Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 376 The Mourning Sound Locks the Crimson Strings

The smile on Madam You's face vanished in an instant. Yingchun blinked, wondering if she had simply misread it.

Grandmother Jia, sitting on the soft couch, spoke again, saying, "Zhen's wife is still a bit too young. Both households should keep an experienced and prudent person to look after her." After a moment's thought, she added, "I think it would be better to invite the concubine back."

Grandmother Jia was very thoughtful. Although Lady You, as the second wife, nominally managed the Ningguo Mansion, she was only really capable of managing her own eastern courtyard. The remaining affairs were either distributed among the wives in the inner courtyard or entrusted to Lai Sheng in the outer courtyard. Sometimes, those in charge would bypass Lady You, the mistress, and pass the word directly to Jia Zhen. Frankly, Lady You was just a figurehead; Grandmother Jia truly didn't trust her with the affairs of both mansions.

Besides, Lady You wasn't much older than Sister Feng, so if Aunt Xue came back, she could at least keep an eye on Baoyu and the others, and prevent Baoyu from causing trouble when they attended the memorial service.

Upon hearing this, everyone agreed that it made sense, except for Madam You, who frowned slightly and was displeased. However, she had no say in such matters and could only follow the instructions of Grandmother Jia.

With everything settled, everyone dispersed. At this point, forgetting that it was the Second Miss who was in charge, Sister Feng personally took charge, taking down the large red lanterns throughout the mansion and opening the storeroom to prepare for setting up the sacrificial tent. The Second Miss, Yingchun, had never handled such an important event before, so she could only stay by Sister Feng's side and help out.

Madam Xing accompanied Madam You to the Ningguo Mansion, where they had a private chat before returning through the east gate of the Grand View Garden. Passing by the Qingtang Thatched Cottage, Madam Xing naturally stopped to visit Chen Siyuan.

"Luckily, the engagement was placed yesterday, otherwise the marriage would have been delayed for a year." After sitting down, Madam Xing sighed and then said to Chen Siyuan, "That day, the second branch of the family hosted a banquet for Madam Zhen. I left first and didn't know what happened afterward. Zhen's wife stayed until the end. I just heard Zhen's wife say that it seems the second branch of the family intends for Baoyu to marry the third daughter of the Zhen family."

Zhen Yixiu? Chen Siyuan had only heard of this woman by name but never seen her in person. Tan Chun had seen her that day and said she was bright and elegant, which made Bao Yu very fond of her.

Chen Siyuan gave a wink, and Hongyu pulled Miao'er down to make knots. After everyone left, he said, "With the Dowager Princess gone, no matter what Madam wants, there's no hope left."

Madam Xing was taken aback and said, "How could that be? Although the Dowager Princess has passed away, Zhen Yingjia is still the Imperial Textile Commissioner of Jinling, and the Zhen family is considered a prominent and wealthy family. How could the second branch of the family look down on him?"

Chen Siyuan curled his lip and said, "The Zhen family has always been arrogant and domineering in Jinling, indulging in extravagant spending. It's only because the current emperor is benevolent and respectful to the Dowager Empress that he hasn't punished the Zhen family. Now that the Dowager Empress is gone, just wait and see, the Zhen family will surely be defeated in two or three years!"

Madam Xing was skeptical, but Chen Siyuan didn't explain further. As the saying goes, "A new emperor brings a new court." The Zhen family had enjoyed decades of glory during the reign of the previous emperor. If the Zhen family were wise, they should have kept a low profile after the current emperor ascended the throne. Unfortunately, the Zhen family lacked the foresight, or perhaps they were arrogant and complacent, believing that with the previous emperor's protection, the current emperor wouldn't dare to target them.

Such reckless behavior inevitably leads to the confiscation of property and property.
The Zhen family's affairs were none of Madam Xing's business. After exchanging a few casual remarks, she added, "Just now, Zhen's daughter-in-law mentioned that if the Dowager Empress hadn't passed away so suddenly, Rong's son would have been asking for a marriage proposal in the next few days."

