Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 237 Another Wave Rises (Second Update, Requesting Monthly Tickets)

"This...this looks like a poisonous mushroom?"

Chen Siyuan stared wide-eyed, and seeing that Ding Daojian was also unsure, he urged, "Really?"

Ding Daojian cupped his hands and said, "Chen Xiaolian may not know, but in my early years I traveled all over the world and studied medicine. I stayed in Yunnan for two years. The locals like to eat mushrooms. There is a mushroom called 'Jianshouqing', which is poisonous when eaten raw, but is exceptionally delicious when cooked."

Even locals who regularly eat mushrooms occasionally experience poisoning.

Chen Siyuan hurriedly asked, "What are the symptoms after poisoning?"

Ding Daojian recalled, "It seems to be a case of hysteria. He is often in a coma, has a high fever, is rarely awake, and talks nonsense."

Indeed! Every single symptom Ding Daojian described matched those of Baoyu and Fengjie.

Chen Siyuan was immediately disappointed!
What kind of talismans and spells are these? They're just poisonous mushroom powder used to fool people.

Since it was him, he asked listlessly, "Doctor Ding has lived in southern Yunnan for a long time, so he must know the methods of treatment?"

Ding Daojian stroked his beard and nodded, saying, "I do know a little about it. The first thing is to induce vomiting; the second thing is to drink more licorice and mung bean soup. As long as you stop eating poisonous mushrooms, I expect you will get better in two or three days."

Chen Siyuan frowned and said, "Is that so?"

Ding Daojian laughed and said, "If the poison from this mushroom is too severe, there is no cure. Even if I were to prescribe a precious medicine, it would mainly involve inducing vomiting and drinking plenty of fluids. In terms of effectiveness, it would probably not be as good as licorice and mung bean soup."

Having said all he could say, Chen Siyuan thanked Ding Daojian. Just as he was about to take his leave, Ding Daojian hesitated and begged Chen Siyuan to give him some cordyceps for medicinal use.

Chen Siyuan felt bad for troubling Ding Daojian, so he smiled and agreed.

Ding Daojian was overjoyed and then smiled as he saw Chen Siyuan out the door.

On the way back in the carriage, a disappointed Chen Siyuan was in no hurry to return to the Rongguo Mansion. He simply instructed his servant Qingyu to proceed slowly and head towards the new residence first.

He cursed Granny Ma in his heart all the way, and only at the last moment did he think of a way to deal with her.

Now that Ping'er knows she has the talisman, she must try to heal Baoyu and Fengjie. If there are no other reasons, according to the original text, the two should recover in the future. In that case, why doesn't Chen Siyuan take the opportunity to curry favor?

His flattery will surely earn the gratitude of Sister Feng and Lady Wang, and even Grandmother Jia will likely feel deeply indebted to him. Hmm... thinking of that monk and the Taoist priest, perhaps Lady Wang has other plans in mind.

Thinking this, I arrived at my new house in the blink of an eye.

As Chen Siyuan got out of the car and entered the courtyard, he was greeted by You Erjie, You Sanjie, and Qingwen. When they saw that his neck was wrapped with something, the three women were startled and showed concern for him.

"How did you do that, brother?"

"Master, what is this?"

"Grandpa, how did you get hurt?"

Chen Siyuan waved his hand lazily and said, "Don't mention it. This morning, Baoyu and my second sister-in-law had a fit of hysteria. My second sister-in-law was disheveled and brandished a knife to attack people. Several old women were too scared to come near her. I seized the opportunity to knock her down and take the steel knife away, but who knew that my second sister-in-law would bite me."

Both You Sanjie and Qingwen were heartbroken. Qingwen, having lived in the Rongguo Mansion for several years, harbored a fondness for Fengjie and thus refrained from saying much. You Sanjie, however, was indifferent and immediately frowned, saying, "Such matters are best handled by the maids and servants. Why must you be so capable, brother?"

This second mistress is something else! It's one thing to suddenly have a fit of hysteria, but to make matters worse, she's a dog!

Chen Siyuan laughed and put his arm around You Sanjie, saying, "Why are you arguing with your second sister-in-law? She's so delirious, how can she tell the difference between good and bad people?"

Sister You grumbled and complained, wishing she could find Sister Feng and bite her back immediately.

