Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

Chapter 517

The Imperial Household Department was a large organization that oversaw all internal affairs of the palace.

The inner treasury was equivalent to the treasury of the Imperial Household Department, commonly known as the emperor's private treasury.

Emperor Ningkang was quite concerned about the arrival of these millions of taels of silver. With this money, he wouldn't have to play mind games with the old ministers at court over money for a considerable period of time. Therefore, he specially dispatched Dai Quan to hand over the funds to Jia Lian.

When he finished these matters and left the palace, Jia Lian felt completely relaxed.

Although he cannot be perfect in every aspect at all times, he strives to plan things out before acting.

As long as the emperor is satisfied with him, tomorrow's morning court session will just be a formality, at most involving some verbal sparring with the ministers, and will not have much impact on him at all.

Leading his personal guards towards the west of the city, before they even left the Xi'an Gate, a beautiful woman in palace attire blocked their path.

What are you doing here?

When Jia Lian lifted the carriage curtain, he saw that it was the maidservant that Princess Zhaoyang had given him, named Hu Yuanyao. He already had something in mind, but he still asked a question.

The main reason Princess Zhaoyang gave her to him was to have her act as a liaison between the two of them to facilitate communication.

To make it easier for her to enter and leave the Rongguo Mansion, and to avoid the princess having too much contact with Wang Xifeng, Jia Lian did not arrange for her to enter the inner courtyard, but instead placed her in the east wing to help him manage the outer study.

Hu Yuanyao stood outside the carriage and bowed. "My lord, an old friend is waiting for you to have a chat up ahead."

As she spoke, she glanced back.

Jia Lian followed her gaze and, sure enough, saw a carriage quietly parked at the entrance of an alley in the distance. The carriage was neither too big nor too small, nor was it luxurious, and there were no attendants standing around it; it was completely inconspicuous.

Jia Lian shook his head slightly. Under these circumstances, who else but Princess Zhaoyang would meet him in this way?

I told you, was it really necessary to make it so mysterious, and with all this talk about old friends...

Princess Zhaoyang must have deliberately made Hu Yuanyao say that.

Without hesitation, Jia Lian ordered his guards to stay put while he followed Consort Hu to the carriage.

"Master, the Marquis of Zhenyuan has arrived."

Not long after Hu Meiren finished speaking, a clear, melodious voice, tinged with joy and a hint of teasing, rang out: "Lord Jia, now that you're here, why not get in the carriage for a chat?"

Whose voice could it be but that of Princess Zhaoyang?

Having spent over a month wandering together with Princess Zhaoyang in the desert, living side by side day and night, how could Jia Lian not know some of her habits?

This young lady always liked to create a unique atmosphere; if she lived in later generations, she would definitely be considered a very romantic woman.

"Since it is an invitation from an old friend, how could I dare to refuse?"

As Jia Lian spoke, he jumped onto the carriage, lifted the curtain, and went inside.

The carriage, though simple on the outside, was decorated with understated luxury and elegance inside. Princess Zhaoyang, a beautiful young woman of twenty-nine, dressed in a palace gown, sat behind a small tea table, leisurely brewing tea.

Her appearance was beautiful and elegant, and her temperament was noble and refined. Even her casual and natural demeanor showed a composure and confidence that was hard to match even among the most refined ladies in the world.

"It's been several months, does Your Excellency not recognize me?"

Seeing that Jia Lian was staring at her without making a move, Princess Zhaoyang's eyes flashed with a smile.

"After not seeing her for several months, Your Highness has become even more beautiful and ethereal, like a fairy from the moon palace. As a mere mortal, I am fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of your divine beauty, and I must admire you to my heart's content."

"Hehehe, Erlang's appearance hasn't changed much in the past few months. He's still as handsome and dashing as ever. It's just that his mouth has become even more eloquent than before."

Princess Zhaoyang smiled, pushed aside the cup of tea she had just brewed, and gestured with one hand for Jia Lian to sit down and enjoy it.

"Erlang knows my tea skills, so I won't introduce this tea, lest Erlang say that I'm pretentious and wasting a precious resource."