"Is Jia Rong going to remarry?"

Madam Xing nodded and said, "It has been more than two years since Madam Qin left, and it is time for Rong-ge'er to remarry." She paused, then lowered her voice and said, "I heard that the girl he is to marry is surnamed Xu, and the Zhen family helped with the matchmaking. Her father is the prefect of Haizhou." (Note 1)

Chen Siyuan's heart skipped a beat, and he said, "Sister-in-law Zhen must be very distressed."

Madam Xing pouted and said, "Of course he'll be troubled. Everyone knows that Rong-ge'er has injured his manhood. Who is he going to impress by marrying a second wife now?"

If this hadn't happened, Jia Zhen could have simply reported Jia Rong's illness to the Ministry of Rites and made some arrangements, and the title would naturally have been passed on to Chou'er.

Now that Jia Rong is insisting on marrying a second wife, no matter what methods he uses, if the second wife becomes pregnant, it's hard to say who will get the title.

Don't be fooled by Madam You's usual timid and submissive demeanor; when it comes down to it, she's incredibly audacious—otherwise, where would the eldest daughter in the new house come from?
Chen Siyuan was afraid that Madam Xing would be bewitched by Madam You, so he repeatedly gave her instructions. Unexpectedly, Madam Xing was extremely impatient and rolled her eyes, saying, "Although I am close to Madam You, I can't abandon Fourth Brother for her sake, can I? I think you are just worrying for nothing."

Chen Siyuan thought about it and realized that it made sense. Madam Xing was now focused on Fourth Brother and had spent the rest of her energy on how to kill Jia She. She was not even close to him anymore, so how could she have been bewitched by You Shi?

The two chatted for a long time, and Madam Xing rambled on for ages before finally leaving satisfied after having two cups of tea.

After seeing Madam Xing off, Chen Siyuan returned to his room, and Xiangling sighed, "It's a pity, the Third Miss's childbirth is probably not going to happen."

Today is the second day of the third month, and tomorrow is Tan Chun's birthday. With the passing of the Dowager Empress, the entire Jia family is busy going to the palace to pay their respects, so naturally they have no time to pay attention to Tan Chun's birthday.

After thinking it over, Chen Siyuan instructed Hongyu to find twenty rose-colored South Sea pearls. He then ground ink and wrote a poem in simplified characters, "Magnolia Flower". After the ink dried, he sent Hongyu to Qiushuangzhai.

Meanwhile, at Qiushuangzhai, Baoqin had just left when the Fourth Miss Xichun was talking with Tanchun.

The young girl presented a portrait; though the brushwork was somewhat immature, it captured seven or eight parts of Tan Chun's appearance. Tan Chun was overjoyed and couldn't help but praise it repeatedly.

Xichun said, "If this hadn't happened so suddenly, I was thinking of sending it over first thing tomorrow morning... Now look what's happened, I'm afraid Third Sister won't be able to have a good delivery."

Tan Chun laughed nonchalantly, "It's just a birthday celebration, what's the big deal? Although the court forbids banquets and music, we can still have a delicious meal behind closed doors, and that won't be known to others."

Xi Chun sighed, thinking that her birthday was next month, and felt unhappy, so she pouted.

Just then, Shishu came in to report, saying, "Miss, Fourth Miss, Sister Hongyu has arrived."

Xichun blinked, then immediately clasped her hands together and smiled, "It must be Brother Yuan who sent this in advance to deliver a congratulatory gift for the birth of a child."

Tan Chun smiled and said, "Please come in quickly."

Shi Shu bowed and agreed, then turned and led Hong Yu inside.

The two glanced around and saw that Hongyu was indeed carrying a brocade box. She went inside, greeted them with a smile, and after a few words, presented the gift.

He didn't linger long afterward, bidding farewell before hurriedly leaving.

