Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 393 Thoughts

After their playful antics, Ping'er returned to Feng Jie's courtyard to write back. The remaining days passed peacefully, except for Bao Yu's insistence on going to the Prince of Beijing's residence, which greatly displeased Lady Wang.

After breakfast that day, the Xiaoxiang Pavilion was in a flurry of activity. Daiyu then led Zijuan, Xueyan, and two maids to the front.

Because the opportunity was rare, Chen Siyuan also brought Qingwen, Xiangling, and Wu'er along. However, in order to avoid attracting attention, Chen Siyuan set off about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea earlier and was waiting at the intersection.

The second young lady, Yingchun, personally came to see Daiyu off. On the way, she whispered some teasing remarks to Daiyu. After seeing her through the ceremonial gate, Yingchun glanced at her enviously a couple more times before turning back with a sense of melancholy.

As they approached the Furen Yude Hall, they bumped into Ping'er, who was returning after delivering the food box. The two exchanged a brief greeting and then parted ways. Ping'er gracefully returned to Feng Jie's courtyard.

Upon entering the main room, lifting the beaded curtain, one sees Sister Feng resting her elbow on the kang table, her hand supporting her cheek, her brows slightly furrowed, lost in thought.

Ping'er quietly approached and whispered, "Grandma, I just ran into the Second Miss. She said she saw Miss Lin off on her journey."

"Hmm," Sister Feng mumbled in response, her displeasure growing.

She was used to being competitive and strong-willed, and even when she was with Jia Lian, he always had to coax and persuade her. But when it came to her relationship with Chen Siyuan, he treated her like a wild bull in bed, and afterward, even if he showed her a little tenderness, he would turn around and be busy, completely forgetting about her and leaving her aside!

She was pampered from a young age. As a young girl, she was spoiled and pampered. After marrying Jia Lian, she gained even more favor from the old lady, otherwise she wouldn't have developed such a shrewish personality.

At this moment, although she did not expect to remarry, she also did not want to be taken advantage of and then left unaccounted for.

As the saying goes, the more you endure, the angrier you get; the more you back down, the more you realize you've lost out! Sister Feng wished she could chase after him immediately and find out what was going on.

After a while, Sister Feng breathed a slight sigh of relief, then looked up at the meek Ping'er and asked, "Haven't you had your period yet?"

Ping'er wrung her hands and shook her head, feeling uneasy and anxious.

Sister Feng frowned slightly, remained silent for a long time, and finally said, "Alright, you invited the Second Master over these past two days, so just drink more wine and it will all pass."

Ping'er sniffed and then said in a muffled voice, "Thank you, Grandma."

Just as Sister Feng was about to say something, she suddenly heard a commotion coming from the backyard. The two listened carefully and realized that Qiu Tong had quarreled with Zhang Jinge's maid again.

Ping'er then asked, "Grandma really doesn't care?"

Sister Feng sneered and said, "I thought Zhang was a vixen, but who knew she was so strong-willed. If it were anyone else, I might have become her confidante. But as things stand, I won't provoke her, and she shouldn't provoke me either. As for how Qiu Tong makes a scene, let her deal with it herself. What does it have to do with us?"

Ping'er immediately agreed, "Grandma is right." She was afraid that Sister Feng would be jealous of Zhang Jinge's pregnancy and would use underhanded means to cause the death of both mother and child, which would be a sin that would bring retribution.

It's perfectly good that Sister Feng is ignoring her now. Qiu Tong used to be favored by the Second Master, but she was neglected as soon as Zhang Shi married into the family. Now, her showy antics are just for show; she has neither manpower to rely on nor any help from Sister Feng.

The dog barks a few times a day, which Zhang Jinge doesn't take seriously at all.

Feng Jie'er thought of Chen Siyuan again, and couldn't help but feel more and more irritable. She waved her hand to signal Ping'er to leave, and then rested her chin on her hand, feeling very troubled.

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

The carriage rumbled along, the curtains were lifted, and inside came a flurry of chatter; several little faces changed every now and then as they excitedly peered outside.

