Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 418 Butterflies Dance and Bees Frenzy, Red Sleeves Abound in the City

After Baochai had breakfast and Xianxian had a cup of tea, they told Aunt Xue and Madam Cao that they needed to go to the latex business to settle accounts today.

Aunt Xue pretended not to know, and Madam Cao smiled without saying a word. They both knew that Baochai hadn't gone to settle any accounts. Today the results were announced, and Baochai must have gone to see her future husband!
Even with Baochai's temperament, she felt quite uncomfortable under the gaze of her sister-in-law, Cao. She sat quietly for a while, waiting for Ying'er to come inside and inform her that the carriages and horses were ready, before bidding farewell to her mother and sister-in-law and heading towards the second gate.

The master and servant rode in a carriage, with four servants beside them to do their bidding. The carriage rumbled along and headed towards Zhengyang Gate.

The list of successful candidates was a mixed bag, and it was inappropriate for Baochai, an unmarried young lady, to go and see it herself. So she found a teahouse outside Zhengyang Gate, and a private room on the second floor facing the street by the window. She ordered a pot of Biluochun tea and four kinds of pastries. Baochai and her maid Ying'er drank tea and waited, while a servant went to the inner city to look at the imperial list.

According to the system of the Great Shun Dynasty, those ranked in the first rank were directly appointed to official positions. Those ranked in the second rank either had to take the civil service examination and wait three years to obtain an official position, or they had to observe government affairs for a year before being appointed. As for those ranked in the third rank, they had to wait for the Ministry of Personnel to select officials, and they had to wait. If they were lucky, they could wait three years to become a county magistrate, but if they were unlucky, they might wait for more than ten years without finding a vacancy.

All these factors made a world of difference, and Baochai was naturally very concerned. At this moment, she was lost in thought, thinking that at Chen Siyuan's age, it would be good if he could pass the second class, and it would be best if he could be selected as a probationary official. That way, when he graduated from the academy in six years, at the age of twenty-three, he would still be younger than many of the newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations).

If one cannot become a Zhongshujishi (a junior official in the Hanlin Academy), one can observe the administration of the Six Ministries for a year, and then obtain a position as a principal officer in one of the Six Ministries. After serving two terms, it would be best to secure a position as a censor. In this way, one can at least become a prefect. By gradually accumulating seniority, one may even aspire to become a high-ranking official in a remote region.

She was filled with anxiety and uncertainty, her emotions rarely showing on her face, which surprised her maid, Ying'er. So she advised, "Why worry, Miss? Master Yuan is quite high on the list of successful candidates. He'll at least be in the second rank in the palace examination. If he does well, he might even be named the third-ranked scholar or the top scholar. Then you'll be in high spirits!"

Baochai chuckled and said, "If anyone's going to be in the limelight, it's Second Sister. What does it have to do with me?"

Ying'er choked and quickly said, "There's a saying that being fat first doesn't count as being fat later, but being fat later can break the bed. If it weren't for the accident with the master, how could the second young lady have been involved? To be honest, she is inferior to the young lady in every way."

Baochai smiled serenely and said, "Second Sister is gentle and virtuous, how could she be as despicable as you say? Please stop saying such things!"

That's what she said, but Baochai secretly agreed. In terms of looks, talent, and character, aside from her close friend Daiyu, no one in the garden could surpass her. In terms of family background and social standing, although the Rongguo Mansion was a prestigious family, Yingchun was born out of wedlock—how could she compare to Baochai, the legitimate daughter of the Xue family's main branch? And in terms of mutual affection, Baochai and Chen Siyuan were a truly happy couple!

The second daughter was inferior to her in every way, yet she managed to win the prize at the last minute... Baochai felt somewhat resentful when she thought of this.

Just as she was pondering this, she suddenly heard a sound on the stairs, and then a familiar voice exclaimed, "How strange! Sister should come out and move around more often. Once you're married, you won't have such a carefree life anymore!"

Immediately a woman's voice scolded, "If you keep talking nonsense, you can go back by yourself."

The woman who spoke earlier said sheepishly, "Sister, don't be angry. I was just talking nonsense... Oh, there are still private seats over here. Why did the waiter insist that there weren't any left?"

Then a waiter said, "Miss, you don't know, but our private rooms were booked yesterday. Look, if you look at it sideways, you can see Zhengyang Gate. In a little while, the top scholar will be passing by on horseback."

