Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 311 Drawing fire from the bottom of the cauldron
Chen Siyuan ignored Yunxiang and turned to leave the Grand View Garden. Unexpectedly, as he passed the small courtyard in the northeast, he bumped into Aunt Xue leading Tongxi and Tonggui out.

The two had met before and both had a lot to say. They exchanged a glance, and Aunt Xue sent Tongxi and Tonggui aside, then leaned closer to Chen Siyuan and asked, "I heard Shan Pinren is here? What did he say?"

Chen Siyuan said, "Don't worry, this man is greedy for money. Hearing about such a great opportunity, how could he not take advantage of it? He has already gone to the Shan family. Let's just wait for good news."

Aunt Xue breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Thank God, I just hope there won't be any more trouble this time."

Chen Siyuan looked at Aunt Xue and asked in surprise, "Why are you still staying at Rongguo Mansion? Aren't you going back to the old house?"

Aunt Xue choked for a moment and said, "Can't I even have a couple of days of peace and quiet?" After a pause, she said, "You don't know, if I stay at the old house, Xue Ke will visit me morning and night, he follows the rules to the letter, and he keeps asking for money in his words. It's really annoying."

Besides, I think Pan'er has been disciplined too harshly lately. Perhaps we should take this opportunity to loosen his control for a few days, lest it backfire.

Chen Siyuan frowned and said, "Don't you know Wenlong's situation? I'm just afraid that if he relaxes his guard, something bad will happen."

Aunt Xue said dismissively, "No, I've carefully instructed all the maids and servants. There's no way that the same thing happened in Jinling again."

Chen Siyuan glanced at him but remained silent. He thought to himself, "Fine, he's still your own son. I, his stepfather, won't interfere."

Aunt Xue asked again, "Where are you rushing off to in such a hurry?"

Chen Siyuan said with a troubled expression, "I don't know what's wrong with the old lady. She actually said that she would give the mandarin ducks to Lin Daiyu in two years. You know what kind of person the master is. He might take his anger out on me. I guess the best course of action is to run away. I'd better go and hide somewhere."

"Huh? Is that so?"

Chen Siyuan waved his hand and said, "I'm not going to say anything more. If I linger any longer, I'm afraid I'll be caught and punished by the master. I'll be going now."

Aunt Xue readily agreed and watched Chen Siyuan walk away along the alley before leading her maid through the side gate into Madam Wang's courtyard.

After circling around to the front of the main house, Yu Chuan was waiting in the side hall. Upon seeing Aunt Xue, she greeted her and quickly led her inside. Aunt Xue went around the screen and saw that Madam Wang was talking with Tan Chun, Li Wan, and Xia Jingui.

Lady Wang glanced at Aunt Xue and nodded, then turned to Tan Chun and said, "You are a straightforward girl, but don't forget the saying: 'Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish.' All rules and regulations must be handled with utmost care. You have only just taken charge of the household and you want to sweep away the bad practices. Your intentions are good, but you are too hasty."

Tan Chun remained silent with her head down, while Li Wan interjected, "Third Sister is a bit too hasty, but this plan was discussed and agreed upon by everyone, and I don't see anything wrong with it."

Madam Wang shook her head and admonished, "Some rules may seem inappropriate, but they work very well in practice; conversely, some may seem good, but they are not very useful. You are all intelligent, do I need to teach you such principles? If we stop the purchase of cosmetics, that's fine; but to contract out all the places in the garden... wouldn't that be a disgrace to the Jia family? I think we should postpone this matter for now."

Tan Chun looked up, about to argue, but saw Li Wan shaking her head repeatedly in secret. Tan Chun could only sigh and reply, "Yes."

Madam Wang then smiled and said, "Everything else is fine, I can't say anything more. If there's nothing else, you can all go and rest in the back."

Li Wan, Tan Chun, and Xia Jingui all agreed and got up to take their leave.

After the three left, Madam Wang shook her head and said, "They're still young and don't think things through. What would it look like if outsiders knew that the Jia family was still squeezing money out of the servants?"

Aunt Xue secretly grumbled to herself, thinking that Madam Wang had lost face for the sake of saving face.

