Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 424 A Romantic Spirit Undiminished by a Heart Full of Melancholy

The second young lady was still somewhat estranged from Madam Xing, and besides, she couldn't very well speak of such private matters concerning the bedroom. So she stammered and evaded the question.

Madam Xing felt a little jealous after asking about Miao'er and Tiao'er. Feeling annoyed, she didn't want to see Yingchun again, so she said, "It's not good to keep you from going. Feng'er is quite far along in her pregnancy now, so she might not be able to attend the banquet later. Go and take a look, and then go to the garden to find your sisters to play with."

Yingchun obediently nodded and bid farewell to Madam Xing, then led a few maids outside. Once outside the three ceremonial gates, Xiuju turned and glared at Miao'er and Tiao'er, saying coldly, "Madam probably doesn't know, but some people have come to your place, their minds still on Madam!"

Miao'er and Tiao'er panicked and quickly retorted, "What are you saying? The eldest madam was just asking some ordinary questions. Grandma and the eldest master are a harmonious couple, so of course we have to say it to put the elders at ease."

Seeing that an argument was about to break out, Yingchun quickly scolded, "It's just a small matter, why are you making such a fuss? If you keep talking nonsense, don't come out with me again."

Xiuju snorted and turned her head away. Miao'er and Tiao'er stared at Xiuju and gritted their teeth inwardly.

After they were carried out of the black-painted gate in the sedan chair, Miao'er and Tiao'er exchanged a glance, both speechless. One was their former master, and the other was their current master; they were caught in the middle, truly feeling like they were caught between a rock and a hard place.

They also knew that the second young lady was a person who was gentle on the outside but sharp on the inside, so it seemed that they would have to be insincere with the first wife in the future and not say anything.

The sedan chair entered the Rongguo Mansion through the side gate. Yingchun got out of the carriage and entered through the ceremonial gate. After a short while, she led several maids to sit in Rongqing Hall.

Grandmother Jia was very pleased and asked some ordinary questions, which Yingchun answered one by one. After drinking a cup of tea, she got up and left, heading to Lady Wang's courtyard.

As always, Madam Wang spoke a few words in a lukewarm and indifferent manner, and Yingchun then got up to take her leave.

She then went to Daoxiang Village in the Grand View Garden to look for her sister-in-law, Li Wan, but things didn't go as planned. Li Wan was suffering from heatstroke and was resting on her bed. Since they were sisters-in-law, they only exchanged a few words before calling it a day.

Seeing that they were about to head to Sister Feng's courtyard, Yingchun thought for a moment, then turned around and instructed her four maids, "Just leave one person to wait here, the rest of you can just play around in the garden."

Xiuju, thinking that she had been with Yingchun the longest, volunteered to stay, while Hongyu, Miao'er, and Tiao'er stayed in the Grand View Garden to play.

In the blink of an eye, they arrived at Sister Feng's courtyard.

Feng'er was already waiting at the door. When she saw Yingchun and her servant arrive, she hurriedly called out to inform them inside. She turned around, smiled, curtsied, and led Yingchun inside.

Before long, Feng'er entered the room and lifted the beaded curtain. Inside, Feng Jie chuckled and said, "I just heard that Second Sister went to Eldest Sister-in-law's place, so I figured she'd be here soon. Come in and rest for a bit, and let me see what the new bride looks like now."

As they were talking, Yingchun entered the room. She glanced inside and saw that Fengjie and Ping'er were there. Since Ping'er was already full-term, she couldn't get up to greet them at this time.

Yingchun laughed and said, "It's only been a few days, do you think I can turn into a person?"

Sister Feng gestured for Yingchun to sit down and said with a smile, "That's hard to say. A woman's marriage is like being reborn. If she marries well, she'll be cheerful, carefree, and even her appearance will be blessed. If she marries poorly, she might have her emotions written all over her face and look miserable."

As soon as Yingchun sat down, Ping'er smiled and said, "Second Miss seems to have gained some weight. According to you, Madam, she must have married very well."

