Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 106 Rumors

After receiving the business card, King Ping of Yan lost interest and dismissed Chen Siyuan with a few casual words.

Chen Siyuan returned to the Rongguo Mansion carriage and hurriedly ordered the driver to Da'er Hutong on Yanshou Temple Street. Tucked away in his sleeves were two business cards: one from Jia Zheng and one from Prince Ping of Yan. He had no idea what the three people Jia Zheng had introduced were like, but Prince Ping of Yan was introducing a Hanlin scholar. Was there any need to speculate?

After a few turns, the carriage arrived at Yanshou Temple Street and the third house in Da'er Hutong. Chen Siyuan got out and the driver went to knock on the door.

After a moment, the door opened and an old servant emerged. Chen Siyuan stepped forward and handed over his name card. The servant glanced at him and his expression changed. "Sir, please wait a moment."

After saying this, he turned back inside. A moment later, a young man not much older than Chen Siyuan came out. He glanced at Chen Siyuan, stepped forward and bowed, saying, "My father is Mei Yucheng, and my name is Mei Chong. May I ask what this friend's name is?"

"Greetings, Brother Mei. My name is Chen Siyuan. I dare not call you my friend. I was recommended by the governor of Ping'an Prefecture and plan to enter the Imperial College next year."

"That's right." Being admitted to the Imperial College, especially for an excellent student, was equivalent to having the title of scholar. Mei Chong smiled and said, "My father hasn't returned yet. Friend Chen, please come in and chat."

Chen Siyuan followed Mei Chong into the house. The house had only two entrances, with a southeastern door and a back hall next to it for entertaining guests. However, this back hall was mostly used to entertain ordinary people. Since Chen Siyuan had the visiting card from Prince Ping of Yan, Mei Chong naturally didn't dare neglect him.

As a result, he led Chen Siyuan through the hanging flower gate and into the side hall in the second courtyard.

The two of them sat down and a maid served them tea.

After a few words of conversation, Chen Siyuan explained his purpose for coming. "To be honest, I'm young and frivolous. Although I have some insights into poetry, I haven't even crossed the threshold into the art of making."

Mei Chong said, "Friend Chen, aren't you exaggerating?"

Chen Siyuan said seriously, "Brother Mei, everything I said is true. I have a complete understanding of the eight-part essay."

Mei Chong smiled and thought, "Since it's the King of Yanping's request, I doubt my father will refuse. I wonder where friend Chen is staying? When my father returns, I'll tell him and then send someone to invite friend Chen to our home for a chat."

Chen Siyuan said, "I am now living in Rongguo Mansion."

"Oh." Mei Chong's expression suddenly became a little duller after hearing that.

The Mei family has three generations of Hanlin scholars. Among their ancestor Mei Wenqi, there were three brothers, one of whom was a Hanlin scholar and two of whom passed the imperial examination. It can be said that they are a family of scholars.

Since ancient times, scholars and military officials have looked down on each other. In the eyes of scholars, the Jia family is a parasite of the country. How could they have a good reputation?

After a few more pleasantries, seeing Mei Chong slowly holding up the teacup, Chen Siyuan immediately stood up and said goodbye and left.

As he rode the carriage back to the Rongguo Mansion, Chen Siyuan mused to himself: over the years, he'd endured not only indifference but also the cold shoulder. As a commoner, he had no face in front of the rich and powerful, let alone the scholars with high academic titles.

He had long been accustomed to it, but he didn't want to get used to it again. It was great that Mei Yucheng could give advice on the key points of the imperial examination, but he couldn't rely on him alone. He might have to find another way after entering the Imperial College.

While he was thinking, the carriage entered the east corner gate of Rongguo Mansion. Chen Siyuan got off the carriage, casually rewarded the driver with three taels of silver, and chatted with the doorman Yu Liu for a while.

Chen Siyuan didn't know if it was an illusion, but he felt that Yu Liu's eyes were a little strange today. The look he gave him seemed to contain envy, disdain, and contempt. In short, it was a mixture of emotions that was hard to describe.

Chen Siyuan wondered if Yu Liu wouldn't tell him even if he asked directly. He was afraid there might be some new rumor going around in the mansion, and Yunxiang, the little trumpet, would tell him when he got back to his own courtyard.

After entering the corner gate beside the stables, Chen Siyuan slowed down his pace as he passed through the hallway, wondering if he might run into Baochai. However, this time it was not a coincidence. Even if he walked more slowly, he still could not see Baochai when he turned around the hallway.

Chen Siyuan felt sorry, but just as he turned around Mengpo Zhai, he ran into Sister Bao who was walking towards him.

She wore a bright red peony flower cape on the outside, and inside was an apricot-yellow satin round-necked jacket embroidered with peony branches and a white cross-collared jacket. She also wore a peach-red long skirt embroidered with peonies.

With only Ying'er as her servant, Bao Sister saw Chen Siyuan coming towards her from a distance. Her lips moved, and a look of anger flashed across her face. Then she returned to her normal self, smiled, and approached him, bowing: "Is Brother Yuan all right?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Thanks to the medicine Sister Xue sent me, although I have a cough now, it's no longer a problem."

