Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

Chapter 518 Sister Feng (Part 1)

The Lin family's residence was the house that Lin Ruhai bought to recuperate after resigning from his official post.

It's just a house with two courtyards in the front and two in the back, not very big, but it can easily accommodate thirty or forty people.

"The Marquis is back!"

As Jia Lian stepped through the gate, he saw that although servants and young men were coming and going, everything was in good order. He nodded to Zhao Sheng and the others who had arranged everything.

The Lin family was quite wealthy, and Jia Lian did not want to bring it back to the Rongguo Mansion, lest it become a mixed bag with unclear ownership.

Therefore, managing it separately here is the best choice. He also wanted to alleviate Daiyu's feeling of being dependent on others to some extent, so preserving this place as Daiyu's own home in the capital was also quite necessary.

In the future, this place can also be regarded as Daiyu's maternal home, and she can get married from here.

As for whether Grandmother Jia and others would have any objections, Jia Lian didn't care at all. Originally, Lin Ruhai's will stipulated that half of the Lin family's property be given as Daiyu's dowry, and the other half as the inheritance for his future grandson.

The dowry was Daiyu's private property. The other half was only temporarily managed by him; in reality, it still belonged to the Lin family.

Therefore, whether considering public or private matters, Jia Lian had no reason to place this wealth in the Rongguo Mansion and let others benefit from it.

After all, the Rongguo Mansion did not yet belong entirely to him, so it was better to keep the accounts separate to avoid trouble.

When the old lady passes away someday, these problems will no longer need to be considered. But that will take time; Jia Lian knows that the old lady Jia lived a very long life.

"My lord."

Seeing the two brothers approaching with humble expressions, Jia Lian asked, "Where is your mother?"

"Mother is inside, attending to the young lady..."

Because Lin Youquan stayed in Suzhou to manage the remaining fixed assets of the Lin family, he sent his wife and son back to the capital with Jia Lian first.

Lin Youquan was a servant born into the Lin family, and his wife and son were naturally also servants of the Lin family.

Although he was not familiar with Lin Youquan's sons, as Lin Youquan's family had previously lived in the old residence in Suzhou, Jia Lian was willing to give Lin Youquan face and allow his sons to temporarily manage the affairs here.

If they are as loyal as their father, that would be good. But if they have some character flaws or are not reliable in their work, then we can talk about replacing them.

So he nodded, gave a few words of advice, and went into the inner courtyard.

Encouraged by Jia Lian, Daiyu also began to learn how to handle things. Therefore, after entering the city, she did not rush back to Rongguo Mansion, but came here, firstly to settle her own small family, and secondly to help Jia Lian keep an eye on things outside.

By this time, everything in her courtyard had been arranged, and she was just waiting for Jia Lian to return so that she could go back to the Rongguo Mansion with him.

Jia Lian knew that some people in his household must be getting impatient, so he didn't waste any time. He left a few guards to watch over the gate and took Daiyu and the things he needed to bring back to the Rongguo Mansion to Ningrong Street.

In the east courtyard, in front of the black-lacquered gate, Wang Xifeng, having received the news, had already dropped what she was doing and, with several maids and servants, waited anxiously!

According to the etiquette of a large family, she should have greeted him in her own courtyard or at the second gate. However, Wang Xifeng was not one to follow conventions, and in her concern, she disregarded those formalities.

Given their current status and position, even if they do something outrageous, no one would dare to criticize them.

Even Grandmother Jia treated her with increasing leniency each day, something Wang Xifeng could sense.

What else is she afraid of?

After a long while, a large group of people finally came from the east end of the street.

As the procession drew closer, she glanced around and, sure enough, there she was on that familiar white horse, on that heartless man she had been talking about countless times over the past few months.

He was still as handsome and elegant as ever, and surrounded by a large group of equally imposing guards, he appeared so dashing and spirited.

Upon seeing this, Wang Xifeng's eyes became somewhat moist. However, out of consideration for the demeanor of a Marquis's wife, she did not make any move and simply watched Jia Lian approach quietly.

Finally, the white horse stopped in front of the main gate, and her husband jumped down.

Wang Xifeng could no longer remain calm. She stepped forward and gazed at Jia Lian with a tender look.

Jia Lian also looked at her, then glanced at Ping'er and Qingwen beside her, and a smile appeared on his face.

Only by seeing these people could Jia Lian truly feel that this was his home.

Beautiful wives and concubines—their charm and allure are indescribable.

Suddenly, they heard the sound of the carriage curtain rustling behind them. It was Daiyu who came out. Jia Lian smiled slightly at Wang Xifeng and the other two, then turned around and walked over to help Daiyu down from the carriage.

Wang Xifeng was initially overjoyed to see Jia Lian. However, upon seeing this scene, a bitter feeling welled up inside her, though she showed no sign of it. In fact, as Jia Lian and Daiyu approached, she took Daiyu's hands first, smiling and saying, "Sister Lin, you must be tired from your journey by boat. Let me see… you've become thinner again. Is it because your Second Brother Lian hasn't taken good care of you?"

