Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 303 The Wind Destroys the Orchid
Upon hearing this, Zhuan'er pouted and said, "Sister, even if you mean well, you can't be this kind of kind. You've given her all the money. Are you not good enough to me?"

Xing Xiuyan still lives in Zhuijin Tower and uses the maids and servants of the second young lady Yingchun. Although because of Chen Siyuan, those servants can no longer give Xing Xiuyan a hard time, they can't just order her around for nothing, so they have to give her some reward money every now and then.

Xing Xiuyan was pulled to a seat by Chen Siyuan, and said angrily, "I have my monthly allowance."

Chen Siyuan asked in surprise, "Uncle and Aunt no longer need your cousin's help?"

Xing Xiuyan said, "Today my aunt said that my parents should move to her estate permanently from now on. She said that there is no need for them to use the estate and that I will no longer need to give them any money."

Chen Siyuan was even more puzzled and hurriedly asked for the reason.

However, recently, the rivalry between Lady Wang and Sister Feng has intensified. Lady Wang's maids and the Jia family servants who have sided with Sister Feng have found fault with each other and often cause trouble in front of the steward, Lai Da.

Because of Lai Shangrong's affair, Lai Shangrong had long lost face, and having received instructions from Grandmother Jia, he naturally obeyed only Feng Jie's orders. This biased treatment caused Wang Furen's servants to suffer greatly.

Perhaps driven to desperation, a servant implicated Xing Zhong in embezzlement. Having finally reconciled with Madam Xing, Feng Jie naturally didn't want to escalate the conflict further. So last night she went to the east wing. What they discussed is unknown, but this morning Madam Xing unleashed a torrent of anger on Xing Zhong and his wife, ultimately sending them to her dowry estate.

Xing Xiuyan was unaware of the reason, but Chen Siyuan could roughly guess it. Madam Xing had never given up the idea of ​​letting her fourth son inherit the title. She probably thought that even if she disliked Feng Jie and Madam Wang were fighting, if Feng Jie won, the family business would still have to stay with the eldest son's family.

The two were also mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and Madam Xing had a higher social standing than Sister Feng, which is why she helped Sister Feng this time.

Seeing that Zhuan'er was still pouting and unconvinced, Chen Siyuan quickly waved his hand and sent her away. Hongyu and the others were also sensible, so they pulled Zhuan'er out and closed the door with smiles.

Once only the two of them remained inside, Chen Siyuan frowned and asked, "Why are you helping her again?"

Xing Xiuyan smiled and said, "It's the last time anyway. After that, I can't care whether she lives or dies."

She wanted to criticize Xing Xiuyan for being overly kind, but when she met those bright eyes, the words wouldn't come out. It was better to have a kind-hearted person as her bedmate than someone cold-hearted and calculating.

Chen Siyuan then asked Xing Xiuyan to wait a moment, got up and went into the bedroom, and soon came back with a purse.

Xing Xiuyan quickly said, "I don't need money now, so why do you need to give it to me?"

Chen Siyuan ignored everything else, grabbed Xing Xiuyan's hand and forced it in, saying, "A woman marries a man for food and clothing. My cousin will marry me sooner or later, so why be so formal now?"

Xing Xiuyan clutched the purse, feeling comforted but also a little awkward, and said, "I'm not doing this because of these valuables..."

"I know, I know, I forced it on you." He smiled and then said, "That's right, why did she ask you for money this time? She shouldn't be short of it."

Xing Xiuyan sighed and then recounted Miaoyu's condition over the past few days.

Chen Siyuan was stunned. Miaoyu was really unlucky. It had only been a few days. First, she was tricked out of three thousand taels of silver by the old nun, and then she was robbed of everything by thieves.

That was bad enough, but after calling in the officials, they were extorted for another twenty taels of silver, and then some scoundrel named Master Lu came and chased them away with the land deed.

Miaoyu tried to reason with him, but Lu Yuanwai, harboring lewd thoughts, spoke filthy and even tried to pull Miaoyu away. Enraged, Miaoyu immediately scratched Lu Yuanwai's face, leaving it covered in smears.

