Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

Although the city gates were already closed when I returned to the capital.

However, the West City Garrison was in charge of the West City Gate, so this was just a formality for Jia Lian.

In fact, it wasn't just him. If the sons of powerful nobles and princes in the capital failed to enter the city before it closed, they would usually be allowed to enter through a small gate by simply reporting their presence. They wouldn't be deliberately made to make things difficult.

Upon returning to the Rongguo Mansion, Jia Lian first went home to change his clothes before coming out to inquire about the registration status of Zhang Yong and the other guards.

"Reporting to Second Master, nearly two hundred people from both households came to register today."

"So many?"

Jia Lian was somewhat surprised. Although the Jia family had a large population, and even more people relied on the Jia family for their livelihood, excluding those who guarded the estate and other such places, the total number of people in the two mansions should be less than six hundred.

Among them, there were only about three hundred male servants.

Zhang Yong laughed and said, "Although there are so many applicants, after excluding those who are too old or too young and who obviously do not meet the standards, there are only 107 left."

"This servant has informed these people to report to the training grounds tomorrow morning and await the Second Master's selection."

Jia Lian nodded in agreement. It was no surprise that both the old and the young were trying it.

Zhang Yong thought for a moment and then said, "Actually, Second Master, in my opinion, even if there are more than a hundred people to choose from, I'm afraid it would be difficult for you to select fifty people who are satisfactory."

Having followed Jia Lian for so long, Zhang Yong naturally knew that although Jia Lian treated his subordinates well, he also had very high expectations.

Previously, even as a guard, it was required that one's ancestors had served as personal guards under the two dukes of Ning and Rong. Now that the second master is also qualified to recruit personal guards, the requirements will naturally be even higher.

The Jia family had not been involved in military affairs for decades, and even the masters had degenerated, let alone the servants.

There aren't many people with good physical fitness.

"That's fine. I never intended to recruit fifty people at once."

Let's wait and see. Anyway, my personal guards are of the highest quality, even if they are few and far between.

If I can't select fifty people from these individuals, then I will follow the example of my predecessors and post a notice to recruit some talented individuals.

Jia Lian waved his hand dismissively and said.

Given his status, if he were to express his intention to recruit talented individuals, many people, both inside and outside the capital, who were not doing well in life, would be willing to come and join him.

Take Jia Zheng, for example. Even though he was only a fourth or fifth-rank official in the central government, many scholars and literati flocked to him because he was backed by the Duke's mansion.

Jia Lian is now in a much better position than Jia Zheng.

Even if Jia Lian wanted to recruit strategists, it would be feasible, let alone just recruiting some personal guards.

After agreeing on the time for selecting his personal guards with Zhang Yong and others, Jia Lian left the east wing and headed towards Rongqing Hall.

It's time to talk to Grandmother Jia about Daiyu's matter.

Rongqing Hall, Jia Lian originally thought that it was the New Year festival and that Grandmother Jia's place should be quite lively.

But when I arrived, I found the courtyard to be quite quiet.

"The old lady spent the whole afternoon strolling around the garden with Baoyu and the others, and she's a bit tired, so she's getting ready to go to sleep."

Inside the main hall, Yuanyang heard that Jia Lian had come and hurriedly came out to explain.

Jia Lian thought for a moment, then cupped his hands and said, "In that case, I won't bother the old lady any longer. I'll come again tomorrow."

Jia Lian was about to leave when, perhaps hearing the commotion, Grandmother Jia inside asked from the inner room, "Yuanyang, who's here?"

Seeing that Jia Lian rarely took the initiative to come to see Grandmother Jia, Yuanyang knew that something must have happened, so she reported it truthfully.

"Grandma, it's Second Master Lian."

"What's this monkey doing here... let him in."

Upon hearing Grandmother Jia's instructions, Yuanyang led Jia Lian through the main hall and from behind the screen on the west side into Grandmother Jia's bedroom.

Grandmother Jia's Rongqing Hall was very large and spacious, and even her sleeping quarters were like that.

Not only was the furnishings and decorations far more grand than elsewhere, but the long kang (heated brick bed) in the outer room alone was over ten feet long and five feet wide. A large, lustrous brocade quilt was laid on the kang, exuding luxury.

Looking from the outer room towards the inner room, behind a partition window, there is a rather secluded room, which is the Green Gauze Pavilion where Daiyu first lived when she entered the Jia Mansion.

At this moment, Grandmother Jia, having just finished washing her feet and getting into bed with the help of her maids, saw Jia Lian and asked him what was wrong.

Jia Lian thought for a moment and said, "There is indeed something I wish to discuss with you, Grandfather. Please forgive my rudeness, but I ask that you dismiss everyone else."

