Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 292 Workshop
After silently grumbling to himself, Chen Siyuan said, "In my opinion, there is no need to be too hasty now. Daming Prefecture is one of the most famous cities in the world, with high walls and fortified moats. As long as we close the city gates and put away the drawbridge, how can a mere rabble of twenty or thirty thousand men possibly breach the city?"

Chen Siyuan only said half of what he meant: "I'm afraid that the prefect will act recklessly and cause trouble in the city. With collusion from within and without, even the most strategically important city will fall without a fight."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of Grandmother Jia and the others eased slightly. Master Jia Zheng then said, "What Shuliang said makes sense. We are now hundreds of miles apart, so even if we are anxious, it will be useless. In my opinion, we might as well send someone to the south to inquire first."

Lady Wang, Lady Xing, and others chimed in with a few words of agreement. After considering the matter, Grandmother Jia realized that it would be inappropriate to approach Jia Zheng, as he would be disrespectful. Since Jia Lian, the most suitable candidate, was now in Ping'an Prefecture, Chen Siyuan was the most appropriate choice. However, she couldn't bring herself to ask him directly, so she continued talking to Lady Xing.

Whether Madam Xing was truly foolish or feigning it, she only focused on crying and making a scene, completely ignoring everything else. This annoyed the old lady, who had no choice but to say, "In that case, let's send Jia Chang with some men to go south and inquire as soon as possible, so we can have peace of mind."

With the matter settled, Grandmother Jia appeared tired, and everyone rose to take their leave. Having witnessed this incident, Chen Siyuan naturally accompanied Madam Xing back to the east wing.

Madam Xing feigned grief, rubbing her eyes until they were red but no tears came. Once back in the main room of the east courtyard, after dismissing everyone, she exclaimed happily, "Tell me... wouldn't it be better if he were dead?"

Although Chen Siyuan shared the same thoughts, he still felt somewhat uncomfortable hearing Madam Xing's words. He thought to himself that the difference between a man and a woman when their hearts have changed is like heaven and earth. The former usually chooses to maintain the status quo, ensuring that household expenses are never lacking, only lacking the previous thoughtfulness and care; but if a woman's heart has changed, she truly wishes her former bedmate dead!
"I'm asking you a question, what's with the daze?" Madam Xing urged, saying, "What you said last time was really scareful. You said if he died... wouldn't the debt be settled with his death? The Emperor wouldn't take his anger out on me and Fourth Brother, would he?"

Chen Siyuan nodded slightly, then frowned and said, "That's how it is, but you have to remember to cover it up. If you reveal it, you might cause trouble."

Madam Xing laughed smugly, "Do I need you to teach me? I'll just put some ginger juice on my handkerchief and I guarantee I'll be crying my eyes out every day."

Alright, what else could Chen Siyuan say? After a brief moment of tenderness with Madam Xing, Chen Siyuan, still thinking about Xue Pan, quickly bid farewell to Madam Xing and headed straight for the small courtyard in the northeast.

To everyone's surprise, only Baochai and Ying'er were inside. The two greeted Chen Siyuan as he entered, and Baochai asked in surprise, "Why are you here?"

After thinking it over, Chen Siyuan realized there was no need to hide this from Baochai, so he said, "What else could it be? It's because of your good-for-nothing brother."

Baochai frowned immediately and asked, "What happened to my brother?"

Just as Chen Siyuan was about to speak, Ying'er came from the front and said, "Madam is back."

Chen Siyuan stopped talking and got up with Baochai to go and greet Aunt Xue. Aunt Xue had just finished talking with Madam Wang for a while, and as soon as she returned to her own courtyard, she saw Chen Siyuan and Baochai coming to greet her.

Seeing the two of them standing together like a perfect couple, Aunt Xue felt a strange unease. Previously, Madam Wang had caught them in their tryst, but Aunt Xue dared not make a fuss. She took full responsibility for the mistake and even offered some benefits to cover it up. However, every time she saw Madam Wang, Aunt Xue felt that her sister's gaze was somewhat odd.

Looking at this perfect couple now, Aunt Xue felt a pang of sadness. Forcing herself to remain calm, she forced a smile and said, "Yuan-ge'er is here? He's not an outsider, so please sit down and let's talk."

