The Second Master of the Red Chamber

"Brother Lian, are you really going to marry my sister?"

Baoqin followed Jia Lian's footsteps out of Rongqing Hall and looked at Jia Lian with her clear eyes.

Jia Lian turned around, touched the lovely girl's head, and said with a smile: "Call me brother-in-law."

"Sister...brother-in-law..."

After saying the half-shy word "brother-in-law", Baoqin seemed to feel that her relationship with Jia Lian had become closer, so her previous negative emotions were swept away and her mood became bright again.

She began to seriously consider what changes and impacts her cousin's marriage to Jia Lian would have on the Xue family and on herself.

Jia Lian was also so delighted by Baoqin's sweet call of "brother-in-law" that he really wanted to hug the girl and give her a kiss.

In the end, due to his identity and the occasion, he did not act rashly.

He smiled in response and was about to say something when he saw Ah Qin rushing over to him and whispered in his ear, "Master, the princess and the fourth prince are here in disguise and are waiting at the east courtyard."

Jia Lian was startled, nodded, and then said to Bao Qin: "Go back and see your cousin first, and tell her that I have something else to do and will go see her later."

"By the way, your cousin is shy, so don't bully her. If someone says something humiliating to her, remember to help her out, and that's considered helping me."

"I know, brother-in-law~"

Baoqin twisted her fingers, stood on tiptoe and twisted her waist, acting like a little girl, which made Aqin, who had just come over, secretly say: I learned something.

Jia Lian was also slightly stunned, but he didn't say anything else. He nodded and turned to leave.

Although Jia Lian has the final say in both mansions now, strictly speaking, the East Courtyard is the core of Jia Lian.

His core secrets and trusted personnel were basically gathered in the front yard of the East Cross Courtyard.

Princess Zhaoyang and the Fourth Prince were also aware of the Jia family's situation and did not want to make it public, so they went directly to the East Courtyard and were then invited to the front hall.

"I didn't know the princess and the fourth prince were here. I'm sorry for not coming to greet you."

Jia Lian strode into the living room from the back hall and immediately saw Princess Zhaoyang and the Fourth Prince sitting at the guest table.

The fourth prince stood up and said in a somewhat reproachful tone: "Given your relationship with us, why do you have to be so polite?"

The words were so different from usual ones that Jia Lian was surprised, and he couldn't help but look at the Fourth Prince.

The Fourth Prince, who used to be lively and cheerful, even a little sloppy, still looked the same, but his expression seemed much gloomier.

The corners of his mouth were no longer often curled up, so naturally, that familiar silly smile could no longer be seen.

Jia Lian couldn't help but think to himself that it seemed that the Tiewang Mountain Incident had a great impact on the Fourth Prince, and he has not yet changed his mind.

Jia Lian had nothing to say about this. People always need to grow through certain things, although sometimes the cost of growth is very high.

Compared to him, Princess Zhaoyang did not seem much different from before. When she saw Jia Lian looking at her, she smiled and said, "Just call me Miss Wei."

Jia Lian smiled and asked the two to sit down, and then he also sat down at the guest seat opposite.

"I heard that the emperor conferred you a higher title, the third-class Duke of Rong?"

"Yes. The emperor's grace is so great that I feel ashamed to accept it."

"congratulations."

"Happy together."

After the pleasantries, Princess Zhaoyang directly stated her purpose: "Ling'er and I came here today, in addition to congratulating you on your achievement in becoming Duke Rong, we also have two other things to do."

Princess Zhaoyang paused, glanced at the Fourth Prince, and then smiled at Jia Lian, "The first thing is, Ling'er heard that you have a younger sister, who is also our cousin..."

Before Princess Zhaoyang finished her words, the Fourth Prince jumped up.

He pointed at Princess Zhaoyang and cursed, "You wanted to see him, but I didn't agree to bring you here to see him until you persuaded me. How come it became just me hearing about it, hearing about it..."

For some reason, the fourth prince was trembling when he spoke. Realizing his embarrassment, his face turned red.

When Princess Zhaoyang saw this, her smile became even brighter.

"I heard that Sister Yingchun is very gentle and kind, I wonder if you could summon her out so that we can meet her.

