Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 67 Xue Pan Hosts a Banquet (Please Read on Tuesday)

After parting with Jia Yun, Chen Siyuan let his horse run free and slowly went to look for Ma Panlong.

My heart was filled with desolation! It had only been a few days. Hu Mang had died in mysterious circumstances, and Sun Guangcheng had also been targeted by Prince Beijing!

How many fools are there in this noble family? It's possible that Prince Beijing saw through Sun Guangcheng's scheme early on, but instead of exposing him, Prince Beijing fanned the flames.

It really lived up to the saying: the gentry's money was returned to them, and the common people's money was divided 70% and 70% respectively. That's right, the 70% belonged to the rich and powerful. It was unclear whether Sun Guangcheng could escape unscathed. He might just end up like Hu Mang!

By then, Sun Guangcheng will be dead, and the wealthy businessmen who have suffered losses will not dare to trouble Prince Beijing. They will probably have to swallow their anger and accept the consequences.

Tsk tsk, these days are so dark!
He didn't know if Hu Mang was killed by someone sent by Prince Beijing, so he followed the clues and found Sun Guangcheng. He didn't know if he was exposed at this moment, but no matter what, it was not appropriate to meet Sun Guangcheng again at this time.

At this point, it is neither possible to escape nor to stay. Chen Siyuan has his own ambitions and is still thinking about his sisters in the Grand View Garden in the future. How can he just sit there and wait to die?

However, he couldn't think of a way to retreat. Compared with the hereditary prince of Beijing, Chen Siyuan was like a speck of dust in the ocean. How could he resist?
Although he didn't remember much of the past, Chen Siyuan was a second-generation human being after all, so he was a little flustered for a while before calming down.

He rode his horse all the way and soon arrived near Anhua Temple. He walked around the temple and came to the farmhouse, where he saw Qian Feihu playing with the goose-wing knife in the yard.

Seeing that it was Chen Siyuan who came, Qian Feihu greeted him and hurried over to greet him: "Brother Chen, you came at the right time. Da Biao just said that he was going to look for Brother Chen."

Chen Siyuan's heart moved, thinking that Xu Dabiao might have gained something from the surveillance.

He immediately dismounted, and without haste to inquire, he simply asked, "Is your injury healed?"

Qian Feihu curled his lips and said, "Brother Chen, you look down on me. It's just a few minor injuries. I will be fine soon." As he spoke, he held up his precious sword and said, "Brother Chen, you don't know that Da Biao was so envious of this sword that his eyes turned red. Hahahaha——"

Chen Siyuan tied up the reins and replied, "If I come across a good knife later, I'll keep it on the lookout for Brother Xu."

Qian Feihu was startled and quickly refused, saying, "He uses an iron mace, so he doesn't need a good sword. Brother Chen, please don't bother with it."

As they were talking, they led Chen Siyuan inside, and Ma Panlong and Xu Dabiao also greeted them at the door. The four brothers were naturally very warm when they met.

Chen Siyuan was not in a hurry to ask Xu Dabiao about the main business. After he entered and sat down, he said, "I am glad that I have fulfilled my mission. Brother, please take a look." As he said that, he took out the contract from his sleeve pocket and handed it over.

Ma Panlong took it and glanced at it, his face flushed immediately. When he looked at Chen Siyuan again, he was already full of gratitude and said, "This... Brother Chen is very kind. I will work hard for you in the future and will definitely repay you."

Chen Siyuan's expression suddenly turned serious. "Brother, what are you talking about? You are so unfaithful. Don't you consider me your own brother?"

Ma Panlong said, "Brother Chen is closer to me than any real brother. If he tells a lie, I'll be struck by lightning the moment I leave the house!"

Chen Siyuan laughed heartily and said, "Since we are brothers, we should keep our distance. Now that we have the indenture, I will go to the government office someday and have my sister-in-law released. Then we can find a fortune teller to choose an auspicious day, and then we can welcome my sister-in-law home with great fanfare."

