Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 246 The Rumors of Chess Gambling and Tea Spilling Stir Up Again
Chen Siyuan stopped and turned to look at the Dripping Green Pavilion. He saw a beautiful couple sitting at the stone table, one in pale yellow and the other in emerald green. The pale yellow figure was of medium height and was the second young lady, Yingchun. The emerald green figure was tall and slender, and was smiling at him with her head tilted. She was his cousin, Xing Xiuyan.

The little maid, Zhuan'er, jumped up and down, shouting, "Master Yuan, come quick! Our young lady is about to lose again!"

Then, the head maid Siqi looked over here expectantly.

Chen Siyuan's heart skipped a beat. He turned around and stepped across the broken bridge. Xiuju quickly lifted the bamboo curtain and led Chen Siyuan into the Dripping Green Pavilion.

Inside, the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, and there was a small red clay stove from which steam rose from tea. Chen Siyuan greeted the two women with a smile: "Second sister, cousin."

Xing Xiuyan and Yingchun stood up to return the greeting, and the former then asked with a smile, "Cousin, where are you wandering off to?"

Siqi had already brought over a rattan chair. Chen Siyuan lifted his robe and sat down, smiling as he said, "I was bored with studying, so I came out to wander around. I wasn't thinking about going anywhere."

A quick glance revealed that Xing Xiuyan still wore the plum blossom hairpin that she herself had given her, and now she had a palace flower in the shape of an orchid in her hair... Was this a gift from Sister Bao? What a thoughtful touch.

Xing Xiuyan said reproachfully, "That's perfect, hurry up and take my place, I need to go change my clothes now."

Seeing the puzzled look on Chen Siyuan's face, the maid Zhuan'er said, "Our young lady and the second young lady are playing chess and drinking tea. If she loses a game, she has to drink three cups in a row. Now that the young lady has drunk a lot of tea, she should go change her clothes."

Chen Siyuan laughed heartily and said, "Betting on books and spilling tea, you two ladies have such refined tastes."

Xing Xiuyan had already stood up and said with a smile, "I don't know about your refined taste, but my stomach is really bloated. You and Second Sister go ahead, I'll be right back." With that, she led Zhuan'er away.

Watching Xing Xiuyan leave, Chen Siyuan felt a little strange, wondering if his cousin was being genuine or not. Why did it seem like she was trying to matchmake them?

As she pondered this, the maid Xiuju had already picked up the black and white pieces and put them into their respective boxes. The second young lady Yingchun smiled and said to her, "I was saying a few days ago that I was determined to learn from Brother Yuan. Just now, Sister Xing also said that Brother Yuan's chess skills... are always unconventional, which makes me even more curious. Today, I'll have to see for myself."

I don't know about her chess skills, but this unconventional approach... I suppose Qingwen must know something about it...

Chen Siyuan humbly replied, "Cousin, you flatter me too much. My chess style was only successful because it was novel; it doesn't count as a skill."

Yingchun laughed and said, "Words are no proof. I think we should settle this with a game of chess."

"Alright."

Chen Siyuan accepted, and after some polite refusals, he took the white pieces and made the first move. The game of Go was slightly different from Chen Siyuan's previous life; there was no komi (money points), and there were restrictions on where to place the stones. In his previous life, Chen Siyuan was just an ordinary enthusiast, but in this life, his playing style was novel and exciting.

Sure enough, after about ten moves, Chen Siyuan began to fight for the corners, but the second young lady Yingchun calmly set up a double swallow formation, and for a moment she couldn't guess Chen Siyuan's intention.

Seeing that the two were silently making moves, Siqi turned her head and gave Xiuju a wink. The two then quietly slipped out of the Dripping Green Pavilion, leaving the two of them to play chess alone.

Inside, incense smoke curled and tea steamed. When the game reached the middle stage, Yingchun suddenly realized that Chen Siyuan's earlier attempts to seize the edges and corners had actually resulted in him closing in on all sides and gaining many initiative moves.

Normally, Yingchun, who is used to hiding her talents, would probably have already conceded defeat. But times have changed. Since the second young lady is determined to compete, how could she give up so easily? As Chen Siyuan frowned and pondered while holding the black pieces, he took the opportunity to rest and secretly thought that Xing Xiuyan really had the intention to bring them together. Otherwise, why hadn't she made any moves yet?

