Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 395 A Single Phoenix Arrives, Two Jade Trees

Chen Siyuan smiled calmly, his expression impassive, but inwardly he was filled with disdain. He thought to himself, "This is nothing! He has a whole host of other plans in store—like setting up an exchange, having a righteous official submit a memorial today banning the railway, claiming it damages the Great Shun's dragon vein; tomorrow, the inner court ministers will criticize the righteous official, saying that the bonds can be listed as ancestral property and won't be confiscated; the day after, they'll spread rumors that the Emperor is quite interested…"

It doesn't take much; just a few trips a year, and a million or hundreds of thousands of taels of silver are nothing!

Tsk, to be honest, the Emperor of Da Shun was too concerned about saving face; he couldn't compare to the Emperor of Chuan...

After drinking a cup of tea, Ding Daolong personally got up to pour tea for Chen Siyuan. Just then, a eunuch entered and whispered something to him. Ding Daolong frowned slightly, then smiled and said to Chen Siyuan, "It's unfortunate. His Majesty has invited the Prince to visit Changchun Garden. I'm afraid he won't be able to return today."

Chen Siyuan, being sensible, immediately got up to take his leave.

The Emperor had already bestowed gifts upon us last time. The six bolts of Shu brocade were fine, but the six bolts of shimmering brocade were priceless treasures, worth a thousand taels or three thousand taels.

But how could such a mundane thing compare to Chen Siyuan's merit? I'm afraid that the Emperor and the Prince of Yanping have both remembered my favor and are aware of my abilities.

If Chen Siyuan had remained a mere scholar, that would have been fine. But if he were to enter officialdom through the imperial examinations in the future, it would be a sign that he is favored by the emperor.

Feeling triumphant, Chen Siyuan bid farewell to Ding Daolong, who had seen him off at the door, and returned by carriage. It was almost the end of May, and Jia Jing's funeral was just a few days away. Lately, Madam You had been behaving herself, only asking her second sister to stay at the Ningguo Mansion to help out; who knew what wicked schemes that woman was plotting.

Lost in thought, I made my way back to the Rongguo Mansion. Just as I returned the carriage and horses at the stable, Yu Siba came looking for me.

"Uncle Yuan, the master just returned and sent me to invite you to the outer study for a chat."

Jia She is looking for me? Chen Siyuan wondered, "Is Ji Cai Su about to be exposed?" Tsk, he forgot to ask Ding Daolong.

Chen Siyuan went out of the side gate and followed Yu Si into the black lacquered gate. Without needing to announce his arrival, a servant led Chen Siyuan into the outer study.

After not seeing him for several days, Master Jia She looked somewhat haggard, but his face still showed undisguised excitement.

Chen Siyuan stepped forward to greet him, and Jia She immediately smiled and told him to take a seat.

After the fragrant tea was served, Jia She said, "I heard that Shu Liangcai went to the Prince of Yanping's residence? May I ask what business the Prince has with you?"

Chen Siyuan told the truth: "Uncle, the invitation was sent three days ago, but when I went there, I found that the prince had been summoned to Changchun Garden by the Emperor."

"Oh, I've heard from outsiders that you came up with the idea for those railway tracks?"

"I am ashamed, my nephew is also a fool."

Jia She stroked his beard and chuckled, "In my presence, Shuliang, there's no need for such modesty. I've heard that the Imperial Household Department borrowed over a million taels of silver just for the railway tracks. Tsk tsk~"

Fearing that Jia She might be ungrateful and try to get involved in the railway business, Chen Siyuan quickly changed the subject, saying, "By the way, how is Uncle's houttuynia cordata?"

Jia She laughed and said, "Even if you hadn't asked, I would have told you."

At this moment, Jia She began to speak with great enthusiasm and intonation. These days, Jia She had spent most of his time at the estate where he made houttuynia cordata. In order to make houttuynia cordata, Jia She even sold his pots and pans to buy two distilleries.

After stockpiling a batch of houttuynia cordata, Jia She immediately searched the capital for pharmacies to sell it. Little did he know that he would run into a tough nut to crack after only one day of selling it—Prince Zhongshun.

