Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 312 A Brother Yuan Fell From the Sky
After bidding farewell to Shan Pinren, Chen Siyuan thought to himself, "There's a saying that money can make the devil turn the millstone. I don't believe that I can't get things done even if I throw away several hundred taels of silver."

Since this side gate was adjacent to the small courtyard to the northeast, Chen Siyuan turned around and arrived at the side gate of the small courtyard to the northeast. After a slight knock, Tong Xi came to greet him.

As luck would have it, Aunt Xue was in the back room at that moment. Chen Siyuan went in and whispered something to Aunt Xue. Aunt Xue was still a little worried, but she knew that things had come to this point, and she could only hope that Shan Pinren would be greedy for money.

Two days passed quickly, and Chen Siyuan remained engrossed in his studies. Since Xiangyun was now living in Hengwu Garden, and the weather was cold, he could hardly find Baochai anymore. Only every few days would Baochai come over for a short visit, to chat intimately, and to spend some time together when the maids were away.

That day, Baochai came again, and the maids all naturally slipped away. Baochai gestured towards Xiangling's retreating figure, and only after she had left did she say, "Xiangling has been acting strangely these past two days, have you noticed?"

Chen Siyuan thought for a moment and said, "Isn't that right? These past two days, even when I called her, it took several times before she came to her senses. She looked like she was searching her mind, not listening to anything else, not looking at anything else. I suppose she was composing a poem?"

Baochai immediately covered her mouth and laughed, "That's right! The other day when we held a poetry club, Xiangling did write a poem, but Lin Daiyu pointed out that it was wrong in rhyme and too far-fetched, so Xiangling became unhappy. Who knew that she would come to my Hengwu Garden and ask Xiangyun for advice endlessly."

After a pause, Baochai smiled and scolded, "You don't know, Xiangyun is a very talkative person. When Xiangling asked her for advice, she just kept chattering away. Her mouth was full of nonsense: how could it be 'Du Fu's melancholy and Wei Yingwu's elegance', or 'Wen Zhengming's ornate style and Li Shangyin's reclusiveness'?"

It's so noisy it's unbearable!

Chen Siyuan laughed heartily, took Baochai's plump hand and said, "It's clear that Xiangling is absolutely enamored with poetry."

Baochai pouted and said, "If you ask me, why bring up those old friends when we have a great poet like you to consult?"

Chen Siyuan said, "Xiangyun has been here for over a month. Has she said when she will return to the Marquis's residence?"

Baochai paused for a moment, then leaned closer and whispered, "I'm afraid she won't be going back... Her second uncle has been appointed to an official post in another province and will be setting off soon. The old lady asked Xiangyun, and she said she didn't want to go to her third uncle's house, so the old lady simply kept her here."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "That's good, so your Hengwu Garden won't be too lonely."

Baochai immediately feigned a worried expression and said, "I just want some peace and quiet right now. These two are like a bunch of crows arguing, it's really giving me a headache."

Chen Siyuan gently rubbed her plump hand without saying a word. Baochai then inquired about the Shan family's situation, but Shan Pinren had never returned, so how could Chen Siyuan know anything about it?

Sister Bao was slightly worried after hearing this, but in the end she just said, "Good things come to those who wait," and then let the matter drop.

Chen Siyuan thought to himself that the imperial merchant position was nothing but a burden, and it would be better to give it to Xue Ke. But Aunt Xue was stubborn and regarded the imperial merchant position as a family heirloom, and even Baochai didn't know how to persuade her.

After sitting for about the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, and agreeing to settle the latex accounts together the next day, Sister Bao blushed and took her leave.

Chen Siyuan turned back into the house and saw Xiangling looking lost in thought. Knowing that she was thinking about poetry, he did not disturb her.

To everyone's surprise, around noon, Xiangling came over with a piece of paper, beaming with joy. She leaned closer and said, "Master, take a look. How is my poem?"

Chen Siyuan received the note but didn't rush to read it. He said, "Why don't you take it to Sister Bao and Sister Lin to see?"

Xiangling pouted and smiled, "I'm afraid I won't do it well and the girls will laugh at me again."

