Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

Beijing.

With the city no longer in turmoil and the people no longer living in fear, the two Jia families began to resume their interactions.

Qin Keqing came to talk to Wang Xifeng early in the morning and didn't leave until after noon.

In Sister Feng's courtyard, Sister Feng had a rare long nap. When she woke up, the room was quiet, and it took a while before anyone answered her calls.

"Is Second Madam awake?"

But it was Qingwen who turned in.

"Where is Ping'er?"

"Ping'er has been called to the garden by Xiren, and Feng'er is nowhere to be found. Second Mistress, would you like to get up? Let me help you change your clothes."

Seeing that Sister Feng did not object, Qingwen rummaged through her chests and cabinets to prepare clothes for Sister Feng to change into, and asked her from time to time if she was satisfied.

Sister Feng sat on the bed, holding a quilt, and quietly watched her, thinking to herself that it was rare for this little girl to be so attentive.

Therefore, when Qingwen walked towards her carrying a clean set of undergarments, Fengjie suddenly reached out and, imitating Jia Lian's flirting with Ping'er, lifted Qingwen's chin.

"Second Madam??"

Qingwen was startled and looked at Fengjie in surprise.

Feng Jie, however, was busy examining Qingwen's pretty face. Although she was a little annoyed, she had to admit that the face was indeed exceptionally beautiful, with delicate skin, graceful lines, and most importantly, no blemishes.

However, after looking at it twice, Sister Feng was certain that she had no feelings for Qingwen.

She breathed a sigh of relief; she was indeed normal. The only one with problems was Qin Keqing!

Seeing Qingwen turn her face away as if bitten by a snake, taking two steps back and looking at her warily, Fengjie deliberately laughed and said, "What are you hiding for? Are you afraid I'll eat you up?"

Qingwen hesitated for a moment, then swallowed back the curse words that were on her mind.

To prevent Feng Jie from harboring evil intentions towards her again, Qingwen deliberately changed the subject, flatteringly asking, "Second Madam, you said Second Master has been away from the capital for so long, when exactly will he return?"

Sister Feng laughed and said, "What, are you looking forward to your second master's return? Aren't you afraid that when he comes back, you'll start complaining about your sore throat again?"

At first, Qingwen didn't quite understand what Fengjie meant, but seeing Fengjie's extremely mocking expression, she realized what her mistress meant.

Her face flushed instantly, but her competitive nature made her unable to tolerate being bullied for no reason.

Without even thinking, she retorted, "Hmph, don't think I don't know, you did 'that' for Second Master too!"

Qingwen was a typical person whose mouth moved faster than her brain. She regretted her words after they left her mouth because she knew that Sister Feng was petty and that offending her would have dire consequences.

Sure enough, upon looking up, one could see that Sister Feng's face, which had been languid and bright just moments before, was now clouded with gloom.

"Who told you that?"

The eerie voice sent chills down one's spine.

Qingwen subconsciously took another step back, thought for a moment, put down the clothes in her arms, and ran away.

On the bed, Sister Feng showed no intention of pursuing Qingwen; she was still pondering where the news had leaked out.

She was certain that she had never done anything inappropriate in front of Qingwen and the other maids!

When she and Jia Lian consummated their marriage, maids were often waiting outside the curtains to attend to her needs. However, whenever this happened, she treated it as a routine matter and would never do anything that would damage her status as the second mistress of the house.

Only when she secretly indulged in pleasure with Jia Lian could she be tricked by him into doing things that Jia Lian described as romantic.

As for things like mocking Qingwen, she only did it a handful of times in the past year!

In those few instances, she was quite certain that she did it very discreetly. How did that little girl Qingwen find out?

Could it be that Ping'er leaked it?

Surely it wasn't some heartless, loose-lipped person who told Qingwen about it?

If that's the case, then I'll see if I can still help him in the future!

As she pondered these thoughts, Sister Feng's face turned even redder than Qingwen's had been, but fortunately no one noticed.

She stepped off the bed with her delicate feet, absentmindedly dressing herself and putting on her shoes.

She wasn't some pampered young lady. Although she usually had everything done for her, she was just enjoying that kind of life.

In terms of self-care ability, Wang Xifeng was second to none among the young ladies of prominent families.

