Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

"Congratulations, ma'am..."

"Congratulations, Second Madam Lian! Congratulations, Second Madam Lian!"

At Rongqing Hall of Rongguo Mansion, the number of Jia family women who rushed to the scene after hearing the news increased even more.

Everyone offered their congratulations to Grandmother Jia and Wang Xifeng.

While smiling and responding, Grandmother Jia looked at Wang Xifeng, who was all smiles and had a charming and amiable demeanor, inside the hall.

"Look how happy she is."

Grandmother Jia smiled and said something to Aunt Xue who was standing next to her.

Aunt Xue smiled gently and replied, "It's no wonder she's like this. Any woman who marries such an outstanding husband would be like this. She's already doing very well."

"Hehehe."

Grandmother Jia laughed heartily, a hint of emotion in her eyes.

A person's fortune is truly unpredictable.

I still remember when Feng Yatou first entered the mansion, because of her flamboyant personality, her playful and scathing remarks, her lack of literacy, and her unlikeness of a well-bred young lady, she attracted a lot of people's secret ridicule.

Who would have thought that she would become the luckiest woman today?

With Lian-ge'er promoted to Marquis, Feng-yatou naturally became the Marquis's wife.

So, let alone the Jia family, how many women in the entire capital could compare to her in terms of nobility and glory?

There is no greater joy in life than this, so it's no wonder that the smile on her face never faded.

She looked up and glanced at the dozens of women and young ladies in the room. Many of them had arrived early and had been waiting for two or three hours. Many of them looked tired, and some of the little ones had even fallen asleep in their mothers' arms.

Thus, even Grandmother Jia couldn't help but ask, "Feng'er, didn't you say that Lian'er was just going to the Lin family to visit his uncle? Why hasn't he come back yet? There are so many of us waiting for him to serve dinner."

When Grandmother Jia spoke with a smile, everyone else fell silent.

Wang Xifeng turned around. Perhaps because she had been teased by You Shi earlier, she didn't show any "foolishness" this time. She simply smiled and replied to Grandmother Jia, "I don't know either. Perhaps something has delayed her. I'll send someone to ask again?"

Wang Xifeng also felt that everyone had been waiting for a long time, and that it was well past lunchtime, and everyone was hungry.

"Or, should we order the meal to be served first, so that the wives, sisters, and nieces can all eat first?"

As soon as Wang Xifeng said this, the women were still unmoved, but the young ladies from the other branches of the Jia family immediately perked up.

I thought coming here with my mother would mean enjoying a big meal, but all I could do was sit and drink water. I'm so hungry!

I heard that the Rongguo Mansion eats very well every day. Today is also the joyous day of Lian Er Gege's (Lian Er Shu's) conferment of a marquisate, so the food must be even more sumptuous!

Grandmother Jia snorted, "Propriety cannot be disregarded. You are already the wife of a marquis, yet you don't even understand this basic principle."

In the past, there would have been no reason to let the whole family wait for Jia Lian.

But things are different now, especially today.

Today is supposed to be the day Jia Lian is granted a marquisate, bringing glory to his family. But if we start a banquet before the main guest has even arrived, it will only make us a laughingstock.

"Haha, it's not that I don't understand. Firstly, although Second Master Lian is now a marquis, the old lady is still here. No matter how high Second Master Lian's official rank is, can he be higher than the old lady?"

How could we let the old lady wait for him on an empty stomach? If word got out, people would say that Second Master Lian was unfilial.

Secondly, my husband has never cared about these things. He's always said at home that we don't need to wait for him when he calls us for meals.

So he certainly doesn't know we're still waiting. If he did, he would have sent someone back long ago to tell us to start the feast.

Wang Xifeng's mind works incredibly fast, and her tongue is truly sharp.

He threw out these words all at once, which both smoothed things over for himself and left Grandmother Jia speechless.

As expected, Grandmother Jia smiled too. Wang Xifeng's remark that no matter how high Jia Lian's official rank was, it couldn't surpass hers made her overjoyed.

