Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 254 Change of Fortune
Now, Chen Siyuan had stayed at his new residence for several days, and today he finally returned to the Rongguo Mansion. As soon as he entered the Qingtang thatched cottage, Xiangling, Hongyu, Wu'er, Yunxiang and others came to greet him.

Liu Wu'er glanced at Chen Siyuan and felt that her master's demeanor was becoming more refined and composed, just like those scholars who had served as officials for more than ten years. She couldn't help but feel happy.

Chen Siyuan answered the questions of several maids with a smile and went inside. After sitting down, he took the tea that Hongyu handed him and then asked about the situation in the mansion these past few days.

Hongyu then said, "Yesterday afternoon, the master sent Chunxi to inquire again. What other news could there be? Oh, right, this morning a eunuch named Xia came from the palace to bestow many gifts on behalf of the Empress. Even the master received a share. I also heard that the Empress has given instructions to go to Qingxu Temple on the first day of next month to hold a three-day peace ritual."

Chen Siyuan frowned upon hearing this. What kind of peaceful ritual was this? After asking a few more questions, Hongyu also had no idea what the reason was.

Chen Siyuan put the matter aside for the time being, and then saw Liu Wu'er reading a book in the study. He thought the girl was reading a romance novel, but when he glanced at it, he found that it was Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Chen Siyuan recalled the past few days and immediately said with a stern face: "This book... just read it and that's fine. Putting aside everything else, just take the story of the Three Heroes fighting Lü Bu. No matter how mighty Lü Bu is, how could he possibly withstand a war of attrition?"

Seeing Chen Siyuan's 'sympathetic' expression, Liu Wu'er felt that her master wasn't talking about books, but something else entirely.

Just then, Yu Chuan came from outside to deliver a message: "Is Master Yuan here? Our lady wants to speak with Master Yuan about something."

"Is Madam Wang looking for me?" Chen Siyuan first responded, then calmly began to ponder. He moved into the new house partly to teach Madam Xing a lesson, and partly... to prevent the eldest master, Jia She, from owing money and then actually proposing marriage in person.

Should Chen Siyuan agree or not? If he agrees, how will he explain it to Baochai? If he doesn't agree, it will be like breaking ties with the master, and how can Chen Siyuan continue to live in the Rongguo Mansion?

Unexpectedly, the second young lady asked the old lady to intervene and stop the matter. Moreover, the eldest master, Jia She, not only did not lose money on his trip to Tianjin, but actually made a profit.

Chen Siyuan, unaware of Tan Chun's communication, assumed the decision was made by the Second Miss herself, and thus held her in even higher regard. Had he not already fallen for Baochai, Chen Siyuan might have readily agreed to the marriage.

Logically speaking, Lady Wang should approve of my relationship with Baochai, so why is she coming to see me now... to curry favor?

With these thoughts in mind, Chen Si left the thatched cottage and followed Yu Chuan'er out of the Grand View Garden. However, after searching for a while without finding anything, he had no choice but to wander around and enter Madam Wang's main room.

When Madam Wang saw Chen Siyuan enter, she stood up and said with a smile, "Brother Yuan, you've been living quite comfortably, hiding away for several days."

Chen Siyuan said with a wry smile, "This junior really doesn't know how to deal with this, so I can only resort to the thirty-six stratagems and run away."

Madam Wang smiled and nodded, gesturing for Chen Siyuan to sit down. After Jin Chuan served him fragrant tea, she asked, "What happened to the Second Miss the other day... does Yuan-ge know about it?"

Chen Siyuan nodded and said, "That is precisely why I dared to return to the manor today."

Madam Wang then smiled and said, "If that's the case, why hasn't Yuan-ge'er come to thank me?"

Chen Siyuan was taken aback and said, "Could it be Madam—"

Madam Wang nodded smugly, then whispered the whole story to Chen Siyuan. Chen Siyuan was astonished; it turned out that besides Madam Wang and Aunt Xue, Tan Chun was also involved!
Was the second daughter, Yingchun, truly clever or simply dense? Or did she harbor suicidal thoughts because of this incident?
Chen Siyuan was unaware of the situation at the moment. Seeing that Madam Wang had finished speaking, he quickly stood up and bowed, saying, "Thank you for protecting me, Madam. Otherwise, I really wouldn't know how to deal with it."

