Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 183 Today's Wandering Thoughts

Not to mention that the mother and daughter of the Xue family were talking at cross purposes and had different thoughts, but when Lady Wang and Sister Feng left the east wing and entered the Rongguo Mansion, they planned to go to the back together to persuade Chen Siyuan.

Sister Feng was both concerned about their past friendship and the Jia family's reputation. Lady Wang was reluctant to let Chen Siyuan go, and she wanted him to pass messages back and forth with the East Cross Courtyard so she could seize power as soon as possible. Furthermore, Lady Wang wanted to strike while the iron was hot and finalize his marriage to Daiyu as soon as possible, so she could rest easy.

As for Baoyu, this child's crying and making a fuss is not the first or second time. Think about that time when Qianxue, Bihen, and Qingwen were sent out, didn't Baoyu also make a big fuss? But didn't he forget about it after a few days?
Even if his friendship with Daiyu was intense, so what? At most, he would be miserable for a while longer. As the saying goes, a short pain is worse than a long one. Baoyu is still so young, but he still can't forget Daiyu. What would happen if it lasted longer?

But the master must be on guard. Aunt Zhao is a vixen who is always stirring up trouble. She might whisper in the master's ear and make him fly into a rage, so that he might even break his own Baoyu.

While she was thinking, the aunt and niece arrived at Chen Siyuan's courtyard together. When they looked up, they saw maids and old women running around inside, and Jia Lian was pulling Chen Siyuan to persuade her repeatedly.

"...Brother Yuan, why are you doing this? The old lady was just speaking in anger. As the old saying goes, little naughty boy, old naughty boy. This person has become like a naughty boy in his old age, isn't he?"

Chen Siyuan said, "Second Brother Lian, I've been lucky enough to pass the imperial examination, but at my age, it's really not appropriate for me to stay at home any longer. I bought a house two streets south and have been tidying it up these past few days. It's time to move in."

"Brother Yuan, we can't leave now. If you leave, I don't know what people outside will say about us."

The little maid Yunxiang caught a glimpse of Lady Wang and Sister Feng and hurried inside, shouting, "Master, the Madam and the Second Mistress are here!"

Jia Lian heaved a sigh of relief and couldn't help laughing, "Haha, Brother Yuan, I knew you wouldn't be able to leave today."

Chen Siyuan looked helpless and had no choice but to turn around to greet her. The four of them gathered in the corridor. Before Chen Siyuan could greet her and bow, Mrs. Wang said with a stern face, "Is Yuanyang here?"

Jia Lian hurriedly said, "Madam, I just left."

Mrs. Wang said, "Brother, you are so ignorant! The old lady has sent people to complain to you. Are you still going to leave?"

"This..." Chen Siyuan repeated what he had just said.

Madam Wang shook her head and said, "How old are you? Why would you want to move out? The house is empty. Besides, when your aunt heard about this, she almost skipped her confinement and insisted on going to look for the old lady."

"Ah?" Chen Siyuan was shocked and frowned. "I didn't expect to disturb my aunt... Oh, my rudeness. Please invite Madam and Second Sister-in-law to come in and talk."

When everyone entered, Madam Wang naturally took the first seat and immediately recounted the situation one by one. Finally, she said, "Your aunt is still in confinement after childbirth, and her temper is a little more erratic than usual. If you move out now, not to mention what will happen to us, I'm afraid your aunt will be uneasy."

Chen Siyuan's clamor for moving out was just empty talk. Since Mrs. Wang had said so, she naturally wanted to take advantage of the situation and sighed, frowning, "Yes, I'm sorry for being so inconsiderate and causing you so much distraction. I'll go and complain to you right away... Let's put this matter of separation aside for now."

Mrs. Wang breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "What do you mean by separate residence? I'm talking about Yuan. Brother Yuan is of course old enough, but how old is my niece? She'll only be eleven or twelve next year. If we want to get married, we'll have to wait a few more years. Yu'er is not in good health, how can we feel at ease without Brother Yuan by her side to look after her?
Besides, even though Brother Yuan has passed the imperial examination, I'm afraid he won't have a good time in this exam, right?"