Baochai and Ying'er exchanged a glance, and Ying'er said, "Does that sound like Miss Xing and Zhuan'er?"

Baochai hesitated for a moment, then nodded to Ying'er. Ying'er understood immediately, turned around the screen to look, and saw that it was indeed Xing Xiuyan and Zhuan'er. She immediately waved and smiled, "Miss Xing, Zhuan'er!"

Zhuan'er, who was never one to mince words, ignored Xing Xiuyan beside her and, upon seeing an acquaintance, approached with a smile and started chatting. After a while, Baochai came out to invite them, and Xing Xiuyan, unable to refuse, led Zhuan'er into the private room.

Although they addressed each other affectionately as "elder sister" and "younger sister," Xing Xiuyan was actually closer to the second young lady. Having seen through Baochai's complicated mind, she rarely interacted with her.

The two were very friendly and affectionate when a commotion broke out outside. Upon closer listening, it turned out that Sister You Er, Sister You San, Qingwen, Xiangling, and others had all gone to the private room next door.

Baochai and Xing Xiuyan exchanged a glance and smiled, thinking to themselves that they had all thought of the same thing. Ying'er went over to invite them, and the ladies greeted each other warmly.

The second sister, You, was exceptionally attentive to Baochai, because she had not given up on the idea of ​​marrying into the family; on the other hand, the third sister, You, appeared serene and without desires. So she simply asked a waiter to remove the screen, combining the two private rooms into one. They chattered and laughed, and would occasionally peek out the window, causing passersby to look up and stare.

Qingwen loved lively gatherings. Suddenly, she saw that the building across the street was decorated with flowers and many women were holding bouquets. She immediately suggested that they also buy some flowers. If they saw Chen Siyuan, they could throw the flowers down, which would be a very elegant thing to do.

Sister You was already somewhat mad, but upon hearing this, she clasped her hands in praise and immediately took out some money to instruct Dongmei to buy some flowers. Sure enough, Dongmei brought back a basket of bouquets.

Just as they were playing around, a shout suddenly came from the street: "The results are out!"

With a whoosh, a large number of curious people rushed into Zhengyang Gate.

At present, Qingwen, Xiangling, You Erjie, You Sanjie and others are laughing and talking as usual. To them, Chen Siyuan passing the imperial examination is equivalent to becoming a Jinshi. At this age, what does it matter if he is only a Tongjinshi?
Xing Xiuyan remained as serene and composed as before, for fame and fortune were not what she sought.

Only Baochai became worried again, but because she was in front of everyone, she could only pretend to be normal and chat idly with those around her.

After about two cups of tea's time, Ying'er, with her sharp eyes, pointed to a figure rushing towards them from downstairs and said, "Miss, Liang'er is back from checking the results!"

Dongmei chimed in, "Auntie, our servant is back from checking the results!"

At this moment, apart from Xing Xiuyan, the rest of them clasped their hands in prayer, hoping that Chen Siyuan would be among the top!
A short while later, Liang'er rushed up, panting heavily as she reached the private room. Ying'er, anxious, quickly found her a cup of tea and gave it to her before pressing her for an answer: "How did it happen?"

Liang wiped the sweat from his brow, grinned, and bowed, saying, "Congratulations, Miss! Your son-in-law has received the Emperor's favor and has been selected as the third-ranked scholar in this imperial examination!"

"Oh my!" Ying'er stamped her feet in delight and turned to look at her young lady.

Then she saw Baochai's almond-shaped eyes wide open, her pretty face tense, and she was wringing her handkerchief as if she wanted to squeeze water out of it! When Ying'er happily leaned closer and tugged at her arm, Baochai seemed to wake from a dream, and then solemnly asked Liang'er, "Did you see carefully?"

Liang'er swore an oath: "I could not have been mistaken. Master Yuan is ranked third in the first class. Isn't he the third-ranked scholar?"

Looking at Baochai again, she felt a sudden shiver, a warm current rising from her dantian and then flowing to her limbs and bones. It was like rain after a long drought or ice cream in the sweltering heat. Her whole body felt refreshed and indescribably comfortable!
He was the third-ranked scholar! Although she had a faint hope in her heart, Baochai could never have imagined that her beloved husband would become the third-ranked scholar in just one examination!
After a short while, seeing the people around her jumping for joy, Baochai realized that she was not dreaming. So she became excited and uncontrollable, and in an instant her face turned red, her tongue went dry, her waist ached and her legs went weak, and she felt like she couldn't stand up.