Lady Wang sighed, “You and Bao’er look so well-matched, how can I just stand by and watch you break up? Besides… this time my sister is getting anxious too, who knows, Yuan’er and Baochai might be getting married soon.”

Chen Siyuan smiled and repeatedly clasped his hands in greeting, saying, "Thanks to your wife's good fortune."

Madam Wang laughed for a while, then changed the subject and said, "There's only one problem: if my wretched child finds out, I'm afraid he'll cause trouble again. I really don't know how to deal with it, so after thinking it over, I asked Yuan-ge for advice."

Madam Wang intervened on his behalf, and Chen Siyuan naturally felt indebted. So he smiled and said, "This is easy... Since the saying of a perfect match is still circulating in the mansion, Madam, just ask Brother Bao about it tomorrow. After a few times, even if Brother Bao finds out about this, he will have nothing to say."

That perfect match was something Baoyu himself didn't want, so who can he blame?
Madam Wang pondered it carefully, and realized that this was indeed the point. She immediately smiled and said, "Yes, Yuan-ge'er's idea is ingenious; why didn't I think of it?"

Just then, an old woman rushed back and forth from the outer room: "Disaster! Master Bao has jumped into the water and committed suicide!"

"Ah?" Madam Wang was so shocked that she dropped her eighteenth child and got up to hurry away. But she got up too quickly, and her heart was filled with anxiety and her blood was rushing to her head. She only took two steps before stopping, clutching her head, and swaying unsteadily.

Jin Chuan'er, who was standing nearby, called out "Madam" and tried to step forward, but she was too far away to reach her. Chen Siyuan happened to be nearby, so he had to quickly get up and support Madam Wang's arm to steady her.

At this moment, the door opened, and Yu Chuan'er led a garden maid into the room. She called out "Madam," and seeing Chen Siyuan helping Madam Wang to sit down again, she suddenly didn't know whether she should say anything or not.

After sitting down, Madam Wang calmed down a bit and regained some of her composure. She hurriedly asked, "Baoyu, how is Baoyu?"

The old woman said, "I don't know how, but Master Bao jumped into the water. Luckily, the water was shallow near Qinfang Pavilion, and everyone worked together to pull Master Bao out. But then Master Bao's eyes rolled back and he fainted!"

Upon hearing this, Madam Wang, who hadn't yet exhaled, felt her heart tighten again... This was because Baoyu and Fengjie had just been poisoned, and Madam Wang, unaware of the previous incident, feared that the villain would try to poison them again. She immediately stood up in alarm and cried out, "Quick, quick, help me to see!"

This time, Chen Siyuan didn't need to help; Jin Chuan'er and Yu Chuan'er, the sisters, were there to support Madam Wang. Now that Chen Siyuan knew, he couldn't hide, so he had no choice but to follow Madam Wang into the garden.

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

Rongqing Hall.

The head maid, Yuanyang, took the tray from Ping'er's hands, turned around, and presented it to the soft couch with a smile. Grandmother Jia smiled and glanced at it, and saw that inside were two fine palace fans, two strings of red musk beads, two pieces of phoenix tail silk, a hibiscus mat, a fragrant ruyi, and an agate pillow.

After glancing at her, Grandmother Jia nodded and smiled without hesitation, "Good, good, Your Majesty is so kind." She then looked up at Jia She and said, "Since we have received Your Majesty's favor, we should also do our part in return."

Jia She stroked his beard and smiled, "Mother, rest assured, the tribute will be sent to the palace before the fifteenth of next month."

The concubines in the palace had their own allowances, and the fact that Yuan Chun was able to bestow these items upon them clearly indicates that she used money to purchase them herself from the Imperial Workshop.

Under the Da Shun system, each concubine in the palace received a stipend. For example, Yuan Chun, according to the rules, received 800 taels of silver annually, along with 2 bolts of python silk, 2 bolts of brocade, 4 bolts of cloud silk, and countless other gifts. In addition, she received additional rewards on festivals such as the Thousand Autumns Festival and the Emperor's Birthday. All these stipends amounted to just over 5,000 taels a year.

