Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 206 Another trouble occurs
Seeing the little maid Yunxiang laughing so hard her eyes were about to burst out, Qingwen sneered and said jokingly, "A string of coins makes you so happy. If you get a hundred yuan someday, won't you run around Nanjing in a whirlwind?"

Yunxiang ignored Qingwen's teasing and just leaned over and said with a flattering smile, "My dear sister, I can't compare with your ability. It's not easy to make some money."

Qingwen laughed and said, "You've used all your savings to buy snacks, and you still love sweet things. Be careful that they get eaten by moths one day."

Just then, there was a knock on the outer door, and Zhuan'er said, "Master Chen, I am Zhuan'er."

Yunxiang, who was just feeling happy, suddenly became serious and frowned, "Why is she here again?"

Xiangling had no idea why the two girls disliked each other, so she hurried over to open the door. Zhuan'er smiled, thanked them, and went inside. Without even a glance at the irritated Yunxiang, he stepped forward, bowed curtly, and said, "Master Chen, the master is looking for our young lady today, and he took three taels of silver to buy some wine."

Xing Zhong had endured it for a few days, but now he really couldn't bear it anymore?
Zhuan'er complained, "We were going to use that money to buy some rouge and powder... Now the powder box is empty, so we have to go out with plain makeup every day... Besides, we only have two sets of jackets, and it's getting colder the further north we go..."

Chen Siyuan thought to himself that even if he secretly gave Xing Xiuyan some money, she might not accept it - that girl was different from Miaoyu. Miaoyu was proud only in appearance, but Xing Xiuyan was proud in her bones.

Yin Shi nodded and said, "Thank you for telling me. I'll think of a way later."

Zhuan'er was instantly delighted. "Sister, when she gets clothes and rouge and powder, how can I be left out?"
She bowed and was about to leave when Chen Siyuan asked, "Yes, how much is your monthly salary now?"

Zhuan'er immediately frowned and complained, "Master, you don't know. If it weren't for my sister... our young lady who stood up for me, I'm afraid the master and mistress would have kicked me out. Now I only have enough to eat every day. Not to mention the monthly allowance, I don't even have any other expenses."

Chen Siyuan pretended to be surprised and said, "You are willing to serve my cousin, so how can you not get a monthly allowance? So, every month you come to me and get 500 coins first."

There is such a good thing! It really wasn't in vain that I brought Mr. Chen and my sister together!

Zhuan'er was overjoyed and thanked her profusely. Xiangling then fetched her money box and, seeing that Zhuan'er couldn't take her eyes off him, counted out five hundred coins and gave them to her. Zhuan'er received her monthly allowance and left in a rapture of joy.

As soon as he left, Yunxiang angrily said, "Master, Zhuan'er isn't from here, why should we give her a monthly allowance?"

Qingwen reached out and poked him between the eyebrows, scolding him, "Even a fool can see that Master wants Zhuan'er to take good care of Miss Cousin, but you insist on being nosy."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "There's no one available right now... How about Yunxiang go to your cousin's place? I'll give you a monthly allowance of one hundred yuan from now on."

Yunxiang said without thinking: "Not good!"

She now received a total of 750 coins a month from both places, plus a reward for tipping off others, which meant she could earn an extra two strings of coins a month, which was not much worse than a second-class maid in the Rongguo Mansion. If she went to her cousin's place and only received a monthly allowance of one string of coins, wouldn't that be a loss?

Yunxiang was afraid that Chen Siyuan had made up his mind, so she quickly found an excuse to run away.

Qingwen and Xiangling inside were both laughing secretly, thinking that even evil people can be dealt with by other evil people, and only Chen Siyuan could control Yunxiang.

Chen Siyuan said, "I can't control her. I'm afraid Hongyu is the only one who can control her." He paused and said, "Tomorrow we have to wait for the earthenware to be delivered by each family. If you have time, you two can take Qingyu to the streets and buy some more fabrics and cosmetics."

Both women knew that Chen Siyuan wanted to take the opportunity to send Xing Xiuyan away, so they agreed with a smile.

Xiangling said, "Master, my cousin may appear amiable, but she is actually quite proud. If I rashly offer it to her, I'm afraid she won't accept it."

Chen Siyuan nodded and said, "Don't worry, I'll find a way later."

