Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 315 The desire for wealth during a family's funeral breeds ulterior motives.
As soon as Sister Feng finished speaking, Chen Siyuan frowned deeply.

What grudge could there be? If it was because of Miaoyu that Liu Xianglian's grand plan for growth was delayed, it would be understandable that he would hate Xue Pan to the bone. At worst, he could just kill him with a sword. Why go so far as to dismember him and hang his head?

Chen Siyuan recalled to himself that in the original text, Xue Pan, drunk, repeatedly caused trouble and harassment, and Liu Xianglian only led him outside the city before giving him a beating, after which Xue Pan was so frightened that he fled to avoid further trouble. Although the current version has changed slightly from the original, it's unlikely that such a malicious thought would suddenly arise.

Could it be that Xue Pan did something heinous to Liu Xianglian in private? Given Xue Pan's foolish tastes and Liu Xianglian's deep hatred for him, ah... Chen Siyuan blinked, and suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.

Sister Feng had been observing Chen Siyuan's expression, and seeing this, she quickly asked, "Brother Yuan, do you know something?"

"Huh?" Chen Siyuan snapped out of his daze, quickly forcibly banishing the images from his mind, and frowned, saying, "This is the first time I've heard of this matter; how would I know any secrets about it?"

Sister Feng refused to believe it. She thought it was a secret best kept quiet. She didn't care about the Xue family; she and the Xue mother and daughter already disliked each other, and she secretly hoped they would suffer. What was even better was that Aunt Xue was quite shrewd and often plotted for Madam Wang. Now that Sister Feng and Madam Wang were locked in a fierce battle, this incident might reignite their covetousness for the Xue family's wealth.

It's possible that Aunt Xue and Madam Wang fell out from then on. Madam Wang lost a powerful ally, which was truly a great joy!

Feng Jie was terrified that Lady Wang would take advantage of Aunt Xue's momentary lapse in concentration to succeed. If she did indeed gain control of the Xue family's property, Lady Wang, with the money paving the way, might even bribe all those two-faced old servants of the Jia family. What would Feng Jie then have to fight against Lady Wang?

Ideally, Aunt Xue would become wary of Madam Wang right now, and the two should become bitter enemies!

So Sister Feng whispered, "Brother Yuan, there are some things I can't say, but it's alright if you don't mind."

"Oh? I wonder what you mean?"

Sister Feng said, "With Wenlong gone, the Xue family's eldest branch will be without an heir. We must be wary of those wolves and tigers that will pounce and tear us apart. Brother Yuan, you should tell Sister Bao... well, some things should be prepared for as soon as possible."

Indeed, not to mention the Wang and Jia families who are watching closely, I'm afraid the other branches of the Xue family, having received the news, will not let such a good opportunity pass them by.

Aunt Xue is already in a state of confusion, and Sister Bao is probably not much better off. With everyone working together to pressure her, it seems unlikely that the Xue family's main branch will be able to protect its wealth and property.

Chen Siyuan glanced at Feng Jie and, after a moment's thought, realized that Feng Jie was clearly just looking for trouble and wanted to see Madam Wang and Aunt Xue fall out.

Chen Siyuan pondered for a moment and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Second Sister-in-law. I will definitely pass on the message later."

Sister Feng nodded and said with a smile, "It is a family matter of my aunt's. Although I am related to my aunt, I cannot interfere." She paused and then said, "Yes, with such a thing happening in the Xue family, I'm afraid Brother Yuan and Bao'er's engagement will have to be delayed for a year."

Chen Siyuan smiled wryly and said, "It's not an urgent matter, so let's not talk about it now." After a pause, Chen Siyuan changed the subject and said, "But Second Sister-in-law, now that Qiao'er is all grown up, she should be thinking about giving birth to a son."

Sister Feng was speechless for a moment, and then she was furious. She said, "How could I not know?" But how could she do such a thing by herself?
He sighed slightly and said, "Never mind, let's not talk about it anymore."

Upon hearing this, Chen Siyuan pondered to himself, thinking to himself, "Jia Lian and Feng Jie haven't reconciled yet?"

For the rest of the journey, Chen Siyuan couldn't say anything else, so he could only talk to Sister Feng about some business matters.