Chen Siyuan laughed heartily, glanced down at the note, and saw it read: "Its essence, though difficult to conceal, is hard to hide; its shadow is graceful, its spirit cold. A single sound of a pestle echoes for a thousand miles; the rooster crows at the waning dawn. A green-clad figure hears a flute on the river in autumn; a red-sleeved figure leans against the railing at night. Even Chang'e would ask, 'Why not let us be forever reunited?'"

Chen Siyuan put down the paper, smiling as he looked at Xiangling without saying a word. Xiangling frowned, then became anxious, stamping her foot and asking, "Sir, what do you think of this poem?"

"Good, not only good, but also novel and interesting."

"really?"

Seeing Chen Siyuan nod solemnly, Xiangling was overjoyed and put her hands together, saying, "Amitabha, I was just thinking that if it works, I will continue to learn; if it doesn't work, I will give up on writing poetry. Since you say it's good, then I guess I've passed the test."

He swiftly snatched the paper away, turned and hurried away, saying, "I'll take it to Miss Bao and Miss Lin to see."

As soon as Xiangling left, Hongyu entered with a puzzled look and asked, "Master, Xiangling seems to be overjoyed. Is there something good happening?"

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "She wrote a good poem, so of course she should be overjoyed?"

"Really?" Hongyu said with a smile, "Master said long ago that Sister Xiangling could write poetry, but she has only just finished writing it now, which is a bit late."

Wu'er chimed in, "This shows that 'nothing is impossible to a willing mind.'"

Knowing that Wu'er was feeling a pang of sadness, Chen Siyuan said, "Don't worry, in a few years when you can write poetry too, we can just start a poetry club at home."

Wu'er said a few humble words, but couldn't help but feel hopeful.

An hour later, as it was nearing the end of the day, Chen Siyuan thought that he hadn't been to the east courtyard for several days, and if he didn't go soon, Madam Xing might become resentful. So he got ready and headed to the east courtyard.

No sooner had they stepped out of the side gate of the inner courtyard than they saw Jia Chang riding a tall horse, swaggering towards them. A servant came forward to lead the horse, and Jia Chang dismounted, casually tossing a coin over. This prompted the servants around to call him "Third Master."

Chen Siyuan was slightly taken aback, then remembered Miaoyu's previous instructions. He thought to himself, judging from Jia Chang's appearance, he must have been possessed... he might have stolen Miaoyu's valuables.

While Chen Siyuan remained outwardly calm and pondered to himself, Jia Chang approached with a smile. Upon seeing Chen Siyuan, Jia Chang quickly greeted him with a bow and a smile, "Uncle Yuan, where are you going?"

Chen Siyuan said, "I haven't been to the east courtyard for a few days, I'll go take a look now."

Jia Chang laughed heartily and said, "No wonder Madam said Uncle Yuan is filial; I truly admire him."

After exchanging greetings, the two men bowed to each other and passed by. Chen Si, having traveled a long way to the side gate, couldn't help but glance back. He saw Jia Chang walking with his chest puffed out and belly protruding, looking extremely smug. He immediately let out a cold laugh. His mind raced, and a plan suddenly came to him.

They entered the black-lacquered gate in a short while, and coincidentally, they ran into Jia She coming from behind.

Upon seeing each other, Jia She frowned and said, "Young master, you've come to see your aunt again?"

“Indeed,” Chen Siyuan replied with a cupped hand, then quietly leaned closer and said, “Uncle, that Chang’er… seems to have grown hair?”

"Oh?" Jia She looked at the servant beside him, who hurriedly replied, "Reporting to Master, I heard that Third Master dug up an object from his old family home and sold it for several thousand taels of silver."

Jia She was currently worried about money, and upon hearing this, he couldn't help but frown and say, "Where did Chang'er get such good luck?"

Chen Siyuan said, "Uncle, please let me speak to you in private."

Jia She glanced at him, then waved his hand, signaling Chen Siyuan to follow him into the outer study.

Once inside, Chen Siyuan stepped forward and said, "At first, my nephew didn't quite believe it, but now that he's seen Chang'er's appearance, he'll probably believe it to some extent."

"What exactly happened?"

Chen Siyuan said, "My uncle also knows that there used to be a nun named Miaoyu who practiced Buddhism while still keeping her hair at the Longcui Nunnery in the garden."

"Hmm." Jia She nodded.

Chen Siyuan said, "Later, the nun had an affair, which was discovered by the madam, who then expelled her from the mansion. By chance, Miaoyu ended up in the hands of her nephew."