Leaving aside the conversation between the two sisters, let's talk about Li Wan and Tan Chun entering the Grand View Garden. They bid farewell to Xia Jingui at the crossroads and walked straight to Cuiyan Bridge. Only then did Li Wan say, "Well? I told you that Madam would definitely not allow it."

Tan Chun sighed and frowned deeply.

Li Wan thought for a moment and then advised, "Madam is currently locked in a fierce battle with Sister Feng. How could she dare to offend people on all sides? Third Sister's intentions are good, but... there is something I shouldn't have said—even if Third Sister manages the family business well, what then? She will get married in a few years. When someone else takes over the household management, the rules will change again. Wouldn't all her efforts be for nothing?"

Tan Chun bit her lower lip and remained silent. Seeing this, Li Wan stopped trying to persuade her. The two only separated when they reached the vicinity of Qiu Shuang Zhai.

Tan Chun returned to Qiu Shuang Zhai in a sullen mood, feeling deeply aggrieved. She was usually cheerful and easygoing, and even half a day of pent-up frustration would eventually subside. She thought to herself that managing a household was inherently difficult, and with her abilities, even correcting the slightest flaw would be beneficial.

Tan Chun gradually came to terms with it and pondered where to start to eliminate the abuses. Unexpectedly, Fourth Sister Tan Chun rushed in and said to Tan Chun, "Third Sister, do you know that the Old Madam gave Yuanyang to Sister Lin?"

Tan Chun was taken aback and asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Xichun chattered on and on, but because the two of them were still young, they were only concerned about whether the master would be angry with Chen Siyuan, and did not think much about it.

The Rongguo Mansion was rife with rumors, and once these two knew, others naturally knew as well. Upon receiving the news, Baochai hurriedly came to Xiaoxiang Pavilion, inquired carefully, but couldn't quite grasp Grandmother Jia's intentions.

Inside the Zhuijin Tower, the Second Miss and Xing Xiuyan also received the news. One of them was like a gourd with its mouth sawed off, and the other was like a free spirit. They listened and then forgot, completely unconcerned.

By the afternoon of that day, Jia She, the eldest master of the house in the east wing, also received the news. Jia She laughed in exasperation, saying, "Truly, it seems Chang'e has always loved young men! I thought she had taken a fancy to Baoyu or Lian'er, but who knew she would find someone even better! Humph, she's gone to Lin's place, but won't she be given to Yuan'er in the future?"

Everyone inside dared not utter a sound. The master paced back and forth, his face contorted with rage. Growing increasingly furious, Jia She suddenly stopped and ordered, "Go and fetch Yuan-ge'er!"

The servant agreed and hurried out. A moment later, Madam Xing came in with a frown and said, "What is the master up to now? The old lady said it, why are you arguing with Yuan-ge'er?"

Jia She said, "I was about to take Yuanyang as my concubine, and then I gave her to Yuan'er. What kind of logic is this? Where do you expect me to put my old face?"

Madam Xing thought to herself, "You've already lost all your shame, why bother with anything else?" Fearing a fight with Chen Siyuan, Madam Xing tried to smooth things over, saying, "One thing at a time. Master wants to take a concubine, didn't the old lady give you the money? Besides, Yuanyang will have to stay by the old lady's side to serve her for another two years. Even if she goes to Yu'er's room, she won't be able to leave the house for at least a year or two."

If you ask me, Yuan-ge'er has truly suffered an undeserved misfortune. If the master is truly angry, why doesn't he go after the old lady?

"you--"

Now that she had her son by her side, Madam Xing's momentum remained undiminished. Facing Jia She's gritted-teeth face, she said, "What about me? Last time, when Master wanted to force me to marry, I said it was definitely not going to work out, but Master insisted that I go and talk to him. What happened? The old lady got angry, Master stayed out of it, and instead, he scolded me until I was completely humiliated."

Just then, a servant ran in and said, "Master, Master Yuan just went to the new house... Should I go to the new house to invite him?"

Jia She frowned and remained silent. Just as he was about to speak, the steward from the front entered and said, "Reporting to Master, that Master Sun has arrived again."

