Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 124: Old Peach for New Talisman

In a blink of an eye, it is the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month.

Early that morning, Jia Yucun had just finished his vegetarian meal at the Shanguo Temple and was looking for the imperial court's report to the emperor when a servant from the outer room came in with the news: "Master, Chen Siyuan has sent a letter requesting an audience, and he is accompanied by Doctor Zhai from the Imperial Court."

"Oh?" Jia Yucun was puzzled and couldn't help but frown and think about it.

He was appointed as the Governor of Zhejiang and would be leaving for Zhejiang after the Lunar New Year. Governor Yan Gengyao was transferred to the Governor-General of Min and Zhejiang. As an old man in his sixties, he was afraid that he would retire and return home after this term.

Jia Yucun knew the sage intended to leverage Yan Gengyao's prestige to force the opening of Songjiang as a port. However, smuggling was rampant in Zhejiang, and countless illegal ports existed along the coast. The opening of the port had been a fraught affair, taking over a year to finalize. Now, pushing it forward was facing numerous obstacles at the local level.

Let's not talk about anything else, just take the farmland in Songjiang as an example. The tidal flats alone have been bought up by the wealthy Zhejiang families. If you want to open a port, this land is a big problem.

Yan Gengyao struggled for a year before finally finding a piece of land to develop the port. The rest of the land was all in the hands of wealthy families. If the port was developed hastily, wouldn't the huge profits be taken away by the wealthy families?
Moreover, Yan Gengyao was already old, and Jia Yucun took over as the governor. I am afraid that the issue of opening the port would fall on his shoulders. Therefore, Jia Yucun has been frowning these days, thinking about how to break the deadlock.

He considered that even if he investigated the land and sorted out the illicit and fraudulent payments, he would still be short of a large sum of money to purchase land. Furthermore, Jiangsu and Zhejiang were tax collection areas for the imperial court, and last year, natural disasters in both the north and south had already caused a deficit for the court. Therefore, the emperor had not relaxed the policy of withholding and misappropriating Zhejiang taxes.

Jia Yucun was at a loss, thinking that this time he would have to resort to harsh methods, as this was the only way to break the deadlock.

At this moment, Chen Siyuan arrived with Doctor Zhai from the Imperial Household. What was the reason behind this? When did Chen Siyuan become involved with the Imperial Household?
After a brief thought, Jia Yucun said, "Please come in."

The servant withdrew in response and soon led two people in. One was Chen Siyuan, whom he had met once before, and the other was a man in his forties, wearing a green robe from the imperial court with a white pheasant patch on the chest.

The two men greeted each other: "The humble Chen Siyuan (Zhai Kui) greets Magistrate Jia Fan."

Jia Yucun nodded slightly and waved his hand, saying, "No need to be polite, please take a seat."

He then ordered the servant to serve tea and after a brief exchange of pleasantries, Jia Yucun said, "I wonder what the two of you are up to this time—"

Chen Siyuan and Zhai Kui exchanged a glance. Zhai Kui smiled and bowed, saying, "I dare not conceal this from the Governor. My friend Chen has given His Majesty a good idea involving the opening of Songjiang Port. His Majesty was afraid that his friend Chen's influence might be insignificant, so he sent me here to sound the alarm. Regarding this serious matter, please let my friend Chen speak."

Chen Siyuan, standing aside, bowed and said, "May I ask, Governor, when you take up your post next year, will you be handling the matter of opening up Songjiang as a port?"

Jia Yucun didn't answer directly, but asked, "Do you have any good ideas?"

Chen Siyuan said, "I wonder if the governor has heard that in October someone swindled people, pretending to be an aide to Governor Yan, raised tens of thousands of yuan in the capital, and then fled thousands of miles away."

Jia Yucun nodded and said, "I have indeed heard it."

Chen Siyuan said, "Since the swindlers were able to raise tens of thousands of silver coins, why doesn't the governor use the same old trick again, set an interest rate, and fix a repayment period, and then do something like borrowing chickens to lay eggs?"

Jia Yucun was quite clever. Upon hearing this, he smiled and said, "So, the Imperial Household is intent on promoting this?"

Zhai Kui nodded and said, "Indeed, once Songjiang is opened as a port, it will benefit from the Yangtze River and connect to Tianjin in the north, Quanzhou and Guangzhou in the south, Hankou in the west, and Fusang in the east. Jiangsu and Zhejiang already have a thriving trade and industry. Once Songjiang is opened as a port, it will surely become a hub for the flow of money and grain from all over the world. Therefore, the Imperial Household intends to invest heavily in Songjiang."