Qian Feihu and Xu Dabiao on the side immediately started to make a fuss, making Ma Panlong so embarrassed that his face seemed to be covered with a big red cloth.

After some laughter and joking, Ma Panlong suddenly said, "That's right, Da Biao, why don't you get down to business!"

Xu Dabiao came over and said, "We've been following that fake eunuch for two days and finally found his whereabouts. Brother Chen, can you guess where he's staying?"

"Could it be... nearby?"

Xu Dabiao laughed and said, "Haha, that's right, it's near the orphanage in the east." As he spoke, Xu Dabiao said proudly, "Not only that, we also found out the details of that fake eunuch."

"How to say?"

Xu Dabiao said, "That old fellow's real name is Liu Xifu. He was originally a eunuch in the Yong'an Princess's residence. Last year, the old Prince Yizhong got into trouble, and somehow he disappeared without a trace until recently."

Princess Yong'an is the daughter of the old Prince Yizhong, and is said to be his favorite. How could this eunuch from the princess's residence escape for no apparent reason? And he's been missing for over a year... Could it be that Liu Xifu contacted Sun Guangcheng? What are these two planning?
While Chen Siyuan was still pondering, Xu Dabiao said, "I think that old man lives alone near the orphanage. If Brother Chen wants, we can kidnap him tonight and let Brother Chen decide what to do with him."

Chen Siyuan waved his hands repeatedly: "Not really, it's just an ordinary grudge, why would you brothers need to take risks?"

Qian Feihu, standing by, reached out and slapped Xu Dabiao in the face, saying, "What a stupid idea! Brother Chen wants to pass the imperial examination someday, so why would he kidnap someone in the middle of the night?"

Seeing Chen Siyuan nodding with a smile, Qian Feihu said again: "Brother Chen, my injuries have healed now. Let's continue to keep an eye on that guy tomorrow... Well, this time I will go with my second brother. I don't believe that we can't beat that thief!"

Chen Siyuan said, "That's not necessary." "Who are they going to target now that they're all dead?" "Those enemies used shady tactics that couldn't be seen in public. Now that I know about them, I naturally have a way to crack them."

This kind of friendship has always become thinner the more it is used. If Chen Siyuan wants to use it, he must use it when it is most important. Now the situation is unclear, so it is not good to waste favors recklessly.

Xu Dabiao then said, "So, aren't we all safe now?"

Chen Siyuan laughed heartily and said, "How can it be alright?" He raised his hand and pointed at Ma Panlong, "Brother Ma's wedding is coming up soon, so shouldn't you be busy?"

The four of them had another good laugh, and Ma Panlong was about to prepare the food and wine. Chen Siyuan said, "No need for today. We have a drinking party later this afternoon. Why don't you focus on the wedding first? When we have some free time tomorrow, we can eat and drink together."

The three brothers said hello one after another, and Chen Siyuan did not stay long and left in a moment.

After a moment of wild thought, Chen Siyuan finally came to his senses when he saw Ningrong Street. Just as he passed the memorial archway, someone suddenly called out, "Brother Yuan!" Before Chen Siyuan could turn around, someone blocked his way.

Chen Siyuan took a closer look. Wasn't this his cheap uncle Xing Dequan? Why was he here?

Chen Siyuan didn't dare to neglect it and quickly dismounted. He held the reins and bowed, wondering, "Why is my uncle here? Is he here to see my aunt?"

Xing Dequan curled his lips and said, "Seeing my elder sister? She always scolds me. I won't go looking for trouble." As he spoke, he smiled and said, "My dear nephew, you kept it a secret from me. If Nanny Wang hadn't come home and mentioned it today, I, as his uncle, would not have known that Brother Yuan had such a way to make a fortune!"

"what?"

Chen Siyuan was about to speak when he saw Xing Dequan pull a stack of things from his sleeve and shove them into his arms. He looked down and saw a jumble of banknotes. These banknotes were from various banks and note houses, with amounts ranging from fifty to one hundred.

Chen Siyuan was at a loss for words and said, "Uncle, my aunt voted... twice."

