Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

At the invitation of her niece-in-law, who was also her best friend and sister, Feng Jie went to Ningguo Mansion early in the morning.

But before they could exchange more than a few words, they suddenly heard an imperial edict summoning Jia Lian to the palace. Feng Jie, no longer in the mood to talk to Qin Keqing, immediately set off for the palace.

Unable to receive any news for a long time, Feng Jie, who did not believe in gods or Buddhas, became so anxious that she began to pray to Buddha at home. Her devout appearance surprised Ping'er and Qin Keqing and the others who had followed her.

However, they could all understand Sister Feng's actions.

First he was dismissed from office, and now he's being urgently summoned; it's hard not to think something bad is going on.

After all, they were not Jia Lian, and they did not have access to so much information, nor did they understand the mysterious relationship between Jia Lian and Emperor Ningkang.

Qin Keqing comforted her, "Aunt, there's no need to worry too much. You should know your uncle's abilities. Since he didn't leave any words before entering the palace, it means he won't encounter any trouble this time."

Look at all the hardships and dangers Uncle has encountered over the years, yet he has always weathered them safely, turning misfortune into good fortune. He has even helped Auntie build this enormous family fortune and status. Auntie should trust Uncle.

Qin Keqing's words eased Feng Jie's furrowed brows a little. She helped Qin Keqing up from the prayer mat and sighed, "Of course I believe him, but things are unpredictable, especially in such turbulent times."

Haven't you heard? A lot of trouble has happened in the capital these past few days. Even the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion has been imprisoned. I'm really scared...

Now I only pray that your uncle will be safe and sound, even if it means giving up this fortune and this position.

Sister Feng's last words were spoken with absolute certainty, but Qin Keqing secretly rolled her eyes.

Others might not know, but she certainly knew Sister Feng. Her aunt believed in men's ways and had a domineering and domineering attitude that "a woman cannot be without power for a day."

If she were to become a powerless and penniless commoner, it would be worse than killing her.

Of course, Sister Feng had no idea that her best friend viewed her this way. Admittedly, her words were mostly expressions of emotion, but they might also have contained some sincerity.

She was thinking that if Jia Lian really lost, it was inevitable, since Jia Lian was the bloodline of the retired emperor. Even the retired emperor had lost, so it was only natural that Jia Lian would be caught in the crossfire.

As long as I can stay alive, that's all that matters.

Therefore, it is not necessarily all a bad thing.

At least that way Jia Lian wouldn't attract so many women, and he would naturally have far fewer women around him.

She once dreamed of living a life like that of Grandmother Jia.

With an exceptionally high imperial title and sufficient status, even a casual remark can be regarded as gospel.

She even complained that Jia Lian was incompetent and unambitious.

Now she has almost everything, except that Jia Lian has more and more women around him!

She even somewhat missed the days when she was a young wife in the Jia family, where she could only fawn over and please Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang every day, and occasionally had to guard against the mischief of her foolish mother-in-law, Lady Xing.

At least back then, Jia Lian had to hide his affairs, fearing she would find out. She even dared to dismiss maids who had served him for years without his consent if she was unhappy.

She even dared to fight with Jia Lian.

Now, Jia Lian not only openly brings women home one by one, but she no longer dares to lay a hand on him; she can only be beaten every time.

Her status within the family is evident.

Sitting at a table nearby, Ping'er was casually discussing with Qin Keqing the various possibilities of Jia Lian entering the palace when she suddenly noticed an old woman sneaking up to her side and whispering something to her.

Sister Feng glared at her and shouted, "Have you no manners?! What are you whispering about?"

The old woman was startled, but Ping'er knew that Feng Jie was just upset and couldn't stand people talking behind her back, so she gave the old woman a look to leave. Then she went to Feng Jie'er's side and reported, "It's about the Second Master's carriage that Madam asked me to inquire about, and I've found out."

Sister Feng was taken aback, then said casually, "Isn't she working in the garden?"

The implication is that, how could the people in the garden have known about Jia Lian's departure before he did?

Ever since Jia Lian commissioned a luxurious carriage, Feng Jie had used it every time she went out. Just now, when she went to the East Mansion, she was told that the carriage was already being used by Jia Lian, and Feng Jie took note of this.

Because she knew that when Jia Lian went out on business, he would ride a horse like his subordinates to save time, and rarely took a sedan chair or carriage.

So she asked Jia Lian where he had gone and what he had been doing, but the people in the outer courtyard said they didn't know. So she asked Ping'er to find out secretly.