Chen Siyuan also said, "Not only the Imperial Household, but also the nobles and wealthy families in the capital will probably want a piece of the pie. If the governor can facilitate this, I am willing to raise 50,000 taels of silver for six months, and only take 40% interest."

Zhai Kui smiled and said, "Your Highness is thinking about the long term, not a one-time deal."

When Jia Yucun heard the two men singing in unison, he immediately laughed and said, "To be honest, I was worried about the opening of the port, and I didn't expect you two to deliver pillows to me when I was sleepy, and now you have delivered them to me."

He pondered inwardly that taking only 40% of Chen Siyuan's 50,000 taels over a six-month period was reasonable. Besides, a round trip to Fusang would more than double the income. As for the Imperial Household, everyone knew it was a powerful force. Perhaps attracting that powerful force would suppress those local tyrants.

Jia Yucun didn't care what Yan Gengyao's motive was for opening Songjiang as a port. As long as Songjiang was open, it was fine. Besides, the Imperial Household was the emperor's purse. If he agreed, the emperor would remember him well in the future.

After making up his mind, Jia Yucun did not say anything. "I am happy to facilitate this matter, but how to set the rules will require me to discuss it with Governor Yan after I take office."

Zhai Kui smiled and said, "It's only right that we should be hasty and not slow down now. It's best not to delay beyond February."

Jia Yucun pondered, "In that case, I will set out on the eighth day of the first lunar month, taking a ship from Tianjin to Zhejiang to take up my post."

Zhai Kui was delighted: "Great! The governor is truly dedicated to his work. I will then wait patiently for good news."

Chen Siyuan also bowed and congratulated: "You two are so dedicated to the king's work, it is truly a blessing for Dashun."

"Hahaha……"

Everyone laughed. With the matter settled, the atmosphere in the Zen room became increasingly harmonious. Jia Yucun and Zhai Kui discussed state affairs, while Chen Siyuan remained silent.

Everything that needs to be done has been done, so it’s not a good time to steal the limelight.

After about two cups of tea, Chen Siyuan and Zhai Kui stood up to say goodbye. Jia Yucun was so happy that he saw them both out of the moon-shaped gate of the Zen temple before returning.

Jia Yucun was filled with anxiety as he entered the room. He thought to himself that the crisis had been resolved in the blink of an eye. However, the new Governor-General of Min and Zhejiang, Yan Gengyao, had a bad temper and was difficult to deal with. He was afraid that this would require some discussion.

He thought of Chen Siyuan again and thought to himself that this man was very lucky, as he somehow got connected with King Ping of Yan.

While he was thinking, the servant knocked on the door again and came in, saying, "Master, Nanny Wang is here to visit."

Jia Yucun frowned and said, "Please come in. Bring me the calligraphy I prepared, and also the gold and silver grains I prepared a few days ago."

The servant agreed, and Jia Yucun stood with his hands behind his back in the Zen room, feeling very proud for a moment and not mentioning it anymore.

............................................................

However, Chen Siyuan sent Zhai Kui back to the inner palace before returning to Rongguo Mansion. When he reached Ningrong Street, he saw the main gate of Ningguo Mansion wide open from a distance.

The driver couldn't help but show off, "Master Yuan, don't you know? Today the Ningguo Mansion is cleaning the ancestral hall and hanging up the portraits of the ancestors. Tomorrow they will put up lanterns and decorations. Everywhere they put up door gods and couplets will have to be replaced with new ones, and the peach charms will also need to be freshly painted."

Yes, Qin is Jia Rong’s daughter-in-law, and Ningguo Mansion is headed by Jia Zhen, so naturally there is no need to observe the mourning period.

The car entered from the corner gate. Just as Chen Siyuan was about to enter from the corner gate, he ran into Zhou Ruijia.

Zhou Ruijia caught sight of Chen Siyuan, smiled, and came forward, saying, "I was just about to go look for you, and I ran into you."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Mrs. Zhou, what do you want to talk to me about?"

Zhou Ruijia laughed and said, "The mansion has made some gold and silver barley. Second Madam sent me to ask if you would like to exchange some for some as a reward?"

Chen Siyuan still had eight hundred gold coins on hand, so he didn't need to exchange them. But now he smiled and said, "I'm worried about where to exchange them. So I'll exchange them for twenty taels of silver first."

