Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

When Jia Lian and Feng Jie came out of the main room again, it was already quiet and deserted.

Below the steps, Jia Lian's five or six personal guards remained kneeling in neat rows. Feng Jie glanced at them, gave Jia Lian some instructions, and led the others towards Rongqing Hall.

Jia Lian stood silently in front of the corridor, not uttering a word, but he put a lot of pressure on the guards below.

Zhao Sheng could have left since he hadn't made a move. But instead, he chose to kneel there with Feng Fei and the others. Seeing that Jia Lian was about to get angry, he wanted to explain.

"Alright, everyone, you can leave now."

The group exchanged bewildered glances. Having caused such a huge problem, they all assumed they would inevitably face punishment.

Zhao Sheng and the others were aware of this, but in their view, getting rid of the Zhao brothers, this scourge, was worth it even if they were punished by the Second Master.

Just as they were hesitating, they heard Jia Lian's warning from above: "Remember, next time before making a decision, inform them first. I hope you will carefully consider the difference between acting expediently in an emergency and acting on your own initiative after you go down."

Zhao Sheng and the others were startled, then responded with "Yes," before rising, bowing, and leaving.

Zhao'er was different from Zhao Sheng and the others. He was Jia Lian's trusted servant, in charge of Jia Lian's daily life when he was traveling.

As Zhao Sheng and the others left with trepidation, he even dared to stay behind, walk up to Jia Lian, cover his face, and fawn over him, saying, "Second Master..."

Jia Lian gave him a cold look, then turned to Qingwen, who was standing at the gate, and said, "Bring me a bottle of the 'wound medicine' that your second mistress prepared."

Zhao'er immediately beamed with joy, no longer feeling the pain from the scratches on her face.

After offering a fawning thank you, he then explained righteously, "Second Master, please don't blame Brother Feng and the others. They only helped me today."

Besides, didn't you say you could cripple one of the Zhao brothers' hands? Originally, we only planned to cripple one of their hands, but when we cornered them today, they not only refused to back down but also dared to shout, showing no remorse whatsoever.

The servant was furious. He thought to himself, "If losing one hand is bad enough, losing another leg won't make much difference."

So, I just let Brother Feng and the others go a little too far. It's not their fault; if you want to blame someone, Second Master, then blame this servant.

Jia Lian remained noncommittal.

Zhao'er was, after all, a servant, and he seemed to think that Zhao Sheng and the others were just acting out of a sense of justice.

In reality, Zhao Sheng and his associates were merely using this opportunity to eliminate the Zhao brothers who were using his reputation to cause trouble everywhere.

Jia Lian knew this, otherwise he wouldn't have cooperated with them to drive the Zhao brothers out of the mansion.

Moreover, Jia Lian could guess that this was probably Zhao Sheng's idea. To be honest, Jia Lian hadn't expected that Zhao Sheng, who was just a servant, would grow into a capable person so quickly.

This perfectly illustrates the saying that heroes are not defined by their origins, but by the times.

For Jia Lian, he neither wanted to stifle his subordinates' initiative and turn them into puppets who only obeyed orders, nor did he want them to get used to acting on their own initiative. Therefore, appropriate discipline was necessary.

She tossed the ointment Qingwen had brought into Zhao'er's arms, saying, "Go back and apply it carefully; it's best not to leave a scar."

"Yes, yes, thank you, Second Master, thank you, Aunt Qingwen..."

When Qingwen saw that Zhao'er not only thanked her specially but also addressed her as "Grandma," she found the way Zhao'er clasped his hands in a respectful gesture quite amusing and burst out laughing.

"Get lost."

Jia Lian wouldn't tolerate this brat trying to charm his concubine, so he scolded him and then ordered, "Tomorrow, your second mistress and I are going out of the city. Have the people outside prepare the carriages and attendants."

Zhao'er responded and then ran off in a flash.

In Rongqing Hall, Grandmother Jia was about to go to sleep when she heard Wang Xifeng coming over, and she reluctantly received her.

"The manor is in such a mess today, what happened?"

"Grandma, it's nothing serious."

Sister Feng briefly and downplayed the matter.

As Jia Lian's wet nurse, Granny Zhao naturally held a certain position in the household and could speak to Grandmother Jia.

This is actually why Sister Feng had to ask Jia Lian to come back and deal with the situation earlier, because if this matter was not handled well, it would be bad if Granny Zhao made a scene in front of Grandmother Jia and others.

