Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 200: It's easy to deceive people, but hard to deceive God
"This..." Xing Zhen was at a loss for what to do after hearing this.

Unexpectedly, Xing Zhong smacked his lips and said, "But at least there's my elder sister to advocate for us. I think... the better for us to do it sooner rather than later. When Brother Yuan returns home, why don't we follow him to the capital to seek refuge with my elder sister?"

Xing Zhenshi has been living in precarious circumstances these years, so she is naturally happy to go to the capital to take advantage of Madam Xing's influence. At least she will have enough food and clothing, unlike now when she suffers from hunger and fullness.

So he said, "All is up to the boss."

Xing Zhong couldn't help but feel very proud, stroking his beard and saying, "Big sister, please help to match them up. It would be great if Xiuyan could marry Yuan Ge'er. They are cousins ​​to begin with, and it would be an even closer relationship in the future. Hey, if the matchmaking doesn't work out—" What if the matchmaking doesn't work out? Xing Zhong said nothing, only turning to say, "When you have time, go to the east and have a look around."

As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. Xing Zhen knew what Xing Zhong was asking for; it was simply to find out how Zhen Feng's daughter, Xiangling, was faring. If Xiangling was doing well, what would happen if Xing Xiuyan married Chen Siyuan as a concubine? They were already related, so how could she be worse off than Xiangling in the future?
The couple was in no hurry to go forward, they just closed the door and whispered to each other.

Back in the main room, past events and anecdotes were recounted, while Qingwen, though clever, disdained to engage in conversation. Yunxiang, on the other hand, was now discussing Zhuan'er, asking him all sorts of questions, and soon she had learned all about his past.

Yunxiang couldn't help but feel very proud, thinking that when she told the letter to her master later, she might even get an extra string of money next month.

Over here, Chen Siyuan took a sip of tea and talked about tomorrow's worship arrangements, saying, "I have to go to Xuanmu Mountain tomorrow to pay my respects to Mr. and Mrs. Lin Yansi."

Xing Xiuyan didn't ask why. She just frowned at the mention of Xuanmu Mountain and said, "Xuanmu Mountain... I'm afraid Brother Yuan will have to stay here for one night."

It's more than seventy miles from Suzhou to Xuanmu Mountain. Even if you set out early in the morning, you'll still have to spend most of the day on the road. Don't you need to stay overnight?

Xing Xiuyan hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "Brother Yuan, why don't you find a farmhouse to stay in tomorrow and then go to pay your respects the next morning?"

Chen Siyuan paused, holding the teacup in his hand, and said, "I heard there's a Panxiang Temple on Xuanmu Mountain. The temple is always quiet and peaceful, so I was thinking of staying there for the night."

Xing Xiuyan said, "Brother Yuan, you don't know that the abbot of Panxiang Temple changed a few years ago. He is very... difficult to talk to. I think it would be more appropriate for you to stay in a farmhouse."

"I see," Chen Siyuan said, "Cousin, you may not know that there is a nun named Miaoyu in the Rongguo Mansion who practices Buddhism. I heard that she settled in Panxiang Temple in her early years."

Xing Xiuyan was surprised and asked, "Miaoyu? She actually went to Rongguo Mansion as well?"

Chen Siyuan asked knowingly, "Cousin, do you know Miaoyu?"

Xing Xiuyan said with a smile, "Miaoyu and I are both teachers and friends. I'm not afraid of being laughed at by Brother Yuan. Back then, Miaoyu and I lived next door to each other, and it was Miaoyu who taught me how to read and write." After a pause, she asked, "Brother Yuan and Master Miaoyu..."

"Oh," Chen Siyuan said honestly, "Master Miaoyu is extremely arrogant and rarely goes out, so I only saw her from afar twice."

Xing Xiuyan laughed and said, "That's just her personality."

The two talked for a while, and as the hour drew to a close, Xing Zhong and his wife finally emerged from the back. A moment later, a waiter arrived with food boxes, and Xing Zhong warmly invited Chen Siyuan to sit down.

Xing Zhong then claimed it was a family dinner and invited Xing Xiuyan to stay. Chen Siyuan observed carefully and saw that Xing Xiuyan sat down with ease, which made him admire her even more.

