Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 419 Flower Camp Brocade Formation Banners and Spears

As soon as Feng'er finished speaking, Feng Jie'er and her maid Ping'er looked at each other. Although they had different thoughts, they dared not be negligent. Feng Jie'er hurriedly ordered a midwife to be summoned, urged her maid to invite the imperial physician to be on standby, and then informed everyone in the surrounding area.

Upon receiving the message, Feng'er and her two maids quickly dispersed. Ping'er was too pregnant to work, so Feng Jie got up and went to the backyard to check on her, but that's another story.

Meanwhile, Madam Xing went straight to Zhuijin Tower, where the second young lady, Yingchun, greeted her shyly. After they sat down, they naturally became very close and friendly.

After talking for a while, Yingchun finally had a chance to glance around and saw two thirteen or fourteen-year-old maids standing behind Madam Xing. She smiled and said, "Are these the maids that Mother found? I wonder what to call them."

Madam Xing smiled and said, "They were originally third-class maids in the east wing. Wang Shanbao's wife said that these two were very capable and had the most outstanding looks, so she kept them in the room to serve you."

As soon as she finished speaking, the two maids, Hongqu and Lüe, hurriedly stepped forward to greet her. Since it was their first meeting, the second young lady boasted for a few moments, then quickly opened the chest and gave each of them two silver coins as a reward.

The two maids, overjoyed at receiving the reward, thanked her profusely. Madam Xing then instructed them, "You two go out and have some fun. My daughter and I have something to say to each other."

Red Lotus and Green Calyx smiled and withdrew, leaving only Madam Xing and Yingchun inside.

Madam Xing then said, "Yuan-ge'er has chosen the third-ranked scholar, and his status is no longer the same as before. It's fortunate that you arranged the engagement with him early last year, otherwise, after today, I don't know how many good families' daughters would be rushing to marry into our family."

Ordinary people would naturally scoff at such words. But the second young lady was different; she was already insecure, and upon hearing this, she deeply agreed with it.

He nodded repeatedly and said, "Brother Yuan is a man of exceptional character, appearance, and talent. I have no other desires in this life but to have found such a good man. Mother, please rest assured that I will cherish him and never let him suffer the slightest grievance."

Madam Xing felt disgusted, but covered her mouth and laughed, "How could a grown man like him suffer any injustice at your hands?"

After laughing for a while, Madam Xing asked again, "Have you spoken to the second wife about this? When will the steward's duties be handed over?"

The second young lady lowered her head and said, "I already told my aunt a few days ago, and I think it will be around May before I can hand over the job."

Madam Xing snorted and sneered, "We've already used up all the young ladies in the house except those who are too old. Does she want to bring out the maidservant next?"

Yingchun shook her head and said, "My aunt didn't say anything."

Madam Xing chuckled and said, "Tan'er has long been estranged from her. We can't let Si'er manage the household, can we?"

Yingchun smiled but didn't respond. She was now only hoping for a smooth marriage and to become the mistress of the Chen family as soon as possible; why would she bother with the affairs of the Jia family?
After scolding Madam Wang, Madam Xing said, "In my opinion, you should get rid of this housekeeping job as soon as possible. First, you need to embroider your wedding dress, and second, you should learn how to be a good wife and mother." As she spoke, she glanced around and, seeing that no one was inside, secretly pulled a scroll from her sleeve and handed it over, saying, "It's too early to talk about raising children, but as for being a good wife... that's the time."

The book was placed in the second daughter's hands. She unfolded it slightly and saw a picture of a man and a woman embracing on the cover. She looked closer, and upon seeing the details, her cheeks flushed crimson. Her voice trembled as she said, "Mother, this, this..."

Madam Xing said, "There are only the two of us in the room, why are you so shy? It's just the proper conduct of men, what's there to blush about?"

Seeing that the second young lady was stammering and unable to speak, clutching the picture book tightly in her hands and at a loss, Madam Xing said earnestly, "You know that Yuan-ge'er is at the age where he is most energetic. Just look at the girls in his room, whether it is Qingwen or Xiangling, they are all bewitching and seductive. I can imagine that they will be very persistent and nagging in bed."

