Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 192: Taizong's Legacy
Yu Shi secretly resented her, but said nothing to her face. At noon, when Old Lady You finally woke up, Yu Shi urged her to return to Ningguo Mansion.

As they rode along, Old Lady You, still drunk, drowsy and yawning, looked more like sisters than mother and daughter. She was only a few years older than Mrs. You, and the two of them walked together.

When Youshi mentioned her earlier request, Old Lady You frowned and said, "It's hard for you. You haven't given up yet... If it were up to me, you'd go to Guangzhao Temple more often. Who knows, you might have a child sooner."

Upon hearing this, You Shi frowned and said, "What are you talking about, mother? I won't go to such a filthy place!"

Old Lady You sneered and said, "Do you remember Mrs. Qian? She said she wouldn't go a few years ago, but later she had no choice but to go a few times. Now the child is two years old. What did Mr. Qian say?"

"How can they be the same?" Youshi was too lazy to argue with Old Lady You. Although Jia Zhen had no other children, he still had Jia Rong as his own. Why should she seek help from a monk?

Old Lady You glanced sideways, leaning against the car window as if talking to herself, "That Phoenix Flower Sichuan Wine has been brewing for three whole winters, but Second Sister is so foolish that she wants to hide it. Doesn't she know that it will go sour and rot when the summer heat arrives next year?"

He paused, turned his head to look at Youshi, and said with a smile, "It's just like us women. Our youth is like amber light. No matter how tightly it is sealed, how many years can it withstand?"

With a sigh, he said to Youshi, "Do you remember the Madam Zhang behind the old house? She remained faithful to her husband for twenty years and earned a chastity archway. But in the end, her family coveted her house and she was forced to commit adultery... Let me tell you, how can those life-saving measures compare to a warm stove and a warm bed?
Anyway, Zhen'er and his father can't take care of you, so just go easy on the accounts and buy yourself a few more pieces of headgear. When you have time, go to Guangzhao Temple and burn incense more often. Even if you don't want a child, it's better than you sleeping alone in a cold bed."

Yu Shi's heart was agitated when she heard this, but her face flushed with embarrassment and she kept shaking her head, saying, "Stop talking nonsense! If you keep talking nonsense, don't come to Ningguo Mansion again!"

Old Lady You smiled and sighed, "Forget it, forget it. There's only one thing: Rong'er is no pushover. Who knows when he'll marry a new wife. Will he still be able to take care of the household then?"

Yu Shi frowned secretly, knowing that what Old Lady Yu said made sense. When Qin Shi was alive, hadn't she been in charge of the household? She had merely taken advantage of the title of mother-in-law. Qin Shi was extremely favored by Jia Zhen, so wasn't everything handled by Qin Shi?
When Qin was alive, Old Lady You and her two stepsisters did not dare to come to Ningguo Mansion often.

At this moment, Old Lady You continued, "Although this mansion is rich and luxurious, it feels like a coffin. If I were you, instead of being a dead object covered in lacquer and gold, I would rather be a gilded revolving lantern, spinning around happily until he's dizzy. It wouldn't be a wasted life."

Just as Youshi was about to speak, she saw Old Lady You yawning. She then found a small porcelain bottle from her bosom, poured out a pill with trembling hands, tilted her head back and swallowed it.

But in a moment, she suddenly became energetic again. Old Lady You took the porcelain bottle and said with a smile, "The Wuxiang (also known as Afurong) pills that Zhen'er gave me are really magical. I don't feel tired even if I take two pills a day. It's just a bit expensive."

Youshi frowned in displeasure. She had used the Wuxiang Pills before, but after just a few days, she felt she could no longer live without them. She also felt that spending most of her monthly allowance on them was excessive, so she forced herself to give them up.

The carriage rumbled on, and Youshi lifted the curtain to look out. She felt the cold wind blowing on her face, and everything she saw was bleak. She couldn't help feeling more and more sad, and thought to herself, is this how I am going to spend the rest of my life like a clay figurine or a wooden puppet?
He couldn't help but think of the glow on Third Sister You's face just now, and felt a little envious.

