Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 413 The List of Successful Candidates Shocks the Embroidered Household; Old Relatives Return Home to Discuss the Jade Fate

The curtain of the blue carriage was lifted, and Qingwen's small face was eagerly looking towards the examination hall. It was already afternoon on the eleventh day, and Qingwen had come here early in the morning to wait, naturally thinking about it very much.

I was worried that my husband wasn't eating or sleeping well, that the light rain yesterday might have made him catch a cold, and that he was too used to being pampered to tolerate the filth of the examination hall.

As for how well he did on the exam, Qingwen didn't care. With her master's abilities, what did it matter if he didn't pass the special imperial examination? It wouldn't prevent him from gaining the favor of noble people. There was another examination next year anyway, and how old was her master? It was common for him to pass the imperial examination in his early thirties, like Miss Lin's father.

Behind the blue carriage, there was another carriage, in which Jia Lian leisurely sipped tea, looking relaxed and at ease.

Several servants below were also eagerly waiting. Qingyu, who was in the lead, tugged at his collar and stood on tiptoe to peer through the crowd at the gate of the examination hall.

Suddenly, a man carrying a basket strolled out. He was handsome and dashing, and it was none other than Chen Siyuan. Qingyu immediately exclaimed with delight, "Grandpa's out!"

As soon as the words were spoken, a group of servants shouted and parted the crowd waiting for the examinees. Qingwen hurriedly ran down from the carriage. She was already quite beautiful, and her public appearance naturally attracted frequent stares from those around her. Normally, Qingwen would have been annoyed, but at this moment, her eyes were only on Chen Siyuan. From afar, she stood on tiptoe, waving her handkerchief, and called out, "Master, Master!"

Chen Siyuan smiled and stepped forward from the crowd. Qingyu had already snatched the basket from him, while Jia Lian leisurely got off the carriage.

Qingyu laughed and said, "Judging from your expression, sir, you're sure to have a smooth exam this time! Congratulations, sir!"

Qingwen pouted and frowned, saying, "Go away, stop talking nonsense!"

Qingyu laughed and slapped himself: "Look at my mouth! Master, get in the car, we're going back to the manor now."

Chen Siyuan smiled and agreed, reaching out to pat Qingwen's head before greeting Jia Lian who came to greet him. After a brief exchange, realizing it wasn't the place to talk, the two got into their respective carriages and returned to the Rongguo Mansion.

Before long, Chen Siyuan entered the carriage, letting out a long sigh of relief, his demeanor calm and composed. Thanks to the questions Lin Daiyu had given him, Chen Siyuan answered them with complete confidence.

Following the Ming dynasty system, the imperial examinations placed the utmost emphasis on the eight-legged essay, which meant that ranking candidates was primarily determined by the first section on classical texts. As for the official documents and policy essays in the latter two sections, although the court had been advocating for their emphasis in recent years, this had not been implemented.

Furthermore, the Great Shun Dynasty changed the list of candidates for admission to the North and South, allocating admission quotas to each province. For example, in remote areas such as Yunnan and Guizhou, two or three candidates were selected for each subject, while in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, twenty or thirty candidates were selected for each subject.

The capital city was the most prosperous place in the Great Shun Dynasty, and each examination generally selected eight to ten people. There were no more than two hundred candidates taking the examination each year, so the admission rate in the capital city was roughly the same as that in the metropolitan examination, with one in twenty being selected.

Chen Siyuan studied diligently for several years and received guidance from the renowned teacher Mei Hanlin. He dared not say that he could compete with the scholars of Jiangnan, but he could compete with the candidates from the capital. Moreover, thanks to Lin Daiyu, he had a great advantage and was confident that he could surpass the other 190 people.

In high spirits, Chen Siyuan smiled broadly and took Qingwen's soft hand to fondle it. Qingwen was used to this and just chattered on and on with Chen Siyuan.