His cousin, who was always detached from worldly affairs and rarely competed for anything, suddenly decided to play matchmaker... Moreover, Baochai had previously shown her goodwill by sending her palace flowers. Could it be that Xing Xiuyan had decided that her second cousin was a better match?
Feeling thirsty, he noticed that Siqi and Xiuju had both slipped out, so he got up, picked up the teapot, and poured tea for himself and the second young lady.

After a long pause, Yingchun placed a piece. Chen Siyuan responded casually, but after a few moves, the situation changed dramatically, leaving Chen Siyuan momentarily at a loss for what to do next.

Only then did Yingchun breathe a sigh of relief. She picked up the steaming teacup, the aroma of the tea mixed with the sandalwood fragrance making her oval face flushed, and a hint of smugness appeared in her eyes.

After a long pause, Chen Siyuan hesitated before making his move, but Yingchun quickly placed a piece, clearing out a corner of the area.

Chen Siyuan had no intention of getting entangled with Yingchun. In his heart, Baochai, who was more beautiful and of better character than the second young lady, was the first choice. Seeing that he could not change the situation, he simply smiled and conceded defeat: "I have lost. Second sister is indeed a master of chess and is good at using softness to overcome hardness. I am no match for second sister."

Yingchun replied, "It was just that Brother Yuan was letting me win. If Brother Yuan had been more careful just now, with the advantage of having the first move on the edge of the board, I might be the one to resign right now."

Chen Siyuan was getting a little impatient and was about to find an excuse to leave when Yingchun suddenly exclaimed in surprise, pointing at Chen Siyuan's sleeve and laughing, "Brother Yuan is so careless, you didn't even notice when your sleeve got a tear."

"Hmm?" Chen Siyuan rolled up his sleeve to look, and sure enough, he saw that there was a tear at the elbow.

Before he could say anything, Yingchun said, "These are fine clothes, we shouldn't ruin them. Brother Yuan, please wait a moment."

As they were talking, the second young lady got up and took out a needle and thread from the basket behind her.

Chen Siyuan noticed that there were still some bindings in the basket, and asked in surprise, "Second sister and cousin were doing needlework just now?"

Yingchun took the needlework and looked up with a smile, saying, "Playing chess, reading, and doing needlework—isn't that how all the young ladies in this mansion spend their lives?"

Yingchun pursed her lips slightly, then leaned in and sat down, her face flushed, and said, "Brother Yuan, bring me your sleeve, I'll mend it for you."

Chen Siyuan hesitated for a moment, then smiled and said, "Why bother Second Sister? I can find Hongyu myself later."

Yingchun said, "Who knows, this argument might escalate further in a little while... Brother Yuan, do you think my needlework is bad?"

Since she had said that, what else could Chen Siyuan say? He could only bow in thanks and hand over his sleeve.

Chen Siyuan placed his arm on the stone table, his sleeves spread out. Yingchun sat down to his side, straightened his sleeves, rubbed the embroidery needle on her hair, and then carefully sewed up the tear.

A gust of wind blew by, carrying away the scent of sandalwood and a faint fragrance of magnolia blossoms. Chen Siyuan thought to himself, "It must be the hair oil Yingchun used on her head?"

Looking down, Chen Siyuan noticed that his second sister, Yingchun, had blushed, but her needlework was incredibly steady. She had patched up half of the tear, and even though it was only a little over a foot away, Chen Siyuan couldn't see any trace of the repair.

After a while, Yingchun stopped sewing, lowered her head and bit off the silk thread with her pearly teeth, then raised her head and said with a smile, "It's done, Brother Yuan, do you think it's satisfactory?"

Upon seeing that there were indeed no traces of repair, Chen Siyuan exclaimed in genuine admiration, "Second Sister, you have excellent needlework skills!"

Yingchun smiled and said nothing else, but instead said, "Brother Yuan originally wanted to take a stroll because he was bored with reading, but you ended up playing a game of chess, so you must be even more annoyed now. I can't keep you here, Brother Yuan, why don't you go for another stroll?"

