Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

Because the new naval port and shipyard had been designed and arranged almost completely in the two months before the Lunar New Year, Jia Lian's visit was mainly for inspection and to fill in any gaps.

Therefore, besides inspecting and guiding these two places every day, Jia Lian also spent his time exchanging ideas with the officers and generals of the Tianjin naval force, and casually writing detailed memorials about the situation there, preparing to have the emperor review them after returning to the capital.

Of course, the emperor may not have time to look at these trivial matters, but regardless of whether the emperor looks at them or not, he always does his work very seriously, striving not to leave too much room for criticism.

The day was fast approaching for Tan Chun's birthday.

In the warm spring of March, the weather was fine and sunny, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

The vast waters outside the capital's wharf.

A small awning boat drifts casually on the river.

The warm sunlight streamed down, though most of it was blocked by the bamboo awning, some still managed to penetrate the cabin through the small gaps, creating a breathtaking scene.

On the luxurious soft couch, a tall, handsome man with enviable features lay comfortably with his hands folded in front of his face.

He was naked, revealing his strong back and slightly bulging muscles.

Behind him, a slender beauty dressed only in a thin veil sat astride his waist and hips. She gently raised her jade-like arms, and her hands, covered in flower oil, were evenly applied to his back, shoulders, and arms, making his skin glow with a beautiful radiance under the soft sunlight.

The beautiful woman, like a master of medicine, massaged and kneaded all the joints and acupoints on the man's shoulders and back.

Seeing that the man beneath her seemed to have fallen asleep under her massage, a smile appeared on her face.

She silently reduced the force in her hands by a third, and then, like a tireless puppet, focused on serving the man beneath her, striving to bring him the ultimate relaxation and enjoyment.

She didn't know how much time had passed, until she noticed the man beneath her was groaning softly again, just like at the beginning, with each gentle touch of her hands. She chuckled and said, "How can you be so tired, my lord? You can even fall asleep like this?"

The one being gently served by the beauty was none other than Marquis Jia Lian, who had rushed back to the capital from Tianjin.

The beauty, however, was the second wife of the second branch of the Xue family's direct line. She had been staying in the capital for over a month and was preparing to leave to return to Jinling.

She was originally supposed to leave two days ago. But Jia Lian, upon learning the news, ordered her to postpone it for two days.

And so, at this bustling transportation hub, on this wide Grand Canal, in a small boat, the two embarked on this unique and unconventional farewell.

Jia Lian wasn't particularly tired; it was just that the beauty's service was so gentle and enjoyable that he couldn't help but take a short nap.

"I set off from Tianjin early in the morning, without stopping, for fear of missing the appointed time and the chance to say goodbye to my wife."

Upon hearing Jia Lian's explanation, the Second Madam's beautiful eyes immediately crinkled into two crescent moons with laughter.

Actually, she didn't expect that Jia Lian would make a special trip back to the capital just for her.

In her eyes, she was nothing more than a young, widowed woman of bad luck, whose brief affair with Jia Lian was merely a chance occurrence. To Jia Lian, who was surrounded by countless beauties, she was nothing more than a casual fling, someone dispensable.

Her decision to leave the capital and return to her hometown was merely a casual thought, and she asked someone to inform Jia Lian. Who would have thought that she would receive Jia Lian's "order" that very night, instructing her to leave on the second day of the new year, as he would come to see her off.

What pleased her even more was that Jia Lian had indeed arrived at the dock from Tianjin Wei an hour before the passenger ship was scheduled to depart.

Judging from the time, Jia Lian probably set off around midnight yesterday.

This kindness stirred her heart, and she couldn't help but lean down and whisper in Jia Lian's ear, "So, has Your Excellency rested well now?"

Jia Lian, though puzzled, replied casually, "Of course. With the Second Madam's help, I not only rested well, but I also feel incredibly energetic now."

"Oh, really?"

The second wife straightened up without making a sound, and casually applied more of the fine peach blossom oil she had prepared beforehand to Jia Lian's back. Then, she gently lifted her hands and took off her gauze dress.

In an instant, a beautiful, white, and graceful body, so beautiful that even the light seemed to pale in comparison, was exposed to the air.

Seeing that Jia Lian hadn't noticed and turned around, the Second Madam was not discouraged. She smiled and bent down again, using her most beautiful body to give Jia Lian a unique enjoyment.

……

Although Jia Lian was shocked by the second wife's superb skills, it was not surprising.