Jia She's expression immediately changed, and he flicked his sleeve, saying, "Just say that I am unwell and cannot receive guests today!"

The steward responded and left. Jia She glanced at the sullen servant and waved his hand, saying, "Get out, you get out too!"

The servant, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon, turned and scurried out.

Only Madam Xing and Jia She remained inside. Jia She scratched his head and frowned, and after a long while said, "If we don't come up with a solution soon, I'm afraid we won't be able to survive."

Madam Xing glanced at her and muttered, "Didn't the old lady say she had money? Master can just buy a maid and say she's a virgin from a brothel. That way, he can save a few hundred taels."

Jia She would have scoffed at this idea, but to everyone's surprise, Jia She blinked and nodded, saying, "That's an idea... Hmm, let's do it that way."

Madam Xing was immediately dumbfounded, thinking to herself, "It seems that Jia She wasn't faking it this time; he really did lose that money."

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

Meanwhile, Chen Si left the Rongguo Mansion and rode around for a while before arriving at the north of Nengren Temple. He secretly wondered what had become of Miaoyu since he hadn't visited her for several days.

Upon arrival, Chen Siyuan dismounted, and the gate creaked open. Granny Han peeked out and glanced around. Seeing Chen Siyuan, her face lit up with a smile. She rushed forward, pulled on the reins, and said, "Master Yuan has arrived?"

"Ah."

Granny Han looked around and muttered to herself, "At first, the young lady was fine after the master left, but she made a scene during the day and smashed up the whole house."

Chen Siyuan stopped and asked, "And then?"

Granny Han smiled teasingly and gave her a look, saying, "Later... wasn't it just like that? After a while, Master Yuan said some sweet words, and the young lady felt comforted and stopped thinking about all that nonsense."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said in a low voice, "From now on, the monthly allowances for Granny and Qingfan will come from me. All expenses will be calculated according to the allowance for second-class maids in the Rongguo Mansion."

Granny Han immediately thanked him, saying, "Oh dear, thank you so much, Master Yuan, thank you so much, Master Yuan."

Granny Han quickly tied the reins to the hitching post and then jogged over to usher Chen Siyuan into the courtyard.

Just past noon, smoke billowed from the east wing's kitchen, presumably as the newly hired cook prepared lunch. The main door opened, and a young maid named Qingfan came to greet them. Granny Han turned and went into the kitchen, instructing the cook to prepare several dishes. After pondering for a moment, she ran out to fetch a pot of fine chrysanthemum wine.

Qingfan lifted the curtain and let Chen Siyuan in. Chen Siyuan glanced inside and saw that Miaoyu had indeed shrunk into the bedroom.

Chen Siyuan chuckled softly, not bothering to look for Miaoyu. He casually lifted his robe and sat down on the chair, as if he were at home, and ordered, "Qingfan, go and make some tea. I want Lu'an tea."

Qingfan agreed and was about to go into the bedroom to urge Miaoyu. But Chen Siyuan stopped him, saying, "Just go and brew it yourself, why bother someone else?"

Qingfan bit her lower lip and glanced inside before bowing in response.

After Qingfan left, Miaoyu inside asked in a trembling voice, "What... what are you doing here?"

If Chen Siyuan had responded, Miaoyu would have given him a good scolding, just to get her tongue out. But to her surprise, Chen Siyuan didn't respond; he simply leaned back in his chair and looked around.

Miaoyu recalled that day, and her heart was filled with mixed emotions. For the past few days, she had been haunted by that tender moment, her eyes constantly flashing before her eyes. Even though she felt a burning hatred upon waking, she was still entangled with him in her dreams. What was worse, upon waking, she felt a cool, slippery sensation beneath her; Miaoyu was truly filled with shame and rage!

So when she heard that Chen Siyuan had come again, she hid in her room, waiting for him to say a few words before she smashed her head against him and died—since her chastity had been defiled, he shouldn't have any good luck either!
To everyone's surprise, Chen Siyuan went inside, looking completely carefree, and didn't respond at all!
Miaoyu grew increasingly angry and gritted her teeth, saying, "You dare to do it but not admit it? Why don't you answer when I'm talking to you?"