Having passed Nengren Temple, Xueyan asked in confusion, "Weren't we supposed to be going to the Goldfish Pond? Why are we heading north?"

Zijuan said, "Who told you to sleep so much? Yesterday, Qingwen said that the Goldfish Pond is overcrowded and full of dignitaries. After thinking it over, Master Yuan thought that the Goldfish Pond was too cramped, so why not go to Shichahai instead?"

Xueyan blinked and said, "So, does that mean we're going to the new house in Faxiangfang?"

Seeing Zijuan nod, Xueyan hurriedly went to look at Daiyu. She saw her young mistress also lifting the curtain to look outside, a faint smile on her face, clearly very happy.

The two maids dared not disturb her, exchanged a smile, and then began chattering about other things. After a while, they indeed entered Faxiangfang, circled around, and stopped in front of the new house. The two maids got off and helped Daiyu out of the carriage, and soon saw a pretty woman standing in front of the door to greet her.

The two maids exchanged a glance, both recognizing that this was You Sanjie, who had run away to become a concubine. Not knowing how to greet her, they stood there awkwardly.

At this moment, Chen Siyuan strode over, exchanged a few whispered words with You Sanjie, and then led her to see Daiyu.

"Miss Lin," Sister You greeted her with a smile.

Daiyu quickly curtsied and returned the greeting. You Sanjie then smiled and said, "No wonder you said that Sister Lin is a fairy flower from the celestial garden. Now she has truly blossomed into an even more beautiful young woman. I am here supervising the construction. If Miss Lin is tired, please take a rest. If you are not tired, please take a short walk. Shichahai is only half a street away."

Daiyu smiled and agreed, saying, "I've been traveling by carriage the whole time and haven't walked at all, how could I be tired? I was just worried about having no one to talk to, would you like to come along?"

Sister You covered her mouth and laughed, then glanced at Chen Siyuan and said, "I'm destined to be busy. I have to go and check the accounts later, so I won't keep you company this time."

"That's unfortunate."

The two maintained a slight distance, respectful yet aloof. As You Sanjie turned and entered the new house, Zijuan and Xueyan breathed a sigh of relief.

Because of Chen Siyuan, the story of You Sanjie had long been known to everyone, and the gossipy Xiangyun even praised her as the modern-day Hong Fu Nu. However, while Hong Fu Nu became Li Jing's principal wife, You Sanjie only became his concubine.

The two maids were afraid that You Sanjie would be jealous and quarrel with Daiyu, but to their surprise, everything went smoothly this time.

The two men busied themselves helping Daiyu put on a veiled hat and head towards Shichahai. As they lagged behind, the two men kept whispering to each other.

Xueyan was still shaken, but Zijuan had come to her senses and said with a smile, "In terms of seniority, our young lady came first. Don't forget that Master gave Master Yuan the marriage certificate a long time ago."

Xueyan suddenly realized, "Oh, right, I had completely forgotten about that."

Zijuan smiled without saying a word, thinking to herself: Besides, her own daughter is a descendant of the Lin family and is considered a member of the Lin family. So even if Sister You is jealous, she should blame it on the second daughter, Yingchun.

Seeing that Xueyan had quickly forgotten about the matter, Zijuan felt a sense of unease. She couldn't help but think to herself, "Xueyan came from Yangzhou with the young lady, and although she's the closest to her, she's not very useful. Once she decided on the marriage between Master Yuan and the young lady, she seemed carefree and didn't think about anything else."

Even so, just for this loyalty, regardless of whether she is a young lady or a young master, I will grant Xueyan the status of a concubine in the future.

She's really lucky.

On the contrary, it was herself who, due to a momentary lapse of judgment, had displeased the young lady and, perhaps even Master Yuan. Then the old lady designated Yuanyang as part of her dowry, and it was likely that Qingwen from Master Yuan's quarters would also be included… With so many people vying for one, Zijuan suddenly felt her future was bleak.