After all, although the Second Madam had previously used massage techniques to subdue Zhuang Shi, she had no formal training and knew nothing of such sophisticated methods.

Jia Lian had given her some pointers on these things, but who would have thought she would learn them so easily?

Moreover, Jia Lian had to admit that his second wife, who came from the Western Regions and had a taller and more graceful figure than most women from the Central Plains, was more adept at such erotic affairs, making his blood boil uncontrollably.

Finally, when the second wife patted his bottom to make him turn over, Jia Lian could no longer hold back. He took the initiative, pressed the second wife onto the bed, and lowered his head to kiss her face and neck.

"Hehehe, my lord, don't be in such a hurry, there's still some oil left to apply..."

The second wife looked up and smiled sweetly.

"No rush. It's only right to repay you. My lady has served me so diligently; now it's my turn to give back."

After Jia Lian finished speaking, he directly restrained the Second Madam's slender and powerless hands and feet, and then used the most primitive means to enjoy his prey.

After their lovemaking, the two women, covered in fragrant sweat and with flushed faces, sat back on Jia Lian's waist, looking at him with delight as he rested his head on his hands and admired her.

Exhausted from Jia Lian's antics, the Second Madam was no longer as diligent as before. She hastily massaged Jia Lian's chest, waist, and abdomen before putting down her tools and nestling gracefully into his arms.

"I am leaving."

"Um."

"After I leave, will the Marquis miss me?"

No sooner had she finished speaking than the Second Madam felt her chin being lifted, and then she saw Jia Lian's jade-like face looking at her, saying with a smile, "Second Madam is so naturally beautiful and charming, no man could resist her, could he?"

The second wife blushed, unable to help but recall the scenes of her seducing Jia Lian in Jinling City.

To this day, she still can't quite understand how she had the audacity to seduce Jia Lian on their very first meeting.

Perhaps it was her sister Zhuang's encouragement, or perhaps Jia Lian's charm was too great; in any case, she did it.

Looking back now, this may have been the most important decision of my life, and it will bring me the most precious memories and recollections, one of the most important things in my life.

Thinking of this, she suddenly looked at Jia Lian with a pleading expression: "After I leave, I hope that Your Excellency will take good care of Qin'er for my sake and not let her suffer any grievances."

Upon hearing this, Jia Lian's expression shifted: "Since you're worried, why don't you stay and take care of her?"

The second madam shook her head: "The main reason I came to the capital this time is to tell you, on behalf of my sister, about Ling'er."

I've already lingered in the capital for far too long.

The Marquis is aware of our family's situation. My sister has just given birth and is in poor health; she needs someone to take care of her.

The Ling'er mentioned by the two wives is the daughter born to Jia Lian by the first wife, Zhuang.

After successfully giving birth to her daughter and making arrangements for her upbringing, Zhuang took her in as an adopted daughter and named her "Zhuang Ling".

Hearing the two wives' concerns for the First Madam, Jia Lian felt a sense of admiration for their friendship.

He gently embraced the Second Madam's delicate body and sighed, "Don't worry. With your wives in the capital, Qin'er won't suffer any injustice."

"I know my wife's character perfectly well, so I'm not worried about entrusting Qin'er to her care. What I'm worried about is Qin'er's marriage."

Alas, my original purpose in coming to the capital was to meet the eldest son of the Mei family.

I never expected the Mei family to look down on my Xue family so much. After I arrived in the capital, my wife wrote to the Mei family, asking Mrs. Mei to bring her son to our residence so that both sides could get to know each other.

Unexpectedly, the Mei family made all sorts of excuses, such as the national mourning period being inconvenient or their old lady being unwell, and refused to come.

It seems my sister guessed correctly; the Mei family indeed harbors resentment towards their kinship.

In a fit of anger, I originally wanted to take Qin'er back to Nanjing. However, the little girl was very reluctant to part with the friends she had made here, and our madam also said that if the Mei family saw Qin'er's appearance and character, they would definitely change their minds. So I agreed to let her stay.

"Hmph, if the Mei family truly changes their mind and treats you with courtesy, then so be it. Otherwise, I would like to ask Your Excellency to keep a close eye on Qin'er and make sure she is not mistreated."

The second wife's words stirred something within Jia Lian.

Jia Lian was already aware of the Mei family's intention to break off the engagement. He had even paid special attention to it and roughly understood the Mei family's thoughts.

