Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 274 Fainting
Rongguo Mansion.

Feng Jie entered her small courtyard through the side gate and saw only Ping'er to greet her. She immediately frowned and asked, "Where did your second master go again?"

Ping'er knew that Jia Lian had gone to frolic with Duo Guniang again, so she quickly covered for him, saying, "He was here just now, so he must have gone to the study in the front."

Sister Feng gave a soft hum, waved her round fan, and her face was covered in fragrant sweat. That day, she visited the homes of nobles and finally settled a deal with the last one. On her way back, she first went to Madam Wang to report the good news, and then leisurely returned to her own home.

Ping'er quickly served some cool tea and fanned her from the side, saying, "The only thing missing is the Duke of Shan's mansion. The mansion has enough money. Why don't you rest for a couple more days, Madam?"

Sister Feng said with a smirk, "You make it sound so easy. The last family is short a full four thousand taels of silver. But the Duke of Shan's mansion is also in trouble. They've had two funerals in a row and are now in dire straits. I went there twice, and the lady of the house finally gave me a definite answer. She'll scrape together two thousand taels for now, and we'll talk about the rest at the end of the year."

After a pause, Sister Feng complained again, "Tell me, what kind of fate do I have? I thought it was a good thing, but who knew that as soon as Qin Shi left, the Ministry of Works' business stopped, and now we have to fill in the gaps everywhere. It's really..."

Ping'er laughed and said, "Even if you hadn't taken that job, wouldn't you still have to run around for this? That's called 'the capable should do more'... It's only this once anyway. Master came back today with a happy face. I heard he's going to get a promotion."

"Oh?" Sister Feng asked in surprise, "Why didn't Madam mention it just now?"

Ping'er laughed and said, "It's only the beginning, so Madam shouldn't make a big deal out of it. But that Aunt Zhao has already been spreading the word everywhere. Even if I don't say anything, Madam will hear about it from the servants tomorrow."

Sister Feng sighed, "Amitabha, may the Bodhisattva protect us. I hope that once Master gets promoted, this deficit will no longer be with you. Otherwise, when will this ever end?"

Just then, Lin Zhixiao's wife rushed in with a frightened face: "Second Madam, this is terrible! Master Yuan has been carried back covered in blood and is unconscious. Second Madam, please go and see him quickly!"

"Ah?" Sister Feng was startled and jumped up, asking, "Where are you hurt?"

Lin Zhixiao's wife said anxiously, "I see a short sword stuck in his left chest..."

Sister Feng exclaimed "Oh dear!" and started walking out. When she reached the door, she saw Ping'er following her. Sister Feng quickly instructed, "Go to the east courtyard and inform them, and also go to Qingtang thatched cottage and tell them!"

Ping'er quickly agreed and split up with Lin Zhixiao's wife into two groups, one heading east to the courtyard and the other going to Madam Wang's courtyard first.

Ping'er arrived at Madam Wang's courtyard first. Aunt Xue was also there that day, and the two sisters were discussing the mutual pawning arrangement. Since the Zhen family was seeking help from the Jia family, the Jia family was ultimately gaining some advantage in this mutual pawning matter.

At first, Madam Wang couldn't figure it out, but after Aunt Xue explained it to her, she realized that if nothing unexpected happened, the Rongguo Mansion's public funds would receive an extra one or two thousand taels of silver each year after the mutual pawning.

Madam Wang was immediately pleased, and even her voice became tinged with a smile.

Don't underestimate this one or two thousand taels of silver. With this money, the Rongguo Mansion can be more presentable during festivals and holidays, and will not have to be struggling to make ends meet.

Just then, Ping'er entered and reported, "Madam, Aunt, Master Yuan is injured and unconscious. He's being kept in the South Hall for now."

Madam Wang and Aunt Xue exchanged glances. Aunt Xue, whose heart was entirely devoted to the young master, asked in a trembling voice, "You, say it again?"

Ping'er quickly repeated the story, which immediately frightened Aunt Xue, turning her face pale. She got up and stumbled outside, muttering to herself, "What kind of talk is this? How could someone be injured so suddenly?"

Lady Wang found it strange, but then she thought about it... Yes, Baochai's heart is now entirely with Chen Siyuan, and she probably already considers him her son-in-law. She still needs Chen Siyuan to protect and care for the Xue family in the future, so hearing of this change naturally caused her some distress.