Although it was just a natural, polite remark—after all, she was not only Jia Lian's grandmother but also the Duchess of the State—the fact that Wang Xifeng brought it up at this moment showed that Wang Xifeng always kept her, the matriarch, in her heart, making her feel that she hadn't spoiled this girl in vain.

"It's fine at other times, but not today." Grandmother Jia shook her head, indicating that there was no room for discussion.

He wasn't just protecting Jia Lian's dignity, but also the dignity of an entire family.

"Let's serve some snacks first, to fill everyone's stomachs," Grandmother Jia suggested.

Wang Xifeng smiled and agreed, then called Ping'er and the others to bring out various kinds of snacks.

Just as everyone was enjoying their snacks in a pleasant atmosphere, Lin Zhixiao's wife came over and said with a smile, "Reporting to the old lady, Second Master Lian has returned home."

Upon hearing the news, everyone was greatly encouraged.

Tan Chun and the others stood up, laughing and chatting.

"Brother Lian is finally back."

"That's right, it's been a long time since I've seen him, more than half a year, I think."

"I wonder if Brother Lian has lost weight..."

Grandmother Jia smiled and instructed Wang Xifeng and the others, "Why don't you go out and greet them!"

Lin Zhixiao's wife hurriedly said, "Second Master Lian didn't come this way. He entered the mansion from the east wing. He said he would go back to change his clothes first and then come to pay his respects to the old lady later."

Grandmother Jia frowned. On such a special day, Jia Lian hadn't even entered the mansion through the main gate.

It should be noted that, in order to welcome Jia Lian, a red carpet was specially laid out in front of the main gate and all the way to Rongxi Hall.

The servants of the entire household were also ready to kneel and welcome them.

Jia Lian entered the mansion quietly from the other side.

However, Grandmother Jia, who knew Jia Lian's temperament well, understood his casual approach. Lian'er was a person who didn't care about details, and given the current situation at home, no one could force him to do something so trivial.

Even she, the ancestor, could not.

So he just thought about it casually and then put it aside, ordering the meal to be served.

The news of Jia Lian's return to the Rongguo Mansion quickly spread throughout the mansion, causing a stir from all sides.

Therefore, as Jia Lian traveled from the east wing to Feng Jie's courtyard, he would frequently encounter people who knelt down to pay their respects.

Even after entering Sister Feng's courtyard, all the maids and servants who had been waiting there knelt down in unison.

"Welcome home, Lord Marquis."

Jia Lian raised an eyebrow.

There were thirty or forty people, most of whom were young and beautiful maids and young wives. They were all dressed in clean and respectable clothes, and the sight of them kneeling and congratulating him was quite a spectacle in itself.

Especially the two at the very front, in their early teens, were already exceptionally beautiful, surpassing all other beauties. Just seeing them was a delightful sight.

Not to mention, one of the more alluring women stood up and gave him a sweet smile, which made Jia Lian smile involuntarily.

After enduring the sandstorms beyond the Great Wall, seeing my two precious girls is definitely the most comforting thing.

"Get up, everyone."

Jia Lian casually waved his hand, dismissing everyone, and then walked towards the main house.

Xiangling and Qingwen naturally followed in Jia Lian's footsteps.

"Second Master, you're finally back!"

"Um."

"Second Master, have you really become a Marquis?"

"Um."

"Wow, it's the Marquis..."

"Second Master, do you know...?"

Half a year later, Qingwen showed no signs of estrangement from Jia Lian. As soon as she got close to him, she grabbed his arm and started chattering away with questions.

Xiangling, who was standing next to Qingwen, also had a lot to say, but seeing Qingwen's behavior, she just followed silently.

If Xiangling was like this, other maids such as Xiaohong and Feng'er only dared to follow from afar, looking at Qingwen's back with envy.

"Does Second Master wish to change his clothes?"

