Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 283 The Allure of Rice Fragrance
Sister Feng's children's courtyard.

Ping'er lit the lamp and moved to the kang table, where Feng Jie was sitting crookedly, looking through the gift list. She said to Ping'er, "Tomorrow is the birthday of the Duke of Xiu's wife, and at the end of the month, the Marquis of Xiangyang's family will also be holding a wedding. There are a few more things to do next month. If we calculate it, we'll probably lose two or three thousand taels of silver this year."

Ping'er smiled and said, "It's all about reciprocity. If the east family's goods are put into storage, they will be sent to the west family tomorrow. If the west family's goods are put into storage, they will be sent to the north family tomorrow. Isn't that the same principle for everyone? Grandma, don't think that we've lost money this year. Maybe we'll make it back next year."

Sister Feng frowned and nodded, saying, "That's fine, but the Empress Dowager is the one who's really in the way. Last time, Madam sent three thousand taels, and now, just over a month later, the Old Madam is urging us to send more silver to the palace."

Ping'er said, "There's nothing we can do. Her Majesty's expenses are limited, and she has to take care of everyone from top to bottom. How can the allowance alone be enough?" As she spoke, she trimmed the lamp wick and added, "Doesn't that Minister Wu send supplies to the palace every ten days or half a month?"

Sister Feng sighed, "I wonder when this will end."

Ping'er then smiled and said, "Grandma, why do you need to think so much? I think that in a few years, when Her Highness is promoted to Imperial Concubine, then there will be hope."

Feng Jie pursed her lips and remained silent. After receiving the gift list, she thought of the workshop matters again. Seeing that Jia Lian had not yet returned, she instructed Ping'er, "Why hasn't your second master returned yet? Go to the front and look for him. Tell him I have something to discuss with him."

Ping'er hesitated and said, "I might be back soon, but Grandma wants to order me around."

Sister Feng rolled her eyes at him and said, "What do you know? I'm looking for your second master so that he can take Brother Yuan and that servant to the workshop outside the city when he has some free time tomorrow. He doesn't need to make any decisions; just tell me what to do so I'll know."

He paused, then lowered his voice and said, "The master has been cooped up in the mansion for several days. Yesterday he went to see your second master, and it seems he intends to go to Tianjin again."

Ping'er exclaimed in horror, "Go again? We already lost money last time, what if we lose again—"

Sister Feng pouted and said, "It's always the money from the east wing, even the old lady can't say anything about it." She paused, then added, "Last time your second master was beaten black and blue by the master, I think it's best not to get close to him this time. He can use the workshop as an excuse to turn around and refuse the master."

Ping'er disagreed, saying, "Grandma's idea is good, but Second Master has always been afraid of the First Master. Who knows what will happen then?" Seeing that Feng Jie'er's face was displeased, she quickly said, "Never mind, I'll go find Second Master first."

As she spoke, she got up and went outside. Her maid, Feng'er, handed her a lantern. Ping'er took the lantern and left the courtyard. She stood in front of the large, pink-painted screen wall for a moment, then headed towards the Grand View Garden at the back.

In the afternoon, Ping'er noticed Jia Lian's servant acting suspiciously, and she deduced that Second Master Lian had gone to meet that Miss Duo again. At this point, going to the front study would be pointless; if she wanted to find Second Master Lian, she would have to go to the garden.

Ping'er carried the lantern and walked along the winding road, passing the Bee Waist Bridge and then winding past Daoxiang Village. As she approached the Tea Rose Arbor, she could indeed faintly hear lewd sounds and whispers.

Ping'er stood behind the rose trellis, her heart pounding wildly, her thoughts a jumbled mess. She didn't know whether to complain about her grandmother's strictness or about Master Lian's indiscriminate eating and drinking...

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

Behind the Peony Pavilion.

Inside the incense shed, Bao Er's wife's lewd moans grew increasingly urgent. Li Wan, nestled in Chen Siyuan's arms, had lost herself in passion, her cherry lips slightly parted, her peach-blossom red eyes rolled back until only the whites of her eyes were visible.

Fearing it would make a sound, Chen Siyuan quickly pulled his left hand, which had been holding Yingrou, from his clothes, grabbed Li Wan's head, and leaned down to press his hand against hers. His other hand kneaded her incessantly, and soon the beauty in his arms began to tremble like a leaf.

