Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 267 Deficit (Third Update, Requesting Monthly Tickets)
Things are different now. Ever since the Jia family handed over the Beijing Garrison to Prince Teng, the Wang family's influence has gradually surpassed that of the Jia family, and they have become the de facto leader of the four great families.

In wealthy families, the wife's approval is always required before taking a concubine. How could Grandmother Jia agree to this without Lady Wang's consent? Besides, Lady Wang just mentioned that Fu Qiufang was looking after Baoyu and Chen Siyuan. How come she became Baoyu's elder after the selection? This is not a pleasant thing to say.

Grandmother Jia is an old and shrewd woman. She may not be able to handle important matters outside the home, but how could she possibly hide the thoughts and intentions of people in this grand mansion?

What respectable family's daughter would wait until she's twenty-three to get married? With precedents like the You family of the East Mansion and the Xing family of the East Wing, she's likely already harboring thoughts of becoming someone's second wife. Given such intentions, how could she possibly settle for being a concubine?
After careful consideration, Grandmother Jia immediately became stern and said, "If you think that Zhou and Zhao are not considerate enough, just ask me for money to buy a younger one. At the very least, I can pick out a suitable maid from among my own servants. Why bring such a woman into the house who may be up to no good?"

“This…son…” Jia Zheng blushed, unable to explain for a moment.

Grandmother Jia then said, "Besides, I am now retired and should consult with Madam about all household matters. Why don't you go and ask Madam?"

If Jia Zheng dared to go and speak to Lady Wang, why would he have come to Rongqing Hall first? After hesitating for a moment, he could only stand up and say, "In that case, I will think about it some more."

Jia Zheng frowned and took his leave. Grandmother Jia watched his retreating figure and couldn't help but sigh inwardly. She felt that these were turbulent times, and that the family would likely become increasingly unsettled in the future.

Jia Zheng was preoccupied and had no interest in engaging in lofty discussions with his guests, so he simply returned to Mengpo Studio. No sooner had he sat down than a maidservant came to report that Aunt Zhao was kneeling upright before Mengpo Studio.

Jia Zheng was immediately at his wit's end! His heart was now completely focused on the young, beautiful, and dignified Fu Qiufang, so how could he possibly have the mind to answer Aunt Zhao?

He patiently had a maid lead Aunt Zhao inside, and no matter how much she kowtowed and complained, Jia Zheng only gave vague responses. It wasn't until Aunt Zhao threatened suicide that he finally spoke a few soft words.

Aunt Zhao stopped crying and smiled as she withdrew. But as soon as she left Mengpo Studio, her expression changed drastically. She went straight back to her own courtyard, where she couldn't help but hug Jia Huan and weep bitterly, saying, "Your heartless father has changed his mind; I'm afraid he'll never care about us mother and son again!"

Jia Huan was still young and confused, only asking in bewilderment, "Didn't Mother coax Father just now?"

Aunt Zhao shook her head, crying, and said, "I can't coax him back. Once a man's heart changes, I'm afraid he'll never come back." After sobbing for a while, Aunt Zhao was filled with sorrow and desolation. She thought to herself that without Jia Zheng's care, Lady Wang could mold her and her daughter however she pleased.
There's no need for anything else. They often find fault with their own mistakes and make them kneel as punishment. They also find Huan'er to copy Buddhist scriptures and treat them even more harshly in terms of food, clothing, and daily necessities. Even if they complain to the old lady, it's useless.

Thinking of this, Aunt Zhao cried even more bitterly. She lamented in her heart, "Without the master's protection, who can safeguard my daughter and me in this vast Rongguo Mansion?"

Her mind raced through everyone in the Rongguo Mansion, and before she knew it, she was thinking of Chen Siyuan… Suddenly, Aunt Zhao remembered something, her crying stopped abruptly, and she immediately perked up and said, “That’s right, and your sister too!”

Jia Huan curled his lip and said, "Her? She only cares about Baoyu, she doesn't care about us at all."

Aunt Zhao spat and said, "What do you know? Last time, Madam let it slip, do you think she didn't hold it against you?"

Jia Huan said, "Even if she wanted to manage it, how could she possibly manage it?"

“What do you know!” Aunt Zhao said with a smile while wiping away her tears, “She can’t control him, but Yuan-ge’er can.”