When Xing Xiuyan got to this point, she couldn't help but laugh and cry. "Qingfan saw that a fight was about to break out, so she hurriedly ran outside. Luckily, the officials hadn't gone far, which helped to calm the situation down. But who would have thought that the nuns in the nunnery felt they couldn't stay any longer and took advantage of the chaos to steal all of her valuables. Everyone was left with nothing, so Qingfan had to come looking for me without telling her."

It was truly full of twists and turns.

Chen Siyuan thought to himself, "Only someone like Miaoyu, who prides herself on being detached from worldly affairs, would be so desolate after leaving the Jia family."
Tsk, but I wonder if that thief was part of Madam Wang's scheme.

Chen Siyuan became increasingly eager to try it, fearing that someone else would steal his prize. He made up his mind to send a guard to watch over it the next day.

Seeing that he seemed dazed, Xing Xiuyan assumed that he disliked Miaoyu and said, "Just this once. If she comes looking for me again, I won't be able to do anything about it, and I won't be a burden to you..."

Chen Siyuan quickly came to his senses and grabbed Xing Xiuyan's hand, saying, "We're family, so let's not be so formal. My cousin doesn't want to show her face in public, so just leave these kinds of things to me from now on."

Xing Xiuyan felt a little strange and stared at Chen Siyuan, saying, "You... could it be that you've come up with other ideas again?"

Chen Siyuan was taken aback and quickly explained, "Me? My cousin doesn't know, but I've always disliked that person. If my cousin hadn't stopped me, I would have wanted to humiliate her to get revenge for her."

Xing Xiuyan immediately covered her mouth and laughed: "My relationship with her... is hard to explain, you don't need to worry about it."

Chen Siyuan smiled and agreed, secretly relieved that he had managed to cover it up.

Little did she know that Xing Xiuyan was incredibly clever and had already vaguely guessed what was going on. But since she wasn't the legal wife, why would she interfere in such a matter? Besides, she had helped Miaoyu several times when she was in danger, which already fulfilled her early teaching obligations, so how could she interfere more in the future?

Xing Xiuyan sat for a while before taking her leave. Chen Siyuan saw Xing Xiuyan off, but was worried that someone else might steal Miaoyu's thunder. So he went to the front and gave the servant Qingyu a series of instructions.

Qingyu, being Chen Siyuan's confidant, knew perfectly well that Chen Siyuan had fallen into his "my affliction." He outwardly agreed, but inwardly he was seething with resentment. His master was good in every way, except that he couldn't resist flirting with pretty girls.

He immediately went to the Chen family's new residence and gave two guards a thorough explanation. These two had been hired by Sister You San at a high price. Chen Siyuan was just a scholar with a good reputation, and it was only by chance that he had been hit by a hidden arrow last time. No matter what, the capital was the most virtuous place. Where would there be so many vicious people in broad daylight?

These two men had been idle for quite some time and were afraid of being laid off in a few months. They were worried about how to put their skills to good use. They were unaware of Chen Siyuan's purpose, but they were eager to try their hand at it.

Meanwhile, Chen Siyuan returned to his humble abode, thinking to himself that he would visit Mei Hanlin's house in the afternoon to hear what the father and son had to say.

I was just about to consult a few articles I wasn't sure about when someone arrived.

"Sir, Miss Qin has arrived!"

Miss Qin? Xue Baoqin? Chen Siyuan was very surprised and hurriedly came out of his study to greet her. When he arrived at the door, he saw Xue Baoqin leading a little maidservant, smiling as she walked in.

The young girl wore a light red satin jacket with floral patterns, over which was an ivory-white stand-up collar inner garment, and an ivory-white long skirt. Her hair was adorned with a gold hairpin and pink white flowers in her temples. Her almond-shaped eyes were bright and cheerful, and she possessed a scholarly air that made her no less beautiful than Baochai or Lin Daiyu.

While Chen Siyuan was still slightly dazed, Xue Baoqin had already arrived in front of him. She curtsied and gently called out, "Brother Yuan."

Chen Siyuan returned the greeting with a cupped hand and said with a smile, "Sister Qin."

Baoqin stood up and said with a smile, "I've often heard these past few days that Brother Yuan is a man of exceptional character and talent. It's a pity we only exchanged a few words at the last gathering." As she spoke, she took the brocade box from the maid Xiaoluo and presented it to him, saying, "I wanted to pay my respects earlier, but I only managed to get my trunk ready today. I didn't know what Brother Yuan liked, so I chose a box of Huzhou brushes."

