Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 235 The Nightmare Magic of the Uncle and Sister-in-Law (Part 1)
The misty rain enveloped the area, and the fine raindrops fell on the bluestone path, instantly creating a thin veil of mist.

Chen Siyuan strolled along, and as he turned past Qinfang Pavilion, he could see the vibrant colors of flowers gathered in Aojingxi Pavilion. Soon after, he saw two maids holding umbrellas, and Siqi carrying a little girl on her back hurrying towards this side.

When Chen Siyuan arrived at Qinfang Bridge, he ran into Cuilu and Ying'er coming towards him, while Siqi carried Shi Xiangyun, who was frowning and gasping for breath.

Chen Siyuan asked in surprise, "What's going on?"

Several maids greeted her. Siqi glanced at Chen Siyuan, while Cuilu said with a mix of laughter and tears, "Don't even mention it... Our young lady was having a blast and wanted to jump into any puddle she saw. Who knew that the hole we just saw was a tree hole that was dug yesterday? She jumped in and almost fell to her death. Now she's twisted her ankle."

Shi Xiangyun pouted and said, "How would I know it was that deep?"

Chen Siyuan blinked and suppressed a laugh, saying, "Quickly go to the front and ask the imperial physician to take a look."

Cuilu agreed, and Shi Xiangyun, clinging to Siqi's back, waved to Chen Siyuan before crossing the sluice bridge and heading towards Rongqing Hall.

Watching the group depart, Chen Siyuan smiled and looked towards the Concave Crystal Stream Pavilion. As the name suggests, the Concave Crystal Stream Pavilion was a pavilion shaped like the Chinese character "凹" (concave). Inside, various scenes unfolded amidst a riot of colors. At this moment, the second young lady, Yingchun, was playing chess with Xing Xiuyan; the usually composed Baochai was unusually playful, currently spinning her oil-paper umbrella rapidly with Tanchun and Xichun, causing the indigo umbrella surface to spread layers of watermarks like splashed ink; Daiyu, meanwhile, sat down on a small stool, with a bamboo pole in front of her, a silk line dangling into the water—was she fishing?
Chen Siyuan sighed inwardly, wishing he had a camera at that moment. It was such a pity that such a beautiful scene couldn't be preserved.

He pondered for a moment and strolled along. When he reached the vicinity of the Aojingxi Pavilion, his maids Xueyan and Ying'er spotted him and hurriedly called out, "Master Yuan is here!"

So Yingchun and Xing Xiuyan stopped their game of wrestling, Baochai, Tanchun, and Xichun stopped spinning their oil-paper umbrellas, and even Lin Daiyu looked up and glanced over in their direction.

Chen Siyuan strolled inside and greeted each of the sisters. Before he could exchange glances with Baochai, Lin Daiyu, and his cousin, Xichun clasped her hands together and said with a smile, "Third sister, isn't the rich man here?"

Tan Chun laughed and said, "That won't do. We're just playing around, how can we use Brother Yuan's money?"

When Chen Siyuan asked for the reason, Xiao Xichun explained in detail that after the sisters had played around and made a fuss, Tanchun had a thought that she should also learn from the women of Jiangnan and start a club at home.

Xichun insisted on starting a painting club, while Xiangyun insisted on starting a handball club, completely ignoring the instigator, Tanchun. Before the two could even settle their argument, Xiangyun fell into a pit and sprained her ankle, forcing her to go to the front to see the imperial physician.

Chen Siyuan wondered to himself, when did the poetry club start in the original story? It seems that because of him, it started earlier now?
He immediately laughed and said, "In that case, count me in. If you need money in the future, just have my fourth sister come find me."

Tan Chun laughed and said, "That doesn't make sense. After I figure out a plan, I'll first go and ask my sister-in-law and Sister Feng for money. If I can't get any, then I'll come and ask Brother Yuan."

