Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 270 Burying Trouble
Despite her reluctance, Sister Feng left early that morning to search for the Duke of Li's mansion.

Sister Feng was eloquent and chatted with the ladies and mistresses of the Duke of Li's mansion for quite some time before finally getting down to business. But as soon as she opened her mouth, one of the mistresses exclaimed in surprise, "Yesterday, your esteemed master came by, and we lost three thousand taels of silver, leaving us with only a little over a thousand. Why are you here again asking for more?"

Feng Jie was taken aback and quickly pressed for details. Another lady then recounted the events of the previous day, which infuriated Feng Jie. Seeing that the ladies and mistresses were making excuses about not being able to handle things at home, Feng Jie simply gave up and hurriedly returned to the Rongguo Mansion in the afternoon.

She went straight to Rongqing Hall and angrily recounted the whole story, which made even Grandmother Jia so angry that she fell backwards!
There are priorities and urgency in matters. Nowadays, the noble families are expanding their households, and their households are quite large. With people and horses consuming their resources, their annual expenses are naturally insufficient. Especially with the Ministry of Works' business suspended, it's already difficult for each family to maintain a semblance of dignity. Asking them to spend money to make up for the deficit requires careful discussion.

There are priorities, but the master of the house, being so clueless, has already swindled all the noble families. Now that Sister Feng has come to ask for money again, it would be strange if they gave her a friendly look!

It's hard to part with charitable donations!
Grandmother Jia was so angry that she trembled all over. She immediately sent a servant to say, "Go and fetch the master!"

The old woman dared not delay and hurried to the east courtyard to find Jia She. At that moment, Jia She was lying on his concubine's belly, feeling smug.

Fortunately, he had settled the accounts with everyone yesterday, otherwise, how could he possibly be given a friendly welcome when he came to visit? After calculating everything, including the five thousand taels of silver given by Sun Shaozu, the master still had two thousand taels left. It was only because Jia Zhen was family that Jia She could have made a profit; otherwise, he might not have lost money at all.

As for the accounts... when the master opens his mouth, they are all relatives and friends. How can any of them be so shameless as to keep accounts?
Just as he was feeling quite pleased with himself, a steward suddenly called out from outside the room, "Master, the old lady wants to see you."

Jia She gave a mumbled reply and let his concubine dress him before stepping out of the room. The steward hurriedly said, "The Second Mistress went to Rongqing Hall as soon as she returned, and a servant came shortly after to invite the Master over."

Jia She squinted and said, "I understand."

What could it be for? It must be for money. But Master Jia She was confident because he always kept public and private matters separate.

Now the second branch of the family is in charge, and the public funds are also managed by the second branch. Haven't you seen how even the eldest master has been forced to come to the east wing? This east wing used to be the side garden of the Jia family. If you calculate the location, it's exactly the same as where Jia Rong lived in the East Mansion.

Although Rongxi Hall was vacant, Jia Zheng and his wife lived in the main house behind the east wing!

Regardless of whether the old lady is biased or not, since the second branch is in charge of the household, what does this deficit have to do with the eldest master? What? It has to do with him? Then why didn't the second branch acknowledge their own previous deficit?
If it weren't for his cleverness, he would have lost everything long ago!
With a cold snort, Jia She, chest out and belly protruding, strolled leisurely toward Rongqing Hall.

After a while, we entered through the hanging flower gate, walked along the covered corridor through several courtyards, and finally arrived at Rongqing Hall.

Because Lady Wang is ill from anger, only Sister Feng, Grandmother Jia... why is Jia Zheng here?

Jia She stepped forward to greet him, then asked in surprise, "Second Brother, why are you back? Don't you have to sit in the yamen today?"

Jia Zheng looked distressed and sighed, "The acting physician has suspended my duties, saying that I can only return to my post when the deficit is recovered."

"Oh, well, your job is just a formality anyway. If I had to say, a tree dies when it's moved, but a person thrives. Second brother, you might as well think about changing places."

Jia Zheng smiled bitterly and remained silent. He was also preoccupied with a lot of troubles. Not only had he been suspended from his post, but Fu Shi had also come looking for him, subtly pressuring Jia Zheng to help him get a government position.

