Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 147: Being Charming and Clever Makes People Resentful

Jin Chuan'er found two maids from outside. When the two maids heard that Qingwen had lung abscess, they were so frightened that they did not dare to move.

Mrs. Wang slammed the table and gave the order. The two maids then cowered, covered their mouths and noses with handkerchiefs, rushed into the side room, and carried the sick Qingwen out.

Madam Wang took a quick look and ordered, "Throw away all her belongings. Leave the side rooms vacant and unoccupied for the next few days. Also, ask the two imperial physicians to prescribe some fumigation medicine to dispel the pathogenic qi before it can be used."

The two imperial doctors, Wang and Hu, agreed.

Baoyu was now weeping breathlessly, begging for mercy on Qingwen's behalf. Mrs. Wang said solemnly, "You've heard from the imperial physician that she has lung abscess, and it's possible she'll develop tuberculosis in the future. Even if the old lady were here, she'd have to be driven out. How could she dare stay in the room?"

Jin Chuan'er also advised: "We all know that Master Bao is the most compassionate to his servants, but this compassion should be limited. This lung abscess is not like other diseases. If it is passed on to Master Bao, it will be too late to regret it!"

Seeing Baoyu still crying, Mrs. Wang said angrily, "Why did I give birth to such an evil creature like you? Even if you don't think about yourself, you should at least think about your sisters at home. If I had just given you the disease, it would have been fine, but what if Yingchun, Tanchun, Xichun, Baochai, and Daiyu all contracted tuberculosis?"
Well, since you can't make sense, I'll just ask the master to come and explain it to you!"

Mrs. Wang brought Jia Zheng out, and Baoyu finally stopped his tantrums. He just covered himself with the quilt and sobbed incessantly. Mrs. Wang thought Baoyu was just being childish. Hadn't Qianxue and Bihen also made a big fuss when they were kicked out? After three or five days, he would forget about it.

At this time, Doctor Wang returned and wrote a prescription for incense. Lady Wang ordered Jin Chuan'er to send the two doctors away. Then she sighed and said, "When something like this happens, we must talk it over with the old lady." She then instructed Xiren and the others, "You all take good care of him. If he gets too upset, go to the front and find the master!"

Xiren and Musk Moon agreed one after another, and then Mrs. Wang stood up and left with her maids and old women.

As soon as she left, Xiren and Musk Moon came forward to comfort her. They exchanged glances from time to time, but no one felt sorry for her. They were just relieved in their hearts.

Qingwen was superior to others in appearance, beauty, and needlework skills. Moreover, she was free-spirited and never showed mercy. Over the years she had come, she had offended everyone in Baoyu's room. Only Baoyu's wet nurse believed that she was a good person.

Qingwen was born with a charming and clever temperament, which made her resented by others and offended people everywhere. So when she left, not only was no one sad, but everyone was secretly happy.

Baoyu had caught a cold, and having just made another scene, he sobbed for a long time before finally growing tired and drifting off to sleep. He left Musk Moon and Xiren to care for the children while the remaining maids left the Qixianzhai. Qiu Wen and Tan Yun then whispered with laughter, "Amitabha! Heaven has opened its eyes today and sent this evil spirit away. From now on, we will all have peace and quiet."

Let's put this aside for now, and say that Mrs. Wang led her maids and old women into the hanging flower gate not far away, walked along the winding corridor, and soon entered the Rongqing Hall.

It was almost noon at this time, and Grandmother Jia was talking to several senior maids. Daiyu had been hiding in the green gauze cabinet because she was sick.

Seeing Lady Wang arrive, Lady Jia was naturally surprised. After Lady Wang sat down and chatted for a while, she changed the subject and said, "Old Madam, you don't know, but I just went to Baoyu's room. It happened that Xiren went to the front to call the imperial physician, who said that Baoyu's cold hadn't gotten better."

Upon hearing this, Lady Jia became extremely worried. "But the medicine isn't right for the condition? We have three doctors in our family. Doctor Wang is the best, Doctor Bao prescribes the safest prescriptions, but Doctor Hu is known for his strong prescriptions. If he's not careful, he could be seriously injured."