After the group entered the main room and exchanged a few words, Chen Siyuan sent You Erjie and Qingwen away, leaving You Sanjie alone in the room to talk.

After everyone had left, Chen Siyuan asked, "Has my sister sent someone to find that old hag Ma?"

Sister You frowned and said, "Yunxiang spoke so urgently, and I couldn't find a suitable person for the time being, so I spent money to ask Ni Er from Ningrong Back Street to handle this matter." She paused, then leaned forward and said, "Brother, you're in such a hurry, is there something strange about that Granny Ma?"

Chen Siyuan shook his head and said, "I was overthinking it. I'll give Ni Er some money for drinks later and ask him to withdraw his money."

Seeing his listless and unenthusiastic state, Sister You San couldn't help but ask with concern, "Brother, what's wrong?"

Chen Siyuan chuckled and said, "Me? Wishful thinking." He turned to look at You Sanjie, reached out and grabbed her soft hand, and laughed, "I thought that a few decades would not be enough, so I thought that I could be with my sister for hundreds or thousands of years."

Sister You immediately covered her mouth and laughed: "Wouldn't that make me a monster? Hehehe—" After laughing for a while, her eyes became moist, full of affection, and she whispered: "Brother, you're speaking so sweetly today, have you thought of some strange and unusual position again?"

Chen Siyuan was taken aback and said, "I was just expressing my feelings!"

How could Sister You San believe it? Her smiling eyes looked her up and down, making Chen Siyuan wish he could immediately act like a pair of mandarin ducks and enjoy the pleasures of love.

Unfortunately, today is inconvenient—since I've decided to curry favor with her, I naturally need to speak with Madam Wang and the others as soon as possible. If I delay by a day, who knows if a doctor might notice something amiss?

This isn't just unfounded worry. In the original story, when the monk and the Taoist priest arrived, the uncle and aunt were immediately healed. The jade pendant is fake, and Granny Ma's incantation is fake too, so how could the monk and the Taoist priest be real?
Perhaps Madam Wang knew the reason and calculated the time, which is why she invited people to put on a play.

Since Chen Siyuan had only spent a brief moment of tenderness with Sister You, he suppressed his restlessness and said, "It's really inconvenient today. I'll come to find you again in a few days."

Sister You immediately scolded, "Which little vixen made a promise with brother?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and explained, and although Sister You was not entirely convinced, she still saw him out the door.

Chen Siyuan endured the journey back to Rongguo Mansion, secretly thinking that Third Sister was becoming more and more like a little enchantress, exuding charm in every gesture, a feeling that was truly intoxicating.

By the time they entered the Grand View Garden, it was already early evening. Chen Siyuan didn't return to his thatched cottage, but went straight to Lady Wang's courtyard.

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

Aunt Zhao’s courtyard.

After a day of busying herself in the main room, Aunt Zhao finally returned home. Entering her room, she quickly closed the doors and windows. Seeing Jia Huan copying the Diamond Sutra by candlelight, Aunt Zhao said, "What are you doing copying that rubbish? Madam doesn't care about these things right now."

Jia Huan said, "What if we ignore it now, but then they come back later and ask me for it?"

Aunt Zhao snorted, "Afterwards? I'm afraid there won't be an afterwards!"

On this day, Aunt Zhao's emotions were in turmoil. At first, when she heard that Sister Feng and Baoyu had indeed suffered from hysteria, she was overjoyed, thinking that this time she had not given Ma Daopo any benefit for nothing. But afterward, Aunt Zhao became terrified, fearing that the talisman placed by Caixia had been seen by someone and that the talisman would be traced back to her.

She felt somewhat relieved because she had secretly taken the sachet from Feng Jie's pillow in the afternoon while Bao Yu was moving to another room. However, when she tried to do the same to retrieve the sachet from Feng Jie's pillow that evening, she found it empty!

At that moment, Aunt Zhao's heart nearly jumped out of her throat, thinking that if things went wrong, she would be punished by Madam Wang sooner or later.

Surprisingly, the mistress did not react even now. Aunt Zhao couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope, thinking to herself, "Could it be that the sachet fell down while we were moving the bedding, and some maid or servant picked it up?"
Then he thought again, Caixia had taken leave early to go home and recuperate, and she had kept this matter extremely secret. How could she possibly find out about it?
With such clear thinking, Aunt Zhao immediately felt comforted.

