Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 242 A Gentleman Keeps His Weapons Hidden
Li Wan's peach blossom eyes shimmered instantly, and a smile bloomed from them, spreading across her rosy face in a flash.

"really?"

Li Wan raised her delicate hand and then lowered it again, then clenched her handkerchief tightly. She seemed a little flustered, knowing that this was not the place to talk, so she quickly ushered her inside, saying, "Brother Yuan, please come in and talk. Su Yun, quickly go and serve some tea."

Su Yun agreed, and Chen Siyuan smiled and followed Li Wan into the back room. Jia Lan was still at the private school that day, and the two were not in a position to reveal their conversation. Because Li Wan hesitated slightly, she eventually sent Su Yun and Bi Yue away.

Only two people remained. Chen Siyuan had no other thoughts in his mind, and simply recounted everything that had happened that day. When he heard that Li Chongming could be sent away for only ten thousand taels of silver, Li Wan showed no change in expression and was still as happy as ever.

Chen Siyuan thought to himself that if it were Madam Xing or Aunt Xue, they would probably be wondering how much of a kickback they were taking from that ten thousand taels. This shows that Li Wan was raised in luxury from a young age and was not stingy with money.

Upon hearing this, Li Wan smiled and said, "Thanks to Brother Yuan, otherwise my daughter and I would not know how to handle things... However, is it not appropriate to send my brother to Zheng He Island? I have heard that it is full of miasma there, what if?"

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "Emperor Taizong spent a huge sum of money to buy cinchona trees from the Portuguese back then, and how many people have died from malaria since then? Moreover, Brother Li is robust, so even if he contracts the plague, he will probably last longer than others. This trip to Zheng He Island will either be too much for Brother Li and he will have to give up, or he will grit his teeth, calm down, and hone his skills. Who knows, he might achieve great things later in life?"

Li Wan then said with relief, "So that's how it is. I was just overthinking it. The old lady has set a banquet for my brother tomorrow to welcome him back. I was worried that my brother would cause trouble tomorrow, but thanks to Brother Yuan's help, I think my brother will be happy to accept it."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "I came to talk to my sister-in-law as soon as I got back from the Prince's Mansion. I haven't told Brother Li about this yet. No rush, my sister-in-law can talk to Brother Li about it privately tomorrow."

Li Wan nodded gratefully, said "Wait a moment," got up and went into the bedroom. A moment later, she came out with a sandalwood box. She opened it, found ten thousand taels of silver notes, and handed them to Chen Siyuan to count.

The silver notes were all one thousand taels each; a quick glance was enough to know the amount, so there was no need to count them. Chen Siyuan immediately put them in his sleeve, intending to take his leave, but Li Wan brought up the old matter again, saying, "Brother Yuan, Lan'er also said in private that the private school is really incompetent. Last time I talked to Madam about it, and I wanted to invite a private tutor, but Madam only gave me some acknowledgments and then nothing more."

Yes, because of Jia Zhu's death, Lady Wang took her anger out on Li Wan and even disliked her own grandson Jia Lan.

Li Wan frowned, looking troubled: "I wonder, Brother Yuan, could you help Lan'er find a suitable tutor?"

A private tutor? There's one at Qixianzhai. This Lady Wang really doesn't hide her emotions at all. She could have easily arranged for Jia Lan to study at Qixianzhai as well, but she just won't bring it up.

Such a trivial matter could be easily handled by simply instructing the steward; there was no need for Chen Siyuan to take action. However, since Li Wan had made a formal request, Chen Siyuan quickly realized that she did not want to invite the private tutor into the Rongguo Mansion.

Considering that his new house was spacious enough, he could simply set aside a room as a study. So Chen Siyuan said, "That's easy. Lan'er is still in his early childhood education. We just need to find a suitable old teacher. It won't cost much in a year. My new house is quite spacious. If you don't mind, sister-in-law, why don't you let Lan'er study there?"

Li Wan immediately stood up, curtsied, and said, "In that case, thank you very much, Brother Yuan. We are an orphan and a widow, and we don't know how to thank you enough. If you ever need money in the future, just come to me for help."

