Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 121 What comes and goes
But Chen Siyuan had just arrived at his own courtyard when a maid brought him six pieces of brocade and six pieces of silk.

Hongyu, Xiangling and Yunxiang were all very puzzled, and Yunxiang, like a little loudspeaker, kept asking Chen Siyuan questions.

Chen Siyuan kept the secret for a while before finally revealing the situation in the palace. The maid Yunxiang was astonished, and then she turned around and spread the news everywhere as if she had found a treasure.

On ordinary days, Hongyu would probably have disciplined him a bit, but recently she has probably figured out what her master is thinking.

My master came from a humble background, and had to rely on Yunxiang to spread the word and gain fame. Being favored by Prince Yanping was such a great event that he had to spread the word, so as to avoid being looked down upon by the servants in the mansion who were obsessed with wealth and status.

Xiangling didn't think too much about it. She was just full of joy. She and Hongyu moved brocade and silk into the house.

Chen Siyuan turned around and ordered, "Leave four bolts of brocade and four bolts of silk gauze. Third Aunt is getting married in March, so this will be a perfect gift for her dowry."

Hongyu smiled and said, "It's usually the elders, brothers, and sisters who add to the makeup. It's rare for a nephew like you to add to the makeup."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "I'm sorry, but it's a filial gift." He paused and said, "For the rest, you and Xiangling will each get a piece of brocade, and the silk yarn can be divided between Liu Wu'er and Yunxiang."

Xiangling obeyed obediently, not noticing anything strange, but Hongyu said, "Well... I want some silk too."

The brocade looked expensive, and it was probably only worn by the girls in the mansion. She was only a third-class maid in the mansion, so how could she wear it outside?
Chen Siyuan knew what she was thinking, so he said, "I'll give it to you. If you don't want to make clothes, I won't bother you if you keep it and exchange it for others."

Hongyu then smiled and said, "Then I'd better change into ordinary silk. The brocade used here is not something a maid like me can wear outside."

Chen Siyuan smiled and nodded, then pondered, "The prince gave me some more money, and I wanted to send some to Sister Lin... but I don't know how to send it."

Hongyu said, "How difficult is that? Just leave it to me, sir. I'll go talk to Xueyan."

Chen Siyuan was overjoyed and quickly gave Hongyu a hundred gold coins, which she put in her brocade bag. Then, smiling, she left. She had thought her absence would take a long time, but Hongyu returned in a matter of moments.

He smiled and said to Chen Siyuan, "What a coincidence! I ran into Xueyan just as I was leaving the house. She listened to my story carefully. At the end, I handed her the brocade bag, and Xueyan looked very happy."

Chen Siyuan thought to himself, "It seems that Xueyan... even Nanny Wang, for whatever reason, is now biased towards him. But Zijuan has never appeared. Her indenture is with Lady Jia, and I heard that her family has been bought into the Rongguo Mansion. It's possible that she's still biased towards Baoyu."

In this case, I have to put more effort into Xueyan in the future.

At that time, men and women were strictly separated, and the two could not easily see each other. How could this brother and sister express their love? Just look at the story of the Western Chamber. Without the help of a matchmaker, their love would not have come to fruition!
Although he knew it was wishful thinking, since he had the chance, how could Chen Siyuan give up so easily? Xueyan was leaning towards himself at the moment. If he could get along well with her, he could at least communicate with Lin Daiyu Hongyan.

Chen Siyuan had made up his mind when Miao'er suddenly came to look for him. He came in and bowed, saying, "My brother has been appreciated by an honorable person. The lady is so happy that she has sent me to ask my brother for questioning."

Hongyu was extremely wary of Miao'er and Tiao'er, so she smiled and said, "Master, you should go and talk to the First Madam...why don't I go with you?"

Miao'er smiled and said, "It's only a few steps away. I'm here, so there's no need for Sister Hongyu. Brother, shall we go now?"

"it is good."

Chen Siyuan stood up, and Xiangling and Hongyu helped him get dressed. Hongyu secretly rolled her eyes at Miao'er and had to let Chen Siyuan follow him.