One moment they were saying that the wedding shop had landed a big deal, and after a month of hard work, they would have saved more than two hundred taels of silver; the next moment they were saying that the second concubine had evil intentions and had found a kang screen priced at five hundred taels for Qingwen, but in reality she had secretly taken eight hundred taels of silver from the person who provided it.

Chen Siyuan smiled and asked, "Then how did you find out?"

Qingwen said, "Third Aunt said so, and she even took me to confront Second Aunt on the spot. Second Aunt had nothing to say and eventually gave me the three hundred taels of silver."

Chen Siyuan then said, "You're not short of money. If you don't like it, you can just not take any outside jobs."

Qingwen nodded her little head and smiled, "I know, I know, Grandpa said it, it's called scarcity makes things valuable."

Chen Siyuan laughed heartily. After being cooped up for several days, he was naturally eager to do so. He immediately pulled down the carriage curtain, grabbed Qingwen, and began to make advances towards her.

Not long after they returned to the Rongguo Mansion, everyone knew that Chen Siyuan still had two more performances to attend, so they didn't go up to greet him. Instead, they paid their respects from a distance and watched him lead Qingwen into the side gate.

After bidding farewell to Jia Lian in the passageway, Chen Siyuan and Qingwen hurried back to the thatched cottage. As soon as they entered, Chen Siyuan shouted, "Quickly prepare hot water and a bathtub, or it will spoil!"

Xiangling, Wu'er, and the others covered their mouths and laughed. Wu'er said, "Xiangling instructed me early this morning to go find someone to carry the bath tub in. Master, you can just take off your clothes."

Soon, a bathtub was brought in, and the maids poured hot water into it bucket by bucket. Chen Siyuan undressed and soaked naked in it, groaning with pleasure. Qingwen and Xiangling served him as he washed. After a while, Chen Siyuan was greatly aroused and pulled the two maids into the water to play with each of them.

Xiangling and Qingwen were naturally quite coquettish, their playful and scolding voices filling the room. After a full hour, the maid who had carried water entered and immediately noticed that the foot of the bed in the bedroom was soaked. The maid, though a rough servant, was not one to be underestimated, and after a moment's thought, she blushed.

She glanced at the radiant Qingwen, feeling both jealousy of her beauty and envy of her finding a good husband. These feelings, however, will not be elaborated upon here.

After bidding farewell to Chen Siyuan, Jia Lian returned to Feng Jie's courtyard in no time. He intended to go straight to the back courtyard, but instead forced himself to go to the front courtyard.

Ping'er was quite far along in her pregnancy, her belly was protruding, and it was inconvenient for her to be by her side. Therefore, only a young maid named Feng'er was serving her.

Jia Lian entered with a smile and exchanged a few words with her. Feng Jie raised her phoenix eyes and asked, "How do you see Brother Yuan?"

Jia Lian said, "Judging from his calm and composed demeanor, he must be very confident."

Sister Feng gave a curt reply, her heart filled with mixed emotions. Seeing that she remained silent, Jia Lian sat awkwardly for a while before getting up and quickly going to the backyard.

Sister Feng glanced at his retreating figure and secretly spat, but then she thought of Chen Siyuan. The saying "what you can't have is the best" applies not only to men but also to women, because it comes from human nature.

Feng Jie was born into the Wang family and grew up in luxury. She was flattered by Jia Lian from a young age. She had never encountered someone like Chen Siyuan who didn't take her seriously.

Last year, she gave herself to Feng Jie several times and became pregnant. If it were an ordinary man, he would have already humbled himself before her. But Chen Siyuan treated her like a beggar, sending her some cordyceps every month to nourish her body, and ignoring everything else.

Feng Jie'er had a clear plan: she only wanted to have a child through a third party, and once the child was born, she would part ways with him. However, no matter how clear her mind was, she still gritted her teeth in hatred whenever she thought of Chen Siyuan.

