The Second Master of the Red Chamber

Seeing that Princess Zhaoyang had defeated Jia Lian with just two sentences, the Fourth Prince felt as if he had seen a savior.

He immediately knelt on the ground, hugged Princess Zhaoyang's legs, and began to weep and plead:
"Wow, my royal sister, you have to stand up for me!"

My brother bullied me!

He, he…

Princess Zhaoyang felt somewhat helpless looking at the Fourth Prince, who was so "aggrieved" that he couldn't speak.

After failing to wake him, she could only roll her eyes at Jia Lian, sit down in the chair where the Fourth Prince had been sitting, and wave her hand, saying, "Tell me, what exactly did he do to you?"

At this moment, the Fourth Prince no longer possessed even a trace of the demeanor of a crown prince.

Knowing that his elder sister was his only hope, he knelt down and approached, looking at Princess Zhaoyang with pleading eyes, and offered to use the position of Crown Prince to persuade Jia Lian to grant him and Yingchun their wish.

As a result, Jia Lian not only refused, but also embellished the story of how he beat him.

In short, it expresses Jia Lian's arrogance and unreasonableness, as well as the author's own willingness to compromise, to the greatest extent possible.

Princess Zhaoyang listened in a daze.

She knew about her unfortunate younger brother's crush on Yingchun, since he had helped her meet Jia Lian in exchange for her doing so.

Although we didn't end up meeting.

I never expected that after two years, my silly younger brother would still be thinking about this.

This shows that his mentally challenged younger brother's actions were not a spur-of-the-moment decision.

Thinking of their ill-fated relationship, Princess Zhaoyang didn't know what to do and could only turn her gaze to Jia Lian.

Jia Lian said, "As long as I am here, you should give up this idea as soon as possible."

After receiving Jia Lian's reply, Princess Zhaoyang looked at the Fourth Prince with a helpless expression.

And she advised him: "Alright, alright, there are plenty of good women in the world, not just you, Yingchun."

That makes sense. You'll be turning 18 in a year, so it's definitely time to find a wife who understands and cares for you.

"Hurry back, I'll have my mother find you someone good, someone who will surely be no less beautiful than your sister Yingchun."

The fourth prince was in a real panic.

"I don't want anyone but Yingchun.

Why? Why is he being so unreasonable?

If he and my elder sister can get it, why can't I and my younger sister Yingchun?

He wouldn't even allow me to see Yingchun.

There's no such logic in the world.

Or is it that he was lying to you, my lady, from beginning to end?

Ultimately, he still cares about worldly opinions, which is why he opposes my relationship with Yingchun.

If the Fourth Prince's earlier words could be described as tantrums, Princess Zhaoyang simply watched with a smile.

However, the last divisive remark caused Princess Zhaoyang's smile to freeze for a moment.

Women are always thoughtful and like to try to figure out what the people they like are thinking.

She thought to herself, "Yes, last year the Emperor Emeritus revealed Jia Lian's true identity as a member of the Iron Net Mountain clan. Knowing that Jia Lian might be her cousin, she had already begun to back down."

However, Jia Lian arrogantly stated that he would not care about such worldly opinions.

Even if it meant facing harsh winds and frost, he was willing to bear it all by himself.

She was immediately captivated by Jia Lian's domineering yet gentle nature, which is why she decided to throw herself into the relationship regardless of fame, position, or personal gain.

She never imagined that Jia Lian would lie to her about this matter.

Looking back now, did Jia Lian really not care about worldly opinions?
Why was he so steadfast in opposing Ling'er and Yingchun's relationship?

Seeing the gaze directed at him by Princess Zhaoyang, Jia Lian knew that he had no choice but to explain himself.

He ignored the fourth prince kneeling before Princess Zhaoyang and said coldly, "You think you're worthy of being compared to me and your elder sister?"

The fourth prince was only half-acting earlier, but now he's genuinely angry upon hearing this.

Why can't I be compared to you?

He stuck out his neck.

Jia Lian said coldly, "Your elder sister and I have gone through countless trials and tribulations from the time we first met to the time we became close."

We faced life and death together in the desert before we finally recognized each other.

And you.

When you keep comparing yourself and me to your elder sister, have you ever thought about it?

Your affection for Yingchun may simply be wishful thinking.

How do you know Yingchun likes you too?

The fourth prince was stunned.

He suddenly remembered that he had only met Yingchun once.

No, he caught a glimpse of Yingchun from afar.

Whether the other person saw him or remembered him is unknown.

Therefore, his love was indeed unrequited and could not be compared to the deep affection and commitment between his elder sister and Jia Lian.

Seeing the embarrassment and shame on the Fourth Prince's face, Jia Lian had no intention of letting him off the hook.

"To put it another way..."

Even if Yingchun also likes you, your elder sister and I are willing to grant your wish.

Have you ever considered whether your younger sister Yingchun, with her gentle and delicate nature, could face the harsh realities of the world and the gossip with the same composure as your elder sister?

You know all about the rumors and attacks that your sister and I have endured over the years.

