The Second Master of the Red Chamber

Chapter 850 The Three Lives Stone Residence
In the outer hall, Aunt Xue's sudden departure did not displease Jia Lian.

Anyway, there were still two maids, Tongxi and Ying'er, left in the hall for him to play with. He always treated the Xue family as if he were at home, and was very casual about it.

However, he didn't do anything too outrageous. After all, he wasn't afraid of being seen by Aunt Xue, but he was afraid of being discovered by Baochai.

A short while later, Aunt Xue led Baochai out. She first glanced at the two maids inside the hall, and then smiled at Jia Lian.

"Logically, I shouldn't have agreed."

It's rare to see you treat Bao'er with such sincerity. She also wants to go out and see the world with you, so I have no choice but to grant her wish.

However, this was the first time Bao Yatou had been away from me.

If she does anything wrong or acts willfully after she gets there, please be lenient with her, sir.

Jia Lian smiled slightly; he had known all along that Aunt Xue would agree.

"Don't worry, Auntie, there won't be any more of that worry."

Aunt Xue smiled kindly, then suddenly turned to Ying'er and said, "You don't need to go over there later. Take the money, and you and Tongxi go to the tailor shop outside to have two sets of men's clothes made for your daughters."

Make yourself a servant's outfit too. This time, when you young ladies go out, you should accompany them.

When Ying'er first heard that she was not allowed to go with them, she thought it was something serious, but when she heard the last part, she was overjoyed.

She immediately smiled and said, "Don't worry, Madam, I will definitely handle this matter well. When I go outside with the young lady, I will take good care of her and won't let you worry."

Seeing Aunt Xue nod in satisfaction, Tongxi, who was standing next to her, was a little envious, thinking that she wished she could go with her.

Considering that it was about time, Jia Lian took Aunt Xue and her daughter back to the Grand View Garden.

Under his arrangement, Aunt Xue rode in a carriage alone, while he led Baochai into another carriage.

Because Ying'er wasn't there, Baochai couldn't help but worry that Jia Lian might do something to her in the carriage, given Jia Lian's past record.

The other person seemed to particularly like her body.

However, she soon realized that her thoughts were somewhat overthinking.

Although Jia Lian made her sit next to him and even put his arm around her, he did not touch her inappropriately except to ask her what she had said with Aunt Xue in the room earlier.

After confirming that Jia Lian was simply holding her, she finally nestled comfortably in his arms.

As the carriage swayed, her skin pressed against Jia Lian's, a feeling that was both warm and satisfying.

Little did Baochai know that at that moment, Jia Lian's mind was filled with thoughts of how he would take advantage of her completely after bringing her to Tianjin.

Having devised those exciting plans, Jia Lian was naturally in no hurry to do anything to her in this short time, so as not to alert her.

……

Inside the main building of the Grand View Garden, behind the tall jade archway, the place was already bustling with activity.

Since it was Jia Lian who hosted the banquet, almost everyone from both households who was known by name attended.

Even if they didn't come in person, they at least sent a maid or servant to visit.

Although Xiangyun and the others arrived early, seeing how busy Sister Feng was, they felt embarrassed to keep disturbing her in the main hall.

So one of them pulled another along, and so on, until the sisters were gathered together and finally settled in Li Wan's Daoxiang Village.

When the time was almost up, they followed Li Wan and headed towards the main building in a swarm.

More than ten sisters and aunts, along with their respective maids, formed a grand procession, accompanied by countless melodious voices.

Follow the stone path along the Qinfang Creek to the foot of the huge jade archway.

Xing Xiuyan took the lead, looking at the tall gatehouse and involuntarily spoke up:
"Huh, the Celestial Realm?"

Xing Xiuyan looked slightly puzzled.

She had been living in the Grand View Garden for half a year and had visited the place several times during that time.

If she remembers correctly, the inscription on the archway clearly reads: "Returning Home Villa".

How did it turn out like this?
Xing Xiuyan's surprised and doubtful voice also made everyone look up at the plaque on the door.

Some had seen it before, while others were unaware of it, and everyone started discussing it.

Tan Chun smiled and said, "I heard that this was the name she was originally given, but when the Empress came back, she thought the name was too flamboyant, so she changed it."

Whose idea was this, and why was it changed back?

Tan Chun's question was essentially pointless.

In the entire Ning and Rong mansions, the only person qualified and daring to alter the plaque personally inscribed by Yuan Chun was Jia Lian.

Seeing Xiuyan, Baoqin, and the others' confusion, Tanchun and the others explained the history of the name of the archway to them...

Just then, Qingwen was ordered to receive guests here. She overheard Tanchun and others discussing the name of the memorial archway. Knowing the inside story, she immediately stepped forward to show off.

"Hey, girls, you don't know, this was changed by our second master."

The second master said that since he and his wife would be living here from now on, they could no longer use the name "Visiting Relatives Villa".

