Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 201 Send Jin Deyu (please ask for monthly tickets at the beginning of the month)

Upon hearing this, Third Sister You began to think. She glanced at the smile on Youshi's face, then turned her head, lifted the curtain and looked outside.

By some strange mistake, the wife of the principal wife became a concubine. Although You Sanjie was not bound by common etiquette, how could she not regret such a big thing? She knew that what You Erjie said was right. She was now a concubine, but she relied on Brother Yuan's favor to take on the responsibility and regard herself as the principal wife.

But is this a long-term solution?

Although Old Lady You was not a good person, some of her words were true. Even if they were in love, after a long time, they would inevitably touch each other's hands and live the daily necessities of life.

Why does the world prize gentle, virtuous women as principal wives? It's because even if such women are jealous, they won't act rashly. Third Sister You's personality naturally makes her seem unorthodox to outsiders.

Sighing secretly, Third Sister You thought to herself that she still had a few years of good life left. Once Brother Yuan got married, she would probably no longer be able to act so recklessly.

Thinking about the fact that Youshi had a family and a business, and that she would only have a few meals occasionally, she would not compete with her for Brother Yuan, the third sister naturally felt much calmer.

You Erjie tilted her head to take a look and asked in surprise, "Is it snowing?"

Third Sister You came to her senses and saw snowflakes falling like catkins. She lowered the curtains, turned to look at Mrs. You, and asked, "What did the doctor say?"

Yu Shi then said, "Mr. Guo initially insisted on a dowry of three thousand taels of wealth, and I asked Lady Sun to help mediate. Then, when Mr. Guo heard that our family had a property, he didn't know how to negotiate back home. Yesterday, I asked Lady Sun to pass on a message saying that the dowry could be reduced to one thousand eight hundred taels, but the property had to be transferred to his name first."

Living in the capital is not easy. The Taichang Temple is a government office with little income, and Dr. Guo was not a graduate of the imperial examination. He married a widow in her thirties, got a house and a dowry of 1,800 taels for free, and his life changed dramatically. At least he didn't have to borrow money from the government every month.

Third Sister You sneered. She was now in charge of Baicaotang, handling three to five thousand silver coins a month. How much was the You family's house worth? Third Sister naturally looked down on it.

Yin Shi said, "Just promise it to him! Let's finalize this matter as soon as possible before the winter month comes."

Yu nodded and said, "Dr. Guo has nothing else to say. Now it all depends on what mother says."

Third Sister You sneered and said nothing, her heart growing increasingly angry with Old Lady You. Second Sister You said, "Mother relented last time, and this time I'm afraid she'll agree to whatever we say."

"I hope so."

After Youshi finished speaking, there was no more conversation in the car.

The carriage left the inner city and soon arrived at the gate of the You family. Just as the three sisters had disembarked, a tall and handsome man blocked their way.

The three sisters took a look and found that the person coming was none other than their next-door neighbor Xing Dequan.

Third Sister You was displeased and frowned slightly, asking, "What do you want to do?"

"Hmm?" Xing Dequan squinted his eyes and said jokingly, "From Brother Yuan's perspective, you're my nephew's wife, so why don't you even call your uncle when you see him?"

The truth cannot be hidden. Xing Dequan had just visited the east wing of Rongguo Mansion yesterday. Before leaving, he heard a lot of mumblings from Wang Shanbao, among which she mentioned that Chen Siyuan had raised the two daughters of the You family near Nengren Temple.

"You--" Third Sister You blinked. Although she disliked him in her heart, she couldn't argue with Xing Dequan because of Chen Siyuan.

Seeing the opportunity, Youshi stepped forward and asked, "Is there something wrong, Uncle Xing?"

Even if we start from Jia Zhen, Youshi should call him uncle.

Xing Dequan immediately said cheerfully, "Nothing else..." He pointed at the You family and said, "It's just that the ghosts and wolves howling in the house every day are really disturbing. If Old An's madness is incurable, it's better to go to a quiet place to recuperate, so as not to disturb the neighbors."

Yu Shi then said, "It won't take much longer. I beg Uncle Xing to be patient for a while."

