Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 373 Silver
Upon hearing this, Chen Siyuan respectfully replied, "Teacher, please allow me to view the map."

Liao Shiwei nodded and led Chen Siyuan to the table. Chen Siyuan looked down and saw that it was a map of Guangnan, Annam, Burma and other places.

Chen Siyuan pondered for a moment and said, "Burma is newly established and has been at war for more than ten years, causing great harm to its neighboring countries. I have heard that Burma intends to destroy Siam this time, but I wonder how the war is going?"

Liao Shiwei frowned and stroked his beard, saying, "Siam has suffered repeated defeats and has sent envoys to ask for help time and time again... Shu Liang also knows that in recent years our dynasty has been busy with the war in the northwest and has no strength to deal with the war in the southwest. We thought that we should wait until the northwest was pacified before we could send troops south. Who knew that we would be caught in the middle of an empty treasury and insufficient funds, and that the small country of Burma would take advantage of the situation to ravage its neighbors... Last month, a Siamese envoy cried out that if our dynasty did not send troops to help, I'm afraid Siam would not be able to continue."

Chen Siyuan wondered if Siam was about to perish.
Liao Shiwei waited for a long time before Chen Siyuan spoke: "When the previous dynasty fell, many people went to Southeast Asia to escape the war. I heard from the ship owners that in prosperous places like Siam and Batavia, the refugees from Guangdong and Fujian accounted for two or three out of ten. In order to prevent our people from becoming too powerful, the Western barbarians committed many massacres."

Burma's rebirth is like the rising sun, while Siam's is like the setting sun. Our dynasty should learn from the mistakes of the Ming dynasty and must never put itself in danger for the sake of another country.

Liao Shiwei couldn't help but nod and said, "Indeed, the court is in turmoil, with officials holding differing opinions, yet there are those like Shuliang who worry that our dynasty will repeat the mistakes of the Ming dynasty."

Chen Siyuan had roughly figured out Liao Shiwei's thinking. To put it bluntly, if it weren't for his cousin Liao Shijie's position as governor of the southwest, this cheap teacher probably wouldn't care about the war in the southwest at all. As the vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and with the funds now scarce, he was more than willing to start a war.

Having clarified his thoughts, Chen Siyuan's subsequent explanation flowed much more smoothly. He began, "All the small and powerful foreign nations admire the wealth and prosperity of our Celestial Empire. When Annam was newly established, it also frequently launched northward invasions. However, Burma is different from Annam. Firstly, Annam has always considered itself a mini-China, while Burma is far removed from our China. Secondly, our dynasty is separated from Burma by the Ten Thousand Mountains. The supply of food and the miasma alone pose obstacles. Even if our heavenly army had ten parts of skill, I'm afraid it could only use five parts of it."

“Indeed, my brother said the same thing before he left the capital. The disadvantage of the war in the southwest lies in the terrain, not in our dynasty. Most of the Burmese soldiers are mountain people, and they have many connections with our dynasty’s chieftains. It’s really impossible to guard against them.” Liao Shiwei sighed.

Chen Siyuan then said, “Our dynasty has just acquired the Western Regions, and we still need to station heavy troops in the northeast beyond the Great Wall. These countries are far away, separated by thousands of mountains and rivers, and I am afraid they will be difficult to conquer. Therefore, this war is to establish our prestige, not to destroy other countries.”

Therefore, the students believed that they could utilize the capabilities of our dynasty's navy to implement a strategy of defending the north and attacking the south.

As he spoke, he pointed along the coastline and said, “Teacher, please look. A naval force is stationed on Zheng He Island to defend against attacks from Western pirates. Our dynasty can mobilize the naval forces of Guangdong and Guangxi to land troops here. Those Burmese wolves are ambitious and determined to destroy Siam. Burma and Siam have very different languages ​​and customs. How can the wise men of Siam allow Burma to ride roughshod over them?”
Our army only needs to launch raids along the Siamese coast to harass the Burmese garrison, making it difficult for them to defend both ends. If Burma mobilizes its forces, our southwestern situation will be resolved; if Burma ignores the threat, Siam will be liberated, and our dynasty can then send Siamese troops into Burma to carry out revenge.

