The Second Master of the Red Chamber

The next morning, Jia Lian relieved the exhausted Fourth Prince and resumed his duties at the mourning hall.

After the arrangements were mostly made, the concubines also came to mourn.

The Empress Dowager also came.

She remained as noble and aloof as ever, head held high, looking down upon all living beings.

However, Jia Lian still keenly noticed that when their eyes met, she subconsciously looked away and glanced to the side.

Jia Lian's heart stirred slightly.

Seeing that Princess Zhaoyang had not yet arrived, he paid his respects to the Empress and then went to the Empress Dowager's side, feigning deference in his greetings:
"Grandson greets Your Majesty. I wonder if Your Majesty rested well last night?"

Although Jia Lian's tone was perfectly normal, how could the Empress Dowager not sense his provocation?
He was deeply troubled.

She was fine with not holding a grudge against him for what happened last night, but this brat actually dared to flirt with her in front of everyone.

Zhao Yang was right after all; that brat is a lecherous scoundrel.

No wonder he dared to be so presumptuous with me last night.

"Whether I am resting well or not is none of the concern of the Prince of Pingliao. You only need to take care of the others."

The Empress Dowager said coldly, and everyone could see her dissatisfaction with Jia Lian.

The concubines, eunuchs, and palace maids around them weren't too surprised.

The Empress Dowager was always like this, keeping strangers at arm's length.

Perhaps she was still resentful about Jia Lian's refusal of her imperial decree to divorce her and marry Princess Zhaoyang.

So, as Jia Lian showed his discomfiture, several of the retired emperor's concubines, who considered themselves young and beautiful, even gave him friendly smiles and flirtatious glances.

Although the Empress Dowager remained aloof, Jia Lian did not pursue the matter further, because he saw Princess Zhaoyang approaching.

After leading the officials from the Ministry of Rites deep into the underground imperial mausoleum and arranging the burial coffin in the jade hall, the mourning at the main hall of the spirit chamber came to a temporary end when they emerged.

Jia Lian deliberately sat and waited for a while in the side hall where he had specially set out to rest, and sure enough, Princess Zhaoyang came looking for him.

"Brother Wang, do you have any tea here? I'm dying of thirst."

Princess Zhaoyang seemed completely unconcerned about what happened last night, and went in to ask Jia Lian for tea.

Jia Lian personally poured her a cup.

Princess Zhaoyang drank it, then smiled at the composed Jia Lian: "Brother, did you know I was coming to see you?"

Jia Lian smiled and said, "Didn't you say that last night?"

"Oh, that's true, I completely forgot."

Princess Zhaoyang smiled her signature smile, looked Jia Lian up and down, and then asked teasingly, "Brother, did you sleep well last night?"

Jia Lian remained noncommittal.

He spread his legs and naturally pulled her into his arms, taking one of her hands and stroking it as he asked, "What happened last night, did you arrange it on purpose?"

"I wonder which matter Brother Wang is referring to?"

Seeing her like this, Jia Lian slapped her on the buttocks.

Princess Zhaoyang immediately covered it with her hand, but still said playfully, "Oh, I didn't notice last night and let my brother escape."

I only found out later.

Brother Wang, please tell me honestly, what did you do to my grandmother last night?

Jia Lian smiled and asked, "Qingran, what do you think I can do?"

Princess Zhaoyang thought for a moment, then looked shocked: "You, you wouldn't...?"

Although he knew the girl was faking it, Jia Lian was still amused and said smugly, "That's right, just as you think. Your imperial grandmother, she is very..."

"oops."

I know Jia Lian very well; I know that he is usually serious, but when he gets vulgar, he has no bottom line.

She quickly covered his mouth with her hand, giving Jia Lian a shy, glaring look: "You bad guy, you haven't just bullied me, you also... you also..."

Ultimately, even she herself felt that what she had done was absurd and was too embarrassed to say it openly.

Seeing this, Jia Lian also stopped joking and put his arm around Princess Zhaoyang's slender yet elastic waist, pressing his face against her chest and saying affectionately, "Although I have always known that Qingran indulges me, I am very grateful."

But I thought about it all night and still couldn't understand why Qingran did it.

"Could Qingran possibly answer my question?"

Princess Zhaoyang was standing while Jia Lian was sitting. She glanced down at Jia Lian's expression, then raised her arms to encircle his head and whispered, "Does Erlang care about this?"

"Actually, I'm not quite sure myself."

"If I said I just felt sorry for her, that she married the Emperor in the prime of her life and never smiled much in her entire life."

So, I want to make her smile. Will Erlang believe me?

Jia Lian was deeply shocked.

Even with his centuries-old ideas, he couldn't quite understand Princess Zhaoyang's way of thinking.

There are many ways to show filial piety, so why choose this one?
However, he was the one who benefited from this, so he naturally wouldn't expose him, and thus nodded knowingly.

"Qingran's filial piety is truly touching."