Don't believe that old wives should be virtuous and modest, and not use their beauty to please men. That's all nonsense made up by men who want to take concubines. You and Yuan'er are husband and wife. If you don't keep Yuan'er's heart, won't those little vixens run rampant?

The second young lady's face grew even rosier, but her mind was extremely clear. She was always intelligent and perceptive, and she knew from Madam Xing's earnest expression that what she said came from the bottom of her heart.

Moreover, the second young lady had already planned ahead, not expecting Chen Siyuan to be completely devoted to her, but only hoping that she would hold some weight in his heart. Therefore, upon hearing this, she immediately agreed wholeheartedly.

Yingchun put down the picture album, took Madam Xing's hand, and said gratefully, "Thank you for your teachings, Mother."

This heartfelt cry of "Mother!" made Madam Xing feel extremely uncomfortable.

She taught Yingchun these things only to guard against Baochai and Daiyu's families, fearing that Yingchun was as wooden as a wooden stake and had no understanding of romance. She worried that Chen Siyuan would turn around and stay with Baochai and Lin Daiyu, and then even if she went to the Chen residence often, wouldn't she be disappointed?

Just as things were getting awkward, a young maid named Hongqu called out from downstairs, "Madam, Madam, Concubine Zhang has gone into labor!"

"Aunt Zhang?" Zhang Jinge had been living a secluded life since becoming pregnant, and Madam Xing only remembered her after a moment's thought. She quickly got up, frowned, and muttered, "She's going into labor at this perfect time." She then instructed Yingchun, "You learn carefully on your own. If you don't understand anything, just ask your wet nurse. I'll go check on things up ahead."

The second young lady got up obediently and escorted Madam Xing out of the building before blushing and returning upstairs. After a while, she sent Hongyu, Xiuju, Miao'er, and Tiao'er out to play. Unable to resist her curiosity, the second young lady finally found the two picture books hidden under her pillow (one of which was a gift from Siqi) and, with a shy blush, slowly began to flip through them.

After a short while, the second young lady frowned slightly, thinking to herself, "This new booklet is clearly not as elaborate as the one Siqi gave me before..."

As for Zhang Jinge's childbirth in the front yard, it was not appropriate for the second young lady, an unmarried woman, to get involved, so she just sat in the building lost in thought.

When Madam Xing arrived, the midwife had already entered, and the imperial physician was waiting in the side room. Grandmother Jia also sent Amber and others to inquire about the situation. After two hours, a baby cried and was born. The midwife came out to announce the good news, saying, "Congratulations to the Second Master and Second Mistress! Concubine Zhang has given birth to a daughter."

Sister Feng immediately breathed a sigh of relief, and found Zhang Jinge even more pleasing to the eye. She immediately distributed rewards and urged the maids to prepare nourishing medicinal meals in the kitchen, which goes without saying. Master Lian was greatly disappointed, but then he thought that Ping'er and Sister Feng were both six months pregnant. Now that they had a girl, surely one of them would be a boy? So he felt relieved and became happy as well.

The remaining ladies, including Madam Xing, Madam Wang, and Grandmother Jia, each had their own thoughts. Grandmother Jia, surrounded by her children and grandchildren, and with such a promising great-grandchild as Jia Lan, naturally didn't care whether the baby was a boy or a girl. Madam Xing and Madam Wang, on the other hand, were both scheming for titles and hoped that Jia Lian would never give birth to a son.

With Chen Siyuan being ranked third in the imperial examinations, today was truly a double celebration. Overjoyed, Grandmother Jia personally paid for a banquet at Rongqing Hall, where the entire family, including Jia Zhen and You Shi, gathered together, creating a joyous and harmonious atmosphere that needs no further elaboration.

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Meanwhile, Chen Siyuan rode his horse through the streets and returned, bidding farewell to the clerks of Shuntian Prefecture and a group of fellow Jinshi graduates. As soon as he dismounted in front of the gate, Qingyu set off ten thousand firecrackers.

The crackling sounds echoed through the neighborhood, and only then did the neighbors realize that the current top scholar of the imperial examination lived there. They immediately went to offer their congratulations and renew their friendship.