Even though Li Wan tried her best to remain silent, she couldn't help but moan softly. In an instant, her hairpins fell off, her hair was disheveled, and her body trembled and her waist became weak.

Just then, a sudden commotion erupted inside the incense shed, and Jia Lian let out a roar, which at least masked the commotion behind the Peony Pavilion.

Seeing the woman nestled weakly in his arms, Chen Siyuan showered her with tenderness. Li Wan finally opened her peach blossom eyes after a long while, glancing at Chen Siyuan before blushing and unable to lift her head. Just as she was about to speak, Chen Siyuan suddenly covered his cherry lips and gestured frantically towards the outside.

Startled, Li Wan quickly held her breath and turned to look outside. She saw a lantern near the rose trellis. Fearing it was a night watchwoman, Li Wan shrank into Chen Siyuan's arms and dared not make a sound.

After a while, once things quieted down in the incense shed, the man carrying the lantern called out, "Second Master, Grandma is looking for you!"

These words immediately caused a rustling sound in the incense shed, and Jia Lian, still fastening his clothes, looked over in a panic. Upon seeing that the speaker was Ping'er, he gave an embarrassed smile and said, "This... how did you know to come here looking for me?"

Ping'er sneered and didn't answer, only saying, "Autumn is just around the corner, and it's one thing for Second Master not to avoid mosquitoes, but he's not even afraid of catching a cold!"

Jia Lian quickly stepped forward and said with a smile, "Good Ping'er, why are you taking it so seriously? You've known me since I was little. If she weren't so strict, why would I need to put on an act?"

Ping'er gave a soft snort, picked up the lantern, turned around, and left.

Jia Lian hastily dressed himself and hurriedly caught up with her, saying, "You took a fancy to the kingfisher feather headdress that Yuanyang was wearing last time. I'll get it for you in a few days."

Ping'er immediately laughed and said, "Is there such a good thing? Then it seems I will have to come to the garden to see Second Master more often in the future."

Jia Lian smiled awkwardly and pleaded, "You absolutely mustn't tell her about what happened today."

Ping'er gave a playful laugh, leaving only the words, "We'll talk about it after we meet the person in charge," before picking up her lantern and leading Jia Lian away quickly.

Inside the incense shed, Bao Er's wife stood trembling, not daring to move. Only after seeing Ping'er and Jia Lian had gone far away did she grab her clothes and quickly head towards the back mountain.

Seeing that Bao Er's wife had disappeared without a trace, Li Wan finally calmed down. She gently pushed Chen Siyuan away, and recalling what had just happened, she felt embarrassed and also felt very uncomfortable.

She had always been virtuous and obedient, and had never done such a thing as adultery. Overwhelmed with guilt, she burst into tears, saying, "I...you...we really shouldn't have done that!"

Chen Siyuan raised his hand to stroke Li Wan's cheek, but seeing that Li Wan leaned back slightly, he sighed and reached out to straighten the disheveled hairpin for her. His clear eyes stared at Li Wan, and he said with pity, "This time the fault lies with me; I simply couldn't control myself."

Li Wan sobbed uncontrollably.

Chen Siyuan comforted him, "I'm not afraid for you to know that when I first arrived at the manor, I only caught a glimpse of you from afar, and my heart was already in turmoil. It's just a pity..."

It's a pity that you were born before I was born, and I was born after you were married.

After a slight pause, he continued, "From then on, I watched you conceal your cleverness with clumsiness, raising Lan-ge'er on one hand, and taking good care of your younger sisters on the other."

This is no exaggeration. In the original text, aside from teaching her three younger sisters-in-law, when Xiangling was learning poetry, Li Wan took the initiative to let her move into Daoxiang Village; when Daiyu buried the flowers, only Li Wan knew that "Miss Lin has a fire in her heart".

Such actions are not typical of an elder sister-in-law acting as a mother; they are more likely born out of sympathy for someone in the same predicament.

Upon hearing this, Li Wan immediately raised her head, her bright, peach-blossom eyes looking at Chen Siyuan's shiny hat. Although she still felt guilty, she realized that she had indeed thought correctly. Everyone else thought she was a dead and lifeless person, but only Brother Yuan could see through her heart.

