Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 364 The Dawn Moon Startles the Butterfly's Soul

Xiuju leaned closer and said with concern, "I heard it clearly, the young lady shouted several times!"

Yingchun frowned. She was skilled in both the legitimate and illegitimate worlds and was especially good at enduring hardship. She thought it was just a nightmare, but for some reason, she felt lingering fear whenever she recalled the scenes in the dream.

I only learned of Sun Shaozu's name because that man surnamed Sun asked the master for Siqi. Why would I dream that I married this man?

Still shaken, she took a few breaths to calm her wildly beating heart. Looking up, she saw Xiuju standing perfectly fine in front of her, so she took her hand and said, "Perhaps she really is having a nightmare. Stay with me."

Xiuju readily agreed, and Siqi, without suspecting anything, only frowned and said, "Miss is too timid. That man surnamed Sun asked for me, so why are you so frightened? If you ask me, Miss, you don't need to worry about it. Just mention it to Master Yuan, and he will have a way to deal with it."

Siqi was clear-headed. If she could cover it up, she would accompany the second young lady into the family, first as a maidservant, and then, if she had a child, she would naturally become a concubine. As for her official status, Siqi didn't think much about it. She had heard people say that the Yangzhou salt merchant was extremely extravagant, keeping dozens or even hundreds of women in his inner quarters. Although it couldn't be officially recognized, which of the children born to those women went hungry?
Yingchun forced a smile, finished the remaining tea in one gulp, and then let Xiuju help her lie down again. Siqi yawned repeatedly, watched Xiuju watch over Yingchun, and quietly returned to the warm pavilion outside.

Nothing happened that night; it was just a normal nightmare that I would forget about the next day. But when I woke up the next morning, no matter how Siqi and Xiuju tried to wake me, the second young lady just wouldn't wake up.

Siqi reached out and touched Yingchun's forehead, only to find it burning hot. Startled, she hurriedly went to fetch the imperial physician.

Now that Yingchun is in charge of the household affairs, she has to attend to matters at Furen Yude Hall every day at dawn. Siqi invited Physician Wang back and went to Furen Yude Hall. She said to Li Wan, who had arrived earlier, "Madam, our young lady has a persistent high fever. We would like to trouble you to take charge of the household affairs for the next two days."

Li Wan was startled and hurriedly asked, "Why is your fever so high all of a sudden? Did you drink wine and get chilled yesterday?"

Siqi frowned and said, "When the young lady came back, she was wrapped up tightly. She only said a few words to Aunt Zhao before going back to her room. Unfortunately, she had a nightmare that night and developed a high fever by dawn."

Li Wan then asked if the imperial physician had been summoned. Siqi gave a brief answer and then hurriedly led Imperial Physician Wang to Zhuijin Tower.

Li Wan was naturally very worried and pondered how to manage the household affairs. As a widowed woman who was not favored by Lady Wang, she naturally did not want to show her face in public, lest she attract criticism in the future.

Unfortunately, Xia Jingui returned to the Xia family, and now the second young lady is sick, so they had no choice but to force her into the situation.

Unfortunately, Li Wan was a gentle and mild-mannered person, so how could she deal with the cunning servants under her command? The Second Miss usually managed the affairs of the household by listening and asking questions, and only after asking around would she use their help to her advantage. As a result, she forced those cunning servants to accept the difficult tasks with a pinch, feeling bitter and unable to express their grievances, and they could not find fault with the Second Miss on the surface.

Li Wan was someone who understood the situation but couldn't use such methods. In addition, she was deliberately trying to hide her abilities, so she made a mistake during the day.

Around 7 a.m., Madam Wang frowned as she looked at the four large dishes of fish and meat in front of her. She was a devout believer in gods and Buddhas and would eat vegetarian meals for three consecutive days on the first and fifteenth of each month. Today was only the third day, yet the kitchen had sent over a table full of fish and meat. How could Madam Wang not be angry?

