Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

Chapter 530 Opening a Brothel

Unlike Qin Keqing, Sister Feng was not easily satisfied. Once she was full, she didn't want to exercise anymore; she still had important things to do.

Because of Qin Keqing, she has already wasted a lot of time.

Seeing her like this, Jia Lian didn't force her, and then said that he also needed to go out for a while.

Feng Jie asked what was going on, and learned that it was because the Loyalty and Righteousness Shrine, which was overseen by Jia Lian, had been completed, and the clansmen would be gathered the next day for the opening ceremony. Feng Jie just pursed her lips; she couldn't quite understand why Jia Lian would elevate those dead servants in such a way.

"I heard that you also had someone clean up the registers of all the servants and retainers from the time of the two founding emperors, and that you want to arrange their memorial tablets in the Temple of Loyalty and Righteousness according to their merits. I also heard that you have sent someone to the southern village to invite Jiao Da back to guard the ancestral hall?"

Out of sheer curiosity, Sister Feng asked a couple of questions.

Jia Lian didn't really want to discuss these outside matters with her, because of this woman's limitations. To be honest, they often didn't see eye to eye or get to the point.

Seeing that Jia Lian didn't pay much attention to her, Feng Jie pouted and went outside, where she saw Ping'er lingering outside, catching fish.

She snorted coldly, and under Ping'er's anxious gaze, she said, "Your second master is going out, why aren't you coming in to help him change? What are you doing standing here? When he needs you, you're completely useless..."

Seeing that Sister Feng had said those words and then turned back, Ping'er took a deep breath and followed Sister Feng into the house.

"Don't blame me for being nosy, but Jiao Da did save the old man's life, and according to you, he is indeed a meritorious official."

However, he himself is no good person. He's unmarried, in his eighties or nineties, and drinks heavily every day. Relying on his achievements, he doesn't even respect the masters of the two mansions. If you really invite such a person back to manage the ancestral hall, I'm afraid he'll cause trouble again while drunk. He's so old; you can't hit him or scold him, and he won't listen. It's bad enough that you're angry for no reason, but if it ruins your good intentions in establishing the Temple of Loyalty and Righteousness, what's the point?"

Jia Lian, who was stretching out his arms to let his wives and concubines undress him, heard Feng Jie's nagging and thought about it seriously, feeling that there was some truth to what Feng Jie said.

No one can deny that Jiao Da did indeed make contributions to the Jia family, and most of the people of his generation are dead.

Putting aside the distinction between master and servant, strictly speaking, even Grandmother Jia was a generation younger than Jiao Da.

The key point is that he was a living hero. Moreover, because he offended Jia Zhen, he was "demoted" to the south to look after his estate!

Jia Lian wanted to win over the hearts of the people in both his own and Jia Lian's mansions and build his own prestige. With Jiao Da as a ready-made example, there was no reason for him not to let him go.

However, while Jiao Da was indeed a meritorious official, it was also true that he was old and lacked virtue. We should not blindly praise him, but rather be more cautious in dealing with him.

So he replied to Sister Feng, "It is true that I had someone invite him back, but I never said that I would let him manage the ancestral hall."

Jiao Da was a hero who carried the patriarch of Ningguo out of a pile of corpses. Even if he was prone to drunkenness and causing trouble, there was no reason to send him to the manor to fend for himself.

With our two mansions being so large, can't we even accommodate a meritorious official?

After we bring him back, if he's still willing to do something, it would be suitable for him to work as a caretaker in the ancestral hall. If he doesn't want to work anymore, that's fine too; he's already so old, we'll arrange a place for him to live out his remaining years in peace. After he passes away, his memorial tablet should still be enshrined in the Hall of Loyalty and Righteousness. That's the real reason I had this second ancestral hall of the Jia family built.”

Feng Jie listened without commenting, and Jia Lian didn't explain the pros and cons to her in detail. He changed into decent casual clothes and went out.

When only Feng Jie'er and Ping'er remained in the room, Feng Jie'er's eyes suddenly sharpened.

Ping'er was startled and called out somewhat uneasily, "Grandma."

But then she saw Sister Feng staring at her, and asking sternly, "What were you doing earlier?"

