Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 150 You Erjie's Plan

Miaoyu had been sickly since childhood, so she lived as a nun in Panxiang Temple with her hair uncut. Later, she got into trouble again and had to follow her master to Muni Temple outside the west gate of the capital to avoid disaster.

In February, she received a letter from home, saying that her father's old friend, Master Jia, had invited her to his home to practice Buddhism. Miaoyu was already eighteen, no longer a naive little girl. The so-called practice meant, firstly, that she would travel to the palace as a nun, and secondly, there was a subtle intention to see him.

The letter praised Baoyu to the skies, describing him as a young man born with a jade in his mouth. So when Miaoyu entered the Rongguo Mansion and heard that the girls and boys were having fun in the garden, she began to take a look.

"Miss?"

The maid called out softly, and Miaoyu came back to her senses. Seeing that Chen Siyuan had disappeared, she whispered, "Let's go. I'm tired too. Let's walk around for a while and then go back to rest."

The maid agreed, and Lin Zhixiao's wife hurriedly led the way.

But Chen Siyuan crossed the red-railed plank bridge, came out of the cave, and walked forward.

Not far away, he could hear the sound of instrumental music and cheerful laughter coming from the Lotus Fragrance Pavilion. Chen Siyuan walked towards it and when he got closer, he took a quick look and saw that only Sanchun and Baochai were inside, but Baoyu and Daiyu were nowhere to be seen.

Just as he was about to go forward, he heard a rustling sound from the side, and then a pretty figure came out from the side of Daoxiang Village.

"Uncle Yuan?"

The woman's voice was full of joy. Chen Siyuan turned his head to look and saw Xueyan with a pair of smiling eyes walking towards him quickly.

"Snow Goose?"

"Greetings, Master Yuan!" Xueyan smiled and bowed, then stood up and said, "Just now, the third lady was saying that since Master Yuan is taking a day off today, why not invite him over for tea and poetry? But the second lady said that the Imperial College coursework is heavy and it would be a shame to disturb Master Yuan. Only after the second lady said so did the third lady give up."

"There's also this matter... Yes, where is Sister Lin?"

"Then..." Xueyan turned around and choked. She blinked and said, "Strange, it was here just now, how come it's gone now?"

He paused, figuring his daughter couldn't stand the wind and might have already returned to Rongqing Hall. Suddenly remembering something, Xueyan said, "Master Yuan, my daughter really likes that zither... I've searched through all the ancient music scores, but I don't know what the tune is called."

Chen Siyuan said, "Just watch from the sidelines."

"Watching from the sidelines? But was it Master Yuan who did it?"

Chen Siyuan nodded with a shameless smile. Xueyan exclaimed in amazement, "Mr. Yuan can actually compose his own music. How rare! I'll go back and tell you right away!"

As he said this, he bowed and walked out of the garden with a smile on his face.

Chen Siyuan smiled as he watched him go away, then he took a step forward and soon arrived near Ouxiangxie.

The Ouxiang Pavilion is located in the water, with a corridor connecting the north and south. It faces the water on the west and there is a bamboo bridge on the east.

At this moment, the flute music paused for a moment, and the little girl Xichun suddenly gave a startled cry, then said with a smile, "I was just saying, isn't Brother Yuan here?"

As soon as the words fell, everyone inside stood up, and Siqi, who was serving Yingchun, stared at Chen Siyuan and refused to let go.

Tanchun waved, "Brother Yuan, come quickly."

Chen Siyuan responded, moved across the bridge and entered the Ouxiang Pavilion.

There was a table inside, on which were all kinds of fruits, tea and snacks, and various musical instruments were placed in the corners.

Chen Siyuan greeted everyone and pointed at a pipa and asked, "Where did this come from?"

Tanchun laughed and said, "This is what our family prepared for the opera troupe. Sister Feng was about to collect it, but I shamelessly asked for it to play with."

The secretary brought a stool over and said, "Master Yuan, please sit down."

Chen Siyuan thanked him, opened his robe, and sat down with a straight face, just opposite Baochai. Chen Siyuan glanced over casually, and Baochai, afraid that he would do something stupid again, raised her eyebrows.