Chen Siyuan, standing in the hall, was taken aback. Pointing to his own nose, he said, "Are you talking to me? You dare to do it but not admit it... What makes you say that? Even in the government office, I have an explanation. I may have provoked you that day, but afterwards, it wasn't you—"

"shut up!"

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "You're the one who told me to speak, and now you're the one telling me to shut up. Everyone says you have a strange personality, and it seems that's true."

Miaoyu was speechless, only gritting her teeth and shrinking into the headboard, filled with resentment.

A short while later, Qingfan returned with tea and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the two hadn't started arguing. Chen Siyuan knew that Miaoyu was stubborn and naturally couldn't do as Han Mama said. He then talked to Qingfan for a long time until the wine and dishes were served, at which point Chen Siyuan gave Miaoyu a wink.

Having received the signal, Qingfan quickly went inside to invite Miaoyu to dinner.

Miaoyu remained silent, while Chen Siyuan outside laughed and said, "Your young lady has always been detached from worldly affairs; she's probably content with just drinking dew and air. If she doesn't want to eat, there's no need to persuade her."

Qingfan tried to persuade her a couple more times, but seeing that Miaoyu didn't respond, he had no choice but to turn back and serve Chen Siyuan. But a short while later, Miaoyu got out of bed by herself, sat down at the table in a huff, picked up her bowl and chopsticks, and started eating.

Chen Siyuan didn't mind, and after eating and drinking for a while, he poured himself a drink. Unexpectedly, Miaoyu snatched the wine pot and poured herself a cup as well.

The two ignored each other, focusing only on eating and drinking. Granny Han stole a few glances, and feeling puzzled, she simply called Qingfan out.

Yu Qingfan said, "Our young lady has a strange temperament. Perhaps only a strange method like Master Yuan's can tame her."

Seeing Qingfan frowning, Granny Han advised again, "Don't worry, the young lady didn't die a few days ago, so she won't die now."

Qingfan breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

Meanwhile, the two inside gradually slowed down their eating and drinking. The pot of wine was almost empty. Chen Siyuan poured himself half a cup, and before Miaoyu could snatch it, he filled it up for her.

Chen Siyuan picked up his wine glass and slowly took a sip, while Miaoyu, as if in a defiant gesture, tilted her head back and downed her drink in one gulp. Perhaps she drank too quickly, for wine stains trickled down her chin and onto her neck.

Seeing Chen Siyuan looking at her, Miaoyu said disdainfully, "What's wrong? Alcohol emboldens cowards, and now you're getting lustful again?" Seeing that Chen Siyuan didn't move, she teased, "That's right, this time there was no drug in the food, so you didn't dare to."

Chen Siyuan laughed heartily, raised his cup and drank it all in one gulp. He then casually tossed the cup to the ground and dragged Miaoyu toward the bedroom.

Miaoyu struggled desperately, shouting, "You villain, let me go!"

Despite her best efforts, she couldn't do anything to Chen Siyuan. As soon as they reached the bedside, Chen Siyuan threw her violently, and Miaoyu cried out in surprise as she fell onto the bed.

Before Miaoyu could react, Chen Siyuan had already closed in. Their faces were only two inches apart. Sensing Chen Siyuan's breath, Miaoyu was stunned, panting heavily as she looked at him. Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "An eye for an eye. Last time you were on top, now it's my turn, isn't it?"

Miaoyu was about to break free when those warm lips kissed her neck. Miaoyu let out a soft moan, as if struck by lightning, and half of her body went limp.

Miaoyu was torn between two conflicting emotions. On one hand, she wished she could kill Chen Siyuan, but on the other hand, she longed to relive their past. While she hesitated, Chen Siyuan had already taken her place. As a result, her body swayed like a willow, her limbs felt like chaff, and she was overcome with lust, humming incessantly.

It is said: The plan was devised to capture the Jade Rabbit in the moon, and the scheme was perfected to capture the Golden Crow in the sun. First, the Jade Mountain is warmed by the mandarin duck quilt, and then the famous flowers in the imperial garden await the arrival of the orioles.