Mrs. Zhou Rui smiled and said, "Okay, then I'll go back and tell Second Madam about it, and then I'll send someone to deliver it to my brother."

"Thank you for your help, Mrs. Zhou."

Mrs. Zhou, knowing that Mrs. Wang had an inexplicable admiration for this young man from far away, spoke with great cordiality and courtesy. She then said goodbye, smiling, and went through the hall to reply.

Chen Siyuan had only taken a few steps when he heard a noise behind him. Turning around, he saw Sister Bao and Ying'er passing through the hall and heading towards Mengpo Zhai.

Chen Siyuan simply stopped and bowed to Baochai from a distance.

When Sister Bao saw him, she was startled, but she came closer with a smile.

"Brother Yuan, did you just come back?"

"There are some chores to take care of... Sister Xue is going to play with the second, third, and fourth sisters."

As soon as these words were spoken, Baochai was immediately annoyed. What did this mean? Did it mean that Baoyu ignored her?
Gnashing her teeth secretly, Baochai said as she walked, "It's almost the New Year, and Brother Bao's Qixianzhai needs to be cleaned too. I'll go over and help."

"Heh." Chen Siyuan smiled without saying anything.

There are more than a dozen maids in Qixianzhai, so why do we need Sister Bao's help?
Baochai didn't respond. Thinking of what she had heard in the past few days, she asked tentatively, "I heard that Brother Yuan has come up with a new business?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Indeed, it can be said that he is using the same old trick again. Although the swindler was trying to defraud money, his intention was good. I have persuaded Prince Ping of Yan in the past few days, and just now I have persuaded Jia Fantai. Maybe this thing will be accomplished next year."

Sister Bao's heart was immediately moved. With the Xue family's wealth, even a 30% to 50% annual return would be excellent. Rumors were circulating in the mansion that sea trade could yield a generous 40% profit in just six months, comparable to pawnshop profits.

Sister Bao wanted to get involved and invest in the business, but she didn't know how to start when facing Chen Siyuan.

Then Chen Siyuan said, "I was planning to go find Brother Wenlong and talk to him in the next few days, but... haha." He smiled and glanced at Baochai, and then Chen Siyuan fell silent.

Baochai was extremely annoyed. This person only spoke half of his words. What was he saying?

Yes, leaving it to the East Wing was the right thing to do, since he was the eldest wife's nephew. Leaving it to Lady Wang and Sister Feng was also reasonable. One was nominally in charge of the household, the other was the de facto housekeeper, so shouldn't they be on good terms?

Because of the marriage certificate, the old lady disliked this man very much, so he simply didn't bother to offend her. As for the Xue family...it was said that they had a grudge against each other before, so why would they send such a good thing to their door for no reason?

Although she was clear in her mind, Sister Bao still felt suffocated. Every time they met, they would provoke her, and they would only think about other things instead of her. What kind of thing was this?
After secretly trying to figure out her luck, Sister Bao forced a smile and said, "Since that's the case, I wish you great success in your ambitions... Yes, I'm going to the academy after the new year, but I wonder how your writing is going."

Chen Siyuan raised his head and said confidently, "How difficult is this? It's just a matter of crafting an article. I've already mastered six out of the seven."

Doesn't that mean you're completely clueless? Why do you say it so confidently?

Sister Bao blinked and thought it was just a joke.

When they reached the gate of Lixiang Courtyard, Chen Siyuan bowed and said goodbye, "Happy New Year in advance to Sister Xue. I wish Sister Xue a long and beautiful life."

After saying this, he turned around and left without waiting for Baochai's response.

Sister Bao was stunned. No one else had ever seen her gold necklace except Baoyu. How could this person know the words on it?
She looked at Ying'er suspiciously, but Ying'er said, "I didn't expect that Chen is actually so capable. He's become so capable that he's about to be listed on the imperial list."

Baochai thought to herself that she had personally trained Ying'er, so she probably wouldn't tell anyone about the handwriting on the letter... Yes, it must have been her brother who let it slip!

He snorted coldly, pouted and walked into Lixiangyuan, going to find Aunt Xue to complain.

Aunt Xue was furious and turned to scold Xue Pan, but Xue Pan was completely clueless. When he heard the reason, he immediately pointed to the heavens and the earth and swore, and the matter became a mystery.

