Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 228 Sister Bao and Sister Lin

Xing Xiuyan, that girl has always been a carefree and reclusive person, never fighting or competing. Could it be that she will keep silent this time and wait until she is forced to pawn her coat?
Chen Siyuan frowned and said, "Next time something like this happens, just come find me."

Zhuan'er nodded repeatedly, then leaned closer and whispered, "Sis wasn't too happy to see it moved into the garden. She was still complaining yesterday that even though she played with the other sisters every day, she just couldn't see Master anymore."

Xing Xiuyan would never say it directly, it was probably compiled by Zhuan'er again.

Zhuan'er continued, "The next day, Master will come to Luxue'an, the temple behind the Zhuijin Tower. I'll see you and urge you to come down and meet him."

That's quite good. Chen Siyuan was so happy that he found a dime and gave it to Zhuan'er, who was so happy that he danced with joy for a while. After a long while, he finally skipped away.

Watching Zhuan'er disappear into the garden, Chen Siyuan stood at the Qinfang Pavilion for a long moment, his hands behind his back, his anger growing. He, Chen Siyuan, had always been a bad tempered person, so how could he allow Xing Xiuyan to be bullied? After a moment's deliberation, he decided to first consult Siqi about the matter before resolving the matter. Then, he headed back to his own thatched cottage.

Soon they arrived in front of the Qingtang thatched cottage, and from a distance a woman came over to greet them: "Master...Yuan."

Chen Siyuan looked up and saw that the woman standing in front of the east corner door was none other than Qin Xianjia. An idea struck Chen Siyuan, and he stepped forward and said with a smile, "Sister-in-law Qin, are you going to lock the door?"

Qin Xianjia was flattered and smiled endlessly, "That's right. Madam has set the rules to lock the door before the evening hour every day. I saw that it was unlikely that anyone would come to the East Palace today, so I just locked it for another moment."

Chen Siyuan nodded and said, "It's as it should be. Anyway, Sister Qin will be here to stay, so what's the harm if it's earlier or later?"

"That's exactly the reason."

"Yes, Mrs. Qin has been working hard guarding the gate. If you have nothing else to do, just come to my yard and have some hot tea."

Qin Xianjia was overjoyed and thanked him repeatedly: "Oh, thank you for your concern, brother Lao Yuan. I don't know how to say it."

Qin Xianjia was Siqi's aunt and Wang Shanbao's daughter-in-law. She was also from the East Cross Courtyard, so naturally she was eager to see Chen Siyuan. Furthermore, although Chen Siyuan and Siqi's private relationship had never been publicized, Wang Shanbao's wife had long known about it. How could Qin Xianjia be completely unaware of it?
After a while of warm greetings, Chen Siyuan suddenly said, "Yes, Sister Qin, do you know which maids are currently serving in Zhuijin Pavilion?"

Qin Xianjia was puzzled and asked, "Besides the second young lady's wet nurse, there are two other servants, one surnamed Yang and the other surnamed Liu. They have both been in the mansion for twenty or thirty years... Why is Master Yuan asking about this?"

Chen Siyuan frowned angrily and said, "Just now I ran into Zhuan'er, who is beside my cousin. She came to me and complained about her grievances. My cousin had only moved in a few days ago, and those women have ganged up on us. If we order them around, we have to pay money, and then we are ridiculed for being shabby... What kind of logic is this?"

"Ah?" Qin Xianjia's face suddenly changed. After a moment's thought, she lowered her voice and said, "Master Yuan, you don't know that Nanny Wang is the most abusive. She relies on the fact that she was chosen by the original wife as a wet nurse and doesn't even take the first wife seriously.

This Nanny Wang loves drinking and gambling the most. If it weren't for her instigation, even if you beat Yang and Liu to death, they wouldn't dare to even glance at your cousin."

The wet nurse chosen by the original wife, Zhen? Zhen had been dead for more than ten years. I wonder where this woman got the confidence from.

