Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 256 Stirring up the situation
"It seems to be no ordinary color; its shades and intensities are determined by the ice and snow."

Xing Xiuyan silently recited it once, and immediately felt relieved. She looked up at Chen Siyuan and saw him smiling at her, so she thought for a moment and said, "It's really kind of you to put your heart into this... Well, you've never been to Panxiang Temple, so how could you describe the scenery so vividly?"

Chen Siyuan smiled without saying a word. He hadn't been there, but Qingwen had. The gift had been prepared for almost two months, and Qingwen had tried several times to perfectly imitate Gu embroidery. Then, she added the poem that was originally written by Xing Xiuyan, which was exactly what her cousin wanted.
"What do you think, cousin?"

Xing Xiuyan smiled and rolled her eyes at him, saying "naughty," then looked at him for a moment, feeling her heart flutter. She thought he had been so focused on Miss Bao these days that he was afraid he would forget her, but who knew he had kept her in his heart all this time.

Moved by the moment, Xing Xiuyan glanced around and suddenly said, "Go and look at the books in your study."

Chen Siyuan was puzzled, but responded with a "yes" and led Xing Xiuyan to the study.

The study was separated by a bamboo curtain, and the moon gate was further blocked by a gauze curtain. Chen Siyuan entered the study first, and Xing Xiuyan reached out and untied the ribbon on the gauze curtain, which instantly fell down. Chen Siyuan turned around and found a warm and soft woman already in his arms.

"cousin?"

Xing Xiuyan hugged his waist and back, pressed her cheek tightly against his heart, and whispered, "Don't make a sound, just let me hold you for a while."

Hongyu and Wu'er, peeking through the gauze curtain, saw the two embracing. They exchanged a glance and covered their mouths to laugh before quietly leaving the room. Zhuan'er was about to go inside to look for Xing Xiuyan when Hongyu stopped her with a look and pulled her outside.

Only the two remained inside, dressed in cool summer clothes. Even through several layers of thin clothing, they could feel each other's body temperature. Despite having just been intimate, Chen Siyuan couldn't help but feel a stirring in his heart, and his hands gradually began to wander.

Xing Xiuyan didn't react at first, but after a moment, she looked up and scolded, "Stop being silly..."

Chen Siyuan chuckled awkwardly and said, "If I remain unmoved, I would truly be doing a disservice to my cousin's ethereal beauty."

Xing Xiuyan thought for a moment, then smiled and nodded, saying, "With your sweet words, I'm afraid Miss Bao will be completely charmed by you." As she spoke, she stood on tiptoe and, before Chen Siyuan could react, lightly kissed him with her lips, smiling as she said, "I'm in a good mood today, so I won't hold it against you. But next time you celebrate my birthday, don't be so extravagant."

Chen Siyuan, unable to resist the urge, reached out and hooked Xing Xiuyan's nape, leaned down and kissed her, savoring the moment until Xing Xiuyan raised her little fists and repeatedly pounded his chest before he let go.

Chen Siyuan chuckled to himself, while Xing Xiuyan blushed and gasped for breath, frowning and scolding, "You almost lost your breath, how could you do that?"

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "Feelings should be expressed but restrained by propriety. Has my cousin also changed her mind and believed in those traditional moral doctrines?"

Xing Xiuyan took a step back, wary, and said, "I don't believe it, but you're not a good person either." With that, she smiled, lifted the gauze curtain, and left the study. Turning to Chen Siyuan, she said, "I'll come again in a few days. You should study hard."

Chen Siyuan chased after her, but Xing Xiuyan was already leading Zhuan'er out of the courtyard. Chen Siyuan was immediately captivated, and it took him a long time to settle down and read after returning to his study.

Nothing else happened that day.

The next day, although Baoyu's health had improved, he was confined to the Yihong Courtyard and could not leave. The old lady and Lady Wang both said that they would not hold a celebration for Baoyu's birth today, but the congratulatory gifts from all sides could not be omitted.

Early that morning, gifts from Grandmother Jia, Madam Xing, Madam Wang, and the Wang family were delivered to Yihong Courtyard. Baoyu, confined to his room and unable to leave, felt listless and longed to leave the mansion the next day so he could find his good brother Jiang Yuhan and have some fun.

In the three small side rooms in front of the large pink screen wall, Feng Jie had just answered the questions of the various stewardesses when Ping'er came over and said, "Madam, two female priests have come to the door. They say they were invited by Miss Bao."