Only because she needed to maintain a dignified appearance did she suppress her emotions, manage a faint smile, and offer a couple of words of praise. In reality, the more she did this, the hotter her body became, and the more itchy she felt. She wished she could immediately throw herself into Chen Siyuan's arms and let him be as tender and affectionate as he wanted!
Looking to the side, Qingwen and Xiangling, needless to say, were jumping and skipping with their hands clasped together, overjoyed; You Erjie was so happy that her face was flushed, and You Sanjie even put one foot on a chair and waved her hand generously, saying, "Rewards, rewards for everyone!"

Immediately, a maid named Dongmei brought over a basket and opened the silver box that Sister You had brought. The basket was full of a silver coin worth four qian (approximately 10 grams), and everyone who saw it received a share. Even the waiters in the teahouse were rewarded.

The announcement of names takes an hour. After the women had their fun, Sister You San felt she hadn't had enough, so she called over the waiter, gave him some money, and told him to bring whatever wine and food he wanted, whether it was osmanthus wine or chrysanthemum wine, as long as it was good. She insisted that they drink until they were drunk!
Baochai's emotions had just calmed down a little when she suddenly realized that her body was slippery and cold. She blushed and secretly scolded herself, but then she thought of Chen Siyuan and couldn't help but feel a warm spring in her heart and smile with affection in her almond eyes.

After a while, the waiter brought the wine and food, and the two tables were combined into one. The women ate and drank there while waiting for Chen Siyuan to ride his horse through the streets.

An hour later, even the usually composed Baochai was starting to feel a bit tipsy. Just then, they heard a commotion downstairs, and someone shouted, "The top scholar is being paraded through the streets!"

The women leaned on the railing to look out, and saw a group of people coming out of Zhengyang Gate. At the front were three clerks carrying a plaque indicating that the successful candidates had passed the imperial examinations, followed by a minor official who beat a gong to clear the way, and two more clerks leading the horse for the top scholar.

The top scorer in the undergraduate program, Zhao Zhen, was over forty years old and had a rather decent appearance, but he was short in stature; the second-place scorer, Jiang Qiyuan, was over fifty!
Everyone knew that the top scholar and the second-place scholar were judged on their talent and luck, but the third-place scholar was always a handsome young man.

Because they were from next door, a young lady playfully asked, "Where is the third-ranked scholar? Come and see what he looks like!"

Qingwen was watching intently when she heard this, and immediately frowned, cursing towards the next room, "Where did this slut come from!"

The woman next door was also a young lady from a respectable family. She was speechless after being scolded, and it took a long time before a maidservant finally shouted a few curses. If it were just Qingwen, it would have been fine, but Ying'er and Zhuan'er were there at the moment. These two were both good at arguing, and they quickly silenced the woman next door with a few words.

At this moment, Sister Bao stepped forward and said, "Quiet down, Yuan... Lang is coming!"

Qingwen and the others quickly stopped talking and watched. They saw more than a dozen clerks from Shuntian Prefecture escorting three men on horseback through Zhengyang Gate.

All the women's eyes were fixed on Chen Siyuan behind them. They saw that Chen Siyuan was dressed in red and green, with a gold flower in his black gauze hat, a gilded silver plaque hanging from his waist with the words "Banquet of Grace and Honor" on it, holding a tablet, sitting upright on a red-maned horse, with a faint smile on his face. He was truly a handsome young man with a fair complexion and a spirited demeanor!
As soon as they arrived on the outer city street, people on both sides kept throwing bouquets. When they reached the bottom of the building, the girls seemed to forget their modesty and threw down their bouquets, as well as handkerchiefs, sachets, and purses.

Chen Siyuan, handsome and dashing, was naturally favored. He frantically scrambled to defend himself with his official tablet. Suddenly, a red cloth was draped over his face, and the scent of perfume filled the air. Chen Siyuan lifted it to take a look and was immediately dumbfounded... It was some young lady's red undergarment!

The crowd burst into laughter, and one busybody shouted, "Is the third-ranked scholar married yet?!"