Second Madam originally suggested that the garden, which looked like a fairy's abode, should be renamed "Fairy's Abode." Second Master disagreed, saying Second Madam was too vulgar, so they kept the original name.

As Qingwen spoke, she laughed, seemingly able to discern the utter vulgarity of the supposedly divine abode, even though she was illiterate.

Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly understood, and then noticed that the couplets on both sides remained unchanged:

Golden gates and jade doors, a divine abode;
The palace of cassia and orchids, the home of the imperial concubines.

He then asked, "Since Second Brother Lian thinks the villa for visiting relatives is inappropriate, why not remove 'the concubine's house' and replace it with something else?"

Qingwen thought for a moment and replied, "It seems that the Second Master also said that although this place has been temporarily designated as his 'cave residence,' the entire garden is still essentially part of the Rongguo Mansion."

Since it's part of the Rongguo Mansion, calling it the "Consort's Residence" doesn't seem inappropriate.

Upon hearing this, everyone knew that Qingwen, being illiterate, couldn't possibly explain things clearly, so they didn't make things difficult for her.

The group passed by this place and walked along Dayong Road to the north, soon arriving at the main hall.

Sure enough, the signboard here has changed.

The original name of the main hall here was: Gu En Si Yi.

At this moment, it has changed to:
Three Lives Stone Residence
A new couplet has been put up next to it:
The cold dew is silent; the plants and trees by the stone have a three-life vow.

Bright eyes brimming with tears, a single glance from the mortal world testifies to the brilliance of the stars.

Others were merely curious about the plaque and the new couplets.

Only Daiyu felt a sudden stirring in her heart upon seeing it, as if she had vaguely remembered something, yet she couldn't quite place where this feeling came from.

After thinking for a while, she finally understood something.

These two couplets must have been written by Jia Lian, and each has a profound meaning.

Thinking of how Jia Lian named his residence "Three Lives Stone," and recalling how Jia Lian had once jokingly told him that he was a celestial herb born from heaven.

Grass grows alongside stones, and gathers the morning sun to become dew.

The first sentence clearly refers to her.

As for the second sentence, although she couldn't see any clues, her intuition told her that it most likely referred to Baochai!
This second brother!
Just how much she wanted to be with Baochai that she even tried to put the two of them together in a couplet for the door.

While the others were still appreciating the meaning of Jia Lian's plaque and couplets, Daiyu had already entered the main hall.

Upon entering, I was taken aback by the sight inside.

At a glance, there were no fewer than thirty or forty elegantly dressed maids wandering around, placing countless fine wines and delicacies on low tables on both sides of the hall.

Outside the main hall, behind a dozen or so low tables, were five huge lychee trees.

Each plant was wrapped with red silk, and auspicious words were sometimes hung on it.

Each of them had a maid standing beside them to look after them.

Sister Feng was on the steps that had been erected at the front, setting up the venue as instructed by Jia Lian.

Suddenly seeing Daiyu and the others enter, she quickly stepped down and walked up to them, smiling, "Oh, what brings you all here? I was just about to send the maids to invite you."

Li Wan replied with a smile, "We deliberately came early to see if you, a former impoverished woman, would still be willing to set aside your pride and prepare a feast for us now that you're a first-rank lady."

"Oh, oh, oh, what are you saying? Even if I were a first-rank lady, would I dare to put on airs in front of you, my sister-in-law?"
You'd better make things clear in front of them; I don't want to be wrongly accused for no reason.

Seeing Sister Feng and her sister-in-law Li Wan joking around, Xiangyun and the others glanced into the hall and asked, "Why hasn't Brother Lian returned yet?"

Feng Jie had just learned that Jia Lian had gone to invite Aunt Xue, and hearing Xiang Yun's implication, she knew it too, so she smiled and said:

"That's right, Auntie must have some good treasures. Once he got them, he didn't want to come back."

Everyone laughed, knowing that the treasure Sister Feng was referring to was Baochai.

Just then, a maid outside announced, "Madam and Madam You are here."

Upon hearing this, Sister Feng hurriedly went out to greet them.

After she had ushered the group to their seats, another old woman from Grandmother Jia's courtyard came to report:

"The old lady said that she received the lychees from the second mistress yesterday, so she won't be coming over today."

"Let Second Madam take good care of the other mistresses and young ladies."

Just as the old woman from Grandmother Jia's side finished her report, Jin Chuan from Lady Wang's courtyard also came back with the same message.

Sister Feng politely declined repeatedly, even offering to personally invite him, but was refused each time.

Thus, of the ladies from both households, only Madam Xing was present.

Seeing that Madam Xing had no intention of leaving, Sister Feng thought for a moment and left only two low tables under the main seat.

One was naturally for Madam Xing, and the other was reserved for Aunt Xue.

(End of this chapter)