Chen Siyuan said solemnly, "Madam, you are absolutely right. I was lucky to pass the imperial examination. That's why I've already decided not to take the next spring exam. I need to accumulate some knowledge before taking the next exam."

Mrs. Wang smiled and said, "That's it. You're only fifteen or sixteen. If you move out, you'll be distracted by everything. How can you possibly concentrate on studying? I think it would be better for you to stay here for now. We can discuss moving out after you receive the imperial edict."

Sister Feng also echoed, "Madam, what you said is quite reasonable. Brother Yuan should stop making a fuss about moving out. Today is a great day, and the old lady just ordered a banquet to be held in Rongxi Hall."

Chen Siyuan immediately stood up and bowed to all four of them, saying, "I lost my temper for a moment, and Madam, Second Brother Lian, and Second Sister-in-law have trouble comforting me so much. Now I have come to my senses. I appreciate your sincere kindness."

In an instant the clouds in the sky dispersed, and Sister Feng said to Hongyu, "Did you hear what your master said? Unpack the bundle quickly; I'm afraid you won't be free this afternoon."

Hongyu glanced at Chen Siyuan and saw that he did not refute her, so she ordered the maid and the old woman to put the bundles back to their respective places.

Mrs. Wang and the others lingered for a moment, then, as they had more things to discuss and arrange for a banquet, they all took their leave. Chen Siyuan naturally stood up and escorted Mrs. Wang and the others out, then headed straight for the east wing to apologize.

Mrs. Xing had made a fuss, whether it was due to an open or secret connection, he had to go there.

As soon as Chen Siyuan left, the courtyard suddenly became lively.

The maidservant Yunxiang threw the bundle onto the kang in the west wing, and then she lay down on it, mumbling, "Not leaving again, that's good."

Liu Wuer took a look and couldn't help but smile: "Are you relieved now?"

Yunxiang smiled sideways and said, "Isn't Sister Wu'er the same?"

The master wants to live in another mansion. There is no need to mention Xiangling, who has no bond and has nothing to do with the Rongguo Mansion. She can just pick up her bags and follow the master. Hongyu is also fine. Although her bond is still in the Rongguo Mansion, she and the master have been in contact for a long time. Now that the master has asked for her bond, can the second wife still refuse?

Of the two of them, Liu Wu'er was closer to the master, but due to her age and frailty, they always slept in each other's arms, without any incident. This daily companionship, coupled with the fact that her master was handsome and talented, naturally swayed Liu Wu'er's heart.

However, due to the girl's dignity, the matter was never exposed. Moreover, Mrs. Liu was still in the small kitchen and was reluctant to let Liu Wu'er go, so this matter was likely to be a long-term lawsuit.

If Liu Wu'er was just a little embarrassed, then Yunxiang was in even greater trouble. She was just a little maid. The master could ask for the indenture of Hongyu and Wu'er, so why would he ask for the indenture of a little maid like her?

Yunxiang felt that her appearance was merely good-looking, not comparable to Xiangling, Hongyu, and Liu Wuer. She had only won the master's favor by relying on her pleasing personality, and she could always extort hundreds of dollars a month, living a happy life. If the master moved away, where would she find such a good job?
Now the clouds in the sky have finally dispersed. The little maid Yunxiang feels relieved. She thinks that she can stay with her third sister for a few more years. When she is a few years older, she will learn how to manage accounts from her third sister. In the future, when the master lives elsewhere, maybe she can get a job as a housekeeper.

After daydreaming for a while, Yunxiang felt happy and turned over and lay down with her legs crossed, her toes pointing up and down.

Just as she was enjoying herself, she suddenly heard Hongyu scolding her through the window, "Yunxiang, why don't you hurry up and tidy up? You're just causing more trouble when you have to do serious household chores every day. If you continue to be so lazy, I'll deduct two hundred yuan from you next month!"

Yunxiang shuddered, quickly got up and shouted, "Don't deduct money, I'll clean it up right away!"

Liu Wu'er couldn't help but laugh. Yunxiang, with a sly look on her face, tidied her things carelessly while glancing back furtively. Seeing Hongyu gone, she finally breathed a sigh of relief, then frowned, thinking, "Yes, I almost forgot about Hongyu. Even if I go live with Master tomorrow, as long as Hongyu is around, I'm afraid I won't be happy... And Hongyu is Master's favorite, so I'm afraid I can't alienate her."