Xing Dequan blinked, gave a vague response, and then stepped aside to watch the three sisters enter the You family. He stood there scratching his head and asked, "Is this old man You An going to die?"

But without mentioning this guy's random thoughts, the three sisters went inside, and Third Sister You called the maid over to ask about what had happened in the past few days.

The woman said, "Everything else is fine, but she's the worst at night. One moment she's hungry, the next she needs to go to the bathroom. The neighbors have come looking for her several times, saying they'll knock on our door if she keeps making more noise."

Third Sister You had lived next door to Xing Dequan for over ten years, so how could she not know what kind of person Xing Dequan was? She snorted coldly and said, "Don't worry about him. He's just a silver-plated spearhead!"

You Erjie, standing by, also said, "He's like Cao Cao going south—he came with a vengeance, but was defeated quickly! He was taught a lesson by Third Sister a lot in his early years."

The old woman suddenly realized and agreed quickly.

Third Sister You led the way, and the three sisters entered the main room together. When they entered, they saw two deaf women looking after them, and Old Lady You sitting cross-legged on the bed eating snacks.

Seeing the three sisters enter, Old Lady You blinked and hurriedly wiped her mouth while pleading, "I know you're worried that I'll ruin your reputation. I regret it now and will never go to Ningguo Mansion again. At least consider that I gave birth to you and raised you. Please don't tie me up anymore."

The three sisters exchanged a glance, and Third Sister You asked coldly, "So, how are you thinking about the marriage?"

"This..." Old Lady You frowned and said, "The eighth-rank doctorate is too young. Why not find a sixth-rank one?"

Third Sister You was amused and said, "Do you think you are a virgin who can marry whoever you are told?"

Old Lady You looked embarrassed and added, "Even if the official rank is lower, we must find someone of the same age."

It had only been a few years since Old Man You passed away, and Old Lady You had intended to keep him company for the rest of his life, but unexpectedly, that day at the Ningguo Mansion, he broke his fast. With Jia Zhen and Jia Rong in their prime, their time together had inevitably made Old Lady You think of sex.

Third Sister You was silent for a while, then said, "It seems that Mom's illness hasn't fully healed yet. I'm afraid she'll have to stay in prison for another ten days or half a month."

"No, no, no!" As soon as these words came out, Old Lady You panicked. She frantically tried to pull Third Sister You away, but was immediately grabbed by two maids. She struggled forward and cried, "Don't tie me up anymore, my dear Third Sister. Whatever you say is what I will marry you. I will marry you!"

Third Sister You immediately breathed a sigh of relief, and ignored Old Lady You. She exchanged a glance with Second Sister and Youshi, and the three of them turned around to discuss.

The sooner the wedding date, the better. As for the dowry, Youshi gritted her teeth and took 500 taels of silver. The rest had to be embezzled from the account by You Sanjie, and she would leave it for Chen Siyuan to explain when he came back.

The three sisters worked together, consulted a Taoist priest to calculate a date, and scraped together 1,800 taels of wealth. Together with Old Lady You's own dowry, they carried it all to the Guo family. Just five days later, before the winter month, at dusk, a sedan chair carried the reluctant Old Lady You to the Guo family, and the marriage was finalized.

The Guo family only set up a few tables for the banquet, and when the wedding night came, Guo Fang saw that Old Lady You was indeed quite pretty, and he was immediately overjoyed; Old Lady You saw that Guo Fang looked vulgar, and she immediately felt suffocated.

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

Suzhou.

A night passed, the sky outside was still gloomy, and fine snowflakes were still falling.

Chen Siyuan pushed open the window lattice on the second floor, and white mist came out with his breath. Just as he was about to turn around, he suddenly heard someone calling from next door: "Uncle Chen, Uncle Chen!"

Chen Siyuan turned his head and saw the young nun Zhuan'er, who had returned to secular life, standing in the next courtyard, jumping and waving at him.

Chen Siyuan smiled and waved his hand, and Zhuan'er said, "Sir, can you come over today?"

Chen Siyuan couldn't let go of Xing Xiuyan, so he said, "I'll go later."