Sister Feng, being mischievous, grabbed Yingchun's hand, tugged at her hand, and looked her up and down with a series of apologies. She exclaimed, "Look at her! She's grown even more beautiful. Besides, she's married to a top scholar. How could she not be beautiful? Not to mention others, even I, as her sister-in-law, am extremely envious."

Yingchun covered her mouth and laughed, thinking that Sister Feng was just joking, but little did she know that what Sister Feng said was half true and half false.

He was a top scholar at the age of seventeen, how could he be compared to Jia Lian, who would become a third-class general in the future?
After laughing, Yingchun said to Ping'er, "Sister Ping, you're probably going into labor in the next few days, aren't you?"

Ping'er burst into laughter, saying, "They say there are still about ten days left, but we've already prepared midwives and doctors specializing in gynecology, just in case something happens."

After chatting and laughing for a while, Ping'er reached out and let the maid help her up, saying, "At this stage of my pregnancy, it's really not good for me to walk around. It was only because the Second Miss is returning home today that I thought I should at least take a look. Now that I've seen her, I should go back and rest."

It was difficult to persuade Yingchun to stay, so they hurriedly got up to see her off.

After Ping'er left, Fengjie sent Xiuju and Feng'er to play in the courtyard, while she sought out the second young lady Yingchun for a private conversation.

"Second daughter, I wonder if things were still harmonious last night?"

Yingchun blushed instantly, thinking to herself that it was one thing for Madam Xing to inquire, but why did even Fengjie have to ask? She stammered and refused to say anything more.

Sister Feng covered her mouth and made a few teasing remarks, but inwardly she grew increasingly jealous. She thought to herself, "With Chen Siyuan's physique, he's like a wild bull; once he starts, he never stops. Before, when did he not make Sister Feng nearly die several times before he finally stopped?"
The second girl was of average height, slightly thinner than herself, so how could she be a match for that group of flower generals?

Recalling how Yingchun walked as usual without any inconvenience, the jealous Fengjie couldn't help but think the worst: it must be that her second sister was not romantic enough and had displeased the man surnamed Chen. She was afraid that apart from the wedding night, the man surnamed Chen would spend the rest of his time with Qingwen and the others.
Thinking this way, Sister Feng felt a little relieved of her pent-up frustration.

The two sisters-in-law chatted for a while, when Zhou Rui's wife came to invite them, saying that Rongxi Hall had already prepared a feast and asked the second young lady to come to the banquet.

Sister Feng then said, "I'm too lazy to move around. Second Sister, you can go and drink."

Yingchun agreed, then bid farewell to Fengjie and headed towards Rongxi Hall.

Upon entering Rongxi Hall in the central courtyard, one sees screens already erected, seating arranged on the left and right, and a stage set up in the courtyard. A theatrical troupe is already changing clothes and practicing their singing in the side rooms, preparing to showcase their talents.

Yingchun felt an unprecedented sense of honor. Back then, she was just a nobody in the household, and she had never received such treatment. Fortunately, her husband had been ranked third in the imperial examinations, which made the whole household dare not underestimate her. So, they opened the main gate to welcome her when she arrived, and then held a banquet for her in Rongxi Hall in the afternoon.

Soon after, Grandmother Jia, Lady Wang, Lady Xing, and Tan Chun, Xi Chun, and Xiang Yun arrived together; on the other side, Chen Siyuan accompanied the eldest master Jia She, Jia Lian, Bao Yu, and Jia Cong, and also came inside.

Everyone took their seats, and the troupe leader brought out the playbill. Grandmother Jia selected two pleasing plays and then let everyone else choose. Yingchun and the others followed suit and also selected pleasing plays. A moment later, a gong sounded, and the courtyard was filled with the sounds of singing.

As the saying goes, even a starved camel is bigger than a horse, so the Jia family naturally prepared a top-quality feast.

But what one sees is a riot of toasts and a dazzling array of food and drink.