"That's good." Baochai smiled and said, "They say illness comes like a mountain falling and passes like a thread being pulled out. I heard that Brother Yuan fell into the water and caught a cold. Mother and brother have been worried for a while. They all said that Brother Yuan was weak and I'm afraid it's not a good time for him to catch a cold."

It sounds like a good thing, but when you think about it carefully, it's not a good thing. Tsk, Sister Bao knows how to fight back?
Chen Siyuan's expression remained unchanged as he said, "Brother Lao Wenlong, I'm so sorry for your concern. It's a coincidence that while I was visiting a famous teacher today, I came across a good business opportunity on the street. I'll go talk to Brother Wenlong later. I'm going to make a killing this time."

Sister Bao immediately glared at him.

Before he finished, Chen Siyuan continued, "Yes, Sister Xue is probably going to Rongqing Hall now? But Brother Bao is probably too busy to talk to Sister Xue right now. I think it would be better for Sister Xue to go play with the second and third sisters."

This means that as soon as Daiyu came back, Baoyu had no time to look for Baochai, but only wanted to talk to Daiyu.

Sister Bao was immediately furious. Although she was still smiling, her watery eyes showed that she wished she could gouge Chen Siyuan to death!
But Chen Siyuan was telling the truth, and Baojie didn't know how to refute him for a moment. There's a saying that goes, "Lies don't hurt, the truth does."

How long had it been since the incident between Baoyu, Qin Zhong, and the little nun Zhineng? A few days ago, Baoyu again insisted on visiting Qin Zhong, and every time Baojiejie did that, she would mentally prepare herself for a long time, occasionally swallowing Lengxiang Pills, before she could patiently talk to Baoyu.

At this time, when Daiyu came back and Chen Siyuan added fuel to the fire, Sister Bao was immediately a little defensive!
Chen Siyuan decided to take it one step further and said, "Since that's the case, Sister Xue, please go now. I'm going back too. See you later!"

Sister Bao suppressed her anger and said, "Brother Yuan, take care."

Chen Siyuan nodded slightly, then walked away with his hands behind his back. Baochai stood there, watching him disappear, gnashing her teeth for a while, taking a deep breath, and then turning around and continuing on her way.

Ying'er, standing by, wasn't as experienced as she was before, so she couldn't hear the sharp words exchanged between the two, but she could tell something was amiss. Looking at her own daughter, she saw Baochai's face was frosted, and she frowned, "That Chen guy definitely has bad intentions. Girl, let's stay away from him from now on!"

Baochai said with a forced smile, "What nonsense! Brother Yuan never tried to bluff us, so how can he not have good intentions?"

"But--"

Sister Bao gave Ying'er a sidelong glance, and she suddenly dared not speak.

Sister Bao walked past Mengpo Zhai and breathed a sigh of relief. Thinking of her mother's cheerful words, she reflected: "Whatever the case, Chen Siyuan has been a great help this time. Although his words were irritating, I should still be grateful to him... Otherwise, how could I have gotten rid of such a formidable enemy?"
I just don't know what Brother Bao will do this time...

Chen Siyuan, having flirted with Sister Bao, returned to his own courtyard in high spirits. As he entered, he heard a cry of surprise from the side room, followed by the maid Yunxiang running out. She stared at Chen Siyuan with wide eyes, saying, "Master, you're truly capable! Is that true?"

"What's going on?"

At this moment, the main door opened and Hongyu came out to greet her. Yunxiang no longer cared about being afraid of Hongyu and just gestured, "It's...it's about Miss Lin!"

Hongyu frowned and came closer. She glanced at Chen Siyuan worriedly and said, "Yunxiang, go back to your room and don't ask about this kind of thing in the future."

Yunxiang pouted and said dissatisfiedly, "It's all spread outside. It's said that the master has the Lin family marriage certificate. Sister Hongyu only knows how to control me, but can she control the gossips of the women outside?"

"you--"

Hongyu reached out to grab Yunxiang's ears, but Yunxiang was so scared that she ran away with her head in her hands: "I was wrong, please forgive me this time!"

Hongyu sighed and looked at Chen Siyuan with concern: "Master——"

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Let's go inside and talk."

The two of them walked towards the main house together. When they reached the door, Liu Wuer hurried out to greet them, saying angrily, "Master... I, I was so engrossed in reading..."

Chen Siyuan smiled without saying anything. He entered the room, washed his hands, and sat down. Then he called Hongyu over and asked, "What are the rumors outside?"

Hongyu frowned and said, "It is said that Master has obtained Miss Lin's marriage certificate and will marry her as soon as she reaches the age of marriage."

"Where's the one next to it?"

"Nothing else."

"Then where did this rumor come from?"

Hongyu was also puzzled and said, "I hadn't heard about it this morning, but somehow it spread everywhere in just an hour or two."

Chen Siyuan took the teacup brought by Liu Wuer, took a sip and thought it through.

Who in the mansion is most happy to see his marriage with Daiyu?