As the hour of Si approached, a procession of carriages arrived at the Xue family's old residence. Chen Siyuan alighted from the carriage and saw two large white lanterns hanging in front of the gate. The servants coming and going were all dressed in mourning clothes, because Aunt Xue had no more children, and Xue Ke was in charge of welcoming and seeing off the guests.

Since they were all old relatives, the group exchanged a few pleasantries and then made a noisy commotion as they headed to the mourning hall at the back.

Xue Pan died young from a sudden misfortune, leaving no heirs. Cao Shi and several of her concubines wore mourning clothes and paid their respects at the mourning hall.

Since Baochai is not yet married, she is required to wear the mourning clothes according to custom. She has changed into a plain dress to observe mourning for Xue Pan.

Chen Siyuan glanced up and saw that Baochai was distraught, no longer possessing her usual composure. Chen Siyuan looked at her repeatedly, and after a long while, their eyes met. Chen Siyuan gestured with his lips, and Baochai finally came to her senses. She whispered something to Cao Shi beside her and quietly went outside the mourning hall.

By this time, everyone had already exchanged greetings with Xue Pan's wife, Cao. The male guests were led by Xue Ke to the hall to chat, while the female guests went straight to the back to see Aunt Xue.

Chen Siyuan excused himself to relieve himself and waited for a long time before Baochai finally appeared. He then instructed Ying'er to keep watch over her. Chen Siyuan reached out and pulled Baochai to the corner of the wall.

Seeing Baochai's red and swollen almond-shaped eyes, Chen Siyuan couldn't help but feel sorry for her and sighed, "Sister, Wenlong... what is the reason?"

Upon hearing this, Baochai's eyes immediately reddened again. She shook her head, unable to bear saying more, and only said, "He's used to being willful, and this time... he truly has only himself to blame."

Chen Siyuan had a vague suspicion when he arrived, and whispered, "Is Wenlong interested in that Liu Xianglian—"

With tears in her eyes, Baochai looked at Chen Siyuan, thinking that he would always be her closest person in the future. She then threw herself into Chen Siyuan's arms and cried. She then told him the reason in a broken voice.

Yesterday, Xue Pan left the old house to seek pleasure at Jinxiang Courtyard. Unexpectedly, in his drunken haze, he saw Liu Xianglian and a young lady walking away from the back.

Xue Pan had been feeling extremely stifled these past few days and had long harbored lustful intentions. At this moment, his lustful desires were aroused. He bribed Da Chahu to send a pot of aged wine with added seasonings to Liu Xianglian's room. After the two inside were fast asleep, he entered and fulfilled his desire.

Afterwards, Xue Pan was extremely pleased and happily returned to his old family home. However, when Liu Xianglian woke up and realized something was wrong, he grabbed his sword and gave the teapot a good scolding, only to discover that he had been taken advantage of by that fool Xue! Enraged and humiliated, Liu Xianglian rode off with his sword, chasing after him. Reaching the archway, he killed three men and wounded two others.

Still not satisfied, he cut off Xue Pan's head and hung it on the memorial archway.

Chen Siyuan was speechless after hearing this, feeling that foolish people were indeed beyond saving. He had tried to offer advice several times because of Baochai and Aunt Xue, but unexpectedly, Xue the Fool died a few years earlier than in the original book!

Chen Siyuan sighed and patted Baojie's back, comforting her in a low voice: "Sister, try to think more positively. Now that Brother Wenlong is gone, we must first take care of his affairs before bringing that villain to justice."

Liu Xianglian is a murderer and robber, and his martial arts skills are quite good. If he finds out that I have also ruined his plans, he might hold a grudge. At first, he was somewhat cautious in his actions because he hadn't committed any crimes, but now that he's on the run, who knows if he will become even more extreme?

Baochai nodded, then looked up pitifully and said, "Once my brother leaves, the Wang family, the Jia family, and even the Xue family will all pounce on him and tear him apart. We need to be prepared for some things. But Mother is already in a state of confusion. I have tried to speak to her several times, but she can't listen. She either cries about my brother or curses that Liu Xianglian."

Chen Siyuan said, "It's only natural for an older person to bury their younger one, and for a concubine to be in such a state... Sister, quickly instruct your capable people to carefully hide all the accounts, land deeds, and contracts. Otherwise, you might end up doing all the work for someone else."