Seeing that Li Wan had a reaction, Chen Siyuan sighed and said, "Sometimes I really envy Brother Zhu... Although he left early, you took care of his affairs. You must have endured so much injustice over the years and raised Lan Ge'er to be so outstanding."

But who knows the loneliness in Lanqiao's heart? Seeing you shut your heart away, living like a withered tree, it breaks my heart... That's why—"

That's why they've helped out several times.

Li Wan suddenly felt a softness in her heart, and the pent-up grievances poured out, turning into two streams of clear tears that welled up in her eyes.

Chen Siyuan fumbled in his sleeve and pulled out a handkerchief, gently wiping her face. He said, "I know you can't get over that hurdle in your heart... In that case, I won't dare to come looking for you again. But there's one thing: if you get into trouble again in the future, you mustn't hide it from me."

Even if you consider me selfish, helping you a few times will at least make me feel a little better.

Li Wan stared blankly at Chen Siyuan, then saw that the handkerchief was the same green bamboo handkerchief she had lost earlier. She burst into tears, throwing herself into Chen Siyuan's arms, sobbing and murmuring, "I...I'm so miserable...Waaah...It wasn't, it wasn't Lan'er...I, I already..."

Chen Siyuan held her tenderly in his arms, gently stroking Li Wan's back, saying only, "I know, I know... You've suffered so much."

Li Wan cried for a long time, and after she gradually calmed down, Chen Siyuan hurriedly said, "I have a solution for Madam's matter of raising Lan'er. You just wait patiently for the next few days. Even if Madam takes Lan'er away, it won't matter. She will have to obediently return in a few days."

Li Wan exclaimed with delight, "Really?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and nodded, then briefly explained his plan. Although Li Wan pretended to be listless and indifferent, her ability to raise her three younger sisters-in-law and Jia Lan revealed her as a clever and resourceful person. After a moment's thought, she realized that this plan was feasible.

Now, Madam Wang has two main concerns: one is to fight for power with the old lady, and the other is to regain the right to raise Baoyu.

Chen Siyuan's previous analysis was based on reason and logic, but he never expected that Lady Wang would act out of temper and actually want to take Jia Lan away to be raised.

With Chen Siyuan's plan in place, Madam Wang will eventually be able to prioritize things. Compared to raising Lan'er, managing the household is probably more important!
Overjoyed, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but when she saw Chen Siyuan's pitying gaze, she suddenly felt at a loss. She had long harbored feelings of admiration for him, and had repeatedly received his help. As the saying goes, it's easy to deceive heaven, but difficult to deceive one's own heart. How could she bear to utter those resolute words? Yet, if she didn't speak them, she would feel guilty, and how could she face others in the future?
After a moment, Li Wan murmured a thank you.

Chen Siyuan gave a bitter laugh and said, "Between you and me, why should we thank each other?"

Li Wan bit her lower lip and said, "It's getting late, Lan'er might have already gone back... I, I should go back."

"Okay, I'll give it to you."

"No, no, I... I'll go back by myself."

Li Wan hurriedly got up, rummaged around to tidy her clothes and hair, took two steps and then turned back to look. She saw Chen Siyuan standing with his hands behind his back, looking over with a pair of clear eyes full of unspoken words.

Li Wan felt a pang of pain in her heart, gritted her teeth, and said, "How about I... bring you some three-ingredient buns tomorrow?"

Chen Siyuan clenched his hands behind his back, but nodded with a smile and said, "Good, it's been a while since I've had this. I was just craving it."

Li Wan brushed aside her loose hair, then hurriedly left the peach and plum grove. She turned past a patch of apricot trees next to Daoxiang Village and soon disappeared into the night.

Chen Siyuan stood there, lost in thought for a long while, until his body calmed down, before leisurely walking towards the cave. He muttered to himself things like, "The cool breeze has its own nature, the autumn moon is boundless."

After passing through the tunnel and ascending the winding mountain path, Chen Siyuan glanced down at Hengwu Garden and saw only the main hall lit. He immediately fell silent, thinking to himself, "Could it be that Sister Bao is waiting for me near the Imperial Villa?"

