Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 299 Repayment of Past Sins

Chen Siyuan thought to himself with amusement, and when he looked up, he saw that Xing Xiuyan's starry eyes were full of admiration. Xing Xiuyan thought to herself, "My cousin really is clever; he understood the inside story of my idea after just one listen."

Seeing that he remained silent in thought, Xing Xiuyan asked, "Is there something wrong?"

Chen Siyuan shook his head, thinking to himself, if Madam Wang is determined to seize the Chang family's property, what difference does it make if Miaoyu runs away? In the original text, Fengjie was able to handle legal cases by borrowing Jia Lian's name, let alone Madam Wang, who has the backing of Yuan Chun and the Wang family.

Miaoyu's body was like a floating duckweed; she didn't need anyone else, even a minor official from Shuntian Prefecture could easily control her.

Chen Siyuan avoided answering the question and only asked, "My cousin said last time that she wouldn't interfere anymore, so why has she suddenly become kind-hearted this time?"

Xing Xiuyan said, "I didn't want to get involved, but she sent someone to beg me."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "Would someone with her personality really back down?"

Xing Xiuyan smiled and said, "I'm afraid that if you lower your head this time, you will never see me again."

Yes, this is exactly the kind of thing Miaoyu would do. Chen Siyuan lifted the wrapping and glanced at it, and saw a rhinoceros horn ornament, a Chenghua polychrome small covered bell, and a Ru ware sunflower-shaped brush washer. The rest of the items were all Song and Ming dynasty treasures.

Chen Siyuan pondered to himself, firstly, he couldn't refuse his cousin; secondly, in times of chaos, gold is valued, and in times of prosperity, antiques are valued. If he kept these items, they might appreciate in value in the future.
After thinking it over carefully, Chen Siyuan covered the bundle with the cloth and said, "It's a good thing you brought it. Otherwise, if you had taken it to Zhuijinlou, and the news had reached Madam's ears, I'm afraid my cousin would have been in big trouble."

Xing Xiuyan hesitated for a moment, then asked with concern, "Will there be any passes when I send it to you?" She paused, then added, "I looked carefully when I came here, and there was no one around. Sister Qin from the East Corner Gate is not here either."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "Even if you see it, it doesn't matter. Madam is currently focused on fighting with Second Sister-in-law, so I'm afraid she won't have the mind to deal with me."

Upon hearing this, Xing Xiuyan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, then lamented, "I still owe you for those years of guidance, but who knew that the more I helped, the more trouble I would cause. If I had known this would happen, I should have been cold-hearted and avoided all this trouble, and I wouldn't have implicated you."

Chen Siyuan couldn't help but grab her soft hand and said, "Sister, you don't need to worry about such a small matter. I will handle it properly."

Xing Xiuyan responded softly. Seeing Chen Siyuan's intense gaze, she felt slightly embarrassed, but finally, when no one was around, she leaned over and gave him a kiss. After their brief intimacy, Xing Xiuyan, worried about arousing suspicion, quickly took her leave.

After seeing Xing Xiuyan off, Chen Siyuan went back to his room to change into a black robe, picked up the bundle, and went out again.

As the Mid-Autumn Festival approached, the mornings and evenings were chilly. Chen Siyuan was crossing the Qinfangzha Bridge and was about to turn north when he suddenly saw a group of old women carrying lanterns patrolling in his direction.

Chen Siyuan frowned slightly and decided to head west, bypassing the provincial villa before turning north. The provincial villa was surrounded by green water on three sides, and sheltered by a willow embankment on the west, making it extremely secluded. He tiptoed along, and just after passing Hanfang Pavilion, he suddenly heard the faint sounds of men and women talking coming from the side hall.

Chen Siyuan stopped abruptly, took a closer look, and could vaguely see a light shining from under the window frame. Upon closer inspection, he realized that the window was covered with a black cloth, but the edges were not completely covered, which allowed a sliver of light to pass through.

After listening carefully to their conversation, they discovered it was between Jia Lian and Bao Er's wife.

Chen Siyuan immediately frowned. He didn't care how much Jia Lian indulged in his philandering, but this side hall wasn't far from the back hall. If he were to have a secret rendezvous with Baochai in the future, wouldn't Jia Lian and Bao Er's wife overhear him at some point? It seemed he would have to find another place to talk to Baochai in the future.