During the meal, Xing Zhong and his wife were full of flattery and frequently urged Xing Xiuyan and Chen Siyuan to drink together. Their intention to match them up was obvious.

But Xing Xiuyan's face showed no strange expression. She had drunk a few glasses of wine, and her face was red and her cheeks were rosy, making her look very charming.

After three rounds of drinking, Xing Zhongxian got drunk and his speech became slurred and slurred. Chen Siyuan saw that the situation was not good and simply said he was too drunk and stood up to leave.

Xing Zhen was cursing Xing Zhong in her heart, but when she saw she couldn't persuade him to stay, she said, "Well...your uncle drank a lot this morning, so he didn't spend time with Haoyuan today."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Aunt, there's no need to be sour. Wine and drinks are just for fun. I'm already full and I'm afraid I'll get drunk if I have two more."

There was a ruckus——

But without checking, Xing Zhong actually shrank under the table and knocked over the dishes in front of him.

Xing Zhen hurried over to support him, frowning and saying, "Oh, Zhenzhen is really drunk now. Xiuyan will see Yuange off for me."

Xing Xiuyan agreed and stood up to see Chen Siyuan off. The two walked side by side and in a blink of an eye they reached the door. Chen Siyuan stopped and turned around and said, "Cousin, please stay. I'm going back first."

Xing Xiuyan smiled and nodded, watching him enter the east gate of the house, then closed the door and turned around.

At this moment, Xing Zhenshi and Zhuan'er took a lot of effort to send Xing Zhong to the back bedroom. In the blink of an eye, Xing Zhong was snoring like thunder.

Xing Xiuyan came over to observe, and Xing Zhenshi said, "Don't worry about your father. He might not sober up until night." Then she pulled Xing Xiuyan aside and said with a smile, "My son, I just saw that you and Yuan Ge'er... are very close."

Xing Xiuyan said, "We are cousins, so what does it have to do with whether we get along or not?"

Upon hearing this, Xing Zhen couldn't help but show a teasing look on her face. She said with a smile, "Just cousins? My son, you just saw it. That Yuan brother is one in a thousand in character and talent. There are probably many girls out there who want to marry him. Our family is related to his, and your eldest aunt wrote to try to match them up... Such a good match is hard to find even with a lantern. You must pay more attention to it..."

Even though Xing Xiuyan was a calm person, she couldn't help but blush and tilt her head to say angrily, "Mom, you're talking nonsense again... Zhuan'er and I are going to clean up. Mom, please look after Daddy."

After saying this, he led Zhuan'er forward. Xing Zhenshi followed him for two steps and stopped at the door. She swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue, fearing that Chen Siyuan next door would hear what she said. So she tutted her tongue and muttered, "What's so shameful about talking to me?"

Thinking of what happened before, Xing Zhen curled her lips, thinking that Xing Xiuyan was embarrassed, and turned back to look after Xing Zhong.

But Xing Xiuyan and Zhuan'er arrived in front. When Zhuan'er saw the leftovers, he started to drool and looked at Xing Xiuyan pitifully.

"Sister, I was waiting by your side just now, and I'm still hungry now."

Xing Xiuyan smiled dumbly and said, "Eat, eat, eat some. If you eat it all, be careful or your mother will scold you."

"Hey!" Zhuan'er agreed happily, picked up the chopsticks used by Xing Xiuyan, picked up a chopstick of fried eel shreds, and then picked up the roasted pork with bean curd sheets and started eating.

Seeing that there wasn't much roast meat left, he turned to the crab meat and tofu. When he was half full, and Xing Xiuyan was clearing away the dishes, Zhuan'er asked, "What do you think, sister?"

"What do you think?"

Zhuan'er bit the end of her chopsticks and said, "Even I noticed it, so I don't believe that sister didn't notice it."

"Stop talking too much and eat your food!" Xing Xiuyan said this, but her hands slowed down.

What young girl doesn't have a crush on someone? She'd be seventeen next year, and the Xing family wasn't considered a wealthy family. If she didn't marry soon, she'd probably become an old maid. Although she had a simple nature, she still hoped to find a suitable marriage.