"Hmm?" Jia She raised an eyebrow, inwardly cursing Chen Siyuan's good fortune. Miaoyu was so beautiful, more so than all his concubines combined, how did she end up in Chen Siyuan's hands? Recalling the past affair with Yuanyang, Jia She was immediately enraged and sneered, "Is the young master trying to show off to this old man?"

"Where?" Chen Siyuan said in a low voice, "A few days ago, Miaoyu told her nephew about something. She said that she originally had tens of thousands of valuables, but when she stayed at the Sansheng Temple, a fire broke out at night, and thieves stole all her valuables while she was putting out the fire."

"Oh, is that so?"

Chen Siyuan said, "The next day, Jia Chang came to the door and said some nonsense. Miaoyu sent someone to drive him out. Jia Chang was furious and said that Miaoyu had no money now, so why didn't she go with him to be a concubine?"

"Hiss—" Jia She stroked his beard and gasped, looking at Chen Siyuan and saying, "Brother Yuan, are you saying—"

Chen Siyuan added, "It's hard for me to say exactly what will happen. But Jia Chang always obeys the orders of the second wife."

Chen Siyuan stopped short of commenting, and after Jia She had thought for a while, he said, "Uncle, please continue with your work. I'll go check on Aunt in the back."

"Hmm...Alright, go ahead, sir."

Chen Siyuan bowed and bid farewell, then hurriedly left the outer study. As he approached the third-floor ceremonial gate, he turned around and saw several stewards from the east courtyard rushing into the outer study.

Chen Siyuan sneered inwardly, thinking to himself, with Jia She's greedy and despicable character, how could he possibly let go of such a good deal? Perhaps Jia Chang is about to be in trouble.

Miao led Chen Siyuan to the back. When Chen Siyuan entered the main room, he saw Fourth Brother wearing a padded jacket and a tiger-head hat, running around shaking a rattle drum.

The wet nurse, maids, and old women stood around to stop him, afraid that he might bump into something.

When the fourth brother saw Chen Siyuan, he immediately opened his arms and shouted with a smile, "Father, Father, Father..."

The wet nurse was so frightened that her face changed color, and she hurriedly said, "No, it's not Father, the young master must call him cousin."

Madam Xing, who was sitting sideways behind, chuckled for a while before saying nonchalantly, "Fourth Brother has only just started talking. Last month he could only say 'Mom,' but now that he's finally learned to say 'Dad,' he calls everyone he sees."

Chen Siyuan was overjoyed, but regretted that he had nothing to hold onto. He quickly made up his mind that he would definitely make a big longevity lock for his fourth brother later.

After watching the fourth son play for a while, Madam Xing sent the wet nurse to lead him away.

With only two people remaining, Chen Siyuan took the opportunity to recount Jia Chang's story.

To everyone's surprise, Madam Xing didn't care about Jia Chang at all. Upon hearing this, she only frowned and said, "Aren't you afraid of hurting your back? How come you even took Miaoyu into your room?"

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "It's just a coincidence. Her personality is extremely strange, I dare not bring her home, so I might as well keep her outside as a mistress."

Madam Xing rolled her eyes at him. It was only because she had a child that she wasn't so clingy with Chen Siyuan. Otherwise, Madam Xing would have wanted to see Chen Siyuan every other day.

After discussing this matter, Madam Xing said, "That man surnamed Sun is like a death knell, coming to urge us every two or three days. I think he's getting fed up with it. If you give us a way out, I'm afraid Chang'er will be in trouble."

Chen Siyuan didn't care whether Jia Chang lived or died. He took a small sip of tea, pondered for a moment, and then pulled out a thousand taels of silver from his sleeve.

Madam Xing was overjoyed and held the silver notes in her hands, asking, "What does this mean?"

“I was planning to include you in that latex business, but everyone else has jumped in, and I don’t have much left. So, I won’t give you that share; I’ll just give you some of the extra money I have on hand.”

Madam Xing said with a smile, "I thought you only gave me the money because Fourth Brother called me 'Father'."

Chen Siyuan blinked, then immediately felt both amused and exasperated, and quickly said, "Don't teach me anything wrong, or you'll get yourself into trouble."

Madam Xing hummed twice, preoccupied with counting the silver notes, seemingly oblivious to whether she had heard a word.