Seeing Chen Siyuan pondering, Qin Xianjia's thoughts suddenly shifted. Nanny Wang had always been a bad mouth. She might have been more reserved with Wang Shanbao, but she wasn't so polite with Qin Xianjia. They'd argued several times, and Qin Xianjia had been scolded by her. How could she not harbor resentment?
She immediately said with a smile, "In the past, the eldest wife didn't care much about the affairs of the second lady's room, but now the second lady is raised under the eldest wife's name. It is only right that the eldest wife should take charge of it. Otherwise, wouldn't the servant be riding on the master's head and shitting and pissing?"

Yes, just let Madam Xing handle this matter. I was just thinking of finding Siqi to show off to those old women, but it was really a long way to go.

So Chen Siyuan nodded and said, "Sister-in-law Qin is right. I will go talk to my aunt tomorrow."

Silent all night.

The next day, Chen Siyuan thought about having a small gathering with her sisters today, so she hurried to the east courtyard around noon.

It is said that on this day, the master Jia She got up early and was holding his waist. He was being affectionate with his concubine Jiao Hong when a maid came in with a stern face and said, "Auntie, it's bad. It seems that the bunch of purple bamboo can't be kept alive!"

Jiaohong's face suddenly changed. She quickly put on her clothes and came out to take a look. In a moment, she returned to her room and cried to Jia She, "Master, you must do something for me. I don't know who poured lye water on the bamboo in the middle of the night, and the purple bamboo I worked so hard to get has died! It must be that little bitch Cuiyun's fault!"

Jia She was preoccupied with the lawsuit, and he had no sons to worry about. How could he care less about such a mess? He frowned and said vaguely, "Do you have any real evidence? If you have, I will make the decision and immediately expel Cuiyun from the house!"

Jiaohong cried, "She did it in the middle of the night without anyone's knowledge. If I had caught her, how could I have let the purple bamboo be doused with lye?"

Jia She tried to appease her with a few perfunctory words, saying that he would find another bunch of purple bamboo the next day. Seeing Jiaohong crying non-stop, he simply dressed and left, heading straight for the main room.

Mrs. Xing was teasing her fourth brother, but when she saw the eldest master Jia She coming, she immediately put on an extra piece of clothing. Ever since she had been secretly dealing with the little thief, she felt disgusted even if Jia She looked at her, let alone sleeping in the same bed.

Jia She had come for some quiet time, and finding his fourth brother's babbling quite amusing, he came over to tease him for a while. Meanwhile, the noise outside was growing louder. It was because, as soon as Jia She had left, Jiaohong had sought out Cuiyun and started cursing at her across the courtyard wall.

Mrs. Xing frowned, and seeing that Jia She didn't care, she pretended not to hear anything. But a moment later, Wang Shanbao, the housekeeper, came in and said, "Oh my! This is terrible! Madam, please go and take care of it! The two concubines, Jiaohong and Cuiyun, are fighting, and there's blood!"

Mrs. Xing blinked and immediately cursed, "You lowly little whore without a screwdriver, you're causing trouble so early in the morning!"

He immediately stood up and led a group of maids and old women to the side courtyard, where he saw the two concubines indeed wrestling with each other, pulling each other's hair and clothes. Cuiyun must have hit her nose, as her face was covered in blood. She was crying and scratching her rosy face.

Madam Xing frowned and sighed, saying to the others, "This is truly outrageous. What are you all just looking at? Go and separate these two."

Wang Shanbao's wife shouted, and immediately a servant came forward to separate the two. Wang Shanbao's wife then jumped up and said, "Auntie, stop it now! You won't lose face."

Jiaohong cried, "That little bitch had someone pour lye water on my purple bamboo in the middle of the night, deliberately cursing me to be unable to have children. Please, Madam, please help me!"

Cuiyun cursed back, "Bah! Black-hearted maggot, what does it have to do with me if you can't keep the bamboo alive? Which of your buttocks saw me pouring lye water on the bamboo?"

Madam Xing was getting a headache from the noise. She pointed at the two of them and said, "Shut up! You're really becoming more and more unruly. Go kneel down under the eaves and don't get up until I tell you to!" She then looked at Wang Shanbao, the housekeeper, and said, "Madam Wang, check around to see if anyone else has been watering Concubine Jiaohong's purple bamboo these past few days!"