Chen Siyuan first gave this prescription to Prince Zhongshun, who was wealthy, powerful, and unscrupulous. The two barely clashed, and Jia She was immediately humiliated.

A bottle of vegetarian houttuynia cordata was sold by Jia She for five qian of silver, while Prince Zhongshun sold it for four qian. Jia She lowered the price again, and Prince Zhongshun followed suit. Then Jia She was at a loss... Lowering the price any further would make it a losing proposition.

Just when he was at his wit's end, a wealthy merchant from Jiangnan came to his door. After some negotiation, they agreed on a price of three and a half qian per bottle, and the merchant would buy as much as Jia She owned.

After listening to Jia She's enthusiastic explanation, Chen Siyuan sensed something was amiss. He quickly asked, "Uncle, has a contract been signed for this deal?"

Jia She was taken aback, then quickly said, "A business transaction worth over ten thousand taels of silver a year naturally needs to be documented in writing. Don't worry, Shuliang, I had Lai Da and a few other managers check it, and there are absolutely no problems."

Chen Siyuan felt increasingly puzzled and asked again, "This...may I have the honor of taking a look at that document?"

Jia She immediately showed displeasure and said coldly, "Does Yuan-ge'er think I'm a three-year-old child? Do you think I can be fooled into doing such a big business?"

Well, you can't reason with a damn fool. What else could Chen Siyuan say?
To be honest, Chen Siyuan felt rather...complicated about Jia She. After all, he had slept with Jia She's wife, daughter, and daughter-in-law. Although Jia She had tried to take advantage of him several times, he hadn't succeeded. Such a good person, and Chen Siyuan felt quite sorry for him watching him fall into a trap.

But who is Chen Siyuan? In his previous life, he wasted his life in a daze. In this life, he has done all sorts of tricks and deceptions in order to survive. His moral bottom line is flexible, and he can easily throw away the little bit of guilt in his heart.

Seeing that Jia She wouldn't listen to advice, she simply tried to flatter him in different ways, until Jia She's face lit up with a smile, and then he reluctantly took his leave.

Well... Jia She didn't have anything else to do with Chen Siyuan, he just wanted to show off how much money he made.

Chen Siyuan was both amused and exasperated, and had no interest in seeing Madam Xing anymore. As he left through the black lacquered gate, he turned his head and gave a meaningful glance at the outer study before quickly returning to the thatched cottage.

No sooner had he returned than Ping'er came looking for him.

After a few days apart, Ping'er was still as radiant as ever, but she dared not meet Chen Siyuan's gaze and kept her head down as she answered his questions.

Chen Siyuan got up and greeted his servants. Ping'er then said, "Master Yuan, our Second Master and Madam heard about the railway tracks and said that they hadn't entertained you well last time, so they're going to prepare a feast tonight to entertain you, Master Yuan."

Chen Siyuan felt a little strange, wondering if Sister Feng was about to bow down to him? He couldn't refuse, so he smiled and said, "Second Brother Lian, you even know this? Very well, please tell him for me that I will definitely come over later."

Ping'er agreed, glanced at Chen Siyuan with mixed feelings, then curtsied and took her leave.

Chen Siyuan suddenly scratched his head... Ping'er is probably pregnant. If she gives birth to a child, won't she have to call Fourth Brother Fourth Uncle? Tsk, this is a mess! Then he secretly rejoiced. Luckily, he only wandered around the Rongguo Mansion. Otherwise, wouldn't there be a scene of thunder and rain in the future?

After a period of rambling thoughts, Chen Siyuan composed himself and devoted himself to studying in his study. That afternoon, a chief secretary from the Prince of Yanping's residence suddenly delivered a gift: four chests containing a set of dark red agate floral headdresses, a set of Bohai jade headdresses, a set of white jade headdresses inlaid with red coral and cloud-shaped hair ornaments, a five-piece set of red gold filigree headdresses inlaid with emeralds, a set of red gold headdresses inlaid with precious stones symbolizing good fortune, longevity, and prosperity, and a set of kingfisher feather headdresses inlaid with red, blue, and green gemstones.

There is also a basket of top-quality jadeite rough, two pairs of top-quality pearls, and a box of diamonds.