Chen Siyuan was secretly happy. If he wanted to tease Baochai, he had to do it in private. It would be impolite to embarrass Baochai in front of everyone.

Yin Shi then smiled and asked, "What were you talking about just now?"

Xichun handed the flute over and said, "I'm learning to play the flute, but none of my sisters have ever learned it."

Yingchun laughed and said, "How many girls can play the flute? I don't know why Fourth Sister insisted on learning the flute."

Tanchun continued, "Second sister plays the guzheng, I play the pipa, and fourth sister should learn the yaoqin."

Xichun shook her head repeatedly: "No, I think this flute is excellent." After a pause, she looked at Chen Siyuan hopefully: "Brother Yuan, do you know how to play the flute?"

"Well, a little bit."

Xichun suddenly became happy: "Brother Yuan, come and play a tune."

Yingchun frowned slightly and said, "Fourth sister, please stop messing around."

Chen Siyuan smiled and agreed, "Okay." He took the flute and said to Yingchun, "We are all family, so there is no need to be too formal."

Chen Siyuan glanced down and saw that the flute was a qudi, very common in Jiangnan, not the bangdi popular in the north. After a moment's thought, perhaps because of Xueyan's mention, Chen Siyuan took the opportunity to play "Watching from the Wall".

At first, it was nothing, but later, Sister Bao, who had been keeping her head down, suddenly raised her eyes and looked at Chen Siyuan.

Although Baochai was not an expert at musical instruments, she had learned one or two to brighten the mood. Her memory was excellent, and after only one listen she was certain that this piece was the one Daiyu had played on her qin that day.

At first she thought that Chen Siyuan had just learned the technique, but when Chen Siyuan continued to play, the tune was consistent and there was nothing strange about it.

Sister Bao was already precocious, so how could she not know that the zither was a gift from Chen Siyuan? She had interacted with Chen Siyuan several times, and each time she was either angered, had her secrets exposed, or was comforted by his gentle words, Sister Bao was always at a disadvantage.

She had always been unwilling to accept this, but now that she knew this secret, she felt like she had just returned to the city. She quietly looked around and saw that the three girls were all listening attentively to the music and didn't notice anything unusual. Sister Bao put on a playful smile and glanced at Chen Siyuan from time to time.

Chen Siyuan pretended not to notice and continued playing to his heart's content. The melodious flute music reached Miaoyu and her companions, who had just emerged from the cave. They could hear the music from afar. Miaoyu didn't pay much attention at first, but after listening for a while, she suddenly stopped in surprise and thought.

The maid was surprised and asked, "Young lady?"

Miaoyu waved her hand and said, "This piece of music is full of Zen meaning, but I wonder who played it?"

Miaoyu walked quickly, passed by Daoxiang Village, looked towards Ouxiang Pavilion, and caught a glimpse of Chen Siyuan's swaying figure playing the flute.

It turned out to be him——

After listening for a while, Miaoyu finally came to her senses when Lin Zhixiao's wife urged her. As she passed by the Ouxiang Pavilion, she glanced inside and became even more curious about Chen Siyuan.

In the Ouxiang Pavilion, after just one song, everyone clapped their hands in praise.

Xichun even insisted that Chen Siyuan teach her. Chen Siyuan said, "Fourth sister, please come to me when you have time. This flute is very easy to learn. I think you will be able to play it in one or two months."

"Yeah." Little Xichun suddenly became happy.

Everyone chatted for a while, and Chen Siyuan told a few playful jokes, making the girls burst into laughter. Siqi stared at Chen Siyuan with burning eyes, how could she resist the love in her heart? Finally finding a chance, Siqi went forward to pour tea for Chen Siyuan, and suddenly said, "Yes, Master Yuan passed the quarterly exam. I wonder if you got first place this time?"

Yingchun frowned again and said, "The Imperial College is full of talented people. How could this first place be so easy to get?"

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Second sister is right. This time, Zhong Fang almost snatched away my fame."