After dressing and tidying herself up in front of the dressing table, Sister Feng went to the outer courtyard to perform her routine duties.

Upon hearing that the city gates were being reopened and the Emperor was about to return to the capital, Sister Feng was overjoyed and immediately ordered her stewards to inquire about the news, especially about Jia Lian.

……

The nine gates of the capital have been closed for three days.

Since the unusual troop movements three nights ago, during which troops have been arresting traitors everywhere, the capital has been under strict curfew.

Therefore, for these three days, people inside the capital did not know what was happening outside, and people outside were even less aware of what was happening inside the capital.

However, this was merely a policy implemented by Emperor Ningkang to prevent major upheavals in the capital.

Now that Emperor Ningkang has returned victorious, the capital should naturally return to its former order.

Of course, this order is not so easy to restore.

Although Emperor Ningkang's men in the capital must have eliminated many of the retired emperor's confidants during those three days, the retired emperor had, after all, ruled for nearly sixty years and his imperial power was still immense.

In this vast capital city, how many people can the retired emperor influence, both openly and secretly? Who can say for sure?

Therefore, if Emperor Ningkang wanted to truly eliminate the influence of the retired emperor and consolidate his power, he was destined to have many troublesome issues to resolve.

But these troubles had nothing to do with Jia Lian. The emperor was suspicious and feared that this "grandson of the emperor" would cause trouble, so he was determined to kick him out of the game.

Therefore, after entering the city, Jia Lian went directly to the Military Command and the Firearms Battalion to explain the relevant matters, and then returned to his residence to enjoy the long vacation that Emperor Ningkang had granted him.

……

When Jia Lian and his entourage of guards rode into Ningrong Street, the two mansions immediately erupted in excitement.

As Jia Lian's status grew, every time he went out on business or returned home after completing his business, it was a major event that shook both mansions.

But this time is exceptionally different.

Emperor Ningkang's imperial procession arrived in the capital in the afternoon. Along with the return of a large number of people to the capital, a series of news from Tiewang Mountain was also brought back to the capital.

There are too many messages, and they are too heavy.

Fortunately, smart people know which information can be disseminated and which should be kept secret. Those who are not so smart may not actually know much accurate information either.

With the deliberate guidance from Emperor Ningkang's side, public opinion was kept within a manageable range.

However, there was nothing to hide about the fact that Jia Lian might be a grandson of the emperor, since the retired emperor had said it in front of tens of thousands of people.

Compared to the explosive news of Emperor Ningkang's coup, the Crown Prince's rebellion, and the Third Prince possibly being the murderer of the Crown Prince, the news about Jia Lian was obviously more of a topic for casual conversation. Emperor Ningkang and others were eager for the public's attention to be drawn to such news, as it would relieve some of their pressure.

Therefore, in just half a day, the news spread like wildfire, reaching most of the capital.

The two Jia families naturally knew about it, and they were all stunned by the news.

Jia Lian's horse did not enter the east wing. He went directly to the main gate of Rongguo Mansion, dismounted, and walked straight in, ignoring all the servants who came forward to greet him.

As we walked along the central avenue to Rongxi Hall, we unexpectedly encountered Madam Wang.

Jia Lian paused briefly, then cupped his hands and said, "Second Madam."

Lady Wang's gaze towards Jia Lian was somewhat complex, yet also held a hint of brightness, but she quickly regained her composure and asked in the same tone as before, "Lian'er, you're back? I heard a lot has happened outside. How are you?"

"Thank you for your concern, Second Madam. I am doing well."

After a polite remark, Jia Lian continued, "I must go see the old lady now, and will come to pay my respects to the second mistress later."

"Okay, go ahead, the old lady is waiting for you."

Lady Wang knew why Jia Lian was so eager to see Grandmother Jia.

Watching Jia Lian's hurried departure, Madam Wang's heart was once again filled with great turmoil.

I never expected that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't beat this kid, and in the end I had to admit defeat and submit in order to have some peace.

Who would have thought that he wasn't a descendant of the Jia family?

Since he is a member of the royal family, there is no reason for him to continue to occupy the Jia family's title!

In other words, Baoyu has a chance?

Madam Wang began to consider many things.

But she also knew that if Jia Lian was truly a member of the royal family, then he was someone she could not afford to offend.

It seems this matter needs to be discussed thoroughly with the master.