After all, we are blood relatives, and we should get closer to each other in the future."

Jia Lian nodded and said, "We should get closer, but...my sister has caught a cold recently and is not feeling well. I'm afraid she is not suitable for meeting guests."

Princess Zhaoyang was surprised by Jia Lian's blunt refusal.

But the Fourth Prince was nervous and hurried to Jia Lian: "Why, she... Why is Sister Yingchun sick? Let me go see her!"

Jia Lian calmly pushed away the Fourth Prince's hand and said, "She is delicate by nature and afraid of meeting strangers, especially a man of noble status like the Fourth Prince. If Your Highness really cares about her, let her recover in peace and see you next time."

The Fourth Prince was just a little slow in reacting, it wasn't like he really couldn't see the hint.

His expression changed for a while, and finally he said to Princess Zhaoyang: "You talk to him, I'll go out for some fresh air."

After saying that, he walked away.

As soon as he left, Princess Zhaoyang couldn't help laughing. She stood up and walked to the chair next to Jia Lian and sat down, staring at Jia Lian.

After a while, seeing that Jia Lian's expression had not changed at all, she smiled and said, "Erlang doesn't want him to see Sister Yingchun?"

"No."

"Hehehe..."

Princess Zhaoyang smiled and suddenly asked in a gloomy tone: "Is it because of our respective identities?"

Jia Lian turned around and looked at Princess Zhaoyang with deep eyes, and suddenly realized what she might be thinking.

So he reached out and held her in his arms, held her hair with his other hand, and shook his head, "No."

"What's that for?"

Princess Zhaoyang didn't believe that Jia Lian, with his insight, couldn't see through the Fourth Prince's thoughts, although she didn't quite agree with it either.

But she could not resist the Fourth Prince's questioning, so she reluctantly agreed to introduce him in exchange for him bringing her to the Jia Mansion.

In her heart, she just thought that there was nothing wrong in meeting him once. Maybe the Fourth Prince was just momentarily excited, and after meeting him a few more times, that feeling would fade away.

There are so many good women in the world, why do you have to pick the unsuitable ones and challenge the secular ethics?

She could object for this reason, but when Jia Lian showed signs of opposition, she couldn't help but think that if Jia Lian opposed his sister and Ling'er because of blood, it meant that blood relationship was still an insurmountable red line in his heart.

Can we infer from this that the words he said to her on Tiewang Mountain that day were just words to comfort her?

Listening to Princess Zhaoyang's increasingly clear voice, Jia Lian was very glad that he reacted in time.

It seems that no matter how free and easy, generous, and unique Princess Zhaoyang is, she is still a woman after all, and she will also worry about gains and losses.

He stroked her hair and shoulders with his hands, and chuckled, "Have you forgotten how he jumped up and down when he first found out about your relationship with me?

Since justice is in the making and retribution is inevitable, how can I not seize this opportunity and take revenge?

Humph, you still want to see my sister? You have to get past me first."

Princess Zhaoyang moved suddenly, and then sat up from Jia Lian's arms. Seeing that Jia Lian's expression did not seem to be false, she covered her mouth and chuckled:

"I didn't know that Erlang was so petty."

"I never said I was generous."

Princess Zhaoyang laughed even more happily, and simply returned to Jia Lian's arms and was affectionate with him.

Jia Lian patted him on the back, his eyes darkening.

He was a little confused. The Fourth Prince had clearly never met Yingchun. At most, they had a quick glance when Yingchun happened to come to see him the last time he came.

Why did he keep thinking about it?

If he didn't know the Fourth Prince's character, he would probably think that Xue Pan was just being seduced by his beauty.

But he knew that although the Fourth Prince loved to play, he was not depraved by sensual pleasures. In his Prince Xiao's mansion, there were a lot of toys of all kinds, but there were only a few beauties.

I don't know if he is slow to catch on or if he learned it from his father. Therefore, even though he was upset when he noticed that this guy was trying to hook up with his sister last time, he did consider the feasibility of this matter.

However, with the exposure of the fact that Jia She was the illegitimate son of the retired emperor, Jia Lian immediately gave up this idea.