Feng Jie'er's actions were not without reason. Qin Keqing came to see her at noon and later massaged her in the inner room to help her relax. During such a private time, it was natural for a reliable person to help guard the door.

Otherwise, not to mention that some of her and Qin Keqing's secrets were discovered, it would also be extremely inappropriate for unrelated people to break in and see their grandmother and young mistress's bodies.

Because Qin Keqing often came to visit her when Jia Lian was not in the capital, Ping'er knew to guard the door at this time without Feng Jie'er having to give any instructions.

It was also Feng Jie's own oversight that led her to believe Jia Lian had gone out for drinks and wouldn't be back for a long time. And generally, no one dared to barge into her room; even if someone did come, the reliable Ping'er would stand guard outside and prevent them from entering.

Who knew that Jia Lian would return at midday, and even sneak into the room, taking advantage of Xiao Qinshi right in front of her! Given what happened, putting everything else aside, Ping'er's dereliction of duty is undeniable. Most importantly, what Feng Jie is concerned about now isn't Ping'er's dereliction of duty, but rather…

Whether Jia Lian truly mistook Xiao Qinshi for Ping'er, or whether he did it on purpose, was something Feng Jie wanted to find out.

Although she had already settled the matter face-to-face with Jia Lian, Wang Xifeng didn't want to be seen as a fool.

Therefore, we need to interrogate Ping'er to see if Jia Lian has deceived her.

Unfortunately, Ping'er was no ordinary person either.

Faced with Sister Feng's interrogation, Ping'er appeared fearful, but her mind was racing.

Actually, she had started thinking about this issue when Sister Feng verbally challenged her before.

It was obvious that Second Master was pretending to be drunk and taking advantage of Madam Xiao Rong! Moreover, he managed to appease Madam Xiao Rong and prevent her from throwing a tantrum.

As for the reason the Second Master gave, it's easy to guess. It must be something like he was drunk and didn't see people clearly, which is why the Second Madam had no way to vent her anger.

However, Second Madam was not easily fooled. At this moment, she was interrogating herself because she wanted to know how Second Master entered the room, his condition, and whether he saw her, in order to determine whether he was lying! If she told the truth at this time, Second Madam would know that Second Master was lying, and she would have essentially sold him out.

Although, given the current situation, even if she sold Jia Lian, Sister Feng might not do anything to him, it's better to avoid trouble and she can't undermine Jia Lian.

After clearly analyzing the pros and cons, Ping'er knelt down in front of Feng Jie with a thud and cried, "Please forgive me, Grandmother. It's all my fault for being careless and falling asleep outside. I didn't see Second Master come back, which led to this terrible mistake."

"If Grandma is angry, then hit me. It's all Ping'er's fault."

Ping'er looked remorseful, which made Feng Jie hesitate: "You really didn't see him enter the room?"

"Really, no..."

Feng Jie didn't see through Ping'er's deception and had already come to believe that today's events were indeed a coincidence.

She could imagine Jia Lian, half-drunk, returning home to find everything quiet, sneaking into the inner room, seeing two beautiful women lying on the bed, assuming they were his wives and concubines, and then jumping onto the bed without a word to indulge in pleasure…

Despite her inner thoughts, Sister Feng looked unconvinced and questioned, "You've always been a reliable person, so why did you fall asleep at that time?"

Besides, if you were asleep, how would you know what happened? To say something about a serious mistake is clearly a lie!

Sister Feng snorted coldly, and Ping'er quickly explained, "I was asleep at first, but then... then I woke up after the noises came from inside."

I was startled to find the door open, and then I rushed inside to check...

"Grandma, it's all my fault. Please don't blame Second Master. He probably didn't know that Eldest Madam Rong was in the room and mistook her for someone else, so... Grandma, if you're angry, please punish me. Ping'er is willing to accept the punishment."

Ping'er's words made Feng Jie's pretty face blush.

Even now, when she recalls that scene, she feels incredibly embarrassed, yet she can't help but chuckle to herself.

That brat, Qin Shi, dared to have improper thoughts about me! Well, look what happened, her husband caught her red-handed and taught her a lesson on the spot!

He glanced at Ping'er and thought that there was nothing wrong with Ping'er's reaction and that her statement was self-consistent, so he softened his tone and said, "Alright, get up."