Mrs. Wang then said, "It was Doctor Wang who came back. He took Baoyu's pulse again and wrote a prescription, saying that he would be cured after taking a few doses of medicine."

Grandmother Jia finally breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "It's good that nothing serious has happened. Baoyu is still young after all, so we must not be careless."

Mrs. Wang smiled and nodded, then continued, "What a coincidence! When the imperial physician came, Qingwen in Baoyu's room was also ill, and Baoyu insisted that the imperial physician examine Qingwen as well. Who would have thought that if he hadn't examined her, it would have been fine, but he actually diagnosed her with tuberculosis!"

"Ah?" Grandmother Jia was startled and leaned forward to ask, "Is it confirmed? Is it really tuberculosis in girls?"

Madam Wang said, "How could the pulse diagnosis by Imperial Doctor Wang and Imperial Doctor Hu be false? Imperial Doctor Wang is always cautious and only said it was lung abscess; but Imperial Doctor Hu told me privately that it was definitely female tuberculosis."

Grandmother Jia frowned and said, "I thought Qingwen was a very good girl. How could she have contracted tuberculosis? I thought these other girls were not as bright and cheerful as she was, and that she was the only one who could be of use to Baoyu in the future... Who could have known that she would have contracted tuberculosis?"

"Who says not?" Mrs. Wang sighed. "Since she's this sick, it's really hard to keep her at home. I just sent someone to pack her up and send her back. This disease is not easy to treat, and I don't know if she can recover in the future... It's such a pity."

Grandmother Jia was vexed, but she couldn't vent her frustration. She thought to herself, "Doctors Wang and Hu have both examined her daughter's pulse. This daughter's tuberculosis can't be fake. Even if she gets better tomorrow, I'm afraid it won't be appropriate to bring her home."

After a moment's thought, Grandmother Jia said, "Now that one person has been lost, I'm afraid Baoyu won't be able to keep up with the demands. It just so happens that a maidservant came to my side last year, named Zixiao. Although she's young, she's very considerate. Now that Baoyu is short of someone to look after him, I'll send Yuanyang to take Zixiao to him later."

Mrs. Wang choked. She had finally managed to send Qingwen away, only to find the old lady had sent another one. Mrs. Wang was also annoyed, but she could only smile and say, "Since the old lady has her own idea, I won't interfere. I was originally thinking of sending either Jin Chuan'er or Yu Chuan'er."

Grandmother Jia laughed and said, "You only have a few maids around you? You'd better keep them for yourself."

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law talked for a while, and then Mrs. Wang lost interest in talking anymore. When she saw that it was time for dinner, she stood up and took her leave.

Not far off, they saw Yuanyang leading a group of twelve or thirteen pretty maids toward the Qixianzhai. Mrs. Wang paused for a long time in the hallway before returning to her own courtyard with a sullen face.

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It is said that one day, after school, Chen Siyuan went to Xiaohuazhi Lane. When he entered, he was greeted by only You Erjie and two maids, Chunxi and Xiazhu. After asking, Chen Siyuan learned that You Sanjie had just had her menstrual period and was suffering from severe abdominal pain, so she was lying on the kang to rest.

Chen Siyuan hurried inside and saw Third Sister You with a scarf wrapped around her head. Her face was pale and she was looking at him pitifully. When she saw Chen Siyuan, Third Sister You called him "Brother Yuan".

Chen Siyuan came over and asked with concern, "Why does it hurt so much?"

You Erjie said, "Third sister likes to be cold. The other day, Brother Yuan brought her a bowl of cheese, and she ate it cold. She felt better at the time, but afterward she tossed and turned in pain all night."

Chen Siyuan said, "Have you been like this before? This is not good. You must find a doctor to treat you carefully."

Third Sister You hummed in agreement and simply lay down in Chen Siyuan's arms, acting like a spoiled child. Second Sister You was also very perceptive. Seeing this, she retreated without saying a word.

In the western room, the two of them were affectionate with each other. Chen Siyuan rubbed his hands and reached into the quilt to massage Third Sister You's lower abdomen. Third Sister You hummed with pleasure from time to time, and Chen Siyuan asked, "Have you eaten today?"

Third Sister You frowned and said, "I'm in so much pain that I have no appetite. I only had some cakes for lunch."