Aside from food, clothing, and daily necessities, she also had to interact with concubines and noblewomen, so she naturally lived a very frugal life. When she was a lady-in-waiting, she needed financial assistance from the Rongguo Mansion. Now that she has become a virtuous consort, she probably needs even more financial assistance than before.

Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia nodded again and said, "We can't let the Empress down. Now we're just hoping that the Empress will be promoted to Imperial Concubine, then the family will have a good life."

Feng Jie joked from below the hall, "The old lady is a blessed person. Since she said that the Empress will be promoted to Imperial Concubine in the future, I think this matter will definitely come true. Oh my, who knows, I might also be the wife of the Emperor's brother-in-law in the future."

Grandmother Jia laughed heartily and said, "What a shameless scoundrel! He only thinks about benefiting himself."

After a moment of laughter, Fengjie led Ping'er off to attend to official business, leaving Jia Mu behind to speak with Jia She. Once everyone had left, Jia Mu's expression changed instantly, and she asked in a deep voice, "What exactly happened to Your Highness? Why is she suddenly holding a peace-bringing ceremony? Did that eunuch Xia say anything?"

Jia She shook his head and said, "I asked around a bit, but that eunuch Xia didn't respond at all. However, His Majesty is currently hunting at Iron Net Mountain and hasn't returned yet, so all the palace affairs have been handed over to Your Majesty... Mother, you know that the palace is always a murky place... I suppose Your Majesty has offended someone?"

Grandmother Jia shook her head, completely disbelieving Jia She's speculation, and said only, "It's only a few days away anyway. After the peace ceremony, let Madam go to the palace to inquire. Otherwise, I really can't put my mind at ease."

Jia She readily agreed, said a few more words, and then took his leave.

Suddenly, an old woman rushed back and forth: "It's terrible! Master Bao has jumped into the water!"

"Ah?" Grandmother Jia was so startled that she hurriedly got up.

Jia She, who was listening from the side, frowned and scolded, "Tell me in detail!"

The old woman took a few deep breaths before she could explain in detail how Baoyu had fallen into the water and fainted.

Upon learning that Baoyu had only fainted and had not choked on water, Grandmother Jia was slightly relieved, but she quickly had her maid help her to the Grand View Garden at the back.

Since the master knew about this, he couldn't very well hide back in the east wing, so he had no choice but to come with the old lady.

A short while later, just as Grandmother Jia and the eldest master passed the large, painted screen wall, they bumped into Lady Wang and Chen Siyuan. After passing through the side gate, they saw Sister Feng and Ping'er hurrying towards the garden.

Everyone was too busy to see each other, but Jia She gave Chen Siyuan a meaningful glance, which left Chen Siyuan feeling puzzled.

Lady Wang and Grandmother Jia cried out "My son!" and "Baoyu!" as they rushed into the garden. When they turned past the green hills, they saw that the Qinfang Pavilion was already crowded with maids and servants.

Sister Feng arrived first, panting, and immediately ordered, "Everyone, get out of the way and gather around. Brother Bao might not be able to breathe properly."

Pushing through the crowd to enter, they saw Xiren and Sheyue each holding Baoyu on either side. Fengjie glanced at Xiren, who simply shook her head, and Fengjie immediately breathed a sigh of relief. She then turned to Ping'er and instructed, "Quickly, go and fetch the imperial physician!"

Ping'er agreed and turned to leave.

a moment
As the cries grew closer, the old woman who had been watching the commotion saw that the old lady and her wife had arrived and immediately retreated to a distance to observe.

Lady Wang pushed aside Jin Chuan and threw herself onto Bao Yu, crying, "My son—"

The old lady, leaning on her dragon-headed cane, stomped her feet repeatedly. Hearing from Sister Feng that her life was not in danger, she breathed a sigh of relief but became even more annoyed, saying, "She was just getting better, how come she's fallen ill again?"

One of the gossipy old women said, "Master Bao went to Hengwu Garden and then drowned himself on his way back."

The old woman from Hengwu Garden was also there and immediately retorted, "Master Bao barged straight into the room. The old lady knows that it's very hot right now, and our young lady is dressed lightly. Ying'er only tried to stop him, and then she got a kick to the stomach from Master Bao. After that, she argued with our young lady, and then this happened..."