Wang Shanbao's heart trembled at first, but then he puffed out his chest and said, "Don't worry, madam. I will find out everything!"

Mrs. Xing glared at the two of them again, snorted coldly, and then returned to the main room in anger. She didn't even want to pay attention to Jia She now, let alone the concubines in the courtyard.

When Mrs. Xing entered, she saw the eldest master Jia She with an embarrassed look on his face, and the wet nurse was holding the crying fourth brother and trying to comfort him.

Mrs. Xing rolled her eyes inwardly, thinking that no matter how old this man was, he was always a monkey. Last time, the little thief had teased her and made her fourth brother cry for a long time.

The two of them sat down and waited for Miao'er to serve them some tea. The master took a sip and said, "I wanted to help Brother Yuan with his business, but he borrowed a lot of money and now he's selling it for one ounce and a half a share... Tsk, even if I wanted to help, I'm powerless." He paused and said, "But don't worry, I'll tell my colleagues in the Fifth Army about this tomorrow. I can't just watch Brother Yuan lose everything."

Madam Xing was secretly pleased, thinking, "The little thief really has a plan. Isn't this going to make the master retreat?" The whole story about spreading the news to the Fifth Army Headquarters was just a pretense. In reality, why would the master need to spread the news? A noble family came to visit yesterday, so why would he worry about how to sell it?
Mrs. Xing patiently flattered him, "Brother Yuan is a little older than me, so shouldn't you, Master, help him a little more?"

"Hmm." Jia She nodded, pondering, as if truly believing his own words. Skimming tea leaves from his covered bowl, he said, "But there's no need to rush. Yesterday, Uncle Niu privately told me that rubber is very useful for making tires. Who knows, if the rubber price goes up someday, Brother Yuan will be able to make a profit."

After a pause, he continued, "Did anyone from the Wang family come yesterday?"

Mrs. Xing said, "Sister brought her daughter here once. She first talked to the old lady for a while, and then went to the second room." After a pause, she couldn't help but sneer and said, "That uncle's wife is really crazy. Her daughter has a flat head and a straight face, and a bad temper. How could she have the confidence to come to see Brother Yuan?"

Jia She was startled and asked, "Are the Wang family members here to see Brother Yuan?"

"That's right... not long after I went to the Second House, I sent the maid to find Yuan Ge'er, saying that she wanted to show the poems she had written to Miss Wang. Tsk tsk, Master, let me say this, the Second House really doesn't take you seriously. Such a big thing must be informed to you, Master. How can it be done quietly?" After a pause, seeing that Jia She frowned and said nothing, Mrs. Xing asked curiously, "Master?"

"Hmm? Oh—hiss—" Jia She frowned and stroked his beard, a thought in his mind. Could Yuan Ge'er be considered a young talent? He had a reputation for talent, was good at farming, and passed the imperial examination at the age of fifteen. If this kind of person is not considered a talent, then who else could be considered a talent?

However, Brother Yuan's family background is not very good, so the Wang family shouldn't be so eager to visit him. Is there any other reason behind this?
Jia She suddenly realized: Yes, Master Niu said yesterday that the first person to praise the use of latex tires was Wang Ziteng... Hiss, could it be that Wang Ziteng was sure that Brother Yuan would have a breakthrough this time?

After a brief thought, Jia She suddenly sneered and said, "The Wang family has set their sights on the latex business."

Mrs. Xing blinked and quickly asked, "What do you mean?"

"Oh, what else can I say? Yesterday, Uncle Niu said that it was Wang Ziteng who was the first to be so sure that these latex tires would one day be a global phenomenon. The Wang family claims to be a military family, but in reality, they have always controlled maritime trade. If it weren't for our family's support, let alone their current prosperity, I'm afraid they wouldn't even be much better than the Xue family."

Madam Xing was puzzled and said, "Feng girl always brags about her family's wealth, saying they have mountains of gold and silver and are extremely wealthy. How could the Wang family still be short of money?"