"A female Taoist priest?" Feng Jie had always been at odds with the Xue family mother and daughter. Upon hearing this, she sneered, "Bao'er is quite amusing. She said she wouldn't hold any more ceremonies, yet she invited a female Taoist priest. Does she intend to tell jokes to Brother Bao over the wall?"

Ping'er pondered for a moment and said, "Grandma, it seems there are other people celebrating birthdays today as well."

"Someone is having a birthday celebration?" Sister Feng looked over in surprise.

Ping'er whispered, "I heard it's Miss Xing."

"So it's her—" Xing Zhong and Xing Zhenshi, a couple known for their loose tongues, had spread the word about Xing Xiuyan and Chen Siyuan's affair within a month of arriving at the mansion. Feng Jie knew that Xing Xiuyan had been promised to Chen Siyuan as a concubine long ago, and out of gratitude for Chen Siyuan saving her life, Feng Jie said, "I can't pretend I don't know. Go and prepare a congratulatory gift for me..." She paused, then added, "Also, inform Madam."

Ping'er agreed and asked, "Grandma, should we inform the old lady?"

Sister Feng hesitated slightly, then shook her head and said, "Let's forget about the old lady."

Ping'er turned to leave in response, but was stopped by Feng Jie. Feng Jie smiled and glanced at her, saying, "Your second master isn't here, and I'm afraid I'm the only one who remembers that you were born today. Once this busy period is over, you can be free to do as you please. You can go play in the garden. You know where the money box is, so just take the money and go find Zijuan and Yuanyang to have a feast and have some fun tonight."

Ping'er smiled and agreed, then turned and left.

Ping'er went back to Feng Jie's room first, found a prepared palace-style purse, stuffed a gold longevity star inside, and then went to Madam Wang's courtyard.

Lady Wang had just visited Baoyu that day, and now Aunt Xue was returning to the old house. The two sisters were talking when Ping'er entered and whispered about Xing Xiuyan's birth.

The two sisters exchanged a glance, and then Madam Wang said, "Why is there no movement at all in the east wing?"

Ping'er didn't know what to say, so Aunt Xue smiled and said, "Sister, don't you know the situation in the east wing?"

When Xing Xiuyan first arrived, Madam Xing had allowed her to stay in the east wing because of her pre-arranged marriage with Chen Siyuan. Afterwards, Madam Xing was preoccupied with bringing her second daughter and Chen Siyuan together, and naturally forgot about her niece Xing Xiuyan.

Just as Madam Wang was trying to win over Chen Siyuan, she asked, "What congratulatory gift has Feng-ge prepared?"

Ping'er replied with a smile, "He's just a golden statue of the God of Longevity."

Madam Wang pondered and said, "Then I'll do the same, and add another pair of agate bracelets."

Aunt Xue already knew about this, so she smiled and said, "Then I shouldn't go over my sister's head, so I'll just give her a pair of cloves and a pair of fragrant beads."

The two sisters looked at each other and smiled, both thinking that since outsiders had sent congratulatory gifts, Madam Xing in the east courtyard would be slow to realize it and would probably be embarrassed afterward.

A short while later, the congratulatory gifts prepared by the second branch of the family were ready. Ping'er, Tongxi, and Jinchuan came to the Zhuijin Building at the back, went inside to find Xing Xiuyan, offered their congratulations, and presented the gifts.

Xing Xiuyan was flattered, but she knew in her heart that this was mostly because of her cousin's kindness.

Although Li Wan was late in receiving the news, she quickly sent a set of needles and thread, as well as a golden ruyi scepter.

The three sisters, Baochai, Daiyu, Xiangyun, etc., each have a fan, a word, a painting, or a poem, just to fit the occasion.

Li Wan then simply gave the three springs a day off, letting the children play around. As a result, just after 7 a.m., the Grand View Garden became lively.

Madam Xing was completely unaware that her beloved niece Xing Xiuyan was having a birthday celebration, as she was currently preoccupied with reconciling with Chen Siyuan. So, she sent Miao'er to invite her early in the morning, but to her surprise, Miao'er failed to come. She gave the same excuse as before, saying that she would come another day.

Madam Xing was filled with anxiety, fearing that the little thief would abandon her. But when she turned around and saw her fourth son, who was just learning to speak, she felt a little more at ease.