Daiyu smiled shyly, not responding directly, but instead bowing deeply to Wang Xifeng and saying, "Greetings, Sister Feng."

"Haha, no need for such formalities..."

Wang Xifeng's consistent style was that of being shrewd and sophisticated, and behaving with grace. After resolving the situation with Daiyu in a few words, she finally turned her gaze directly to Jia Lian, her phoenix eyes revealing a myriad of unspoken thoughts in her heart.

Jia Lian raised an eyebrow, too lazy to play games with her, and said with a smile, "You must have had a hard time while I was away."

"Oh, oh, oh, how could I dare say it's hard work? I just take care of the household chores at home, and when I have nothing to do, I chat and laugh with the old lady and the madam. It's very pleasant. How can it compare to our Marquis, who is out there braving the wind and rain, working hard and exhausted..."

At this point, Wang Xifeng abruptly stopped. But those who knew her well knew that whenever she spoke in such a tone, it was never meant to be kind.

Jia Lian had no intention of arguing with her, figuring it was simply because she knew about Shen Pan'er and the other women, and was being sarcastic here.

Finally, this woman now knows to save face in front of others and hasn't said anything to his face. Two or three years ago, who would believe that this woman would have dared to hit him in public!

So she turned to Daiyu, who was standing quietly to the side watching the melon with a slightly furrowed brow, and said, "Sister Lin has been away from the capital for several months now. I'm sure the old lady is very worried about you. Sister, you should go back to the old lady's place first. I'll go over there later."

Wang Xifeng had no intention of lingering. Seeing this, she immediately turned her gaze to Daiyu and slapped her forehead, laughing, "Look at me, I was so happy to see my sister that I forgot everything. The old lady has been talking about you for a long time. Ping'er, why don't you take the young lady to the old lady's place?"

"Oh right, these things all belong to Lin Daiyu, right? What are you all standing around for? Come and help carry them into Miss Lin's room!"

As they were talking, they saw Zijuan calling to several servants to carry some boxes and packages from the carriage at the back. She then called to several female servants beside her and helped carry them herself, instructing everyone to handle them gently and not to damage them.

This gesture undoubtedly made Daiyu feel both grateful and uneasy.

Jia Lian, however, was indifferent. Since Wang Xifeng also enjoyed doing these things, he gave Daiyu a reassuring look and then began to arrange his own affairs.

So, when Wang Xifeng saw Daiyu off and turned back to find Jia Lian in the east courtyard, she saw goods piled up all over the ground, many of the boxes still sealed and locked. She cautiously approached Jia Lian and asked, "What's inside these locked boxes?"

Back when Jia Lian was still in the palace, Zhao'er and others had already moved back the things and goods that Jia Lian had brought for everyone in the household.

She personally inventoried them. There were already quite a few items there, and now there are these too; they look like they're worth even more!

"you guess."

Seeing that Jia Lian was still keeping her in suspense, Wang Xifeng smiled and said, "What's there to hide? They're just some strange and unusual toys. Are they for your uncle's family?"

Wang Xifeng knew that, besides Grandmother Jia, Jia Lian respected his maternal grandfather the most.

Jia Lian smiled without saying a word, and instructed the servants and Steward Liu who had already stepped forward to wait, "Move these chests with copper locks to my courtyard. For now, seal all the other items in this storeroom."

After making some simple arrangements, Jia Lian casually took the hand of Wang Xifeng, whose curiosity had not been satisfied and who was feeling quite uncomfortable, and prepared to go inside.

"What are you doing? So many people are watching."

Wang Xifeng was ultimately too timid. After a moment of stunned silence, she immediately pulled her hand away from Jia Lian's, glanced around, and blushed.

Although the maids and servants around them saw it, they wanted to laugh but dared not, so they all held it in and dared not look directly at it.

Among them was Qingwen, the young woman who had left her girlfriends to greet Jia Lian. She pouted, thinking Wang Xifeng was incredibly foolish. If she were the Second Mistress, she certainly wouldn't refuse if the Second Master took her hand at this moment; in fact, she would shake it off, letting everyone see that her position in the Second Master's heart was incomparable to that of any of those other vixens!

It's clear that the Second Mistress still doesn't know how to secure favor. But that's for the best.

Regardless of what she was thinking, Qingwen remained outwardly respectful. She knew that she had no right to speak at this time; she had to return to her own courtyard and find an opportunity to get close to the Second Master.

Jia Lian didn't force Wang Xifeng to cooperate. He smiled and led his concubines toward her courtyard.

Nothing much had changed at home except for a lot of unopened goods in the corridors and corners of the house. These were probably things he had asked Zhao'er and others to send home first, and that Feng Jie had counted them, but hadn't had time to deliver them to their respective places yet.

Back inside, Wang Xifeng was no longer shy. She took the tea that Qingwen brought her, fed Jia Lian a sip with her own hands, then pulled up a stool and sat down next to him, staring at him intently.

Seeing that Jia Lian was dozing with his eyes closed, as if resting, he didn't want to disturb him with unpleasant words, so he just said quietly, "In the few months you've been gone, has little Miss been able to speak clearly and even call me 'Mother'?"