The carriage returned to Ningguo Mansion, and the two of them went back to Youshi's courtyard together. After a short rest, Youshi found some snacks and prepared to say goodbye to Old Lady You.

But at that very moment, Jia Zhen returned and within a moment he sent his maid to invite Old Lady You to a drink. Old Lady You was delighted, thinking that a good meal would give her many good things, which would be much better than the autumn wind that hit You Shi.
He then went to drink happily, leaving Youshi alone in the yard.

It was past 3 p.m., and Youshi had just finished her dinner, when her maid, Yindie, came to find her and said, "Madam, I just heard the maid say that it seems the eldest mistress of the West Mansion is tired of her confinement and is clamoring to be released in the next few days."

"Didn't you say you'd have a double confinement period? Why are you so impatient now?"

Youshi was the second wife, and she took charge of both the East and West Mansions. Lady Wang was older than her, and always acted like her aunt. Li Wan was as haggard as a dead ash, and devoted herself to Jia Lan. She lived in seclusion and had little contact with anyone. Feng Jieer was a straightforward person, but she was on good terms with Qin.

After all, the only person who could agree with Youshi was Lady Xing. Firstly, they were close in age, and secondly, both were second wives, so they naturally had endless things to talk about. However, Youshi disliked Lady Xing's occasional foolishness, so the two of them remained close on the surface, rarely exchanging heartfelt words.

Hearing that Mrs. Xing was about to leave her confinement, Youshi felt it was only natural that she should go and visit her, so she got up, packed her things, and took Yindie to the central courtyard first.

After leaving her own courtyard and walking west through the hall, she arrived at the ceremonial gate of the central courtyard. After passing through the hall, Youshi saw two maids guarding the ceremonial gate.

The two maids caught sight of Youshi, exchanged glances, and suddenly looked apprehensive. Puzzled, Youshi stepped forward and asked, "Master, are you still drinking?"

One of the maids mumbled in silence, while the other chuckled, "The master... he's drunk too much and is resting inside right now. He just told us to guard the door and not disturb him."

Yu Shi frowned, feeling something was wrong. Yin Die, who was standing by, asked, "Are the concubines Pei Feng, Xie Yuan, and Wen Hua here?"

The old woman dared not lie and only said vaguely, "The concubines couldn't hold their liquor and have returned now."

Yu Shi unconsciously clenched her handkerchief, digging her palm with her nails coated with Impatiens juice, wishing she could dig it out to draw blood!
Peifeng, Xieyuan, Wenhua and others all came back, but they didn't mention Old Lady You. Is there any need to ask what happened?

I thought it was ridiculous enough that Jia Zhen coveted the second and third sisters before, but who would have thought that now he would actually...actually——

Seeing her trembling, Yindie quickly supported her arm and whispered to comfort her: "Grandma——"

When You turned her head, she saw Yindie frowning and shaking her head slightly, her eyes full of pleading.

Yes, she was only the second wife, and Jia Zhen was a man of his word. What could she say, no matter how absurd it was? If she said it, she would definitely anger Jia Zhen, and she might even be beaten up like Jia Rong.

Well, after all, they are not relatives, so let it be. But Jia Zhen is so cruel and absurd, how long can the wealth and prosperity of the Ningguo Mansion be maintained?
Yu's face changed several times, but finally turned calm. She told the two maids, "When the master wakes up, tell him that the eldest mistress of the West Mansion is leaving her confinement. I'll go over to take a look."

The two maids naturally agreed without delay. Seeing Youshi leading Yindie away, they looked at each other, and while they breathed a sigh of relief, their expressions were filled with contempt.

Meanwhile, Youshi traveled light, with only Yindie and her entourage, in a sedan chair, to the Rongguo Mansion. They soon entered through the black-oiled gate, and a maid hurried inside to announce the matter. Yindie helped Youshi down first, only to see Chen Siyuan approaching from the outer study.

The two of them had no choice but to step forward and greet her with a bow, "Sister-in-law Zhen."

Yu Shi glanced at him, feeling very strange, but said with a smile: "It's Brother Yuan, what are you doing——"

"My uncle just called me here to discuss something. Now that it's done, I'm just about to go back."

