Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 356 Two People Quietly Standing in Front of the Painting Hall

A carp lantern and a rabbit lantern swayed back and forth as Xiangyun, holding Baoqin's hand, skipped and hopped along.

Xiangyun carried a skewer of meat, Baoqin held half a skewer of candied hawthorn, and the accompanying maids all carried roasted chestnuts. They chatted and laughed as they came this way.

As they walked, Baoqin suddenly paused, grabbed Xiangyun, and ran to the side.

"Hey, hey, hey? Why are we going this way?"

Baoqin gestured for silence, pulled Xiangyun to hide behind a rockery, and then poked her head out, pointing towards the path they had just come from: "Don't make a sound, look who's there."

Xiangyun examined him closely, then frowned and said, "Isn't that Second Brother Lian? And the one next to him is... Aunt Zhang?"

Baoqin said with lingering fear, "Luckily we dodged quickly. Sister Feng was right behind us, and those two would have definitely run into each other. If we had met them, we might have been caught in the crossfire."

Xiangyun, however, disagreed, saying, "We went to the lantern festival and picked up the concubine but forgot about Sister Feng. It's Lian Erge's fault, what does it have to do with us?" She paused, then added, "That's right, Sister Feng intends to matchmake Yuan Dage and Sister Lin. And you and Yuan Dage are... why didn't you go with them?"

Baoqin smiled and said, "Today was arranged by Brother Yuan, who just wanted to stroll around with Sister Lin. Why should I go up here and make people uncomfortable?"

Xiangyun looked puzzled and said, "But every time Sister Bao goes to see Brother Yuan, you always go and cause trouble after you get the news. Why is that?"

Baoqin instantly stopped smiling, baring her little tiger teeth and said, "My cousin is different. I can lose to anyone, but I can't lose to my cousin!"

Xiangyun pondered for a long time but still couldn't understand the reason. The Marquis of Baoling also had children, most of whom were younger than Xiangyun. Moreover, because the Marquis of Baoling's wife intentionally distanced herself from them, Xiangyun was not very close to her second uncle's brothers and sisters, and she did not understand the love and hate between these sisters.

However, upon thinking of Daiyu, Xiangyun understood a bit more. So she smiled and said, "Alright, you know what you're doing. But I think Sister Bao is a good person. Ever since I went to Hengwu Garden, she has taken good care of me. You should try not to make things difficult for her in the future."

Baoqin immediately scolded, "You ungrateful little thing! We were the ones who played the best, but you got bribed by your cousin. Give me back my meat skewers! I'm never treating you well again!"

Xiangyun immediately smiled apologetically, "Good sister, I even embroidered a purse for you. I know how you treat me, but Sister Bao..." Seeing Baoqin's displeasure, Xiangyun quickly changed her words, "Never mind, never mind, I won't mention her."

As they were talking, they saw Jia Lian leading Zhang Jinge toward the waterside pavilion, so they emerged from behind the artificial hill. Baoqin became cheerful again, skipping and hopping all the way to the stalls ahead.

Xiangyun said, "But marriage is a serious matter and should not be taken lightly. Now that you have received the betrothal letter, you will eventually marry into the Chen family. If you compete with Sister Bao, you will only delay your own future."

Xiangyun only knew that Baoqin had become acquainted with Chen Siyuan, but she didn't know the specific details, so she was very concerned. Baoqin didn't explain, but just tilted her head and thought of Chen Siyuan, and smiled and said: "Brother Yuan is also very good. His character, appearance, talent and ability are all top-notch. I don't think I am good enough for such a man with my family background. It would be normal for me to marry him as a concubine."

Xiangyun asked in surprise, "So you're not planning to travel the world?"

Baoqin said nonchalantly, "Let's see. I'm still young. If I stay with him for ten years and have two children, I can find an excuse to leave when I get tired of him. Wouldn't it be great to be far away from him?"

Before leaving Nanjing last year, I was filled with trepidation and went to a temple to make a wish. During a vegetarian meal, I chatted with a Zen master who said, "This life is a form of spiritual practice; whether walking or sitting, it is all spiritual practice. Having experienced all the joys and sorrows of the world, even if one doesn't become an immortal or a Buddha, one's life will not have been in vain."

Xiangyun, being a free spirit, stroked her hair and laughed, "That makes some sense. So, marriage is a form of spiritual practice, and so is traveling?"

That is the reason.

The two girls exchanged a glance and then covered their mouths to laugh. Xiangyun then frowned and said, "It's just a pity that my cultivation is too embarrassing."

Baoqin then laughed and said, "We still have a few more years of peaceful life ahead, but who knows what the future holds? If Sister Yun doesn't want to marry, how about I disguise myself as a bandit and snatch her away on the way?"