Ping'er said, "She said that Second Master went to Xiaoxiang Pavilion early this morning to pick up Miss Lin, it seems he's going to take her on a trip to the outskirts of the city..."

Feng Jie and Qin Keqing were stunned for a moment, then looked at each other and understood what the other was looking at.

Hmph, they actually kept such a good thing from them!

Sister Feng knew Ping'er's temperament well, and seeing that she hadn't finished speaking, she said unhappily, "What else? Don't beat around the bush."

"It seems that Second Master also brought Miss Xue with him... She said that Miss Yun was complaining to the other girls in the garden that Second Master was biased, only taking Miss Lin and Miss Bao with him when he went out of town. Many people heard it."

This time, both Sister Feng and her companion were truly stunned.

Qin Keqing quickly looked at Feng Jie, and sure enough, Feng Jie's complexion did not look good.

However, in the end, Sister Feng only said, "Alright, I understand. Send a few more people out to keep an eye on the situation outside. If there is any news from the Marquis, let me know immediately."

Ping'er accepted the order and was about to go out when she heard a loud commotion outside.

Looking up, they saw a large group of servants and maids rushing into the courtyard, shouting as they couldn't see anyone:

"Second Madam, great joy! Second Madam, great joy!"

Just as Ping'er was about to go up and ask, a strong force suddenly came from behind, and she was almost knocked over.

When he turned around, sure enough, his second mistress had rushed onto the steps of the porch, hands on her hips, and asked, "Quickly, what is it?"

The maids and servants rushed to speak, chattering incoherently, making it impossible to understand what they were saying. Enraged, Sister Feng yelled, "You fools, shut up! You, you speak!"

Sister Feng named someone who was usually reliable in speech and action.

The maidservant hurriedly replied with a smile, "Second Madam, the palace eunuchs have brought over a lot of the Emperor's rewards. The eunuchs said that our Marquis has been granted the title of Duke, the 'Duke of Rong,' just like the Grand Master and the Old Master."

"real?"

Sister Feng felt something was unreal and couldn't help but ask a question.

"It's true, Aunt Zhang is telling the truth! A lot of old men have really come, and Butler Lin is receiving them."

The words spoken by those below confirmed the truth of the matter.

Sister Feng felt dizzy and almost lost her balance.

After Ping'er helped her into the main position, she asked, "Where is Second Master?"

"We...we don't know either. We came to inform Second Grandma as soon as we heard the news..."

Seeing that these people knew nothing, Sister Feng ignored them and simply strode out.

Ping'er knew that these people were so eager to come and deliver the news in order to bring good luck, so she gave each of them one or two hundred coins before sending them away.

……

Daiyu was a rare visitor to the Xue family.

Therefore, Aunt Xue was extremely enthusiastic, showing concern for Daiyu's well-being and preparing fruits and snacks. Only when she clearly noticed the discomfort on Daiyu's face did she smile and say that she had other things to do, asking Baochai to take good care of Daiyu.

As soon as Aunt Xue left, the atmosphere in the room became quiet.

Baochai said, "That's just how my mother is. She just likes you. Don't think she's nagging."

Daiyu looked at Baochai with a half-smile: "When did I say anything? I think Aunt is very nice. She is gentle, loving, and caring. If I had a mother, I would be so happy."

It's a pity that someone doesn't appreciate their good fortune and even complains about being long-winded.

What could Baochai possibly say? Daiyu is clearly lying through her teeth.

Even when casually accompanying Grandmother Jia and others for tea and banquets, Daiyu would often find them talkative and noisy and walk away. This straightforward person, who showed no inclination to flatter her elders, was actually accused of not knowing how lucky she was.

Seeing that Baochai didn't respond, Daiyu began to look around Baochai's boudoir.

She had just taken the initiative to come to Baochai's room to sit for a while, wanting to see if the Baochai everyone praised was truly as she was.

Is it only within the Jia family that she pretends to be so "indifferent to fame and fortune"?

But Daiyu was soon disappointed.

Despite the adjustments made by Aunt Xue, Baochai's boudoir remained remarkably simple and tidy. All the bright red and gaudy colors were absent, and even the dressing table contained only a few simple cosmetic boxes.

Such a boudoir for a daughter from a well-to-do family is quite common.

But Baochai is the eldest daughter of the Xue family, and the Xue family is a century-old imperial merchant family, famous for its wealth. Why did Baochai come here in this way?

Feeling speechless, I blurted out what was on my mind.

"With Baochai's family being so wealthy, why didn't Auntie decorate her room more elegantly? It looks so old-fashioned instead?"