Another said, "It was because our young lady was worried that she sent us to follow Master Bao, which is how we discovered it in time."

Chen Siyuan, who was listening intently, thought to himself, "Baoyu went to find Baochai without any regard for the consequences, so he must know about my affair with Sister Bao. But who leaked the news?"
Upon closer inspection, Chen Siyuan noticed that Baoyu's eyes were tightly closed and his breathing was even... Was he so angry that he was having another fit of delirium? Chen Siyuan's mind raced, and he quickly stepped forward and said, "Brother Bao, since you haven't choked on water, why don't you try pinching your philtrum? Perhaps this isn't just hysteria?"

As he spoke, he gave Xiren a look. Xiren steeled herself, reached out and pinched Baoyu's philtrum. With a little force, Baoyu opened his eyes with a soft "hmm".

Sister Feng was overjoyed and exclaimed, "He's awake! He's awake! Thank goodness! He seems to be alright. Let's carry him back to Yihong Courtyard first."

Suddenly, Madam Wang raised her hand and said, "Silence!"

A hush fell over the surroundings, and then Baoyu, with his eyes glazed over, muttered to himself, "My sisters and younger sisters have all left me. What's the point of me living? You... please let me go. I'll never come to your house again."

Upon hearing this, Madam Wang immediately covered her mouth and wept. The old lady's eyes also reddened with anxiety. She stamped her foot and said, "Whose nonsense have you been listening to? All the girls in the garden are fine. Which one has left you?"

Just then, Ping'er called out from outside, "Make way, Physician Wang is here!"

The crowd parted to the left and right, and Physician Wang hurriedly stepped forward. He first examined Baoyu's eyelids and then took his pulse, immediately understanding the situation. He stood up, bowed to Grandmother Jia, and said, "Grandmother, Second Master Bao's liver and spleen were merely damaged by temporary anger and worry. He will be fine after taking two doses of medicine. However, his emotions... need to be carefully managed, otherwise it may become a chronic illness in the future."

Grandmother Jia thanked Physician Wang and instructed Yuanyang to examine and reward him. She then hurriedly ordered the maids and servants to carry Baoyu back to Yihong Courtyard.

Chen Siyuan and Jia She followed along, but they didn't even enter the room, only waiting in the outer room. After a while, the three sisters, Xiangyun, Daiyu, Baochai, and Xing Xiuyan arrived one after another, all listening to the commotion outside the room.

Chen Siyuan exchanged a glance with Baochai, who pouted in annoyance and gestured to the side. Chen Siyuan turned his head and saw his second sister Yingchun with her head bowed, while Siqi and Xiuju looked resentful beside her.

Was it just my imagination? Why did I feel like the second young lady had been staring at me the whole time?

After a short while, the head maid Yuanyang came out and said, "The old lady said that Master Bao needs to rest quietly. It won't be too late for the young ladies to come and visit him after he has recovered."

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Siyuan was about to confront Baochai when Jia She stopped him. After walking for a while, Jia She said, "Brother Yuan, you don't know, on my way back I was thinking of betrothing Yingchun to you... but as soon as I got back to the manor, the old lady summoned me and said she wanted to keep Yingchun for two more years. Alas, what can I do?"

Chen Siyuan thought to himself, "Is this master just used to making empty promises?"

Then Jia She said, "But don't be in a hurry. It'll only be two years, and it'll be over in a flash. Come to the east wing tomorrow; I have something important to discuss with you."

"

Chen Siyuan gave a vague reply, and Jia She, thinking him obedient, left smugly. But when Chen Siyuan turned around, Baochai was nowhere to be seen.

After frowning and thinking for a while... If Grandmother Jia openly offended Sister Bao, then Aunt Xue and Sister Bao would probably have no face to stay in the Rongguo Mansion. Would that be a good thing? However, the Jia family owes the Xue family money. Given Grandmother Jia's shrewd and experienced nature, she probably wouldn't dare to offend the Xue family easily.

After much thought, it seemed that everything remained the same afterward, except that Baoyu was distracted and nothing else had happened. Since that was the case, why should he meddle? Of course, he might have to go and comfort Baochai that night. Having considered everything clearly, Chen Siyuan didn't go looking for Baochai, but turned and headed straight back to the thatched cottage. But after only a few steps, he heard someone calling from behind, "Brother Yuan!"