Looking up, Chen Siyuan saw Liao Shiwei stroking his beard in thought, and he swallowed the rest of his words. Whether Liao Shiwei took him as a disciple out of appreciation for his talent or for some other purpose, Chen Siyuan did not yet know. For now, he only regarded him as a superior.

As someone in a superior position, one should naturally speak in a flattering manner. Having thoroughly analyzed the pros and cons and provided a solution, the crucial finishing touches should then be left to the superior to articulate themselves.

Sure enough, Liao Shiwei's brows relaxed, and he pointed at Annam, saying, "Annam is divided between the north and the south. I've heard that while Burma is expanding eastward, both sides have also sent troops to invade and occupy a lot of neighboring territory. If our dynasty offers them benefits, we can drive Annam and our army to attack from the east and west, which will surely make Burma unable to attend to both sides."

Chen Siyuan feigned sudden realization and said, "That's right, I had forgotten about Annam. It is the teacher's keen insight that has led me to this conclusion."

Before he could finish speaking, Liao Shiwei immediately raised his eyes and gave Chen Siyuan a meaningful look, then sneered, "Shuliang can leave such flattery to the Sage in the future. There's no need for us, master and disciple, to test each other like this."

Chen Siyuan's face stiffened, and he cupped his hands and said, "This student is ashamed."

Liao Shiwei was not offended. He smiled and waved his hand to signal Chen Siyuan to sit down. He stroked his beard and said, "The Prince of Nan'an once submitted a memorial, requesting a detachment of troops from the capital garrison to carry out a strategy of luring the enemy deep into our territory. This would surely ensure that the Burmese troops would not return."

Chen Siyuan immediately frowned and said, "I'm afraid the Prince of Nan'an is just being wishful... As far as I know, Burma has been established for over ten years and has fought against the British repeatedly. They received weapons from the Portuguese, and their regular soldiers are mostly equipped with flintlock muskets. On the other hand, our army, the Nine Garrisons and the Capital Garrison are equipped with flintlock muskets, while the rest of the troops still use matchlock muskets. We are not at an advantage in a fight."

Seeing Liao Shiwei smile without saying a word, Chen Siyuan immediately realized what was going on and cupped his hands, saying, "This student has spoken presumptuously."

Liao Shiwei laughed and said, "Burma is such a small country, yet it dares to invade our Celestial Empire. We must win this battle, but how to win... that depends entirely on Your Majesty's decision."

Having lived two lives, Chen Siyuan was not a bookworm who only studied books. Recalling the news in the official gazette a while ago that the four princes and eight dukes were calling for war against Burma and recommending the Prince of Nan'an as commander-in-chief, but the emperor had previously appointed Liao Shijie as the governor of Yunnan and Guizhou, he knew that this war... was probably the emperor's intention to weaken the power of the princes.

Before His Majesty ascended the throne, the Jia family was known as "Half of the Dynasty." After more than a decade of suppression, the Jia family's East and West mansions have lost their former glory. Now, they are turning their attention to the other four princes and six dukes? I'm afraid that if the Prince of Nan'an suffers a defeat, His Majesty will find a pretext to take action.

As for the Jia family, they were nothing but bones in a tomb, and the Emperor decided to leave them for last before dealing with them.

Chen Siyuan vaguely remembered that in his previous life, the Qing Dynasty and Burma fought back and forth at the same time, seemingly several times. Later, when they could no longer continue fighting, the Qing Dynasty shamelessly claimed victory and then advanced into southern Yunnan...

If this great dynasty were to adopt the strategy of defending the north and attacking the south, the war would likely drag on for two or three years... Fortunately, with this two or three-year buffer, I can make arrangements at my own pace and at least protect a few more girls, right?

