Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

Lin Ruhai was taken aback when he saw Daiyu's expression.

Although Daiyu didn't say anything bad, her father could still tell from her subtle cues.

Didn't the old lady say that the two children get along very well?

He had also observed that the two children were a good match in terms of appearance and age.

Although, according to his standards for choosing a son-in-law, Jia Baoyu was somewhat lacking.

However, considering his own health, he still intended to grant his daughter's wish if she truly desired it. After all, given his daughter's health, he would feel more at ease if the marriage was arranged by family.

But now it seems that Yu'er may not be willing in her heart.

Lin Ruhai's original intention was only to probe Daiyu's intentions, and when he found something amiss, he didn't continue asking.

Anyway, Yu'er is still young.

……

After leaving the Lin residence, Jia Lian went directly to the Ministry of War.

In the office of the head of the office, they found Zhang Song, the second uncle.

Zhang Song said helplessly, "You little rascal, here you go again!"

"Didn't I already tell you that I have no authority to change the personnel changes this time?"

Jia Lian stepped forward with a smile, bowed, and said, "I know, but I don't mean for you to change the people accompanying me..."

How about this, Uncle, please grant your nephew an extra thousand horses for the sake of the old man?

With these horses, I can replace most of my combat units with cavalry.

Although combat power may not have increased much, at least flexibility has greatly increased.

In case, I mean in case we encounter any danger, we can be prepared to react accordingly, and maybe it will even save our lives.

"Uncle, you wouldn't bear to see your nephew in danger, would you? Even if I don't feel sorry for him, Grandpa will probably be. If he finds out I refused his request, won't he blame me?"

Since it was Zhang Song's own office and there were no other officials around, Jia Lian decided to intensify his efforts to persuade him.

As he said, it is thousands of miles away.

Although he had a considerable number of officers and soldiers under his command, most of them were infantry.

Based on his year of experience fighting on the grasslands, he knew that if something really happened on the vast Gobi Desert, a few thousand infantrymen might not be as useful as a few thousand wooden stakes!

Therefore, during this period, Jia Lian devoted a great deal of his energy to negotiating to obtain more cavalry.

To say something I can't tell others, with a certain number of cavalry, even if we encounter real danger and can't win, we can still run away, right?

When you're out and about, safety should be your top priority.

When he last went to the border, he was basically penniless. As the saying goes, those who have nothing to lose are not afraid of those who have something to lose, so he was naturally fearless.

Times have changed. Now he holds a noble title and has at least three or five wives and concubines, if not a large number.

We should at least consider their needs more, right?

Besides, he doesn't even have a son yet. There's nothing wrong with him planning ahead.

Of course, in front of the emperor, he still had to show a fearless spirit of sacrifice.

"You brat."

Zhang Song, a man of refined manners, once thought Jia Lian to be a gentleman of refined manners.

Who would have thought that at this moment, for the sake of a few horses, they would even abandon their dignity?

"Alright, you don't need to say any more of this nonsense."

For this marriage alliance, most of the troops drawn from the Beijing Garrison were from Xie Youji's unit.

You probably know Xie Jing.

Go find him yourself. As long as you can get any amount from him, I'll approve it for you when you come back."

After all, he was his uncle, and his nephew had pleaded for him several times. It wasn't anything illegal or disorderly; he just wanted some leniency, so he couldn't bring himself to refuse.

Sigh, looks like I'll have to learn from this kid and say a few nice words to the adults when the time comes...

"Hehehe, then thank you very much, Second Uncle."

By the way, what time does Second Uncle finish his official duties today? The other day, His Majesty specially bestowed upon me several jars of fine wine, which I was thinking of taking to offer to the old man. Perhaps, Second Uncle, you could have a taste as well?

"The fine wine bestowed by His Majesty..."

Zhang Song's eyes lit up slightly, then he pretended to be nonchalant and said, "Well, I'm sure I'd be very happy to know how filial you are."

Okay, come over early tonight, and I'll have your aunt prepare some good dishes.

Since you're going on a long trip, our whole family should give you a proper send-off.

Okay, go ahead.

After leaving the Ministry of War, Jia Lian's smile faded considerably, and his eyes showed deep thought.

Generals always place great importance on the equipment and troops under their command.

Zhang Song told him to go and ask Xie Jing for it, but that would be quite difficult for him.

However, he also knew that Zhang Song had already violated the rules by going this far, so he didn't press him any further.