Having always been competitive, she naturally thought that sooner or later she would make Chen Siyuan fall at her feet. However, once the imperial examination was over, the second young lady's marriage would be discussed, and by then Chen Siyuan would be leaving the mansion... Even if Sister Feng wanted to get revenge, she would have no way to do so!
She did secretly hope that Chen Siyuan would fail the imperial examination, and then she would persuade the master to postpone the marriage for another year. That way... But, she could only think about it and not say it out loud.

With a heavy sigh, Sister Feng rested her chin on one hand and her lower abdomen on the other, her mind racing with thoughts, and for a moment she was filled with melancholy.

Zhuijinlou.

Zhuan'er trotted up the steps and glanced inside. She saw Xing Xiuyan playing chess with the second young lady, Yingchun. Zhuan'er, always unruly, couldn't help but exclaim excitedly, "Miss, the young master has returned home! The old woman in the tea room said he looked radiant; he's sure to pass this exam with flying colors!"

Both Yingchun and Xing Xiuyan felt a tremor in their hearts!
In these times, the husband is the head of the household, and with peace prevailing, scholars are increasingly valued and warriors despised. Women in their boudoirs naturally hope that their husbands will be listed on the imperial examinations and that one day they will be granted titles and honors as wives.

Xing Xiuyan came from a humble family and knew she was not fit to be a proper wife. Moreover, she was always unambitious and did not compete with the world. She only hoped to be in love with her cousin Chen Siyuan and did not care much about the imperial examination. Therefore, she was startled but quickly calmed down.

She held the black stone in her hand and glanced at it, and saw a look of surprise flash across the second girl's face.

Xing Xiuyan immediately teased, "What's so exciting about Second Sister?"

Yingchun quickly put on a stern face and said, "Where did you see that you were happy?"

Xing Xiuyan laughed and said, "Your lips are practically curled up to the sky. Aren't you happy? We must congratulate Second Sister. If Cousin passes this imperial examination with flying colors, Second Sister might receive an imperial decree in seven or eight years."

The top scholar in the palace examination was appointed as a Hanlin scholar, and after three years of study, he could be granted an official position. The remaining second and third-ranked scholars would be appointed three years later than the top scholar. The imperial court usually conferred titles and honors during the first term of a substantive post, so the seven or eight years mentioned by Xing Xiuyan was quite normal.

As soon as she finished speaking, the second young lady stammered, her face flushed, unable to utter a word. This marriage was three parts calculation and seven parts divine intervention. If Xue Pan hadn't died a violent death, how could Yingchun have become the principal wife?
The second daughter had suffered for over a decade and cherished her blessings deeply. She had always thought her brother Yuan was exceptionally capable, handsome, and brilliant; if he followed the proper path, passing the imperial examination before the age of thirty would be a given. Who would have thought he would soar to such heights, possibly passing the exam on his very first attempt at such a young age!
While secretly delighted, Yingchun was afraid of speaking too confidently and incurring retribution. So she suppressed her excitement and said with a straight face, "It's not good to say such things carelessly. After all, this is Brother Yuan's first time taking the exam. Normally, it's just a way to get used to it and practice writing. Whether he passes or not is not important."

Xing Xiuyan smiled knowingly and said, "Second sister is right."

Even so, Yingchun was still in a state of confusion, her mind preoccupied with Chen Siyuan. As a result, she made her moves without much thought, and within just a dozen moves, she lost the entire game.

Xing Xiuyan knew that the second young lady's heart was in turmoil, so she didn't linger and gracefully got up to take her leave.

After seeing Xing Xiuyan off, Yingchun felt a mix of anxiety and uncertainty. Her face showed worry one moment and smile the next. Restless, she left Hongyu and Xiuju behind and wandered into the garden by herself.

Unexpectedly, he walked all the way to the vicinity of Qingtang Thatched Cottage. Fearing that he might disturb Chen Siyuan, he pursed his lips and circled back towards the Jade Emperor Temple. He prayed to the Taoist Ancestor through the door, and then unexpectedly saw Suyun and Biyue in front of the temple gate.