Since his injuries have improved these past two days, Baochai can no longer linger at the Qingtang Thatched Cottage every day, and can only come to visit once in her spare time. Although the two meet every day, there are always people coming and going at the Qingtang Thatched Cottage, so they don't really have much private conversation.

In addition, Ying'er was a busybody, and she might have already heard that he had left the house... The more Chen Siyuan thought about it, the more uneasy he felt, so he quickly lowered his head and sniffed around.

Fortunately, the strong smell of medicine on his body masked the fragrance of orchids. After tidying up his net, Chen Siyuan slowly walked past Hengwu Garden and headed towards the Provincial Villa via the small path.

But after taking only two steps, they heard Ying'er from Convex Jade Manor say, "Hehe, I knew Master Yuan would definitely come today!"

Chen Siyuan felt a chill run down his spine. Luckily, he had been on guard, otherwise he might have given himself away in his panic. He smiled at Ying'er and whispered, "It's getting chilly at night, remember to wear an extra layer of clothing."

Ying'er smiled and replied, "Thank you, Uncle Yuan."

After bidding farewell to Ying'er, Chen Siyuan headed towards the back gate of the villa for the provincial family visit. In the distance, he spotted a clean-cut figure hiding under the eaves. Chen Siyuan quickened his pace and soon arrived.

"Sister!" he said with a smile, reaching out to pluck a pair of soft hands.

Baochai scolded, "Yinger said you came out for a stroll, and I thought you would come back in a while, but who knew you would actually come looking for me."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Isn't my sister waiting here too?"

Baochai said, "How can that be the same? Your injuries have just started to heal, so you shouldn't aggravate the wound."

Chen Siyuan said, "That mustard green brine really worked wonders, I'm all better now." He then pulled Baochai to a sheltered spot and said tenderly, "Besides, we haven't spoken for several days, and I've been thinking about you, little sister."

Baochai's face immediately lit up with a smile, and she said, "I visit you every day, but you never say anything."

"How can that be the same? With people coming and going, it's not good to speak out about all sorts of things on your mind."

Chen Siyuan had just served Li Wan and was feeling quite frustrated. Seeing Baochai's alluring appearance, he couldn't help but feel a surge of lust. However, Baochai only made a slight attempt to be intimate with him before forcefully stopping him, saying, "No, what if it aggravates the wound?"

Chen Siyuan was stunned. He tried every possible excuse, but Baochai wouldn't listen to a word he said, sticking to her own stubbornness. No matter what he said, it was useless. Chen Siyuan was immediately frustrated. He simply lifted his robe and sat down on the steps, saying bitterly, "When will this ever end?"

Baochai covered her mouth and laughed, saying, "Just bear with it for now. I've already told Xiangling, Hongyu, Wu'er, and the second and third sisters outside. We'll wait until you're healed before thinking about all that nonsense."

Chen Siyuan was on the verge of tears, thinking to himself that this was not good either, and that he would be much more restricted in the future.

Feeling helpless, Chen Siyuan could only have a private chat with Baochai for a while. As the night breeze began to rise, Baochai, fearing that he would catch a cold, urged him to return to the thatched cottage.

Nothing was said that night, and Chen Siyuan indeed endured the night without incident.

The next day, Chen Siyuan did some light exercise early in the morning, then returned home to pick up his books and start reading again, but let's leave that aside for now.

Meanwhile, Madam Xing had spent a long time arguing with Wang Shanbao's wife yesterday, and had a general idea of ​​what to do. She tossed and turned all night, and when she got up early, she was so eager to get ready that she couldn't wait to get past 7 a.m.

After finally getting through breakfast, she couldn't wait to lead her maids and servants to Rongqing Hall.

Just as Feng Jie had finished answering Jia Mu's questions in Rongqing Hall, Madam Xing entered the room, and Feng Jie took the opportunity to leave.

When Grandmother Jia saw Madam Xing arrive, she was immediately puzzled. Ever since her eldest daughter-in-law had her fourth son, she had rarely come to Rongqing Hall. Could it be that she only came to the Three Treasures Hall for a reason?
Madam Xing smiled and showered Jia Mu with concern until Grandmother Jia grew impatient. Then she got to the point: "Grandmother, I overheard...yesterday your sister-in-law wanted to take Lan-ge'er back to her room to raise him?"