Chen Siyuan turned his head and saw Aunt Xue rushing over.

Upon approaching, the two women met face to face. Aunt Xue asked in a flustered manner, "What exactly happened? I heard that Baoyu went to Hengwu Garden... and then something bad happened again?"

Chen Siyuan glanced behind him, and Aunt Xue understood, turning to look at Tongxi and Tonggui. Without being told, the two maids obediently stepped back a few paces.

When Aunt Xue turned around, Chen Siyuan lowered his voice and said, "I don't know the reason either... I suppose Baoyu knows something."

Aunt Xue's expression immediately turned strange, and the words seemed to be squeezed out from between her teeth as she said, "This time, it's finally what you wanted!"

Chen Siyuan pretended to be confused, feigning a frown and saying, "What are you saying? If you hadn't found a wife, I would have been eager to marry Second Sister... After all, she is the daughter of a noble family, which is more prestigious than the daughter of a royal merchant, isn't it?"

"You—" Aunt Xue was so angry that she gritted her teeth before saying, "I'll go to Yihong Courtyard first. Tomorrow you... go to Da Gezi Alley."

Chen Siyuan's face immediately lit up with amusement, and he said with a smile, "So you've been thinking about it too... I haven't been back for the past few days, and I'm not worried about anything else, except seeing you."

Aunt Xue blushed immediately and spat, "Stop talking nonsense... we're still in the manor."

Chen Siyuan said in a low voice, "Okay, I'll go at noon tomorrow."

Aunt Xue hastily agreed, turned around and called Tongxi and Tonggui, then quickly headed towards Yihong Courtyard.

Aunt Xue entered Yihong Courtyard shortly afterward, where Lady Wang greeted her and exchanged a few words with her. Although Lady Wang still did not know the specific reason, her words implied that she blamed Baochai, which made Aunt Xue anxious. She quickly bid farewell to Lady Wang and went to Hengwu Garden.

Upon entering the room, they saw the maid Wenxing serving Ying'er her medicine, which Ying'er coughed after every bite. Baochai greeted Aunt Xue, but her face was ashen.

Aunt Xue blinked and quickly asked, "My child, what exactly happened just now?"

Baochai said coldly, "What else can we do? Mother knows perfectly well that man is a good-for-nothing; once he loses his temper, he doesn't care about anything. I don't know where he heard the news, but he barged in demanding to confront me. I was disheveled at the time, and Ying'er only tried to stop him, but he kicked her so hard she coughed up blood! And then—"

It was inappropriate to say these things in front of the maids and servants, so Sister Bao pulled Aunt Xue into a side room and whispered them to her.

Aunt Xue's brows twitched as she listened, and she couldn't help but say, "If I had known he was such a scoundrel, I shouldn't have agreed to your aunt's request back then." She sighed and said, "Well, my child, I'm afraid we can't stay in the Jia family any longer. We might have to move back to the old house soon."

Upon hearing this, Baochai laughed and said, "Mother is probably mistaken. This time, not only will we not have to leave, but the old lady might even have to ask us for help."

"Huh?" Aunt Xue was stunned for a moment, not understanding the reason behind it.

Sister Bao smiled and said, "Times change, and circumstances can change like this." She then whispered something to Aunt Xue, who immediately relaxed her brows and exclaimed, "So that's how it is! I hadn't thought of that at all!"

Then he turned to Baochai and said, "My child, the Xue family will probably need your help in the future. You know your brother is a scoundrel."

Baochai said calmly, "Even if Mother didn't tell me, I would have done it." She paused, then added, "I think Brother Yuan's plan was excellent."

Aunt Xue felt a pang of unease, but couldn't quite put her finger on why...

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

Yihongyuan.

Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang stayed by the bedside for a while. Then, Xiren brought in some medicine. Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang coaxed and persuaded Baoyu to drink the medicine.

Perhaps the medicinal soup had a calming effect, because Baoyu soon fell into a drowsy sleep.

Previously, Lady Wang had not been idle either; she had sent Feng Jie to search around and find out why Bao Yu had gone mad again.

Sister Feng went all out, thoroughly investigating the events in Hengwu Garden and uncovering the whole story. Not only that, but Qin Yu's wife was also brought before them.

