Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 244 Striving for Excellence: Jia Yingchun

Rongguo Mansion.

Sister You San understood the situation perfectly, breathed a sigh of relief, and then urged with a smile, "Brother, hurry back, Qingwen might be looking for you right now."

Chen Siyuan said, "I'll go change first, my sister can go back first."

Third Sister You agreed and led Chunxi back to the side garden. Chen Siyuan went inside to change his clothes, and when he came out, he saw Second Sister You standing prettily at the door.

She called out "Master" in a sweet voice, curtsied, and slightly tilted her head to bring the large red palace flower that was pinned in her hair closer.

Chen Siyuan stopped, glanced at the little vixen in front of him, and asked with a smile, "What is it?"

Second Sister You nodded, turned and shooed Xia Zhu aside, then leaned over and whispered, "Eldest Sister sent word that the incense is excellent, and Brother-in-law didn't suspect anything when he got up this morning."

Chen Siyuan gave a mumbled reply.

Then Sister You whispered, "Also, Eldest Sister's back has been aching more and more these past few days... I'm afraid she really is pregnant. Eldest Sister said she won't be coming over for a while."

Chen Siyuan responded again, reached out and stroked You Erjie's face, and said with a smile, "You've received quite a bit of benefit?"

Sister You retorted, "No matter what, we're still sisters. How could I ask for anything in return? But Master thinks of me like this, and my heart is already cold... Don't you believe me? Feel it, Master?"

She deliberately acted like a vixen, which naturally made Chen Siyuan laugh heartily. Chen Siyuan probably knew what You Erjie was really thinking... she was just afraid of losing favor.

It is said that he and Madam You were mutually exploiting each other. Madam You coveted his strength and wanted to use him for other purposes; as for Chen Siyuan, he coveted the pleasure of being a third-class general's wife.

When a crow lands on a pig, it's hard to say who benefits. Besides, that fleeting pleasure was just a novelty; it would fade away in time. Chen Siyuan didn't want to cause any trouble, so it was best to cut ties for the time being.

As for Old Lady You's matter, let Jia Zhen worry about it.

After joking around with Sister You for a while, he turned and went into the side garden, where he saw Qingwen looking over in his direction. Chen Siyuan smiled and quickly approached, then gracefully sat down beside her.

Qingwen chattered on, "Why did it take you so long to get back, Master? Just now, Miss told a funny story, and everyone was laughing so hard they were doubled over."

Just then, Granny Qu secretly gave the female Taoist priest a wink, and the female Taoist priest said, "Since the master is so kind to us, I'm shamelessly treating myself as an outsider. Now I'll use my best skills to make you smile."

Now, a man was promoted and told his wife, "My official position is much higher than before."

Unexpectedly, his wife said disdainfully, "With such a high official rank, do you not know if this thing is also large?"

The official replied, "Of course."

When they were about to do something, his wife complained that he was still small, but the official argued, "He's grown a lot, you don't even realize it."

His wife said, "How could you not have noticed?"

The official, with a stern expression, said, "Does this mean that just because I've been promoted, my mistress will remain the same? My position will inevitably rise, and yours will too."

As soon as the joke was told, the maids and servants below blushed, but dared not laugh out loud. You Sanjie, being a bold and straightforward person, didn't care whether the joke was vulgar or not. She laughed so hard she almost fell over, slapping the table repeatedly.

Her laughter made Chen Siyuan laugh heartily, and then everyone joined in the laughter.

Qingwen, standing beside her, blushed deeply. Though she smiled, she glanced around and suddenly noticed the smug look on Granny Qu's face. She glared at her angrily. Turning away, she hesitated, her face still red, and said, "Sir, this joke is really—"

Chen Siyuan smiled, feeling increasingly comforted. Compared to someone like You Shi who used each other, a good girl like Qingwen was much more worthy of pity.

So he instructed, "There are still unmarried girls in this garden, so please be more discreet, lady."

The young woman readily agreed and indeed refrained from telling any more lewd jokes. Qingwen breathed a slight sigh of relief. While eating, she unconsciously leaned against Chen Siyuan. Recalling the joke from earlier, her heart pounded with anxiety. She thought to herself, "My master's... that whisk looks like an infant's arm. If he thrusts it straight in like that, won't it hurt like hell?"

