Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

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Upon arriving at the east courtyard, Zhang Yongxian greeted him.

"Second Master was right; something really did happen to Master Xue."

The servant obeyed orders and sent men to secretly follow Master Xue. Sure enough, they saw him leave through the north gate. Then the servant personally led more than ten men to chase after him. When they reached a point seven or eight li outside the north gate, they soon heard Master Xue's mournful cries.

The servants, no longer caring about concealing their tracks, hurriedly followed. Little did the Second Master know, the pitiful state of Master Xue at that moment was truly…!

However, the man surnamed Liu was indeed a skilled fighter. When he saw us, he originally wanted to escape, but he didn't panic when we surrounded him. After a series of captures, he injured seven or eight of us.

Luckily, I followed Second Master's orders and brought more men; otherwise, he might have really escaped!

Jia Lian nodded without saying a word and went to the outer study. A short while later, he saw a young man, bound hand and foot and with an arrogant expression, being brought in by Feng Fei and others.

Jia Lian looked around, and even with his discerning eye, he couldn't help but exclaim: What a beautiful presentation!

Of all the young men Jia Lian had seen before, besides himself, Prince Bei Jing, Shui Rong, was the most handsome.

However, Prince Bei Jing's fair complexion inevitably led Jia Lian to look down on him.

Although Liu Xianglian was also quite fair-skinned, it wasn't excessively so; his skin tone was similar to his, and his facial features were well-defined, showing no signs of frailty.

Especially his arrogant and defiant expression at this moment, which gave him a bit of the air of a chivalrous knight-errant.

No wonder Jia Zhen, Jia Baoyu, and others vied to befriend him. Even You Sanjie, with her peach-blossom beauty and self-importance, fell for him at first sight.

Indeed, a great reputation is well-deserved.

"Kneel down!"

When Feng Fei and the others saw that Liu Xianglian was so arrogant when he saw Jia Lian, they wanted to kick him to his knees. However, Liu Xianglian was quite stubborn. Although he was in pain, he refused to kneel no matter what.

"That's enough."

Jia Lian waved his hand and ordered, "Untie the rope for him."

"My lord, don't underestimate him. This lad may look frail, but he's actually quite formidable. Be careful he doesn't injure you..."

Feng Fei assumed Jia Lian was unaware of Liu Xianglian's martial arts skills, so he reminded him. Seeing that Jia Lian only smiled and remained noncommittal, he could only obey and have the ropes untied.

Liu Xianglian, upon entering, didn't utter a single word except for groaning twice when kicked, his eyes fixed on Jia Lian above him. His angry, defiant gaze held a hint of surprise.

Although he had heard the rumors before, he was still somewhat surprised to see Jia Lian so young and handsome.

After all, in his eyes, Jia Lian was a very powerful figure. Moreover, it was rumored that Jia Lian was single-mindedly trying to curry favor with the emperor and was a favored minister with noble status.

I had thought that such people would be arrogant and vulgar, but I never expected them to be so good-looking and of such character. They even looked three times more handsome than me!

The other party was of a higher status than him, and even his proud appearance was no advantage in front of Jia Lian.

With such a sense, Liu Xianglian's pride became somewhat difficult to maintain.

Knowing he had struck the other man's cousin, Jia Lian would most likely not let him off the hook. Yet he wouldn't back down either; having traveled the world since his youth, he possessed a rather unyielding will.

Therefore, after being untied, he did not make any unusual movements, but simply shouted loudly: "That Xue Pan is rude and uncouth, and has repeatedly slighted me. I, Liu Mou, have already hit him, and I will not deny it. No matter how you, Marquis, want to deal with me to avenge the Xue family, I have nothing to say."

His voice conveyed an air of boldness and unwavering resolve, suggesting he was ready to be dealt with at will.

Jia Lian then laughed. If he had some reservations about this person before, now that he actually saw him, Jia Lian genuinely felt a sense of admiration for his talent.

Therefore, he got up, walked around the table, and walked to Liu Xianglian. He asked with a smile, "It is said that Liu Erlang is handsome and extraordinary, and is quite proficient in opera. Many powerful and noble people in the capital want to pay a lot of money to have Liu Erlang come and perform a song in an opera."

I originally thought that Liu Erlang, with such a reputation, would be a frail and handsome scholar. Who would have thought that Erlang's skills would be so mighty and extraordinary.