Chen Siyuan hurriedly ushered her inside, saying, "Please come in, Sister Qin. I am the eldest in age, so I should be the one to welcome you. I am ashamed to accept this honor."

Baoqin immediately smiled and said, "Brother Yuan, you're being too polite."

The two took their seats as host and guest, and Wu'er immediately served fragrant tea. After briefly recounting the scenery of Jiangnan and the circumstances along the way, Baoqin suddenly hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped.

Chen Siyuan observed her expression and said, "Sister Qin seems to have something to say?"

Baoqin looked around and said, "Since this is our first time dealing with each other, there are some things I really don't know how to say... Please, Brother Yuan, dismiss everyone else."

Chen Siyuan was increasingly puzzled. He dismissed Hongyu, Wu'er, and the others, and when only the two of them remained, Baoqin said, "I heard from Third Sister that Brother Yuan has dealings with Hanlin Mei?"

"Exactly." Chen Siyuan replied, secretly wondering if Baoqin also wanted him to find out what the Mei family had to say.
Unexpectedly, Baoqin bit her lip slightly and said, "I heard from my aunt that the Mei family had long intended to break off the engagement, but I don't know if it's true or not."

Such a question was difficult to answer, so Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Then, Sister Qin, do you think it's true or false?"

Baoqin replied without hesitation, "When Father was alive, he only sponsored Mei Hanlin once. As for the marriage agreement... it was just a joke."

Chen Siyuan was surprised, but smiled and said, "I'm afraid your brother doesn't think that way."

Baoqin said, "Mother and brother certainly have their own plans... But I think that the two families are not a good match, and if they are forced together, there will only be constant conflicts in the future. So, should we just call off this marriage?"

Chen Siyuan observed Baoqin and, seeing her composed demeanor, couldn't help but feel a deep sense of admiration.

The second branch of the Xue family came to the capital in haste, partly to divide the family property, and partly to use Mei Hanlin's influence to try and secure a position as a royal merchant.

Mei Hanlin was a man of integrity, and regardless of whether it was a joke or not, for the sake of his reputation, if the Xue family's second branch insisted on the matter, he would probably have to reluctantly accept it, no matter how unhappy he was. After Baoqin married into the family, Mei Chong, who already looked down on the Xue family's second branch, would he possibly treat Baoqin well after the marriage?
Chen Siyuan immediately realized that Baoqin was different from Baochai; the young girl would never sacrifice her life's happiness for the sake of the second branch of the Xue family.

He couldn't help but laugh and said, "Have you said these things to your brother?"

Baoqin nodded first, then shook her head, and said with distress, "I've said it several times, but my brother is too dutiful. He does whatever Mother says. Although he is meticulous in his work, he can only maintain the status quo... Therefore, I think that if we really form a marriage alliance with the Mei family... it might not be a good thing."

Baoqin's words were loaded with meaning, implying that Xue Ke could only maintain the status quo. If he were to actually get the job as a royal merchant, it wouldn't be a good thing, given his young age.

Chen Siyuan then pondered, "So, when Sister Qin said all this, she meant to..."

Upon hearing this, Baoqin stood up and curtsied again, saying solemnly, "Please ask Brother Yuan to convey my message to Hanlin Mei that what he said to my father that day was just a joke and should not be taken seriously. I am still young, and my mother is unwell, so it would be really inappropriate to delay Brother Mei's important marriage."

Chen Siyuan couldn't help but chuckle: This is good. Aunt Xue doesn't want this marriage to happen, and Baoqin doesn't want it either. If you think about it carefully, apart from Baoqin's mother and Xue Ke who just follows orders, the entire Xue family is against it. This saves a lot of trouble.

Seeing that he smiled without speaking, Baoqin quickly said, "I know that we are not close friends and it is too intimate to talk about such things, but... I really can't leave the manor. Please ask Brother Yuan to pass on my message."

Chen Siyuan laughed loudly, "It's kind of you, Sister Qin, to trust me. In that case, I'll go to Mei Hanlin's house this afternoon."

Baoqin was taken aback, then overjoyed, and quickly curtsied, saying, "Thank you, Brother Yuan."