Granny Zhao was a sensible woman; instead of immediately making a scene in front of Grandmother Jia, she went to find Jia Lian and his wife. Some other foolish woman, seeing her son beaten like that, would probably have rushed straight to Grandmother Jia long ago.

Grandmother Jia had actually heard about this matter before, but she only confirmed it with Sister Feng.

After hearing Feng Jie's answer, she asked, "What do you think of Zhao's wife's character?"

Sister Feng laughed and said, "In my opinion, she's a good person. She's usually very honest and doesn't talk much, unlike some other women who dress up in a seductive way just because they have some good looks."

Aside from today's incident, nothing much has happened in the year since he entered the household.

Grandmother Jia nodded. Jiang Yun was, after all, one of the wives in charge of household affairs, so Grandmother Jia had naturally met her before.

Although Grandmother Jia always favored pretty maids, it didn't mean she was indiscriminate. A former courtesan naturally faced contempt and hostility from aristocratic women like Grandmother Jia.

The reason he was able to smoothly enter the mansion as a servant was because it was Jia Lian's idea.

Grandmother Jia had long planned that if she found anyone to be even slightly unruly, she would simply kick them out.

Perhaps Jiang Yun was aware of this as well, which is why, despite being in the household for so long, she has remained strictly obedient and disciplined. She doesn't seek the limelight or stand out, simply focusing on doing her job well each day, making it impossible for people like Grandmother Jia to cause trouble.

"Hmm~"

After thinking for a moment, Grandmother Jia said, "Even if she is a good person, with her appearance, it's hard to guarantee that she won't cause trouble in the future. Besides, after what happened today, if we let her come and go in the garden every day, people will inevitably point fingers at her. If your sisters hear or see this, it will also have a bad influence."

Anyway, we don't need another person to serve us, so let her go home.

Fengjie hesitated for a moment, but seeing that Grandmother Jia looked somewhat displeased, she quickly smiled and said, "What you say is true, Grandmother. I'll discuss it with our Second Master later and arrange a job for her outside..."

Grandmother Jia's face twitched. In the past, whenever Grandmother Jia gave an order, Sister Feng would always rush to carry it out without hesitation or bargaining.

She couldn't say anything; perhaps this was the price she had to pay for the family's resurgence. Previously, while the Jia family had declined, her status had risen daily, and she held absolute power.

Now, she has to seek common ground while reserving differences.

……

Outside the Rongguo Mansion, in a lane two streets away.

As a prominent figure in the Rongguo Mansion, Zhao'er had long since abandoned her old, dilapidated house and built a new one here.

Not only did they bring their grandparents to live here, but they also hired maids and servants to take care of them.

Inside the main room late at night, the dim light flickered.

"Ouch, be gentle, it hurts..."

The cotton swab soaked in alcohol was rubbed onto the wound, causing Zhao'er to wince in pain and tremble uncontrollably.

Upon seeing this, Jiang Yun said, "I already told you I'm fine and not to bother with them, but you wouldn't listen. Now look what's happened, you've made such a big fuss because of me, and you've even been punished in front of the Marquis. It's not worth it."

Upon hearing this, Zhao'er grabbed Jiang Yun's hand as she applied the medicine and said with a grin, "How could it not be worth it? I think it's worth it! Humph, those two bastards from the Zhao family dare to covet my wife. I'll make sure they pay!"

You're as beautiful as a flower; you've already suffered enough by being with me. If I don't protect you, what kind of man am I?

Jiang Yun was deeply moved upon hearing this. It would be impossible for her not to feel wronged when she agreed to marry Zhao'er, but given the circumstances at the time, she had no other choice.

Now that she's been following Zhao'er for almost a year, she's come to terms with it. Aside from being labeled a "servant," there's nothing wrong with following this little rascal.

She had no worries about food, clothing, or daily necessities. Moreover, she was ten years older than Zhao'er and more mature. In addition, Zhao'er was very obedient to her, so she often looked at Zhao'er as if he were her own son.

For example, in this small house, she is the undisputed mistress of the house, and even Zhao'er's grandparents respect her.

There was no other reason than that her marriage to Zhao'er was not only arranged by Jia Lian, but on the day of their wedding, Jia Lian not only came in person, but also sat in the main hall.

In comparison, when she was a concubine to a wealthy salt merchant in Jiangnan, she was nominally a mistress, but in reality, she was nothing more than an object to be played with. In some ways, she was even worse than a servant.

All things considered, her life is stable now. At least, she has a home.