The dishes are delicious and flavorful, with orangutan lips and carp tails filling the table; the exotic and fresh dishes are prepared, with unicorn paws and camel hooves piled high on the table.

Her black hair was loosely tied, and a golden pot reflected the red coral; her fair hand held it high, and a jade bowl shone with the light of amber.

Jade and pearls come and go, dazzling the eye on the seat; the music ends and the instruments continue to play before the steps.

The taste of this dish is truly exquisite, worth a fortune; the banquet held in the grand hall is indeed a feast for the abbot.

Before they knew it, the banquet was halfway over when Zhou Rui's wife rushed in and said, "The Empress has sent someone to deliver a reward!"

Since the women were not allowed to show themselves, Jia She, Jia Lian, and Chen Siyuan went out of the ceremonial gate to greet them. The one who delivered the gifts was just a minor eunuch, who smiled and relayed Yuan Chun's oral decree, which was nothing more than auspicious words wishing Chen Siyuan and Yingchun a harmonious and loving marriage.

Soon after, there were two bolts of shimmering brocade, two bolts of palace silk, and a pair of agate pillows in the shape of mandarin ducks playing in the water.

Chen Siyuan thanked him solemnly and was about to reward the eunuch when Jia She said, "My dear son-in-law, just enjoy your wine inside. Lian'er will take care of this."

Jia Lian also said, "Brother-in-law and father can go inside to drink and watch the play."

Chen Siyuan, unaware of anything amiss, returned to Rongxi Hall with Jia She. Meanwhile, Jia Lian invited the young eunuch to sit in the south hall. After fragrant tea was served, the young eunuch began to mutter, "Our godfather is Chief Eunuch Xia from the palace."

Xia Shouzhong was in charge of the affairs of the six palaces. Upon hearing this, Jia Lian dared not neglect him and quickly took out two silver ingots to hand over, saying with a smile, "In that case, I am really troubling you, sir. Please stay and have some tea."

"Of course, of course." The young eunuch accepted the money but didn't rush to leave. He took a sip of fragrant tea, then frowned and said, "To tell you the truth, my godfather has some good news lately."

"Oh? I wonder what brings you this joy?"

The young eunuch said, "Back then, my godfather's family suffered a disaster and had no choice but to seek refuge in the capital. He managed to enter the imperial city as a eunuch through connections. My family members have all scattered, and I have no relatives left. Who would have thought that such a filial local official would find my godfather's own nephew!"

Jia Lian felt a surge of annoyance, but his smile remained unchanged. He said, "Oh dear, this is truly a cause for celebration." The eunuch nodded repeatedly and added, "However, as you know, Second Master Lian, our godfather has always been self-disciplined and incorruptible. After twenty years of service, he has only managed to save three hundred taels of silver. But now, his godfather's nephew wants to settle in the capital and has immediately set his sights on a house outside Qianmen. We've made several trips to the site, but that family is incredibly unreasonable and insists on a price of fifteen hundred taels."

This... is truly a difficult situation.

Jia Lian wasn't stupid; he knew perfectly well that this eunuch was there to extort money. However, the Empress was currently in dire straits in the palace, and Consort Wu, having risen in status through her son, had heard that the Emperor had only visited the Empress's palace once every month or so.

Even the servants of the Rongguo Mansion are used to flattering the powerful and belittling the weak, let alone those in the palace? These days, the Empress's expenses are often insufficient, and she has to pay for things. Now, these spineless eunuchs are even coming to extort money from her.

Seeing him hesitate, the eunuch's face darkened and he said, "Second Master, our godfather is unaware of what happened today. It was only because the Jia family has always been close to our godfather that we came to you to pour out our troubles. The Rongguo Mansion is a large and powerful family. If we help our godfather in his time of need, I am sure he will reward us handsomely in the future."

Jia Lian dared not make a decision on the matter of 1,200 taels of silver, so he said, "I cannot make this decision. You may return to the palace first, and I will inform my elders at home. I will surely have good news to tell you soon."

The young eunuch laughed, "Of course, of course! Then we'll wait for Second Master's good news. Ah? Hahaha..."