Tan Xin and the others were trembling with fear, and they all looked to Yu Chuan for help. Yu Chuan had just received the news, so she came over and said, "Second Miss has a high fever that won't go down. Today, the eldest mistress was in charge of the household affairs, and she may have been too busy to pay attention to it, which is why something went wrong."

Madam Wang immediately changed her mind and asked in surprise, "Second Miss is sick?"

Yu Chuan replied, "She had a nightmare as soon as she got back yesterday. She had a high fever that wouldn't go down when she woke up this morning. Siqi invited Physician Wang to take a look and prescribed a medicine, but he couldn't pry open the Second Miss's teeth and force her to drink the medicine. Everyone in Zhuijin Tower was extremely anxious, and Siqi even went to Qingtang Thatched Cottage to ask Master Yuan for help."

Hearing this, Madam Wang's anger subsided. Chen Siyuan's proposal to marry Yingchun yesterday had greatly surprised her. If there hadn't been a lack of capable people, why would Madam Wang have promoted Yingchun to the position of housekeeper?

He thought that Madam Xing was narrow-minded and that even if she adopted Yingchun, it would only be for show. He would use Yingchun to support himself for two years, and then hand over the housekeeping duties to Xia Jingui after she entered the family.

Who would have thought that at this critical juncture, Yingchun would actually marry Chen Siyuan! Yingchun, Chen Siyuan, Madam Xing, and Jia She—once this marriage is finalized, the four of them will be connected, and with the addition of Feng'er, wouldn't this family fortune be returning to the eldest son's hands?

Unfortunately, marriage is a major event that requires the consent of parents and the words of matchmakers, so even if Madam Wang, as the aunt, was dissatisfied, she could not voice her grievances.

So yesterday, after returning to her room, Madam Wang was furious. Now, hearing that the second young lady was ill, Madam Wang sneered inwardly, thinking that Yingchun was unlucky and unworthy of such a good marriage. She also thought maliciously that it would be better if the second young lady fell seriously ill and the marriage fell through!

As her anger subsided, Madam Wang sighed and instructed, "Alright, go find some snacks and fruits, and tell the head kitchen that they mustn't make this mistake again!"

Tanxin, Yuchuan'er, and the others breathed a sigh of relief and agreed. Tanxin then angrily went to find the main kitchen.

Lady Wang thought for a moment, and it seemed that she still couldn't do without Yingchun. If Yingchun really fell seriously ill and couldn't manage the household affairs, wouldn't the job of managing the household fall into the hands of Sister Feng again?

That won't do! Now that Sister Feng is no longer in charge of the housekeeping job, she can still stand on equal footing with me. If she gets back to the housekeeping job, won't I be sidelined?
Having understood this, Madam Wang said again, "Poor thing, Yuchuan, go to my private treasury and get an old ginseng root to take to Erya. Also, go and ask Physician Wang what illness Erya has."

Yu Chuan felt strange, but agreed on the spot. She then went to the private storehouse to get the ginseng as instructed, and hurriedly went to Zhui Jin Lou.

Yu Chuan walked hurriedly with her head down, and almost bumped into Chen Siyuan just after passing Qin Fang Pavilion.

Yu Chuan'er was startled and stumbled, but Chen Siyuan reached out to support her. Yu Chuan'er quickly said she was annoyed, glanced at Chen Siyuan, then blushed and lowered her eyes.

Chen Siyuan asked, "Are you also going to Zhuijin Tower?"

Yu Chuan'er said, "Madam was worried after receiving the news, so she sent me to deliver an old ginseng to the Second Miss."

Chen Siyuan nodded, raised his hand, and gestured for the two to go together. Yu Chuan hesitated slightly, but ultimately took a step back and followed Chen Siyuan toward Zhuijin Tower.