In particular, the time when Prince Yun spread rumors, it caused a great uproar throughout the city and became known to all.

I ask you, if you were in that situation, what would you do, and what could you possibly do?
Would you dare to slaughter countless people in front of Prince Yun's mansion just to welcome Yingchun?
"Are you capable of shielding her from all the gossip and rumors?"

"I……"

The fourth prince wanted to loudly proclaim that he dared, but suddenly became dejected.

It wasn't because he felt he was a coward, but because he suddenly realized that Jia Lian was right.

Yingchun is not like his elder sister.

Yingchun is so gentle and kind, so her personality must be extremely gentle as well.

Such a person deserves to be cherished and loved; how can we bear to let her endure the hardships of the world?

She probably couldn't stand the gossip and rumors of the world either.

He tried to think about the days after he and Yingchun got together.

They will inevitably become another couple, following Jia Lian and his own elder sister, who will be the subject of discussion among the world and even those around them.

I may be thick-skinned and carefree, but what about Yingchun? Can she really be indifferent?

So that was the real reason Jia Lian opposed him.

It turns out that everything was just wishful thinking on my part.

Brother Wang was right once again.

Seeing the Fourth Prince so distraught, Princess Zhaoyang couldn't help but feel sorry for him. She thought Jia Lian's words were too blunt and showed no mercy to her foolish younger brother.

So he quickly comforted her: "Okay, okay, don't listen to his nonsense."

The matter isn't that serious.

However, he was right about one thing.

"You don't even know if Yingchun likes you, so why are you acting like this? Aren't you afraid people will laugh at you?"

That being said, Princess Zhaoyang understood things better than the Fourth Prince.

Whether Yingchun likes it or not is an important matter, but it's also not really important.

In fact, people have always valued arranged marriages by parents and matchmakers.

True love is about growing affection for each other over time after marriage, supporting each other through thick and thin.

Being together only when you like each other is a legendary luxury.

It can be said that as long as Jia Lian agrees, the matter will basically be settled.

After all, his younger brother was of such noble status and had no bad habits; it was no exaggeration to say that he was a first-rate gentleman in the world.

Sister Yingchun, what reason do you have to refuse?

To stand up for her younger brother and to further test Jia Lian's intentions, Princess Zhaoyang turned to Jia Lian and said:
"Although Ling'er and Yingchun are indeed not suitable, they are, after all, cousins ​​who are related by blood."

Isn't it too domineering and inappropriate to not even let him see you?
In my opinion, we should find an opportunity to let them get to know each other.

It would be a good thing if Yingchun had more older brothers to love her in the future, wouldn't it?

Upon hearing this, the Fourth Prince immediately dropped his dejected look and craned his neck to look at Jia Lian expectantly.

Meeting Princess Zhaoyang's bright gaze, Jia Lian said helplessly, "Let's talk about it later. There are too many things to do right now. Let's wait until after Grandfather's funeral." Princess Zhaoyang nodded and said to the Fourth Prince, who finally smiled, "Alright, brother, I agree."

Honestly, he's almost an adult, and he's still crying and laughing like this.

Let me tell you, your sister Yingchun is an extremely shy girl.

When you meet them, you'd better rein in your impetuous nature. If you offend them, not only will your brother not forgive you, but I won't either.

"understood."

The fourth prince was very well-behaved at this time.

He glanced at his own elder sister, then at Jia Lian, who was always arguing with him, and finally showed some tact.

"Alright, I know you still have things to say, my sister. I'll be going now."

With a laugh, the fourth prince got up, patted his knees, and ran away in a flash.

Once the Fourth Prince left, Jia Lian also put away his cold expression and waved to Princess Zhaoyang.

She followed him, so she must have something to say to him. Naturally, Jia Lian wasn't in a hurry to leave.

Princess Zhaoyang understood Jia Lian's meaning, gave him a reproachful look, and shook her head to remind him, "This is the Daming Palace..."

Even so, she still moved her chair closer to Jia Lian, and once she was close, she tilted her head and carefully examined Jia Lian's face.

This puzzled Jia Lian, who touched his face and asked, "What are you looking at?"

"I'm watching, wondering who the future emperor will be," Princess Zhaoyang said with a teasing smile.

Jia Lian snorted, grabbed her arm, lifted her up, and pulled her onto his lap.

Then he raised his hand and lifted her chin, scrutinizing her handsome and well-proportioned face: "Do you also think I would take Ling'er's place?"

"What do you mean by robbery?"

Ling'er doesn't want to; it's only stealing if you insist.

Now that he's willing to give it to you, that's called being willing to do what's right.

Jia Lian remained noncommittal; there was little need for him to put on an act in front of Princess Zhaoyang.

After all, she was both his woman and his most powerful political ally.

If we manage to fool her too and make her make other plans, that would be bad.

So he retorted, "Ling'er is your most beloved younger brother. Can you bear to see him give his position to me?"

Seeing Jia Lian's serious question, Princess Zhaoyang sighed and said, "Do you still remember what I said to you when you first came back yesterday?"
When I said that Ling'er might not be suitable for this position, I wasn't exaggerating.