Xiangyun blinked, reached out and pinched Baoqin's chin, saying, "You little hussy, even if it's a wedding robbery, I'll be the one to snatch you away."

Baoqin giggled like a little fox, then pulled Xiangyun along and continued walking.

The lantern festival was sparsely populated. The two girls spotted a pitch-pot stall and saw that the prizes were grasshopper hairpins. Baoqin was particularly fond of the dragonfly hairpin and encouraged Xiangyun to play pitch-pot for fun.

Xiangyun couldn't refuse Baoqin's request, so she took some money from her purse and gave it to the eunuch. She then took three arrows and was about to throw them into the pot. But just as she raised her arm, she heard a cry of surprise behind her. The fletching of one of the arrows had pricked someone.

The two young women quickly turned around and saw a beautiful couple walking hand in hand, followed by a maid and an old woman.

Xiangyun, not being ignorant of manners, quickly straightened her robes and said angrily, "I'm sorry, I really didn't know there was someone behind me. This..." She noticed that the woman looked to be about seventeen or eighteen years old, with a slightly protruding belly, and then Xiangyun asked, "...Madam, are you hurt?"

The woman was delicate and pretty, and now she was about to cry as she threw herself into the man's arms. The man glared at Xiangyun and scolded her, "Enough, I hope you'll be more careful in the future."

Hearing the man's impolite words, Baoqin became angry and said, "It was an unintentional mistake. If someone had really been hurt, we would have paid for the medicine. Besides, not even a scratch has been broken. This young master is being so aggressive; it is not the behavior of a gentleman."

"You—" The man drew his sword and pointed it at the man, clearly enraged.

The woman in his arms said sweetly, "That's enough, Jun'er. The prince is still waiting. Don't bother with such a muddle-headed person."

Just as the man lowered his arm, the old woman behind him stepped forward, frowned, and examined him closely, saying, "Isn't this... Miss Shi?"

Shi Xiangyun blinked, and the old woman looked very familiar. After thinking for a while, she remembered that the old woman was the one who accompanied Mrs. Chen when the Chen family came to complain.

Looking up at the man again, he realized that this person's voice was exactly the same as Chen Yejun's. Who else could it be but Chen Yejun?
Looking at the woman in his arms, Xiangyun gritted her teeth in hatred. She knew without asking that this bewitching woman was undoubtedly from the entertainment industry!

Last time at home, Xiangyun herself didn't want to remarry Chen Yejun, but her second aunt interfered, which is why the marriage went ahead. Looking back on it, Xiangyun was naturally indignant.

Now that I've met these two people in person, it's truly like one Buddha ascending to heaven and the other two leaving their bodies!
He immediately sneered and said, "Oh, what a coincidence! I didn't expect to run into Young Master Chen and Young Mistress Chen while strolling through the lantern festival!"

Chen Yejun, whose face was already cold and stern, felt an immediate dislike upon hearing the old woman's words that revealed his true nature. Upon hearing Xiangyun's sarcastic remarks, he frowned and scolded, "You should be staying at home these days. What kind of logic is this, showing your face in public like this?"

Xiangyun retorted sharply, "May I ask, by what status does Young Master Chen govern me?"

Chen Yejun said, "You and I are already engaged, so you should naturally follow the virtues of a woman. How can you show your face in public and frolic in the marketplace? It's a wonder my mother spoke up for you. I used to think you were some refined young lady, but now it seems you're just an unruly wild girl!"

"You—" Xiangyun was so angry that she couldn't speak.

Baoqin, noticing something amiss, quickly tugged at Xiangyun's ear and whispered, "This person... could it be Chen Yejun?"

Xiangyun glanced at her sideways, then nodded with a cold face.

Baoqin glanced at the two of them, stepped forward and blocked Xiangyun behind her, tilting her little face up and said, "The Chen family has quite the airs. They're already trying to control people before they've even married into the family? If your own family's conduct is bad, then don't nitpick at others!"

Chen Yejun glanced at Baoqin and reprimanded her, "What business is it of yours if I'm talking to Miss Shi?"

"If the road is uneven, someone will smooth it. You keep criticizing Sister Yun, but do you know that taking a concubine before marriage and favoring the concubine over the wife can be considered a proper family tradition?"

At this moment, the female musician said plaintively, "Jun-ge, don't quarrel. It's all my fault. Jun-ge, you don't need to quarrel with the young mistress for my sake, lest you damage our relationship."

Chen Yejun said, "She almost hurt you just now, which was entirely her fault. I was just giving her a few words of reprimand, but she acted all self-righteous! She really has no manners!"

Xiangyun got angry and shouted, "What I do is none of your business! We already hate each other. If you're so capable, why don't you just call off the engagement?"

Chen Yejun sneered, "You think I wouldn't dare? If it weren't for Lady Baoling's request, I would have broken off the marriage long ago!"

