Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

Seeing that things were looking promising, Jia Baoyu's face beamed with joy. His mind was filled with thoughts of how to get along with this woman and how to win her favor. He had no time to notice the resentful look his head maid was giving Jia Lian.

For Jia Lian, bringing the girl in red into the Jia family was just a convenient move, and it wouldn't cause him any ripples in his heart.

However, it was the maid Xiren who could pique his interest more. Noticing that she was looking at him, Jia Lian smiled slightly and turned to Jia Baoyu, saying, "Brother Bao, please go and invite Xiren's brother and mother in. Tell them I have something to discuss with them."

"Oh well……"

At this moment, Jia Baoyu was quite grateful to Jia Lian and obeyed his every word. He didn't even consider that with Xiren there, there was no need for him to invite the Hua family in. After receiving the order, he got up, bowed to Jia Lian, and then happily went out.

Seeing that Jia Lian had sent Jia Baoyu away, Xiren's expression shifted slightly, but she didn't say anything. Noticing that Jia Lian's teacup was half empty, she went forward to pour tea for him.

She was also a woman of sixteen or eighteen, with a beautiful face and a rather tall stature. Perhaps in order to "return home in glory," she wore a half-new narrow-sleeved floral robe that had been given to her by Grandmother Jia. At this moment, as she bowed her head, she not only gained a sense of solemnity and nobility, but also perfectly showed off her exquisite figure. She was quite different from the plain and honest appearance that Jia Lian had seen in the Jia family in the past.

Jia Lian was delighted to see her. When she turned to serve tea, he not only deliberately held onto her slightly cool little hand, but also pulled her forcefully into his arms when she looked annoyed.

As the two pushed and pulled, the tea was easily spilled, and some of it ended up on Jia Lian.

Xiren, true to her reputation for virtue, initially refused, but upon seeing this, she let out a soft "Ah!" and her strength suddenly increased several times over. She flipped over and knelt beside Jia Lian, pulling out her handkerchief to wipe the wet robes between his legs, anxiously asking if he was burned. She hadn't considered that their tea was always brewed fresh, and even if stored in a warm pot, it would only be lukewarm after half a day.

Therefore, Jia Lian did not reply to her, but just smiled and looked at the pretty girl in front of him.

Regardless of how later readers evaluate Xiren's appearance, she is the second woman in the "Secondary Register," and one of only three women in the "Main Register, Secondary Register, and Supplementary Register" of the Twelve Beauties of Jinling, besides those in the Main Register, to have their own individual pronouncements. The other two are Xiangling and Qingwen.

"In vain she is gentle and compliant, her beauty as pure as cassia and orchid. How enviable are the actors who have such good fortune, how regrettable that the young master has no chance with her."

Although the judgment was not entirely positive, its recognition of her beauty and character was undeniable.

If Xiren's cousin was slightly better than her in terms of intelligence and purity, she was far superior in terms of dignified appearance, tall and full figure, and elegant and appropriate demeanor.

The reason why Jia Baoyu, with Xiren by his side, still fell in love at first sight with his cousin in red is twofold: firstly, Jia Baoyu is prone to being infatuated by girls; secondly, Jia Baoyu happens to like the type of girl in red, just as he liked Daiyu more than Baochai.

Thirdly, the red-clad cousin is probably like a wildflower compared to a cultivated flower, just like Xiren is.

As for Jia Lian, Xi Ren was like a half-wildflower. Therefore, Jia Lian could give a relatively fair assessment: overall, Xi Ren should be considered superior to his cousin.

Xiren wiped for a few moments, then suddenly stopped. Firstly, she had noticed Jia Lian staring at her; secondly, the water had spilled in an inappropriate place. She hadn't noticed it in her haste, but now that the atmosphere had calmed down, she felt awkward about touching it again.

Jia Lian was already captivated by her beauty, and seeing her shy, downcast demeanor only fueled his desire. He pulled her up, ignoring Xiren's worries and objections, and after indulging his lust in his hands, he kissed her slightly parted lips…

After Jia Baoyu went out, he did not see Hua Zifang and her mother. However, he could faintly hear Hua Zifang's voice at the gate.

He wanted to take the opportunity to look for the beautiful woman in green, but unfortunately, only the two youngest sisters of Xiren were playing in the courtyard at the moment. When they saw him come out, they quickly avoided him, as if they had been instructed by the adults not to dare to bump into him. This made Jia Baoyu very disappointed. After a moment of daze, he walked alone towards the gate.

As expected, Hua Zifang and her mother were outside the door, serving tea and snacks to Jia Lian's attendants and guards. Upon hearing Jia Baoyu say that he was summoning them, the two quickly dropped what they were doing, wiped their fists and straightened their sleeves, and followed Jia Baoyu back to the main room.