After the two of them left the courtyard, Hongyu turned around and said to Xiangling, "Sister, aren't you afraid that those two vixens will corrupt me?"

Xiangling blinked and said, "Master is not an ordinary boy. Who can possibly teach him bad things?"

Hongyu said, "That's hard to say... There are those kind of vixen who, seeing that I've grown some hair, would throw their dignity away and try to get into bed with me."

Xiangling covered her mouth and laughed, "What are you afraid of? Are you afraid that I won't give you a position someday?"

Hongyu choked, then remembered that although her master hadn't promised, his words hinted at this. And Xiangling was right: her master wasn't like the other boys raised in this mansion. His words were always sharp and pointed, never aiming for nothing.

Thinking this way, wasn't my worry just unnecessary? No wonder Xiangling never cared, because she had seen through it long ago.

Thinking this way, Hongyu pondered for a while and said, "Sister, you only know one side of the story. There are so many diseases out there, and those vixen are not honest. What if..."

Xiangling was stunned for a moment and said, "My sister, I'm afraid you're overthinking it. Master knows what's going on."

Seeing this, Hongyu stopped talking about other things and felt a little relieved. She hoped that in two years her master would have a promising future and she could become a concubine.

Chen Siyuan and Miao'er talked all the way, and in a blink of an eye they entered the East Courtyard, passed the ceremonial gate, the three-story ceremonial gate, and the inner ceremonial gate, and finally arrived at the main house.

Chen Siyuan walked around the screen and looked up to see Madam Xing sitting high on the couch. Although the month of pregnancy was not obvious, her belly was bulging and it looked like she was five or six months pregnant.

Chen Siyuan was secretly happy and greeted the guests politely. After the maid served him tea, Chen Siyuan told her what had happened today.

Mrs. Xing nodded repeatedly, her face brightening. Some things were difficult to share with outsiders, so after a cup of tea, she finally sent Miao'er and Tiao'er away.

After the talent left, Madam Xing extended her hand to beckon him. When Chen Siyuan came closer, she couldn't help but ask happily, "I didn't dare to ask you just now, how did you win the favor of King Ping of Yan?"

Chen Siyuan did not hide anything, but just omitted some things and told how they got to know each other, how he gave advice, and the subsequent matters.

Mrs. Xing was delighted when she heard this and said, "So, your marriage to Daiyu is settled, isn't it?"

"It's settled?" Chen Siyuan said with a teasing smile, "Do you think the Jia family will still be able to afford the Lin family's assets in two years?"

Mrs. Xing was puzzled.

Chen Siyuan said, "The director of the Construction Department has been replaced, so I'm afraid they can no longer continue their business. With expenses running out and the eldest daughter coming to visit, where do you think the government will find the money?"

"This..." Madam Xing couldn't help but ponder. If the Ministry of Works' income was cut off, life would be truly miserable. What good would those farms bring? The Rongguo Mansion alone had hundreds of people, including the masters and servants, not counting the guests, and just the monthly allowance and expenses, it would cost 20,000 to 30,000 taels of silver per year! (Note 1)

Not counting personal savings, the annual income from the farmland and real estate in the Rongguo Mansion is barely enough to maintain the family, so where would the money come from to fill the hole?
"Have you figured it out? When there's no money, how do you think the government will deal with it?"

Mrs. Xing was horrified!

There are only two options: either you refuse to acknowledge the marriage, or... let Daiyu die!
Chen Siyuan sneered, "If he just denies it, that's fine. But if he harbors evil intentions, how do you think Jia Yucun will treat the Rongguo Mansion in the future?"

Madam Xing curled her lips and said, "He? He's just an official from outside the capital. How can he possibly suppress the Rongguo Mansion?"

"Tsk! This man is already a provincial governor, who knows if he won't be a prime minister someday? Lin Ruhai entrusted his son to him before his death, and he has shown great kindness to this man. Whether it's for moral reasons or for his own reputation, if something unbearable really happens, Jia Yucun will definitely fight to the death with the Rongguo Mansion!"

