Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 316 A Scheme in the Embroidered Chamber, A Colorful Thread Drawn; Undercurrents Surge in the Xue Family's Boat.

A plate of tea and snacks was placed on the table in front of Chen Siyuan. Xiangling then said, "Master, I was very fortunate to have Miss Bao's help before. Why don't I go with you tomorrow to help out a bit?"

Chen Siyuan pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement, saying, "Alright. There are too many people around today, and I only exchanged a few words with Bao-mei. She's only putting on a brave face right now. Come with me and help me persuade her a bit more."

"Mm," Xiangling nodded in agreement.

The Xue family suffered a misfortune, adding a touch of sorrow even to the humble thatched cottage. Chen Siyuan, exhausted from a day's work, ate some tea and snacks before settling into his bedroom to rest.

Wu'er and Hongyu tidied up the cups and dishes. After they were taken away, Wu'er had a chance to say to Hongyu, "Sister, I am very puzzled. Although Master Xue is gone, Aunt and Miss Bao are still here. How could they let someone take away the family property?"

Hongyu was taken aback. She pulled Wu'er aside, reached out and tapped her forehead, and whispered, "You've been secretly reading my books every day, yet you don't even understand such basic principles. Everyone was teasing Xiangling for being silly, but in my opinion, you're the one who's really silly."

Wu'er tilted her head and frowned, then tugged at Hongyu's hand and said, "Good sister, please teach me, what is the reason behind this?"

“What kind of logic is that? In this world, it has always been men who carry on the family line. If a family loses its male heir and its ancestral line, the uncles and brothers will rush in and divide up the family property. If there are no uncles or brothers, then the clansmen will come to the door to beg for their money.”

"We're born in the city, at least we have a better reputation. But in the countryside, if your family has no male heir and you don't distribute your property among your relatives, these people will come knocking on your door every day for a feast. Ordinary families will be impoverished after ten days of this; even wealthy gentry will have their fortunes wiped out after a few months!"

Wu'er exclaimed in horror, "Such a thing is possible? It's truly terrifying... What if we neither divide the family property nor hold a banquet?"

Just then, Xiangling happened to pass by the two of them and sighed, saying, "Fifth Sister, haven't you heard that imperial power doesn't extend to the countryside? You neither divide the family property nor hold a banquet. Your relatives and fellow villagers will hold a grudge, and there will be a lot of gossip. They might even frame you."

Seeing Wu'er frowning in confusion, Xiangling continued, "Do you know Liu Rushi, the famous courtesan of the previous dynasty? Because she only had one daughter, she was coveted by her husband's family after she became a widow. Today they slander her for not being a virtuous wife, and tomorrow they threaten to drown her in the pond. It's a pity that this talented woman could only hang herself to prove her innocence, and that's how she left her husband's property to her daughter."

Wu'er then realized the treacherous nature of people outside, and her pretty face turned pale with fright. She covered her mouth and exclaimed in alarm, "If Master Xue goes, won't Aunt and Miss Bao be in danger?"

Hongyu smiled and said, "No matter what, Aunt's family is one of the four great families of Jinling. With the Wang and Jia families looking out for them, the other branches of the Xue family won't go too far. Besides, our master has the most ideas. With him around, he can protect Miss Bao to some extent."

Just as Wu'er was about to say something more, Yunxiang called out from outside, "Miss Lin is here."

Xiangling and the others hurried to greet her, and saw Zijuan and Xueyan carrying lanterns, leading Daiyu gracefully into the courtyard.

Xiangling hurriedly stepped forward to greet her, and Daiyu said to her, "Brother Yuan is back?"

Xiangling knew that Daiyu and Baochai were now sworn sisters. Since the Xue family had suffered a misfortune, and Daiyu was too young to go in person, she always came to Chen Siyuan to inquire about the Xue family's situation.

So she said, "The master just returned and has had some tea and snacks. He's resting inside. It's cold outside, young lady, please come in quickly."

"Ah."

Daiyu and her entourage entered the room with Xiangling and the others. Chen Siyuan, who had faintly heard the commotion outside, had already come to greet them in the hall. Seeing that it was Daiyu, Chen Siyuan stepped forward to greet her, and then led her to a seat, saying, "Sister, do you want to ask about Sister Bao?"