Relieved, Madam Wang quickly got up and went to look for her. Ping'er, who was going to the back, hurriedly curtsied and took her leave.

Lady Wang trailed behind, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't catch up with Aunt Xue. After turning past Mengpo Studio, Lady Wang suddenly frowned and slowed her pace.

If Chen Siyuan dies...it would actually be a good thing?
Baoyu came to inquire about Xia Jingui today, but because they've grown distant over the past two years, even without Xia Jingui, Baoyu wouldn't go looking for Daiyu; and Baochai's heart and eyes are entirely on Chen Siyuan, so she probably wouldn't turn around and pester Baoyu. In that case, wouldn't Chen Siyuan be rendered useless?

That would have been bad enough, but because of Chen Siyuan's previous collusion, the eldest and second wives joined forces to fight against the old lady. Now that Madam Wang has truly taken control of the household, Chen Siyuan, being Madam Xing's nephew, is unlikely to help her anymore and might even side with the eldest wife to deal with her.

Just a few days ago, Chen Siyuan secretly went to Rongqing Hall. No one knows what he said, but the old lady's smiling face never changed afterward... Who knows if Chen Siyuan came up with some evil plan to deal with her?
Thinking about it this way, Chen Siyuan's departure was actually entirely beneficial to Madam Wang.

After making up her mind, Madam Wang relaxed her brows and quickened her pace to look for the South Hall.

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

Grand View Garden.

Jia Lan was feeling stifled at home. One day, he was playing in the garden when he suddenly saw Xiangling, Hongyu, Wu'er, and others running from the thatched cottage in Qingtang, crying and sobbing. A little maid named Yunxiang was following behind them.

Jia Lan was puzzled and hurriedly went forward to ask, but Xiangling, Hongyu, Wu'er, and the others were too busy to pay attention and simply left Jia Lan behind as they left the garden. It was only because Yunxiang was young that Jia Lan was able to stop her.

"What happened?"

Yunxiang was extremely anxious. She struggled twice but couldn't break free, so she quickly said, "My master is injured. He's unconscious right now... Lan-ge'er, let go quickly!"

Jia Lanna asked in surprise, "Uncle Yuan is injured? How could that be?"

First came Ping'er, then the servant Qingyu came to report. Yunxiang immediately got angry and said, "Isn't it all because of you?" While Jia Lan was distracted, she broke free and ran away.

Jia Lan was stunned for a moment. Watching Yunxiang run off like a madwoman, he gritted his teeth, turned around, and ran towards Daoxiang Village. Although he was young, he wasn't stupid. How could he not know about the unusual things that had happened these past few days?

A short while later, they arrived at Daoxiang Village and saw from afar that their mother, Li Wan, was leading Suyun to sprinkle rice bran on the chicks they were raising.

Jia Lan called out from afar, and Li Wan looked up, wiping her sweat. She immediately scolded, "What kind of behavior is this, acting so madly?"

Jia Lan rushed over without paying attention and said breathlessly, "Mother, something bad has happened! Uncle Yuan is injured, and he's right up ahead."

"Ah?" Li Wan pondered for a moment, wondering if it was because Brother Yuan had tried to use the trick of substituting one thing for another, but the villains saw through it and took revenge on Brother Yuan.
She had only lent money once, and within a month or so, she had repaid it in full, plus the latex. After that, she had troubled Chen Siyuan repeatedly, and in truth, she was the one who owed him. As a widow, there wasn't much she could do; she had only delivered a few steamed buns, yet she had unwittingly burdened him.

Li Wan immediately took off her apron and instructed, "Biyue, watch over the boy. Suyun, come with me to the front and take a look."

Suyun agreed, and the two of them hurriedly headed out of the garden. As soon as they crossed the Bee Waist Bridge, they saw the three sisters, Xing Xiuyan, Daiyu, and Baochai all rushing out. Baochai, in particular, left the group of sisters behind and ran ahead by herself.

Xi Chun was young and closest to Chen Siyuan, so she was so anxious that she kept wiping away tears and muttering, "How did he get hurt? Why Brother Yuan..."

Tan Chun kept comforting her, "Fourth Sister, don't worry. Sister Ping'er only said it was an injury, so it might not be serious."

