Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 390 Irreconcilable Enemies
Ping'er's voice was barely audible. Chen Siyuan stopped and glanced at her from the side. He saw Ping'er with her head down and her cherry lips pursed. He couldn't tell whether Ping'er was willing or not.

He wanted to say a few more words, but they had already left the Grand View Garden and there was a fork in the road ahead. Ping'er curtsied and headed towards Feng Jie's courtyard, while Chen Siyuan had no choice but to head east.

On the way, he pondered haphazardly, thinking that since Ping'er had said so, there probably wouldn't be any future troubles. But then he thought, "A lot of lice don't itch, a lot of debts don't worry. The Jia family is almost changing their surname to Chen, what else is there to be afraid of?"

They went straight to the east courtyard, exchanged a few words with the gatekeeper Yu Siqi, and arrived at the three-tiered ceremonial gate, where Miao'er, who had received the news, came to greet them. The two chatted and laughed for a while, and in no time Miao'er led them into the main room.

Chen Siyuan arrived at an inopportune time; Fourth Brother had just finished nursing and was being coaxed to sleep by the wet nurse.

Because of the unpleasant incident earlier, Madam Xing was extra attentive this time. She first sent the wet nurse and Fourth Brother away, and then instructed Miao'er and Tiao'er to serve tea, snacks, and fruits.

After the two maids left, Chen Siyuan couldn't help but ask, "Fourth Brother is not a child anymore, why hasn't he been weaned yet?"

Madam Xing said indulgently, "I tried to stop it twice, and Fourth Brother cried twice. I had no other choice but to wait until he was more sensible and stopped it on his own."

"Nonsense! Haven't you heard that doting mothers often spoil their children? If you continue to pamper them like this, are you planning to raise another Baoyu?"

Madam Xing looked embarrassed and muttered, "Fourth Brother isn't as lucky as Baoyu. Baoyu has a good uncle and a good sister."

Chen Siyuan glanced at her sideways, and Madam Xing immediately shut up. She stood up and gently massaged Chen Siyuan's shoulders, saying, "Alright, alright, I'll have Fourth Brother break it off later... If that doesn't work, let the wet nurse go home for a few days."

Chen Siyuan responded and said, "If that doesn't work, tell the kitchen to make some goat milk food. We can't always cater to Fourth Brother's whims, or he'll never grow up."

Madam Xing readily agreed.

Chen Siyuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief before asking, "Master only showed up once today and disappeared before noon. Is something the matter?"

Madam Xing said in a low voice, "What could it be? Isn't it that houttuynia cordata?" She paused, then said slowly, "The other day he said he didn't have enough money, and he ended up swindling two hundred taels of silver from me. He made it sound so nice, saying he'd pay it back in a few days... Ha, I think it's just throwing good money after bad."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "Has he not brought back any samples these past few days?"

Madam Xing shook her head, saying indifferently, "Fourth Brother is shy. Every time he comes back, he only sits for a short while before heading to the side courtyard." Her hand on his shoulder paused, and Madam Xing frowned, saying strangely, "It's really strange. He's been drinking that medicinal wine every day without fail, so why isn't it working?"

Chen Siyuan didn't respond. He only hoped that Jia She could at least make it through the new year, otherwise the second daughter Yingchun would have to observe mourning again.

A short while later, the maid Tiao'er came from outside and said, "Madam, Master has returned. Hearing that Master Yuan is also here, he invited Master Yuan to the outer study in the front to have a chat."

Chen Siyuan and Madam Xing exchanged a glance. After giving a few instructions, Chen Siyuan got up and went to the outer study.

Before long, they entered the outer study and saw Jia She, with his chest puffed out and belly protruding, exuding confidence and arrogance in every gesture.

"Shura's here? Please have a seat!"

Chen Siyuan stepped forward to greet him, then lifted his robe and sat down, smiling as he said, "Uncle, you've invited me here; surely it's for some good news?"

Jia She stroked his beard and laughed heartily, then picked up a ceramic bottle from the table and tossed it to Chen Siyuan: "Take a look, is this houttuynia cordata suitable?"