Tanchun covered her mouth in surprise and said, "Brother Yuan got first place again? Oh my, this is really amazing." The little girl counted on her fingers and said, "Including the last time, Brother Yuan has already accumulated three points. If he gets another five points, won't he be able to graduate from the Imperial College?"

Chen Siyuan said modestly, "It was just a fluke. I haven't figured out the remaining five points yet."

Tanchun said, "Brother Yuan, why are you so modest? You might even finish your studies in a few months. Hmm? Maybe he'll even be able to take the imperial examination this autumn."

Chen Siyuan originally intended to take the Autumn Examination, but it was not appropriate to make it public at this time, so he smiled and said, "Let it be."

As they were talking, someone suddenly approached quickly. It was Zijuan, who was standing beside Daiyu. Zijuan glanced at Chen Siyuan, her face expressionless, but something strange was going on inside. She bowed and said with a smile, "The old lady is up now and said it was boring, so she sent me here to find the girls to liven things up."

Yingchun stood up and said with a smile, "The old ancestor is also greedy. He thinks it's not enough to have Brother Bao and Sister Lin around, so he insists on taking us along."

Tanchun also said, "The old man likes a lively atmosphere. Who knows, he might have sent someone to look for Sister Feng right now."

Chen Siyuan knew it was not a good idea to go to Rongqing Hall, so he stood up and said, "Since that's the case, Second Sister, Sister Xue, Third Sister, and Fourth Sister, please go ahead. I should also go back."

Unexpectedly, Baochai said, "I just caught a cold and I have a headache now. I won't go this time. You guys go."

Sanchun asked a few questions and then went to Rongqing Hall in front.

Chen Siyuan and Baochai left the Ouxiang Pavilion together and walked north for a while. Suddenly, Baochai said, "The music that Brother Yuan played today sounded familiar."

Chen Siyuan pondered for a moment, and seeing Baochai's eyes full of amusement, he simply nodded and said, "This is the tune from the automne that I gave to Sister Lin. I just started playing it."

He actually admitted it? Baochai suddenly became depressed.

Chen Siyuan walked a few steps and suddenly said, "I heard that a nun with uncut hair came to the mansion today to practice Buddhism?"

"Yes, her Dharma name is Miaoyu. It's a pity that I've only heard of her name but never seen her."

Chen Siyuan said, "Sister Xue must be careful."

Baochai was startled and looked at Chen Siyuan in surprise.

Then he heard her say, "I heard that Miaoyu was invited home by Madam after repeated requests. It seems she has some connection with Master?"

Bao-jie's heart suddenly tightened. Because of the marriage certificate, she no longer considered Dai-yu a formidable enemy. But every time Aunt Xue tried to probe her, Mrs. Wang was evasive. Her rejection was palpable.

How could Sister Bao not be distressed? The eldest wife of the Xue family was obsessed with finding a perfect match, but she had lent tens of thousands of silver coins and still received no confirmation.

Now Miaoyu has come... Is it possible that Xue Baochai will have to compete for marriage with a nun?
Sister Bao casually said: "For monks, the four elements are empty——"

"Ha! Sister Xue, do you believe this? Miaoyu is a cultivator with her hair uncut."

Sister Bao fell silent. After walking for a while, as they reached the gate of the back garden, Baochai suddenly said, "I only hope that Brother Yuan will pass the Autumn Examination soon."

"Hmm?" Chen Siyuan stopped and looked at Baochai, thinking carefully in his heart.

Yes, the villa for the imperial visit is already completed, and the imperial visit will take place during the first month of next year. I'm afraid the Jia family's treasury is already completely depleted, and the imperial visit will incur significant expenses.

If Chen Siyuan passed the imperial examination this year, the Lin family's property would be difficult to move, and Mrs. Wang might even ask to marry into the Xue family. In that case, wouldn't the marriage be a done deal?

Chen Siyuan shook his head and smiled, then walked out of the garden. He couldn't let Baochai ruin his future, could he? Even if he was obsessed with love, he couldn't give up Lin Daiyu, who was right in front of him, for Baochai.