Forget it. It seems that I need to find a mistress to please in the future. With the protection of a mistress, I won’t be bullied too much by Hongyu.

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

Mrs. Wang’s courtyard.

Baoyu had made a big fuss and was exhausted. Yingchun, Tanchun, Xichun and Baochai all came to comfort him. Li Ma, Xiren, Musk Moon and others were also watching over him. After some persuasion, they persuaded him to drink some calming soup, and he couldn't help falling asleep due to sleepiness.

When Mrs. Wang returned, she saw Baoyu sleeping soundly with a frown on his face. She could not help shaking her head and sighing, "What a wicked creature!"

He then led everyone into the hall to chat, thanked a few girls, and asked Li Ma, Xiren and others to take good care of Baoyu to prevent him from doing anything stupid in the future.

Seeing that nothing was to be done, Sanchun and Baochai excused themselves and left. Xiren, Sheyue, Meiren and the others were then allowed to go inside to look after Baoyu.

Sanchun and Baochai separated in the courtyard. Baochai went back to the northeast courtyard through the back corner gate, while Sanchun went to the back building of Rongqing Hall through the east corner gate.

After walking for a while, Sanchun couldn't help but start to worry.

Tanchun frowned and shook her head, saying, "Second Brother Bao has a temper. When he gets mad, he really doesn't care about anything."

Xichun whispered back, "It's not the first time Third Sister has seen this, so what's so strange about it?"

The matter involved the dispute between Chen Siyuan, Daiyu and Baoyu, and there was no good way to talk about it, so Yingchun simply kept silent.

The three sisters looked at each other, sighing. They were thinking clearly that while the situation might seem over for now, there was a chance of further trouble when Master Jia Zheng returned. Master had always been a man of integrity, and Baoyu had gone mad on the day Chen Siyuan passed the imperial examination, causing chaos in the mansion and making everyone aware of it. Given Jia Zheng's temperament, he was sure he would punish Baoyu harshly.

On the other hand, although it was the ancestor's fault, in all these years, when had I ever seen the ancestor lose his temper and get angry at a younger generation? Maybe the ancestor was angry at the moment.

The three sisters were chatting and before they knew it, they had passed the large painted screen wall. In front of them was a hall and a corridor. The three sisters were about to go along the corridor to the back building when they ran into Xiu Ju head-on.

Xiu Ju's face was filled with anxiety. When she saw the three girls, she quickly bowed and whispered, "Miss, Third Miss, Fourth Miss, I just saw Sister Hupo upstairs calling in Doctor Wang. I'm afraid the old lady isn't well!"

The three sisters were shocked and hurried back to Rongqing Hall.

Once inside, Imperial Physician Wang had already emerged, carrying his medicine chest. The three sisters went in to pay their respects, but were stopped by the head maid, Amber, who simply said, "The old lady is feeling a bit depressed and chest tight. Imperial Physician Wang just gave her acupuncture and prescribed a prescription. I think she'll be fine after two doses of treatment."

Yuanyang also came out from the west end and said, "The old lady is asleep now, so I'm afraid I won't be able to attend the banquet this afternoon. If the three young ladies want to pay their respects, why not postpone it for tomorrow?"

The three sisters glanced at each other and agreed. As they circled back to the backyard, Xichun said, "Yes, I'm still unsure whether Brother Yuan should move or not. I forgot to ask Madam." After a pause, she pulled Tanchun aside and said, "Third sister, why don't we go take a look together?"

Tanchun hesitated. It would be fine if she went once, but if she went too often, and if she offended Brother Bao and Lady Wang, it would be bad.

The maidservant Shishu naturally knew her young lady's concerns, so she immediately said, "Fourth Young Lady, I'm afraid our young lady is a little tired. How about I go and clean up for our young lady?"

Xichun said, "Why would you be needed? Since Third Sister is tired, I'll go by myself."

The three sisters then separated, Yingchun and Tanchun returned to the back building, while Xichun took Caiping and went to the back to look for her.