Baochai wiped away her tears and nodded, saying, "You're absolutely right. There are always a few loyal stewards and managers in the house. I'll give the orders right away."

Just then, more yamen runners from Shuntian Prefecture arrived at the door. Since it was not appropriate for Baochai to show her face, Chen Siyuan had no choice but to go to the front and answer the questions with Xue Ke.

As the capital city, the Shuntian Prefecture's yamen runners were naturally more capable than those elsewhere, but even so, they could only solve three or four out of ten cases at most. Given Liu Xianglian's chivalrous nature, he would have fled far away after his attack, and might have already escaped the capital. It was anyone's guess when he would be caught and brought to justice.

Chen Siyuan answered the Shuntian Prefecture yamen runner correctly, and then went to the main hall to discuss the funeral arrangements with Jia She, Jia Zhen and others.

The master originally intended for Jia Lian and Feng Jie to help with the funeral arrangements, and Aunt Xue was about to agree immediately. However, upon seeing Chen Siyuan, she changed her mind and said, "Lian'er has to take care of the Rongguo Mansion's affairs, and Feng Jie is unwell, so I'm afraid it's not appropriate. My nephew is young, but he is very thorough in handling matters. With Yuan-ge'er helping to make decisions, I think he can handle things properly."

Feng Jie was unwilling to arrange Xue Pan's funeral in the first place, but upon hearing this, she said, "Aunt is right. Brother Yuan is very thorough in his work. He helped me with the funeral arrangements before, and all the difficult servants in front of me were convinced of his abilities."

After thinking it over, Jia She realized it made sense, so he appointed Chen Siyuan to handle the funeral arrangements.

Chen Siyuan, having the kindness of Sister Bao and Aunt Xue, naturally felt obligated to help and immediately stood up to accept.

They then discussed matters related to sending obituaries, preparing the body for the small and large burials, the funeral procession, and sending the coffin back to Nanjing.

Leaving aside the first few points, the last one is because the Xue family has lived in Jinling for generations, and their ancestral graves are naturally also in Jinling. Xue Pan had a wife but no children, and Aunt Xue couldn't bear to see her son die young, so she naturally wanted Cao to escort the coffin back to their hometown. However, Cao was just a woman, and for such a long journey, it would be best to choose a capable male to protect her.

The group debated this matter for a long time but couldn't make up their minds, so they temporarily settled on the matter of the obituary and sent Jia Lian to the shops in the city to buy coffin materials.

Since the obituary has not yet been sent, those who came today are all elderly relatives of the family. Apart from the Jia and Wang families, only Xue Ke and Baoqin are present. The remaining relatives and friends will come to offer their condolences after receiving the obituary.

After a noisy discussion lasting half a day, as noon approached, Xue Ke came to ask Aunt Xue for her opinion, and Aunt Xue finally mustered her strength to invite them to stay for a meal. The Jia and Wang families were not in need of a meal, so they simply left some people to help out, and Jia She, Madam Wang, Feng Jie, and the others took their leave.

Aunt Wang stayed a while longer, whispering to Aunt Xue for a long time before finally getting up and leaving.

Chen Siyuan was busy with various tasks, and it wasn't until after lunch that he had a chance to visit Aunt Xue at the back.

Upon entering, Chen Siyuan saw Tongxi and Tonggui accompanying Aunt Xue, weeping. Chen Siyuan sighed inwardly, stepped forward to offer a few words of comfort, and then said to the two maids, "I have something to say to Aunt Xue. I'll trouble you two sisters to guard the door and prevent others from entering."

Tongxi and Tonggui had already accepted Chen Siyuan as the Xue family's son-in-law. Seeing that Aunt Xue was crying and not saying a word, they went to the door to stand guard.

Only the two of them remained. Chen Siyuan leaned over and took Aunt Xue's hand. Just as he was about to speak, Aunt Xue looked up at him with teary eyes, then threw herself into his arms and burst into tears, crying out, "Yuan-ge'er, Pan'er... he... is gone... Waaah, I regret it so much! I shouldn't have let him go out and cause trouble. Now look what happened, he's lost his own life... Waaah... poor thing, he left behind a whole family of children and relatives, not a single male descendant left... the Xue family's eldest branch... is extinct!"