Zijuan sighed inwardly, pondering whether it would be appropriate to move closer to Master Yuan... She knew that Master Yuan was currently focused on preparing for the next event, and besides, with all the flowers and greenery in the room, how could she possibly stand out?
We might have to find another way; we need to show that we are useful.

After some thought, the group left the alley and arrived at the Houhai shore. Looking out, the shimmering water of the lake truly opened their hearts.

Not far away was a small dock, behind which a double-decker pleasure boat was moored, and Qingyu, Chen Siyuan's servant, was waiting there.

As the group approached, Qingyu hurriedly greeted them, saying, "Sir, the pleasure boat was booked early this morning, and a feast has been prepared."

Chen Siyuan agreed, moved to the front of the plank, suddenly stopped, turned around and stretched out his hand to Daiyu behind him: "Sister, be careful."

Daiyu blushed slightly, thankfully she was wearing a veil to cover it. She rarely came out, and was already in a good mood. Besides, Daiyu was not one to follow the rules, and there was no one else around, so even though her heart was pounding, she still handed over her hand.

Chen Siyuan led the delicate, boneless little hand across the plank. Daiyu thought Chen Siyuan would let go easily, but who knew this shameless fellow would hold on and not let go.

So the two went up to the second floor of the painted boat, and Daiyu finally couldn't help but say, "If you don't let go, how am I supposed to take off my veil?"

Chen Siyuan chuckled and gently released her. Daiyu removed the curtain and hat, her delicate face already flushed. She gave him a playful glare before gracefully taking her seat.

Qingwen, Zijuan, and the others came up chattering and served the two of them to wash their hands and change their clothes. They poured tea and then, with great tact, went downstairs to play together.

Only Daiyu and Chen Siyuan remained on the second floor.

Daiyu blushed and turned her head away, focusing only on gazing at the beautiful scenery of the lake and mountains. After watching for a long time, most of the gloom in Daiyu's heart subsided, and she vaguely felt as if she had returned to Suzhou.

She turned to Chen Siyuan and whispered something to him, recounting many interesting stories from her time in Suzhou.

"...Xueyan was a little older than me, so she helped me up the tree. I was picking mulberries when my mother came. She looked up and saw me up the tree, and was immediately startled."

When Daiyu spoke of the past, her eyes, which seemed to be weeping but were not, were filled with light.

Chen Siyuan chimed in, "Didn't your aunt scold you?" He thought to himself, "Those days in Suzhou when I was young must have been the happiest time for Daiyu."
Daiyu tilted her head and smiled, "My mother was afraid I would fall, so how could she dare to scold me? She gently coaxed me to slowly get down from the tree, but I was hit twice as soon as I landed."

Daiyu pouted, feigning grievance, but then covered her mouth and laughed.

Chen Siyuan laughed heartily, and after hearing two more amusing stories from her, seeing that she was in a good mood, he said, "See, it's always good to get out and about. My sister isn't so depressed anymore, is she?"

Daiyu pouted and said, "You're right, but which young lady in this world can go out so often?"

Chen Siyuan then said, "Then it will be fine once my sister is married into the family... The house is next to this one, so my sister can come out for a stroll whenever she feels bored. When I have some free time, we can also go for a walk in Fragrant Hills."

When Daiyu thought of the marriage, her pretty face flushed red. A couple of days ago, Baochai secretly told her that Chen Siyuan intended to marry Daiyu next year.

Although Daiyu had long been convinced of this marriage, she was still thinking that it would take several more years. Caught off guard, she was somewhat unsure of what to do.

Chen Siyuan had received a letter from Baochai earlier and knew that Daiyu had concerns. He also knew that Daiyu was a rare and extraordinary woman and should not be taken lightly, so he simply got straight to the point: "Sister, you also know the situation of the Jia family. Madam holds great power, and even the old lady has to give way to her. Second sister-in-law has suffered a great defeat."

When Xia Jingui was alive, she dared to use any extreme ideas. If my sister continues to live in the Jia family, who can guarantee that Madam won't harbor malicious intentions?