He stood up and said, "If this matter is indeed successful, I will definitely prepare a small feast to thank Brother Yuan in the future."

Chen Siyuan's smile grew wider, and he talked with Baoqin for a long time. After drinking two cups of tea, he got up and saw her out of the courtyard.

By the afternoon of that day, Chen Siyuan had finished getting ready, and led his servant in a carriage straight to Mei Hanlin's house.

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

Sansheng Temple.

Qingfan hurriedly turned around and found the mountain gate tightly closed. Qingfan stepped forward and knocked on the door. After a moment, someone inside asked, "It is not convenient to receive guests today. Please return, benefactor."

Qingfan quickly said, "Bihen, it's me who's back."

A voice responded from inside, and after a long pause, the door bolt was lowered. As soon as the door opened, Qingfan quickly slipped inside. Bihen, whose face was covered, hurriedly lowered the bolt again, saying, "That Master Lu is indeed someone who won't suffer a loss. Just now, a group of ruffians came to bother us, and Granny Han ordered me to close the gate." She paused, then added, "Those ruffians said that if they don't leave by tomorrow, they'll give us a good beating."

Qingfan frowned and said, "Things will work themselves out. If we borrow some money, it should be enough for a while." She paused, and seeing the deathly silence around the nunnery, she frowned and asked, "Has someone left again?"

Bihen said, "Even Zhineng'er has left."

Apart from the few thieving nuns who had embezzled the money, the remaining honest and law-abiding nuns, including Zhi Neng'er, realized they couldn't stay any longer and simply went off to find their own way to survive.

Upon hearing this, Bihen secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to herself that it was fortunate that she had left, otherwise there would have been several more mouths to feed, and the young lady was picky, so the fifty taels of silver probably wouldn't have lasted long.

After bidding farewell to Bihen, Qingfan hurried towards the courtyard.

Upon reaching the door, they heard the sound of cups and saucers being smashed. Immediately, Miaoyu angrily exclaimed, "How can such filthy things be eaten by humans? Throw them out!"

As soon as the door opened, Granny Han came out with a frown. Seeing Qingfan turn back, Granny Han immediately grabbed her hand and asked, "Well? What did Miss Xing say?"

Qingfan nodded, took out a purse from his pocket, revealing the money inside. Granny Han breathed a sigh of relief and whispered, "Thank goodness Miss Xing is kind-hearted, otherwise we would be starving."

He paused for a moment, then said, "Give me two taels of silver first. The young lady hasn't eaten or had anything to eat all day, so we need to buy her something delicious."

Qingfan frowned slightly, but still gave the money. Granny Han went outside to buy food, while Qingfan went inside. She saw a broken porcelain bowl on the floor, and sorghum rice spilled everywhere. Another nanny was bending down to pick it up, and Qingfan went into the bedroom.

These past few days have been filled with one trouble after another, and Miaoyu was so angry that she fell ill yesterday. Now she lies listlessly on her bed, lost in thought.

Seeing Qingfan approach with his head down, Miaoyu immediately scolded him, "Where have you been? When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. Since you've found another future, why come back?"

Qingfan felt wronged, but dared not mention that he had asked Xing Xiuyan for money. He only said, "Miss, you have wronged me to death. I... I pawned the jade bracelet that you gave me earlier and exchanged it for several dozen taels of silver."

Miaoyu was taken aback, but seeing Qingfan take out the purse, she relaxed her brows slightly. She said, "I didn't expect that I would be in such a sorry state now, needing your help... Alright, use this money for now, I'll pay you back when I recover." Qingfan agreed softly.

Then, Miaoyu's stomach started rumbling. She looked up and blushed, but couldn't help staring at the purse in Qingfan's hand. Qingfan quickly said, "Please bear with it, Miss. Granny Han has already gone to buy food for you after receiving the money."

Miaoyu responded faintly, then lay down again, lost in thought.

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

Meanwhile, Chen Siyuan, both amused and exasperated, left Mei Hanlin's house. Seeing Mei Chong's helpless expression, Chen Siyuan bowed and said, "Brother Mei, this..."

Mei Chong sighed, looked back, and seeing that there was no one else around, quickly said, "Brother Shuliang, to be honest, I have long been in love with the girl next door... I hope you will consider this marriage arrangement."