Zhuan'er happily agreed and said, "Okay, our girl said she would make Lu'an tea today!" After that, he waved his hand and went to the main room excitedly.

Chen Siyuan laughed in silence, closed the window, and turned to see Qingwen folding the bedding. She then took the basin of water from the maid Yunxiang, put her hand in it, and turned to Chen Siyuan and said, "Is it Zhuan'er?"

"Yeah." Chen Siyuan rolled up his sleeves and washed his face first.

Qingwen said from the side, "I think that little nun is quite snobbish. I don't know why Miss Cousin would take in such a servant."

Chen Siyuan smiled without saying anything. After washing up and having breakfast, he looked back at Zhen Fengshi, chatted with her for a while, and then led the little maid Yunxiang to the next room.

Zhuan'er opened the door and let Chen Siyuan in, saying with a smile, "It's just a coincidence. The master and the mistress are out at the moment, and only our girl is here."

Chen Siyuan thought to himself, Xing Zhong and Xing Zhen are quite sensible... Are they afraid that the old couple will delay Xing Xiuyan's marriage, so they just avoid her?
In reality, Xing Zhong and his wife had left early in the morning, taking ginseng, deer antlers, and two fox pelts to pawn. Xing Zhong, intent on drinking and spending money, pawned the ginseng, took the money, and disappeared. Xing Zhen, more attentive, took the remaining items and inquired about them, hoping to get a good price.

After walking a few steps, Zhuan'er quickly took a few steps and shouted towards the main room, "Sister, Master Chen is here!"

In the study, Xing Xiuyan put down her pen and ink. Although she felt a little uncomfortable, she still stood up to greet him.

Seeing Chen Siyuan at the door, Xing Xiuyan smiled and said, "Brother Yuan is here?"

"Hello, cousin..." Glancing at the ink stains on Xing Xiuyan's sleeves, Chen Siyuan asked, "Did I disturb your peace?"

Xing Xiuyan stepped aside and said with a smile, "Purity doesn't lie in external things. If I were truly pure, how could you disturb me? It's snowing outside, come in."

Chen Siyuan agreed with a smile. It was only early winter, and the snow in Jiangnan melted as soon as it hit the ground, so the ground was wet, with only a layer of white snow accumulating on the treetops and roofs.

When Chen Siyuan entered, Xing Xiuyan was copying scriptures on the table. Chen Siyuan glanced at her and thought for a moment, "Is my cousin copying the Shurangama Sutra? The tiny calligraphy is neat yet elegant, much better than the ones printed in the temple. No wonder the monk keeps coming to my cousin for copying."

Xing Xiuyan said shyly, "It's just a simple skill to make a living. I don't deserve your praise. Brother Yuan, wait a moment. I'll go make some Lu'an tea."

"Yeah." Chen Siyuan agreed, lifted his robe and sat down with confidence. He watched Xing Xiuyan walk away quickly, and only came back a moment later with a teacup.

The teapot was just an ordinary clay pot, and the teacups were ordinary white porcelain. Xing Xiuyan seemed to be unaware of her shabby status. She washed the teacups with her bare hands, poured in the tea, washed it, brewed it, and divided it into cups. Her movements were gentle and smooth, as if they were in harmony with the rhythm, and were extremely pleasing to the eye.

When the teacup was served, Xing Xiuyan looked up at Chen Siyuan and said, "This tea has been stored for half a year. I don't know if it has gone bad. Brother Yuan, please try it."

Chen Siyuan agreed and took a sip. He felt the fragrance was pure and noble, just like the perfect woman in front of him.

The two drank together for a while, and Xing Xiuyan suddenly said, "Yes, Brother Yuan mentioned Miaoyu the other day. I wonder what her situation is like now."

Chen Siyuan pondered, "Her nature is like a solitary crane, and her heart is like glass... She seldom interacts with them in the Rongguo Mansion, except for Baoyu who visits more frequently."

"Baoyu?"

Chen Siyuan then briefly described Baoyu's situation.

Xing Xiuyan nodded slightly when she heard the voice, her face expressionless, but she didn't agree in her heart.

Chen Siyuan seemed to see through her thoughts and asked, "Cousin...it seems like you have a different opinion about Miaoyu?"