Chen Siyuan didn't insist and nodded in agreement. At this moment, Baochai came over, thinking to herself that with so many sisters around, it wouldn't be appropriate for her to interact with Chen Siyuan too much. However, Daiyu's marriage was already arranged, so she should take this opportunity to let the two of them exchange a few more words.

She then played a guessing game with Tan Chun and Xi Chun, and then said to Chen Siyuan, "Brother Yuan, please go and help Lin Daiyu. She has been fishing for half a day and no fish have taken the bait. I wonder if the bamboo pole is too heavy and the float has sunk? Or is Lin Daiyu learning from Jiang Taigong and waiting for someone to take the bait?"

Daiyu blushed with embarrassment at the teasing and retorted, "Sister Bao, you really know how to order people around!" After a pause, she added, "You don't offer to help me yourself, but instead you're ordering others around."

Xiao Xichun then said, "Sister Lin, Brother Yuan is no ordinary person."

Daiyu was immediately overcome with embarrassment and, despite her sharp tongue, was speechless.

Just then, the silver scales on the water's surface suddenly broke, and the silk thread on the bamboo pole stretched taut like a full moon. Before Daiyu could even react, Chen Siyuan had already rushed forward, grabbed the bamboo pole, and with a mighty pull, dragged a koi carp out of the water.

Xi Chun couldn't help but clasp her hands together and exclaimed, "It's taken the bait, and it's a lucky koi at that!"

The fish fry, released just after the spring thaw, are only the size of a palm. Chen Siyuan reached out and caught the fish that was thrashing its tail back and forth, then casually tossed it back into the pond, laughing, "The joy of fishing is in the fishing itself, not in the fish. This fish is still too small; let it grow a little longer."

The sisters all agreed, glancing at Chen Siyuan and Daiyu. They knew that the two were already engaged and rarely saw each other, so they tacitly dispersed. Baochai led the two younger girls in a guessing game, while the second young lady and Xing Xiuyan continued their chess game.

Zijuan had already brought over a small stool, and Chen Siyuan gestured for her to sit down with Daiyu.

Daiyu was always one to take things in stride. Knowing that no matter how embarrassed or annoyed she was, she would inevitably be teased in the future, she simply sat down with Chen Siyuan in a generous manner.

The silk thread dipped back into the water, creating ripples that, along with the scattered raindrops, stirred the clear pool into a frenzy.

Chen Siyuan turned his head to look at her and saw that Daiyu's eyes seemed bloodshot. After a moment's thought, he smiled and said, "Didn't you sleep well last night, little sister?"

Daiyu immediately pouted and gave him a reproachful look. It wasn't just that she hadn't slept well; it was all because of Chen Siyuan's manuscript of "Life is Like a Dream." Daiyu had been so fond of it since she got it that she had carefully read it twice more after returning to Xiaoxiang Pavilion.

Witness the little moments of affection between Sanbai and Yunniang, see how they find joy amidst hardship, and carefully savor the emotions conveyed through carefully selected passages and verses.

"I wish to find a soulmate, to grow old together and never part, to live amidst mountains and rivers, and to enjoy the pleasures of rural life."

“Whenever the flowers bloom and the moon shines, the couple would stroll hand in hand, either admiring the flowers in the courtyard or taking a walk under the moon. Such moments are priceless.”

"The world is vast and time is limited, so why bother with all the hustle and bustle? People are busy and compete for short-term gains and losses, but they don't realize that prosperity and decline are finite and gains and losses are immeasurable."

Daiyu found the more she read, the more enjoyable it became, and she couldn't help but read it by lamplight late into the night. The manuscript was clearly unfinished, but Daiyu was clever enough to discern from the unique charm between the lines and the bittersweet joy in the later parts that she feared the book would end up as a lonely, solitary figure.

So after the lights were turned off, she tossed and turned for a long time, only managing to get a short nap after the rooster crowed. Early the next morning, Xiangyun started making a ruckus in the rain, and Daiyu was naturally very sleepy.

