Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 329 The Wind Destroys the Ancient Temple and Dark Snow Surges

"Huh?" Chen Siyuan was taken aback and couldn't help but look up at King Yanping.

Then he saw that the Prince of Yanping's face was ashen, and he was extremely angry. Chen Siyuan thought to himself, the Prince of Yanping is usually carefree and irresponsible. Even the duties of the Censorate and the Inner Palace were only reluctantly assigned to him by the Emperor. In addition, he usually doesn't care much about anything. This is the first time he has seen him so angry.

Chen Siyuan quickly lowered his eyes and looked at Ding Daolong, the head of the imperial kitchen. Chen Siyuan would always give Ding Daolong money when he came back, and the man remembered this favor. He quickly gave Chen Siyuan a series of winks, indicating that the Prince of Yanping was indeed angry.

King Yanping said with a gloomy face, "What, you're not willing?"

"This—the student is momentarily flustered and truly does not know how to answer."

"Enough! Get out! What use are you?" King Yanping waved his hand, got up and left.

Chen Siyuan was completely baffled. Ding Daolong, after seeing Prince Yanping off, quickly came over and gave him a look. After the two left the study, Ding Daolong said, "Chen Xiaolian, the prince originally wanted to commend you for the wheel hub matter. But he just received a letter from Ping'an Prefecture, which has greatly upset him."

"Ping'an Prefecture?" Could it be that Jia She's misfortune regarding military supplies and provisions has struck?
Ding Daolong said, "Xiaolian, you may not know, but the prince has a concubine who is extremely favored. Her mother's family are merchants in the capital. Last year, she gained the prince's favor and was granted a royal merchant's token to trade silk, hemp, and furs in the northern desert. On the sixth day of last month, the family of seven escorted the goods to the northern desert, but they were ambushed as soon as they reached the territory of Ping'an Prefecture."

Alas, the remains of all seven members of the Liu family have vanished without a trace. When Miss Liu received the news, she wept uncontrollably, fell seriously ill, and now it seems she will not survive.

Was King Yanping a romantic at heart?
Ding Daolong lowered his voice again and said, "Chen Xiaolian has always been highly regarded by the Prince. In this matter... Xiaolian, you'd better think it over carefully."

Since that's been said, what's there to think about? Chen Siyuan got his degree through the Prince of Yanping, and he's been branded as part of the Prince of Yanping's faction since the beginning. If he goes against his wishes now, what good will come of it for him in the future?
Moreover, Chen Siyuan originally wanted to kill Jia She, and now he was just incidentally dragging Jia Zhen into it.

So Chen Siyuan bowed to Ding Daolong and said, "Please tell His Highness that I am happy to help with this matter."

Ding Daolong immediately laughed and said, "Good, good! If Chen Xiaolian handles this matter well, the Prince will surely give him an important position in the future." After saying that, he took out a paper package from his sleeve and secretly handed it over, saying, "This is made from datura. I think it will be of great use to you, Xiaolian."

This is poisoning Jia She. Chen Siyuan hesitated before taking the paper packet, then solemnly bowed.

After saying this, Ding Daolong smiled and gestured with his hand, happily seeing Chen Siyuan out of the palace. He then turned around and chuckled, quickly going to find Prince Yanping. He then put his hand to Chen Siyuan's ear and told him what he had said.

At this moment, King Yanping's expression remained calm and composed. Upon hearing this, he couldn't help but laugh and say, "What did I tell you? Chen Shuliang, this scheming fellow, is always shrewd and perceptive."

Ding Daolong cupped his hands and smiled, "Your Highness is right. However, this old servant truly does not understand... Why should Your Highness tarnish your own reputation for the sake of the Emperor's worries?"

"Self-degradation? You have no idea how many people in this world want to degrade themselves to please my royal brother. My royal brother has the ability of a wise ruler, but unfortunately, he is a bit petty. He tolerated what happened in the palace some time ago for the sake of the greater good, but if he doesn't vent his anger, I'm afraid... it will implicate even more people in the future."

Ding Daolong smiled and cupped his hands, saying, "Your Highness is wise. Your Highness's concern for the Emperor will surely be recorded in history."

"To leave a name? A bad name? I don't care." Prince Yanping leaned back on the couch, eating grapes he had saved in August, and kicked Ding Daolong with one foot, saying, "Go, call those two beauties from Sindhu that Prince Bei Jing sent... Uh, the smell has dissipated, hasn't it?"

Ding Daolong hurriedly replied, "Your Highness, the two beauties have been recuperating for half a year, and their body odor has dissipated."

King Yanping put down the grapes, wiped his hands, and became interested, saying, "Why didn't you say so earlier? Quickly summon her to me. I haven't yet experienced what it's like to be with a beauty from Sindhu."

