not easy to turn back at this time. So Baochai had to suppress her curiosity and took Ying'er to find the third lady Tanchun.

Aunt Xue was about to take a nap when she heard Chen Siyuan arrive. She suppressed her pounding heart and ordered Tonggui to help her dress neatly before coming out to meet Chen Siyuan.

Turning from the bedroom into the hall, she saw Chen Siyuan pacing inside with his hands behind his back. Just a glance at him, and Aunt Xue's heart trembled. She thought to herself: This bastard won't wait even a day?

　The extra chapters of Hongyu and Xiangling have been updated in the group.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)