Daiyu frowned slightly and sighed, "After this incident, Sister Bao must be heartbroken. It's a pity that my grandmother stopped me from going. Otherwise, I would have gone over there. Even if I can't help her, it would be good to keep her company and talk to her."

Chen Siyuan said, "Wenlong has suffered a sudden misfortune, and Baochai is naturally heartbroken. Today, Auntie is too distraught to manage affairs, so Baochai and Xue Ke have been handling the funeral arrangements. She only had a chance to rest for a while after I arrived."

Daiyu said, "I heard from Sister Ping'er that Brother Yuan is going to the Xue family to help with the funeral arrangements these days." As she spoke, she took out two sachets from her sleeve and slowly pushed them in front of Chen Siyuan, saying, "I can't help much, so I made two sachets during the day. They are filled with spices. One is for Sister Bao, and the other... you can keep it."

The so-called spicy aroma is a mixture of styrax, borneol, magnolia, calamus, mint, etc., which has the effect of opening the mind and refreshing the brain.

Chen Siyuan picked one up and sniffed it. Sure enough, his spirits lifted, and he praised, "Sister, you have a good idea. I will definitely bring it to Sister Bao tomorrow."

"Hmm." Daiyu didn't even need tea, and stood up, saying, "It's getting late now. Brother Yuan must be tired after a long day, so I'll head back now."

"Okay, I'll take my sister there."

Chen Siyuan then escorted Daiyu to the outside of the courtyard, and sent Hongyu, Yunxiang, and others to see her off before returning to the house.

He had been running around all day and was indeed exhausted. So he quickly washed up and then fell into a deep sleep with Hongyu and Xiangling in his arms.

Perhaps it was because he had been thinking about it all day, but that night Chen Siyuan had a nightmare. In the dream, Xue Pan came to Chen Siyuan with his head in his hands, demanding his life, claiming that it was all because of Chen Siyuan that he had suffered such a misfortune. He also said that the Xue family line had ended because of Chen Siyuan, and that Xiangling, who was originally supposed to give birth to a son for Xue Pan, was now in Chen Siyuan's room...

Startled awake, Chen Siyuan broke out in a cold sweat. Only when he touched the warm, soft body beside him did he calm down. He thought to himself, "I, Chen Siyuan, have always been kind to Xue Pan and have been reminding Aunt Xue to keep a close eye on him. Who would have thought that Xue Pan would cause such a disaster after drinking and behaving so immorally?"
Because of his two lifetimes, Chen Siyuan, though unsure whether there were gods or magic here, firmly believed in the existence of souls. He immediately took a deep breath, lay on the bed, clasped his hands in front of him, and mumbled something to Xue Pan.

Hongyu was a light sleeper. She vaguely saw Chen Siyuan gesturing wildly and muttering to himself. Startled, she thought Chen Siyuan was having a nightmare and hurriedly woke Xiangling to light a lamp and check on him.

Chen Siyuan was both amused and exasperated. He chatted with the two girls for a long time before finally stopping. But when he lay down again, he couldn't fall asleep.

After pondering haphazardly for a while, he only confirmed two things: First, good intentions can really lead to bad results. He had repeatedly given Xue Yima advice because of Baochai, but it was precisely because Xue Yima was watching him too closely that Xue Pan became so stifled that he became even more willful and reckless as soon as he left the house.
Secondly, character determines destiny. If he hadn't been so reckless and unruly, how could he have brought about his own demise?
Feeling frustrated and depressed, Chen Siyuan couldn't sleep for a while, so he simply snuggled up to Xiangling and Hongyu beside him and didn't fall asleep until past midnight.

Before long, it was morning. Xiangling and Hongyu, still half-asleep, forced themselves to get up. Both women were understanding and knew that Chen Siyuan was feeling down, so they didn't say anything. It wasn't until Wu'er returned with the food box that Xiangling finally woke Chen Siyuan.

After a light breakfast and two cups of strong tea, Chen Siyuan remembered the sachet Daiyu had given him, so he held it to his nose and took a deep breath, which finally revived him.

Unexpectedly, Tan Chun, Xi Chun, and Xing Xiuyan came to inquire about the situation of the Xue family and Baochai. They also mentioned that the second young lady, Ying Chun, and Xiang Yun had caught a cold, otherwise they would have come over early this morning.