When the second young lady Yingchun returned to her room, her companion Siqi took advantage of Xiuju being outside and whispered to her seductively, "Young lady, what do you think?"

"What's going on?" Yingchun asked curiously.

Siqi narrowed her eyes and smiled, "Just seeing Master Yuan about to leave, except for the old lady and Master Bao, everyone in the mansion is trying to keep him. Even the old lady had to send Yuanyang away to express her displeasure. Miss, do you think there are many people in this world who can compare to a great man like Master Yuan?"

Yingchun's pretty face didn't blush, and she said angrily, "You're talking nonsense again!"

Although she hadn't met Brother Yuan yet, just by looking at the situation at home, Yingchun admired him immensely. She was only a concubine's daughter, so it was inevitable that she would sometimes feel self-pity. But Brother Yuan was a distant relative, and when he first entered the mansion, he wasn't well-received. Yet, through his ability, talent, and skill, he had forged his way to the position where the entire family wanted him to stay.

Yingchun admired him and felt a surge of admiration. She wondered if she could have a similar temperament. However, despite her intelligence, Yingchun was cautious and self-disciplined. She was unwilling to make mistakes, and thus lacked the courage to take risks.

Siqi glanced at Yingchun and saw that she had tilted her head and her face was flushed. She misunderstood and thought that her daughter had finally fallen in love with him. She was secretly delighted. She quickly struck while the iron was hot and said, "Young lady, remember what I said before. At the banquet later, young lady, don't be like a gourd with a sawed-off mouth. You must talk to Master Yuan more."

After saying this, Siqi went off to work outside. Yingchun reacted and was about to argue, but when she saw that she had walked away, she frowned and swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue. Although she thought Siqi's words were nonsense, she couldn't help but have another thought: maybe if she talked to Brother Yuan more often, she could learn a little bit of his skills.

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

Meanwhile, little Xichun, worried about Chen Siyuan, led her maid to the back. It happened that Chen Siyuan had gone to the east wing, and because Xichun often visited him, he was very familiar with Xiangling and Hongyu.

Hongyu knew that her master had a lot of pity and care for the fourth young lady, so she smiled and said, "Master will be back soon, so why don't you wait for me... Yes, there are quite a few storybooks in the study, why don't you read them to cheer yourself up?"

Upon learning that Chen Siyuan was not leaving, Xichun was naturally delighted and agreed with a smile, "Okay."

He entered the study, randomly pulled out books and put them back. After a while, he pulled out a white booklet. He opened it casually and saw a sentence written inside: "Knowing there are tigers in the mountain, don't go to the mountain."

"Ok?"

Read further: Some people are born in Rome, some are born mules and horses.

What does this mean?

Liu Wuer saw that he frowned slightly, walked over to take a look and said with a smile: "This is a casual doodle of the master. The Rome above refers to the capital of the Qin Dynasty during the Han Dynasty." "I see." Xichun agreed casually and read on: Qin Shihuang eating peppercorns - he won.

Xichun blinked, and when she came to her senses, she burst into giggles.

The girl frequently visited Chen Siyuan, and with his comfort, she had become much more relaxed than before. Furthermore, Chen Siyuan was often playful and teasing, and as the saying goes, "bad company breeds badness," Xichun inevitably picked up some of his playful side.

The more he looked at the graffiti, the happier he became. Then he heard Chen Siyuan's voice behind him: "What are you looking at, Fourth Sister?"

Xichun finally woke up from her dream. Holding the booklet, she bared her gap-toothed expression and said, "Brother Yuan, this allegorical saying is extremely interesting. Could you lend it to me to study for a few days?"

The book was indeed filled with graffiti, but Chen Siyuan didn't care. He smiled and said, "Fourth sister, just take it... but don't use the words above to tease others in the future."

Xichun smiled and said, "I can save myself the trouble."

He immediately put it into his sleeve as if it were a treasure, and chatted with Chen Siyuan for a while before leaving.

In the blink of an eye, it was afternoon and Master Jia Zheng returned home. He was pulled aside by Jia She and made a complaint.

When Jia Zheng heard that Baoyu had gone crazy again, he was furious. He immediately picked up a stick and was about to teach Baoyu a lesson.