Chen Siyuan took the earthenware bottle, his mind immediately filled with disdain. The bottle itself was coarse pottery, fine, but the stopper was wooden; how could the rim of yellow clay around the mouth possibly block air? That was utter nonsense.

Fortunately, Jia She used an alcohol extraction method for his houttuynia cordata extract, and Chen Siyuan sniffed it after uncorking it, but didn't notice anything unusual. However, if this stuff were to be transported to Jiangnan by long and arduous journey, it would probably be mostly destroyed before it even arrived.
Chen Siyuan inwardly scoffed, but his face was all smiles as he said, "That's right, it is indeed houttuynia cordata. So, Uncle's workshop is finished, and you're planning to sell it?"

Jia She said proudly, "It was made ten days ago. I chose porcelain and earthenware bottles to store it separately. Today, I opened them all to check, and they were exactly the same. So, from now on, we can use coarse earthenware bottles. This alone will save us a lot of money."

Chen Siyuan flattered, "Indeed, old ginger is spicier. In the future, I will have to ask my uncle for advice on the ways of economics and officialdom."

Jia She became even more smug, and feigned humility, waving his hand and saying, "I am old enough to handle such a small matter."

Seeing Jia She so smug and carried away, Chen Siyuan's lips moved, but the words of advice he was about to say were swallowed back down.

As the saying goes, it's hard to persuade a damned ghost with kind words! Not to mention that Jia She's Houttuynia cordata extract has never been tested for effectiveness—it seems that the master never even considered finding patients to test it on—the shelf life alone is a big problem.

On second thought, what did Jia She want by summoning him today? Could it be that he brought the newly made houttuynia cordata to show off to him, the instigator?
Amidst his exasperation, he showered the master with flattery as if it were free, making him even happier. After two cups of tea, Chen Siyuan finally found an opportunity to take his leave.

He leisurely returned to the thatched cottage, but as soon as he entered, a little maid named Yunxiang came up to him and said eagerly, "Master, Master, Sister Ping'er is injured!"

Chen Siyuan was very surprised and quickly asked, "How did you get injured?"

Yunxiang said, "Just now, Sister Ping'er went to the main kitchen. After she came out with the food box, she was thinking about something and lost her footing. She twisted her ankle and it hurt so much that she couldn't stand up."

Chen Siyuan recalled Ping'er's expression when she replied earlier and thought to himself that Ping'er probably hadn't made up her mind either... But given Feng Jie'er's temper, Ping'er was probably in trouble again this time.

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Sister Feng's children's courtyard.

The young maid Feng'er helped Ping'er hop down to sit on the edge of the kang (heated brick bed). When she looked up, she saw that Feng'er's phoenix eyes were cold. How could Feng'er dare to say anything more? She immediately curtsied and hurriedly took her leave.

After Feng'er left, Feng Jie glanced at Ping'er's left foot, which was swollen like a pig's trotter, and said coldly, "You've certainly managed to injure Qiao Zong!"

Ping'er bit her lower lip and said, "Grandma, I—"

Before he could finish speaking, Sister Feng interrupted, "What? Are you thinking of using me as leverage to sell me to your second master? You're dreaming! I didn't know I'd raised such an ingrate!"

Ignoring her injured ankle, Ping'er quickly knelt on the edge of the kang (heated brick bed) and said, "Grandma! I—" Already feeling wronged, her eyes welled up with tears in her haste. She hurriedly explained, "I was just momentarily distracted and twisted my ankle. It wasn't intentional...intentional...delay. Besides, I happened to be going the same way as Uncle Yuan on my way back, and I...I promised him that in person. If Grandma doesn't believe me, just ask Uncle Yuan. If I've uttered even a single falsehood, may I be struck by lightning the moment I step outside!"

Feng Jie silently watched her for a while, then her own eyes reddened. She stepped forward and took Ping'er's hands, saying, "Good sister, you know that you are my only confidante. Your second master has committed many sins, and now I only have Qiao Jie. If I can't give birth to a son, I'm afraid the Rongguo Mansion will belong to the second branch!"