It was a rare treat to see Chen Siyuan again, and Daiyu couldn't help but feel surprised. After scolding him playfully, she whispered, "You haven't finished your book yet. Is the ending going to be bad?"

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "I wrote this book only to add a touch of poetry to this mundane world. I secretly thought I could exchange my words for a few taels of silver, but an unexpected event occurred, forcing me to stop writing... As for Sanbai and Yunniang, whatever you want them to do, that's fine with me."

Daiyu retorted angrily, "How can you be so shameless?"

Chen Siyuan's heart skipped a beat, and he said, "Why don't you try to continue writing it, sister? You can decide how these two characters end up."

"Me?" Daiyu was skilled in poetry and wanted to imitate such simple yet sincere words, which revealed elegance amidst hardship, but she would have to think more carefully. She was about to refuse, but then she felt reluctant.

Sanbai and Yunniang were originally a good couple, so why did they have to pawn their family property to make a living?

Lin Daiyu was a complex person. She was born into a noble family and was intelligent from birth. She was well-versed in poetry and literature from a young age and had a scholar as her teacher, so she naturally had a proud spirit. However, she was only a teenager when her parents and half-brother died early. She wandered around and lived with her maternal grandmother. Her grandmother was warm at first, but now she was indifferent.

Having experienced the coldness and warmth of human relationships, and grieving the early passing of her parents, she felt a deep sense of inferiority and self-pity. Therefore, she inevitably tended to think the worst when faced with problems, yet secretly wished that bad things would turn into good things.

Daiyu frowned slightly, feeling extremely unwilling, and a sense of pride arose in her heart: it's just imitating words, and the person in front of her is not much older than her. If he can write it, then she can certainly write it too!

So he changed his mind and said, "Then I'll give it a try. If I don't write it well, you can't laugh at me."

The two women sat knee to knee, whispering to each other. Although Baochai would glance at them from time to time, she never disturbed them. On the other hand, Yingchun, the second young lady who was playing chess, did not glance at them, but her moves were messy, and her mind was not on the game at all.

Yingchun is already sixteen, and it's time for her to get married. But because of her father, who is like a hands-off manager, it's been delayed.

For the first two years, the head maid Siqi often spoke highly of Chen Siyuan in Yingchun's ear. As the saying goes, a young girl is in love, and Chen Siyuan's appearance, talent, and ability were all appreciated by Yingchun. How could the second young lady not be happy?
However, marriage is a major event that is traditionally arranged by parents and matchmakers, and because she was confined to her room and could not have much contact with Chen Siyuan, she had been suppressing her feelings.

Then her luck changed, and somehow her stepmother adopted her and then tried to arrange a marriage between them. The second young lady was naturally very interested at that time, but she knew that Jia She was the one who made the decisions in the east wing, so she kept her feelings to herself.

Now that Madam Xing has made things clear so openly, and with the master's endorsement, how could the second young lady possibly hide her feelings that she had been suppressing all along?
So, while seemingly focused on the chess game, his mind was actually entirely on Chen Siyuan, who was fishing on the other side.

As the game progressed to the middle stage, seeing her large group of stones surrounded, Yingchun mustered her strength and, in just over ten moves, reversed the tide. Xing Xiuyan, unaware of her thoughts, resigned, saying, "I was still one move behind. Second Sister's mid-game strategy was indeed superior to mine."

Yingchun smiled meaningfully and said, "I know my cousin doesn't like to compete, but how can one avoid competing in the game of black and white? Even if the killing move misses, there's still a chance to win with all your might—" As she spoke, she reached out and picked up a white piece, placing it in an empty space, and laughed, "Look, this piece is alive now?"

Xing Xiuyan lived in Zhuijin Tower, and she saw Yingchun all day long. She vaguely felt that Yingchun's words had a hidden meaning. After thinking for a moment, she glanced at Chen Siyuan, who was talking enthusiastically with Daiyu, and said with a smile in a low voice, "She really is alive... I think Second Sister is alive too."