At this moment, she sat down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), loosened the buttons on her collar, and instructed Xiao Jixiang to bring her tea. After gulping it down, she smiled and said to Jia Huan, "Baoyu looks bad this time. My son, the good days for us mother and son are coming!"

Jia Huan looked up and gazed at the scene, his face full of confusion.

Aunt Zhao smiled and said, "We've invited monks, Taoist priests, and Buddhist masters, and we've seen famous doctors from all over, but they're all helpless. I think... those two are doomed sooner or later." She paused, then picked up her teacup and said hopefully, "That girl Feng is the most annoying; she's always causing trouble for us. And that Baoyu, he's the master's son, so why does he treat him like a treasure while you treat him like a weed?"
"Hmph, now that he's gone, the master only has you as a boy, so from now on you'll be all the rage at home, won't you?"

Jia Huan's triangular eyes immediately lit up with a smile, and he said, "That would be wonderful! Once he leaves, I'll take Caixia to my side."

Aunt Zhao frowned and scolded, "You're just another face in the crowd, only good as Caixia? Humph, with all those vixens in his room, whichever one you want, will the old lady refuse?"

Jia Huan was immediately overjoyed. One moment he was shouting that he wanted to eat something delicious, and the next he was shouting that Meiren was pretty and that she and Caixia would come to his room to serve him.

Leaving aside the mother and son's wild imaginations, let's talk about how Chen Siyuan had already arrived in front of Madam Wang's courtyard.

Since Jia Yun had been granted a title, the Rongguo Mansion could no longer use him as a servant. Therefore, it was Jia Ping who was leading all the servants to guard him at this time.

Chen Siyuan stepped forward and exchanged a few words with him, then asked, "Who's inside?"

Jia Ping said, "Reporting to Uncle Yuan, the old lady, the first lady, the second lady, and the concubine are all here. Second Uncle came to persuade her several times, but the old lady still refuses to return to Rongqing Hall."

Chen Siyuan nodded slightly, pondering to himself that if he went directly to Madam Wang, he might attract the attention of those with ulterior motives, and revealing his whereabouts would not be good. Just then, Madam Xing and Aunt Xue were both present. Madam Xing… well, perhaps he should go to Aunt Xue to deliver the message?
And the reasons are all readily available.

Chen Siyuan then said, "Please inform the lady that I have something to say to my concubine, which concerns the latex business."

Jia Ping dared not delay and quickly sent a message through the door. The old woman received the message and informed the inside.

After a short while, Aunt Xue came out. Seeing Chen Siyuan, she looked suspicious and asked, "Brother Yuan, what happened to your business?"

That's thirty thousand taels of silver! If something goes wrong, Aunt Xue really doesn't know how to explain it.

Chen Siyuan said in a deep voice, "Please move aside, Madam. This matter is confidential and should not be known to others."

Aunt Xue nodded, and Chen Siyuan turned around the alley and stopped near the east courtyard. Only then did Chen Siyuan whisper to Aunt Xue what was going on.

Aunt Xue gasped in surprise, covering her mouth as she heard this!
They thought that Feng and Baoyu had indeed been bewitched, but it turned out they had been poisoned by mushrooms!

Aunt Xue immediately retorted angrily, "Who on earth did this good deed?"

Chen Siyuan knew perfectly well what was going on, but said, "Second Sister-in-law's place is bustling with people, and so is the Yihong Courtyard. I suppose the person who poisoned her has already distanced themselves from the matter, so investigating further now would be useless. However... I'm sure Second Sister-in-law has something to say about it."

She harmed both Baoyu and Fengjie. Who in this household harbors the deepest grudge against these two? Who else could it be but Aunt Zhao? In this kind of power struggle within the household, it's all about intentions, not actions. Given Fengjie and Madam Wang's personalities, they will definitely teach Aunt Zhao a lesson later.

Aunt Xue used all her intelligence on scheming within the household, and after a moment's thought, she exclaimed in surprise, "You mean—"

As he spoke, he pointed to the distance behind him, which was Zhao Yiniang's courtyard.

Chen Siyuan smiled but said nothing.

Aunt Xue immediately understood and hurriedly asked for the antidote. Chen Siyuan then told her about the licorice and mung bean soup, and added at the end, "Later, you should only talk to your sister about it, and don't let others know."

