Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 76: Can't Leave
When the wind died down and the rain subsided, the two men caught their breath and hurriedly got up to clean up.

Chen Siyuan fastened his clothes and suddenly turned around and asked jokingly, "Why are you getting worse today?"

Mrs. Xing's eyes were full of affection, but she was speechless for a moment. The previous time, Chen Siyuan had forced himself on her, and although Mrs. Xing felt terrible, she still felt ashamed. This time was different. Perhaps the sincerity of their previous affection had moved her, and not only did she feel even more uncomfortable, but in the end, she actually put all the pressure on Chen Siyuan.

Chen Siyuan glanced hurriedly outside and saw that the courtyard was deserted. Most of the maids were probably playing and laughing in the side rooms. It was freezing cold outside, and the north wind could freeze anyone to death. How could he dare stay outside for any longer?

Looking at the sky again, the sun had moved slightly, so it must have been about two cups of tea?
The two of them hurried to the main hall. Chen Siyuan wanted to call the maid, but was stopped by Mrs. Xing.

"You, if you have time these two days, go home and give three thousand taels of silver to Third Sister."

Chen Siyuan was puzzled and asked, "Why not send Nanny Wang to deliver it?"

Madam Xing snorted, rolled her eyes, and said, "That old woman is taking advantage of her age, do you think she's a good person? She's not my wet nurse, and I have no one else around me who's useless, so why would I keep her?" She paused, then added, "Every time I send her away, she always takes some benefits from Third Sister. Last time, Third Sister complained to me."

When she said this, Chen Siyuan agreed with a smile.

Mrs. Xing opened her mouth to say something else, but suddenly, with a feeling of reluctance, she said, "It would be better if you didn't leave."

There is no solution to this problem.

Sooner or later, Sun Guangcheng would be exposed, and by then, Chen Siyuan would be implicated. If Chen Siyuan were a powerful figure like the Prince of Beijing, he might be betrayed and used to divert the anger of the wealthy merchants.

Even if he survived this, the powerful and wealthy would not bother to pay attention to a small fry like Chen Siyuan, and Jia Lian would have a hard time getting through this when he returned.

The room was silent for a while. After a long while, first Chen Siyuan and then Madam Xing sighed.

They stared at each other in silence, and Mrs. Xing couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. After all the hard work of finding a beloved man, he was leaving her soon. Although she wasn't heartbroken, she couldn't help but feel a sharp pain in her heart.

After lingering for a while, Mrs. Xing felt it was not appropriate to stay any longer, so she stood up, greeted Miao'er, and went straight back to the east wing in front.

As they walked, Mrs. Xing couldn't help but calculate secretly, her brows furrowed slightly. It seemed like the happy days were just a few days away. If that were the case, wouldn't those two trips have been wasted? Calculating the exact date, it would have to be the 17th or 18th. How could she possibly make it in time?

I couldn't help but feel more and more lost, thinking it was just a dream. Apart from my third sister's dowry, there was nothing left.

Just as I turned into the alley, I ran into Aunt Xue returning to Lixiangyuan.

When the two met, they exchanged pleasantries.

Aunt Xue examined Madam Xing carefully, then exclaimed, "Have you changed your makeup, Madam? She looks so fair with a rosy complexion, and standing with Sister Feng, one might have thought they were sisters, but who knew they were mother-in-law and daughter-in-law?"

Mrs. Xing rubbed her face in surprise, "Really?" Then she covered it up, "It's all thanks to Brother Yuan... He's so filial. He gave me a box of pearl powder a few days ago, and it really is helping me put it on."

While saying this, she secretly thought to herself that she and Feng Jieer were only five or six years apart in age, so if they stood together, wouldn't they be sisters?
Aunt Xue had no suspicion of his intention and only smiled, saying, "I've used pearl powder before, but it never worked like this. I suppose it's Madam's recipe that's needed. I'll probably ask Madam for it someday."

Mrs. Xing laughed and said, "What are you talking about, Madam? I'll have someone copy it and send it to you later."

The two chatted for a few words before parting ways. Madam Xing walked past Mengpo Zhai and suddenly made up her mind. She thought, "I'll indulge in pleasure, but even if I can't leave behind children, it's good to have an occasional dream."

Thinking of this, the old woman in Wang Shanbao's house was an eyesore. This woman took advantage of her age and often stayed in the main room. How could Mrs. Xing ask Yuan'er to come?

We must find a way to get rid of that old man.

Not to mention Mrs. Xing.

The courtyard returned to normal. Chen Siyuan, who had no desires, went to the study to read some books. Hongyu received a letter saying that Lin Zhixiao's family was looking for her, so she went out to see her mother.

Xiangling, the head maid, immediately picked up a feather duster and began to sweep away the dust. As she reached the western end of the room, she suddenly plucked up a strand of hair from the pillow.