Yingchun was momentarily stunned, but seeing Xing Xiuyan looking over with a smile, she felt somewhat relieved. She silently reminded herself, "Don't get carried away. Life is like a game of chess; we've only reached the middle stage, and the outcome is still uncertain."

Just then, an oil-paper umbrella appeared from the Qinfang Sluice Bridge in the drizzle. Upon seeing Chen Siyuan in the distance, it called out, "Grandpa, Grandpa, Second Madam and Miss Ping are here!"

It was Yunxiang who arrived. Chen Siyuan was chatting animatedly with Daiyu when he heard this and couldn't help but frown slightly. On second thought, if he dragged it out any longer, Baochai might get jealous, so it was better to stop while he was ahead. He then tossed the fish food he was holding into the pond, which attracted the fish to frantically scramble for it. He then stood up and said, "In that case, I'll head back now."

Daiyu responded and rose to see him off. Chen Siyuan bowed to everyone in farewell, then put his raincoat back on and hurried towards Yunxiang.

The two bumped into each other, and Yunxiang said eagerly, "Second Madam came with Miss Ping. As soon as she came in, she asked where Master was. Sister Hongyu was serving her, and Second Madam sat down but didn't leave. I guess she came to find Master because she had something to discuss."

Chen Siyuan was momentarily at a loss as to why Sister Feng had come to see him... Could it be because of that latex? If so, Sister Feng's hopes would likely be dashed.

Yunxiang glanced enviously at Chen Siyuan's raincoat and said, "Grandpa... this raincoat looks really nice."

Chen Siyuan snapped out of his reverie and laughed, "What good thing could possibly be worth your time? When the workshops open up everywhere, you can buy a whole outfit for just a few coins."

Yunxiang pouted and said, "How can that be the same? It's good to have what others don't. If everyone is wearing latex raincoats, I won't be proud of myself."

Tsk, this girl is such a busybody and a blabbermouth.

He reached out and poked Yunxiang's finger, ignoring her complaints, and quickly returned to Qingtang Thatched Cottage.

Upon entering, Hongyu was already there to greet him, giving Chen Siyuan a subtle look. Chen Siyuan nodded slightly and quickly took off his raincoat before going inside.

"Second Sister-in-law, Miss Ping!"

He bowed respectfully, and Sister Feng had already risen to return the greeting. Before she spoke, she smiled and said, "The old woman said that Brother Yuan had just returned from the east courtyard, so Ping'er and I hurried over to find him. Who knew that Brother Yuan had gone to play in the water with the sisters again? If I had known this, I should have come later."

After Chen Siyuan sat down, he smiled and said, "It's also Xiangyun. Last time she was making a fuss about wearing a raincoat to see the rain scene on a rainy day, but she herself fell into a pit and sprained her ankle."

"Oh, is the injury serious?"

Chen Siyuan said, "Siqi went to the front without me and hasn't sent any news yet. I suppose she's not that capable."

Sister Feng then said, "Yun'er has been like a wild boy since she was a child. This time she might be able to stay quiet for a few days. Just you wait and see, she'll cause trouble again in no time."

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Chen Siyuan drank a cup of hot tea to ward off the chill, and then Sister Feng got down to business.

He said, "The first thing I have come here for is to tell Brother Yuan about my troubles."

As he spoke, he suddenly stood up and curtsied, causing Chen Siyuan to hurriedly step aside, wondering, "What do you mean by that?"

Sister Feng frowned and sighed, “It was an unintentional mistake… Yesterday was my aunt’s birthday. My cousin Yunping showed off what Brother Yuan had said. My brother, not knowing the truth, talked about Li Ye’s life…which angered my aunt and cousin.”

