Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 305 Cage
Miaoyu forced herself to come out of the room. When Granny Han opened the door, she saw Jia Chang standing there with a smile. Miaoyu was about to go forward to greet him, but when she saw Jia Chang look her up and down, she immediately felt disgusted.

She frequented the homes of the powerful and wealthy, and had seen plenty of those lewd and dissolute young men; how could she not know that Jia Chang harbored ill intentions? Miaoyu, though detached from worldly affairs, was not stupid. She immediately frowned and said, "This monk... you should find someone more capable. Granny Han, see the guest out!"

"Eh?" Jia Chang asked in surprise, "Does the young lady think fifty taels is too little? No problem, if you come with me, you can have a hundred taels."

Miaoyu didn't even glance at Jia Chang, and simply said, "See the guest out!"

Not wanting to offend anyone, Granny Han curtsied and said, "Third Master Jia, please. Our young lady doesn't wish to—"

To everyone's surprise, Jia Chang became angry and shouted, "What kind of high and mighty act are you putting on? Madam has already spread the word that no one will dare to invite you to her door tomorrow. You're down on your luck now, and Third Master is kindly helping you out. How dare you not give Third Master face?"

Miaoyu stopped, turned around, frowned, and said angrily, "Where did this 'Third Master' come from? You're talking to yourself behind closed doors. Do you dare call yourself 'Third Master' in the Rongguo Mansion? Get out!"

Qingfan also noticed something was wrong. He picked up a broom and stepped forward, saying, "Hurry up, or I'll kick you out!"

Jia Chang laughed in exasperation, pointing at Miaoyu and saying, "Fine, fine, fake nun, you're so high and mighty. Now that you're penniless and powerless, let's see how long you can maintain your high and mighty attitude!"

Having said that, she stamped her foot and turned to leave. Granny Han quickly bolted the door shut.

Qingfan dropped the broom and was about to offer some advice when Miaoyu suddenly started shaking her head, clutching her forehead. Qingfan cried out and quickly helped her up.

"Is the young lady feeling dizzy again?"

Miaoyu shook her head, her face deathly pale, and instructed Qingfan to help her inside. Once seated on the bed, Miaoyu couldn't help but cry out, "I'm afraid we have no way to survive."

Qingfan was puzzled and asked Miaoyu for a long time before she finally said, "Can't you understand what Jia Chang is saying? It's one thing to be powerless, but how does he know that I have no money left?"

Qingfan was startled, her face turning pale, and she said, "You mean—"

Miaoyu nodded tearfully and said, "I'm afraid those valuables have long since ended up in the Rongguo Mansion."

Qingfan gritted his teeth and said, "Miss, why don't we cancel the lease on this house? We'll get about thirty taels of silver, which should be enough to get us back to Suzhou if we're frugal."

Miaoyu said sadly, "What good would it do to go back? Father is embroiled in lawsuits. If he knew that all the family's wealth had been wiped out, he would probably die of anger."

Qingfan sighed, now at a loss. After trying to comfort her for a while, Miaoyu felt utterly exhausted and simply lay down fully clothed. Qingfan got up and went to ask Granny Han for advice, but both of them were servants and lacked experience, so they couldn't come up with a solution after talking for a long time.

When Qingfan returned to his room, he saw that Miaoyu was already asleep, so he didn't think much of it. But when he saw that Miaoyu still hadn't gotten up in the afternoon, Qingfan couldn't help but call out to her a few times, but Miaoyu didn't respond at all.

Qingfan frowned, reached out and touched her, and immediately exclaimed in alarm, "Granny Han, the young lady is burning up! I'm afraid she's ill!"

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

A few days passed in the blink of an eye, and it was already late September.

"...Master, you don't know, Granny Liu was carrying a lot of things in big and small bags. I heard that Madam gave her a hundred taels of silver, and Master Bao also gave her a nice item. Including what Second Mistress gave her, this trip must have cost at least three or five hundred taels!"

Chen Siyuan walked with his hands behind his back, while his maid Yunxiang muttered to herself, her eyes full of envy.

