Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 51 Coincidental
Mrs. Xing pondered all the way through the triple ceremonial gates and arrived at the main chamber. She glanced up and saw Wang Shanbao, the housekeeper, waiting there. A host of maids and servants came forward to greet them, one accepting a cloak, another offering fragrant tea. Even Mrs. Wang, the head of the household, couldn't match her for the grandeur of the scene.

Housekeeper Wang Shanbao chattered on and on for a while, but Mrs. Xing had no intention of listening. Seeing that there was nothing important happening in the house, she sent him away.

As the night deepened, a maid lit an incense burner, and the smoke from the burning sandalwood curled upwards. Mrs. Xing then asked, "Where is the master staying today?"

The maid replied, "Madam, it's in Concubine Jiaohong's room."

Madam Xing frowned and asked, "How many days have you not visited Qiu Tong?"

The maid replied "yes," and Mrs. Xing smiled triumphantly. The eldest master, Jia She, was a shrew, only concerned with bringing people into his chambers. They were exciting for ten days or half a month, but then they turned cold in the blink of an eye.

That day, because of Chen Siyuan, Madam Xing had spoken out and agreed to Jia She's marriage to Qiu Tong. Ten days later, Jia She still hadn't mentioned Qiu Tong's marriage proposal, which clearly showed that the seductress's hopes were in vain.

Mrs. Xing immediately sent her maid to fetch some water. She washed herself carefully and took off the hairpins in front of the mirror.

There was originally a bronze mirror on the dressing table. Since Dashun has been able to produce glass mirrors in recent years, it was replaced with a one-and-a-half-foot oval glass mirror.

Inadvertently glancing at her, she saw that the face in the mirror was beautiful, vaguely reminiscent of a young girl. Perhaps because the glass mirror revealed every detail, Mrs. Xing suddenly noticed a single white hair growing at her temple.

Mrs. Xing frowned in displeasure. She had come to the Rongguo Mansion as a concubine when she was seventeen or eighteen years old. Besides having plundered the family wealth, she was also famous for her charming and graceful appearance.

When she first entered the Rongguo Mansion, Jia She treated her with great care for her for some time. However, Jia She was a greedy and lustful man. Knowing her humble family background, Mrs. Xing obeyed Jia She's orders in everything. Gradually, Jia She became more and more dissolute.

Which of the maids in the East Wing Courtyard had not fallen into Jia She's hands? He would favor her for a while, then send her away to marry off to other boys. On the other hand, the three concubines in these wing rooms were mostly purchased from outside.

Therefore, Mrs. Xing never cared about the pretty maids in the east wing because they would never threaten her.

Is the master being dissolute? So be it. She is a general's wife, so how can she not be respectable in public?
The eldest master hasn't come to the main house for a long time? It's up to him. After all, he needs to provide for his own food and clothing. He is always surrounded by people and looks very impressive. Isn't this better than marrying into an ordinary family and having to worry about the work?
The only thing was that Madam Xing had also been a young girl, and she couldn't stand the sight of herself looking even slightly older. So when she suddenly caught a glimpse of the white hair at her temples, her expression changed instantly.

"Pull out your white hair quickly."

The maid hurriedly agreed, moved the candle closer and searched carefully. It took her a long time to find it, and then she carefully pulled it out.

"Mrs--"

Mrs. Xing didn't want to watch it, so she waved her hand and said, "Hurry and throw it into the smoker and burn it!"

The maid quickly agreed, then turned back and whispered, "Madam, how about some Polygonum multiflorum and black sesame paste tomorrow?"

"Well, starting tomorrow, I'll eat this every morning."

The maidservant obeyed obediently.

After a while, the maid helped Mrs. Xing to undress. In a blink of an eye, Mrs. Xing was left with only her middle clothes and got up and got on the bed.

