The Second Master of the Red Chamber

After leaving the palace, Jia Lian went to the Beijing Garrison Commander's Office before returning to Ningrong Street.

At this time, the Ning and Rong mansions, as well as the Pingliao Prince's mansion in the middle, were already decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations.

In front of the gate, many neighborhood children gathered, scrambling for the wedding candies that were thrown into the street from the gate.

Upon seeing this, Jia Lian raised his hand, and the dozens of riders who had been galloping towards him immediately tightened their reins, controlling their warhorses to follow Jia Lian slowly, so as to avoid injuring the children on the street.

Just as Jia Lian and his personal guards stepped into Ningrong Street, the children all over the street seemed to have received a signal.

They spontaneously moved to the sides of the street, and as Jia Lian and the others passed by, they clapped and began to sing:
"Prince Pingliao, Prince Pingliao, the young lady's dream lover. Once she marries Prince Pingliao, the young lady will be overjoyed."

"King Pingliao, King Pingliao, a wise and talented king. This year he married a beautiful bride, next year he will give birth to a son of great talent."

"..."

The children's cheerful and childlike voices were festive and infectious, causing many of their followers and soldiers to grin from ear to ear.

Jia Lian, who had been keeping a straight face, soon couldn't hold back and started laughing himself.

The others were even more delighted to see this.

Those who had money on them immediately opened their money bags, and regardless of whether it was copper coins or loose silver, they grabbed a handful and threw it to the areas where there were many children.

This made the children cheer and jump for joy, pushing the joyful atmosphere to its peak, and spreading far and wide along Ningrong Street.

At the gate of the Prince's Mansion, Jia Yun and the steward came out to greet them.

Upon hearing Jia Lian say that he would personally go to fetch the bride, Jia Yun smiled and said:
“Father, there’s no need to go anymore. Since we don’t know exactly when you will return, and we’re worried about missing the appointed time, Consort Xue has already arranged for a bridal sedan chair to bring the two ladies back to the palace.”

Now that Mother, the Master, and Madam are all in the main hall, Father, you should go there quickly as well.

Jia Lian nodded, and then, surrounded by a crowd, walked into the garden.

Along the way, the decorations were more festive than those outside.

Even the red carpet that had just been removed from the main road a month ago has reappeared on the road.

It is clear that Ping'er and the others did not give a perfunctory answer.

Upon arriving at the main hall, it was indeed bustling with noise.

The number of masters, servants, and maids from the two prefectures was unknown.

Upon seeing Jia Lian appear, everyone greeted him with smiles and congratulations.

After Jia Lian returned to his room and changed into his wedding attire, she immediately pulled him to his seat and began toasting him.

Amidst the clinking of glasses and the lively conversation, Jia Lian couldn't distinguish between genuine congratulations, opportunistic flattery, and those filled with resentment.

In short, he accepts all comers and shows his immense generosity.

Until Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "Alright, all of you stop trying to force him to drink."

If you get the prince drunk and prevent him from entering the bridal chamber, the bride will scold you if she finds out.

The sisters and even the eager maids scattered in all directions.

Li Wan also smiled and said, "It's getting late, Your Highness, please go to the bridal chamber to see the bride. Don't keep her waiting too long."

Jia Lian, who hadn't seen Sister You San for a while and was feeling a bit worried, stopped being polite when he heard this.

After apologizing to Grandmother Jia and Old Lady You, he arrived at the Aojingxi Pavilion, surrounded by a group of maids and servants.

Unlike other pavilions, Aojingxi Pavilion occupies a large area; it is actually a waterside pavilion located below Hengwu Garden, beside Qinfang Creek.

There is no complicated courtyard structure; the main body is a pavilion that is half-built on the water.

The upper floor has winding corridors and eight or nine rooms of varying sizes, enough for the three sisters and their personal maids to live in.

Guided by a succession of maids, Jia Lian walked along the wooden corridor to a waterside pavilion.