Just as she was pondering whether or not to go see the thief herself, Miao'er said, "Madam, I just went into the garden and saw the young ladies gathered at the Aojingxi Pavilion, making a lively scene. There were also female attendants chatting and laughing. I asked Sister Qin and found out that it turns out that it's Cousin's birthday today."

"Huh?" Madam Xing was stunned, then frowned and muttered to herself, "Why haven't I heard anyone mention it?" She didn't realize that she hadn't paid attention, and only complained, "Those two in the outer room of the ceremonial gate are really something, they didn't even say a word about Xiuyan's birthday celebration."

Miao'er dared not speak, thinking to herself, "Madam, you don't even like Xing Zhenshi. You only get to see her once every three times you beg. It would be a miracle if you knew anything about her."

Madam Xing then said, "So, Yuan-ge'er is busy celebrating Xiuyan's birthday?"

Miao'er replied, "Young master is reading in his room, so he's not in a hurry to go to Aojingxi Pavilion."

After thinking for a moment, Madam Xing said, "Go to the storeroom and prepare some brocade and silk, as well as some silver thread noodles and longevity peaches. Take me there."

Miao'er agreed and hurried off to prepare. Meanwhile, Xing Xiuyan was in a dilemma. Having received the elders' congratulatory gifts, she was obliged to visit them to offer her greetings according to custom. However, neither Grandmother Jia nor Madam Xing had sent any. She couldn't very well go to Madam Wang's or Aunt Xue's courtyards alone, could she?

Rather than that, it's better to wait a little longer. Perhaps Madam Xing is already anxious to make amends after receiving the news.

Perhaps sensing what Xing Xiuyan was thinking, the second young lady took the opportunity to come over and say, "Don't be impatient." A moment later, Baochai also came over to comfort her, "Just wait a little longer."

Sure enough, after a short while, Miao'er and Tiao'er rushed over to deliver their congratulatory gifts. Madam Xing was unusually generous this time, giving two bolts of Suzhou-style brocade, two bolts of fine silk gauze, and countless other gifts such as longevity peaches and silver thread noodles.

After receiving the congratulatory gift, Xing Xiuyan hurriedly went to the east courtyard to thank Madam Xing before turning to Madam Wang's courtyard to thank Madam Wang and Aunt Xue as well, before returning to Aojingxi Pavilion. As for Rongqing Hall, the old lady had probably already received the news but didn't care. Since that was the case, Xing Xiuyan wouldn't go there to humiliate herself.

No sooner had I returned to Aojingxi Pavilion than the weather suddenly changed. Dark clouds drifted in from who-knows-where, and in an instant, lightning flashed, thunder roared, and torrential rain poured down.

Since there was no shelter around the Aojingxi Pavilion, Baochai suggested that they move to Hengwu Garden to play. All the girls agreed, and they hurried to Hengwu Garden before the rain intensified.

Sister Bao was afraid that Chen Siyuan would come to Aojingxi Pavilion only to find it empty-handed, so she hurriedly sent Ying'er to Qingtang Maoshe to inform him.

As the rain began to fall, Ying'er simply picked a lotus leaf from the water's edge and put it on her head, then ran towards the thatched cottage. To her surprise, she found Madam Xing talking to Chen Siyuan inside. Ying'er didn't want to linger, so she only said a few words before turning back.

Xiangling chased after Ying'er and gave her an oil-paper umbrella. Only then did Ying'er abandon the lotus leaf and, holding the oil-paper umbrella, turn back towards Hengwu Garden.

In the quiet thatched cottage, fragrant tea was served, and although Chen Siyuan was extremely respectful, he remained indifferent.

He would reply to every question, but his responses were lukewarm and unhelpful, leaving Madam Xing unsure how to respond.

It started raining again outside, and Madam Xing couldn't very well send the maid away, so she could only give her some random instructions and then said, "In that case, young master, you should continue your studies. I... I'm going to the Jade Emperor Temple to recite some scriptures."

After saying this, he stood up, glanced at Chen Siyuan with a pleading look, and then ordered Miao'er and Tiao'er to hold up the umbrellas. They left the thatched cottage and headed towards the Jade Emperor Temple in front.

Chen Siyuan didn't really intend to sever ties with Madam Xing. Seeing that he had frightened Madam Xing quite a bit this time, he naturally thought it best to stop while he was ahead. Since it was still early, Chen Siyuan instructed Hongyu to prepare a raincoat, and then, under the pretext of going to Hengwu Garden, he slipped away from Qingtang Thatched Cottage and, seeing that no one was around, went to the west wall of the Jade Emperor Temple.