"How can this be done? You must eat something to satisfy your hunger, otherwise the pain will be even worse." Chen Siyuan immediately called Chunxi over and told the maid to prepare a bowl of vegetable and meat porridge for You Sanjie.

Soon Chunxi brought the meat porridge over. Chen Siyuan took the bowl and fed Third Sister You spoonful by spoonful. Third Sister You squinted her eyes and smiled, watching him blow it cool carefully before handing her the spoon.

After finishing more than half a bowl, Third Sister You started to complain that she was full and refused to eat any more. Chen Siyuan didn't mind and simply poured the remaining half bowl into his mouth.

Third Sister You looked at him, her heart growing more at ease. As the saying goes, it's easy to find priceless treasures, but hard to find a true lover. Regardless of everything else, how many men in the world could be so considerate and thoughtful when he was feeling down?
The period of menstruation is the most sensitive time of the heart, and Third Sister You couldn't help but have red eyes.

Chen Siyuan had just put down his bowl when he saw her crying. He was immediately puzzled and asked, "What's wrong with my sister?"

Third Sister You rubbed her eyes and shook her head, saying, "It's a good thing I met Brother Yuan."

Such affection and loyalty made it worthwhile for me to come here at night to seek refuge with him.

Chen Siyuan took her in his arms, talked about some Imperial College etiquette, and then asked in a low voice, "Have you and your second sister had any arguments in the past two days?"

"She's being very cautious. At most, she'll argue with me. When she's about to start a fight, she'll just go back to her room." With a snort, Third Sister You extended her left index finger and drew a circle on Chen Siyuan's chest, saying, "Do you think I don't know what she's thinking? Right now, she's being humble. If she gets the chance, she'll definitely seduce Brother Yuan."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "I'll be leaving soon. I won't be seduced by her, okay?"

"Why?" Third Sister You frowned and said, "Wouldn't our eight hundred taels of silver be wasted?" After a pause, she added, "Anyway, the engagement letter is in my hands now. She has to wait for my approval before making any move."

How could Chen Siyuan believe it? He didn't want to cause trouble for Third Sister You at this time, so he laughed it off.

Unexpectedly, Third Sister You was startled. She stood up and said solemnly, "Oh no! I'm afraid we've fallen into my mother's trap!"

"What do you mean?" Chen Siyuan asked in surprise.

Third Sister You continued, "I just remembered that Second Sister had already been engaged to the Zhang family!"

The Zhang family? Yes, Zhang Hua! Chen Siyuan wondered, how could he have forgotten this? He still remembered how Feng Jieer heard about this incident in the book and planned to make a big fuss about it, trying to force You Erjie to leave. Then she changed her mind and seemed to order her men to kill Zhang Hua and his son. But Lai Wang was no fool. Not only did he let Zhang Hua go, but he also turned around and said vaguely that Zhang Hua was already dead.

Third Sister You hurriedly said, "The Zhang family was originally the head of the imperial grain farm, and they had quite a bit of wealth in their early years. I heard from Mother that my second sister was betrothed to the Zhang family's son when she was young. Later, Mother took my second sister and me to marry into the You family, and we haven't had any contact since then. But last year, I heard Mother say that the Zhang family seemed to have fallen on hard times, and that the Zhang family's son was particularly useless, spending his days drinking, whoring, and gambling. He was a complete mess."

Chen Siyuan frowned thoughtfully. No wonder Old Lady You agreed to write You Erjie's engagement letter for only eight hundred taels. And then, to appease the Zhang family, who knows how much more money it would cost.

Third Sister You said angrily, "They are so calculating! They want to use Brother Yuan to cover up the arranged marriage. Who knows, maybe Brother Yuan will have to go to the Zhang family to smooth things over someday!"

Chen Siyuan breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Does your second sister have a marriage certificate with the Zhang family?"

Third Sister You said, "There must be, otherwise mother wouldn't be thinking about it all the time."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "It's useless to dwell on this now. It's just a waste of money."

How could Third Sister You be willing to let it go with a frown on her face? She couldn't help but feel even more resentful towards Old Lady You.