Jia She's action was not intended to teach Baoyu a lesson. Seeing this, he quickly stopped him and said, "How old is Baoyu? It's normal for him to act a little naughty. At least he is much better than those spoiled brats out there who act like eagles and horses and invite disasters.

"Second brother, Baoyu is young and naive, but even mother is like this. The marriage contract was signed by Ruhai before his death. If it were up to me, this matter would have been settled long ago. If it were, how could we have come to this day?"

Jia Zheng frowned and sighed, "Brother, you are right."

He knew what Jia She was up to, but this time, Jia She was in the right. Jia Zheng was very concerned about his reputation and would not do something that was unreasonable.

Jia She was certain of Jia Zheng's point, and he quickly struck while the iron was hot, saying, "Now that Baoyu and Daiyu are getting older, if we don't finalize this matter now, I'm afraid something unexpected will happen again. We all saw with our own eyes the engagement my niece made in Rong Xi Tang that day. Now that Yuan'er has passed the imperial examination, what do you think... should we finalize this marriage?"

Jia Zheng nodded and said, "Brother, what you say makes sense... But this marriage requires Yucun's approval. How about I write a letter to Jiangsu and Zhejiang with you, and then finalize the matter after receiving Yucun's reply?"

Jia She was overjoyed and nodded hurriedly: "Okay, okay, I will write a letter tomorrow."

After Jia She finished speaking, the two brothers hurried to Rongqing Hall to see Lady Jia.

After a good sleep and some medicine, Grandmother Jia was no longer seriously injured, save for a tightness in her chest. She spoke to the two brothers indifferently, and when they asked about Chen Siyuan and Daiyu's marriage, since Daiyu had already made up her mind, Grandmother Jia simply told them to write to Jia Yucun to ask.

The two agreed, and because Lady Xing was unable to leave her confinement, Jia She hosted a banquet at Rongxi Hall. Jia Zheng, in a huff, went to Lady Wang's courtyard, and the couple had sex.

Mrs. Wang tried her best to stop her, but Jia Zheng was disgusted and afraid of angering Lady Jia again, so he just said "A loving mother often spoils her son" and went to Aunt Zhao's courtyard.

At 3 p.m. that day, Chen Siyuan, accompanied by Xiangling, Hongyu, and Liu Wu'er, arrived early at Rongxi Hall in the central courtyard. He had passed the imperial examination, and the banquet was being paid for by the government, but it was being organized by the East Cross Courtyard. As Jia She's adopted nephew, he was naturally part owner.

He then stood in front of the ceremonial gate to welcome and see off guests.

First came the three sisters-in-law, Jia Lian and Wang Xifeng, then Li Wan with Jia Lan, Jia Zhen and Youshi. Later, Aunt Xue with Baochai, Jia Zheng, Lady Wang and others arrived one by one.

Chen Siyuan only exchanged a few pleasantries with others, but he could not help but put some thought into Daiyu, Aunt Xue, and Baochai.

Daiyu's eyes were swollen, but she came anyway. Chen Siyuan asked a few questions with concern, but Daiyu only responded indifferently and led the maid into the house.

Chen Siyuan thought to himself that he was afraid that Sister Lin had no feelings for him...never mind, if he kept interacting with her in the future, he would be able to change her mind.

When Aunt Xue and Baochai arrived, the mother and daughter saw Chen Siyuan. They had different thoughts, but they ended up in the same place.

Baochai was wearing a plain, simple jacket and skirt embroidered with peony patterns, and her figure swayed like a peony in full bloom. A smile played on her face, but her almond-shaped eyes held a hint of shyness and anticipation. She felt a sense of unease, unable to express herself, and hesitated to speak.

Aunt Xue was wearing a dark purple double-breasted dress. She looked as dignified and steady as ever, but her eyes could not hide her joy.

After answering a few words, the mother and daughter were afraid of being discovered, so they just muttered a few words about where Xue Pan had been hanging out with Qu and why he hadn't come back yet. Then they said goodbye to Chen Siyuan and went inside as if they were escaping.

Soon the banquet began. Outside, string music was played, and twelve young actors from the Hui troupe came to perform in the courtyard to liven up the atmosphere.

