Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

Chapter 522 Family Banquet (1)

Leaving aside how Ping'er found an excuse to stay after entering the bathhouse, and how she, Xiangling, Qingwen, and others cooperated with their master in his misdeeds, in short, Jia Lian's first bath after returning to the mansion was extremely erotic, and he was very pleased with himself.

When he returned to the main room to change, he noticed that Qingwen looked unhappy and was even clumsy when dressing him.

It should be noted that Qingwen was known for her skillful hands and quick wit, so there must be a reason for her current behavior.

"What's wrong with you?"

Jia Lian's question only made things worse. Qingwen immediately pouted, looked up at Jia Lian, and said angrily, "Second Master is so biased! Not only is he biased, but he's always lying!"

Jia Lian sensed something was amiss and couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, how am I being biased? How am I lying?"

Seeing Jia Lian like this, Qingwen's eyes became even more aggrieved, but she couldn't help but feel ashamed.

"Second Master has the nerve to say that, Xiangling, you... Humph! Second Master is a liar."

Qingwen's face turned as red as a little apple.

It turns out that she and Xiangling had served Jia Lian bathing together before; they were old acquaintances and familiar with each other, and they got along very well.

Even when Ping'er interfered later, it didn't matter. After all, she knew that Jia Lian wouldn't touch her or Xiangling's bodies. So, having Ping'er around was actually a good thing, as she could help extinguish the flames that had started between her and Xiangling.

As expected, it wasn't long before Second Master and Sister Ping'er got together.

She and Xiangling were also very experienced and helped out from the side. Occasionally, she would deliberately do something naughty to make Ping'er scold her a couple of times.

Everything was fine up to this point. She didn't even think much of it when she saw the Second Master lift Xiangling onto Ping'er's lap, assuming that Jia Lian wanted to use Xiangling to liven things up.

To her surprise, what happened next made her freeze in place, and she immediately rubbed her wide-eyed eyes.

Second Master...did you come to the wrong place?

She looked at Xiangling with concern, only to find that Xiangling was perfectly fine and soon, like Ping'er, was uttering a melodious and gentle voice.

Only then did she realize that the clown was herself.

In an instant, shock, grievance, resentment and other emotions surged into my heart.

Second Master clearly said that he was only doing this for their own good, and that he was only taking Xiangling to Jiangnan to help her find her mother.

Is this the result?

Xiangling beat her to it! Qingwen grew angrier the more she thought about it.

It should be noted that she was the first person in Jia Lian's household to have the title of concubine, and it was bestowed upon her by Jia's mother.

Ping'er stepped forward first, and she endured it.

After all, Ping'er was indeed a few years older than her, and was also the Second Mistress's most trusted confidant. The Second Mistress had her own selfish motives and wanted to promote Ping'er first, so there was nothing she could do about it.

However, Xiangling also passed the exam first...

She felt she couldn't stand it anymore.

If it weren't for not wanting to spoil Jia Lian's mood, she would have already thrown a tantrum in the bathhouse.

Now, those two shameless little hussies were being washed and bathed in a large bucket of water by the Second Master in the bathhouse. There were only the two of them in the room, so she naturally stopped hiding her thoughts.

She demanded an explanation from Jia Lian.

Thinking this, he immediately raised his head and stared intently at Jia Lian without blinking.

"Hahaha, what did I do to Xiangling?"

Seeing that Jia Lian not only didn't take the issue seriously but was even laughing, Qingwen was immediately annoyed.

The embarrassment on her face turned into grievance. She stopped fastening Jia Lian's belt, let go of his hand, lowered her head and said with teary eyes, "I know, it must be something I did wrong that made Second Master dislike me, so Second Master lied to me again and again."

It's not that being a maid is better or more comfortable; it's just that the Second Master looks down on people, which is why he's always rejected them, isn't it?

The more confident a person is, the harder it is for them to accept being criticized in a place where they are confident.

Qingwen had absolute confidence in her appearance and figure, yet she repeatedly lost to others. She was unwilling to accept this, and at the same time, she couldn't help but doubt herself. Was there really something wrong with her that made Jia Lian keep refusing to touch her?

Jia Lian saw right through Qingwen's little scheme.

Therefore, even seeing her pitiful look, he wasn't in a hurry at all. He straightened his clothes and belt, and then leisurely picked up the little girl, who was barely taller than his heart, and sat on the edge of the bed, saying as if coaxing a child, "Alright, don't overthink it, it's really not what you think."

"Then tell me, Second Master, what exactly is going on? You've already taken Xiangling as your wife, so why won't you take her as your wife?"

Qingwen looked up, her clear, lotus-like face already streaked with tears.

She already bore a striking resemblance to Daiyu, and now, with her tear-streaked face, she looked even more like a reincarnation of Daiyu. In fact, she was just as similar to Zhen Yuhuan in her resemblance to Daiyu.

For a moment, Jia Lian had the illusion that he was holding Daiyu, that little maid, in his arms.

However, upon closer inspection of his eyes, Jia Lian understood.