It’s simple. Yingchun is his sister and he won’t let her get hurt in any way.

Rumors are as sharp as knives and etiquette is strict. If Yingchun follows in his and Princess Zhaoyang's footsteps, she will definitely be criticized.

As for him and Princess Zhaoyang...

First of all, he did not think of himself as Jia She's son, and psychologically he did not feel any connection with Princess Zhaoyang and others. This was also the reason why when facing the emperor, he only cared about gains and losses and had no emotional fluctuations.

Secondly, he and Princess Zhaoyang both have free and open-minded personalities, and they are both very strong and are not afraid of any criticism from others.

But Yingchun is different. Jia Lian will not let her fall into an unfavorable situation.

Therefore, he was a little annoyed with the Fourth Prince. You said that you are the great King Xiao, you must have seen many women. Even if you were stunned by your own sister at first sight, you should have given up the idea after knowing that she is your cousin.

Why are you getting more excited?

Is there really such a thing as love at first sight and unswerving commitment in the world?

No matter what the reason was, Jia Lian would definitely not agree.

Not wanting Princess Zhaoyang to dwell on this question, Jia Lian immediately asked, "Didn't you say there were two things? What's the other one?"

"One more thing..."

Princess Zhaoyang stood up and said with a smile: "I have met Sister Feng, but there is another sister that I have never had the chance to meet.

I heard that this sister is very smart and graceful, like a willow swaying in the wind, and is deeply loved by Erlang. I have long wanted to see her in person.

I wonder if Erlang would be willing to introduce me to someone today?"

Upon hearing this, Jia Lian fell into silence, thinking whether to send someone to call Daiyu out or to bring Princess Zhaoyang into the Grand View Garden to see Daiyu, when he saw Sister Feng walking in swaying.

"Everyone in each room is almost here, just waiting for you..."

Feng Jieer was always swift and decisive, her voice was heard before her appearance. But she soon saw Princess Zhaoyang beside Jia Lian, and quickly put down her hand, bowed and said: "I pay my respects to Her Royal Highness the Princess..."

Princess Zhaoyang helped Sister Feng up and said with a smile, "Sister, there is no need to be so polite. I came here without permission and did not inform you in advance. It is my fault."

Even though Princess Zhaoyang had said last time that she should treat her as a sister, she was still flattered to see how respectful Princess Zhaoyang was to her.

"Princess, you are joking. You can come to our... No, this is your home, you can come anytime, why tell me?

I didn't know you were coming and didn't greet you. I hope the princess will forgive me."

Princess Zhaoyang took the somewhat nervous Feng Jieer to sit down and said with a smile: "I came here this time, in addition to congratulating him on his promotion to Duke Rong, I also wanted to see you again.

Since their last separation outside the city, the younger sister often thinks of her elder sister's bright and beautiful appearance.

I wanted to invite my sister to my house for a chat, but I was afraid that she would be suspicious.

I want to come and see my sister in person... My sister also knows that with my status, it is not easy to visit her. This time I disguised myself as a maid and asked my brother to bring me here..."

Sister Feng was surprised and asked, "The Fourth Prince is here too?"

She said that when she entered the house, she saw unfamiliar guards and carriages, and guessed that there might be a distinguished guest.

But when he looked into the hall from a distance, he found Jia Lian talking to a woman, and thought that Jia Lian was hooking up with some young lady again, so he pretended to rush in.

Just at this time, the Fourth Prince came back from a boring stroll, and Sister Feng quickly stood up to greet him.

The fourth prince was reasonable in front of women: "Meet my sister-in-law."

The word "sister-in-law" made Feng Jieer even more shocked. The so-called sister-in-law is her brother's wife!

How could such a heartless person become so close to the Fourth Prince?

But then Feng Jieer became confused again.

After the Fourth Prince finished his greetings, he glanced at Jia Lian coldly, then raised his head, sat down at the seat of honor without saying a word, rudely poured himself a bowl of tea, and drank it slowly with a sullen face.

His obvious anger made Feng Jieer a little at a loss. Fortunately, Princess Zhaoyang pulled her aside and said with a smile, "Don't pay attention to him. By the way, you came to Rong Gong just now and said that all the children from different branches were here. But what activities were there?"