Ping'er choked back tears and cried out, inwardly grumbling, "If he considers me a close confidant, how could he force me to... have an affair with Master Yuan?"
As if knowing what Ping'er was thinking, Feng Jie reached out and wiped away the tears on Ping'er's cheek, saying, "Look at other things, when have I ever forced you? But this matter is too big, I really can't bear it myself... And even if you are pregnant, you don't know whether the child will be a boy or a girl. I was thinking, since we are sisters, surely one of the two children will be a boy?"

Rest assured, if I give birth to a girl, and you give birth to a boy, I will treat your child as my own. If I break this vow, may I be struck down by heaven and earth!

Ping'er's resentment subsided slightly, but the movement aggravated her ankle injury, causing her to gasp involuntarily. Feng Jie helped her sit down again, her body slightly crooked. Knowing she couldn't avoid it, Ping'er said, "Grandma, I'm afraid I can't go to the workshop... It just so happens that my mother's death anniversary is in five days. Grandma, why don't you give me a few days to go to the Longcui Nunnery to pray for my mother?"

Seeing that Ping'er's face was so red it looked like it could bleed, Feng Jie knew perfectly well that the prayers were a pretense, and that her real purpose was to meet with Chen Siyuan in secret at the Longcui Nunnery.

Sister Feng breathed a sigh of relief and readily agreed.

Because Ping'er injured her ankle, Feng Jie specially sent Feng'er to order some nourishing medicinal food from the main kitchen. Although the two, mistress and servant, had their own thoughts in secret, they made up on the surface as if nothing had happened. Anyone who saw this would praise their deep sisterly affection.

No sooner had they eaten late that day than Laiwang's wife hurriedly came looking for them.

After entering and exchanging greetings, he glanced at Ping'er and then hesitated without saying a word.

Feng Jie steeled her heart and said, "You know that Ping'er and I are sisters in name only, so just say what you want to say."

Laiwang's wife came over with a distressed expression and said, "Grandma, something terrible has happened! Madam has used some method to send a message from Nanjing, and I'm afraid those three maidservants will have to listen to Madam from now on!"

Sister Feng was struck dumbfounded for a moment before frowning and saying coldly, "Tell me in detail what exactly happened!"

Laiwang's wife then explained the reason in detail. It turned out that because Baoyu had been invited to the Prince of Beijing's residence, Madam Wang would visit Prince Teng's house every few days.

It's unclear how the brother and sister conspired, but Wang Ziteng sent a letter to the Wang family in Jinling. Soon after, several of Feng Jie's maids received letters from her parents and family in Jinling, all implying that Madam Wang was the aunt of the Wang family and that Feng Jie should not be allowed to be disrespectful.

Laiwang's parents were also in Jinling, but for some reason they were not misled. So, in the past few days, the three families who were accompanying him had been privately trying to persuade Laiwang.

Laiwang had received much kindness from Sister Feng and had never been threatened by anyone using his parents. After thinking about it for two days, he finally felt it was not right and sent his family to report to Sister Feng.

Feng Jie'er already had few servants, and now most of them have been won over. How can she possibly compete with Madam Wang in the future?

In his anger, he swayed, but fortunately, Lai Wang's family rushed over to help him up, preventing him from falling to the ground.

Ping'er, disregarding her ankle injury, and the two from Laiwang's family patted her back and pinched her philtrum for quite a while before Fengjie finally woke up.

This image shows Sister Feng looking dazed and confused; where is her usual decisive and ruthless demeanor?

Feng Jie was utterly devastated by Madam Wang's decisive move. After Ping'er called her for a while, her gaze finally shifted and gradually regained focus. She then asked Ping'er in a low voice, "Ping'er... what am I going to do now?"

Ping'er was at a loss and just kept rambling on about useless things. After Lai Wang's wife left, Ping'er suddenly remembered Chen Siyuan and hurriedly said to Feng Jie'er, "Grandma, Master Yuan is the most resourceful. Why don't we ask him later?"