As soon as Hongyu left, Xichun urged Tanchun to open the brocade box and see what kind of congratulatory gift Chen Siyuan had sent.

Tan Chun felt a mix of emotions. Because she was also very curious, she opened the brocade box to take a look. The two of them looked inside and saw twenty rose-colored South Sea pearls neatly arranged, along with a note.

Xi Chun, quick-witted and agile, folded the book in her hands, glanced at it, and couldn't help but recite: "Willow branches, long and short, hold back the spring gloom and make people feel languid. The night rain is dreary, forbidding the cuckoo's cry to urge them home."

It's around Qingming Festival. A light chill lingers. Ninety days of spring have passed. The message of spring has only just arrived for the crabapple blossoms.

"

After reading it, she was slightly puzzled and asked, "How strange! Does Third Sister know what kind of ci poem this is?"

Tan Chun pondered for a moment and said, "It seems to be the 'Jian Zi Mu Lan Hua'?"

Xichun nodded, then teased with a smile, "Does Third Sister know the title of this poem?"

Although Tan Chun was unaware of the situation, she blushed immediately upon seeing the teasing look on Xi Chun's face. Taking advantage of Xi Chun's inattention, she reached out and snatched the paper. A quick glance revealed the title "Exploring Spring" written on it.

Tan Chun's heart fluttered, then turned sour. She thought to herself: Brother Yuan wrote a poem and named it Tan Chun. I'm afraid he has always regarded me as his younger sister.

Xichun assumed that her third sister was in low spirits because the birthday celebration was not going to be held the next day, so she teased her, "If I had known that Brother Yuan would send a poem, it would have been perfect for the two of us to be together, with me painting and him writing the poem."

Tan Chun composed herself and forced a smile, saying, "What's so difficult about that? Fourth Sister, please help me grind the ink."

Xi Chun obediently complied and found a brush, ink, paper, and inkstone to grind the ink for her. Tan Chun picked up the brush and concentrated. After carefully examining Chen Siyuan's handwriting, she copied the poem onto the painting, imitating his style.

After the book was finished, Xichun leaned over to examine it and couldn't help but praise, "At first glance, it looks like it was written by Brother Yuan. Even if you look closely, it's about 70 or 80 percent similar. Third Sister is so capable."

Tan Chun carefully dried the ink on the painting, put it away, suppressed her emotions, and played with Xi Chun for a while. Soon after, Baochai, Daiyu, and others came to present their congratulatory gifts. After some discussion, everyone decided that it would be inconvenient to hold the celebration tomorrow, so they decided to hold a feast at Qiushuangzhai today to celebrate Tan Chun's birthday.

Xi Chun insisted on inviting Chen Siyuan over, but as soon as she finished speaking, her second sister Ying Chun looked extremely uncomfortable. Reminded by Bao Qin, Xi Chun realized that her second sister had just become engaged to Chen Siyuan, and since they lived in the Grand View Garden and would see each other frequently, it wasn't appropriate for them to meet now. So, she awkwardly stopped talking and didn't mention inviting Chen Siyuan again.

The sisters then ordered a feast in the small kitchen, ate and chatted, and dispersed around dusk. Soon after, they learned that Aunt Xue had received the news and had arrived at the Rongguo Mansion. Baochai, Baoqin, and the others went to the small courtyard in the northeast to greet Aunt Xue.

Chen Siyuan naturally received the news as well, and he was secretly on edge, fearing that Aunt Xue would discover their presence. Others might be one thing, but Baochai was precocious; if she were to find out, how could this matter possibly end well?

I spent the night in fear, but I won't go into details.

The next day, before dawn, from Grandmother Jia down, Jia She, Madam Xing, Madam Wang, Sister Feng, and others dressed up in full regalia according to their rank, and then rode in carriages to the capital.

Although the matter of the sacrificial ceremony had nothing to do with Chen Siyuan, he woke up early and used the excuse of practicing stance training to peek into the small courtyard to the northeast. Unfortunately, he couldn't see anything through the courtyard wall and had to return to the thatched cottage in disappointment.