There was nothing inappropriate about the scene. Inside, Jia Lian was leisurely sipping his tea, as if it were not the coarse tea brewed by the Hua family, but a fine tea skillfully prepared by a beautiful woman. Xi Ren stood in a corner at a distance, her face flushed, her head lowered, yet she appeared even more radiant than usual.

Jia Baoyu originally thought that Jia Lian had called the Hua family in to discuss the marriage of Xiren's cousin, but after Hua Zifang and the others paid their respects, Jia Lian chatted with them instead.

When Jia Lian asked Hua Zifang about his livelihood, Hua Zifang replied with a look of shame, "To be honest, Second Master, I don't have any special skills. For the past few years, I've been working as a waiter in a restaurant in the city. Although the wages aren't much, it's close to home, which makes it convenient for me to take care of my mother."

Jia Lian had only made up this excuse to get Jia Baoyu to leave. After listening to Hua Zifang's words, he saw that she was not only strong and healthy, but also had a clear sense of logic. So he decided to take her under his wing.

So he smiled and said, "I didn't expect that Brother Hua is also in the restaurant business. It just so happens that I have recently added two restaurants to my name, and one of the managers has not yet been finalized. If Brother Hua doesn't mind, I would like to ask Brother Hua to help me."

Of course, the place might not be as close to home as where Brother Hua is currently working. If Brother Hua has any concerns, then forget it.

Although Jia Lian spoke casually, all three members of the Hua family, except for Jia Baoyu, were stunned.

The most excited and astonished were naturally Hua Zifang and her mother.

Who is Jia Lian? It can be said that even if Hua Zifang had inquired about Jia Lian, he wouldn't dare say he knew for sure, because what he heard from others was all too mysterious.

Actually, there's no need to delve into the details; the title "Lord Marquis" alone makes him an unattainable figure for the Hua family.

Now, this very person is actually taking the initiative to recruit me, and not only are his words polite, but it seems he wants me to be the manager!

Hua Zifang felt that good fortune had come too suddenly, and he was dizzy. Fortunately, his mother reminded him, and he quickly knelt down to express his gratitude, but he was so excited that he stammered.

Jia Lian didn't care. He only decided to hire Hua Zifang because he saw that the Hua family had resorted to selling their daughters to make a living in the past, but now they were able to live a good life under Hua Zifang's leadership. He thought that Hua Zifang must be a capable person.

Of course, the main reason was that he was Xiren's brother. Using his woman's own brother would not only put his mind at ease, but also win her heart—why not?

Anyway, his power is expanding now, and he needs manpower everywhere, both in the government and in the private sector.

……

When Jia Lian left, he took Jia Baoyu with him. When they arrived at the gate of Rongguo Mansion, Lin Zhixiao chased the dejected Jia Baoyu off his horse and stepped forward with a smile, saying, "Second Master, you've finally returned to the mansion. The old lady wants you to hurry over, as we have distinguished guests visiting today."

"Distinguished guest?"

Jia Lian was slightly surprised, after all, there weren't many people who could be considered honored guests at the Jia family mansion these days.

Lin Zhixiao didn't dare to keep them in suspense and said directly, "It's the lady of the Zhen family from Jiangnan who has arrived. She's in Rongqing Hall now, with the old lady and the other ladies accompanying her."

Before Lin Zhixiao could finish speaking and before Jia Lian could respond, Jia Baoyu, who was standing nearby, suddenly changed his expression and said, "Second Brother Lian, is this Zhen family in Jiangnan the same Zhen family you mentioned after you returned from your trip to Yangzhou last time?"

Perhaps fearing Jia Lian wouldn't understand, Jia Baoyu added, "You mean that Zhen family, the one where they have a younger sister who looks remarkably like Lin Daiyu?"

Jia Lian turned and looked at him, then said after a long while, "That's right, it's the Zhen family."

"Hehe, speaking of the Zhen family, they have been friends with our family for nearly a hundred years. It can be said that apart from our own relatives, there is no other family with such a good relationship with our family as the Zhen family. It's just a pity that the two families are far apart in the north and south, making it inconvenient for them to travel back and forth."

Now that Mrs. Zhen has personally come to the capital to pay her a visit, the old lady and the other ladies are very happy... uh, Master Bao..."

Lin Zhixiao, unaware of what Baoyu was thinking, chuckled as he provided narration, but Jia Baoyu seized the opportunity and eagerly pressed, "Do you know who came with Madam Zhen's entourage? Did that girl who looks like Lin Daiyu also come?"

"Well, well... Firstly, this servant doesn't know which sister Master Bao is referring to, and secondly, all the women from the Zhen family today were present. When they entered the manor, this old servant didn't dare to approach and observe them, so I don't know yet. If Master Bao wants to know, this servant can call my husband out to ask him..."

