The Second Master of the Red Chamber

After entering the room, Jia Lian did not linger in the outer room at all. He went to the inner room and sat directly on the edge of the bed, then looked at Baochai who had come in.

Baochai took the teacup from the maid and offered it to Jia Lian, saying with a smile, "Congratulations, my husband."

Jia Lian raised an eyebrow and took the teacup: "What brings you this joy?"

"Congratulations, my husband, on fulfilling your long-cherished wish and successfully taking Lin Daiyu's virginity."

Baochai's eyes were filled with a smile, as if she was recalling the embarrassing situation the night before when Jia Lian tried to take her by force but was kicked away by Daiyu.

Seeing Jia Lian give her a disapproving look, Baochai smiled and said, "It's just that my husband is too insensitive to cherish women. Lin Daiyu is delicate, and my husband doesn't know how to take care of her."

In the afternoon, seeing that Lin Daiyu was unable to get out of bed, the old lady was heartbroken.

Seeing the teasing and mischievous glint in Baochai's eyes, Jia Lian appeared displeased, but inwardly he was slightly surprised.

So this girl can joke too.

He had always thought she was very proper and methodical.

That makes sense, after all, she was a young girl, and she probably only acted more dignified in front of him. In front of her sisters like Daiyu, she probably often joked around.

So he put down his teacup, beckoned her closer, and asked, "You've also gone to see Lin Daiyu?"

"Of course I went."

Baochai did not resist being pulled onto Jia Lian's lap, but only glanced at Ying'er, who was watching the play in the corner.

Seeing this, Ying'er obediently withdrew.

Jia Lian held Baochai's voluptuous body in his arms, thinking to himself, "Well done, she's gone now."

He stayed in another woman's room, making her unwell, and his own woman not only couldn't be jealous, but even had to visit him.

This era has granted men too many privileges.

He lifted Baochai's chin, gazing at her flawless, elegant face.

He talked about the three wives he had married.

Sister Feng is bright and beautiful, and also shrewd and quick-witted.

Baochai is naturally beautiful, dignified and virtuous.

Daiyu is charming, clever, innocent, and genuine.

Although their personalities are quite different, they are all exceptionally beautiful.

To be chosen by any one of the three is already a blessing from Heaven.

But now they are all under his control.

What's most enviable is that he has more than just these three people.

Others, such as Qin Keqing, Miaoyu, Gu Qingyi, and Qingwen, are all peerless beauties rarely found in the world.

He found them all and kept them in his private quarters for his personal enjoyment.

Such is life, what more could one ask for?

This is probably why, despite holding a high position, he was still single-mindedly focused on cultivating power and becoming a parasite in Jia Baoyu's eyes.

He absolutely could not tolerate losing everything he had, nor could he tolerate losing his ability to protect them.

Thinking of this, Jia Lian wished he could push the beauty off his lap, rush into the palace, drag Emperor Ningkang off his sickbed, and order him to immediately issue an edict to appoint the fourth prince as crown prince.

Realizing it was impossible, Jia Lian angrily lowered his head and kissed those two lips that were red enough, even without any rouge.

After a long while, having enjoyed the tenderness to the fullest, just as Jia Lian placed the beauty on the couch and was preparing to take further action...

Baochai covered his mouth, tilted her head slightly, and gestured behind her:
"Husband, this is bad! Qin'er and Yun'er will hear us."

Jia Lian may not know, but how could Baochai not know?

Hengwu Garden wasn't actually that big; the main buildings were just a few cool, tiled houses.

Xiangyun didn't like living alone in a room. In the past, she even stayed in Baochai's room and shared a bed with Baochai.

It was only after Qin Keqing and others came to help Baochai clean and arrange the bridal chamber that this scoundrel was finally driven away.

Originally, we wanted to prepare a room for her next door, but Xiangyun refused and went to share a room with Baoqin instead.

Baochai knew very well that her bed was not far from Baoqin's and Baochai's room in terms of space.

If they were curious, they could run into the cubicle and press their ears against the wall on this side; there's a good chance they could hear her voice from just a wall away.

Originally, Baochai was actually the silent type.

She wouldn't allow herself to utter the kind of shameful sounds found in banned books.

But she happened to meet a man who was not only very charming but also had a knack for embarrassing people.

When they were in Tianjin, Jia Lian repeatedly warned her not to be patient, saying that her voice was beautiful and that he liked to listen to it.

Over time, Baochai herself sometimes couldn't help but go along with Jia Lian.

Some things are just like that; once the rule is broken, it's hard to stick to it anymore.

It was fine in Tianjin, but there were only a few people in the backyard of the imperial envoy's residence, and they were all servants, so there was nothing to worry about.

But that's not the case now.

If the two little girls actually get curious and come along the wall to eavesdrop, how will she ever face them again?

Jia Lian seemed to have thought of this question as well. He paused for a moment and asked, "Then what do you mean? You can't possibly refuse to serve me in bed because of them, can you?"

Seeing Jia Lian's displeasure, Baochai smiled sweetly, sat up, and said:
"Of course not. What I mean is, could my husband have another room prepared so that Yun'er and Qin'er can be moved out?"

