The Second Master of the Red Chamber

Chapter 826 The White Veil
At the foot of the main mountain, just after leaving the cellar, Baochai, on Jia Lian's back, said, "Alright, put me down, I can go up by myself."

"That won't do, I'll carry you up."

Baochai was still very young and not very mobile, so Jia Lian carried her back from the Lin family's villa.

Of course, even if Baochai was fine, Jia Lian would still try to get close to her.

He could carry Baochai's plump yet surprisingly light body on his back and still comfortably hug her two long, white legs.

He could even sneakily pat her firm, bouncy buttocks a couple of times, making the beauty coyly grumble.

Jia Lian even complained that the secret passage was too short.

Baochai seemed to sense Jia Lian's desire to get closer to her, but she still insisted, "No, people will see. Dear brother, if you truly care about me, put me down. I don't want people to gossip..."

It's impossible for Baochai not to feel any regret after so hastily giving herself to Jia Lian today.

After all, illicit relations before marriage are considered shameful by the world, and Baochai was well-versed in feudal etiquette.

Now, all Baochai could think about was keeping this a secret as much as possible. In any case, Jia Lian had already told her that once his mourning period was over next spring, he would marry her and Daiyu.

So, there are only a few months left.

After hearing Baochai's words, Jia Lian thought about it carefully and put Baochai down.

Seeing Baochai straightening her wrinkled clothes while checking her surroundings for any onlookers, Jia Lian comforted her, "Don't worry. The old lady has already come to propose marriage in person, and your mother has agreed to let you marry me. I've also ordered the marriage certificate to be made in the nick of time."

So now everyone knows you're mine.

Trust me, even if everyone knows about this, no one will say anything in this situation, so you don't need to feel guilty.

Baochai gave Jia Lian a slight glare.

Although Jia Lian's words may not be entirely unreasonable, he had no idea what these young women were thinking.

Anyway, she was determined to maintain a proper distance with Jia Lian for the next six months, so as not to give anyone cause for gossip.

Jia Lian saw through Baochai's thoughts, smiled but didn't say anything more, instead taking a step closer to Baochai.

Baochai immediately became nervous and subconsciously wanted to step back.

Her head was grabbed by Jia Lian, and Baochai watched helplessly as Jia Lian's face drew closer and closer until his lips pressed against hers.

Baochai struggled slightly, then resignedly closed her eyes and passively accepted Jia Lian's request for a kiss.

After a long while, Jia Lian finally released the beauty. Seeing that she was still dazed and her eyelids were trembling, he gently pinched her delicate nose.

Seeing that the beauty had indeed woken up, he smacked his lips and said, "It really smells delicious."

Baochai was immediately embarrassed and quickly took a few steps back, while looking around. Fortunately, there was no one in the woods.

Jia Lian found Baochai's reaction quite amusing. She took a step forward, then noticed that she would cautiously take a step back. Jia Lian stopped in his tracks and laughed, "Don't be so harsh on Ying'er. If she hadn't piqued my curiosity today, I wouldn't have decided to win you over yet."

Baochai turned her head away, and after a long while, she gently nodded and uttered a single word: "Mmm~"

Her downcast and submissive appearance was a far cry from her usual image of being "moving even in the face of indifference".

Jia Lian couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Sure enough, only by completely winning over a cold beauty like Baochai could one discover just how tender she truly was.

Jia Lian couldn't help but feel a little anticipation for the transformation of that maid from Xiaoxiang Pavilion, who was always frowning and sullen, into a gentle and kind woman...

With these thoughts in mind, Jia Lian said to Baochai, "Go upstairs and get some rest tonight. I'll come see you again tomorrow."

"Good~"

Jia Lian smiled slightly and turned to walk towards the garden gate.

Watching Jia Lian's figure disappear into the distance, Baochai stood there for a while before finally walking towards Hengwu Garden.

Despite feeling slightly unwell, she had to pretend nothing was wrong in order to avoid giving anyone away.

……

When Jia Lian returned home, he could only hear voices coming from the west wing.

Jia Lian stepped inside and found that Qingwen and about a dozen maids on duty in the courtyard were playing cards together.

Upon seeing him enter, everyone hurriedly stood up.

