The Second Master of the Red Chamber

After a vigorous massage to aid digestion, Jia Lian, with two beauties in his arms, sat against the headboard and sighed, "With you two by my side every day, I'm afraid I'll lose ten years of my life."

Baochai and Daiyu were each covering themselves with their blankets, too ashamed to look directly at each other.

They were stunned for a moment upon hearing this, and all looked up at Jia Lian, thinking to themselves what an unreasonable person he was.

It's obvious that he was indulging in pleasure and dragged them into it, only to turn around and blame them!
Daiyu, in particular, was very dissatisfied.

Perhaps it was to avenge the night she kicked him on their wedding night, or perhaps it was because Grandmother Jia had ordered him not to stay overnight at Xiaoxiang Pavilion for three days; in any case, Jia Lian had taken good care of her just now.

She knew that Baochai must have seen her most embarrassing moments.

"you deserve it."

Daiyu cursed and tried to get up to find her clothes to wear.

Jia Lian pulled her back and whispered sweet nothings in her ear, "Yes, yes, I deserve it."

I think it would be better if I lived ten years less, so that I could go before you.

In this way, I won't have to grieve over your passing.

“Husband, you’re making things more and more absurd. Why are you saying these things?”

Baochai reached out and gently covered Jia Lian's mouth to stop him from talking nonsense.

Jia Lian then let go of Daiyu, took Baochai's hand and kissed it, making "sucking" sounds, which made Baochai playfully scold him.

Seeing this, Daiyu sneered and said, "Let him talk, let's see what nice things he can say."

Young people often have little understanding or taboo about birth, aging, sickness, and death.

After all, they are only teenagers, and they have a long life ahead of them.

Although Jia Lian's words were illogical, they perfectly expressed his deep affection and love for them.

How could they not feel moved and touched?
Perhaps it was precisely because of this that they tolerated Jia Lian doing some excessive things to them.

Just like our wedding night, just like today.

Baochai and Daiyu both knew very well that if their wedding night was out of necessity, after today's experience, they had no secrets left between them.

They either become sisters as close as brothers, or they never speak to each other again.

With Jia Lian around, it's impossible for them to never see each other again.

Seeing Jia Lian kissing this person one moment and that person the next, looking quite content and happy.

Daiyu finally couldn't hold back any longer. She pushed Jia Lian's head away and frowned, saying, "Didn't we say we were going to Sister Bao's house? When are we leaving?"

Upon hearing Daiyu's words, Baochai also stopped kissing Jia Lian and pushed his head away.

Jia Lian said helplessly, "It's only noon now, it's still early. Besides, I've already sent someone to inform my aunt that I'll go over after noon and that she shouldn't prepare lunch. It's inconvenient to go now."

After offering an explanation, Jia Lian called out towards the door, "Who's outside?"

With a response, Zijuan walked in.

When Jia Lian saw that it was her, he immediately instructed, "The Lady, the Consort, and I are going to take a nap. Come in and wake us up in half an hour."

Also, have someone prepare hot water; we need to take a bath after we get up, and then go to Xue Yiren's parents' house.

"Yes."

As Daiyu's head steward, Zijuan naturally had the authority to command everyone in the Lin family.

Before leaving, she glanced at the situation on the bed.

At this moment, both grandmothers quietly shrank under the covers, only their heads showing, so she couldn't see the scenery clearly.

Even so, it didn't stop her from speculating about the enchanting scenery beneath the blanket.

When Jia Lian suggested they sleep for half an hour before setting off, Baochai and Daiyu had no objections.

They had been busy in the kitchen all day and had been helping Jia Lian with his work, so they were quite tired.

After whispering a few sweet words, she prepared to lie down and hug Jia Lian's arm.

Unexpectedly, Jia Lian suddenly picked up Daiyu and carried her to the bed.

"Sister Lin, come inside. I want to sleep on my side, holding you both."

Daiyu frowned, but then she saw that Jia Lian had already turned to lie on his side, embracing her and Baochai together.

Left with no other choice, she could only spit out, "Whoever likes to be next to you, I just want to sleep next to Sister Bao too."

After saying this, Daiyu suppressed her shyness, rolled off Baochai, and went to the innermost part of the bed.

……

On Ningrong Back Street, the Xue family was preparing for their daughter's homecoming.

After arranging things outside, Xue Pan and Xue Ke came in to report to Aunt Xue.

Aunt Xue was checking the fresh ingredients that she had specially ordered in the kitchen. She was quite pleased to hear that her son had been so thoughtful, which was unusual for him.