These words might appease Xichun, but if it were truly a minor injury, why would she have stayed in the South Hall? Just looking at Ping'er's grave expression, one could tell that this matter was not simple.

As the group of young ladies hurried past Rongqing Hall via a shortcut, their actions immediately alarmed Grandmother Jia. The head maid, Yuanyang, rushed over to inquire, but Tanchun quickly sent Shishu to give instructions. Without stopping, she and the others passed through the hanging flower gate and the passageway, soon entering the south-facing main hall.

Upon entering, everyone was immediately struck by the stench of blood. Baochai peeked through the crowd and saw that Chen Siyuan's chest was completely stained red, and it was impossible to tell whether it was his left shoulder or left breast, but a black dagger was stuck in it. Baochai's vision went black, and she swayed as if she was about to fall.

Thanks to Xing Xiuyan and Daiyu's support, Baochai didn't fall.

Madam Xing, who had rushed over, was already cursing in the street: "Damn it! Which wicked scoundrel hurt Yuan-ge'er! Go and fetch the magistrate, and ask the city patrol to send troops to kill that scoundrel!"

Aunt Xue said anxiously, "Madam, please say less. It's more important to find the imperial physician as soon as possible."

Madam Wang's mind raced, and she quickly ordered, "Go and fetch Physician Hu!" Then, fearing that others might misunderstand, she explained, "Physician Hu is most skilled in treating acute illnesses. Now that Yuan-ge'er is unconscious, we can only try anything as a last resort."

Before Madam Xing could react, Aunt Xue became anxious and said, "Sister, you're being foolish. The one who is most skilled at treating external wounds is Physician Bao."

Baochai was also eager to speak, but Fengjie said at this moment, "I sent someone to invite Physician Wang and Physician Bao. Physician Hu is on leave today and is not in the mansion."

Madam Wang immediately fell silent, glancing at the unconscious Chen Siyuan and sighing inwardly at his good fortune, before saying nothing more.

Sister Feng then shooed everyone away, saying, "Don't crowd around anymore. This hall is already small, and when the imperial physician arrives, there might not even be room to step."

Li Wan's eyes were already red, and she couldn't care less about anything else. She said, "Brother Yuan must have suffered this misfortune because of Lan Ge'er. I... I must stay."

Li Wan refused to leave, as did Baochai, Xing Xiuyan, and Daiyu. Yingchun, anxious and impatient, wanted to tear her handkerchief to shreds, but knowing she couldn't linger, she could only embrace the weeping Xichun and leave the South Hall.

Soon, two imperial physicians, Wang and Bao, arrived urgently with their medicine boxes on their backs. Physician Bao stepped forward, examined the wound, and immediately frowned, saying, "This hidden arrow only hit the shoulder. I see that the blade is black, so I'm afraid it was poisoned."

Physician Wang said, "The most urgent task is to remove the hidden arrow and stop the bleeding."

Physician Bao instructed, "Bring hot water, liquor, and gauze."

Seeing this, Madam Wang quickly pushed Aunt Xue and Madam Xing out of the south-facing hall.

No sooner had she stepped outside than Zhou Rui's wife came looking for her, saying, "Madam, the You sisters, who are being cared for in Master Yuan's new house, have come crying and begging for us, and they've brought two doctors with them."

Madam Wang couldn't help but frown and say, "This... is really making things worse."

Aunt Xue stared longingly into the hall, while Madam Xing was completely at a loss. The maid Miao'er whispered a few words to Madam Xing, who then remembered that she was Chen Siyuan's elder.

He quickly replied, "Yuan-ge'er is so badly injured, it's understandable that they're so anxious... I'll go ahead and answer them."

Madam Wang nodded in agreement, and Madam Xing hurriedly left the ceremonial gate. Before she even reached the side gate, she heard a continuous stream of crying and shouting outside.

"...A life is at stake. What's the big deal? It's just a matter of money. Take two hundred taels, and I might not even have to go in!"

Yu Liu was both amused and exasperated: "Madam, it's not about the money. It's just... that's the rule in this household. Please don't make things difficult for me... Besides, the imperial physician has already gone to see me—"

"...Who doesn't know what's going on with the Jia family's imperial physicians? These two are Doctor Ding and Doctor Qiao from Henian Hall. One is skilled in internal medicine, and the other in external medicine. Aren't they a hundred times better than the Jia family's physicians?"