Even though Baochai didn't want to stoop to Daiyu's level, she couldn't help but find the girl's mouth too infuriating.

Her room was simply furnished, without any colorful things, but the overall style was elegant. How could it be considered old-fashioned in Daiyu's words?

Fortunately, Baochai is only two or three years older than Daiyu, and is now just over sixteen. If she were a few years older and became an older single woman, this statement would be absolutely jarring.

"You know I've never cared about these things."

"How would I know what kind of person Baochai is?"

Daiyu turned and looked directly at Baochai, saying quietly, "People say that you can know a person's face but not their heart."

These words were not only offensive but also deeply meaningful, and Baochai naturally understood them.

She knew that this was what Daiyu truly wanted to say.

"We've known each other for a long time, so just say what you want to say directly. There's no need to beat around the bush like this."

Daiyu was slightly surprised. She had thought that Baochai, being a noble lady, would be timid in the face of her questioning.

I never expected him to be so calm and collected.

"I'd like to be frank, but I'm afraid what I say might be unpleasant to hear. And this is your house; what if you won't let me leave?"

Daiyu smiled deliberately.

Actually, her relationship with Baochai has always been quite good.

Although everyone praised Baochai when she first entered the Jia family, and some even put her down to flatter her, which made her very unhappy and she had some hostility towards Baochai.

But gradually, she herself was also impressed by Baochai's magnanimity and extraordinary knowledge.

After all, there was no Baoyu between her and Baochai in this world. Her heart had always belonged to Jia Lian, and there seemed to be nothing wrong between Baochai and Jia Lian.

It's fair to say that among all the sisters in the family and outside, it would be very difficult to find one as innocent as Baochai and Jia Lian.

Especially after they joined the Begonia Society in the garden, the two of them almost always won first place each time the society was established, so they naturally developed a greater mutual admiration for each other.

Only recently has she gradually noticed something amiss and become wary of Baochai.

Unexpectedly, before the little genius Daiyu could find out any concrete information, the other party actually revealed their target!

It caught her completely off guard.

Despite Daiyu's further pressure, Baochai remained composed and handled the situation with ease.

"What are you saying, little sister? I've always loved you the most, and I know you have a sharp tongue."

If I were to argue with you about everything, I would have torn your mouth apart long ago. Therefore, please speak your mind, even if it's unpleasant to hear. For the sake of you calling me "sister" for so many years, I won't hold it against you.

A flawless version after careful inspection!

Baochai's words clearly implied that she was taking advantage of her age, which made Daiyu frown.

But she quickly focused her attention on the important question: "Sister?"

"If it were based on first come, first served, I'm afraid it's not certain who would call whom 'sister'."

These words were practically a direct statement. Even though Baochai had prepared herself mentally, she couldn't help but feel shy at this moment.

She involuntarily looked away, not daring to meet Daiyu's gaze directly.

Daiyu was both amused and angry.

The joy stemmed from Baochai's defeat, and the anger also stemmed from Baochai's defeat.

Well, she was just suspicious just now, after all, she was just on a trip to the outskirts of the city with them, which doesn't count as evidence.

Baochai's reaction now seems to be an admission.

Daiyu opened her mouth as if she had something to say, but she managed to hold it back and said something more befitting her status.

"Sister Bao is also from a prominent family. Regardless of her appearance or talent, she is of the highest caliber. All the talented men in the world are at Sister Bao's disposal."

Why insist on compromising yourself?

Baochai sensed something was amiss after lowering her head. Her confrontation with Daiyu was expected and inevitable; she couldn't avoid it.

So she looked up and asked in return, "Then what about my sister? Why does she have to wrong herself?"

"I... of course it's because my father..."

Daiyu became nervous, her speech quickened, and she even started to stutter.

"It's because of my mother!" Baochai answered quickly and decisively.

Daiyu was immediately speechless; she knew, of course, that what she had blurted out was merely an excuse. It's also clear that Baochai's reply was the same.

After a moment of silence, Daiyu sensed that something was wrong.

That's not right. Because of her affair with Jia Lian, she has been shamed and stomped on by her elders and sisters countless times.

Among these despicable people is even the person right in front of me.

It's fair to say she's already endured everything she needed to; now she's interrogating the other party!

Even if your aunt were to give you away to him, would you really be willing to accept it?

I'm just a pitiful person who has lost my parents. I'd be content to have someone who cares about me and can rely on me.

But you and I are different. You have a mother, an older brother, and so many brothers and sisters of the same clan.

You could have chosen that option.

Is he really that good? Even if you know he can't be wholeheartedly good to only you in the future, are you still willing to accept it?