Daiyu's eyes were clear and serene, like a tranquil spring in a secluded paradise, unlike this girl's, which were full of aggression and purpose, making one want to teach her a lesson as soon as they saw her.

So he slapped her on the butt and laughed, "Let's not talk about your sister Xiangling. It happened by chance and was not my intention."

Besides, even if I did take her in, it doesn't mean I lied to you.

You ungrateful brat, tell me yourself, where exactly has your second master mistreated you?

If you want money, your monthly allowance has already been increased to two taels. Is that even a fraction less than the other concubines in the mansion? If you want servants, didn't you take Tanyun to serve you? Not to mention, when has your second master ever forgotten you when there are any benefits in the courtyard?

Just now, if it weren't for my help, would your second grandmother have been willing to give you such a large piece of gold?

Tell me again, which concubine in the world lives as carefree and unrestrained as you? You do whatever you want every day, and go wherever you want to play.

"If I hadn't been backing you up, did you really think everyone would tolerate you and give in to you?"

Qingwen felt uncomfortable after Jia Lian's words. In this respect, it seemed that she was being ungrateful for being angry with Jia Lian.

But the clever girl immediately thought of a counter-argument: "When did I say that the Second Master was not good to me? People just said that the Second Master was biased."

What you're talking about, Ping'er and Xiangling have no less than I have.

Anyway, all I know is that I was the first concubine in Master's household. After Master lured me home, he refused to take me as his concubine and instead let Ping'er and Xiangling take me first.

Hearing Qingwen's slightly hesitant words, Jia Lian chuckled inwardly.

Holding the charming and clever young concubine in his arms and listening to her pleas for favor was a pleasure in itself, so Jia Lian was happy to listen to her complaints.

"Favoritism? Of course I am biased, but not towards Ping'er and Xiangling, but towards you, you silly girl."

"Um?"

Qingwen looked up, indicating that she didn't quite understand.

Jia Lian leaned close to her ear and whispered something, which immediately made Qingwen blush with embarrassment, yet her heart couldn't help but race.

After Jia Lian'er's mouth left his lips, she hurriedly asked, "What Second Master said, is it true?"

"Would I lie to you? Let me ask you this: suppose you had a yard filled with many flowers, wouldn't you save your favorite flowers for last to enjoy them slowly?"

Qingwen pondered for a moment and nodded.

Although for a moment she thought she would pick the best-looking one first, following Jia Lian's line of thought, she realized it wasn't wrong.

Most importantly, Jia Lian himself said that the reason he kept her pure body was so that he could better appreciate and play with it.

She had no doubt about this at all, because she could find clues to prove it from her past interactions with Jia Lian.

Second Master truly adored her graceful and alluring figure, calling her a rare "little white tiger." She didn't know what a white tiger was, but she knew Second Master loved it; he even enjoyed kissing it. No one else received this special yet shameful treatment!

"So, when exactly does Second Master plan to take me...?"

Having been persuaded by Jia Lian once again, Qingwen no longer cared about the order of things; she only cared about when she would grow up.

"Are you in such a hurry?" Jia Lian asked with a smile.

Qingwen was so embarrassed that she didn't know what to say.

It was fine when Jia Lian wasn't home, but as soon as he returned, she inevitably saw some scenes that were inappropriate for a young girl, which made her girlish heart somewhat unable to control itself.

She admitted that she was a little anxious.

"To tell you the truth, your sister Xiangling's mother revealed Xiangling's real age. She's not just a few months older than you, but a full year older."

You're too young, let's talk about it later.

Although surprised that Xiangling was a year older than her, Qingwen was still somewhat unconvinced when Jia Lian brought it up again.

"What do you mean 'small'? Xiangling isn't even as tall as me..."

She tied her hair up and compared her height with Xiangling; the honest Xiangling couldn't match her.

To everyone's surprise, Jia Lian immediately became interested upon hearing this.

"Oh, really? Let me measure it."

Qingwen was sitting with her back against Jia Lian in his lap, and since the weather was getting warmer, she was wearing less clothing.

So Jia Lian easily slipped his hands inside her clothes to measure her. Then Jia Lian regretfully said, "To be fair, Xiangling is indeed older than you."

"Pshaw, that's not what they were talking about!"

Qingwen was extremely embarrassed and angry, and quickly pulled Jia Lian's An Lushan-like hand out.

She and Xiangling lived in the same room, spending every day and night together, even bathing together many times. How could she not know that Xiangling was... a little bit older than her!

Second Master is truly wicked.

Realizing that Jia Lian was still up to his old tricks and wanted to pinch her, she simply turned over and wrapped her arms around Jia Lian's waist, pressing her front against him and leaving her smooth, jade-like back for him to touch.

Jia Lian didn't care; he would take whatever was offered to him. Qingwen then realized that all her efforts were in vain; as long as she was in Jia Lian's hands, she would never have peace.

But at the same time, she became even more certain that Jia Lian had not lied to her.

Second Master really adores her.

So she forced herself to get up, knelt on Jia Lian's lap, and whispered sweetly in his ear, "Now that Xiangling has come of age, you must treat me the same way on my next birthday, otherwise I will never believe you again."