Chen Siyuan tried to comfort him for a while, but he suddenly felt hungry. Third Sister You was nearby and heard everything, so she quickly said, "Brother Yuan hasn't eaten yet. Why don't you ask the nanny to make a few side dishes for him to eat."

Chen Siyuan glanced at the sky outside and wondered if it was the right time. Dinner was already past and it would still be a while before dinner was served, so he nodded in agreement.

Third Sister You called Chunxi and asked him to prepare the meal. She wanted to eat with Chen Siyuan, but she was angry just now and had a stomachache, so she had to lie on the kang and groan.

Chen Siyuan had no choice but to go to the hall to eat. When the four side dishes were served, You Erjie came in gracefully. She personally served him glutinous rice and served him other dishes attentively.

Chen Siyuan didn't even look at You Erjie. He took the bowl, thanked her, and started eating and drinking.

I thought You Erjie would try to get close to me again, but she remained very quiet. Chen Siyuan thought to himself, could it be that You Erjie had overheard what he and You Sanjie were saying?
After dinner, Chen Siyuan went to the west end room again, but found that Third Sister You had already fallen asleep. He tucked in the quilt for Third Sister You and immediately got up and left.

You Erjie was just instructing her maid to pack up, and when she saw Chen Siyuan was about to leave, she hurriedly followed him out.

When they reached the door, You Erjie suddenly quickened her pace, pressed her body against Chen Siyuan, and with a cry of "ouch" she bumped into Chen Siyuan's arms.

Then he raised his eyes and said timidly: "Thanks to Brother Yuan, otherwise I would have fallen this time."

Chen Siyuan felt a plump, soft body rubbing against his arm. With his mind racing, he helped You Erjie up. Suddenly, he leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Third sister told me that the engagement letter is cancelled. The eight hundred taels of silver will only be used as compensation for Old An's upbringing."

You Erjie looked at him with a puzzled expression, frowning. Chen Siyuan straightened his posture, looked at her and smiled, "After all, you have a previous engagement with the Zhang family."

After saying this, he ignored You Erjie's surprise and walked away, leaving You Erjie standing there frowning and thinking.

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But Chen Siyuan walked as if he were driving a car, walked out of Xiaohuazhi Lane and entered the back door of Rongguo Mansion, and returned to his own courtyard in a moment.

As soon as he entered, the little maid Yunxiang came forward and said in surprise, "Master, master, the mistress has kicked Qingwen out of the house today!"

Chen Siyuan was startled, fearing he had misheard, and hurriedly asked, "Who are you talking about? Qingwen?" Seeing Yunxiang nod, he asked again, "Why?"

Yunxiang said, "They say Qingwen has contracted a serious illness, some kind of lung abscess or tuberculosis. The imperial physician diagnosed it at noon. Madam happened to be there, and fearing she might pass the disease on to Master Bao, she quickly sent a servant to have Qingwen thrown out the back door."

"and then?"

"Manager Lai went looking for Qingwen's cousin, Duoguan. Duoguan went to the back door, took a look from a distance, tossed the house key to Qingwen, and left the rest. From the back door, I saw Qingwen stumbling towards Duoguan's house, wiping her tears... Tsk, tsk, she's truly pitiful."

Yunxiang said this with a look of gloating delight on her face. Indeed, she had been serving outside Baoyu's room before, and she had probably long been envious of Qingwen. Add to that Qingwen's sharp tongue, and that envy had turned into disgust, hence her gloating delight.

Chen Siyuan was puzzled. In the book, Qingwen was driven out of the house, but why should it be at this time? What happened?
He went inside, puzzled, and heard Hongyu say, "Master, I happened to meet Xueyan this afternoon. She said Miss Lin was very proud of that thing. Oh, and she also said that Miss Lin's old illness has come back. She's coughing all the time, and I don't know when she'll get better."

Chen Siyuan hurriedly asked, "Has Miss Lin taken any medicine?" Hongyu replied, "Doctor Wang prescribed some medicine for the cold, and Miss Lin is also taking ginseng nourishing pills privately. Xueyan said it will take more than ten days for her to feel better."

Chen Siyuan had learned a lot of miscellaneous knowledge, and even had some knowledge of medicine, so he asked, "This medicine seems to be mainly based on ginseng?"