The engagement between the Mei and Xue families took place when the Xue family was still relatively prosperous. At that time, the eldest and second masters of the Xue family were still alive, and the Xue family's business was not facing any major problems.

Who would have thought that times would change and the two pillars of the Xue family would both fall one after the other.

The family business suddenly became precarious.

The Mei family, with two members of the Hanlin Academy in three generations, was an extremely distinguished family.

Originally, the marriage alliance with the Xue family was a mutually beneficial arrangement.

However, after the Xue family's rapid decline and bleak future, the Mei family must have felt they had been taken advantage of.

Moreover, in these past few years, the eldest son of the Mei family has also distinguished himself and passed the imperial examination to become a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the lowest level of the imperial examinations)!

This is clearly a promising talent for the Mei family. In the future, the Mei family might be able to rely on him to achieve the prestigious title of "three Hanlin scholars across four generations".

Under such circumstances, how could they be willing to let their star player marry the daughter of a fallen imperial merchant?

Moreover, Jia Lian also knew that the eldest son of the Mei family had been serving the Crown Prince since he took office.

It should be noted that most of the sons of noble families in the court follow the Third Prince, who is known for his virtue and talent.

His Highness the Crown Prince has few distinguished sons around him, so the eldest son of the Mei family naturally seems more precious. Naturally, the eldest son of the Mei family is also somewhat arrogant and conceited.

After considering all the reasons, even Jia Lian felt that it was understandable for the Mei family to want to break off the engagement.

They dare not break the contract directly, so they choose to drag it out, presumably hoping to exhaust the patience of both parties before taking lenient action.

Jia Lian suddenly touched the Second Madam's face and asked seriously, "If the Mei family insists on breaking off the engagement, what will you do?"

"They wouldn't dare! This marriage was arranged by the elders of both families, and there's a written agreement to prove it. How can they go back on their word?"

"Of course I know. If you insist on marrying Qin'er into the Mei family, with me here, I doubt they will dare not go back on their word."

I just want to say, forced relationships are never happy. Can you really bear to see Qin'er suffer mistreatment and disdain after marrying into their family?

The second wife's expression suddenly became complicated.

Jia Lian is right. Back when she entered the Xue family, she was also not well received by them.

Who knows how much effort she has put in and how much grievance she has secretly endured to get to where she is today?

Having experienced it firsthand, she naturally didn't want her daughter to go through the same ordeal.

However, since this was a marriage arranged by her father himself, they couldn't change it on their own.

The second wife then looked at Jia Lian and asked, "So, according to your opinion?"

Jia Lian said, "What I mean is, if the Mei family can change their minds, then so be it. But if they still don't know what's good for them, then let them have their way and cancel the marriage between the two families. Then we can find a good, well-mannered, and considerate man for Qin'er. Wouldn't that be better?"

The second madam pondered for a moment, then her eyes flashed with a sharp look: "Fine, let's do as the Marquis wishes! Humph, I've long disliked the Mei family. With my Qin'er's character and looks, what kind of good man couldn't she find in the world? Why would she need to curry favor with the Mei family?"

When we get back, I'll discuss it again with my sister.

Seeing that the Second Madam had taken his words to heart, Jia Lian's mood improved considerably.

According to Jia Lian's investigation, the eldest son of the Mei family was quite ordinary. Apart from having obtained the title of Xiucai by chance, he was completely unworthy of Baoqin in terms of both character and appearance.

They even want to break off the engagement; that's utterly absurd.

It's just that they haven't seen Baoqin in person; otherwise, regardless of anything else, the eldest son of the Mei family would definitely have changed his attitude.

"Actually, if it weren't for the fact that there are so many beautiful and intelligent women around the Marquis, and Qin'er doesn't have a clear advantage in competing with them, I would have already wanted to give her life to the Marquis..."

Suddenly, he saw the Second Madam sit up and say these words to him, and Jia Lian immediately started coughing incessantly.

The second wife quickly patted his chest to help him catch his breath, then teased, "Really? If that's the case, what does the Marquis think?"

Regardless of what Jia Lian was thinking, he could tell from the second wife's scrutinizing and cunning gaze that she wasn't sincere.

Therefore, he smiled casually and said, "Alright, if that's the case, then when I want to see the lady again, it will be perfectly legitimate, and I won't have to sneak around like this anymore."