I don’t know where Granny Qu got her confidence from, but she swore that the pain would only be temporary, but she would be happy for a lifetime… However, since she had made up her mind, she knew that this would happen sooner or later, so there was no reason to go back on her word now.

She glanced at Chen Siyuan, only to bump into him. Chen Siyuan looked at her in surprise, and Qingwen smiled and turned her head away. She thought to herself, she didn't care about wearing gold and silver, she just wanted her master to spend more time with her.

After the banquet was over, Sister You San pulled Sister You Er towards the back building. Qingwen drank a couple more cups, her face flushed, and followed Chen Siyuan back to the main room.

After sitting inside and chatting for a while, Chen Siyuan asked, "Did Chunxi and Xiazhu contribute to your share?"

"We managed to scrape together the money. But we've been so busy today, so we've arranged to have a banquet in a few nights, where a few of us can get together for a little get-together."

As they were talking, Qingwen brought over a strong cup of tea. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Master has had some wine. Why don't you wash up and rest early today?"

Chen Siyuan looked up and saw Qingwen with her head bowed, her face flushed, and her hands twisting the handkerchief at her waist. Having spent the last two years mingling with women, how could he not know Qingwen's thoughts?
But Qingwen was only a young girl, how could Chen Siyuan bring himself to do it? He had said these words to Qingwen in private twice, but seeing the girl's attitude, he figured she hadn't taken them to heart.

Never mind, I'll explain it to her later.

Having made up his mind, Chen Siyuan replied, "Alright, then have someone bring hot water."

Qingwen silently agreed, and soon brought hot water. After Chen Siyuan drank a cup of strong tea, she helped him wash up.

After serving Chen Siyuan to wash his feet, Qingwen brought water and carefully closed all the windows in the main room because it was a chilly spring night. Just as she was about to wash herself, she heard Luan'er crying from the side room.

"Big sister, I want big sister."

Then Granny Qu coaxed, "Silly child, today is your eldest sister's special day, you mustn't disturb it. Luan'er, be good, Granny will give you some candy, okay?"

Luan'er immediately fell silent, clearly having been bribed by Granny Qu's candy.

Qingwen bit her lower lip. Although she had made up her mind before the time came, she couldn't help feeling uneasy. So she slowly and methodically began to wash up.

Even the slowest pace has its end. After a while, the foot-washing water had cooled down. Only then did Qingwen find a handkerchief to wipe her delicate feet, and with her head down, she took a few steps to the west wing. She then hurriedly went into the study to find a small bundle.

Chen Siyuan didn't drink much that day, perhaps because he had been reading a lot lately, and he felt sleepy as soon as his head hit the pillow. The candlelight by the bedside flickered, making him doze off, when he saw Qingwen, dressed in her undergarments, walk over silently.

Chen Siyuan yawned, threw back the covers, and said, "Why did it take so long? Ha, where in the world is there a maid like you who makes the master warm your bed?"

Qingwen hid the small bundle behind her back and quickly crawled into bed, making up a story on the spot: "I was also dozing off while washing my feet just now, and I only woke up when the water got cold."

As she spoke, she quietly tucked the small bundle into the quilt, then used her slender feet to move it to the foot of the bed before lying down.

Chen Siyuan felt a chill emanating from Qingwen, and when he reached out to grab her, he felt her soft hands were icy cold.

He frowned and said reproachfully, "Then go to bed early tonight. You're young, so drink less alcohol in the future." As he spoke, he took Qingwen's hands and warmed them for her.

Qingwen mumbled an agreement, feeling her hands enveloped by her master's large hands, as warm as a small stove, making her feel comforted. From under the covers, a pair of delicate feet probed, finally touching Chen Siyuan's calves. Chen Siyuan hissed and gasped, muttering, "So cold!" But his feet under the covers shifted, letting Qingwen step on his insteps.

In the past, Qingwen would have argued and bickered with him, then played around, kissed and cuddled, and finally fell asleep in each other's arms.