Xing Xiuyan pursed her lips and said nothing. After a moment, she looked outside and said, "Brother Yuan, look at this snow. It's crushing bamboo branches today, and tomorrow it will turn into water and mud. Who is cleaner?"

Chen Siyuan was secretly puzzled when he heard this. It seemed that Xing Xiuyan in the book "Dream of Red Mansions" had some complaints about Miaoyu, but the two of them lived next door to each other in their early years, and Xing Xiuyan's ability to read and write was all thanks to Miaoyu. Why did the two of them not get along?
There were some things Xing Xiuyan couldn't say, so the little nun Zhuan'er beside her said, "Mr. Chen, you don't know that Master Miaoyu's surname is Chang. Her father was a governor before he was dismissed from office. The garden they built at home is first-class even in Suzhou, and there are countless rare treasures inside.

Before entering the officialdom, Master Chang was just a poor scholar, his family possessing only a few acres of thin land. Yet, in just twenty years, he had become so prosperous. Who wouldn't know that his wealth came from an illegal source? And Miaoyu, on the other hand, was aloof and arrogant, looking down on this person today and that person tomorrow.

"My sister was forced to copy books for the temple to make a living, so she said that my sister's writing was full of money! After that, she ignored my sister whenever she saw her... It's because my sister has a good temper. If it were me, I would have spitted back at her! If she was really a good person, why didn't she return all those bottles and jars when the Chang family was investigated?"

"Zhuan'er, shut up!" Xing Xiuyan shouted.

Zhuan'er pouted and said aggrievedly, "I was standing up for my sister and I didn't tell anyone about it, so how could it be considered wrong?"

Xing Xiuyan sighed, turned around and said to Chen Siyuan, "I'm sorry to have embarrassed you, cousin."

Chen Siyuan just smiled and shook his head.

I thought to myself, so that’s how it is!
Miaoyu, proud and noble, would certainly look down on Xing Xiuyan for bending over backward for a few pieces of silver. If it were only once or twice, it would be fine, but I'm afraid the conflict between the two will not end there.

No matter how magnanimous Xing Xiuyan is, she has a temper. You, Miaoyu, claim to be noble because you rely on the people's wealth that your father embezzled when he was an official. How can you give up those ill-gotten gains? Do you think you can still be noble?
To put it bluntly, Miaoyu simply doesn't feel any pain in her waist when she talks while standing!

On second thought, Zhuan'er had just mentioned that the Chang family was under investigation... Perhaps Miaoyu's father had just been dismissed for corruption? According to Dashun law, the stolen goods should be recovered and fined. The Chang family was afraid of being left with nothing, so they gave Miaoyu all these rare treasures and sent her to the capital to seek opportunities?
That's right! Thinking about it this way, Miaoyu must have brought a lot of wealth with her. If anyone married Miaoyu, that wealth would become her dowry. So, Miaoyu's entry into the Rongguo Mansion wasn't simple; I'm afraid she might be trying to emulate the Xue family's previous actions.

While he was pondering this, he heard a noise up ahead. Before Zhuan'er could look, he saw Xing Zhen push the door open and walk in, muttering, "Thank goodness I went to a few more shops, or I wouldn't have been fooled. Such fine leather is definitely worth... Oh!"

Xing Zhen saw Chen Siyuan among them and immediately smiled. "Brother Yuan is here? I think he should come over more often. Otherwise, your cousin will be lonely without anyone to talk to."

Chen Siyuan had already stood up and bowed: "Greetings, aunt."

Xing Xiuyan was so embarrassed and angry that she blushed and said, "What are you talking about, Mom?"

Xing Zhen covered her mouth and laughed, "You two, sister, keep talking. I... I still have some needlework to do!"

As he spoke, he walked quickly and glanced over here when he passed through the hall.

Inside, Xing Xiuyan and Chen Siyuan exchanged a glance, and Xing Xiuyan was so embarrassed she was speechless. Chen Siyuan invited her to sit down and thought, "It's a rare opportunity to come to Suzhou. I don't know when I'll be back next time, so I have to take a look around. If you have time, why don't we go for a stroll together?"