As the situation had become clear, Chen Siyuan observed Liao Shiwei's expression and knew that he had passed this hurdle. Relieved, he then began to think about his personal matters.

As expected, Liao Shiwei, after testing Chen Siyuan's studies with a pleasant expression, asked with satisfaction, "Shuliang is over the age of 12 and is now of marriageable age. I wonder if you have settled down and are ready to marry?"

The main event was about to begin, and Chen Siyuan immediately said, "Teacher, you may not know, but my late father had a past relationship with the late Salt Commissioner Lin. When Salt Commissioner Lin was seriously ill, he sent me a letter arranging for me to marry his daughter and be adopted into his family."

"Oh?" Liao Shiwei frowned immediately. Nowadays, the practice of marrying into another family is prevalent, and such lawsuits are rampant in the countryside. This practice of marrying into the woman's family is no different from marrying into the man's family, and it is really damaging to one's reputation if word gets out.

Chen Siyuan hurriedly added, "It was only by chance that I received the letter after the salt commissioner Lin had already passed away. I had no choice but to rush to the capital and stay at the Rongguo Mansion. Then I asked the Jia family to arrange this marriage. In the end, it was decided that the daughter of the salt commissioner Lin would inherit the Lin family line, and I could marry another wife."

Liao Shiwei's expression softened slightly, and he nodded, saying, "That's fine. Lin Ruhai is a close minister of the emperor. You protect the orphaned girl of the Lin family and ensure that the Lin family line continues. You will have an opportunity in the future."

“Yes,” Chen Siyuan obediently replied, and then said, “Teacher also knows that my aunt is General Jia’s second wife. I have been living in Rongguo Mansion for three years, and recently, with my aunt’s help, I intend to get together with the second daughter of the Jia family.”

Liao Shiwei remained silent, only looking at Chen Siyuan with amusement.

Chen Siyuan felt uneasy but did not show it on his face. After a while, Liao Shiwei said, "That's good. You are already engaged to the orphan of the Lin family, so you don't need any other help."

Chen Siyuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, then raised his head with difficulty: "As you know, teacher, the Jia family is a prominent and wealthy household, and ordinary matchmakers may find it difficult to visit them. I am at a loss as to who can come and propose marriage... This..."

Liao Shiwei laughed and said, "What's so difficult about that? Once an auspicious day is chosen, we can have your teacher's wife come and put in a good word for you."

Chen Siyuan was overjoyed! Liao Shiwei was a vice minister of the third rank, and his teacher's wife was a lady of the third rank. With him coming to propose marriage, there would be no problem.

The master and apprentice were enjoying themselves immensely. Liao Shiwei invited Chen Siyuan to have lunch with him and also invited his wife, Hou, to join them.

Chen Siyuan then learned that his teacher's wife came from the Hou family of Jiading, a prominent family in Jiangnan that had lasted for two dynasties. During the meal, Liao Shiwei mentioned the matter of matchmaking, and the Hou family readily agreed with a smile, showing great eagerness in their conversation.

Chen Siyuan felt much more at ease and unconsciously drank a few more cups of wine. He stayed in the guest room for a short rest, feeling slightly tipsy, before bidding farewell to his teacher and leisurely leaving the Liao residence.

As the saying goes, "A happy occasion makes one feel refreshed," and Chen Siyuan was initially just feeling tipsy, but when he stepped outside and was met with a gust of wind, his head immediately began to throb with pain. After returning to his thatched hut, he drank some hangover soup and went to bed to rest. He didn't know how many years the chrysanthemum tea he had drunk during the day had been sitting there, but Chen Siyuan felt dizzy and lightheaded, and before he knew it, he had fallen into a deep sleep.

Xiangling, Hongyu, and Wu'er were naturally very worried, as they had never seen Chen Siyuan so drunk before. So the three of them took turns looking after him, which goes without saying.

