Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 177 Mid-Autumn Festival

Chen Siyuan slept soundly, and when he awoke it was already noon. He looked around and saw the five-foot-wide alleyway filled with soldiers, while the barracks on either side were silent.

He stood up and looked around, and roughly estimated that only half of the candidates in his row had arrived, and the other half had not yet entered. Chen Siyuan couldn't help but sigh in his heart. Although coming in early saved trouble, being locked up in the dormitory so early was really uncomfortable.

By noon, Chen Siyuan was hungry. He found a clean bucket, filled it with water, washed his hands, and then found the folding copper stove Xichun had given him. He lit a charcoal fire, steamed a basket of street food, and then cooked a small bowl of noodles. After a hearty meal, he felt warm all over.

Knowing that he could not sleep much longer, Chen Siyuan simply got up and stretched his waist in the cell. After digesting his food, he sat down, holding his chin with his hand and staring blankly.

At nightfall, Chen Siyuan fell asleep again. In a daze, he suddenly heard the sound of gongs. When he opened his eyes, he saw examiners leading soldiers carrying question boards walking towards the alleys.

Because of Chen Siyuan's previous arrangements, when the soldier arrived here, he deliberately stayed for a while, allowing Chen Siyuan to copy the questions, and then went to the next room.

Go over this question three times. If you don't understand it, you can only write it down next time.

When Chen Siyuan saw the questions clearly, although he had expected them, his heart still pounded. The King of Yanping had indeed been a trustworthy person, and the questions were exactly the ones written on the paper!
Chen Siyuan had a draft in mind, so he wasn't in a rush to respond. Seeing that it was still dark, he simply slipped into bed and fell into a deep sleep. He slept until dawn the next day. Chen Siyuan leisurely ate breakfast, slowly ground the ink, and first wrote a draft from the one he had been given, deliberately smudging it twice before finally concentrating on his response.

The key to the imperial examination was the interpretation of the classics, and the interpretation of the classics was prioritized. Among the three questions on the Four Books, the first one was the most important, so Chen Siyuan focused his attention and did not dare to be careless at all.

He wrote very slowly, fearing his ink would smudge the paper, so it was already noon when he finished the first eight-part essay. After a short rest and lunch, Chen Siyuan finally began to answer the remaining questions with all his heart.

Following Ming Dynasty regulations, all candidates were required to answer the first three questions from the Four Books, and the remaining question from the Five Classics was to be answered from a single classic. It is said that in the previous Ming Dynasty, candidates had to report to the government which classic they were answering from, but this was no longer a tedious task. Candidates could choose any of the Five Classics, and the examiners would automatically classify the questions during the examination.

After answering three questions from the Four Books that day, Chen Siyuan felt exhausted. Occasionally, sighs could be heard from all around. He was afraid that the other candidates didn't even know how to start with the first question from the Four Books.

The sighing and groaning naturally caused the soldiers to scold him. In the afternoon, another candidate sobbed and cried. The soldiers' scolding was futile, so they simply called the examiner and carried the candidate out of the examination room.

After a good rest, Chen Siyuan answered the questions by candlelight at nightfall. During the Ming Dynasty, the Imperial Examination Hall only issued three candles, which caused many candidates to complain. However, in the current dynasty, after several changes, it was now permitted to bring their own candles. Of course, these candles had to be carefully inspected by the soldiers before being allowed in.

Chen Siyuan used the whale oil lamp Daiyu had given him, and he calmed down to answer carefully. Listening to the clappers, he guessed it was almost midnight, so he put down his pen and paper, blew out the lamp, and rested himself wearily.

Unexpectedly, an autumn rain began to fall that night, accompanied by gusts of cold wind. Even the thin quilt Tanchun had given him couldn't keep out the cold. Chen Siyuan quickly got up, lit the copper stove, dressed himself, and wrapped himself in the quilt before falling into a deep sleep.

By now he had finished answering all the questions and was ready to hand in his paper and leave the Imperial Examination Hall. However, Chen Siyuan didn't want to be the first to stand out, so he slept soundly that night, then pretended to check again the next day. When he saw that three other people in the same row had handed in their papers, he called the soldiers to hand in their papers.

The stuffy cell, just a few feet square, was worse than being in prison. The sun had been blazing the day before yesterday, and the wind had been cold the night before. Chen Siyuan felt as if he had taken on a foul odor. He hurried out of the Imperial Examination Hall and tried to find his own carriage to return home.