Chen Siyuan said, "As I just mentioned, Miss Xue doesn't want to get married so early, but your father is really—"

That Mei Hanlin is simply inflexible! No matter how Chen Siyuan tried to persuade him, Mei Hanlin wouldn't listen. He was fixated on the promise he made that day, and even planned to urge Mei Chong and Xue Baoqin to get married next year.

Mei Chong frowned and said, "My father has become stupid from studying too much; you must not believe him."

Seeing that he was looking at him expectantly, Chen Siyuan pulled him aside and whispered, "The best course of action now is for Brother Mei to take on this task."

"How to say?"

"How old is Xue Xiaomei? Even if she has her own ideas, it's not right for her to disobey her mother and brother on the surface. On the contrary, Brother Mei is a real man and a true gentleman. Why don't you confess your feelings to Mei Hanlin as soon as possible?"

Mei Chong was initially eager to try, but then he shook his head vigorously, saying, "No, no, if this matter is exposed, I'm afraid my father will beat me to death."

Chen Siyuan instigated, "It's just a little physical pain, but it will bring lovers together in the end... Brother Mei, you can decide for yourself which is more important."

“This…” Mei Chong lowered his head, gritted his teeth, and remained silent for a long time.

Chen Siyuan didn't want to persuade her any further, so he patted Mei Chong on the shoulder and simply turned and left.

Once inside the carriage, Chen Siyuan immediately felt annoyed. He thought to himself, "What kind of mess is this? Mei Chong and Xue Baoqin don't want to get married, but that Hanlin Mei is so stubborn and inflexible."

Thinking back to the original text, it seems that Baoqin did eventually marry into the Mei family? Considering this, Mei Chong, with his indecisive nature, ultimately gave in.

Whether it was because they were begging Baoqin for her consent or because Aunt Xue had instructed them, this marriage should be sabotaged. But how should they sabotage it?
After much thought, the issue falls on Baoqin herself, and... it's likely to fall on the girl next door.

Thinking of this, Chen Siyuan hurriedly ordered the carriage to stop. He lifted the curtain and instructed his servant Qingyu to inquire about the people living in the Mei family's neighboring houses.

About half an hour later, Qingyu returned and reported, "Reporting to Master, to the left of the Mei family is the family of Lord Shan, the Junior Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, and to the right is the family of Master Xu of the Ministry of Works." After a pause, before Chen Siyuan could speak, Qingyu continued, "I have heard that the Shan family has a daughter who is sixteen years old and is not yet engaged."

That must be the girl from the Shan family.

Chen Siyuan asked, "Do you know what kind of temperament the Miss Shan is?"

Qingyu chuckled awkwardly, "How could I possibly find out such a thing?"

Chen Siyuan thought about it and agreed. Let alone Qingyu, he probably couldn't just ask around. What if the Shan family misunderstood... it might cause trouble for them.

There was no rush to return to Qingtang Thatched Cottage. Instead, he instructed the driver to turn around and head towards the Xue family's old residence.

After about half an hour, they arrived at the Xue family's old residence, where a servant named Qingyu came forward to knock on the door.

As Chen Siyuan alighted from the carriage and reached the door, Xue Pan burst in, laughing wildly. Before Chen Siyuan could react, Xue Pan grabbed his hand and shook it violently, saying, "Brother Yuan, you've come at the perfect time! Today we must drink until we drop!"

After saying that, he pulled Chen Siyuan inside.

No matter how much Chen Siyuan practiced stance training, how could he compare to Xue Pan's brute strength? He was pulled and staggered a few steps, and hurriedly said, "Brother Wenlong, wait a minute. This matter of drinking is not urgent. I have come to your door today to discuss something important with your aunt."

Xue Pan ignored everything else and said without turning his head, "Let's drink first, and we can talk about it later."

Chen Siyuan was both amused and exasperated, saying, "Didn't Brother Wenlong's brother arrive? What happened..."

Before he could finish speaking, Xue Pan interrupted him, saying, "Don't mention him! He crawled under the table after just two drinks. What a spoilsport!"

Chen Siyuan realized what was going on; Xue Pan was probably going crazy from being locked up by Aunt Xue.