Having made up his mind, Chen Siyuan tiptoed away, heading straight to the back of Hengwu Garden.

In the main room of Hengwu Garden, a candle was lit on the bedside table. Ying'er was putting down a basin of water for washing feet and then helped Baochai take off her shoes and socks.

"Miss, Miss Xia will be returning to the Xia family tomorrow."

Baochai responded quietly, and Ying'er squatted down to wash her. She then said, "It seems that Master Bao and Miss Xia had a fight this afternoon."

Baochai then put down her book and asked, "What's the reason this time?"

Ying'er said, "With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, Master Bao found making mooncakes interesting, so he designed a few different molds and made the mooncakes himself. For some reason, he started thinking about Miss Yun, so he sent his servants to deliver them to the Marquis of Baoling's residence. Unexpectedly, Miss Xia found out about this in no time, so how could she not make a fuss?"

Sister Bao immediately covered her mouth and laughed, saying, "I bet Brother Bao apologized profusely and said he was angry back then?"

"Yes, they said they couldn't bear to part with Miss Xia, and even asked her for a worn-out handkerchief."

Baochai couldn't help but shake her head and laugh. She thought to herself that Chen Siyuan was indeed right; this Baoyu was clearly a playboy raised by the old lady, lacking any other skills but adept at deceiving young women. However, Xia Jingui was no pushover either; with these two together, there was bound to be some drama to watch.

Just as they were about to start talking about something else, they suddenly heard a soft knock on the back door. Both the master and servant were startled, and Ying'er immediately smiled and said, "It must be Master Yuan."

He quickly got up, wiped his hands, and turned to the back, saying, "I'll go open the door!"

"Eh?" Baochai opened her mouth to stop Ying'er, because she was soaking her feet at the moment. But Ying'er was gone like a gust of wind. Baochai looked around but couldn't find the handkerchief, so she could only bite her lower lip and slightly lower her skirt.

A moment later, Ying'er suddenly cried out in surprise. After a while, Chen Siyuan was led inside, and Baochai immediately exclaimed in astonishment, "What happened?"

But Chen Siyuan's hair was disheveled, and there was a scratch on his cheek.

Chen Siyuan said with a wry smile, "Everyone makes mistakes, and even the best horses can slip up. I don't know where this rose came from, but it not only snagged the netting but also cut my face. Luckily, I reacted quickly, otherwise all these things would have been ruined."

Baochai scolded, "What object could be more important than you?"

Chen Siyuan smiled without saying a word. Ying'er pushed Chen Siyuan to sit down next to Baochai and said, "Master Yuan, please wait a moment. I will go and find some gauze."

Chen Siyuan replied, "It's just a minor injury; it will heal in a few days. No need to trouble yourself."

But Ying'er said, "You must be careful, it won't look good if you have a scar in the future." After saying that, she turned and left.

Baochai turned to look at Chen Siyuan, her heart aching with heartache. Chen Siyuan, however, seemed oblivious to his disheveled state, and like a proud mother showing off a treasure, placed the bundle on Baochai's lap, smiling as he asked, "Sister, look what's inside?"

Baochai pouted and glanced at him, but finally opened the bundle. Upon seeing the contents, which were overflowing with precious trinkets, she exclaimed in astonishment, "Where did these come from?"

Just as Chen Siyuan was about to speak, he saw Ying'er return with the gauze. Baochai didn't dare to ask any further questions, so she quickly tied up the bundle and quietly placed it behind her back.

Ying'er came over and carefully wiped the wound on Chen Siyuan's cheek with gauze. Seeing his focused expression, Baochai felt a little jealous and said, "Leave it there, I'll take care of it later."

Ying'er agreed and simply hid in the east wing.

As soon as Baochai looked away, she saw Chen Siyuan staring at her with amusement. Baochai choked and said reproachfully, "Why are you looking at me? If you want, you can take Ying'er back today."

Chen Siyuan smiled without saying a word, and Baochai pushed him to turn around, took the messy hair in her hands, and started to braid it.

"You haven't said yet, where did these items come from?"