Chen Siyuan sighed and stroked her hair to comfort her, saying, "Since things have come to this, let's make plans for the future."

"Plans? Pan'er is gone, what plans do I have left?"

Seeing that Aunt Xue was completely distraught, Chen Siyuan grabbed her shoulders and shook her violently until she stopped crying. Then he stared at her sternly and said, "Now that Wenlong is gone, you must make some plans for Baochai, right?"

Aunt Xue was stunned, and after a long while, she came to her senses and said, "Yes, I still have Baochai." She paused, then sobbed, "But no matter how good Baochai is, she is still a girl. How can she support the family?"

Chen Siyuan said, "We'll talk about that later. The most urgent thing is to guard against outsiders pounce on us and tear us apart, and wipe the Xue family's main branch clean."

Aunt Xue was immediately filled with fear. At this time, clan rules were no joke; if a family line died out, members of the same clan would pounce and devour them. Those with a conscience might spare the mother and daughter a bite to eat, while the heartless would simply raise them to death within a year or two!
Aunt Xue wiped away her tears and said in a panic, "What... what should I do?"

Chen Siyuan said, "I've already spoken with Bao Meimei. We've gathered all the land deeds and documents in the house to prevent them from being stolen in the chaos. As for the future, now that Wenlong is dead, there's no point in keeping the imperial merchant position. We might as well give it to Xue Ke."

"Give it to him?" Aunt Xue frowned, extremely unwilling. She said, "Xue Ke probably already hates me. If we give him the imperial merchant job, who knows how he will treat my family afterward?"

Chen Siyuan said, "Since you can't keep him, you might as well do him a favor. I just observed him carefully. Although Xue Ke is young, he acts with great composure and is not the kind of person who acts impulsively. You have given him the imperial merchant position and the money from the second branch of the family. I will then talk to him a bit, and I think Xue Ke will not dare to kick him when he is down."

Aunt Xue had long been at a loss, but seeing Chen Siyuan's confident tone, she reluctantly nodded and asked, "And then?"

Chen Siyuan said, "Then, this matter must be resolved quickly and the succession must be settled as soon as possible to avoid the various branches of the Jinling family from causing trouble." He paused, then added, "I think that no matter what, your family will have to spend money to avoid disaster this time."

Aunt Xue knew perfectly well that Chen Siyuan was referring to the Jia and Wang families. Just now, Aunt Wang had said some irrelevant things, implying that she wanted to protect the Xue family mother and daughter; the implication was self-evident.

Aunt Xue sobbed uncontrollably and said, "My sister-in-law said that my brother is already on his way back to the capital and will likely be rewarded by the end of the year. Now that the Wang family is powerful, I think... why not go and join my brother this time?"

Chen Siyuan frowned and scolded, "Foolish! Regardless of your brother's intentions, just think about how your family moved into the Rongguo Mansion when you came to the capital a few years ago. Do you think your brother wasn't angry? If you go to him again, I'm afraid you won't be welcomed by him, and you'll only offend your good sister."

It's like Pigsy looking in a mirror—he's neither fish nor fowl.

"This—" Aunt Xue pondered for a moment and said, "What you said makes sense, then... I'll transfer the remaining shops in the house to my sister?"

Chen Siyuan nodded and said, "Looking at the current situation, this is the only way."

Just ignore what Sister Feng said earlier; Chen Siyuan will take care of things for Baochai and her daughter.

Upon hearing this, Aunt Xue felt as if her heart was being torn apart, and she cried even harder. The shops, businesses, properties, and goods might not be worth much money; what was truly valuable were the connections behind them and the managers and employees. Aunt Xue was willing to sell off the property, naturally only calculating the price based on the shops themselves, making the Jia family an incredibly wealthy and powerful family.

Chen Siyuan let him cry for a long time before saying, "After dealing with these matters, the last thing is to choose an heir."

Aunt Xue immediately said, "This family business belongs to us. I don't want to choose someone unrelated!" She paused for a moment, then grabbed Chen Siyuan's arm and said hopefully, "How about we have one? We can cover it up when it's born and say it was adopted from a distant branch of the family?"