Using the tree for support, he climbed over the wall and landed in the courtyard of the Jade Emperor Temple in a few quick movements. He glanced at the door and, seeing no sign of seedlings or branches, tiptoed into the quiet room.

In that quiet room, Madam Xing was actually holding a scripture and praying haphazardly. When she heard the door open and saw that it was indeed Chen Siyuan, she immediately covered her mouth and burst into tears. She rushed over and punched him twice, saying, "You heartless thief, I thought you really didn't care about me anymore."

Chen Siyuan frowned and lectured, "Do you know you were wrong?"

Seeing that Madam Xing was only crying, Chen Siyuan scolded her, "Tell me what you've done. If Second Sister hadn't begged the Old Madam, how would Second Sister face the world if I had refused her in person?"

Why are you refusing?

Chen Siyuan choked, knowing that if Madam Xing found out about his affair with Baochai, who knew what kind of trouble she would cause. So he said, "It's nothing, but now that Master is in such a good mood, if I offer myself up like this, wouldn't Master be sharpening his knife and ready to rip me off?"

Madam Xing muttered, "It's just a little bit of money—"

"A little bit of money? The master has just made some money and is now very ambitious. Who knows, he might ask for an exorbitant price of ten thousand taels. Wouldn't that bankrupt me?"

Seeing his solemn expression and furrowed brows, Madam Xing finally softened and pouted, saying, "I meant well... Since you refuse, I'll just leave you alone from now on." She paused, then wiped away her tears and said, "You're heartless too. You're angry with me, and you won't even come to see Fourth Brother anymore."

Chen Siyuan was both amused and exasperated, and said, "What do you mean we don't care? Didn't we send out Baicaotang's share of the profits this month?"

Just as Madam Xing was about to say something else, Chen Siyuan was still thinking about celebrating Xing Xiuyan's birthday, so he had no patience for rambling. Since he couldn't get it straight from words, he would find another way to get it straight from words!

He immediately picked up Madam Xing and carried her to the kang (a heated brick bed). Madam Xing, though seemingly reluctant, resisted slightly before rolling onto the kang with him.

A poem testifies to this: Withered flowers and tender willows stand beside the famous fragrance, morning clouds and evening rain, King Xiang of Chu; brooms and dustpans are used together to sweep Liang Hong's desk, hundreds and thousands of gourds and melons flow with fragrance.

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

Cuicui Temple.

Miaoyu offered the fragrant tea with both hands and said in a crisp voice, "Please have some tea, Madam."

Madam Wang smiled and agreed, took a sip, and praised, "Your tea is still the most flavorful."

Miaoyu smiled shyly, without showing off that the water used to brew the tea was aged dew.

Lady Wang said, "Your Majesty's request for a peace-building ritual at home has left us in a state of great anxiety, unsure of what good or bad fortune may be. We have heard that Master Miaoyu possesses the ability to perform divination, so please grant us a reading to determine the outcome."

Miaoyu readily agreed and instructed her maid to prepare the necessary items. A short while later, the white sand tray was moved to the table, and a T-shaped stand was suspended above it, which the maid supported. Miaoyu muttered incantations, burned a talisman, and then returned to perform the divination by planchette writing. Lady Wang had always been a firm believer in ghosts and spirits, so she held her breath and dared not utter a sound. Only when the chaotic patterns appeared on the sand tray did Miaoyu stop.

Miaoyu glanced at her and extended her hand in invitation: "Please, Madam, take a look."

Madam Wang agreed and quickly got up to look. She found it to be in a mess, completely illegible.

Miaoyu pointed to the veins and said, "This divination indicates good fortune within and misfortune without. It clearly means that Your Highness is uneasy because of external factors, which is why you have asked your household to hold a three-day peace ritual."

"External factors?" Madam Wang frowned and pondered, but couldn't think of any external factors for the time being.

Miaoyu pointed to one of the marks that looked like a weapon and said, "Madam, look again. This mark is from a weapon battle, and it was probably caused by a fight."

Madam Wang's face darkened as she said, "The East and West Mansions have long since relinquished their military power, so why would there be another calamity of war?"