According to the servants, it took more than ten of our household servants working together to barely capture Erlang. In the process, more than ten of them were injured by Erlang.

Perhaps not wanting to appear weak in front of Jia Lian, or perhaps knowing that Jia Lian was fond of martial arts, Liu Xianglian snorted lightly upon hearing Jia Lian's words and said loudly, "What the Marquis says is correct. If I didn't know that they were under the Marquis's command and dared not draw my sword to fight, then I might not be a match for them alone."

"What an arrogant brat! Just because you didn't draw your sword, did you expect us to draw our blades? If my lord hadn't said he would spare your life, do you think you'd still be alive? How dare you beat Master Xue like that..."

In front of Jia Lian, Zhang Yong and the others were unwilling to let Liu Xianglian belittle them like this, and immediately rebuked him angrily. Seeing Jia Lian wave his hand to signal them to leave, they reluctantly retreated.

Jia Lian said, "I've heard that Liu Erlang has a close relationship with the Duke of Liguo's mansion, and he also possesses such skills. Why doesn't he seek a better future and strive for a brighter future, instead of wasting his life associating with actors and entertainers?"

The arrogance on Liu Xianglian's face vanished instantly. His eyes flickered, and he said casually, "Although my surname is Liu, I am merely from a collateral branch of the Liu family. Moreover, with both my parents and elders deceased, how could I possibly achieve a bright future? As for Liu Fang of the Duke of Li's mansion, hmph..."

Although Liu Xianglian didn't say it explicitly, he knew from just one "humph" that the other party couldn't possibly have gotten in through the Duke of Li's mansion.

So Jia Lian smiled frankly and said, "I already know a little about the grudges between you and Xue Pan."

Although Xue Pan insulted you first, he is still a relative by marriage to the Jia family. Now that you have hurt you so badly, if I let you go now, I'm afraid I will find it difficult to face the Xue family in the future.

"Alright then, I'll have someone take you to see the authorities now. According to the laws of our dynasty, anyone who assaults another to the point of injury is subject to at least a year in prison. And with the power and wealth of the Xue family, even if they demand the prefect sentence you to ten or eight years, it probably wouldn't be difficult..."

Liu Xianglian, however, showed no fear. It wasn't that he thought Jia Lian was bluffing him; after all, money can move mountains, and with the Xue family's wealth, if they really wanted to retaliate, sentencing him to ten or eight years would be easy.

This does not include asking the Jia family and other long-standing relatives and in-laws for help.

However, he had a wide circle of friends, including many powerful figures in the capital. Putting everything else aside, if he asked Jia Baoyu to put in a good word for him, he believed the Xue family would reciprocate.

So if the Xue family really wants to deal with him according to the legal procedures, that would be better. He is confident that he will only stay in prison for a year or two before being released.

Although this was not the situation he wanted to see, he had been mentally prepared for it ever since he decided to give Xue Pan a good beating.

The key point is that he sensed something different in Jia Lian's tone. It seemed that Jia Lian had no intention of standing up for the Xue family!

Not only did they not, but they also showed him some appreciation.

Suppressing his inner turmoil, he calmly asked, "What other option does Your Excellency offer me?"

"The other one is also very simple. I'm currently building my personal guard and I'm short a deputy captain. If Liu Erlang is willing to stay under my command and serve me for three years, I'll act as your intermediary and help you resolve this feud with the Xue family. What do you say?"

Before Liu Xianglian could react to Jia Lian's words, Zhang Yong and the others nearby were already shocked.

To send Liu Xianglian to serve under the Marquis? It sounds like the Marquis even wants him to be the deputy captain?

Is this punishment or a reward...?

Liu Xianglian initially thought he had misheard, but upon realizing what he had heard, his expression immediately became moved.

Throughout his career, he has always presented himself as indifferent to fame and fortune, smiling at the world.

It must be said that his behavior, coupled with his extraordinary appearance and superb opera skills, has indeed made him befriend many self-righteous sons of the powerful and wealthy, as well as people from all walks of life in recent years.

But as the saying goes, "Why shouldn't a man carry a sword?" As a seventeen or eighteen-year-old, a vibrant and promising young man, who wouldn't want to stand out and make a name for themselves?

However, his family had fallen on hard times, leaving him all alone. He was also not good at studying, so even if he wanted to, he was powerless to do so.

If he were asked to curry favor with those powerful and vulgar people, he would utterly disdain doing so. He had tried once or twice, for example, to visit his distant uncle, Liu Fang, the head of the Duke of Li's mansion.