"Why not?" Jia She said, "Ever since my father-in-law retired and returned home, the maritime trade has been lost from the Wang family. The Wang family's second branch became the governor of the Beijing camp from the Jia family, and it has only revived in recent years. But those who do not plan for the future will inevitably have immediate worries. What do you think is the most important achievement in this world?"

Mrs. Xing said, "I don't know about that."

"Of course it's the work of the Dragon!" Jia She pointed to the east and said, "Even if there were mountains of gold and seas of silver, they would have moved to the east. How could the Wang family not be short of money?" He smiled and said, "But I'm afraid the Wang family has made a wrong calculation this time."

After all, Chen Siyuan had only borrowed money to secure five years' worth of latex from the Imperial Household. Even if he bought it, how much could he earn in the future? A quick calculation showed that the gains were probably not worth the losses. His master, Jia She, would never engage in such a loss-making business.

As they were talking, a man suddenly came in and said, "Master, Madam, Brother Yuan wants to see you."

"Huh?" Jia She was stunned.

Madam Xing frowned and said, "Why...why did this child come so early? I'm afraid there's something difficult going on."

"Hmm..." Jia She thought to himself, could it be that Brother Yuan is here to urge him to subscribe to the latex shares again? Oh no, if this aunt and nephew are trying to persuade him together, it will be difficult for him to refuse. He said immediately, "Just answer it correctly. I have an appointment with Master Niu to come to my house for a chat, so I can't delay it."

Mrs. Xing was surprised and said, "Ah? Master doesn't need breakfast."

Jia She flung his sleeves and left, saying, "I'll just find a stall on the road and have a bowl of bean juice. I was just thinking about it."

Mrs. Xing had no doubts and could only stand up to see him off. When she reached the door, she ran into Chen Siyuan, frowning as he approached. Chen Siyuan hurried forward to greet him, but Jia She said vaguely, "Brother Yuan, just talk to your aunt. I have an appointment with Master Niu, so I'll be leaving first."

At this moment, Jiaohong and Cuiyun knelt in front of the courtyard and pleaded, one delicate and the other pitiful, both calling out "Master" plaintively.

Jia She was embarrassed, so he coughed and turned to look at Mrs. Xing.

Madam Xing said, "Forget it, let's all go back. If you do this again, I won't let you off easily!"

Jiaohong and Cuiyun were then helped to stand up by their maids. In just two minutes, their knees were both blue.

Seeing this, Jia She hurried away without even glancing at Chen Siyuan, leaving Chen Siyuan stunned. After pondering for a while, he roughly guessed what Jia She was thinking, and he was immediately in a state of confusion.

I thought to myself, I'm afraid you'll really buy it! Master Jia She hid away, which saved him from wasting his breath.

Turning back, Chen Siyuan exchanged a glance with Madam Xing, seeing her eyes filled with concern. He nodded slightly, and Madam Xing finally felt relieved. After the two of them entered and were served tea, Chen Siyuan began to talk business: "...The maidservants around my second sister are truly outrageous. How could they bully someone like this? Auntie, you can't say anything, but you must intervene."

Mrs. Xing was feeling relieved after the previous day's affectionate encounter, and when she saw Chen Siyuan come to see her this morning, she was feeling relieved. But she didn't know that the little thief had come so early because of Xing Xiuyan.

Although she knew it was wrong, Madam Xing still couldn't help but feel jealous and said, "You two cousins ​​are really close."

As soon as the words came out, Mrs. Xing knew something was wrong and quickly sent the maid and the old woman away. Then she rolled her eyes and said, "Zhenzhen is a newlywed, and the previous one threw it over the wall."

Chen Siyuan was at a loss for words and said, "What kind of jealousy are you eating?"

Mrs. Xing snorted and said nothing, not knowing how to respond.

Chen Siyuan came over and said, "You were the one who acted as matchmaker back then. If it weren't for this, how could I have found my cousin's family? Besides, now that you have my second sister by your side, whether it's true or not, you have to put on an act."