Hearing the commotion inside, Granny Han said to Qingfan, "How was it? I told you that Master Yuan was resourceful, and now the two of them are back together."

Qingfan was relieved and nodded with a smile, saying, "Granny is indeed very knowledgeable."

Granny Han chuckled and said, "No matter how eccentric someone's personality is, once they're married, they still have to be a good wife and mother."

The two chatted idly for a while, but as dusk approached, Qingfan became worried again and got up to look inside. However, the gauze curtains had already been drawn, and the inside was indistinct and unclear.

After a while, Miaoyu, in a hoarse voice, instructed, "Qingfan, bring some hot water."

Qingfan quickly agreed, fetched hot water from the kitchen, and brought it inside. She lowered her head, stole a glance, and saw that Master Yuan was sitting on the edge of the bed, tidying his clothes.

Her daughter was huddled under the covers in bed, her face flushed. Sensing a faint, strange smell, Qingfan brought the water inside.

Miaoyu instructed, "Just leave it there. Go and have some fun. I'll call you back in a bit."

Upon catching a glimpse of Grandpa Yuan's bare chest, Qingfan blushed, gave a quick reply, and hurriedly retreated.

Chen Siyuan had already stood up, carefully fastened his cloak, and said to Miaoyu, "In that case, I will come to see you again in a few days."

Miaoyu bit her lower lip and stared intently at him, finally saying, "Jia Chang!"

"Ok?"

"I don't ask anything else from you, but Jia Chang stole my things, and I will definitely not let him get away with it."

Chen Siyuan chuckled, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and simply turned and left.

Miaoyu watched him leave the room before finally letting out a sigh of relief. Glancing at the clothes scattered on the bed, she hurriedly stuffed them haphazardly under the covers. Without calling Qingfan, she went barefoot to the basin, wet a handkerchief, and began to wipe herself.

Her movements were extremely slow, and it was unclear where she touched. Suddenly, she let out a soft moan, and a look of intoxication appeared on her face...

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

Two days passed quickly, and Chen Siyuan fled to the new residence. On the third day, he realized that he could no longer hide. He thought to himself that no matter how angry Jia She was, his anger should have subsided after two days, so he leisurely returned to the Rongguo Mansion.

Upon arriving at his humble cottage, Chen Siyuan asked several maids, and when he heard that the master had not come looking for him, he was immediately astonished. He secretly wondered to himself, "Has the master changed his mind?"

Then Hongyu whispered, "Master, yesterday the master bought a concubine, which cost a full eight hundred taels of silver."

"Oh?" Chen Siyuan said casually, "Since the old lady has agreed, given the master's personality, how could he not take advantage of the situation?"

Hongyu's expression was strange, and she hesitated before saying, "More than that! Yunxiang has seen that concubine. She looks no more than twelve or thirteen years old, with a plain face. Yunxiang said she's not even as good as her third sister."

"Huh?" Chen Siyuan was taken aback and said, "Good heavens, the master is really shameless for money. Didn't the old lady say anything?"

Hongyu shook her head and said, "The old lady just wants to keep the peace; she doesn't care whether the master bought a cat or a dog."

"Hahaha..." Chen Siyuan burst into laughter when he heard what she said was funny.

Just then, Wu'er outside said, "Master, Miss Bao is here."

Chen Siyuan quickly stopped laughing and got up to greet her. Baochai turned around the screen, glanced at Chen Siyuan, and said with a half-smile, "I was just about to ask you about your good fortune with women the other day, but you've managed to avoid it all."

Several maids covered their mouths and laughed. Chen Siyuan stepped forward and tugged at Baochai's sleeve, protesting, "I'm innocent! Heaven and earth bear witness, do you not know who I was hiding from, sister? It was only today that I figured the master would be calmer, so I dared to return to the manor."

Baochai smiled and sat down, then playfully scolded, "You always get the benefits for nothing. If I were the master, I'm afraid I would also hold you accountable."

Chen Siyuan smiled and brushed it off. After the maids quietly withdrew, Baochai said, "Why didn't you tell me about Qin'er's matter?"

Chen Siyuan asked in surprise, "Didn't the concubine say anything?"