Upon hearing this, Jia Lian's heart stirred. The little girl was almost two years old, but he, as her father, had spent far too little time with her.

Jia Lian didn't want his daughter to be distant from him, so he said, "Bring her here so I can see her."

Sister Feng smiled then, turned her head and instructed Qingwen, the third wheel next to her, to go to the east wing and call the wet nurse to bring her daughter over.

Once Qingwen left, Fengjie became much more generous. She shifted her position and sat on Jia Lian's lap, putting her arms around his neck and laughing, "I already know about Xiangling's mother's matter."

The old lady had met her before and thought her mother was honest and spoke well. I plan to arrange for her to keep watch in our courtyard at night so that the mother and daughter can be closer and rekindle their long-lost mother-daughter bond.

If you feel this is inappropriate, you can assign her another task.

"It's up to you to decide this kind of thing."

Jia Lian didn't even open his eyes, but held his wife's slender yet quite well-endowed body as he spoke.

"Hmph, you're all talk and no action. You say you'll listen to me on matters of the inner quarters. But if things don't go your way, you'll be the one making me listen to you."

Hearing these resentful words, Jia Lian couldn't help but laugh. He opened his eyes, looked at his sulking wife, lifted her chin, and said with a smile, "As a woman, isn't it only right that you do things according to your husband's wishes and listen to him?"

Wang Xifeng was extremely displeased. Seeing that Jia Lian still had the energy to joke with her, she no longer tried to hide her anger and stared into Jia Lian's eyes, saying, "You still haven't explained to me what happened with those women you sent to Pear Fragrance Courtyard with Zhao'er!"

"Hmm, didn't Zhao'er explain it to you clearly?"

"You think I believe that kind of nonsense?"

Wang Xifeng chuckled.

Jia Lian pinched her puffed-up cheek and gave it a squeeze. After she angrily shook it off, he replied, "Whether you believe it or not, that's how it is."

"you……"

Seeing Jia Lian's blatant disregard for her, Feng Jie glared at him with furious anger, then suddenly grabbed one of his hands and bit him on the tiger's mouth!

Jia Lian initially thought she was just being coquettish, but the intense pain immediately made him realize something was amiss. Startled, he instinctively pinched Feng Jie's mouth shut, sat up, and said, "Ha, you bitch, you're going for the kill!"

Even Jia Lian in the past was no match for Feng Jie in terms of martial arts skills. The reason he was controlled by Feng Jie was simply because Jia Lian was kind-hearted and gave in to her.

Not to mention Jia Lian, who has been practicing martial arts for several years now.

With just a gentle pinch, he managed to grab Feng Jie'er's cheeks, leaving her only able to whimper and glare at Jia Lian with furious, helpless eyes.

"Hehe, you've gone too far."

Although Sister Feng looked very angry, her extremely beautiful appearance, coupled with her skillful makeup to welcome Jia Lian home, made her face look even more exquisite and breathtaking.

But Jia Lian pinched her mouth shut, preventing her from struggling, which made her not only beautiful but also playful and cute.

Therefore, after Jia Lian cursed, he decided to persuade her with reason: he leaned forward and completely covered Feng Jie's bright red lips with his mouth, and then they fought to see who could win with their tongues!

Unfortunately, before the two could completely determine who was superior, the old woman's voice came from outside: "Is the Second Master home? The Master said that if the Second Master has some free time, please ask him to come to Mengpo Studio."

"Okay, I'll go tell Second Master right away."

Having already heard the maid's footsteps entering, the Marquis and his wife could only struggle fiercely for a few moments before quickly retreating.

Looking at the messy lips they had caressed, Jia Lian and Feng Jie couldn't help but laugh.

Sister Feng's anger seemed to dissipate instantly. She took out her silk handkerchief, bent down, and wiped the rouge off Jia Lian's lips.

Seeing his wife's sudden tenderness, Jia Lian stopped teasing her, took her hand, and said with a smile, "We'll talk about those beauties when I get back from Master's. Trust me, I'll make sure you're satisfied."

Although Sister Feng was somewhat skeptical, Jia Lian's attitude made it acceptable to her. Therefore, she simply nodded curtly and tried to pull her hand away.

The maid has already entered the room.

Sister Feng's fingers were exceptionally long and slender, and they were also very well-maintained. Most importantly, since becoming the wife of a marquis, she had started to wear finger cots, just like the other noblewomen.

Although Jia Lian didn't particularly like such flashy things, he still had to admit that these gold-inlaid and jade-encrusted finger sleeves, which could adorn a beautiful woman's jade fingers, looked really good on Feng Jie's hands.

While enhancing Sister Feng's glamorous charm, it also endowed her with a touch of noble demeanor, even if it was only on the surface.

So, completely disregarding Feng Jie's shyness and whether the little maid could see it, he leisurely held her hand and gently stroked it.

After a while, she waited for her daughter to come over, held her briefly, and played with her for a bit. Then, with the help of Sister Feng and Qingwen, she changed her clothes and went to Mengpo Studio.