"The prince is here."

"The groom is here."

Amidst the clamor of the maids, Jia Lian entered the room and immediately spotted two beautiful figures in red sitting side by side on the wedding bed.

For a moment, Jia Lian was somewhat dazed.

Just over a month ago, Baochai and Daiyu had sat by the wedding bed in the same way, waiting for him.

Before he even reached the bedside, a maidservant had already handed him a celebratory stick.

Jia Lian did not rush to lift the veil. Instead, he stood and examined the brides' attire for a while. Only when he noticed that they were becoming increasingly flustered did he gently lift their red veils.

Two faces, remarkably similar, both youthful and beautiful, were suddenly revealed before my eyes.

Jia Lian looked down and suddenly laughed.

Such stunning beauty, such a pair of rare gems, how fortunate are those who possess them.

"Your Highness, Madam, please join me in drinking this wine."

The maidservant bowed and brought over the table with three cups of wine on it.

Jia Lian took two cups and handed them to You Erjie and You Sanjie. Seeing that they were still sitting there blankly, he couldn't help but laugh and say, "Are you going to sit here and accompany me in bowing?"

The two girls, who had been shy since Jia Lian entered, quickly stood up.

Holding their respective wine glasses, they were unsure how to react.

Jia Lian smiled and led them to drink the nuptial wine, then waved away the maids and servants.

He was very familiar with the wedding night rituals and didn't need their guidance at all.

After they closed the door and left, Sister You Er and Sister You San were indeed much more relaxed.

After all, they were people who had served Jia Lian countless times.

There will be no anticipation or trepidation like a naive young girl having her first time.

You Sanjie immediately pouted and said to Jia Lian, "Didn't you say you would come to pick us up in person? We've been waiting for half a day and you still haven't come."

Jia Lian took one of them in each hand and led them back to the bedside to sit down, saying with a smile, "Something came up at the yamen and we were delayed."

Upon hearing this, Sister You Er quickly shook her head at Sister You San, signaling her not to say anything unpleasant.

In the past few days, the two of them had received countless instructions from Old Madam You and Madam You, teaching them how to behave after entering the household in order to win Jia Lian's favor and gain the tolerance of Sister Feng and others.

Yu Shi repeatedly explained this to everyone involved.

Jia Lian is about to lead his troops into battle; he must be sensible and not act willfully.

Sister You San knew exactly what her sister meant. She opened her mouth, but ultimately said nothing more.

Jia Lian said, "I know you've been wronged today, but there's nothing we can do about it."

I have to leave Beijing by tomorrow night at the latest, and I won't be able to stay with you during the day tomorrow either.

So, tonight is precious. Let's not think about things that make us unhappy, and just do things that make us happy, okay?

Upon hearing this, Sister You Er and Sister You San blushed instantly.

What other joyful things are there on the wedding night?

The prince is still the same prince, he hasn't changed at all!
Seeing that Jia Lian was about to remove their headdresses and wedding gowns, You Sanjie quickly said, "No, let's do it ourselves."

My eldest sister said this wedding dress is very precious and that we must take good care of it and not damage it.

As they spoke, the two sisters couldn't help but glance at each other again, realizing that the wedding dresses Jia Lian had specially made for them truly showcased their beauty perfectly, and they couldn't help but cast grateful and adoring glances at Jia Lian.

Like Baochai and Daiyu, they actually sewed their own wedding dresses.

In the end, however, they decisively abandoned what they had made and chose what Jia Lian had prepared for them.

Nothing more than that: beautiful and domineering.

When Jia Lian married Baochai and Daiyu, they actually observed him from the shadows.

When Baochai and Daiyu wore their radiant wedding gowns, they were envied and resented by countless people, including them.

Jealousy is useless.

Putting aside the fact that they are indeed incomparable to them in terms of family background and talent.

It is said that the other party had clearly been seen by the emperor and empress and had gained the emperor's favor.

There is no way to compare.