Chen Siyuan smiled and agreed, then got up to take his leave. Li Wan escorted Chen Siyuan all the way to the gate of Daoxiang Village, and only after watching him walk away did she instruct the maid to close the gate.

After returning to the main room, Li Wan thought to herself that she and Jia Lan were very grateful for Chen Siyuan's help; otherwise, they wouldn't know how to cover up the matter. She then decided it wouldn't be right to ask him for nothing, so she asked Suyun, "Do you remember what day Brother Yuan was born?"

Su Yun said, "It seems to be in May."

Li Wan nodded and said, "I'll wrap up my Duan inkstone later and give it to Brother Yuan as a congratulatory gift when he has a son."

Su Yun blinked, feeling utterly astonished. That Duan inkstone was from the Song Dynasty and was part of her grandmother's dowry when she married into the family. When Master Zhu was alive, he treasured it and never dared to use it. She never expected that her grandmother would give it to Master Yuan.
As the saying goes, a maid is just like her master. Although Su Yun had her doubts, she quickly agreed.

Li Wan clutched her handkerchief, secretly calculating in her heart. She knew that enough material possessions were sufficient; more would be useless. If she could exchange these possessions for Lan'er's future success, what did it matter if she squandered all her wealth?
I only hope that I will be influenced by my surroundings and that Lan'er will one day be as outstanding as her brother Yuan.

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Meanwhile, Chen Siyuan, feeling carefree, strolled leisurely after leaving Daoxiang Village. Having not seen Baochai for two days, Chen Siyuan naturally missed her. In the distance, he saw Xiaoxiang Pavilion and Zhuijin Tower, and his thoughts turned to Lin Daiyu and his cousin.

He suddenly chuckled to himself, thinking that this was a good time. If it were his previous life, he would have been hung up and drowned in spittle long ago for being so indecisive.

Just then, as he turned past Liaofeng Pavilion and was pondering something, he suddenly heard a familiar voice coming from Ouxiang Pavilion: "You've been looking for your sister-in-law these past two days, is something the matter?"

Chen Siyuan stopped and looked over, and saw a graceful figure standing at the end of the winding bamboo bridge in front of the Lotus Fragrance Pavilion. Her face was serene, and her almond-shaped eyes seemed to be smiling but not smiling. Sunlight poured down, half of which was blocked by the eaves, and the remaining half shone on the golden necklace in front of her, making it shimmer and adding a touch of brilliance to her simple beauty.

Upon closer inspection, he noticed a hint of both anger and joy hidden beneath Baochai's serene expression, revealing the true nature of a young girl. Chen Siyuan smiled, moved closer, and followed Baochai into the Lotus Fragrance Pavilion.

It was already mid-spring, and to prevent the sun from shining on the people in the waterside pavilion, bamboo curtains were hung all around. Inside, only Ying'er was fiddling with a knot. When she saw Chen Siyuan, she smiled, stood up, and curtsied. Then, very tactfully, she sat down on her side in the veranda, fiddling with the knot while keeping watch.

Chen Siyuan then asked, "Just Bao-mei-mei by herself?"

Baochai sat down and said, "My third sister, fourth sister, and Yun'er were all here earlier, but they are tired from eating and have all gone back to rest." What Baochai didn't say was that if Ying'er hadn't heard that Chen Siyuan had come to Daoxiang Village, Baochai would have gone back to Hengwu Garden by now.

Chen Siyuan smiled and nodded, saying, "My sister-in-law's brother has come with ill intentions. My sister knows that my latex business is largely thanks to my sister-in-law's help, so it's only right and proper that I lend a hand."

“I see,” Baochai said, brushing a strand of hair from her temple as the wind blew the curtains. “I had no idea that my sister-in-law was so rich.”

Chen Siyuan chuckled and muttered, "Sister, you've probably forgotten about the Imperial Academy certificate. Each certificate costs one tael and seven mace, and there are over 800,000 certificates issued annually. Li Jijiu is neither greedy nor greedy; the commission from these certificates alone amounts to tens of thousands of taels of silver every year. When the two families formed a marriage alliance, it was partly to change their social standing, and partly... perhaps they were also eyeing the dowry that my sister-in-law would receive."

Baochai nodded in realization, and when her eyes met Chen Siyuan's, she hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.