Seeing that she couldn't discern Jia Lian's thoughts, the second wife could only shake her head and smile, saying, "I am but a faded flower, and I am content with just a moment of your tenderness, my lord. How could I possibly hope for anything more?"

Even so, she began to seriously consider the matter in her mind.

The Mei family looked down on Qin Yatou, which was perfect, since she didn't really think much of this poor official from the capital either.

In her eyes, even being Jia Lian's concubine was more noble than becoming the principal wife in the snobbish Mei family.

Unfortunately, even someone as outstanding as Jia Lian had countless women eyeing the position of his concubine.

Even if the daughter is well-behaved and cute enough to beat the concubine candidates, how can she compete with the principal wife, Sister Feng, and Lin Daiyu, who has the title of Lady of the Township?

Not to mention, the legendary eldest princess of the dynasty (whose title has been demoted by the retired emperor, but no one has publicized it) also had some ambiguous relationship with Jia Lian.

These forces are enough to make people hesitate.

The second wife was unaware that even their esteemed mistress had betrothed her only precious daughter to Jia Lian. Otherwise, one wonders what her feelings would be.

The second wife suddenly stood up, took out a handkerchief and wiped Jia Lian's body first, and then began to dress herself.

Seeing Jia Lian looking over, she smiled sweetly and said, "The ship is probably about to depart, so I must go."

Jia Lian nodded, got up, took out a jade pendant from his clothes, and handed it to the Second Madam.

The second wife took it and examined it. She saw that the jade pendant was small and exquisite, with a baby phoenix engraved on the front and a single character "灵" on the back.

"This is."

"This is a gift for my daughter's one-month celebration. You should let her carry it with her at all times."

Upon hearing this, the second madam laughed and said, "I understand. Isn't this just like in the plays, where when Ling'er grows up, she uses this as a token to travel a thousand miles to the capital to find her biological father?"

Jia Lian frowned. To be honest, after hearing her say that, it really did seem to make sense.

However, Jia Lian had always despised irresponsible fathers, especially those he watched on television. Therefore, he certainly wouldn't wait until his daughter grew up to travel thousands of miles to the capital to find her family.

When he has time in the future, he will go to Jiangnan and bring his daughter to live with him and raise her.

However, for the sake of Zhuang's reputation, we probably have no choice but to follow her example and use the method of adopting a daughter or goddaughter.

He suddenly thought of another question.

My daughter's current name is Zhuang Ling. If we bring her back to China in the future, should we change her surname back to her original surname?

The second wife carefully put away the jade pendant, walked to the cabin door, and said to the boatwoman outside, "Madam, please row the boat back to the dock."

After saying that, she didn't dare to look at the old woman at the bow of the boat who was looking at her, so she closed the curtain and retreated.

After helping Jia Lian get dressed, she took out a bamboo hat with a gauze curtain from the corner and put it on herself.

The docks are crowded and dangerous, so even though the chances are slim, she still needs to be careful not to be recognized.

Unfortunately, the small awning cabin couldn't allow the tall Second Madam to stand up straight; otherwise, her attire would have resembled the graceful, elusive heroines of the martial world that Jia Lian remembered.

"What are you looking at...?"

The second wife gave Jia Lian a coquettish look, then smiled and took his arm, leading the two of them out of the cabin.

……

On the dock, watching the Second Madam walk alone towards the huge passenger ship, Jia Lian turned around and beckoned Zhao'er to him.

"What are your orders, Second Master?"

Zhao'er smiled mischievously.

Jia Lian glanced at him a few times and said, "Take a few men and get on this ship. Escort the Second Madam to Jinling and then come back."

"what?"

When Zhao'er heard that it was going to be a tough job, she instinctively wanted to complain.

But looking into Jia Lian's eyes, he suddenly realized something. This matter was one of the Second Master's absolute secrets, and he probably wouldn't trust anyone else to handle it. Therefore, he changed his expression, nodded, and stood at attention: "I guarantee to complete the task assigned by the Second Master!"

Jia Lian's expression softened, and he said softly, "Go and arrange the manpower."

When the second wife returned to Nanjing, the Xue family naturally arranged for her to accompany her, but Jia Lian was not entirely at ease.

The second wife's beauty was enough to tempt some unscrupulous individuals to risk their lives. Presumably, even the former second master of the Xue family wouldn't dare take her on his business trips, and had no choice but to keep her hidden away at home.

Now that such a beauty has fallen into his hands, it is only right that he protects her.