Chen Siyuan nodded, and only sat down after Aunt Xue had taken her seat. Baochai leaned closer to Aunt Xue and said, "Brother Yuan, you came here for my brother's sake."

"Your brother? What happened to Pan'er again?"

Chen Siyuan cupped his hands in greeting, not even glancing at Aunt Xue, and immediately recounted the events of the afternoon. He concluded by saying, "I think Liu Xianglian acts recklessly; if pushed too far, he might fight to the death. I tried to dissuade him before we parted, but Brother Wenlong didn't take it seriously. Because I was genuinely worried he might get into trouble, I rushed over to inform you."

Aunt Xue and Baochai exchanged a glance, and Aunt Xue's face immediately darkened with anger. "Zhenzhen'er is such a troublemaker! I've only just left the old house, and he's already causing trouble again! Fine, I'll go back to the old house first thing tomorrow morning to keep an eye on him, lest he lose his life again!" After a pause, she couldn't help but feel more and more worried, and she stood up and said, "No, I'm going back now!"

She hurried a few steps, then suddenly realized that she had been neglecting Chen Siyuan... It would be fine if the two of them were alone, but with Baochai there, she had to cover it up.

Aunt Xue stopped in her tracks and hurriedly said to Chen Siyuan, "Thanks to Yuan-ge'er for informing us, otherwise who knows what trouble that wretched child would have caused."

Chen Siyuan stood up to see her off, and said with a smile, "This is only right... However, after the concubine goes back, she doesn't need to say anything, just make sure Wenlong doesn't go out."

Knowing it was wrong to sell Chen Siyuan, Aunt Xue nodded, gave some instructions to Sister Bao, and then quickly left with her maid.

Chen Siyuan and Baochai saw him off at the courtyard gate. Aunt Xue then instructed Baochai to stay with Chen Siyuan and hurried away on her own.

There were only two old women guarding the place, so Baochai couldn't stay long and went into the Grand View Garden with Chen Siyuan.

They walked until they reached Qinfang Pavilion, where the path split to the left and right. Baochai should go left, while Chen Siyuan should go right. At that moment, Baochai's brows furrowed with unconcealed sorrow, and she couldn't help but sigh repeatedly. She wanted to say something, but didn't know how to utter the words.

Xue Pan was a reckless and unruly man. If he could be reasoned with, we would have already given him a lot of advice and instructions. Why would we need to worry about him now?
Chen Siyuan comforted her, "Sister, don't overthink it. With your aunt looking after you, Wenlong won't cause any more trouble."

Baochai nodded, and Chen Siyuan added, "As for Miaoyu... I wonder where she found so many antique treasures."

Baochai glanced at him, then suddenly smiled and said, "I don't believe you don't know the Chang family's background."

Chen Siyuan asked in surprise, "What does this have to do with anything?"

Baochai looked around and, seeing that no one was around, whispered, "The Chang family's money was all converted into banknotes and kept on Miaoyu. She receives a reward every time she goes to the palace. Do you think these rewards are free?"

Chen Siyuan smacked his lips, and then he realized what she meant... Sister Bao was saying that Miaoyu used silver to exchange for precious items with the ladies in the palace?

Baochai added, "Just look at the eldest young lady and you'll know a thing or two. Her household sends money to the palace from time to time to make ends meet. Otherwise, life would be very difficult."

Yes, if it were Consort Wu, who was in charge of the inner palace, it would be fine. Everyone around would naturally flatter and fawn over her, and even if she were to give gifts from all sides, she wouldn't lose money. But Yuan Chun is not Consort Wu. Although she manages the Daming Palace, she is far inferior to Consort Wu. If she wants to order people around, wouldn't she have to bribe people from all sides?
Furthermore, Yuan-chun had to pay for her own social interactions with noblewomen and receive gifts from them, so the Jia family had to subsidize it.

Miaoyu possessed the ability to perform divination by writing on spirit tablets, and being a nun who still kept her hair, she naturally had access to various parts of the palace. She soon discovered that the concubines were short of money, so they simply exchanged their silver for precious items.
This move served two purposes: firstly, it alleviated the concubines' financial difficulties and earned them a favor; secondly, it effectively whitewashed Master Chang's embezzled funds.