"Yes."

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

Meanwhile, Chen Si, having left the Prince's residence, returned to his carriage and immediately frowned deeply. Ding Daolong had given him a packet of unidentified powder; if it poisoned Jia She on the spot, it would be a serious matter.

If any signs of poisoning are discovered, the Shuntian Prefecture and the Dali Temple will definitely investigate. At that time, how could he possibly be safe? He couldn't put his mind at ease, so he ordered, "Go to Henian Hall first."

The servant Qingyu agreed, and soon the carriage started moving, heading towards Henian Hall.

It was a coincidence that Ding Daojian, the physician at Henian Hall, had just recovered from his illness and returned to Henian Hall after being away for half a month.

The two were old acquaintances, and naturally had a long chat upon meeting. Upon hearing that Ding Daojian had nearly died after mistakenly ingesting aconite, Chen Siyuan immediately said, "Dr. Ding, is it really necessary to taste it yourself every time to determine its toxicity?"

Ding Daojian replied, “In the past, Shennong tasted hundreds of herbs. Now, I, a junior in the medical field, am willing to follow Shennong’s example, to appreciate the herbs of the world, and to contribute to the development of our medical field.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the curtain was lifted and a woman in her thirties rushed in, pointing her finger at him and cursing, "Ding Daojian! You failed the imperial examination, so you should practice medicine. Why are you so greedy for that damned reputation and ruining yourself?"

Ding Daojian blushed and quickly leaned over, saying, "Madam, a friend has come to visit. Please show some respect."

"Bah! I'm telling you now, if there's a next time, I'll pack up my dowry and go back to my parents' home. It's better than suddenly becoming a widow for no reason!"

After saying that, he turned and left. Ding Daojian, disregarding that Chen Siyuan was still there, chased after him for a long time before returning dejectedly.

After sitting down again, Ding Daojian said awkwardly, "My wife is used to being spoiled, I'm sorry that Chen Xiaolian had to laugh at her."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "Your wife must adore Doctor Ding. Doctor Ding, you should not disappoint your wife's kindness."

Upon hearing this, Ding Daojian stroked his beard with pride and said, "Of course. Back then, when Madam was still in her boudoir, suitors were as numerous as fish crossing a river, including many sons of noble families. But Madam took a liking to me at first sight. Haha, this... I will certainly not let Madam down in the future."

Chen Siyuan thought to himself, "It's quite strange that Ding Daojian is afraid of his wife." After talking for a while, Chen Siyuan took out the packet of medicine powder and said, "I have come here today to ask the doctor to identify something."

"Oh?" Ding Daojian took the paper package, opened it, first sniffed it, then squeezed it and was about to put it in his mouth.

Startled, Chen Siyuan hurriedly stopped him, saying, "Wait, doctor, you mustn't take the risk!"

Unexpectedly, Ding Daojian said, "No need to worry, scholar. A small amount of this won't kill you. Let me try it... Hmm, there's datura, and some ground beetles? There seems to be another ingredient, which looks like the gallbladder of a black-tailed snake?" He handed the paper package back to Chen Siyuan and said, "This is poison. It has a strange smell and must be dissolved in alcohol to be undetectable. Taking a small amount is fine, but taking too much might cause a stroke."

Chen Siyuan asked worriedly, "If someone dies from eating this, I wonder if we can detect poisoning from the corpse?"

"Poisoning? Unless you kill someone with the medicine the first time, you can't detect it even if you cut open their stomach. Chen Xiaolian, don't think that the medical profession is omnipotent, and don't believe in those nonsense silver needles for testing poison in storybooks. There are many poisons in this world. We can only distinguish them by seeing them. How many can we distinguish by just looking at the symptoms?"

"I see," Chen Siyuan said, immediately relieved. Then, still suspicious, he asked, "Doctor Ding, why—"

"Why are you telling this to a scholar like Xiaolian?" Ding Daojian smiled and said, "I have a distant cousin who now serves the Prince's Palace."

Ding Daolong? Good heavens, no wonder Ding Daojian was so forthcoming. Chen Siyuan immediately stood up, cupped his hands in greeting, and said nothing more. He secretly thought to himself that the Prince of Yanping had probably already planned how to kill Jia She and Jia Zhen, and this was just him being sent to prove his loyalty.

Rongguo Mansion, Lady Wang's courtyard.

Jia Lian followed Yu Chuan to the door, where Yu Chuan asked the gatekeeper, Tan Xin, "Has Madam returned?"

Tanxin replied, "Sister, Madam just returned from the concubine's courtyard and is currently feeling quite upset."

Yu Chuan turned to Jia Lian and said, "Please wait a moment, Second Master, while I go and inform him."