Chen Siyuan stared in disbelief and said, "Distant water can't quench immediate thirst. Ten months of pregnancy and one day of childbirth, how can your family wait ten months now?"

Aunt Xue cried, "If I had known this would happen, I would have preferred not to have drunk that contraceptive soup in the first place."

Chen Siyuan thought to himself, "Who knew Xue Pan would die so young?" He sighed and said, "If all else fails, we can just let Xue Ke inherit both branches of the family." "Him? Why should he?" Aunt Xue said angrily, "If he hadn't been pressuring me every day, why would I have had to hide in the Rongguo Mansion? If I were still at home, Pan'er would never have... Waaah—"

Chen Siyuan said, "Alright, there's no rush. Send a letter to Jinling later. It will take about two months for the whole thing to go back and forth. Let's finalize this before then."

Aunt Xue tearfully agreed.

Just then, there was a knock at the door, and Tong Xi said, "Madam, Madam Cao and eldest son have arrived."

These were Cao's family members, and Aunt Xue couldn't be negligent. She wiped away her tears, got up, bid farewell to Chen Siyuan, and went to greet them.

Chen Siyuan came out with Aunt Xue, just as a servant came looking for them. It turned out that a leatherworker had been hired to sew up Xue Pan's body.

Since Xue Pan's head was separated from his body, it was naturally inappropriate for him to remain in that state, so they sought out a leatherworker to sew his head back onto his neck. As for those whose heads could not be found, they either sought out a carpenter to carve a head, or simply carved a large radish to make up the difference.

Chen Siyuan and Xue Ke went to the front and asked two leatherworkers to arrange for one of them to sew the coffin. Then, the servants invited several idle men who specialized in carrying banners and breaking basins to serve as filial sons and grandsons during the funeral procession.

Once everything was settled, Chen Siyuan finally had a chance to turn back. Inside, Baochai and her daughter were still weeping, while Madam Cao sighed repeatedly, but she wasn't overly sorrowful. This was because Madam Cao was born without a penis, and there was no cure for her. She was destined to live a life of widowhood, which was no different from her current state of being a widow.

By evening, the Cao family had returned home. Since the Xue family's old residence was small, consisting of only three courtyards, Aunt Xue instructed Chen Siyuan and Baoqin to return to the Rongguo Mansion together.

Chen Siyuan originally intended to ride a horse, but Baoqin said just before getting into the carriage, "Brother Yuan, the north wind is cold today. Riding a horse might cause you to catch a cold. Why don't you come back with me by carriage?"

Chen Siyuan glanced at Baoqin while holding the reins and noticed that the young girl was dressed in white mourning clothes, and her headdress had been replaced with a silver one. He thought to himself that Baoqin must have something to say to him, so he nodded and got into the carriage to sit opposite her.

As the carriage rumbled along, after leaving the Xue family's old residence, Baoqin couldn't help but ask, "Brother Yuan, is there any news from the Mei family?"

Chen Siyuan shook his head and said, "Your brother also often goes to Mei Hanlin's house, but he hasn't said anything to you about it?"

Baoqin frowned and shook her head, saying, "Brother only said that Hanlin Mei is a man of his word and would never refuse this marriage."

Chen Siyuan pondered that Aunt Xue had intervened to prevent Baoqin from marrying into the Mei family in order to prevent the imperial merchant's business from falling into the hands of the second branch of the family. Now that the imperial merchant's business was about to be handed over to Xue Ke, it was no longer important whether Baoqin married into the Mei family or not.

He harbored greed, yet knew that Baochai had never liked Baoqin, and that wanting to enjoy the blessings of having two women was a pipe dream. Therefore, he asked, "Why doesn't Sister Qin want to marry into the Mei family?"

Baoqin said, "I told Brother Yuan last time that I've traveled all over the country with my father since I was a child, and now my mind is wandering. I don't want to be a housewife. The Mei family is old-fashioned. If I marry into that family, wouldn't I be suffocated?"

Chen Siyuan asked in surprise, "Doesn't Sister Qin think about her own family?"