Lady Wang quickened her pace, preparing to send an urgent letter home to Jia Zheng in the south.

……

Rongqing Hall remains as prosperous and peaceful as ever.

Under the watchful eyes of the maids, Jia Lian walked into the inner hall.

The inner room was empty, with only two old women guarding the door.

"Second Master, the old lady is waiting for you inside."

No sooner had the old nanny finished speaking than Yuanyang came out from the direction of Grandmother Jia's bedroom, gave him a slight bow, and said, "Second Master, please come in with me."

Upon entering the outer room of Grandmother Jia's bedroom, it was indeed found that Grandmother Jia was already on high alert.

"Yuanyang, you go out too. Remember what I said, no one is allowed to come near. Anyone who disobeys will be severely punished according to family rules."

"Yes."

After Yuanyang left, Grandmother Jia, sitting on the high couch, sighed and said to Jia Lian, "Now that things have come to this, ask whatever you want to ask."

Jia Lian frowned: "Grandfather, is my father really the illegitimate son of the Emperor Emeritus?"

Instead of answering immediately, Grandmother Jia asked, "What did the Emperor Emeritus say?"

He said that my father was born to him and the sister of the Marquis of Anyang, but due to the political situation, he had no choice but to place my father and grandmother in the Jia family.

Grandmother Jia said, "The Emperor Emeritus's word is law. Since he said so, it must be true! Your father is indeed not my son. He was born to the Emperor Emeritus and the sister of the Marquis of Anyang. The sister of the Marquis of Anyang was indeed placed in our family by the Emperor Emeritus."

Although Grandmother Jia spoke with great certainty, perhaps it was precisely because she was too certain that Jia Lian vaguely felt that something was amiss.

"If that's the case, then why didn't the Empress Dowager bring my grandmother back? And how did my grandmother die?"

"Just as the Emperor Emeritus said, when Emperor Taizu passed away and Emperor Muzong ascended the throne, the court was in chaos. As Emperor Taizu's most beloved son, the Emperor Emeritus had a special status, so it was inconvenient for him to bring your grandmother, who was also the sister of the Marquis of Anyang, back to the Prince's Palace."

It just so happens that your grandfather... Baoyu's grandfather had a very close relationship with the Emperor Emeritus, so the Emperor Emeritus secretly arranged for him to be placed in our family.

Then, your father came into being.

As for why the retired emperor didn't bring your grandmother back, it's because shortly after he brought her back to the capital, Emperor Muzong also passed away, and the retired emperor was busy settling things in the court.

Your grandmother also died of illness not long after the retired emperor ascended the throne.

Unfortunately, your father was mischievous from a young age and disliked studying, which displeased the Emperor Emeritus. Over time, the Emperor Emeritus stopped interfering. As for me and Baoyu's grandfather, we couldn't really discipline him because of his status, which only made your father develop his own character.

"To be honest, your father became the way he was, and Baoyu's grandfather and I bear a great deal of responsibility."

Everything seemed to make sense; his cheap father, Jia She, really was the illegitimate son of the retired emperor.

But Jia Lian always felt that Grandmother Jia was definitely hiding something, because she was too tense.

For a moment, Jia Lian really didn't know how to press the matter further.

"So, does that mean I really am the grandson of the Emperor Emeritus?" Jia Lian said with a self-deprecating laugh.

Grandmother Jia shouted, "Of course it's true! You child, don't you even believe what the Emperor Emeritus and I say?"

Do you remember when your father died, the chief eunuch of Chonghua Palace came to pay his respects in person?

That was sent by the retired emperor!

Although your father was a terrible person during his lifetime, he was, after all, a descendant of the retired emperor, and the retired emperor still cared about him before his death.

If your father is like this, and you are so accomplished, the Emperor Emeritus will surely like you very much. Didn't your second uncle say last year that the Emperor Emeritus was very kind to you at his birthday banquet?

As a member of the noble royal family, you should feel proud and honored.

Pride, self-satisfaction?

Jia Lian shook his head.

The retired emperor himself was "imprisoned," so what kind of pride was he showing?

It would be good enough if this identity didn't bring him disaster.

Perhaps noticing Jia Lian's expression and recalling some other news she had heard, Grandmother Jia lowered her voice and asked, "I heard that something big happened on Iron Net Mountain. What exactly happened?"

