Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

The east wing is behind Jia Lian's independent courtyard.

The place is quite different now; it has been renovated and is now spacious and flat. The western section of the courtyard wall has also been completely demolished, and a horse track about two zhang wide runs directly from here to the outer courtyard.

Because it was late, Jia Lian only practiced a set of fist techniques and a set of sword techniques in the inner courtyard.

These were all taught to him by the old man, and it is said that they were the most practical fighting methods he had summarized from his many battles.

Jia Lian was initially skeptical of these things. He had only practiced with Zhang Yong and the others without really understanding what they were doing. In his view, it was just like going to the gym in later generations—it was enough to improve one's physical fitness.

Could it really be like in TV dramas, where one can master the art of walking on water? Now he realized he had probably underestimated traditional martial arts. He didn't have the Iron Shirt or Golden Bell Cover techniques, but the skills to kill were something that could truly be learned.

At least, Jia Lian now feels that by using what the old man taught him, even if he can't kill a hundred men on the battlefield, he can at least keep his eyes and ears open so that a few ordinary soldiers with ordinary weapons definitely can't get close to him.

Therefore, Jia Lian has become even more serious about martial arts since he started learning from the old man.

This is why the old man was so happy every time he went to the Linzi Earl's Mansion, even kicking his grandson Zhang Tao aside and always preferring to give him individual guidance.

There's nothing we can do. Although Zhang Tao also likes martial arts, he's a bit short, which is a major disadvantage in martial arts.

The old man probably felt that letting him take over the mantle would be beneath his dignity...

Practicing alone can be quite boring, so Jia Lian would occasionally have Aqi and Aqin practice together.

Aqi is one thing, but if you ask her to go all out, she'll really hit him hard. As for her younger sister Aqin, well, that's a long story.

"Oh dear, did I hurt you, sir?"

"Oh, I twisted my ankle..."

Such delicate voices, which should not be heard in the training ground, greatly affected Jia Lian's ability to concentrate on his studies.

"Did it really twist this time?"

Seeing that she was sitting on the ground and looked quite pained, Jia Lian went over to check her injuries.

Suddenly, several elegantly dressed women appeared in the corridor, as if they had planned it beforehand, and gracefully arrived.

"Second Master, you must be tired from practicing martial arts. Have a bowl of white fungus soup..."

"Second Master, are you hungry? These are some snacks I made myself. Please have a taste."

Jia Lian loosened Ah Qin's ankle and let Ah Qi take her sister back to her house first.

Then, looking at the rather attractive women in front of him, he frowned and asked, "Did your second grandmother already tell you?"

This wasn't the first time that the women in Jia She's household had shown him favor.

Even before Jia She's funeral was over, some women who considered themselves quite attractive began to flirt with him, hinting at their intention to curry favor.

Especially later, when Wang Xifeng consulted with Grandmother Jia about how to get rid of him, the news spread, and these women went to every possible place to express their love for the mansion and their loyalty to him.

Perhaps they themselves also regarded themselves as property, and it was quite common for sons to inherit their fathers' property.

Besides, wasn't this the kind of thing that Master Lian used to like...?

"Look how sweaty you are, Second Master. Let me wipe you clean..."

These women were clinging to their last hope, intending to use their last asset—their relatively young and attractive bodies—to seduce Jia Lian.

As long as Jia Lian thinks they are still useful, they can naturally stay.

Unlike the master, Second Master Lian is young and strong. If he has a son or daughter in the future, he can gain status through his son...

Therefore, they pretended not to notice Jia Lian's deliberate indifference and took the initiative to approach him, some wiping his sweat with embroidered handkerchiefs, others fanning him with palm-leaf fans, doing everything they could to please him.

However, seeing that Jia Lian remained unmoved and even looked at them with indifferent eyes, as if he could see through their hearts, they were a little scared and dared not go too far.

Once they had all stopped touching him and dared not take advantage of him... and were wiping their sweat, Jia Lian turned around and said coldly, "Let's go inside and talk."

Um, they're saying inside... shall we all go together?

The women exchanged bewildered glances, naively believing their efforts had yielded results.

It wasn't until they followed Jia Lian step by step up the corridor and watched him walk towards that brightly lit room that they gradually realized they might have been overthinking things.

This is the room of the Second Master's two female guards.

Inside the room, the Aqi sisters were a little surprised to see Jia Lian bring in a group of women, but they still brought over the only available chair in the room for Jia Lian to sit down.