"I'll come and see my aunt. In that case, Brother Yuan, please go."

Chen Siyuan agreed and then walked away.

Yu Shi took a quick look at his figure, secretly amazed. It's not like she hadn't seen Brother Yuan before, but he looked like a young man last October. Now he's slim and has the look of a young man. And seeing his slim waist and upright figure, and thinking of her third sister's admiration for him, she guessed he must have the potential—

Yu's pretty face turned red, and she spat at herself secretly. She quickly put her messy thoughts aside and led Yindie to the third-floor ceremonial gate.

Soon, Youshi led Yindie into the main room at the back.

Although the confinement room was lit with incense, it still couldn't cover up the sour and rotten smell. Yu Shi turned into the west side room and saw Madam Xing reclining on the bed, her head wrapped in a cloth, a few messy hair sticking to her cheeks, her face rosy, and she looked even healthier than before her confinement.

Mrs. Xing was feeling very depressed. When she saw Youshi, she smiled and waved, "Brother Zhen, your wife, come quickly!"

Youshi smiled and stepped forward to greet her. Mrs. Xing then said angrily, "Why are you being so uncouth? If we were to go by age alone, I'd still call you sister in private."

Yu Shi laughed and said, "Etiquette and laws cannot be abolished... Why is Auntie clamoring to be released from confinement? When I received the news, I thought it was inappropriate for me to treat you as Auntie, so I hurried over to see you."

Mrs. Xing said in distress, "It's not good to be stuck in the room every day. I just thought I'd take good care of myself, but who knew confinement would be such a chore?"

As he spoke, he pulled the handkerchief and said, "If you don't believe me, come and smell it. It's all rotten!"

Yu Shi smiled and said, "It's just a temporary hardship. How many days are left for Auntie?"

"No, I don't want to stay any longer. I can't wait to take a bath tomorrow."

Mrs. Xing frowned coquettishly, revealing a childish expression that surprised Youshi. Just then, a baby's cry came from the east room, and Mrs. Xing sighed, "Look! The debt collector is here again!"

After a while, Miao'er came with the child in her arms and said, "Madam, my fourth brother must be hungry."

Madam Xing leaned slightly to the side and took the child, gently cradling it as if she were holding a rare treasure. She then unbuttoned her clothes, revealing her round shoulders. Her eyes were filled with tenderness as she gently lifted the child into her arms. When the child's crying subsided, Madam Xing smiled and said, "One who doesn't raise a child doesn't appreciate the kindness of his parents. Don't look at how well-behaved this little thing is now. A while ago, he woke up every hour, and I couldn't even get a good night's sleep!"

Miao'er said, "Isn't it that Madam insists on feeding the baby herself? If she had let the wet nurse feed the baby at night, wouldn't that have been tiring for Madam?"

Mrs. Xing squinted and said, "What do you know? If you feed the child yourself for the first month, he will grow up healthy and strong." Suddenly thinking of the old man in Wang Shanbao's house, Mrs. Xing frowned slightly and then threw it aside.

She insisted on being released from confinement, firstly because she couldn't stand the dirt, and secondly because Chen Siyuan was about to leave for the south, and she always wanted to see him before leaving.

Seeing the child sucking intently, Youshi's heart melted instantly and her envy was beyond words.

So he said, "Auntie's fortune has turned around, and her life is finally getting better."

Madam Xing said, "There will be more worries in the future. This is just the beginning."

Upon hearing this, You Shi became very distressed and said, "Even if I want to be upset, I can't."

Madam Xing looked up at him, then said thoughtfully, "I'm not saying anything bad about you, Zhen's wife, but you also need to pay attention to this child's affairs."

Youshi nodded and said, "Thank you, aunt, for your concern. I have found my third sister today and asked Brother Yuan to find a medicine when he goes south. It will definitely cure this uterine coldness. But..." As she spoke, Youshi bit her lower lip and could not speak.

Yindie, who was standing by, knew that there were some things that Youshi was reluctant to say, so she led Miao'er and Tiao'er aside to talk.