As the older sister, it's not appropriate for me to bring this up..."

As Baochai spoke, she blushed slightly.

However, what he said did indeed concern his own vital interests.

She couldn't possibly be so selfless as to give up the opportunity to be favored by Jia Lian just because her two younger sisters were close to her.

Moreover, Jia Lian will definitely come over to stay overnight frequently in the future.

Having two little ones around is always a bit inconvenient.

Jia Lian turned around and sat on the edge of the bed. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I have thought about what you said. It is not difficult. There are so many pavilions and halls in the garden. We can settle in any of them."

But you know perfectly well that last year I wanted to move Yun out.

That girl got angry and almost cried in front of me.

As Jia Lian spoke, he tilted his head back and lay down, resting his head on Baochai's lap.

Baochai raised her hand to touch Jia Lian's face, also caught in a dilemma.

"How about we move Qin'er out first? Qin'er is obedient and won't object."

Once Qin leaves, Yun will surely feel lonely and won't miss this place anymore.

Upon hearing this, Jia Lian raised his hand and pinched Baochai's jade-like face, saying with a smile, "That's an idea."

But there's no need to rush.

You've barely walked in, and you're already shooing your two younger sisters away. Don't even mention what they might think; anyone would assume we're indulging in pleasure.

Baochai felt a little embarrassed by what Jia Lian said, but she agreed with it.

“My husband is right. I was just being anxious… So please bear with me for a while.”

These days, my husband can spend more time with Lin Daiyu.

She has just given herself to her husband, and is frail and delicate; her husband really should take good care of her.

Jia Lian pursed his lips, unsure whether Baochai was being sincere.

However, it does sound like he is virtuous and magnanimous.

Moreover, he was now lying on Baochai's lap, looking up at her.

It's said that this pose easily reveals a beautiful woman's true colors.

However, after looking closely, he didn't feel that Baochai's beauty was greatly diminished; on the contrary, he felt as if he were seeing a treasure from a different perspective.

First of all, what is it...?

Yes, just like Baochai couldn't see her toes when she looked down.

His view is now largely obstructed by the bulging area.

Therefore, he could not see the back of Baochai's ears and neck.

It's hard to see the whole picture, yet it has a breathtaking quality, like a forest when viewed from one side and a peak when viewed from the other.

Secondly, Baochai's features are truly well-proportioned and exquisite.

With her fair skin and jade-like face, she is truly a natural beauty, beautiful from any angle.

Like a traditional Chinese painting.

Finally, Baochai's jade-like hands had an excellent feel; Jia Lian's face and neck felt ticklish from her touch.

He no longer cared about appreciating the beauty from different angles, turned over and sat up, pressing Baochai back onto the bed.

"Husband...?"

Baochai seemed a little puzzled.

Jia Lian said speechlessly, "What nonsense are you talking about? Of course I'll spend more time with Lin girl, but I won't let you go either."

If you're really worried that those two girls are eavesdropping, I can simply allow you to keep quiet for a while..."

Jia Lian grinned mischievously.

Although Baochai's voice was pleasant, especially coming from her beautiful and dignified face, it created a striking contrast.

It's so exciting to hear that it has the amazing effect of doubling attack speed.

However, her silent, whining, and ashamed demeanor also possesses a unique charm.

It was this exquisite flavor that made her delicious no matter how she ate that made Jia Lian addicted to her as soon as he opened the restaurant. Last summer, he even broke his rule and took her to Tianjin, where she indulged in the delicious food for more than half a month.

As expected, upon hearing Jia Lian's words, Baochai quickly placed her hands on his chest, shyly shaking her head at him, as if advising him to reconsider.

Sure enough, when Jia Lian saw her bright eyes, white teeth, and rosy lips, he actually stopped what he was doing.

He lowered his head and said, "I can leave you alone, but do you remember what you promised me? Otherwise..."

Jia Lian was worried that Baochai might forget, but before he could finish speaking, Baochai's face turned even redder, and she didn't dare to look at him anymore.

Jia Lian knew that she not only hadn't forgotten, but had kept it in her heart!

"How about it?"

"not so good."

Baochai tilted her head and quietly lowered her arm.

Compared to things that are embarrassing just to think about, the risk of being overheard by the younger sisters is nothing.

Not to mention, judging from Jia Lian's words, he clearly wanted to take the opportunity to raise the price so that she would continue to serve him like this until Xiangyun and the others moved out.

Baochai wouldn't fall for that.

"Heh, you're so arrogant."

Seeing that Baochai was not taking the bait, Jia Lian sneered.

He immediately decided to no longer show mercy and to use the most ruthless methods to let her know how powerful he was.

……

The corner rooms and back rooms of Hengwu Garden were insufficient to accommodate all the maids and servants.

Therefore, after seeing their mistress go inside to sleep, the extra servants sensibly tidied up a bit and then left the courtyard and went down the mountain.

The rest of the people, except for a few maids who stayed behind to guard the place and be at the master's beck and call, all went back to rest.