Chen Siyuan carefully answered the chief clerk's question, then turned around and saw Jia She and his son Jia Lian drooling over several chests. These jewelry, pearls, and gemstones would probably cost more than five thousand taels of silver. The father and son were currently poor, and their congratulatory words were tinged with sourness.

Chen Siyuan responded with some hums and haws, then hurriedly urged the maids to carry the cart back to the thatched cottage. He knew in his heart that this was Yanping Wang's way of making amends—after all, the railway project was too big, and Chen Siyuan's advice was not only a win-win situation, but also broadened Yanping Wang's thinking.

If the repairs continue, the income tax from railway tracks could become a significant source of revenue.

When Xiangling, Qingwen, Wu'er, and the others learned that Chen Siyuan had received another reward, they were all overjoyed. Since the jewelry was all in sets, Chen Siyuan couldn't give it away separately, so he gave each of them a piece of jade, which he then had several maids carve into a decorative pendant.

After a while, Tan Chun, Xi Chun, Bao Qin, Xiang Yun and others came together to offer their congratulations. Chen Siyuan chatted and laughed with his sisters for a while, and gave them jadeite rough stones as a parting gift.

On the contrary, Yingchun, Baochai, and Lin Daiyu did not come. Chen Siyuan knew the reason. After all, their marriages had been arranged long ago, and the dignitaries would probably have to give them dowries later. So it was not appropriate for them to come and offer their congratulations at this time.

Before long, it was late. Chen Siyuan changed into a fine linen dress, tied a net around his neck, picked up a folding fan, and headed towards Sister Feng's courtyard.

Before long they arrived at the door. Feng'er, the little maid who was guarding the door, informed them, and Jia Lian immediately came out to greet them with a smile.

Chen Siyuan suppressed his discomfort, greeted him, and the two went inside arm in arm.

The meal had already been prepared, and since I had heard Chen Siyuan mention that he liked to eat stir-fried goji berry sprouts with oil and salt, this dish was added to the meal.

Jia Lian was adept at handling situations, and he naturally handled such matters flawlessly. He first apologized, then personally served tea and invited Chen Siyuan to sit down.

After exchanging a few words, Sister Feng came out from inside. Chen Siyuan looked up and glanced at her, then met her gaze briefly and saw that Sister Feng's eyes were full of resentment.

Chen Siyuan's heart skipped a beat, fearing that Feng Jie might be in a bad mood and Jia Lian might discover their secrets again, so he quickly got up to greet her.

Sister Feng immediately changed her expression and said with a smile, "Last time, your second brother had a meal at the East Mansion, and he didn't entertain him properly. The next day, your second brother complained that he didn't entertain Brother Yuan properly. So today, we've specially set up a table so that Brother Yuan can be entertained properly."

Chen Siyuan sneered inwardly: Are you asking Jia Lian to accompany you? You're clearly just lusting after my body!
Jia Lian also raised his cup and laughed, "That's right, I was originally thinking of waiting a few days to discuss it. But in a few days, the East Mansion will be sending off first, and then I, your foolish brother, will be going to Ping'an Prefecture. Your second sister-in-law and I discussed it and decided that we should just do it today, haha, Yuan brother, please!"

"Second Brother Lian, you're too kind. Please."

The two drank it all in one gulp, and Ping'er came to pour more wine. Feng Jie simply sat down beside them with a leisurely air. She said, "Brother Yuan, this afternoon Prince Yanping sent another reward. Was it because of the railway tracks?"

There was no need to hide this matter; even if Chen Siyuan hadn't said anything, it would have become the talk of the town in the future. Therefore, he simply told the truth and explained the whole story.

Upon hearing that Chen Siyuan's casual remark not only resolved the predicament of Da Shun Tie Jian but also allowed the Imperial Household to amass a fortune, Feng Jie felt a pang of bitterness. Even Jia Lian, standing nearby, felt uneasy.

Jia Lian, nearing thirty, had only acquired the nominal title of Assistant Magistrate through donation, spending his days receiving guests and managing household affairs—in short, he was utterly unambitious. Meanwhile, Chen Siyuan, having passed the provincial examination through his own merit, had already caught the eye of Prince Yanping, and even received a reward from the Emperor himself. Everyone with discerning eyes knew this young man was favored by the Emperor and destined for rapid advancement once he entered officialdom.