Chen Siyuan asked, "I left in a hurry that day. What did my sister and aunt say?"

Baochai laughed and said, "What else can I say? I just said that I was tired of the marriage, expressed my grievances, and said that I had your method, so now I don't have to take the Cold Fragrance Pill to associate with Brother Bao. Mother was in a dilemma, but in the end she agreed... She said that she would ask Auntie for clarification in the future, and if she still refused, then she would let me find someone else myself."

Chen Siyuan then feigned impatience and said, "Why does Auntie have to ask when she already knows the answer? Everyone knows what Madam is thinking these days. She's just thinking that when Her Highness is promoted to Imperial Concubine, Baoyu will become the Emperor's brother-in-law, and naturally she'll want to choose a suitable marriage. As for that so-called 'golden and jade marriage' from before, she'll just have to decline it."

Baojie then advised, "You don't need to worry. It'll only be a month or so. Once Mom returns disappointed, she'll naturally stop caring about me."

Because of her closeness to him, Baochai unconsciously reached out and gently pushed Chen Siyuan twice. Chen Siyuan took the opportunity to grab her soft hand, frowned and said, "This is really not a good way to do things. If it were up to me, I would go straight to the aunt's house and explain things clearly."

Baochai scolded, "You always get impatient whenever you see me, I don't know what's so impatient about it."

Chen Siyuan blinked and said in a low voice, "Of course, I'm eager to win the heart of my beauty."

Baochai blushed instantly and scolded, "It's not a big deal if you spend a few more days... If you have this kind of mindset, you might as well focus on your studies. I see you busy making a living and helping others around, and I'm afraid you've neglected your studies these past few months."

Chen Siyuan protested, "I have lofty ambitions, but I can't bear the hardship of a lowly official. That's why I thought I should earn enough money before entering officialdom... Otherwise, I can't let my sister Bao suffer with me in the future, can I?"

Baochai felt comforted, but said aloud, "You just focus on your career and business, I'll take care of the household. Although I can't compare to your Tao Zhu's abilities, I'm confident I can manage the family business well... And that Baicaotang, it always brings in more than ten thousand taels of silver a year, how could that not be enough for our expenses?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "A person who does not plan for the future will have trouble in the present. The Hundred Herbs Hall relies entirely on its secret medicines to survive. Who knows, one day the formula might be leaked, and then the business will be unable to continue."

Baochai thought about it and realized it made sense. Then she realized that even if that business couldn't continue, she could still earn tens of thousands of taels of silver, which would be enough to live on for the rest of her life. Looking up at Chen Siyuan, she couldn't help but wonder to herself, "Is he earning so much money to support a vixen?"
Although Baochai felt a pang of jealousy, she treated it as nothing out of the ordinary. That's just how the world is; emperors have three palaces and six courtyards, wealthy families have countless wives and concubines, and capable men are naturally entitled to have as many as they want. Even now, it's only because Chen Siyuan is staying at the Rongguo Mansion that he's keeping those unworthy men out. If it were anywhere else, the number of women wanting to send their daughters as concubines would be overwhelming.

Seeing that Baochai remained silent, Chen Siyuan continued, "In a few days, once the latex business is established, I will invite the concubine over a few times. When she gets impatient, she might send my sister to manage it... Then we can find a day to go for a stroll in the goldfish pond."

"Mmm," Baochai readily agreed. The thought of her beloved by her side, boating on the lake, leisurely playing calligraphy and painting, with the pleasant sounds of string and wind instruments filling the air, seemed wonderful.

Just as they were about to say something else, a nightingale suddenly said, "Miss, someone is coming."

Baochai was taken aback and quickly instructed, "When you have time, you should also visit Xiaoxiang Pavilion. Zijuan said that Lin Daiyu has been preoccupied these past two days, staring blankly at a manuscript all day long. I've asked her several times, but she won't say anything."

Chen Siyuan thought to himself, could that manuscript be "Life is but a Dream"? This is the mess he made himself.

She quickly agreed. Baochai stood up and saw that he was still holding her hand, so she squeezed it back slightly and comforted him, "We're both fine. It's only a month or so, so a few more days won't make a difference."