Aunt Xue had no choice but to let Xue Pan go. When she returned to her main room, she thought about what she had heard today and went to Baochai to make a fuss.

"My son, that Brother Yuan has come up with another business, and this time with the support of Prince Ping of Yan, it sounds like a sure-win business. What do you think, should our family—"

Baochai said quietly, "Mother, what you said is illogical. Our family has no connection with Brother Yuan, and there was even a misunderstanding earlier. How can we bring up such a matter?"

Aunt Xue frowned and said, "That's what you say, but isn't that matter over? Besides, even your aunt is interested in getting involved, so how can we let it be the end of it?"

Baochai stared at Aunt Xue without saying a word.

Aunt Xue laughed and said, "Besides, Brother Yuan seems to be a very generous man, otherwise he wouldn't have returned those thousands of taels of silver last time. I think we should hold a banquet to entertain him during the New Year, and then I can bring it up again. My son, you know the situation in our family. The shopkeepers are getting more and more unreasonable. When we checked the accounts at the end of the year, several shops were actually losing money!"

Baochai knew this, and she even went to check the accounts herself.

However, those shopkeepers and accountants have been in the business for a long time and are most familiar with the methods of deceiving their superiors and subordinates.

It's like a pawnshop. When a customer comes to pawn something, the owner will naturally try to lower the price, saying the item is worthless. Then they will sign a contract. If the customer doesn't come to redeem the item after half a year, the pawnshop can sell it on and make a fortune.

When Baochai's father was alive, he was an expert in business, so the subordinates naturally didn't dare to overdo things. But once her father passed away, and her brother Xue Pan became a scoundrel, how could the subordinates obey him? Naturally, they began to think about sacrificing public resources for their own benefit.

It's still a pawnshop. At the final stage, the owner buys out the items himself and then finds someone to sell them on. This way, the pawnshop makes a small profit, while the owner pockets the lion's share. And no matter who checks the accounts, they can't uncover the truth.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. The other shops have their own tricks. Sister Bao's thorough audit of the accounts has only caught a few small fish and shrimps. How can she curb the greed of those shop owners?

The mother and daughter had discussed the matter before and had decided to close down and sell those businesses that were losing money.

But this is not a long-term solution. The business of the imperial merchant is already unprofitable. If all the businesses are cut off one by one, won’t the Xue family end up with nothing?
It's no wonder that Aunt Xue is so concerned about this matter. If she can make 10,000 or 20,000 silver dollars from this investment, it will at least last for a while. Who knows, by then Xue Pan will be able to set up his own household?
Baochai knew what Aunt Xue was thinking. She thought about it for a while, and although she was extremely reluctant, she didn't object. She said, "It's up to you, mother. I can't help you."

Aunt Xue smiled and said, "Then it's settled. Let your brother treat Brother Yuan well someday, and maybe it will be settled."

............................................................

Rongqing Hall.

The gauze cabinet, already swept daily, was freshly polished today. Daiyu carefully flipped through the volumes on the bookshelf. These rare and valuable books were all very old, the worst dating back to the Ming Dynasty. With age, they had become lumpy. In spring and summer, books needed to be aired, and in winter, they needed to be flipped from time to time to prevent damage.

Zijuan and Xueyan waited on the side, laughing and talking about interesting things in the mansion. There was a noise outside. Xueyan looked out and said with a smile, "It's Nanny who's back."

Sure enough, after a while, Nanny Wang came into the green gauze cabinet with a smile.

Daiyu smiled and said, "Have you met the teacher?"

"When he saw her, the governor wrote a calligraphy piece for her and gave her some gold and silver, saying that he would keep it for her to reward others."

Xueyan smiled and said, "That's good. I don't have to go to Second Madam to exchange it."

Daiyu put down the book and turned around and said, "What did the teacher write? Let me see it quickly."

Nanny Wang handed Daiyu a piece of calligraphy. Daiyu eagerly unfolded it and saw the words: "Reserve your edge, conceal your talent, and don't show off your sharp edges; be cautious in your words and actions, conceal your emotions, and be gentle and submissive."

Daiyu was indifferent, and her mind was filled with thought. Although her teacher had said nothing during the journey from Suzhou to the capital, his worry was evident in his expression.