Her cousin, Chen Siyuan, was a perfect match for her in both character and talent, and he didn't speak with the same pedantic airs as those other sour scholars. Xing Xiuyan had harbored some feelings for him, but she had only just met him, so how could she possibly settle the matter? Furthermore, she didn't know if her cousin was engaged, so she'd better leave that for later.

Zhuan'er took two more bites of the squirrel mandarin fish and said vaguely, "If I were you, I would definitely get married right away. That Mr. Yuan passed the imperial examination at such a young age, and he's very generous... You didn't see that? All that leather, ginseng, and deer antlers, combined, I'm afraid they'll cost dozens of taels of silver. If they're good, it'll be over a hundred taels of silver!"

Xing Xiuyan said angrily, "Since you want to get married, why don't you just get married?"

Zhuan'er chuckled twice and said, "I do think so, but Master Yuan might not be willing to accept it." After a pause, he added, "To put it bluntly, if Master Yuan went to Panxiang Temple, who knows, those impregnable nuns might be happy to accept him even if they were willing to pay for him."

Xing Xiuyan shook her head secretly. Just looking at Qingwen's appearance, she knew that her cousin would never be seduced by the vulgar women in Panxiang Temple.

Suddenly, my heart tightened: Yes, there are some shameful methods in Panxiang Temple. If they really use them on my cousin... that would be bad!
However, since they had just parted, Xing Xiuyan couldn't come to visit, so she thought about giving Chen Siyuan some more instructions early tomorrow morning before he left.

Elsewhere, Chen Siyuan, still slightly tipsy, led Qingwen, Yunxiang, and the others back to Xiangling's home. As soon as they entered, Yunxiang ran in front of Chen Siyuan as if presenting a treasure, walked backwards, and winked, saying, "Master, master, that Zhuan'er is indeed a little nun. It's said that my cousin's family lived in Panxiang Temple in the early years, and we knew each other then. Later, Panxiang Temple changed its abbot, and everyone became dishonest. Miaoyu and her master saw the situation and left early. Later, pilgrims came to harass my cousin again, and my cousin's family had no choice but to move here."

Chen Siyuan asked, "What happened next?"

"And then? Later, Zhuan'er refused to go along with the corrupt officials, so the abbot refused to give her food. Zhuan'er couldn't stand the hunger anymore, so she simply ran down the mountain. She happened to run into my cousin, and she took her in. Well, it happened last month."

Chen Siyuan nodded, thinking to himself: No wonder Xing Xiuyan and her family moved here. Could it be that Panxiang Temple has also become a den of brothel?

Although he was a bohemian, he didn't dare wander around the brothels and the red-light districts, because at that time, there were many diseases. There were no antibiotics, and if he really caught a disease, his life would be over!
Because I was a little disgusted with Panxiang Temple, and thinking about what Xing Xiuyan had just said, it suddenly occurred to me that Xing Xiuyan was also afraid of accidentally entering a den of brothel?
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but smile. If he hadn't passed the Autumn Examination, there would be no hope for Sister Lin and Sister Bao. Third Sister You was deeply in love, and Second Sister You was obsessed with money. These two would follow him, but their personalities weren't suitable for being the main wife. Xing Xiuyan was the perfect choice for the main wife.

However, the two of them are now a mismatch, a world of difference. If I insist on marrying Xing Xiuyan as my principal wife, I'm afraid it will cause unrest in the family... Never mind, we can discuss this matter later.

There was nothing else to do that day, and the next day came in a blink of an eye.

The servant Qingyu booked a carriage yesterday afternoon and bought a lot of incense, candles and yellow paper. After breakfast this morning, Chen Siyuan led a group of people to get on the carriage, carrying incense, candles and yellow paper.

Unexpectedly, just as the carriage was about to set off, the Xing family opened the door and the little maid Zhuan'er came running in.

"Uncle Yuan!"

Chen Siyuan lifted the carriage curtain. Zhuan'er bowed casually and said, "My daughter said that the nuns in the Panxiang Temple have a kind of bewitching incense that can make people fall into delusion without realizing it."

Chen Siyuan smiled and nodded, "I understand. Thank you, cousin, for me."

Zhuan'er smiled and agreed, then turned around. Chen Siyuan took the opportunity to look over and saw half of a face appearing from behind the door. Seeing the face looking at him, he quickly retreated.