The treasures will be confiscated from Miaoyu in the future. These treasures all have their own origins, so they will not be confiscated.

Upon realizing this, Chen Siyuan gasped and exclaimed, "So Miaoyu is the best at making a living... She's even taking her business into the palace!"

Baochai smiled without saying a word, just as she was about to say something else, when suddenly they heard laughter coming from the direction of Yihong Courtyard. The two turned their heads and saw Baoyu following closely behind Xia Jingui as they walked towards them.

The two exchanged a knowing glance, their eyes filled with amusement, and without saying anything more, they went their separate ways, one to the east and the other to the west.

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

Meanwhile, Baoyu, feeling utterly bored in Qixianzhai, went to Yihongyuan.

The maids in Qixianzhai had already received instructions from Lady Wang that no matter where Baoyu went, two of them should accompany him. So, Xiren led a young maid to accompany him.

As soon as one enters the Yihong Courtyard, one can see Xia Jingui holding a light red silk handkerchief, her fingertips tracing the gold peony on her soft silk skirt, standing on tiptoe and talking to Granny Hu. Suddenly, a gust of wind blows through the hall, lifting her skirt and revealing a section of her fair legs.

Baoyu's heart warmed instantly. Just then, Granny Hu noticed Baoyu and quickly whispered something to Xia Jingui. Xia Jingui looked up and beamed, "Second Brother, what brings you here?"

Baoyu stepped inside, smiling, and said, "I was feeling sleepy earlier and was just about to come and play with you, little sister... What were you talking about just now? It was so lively!"

Xia Jingui tried to cover it up, saying, "It's just ordinary talk between young ladies. Does Second Brother also want to find out?"

Baoyu chuckled awkwardly as Hu Mama invited him to sit down, and Baochan served him warm tea for his daughter.

Xia Jingui asked, "What did you do so early in the morning?"

Baoyu replied, "I was just reading some leisurely books... Oh, by the way, there are heretics from the Maitreya Cult rebelling in Daming Prefecture. Have you heard about it, sister?"

"Yes, I didn't know that." Xia Jingui's face became uneasy. This was because the Maitreya sect had rebelled more than ten days ago, but the news had only reached the capital today, probably because local officials were shirking responsibility and covering it up.

Madam Xia was escorting a shipment of goods from the south. To be on the safe side, she took the canal, but she happened to run into a rebellion by the Maitreya sect. All the goods on several ships fell into the hands of the thieves, but thanks to the loyal servants who watched over them, Madam Xia was able to escape.

Even so, it still pained Xia Jingui greatly. The cost of those three boats carrying goods from the south alone was thirty to fifty thousand taels of silver. No matter how wealthy the Xia family was, it would still be a painful blow.

Xia Jingui pretended not to know, and Baoyu began to describe it vividly, showing off his knowledge. Finally, he said, "I just don't know if Uncle will be able to return safely this time."

Xia Jingui felt increasingly uncomfortable, so she changed the subject and asked, "What kind of idle books did you read this morning?"

Just as Baoyu was about to speak, Xiren couldn't help but say, "They're just storybooks... If I had to say, Second Master should read some serious books."

Unexpectedly, Xia Jingui said, "Second brother, if you don't want to study to take the imperial examinations, it's good to read some elegant articles. In the future, you can make more friends when you have to deal with social affairs."

Baoyu was immediately delighted and said, "That's right! The prince praised my poetry and prose for being elegant before."

Xia Jingui said, "Our family doesn't need to study like that poor scholar, who spent his whole life studying. Wealth and status are something we are born with. It might actually be a good thing for Second Brother to read some elegant poems and essays."

Baoyu became even more smug and looked at Xiren, saying, "Look at Sister Jin Gui, you should say less of those nonsense things in the future."

Xiren barely managed to suppress her eye-rolling, convinced that Xia Jingui was indeed two-faced.

When Baoyu went to Madam's room last time, what did Xia Jingui say? Baoyu thought he had written a good poem and urged Xia Jingui to comment on it. However, Xia Jingui talked for a long time but didn't get to the point. Baoyu was very disappointed and left with a frown.

When they arrived at Madam's place, Xia Jingui began to urge Baoyu to study hard and make progress, which displeased Baoyu, who then stormed off.