Just as Xiangling was taking care of Chen Siyuan, she heard a slight commotion outside. Soon after, Hongyu led Fengjie and Ping'er inside. Hongyu said, "It's unfortunate. My master went to pay respects to his master today. He drank a few too many cups at the banquet and went to bed as soon as he got back."

These past few days, Sister Feng had been completely focused on Jia Rong, even neglecting her battles of wits with Lady Wang, and naturally had no time to pay attention to what was happening in the Grand View Garden. Upon hearing that Chen Siyuan had become an apprentice, Sister Feng immediately asked with surprise, "Oh dear, Brother Yuan has become an apprentice? I wonder which great scholar he has chosen as his teacher?"

Hongyu smiled and said, "I heard from the master that he is Liao, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue."

Sister Feng immediately exclaimed, "The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue is a high-ranking official of the third rank! Liao Shiwei... seems to have a cousin who was recently appointed as the Governor-General of Yunnan and Guizhou?"

Hongyu smiled and said with narrowed eyes, "I don't know, the old man never mentioned it."

Feng Jie sat down on her own, glancing inside through the beaded curtain. Xiang Ling, who was wiping Chen Siyuan's forehead, quickly got up and gave a curtsy with a smile. The bed curtains were drawn, obscuring the view inside, but the faint sound of snoring could be heard.

Sister Feng nodded to Xiangling, then turned to Hongyu and said with a smile, "I always said Brother Yuan is a lucky man. Don't underestimate a third-rank official; age is what matters. I vaguely remember that Lord Liao was only forty years old? He is already a high-ranking official of the third rank. Who knows if he won't become prime minister one day?"

After a pause, he said to Ping'er beside him, "Everyone outside says that a woman's marriage is like a second reincarnation, but they don't know that it's the same for a scholar to become a disciple. Everyone says that the Grand Secretaries are noble and powerful, but they don't know that the Grand Secretaries in the Inner Cabinet are also divided into different ranks."

Besides, the Grand Secretary is above the Emperor. If the Grand Secretary ever offends the Emperor, his disciples might also suffer. This third-rank Vice Minister is much better; it's an important position in the Ministry of Revenue. If Brother Yuan passes the imperial examination in the future, he will surely receive the Grand Secretary's favor.”

Hongyu said with a smile, "Second Madam is so knowledgeable. I'm only happy for Master, I didn't think about anything else."

Sister Feng smiled and glanced at Hongyu, teasingly saying, "You are a lucky person." Turning to Ping'er, she said, "What's that saying again? Truly, a person with good fortune doesn't need to ask for anything."

Ping'er nodded with a smile and exclaimed, "You don't know, our grandmother often laments that if she had spoken wrongly, it would have been too late, and she would have always wanted to have you by her side. Now that she knows you're doing well, she can't interfere anymore."

Sister Feng had already praised Hongyu, and even Hongyu blushed at this moment. She quickly served tea and said with a smile, "Second Madam, Miss Ping'er, please stop praising me. I don't know what to say. Second Madam, please have some tea."

Sister Feng took a sip with a smile. Seeing that she was rambling on and not in a hurry to leave, Hongyu knew that she had something to discuss with Chen Siyuan. After a moment's thought, Hongyu said, "Master is drunk and probably won't wake up for a while. If you can tell me about Madam's matter, you might as well tell me?"

Sister Feng's smile widened, and she said, "I've heard that Brother Yuan has created a miraculous medicine that can cure persistent high fever and festering wounds?"

Seeing Hongyu nod, Ping'er said, "Our grandma came to ask Uncle Yuan for medicine... When Uncle Rong from the East Mansion was on his way back, he accidentally injured his arm. It was just a small cut, and he just wrapped it up haphazardly and didn't think much of it. But when we took off the gauze, we found that the wound inside had become festering and inflamed, and he has been having a high fever on and off."