Since it was near the gate of his own courtyard, Chen Siyuan said, "Then I wish that we all get what we want."

With a slight bow, and without waiting for Baochai to return the greeting, Chen Siyuan entered his own courtyard. Baochai bowed hurriedly, and seeing Chen Siyuan enter the courtyard, she moved towards the Pear Fragrance Courtyard.

She didn't know why, perhaps because of her impulsiveness and rebelliousness, she started bickering with Chen Siyuan at every turn. When Chen Siyuan was gone, she suddenly felt aggrieved. She felt wronged that her daughter had to compete with a sister-in-law for a husband, and she also felt wronged that Chen Siyuan remained indifferent.

Baochai was immediately horrified, and after a moment's silence, she suppressed her resentment. Arriving in front of the Lixiang Courtyard, she glanced around and thought to herself that this neighbor might not be around for much longer.

Mrs. Wang said that Jia Chang had bought twelve young women and would be back in May. This place would have to be vacated to house the twelve young actors, and the Xue family would have to move to the northeast upper courtyard in front.

Thinking of this, Baochai felt a sense of loss and could not help feeling melancholy.

A few days later, Chen Siyuan made an appointment with Xiangling early in the morning and went to the outer city to visit Zhen Fengshi after school.

But when they arrived at the residence in the outer city, Zhen Fengshi and Qingwen were both there, but Xiangling was missing. Upon inquiry, they learned that Xiangling had twisted her ankle while strolling and was in so much pain that she could not walk, so she had asked a servant to pass on the message that she would not be coming that day.

Chen Siyuan naturally frowned with worry, thinking that Xiangling might be seriously injured this time, and wondered if she had seen a doctor.

Zhen Feng let Chen Siyuan in and quickly sent a maid to serve him tea and snacks.

After sitting down, Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Don't worry, Auntie. I'll be leaving soon."

Zhen Fengshi didn't say anything else after hearing this. She sat on the other side of the table on the kang and said thoughtfully, "Did Yinglian tell my brother?"

Chen Siyuan said, "Now that I mention it, Auntie is going back to Jiangnan?"

Zhen Feng frowned and said, "Yes, firstly, the climate in the north is really unbearable. I feel like I'm losing my skin after a whole winter. Secondly, the Beijing accent is everywhere, and speaking to people is a bit awkward." After a pause, she continued, "My husband's family is the Zhen family of Jinling, and Yinglian's father has been missing for a long time. I thought of returning to Suzhou to wait. Who knows, he might come back one day?"

Chen Siyuan said worriedly, "What you said makes sense, but if you do this, Xiangling... Yinglian will definitely be worried."

Zhen Feng smiled and covered her mouth. "I'm only this old. After a winter of recuperation, my body is getting better. I think I can live a few more years. As for her worrying about me, I can just come to the capital every once in a while."

Chen Siyuan pondered, "Since that's the case, I won't try to persuade you. Auntie has a different opinion, and Xiangling has said it too. So, I'll pick a date this month and have a banquet here, inviting friends and classmates."

Zhen Fengshi laughed and said, "That's good, that's good. It's a blessing that Yinglian can meet you, my brother. You don't know that ever since Yinglian was abducted by the kidnappers, I haven't slept well for a single night. I am always thinking about her, afraid that she is gone, and afraid that she will be sent to a place with no children... God has mercy on her. Fortunately, you met me, so that we mother and daughter can meet each other."

"You are too kind, Auntie."

Zhen Fengshi expressed her gratitude a few times and said nothing more. She was naturally concerned about Xiangling and was afraid that she would be wronged in the future.
How could he be wronged? Chen Siyuan was treating Xiangling well now, but nothing lasts forever. Chen Siyuan doted on her now, but who knew what would happen when the young mistress married? At least the status had been established early. That way, even if the young mistress didn't like her, she couldn't just kick Xiangling out.

Chen Siyuan lingered for a moment, then rose to take his leave. Qingwen, who had been watching from nearby, hurried over to see him off when she saw him rise.

The two of them left the courtyard together. Chen Siyuan stopped and saw Qingwen biting her lower lip and lowering her head. Chen Siyuan asked, "I haven't come to see you in a few days. Are you okay?"