谷竦

"What did your second grandmother say to you?"

Seeing Jia Lian's businesslike demeanor, the women, after a brief period of adjustment, began to wail and complain.

What they said was nothing more than how heartless and cold-hearted Wang Xifeng was, how reluctant they were to leave the mansion, and how they couldn't survive outside of it.

Basically, they're just playing the emotional card.

However, Jia Lian knew that Wang Xifeng had been relatively lenient with them this time. Earlier, in Fengjie's courtyard, after Wang Xifeng received favor while fully clothed, she told him about this matter.

It turns out that Wang Xifeng wanted to get rid of all the vixens in Jia She's room.

However, Grandmother Jia did not agree to send away those official concubines... Some of the concubines from the Duke's household were still alive.

Although she no longer walks in public, she is indeed living well in the mansion.

This is the dignity of a large family. Once you become a woman of the Jia family, you will be a ghost of the Jia family even after you die.

Let them out? Don't even think about it.

Wang Xifeng dared not disobey, so she could only let the concubines go. This morning, according to the list that had been prepared in advance, she gathered all the people on the list together and announced the arrangements for them.

Everyone should be given their freedom.

If you have family members, you must send a letter within one month to ask them to come and pick you up.

If you have no family, you can seek refuge with relatives and ask them to come and pick you up. If you don't even have relatives, or if you don't trust them, there are other ways. Once you receive the money, you can leave the mansion.

Here, Wang Xifeng did not do as Jia Lian wished.

She made a detailed breakdown.

She meticulously categorized Jia She's concubines and maids, distinguishing who had once been in power, who had fallen out of favor, and who were experiencing hardship.

Those who gain power have naturally accumulated considerable wealth and influence long ago.

As long as they can explain the source of the money, such as rewards or gifts from subordinates, and as long as the origin is legitimate, they can take it out of the manor on their own. Apart from this, the manor will not distribute any more silver, because they probably wouldn't care about it anyway.

As for those who are out of power or living unsatisfactory lives, they will be given severance pay ranging from twenty to fifty taels of silver, depending on the actual circumstances...

In short, Wang Xifeng took Jia Lian's strategy to the extreme, not letting them fool her even if it meant getting the slightest advantage!

Jia Lian listened and thought it was alright.

After all, Jia She was a typical spendthrift, squandering tens of thousands of dollars every year, a large portion of which ended up in the hands of these women.

Finally, Wang Xifeng said that if someone is truly alone and destitute with nowhere to go, and is willing to stay in the mansion, they can sign a death contract and be assigned to one of the servants in the mansion, thus becoming a member of the household servants.

Wang Xifeng's actions were polite, measured, compassionate, and lawful, earning her high praise from her family.

Therefore, these women's attempt to lull Jia Lian into complacency is futile.

"You don't need to beg me. Your second grandmother has been very lenient with you this time. Her way of handling things has also been approved by the old lady. Even I cannot disobey her."

Don't say you're reluctant to leave anymore. While you're still young and have the means, it's important to go out and find your own place as soon as possible.

"To tell you the truth, once things are settled in the manor, even the concubines will be released, let alone you."

For Jia Lian, what he wanted was a clean and tidy place.

For those women, staying in the mansion meant nothing but enduring hardship, with no hope whatsoever, and trouble was bound to arise over time.

Therefore, it's best to send them all away.

As for why concubines cannot be sent away, that is merely an interpretation of etiquette. In reality, as long as Jia Lian doesn't care that someone is cuckolding his father, he can simply send them away.

Such situations are far too common among prominent families. Each family and individual has its own methods and approaches to handle them.

As for Jia She's women, the reason they wanted to stay in the mansion was because they couldn't let go of the wealthy and comfortable life in the Rongguo Mansion. They even fantasized about being taken as concubines by Jia Lian in the future.

Seeing Jia Lian's stance now, she knew it was wishful thinking. After much deliberation, she realized Jia Lian's words made sense. While she was still young and beautiful, perhaps she could find a reliable man to marry and have someone to rely on for the rest of her life, instead of drifting like a rootless duckweed.

To be honest, letting them leave the manor was an act of kindness, not mistreatment.

So, they glanced at the Aqin sisters, who were eyeing them menacingly, and then at Jia Lian, who remained unmoved...

He then went back to continue plotting how to take more money from the mansion.

……