No wonder she was envious. She didn't have to serve them every day; she could simply visit for a few days, dress up as an ugly woman to please the old lady and the madam, and receive several hundred taels of silver in return. Where else in the world could she find such a good deal? At this moment, Yunxiang only regretted that she couldn't be like Granny Liu…

Chen Siyuan smiled but remained silent. The day after the Osmanthus Banquet, Granny Liu arrived at the door. Then, Grandmother Jia hosted two banquets at the Grand View Garden, keeping Granny Liu for three days until now, when she was finally seen off.

He was now having growing disagreements with Madam Wang, so he couldn't very well get involved in such matters. These past few days, he had been confined to his room, engrossed in his studies. Fortunately, Baochai, Xing Xiuyan, and Xiao Xichun often came to talk to him, so he wasn't too stifled.

In addition, Miao'er just came by and said that the master is short of money and has started to target him again. Madam Xing told him to be careful.

Chen Siyuan thought for a long time but couldn't figure out how Jia She could force him to pay if he refused.

I intended to go to the east courtyard to ask Madam Xing for information, but I was afraid of running into Jia She, so I simply strolled around instead.

Seeing that Yunxiang was silent, Chen Siyuan stopped and smiled, "That's all?"

Yunxiang rolled her eyes and said, "Also, Physician Wang examined the old lady and said there was nothing seriously wrong with her."

Chen Siyuan nodded and waved Yunxiang away. Yunxiang pouted, annoyed. She thought to herself that the mansion had been peaceful for several days, and there hadn't been any major incidents for her to report. If this continued, wouldn't she only be able to receive her monthly allowance next month?

Leaving aside Yunxiang's angry departure, Chen Siyuan strolled along, and soon arrived near Qinfang Pavilion. Seeing the desolate atmosphere around him, he spotted Xiaoxiang Pavilion. Thinking that he hadn't looked for Daiyu for several days, he headed straight for Xiaoxiang Pavilion.

That day, Zijuan was guarding the door. She caught a glimpse of Chen Siyuan from afar and immediately greeted him with a smile. She stood up and said, "Master Yuan, you've come at the perfect time. Miss Bao is talking to our young lady right now."

Chen Siyuan smiled and agreed, then followed Zijuan inside. Unexpectedly, he soon heard Daiyu pleading, "Good sister, please don't tell anyone else, I promise I won't tell again."

Immediately, Baochai burst into laughter.

Chen Siyuan was very puzzled, wondering what Baochai and Lin Daiyu had said.

Xueyan and Ying'er stood guard at the door, gave a distant bow, and then smiled as they lifted the curtain, saying to those inside, "Miss Bao, Master Yuan has arrived."

Before the words were even finished, the parrot under the eaves cried out, "Xueyan, the young master is here! Quickly lift the curtain!"

Chen Siyuan stopped in surprise, and there was a moment of silence inside. Then Daiyu said angrily, "You little brat, I'll teach you a lesson today!"

"Hehehe... Oh dear, little sister, please have mercy on me this time... hehehe..."

Chen Siyuan stepped inside and saw Baochai and Lin Daiyu playing around in the study. Baochai was extremely ticklish, and Daiyu kept scratching her waist, making her limp and weak on the ground like dough.

Daiyu was probably furious, and she kept pouting and wouldn't stop.

It wasn't until Zijuan coughed, unable to bear it any longer, that Daiyu looked up and saw Chen Siyuan, and then she reluctantly stopped.

Baochai laughed to herself. When Ying'er came over and helped her up, she pointed to the parrot outside and said with a smile, "This flat-feathered one is so clever. I only mentioned it once, but who knew it would remember it."

Before Baochai could finish speaking, Zijuan covered her mouth and chuckled as she nudged Ying'er beside her, saying, "Ying'er, why don't you go and pour tea for the young master?"

Ying'er stared wide-eyed and exclaimed "Ha!" Then Daiyu burst into laughter, which made Baochai blush.

Chen Siyuan smiled, glancing at Baochai and Lin Daiyu, feeling a sense of comfort in his heart. After years of living here, to finally have Baochai and Daiyu together before him was a long-cherished wish fulfilled.

After another round of playful banter, Bao and Dai stopped laughing and formally invited Chen Siyuan to sit down.

It was meant as a joke, but Xueyan brought out the tea and urged Ying'er to serve it. Ying'er served the tea with a smile, which made Baochai playfully scold her, but in the end, she herself laughed too.

Chen Siyuan then asked, "What were you two sisters talking about just now? It sounded very lively."

