The Second Master of the Red Chamber

He held the girl's delicate body in his arms; it was so soft, and Jia Lian really enjoyed the feeling.

Furthermore, the experience is different for different girls.

Looking at Jin Chuan, who was feigning shyness in his arms, Jia Lian asked with a smile, "How old are you this year?"

"Seventeen..."

Seventeen is the best age.

No wonder she is so beautiful and has such a fragrant skin.

Jia Lian couldn't resist giving her a kiss on the cheek, which made the girl even more shy.

Just when she thought Jia Lian was about to do something terrible to her, he suddenly let go of her.

Jin Chuan slowly stood up, her face still flushed, and a hint of hesitation appeared on her face.

Jia Lian probably knew what she wanted to ask, and simply said, "Stay close to your young lady and win her favor; that's more important than anything else."

The future is yours to decide.

Jin Chuan nodded as if she understood, and seeing that Jia Lian seemed to have no interest in her anymore, she quietly withdrew.

Faced with her sister's questioning gaze, she could only shake her head.

Just then, Baochai came out from the bathing room and walked over. She hurriedly said, "Second Master Lian is waiting for you in the room. He has been here for a while now."

Baochai was slightly taken aback, glanced at Jin Chuan, nodded, and went into the room.

Sure enough, she saw Jia Lian sitting leisurely at the tea table, looking at her with a smile.

"Why did you come here?"

"Come and see you."

The pointless conversation reveals the familiar and intimate relationship the two now share.

Seeing Baochai sitting in front of her dressing table, Ying'er brought over a clean handkerchief. Jia Lian suddenly stood up and said with a smile, "Let me help you dry your hair."

Baochai repeatedly said no, but unfortunately Jia Lian had already taken the handkerchief from Ying'er's hand.

Seeing this, Ying'er knew perfectly well that her mistress and young lady were about to get intimate. Not only did she obediently hand the absorbent handkerchief to Jia Lian, but she also called Zhen'er, who had already put away her clothes, to come out of the room together and wait in the outer room.

At this moment, Jia Lian had already walked to Baochai's side, looking at her wet hair, which cascaded down her straight back like a black waterfall.

If we were to talk about Baochai's most impressive physical characteristics...

First, of course, is her fair skin; second, her thick, black hair; and third, her breasts.

After all, Baochai hid her breasts very well, and ordinary people would not notice anything amiss.

He gently and lovingly lifted a strand of her hair, wrapped it in a handkerchief, and wiped it lightly from top to bottom, afraid of hurting the beauty.

Baochai watched Jia Lian's slow movements in the mirror and wondered when he would finish wiping at this rate.

She knew that this was Jia Lian's affection and tenderness for her, so she simply sat upright with a slight blush on her face, letting Jia Lian do as he pleased.

As Jia Lian touched Baochai's black hair, he would occasionally look up at her beautiful face in the mirror, and he found it quite enjoyable to wipe the beauty's hair.

Thinking that I should help Daiyu wipe it next time.

Sensing the faint fragrance emanating from Baochai, Jia Lian suddenly said, "Next year I will be out of mourning, and I plan to marry you and Lin Daiyu as soon as possible."

In front of Sister Feng, Jia Lian used the phrase "welcome in".

In front of Baochai, he used the phrase "welcoming her into the family," which shows he was very considerate of the beauty's feelings.

Baochai, of course, had no idea. She only heard Jia Lian say this, and her heart began to race.

She instinctively wanted to avoid this question that stirred the girl's heart, but she couldn't ignore Jia Lian's words.

After bowing her head for a while, she said softly, "I leave everything to my second brother."

Jia Lian smiled and continued, "When the time comes, you should go back to your aunt's place in advance to prepare your dowry and get ready for your wedding. I will then carry you back in a grand sedan chair carried by eight men."

"Hmm~"

"You don't need to worry about other things. I'll find some time to discuss it with Auntie. We must make sure the wedding ceremony and the scene are as grand as possible."