Ever since the arrival of the British in the capital in June, Chen Siyuan had been planning to write a book about the Western Barbarians. Although East-West communication had continued, the Western Barbarians themselves lacked a history. Having just experienced the Renaissance, they had somehow managed to create a sage who had written a voluminous work of tens of millions of words two thousand years earlier. This had left even the Hongwen Academy unsure of their origins.

Moreover, now that the Age of Discovery has entered its final stages, a book is due to direct the court's attention outward. The current emperor is gradually taking control of government, and the old ministers from the Taishang era are either falling ill or retiring. The Dashun era is at its peak; when is it better to expand the country's territory if not now?
Having spoken of public interest, now let's talk about private interest. Chen Siyuan had always been known for his proficiency in poetry. If he were lucky enough to pass the imperial examination one day, he might be burdened by his reputation and become a poet in the imperial court.

The purpose of writing this book at this time is to show my talent to others and change the previous impression of people.

After a pause, Chen Siyuan instructed, "Find me some more charcoal pencils tomorrow."

Qingwen asked curiously, "Why does Master need a charcoal pencil?"

"Write a book."

Qingwen was stunned. Before she could ask further questions, a maid came in and said, "Miss Qingwen, go and check! Luan'er has woken up and is crying for her mother. No matter how we coax her, she won't stop!"

Qingwen hurriedly got up to look for Luan'er and didn't say anything more.

The day passed quickly, and the next day, Qingwen and Xiangling went with Qingyu to wander around Jinling City. Yunxiang temporarily took charge of the doormanship. In the morning, the four families sent a large cart full of various local gifts. The Zhen family also sent local gifts the next day. The little maid Yunxiang was shocked and said, "Oh no! I'm afraid the return trip will take even more carts than the trip here!"

Zhuan'er looked on with envy, thinking that since she had received Chen Siyuan's monthly allowance yesterday, she should be a maid in Master Chen's courtyard from now on. She rushed to help, but the more she helped, the more trouble she made. Yunxiang couldn't help herself and started to argue with Zhuan'er.

That afternoon, Chen Siyuan sat quietly in his room. Xing Xiuyan was puzzled, wondering why he hadn't come looking for her. She had studied Buddhist scriptures, and while she hadn't learned the Buddha's nature, she had learned to accept and let go. When Chen Siyuan didn't come looking for her, she got up and went looking for him.

When they knocked on the door, they saw papers spread out on Chen Siyuan's desk, densely covered with tiny calligraphy. Xing Xiuyan asked curiously, "Is Brother Yuan reviewing his homework?"

"When I have some feelings, I want to write a book." As he spoke, he handed the two pieces of paper to Guanliang.

Xing Xiuyan took it and took a look. Seeing the words "Records of the Four Continents" written at the beginning, she thought for a moment and said, "Brother Yuan, are you planning to write about the stories of the Western Barbarians?"

Chen Siyuan invited her to sit down and poured her some tea, smiling as he said, "That's right, cousin, you know I lived in Yangzhou when I was young. There was a Western Yi Temple just down the street. Although it was later demolished by the county magistrate, I became acquainted with the foreign monk and learned quite a few stories about the Western Yi. Now that the Dashun clan has constant contact with the Western Yi, I've often been deceived by them."

"The officials in the court either despise him for his ruthless behavior or, if they are more concerned about him, they believe that he is always not handling diplomatic affairs in the right way. So I wrote this book for your consideration."

Xing Xiuyan immediately looked at him with new eyes and said with a smile, "I thought Brother Yuan had lofty ambitions, but I didn't expect that Brother Yuan actually has the world in his heart."

Chen Siyuan also sat down and said, "It's convenient for both public and private matters. I don't want to be just a poet in the future."

Xing Xiuyan smiled and said, "It's a pity that I know very little about the Western Barbarians, so I can't be of much help."

Chen Siyuan said, "Cousin, I can help you." He pointed to the charcoal writing and said, "I used charcoal to write quickly. This charcoal writing is crude and difficult for outsiders to appreciate. I hope you will be kind enough to copy it for me... I'll charge you the same as if you were copying a scripture. Fifty cents per hundred words is okay?"

Xing Xiuyan said angrily, "I'm charging you for copying for me? If you keep saying that, I'll leave."

As she spoke, she stood up, and immediately Chen Siyuan pulled her hand. Xing Xiuyan was still a girl after all, and her face immediately turned red. She couldn't help but turn her head away and said, "You, let go."

"Let go of my cousin and I'll leave. Don't let go."