Chen Siyuan sat for a while longer before leaving Madam Xing's main room.

Who knew that as soon as they entered the Grand View Garden and turned past the green hills, they saw Zijuan carrying a food box and smiling as she walked towards them.

As Chen Siyuan crossed the Qinfang Bridge, Zijuan arrived nearby, carrying a food box and curtsying. Chen Siyuan smiled and asked, "Is Lin Daiyu hungry now?"

Zijuan laughed and said, "Xiangling just wrote a good poem. Even our young lady praised it. She also asked Miss Bao, Miss Yun, and Miss Xing to give it a good review. They praised it until Xiangling blushed before they stopped."

Chen Siyuan couldn't help but laugh. If he were to compose poetry based on his true talent, he would probably only be at the level of an ordinary scholar, but in terms of his ability to appreciate poetry, he was probably no worse than Daiyu.

Zijuan continued, "Later, Baochai and Xiangling left, and then Fourth Miss came. Fourth Miss took a white fan and asked our Miss to make a drawing, saying that she would give it to Miss once it was finished."

Chen Siyuan pondered that Xichun had asked him to be her model last time, and now she was asking Lin Daiyu to be her model again, which meant she was focused on painting figures.

Zijuan's heart stirred at this moment, and she said, "If Master Yuan has nothing to do, why don't you come to Xiaoxiang Pavilion and join in the fun?"

Chen Siyuan was immediately tempted and nodded, following Zijuan all the way to Xiaoxiang Pavilion.

As soon as they entered, they heard the fourth sister, Xichun, complaining, "Sister Lin, don't move, I'm just a few strokes away from finishing."

Daiyu couldn't help but mutter, "Fourth Sister, hurry up, my arms are getting sore from sitting."

At this moment, Zijuan led Chen Siyuan around the screen. Daiyu saw this and winked at her; Xiao Xichun was focused on painting and did not look back at all.

Chen Siyuan leaned closer to take a look and saw that the fan depicted a beautiful woman wearing flowers in her hair, whose appearance vaguely resembled Daiyu by about seven-tenths. After Xichun finished painting, she breathed a sigh of relief, and Chen Siyuan praised, "Fourth Sister painted it well."

"Oh!" Xichun was startled. Seeing Chen Siyuan behind her, she smiled and said, "Brother Yuan, when did you arrive?" Before Chen Siyuan could reply, she quickly put her hands out to cover the fan and said, "It's not well painted, Brother Yuan, please don't look!"

Meanwhile, Daiyu quickly stretched her arms and came over to observe. After several attempts by the two to persuade her, Xichun finally let go. Daiyu then examined her closely and praised her repeatedly, saying that Xichun was indeed talented.

Xi Chun was overjoyed to receive the praise. She raised her little face and smiled, "Outsiders all know that the maids around the sisters in the family are famous for their skills in playing the zither, chess, calligraphy and painting. The Empress is good at playing the zither, Second Sister is good at the art of black and white, and Third Sister likes calligraphy. If I can't paint, wouldn't I be disgracing my sisters' reputations?"

Several maids also came over to look at it. While praising it, Xueyan said, "It's a pity that this painting is only on one side, and the other side is empty... Hey? How about painting the bamboo forest outside?" Caiping scolded, "How can there be a painting on both sides of this fan? Now that the side is blank, a poem should be written on it."

Upon hearing this, Xichun clasped her hands together and laughed, "That's right, why don't you compose a poem, Sister Lin?"

Daiyu glanced at Chen Siyuan and said with a smile, "Why do you need to come to me for help when everyone is already here?"

Xi Chun turned to Chen Siyuan and asked, "Brother Yuan?"

"Hmm." Chen Siyuan never hesitated to take on such tasks. After a moment's thought, he had an idea. He borrowed Xichun's brush and ink and wrote a poem on the back:

The fragrance of incense wafts from the golden lion-shaped incense burner, just as I awaken from my dream in the orchid-scented quilt. The cries of flower sellers urge me to look in the mirror. The peonies are in bloom, and the swallows are just setting up their nests.

She slowly tidied her face at the dressing table.

Her hair is as light as a cicada's song, her eyebrows as delicate as jade. A natural love for flowers. A single branch is inserted askew, standing alongside the dark clouds.