Sister Feng's heart skipped a beat, as if she had grasped a lifeline, and she said, "That's it! Brother Yuan has always been a man of his word, I'll go find Brother Yuan right now... Tomorrow, I'll go find Brother Yuan tomorrow!"

Ping'er knew she couldn't escape it sooner or later, so she said fiercely, "Grandma, why don't you send me to Longcui Nunnery tomorrow?"

Sister Feng tilted her head and glanced at Ping'er a few times before nodding and saying, "Alright!"

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The next day, Feng Jie found her maids and servants early in the morning and told them that Ping'er was going to Longcui Nunnery to pray for her deceased mother. She immediately ordered someone to carry Ping'er in a sedan chair and send her to Longcui Nunnery. After settling Ping'er in and sending off the maids and servants, Feng Jie went to Qingtang Thatched Cottage.

But it was too late. When they went inside to inquire, Wu'er, who was left behind, said, "Second Madam doesn't know. Master and Qingwen left early this morning. Qingwen went to the wedding shop, and Master said he went to supervise the construction of the new house in Faxiangfang."

Knowing that it was inappropriate for Sister Feng to chase after Chen Siyuan to Faxiangfang, she could only grit her teeth and hold back, hoping that Chen Siyuan would return soon.

Chen Siyuan led Qingwen out in a carriage before dawn, first picking up You Erjie and You Sanjie at the new residence, and then heading towards the outer city. When they arrived near the shop that You Erjie had bought, everyone got out of the carriage, and You Erjie chattered on and on about everything inside and out.

It was Sister You who was concerned about the new house in Faxiangfang. After urging Chen Siyuan several times, they finally took a carriage into the inner city and arrived at the new house in Faxiangfang at 1:45 am.

Chen Siyuan helped You Sanjie down from the carriage. Looking up, he saw that the main gate of the house had been demolished and three holes had been opened in the wall, waiting to be repaired into a new gate.

According to Chen Siyuan's plan, it would be better if the first courtyard of the three-section, four-courtyard house were connected, so as to avoid the duplication of building the back hall, the reception room, the stables, etc. The second and third courtyards would be separated from each other, and the fourth courtyard would be the rear building, with a passageway connecting them, so that the sisters would not have to go too far when they moved around.

As the two entered, the foreman hurriedly came to see the owner, rambling on and on for a long time. Unfortunately, the ordered beams were still on their way, and the project was not expected to be completed until October.

Chen Siyuan was used to spending money lavishly, and felt that since the money had already been spent, it didn't matter if he spent more or less; You Sanjie had been running Baicaotang for two years and was becoming more and more careful in her work, so she would always check the materials she received.

Seeing that Chen Siyuan was distracted, You Sanjie said, "Brother is naturally impatient with such trivial matters. The competition is approaching, so there's no need for you to accompany him. Why don't you go back to your studies?"

Chen Siyuan pretended to refuse for a while, then cuddled with You Sanjie for a long time, coaxing her until her pretty face flushed and her eyes sparkled. Only then did she gracefully get up and leave the new house.

The carriage was naturally reserved for Sister You. Chen Siyuan walked leisurely for a while, then suddenly remembered that Siqi had been sent to Miaoyu's place some time ago, and wondered how the two were doing... So he hired a donkey cart and headed straight for the north of Nengren Temple.

Little did he know that Siqi, thinking she had his backing, started arguing with Miaoyu the very next day after arriving at Miaoyu's place.

At first, they only bickered occasionally, and at least the maid Qingfan and Granny Han would stop them. However, Miaoyu was arrogant and had no mercy in her words. A few days ago, the two quarreled, and Siqi couldn't win against Miaoyu, so she simply rolled up her sleeves and was about to fight.

Granny Han and Qingfan rushed to stop them, but Siqi, taking advantage of her height and strength, easily pushed them both to the ground with one hand each. She then grabbed Miaoyu's hair and tore her clothes. If Granny Han and Qingfan hadn't reacted quickly and pleaded for Miaoyu's life, who knows how this matter would have ended!