Chen Siyuan squinted and pondered. Was Feng Jie'er's brother Wang Ren? He vaguely remembered that after the 80th chapter, this man, together with Jia Huan and Jia Yun, was going to sell Qiao Jie'er to a foreign land.

This must be the man they're talking about! He even cheated his sister's daughter; he's a real scoundrel.

Since Chen Siyuan had received much care from Sister Feng as soon as he entered the mansion, and since he admired Sister Feng's decisive and straightforward nature, he smiled and said, "If Aunt and Miss Wang are angry, so be it. Since it was an unintentional mistake, I won't hold it against them."

Sister Feng then said, "Brother Yuan, if my cousin has no choice, she should just refuse. Why make sarcastic remarks to her face?"

Chen Siyuan chuckled a few times, then shook his head and remained silent. His aunt and Wang Yunping were far too arrogant, and Chen Siyuan was no pushover. Moreover, he knew the Wang family was destined for decline, so how could he possibly control his temper? Feng Jie sighed and said, “Forget it. Brother Yuan will be taking the imperial examinations soon, and his path is different from my uncle's. Even if a rift develops, how serious can it be? We won't see each other anymore, and time will pass, and we'll forget about it.”

"Second sister-in-law is right."

Feng Jie changed the subject, briefly mentioned something else, and then said, "I came here today for another matter, to ask Brother Yuan for some advice."

"Oh?"

Sister Feng frowned and said, "I just consulted with Madam. Don't be fooled by the size and wealth of the Rongguo Mansion. With the population growing, how can we afford to feed the people and horses? There are also the laws of the court that keep us from doing shady things. Madam urged me to find a proper way to make a living."

“This—” Chen Siyuan was about to refuse.

To everyone's surprise, Sister Feng quickly said, "Brother Yuan, don't be anxious. I know that the latex shares were bought up by the Ministry of Revenue a long time ago. You went to great lengths to keep some. How could I possibly take advantage of you now?" After a pause, seeing his expression soften, Sister Feng smiled and said in a low voice, "I was thinking... in this latex business, is there any that's low-investment but high-profit? We could use public funds to set up a workshop, which would help supplement the public funds' expenses."

So that's what the plan was.

Chen Siyuan thought for a moment and then said, "That's easy. Second sister-in-law, you saw it too. Aren't those raincoats and rain boots more useful than straw raincoats? Besides, there are also latex gloves and shoe soles. As long as we keep the cost down, we won't have to worry about selling them."

Sister Feng was immediately delighted and said, "Brother Yuan, why don't you tell me in detail?"

Chen Siyuan didn't hold back and explained the ins and outs of the matter. These raincoats, rain boots, and latex gloves were only fashionable for a short time. Most wealthy families were just trying something new, while ordinary people would simply weave their own raincoats and wouldn't spend much money to buy these items.

The sole business, on the other hand, is quite profitable. Firstly, latex is thicker and more elastic than cloth soles, and secondly, it's significantly cheaper. With these two factors combined, sole sales are sure to be booming.

Later, Chen Siyuan even found some actual items for Feng Jie to examine. Feng Jie held up a pair of burnt yellow shoe soles to examine them, bent them slightly with her hand, and pressed them a few times with her fingers. She couldn't help but be more pleased and said, "These things are soft and elastic, and much thicker than cloth soles. They look good."

After weighing them in his hands a couple more times, he figured that the two together would weigh about half a pound. He immediately had a better idea of ​​what to expect.

Sister Feng was an excellent housekeeper, but she had never handled any outside businesses before, so after her initial excitement, she felt a little apprehensive. After a moment's thought, she said, "Brother Yuan, as you know, I only deal with the inner quarters and don't get much involved in the outside businesses, let alone the workshops. I think, Brother Yuan, why don't you get involved in this as well? You don't need to manage anything; just give me a few pointers now and then, and I guarantee the workshops will be running smoothly."