Come to think of it, a man in his early twenties, confined at home every day trying to create a baby, yet still unable to produce one. And Xue Pan, being a habitually carefree individual, how could he possibly have the patience to stay home all the time?
The fact that Xue Pan has been able to keep this pent-up frustration until now is a testament to his filial piety. If it were Chen Siyuan, he probably would have already scaled the wall and run away to enjoy his freedom.

As for Xue Ke, he probably didn't want to associate with Xue Pan either, which is why he simply pretended to be drunk.
While she was pondering, Xue Pan pulled her into the ceremonial gate. Since Chen Siyuan and the eldest branch of the Xue family were close friends, Cao Shi, having received the news, led her maids and servants out to greet them.

Aunt Xue was a generation older, so it was naturally inappropriate for her to come out to greet her.

When Xue Pan saw Cao Shi, he immediately acted as if he were a mouse seeing a cat.

Cao frowned and said, "How can you be so rude? Release Brother Yuan at once!"

Xue Pan awkwardly let go, and Chen Siyuan finally had a chance to greet Cao Shi.

After the guests had met, Xue Pan began to prepare a feast. Cao Shi glanced at him and said, "Mother is still in the hall. We should certainly treat Brother Yuan well, but it would be best if he drank less wine."

Xue Pan muttered to himself, "If this won't work and that won't work, what's the point of living? It's better to be dead..."

Cao pretended not to hear and led Chen Siyuan into the main room.

Aunt Xue had already risen to greet them. After exchanging pleasantries and taking their seats, she smiled and said, "What brings you here, Yuan-ge'er?"

Chen Siyuan said, "I just went to the Mei family's house, and there is something I don't know how to tell the concubine." He paused, then added, "This matter is confidential and should not be spread."

Cao immediately understood, stood up and said, "In that case, I'll go to the back first." As she spoke, she walked up to Xue Pan, stared at him without saying a word.

Xue Pan was taken aback at first, then pointed to his own nose, turned to Aunt Xue and said, "I can't stand to hear it either?"

Seeing that Aunt Xue remained silent, he immediately began to complain, saying, "What's all this nonsense? What can't people hear?" He got up and followed Madam Cao to the door, then turned around and said, "Um... Brother Ziyuan, don't leave later. We haven't seen each other for so long, we must drink until we drop."

As they spoke, they had already walked around the screen and out the door.

Once only the two of them remained inside, Chen Siyuan was about to speak when Aunt Xue misunderstood and gave him a flirtatious wink, saying reproachfully, "Didn't we just get together the other day? Why are you looking for me again?"

Chen Siyuan was taken aback for a moment, then quickly said, "I really went to Mei Hanlin's house!"

Aunt Xue then asked seriously, "What did Scholar Mei say?"

"It's a long story," Chen Siyuan said, recounting his day's events, which initially brought joy to Aunt Xue, but later turned to worry.

After hearing this, Aunt Xue couldn't help but curse, "What a scoundrel! Even Qin'er doesn't want him, but he insists on his damned 'a promise is a promise,' he's truly not a human being!"

She paused, then frowned and looked at Chen Siyuan, saying, "What should we do? Even if Qin'er is unwilling, she can't make the decision. If Mei Hanlin agrees, the marriage will probably be arranged. Then what about the future..."

If Xue Ke gets Mei Hanlin's help in the future, won't the imperial merchant job fall into the hands of the second branch of the Xue family?

Chen Siyuan took a sip of fragrant tea and said, "There is a way to break this deadlock."

Aunt Xue breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I knew you had a plan. Tell me quickly, what's the idea?"

Chen Siyuan said, "When Mei Hanlin's son, Mei Chong, was leaving, he said that he had long been having an affair with the girl next door. I listened carefully and found that the Shan family, the junior official of the Dali Temple, who lives next to the Mei family, has a girl who is sixteen years old and has not yet been married. I think Mei Chong is indecisive. If we want to break this deadlock, we should urge the girl from the Shan family to come forward."

Aunt Xue said, "That's a good idea." But she had no dealings with the Shan family, so how could she pass on a message to the Shan family's daughter?
After much deliberation, Aunt Xue was at a loss for what to do, so she asked, "Is there any other way?"