Hongyu said, "I heard that it's very valuable. You have to use ginseng that's ten years old or older to be effective."

Chen Siyuan pondered, "Although ginseng is very nutritious, it's not good to use too much..."

There were things Chen Siyuan could only contemplate, not do… like finding another renowned doctor for Daiyu. Even though ginseng nourishing pills were beneficial, they couldn't be taken year after year. There were no set principles in Chinese medicine prescriptions; they always changed with the times.

However, his marriage with Daiyu is not yet decided, so it is difficult to interfere in this matter.

Fortunately, Daiyu has been fine in recent years, so Chen Siyuan stopped thinking about it for the time being.

Xiangling came over and asked, "Sir, would you like to stay later?"

Chen Siyuan replied casually, "I just ate it. I'll get some later and you can share it."

Hongyu smiled and said, "That's great! Yunxiang will definitely be happy." Seeing Chen Siyuan looking over, Hongyu said, "Master, you don't know. Yunxiang eats the most every time. If you don't believe me, take a closer look. She's gained a lot of weight compared to last year."

Chen Siyuan smiled and nodded, his thoughts drifting back to Qingwen. He felt a strong sense that he was the cause of all this trouble. Suddenly, he remembered Yunxiang's earlier comment about the Lai family snooping around to find out about him and Qingwen... Hiss! Could it be that the Lai family had simply driven Qingwen out to ease the situation?
Chen Siyuan secretly clenched his fists, the more he thought about it, the more possible it seemed.

I couldn't help but think to myself, no wonder the Lai family has always stood firm in the book. They are so good at judging the situation. Even though they know that the Lai family is like a vine parasitic on the Jia family tree, no one in the Jia family feels disgusted with them.

Thinking of the mother Qingwen had been calling for all night and who had just died, Chen Siyuan suddenly felt pity. On the one hand, he was secretly annoyed that the Lai family had not come to show their gratitude, but on the other hand, he could not help himself.

As the spring days grew longer, Chen Siyuan felt a surge of anxiety. He drank two cups of tea in quick succession, and suddenly, he felt relieved. If he couldn't let go, why bother to hold himself back? In his previous life, he'd been treated like a grandson everywhere, and in the end, he hadn't gotten any good results. Now that he had a new life, why not indulge himself a little and act with a clear conscience?

Having made up his mind, Chen Siyuan stood up suddenly.

Xiangling, who was knitting at the side, took a dazed look and asked, "Where are you going, Master?"

"I'll take Yunxiang for a walk."

Xiangling is your concubine, so you can't let her take care of Qingwen; Hongyu must stay at home, and when I am not around, Hongyu can at least handle it.

Liu Wu'er is a sickly and delicate young lady. After all the calculations, isn't the only one left the little maid Yunxiang?
At that moment, Chen Siyuan said something to Hongyu, then got up and went to the courtyard. He called out and Yunxiang came running out from the side room.

"Master called me?"

Chen Siyuan nodded and said, "Come with me, and I'll give you an extra string of money next month."

Yunxiang blinked, her expression suddenly filled with joy. After the two of them left the courtyard, Chen Siyuan instructed Yunxiang to call the servant Qingyu to the back door.

When Yunxiang found Qingyu and reached the back door, Chen Siyuan asked, "Do you know where the official is?"

Yunxiang said, "It seems to be in the back alley."

Qing Yu pondered and said, "I think I heard someone say it's in Hengsan Hutong behind Xiaohuazhi Alley."

Yunxiang blinked and asked in surprise, "Master, are you going to see Qingwen?"

Chen Siyuan didn't answer, turned around and went out the back door.

After walking for a while, we entered Hengsan Hutong. Unlike the three-story and four-story courtyards in Xiaohuazhi Alley, most of the houses here were three separate houses with a small courtyard.

Qing Yu asked someone to sweep the place and came back, pointing to a wooden door and saying, "Sir, this is where you can rent a house."

Chen Siyuan nodded, took a few steps closer, and glanced inside. He saw that it was pitch black inside, and the wooden door in front of him was ajar. He gave it a slight push and it creaked open.