Jia Huan was completely baffled, wondering how Chen Siyuan had been brought up again. Before he could ask further, Aunt Zhao grabbed him, shoved him out the door, and said, "Go wait at the ceremonial gate. If you see your sister, you... come back and tell her!"

Jia Huan agreed briefly, then left dejectedly.

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

Around dusk, the ladies finally returned home, having enjoyed themselves to the fullest.

Jia Huan caught a glimpse of Tan Chun, then turned and returned to Aunt Zhao's courtyard. Aunt Zhao, upon reflection, found it increasingly plausible, and could no longer remain seated. She led two maids to Qiu Shuang Zhai.

Meanwhile, the young ladies, having spent the day enjoying themselves and drinking, returned home slightly tipsy. Tan Chun had just bid farewell to Xi Chun and Bao Chai and entered Qiu Shuang Zhai to change her clothes when a maidservant came running back with a frown: "Miss, Aunt Zhao is here!"

Tan Chun's good mood for the day vanished almost instantly. With a sigh, she had no choice but to go forward to greet them.

As soon as she came out, she saw Aunt Zhao smiling broadly in the distance, and Tan Chun's heart skipped a beat... She was very familiar with this face; every time Aunt Zhao came to beg for money, it was the same.

She stepped forward to greet Aunt Zhao, and before she could speak, Aunt Zhao took her hand affectionately and said, "My child, have you been drinking? Look at all those beads of sweat on your forehead—"

As they spoke, he pulled out a handkerchief and began to wipe himself.

Tan Chun, startled, turned her head away and said, "Auntie, my monthly allowance isn't much left..."

Aunt Zhao was taken aback for a moment, then said, "You're such a suspicious child. I'm not doing this for the money."

Tan Chun then carefully examined Aunt Zhao and saw that although she was all smiles, her eyes were red and swollen. Aunt Zhao looked around, pulled Tan Chun into the bedroom, and then told the maids, "I want to have a few private words with Tan Chun, so don't come in."

Once inside, the mother and daughter sat down on the bed. Aunt Zhao said with a bitter face, "Your father is probably completely disgusted with me this time... and he doesn't pay much attention to Lianhuan anymore either."

Tan Chun hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping herself... Even though the person in front of her was her own mother, Tan Chun couldn't help but feel disgusted. This was because Aunt Zhao's past actions were... truly disgraceful.

Tan Chun then advised, "Perhaps it's just temporary... Aunt, please be careful with your words and actions in the future, and who knows, the master might change his mind one day."

"Never again... You don't know, your father found a vixen outside!"

"Huh?" Tan Chun was taken aback.

Aunt Zhao felt a surge of grievance and couldn't help but ramble on, finally revealing the affair between Jia Zheng and Fu Qiufang. Tan Chun was even more astonished upon hearing this... Hadn't Fu Qiufang just been betrothed to Bao Yu and Brother Yuan? How could she have become her father's mistress in the blink of an eye?
After complaining for a while, Aunt Zhao sighed and said, "That Fu Qiufang... Madam will deal with her, but your father has changed his mind, and there will be no more good days for us mother and children. Now, the only thing left to do is for you."

Tan Chun smiled bitterly and said, "Me? What can I do?"

Aunt Zhao wiped away her tears, leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "You're not young anymore. Next year you'll be twelve or thirteen. If we can arrange a proper marriage, as long as your husband's family can support you, even the madam won't dare to underestimate us."

Tan Chun blushed instantly and scolded, "Auntie, you're saying that again—"

“Men should marry when they are of age and women should marry when they are of age, what’s wrong with saying it?” Aunt Zhao muttered. “I’ve thought about it carefully, and after counting them, Yuan’er is the most suitable.”

Tan Chun was taken aback and quickly said, "Auntie, please don't be silly. Don't you know that Brother Yuan and Sister Bao have already made an engagement?"

Aunt Zhao glared and said, "Where did you say it was decided? You said earlier that there was no such thing."

"That, that was just..."

"No matter what your reasons are, you've never followed the proper path. You're no less capable than Baochai, and you're close to Yuan-ge'er. From now on, visit Qingtang and Maoshe more often. If you get a good opportunity, who knows who will be the one to win your heart in the future?"

Tan Chun found it increasingly outrageous and quickly got up, shoving Aunt Zhao out of the room, saying, "Aunt, please stop talking! Aren't you ashamed? I'm dying of embarrassment!"