Daiyu blinked, forgetting all about being shy, and immediately frowned, saying, "I'm staying far away from Brother Bao now, so it doesn't prevent Aunt from choosing her own daughter-in-law. Why would you want to harm me?"

Chen Siyuan sneered, "What foresight could a foolish woman from the inner quarters possibly have? Putting aside everything else, the Jia family is currently struggling to make ends meet. Most of your assets, sister, have been used to fund the garden, but the remaining amount is not insignificant. Who knows if Madam might resort to such underhanded tactics for money?" Seeing Daiyu frown and remain silent, Chen Siyuan continued, "Furthermore, Brother Bao's mind changes constantly. Who knows if he'll come back to harass you again tomorrow?"

Daiyu was still somewhat skeptical, saying, "At least my maternal grandmother is here; my aunt wouldn't—"

"What if the old lady is no longer here?"

Daiyu was speechless.

Chen Siyuan noticed Lin Daiyu's awkwardness, reached out and took her soft hand, gently caressing it and feeling that Daiyu was still somewhat frail. He then said earnestly, "Sister, you know my thoughts. I was in a hurry to welcome you into the family, not because I was lustful... but because I truly wanted to protect you and keep you safe."

Daiyu was moved. She raised her eyes and briefly met Chen Siyuan's gaze. Then she let out a snort and said, "You're no good either. You're only protecting me to gain fame and reputation."

As she spoke, she tried to pull her right hand away, but Chen Siyuan gripped it firmly. Not only that, Chen Siyuan moved closer and pulled Daiyu into his arms.

Daiyu blushed with fright and looked around in a panic. Seeing that the painted boats and covered boats were far away, she was slightly relieved, but then hurriedly urged, "You, you get up quickly, what will people think if they see this?"

Chen Siyuan ignored this and said with a serious expression and tender affection, "Sister's words just now were very hurtful. Although I had ill intentions at first, I have always been sincere towards you. How can I not be a good person?"

Daiyu pouted and turned her head away, saying in a flustered manner, "Who doesn't know that you've left most of your true feelings with Sister Bao?"

Chen Siyuan laughed shamelessly, "Is my little sister jealous? You can't blame me for that, it's just that my little sister was young before."

Daiyu was both amused and exasperated, and said, "Why are you blaming me again?"

Chen Siyuan said matter-of-factly, "It is my sister's fault... How old was my sister back then? If I had visited my sister every day, I'm afraid the old lady would have kicked me out of the mansion in a heartbeat."

Daiyu blinked, then chuckled, covering her mouth with her hand. She was only eleven then, not as old as Xichun is now. If the people around her had actually tried to flirt with her, not to mention others, Daiyu herself would probably have been scared half to death.

"Huh? My sister smiled, so I was right."

Daiyu said coquettishly, "You're always making things up, I don't believe you."

She twisted her body again, but Chen Siyuan clung to her like a persistent leech and wouldn't let go. Daiyu stopped struggling and soon leaned against Chen Siyuan's chest.

The two remained silent for a moment, observing the scenery around them. A painted boat passed by, and the melodious sound of string and wind instruments drifted over.

While Daiyu was still observing with curiosity, Chen Siyuan sighed and said with annoyance, "Oh dear, I forgot to bring the zither. Wouldn't it be wonderful to sail on the lake like this, with my sister playing the zither and me harmonizing with my flute?"

Daiyu felt a little longing in her heart, but then she heard that guy say, "No rush, it's only May, let's come again in a while."

Daiyu glanced at him, thinking to herself that coming out this time was already a great act of rebellion, how could he keep coming back? Suddenly she remembered Sister You San from earlier, so she asked, "That Sister You San... what do you plan to do with her?"

Chen Siyuan blinked and said, "I mentioned it to her twice, and she said she wanted to stay outside forever."

Daiyu sighed, "That's fine, so we won't feel awkward when we meet." She paused, then added, "I...I have no objection, but we must listen to what my teacher and grandmother say."

Chen Siyuan was overjoyed and laughed, "Of course, I'll speak to the Grand Marshal on his behalf. As for the old lady, I'll use a little trick to make sure my sister is satisfied."