Aunt Xue thought it over and agreed, then hurriedly said goodbye to Chen Siyuan.

Without mentioning Chen Siyuan, who was carefree and returned leisurely to his humble cottage, Aunt Xue turned through the alley and entered Madam Wang's courtyard, soon arriving at the main room.

She then pretended to be nonchalant, a hint of resentment rising on her face, and joined Grandmother Jia, Lady Wang, and Lady Xing in dry weeping for quite a while. After a long while, she rubbed her eyes with a handkerchief and said to Lady Wang, "Sister, would you like to change your clothes?"

While they were talking, before the two men could look over, he quickly gave Madam Wang a wink.

Madam Wang paused for a moment, then wiped away her tears and nodded, saying, "Alright, let's go change our clothes together."

After speaking to the old lady, the two of them went together to the outhouse next to the outer room. Once inside, Aunt Xue quickly whispered something in her ear. Lady Wang was both shocked and delighted! Delighted that she hadn't been bewitched; shocked that someone had actually poisoned Feng Ge'er and Bao Yu! Who in the manor could be so wicked?
After listening carefully to the method of detoxification, Madam Wang's eyes immediately reddened as she said, "This time, we are so grateful to Yuan-ge'er... If it weren't for his help, Bao-yu would not be alive this time." Wiping away her tears, she added, "I, I will immediately order someone to prepare licorice and mung bean soup!"

"Wait!" Aunt Xue grabbed Madam Wang and whispered, "Sister, Yuan-ge'er said that even without treatment, this poison will improve in three to five days once it leaves its source. In that case, why don't you take advantage of the situation?"

"Go with the flow?"

Seeing her confusion, Aunt Xue quickly whispered something to Madam Wang, who was overjoyed! "That's it! Why not take this opportunity to turn a bad thing into a good thing?"

Although the jade pendant possesses the ability to 'self-repair,' it has no other supernatural properties. This time, however, it is a good opportunity to reveal some of its supernatural abilities, so that the old lady and others will think even more highly of Baoyu.

The two sisters whispered among themselves for a while and then agreed that Aunt Xue would handle the matter secretly, while Madam Wang would stay in the room to find an opportunity to detoxify them.

After the two sisters returned, Madam Wang said, "It's no use keeping too many people in the room," and urged Aunt Xue to go back to her own home first.

Having not eaten a single grain of rice all day, Lady Wang instructed Yu Chuan to prepare licorice and mung bean soup near midnight. Not only did she consume some herself, but she also ordered Xi Ren and Ping Er to force-feed Bao Yu and Feng Jie a bowl each.

The next morning, Aunt Xue went to handle the matter herself and didn't return until late afternoon. After resting briefly at home, she went to find Madam Wang to discuss the matter.

Seeing this scene, Baochai was naturally puzzled. However, she couldn't go to Lady Wang's main room at the moment, so she assumed that her mother had been entrusted by Lady Wang. Remembering that Chen Siyuan had injured his neck yesterday, Baochai couldn't help but visit the thatched cottage in Qingtang, feeling sorry for him.

To everyone's surprise, they came up empty-handed again. After asking Xiangling, they learned that the master had invited Chen Siyuan to the front to discuss countermeasures in the afternoon.

Baochai sat for a short while before getting up and leaving, feeling somewhat melancholy, wondering when this clandestine existence would end. Not only was Chen Siyuan annoyed, but Baochai herself was also getting tired of it.

Baochai bit her lower lip, hesitant, but gradually made up her mind. She thought to herself that after this period, she would talk to her mother about it clearly...

Meanwhile, Chen Siyuan, having injured his neck, was kept closely by Xiangling, Hongyu, and Wu'er throughout the night, who also forbade him from causing any trouble. As a result, Chen Siyuan spent the whole night feeling stifled. In the morning, he read and wrote, and in the afternoon, he was summoned by Jia She.

At this moment, Jia She, Jia Zheng, Jia Zhen, Jia Rong, Jia Yun, Jia Qin, Jia Ping, and Jia Lian were all present in Rongxi Hall. Yesterday, they had tried monks, Taoist priests, talismans, Zhang Zhenren, and folk remedies, but none of them worked. So, they were at a loss for what to do.