Aunt Zhao didn't expect to convince Tan Chun in one go. As she walked out, she muttered to herself, "Even if you don't think about yourself, you should think about me and Huan'er... Not to mention the whole mansion, where in the entire capital is there anyone more suitable than Yuan'er? Sigh... Don't push me, don't push me, I'll go by myself."

Finally, after pushing Aunt Zhao out the door, Tan Chun turned around and threw herself onto the bed. She was annoyed for a while, but then she remembered Chen Siyuan's arrival and couldn't help but be lost in thought.

She was already in her teens, so how could she not have imagined her future husband? Brother Yuan... was certainly excellent, but unfortunately, he was already taken, so she could only be his brother and sister, right?
............................................................

Near Nengren Temple is the new house of the Chen family.

The banquet was over, and the opera troupe took their tips and left. As the host, Chen Siyuan was inevitably toasted, and now, slightly tipsy, he sat down, feeling quite pleased with himself.

Qingwen was still young, and after a long day of work, including drinking quite a bit at the banquet, she was getting sleepy. Chen Siyuan then smiled and said, "You should rest early; you don't need to watch over me."

Qingwen rubbed her eyes and agreed, saying, "It's all Luan'er's fault. She got up early this morning and made a fuss, preventing me from getting a good night's sleep." After saying this, she took her leave.

She had just left when Sister You Er and Sister You San saw off the guests and returned to the main room together.

Sister You rubbed her arms and said, "Being a host is really tiring. Luckily, it only happens once a year, otherwise I don't know how I would handle it next time."

Chen Siyuan smiled and cupped his hands in thanks, saying, "Thank you for your hard work, little sister."

Sister You immediately smiled and snuggled into Chen Siyuan's arms, saying sweetly, "With your words, brother, it's all worth it, no matter how tired I am."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "Oh right, I almost forgot about your congratulatory gift."

Sister You blinked and smiled, "I'll have to go to the back building to see my gift. Brother, have some tea to sober up first, and I'll show it to you after I've prepared it."

Chen Siyuan smiled and agreed, and Sister You San got up and drifted away.

Only Sister You and Chen Siyuan remained inside. Sister You came over to serve tea, and Chen Siyuan asked, "Why have I noticed you only talking to Sister Bao today?"

Sister You smiled and said, "We hit it off, so we inevitably exchanged a few more words."

Chen Siyuan scoffed, "Who can you hide your little scheme from?"

Sister You Er was not annoyed. She served fragrant tea, glanced at Chen Siyuan with her eyes, and then said, "Since she will be the mistress of the house in the future, you must serve her well."

Chen Siyuan smiled but remained silent. Just then, Sister You San returned after giving her instructions. She overheard a few words and sneered, "Second Sister must be out of her mind."

Sister You said, "Sister wants to be carefree outside, while I want to come in. It's just that our thoughts are different, so why do you have to tease and ridicule me?"

"Teasing and making fun of you? I'm worried about you." Sister You said, "That Miss Bao is obviously someone who can't tolerate any nonsense. If Second Sister goes to Miss Bao's room, it'll be fine if she humbles herself and acts like a servant, but if she gets any other ideas... ha!"

Sister You retorted stubbornly, "I'm just doing my job. As long as I don't give myself away, why would Miss Bao treat me badly?"

Sister You shook her head and said, "If I were you, I would rather try to get more points on Miss Lin."

After saying that, she ignored Sister You and said to Chen Siyuan, "Brother will be here in about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. I have told Chunxi to prepare."

Chen Siyuan readily agreed, saying, "I want to see what my sister has been preparing for months."

Sister You smiled and withdrew.

Chen Siyuan slowly sipped his strong tea, and after a quarter of an hour, he got up and went to the back building to look for it.

Upon ascending the steps and entering the room, one sees bright lights all around, and colorful silk fabrics adorn the space. A light veil covers the entrance to the bedroom, obscuring the view inside.

Chen Siyuan called out "Sister" and suddenly heard a drumbeat.

Chen Siyuan was startled. He looked up and saw the light veil slowly fall, revealing a beautiful figure behind it. She was barefoot, with bells between her legs, and her feet rested on three round drums; her silk robe barely reached her knees, revealing her fair calves; her upper garment exposed her shoulders, neck, and belly, and her face was covered by a light veil. She held a small round drum in her hands. A jade belt with pearls was tied around her waist, and the lotus pattern embroidered on her skirt shimmered under the lamplight, making her look like a celestial maiden who had stepped out of a mural.