"You're afraid I'll blame your second master? He acts like a big shot now, does he think he'd be afraid of my wrath? He's mistaken him for someone else; he's taken Little Qin Shi for you, you little hussy. It's clear your second master loves you; even when he's drunk, he's still thinking about you!"

Sister Feng couldn't help but mock Ping'er.

It's also her fault for being so indulgent. If she hadn't made that one wrong decision and let Ping'er sleep with him and her husband, and that it had become the norm, then even if Jia Lian had mistaken her for someone else, he probably wouldn't have jumped on her and acted so recklessly. She's just reaping what she sowed.

"There's no need for punishment. You little rascal, you usually follow me around and do things quite reliably. Consider this a lesson learned, and never be so careless again."

Also, don't let anyone else know what happened today, especially that little hussy Qingwen.

Alright, Aunt Xue invited your second uncle and me over tonight to celebrate Uncle Xue's birthday, so you don't need to come. Just stay home and get some rest.

Even when you're dealing with your trusted confidants, you have to give them a treat.

"Yes."

Seeing that she had successfully deceived Sister Feng, Ping'er breathed a sigh of relief, but then her mind started to wander again.

Second Master clearly got into trouble while drunk today, and I even helped him cover it up. Let's see how he thanks me when we meet alone...

In the evening, Jia Lian and his wife arrived at the Xue family's house as agreed.

The Xue family treated them with the utmost courtesy, with all of their servants and attendants working together to ensure that Jia Lian and his wife did not feel the slightest bit neglected.

So much so that Sister Feng teased Aunt Xue, "Those who know say it's Brother Pan's seventeenth birthday today; those who don't, judging from this scene, would think it's a daughter who's married into a wealthy family, bringing her son-in-law back to her parents' home!"

Sister Feng's words were straightforward and penetrating; her words made all the Xue family members in the courtyard laugh.

Baochai glanced at Fengjie and shook her head with a smile. Even Xue Pan, the chubby birthday boy who was standing next to Jia Lian, rubbed his hands together with a grin, looking like he wanted to say something but didn't know how.

Jia Lian also shook his head. Putting aside everything else, Feng Jie'er's ability to handle social situations was already at a level of perfection.

Taking this woman to visit relatives and friends will definitely make it easier to build relationships and give your man face.

Aunt Xue couldn't stop smiling, and patted Feng Jie's hand, saying, "If I really had a daughter like you, I'd probably wake up laughing in my dreams."

"Honestly, every time I come to my aunt's house, I feel like I'm at my own home."

I genuinely consider my aunt as my mother, but I fear she only says nice things and actually dislikes me for being too flamboyant, unlike Bao'er who is quiet, well-mannered, and has the demeanor of a lady. With such a wonderful daughter, why would my aunt possibly look down on someone like me, a poor girl? Hehehe.”

"Don't mention it. How can Bao'er compare to you? She's quiet and reserved, unlike you, who knows how to make people happy."

"Really? Then I won't call you aunt anymore, I'll just call you mother like Pan and Bao do."

"Okay, okay, that would be even better."

Sister Feng and Aunt Xue walked hand in hand ahead, chatting and laughing as they arrived at the dining room.

"Although today is the birthday of your brother Pan, I'm just using this occasion to invite you over for a drink to thank you both for taking care of our family. Alright, enough with the formalities, Pan'er, Bao'er, please invite your older brother and sister to take their seats."

Aunt Xue said a few words and then invited Jia Lian and his companion to sit down.

After exchanging pleasantries, Aunt Xue, as the elder, took the seat of honor, followed by Jia Lian and Xue Pan to Aunt Xue's left, and Feng Jie and Baochai to her right.

Perhaps because Jia Lian was still in mourning, the Xue family did not hire an opera troupe.

Drinking games are essential, but without them, the atmosphere can become monotonous. Therefore, Aunt Xue kept trying to find topics to talk about, afraid of creating an awkward silence and making Jia Lian and his wife feel neglected.

However, Aunt Xue was clearly overthinking it. As long as Sister Feng was there, no banquet would be dull.

Aunt Xue would say a few words, and Sister Feng would respond with a few words of witty banter. They would go back and forth, and they would have a very pleasant time together.

So much so that Xue Pan no longer cared about the presence of his cousin, Sister Feng, and started laughing and joking.