Upon entering the inner room, Qingwen saw Jia Lian plopping down in a grand chair. She immediately moved closer to Jia Lian and asked with a smile.

Jia Lian remained silent, simply looking calmly at the two maids before him.

More than half a year has passed since I last saw them, and both girls seem to have grown taller and are becoming more and more graceful.

Under Jia Lian's scrutiny, both women blushed and lowered their heads, resembling two pure white water lilies, a sight to behold.

Without thinking, Jia Lian put his arm around Qingwen's waist, pulled her into his arms, and said, "Don't be in a hurry. I've been busy all day and I'm very tired."

Although Qingwen and Xiangling were not yet of marriageable age, they had long considered themselves Jia Lian's women.

Although Jia Lian never took their bodies, he had already tried all sorts of other intimate things with them.

Therefore, Qingwen did not resist being held and cared for by Jia Lian in the room like this at all.

She also liked to stay in Jia Lian's arms.

Second Master's chest was broad, gentle, and full of a sense of security.

Moreover, didn't you hear Second Master say he was very tired? Second Master rarely says he's tired, so it's clear he must have suffered a lot on this trip back to the capital.

With this thought in mind, Qingwen nestled obediently in Jia Lian's arms, letting him caress her delicate body.

Xiangling naturally walked behind Jia Lian and gently massaged his shoulders.

Holding such a beautiful woman in his arms and enjoying Xiangling's massage, Jia Lian's heart couldn't help but calm down, so he simply closed his eyes and pretended to sleep.

Jia Lian originally intended to return to the capital before the end of the year.

However, due to a dispute with Song Yewang, he was delayed for quite some time at Ganning Pass. And since the princess's entourage moved slowly, despite his careful planning, he only returned to the capital today.

He hadn't had a good rest on the way, and he had stood for half a day while listening to the emperor's audience at the Daming Palace. Even Jia Lian felt somewhat exhausted.

However, with the maids Qing and Xiang serving him, Jia Lian suddenly felt much lighter.

"Oh dear, our whole family has been waiting outside, while the Marquis is just lying at home enjoying himself."

Wang Xifeng's voice suddenly rang in my ears.

Upon hearing this, Jia Lian opened his eyes and glanced at Wang Xifeng, who had stepped through the door.

Feng Lazi was still as radiant and beautiful as ever. Although he was moved by his wife's beauty, Jia Lian rolled his eyes and closed them again because of her unpleasant words, ignoring her completely.

Upon seeing Wang Xifeng, Qingwen dared not act rashly and quickly got up and stepped aside.

She wasn't afraid at all. She understood that as long as they didn't directly confront Sister Feng, given how much the Second Master doted on them, the Second Madam wouldn't dare to do anything to them.

Seeing that Jia Lian ignored Wang Xifeng, Xiangling was afraid that Wang Xifeng would lose face, so she quickly explained, "No, Second Master just got home and is very tired, so he is lying down to rest."

Wang Xifeng glanced at Qingwen, then at Xiangling, and burst out laughing.

She didn't come back to catch them cheating.

Upon learning that Jia Lian had returned to the mansion, she was eager to see the heartless man.

Therefore, taking advantage of the opportunity to serve the meal, he slipped out of Rongqing Hall and rushed back as fast as the wind.

She returned full of joy, only to find Jia Lian having a maid massage his shoulders while he had another woman in his arms. Naturally, she was displeased and spoke sarcastically.

But as soon as the words left her mouth, she felt a little guilty. Hadn't she already made up her mind that she would treat him well and be affectionate with him after his heartless return?

Upon hearing Xiangling's words and seeing that Jia Lian indeed looked quite weary, she felt even more guilty.

Yes, it's true. This heartless fellow has gained such prestige, receiving official promotions and titles. Needless to say, he must have expended a great deal of effort and faced countless dangers.

Putting everything else aside, just a few months ago, I was worried to death. How come I suddenly can't speak when I see people?

As for being jealous?

Perhaps it would have been before, but now...