Mrs. Xing's heart trembled, and she couldn't help asking, "What are you going to do?" Chen Siyuan said, "No rush. It will take some time. Once I have gained some momentum, I'll go around and try to make some compromises to see if I can resolve this matter."

Mrs. Xing was afraid that this would cause discord between him and the Rongguo Mansion, so she said, "Daiyu is good, but she looks too weak. Even if it doesn't work out, don't force it." After a pause, she added, "If it really doesn't work out, what do you think of Yingchun?"

"Huh?" Why are we talking about Yingchun?

The second young lady, Yingchun, was privately called "Wooden Head" by the servants. With such a personality, Chen Siyuan probably wouldn't like her. Furthermore, she was known for her ability to endure humiliation. In the future, when she interacted with Chen Siyuan, even if she discovered any clues, she wouldn't dare to make them public! The more Mrs. Xing thought about it, the more she felt it was the right move.

He then said, "Yingchun is a very obedient person. Although she is a concubine's daughter, her character is impeccable. You are now favored by the master. If you really can't marry Daiyu in the future... no, even if you can, it would be very good to marry Yingchun as your principal wife."

Chen Siyuan didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and shook his head, "They're not even close, how can they be related?"

Mrs. Xing felt more and more pleased with herself as she thought about it. She couldn't help but laugh and said, "Don't worry about it. I'll see what the master means later."

The two of them turned to other matters, and Mrs. Xing asked, "Did you leave the brocade and silk for your third aunt?"

"I've kept four of each and will send them together on the second day of the New Year."

"Thank you for your effort."

Mrs. Xing mentioned Miao'er and Tiao'er again. Although Chen Siyuan had taken advantage of them quite a bit recently, he didn't want to take advantage of two girls. So he started to shirk responsibility.

Unexpectedly, everything was fine one moment, and the next, Mrs. Xing was immediately annoyed: "Great! You have a bright future and can marry Daiyu one day. If Miao'er and Tiao'er look down on you, will they look down on me too?"

Chen Siyuan blinked and hurried forward to comfort her. This time, Madam Xing was no match for him, so she said, "I'll give you three more months. If that doesn't work... we'll go our separate ways!"

Chen Siyuan had no choice but to agree. He thought about it and understood. Madam Xing certainly wanted them to stay together for a long time, but how could she hide such a thing from her personal maid? If he didn't capture Miao'er and Tiao'er, there was no telling when his tracks would be exposed.

The Dashun had its own rules for taking concubines: Ranks 7 and 8 could take one concubine, rank 5 and 6 could take two, rank 3 and 4 could take three, rank 1 and 2 could take four. Marquis and above could take six, princes could take eight, and princes could take nine.

This is what can be included in the family tree, as for how many are included privately, it is up to you. For example, Yan Gengyao, this old man was notorious for his lust for women. He had more than 200 slaves in his family, more than a dozen concubines without official status, and countless maids with whom he had affairs.

It’s a pity that Chen Siyuan is still a commoner now. If he really had the power of Yan Gengyao, I’m afraid that the maids in the mansion and even the concubine without a title would fight for him.

Coming out of the main room, Tiao'er was the first to come out, smiling and escorting Chen Siyuan out. Unlike Miao'er, Tiao'er only dared to flirt with her in words, but he didn't dare to pull Chen Siyuan into the wing room like Miao'er did.

On his way back from the East Cross Courtyard, Chen Siyuan passed by Lixiang Courtyard. He felt sorry for her, but he hadn't seen Baochai for some time.

Looking towards the East Courtyard again, I saw that the river channel had been dug out, and the foundations in various places had been roasted with charcoal fire before being stacked up.

Chen Siyuan was secretly shocked. Building a house in winter would cost at least 30% more than in spring and summer! Rongguo Mansion spared no expense on this project, and there was no telling how much money it would cost.

He went straight back to his own courtyard and when he entered the main room, he saw Xueyan was there too.