As a beauty who once won the title of the most beautiful courtesan in Jiangnan, Jiang Yun's looks and figure are beyond question. Even though she is no longer at her peak, her charm is still irresistible to Zhao'er, who is right next to her.

As Zhao'er stared at her, she couldn't resist leaning in and kissing her beautiful cheek, prompting Jiang Yun to spit out, "Applying medicine, what are you doing..."

Zhao'er said with a hint of pride, "I never thought that I, Zhao'er, would actually be able to marry such a beautiful wife in my lifetime. Thinking about it now, it still feels like a dream."

"What a disgrace." Although Jiang Yun cursed, the way she applied the medicine suddenly became much gentler.

Before Jiang Yun could tidy up the table after Fang finished applying the medicine, Zhao'er pounced on him and threw him onto the bed.

"Stop fooling around, I still need to fetch water for you to wash your feet!"

"Why wash my feet, my wife? Let's get intimate first..."

Zhao'er threw himself at Jiang Yun and kissed him passionately, leaving the beauty with no choice but to let him have his way.

After accomplishing their good deed, Jiang Yun held Zhao'er in his arms and chatted with her as husband and wife.

Suddenly, Zhao'er said, "By the way, I haven't asked you yet. Besides the Zhao brothers, have any other shameless guys been trying to seduce you these days? Or rather, have you been cheating on me with other men behind my back?"

Jiang Yun was taken aback, then immediately retorted angrily, "If you despise me, why did you insist on marrying me in the first place? It would have been better to let me fend for myself in that brothel than to marry you. Not only do I have to guard against being bullied by others, but I also have to be suspected by you..."

Seeing Jiang Yun angrily about to get out of bed, Zhao'er quickly pulled her over and coaxed her, "Don't be angry, I was just saying that."

I don't doubt you; I just know the nature of those people in the manor. And with your striking beauty, it's no wonder they're eyeing you for personal gain.

Hearing this, Jiang Yun calmed down a bit and hesitated before saying, "Every time I enter the manor, I am dressed very conservatively. The clothes I brought back from Jiangnan have never been worn outside except at home. You still suspect me..."

"I know my wife is the best. But..."

Zhao'er's eyes darted around, and suddenly, as if she had been given a great boost of energy, she turned to look at Jiang Yun and laughed, "If you haven't been with anyone else, then tell me honestly, what about you and Second Master Lian? Have you... um?"

After asking the question, Zhao'er was on guard against Jiang Yun struggling, so she held her firmly in place.

"Don't be nervous, just tell the truth. After all, you used to spend every day in the garden helping Second Master manage those stunning beauties and young actresses, so you must have run into him quite often. If Second Master takes a liking to you, would you object? After all, our Second Master Lian is one of the most handsome men in the world..."

Jiang Yun glanced at Zhao'er to make sure he was joking before replying, "Pah! Let's not even talk about whether Second Master Lian would even look at me. Even if he did, what could you do? Do you expect him to give you an explanation?"

"statement?"

Zhao'er suddenly laughed triumphantly, a kind of arrogance whose thoughts were completely unfathomable.

"You're overthinking it. If Second Master really took a liking to you, I'd be overjoyed, why would I demand an explanation from him..."

Jiang Yun remained silent, exchanging glances with the idiot.

Zhao'er, however, was quite composed. She kissed Jiang Yun and said with a smile, "Don't look at me with such surprise. I'm serious."

What am I, Zhao'er? I was just a slave, the kind you could pick up for a few taels of silver anywhere.

But look at me now! Not only do I, Zhao'er, have my own big house to live in, but I also have such a beautiful wife to warm my bed every night. Those arrogant fellows in the manor, which one of them doesn't greet me with a smile?

But I no longer take them seriously. I followed the Second Master, frequently entering and leaving the imperial palace, and also venturing into the northern deserts and across mountains of knives and seas of blood.

Without exaggeration, I, Zhao'er, am now quite a figure.

All of this is simply because I was lucky enough to have been with our Second Master since I was a child!

Jiang Yun listened silently, agreeing with Zhao'er's words. Putting everything else aside, she had never imagined that she would end up in the hands of a mere teenage servant!

The other party is indeed very lucky to have such a heroic and generous master.

But looking back, with so many servants around Jia Lian, the fact that Zhao'er received such favor from him is enough to show that Zhao'er possesses something that others don't.

"Therefore, everything I have is a gift from Second Master! Including you, it's the same, do you understand?"