Hongyu had already received Chen Siyuan's instructions to ask relatives and even stewards for medicine, simply to build good relationships. So she smiled and said, "I see. Then please wait a moment, Second Madam. I'll fetch two bottles first. If it's not enough, Second Madam can just send someone to get more." Fengjie smiled and agreed, watching Hongyu go to the study. After a while, she returned with two glass bottles sealed with latex stoppers, filled with a yellowish-brown liquid.

Ping'er took the medicine bottle, and Feng Jie chatted briefly with Hong Yu. Remembering Jia Rong's injury, she then got up and left. The two, mistress and servant, left the thatched cottage and entered the Huifang Garden of Ningguo Mansion through the east corner gate.

A servant from the Ningguo Mansion came to greet her, but Sister Feng waved her hand and, without needing the servant to lead the way, simply led Ping'er forward.

On the way, Ping'er whispered, "Grandma, Master Yuan has found a vice minister to be his teacher. I expect that even if he doesn't pass the imperial examination next year, he will surely succeed the year after."

Feng Jie was somewhat confused. As the saying goes, comparisons are odious. Jia Lian was ten years older than Chen Siyuan, but he had accomplished nothing and did nothing but do trivial things every day.

When Feng Jie made a scene after Jia Lian secretly married Zhang Jinge, he thought that taking a concubine would finally bring him peace. However, Zhang Jinge was extremely headstrong and acted more properly than Feng Jie, which annoyed Jia Lian greatly. From then on, Jia Lian continued to frequent brothels and seduce the wives of the women in the east and west mansions.

Yesterday, because of Jia Rong's matter, the couple finally managed to share a bed, but Feng Jie, recalling past events, gave Jia Lian a very unfriendly look. Jia Lian, whose temper had grown increasingly bad, grabbed his pillow and went to the front study after only a few words.

Feng Jie was so angry that she wept. Thinking of Jia Rong's injury, she sent Ping'er earlier that morning to ask Jia Lian to beg Chen Siyuan for medicine. But before dawn, Jia Lian and Jia Heng had disappeared without a trace.

Left with no other choice, Sister Feng had to go and ask Chen Siyuan for help herself and Ping'er.

While Feng Jie was inwardly complaining, she remembered what Chen Siyuan had said earlier about offspring, and immediately gritted her teeth and her face turned frosty.

Ping'er, observing the situation, realized that her words had offended Feng Jie, and immediately became embarrassed and dared not speak again.

After leaving Huifang Garden, Sister Feng finally came to her senses and said, "Everyone has their own destiny. Brother Yuan is exceptionally talented, so it's only natural that he's favored by high-ranking officials. If we keep in touch, we might be able to ask Brother Yuan for help someday."

Ping'er breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "Ever since Master Yuan entered the Rongguo Mansion, Grandma has taken good care of him. When Master Yuan becomes successful in the future, he will definitely repay Grandma for her care."

Feng Jie smiled without saying a word. In no time, she arrived in front of Jia Rong's courtyard. She looked up and saw old women rushing back and forth. Feng Jie called one of them over and asked her what was wrong. The old woman said that Jia Rong had a high fever again and that even the imperial physicians in the palace were helpless.

The master and servant exchanged a glance, then said nothing more and hurried inside. They ordered the imperial physician to administer medicine to the unconscious Jia Rong, and only returned to the Rongguo Mansion when the fever gradually subsided as night fell.

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

The next day, Chen Siyuan woke up early as dawn broke. Perhaps because he had slept well, Chen Siyuan felt full of energy. Seeing that Xiangling was the only one beside him, he couldn't help but feel a surge of passion and pulled her into his arms for a few light and flirtatious moments.

Xiangling gradually woke up in a daze and saw that it was Chen Siyuan who was causing the trouble. She scolded him a few times and then went along with his actions.

Last night, Liu Wu'er stayed in the warm pavilion. Since she and her sister-in-law were mother and daughter, the task of fetching the food box usually fell to Wu'er. It was almost dawn, and Liu Wu'er was about to wake up when she vaguely heard moans coming from the bed. Opening her eyes, she saw a small foot peeking out from under the covers. Liu Wu'er blinked before realizing what was happening inside, and blushed deeply. She covered herself again and peeked out.