After crossing the Emerald Smoke Bridge, Yu Chuan'er, seeing that no one was around, suddenly whispered, "Last night, Madam was very angry, and she was in a bad mood this morning... But when she heard that the Second Miss was sick, she calmed down."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "Madam is narrow-minded, so you should be careful. In the future, unless it's something important, you don't need to rush to inform me about trivial matters. If Madam finds out, I'm afraid my sister won't fare well either."

Yu Chuan'er thought of her older sister Jin Chuan'er, her eyes reddening as she said, "If it weren't for Master Yuan's rescue, my sister would have been gone long ago. During my time off, she often mentioned that my parents wanted me to repay their kindness... Master Yuan, don't worry about it. No matter what, Madam has to maintain appearances. Even if she finds out, she can only send me away from the mansion. What else can she do?"

Chen Siyuan paused slightly, turned his head to look at Yu Chuan'er, and sighed inwardly. Although Jin Chuan'er was frivolous, Yu Chuan'er was a good one. Although her appearance was slightly lacking, she was rare in that she always repaid kindness.

Thinking that Yu Chuan'er is now seventeen and will probably leave the manor to get married in less than two years, Chen Siyuan said, "I don't know how I can help you, but after you leave the manor, I'll try to get a marriage contract for you and find you a good family, how about that?"

His two older brothers are still single, so it wouldn't be a disgrace for Yuchuan to marry into them.

Yu Chuan blinked, then blushed and lowered her head, stammering, "It's still a long way off..."

Chen Siyuan laughed twice and said nothing more. In a short while, he and Yuchuan arrived at Zhuijin Tower.

At present, people come and go in Zhuijinlou. Yingchun's illness came on strangely. Even the imperial physician Wang himself was not sure. He could only prescribe a safe prescription and personally supervise Xiuju to decoct the medicine.

Tan Chun, Xi Chun, and Xing Xiuyan arrived first. Because Zhao Guoji had passed away and the room was cramped, Tan Chun had to apologize and leave first. Xi Chun and Bao Qin were young, so Xing Xiuyan pulled the two of them away first.

Afterwards, Xiangyun, Baochai, and Daiyu came to visit. Although they were all very concerned, they were not knowledgeable in medicine and could only worry helplessly.

When Li Wan and Feng Jie arrived, they told her that everyone was making Ying Chun feel suffocated, and then sent all the girls away. Jia Lan had another bout of diarrhea, so Li Wan had to return to Daoxiang Village, leaving only Feng Jie to take care of her.

When Chen Siyuan and Yuchuan arrived, Siqi hurriedly led them upstairs. Yuchuan left the old ginseng, gave a few instructions, and then took her leave. Chen Siyuan then took out the houttuynia cordata extract and had Siqi deliver it to them through the screen.

Feng Jie said, “Since Brother Yuan and Er Ya’s marriage is settled, there’s no need to hide it. Come and take a look.”

Chen Siyuan hesitated for a moment and agreed. He then turned around the screen to look and saw Yingchun lying unconscious on the bed, her face as pale as paper.

Ping'er was using the handle of a spoon to pry open Yingchun's teeth and force-feed her medicine. However, Yingchun seemed unable to swallow; only a small portion went in, while more than half came out.

Chen Siyuan frowned and asked, "It was just a nightmare, how did it turn out like this?"

Sister Feng, who never believed in ghosts and gods, immediately said, "I think it's probably because the steward is exhausted. He also drank wine and caught a cold yesterday, which is why he's fallen ill."

Ping'er wiped the medicine stains off Yingchun's neck with a handkerchief, then turned her head and whispered, "That's hard to say. If she's really sick, why is Physician Wang so vague and unable to give a clear answer? Perhaps... she's been tainted by something. I think it's best to ask a Taoist priest to perform an exorcism."

Wang Xifeng hesitated, unable to think of a rebuttal.

Chen Siyuan hesitated slightly, then nodded and said, "It's better to believe it exists than not to believe it doesn't. I'll send someone to invite a suitable Taoist priest right away."