Knowing that Chen Siyuan was about to head to the Xue family's old residence, Tan Chun, Xi Chun, and Xing Xiuyan did not linger. After having a cup of tea, they hurriedly took their leave.

With winter fast approaching, Chen Siyuan and Xiangling wrapped themselves in heavy coats and headed towards the main gate. But as soon as they passed the gate, Miao'er, a servant of Madam Xing, stood guard.

Upon seeing Chen Siyuan, Miao'er quickly stepped forward and asked, "Young master, are you heading to the Xue family's old residence?"

"Yes. Is there something you need, sister?"

Miao lowered her voice and said, "Master is still in the east wing. Madam said it's a bit inconvenient for him, so she asked me to tell the young master to go to the east wing when he comes back this afternoon. Madam has something to say to the young master."

Chen Siyuan agreed, but felt a little strange. He never had to avoid Jia She when he went to the east wing, so why was he doing so this time? He thought to himself that it had been a while since he had a private meeting with Madam Xing. Could it be that this woman was unable to suppress her feelings?

That's not right either. If she really had feelings for him, she couldn't possibly send Miao'er to tell him so openly, could she?

Unsure of Madam Xing's intentions, Chen Siyuan stopped thinking about it and, together with Xiangling, boarded a carriage to meet Baoqin and Jia Lian, heading towards the Xue family's old residence.

Upon arrival, Xiangling went behind to help Sister Xunbao, while Chen Siyuan and Jia Lian busied themselves at the front. Yesterday's events were rather chaotic, but with the assistance of the old servants from the Jia and Wang families, the Xue family's old residence was indeed in good order today.

Since there weren't many official duties, Chen Siyuan was drinking tea in the front hall. For some reason, Xue Ke kept glancing over from time to time. When Chen Siyuan turned his head to look, Xue Ke would look away again, which made Chen Siyuan secretly wonder if Xue Ke had some strange hobby.
Who knows? They both have the surname Xue. Xue the Fool has homosexual tendencies, but who knows what Xue Ke is thinking?
Just as he was lost in thought, Tong Xi came to the front and whispered to Chen Siyuan, "Master Yuan, Madam wants you to go to the back to have a talk."

Chen Siyuan agreed, got up and bid farewell to Jia Lian and Xue Ke, and followed Tongxi to the back. Once inside, he saw that Aunt Xue was indeed listless, just like Li Wan before, withered and lifeless.

After the maid left, Aunt Xue finally regained some of her composure and said in a hoarse voice, "Yesterday... I spoke to Xue Ke about it."

Chen Siyuan nodded and said, "I don't think Xue Ke would refuse."

To everyone's surprise, Aunt Xue bit her lower lip and said after a long while, "We can't just give him the job as a royal merchant for nothing. I'll talk to him and let Qin'er marry into the royal family along with Baochai in the future."

"Huh?" Chen Siyuan was stunned and speechless for a moment. He really couldn't understand why Aunt Xue would make such a suggestion.

Aunt Xue raised her eyes and said, "You've gotten off easy this time. Although that girl Qin is young, she is already beautiful with bright teeth and lovely features. She may not be any less attractive than Baochai in the future."

"No, where did this come from?"

Aunt Xue glanced at her sideways and spat, "Don't try to act innocent after getting the benefit!"

Chen Siyuan was both amused and exasperated. He stepped forward, put his arm around Aunt Xue, and asked her carefully. After listening to her intermittent explanation, he finally understood her thoughts. She was simply preventing the second branch of the family from gaining power in the future, so that this minor branch could surpass the main branch.

Although it was somewhat inappropriate, Chen Siyuan's heart was indeed stirred by the memory of Baoqin's charming appearance. While secretly delighted, he frowned and said, "I can easily say that, but I'm afraid getting past Baoqin will be difficult."

Aunt Xue said, "If I hadn't asked Baochai, why would I have brought this up with Xue Ke?"

That means that although Baochai was unwilling, she eventually agreed because of Aunt Xue's obsession... What a good thing!

After a pause, Aunt Xue continued, "Xue Ke only said he would consider it for a few days, but I'm afraid he's still thinking about the marriage agreement with the Mei family. Has Shan Pinren replied in the last two days? This matter should be handled sooner rather than later. If it drags on any longer, I'm afraid I won't be able to hold on for more than a few days."