Several of them looked furtive and seemed to be trying to hide. Unfortunately, Jia Lian was standing at the door, so they had nowhere to escape.

Qingwen wasn't afraid at all. She put down the cards and took small steps to Jia Lian, smiling like a cat: "Second Master, you're back? This afternoon, Second Madam sent people to look for you in the garden, but they couldn't find you. They thought you had gone out."

Jia Lian nodded and casually said, "I did go out for a while in between."

"I've sweated a lot, so please have someone prepare a bath."

"It's your order~"

Qingwen waved happily and led her entourage out.

Xiangling also wanted to take action, but Jia Lian stopped her.

After everyone left, Jia Lian took out Ying'er's undergarment from his pocket and handed it to her, saying, "Wash it clean and put it away."

A strange look flashed in Xiangling's eyes, but she didn't say anything. She nodded and put the item into her sleeve, then asked, "Is Second Master thirsty?"

Jia Lian nodded and went straight to Xiangling's room.

A moment later, Xiangling poured half a cup of tea over.

Jia Lian downed his tea in one gulp and handed her the cup, saying, "Again."

Xiangling's eyes flashed with surprise again, but she still didn't say anything and poured the tea again.

This time she was smarter and used a tray to bring over all the teapots.

Seeing that Jia Lian had drunk three cups in a row, she couldn't help but laugh and ask, "What have you been doing, Second Master? Why are you so thirsty?"

Jia Lian didn't speak. He took Xiangling's small hand and looked at the girl in front of him, who was becoming more and more graceful and resembled Qin Keqing more and more. Many feelings arose in his heart.

These beauties are so rare that even getting one of them would be considered a blessing from one's past life, but he had unknowingly acquired quite a few.

He pulled her close, savoring the girlish aura that was so different from Baochai's, and then released her, asking, "What about those things I told you to keep?" "Things? You mean those things from just now, Second Master?"

"Ah."

Xiangling smiled and said, "I've kept all the things that Second Master gave me carefully. Would Second Master like to see them?"

Seeing Jia Lian nod, Xiangling went behind the bed and soon came out a rather new small wooden box, which she carried to the bedside.

He glanced at Jia Lian, and seeing that Jia Lian did not object, he opened it directly.

For a moment, all I could see was a riot of colors, with many of the items inside being colorful. Upon closer inspection, I realized that most of them were actually personal items belonging to a young woman.

Xiangling, however, felt no embarrassment whatsoever and smiled, "I've carefully kept every item that Second Master entrusted to me for safekeeping. Later, when I had many such items, I simply bought this small box specifically to store them."

Don't worry, Second Master, I hide it very well; even Qingwen doesn't know about it.

Seeing Xiangling's somewhat self-satisfied expression, Jia Lian patted her head approvingly.

The contents of the box weren't particularly unusual; they were simply items he had obtained from various girls, either by force or by begging.

Items like Daiyu's handkerchief, Qin Keqing's hairpin, You Sanjie's bellyband, and Miaoyu's stockings all came from girls who had some relationship with him or who had been flirted with by him.

He doesn't have any collecting obsession; he just does things on a whim.

He wouldn't just throw these things away after he got them back. If he kept them by his side, he was afraid that Sister Feng would find out. Therefore, it was most appropriate to entrust them to Xiangling, the most loyal and caring maid to him.

Jia Lian casually rummaged through the box and found that there were already more than a dozen items, some of which he couldn't even remember where they came from.

He had no interest in investigating and was about to close the box when he suddenly caught sight of a white veil, which Jia Lian reached out and took out.

While Jia Lian was rummaging through the chests, Xiangling obediently knelt down beside him and massaged his legs.

Seeing Jia Lian suddenly pick up a piece of white sand and ponder, Xiangling thought Jia Lian was puzzled, so she took the initiative to say, "This was more than two years ago, when Second Master had just become a Marquis. He brought it back after going out of the city. It looks like a veil that a woman once wore."

He didn't need Xiangling's reminder; Jia Lian certainly knew the origin of the white veil.

Outside the North City, at the Prince's villa, on an out-of-control horse, a woman in an ethereal white palace dress had greatly impressed him back when he hadn't yet won over Qin Keqing, nor met Gu Qingyi, and when Baochai and Daiyu were still young.