After they left, Youshi said with a bitter face, "Aunt, you don't know, Master and I have been married for over ten years, and now he is extremely disgusted with me. Last month, he finally stayed over for one night, and he just rolled up his quilt and went to sleep. Even if I wanted a child, could I have one myself?"

Mrs. Xing thought back to the past and felt sympathetic. She couldn't help but say with pity, "It's hard for you... After ten years of being married, you've been so busy, haven't you lost interest?" She paused, thinking back to the snowy night of the previous year. After a moment's hesitation, she finally said, "It's not a good thing anyway... To tell you the truth, Ma Dao Po has a good medicine. If you secretly mix it into Zhen'er's wine, Zhen'er will definitely not let you go, even if it's a sow."

"what?"

Youshi stared in amazement.

Madam Xing quickly signaled for silence, then muttered softly, "Do you think this fourth brother fell from the sky?"

Youshi blinked, lost in thought, wondering if she had underestimated this aunt.
Mrs. Xing observed her expression and thought that Youshi didn't believe it, so she called Miao'er over and said, "Go to the cabinet and get my mahogany box."

Miao'er agreed, and in a moment she rummaged through boxes and cabinets to fetch it. Mrs. Xing sent Miao'er away, then opened the box and fished out a small porcelain bottle. She quickly thrust it into Youshi's hand and said, "Put it in the wine. Remember, it should be the size of a fingernail."

Youshi was so frightened that she was afraid that others would see her, so she quickly stuffed it into her arms. Seeing that Mrs. Xing was hesitant with the other two porcelain bottles, Youshi asked, "Auntie, are these two the same?"

Mrs. Xing gritted her teeth and simply pushed the two porcelain bottles over. She said, "These two are extraordinary. This bottle contains spices. Mix them with borneol and other substances and place them on the fumigation cage. It will make people fall asleep in a moment. This bottle is the antidote. It cannot be swallowed. It must be held under the tongue when used."

With these two things, as long as your illness is cured, you will definitely be able to conceive."

Yu Shi was at a loss for words, but since Mrs. Xing was so kind, she had to hide the silver butterfly in her arms. The two of them talked for a while before Yu Shi finally returned with the silver butterfly. On the way, she thought about using this method on Jia Zhen, and she felt sick to her stomach. She couldn't help but recall what Yu Shi had said earlier:
Although this large mansion is rich and luxurious, it is like a coffin. If I were you, instead of being a dead object covered with lacquer and gold, I would rather be a gilded revolving lantern, spinning around happily until he is dizzy, so that my life would not be in vain!
............................................................

A few days passed quickly and it was already the end of September.

Chen Siyuan tried to leave several times, but he was tied up with miscellaneous affairs and could not leave for a while.

The first was that the eldest master, Jia She, was anxious and had repeatedly approached Chen Siyuan to talk about confiscating the Lin family's assets. Who didn't know what he was thinking?

Chen Siyuan knew that if he tried to forcibly secure the Lin family fortune, he was afraid that Jia She, the eldest master, would take a risk and Daiyu might not be saved. Since he had been asked several times, he simply let it go.

But there is still room for discussion on this matter. Both the old lady and Mrs. Wang said that since Jia Yucun could not reply to the letter, it would be better to take over the Lin family's property.

The eldest master, Jia She, was furious and went to Chen Siyuan to give him a good talk about Lady Jia and Lady Wang. With no other alternative, he could only suppress his thoughts for the time being. The second incident was that Lady Xing was truly frustrated and, perhaps hoping to see Shan before leaving, she sent Miao'er to ask Chen Siyuan to hold off on his journey until she was out of confinement.

Calculating that it would take another three or two days, Chen Siyuan agreed.

The third thing was that You Erjie gave birth on the first day of October. You Erjie didn't need to ask for anything. You Sanjie had been begging for Chen Siyuan these days just to let him stay for a few more days.

Chen Siyuan thought that since they had been delayed anyway, one or two days wouldn't make a difference, so he agreed.

Fourthly, Chen Siyuan had recently been conscripted by the King of Yanping. This was because the Wankelai grocery store was about to open, and since everyone in the Dashun clan was new to running this business, they were inevitably short on details. The King of Yanping ordered Chen Siyuan to investigate and fill any gaps.