This cup of tea is offered to Erlang on his long journey back, to quench his thirst and relieve his fatigue.

Jia Lian didn't respond to that, but simply smiled, picked up the teacup, took two sips, and then drank it all in one gulp: "Good tea."

"Hehehe..."

Princess Zhaoyang found that her smile hadn't stopped since she saw Jia Lian. Realizing this might make Jia Lian look down on her, she quickly composed herself and asked seriously, "You've met my father, the Emperor. Did he discuss with you the rumors some ministers have about you? Is there any trouble?"

Jia Lian met Princess Zhaoyang's gaze and, seeing that she was concerned about him, shook his head: "There's no trouble at all. Didn't you say that I'm very good at sweet-talking people? Even His Majesty was very pleased with me. With him backing me up, who would dare to cause me any trouble?"

Princess Zhaoyang's lips twitched upon hearing this.

She did say that Jia Lian was the best at coaxing people, but that was an insult, implying that he was good at coaxing girls, and that even she, a princess, was fooled by him.

But his father was neither a woman nor someone easily fooled.

However, she trusted Jia Lian's abilities, and since he said that, she assumed he had a plan, so she let the matter drop.

She lifted her jade-like buttocks slightly closer to Jia Lian, tilted her head back to look at his face, and suddenly said teasingly, "Second Brother, is there anything you want to say to me, for example, about women..."

Upon hearing this, Jia Lian's expression hardened slightly. He turned to look at her, feigning guilt, and asked, "Did Qing Ran still find out?"

"Hehehe, what do you think?"

"Okay, I admit it, I brought a few women back from Jiangnan..."

Princess Zhaoyang was taken aback. "Women? Or several?"

Jia Lian quickly adopted a posture of confession and leniency, giving a brief description of Shen Pan'er and the others' origins, emphasizing that he brought them back to the capital because he valued their talents.

Upon hearing this, Princess Zhaoyang looked at Jia Lian with a smile. Seeing that Jia Lian was looking at her sincerely, she suddenly smiled.

"They're just a few beauties. If Erlang likes them, he can keep them by his side. What's the big deal?"

I know that for you men, the more beautiful women the better. Otherwise, why would I have given Yuan Yao to you in the first place?

Who would have thought that someone would kindly offer you a beautiful woman, and you wouldn't appreciate it, leaving her to live a life of widowhood for so long, and then turning around and getting together with your own cousin, causing her so much heartbreak and sadness...

Princess Zhaoyang spoke, feigning sadness.

Princess Zhaoyang truly didn't care about courtesans or famous courtesans; to her, those women were no different from playthings.

Even Hu Yuanyao couldn't compare to the concubine she gave to Jia Lian. Hu Yuanyao was, after all, the daughter of the gatekeeper of Xi'an, and had potential political influence. Since she could give her away to Jia Lian so readily, she naturally wouldn't care about some women of low status.

What she originally wanted to talk about was, of course, Daiyu's affairs, and could only be Daiyu's affairs.

This was a rumor she received after Jia Lian left the capital, but since Jia Lian was on official business in Jiangnan at the time, she did not mention it in her letter to him.

Now that Jia Lian has returned safely, she naturally wants to ask him about it.

Back then, his grandmother pressured him so much to marry her, Jia Lian, but he refused. Yet, he turned around and promised to get engaged to his own little cousin.

It would be strange if Princess Zhaoyang didn't care.

Jia Lian actually knew that Princess Zhaoyang was probably referring to this matter, and he never thought that he could keep it from her.

Seeing that she had brought the matter to light, Jia Lian sighed and pulled her into his arms, saying softly, "Now that you know about this, you must understand the inside story."

I originally thought Qingran wouldn't care about this. After all, even if it were Feng, in terms of status and position, she would be far inferior to you, the eldest princess, let alone her, a weak woman who lost both her parents and had no one to rely on.

I know that our current situation is unfair to Qingran, and I've wronged you. To be honest, if I had even the slightest way to get His Majesty to give you to me, I would be willing to have both my legs broken.

Princess Zhaoyang kept staring at Jia Lian's face while he was speaking, and it was unclear what she was thinking.