From that day on, the two became sworn enemies. Siqi was at a disadvantage because she had no maids or servants to protect her, while Miaoyu was at a disadvantage because the three of them combined were no match for Siqi. So the two simply stopped seeing each other and instead engaged in verbal battles from afar.

That day, the two bickered for a long time, and Miaoyu got so angry that she smashed her teacup.

Seeing Qingfan dejectedly sweep up the broken porcelain, Siqi couldn't help but say sarcastically, "I thought it was some precious object, but it's just a little tea stain, and you actually smashed the tea tray?"

Miaoyu retorted from afar, "What do you, a servant by birth, know? If you don't understand the finer things in tea utensils, you should stay within your bounds!"

Siqi spat and cursed, "Behave yourself? Miaoyu, have you forgotten that we are both shady characters in this courtyard now? Who is more noble than the other?"

Siqi's words struck a nerve with Miaoyu, leaving Miaoyu so angry that her face turned pale and her whole body trembled, yet she was at a loss for words.

If it weren't for that damned Liu Xianglian, how could she have fallen to such a state? If it weren't for Liu Xianglian's affair, she would still be living peacefully in the Longcui Nunnery of the Rongguo Mansion.

Liu Xianglian died a quick and painless death, but it left her without cover, causing her to be extorted, ransacked, and robbed of all her valuables. She had no choice but to submit to Chen Siyuan.

Seeing that Miaoyu had nothing to say, Siqi, who was outside, immediately seized the opportunity and said, "If it were up to me, you should be keeping to your proper place. Now that you've become a mistress, you should be trying to please the master. Who are you trying to impress with that long face all day? You're already this old. Even if you went to a brothel, you'd still be an old maid. Even if you were lucky enough to become the most beautiful courtesan, how many more years could you live so carefree?"

bang——

With the window closed, Miaoyu, unable to argue with Siqi, simply pretended not to see it.

Siqi blinked, then let out a smug snort. Just as she was about to turn and go back to her room, she heard a knock coming from the outer gate of the courtyard.

"Who?"

"I."

At the sound of her voice, Siqi was overjoyed. She rushed to the door, bolted it, and opened it to find Chen Siyuan standing there with his hands behind his back.

Seeing that it was indeed Chen Siyuan who had arrived, Siqi first happily called out to the kitchen, instructing the cook to prepare wine and dishes. Then she pulled Chen Siyuan inside, and with her eyes reddening with grievance, she said, "Why did you take so long, sir?"

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "The competition is coming up next year. I've been studying all day and my head is spinning. I only had a moment to spare today."

As they spoke, the two had already moved into the courtyard. Seeing that Granny Han and Qingfan came out to greet them, Chen Siyuan paused slightly and asked in a low voice, "You haven't had a fight these past two days?"

Siqi snorted and said smugly, "It wasn't just arguing, they even fought last time. It's only because I had to deal with those three of them by myself. If I had someone to help me, she would have submitted long ago!"

Chen Siyuan blinked, then burst into laughter. Seeing Siqi's body becoming increasingly voluptuous, Chen Siyuan couldn't help but worry, thinking that she was just right now, but if she became even more voluptuous in the future... he was afraid he wouldn't be able to bring himself to eat her.

Granny Han and Qingfan stepped forward to greet him. Chen Siyuan nodded, ignoring that Miaoyu hadn't come out to greet him, and pulled Siqi into the main room.

As soon as they entered, they saw Miaoyu standing at the door of the side room, her eyes red.

Chen Siyuan glanced at her but said nothing. To deal with a self-righteous woman like Miaoyu, one had to break her pride. As for getting to know her better… Chen Siyuan was too busy dealing with Yingchun, Baochai, Daiyu, and Xing Xiuyan to care about Miaoyu's thoughts.

As Han Mama followed them inside, she kept giving Miaoyu meaningful glances, but Miaoyu was too angry to notice.

Chen Siyuan found a seat at the head of the table, and Siqi hurriedly and earnestly served him warm tea. Seeing that her young lady was useless, Han Mama sighed and could only smile and step forward, saying, "Master, these past few days have been unbearably hot, and we've bought ice several times, so the money is a bit tight."