Jia Lian mumbled his agreement, glancing at the main room, his mind clearly filled with trouble. Yesterday, he had gone to see Zhang Jinge again, but because Jia Lian was intimidated and afraid of Feng Jie, he begged Zhang Jinge to be his concubine for the time being. Zhang Jinge refused, and immediately caused another scene, leaving Jia Lian humiliated and defeated.

Jia Lian coveted Zhang Jinge's beauty and was currently thinking about how to win her over when Yu Chuan suddenly came looking for him, saying that Madam wanted to see him. A short while later, Yu Chuan returned and said, "Second Master, please come inside with me."

Jia Lian agreed and followed Yu Chuan around the screen into the main hall. Jia Lian looked up and saw Madam Wang, Aunt Xue, and Xia Jingui all there, especially Madam Wang, who was looking at him with a disappointed expression.

Jia Lian was completely baffled. He cupped his hands and said, "Greetings, Madam and Concubine. I wonder if you have something to say to me?"

Then Madam Wang sighed softly and frowned, saying, "Lian'er, you... you really are a troublemaker. Do you know that if it weren't for Jin Gui's interference, that Zhang family girl would have gone to the yamen to accuse you of fraud and seduction? Once this matter goes to court, how can you expect to have a good future?"

"what?"

Jia Lian's face immediately changed in shock. Recalling Zhang Jinge's violent temper after they had consummated their affair that day, he felt a surge of unease.

Xia Jingui chimed in, "If I hadn't run into Sister Zhang on the street by chance, Brother Lian would probably have been summoned to court by the authorities."

"This……"

Before Jia Lian could say anything, Aunt Xue chimed in, "Since you agreed to take her as your concubine, why did you change your mind at the last minute? Just for driving someone to their death, you'll be in deep trouble."

"This...this...I'll go find her right now."

"Come back!" Madam Wang called out, stopping him in his tracks. "By the time you go and try to coax him, it will be too late. It was thanks to Jin Gui's intervention that Zhang Jin Ge didn't submit the complaint. The only thing we can do now is to bring him into the manor as soon as possible."

Jia Lian bowed with a bitter expression and said, "Madam, you don't know, I originally intended to bring her into the manor, but alas..."

Madam Wang pleaded earnestly, "Why is Feng'er blocking the way? It's my fault, really. Feng'er's mother passed away early, and as her aunt, I didn't discipline her well. She is indeed a bit domineering and jealous. But Lian'er, you will inherit the title someday. What powerful man in this world doesn't have three wives and four concubines? Feng'er has been married for several years and only has one daughter. It's really unreasonable for her to stop me from taking a concubine."

Jia Lian suddenly felt a sense of kinship and complained, "What Madam says is true. She gets jealous at the slightest provocation. Madam has seen how I've lived all these years. If she hadn't always stopped me, how could I have had an affair with my wife?"

Lady Wang thought to herself with disdain, "Your Second Master Lian has a particular fondness for this kind of thing. In private, the servants have long called him Jia Aman."

But that wasn't the right way to put it, so he used the words Xia Jingui and Aunt Xue had taught him, saying, "Alright, alright, let's not dwell on the past. Let's just talk about Zhang Jinge. Is Lian'er really willing to bring her into the manor?"

How could Jia Lian refuse? Putting aside Zhang Jingge's appearance, Jia Lian couldn't bear the consequences of those two crimes alone.

"My nephew is happy to."

"Alright, the only way now is to ask the old lady for permission to choose a suitable day and bring Zhang Jinge into the mansion as soon as possible."

Seeing Jia Lian's hesitation, Xia Jingui, who was sitting below, said, "Second Brother Lian, don't worry. I heard that in a couple of days, the old lady and her entourage will be going to Nengren Temple to offer incense and pray for blessings. Sister Feng will definitely be going with them. Why don't you find an excuse not to go and take advantage of that day to bring Sister Zhang back to the mansion?"

Jia Lian's eyes lit up immediately. He thought to himself that this was a good idea. By then, the die would be cast, and even if Sister Feng was disgusting, she would have to accept it.

Madam Wang added, “Feng’er is arrogant, and Zhang Jinge has just arrived; I’m afraid he’ll be bullied. I see there’s a row of empty houses in your backyard; why not clear them out for Zhang Jinge?”

The back of Sister Feng's courtyard had a row of six rooms, now filled with miscellaneous items, with only one corner door connecting the inside and outside. If Zhang Jinge moved in, living separately from Sister Feng, she wouldn't have to worry about Sister Feng finding excuses to torment him every day.

Jia Lian was overjoyed and cupped his hands, saying, "When I go to Rongqing Hall, the old matriarch will surely scold me. I beg you, Madam, to do everything you can to help me out."