Jia Zheng himself is only a fifth-rank official, how could he possibly help Fu Shi get a promotion? Besides, Fu Shi is just a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial examinations), he can't become a full-fledged official, and he might have to be promoted to an official first... In that case, the benefactor and the student would have the same official rank, how could anyone reason with that?
Jia Zheng was beginning to realize that it wasn't Fu Qiufang who had intentionally caused trouble yesterday; it was clearly his own good student, Fu Shi, who had instigated Aunt Fu to make a scene! What she wanted, of course, was to get promoted and make a fortune!

Jia Zheng was feeling depressed and wanted to go to Fu Qiufang's place to rest for a while.

Leaving aside Jia Zheng's thoughts, Grandmother Jia sat upright on the soft couch, leaning on her cane, and said with a frown, "Master, did you visit all the families yesterday?"

Jia She said confidently, "Although the business has failed, each family still has money with their son, so the accounts must be settled."

Grandmother Jia was so angry that she trembled and shouted, "Don't you know there are priorities? Shouldn't the public deficit be dealt with first? Now that you've taken the lead, how is Feng-ge supposed to explain this to the other families?"
As soon as Feng Ge opened his mouth today, he was shut down by the Duke of Li's mansion!

"

Master Jia She glanced at Sister Feng and said, "Since each family shared the profits from the Ministry of Works' business, it's only right that they make up for any deficits... What does this have to do with my son's business?"

"you--"

Before Grandmother Jia could finish speaking, Jia She interrupted, "Besides, my second brother said the same thing the other day. I suggested including that business in the public funds' deficit, so we could collect it from each household together, wouldn't that be cheaper? But my second brother was vague and refused to agree!"

The son's east wing costs a considerable amount each month for food and supplies, and they're still in debt because of it. We can't let the people in the east wing starve because of the public funds, can we?

Grandmother Jia was so angry that she trembled. It took her a long time to catch her breath. She looked at Jia She and said coldly, "Fine, fine, I can't control you now. Master, you might as well go back to the east wing and live your own life behind closed doors!"

Jia She muttered, "Isn't it true that we live alone? Now, if we want to come to the mansion, we have to enter through the side gate."

Grandmother Jia immediately fell silent... because continuing would expose past secrets, which would be unpleasant for everyone. She gave Jia She a cold glance, snorted, and turned her head away.

Jia Zheng quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, "Mother, things have come to this point, let's think of another way. How about... we pawn off the properties in the mansion first, so we can at least get through this?"

The difference between pawning and mortgaging has been clearly explained earlier. Pawning is equivalent to transferring the right to use an object to the other party, with an agreed term before redeeming it. During this period, all profits from various farmlands and shops belong to the other party.

The Rongguo Mansion is already barely making ends meet; if it pawns its properties, how will it be able to support itself?

Jia She immediately retorted, "No way! Thirty thousand taels is no small sum. How long will it take for the family to raise the money? Not to mention anything else, the Liaodong estate alone brings in more than ten thousand taels a year. How can we easily pawn it off?"

"This..." Jia Zheng was at a loss and could only look up at his mother.

The implication was clear: they were hoping the old lady would part with her own savings. However, Grandmother Jia simply wouldn't budge.

Jia She sat there for a long time, then said, "That's enough, there's nothing we can do for now. Let's all go our separate ways and think of something."

Seeing that Grandmother Jia still didn't speak, Jia She simply got up, took his leave, and left.

Jia Zheng sat with her for a while longer, and seeing that Grandmother Jia still had nothing to say, he got up to take his leave. Unexpectedly, Grandmother Jia sighed and said, "Master, I have no way to handle this matter. Why don't you and Madam discuss it carefully?"

Jia Zheng dared not disobey, so he could only give a vague reply. After leaving the hanging flower gate, he hesitated for a moment, and finally went to Lady Wang's courtyard.

Upon entering, the aroma of medicinal soup filled the air. Lady Wang lay on the bed, wearing a headband. Jia Zheng stammered as he explained the situation, avoiding Lady Wang's gaze, and then made an excuse to leave the main room.