In his frustration, Jia Zheng was further exasperated by Aunt Zhao's instigation the previous night. Hearing that Jia She and Chen Siyuan were discussing going to Mount Wutai to find a high-ranking monk, he stopped them, saying, "The number of children is determined by fate and cannot be forced by human power. Their illnesses were unexpected and have been treated in vain. I suppose it is the will of Heaven, so we can only let them be."

Jia She was taken aback, then frowned and scolded, "What nonsense are you spouting, Second Brother? Since you know this illness is unexpected, it must be caused by evil spirits entering the body. We must find a virtuous master to perform a ritual to break the curse. I know you don't like Baoyu, but even for the sake of Mother and your sister-in-law, Second Brother shouldn't give up so easily at this time."

He paused for a moment, then said, "Alright, I know my second brother is already in a state of confusion. You just go to the back and take care of Mother. I, Zhen-ge'er, Yuan-ge'er and I will handle the important matters outside."

Jia Zheng raised his head, seemingly wanting to speak but then hesitated. Finally, he sighed, cupped his hands, and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, elder brother."

Having said that, he got up and left, looking dejected.

Everyone rose to see Jia Zheng off. After they sat down again, they saw the eldest master, Jia She, wave his hand in high spirits: "Never mind him. Let's discuss our own business. Lian'er, you will make a trip to Mount Wutai yourself."

Jia Lian, both amused and exasperated, cupped his hands and said, "Father, a round trip to Mount Wutai would take countless days. How could we possibly make it in time? In my opinion, it would be better to visit many eminent people around the capital."

Chen Siyuan saw this and was very puzzled. Why was Jia Zheng giving up on his own son, but his uncle Jia She was still causing trouble?

After careful consideration for a long time, Chen Siyuan finally came up with a general idea. Firstly, life is like a play, and everything depends on acting skills. At this moment, he should do his best to please Grandmother Jia; secondly, Baoyu really cannot die at this time.

Born with a jade pendant, the Empress's own younger brother, he was the pride of the Rongguo Mansion. The Rongguo Mansion had already incurred a large debt due to the construction of the garden and the imperial visit to his family, and they were hoping to use Baoyu's marriage to pay off the debt. How could Jia She possibly allow Baoyu to die at this time?
Yes, there are indeed disagreements between the first and second wives, but even if it's a sibling rivalry, the matter should always wait until the second wife settles the score before getting to the bottom of it. Otherwise, is the eldest master expected to settle the score himself?
Having figured it out clearly, Chen Siyuan looked up at Master Jia She again, and couldn't help but feel even more contempt for him. His corruption and absurdity were one thing, but his quick shirking of responsibility and complete lack of accountability were another. How could someone who was so afraid to risk his life for important matters and so quick to abandon principles for petty gains ever achieve anything great?
At this moment, Jia She looked over, and Chen Siyuan quickly covered his eyes. Then he heard Jia She say, "Yuan-ge'er, you should also speak. You usually have the most ideas, so why are you speechless now?"

Chen Siyuan cupped his hands and said, "Uncle, I came up with an idea yesterday, but it was to no avail. I really have no ideas at all now."

"Hmph!" Jia She said angrily, "None of them have any ideas. Let me tell you one. I've heard that there's a very effective shaman in Panggezhuang. Jia Ping, go and invite him over properly. He might just be able to help."

With a bitter expression, Jia Ping agreed and hurriedly led the servants to Panggezhuang.

He had just left when the person in charge reported that Wang Ziteng had arrived.

It turned out that Prince Teng had completed his imperial mission and only returned to the capital yesterday afternoon to report on his duties. This morning, he went to pay his respects to the Emperor again, and after leaving the Forbidden City, he rushed to the Rongguo Mansion without even changing his official robes.

Jia She dared not delay. He sent someone to inform Jia Zheng while leading the crowd to the ceremonial gate to welcome them.

Chen Siyuan did not want to get involved with the Wang family, so he immediately found Jia She and said, "Uncle, I'm going to the back. I really don't want to see Lord Wang's nephew."

"Huh? What's the logic behind this?" Jia She asked, puzzled.

