Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

After escorting Baochai from the back gate of the Grand View Garden to Hengwu Garden, Yingchun and Tanchun helped tidy up the room.

Actually, there wasn't much to tidy up. In the Grand View Garden, all the young ladies' residences had maids and servants specifically responsible for guarding and cleaning.

After Yingchun and her sisters had a brief chat with Baochai, Jia Lian summoned the old women and maids from Hengwu Garden and instructed them, "You few, take the Second Miss and the Third Miss back."

Yingchun and her brother asked in surprise, "Second brother, aren't you coming with us?"

"You all go first. There's a few things about Uncle Xue that I forgot to mention to Auntie at the dinner. I'll tell your sister Bao, and she can relay it to Auntie when she sees her."

"oh."

Yingchun nodded, bowed slightly to Jia Lian, and left after the old women had lit the lanterns. Tanchun, however, glanced back at Jia Lian and Baochai before leaving.

It wasn't that she thought Jia Lian's statement was inappropriate, but rather that she noticed that when Jia Lian spoke, the usually composed and reserved Baochai actually showed a hint of nervousness on her face.

She was only slightly surprised. It was understandable that Baochai, though she called them sisters, was not actually one of them, and would be a little shy about speaking to Lian Er-gege alone.

After seeing Yingchun and the others off, Baochai stood on the corridor for a while before turning back into the house with her maid Ying'er.

Seeing Jia Lian sitting upright at the tea table, slowly sipping his tea, Baochai stopped again.

Ying'er keenly sensed the strange atmosphere, glanced around, and quietly slipped away from Baochai's side.

"They're gone?"

"Um."

"Why are you standing? Sit down and talk."

Baochai narrowed her beautiful eyes slightly, thought for a moment, walked to the low kang by the window, and sat down with her knees bent.

"Tell your mother not to worry too much about your brother's matter; a year will pass quickly. I will also ask someone to instruct the Ministry of Justice to take good care of him."

If you wish to see him, you may visit him, but it's best not to do so too frequently, lest you invite gossip. Visiting him once every ten days is perfectly fine.

"I understand, I will tell my mother."

"As for your family's business in the palace and your official position in the Ministry of Revenue, the more you do now, the more mistakes you will make. It's best to wait and see for now, and deal with it after this storm has passed."

Even if something goes wrong, there's still room for redress once your brother gets out, or when your uncle returns from his patrol.

Upon hearing Jia Lian bring this up, Baochai sighed inwardly.

Perhaps this is why the mother was willing to wrong herself and the Xue family in order to give herself to Lian Er Gege.

The Xue family really needs someone like Lian Er Gege (Second Brother Lian) to help them get through this difficult time.

Just like her brother's affairs and the family's reputation as imperial merchants, these two things that worried her mother immensely were discussed in just a few words by her second brother, Lian Er.

Moreover, she knew that if her second brother Lian was willing to contribute, the outcome would be much better than expected.

So he gave a soft "hmm" and said, "I understand."

Seeing Baochai sitting gracefully on the soft kang, with a thoughtful look in her eyes, Jia Lian knew that a woman as intelligent as Baochai could speak only to the point and not go on.

Therefore, she skipped the topic and said with a smile, "Sister Baochai, you don't need to be reserved in front of me. Since Aunt has already promised you to me, from now on, I will be responsible for your life. I will be your eternal support."

I know my sister's talent far surpasses that of ordinary women, and I'm counting on her to be my virtuous wife in the future. How can I allow her to remain so reserved, never daring to speak in my presence?

Baochai was still pondering the future of her family when she suddenly heard Jia Lian say this. She felt ashamed and anxious, and couldn't help but look at Jia Lian.

Seeing the three-point mockery on Jia Lian's face, she knew that Jia Lian was deliberately humiliating her.

Seeing that Jia Lian had finished speaking and was smiling with his mouth closed, clearly waiting for her reply, she lowered her head and said softly, "Although my mother agreed to your request, you promised to respect my wishes, and I haven't agreed yet... so naturally, it doesn't count yet..."

"Oh, does your sister not want to?"