Xing Xiuyan whispered, "I will do my best to be a good host." She raised her eyes and smiled generously, "But I'm not as good as Brother Yuan. I'm afraid I'm short of money and can't provide a good hospitality."

"Cousin, what you said is out of place. Money is just material possessions. You can't bring it with you when you are born, and you can't take it with you when you die."

Xing Xiuyan said sadly, "Even though I can't bring it with me or take it with me, I have to spend it every day I live."

Chen Siyuan's admiration was compounded by a feeling of pity, and he couldn't help but think to himself, "I can't miss out on such a good girl." As for Xue Ke... well, let's leave her alone and find another good girl!
So, for the next ten days or so, Xing Xiuyan and Chen Siyuan would indeed go out together every few days, sometimes to Hanshan Temple to reminisce about the past, sometimes to climb Tiger Hill, sometimes to go boating on Taihu Lake, or to go shopping on Shantang Street.

Chen Siyuan was so happy that he didn't want to leave, but Qingwen was getting more depressed because she had never found her mother.

Chen Siyuan could only comfort and console her from time to time; there was nothing else he could do.

It was already the beginning of winter. Chen Siyuan was just thinking about where to take Xing Xiuyan for a stroll the next day when a maid came hurriedly outside and said, "Master, someone from the yamen has come and said the governor has returned and has arranged to see you tomorrow afternoon."

Jia Yucun is back? Chen Siyuan's spirits suddenly lifted. He immediately sent the maid away and summoned the servant Qing Yu, who instructed him, "Go to the governor's office and have the yamen runners carefully listen. Whatever news you get, report back to me as soon as possible!"

Qing Yu agreed and hurried off. In the afternoon, Qing Yu returned and approached Chen Siyuan, saying, "Sir, this Governor went to Yangzhou this time and arrested four of the eight major salt merchants and most of the officials from the Salt Administration. He said he beheaded two on the spot and detained the rest, awaiting the Governor's approval."

It's only been ten days, and Jia Yucun has been quite ruthless. The Yangzhou salt merchants have always been the royal family's moneybags, and whenever there's a need, they generously contribute. He's now disregarding sympathy and seizing half of the salt. Firstly, it's because of Lin Ruhai, and secondly... I'm afraid it's because the current emperor has a slight grip on the court, so he's so confident in targeting the salt merchants who support the retired emperor!

Thinking this way, wouldn't Jia Yucun have inherited Lin Ruhai's legacy? But I wonder how much of it will remain when it comes to him.

The next day, at noon, Chen Siyuan arrived at the governor's office early. A clerk at the gate reported back inside, and a few moments later, about thirty assistants emerged. After greeting Chen Siyuan, they said, "The governor is currently entertaining guests. Please, Mr. Chen Xiaolian, wait in the side hall."

Chen Siyuan agreed and followed the assistant to the side hall. After the tea was served, the assistant introduced himself, saying that his name was Zhang Yunlu, and that he had wasted his time in the imperial examinations and was now only a scholar.

Chen Siyuan then asked the attendant, "Zhang Muyou speaks Southwestern Mandarin, but I don't know where the fairyland is."

The friend introduced himself and said, "I have lived in Chuxiong for generations."

Chen Siyuan had a vague suspicion in his mind, but he couldn't bring himself to express it. At this time, the Konbaung Dynasty was flourishing, prompting surrounding tribes to repeatedly invade the border, causing unbearable suffering for the people of Yunnan. Several years ago, the sage had sent the King of Nan'an to lead a division of troops to guard the frontier.

However, the Yunnan-Burma border was so vast that a single division of border troops could only fight fires everywhere, which naturally displeased the emperor. Considering that Jia Yucun later rose to become the Minister of War and now employed a scholar from Yunnan as his advisor, it's possible he had long been planning to use this opportunity to advance his career.

The two chatted casually, and Zhang Yunlu admired Chen Siyuan's poetic talent so much that she couldn't help but praise him. Half an hour later, a minor official entered and said, "Friend Zhang, the governor has just sent us away."