Baochai shook her head and said, "I just mentioned it yesterday. It's strange that Qin'er doesn't want to curry favor with the Mei family. I wonder what she's thinking."

Chen Siyuan said, "Wouldn't that be perfect?"

Baochai frowned and said, "How can she make decisions at such a young age? I'm afraid she'll still have to listen to my brother." She paused for a moment before saying, "I heard you came back, and Mother hurriedly sent me to inquire whether Shan Pinren has replied?"

Chen Siyuan shook his head and said, "Good things come to those who wait. If there's still no news in a couple of days, I'll go find Shan Pinren."

Baochai smiled and agreed. After exchanging a few words, having not seen each other for several days, they couldn't help but huddle together for some tenderness. It was already late autumn, and the outside was chilly. Moreover, with Xiangyun now living in Hengwu Garden, Chen Siyuan naturally couldn't sneak into her room at night. So he couldn't help but make advances, only stopping when Baochai was truly annoyed.

After Baochai left, Chen Siyuan felt a deep sense of loss and secretly hoped that spring would come soon so that he could reunite with Baochai...

Just as he was pondering this, Yunxiang called out from outside, "Master, the Third Miss is here."

Exploring Spring?

Chen Siyuan hurriedly got up to greet her. When he arrived at the door, he saw Tan Chun wearing a light blue round-necked robe with phoenix tail chrysanthemum embroidery and gold trim, and a light orange horse-face skirt embroidered with chrysanthemum branches. She moved with a lotus-like step and smiled as she approached.

After exchanging greetings, Chen Siyuan invited her inside. The two took their seats as host and guest, and Tan Chun said with a smile, "I would never have come here without a reason, as I have an important matter to ask Brother Yuan."

"Oh? Third sister, just tell me."

Tan Chun frowned and blurted out her innovative ideas and Lady Wang's rebuttals.

He said only at the end, "I've thought it over and over, and it's clearly a good thing, but I don't know why my mother just won't allow it."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Third sister is probably too attached to appearances."

"What are your thoughts, Brother Yuan?"

Chen Siyuan said, "Throughout history, there has never been a reform that did not involve bloodshed. Third sister, think about what Wang Anshi of the Song Dynasty did before his reforms."

Tan Chun frowned immediately and tentatively asked, "Is it about forming cliques and attacking those who disagree?"

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "That's right. How can we implement reforms if we don't let the New Party occupy the court?"

Tan Chun was initially relieved, but then smiled bitterly and said, "How could I not know? Unfortunately, I am only temporarily in charge of the housekeeping now, and I can't manage too much."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Third sister is only temporarily in charge of the household affairs. Surely you can handle things like cheating, drinking and gambling, and embezzling public funds? Don't forget, at the beginning of the reform, we must first clean up the bureaucracy. So why don't you take the opportunity to appoint those who are honest and dutiful as managers, and kick out the disobedient ones?"

Tan Chun seemed to be deep in thought for a moment, and then smiled and said, "Brother Yuan really has a way."

Chen Siyuan took a sip of tea and continued, "Besides, it is already late autumn now, and Third Sister's method can only be used when the flowers bloom next spring. If you ask me, Third Sister doesn't need to report everything to Madam. She can privately allow the old woman to try it out. If it is indeed effective in autumn, then it is not too late to report to Madam."

Seeing that Tan Chun hesitated, Chen Siyuan leaned over and lowered his voice, saying, "Now that Second Sister-in-law has given up her duties and Eldest Sister-in-law doesn't really want to manage the household, who else can Madam find to manage the household besides Third Sister?"

Tan Chun pondered for a moment, then smiled and nodded repeatedly, saying, "Brother Yuan is right."

Yes, she and her wife had long been at odds. She was not acting on her wife's authority, so why should she ask her wife to make decisions for everything?

Having made up her mind, Tan Chun said, "In that case, I will ignore those extravagant expenses for now and just focus on strictly enforcing the rules."

After the discussion was settled, Tan Chun sat for a while longer before taking her leave. She had arrived with a heavy heart and a melancholy expression, but left with a joyful face, feeling as if the sky was clear and the air was fresh. After leaving the thatched cottage, Tan Chun took a few steps, turned back and waved to Chen Siyuan, then took a deep breath and hurried towards Qiushuangzhai.