Adding to her charm, a casually placed hairpin perfectly complements her beauty.

This poem is remarkable for its perfect timeliness; every word and phrase is exactly the same as the preceding picture. Xichun and Daiyu both praised it as "exquisitely wonderful" after reading it.

While Xiao Xichun was busy being happy, Daiyu stole a few glances at Chen Siyuan, secretly thinking to herself, no wonder Chen Siyuan's talent was so widespread, just this quick wit alone, she was afraid she couldn't compare. She thought to herself that if she had more time, she could also compose a decent one, but to be able to compose such a poem in such a short time, Daiyu knew she couldn't do it.

Once the ink had dried, Xichun's eyes darted around, and suddenly she grabbed the fan and ran off.

Daiyu was taken aback, and immediately said, "Fourth Sister is untrustworthy!"

Xichun giggled and said, "I've finally painted a painting that I like. Sister Lin, please allow me to admire it for a few days. I'll definitely send it over in a few days!"

After saying that, he disappeared in a flash, leaving Daiyu staring in astonishment.

Ruhua and Caiping naturally followed Xichun away, and Daiyu and Chen Siyuan exchanged a glance and immediately burst into laughter.

At this moment, Zijuan turned around with a smile, placed the teacup on the table, and said, "Miss, Master Yuan, the tea is ready."

As if receiving a message, the parrot under the eaves flapped its wings and cried out, "Miss, son-in-law, Miss, son-in-law, quack... Xueyan, the son-in-law is here, quickly lift the curtain!"

Daiyu's fair face immediately flushed with color, and she pouted, saying, "Quickly, tear off that feathered thing's mouth!"

Zijuan and Xueyan laughed incessantly, while Daiyu scolded, "It's all Baochai's fault for teaching so carelessly, and who knew that this beast would learn it."

Knowing that Daiyu was shy, Zijuan quietly pulled Xueyan away. Only the two remained inside. Daiyu smoothed her hair, while Chen Siyuan lifted his robe and sat down. He didn't make any jokes, but simply asked, "What have you been doing these past few days, sister?"

Daiyu said, "What else can I do in the garden? I just go home every day to chat with my sisters. Yesterday, another literary gathering started."

As she spoke, she moved closer and accidentally bumped into Chen Siyuan's boots. Daiyu quickly moved aside and said, "Yes, a while ago, Sister Feng sent some hard-soled shoes. They looked so black, and Yun'er liked them. She asked the needleworker to make her a pair of boots. Yesterday, when the poetry club was being held, Yun'er deliberately stepped on Fourth Sister twice, and it made Fourth Sister cry."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "That's how latex works. Adding more carbon black makes it harder. I suppose it's for the soles of shoes used in the army." He paused, then added, "Oh, right, haven't you visited the workshop these days, sister?"

Daiyu smiled and said, "I don't know anything about it. I just went there to watch the fun."

Chen Siyuan said, "It's good to watch the excitement; it's better than being cooped up in the garden."

Daiyu nodded and thought for a moment, "It just so happens that Sister Feng invited me to go and take a look tomorrow. I was still undecided before, but since you said so, I think it would be good to go and take a look."

Chen Siyuan immediately had an idea.

Distracted by his thoughts, he fell silent. Daiyu initially waited for his reply, but when she turned her head and saw him staring at her intently, she blushed and turned her head away in embarrassment.

As the new year approaches, Daiyu will be approaching the age of budding youth, her mind still innocent and naive. Moreover, since her marriage to Chen Siyuan was already arranged, being stared at by him like this naturally makes her feel slightly strange.

It's true, the two had been engaged for over a year, but because of their age difference, even though Chen Siyuan often sought her out to talk, he always felt awkward, more like a brother and sister discussing daily life. Now, seeing her like this, however, he felt a certain affection between them.

Daiyu couldn't help but feel shy, tilting her head and giving him a sidelong glance, saying, "Why are you staring at me like that?"

Chen Siyuan immediately snapped out of his daze and saw that Daiyu's face seemed to be covered with a red cloth. He was surprised and secretly delighted. He thought to himself that he had no idea how to deal with Lin Daiyu, but he had unexpectedly stumbled into a whole new world.

He wasn't some naive fool; he wouldn't remain dazed. He coughed lightly and said, "I was just lost in thought for a moment."