Daiyu rolled her eyes at her, as if she were in a hurry to marry him.

Xiangling coughed lightly, and the two quickly separated. Then, Xiangling came up with a smile, carrying the chessboard.

Only then did the two hear the commotion below. Daiyu asked, "What are you all playing around with?"

Xiangling put down the chessboard and said, "Master brought dominoes and is playing them right now. Qingwen has bad luck and has already lost a round. If she keeps losing, I'm afraid she won't get her monthly allowance next month."

Daiyu covered her mouth and laughed, "You just keep beating her, she's rolling in money now."

Xiangling smiled and nodded, then poured tea for the two of them before gracefully retreating.

As the pleasure boat approached the Silver Ingot Bridge, the two could no longer linger together, so they sat facing each other, chatting casually while playing chess.

After lunch, Daiyu hesitated for a while before taking a sachet from her sleeve and handing it over.

Chen Siyuan took it and said happily, "Little sister, this is—"

Daiyu said shyly, "I know that you have always protected me. But I am clumsy and not good at needlework, so I only embroidered a sachet. If you don't like it, you don't have to wear it."

Chen Siyuan knew that the girl's face was delicate, so he picked it up and smelled it. He smelled the fragrance of styrax inside, then opened the sachet and glimpsed a small handful of red beans hidden inside.

When he looked up again, Daiyu had turned away in embarrassment. Chen Siyuan chuckled and quickly took off his sachet and tied it on with the gift from Daiyu.

After a while, Daiyu blushed and looked over. Seeing that he had indeed put it on, she suppressed her shyness and exchanged glances with him before raising her sleeve to cover her face and hurriedly leaving.

"I'll go see how much Qingwen lost."

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After a day of leisurely stroll, Daiyu's homesickness eased, and Chen Siyuan felt increasingly close to her, though it was a pity they had only held hands briefly. Chen Siyuan wanted to push his luck, but Daiyu's temper was difficult to appease, so he consoled himself: "She's still so young, she can wait. Hmm... once she's married next year, Lin Daiyu won't be able to escape it, will she?"
Upon returning to the Rongguo Mansion that day, Chen Siyuan was unharmed, and Daiyu's Xiaoxiang Pavilion was naturally bustling with guests. Baochai secretly felt envious, and seeing that Daiyu's mood had indeed improved, she returned to Hengwu Garden with a troubled mind; Baoqin was extremely envious and stayed to have supper with Daiyu, chatting away for quite a while before returning to the small courtyard in the northeast.

Feng Jie was in a state of confusion, and not wanting to offer herself up, she forced herself to wait. She secretly thought, "This time, surely that Chen Siyuan will come looking for me?"
Unexpectedly, just two days later, there was another small festival at Ningguo Mansion. Wengge suffered from heatstroke, so Madam Xing urged Fengjie to go to Ningguo Mansion to help out for a day.

After the small sacrifice, it was May 13th in the blink of an eye, the day Chen Siyuan gave birth to his son.

Because it wasn't his actual birthday and it coincided with the passing of the Dowager Empress, Chen Siyuan had told Madam Xing two days earlier that he wouldn't be holding the celebration.

Feng Jie was secretly annoyed with Chen Siyuan. Although she had prepared a congratulatory gift, she pretended not to know when Ping'er asked.

On the day of the birth, Sister Feng couldn't contain herself and personally brought congratulatory gifts to Qingtang Thatched Cottage. However, the timing was not right. Li Wan and Baoqin were both there at the moment. Sister Feng said a few dry words, glared at Chen Siyuan, and then led Ping'er back.

Leaving aside Feng Jie's unease, it's said that Li Wan lingered, clearly having something to say to Chen Siyuan. Observing Li Wan's expression, Baoqin took her leave first.

As soon as Baoqin left, Li Wan gave her a wink and hurriedly said, "Brother Yuan, my aunt has something to ask of me."

Chen Siyuan understood the implied meaning and quickly dismissed Qingwen and the others.

Only then did Li Wan say, "I... my period just ended, it was a false alarm. Otherwise, how could I live?"