Who knew that just as he bumped into Qingyu, someone would greet him from across the street.

Chen Siyuan looked up and saw Wang Zhongfang, Jiang Yuanqian, Wei Zhaogao, Xu Xueqin, and other classmates from the Imperial College. Chen Siyuan immediately left the servant behind and went across the street to greet them. When he approached, he bowed and asked, "Why are you here, brothers?"

Jiang Yuanqian was the most flamboyant of all. Even as Mid-Autumn Festival neared, he held a folding fan in his hand and pointed at Wang Zhongfang from a distance, saying, "Brother Wang, you're certain Shuliang can't stand the cramped conditions in his cell and might hand in his paper before noon. I didn't believe it at first, but unexpectedly, Shuliang actually handed it in right now."

Chen Siyuan smiled bitterly and said, "Don't mention it. That dormitory is really not a place for people to stay!"

Wang Zhongfang said solemnly, "I vaguely heard that the first question in the Shuntian Prefecture Autumn Examination this time was about cutting off the connection? I wonder how Shuliang answered it?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "After pondering this for a while, I've come to the conclusion that what distinguishes you from animals is your inherent benevolence and righteousness. Now you're questioning, 'How can humans be inferior to crows?' This is actually using the virtues of animals to illuminate human hearts, and the sage way to illuminate the laws of nature."

Wang Zhongfang pondered it secretly, savored it briefly, and immediately clapped his hands in praise, "Well done!"

A moment later, Wei Zhaogao also exclaimed in admiration, "Shuliang's ingenuity is truly ingenious. He used this to break it. It's truly ingenious. I'm sure Shuliang will win the first prize this time!"

Chen Siyuan was very humble and said, "My brothers know that I am a little lacking in skills. Whether I can pass the exam or not depends on fate."

What is destiny? It naturally refers to the examiner's intention. Despite cross-examination, there's no guarantee that even the most sophisticated essay will slip through the cracks.

As they had classes in the afternoon, Wang Zhongfang and the others had a brief chat with Chen Siyuan and agreed to have a drink together during the break after the Autumn Examination. They urged him to return quickly, and they all returned to the Imperial College.

Chen Siyuan returned to the Rongguo Mansion by carriage, got off at the back door, and hurried back to his own courtyard. Hongyu, Xiangling, Liu Wuer, and the others came out to greet him with hope and courtesy. Seeing that Chen Siyuan looked normal, they felt slightly relieved.

Chen Siyuan said hurriedly, "Hurry up and prepare some hot water. I want to take a shower... Um, I'll go change first!"

There was no clean bucket in the main room during the day, so Chen Siyuan turned around and went to the toilet at the end of the west wing. After a long period of rest, he returned to the main room and quickly changed all his clothes.

The kitchen maid was boiling water when Wang Xifeng came over in a moment.

Chen Siyuan hurried out to greet him. Feng Jieer greeted him with a smile, saying, "Your second brother thought you'd come out in the afternoon, but you turned in your paper at noon." As the saying goes, "When you send a Buddha off, you send him off to the west." Since Feng Jieer wanted to repay a favor, she knew how to do it. So she urged Jia Lian to wait outside the Imperial Examination Hall early in the morning. But Jia Lian was lazy, and after a while, Chen Siyuan finally returned on his own.

Feng Jieer was furious and scolded Jia Lian, then hurried to find Chen Siyuan to talk to him.

Chen Siyuan said, "Brother Lian is busy with all sorts of things every day. Why would he go out and stand in the cold outside the Imperial Examination Hall? Besides, I have hands and feet. Can't I come back on my own?"

Wang Xifeng shook her head and smiled, "That's not what I meant. It's just that your second brother is lazy. I scolded him privately, and he said there wouldn't be a next time."

"Second sister-in-law, you're being polite. We won't be so close to each other—"

Wang Xifeng said decisively, "Don't worry about it... Okay, what did Brother Yuan say?"

Chen Siyuan nodded and said, "It's quite satisfactory. Whether it will succeed or not depends on fate."

Wang Xifeng saw the smile on his face and knew his answer was correct. She couldn't help but think to herself, "Mr. Zhu, who passed the imperial examination at only fourteen, was already praised as the best in the world. Now this distant brother is about to pass the imperial examination at fifteen or sixteen, and he has a noble person in the court to look after him. His future is limitless."