Xing Dequan glared at Chen Siyuan and said, "Eldest sister is eldest sister, and I am me... How come, now that Brother Yuan has become rich, he no longer recognizes me as his uncle?" Chen Siyuan asked, "This... Uncle, where did this money come from?"

Xing Dequan said proudly, "I took advantage of your Third Aunt's inattention and took away the house deeds, shop deeds, and land deeds, and exchanged them for one thousand taels. Brother Yuan, whether your uncle can get rich depends entirely on you this time."

Chen Siyuan pushed the banknote back without a word and said solemnly, "Uncle, how much profit can you make from opening a business in this port? I'm afraid it's not even enough to cover the cost of the pawnshop... Uncle, you'd better release the pawn quickly."

Xing Dequan blinked and asked suspiciously, "Brother Yuan, are you kidding me?"

Chen Siyuan patiently explained the situation. Xing Dequan blushed and muttered, "I thought I was going to make a fortune, but it turns out the interest rate isn't even as high as the pawnshop's." He paused, gritted his teeth, and pushed the banknote to Chen Siyuan, saying, "Never mind. Consider it a loss. Brother Yuan, please exchange the contract as soon as possible. After taking into account the pawnshop's interest, I can still make a few dozen taels."

Chen Siyuan had a toothache for a while and thought to himself that this was all Xing Dequan could achieve.

Xing Dequan continued, "That's it. I'll come look for Brother Yuan in a few days. I'm leaving now. If I don't leave soon, Big Sister might call me."

After saying that, Xing Dequan swayed and walked away in a nonchalant manner.

Chen Siyuan thought about it and simply kept the banknotes, thinking that after three or five days, at most he could supply Xing Dequan with a hundred taels himself.

What is this thing called?
After returning the horse through the corner gate, Yu Si, the doorman, came to find him and said that the master wanted to see him.

Needless to say, it was definitely about the five thousand taels. Chen Siyuan went all the way to the study outside the east wing courtyard. As expected, they met and exchanged a few pleasantries. Jia She then asked, "Brother Yuan, how is that matter going?"

Chen Siyuan clicked his tongue and frowned. "Uncle, you don't know, but Master Sun was visited by eunuchs from Prince Beijing's palace this morning. Master Sun had no choice but to accept the banknote. A round trip to Fusang only takes three boats, and Prince Beijing paid the lion's share, leaving little for the rest. But Master Sun agreed, saying he'd discuss this with the other families over the next few days and that he'd make room for Uncle Sun's share."

Jia She had no doubts and nodded, urging him, "You don't have to go to the East Palace these days. Go to Sun Muyou frequently."

Chen Siyuan responded and was immediately sent out by Jia She.

Seeing that it was still early, Chen Siyuan returned to his own courtyard to rest for a while. When it was still two quarters before the afternoon, he went to the front to get his horse and headed straight for Liuquan Residence.

Liuquanju is one of the most famous restaurants in the capital, and is said to have been famous for the calligraphy of Yan Song of the Ming Dynasty. It has been open since the Longqing period, making it nearly 200 years old.

When they arrived, a waiter took the reins and another waiter welcomed Chen Siyuan in. Chen Siyuan announced Xue Pan's name and was immediately led by the waiter to the second floor.

What is a private room? A window with a view, separated by a screen—that's what a private room is. It's not the private room Chen Siyuan had in his previous life.

As soon as Chen Siyuan turned around the screen, two people inside stood up to greet him. One of them was Xue Pan, and the other was Liu Yan'er.

Xue Pan said happily, "Brother Yuan has indeed arrived. Come and take a seat. Servants, bring us all the wine and food. We won't leave until we're drunk tonight!"

Chen Siyuan sat down, and a waiter came with a basin of water to help him wash his hands. A candlelight ignited the air in the corner, and then various dishes and wine were served.

Chen Siyuan glanced around and saw that the dishes on offer included snow crab with egg yolk, deep-fried shrimp, sea cucumber with scallions, stir-fried three kinds of vegetables, stir-fried eel paste, minced cucumber and minced pork, braised winter melon, and golden jade cabbage. The wine was top-notch Chrysanthemum White, and the tea was top-notch Laojunmei.