At this time, Xing Zhen's voice came from outside. Xing Xiuyan was too embarrassed to raise her head, so she begged, "Please let me go. I, I won't leave."

Chen Siyuan released his hand, but Xing Xiuyan hadn't left. After she sat down again, Chen Siyuan leaned over and whispered, "Since you don't want to pay, I'll give you something someday. You won't refuse, will you?"

Xing Xiuyan murmured a response, then suddenly felt something was wrong. She looked up and saw Chen Siyuan looking at her with a smile. How could she not know that she had fallen into Chen Siyuan's trap? Yet, for some reason, instead of feeling disgusted, she felt a sense of comfort.

Glancing at Chen Siyuan's hands resting on his knees, he seemed eager to try. Knowing he was trying to grab her hands again, Xing Xiuyan feared he would become even more unruly, so she simply stood up, grabbed two sheets of paper, and said, "I'll go back to my room and copy them. You can take a look later and see if you like them."

"Of course it is—"

"Let me transcribe it first!" After saying that, Xing Xiuyan hurried away as if escaping.

Chen Siyuan escorted her out of the room, then stopped at the door and watched her walk away with light steps. When she reached her own door, she blushed and turned her head to give her a cold look, then covered her face and went inside.

Chen Siyuan couldn't help but smile. It was a different time, perhaps because he'd been solitary for fifteen years in this life, he'd previously sought nothing but women. Now, with so many beautiful women around him, he naturally wanted to seek something spiritual.

Just like now, young and shy, but holding hands can make you shy for a whole day. This is probably the beauty of the world.

Just as he was savoring the taste, Yunxiang came hurriedly and said, "Master, Madam Li is here!"

Chen Siyuan did not dare to neglect it, and hurriedly gathered his thoughts and went out to greet her. Just as he arrived at the courtyard gate, he saw Madam Li leading the maids and old women in.

Chen Siyuan hurriedly greeted her, saying, "I had planned to go look for Madam in the afternoon, but how come Madam is here first?"

When he looked up, he saw that Mrs. Li's eyes were bloodshot, obviously she had not slept well all night.

Madam Li said, "We originally asked for Shuliang, so why would we order him around?"

"In that case, please come in and chat with me, Madam."

As the group entered the guest room, the maid Yunxiang hurriedly served them fragrant tea. Madam Li then said, "I was born as a concubine, and only got my daughter after two years. I only hate the master for being so cruel, marrying her off to such a shameful place, separating us mother and daughter by thousands of miles..."

As she spoke, she covered her face with her handkerchief and wept, saying, "My daughter Wan'er is very sensible. She always reports good news but never bad news. But my family is also in the capital, so how could she not know the situation of the Jia family? I also know that she is reluctant to leave Lang'er now, and I am afraid that it will be difficult for her to get married again. I just hope that she will be better."

The maids and old women beside her tried to comfort her, and finally Mrs. Li wiped her tears and said, "I don't know what to bring her. I was thinking of sending her some nourishing food, but just before I left, the master sent her some books."

As he spoke, he glanced at the maid beside him, who then spread out the bundle on the table. The first two volumes were quite ordinary, appearing to be Ming dynasty copies of "Instructions for Women" and "Biographies of Virtuous Women." The last volume, resembling a scroll, was placed in a sandalwood box.

Mrs. Li opened the box and spread it out slightly, and Chen Siyuan was immediately stunned.

Chen Siyuan's handwriting has acquired a certain degree of Liu Gongquan's authentic flavor, and he is certainly familiar with Liu Gongquan's regular script. This scroll is a copy of the Diamond Sutra, and the page is enormous. Just by looking at the yellowing of the paper, you can tell it's an authentic copy!
"This……"

Madam Li said, "Although the master had a good annual income when he was an official, most of it was spent on calligraphy and paintings. This was something he stumbled upon while serving as an official, so I'm giving it to Wan'er as a precaution. Please give the remaining two volumes to Lady Shi."

Chen Siyuan took it solemnly and said, "I will definitely live up to your trust."

This is the original work of Liu Gongquan, with a full text of more than 5,000 words. How much money would it be worth if it were sold?
Afterwards, various Jinling local rituals were performed, identical to those of the Zhen family. Mrs. Li, aware that she was losing her composure and fearing she would lose her composure if she stayed any longer, gave a brief explanation and hurriedly departed.