Daiyu naturally knew what Jia Yucun was worried about. Besides the difference between the civil and military careers, I'm afraid his teacher was worried about the wealth of the Rongguo Mansion!
The Lin family had been nobles for generations, and Daiyu had been raised in luxury since she was a child. But upon entering the Rongguo Mansion, she was still shocked by the overwhelming wealth!
At first, she thought the Rongguo Mansion was a well-off family, so they deserved such wealth. But after a year in Yangzhou, Daiyu had experienced many things, and when she saw the wealth of the Rongguo Mansion again, she had a different feeling in her heart.

How much was the Rongguo Mansion's annual income? What were its expenses? Could such wealth be maintained for long?
Although she was young, she had learned a little from managing household affairs for a year. It was shocking to calculate! The Rongguo Mansion's annual expenses were over 20,000 silver taels, and if things got busy, it would probably be 30,000 silver taels. How could the Rongguo Mansion, with its limited income from farmland and shops, support such wealth?

Daiyu was clever, and she thought that the Rongguo Mansion might have another way to make money. But since this method was not open to the public, how could it last long?

As the saying goes, it is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality. If the livelihood is cut off in the future, the Rongguo Mansion may be unwilling to be frugal for a while in order to maintain its dignity. Wouldn't that mean that they will end up eating up all the money?

But the Jia family is only her maternal family, so it is not easy to say more about such things.

On the other hand, although Second Brother Bao has a pure heart, he has never taken responsibility. I'm afraid he is not someone who can be trusted.

The teacher's message was well-intentioned. Daiyu examined it carefully, memorized it in her heart, and then carefully folded the calligraphy.

Zijuan was standing nearby. She glanced at her and said, "Mr. Yucun is so worried. With the old lady looking after her, who could possibly bully her?"

Daiyu laughed and said, "We're not children anymore. Can I always let others give in to me?"

Besides, Bao Tianwang never knew how to give in to her.

The books were tidied up in a flash, and as it was almost noon, Zijuan went to the kitchen to pick up the lunch box. As soon as she left, Nanny Wang came over, looked outside, and said in a low voice, "Miss, the governor said that Brother Yuan was away just now."

"Hmm?" Daiyu asked curiously, "Could it be that they are going to deliver New Year's gifts?"

Nanny Wang covered her mouth and laughed, "Young lady, you guessed wrong. Brother Yuan went there empty-handed, but he did the governor a great favor."

At that moment, Nanny Wang repeated what Jia Yucun had said, with a hint of praise for Chen Siyuan in her words.

Daiyu listened thoughtfully. She had heard her mother, Jia Min, say that her father, Lin Hai, had been just as vigorous and capable in his youth. Kunshan had been plagued by repeated floods, but the then-prefect of Suzhou was a drunkard who, despite the lack of famine, had only pleaded with the court for tax relief.

His father was so upset that he raised funds and built the Hundred Miles Stone Embankment. Thanks to this stone embankment, half of the farmland in Kunshan is now free from flooding.

When her father's funeral was held, people from Kunshan came from far away to pay their respects. Only then did Daiyu understand why her father talked about his proudest achievement on his deathbed. It was not his success in passing the imperial examination and being appointed as a Hanlin scholar, nor his position in charge of the Yangzhou salt administration, but the construction of a mere 100-li stone pond.

Though dead, his good name lives on. A stele was erected beside the stone pond, so that even a hundred years later, people would still know about my father's achievements.

For some reason, Daiyu thought of her father when she heard this.

I thought to myself, if he is so capable, could he really pass the imperial examination before he comes of age?
Nanny Wang saw that she was lost in thought and whispered to her, "Young lady, don't be too distant from Brother Yuan in the future. Keep in touch with him. You might end up..."

"Mammy," Daiyu interrupted Mammy Wang and said softly, "I know my limits."

Nanny Wang smiled and said, "It's good to be sensible... but being too sensible isn't good either."

Daiyu was about to say something more when she heard Zijuan's voice from outside: "Miss, the food box is back."

Daiyu held back her words. Nanny Wang hurriedly stood up, and Xueyan also bustled about. When Zijuan entered, she noticed something unusual at a glance. She smiled and said to Daiyu, "The kitchen has just made lotus root chops in a braised sauce. Come and try them, young lady, and see if they suit your taste. If you like them, I'll ask Sister Liu to order a few for you tomorrow."

Daiyu said, "Don't bother. Just eat whatever's available." After a pause, she added, "Grandmother hasn't gotten up yet?"

Zijuan said, "Sister Yuanyang said that the old lady was greedy for cold yesterday and ate a few extra grapes. Now her appetite is poor and she is even crooked."