This made his wife feel very sorry for Xia Jingui.

Xiren wanted to talk to her mother several times, but she thought it over again... She was an outsider. If her mother hadn't miscalculated and Jin Chuan hadn't said the wrong thing, how could she have ended up by her mother's side?
Besides, she's just a servant girl, how can she compare to other young ladies? Just by looking at the madam's expression, you can tell how much she cherishes Xia Jingui. If she goes to stir up trouble now, she'll probably get away with it instead of getting anything good.

Xiren retorted with a playful laugh, "That's utter nonsense!"

Baoyu looked at Xia Jingui and asked, "What do you think, sister?"

Xia Jingui looked at Xiren and smiled, "I can't say anything... but a head maid should always be of one mind with her master. How can she go against her second brother in everything?"

Xiren felt a pang of bitterness in her heart. She thought to herself that now that Baoyu's mind was entirely on Xia Jingui, it would be difficult to manipulate him as before. This Xia Jingui was so bewitching; if she didn't find something to hold over her, where would she find a place to live in the future?
Leaving aside Xiren's preoccupation, Baoyu and Xia Jingui became increasingly happy as they talked. After a while, Baoyu invited Xia Jingui to go admire the fish, and Xia Jingui readily agreed. Xiren then followed the two men out of Yihong Courtyard, her mind heavy with unspoken thoughts.

The two people walked hurriedly, chatting and laughing. Xiren pondered for a moment, her brows furrowing slightly. Suddenly, she heard a cold laugh, and when she looked up, she saw Baochan staring at her with an unfriendly expression.

Before she could react, Baochan suddenly laughed and said, "Sister, be careful. This pool is quite deep now, so you don't fall in."

Xiren was about to retort, but Baochan had already hurried off to catch up with Baoyu and Xia Jingui. Xiren frowned, paused briefly on the Cuiyan Bridge, and looked up to see the Xiaoxiang Pavilion.

He was deeply troubled and thought to himself, "It's a pity that Miss Lin is engaged to Master Yuan... If it weren't for that, Miss Lin wouldn't be so troubled."
............................................................

"Ah sneeze~"

Daiyu covered her mouth and sneezed. Xueyan, who was beside her, quickly asked with concern, "Miss, are you feeling cold? I told you that it would be fine for Zijuan and me to air out the books. Why bother you, Miss?"

Daiyu shook her head and said reproachfully, "It's only July, how can I be so cold-blooded?"

Zijuan, who had been watching closely, stepped forward, picked up a book, and shook it slightly. A large, flattened moth fell from the pages.

Xueyan asked in surprise, "Where did this moth come from?"

Zijuan said, "Perhaps it crawled in this summer... Miss was choked by moth powder just now."

As she spoke, she shook off all the moth powder. Ziju glanced at it and noticed that because the moth powder was only on the wings, the book was covered with two wings. Upon closer inspection, they looked just like a pair of mandarin ducks.

Zijuan immediately covered her mouth and laughed. Xueyan looked on in surprise and came over to take a look. After taking a look, she also laughed.

Daiyu glanced over and said in surprise, "You two are up to something again!"

Xueyan then brought the book over for Daiyu to see, and said with a smile, "Miss, look, aren't these mandarin ducks a good omen?"

Daiyu glanced down and her pretty face flushed instantly. She scolded playfully, "What mandarin ducks? They look more like ducks to me."

Daiyu was so embarrassed that she wanted to put down the book, but fearing she might damage it, she could only hand the book to Xueyan and go inside with a blush on her face. Wang Mama, who was outside, saw everything clearly, smiled and winked at the two maids, then stepped inside herself and saw Daiyu sitting crookedly on the edge of the bed, staring blankly out the window.

Granny Wang sat down beside her, reached out to smooth a strand of hair from Daiyu's forehead, and said with a smile, "Miss, your features are blossoming, you're growing up now."

"Mommy..."

Granny Wang said, "Even if you don't want to hear it, I still have to say a few words. Yuan-ge'er is a thoughtful person. His claim of taking a fancy to books is just a random excuse. He only sent you a job because he saw that you were all alone and that your family property had been taken away by the Jia family."

"Hmm." Daiyu wasn't stupid; she thought it through clearly that day. Feeling comforted, she naturally changed her opinion of Chen Siyuan.