"Longcui Nunnery." Chen Siyuan was tall, and it was too difficult for Baochai to hold up her hands, so he simply leaned his head back in Baochai's arms. He casually handed the fallen net to Baochai and explained the whole situation.

Baochai knew that Chen Siyuan disliked Miaoyu, so she didn't think much of it and just frowned and said, "Why does your cousin have to take on so much trouble? It just adds to the problems."

"It's just a side job... Besides, what ordinary shop would dare to accept these kinds of items?"

Baochai's heart skipped a beat. Most of the items bestowed by the palace bore the mark of being made in the inner palace, so ordinary shops naturally dared not accept them. Although the Xue family had reduced their operations in various places, their pawnshop business had remained open, and they still had many dealings with the gentry in Jiangnan.

If this item falls into her hands, she could potentially earn 20% of her income in a round trip.

So Baochai smiled and said, "Thank you so much, it's kind of you to remember my family."

Chen Siyuan tilted his head back and scolded, "Sister, what a heartless thing to say! When the port was opened up twice before, and when the pharmacy and latex were opened later, did we not think of your family every time?"

Baochai immediately smiled apologetically and said, "I misspoke. Please forgive my rudeness, Uncle Yuan."

Chen Siyuan snorted, feigning annoyance. Baochai carefully tied his hair into a bun, then picked up a gauze to wipe the wound on his cheek. Looking at Chen Siyuan under the lamplight, she felt that he was even more handsome and dashing.

Chen Siyuan stretched his right arm and said, "I practiced calligraphy a bit too much today, and my arm is sore."

Baochai smiled and said nothing, but reached out to massage her. After a while, Baochai said, "Even if Miaoyu wants to cut off her tail to survive, she still has to get past Auntie's hurdle first."

Chen Siyuan said, "Your aunt has always been ruthless. Just wait and see, there will be a lot of trouble ahead."

Baochai nodded and said, "The servant will come back tonight, and Mama will return to the manor tomorrow. Oh, and Xia Jingui is leaving tomorrow too."

She then repeated what Ying'er had just said with a smile, which made Chen Siyuan sneer. He thought to himself, "Grandmother Jia has a good plan, but the East and West Mansions are really squandering money. It was one thing to choose the wrong side in the first struggle for the throne, but now they've joined the Crown Prince's faction. This is forcing the Emperor to take drastic measures."

It was inappropriate to discuss the plot against Jia She with Baochai, so Chen Siyuan simply turned to Miaoyu and said, "Sister, keep these things for now and see what Miaoyu plans to do tomorrow. If she wants to take them back, just return them to her; if she wants to exchange them for money, just ask for two cents more than the usual shop price."

Sister Bao smiled and said, "I don't know how to estimate the value of these items, but if they are sent to Jiangnan, the price will definitely increase by 20%."

Chen Siyuan said, "Then wouldn't we be able to earn four or five thousand taels of silver this time?"

Baochai said, "It's just that we were lucky this time. Normally, we would only earn this much in a year from several shops."

Chen Siyuan couldn't help but click his tongue and say, "Pawnshops are still the fastest way to make money."

Sister Bao couldn't help but comfort her, saying, "You have enough money to spend, and you don't lack anything now. Why not focus on your studies?"

Chen Siyuan immediately protested, "When have I not put my heart into it these past few days?"

Baochai thought about it and realized it made sense. She then kneaded the baby even more carefully, and said with a smile, "I was just giving you a reminder, I didn't say you weren't trying."

Chen Siyuan then took advantage of the situation and acted like a rogue, sliding off Baochai's arms and onto her lap. He rolled over and groaned twice, complaining of a headache. Baochai was both amused and exasperated, and could only massage his temples again.

As the two chatted casually, Chen Siyuan tilted his head and glanced down, spotting a pair of plump, delicate feet in the basin. Not only the soles, but also the toes were full and round, with henna juice applied to the nails, making them look exceptionally charming.

At first, Baochai didn't notice, but when she bent down and caught him staring intently at her feet, she blushed with embarrassment. After a long while, she finally couldn't help but say, "You, you should stop looking." She paused, then added, "Yinger, where's your handkerchief?"

Just as Baochai was about to call Ying'er, Chen Siyuan sprang up as if he were a carp leaping out of bed, said "I'll do it," and grabbed the handkerchief from the table.

