The Second Master of the Red Chamber

Chapter 935 Five Beauties from a Foreign Land
When Sister Feng woke up, all the events of the previous night flooded her mind, making her feel ashamed and angry.

He opened his eyes and glanced at Jia Lian beside him, who, even though he was still fast asleep, had a smug look on his face.

Unable to contain his anger, he reached out and pinched her arm.

"Don't make trouble~"

"Crack~"

"Hmm~"

However, Jia Lian, dissatisfied, slapped the beauty's shapely buttocks in his arms, causing the half-asleep beauty to let out a soft moan.

However, the familiar force and warm chest immediately made the little beauty realize who was spanking her, so instead of opening her eyes, she changed to a more comfortable and close-fitting position, curling up in Jia Lian's arms and continuing to sleep.

Seeing this, Sister Feng could no longer hold back. She pulled back a corner of the quilt and slapped Qingwen on the buttocks.

The fire in the brazier inside had been extinguished, and the cold morning breeze blowing against her warm skin immediately woke Qingwen up.

She couldn't pull the blanket up, so she opened her eyes and saw that it was Sister Feng teasing her. She immediately asked with dissatisfaction, "Second Madam, what are you doing?"

Sister Feng sneered, "What time is it? Still sleeping? Get up and help your second master get up."

"Why get up? Didn't Second Master say we didn't need to get up early today?"

Qingwen muttered something and snuggled even closer into Jia Lian's arms, seeking warmth.

Seeing that Qingwen dared to ignore her orders, Fengjie's eyebrows shot up in anger.

However, in order not to appear to be deliberately targeting her, she still reached over Jia Lian's body and patted Ping'er's arm.

Ping'er was indeed much more sensible than Qingwen. After being woken up, she immediately got up, tidied herself up quickly, and went out to prepare the masters' toiletries.

After this commotion, everyone in the bed woke up.

Jia Lian asked with a smile, "Why are you awake so early?"

"It's still early. Can't you see it's already broad daylight?"

"What's there to be afraid of when it's light? I have nothing to do today anyway. Do you have something to do?"

Sister Feng's voice faltered.

Actually, she simply couldn't stand seeing Jia Lian sleeping so soundly with a beautiful woman in his arms, and wanted to sabotage the situation.

In fact, Jia Lian did say that he had handed over all his affairs outside yesterday and that he didn't need to go out today.

Given Jia Lian's current status, he doesn't need to get up early to pay his respects to Grandmother Jia and Madam Xing.

She doesn't need it either.

She was pregnant, and Grandmother Jia had already arranged for her to be exempt from all formalities.

Seeing that Sister Feng was speechless, Qingwen pulled the quilt over herself and Jia Lian and said with a smile, "Second Master, let's continue sleeping and don't pay attention to Second Mistress."

Over the years, because Jia Lian often traveled far away, Qingwen had long since developed the habit of sleeping in late.

However, sleeping in alone is not as comfortable as sleeping with Jia Lian in my arms, so I don't want to get up at all.

Before Jia Lian could even express his opinion, Feng Jie was already furious.

She knew that after what happened last night, her dignity as Second Madam Feng would be even weaker in front of this little brat.

But I didn't expect it to work so quickly.

Now you dare to insult her to her face?

It wouldn't be appropriate to discipline her in front of Jia Lian. Feng Jie had already decided that she would find a pretext tomorrow to teach this disrespectful maid a lesson.

Having thought this through, Sister Feng temporarily ignored Qingwen, glanced around the room, and suddenly asked, "Where is Xiangling?"

As soon as she finished speaking, a small head popped out from under the covers: "Second Grandma, I'm here."

Sister Feng laughed as soon as she saw it: "You silly girl, did you hide in there and sleep all night? Aren't you afraid of getting bored?"

Faced with Sister Feng's teasing, Xiangling gave a wry smile.

She remembered that last night, she was sleeping in Jia Lian's arms, but somehow she ended up under the covers.

She still felt a bit sore all over, and she strongly suspected that Qingwen had kicked her.

Jia Lian was no longer sleepy. He patted Qingwen's smooth body and said with a smile, "You should get up too. If you keep sleeping, your second mistress will really get angry."

Qingwen was very efficient. After hearing Jia Lian's words, she immediately got up and started arguing with Xiangling to find her own clothes to wear.

The two young beauties, both around the age of fifteen, were exceptionally beautiful in both figure and appearance.

Standing side by side on the large bed, getting dressed, every word, every action, every movement was beautiful.

Seeing Jia Lian staring at the two maids as they dressed, Feng Jie gently pinched Jia Lian's arm again and said with dissatisfaction, "What, weren't you satisfied last night? Why don't I go out and you make them practice some more?"

Jia Lian turned around and looked at his wife, whose face was full of jealousy, and smiled as he pulled her into his arms.

Why do you smell so jealous? I didn't mistreat you last night.