As he spoke, Chen Siyuan reached out and grasped her shoulders, shaking them relentlessly. Madam Xing was so distracted by the shaking that she frowned and said, "Stop shaking! My arms, legs, and waist feel like they're not mine now. Every movement hurts." She paused, then pondered, "Her wet nurse, relying on her status as the original wife, even with the old lady, is a bit respectable. But she's not easy to deal with... How about I just use those two servants as a raft?"

"Killing a chicken to scare the monkeys? Well, just scare those servants who have no idea what's going on, so that they won't bully my cousin."

Mrs. Xing replied, "All right..." Then, feeling unhappy, she snorted, "I'm feeling tired today. I'll take someone to see him tomorrow."

Chen Siyuan observed his expression and leaned over to whisper, "When will you have time to go to the Jade Emperor Temple again?"

Madam Xing pleaded, "Let's wait a while. He's all broken down now. I'm afraid he won't recover for another five to seven days."

Seeing that Chen Siyuan was being unruly again, Mrs. Xing was so frightened that she quickly pushed him aside and urged him to get up and say goodbye.

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

Chen Siyuan had just returned to his thatched cottage in Qingtang and had finished his breakfast when Xichun's Caiping called out, "Master Yuan, have you had your breakfast yet? Our girls are urging you to hurry up."

Chen Siyuan asked with a smile, "What are your plans for today?"

Cai Ping said, "We were supposed to play handball for a while, but the wind was so strong, so the girls all went to Xiao Cui Hall for tea and chat. Our girl said that the dinner will start at noon."

Chen Siyuan agreed with a smile, sent Caiping away first, changed his clothes, and then took Xiangling and Wu'er away.

Xiaocuitang was next to Qiushuangzhai, where Tanchun lived, and was connected by a corridor outside. Behind it was a corridor and waterside pavilion leading to Ouxiangxie.

The master and his two servants were walking along the road. From a distance they could hear the chattering and bustling noise in Xiaocui Hall.

Once inside, you will see flowers in all colors and green willows, competing with each other for beauty.

At this moment, Daiyu was whispering with Baochai, Tanchun was arguing with Xiangyun, Yingchun and Xing Xiuyan were whispering in a corner, and little Xichun was eating preserved fruit. When she saw Chen Siyuan enter, she immediately exclaimed happily, "Brother Yuan is here at last!"

As soon as these words were spoken, silence fell. Daiyu glanced at him, then quickly turned away when she saw him looking back. Baochai, however, met his gaze, her almond-shaped eyes brimming with emotion. Xichun, Tanchun, and Xiangyun were all delighted. The second young lady, Yingchun, merely smiled and nodded. Xing Xiuyan remained calm, though there was a hint of resentment in her eyes... perhaps blaming Chen Siyuan for giving her more money?
Chen Siyuan smiled and bowed to all around, saying, "I'm sorry for being late... By the way, why isn't Brother Bao here?"

As soon as the words fell, giggles erupted inside. Xiangyun said, "Don't mention my brother Ai. When he heard we were going to have a little get-together the other day, he immediately got all anxious and scratched his head. First he begged his great-aunt, then asked my aunt for mercy, but he was caught by my uncle and got a good scolding. So this morning he went to Qixianzhai to study."

As the saying goes, every element has its own strengths. After the visit, Yuanchun blamed Baoyu for Chen Siyuan's actions, and even Lady Wang and Jia Zheng became harsher towards him. Big-Faced Bao still wants to hang out with the ladies in the Grand View Garden? That's just a pipe dream! Just focus on studying and making progress!

Tanchun again beckoned him to take a seat. Chen Siyuan glanced at her and simply sat down next to little Xichun. The room was filled with sweet and charming women, and the sound of sweet voices filled his ears. Chen Siyuan thought to himself, hadn't he gone to such great lengths to sneak into the Rongguo Mansion just for this moment?
However, having too many people has its disadvantages. At least he couldn't talk to Lin Daiyu, Baochai, and his cousin in private. He could only exchange glances with them from time to time.

After a while, the head maid Siqi came in with a smile and said, "Girls, the wind has died down outside, and the sun is shining brightly."

Xichun immediately clasped her hands together and stood up, saying, "Very good, very good. Let's go and have some fun."