Third Sister You, Second Sister You, Qingwen, and the others had already returned home and were now waiting at the ceremonial gate to welcome Chen Siyuan. As Chen Siyuan entered, the women, dressed in their finest attire, gracefully gathered their robes, truly a sight to behold, charming and alluring.

Even with Chen Siyuan's second generation's temperament, he couldn't help but feel arrogant at this moment. He was laughing loudly on one side, hugging and cuddling with this person, pressing his cheek against this person, and kissing that person on the lips.

Apart from You Sanjie, who was reckless and didn't care about anything when she went crazy, all the girls blushed and playfully protested. Then, servants and other women came forward to congratulate them, and Chen Siyuan waved his hand and ordered that rewards be given out, so everyone was happy.

Surrounded by a host of admirers, Chen Siyuan entered the main room and then leisurely took his seat. Qingwen happily served him tea, while You Sanjie examined Chen Siyuan's green robe with admiring glances.

Those who achieved the highest rank in the imperial examinations were awarded the title of compiler of the sixth rank, while those who achieved the second and third rank were awarded the title of compiler of the seventh rank in the Hanlin Academy.

All the women knew that Chen Siyuan was exceptionally talented, but they would never have imagined that he would obtain an official position at such a young age. Moreover, after completing his studies in three years, he would be promoted to the fourth-rank Hanlin Academy Lecturer, or at the very least, be appointed as a fourth-rank Prefect!
Chen Siyuan sipped some fragrant tea, but felt his official robes were too restrictive, so he clamored to change into his everyday clothes. To his surprise, all the young ladies dissuaded him, saying that since he had just put them on, he should take a good look at them.

Sister You was even more preoccupied with what it would be like to be intimate with Chen Siyuan in this outfit at night...

Chen Siyuan was both amused and exasperated, and could only say, "We have to wear this leather outfit for the Qionglin Banquet tomorrow and the letter of thanks the day after. If it gets dirty, there's nowhere to get a replacement."

The women then stopped, and Qingwen helped Chen Siyuan change into a simple linen robe for home.

It was already past noon, and Chen Siyuan, not in the mood for a proper meal, simply ate some snacks with his tea. As for the afternoon, Sister You had already booked a table of fine food at Tongfu Restaurant.

Having risen early to await his audience at the palace, Chen Siyuan inevitably felt physically and mentally exhausted once the initial excitement wore off. After chatting with the beauties for a while, Chen Siyuan went to his bedroom for a short rest.

The afternoon banquet goes without saying; even Wu'er, who never drinks, had a couple of cups of fruit wine. As night fell, Chen Siyuan shamelessly kept not only You Erjie and You Sanjie in his room, but also Qingwen and Xiangling.

In other words, Wu'er couldn't hold her liquor and got drunk early, otherwise there would have been another beauty to drink.

That night, all the beauties shared the bed. You were happy, I was talking, this one stretched her wrist, that one stretched her back.

The air was thick with the fragrance of perfume, and the bed was filled with the rich scent of perfume. Dark clouds of hair, like scattered clouds, clung to the white jade-like curtains. Several exquisite flowers bloomed on the carved railing.

Chen Siyuan was only slightly drunk, but his desires were stirred.

Their love was stirred, the woman was happy and the man was joyful, and they were affectionate in every way until half past midnight.

The next two days passed quickly. Chen Si went to the Qionglin Banquet and the following day submitted a letter of thanks, which I will not go into detail about.

The 26th arrived in the blink of an eye.

Last night, the wind and rain were fierce again, and it didn't stop until past midnight. When Chen Siyuan opened his eyes, the sun was already high in the sky.

He stretched his limbs slightly, and his partner beside him let out a soft moan, mumbled a couple of times, and turned over.

To the left, Sister You's hair was disheveled, her snow-white back exposed, with only her chest covered by a brocade quilt; to the right, Sister You's eyes were closed, her cherry lips half-closed, and her pair of snow-white feet were exposed outside the quilt; to the opposite side, in the warm chamber, Xiangling and Qingwen were sleeping in each other's arms, leaving the frail Wu'er squeezed on the edge of the kang.

Chen Siyuan stretched his limbs and sat up, only to find his waist and legs sore. Just then, Sister You opened her eyes and saw him frowning and groaning. She couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh, saying, "Second Sister alone is like a bone-scraping knife, yet you dare to show off. Let's see if you dare to do it again."