Unlike some people, who were only half-heartedly taught the art of the xiao (a type of Chinese flute) before, and who gave up after only a few tries…

"Hey, are you trying to die?"

Seeing that Jia Lian's words were becoming increasingly explicit, Sister Feng quickly covered Jia Lian's mouth.

Unfortunately, it was too late. The two maids had already turned their gazes over, especially Qingwen, whose sly smile was truly infuriating.

She argued with Jia Lian for a while, and only after the two maids left did Feng Jie obediently lean against Jia Lian's chest.

She also enjoyed the feeling of snuggling in Jia Lian's arms, but she preferred to have him all to herself and didn't like sharing him with others.

Perhaps it's not that I dislike it.

Thinking about it carefully, if it were Qin Keqing and Ping'er, she wouldn't seem to mind much.

She pondered the reason in secret, and suddenly felt ashamed of herself.

It's all Qin Shi's fault for dragging her into this mess, making her unable to resist later on, and Ping'er also tried it a few times.

Ping'er is a very upright girl, and seems to have no interest in these crooked and evil practices.

However, Ping'er is very loyal; she is willing to do anything whenever she needs her.

On the other hand, neither Madam Qin nor Ping'er combined are worth as much as a heartless finger!

Thinking of that long-lost feeling from last night, that sensation as if ascending to heaven, Sister Feng felt incredibly ashamed.

With her face pressed against Jia Lian's chest, Jia Lian clearly noticed that his wife's cheeks were burning, and couldn't help but lower his head to ask, "What's wrong?"

"No, it's nothing..."

Jia Lian didn't care, assuming that Feng Jie was still ashamed of her outrageous behavior the night before.

Jia Lian was naturally very pleased with this.

Feng Jie'er had already been trained by him to have more and more of the qualities of a doting wife, and last night he broke through her long-standing defenses.

Having shared such an extraordinary bond, I believe the women in the family will get along better and better.

……

After washing up and having breakfast, Jia Lian returned to the main study.

This newly built study is located outside the garden gate, right in the center.

Whether you're going out to run errands or returning to the garden to rest, this place is quite convenient.

Therefore, this will be his activity center in the future.

The design of the study is based on the idea of ​​spaciousness and grandeur. To put it simply, it can be seen as an enlarged version of Mengpo Studio and a miniature version of a library.

The name is very simple, just "Qingsong Study". There is no special meaning to it, it is just because his nickname in the Begonia Society is Qingsong (Green Pine).

The couplets on both sides of the door are:

Insight into world affairs is knowledge, and human feelings are learned.

Without lingering long in the main study, Jia Lian went to the small courtyard where Aqi and Aqin lived.

This is the third place the Aqi sisters have moved to since they entered the Rongguo Mansion.

The first time was at the Rongguo Mansion, which was under imperial construction. At that time, Jia She was still alive, and the two sisters could only live in the backyard of Jia Lian's former small study.

The second time was after Jia She's death, when the two sisters moved to the outer courtyard of the east wing, officially having their own territory.

The third time, more than half a year ago, was when, through arrangements made by Grandmother Jia and Yuan Chun, a separate "Rongguo Mansion" was set aside for Jia Lian among the two mansions, and a major renovation was carried out.

This courtyard, located outside the site chosen for the main study and formerly occupied by Jia She's concubines, was arranged by Jia Lian for the Aqi sisters.

Of course, there's also Hu Yuanyao.

Anyway, the three of them are nominally from Princess Zhaoyang's lineage, so it's good to have them live together.

Previously, there were only three women here, and not even a maidservant.

But things are different now; there are many more people now.

Inside Aqin's room, Jia Lian surveyed the five timid women before him.

Besides the two Jurchen girls whom Emperor Ningkang had chosen for him in the Southern Study, there was also a Jurchen mother and daughter.

It's a coincidence.

Back then, Feng Ziying and Liu Xianglian successfully raided the stronghold of the Wanyan tribe leader and captured the women of Luo Jue Anchang's family.

This includes his concubine, daughter-in-law, granddaughter-in-law, and a host of granddaughters.

In an attempt to please Jia Lian, Feng Ziying even sent his two most beautiful granddaughters to him.

Although Jia Lian did not accept it at the time, it was only because of the impact, but he actually kept it in mind.

On the way back, he originally wanted to take the two sisters with him, because he also approved of Feng Ziying's judgment.

Unfortunately, the younger one also has a mother in her twenties...

I heard that she was the daughter of a noble prince in the Tatar royal court, and that she was incredibly beautiful, known as the most beautiful flower on the grassland.

Later, the Tatars and the Jianzhou Jurchens formed a marriage alliance, and she married Luo Jue Anchang's eldest son, Beizi Murhaci, as a concubine.

This Murhaci was the elder brother of Murhaji, who had come to the Great Wei as an envoy. They were half-brothers.