There are three main rooms inside and two cramped side rooms on the east side, which are probably used as kitchens and storage rooms.

Chen Siyuan quickly walked to the front of the house and exchanged glances with Yunxiang. Yunxiang cleared her throat and shouted, "Qingwen, Qingwen, my master is here to see you!"

After shouting a few times and hearing no response from inside, Chen Siyuan immediately felt something was wrong. He went forward and pushed the door, but it was bolted.

At this moment, Yunxiang whispered, "Master, you... you really want to go see her? I heard it's tuberculosis. What will happen if she gets better?"

Chen Siyuan was certain that this must be a trick of the Lai family. He glanced at Yunxiang and said with a smile, "Are you afraid?"

Yunxiang shrank her neck and said, "That's female tuberculosis, who wouldn't be afraid? Otherwise, let's go back."

Chen Siyuan smiled without saying anything. He was thinking about how to break the door when Qing Yu behind him handed him a shining dagger.

Seeing Chen Siyuan's puzzled expression, Qing Yu sneered, "I was afraid you might run into some bad guys while wandering around at night, so I found a dagger before leaving."

Chen Siyuan nodded, took the dagger, pushed the door with one hand, and inserted the dagger into the door with the other hand, moving it back and forth. After a while, there was a clang, and the bolt fell to the ground, and the door was pushed open.

Qingyu handed over another tinderbox, and Chen Siyuan lit it and walked a few steps inside. Turning around, he saw Yunxiang and Qingyu standing at the door, looking awkward. Chen Siyuan ordered, "You two just wait here. I'll go in and take a look."

Qingyu naturally needed no further explanation. Since Qingwen was the only one inside, it was not easy for him to come in. Yunxiang puffed up her cheeks and tried her best, then finally took a step inside with trepidation: "I, I'd better follow the master."

Chen Siyuan turned over and poked Yunxiang on the forehead: "Just wait, I told you to. Why are you talking so much nonsense?"

He ignored Yunxiang and went to the eastern room with a tinderbox in hand. A moment later, Chen Siyuan saw Qingwen shivering under the quilt on the kang in the eastern room.

If you listen carefully, you can hear Qingwen calling "Water, water... Mother, Mother..." in a voice as soft as a mosquito or fly.

He shone a tinder on Qingwen's forehead, which was red and trembling as if she had the shiver. He touched her forehead and found it was burning hot.

Chen Siyuan cursed in his heart, thinking that the Lai family was really going too far. If it weren't for him, Qingwen would not be alive.

He immediately found an oil lamp and lit it, then found half a bowl of water on the table, turned around and sat down on the kang, held Qingwen in his arms, and carefully fed her some water.

Qingwen was dazed from fever. After drinking some water, she half-opened her eyes, looked up at Chen Siyuan, and said in a hoarse voice, "Mother, don't sell me out, mother..."

No one knew where Qingwen got the strength from, but she hugged Chen Siyuan tightly and refused to let go.

孽 孽!
Chen Siyuan patted his back and soothed him, "No, no, no, be good. Go get some sleep first."

Hearing the commotion outside, Yunxiang trembled and came over. She went inside and asked, "Master? How is she...?"

Chen Siyuan sighed and said, "I'm so drunk. Ask Qingyu to get some strong liquor first, and then go to Heniantang to ask Doctor Ding to come over. Then boil some hot water and cook some vegetable porridge."

Yunxiang got the task and without hesitation she turned around and walked out quickly.

At this time, Qingwen gradually loosened her grip, and Chen Siyuan laid her flat, then went outside and ordered, "Yunxiang, fetch a basin of water first."

"Yes." Yunxiang responded quickly and brought a basin of well water in a moment.

Chen Siyuan couldn't find a handkerchief anywhere, so he simply took out his own, wet it, wrung it dry, and then put it on Qingwen's forehead.

As soon as the cold handkerchief touched her, Qingwen shuddered and curled up. After a moment, her frown finally relaxed.

After a while, Yunxiang threw down a bottle of wine, ran out quickly, and shouted, "Master, Qingyu bought Shaodaozi from the mutton shop in front. He said it is the strongest wine."

Chen Siyuan responded, and then realized that Yunxiang had been holding her breath these two times because she was afraid of being infected with tuberculosis.