Perhaps it was the white hair that startled her, or perhaps Chen Siyuan's eyes were too sinister, but Madam Xing tossed and turned all night, and even when she fell asleep, she had a series of enchanting dreams. When she woke up the next morning, she suddenly felt a damp chill under her underwear. She reached out and touched it, and her face flushed with shame.

At this moment, the maid outside heard the noise and hurried in, saying, "Is Madam about to get up?"

Mrs. Xing said in a panic, "Hmm... I was so hot in the smoker last night that I woke up sweating all over. Miao'er, go find me some clothes."

The maid Miao'er had no doubts about it, so she agreed immediately and turned around to find Xiaoyi.

Madam Xing sat on the bedside, biting her lower lip in confusion.

It is no coincidence.

That day, Chen Siyuan was awakened by Hongyu. When he regained consciousness, he saw himself astride her, his blanket rolled up. At his age, in the prime of his youth, he vaguely remembered the whirlwind of sex in his dreams, so it wasn't hard to guess what had happened.

Fortunately, Hongyu had never experienced sex before, and she thought Chen Siyuan was possessed by a nightmare, so she hurried over and pushed him twice, otherwise wouldn't her ugly appearance have been exposed?
Chen Siyuan was also a thick-skinned man. He asked Hongyu to get some tea as if nothing had happened. After drinking the tea, the erection in his body subsided a little, and then he asked Hongyu to help him get dressed.

After breakfast, Chen Siyuan picked up his small bag and was about to go out. As soon as he came out of the main door, he saw Xiangling carrying a wooden basin to the side room.

Xiangling's complexion looked much better, and when she saw Chen Siyuan, she quickly greeted him softly.

Chen Siyuan stepped forward and touched it, frowning and saying, "What are you doing with the cold water?"

Xiangling lowered her delicate head and said in a muffled voice, "Wash...the mattress."

Chen Siyuan blinked and said, "Let Yunxiang do these things..." Seeing Xiangling blushing and shaking her head, he said, "At worst, add hot water. You shouldn't touch cold water these days."

Although Xiangling was very shy, she felt a warm feeling in her heart. She bravely looked up at Chen Siyuan, turned her head and said, "Okay, I'll make a note of it. Thank you, sir."

"Then I'll be leaving first. When I get back I'll ask Hongyu. If you don't listen to me, I'll definitely punish you!"

Although he acted like a villain, Xiangling burst out laughing. She then covered her mouth and agreed, "I know, don't worry, Master."

Chen Siyuan didn't stop and quickly left the courtyard. Xiangling, holding the basin of water, watched him disappear before entering the west wing with a smile on her face.

Chen Siyuan naturally couldn't go to the Xing family empty-handed, so he went to the street to buy some gifts of various colors, and then rode out of the inner city.

The Xing family lived in Jinjing Hutong outside Xuanwumen.

Chen Siyuan's adopted grandfather had been the commander of the Beijing Camp, later promoted to the position of Patrol Officer, a fifth-rank military officer with a strong connection to the Rongguo Mansion. Otherwise, Madam Xing wouldn't have become a concubine.

When my grandfather was alive, the Xing family naturally had a good time. However, as the saying goes, nothing lasts forever, and early in his life, my grandfather got into trouble. Not only did he lose his job, but he also lost most of his family's wealth in the process of clearing up connections.

Although the Xing family still has some farmland and shops, the most valuable thing left is the three-courtyard house in Jinjing Hutong.

Chen Siyuan listened all the way and when he arrived at the gate of the house, he saw a tall and strong man staggering out from the corner gate.

Seeing Chen Siyuan dismount and approaching, the man exclaimed in surprise and immediately stepped forward to ask, "Are you looking for someone?"

Chen Siyuan asked, "Excuse me, is this the Xing family?"

"Exactly. Which one are you?"

"I'm a relative of the Xing family, my name is Chen Siyuan."

The man blinked, then suddenly came up and patted Chen Siyuan on the shoulder, laughing: "Brother Yuan? Hahaha, it really is you, I am your uncle!"

(End of this chapter)