Chen Siyuan then let go of her hand, stood up and watched Baochai and Ying'er walk from the covered walkway to Hengwu Garden.

A moment later, another group of old women came chattering towards this side. Chen Siyuan hid among them and waited until the old women were far away before getting up and leisurely returning to his thatched cottage.

Upon entering, she saw a young maidservant, unfamiliar to her, talking to Hongyu. After a while, Hongyu saw the maidservant off and returned, smiling as she said, "That was Jia Hui from Yihong Courtyard. She's about the same age as Yunxiang. She used to serve me outside Qixianzhai. Because I took care of her twice, she remembered it. These past few days, since Master Bao hasn't been at Yihong Courtyard, she's come to talk to me whenever she has a spare moment."

Jia Hui? Chen Siyuan pondered for a long time but couldn't recall having such a maid in the Dream of the Red Chamber. He didn't dwell on it for the time being, took a short rest, and remembering Baochai's words, went to his study to study.

Sister Bao is right. All this money is meaningless. If one is not protected by an official in the future, a sudden disaster could wipe it all out.

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The next day, Chen Siyuan went to the Prince Yanping's mansion early in the morning and presented the ten thousand taels of silver notes. Ding Daolong then gave him a waist token, saying that he could use this token to enter the mansion in the future.

Chen Siyuan agreed and returned to the Rongguo Mansion to deliver the waist token to Daoxiang Village. Since the Rongguo Mansion was hosting a banquet for Li Chongming that day, the two exchanged a few words before Chen Siyuan took his leave.

Li Wan breathed a sigh of relief upon receiving the waist token. After half past 9 a.m., a servant came to report that Li Chongming had arrived and was currently talking with the master in the outer study.

Since Daoxiang Village was located in the Grand View Garden, it was inconvenient to invite Li Chongming. Li Wan led Jia Lan to the south hall. After waiting for a while inside, Suyun led a huffy Li Chongming into the hall.

Li Wan hurried over to greet him, and seeing his anger, she couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Brother, what's wrong?"

Li Chongming retorted angrily, "Your father-in-law is truly rude! I simply couldn't recall the source of the allusion for a moment, and he actually accused me of being ignorant and incompetent!"

Li Wan was immediately distressed. Her father-in-law, Jia Zheng, was always upright and could not stand those who were ignorant and incompetent. Unfortunately, her elder brother, Li Chongming, was exactly that kind of ignorant and incompetent person. If these two met, wouldn't it be a bad ending?

Before Li Wan could even offer any advice, Li Chongming said, "He only got his official position because of his family's influence. My father was the former Chancellor of the Imperial Academy!" The implication was clear: how dare Jia Zheng say that he was uneducated and incompetent?
Li Wan grew increasingly distressed, unsure how to offer any words of comfort. Just as she was becoming anxious, she suddenly heard a hearty laugh from the back door, followed by Chen Siyuan saying, "Brother Li, please forgive me. I only just learned of your arrival, and despite my haste, I am still a step too late."

Li Chongming blinked, his face immediately lighting up with joy. "Oh, my dear brother Shuliang!" he exclaimed, abandoning Li Wan and taking two steps forward to grab Chen Siyuan's hand. "Brother, you've come at the perfect time! Tell me, is there any justice in this world?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "No rush, sister-in-law, can you tell Brother Li the good news?"

"What good news? Could it be—" Seeing Chen Siyuan nod at her, Li Wan took out her waist token from her sleeve and handed it over, saying, "Brother Yuan delivered it this morning, saying that it is used to enter and exit the Prince's Mansion."

Li Chongming snatched it away and held it in his hands as if it were a precious treasure. After examining it for a while, he finally came to his senses and said, "Oh dear, I'm so sorry to trouble you, Brother Shuliang."

"Oh? Brother Li, you're being too polite."

Li Chongming laughed heartily, then turned to look at Li Wan, making no mention of their earlier disagreement, and only sighed, "Sister, why didn't you write to me first to discuss such an important matter?"

"This—" Li Wan thought to herself, she only wanted to get rid of the plague god, and the rest was handled by Chen Siyuan. She never thought about anything else.