After Sister Feng returned to Madam Wang, she said, "Take some people to the east wing and ask the First Madam for an explanation." Since Qin Yu's family was from the east wing, Sister Feng said, "Take some people to the east wing and ask the First Madam for an explanation."

Sister Feng agreed, and then carried the dejected Qin Yu's wife to the east courtyard.

Turning to her mother, Lady Wang explained everything clearly to Grandmother Jia. After a moment's thought, Grandmother Jia understood the whole story.

It was only a few sarcastic remarks from Qin Yu's family that provoked Baoyu to confront them at Hengwu Garden. In his haste, he barged in, hitting an old woman and kicking a maid, which naturally angered Baochai.

The two exchanged a few words that were not to each other, so Baochai simply told the truth, which led Baoyu to have a moment of despair and drown himself.

"What a tragedy!" Grandmother Jia wanted to complain to Baochai, but the matter had already been made public, and she herself had given her approval.

Besides, it's the height of summer now, and all the girls are dressed lightly. How can we let Baoyu wander around like that?
Then she remembered that she still owed the Xue family money that she hadn't repaid, and that Baochai and Chen Siyuan had become a couple, and that she would never mention that damned "golden and jade marriage" again. This left Grandmother Jia at a loss as to how to blame the Xue family mother and daughter.

Lady Wang chimed in, "I just asked Yuan-ge'er how to change Bao-yu's mind. Yuan-ge'er did come up with a good idea, but who knew that someone would blurt it out to Bao-yu right away."

She paused, then continued, “Grandma probably doesn’t know, but over the past year, Baoyu and Baochai have grown increasingly distant. Baochai is ambitious, while Baoyu is lazy. Their personalities are so different, how can they possibly be together? This current situation is just temporary… If you don’t believe me, when you ask Baoyu later whether he will marry Baochai, I’m afraid he will definitely refuse.”

Grandmother Jia then tentatively suggested, "What should we do now...? Perhaps we could have Bao-ya move out first? Out of sight, out of mind, and we can bring her back once Bao-yu recovers?"

Madam Wang immediately remembered the money she owed the Xue family, and her face hardened as she said, "No, no, this is kicking them out! If outsiders find out, who knows what they'll say about our family."

"That--"

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were at a loss for what to do. Xiren had just tucked the blanket around Baoyu when she heard this. Her eyes lit up, and she came over and said, "Grandma, Madam, may I say something?"

Grandmother Jia said, "If you have any ideas, just tell me."

Xiren curtsied and then said in a low voice, "What Madam said is true. Second Master is just in a moment of panic and can't accept it. I think it would be better to deal with it slowly."

"How should we proceed gradually?" Grandmother Jia asked.

Xiren laughed and said, "Why don't we invite Miss Bao over and just say that what I said earlier was just said in anger? I think even if Master Yuan and Miss Bao were to get married, it's not something that can be done right now, is it?"

Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang exchanged a glance and immediately realized that this plan was feasible.

Grandmother Jia was unaware that Xiren had already pledged allegiance to Lady Wang. She immediately grabbed Xiren's hand and laughed, "Good, good, good. I knew you were a thoughtful and meticulous person, which is why I sent you to guard Baoyu. It's clear that my efforts haven't been in vain."

Xiren smiled and said a few humble words before quickly retreating, leaving the old lady and the mistress to argue.

With that idea in mind, the remaining task was to figure out how to hire people.

The old lady naturally refused to go, so after some discussion, Madam Wang had no choice but to reluctantly agree.

That afternoon, as expected, Madam Wang went to the small courtyard in the northeast, and then Tongxi went to invite Sister Bao over.

So Lady Wang and Aunt Xue coaxed and persuaded her together. Although Baochai appeared unwilling, she secretly agreed.

As for why she agreed... Baochai thought that marriage was a serious matter that couldn't be decided overnight, and it might take years to settle down. She couldn't bear to keep Baochai confined to her room all this time. Baochai also wanted to see Chen Siyuan more often.

Furthermore, no matter how promising Chen Siyuan's future may be, he is currently lying low in the wilderness. Even if he becomes acquainted with Prince Yanping, it would be difficult for him to protect the Xue family.