Chen Siyuan, observing Jia Lian's expression, noticed that Jia Lian seemed uncomfortable, so he laughed it off and changed the subject.

Jia Lian, being perceptive, chatted animatedly with Chen Siyuan. However, Feng Jie, standing to the side, was not so easily fooled. Chen Siyuan ignored her, but she stared at him, biting her lower lip in deep thought.

A pang of bitterness welled up within her, and her anger only intensified. Chen Siyuan was good in every way, but the two were too far apart in age, destined never to be husband and wife. Yet Feng Jie had already given herself to him, how could he... be so heartless?
Ping'er, who was serving nearby, saw that things were not going well and quickly nudged Feng Jie while pouring wine. Just then, Jia Lian said with a smile, "Today, firstly, I'm annoyed because I somehow got drunk and passed out last time; secondly, your sister-in-law also has some questions she wants to ask Brother Yuan."

"Oh? Second sister-in-law is quite the money-maker, could it be that you've got your eye on those bonds?"

Feng Jie had already regained her senses and forced a smile, saying, "Brother Yuan, you're very perceptive... I do have some personal savings. Brother Yuan, you might as well tell me, is the railway business a good idea?" Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Issued by the Imperial Household Department and guaranteed by the court, it's the safest option. If Second Sister-in-law is interested, you should act quickly. As far as I know, the bonds totaling 1.5 million taels of silver are now almost all gone."

Jia Lian immediately replied, "That's alright, I still have some connections with your second sister-in-law."

Sister Feng also raised her cup to invite him to drink, saying, "With Brother Yuan's words, I feel at ease. Brother Yuan, please."

As they ate and drank, Sister Feng would occasionally chime in with a comment, seemingly enjoying themselves immensely. However, whenever Jia Lian wasn't paying attention, Sister Feng would give Chen Siyuan a resentful glance, while her pair of delicate feet under the table would constantly rub against Chen Siyuan's calves.

Chen Siyuan ate the meal with trepidation, afraid of giving himself away. After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Ping'er brought over another pot of wine. Chen Siyuan vaguely recognized the pot... as if it was the same one they used last time?
Sister Feng took the wine and personally poured it for the two of them. After Jia Lian, who was tipsy, drank it all in one gulp, he soon swayed and collapsed onto the table.

Sure enough!

Chen Siyuan glanced at Feng Jie, put down his wine cup, and chuckled softly, "Are you in such a hurry? What will happen when Qiao Jie comes back later?"

Sister Feng smiled and glanced sideways, saying, "My brother Daoyuan is a remarkable hero, but who knew he would be so cowardly."

As he spoke, a water chestnut-shaped foot climbed up his calf. Chen Siyuan reached out and grabbed the ankle, and the water chestnut-shaped foot, smeared with balsam juice, emerged from under the tablecloth and landed on Chen Siyuan's lap.

I thought Sister Feng would pull back, but instead of retreating, she advanced, slightly lowered her body, and pointed her slender foot at Chen Siyuan's navel: "What's wrong, are you really scared?"

Looking at Feng Jie'er's provocative yet alluring face, how could he possibly tolerate it? Perhaps it was the alcohol, or perhaps it was because he had abstaining from alcohol all night, Chen Siyuan felt his blood rushing to his head. He scratched the sole of her foot slightly, dropped it, and pounced on her, scooping her up and carrying her inside.

Ping'er, who was standing to the side, was terrified. She hurriedly turned around and closed the door. She looked at Jia Lian, who was lying unconscious at his desk, and felt very sad.

Before long, enchanting sounds came from inside. Ping'er was too embarrassed to look, and instead stroked her lower abdomen, lost in thought.

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

North of Nengren Temple, Miaoyu's residence.

The young maid Qingfan paced anxiously in front of the room, when she heard another soft moan from inside. She stepped to the door, but her hand, which she raised to knock, froze in mid-air.

Turning my head to look around, I saw that the cook in the east wing was hiding in the small kitchen and wouldn't show herself. And with Granny Han not around right now, it was really making me anxious.