Chen Siyuan chuckled, then frowned and said, "I have been harmed by wine and women, and I look so haggard... From today onwards, I will abstain from alcohol!"

Sister You laughed so hard her body trembled, thinking it was just Chen Siyuan making up nonsense to show off, unaware of the source of the phrase. Chen Siyuan felt extremely lonely, feeling that his previous life was getting further and further away from him. He could still recall it now, but in another ten years, he feared that those memories would fade.

At this moment, Sister You San said, "Brother, it won't be easy for you to quit drinking. You've already submitted your letter of thanks, and from today onwards, you'll inevitably have to visit your classmates from the Imperial Academy, your relatives and friends from all over, and your superiors and teachers from all over the place. You'll have to visit everyone. Those who are in the second or third rank still need to prepare for the examination to become probationary scholars. Brother will be entering the Hanlin Academy on the first day of next month, which means there are only a few days left."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "Who said it's only a few days? I'd say it's at least another six months."

Sister You was puzzled and hurriedly asked for the reason.

Chen Siyuan then said, "Sister, haven't you heard of the custom of taking leave to visit relatives?"

This leave for visiting one's family has existed since the Ming Dynasty. According to custom, newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) are entitled to a month's leave for visiting their family, and if it is for ancestral worship, they can get two months' leave. Don't underestimate this one or two months; it is calculated after deducting the time spent traveling and staying at home.

In this way, those near the capital were relatively easy to manage; they could take a month's leave and then dawdle for two months before returning. However, the world was vast, and for scholars from the southwestern border regions such as Yunnan and Guizhou, a round trip would take more than half a year just for the journey. Visiting relatives for a month, it was considered good if they could make a round trip once a year.

In this dynasty, the practice of visiting relatives was further improved, and newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) could request a leave of three to nine months to visit their relatives.

Hearing Chen Siyuan's plan, You Sanjie was even more surprised and couldn't help but stand up and say, "So, brother, you're not going to become an official for the time being?"

Chen Siyuan reached out and pulled her into his arms, saying, "How old am I? I won't be seventeen until the thirteenth of next month. Even if I were to be sent to a post outside the capital, I'm afraid I would have to spend ten years honing my skills in the capital before I could go. I have three weddings in the second half of the year, and I can't very well ask for leave every time. After thinking it over, I'll just take leave all at once and wait until everything is settled before taking up my post at the Hanlin Academy."

Sister You nodded upon hearing this and said, "That makes sense."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "That's only one reason. There's another." After a pause, Chen Siyuan lowered his voice and said, "His Majesty was unwell the last time and suspended court for several days. Rumors had already spread that His Majesty was suffering from a stroke. That's why no one was selected for the reform movement in this year's palace examination."

At my age, I seem unlikely to be of much use to the current dynasty. Perhaps the Emperor intends to reserve me for the new Emperor's selection. If that's the case, I should bide my time, cultivate friendships, write books to build my reputation, and travel to investigate shortcomings. I anticipate that the current Emperor will eventually send me out to serve under the new Emperor's favor.”

These words stirred a spring-like feeling in You Sanjie's beautiful eyes. She didn't have such grand ambitions; she just wished Chen Siyuan would stay by her side all day long. So she pressed her head against Chen Siyuan's chest and said softly, "Since brother has made up his mind, I won't ask any more questions."

Chen Siyuan felt deeply grateful, realizing he owed his third sister a great deal. After pondering for a while, he said softly, "Sister, please grant me some time. Perhaps I can then give you a good son."

What's good?
You Sanjie immediately thought of Baochai and Daiyu. Both of these women could be wives who inherit the family line. Since there were no male descendants in the You family to inherit the family line, it would be normal for her to be an additional wife who inherits the family line.

If it were Sister You Er, she would have been overjoyed, but Sister You San was content with love and could eat water. She simply wrapped her arms around Chen Siyuan's waist and murmured, "I don't ask for these things... Brother, just remember to come and see me often after we get married."

Chen Siyuan swore an oath and readily agreed. The two lingered for a while before Chen Siyuan coughed and brought up the matter of Miaoyu and Siqi moving in.