After breakfast, Chen Siyuan absentmindedly picked up a book to study. Around 9 a.m., Hongyu came back and said that Sister Bao had arrived.

Chen Siyuan's heart skipped a beat, but he remained outwardly calm, feigning joy as he greeted her with a smile at the front of the hall. Soon after, Baochai, dressed in elegant simple clothes, walked gracefully in. Chen Siyuan carefully observed Baochai's expression and, seeing no unusual reaction, breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Chen Siyuan felt guilty and couldn't help but become even closer to Baochai. In front of several maids, he pulled Baochai to sit down.

Baochai was extremely embarrassed, and only after the maid left did she scold her playfully, "Someone saw us!"

Chen Siyuan pretended to be nonchalant and said, "So what if you saw it? Our story has already spread."

Baochai blushed slightly, thinking that Hongyu, Ying'er, and the others were not exactly outsiders, so she didn't hold it against Chen Siyuan. She then began to talk about the early birthday celebration for Tanchun the day before, her voice full of smiles, as if she had no idea that Aunt Xue was already pregnant.

Chen Siyuan finally felt relieved and asked after some discussion, "The concubine came to the mansion yesterday afternoon. I was thinking that I should pay her a visit when I have some free time this afternoon."

The marriage between the two has been formally arranged, which is to be expected.

Baochai then said, "I entered the mansion after dark yesterday. When I arrived, Mother was having her evening snack." She paused, then frowned slightly and said, "I'm afraid Mother will have a hard time getting over Brother's death anytime soon. When I went there yesterday, I noticed that Mother's meal didn't contain a single piece of meat."

Aunt Xue wasn't averse to meat; she was clearly afraid that if she ate meat, she would gag uncontrollably, arousing suspicion from others.

Chen Siyuan quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, "Buddhism and Taoism are ethereal and vague, but at least they offer some solace. Has your spirits improved since you sincerely worshipped Buddha, Aunt?"

Sister Bao nodded in relief and said, "Although you've lost some weight, you look much more energetic than you did in the first month of the lunar year."

Chen Siyuan then said, "In that case, sister, you don't need to make a fuss. Perhaps in a year or two, Aunt will come to her senses." Baochai nodded in agreement. Thinking that she was going to marry Chen Siyuan next year, and that perhaps after giving birth to a child, her mother would be able to get rid of the pain of losing her son, she blushed immediately.

Chen Siyuan, unaware of Baochai's thoughts, assumed that since the two hadn't been intimate for several days, Baochai must also be longing for something. He immediately took her soft hand, pulled her into his arms, and before she could even complain, pressed his lips to hers. Only when Baochai gasped and nearly lost her breath did he release him.

The two were deeply in love, whispering sweet nothings and being affectionate with each other. Before they knew it, it was almost noon. Baochai remembered that she had to go see Aunt Xue, so she hurriedly packed her clothes and said goodbye.

After lunch that day, Chen Siyuan was on his way to visit Aunt Xue at the small courtyard in the northeast, but just as he was about to leave, Yindie, the head maid of Madam You, came looking for him.

Chen Siyuan frowned inwardly, not wanting to get entangled with Madam You any further. Suppressing his agitation, he ordered Hongyu to lead Yindie inside. Yindie greeted him and said, "Master Yuan, news has arrived from the palace. It says that after the Dowager Empress's coffin has been laid in state for twenty-one days, it will be moved to the ancestral burial chamber, and then laid in state for another fourteen days before being placed in the underground palace. Our grandmother sent me to invite you over to discuss the arrangements for settling in Cixi County."

Chen Siyuan asked, "I understand. Where is Sister-in-law Zhen now?"

Silver Butterfly replied, "We're in the Furen Yude Hall right now."