Just then, they heard the door open and turned to see Granny Han walking in.

Qingfan immediately ran over as if she had been saved: "Granny, Granny!"

Granny Han asked in surprise, "What is it now?"

Qingfan's eyes reddened with anxiety. "The nanny just left, and the young lady and Siqi had another argument. I don't know how, but she angered that powerful woman... Siqi has locked the door and is scolding the young lady right now! Nanny, please save the young lady, otherwise, otherwise..."

Upon hearing this, Granny Han's expression immediately turned strange. She tilted her head and glanced at the main room, then faintly heard soft moans coming from inside. She then pulled Qingfan to the west wing corridor and whispered, "Didn't the young lady say last time that we shouldn't get involved in such matters?"

"But--"

"No matter what, can we not listen to the girl?"

Qingfan didn't know how to answer, so Han Mama pulled Qingfan along, and the two of them went into the west wing. Han Mama whispered, "Besides, Siqi always knows her limits. Let's just pretend we didn't see it."

Qingfan nodded in a daze, then sat uneasily on the kang (heated brick bed) and began wringing out her handkerchief. Meanwhile, Granny Han's expression grew increasingly strange.

After Master Yuan's last visit, for some reason, within just three days, the young lady reverted to her old ways and started picking fights every time. So, five days ago, Siqi threw a tantrum, locking everyone out of the door and giving Miaoyu a good scolding herself.

When Granny Han and Qingfan arrived later, they found Miaoyu with disheveled hair, unkempt clothes, and a languid, drunken demeanor. Granny Han initially thought Miaoyu had suffered a great loss, but to her surprise, the next day Miaoyu gave the order that they should not concern themselves with such matters in the future.

Granny Han wasn't as clueless as Qingfan; how could she not know the strangeness of the situation? Listening to the sounds coming from inside now only fueled her imagination.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they suddenly heard a loud 'bang'. The two looked up and saw Siqi rushing out of the house in a panic. Without stopping, she opened the door and went straight outside.

Granny Han and Qingfan exchanged a glance. The former hesitated for a moment, while the latter hurriedly ran towards the main room. After a short while, they entered the room and saw Miaoyu sitting comfortably on the bed. Her face still held a hint of her usual charm, her eyebrows and eyes relaxed, and there was no trace of her usual indifference. Every move she made was full of allure.

Qingfan, puzzled, quickly asked with concern, "Are you alright, young lady?"

Miaoyu said lazily, "Good, very good, it couldn't be better!"

Qingfan was filled with suspicion, but Miaoyu had no interest in talking at the moment and dismissed him with a few words. After he left, Miaoyu half-closed her eyes and found the vajra pestle under her pillow. She smiled smugly, thinking to herself that she had killed two birds with one stone... Judging from Siqi's flustered appearance, she must have been scared half to death!

Thinking of this, Miaoyu, who had finally gotten her wish, bit her lower lip and carefully examined the object in her hand. After a while, she frowned and thought about how to cover it up.

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

puff-

Jia Lian fell heavily into the warm pavilion, groaned twice, and then fell silent.

Chen Siyuan clapped his hands, turned his head and saw Ping'er following closely beside him. They only exchanged a brief glance before she hurriedly lowered her head. Further on, on the kang, Feng Jie'er seemed to be half-asleep, her pink arms hanging down over the edge of the kang, and a pair of white and tender feet peeking out from under the brocade quilt.

Chen Siyuan smiled, wiped the fine beads of sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, and whispered, "Really pregnant?"

Ping'er bit her lower lip and nodded.

Chen Siyuan said, "Take good care of yourself, and come to my place when you have time... I have something to give you."

"Uncle Yuan—" Ping'er hesitated, wanting to say something but stopping herself.

Chen Siyuan sighed and said, "I know it's not what you wanted, but things have come to this... Don't worry, I know you don't care about money or gold. I'm just giving you some cordyceps or something to nourish your body. It's all out of good intentions, so please don't refuse."

Ping'er obediently agreed, and seeing that it was getting late, she sniffed and hurriedly urged, "Master Yuan, hurry back, Qiao'er might be back soon."