Having said that, he got up, flicked his whisk, and swaggered away.

Jia Lian saw the eunuch off, his teeth itching with hatred. He turned back to Rongxi Hall, knowing it was inconvenient to talk about it now, so he put the matter aside for the time being, waiting to discuss it with the master after Yingchun returned home.

Before they knew it, the time was drawing to a close and the sun was setting in the west. The performance had long since ended and the banquet had been cleared away. Now, everyone was simply having tea and taking a short rest in Rongxi Hall.

After a short while, Grandmother Jia said she was tired, and Lady Wang offered to help her back to Rongqing Hall.

Seeing this, Chen Siyuan simply got up to take his leave. Jia She deliberately acted haughty, nodding slightly and remaining seated motionless. Then, Madam Xing and Jia Lian came to see the couple off.

As they approached the vicinity of the ceremonial gate, Madam Xing, not wanting to see them off any further, said, “I, as an elder, am naturally at ease knowing that you two are getting along so well. However, managing a household isn’t just about the two of you being happy together. Er Ya is getting a bit older, and Yuan Ge is only seventeen. I’m really worried about how this family business will be managed.”

"That way, when I have some free time in a few days, I'll go over and help out."

Yingchun couldn't refuse, so she had no choice but to obediently comply.

Madam Xing added, "Furthermore, your uncle is almost twenty, and it's time to arrange a proper marriage for him. Some time ago, I asked a matchmaker to look at a few potential partners, and I was just about to consult with Yuan-ge'er about it."

Chen Siyuan knew perfectly well that Madam Xing had ulterior motives. He immediately smiled and said, "Since it's for my uncle to make a choice, I think we should go back to the Xing family's old residence when we have time and discuss it all at once?"

Madam Xing thought about it and agreed, then smiled and said, "That's right. Once the date is set, I'll send someone to let you know."

Chen Siyuan smiled and agreed, then boarded the carriage with Yingchun and leisurely headed back to Faxiangfang.

The carriage rumbled along, and the couple inside swayed. Chen Siyuan was only slightly tipsy, but the second daughter had drunk a few more cups, and now her face was flushed, looking as if she was about to pass out drunk.

With a slight jolt, Yingchun's head touched Chen Siyuan's shoulder, and the next moment, the second young lady leaned on Chen Siyuan's shoulder as well.

Chen Siyuan chuckled softly and asked, "Are you drunk?"

Yingchun shook her head, her face beaming with an uncontrollable smile. The unprecedented dignity she felt, coupled with the subtle envy in Tanchun and Xiangyun's eyes, made Yingchun feel as if she were drinking sweet rain, as if in a dream come true!
Yingchun instinctively wrapped her soft hand around Chen Siyuan's arm, finding it strong and powerful. She became even more intoxicated and said, "I'm just a little tired. Yes, when I was changing clothes at the banquet, my wet nurse came looking for me again."

Yingchun's wet nurse was no pushover; after the marriage, she simply didn't bring her to the Chen family.

Chen Siyuan said, "What? Is that old codger going to act like he's old again? Second Sister can't refuse this kind of thing, so she just put me in charge of playing the bad cop."

Yingchun said, "I'm not that useless. She's just trying to find a job for my wet nurse brother in the Chen family."

Chen Siyuan said, "If the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam will be crooked too. I think we should just forget about it."

Yingchun hummed in agreement and said, "Of course I declined."

The wet nurse was greatly disappointed and complained for a long time. However, Hongyu, who was accompanying her, was not easy to deal with. She laughed and scolded, which exposed the wet nurse's true colors. The old woman blushed and had no choice but to cover her face and retreat.

He paused, then added, "I heard from my third sister today that the railway to Tongzhou seems to be nearing completion."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "I heard that the horse-drawn carriages for transporting goods and those for transporting passengers are separate. When the railway opens, I will take my second sister to Tongzhou to see the excitement."

