Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

The next day, as expected, Grandmother Jia led Granny Liu on a tour of the Grand View Garden.

Perhaps for the sake of creating a lively atmosphere, Grandmother Jia sent someone to pick up Shi Xiangyun from the Shi family the night before, and also invited Aunt Xue to come and join them.

It goes without saying how many jokes and amusement would arise from a group of pampered ladies from wealthy families gathering with an old country woman in a garden.

It is said that around noon, while Grandmother Jia and others were taking a short rest in the garden, Sister Feng, who had been serving them for most of the day, finally got a chance to go home and change her clothes.

Just then, Jia Lian returned.

"Why are you back so early today? Have you eaten yet?"

As Sister Feng helped Jia Lian into the house, she asked with a smile.

Hearing Jia Lian say that he had already eaten outside, and that Daiyu had invited him to stroll in the garden together today, Fengjie couldn't help but say, "It's fortunate that she invited you. If it were me, I'm afraid the Marquis wouldn't bother with it. It's clear that people are different after all."

Jia Lian sat down, took the tea Ping'er handed him, took a sip, and then looked up at her: "Second Madam, you should speak from your heart. Tell me, when have you ever had something to do, have I ever come back earlier or later? The reason I told you it was Lin Daiyu who invited me was simply because I didn't want to hide it from you. If you continue to be so sarcastic, next time I'll just give you any old excuse."

Feng Jie was a little embarrassed by Jia Lian's words. Of course, she understood what Jia Lian meant; she was just being jealous out of habit.

Sitting next to Jia Lian, he leaned to the side and laughed, "I was just saying it casually. Look at the Marquis's long face. Anyone who didn't know better would think I had committed some terrible crime."

He brushed aside his previous words with a laugh, "Alright, enough joking, I have something serious to ask you."

As she spoke, Sister Feng brought up what she had overheard: Jia Lian had arrested a group of imperial clansmen at the Jinpin Pavilion the day before, and asked her about it.

Although Feng Jie was controlled by Jia Lian and forbidden from interfering in external affairs, there was little she didn't know about the affairs of the two mansions.

She didn't hear the news yesterday because she was too busy. Today, after Jia Lian left, she naturally heard about it not long after and was already thinking about asking him when he returned.

Because of the rumors and gossip circulating outside, she only feels at ease when Jia Lian tells her the truth about things concerning him himself.

When Jia Lian asked, he didn't hide anything from her. He gave a few casual explanations, mainly to reassure her that there was nothing seriously wrong.

However, Sister Feng was very concerned and worried about such an important matter. In the process of questioning, Jia Lian accidentally mentioned that Princess Zhaoyang had taken over the Imperial Clan Court.

So, Sister Feng stopped caring about whether he was a member of the imperial clan or not, and just stared at Jia Lian. Her willow-leaf eyebrows spread out to the sides in a very vivid way, and her bright eyes held an indescribable scrutiny.

Faced with Sister Feng's expression, anyone with a weaker mentality would surely have shown their fear. But Jia Lian was alright; he silently drank his tea, and when Sister Feng didn't ask, he didn't say anything more.

After a long while, Feng Jie sighed softly, "The Marquis and the Princess must have a very good relationship. I heard that when the Marquis was sending her to the border, she was almost kidnapped by the Hu people. Fortunately, the Marquis personally led his cavalry to rescue her. She must be very grateful to the Marquis. Otherwise, why would she be willing to promote two of the Marquis's maids and send such a good maid to serve him..."

When Jia Lian turned around, he found that Feng Jie's flamboyant expression had disappeared, replaced by a slight sense of loneliness and gloom.

Jia Lian's heart skipped a beat. He knew that Feng Jie must have guessed something. Indeed, as his bedmate, if Feng Jie was attentive, she could always detect something unusual from the smallest clues in their daily interactions.

Not to mention, he and Princess Zhaoyang were far from being extremely cautious. Just as Sister Feng said, the fact that Aqi and Aqin were guards in the princess's residence, and that Hu Yuanyao was the princess's personal maid, was enough to show that Princess Zhaoyang treated him differently.

For others, it could be explained by the fact that he saved Princess Zhaoyang's life, but for Sister Feng, that explanation would be a bit of a stretch.

So Jia Lian took Feng Jie's slender and smooth jade hand, held it in his palm, looked into her eyes, and replied earnestly: "You and I are husband and wife, we made a vow before heaven and earth and our parents. No matter how good other people are to me, they can never surpass you."

I know you are an intelligent woman, and I know the doubts in your heart. But you should also know that sometimes, and in some things, even your man cannot completely control them.

So I can answer your question truthfully, but the result may not be what you want. But even if you didn't ask, I can assure you that you are my wife, Jia Lian's wife, for the rest of your life, and that is a fact that no one can change.

If you trust me, then you need not doubt me. If you do not trust me, even if you investigate thoroughly, it will be in vain. Do you understand the reason?

As Feng Jie listened to Jia Lian's words, her eyes slowly welled up with tears.