Chen Siyuan burst out laughing and took a closer look at Qingwen. Perhaps the wet handkerchief had taken its toll; the redness on Qingwen's face faded slightly, and her brows relaxed. Her eyes were tightly closed, revealing a pretty, oval face before him.

Chen Siyuan found a handkerchief on the kang, soaked it in wine, and first wiped Qingwen's neck and ears, then the palms and soles of her feet.

Seeing that it was not very effective, Chen Siyuan made up his mind and simply took off his coat and wiped his white arms and legs.

After wiping it repeatedly like this for who knows how long, Yunxiang called out from outside: "Master, I haven't found anything else. I just cooked a pot of millet porridge and can also boil some hot water."

"Then bring in a bowl of porridge."

Chen Siyuan tucked in the quilt for Qingwen, turned around and looked carefully. Sure enough, he saw the little maid Yunxiang holding her breath and bringing in a bowl of steaming millet porridge.

Chen Siyuan had originally been joking and wanted to tease her a bit, but then he thought, this girl doesn't know Qingwen didn't have some kind of female tuberculosis, so it's not easy for her to achieve this.

So when Yunxiang left the East Branch Room, Chen Siyuan said, "There's nothing to do right now, why don't you go to the West Branch Room and rest for a while."

Yunxiang obeyed obediently, and Chen Siyuan clearly breathed a sigh of relief when he heard her, not knowing whether it was an illusion or not.

Chen Siyuan waited for the millet porridge to cool down before helping Qingwen up again.

Qingwen sat up dazedly. Perhaps the fever-reducing treatment had taken some effect, she took a closer look by the light of the oil lamp and exclaimed in shock, "Master... Master Yuan? Ahem... why is it you?"

Chen Siyuan held up the bowl of porridge and said, "I heard about your situation at night and was worried, so I came to check on you. Who knew you would be so feverish? Mo Duo said, eat something first."

Qingwen's nose felt sore and she immediately started crying.

At noon, she was thrown out the back door by two maids. After waiting for a full two quarters of an hour, her cousin Duoguan finally arrived from a distance, dropping the key. Qingwen, completely despairing, picked up the key, shouldered her bag, and stumbled all the way to this place. She cried bitterly, not even bothering to eat, and fell asleep, curled up in her quilt.

Who knew that he would have a high fever and would not wake up after sleeping.

The spoon was handed to her. Qingwen opened her mouth and swallowed. She wiped her tears and looked at Chen Siyuan and said vaguely, "Why did Master Yuan come to see me?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "I'm still waiting for your waist fan. If you get sick and pass away, won't my twenty taels of silver be wasted?"

Qingwen burst out laughing, and her nose immediately started to bubble. She shyly turned her head away and found the handkerchief that had fallen on the kang to wipe her nose, knowing in her heart that Chen Siyuan was just joking.

She lowered her head and saw that the handkerchief was not hers. She looked around and saw a basin of water on the floor and a bottle of wine on the kang. Qingwen felt a mixture of bitterness and comfort in her heart, an indescribable mixture of emotions.

I almost died. I didn't see Lai Ma, who treated me like a family member, nor Musk Moon, with whom I had some friendship, nor Master Bao, whom I regarded as a friend. But Master Yuan, whom I had only met a few times, risked his life to save me.

Suddenly remembering she had lung abscess, Qingwen hurriedly backed away, lifted the quilt to cover her mouth and nose, and sternly said, "Master Yuan, please get away! I have lung abscess... I can't let Master Yuan pass me on!"

But Chen Siyuan frowned slightly, put down the bowl of porridge, and then fumbled out something from his sleeve, put it on his face, covering his mouth and nose tightly.

"Diseases come from the mouth, so I'll cover it up, so you don't have to worry. Don't worry too much, just eat all this porridge. How will you have the strength to get through this if you don't eat? Oh, I've asked someone to call a doctor, he'll be here soon."

Qingwen was so grateful that she burst into tears. No matter what Chen Siyuan said, she refused to let go of the corner of the quilt. At this moment, Qingyu's voice came from outside: "Master, Doctor Ding is here!"

(End of this chapter)