Chen Siyuan smiled shyly and said, "Thank you for your trouble, but I already have a family..."

These words immediately drew sighs of regret. Amidst the lament of those who had been selected as candidates for marriage, they could only turn their attention to the second and third-ranked scholars—according to the rules, these scholars had to escort the three first-ranked scholars back to their residences before they could leave.

At this moment, Sister You Er, Sister You San, Qingwen, Xiangling and others leaned against the window and waved their sleeves. However, the noise from the surrounding people was too loud, and the voices of the girls did not reach Chen Siyuan's ears.

Baochai leaned on the railing, silently watching Chen Siyuan ride away. She saw colorful sleeves fluttering around her, and occasionally embroidered balls were thrown at Chen Siyuan. She couldn't help but let out a soft moan and her body trembled. Truly, her feelings were intense, her heart was infatuated, her eyes were glazed with infatuation, her mind was in turmoil, her emotions flowed endlessly like a spring, her heart burned like a thread, and her body was numb with pleasure! Leaving aside Baochai's feelings, let's just talk about Chen Siyuan riding through the streets. Zhao Zhen and Jiang Qiyuan, seeing the young ladies throwing flowers and other gifts at Chen Siyuan, couldn't help but laugh with amusement.

At their age, neither of them had families; Jiang Qiyuan, being older, even had grandchildren, so he naturally wouldn't envy Chen Siyuan's good fortune with women. However, he couldn't help but tease, "I've long heard that Chen's poems are sung throughout the north and south. On this joyous occasion, why doesn't Shuliang compose a poem?"

Chen Siyuan humbly said, "My talent is inferior to that of my two elder brothers, how dare I be complacent? At this moment, I would like to compose a poem for Brother Zhao." After a moment's thought, he recited aloud: "Ten years of hard work by the lamp, my lofty spirit has become a rainbow. A phoenix soars atop the Penholder Mountain, a dragon rises from the inkstone pool. Horse hooves shatter the moon over Chang'an, jade flutes dispel the winds of the purple road. The curtains of the twelve vermilion towers are all rolled up, beauties vie to see the top scholar's red robe."

The bailiffs on both sides immediately cheered and, after a brief discussion, the dozen or so bailiffs shouted in unison, spreading the word about Chen Siyuan's poem to everyone.

This made things even worse. When they heard that the third-ranked scholar in this imperial examination was Chen Ci himself, and when they passed by the red building, there were indeed young ladies in the building with red sleeves waving and calling out Chen Lang's name in unison.

Chen Siyuan was greatly embarrassed and quickly acted like a quail, no longer daring to show off. Little did he know how much envy, jealousy, and hatred such a situation would evoke in the eyes of those in the second and third ranks, and even those who had failed the exam.

After that, Chen Siyuan took care of him, sending off the top scholar and the second-place scholar, and then sending off the second-place scholar again. When the You sisters passed by a teahouse, they hurriedly led Qingwen, Xiangling, Wu'er and others back to their home. Baochai was satisfied, but also felt a little unwell, so she bid farewell to Xing Xiuyan and hurriedly returned to her old house.

Leaving those aside for now, let's focus on the Rongguo Mansion.

On the day the results were announced, no one else needed to worry. Madam Xing had already sent her servant to check the list early in the morning, hoping that Chen Siyuan would pass with flying colors and that it would pave a future for her fourth son.

The young ladies, however, had a rare moment of leisure. Li Wan had caught a cold, so her studies were temporarily suspended that day. Tan Chun, Xi Chun, and Xiang Yun, having some free time, first went to find Daiyu, and then went to find the Second Miss after she finished her work. It was early summer, and the daylight was just right, so the sisters went to play near the Longcui Nunnery.

Just then, Yingchun and Xiangyun were playing chess, and Daiyu was admiring a painting by Xichun with Tanchun when Yuanyang hurriedly arrived.

Daiyu glanced at Yuanyang and knew she had something to say, so she smiled and asked, "Is there something you want to say?"

Yuanyang said, "Reporting to Miss, the Master has returned from his official duties and said that there was a tsunami in the coastal area, which has caused the deaths of several people. The local officials have submitted a report to the Emperor, who then ordered the Master to inspect the relief efforts along the way. So, it seems that the Master will not be able to return until the winter months."