Chen Siyuan said in a low voice, "The last time Aunt Wang and Miss Wang came, I spoke rudely and offended them—"

He muttered something under his breath, and Jia She, though pleased, reprimanded him with a stern expression: "Nonsense! I always expect to improve after passing the imperial examinations, but you've only gotten worse! Why didn't you ask me to handle this? Why resort to such harsh words and ruin our relationship?" He paused, then added: "Alright, you go and help out in the back. I'll smooth things over for you later."

Chen Siyuan inwardly grumbled, but outwardly he nodded in agreement and turned to leave.

Why was Jia She secretly pleased but pretending to be annoyed? It was because Wang Ziteng was Jia Zheng's brother-in-law, and what connection did he have with his master, Jia She? To put it bluntly, when the eldest and second branches of the family divided their property in the future, Wang Ziteng would definitely help the second branch.

Chen Siyuan is the eldest master's nephew, and Jia She has finally found a useful junior. How could he sit idly by and watch him marry into the Wang family?
Leaving aside Jia She and the others going to welcome Prince Teng, Chen Siyuan leisurely continued on his way. But as soon as he reached Lady Wang's courtyard, he heard Grandmother Jia's deafening curses: "You foul-mouthed, filthy woman! Who told you to come and chatter on! How do you know he suffered in the afterlife? How do you know he's useless? What good would it do you to wish him dead? Don't dream! If he dies, I'll take your lives! It was you who always instigated and forced him to write and study, scaring him half to death. He's like a mouse avoiding its father! It wasn't you harlots who instigated him! Now that he's dead, you've got what you wanted, but I won't spare a single one of you!"

When Chen Siyuan arrived at the courtyard, he saw Aunt Zhao, covered in dust, being dragged out by two old women. She was still trying to explain herself, saying, "I only meant well, but I was scolded for no reason. What do you mean by that?"

At this moment, Zhou Rui's wife hurriedly entered, and a moment later, they heard Grandmother Jia angrily shout, "Who made the coffin? Drag them out and beat them to death!"

Soon after, Zhou Rui's wife came out awkwardly, greeted Chen Siyuan, and then went back to answer questions in silence.

Chen Siyuan waited in front of the courtyard for a while, and then saw Jin Chuan'er carrying a food box. Chen Siyuan went up to her and asked, "Grandma, Madam, are you ready to eat?"

With red and swollen eyes, Jin Chuan replied in a low voice, "The old lady still doesn't eat a single grain of rice, and the madam can only barely eat a little... This licorice and mung bean soup is for Master Bao and his wife."

After saying this, Jin Chuan went inside with her head down, while Chen Siyuan frowned deeply. He thought to himself, "I wonder how many times Madam Wang has given me the licorice and mung bean soup. I'm afraid the two of them are almost recovered by now." He also looked down on Baoyu more and more. Just by looking at Jin Chuan's condition, he knew that her heart was already devoted to Baoyu. How could she know that she would be harmed by Baoyu one day?

Chen Siyuan then asked Yuchuan to pass a message inside, asking if Madam Wang had any instructions. After a while, Yuchuan returned and said, "Madam said that Master Yuan has gone to great lengths. There is nothing else to do at the moment. Master Yuan has also been working hard for two days. Why don't you go back and rest for a while?"

Chen Siyuan agreed, and since he already knew that there was no problem between Feng Jie and Bao Yu, he bypassed Madam Wang's courtyard and headed to the Grand View Garden.

Who knew that as soon as they entered the Grand View Garden and turned past the Green Mountain, they bumped into Baochai and Ying'er on the Qinfang Bridge.

After just one day apart, Baochai had lost a little weight. Now, she came with a furrowed brow and clutching her heart, looking somewhat like Lin Daiyu.

Upon catching sight of Chen Siyuan, Baochai's face immediately lit up with excitement and eagerness. She first glanced around, then quickened her pace and met Chen Siyuan on Qinfang Bridge.

Without waiting for a formal greeting, she asked, "Is your neck feeling any better?"

Chen Siyuan said, "I changed the dressing this morning, and it feels cool now, so it doesn't hurt anymore."

Baochai breathed a slight sigh of relief, then glared at him and said, "Showing off without any real skill!"

Chen Siyuan smiled but did not answer, instead asking, "Didn't you sleep well last night?"

Baochai said, “After this incident, how could I sleep? Mother came back at night and we talked for a long time. Then she went to the old house again early this morning… But—I felt that Mother seemed to be plotting something big. She went to see the old manager this morning and wouldn’t let me listen.”