Tanchun pondered, "There are flowers and plants all around, and it's close to water. The corridor in front of the Jade Emperor Temple is spacious. Why don't we go over there and have some fun?"

Everyone responded in unison, laughing and joking as they went out together. As Bao-jie-jie stood up, she suddenly glanced at Chen Si-yuan, who deliberately lingered and stayed at the end.

In front of them, Baochai and Sister Lin were walking hand in hand. Daiyu whispered, "Why don't you go and talk to him for a while?"

Baochai had just told Daiyu about what happened yesterday. Daiyu had always thought that Baojie was a well-behaved woman who would never dare to make a mistake, but she had never thought that she could be so bold. Daiyu was not one to follow the rules, so seeing Baojie like this, she inevitably felt a little closer to her.

Baochai winked playfully and whispered, "I can talk to him anytime, but now... leave it to my sister!" After that, she let go and took advantage of Daiyu's pause to cover her face with a smile and go forward to look for Yingchun.

Daiyu was feeling embarrassed and annoyed when she suddenly felt the wind blowing past her and saw a tall figure stop beside her. She glanced up and called out hurriedly, "Brother Yuan."

"Sister Lin." Chen Siyuan secretly praised Baochai for her virtue, and then he extended his hand to invite her, and walked side by side with Daiyu.

Daiyu had just given birth and was about twelve or thirteen years old, and was just beginning to fall in love. She had also been engaged to Chen Siyuan at an early age, so she was so embarrassed that she was speechless for a moment.

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Xiangling said yesterday that she had learned how to write poetry from her sister."

Daiyu laughed and said, "She has come to seek something far away instead of something near her, and instead of asking for help from a great poet, she comes to beg me."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "I really don't have time... Well, I just wanted to be lazy, so I'm sorry to bother you, sister."

Daiyu responded with a chuckle, then added, "I'm astonished that you still care about this medicine jar of mine, sending me the Cordyceps every month on time—" She paused, then continued, "I wonder if you pity my loneliness... or if you're afraid that I'll die young and ruin your plans?"

Chen Siyuan was stunned, thinking it was indeed Lin Duidui. He wondered when the forged marriage certificate would be exposed. He then said, "Sister, your words are truly unjust. Doctor Ding said ginseng is potent and cordyceps is a warming tonic. I'm just doing my duty." He took two steps, then lowered his expression, "Besides, sister, you're incredibly clever. This mansion is full of dangers. If I can't protect you, what's the point of all these schemes?"

Daiyu frowned slightly and said, "Now that you have achieved your goal, I think I am no longer of any use to you."

As they approached Xiaoxiang Pavilion, Chen Siyuan turned his head and looked at the pavilion and said, "This Xiaoxiang bamboo is the most resistant to wind and frost. I, Chen, am just an ordinary man, and I just want to use a few wisps of bamboo's shadow to hide my money-making smell."

Daiyu sneered, "The bamboos were planted by our ancestors, and now it seems to me that they are getting a bargain."

Chen Siyuan said, "Sister, why do you have to belittle yourself? Don't you know that in my heart, you are the Xiaoxiang Bamboo?"

Daiyu was stunned, and her pretty face flushed immediately. She turned around and saw that although Chen Siyuan had a smile on his face, it didn't seem fake. Her ears also turned red immediately.

Suddenly, Chen Siyuan said angrily, "I am a little too straightforward. Please forgive me, sister."

Daiyu pouted and gave him a look of displeasure, feeling so embarrassed that she didn't know what to say next. She hurried over and called out from a distance, "Fourth sister, let me play with that ball!"

The two maids, Xueyan and Zijuan, had been hiding far away. When they saw Daiyu leave, Xueyan gave Chen Siyuan an anxious look and hurried after her. Zijuan also took a step forward, but stopped after two steps. When Chen Siyuan caught up, she said, "Master Yuan, why don't you talk more about poetry and songs with us young ladies?"

Knowing that Zijuan was trying to curry favor, Chen Siyuan smiled and nodded. Zijuan then hurried forward to catch up with Daiyu.