In Xue Pan's eyes, celebrating his 100th birthday with Jia Baoyu, Feng Ziying, and others, enjoying wine and admiring beautiful women and men, was the proper way to celebrate. However, he only rushed home because of Aunt Xue's repeated instructions and out of consideration for Jia Lian.

He was already illiterate and rambling, and since he hadn't fully sobered up from the previous drinking session, he spoke incoherently, boasting and pretending to be a big shot.

Fortunately, besides his mother and sister, there were only two other guests at the table, and both were people he dared not offend, so he didn't cause a scene.

However, Aunt Xue still felt she had lost face in front of Jia Lian and his wife. She scolded Xue Pan twice, but to no avail. She could only apologize to Jia Lian and his wife and ask them to be more tolerant.

Jia Lian didn't care about this; it wasn't like he'd only just met Xue Pan.

Sister Feng also treated her silly cousin Xue Pan as a source of amusement, watching his foolish words and actions with a smile, and even feeling a little happy inside.

Grandmother Jia and the others all said she was a poor, down-on-her-luck person, but she was just pretending to amuse everyone; in reality, she knew perfectly well what was going on.

Looking at this big fool, Sister Feng naturally felt a sense of superiority over the low-end configuration.

Finally, Jia Lian couldn't stand it anymore. Xue Pan was sitting right next to him, and almost all of his comments were directed at him. So he toasted him with a cup of wine to silence him, and then took the opportunity to say to Aunt Xue, "I've heard people say that your family used to run a grain store."

Everyone was taken aback when Jia Lian suddenly brought up serious matters, and they all quieted down.

Aunt Xue thought for a moment and replied, "Our family used to own a grain store, but that was back when their grandfather was alive."

Over the years, our family has scaled back some of our businesses, and we've basically stopped doing grain trading.

"I see."

Whenever the family business was mentioned, Aunt Xue couldn't help but sigh. However, Aunt Xue and the others knew that Jia Lian rarely spoke without a reason, so they hurriedly asked Jia Lian why he asked this.

"It's nothing much, it's just that we've been idle lately and haven't had much to do. Plus, Feng and I have some spare cash and want to invest in some business."

Upon hearing this, Aunt Xue hurriedly asked, "Really? You want to open a grain store?"

"Pretty much. It's just that we don't have anyone in our family who has experience in this field, so we're thinking of asking my aunt's family to recommend two people to come and help with guidance."

Since my aunt's family doesn't make this anymore, then forget it.

Upon hearing Jia Lian's words, Feng Jie across from him couldn't help but purse her lips.

She knew that Jia Lian wanted to expand his business and engage in trade, because he had mentioned it to her, but he had never mentioned wanting to start a grain business.

It's one thing if you don't tell her beforehand, but the real problem is, with so many good professions to choose from, why did she have to go into the grain trade?

Having been accustomed to wealth and luxury, Sister Feng subconsciously felt that selling grain could earn her some money!

Xue Pan shared the same idea as Sister Feng.

He grinned and said, "Why would Second Brother Lian want to do that? It's a job for poor, manual laborers. It doesn't make money, takes up space, and is filthy."

I think your Juxianlou restaurant is doing quite well, Brother Lian. Business is good every day, and I estimate it's definitely profitable.

Even if you, Brother Lian, want to go into business, there are so many professions you can't do. In my opinion, why don't you open a brothel? That would be great—easy and profitable, hahaha! I'll call my brothers and we'll go support you, Brother Lian."

Xue Pan was probably really drunk and had forgotten the occasion.

"You brat, what nonsense are you spouting in front of your cousin!"

Aunt Xue scolded him with exasperation. She hadn't intended to scold her son today, but he had really embarrassed her.

He actually advised Jia Lian to open a brothel right in front of Sister Feng; I have no idea what he was thinking.

Even Sister Feng stopped laughing, and with her phoenix eyes, she glanced at Xue Pan with a hint of murderous intent.

And so, I can barely control this stinky man anymore. He even told me to open a brothel. Is he just trying to make things difficult for me?

Feeling it was pointless to argue with Xue Pan, she immediately glanced at Jia Lian, her eyes conveying a clear message: If you dare to open a brothel, I'll make you pay.