Chen Siyuan scratched his head. A few days ago, the two had a secret rendezvous and, on a whim, ended up entangled in each other, when Xiangyun barged in.

Chen Siyuan couldn't help himself in his excitement. Li Wan, trembling with fear, managed to get rid of Xiangyun. Afterwards, perhaps because of her fear, her period was three days late.

This terrified Li Wan. A couple of days ago, she went to find Chen Siyuan and cried her eyes out, forcing him to find that potent medicine.

Knowing he was in the wrong, Chen Siyuan not only agreed to Li Wan's request but also advised her to be patient for a few more days. Unexpectedly, Li Wan started her period the very next day.

"It's all my fault. I'll take whatever Lanqiao wants to do, whether she hits me or scolds me."

Li Wan rolled her eyes at him, but seeing his earnest expression, she couldn't bring herself to scold him. After all, she had secretly fallen for him; how could she blame the young man before her? If they weren't in the Rongguo Mansion, Li Wan would have been eager to bear him a child.

After muttering to herself for a while, Li Wan knew when to stop and quickly got up to take her leave. Afterwards, all the young ladies came to sit in the thatched cottage, but Xiao Xichun was a little unhappy when she heard that Chen Siyuan was not hosting a banquet.

On this night, Xiangling, Qingwen, and Hongyu, who had been released by Yingchun, pooled their money to prepare a feast for Chen Siyuan.

The toasting, laughing and joking went without saying. When the wine was half-drunk, Chen Siyuan was in high spirits and took Qingwen and Hongyu to the bedroom.

Xiangling and Wu'er laughed and withdrew, while Qingwen blushed with embarrassment and kept refusing. However, Chen Siyuan pretended to be drunk, and with Hongyu stirring things up from the side, she finally gave in to Chen Siyuan's wishes.

So the wind swept away the fallen leaves, and the rain beat down the banana leaves... The enchanting and tender moments within need not be described in detail.

After a night of reckless abandon, Hongyu knew Qingwen wouldn't be able to save face, so she quietly returned to Zhuijin Tower early the next morning. When Qingwen woke up, she naturally scolded her severely, and after being teased by Chen Siyuan, she finally let the matter drop.

Chen Siyuan slept in late, a rare occurrence, and didn't get up until Chenshi (7-9 AM). After that, he washed up, ate breakfast, and then went into his study to read books.

When he felt dizzy and lightheaded in the afternoon, he went for a stroll in the garden.

The sky was overcast today, and it was anyone's guess when it would start to rain. He strolled along, and before he knew it, he had turned into a long corridor and a winding passage. But just as he reached the moon gate, he suddenly heard someone cough softly behind him.

Chen Siyuan stopped to look and saw that Sister Feng's face was full of frost, and she was looking at him with a cold smile.

Chen Siyuan thought to himself, knowing exactly what Sister Feng was thinking. He turned and walked over, smiling and cupping his hands in greeting. Once inside the Fangxia Yuanting, Sister Feng sneered, "Brother Yuan, you seem to be having a very leisurely time."

Chen Siyuan feigned surprise and said, "Second sister-in-law, what are you saying? I've been studying all morning and I'm so dizzy that I came out for a stroll."

"You—" Sister Feng had a bellyful of words to say, but she couldn't bring herself to say them. She gritted her teeth, stared at Chen Siyuan for a long while, and then said, "Ping'er... is probably pregnant. I..."

Seeing that he seemed hesitant to speak, Chen Siyuan said, "Then shall we go to the workshop again next time?"

Sister Feng couldn't wait any longer. She said, "I'll prepare a feast tonight, just come." Seeing Chen Siyuan frown and remain silent, Sister Feng took out an oil paper packet from her sleeve and handed it to him, lowering her voice and saying, "Take this in advance, and I guarantee he won't know anything about it."

He... Jia Lian?
Chen Siyuan was startled, and in his surprise, he suddenly remembered a strange phrase like "currently," and couldn't help but feel eager to try it out.

(End of this chapter)