The two people lived less than a street away from each other, separated from Sister You by Nengren Temple. Sister You wasn't stupid; how could she not know that these two people existed?
She was both annoyed and amused. Looking up at Chen Siyuan's submissive expression, she could only pout and agree.

Chen Siyuan was overjoyed and took a good liking to You Sanjie until Qingwen and the others laughed, at which point he released her.

Once Qingwen and the others woke up, You Erjie could no longer pretend to be asleep. She got up and stared intently at Chen Siyuan. You Erjie understood what Chen Siyuan meant earlier, so she kept giving You Sanjie meaningful glances during breakfast, but You Sanjie ignored her, which made You Erjie so angry that she almost fell over.

After breakfast, the maid Chunxi handed over an invitation and a visiting card. There were invitations to poetry gatherings, banquets with classmates, visits from neighbors, and even an invitation to a brothel.

You Sanjie and Qingwen challenged the invitations sent by the brothel, and after much sulking and grumbling, they thoroughly cursed the famous courtesans and courtesans, calling them all spineless vixens.

Chen Siyuan was overjoyed. In the afternoon, he chose an invitation and went straight to the restaurant.

Meanwhile, Chen Siyuan attended several banquets in a row, seemingly intoxicated and living a life of debauchery. In reality, however, he was always cautious in his words and actions at each banquet. When a fellow candidate teased him with a poem, Chen Siyuan, unable to refuse, hastily cobbled together a poem to fit the occasion. Everyone said his poem was ordinary, so he claimed that his mood had changed and he couldn't produce a masterpiece.

Chen Siyuan treated those he became close friends with as brothers; he simply laughed off those he secretly resented. And when he learned that his fellow students were short of money, Chen Siyuan would always secretly send them a travel allowance.

Over the course of a few days, his colleagues all praised Chen Shuliang for his generosity and righteousness, saying he possessed the virtues of an ancient gentleman.

On this rare occasion, Chen Siyuan declined the banquet invitation and first met with his mentor Liao Shiwei. The two of them had a private conversation behind closed doors, and then he went to visit the Prince of Yanping.

Upon their reunion, Chen Siyuan was inevitably subjected to a barrage of sarcastic remarks from the Prince of Yanping. He let the spittle dry in his face, and only after the lazy prince had finished his tirade did he reveal the matter of his leave to visit his family.

These words left King Yanping speechless with astonishment.

But then Yanping Wang scratched his head repeatedly, and after a long while he said, "Chen Shuliang, everyone else is eager to enter the Hanlin Academy as soon as possible, so why do you avoid it like the plague?"

Chen Siyuan hurriedly replied, "Your Highness, please forgive me. My wedding arrangements for the second half of the year are quite complicated. I thought it would be better to take leave all at once rather than frequently requesting leave."

King Yanping choked for a moment, then, remembering that Chen Siyuan was going to hold three weddings in a row, he immediately curled his lips and glared, feeling utterly contemptuous.

But then he thought again and realized something was amiss. Chen Shuliang, that scoundrel, was the type who wouldn't act without a clear objective; why would he jeopardize his future for a beautiful woman? After a moment's thought, he recalled his elder brother's stroke. And considering Chen Siyuan's age, how could the Prince of Yanping not know Chen Siyuan's intentions?
He immediately restrained his expression, making clicking noises as he spoke, secretly enjoying the moment.

The saying goes, "A hero's origins are irrelevant." Even with the help of Prince Yanping during the autumn imperial examinations, Chen Shuliang still passed the examinations based on his own merit. Moreover, this man was an expert in economics. Not to mention the ever-growing number of customers, the Imperial Treasury's money exchange business alone generated over a million taels of silver annually!
Furthermore, given his previous reputation for sharing food, unlike those in the court who only knew how to share food, Chen Siyuan was a master chef! So what if such a talent was a bit cunning? I'm afraid everyone in the court and the public would be happy for him to be an untouchable figure who doesn't get involved in any trouble!
Thinking of this, Prince Yanping said solemnly, "Very well, since you have this sentiment, you can request a six-month leave to visit your family after you take up your post. However... has the Crown Prince sent you an invitation?"