Snow Goose greeted him with a smile and said, "Just when I was about to leave, Master Yuan came back."

Chen Siyuan said: "Miss Xueyan is here——"

Xueyan smiled and said, "My young lady was so grateful that she was thinking of finding someone to exchange some silver for barley grains to use as a reward. Fortunately, Master Yuan sent some money, which saved us a lot of trouble. But it was not convenient to just take it for nothing, so he sent me back to deliver Master Yuan a She inkstone."

Xueyan's gaze attracted Chen Siyuan, and he looked up and saw the She inkstone on the desk in the study.

This She inkstone is produced in Huangshan and has been extremely famous since the Tang Dynasty. At this time, it was even a tribute. Looking at the ancient shape of the She inkstone, it is possible to say that it is an artifact of the Song or Ming Dynasty.

In terms of value, I'm afraid it is far better than the hundred gold coins I gave you myself.

Lin Daiyu is indeed a proud person... Tsk, this rich young woman is so generous.

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "It just so happens that my inkstone is not working well, so I was just about to go look for another one, and unexpectedly Sister Lin sent one to me. Haha, Miss Xueyan thanks Sister Lin on my behalf."

Xueyan smiled and said, "I will definitely bring her here." After a pause, she added, "Master Yuan, there's no need to be so polite. Just call me Xueyan. I'm just a maid. How can I be considered a girl?"

Hongyu smiled and said, "That's hard to say. My sister has been with Miss Lin since she was a child. Some people now call her "Deputy Miss" in private. How can we know if she will become her sister in the future?"

"Where is it?"

Hongyu suddenly realized, "Yes, my sister, with such a personality, can't be a deputy lady. In the future, she will definitely become another Sister Ping'er. Hehehe——"

Now Xueyan's face turned red with embarrassment!
Ping'er was Wang Xifeng's concubine, and after going through many trials and tribulations, she was finally allowed to sleep with Master Lian. Furthermore, the Second Lady had already promised to make Ping'er her concubine within two years.

Hongyu compared Ping'er to Xueyan, so how could she not know what she meant?
He glanced at the smiling Chen Siyuan and saw that his features were a bit more determined than Mr. Lian's, but more masculine. He was too embarrassed to look at him. He stamped his foot and said, "If you keep talking nonsense, I won't dare to come here again!"

Hongyu came over with a smile, pulled his hand and said, "It was just a joke, but you took it seriously."

Xueyan couldn't bear to stay any longer, so she said goodbye hastily and left quickly. Hongyu chased after her for a long distance before returning with a smile.

After entering, they exchanged glances, and Chen Siyuan secretly praised her. Fortunately, Hongyu was smart, otherwise he wouldn't have known how to flirt with Xueyan.

He smiled and nodded at Hongyu, then walked into the study with his hands behind his back. He flicked the She inkstone with his fingers, and it indeed made a sound of metal. He thought to himself, this is good. He can interact with Sister Lin and we can become one in the future.

　It was calculated earlier that a second-class maid earns about thirty taels of silver a year. Servants outside earn one tael of silver, and are provided with food and clothing, but not as luxuriously as first- and second-class maids.

　　From this calculation, the average labor cost per person is 20 taels. I have seen statistics that there are more than a thousand people in the Jia family, and there are at least 300 to 400 people in the Rongguo Mansion.

　　Including the people working in farms, shops and other places, there are at least five or six hundred people.

　　It is impossible to calculate the master's expenses. The daily charcoal, spices, jewelry, food, clothing, and entertainment are actually a small amount in comparison.

　　It's hard to say how favors are exchanged, but the Rongguo Mansion shouldn't lose money. Generally, things from the east family are given to the west family, and vice versa.

　　I consulted the records of dukes in the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty and the early Qing Dynasty, and roughly estimated that the Rongguo Mansion's annual expenses were around 20,000 to 30,000 yuan. There are online estimates of 150,000 yuan a year, but that seems ridiculous. I checked and found that Prince Keqin's annual expenses were only 40,000 yuan.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)