The two maids stepped forward to greet them, and Yingchun asked in surprise, "Is your sister-in-law inside?"

Biyue smiled and said, "Grandma has been feeling uneasy these past few days, and she comes to the Jade Emperor Temple to chant sutras for an hour every day."

Su Yun blinked and smiled, "Second Miss, are you here to worship the gods? Our grandmother is in the alchemy room over there. Second Miss, you can just go to the main hall."

Yingchun hesitated for a moment, biting her lip, but finally nodded in agreement. She then moved her lotus-like steps inside, and as she passed the alchemy room, she glanced back and saw Li Wan dressed in plain clothes, sitting cross-legged on a futon, silently reciting Taoist scriptures.

Without causing any disturbance, the second daughter entered the main hall and knelt before the Jade Emperor, softly praying: "Supreme Jade Emperor, who holds the mandate of heaven and wields the calendar, embodies the truth and embodies the Dao, resides in the Golden Palace and Cloud Palace, governs the nine heavens and the myriad paths of the Dao, the Great Dao of Non-Action, the Bright Palace of the Great Dao, the Supreme Jade Emperor of the Golden Palace of the Vast Heaven, the Great Heavenly Venerable of Forgiveness, the High God of the Mysterious Vault, I, Jia Yingchun, pray that you, my faithful servant, will bless my husband so that he may pass the imperial examination and all things may go smoothly... If my wish is granted, I, my faithful servant, will kowtow to you day and night, and add incense for you day and night..."

After the prayer, Yingchun kowtowed three times in a devout manner.

Xiaoxiang Pavilion.

Baoqin and Xiangyun were guests, and they talked for a long time about starting the literary society at the end of the month. Baoqin insisted on being the host. When Yuanyang came to say that Chen Siyuan had already returned home, Baoqin and Xiangyun started chattering away again.

Daiyu listened with a smile, without saying a word.

The two children argued for a long time, when Xiangyun suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "Strange, why isn't Lin Daiyu saying a word?"

Daiyu chuckled and said, "What should I say? If it were up to me, it would be better if he passed the imperial examination a little later."

When Daiyu was young, Lin Ruhai had not yet achieved the rank of Tan Hua in the imperial examinations. He studied diligently every day and would also spend time with his mother and Daiyu, often taking the two of them boating on the lake.

After becoming an official, Lin Ruhai no longer had time to do such things. Daiyu often wondered to herself if her father would still be alive if he hadn't become a third-ranked scholar in the imperial examination.

For Lin Daiyu, money and official rank were nothing but external things. As long as he understood her, she could be happy even with simple meals.

Xiangyun didn't believe it and pressed Daiyu with a few questions, but Daiyu remained calm, leaving Xiangyun completely baffled. Just then, Tanchun and Xichun arrived together and chattered away for a long time.

The two children were always close to Chen Siyuan and couldn't wait for him to rise to the top. After playing around for a while, they finally started talking about the society's founding at the end of the month. Just then, Yuanyang brought Xiangling to visit.

The five women inside were all very surprised. When Xiangling entered, Daiyu asked with a smile, "Why don't you take good care of your master? What brings you here?"

Xiangling smiled and bowed gracefully, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, Miss Lin. I am here on behalf of my master to pay my respects to you."

"Huh?" Xiangyun exclaimed in surprise, "How old is Lin girl? Aren't you afraid of ruining her good fortune?"

Tan Chun seemed to be thinking about something, and said, "There must be a reason for this, Xiang Ling, tell me quickly."

Xiangling smiled and said, "Miss Lin, do you still remember the questions we listed earlier? What a coincidence, one of them is a question from the undergraduate exam."