Chen Siyuan sent him out the door, and sighed in his heart: How pitiful are the parents in the world.

Then he thought again, Li Wan stayed at home every day and rarely went out, focusing on teaching Jia Lan. She had no worries about food, clothing and other expenses, but she was lonely in her heart, and Mrs. Wang looked at her coldly, so she became so withered and dead?

What did this have to do with him? Chen Siyuan shook his head and went back on his own, and then Yunxiang followed him stealthily.

"uncle?"

"Tsk!" Chen Siyuan was startled and frowned, "You walk without making any sound. Are you planning to scare me to death?"

Yunxiang frowned and said, "Just now, a young man slipped some silver and questioned you about your situation."

"Xiao Lang-jun?"

Yunxiang said, "He looks no more than twelve or thirteen, but he behaves quite experienced."

"What are you asking?" Chen Siyuan asked curiously.

Yunxiang said, "She asked when the master would return, and then asked about the concubine's situation. Then she hesitated for a long time and then stamped her foot and left."

Which young man has his eye on me? He even carefully listened to Aunt Xue... Could it be Xue Ke from the Xue family...?
Chen Siyuan suddenly realized, yes, it must be Xue Ke. He had previously whispered to Aunt Xue that Mei Chong was considering breaking off the engagement, and Aunt Xue had said she would write a letter to Jinling. He figured the Xue family's second wife must have gotten the letter.

Could it be that because of me, Xue Ke and Bao Qin would go to Rongguo Mansion early?

On second thought, he felt something was wrong. Mourning for one's father requires twenty-seven months, and it would probably take another year or so for Xue Ke and Xue Baoqin to be out of mourning. It was no wonder Xue Ke was so impatient.

Firstly, Xue Ke is still young, and secondly, the second branch of the Xue family is not as good as the first branch. If Mei Hanlin's family breaks off the engagement, I am afraid that the second branch will become an ordinary merchant family.

With a clear mind, Chen Siyuan sent Yunxiang away and just returned to the guest room when he heard the chattering and laughing sounds from outside. A moment later, the door was pushed open, and it was Qingwen and Xiangling who came back together.

Qingwen and Xiangling came over and said that they had bought more than ten rolls of fine cloth of various colors, as well as seven or eight rolls of brocade and several sets of rouge and powder.

After taking inventory, Qingwen said, "Master, the same is true. If it weren't for Sister Xiangling and I taking care of it, I'm afraid it would be difficult to explain to the Second and Third Aunts when we return to the capital."

Chen Siyuan laughed and said, "Who said I didn't think about it? I was just thinking about buying more in Yangzhou."

Xiangling said, "What did I say? Master knows what I meant."

Qingwen smiled and hummed twice, then took the tape measure and went to the next room, saying, "I'm going to measure my cousin's body." Qingwen left the guest room and went to the next room in a moment. At this time, Xing Xiuyan was copying with a restless mood. Seeing Qingwen coming, she hurriedly got up to greet her.

Qingwen smiled and walked forward, pulling it, then said, "Don't move, cousin. I'm here to measure you."

Xing Xiuyan had a guess and asked, "What's the purpose of the measurement?"

Qingwen took out a tape measure and replied, "Master gave instructions yesterday to make some new clothes for my cousin."

Xing Xiuyan's mouth pursed, speechless. She knew full well that Chen Siyuan had done this on purpose. If he didn't want the money, he could at least accept the clothes and rouge, right?
In a moment, Qingwen took her measurements and said, "It's ready. My cousin, please send the ratskin over later, and I'll sew some satin for you. My master said he'll be staying in Yangzhou for a few days, and then he'll return to the capital by carriage after the tomb-sweeping ceremony. It wouldn't be nice for you to have to travel in the wind and snow without a coat to cover yourself."

Xing Xiuyan hurriedly thanked Qingwen, but Qingwen shook her head, covered her mouth and smiled as she left.

After a while, Zhuan'er brought a box of rouge and powder as if presenting a treasure, and kept praising Uncle Chen for really caring about his sister.

Xing Xiuyan sat at her desk, listening to the words intermittently, her mind lost in thought. She forced herself to copy the poem, then, unable to resist, she found some paper and began to write a short poem.

After the ink dried, he mixed the paper in between and told Zhuan'er, "Take it to Yuan'er to see if the handwriting is still correct."

Zhuan'er asked, "Sister, why don't you go by yourself?"