Jia Zheng has left, and Lady Wang, who was already ill from anger, is in no good mood at this moment.
Seeing that Madam Wang was lying on the bed suffering from a headache, the two newcomers, Danji and Tanxin, panicked and hurriedly went to find Yuchuan to ask her what was wrong.

Yu Chuan'er pursed her lips and pondered, "Madam's problem is psychological; it's no use inviting Physician Wang again... Send someone to fetch the concubine."

Tan Xin quickly agreed and went out through the back gate to the small courtyard in the northeast. Upon entering, she saw Aunt Xue talking to Baochai.

Tan said in a panic, "Madam, please go and see Madam. Master just spoke for a while, and Madam got so angry that she has a headache again!"

Aunt Xue and Sister Bao exchanged a glance, then asked in surprise, "What did your uncle say this time?"

Baochai frowned and shook her head. Although the mother and daughter had some scheming with Madam Wang, ultimately, their ability to remain in the Rongguo Mansion and rely on its protection was all due to Madam Wang. Therefore, the two quickly got up and followed Tanxin to the front to visit Madam Wang.

Upon entering the house, the mother and daughter saw Yuchuan massaging Lady Wang's temples. Aunt Xue and Baochai exchanged a glance, then stepped forward and called out to her. Aunt Xue, her face stern, said, "Why is your headache acting up again?"

Lady Wang sighed and waved her hand, knowing that there were some things she couldn't say because the younger Baochai was right in front of her.

Then she said to Yu Chuan, "Stop now, I feel better." After Yu Chuan got off the bed, Madam Wang first invited Aunt Xue to sit down, and then forced a smile and said to Baochai, "Baochai, I need to trouble you with a favor. I just got some rose dew, and I thought Tanya liked it, so I specially saved a bottle for her. Could you please take it to her for me?"

Baochai smiled and said, "Auntie, that's really too polite. It's just a small matter of running errands, there's no need to use the word 'trouble'. In that case, I'll go now."

Baochai was also clever. Knowing that the two sisters were having private conversations and didn't want her to overhear, she immediately took the rose dew that Yuchuan handed her and led Ying'er to the back garden to find Tanchun.

Without needing any further instructions from Madam Wang, Yu Chuan quickly led the maids out, leaving only Madam Wang and Aunt Xue and her sister inside.

Aunt Xue sat closer to the head of the bed and couldn't help but ask, "Sister, what did your husband say just now?"

"What else can I say?" Madam Wang said with a bitter smile, "You know that ever since Zhu-ge'er passed away, I have no more affection for him as husband and wife. In these past few years, when has he ever come to my room at night? Isn't he always going to see that vixen? It's only because the Jia family and the Wang family want to maintain their reputation and because they are concerned about Bao-yu that I have endured it until now... Who knew that he would keep another mistress and be so determined to drive me crazy."

Aunt Xue felt a pang of sympathy. How many men in this world don't tire of the old and crave the new? Take Baochai's father, for example. When he was alive, didn't he also attract bees and butterflies, bringing beautiful and virtuous girls into his own room? It was only because Aunt Xue was so skillful that those vixens didn't succeed.

Otherwise, if there were several more illegitimate children at this time, it would be even more troublesome.

Lady Wang sighed, "Sometimes I wish he were gone, so that Baoyu and I could be more at ease."

Aunt Xue comforted her, "Sister, just think about it. It's not good to say these things out loud."

Madam Wang snorted coldly and remained silent. After a pause, she continued, "The eldest son's family doesn't care about the 30,000 taels deficit, nor does the old lady. He had no choice but to come to me... But what can I do?"

There is a way, just like those ancient books in Xiaoxiang Pavilion, which, after being counted, could be worth twenty or thirty thousand taels of silver. However, this method is really insidious, and we also have to consider Yuan-ge'er, so Madam Wang has not yet made up her mind.

Aunt Xue remained silent. Madam Wang glanced at her, pondered for a moment, and said, "But you mentioned that Xia family girl last time... does she really have no other brothers in her family?"