Grandmother Jia frowned but didn't say anything. She simply ordered, "Go away." The other maids, including the old women, also tactfully withdrew.

Yuanyang was about to leave when Jia Lian said, "Miss Yuanyang, please stay and serve the old matriarch."

Yuanyang was stunned for a moment, but didn't say anything. She went back and knelt on the kang (a heated brick bed), gently massaging Grandmother Jia's shoulders.

"What is it that you're afraid of others hearing? Speak up."

Upon hearing Grandmother Jia's question, Jia Lian thought to himself, "It's not that he's afraid others will hear, it's just that he's worried about you and doesn't want anyone to hear."

Seeing that everyone had left, Jia Lian raised his robe, knelt down and said to Grandmother Jia, "Grandson has come here to earnestly request that Grandmother agree to my marriage to Sister Lin."

At first, Grandmother Jia didn't pay much attention and enjoyed Yuanyang's service with her eyes closed.

Upon hearing Jia Lian's words, he was suddenly startled and opened his eyes wide to ask, "What did you say?"

Jia Lian had no intention of beating around the bush with Grandmother Jia, so he said directly, "I went to Uncle Lin's house today and have already reached an agreement with him. I want to marry Sister Lin, and Uncle Lin is willing to give Sister Lin to me in marriage."

Therefore, I have come here to ask my ancestor for his consent to this marriage.

This shocked not only Grandmother Jia, but even Yuanyang was so shocked that she opened her mouth and sat on the kang (heated brick bed), forgetting for a moment to massage Grandmother Jia's shoulders.

Grandmother Jia paid no attention to this; her eyes were fixed on Jia Lian, and she asked blankly, "What did you say? You said you want to marry your Lin sister, and Yu'er's father even agreed?"

"Yes, ancestor."

Grandmother Jia found it unbelievable, firstly because Jia Lian actually wanted to marry Daiyu!

Wasn't he and Feng Yatou supposed to die together?

Even with the princess and empress dowager pressuring them so hard, they couldn't separate the two.

Could it be that they want to bring Yu'er into the family as a concubine?

If that's the case, would Yu'er's father agree?

These two simple considerations led Grandmother Jia to suspect that Jia Lian was just bored and trying to amuse her.

Finally remembering that Jia Lian liked to do unpredictable things, she took a deep breath to calm herself down and pressed for answers.

Jia Lian then revealed his feelings for Daiyu and how Lin Ruhai was willing to give Daiyu to him as a concubine.

As for some unnecessary details, such as the adoption of a son to the Lin family, he did not mention them for the time being, so that Grandmother Jia could have some time to process them.

Jia Lian knew that the old lady was determined to bring Jia Baoyu and Daiyu together and didn't want to give her any reason to object.

Even so, after hearing Jia Lian's words, Grandmother Jia fell silent, looking at Jia Lian with a complicated expression.

If Jia Lian weren't so different now, she knew she would have rejected him immediately!

First, Daiyu is her own granddaughter, and besides Lin Ruhai, she is also Daiyu's elder. How could she allow Daiyu to become someone else's concubine, even a noble one?

Secondly, if Yu'er is given to this monkey, what will happen to Bao Yu?

Grandmother Jia watched her two grandsons grow up, so of course she knew how much Jia Baoyu cherished Yu'er.

If Yu'er were to marry someone else, that would be fine, but if he knew that Yu'er had been betrothed to Jia Lian, and as a concubine at that, how could Bao Yu accept it!

Based on these two points, Grandmother Jia's first reaction was to object.

However, she also knew that Jia Lian was probably not lying.

He dared to tell her this, so it must be because, as he said, he had Lin Ruhai's permission. In this respect, lying would be pointless.

Since ancient times, the marriage of children has been decided by their parents and arranged by matchmakers.

No matter how much she loved Daiyu, she could never surpass Lin Ruhai.

Lin Ruhai has all the power to decide Daiyu's life's most important matter! Only if Lin Ruhai dies will she, as Daiyu's maternal grandmother, have the right to make decisions for Daiyu.

Therefore, if Lin Ruhai agrees to Daiyu marrying Jia Lian, then she cannot stand on Daiyu's side and refuse the marriage.

Fortunately, besides being Daiyu's maternal grandmother, she was also Jia Lian's maternal grandmother.

Jia Lian's biological parents were both dead, and as for Madam Xing, she was not even worth Jia Mu's attention.

Therefore, she had a say in Jia Lian's decision to take a concubine or get married.

Otherwise, Jia Lian wouldn't be kneeling before her now, begging her to agree to the marriage.