Chen Siyuan said, "If I count the past two days, the Shan family's daughter went to Nengren Temple to offer incense. I have already informed Mei Chong... but such matters can only be entrusted to others. Now we can only wait for a reply."

Aunt Xue sighed and then fell silent.

When asked about Xue Pan's condition, the leatherworker said that the body had been stitched up the day before, and because the stitches were unsightly, a silk handkerchief was wrapped around the neck to cover it. Aunt Xue wanted to go and see the body yesterday, but Sister Bao and Madam Cao stopped her, fearing that Aunt Xue would be too grief-stricken to see the body, so she did not see the details.

Knowing that she was worried, Chen Siyuan briefly explained. After she finished speaking, Aunt Xue covered her face and wept bitterly, sometimes saying sorry for her deceased husband, and sometimes cursing Xue Pan for being unfilial.

Chen Siyuan tried to comfort her for a long time, but to no avail. In desperation, he ordered Tongxi to go to the front and invite Baochai, Baoqin and Xiangling to come and persuade her.

After leaving the back room, Chen Siyuan suddenly realized—so Xue Ke had been secretly watching him from time to time because of Aunt Xue!

Feeling relieved, Chen Siyuan pretended to be completely unaware of Xue Ke's lack of agreement on the matter, and continued to speak to him in a detached manner.

At noon that day, Xiangling quietly came looking for him and led Chen Siyuan to the back room, where Chen Siyuan finally had a chance to meet with Baochai.

Dressed in white mourning clothes, with a silver hairpin in her hair and no makeup on her face, she looked extremely haggard, yet her beauty was still undeniable.

Ying'er served tea and said in a low voice, "There's nothing else to do at noon. Master Yuan, please keep our young lady company for a while and let her rest."

Chen Siyuan agreed, and Ying'er and Xiangling withdrew together.

Chen Siyuan sat down next to Baochai and took her soft hand, saying, "Sister, you've lost weight."

Baochai shook her head, glanced at Chen Siyuan, and hesitated before speaking.

Chen Siyuan quickly found the sachet that Daiyu had given him and handed it to Baochai, saying, "Sister Lin has been thinking of you. She sent you a fragrant sachet last night and told you to take good care of yourself."

Baochai held the sachet tightly, then raised it to sniff it. Feeling somewhat gratified, she said, "Laolin is so thoughtful."

He had already offered a whole host of words of comfort yesterday, but Chen Siyuan wasn't a chatterbox and didn't want to waste his breath. He knew that Baochai was grieving the loss of her brother Xue Pan, and was also filled with anxiety about the extinction of the Xue family's main branch.

He didn't say much at the moment, but held Baochai in his arms and gently patted her back. He said, "Sister, you look extremely haggard. Why don't you lean on me and sleep for a while?"

"Hmm." Baochai sniffed and responded in a muffled voice.

Her head rested against Chen Siyuan's chest, shifting slightly to find a comfortable position. She wrapped her arms around his waist, inhaling his familiar scent, and gradually calmed down. Perhaps it was the gentle patting, but after a while, her breathing became even, and she fell asleep. Chen Siyuan felt a pang of pity, wondering how old Baochai was. First, Xue Pan caused trouble, forcing the Xue family's eldest branch to dismiss its servants and flee to the capital. While living under someone else's roof, to ensure the Xue family's survival, she reluctantly swallowed the Cold Fragrance Pill and feigned compliance with Baoyu. Now, another family upheaval occurred: Xue Pan died violently, the Xue family's eldest branch died without an heir, and Aunt Xue was so grief-stricken she could barely function, requiring Baochai to manage everything. Then, Aunt Xue's selfish motives led Baochai to grit her teeth and accept Baoqin…

If you calculate, Baochai will only be sixteen next year. In Chen Siyuan's previous life, she would be in the prime of her youth. How many girls at that age would have so much to worry about?
Baochai was truly exhausted from all her hard work. As her lips parted, faint snores could be heard, and a trace of drool dripped from the corner of her mouth.

Chen Siyuan then took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped it for him.