Aunt Xue laughed and said, "How could that be faked? I often visit Mrs. Xia, and I know her family's situation better than anyone... If you ask me, sister, you don't need to make a decision right away. Invite the Xia family's daughters to stroll in the garden from time to time, observe their words and actions. If they are indeed agreeable, then consider proposing marriage; if not, just consider it as finding a close friend for the girls. Wouldn't that be more appropriate?"

Madam Wang's stiff expression softened, and she smiled, saying, "How you put it... is quite appropriate."

As a widow and orphan, and also from a lowly imperial merchant family, Lady Wang was confident she could handle the Xia family. There was no rush to finalize the marriage; the Ministry of Works' deficit needed to be covered first. As for the future… even if she married Xia Jingui, so what? One day, the eldest daughter would be promoted to Imperial Concubine, and even if Baoyu remarried, plenty of good girls would come knocking on his door!

Having made up her mind, Madam Wang said, "In that case, I'll talk to the old lady later, and my sister can visit the Xia family when she has time."

Aunt Xue smiled and agreed.

Just then, Yu Chuan'er said from the outer room, "Madam, Second Mistress has arrived."

Aunt Xue stood up and said, "Then you should rest first, sister. Once the old lady nods, I'll go and mention it to Mrs. Xia when I have time."

Lady Wang asked a maid to see Aunt Xue off on her behalf, and then Yu Chuan led Feng Jie inside.

Sister Feng first recounted two matters concerning household affairs, and seeing that Madam Wang had no interest in them, she then said, "Madam, about the embezzlement..."

Madam Wang said, "Even if you hadn't come, I would have gone to find you. No matter what, the debts owed by all the families are not something our family should make up on our own. Tomorrow, you should go around to different places and talk to the wives of the heads of the households. They are all reasonable people. If our family can't make up for it, how can they expect to benefit?"

Sister Feng said, "I've calculated it carefully. Even if everyone contributes, our family will still need to contribute around ten thousand taels. Right now, we only have four thousand taels left, and the rest is needed..."

Madam Wang gritted her teeth and said, "Six thousand taels is neither more nor less. I'll think of a way."

Sister Feng nodded in agreement, then pondered for a moment and said, "Madam, with the family growing, we are already facing a situation where income cannot cover expenses. We must increase revenue and reduce expenditure."

Madam Wang frowned and said, "How could I not know?" She gestured towards the west and said, "The old lady is still alive, and she always said that servants should be treated kindly. How could I dare to go against the old lady's wishes?"

Sister Feng said, "Since we can't cut spending, we must find ways to increase revenue."

Madam Wang hurriedly asked, "Have you heard of any disaster somewhere?" Wealthy families rejoice in famines; in years of plenty, they stockpile grain, in years of disaster, they fleece the poor. How much profit can one make from farmland in a year? When famine strikes, they pawn their possessions, buy rice and grain from various places, and transport it to the disaster-stricken areas. On one hand, they distribute porridge to gain a good reputation; on the other hand, they sell the grain at high prices, squeezing the remaining wealth from the rich. Then, they use the proceeds to buy up cheap farmland, and once the famine is over, their profits multiply!
Even more outrageous, some could divert grain from local granaries without even having to spend money or grain; a single letter was all it took to replenish the granaries at a low price after the disaster. They could do this without anyone noticing, making tens of thousands of taels of silver out of thin air!
How much wealth did the Jia family have when they first established their mansion? How much wealth do they have now? Apart from the rewards the old Duke received for his meritorious service, most of the remaining wealth came from killing poor people.

Unfortunately, the Jia family has now lost its military power and its personal guards are dwindling, so it will be a huge undertaking to kill the poor again.

Sister Feng was taken aback, and quickly said, "No, that's not it... but if this matter is handled properly, it might even make more money than a famine."

Madam Wang asked in surprise, "You mean—"

Sister Feng leaned forward and lowered her voice, saying, "Does Madam know about the Zhen family..."

As Madam Wang listened, she suddenly became thoughtful.

After a long pause, once Sister Feng had spoken, Madam Wang said, "I can't be sure about this matter. It could cost me my head... Let's ask the old lady first!"

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

Two more days passed in a flash, and Sister Feng was busy running around to and from the mansions of various nobles. Her maid Yunxiang reported every day that Madam Wang had gone to Rongqing Hall despite her illness, that the Master, the Master, and Master Zhen of the East Mansion had gathered at Rongqing Hall to discuss matters, and then rumors spread that a young lady would soon be visiting the Grand View Garden.