Daiyu said, "Sister Bao only allows officials to set fires, but forbids ordinary people to light lamps."

Baochai said, "I was just casually reminding you. Rong'er can listen if she wants, or pretend she didn't hear it. You were only begging for forgiveness just now, and now you're talking back. Watch your skin!"

Daiyu tilted her head and smiled, "Although I am not as strong as you, you are no match for me when we make a fuss!"

Baochai was immediately speechless with anger, her lips pursed. This was because she was extremely ticklish, and all around her were ticklish spots, so whenever she started to fuss, she was always the first to give in.

Baochai didn't want to talk about that anymore, so she changed the subject and said, "She just got up, and Fourth Sister is already asking for a year's leave."

Chen Siyuan asked in surprise, "What do you mean by that?"

Daiyu laughed and said, "It was all because of what the old lady said yesterday, asking him to draw some garden picture again, which made him so happy that he asked for leave."

Baochai said, "How come I remember it was Granny Liu who mentioned it?"

Daiyu quickly added, "That's right, it's all because of her. What kind of old woman is she? Just call her a 'mother locust'."

Although Baochai smiled, she retorted, "I think Granny Liu is very nice. She managed to make the old lady and the madam happy. How come she's become a locust in your eyes?"

Daiyu pouted and glared at Baochai, saying, "Don't even mention what happened yesterday, Baochai didn't see it."

Chen Siyuan was somewhat aware of Daiyu's thoughts. Granny Liu had been a guest at the Wang family when she was young, and even though they were a humble family, she still knew some of the rules. But she pretended not to know and made a fool of herself at every turn, all in an attempt to please Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang.

Sure enough, after a three-day stay, I received a favor from the boss before leaving.

As far as Daiyu was concerned, she naturally looked down on those who would deliberately make themselves look ugly for a few pennies.

Baochai laughed and said, "You have such a sharp tongue! With a single sentence, you can extract the essence of vulgar slang, cut out the redundancy, and then embellish it, making each sentence a perfect analogy. These three words, 'mother locust,' vividly depict all the scenes from yesterday. You think of things very quickly."

As soon as she finished speaking, an old woman outside replied, and Zijuan went inside and said, "Miss Bao, the Third Miss and the Eldest Mistress are looking for Miss Bao to go to the Second Mistress's place together."

Baochai stood up in surprise and asked, "Have you told me why?"

Zijuan shook her head. Baochai pondered for a moment, then smiled and said, "It must be because of Fourth Sister's painting. Well then, you and Rong'er talk first, I'll go now."

Lin Daiyu was not about to suffer a loss, so she got up to see him off, saying, "Luo'er, take care."

Baochai paused for a moment, then turned to Daiyu and winked at her before leaving, both amused and exasperated.

After Baochai and her maid left, Daiyu became somewhat reserved.

Chen Siyuan exchanged a few words with her, and seeing her shyly turning her head away, he found her particularly endearing and couldn't help but glance at her a few more times.

Daiyu also felt this was inappropriate, so she changed the subject and said, "That's right, the second day is when Sister Feng gives birth, so don't forget to prepare a congratulatory gift."

Bao-jie had already reminded him of this, but Chen Siyuan pretended to realize something and said, "Oh right, I almost forgot. Thank you for reminding me, little sister."

Daiyu retorted, "I don't believe no one else has mentioned it. Even if I didn't say anything, Hongyu is a thoughtful person; how could she have forgotten?"

Chen Siyuan said with a grin, "Hongyu mentioned it a few days ago, but I've forgotten about it now. So I should thank you for reminding me, sister?"

Daiyu said, "You're so glib and smooth-talking; you're using those same tricks to coax me again."

Chen Siyuan disagreed, saying, "Why do you take everything so seriously, sister? This is nothing serious, so just let it go. Just like Granny Liu, with the old lady's knowledge, how could she not know that she has been deliberately making herself look ugly these past few days?"

Daiyu seemed to be deep in thought when she heard Chen Siyuan say again, "Things have gotten a bit estranged lately, and the old lady wanted to ease things up, so she came up with this way to smooth things over."

Daiyu frowned and said, "Auntie is now handling everything herself. Even Sister Feng has resigned from her job as housekeeper. Why do you still want to ease things up?"