This is……

Sister You San smiled and said, "Brother, please sit down."

There was a chair in front of the house, and Chen Siyuan sat down as instructed, already having guessed what was going on. As Sister You stepped on the drumhead, string music suddenly came, and Sister You danced gracefully to the rhythm of the drums.

As the drumbeats began, the third sister first adopted a "reverse pipa" posture, her left arm like a drawn bow, her right hand like a plucking string, her waist even more supple than a willow branch in spring, and she suddenly bent backward into a full moon, the golden hairpins in her hair rustling, like a flying apsara descending to earth from the Mogao Caves.

The drumbeats suddenly quickened, and she leaped and twirled on the drumhead as if walking on flat ground. The drum spun to the left and tilted to the right beneath her feet, and she danced faster and faster, her skirt fluttering as she revealed a pair of exquisitely delicate, diamond-shaped feet.

After a while, she suddenly stopped, stood on one foot on top of the drum, hooked the other foot back, put her hands together in a gesture of worship, her eyes red as if weeping and lamenting, like a donor in a Dunhuang mural, carrying the loneliness of a thousand years of wind and sand.

Just as Chen Siyuan was about to applaud, she smiled again, stomped her foot heavily on the center of the drum, and the drum sounded like muffled thunder, startling dust falling from the beams. In that smile, there was no trace of a Bodhisattva with lowered eyebrows; she was clearly Nezha, who had wreaked havoc in the East Sea, with three parts mischievousness, seven parts sharpness... and twelve parts coquettishness.

Chen Siyuan felt a surge of heat in his heart, and seeing her swelling, he immediately stood up and pulled her into his arms. Sister You San chuckled and said, "How is it? Is my gift to your liking?"

Chen Siyuan said, "This thing should only exist in heaven; how often can one hear of it in the human world?"

With a flirtatious smile, You Sanjie wrapped her arms around Chen Siyuan's neck, jumped lightly, and wrapped her legs around his waist. She leaned in and whispered, "Brother... I want a child."

Chen Siyuan frowned slightly, then smiled and said, "Little sister..."

Before he could finish speaking, Sister You said, "I've made up my mind, and I won't come home again. Brother, why don't you indulge me this once?" How could Chen Siyuan say no to Sister You, who was so devoted to him? He smiled and nodded in agreement, and the two went to the bed.

Its beauty and romance are evident in the poem:
Her starry eyes met, a hint of longing in their gaze; on the pillow, two peach blossoms sang a song. She tried to suppress the fragrance of her perfume, but her tongue's skill had already parted her lips.

Her delicate cries ceased, yet her emotions remained boundless; her soft skin, damp with sweat, was already seeping through the wind. They opened their eyes to gaze at each other, their hearts burning like embers in a red-hot furnace.

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

Several days passed quickly, and Chen Siyuan stayed in the new house, indulging in a life of pleasure all day long.

It was only because Qingwen couldn't stand it anymore that she privately complained to Chen Siyuan, and Chen Siyuan lazily returned to the Rongguo Mansion... Before achieving fame and success, how could a great man be preoccupied with romantic love? If he indulged in beauty any longer, not to mention fame and success, he might even lose his kidneys first.

Entering the Grand View Garden through the back gate, Chen Siyuan unexpectedly bumped into the Third Miss, Tan Chun, just after turning past the Convex Jade Villa. Chen Siyuan greeted her warmly, but although Tan Chun smiled, she stammered and seemed lost when she spoke. After a while, she took her leave as if fleeing.

Chen Siyuan stood there, puzzled. He thought to himself that he would find Yunxiang later and ask her what had happened to the Third Miss Tanchun.

They continued walking and bumped into Sister Feng, who was heading to the small kitchen.

When Sister Feng caught sight of Chen Siyuan, she immediately beamed with smiles. After exchanging greetings, she said, "Brother Yuan, you're finally back! I've had some free time these past few days. When would you like to take a look at the workshops outside the city?"

Chen Siyuan replied with a smile, "Second sister-in-law knows that I am now a free man, so I will do as you wish."

Sister Feng said, "In that case, let's set a date for the day after tomorrow."