These words were exactly what Chen Siyuan wanted to hear, but he said, "Second sister, you're going too far. I'm just playing chess to clear my head after getting bored with studying." He glanced at the sky and added, "It's almost lunchtime, so I'll head back now. Please wait, second sister."

Yingchun smiled and agreed, then got up and escorted him to the Zhedai Bridge before stopping. Watching him walk away, the smile on her face vanished, and she turned away, her brows furrowed with worry.

How could she not see Chen Siyuan's subtle resistance?

Why the resistance? The second young lady, Yingchun, appeared dull on the surface, but was actually quite clever. After a moment's thought, she understood. Firstly, it was probably because of the eldest master; his insatiable greed would make anyone hesitate to marry such a person, lest they get into trouble. Secondly… she feared she was a step too late; perhaps her brother Yuan had already fallen deeply in love with Baochai!
Upon realizing this, the second young lady felt a sense of powerlessness—she had finally mustered the courage, only to be met with this predicament. Yingchun, in turn, felt increasingly resentful!

She pondered to herself, if the two had long been deeply in love, why did they keep it a secret? Yes, it's just that she might not be able to get past Aunt Xue! Aunt Xue was still hoping for a perfect match, and at this juncture, unless the second wife and the old lady explicitly refused, how could Aunt Xue be willing to accept it?

While she was pondering, the head maid Siqi saw Chen Siyuan off and hurried into the Dripping Green Pavilion. Her face, which had been smiling, changed drastically upon seeing Yingchun frowning in thought. She exclaimed, "Miss, weren't you perfectly fine just now? Why do you look like this—"

Yingchun shook her head and said, "I regret listening to you. If it had been a year earlier, I might not have had to worry about this."

Although Siqi was unaware of the situation, she immediately thought of the Xue family mother and daughter and said angrily, "It must be those good-for-nothings from the Xue family... Miss, I happen to know a few of the Xue family's shady dealings. Why don't we spread them around and see how they'll have the face to stay in the mansion then!"

Yingchun glanced at him and said reproachfully, "Then aren't you helping the Xue family?"

"Huh?" Siqi blinked, puzzled. Yingchun then said, "Instead of doing that, why don't you spread the word about Miss Bao's goodness?"

"What about the girl?" Siqi bit her lower lip, afraid that her daughter would back down again.

Yingchun breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "The current situation is like a game of chess where I only came in the middle stage. Although White has the initiative, the outcome is still uncertain. How could I give up so easily?"

Having said that, he got up and left, saying, "Come on, let's go see Sister Xing."

The second young lady was a woman of inner beauty; how could she not have seen through Xing Xiuyan's subtle attempt to bring them together?

Siqi hurriedly instructed Xiuju to tidy up the Dripping Green Pavilion, and followed behind Yingchun. After a moment's thought, she understood what the young lady meant. Yes! It was best not to talk about Aunt Xue's blackmail of Yuan'er. Rather than harming the Xue family, it would be better to facilitate a marriage between the golden and jade.

Once Miss Bao and Second Master Bao are engaged, Miss Bao will naturally stop competing with her own daughter for Yuan-ge'er!
Siqi smiled, took two quick steps, and whispered in her ear, "Don't worry, Miss, I'll talk to Grandma, Mother, and Second Aunt about this later, and I guarantee it'll cause quite a stir!"

Yingchun shook her head and said, "It's unnecessary and really not necessary—" The second young lady thought that the friendship between Brother Yuan was more important, and everything else was secondary.

"Don't worry about it, young lady, leave this to me."

Seeing that Siqi couldn't be spoken of, Yingchun stopped trying. She knew that Siqi was backed by her stepmother, Madam Xing, and how could she possibly control Siqi?

While pondering, she returned to Zhuijin Tower and bumped into Xing Xiuyan, who had changed her clothes and was walking down gracefully. Upon seeing Yingchun, Xing Xiuyan covered her mouth in surprise and said, "I was just about to go look for Second Sister, how come Second Sister has already returned? Where is Cousin?"

Yingchun carefully observed Xing Xiuyan, but for a moment she couldn't tell whether the girl was telling the truth or not, or what her intentions were.