Since the current emperor ascended the throne, the old Duke had already relinquished his military power while he was still alive. Prince Teng first served as the military governor of the capital garrison, and later was also sent to serve as an official outside the capital. Logically speaking, he should no longer be able to escape the calamity of war.

Suddenly remembering that her brother, Prince Teng, had gone to Iron Net Mountain with the emperor, Lady Wang was immediately alarmed and said, "Could something have happened at Iron Net Mountain?"

Yes, just yesterday Jia Zheng was grumbling about how official documents from the court are sent daily, and the Emperor and the cabinet also issue daily comments. Unfortunately, the heavy rains of the past two days have blocked the roads, and there's still no reply, leading to many rumors circulating throughout the capital.

Miaoyu raised one palm and said, "Spirit writing can only predict good or bad fortune. As for the reason behind this, Madam, you will have to find out carefully."

Madam Wang frowned and agreed, thanking him profusely. She was worried about her brother, Wang Ziteng, fearing he might get involved in such trouble.

Just then, a lingering, poignant moan was heard, startling Madam Wang. Miaoyu also frowned and said, "I wonder where this cat came from; it makes a racket every few days."

Madam Wang, being an experienced woman herself, could easily distinguish between a cat's meow and a cat's cry. Because she was preoccupied with the matter of the Peaceful Ritual, she said, "Perhaps the Jade Emperor Temple has been neglected and stray cats have built a nest there... I'll send someone to clean it thoroughly tomorrow."

After drinking a cup of tea, Madam Wang noticed that the rain had stopped slightly, so she quickly opened her umbrella and went back to the front.

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

Inside the quiet room of the Jade Emperor Temple.

Chen Siyuan held the clothes and hid in a corner. Madam Xing tidied herself up briefly and hurriedly got out of bed to say to the outside, "It's nothing, it's nothing. I just fell asleep a while ago and had a nightmare. You stay at the door and keep watch. I'll be back in a bit."

The man outside agreed with suspicion, glanced inside but saw no one else, so he could only turn back in silence.

Seeing that he had left, Madam Xing breathed a sigh of relief, turned her head to look at Chen Siyuan in the corner, and immediately looked embarrassed.

He leaned forward and said, "It's been too long, I just couldn't resist."

Chen Siyuan frowned and said, "This is not a foolproof method. I'm afraid it will be exposed sooner or later. We need to find a proper way to deal with it."

Madam Xing sighed, "I can't go out, so what can I do?"

Chen Siyuan was eager to go to Hengwu Garden, so he quickly dressed and replied casually, "I'll think about it later."

Madam Xing came over and tied his hair up again. The two cuddled for a while, and Chen Siyuan put on a raincoat and secretly slipped out.

It had just rained outside, and the walls were slippery, making it easy to get in but difficult to get out. Chen Siyuan struggled for quite a while before finally climbing over the wall. Seeing that no one was around, he hurriedly made his way towards Hengwu Garden.

No sooner had they emerged from the long corridor and winding passage than they bumped into Madam Wang and her entourage coming out of the Longcui Nunnery.

With no way to avoid it, Chen Siyuan had no choice but to bite the bullet and step forward to greet him.

Lady Wang asked in surprise, "Where is Yuan-ge'er going?"

"Reporting to Madam, we are on our way to Hengwu Garden to celebrate my cousin's birthday."

"Going to Hengwu Garden isn't—" Madam Wang started to say, but suddenly realized, "—Could it be that Yuan-ge'er also heard the commotion?"

Chen Siyuan then said, "That's right, did Madam hear that too?"

The beauty of that girl was renowned far and wide; how could Madam Wang not know? She immediately frowned and said in a low voice, "When this family business grows big, there are always some good-for-nothings mixed in. It's only because the old lady indulges them that they've become so unruly."

Chen Siyuan echoed, "What Madam says is true."

Madam Wang continued, "Although I now hold the title of head of the household, which of these people doesn't have connections? Even if we're broken, we're still connected by blood; they can all pass the buck to the old lady through roundabout means." With a sigh, she thought of the Ping'an Festival and said, "That's right, the Ping'an Festival is on the first day of next month. Lian'er isn't here, and neither Qin'er nor Chang'er are suitable. I might have to trouble Yuan'er to help out."

Chen Siyuan said solemnly, "It is my duty and obligation. Since Madam has spoken, I will certainly not shirk my responsibility. But... is there any reason for this peace ceremony?"