Then Chen Siyuan said tactfully, "Sister-in-law meant well, but there was a slight oversight. Why should Brother Li take it to heart? Come, come, let's sit down and talk."

Li Chongming pretended to scold Li Wan and said "You!", then reached out and rubbed Jia Lan's little head before happily sitting down with Chen Siyuan.

Strangely enough, in the short time that followed, Li Chongming began to recount his past with great enthusiasm. Chen Siyuan would sigh or be amazed, occasionally offering a few words of praise, which only made Li Chongming happier.

Li Wan saw this and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She thought to herself, "Thank goodness Brother Yuan is so eloquent, otherwise I don't know how I would have covered it up."

After a while, the head maid Amber came and said, "The old lady invites Master Li to come and see her."

The marriage of Jia Zhu and Li Wan was entirely arranged by Grandmother Jia. Even after Jia Zhu passed away, it was Grandmother Jia who decided to add ten taels of silver to Li Wan's monthly allowance. To put it bluntly, if it weren't for Grandmother Jia's care, Li Wan would probably have been driven to her death by Lady Wang's resentment long ago.

Li Chongming had often heard Li Shouzhong mention this, so he knew he couldn't neglect the old lady. He then bid farewell to Chen Siyuan and hurriedly went to Rongqing Hall with Li Wan and her son.

The meeting went smoothly, but trouble arose at the banquet afterwards.

Lady Wang was unable to leave her room because she was taking care of Baoyu, and Jia Zheng, despising Li Chongming for being uneducated and incompetent, found an excuse to leave the mansion. Since Li Chongming was a relative by marriage of the second branch of the family, the eldest master naturally wouldn't rush to see him. As Jia Lian was only a junior, he was accompanied by Chen Siyuan, a relative by marriage from the next branch.

Although Li Chongming was incompetent, he had quite a temper, and his expression immediately changed. Even though Chen Siyuan and Jia Lian were exchanging witty remarks, and Li Chongming had only drunk a few cups, he made an excuse that he had to go to the Prince's Mansion to take up his post the next day, and then stormed off.

Chen Siyuan was at a loss for words and could only accompany Jia Lian to see him out of the mansion. As Li Chongming was leaving, he glanced at the plaque above the Rongguo Mansion, gave a hasty bow, and turned to leave, as if to say, "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river."

Such an unpleasant ending was embarrassing even for Li Wan; if it weren't for everyone watching, she probably would have burst into tears. Grandmother Jia was naturally also displeased, and after the opera troupe left, she kept Li Wan behind for a long talk.

Chen Siyuan thought to himself that these were probably just words of comfort; what else could the old lady do?
On one hand, there's his most beloved youngest son, and on the other hand, there's his granddaughter-in-law, whom he chose himself. Both are his flesh and blood, so he has no choice but to try to mediate.

Chen Siyuan had no idea what happened to Li Wan. Only when Jia Lan came to Qingtang Thatched Cottage to study two days later did Chen Siyuan see that the young boy had a worried look on his face, and he knew that Li Wan must have cried a lot afterward.

Seeing that Jia Lan was occasionally distracted and lost in thought, Chen Siyuan was afraid that the boy might do something rash, so he asked, "Lan-ge'er, are you feeling down?"

Jia Lan frowned and said, "I only regret that I am young and weak."

Chen Siyuan said, "What if you were in your prime?"

Jia Lan gritted her teeth, a fierce look flashing across her face, but she didn't say anything.

If he were in that situation, and his own mother had been treated so badly, given Chen Siyuan's temper, he would probably have turned the Rongguo Mansion upside down!
Chen Siyuan then walked over and patted Jia Lan on the shoulder, saying, "A wise man keeps his talents hidden until the right time to act."

Jia Lan looked up and met his gaze, then nodded solemnly and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Uncle Yuan. I understand."

After saying this, Jia Lan picked up the book and began to read it, swaying his head back and forth. Chen Siyuan glanced at him and couldn't help but think to himself, "Is it because of this that Jia Lan is so motivated to work hard? It's only natural that he will restore the Jia family's reputation in the last forty chapters."