The servant girl beside Madam Xing found this extremely inappropriate and quickly said, "Madam has arrived."

The area outside the gate fell silent. When Madam Xing arrived at the side gate, she saw a woman dressed in bright red standing there with her brows furrowed and eyes red. Behind her was a woman dressed in pale yellow, whose face was seven-tenths similar to hers. Further behind was a familiar-looking girl of about twelve or thirteen.

Madam Xing had naturally met Sister You San and Sister You Er before. When Sister You San saw Madam Xing, her nose immediately stung with tears, and she knelt down, saying, "Aunt, please let us sisters see him!"

When Madam Xing recalled Chen Siyuan's unconscious state, her nose suddenly stung and her eyes reddened. She immediately lost her jealousy and quickly helped You Sanjie up, saying, "Good children, all good children, come, come with me!"

Then, leading You Sanjie and her party, they headed towards the inner gate. After a short while, they arrived at the south-facing hall. Madam Xing went to speak with Madam Wang, Aunt Xue, and others, and then turned to You Sanjie and said, "There are many people inside, so it's not good for everyone to go in. You can choose one of you to go in with the doctor."

Sister You San, who always took on such matters without hesitation, nodded and said, "I will lead the two doctors inside!"

After giving a brief explanation to You Erjie and Qingwen, Third Sister You led Ding Daojian and Qiao Shiping into the main hall.

You Sanjie glanced at the inner expression and immediately covered her mouth, sobbing. Not to mention Baochai, Daiyu and Xing Xiuyan also had swollen eyes from crying.

Not to mention that Xing Xiuyan and Chen Siyuan were in love, Daiyu had gradually changed her opinion of Chen Siyuan over the past few days, and was heartbroken to see him suffer such a misfortune.

At this moment, Physician Bao, holding a dagger and looking hesitant, said, "I am about to make my move. Please, ladies, step aside."

Feng Jie felt a pang of fear upon seeing this, and hurriedly pushed Baochai, Daiyu, Xing Xiuyan, Li Wan, and You Sanjie, who had just entered, and the group of women left the South Hall in sorrow.

Just as Physician Bao was about to make the incision, Qiao Shiping stepped forward and said, "Brother, wait a moment. This wound must be treated carefully. If you accidentally cut through the blood vessels, even a god might not be able to save you."

Physician Bao asked suspiciously, "Who is this gentleman...?"

Ding Daojian stared at the black short sword and casually said, "This is Qiao Shiping of my Henian Hall."

Physician Bao was already in a difficult position, but upon hearing this, he was overjoyed and said, "So it's Brother Qiao! Brother Qiao is a master of external wounds. Why don't you perform the surgery?"

"It's easy to talk about."

Qiao Shiping calmly washed his hands twice, then retrieved various small daggers from his medicine chest, dipped them in strong liquor, and heated them over a candle flame before approaching to make his cuts around the dagger. This man had been a military physician in his younger days, and had previously accompanied General Yue Zhongqi on a campaign to the Western Regions, earning the nickname "Enemy of Yama" for saving countless soldiers. After the Western Regions were pacified, Qiao Shiping came to the capital and, by chance, stayed at Henian Hall.

Qiao Shiping was skilled in external wounds, especially with short swords like this one with barbs. He quickly dug the short sword out.

The short sword clattered onto the tray. Before Physician Wang could examine it, Ding Daojian rushed forward and picked it up. He touched the part that wasn't stained with blood, tasted it, and immediately frowned, saying, "Toad venom, aconite... ugh, it seems to contain snake venom as well? Brother Qiao, let's bleed him first."

The surgeon, Qiao Shiping, frowned and nodded, saying, "That's the only way."

The wound was pressed against his skin, and dark, stagnant blood gushed out. Once it turned bright red, Qiao Shiping found some silk thread and began to suture the wound...

Meanwhile, outside the South Hall.

Baochai forced herself to remain calm, first whispering a few words of comfort to Daiyu and Xing Xiuyan, then turning to speak with You Erjie and You Sanjie. You Sanjie, while sobbing, couldn't help but glance at Li Wan.

Baochai had heard Ying'er explain the reason, and although she felt some resentment towards Li Wan, she couldn't say anything to her face.

Li Wan felt as if a knife had been plunged into her heart when You Sanjie looked at her like that. Overwhelmed with self-pity, she felt like an unlucky person. She muttered to herself, "It's all my fault, all my fault..."