Chen Siyuan was completely bewildered and couldn't figure it out. He went to see Madam Xing twice, but Madam Xing was not allowed to listen to such important matters, so even she didn't know. He also asked Baochai once, but to his surprise, Baochai didn't know either.

The matter was being covered up, and even the Ministry of Works' embezzlement was temporarily suppressed, leading Chen Siyuan to believe it must be something serious. He couldn't help but feel itchy to find out more.

It so happened that they had arranged to go to Da Gezi Lane together that day. The two had not been intimate for more than ten days, so this time they naturally became inseparable, like mandarin ducks, their bodies intertwined, their love like waves crashing on the brocade quilt. After a few moments of tenderness, the two finally embraced and began to talk.

Chen Siyuan grabbed Yingrou with one hand and played with her, while using the other hand to brush aside the strands of hair that fell down her temples. He asked softly, "Has anything happened in the manor these past two days? It seems that the old lady also invited you over yesterday?"

Aunt Xue's blush hadn't faded yet, but upon hearing this, she immediately opened her eyes and perked up, turning to the side and saying, "Speaking of which, there's something I'm having trouble deciding on, and I'd appreciate your advice."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "Alright, tell me."

Aunt Xue said, "Firstly, the Ministry of Works was in deficit, and seeing that my sister was really helpless, I introduced her to the girl from the Xia family of Guihua."

Chen Siyuan secretly rejoiced, thinking to himself that this was no pushover and that things were going to get interesting.

Chen Siyuan then said, "This... I've heard from the Imperial Academy that this girl is arrogant and willful, truly not a good match... How could Madam agree?"

Aunt Xue laughed and said, "So what if he's arrogant and willful? Don't forget that the Xia family only has one daughter, Xia Jingui. If she marries into the family, how can her dowry be small? Besides, with Baoyu's temperament, he needs to be kept in check by a strict person, otherwise who knows what kind of trouble he will cause in the future."

Hmm? You know what, now that Aunt Xue said it, Chen Siyuan actually felt that it made sense!
After a pause, Aunt Xue lowered her voice and said, "If it really doesn't work out... Baoyu can remarry later. He's still young, so it won't be a delay."

Chen Siyuan couldn't help but gasp. This guy had planned to wipe out the Xia family!

He quickly asked, "Did the old lady nod?"

Aunt Xue smiled and said, "We only said we were inviting Xia Jingui to visit the garden. My sister and I didn't say anything else. So what if the old lady finds out?"

Chen Siyuan pondered to himself, "Baoyu and Xia Jingui... this pair is simply a match made in heaven. Xia Jingui doesn't expect Baoyu to be ambitious, and she even keeps an eye on him to prevent him from philandering. The Jia family is a cut above the Xue family, so even if the Xia mother and daughter have ulterior motives, they can't scheme against him. Isn't this a perfect match?"

Chen Siyuan chuckled and said, "That's right, you're absolutely right. What about the other matter?"

Aunt Xue's smile faded, and she frowned slightly, asking, "Have you been reading the official gazette lately?"

Chen Siyuan shook his head and said, "You know that I've been studying behind closed doors lately, and I only take walks in the garden when I have free time. I'm truly oblivious to everything else and only focused on studying the classics."

Aunt Xue then said with concern, "You shouldn't just study all the time. When you have free time... take a walk in Hengwu Garden."

Chen Siyuan was first surprised, then jokingly asked, "Not jealous anymore?"

Aunt Xue scolded, "So what if you're jealous? So what if you're not? These past few days, Baochai has been mentioning you every time she talks about you, and it seems she can't stop her now."

Chen Siyuan laughed heartily and immediately embraced Aunt Xue tenderly for a while.

After a while, Aunt Xue caught her breath and said, "You don't know, at the beginning of the month, an imperial censor impeached the Zhen family for embezzling more than two million taels of silver and urged them to return it."

"More than two million? Where did you get such a large debt?"