His carefree and lazy nature was indeed unsuitable for being an emperor.

Actually, I had thought about this question repeatedly before you came back.

However, he is my younger brother, and I cannot lead the opposition against him.

Secondly, my father's thoughts are hard to fathom, so I dare not harbor any other thoughts.

Now things are much better.

Ling'er is willing to step down and yield the position to a more capable person.

Most importantly, I finally understood my father's thoughts when I was in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

He genuinely treated you like his own son, even going so far as to generously pass the throne to you.

At this point, Princess Zhaoyang looked at Jia Lian with a strange gaze: "I am really curious about what kind of magic Erlang possesses."

It's one thing to be completely infatuated with us women.

Even my father, a man as arrogant and shrewd as him, was able to set aside past grievances and treat him with the utmost respect.

"Jiro, can you tell me how you did that?"

Faced with Princess Zhaoyang's question, Jia Lian took one of her hands and said softly with a smile, "Nothing more than exchanging sincerity for sincerity."

No matter how shrewd and powerful my father is, he is still a human being.

Humans have feelings.

For so many years I have served my sovereign with loyalty and my parents with sincerity.

My father, with his broad-mindedness, saw that I was truly a rough gem and was naturally willing to nurture and polish me.

Having gone to great lengths to carve me out, he certainly didn't want to let an outsider have me. So he had to quickly come up with a way to take me under his name and make me his own son.

Therefore, the most astute one is still our father, the Emperor.

"Hehehe, Brother Wang is truly shameless."

Even so, Princess Zhaoyang still nestled tenderly into Jia Lian's arms and said softly:
"Brother Wang, have you thought it through? How do you plan to be the Crown Prince, and even the Emperor in the future?"

Jia Lian turned his head to look at the beauty in his arms, confirming that she was truly willing to let him take her place.

Touched, he put his arm around her waist and said, "Why are you thinking about these things? We don't even know if Ling'er is sincere."

He's your own brother. If he doesn't want it, don't worry, I won't take it from him.

Princess Zhaoyang looked up: "Brother, do you not believe Ling'er? No, he's not that kind of person."

Moreover, he already did so today in front of all the officials and the Emperor…”

Jia Lian gently patted Princess Zhaoyang's head reassuringly and said with a smile, "It's not that I don't trust him."

However, since it involves a high position, there is no room for the slightest negligence.

Ling'er invited me here just now and had a very frank conversation with me. I could see his sincerity.

He said he didn't want me and him to become like the Prince Yun and the eldest prince we were back then.

Actually, I was worried too.

I'm already in a very high position, and I'm quite satisfied.

In my heart, you, including Ling'er, and all of you will always be the most important.

I absolutely cannot allow myself to ruin our relationship because of inappropriate greed.

Therefore, let's let things take their natural course regarding Ling'er's suggestion to abdicate today.

As long as I don't express my opinion, even if he changes his mind later, there's still room for reconciliation between us.

"Does Qingran understand what I mean?"

Princess Zhaoyang understood and was somewhat shocked by it.

Jia Lian's meaning was very clear.

Regardless of whether the Fourth Prince's statement today was sincere or not, he could not express his opinion.

This leaves room for maneuver between him and the fourth prince.

Otherwise, if Jia Lian agrees, the Fourth Prince might change his mind.

How should the two of them get along in the future?
Sure enough, this was his second brother, their elder brother, frighteningly calm.

After hesitating for a moment, Princess Zhaoyang suddenly said, "Regarding Ling'er and Yingchun, I think..."

Princess Zhaoyang knew her younger brother very well.

And I am quite certain that his statement today was absolutely not insincere.

She thought that since Jia Lian was worried that his younger brother would change his mind...

Why not just go along with his little scheme?
Love is said to test one's mind and spirit.

Presumably, his younger brother would be even more willing to step down.

Upon hearing this, Jia Lian immediately slapped her buttocks and warned, "These are two different things. I will not use this to make an exchange."

You wouldn't want Ling'er and Yingchun to suffer the same criticism from the world as we have, would you?

Therefore, you are not allowed to arrange marriages haphazardly.

"Hmph, alright. I understand. Our king is truly the best king in the world."

Even a prestigious position wouldn't make him betray his sister.

Princess Zhaoyang knew from the force coming from his buttocks that Jia Lian was not just being coy.

I feel a little regretful.

If things hadn't progressed in the past, that would have been fine.

Now that Jia Lian has been pushed to this point, she really doesn't want any unexpected events or mistakes to happen along the way.

It wasn't just because, in her heart, Jia Lian was the most suitable person to sit in that position.

Most importantly, she had her own selfish motives.

As long as Jia Lian can successfully take that position.

Then the shackles imposed on them by worldly conventions can be completely severed.

Emperor Taizong of Tang killed his brother and seized his sister-in-law, yet he still left his mark on history and his name will be remembered for eternity.

It is evident that for emperors, as long as they can accomplish something and benefit the country, they are considered successful.

Issues concerning private morality are fundamentally unworthy of discussion. (End of Chapter)