How can these young children be close to each other? Sharing private matters is certainly one way.

Chen Siyuan's heart skipped a beat, and he said, "I do know a little about it."

"you?"

Chen Siyuan said, "This is not the place to talk. Sister Bao, come with me."

He turned around and went down Qinfang Bridge, then walked along the passageway towards Yihong Courtyard.

Baochai bit her lower lip, and after a short while, she and Ying'er chased after them.

Soon they arrived at the rose and peony trellis north of the Grand View Garden. It was quiet and deserted at the moment, so Chen Siyuan stopped. After Ying'er stayed at the crossroads to keep watch, Baochai came looking for him, and he then whispered the whole story to her.

Baochai, being precocious, quickly discerned the intentions of her aunt, Lady Wang, and her own mother. She immediately exclaimed in surprise, "So, Mother is working on behalf of Aunt?"

"Not bad at all."

After thinking it over, Baochai couldn't help but laugh and say, "That's fine. The more miraculous the legend of the Jade of Spiritual Enlightenment becomes, the less Auntie will look down on me."

Chen Siyuan said, "I don't know whose idea it was, but this move... does more harm than good."

Baochai was puzzled and quickly pressed for an explanation. Chen Siyuan then said, "Such a wondrous object doesn't even exist in the imperial court, yet it has fallen into the Rongguo Mansion. What do you think the Emperor will think, sister?"

Upon hearing this, Baochai was startled and frowned, saying, "I hadn't thought that much about it. I didn't realize there was such a reason."

Chen Siyuan continued, “Just like when I offered the prescription before, people envied Yun-ge for getting the title, but they didn’t know that the title was like a chicken rib to me. Otherwise, why would I have given it away? Conquering the world is different from ruling it. Think about how the Ming Dynasty’s founding emperor killed off a lot of nobles. A hundred years later, civil officials were valued and military officials were despised. It can be seen that… it is really not worth it to be greedy for temporary gains and ruin one’s reputation for a lifetime.”

Watching him speak eloquently, discussing the past and present, Baochai's almond-shaped eyes immediately welled up with tears, and she couldn't help but admire him even more.

She had always harbored lofty ambitions and longed to ride the wave of opportunity to rise to the top. Now that the 'opportunity' was right before her eyes, and she was also in love with it, it felt like all the good things in the world had fallen on Baochai, instantly making her intoxicated.

After Chen Siyuan finished speaking, seeing Baochai deeply moved, he was immediately seized by lust. Perhaps because he had been feeling stifled all day yesterday, Chen Siyuan reached out and grabbed Baochai, pulling her into his arms before she could react.

Baochai belatedly exclaimed in surprise, and was about to scold him when she heard Chen Siyuan say in a low voice, "Sister, may I hold you for a while?"

Perhaps her admiration for Chen Siyuan hadn't faded, or perhaps she felt heartache upon seeing the bandage wrapped around his neck, but Baochai responded almost unconsciously.

"Um……"

With the soft, fragrant body nestled in his arms, Chen Siyuan shamelessly inhaled the delicate scent emanating from Baochai's body. Just as he was about to take liberties, a warbler suddenly called out, "Miss, ahead... oh dear!"

Chen Siyuan looked up and saw that Ying'er had covered her eyes, but was peeking through her fingers to look in their direction.

Baochai, blushing with embarrassment, quickly pushed Chen Siyuan away and asked, "What happened up ahead?"

Ying'er still wouldn't let go, saying, "A monk and a Taoist priest came ahead, saying they were highly accomplished. Now, Master is leading people to visit Second Mistress and Second Master Bao."

Baochai and Chen Siyuan exchanged a glance and smiled slightly, both knowing that this time it must have been Aunt Xue who found these people.

As her turbulent emotions subsided, Baochai became shy again. Fearing that their tender moment might be witnessed by others, she excused herself and said she needed to go ahead to watch the excitement. She then bid farewell to Chen Siyuan and led Ying'er ahead.

Chen Siyuan pondered for a while before heading back to his thatched cottage. But before he could even rest for a short while, Biyue hurriedly came looking for him.

Hongyu led him inside, and Biyue frowned and said, "Master Yuan... Master Li has arrived. Our grandmother really doesn't know how to deal with him. Please help us, Master Yuan!"

(End of this chapter)