Chen Siyuan thought about it and realized that made sense, which was why he came to visit today.

So he nodded, took out two hundred taels of silver notes from his sleeve, and handed them to Siqi, saying, "From now on, Siqi will be in charge of the accounts."

Granny Han's smile froze instantly, and she quickly turned to look at Miaoyu. To her surprise, Miaoyu became even angrier, glared at Chen Siyuan resentfully, turned around, lifted the beaded curtain, and went back into her bedroom.

Siqi immediately chimed in, "Sir, look at her like that!"

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "Don't worry about her." As he spoke, he loosened his collar and said, "It's a rare occasion for you to come here. Let's get a pot of chrysanthemum wine later and have a good meal today."

Siqi obediently agreed, reached out and pointed to the little maid Qingfan, took two silver coins from her purse, and sent her to buy wine.

Qingfan hesitated, thinking that he would have to rely on Siqi for his food, clothing, and monthly allowance in the future, so he could only agree silently and hurriedly went to buy wine.

Granny Han sighed inwardly, feeling annoyed, and hurriedly went into the bedroom to persuade Miaoyu.

Siqi immediately snuggled up to Chen Siyuan without any restraint, feeding him fruits and fanning him.

After quite some time, the food and wine were ready. Only then did Granny Han come out sheepishly, saying that Miaoyu was not feeling well. She found a food box, picked out some of Miaoyu's favorite foods, and then angrily sent them inside.

Chen Siyuan ignored Miaoyu and let Siqi serve him wine and vegetables.

After a hearty meal and drinks, Chen Siyuan was already slightly tipsy.

Siqi, who was standing next to him, became increasingly unruly. She kicked off her wooden clogs and started rubbing her toes against Chen Siyuan's calves.

Seeing that Chen Siyuan didn't react, Siqi's eyes darted around, and suddenly an idea came to her. She leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Master, would you like to have some fun later?"

"Oh? But I don't know how to feel comfortable?"

Siqi chuckled and whispered something in his ear. Chen Siyuan paused, his mind wandering.

Siqi, observing Chen Siyuan's expression, knew he had designs on her. She knew her appearance wasn't appreciated by most, but this Master Yuan was particularly fond of her tall and robust figure. Whether she became a concubine or a mistress, she would depend on Chen Siyuan for her livelihood, so naturally she had to go out of her way to please him.

So he smiled and said, "Then so be it... I'll send Granny Han and Qingfan away in a bit, you go ahead, sir... I'll be right there?"

Chen Siyuan reached out and grabbed the foot, scratching the sole, and laughed, "What a little vixen, you're getting more and more seductive."

Siqi said, half sincerely and half jokingly, "Now that I have pledged myself to you, sir, you are my everything. I only hope that you will not abandon me in the future."

Chen Siyuan said seriously, "How could I bear to part with someone as obedient as you?"

Siqi was overjoyed and offered him another cup of wine. After they had eaten and drunk a little, Chen Siyuan sipped his tea to the side, while Siqi asked Granny Han and Qingfan to clear the table.

Siqi then gave Chen Siyuan a look before going out to settle Han Mama and Qingfan.

Upon hearing that Chen Siyuan had shown leniency by granting everyone a half-day off, the cook was naturally extremely grateful. She accepted the reward money and hurried away. Qingfan obeyed Han Mama in everything. Han Mama hesitated for a long time until Siqi's expression changed, then reluctantly accepted the reward money, turned around, and looked back three times before leaving with Qingfan.

As soon as the three left, Siqi immediately unbolted the door, went back to the side room, and then tiptoed towards the main room.

Upon entering, she could faintly hear the sounds of intimacy coming from the bedroom. Siqi sneered and pulled out a vajra from her sleeve.

She thought to herself, "No matter how high you think you are, just wait until you're completely defeated, and then you'll see how you'll still have the nerve to pretend to be high and mighty with me!"

(End of this chapter)