The Second Master of the Red Chamber

Chapter 867 Attachment
After finishing his meal, Jia Lian went to Rongxi Hall to find Jia Zheng.

When the uncle and nephew met, Jia Zheng was the first to bow.

Jia Lian quickly helped him up and asked with a smile, "What do you mean by this, sir?"

Jia Zheng sighed, "I was unaware that you were of noble birth in the past, and I have been disrespectful in many ways. I hope you will forgive me."

Upon hearing this, Jia Lian smiled and helped Jia Zheng sit down. "I myself am unaware of the secrets of the past, so how can I blame you, sir?"

Besides, we have been uncle and nephew for more than 20 years. How can such a relationship be severed by mere blood ties?

If you, sir, do not despise me, may you continue to regard me as your son or nephew from this day forward, and I will regard you as my uncle. What do you say?

"Political shame..."

Seeing that Jia Zheng was still pretending to be humble, Jia Lian pressed him to sit down and personally brewed him a cup of tea as a sign of respect.

After Jia Lian sat down, Jia Zheng said, "I have also seen the situation in the East Courtyard. Although it is the will of the Imperial Concubine and the Old Madam, I still feel it is inappropriate."

How could there be a saying that a noble person should live in a side courtyard?
I have made up my mind to take Baoyu and the others out of the mansion to settle down, and to vacate this main courtyard. This is the only proper thing to do.”

Jia Zheng had been back in the capital for several days, and naturally he knew everything that needed to be known.

I also understand the good intentions of Grandmother Jia and others in using this method to keep Jia Lian in the mansion.

But looking at a Duke's mansion with two gates, he still felt awkward.

I was also afraid that others would laugh at me.

But he dared not send Jia Lian away.

Didn't you see the emperor bestow the title of "Duke of Rongguo" upon Jia Lian?
It can be said that even though everyone in the world knows that Jia Zheng is the descendant of the Duke of Rongguo, in terms of law and etiquette, Jia Lian is the only legitimate heir of the Rongguo Mansion.

After thinking it over, he proposed to Jia Lian that he wanted to move out.

However, the truth behind it all remains unknown.

It's worth noting that when Jia Lian was making a fuss about moving out, he never even considered moving.

Jia Lian, however, chuckled as he looked at Jia Zheng, whose expression seemed sincere.

See? Who says honest people can't be petty?

Jia Zheng is clearly learning from his father back then, using retreat as a means of advancement.

However, Jia Zheng's motives were simpler than his had been before.

He originally intended to put Jia Zheng and his wife in a difficult position, but now that Jia Zheng is saying this, it's probably just to give himself a way out and avoid some awkward situations later.

Jia Lian then laughed and said, "Master, you're forcing me with these words."

Nowadays, everyone knows that the master is the direct descendant of the old Duke, while I am merely a dependent.

If that's what you're saying, sir, you're really kicking me out.

Jia Zheng repeatedly said he dared not.

Jia Lian was happy to speak frankly with Jia Zheng, so he also pretended to be sincere and said:
"I am currently in a predicament, and His Majesty has bestowed upon me the title of 'Duke of Rong,' forcing me to reside here temporarily."

But rest assured, sir, given the long-standing relationship between my uncle and me, I would never do anything to harm you.

Even with my abilities and self-respect, I would never actually commit such a usurpation.

Therefore, when the time is right in the future, I will certainly request Your Majesty to bestow upon me a different title.

At that time, I will move to a separate residence and return the Rongguo Mansion to its rightful owner.

Sir, you don't need to worry about whether I can do it or not.

Over the years, Feng and I have accumulated quite a bit of capital.

"I dare not say much about other things, but building another mansion, not much smaller than the Rongguo Mansion, for Feng'er and the others to live in should not be a problem."

Jia Lian's words were spoken with seriousness and confidence, which truly relieved Jia Zheng.

As expected, he was right about Jia Lian's character.

As for Jia Lian's abilities, he had no worries at all.

Although he didn't know exactly how much money Jia Lian had, judging from his usual generous behavior, he figured it must be quite a lot.

Even more so.

In Jia Zheng's view, since Jia Lian was a descendant of the retired emperor, he was a close relative of the royal family.

Given the extent of Emperor Ningkang's favor towards him, it's highly likely that he will be granted a fiefdom and made a king in the future.

Thinking about this, Jia Zheng finally understood even more why Grandmother Jia and Yuan Chun tried every means to keep Jia Lian in the Jia family.

As long as Jia Lian is around, the Jia family's wealth can be protected for at least another fifty years!

He immediately said, "Don't talk about returning the jade intact. Since you also acknowledge that we are still uncle and nephew, then we are still family."

Since we're family, it's only natural that we live together.

Let's not say such distant things again.

Jia Lian smiled and replied with a "Yes," then changed the subject: "I heard that the imperial court intends to appoint you to a post in the Ministry of Rites?"

A hint of embarrassment immediately appeared on Jia Zheng's face.

"That's right..."