Such people must be dealt with as soon as possible, and he became more and more determined to urge Jia Lian to welcome and see them off.

Wang Xifeng sat for a while, talked for a while, and then said goodbye and left.

The water was already boiling, and Chen Siyuan was about to take a bath when Wang Shanbao, the housekeeper, came looking for him. Chen Siyuan was puzzled. Mrs. Xing usually disliked this old man, so why did she send him here this time?

Suddenly, he remembered the day when the money was distributed. Because the eldest master Jia She was not there, the East Wing Courtyard was the only one missed... Yes, I'm afraid this old guy came to collect the money on behalf of the eldest master Jia She.

Chen Siyuan was too lazy to answer Wang Shanbao's question, so he said to Hongyu, "You answer it and say that everything went well in my first battle. Also, I've taken out another five hundred taels of silver notes. Three hundred taels are for the master's share, and two hundred taels are for my aunt."

Hongyu took note of it and hurriedly took out the banknotes to go out and meet Wang Shanbao.

Inside, Xiangling and Liu Wu'er helped Chen Siyuan bathe and change clothes. Chen Siyuan scrubbed himself thoroughly and soaked in warm water. Only then did he feel alive again.

But Hongyu answered Wang Shanbao's question correctly. The old man was so happy to receive the banknote that he smiled and said a lot of flattering words. Then he took his leave leisurely.

Before Hongyu came out of the side room, Tongxi, Yuchuaner, Caiping, Xueyan, Shishu, Siqi and others arrived one after another. What was even more surprising was that Suyun, who was beside Lianzhu, also sent victory cakes.

The maids were all there to inquire about Chen Siyuan's performance on his first exam, offering a wealth of compliments, some false, some genuine. Even Siqi, for example, was reluctant to leave, waiting until Lian Suyun was ready to leave before she followed her.

After Chen Siyuan took a bath, he ordered Xiangling to light a fumigation cage, and then he wrapped himself in a thick quilt and had a good sleep. Only then did he feel that all the coldness in his body had been eliminated.

At this time, Chen Siyuan's name was mentioned everywhere in Rongguo Mansion.

Let’s not talk about the gossipy maids, old women and servants, let’s talk about the east wing courtyard.

When Wang Shanbao's wife came back with five hundred taels of silver, she first went to the outer study to give three hundred taels. Master Jia She was naturally relieved. After a few pretentious questions, he sent Wang Shanbao away.

Holding the three hundred taels, he thought about finding another fan someday. Then he remembered that the Dongfu and Xue families had each received seven hundred and fifty taels, and Jia She frowned at the thought.

If I had known this, I should have given all the money I had to that cheap nephew. Who could have thought that this person could be so capable?
It's just a business with a capital of 20,000 taels. After a month or so, the profit is 3,000 taels! This is just the beginning. Even if the amount remains the same, the annual profit will be 36,000 taels! Earning back 20% of the capital in a year, and the rest is just profit. Where in the world can you find such a good business?
Amidst his sighs, he felt a sense of relief. Luckily, his idiot son had been so foolish as to sell his shares for such a small profit. He, however, had a keen eye for talent and secured a tenth of the share, originally worth two thousand taels, resulting in the three hundred taels before him.

Jia She looked at the three hundred taels with mixed feelings of joy and worry, but he made up his mind that next time, no matter what his adopted nephew did for a living, he would get involved even if he had to sell everything he had.

As for the Autumn Examination… what did that have to do with his master? He didn't care how Chen Siyuan did… Uh, that's not right, it's better to pass. The Lin family's fortune is the biggest part!
Without mentioning what Jia She was thinking, Wang Shanbao, the housekeeper, passed through the three-tiered ceremonial gate and entered the main room. Because the main room's doors and windows were tightly closed and a fumigation oven was lit inside, the air was stuffy and hot, with a sour and rancid smell.

Mrs. Xing had just finished breastfeeding her child and was now resting on the kang. Not only was her hair disheveled, but her face was also a bit sallow.

At this moment, he was talking to Miao'er, "When will this end? If I had known it would be so difficult, I would have stayed in an odd month instead of an even month."

Miao'er consoled her, "Madam, please be more considerate. In these small families, women in these places are blessed to be able to spend the next month of confinement after giving birth. Many women have to go back to work in the fields a few days after giving birth. If you complain, others will envy you."