Two tables were set up in Rongxi Hall. According to the rules, men sat on the left and women on the right, and the middle was still separated by a screen.

The feast was filled with joy, and Chen Siyuan drank till the last drop of his wine. After the three-act opera was over, Chen Siyuan saw Daiyu quietly leave with Zijuan and Xueyan.

A quick thought revealed that Daiyu was not in a good mood at the moment. She had only come for a while because this move confirmed the appointment made that day. She had left early to avoid the discussion of the engagement at the banquet... After all, she was still a girl and had to stay away from it.

As expected, as soon as Daiyu left, the eldest master Jia She said, "Brother Zhen is here too. I discussed this with your second uncle this afternoon. We will send a letter to Jiangsu and Zhejiang tomorrow to get Yucun's consent. We will soon finalize the marriage between Brother Yuan and my niece."

Jia Zhen nodded and said, "Brother Yuan has passed the imperial examination, so this is as it should be."

Everyone was urging him to drink, and Chen Siyuan downed several glasses, his face flushed. After he put down his glass, he said thoughtfully, "Uncle, Master, Magistrate Jia is Miss Lin's teacher. It would be disrespectful to exchange letters alone. From my perspective, I think it would be better if I went to Jiangnan in person, met Magistrate Jia, and got his approval, so that we can finalize this matter."

After a pause, he continued, "The second one... My mother died young. Although my father was often harsh on me, he still raised me. Now that I'm lucky enough to win the exam, I must pay my respects at their graves."

Jia She was afraid that his impersonation would be exposed, so he couldn't help but whisper, "Brother Yuan's suggestion is reasonable, but now that you have opened a new account, it would be best if you don't visit these Chen relatives as much as possible."

Chen Siyuan naturally agreed and said, "My uncle is right."

Jia Zhen said, "Uncle She, don't worry. Brother Yuan has always been very considerate and I'm sure nothing will go wrong."

Jia Zheng, twirling his beard, said, "So, Brother Yuan won't be killed next spring?"

"Master, I feel that I lack the foundation. I need to settle down and gain more knowledge before I dare to go out."

Jia Zheng couldn't help but praise him, saying, "Very good, very good. I was afraid that you might become arrogant after passing the imperial examination, and I wanted to give you some advice. But now that I see you are so modest, I won't offer any such advice."

Chen Siyuan thanked him profusely.

After three rounds of wine, five dishes, and a dozen or so opera excerpts, the table was cleared and tea was served. Everyone chatted for a while, and only then did they disperse when the hour of Xu approached.

The eldest master, Jia She, perhaps mindful of the Lin family's imminent demise, had drunk a few more cups, and by the time the party was over, he was already drunk. Chen Siyuan hurriedly found a maid to help him back to the east wing, and he himself saw everyone off before finally returning with Xiangling, Hongyu, and the others.

After returning to his own courtyard, Chen Siyuan's mood calmed down a bit, and he couldn't help but think about what to do next day. Of course, not to mention the Deer Singing Banquet, King Ping of Yan would definitely come to pay his respects.

As for the subsequent trip to Jiangnan, it was a last resort—since I had taken on this title, I had to act on my behalf. As for the search for Jia Yucun, it was just a side trip.

Jia Yucun had always looked down on the Jia family. He had personally agreed to the appointment at Rong Xi Tang during their previous meeting. Now he would only help make this happen. How could there be any complications?

On a side note, I could take Xiangling to see Zhen Fengshi and Qingwen back home. Calculating this way, this trip south could be said to be killing four birds with one stone.

Perhaps it was because of the joy of good fortune that Chen Siyuan was in high spirits. Although he was drunk, he was still cheerful and not tired at all. Hongyu replied, "Master, the kitchen is boiling water, but I'm afraid it will take a while. How about I give you a massage?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and shook his head. Just as he was about to speak, Yunxiang sneaked in and said, "Master, Master, Chunxi came to the back door this afternoon. I told him that he had passed the high school entrance exam, and he happily returned."

Chen Siyuan was puzzled and asked, "Didn't you send Qingyu to tell him?"

Before Yunxiang could reply, Hongyu suddenly realized, "I almost forgot. Qingyu twisted his ankle when he was looking at the list. I'm taking a leave of absence today after receiving the reward."