Zhang Yunlu nodded and waited for a moment before leading Chen Siyuan through the second gate and into the second hall.

Chen Siyuan hurriedly bowed as he entered, and when he looked up, he saw that Jia Yucun, who had not been seen for a long time, was even more powerful! His eyes were gleaming, and his face was imposing without anger.

At this moment, Jia Yucun sat at his desk, glanced at Chen Siyuan, and waved his hand, saying, "Shuliang, please sit down."

Chen Siyuan agreed, lifted his robe and sat down.

Jia Yucun dismissed all the irrelevant people, retaining only Zhang Yunlu, a sign of her immense importance. After a moment's deliberation, he said, "I always keep my word. I have already replied to all the letters from Rongguo Mansion and my female disciple. Even if you don't come here, I will still recognize the marriage."

Chen Siyuan felt relieved. He stood up and bowed again, saying, "Thank you, Governor!"

Jia Yucun waved his hand and said, "Please sit down and talk." After Chen Siyuan sat down, Jia Yucun pondered and said, "But now I have something to discuss with Shuliang."

Chen Siyuan was puzzled and asked, "I don't know what it is?"

Jia Yucun frowned and said, "Shuliang also knew that Yu'er had been weak since childhood. He thought that she would recover after a few years of care, but she is still not well now. If we follow the agreement in the marriage certificate, we must choose a son to carry on the Lin family's lineage. Given my female apprentice's situation, I'm afraid it would be difficult for her to have a son. How can she choose?"

According to the marriage certificate, Daiyu's eldest son will be named Chen, and this son will inherit the Lin family lineage. According to what Jia Yucun said recently, the marriage certificate must be changed, so that the eldest son will belong to the Lin family and this son will be named Chen?

Chen Siyuan was thinking clearly in his heart. He risked his life to forge the marriage certificate because, firstly, Daiyu's identity would be beneficial to his career, and secondly, because she was Lin Daiyu!

Moreover, it is still unknown whether Lin Daiyu can give birth in her current physical condition, so how could Chen Siyuan refuse?

Chen Siyuan thought for a moment and then asked, "May I ask, Governor-General, did this proposal come from the Rongguo Mansion or from Sister Lin?"

Jia Yucun stroked his beard and said, "That's what my female disciple wrote to me."

Chen Siyuan no longer had any doubts. He immediately stood up, bowed, and said, "In that case, I have no objection. Let's follow this proposal!"

Jia Yucun nodded in agreement, with a look of slight relief on his face.

He was entrusted with the care of Lin Ruhai, and his career in officialdom went smoothly. He had to take good care of Daiyu both publicly and privately, otherwise how could he explain to the world?
If anything happens to Daiyu, Jia Yucun's reputation will be ruined immediately!
The only thing that the upright people rely on in official circles is their reputation. If their reputation is ruined, they will lose everything.

At that moment, Chen Siyuan sat down again. Jia Yucun's face became a little kinder. He asked briefly about his affairs in the autumn examination, praised his talent in poetry, and waited for a cup of tea before serving tea to see him off.

After leaving the governor's office, Chen Siyuan breathed a sigh of relief. He felt that from now on, the world was far away. Apart from having to be on guard against the Rongguo Mansion doing something stupid and killing Daiyu, there was no obstacle to his marriage with Daiyu.

Chen Siyuan was so excited that he only wanted to take Xiangling to Hutian Land. So he got on the carriage and urged them to return as soon as possible.

Who would have thought that after just two blocks, the servant outside the carriage, Qing Yu, said, "Master, I think I saw my cousin and Zhuan Er."

"Hmm?" Chen Siyuan parted the curtains and looked in.

The servant Qingyu pointed to a place not far away and said, "That's it, heading to the pawn shop!"

Chen Siyuan looked carefully and saw a pretty figure leading Zhuan'er into the pawnshop.

Chen Siyuan knew that Xing Zhong's family was living in poverty, constantly on edge. He had given the gift of earthenware last time, and it was only right that they should sell it to supplement their income. But if they were going to sell it, they shouldn't have gone to a pawnshop, right?

He was puzzled and said, "Go over and stop on the other side of the road. Stay behind the car and don't make any noise."