Madam Wang looked around and lowered her voice, saying, "It's hard to say right now, let's just wait for news."

The two chatted all the way until they reached the vicinity of the Grand View Garden. Lady Wang then wanted to see Baoyu, and the two parted ways.

Chen Siyuan secretly wiped away a cold sweat, thinking to himself that he would never dare to cause trouble at the Jade Emperor Temple again in the future, and hurriedly went to Hengwu Garden to look for her.

Upon arriving at Hengwu Garden, Chen Siyuan glanced at the gatekeeper, a woman with powerful backing, in surprise. He thought to himself that this woman could probably fit three of him inside her.

Ying'er came to greet him and led him inside. Xi Chun saw him at a glance, clasped her hands together and laughed, "What did I tell you? Brother Yuan must have been held back by the rain. Now that the rain has stopped a bit, Brother Yuan has come."

Chen Siyuan smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "I'm a little late, so I'll punish myself with three cups later."

Tan Chun, Xi Chun, and Xiang Yun, the three young girls, clasped their hands together and cheered in unison. Chen Siyuan's gaze swept over Daiyu, Baochai, and Xing Xiuyan, but he caught a glimpse of the second young lady, Yingchun, staring intently at him. Chen Siyuan pretended not to notice.

Although Chen is a scoundrel, he is scoundrel in a clear way. He either forms alliances based on mutual benefit and each has their own interests, or he deceives people into taking them into his family. Chen Siyuan has never done such ambiguous and unclear things.

Invited to sit down, Baochai was quickly served fragrant tea and snacks by a maid. She leaned over and whispered, "The banquet was originally scheduled for this afternoon, but Sister Xing said that there might be other matters to attend to this afternoon, so she ordered that the banquet be held at noon. The people from Pear Fragrance Courtyard will be here in a while. Would you like to request a play?"

Chen Siyuan turned his head and whispered, "You guys can order, I'll just watch the show."

The two exchanged a glance, and Baochai nodded before hurrying off to confront Xing Xiuyan. Chen Siyuan had just picked up his teacup when he noticed Daiyu glancing over from the side.

Chen Siyuan took a sip before calmly looking over. Daiyu pouted and said in a low voice, "You've always been incredibly bold, but I never thought you'd be so timid."

Chen Siyuan asked in surprise, "Why do you say that, sister?"

Daiyu teased, "Sister Bao smoothed things over for you, saying that you were afraid of my temper, which is why you didn't dare to come to Xiaoxiang Pavilion."

Chen Siyuan took the initiative and asked, "Has my sister ever thought of me coming?"

Daiyu casually said, "If you come, I'll talk to you for a while; if you don't come, I'll go find another sister to talk to." She paused, then added, "However, if you come here once, you might have to come two or three more times."

Daiyu's words seemed like she was jealous, but in reality, she was teasing her, subtly pointing out that Baochai, despite her seemingly magnanimous nature, was actually as cunning as a pinhole.

Having interacted with Baochai for so long, how could Chen Siyuan not know her temperament? He thought that she had been patiently interacting with Baoyu only after taking the Cold Fragrance Pill, but when she stopped taking the Cold Fragrance Pill with him, she became even more petty. This was a real person, not the scheming and calculating woman in the book who was "heartless yet charming".

Chen Siyuan smiled but did not answer. Instead, he asked, "Speaking of which, I am curious about something... Why did my younger sister ask my older cousin to continue writing my storybook?"

Daiyu rolled her eyes and said softly, "What does Brother Yuan say?"

Just as Chen Siyuan was about to say something, Daiyu suddenly stood up and teased, "Yun girl is up to her old tricks again. She'll have to drink three cups of wine as punishment later."

Xiangyun chuckled and said, "Fine, then. I'm so thirsty right now, I wish I could drink three big bowls of rice to feel better."

Xichun laughed and said, "Sister Yun, are you perhaps going to Jingyang Ridge to hunt tigers?"

Xiangyun shook her head with no small amount of pride and said, "It's just that I was born a girl. If I were a man, I might have gone to Iron Net Mountain with my second and third uncles this time... I heard there are tigers during the hunt. When the time comes, I'll take my iron bow and shoot the tiger to death with three arrows!"

After discussing the matter with Xing Xiuyan, Baochai stood up and said, "Sisters, I think we shouldn't wait until the afternoon. Let's be timely and start the feast soon, shall we?"