Baoqin said confidently, "Brother may lack talent, but he is quite capable in handling affairs and managing businesses. Although my family is not wealthy, it is enough to support you in starting your business. This world looks down on merchants. If you become rich and powerful in the future, you will easily attract trouble. It would be better to be content with modest wealth and live a peaceful and happy life."

Chen Siyuan secretly praised Baoqin, thinking that she was quite insightful. No wonder she was able to win over Grandmother Jia's favor after losing the golden and jade marriage.

After a moment's thought, Chen Siyuan said to Baoqin, "To be honest, Mei Chong doesn't really approve of this marriage. He has his own plans. But I can't say for sure what will happen in the future."

"Is that so?" Baoqin said, "Brother Mei is so old, I'm sure he has someone he loves... In that case, I can't possibly marry him."

Chen Siyuan didn't say much, thinking that the Shan family girl would be going to Nengren Temple to offer incense in the next two days, and it would be up to Mei Chong to seize the opportunity.

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

The Xue family's old house.

Aunt Xue had already cried her eyes out, and now she sat blankly in the back room, deeply regretting her past actions.

The door creaked open, and Baochai, dressed in white mourning clothes, shuffled in. When she got closer, Baochai knelt down and knelt on Aunt Xue's lap, saying, "Mother, you still need to eat something. There's still a long way to go."

Aunt Xue shook her head and said, "I really can't eat right now. I can't stop thinking about your brother. Waaah... Last time I ran into Yuan-ge at Rongguo Mansion, he even reminded me of something, but I didn't take it seriously."

Baochai advised, "Mother, don't feel sorry for yourself. Now that your brother is gone, firstly, you need to take care of his funeral arrangements, and secondly... you also need to consider the continuation of our eldest son's line. We can't let our eldest son's line die out."

Aunt Xue nodded. After thinking for a moment, she called Tongxi over and instructed her, "Go and persuade the eldest mistress that since no one is coming to pay respects, she doesn't need to keep watch. This is just the beginning; it will be very tiring for everyone later."

Tongxi agreed and turned to leave.

Aunt Xue then said to Baochai, "Yuan-ge'er also mentioned a few points just now—" She then repeated what Chen Siyuan had said.

Having heard Chen Siyuan's clear and logical words, Baochai had nothing to add, only saying, "Since Mother is unwilling to let Xue Ke inherit the family line, why not go to Jinling and choose a distant relative to succeed him?"

Aunt Xue said, "Let's put the matter of succession aside for now. How can the imperial merchant position be given to Xue Ke for nothing?"

Baochai said in surprise, "Now that my brother is gone, it's no use for Mother to keep it in her hands."

Aunt Xue gritted her teeth and said, "If I hadn't been avoiding him, why would I have gone to the Rongguo Mansion? Now that your brother went, he's reaping huge benefits. Why should he?"

Baochai was speechless for a moment.

Aunt Xue then said, "What Yuan-ge'er said is certainly correct, but if the second branch of the family prospers in the future, won't it surpass the first branch? How will I explain this to your deceased father then?"

"Then Mom—"

Aunt Xue made up her mind, frowned and stared at the door, saying, "Give...of course I have to give, but not for free! I have already made up my mind." Suddenly she looked at Baochai and said, "My child, I have no choice. You may have to suffer some grievances."

"Me?" Baochai was even more puzzled.

Then Aunt Xue said, "I think Qin is a clever girl. Even if she can't get married into the Mei family this time, who knows if she will get married into another good family in the future? Xue Ke is methodical and has the ability to manage things. If he gets the help of Qin's husband's family in the future, who knows if he will rise to prominence?"

If we don't want a major lineage to become a minor one, we must cut off this path altogether.

"Mom wants to—"

Aunt Xue nodded and said, "If Ruoqin marries into the family with you, she won't be able to cause any trouble in the future."

Baochai was immediately displeased and became very wary of Baoqin. But then she thought to herself, she and Chen Siyuan were deeply in love, how could a mere young girl compare?

She immediately said, "How could Xue Ke agree to let Qin Yatou marry into my family?"

Aunt Xue said, "If he's unwilling, I'd rather give the imperial merchant position to another branch of the family and let them squander it completely!"

Knowing that she couldn't persuade her otherwise, Sister Bao could only sigh and agree.

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

Rongguo Mansion, East Wing.