The servant Qingyu agreed, led the coachman to stop opposite the pawnshop, and hid behind the carriage again.

Chen Siyuan parted the curtains and saw Xing Xiuyan talking to the shopkeeper, who shook his head. Then Zhuan'er started arguing, but the shopkeeper still shook his head. A moment later, Xing Xiuyan sighed and walked out, pulling Zhuan'er with her.

After the two, one big and one small, joined the crowd, Chen Siyuan got off the carriage and went straight into the shop.

The shopkeeper was used to judging people by their appearance. Seeing Chen Siyuan's elegant attire and extraordinary demeanor, he immediately did not dare to neglect him. He stood up from behind the counter and bowed, saying, "Excuse me, sir. I wonder if I can be of any assistance to you."

Chen Siyuan said, "Please come in, boss. The girl just now is my cousin. I wonder if she has pawned anything?"

The shopkeeper blinked, scoffing inwardly. The girl was plainly dressed, her clothes faintly whitish. Although she had a maid, she looked like she came from a humble family. And then there was Chen Siyuan, dressed in extravagant attire, his fox fur coat even harder to find. How could these two be cousins?

The shopkeeper thought Chen Siyuan was a playboy from a wealthy family who was tempted by her beauty, so he said vaguely, "The girl was just looking for some information and didn't pawn anything."

Chen Siyuan was also a shrewd man. How could he not see the shopkeeper's wariness? So he simply took out a piece of loose silver from his purse and slapped it over, saying, "A beautiful lady and a gentleman are a perfect match. Please, shopkeeper, please help us."

"This..." The shopkeeper looked around and saw that the clerk hadn't looked at him. He quickly reached out and grabbed the silver. He weighed it briefly and found it was more than two taels. He immediately felt that Chen Siyuan was pleasing to the eye.

The shopkeeper laughed and said, "This... the girl's family had previously pawned a plum blossom gilt hairpin. They set a seven-day pawn deadline; after that, it would become a dead pawn. But the girl only came to redeem it today, and our shop had already sold it. How could we redeem it?"

"I see," Chen Siyuan couldn't help but think of the plum blossom gilded hairpin Xing Xiuyan had worn earlier. He glanced at the shopkeeper and said with a smile, "Did the hairpin really sell?"

The shopkeeper immediately smiled and said, "I really sold it. I never lied."

“What if I pay more?”

The shopkeeper was at a loss for words, shaking his head repeatedly, saying, "Even if you were to spend mountains of gold and silver, I wouldn't be able to make it look like this." He paused, then added, "That hairpin looks ordinary to me. If you're interested, why don't you go to Shantang Street and look for it? You might find one that's exactly like it."

Chen Siyuan thanked the shopkeeper and left the pawnshop. He didn't rush back and ordered the driver to head towards Shantang Street.

The shopkeeper was right. Chen Siyuan only had to search briefly before he found an identical hairpin. However, the hairpin was made of pure gold, not gilded.

Chen Siyuan was too lazy to haggle over the price. He took the plum blossom gold hairpin and held it in his hand, seeming to be lost in thought. After a moment, he smiled.

At this moment, Qing Yu came over and said, "Master, my cousin and Zhuan Er are over there!"

Chen Siyuan turned his head to look, and sure enough, he saw Xing Xiuyan bending over a jewelry stall, rummaging through the items one by one, while Zhuan'er beside her was chattering away, no one knew what he was saying.

Chen Siyuan's mind raced, and a plan came to mind. He called the shopkeeper over and gave him instructions. The shopkeeper was puzzled, thinking to himself, "How could such a fool exist in this world? It's truly bizarre!"
............................................................

Xing Xiuyan searched for a while and felt a little disappointed.

Zhuan'er, who was standing by, said, "Sister, why don't we go to the shop?"

Xing Xiuyan just shook her head. Monk Zhixin had said three days, but in reality, the payment hadn't been made until today. With only five cents on hand, how could she dare go to a respectable shop?
The wooden hairpin on her head was in a terrible state; she couldn't bear to wear the gilded plum blossom hairpin she had worn for years. Her mother had only set a seven-day deadline to pawn it for more money, so she had hurried to redeem it today after receiving the news, but she was still a step too late.