The usually mischievous and cunning Qingwen's seductive actions deeply moved Jia Lian.

Knowing that if they continued to be so affectionate, they would end up having sex, Jia Lian grabbed Qingwen, hugged her and kissed her hard, then told her to stay home and take good care of the house, while he headed towards Grandmother Jia's flower hall.

……

Grandmother Jia's flower hall is located behind the main building of Rongqing Hall. The terrain is very open, making it the perfect place for night banquets and moon viewing.

When Jia Lian arrived, the place was already quite lively.

"Second Master is here!!"

"Second Master Lian has arrived."

Greetings rose and fell in waves.

The voices were crisp, sweet, and joyful—the voices of the maids.

Those who are pretty or charming are mostly young wives.

The others, filled with flattery and obsequiousness, were mostly from the servants, and Jia Lian paid them the least attention.

Upon entering the hall, it was indeed found that the masters of both households had mostly arrived.

They also divided the seats.

In the very center of the flower hall, there is a screen that is 1.5 feet long and 10 feet high, which divides the flower hall in two.

There were three seats on the left, occupied by the women of the two households, while there was only one seat on the right. Jia Zheng sat at the head of the table, with only Jia Baoyu, Jia Huan, and Jia Lan, who were just minor figures, making them seem rather insignificant.

This is also the current state of the Jia family.

There are many women, but very few men.

He first bowed slightly to Jia Zheng, then walked straight to the left-hand seat of honor and bowed to Grandmother Jia, saying, "Greetings, Old Madam."

"Please take your seats. I was just telling the concubines that if you hadn't come soon, the real show would have started."

When Jia Lian walked over, everyone except Aunt Xue, who was sitting with Grandmother Jia, and Madam Xing and Madam Wang, who were sitting at the next table, stood up to show their respect.

Even Grandmother Jia spoke with a smile, showing no intention of pursuing his lateness.

"Yes."

Jia Lian agreed, and then bowed slightly to Aunt Xue, Madam Xing, and the other elders.

Taking advantage of the empty space, he glanced at the women present. Sure enough, everyone from both households with a name or surname was there, including Madam You and Qin Keqing, who were standing in a corner, each with their own unique and charming smiles, secretly watching him.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Jia Lian naturally didn't say anything and then took his leave and went to the right.

"Hello, Brother Lian Er."

"Greetings, Uncle Lian!"

Jia Baoyu and the other two stood up to greet him. Jia Lian nodded, gestured for them to sit down, then bowed to Jia Zheng and sat down next to him.

After the maids set out the tableware for Jia Lian, Jia Zheng personally picked up the wine pot and poured wine for Jia Lian, saying with a smile, "The old lady hasn't been this happy in a long time. She just said that it wouldn't be right to have wine without a play, so she specially invited the young actors from Pear Fragrance Courtyard to come and make everyone happy."

"On this special day, my nephew and I should have a good drink."

When Jia Zheng poured the wine, Jia Lian quickly held the cup with both hands as a sign of respect.

However, they felt no unease. Grandmother Jia, Jia Zheng, and the others were naturally delighted, after all, with a wave of Jia Lian's hand, thirty thousand taels of silver had appeared out of thin air in the official treasury.

Doesn't Jia Lian's generosity deserve their good attitude?

If they knew that Jia Lian had casually rewarded Feng Jie with tens of thousands of taels of gold, their attitude would probably be even better!

And that's true. When you have money, you can use money to maintain family ties; when you don't have money, you use smiles to maintain family ties. When you have neither money nor the desire to put on a smile, you can only take care of your own feelings and forget about family ties.

For Jia Lian now, maintaining family ties in the simplest way is fine, so he can deal with it later when he's in a bad mood.

As for the fact that he is still in mourning and cannot put on a theatrical performance, Jia Lian certainly wouldn't point it out. Unless he intentionally wanted to cause trouble for Grandmother Jia.

I believe that even if others think of it, they wouldn't dare to say it aloud; they can only think about it in their hearts.

After having another drink with Jia Zheng, Jia Lian noticed that there were too few people at the table and asked, "Where's Cong'er?"

Jia Zheng was taken aback. In the past, when had Jia Cong ever been invited to a banquet hosted by Grandmother Jia?

However, Jia Zheng was still quite sensible. He only glanced at Jia Huan on the table and knew that Jia Cong should be present at this time.

So he feigned confusion and said, "Yes, didn't the old lady say it was a family dinner today? Why didn't anyone go and call Cong'er?"

In the past, everyone could ignore Jia Cong, but now that Jia Lian has risen in status, if he cares about his half-brother, no one dares to underestimate him.

The maids and servants around them didn't know how to respond, but Madam Xing's attendant stepped forward and said with a smile, "Madam told Third Master Cong to study hard, so she didn't call him."

"Go and call him over."

Jia Lian gave a calm instruction. The old woman wanted to say something, but when she saw Jia Lian's brows furrow slightly, she didn't dare to hesitate and quickly agreed and left.