"It's nothing, just that the Crown Prince plotted a rebellion, which was ultimately suppressed forcefully by His Majesty."

Grandmother Jia frowned. The news of the Crown Prince's rebellion had been circulating in the city for three days, and now Jia Lian was saying the same thing, so it seemed to be the truth.

But Jia Lian's words were so concise and understated that she felt he hadn't said enough.

Ultimately, she was a woman confined to her home and didn't care much about court intrigues; she only cared about her own family affairs.

"What did the royal family say? Your status...?"

Jia Lian understood what Grandmother Jia meant, and he said directly, "His Majesty means that my background is, after all, detrimental to the Emperor Emeritus's private morality, so it is better not to make it public."

Grandmother Jia didn't quite understand. "What does the Emperor Emeritus mean?"

"From now on, what 'Emperor Emeritus' means may not be so important."

Grandmother Jia was stunned for a moment, then her face turned horrified.

Sitting in the Jia family's house, she naturally heard only the most basic information; the deeper details remained unknown to her.

However, the incident at Tiewang Mountain has caused such a stir, especially the Crown Prince's betrayal, which has brought almost all of Emperor Ningkang's actions to light. Therefore, as time goes by, the world's discerning people will know what really happened.

As the eldest daughter of a founding marquis's family and having lived in the Jia family for decades, Grandmother Jia knew a thing or two about court affairs.

She thought for a moment, then tentatively asked, "So, your background won't be revealed, and you'll still be part of our family?"

"Is that what Your Majesty means?"

Jia Lian remained calm and composed, showing no embarrassment whatsoever about having usurped someone else's place.

Grandmother Jia didn't mean it that way. She looked at Jia Lian, and a hint of affection appeared in her old eyes.

"That's good. Over the years, although your father has often made me angry, you have been a good person, and our family's current situation is largely thanks to you."

From the bottom of my heart, I regard you as my own grandson.

As you know, our family situation has become increasingly desolate since your father and Brother Zhen passed away.

If you leave now, this old woman really doesn't know who I'll rely on in the future.

"Since His Majesty is not prepared to publicly acknowledge your identity, you should stay at home from now on."

If you don't mind, you can still call me "Grandpa" from now on. If you don't want to, I won't force you.

In conclusion, although we are not related by blood, our years of getting along have made us even closer than family.

I believe your second uncle also meant the same thing…

Jia Lian knew that Grandmother Jia's statement was intended to avoid awkwardness in their future interactions, so he immediately knelt down and promptly greeted her, "Grandmother!"

Grandmother Jia immediately beamed with joy, stood up to help Jia Lian, and patted his hand, saying with a smile, "I knew you were a good child. All these years, I haven't spoiled you in vain..."

Jia Lian smiled and echoed her words, then Grandmother Jia said, "It's getting late, you haven't had dinner yet, have you? Hurry back, Feng'er has been waiting for you for who knows how long."

Jia Lian nodded, bowed, took two steps, and suddenly turned around: "Grand Ancestor, my father is truly a descendant of the Emperor Emeritus, you are not lying to me?"

"Why are you still asking this, child? Even if you don't believe what I'm saying, shouldn't you believe the Emperor Emeritus?"

"Grandson understands."

As Jia Lian's tall figure walked out, the smile on Grandmother Jia's face gradually faded, turning into a deep somber expression.

She sat on the high couch, her back hunched, muttering to herself, "How could it not be? How could it not be? This is a heinous crime of deceiving the emperor and exterminating one's clan, how could it not be…"

Suddenly she remembered something and became somewhat anxious until she saw Yuanyang walk in.

After pondering for a long time, Grandmother Jia said to Yuanyang, "Yuanyang, go and call your brother here. Tell him I have something to tell him to do."

Yuanyang was puzzled. Her brother, Jin Wenxiang, was usually just in charge of purchasing some items for Grandmother Jia's room. What could be so important that Grandmother Jia would call her brother over so solemnly?

Although puzzled, Yuanyang still obeyed the order and went.

Meanwhile, inside the palace.

After dealing with a day of troubles, Emperor Ningkang finally had time to rest for a while, but he also received a secret report.

After he opened and read it, his brows furrowed.

"The Lady of Anyang Marquis?"

……