Chen Siyuan said leisurely, "The surface is calm, but there are turbulent undercurrents."

Daiyu couldn't help but worry, saying, "If that's the case, it would be better to settle things quickly and decisively, so as not to cause people's hearts to drift apart in the future. Although Third Sister is young, what she said is quite right. If this continues, won't she end up committing suicide?"

Chen Siyuan looked around and saw that Zijuan and Xueyan had already left. He then whispered, "If Second Sister-in-law wins, that's fine. But if Madam wins... I'm afraid we won't have a good time."

Daiyu thought about it and realized it made sense. Her aunt, Lady Wang, had always disliked her. If she really took control of the Rongguo Mansion, her life might really become difficult.

Chen Siyuan continued, "Instead of that, why not let Second Sister-in-law take charge of the household?"

Daiyu nodded, then gave Chen Siyuan a strange look and said, "Sister Bao is always close to her aunt. Aren't you afraid that Sister Bao will hear this?"

Chen Siyuan said, "Times have changed. Now I'm afraid Madam is closer to that Xia family girl."

Daiyu thought about it and agreed, then sighed, "Forget it, there's no point in thinking about it too much. There's nothing I can do about it anyway."

Chen Siyuan nodded, about to say something, when he suddenly heard the parrot under the eaves mimicking: "A precious sword worth ten thousand gold pieces hides autumn waters, a horse full of spring sorrow presses down on the embroidered saddle."

This quote comes from The Romance of the Western Chamber. Chen Siyuan immediately understood why Daiyu had said, "Only officials are allowed to set fires, while ordinary people are not allowed to light lamps."

It's likely that Daiyu secretly read it and recited the poems, which the parrot then learned. If Grandmother Jia were to overhear this, it would be a huge problem.

Daiyu looked at the parrot and said, "This flat-feathered bird has learned everything it should and shouldn't learn. It's really no good. Luckily, it didn't reveal its secret yesterday."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "Tomorrow I'll go out for a walk and find a suitable gift for my second sister-in-law. Is there anything you'd like me to bring?"

Daiyu first shook her head, then paused and said, "There really is one... My zither needs its strings replaced. If you see it, please bring me back two sets."

Chen Siyuan readily agreed. As they talked, they came up with the chrysanthemum poems they had written a few days earlier. Chen Siyuan offered his critique, saying that Daiyu's poem was exceptionally well done.

Daiyu then said, "It's just a playful piece, nothing worth mentioning in everyone's eyes." Just then, Xueyan came to refill the tea and said, "Young master, you don't know, our young lady was quite disappointed the other day, saying that if you had gone, you might have written a masterpiece."

"Speak up."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "There are countless excellent works on the theme of chrysanthemums by predecessors, and I don't think I can come up with anything new." He paused, glanced at Xueyan who had double buns, and said with a smile, "However, I can write a poem about Xueyan."

Xueyan asked in surprise, "Huh? Me?"

Daiyu became interested and got up to find a pen and ink in the study. She urged, "Hurry up and do it. I won't be happy if you don't do it well."

Chen Siyuan pondered for a moment, then recited:

Two words reveal her gentle and innocent nature. Extremely charming and exceptionally clever. Her endearing qualities are innate.

As she sleeps, her delicate movements are worthy of a painting; when she plays, her tiny form is a marvel to behold. Her sweet voice, like a bark, is yet to fully develop.

"

Chen Siyuan recited the poem with intonation and at a very slow pace. By the time he finished, Daiyu had already put down her pen. After gently blowing on the ink to dry it, Daiyu took another careful look and couldn't help but smile and say, "It is indeed excellent. It's a good thing you don't come to the poetry club, otherwise this first place would have been changed to Chen's name."

Chen Siyuan, who was usually modest, leaned back and said with great pride, "Isn't that right? That's why I won't go to write poems or anything like that, so as not to spoil everyone's fun. But I can join in on the other eating, drinking and having fun."

Daiyu blinked in surprise, then couldn't help but chuckle. She wanted to make a few sarcastic remarks, but didn't know how to begin. She thought to herself, "Although this person is spouting nonsense, his talent is undeniable."

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

Near Nōnin-ji Temple.

After a few coughs, the doctor withdrew his hand from taking her pulse. Qingfan quickly removed the handkerchief covering her wrist. Granny Han asked from the side, "Doctor, how is our young lady?"