Today was different from usual, so Qingwen changed her approach and focused solely on appreciating her master's thoughtfulness. Once her hands warmed up, Chen Siyuan released her, reached out and pulled her into his arms, murmuring, "Go to sleep early."

"Mmm," Qingwen responded, pressing her face against his chest. Listening to the pounding of his heart, her unease gradually subsided.

A moment later, the little hands that had just warmed up became restless and began to explore down her waist.

Chen Siyuan, with his eyes closed, frowned slightly: "Weren't you sleeping?"

Qingwen then said shyly, "Master... can't sleep."

Chen Siyuan opened his eyes, looked at Qingwen who was staring at him expectantly, reached out and patted her on the back, and said, "You're still young, I don't know what's making you so anxious."

Qingwen pouted and said, "Where is it small—" Seeing Chen Siyuan's gaze shift downwards, Qingwen immediately bristled and shouted, "If you tease me again, Master, you can go find Second Aunt at night from now on. Second Aunt is the most important person in the family!"

Chen Siyuan laughed and quickly hugged him, coaxing him for a while.

Qingwen was naturally quick-tempered, but her temper flared up and subsided just as fast... How could she not know that Chen Siyuan was trying to cover it up with jokes?

Chen Siyuan had roughly guessed Qingwen's thoughts by this time. First, she was sold by her family, then she couldn't go home, and she almost died when she left Rongguo Mansion. Now she seemed to be living peacefully in the new house, receiving a monthly allowance higher than that of other maids. She was neither a maid nor a concubine. Chen Siyuan had never given her a clear answer, so Qingwen was naturally uneasy.

Just as he was about to say something, Qingwen leaned over and whispered a few words in his ear. Chen Siyuan blinked, both amused and exasperated, and said, "You, where did you hear that from? Besides, this isn't something that can be done in a day."

Qingwen suddenly got up, took a small bundle from the foot of the bed, and stammered, "I...I prepared it a long time ago."

Chen Siyuan reached out and took the bundle, unfolding it. Inside, besides a water bag, there was also... a vajra pestle?

Looking up again, he saw that Qingwen was too shy to speak. It could be said that "to know the secrets of a graceful woman's heart, one must look at her when she leans on the railing in silence."

Chen Siyuan sighed inwardly at the deep kindness shown to him by the beauty; having gone this far, any further refusal would only hurt her feelings.

The room was filled with a tender atmosphere, with countless loving gestures and moans on the bed, which need not be described in detail.

The next day, Luan'er got up early and went to look for him. She was both happy and annoyed with the old man who had taken her older sister.

The good thing is that the old man would give her a lot of good food every few days; the bad thing is that, every few days, the old man would also take the older sister's food away.

After being chased away by Granny Qu, Luan'er sneaked back to wander around the main room, her heart filled with increasing wonder. Normally, her eldest sister would be up early in the morning; why was she nowhere to be seen today?

Just as she was pondering this, the main door opened, and Luan'er cheered "Big Sister!" and rushed over, only to bump into Chen Siyuan's arms.

"Huh? Where's my older sister?"

Chen Siyuan rubbed his aching lower abdomen, reached out and ruffled Luan'er's hair, and said with a smile, "Your eldest sister went to bed late last night, she probably won't get up for a while. Luan'er, go play, and I'll tell the kitchen to prepare osmanthus cake for you this morning, okay?"

"it is good."

Luan'er agreed, and Chen Siyuan went to practice his stance training. But Luan'er didn't leave; she just squatted under the window of the main room, waiting expectantly.

After watching the master practice in a strange manner for a while, and then return to the main room to wash up, the third concubine came looking for her. Before entering the room, she gave her a meaningful glance. As she watched, it wasn't until breakfast was approaching that Luan'er caught a glimpse of Qingwen coming out, all dressed up.

"Miss!"

Luan'er was about to pounce again when Qingwen was startled and quickly reached out to stop her little head. She awkwardly took two steps back, frowned, and scolded, "It's almost time for breakfast, why are you still standing here? Why is your hair so messy? Go and find Granny Qu to fix it. I'll come find you after I've served the master."