"Mmm," the second girl replied hopefully. Suddenly, she felt a large hand stroking her back slide down, then knead and pinch, teasing her until her eyes were brimming with desire and her gaze was alluring.

It's fortunate that they're in the car, otherwise the couple might have ended up having sex.

Upon returning home, Chen Siyuan pulled the second young lady straight to the bedroom. The second young lady had sobered up a bit by then and suddenly remembered the mess of the previous night. She was so frightened that she kept urging Chen Siyuan to go find Hongyu and Qingwen.

Chen Siyuan pretended to be unhappy, and Yingchun was very obedient. She coaxed and persuaded him to go ahead.

It was early summer, and Chen Siyuan had no patience to go to the second room to fool around. Putting aside others, Hongyu, Miao'er, and Tiao'er had been neglected for a long time. These past few days, even Hongyu looked at him with resentment every time, so Chen Siyuan naturally had to comfort her.

Since it was getting late, this fellow called three men and headed straight for the Listening to the Moon Pavilion at the back.

At night, fragrant sweat naturally permeates the quilt. Hongyu, Miao'er, and Tiao'er, each one more beautiful than the last, evoke the heart with spring. Some lie sprawled on their pillows, their limbs slumped; others, their fragrant skin faded, their jade-like buds withered.

The details of its intricacies are too numerous to describe in detail.

Around four in the morning, Chen Siyuan tidied himself up and went to the main room. He entered the room quietly, letting the drowsy and resentful Xiuju help him undress. Chen Siyuan then crept towards the bed.

Seeing that Yingchun was already fast asleep, the thief was filled with a mischievous thought and couldn't help but caress her in every way. He waited until the second young lady woke up and scolded him several times before he happily stopped.

Who knew that the next morning, Chen Siyuan would not let Yingchun off the hook, and even after waking up, he was still pounding the waves.

The poor second young lady fainted several times. For a time, her limbs were unsteady, her mouth was as cold as ice, as if she had drunk fine wine, and her body and mind felt as if they were floating on clouds.

Afterwards, Chen Siyuan showed some tenderness, and seeing that the second daughter was indeed useless, he got up and went to the garden to practice his stance training.

Leaving aside his actions, let's talk about Xiu Ju, who had been eavesdropping all morning. Seeing that her young mistress was not getting up, she had no choice but to stay in the room. After some time, she suddenly wondered, "It's one thing that the young mistress is not getting up, but why haven't Hong Yu, Miao'er, and Tiao'er come yet?"

It was past mid-morning when Hongyu, Miao'er, and Tiao'er arrived looking exhausted. Soon after, the second young lady, who had slept well, finally got up.

Xiuju, being inexperienced, was unaware of the intrigue, while Yingchun and Hongyu exchanged glances, and the mistress and servants all felt a sense of unease.

After breakfast, the second young lady couldn't help herself and privately asked Hongyu, "Is he always like this? Can his body handle it?"

Hongyu gritted her teeth and finally said, "Madam doesn't know, but Master was already exceptionally gifted a couple of years ago. Back then, Xiangling and I could barely handle it at midnight, but who knew that by last year, even the Fifth Master of the Rao family was no match for him."

The second daughter was stunned, her brows furrowing in distress. A useless husband was certainly worrying, but an overly capable one… was equally worrisome.

Putting aside everything else, in just the few days since she married into the family, there have been three major upheavals, and the second young lady felt like she was about to fall apart. How could she possibly withstand Chen Siyuan's antics?

Thinking about this, the second young lady, Yingchun, began to understand why Chen Siyuan was so promiscuous. With such ample assets in bed, wouldn't he need to find several beautiful women to serve him?

After whispering with Hongyu for a while, Yingchun frowned and sighed after Hongyu left. She made up her mind: firstly, she had to put up a truce today no matter what; secondly, she might have to invite Xing Xiuyan into the mansion as soon as possible.

Just as she made up her mind, Hongyu returned and went inside, saying, "Grandma, there's an old lady named Zhu outside who says she has a good business opportunity to tell you about."

(End of this chapter)