Just then, Xiao Luo was heard saying from afar, "Uncle Yuan, you are right here!"

Xiangyun and Baoqin turned to look and saw Chen Siyuan striding towards them. When he got closer, he looked them over and asked in a low voice, "Are you alright?" Xiangyun shook her head with a wronged expression, while Baoqin complained, "Brother, you've come at the right time. This man is bullying Sister Yun."

Chen Siyuan nodded to Baoqin, then turned to look at Chen Yejun, hastily cupping his hands and saying, "Brother Chen, what are you doing?"

Chen Yejun couldn't lash out, so he just frowned and said, "Miss Shi hurt my wife, so I only gave her a few words of reprimand."

"Wife?" Chen Siyuan seized on the slip of the tongue and feigned surprise, asking, "When did Brother Chen get married?"

Chen Yejun was momentarily speechless, so Chen Siyuan said, "If I remember correctly, Brother Chen and Yun'er only got engaged last year. If you were to marry someone else... I'm afraid it would be unreasonable. Be careful not to get into a lawsuit."

Chen Yejun said, "It was just a slip of the tongue, Brother Chen, why are you making such a fuss about it? Could it be that you're going to stand up for the Shi family's daughter?"

“I brought Yun’er out for a stroll, so of course I have to protect her. Whether it’s the Marquis’s mansion or the Rongguo Mansion, Yun’er has never been treated so unfairly. If Brother Chen doesn’t give an explanation today… I’m afraid it won’t be fair.”

Chen Yejun frowned deeply, while Baoqin added fuel to the fire, saying, "Brother, you don't know, Sister Yun was about to play the arrow-throwing game when these two people suddenly appeared from behind. They were blind and got poked, but instead they started blaming Sister Yun for not having eyes in the back of her head."

Chen Yejun glared at Baoqin and said, "Stop talking nonsense!"

Baoqin immediately hid behind Chen Siyuan with a pitiful look on her face, tugging at his sleeve and saying, "Brother, look, this person is going to be mean to me!"

At this moment, Daiyu, who was standing next to Chen Siyuan, glanced at the woman from the entertainment industry and said, "If I'm not mistaken, this is the woman from the entertainment industry. Since Young Master Chen has found a good match, but he is still dissatisfied with Xiangyun, why not call off the marriage? The rift has already been created. If you force a reconciliation, I'm afraid they will become a resentful couple in the future."

Chen Yejun frowned, and after a long while said, "Never mind, it's just a small matter. Since Prince Zhongshun has invited me, I will take my leave now."

Chen Siyuan smiled and cupped his hands in farewell, saying, "Take care, and don't let me see you off!"

Watching him lead the female musicians away, Chen Siyuan turned to look at Xiangyun. At that moment, Baoqin and Daiyu were talking to Xiangyun, who was also extremely aggrieved and silently weeping.

Chen Siyuan thought to himself, "Could it be that Sister Bao was right? Lady Baoling forced Xiangyun to marry Chen Yejun, all she wanted was Xiangyun's dowry."
Baoqin and Daiyu comforted her for a while, and Chen Siyuan also stepped forward and said, "Sister Yun, don't be angry. Who can say what will happen in the future? Marquis Zhongjing is already dissatisfied with this marriage. When your second uncle returns to the capital, he may have some other plans."

Xiangyun nodded silently.

At this moment, Feng Jie and Ping'er caught up and, seeing Xiangyun sobbing, hurriedly went forward to inquire. Feng Jie was already furious with Jia Lian, and upon hearing what had just happened, she gritted her teeth in anger, saying, "I only regret that I was a step too late, otherwise I would have made that Chen fellow pay!"

After a while, everyone managed to calm Xiangyun down, but their spirits had dampened, and they had no desire to continue sightseeing. Daiyu then suggested that they return as soon as possible, and everyone agreed, so they set off back together.

On the way back, halfway through the journey, as they passed Shaojing Pavilion, Chen Siyuan heard the sounds of string and wind instruments coming from inside. A eunuch then stopped him, flicking his whisk, and asked, "Is this Chen Xiaolian?"

Seeing that the eunuch was unfamiliar, Chen Siyuan couldn't figure out his purpose and simply bowed and replied, "That's right."

The eunuch smiled and said, "My master invites you, Mr. Chen Xiaolian, to move to Shaojing Pavilion."

Chen Siyuan frowned and asked, "May I ask your esteemed prince's name?"

The eunuch proudly declared, "My lord is the Prince of Zhongshun."

Prince Zhongshun? The Jia family's greatest enemy? Why is this person coming to me?

As if sensing Chen Siyuan's doubts, the eunuch said, "My lord has booked Shaojing Pavilion and invited many talented scholars from the capital to hold a poetry gathering for the Lantern Festival. However, halfway through the gathering, there was a lack of excellent poems, which my lord deeply regrets. Upon hearing that Chen Xiaolian has also come to the Lantern Festival, he was overjoyed and sent me to invite Chen Xiaolian to come upstairs for a chat."