Madam Xing lowered her head and sniffed, frowning and saying, "But it can't stay this smelly forever, right?"

"Madam, just bear with it and it will pass."

At this moment, Wang Shanbao's wife came in through the curtains. Mrs. Xing immediately became alert and stood up and asked, "How is Brother Yuan?"

Wang Shanbao, the housekeeper, bowed and said, "Congratulations, Madam! My brother is bathing right now. Although I haven't seen him, Hongyu, who is beside him, is very happy and said that he did very well in the exam. With that said, I think my brother will definitely pass the exam!"

Upon hearing this, Madam Xing breathed a sigh of relief, her figure relaxed, a smile plastered across her face. She said, "That's good, that's good." Then, feeling a little uneasy, she said, "Brother Yuan is good in every way, but it's inevitable that he has too many things on his mind. I'm worried he'll get sidetracked by other things and delay the important Autumn Examination."

Wang Shanbao, the housekeeper, said, "Brother, you have an idea in mind. Isn't it..." As he handed over the two hundred taels of silver note, he said, "Brother, you are still thinking about the future of Baicaotang."

Mrs. Xing glanced at him, her heart overflowing with gratitude. Hongyu had come a while ago and brought a lot of nourishing food. Now she had sent another two hundred taels as a gift… Actually, Mrs. Xing hadn't paid a cent for that business! He was afraid he'd run out of money, so he deliberately gave her money.

Thinking that she was lucky enough to meet a loyal and affectionate man at her age, Mrs. Xing had no other wishes but that they could stay together forever.

At this moment, a baby crying was heard from the east end. Mrs. Xing frowned and said, "What is this little thing doing?" As she spoke, she started to undress the baby and feed him.

Unexpectedly, a maid came over and said, "Fourth brother has vomited milk, and the wet nurse is trying to comfort him."

Wang Shanbao, the housekeeper, said, "Madam, it's really hard to feed the baby by yourself. It's not like we don't have a wet nurse—"

Mrs. Xing frowned and said, "What do you know? It's best to breastfeed the baby by himself for the first month. That way, the child will remember things and be close to his mother."

Wang Shanbao's family agreed awkwardly.

In fact, Mrs. Xing remembered what Chen Siyuan had said before, that it was best to breastfeed the baby herself during the first month so that the child could grow strong and be immune to all diseases.

Hearing the child still crying, Mrs. Xing said, "Why can't you soothe the child? Bring him here so I can take a look."

The maid agreed, and the wet nurse hurriedly brought the child in. Perhaps because of the bond between mother and child, the child immediately became quiet in Mrs. Xing's arms, staring with eyes wide open and raising its little hands to grasp at random.

Mrs. Xing laughed when she saw this, and thought to herself that she only hoped that this child could acquire some of Chen Siyuan's skills in the future, so that her life would be complete.

……………………………………………………In Rongguo Mansion, the masters in various places had naturally received the news.

Siqi came back the latest and told the second young lady a story that was exaggerated. However, Yingchun was just like that. Even if she felt a little worried, she would not show it. As for Tanchun and Xichun, it was a different story. They kept chattering and praising Chen Siyuan to the sky.

Tanchun is most proud of Chen Siyuan's generous character, and Xichun is also under Chen Siyuan's care, so she is like this.

When Xueyan came back, Baoyu was pestering Jia's mother to ask how she played during the Mid-Autumn Festival. After Daiyu returned to the green gauze cabinet, Xueyan told her what she had found out.

Daiyu nodded silently at the news, saying nothing else. However, she was distracted a few times during the afternoon. Xueyan and Zijuan saw this and knew that the young lady's words were hers. If Master Yuan did indeed pass the imperial examination, the marriage certificate would be confirmed. One was delighted, the other worried.

A moment later, Mrs. Wang arrived, smiling and talking to Lady Jia. She was naturally happy for Chen Siyuan, and seeing the old lady's face as if a fly had been eaten, she still had to put on a smile and feigned agreement with a few words, which made her even happier.

She was planning to wait until the Autumn Examination was over before settling with Brother Yuan. This time, she was going to take action against the comprador's house! If she succeeded this time, the old lady would have no other help except the Lai family. From now on, the Rongguo Mansion would be ruled by the Wang family!
In Li Wan's room next to Fengjie's courtyard, after Suyun replied, Li Wan nodded silently and came over to urge Jia Lan to do his studies.