Upon hearing this, the girls all gasped in astonishment. Even Daiyu, with her composed nature, was taken aback. She quickly pressed for details, and upon learning that the question was indeed "切切側側怡怡" (qiè qiè shēng shēng yí yí), she was immediately at a loss for words, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. Truly, it's a case of "the flower you intend to bloom doesn't, while the willow you plant unintentionally thrives!"

Daiyu was only thinking about doing something for Chen Siyuan and never expected him to pass the exam. Who would have thought that the randomly chosen questions would be one of the exam questions?

Tan Chun, Xi Chun, Xiang Yun, and Bao Qin all came over to tease her, with Xiang Yun even jokingly suggesting that Daiyu be called a great Confucian scholar. Daiyu chuckled for a while, then, seeing Xiangling about to leave, she quickly stopped her, pulled her aside, and whispered, "This matter must not be publicized. When you return, tell Brother Yuan to immediately burn all his usual writings to avoid any unforeseen complications!" Xiangling's eyes lit up, and she nodded repeatedly, saying, "Miss Lin is very thoughtful. My master just burned all the manuscripts!"

Daiyu was relieved, but then instructed, "Don't neglect the last two performances either. Go back and serve them quickly. You'll be able to relax after the fifteenth."

Xiangling smiled and agreed, curtsied and bid farewell to Daiyu, then headed back to the thatched cottage.

No sooner had she come out than an old woman came chasing after her as she approached the Qinfang Bridge. Xiangling stopped to wait, and the old woman quickly came up to her and said with a smile, "We just happened to run into you, Miss. Ying'er, who is by Miss Bao's side, has come and refuses to enter the mansion. She only wants to see you, Miss."

"Me?" Xiangling blinked, immediately realizing that Ying'er must have been sent by Miss Bao.

He nodded in agreement and followed the old woman to the back door. A short while later, they came out of the back door and, sure enough, saw Ying'er waiting in the carriage.

Afraid of being seen by others, Ying'er beckoned Xiangling inside, then took Xiangling's hand and said with a smile, "Good girl, we've been waiting for you. Our young lady sent me to ask how Master Yuan did on his first exam?"

Xiangling chuckled and said, "You're being so sneaky. You haven't completely moved out yet. Just come and find me openly. Why do you have to hide it from everyone?"

Ying'er said with distress, "Your master already knows the reason, so I won't say it. I was afraid of being questioned by my mistress, so I secretly went to find my sister."

Xiangling smiled and shook her head, then recounted in detail how Daiyu had guessed the exam questions correctly, and Chen Siyuan calmly explained them one by one.

Ying'er was overjoyed upon hearing this, and thanked Xiangling profusely before urging the carriage to hurry back to the Xue family's old residence in the outer city. Half an hour later, they arrived at the Xue family's old residence, and Ying'er could not hide her joy, so she hurried to the back of the house.

At this moment, Baochai was absentmindedly embroidering. Cao knew that her sister-in-law was thinking about Chen Siyuan, so she didn't expose her. Instead, she told Baochai some trivial things about the house.

"Girl, girl, great joy, great joy!"

Suddenly, Ying'er's squawking startled Baochai, causing her to prick her finger. Ignoring her injury, Baochai abruptly stood up and took two steps to meet her, asking Ying'er as she rushed towards her, "How are you?"

Ying'er bowed again and said, "Great news! Miss Lin predicted the exam questions correctly, and Master Yuan did extremely well on the first exam!"

Baochai was slightly dazed, but suddenly felt as if she had drunk sweet rain, and her whole body felt comfortable! Without her having to ask any further questions, Ying'er recounted in detail what Xiangling had said.

Upon hearing this, Sister Bao was overjoyed, her hands trembling and her heart fluttering! If she passed this time, she would be a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) at the age of seventeen! In terms of youth, she would rank among the top three in this dynasty!

If one were to achieve the highest rank in the palace examination and become a probationary official, even if one could not enter the cabinet or become a prime minister thirty years later, one would at least become a governor or viceroy of a region.