Qingwen nodded silently.

Chen Siyuan added, "Mrs. Zhen will be returning to Suzhou in a while. I'll find a place for you to live in the inner city."

Qingwen glanced up at Chen Siyuan and rustled her way out of her sleeve, pulling out a waist fan. Chen Siyuan took it and exclaimed delightedly, "It's truly lifelike. Qingwen's craftsmanship is excellent."

Qingwen bit her lower lip and handed over another crumpled piece of paper.

Chen Siyuan took it in surprise and took a glance at it. It turned out to be Qingwen's indenture.

Chen Siyuan said, "Wouldn't it be better if you kept the indenture for yourself?"

Unexpectedly, Qingwen shook her head vigorously, frowned, and said, "I saw Bihen a few days ago."

"Bihen?"

That day, Qingwen went shopping and accidentally ran into Bihen. Qingwen looked at her carefully for a long time before she could recognize her. Bihen's eyes were full of allure and her manners were seductive. Where was the trace of her former self?
Qingwen approached to speak to her. Bihen, who had been smiling, suddenly frowned upon seeing Qingwen, thinking she had made a mistake. Another eunuch came over to chase her away, and seeing Qingwen's good looks, he immediately called the madam over to chat her up.

Qingwen was much younger than him, so how could she have seen such a scene? Fortunately, the maidservant beside Zhen Feng saw it and dragged Qingwen away.

Qingwen didn't mention the situation at the time, but only frowned and said, "It gives me peace of mind that my indenture remains in your hands, Master."

That's true. Pretty women are a resource. If they already have someone, it's fine. But if they're ownerless, how could any evildoer let them go?
Chen Siyuan immediately understood Qingwen's thoughts. He nodded, carefully folded the indenture and put it in his pocket. Frowning, he said, "You'd better avoid wandering around the streets in the future."

Qingwen patted her chest and said fearfully, "I was scared half to death just that one time. How could I dare to go there again?"

After that day, Zhen Fengshi told Qingwen about the various tricks of kidnappers and beggars, which frightened her so much that she had nightmares one after another. She is still scared to this day, so she has made up her mind not to go to the street to buy things anymore.

Seeing Qingwen's little expression, Chen Siyuan couldn't help but smile. After a moment's thought, he untied his purse, fished out a few taels of silver, and stuffed it into Qingwen's pocket, saying, "Since I've accepted your indenture, I must pay you a monthly allowance. Here, this is for this month."

Qingwen took the silver, winked and smiled, saying, "Oh, one tael of silver! Wouldn't that make me a first-class maid?"

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "Yes, isn't she just a first-class maid?" He reached out and rubbed Qingwen's head. Chen Siyuan said, "You go back. I'm leaving first."

"Yes," Qingwen agreed, bowing hastily. She stopped in the distance and watched Chen Siyuan mount his horse. After a moment, he disappeared at the entrance of the alley. Only then did she avert her gaze.

Suddenly, she saw a face appear from the top of the wall in front of her, staring at her. Qingwen frowned in displeasure and turned back into the courtyard.

After closing the door, Qingwen felt lost. Over the past month, she had been driven out of the Rongguo Mansion, left unattended and nearly died. Then, she was rescued by Master Yuan, and she had bravely negotiated a bond of indenture, and had come to live with Xiangling's mother.

Mr. Bao, of course, disappointed Qingwen. After being away for so long, Qingwen gradually got used to it. Without Baoyu, she could still live the same life, right?

As for Mr. Yuan, Qingwen was of course grateful to him, but apart from that, since she had only met him a few times, it was hard to say whether she had any other feelings for him.

Qingwen exhaled, opened her hands, glanced at the silver, and smiled to herself. "Let's see what happens next," she said.

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

Small flower branch lane.

The constant noise in the courtyard attracted the neighbors to come and take a look.

Second Sister You dragged Old Lady You out of the main room. Old Lady You turned pale with rage and pointed inside, cursing, "You've lost your mind to phlegm and your senses to fat! So good! You've climbed up the social ladder and now you don't recognize your own mother. Where in the world can you find a daughter like that?"