Firstly, Chen Siyuan didn't want too much financial involvement with the Rongguo Mansion. Secondly... how much silver could a struggling workshop earn in a year? He, Master Chen, could easily make forty or fifty thousand taels of silver in five years just by sitting at home. With his high aspirations, how could he possibly look down on such petty hustles?

Chen Siyuan politely declined, saying, "Second sister-in-law knows that I am currently in the eye of the storm. If I have a share in this workshop, it might fall into the eyes of those with ulterior motives."

Sister Feng was startled, immediately thinking of the Prince Zhongshun who had stolen the prescription. That man was not one to reason; since Chen Siyuan had offered the prescription, who knew what he might be up to now.

Chen Siyuan paused for a moment, then said, "Secondly, if it's just a suggestion, Second Sister-in-law, you can just ask. How could I keep anything to myself? Thirdly, this workshop doesn't have much capital to begin with. If I get involved... well, that's not quite appropriate."

Sister Feng thought about it and agreed. It wasn't good to set up the workshop in the capital, so she decided to set it up in Tongzhou soon. Hiring a hundred or so craftsmen, she could earn three to five thousand taels of silver in the first year. But as more and more workshops opened up in the future, the income might actually decrease.

Therefore, she did not insist. Seeing that Chen Siyuan had hinted at helping her, she quickly thanked him, asked for the prescription, and then led Ping'er to take her leave.

As soon as the man left, Yunxiang sneaked over. She found Chen Siyuan and whispered, "Master, do you know why Master Bao is not here today?"

"Hmm? Isn't Baoyu studying at Qixianzhai?"

"Where?" Yunxiang chuckled and then boasted, "They say that yesterday, Huan Laosan burned Bao Erye's face with a candle, and now his face is covered in blisters. He's hiding in Yihong Courtyard, too ashamed to show his face to anyone."

Chen Siyuan pondered for a moment and nodded, then asked, "Huan-ge'er didn't get away with it, did he? What was the reason this time?"

"Not only that, even Lianhuan Laosan and Aunt Zhao were both given a severe scolding by Madam!" After a pause, Yunxiang continued, "As for why... what else could it be? Caixia is on good terms with Huan Laosan in private, but Bao Erye, after drinking, tried to harass Caixia. It's only because Huan Laosan can tolerate it; if it were me, I would have already grabbed a knife."

Hongyu immediately scolded, "Where did you learn that? If you dare to spout nonsense again, I'll punish you by making you write a hundred big characters!"

Yunxiang immediately shrank back like a quail, and said aggrievedly, "I, I was just imitating what those servants said. I won't dare to do it again." As she spoke, she looked pitifully at Chen Siyuan.

Chen Siyuan laughed and said in a low voice, "Considering this is your first offense, I'll deduct one string of cash this time... Hmm, as for that letter I just heard, I'll give you two strings of cash next month."

"Hehehe, thank you so much, sir, thank you so much, sir." Yunxiang thanked him profusely and skipped away. The little girl knew perfectly well that the first offense and the punishment were just a pretext; the sir was just using this as an excuse to reward her with a string of coins.

Hongyu was immediately helpless and said to Chen Siyuan, "Master, just spoil her like this. I'm afraid she'll definitely grow up to be a wild girl."

Chen Siyuan chuckled and coaxed Hongyu for a while, only letting her go when she was panting heavily. Once inside the study, Chen Siyuan thought to himself, "Now that I have no worries about money and a beautiful woman by my side, if I want to cherish this wonderful time, I must study diligently."

Of all professions, studying is the only noble pursuit. It would be best to pass the imperial examination in three years, but three more years would also be fine. However, it would be bad if the examination dragged on for too long.

Because Chen Siyuan had been lazy for more than a month, he finally picked up his books again and started studying them.

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

A light drizzle fell that day, and nothing else happened in the quiet thatched cottage. However, things were not peaceful in the Rongguo Mansion. In the afternoon, Baoyu's godmother, Granny Ma, came to visit.