Chen Siyuan agreed, and after exchanging a few words, Sister Feng hurriedly left.

Arriving at the thatched cottage in Qingtang, Chen Siyuan leisurely sat down in a grand chair. Hongyu, Xiangling, and Wu'er served him attentively, making a lot of jokes and saying, "We thought the master wasn't coming back."

Chen Siyuan had to hold hands with one and hug the other, and it took him a while to calm Hongyu and Wu'er down. Xiangling went to Daiyu to learn poetry, and Hongyu was called away to talk. Chen Siyuan finally had some free time. He looked up and saw the little maid Yunxiang sneaking around under the eaves, peeking inside.

Chen Siyuan was both amused and exasperated. He beckoned and said, "Come in. What kind of behavior is this, sneaking around like this?"

Yunxiang chuckled and darted into the main room, whispering as she approached, "Master, you don't know, there's been a lot going on at home these past few days."

"What's going on?"

Yunxiang, with her small, talkative mouth, began to recount the story. Firstly, a servant outside the ceremonial gate gossiped about Jia Huan, and Jia Huan went to fight him, but because he was small and weak, he fell and ended up with a bruised and swollen face. When the Third Miss, Tanchun, heard the news, she immediately went to find Fengjie, and not only fined the servant three months' wages but also gave him forty lashes.

For a time, the Third Miss became famous and respected. The maids and servants all respected her, and even the old lady praised her, saying, "This is the true daughter of the Jia family."
Another story is that Master Jia Zheng kept a mistress, and Aunt Zhao fell out of favor. As the saying goes, secrets can't be kept forever, and Aunt Zhao was a gossip, so within a few days, the news of Jia Zheng keeping a mistress became common knowledge.

The next day, Second Madam caught the two gossipy old women, not only gave them a beating but also dismissed them from their jobs. For the next two days, no one dared to speak recklessly.

Lastly, the master hurriedly returned just after 1-3 PM today. He first went to Rongqing Hall, and then to the East Mansion. I don't know what happened.

After listening, Chen Siyuan seemed to be deep in thought, wondering if Fu Qiufang had pressured Jia Zheng? But no matter what, it couldn't be anything to do with the East Mansion, could it?

Yesterday, the Emperor returned to the capital and immediately ordered Grand Secretary Xu to temporarily take charge of the Ministry of War and to reorganize the affairs of the Beijing Garrison; General Feng Tang was dismissed from his post and is to be investigated and sent home to reflect on his actions; Zhao Qian, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, was dismissed from his post and is under investigation for corruption.

Feng Tang and the Jia family are on good terms. Zhao Qian even sent someone to inquire about the matter when he held the Ping'an Festival last time. One of these two is under investigation and the other is being investigated. Even if the punishment doesn't fall on the Jia family, they will probably be in a state of panic... It's possible that the punishment has already been secretly handed down.
Coming to his senses, Chen Siyuan saw the little maid Yunxiang staring at him expectantly, so he casually promised her a string of coins, which made Yunxiang leave happily.

Chen Siyuan pondered haphazardly for a while, but to no avail. Thinking that he probably couldn't get involved in such matters, he simply decided to pretend he didn't know anything. After a short rest, he went back to his study to read. But just as he settled down, Tongxi came to invite him: "Master Yuan, our mistress would like you to come over to discuss some business matters."

Chen Siyuan asked with a smile, "When did your concubine return?"

Tong Xi smiled and said, "I came back early this morning, and I was just talking to my wife."

Chen Siyuan agreed, got up and tidied himself up, and then followed Tongxi to the small courtyard in the northeast.

Without even leaving the Grand View Garden, he went straight through the side gate into the back room, greeted the guests, and saw Aunt Xue with a worried expression.

Chen Siyuan sat down with some surprise. After the fragrant tea was served, Aunt Xue instructed, "I need to talk to Yuan-ge'er for a bit. You may all leave for now."

Tongxi and Tonggui withdrew in response.

Because it was a hot summer day and all the doors and windows were open, Chen Siyuan didn't want to be too intimate with Aunt Xue, so he turned to her and asked, "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Aunt Xue said with a troubled expression, "My sister just came to see me, and she kept mentioning that she wanted to borrow money again."

Chen Siyuan asked in surprise, "Why did you borrow money out of the blue?"