Daiyu playfully scolded, "Could it be that you're thinking of Sister Bao?"

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "What does this have to do with Sister Bao? Let me keep you in suspense for now; you'll find out later."

Daiyu hummed softly and remained silent. Chen Siyuan suddenly stood up and stretched his arms, saying, "Reading every day, I feel like my arms aren't even my own anymore."

Xiangling often came to Xiaoxiang Pavilion. Daiyu knew that Chen Siyuan studied very hard. Seeing him like this, she advised him, "You are only so young, why are you in such a hurry to take the exam? With Brother Zhu's example as a warning, you should take care of your health."

“I understand,” Chen Siyuan replied, pacing back and forth. “It’s just that time waits for no one. If I don’t pass the imperial examination, it will always be on my mind. In that case, I won’t be able to enjoy even the most beautiful scenery.”

Daiyu said with a smile, "I said you were deliberately scheming, but Sister Bao said you knew how to make progress. I don't know who is right."

Chen Siyuan said nonchalantly, "What difference does it make? In this world, if you weren't born with a good father, being ambitious is just scheming, and scheming is being ambitious."

As they were talking, Chen Siyuan walked to the front of the study. He looked up and saw several pieces of paper on the table. He could vaguely see delicate handwriting on them. Chen Siyuan was surprised and, without asking Daiyu, went over to take a look himself.

Daiyu remembered what she had gotten by chance earlier that morning, and quickly got up to catch up with him, saying, "I got half a poem this morning, but I don't know how to continue the second half."

Chen Siyuan turned around and said, "A good article is born of nature and a masterpiece is achieved by chance. This half of your poem is already excellent, so there's no need to be too demanding."

Daiyu chuckled and said, "How can you possibly write only half a poem?"

Chen Siyuan smiled without saying a word. He then glanced at the zither placed in front of the moon-shaped window and wondered when he would be able to hear Lin Daiyu play the zither for him.

After sitting for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, and as it approached the time for lunch, I finally took my leave.

As soon as he left, Xueyan and Zijuan went inside to search, but Daiyu didn't reveal anything, which made the two maids secretly anxious.

Who knew that after serving Daiyu dinner, Hongyu came to Xiaoxiang Pavilion with a smile.

Upon entering, he said, "After our master went back, he was so upset that he couldn't eat. He spilled soup all over his clothes. Suddenly, he shouted and went to his study without a care. He hurriedly wrote a note and sent me to deliver it."

As they spoke, he handed her a piece of paper. Daiyu took it in surprise and glanced at it. It turned out to be a continuation of her own half-finished poem.

She hurried into the study and compared the first half of the poem with Xueyan, who quickly followed her in and began to recite it while standing on tiptoe:

I sit alone, reading by the dim lamplight. I hear a rustling sound outside the window, a cold rustling against the bamboo. I sit until the night deepens, the wind grows stronger, the lamplight flickers dimly on the wall.

I feel a chill in my thin sleeves, my chestnuts rising from my clothes. I rise and lift the curtain to gaze at the night, weary of the plum blossoms, their myriad points like jade beads reflected in the flowing water.

The hail flew rapidly, its sound echoing high above the rooftops.

Scattered clouds pile up like catkins, obscuring the empty valley. Entering the vast expanse, icy flowers and cold stamens indistinguishable from the surrounding forest. So many poetic sentiments frequently reach my ears, the fragrance of flowers intoxicatingly sweet.

This is a banner written on raw silk. It's not because I've always loved snow, but to preserve the true beauty of humanity.

The railing is winding, I stand alone in this secluded place.

"

After Xueyan finished reading it, Daiyu had already gone over it in her mind several times, feeling that the continuation was extremely appropriate and the idea was lofty. She especially liked the line, "It's not because I love snow all my life, but to preserve true beauty in the world."

At this moment, Hongyu asked, "Miss Lin, do you have anything to say to my master?"

“Hmm,” Daiyu turned to think, “I’ll say the sequel is excellent, and… I’m waiting to see what he’s up to.”

Hongyu silently made a note of it, then smiled and took her leave.

As Hongyu left Xiaoxiang Pavilion, she had just crossed Cuiyan Bridge when she saw two old women escorting another old woman away. The first old woman begged for mercy, but the escorting old woman ignored her with a cold face.