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A few days later, Chen Siyuan personally escorted Li Chongming to the Prince of Yanping's residence;

He then went to the Imperial Workshop to carefully select a suitable congratulatory gift for Qingwen; he also instructed the steward of the new residence to find a suitable old gentleman, which he expected to find in a few days.
As for the latex business, Aunt Xue was initially quite enthusiastic and accompanied Chen Siyuan several times. But how wicked was Chen Siyuan? This guy deliberately dumped all the complicated chores on Aunt Xue. Aunt Xue managed to handle them twice, but by the third time, she was terrified.

Seeing Chen Siyuan come to invite him again, he immediately put on a bitter face and said, "I haven't even managed to take care of the family business properly, how could I possibly handle such complicated affairs?"

Chen Siyuan frowned and said, "Now that the business has just opened, there are bound to be many responsibilities. Besides, the concubine also has a share in it, so how can she just sit back and do nothing?"

Aunt Xue was hesitant and declined, saying, "Yuan-ge'er is not an outsider. You can find someone to handle it, just let me know afterward."

Chen Siyuan, who had been feigning one thing while secretly doing another, was unwilling to back down now. He pressed on relentlessly. Aunt Xue had no choice but to say, "I can't see the accounts clearly either. Baochai has always managed our accounts... How about we let Baochai handle them tomorrow?"

Baochai was secretly delighted, but her face remained calm and composed.

Chen Siyuan hesitated, "This—" He glanced at Baochai and said, "It's probably not good for Baochai to show her face in public like this."

The two men were so convincing that Aunt Xue had no idea they had planned this all along. Seeing this, she quickly said, "What's so difficult about that? When the women of the household go out, they can wear veils to cover themselves, so they won't be seen by frivolous men."

Chen Siyuan reluctantly agreed, saying, "Alright, then I'll come to pick up Bao-mei-mei first thing tomorrow morning."

Baochai quickly stood up and curtsied, saying, "Thank you for your trouble, Brother Yuan."

Chen Siyuan returned the greeting with a cupped hand and said, "Sister Bao, you're too kind."

The two men acted without fault, yet Aunt Xue found something strange about them, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

After Chen Siyuan took his leave, Aunt Xue simply assumed that she had been overthinking things.

The next day, Aunt Xue had prepared four servants to accompany her, and with Ying'er looking after her, Aunt Xue thought everything was going smoothly, so she relaxed and let Baochai ride away with Chen Siyuan in the carriage.

The journey there was uneventful. Upon arrival, the four servants, not daring to enter, waited outside. Baochai and Ying'er entered together, and Chen Siyuan turned around and tossed Ying'er a silver coin, whispering, "Keep it a secret, and you'll be rewarded later."

Before Ying'er could react, Chen Siyuan pulled Baochai to the back. Ying'er took two steps and saw the two of them get into another carriage through the back door. Looking down, she saw a two-tael silver coin in her hand.

Slightly conflicted, Ying'er quickly came to terms with it. She thought to herself that her young lady had long been in love with that Master Yuan, and it was only a matter of time before they married. Not only should she not stop them, but she should also act like a matchmaker and communicate with them... So why bother about where those two went?

She happily put away the silver, found a chair and sat down, then resumed her role as a young lady. One moment she pretended to be acting on Baochai's orders to buy pastries, and the next she ordered a servant to buy a food box. She ate and ate by herself, her little feet crossed, enjoying herself immensely.

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The carriage rumbled along, and inside, Chen Siyuan pointed to the outside and talked incessantly, while gently rubbing the soft hand of the woman he was carrying. Although Baochai had been intimate with him before, this was the first time they had been so close, shoulder to shoulder and leg to leg, in the cramped carriage. Naturally, she felt shy and embarrassed.

Today, Sister Bao wore a light gold-trimmed satin jacket with ochre trim and colorful floral patterns, over which was a white cross-collar inner garment, and a long ivory-yellow skirt. Her hair was adorned with a pearl hairpin, and two palace flowers, one large and one small, were pasted in her temples. Her face was lightly powdered, and she looked like she had dressed up carefully.

Chen Siyuan was no ordinary man. Although he had long harbored suspicions, he still spoke eloquently, capturing her delicate hand and occasionally exchanging glances with Baochai.