Aunt Xue said, "The Emperor made several southern tours, and my family hosted him once. The other four times, we stayed at the Zhen family's house. With all that food and supplies, how could we not owe so much?"

Chen Siyuan nodded in relief.

Aunt Xue said, "His Majesty is benevolent and filial. The Emperor Emeritus and the Dowager Empress have also spoken, so the impeachment has been temporarily put aside. Zhen Yingjia has even been promoted to Salt Commissioner of Liangzhe, with the intention of having the Zhen family raise the money to cover the deficit."

Chen Siyuan echoed, "The current emperor is indeed benevolent and filial," but in his heart he was not convinced. With such great power in his hands, yet there was an emperor emeritus and an old concubine above him interfering, if Chen Siyuan were the current emperor, he would probably feel very uncomfortable.

Aunt Xue said, "But the Zhen family has calculated that the salt administration of Liangzhe only makes a few taels of silver a year. Even with the textile bureau's revenue, they can only make a maximum of 100,000 taels a year. The Emperor Emeritus and the Dowager Empress are getting old and may pass away at any time. If the current emperor turns against them then... wouldn't the Zhen family have ended up with nothing?"

Chen Siyuan gasped, thinking to himself that the Zhen family wasn't entirely stupid. He quickly asked, "So, what does the Zhen family mean—"

Aunt Xue said in a low voice, "This money must be repaid, and it will only take thirty to fifty thousand each year. As for the rest... the Zhen family wants to exchange it with the Jia family."

Chen Siyuan was horrified. He had lived two lives and had lived for more than ten years in this one. How could he not know the saying "one classic lasts for a thousand years"?
Pawnshops operate in two ways, one of which is the kind depicted in movies and TV dramas. For example, a perfectly good sheepskin coat might be pawned as a worn-out garment for a certain amount of money. A pawn ticket is then written, a date is agreed upon, and the pawner pays a percentage of the proceeds to redeem the item.

Pawning is different. First, the period is extremely long, ranging from twenty to ninety-nine years. Second, the pawned item belongs to the pawnshop, as does any interest generated during the period. Once the term is up, the original owner must pay twice the pawn price to redeem the item.

During the transition from the Ming to the Shunzhi reign, powerful families, in order to circumvent the new dynasty's land redistribution policy, inter-family mortgages of their land, shops, and houses. Consequently, when the authorities investigated, the mortgaged land and businesses were not considered part of their property, nor were the land and businesses they bought back.
For a time, Emperor Taizong Li Guo was forced into a corner and had no choice but to send out cruel officials to find out the crimes of powerful families in Jiangnan and kill off countless people before the Equal Field Order was finally implemented.

Unfortunately, Emperor Taizong Li Guo died too young, before the property could be put away and sold. Afterwards, the Emperor Emeritus ascended the throne, and the court and the country were thriving. Naturally, he forgot to abolish the law of "one law lasting a thousand years".

The Zhen family clearly knew that the emperor's arrival was ill-intentioned, and they figured that even if they sold everything they owned, they couldn't repay the debt. Besides, the debt was incurred during the emperor's reception; why should the Zhen family bear it alone?

Since they're going to be purged by the Emperor sooner or later anyway, they might as well seek fortune in danger and engage in mutual pawning. That way, even if the Emperor confiscates their property in the future, the Zhen family's accumulated wealth over the years won't be taken away.

Chen Siyuan couldn't help but wonder, "If the Zhen family is like this, why should the Jia family be like this?"

Given that Yuan-chun was a virtuous concubine and the Jia family was at the height of its power, there was no need for them to take such a risk. Could it be that the eldest master, the master, or even the matriarch of the Jia family possessed the ability to foresee the future?

Aunt Xue chuckled and said, "How would you know the ins and outs of aristocratic families? In these matters, it's always better to believe it than not. Last time during the Iron Net Mountain hunt, my brother almost got involved, and the entire Jia family was filled with anxiety."

Now that the cane has fallen, though it's only 30,000 taels, who knows if more canes will follow?

“I see,” Chen Siyuan nodded with a frown, then looked at Aunt Xue with surprise and said, “Wait… since it’s just a matter between the Zhen and Jia families, how did you get involved? Could it be—”

Aunt Xue frowned and said, "My family happens to own a pawnshop. These two shops pawn each other's items, so that they go through several hands so that the imperial court can't find out."