Chen Siyuan smiled and ordered the carriages to set off. Two carriages followed one another, leaving Jianxia Lane with the sound of rumbling wheels.

After Chen Siyuan and the others left, Xing Zhen couldn't help but go to Xiangling's house to check on her. However, because Xiangling was having her period and unable to walk, she didn't go with them.

Xing Zhen took one look at Xiangling, and her heart skipped a beat. Xiangling was naturally beautiful, and since she had been with Chen Siyuan, not only had she been enjoying a smooth life, but now she was adorned with jewels and precious stones, something even the girls from ordinary wealthy families couldn't compare to!

Even when Xing Xiuyan stood next to her, she was compared to a maid!

Xing Zhen thought to herself, since Xiangling was only a concubine, what hope was there for her own daughter? However, she was unwilling to accept this, so she immediately pulled Zhen Fengshi aside and asked her about it for a long time.

Xiangling's mother, Zhen Feng, had been living a smooth life over the past year, taking good care of her health. Seeing her daughter smile more and more, she felt relieved. Although Xiangling was only a concubine, Zhen Feng had finally come to terms with it.

She was not a person who thought too much, so whatever Xing Zhen asked, she just poured out all her thoughts at once.

The more Xing Zhen listened, the more shocked she became. She already knew that Zhen Shiyin was a country gentleman. What she didn't know was that Yuan Ge'er had already been engaged so early, and the girl he was engaged to was the orphan daughter of the late Salt Commissioner Lin Ruhai!

Xing Zhen was immediately disappointed and was about to say goodbye, but Zhen Feng turned around and said that Chen Siyuan and the orphan girl of the Lin family had made an agreement to inherit the family line.

Xing Zhen was happy again!
Before she finished, Zhen Feng smiled and said that ever since Chen Siyuan passed the imperial examination, rumors were everywhere in Rongguo Mansion. At one time, it was said that Chen Siyuan was going to get married to the second young lady; at another time, it was said that she was the only daughter of Wang Ziteng, the governor of nine provinces.

Xing Zhen's heart was in turmoil, and she was filled with worry. The Xing family was a small family, and theirs was a branch of the Xing family. How could they compare to the Rongguo Mansion and Wang Ziteng?
He hurriedly said goodbye to Zhen Fengshi and returned home with a heavy heart. He sighed and told Xing Zhong about it.

Unexpectedly, Xing Zhong's eyes rolled around for a while, then he suddenly clapped his hands and said, "Great!"

"Good?" Xing Zhen said angrily, "I'm afraid this marriage is hopeless. What good is there in it?"

Xing Zhong said, "You have long hair but little knowledge! Don't you think about it? As someone who has won the favor of the second young lady of Rongguo Mansion and Lord Wang, how can this brother Yuan's future be limited? Tsk tsk, maybe he will be promoted to the prime minister in the future. If Xiuyan can't be the main wife, then she can be a concubine. Maybe we can have hope for the rest of our lives!"

Xing Zhen thought of Xiangling, all decked out in jewels, and her heart immediately warmed. She couldn't help but smile and said, "The head of the household is truly thoughtful. I'll go talk to Xiuyan about this." Xing Zhong frowned and said, "What are you going to say to her? Just let them keep in touch with each other... Marriage has always been a matter of parents' orders and matchmakers' words. When I meet my eldest sister someday, I'll let her arrange the match."

Xing Zhenshi agreed without hesitation and couldn't help but yearn for the wealth and splendor of the Rongguo Mansion. She couldn't help but chat with Xing Zhong for half a day.

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

The carriage stopped by the roadside, the curtains drawn aside. Qingwen was seen rummaging through her baggage. She found a large mink coat and put it on Chen Siyuan. She glanced at the sky outside and said, "It looks like the weather is going to change. My lord, please put on some extra clothes to avoid catching a cold."

Chen Siyuan agreed, looking ahead. The servant Qingyu chatted with the old man for a while, and then Yunxiang brought the old woman over to talk for a while before they all returned.

The servant Qing Yu said, "Master, I have reached an agreement with the old man. He will vacate a house in a while."