"What is your position?"

"The position of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites..."

"Congratulations, sir! This is a very important position in the central government. It seems His Majesty still trusts you."

Seeing that Jia Lian showed no unusual expression, Jia Zheng's old face became more natural.

This person, who was appointed as the top official in a foreign region, was dismissed and returned to the capital in less than six months, which is quite a joke in the court.

Fortunately, the emperor was wise and not only did not punish him, but also reassigned him to the Ministry of Rites, thus saving some of his face.

"Your Majesty's grace is beyond repayment."

Jia Zheng was indeed very grateful to the emperor.

Although compared to a provincial education commissioner, the rank of the Ministry of Rites official was lower.

However, the Ministry of Rites was one of the main government offices in the central government.

The dynasty highly valued the Six Ministries, and the ministers of the Six Ministries had all reached the rank of first grade, belonging to the second tier of civil officials, second only to the cabinet ministers.

The Langzhong was a high-ranking official in the Six Ministries, second only to the Shangshu and Shilang, and ranked third.

He had spent nearly ten years in the position of Assistant Minister of Works, but he dreamed of being promoted to the position of Physician.

Unexpectedly, this journey has led to the fulfillment of a long-held dream.

This gave him a sense of having turned misfortune into blessing.

Jia Lian could tell from the faint red glow on Jia Zheng's face that he was in a bad mood.

Strictly speaking, being transferred from a provincial education commissioner back to the central government as a junior official can hardly be considered a demotion.

After all, officials in the capital, especially those in the central government, have a natural advantage over officials in the provinces: they can attend court and face the emperor directly.

In the past, Jia Zheng, a mere junior official, could only stand at the end of the ranks of civil and military officials during court sessions. He was practically invisible and didn't dare to speak loudly.

Now that he's been promoted to a physician, he can stand much straighter.

Later, when he acted as the eyes and spokesperson in the imperial court, he had a much more legitimate reason to do so.

After meeting with Jia Zheng, Jia Lian then visited the rooms of Grandmother Jia and Madam Xing.

There wasn't much to say to Grandmother Jia; knowing he had traveled a long way back to the capital, she told him to go home and rest early.

Jia Lian mainly checked on Madam Xing's condition.

Seeing that she was acting normally and had even brought Jia Cong to the three side rooms for his upbringing, and was very welcoming to his arrival, without complaining at all about moving from the east courtyard, Jia Lian didn't mind.

As for Jia Cong...

Since Jia She's true identity was revealed, Jia Cong has become a hot commodity.

Although he hasn't yet shown any signs of fame, it seems that neither the imperial court nor the royal family has paid any attention to him.

However, his status as the grandson of the retired emperor was prestigious enough.

It seems that Madam Xing really wanted to establish the title of "foster mother" for him, so she disregarded his previous statement that "Cong'er doesn't need to be moved" and forcibly brought him to her side.

Jia Lian did not object to this.

He was often away from home and didn't have much time to take care of his adopted younger brother. Sister Feng also seemed to dislike this neglected fellow, so since Madam Xing was willing to take care of him, let her.

Upon arriving at Xiaoxiang Pavilion, Daiyu had finished washing up and was preparing to go to bed.

"What are you doing here so late?"

Even so, when Daiyu turned back and looked straight at him, the longing and slight grievance in her eyes could not be hidden from Jia Lian.

Jia Lian stepped forward, making sure he wasn't mistaken, and asked, "What happened? Who wronged our little fairy?"

Before Daiyu could reply, Zijuan, who was serving tea, spoke first: "Second Master, don't take it to heart. No one is wronging the young lady."

However, it's just that the weather has been hot these past few days, so perhaps the girl used too much ice.

The change of heat in summer has brought back the old ailment in the girl.

I've been coughing for quite some time now.

Jia Lian looked closely and indeed found that Daiyu's illness was more serious than before, then he smiled and said:

"I see.

You must have scolded her, which is why she felt wronged.

Zijuan was speechless. She had indeed frequently advised Daiyu to eat less chilled fruit and drink less iced beverages, which had often displeased Daiyu.

Unable to respond, he pouted and left the house.

Jia Lian sat down on Daiyu's bed with a smile and said to her, "It seems I was right. Do you want me to help you deal with her?"

Daiyu rolled her eyes: "Why should you tidy up my own maid?"

As she spoke, as if she had just thought of something, she solemnly declared, "Zijuan is my person, and you are not allowed to bully her behind her back!"

Jia Lian laughed and braced himself on the bed with both hands.

"You're not allowed to bully me behind my back, but it's okay to bully me to my face?"

"Pooh."

Daiyu was a little angry.

Long ago, she had sensed that something was wrong, feeling that Jia Lian had done something to her maid.

But she didn't catch them in the act.

Later, she probed him with words, and to her surprise, Jia Lian didn't deny it...

That despicable lecher, he wasn't satisfied with just bullying her, he even went after her maid.

Daiyu grew angrier the more she thought about it.