Chen Siyuan asked, "Are there any other benefits?"

Aunt Xue smiled wryly and said, "The Zhen family said they would help the Xue family maintain their business in Jiangnan. Isn't that a benefit?"

Yes, as the saying goes, "When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head." The Xue family is now relying on the Jia family's protection. Although they borrowed money beforehand, they still have to do their part. Otherwise, if the Jia family turns against them, the Xue family will have nowhere to turn for help.

Knowing he couldn't stop her, Chen Siyuan said, "In that case, you shouldn't show your face yourself, and you shouldn't let Bao Meimei show her face either. Just handle it like an ordinary business."

Aunt Xue said sadly, "I'm living under someone else's roof..." After a moment, she reached out and stroked Chen Siyuan's cheek, then looked up and said softly, "I hope you pass the next exam with high marks."

If Chen Siyuan had passed the imperial examination and entered the Hanlin Academy, not to mention his promising future, his personal relationship with Prince Yanping alone would have been enough to protect the Xue family. That is why Aunt Xue sighed.

Chen Siyuan then laughed and said, "Your family comes from a royal merchant background and has never participated in court struggles. No matter what happens in the future, the blame will not fall on the Xue family." He paused and then solemnly instructed, "There is only one thing: you must keep a close eye on Wenlong. He must have a son or daughter before you let him go out and fool around."

Hearing this, Aunt Xue became even more distressed and said, "It's strange. We've been taking nourishing supplements without stopping these days, and the doctor has examined us several times. He said we're all fine, but the three concubines just haven't shown any signs of pregnancy!"

Chen Siyuan immediately grinned mischievously and said, "Since Wenlong can't... how about we give it a try?"

Aunt Xue angrily punched Chen Siyuan a few times. Since she still had to return to the Xue family's old house, Aunt Xue rested briefly before hurriedly leaving.

Chen Siyuan leaned back on the bed, lost in thought for a while. He felt that if he were in that situation, he probably wouldn't have a good solution either. The Zhen family would surely fall one day, and as for the Jia family... it was hard to say.

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

On this day, upon returning to the Rongguo Mansion, as soon as they entered the thatched cottage in the main hall, they heard laughter and cheerful voices coming from the main room.

Liu Wu'er came to greet them, saying, "Master, Miss Bao has arrived."

"When did you come?"

Liu Wu'er said, "We've been sitting here for a while. If Master doesn't come back soon, Miss Bao will have to leave."

Chen Siyuan nodded slightly and strolled inside. Baochai was talking to Hongyu when she saw him enter and quickly got up to greet him.

Hongyu was very tactful. She poured warm tea for the two of them and then made an excuse to leave.

Only the two of them remained. Before Chen Siyuan could say anything, Baochai said, "Do you know that tomorrow Auntie will send a carriage to pick up the Xia family mother and daughter and bring them to the mansion?"

Chen Siyuan asked knowingly, "The Xia family? Which Xia family?"

"The Xia family of Guihua." Baochai thought of Xia Jingui and said with a sneer, "You'd better stay away tomorrow, lest you be taken a liking to that proud young lady."

Chen Siyuan was trying to avoid her, so why would he rush forward? After nodding in agreement, Chen Siyuan said, "Brother Bao and that young lady from the Xia family... are a match made in heaven."

Baochai immediately covered her mouth and laughed, echoing, "Isn't that right? Just wait and see, who knows, she might become Baochai's wife one day."

There was a hint of cunning and smugness in that smile. Chen Siyuan thought to himself, "I'm afraid the Xue mother and daughter also have their own ulterior motives this time."

Baochai naturally looked down on Xia Jingui, but Aunt Xue recommended her to Lady Wang... probably because of the rumors about the so-called "golden and jade marriage" that had circulated before. At this time, although Baochai no longer thought about Baoyu, she didn't want to be overshadowed by Baoyu's future wife.

Otherwise...wouldn't there be those idiots saying that the perfect match didn't happen because Baochai wasn't as good as other girls?

(End of this chapter)