Originally, it was thought that Jia Lian favored Daiyu and Baochai, but when the eldest sister, You Shi, took out two identical wedding dresses and said that Jia Lian had prepared them for them.

In particular, this knowledgeable older sister said that their wedding dresses would be impossible to make without costing several thousand taels of silver.

I felt a surge of joy and relief.

In this era, a maidservant could be bought for just a few taels of silver, and a beautiful concubine from a respectable family could be bought for only a few hundred taels of silver.

The fact that Jia Lian was willing to spend such a large sum of money to have wedding dresses custom-made for them can be seen as a sign of his affection and attention towards them. Of course, You Erjie and You Sanjie only saw the wedding dresses of Baochai and Daiyu from afar that day.

So they didn't know that although their wedding dresses looked the same as those of Baochai and Daiyu, there were actually differences.

First of all, the cuffs and hem of the robe are not made as long, so compared to other garments, it naturally does not look as grand and dignified.

Secondly, some details of the embroidery were downgraded.

Even with such simple "cutting corners," the overall cost was only about half.

Of course, when we say it's a downgrade, we're referring to its comparison with the two unique wedding gowns worn by Daiyu and Baochai.

In fact, a wedding dress and headdress costing nearly five thousand taels of silver was already an extremely extravagant and wasteful act!
It would be eye-catching anywhere, on anyone.

This means that Jia Lian was financially well-off and generous to his women, which enabled him to do so.

If it were someone else, who could afford to play this game?
After all, a prince's mansion only receives an annual tribute of ten thousand taels.

If there were no other ways to make money, wouldn't a prince like him be left with nothing but empty stomachs after making just two sets of clothes for a beauty?

Of course, some wealthy merchants with decades or even centuries of history might also be able to afford it.

But they probably wouldn't dare to play like Jia Lian.

The two sisters, You Erjie and You Sanjie, carefully untied each other's wedding dresses and put them away. Then they helped Jia Lian undress.

During this time, Sister You San's eyes darted around, and she asked casually, "Is Your Highness leading the army to rescue the Korean Kingdom?"

This time, sending troops to rescue Korea is different from last year's campaign to wipe out the Jurchens.

Therefore, after yesterday's grand court assembly, the court did not deliberately conceal the matter, and now quite a few people know about it.

The imperial court was not afraid of the Japanese spies finding out that the Great Wei had sent troops.

This time, the superior state is rescuing its vassal state; it is the army of a king, and it must act with dignity and honor.

Unless the Japanese receive the message and immediately withdraw their troops back to Japan.

Otherwise, it's just a contest of strength, nothing to hide.

Since the imperial court felt there was no need to cover it up, and the mobilization of 50,000 troops was not so easy to conceal.

Jia Lian naturally stopped hiding it from those around him.

So he nodded and said a few words.

Upon hearing that Jia Lian had been ordered to lead 100,000 troops to rescue the vassal state, You Sanjie's eyes were filled with tenderness.

After all, this was far too dramatic and exciting for her.

Indeed, a girl who has loved practicing swordsmanship since childhood will inevitably have a bit of a violent streak in her personality.

"Um, Your Highness, could you please take me with you...?"

In this lifetime, he has never left the Great Wei, nor has he ever been on a large ship or seen the sea.

Jia Lian was speechless upon hearing this.

Damn, what kind of ability do you, an ancient woman, have to go abroad? How dare you go abroad?

Seeing that Jia Lian remained silent, You Sanjie immediately added, "Don't worry, I'm really not being playful, nor do I want to cause you any trouble."

You forgot? You also asked me to help you train your troops!
Seriously, I've trained those sixteen female soldiers very well.

If you're worried that it's inconvenient for me, a woman, to stay in the army, I can be your armored bodyguard, just like Aqi and Sister Aqin!

Upon hearing this, Jia Lian glanced down at You Sanjie's exquisite figure, thinking that if this girl were to wear armor, she would definitely have a unique beauty.