The doctor stroked his beard and said, "It's nothing serious, just some phlegm buildup. Let me prescribe a medicine, and you'll be fine after taking two doses."

Qingfan and Granny Han both breathed a sigh of relief. They exchanged a glance, and Granny Han then let the doctor out. Once in the courtyard, Granny Han added, "Thank you for your help, Doctor Zhao. There is also a patient in the side room."

"Easy to say."

Doctor Zhao had his apprentice carry his medicine chest, and then followed Granny Han into the side room. Inside, he saw a frail woman lying listlessly on the bed, her face covered with a cloth. Doctor Zhao frowned immediately, then glanced at the woman's wrist and exclaimed in surprise, "Symptoms?"

Granny Han responded.

Zhao the Physician was about to turn and leave, but he couldn't resist Han the Granny's pleas, so he hastily took her pulse. After a short while, Zhao the Physician got up and left the room without saying a word.

When Granny Han caught up, before she could ask any questions, Physician Zhao said, "Prepare for the worst. The illness is now terminal and beyond the reach of medicine."

Granny Han frowned and said, "She... is in so much pain, she's been crying out all night long. Our young lady can't bear to hear it. Does the doctor have any way to relieve the pain?"

Zhao Langzhong was about to shake his head, but then he suddenly remembered something and said after thinking for a moment, "There is something called Wuxiang Pill, which is quite effective in relieving pain. However, it is very expensive, and now one pill costs one tael of silver."

"This..." Granny Han hesitated for a moment, then gritted her teeth and said, "Then let's buy two pills first?"

Dr. Zhao nodded and smiled, "Of course, of course, I have some in my medicine chest."

Granny Han called Qingfan over to pay for the consultation and medicine. After seeing off Doctor Zhao, Qingfan said, "It's another five taels of silver, Granny... we don't have much money left."

Granny Han sighed, having run out of ideas.

In the past few days, Miaoyu fell ill first, and then Qingfan suddenly collapsed with convulsions. Not to mention seeking medical treatment, Miaoyu alone could not eat. In the past few days, the food she bought from Huaiyang restaurants has cost her almost five taels of silver.

I thought that twenty-odd taels of silver would last for two months, but who knew it would be almost gone in just a few days.

Qingfan glanced at the room and pouted, saying, "The young lady can't even protect herself now, yet she insists on taking care of those who came halfway."

Granny Han said, "Miss is kind-hearted. Besides, it was thanks to Bihen's help that day, otherwise, who knows what would have happened."

Just then, another old woman lifted the curtain and said, "Qingfan, the young lady is calling for you."

Qingfan quickly bid farewell to Granny Han and hurried inside. Miaoyu, looking sickly, lay slumped on the bed. Upon seeing Qingfan, she asked, "Do you still have enough money?"

Qingfan bit her lower lip and said, "It's not enough. We only have six taels of silver left. If we spend it frugally, we can probably last until the middle of next month."

Living in the capital is no easy feat. Leaving aside food, clothing, and daily necessities, just buying water for a family of several people costs a considerable sum each month. Who would say that people in the capital need to buy water? Why not just dig your own well?

Wells naturally yield water, but most of it is bitter. This is because the capital is an ancient city, and over thousands of years, the population has grown and livestock have excreted, leaving the surface water full of limescale, making it extremely bitter to drink. Therefore, the imperial city draws water from Yuquan Mountain every morning for drinking and other purposes.

In the capital, there were only a few wells with sweet water, but they either fell into the hands of powerful and wealthy families or were used to draw water and sell it around every day. Miaoyu's family of six alone had to spend two taels of silver a month just to drink sweet water.

Miaoyu remained silent for a long while, her face expressionless, her thoughts unreadable. Qingfan waited a moment, then couldn't help but look up and ask, "Miss?"

"Alright, I... I'll write a letter myself. You, you take it to Xing Xiuyan." As she said this, Miaoyu suddenly coughed, and her cheeks flushed red, whether from coughing or embarrassment, it was hard to tell.

Qingfan blinked in surprise, about to say something, but when he met Miaoyu's eyes, which were filled with a sorrow greater than despair, he stopped talking and simply replied in silence, "Yes."