This was what he should have done, and even if it was a tough job, Chen Siyuan had to do his best. Who knew that this trip would bring him unexpected rewards!
Today, while casually strolling around Wankelai, he caught a glimpse of a small, beige ball in a corner. It had fallen to the ground and bounced up half a person's height. He reached out and squeezed it, but it felt soft and bouncy.

Surprised, he quickly sought out the accompanying clerk to inquire about it. The clerk simply explained that the substance was called "lactate," and its use...most likely, was to make marbles. As for its origin, it was said that during the reign of Emperor Taizong, he established trade relations with the Western Barbarians and had purchased lactate saplings at great expense.

After ten years, it was widely planted in Guangdong and Guangxi, Qiongya, and Zheng He Island. The imperial court also had a farm on Zheng He Island that specialized in producing latex.

Latex? It's fucking rubber!
Even though Chen Siyuan is a calm person, he is still feeling agitated at this moment!

Seeing Chen Siyuan's concern, the clerk added a few words. "This stuff is now everywhere, and the Imperial Household is obliged to manage it according to Emperor Taizong's ancestral teachings, but it's a losing business." In desperation, starting with the Emperor's ascension to the throne, every five years, the latex will be auctioned off to the highest bidder.

In the past, most of the bidders were imperial merchants, but because this matter was a task assigned by the Imperial Palace, the imperial merchants from all over the country lost money to gain publicity, and took the money to bid, just as a tribute to the Imperial Palace.

After carefully listening to the auction, the clerk seemed to be well-informed. He explained that the Zheng He Island farm had a total of 3,000 mu of latex forest, producing 500,000 kilograms of latex annually. The auction took place every five years, with a starting price of 20,000 silver coins, and shipping costs to be paid by the bidder.

Two and a half million catties of latex for only twenty thousand taels of silver? Such a good business would be hard to find even with a lantern!
When he heard that the auction would be held in March of the following year, Chen Siyuan suppressed his ecstasy and hurried back to Rongguo Mansion.

Even if he didn't know anything about engineering, he knew rubber needed to be smoked with sulfur and mixed with carbon black. Furthermore, this material had many uses, whether it was making tires, shoe soles, rubber hoses, or even tape. Each of these could be a huge business!

Chen Siyuan pondered this carefully. He feared that this business was too big to handle, and he might even end up dragging Prince Ping of Yan into the fray. Only then would he feel at ease. Alternatively, he could recruit a wide range of prominent shareholders. Only when there were more powerful and influential shareholders would he become less noticeable.

The only thing I am worried about is that these five years are too much time. If I can monopolize this business for 20 or 30 years, then I will have enough for everything in the future!

Always calm in the face of great events, Chen Siyuan suppressed his excitement and returned to his own courtyard. Hongyu came to greet him and said, "Master, the third and fourth girls came together in the afternoon, but when they saw that you were not here, they went back."

Chen Siyuan paused, puzzled. Out of pity, he treated little Xichun very well, and Xichun was always happy to come to him. Third Miss Tanchun, on the other hand, though she could hardly conceal her admiration whenever she saw him, was extremely tactful, visiting only once or twice a month.

Things have been strange lately. This is Xichun’s fourth visit... Could it be that this girl has some ulterior motive?
Chen Siyuan asked, "Are they going to play in the garden now?"

Hongyu smiled and said, "Miss Yun loves to play outside. I think Miss Three and Miss Four must be instigated by Miss Yun to go out in the garden right now."

Chen Siyuan smiled and nodded: "Then I will change my clothes and go find them."

He went inside, changed his clothes and took a short rest, then went to the garden while it was still light.

Who would have thought that just as he entered the garden from the back, he saw from afar a crowd of people in the villa where the relatives came to visit. Coincidentally, Mrs. Liu was watching the fun nearby, so Chen Siyuan went to ask her about it.

Sister Liu lowered her voice and said, "Today, the Madam invited the old lady to come and visit the garden. She only asked the old lady to carefully consider the details and check for any deficiencies. If there are no errors, the master will submit a petition to request a date for the imperial concubine to return home tomorrow."

"That's how it is."

