The Second Master of the Red Chamber

Jia Lian of the Prince Zhongshun's Mansion certainly doesn't care anymore.

However, Jia Lian was quite surprised that they would humble themselves to such an extent in order to escape their predicament.

But that's alright.

If they know what's good for them, it's not impossible to give them a chance.

If you want to be the ruler of the world, you sometimes have to show the world some tolerance.

From this perspective, the effect of Crown Prince Chungsun offering his wife has already been achieved.

After memorizing the agenda for the next few days, Jia Lian put down the memorial and saw Xiangling and Qingwen come out from the inner room.

"Your Highness, the bed has been made. You may rest now."

Jia Lian nodded, noticing Qingwen's pouting lips, and asked with a smile, "What's wrong with you now?"

"Humph."

Qingwen snorted and walked over to help Jia Lian up, sneering, "What a shameless prince! He actually sent his princess to ask the master for advice on poetry."

I think asking for poetry advice is just a pretense; her real intention is to seduce me.

Jia Lian only brought Xiangling and Qingwen, his two personal attendants, with him on this trip.

Upon hearing that Jia Lian had returned, they hurriedly went into the room to make his bed.

Unlike a prince's mansion, this house was not a place where you could enter directly from the entrance hall into the bedroom. Therefore, the two of them could hear the conversation outside clearly from their separate room.

Jia Lian chuckled: "Oh, you've improved! You can actually tell she's trying to seduce me."

Qingwen blushed slightly at the teasing and said shyly, "It's so obvious, who wouldn't see it..."

As she spoke, she looked up at Jia Lian with delight, and taking advantage of the fact that no one else was around, she suddenly stood on tiptoe and kissed Jia Lian on the cheek.

When Jia Lian looked down at her, she quickly let go of him, saying, "This is a reward for you, Master."

After saying that, he ran out.

Watching her charming and clever back, Jia Lian raised his hand to touch his cheek where he had been kissed, and suddenly smiled.

This girl is getting better and better at flirting.

Looking down at Xiangling, who seemed unassuming and naive compared to Qingwen, Jia Lian took her hand and led her into the inner room.

Although I have plans for tonight, I need to conserve my energy.

But having a sweet-smelling little girl to cuddle with can greatly improve sleep quality and speed of mental recovery.

……

That night, Jia Lian kept vigil until midnight.

After handing over his shift to the yawning Fourth Prince, he finally returned to rest.

The further you walk into the rest area, the less bright the environment becomes compared to the mourning hall.

After taking a quick shower, Jia Lian took Aqi and Aqin and slipped out through the back gate.

The reason for bringing Aqi and her sister along was twofold: firstly, to provide cover, and secondly, to have an explanation should they encounter anyone.

After all, the place he was going to steal the incense from was the Empress Dowager's residence.

If he were to sneak over there alone in the middle of the night and someone saw him, it would be bad if word got out.

With attendants present, he could then claim he was going to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager.

Although it seems strange that the audience with the Empress Dowager did not take the main road or the main gate, at least it can be explained away.

The moon was very round, but the surrounding environment was very quiet.

Especially near the Empress Dowager's residence, there wasn't a soul in sight.

It seems that Princess Zhaoyang had done something to get rid of everyone beforehand.

Although there seemed to be no one guarding the moon gate, there were lanterns hanging on the curtain.

Even if you go that way, there's still a risk of being seen by the night patrol.

So Jia Lian led the sisters Aqi and others, and from the shadows, climbed over the wall and entered the Empress Dowager's courtyard.

With the three working together and all being agile, scaling the wall was a breeze.

Ah Qin even seemed a little excited. After jumping down from the wall, she chuckled in a low voice, "The moon is high in the sky, stealing fragrance from the jade, Master and Princess, you two are too good at playing, too exciting!"

Jia Lian glanced at Aqi, who remained silent but showed no displeasure, then touched Aqin's cheek and smiled as well:

"It's all because your princess knows how to torment people."

I'm so busy every day, but she still insists on asking me to come over to see her.

I didn't want to do this in the first place, because if I were discovered, my lifelong reputation would be ruined.

But there is no way.

Who told me to love you all the most?

Unlike you guys, she can't be by my side every day. It's rare for her to ask me out, so I have no choice but to accept.

After I go into the room, you all better hide well outside.

Don't say anything carelessly; it'll be hard to explain if someone finds out.

Ah Qin showed an expression of enjoyment under Jia Lian's caresses, then said seriously, "If you don't come, Master, you'll be heartless."

The princess was so deeply in love with the prince that she always went along with his wishes.