Chen Siyuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. The Furen Yude Hall was bustling with people, so he figured Madam You wouldn't do anything out of line. After sending Yindie ahead to report, Chen Siyuan changed his clothes and then headed out of the Grand View Garden.

Before they could even reach Qinfang Pavilion, they saw the Second Miss Yingchun leading Xiuju around the verdant peaks. Yingchun caught sight of Chen Siyuan and immediately stopped in her tracks, her face turning red with embarrassment. Xiuju, standing nearby, covered her mouth and laughed. Yingchun turned her head and scolded her before hesitantly moving forward.

As fate would have it, the two bumped into each other at Qinfang Pavilion. Chen Siyuan bowed respectfully from afar, while the second young lady, shy and unable to look at him, quickly curtsied in return. After exchanging a few words, seeing that Yingchun was speechless, Chen Siyuan smiled and took his leave.

As they passed each other, Chen Siyuan felt a plump, soft hand gently brush against the back of his hand. He was instantly captivated and couldn't help but stop and turn back to look. But his second sister seemed completely oblivious, silently leading Xiuju away quickly.

Chen Siyuan smiled faintly, and after a long while, he suppressed the lingering feelings in his heart and headed towards the Furen Yude Hall.

Soon after entering the room, she saw Lady You sitting in the high hall with a teacup in her hand. A maid announced her arrival, which immediately drew a strange look from Lady You.

Chen Siyuan stepped inside, and Yindie and Jin'e, having received their instructions, hurriedly stood guard in front of the hall.

Madam You didn't rush to speak, but simply gestured for Chen Siyuan to sit down.

"Did Sister-in-law Zhen ask me to discuss the matter of going to Cixi County for a funeral?"

Madam You sighed and said, "I know I've wronged you, but even a day as husband and wife is worth a hundred days of kindness. Why do you treat me like this?"

Seeing that Chen Siyuan remained unmoved, he added, "I had no other choice, otherwise I wouldn't have come to you for help."

Chen Siyuan sighed and frowned, saying, "Tell me what it is. Let me make this clear first, I'm not going to do anything illegal or criminal."

Before anyone could finish speaking, Madam You immediately began to sob, saying, "Rong-ge'er's temperament has become even more eccentric since he returned from Jinling this time. The day he came home, he stared intently at Chou-er. You don't know what he looked like; he probably wished he could devour Chou-er alive!"
He's making a scene again, insisting on marrying Prefect Xu's daughter. Who doesn't know what he's really up to? I'm afraid that once his new wife marries and has a child, my son and I won't survive!"

After saying this, she sobbed uncontrollably and said nothing more.

Chen Siyuan scratched his head, cursing himself for being bewitched before. He knew that Madam You was not someone to be trifled with, yet he indulged her beauty and ultimately gave in to her desires. Now that trouble had come knocking, it was no longer an option to remain uninvolved.

Chen Siyuan knew that Madam You was a woman who could take things in stride and wouldn't come knocking unless absolutely necessary. But he was currently just a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations and was living in the Rongguo Mansion; how could he possibly interfere in the affairs of the Ningguo Mansion?

After thinking for a while, Chen Siyuan remembered that there were two female servants in the new house, so he said, "How about this, you send away two maids who do menial tasks, and I will put two female servants in there later. With these two protecting us, we can be prepared for any eventuality."

Madam You quickly stopped crying and nodded repeatedly.

"As for Jia Rong... now that father and son are so disgusted with each other, I'm afraid Jia Zhen cares about the child even more than you do. You only need to mention this to Jia Zhen, why would you need to ask me for help?"

Madam You asked in surprise, "He doesn't usually seem to care much about Chou'er. He doesn't come to my room for ten days or half a month at a time. I went to talk to him... but did that work?"

Chen Siyuan frowned and said, "Your father-in-law is still at the Taoist temple outside the city. Besides, how could Jia Zhen possibly have another child? If anything happens to Ugly Boy, the Ningguo lineage will be wiped out!"