First, she pretended to perform a ritual, guaranteeing that Baoyu's face would heal in no time. Then she coaxed Grandmother Jia into donating sesame oil. After paying her respects to the other households, she turned around and went to Aunt Zhao's room.

Aunt Zhao was furious because she and her son had been exposed by Madam Wang. As for Granny Ma, she had honed her skills in speaking to people of high rank and wealth, and was adept at saying whatever suited her.

With a little provocation, Aunt Zhao was left with a lot of complaints. Granny Ma was already disgruntled; this time she'd only managed to get five catties of sesame oil a day—what was that even enough for?

The woman in front of her, Aunt Zhao, was a fool. Over the years, she had pocketed most of her personal savings. After another round of persuasion, Aunt Zhao gritted her teeth and gave up the benefits. She was then pressured to write an IOU. Only then did Granny Ma pull out ten paper ghosts with blue faces and white hair, along with two paper figures, from her crotch. She quietly gave Aunt Zhao some instructions before taking the benefits and leaving.

As soon as Granny Ma left, Aunt Zhao began to ponder. The birth year and date were easy to determine; each master celebrated their birthday annually, and Aunt Zhao remembered it without needing to ask around. However, this item needed to be placed under Bao Yu and Feng Jie's pillows… This was what troubled Aunt Zhao.

She couldn't show herself, and neither of her two maids, Xiao Que or Xiao Ji Xiang, could be used. After thinking for a long time, someone came to mind.

The more Aunt Zhao thought about it, the more sense it made. She found a sachet and divided the items into two parts. After a while, Caixia came looking for Jia Huan. The two children were whispering to each other when Aunt Zhao came looking for them with a stiff smile and said, "Caixia, come to my room."

Jia Huan tried to come in, but was immediately chased away by Aunt Zhao: "Go away, go play outside. I have important business to discuss with Caixia."

Jia Huan was rebuffed, and while grumbling to himself, he went off to play in the garden as if he were having a great time.

Once only Aunt Zhao and Caixia remained inside, Aunt Zhao, suppressing her surging emotions, said with a stern face, "Caixia, let me ask you, how have I treated you?"

Caixia asked in surprise, "Why is Aunt bringing this up?"

"Don't worry about it, just tell me how I treat you."

Aunt Zhao had already privately agreed to let Caixia become Jia Huan's concubine in the future, so Caixia said, "Auntie treats me very well."

“Alright!” Aunt Zhao took a deep breath and said, “I have an important matter for you to handle. If you do it well, I guarantee that you will be more prestigious than Ping’er in the future.”

Caixia blinked, but remained silent.

Aunt Zhao then furtively found two sachets and handed them over, saying, "Find a chance to slip these under Baoyu's and Feng'er's pillows—"

Caixia trembled with fear: "This, this... Aunt?"

Aunt Zhao frowned and scolded, "What are you afraid of? I'll take responsibility if anything happens! You release this thing, find an excuse to ask for two days off, and who will suspect you? Besides, you're willing to risk your life to bring down the emperor... Whether it succeeds or not depends on this one time. Do you want to live a life of luxury with Huan'er in the future, or move out of the mansion and live a life of hardship?"

Caixia bit her lower lip, frowning in thought. Unlike Jin Chuan, she utterly despised Baoyu's flirtatious nature! Maids like her, when they reached a certain age, would either be promoted to concubines or be married off to young men. Not to mention that Caixia and Jia Huan already had a secret affair, even if they didn't, how could she willingly agree to be married off to a young man in the future?

She had already secretly sided with Aunt Zhao. Seeing Aunt Zhao's grave expression and her relentless pressure, she knew that if she didn't agree this time, Aunt Zhao would have no hope for her in the future.

Recalling Baoyu's drunken misbehavior that day, she was suddenly filled with malice and bit her lower lip, giving Aunt Zhao a deep nod.