Upon hearing this, Baochai hesitated for a moment.

However, seeing Jia Lian's heartfelt expression in the mirror, he resisted the urge to speak and simply nodded in agreement.

Jia Lian, being very observant, smiled and asked upon seeing this, "Do you have a different opinion?"
Why be so polite with me? Just say it.

As you know, I'm always open to good advice and happy to hear criticism.

Baochai smiled gently, knowing that Jia Lian was joking and wanted her to speak her mind.

Therefore, she gently turned her head and said, "Although I know that Second Brother's intentions are full of tenderness and affection, Baochai feels that it is still not appropriate to make too much of a fuss."

Firstly, Lian Er Gege is now very famous, so it would be fine if he were to get married.

However, if the welcoming of Baochai and Lin Daiyu is too grand and extravagant, it will inevitably be seen as too ostentatious and wasteful, which would be detrimental to the reputation of the Second Brother.

Secondly, since Sister Feng was once married to Brother Er when he was still a nobody, the wedding ceremony for her must have been quite modest.

If this welcoming ceremony for me and Lin Daiyu overshadows the formal reception for Feng Jie.

Even if Sister Feng herself isn't upset, others will think our family doesn't distinguish between wives and concubines, and that we're breaking with etiquette.

To be fair, everything Baochai said was perfectly reasonable.

This is the true path to success.

However, the more reasonable Baochai was, the more Jia Lian felt sorry for her and the less he wanted to wrong her.

So he gently touched Baochai's face and said with a smile, "What you said makes sense, but I won't take it."

You say I'm very famous now, which is true.

However, a great reputation is not necessarily a reputation for virtue.

It's just that other people can't speak ill of me in front of you.

If you sincerely and diligently inquire, you'll find that half the world praises me, while just as many criticize me.

Compared to all the rumors and gossip, what's there to fear about mere extravagance and ostentation?
The Emperor has bestowed upon me ten thousand taels of gold. If I do not indulge in extravagance and ostentation, who will?

Baochai was taken aback, as if she had realized something.

I think Jia Lian might have his own considerations.

After all, she wasn't like most girls who were oblivious to the world around them and only longed for a loving man.

He thought to himself that with Lian Ergege's special background and such a great reputation, he would have difficulty protecting himself if he did not tarnish his own reputation.

Throughout history, countless sages and renowned figures have followed this path.

With just this thought, many of Jia Lian's problems could be explained.

No wonder he could openly keep so many beauties at Tianxiang Tower and spend so much money every day.

Now, the emperor has bestowed upon him a huge fortune for his contributions in Liaodong.

If he weren't extravagant, others would inevitably wonder what he intended to do with all this wealth.
Having grasped the essence of the matter, Baochai silently accepted Jia Lian's explanation, only saying, "What about Sister Feng..."

"Don't worry, I've already discussed this with your sister Feng."

Your sister Feng is a reasonable person; she has already agreed.

Baochai didn't believe that Fengjie was a reasonable person, but seeing that Jia Lian spoke so casually, she didn't suspect that Jia Lian was trying to fob her off with a lie.

It must have been Jia Lian who used some method to coax Feng Jie into accepting it.

Then I thought, if Jia Lian can even handle Feng Jie, what else can't he arrange?
This is probably what my mother meant when she said that you must choose the right person as your husband.

If you choose the wrong family and end up in one that doesn't know proper etiquette, even as the legal wife, you'll have to endure countless grievances.

However, following someone as capable, sensible, and caring as Brother Lian, even if you become a concubine, he can protect you and prevent you from worrying too much about your safety and interests.

Therefore, it is certainly reasonable to distinguish between wives and concubines.

But with Lian Er Gege, it seems that all common sense can be defied.

He is a rare and unconventional person, both ancient and modern!
Instead of arguing with Jia Lian about this issue, she said, "The New Year is just around the corner."

This year is different from previous years; my brother is still in jail and can't go home.

My mother was left alone at home, which inevitably made her feel lonely.