But her sadness was mostly feigned. When she saw Jia Lian looking so serious and deep, she immediately broke into a smile.

"That won't do. If Father breaks both your legs, I won't even look at you anymore, and you'll be useless then."

Princess Zhaoyang knew perfectly well that Jia Lian had no intention of provoking her at all. The fact that their relationship had developed to where it was today was entirely due to her own efforts.

So, let alone the current situation, it's no wonder Jia Lian is in this predicament. Even if Jia Lian were to change his mind now and be willing to divorce his wife and marry someone else for her sake, it would probably be very difficult to do.

After all, the royal family's reputation is very important. They forced you to marry them back then, and now they're going back on their word. What kind of royal princess are they?

Besides, based on her understanding of Jia Lian, she knew he would never divorce her wife, who was all looks and no substance.

He wants to have his cake and eat it too!

Princess Zhaoyang would have scoffed at any other man, but because it was Jia Lian, she felt that everything was perfectly natural.

The man she'd rather abandon her noble status to be with deserves it.

Given the current situation, it's unlikely that she can marry into the Rongguo Mansion openly and legitimately, but she's not in a hurry at all.

The current situation is actually not bad.

Focus on your career, and when you miss your lover, go on a date like this.

Don't worry, once you get to the Duke's mansion, you won't be competing with that Lady Wang for his affections.

As for that rumored, heavenly-looking youngest cousin of the Lin family, she's actually quite a pitiful person.

Moreover, the fact that her father, a scholar who had achieved the third rank in the imperial examinations, was willing to give her to Jia Lian as a concubine shows that both she and her father had exceptional insight.

Just like myself.

Therefore, although she speculated about her little cousin's position in Jia Lian's heart, she did not harbor any hostility towards her.

From what she heard, her younger cousin didn't seem like a threat at all. On the contrary, people's descriptions of her exceptionally beautiful appearance piqued her curiosity.

"I heard from others that this little cousin of the Lin family, although she is still young and sickly, is extremely beautiful, like a fairy."

I'm quite curious; I wonder what she looks like. I don't know, maybe compared to my god-sister Baoqin?

I'd really like to meet her in person; I wonder if Erlang would be willing to introduce me to her.

Also, my god-sister's family seems to live in Jiangnan. Did you go and visit her for me on your trip down there?

Princess Zhaoyang said with a smile.

What Jia Lian admired most about Princess Zhaoyang was her carefree attitude; she never asked difficult questions a second time, and she was much more generous than men.

"It's not difficult for you to see her. However, she doesn't know about our relationship yet. I'll arrange for you two to meet when the time is right."

"Hmm, that works too, I'm not in a rush anyway."

Princess Zhaoyang hadn't seen Jia Lian for a long time and seemed to miss him terribly. Now that Jia Lian was holding her in his arms, she didn't stand on ceremony and began to caress Jia Lian's body with her delicate hands, gradually stirring up the familiar atmosphere between the two.

After Jia Lian told Princess Zhaoyang about Baoqin's situation, he saw that her face was flushed and her eyes were alluring. He would not disappoint the beauty's heart, so he turned around and hugged her in his arms, holding her soft and tempting body tightly, and lowered his head to kiss her.

After a deep kiss that seemed to last forever, Princess Zhaoyang sat up, wrapped her arms around Jia Lian's neck, closed the front of her dress that Jia Lian had torn open, and then looked at Jia Lian with a smile, her breath sweet as orchids, and said, "It's a pity, Erlang must be in a hurry to go home today. I really don't want Erlang to leave."

Upon hearing this, Jia Lian gave her a disapproving look.

He flipped her over and pinned her to the fur-covered chair seat, his hands beginning to unravel her skirt, as if to get down to business.

"Hehehe, I'm sure you're still waiting for Erlang at home today. If you go back and Erlang doesn't satisfy you, you'll probably be angry. It wouldn't be good if you didn't let Erlang sleep on the bed tonight," Princess Zhaoyang said with a smile.

Jia Lian was immediately exasperated and stopped holding back, his movements becoming increasingly rough, almost to the point of tearing her clothes off.