Meanwhile, Hongyu was always worried about Chen Siyuan. Early in the morning, she sent Yunxiang to the small kitchen to order a bowl of hangover soup to be made. Then she ordered the maids to sweep and clean the place.

As dawn approached, Hongyu noticed that there was still no movement from the main room, which greatly surprised her. She thought to herself, "Xiangling is looking after her master, so it's understandable that she gets up a little late. Why hasn't Wu'er gotten up yet?"

Hongyu, puzzled, quietly went to the main room. Pushing open the door and going around the screen, she suddenly heard erotic sounds coming from inside. After glancing through the beaded curtain, Hongyu blushed and cursed inwardly, thinking to herself that Wu'er always seemed so pretentious, but she had actually been seduced by the master and was now mingling with Xiangling.

Hongyu quickly and quietly withdrew, instructing the maidservant that Chen Siyuan was still drunk and unable to get up, and that Xiangling and Wu'er were still taking care of him. She then went to the small kitchen to fetch a food box.

It wasn't until half past 5 a.m. that the main room door opened, and Xiangling stepped out, looking radiant.

Upon arriving at the west wing and seeing Hongyu's teasing expression, Xiangling blushed and said, "Master just woke up and said he was hungry. He asked if the food box had been retrieved?"

Hongyu immediately joked, "I wonder what kind of wine the master drank yesterday. He slept for seven or eight hours and didn't even practice his stance training."

Xiangling refused to comply and went up to play with Hongyu for a while before picking up the food box that was on the smoker and turning back.

In the main room, Wu'er, being weak and exhausted from the beating, was lying on the bed catching her breath. Chen Siyuan, feeling refreshed, had changed his clothes and was pondering his next move.

This marriage is a major event, and we are currently short of a lot of money. I'm afraid it will be difficult to get through to Prince Yanping, and even if we borrow some, we won't be able to get much. On the contrary, the Xue family has a large amount of silver notes in their own possession. It would be better to talk to Aunt Xue and ask her to lend out 30,000 taels first, and then repay it in installments over the years.

Therefore, I must visit Aunt Xue today. Also, last time I said I would reply to Prince Yanping in three days, but Chen Siyuan deliberately delayed for a few days. However, Prince Yanping did not send anyone to urge me. Chen Siyuan knew that he could not be too pretentious, so he had no choice but to visit her today to offer his advice.

As for the business of making houttuynia cordata extract, the prescription has already been given, but I don't know how well that eunuch Ding Daolong is handling it.

After some thought, Xiangling carried the food box inside. She first helped Chen Siyuan tie his hair, then fetched water for him to wash up, before spreading out the food box to serve him his meal.

Liu Wu'er caught her breath and struggled to her feet. Chen Siyuan then instructed, "It's getting late, you should all go and have breakfast. I have hands and feet of my own, why do I need so many people to wait on me?"

Xiangling and Wu'er agreed, and then turned around and let Hongyu go inside to serve them.

Hongyu kept pouting while serving him, her face feigning resentment and reproach. Chen Siyuan coaxed and comforted her with a laugh, then pulled her over and made a slight, flirtatious move, which made Hongyu laugh and let the matter drop.

Hongyu was always perceptive, neither blindly obedient nor prone to tantrums. Her occasional jealousy only made Chen Siyuan love her even more.

After breakfast, Chen Siyuan said, "You've been going to Zhuijin Tower a lot lately, are you determined to go to Second Sister's place?"

Hongyu spoke the truth: "I thought Miss Lin's place would be a good place, but who knew the old lady would send Yuanyang here. Now that she's here, where am I supposed to stay?"

After pondering for a moment, Chen Siyuan revealed his intentions, saying, "Siqi is likely to leave the manor soon. If you are interested, I will have my second sister transfer you to Zhuijin Tower."