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

Meanwhile, Chen Siyuan returned to the thatched cottage and bumped into the little maid Yunxiang, who was skipping and hopping back.

Seeing Chen Siyuan return with a frown and his hands behind his back, she was afraid of upsetting him, so she quickly moved closer and said, "Sir, sir, I heard from the old woman that we have guests in the east courtyard again!"

"Oh..." Chen Siyuan responded casually, thinking to himself that he had come to see Jia She at this time probably because of the latex business.

Unexpectedly, Yunxiang added, "I heard that the person who came is Lord Sun, who also had an old relationship with your household in the past."

Chen Siyuan snapped out of his daze and glanced at Yunxiang. Lord Sun? Could it be Sun Shaozu? He had just politely declined Yingchun's offer, and now Sun Shaozu was showing up at his door... Was he torturing his own conscience?
Seeing that he had come to his senses, Yunxiang secretly breathed a sigh of relief and then vividly described, "He came on horseback, with only one attendant. He looked tall and strong, and I heard that his family has a hereditary commander position."

There's no mistake, this person is Sun Shaozu!
Chen Siyuan was determined to make a decision and headed to the east courtyard. No matter how sweet-talking the man surnamed Sun was, he would ruin his plans... But then he thought, even without Sun Shaozu, with the master's insatiable nature, who knows if there wouldn't be a Wang Shaozu or a Li Shaozu in the future?

If the master were to push Yingchun over there, what would Baochai think in the future?

Well, Yingchun's marriage is still a few years away, so it's better to leave it for another day. Thinking this, he felt increasingly annoyed and couldn't help but think of Qingwen. Chen Siyuan waved Yunxiang away, returned to his thatched cottage in Qingtang, sat for a while, and then went to the new house.

Since it was only a two-street walk, Chen Siyuan didn't bother to borrow a carriage and instead walked. Just as he crossed the Qinfang Gate Bridge, he saw Ying'er talking to an old woman near the side hall of the Provincial Villa.

Upon seeing Chen Siyuan approaching, Ying'er quickly stopped talking and came over to greet him. Chen Siyuan smiled and said a few words before heading towards the back door. Unexpectedly, Ying'er stared at Chen Siyuan for a long while before stamping her foot and heading towards Hengwu Garden.

That day, Aunt Xue went to the old house for a short stay, and Baoyu was still being cared for in Madam Wang's room. Since Sister Bao had gone to Madam Wang's courtyard to inquire about him in the morning, she had some free time.

Daiyu had come to visit again, and the two chatted and laughed for a while. Baochai then asked about her relationship with Chen Siyuan. Seeing that Daiyu didn't seem to care, Baochai suddenly had an idea. Thinking that Daiyu hadn't yet come to her senses, she secretly slipped Daiyu a copy of "The Story of Yingying" before they parted, instructing her to read it privately and not let anyone else see it.

At this moment, Daiyu had already left with her book, looking puzzled. Baochai, recalling Daiyu's bewildered expression, couldn't help but chuckle to herself. She thought to herself, after all, Lin Daiyu was a member of the second branch of the family, so it wouldn't be good to be too distant with her. Just then, she saw Ying'er return hastily, her brows furrowed.

Baochai glanced at her sideways, frowned, and snapped, "What is it now?"

"Girl, this is incredible!" Ying'er whispered in her ear, which surprised Baochai.

Seeing Baochai looking over, Ying'er nodded solemnly and said, "Granny Zheng saw it clearly, there's no mistake. Miss, this time it's just a coincidence, but it can't be twice, right? I think it must be that Second Miss has other intentions!"

Baochai smiled dismissively and said, "Let her think whatever she wants, just ignore her."

She and Chen Siyuan are now secretly making vows of eternal love and are extremely intimate... they're just short of going public. Her second sister is inferior to her in both looks and character, and her husband is 'lacking in virtue' (meaning he's ill). Given the contrast, why would he abandon himself to marry her second sister?

Seeing that Baochai didn't seem to care at all, Ying'er became anxious and said, "Miss, you mustn't be careless and lose Jingzhou! Although you can't force a cow to drink water, if the master and mistress use some underhanded tricks, this matter could cause quite a stir!"