Chen Siyuan's heart tightened, and he hurriedly said, "Your Highness, His Highness the Crown Prince did send an invitation, but unfortunately the gatekeeper was muddle-headed, and by the time it reached me, the time had already passed. I had no choice but to enter halfway and had a long rant with the officials of the Eastern Palace."

"Cunning!" King Yanping laughed and said, "Very well, since you want to keep a low profile, then you should stay out of the commotion in the court."

Chen Siyuan gladly accepted the order.

It was rare for Prince Yanping to be in such a good mood, so he invited Chen Siyuan to have dinner with him that day and then sent a carriage from his palace to take him back.

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The next day, Chen Siyuan struggled to get up from the pile of women early in the morning, hunched over and pounded his waist as he walked into the side garden, finally picking up the stance training he had neglected for more than ten days.

After breakfast, we booked a horse-drawn carriage and headed north to Nengren Temple.

Upon arrival, Siqi was already waiting at the door, and upon seeing Chen Siyuan, she looked on with longing.

Chen Siyuan stepped forward and said with a smile, "Why are you here to greet me?"

Siqi pouted and called out "Master" in a resentful tone, then stared at Chen Siyuan without saying a word.

Chen Siyuan gently stroked her soft hand as he walked inside, saying, "You know I've been busy with various affairs lately, and there are always banquets I can't refuse, which is why I've only come to find you today... By the way, how are you and Miaoyu?"

Siqi gave a vague, incoherent reply, her eyes darting around as she harbored malice.

On the day the results were announced, Siqi naturally sent her old servant to check the list. By the time he returned, it was nearly noon. Upon learning that Chen Siyuan had achieved the third-highest rank in the imperial examinations, the entire household was overjoyed.

Miaoyu didn't say anything, but she couldn't help but smile. For some reason, the more Chen Siyuan acted this way, the more Miaoyu cared for him. Coupled with their passionate encounter in bed... Miaoyu didn't say anything, but she never mentioned leaving again.

That day, Siqi was overjoyed and opened the silver box to reward the guests handsomely. She also ordered the cook to prepare a sumptuous feast. That night, Siqi and Miaoyu, who rarely got to sit together, inevitably became tipsy as they drank and chatted.

It's unclear who started it, but the two were overcome with passion and began to rub against each other, both sweating profusely. After their blissful and pleasurable encounter, they fell asleep side by side.

The next morning, their eyes met, and an unspeakable awkwardness filled them both. They avoided each other during the day, but that night, Miaoyu came looking for Siqi again, carrying a wine bottle…

Chen Siyuan did not see the expression on Siqi's face, but assumed that she was feeling sad and resentful. So he comforted her gently, went inside to see Miaoyu, and urged everyone to pack their bags and move to the You sisters' place as soon as possible.

Leaving aside the situation here, let's focus on the Rongguo Mansion.

On this clear and bright day, all the young ladies gathered in the Red Fragrance Garden to adorn themselves with flowers and play games with grass. Only the Second Young Lady was temporarily unable to leave her housekeeping duties and continued to go to the Furen Yude Hall to manage the general affairs.

Playing and joking, Xiangyun lost several rounds of the grass-fighting game. Pretending to be annoyed, she ignored the scorching sun and went straight to the swing set next to her to swing on.

Fourth Miss Xichun complained to herself that the sisters in the garden were scattered, and that much of the fun had been lost. Third Miss Tanchun, standing nearby, was also listless. This was because Madam Wang had nowhere to vent her anger. Just yesterday, she had caught Aunt Zhao and Aunt Zhou arguing, and immediately gave Aunt Zhao a good scolding. Now, Aunt Zhao was still kneeling in the ancestral hall.

Daiyu, being quick-witted, was about to offer some advice when Zijuan suddenly came running over, covering her mouth and laughing wildly.

Daiyu caught a glimpse of this and immediately scolded, "You're not being bitten by any dogs, so why are you running around like this?"

Zijuan, however, laughed and didn't seem to mind. She simply curtsied and said, "Congratulations, Miss. Madam Liang came to visit earlier and is currently talking with the old lady."

When Daiyu saw the teasing look on his face, her pretty face immediately turned red. How could she not know that Madam Liang had come to propose marriage?

(End of this chapter)