A moment later, not knowing what had happened outside, an old woman came running back, shouting. The commotion startled Baochai, who suddenly lowered her head and woke up with a start.

She glanced at Chen Siyuan, then looked down and saw the drool on his clothes, immediately feeling embarrassed. She grabbed a handkerchief and wiped Chen Siyuan's drool while asking, "What happened?"

Ying'er, who was outside the door, replied, "The monks and Taoists have been invited from the front. We need Madam to make the decision."

Baochai didn't need to concern herself with such matters, so she asked Chen Siyuan, "What time is it?"

Chen Siyuan took out his pocket watch, glanced at it, and said, "It's only past noon, why don't you sleep a little longer, little sister?"

Baochai shook her head and said, "Now that I'm awake, I can't fall back asleep." After a pause, Shuixing looked at Chen Siyuan and asked, "Just now, did Mother say something to you?"

Chen Siyuan, who had been secretly pleased, now felt pity for Baochai. His words and even his thoughts had changed. He said, "Why should you wrong yourself, sister? Auntie is stuck in a rut. I think we should talk to her about this in a couple of days."

Baochai shook her head and said, "If brother goes, I'm afraid mother will become even more depressed. I'm afraid it will be too late to persuade her. It's better to go along with her wishes." She paused and then said, "I'm wary of Qin'er because my family and my second uncle's family have some disagreements. Now that I think about it, whether it's wealth or that imperial merchant job, they are all external things. All the fighting over them will become a joke once brother leaves."

Chen Siyuan reached out and pulled Baochai into his arms, sighed, and remained silent.

Then Baochai said, "When my father was alive, my brother and I often went to my second uncle's house to play. At that time, Qin'er often followed me around. I even applied perfume and nail polish to Qin'er." She sighed softly and said, "It was only after my father passed away that I became estranged from her."

Baochai's words at this moment are undoubtedly heartfelt. However, once she calms down, her words may change. As the saying goes, knowing is easy, doing is hard; this is true for most people.

Baochai stood up and looked at Chen Siyuan, saying, "I don't feel wronged at all, but Qin is the one who feels wronged."

Chen Siyuan agreed and reached out to stroke Baochai's cheek.

Baochai then said, "I...I have something else to discuss with you." She bit her lower lip, feeling troubled, and pleaded, "I wonder...I wonder if I...may follow Lin's example and...also become a secondary wife?"

Chen Siyuan asked in astonishment, "Why do you say that, sister?"

Baochai shook her head and said softly, "I've thought it over carefully. With my brother gone, our family will have no male heirs left. Even with the Jia and Wang families looking after us, we won't be wiped out immediately. But in the future, we'll need to plan for succession and continue the family line, and find a male heir to inherit my brother's family business. The sons of the Xue family's various branches are all useless. Not to mention Mother, even I don't think much of them. I'm unwilling to hand over the family business to such sons."

After much thought, I decided to follow Lin Yatou's example!

Baochai's gaze was intense, clearly showing she was extremely serious.

Chen Siyuan frowned and pondered for a moment, then said, "Then my sister can take on the responsibility of inheriting two families. I see that my sister is in good health, so we can work hard in the future and have more children."

Baochai shook her head repeatedly, saying, "Giving birth is like passing through the gates of hell, and who can guarantee whether it will be a boy or a girl? If I only have a boy in the future, wouldn't that mean you will be left without a legitimate son?"

Chen Siyuan replied dismissively, "Let's discuss this matter again. I'm afraid we won't be able to get past the concubine."

Baochai nodded and said, "Even if Mother can't see things clearly now, she will eventually come to terms with it due to the circumstances in the future."

Chen Siyuan sighed, feeling even more sorry for Baochai. She had always been ambitious, but now she was burdened by her family and had given up her title as the principal wife, all for the sake of continuing the Xue family line.

Baochai's eyes reddened, and she sniffed, saying, "I know this is extremely rude, and I feel bad for you, but... I really have no other choice now."

Chen Siyuan simply said they would discuss it later, and gently comforted Baochai, but he felt strange inside.

In her previous life, if marrying two wives was permitted, even if one wife was also adopted into the husband's family, everyone would probably think the man was getting the better deal. But in this situation, Baochai felt sorry for Chen Siyuan. This was because adopting into the husband's family was essentially a disguised form of marrying into the wife's family, and the only advantage Chen Siyuan had was that he could also marry a principal wife.