"Please, take me with you."

I promise I won't wander off; I'll stay right by your side.

Aren't you going out to sea by boat? I've heard that life at sea can be incredibly boring and long.

With me here, I can serve you tea and water, and massage your shoulders and legs.

These are things that Aqi and her sister Aqin definitely aren't used to doing.

You Sanjie clung to Jia Lian's arm, constantly acting coquettishly.

Seeing that Jia Lian still didn't speak, she pouted, suddenly tilted her head back, and whispered in Jia Lian's ear, unleashing her ultimate move.

"Doesn't Your Highness enjoy beautiful women playing the flute? If you bring her along, she can play the flute for Your Highness every day..."

Damn it!

A single, unpretentious remark nearly made the seasoned official Jia lose his footing and stumble.

Yu Erjie, who had already helped Jia Lian remove his clothes, blushed deeply, shocked and ashamed by her sister's boldness.

Jia Lian also gave You Sanjie a deep look and said, "I will probably stay in Tianjin for two days to prepare the troops."

After I leave, take all your troops outside the city and say you're taking them to the Imperial Horse Ranch for training.

"I will arrange for someone to bring you to Tianjin then."

You Sanjie had only been trying her luck, but she never expected Jia Lian to actually agree.

Overcome with excitement, he jumped up and kissed Jia Lian twice on the face.

"I knew it, Your Highness is the best."

Don't worry, I'll definitely behave on the way, and I'll keep my promise to you.

Fearing that Jia Lian might go back on his word, You Sanjie immediately reiterated that she would keep her promise.

Then, recalling the meaning of Jia Lian's words, he asked in confusion, "Pick us up? Does Your Highness mean that not only me, but also my men have to go with you?"

"Okay, take them all."

The journey is long and uncertain, and we may encounter any problems.

"Take them with you; they might come in handy later."

In the past, Jia Lian would never have gone on a campaign with a group of women on his side, no matter what.

But it is different now.

He has transcended the ranks of a general; he is now a king.

It's the same principle as when Prince Bei Jing was ordered to inspect the border and dared to bring a group of concubines with him.

The king already enjoyed, to a certain extent, the power of an emperor.

However, Jia Lian was not as flamboyant as Prince Bei Jing, who brought delicate beauties with him in the army.

Affecting morale is one aspect, but in case of any unforeseen circumstances, those things will become a burden.

In any case, Jia Lian strongly suspected that the reason why Prince Bei Jing acted so conservatively when the Jurchens besieged the city last year, keeping the city closed for several months, was largely because he was afraid that something might happen to his beauties.

Jia Lian would certainly not repeat the same mistake.

Regardless of their actual training level, Sister You and her dozen or so female soldiers were at least able to wield swords and run.

When the time comes, we'll dress them in military armor, and they won't be so conspicuous when we keep them around.

As for why Jia Lian agreed to You Sanjie's request...

Of course, it wasn't a condition for playing the flute, but rather because Jia Lian was thinking about going to Korea this time.

He wasn't under much pressure helping Korea defeat the Japanese invaders; the trouble lay in some of the plans he had to implement later.

It's uncertain how long we'll be stationed in North Korea.

In certain specific environments, it is more convenient for women to use than for men.

That's when I thought I might as well bring them along.

Since the expedition will be by ship anyway, arranging them on the Zhenyuan won't affect morale much.

The thought of being able to follow Jia Lian and lead thousands of troops out to sea filled You Sanjie with excitement.

She was even eager to return to Ningguo Mansion to explain the relevant matters.

Jia Lian sneered and bent down to pick her up.

"What are you doing..."

You Sanjie took the opportunity to hug Jia Lian's neck, asking a question she already knew the answer to.

Jia Lian ignored her, placed her in the crook of his left arm, and used his right hand to pick up You Erjie, who was also only wearing a layer of undergarments.

He walked to the bedside and tossed the two delicate, graceful bodies onto it. (End of Chapter)