Grandmother Jia's face immediately turned cold, and she said, "That is indeed the case."

Madam Xing smiled and said, "Oh dear, this is wonderful. They say grandparents are always closer to their grandchildren. Just look at how the old lady treats Baoyu, and you'll know that your sister-in-law will definitely raise Lan-ge well. Besides, Zhu-ge was also raised by your sister-in-law. I think Lan-ge will definitely amount to something in the future."

Grandmother Jia frowned slightly and said, "I'm feeling a bit tired. If Madam has nothing else to say—"

Last night, Jia Lan came over crying and making a scene. Grandmother Jia had no choice but to try to reason with her for a long time before finally sending Yuanyang to take her back. Now, Madam Xing has come to reopen old wounds, and the old lady is furious.

To everyone's surprise, Madam Xing was oblivious to the situation and said, "Please let me finish, old lady."

Grandmother Jia snorted coldly and said, "Does the First Madam have anything else to say?"

Madam Xing smiled and said, "I was thinking that my sister-in-law is not only thinking about Baoyu, but now she also has to raise Lan'er, and her health is not very good... Isn't she overworking herself?"

"Ok?"

"Grandma should also be more considerate of her younger siblings. Managing the household is such a demanding and stressful job, shouldn't we... find someone else to take over?"

"Oh?"

Grandmother Jia suddenly realized that this was what Madam Xing was planning! Grandmother Jia was just old and less adaptable, but her decades of experience in managing the household made her extremely knowledgeable, and she immediately weighed the pros and cons.

Now that Lady Wang has gained considerable power, having twice taken control of the household elders, she has seized control of most of the family business. With Prince Teng as her backer and the eldest daughter, Yuan Chun, as her support, the servants in the mansion, observing the changing winds, are all flocking to her. How could Grandmother Jia not know this?
Yes, the old lady disliked Jia She because not only was the eldest master greedy and unruly, but he also had moral failings in his younger years! Left with no other choice, she banished Jia She to the east wing and handed over the management of the household to the second branch of the family.

But the old lady never thought of handing over the Rongguo Mansion to the second branch! Firstly, there is an order of seniority, and the eldest master, Jia She, is the one who will inherit the title; secondly... Lady Wang is entangled with her maternal family, and Wang Ziteng is involved in the army. Although Wang Ziteng is doing well now, the old lady is not optimistic about the future of the Wang family.

Previously, Grandmother Jia had considered changing the person in charge of the household, but now everyone with discerning eyes knew that the Rongguo Mansion couldn't do without Lady Wang. Putting aside Prince Teng, Lady Wang was the mother of the eldest daughter, and the Rongguo Mansion was now entirely counting on the eldest daughter to repay the Jia family after she was promoted to Imperial Concubine. How could they dare to make any rash moves against Lady Wang?

Yesterday, in her haste, Grandmother Jia made a mistake and completely forgot about the matter. Now that Madam Xing has brought it up, the old lady's mind is suddenly clear!
Yes, Madam Wang wants to enjoy her grandchildren but also says she's too tired to work. Wouldn't it be perfect for her to take over the job of managing the household?
Madam Xing, observing the old lady's expression, saw that although she was frowning, her face had brightened, and she was immediately delighted! She said to herself, "As you know, although I have to raise Fourth Brother, he's almost walking now, and with the wet nurse taking care of him, why should I worry about him? From now on, Feng'er will be in charge of the household, and I'll help make decisions... Oh, of course, if there are any major issues, it will be best if you make the decisions, Madam."

Before anyone could finish speaking, Grandmother Jia came to her senses and looked at Madam Xing with a smile, saying, "Fourth Brother is still young, and this is your first child, so you can't be careless. In the future, Feng-ge will be in charge of the Rongguo Mansion, so I don't think we need to bother. We might as well let Feng-ge take charge of the household."

"Huh?" Madam Xing was stunned for a moment, her face showing disgust as if she had swallowed a fly.

She was thinking of taking charge of the household herself and giving Sister Feng a good beating, but how did she end up letting Sister Feng take over?