Because of Chen Siyuan, the parasites of the Wu family in Liaodong Village were completely eradicated, and Dai Liang, who was in charge of the storeroom, was also exiled. At this point, the Jia family was at least able to maintain their annual expenses and did not have to borrow money from all sides.

Aunt Xue whispered, "It's my brother-in-law who's in trouble!"

Huh? Could it be that Jia Zheng has fallen for a honey trap?
Aunt Xue explained in detail, and Chen Siyuan finally understood the reason. It turned out that the court had just discovered Zhao Qian's corruption, and following the clues, they found that the Construction Department had embezzled 30,000 taels of silver intended for barracks repairs over the previous few years.

The official in charge of construction, Dai Xinting, was originally an imperial censor and had previously taken over Qin Ye's post, so the case naturally wouldn't fall on him. If Dai Xinting investigated further, wouldn't it eventually lead to the assistant director, Jia Zheng?

It was only because Yuan Chun was now a virtuous concubine that Dai Xinting gave Jia Zheng some face, allowing him only a month or so to make up for the deficit as soon as possible.

After listening, Chen Siyuan pondered and said, "As far as I know, all the departments involved in the Ministry of Works' affairs are involved. Why does the master want to pay for it himself this time?"

Aunt Xue curled her lip and said, "When it comes to taking advantage of others, everyone is eager to fight tooth and nail for it; now, trying to get food out of their mouths is like pulling teeth from a tiger's mouth. I'm afraid my brother-in-law also knows that this is not easy, so he thought of covering the deficit first and then asking each family for more later."

Chen Siyuan nodded, thinking to himself that Jia Zheng couldn't really renege on his debt... If he really did, then Dai Xinting would submit a memorial to the emperor, and not only would the Jia family lose face, but Yuan Chun would probably never have a chance to be promoted to Imperial Concubine.

Tsk... Is this just a coincidence? I'm afraid it might be a warning in disguise.

After thinking it over, Chen Siyuan glanced at Aunt Xue's expression and then smiled, "You don't really want to lend it to me?"

Aunt Xue frowned and said, "She just asks for tens of thousands of taels of silver. We haven't even paid back the money we borrowed last time. Our money doesn't grow on trees... I don't want to lend it."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Then we won't lend it... With the tens of thousands of taels borrowed earlier, I don't think Madam will dare to break ties with you."

Aunt Xue nodded with a sigh, glancing at Chen Siyuan, a hint of relief creeping into her heart. If it weren't for the young man in front of her intervening, she would probably still be humbling herself over that damned "golden and jade marriage." Now that her sister, Madam Wang, had asked, how could she dare refuse? She couldn't borrow thirty thousand, but she would at least send eight or ten thousand taels of silver.

Given the Rongguo Mansion's situation, it would be good enough if their annual income could barely maintain a semblance of dignity, let alone have any extra money to pay off debts. It's possible that the accumulated debts would eventually all be counted as Baochai's dowry.

Then she gave a bitter laugh. Yes, with the old lady blocking the way, it's still uncertain whether Baochai can marry Baoyu!
Thinking about it this way, the current situation might not be so bad. Understanding this, Aunt Xue's unease lessened somewhat.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Aunt Xue smiled and said, "A couple of days ago, Pan'er was still clamoring to come and celebrate your birthday. I thought that most of the guests would be unmarried young ladies, and with his carefree nature, he would inevitably embarrass himself if he went, so I simply stopped him from going."

But these past two days he's been throwing a tantrum, and today he actually went out for a stroll.

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "Wenlong... still no movement?"

Aunt Xue immediately shook her head with a bitter face, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Everyone says that the purple bamboo your aunt invites is the most effective. You... why don't you get some for me?"

Chen Siyuan readily agreed to such a small matter. After a short while, Chen Siyuan took his leave. Thinking that he hadn't been to the east courtyard for a few days, he decided to visit Madam Xing. So he strolled out of the side gate and soon entered the black lacquered gate.

Having been away for several days, Madam Xing was naturally quite annoyed. Chen Siyuan comforted her gently, and just as he was about to ask for a purple bamboo for Aunt Xue, Qin Yu's wife came from outside: "Madam, Master and Second Master Lian have returned!"

Madam Xing and Chen Siyuan exchanged a glance and hurried to greet him. But when they reached the third ceremonial gate, a servant came to report: "Master has gone to Rongqing Hall and said he will be back in a while."