Madam Wang smiled and said, "We're all family. I've watched you grow up since you were a child. Even though Feng'er is my own niece, she's in the wrong here, and I'll definitely speak up for you."

Jia Lian was overjoyed and bowed repeatedly. The group then headed to Rongqing Hall. Jia Mu, who had been whispering rumors about Jia Lian for some time, was now hearing that Jia Lian had been having an affair. She immediately gave Jia Lian a good scolding.

With the help of Aunt Xue and Madam Wang, the matter was agreed to in just a few words.

So the next day, Jia Lian caught a cold and sent a servant to tell Feng Jie that he wouldn't be going to Nengren Temple to offer incense the next day.

After receiving the news, Sister Feng muttered to herself for a while, only inwardly criticizing Jia Lian for being useless, without giving it much thought. Originally, Jia Lian was supposed to accompany her, so the arrangements would naturally be his responsibility. Now that Jia Lian was ill, such matters could only be entrusted to Chen Siyuan. Therefore, Sister Feng sent Ping'er to inform him.

Ping'er went to Qingtang Thatched Cottage, and Chen Siyuan readily agreed. When Ping'er returned, she saw Yuchuan, who was beside Madam, whispering something to Hongyu behind the Jade Emperor Temple.

Hearing footsteps, the two quickly separated, and Yu Chuan whispered, "Please tell Master Yuan this."

Hongyu nodded repeatedly and then secretly slipped a purse into her hand. Yuchuan was taken aback and quickly refused, saying, "Sister, I'm not saying this for the money."

Hongyu smiled and stuffed the purse into his handkerchief, saying, "I know, but our master said that you should also plan for your own future in a few years and save more money."

Yu Chuan nodded in agreement only after Ping'er left. After saying goodbye to Hongyu, Yu Chuan composed herself and approached Ping'er, saying, "Sister Ping'er, why are you here too?"

Ping'er smiled and said, "Second Master is unwell, so Madam sent me to ask Master Yuan to help out and make things easier for you tomorrow."

“So that’s how it is,” Yu Chuan’er said with a smile. “I smelled Lin’s styrax fragrance a few days ago and it was very nice, but I didn’t dare to ask Lin for some. When I heard that Sister Hongyu had some, I shamelessly came to pester Hongyu.”

Ping'er thought to herself, "These two were acting so suspiciously just now. They couldn't possibly be asking for some kind of styrax. This Master Yuan is quite capable. I don't know how he managed to win over Yu Chuan, who is by Madam's side."

However, Ping'er was not in a position to speak about such unsubstantiated matters, nor did she want to make a fuss about it. So she smiled and said, "Why didn't you say so earlier? Miss Lin just gave me some the other day. If you want more next time, just come and find me."

Yu Chuan smiled and said, "Thank you very much, Sister Ping'er."

Leaving aside the fact that the two women left together chatting and laughing, Hongyu frowned and quickly entered the study, approaching and clasping her hands together, saying, "Master, someone wants to harm the Third Miss."

"Hmm?" Chen Siyuan put down his book and asked, "What do you mean?"

Hongyu said, "Just now, Yuchuan came to report that Wu Xingdeng's wife came to Madam's place to complain again. Madam was naturally angry and scolded the Third Miss. Then, Wu Xingdeng's wife was stopped by Xia Jingui, and the two of them whispered about tampering with the Third Miss's carriage in the future."

That Xia Jingui is truly vicious! A carriage is just two wheels and a compartment. Even if she tampered with it, it would just fall apart. If someone falls, they won't break any bones or tendons. What good would that do? I'm afraid Xia Jingui is instigating Wu Xingdeng's family to harm the horses pulling the carriage.

If the horse gets spooked, it will throw Tan Chun out of the carriage and cause her serious injury, which will just fulfill the wishes of Lady Wang and Xia Jingui.

Chen Siyuan narrowed his eyes and pondered for a moment, then instructed, "Go find Qingyu and tell him to keep a close eye on the stables, make sure he does a good job."

Hongyu nodded and asked anxiously, "Should we inform the Third Miss about this?"

Chen Siyuan said, "No rush, I'll tell Tanya tomorrow."

The day passed quickly, and the next day, Chen Siyuan got ready early in the morning, left the garden, and went to the ceremonial gate to carefully check the travel arrangements.

After a flurry of activity, Chen Siyuan noticed his servant Qingyu making faces at him. He then slipped over to change his clothes. Once they were in a corner, Qingyu said, "Master, I kept watch all night yesterday but didn't see anything amiss. However, this morning, Master Bao's servant, Li Gui, came to the stables."

Chen Siyuan instructed, "Keep a close eye on things. If anything seems strange, come find me."

(End of this chapter)