Qingfan then ground the ink, helped Miaoyu to the ground, and wrote a letter. After the ink dried, Qingfan folded it neatly and tucked it into her bosom. Upon going outside, she bumped into Granny Han, who asked, "What did you say, Miss?"

Qingfan said with a mournful face, "Miss sent me to deliver a message to Miss Xing... but I already begged her last time, so where will Miss Xing get the money if I go again?"

Granny Han didn't know what to say. After hesitating for a while, she finally said, "We have no relatives or friends here. What else can we ask for help from besides Miss Xing? Even if Miss Xing runs out of money, there's always Master Yuan who can help us."

Upon hearing this, both Granny Han and Qingfan were taken aback. Granny Han then said, "If that's the case, we might as well go directly to ask that Master Yuan for help."

Qingfan shook his head and said, "No, no, Miss... seems to dislike that Master Yuan. I think that Master Yuan is quite indifferent to our Miss... Why would he lend a helping hand for no reason?"

But Granny Han laughed and said, "What cat in this world doesn't steal fish? The reason you're cold to the young lady is because you can't have any."

Qingfan exclaimed in horror, "Isn't Granny trying to push the young lady into a fire pit? That Master Yuan has already arranged a marriage for her."

Granny Han said, "Our young lady is at such an age, she's neither good enough for high-ranking nor low-ranking jobs. Rather than dragging this out any longer, she might as well become someone's concubine." Seeing Qingfan frown, Granny Han continued, "Even if you go back to Suzhou, what then? Does the young lady really want to spend her whole life with a Buddhist lamp and a monk?"

Qingfan's heart wavered. If Miaoyu really wanted to become a nun, Qingfan knew he didn't want to continue guarding her. Then he thought of that Master Yuan, tall and handsome. He wondered what the young lady was thinking. Such a talented and virtuous man seemed a hundred times better than that Second Master Bao.
Qingfan knew that if he told Miaoyu, she would not agree, so he silently and vaguely agreed.

He secretly pondered to himself that things were unsustainable at the moment, and he could only take this as an emergency measure.

As night fell, a chorus of barking dogs could be heard from all around, along with a faint sound from the courtyard. It was a dark and windy night, and Qingfan and Granny Han, peering through the window, vaguely caught a glimpse of a figure landing in the courtyard.

The two men were so frightened that they grabbed stools and scissors and started yelling through the door.

But then the man outside said, "I have not come here to harm anyone, but only to ask Miss Miaoyu for a word."

Before Qingfan and Granny Han could react, Miaoyu, her pretty face turning deathly pale, exclaimed, "It's Liu Xianglian! You, how dare you show your face here!"

After a moment of silence outside, Liu Xianglian said, "I deceived you, and you stabbed me with a sword, so we're even. But there's one thing I really don't understand: how did you know that? I've been thinking about it, and there was a Xue family carriage outside the Muni Temple that day. Did that scoundrel Xue Pan tell you about it?"

It was Chen Siyuan who revealed the truth, but Miaoyu was not about to betray him. She immediately said, "If you don't want people to know, then don't do it in the first place. Do you think you've done something flawlessly?"

Liu Xianglian said, "If you don't tell me, I'll have to come closer and ask you."

Miaoyu was so frightened that she trembled and couldn't speak.

Suddenly, a sharp 'snap' was heard, and Liu Xianglian exclaimed in shock, "Who?!"

A voice, seemingly coming from nowhere, said, "It's despicable to bully a group of women in the middle of the night. Get out of here, or I'll get rough!"

Liu Xianglian didn't see it either, and then fell silent in an instant.

Qingfan peered through the window for a moment, then exclaimed with delight, "They're gone! They're gone! That Liu fellow is gone!"

Granny Han didn't dare open the door, but shouted to the outside, "Thank you for your help, benefactor. It's not convenient to meet now, but please come to my house for a cup of tea and wine another day."

As soon as he finished speaking, there was only the rustling of the wind outside, and no other sound.

After this incident, the master and servants were trembling with fear and couldn't sleep a wink all night. They finally managed to get through to dawn and then mustered up the courage to open the door.

Liu Xianglian was nowhere to be seen, nor was the benefactor who had helped them the night before. The cook in the east wing was terrified and started clamoring to leave early in the morning, refusing even her wages.