Chen Siyuan certainly had his reasons, but Baoqin was so straightforward and cheerful that Chen Siyuan couldn't bear to let her tarnish her reputation, so he shook his head.

Aunt Xue frowned, gritted her teeth, and thought for a moment before saying, "I also have some relatives and friends. I'll ask around and see who can speak with the Shan family."

After finishing the business, Chen Siyuan said, "Wenlong...aren't you feeling a bit too stifled?"

Aunt Xue came to her senses and said, "Him? If I don't keep a close eye on him, who knows if he'll get into trouble? Last time my sister came to talk to me, I was only gone for half a day, and this brat broke out of the house and spent the whole day fooling around before coming back!"

Chen Siyuan advised, "Why not find a few more capable servants to look after him, and let Wenlong go out for a walk from time to time?"

Aunt Xue replied, "I don't care about anything else, we just need to have a boy first. If it's a boy, I won't care how much trouble he causes!"

Chen Siyuan thought about it and agreed. He silently mourned for Xue Pan for a moment, but since he really didn't want to drink, he briefly explained the situation in the mansion and then simply got up to take his leave.

Aunt Xue didn't want Xue Pan to get drunk and cause trouble again, so she personally escorted Chen Siyuan out of the ceremonial gate.

That evening, Chen Siyuan returned to his thatched cottage.

Hearing that Chen Siyuan hadn't eaten dinner yet, Wu'er hurriedly went to the small kitchen to fetch a food box. Hongyu had just finished helping Chen Siyuan change his clothes when Yunxiang said, "Master, Master, Miss Bao is here."

The two were so familiar with each other that there was no need for formalities. Chen Siyuan washed his hands and turned around, only to see Baochai's almond-shaped eyes full of inquiry.

All the maids covered their mouths, laughed, and slipped away, leaving only the two of them inside.

Baochai then asked, "Did my dear sister come by this morning? Did she bring you anything?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "A box of Huzhou brushes."

Baochai scolded, "She really knows how to win people's hearts. Not only you, but everyone gave gifts, even Lianhuan got one."

Chen Siyuan knew that because Grandmother Jia had deliberately praised Baoqin that day, even though Baochai knew that Grandmother Jia had ill intentions, she couldn't help but feel resentful. So he laughed and didn't say anything more.

He was about to bring up something else when Baochai spoke first, saying, "Did you know that Fengya resigned from her job as housekeeper today?"

Chen Siyuan asked, "So you really resigned?"

Baochai nodded and said, "It's strange. She loves to take power, but I don't know how she could bear to give it up. This afternoon, she pretended to go to the old lady's place and said in front of the old lady and the madam that she needed to take care of her health and asked the old lady to find another person to manage the household."

Chen Siyuan asked, "What did the old lady say?"

Baochai laughed and said, "What can the old lady say? She just said that she has long since stopped managing the household affairs. Since it is my aunt who is in charge of the household, all the daily affairs are naturally decided by my aunt."

She paused, then covered her mouth and chuckled, "My aunt didn't quite believe it at first, but seeing that Feng was indeed about to be relieved of her duties, she couldn't hide the smile on her face. Not to mention me, I'm afraid all the maids saw it."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "I'm afraid Madam is laughing too soon. Second Sister-in-law is using a strategy of retreat to advance."

Baochai also said, "My aunt is already in charge of the household affairs, and there are so many things to manage. How can she possibly handle everything herself? Just you wait and see, she won't be able to take it in a couple of days. I'm afraid she'll have to ask Fengya to take over the household management again."

Chen Siyuan thought to himself, in the original text, Madam Wang and Sister Feng, aunt and niece, never really broke off their relationship. They were just secretly fighting each other. When Sister Feng was sick, Madam Wang even put Tan Chun in charge of the household. Maybe this time it will be earlier than expected.
Keep in mind that the two had completely broken off relations at this point.

So he smiled and said, "But I think you have someone else in mind for your wife."

Baochai asked in surprise, "Besides Fengya, who else can manage the household? Could it be my sister-in-law?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and shook his head, saying, "It seems my sister has forgotten about my third sister."

"Tan Chun?" Baochai was taken aback at first, then relieved, and then smiled and said, "That's right, Tan Chun was in charge for a few days before, and Feng Chun is probably going to suffer this time."

(End of this chapter)