"Then let's see if you have the ability."

Princess Zhaoyang smiled, and as Jia Lian lingered on her body for a while, she stood up and prepared to take off his own clothes. With great determination, she pulled Jia Lian's head down again and stopped him, saying, "Let's stop today. It's not good to keep your soldiers waiting over there for too long."

"If Erlang is willing, I'll be waiting for you at the imperial estate outside the city tomorrow afternoon..."

Jia Lian initially thought Princess Zhaoyang was joking, but after a couple of movements, he realized she really wouldn't give it to him, and he was speechless.

Girls, are you messing with me?

"Hehehe, Erlang, don't be angry. Today is just the wrong time, and I wasn't prepared."

"If Erlang is in a bad mood, he can just take Yuan Yao away. Consider it an apology to Erlang on her behalf..."

Jia Lian was, after all, a man of self-control. Although he didn't know what this woman was up to, since she was serious, Jia Lian had no reason to force her.

So he sat down, pulled her into his arms, and said irritably, "I'll deal with you tomorrow afternoon!"

"Okay, I'll be waiting..."

Princess Zhaoyang found Jia Lian's angry expression particularly adorable, and couldn't resist tilting her head up to kiss him on the cheek before urging him to get out of the carriage.

Jia Lian had no intention of getting entangled, but instead of leaving immediately, he took out a thick envelope he had prepared earlier from his sleeve and placed it in Princess Zhaoyang's hand.

"What is this?" Princess Zhaoyang asked curiously, and without standing on ceremony with Jia Lian, she immediately opened it to take a look.

When Princess Zhaoyang discovered that the contents were a thick stack of silver notes, she raised an eyebrow and looked at Jia Lian with surprise.

"Here's 500,000 taels of silver. Take it. Your princess residence is so large; your daily expenses must be considerable. You might find it useful."

Although it was obvious at a glance that the number was not small, Princess Zhaoyang still couldn't help but twitch her eyelids when she heard the number 500,000.

But she didn't show much surprise. She just looked at Jia Lian and asked with a casual smile, "Those salt merchants gave you as tribute?"

When Jia Lian was in Jiangnan, she exchanged long letters with him. In the letters, Jia Lian told her about the situation in Yangzhou and asked her to take a look and give him some advice.

Therefore, Princess Zhaoyang was not surprised that Jia Lian was able to come up with so much money.

I guess so.

Jia Lian didn't bother to explain to Princess Zhaoyang in detail, and Princess Zhaoyang didn't ask any further questions. She naturally accepted the silver note and then said with a smile, "I won't stand on ceremony with Erlang. Anyway, my princess residence also belongs to Erlang. As the male head of the household, it is Erlang's responsibility to support the family."

"Don't worry, Erlang, I will definitely not let this 500,000 taels of silver go to waste."

As Princess Zhaoyang spoke, a glint of planning flashed in her eyes.

Upon returning to the capital, she immediately requested to leave the palace and establish her own residence. This was precisely to build up her own power, firstly so that she wouldn't be helpless when facing other matters in the future, and secondly so that she would have the ability to help Jia Lian.

As the eldest princess, she has the ability to communicate with both insiders and outsiders. If she does a good job, she can definitely provide Jia Lian with assistance.

But building power is all talk without money. Therefore, this 500,000 taels of silver is exactly what she needs.

She knew that Jia Lian wouldn't have given her so much money for no reason. She was very gratified; Jia Lian truly treated her princess's residence as his second home, as his backyard, which was why he trusted her so much money!

So she rolled over and straddled Jia Lian's lap, giving him a wet kiss.

However, Jia Lian, perhaps to get revenge on her, acted very calmly at this moment. After the kiss ended, he immediately turned around and left.

This left Princess Zhaoyang, who was already considering whether to change her mind and keep Jia Lian for another half hour, feeling empty inside. She lifted the curtain and watched Jia Lian lead his maid away, her brows furrowing slightly.

But then she smiled sweetly, waved to the maidservant about ten steps behind the carriage, dropped the curtain, sat inside the carriage, and began to think about the arrangements for the next afternoon.