Xiao Xichun, who was close to Li Wan, couldn't help but look up and ask after they stopped talking, "Why did you say you blame yourself, sister-in-law?"

Lady Wang was staring coldly at Qingwen, who was in tears, when she heard this, she also looked at Li Wan.

Li Wan was feeling bitter and was about to speak when she saw the north door of the south hall open, and Physician Bao walked out quickly.

Sister Bao, Sister You, Daiyu, Xing Xiuyan, Aunt Xue, and Madam Xing hurriedly gathered around. Madam Xing asked anxiously, "Doctor Bao, how is Yuan'er?"

Physician Bao cupped his hands and said, "The hidden arrow has been removed, but it was poisoned. Doctor Ding and Brother Wang have come up with a proper prescription, but we need to wait until Master Yuan is awake before we can administer the medicine. As for now... we can only leave it to fate."

Madam Xing and Aunt Xue were momentarily stunned and disoriented. Madam Xing even stomped her feet and cursed, while Baochai and her daughter huddled together, sobbing uncontrollably. You Sanjie, as if possessed, tried to rush into the south-facing hall, but was stopped by Xing Xiuyan.

Daiyu and Qingwen also burst into tears, face to face. The rest, Yingchun, Tanchun, and Xichun, all wiped away tears, especially little Xichun, who wailed loudly.

Just then, Jia Zheng and Jia She arrived together. The master stepped forward and scolded them, then asked about the condition of Physician Bao. He frowned and said, "Yuan-ge'er is just not awake yet. What are you all doing, making such a fuss? The best course of action now is to quickly carry Yuan-ge'er back to rest. He might wake up tonight."

Madam Xing hurriedly said, "Take him to the east wing. He's my nephew, so I'll have to look after him."

Before Jia She could speak, Feng Jie said, "Fourth Brother is still in the First Madam's room, how can Yuan-ge go there?"

Madam Xing said, "Then carry it to the Qingtang Thatched Cottage."

Sister You couldn't help but say, "Brother, in this condition, we should carry you back to the new house. If anything happens to you, I... I won't live anymore..."

Sister Bao frowned and said, "Sister, you can't even take care of yourself, how can you take care of Brother Yuan?" As she spoke, she suddenly had an idea and said, "Now that my brother has moved to the old house, the small courtyard in the northeast is empty. Why don't we move Brother Yuan there first, and then move him to another place after he has recovered a bit?"

Aunt Xue immediately agreed, saying, "That's right, why not move it to my front yard? I'm free these days, so I can take care of it for a while."

Jia She decisively said, "That's right. Quickly carry Yuan-ge'er to the concubine's place."

Apart from Baoyu, everyone in the household knew about Chen Siyuan and Baochai's affair, but since they simply thought it was a mother-in-law taking care of her son-in-law in advance, they didn't think much of it. Immediately, a servant carried Chen Siyuan to the small courtyard in the northeast, with Aunt Xue, Madam Xing, Baochai, and others following along.

Just as Li Wan was about to follow, Madam Wang said, "Li, you just said it's all your fault... what do you mean?"

Just as Li Wan was wiping away her tears and about to speak, Yuanyang rushed over and said, "The old lady is very concerned and is calling the master, master, madam, eldest mistress, and second mistress over to talk."

Jia Zheng then said, "The old lady is also worried about this. I think we should go and tell her first before discussing anything else."

Madam Wang agreed, then glanced at Li Wan again, her heart filled with suspicion.

The group headed towards Rongqing Hall, and soon passed through the hanging flower gate and entered Rongqing Hall along the covered corridor.

As expected, Grandmother Jia asked a few questions with concern, and Sister Feng answered them one by one, which naturally made Grandmother Jia frown.

Master Jia She was still puzzled and said, "Where is Yuan-ge'er's servant? Call him over for questioning. How could he have been attacked by villains all of a sudden?"

Grandmother Jia then said in the hall, "No need to ask, I do know a little about this matter."

Everyone exchanged bewildered glances. Jia Zheng stepped forward, cupped his hands, and asked, "Does Mother know?"

Grandmother Jia sighed and nodded repeatedly, saying, "A few days ago, Yuan-ge came to see me and mentioned that some bad people had their eyes on Lan-ge."