Baochai snatched it away, wiped it haphazardly a couple of times, and then tucked her plump, delicate feet into the quilt. Having already discussed the important matter, Chen Siyuan's wicked intentions were aroused, and he sat down next to Baochai, causing Baochai to lean to the side repeatedly.

Seeing Chen Siyuan leaning closer again, Baochai blushed and scolded, "Ying'er is still here—"

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "She's always been sensible and would never come to bother us."

As he spoke, he slipped his hand under the brocade quilt and grabbed a handful of her plump, water chestnut-shaped feet. Unexpectedly, Baochai was extremely ticklish, and she let out a soft moan, her face flushed, and she nestled into Chen Siyuan's arms. Their eyes met, and Baochai's breathing quickened; she no longer cared about Ying'er in the east wing.

In a short while, the two embraced, and Baochai, moved by the moment, allowed Chen Siyuan to kiss her.

The moon hung high in the sky, and all was silent.

Ying'er sat crookedly in the east wing room, occasionally hearing a low, sweet moan. Remembering that she had secretly peeked at her young lady and Master Yuan earlier, she blushed.

As Ying'er's hand gradually stopped tying the knot, she drifted off into thought and unconsciously remembered that Miss Ri had married into the family. If something went wrong... wouldn't she have to take her place?
My daughter is always frugal; besides herself, she only has one maid, Wenxing. But Wenxing is young and useless, and her looks are quite ordinary. I think that in the future, I might even be able to be husband and wife with Master Yuan.

Just as she was pondering this, she suddenly heard continuous moans coming from the west wing. Ying'er couldn't sit still any longer, and her legs gradually intertwined. She was puzzled, wondering what tricks Master Yuan had used this time. She didn't dare to go over to see, but instead pricked up her ears and listened carefully.

After that, there was no further sound, and after a long while, the two began to whisper to each other.

After a while, her mistress called out, "Ying'er." Ying'er quickly dropped the tassel and went to the west wing. She secretly glanced inside, but because the candlelight was dim, she couldn't see her mistress's face clearly. She only saw that her mistress was sitting crookedly on the edge of the bed, and her undergarments were even more neat than before.

Baochai, suppressing her shyness, instructed, "Let me see Brother Yuan off."

Ying'er agreed, and Chen Siyuan cupped his hands and said, "Then sister, please rest. I'll head back now."

Baochai responded softly, watching Ying'er lead Chen Siyuan towards the back door. Upon hearing the noise at the back door, Baochai could no longer contain herself, and instantly covered her face with her hands, blushing shyly.

She inwardly scolded herself for letting him push his luck, but she couldn't help herself. Then she thought, she wondered where he'd learned such methods; he could make her feel like she was in heaven just by using his hands…

Feeling a slippery sensation under her body, Baochai was too lazy to deal with it for the moment. She just made up her mind that she should not cede five cities today and ten cities tomorrow in the future... At most, she should stop at this point and not let him take advantage of her again!
With a sigh, Baochai felt something was amiss. She thought to herself, "In that simple thatched cottage, Xiangling, Hongyu, and Wu'er are all beautiful, yet he's still so insatiable..."

She chuckled again. Baochai thought this was just right, to prevent him from constantly flirting and getting into a lot of romantic entanglements.

Baochai now thinks Chen Siyuan is wonderful in every way, and the best thing would be if he could pass the imperial examination and earn an official title for her, then her life would be complete.

As she pondered, Baochai gazed at the moonlight streaming through the window, a smile playing on her lips, and unconsciously became lost in thought...

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

The next day, Chen Siyuan went to practice his stance training again early in the morning. On the bed, Hongyu and Wu'er looked at each other, both feeling shy.

Hongyu forced herself to get up despite her aching body. She looked up and saw Chen Siyuan practicing stance training in the courtyard, looking energetic. She immediately bit her lower lip and frowned.

For some reason, every time her master went to look for the treasure girl, he would go crazy at night. But recently, Xiangling's mother was going back to Jiangnan, so Hongyu was left alone in the room to deal with the situation.