Third Sister You, inside, pinched her waist and retorted, "Even if I'm possessed by a demon, it's better than you being obsessed with money! What parent in the world doesn't want their children to be well? And yet, you're only interested in making money from your daughter!"

"You, you ungrateful bastard! From now on, I will never recognize you again!"

Third Sister You reached the door in two steps, her face frosted. She glanced at Old Lady You and said, "Oh, then I'd like to thank Anren. From now on, Anren can go find a place to beg for money. My family is small, so I won't entertain you!"

Old Lady You was so angry that the three corpse gods jumped up and down, and she wanted to find something to beat Third Sister You immediately.

Fortunately, You Erjie dragged her all the way, and with the help of the maid Xia Zhu, they finally managed to pull You Lao Niang into the side room.

Once inside, Old Lady You was so angry that she gasped for breath and couldn't help crying, "I raised her for fifteen or sixteen years in vain, but she forgot about me after she got married to a wild man!"

You Erjie advised, "Mom, please stop talking... Third sister is just saying things without thinking, and what she said can't be counted." After a pause, she continued, "Besides, Third sister only has two hundred taels of silver on hand. How can she afford to give a filial gift to you?"

Old Lady You was slightly surprised and frowned, "That Chen guy isn't short of money either, so why didn't he give it to Third Sister?"

You Erjie was speechless for a moment, then said, "He wanted to give it, but Third Sister was afraid of Mother, so she simply refused. She just said that two hundred taels would be enough to get by for a year if they could just get by at home."

Old Lady You was immediately filled with grief and slapped her thigh, saying, "Are you stupid? How can the love of your parents compare to the love of money? If you don't take advantage of your favor and ask for more money now, you will be old and ugly in a few years and you won't even have a place to cry!"

You Erjie frowned slightly, knowing that Old Lady You was just like that, so she simply stopped trying to persuade her.

After scolding Third Sister You, Old Lady You calmed down a bit and sent Xia Zhu away. Then she whispered, "Let me ask you, how are things going between you and that Chen guy?"

"This... Third Sister is watching right here, what else can I do?"

It was strange, too. Chen Siyuan's eyes were fixed on her, but as soon as Third Sister You was around, he behaved himself. Finally, when no one was around, he only flirted a little, nothing else. It had been two months now, and there had been no progress at all, which really annoyed Second Sister You.

Thinking of what Chen Siyuan had mentioned before about the Zhang family's marriage, You Erjie wondered, could it be that this was the reason he was so worried?

Thinking of this, You Erjie sat beside her and whispered to You Lao Niang, "Mom, I don't know how he found out about my arranged marriage to the Zhang family... Maybe that's why he's worried."

Old Lady You was startled and asked in surprise, "How did he know such a thing?" After a pause, she suddenly realized and cursed, "She forgot her mother after getting a man. She really is devoted to that Chen."

After a long barrage of curses, You Erjie waited for him to stop before saying, "Mother, why don't you ask the Zhang family to cancel the marriage?" After a pause, she looked up and said, "I've seen from private that Brother Yuan has feelings for me. It's just that there's an engagement and Third Sister is standing in the way, so it's been delayed until today."

Old Lady You's brow darkened. She said, "The Zhang family has long been in decline, and now no one can be found. Where can I retreat?" She looked at Second Sister You and said, "Since that Chen man is so timid, I think it's better for you to come back with me. I can go to Ningguo Mansion every month and earn some benefits."

You Erjie secretly curled her lips. How much were some benefits? After seeing Chen Siyuan's lavish spending, how could You Erjie still be interested in the few melons and dates that Jia Zhen gave her?
Furthermore, You Erjie had some sense of shame. Previously, she had been instigated by You Lao Niang and had drunk wine twice without knowing what was happening, but at least she hadn't gotten into trouble. If she went there again and lost her innocence, how could she ever turn back?

Because it was You Erjie, she begged, "Since my eldest sister has stopped me, I won't go again. If mother can convince my eldest sister, I'll do anything."