Jia Lan couldn't help but feel puzzled. He looked up and said, "Mother, we have never had any dealings with Uncle Yuan. Why did you send us victory cakes this time?"

Li Wan sighed and tapped Jia Lan's forehead. "Read carefully. You don't need to interfere in these matters."

Jia Lan obeyed and recited the Thousand Characters Essay. Li Wan thought to herself, if it wasn't for the purpose of guiding Jia Lan in his homework tomorrow, why would she, a widow and unemployed, bother sending him such a disgusting gift?

In the northeastern courtyard, Aunt Xue and Baochai were both secretly delighted by the congratulatory message. Mother and daughter, one hesitant and caught in a dilemma, desperate to forget, yet unable to. Her worries had just subsided, only to return to her heart. The other, secretly in love, her feelings growing firmer, coughed repeatedly, a feeling that even the cold fragrance pills couldn't calm.

Since she couldn't suppress her temper, Sister Bao simply stopped taking the Lengxiang Pills. Within a few days, the usually quiet Sister Bao actually became a little more lively. Even Baoyu was amazed and thought that Sister Bao's temper had become worse recently.

The mother and daughter each had their own thoughts, which they hid from each other, so they smiled lightly and complimented each other a few times, then kept them to themselves.

It wasn't just the people in the Rongguo Mansion who were worried about Chen Siyuan. You Erjie and You Sanjie from Xiaohuazhi Lane, and Qingwen from Da Gezi Lane, all shared his uneasiness. The former, having dismissed Chunxi before nightfall, was at least able to ask him a question, while the latter could only contemplate his thoughts in her small courtyard.

But Chen Siyuan, after three days of slumbering in the Imperial Examination Hall, had a good nap in the afternoon, and when night fell, how could he remain idle? He had no choice but to seek out Xiangling and Hongyu for a lively night of intoxicating love, and only then did he retire to bed.

Hongyu couldn't help but complain, "Master, you're too willful... We have to take the exam tomorrow morning." Seeing Xiangling giggling under the quilt, she said angrily, "Sister, how can you still laugh?"

Chen Siyuan's heart was as calm as a lake at this moment. He rested his head on his arms and said, "You don't know that the first round of the imperial examination is always the most important. The other two rounds are just for fun."

According to the Ming system, the first round of the imperial examination was the most important, which was to examine the interpretation of classics; the second round tested official documents, case law, essays and a test poem; the third round was the next most important, and tested five essays on current affairs.

In this second exam, anyone who passed the examination for the title of "Xucai" (Scholarly) had generally learned how to write imperial edicts, imperial decrees, and memorials, and was familiar with official documents and laws, so it was no problem for them to pass. If the rankings in the first exam were close and the examiners were undecided, they would review the second exam papers to determine the rankings.

The third round was even more ridiculous. How many scholars could actually understand practical matters? The policy papers they produced were nothing but empty talk and empty rhetoric.

Hongyu finally breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this. She snuggled into Chen Siyuan's arms and pouted, "Thank goodness you said that, Master. Otherwise, I'd be worried that if I'd delayed your Autumn Examination, how would I have the face to see anyone in the future?" She raised her head and pouted, "Since Sister Xiangling already knew about this, why didn't you tell me?"

Xiangling chuckled and said, "You're so anxious, I know what you're thinking, what's wrong with that?"

Hongyu naturally refused to agree, and she quarreled with Xiangling for a long time through Chen Siyuan, and the three of them finally fell asleep in each other's arms.

The next day, Jia Lian came to see him off early in the morning. Chen Siyuan, having unloaded his baggage, felt relaxed and at ease.

Not only him, but all the other candidates in the dormitory were like this. Because this second exam was not much more than just a fill-in, Chen Si handed in his paper at noon.

Thinking of Qingwen, Chen Siyuan drove to Dagezi Lane.

As soon as she knocked on the door, she heard footsteps approaching. She looked up and saw Qingwen running towards her. She looked up at Chen Siyuan hopefully, and seeing his smile, she immediately felt relieved.

"Phew... I was worried about you for a few days. Now that you look calm and composed, I think you must have done well in the exam." After a pause, he continued, "Yes, why did you come out now? Didn't you say that the second exam would take three days?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and pulled Qingwen into the inner room, explaining the matter on the way.