"Big liar, big liar!"

The parrots hanging under the eaves were making a racket again. Granny Wang frowned and advised, "Since you've accepted the marriage certificate, don't dwell on the past... Perhaps the master didn't receive a reply that day, which is why he didn't discuss it with you?"

Daiyu nodded quietly, inwardly grumbling. Even if her father had kept it from her, how could there have been no word at all? Putting aside everything else, which servant had sent the message to the Chen family? Surely there must have been some kind of misunderstanding? Yet, in the year that Daiyu had been in Yangzhou, she had never heard her servants mention it.

Daiyu was extremely meticulous, so how could she not suspect Chen Siyuan?
Then Granny Wang said, "Second Madam has always treated you very well. This time, with you partnering with her, Yuan-ge will definitely not stand idly by. This business... might just take off."

Daiyu said, "It can't really be called a growth... Yesterday, Sister Feng said that she doesn't ask for much money, and she would be content with earning two or three thousand taels of silver a year."

Granny Wang laughed and said, "She probably underestimates Yuan-ge'er... With Yuan-ge'er's abilities, why would he seriously entrust such ordinary work to the young lady?"

Daiyu smiled, thinking to herself that no matter how capable Chen Siyuan was, how could he possibly know the future?
The day passed quickly, and early the next morning, Jia Chang, along with four servants, reluctantly and dawdlingly set off south to search for news.

In Xiaoxiang Pavilion, Daiyu was constantly nagged by Xueyan and Zijuan from the moment she got up in the morning. One picked out a dress, while the other insisted that it was not right, which made Daiyu quite angry and annoyed.

These fine clothes were carefully selected by the two maids, who naturally wanted to curry favor with Chen Siyuan.

After breakfast at Chenshi (7-9 AM), Ping'er came looking for her with a smile. After seeing Daiyu, she said, "Miss Lin, are you all ready? Our mistress has just finished dealing with some household affairs and will be going to the front in a quarter of an hour."

Daiyu agreed and then led two maids forward.

Unexpectedly, upon arriving at the entrance of the Grand View Garden, they bumped into Chen Siyuan, who was traveling with them.

The two exchanged a glance and looked at each other. They had only exchanged a few words when they bumped into Baoyu, who had come looking for Xia Jingui.

When Baoyu caught sight of the two walking together, he frowned slightly and couldn't help but step forward to ask, "Where are you going, sister?"

Daiyu remained silent, while Zijuan, standing to the side, replied with a smile, "Second Master, Master Yuan traded books with our young lady for a business deal. Today is the opening day of that business, and Second Mistress invited our young lady to go and see the excitement."

"make a living?"

Just as Baoyu was about to ask more questions, Chen Siyuan, who was standing to the side, laughed and said, "Brother Bao, are you going to find Miss Xia?"

Baoyu was taken aback, and when he looked at Daiyu, he immediately became awkward and uncomfortable. After exchanging a few words, Baoyu passed by the two of them and headed towards Yihong Courtyard, his mind heavy with thoughts.

Chen Siyuan and Daiyu turned onto the alley. Daiyu's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, fearing that Chen Siyuan might misunderstand, so she said, "Brother Bao is always like this, you... don't worry about it."

Chen Siyuan glanced at Daiyu and said with a smile, "I will not hold it against the old lady for all her hard work."

Daiyu was initially puzzled, but after careful consideration, she began to understand. She wanted to say a few more words to Chen Siyuan, but before she knew it, they had arrived at the side gate.

Daiyu had no choice but to suppress her emotions, put on her bamboo hat and veil, and follow the two maids to greet Wang Xifeng.

Feng Jie was already waiting by the carriage. When she saw Daiyu, she jokingly said, "Lin girl, you are so lucky."

Daiyu was greatly embarrassed and said, "If Sister Feng keeps talking nonsense, I dare not go!"

Sister Feng chuckled softly, “It wouldn’t be right if you didn’t go. How am I supposed to do my makeup tomorrow if you don’t go?”

Before Daiyu could retort, Fengjie left Daiyu behind and went straight to greet Chen Siyuan.

Daiyu bit her lip and had no choice but to get into the carriage first.