She seemed to have completely forgotten. Back when she was irresistibly seduced by Jia Lian, she even suggested using Zijuan as a shield!

"Get up, I'm going to sleep. You shouldn't go anywhere else."

Daiyu stepped forward, pretending to be angry, and tried to pull Jia Lian away from her clean and fragrant bed.

Jia Lian hadn't seen Daiyu for over half a month and was missing her, so he came in to see her as soon as possible.

Seeing that she was still in her old ways and showed no regard for past feelings, he immediately mimicked the entwined roots of an old tree, wrapping himself around Daiyu.

"I've missed my sister so much, it's been more than half a month since we last met. Where is she trying to send me?"

When she heard Jia Lian say that he missed her, Daiyu's eyes softened.

But she felt Jia Lian was holding her too tightly, which made her uncomfortable, so she struggled and said, "I don't care where you go."

Go to Tianxiang Tower to find your beauties, or...

I heard that Sister Bao is back too, why don't you hurry and go find her?

Jia Lian did not answer.

Daiyu was preparing to go to bed, and she was wearing a set of light, thin, moon-white undergarments and trousers. Holding her in my arms, she felt delicate and soft, which was very heartwarming.

It's a completely different feeling from Baochai's.

There is less of a direct desire, and more of a deep attachment and a feeling of being attached.

So Jia Lian lifted Daiyu up and placed her on his lap.

He rested his head on her shoulder and gently swayed his body.

Although Daiyu also enjoyed the feeling of being pampered, she was afraid that Jia Lian would not be able to resist doing bad things to her.

He then tried to find a way to prevent Jia Lian from having any wild thoughts.

When she realized that Jia Lian hadn't replied to her for a while, she said, "You don't know yet, do you? The day after you went to Tianjin, Sister Bao also left the capital."

Daiyu thought that Jia Lian's silence was because he was unaware that Baochai had left the capital.

Sure enough, Jia Lian asked curiously, "Oh? What is she doing leaving the capital?"

"I heard that the managers and employees down there had embezzled funds, so my aunt sent Xue Ke down there to check the accounts."

As she spoke, Daiyu said with a sweet laugh, "I've heard that checking accounts is the most arduous task. Why don't you hurry to your aunt's house and see if your precious Miss Xue has lost weight..."

Hearing Daiyu's words, while teasing him, she also took the opportunity to insult Baochai once again.

Jia Lian then lightly patted Daiyu's delicate bottom and said, "It's fine in front of me, but don't be so mean to your sister Bao in front of me."

What if I piss her off and she hits me when I'm not around?
I don't believe you can beat her.

Daiyu slightly pursed her lips, thinking to herself that she had never seen Baochai hit anyone.

Even when she was playfully fighting with her sisters, she never laid a hand on them.

However, she has both punched Tan Chun and hit Xiang Yun, and her record is verifiable.

Of course, she hit Jia Lian the most.

Only after realizing belatedly that Jia Lian had actually spanked her, she immediately retaliated by pinching Jia Lian's arm, then blushed and said, "Put me down."

"Don't let it go."

During this time, I've been holding Baochai's fair and delicate skin every day. It's been so long since I've felt Daiyu's petite and soft body again.

Since he was indeed feeling a bit tired and happened to be next to the bed, he simply wrapped his arms around Daiyu's body and lay down on the bed.

As he precisely pressed his neck onto the pillow, he completely shielded Daiyu's petite body in his arms.

"What are you doing?" Daiyu suddenly tensed up.

Jia Lian simply looked up, kissed Daiyu's forehead through her bangs, and then gently pressed her small head down under his chin, closing his eyes and pretending to sleep.

Daiyu's heart pounded for a while, then she noticed that Jia Lian's heartbeat was surprisingly calm.

She was surprised.

You should know that whenever Jia Lian had bad intentions in the past, his heartbeat and breathing were no less calm than hers.

Why today~
After a tense moment, she realized that apart from using his limbs to firmly control her, making her feel somewhat stuffy, Jia Lian did not make any other inappropriate moves.

Even the breathing above his head gradually calmed down.

Could he be asleep?
Daiyu felt a pang of melancholy.

What's wrong? If you want to sleep, why are you looking for her...?

He intended to wake Jia Lian.

She thought to herself that Jia Lian had only returned today, and must have been traveling all day to be exhausted, which was why he was sleeping here.

She pretended to be tough, but she was actually very happy that Jia Lian came to see her as soon as he returned.

After thinking for a moment, instead of waking Jia Lian, she found a more comfortable position in his arms and gently closed her eyes.

Zijuan came in to check on the situation.

I saw the son-in-law and daughter lying on the bed fully clothed, embracing each other as they slept.

The girl nestled in her husband's arms like a docile kitten, a happy smile on her face.

She then smiled as well.

Without making any unnecessary movements, she quietly moved the ice basin in the corner towards the bed.

Then he knelt down beside her and gently fanned the bed with the round fan.

(End of this chapter)