Chen Siyuan saw Yingchun, Tanchun, Xichun, Xiangyun, Baochai and Daiyu all near Lady Jia from afar. Knowing that he did not have the nerve to do so, he simply circled around and avoided them.

He walked along the winding path on the mountain, and soon passed the stone cave. Not far ahead was the Peony Pavilion. From a distance, he saw Aunt Xue strolling towards this side.

Aunt Xue's eyes lit up when she saw Chen Siyuan. She couldn't help but secretly clench her handkerchief, whispered a few instructions to her companions, and then walked over to greet him.

The two of them met near the Ouxiang Pavilion and exchanged polite greetings. Chen Siyuan then asked, "My concubine, are you in such a good mood that you've come to stroll around the garden?"

Aunt Xue rolled her eyes at him and said, "It was the old lady who wanted to invite you, and she asked me to help check for any deficiencies. But I'm tired now, so I came to sit in the pavilion over here... Did Brother Yuan just come back?"

As she spoke, Aunt Xue bit her lower lip, and her almond-shaped eyes seemed to be filled with tears.

Because they had been busy with Xue Pan's wedding these days, the two had not met for seven or eight days, so Aunt Xue was naturally worried about them.

Chen Siyuan's heart fluttered at the sight of this. Aunt Xue looked about 49, but her face was no more than 20. She lost her shyness in bed, and as she tenderly embraced love, she possessed a charm unlike any other young girl.

Chen Siyuan's heart moved, and he suddenly lowered his voice and asked, "Are you free tomorrow?"

Aunt Xue looked angry, turned her head to look at Tongxi, and nodded quickly.

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Then I'll wait for you in the afternoon." He coughed and said, "In that case, I won't disturb the concubine's rest."

"Okay, Brother Yuan, take your time."

Chen Siyuan saw Tongxi looking into the water in the distance, so he took advantage of the moment when they passed each other to quietly touch Aunt Xue, then walked away as if nothing had happened. Aunt Xue's heart was moved and her face was full of love, but she was afraid that Tongxi would see her, so she hurriedly stroked her temples.

After a long while, he finally called Tongxi and walked away.

That day Chen Siyuan couldn't find the two little ones, so he had nothing else to say.

The next day, at noon, Chen Siyuan prepared wine and food in the small courtyard at the entrance of Da Gezi Lane, waiting for Aunt Xue to arrive.

Perhaps because they hadn't seen each other for so long, Aunt Xue herself missed him so much that she arrived before noon. When the two of them met, they were instantly attracted to each other, and naturally they were in a state of passionate affection.

When the wind died down and the rain stopped, Aunt Xue snuggled in Chen Siyuan's arms, stretched out her plump arms, picked up the chopsticks, picked up the delicious food, and fed it to Chen Siyuan one by one.

Before Chen Siyuan could even begin to discuss the matter, Aunt Xue said, "Brother has written back again, saying he'll see what Prince Beijing decides to do."

"What about Prince Beijing?" Chen Siyuan asked while chewing a longevity fruit.

Aunt Xue frowned and said angrily, "What else can we do? I've asked him several times, but he always says he's busy... I think Prince Beijing is afraid of Prince Zhongshun."

Chen Siyuan sneered, "Don't you know what your brother is thinking? He has big plans."

Chen Siyuan had spent a lot of time with Madam Wang and knew what kind of person she was. She was straightforward and simple-minded, far inferior to Sister Feng. If someone like her could one day seize the entire Rongguo Mansion, Chen Siyuan would never believe that Prince Teng hadn't been behind this.

He glanced at Aunt Xue in his arms again. Yes, Aunt Xue was also a daughter of the Wang family. The family business was on the verge of collapse, so she might have become involved with Wang Ziteng and Madam Wang.

Aunt Xue said in distress, "It's strange. I had hoped for something, but after so much time, now that I've received such bad news, I don't really care about it anymore."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "I gave you an idea before. With this plan as a backup, you don't have to worry."

Aunt Xue couldn't help but frown upon hearing this and said, "Could it be that if this is delayed for two years, I will really lose my job as an imperial merchant?"

Chen Siyuan pondered, "Prince Zhongshun isn't a man of patience either. Let's see what he says in the next few days."