Throwing down a silver hairpin, Xing Xiuyan walked away with a frown. Zhuan'er followed her and stopped talking when he saw that she was in a bad mood.

They had not gone far when a shop assistant stopped them and said, "Young lady, why don't you come and have a look at our shop? My owner is moving south, and all the jewelry in our shop must be sold at a loss."

Zhuan'er's eyes suddenly lit up, and he pulled Xing Xiuyan and said, "Sister, let's go take a look!"

As Xing Xiuyan was hesitating, the clerk lowered his voice and said, "I'm telling you this because you look nice. There are many pieces of jewelry in the store that can be bought for just a few coins. This is truly a great opportunity not to be missed."

Xing Xiuyan frowned and said, "You're making me even more suspicious. Are you trying to scare people with copper and iron?"

The clerk blinked and swore, "Our shop has always sold genuine goods at fair prices. But if I were to cheat, I'd be struck by lightning the moment I left the store!"

Seeing him say this, and Zhuan'er urging her on the side, Xing Xiuyan went in doubtfully.

The waiter attentively followed, introducing them one by one. Xing Xiuyan only glanced at them and then slowly walked back to look. As she walked, she suddenly stopped, picked up a golden plum blossom hairpin, and looked thoughtful.

The clerk turned his head and glanced at the shopkeeper. Seeing the shopkeeper nod, he smiled and said, "Young lady, you have a good eye. This is a plum blossom gilt hairpin that I have saved up. It is a style from five years ago. I will sell it to you for only four taels of silver."

Zhuan'er was secretly delighted, but said on the surface, "It's too expensive. It's only three coins outside. Why do you want four coins here?"

The waiter gritted his teeth and said, "Then it's three cents. Just consider it a loss to gain publicity."

Xing Xiuyan pinched the gold hairpin slightly, first looked at the clerk, then glanced at the shopkeeper. Seeing that both of them were staring at her, she gently put down the gold hairpin.

The waiter suddenly became anxious and said, "Miss, are you not satisfied with this? This plum blossom gilded hairpin is very rare."

"I can still tell the difference between gilded gold and pure gold," Xing Xiuyan said with a smile, "Then why don't you tell me, who gave you the order?"

"Ah?" The clerk was stunned and couldn't help looking at the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper covered his face with his hands, sighed, and sent the waiter away with a wave of his hand like shooing away a fly. He stepped forward and bowed with a smile, saying, "Young lady, you are very attentive. Yes, I did receive a request from a young master just now." The shopkeeper then briefly told him about Chen Siyuan's situation.

Xing Xiuyan was smart and knew that the man was Chen Siyuan after just one listen.

Xing Xiuyan pouted slightly, feeling annoyed at first, then inexplicably relieved. She thought to herself, "My cousin must have seen me in such a state of embarrassment and was afraid of losing face, so he acted like this?"
She pondered and slowly picked up the plum blossom gold hairpin, thinking that the old one was lost, so this new one would be great. Then she said to the shopkeeper, "So, the money has already been paid, so I don't have to pay anymore, right?"

The shopkeeper was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "Yes, young lady, you are absolutely right."

Xing Xiuyan nodded and said, "That man is my cousin, and he's afraid of hurting my reputation. When he comes over later, just tell him I bought him for three taels of silver."

The shopkeeper was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. He said, "My shop is small and the profit is very low. I can't make more than three taels of silver from this hairpin. What should I do if the young lady's cousin asks me for change?"

Xing Xiuyan grinned and said, "Him? He wouldn't do that."

She wrapped up the plum blossom gold hairpin and put it away. She was about to turn around and take Zhuan'er away, but after taking a step, she stopped, turned back and said, "I only have five cents of silver, but I don't know what I can buy as a return gift."

The shopkeeper scratched his head for a while and said, "My shop does have some Xiuyan jade items. Would you like to take a look, young lady?"

Xing Xiuyan agreed and looked for a long time before choosing a Xiuyan jade belt and spending all the five cents of silver she had on it.

(End of this chapter)