Just as he was about to turn and leave, he heard a commotion of footsteps downstairs. Before he could even see anyone, Madam Xing cried out, "My poor son, how could he suddenly fall ill and become bedridden!"

As she spoke, the tinkling of her jade pendants rang out as Madam Xing hurried upstairs. Turning the screen, she caught a glimpse of Chen Siyuan, blinked, and then rushed to the bedside. She grabbed Yingchun's hand with heartache, her eyes welling up with tears as she said, "Your hands are so cold, what are we going to do!"

Sister Feng disliked Madam Xing, but Ping'er dared not neglect her. Together with Siqi, who was standing nearby, they briefly recounted Yingchun's strange illness.

Madam Xing, a firm believer in ghosts and spirits, hurriedly said upon hearing this, "Then what are we waiting for? Yuan-ge'er, go and invite the Taoist priest over immediately!" After a pause, she added, "Go to Baiyun Temple. I heard that Zhang Tianshi is traveling and staying at Baiyun Temple. He is extremely skilled. He will surely be able to cure Er-yatou when he arrives!"

Chen Siyuan acknowledged and immediately left Zhuijinlou. After getting to the front, he ordered his horses, led his servant Qingyu, and without even taking any guards, rode straight to Baiyun Temple outside the city.

It is said that Zhang Tianshi of Longhu Mountain came to pray for the old Empress Dowager's recovery from her calamity, as ordered by imperial decree. Chen Siyuan knew about the Zhang family's sordid affairs in his previous life, and although he disliked them, he dared not deny Zhang Tianshi's abilities.

It was only after arriving at Baiyun Temple and scattering several hundred taels of silver that he had the opportunity to meet Zhang Tianshi. However, Zhang Tianshi was never short of money. After asking Chen Siyuan a few questions, he sent a high-ranking priest from Longhu Mountain to accompany him and gave him a talisman.

Chen Siyuan cursed inwardly, but still respectfully invited the old master to go to the Rongguo Mansion together.

Without further ado, at the hour of Shen (3-5 PM) that day, Chen Siyuan invited people into the garden. At this time, the news of Yingchun's strange illness had alarmed even Grandmother Jia, and even Lady You from the East Mansion came to see what was going on.

When Chen Siyuan led Gao Gong into the garden, he saw a group of novices chanting sutras near Zilingzhou.

As Yingchun's stepmother, Madam Xing always had to maintain a facade in public and private, so she was constantly busy welcoming and seeing off guests. Seeing Chen Siyuan return with his entourage, she hurriedly said, "Why did you take so long? The old lady saw that Erya was not well, so she quickly went to Nengren Temple to invite a high monk to perform a ritual."

Chen Siyuan briefly introduced the high-ranking officer beside him, then frowned and asked, "How is Second Sister?"

Madam Xing was extremely worried and said, "She has been unconscious and just had a seizure. It was truly terrifying!"

Chen Siyuan was at a loss and hurriedly looked at the high priest beside him. The high priest stroked his beard and made some calculations, saying, "Don't panic, believer. I believe this is a case of soul separation." As he spoke, he mumbled something in his sleeve and found two talismans, saying, "These are soul-collecting talismans. Stick one on the head of the bed and burn the other at the door. Then have someone close to the person in question call their name. In less than 15 minutes, the person in question will be completely recovered."

Chen Siyuan took the talisman and thought to himself... Was it really that hasty?

Although they had doubts, they dared not be negligent. One talisman was pasted on the head of the second sister Yingchun's bed, and another was burned by the high priest in front of the door. Then, everyone took turns going to Yingchun to call back her soul.

Not wanting to be outdone, Madam Xing was the first to try and call back Yingchun's soul. However, after calling for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Yingchun still hadn't woken up. Feeling embarrassed, she had no choice but to leave.