Daiyu agreed and stood up to wash her hands and eat.

Zijuan waited attentively, but she had other thoughts in mind. These days, Nanny Wang and Xueyan would often gather together to whisper, but whenever they saw her, they would stop talking. Zijuan could easily guess what they were whispering about.

It was simply because of the buzz about the marriage certificate that Nanny Wang and Xueyan seemed to be more optimistic about Mr. Yuan.

Zijuan naturally disdained this. What "Uncle Yuan"? He was just a poor relative from a distant past. Even if he had passed the provincial examination by chance, could he still pass the imperial examination?
The girl's father had already been appointed a Hanlin at the age of thirty-six, so who knew how much longer that Master Yuan would have to wait? He might even wait until he was fifty or sixty, and still not be named in the imperial examination.

Moreover, that man looks very sharp and it is obvious that he is not someone who is easy to get along with. In terms of family background, talent, and thoughtfulness, how can he compare to Master Bao?
Why didn't he choose the good Mr. Bao, but had to choose that damn Mr. Yuan? It's really incomprehensible!
Suddenly, there was a crackling noise outside, startling Daiyu so much that she almost dropped her chopsticks. Then, a man rushed in like a gust of wind, shouting, "Sister Lin, come quickly! I've got a firework in the shape of two dragons playing with a pearl. I heard setting it off in broad daylight has a special meaning. Come with me and have a look!"

Amber came out from inside and frowned, "Second Master Bao, the old lady is resting peacefully, what are you doing?"

Nanny Wang also tried to stop her, saying, "Our young lady hasn't eaten yet. Why don't you wait a little longer?"

Baoyu was so pleased with himself that he didn't care about any of this. He just smiled and said, "When can I not eat? If I miss this scene of two dragons playing with a pearl, I'll miss it. Sister, are you really not going? Well, well, well, I'll go play with Sister Bao-jie."

After saying that, he ran away like a gust of wind.

Zijuan looked at her figure, leaned over and said with a low laugh: "Second Master Bao is the same, thinking about the young lady in everything."

Daiyu said nothing, but Nanny Wang rolled her eyes. Thinking like that...it's better not to do it.

............................................................

In a blink of an eye, it was New Year's Eve.

By the early morning, Lady Jia had recovered. She put on her full imperial dress and went to the palace to pay her respects in a sedan chair with Lady Xing, Lady Wang, and Mrs. You from the East Palace.

The eldest master Jia She, the other master Jia Zheng and Jia Zhen from the East Palace also went to the court to congratulate and pay their respects.

This time we will not be able to return until evening.

Since early morning, firecrackers have been blasted from time to time in the capital, and the sounds of drums and music for celebration are endless.

After Chen Siyuan had breakfast, he called several maids into the main room.

He said, "According to the rules, we should give out rewards on the first day of the new year, but it's so busy, I'm afraid you won't be happy. So, let's give it out today."

Xiangling brought the tray over, Chen Siyuan picked up a brocade bag, counted out some money, and waved his hand to invite Yunxiang to come forward.

"Me? Hehe, thank you for the reward!"

Chen Siyuan pointed out four gold coins and stuffed them into Yunxiang's hand. Yunxiang puffed out her cheeks, blinked, and said, "Give me all of them?"

According to the rules, Chen Siyuan should have given her a string of money as compensation, but this time he gave her four gold coins.

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Work hard in the future, and I won't let you down."

Yunxiang was overjoyed. She bowed and kowtowed, then said, "Don't worry, sir. I will definitely be a good informer from now on!"

Hongyu scolded, "Stop talking nonsense!"

Yunxiang didn't care. She was just having fun holding the money.

Chen Siyuan called over Liu Wu'er, also giving her four coins. Liu Wu'er muttered a thank you and kowtowed according to the custom.

Chen Siyuan then said, "Your family is in the mansion. There won't be much to do on New Year's Eve. The drinking party will last till who knows when. If you have nothing to do this afternoon, go home."

Yunxiang and Liu Wuer agreed, and Yunxiang jumped and pulled Liu Wuer away.

It was Xiangling and Hongyu's turn. Chen Siyuan gave each of them eight gold coins. Xiangling just smiled and bowed. Hongyu hesitated and wanted to kowtow, but was stopped by Chen Siyuan again.

"Why are you being so polite? After some time, I'll ask my second sister-in-law for the marriage contract, and you can find someone to be my godmother."

Hongyu was immediately grateful!