Sister Bao and Aunt Xue were staying at the Jia family's residence, and thankfully, those scoundrels from outside didn't dare to come knocking on their door and cause trouble... such as the various branches of the Xue family.

After considering both sides, Baochai finally agreed. Even so, Baochai still felt that it was somewhat inappropriate to decide on this matter without discussing it with Chen Siyuan. So she thought that she should try to see him when she had time... and earnestly ask for his consent.

So that evening, taking advantage of Baoyu's awakening, Baochai and Aunt Xue went to visit him. Following their previous argument, Baochai expressed her annoyance, saying that it was merely a rash lie made in a moment of panic.

Although Baoyu still looked listless after hearing this, he did eat an extra bowl of green rice porridge that evening, and seemed to be fine.

After answering Baoyu's question correctly, Baochai returned to Hengwu Garden. She thought to herself that it would be two days before she could meet Chen Siyuan at the shop, and she couldn't help but feel a little anxious.

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

Zhuijinlou.

The second daughter, Yingchun, was making knots in her room when she suddenly heard the beaded curtain rustling. She assumed that Siqi and Xiuju had returned, so she continued making knots in silence.

Suddenly, a 'hiss' sound was heard, and when I looked up, I saw Xing Xiuyan covering her mouth and laughing.

The second young lady then put down her work and stood up, saying, "Sister Xing, what brings you here?"

Xing Xiuyan smiled and said, "I've come to play chess with my second sister."

Summer days are getting longer, and it's almost the end of the 5-7 PM, but outside the sun is already setting.

The second girl couldn't help but smile bitterly, "I almost died, how could I possibly be in the mood for a game of chess now?"

Xing Xiuyan smiled and said, "That's hard to say. Who knows, maybe Second Sister will get interested in it while she's playing?"

Yingchun sensed the hidden meaning in Xing Xiuyan's words and then pursed her lips in agreement: "Alright, let's set up the chessboard then."

Xing Xiuyan came over to help and said, "Where are Siqi and Xiuju?"

Yingchun exchanged a glance with them, hesitating to speak. Because Yingchun had previously pleaded with Grandmother Jia overnight and received permission to stay for two more years, the two maids were naturally angry.

Siqi is eighteen now, and Xiuju is seventeen. If they stay for another two years, they might be married off to young men. How can they still be good maids?

Seeing that she was silent, Xing Xiuyan smiled and said, "Second sister, there is no need to worry. The Avatamsaka Sutra says: 'Let go of attachments, and you will find freedom.'"

The second daughter, Yingchun, gave a wry smile and simply set up the chessboard, saying, "Let's play chess instead."

The two, each holding black and white pieces, began their game, one move after another. The second young lady was impatient and her moves on the chessboard were inevitably filled with a murderous aura; Xing Xiuyan, as always, played her pieces with a completely detached and effortless grace.

As the game reached the middle stage, they suddenly heard footsteps approaching. Xing Xiuyan smiled playfully and said, "Enough, how about we stop the game? I don't think we can play today."

As the second young lady Yingchun was wondering what was going on, she suddenly saw Xiuju running over excitedly, saying, "Miss, Miss! Um..." She stopped talking when she saw Xing Xiuyan was also there.

Xing Xiuyan smiled as she stood up, bid farewell to Yingchun, and gracefully went downstairs.

Xiuju didn't even bother to deliver it, and just pulled Yingchun aside and said, "I just received the news. Miss Bao went to Yihong Courtyard and told Second Master Bao that she has no other connection with Master Yuan."

"Hmm?" Yingchun's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly asked, "Really?"

"Absolutely true!"

Yingchun pondered carefully and concluded that Baoyu must have learned the truth in the afternoon, which was why he went to confront Baochai. Baochai, in a fit of anger, confessed, leaving Baoyu utterly devastated.

I imagine that Madam must have begged the Xue family mother and daughter in the afternoon to make this happen.
What Baochai said... was mostly empty talk, but for Yingchun, it might not be a bad thing!
Since you are not married and I am not married, and Baochai can lie, why don't I pretend to be ignorant? The Xue family is so fickle, who knows if they won't make other mistakes in the future? Who knows, then my suffering will finally come to an end!
(End of this chapter)