Chen Siyuan inwardly scoffed. Prince Zhongshun was even more greedy and despicable than Jia She, and he had never heard of him ever pretentiously trying to appear cultured. This invitation must have some ulterior motive.

However, this person was, after all, a prince, while Chen Siyuan was merely a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations. It was not appropriate for him to directly embarrass him. So he said, "It is my honor to have the prince's favor. However, I am not here alone to enjoy the lantern festival today... May I escort the ladies out of the garden first, and then visit them later?"

The eunuch said, "In that case, Chen Xiaolian should hurry up, lest the prince wait any longer."

Chen Siyuan bowed in agreement, bid farewell to the eunuch, and led Feng Jie, Daiyu, and the others to continue westward.

After walking a short distance, Sister Feng asked with concern, "A night owl doesn't come to the door without a reason. That Prince Zhongshun has always been up to no good. Why did you agree, Brother Yuan?"

Daiyu frowned and said, "Even if he has ill intentions, he is still a prince. How could Brother Yuan dare to shirk his responsibility and offend him for no reason?"

Sister Feng said, "Come quickly and go find Second Master." She then said to Chen Siyuan, "With your second brother by your side, Prince Zhongshun probably won't dare to go too far."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Second Sister-in-law."

Without further ado, Chen Siyuan escorted everyone to Ruyi Residence, intending that since the time was up, it would be better to let Sister Feng lead everyone back to Rongguo Mansion first.

Sister Feng was afraid that something might happen to Chen Siyuan, and Daiyu and Baoqin were also unwilling to leave. Xiangyun, being a loyal friend, refused to leave first.

Chen Siyuan's attempts to persuade them were futile, so he had no choice but to leave the group and head back to Shaojingxuan.

He had only been gone a moment when a servant came back looking for Jia Lian: "Second Madam, we have searched the surrounding area but have not found any trace of Second Master. It seems... it seems he and Aunt Zhang returned to the mansion early."

Sister Feng immediately got angry and said, "Didn't you say you were waiting for us to go back together? This..." This person is more trouble than they're worth!

Daiyu was deeply distressed. After a moment's thought, she asked a servant, "Today, many high-ranking officials and dignitaries have gathered here. I wonder who they are? If anyone in the household knows them, perhaps they can ask for favors and cover it up this time."

Sister Feng realized what was happening and said, "That's right, that's right, tell me quickly who you saw."

The servants and old women recalled and spoke, stammering out names of about ten people, but none of them were close friends. Just as they were at a loss, the servant said, "That's right, I just heard that Prefect Shao of Shuntian Prefecture has also come with his family."

Just as Sister Feng was shaking her head, Daiyu's eyes lit up and she said, "Shao Shibiao?"

Baoqin, observing the situation, quickly asked, "Does Sister Lin know Lord Shao?"

Daiyu said, “Lord Shao was an old friend of my father. When my father was on his deathbed, Lord Shao even sent his nephew from afar to visit him.” After a moment’s thought, Daiyu became more certain and ordered, “Bring me pen and ink.”

Sister Feng also gave an order, and a maidservant hurriedly brought over a brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. Daiyu picked up the brush, wrote a visiting card, blew on the ink to dry it, and handed it to a servant, instructing, "Take this visiting card and deliver it to Lord Shao immediately!"

Having received the instructions, the servant hurriedly took the visiting card and left.

Leaving aside the women in Ruyi Residence who were filled with anxiety, Chen Siyuan moved to Shaojing Pavilion and saw the eunuch waiting at the door.

Upon seeing Chen Siyuan, he couldn't help but smile and say, "So, Chen Xiaolian has indeed arrived. Please come upstairs; Your Highness has been waiting anxiously."

"Easy to say."

The Shaojing Pavilion was divided into three floors. Chen Siyuan followed the eunuch up the steps and soon arrived at the third floor. Inside, he saw light singing and dancing, and the clinking of cups and the revelry of wine and meat—a truly magnificent scene.

A palace attendant approached with a smile and whispered a few words to a middle-aged, plump man in a python robe. The man clapped his hands, and the singing and dancing immediately stopped. The dancers all withdrew, and the Prince of Zhongshun grinned at Chen Siyuan, saying, "Chen Xiaolian has finally arrived. Let's drink three cups first, and we can talk about other things later!"

Chen Siyuan smiled and stepped forward to greet him, then stood up and said with a smile, "How did Your Highness know that this student was thirsty?"

At this moment, Chen Yejun said coldly from the side, "Chen Xiaolian is so eloquent. He has wasted half a day talking. How could he not be thirsty?"

(End of this chapter)