Hehe, you can ask any woman in the world: if their men could make them marquises, they would probably want to take more women into their husbands' homes!

Not to mention, she herself cares a lot about fame and fortune!

When the news of Jia Lian's ennoblement reached her, she decided that she should no longer fuss over such trivial matters with Jia Lian.

She even secretly thought that as long as Jia Lian loved her as always and didn't abandon her, she would be happy to go up to the sky and pluck the stars down for him if he wanted them every day!

Now they are just two women who are already part of the household, so Wang Xifeng naturally doesn't care.

So she smiled, covering up the earlier misunderstanding, and went behind Jia Lian to take Xiang Ling's place. She gently stroked Jia Lian's arm up to his shoulder with one hand, and did the same with the other, before whispering in a flattering tone, "I admit I misspoke. The Marquis has just returned home and should be happy. Why bother arguing with a mere woman like me and losing your composure?"

Jia Lian remained silent until Feng Jie pressed her hand a few more times, then he raised his hand, grabbed her delicate hand, and pulled her onto his lap.

Wang Xifeng blushed. Even though they were an old married couple, she was still not used to being intimate with Jia Lian in front of the maids.

Fortunately, Xiangling and Qingwen were sensible and retreated behind the curtain upon seeing this.

Wang Xifeng felt more at ease then, sitting in Jia Lian's lap, still gently massaging his shoulders and neck, while asking, "If you are really tired, Master, why don't you rest well at home? I'll take care of things outside for you."

Although Jia Lian had his eyes closed, he was already feeling smug inside.

How long ago did Feng Lazi, who was once fearless, flamboyant, and ruthless, become so gentle, considerate, and understanding?

Indeed, no matter how strong a woman is, she is still a woman.

With proper guidance, one can become incredibly gentle and compliant.

No matter how greedy you are, a marquis's wife would be enough to knock you out.

Thinking this to himself, he coldly replied, "No need, I'll leave after sitting for a while longer."

Although Jia Lian's attitude was indifferent, Wang Xifeng perceived it as having an invisible chill.

This must be the unique quality of a general who holds the lives and deaths of countless people in his hands.

Thinking this, Wang Xifeng unconsciously moved a little closer to Jia Lian.

At this moment, Jia Lian had his eyes closed, which allowed her to admire his appearance without any reservations.

Yes, her appearance hasn't changed, but she does have a more desolate and heroic air about her, making her even more captivating.

Wang Xifeng was stunned, and she stopped massaging the area.

It wasn't until Jia Lian opened his eyes and met his gaze that Wang Xifeng snapped out of her daze, her cheeks flushing crimson with embarrassment.

Even Jia Lian was momentarily stunned by her peach-blossom-like beauty.

Without any hesitation, he pressed her head down, covered her bright red lips, and kissed her.

As the saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder, and for a young couple like them, a simple kiss is hardly enough to express their feelings.

However, Wang Xifeng was ultimately a rational person.

"No, we still have to go out to meet guests!"

Wang Xifeng, who had already been turned over and pinned to the armchair by Jia Lian, put her hands on Jia Lian's chest in protest.

Today is a joyous day, and she doesn't want her radiant smile to turn into a pale, gloomy one.

Those women in Rongqing Hall are all incredibly shrewd; if they were to see through her, she would be mortified.

"Whatever you want tonight, it's yours..."

In order to save face, Wang Xifeng had no choice but to make a shameful promise.

Jia Lian's eyes flickered, and having already made up his mind, he was not in a hurry.

He slapped Feng Lazi's plump buttocks twice, enjoying the long-lost feel, and then rolled over.

"Let's go out quickly too. A lot of people from the clan have come to offer their congratulations today, so we can't be negligent."

Wang Xifeng stood up, glared at Jia Lian, then turned around and called out, "Xiangling, come in."

Her lipstick and clothes were all messed up by Jia Lian; she couldn't go out like this.

I'll have to change my clothes eventually.