Baochai rarely showed such joy, and Cao Shi noticed it. She immediately found a maid and instructed her, "It's rare for Miss to be so happy. Go and tell them to prepare a feast for dinner. Miss and I will have a good meal together."

The little maidservant happily agreed and left. At this moment, Baochai suddenly came to her senses, clasped her hands together, and said, "Oh no! Those manuscripts cannot be left behind. You must quickly go to the Rongguo Mansion and tell them..."

Before Baochai could finish speaking, Ying'er laughed and said, "Master Yuan is always cautious. How could he leave any evidence? Even without you saying anything, Master Yuan returned and burned the manuscript to ashes."

Baochai breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "That's good, that's good..."

Turning around, she saw her sister-in-law, Cao, looking her over with amusement. Baochai blushed and said shyly, "I'm sorry to have made you laugh, sister-in-law."

Cao said with a smile, "You've been so worried these past few days, unable to eat or sleep. Now you can finally relax a little, right?"

Baochai was secretly delighted, but said aloud, "Even if you write a good essay, you still need to win the favor of the examiners. It's too early to talk about that now."

Madam Cao smiled but remained silent. Just then, a voice called out from outside, and Madam Cao's head maid, He Xin, quickly came in. She curtsied upon entering and said, "Madam, Aunt, Madam has sent a servant with a message."

After saying this, she presented the letter. After Cao Shi read it, she showed it to Baochai. After the two sisters-in-law had read it, they were both very happy.

Madam Cao laughed and said, "That's great! Judging by the time it takes, Madam will be able to reach Tongzhou when she is seventeen or eighteen. It's a pity that the railway is not yet finished, otherwise she could have arrived in the capital on the same day."

Baochai smiled and echoed her words, but her heart was filled with mixed feelings. Aunt Xue's letter only mentioned the approximate date of her arrival, without mentioning the baby girl at all. While Baochai was overjoyed that Aunt Xue's return would allow her to discuss marriage with Chen Siyuan, she was also worried about the baby girl's origins.
Enough of this, there's no point in thinking about it anymore. When Mother returns, just urge her to finalize the marriage. As for other matters, Sister Bao shouldn't interfere too much.

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

In the blink of an eye, Chen Siyuan took two exams in a row, and March 15th arrived.

Just after 9 a.m., Chen Siyuan handed in his paper and left early. He pushed through the crowd, got into his own carriage, chatted with Jia Lian and others, and happily returned to the Rongguo Mansion.

After returning to his thatched cottage, he took a bath, which goes without saying. Soon after, Miao'er came to invite him, saying that Jia She and Madam Xing had prepared a feast and invited Chen Siyuan to attend in the afternoon.

Chen Siyuan, feeling carefree, didn't even have lunch and arrived at the banquet promptly at noon. During the meal, they toasted each other, partly to celebrate Chen Siyuan's success and partly to inquire about his marriage to Yingchun.

The betrothal ceremony was held last year, and now that the mourning period for the Dowager Empress has passed, it is time to hold the formal betrothal ceremony and continue the wedding process. Chen Siyuan readily agreed and promised a dowry of five thousand taels of silver, which naturally delighted Master Jia She.

Because Grandmother Jia asked Sister Feng to prepare a dowry for Yingchun, and Jia She had just suffered a stroke and was unable to walk properly, Jia She was too busy to help.

This man was willing to sell his own daughter Yingchun for five thousand taels of silver, so why would he care about Yingchun's reputation? He made up his mind that when the betrothal gifts arrived, he would select valuable goods to pocket and then give Yingchun some inexpensive and affordable cloth and brocade.

Chen Siyuan knew Jia She's thoughts, but ignored the frequent glances from Madam Xing. He had his own thoughts. This master had treated him very well. Not only had he arranged for him to marry Daiyu, but he had also given his wife his daughter and raised his son for him... If he didn't let the master take advantage of him this time, Chen Siyuan would feel that his conscience wouldn't be clear.