I was thinking, since I have to go back to prepare anyway, I might as well move back tomorrow.

I also wanted to spend the Lunar New Year with my mother.

Jia Lian then suddenly remembered that he had an older brother-in-law named Xue Pan who was still in the Ministry of Justice prison.

In fact, after obtaining the victim's family's "forgiveness" and the emperor's words, no one would hold a grudge against Xue Pan's murder case anymore.

His sentence is almost up, and if Jia Lian were willing to give the word, it wouldn't be a big deal to let the kid out early. But Jia Lian knows that the guy is a dimwit and might not learn from his mistakes.

If he were to feel that he has an "omnipotent" brother-in-law like himself, who knows how arrogant he would become after he gets out.

Therefore, it would be better to let him stay in jail for the full 360 days.

Since Xue Pan couldn't be released early, and Jia Lian was reluctant to let Baochai go back early, he smiled and said:
“If your aunt is lonely, why don’t you bring her to Hengwu Garden so she can celebrate the New Year with us?”

Baochai knew immediately that Jia Lian was reluctant to part with her, and she felt a little happy, but still said coquettishly:
"That makes no sense."

The two families are about to become in-laws. At this crucial juncture, how can we possibly invite the bride and her in-laws to our home for the New Year? Wouldn't that make us a laughingstock?

Jia Lian thought about it and realized that what Baochai said made sense.

To save face for her, I didn't insist anymore, and said, "Then let's move on New Year's Eve. I'll go with you to visit your aunt that day."

Baochai thought that it was only a few days later, and that Jia Lian would be able to visit his mother on a major holiday, so his mother would surely be very happy.

Therefore, he nodded in agreement.

Unexpectedly, Jia Lian suddenly lowered his head and whispered in her ear with a smile, "Since you're going home, I won't see you for a long time."

I've heard the moon is beautiful tonight. May I ask, my lady, would you be willing to join me on the mountaintop to admire the moon?

Upon hearing this, Baochai immediately lowered her head and said, "Nonsense, in the dead of winter, nearing the end of the year, where would there be moonlight?"

In my opinion, there's no moonlight, but there's certainly a pervert.

Uh……

To be honest, Jia Lian rarely heard Baochai criticize others.

I didn't expect him to be so sharp right off the bat.
She's just as good as Lin Daiyu, okay?

Baochai only subconsciously retorted to Jia Lian out of shyness.

Seeing that he didn't respond, she looked up at him in the mirror and saw that he seemed a little dazed. While finding it amusing, she softened her tone and said:

"It's strangely cold today, what's the point of standing on the mountaintop feeling the wind?"

If you really want to... invite someone to admire the moon, it's not too late to say so after the New Year."

"You're going to marry me after the New Year, so the meaning of asking you out then and asking you out now is naturally different."

Jia Lian smiled and continued to whisper enticingly, "I have already ordered people to prepare a place for moon viewing at Tu Bi Manor. I will come to pick you up at the second watch tonight."

"No, there are too many people in the courtyard, they'll see us..."

"It's alright. I've already checked, and there's a flat area under the west wall of your backyard."

When the second watch of the night arrives, you quietly slip out.

"Let Ying'er put a stool for you. All you have to do is climb over the wall, and I'll catch you outside. I promise we'll be here without anyone noticing..."

Upon hearing that she had to climb over the wall, Baochai immediately shook her head vigorously.

Climbing over the wall in the middle of the night to meet one's lover—isn't that a story from a play?

That's so embarrassing.

"Go quickly."

Baochai dared not let Jia Lian dry her hair anymore, and got up to chase him away.

Jia Lian also realized his low work efficiency at this time. He had been wiping for a long time and hadn't even finished half of it. In a little while, the others would have finished wiping it themselves.

So he put down his tools, smiled, and embraced the shy Baochai, gently kissing her damp hair.

Then he moved closer to her ear and whispered with a smile:
"Remember, it's the second update tonight. See you there!"