Siqi is leaving? Although she didn't know the reason, Hongyu was overjoyed. But after hearing Chen Siyuan's next words, she immediately frowned and said, "Master is talking nonsense again. If I leave, won't there be fewer people to serve you in your room?"

Getting close to the second young lady is important, but we can't leave any opportunities for other women to take advantage of.

Chen Siyuan then laughed and said, "I also have Xiangling and Wu'er with me."

Hongyu frowned and said, "Xiangling doesn't care about anything and spends all her time going to Xiaoxiang Pavilion to learn how to write poetry; Wu'er is already delicate and doesn't even dare to scold the maids. How can these two manage anything?"

Chen Siyuan thought about it and agreed, saying, "If all else fails, I can have Qingwen come over."

Hongyu blinked and immediately fell silent. Qingwen was Chen Siyuan's darling, and Hongyu knew that she was not as beautiful as Qingwen. Moreover, Qingwen was spoiled and arrogant. With her watching over her, no other girl could get close to the master.

Hongyu smiled and said, "If that's the case, I'll follow your orders, Master."

Chen Siyuan nodded and said, "Siqi's departure from the mansion isn't something that will happen in just a few days. Let's wait until things are settled before discussing it further."

Hongyu nodded in agreement, and then recounted how Fengjie had come to ask for houttuynia cordata extract while she was sound asleep the previous day.

Chen Siyuan was greatly surprised to hear this and asked, "Could it be that Brother Zhen has resorted to family discipline again?" He then immediately denied it, saying, "No, even if he was beaten, the wound wouldn't get infected so quickly... What trouble did Jia Rong get into in the south?"

Hongyu, observing the situation, immediately suggested cautiously, "There are no secrets in the world. Why don't we let Yunxiang listen in? I don't know how that girl became familiar with the maids at Huifang Garden, and she often goes there to play."

Chen Siyuan was stunned. He thought to himself that Yunxiang was simply a born spy. Her ability to get along with everyone was something that most people could only dream of.

Nodding in agreement, Chen Siyuan drank a cup of almond tea, changed his clothes, gave some instructions, and left on his own. He was going to the Xue family's old residence to see Aunt Xue that day, so he asked his servant Qingyu to accompany him. He also borrowed horses from ahead and traveled at least to the vicinity of Nengren Temple. There, he found a shop selling southern goods and spent 350 taels of silver to buy a pound of top-quality bird's nest before turning back to the Xue family's old residence outside the city.

Without further ado, at 1:45 AM, they arrived at the Xue family's old residence. Since everyone already knew about Chen Siyuan and Baochai's affair, and because Xue Pan's sudden death had delayed things, although the Xue family's servants were very attentive, they dared not call him "son-in-law" directly. Immediately, an old woman shouted, "Master Yuan has arrived!" and went straight inside to report.

When Chen Siyuan arrived at the hanging flower gate, Tongxi was already waiting behind the gate, leading Chen Siyuan to the main hall.

A short while later, Chen Siyuan walked around the screen and came in, but he did not see Aunt Xue sitting in the hall. He also heard the sound of retching coming from the west side room. He couldn’t help but move over to see what was going on. He saw Tong Gui holding a spittoon, and Aunt Xue was dry heaving.

Chen Siyuan was caught in a dilemma, unsure whether to advance or retreat. After a while, Aunt Xue stopped gagging, popped a candied apricot into her mouth, and waved her hand, saying, "You all keep watch at the door, I want to say a few words to Yuan-ge'er."

Tongxi and Tonggui bowed their heads in agreement, then silently withdrew into the side room, indeed guarding the main entrance to prevent anyone from disturbing them.

Chen Siyuan moved closer, seemingly wanting to speak but then hesitated. Aunt Xue rolled her eyes at him and said, "It's impossible to hide it anyway, so what are you so afraid of now?"

(End of this chapter)