Princess Zhaoyang blushed immediately, pinched Jia Lian's arm, and said fiercely, "Brother, you must be very pleased with yourself now. After all, Grandmother is so beautiful, much prettier than me. Humph, you're really lucky."

Jia Lian keenly sensed a trap, so he forgot his joy and quickly pulled Princess Zhaoyang down to sit, kissed her on the cheek, and coaxed, "Don't talk nonsense. In my heart, Qingran is the most beautiful."

"rhetoric."

Princess Zhaoyang smiled, then rested her head on Jia Lian's chest and fell silent.

In fact, her desire to find a man for the Empress Dowager so that she could experience true love between a man and a woman had been brewing for a long time.

But what ordinary man would dare to lay a finger on the Empress Dowager?
Moreover, her own grandmother was so outstanding and beautiful that if she were to marry an ordinary man, not only would he defile her, but she would also refuse to marry him.

Most importantly, this matter was, after all, extremely rebellious, and she had many concerns, so she dared not try it lightly.

Until she discovered that the Empress Dowager actually liked Jia Lian as well.

Until she learned that her grandmother, whom she had flattered and fawned over for nearly twenty years, was trying to take her young life away on her deathbed.

She made up her mind completely.

Her grandmother had suffered so much injustice in her life, she had to protect her and let her live a normal life!

That's how she found the opportunity to plan everything that happened last night.

Princess Zhaoyang had no concern whatsoever about whether the Empress Dowager was fond of Jia Lian.

Actually, it was the Empress Dowager who first got to know Jia Lian.

Then, despite her seemingly unambitious nature, she actually went so far as to break up a loving couple and use her power to force Jia Lian to marry her.

Not to mention, she had actually heard the Empress Dowager call out Jia Lian's name in her dreams.

Therefore, she wasn't worried at all that things would go wrong last night.

Given the right environment, if the two of them were alone together, it would be like dry tinder igniting a fire, and she wouldn't need to do anything else.

And it turned out just as she expected.

Recalling how her grandmother had been stubborn in front of her last night, she couldn't help but laugh.

And the way my brother looks so silly is so cute...

He apparently got slapped by his grandmother.

Serves you right!

These thoughts flashed through her mind, and she looked up at Jia Lian, who seemed lost in thought, and said, "Tonight, Erlang will come to see me again!"

"Uh...this isn't a good idea, what if..."

Jia Lian was surprised to find that Princess Zhaoyang was even bolder than him.

This is in an imperial mausoleum.

It's fine if it happens only once in a while.

There is no such thing as a secret that stays hidden forever.

If this isn't curbed, it will inevitably be exposed sooner or later.

Princess Zhaoyang ignored her and instead said coquettishly, "My brother had a good time last night, but he left me outside to be exposed to the cold wind all night."

"I don't care, if you don't come to keep me company tonight, I'm never talking to you again."

Jia Lian felt helpless.

What do you mean by leaving her outside?

She clearly fooled herself, but then she slipped away.

Last night, until he entered the alley, he still thought the beauty beneath him was her.

Regardless of the circumstances, Princess Zhaoyang's affection for her was undeniable.

In this situation, she made a request, not just that there was a risk of being discovered.

Even if it means going through fire and water, we have to go. "Remember to send all the irrelevant people away."

"Don't worry, you can't trust them to handle things?"

Princess Zhaoyang stood up from Jia Lian's lap, smiled at him, and then turned and left.

Jia Lian sat in his original spot for a while, then got up and went back to the mourning hall.

……

A whole day has passed, and it's past midnight again.

Back at the secluded courtyard wall, Aqin suddenly asked, "The one Your Highness met last night, it shouldn't have been Her Highness the Princess, right?"

Seeing Jia Lian turn around, Aqin hesitated and said, "Last night we saw the princess come out of the house and stand alone on the veranda for a long time..."

Jia Lian suddenly realized, and touched Aqin's face: "Then who do you think it could be if it's not the princess?"

The Aqin sisters exchanged a glance, somewhat hesitant to speak.

This courtyard was the Empress Dowager's residence; apart from Princess Zhaoyang, the Empress Dowager was the only master there.

If they were palace maids or servants, they would obviously not be qualified to have Princess Zhaoyang come out and wait outside.

Recalling that Jia Lian had a woman's handprint on his face when he came out last night.

The Aqin sisters already had a guess in their hearts.

Despite the speculation, as Jia Lian's most trusted confidantes, they would unconditionally believe in and support whatever Jia Lian did.

So even though they were somewhat worried about Jia Lian, they didn't say anything.

Seeing that they didn't speak, Jia Lian touched Aqi's face again and said softly, "Don't worry, just wait for me here."

After saying that, Jia Lian pushed open the dark door from the back corridor again.

After walking a few steps, sure enough, a beautiful and slender figure rushed up from behind, covering her eyes with her hands: "Guess who I am."