Fortunately, the Marquis of Dingcheng's mansion was also a descendant of the founding dukes and marquises, so they gave the Jia family some face.

Moreover, he knew Xie Jing. In particular, they had a pleasant conversation at Wang Ziteng's residence last time. He figured that with a little effort and a targeted approach, it wouldn't be impossible to achieve his goal.

"Second Master, where do we go next?"

Zhao'er and the others noticed that Jia Lian was distracted, so they came up to ask him what was wrong.

Jia Lian mounted his horse and ordered, "You lot, go to Zuixianlou, load a cart with the best wine, and deliver it to the Marquis of Dingcheng's residence. Also, find out if General Xie is at home. Have Zuixianlou prepare some top-quality dishes to accompany the wine."

"And what about you, Second Master?"

"I'm going back to the manor."

The owner of Zuixianlou sells fine wines from Jiangnan, and his reputation is widely recognized.

But after all, these are all wines that can be bought with money.

If you really want to show sincerity, you need to do something different.

Sigh, the emperor was really stingy.

He was sent on such a long and arduous mission, and was rewarded with a few jars of tribute wine.

What good is this tribute wine? It just uses the emperor's name to make people feel important when they invite others or give it as a gift.

Hopefully, Old Xie will give the emperor face...

……

After much preparation, the night before departure arrived in the blink of an eye.

In Rongqing Hall, even Grandmother Jia showed a rare hint of concern for Jia Lian, asking, "Have you made all the preparations for your trip outside? Have you arranged everything you need to bring, including the servants and guards who will accompany you?"

"Reporting back to our ancestors, everything is ready."

"Um."

After a moment of silence, Grandmother Jia looked at Jia Lian and beckoned to him.

Jia Lian hesitated for a moment, but still stood in front of Grandmother Jia.

Grandmother Jia stretched out her aged but fair arm, took Jia Lian's hand, patted it with her hands, and stared at him with a heavy gaze, "Go well, and come back well."

Remember, you are a son and grandson of the Jia family, and you bear a great and inescapable responsibility.

There aren't many men left in our family, so you have to take good care of yourself, okay...?

Grandmother Jia's rare display of genuine affection and concern for him made Jia Lian feel slightly surprised and uneasy. However, Jia Lian quickly knelt down and said, "Grandmother, rest assured, your grandson would never dare to disobey your words."

Siluke

"Alright, go now and get some rest. If you're in a hurry tomorrow morning, you don't need to come to pay your respects. Consider this farewell."

"Yes……"

The three sisters all expressed their strong reluctance to part with Jia Lian, but Grandmother Jia had instructed them not to disturb Jia Lian that night.

We're about to embark on a long journey, so this evening should be reserved for the young couple.

Therefore, Yingchun and the others could only offer a word of blessing before standing on the porch in the backyard.

Baochai was originally in her aunt's room, waiting for her mother and aunt to talk.

Feeling a bit annoyed, I went outside.

As they walked through the back hall, they saw Jia Lian approaching.

Baochai thought to herself, "Tomorrow seems to be the day that Second Brother Lian will set off!"

So this is probably the last time I'll see him this year.

With that thought in mind, I naturally stepped forward.

"Oh, it's Sister Baochai! What are you doing here? Hello, Auntie?"

Jia Lian's voice was as unhurried as ever, which pleased Baochai.

It seemed as if nothing could make him anxious.

"Thank you for your concern, Brother Lian. My mother is doing well. She just heard that you are leaving the capital. She originally wanted to come and see you, but she was afraid you would be too busy, so she asked me to give her my regards if I see you."

"Thank you for your trouble."

After exchanging pleasantries, there was a brief silence between them. Jia Lian then invited Baochai inside for tea.

Baochai glanced at the quiet courtyard, silently shook her head, then looked up at Jia Lian and said softly:

"I'm sure Yingchun and the others have already said all that, but I'm not good with words and can't come up with anything new."

The journey ahead is long; please take care.

As Baochai spoke, she placed her hands on her waist, bowed, and performed a full curtsy.

Approaching the age of marriage, the fair-skinned, beautiful, and elegant young woman's behavior was truly pleasing to the eye, instantly dispelling much of Jia Lian's sorrow before parting.

Their friendship ended there; any further words would be cliché and inappropriate.

Therefore, Jia Lian returned the greeting with a bow, said "thank you," and then stepped past the beauty into his own courtyard.