Even if Hongyu were made of iron, how could she withstand the onslaught? Last night, she was too exhausted to continue and had to call Wu'er to help her. She was so tired that she collapsed to the side. Wu'er had not yet been taken as a concubine by the master, so she used all her skills to serve him, and only then did the master fall asleep peacefully.

Hongyu doesn't care about anything else right now. First, she hopes Xiangling will return soon, and second, she hopes her master will stop bothering Bao-guniang so he won't use her as a scapegoat at night.

At dawn, Wu'er got up and went to fetch the food box. Just as Chen Siyuan was about to start eating, a little maid named Yunxiang sneaked in and whispered to Chen Siyuan, "Master, the concubine has returned to the mansion."

"Oh."

"Also, just now I saw maids and old women coming and going in the Longcui Nunnery, as if they were packing their bags."

Chen Siyuan frowned slightly, thinking to himself that Miaoyu was indeed impulsive. Now that the Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching, even if she wanted to leave, she should have waited until after the festival to bring it up. Who knew that she couldn't hold back now.

So he shook his head, praised Yunxiang a few times, and then dismissed her.

Yunxiang pouted, because she hadn't received any reward money, so she decided to look around and listen carefully, hoping to find some useful information.

After going around in circles, Yunxiang arrived at Madam Wang's courtyard and went straight to talk to the newcomer, Tanxin.

Leaving aside Yunxiang's thieving eyes that kept glancing inside, let's talk about how Aunt Xue received the news last night and carefully instructed Cao Shi and Xue Pan early this morning before returning to Rongguo Mansion with a heavy heart.

He sat down in the hall with his sister, Madam Wang, and after taking a sip of tea, said, "How could it all be lost? Could it be..."

Madam Wang had no words to express her suffering, and shook her head, saying, "I've heard that the servants accompanying him in the east courtyard said that the master directly misappropriated the grain from the Ever-Normal Granary. At that time, the price of rice was soaring, and a dou of rice cost two taels of silver. The master agreed to lend the grain for one tael of rice per dou."

Who knew the Maitreya sect would rebel? The magistrate didn't even have time to replenish the Ever-Normal Granary, and led his men to Nanjing. Later, government troops came to suppress the Maitreya sect's heretics, and the granary official searched all the way to Nanjing, saying that the Shandong governor wanted to thoroughly investigate the Ever-Normal Granary… Alas.”

Aunt Xue was speechless for a moment. She could guess what was coming next without Lady Wang needing to say it again. The governor showed no respect for Jia She, knowing that grain from Huguang couldn't be transported in for a while, forcing Jia She to scavenge grain from the vicinity of Daming Prefecture to make up for the deficit… Wasn't this blatant extortion of tens of thousands of taels of silver by the governor?
Madam Wang added, "Although this approach is a real loss, at least we haven't gotten involved in any lawsuits."

After saying this, she looked up at Aunt Xue, who was in a dilemma and naturally did not want to borrow money from Madam Wang again. She said, "Sister, you know my family's situation. Besides, there are still unresolved issues from the previous pawning, and my family's money is tied up in it. If you are really short of money, I do have three thousand taels of silver in my savings."

Madam Wang frowned immediately, glancing at Aunt Xue but unable to say anything. As the saying goes, old debts haven't been repaid; how can she ask for new ones?

It would take some time to get to Miaoyu, and Jia Zheng was about to set off south after the Mid-Autumn Festival. He needed to have several thousand taels of silver with him for this trip. He couldn't possibly go south empty-handed.
Madam Wang then said, "Since you're short on money, I'll find another way." She paused for a moment and then said, "Jingui will be leaving soon. I see that Jingui and Baoyu get along very well, and I also like Jingui's personality. Why don't we... take advantage of Madam Xia's return and invite her to have a chat?"

Aunt Xue immediately understood. This wasn't a discussion about marriage at all; it was probably another attempt to extort money from the Xia family. Of course, she would agree to such a thing, so she said, "Baoyu will be fourteen next year. Shouldn't the marriage be settled as soon as possible? Since you have this intention, I will go to the Xia family tomorrow."

Only then did Madam Wang show a slight smile. After drinking a cup of tea, Aunt Xue took her leave and returned to her small courtyard in the northeast.

Then Zhou Rui's wife came back, saying that the carriages and horses were ready and Xia Jingui was about to set off, and she was coming this way to say goodbye.