Aunt Zhao immediately felt relieved and smiled, stroking Caixia's back and saying, "Good child, I promise I won't let you be homeless in the future!"

Caixia was a second-class maidservant by Lady Wang's side, and it was common for her to come and go from Yihong Courtyard and Sister Feng's courtyard. After receiving orders from Aunt Zhao, Caixia rushed to both places.

Coincidentally, because Baoyu had burned his face, and Fengjie was trying to set up a workshop, Madam Wang sent people to run errands between the two places several times a day. Caixia seized the opportunity and, in just two days, stuffed both sachets into Baoyu's and Fengjie's pillows.

After doing all this, Caixia immediately lied and claimed to have a stomachache, then went to Madam Wang for help before returning home to rest.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day, Xiangyun was finally able to walk again. Feeling stifled in the gauze-covered room, she was helped by her maid Cuilu to Yihong Courtyard.

As they approached the courtyard, they heard laughter and chatter coming from inside. Upon entering, they saw Li Wan, Feng Jie, and Baochai. Feng Jie pointed at them and said, "Look, another one has arrived!"

Xiangyun said sweetly, "Why are you all here? It's like we planned this all along."

Sister Feng then raised her chin at Baoyu and said, "You two are quite interesting. You get hurt together and you get better together. Look, Baoyu's face is all better now, isn't it?"

Xiangyun glanced at him and saw that there were scabs on Baoyu's face. She was delighted but also said coquettishly, "If Sister Feng teases me again, I won't stand for it."

Li Wan, who was smiling obsequiously to the side, quickly stole a glance at Baochai upon hearing this. But she saw that Baochai smiled calmly, not minding at all.

Li Wan was secretly amazed when suddenly Bao Yu stood up, clutching his head and exclaiming, "Ouch, my head hurts so much!"

Having said that, he leaped three or four feet off the ground, shouting and babbling incoherently. Everyone was terrified and rushed to inform Grandmother Jia, Lady Wang, and the others.

As luck would have it, Aunt Wang came again that day, so Grandmother Jia, Lady Wang, and Aunt Wang came together. Seeing Baoyu's condition, they immediately cried out, "My son!" "My flesh!" Just as they had apprehended Baoyu, Fengjie, with disheveled hair and wielding a gleaming steel knife, stormed into the garden, killing chickens, dogs, and people indiscriminately.

Chaos erupted in the garden!

Meanwhile, inside the Jade Emperor Temple, Chen Siyuan and Madam Xing had just finished their tender time together, and the wind and rain had subsided. They were whispering sweet nothings when suddenly Miao'er knocked on the door, crying, "Madam, something terrible has happened! Master Bao and Madam have gone mad! Madam, open the door quickly!"

Madam Xing was startled and exchanged a surprised glance with Chen Siyuan. The two of them quickly got up and tidied themselves up. This time, Chen Siyuan didn't have time to jump over the wall, so he simply hid in the quiet room. Madam Xing herself hurriedly dressed and went to open the door.

"They're here, they're here! It's a funeral!" As she spoke, she tidied her hair and opened the door.

Looking up, she saw Miao'er and Tiao'er anxiously guarding the door. Tiao'er said, "Madam, hurry up! Second Master Bao and Second Mistress have gone mad! The Old Madam, Madam, Master, Eldest Master, and Master Zhen of the East Mansion have all come!"

Madam Xing frowned and said, "Why did he suddenly go mad?" She then turned around, closed the door, and hurried forward with her two maids.

A moment later, the unlocked door opened a crack. Chen Siyuan looked around and, seeing that no one was around, hurriedly crawled out.

After wandering around until they reached the nearby thatched hut of Qingtang, he frowned and pondered. Could it be that Granny Ma really possessed magic? He had to find out the truth of this matter. If she did... then why bother with taking the imperial examinations? It would be so much better to lead the sisters to cultivate immortality!

(End of this chapter)