Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

The young lady felt that she could no longer stay with Jia Lian, otherwise if the Lin family saw her and Jia Lian's "indecent behavior", it would be a disgrace to their lord and his wife.

Just as she was about to return, Jia Lian said to her, "Didn't you ask me why His Majesty summoned me to the palace? Perhaps I need to leave the capital again on official business..."

"What? You've only been back for a few days, and you're already leaving the capital again? Is there no one else in the court? Why is the Emperor only ordering you around?!"

When Wang Xifeng suddenly heard that Jia Lian was going out of the capital again on business, she immediately became anxious and started to speak recklessly.

Jia Lian then pulled her closer, cupped her face in his hands, and comforted her, "Don't worry, there's no danger this time. I'm just going to Jiangnan to oversee a matter for the court. I'll come back once it's done."

Then, he briefly explained the matter of the salt administration in Jiangnan to Sister Feng.

When Sister Feng heard that it wasn't about sending troops, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. After being comforted by Jia Lian for a while, she reluctantly accepted it.

"When are you leaving?"

"His Majesty has ordered that we depart for the south in three days."

Sister Feng thought for a moment, then suddenly asked, "I just heard that the Lin family is going to escort Master Lin's coffin to Suzhou for burial, and you happen to be going to Jiangnan..."

Tell me honestly, did you voluntarily request permission from the Emperor to go south to Jiangnan so that you could help Lin Yatou escort her husband's coffin back to Suzhou?

Jia Lian was surprised that Feng Jie would ask such a question, but considering Feng Jie's shrewdness, it was not surprising that she would make this connection.

Seeing the somewhat aggrieved look in Feng Jie'er's eyes, Jia Lian still held her in his arms and comforted her, "Why have you become as sensitive as Lin Daiyu? I'm not lying to you, although I didn't ask for this job, it's pretty much the same."

This is why Uncle Lin recommended me to His Majesty on his deathbed. Firstly, this is an opportunity to perform before His Majesty, and Uncle Lin is doing his last bit to promote me. Secondly, Uncle Lin was also somewhat worried about Sister Lin going to Suzhou alone, so he asked me to take care of her while I was there. Do you understand?

Sister Feng wasn't one to hold grudges. Her previous grievances stemmed from the feeling that Jia Lian had kept things from her.

Now that Jia Lian explained it this way, she didn't think much of it.

Jia Lian was the emperor's subject, and being able to serve the emperor was an honor, as well as the source of his wealth. Of course, she wouldn't stop him.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone approaching from the opposite corridor. Feng Jie quickly pulled away from Jia Lian's embrace, blushing, and said, "Then you should go home early today. I still have something to say to you. I've been here for half a day, so I'll head back now."

"Okay, be careful on the road."

……

After Daiyu returned to her room, her two stepmothers and wet nurse came to congratulate her.

After finally seeing off the elders, the maids, including Zijuan and Xueyan, surrounded them and chattered incessantly.

Finally, she got a little annoyed and said she was tired, so she let the girls go.

"Now you can rest assured, Miss," Zijuan said with a smile as she served tea to Daiyu.

"What do you mean I'm not worried about? Tell me."

"Why pretend to be ignorant, young lady? Of course you are. With the title of Lady of the Township, even if you marry a Marquis in the future, no one will dare to look down on you."

Upon hearing this, Daiyu blushed, but stubbornly retorted, "You silly girl, if you dare to talk nonsense again, you can leave too. Don't get in my way here."

"Yes, yes, yes, I will obey Lord Lin's command."

Zijuan would usually cooperate, bowing once and then pretending to step back.

Before she knew it, she bumped into something. Turning around, she saw Jia Lian standing behind her. Zijuan blushed and quickly bowed and stepped aside.

"What kind of comedy routine are you two girls putting on?"

Jia Lian walked over and sat down on the edge of Daiyu's kang (heated brick bed). Although Daiyu no longer hid under the covers when she saw Jia Lian, she still didn't dare to get too close to him. When she saw him coming, she quickly moved to sit down to the side.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Jia Lian staring at her. Embarrassed, Daiyu quickly tried to start a conversation, saying, "Thank you so much for today, it's been so kind of you..."

"Why thank me? I haven't gone to any trouble at all."

Zijuan seized the opportunity to laugh and said, "What our young lady is saying is true, the title of Lady of the Country that Second Master helped her obtain."

"I'm afraid of that. Although I really want Lord Lin to be grateful for my help, I regret to say that this matter has little to do with me. It's mainly because my uncle has rendered meritorious service to the country that he was able to bestow this favor upon my sister."

Daiyu glanced at Jia Lian. Even so, without Jia Lian, she probably wouldn't have received this reward.

In short, she must remember this favor.

It wasn't for the honor Jia Lian brought her, but for the sincerity he showed her. That way, even if she suffered some injustice in the future, she could remember the kindness of her second brother, Jia Lian, and feel better about it.

Daiyu knew from the moment she agreed to marry Jia Lian that her life was destined to be anything but smooth sailing.

But for Jia Lian, she was not afraid.

Meeting Daiyu's gaze, Jia Lian felt a surge of satisfaction.

He didn't act rashly, but simply told Daiyu that he would be setting off south in three days.

Daiyu simply said that she would leave everything to his arrangements.

Thus, Jia Lian sat in Daiyu's room for a while, but then found himself with nothing to say and nothing to do.

Daiyu was too shy and reserved, and at this moment, Jia Lian was too embarrassed to do anything to her. After giving her a few words of advice, he prepared to leave.

Just before leaving, she remembered something else. "By the way, Lin sister, when we go south, could you please take your apprentice Xiangling with you?"

Daiyu was slightly taken aback, then replied, "She's your maid. Why are you letting her come with me? Why don't you just take care of her yourself?"

In Daiyu's eyes, Xiangling was Jia Lian's maid. It was normal for Jia Lian to want Xiangling to come and serve him, but why bother her?

"I brought her south for no other reason than that I had heard some news about her mother from other people, so I wanted to try to find Xiangling's mother and reunite her with her daughter."

When Jia Lian first got Xiang Ling, he promised to help her find her relatives if he had the chance in the future.

However, he became busier year by year and put the matter aside. Now that he was going south to Jiangnan again, he thought he might as well ask Jia Yucun if he could find Xiangling's mother.

As for Xiangling's father, Zhen Shiyin, he has probably long since become a monk and traveled the world, so there's no need to search for him anymore.

"Is Xiangling's mother still alive?"

Daiyu and Zijuan beside her were both somewhat surprised.

They all knew, of course, that Xiangling had been abducted as a child and was a very pitiful person.

"I think so. But I'm not sure. But if there's a chance, we should try, so that Xiangling won't regret it for the rest of her life."

Daiyu listened in silence. Lian Er-gege (Second Brother Lian) is so kind-hearted; he treats even the maids around him so well.

If it were any other family, no matter how good they were to Xiangling, they probably wouldn't want to help her find her mother.

Even so, you can take care of her yourself.

Daiyu pouted, perhaps feeling a little jealous because Jia Lian treated Xiangling so well.

Jia Lian smiled and touched Daiyu's hair, saying, "This time I'm going south on an imperial mission, which may require me to travel between several prefectures in Jinling. It might be inconvenient for Xiangling to come with me sometimes, so it's better if she comes with you."

What's wrong? Is Lin Daiyu unwilling to help with this?

"Oh well."

Having not escaped Jia Lian's head-patting technique, Daiyu had no time to think. Hearing that what Jia Lian said made some sense, she quickly nodded in agreement.