Who would have thought that the scoundrel would try to make him exchange his innocence for his future? It's disgusting!

Therefore, he completely abandoned his ambition for fame and fortune, determined to travel the world, and outwardly presented himself as unrestrained, unconventional, and unconventional.

In truth, only he knew that it wasn't that he was unwilling, but rather that he couldn't.

Last year, when he returned from his travels in the south, he heard several times on the way that a remarkable figure had emerged from the Rongguo Mansion in the capital. This man, at the tender age of twenty, had already won the Emperor's favor. Not only did he serve as the envoy to escort the princess of the dynasty to the border, but he also single-handedly thwarted the conspiracies of the Oirats and Tatars.

Their glorious deeds have been sung by millions and become a popular story.

It could be said that he came to Beijing because of his reputation. Therefore, after receiving Lai Shangrong's invitation, he accepted it almost without hesitation.

It's not necessarily that he intended to surrender; he just wanted to see for himself what kind of person the young marquis, who was rumored to be so valiant, really was!

The Xue Pan incident was truly unexpected. He had already decided that after beating Xue Pan, he would leave the capital and head south to avoid trouble.

Who would have thought that Jia Lian's spies were so powerful? He had just beaten Xue Pan when the latter found him with his men. After some resistance, he was still captured and brought to the Rongguo Mansion.

Thinking he was about to suffer a lot, who could have imagined that after a conversation with Jia Lian, he not only confirmed that the other party was indeed no ordinary person, but the other party actually asked him to serve under him.

Although Jia Lian's actions seemed like a punishment, as long as he wasn't arrogant enough to look down on everyone, he would understand that Jia Lian wasn't punishing him at all, but rather taking a liking to his martial arts skills and wanting to recruit him.

After all, as the youngest marquis in the dynasty and a close advisor to the emperor, if Jia Lian were to announce that he wanted to recruit advisors and guards, countless people from both inside and outside the capital would flock to him!

Not to mention, judging from Jia Lian's words, he wasn't just making him a lowly soldier, but rather the deputy captain of his personal guards.

What are personal guards? They are the soldiers you are closest to and trust the most! As the saying goes, even a seventh-rank official is inferior to a prime minister. I suppose that even if the marquis is not quite as good, he is not much worse!

If he could gain Jia Lian's trust and serve by his side, and in the future Jia Lian held a high position, any job he was assigned would likely be one that millions of people would covet but could not obtain.

Thinking of this, even with Liu Xianglian's pride, he couldn't help but feel a little excited. He knew that this might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and if he missed it, he didn't know when the next one would come.

Striving to maintain his composure, he calmly asked, "I am deeply honored by Your Excellency's kindness. However, I know that Xue Pan is Your Excellency's cousin. I have injured him so severely this time; if he were to submit to Your Excellency's command, wouldn't that only bring trouble?"

"It's alright. My Jia family and the Xue family have a century-old friendship. I have some influence in the Xue family."

"I think if I host a banquet, you can apologize to Xue Pan in person, and we can all make peace."

Having said that, what else could Liu Xianglian say? Even setting aside his own desire for fame and fortune, he had no reason to refuse Jia Lian's offer to help him resolve the Xue family's affairs.

His gaze shifted, and he suddenly knelt on one knee, bowing in a subordinate's manner, and said, "This humble servant, Liu Xianglian, pays his respects to Your Excellency!"

"Biao Xia" is the self-designation used by soldiers in the army when addressing their commander.

Speaking of which, Liu Xianglian's ancestor was Liu Biao, a Duke of the Acting State, who could be considered a descendant of a meritorious official.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have worked so hard to develop such martial arts skills. Wasn't it so that one day he could learn from his ancestors, achieve great things, and bring glory to his family?

Therefore, he often read military books and learned about military etiquette.

"Hehehe, get up."

Jia Lian helped Liu Xianglian up, and at this moment he was finally quite satisfied.

He had only approached the matter with a tentative attitude. If Liu Xianglian was truly not interested in this, and was as stubborn and inflexible as Jia Baoyu, Jia Lian would not have wasted any more time on him.

Judging from Liu Xianglian's reaction, he probably wasn't wrong about the person. He thought to himself, what young person who diligently practices martial arts wouldn't want to achieve great things and make a name for themselves?

Jia Baoyu was an oddball after all; Liu Xianglian's reaction was more scientific.