Luan'er agreed and skipped off to find Granny Qu. Qingwen glanced into the side room but couldn't find Granny Qu. She gritted her teeth in annoyance—who said the back door doesn't hurt? She'd definitely have to find Granny Qu and give her a good talking to later!
After taking a step and enduring the discomfort to turn around, she saw that Sister You had already presented her with a pair of gold bracelets.

Qingwen blinked, puzzled, and asked, "Third Aunt, what's going on?"

Sister You laughed and said, "Stop calling me 'Auntie' all you want. Aren't you just like me now? From the moment you entered the family, I knew this day would come sooner or later. Here, take this. It was prepared long ago."

Before Qingwen could say anything, You Sanjie grabbed Qingwen's hand, stuffed the pair of gold bracelets wrapped in handkerchiefs into her hand, and turned to Chen Siyuan to argue, "Brother, now that Qingwen has taken a concubine, shouldn't her monthly allowance be increased?"

"Hmm, let's set it at two taels of silver for now." Chen Siyuan glanced at Qingwen and said, "Qingwen is now considered a maidservant."

Sister You joked, "It's clear that brother dotes on Qingwen. Who doesn't know that this maidservant is closer to him than a regular concubine?"

Qingwen remained silent, head bowed and shy, listening to the two men's banter while clutching the heavy gold bracelet. For some reason, she suddenly felt a sense of peace. Stealing a glance at Chen Siyuan, she thought to herself that no matter what happened in the future, her master would always be there to look after her.

Hengwu Garden.

Baochai claimed to be slightly unwell and had been cooped up at home for over two days. Apart from Aunt Xue visiting her daily, she hadn't seen anyone else, not even Daiyu. Naturally, this was her way of telling others, to avoid spreading her illness to others.

She hid for more than two days, partly because she was afraid that Chen Siyuan would take advantage of the situation and go too far; and partly because she was ashamed that such intimate behavior had aroused Baochai's passion!

Baochai, who was always described as having "the virtue of stopping the machine," viewed the pleasures of the bedroom as nothing more than the continuation of the family line, just like the noble ladies of that time.

Because of this surge of passion that led to... loss of control of her bladder, Baochai naturally took it as frivolous. Baochai closed herself off from visitors and privately recited "Women's Virtues" and "Women's Admonitions" repeatedly. Only after her emotions gradually calmed down did she intend to see people again.

She made up her mind early on that when she saw him, she would give him a stern lecture and make sure he never did such frivolous things again.

Just as she was pondering this, Ying'er heard a noise outside and hurriedly pushed open the door to greet her. After a moment, she turned back and said with a smile, "Miss, Miss Lin has come to see you."

Baochai was puzzled. She got up and took a few steps when she saw Daiyu wearing a mask and leading Zijuan and Xueyan, who were also wearing masks, into the room.

Baochai stared in astonishment, "Lin Daiyu, you—"

Daiyu playfully pointed to her own face: "How about that? Now you won't have to worry about catching a cold."

Xueyan, who was standing to the side, said, "Our young lady remembered that Master Yuan had made this before, so she instructed Zijuan and me to make it in the same way."

Daiyu glanced at Xueyan and smiled, "Is Sister Bao feeling much better?"

Baochai quickly pulled Daiyu's hand and sat down with her, saying, "It was just a slight cold. You took two doses of medicine these past two days and you're much better today. But you, you've always been frail, so you shouldn't let your illness linger."

"Don't worry, I still have a few masks."

Baochai nodded, and seeing that Daiyu's face was no longer gloomy today, she smiled and teased, "Hasn't Lin-mei been guarding that manuscript these past two days?"

Daiyu shook her head and said, "Different people are born into different circumstances. I haven't read the stories in the book, so how could I possibly predict what will happen next?" Then, with a quick glance, she smiled and said, "However, I do know who to ask to continue the story."

When Baochai pressed for an answer, Daiyu shook her head and remained silent, keeping the matter a secret.

Daiyu came to visit despite her illness. Although Baochai's illness was fake, her affection was genuine. How could Baochai not be grateful?
After a brief playful exchange with Daiyu, he said, "Please wait a moment, Sister Lin."