Lady Wang, coveting the Xia family's wealth, was now even more eager. After Xia Jingui entered, she took her hand and chatted for a while. Seeing that Baoyu hadn't arrived yet, she had Yuchuan urge him to come and deliver the goods.

Because the Jia family was of a higher social standing than the Xue family, being a Duke's mansion, Xia Jingui had to conceal her true nature when she entered the mansion. Although she subtly revealed her true nature, Baoyu only thought she was jealous and thought that Xia Jingui was indeed of noble birth.

Therefore, this parting was naturally filled with reluctance. When the time came, Baochai, Sanchun, Xing Xiuyan and others came to see her off out of courtesy, chattering away, making Xia Jingui seem to have many friends.

Everyone escorted him to the ceremonial gate. After seeing Xia Jingui exit through the side gate, they all turned back, but Baoyu stood there forlorn.

Xia Jingui's obsequious and arrogant nature had long been revealed, yet Baoyu remained oblivious. Tanchun tried to speak several times, but was stopped each time by Xichun.

So the two entered the Grand View Garden, and Tan Chun asked in confusion, "Why won't Fourth Sister let me speak?"

Xi Chun sneered, "Brother Bao's mind is full of Miss Xia right now. If Third Sister goes over there now, she'll only be acting like a villain."

Tan Chun frowned and remained silent. Xi Chun continued, "Besides, everyone has their own way of living. Maybe Bao Er Ge is more suited to someone like Miss Xia?"

Tan Chun sighed, knowing that Xi Chun was right. As the saying goes, "It's easier to change mountains and rivers than to change one's nature." Who knows when that Xia girl might reveal her true colors to Bao Yu? Why should she bother playing the villain?
Just as the two children were about to return to their own courtyard, they saw Miaoyu leading her maid Qingfan towards them. Qingfan was carrying a bundle in her hand.

Because Miaoyu was always aloof and only associated with Baoyu, Tanchun had only met her a few times. Furthermore, due to Chen Siyuan's repeated remarks, Xichun stopped seeking out Miaoyu. Thus, when they met this time, the two younger girls, though puzzled, merely nodded slightly to her and returned home.

Miaoyu left the Grand View Garden with a stern face and went straight to Lady Wang's courtyard. She glanced at the entrance; the ordinary hanging flower gate now appeared to Miaoyu like a gaping maw!
Life and death were at stake. Even the proud and aloof Miaoyu knew that Xing Xiuyan's words from yesterday made sense. Now that she had the Jia family's protection, how could she refuse to share even the slightest benefit?

He took a deep breath and led Qingfan forward, saying, "I want to see Madam."

Yu Chuan rolled her eyes inwardly. The newcomer, Tan Xin, was much easier to talk to. She quickly went inside to inform her. A short while later, she led Miao Yu inside as well.

Madam Wang sat upright in the high hall, glanced at Miaoyu, and said coldly, "Are you feeling any better?"

Miaoyu lowered her head and gritted her teeth, saying, "Thank you for your concern, Madam. I am much better now."

Madam Wang said, "Now that you're better, you should take good care of yourself and avoid wandering around."

Miaoyu responded and said, "This humble nun has been studying the palm-leaf scriptures these days, and now I have renounced all worldly desires. I only wish to find a nunnery to be ordained. Today, I have come to bid farewell to you, Madam."

Where in the world can you find something so cheap? Madam Wang remained silent, lost in thought.

Miaoyu gritted her teeth inwardly, turned around and took the bundle from Qingfan's hand, and presented it to him, saying, "Since I am determined to become a nun, these worldly possessions are of no use to me. I will leave them for you, Madam, as a keepsake."

Lady Wang's heart skipped a beat, and she asked knowingly, "What is this?"

"It's just a reward I received from visiting the palace." Miaoyu raised her eyes and said bitterly, "Since this item is meant to embarrass the Rongguo Mansion, I naturally can't take it with me."

Lady Wang thought to herself that Miaoyu was surprisingly sensible, which was quite unexpected. She also thought that it was for the best; since Miaoyu had come up to her herself, she would avoid being labeled as mean and ungrateful.