Chen Siyuan was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, thinking to himself that he was lucky to be staying in Rongguo Mansion. If an ordinary scholar went to check the list by himself, losing his shoes would be the norm, but spraining his ankle or breaking his leg due to being squeezed, or being caught by a rich man in Beijing to meet a girl, who knows how many troubles he would have to deal with.

After sending Yunxiang away, Chen Siyuan stood up and paced around. He felt the room was too cramped and his heart was hard to express. He explained to Hongyu, walked out on his own, and went straight into the garden.

He circled westward, encountering two groups of night watchwomen along the way, and was naturally showered with congratulations. Chen Siyuan smiled and accepted each of their requests, inevitably doling out a generous tip. Upon emerging from the cavern, the Yuyin Hall lay a short distance to his left. Chen Siyuan couldn't help but recall the romantic moments he had shared with Aunt Xue there that day, so he paused to take a look. However, the interior was pitch black, with not a soul in sight.

He smiled to himself and started walking around again.

Soon they were near the main gate of the garden. Behind a wall lay the residence of Aunt Xue and Bao-jie. Chen Siyuan could not help but stop to take a look, but he could only see the flickering lights behind the wall and hear no sound.

Just when he was feeling lost, he suddenly heard a light cough from behind the rockery, and then someone whispered, "But Brother Yuan?"

Chen Siyuan made a quick identification and couldn't help but feel overjoyed. This voice... who else could it be but Aunt Xue? He walked over a few steps and, as expected, spotted Aunt Xue at the foot of the rockery.

Chen Siyuan asked happily, "How did you know I was coming?"

"I--" Aunt Xue hesitated to speak.

Aunt Xue was overjoyed today when Chen Siyuan passed the imperial examination. She had hoped to see him more often during the banquet, but the screen separated them, and with all the relatives present, Aunt Xue felt constrained. Returning home, she felt even more depressed, so she found an excuse to relax in the garden.

Baochai was worried and wanted to send a maid to accompany her. Aunt Xue had some hopes in her heart, so how could she let a maid ruin her good fortune? Therefore, her words were inevitably a bit unreasonable, and in the end she came to the garden alone.

She had wandered around for a while, even going to Longcui Temple, but she couldn't see Chen Siyuan. Feeling disappointed, she was about to return home, but she ran into Chen Siyuan there.

Although she was thinking this, Aunt Xue was reluctant to express it. After a long pause, she said, "I'll return the key to you."

As he spoke, he began to grope around.

Chen Siyuan saw it all, and knew that Aunt Xue was shy and was actually saying the opposite of what she meant. She was just thinking about returning the key, just thinking about going to Da Gezi Lane to rekindle their past relationship.

Because Chen Siyuan didn't respond at all, he suddenly took a few steps and looked across the river. He saw that the gate of Longcui Temple was closed. A white stone bridge spanned the river east of Longcui Temple, and behind the stone bridge was a long corridor with winding caves. Most of the area was a long corridor, but a few dozen steps were carved into the rockery with winding caves.

The gate of Longcui Temple is closed at this time, so I guess no one will disturb us?

Chen Siyuan suddenly turned around, grabbed Aunt Xue's hand, and walked away. After a few steps, Aunt Xue couldn't help but ask, "Where are you taking me?"

Chen Siyuan remained silent. After crossing the white stone bridge and entering the winding cave, Aunt Xue had a vague suspicion in her heart. She could not help but feel shy and happy, and begged: "Brother Yuan... This is not good. This is not good here—"

Unexpectedly, Chen Siyuan paid no attention to her. He turned around and pressed Aunt Xue against the rock wall of the winding cave. He raised a pair of plump hands and pressed them against the rock wall with one hand. Chen Siyuan leaned in close, stared at Aunt Xue and said, "I know what you are thinking, but we have already been through that, what is there to be afraid of? Madam... enjoy life to the fullest."

After saying that, Chen Siyuan leaned over and kissed her lips...

　Sadly, the doctor prescribed a nighttime IV drip for my son. During the day, I rushed to a relative's house to get a folding bed, and my wife stayed with him in the hospital that night. It was so busy, so this chapter is a bit messy, please forgive me.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)