In fact, Jia Lian had foreseen the relationship between him and Princess Zhaoyang from the moment Jia Lian was ordered to escort Princess Zhaoyang to the border.

After all, there are so many civil and military officials in the court, who couldn't be sent? Why did they have to send Jia Lian?

This premonition was confirmed by a series of subsequent news reports and phenomena.

She hadn't asked before because she knew in her heart that asking would be pointless. If it was really as she suspected, what could she do?

Fighting against a princess? That's impossible. Back then, she hadn't even seen the princess's face. Just because of an imperial decree from the Empress Dowager intending to arrange a marriage, she was almost completely devastated. Even today, the impact of that incident still lingers on her. However, those who gossip about her mostly only dare to talk about it behind her back.

But how could she not know that her ability to recover from near collapse and even achieve her current success was not because of her strength, but because of her husband, who was willing to defy orders to protect and safeguard her...

As a woman, she had little power to resist when facing tyranny.

Therefore, she never imagined she could compete with the high and mighty princess. She was even less willing to give up, so she wisely chose not to ask too many questions, fearing that asking too much would anger Jia Lian.

Today, her feelings for Jia Lian have grown even stronger, and with their hearts now in perfect harmony, she finally mustered the courage to test the waters.

Who would have thought that Jia Lian was so perceptive, understanding the subtle meaning behind the music and immediately giving a concrete answer.

So, she cried and then laughed.

This heartless scoundrel even implied that she shouldn't ask any more questions! Little did she know, his words had already clearly told her that things were exactly as she had predicted.

At this moment, she relaxed, wiped away her tears, and laughed, "What logic or reason? I don't understand your twisted logic. I'm just asking you, are you really...?"

As she spoke, Sister Feng glanced at the room. The sensible Ping'er had already retreated to the outside of the room to keep watch when she heard the couple talking about private matters.

That's when Sister Feng asked directly, "Are you really dating her?"

Now that things have come to this, there's no point in asking half-truths; we have to get to the bottom of it. Anyway, it seems the heartless person isn't angry at all.

Faced with the truth-seeking Sister Feng, Jia Lian sighed slightly and nodded.

Although she already had a very clear answer in her heart, when she actually received Jia Lian's reply, Feng Jie still couldn't help but abruptly turn her head away, not wanting to expose her vulnerability to Jia Lian's eyes.

But she didn't know that her eyes were already brimming with tears. When she shook her head, the tears fell like pearls from a broken string in front of Jia Lian, disturbing his peace of mind.

She quickly pulled the seemingly broken Feng Jie into her arms and comforted her, "Alright, don't feel wronged, it's my fault. You can hit me a few times, or even bite me, just don't keep it to yourself."

Jia Lian knew that Princess Zhaoyang was putting immense pressure on Feng Jie. Even though Princess Zhaoyang had little connection to him initially, she had already exerted a devastating influence on Feng Jie; now that she knew Princess Zhaoyang was truly entangled with him, she was naturally terrified.

Feng Jie didn't move at all, letting Jia Lian hold her. The more she did this, the more worried Jia Lian became. He couldn't help but cup her face in his hands to see what was wrong.

"What are you doing? That's embarrassing."

After being held by Jia Lian and stared at for a few seconds, Feng Jie became shy, looked away, and became coy.

Seeing that she was still shy, Jia Lian felt a little relieved. Knowing that he needed to give Feng Jie time to think for herself, he didn't say much. He just held her, gently swaying his legs as if coaxing a child. This made Feng Jie, who didn't realize what was happening for a long time, even more ashamed. She punched Jia Lian and told him to stop swaying.

Then Sister Feng turned to face Jia Lian and asked, "Does she, a princess, really want to follow you like this, without any clear explanation?"

Jia Lian frowned, thought for a moment, and then told Feng Jie some details that he hadn't told her before. This included how Princess Zhaoyang was trapped and besieged, how he led troops to rescue her, and most importantly, he also told her about the crucial fact that he and Princess Zhaoyang were forced to wander in the desert for a month.

Sister Feng naturally understood that the problem arose around that time. A lone man and woman, a handsome man and a beautiful woman, in the vast desert—it was perfectly normal for them to consummate their relationship.

It wasn't too surprising; she had already guessed that the two must have gotten together during their trip to the Western Regions. After all, before going to the Western Regions, the heartless man had risked offending the Empress Dowager by refusing the marriage.

In that case, it's fortunate. If the two had gotten together before the Empress Dowager's arranged marriage, even if the heartless man kept his promises, she would have been kicked out long ago...

After a self-deprecating laugh, she suddenly felt immense pressure. According to Jia Lian, the princess and he were actually "a couple who had gone through thick and thin together." Even she had never shared a life-and-death experience with Jia Lian. Wasn't this the kind of chivalrous romance celebrated in plays?

After thinking for a moment, she met Jia Lian's gaze and said seriously, "Although I have never met this Princess Zhaoyang, as a woman myself, I know that no one would willingly follow a man in such an ambiguous way, especially someone of her status."