Although Zhao'er was telling the truth, Jiang Yun still felt uneasy hearing it. As a woman, what woman wouldn't want her man to be a pillar of strength?

Therefore, she turned her head away and said, "You don't need to bother testing me. I'm just a withered flower, how could someone like the Marquis possibly look at me? Otherwise, he wouldn't have given me to you in the first place."

"That's true."

Zhao'er said with a hint of regret. This reaction left Jiang Yun speechless.

Little did she know what Zhao'er was thinking.

Zhao'er had been with Jia Lian since she was a child. When Jia Lian was twelve or thirteen years old and began to understand romance and poetry, Zhao'er was influenced by what she saw and heard, and naturally learned quickly as well.

Jia Lian used to be indiscriminate in his sexuality. And with his status and dashing appearance, he had countless affairs with the maids and wives of the two households!

Most of them, Zhao'er knew the truth about.

In many cases, he was the one who acted as a middleman.

As the middleman, he naturally had his advantages. One of them was that few of the maids and wives whom Jia Lian could easily take advantage of were virtuous and chaste.

As Jia Lian's close servant, Zhao'er was naturally quite good-looking, and through these clandestine dealings, he naturally managed to pocket a fair share of the spoils.

Even if Jia Lian had known back then, he wouldn't have minded.

This delighted Zhao'er and the others. After all, being able to share the same woman as their master was something to be proud of, wasn't it?

Unfortunately, such things are long gone.

It's unclear when exactly, but Master Lian's temperament changed. Although he remained lecherous, he no longer looked down on the young wives of the two households.

Without Jia Lian paving the way, they naturally wouldn't have had so many opportunities.

So, when Zhao'er asked Jiang Yun if she had ever been intimate with Jia Lian, besides her somewhat twisted desires, she wanted to know whether Second Master Lian's horizons had simply broadened with his rising status, or whether he had truly changed his ways!

This would make it easier for him to serve Jia Lian.

Thinking about changing his personality, Zhao'er couldn't help but recall the time when he married Jiang Yun.

That night, after Jia Lian came down from the main hall, he pulled Jia Lian to a secluded spot, pointed to the bridal chamber, and said slyly, "This servant just drank too much and is quite dizzy. Why don't you go in first and help this servant see if the bride is beautiful..."

Zhao'er still remembers clearly what he was thinking at the time.

First of all, even at that time he still felt that being able to marry the former most beautiful woman in Jiangnan was too dreamy, and that with his abilities, he couldn't control her.

Secondly, he secretly suspected that the Second Master might be afraid of being scolded by Second Madam Lian and Miss Lin, and was therefore embarrassed to accept this beauty, which was why he chose to keep her by his side. If he accepted her readily, things might turn out badly.

Third, even if the Second Master didn't mean it that way, he should at least fulfill his filial duty since the Second Master was so generous to him.

Only by satisfying the Second Master will more favors be bestowed upon him in the future.

His plan was shrewd, but all he got in return was a merciless kick from Jia Lian, which sent him flying to the doorway.

Thinking about this hidden past, Zhao'er revealed a smug smile.

There are so many secrets between him and the Second Master that no one else knows. How can anyone else compete with him for favor?

Just like this time, when he led his men to beat the Zhao brothers so badly, the Second Master not only didn't punish him, but also kicked the Zhao brothers out!

Zhao'er's face broke into a genuine smile, leaving Jiang Yun beneath him speechless.

It's nothing much. She's been a prostitute for so many years and has seen a lot of things. She's seen many people who are far more despicable than Zhao'er is right now, so naturally it won't cause her much of a reaction.

"Get up, I'll go fetch water."

Jiang Yun rolled over, and just as she got out of bed, she heard Zhao'er say, "By the way, don't think that just because I said that you can let outsiders have their way with you! Apart from Second Master, if you dare to flirt with any other man, I'll cripple them like the Zhao brothers did!"

A fierce look appeared on Zhao'er's still somewhat immature face.

He genuinely liked Jiang Yun; otherwise, when he brought her here and Jia Lian refused to take her, he wouldn't have dared to ask Jia Lian for her on the spot.

Of the hundreds of servants in the two mansions, he felt that none of their wives were as beautiful as his. Only he, as a servant, could enjoy this happiness and honor; others could only dream of it.

Jiang Yun watched him silently, wanting to say something to him, but in the end she just nodded silently.

But after stepping out in her thin clothes, facing the spring breeze on the veranda, her state of mind underwent a change.