After saying this, without waiting for Baochai to refuse, he simply turned and left.

……

Ying'er discovered it.

Ever since Second Master Lian came this afternoon, my daughter has been acting strangely.

She often sits alone in a daze, and blushes for no reason.

When Miss Lianyun and Miss Qin returned, they excitedly told her how beautiful the imperial furs were and what styles each of them had chosen. She remained quiet, leaving Miss Lianyun and Miss Qin puzzled.

Ying'er guessed that it must have been something Second Master Lian said to her young lady that made her act this way.

By evening, her daughter seemed to have finally returned to normal.

Not only did I wash up early and go to bed early, but I also made sure she went to sleep early too.

This is all normal, because going to bed early and waking up early is my daughter's habit.

However, Ying'er kept wondering what Master Lian had done to make her young lady act so strangely, so she tossed and turned in her small bed, unable to sleep.

She kept thinking about it until the second watch of the night. Just as Ying'er was about to fall asleep, she suddenly heard a strange noise coming from the back door.

Although the sound was very soft, it still alerted Ying'er.

As a personal maid, Ying'er got out of bed and approached the back door.

In the darkness, it could be seen that the back door was half open.

But Ying'er remembered very clearly that she had inserted the plug before going to sleep.

It's definitely not something you can easily open from the outside!
Could it be a girl?
Thinking of this, Ying'er stopped the sound she was about to utter and looked closely.

Sure enough, a beautiful, shadowy figure appeared at the door, seemingly carrying something, and tiptoed out.

Then he gently closed the door behind him...

"Girl, where are you going?"

In the darkness, the figure shivered, narrowly avoiding dropping the high stool she was holding.

Fortunately, I quickly realized it was Ying'er's voice.

After a moment of silence, she preemptively accused, "You brat, you suddenly made that noise and scared me to death."

Ying'er pouted and walked to the door. By the dim light of the lanterns hanging high in the corner of the backyard corridor, she could see her mistress's condition clearly.

Wearing light, thin clothes that didn't seem to fit the season, and carrying something in her arms... a stool?
"Girl, what's going on?"

Ying'er was truly baffled and asked in great surprise.

If I didn't know my daughter's character, I would have thought she was going to steal something just by looking at the situation.

Baochai simply didn't want anyone to know that she would do something as absurd as climbing over the wall in the middle of the night.

Now that Ying'er has discovered it.

To appease her and to avoid disturbing others, he had no choice but to move closer and whisper, "Second Brother Lian invited me to go out to admire the moon tonight. I don't want to disturb anyone, so..."

Ying'er's eyes widened instantly, and she suddenly understood everything.

She glanced at her young mistress, then at the stool in her arms, and chuckled, "So, Second Master Lian is waiting for you outside the wall right now?"

Even when facing her closest and most trusted maid, Baochai couldn't help but feel her face burning, and softly hummed in agreement.

Ying'er is so sensible.

He immediately took the stool from Baochai's arms and said with a smile, "Why didn't you call me when you were doing this, Miss?"

The girl is confused now.

If you climb out like that, it'll be easy for Second Master to catch you, but what about when you come back?

In the pitch black, what if the girl slips and falls?

Now that I'm here, you can go without worry, young lady.

I'll wait here on the back porch tonight. When the girl returns, I'll be there to greet her; everything will be fine."

As Ying'er spoke, she took a stool and walked to the west wall, leaning against it and calling out softly, "Second Master?"

Ying'er was very familiar with the Hengwu Garden and knew that if Jia Lian was waiting for his young lady outside the wall, he would be under the west wall.

Sure enough, a deep voice came from the darkness: "I'm here."

Ying'er smiled and quickly turned around to wave to Baochai, who was still dawdling.

Now that things had come to this, Baochai no longer hesitated.

Just before stepping onto the stool, he said to Ying'er, "It's terribly cold outside, don't wait outside."

Just leave the door open.

"Don't worry, young lady, I'll take care of it."

...(End of chapter)