So she frowned and sighed, "There are some things that you and I only know, and I can't say anything now. Since you've made up your mind, I can't stop you. But once you're out there, you can't let yourself be fooled again."

Miaoyu clasped her hands in agreement.

Madam Wang then said, "You go back first, and I'll have someone take you home later."

Miaoyu agreed and then took her leave.

As soon as she left, Madam Wang hurriedly sent Yuchuan to find Zhou Rui's wife. When Zhou Rui's wife arrived, the bundle had already been opened, and it was full of rare and precious treasures.

Zhou Rui's wife was puzzled. After Madam Wang explained that it was Miaoyu who had sent it, Zhou Rui's wife's eyes lit up and she immediately said, "Madam, you mustn't let that fake nun fool you!"

"What do you mean by that?"

Zhou Rui's wife said, "That fake nun goes to the palace every three to five days. Besides the Empress's quarters, she also visits many other concubines. Who knows how much reward she actually receives? What if she brings something worthless..."

Upon hearing this, Madam Wang immediately frowned.

Then Zhou Rui's wife suggested, "How about I do a search later?"

Madam Wang was immediately intrigued and instructed, "We must not lose face for the household."

Zhou Rui's wife readily agreed, then turned and pointed to a few old women before heading towards Longcui Nunnery.

After a short while, they entered the Green Bamboo Nunnery and saw that Miaoyu and the others had already finished getting ready. Zhou Rui's wife smiled and stepped forward to greet them, saying, "Madam asked me to escort you, Miss. Please wait a moment while I check you out, and then I will find a carriage to take you there."

Miaoyu frowned immediately and asked, "What is there to examine?"

Zhou Rui's wife, who had already prepared her answer, smiled and said, "Miss, you don't know, but there is a turquoise gemstone hidden in this nunnery. It's not good to take it out."

Miaoyu laughed in exasperation, knowing full well that this was just a pretext, and the real purpose was to check what she was carrying.

She could be tolerant and forbearing towards Madam Wang, so how could she be tolerant towards Zhou Rui's wife? She gave a cold laugh and remained silent. Qing Fan quickly gave her a series of winks and hurriedly said, "Since Sister-in-law Zhou has said so, I think we should just open the bundle and take a look. I don't remember ever seeing any butterfly eyes before."

Seeing that Miaoyu remained silent, the two old women beside her had no choice but to open the bundles and let Zhou Rui's wife inspect them.

Zhou Rui's wife inspected the bundle and, seeing that it contained mostly ordinary clothes and no rare treasures, secretly breathed a sigh of relief. However, seeing Miaoyu glance at her disdainfully, she immediately felt displeased.

After exchanging a few words, he urged Miaoyu and the others to set off. Carriages and horses had already been prepared ahead, and Zhou Rui's wife escorted Miaoyu out of the mansion before spitting at the carriages and horses.

When they turned around, they saw Jia Chang standing near the stables, looking over in their direction.

Zhou Rui's wife intended to exchange pleasantries with him and then pass by, but Jia Chang stopped her and asked with a smile, "Sister-in-law Zhou, where did Master Miaoyu go?"

Zhou Rui's wife was still annoyed by Miaoyu's arrogance, and casually said, "Perhaps she has found a better match? I just saw that her large and small packages were full of rare and precious treasures. Even if she didn't find a better match, those items would be enough for her to live on for a lifetime."

Jia Chang responded with a soft "er," seemingly lost in thought. Zhou Rui's wife casually dropped maggots into the ground, then bid farewell to Jia Chang and went to report back to Madam Wang.

Jia Chang's eyes darted around, and he stepped out of the Rongguo Mansion.

The carriage rumbled along, and inside, Miaoyu maintained a cold expression. Her maid, Qingfan, hesitated for a long time before finally asking, "Miss, where are we going now?"

Miaoyu pondered, knowing that she had injured Liu Xianglian before, and to avoid his revenge, it was not advisable to stay at the Muni Temple. So she said, "Let's find an inn to stay in first, and then we can buy a nunnery later."

She possesses the ability to perform divination, has some medical knowledge, is surrounded by rare treasures, and can move freely among powerful and influential people. Even if she leaves the Rongguo Mansion, she can live a comfortable life!
(End of this chapter)