Chen Siyuan, however, disagreed. If he were Baoyu, he could take his time with Daiyu, playing around, having fun, and enjoying the romance. But he wasn't! Although Lin Daiyu didn't know the details, she had already determined that the marriage certificate was a forgery. Without taking drastic measures, how could she reverse the situation?
A moment later, Bao-jie turned around again for some reason, as if blaming him for scaring Dai-yu away. Chen Si-yuan smiled in response, without explaining.

When they reached the west side of the Jade Emperor Temple, they found the corridor was indeed spacious, perfect for playing. Chen Siyuan quickly sent Wu'er back to fetch some lime, and then marked a line on the corridor. He then divided the sisters into two teams and stood aside to watch the girls playing.

Because she had avoided them, Yingchun, Baochai, Daiyu, and the others gradually let go, shouting and laughing non-stop. The latex ball bounced off the ground, Xiangyun dodged it, and Tanchun, who had caught the ball, threw it with all her might, hitting Yingchun squarely on the back.

Xichun immediately clasped her hands together and said joyfully, "I got it, I got it, Second Sister's fate is over!"

A moment later, Sister Bao deliberately exposed herself and was hit on the calf. She sweated profusely and said angrily, "Oh, I almost dodged it, but my leg wouldn't obey me."

The sisters laughed and joked for a while. Baojie took the handkerchief Ying'er handed her and wiped the sweat from her cheek while she stole a glance at Chen Siyuan. After a while, she quietly slipped away behind the Jade Emperor Temple.

Chen Siyuan understood the elegant meaning of the music and went around to the east of the Jade Emperor Temple from the other side.

In a moment, the two met under a tall peach tree. Baochai scolded her, "I finally had a chance to talk to Sister Lin, but how did you offend her?"

After that day, Chen Siyuan accepted the fact that he had become a scumbag in this life. Now he was even more of a scumbag. He looked at Sister Bao and said, "You are still thinking about Sister Lin. Why don't you think about yourself?"

Sister Bao was choked up and said, "It's more convenient for me than for her."

Chen Siyuan asked, "Did your mother become suspicious yesterday?"

Sister Bao shook her head, frowning dejectedly, "She asked a few questions, but you just assumed I had a grudge against my cousin... At the time, I thought Mom had figured it out. I'm really tired of all this cover-up."

Chen Siyuan encouraged him, "Why don't I go back and find my concubine and propose to her in person? Not to mention you, I'm tired of it too."

"Are you crazy?" Sister Bao frowned and said angrily, "I just said it in a fit of anger. If I had said it, I wouldn't have known how to deal with it."

Chen Siyuan was the first to criticize, saying, "I don't know what the concubine is thinking. There's Xiangyun in the Bisha cabinet, and Miaoyu in the Longcui Temple. I don't know what Baoyu is good at."

As soon as these words were spoken, Sister Bao advised, "Don't be anxious. Let's take things slow. I'll talk to Mom often, and sooner or later I'll change her mind."

Chen Siyuan nodded reluctantly, then said, "The latex business is picking up. Do you have any suitable help at home? I'll have to go to Zheng He Island to look after them. I'm afraid I won't be able to return for three to five years."

Baochai's heart suddenly moved. Since her father had passed away early, the staff of the Xue family's main branch had either developed evil intentions or been lured away by other branches. Now, the only one who could be used was the old storekeeper Zhang Dehui.

If Zhang Dehui was sent to Zheng He Island, his mother would probably no longer allow his brother Xue Pan to act recklessly.

Sister Bao said, "The only one who can be of use now is the old shopkeeper Zhang Dehui. Talk to mother later. My family has invested 20,000 silver coins. I'm sure she'll let the old shopkeeper go."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Very good. With Zhang Dehui gone, Sister Bao will have to look after the accounts." He paused, then added, "I heard the willows in the goldfish pond are swaying in the wind now, making it a perfect place for a spring outing."

Sister Bao's heart was completely devoted to him, and she naturally wanted to spend time with him under the moon and flowers. Hearing this, she couldn't help but wish, "It would be wonderful if we could go boating on the pond in March."

(End of this chapter)