Madam You was skeptical, but Chen Siyuan continued, "Besides, Jia Rong has been gone for half a year. I don't believe you haven't gathered a few servants around. Once you get Jia Zhen's approval, unless Jia Rong colludes with outsiders, how can they possibly touch a hair on your head?"

After thinking for a moment, Madam You felt slightly relieved and said, "Then, then I'll go and talk to him about it?"

Chen Siyuan said, "Let's bring it up for now. If it doesn't work, we can discuss it again later."

Just as Madam You was about to say something more, Silver Butterfly outside replied, "Grandma, Zhou Rui's wife has come to say something."

Madam You quickly wiped away her tears. Chen Siyuan didn't want to linger, so he took the opportunity to say goodbye to Madam You.

After leaving the Furen Yude Hall, they soon arrived at the side gate. Chen Siyuan stepped forward and knocked on the door, and a head maid, Tongxi, led him into the back courtyard. Inside, he saw Aunt Xue reclining on a soft couch. Upon seeing Chen Siyuan, she immediately sat up, her eyes filled with hope.

"You may leave now," Aunt Xue instructed, and Tongxi responded and went to stand guard at the door.

With only the two of them remaining, Chen Siyuan didn't stand on ceremony and sat down next to Aunt Xue with an air of authority, asking, "Is your morning sickness any better?"

Aunt Xue shook her head with a distressed expression and said, "What should we do? We had planned to go to Fragrant Hills to worship Buddha tomorrow, but this happened, and now I can't avoid it even if I wanted to."

Chen Siyuan said, "It's alright, Baochai didn't notice it yesterday."

Aunt Xue said anxiously, "You can guard against it for a while, but how can you guard against it forever? It will take at least a month for the Dowager Princess to recover."

This is another thorny problem. This time, Chen Siyuan can't blame anyone else. After all, he was the one who seduced Aunt Xue first.
After pondering for a long time, Chen Siyuan came up with a plan and said, "Just now Baochai mentioned that you have always been a vegetarian. I think we should go with the flow and just say that we are chanting scriptures to cleanse Wenlong's karma. We can move into the Longcui Nunnery tomorrow. That way, when you are feeling well, you can see me whenever you want; when you are not feeling well, you simply won't see me. This way, we can get through the next month or so."

Aunt Xue thought about it for a moment and also felt that this plan was excellent. She breathed a sigh of relief, then glanced at him sideways, reached out and lightly slapped Chen Siyuan, and said reproachfully, "It's all your fault!"

What could Chen Siyuan say? He quickly came over and offered kind words of comfort. Aunt Xue then stroked her lower abdomen again, the sorrow on her face fading, gradually revealing a loving expression.

It was past midnight when Grandmother Jia and the others returned from the memorial service. Aunt Xue hurried to Lady Wang's courtyard. Thinking of Xue Pan's violent death, she wept bitterly. Lady Wang, who had risen early to attend the memorial service, was exhausted and her words of comfort were somewhat distracted.

After crying, Aunt Xue brought up the idea of ​​moving to Longcui Nunnery. Madam Wang had a headache from her crying, and after a few words of persuasion, seeing that she was determined, she had no choice but to agree.

Once Aunt Xue received confirmation, she returned home and instructed her maids and servants to pack her belongings. That evening, she moved to the Longcui Nunnery.

When Baochai, Daiyu, Baoqin, and the others heard about this, they were all astonished and went to visit Aunt Xue at the Longcui Nunnery. However, Aunt Xue was suffering from severe morning sickness at that moment, so her head maid Tongxi stopped them at the door and said to them, "Madam is in distress and is currently chanting sutras to cleanse Master Pan's karma. If you want to see her, please come again tomorrow."

Baoqin disliked Aunt Xue and her visit was merely for show; Daiyu, however, was genuinely concerned because of Baochai. Seeing that Baochai was deeply worried and kept asking Tongxi questions, Daiyu quickly pulled Baochai aside to comfort her before reluctantly leading her back.