Chen Siyuan agreed, flicked his sleeves, took a few steps, glanced back at the kang (a heated brick bed), and then quickly left.

Ping'er first took off Jia Lian's shoes, then turned and went to the front of the kang (heated brick bed). Seeing that Feng Jie was still in a daze from the afterglow, she immediately recalled what had just happened... At that time, Feng Jie was truly swaying like a willow, her limbs like chaff, moaning incessantly, fainting and waking up, waking up and fainting again. Master Yuan was deliberately manipulating her, and Feng Jie really blurted out everything.

After thinking for a moment, Ping'er bent down and urged, "Grandma, hurry up and get dressed, Qiao'er might be coming back soon."

Sister Feng hummed twice before reluctantly getting up.

Once she regained some composure, Sister Feng immediately gritted her teeth and cursed, "That wild ox! I'll never let him get away with this!"

Ping'er remained silent, thinking to herself, "He's already called me 'brother' and 'father,' so what kind of harsh words are he saying now?"
Feng Jie stretched out her limbs and let Ping'er serve her by wiping her down. She then put her hair up in a bun, feeling increasingly indignant. That Chen Siyuan was indeed a vicious man. Every time things came to a head, he would try to back out, and... he would force Feng Jie to say things that made her feel ashamed and angry.

After several attempts, Sister Feng could no longer endure the torment and finally gave in, calling out whatever she was told. Immediately, she was lost in reverie, her fragrant skin withered and her jade-like buds fading. The ecstasy and devastation she experienced were indescribable.

What a disgrace! I used some tricks to win over Chen Siyuan, but who knew I would fall into his trap!

Sister Feng grew increasingly indignant, and a host of indescribable emotions welled up within her.

Ping'er was busy wrapping her in clothes when she suddenly paused, took something from beside the pillow, and handed it to Feng Jie, saying, "Grandma, Master Yuan left something for you."

Feng Jie glanced sideways and saw that Ping'er was holding a pearl the size of a pigeon egg in her hand.

In the afternoon, Jia Lian mentioned that Prince Yanping had rewarded Chen Siyuan with four pearls the size of pigeon eggs, but unexpectedly, one of them was given to Feng Jie. Feng Jie naturally knew that the remaining three were probably for Yingchun, Baochai, and Daiyu, and no one else received any, so she got one for herself.

She immediately felt relieved, and all her resentment vanished. Even so, she still stubbornly insisted, "What a nice thing! Put it away quickly, so no one can see it."

Ping'er agreed, but before she could turn around to hide, Feng Jie stopped her, reached out and snatched the bag away, saying, "Never mind, I'll hide it myself."

Ping'er silently agreed. After serving Feng Jie'er until she finished combing her hair, she glanced at her and saw Feng Jie'er staring at the pearl, a smile unconsciously appearing on her face.

Just then, the commotion outside grew closer. Feng Jie quickly slipped on her shoes and sat down on the kang (a heated brick bed). Soon after, Qiao Jie rushed in, smiling and calling out "Mother!" before throwing herself into Feng Jie's arms.

Sister Feng laughed and said, "You're all grown up now, still clinging to your mother. Be careful your aunts don't laugh at you."

Qiao Jie chuckled and chattered on about what had just happened at Rongqing Hall. Then she paused, stared at Feng Jie, and said, "Mother, why do you look so well today?"

"Is it alright?" Sister Feng said with a smile, trying to cover it up. "It's just that I drank a few more cups of wine, how can it be alright? Go and wash up, you're all sweaty from playing around!"

Qiao Jie'er agreed with a smile, glanced at Jia Lian lying in the warm pavilion, and then followed Feng'er to the east side room.

Sister Feng breathed a sigh of relief, reached out and beckoned Ping'er over, and instructed, "Tomorrow, have Laiwang go to the Inner Palace and find Doctor Cui to exchange five thousand taels of silver for railway vouchers."

Ping'er first agreed, then asked in surprise, "Grandma, if five thousand taels of silver are spent, Grandma won't have much money left."

Sister Feng sneered, "I don't have any money to spend in the mansion. Besides, don't I still get some latex sent to me every month to make ends meet? As for your second master, let him figure out how to make money himself!"

(End of this chapter)