To the east of Baochai's bedroom, at the corner of the connecting corridor, are Baoqin and Xiangyun's rooms.

For two energetic young girls, they don't usually go to bed this early.

Since her brother (brother-in-law) and sister-in-law (sister) had all gone inside to rest, they couldn't continue wandering around outside.

I had no choice but to wash up and go to bed early.

It was impossible to sleep.

They wouldn't let the maid blow out the candles. The two lay on the bed, chatting absentmindedly about everything under the sun for a long time. Finally, they couldn't help but ask each other, "Tell me, have Brother Ai and Sister Bao gone to sleep yet...?"

"do not know……"

"I guess he's not asleep; the light is still on in that room over there."

Upon hearing this, Baoqin also craned her neck to look out the window. Sure enough, she could vaguely see the lights on in the corridor and occasionally hear the sounds of maids moving around.

"Are you able to sleep?"

"..."

"How about we go chat with Second Brother and Sister Bao for a while?"

"No...that's not a good idea..."

Baoqin quietly shrank her head under the covers, not wanting Xiangyun to notice her already flushed face.

Xiangyun, who was sleeping outside her, seemed to be thinking of something, and a blush suddenly appeared on her bright face, but it was only fleeting.

She glanced out of bed to make sure the maid in the next room had blew out the lamp and gone to sleep, then she turned over, hugged Baoqin's smaller body, and whispered in her ear, "Tell me, what are your second brother and sister doing right now..."

"I do not know."

Baoqin felt helpless, wondering if this talkative older sister was genuinely ignorant or just pretending.

My sister and brother-in-law are newlyweds. What could my brother-in-law be doing coming over so late? It can't be like yesterday afternoon, just sleeping, right...?

"The west tea room is close to Bao-jie's bedroom. Why don't we sneak over there and listen to what Brother Ai and Sister Bao are saying?"

"Ah~?"

Baoqin turned around and looked at Xiangyun in disbelief.

Xiangyun blushed under her gaze, but tried to remain calm: "What's with that expression? I was just listening to what they were saying..."

Xiangyun argued, seemingly trying to find evidence for her suggestion, adding, "What's wrong with listening? Sister Lin loves eavesdropping the most."

Once, I saw her hiding under my third sister's windowsill, listening to my third sister and Bao sister talking.

Another time, I saw her standing outside Sister Feng's house, but when she saw me approaching, she left on her own.

Baoqin was actually quite interested as well.

What young person wouldn't be curious about something so basic and inexplicable?

The only difference is whether or not one dares to say it.

Moreover, she was more mature than Xiangyun and dared not offend her cousin's authority, so she didn't dare to think about anything else.

At this moment, Xiangyun took the lead and used Daiyu as an example, and she immediately wavered.

Most importantly, we are now in a truly perfect storm of favorable conditions.

The tea room is right next to my sister's bedroom, so we don't even need to leave the room.

If my brother-in-law and sister are really doing that kind of thing, they only need to sneak over quietly, and probably...

You'll hear things you wouldn't even dare to imagine.

"No, Cuilu is still outside, she'll find out."

"Don't worry about her. That girl is really stupid, she sleeps like a log. As long as we're careful, we won't disturb her."

Baoqin and Xiangyun were young and lived in their older sister's courtyard, so they didn't need many maids.

Each of them had only one personal maidservant who was always by their side.

When Madam Shi Ding was sent by Shi Ding to win over Xiangyun, she suggested sending her two obedient maids.

However, Xiangyun and Grandmother Jia refused.

So when Xiangyun moved in with Baoqin, their personal maids took turns keeping watch over them at night.

Tonight, it happens to be Xiangyun's maid, Cuilu, on duty.

Baoqin also thought Cuilu was silly, and at that moment she had no more worries.

Seeing Xiangyun's expression, which didn't seem to be bluffing, she finally nodded.

So the two girls secretly got up, each put on a coat, and tiptoed towards the west room.

They were very careful when passing through the cubicle, almost holding their breath, for fear of disturbing the silly girl inside.

"and many more."

Suddenly, Xiangyun raised her hand and stopped Baoqin.

Then Baoqin watched as Xiangyun lifted her leg and walked into the cubicle, standing still.

Baoqin walked over in surprise and, by the dim light of the candlelight in their room, saw the situation on the maid's bed.

The small bed had the blanket half-lifted, and there was no one on the pillow.

Did he relieve himself?

Baoqin subconsciously looked towards the corner.

The cubicles are very small and offer little opportunity for people to hide.

If we don't hear any sound, it means the person isn't there.

If not here, then where?
The two intelligent young ladies exchanged a glance and both understood each other's guess.

So they joined hands again and headed west.

It got darker and darker as we went further, and we couldn't see anything at all.

Fortunately, this was their own room, and everything was arranged in a clear way, so they didn't kick anything and easily made their way to the west tea room.

Here, they no longer need to rely on the light from their own bedrooms.

With just a sliver of light filtering through the eaves and into the window, they immediately spotted the slender, small figure crouching against the wall behind the tea table.

The other person seemed to have heard the footsteps as well, and turned around to look.

The air suddenly froze. (End of Chapter)