If the master doesn't treat her well, even she and her sister won't stand for it.

Upon hearing this, Jia Lian joked, "Well, when did you two get won over by her and start taking her side like this?"

"Hehe, do I need to bribe them?"
They and their sister were originally princesses.

"Has Your Highness forgotten? We are third-class guards of the Princess's residence, lent to you by the Princess herself."

Upon hearing this, Jia Lian remembered it.

Now that I am a prince and have my own princely residence, I should change Aqi and Aqin's identities back to normal.

It's not good to keep occupying the guard positions in the princess's residence.

"Please go in quickly, sir, don't keep the princess waiting."

We'll hide well outside.

After being nudged by Aqin, Jia Lian emerged from the corner.

Walking along the deserted back corridor of the east wing, I reached the door and gently pushed it; sure enough, it was not closed.

Gently pushing the door open halfway, Jia Lian looked into the dark room and suddenly thought of something.

If Princess Zhaoyang wanted to harm him, he seemed powerless to resist in the current situation.

He shook his head and smiled, stepped into the room, and closed the door behind him.

After his eyes had adjusted to the darkness, Jia Lian slowly walked inside.

The room wasn't very big, but it was filled with a pleasant fragrance.

And perhaps the moonlight could only shine in through the front window, so the further in you went, the less dark it became.

He originally thought that Princess Zhaoyang, with her playful and active nature, would hide in the shadows and launch a sneak attack on him.

But it didn't happen.

Therefore, Jia Lian quickly went to the bedside and saw the shapely figure hidden under the quilt.

Seeing that she hadn't reacted even after he had walked right up to her, Jia Lian couldn't help but smile to himself.

He didn't believe the girl was asleep.

So, is she planning to play the "breaking into his house and stealing his kiss" game with him?
Feeling inexplicably agitated, Jia Lian didn't waste any time.

He immediately took off all his clothes, reached onto the bed, and embraced the soft, alluring body beneath the covers, taking in tenderness.

As expected, it was under his skillful means.

The beauty could no longer keep up the act and began to respond to him with soft panting.

……

At the corner of the backyard wall.

The sisters, Aqi and Aqin, hid behind the flower bed and sat side by side.

All around was quiet, and sitting there was no fun, so the two sisters couldn't help but whisper to each other.

"Sister, how long do you think it will take for the prince to come out?" When facing her younger sister, who was in a foreign land and depended on her for survival, Aqi was not so cold.

After thinking for a moment, he whispered, "At least, half an hour..."

"Oh, it's going to take that long? We're going to be so bored here."

Aqi glanced at her younger sister speechlessly, thinking to herself, "You know far more about how long the prince will take than I do."

Still putting on an act here.

Seemingly sensing her sister's displeasure, Aqin hugged her sister's arm affectionately and rested her head on her shoulder.

After a while, she couldn't help but ask again, "Sister, do you think the two of us are being too unambitious?"

"When we were little, we thought we would both marry the same man, but we never imagined it would turn out like this."

Especially now.

Knowing full well that the man we love is having an affair with another woman, we still hide here and keep watch for him.

It's so embarrassing to even think about it.

Hearing her sister say that, Aqi blushed.

After thinking for a moment, she countered with, "Do you think it's worth it? Or rather, would you be willing to do something like this for him?"

"Of course I'd like to."

Ah Qin murmured, "Actually, at the beginning, I was unhappy to see him having fun with other women."

But as soon as he smiles at me, I forget all of that.

Later, I even felt that the fact that he didn't hide these private things from us showed that he trusted us enough.

Gradually, I became very willing to help him with these kinds of things.

Just like tonight.

Although it was boring, just thinking that the prince didn't trust anyone and only brought the two of us out made me very happy.

We even worry that one day he might stop letting us do these things for him.

What should we do then?

Aqi sighed, realizing that her younger sister was indeed deeply entangled in Jia Lian's hands and unable to extricate herself.

But this is for the best.

If my sister could think this way, she would have far fewer worries. She would also be happier in this life.

She put her arm around her sister's shoulder and added, "So, it's not that we're being cowardly, but that His Highness deserves what we're doing."

"Does your sister think so too?"

"Ah."

"Why doesn't my sister usually speak to the prince or act coquettishly towards him?"

Aqin looked up and gazed curiously at her older sister.

Aqi felt embarrassed and muttered, "Do you think everyone is as shameless as you? I was just shy."

"Oh……"

Ah Qin suddenly exclaimed "Oh!" and then teased, "Sister, if you act like this, you definitely won't be able to beat me in the competition for favor."