Before Lin Zhixiao could finish speaking, Jia Baoyu had already run off, leaving Lin Zhixiao both amused and exasperated.

Jia Lian silently watched Jia Baoyu's departing figure, his expression somber. He didn't say anything more, waved his hand, and continued towards the east courtyard before dismounting and going home.

Perhaps the Zhen family was truly a distinguished and rare guest to the Jia family, for there were hardly any people even in their own courtyard, and the couple only had one close maidservant, Xiao Hong.

"This servant is here to retrieve the key on the orders of Second Mistress. I will be going out in a little while... Second Master, would you like to change your clothes? This servant will attend to you first."

"Um."

As the daughter of Lin Zhixiao and his wife, Xiao Hong has learned her parents' skills. Although she has only been by Feng Jie's side for a year or two, she has already become one of Feng Jie's most trusted and important people. Even Feng'er and other old ministers have been squeezed out by her, and her status is second only to Ping'er.

Despite this, he still rarely had the opportunity to get close to Jia Lian. This was because Xiangling and Qingwen usually occupied the space around Jia Lian, especially Qingwen. For some reason, she just couldn't stand her. Not only did she keep her distance from Jia Lian herself, but she also directed her and Xiangling's maids, Tanyun and Huixiang, to bully Jia Lian.

If it weren't for Sister Feng's fondness for her and Ping'er's fair dealings, she would have almost lost her place in this brothel.

Unexpectedly, she ran into Jia Lian today, and Qingwen and the others were not there. If she didn't seize this opportunity, she would be unworthy of being the daughter of the head steward and his wife.

Therefore, she carefully and considerately fetched a robe for Jia Lian to change into. Just as she was thinking about how to get closer to Jia Lian, she suddenly noticed a puddle of water on the hem of Jia Lian's robe.

"Oh dear, why is Second Master's robe wet here?"

"I accidentally spilled my tea."

Xiao Hong immediately squatted down to check, then said, "Some of it has soaked into your pants. It's so cold outside, you'll catch a cold. Second Master, please wait a moment, I'll bring you some new ones to change into before you go out."

Without waiting for Jia Lian's agreement, he immediately went to Jia Lian's wardrobe and found a pair of pants.

Jia Lian was constantly scheming. His thoughts included how to establish a firearms battalion and oversee the construction of warships in Tianjin, as well as matters concerning the Zhen family.

Back when the Zhen family had subtly tried to get Zhen Yuhuan to recognize him as their sworn brother, Jia Lian sensed something was amiss, but since he couldn't quite figure it out, he didn't take it too seriously. It wasn't until recently, when he overheard some news, that Jia Lian finally understood.

Therefore, the Zhen family was quite pleased to visit, including Jia Baoyu, except for Jia Lian, who was somewhat disappointed. After all, no one likes to be schemed against or taken advantage of.

That's why he wasn't in a hurry to see Mrs. Zhen, and tacitly allowed the maid to help him change his pants.

He thought it was just a matter of changing his outer cotton pants, but then he suddenly felt a chill on his legs. Looking down, he was surprised to find that Xiao Hong had also taken off his underpants. And it seemed that wasn't enough; she was staring intently at his last piece of clothing, looking as if she wanted to take it off as well to see what was so special about it!

Without even thinking, Jia Lian tapped her on the head and chuckled, scolding, "Weren't you worried I'd catch a cold? What are you standing there for?"

Xiao Hong, who already harbored wicked intentions, was startled by Jia Lian's actions. Thinking that Jia Lian was angry, she quickly agreed, took Jia Lian's pants, and helped him put them on. Her movements were more than ten times faster than before.

At the same time, she was a little worried. The reason she dared to have such thoughts about harming the precious girl that Qingwen and the others were protecting so well was because not only was she someone that Jia Lian had invited into the courtyard, but also because she felt that Jia Lian was interested in her based on his usual attitude towards her.

If she's just overthinking things and the Second Master has no such intention, then her actions are quite risky. If Jia Lian gets angry in any way, she could at least be kicked out, or worse, be severely punished by Sister Feng and the others.

Jia Lian could see the girl's shame and worry. Actually, what he meant was to hurry up and take off her clothes, but she not only didn't understand, she was also frightened.

Now that things had come to this, it wasn't good to go back on one's word, especially since the time wasn't right anyway. So, he simply lifted Xiao Hong's delicate chin, scrutinized her shy and bewildered expression, and then laughed, "You usually seem like a nice girl, but who knew you'd be so slow and uncooperative just changing your outer clothes. I was just wondering when I'd get you to join Qingwen and Xiangling in serving me during my bath. Looks like that'll have to wait. You little rascal, you need more experience."

After saying that, he left Little Red, who was completely stunned by his words, with a wicked grin on his face.