"You——" Old Lady You was choked and could not speak for a moment.

But Youshi was not her biological daughter, and she was guarding against her second and third sisters like she was guarding against thieves. How could she let You Erjie marry into her family?
Hearing that You Erjie came again to ask for a break-off of the engagement, You Lao Niang immediately lost her patience. After a few excuses, she simply got up and returned to Ningguo Mansion.

After seeing Old Lady You off, You Erjie turned around, paced back and forth, thinking for a while, and then went back to the main room.

When he entered, he saw Third Sister You leaning on the kang, eating watermelon seeds. He glanced at her sideways, snorted coldly, and ignored her.

You Erjie came over and said, "Mom is gone."

"She's on her own, what does it have to do with me? She doesn't even recognize me anymore. From now on, it's better if she doesn't come to my place anymore!"

You Erjie knew that You Sanjie was still angry, so she didn't try to persuade her. She just said, "Let's not talk about mother. I have a favor to ask my sister."

Third Sister You squinted her eyes and sneered, "What's the matter? Can't you hide your fox tail anymore?"

You Erjie said gently, "With mother like that, where do you think I can go in the future? I can't really go to Ningguo Mansion, can I?"

Third Sister You choked and her expression relaxed slightly.

You Erjie continued, "My intentions are not right, but how else can I survive? If my innocence is really tarnished, wouldn't I become a pimp? My sister has found a good home, and it would be a lie to say I'm not envious. But I've never considered competing with my sister for her... I just ask for a share of the profits, so that I can at least have a place to stay."

Third Sister You sneered and said, "You sound so pathetic, but isn't that the same thought you had originally?"

You Erjie raised her eyes and looked at him, saying, "I don't believe that you didn't see how Brother Yuan looked at me."

Third Sister You said stubbornly, "So what? As long as I don't give in, he will ignore you."

You Erjie said, "Sister, you're right... but there are more women in this world than just me. If you can control me, how can you control others outside? Brother Yuan is a man of excellent character and talent. Who knows, there might be some shameless man who throws himself at you in the future. How can you control him then?"

Third Sister You was immediately troubled. Chen Siyuan had topped the exam the previous time, and it was just a fluke. Who knew he'd top the list again in this quarterly exam?

Chen Siyuan privately announced that he would be able to graduate from the Imperial Academy before the Autumn Examination. If the Autumn Examination went well, Chen Siyuan would become a juren in August.

A juren who is fifteen or sixteen years old, even if he passes the imperial examination at the age of thirty, has a bright future!
Third Sister You was naturally apprehensive. She had examined herself and realized that aside from her looks, her family background, and her talent were all unremarkable. She had once dreamed of becoming the principal wife, but now she no longer dared to hope for that.

Seeing that Third Sister You was already interested, Second Sister You tried to persuade her, saying, "Besides, my sister's personality... Brother Yuan is being very affectionate with me right now, and he's willing to do whatever I want and coax me. But if this continues, I can't help but feel annoyed. If the woman outside were gentle and obedient, and she were to do whatever he wants, how would I cope with it then?"

Third Sister You said stubbornly, "He won't give me up."

You Erjie said, "Giving up and being impatient are two different things... If you agree to my request, we can serve Brother Yuan together in the future. I think he will be more concerned about me and he won't change his mind in a few years."

Third Sister You glanced at him, her heart slightly moved. After thinking for a while, she suddenly said, "He, he said that you are engaged."

"It's just an arranged marriage, how can it be considered an engagement?" You Erjie pleaded, "This is what I'm asking you for... Please lend me some money. I'll find Rong'er tomorrow and put an end to this matter." After a pause, she continued, "Even if it's not for other reasons, you can't just watch me go to hell, can you?"

Thinking of the Zhang family, Third Sister You sighed inwardly. That family was indeed not a good place to stay. After a little hesitation, Third Sister You finally stood up and rummaged through the boxes and drawers. She found fifty gold coins and handed them to Second Sister You, saying, "Is this enough?"

　Ahem...there is a special episode, if you want to read it, please join the group.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)