The maidservant Yunxiang said, "Master, Master, I have carefully checked and found that the Lin family's ancestral tomb is located south of Xuanmu Mountain. I heard that there are still family members guarding it."

Chen Siyuan walked along, thinking that the two little ones were getting more experience and could be sent out on errands in the future.

After a while, a house was indeed vacated in the village, no more than three rooms in size. Chen Siyuan and Qingwen were placed in the eastern room, the two maids in the western room, and the servant Qingyu and the groom moved in elsewhere.

The journey was bumpy, and the winter chill in the south of the Yangtze River was biting, so everyone retired after dinner. All night long, nothing much was said, and at dawn, everyone set off again to search for the Lin family's ancestral tomb.

Fortunately, it was only about ten miles away, and we arrived at the destination in just over half an hour.

When Chen Siyuan got out of the carriage, he saw about forty men guarding the place. He stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Excuse me, sir. I am Chen Siyuan, a successful candidate in the imperial examinations of Shuntian Prefecture. I have met the Salt Commissioner Lin several times, and I passed through here on my study tour. I heard that he was buried here, so I came to sweep the graves and pay my respects."

"So it's Master Chen. Nice to meet you!" The man's expression softened, and he pointed the way with a smile, "My cousin is buried not far away. I'll take Master Chen there."

Chen Siyuan agreed and ordered his men to carry incense, candles and yellow paper and follow the man.

He knew that the Lin family must have had a fight with Jia Yucun, Jia Lian and others for Lin Ruhai's property. If Chen Siyuan revealed his engagement with Daiyu, he would probably be disliked by the Lin family, so he covered it up.

After a while, they arrived at the grave. Chen Siyuan glanced at the tombstone and sighed in his heart. He bowed respectfully as a sign of greeting, offered three glasses of wine, and lit the incense and candles himself. The rest of the people found a brazier to burn yellow paper.

Chen Siyuan stood before the grave, his hands clasped behind his back, his heart awash with thoughts, a thousand words in his mind, a sudden surge of sorrow. He could hide his feelings from others, but not from Heaven. Having lived two lives, Chen Siyuan, though he had no idea whether ghosts and gods existed, was certain that there was a master of the universe.

Because he secretly told Lin Ruhai: "Father-in-law, Lao Taishan, I, Chen Shuliang, stole Chen Siyuan's body and forged Lao Taishan's marriage certificate. I used all means to luckily pass the imperial examination, and now I am about to marry Sister Lin. I know that my character is poor and I am not a good match."

If Old Taishan knew, he would regret his hasty decision to entrust Sister Lin to the Rongguo Mansion. Though humble, I swear to protect Sister Lin for the rest of my life. If Old Taishan knew, please let me know.

Chen Siyuan pondered this and stared intently at the tombstone. After a long pause, he let out a self-deprecating laugh. Suddenly, a gust of wind picked up, and he turned to see a whirlwind sweeping up the ashes from the brazier. The gusts settled at the side of the tomb before dissipating in an instant.

Chen Siyuan blinked and wondered whether this meant he agreed or disagreed.

After waiting for a while, seeing no movement, Qingwen came over and said, "Master... it's time to go back." As she spoke, she raised her hand and used a handkerchief to wipe away the ashes that had fallen on Chen Siyuan's shoulders.

"Yes," Chen Siyuan nodded, bowed towards the tombs of Lin Ruhai and Jia Min, and said, "In that case, I will definitely bring Sister Lin to pay my respects when I have time!"

After saying that, he turned around, pulled Qingwen, and strode towards the carriage.

Qingwen was being dragged along as if she were jogging, and she felt a large hand gripping her tightly. She couldn't help but ask, "What did the master say to Lin Yansi just now?"

Chen Siyuan just shook his head and said, "A gentleman does not speak of strange things."

Just as he arrived in front of the carriage, he suddenly felt a little bit of coolness on his face. Chen Siyuan looked up and saw fine snowflakes falling.

"It's snowing?" Yunxiang, who was standing behind, reached out to scoop up some food, then immediately shouted, "I thought it would be warmer in the south of the Yangtze River, but who knew it would snow in October?"

We're still in the Little Ice Age, so isn't it going to snow in Suzhou? Not only that, but Tianjin's port is even closed during the winter months.