Xi Chun sighed, while Tan Chun said, "This is a good thing. Master was originally a school inspector, but now he has received an imperial appointment. Who knows, he might be able to be of great use in the future."

Yingchun praised it a few times, and Daiyu echoed her words, but their minds were both preoccupied with today's imperial edict.

Just then, a loud noise was heard outside, as if a curtain had fallen over, startling all the young ladies. Zijuan quickly came out of the square pavilion to look and saw a large butterfly kite hanging on a bamboo branch.

Yuanyang also came out to take a look. After scanning the area, she said, "I recognize it. This was placed there by Miss Jiaohong in the master's courtyard. Let's take it down and send it to her."

The maidservants quickly found bamboo poles and knocked the kite down. Before the maidservants could pick it up, Tan Chun came out and said, "You guys are really something, not even bothering to pick up the bad luck!"

Daiyu laughed and said, "That's right! If you know who is spreading bad luck, throw them out quickly! Take out ours, and we'll spread bad luck too."

Upon hearing this, Zijuan quickly ordered the maids to take the kite to the old woman on duty at the garden gate so that it could be returned to them if anyone came looking for it.

The little girls here, upon hearing about flying kites, couldn't wait to rush out and busily bring out a beautiful kite. Some carried tall stools, some tied scissor-shaped strands, and some threaded the scissor.

Before long, they found all sorts of kites and started flying them all over the sky. But after only a short while, a sudden southeast wind blew up and several kites got tangled together.

It's unclear whether the bats entangled the beauty or the beauty entangled the phoenix, but a huge "double happiness" character, as big as a door panel, swayed and swirled, eventually wrapping up several kites.

Daiyu, Yingchun, and the others laughed incessantly, saying, "How amusing! But I wonder whose 'joy' character it is? It's a bit too mischievous!"

Tan Chun, sensing something amiss, smiled and said, "The word 'double happiness' is on the horizon, good things are coming soon. Who knows, a great joyous occasion might be on the horizon soon!"

Upon hearing this, Daiyu remained composed, but the Second Miss's face turned as red as if it were covered with a red cloth.

He was about to argue and rebuke her when suddenly an old woman came running from afar. Before she could even curtsy, she hurriedly offered her congratulations: "Congratulations to the Second Miss and Miss Lin! Today was the day of the imperial examinations, and Master Yuan was chosen by the Emperor as the third-ranked scholar! The servant who was checking the list is on his way to Rongqing Hall to deliver the good news!"

Daiyu's heart skipped a beat, and she couldn't help but think of her deceased father, Lin Ruhai, and her heart grew even more worried; Xiangyun was filled with envy, biting her lower lip and remaining silent; Xichun clapped her hands and jumped up and down, chattering incessantly; Tanchun smiled and offered her congratulations, but a faint sour feeling welled up in her heart.

Looking at the second daughter, her oval face had already turned a deep purplish-red. She stammered and mumbled for a long time, unable to speak at all!

When the scheme began, the second daughter, Yingchun, already felt she was marrying above her station. Since it was her first failed attempt, although she felt resentful, she didn't think anything of it. Then, when the Xue family suffered a misfortune, the second daughter was fortunate enough to find a good marriage, feeling as if a windfall had fallen from the sky!

I thought this good fortune was due to the hardships I had endured over the past ten years, and now it was finally the end of my suffering. But I never imagined that not only did my brother pass the highest level exam, but he also became the third-highest scorer!
The teasing words of my sisters still ring in my ears. Now that I think about it, how could it take seven or eight years? I'll probably be able to get an imperial decree in three years after I finish my studies!
The second young lady wasn't particularly eager for fame and fortune; she felt overjoyed at this unexpected windfall, but afterwards felt bewildered and increasingly felt that she had married above her station with Chen Siyuan.

Because Yingchun was stammering and unable to speak, Hongyu stepped in and made a few jokes to ease the tension. Seeing that Yingchun was already frozen in place, she could only laugh and cry as she helped her back to Zhuijin Tower.

Concerned about matters involving herself, Daiyu was filled with worry, but unable to express her disheartened feelings, she could only return to Xiaoxiang Pavilion in a sullen mood. She could only hope that Chen Siyuan would not repeat the mistakes of his father, Lin Ruhai.