Xue Pan opened the wine jar and filled it up himself, then stood up and raised his glass, saying, "It's all my fault. I'll drink three glasses as punishment."

After that, he gulped down three cups in a row. When they sat down again, Liu Yan'er also poured some wine and stood up, saying, "Brother... Master Yuan, as the saying goes, 'All good things must come to an end.' I've been with you for so many years, and our friendship is deep." She sniffed as she spoke, then added, "But now that things have come to this," glancing at Xue Pan, she said softly, "Your Majesty has treated me so well... I hope, Master Yuan, for the sake of our past friendship, we can let bygones be bygones."

color!
Look at this drooling, sad and affectionate little look. In Chen Siyuan's life, she would definitely beat all the young actresses. Not to mention the students from the three schools, even the actresses would have to admit defeat.

Chen Siyuan secretly complained, his brows furrowed. After a long moment, he sighed, raised his glass, and said, "Since you've said that, what else can I say?"

He raised his cup and drank it all, then the bowl rushed down, and Chen Siyuan said with a stern face: "Brother Pan, let's wait and see."

"Okay!" Xue Pan was delighted and quickly signaled Liu Yan'er to serve him wine. He smiled and said, "Brother Yuan is indeed able to take it and let it go. Let's be close brothers in the future. If Brother Yuan has a problem with his stirrups in the future, you can see how I, as your brother, will treat you well!"

They toasted each other, Xue Pan flattered patiently, Liu Yan'er pretended to mediate, Chen Siyuan went along with it, and after three rounds of drinks, the atmosphere at the table was indeed joyful.

Seeing that the time had come, Xue Pan secretly touched Liu Yan'er, and Liu Yan'er said, "Master Yuan, you don't know that our master was defrauded of 7,300 taels of silver a while ago."

Chen Siyuan pretended to be puzzled and asked, "Is there such a thing?"

Xue Pan was immediately furious and slammed the table, shouting, "Damn it! Just talking about this makes me so angry. That day..."

Xue Pan spitted as he recounted the whole story, then said in distress, "I was trying to do a good business and put my mother and sister at ease, but who knew I'd fall for the thieves' tricks!"

Liu Yan'er cheered on the side, "Master Yuan, I heard that Master Yuan has a say in the matter of opening the port. I wonder if our Master can get involved?"

Chen Siyuan suddenly fell silent.

Xue Pan was anxious and begged Ken, "Good brother, if I help you this time, from now on, if you ask me to do something, if I say no, I will be struck by lightning as soon as I leave the house!"

Chen Siyuan waved his hand and said, "The previous matter has been resolved, and Yan'er is now asking for it. Normally, I shouldn't refuse, but Master Sun's share is really small."

Liu Yan'er stood up and filled Chen Siyuan's glass with wine. She said, "Our master is a sincere man. He's not the type to wait until he's needed and then turn away when he's not. Master Yuan, you've helped me this time. From now on, our master will definitely remember your kindness."

As he said, if Xue Pan dared to die, Chen Siyuan would bury him. However, Sun Guangcheng was now being targeted... Suddenly, a light came to his mind, and Chen Siyuan said, "It's not up to me to decide, so whether this will succeed or not is hard to say. I wonder how much money Brother Pan wants this time?"

Xue Pan stretched out his hand and shouted, "Five thousand taels!"

Chen Siyuan frowned and thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Five thousand taels isn't a lot, but I can make some concessions... I can just take some of each family's share."

Xue Pan was immediately overjoyed: "Okay, Brother Yuan, you are so straightforward. As your elder brother, I'll toast you a glass!"

After the wine was drained, Xue Pan immediately found a red sandalwood box and pushed it over: "Brother Yuan, please give me some money. Five thousand taels is not a small amount!"

Liu Yan'er also happily turned around to pour wine for him, but Chen Siyuan saw that when Liu Yan'er probed with her fingernails, some powder melted into the wine.

　Please read on Tuesday~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)