Fearing that heavy snow would delay their return journey, everyone hurriedly boarded the carriage and urged the driver to return to the city quickly.

There was no conversation along the way. By the time they entered the city and arrived at Jianxia Lane, it was already night.

The two carriages were clamoring, and the little maid Zhuan'er secretly watched from the window next door. When she saw Chen Siyuan enter with a crowd of people behind him, she turned around and said to Xing Xiuyan with a smile, "Sister, Master Yuan is back. It seems he didn't stay at Panxiang Temple."

Xing Xiuyan, who was copying the scriptures, paused briefly and said with a calm smile, "My cousin isn't the type to sleep with prostitutes. Since he knows Panxiang Temple is not clean, he naturally won't stay the night."

Zhuan'er came over and said, "Sister, do you think Master Yuan will come to look for you tomorrow?"

Xing Xiuyan sighed in embarrassment, frowned, raised her brush, tapped Zhuan'er's eyebrows, and scolded him, "If you behave like this again, I won't care if your parents chase you away next time!"

Zhuan'er had always been weak, and immediately pleaded, "I was wrong. Please forgive me, sister. I won't do that again!"

Xing Xiuyan rolled her eyes at him and resumed her copying, but she was distracted and made a mistake, so the nearly finished page became a waste paper. She put down her pen and ink, crumpled the paper into a ball, and angrily threw it at Zhuan'er. Looking back, she also felt a sense of wonder... Will my cousin come to see me tomorrow?
............................................................

Ningguo Mansion.

Jia Zhen frowned and paced the hall with his hands behind his back. After a while, the steward came in and said, "Master, Doctor Bao is here."

Jia Zhen waved his hand, and in a moment the steward ushered in Doctor Bao. After he had paid his respects, Jia Zhen said, "Doctor Bao, I want to ask you, where exactly did Rong'er get hurt? Why haven't you seen him for ten days?"

Jia Rong was fooling around with Old Lady You when she went berserk. Not only was his face scratched, but he was also stabbed three inches below his navel with a pair of scissors. He was then caught in the act by Second and Third Sister You. How could he have the nerve to cry? He endured the excruciating pain and rode back to Ningguo Mansion, where he immediately called in the imperial physician.

Doctor Bao acted most responsibly, and Jia Rong offered him a generous reward, asking him only to cover up the situation for the time being. Doctor Bao naturally agreed, and then everyone told others that Jia Rong had been disgraced and could not see anyone for the time being.

In fact, Doctor Bao had spent a lot of effort in the past ten days, prescribed countless prescriptions, and even performed surgery when he was forced to do so. Although one of Jia Rong's two children was killed, at least one was saved.

It was freezing cold at the time, and perhaps because of the blessings of the Jia family's ancestors, Jia Rong's wound gradually healed after the operation, and he didn't develop any other symptoms. It's just that he still has difficulty walking... If Chen Siyuan were here, he would definitely praise him as a 'lone hero'!
Jia Zhen had been suspicious for a long time and began to question him with a cold face. How could Doctor Bao dare to lie?

He then stammered and drove out the outsiders, and then told the truth.

Jia Zhen himself was absurd and didn't care about Jia Rong's affair with Old Lady You. But when he heard that Jia Rong had been injured in the genitals, he was immediately furious: "What a beast! What a beast!"

After yelling and cursing twice, Jia Zhen became even more impatient. He knew his own situation. He had taken in many concubines over the years, but there was no sign of anything happening. He thought it was because he had slept with many women in his early years and damaged his roots.

Although he disliked Jia Rong, he was counting on Jia Rong to carry on the family line. Now, this little beast Jia Rong was injured... If he could not carry on the family line, how would Jia Zhen face his ancestors in the future?

Jia Zhen suddenly stopped and asked in a low voice, "Doctor Bao, in your opinion, will this little beast still be able to have children in the future?"

"This...should be fine, but it's not fully recovered yet, so I dare not make any rash judgments."

Jia Zhen gathered his strength, said a few kind words, and then sent Doctor Bao away. He wanted to beat Jia Rong up right away, but was afraid that beating him would make him unable to have children, so he lost his temper and smashed the teacup inside.

A moment later, You Shi entered quietly. She took a quick look and asked in surprise, "What kind of temper has Master got?"