Cui Mo and Shi Shu, who were accompanying them, exchanged a glance and then covered their mouths and laughed.

Tan Chun asked with a smile, "What are you two whispering about again?"

Cui Mo said, "Just now, Miss was frowning, which was really worrying. But after a few words from Master Yuan, Miss cheered up again."

Tan Chun said, "How can they be the same? Brother Yuan's character and talent are both first-rate. What I can't see clearly, he can definitely see clearly."

Seeing the admiration in Tan Chun's eyes, Shi Shu couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. It was a pity that this Master Yuan was already engaged; otherwise, wouldn't he and her young lady be a match made in heaven?

While they were thinking, an old woman from the side gate came rushing towards them. She gave way to Tan Chun and her party and hurried to Qingtang Thatched Cottage.

Tan Chun glanced back, and Shi Shu quickly said, "It's the old woman at the corner gate of the private alley, not the one from the east courtyard. She must be looking for Master Yuan because she has something to do outside."

Tan Chun responded with a sound of agreement and then ignored her.

Just as Chen Siyuan returned to his room, an old woman came looking for him, saying that Shan Pinren wanted to see him.

Chen Siyuan wondered to himself, could it be that there was some news about the Shan family girl?

He immediately got up and left, heading straight to the corner gate of the private alley. From afar, he saw Shan Pinren waiting in front of the gate.

Seeing his furrowed brow, Chen Siyuan's heart skipped a beat. After exchanging greetings, Shan Pinren said with a wry smile, "Uncle Yuan, you've really put me in a difficult position."

Chen Siyuan feigned surprise and asked, "What makes you say that, sir?"

"Grandpa Yuan really doesn't know?" Shan Pinren said with a worried look, "I visited my cousin's house twice in the past two days. The first time was fine. My cousin was overjoyed when he heard that I intended to match Second Sister with the Mei family's son. But the next day, his expression changed, and he scolded me harshly, saying that Mei Chong's marriage was already arranged and that I shouldn't waste my time."

"I see." Chen Siyuan thought to himself, this problem probably lies with Mei Hanlin again. He pulled Shan Pinren into a private alley and lowered his voice, saying, "Sir, you don't know, there's more to this than meets the eye. First, Mei Chong has taken a liking to the second daughter of your cousin's family. Second... the second daughter of the Xue family is still not quite a teenager, and if she wants to get married, she'll have to wait three to five years. How can Mei Chong wait that long?"

"this--"

"Sir, please don't be hasty. I only have one question... What was the reaction of your cousin's second sister when she heard about this?"

Shan Pinren stroked his beard and pondered for a moment, then said, "Second Sister... is probably happy, isn't she?"

"That's it!" Chen Siyuan laughed. "Look, Miss Xue doesn't want to marry early, Brother Mei is thinking of Second Sister, and Second Sister is overjoyed. In that case, why don't we let the lovers finally get married?"

"You mean... ah?" Shan Pinren waved his hands repeatedly, declining, "No, no, my cousin got angry yesterday, how dare I come to visit again?"

"Eh?" Chen Siyuan pulled out two hundred taels of silver notes from his sleeve and stuffed them into Shan Pinren's sleeve. He said earnestly, "Sir, your cousin is blaming you only because the Mei family has a pre-existing marriage agreement. If Mei Chong and Second Sister were to get married, would your cousin still blame you? He would probably be overjoyed."

Brother Mei and I are friends. I've been entrusted with this task, and I'll do my best to fulfill it. Whether it succeeds or not, I hope you'll lend a hand.

Shan Pinren mumbled, "Fine, then let me think about it some more?"

"Alright."

The two parted ways, and Shan Pinren went out of the alley. When no one was around, he took out the silver notes from his sleeve. He glanced at them and saw that there were two hundred taels. His mustache twitched! A smile immediately appeared on his face, and he muttered to himself, "This... even Buddha said, it's better to tear down a temple than to break up a marriage."

(End of this chapter)