Aqi angrily raised the hand that was around her sister's shoulder and pinched her ear as punishment.

At the same time, I felt a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, mixed feelings of emotion and reflection).

They're even vying for favor.

The prince has so many beautiful women around him.

There are countless people who are exceptionally beautiful, highly talented, and of noble status.

The two sisters were too busy sticking together for warmth to have any chance to compete for favor.

Thinking about my personality, I realize that I'm probably not very popular with men.

I'm hesitating whether to ask my sister for some tips on how to please men.

Suddenly his eyes narrowed, and he stared ahead.

In the middle of the long corridor ahead, on the stone steps where the moonlight could not be blocked by the eaves, a figure quietly appeared at some point.

She seemed to have noticed her sister's unusual behavior.

Aqin also looked up, and then she showed an even more surprised expression than Aqi.

That figure standing silently on the stone steps, gazing up at the moon, looks so much like a princess!

Shouldn't she be inside the house at this time, whispering sweet nothings with the prince or having private conversations?

Why did you come out alone?
……

Inside the east wing, Jia Lian was suddenly startled.

Looking at the outline of the face in the darkness, Jia Lian asked in a suppressed voice, "You're not Qingran, who are you?"

Although I was initially so excited by the environment and gameplay that I overlooked the details, I just felt that Princess Zhaoyang was exceptionally passionate tonight.

However, after stopping the boat and entering the alley, he immediately realized that something was wrong.

"Of course I'm not Qingran, quick, Prince Pingliao..."

The beautiful woman murmured in her sleep, wrapped her arms around Jia Lian's neck, and pulled him down with great effort, appearing unusually anxious.

However, Jia Lian was startled by her voice and broke out in a cold sweat.

There's no other reason than that enchanting voice sounded so much like the Empress Dowager, that woman with hormonal imbalances.
how can that be!

The Empress Dowager doesn't like me no matter what, so why is she being so enthusiastic?

Besides, wasn't it Princess Zhaoyang who invited him here tonight?
Why is the Empress Dowager here?
He raised his hand and turned the beautiful woman's delicate face towards him, examining her closely to confirm that it was not Princess Zhaoyang, but the Empress Dowager.

After confirming this, Jia Lian felt as if his soul was about to leave his body.

She really is the Empress Dowager.

That woman who, at the Crown Prince's villa, had captivated him at first glance, making him feel that there was no woman in the world whose beauty could surpass hers.

She was the most noble woman in the world, who was once so high and mighty that a single word from her could frighten the fearless Sister Feng into kneeling on the ground, sobbing.

This is the woman the retired emperor wanted to take with him on his deathbed; her looks alone could drive all the men in the world crazy.

Yet, because of her status, she dared not reveal the slightest bit of her true nature.

Now, she's pinned down by him?

After the unparalleled, exhilarating rush to the top of one's head comes panic.

Why is the Empress Dowager here?

He knew all too well the Empress Dowager's place in Princess Zhaoyang's heart. If she were to find out that he had defiled the Empress Dowager, Jia Lian truly didn't know how he would face her.

Moreover, the Empress Dowager was, after all, the Emperor Emeritus's woman, and under the current circumstances, what if the matter were exposed?

Not only might the throne, which seemed within their grasp, be lost, but they themselves would also be plunged into utter ruin.

With so many conflicting interests at stake, how could one not be thrown into turmoil and have one's lustful desires thwarted?

Jia Lian was caught in a mental struggle, and his movements naturally froze.

This, however, displeased the beauty.

Not only did she become increasingly insistent on kissing him, but she also urged him impatiently, "Your Highness, Li Chang is in so much pain..."

The Empress Dowager's voice and actions brought Jia Lian back to his senses, and he couldn't help but feel a little smug.

Thinking that the Empress Dowager was usually indifferent to him, it turns out she liked him in her heart.

Could it be that she directed today's scene?
Was it because she couldn't bear the loneliness that she asked Princess Zhaoyang to lure her here?

Although he didn't know how she persuaded Princess Zhaoyang, if that was the case, he wouldn't have to worry about getting past Princess Zhaoyang.

Then he thought that Princess Zhaoyang usually didn't mind him taking in the beautiful maids around her, and Jia Lian felt a little more at ease.

As long as Princess Zhaoyang doesn't object, this matter isn't so terrible.

The die was already cast, and for Jia Lian to still be thinking so much was already quite remarkable.

Having gained confidence, he could no longer control his instincts, so he laughed and said, "Alright, Your Majesty, let me, your humble servant, serve you well!"

...(End of this chapter)