With the indenture in place, she was nothing more than a concubine. Chen Siyuan's implication was that he wanted to release Liang and take her as his concubine. This way, he would have more face than Aunt Zhao, and even the several purchased concubines in the east wing could not compare to him.

Hongyu was so happy that her eyes turned red.

Xiangling came over and said with a smile, "Congratulations to my sister."

"Yeah." Hongyu nodded heavily, and when she looked at Chen Siyuan, her face was full of affection.

At this time, only Jia Lian and Wang Xifeng were at home, and Chen Siyuan didn't want to go upstairs to disturb them, so he stayed in the room and played with Xiangling and Hongyu.

In the afternoon, Yunxiang came to say goodbye happily and went home happily. Liu Wuer hesitated for a long time, but when she saw Xiangling and Hongyu were there, she felt bored and went home too.

Chen Siyuan looked for Hongyu again and said, "Why don't you go home and celebrate the New Year too?"

Hongyu smiled and shook her head, "My parents are so busy that I'll be alone even if I go back."

That's right, Lin Zhixiao and his wife are in charge of the job, and they have to patrol around at night, so they really don't have time to go home.

Chen Siyuan said, "I was wrong. When I come back, I will stay up all night with you."

"Ah."

In the evening, everyone from Rongguo Mansion returned home. A little later, they went to Ningguo Mansion to perform the New Year's Eve ancestral worship.

It was not until three quarters past midnight that a maid came and invited Chen Siyuan to the Rong Xi Hall in front for a New Year's Eve banquet.

Chen Siyuan was dressed neatly, and without Xiangling and Hongyu, he went straight to Rongxi Hall in front with the old woman.

On New Year's Eve, families gathered together, men and women gathered together, and naturally, the usual rules were not followed. Long tables were placed on either side of Rongxi Hall, with the man of the house on the left and his wives and daughters on the right. There was no screen separating them, and in the side room, a troupe of southern operas softly chanted.

Chen Siyuan entered and greeted the elders before finally glancing across. Baoyu, the lively figure, was talking to Lady Jia. The girls were seated according to their age: Yingchun first, followed by Baochai, then Daiyu, Tanchun, and Xichun.

He met those eyes that seemed to be crying but not crying, and saw Daiyu look away immediately, then look back at him, her eyes full of inquiry.

Chen Siyuan was puzzled, not knowing what Sister Lin was thinking. Seeing Sister Bao looking over, Chen Siyuan smiled and nodded.

Tanchun straightened her body, but Xichun waved over here.

Chen Siyuan either nodded or bowed, then spoke a few words to Jia Zheng and Jia She through them.

When everyone was gathered, the old nanny came forward to pay her respects first, and then Jia She and Jia Zheng, leading a group of younger people, came forward to wish them a happy new year.

Grandmother Jia smiled and agreed, scattering a variety of gold and silver barley grains as lucky money. Later, Jia She and Jia Zheng also distributed lucky money, and Chen Siyuan received no shortage of gold and silver barley grains. After they were seated again, the maids, dressed in colorful costumes, presented the food one by one. Chen Siyuan took a glance and was amazed.

Four snacks were served first: knife-cut tea snacks, almond Buddha's hand, crispy apples, and Heyi cakes.

There are also four dried fruits and four candied fruits: tiger skin peanuts, strange-flavored flat fruits, milky white grapes, snow mountain plums, candied apples, candied longans, candied fresh peaches, and candied green plums.

Four appetizers: shredded chicken and cucumber, braised pork tenderloin with melon, spicy shredded tripe, and shiitake mushrooms and hair algae.

Twelve main dishes: Shark's Fin with Anchovies, Red Plum Pearl Fragrance, Flying Dragons, Stir-fried Pigeon with Coriander, Eight Treasures Wild Duck, Buddha's Hand Golden Roll, Hydrangea Scallop, Fish Fillet in Milk Sauce, Dried Lianfu Sea Cucumber, Duck Feet with Flower Mushrooms, Hanging Oven Pheasant, and Charcoal-grilled Venison.

Soup: Longjing Bamboo Fungus Soup. Porridge: Red Bean and Green Stem Rice Porridge.

There are also countless other dishes such as minced meat pancakes and Ruyi rolls.

This feast would cost at least fifty taels of silver. If it lasts from New Year's Eve to the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Rongguo Mansion alone would probably spend several thousand taels of silver!
(End of this chapter)