Quietly putting the veil back and closing the box, Jia Lian stood up: "Keep the things safe and don't let anyone know."

"Uh-huh."

After resting in the main room for a while, Qingwen came back and said that the bath was full of water. So, with the help of seven or eight maids, she took a nice bath.

After the meal, Jia Lian said to Feng Jie, "I have already spoken with Yun'er and the others about the renovation of the new mansion. Construction will begin after Master Jing's funeral is over."

If you're free these next couple of days, why don't you take a stroll around the main building? If you want any decorations or renovations, just tell Yun'er and the others.

Sister Feng nodded in agreement. Seeing Jia Lian about to leave, she smiled and said, "Where are you going, Second Master? We haven't been able to find you all afternoon. Don't go anywhere for now. Sit down and I have something to tell you."

While chatting and laughing, Sister Feng pulled Jia Lian onto the kang (a heated brick bed).

Jia Lian then sat down.

"The first thing is about the First Madam. She said it wouldn't be impossible for her to move to those three back rooms, and she also said that we don't need to worry about how to renovate or repair those rooms. She only has one condition..."

"What conditions?"

"That's right. Didn't you tell me before that I shouldn't mistreat her or give people something to talk about?"

Therefore, I specially asked someone to consult with the husband outside and made a detailed plan, which will surely decorate those three side rooms better than the room where the first wife is currently living.

The first wife asked me how much silver it would cost to do this. I said it would be at least three to five thousand taels.

The first wife said she didn't want five thousand taels; she just wanted us to give her three thousand taels, and she would move all the people in her courtyard over. She said we didn't need to worry about anything else.

As Sister Feng recounted her story, her eyes were filled with disdain and mockery. Clearly, she knew exactly what Madam Xing was planning.

Madam Xing was a very shallow person, just how shallow?

Her own niece (Xing Xiuyan) was staying at the Grand View Garden. Because Grandmother Jia took pity on her, she gave her two taels of silver a month, the same as Yingchun and the others.

Madam Xing didn't care at all that the young girl was new to this place and needed money everywhere. Not only did she not give her any money, but she also thought that a child couldn't afford two taels of silver, so she ordered Xiuyan to send one tael of silver to her parents every month.

This caused the young girl to run out of money, so she had to pawn her thick cotton-padded coat in the dead of winter to exchange it for silver.

He was easily swayed by circumstances, and despite his best efforts under Jia She, he probably didn't accumulate much wealth.

Now that her mother-in-law Jia Lian and others want her to move, she certainly can't refuse. So, her idea is to take this opportunity to make a real fortune.

It's easy to imagine that if she were to use 1,000 taels of the 3,000 taels to repair her house, she would consider herself respectable.

"Anyway, we're planning to spend that amount, so since that's her idea, let's just go along with it."

Jia Lian didn't seem to care. In his eyes, Madam Xing was now just a lucky charm. As long as she was quiet and didn't cause trouble, Jia Lian would readily fulfill her reasonable requests.

He could vaguely understand Madam Xing's feelings.

A woman who rose from humble beginnings to become a first-rank imperial consort, yet had no biological children, always felt insecure.

Clearly, in her eyes, money gives her unparalleled confidence.

Sister Feng, however, was somewhat reluctant.

In Sister Feng's eyes, if the money was spent on repairing the villa, the house would still be at home. Giving it to Madam Xing would be a complete waste of resources.

However, since Jia Lian had already spoken, she wouldn't object. She just complained, "These past two years, thanks to your leniency, I don't know how many times she's taken advantage of me. There's at least ten or twenty thousand taels of silver hidden in her room now!"
She has no children; is she going to take all this money to her grave?

Upon hearing this, Jia Lian tapped Feng Jie on the head.

This woman's old habit of being calculating has resurfaced.

However, Sister Feng's words reminded Jia Lian that Madam Xing would never take the silver into the coffin.

Judging from her stingy appearance, it's impossible for her to spend money lavishly, let alone give it to her two brothers.

In the end, most of them will still end up in the hands of the couple.

……

(End of this chapter)