Sister Feng approached Chen Siyuan with a smile. After the two greeted each other, she said, "Everything is ready. We just need Brother Yuan to spare some time to give us some pointers."

Chen Siyuan had his own plans in mind, and said with a smile, "I dare not say anything else, but I dare to say that this business will definitely not be a loss."

Sister Feng laughed and said, "Brother Yuan is too modest... Who doesn't know that Brother Yuan is Tao Zhu incarnate? What I consider a highly profitable business is probably just a break-even point in Brother Yuan's eyes. Fine, I don't ask for anything else, I just ask to break even and make two or three thousand taels of silver a year."

Chen Siyuan nodded with a smile.

Seeing that it was getting late, Sister Feng boarded the carriage. Chen Siyuan led the servant Qingyu, and the two rode ahead on horseback. The group then left the Rongguo Mansion and headed north, heading straight for the workshops outside the city.

When it was past midnight, the group arrived near the workshop. The place was surrounded by water, and there was a village two or three miles to the north. The village was surrounded by a wooden fence, and there were more than thirty thatched houses inside. Only one group of brick and tile houses was used as a storeroom.

The courtyard was stockpiled with coal, and hired workers were carrying sulfur purchased from Japan into the warehouse.

Daiyu had never seen such a lively scene before, and immediately began chatting excitedly with her two maids in the carriage.

When Chen Siyuan arrived at his destination, he dismounted, turned around and said a few words to Feng Jie in the carriage, then went to Daiyu's carriage and said, "It's a mess inside, sister, just watch the excitement, and then wander around for a while."

Daiyu responded softly.

At this moment, the workshop manager rushed out, repeatedly apologizing for the neglect. This man was originally a manager under Sister Feng, but due to a lack of capable people, he had been forced into the position of manager here.

After getting off the carriage, Sister Feng asked the shopkeeper about everything, big and small. The shopkeeper answered her questions one by one. When he couldn't answer a question, he would quickly find a craftsman to explain.

Seeing that things were going well enough, Sister Feng offered a few words of encouragement. When the exact time came, bamboo poles were erected in front of the workshop gate, and large red firecrackers were hung up. The shopkeeper shouted, "The auspicious time has arrived!" and a hired worker lit the fuse.

In a short while, firecrackers crackled and popped, and the hired workers inside cheered in unison. Even the villagers from nearby villages came over to watch the excitement.

Sister Feng was decisive and immediately ordered Ping'er to distribute a few strings of cash, which caused everyone to scramble for them and offer their congratulations. Only then did she and Chen Siyuan take a quick tour of the interior.

Seeing the charcoal fire rise, the hired workers poured buckets of latex into the trough, and then the two got up and went to the thatched hut in front to have tea.

A moment later, a strong smell of sulfur wafted over, making Sister Feng grimace and wince.

He couldn't help but say, "This sulfur smells so pungent... Wouldn't people get choked if they stayed here too long?"

Before Chen Siyuan could speak, the shopkeeper said, "Master Yuan has already made preparations." As he spoke, he found a latex mask with tubes connected to its mouth and nose. After handing it to Sister Feng, the shopkeeper said, "Anyone who goes inside to stir must wear this, and each time they must not exceed half an hour."

After fiddling with it for a while, Sister Feng laughed and said, "Brother Yuan is indeed clever."

After dismissing the shopkeeper, Sister Feng said to Chen Siyuan, "Thanks to Brother Yuan's guidance and intervention, I now have some confidence."

Putting aside other matters, the two new accountants, upon taking office, immediately uncovered errors and omissions in the treasury, forcing Zhou Rui to finally allocate the month's funds and provisions. Sister Feng then covered the deficit and promptly distributed the monthly allowances, creating a refreshing atmosphere that naturally earned praise from everyone, both superiors and subordinates.

As the saying goes, if you do the first day of the month, I'll do the fifteenth. Right now, there are rumors circulating in the mansion that the monthly allowances have been delayed day by day, not because the Second Mistress is deliberately making things difficult, but because the Madam has misappropriated the money for other purposes.

As a member of the Wang family, Sister Feng was naturally adept at using tactics such as creating momentum, winning over rivals, and excluding dissidents. This time, her application to Madam Wang gave her a sense of triumph.