Xiangling was meticulous, always taking good care of herself after every night watch, never leaving a strand of hair on her bed. So this strand of hair... was it Hongyu's?

During those days when her period came, the little maid Yunxiang kept gossiping in his ear, mostly saying bad things without any reason, saying that he should be on guard against Hongyu, who was obsessed with climbing into her master's bed.

Xiangling was delighted to hear this, but she didn't take it personally. Firstly, the master treated her very well, and her life was getting smoother and smoother. She had never had anything to do with Hongyu, and even when she was on night watch, she would just rest in the warm room. Secondly, Hongyu seemed like a good person and would never pretend to be a seductress to seduce the master.

Xiangling had been confident at first, but now, looking at the hair in her hands, she hesitated again. She thought...could it be that Yunxiang was right?
She frowned and thought to herself that the old saying is true: you can judge a person by his appearance but not by his heart. Who would have thought that you are such a ruthless person!

I suppose Grandfather never asked her to get on the bed, so Hongyu must have left this hair there on purpose. What was she doing with it? To sow discord between me and Grandfather, of course!
Xiangling's face was solemn. She thought to herself, "What a good Hongyu! Not only is this just provocation, even if you really fulfill your wish one day, what will happen? You treat me sincerely, so I will cherish you. I am also smart, how could I be deceived by a foxy woman like you!"

You shouldn't have the intention to harm others, but you must be on guard against them. Now it seems that I have to be more careful with Hongyu in the future!

A few days passed in the blink of an eye, and it was already the ninth day of October.

Apart from a trip to the Xing household to deliver three thousand taels of silver, Chen Siyuan also went to the Ningguo Mansion to hold a grand ceremony. In the past few days, although Madam Xing had been sending people to deliver food and expenses every now and then, she had never actually called him.

Later, when he heard that she no longer went to see the old lady every morning and evening, Chen Siyuan knew that Mrs. Xing's days were numbered.

Chen Siyuan felt a pang of regret. He'd come to the Rongguo Mansion, and although he'd hooked up with Lady Xing, he'd only managed to seduce Xiangling. He vaguely remembered a sequel to the Dream of the Red Chamber, where the protagonist murdered everyone, including Lin Daiyu, Baochai, and even Yuanchun, the concubine who had entered the palace.

Whenever he thought of this, Chen Siyuan couldn't help but feel a little discouraged. He thought to himself that he was a terrible time traveler and had really brought shame to the seniors.

Estimating that the household registration of Qianxue and Xiangling should have been finalized that day, Chen Siyuan took his horse and headed straight for the outer city to look for them.

When they arrived, the three brothers were naturally very warm and welcoming, and the household registration matter was indeed settled. Chen Siyuan asked about the wedding date again, and Ma Panlong immediately hesitated. It was Xu Dabiao who finally spoke up, saying that Ma Panlong and Qianxue had talked across the room and decided to get married on the 28th of this month.

Chen Siyuan thought to himself that he might miss the opportunity this time. He then said, "In a few days, I'll need the three brothers' help. First, I need one brother to escort my maid to find her relatives. Second, the elders have given me a errand, so I need the other two to escort her for a while."

Ma Panlong asked, "Have you set a date?" "Within three or five days. It doesn't have to be far, just out of Zhili."

Ma Panlong hesitated for a moment, then said solemnly, "Since you want to help, the three of us have no objections. We will risk our lives to protect Brother Chen."

Chen Siyuan looked up and realized that Ma Panlong had probably guessed something. So he simply bowed and said nothing more.

After a brief pause, Chen Siyuan said goodbye and left. Just as he passed Anhua Temple, he saw a carriage parked on the side of the road. Beside the carriage stood a figure who looked like a guard.

Chen Siyuan's heart skipped a beat and he immediately wanted to turn around, but when he looked back, he saw a guard with a knife blocking the way he came.

How old was he? Even a desperate fight wouldn't be enough; he'd probably be cut down in one round. The situation was stronger than the person, and the other side hadn't used force, so why not wait and see what happened?

In a moment, he rode closer, and sure enough, the guard blocked his way and raised his hand to invite him in, saying, "My master would like you to come in and have a chat."

Chen Siyuan glanced at the blue-wool carriage and asked, "May I serve you, my lord?"

The guard said, "You'll know when you go inside."

Chen Siyuan nodded and slowly dismounted. The guard found a stool from the back of the carriage. Chen Siyuan stepped on it, lifted the curtain and went inside.

Dashun had already started mass production of glass by this time, but the quality of flat glass was poor. Even when it was used to make windows, small pieces were spliced ​​together, and a few large, flat pieces were simply made into mirrors.

Although the carriage's windows were glass, they were carved with patterns. Chen Siyuan entered and saw a screen across the middle. A figure sat in the shadows, attended by a maid.

"sit down."

The man spoke, but his voice didn't reveal his age.