Upon hearing this, Baochai was immediately alarmed! Yes, the master was always greedy and acted without restraint; and the mistress always obeyed the master's orders. If she really did use some tricks, wouldn't she regret it too late?
She bit her lip, thinking about telling Chen Siyuan, but then she thought again, Chen Siyuan is always thorough and careful, how could he fall into the master's trap for no reason?
Feeling a little relieved, Baochai glanced at her sideways and said, "Don't believe everything you hear. Just listen to the rumors, and I'll take care of the rest."

Ying'er nodded obediently, not daring to say anything more.

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

On the other hand, the second young lady, Yingchun, had not gotten any information from Xing Xiuyan. She knew that Xing Xiuyan was a free spirit and a meticulous person. Even if she wanted to matchmake, she would do so gently and without causing any trouble. Therefore, she decided not to inquire further.

In the afternoon, Tan Chun's maid, Shi Shu, came to invite Ying Chun, and Ying Chun led her maid to Qiu Shuang Zhai.

After playing around for a while, the little girl Xichun suddenly said, "I heard that Second Sister played chess with Brother Yuan at the Dripping Green Pavilion today?"

Yingchun laughed and said, "Sister Xing lost the chess game and drank a lot of tea. She was in a hurry to change her clothes, so she grabbed Brother Yuan to be her conscript."

Xichun, being younger, didn't have such thoughts yet, so she asked with a smile, "Did Second Sister win, or did Brother Yuan win?"

Yingchun said, "I was lucky to win a move... but Brother Yuan's chess style is novel and thought-provoking..." It's like a gazelle hanging its horns, not the behavior of a gentleman.

While Xichun asked questions enthusiastically, the third young lady, Tanchun, had a different idea. After the two had been talking for a while, she leaned over and whispered, "I think Brother Yuan and Second Sister are about the same age, and they are cousins. With the First Madam already trying to match them up, why not arrange a marriage between relatives?"

The second daughter blushed immediately and said, "Mother was just mentioning it casually, so Third Sister shouldn't keep bringing it up."

Tan Chun smiled and said, "I see that the First Madam is speaking seriously, it doesn't seem like she just mentioned it casually."

Upon hearing this, Xichun blinked, feeling a pang of sadness for some reason. However, being still naive, she quickly smiled and clasped her hands together, saying, "That's good, that's good. If Second Sister and Brother Yuan get together, won't Brother Yuan become Second Sister's husband in the future?"

The second young lady's shyness faded, and she frowned with difficulty: "But... I really don't know how to deal with him."

These unmarried women, who have never associated with men, would never know how to talk about love between men and women.
Tan Chun knew that the eldest master was unreliable, and the words of the eldest mistress... were probably not reliable either. Seeing that her second sister was indeed interested, she whispered, "Why are you so worried, second sister? I'll find some books later, and you can just copy them."

As she spoke, she got up and went to the study. She returned a moment later with a book in her hand. Xichun leaned over to look at it, but Tanchun pressed her head down and pushed her aside, scolding, "Fourth Sister is still young, she shouldn't look at such a book."

Xi Chun pouted, looking displeased, and said, "You won't even let me glance at it? Is it some kind of treasure?"

Tan Chun said, "It's not really a treasure... This book was lent to me by Brother Bao. If word gets out, it might cause some trouble."

After saying this, he quietly handed it to Yingchun. Yingchun took it and glanced at it, and saw that the title on the cover was: "One Hundred Yuan Dynasty Songs".

The second young lady was immediately shocked, her face flushed, and she said, "This, Brother Bao, what's wrong—"

Tan Chun quickly raised her index finger to shush, looked around, and said, "Second Sister, are you trying to harm me?"

The second young lady quickly tucked the book into her sleeve, frowning as she said, "This kind of book is really improper..."

Tan Chun then looked over teasingly, and the second young lady was immediately speechless... Yes, when has Brother Bao ever been serious? It's normal for him to be flipping through books like this.

Tan Chun muttered to herself, "Although the contents of the book are not in accordance with etiquette, Second Sister might as well take the essence and discard the dross. Who knows, it might be of great use."