Xing Xiuyan looked at him without saying anything, and Zhuan'er immediately gave up and said, "Okay, okay, I'll go."

With a pout, Zhuan'er held the folded paper in his hands and sent it to the next room in a moment.

Chen Siyuan thanked Zhuan'er, unfolded the book, glanced at it, and couldn't help but admire it. Xing Xiuyan's handwriting reflects her personality. While neat, it possessed a certain air of transcendence. He was about to flip through it casually when a piece of paper fell out.

Chen Siyuan picked it up and took a look, and saw the words written on it:

The old courtyard is quietly locked in deep moss marks, shyly hiding from the curling reeds.

I wanted to send a letter of ice silk to the high pavilion, but I was afraid to invite you. The shadow of plum blossoms fell on the snowy window.

The dim and pale moon moves as I paddle my boat alone. Who is knocking on the quiet window at dawn?
You know that the rattan silk is secretly tied early, and I am waiting for the starry raft to cross on my pillow of pear clouds.

What a beautiful line, 'You know that the vine silk is secretly tied together, and I am waiting for the starry raft to cross on my pillow of pear clouds'!
Chen Siyuan smiled as he read it, tucked the paper away in his book with great care. He couldn't help but glance at the woman next to him, wanting to go over and pour out his heart, but afraid to disturb her. So he let out a smile and settled down to think about how to write "Records of the Four Continents."

That afternoon, the servant Qingyu booked a speedboat to Yangzhou for the next day. No other details were mentioned.

The next day, Chen Siyuan hired six carriages to load the local gifts sent by each family. At noon, he boarded a boat and left Jinling for Yangzhou.

Two days later, they arrived in Yangzhou and settled in. Chen Siyuan first went to the Chen family's ancestral tomb to pay homage. Feeling guilty, he then went to the nearby farmers to eavesdrop.

Who would have thought that it would be fine if I hadn't asked, but the farmer actually said that the Chen family was involved in a lawsuit!

It was a month ago that the governor Jia Yucun supervised the case of corruption in the salt administration of Yangzhou. Most of the officials in the salt administration were thrown into prison, four of the eight major salt merchants in Yangzhou were killed, and two branches of the Chen family were exiled for smuggling private salt!
Chen Siyuan was horrified when he heard this! As the saying goes, "live by the mountain, eat by the mountain; live by the water, eat by the water." Yangzhou was a key salt administration center, so illicit salt was naturally rampant. The imperial court had always arrested the big and let the small go. How could the Chen family, a small family, be exiled to the border?

The Chen family only had three branches, and this title came from the eldest branch, which had long since dispersed due to a previous case. Now that the other two branches had been exiled... wouldn't the Chen family be completely wiped out?
Even a fool would know that this matter was not simple! Could it be that Jia Yucun noticed that Chen Siyuan was not the same, and because of the marriage certificate, he simply eliminated his future troubles?
Regardless of Jia Yucun's intentions, it was always a good thing for Chen Siyuan. Besides, he was just a small fry now, so how could he know the thoughts of a powerful official?
So Chen Siyuan put the matter aside for the time being, and went to pay homage to his mentor's lonely grave the next day. The next day he went on a shopping spree, hired eight carriages, and hired six porters as guards. On the 26th day of the winter month, he set off for the capital in a grand procession.

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

The capital, Ningguo Prefecture.

It was already the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month, and the New Year celebrations and the visit of the emperor's parents happened at the same time, so the two mansions in the east and west were naturally very busy.

On this day, Jia Zhen was out visiting a friend, and it happened that the Liaodong farm owner sent New Year gifts, so Youshi had no choice but to meet the new farm leader.

Yu-shi went to the second hall and sat down. The new village head kowtowed politely and presented the gift list. Yu-shi glanced at it and said with a smile, "This looks like a lot more than last year."

The new village head smiled and said, "Grandma, you don't know, but since the Wu family left, everyone in the other villages has been grateful for their kindness. And thanks to Second Master Yun's implementation of the points system, everyone in the village has been working very hard over the past year. Last month, we did a quick count, and after deducting the money we paid to the village head, everyone earned 30% more than usual!"

Yu Shi couldn't help but laugh and said, "That's good. The master isn't unreasonable. In a year of famine, they might even allocate money for disaster relief. But in a year of plenty, they should at least let the master breathe a sigh of relief."