Madam Xing frowned and muttered, "She just got back and went straight to Rongqing Hall without even changing her clothes? Could something serious have happened?"

Chen Siyuan said, "The master has probably lost money."

The price of latex in Beijing has been fluctuating daily these past few days. It was 6.5 cents in the morning, but dropped to 5.9 cents in the afternoon, and only today has it gradually stabilized at 5.5 cents.

Chen Siyuan did not know the cost price of the latex that Jia She had stockpiled, but he guessed it was not low, and this time he would probably lose several thousand taels.

Chen Siyuan didn't linger. After saying a few words to Madam Xing, he left through the black-lacquered gate and headed back to the thatched cottage. But as soon as he reached the side gate, a servant quickly found Yu Liu and told him, "Master, send someone to invite Master Zhen from the East Mansion."

Immediately, the person in charge quietly and quickly headed towards the Ningguo Mansion.

Chen Siyuan stopped and glanced at the scene, thinking to himself... Judging from this, Jia She has lost a lot of money.

As they entered through the side gate and were about to head into the inner quarters, they unexpectedly saw Ping'er hurrying out with a frown. The two bumped into each other, exchanged greetings, and Chen Siyuan said, "Miss Ping'er, why are you in such a hurry... is something the matter?"

Ping'er said, "It's...it's because Second Master injured his back, and Madam sent me to fetch the imperial physician."

Jia Lian is injured? Judging from Ping'er's hesitant expression, Chen Siyuan guessed that it was probably the master Jia She who beat him.

He bid farewell to Ping'er and headed back to Qingtang Thatched Cottage, which is not mentioned here.

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

Sister Feng's children's courtyard.

Jia Lian's face was swollen on one side, and his mouth was bruised. He collapsed onto the kang (a heated brick bed) and gasped in pain.

Feng Jie was already furious. While ordering her maid Feng'er to wipe it, she scolded, "The storeroom burned down because the manager was drunk and made a mistake. What does it have to do with you? Even if you want to beat or scold someone, you shouldn't do it like this! No, I'll go and talk to the old lady!"

Jia Lian quickly reached out to stop him, saying, "Take a rest. The master is in a bad mood right now. If you go, won't you just add fuel to the fire?"

Sister Feng gritted her teeth and remained silent, inwardly seething with resentment. After a while, she finally asked, "How much money did we lose?"

Jia Lian shook his head and said, "We were tricked by Prince Zhongshun and Wu Guozhang this time... We only got back 24,000 taels of our capital of nearly 30,000 taels, which is a loss of 6,000 taels. No wonder the master is in a bad mood."

"Six thousand taels?" Sister Feng's phoenix eyes widened in shock, and she exclaimed, "How could we lose so much?"

Jia Lian simply sighed and shook his head, unwilling to discuss the matter further.

Just then, an old woman came to report: "The master wants the second master to go to Rongqing Hall to discuss matters."

Sister Feng frowned and replied, "Second Master is injured, I'm afraid he can't go."

Jia Lian, supporting his back, got up and said, "Fine, I'll go anyway."

Sister Feng turned her head and scolded, "You should rest well. It's just a matter of money. I can go too."

Jia Lian chuckled and fell silent. Then, seeing Ping'er bring Physician Wang over, Feng Jie gave her some instructions before hurrying off to Rongqing Hall.

Passing through the side hall and entering the interior, one immediately sees a somber atmosphere. Grandmother Jia has a worried expression, while Lady Wang appears calm and composed. Jia She, Jia Zheng, and Jia Zhen all have furrowed brows.

Sister Feng quietly entered, and Jia She suddenly said, "Forget it, I'll make up the six thousand taels myself. But what about the thirty thousand taels from the Ministry of Works?"

Jia Zhen chimed in, "Uncle She, that's not just a matter of six thousand taels... Don't forget that Uncle She made a promise to the nobleman beforehand, so... we might have to add another twelve thousand taels of silver to make things easier. Otherwise, why would the nobleman ask us to do errands next time?"

Jia She was speechless with astonishment. Then, Grandmother Jia said, "Since the business is run by the eldest master, he will cover it up. But we must devise a way to cover up the Ministry of Works' indebtedness, otherwise it might affect the Empress."

(End of this chapter)