"Is that so?" The master perked up, but couldn't help but frown and say, "Why doesn't Yuan-ge tell me about this? A few petty thieves, I just asked the city patrol corps, a squad of soldiers could easily wipe them out, why would I risk my life?"

Grandmother Jia frowned and said, "Master is unaware of the inside story. The one who has his eye on Lan'er is a heretic from the Burning Lamp Sect."

The Burning Lamp Sect has repeatedly rebelled in recent years, and two years ago it even captured a county town. When Jia She heard about the Burning Lamp Sect, he immediately fell silent.

At this moment, Jia Zheng asked, "That's strange. Why would those heretics from the Burning Lamp Sect target Lan'er?"

Grandmother Jia then said, "This matter is a long story..." She then recounted how Li Jijiu entrusted Chen Siyuan to deliver the Diamond Sutra to Li Wan, how Li Xinchong came to the capital to demand it, and how the news was leaked, among other things.

Of those present, only Li Wan remained weeping uncontrollably; the rest were all astonished.

Master Jia Zheng frowned deeply, feeling that Li Xinchong was a worthless son and looked down on him greatly.
Sister Feng secretly glanced at Li Wan, thinking to herself that everyone said the Li family had a deep foundation, which she had previously thought was just a rumor. But now that a casual copy of the Diamond Sutra could cause such a big commotion, it was clear that the rumors were true.

Lady Wang watched coldly, her dislike growing stronger, feeling that Li Wan was indeed the root of all trouble.
As soon as the matriarch Jia She finished speaking, he immediately erupted in anger, shouting, "What? The Diamond Sutra only received ten thousand taels of silver? This, this..."

In times of chaos, gold is valued; in times of prosperity, antiques are prized. If that Diamond Sutra were to fall into the hands of his master, it could fetch at least thirty to fifty thousand taels of silver!

Grandmother Jia quickly said, "Prince Yanping also said that he will ensure Lan'er has a bright future."

The Prince of Yanping is the Emperor's own brother. To say that his word is as weighty as nine tripods would be an exaggeration, but he is certainly a man of his word. Jia She pondered for a moment and couldn't help but nod, saying, "That makes sense."

Jia Zheng stroked his beard and nodded, saying, "Prince Yanping doesn't make promises easily, so to receive one from him shows how fortunate Lan'er is."

Grandmother Jia glanced around and, sure enough, saw Lady Wang glancing sideways at Li Wan again. She quickly said, "Lan'er is still young, it's too early to talk about such things. What's important now is Yuan'er, we must get him back."

Everyone responded enthusiastically. Jia Zheng relayed Physician Bao's medical advice, and Jia She then made arrangements to invite renowned doctors from all over the country. However, he was then dismissed by Grandmother Jia.

Li Wan then accompanied Madam Wang to the small courtyard in the northeast to see Chen Siyuan, but the imperial physician Wang blocked the door, saying that it was inconvenient to visit him at the moment. Li Wan sighed and had no choice but to bid farewell to Madam Wang and return to Daoxiang Village.

But no one knew that Madam Wang stared at Li Wan for a long time, and no one knew what she was thinking before she turned around and went back to her own courtyard.

In the small courtyard in the northeast, the three sisters, Xing Xiuyan, and Daiyu were first persuaded by Baochai to go back, and then they talked for a long time with You Sanjie.

However, Third Sister You stubbornly shook her head and refused to leave. Qingwen behind her then said, "Third Aunt, why don't you go back first? I'll stay and take care of Master."

Baochai, with a stern face, said, "Where do you think you're going to stay? Didn't you see Madam staring at you the whole time?" Then she said to You Sanjie, "If you really want to stay, why don't you go to Qingtang Thatched Cottage for a while? That way, you can come and see her every day."

Yu Sanjie was at a loss, knowing that she shouldn't stay in the small courtyard in the Northeast, so she had no choice but to agree. Hongyu was also heartbroken, but she forced herself to come over and persuade her for a while before urging Xiangling, Wu'er, and Yunxiang to lead Yu Sanjie to the back to settle down.

Sister You and Qingwen couldn't stay long, so Sister Bao personally saw them off at the door before turning back.

The four imperial physicians and doctors have already prescribed medicine. Tongxi and Tonggui are brewing the medicine. Chen Siyuan's face is ashen on the bed. Although his breathing is even, he does not wake up.