At first, Sister Bao was naturally a little uneasy, but after leaving the outer city, she saw the bustling market and the endless cries of vendors through the window. In addition, Chen Siyuan acted with propriety and restraint, so her mood gradually calmed down. She then followed Chen Siyuan to look outside.

Upon catching a glimpse of a beautiful couple walking one after the other outside, the man glancing back every now and then while the woman walked shyly with her head down, Baochai smiled knowingly. She naturally wondered if she and Chen Siyuan, living in an ordinary family, would also be so discreetly strolling the streets?
Just then, Chen Siyuan turned around, and Baochai covered for him, saying, "You're really naughty. My mother has been complaining non-stop these past two days, even talking in her sleep about how she's suffering."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "It was out of necessity. If it weren't for this, how could Auntie have let Bao-meimei come out?"

Baochai pondered for a moment, and was about to speak when Chen Siyuan tightened his grip on her soft hand and said, "These past few days, besides being busy with various official duties, I've spent the rest of my time studying diligently. I'm just hoping to pass the imperial examination with flying colors so I can welcome Baochai into our family."

Baochai retorted, "I didn't say anything. Do you mean I'm full of 'moral virtues'?"

Baochai was beautiful, and was naturally "moving even to the heartless." Now, as she scolded him, her red lips slightly parted, which naturally gave her a unique charm. Even Chen Siyuan, who was used to seeing beautiful women, couldn't help but be slightly stunned at this moment.

Seeing this, Baochai smiled and turned her head away, muttering under her breath, "Fool."

Chen Siyuan then imitated a pig's squeal twice, which made Baochai laugh and cry at the same time. She said, "You compare yourself to Zhu Bajie? Do you think I'm Sun Wukong?"

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "It doesn't matter who my sister is, I'll just carry her back."

Upon hearing this, Baochai's heart melted. She glanced at him, and just then, the carriage jolted, so she nestled against his shoulder. With such a warm and soft woman in his arms, Chen Siyuan naturally felt a surge of desire. Had he not known Baochai's nature and her unwillingness to emulate a lecherous man, how could Chen Siyuan have possibly kept his desires hidden?
The room was quiet and silent for a moment. Baochai turned her head to look at the street outside as she walked away, and suddenly smiled and said, "I don't know why, but I don't want to go to the goldfish pond anymore."

Chen Siyuan's heart skipped a beat. He suddenly noticed a clothing shop ahead and told the driver to pull over. Then, to Baochai's puzzled look, he jumped off the carriage, went into the clothing shop, and returned a while later with a bundle in his arms.

Meeting Baochai's curious gaze, Chen Siyuan unfolded his bundle, revealing a set of ordinary fine cloth clothes inside. Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "We can swim in the goldfish pond anytime. Since Baochai doesn't want to go, why don't we follow the example of those two young children and stroll around the market?"

For over a decade, Baochai had always followed the rules and regulations. Upon hearing this, she instinctively felt it was inappropriate, yet she was also eager to try it out. Before she could speak, Chen Siyuan pulled down the curtain, got up, and jumped off the carriage. Then, he said from the outer room, "Sister, hurry up and change your clothes. I saw some people performing martial arts ahead. Oh, it looks like they're doing magic tricks."

Baochai held the clothes and paused for a moment. Suddenly, she bit her lower lip and thought to herself, "Since it's already out, why not join him in his crazy fun?"
Having made up her mind, she quietly changed her clothes. A moment later, she lifted the curtain and saw Baochai in a simple dress and hairpin, her head wrapped in a handkerchief. She didn't know how she had done it, but there was a dark red birthmark painted on half of her face.

Just as he was wondering, Sister Bao stepped down from the stool, approached him, bowed, and said humbly, "Husband."

Chen Siyuan blinked, instantly transforming into a dramatic figure. He coughed lightly, cupped his hands in return, and said, "My wife, please come with me now."

Baochai smiled and agreed, then handed over a handkerchief. Since the couple were strolling around, it wasn't appropriate for them to hold hands or walk separately; they should either link arms with a red string or walk one in front of the other.

Where could they find a red string? So they had to use a handkerchief instead. The two of them took out their handkerchiefs, with Chen Siyuan in front and Baochai trailing slightly behind, and headed towards the lively place ahead.

(End of this chapter)