"Mom, you're saying that the daughter of the former Lantai magistrate, the Lin family girl who married her brother-in-law on the same day as my sister, will also be coming to our house today?"

"Yes. Your brother-in-law... Lian Er Gege sent someone over this morning to say it, it can't be fake."

Xue Pan chuckled and said, "I've long heard that this Miss Lin is incredibly beautiful, so stunning that she's completely bewitched by that brat Baoyu."

Unfortunately, I've never had the chance to see her face, so I don't know what she looks like.

Upon hearing this, Aunt Xue immediately put down what she was doing and turned to Xue Pan, saying, "You wretched child, it's fine if you say it to me."

When they arrive, you must be polite to me and absolutely cannot offend them or cause trouble for your sister!

"Forget it, you should go out for drinks. Your younger brother can look after things at home."

Aunt Xue, remembering Xue Pan's unruly personality, worried that he might offend an important guest and wanted to kick him out.

"No, please. It's not often that my sister comes back to visit her parents. What kind of behavior is it for you to ask me to leave?"

I promise I'll be polite and won't say anything inappropriate, okay?

"Really?"

"More real than pearls! You really can't even trust this?"

Even if I'm a complete jerk, do you think I wouldn't know what's good for me?
Do you think I don't know who I owe my life to?

Putting everything else aside, just look at her—she's my brother-in-law's woman. How could I dare offend her?
"Hmph, that brat Baoyu, he doesn't even look in the mirror! He actually dares to try and steal my brother-in-law's woman, how laughable!"

Hearing Xue Pan say this, Aunt Xue finally felt a little relieved.

How could she truly want to drive Xue Pan away? She wished Xue Pan and Jia Lian would grow closer, so that with Jia Lian looking after them in the future, she could confidently entrust the family business to this wretched child.

So he repeatedly instructed Xue Pan on the precautions to take after meeting the person.

As for Xue Ke, Aunt Xue was quite at ease, and Xue Ke should have met Lin Daiyu before.

……

The Lin family villa is not far from the Ning and Rong mansions.

The large, ornate carriage, surrounded by a heavily armed guard, caused pedestrians on both streets to give way.

Hearing that this was the carriage of the Duke of Rongguo's mansion, many people couldn't help but stop and watch, hoping to catch a glimpse of the distinguished guest.

Inside the carriage, Baochai said to Daiyu with a hint of helplessness, "Alright, Lin sister, I'm fine, you don't need to massage me anymore."

"It's alright, Sister Bao, let me massage it for you more. It's all my fault, otherwise you wouldn't have had to suffer like this..."

Daiyu sat beside Baochai, feeling quite guilty as she massaged Baochai's arm.

At the same time, she glared at Jia Lian.

It's all Jia Lian's fault. If it weren't for Jia Lian, she wouldn't have slept with her head on Baochai's arm for half an hour, so that when Baochai got up, she couldn't even lift her arm.

"Hehehe..."

Jia Lian, watching from the side, couldn't help but laugh.

Having two women on your left and right is wonderful, but it's not necessarily true that you'll actually fall asleep with them.

Not only can you not turn over, but if you're not careful, the beautiful woman's head can press down on your blood circulation, causing your arms to go numb.

Therefore, he was very farsighted and let Daiyu and Baochai sleep together, while he slept outside.

With just a simple turn, he could stretch out his arms and hug both of them.

And you can touch whichever one you want, it's incredibly satisfying.

It was just a pity for Baochai, who also experienced her own pain.

Two carriages, one large and one small, stopped in front of the Xue family's house.

Xue Pan and Xue Ke, who were waiting at the gate, quickly came over to greet them.

The carriage curtain opened, and Jia Lian stepped out first.

"Brother-in-law, welcome!"

Jia Lian nodded to the beaming Xue Pan, then turned around, pulling the curtain with one hand and protecting the carriage's roof beam with the other, making it easier for the two women inside the carriage to get out.

"Brother-in-law, you don't know, my mother..."

Xue Pan took a step closer, about to speak.

Suddenly, he saw Baochai and Daiyu walking out of the carriage hand in hand, and he was immediately stunned.

He knew his sister was beautiful, but after seeing so many, he had become somewhat immune to it.

However, Daiyu, who was shorter than him and was being led by his sister, couldn't help but control his gaze.

In that instant, he finally understood Jia Baoyu.

He couldn't believe that there really were such beautiful girls in the world!