Qingwen then smiled and said, "So that's how it is."

Qingwen had been doing well for the past six months, never lacking for food and clothing, and because of this, she had become even more beautiful and charming. Having said this, she hurried to get some tea, but was immediately stopped by Chen Siyuan, who said, "Don't bother. I'll be leaving in a moment. The Rongguo Mansion is waiting for news."

Qingwen agreed, feeling a little disappointed.

Chen Siyuan then pulled her to sit beside him, took her hand and played with it in his hands, whispering, "The Autumn Examination will be over in a few days. When I have time, I will find a house to buy and settle down. Then everything will be fine."

Qingwen responded, and although her face was blushing, she seemed to pretend to be ignorant. She let Chen Siyuan play with her tender hands and just chattered about interesting things about her neighbors.

Chen Siyuan sat for a moment, chatted with Qingwen for a while, and then got up and left with her reluctance.

A few days passed in a flash, and it was August 16th in the blink of an eye.

In the evening, Chen Siyuan walked out of the Imperial Examination Hall carrying a bamboo basket. After passing through the gate, he couldn't help but take a deep breath. He felt refreshed, his heart was open and the world was vast!

I finally got through this!
"Master, Master!" Qing Yu waved his hand from a distance, pushed through the crowd and squeezed over, followed by Jia Lian who finally caught up.

Qingyu took the bamboo basket, and Chen Siyuan and Jia Lian greeted each other. Jia Lian was late for two of the three rounds, but he was a shameless person. He took Chen Siyuan's offer and said a lot of flattering words without mentioning a word about being late twice.

Chen Siyuan knew that Jia Lian was a playboy, so he didn't care at the moment. He chatted and laughed with him as they rode in the carriage and returned to Rongguo Mansion leisurely.

Mrs. Wang had previously announced that a banquet for Chen Siyuan would be held as soon as the Autumn Examination was over, but since it was too late today, it was postponed to tomorrow.

Chen Siyuan returned to his own courtyard and no longer thought about the Mid-Autumn Examination. He played around with several maids and then took a bath and changed his clothes. The maids served him and chattered about the Mid-Autumn Festival yesterday.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, Rongguo Mansion decorated the house with lanterns and colorful decorations, set up banquets, and even invited the Huiban troupe to perform.

Not much is said during the day, but at night, a nine-tiered altar is set up, with a thousand-layer mooncake on it.

Soon, Lady Jia put a golden osmanthus hairpin in her hair and led all the daughters-in-law and girls to worship the moon.

Afterwards, the women from all over the place found potted plants such as pomegranates and oleanders, and hung jade rabbit lanterns on the branches and leaves. This was called potted flower fighting the moon.

Afterwards, Jia Zheng cut the mooncakes, offered the first piece to the Kitchen God, the second piece to the night watchman, and distributed the rest among his fellow farmers.

After that, the banquet started. The Hui troupe and twelve young actors took turns singing and performing. During the performance, there were nine sections of lotus root with osmanthus wine. The girls drank the osmanthus wine with lotus root slices in their mouths. The one who broke the silk thread meant that he would have a smooth marriage in the coming year.

Hearing this, Chen Siyuan asked, "Who broke the thread then?"

Xiangling covered her mouth and laughed, "That's a weak thing. Just drink two cups and there's no way she'd stop. But the third and fourth girls are still young, so it seems they didn't even have the lotus root slices in their mouths. As for the rest, there's all sorts of things to say. Master, go listen to them yourself."

The ladies were bustling about at the banquet, and the lads were not idle either. Starting with Baoyu, Jia Cong, Jia Huan, and Jia Lan ate crabs with eight crab pieces, and then used crab shells to create a picture of a toad palace and a laurel wreath, with the winner receiving a prize.

Baoyu hated economics and official career the most, Jia Cong was clumsy, and Jia Huan was too thoughtful. In the end, it was the young Lang'er who completed the puzzle and won the Duan inkstone awarded by Grandmother Jia.

After the banquet was over, the girl still didn't stop and had to go for a night stroll in the garden.

Servants had left twin pumpkins in the field in front of Daoxiang Village. Sanchun, Daiyu, Baochai, and the others went out in the dark, laughing and joking, to look for them. This was called "touching autumn." If they picked the twin pumpkins, it meant they would find a good match soon.