The new village head agreed no matter what. Yu Shi was so happy that she gave a banquet to the people who came to send New Year gifts. After the new village head kowtowed to express his gratitude, she sent the maid away.

Just as Youshi stood up, the maid Yindie came back and said, "Madam, Second Aunt has just arrived. I led her to the east courtyard first."

You Shi agreed and went back to the east courtyard. When she entered the main room, she saw You Erjie warming her hands with a teacup.

Yu Shi, intent on making friends, took one glance at her and said, "Second sister, you need to change your rat fur coat. It just so happens that the manor in Liaodong has sent you a lot of furs. You should bring back a fox fur coat later."

Second Sister You immediately smiled and thanked her. After You Shi sat down, she whispered, "Sister, that Rong boy has been very restless these days."

"How to say?"

You Erjie said, "Yesterday I happened to run into that fool Xing coming to Rongguo Mansion. When he saw me, he said that Rong had led people to surround our old house and were gritting their teeth. I don't know what he was thinking."

Yu Shi frowned, thought for a moment, and then nodded, saying, "It's not a good time to cause trouble at this critical moment... I'll talk to Master later, and he'll take care of it."

As they were talking, the maid Jin'e hurried in and replied, "Grandma, Third Aunt is here too."

Yu Shi immediately frowned. Even though Yu Erjie had mediated last time and the situation between Yu Shi and Yu Sanjie had eased slightly, Yu Sanjie never came to Ningguo Mansion. What happened today?
You Shi couldn't help but look at You Erjie, and seeing her shaking her head, she ordered Jin'e to invite You Sanjie in.

A moment later, Third Sister You came over with a frown on her face. Knowing she had something to say, You Shi immediately sent the servants away. Third Sister You frowned and said, "This... I really don't know how to start."

Yu Shi asked, "What happened?"

Third Sister You said with a strange look on her face, "I'm afraid... we're going to have another brother or sister."

"what?"

You Shi was thinking, Old Lady You is thirty-six now, and now an old clam has given birth to a pearl... should this be a happy event?

In the blink of an eye, she saw that You Erjie's face also looked strange, and she felt something was wrong. After a little thought, You Shi was horrified and lowered her voice to ask: "Could that child be..."

Third Sister You sighed and said nothing.

Whose could it be? Calculating the date, even if it wasn't Jia Zhen's, it must have been Jia Rong's!

Yu Shi was so angry that she clenched her fists and wished she could find a hole to crawl into! No matter whether her stepmother gave birth to a concubine's daughter or a granddaughter, it was not pleasant to say!

Yu Shi was annoyed and asked hurriedly, "Did the Guo family notice it?"

Third Sister You sighed, "How could she not have noticed? Dr. Guo has already sent someone to inform us, asking us to pick a day to bring her back!"

Not to mention Youshi, even You Erjie was getting restless at this moment. She couldn't help but frown and sigh, "How could this be? It's really..."

Third Sister You had a fiery temper, and Second Sister You was more cautious, so they were often at a loss when it came to major matters. In comparison, Youshi was a bit more resilient. After calming down, she began to think, "I think there might be a way around this... If Dr. Guo was truly angry, he would have sent her back right now, and why would he have sent someone to inform him? We can find an opportunity to visit him tomorrow and hear what Dr. Guo has to say. It won't be too late to make a decision then."

Third Sister You said, "Now that we have lost our man, I'm afraid we three won't be able to handle it. And brother Yuan hasn't come back yet..." As she spoke, Third Sister You looked at Youshi.

Yu-shi shook her head and said, "Don't let him know, otherwise who knows what will happen."

The person he was referring to was naturally Jia Zhen.

Truth cannot be hidden; Jia Zhen naturally knew about Jia Rong's genital injuries long ago. As the saying goes, the three unfilial acts are not having children, and the worst is not having children. All the money Jia Zhen had earned at Baicaotang has been poured back into the place, and he spends every day at home searching for concubines, hoping to have another child.

Who would have thought that two months had passed and there was still no sign of pregnancy.

The day before yesterday, Jia Zhen mentioned casually that Qin Shi had been gone for over a year, and that it was time to ask Jia Rong about a marriage. His underlying thought was that Jia Rong hadn't suffered any harm and could still have a child.

Now his son and grandson have become Jia Zhen's obsession. If he finds out that Old Lady You is pregnant, and that the child is most likely his and Jia Rong's, there's no telling what kind of stupid thing he will do!