Yingchun thought to herself that since her brother Yuan was now showing signs of rejection towards her, and she didn't want to give up, she had no choice but to take a gamble.
Yingchun tightened her grip on the handkerchief and nodded slightly, saying in a low voice, "Alright, I'll just sneak a peek... and return it in a few days."

Tan Chun smiled and said, "No rush, Brother Bao will not be out for another twenty days or so. Second Sister can return him to me in the middle of next month."

The three sisters talked for a long time. The second and third sisters were very enthusiastic, while the fourth sister, Xichun, held her face and felt depressed, but she didn't know why she was depressed.

As dinner time approached and the three sisters dispersed, Yingchun naturally returned to Zhuijin Tower for her meal. The head maid, Siqi, took the opportunity to ask for leave, leaving only Xiuju to look after Yingchun, while she herself went downstairs to the east courtyard.

She was already taller than most men, and extremely voluptuous. At this moment, she was seething with hatred for the Xue family's actions, her face frosty, and her every step exuded an imposing aura. Not only the maids and servants in the garden, but even the servants and young men outside would give her a wide berth.

One careless servant muttered something under his breath, but Siqi overheard him and glared at him, instantly frightening the servant into silence.

As they entered through the black gate, they saw the manager politely escorting out a burly man in his thirties.

Siqi ignored the man and walked past Jia She's outer study with her head held high. Unexpectedly, the man stopped and turned around at the black lacquered gate, raising his chin and saying, "The maids in your mansion... are quite unique."

The steward chuckled, “Lord Sun, you don’t know, that’s Siqi, our second young lady’s head maid… She looked quite ordinary a few years ago, but who knew she would grow so tall in the last three years, becoming a full-grown beauty!”

Sun Shaozu laughed heartily and said nothing more. He rode out of the black-lacquered gate, bowed, and left, but his heart was filled with an unbearable itch. His family had military officers, and in recent years, with his parents gone and no longer under his control, he had become increasingly restless at night without women.

But how could an ordinary woman endure such torment? She would beg for mercy after only a short while, and he had no choice but to change partners several times before he could relieve his pent-up desire.

So he had long thought to himself that if he found a woman with a strong physique, she would be a worthy opponent for him.
As luck would have it, he bumped into Siqi. Sun Shaozu was itching to get close to her, but knowing he dared not offend Jia She, he had no choice but to suppress his desires for the time being.

Leaving aside Sun Shaozu, Siqi entered through the three ceremonial gates and soon entered the main room.

It was dinnertime, and Madam Xing was eating, with several concubines serving her in the courtyard. Siqi stepped forward to greet them, then found her maternal grandmother, Wang Shanbao's wife, and stood behind her.

After exchanging glances and whispering among themselves, Wang Shanbao's wife made up her mind.

A moment later, Cuiyun and Jiaohong started arguing again over trivial matters. Madam Xing said impatiently, "You don't need to set any rules. Go back to your own places and let me have a proper meal."

The three concubines and Qiutong bowed their heads and withdrew. Before leaving, Jiaohong and Cuiyun exchanged glances and smiled knowingly.

As soon as they left, Wang Shanbao's wife stepped forward and said, "Madam, those two little hussies were putting on a show for you!"

Madam Xing sneered, "I know what those two vixens are up to. The moment they open their mouths, all their 'good-for-nothings' are exposed. Ha, I'm just too lazy to bother with them now."

Baochai gave up on Baoyu, stopped taking the Cold Fragrance Pills, and instead took a liking to Chen Siyuan; the taciturn Second Miss decided to stop hiding her talents and go all out. All these changes were because of Chen Siyuan, so how could Madam Xing remain unchanged?
Although she still has the same naive and simple nature, her horizons have broadened.

With her two previous ventures in maritime trade, along with her herbal medicine shop and now her latex business, Madam Xing has made a fortune. Not only did she answer the question about Xing Sanjie's marriage, but she is now also starting to save money for Xing Dequan's wedding.

Her current thought was to secure Chen Siyuan's affections, persuade the master to stay overnight in another room, and then marry her second daughter off to the thief. That would be the perfect ending to her life. Why would she bother with a few lowly hussies?
When Wang Shanbao's wife's instigation failed, she immediately flattered her, saying, "It's only because the madam is so tolerant. If it were the second wife, those little hussies would probably have been kicked out long ago."