As she spoke, she rose and went to the side room, returning shortly with a brocade box in her hands. Opening it, she revealed two palace flowers inside.

Baochai covered up, saying, "That day, while I was managing the accounts, I came across a vendor selling palace flowers on the street. I thought to myself that I hadn't been out for a long time, so I wanted to bring some fresh ones for Sister Lin. That's why I chose this lotus flower. Sister Lin, please try it on."

Daiyu accepted the palace flowers and couldn't help but recall the incident a couple of years ago when Zhou Rui's wife deliberately delivered the palace flowers to the Bisha Pavilion last. She glanced around and saw that there was only one magnolia flower left inside. Feeling comforted, she smiled and said, "There are only two. The other sisters don't have any?"

Baochai smiled and said, "If I meet someone I like in the future, such as Second Sister, Third Sister, Fourth Sister, or Yun'er, I will go and buy them."

The palace flower design was ordinary, but Daiyu happily removed the one that was pasted in her hair and asked Xueyan to pin a lotus flower on it for her. She got up and looked at herself in the mirror, her eyes crinkling with joy.

After a short while, Daiyu turned around and saw that Baochai had put away the box but was not wearing the magnolia flower. She asked in surprise, "Which sister is Baochai going to give that magnolia flower to?"

Baochai hesitated slightly before saying, "It's for Xingjie."

What a coincidence! Daiyu had just decided yesterday that she should find Sister Xing, who looked just like Yunniang, to continue writing "Life is Like a Dream," but who knew that Sister Bao would send Sister Xing palace flowers today.

Yes, Xing Xiuyan and Chen Siyuan are cousins. Rumors have been circulating in the mansion that Xing Xiuyan has been betrothed to Chen Siyuan as a concubine. Baochai, being so adept at social maneuvering, would naturally want to befriend her.

Upon careful consideration, isn't that the same for me? As a wife who takes over the family line, I naturally want to be on good terms with Sister Bao.

Although Daiyu knew that Baochai had ulterior motives in befriending her, she was now all alone. Even if it was a friendship with ill intentions, Daiyu would probably cherish it very much.

Daiyu blinked and teased, "In other families, concubines flatter the mistress, but it's the other way around here, Sister Bao."

Baochai was immediately embarrassed and annoyed, saying, "You little rascal, if you say another word, you'll regret it!"

As she spoke, she bit her lower lip and was about to tease Daiyu when Daiyu playfully reached out and grabbed Baochai's waist. Baochai let out a groan and lost her balance, quickly grabbing the table for support, saying, "You, you're not allowed to tickle me!"

Daiyu chuckled smugly and said, "Now that I know your weakness, how could I possibly be afraid of you from now on?"

Baochai was both angry and amused, and for a moment she was at a loss with Daiyu.

Unexpectedly, Daiyu frowned and pondered, saying, "He gave everyone a courtesy name that day. Even if it was missed that day, how could it have been missed these past few days? Sister Bao, tell me quickly, what courtesy name did he give you?"

Although Baochai denied it, she couldn't help but smile – that day Chen Siyuan had given himself the name Luo, which was why she had chosen the peony flower a couple of days ago.

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

East Cross Courtyard.

Since Yingchun was adopted by Madam Xing, she naturally had to come to pay her respects every morning and evening. On this day, she came to pay her respects again, and Madam Xing couldn't help but nag her, advising Yingchun to make up her mind as soon as possible. If she missed Chen Siyuan, she might not be able to find a good husband in the future.

The second young lady had already made up her mind, but unfortunately Chen Siyuan was busy these past two days, and yesterday he even went to the new house, so she couldn't make it.

Yingchun had a plan in mind, but perhaps because she had been pretending to be dull for so long, even her nod of agreement was seen as ambiguous by Madam Xing.

Madam Xing then frowned and scolded, "If you don't pay attention, be careful that someone else doesn't get there first!"

Before Yingchun could speak, Siqi said, "Someone else? Is it that girl from the Wang family? Still not given up?"