This time Hongyu didn't hide it and said with a smile, "There are a pair of twin pumpkins. Which girl do you think got them?"

Chen Siyuan lay in the bathtub and laughed, "You're embarrassing me again. How would I know?"

Hongyu said, "First, the second young lady found one on her own. After a while, Miss Lin and Miss Bao found one together. They pushed each other for a while, and then everyone started to cheer, saying that they had found a good match."

These words set Chen Siyuan's mind wandering. As a human in his second life, he was skeptical about the notion of spirits and gods, but he firmly believed in the unspoken destiny. He couldn't help but wonder if this meant he would one day be blessed with twin lotus flowers?

Unexpectedly, Xiangling whispered, "Later, for some reason, Miss Bao looked normal, but Miss Lin became unhappy again. Later, during the riddle game, Miss Lin said she was tired and went back to her room."

Chen Siyuan had some vague suspicions when he heard this, but he couldn't grasp them for a moment. He thought he could only ask Sister Bao about it someday. As for Sister Lin...for some reason, Chen Siyuan always felt a little guilty when he saw Daiyu.

Therefore, Chen Siyuan had originally planned to go to Xiaohuazhi Lane at night to find You Erjie and You Sanjie and have some fun, but at this moment he had no other thoughts.

After bathing, Chen Siyuan changed his clothes and leisurely sat on a chair, holding a cup of warm tea. It was already night outside, but who knew there would be a knock on the door at this moment.

The maidservant Yunxiang opened the door, took a look, and shouted, "Master, the concubine and Miss Bao are here!"

Chen Siyuan was stunned. Why did Aunt Xue and Baochai come together? Could something have happened?
Chen Siyuan did not dare to neglect and hurriedly stood up to greet them. As soon as he reached the door, he ran into Aunt Xue and Baochai, who looked worried.

Perhaps because she was anxious, Aunt Xue had no scruples and said directly, "Brother Yuan, you have to save me this time!"

"Ah?" Chen Siyuan saw the despair on Aunt Xue's face, and then saw Baochai's stern expression, and he was even more puzzled. He hurriedly said, "Auntie, Baomeimei, please come in and talk. What happened?"

The three of them went inside. Aunt Xue sat down and wiped her tears with a handkerchief, as if a disaster was about to happen!
Aunt Xue was flustered and her words were incoherent, so Sister Bao took over and said, "Brother Yuan, the inner court has sent an errand to the Xue family. They say the emperor wants to rebuild the palace, and they've ordered the Xue family to bring twelve golden nanmu trees to the capital."

Chen Siyuan was still baffled. The Xue family was a royal merchant, so assigning them errands was commonplace. Why were they so flustered?

At this time, Aunt Xue said, "Brother Yuan, you don't know that the imperial court only offered a price of five hundred taels of silver per piece. If the Xue family went to Sichuan to purchase it, it would cost at least one or two thousand taels of silver to buy one piece. That's not all. It will take three years of manual dragging and dredging along the way to transport it to the capital. I have calculated with the old shopkeeper that these twelve pieces of golden nanmu wood may cost one hundred thousand taels of silver!"

Wuwu... How can the Xue family afford a hundred thousand taels of silver in their current situation?!"

Chen Siyuan frowned and said, "Purchasing and shipping from Sichuan is a huge waste. Why not buy from Annan instead?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Aunt Xue sobbed and Bao-jie sighed and shook her head. She hadn't said anything, yet it seemed as if she had said everything.

Chen Siyuan blinked, and suddenly he understood.

Yes, firstly, "the livelihood of millions of canal workers depends on it," and secondly...if the Annan golden nanmu is shipped by sea, how will "Commissioner Geng" get it? If "Commissioner Geng" doesn't take it, how can the officials under him advance?

　Note: During the Qianlong Emperor's reign, due to the government's ban on private mining, wealthy merchants in Jiangnan bought smuggled nanmu wood, paying up to 200 taels per meter.

　　"It took three years to transport Sichuan nanmu to Beijing, and the cost of labor and river dredging accounted for more than 70% of the official list price (Compilation of Qing Palace Nanmu Archives)."

　　Qianlong rebuilt the Hall of Supreme Harmony and purchased 12 golden nanmu pillars, spending 9.6 taels of silver.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)