Madam Xing hurriedly retorted, "Grandma, this... Feng'er is still young. Isn't it a bit inappropriate for her to take charge of the household so abruptly?"

To everyone's surprise, Grandmother Jia laughed and said, "What's wrong with that? You're not much older than Feng-ge."

Madam Xing was immediately speechless.

Grandmother Jia immediately laughed and said, "Besides, you've never managed a household before. Feng'er has managed the household for several years, and she's handled everything perfectly, inside and out. I think she'll be just as capable if she were in charge."

Madam Xing was speechless for a while, and couldn't help but glance at Wang Shanbao's wife. Although Wang Shanbao's wife dared to jump around in front of Madam Xing, how could she dare to say a word against it in front of Grandmother Jia?
He kept giving Madam Xing meaningful glances, but remained silent. Madam Xing stared at him for a long time, still not understanding. After a moment of wild speculation, it suddenly dawned on her: "That's it! No matter how capable Feng is, she's still my daughter-in-law. Even if she looks down on me, her second wife, surely my husband will still have to treat her with respect?"
If Feng'er were to take charge of the household, and the master gave the order, she would have to think it over carefully. She might even arrange some lucrative positions for those around her.

After glancing at the smiling Grandmother Jia, Madam Xing felt secretly discouraged, thinking that she would never be able to win the old lady's favor in this life, so she could only go along with it and say, "What the old lady said... makes sense."

Ignoring Madam Xing's absent-mindedness, Grandmother Jia said with a smile, "There's no rush. We can wait until Master returns this afternoon, then call the eldest master over to discuss it and come up with a plan."

Madam Xing was seething with anger and had no desire to please the old lady. She said a few perfunctory words and then got up to take her leave.

Grandmother Jia became more and more delighted as she thought about it, and immediately called Yuanyang over and instructed her, "I remember there is still some osmanthus dew? Go and fetch a cup, I'm actually craving some right now."

Yuanyang smiled and agreed, then turned and left Rongqing Hall. She walked out through the back passage of Rongqing Hall and soon arrived at the large, pink-painted screen wall.

At this moment, Sister Feng was handling her affairs in the three small side rooms north of the screen wall. Yuanyang should have been passing by in a hurry, but she stopped and glanced around. When she caught sight of Ping'er, she quickly reached out to beckon her.

Ping'er hurried over, only to be pulled into a corner by Yuanyang.

Ping'er smiled and said, "Did you come looking for me because you have good news?"

Yuanyang said in a low voice, "More than that? Congratulations to your grandmother. Just now, the old lady intended for your grandmother to take charge of the household in the future."

"Huh?" Ping'er was startled and quickly said, "I wouldn't dare to talk nonsense!"

Yuanyang smiled teasingly and said, "It's what the old lady said anyway, you can judge for yourself whether it's nonsense or not. Let's go, the old lady is craving osmanthus syrup."

Having said that, Yuanyang hurried away. Ping'er frowned and took two steps after her, then stopped and hesitated, thinking to herself that things would get complicated in the future. She then turned back to Feng Jie's side.

As luck would have it, the last steward, whom Sister Feng had just instructed, was sipping his tea when he saw Ping'er turn back with a frown. He immediately asked, "What did Yuanyang say that made you so upset?"

Ping'er hesitated, glancing around. Feng Jie, sensing her unspoken meaning, dismissed the maids and servants. Only then did Ping'er repeat what Yuanyang had just said.

Upon hearing this, Sister Feng was astonished. She frowned and pondered for a long time before shaking her head and smiling bitterly, "The old lady is forcing me to compete with the madam!"

Sister Feng is too young, she has no official title, and she doesn't have a good daughter who could be an empress. How could her small frame be up to the job of managing a household?
On the other hand, Sister Feng was greedy for power and feared that the old lady might suddenly die. So her aunt, Madam Wang, took the opportunity to move all of the Rongguo Mansion's property to the second branch of the family.

After racking her brains for a long time, Sister Feng was at a loss for what to do!
"Where is your second uncle?"

Ping'er replied, "Didn't Grandma urge Second Master to go to the outer city to check on the workshops?"