Madam Xing laughed and said, "Those girls' intentions are obvious. If we kick them out, the master might take a few more concubines later, which would be even more difficult to deal with." After saying that, she suddenly noticed Siqi and asked, "Is something wrong with your young lady?"

Siqi quickly stepped forward and curtsied. Before she could speak, Wang Shanbao's wife said, "My granddaughter has come to congratulate the First Madam."

"Why are you so happy?"

Siqi then said, "Last time, our young lady went to Qingtang Thatched Cottage and borrowed a manuscript from Master Yuan; coincidentally, today, the young lady and Miss Xing were playing chess at Dicui Pavilion when they saw Master Yuan strolling by. Miss Xing needed to change her clothes, so she asked Master Yuan to play chess for her..."

Siqi gave a brief explanation, and Madam Xing's face lit up with joy. She laughed and said, "Really? Heaven have mercy, my daughter has really improved."

Wang Shanbao's old hag said, "The second young lady is indecisive and has always been obedient. How could she dare to disobey the madam?"

Siqi nodded in agreement, but Wang Shanbao's wife suddenly changed the subject, saying, "However... there is a difficult matter now."

Madam Xing glanced over and saw that the old man looked like he wanted to say something but didn't, so she waved her hand and sent the bystanders away.

Only then did Siqi step forward and whisper about the Xue family girl.

Madam Xing felt a chill run down her spine, because Chen Siyuan had mentioned Baochai earlier that morning, and now that she thought about it, it was possible that the two of them had been in contact in private for some time.

If Baochai marries the thief, wouldn't she be won over by the second wife's side?

Madam Xing knew she couldn't defeat the second wife's family, and she wouldn't need to do anything else; the thief could simply stand by and watch, and Madam Xing would be left helpless. But how could that be? Madam Xing immediately frowned, troubled.

After waiting for a while, Wang Shanbao's wife offered a suggestion: "Madam, I think we should do the opposite... If we can bring about a perfect match, how can Miss Xue stop Second Miss and Yuan-ge'er?"

"Hmm? That's it!" Madam Xing exclaimed in realization, clasping her hands together and laughing, "It's kind of you to come up with the idea of ​​delaying payment, let's do it this way!"

Wang Shanbao's wife became even more smug and said with a smile, "Madam, rest assured to leave it to me. I will definitely handle this matter perfectly!"

Madam Xing was delighted and said, "Good, if you do a good job, you will be rewarded handsomely in the future."

Wang Shanbao's wife happily accepted the order and hurriedly took Siqi to leave.

Wang Shanbao's wife was Madam Xing's wet nurse, so she was a member of the Xing family, but her son-in-law was an old servant of the Jia family.

Both the son-in-law and his brother were working in the outer courtyards. Qin Xian's wife was currently in charge of the east gate of the Grand View Garden, while Qin Yu's wife was still working in the east wing. The Qin family had many relatives and friends by marriage. Wang Shanbao's wife, through her persuasive words, first convinced Siqi's mother, Qin Yu's wife, and then quickly persuaded her sister-in-law, Qin Xian's wife. In just one day, she had won over many old women, and thus, the talk of the "golden and jade marriage" arose again...

The next day, Baochai was sitting idly in Hengwu Garden when she suddenly saw Ying'er returning in a huff.

Baochai asked in surprise, "What's wrong now?"

Ying'er pouted, feeling wronged, and said, "Miss, I don't know why, but everyone outside is talking about a perfect match. They say that Miaoyu has asked the Empress for permission, and they're just waiting for Master Bao to recover before they get engaged!"

It's no wonder Ying'er was furious. The rumor of the "golden and jade marriage" was first spread by the Xue family, and now that the rumors were circulating again, Ying'er, knowing Baochai's intentions, had already abandoned the "golden and jade marriage" and was determined to go to the Chen family. Hearing the old woman gossiping about this so-called "golden and jade marriage," she was so angry that she couldn't argue back, so she angrily returned to complain.

Baochai was slightly taken aback, then frowned deeply, thinking to herself, "Could it be that Mother has given money to those lazy old women again?"
(End of this chapter)