Baochai was heartbroken. While lamenting her own misfortune, she prayed to all the gods and Buddhas in the sky, begging Chen Siyuan to turn the tide.

Fearing that Chen Siyuan might be tainted by evil spirits, the doors and windows were kept tightly closed. Seeing that Chen Siyuan was sweating profusely, Baochai came over and fanned him personally.

Soon, the medicine was ready, and she personally served it to Chen Siyuan. However, Chen Siyuan's jaw was clenched tightly, and nine-tenths of what she fed him spilled out.

Aunt Xue couldn't be too close to Chen Siyuan in front of Baochai, so she just sighed and complained. As night fell, people from all over came to inquire, and Baochai forced herself to answer them one by one. When she turned around, she staggered a little.

Aunt Xue couldn't help but feel sorry for him and said, "My child, although things are not good for Yuan-ge now, you shouldn't exhaust yourself. It's getting late, you should go back and have something to eat... You're not even married yet, how can a young lady stay up all night to take care of things?"

At this moment, Ying'er came in and said, "Madam, Miss, Xiangling and Hongyu have arrived. They said they'll be looking after Master Yuan tonight."

Aunt Xue then said, "That's perfect. These two are Yuan-ge'er's people, so they'll surely take good care of him."

Baochai then agreed, and nestled against Aunt Xue, crying for a long time before leading Ying'er back to Hengwu Garden.

Xiangling and Hongyu went inside together, greeted Aunt Xue, and then went to the room to take care of Chen Siyuan.

Although Aunt Xue was extremely worried, she couldn't stay, so she had to nervously return to the back.

Nothing happened that night, and the next morning Aunt Xue came to check on them. Xiangling and Hongyu looked haggard from staying up all night, and no matter how much Aunt Xue urged them, they refused to return. In the end, Aunt Xue had to force Tongxi and Tonggui to drag them out before they reluctantly returned to the thatched cottage.

As soon as the two left, Sister Bao and Sister You came to look after them. Then Li Wan, Daiyu, Xing Xiuyan, the three sisters, Baoyu, and others came and went like a revolving lantern. Li Wan wanted to do her best, but there was no shortage of people to serve her, so she had to return home dejectedly.

By the afternoon, Chen Siyuan still hadn't woken up, and Baochai felt a growing sense of despair, while You Sanjie broke down in tears.

Just then, Tongxi rushed in and reported, "Miss, something terrible has happened! Ying'er is fighting with the old women in the garden!"

Before Baochai could ask any questions, Aunt Xue asked in surprise, "Why did they start fighting?"

Tong Xi said, "It is said that... that old woman said the young lady is..."

"What is it?"

"He's a jinx, he killed the master and his brothers, and now even Uncle Yuan has been killed off..."

Baochai had been tossing and turning all night, unable to sleep. Now, after staying up for most of the day, even though she was physically strong, she felt weak. Upon hearing this, she was so angry that her blood rushed to her head, and she suddenly felt dizzy and fell to the side.

"My son!"

"girl!"

Aunt Xue quickly snatched her away and embraced Baochai. Baochai's almond-shaped eyes were already lifeless; she looked at Aunt Xue with a sorrowful expression and said, "Mother, I'm so miserable..."

As soon as she said that, Aunt Xue felt as if her heart was being torn apart. She couldn't help but curse, "Go and invite Madam here. I want to see which good-for-nothing is gossiping behind my back!"

He was overjoyed and bowed, but then, still annoyed, he went to invite Madam Wang.

Aunt Xue couldn't help but feel sorry for him and said, "My son... Enough, enough! We're not staying in the Rongguo Mansion anymore! As soon as Yuan'er recovers, we'll move back to the old house immediately!"

Just as Baochai was about to say something, she suddenly heard You Sanjie shout, "Brother? Brother? Brother is awake!"

Baochai was startled, and immediately scrambled to her feet. She looked up and saw that Chen Siyuan on the bed had indeed opened his eyes. Baochai's nose stung with tears, and she rushed over, covering her mouth and bursting into sobs.

Aunt Xue hurried a few steps, then stopped abruptly, clasping her hands together and bowing repeatedly in all directions: "Amitabha, Bodhisattva, please protect me, Bodhisattva, please protect me... Tonggui, quickly bring the medicine!"

(End of this chapter)