First, Jia She was naturally happy to see it succeed. If this happened, he might be able to get his hands on the Lin family's hundreds of thousands of yuan in assets, and then he could get rid of them with just a few melons and a few dates. Jia She was a greedy person by nature, so how could he let go of such a good opportunity?
Secondly, Lady Wang was also pleased to see this happen. The battle between Lady Jia and Lady Wang, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, extended from the issue of household management to Baoyu's marriage. Lady Jia favored Baoyu and Daiyu, while Lady Wang was optimistic about the "golden jade match," and from then on, the two would constantly fight over this issue.

Given Madam Wang's temperament, it would be difficult for her to take the lead, but she would definitely add fuel to the fire;
The third one is about the Xue family.

Xue Da Silly Man became a living dead. Aunt Xue and Baochai, when they came to the capital, dared not go to Wang's house, insisting on staying at the Jia's house, refusing to leave, as if they were relying on the Jia family's protection. Later, all that gold necklace and the golden jade marriage were probably hyped up by the Xue family and Mrs. Wang.

The Xue family wanted to promote a happy marriage between Jin Yu and Dai Yu, so their biggest enemy was naturally Dai Yu, who had arrived early.

Sister Bao has always been dignified and quiet, but given her temperament, when she was pushed into a corner, she even framed Daiyu at the "Dicui Pavilion", which shows how big a threat Daiyu was.

At this time, because Daiyu and Baoyu were still young, the Xue family had not resorted to despicable tactics, but they were probably already on guard. With Jia She as the instigator and Lady Wang fanning the flames, the Xue family had been throwing money around to win over the Jia family's servants since their arrival. How could they miss such a good opportunity?

Eh? Thinking about it this way, wouldn't everyone in the Jia family be happy to see his marriage to Daiyu? Only one "vicious" old lady, Jia Mu, was interfering.

Chen Siyuan grinned silently. What a pity, he thought. If only Lady Jia had gone there right now. By then, no matter what the agreement was, even if Sister Lin didn't want to, the marriage would have to happen... well, it would just be Jia Yucun who would be a tough hurdle.

At this moment, Hongyu sent Liu Wu'er away with a look, and came over and asked worriedly, "Master is still laughing, is that thing true?"

"So what if it's true? So what if it's false?" Chen Siyuan asked with a smile.

Hongyu said, "Whether it's true or not, I'm afraid you'll have a hard time in the mansion in the future!" She paused, afraid that Chen Siyuan would not understand, and leaned closer and whispered, "Master, you don't know, the old lady has kept Master Bao and Miss Lin by her side since they were young. Who can't see what she means? Now that you've interfered, will the old lady be happy?"

Chen Siyuan was in a very good mood at the moment. Seeing that Hongyu was thinking about him, he couldn't help but move forward and peck her on the face.

"Ah!" Hongyu immediately covered her face and turned to look at Liu Wu'er. Seeing that she was hiding in the study, as if she hadn't seen anything, she turned her head to look at Chen Siyuan with a frown and said, "We were talking about serious matters, and you are causing trouble again."

Chen Siyuan said, "Thank you for your concern, but you only know one side of the story. I didn't spread this matter, so even if I were to be punished, it wouldn't fall on me." He paused, then said, "Besides, it was because I spread the news that the old lady couldn't kick me out."

If this matter was covered up, it would be fine. Maybe Lady Jia would use some tricks to drive Chen Siyuan out after some time. But if this matter became known, how could Lady Jia keep the gossips to herself if she drove him out now?
The old lady is too proud to do such a thing.

Don't forget that Lady Jia was over seventy years old, and to put it bluntly, she was buried in the dirt, but she was able to control the Rongguo Mansion because she was kind to her subordinates and used Sister Feng and Lady Xing to restrain Lady Wang.

This situation is like the current political situation. The Supreme Lord has not yet completely retired, and the current emperor has been planning for ten years, and his power is already on par with that of the Supreme Lord.

Apart from those old ministers and nobles who are difficult to turn around, who among the officials in the court can't see the situation clearly?
Whether it's a political struggle or a family feud, the majority sit on the fence and wait and see. Whichever side these people side with is sure to win.

While she was thinking, Miao'er, who was beside Mrs. Xing, came over. She bowed and said, "When she heard that my brother had returned, my wife sent me to call him to speak."

Chen Siyuan hadn't seen Mrs. Xing for a few days, and he was itching to see her. He put on his cloak and followed Miao'er to the east side of the courtyard.

The journey was smooth and when they entered the main room, they saw that Mrs. Xing could not hide her joy.

The two of them sat down patiently, and after a while they sent the maid away. Mrs. Xing immediately whispered excitedly, "It's done!"

"Huh?" Chen Siyuan didn't react for a moment.

Madam Xing rolled her eyes and said, "Your period should have come two days ago, but it's already the 22nd and it hasn't come yet. And you haven't felt full for the past half month. You must be pregnant!"

Chen Siyuan was stunned, thinking to himself, this is too accurate, it’s only been a few times!
(End of this chapter)