There were whispers among the maids and old women around. Hongyu listened carefully and learned that the old woman was a kitchen helper who had secretly stolen the old lady's rose dew. Unfortunately, she was caught red-handed by the third young lady, Tanchun, and was now being taken to the madam for punishment.

Hongyu returned to the thatched cottage and first answered Daiyu's question before recounting what had just happened.

Xiangling was still thinking about composing another masterpiece, so she naturally ignored such sordid matters; Wu'er, however, said, "That old woman is a heartless wretch. Relying on the fact that her ancestors are all from the Jia family, she can't even control my mother. Now it's time for the Third Miss to keep a close eye on her."

Hongyu worriedly said, "Too much rigidity leads to breakage. Third Miss's actions are too strict, and I'm afraid it will cause a lot of resentment."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Third sister got what she wanted, I think it's a good thing."

Little did they know that this was just the beginning. The very next morning, Yunxiang came running back and forth again: "Grandpa, Grandpa, yesterday Wu Xingdeng's family was also taken away by the Third Miss, who said they were gambling at night!"

Hongyu was taken aback upon hearing this, and leaned closer to Chen Siyuan, saying, "It seems that Wu Xingdeng and his wife have sided with Madam, this—"

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "If anyone is in a difficult position, it is Madam. Third Sister acted impartially, and no one can find fault with her."

Chen Siyuan admired the rue, and the little maidservant left happily. Seeing that it was getting late, Chen Siyuan hurried forward.

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

Because we were going to the workshop today, Xiaoxiang Pavilion was busy from early morning.

Fearing that Daiyu might catch a cold, Granny Wang found out the apricot-red trimmed pomegranate-red floral patterned open-front fur cloak and Guanyin-style hood, insisting that Daiyu wear them.

Daiyu initially thought it was making a fuss over nothing, but then, as they were talking, fine snowflakes began to fall outside. Seeing this, Daiyu had no choice but to agree.

Before long, it was past Chenshi (7-9 AM). After having breakfast, Daiyu bid farewell to Granny Wang and, with Zijuan and Xueyan by her side, headed forward.

Sister Feng and Ping'er were already waiting at the ceremonial gate. The two exchanged a few words and then each took a carriage to the workshop outside the city.

The carriage rumbled along, stopping after traveling only two streets. Zijuan peeked through the curtains, when a servant came to report: "Second Madam finds this foreign goods shop unusual and wants to take a look. Miss Lin, please wait a moment."

Zijuan agreed, her brows furrowed. She thought to herself, "Why didn't they invite my own young lady for this?"

Daiyu frowned slightly, pondering for a long time but still unable to figure out where she had offended Wang Xifeng.

After a short while, Ping'er came from outside and said, "Zijuan, Xueyan, come quickly, I have good news for you two."

Xueyan agreed and immediately smiled, "Perhaps Second Mistress has taken a fancy to something and wants to give it to you, Miss."

Daiyu scolded him for being too talkative, but felt somewhat relieved.

No sooner had the two maids left than the curtain was lifted, and a person covered in snow rushed in.

The carriage was dimly lit. Daiyu looked her over carefully before asking, "Where...where did you come from?"

Chen Siyuan chuckled, sat down beside Daiyu with an air of nonchalance, and pointed to the snow and ice on his body, saying, "Can't you tell, sister? It must have come from the sky."

As he spoke, he knocked on the carriage, and the carriage immediately set off.

Daiyu blinked and asked, "Where are you leading me?"

Chen Siyuan pretended to be evil and said, "Since the young lady has fallen into my hands, she will naturally be taken back to be my wife."

Daiyu's heart skipped a beat, realizing that everything that had just happened must have been arranged by Chen Siyuan. She kept smiling and couldn't help but ask again, "Is it really okay to just leave them like this...?"

Chen Siyuan said, "Second sister-in-law gave us the word yesterday afternoon. Zijuan and Xueyan are in the carriage behind."

Daiyu then asked, "Where are we going next?"

Chen Siyuan clicked his tongue and said, "I originally planned to take my sister boating on the lake, but who knew the weather wouldn't cooperate... In that case, we can only go to the teahouse to listen to storytelling."

Daiyu was rebellious by nature and not one to follow the rules. At this moment, her heart was pounding, and she found this whole thing quite interesting.

(End of this chapter)