He's only embezzling two or three thousand taels of silver anyway, so let him be.

After the banquet, Chen Siyuan, only slightly tipsy, strolled around the garden again. He talked with Tanchun, Xichun, Baoqin, and Xiangyun for a while, and then shamelessly lingered at Xiaoxiang Pavilion for another half a day before leisurely returning to Qingtang Thatched Cottage.

It was nearing evening when Chen Siyuan, sipping strong tea, chatted idly with Qingwen and the others, deciding that he would move back to his new residence at Nengren Temple the next day. Just then, Yunxiang came to report that Xing Xiuyan had come to visit.

Chen Siyuan dared not be negligent and quickly got up to greet her. After a short while, he welcomed his cousin Xing Xiuyan inside, and Qingwen served her fragrant tea before withdrawing with Xiangling and the others.

Only the two of them remained. Xing Xiuyan briefly inquired about the imperial examination and then said, "My mother and I have looked at no less than ten houses these days. After much consideration, we have chosen a house in Dongtaiping Lane, priced at four hundred and thirty taels. Now that we have the house, my mother has had it almost ready, and I am thinking of moving out in the next couple of days."

Seeing Chen Siyuan's reluctance, Xing Xiuyan smiled and said, "Why are you acting like a child? It's only a few months... Besides, if you really want to see me, do you think your mother can stop you?"

Chen Siyuan thought about it and realized it made sense. He then chuckled and tugged at Xing Xiuyan's hand, chatting and laughing with her for a while.

Two days later, Xing Xiuyan indeed moved out. The women in the Grand View Garden were naturally reluctant to see her go. Li Wan, Yingchun, Tanchun, Xichun, Daiyu, Baoqin, Xiangyun, and others came to see her off. Xiangyun even wiped away tears, which made Xing Xiuyan feel reluctant to part as well, and her eyes reddened.

Chen Siyuan had led Qingwen, Xiangling, and others back to their new residence at Nengren Temple a day earlier, and naturally came to see them off in his own carriage that day. After picking up Xing Xiuyan, they rode together to Taiping Lane in the outer city, where Chen Siyuan chatted with the talkative Xing Zhenshi for a long time before leisurely turning back.

Upon arriving at the house, he looked around and found that only Wu'er remained; the rest had all left. Perhaps due to being cooped up for ten days or so, Chen Siyuan had become increasingly vigorous in bed these past two days, even the submissive You Erjie could not withstand it.

Since it was early morning and Chen Siyuan was going to see Xing Xiuyan off, You Erjie and Qingwen went to the wedding shop, You Sanjie went to the glass workshop outside the city, and Xiangling, thinking about the poetry club, returned to the Grand View Garden. If you think about it, then only Wu'er is left to guard it.

Chen Siyuan was secretly pleased with himself, but he was unsure whether his work, which he considered to be of exceptional quality, would please the examiners. Such a grand ceremony, which judged talent based on writing, had a very high probability of unexpected results, and Chen Siyuan dared not be certain that he would be on the list until the results were announced.

As he had been staying at home these past few days, he had only sent a letter to Sister Bao through a servant, without going there in person.

The residence of Nengren Temple kept cats and dogs, and Chen Siyuan and Wu'er would walk the dogs and play with the cats, feeling rather bored. Unexpectedly, at noon that day, a maid delivered a letter.

Chen Siyuan was very surprised and asked who sent it. The maid only said it was a lazy bum from the alley.

There was no writing on the envelope, but when Chen Siyuan opened it, his heart skipped a beat. The handwriting was neat and beautiful, and there was no name signed. It simply invited him to meet at Da Gezi Alley in two days.

Only Siqi and Aunt Xue knew about Da Gezi Alley. Now that Siqi is with Miaoyu, that letter must have been written by Aunt Xue... Tsk, has this woman returned to the capital?