"Her? Who does she think she is?" Madam Xing was convinced that the little thief was perfect, so she naturally looked down on the plain-looking Wang Yunping. She scoffed and said disdainfully, "Yuan-ge'er insulted her to her face and she didn't even realize it. Afterwards, I heard she was furious and made a fuss about teaching Yuan-ge'er a lesson. And what happened? The last time Bao-yu and Feng-yatou had a fit of hysteria, that Lord Wang came to our house, but he didn't mention this matter at all."

Wang Ziteng obtained the position of military governor of the capital garrison through the connections of the Jia family, and from then on, he willingly served as the emperor's henchman, staining his official robes with the blood of the Jia family's personal guards. Such opportunistic individuals are most adept at observing the changing winds.

Wang Ziteng knew his wife and daughter's character all too well. He thought that Chen Siyuan was only a few years old, had already passed the autumn examination, and was on good terms with Prince Yanping. He had heard that the recent expansion of the Imperial Bank and the latex business were all his doing.

As the saying goes, one can bully the old but not the young. Who knows if this boy will one day rise to high office and become a prime minister? Because Wang Ziteng only scolded Wang Yunping for being a childish fool at home, he didn't mention it at all when he saw Jia Zheng and Jia She.

Jia She was still unsure of his thoughts, and only when they parted did he tentatively say a few words. Wang Ziteng just smiled and waved his hand, saying it was nonsense, and then let the matter drop.

This move naturally amazed Jia She, who then told Madam Xing about it as a joke, shamelessly claiming that the prestige of the Rongguo Mansion had intimidated Wang Ziteng, which was why Wang Ziteng dared not confront Yuan Ge'er...

Even if Madam Xing was simple-minded and lacked cunning, how could she believe such nonsense? She turned around and asked Chen Siyuan, only then did she learn the truth.

Upon hearing that Madam Xing held the Wang family in contempt, Siqi said, "If it's not that Miss Wang, then where else could it be?"

Madam Xing smiled and gave a look around. All the maids and servants quickly withdrew, leaving only Yingchun by her side. Madam Xing then lowered her voice and said, "Our young ladies are all well-educated and polite, but it's hard to say about the young ladies from other families."

Is it someone else's house?

Xiangyun was raised in the secluded chambers, and everyone with eyes could see that the old lady intended to match her with Baoyu; Xing Xiuyan was betrothed to Chen Siyuan, but in the future she would only have the title of a concubine. Besides these, where else could one find a young lady?

Oh yes, and there's also Sister Bao from the Xue family!

Siqi already knew about this, and not only that, she also knew about Aunt Xue's coercion of Master Yuan into having an affair with her. However, she couldn't say it directly, so she secretly hinted at it to Yingchun.

Upon hearing Madam Xing's words, Siqi exclaimed in astonishment, "Miss, what did I tell you? That Miss Bao is clearly no pushover! The Second Madam is dragging her feet on that golden marriage, and the Old Madam won't budge. Miss Bao has already come of age, how can she not be anxious?"
"Master Yuan is handsome and has a bright future. To put it bluntly, in twenty years he might even surpass our family in social standing. That Miss Bao isn't blind; how could she possibly overlook such a remarkable man as Master Yuan?"

There are no secrets in this world. No matter how well Chen Siyuan and Baochai tried to hide their secret meetings, how could a shrewd old woman not guess what was going on?
It was also because the Xue family had been actively winning people's hearts that no rumors had spread within the household. However, Madam Xing repeatedly tried to matchmake Chen Siyuan and Yingchun, but Chen Siyuan always managed to deflect the rumors, even mentioning Baochai on one occasion.

Coupled with the slightest hint of trouble, Madam Xing was naturally anxious, which is why she gave Yingchun some pointers in person.

Seeing Yingchun's downcast eyes, Madam Xing couldn't help but sigh, "My child, I won't say much more. The master has already given his consent, and I'm even trying to bring them together. If it still doesn't work out... don't blame me in the future."

Yingchun looked up and said, "Mother, I understand."

Siqi, who was standing nearby, quickly said, "Madam, you don't know, but a while ago our young lady went to visit Master Yuan and learned that Miss Xing had been copying his manuscripts. The young lady praised her and said that she would go to Master Yuan to borrow the manuscripts to read later."