After much persuasion from Granny Han, the cook finally agreed to make breakfast before leaving. But then, Qingfan screamed and ran out from the west wing, saying to Granny Han, "Granny, Bihen... is gone."

Granny Han sighed, told Qingfan not to make a fuss, took the money and went out to buy a thin coffin. She then hired a donkey cart to take Bihen to the mortuary in the outer city. Before leaving, she said to Qingfan, "Whether it's Miss Xing or that Master Yuan, go and find him quickly. After Bihen is sent off, we really won't have any money left."

Qingfan readily agreed, and as soon as Granny Han left, she changed her clothes and hurriedly went to the Rongguo Mansion to find her.

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

That day, Chen Siyuan went out early in the morning, partly to give a congratulatory gift for Sister Feng's son's birth, and partly to buy strings for Lin Daiyu's zither.

The day was perfect, neither too hot nor too cold, so Chen Siyuan decided to ride his horse. As soon as the master and servant left the side gate of the Rongguo Mansion, the servant Qingyu said, "Master, it's been quite lively at Master Miaoyu's place these past few days!"

"Oh? What do you say?"

"First, Jia Chang came to the door, but was turned away; last night, Liu Xianglian came again. When the two guards saw that things were not going well, they simply threw a flying stone to scare Liu Xianglian away."

"Hmm," Chen Siyuan mumbled in response. He thought to himself that Liu Xianglian was one thing, but after all that effort, the fish finally took the bait, only to be scared away before he could even reel it in. And then he got stabbed in the back. If it were him, he would probably feel resentful too.

However, Miaoyu's valuables had already been stolen, so all her efforts were in vain.

But Jia Chang, who is usually unassuming and has no dealings with Miaoyu, why would he go looking for her? The more I think about it, the stranger it seems.

While he was thinking, Qingyu suddenly reined in his horse, nearly causing Chen Siyuan to fall off.

"Ugh!" Qingyu said angrily, "Don't you have eyes?"

Chen Siyuan came to his senses and saw a young maid blocking his horse.

The maid glanced at Chen Siyuan, then quickly curtsied and said, "Greetings, Master Yuan."

Chen Siyuan pretended to ponder for a moment, then asked, "You are... Qingfan?"

Qingfan breathed a sigh of relief and quickly nodded, "That's right. Um... where is Master Yuan headed?"

Having lived two lives, Chen Siyuan had long since developed a keen and shrewd mind. Seeing Qingfan's hesitant expression, he knew that Miaoyu must be out of money again. So he simply smiled and remained silent.

Qingfan wanted to slap himself, but fearing that he would be scolded by the servant Qingyu, he simply said, "My young lady said that she was very grateful for Master Yuan's help in the past few times. Now that she has found a place to stay, she would like to invite Master Yuan over for a cup of tea."

Chen Siyuan asked, "Where are you staying now, young lady?"

When Qingfan told him the location, Chen Siyuan thought about it and realized that the location was only separated from his new house by Nengren Temple.
He then said, "I'm swamped with official business today and don't know if I'll have the time. How about I go another day when I'm free?" Before Qingfan could reply, Chen Siyuan added, "That's right, another day, another day."

The next group of horses led the way, passing by Qingfan. Qingfan seemed anxious, but didn't know how to speak, only looking at Chen Siyuan's back and saying, "Then, then, Master Yuan, remember to come!"

Chen Siyuan turned around and smiled, "Definitely, when I have time."

The servant boy beside him winked and winked, utterly puzzled. As Chen Siyuan's trusted attendant, Qingyu knew his quirks perfectly well. After walking for a while and seeing that Qingfan had disappeared from sight, Qingyu said, "Master, now that Master Miaoyu is in trouble, why bother with her? In my opinion, it would be better to offer timely help and strike while the iron is hot… Oh dear!"

Qingyu rubbed his head, only to be hit on the head by Chen Siyuan.

Looking up, I saw Chen Siyuan smiling and saying, "She's not like Sister Bao or Sister Lin, why should I fawn over her?"

Qingyu asked, puzzled, "Huh? So, Master doesn't intend to..."

“Hey,” Chen Siyuan said with a smile, “Once she’s in the cage, how can she escape even if she grows wings? But when it comes to training an eagle, you have to first tame its wildness.”

(End of this chapter)