When Jia Lian saw that Daiyu was hiding behind Baochai, he turned around and naturally discovered Xue Pan's lecherous behavior.

Although I was annoyed, I didn't really care.

It's normal for this kind of person to not be able to control their expressions.

He jumped down from the carriage and said to Xue Pan, "Please make way, Brother Pan."

"Oh, yes, yes..."

Xue Pan quickly stepped aside. At this moment, Xue Ke, who was next to him, tugged at his sleeve, and he realized that he had been somewhat out of line.

So he quickly covered it up and said with a smile, "Brother-in-law, my mother has been looking forward to you for a long time."

Ever since she received your message, she has been busy making arrangements. Since you love eating crabs, she immediately sent someone to the market to buy the best and most expensive ones.

"And my sister only has one jar of sweet wine left. Last time I wanted some, she wouldn't give it to me, saying she was saving it for when you come over."

Jia Lian nodded: "I am deeply grateful for my mother-in-law's kindness."

By the way, this is Lady Lin, also known as Lady Lin, and also my wife.

Since he was a guest, Jia Lian still had to observe basic etiquette.

Therefore, he also introduced Daiyu to Xue Pan.

As for why he used "Xiangjun Jianyiren" to introduce him, it was because he thought this guy was ignorant and incompetent, and probably didn't even know what a Xiangjun was.

Compared to the title of "Xiangjun" (乡君), the title of "Yiren" (宜人) was much more common.

Besides, his sister is Yiren; even if he were stupid, he should know that.

Sure enough, upon hearing Jia Lian's introduction, Xue Pan's lively mind became even more subdued, and he felt a greater sense of respect.

In this world, it is not uncommon for a man to have more than one official position.

But when it comes to a woman, it's astonishing enough.

I vaguely remember that on the day of Jia Lian's wedding, the emperor and empress were present and bestowed imperial edicts upon the two brides, including his sister.

It turns out that he was only being polite to Daiyu because of Jia Lian, following his mother's instructions.

Now he suddenly realized that even without Jia Lian, Jia Lian was still far more noble than him and not someone he could easily offend.

So he quickly bowed and clasped his hands in greeting: "This humble subject, Xue Pan, greets Lord Lin."

Xue Pan could have chosen not to refer to himself as a commoner, as he held a rank.

It was a position he inherited from his father—that of a merchant in the imperial treasury.

Although it was only a low-ranking position, it was still an official post, and the person in charge was directly serving the palace.

For ordinary low-ranking officials, it's nothing, but for him, the heir of one of the four great families of Jinling, it's very important.

Unfortunately, he killed the son of Commandant Qiu, and all his identities were stripped away.

This is also why he is so eager to curry favor with Jia Lian now, because his mother told him about it.

Jia Lian had promised that once the rumors about his case had completely died down, he would find a way to get his job and status back.

Daiyu had naturally heard of Xue Pan's great reputation.

In Daiyu's mind, he was a classic playboy who treated human life like dirt.

Before even arriving in the capital, he heard that someone had been killed. After arriving in the capital, he still didn't restrain himself and ended up in jail, causing Baochai and her aunt to be heartbroken!

Out of respect for Baochai, she bowed slightly as a gesture of return.

But that was all; he didn't bother to say anything polite to Xue Pan.

Anyway, she only came because of her aunt and Baochai, and also because Jia Lian begged her.

If Xue Pan dared to rub against her, she would immediately turn around and leave.

Xue Pan, of course, couldn't blame her. He was more than satisfied with just a bow from such a fairy.

He quickly greeted her, "Brother-in-law, please. Sister Lin, you please too."

Jia Lian, along with Daiyu, Baochai, and their servants, headed towards the Xue family's residence.

Xue Pan left a few words of advice to Xue Ke, instructing him to take good care of Jia Lian's guards and attendants, and then hurriedly followed after him.

During this time, it was inevitable that I would see several other maids besides Ying'er.

Although I didn't dare to look closely, I could tell that they were all of exceptional beauty, and I thought to myself that Jia Lian truly was a divine being.

Not only were his beautiful wives and concubines stunning, but even the maids around him were like fairies.

It's something to be extremely envious of.

……

Grand View Garden, Jiaying Hall.

Sister Feng took a short nap, then got up and sat down again.

There's no way around it; these last month or two are the hardest time to get through.

Many times, this made her feel restless and uneasy.

Sister Feng couldn't help but think how fortunate she was to be born into such a family, with so many maids and servants taking care of her 24/7.

If you were born into a poor family, lacking this and that, how could you possibly survive!