"Oh? Really?" Madam Xing was immediately delighted and said, "That's right. Forget about those ignorant people talking about the strict separation of men and women. You and Yuan'er are cousins. What's wrong with spending more time together? If you become relatives and marry in the future, it will naturally be a joyous occasion."

Just then, the sound of Fourth Brother crying came from the side room. Madam Xing was startled and quickly got up: "What is it now?"

With a flick of the curtain, Miao'er said, both amused and exasperated, "Fourth Brother was biting his own toes, and he must have bitten them too hard, because he's crying right now."

Madam Xing smiled again and muttered, "Just like his father!" Turning to Yingchun, she said, "Since it's settled, you can go visit Yuan-ge when you have time. I'll take care of Fourth Brother first, so I won't keep you any longer."

Yingchun quickly got up and agreed, but secretly wondered, "Is the eldest master the same as the fourth brother? What's wrong with him?"
After leading Siqi out of the three ceremonial gates, Siqi opened her mouth to speak, but seeing the second young lady frowning in thought, she stopped talking for the time being.

As she entered the garden, she saw Xiuju returning with a food box. Siqi greeted her twice, and when Xiuju came to her side, she asked, "Has Master Yuan returned?"

"He's back," Xiuju said. "Wu'er came to carry the food box, and I looked so happy. Master Yuan must have come back."

"Miss?" Siqi urged Yingchun from the side.

Yingchun said in a low voice, "Let's eat first."

The second young lady, being quick-witted and intelligent, carefully compared herself to Baochai while lost in thought. In terms of family background, Yingchun was certainly superior to Baochai; in terms of appearance, the second young lady was inferior to Baochai; in terms of intelligence and ability... Yingchun believed she was no less capable than Baochai.

Moreover, Baochai has an older brother who is a burden, and she has an unreliable father who is a burden. Their eldest brother is not to mention their second brother, but they are not much different.

Brother Yuan had grand ambitions. Two years ago, after suddenly becoming wealthy, he kept taking beautiful women into his household. But this year, he indeed restrained himself. Perhaps he knew in his heart that such unrestrained indulgence was not very interesting, but rather that mutual affection was more fulfilling.

Rumors are circulating in the manor that the Yuan brothers and Baochai are indeed involved. However, since the marriage proposal is still undecided, it's unlikely that Aunt Xue would allow Baochai and the Yuan brothers to openly associate with each other.

Isn't this an opportunity for Yingchun? Not to mention that Yingchun already harbored some admiration for him, she was willing to fight tooth and nail just to get rid of the constraints of the East Wing.

She usually kept her talents hidden so that she could be more at ease after her marriage, but now that things are like this, she can no longer worry about hiding them.

So they returned to Zhuijin Tower, had a quick meal, and without waiting for Siqi to urge them, the second young lady led two maids downstairs to the thatched cottage.

No sooner had they left Zilingzhou than they bumped into Tan Chun and Xi Chun, who were walking hand in hand.

The three sisters gathered together, and Xichun said with a smile, "Third sister and I were just about to go look for second sister. Where is second sister going?"

Yingchun smiled and said frankly, "I made an agreement with Brother Yuan last time. The manuscript looks very interesting. I just heard that Brother Yuan has returned, so I rushed over to borrow the manuscript."

Xichun nodded and said, "In that case, then I will—"

Before she could finish speaking, the Third Miss, Tan Chun, subtly tugged at her. Although Xi Chun was puzzled, she quickly stopped talking. The Third Miss, Tan Chun, had already noticed something different on the Second Miss, Ying Chun's, face.

Upon closer inspection, one could see that although Yingchun's face held a smile, her eyes were filled with unwavering determination. Tanchun, being a bit older than Xichun, had only a vague understanding of such matters, but she also noticed something amiss. After a moment's thought, she offered her blessing: "In that case, Second Sister, please go quickly. I'm feeling sleepy right now, so Fourth Sister and I will head back first."

“Okay.” Yingchun nodded in agreement, bid farewell to her two younger sisters, took a deep breath, and headed towards the thatched cottage.

(End of this chapter)