The three younger sisters, Xiangyun, Tanchun, and Xichun, also dispersed. As they parted, little Xichun clasped her hands together and said with a smile, "Third sister was right. It really is good news." After being happy for a while, she pouted and said, "It's just a pity that Brother Yuan can no longer come to the garden to play."

Tan Chun and Xiang Yun were both preoccupied with their own thoughts. They only offered a few words of comfort to Xi Chun before parting ways.

But let's talk about what happened ahead.

Upon hearing the good news, Madam Xing was overjoyed! Since Miao'er and Tiao'er had gone to the Second Miss's place, Madam Xing had two new maids added to her side, one named Hongqu and the other named Lü'e. Both of them were thirteen or fourteen years old and were originally third-class maids in the East Wing.

Overjoyed, Madam Xing ordered people to announce the good news to Rongqing Hall while simultaneously opening her chests. Always fond of money, she was so happy that she scattered several dozen taels of silver.

Afterwards, she felt a slight pang of heartache and a fleeting sense of regret. She quickly dressed herself and, leading Hongqu and Lüe, headed straight for Rongqing Hall.

Only after passing through the three ceremonial gates and bumping into Master Jia She did Madam Xing's smugness subside slightly. The two walked together and soon arrived at Rongqing Hall. By this time, Grandmother Jia and Madam Wang had already received the good news. Madam Wang forced a smile and offered a few words of praise, but inwardly she couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy.

Chen Siyuan is only two years older than Baoyu, yet he has already passed the imperial examination with top honors. Meanwhile, Baoyu is still wasting his time in the inner quarters. The difference between them is like heaven and earth!
It was fortunate that Jia Zheng received an imperial decree that he could return in the winter month; otherwise, he would have certainly caused trouble for Baoyu if he had returned in the sixth month.

Grandmother Jia was genuinely happy, and even though Madam Xing was showing off, the old lady didn't find fault with her at this moment.

Since the founding of the Great Shun Dynasty, there have been no more than a hundred people in the first rank. Apart from those scholars, which one of them is not a prominent official? At best, they can enter the cabinet and become prime ministers; at worst, they can become governors or viceroys.

Times have changed. The Jia family is no longer the powerful Jia Banchao of the past. They can only curry favor with and win over new elites like Chen Siyuan, and there is no reason for them to offend him!

As Madam Xing busied herself with preparing a celebratory banquet, Grandmother Jia said, "Yuan-ge'er's passing the imperial examination is certainly a joyous occasion. However, there is also the Qionglin Banquet tomorrow, after which fellow graduates and those who passed the exam will gather, and the hustle and bustle may make things difficult. If we want to celebrate, we should at least wait until after these ten days or so."

The master, being somewhat knowledgeable, smiled and said, "What Mother says is right." Because of Chen Siyuan, Jia She could not scold Madam Xing at this moment, so he said, "If you are worried about him, just go and see Yuan-ge when you have time."

Madam Xing blinked and quickly agreed happily, saying, "It's no wonder I'm worried. Yuan-ge'er's parents passed away early, and I'm the only aunt in the capital. If I don't take care of him, who will? Besides, we'll be even closer in the future... Ah, I'll go see the second young lady first. Old Madam, please continue with your business."

Grandmother Jia smiled and agreed. Madam Xing glanced triumphantly at Madam Wang, then snorted and left with a fragrant breeze.

The two sisters-in-law were already at odds, and this incident infuriated Madam Wang to the point of being furious, yet she was powerless to do anything about it.

Leaving aside how Madam Xing explained things to the Second Miss, let's talk about Feng Jie's courtyard. Because Feng Jie was six months pregnant and Ping'er was eight months along, it was no longer appropriate for the two of them to go to Rongqing Hall to serve each other.

Sister Feng could only visit once in her spare time; she usually stayed in her room to rest during her pregnancy.

The master and servant had also received the good news. They looked at each other, each with their own thoughts. Ping'er was afraid that the shameful affair would be exposed, but she also hoped that her father would at least take care of the child in her womb in the future. Feng Jie was not a good-tempered person to begin with, and since she became pregnant, her temperament had become more and more extreme.

She no longer cares about Jia Lian's outrageous behavior outside; her only concern is controlling Chen Siyuan.

Just as the mistress and servant were facing each other in silence, Feng'er stumbled in and cried out, "Grandma, something terrible has happened! Aunt Zhang has gone into labor!"

(End of this chapter)