Feng Jieer said hesitantly: "Nothing, it's just that he was conferred the title of Duke, and according to the rules he has to open the ancestral temple and inform the ancestors..."

Princess Zhaoyang's eyes lit up. "I often hear people say that a century-old family like the Jia family has many members, and the ancestor worship ceremony is grand, lively and solemn. I wonder if my sister and I will be lucky enough to watch it today?"

"This..." Sister Feng looked at Jia Lian.

Jia Lian said, "It is an honor for our family to have the two of you watching the ceremony."

The Jia family's ancestor worship is not comparable to those of smaller families. Every worship ceremony is a grand ceremony in itself and outsiders are allowed to visit.

Of course, not everyone can come in to visit. At least only those who are treated as guests of honor by the Jia family can come in to visit.

……

"Mr. Wei, Miss Wei, this way please."

In the three-story attic in the west courtyard of Ningguo Mansion, Third Sister You respectfully and carefully carried out the task assigned to her by Sister Feng.

After all, Princess Zhaoyang and the Fourth Prince had special statuses, so it was inconvenient to let them mix in the crowd. However, Jia Lian and Feng Jieer both had to participate in the ceremony and could not accompany them, so they arranged for Third Sister You to lead the two of them to the attic to watch the ceremony.

This attic is built next to the ancestral hall. Standing on the back corridor on the second or third floor, one can see most of the situation inside the ancestral hall. It is indeed a great place to watch ceremonies.

Although Third Sister You has never met the Fourth Prince, she has met Princess Zhaoyang.

Considering the titles "Miss Wei" and "Mr. Wei", it is not difficult to guess his identity as the grandson of the emperor's son.

The Jia family has eight branches in Beijing, and from the second to the fifth, and even the sixth generation, there are at least one or two hundred children. If the wives of the clan members are included, the number would be even greater.

Therefore, even though not all of them were present today, with so many people crowded into the ancestral hall, it still seemed bustling and lively.

Standing on the high corridor overlooking the ancestral hall, the Fourth Prince was quite interested. He looked around from time to time, and even when he saw the elderly Jia Dairu and Jia Daixiu appear, he asked who they were.

Princess Zhaoyang was not very interested in what happened in the ancestral hall. After all, when it came to ancestor worship, the royal family was naturally much more powerful.

On the contrary, she is more interested in Yu Sanjie.

"I've seen you." Princess Zhaoyang turned around and looked at Third Sister You with a smile.

Third Sister You immediately shrank her neck and said, "I had the honor of meeting Miss Wei last time at the Imperial Horse Farm outside the city."

"Yes. You were sitting in Lord Rong's carriage at that time, and you seemed to have a lot of complaints about me."

"No, no...I was worshipping...

Miss Wei was in high spirits that day, and her maids were all heroic and valiant, which made the common people envious and admired them.

Moreover, I have long heard about Miss Wei's heroic deeds of leading only a few hundred followers and toying with a 100,000-strong Tatar and Wala army in the palm of her hand, which makes me admire her very much!

My biggest wish in this life is to be like Miss Wei, who is as brave as any man and can lead troops on the battlefield.

Really, I dare not lie. Ever since I met Miss Wei that day, I also asked Lord Rong to form a female guard team of more than ten people for me.

Lord Rong also told me that if I can train this guard to be competent, he will recommend me to serve under you, Miss Wei..."

Facing the scrutiny of Princess Zhaoyang, the usually fearless Third Sister You seemed very timid and blurted out all the words she could to please her.

Princess Zhaoyang looked at her with a smile until she noticed that her forehead was sweating. Then she smiled and said, "Okay, take me to meet your guards later. If they are good, you can work under me in the future."

"Yes." Third Sister You breathed a sigh of relief.

From the moment she met Princess Zhaoyang, she was afraid of being recognized by her, but she didn't expect that she had such a good memory.

Fortunately, the princess didn't seem to want to cause trouble for her at the moment, so she could only pray that the female soldiers under her command would behave better and help her change the impression in the princess's mind. (End of this chapter)