Afterwards, Tan Chun and Xi Chun returned, Bao Chai, Bao Qin, Dai Yu, Xiang Yun, Xing Xiu Yan, and even Bao Yu all went forward to call back the soul, but to no avail.

Then an old woman muttered that the old high priest of Longhu Mountain was just bluffing.

Unexpectedly, the old master serving tea at the front said, "Only the closest person can be of use."

When this was relayed back, Grandmother Jia also called out to her. Then Jia She, Jia Lian, Feng Jie, Li Wan, Siqi, and Xiuju all tried to wake the Second Miss, but to no avail.

Just when they were at their wits' end, Madam Xing suddenly became clever and said, "Oh dear, Second Sister and Yuan-ge'er are engaged. What in the world is closer than husband and wife? Where is Yuan-ge'er? Quickly call Yuan-ge'er here!"

When Grandmother Jia heard this, she thought it made sense and quickly sent Yuanyang to invite Chen Siyuan. Chen Siyuan was anxiously waiting in the servants' quarters downstairs at that moment, and when he received the news, he hurried upstairs.

Because no one else was allowed to stay inside during the soul-calling ceremony, only Chen Siyuan stayed by Yingchun's bedside.

Seeing his second sister's face as pale as paper, Chen Siyuan was filled with mixed feelings. He couldn't help but sigh sadly, reached out and grasped Yingchun's cool and plump hand, and rubbed it, saying, "Second sister, please wake up. If you don't wake up, how can I find a matchmaker to propose marriage?"
I know my second sister has had a hard time these past years. After I get married, I will definitely treat her well and never let her suffer.

He paused, noticing Yingchun's eyes darting around but unable to open. Chen Siyuan sensed an opportunity and quickly grasped her soft hand, saying gently, "That birthday gift yesterday took me a lot of thought. If you like it, Second Sister, how about I give you something extraordinary every year?"

Remembering Siqi's earlier rambling about Yingchun's dream of Sun Shaozu, Chen Siyuan relaxed and said, "If you don't wake up, won't you have to marry Sun Shaozu in the future?"

No sooner had she finished speaking than Yingchun suddenly stood up: "No!"

After shouting, he gasped for breath and struggled to pull his hand away, but stopped struggling when he saw that it was Chen Siyuan holding his hand.

Yingchun stared intently at Chen Siyuan, then suddenly her eyes reddened, and she burst into tears. She threw herself into Chen Siyuan's arms, sobbing, "I...I'd rather die than marry Sun Shaozu!"

Chen Siyuan patted Yingchun's back repeatedly, comforting her, "It was just a nightmare, but you took it to heart. We've already crossed the line, how could I let you marry someone surnamed Sun?"

Chen Siyuan narrowed his eyes secretly. After today's experience, he was increasingly skeptical of ghosts and gods. Recalling Yingchun's fate in the book, and Siqi's complaint that Sun Shaozu coveted her body, he immediately hated the man surnamed Sun and was just waiting for the right opportunity to give him a good beating!
Yingchun sobbed uncontrollably, but her emotions calmed down in Chen Siyuan's arms. After a while, she gently pushed Chen Siyuan away and said shyly, "I, I dreamed that... I married someone else and was abused to death... My family, my family doesn't care about me."

Chen Siyuan felt a pang of pity and hugged Yingchun tightly, saying, "Second sister, don't worry, no one else cares, but I will take care of you."

Yingchun then leaned on Chen Siyuan's shoulder and nodded, choking back tears.

Siqi was waiting for news at the top of the stairs. She vaguely heard her young lady's voice and quietly came upstairs to look around through the screen. Seeing the two of them embracing for a while, she finally spoke up and said, "Master Yuan, has my young lady woken up?"

The two quickly separated. Chen Siyuan straightened his clothes and then said to Siqi, "She's awake. Go tell the old lady quickly."

Siqi happily agreed and rushed downstairs to announce the good news, which I won't go into further detail about.

(End of this chapter)