How about this, you marry her and I'll make way for her and recognize her as my older sister.

Seeing the strange look in Jia Lian's eyes, Feng Jie revealed her signature teasing gaze, which then softened: "I'm not joking, nor am I trying to trick you. There's a reason why I'm willing to step down and become a concubine."

"I know you have great ambitions and are determined to restore your Jia family's glory. I have always regretted that I cannot help you with this."

Now that's good, if you marry her, it will be much easier for you to achieve your goals with her help. And I'll also benefit from it. I, Wang Xifeng, may not have much else, but I certainly have this much insight and understanding. So, you can rest assured and marry her into the family.

"It's perfect that I haven't given you a son yet. Maybe she's born into wealth and can have a son. That way, you'll have a son to carry on the family line. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"

Feng Jie spoke these words with feigned ease. But Jia Lian still noticed the sadness in her eyes and the tears she was trying so hard to hold back.

At this moment, Jia Lian loved this woman dearly, holding her tightly in his arms and kissing her beautiful hair.

With her head buried in Jia Lian's arms, out of sight of others, Feng Jie felt no more restraint. Tears streaming down her face, she choked out, "I'm telling you, this is the best outcome for us. It's not that I, Wang Xifeng, am spineless to give up so easily. You yourself said she is the most favored princess in the imperial family, not only doted on by the Empress Dowager, but also loved dearly by both emperors."

She's currently infatuated with you, which is why she's willing to listen to you and temporarily avoid me, this stumbling block. But once she comes to her senses, or if you neglect her and she harbors resentment, she won't be so easy to talk to anymore.

"What she does to me then is another matter. But what if she harbors resentment and attacks you?"

At this moment, Sister Feng is both a gentle young wife sobbing in her husband's arms and a wise woman.

She saw it all too clearly: the current relationship between Jia Lian and Princess Zhaoyang was bound to be a major disaster sooner or later. Even if they could keep it a secret forever, there was no guarantee that Princess Zhaoyang wouldn't harbor resentment over time.

For someone of that status, the consequences of harboring resentment are terrifying. Putting aside everything else, if she were to speak ill of Jia Lian to the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, or others, Jia Lian would be condemned to death.

Compared to the reluctance and grievances in her heart, Jia Lian's safety and future were far more important to Feng Jie.

Jia Lian also sensed the seriousness in Feng Jie's tone, which greatly shocked him. In his mind, Feng Jie had always been somewhat of a big-breasted, brainless... well, not really.

In short, she's a timid woman who doesn't understand the bigger picture and can only stay quiet if she's suppressed by him.

He even felt that his good relationship with Sister Feng was largely due to his ability to tolerate her. Now it seems he was too arrogant. If Sister Feng hadn't loved him so deeply, his indiscretions with women would have been enough to cause conflict or even a falling out between them.

Feeling a pang of guilt that he couldn't express, he could only hold Feng Jie close and whisper in her ear, "Feng'er, thank you... But this matter isn't as simple as you think. Even if I wanted to marry her now, it wouldn't be so easy. Who do you take me, Jia Lian, for? A princess of the imperial family, to be taken and discarded at will?"

In short, you don't need to worry about this anymore. You need to trust me. Not only do you need to trust that I won't let you down, but you also need to trust that I can handle this matter well.

As Jia Lian spoke, he thought of those disobedient female protagonists in later TV dramas who always liked to be clever and cause trouble behind the male lead's back. He then warned, "I'm telling you in advance, don't do anything foolish out of self-pity, and don't take the initiative to go to her. If you have any thoughts in your mind, you can tell me first. As long as you tell me, I won't be angry, whether they're right or wrong. I can even arrange for you to see her, understand?"

Feng Jie was already pondering how to help Jia Lian resolve this potential problem when she heard Jia Lian's repeated instructions. She snapped, "I know, enough already! Stop being so fussy, it's not like you're a man!"

Amidst the mockery, she noticed Jia Lian's strange look and, remembering she had to serve in the garden later and couldn't cause trouble, quickly changed the subject, saying, "Alright, alright, since you put it that way, I really want to see what this princess who's always trying to steal my man looks like. Are you really capable of letting me see her? And you have to guarantee she won't bully me?"

Saying it is easy, but actually doing it is a bit difficult for Jia Lian. After all, he really didn't know what Princess Zhaoyang's feelings were towards Feng Jie. He didn't want things to turn out like this, where she ended up delivering food to his door...

But faced with Sister Feng's rare playful demeanor, how could Jia Lian go back on his word? So he declared, "Fine, I'll let you meet. But as you said, to prevent her from bullying you, I need to think things through. Please be patient and listen to my arrangements."

Upon hearing this, Sister Feng said nothing more, beckoned Ping'er back, and went into the inner room to change her clothes. Jia Lian, however, remained in his seat, pondering the best way to arrange the meeting between the two. Ah, neither of these women is easy to deal with; I wonder what kind of scene it will be when they meet.