Chen Siyuan simply sat down on a stool facing him. Before he could say anything, the man asked again, "Should I call you Chen Siyuan... or something else?"

Chen Siyuan bowed and said, "I am Chen Siyuan."

"Great." The man said, "Do you have any plans for the future?"

Chen Siyuan smiled bitterly and said, "I am the fish on the chopping board, and how can I have the final say?"

The man laughed heartily and said, "You know the situation, you're right." He paused, then said, "Sun Guangcheng will escape the day after tomorrow, and Liu Xifu will die soon. Do you want to live?"

Chen Siyuan didn't rush to reply. After thinking for a while, he said, "I don't think I have any help from you, so if you have anything to say, please speak up."

"Okay, quick-witted, quick-witted. You can handle things easily." The nobleman took the teacup from the maid and took a sip. He then put it down and said slowly, "I can let you remain Chen Siyuan and not be implicated in the Sun Guangcheng incident...as long as you do me a favor."

Chen Siyuan was also single, so he simply said, "Please advise me, sir."

The nobleman sighed and said, "That's a long story... You just need to know that many families have business dealings with Ningguo Mansion, and Qin Shi served as a middleman. Everything was originally fine... But last year, something unexpected happened—in broad daylight, bandits robbed property and fled. My men arrived a day later and wiped out everyone on the scene. We don't even know who did it."

The action is here! Sure enough, what Mrs. Xing said is more reliable!
Chen Siyuan's heart raced as he recalled what was written in the book. It seemed that Qin had become seriously ill just a year ago?

Chen Siyuan then asked, "May I ask when this happened?"

The nobleman said, "On the seventh day of the eighth month last year."

In August, Qin fell seriously ill in September... Presumably, the amount of wealth was enormous, and the nobles and other families in front of her would not give up easily. Perhaps the pressure from all sides was too much for Qin to bear, leading to her serious illness?
Then the nobleman said, "Over the past year or so, each family has investigated several times, but to no avail, there's not a single clue. Jia Zhen took the lead in admitting the deficit, and the matter has finally been somewhat settled. But I just don't believe it was a coincidence!"

The noble suddenly said in a stern voice, "My people are not allowed to enter the Rongguo Mansion. I heard that you are now helping the Rongguo Mansion with the funeral? You don't need to find out everything. As long as there are some clues, I will let you go... How do you think?"

Chen Siyuan's mind raced as he said, "Your Excellency, Jia Lian is in Suzhou right now, and he'll be passing through Yangzhou on his way back. I'm afraid he'll be able to expose my true identity once he returns. He'll also help with the funeral arrangements, and everything will be settled by the time the funeral begins..."

Before he could finish, the nobleman said impatiently, "That's your business. What does it have to do with me?"

Chen Siyuan was suddenly choked and speechless.

Then, the nobleman continued, "I understand your concerns... but there's no need to worry. I'm covering up for you now, but even if it's revealed later, how many people would believe something without any evidence? If you're smart, you'll be able to save your life."

Save your life?

Chen Siyuan thought to himself... Yes, this noble man had something else in his words. He said earlier that only clues were needed, and there was no need for the whole thing... I was afraid that if I really knew the truth, this noble man would be the first to find me and kill me!
Wanting to understand this, Chen Siyuan had no choice but to bow and say, "I understand."

"I understand. Even for your life, you should be more careful. Go!"

Chen Siyuan stood up, opened the curtain, and jumped out of the carriage. Without saying a word, he took the reins thrown to him by the guard, jumped on the mounting stone, and rode away.

His heart was in turmoil. This time, he couldn't leave even if he wanted to!
I had hoped before that Hu Mang would not reveal his identity. But now I think that Hu Mang might have told me everything before he died!

Today is the ninth day of the first lunar month, and the Ningguo Mansion will send out the funeral on the twenty-fifth, leaving him only sixteen or seventeen days. Qin is a secret of the Ningguo Mansion, so how can she be easily investigated?

After thinking for a while, Jia Rong and Jia Qiang didn't dare to touch Baozhu. They had to wait until the induction... and they didn't know when Jia Lian would come back. If they hadn't found any clues by then, they would be blocked by Jia Lian... They couldn't imagine it!
Chen Siyuan felt depressed, but when he came to his senses, he saw the streets crowded with people, shouting, and filled with the smell of life.

Taking a deep breath and sniffing the meat bun, Chen Siyuan smiled again.

This life has been wasted anyway; living a few more years would be enough. In that case, I'd better give it my all. Even if I die, what's the harm? Who knows where my remaining soul will end up? Even if I lose my sisters in the Grand View Garden, a monkey that popped out of a stone is still good enough.

　If nothing unexpected happens, this will probably be the last chapter before it goes on sale. I have about 100,000 manuscripts in reserve, so I'll update it as soon as it goes on sale.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)