After these words were spoken, the three sisters were all speechless. After a while, another maid came in and said, "Grandma, there are many carriages and horses in front of Rongguo Mansion. It looks like Master Yuan has returned."

The three sisters were startled, and Third Sister You immediately clapped her hands in joy: "Brother Yuan is back? Hey, then I'll go back first. I'll ask Brother Yuan for his opinion and then we'll talk about this matter!"

He left in a hurry.

You Erjie also stood up, walked a few steps and stopped, stole a glance at Youshi, and said with a low laugh: "Brother Yuan is back, big sister, you must hurry up."

Youshi's heart was pounding. Ningguo Mansion had no successor, so Jia Zhen was obsessed with searching for concubines all day long. However, there was no result. It seemed that Jia Zhen had given up the idea of ​​having a son himself.

The other day, when she mentioned Jia Rong's remarriage, she naturally had other hopes. If she had a child now, and it happened to be a boy, wouldn't Ningguo Mansion belong to his offspring in the future?
Even if it weren't for the child, just thinking of the tender and charming night when You Erjie gave birth to her child made Youshi feel ecstatic. She couldn't help licking her lower lip and shouted, "Yindie, go to the storehouse and get a fox fur coat for my second sister."

After the silver dish disappeared, Youshi whispered, "Second sister, you know what I mean. If this is accomplished, I will definitely reward you handsomely someday."

You Erjie then laughed and said, "I think your eldest sister's peacock gold headpiece, with its beaded and gold filigree, is very charming... but it's a pity that it's so extravagant, I don't know if I'll ever be able to wear it in my lifetime."

Yu Shi's heart ached. That set of thirteen peacock gold headpieces, inlaid with pearls and gold filigree, had been handed down from the Ming court. Each piece alone was worth one or two hundred taels of silver. If the whole set were sold, it would probably cost at least two thousand taels!

She cursed You Erjie's discerning eyes and weighed the pros and cons in her mind. Then Youshi smiled and said, "Sister, why didn't you tell me earlier? If I had known that you liked it, I would have borrowed it from you to dress up this time."

You Erjie smiled, but inwardly she thought that You Shi might not be able to find the rabbit before she made the move, so she whispered, "Third sister will have to go to the shop to check on the accounts in a few days. I will inevitably be lonely all alone. Why don't you come and see me when you have time?"

Yu Shi understood what she meant and agreed with a smile, then sent You Erjie away.

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

Rongguo Mansion.

Grandmother Jia was talking to Xiangyun and Baoyu when after a while Wang Xifeng came in with a smile.

Grandmother Jia then asked, "Yuanyang said there was a commotion up ahead?"

Sister Feng smiled and said, "My dear, it's Brother Yuan who has returned from the south."

Grandmother Jia's face suddenly turned cold.

Sister Feng said, "My old relative asked Brother Fuyuan to send a lot of local gifts, and Mrs. Li Jijiu also gave the old lady two rare books from the previous dynasty."

As he spoke, he gave Ping'er a wink, and the latter handed over "Instructions for Women" and "Biographies of Virtuous Women".

Grandmother Jia smiled and said yes, holding the two rare books in her hands, she pondered. Giving these two books for no reason, on the surface, was to show that the Li family approved of Li Wan's adherence to the code of conduct for women, but in reality, it was to use orthodox etiquette to criticize the Jia family, implying that the Li family cared about their daughter's treatment!

Grandmother Jia couldn't help but feel bitter. The one who disliked Li Wan was Lady Wang, so what did it have to do with her?

At this time, Feng Jieer said, "Come to think of it, Brother Yuan didn't come back alone this time; he brought his eldest wife's brother and his family with him." As she spoke, she glanced at Baoyu and said, "Especially that Miss Xing, she is truly a beautiful and talented woman!"

Baoyu was indeed interested: "Where is he? I must go and see!"

Sister Feng smiled and said, "She went to the east wing to see the eldest lady first. She said she would come to pay her respects to the old lady later."

Grandmother Jia hated Xing Xiuyan's family and naturally disliked them. She said, "It's been freezing cold all the way here. There's no rush to pay your respects now. Let them come another day."

Baoyu's heart was suddenly filled with anxiety and he became restless. Xiangyun noticed this and said jokingly, "Look, as soon as my brother Ai heard that a girl was coming, he became as restless as a monkey!"

(End of this chapter)