His strange feelings stemmed from two reasons: firstly, he felt pity for Baochai, and secondly... he was somewhat distracted.

After parting ways with Baochai, Chen Siyuan felt that he was probably beyond saving. He admitted that he could not be faithful to his wife, but he was determined that he would not let down his wife in the future.

After a hurried passing of Shenshi (3-5 PM), Chen Siyuan returned to Rongguo Mansion as he had done the day before.

After returning the carriage, I was supposed to go to the east courtyard, but as soon as the carriage reached Ningrong Street, a servant named Qingyu came to report: "Master, Mr. Shan would like to invite you to come and have a chat."

Chen Siyuan thought to himself that the matter of the Shan family must have come to a conclusion, but he didn't know whether it was good or bad. He then instructed Xiangling to take the carriage back first, while he jumped off the carriage himself. Looking up, he saw Shan Pinren bowing to him in front of a teahouse.

Chen Siyuan strode forward, and after exchanging greetings, Shan Pinren stroked his beard and said with a smile, "Master Yuan, I have not failed you!"

"Oh?" Chen Siyuan breathed a sigh of relief, smiled, and extended his hand in invitation, saying, "Mr. Shan, let's go inside and talk."

"It's easy to talk about."

The two entered the teahouse, and Chen Siyuan ordered a pot of pre-Qingming Longjing tea. They found a seat by the window and listened to Shan Pinren's story unfold.

Yesterday, the women of the Shan family indeed went to Nengren Temple to offer incense, and Shan Pinren volunteered to escort them all the way. When they arrived at Nengren Temple, while his sister-in-law was seeking solace from the old monk, Shan Pinren dismissed the maid and arranged for his niece to meet with Mei Chong.

Mei Chong came from a scholarly family and was not only scholarly but also handsome, which naturally caught the eye of the Shan family's daughter.

After observing for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Shan Pinren went to inform his sister-in-law. Upon hearing this, Shan's mother was greatly alarmed. She abandoned the old monk and went to find her daughter, only to find two young children laughing and chatting happily in the side hall.

Madam Shan was furious and berated Mei Chong, who then took the opportunity to express his grievances. With Shan Pinren intervening, Madam Shan, seeing that her daughter was indeed interested in Mei Chong and also coveting the Mei family, began to have her own schemes.

After everyone devised a plan, the Shan family indeed went to the Mei family to demand an explanation today. Upon hearing that his son had tarnished the reputation of the Shan family's daughter, even the most rigid Mei Hanlin had no choice but to silently agree to the marriage.

Upon hearing Shan Pinren say that Mei Hanlin would soon be going to the Xue family to break off the engagement, Chen Siyuan felt relieved and smiled as he cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "Thanks to your intervention, sir, this matter has been resolved smoothly. I will offer you a cup of tea instead of wine."

"It's easy to talk about."

Without further ado, Chen Siyuan pulled out three hundred taels of silver notes, grabbed Shan Pinren's sleeve and pulled him over, saying with a shameful expression, "I should have brought gifts to thank Mr. Shan, but as you know, the Xue family has suffered a misfortune, and I am currently busy with the funeral arrangements, so I really don't have the time."

Dan Pinren gathered his sleeves, reached out and pinched the three hundred taels of silver notes, and his smile became even brighter. He said, "Master Yuan, you're too kind. We'll meet again someday, haha, we'll meet again someday."

After bidding farewell to Shan Pinren, Chen Siyuan hurried towards the east wing of the Rongguo Mansion.

To his surprise, he found no one there. The old woman who stayed behind said that Madam Xing had gone to the East Mansion to see Madam You, and even the eldest master, Jia She, was not at home. Chen Siyuan had no choice but to return home dejectedly. He was even more puzzled, wondering what Madam Xing wanted with him.

After returning to Qingtang Thatched Cottage and having dinner, Madam Xing came through the side gate of Fangyuan Garden and found Qingtang Thatched Cottage.

Chen Siyuan came out to greet him and said, "I received my aunt's message this morning, and as soon as I got back, I went to the east courtyard."

Madam Xing said, "It was just a coincidence. Zhen's daughter-in-law kept me talking for a while, which is why we were delayed."