Sister Feng immediately retorted angrily, "He just disappears whenever we need him; he's truly unreliable!"

It was not a good idea to argue with Madam Wang about this, and it was even worse to ask the old lady right now. So, with a heavy heart and much deliberation, Feng Jie returned home.

The truth was supposed to be revealed that day, but unfortunately, Jia Zheng went to Fu Qiufang's place that day and only sent a servant to report back. So the matter had to be put on hold for the time being.

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

Meanwhile, Madam Xing, seething with anger, left Rongqing Hall, intending to return to the east wing. However, the more she thought about it, the more frustrated she became, so she turned around and went into the Grand View Garden to find Chen Siyuan to complain.

Chen Siyuan listened to Madam Xing's rambling and sighed inwardly, thinking, "She's really shrewd with age." He guessed that even Grandmother Jia hadn't reacted the day before, and now this response was clearly forcing Sister Feng to compete with Madam Wang.

He immediately smiled and comforted Madam Xing, saying, "Why are you angry? No matter how unfilial Feng Jie is, she is still your daughter-in-law. The most urgent thing is to pry the power of managing the household out of Madam's hands."

Madam Xing threw a tantrum and said angrily, "I just don't get along with Feng! It's not as good as it is now that the household is in her hands."

"Foolish!" Chen Siyuan scolded, then explained the cause and effect of the matter in detail.

Finally, he said, "The second wife's subordinates are in charge of two important tasks in the mansion, and she has Prince Teng and the eldest daughter as her support outside. Do you think you can beat her? Why don't you let Sister Feng have a showdown with Madam Wang first?"

Madam Xing immediately chimed in, "Then... I'll take advantage of the situation and reap the benefits?"

Chen Siyuan was speechless for a while, thinking to himself, "Where do you get the confidence to play the fisherman?"

Madam Xing, however, did not see the hidden meaning in Chen Siyuan's words, and immediately said happily, "That's good. I don't ask for anything else, I just hope that Sister Feng will be more filial in the future so that I can feel at ease. Then I will not hold a grudge against her."

After saying that, she pondered for a while, and then, for some unknown reason, covered her mouth and chuckled for quite a while.

Chen Siyuan felt helpless and could only console himself: Just bear with it. No matter how stupid Madam Xing is, she has at least been very affectionate towards him and has given birth to Fourth Brother.

After Madam Xing left, Chen Siyuan was about to go to his study to read when Suyun came with a food box.

Xiangling led him inside, and Suyun said with a smile, "Uncle Yuan, our grandma made some more three-ingredient buns."

Chen Siyuan smiled and agreed. After Xiangling delivered the food to Suyun, he couldn't wait to open the food box and saw four fist-sized meat buns inside.

Chen Siyuan washed his hands, picked up one and ate it. The taste was the same as usual, and he couldn't help but think of Li Wan.

To his surprise, after eating the second one, he found a strange object inside. Curious, Chen Siyuan spat it out and examined it, discovering it was a neatly stacked square knot. A thought struck him, and he discreetly hid the knot in his sleeve.

He only ate and drank for a short while, then washed his hands and hurriedly went into the study.

This puzzled Xiangling for a while, and she said, "Master, you just had your afternoon snack, why don't you rest for a while?"

Chen Siyuan mumbled, "I've been lying down for several days, and I've fallen behind in my studies. How could I possibly have the mind to rest?"

Hongyu then smiled and said, "Judging from our master's hard work, if he doesn't pass the imperial examination one day, then it will be heaven's fault."

Ignoring the maids' laughter, Chen Siyuan went into the study and pretended to read for a while. After the maids had all left, he quietly took out a magic wreath from his sleeve.

Unfolding it quietly, one could see that it was written inside:

Sparse shadows fall across the window, shy of the moon's trace; icy silk wraps around snow-white skin, warm and delicate.

I dare not play the melody of my heart on the plain string, but I teach red beans to be planted in a jade basin.

The cold dew on the mossy steps startles the crane's dream; the lingering fragrance on the paper curtain locks away the soul of spring.

If I were to transform into a butterfly in the future, I would still embrace my solitary fragrance and circle the old gate.

"

Chen Siyuan read it carefully twice, and a smile immediately appeared on his face.

(End of this chapter)