With the country destroyed and their home destroyed, the mother and daughter were arrested together, already heartbroken.

Seeing that they would have to part again, the mother and daughter hugged each other and cried their hearts out.

Jia Lian couldn't bear to see other people's families separated, and he also couldn't take them all away, especially since there was a Korean beauty given to him by the King of Korea.

Thirdly, since the plan is to present the emperor with ten beautiful women, one cannot choose all the best ones; otherwise, it would not be a tribute, but an insult.

So Jia Lian abandoned the older child, keeping only the mother and daughter. The mother and daughter were so moved that they wept bitterly.

The ten beauties he presented to Emperor Ningkang were selected from more than five thousand Jurchen women, and they were all young virgins.

Unexpectedly, Emperor Ningkang really didn't like them and even let him choose two to take with him.

Jia Lian, naturally, didn't stand on ceremony and picked back the larger one.

As a result, among the five women—four Jurchen women and one Korean beauty—the women of Luo Jue Anchang's family now hold a dominant position.

There are three people in total: cousins ​​and their mother.

Just as Jia Lian was sizing up these beauties, Hu Yuanyao walked in.

So, in front of the Aqi sisters and Hu Yuanyao, Jia Lian named the five exotic beauties.

The three cousins, mother and daughters, are named as follows: the mother is named Dayuer, the daughter is named Hailanzhu, and the older cousin is named Haiyuzhu.

The last one, although unrelated to their family and belonging to the Suk tribe, was named Haimingzhu because they were all Jurchens.

As for that Korean beauty, she was given the Han name Jang-geum.

These beauties, having come this far, must still have a desire to live.

Although they knew that Jia Lian was the culprit behind their country's destruction and their own deaths, under the tutelage of Aqin and the other Han women who had been abducted to Jianzhou, they also understood that the war was indeed started by their Jurchen people.

Their fathers and brothers brought this upon themselves.

Moreover, Jia Lian was very kind and gentle to them from beginning to end, unlike Aqin, the other Han women and soldiers who were fierce.

Therefore, they were all grateful that they were ultimately able to stay by Jia Lian's side.

They were also very happy to accept the names that Jia Lian bestowed upon them.

Even under the leadership of Da Yu'er, the five beauties kowtowed to Jia Lian to express their gratitude.

Jia Lian accepted their kowtows completely, and then said to Hu Yuanyao, "They are now considered servants in the mansion, and will stay in your courtyard to serve you from now on."

However, most of them couldn't even speak Mandarin properly, and being from other ethnic groups, they didn't understand Central Plains culture.

And Aqi and Aqin often have to go out with me, so I don't have time to teach them.

Therefore, the responsibility of teaching mainly falls on your shoulders.

After saying that, he said to Aqin, "Qin'er, whenever you have free time, you should continue to teach them Mandarin."

It would be best if they could all speak fluent Mandarin as soon as possible.

Jia Lian didn't understand Mongolian, Jurchen, or Korean, and he never thought about learning them.

In any case, as long as the Han Chinese are strong enough, all nations of the world will vie to learn the Chinese language.

And having Ah Qin teach these beauties Han language is undoubtedly the best choice.

First of all, she is Mongolian and can speak Mongolian.

Da Yu'er herself was a Mongol and also spoke the Jurchen language.

Teaching in this way is naturally not difficult.

As for the Korean beauty Jang Geum, she herself can speak the Korean language quite fluently.

Perhaps this was also a consideration for the King of Joseon.

After all, it was given to him, a powerful minister of the Great Wei. If he couldn't even speak simple Chinese, how could he win his favor and secure benefits for Korea?
After dismissing the beauties, Jia Lian had Aqin fetch the last golden knife and give it to Hu Yuanyao.

"Take some time to go back to the princess's residence and give this item to the princess."

After Hu Yuanyao nodded, he suddenly asked, "Isn't Your Highness going to visit the Princess? I may not know, but the Princess has missed you terribly while I've been away from the capital. She's even lost weight."

Jia Lian smiled upon hearing this, pinched her cheek, and nodded, saying, "In that case, let me know when you're ready, and I'll go with you."

Jia Lian certainly didn't want to avoid seeing the princess, but he couldn't give Emperor Ningkang any reason to attack him.

However, since this girl had taken the initiative to speak up for her master, he couldn't very well refuse.

After finishing his business here, Jia Lian returned to the garden, intending to visit Tan Chun at Qiu Shuang Zhai.

Unexpectedly, Tan Chun was not at Qiu Shuang Zhai. Upon asking, it was discovered that Tan Chun had made an appointment with Li Wan early in the morning to count and organize the New Year's goods and holiday gifts sent from various places in the outer courtyard.

With the year-end approaching again, this is indeed a tedious matter.

In the past, when Sister Feng was in charge of the household, she was always extremely busy at this time of year.

(End of this chapter)