The next day, Aunt Xue's morning sickness subsided, and she met with Baochai with a pale face. Because she was afraid of experiencing morning sickness again, Aunt Xue's expression was calm and her words were concise. Baochai was greatly alarmed, thinking that Aunt Xue would henceforth spend her days in seclusion with a Buddhist lamp and a monk. She went to Chen Siyuan and cried for a while before she was satisfied.

For several days in a row, Chen Siyuan was extremely anxious. Fortunately, his skills had become increasingly agile, which allowed him to sneak away to visit Aunt Xue every day. After visiting the old woman, he also had to comfort the young one. Luckily, after sending two maids to her, Madam You did not come looking for him again.

Before they knew it, it was the tenth day of the third month. Perhaps because of her vegetarian diet, Aunt Xue gradually calmed down, and her morning sickness gradually lessened. Baochai often saw Aunt Xue and, after some probing, found no indication that Aunt Xue intended to become a nun, which put her mind at ease.

One afternoon, Chen Siyuan, feeling bored with his studies, went for a stroll in the Grand View Garden. Upon arriving at the Convex Jade Villa, Chen Siyuan climbed to a high point and looked out, seeing the garden full of fragrant flowers and vibrant springtime.

Just as she was lost in thought, she suddenly heard light footsteps behind her. Turning around, she saw Xiu Ju walking quickly towards her. Judging from her serious expression, she knew that Xiu Ju had come to find her.

Upon approaching, Xiuju curtsied and said softly, "Master Yuan, our young lady invites you to Yuyin Hall for a chat."

My second sister invited me to celebrate the Spring Festival? That's quite unusual.

Recalling everything that had happened, Chen Siyuan couldn't help but chuckle to himself. When his second sister got bold, she was truly reckless and ambitious; but when she got shy, she wouldn't even dare to speak a word when they met. Thinking of the fingertips that had gently brushed against the back of his hand in Qinfang Pavilion that day, Chen Siyuan couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.

He turned and followed Xiu Ju down from Tu Bi Manor. They arrived at their destination shortly after emerging from the stone cave. Xiu Ju opened the door and quickly closed it after Chen Siyuan entered.

The hall was slightly dim, and it took Chen Siyuan a while to adjust before he could see that the second young lady, Yingchun, had already gotten up to greet him.

Chen Siyuan greeted her with a smile, "Second Sister."

"Brother Yuan." Yingchun's voice was still shy, and she looked at Chen Siyuan with a hesitant expression. In Chen Siyuan's eyes, it was uniquely alluring.

Chen Siyuan smiled and gestured for them to sit down together at a small table. Yingchun twisted her handkerchief in her hands, not daring to look at Chen Siyuan. After hesitating for a moment, she said, "Brother Yuan, Siqi came back today and said that her father has returned double the betrothal money."

Chen Siyuan said, "Didn't the person surnamed Sun say anything else?"

Yingchun smiled and said, "The man surnamed Sun has a hereditary official position, but he hasn't been appointed yet. How could he dare to take a concubine into the house?"

Chen Siyuan thought to himself, "I never expected that the Dowager Empress's trip would bring such benefits."

Yingchun paused for a moment, then said, "I haven't mentioned this to Siqi. I plan to let her leave the manor."

Chen Siyuan asked, "So, Second Sister, who do you plan to add to your room?"

Yingchun said, "I haven't thought about it yet. I plan to ask my mother and wife in a few days."

Chen Siyuan immediately frowned. If he asked Madam Xing, Miao'er and Tiao'er would likely start fighting immediately; if he asked Madam Wang, that would be even worse—what if Madam Wang planted a spy?
Chen Siyuan then said, "In that case, why don't we transfer Hongyu, who is by my side, to Second Sister's side?"

Yingchun exclaimed in surprise, "Hongyu? No, no, Hongyu is so thoughtful. What will Brother Yuan do without her?"

(End of this chapter)