"It's not..." Jia Zhen couldn't continue speaking. He said vaguely, "Forget it. It has nothing to do with you." Seeing Youshi dressed neatly and put on her coat, Jia Zhen asked, "What's this, ma'am?"

Yu Shi said softly, "Master, you know my stepmother is ill. I haven't been to see her for five or six days. Yesterday, I made an appointment with my second and third sisters to go and see her together today."

Jia Zhen said evasively, "Old An's illness is strange, and it cannot be ignored. Let's find a suitable doctor to treat him again. If that doesn't work, we can go to various temples and seek help."

You agreed and immediately said goodbye and left.

Yu Shi went out of the ceremonial gate and took the oil-painted carriage to leave Ningguo Mansion. Then she saw Yu Sanjie's carriage parked against the wall.

When they got closer, Youshi parted the curtains and said, "Second sister, third sister, why don't we squeeze in together so we can chat for a while."

There was silence in the carriage opposite for a moment, and then You Erjie said, "Then please wait a moment, eldest sister."

After a while, You Erjie and You Sanjie got off the carriage together and got into You's carriage.

The three sisters' words must not be heard by outsiders, so Youshi sent the maid Yindie away.

As the carriage rumbled on, Third Sister You asked, "How did you hear about that matter?"

Yu Shi smiled and said, "I was just about to tell my two sisters—"

Halfway through her words, Third Sister You sneered and said, "Since we have different fathers and mothers, I don't know why you insist on recognizing this relationship. Now we are just trying to make peace with each other. Once this matter is over, you can go your way and I'll go mine!"

Yu Shi felt extremely bitter and looked at You Erjie as if asking for help.

During the past ten days or so, the three sisters went to visit Old Lady You again. Although she had behaved a little better, she was determined not to remarry.

That doctor is only an eighth-rank official. If she marries him, how can she have the imperial edict to comfort the people?

So the three sisters tied up Old Lady You again, and later You secretly gave a headdress to Second Sister You in order to win her over.

You Erjie was a greedy person to begin with, and she felt obliged to return the favor, so she had to defend You Shi now.

You Erjie immediately said, "Why are you being so picky, Third Sister? Although Eldest Sister has only been with us for two years, ask yourself, has she treated us badly? But when there's something delicious or useful, has Eldest Sister ever thought of us?"

Third Sister You snorted coldly and asked, glancing at Second Sister You, "What benefit did she promise you?"

You Erjie was choked and said, "I swear to God, when has my eldest sister ever promised me anything good?" You Shi naturally said nothing else and just gave her a set of headgear.

Third Sister You snorted again, turned her head away and said nothing.

You Erjie said softly, "Besides... Brother Yuan is not someone you can worry about. Look at the people in his room, and think about the rumors circulating around Rongguo Mansion a while ago." After a pause, You Erjie consoled her, "Let me be frank. Although Third Sister and Brother Yuan are in love, she is not his wife after all. Can Brother Yuan ask Third Sister in advance about who he will hang out with in the future?"

Third Sister You frowned slightly, but she knew what Second Sister You said made sense. So she became even more angry with Old Lady You! If Old Lady You hadn't stopped her, she would have married Brother Yuan long ago, and there wouldn't be any trouble today.
Gauging Third Sister You's expression, Second Sister You continued, "I also know that Third Sister and Brother Yuan were meant to be together. Brother Yuan naturally treats Third Sister differently... but once we missed each other, it's a missed opportunity. Brother Yuan trusts Third Sister, so please take good care of Baicao Hall from now on. When Brother Yuan comes, we can have a good time together. As for other things... it's best not to interfere."

Third Sister You was persuaded. She was just a concubine, but she always treated herself as the main wife. If this continued, wouldn't it cause trouble?

You Erjie allowed him to think for a long while, then glanced at You Shi and said, "Let me say something unpleasant... Rather than letting Brother Yuan gossip about it, why not put it right in front of me?"

Third Sister You raised her head and followed Second Sister You's gaze to look at Mrs. You. Mrs. You secretly clutched the corner of her clothes, and was very proud of what Second Sister You said. She nervously turned to Third Sister You, with a flattering smile on her face.

(End of this chapter)