Recalling the letter Aunt Xue had written in winter, complaining that she had only given birth to a daughter, Chen Siyuan felt a mix of emotions and his mind wandered.

Chen Siyuan was unaware that when he finished reading the letter, Aunt Xue's carriage had just stopped outside the ceremonial gate of the Xue family's old residence.

Madam Cao and Baochai were already waiting outside the ceremonial gate, where all the maids and servants of the household were also waiting. First, an unfamiliar wet nurse carrying a baby girl got off the carriage, and then Aunt Xue, whose figure was becoming increasingly plump, came down. Madam Cao and Baochai hurriedly went to greet her.

One called her "mother-in-law," and the other called her "mother"; their joy at the reunion was beyond words.

Looking at Baochai, Aunt Xue saw that she was becoming more and more promising, and couldn't help but stroke her cheek and say with a smile, "You're all grown up now, you shouldn't cry anymore."

Cao Shi busied herself as she entered, and the group of people followed Aunt Xue toward the main room like stars surrounding the moon.

After a short while, they entered the main hall and took their seats. Just as they were about to say something, the baby girl in the wet nurse's arms began to cry.

Aunt Xue leaned forward slightly, then quickly stopped and said with a smile, "Yan'er must be hungry. Let's take her downstairs to breastfeed."

The wet nurse smiled and agreed, then took the baby girl downstairs to nurse her.

Baochai was conflicted and stared at Aunt Xue without saying a word. Cao Shi, unaware of the reason, asked with a smile, "Is that the baby Madam found?"

Aunt Xue had already memorized the lie, and immediately said, "Don't mention it. Last year, I went to Jiming Temple to offer incense. I heard that the first incense offering was the most effective, so I got up early to go to Jiming Temple. But on the way up the mountain, I heard cats meowing all around me."

Tongxi and Tonggui both said it was a cat's meow, but my eyelids kept twitching, and I felt something was amiss. So I ordered the carriage to stop and sent maids and servants to search. To my surprise, Tongxi found Baoyan behind a tree in no time.

She was so thin and small back then, barely bigger than a kitten. She was crying and wailing, gasping for breath. I don't know who was so heartless as to abandon their perfectly healthy child.

Since I met her outside the temple, I figured it must be a decree from Buddha, so I decided to raise Yan'er with me. She's almost six months old now.

Madam Cao sighed repeatedly, praising Bao Yan for being so well-behaved and promising that she would grow up to be a first-rate beauty.

At this moment, Baochai suddenly chimed in, "That's right, where are Tongxi and Tonggui?"

Aunt Xue hesitated for a moment before saying, "My son, you know that Tongxi and Tonggui are not young anymore, and our family does not have any suitable servants. So I decided to release them and allow them to choose their own husbands."

"Men should marry when they come of age, and women should marry when they come of age. I can arrange your marriage with Yuan'er when I return to the capital, but it's not appropriate to find suitable matches for them both here in the capital."

Upon hearing this, Madam Cao smiled and said, "Mother-in-law is kind and generous. Tongxi and Tonggui will surely remember your good sons."

Aunt Xue laughed and said, "After raising them by my side for six or seven years, I've come to regard them as my own daughters. Not only did I find them suitable husbands, but I also gave each of them ten acres of land and two hundred taels of silver as dowry."

Cao sighed repeatedly, chatting animatedly with Aunt Xue. Baochai watched coldly from the sidelines, a smile on her face, but inwardly she felt a chill run down her spine.

When Aunt Xue returned to the capital, not only were there celebrations and honors, but most of the servants around her were also replaced. Doesn't this elaborate cover-up suggest that the baby girl's origins are suspicious?

Baochai was so angry she didn't know what to say. If Aunt Xue's scandalous affair were to spread in the future, how could Baochai possibly face anyone? At this moment, she could only hope that the adulterer was from Jinling, so that the two would break off their relationship and prevent the Xue family from being disgraced in the future!
(End of this chapter)