The two entered, and Madam Xing asked a few questions about the Xue family's situation, sighed a bit, and then sent the maids and servants away.

Madam Xing hesitated several times before finally speaking, and Chen Siyuan, unable to contain himself, asked, "What is it? Why are you being so hesitant?"

Madam Xing was taken aback, then immediately scolded, "You're so frivolous!"

Chen Siyuan was taken aback, thinking to himself, "They're so used to hearing me drive, now they can't even be serious when they hear me say something serious?"
Madam Xing frowned slightly, and before she could speak, she said, "Put that aside, there is something strange... I saw Madam You's child today. The child is only a month old, but the child's hair is already an inch long. Isn't that strange?"

Although Chou'er was born prematurely, his mother, You Erjie and You Sanjie, took excellent care of him. Before he was sent to Ningguo Mansion, it was no longer noticeable that he was premature. Now that he is a month older, he is naturally becoming stronger.

He knew perfectly well what was going on, but he mumbled, "Perhaps it's because they're fed well?"

"Nonsense! No matter how well they feed the child, there's no way to do it this well!" Madam Xing said in a low voice. "I think that child was adopted from who-knows-where."

Chen Siyuan was terrified and quickly said, "You can't say that around."

Madam Xing pursed her lips and said, "I'm just telling you, why would I tell anyone else?" She paused, then added, "I heard that the young master Heng in the back courtyard had a daughter two months ago, but she died before she was even a month old... She might have been adopted from Jia Heng."

Chen Siyuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to himself that with Madam Xing's way of thinking, he had worried for nothing.

He then said, "This is a family matter of the Ningguo Mansion. Even Sister-in-law Zhen hasn't said anything, so why should you meddle in it?"

Madam Xing pouted and said, "I don't think Madam You is very close to that child, but she's very fond of talking to her second daughter... Tsk, Zhen-ge'er is really out of options. He wouldn't have caused such a mess unless he had no other choice."

Seeing that Chen Siyuan didn't respond, Madam Xing took a sip of tea and then turned to Chen Siyuan and said, "Yes, I sent Miao'er to find you early this morning because he has another idea."

"What do you mean?"

Madam Xing opened her mouth, but swallowed her words. She felt she was closer to the second young lady, Yingchun, and besides, Yingchun was as stubborn as dough; even if she noticed something amiss, she would probably keep it to herself and dare not utter a sound. In this way, she could naturally visit Chen Siyuan more often.

Thinking this, she moved on from the matter and said, "He's currently scraping together money from all sides, planning to cut flesh from the Xue family. If you ask me, you and Bao'er are so close, practically on the verge of going public. How can such a good thing be given to someone else?"

Chen Siyuan was both amused and exasperated. He said to Madam Xing, "You're overthinking it. The concubine's family is now childless. To avoid being torn apart by the other branches of the Xue family, they've reluctantly cut their losses, hoping that the Jia family can protect the concubine's family in the future. What use would those shops and businesses be to me?"

Madam Xing was unwilling to accept this, and said, "But we can't expect to get absolutely no benefit at all, can we?"

Chen Siyuan said, "There are some advantages... Bao's dowry will likely be more generous in the future."

Madam Xing frowned and said, "What kind of benefit is this? No matter how generous Bao'er's dowry is, you can't touch it."

Knowing what he was thinking, Chen Siyuan reassured him, "Don't worry, Fourth Brother will definitely get his share of the family business in the future."

Madam Xing pursed her lips and said no more. After sitting for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Madam Xing took her leave.

Chen Siyuan had just settled down in his room when someone else arrived. It was Xiangyun who came in, coughing incessantly.

This girl now lives in Hengwu Garden and firmly believes that Sister Bao is a good person. She often envies Sister Bao going to see Daiyu. Now that something has happened at Baochai's house, she endured her cough and sent some dried roe deer meat over.

She instructed Chen Siyuan to give this to Baochai, saying that it was the best for replenishing qi and blood. After delivering the dried meat, Xiangyun hurriedly returned to Hengwu Garden.

Chen Siyuan looked at the small brocade box on the table and felt a mix of emotions. He thought to himself that at least he had changed some bad things, so that Baojie and Xiangyun would not hate each other in the future.

(End of this chapter)