After eating half a bowl of meat porridge, he handed the bowl to Ping'er and suddenly said, "I heard that your second master sent Baochai and Lin Daiyu back to their parents' home?"

"Ah."

"Hehe, which one did he send first?"

"It seems that Miss Lin was sent first."

Although Baochai and Daiyu have both entered the household, many people in the mansion are still not used to addressing them differently.

After all, they've been calling her Miss Lin and Miss Bao for so many years, they're used to it.

Sister Feng laughed and said, "Your Second Master is sometimes so reliable in his actions, and sometimes he's quite ridiculous."

Taking two concubines at once is one thing, but now he's going back to his parents' home twice a day. Isn't that ridiculous?

Ping'er couldn't say anything, she just said, "Second Master just wants to treat everyone fairly, so as not to make Lady Lin and Lady Xue suspicious."

"What do you mean by being overly suspicious or not? He's just asking for trouble."

Everything has its rules and etiquette, its hierarchy and social status.

In my opinion, Lin Daiyu should be the primary one, and Baochai secondary. This would be reasonable, and Baochai wouldn't object.

But he insists on treating everyone equally, creating trouble out of nothing.

He'll be the one who suffers.

Although Baochai is Fengjie's cousin, Fengjie doesn't show any favoritism.

On the contrary, she preferred Daiyu to Baochai.

There's no way around it; we're both shrewd and calculating people. If there were no conflict of interest, it would be fine, but once there is, we're inherently at odds.

This applies to Jia Lian and the Third Prince, as well as to Feng Jie and Baochai.

Seeing that Ping'er didn't speak, Feng Jie pouted and decided not to say anything more.

She knew perfectly well that her words were useless.

Just like she is in this room, she can say directly that Jia Lian's marriage to Baochai and Daiyu is taking concubines.

However, she wouldn't say it so directly in front of Jia Lian; she would use a more tactful way of putting it.

That's true; Jia Lian ostensibly took a concubine, but in reality, he was marrying a wife.

The three matchmakers and six betrothal gifts, the three letters and six rites, were all included.

Even the return visit ceremony was made up for.

Thinking about it further was pointless, so he dismissed the other maids, leaving only Ping'er by his side, and asked in a low voice, "Do you know when your second master plans to marry those two little vixens from the East Mansion?"

Sister Feng has not forgotten those two vixen sisters of Madam You.

In fact, this was quite early on when she established a relationship with Jia Lian.

Now that Daiyu and Baochai have both entered the family, these two probably won't be far behind.

Of course, what Sister Feng didn't know was that besides these two, Tan Chun was also in the queue.

Since Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang knew she was pregnant, they didn't plan to tell her for the time being.

Jia Lian, of course, wouldn't cause trouble for no reason.

Ping'er said, "I don't know either, but I think it will be soon."

After all, Grandma You's two younger sisters, one seventeen and the other sixteen, are both at an age where things might get out of hand.

Sister Feng said unhappily, "Then tell me, your second master won't hold another grand wedding like the one three days ago, will he?"

Ping'er was taken aback, then shook her head and said, "I don't think so."

"After all, Miss Lin and Miss Bao have different social statuses."

Moreover, I think Second Master treats Madam You's two younger sisters less well than Miss Lin and Miss Bao.

Sister Feng said, "That's good, otherwise your Second Master's reputation for being a womanizer would become famous throughout the world."

Moreover, the various mansions in the capital, even if they didn't think your Second Master was rich, probably still suspect he's deliberately using this method to amass wealth!

For Sister Feng, allowing Baochai and Daiyu to enter the family in such an extraordinary manner was already close to the limit of her tolerance.

If the You sisters were to come along, no matter how nicely Jia Lian spoke, she would probably still be unable to hold back her outburst.

But as she was talking, she laughed at herself.

Originally, she felt a little sorry for Jia Lian for his extravagant wedding to Daiyu and Baochai, where he spent lavishly.

To everyone's surprise, the wealthy families of the capital city were so accommodating.

In the end, they even made several times their initial investment!
Who can I talk to to explain this?

However, Sister Feng thought that these mansions in the capital were not fools.

Everyone gives you face the first time, but if you do this every now and then, let's see who will still pay attention to you.

Therefore, even someone as greedy as Sister Feng never considered continuing to amass wealth in this way; she couldn't bear the shame.

Well, mainly because I can't bear to see Jia Lian lose face.

If it were just her alone, it wouldn't be so bad. (End of Chapter)