Aunt Xue nodded in agreement.

Chen Siyuan drank a glass of wine and said thoughtfully, "I have a good business here. Maybe I can help the Xue family become rich and prosperous."

Aunt Xue immediately stood up, poured wine for him attentively, and said anxiously, "Brother, tell me quickly, what kind of good business is it?" After a pause, before Chen Siyuan could reply, she interrupted, "Yes, brother, you are going south. Could you be a salt merchant?"

"Where?" Chen Siyuan frowned. "The eight major salt merchants in Yangzhou may all be extremely wealthy, but in reality, they're just fat pigs raised by the imperial court. They'll be slaughtered in a few years. If the Xue family becomes a salt merchant, they'd be truly degrading themselves."

Aunt Xue looked embarrassed and muttered, "What else can I do for a living?"

Chen Siyuan and Aunt Xue were close friends, but he knew Aunt Xue was concerned about the Xue family's fortune, so he didn't dare to tell her everything. He just said, "Don't worry about what kind of business it is. Just prepare some money privately. You know I don't have much capital, so half will be considered a loan and half will be considered a share."

When Aunt Xue heard this, she glanced down at him and her pretty face turned red.

Chen Siyuan blinked and said, "It's not that kind of money... Tsk, didn't you eat enough just now?"

Aunt Xue giggled a few times, and seeing that Chen Siyuan was about to pounce on her, she begged for mercy.

The two of them laughed and joked for a while before sitting together to eat.

Aunt Xue asked, "There has to be a figure. How much silver do you need?"

Chen Siyuan narrowed his eyes and said, "It's hard to say right now. Fifty thousand is not too much, but one hundred thousand is not too little."

"Ah?" Aunt Xue was surprised.

Chen Siyuan took a look and said with a smile, "Why? Are you afraid that I'll take the money and not come back?"

Aunt Xue shook her head and said, "That's not it... My sister whispered a few days ago that the Rongguo Mansion's official residence is a little closed, and she might ask my family for a loan... He'll need 30,000 or 40,000 silver coins."

Chen Siyuan frowned and said, "You haven't paid back the previous one yet, and you're borrowing another?"

Seeing Aunt Xue nod with no expression, Chen Siyuan knew that Aunt Xue was planning to count the two loans as Baochai's dowry... Tsk, how could that be possible? That was all her own money!

Chen Siyuan couldn't help but console her, saying, "Madam is still hesitant. You're sending money without a single definite word. Isn't that like throwing meat buns at a dog?"

Seeing Aunt Xue speechless, Chen Siyuan continued, "Besides, Wenlong's marriage to the Cao family will give him a backer in the inner court. What's the point of you currying favor with the Jia family?"

Aunt Xue stammered, "The Jia, Shi, Wang, and Xue families have been connected for generations. I can't just sit back and watch my sister get into trouble."

Although she said this, she suddenly realized in her heart - yes, since she has married into the Cao family, why should she try so hard to please the Jia family?
Seeing the flicker in his eyes, Chen Siyuan did not try to persuade him any further.

After a moment, Aunt Xue suddenly said, "You've been spending a lot of time with Baochai lately?"

Chen Siyuan was about to raise his glass to drink when he paused. Seeing Aunt Xue's scrutinizing glance, he drank it all in one gulp as if nothing had happened and said, "I've seen you a few times in the garden. What's the matter?"

"Did she... say anything else?"

That’s a lot to say... I’ve been planning with Chen Siyuan how to convince Aunt Xue.

Chen Siyuan couldn't say that. He just pretended to be puzzled and asked, "Other things? What other things?"

Seeing that Chen Siyuan 'really didn't know', Aunt Xue quickly shook her head and said, "It's nothing. Maybe Yun is new here, and Baoyu is easily bored with the old and loves the new. He hasn't looked for her in the past few days, so he must be feeling a little depressed."

Chen Siyuan responded and immediately began to eat. He felt a pang of bitterness in his heart. This was in cahoots with Aunt Xue, which made it difficult for him to marry Bao-sister. At this point, how should he comfort Aunt Xue?
(End of this chapter)