Chen Siyuan smiled and nodded, then asked, "Second sister-in-law, is that loan sharking business... still going on?"

As the saying goes, it's hard to part with good fortune. Lending money can bring in at least a thousand taels of extra income each year, so how could Sister Feng give it up so easily? Sure enough, as soon as the treasury allocated money to cover the deficit, Sister Feng started thinking about finding Ni Er to lend money out.

Sister Feng didn't hide anything from Chen Siyuan, saying, "I'm in a dilemma. Now that Laiwang has taken charge of the monks and Taoists, I don't have anyone I can use..."

Chen Siyuan said, "Let me add something: that Ni Er is just a scoundrel, but his methods of collecting debts are extremely vicious. Who knows if he'll drive people to sell their children... or even cause their families to be ruined? It's only a little over a thousand taels of silver. Second sister-in-law, why don't you keep an eye on the workshop? Wouldn't that be faster money-making than lending money out?"

"really?"

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "Nowadays, workshops everywhere are rushing to make tires, and there are very few making water boots and raincoats. Second sister-in-law, don't forget that the Da Shun army also needs these two items. The mansion and the army have many dealings, so why not take this opportunity to sell these two items to the army?"

Upon hearing this, Sister Feng's phoenix eyes lit up. That's right! Selling to ordinary people would only fetch a few taels of silver? The Beijing garrison, however, is not short of money! If half of their 100,000 soldiers were to purchase water boots, raincoats, and latex soles from the workshops… wouldn't that be a windfall?

“Brother Yuan is absolutely right, I had completely forgotten about that!” He paused, then added, “I’ll have to go to the East Mansion to settle this matter later.”

Just then, the shopkeeper returned, presenting a pair of steaming shoe soles, saying, "Madam, please look, these are freshly made shoe soles."

The soles were jet black, slightly warm to the touch, and had an unpleasant rubber smell. Feng Jie, however, didn't find it offensive. She bent one slightly, and seeing it spring back instantly when she let go, exclaimed happily, "These soles are thick! I think they're much better than those thousand-layer soles!"

Chen Siyuan pointed out, "This material contains half carbon black, making it slightly hard, but it is extremely wear-resistant. If you want it to be softer, just add less carbon black."

Sister Feng nodded repeatedly and said with a smile, "I think it's fine as long as it's hard; I imagine the soldiers will be very pleased with it."

After sitting for a while, watching the hired workers push cart after cart of newly made shoe soles out, Sister Feng felt a sense of joy.

After noon, Ping'er came to inquire about lunch arrangements, and Feng Jie invited Chen Siyuan and Daiyu to have some snacks. Seeing that the workshop was in good order, she was satisfied and headed back home.

Around 1 p.m., the group headed back home.

But as fate would have it, a dark cloud suddenly appeared from the northwest, followed by lightning and thunder, and then a torrential downpour.

Chen Siyuan had no choice but to ride away and find a pavilion to take shelter from the rain. Unfortunately, the rain poured down, and even in the pavilion, there was nowhere to hide.

At this moment, Sister Feng lifted the curtain to invite Chen Siyuan to get into the carriage, but then she suddenly remembered something and smiled as she lowered the curtain again.

In the carriage behind, Xueyan urged anxiously, "Miss, it's raining heavily, what will Master Yuan do?"

Daiyu gritted her teeth inwardly, knowing full well what Fengjie was thinking. Knowing she couldn't avoid it, she said, "Alright, hurry up and call him up."

Xueyan readily agreed, drew back the curtains, and waved to the front.

Then they exchanged winks and glances with Zijuan, and the two of them said that Fengjie's carriage was more spacious, so they went to the front together.

A moment later, the curtain was lifted, and Daiyu saw Chen Siyuan, soaking wet, walking in with his head down.

Daiyu bit her lip and handed the handkerchief over.

"Thank you, sister." Chen Siyuan wiped the water off his face and sat down beside Daiyu with an air of nonchalance.

Daiyu couldn't help but ask, "What exactly did you mean by what you said before leaving the manor?"

Chen Siyuan wiped his face, then casually tucked the handkerchief into his sleeve, and said with a smile, "Sister, you've been to Qixianzhai before, how could you not know what the old lady is thinking?"

(End of this chapter)