Previously, Jia Lian would not have been in such a hurry. However, having received definite information from Aunt Xue, he was naturally not afraid of Baochai turning against him out of embarrassment and anger.

As expected, Baochai simply lowered her head and remained silent upon hearing this.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Jia Lian walked to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) and sat down gently.

Baochai was slightly startled when she noticed his actions. She moved as if to get up, but then felt that doing so would make her look like a frightened bird.

Moreover, although Jia Lian sat on the same kang (heated brick bed) with her, he was not right next to her, but rather about two or three body lengths away. This distance gave her a certain sense of security.

Hesitating for even a moment, he lost the chance to get up and leave.

Therefore, Baochai simply turned her legs slightly, keeping her sitting upright from the side, to avoid facing Jia Lian.

Jia Lian had anticipated that Baochai would avoid him before sitting down. Finding that she didn't, he naturally didn't make any rash moves. Instead, he took advantage of the moment when Baochai dared not look him in the eye to quietly admire this beautiful young woman.

Although it wasn't the first time he had looked at this beautiful woman who was ranked first among the Twelve Beauties alongside Daiyu, each time he found her a delight to behold.

Even though it was early spring and her thick clothing prevented him from seeing her beauty to the fullest extent, the glimpses of her face, neck, and slender hands, which were not completely concealed by her clothes, were enough to make Jia Lian sigh:

The Creator is so wondrous that He could sculpt a woman so flawlessly.

"Skin as white as ice and bones as white as snow" is the most perfect description of her.

Her lips were naturally red without lipstick, and her eyebrows were naturally dark without makeup. She had a dignified appearance and a graceful figure.

If we were to ask which woman in this world truly deserves the title of "national beauty and heavenly fragrance," she would probably be the only one.

After Jia Lian sat down beside her, Baochai became tense. After waiting for a while without any movement from Jia Lian, she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and realized that he was looking at her. She felt even more embarrassed.

She turned her body a little to the other side and said softly, "Second Brother Lian is a hero of our time. Not only is his official career going smoothly, but he also has unparalleled women like Sister Feng and Sister Lin to whom he has pledged his love. His life is so perfect, so why should he still be attached to Baochai?"

Baochai's words, seemingly a rejection, actually brought a smile to Jia Lian's face.

He moved closer quietly and whispered, "It seems my sister has completely forgotten what I said last night. What is fulfillment? If I cannot have my sister by my side in this life, then my life cannot be considered fulfilled."

Baochai lowered her eyes; of course she hadn't forgotten. On the contrary, the words Jia Lian had spoken last night had replayed in her mind a thousand times over the past day, to the point that she could remember every single word he uttered, as well as the tone and expression with which he said each word.

The more she thought about it, the more shy she became. She turned completely to the other side, her back to Jia Lian: "Even if I believe what you said, have you ever thought about what would happen if... if I really followed Mother's arrangements? What would I be then?"

Lin Daiyu was a fourth-rank village lady bestowed by the emperor, a position of great prestige. I heard that my second brother Lian had promised Uncle Lin that he would marry her with the proper respect due to a wife.

In this way, even if Lin Daiyu marries you as a concubine, she will still be second only to Feng Jie in status and position, and no one will dare to bully her.

And what about me? How does my second brother Lian plan to treat me?

Are they rough maids like Qingwen and Xiangling, or even worse?

Although he couldn't see Baochai's expression, Jia Lian knew that Baochai's question must be very serious. He also knew that his answer would determine Baochai's final choice.

He tentatively placed his hand on Baochai's shoulder and noticed that Baochai's body trembled. Without hesitation, he gently pulled Baochai back so that she could lean against his shoulder. Then he said softly, "Silly girl, if I didn't really like you, respect you, and want to win your heart, why would I agree to let you make your own choice?"

Just know that your place in my heart is no less than anyone else's.

The title your sister Lin holds was obtained for her by her father, and I cannot promise you that for the time being. But I can promise you that what your sister Lin has, you will have as well.

Regardless of my status as a concubine or the wedding ceremony to come, I will do my best to give you the best.

For no other reason than that you are worthy in my heart.