Everyone cheered in unison. Baochai immediately called Ying'er over and gave her a few instructions. After a short while, the tea and snacks were cleared away, and two tables were set up in the main room of Hengwu Garden, and two tables were also set up in the side rooms.

At the central table were Xing Xiuyan, Baochai, Daiyu, Chen Siyuan, and others, while another table was for their personal maids. The two tables outside were for the old women from Hengwu Garden and the maids serving in the outer rooms.

The banquet dishes were served in a continuous stream, and then twelve young actresses from the Pear Fragrance Courtyard arrived in full costume.

Now that the rain had stopped and the sky was clear, they simply set up a stage in the courtyard and started singing to liven up the banquet.

For a moment, all the girls were focused on the play and fell silent. To Chen Siyuan's right was Xing Xiuyan, to his left was Daiyu, and beyond Xing Xiuyan was Baochai.

As the saying goes, "One monk carries water, two monks carry water together..." With all three girls present, Chen Siyuan suddenly had no water to drink and could only patiently watch the babbling opera.

Seeing that he was bored, Xing Xiuyan couldn't help but smile knowingly, and then quietly handed him her soft hand under the table and shook it.

Chen Siyuan didn't turn his head, but held Wen's cool, slender hand, feeling a sense of comfort in his heart.

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

Meanwhile, Lady Wang went to see Baoyu again, just as Physician Wang came to take his pulse. Before leaving, he said that he would be fine after resting for two more days.

Lady Wang was relieved and then said that she would celebrate Baoyu's birthday at dinner before getting up to leave.

Baoyu was listless and lay slumped on the bed, unable to muster any energy. Seeing Xiren, however, rekindled his desires. But Xiren was preoccupied with sending the silver notes home and had no patience to serve Baoyu.
He withdrew immediately, saying only, "It's broad daylight, if you want to cause trouble, go find Meiren and Qiuwen. I just need to ask for a short leave to go home."

Baoyu asked, "Is your mother not feeling well again?"

Xiren sneered, "Having contracted a disease of the rich, how can that be cured?"

After thinking for a moment, Baoyu hurriedly found the money box, grabbed a handful of money and stuffed it into Xiren's hand, saying, "I suppose you don't have much money either, so take this and use it for now."

Xiren thanked him and got up to leave Yihong Courtyard. Only then did she think about it and wondered what ten or so taels of loose silver could be worth. Although Baoyu was pampered by the old lady and the madam and had the best of everything, and his money was never lacking, where would he come from to get one or two hundred taels of silver? To treat his mother's illness, he still had to rely on that Mr. Yuan.

Xiren left in a hurry, and without her to keep him in check, Meiren and Qiuwen indeed came to tease Baoyu. But Baoyu had lost all interest in romance; he was restless and decided to take the two maids for a stroll in the garden.

He wasn't stupid, but for a moment he couldn't tell which of Baochai's words was true and which was false... or perhaps, he simply didn't want to believe that the truth was true and the false was false.

Lost in thought, I unknowingly passed by Daoxiang Village.

Hearing the distant music, Baoyu was immediately stunned. He said to Meiren, "Judging from the noise, is that Hengwu Garden? That's strange. It's neither a festival nor a holiday. What kind of play is Sister Bao watching?"

Meiren replied, "You don't know, today is Miss Xing's birthday. Miss Bao made some arrangements yesterday. Originally, we were going to hold a banquet at Aojingxi Pavilion, but it rained, so we moved it to Hengwu Garden."

Baoyu was taken aback, a strange feeling arose in his heart, and he immediately set off for Hengwu Garden.

Meiren and Qiuwen exchanged a glance, fearing that Baoyu would cause trouble again, and quickly tried to dissuade him. This attempt to stop him only made things worse; Baoyu immediately became angry: "Can't I even join in the fun for no reason?"

Meiren and Qiuwen dared not stop him any longer and had no choice but to follow Baoyu to Hengwu Garden.

Inside Hengwu Garden, people were enjoying the commotion when they suddenly heard a commotion outside. Ying'er hurriedly left her seat to look, and returned a moment later with a strange expression, saying, "Miss... Master Bao... Master Bao is here."

The moment the words were spoken, the hall fell silent. Not only Baochai and Xing Xiuyan, but even the two younger girls, Xichun and Xiangyun, frowned. They thought to themselves, "Has Second Brother Bao come here now to disrupt and ruin the occasion?"

(End of this chapter)