Master Jia She hurriedly passed through the three ceremonial gates and quickly entered the main room.

At this moment, Madam Xing and Fourth Brother had just finished their evening snack. When they saw Jia She return, they hurriedly and pretended to invite Jia She to sit down.

How could Jia She possibly accept leftovers? The master, his face flushed with joy, forced himself to suppress his delight and recounted the situation at the Xue family's old residence.

After the wet nurse took the fourth son away, she said to Madam Xing, "Give me how much personal money you have left."

Madam Xing was taken aback and said, "Master only received a little over four thousand taels of silver. I only have a few coins on hand, and you still have to worry about it every day."

"Foolish woman, what do you know! With Wenlong gone, the Xue family's eldest branch's business is in jeopardy. Rather than letting outsiders benefit, we should!"

"Ah?" Madam Xing was quite surprised.

Jia She patiently explained the reasons to her, which pleased Madam Xing greatly. After some thought, she said, "I can manage to scrape together a thousand taels of silver, but sir—"

Jia She waved his hand and said, "Don't worry, I'll pay you back in three to five months."

Madam Xing objected, saying, "Master is using my private money to make more money, and after a few months he's only paying back the principal? I don't ask for anything else, just that Master shows some promise."

Jia She said impatiently, "As you wish, as you wish."

Madam Xing then smiled and said, "Then I'll go and join them tomorrow."

Jia She tapped the chair and pondered, "It takes about two months to travel between Jinling and the capital. The remaining branches of the Xue family in Jinling are not very powerful. Besides selling the concubine to our family, who else can we sell her to?"

Madam Xing said, "Isn't there the Wang family too?"

"Hey!" Jia She said smugly, "If Prince Teng were in the capital right now, it would be fine, but he's not here. His wife and concubine have too many disagreements. I'm afraid that if he says too much, he'll make a mistake, and the concubine will only dislike the Wang family even more."

Madam Xing thought for a moment, then pouted and said, "I think you shouldn't be too smug, sir. Don't forget you still have your younger siblings. They are your own sisters, so they will naturally take the best of things for themselves. As for you, sir, you'll only get a pittance."

"She dares!" Jia She slammed his fist on the table and glared at the table. "The public funds are scarce, and we may have to ask each household to contribute. Even if we include the old lady's share, I, the master, will still get at least 30%!"

Madam Xing rolled her eyes and remained silent. After a while, perhaps Jia She himself felt that 30% was too much, so he added, "You don't know, the Xue family's various businesses are just the small part; the big part is yet to come."

"There's a big head too?" Madam Xing asked, puzzled.

Jia She laughed heartily, then lowered his voice and said, "The concubine is at odds with all the branches of the Xue family. Do you think she would be willing to just adopt a child to carry on the family line?"

"This..." Madam Xing thought for a moment, then shook her head and said, "I'm afraid not."

"That's it!" the master exclaimed excitedly. "If he doesn't want to be adopted from the Xue family, how will he inherit the family line?"

Madam Xing was slow-witted and couldn't come up with an idea for the time being.

The old man cursed "stupid woman" with disdain before saying, "Have you forgotten about Yu'er's past?"

The "jade" in question was naturally referring to Daiyu. Madam Xing then realized and said, "Master means... that Baochai should learn from Daiyu and also inherit the Xue family line?"

"That's right, with Baochai also inheriting the Xue family line, I'm sure Auntie will agree. Hehe, wouldn't that give Yingchun a chance to turn things around?"

Madam Xing was immediately delighted and clasped her hands together, saying, "Is there really such a good thing?" But then she thought about it again and felt something was wrong. She frowned and said, "Master, Bao'er is much stronger than Yu'er. She looks like she can bear children. If she were to inherit both branches of the family, we would be wasting our time."

"Ha, Bao'er is healthy, but who can say for sure whether she'll have a boy or a girl? If Bao'er only has a boy in the future, will Yuan'er be left without a legitimate son?"

Madam Xing thought this made sense and happily slapped the table, saying, "That won't do! Yuan-ge'er is the only son, and he's going to carry on the Chen family line! If Bao-ya really wants to inherit two branches of the family, I, as her aunt, will be the first to disagree!"

(End of this chapter)