Jia Lian didn't guess. He smiled, pried off the beauty's jade arm, turned around, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her.

After a passionate kiss, he lifted her up by the waist and carried her into the bed.

……

The main room is only thirty or forty steps away from the east wing as the crow flies.

The Empress Dowager was also not asleep.

As soon as I close my eyes, I can't help but recall everything that happened last night.

Even in the same darkness, a shadowy figure resembling Jia Lian would conjure up and violently pounce on her, tossing and turning her over and over.

Just like Jia Lian last night.

My heart was already restless and uneasy.

I thought of Zhaoyang again tonight, acting all sneaky.

He ordered people to fetch water for a bath as soon as he got back.

He never came to greet her again.

She had paid attention to something when she went inside to rest earlier.

The east wing was unusually quiet.

It feels just like last night!
The Empress Dowager couldn't help but wonder, could it be that Zhaoyang, that wretched girl, has invited that brat over again?
Probably not.

Although she is mischievous, she still knows her limits.

How could he be so greedy for pleasure?

Didn't she know that if the matter were discovered, it would have a very negative impact on both her and Jia Lian?

Because of these complicated thoughts, she lay alone on the spacious and comfortable phoenix couch, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.

Finally, she sat up from the couch.

"No, we have to go and take a look."

They were both still young and couldn't distinguish between what was important and what wasn't.

If someone has truly become so addicted to pleasure, then we must find a way to admonish them.

I glanced at the night watch room through several shop windows.

Then she got off the bed.

Without wearing an outer garment, she quietly slipped on her embroidered shoes and walked to the main room door, using the moonlight streaming through the window as a guide.

Remove the plug and gently open the door.

Throughout the entire process and movement, she held her breath, moving with extreme gentleness, not daring to make the slightest noise.

Even she herself didn't know what she was afraid of.

His body leaped outside the door, and the moonlight shone brightly on the steps below.

There was still a light in the room in the southwest corner, presumably where the eunuchs on night duty were passing the time.

Not daring to step into the moonlight, she walked east along the dark corridor and floated to the northwest corner of the east wing.

I thought about it for a while.

She continued walking along the side corridor and soon arrived at the back window of the main room in the east wing...

Inside the room, Jia Lian and Princess Zhaoyang had just finished their intimate moment and were embracing each other, pouring out their hearts.

Princess Zhaoyang chuckled softly, "Brother, are you disappointed that it's just me tonight?"

Jia Lian slapped her bare bottom without explaining.

Actually, Princess Zhaoyang really misunderstood him this time.

No matter how arrogant he was, he would never have thought that Princess Zhaoyang would be so open-minded as to serve her alongside the Empress Dowager.

In other words, even if she were willing, it would be absolutely impossible for the Empress Dowager to accept it.

Even Princess Zhaoyang said that the other party was somewhat fond of him.

But that woman had a terrible temper.

I slapped him last night and verbally abused him.

It's not even certain if we can completely win her over, let alone all this other stuff.

Because when the two were talking while embracing, Princess Zhaoyang's little hand kept wandering, which quickly aroused Jia Lian's desire to conquer her again.

He was about to overturn the beauty.

Princess Zhaoyang then put her index finger to her lips, gesturing for him to be quiet.

Then, Jia Lian, who was unaware of what was going on, saw the girl get off the bed barefoot and tiptoe to the window.

She paused for a moment, then quickly pushed the window open...

Jia Lian was initially puzzled as to what she was doing.

But soon my eyes were drawn to the scene before me.

The house faces west.

Once the moon has passed its zenith and is beginning to set in the west, its light will shine directly down from the front.

Now, Princess Zhaoyang opened the window in front of her and leaned forward, and the unobstructed moonlight poured down on her smooth back and shapely buttocks.

Princess Zhaoyang had just made love with him and hadn't even had time to put on any clothes yet.

As a result, the already bright moonlight was immediately reflected upon its jade-like skin, almost illuminating the entire room.

Thus, in Jia Lian's eyes, Princess Zhaoyang's already flawless body seemed to be enveloped in a holy glow.

Dazzling, blinding.

Like a fairyland, like a painting.

The scene before my eyes is absolutely beautiful.

This prompted Jia Lian to immediately rise up and, upon returning home, have Miaoyu, Qin Keqing, and other equally tall and beautiful women recreate the scene.

Even if it weren't as natural as it is now, it would still be a breathtaking scene.

Princess Zhaoyang had no idea that her unintentional actions had left such a deep impression on Jia Lian.

She peeked out the window and glanced around, then turned back with some disappointment.

She closed the window and saw Jia Lian sitting on the bed like a wooden statue. Without asking what she was doing, she immediately went back curiously and asked, "What's wrong with you?"

"No, it's nothing..."

Jia Lian made a vague statement and immediately asked, "What was Qingran looking for just now?"

"I wasn't looking for anything, I just wanted to see if someone who said one thing but meant another was eavesdropping."

...(End of this chapter)