As Jia Lian said these words, he was inwardly complaining, "It's fortunate that this is the era. If it were in later times, I'd probably have been slapped by the woman long ago, no, maybe even twice."

Regardless of how Jia Lian viewed his words, Baochai felt a huge weight lifted from her heart.

In fact, she did not resist her mother's arrangement for her, because she had long realized her admiration for Jia Lian.

She also wanted to be by the side of such an unparalleled man, to create an era together with him, and to realize the value she wanted to achieve through him.

Her only concern was her place in Jia Lian's heart.

After all, in this era where hierarchy is paramount, a servant cannot stand shoulder to shoulder with his master.

She could accept being inferior to her cousin Wang Xifeng, since Wang Xifeng was the newcomer. But she couldn't accept being inferior to Jia Lian's other wives and concubines.

In fact, Jia Lian now only has three wives and concubines at most: Feng Jie, Daiyu, and Heping'er.

At least on the surface.

She had heard from her mother that Jia Lian said if he could win her over, he would treat her like a national treasure.

Although her heart was warmed, she had only heard it from an outsider, and her mother might have embellished her white lie to try and persuade her. Now that she heard Jia Lian say with her own ears that she was no less important than anyone else in his heart, and that he would treat her the same way he treated Daiyu, she felt relieved.

Because deep down, she believed in Jia Lian's character and words, a conclusion she reached after observing him over the past few years.

Therefore, even though she knew it was improper for her to lean against Jia Lian's chest, she couldn't bring herself to get up.

She was somewhat enjoying this tranquil and wonderful feeling, a thrill she had never experienced in her teenage years.

If Baochai is like this, what about Jia Lian?

Tonight marks the first time Jia Lian has legitimately held Baochai in his arms. Before, it was either because Baochai was frightened or because he took advantage of her unpreparedness, which doesn't amount to much.

Sensing the delicate fragrance emanating from this stunningly beautiful young woman, Jia Lian felt a surge of excitement. He knew that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, from this day forward, this woman would belong to him.

He didn't ask Baochai whether she had agreed or not, but quietly pulled her closer to him, enjoying more tenderness.

Humans are always greedy.

Finding that Baochai seemed lost in her own inner world and did not react to his actions, Jia Lian couldn't help but glance at Baochai's profile and snow-white neck, which were so close to his eyes.

Baochai's fair skin and delicate figure had always been his most coveted feature, and now that she was only a breath away from his mouth and nose, he found it hard to control himself.

He lowered his head, wanting to kiss her.

Despite his extreme caution, he underestimated the girl's vigilance.

Almost the instant she felt the man's hot breath on her cheek, Baochai snapped back to reality.

Without even turning around, the astute Baochai knew what Jia Lian intended to do.

She deftly slipped away from Jia Lian's shoulder and stood by the kang (heated brick bed), her cheeks flushed, saying, "Second Brother Lian, it's time to go. They'll be back soon."

The women Baochai mentioned were the servants who escorted Yingchun and her two daughters down the mountain.

Jia Lian was a little disappointed.

Isn't it said that girls who fall in love have zero IQ?

Even Daiyu couldn't resist his gentle advances, allowing him to take advantage of her step by step. What did Xue Baochai do to utterly push him away in such a harmonious situation just moments before?

She wasn't annoyed, after all, if she were easy to win over, she wouldn't be Xue Baochai.

I feel a pang of regret; it seems I'll have to wait a long time to truly win her heart. But no matter what, I'll surely succeed once I marry her, won't I?

Nodding, Jia Lian stood up as if to leave. After taking only two steps, he turned back to Baochai: "You won't change your mind, will you?"

Baochai met Jia Lian's gaze in surprise, then understood his meaning and felt quite annoyed.

What do you mean by going back on your word? She clearly hasn't even agreed yet!

Fortunately, she wasn't meeting Jia Lian for the first time and knew about his unconventional thinking and his unpretentious yet effective way of speaking.

Perhaps it is precisely because he is such a special person that he attracts me so much.

With a blush, Baochai nodded almost imperceptibly.

Jia Lian was relieved. He waved his sleeve, said "I won't see you out," and walked out of the room with light steps.