Daiyu was trying to persuade Baochai, or rather, she was trying to get a reply from Baochai.

She has also worked very hard to get to where she is today, and she knows all the hardships and joys along the way.

She went through a mental struggle before deciding to give herself to Jia Lian, even though she liked and was attached to him so much.

She wanted to know why a woman like Baochai, with her excellent qualities and strong opinions, would make such a choice.

She trusted Jia Lian and didn't think that Baochai was someone Jia Lian would seize through scheming.

She could almost always guess what was going on.

It was probably just that Auntie coveted Lian Erge's power, status, and reputation, and thought he could support the Xue family, so she promised Baochai to him as a way to win him over.

But Baochai didn't seem to be unwilling at all.

Faced with Daiyu's increasingly pointed questions, Baochai replied coldly, "Don't you already know, sister, whether he's good or bad?"

One sentence silenced Daiyu, who was full of expectations.

The seemingly casual answer had already clarified all the issues.

Yes, if Lian Er-gege (Second Brother Lian) wasn't really that good, how could Father have entrusted me to him before his death? If he wasn't really that good, so impeccably good, how could I, who have such a high opinion of myself, have wronged myself to this extent for him!

It turns out that having a sweetheart who is too good isn't good either.

There will be many equally outstanding girls who admire and adore them.

If only he were cruel to me, and a little mean to the other girls, that would be so much better.

When Baochai saw that Daiyu had suddenly stopped talking, she became uneasy.

Knowing Daiyu's temperament well, she realized that once she got angry, she would act without considering the consequences. So, after thinking for a moment, she took the initiative to say, "Whether you believe me or not, I just want to say that I and you are the same person. We made the same choice because we are truly in love with each other."

But since my younger sister came first, if she doesn't mind, I can call you that in the future...

Daiyu was lost in thought when she heard this. She turned around and looked at Baochai with a mixture of amusement and anticipation in her bright eyes.

She knew what Baochai wanted to say.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. Suddenly, hurried footsteps came from the corridor, interrupting Baochai's words.

The two turned around and found that it was Aunt Xue who rushed in.

At this moment, Aunt Xue's face was filled with inexplicable joy.

"Did you know? Your second brother Lian has been granted the title of Duke, the Duke of Rong! The only non-royal Duke in the current court!!"

Baochai, who had just stood up, suddenly froze.

She turned to look at Daiyu, and sure enough, Daiyu's face was also blank.

She didn't look closely, and turned back to ask, "Where did Mother hear this news?"

"It's true, the news has spread to both their mansions. The servants in the mansions also said that they personally witnessed a large group of eunuchs delivering the rewards entering Ningrong Street..."

Aunt Xue could not hide her excitement.

I originally thought that she had simply succumbed to Jia Lian's tyranny last night and was forced to sign a humiliating treaty.

Unexpectedly, she received such a big surprise in the blink of an eye!

The first duke in the dynasty, just for that title alone, Bao Yatou and she wouldn't feel wronged.

Not to mention the deeper meaning behind this title.

Jia Lian has not lost the emperor's favor at all!

Since the establishment of the dynasty, learning from the lessons of the previous dynasty, nobility and titles have been accepted lightly.

Therefore, after the founding of the dynasty, the number of people who were granted the title of king was extremely limited, let alone duke.

Throughout the nearly sixty years of the reign of the retired emperor, only one person was granted the title of Duke, namely Jia Daishan!

This honor was due to his birth into the Jia family, his father's influence, and his close relationship with the retired emperor.

In other words, unless you are a direct descendant of the founding prince, no matter how much merit you make later, you can at most be granted the title of marquis.

If Emperor Ningkang wasn't completely out of his mind, he probably wouldn't joke around with the prestigious title of Duke. The fact that he bestowed the first Duke title upon Jia Lian after his ascension to the throne shows Jia Lian's high standing in his heart.

Aunt Xue's face lit up with joy, and she no longer bothered to hide it. Looking at her daughter's beautiful and radiant face, she liked her more and more, and was more and more satisfied. She even forgot about Daiyu next to her.

Daiyu was naturally happy that Jia Lian was promoted to a higher rank.

But she was more happy that Jia Lian had gotten out of his predicament.

She was well aware of the atmosphere at home after news of Jia Lian's dismissal from office. Now that the emperor was willing to bestow such a high title upon Jia Lian, it naturally meant that Jia Lian would not face any repercussions.

With her second brother Lian safe, she felt at ease.

So, taking advantage of the mother and daughter looking at her, she said to Baochai, "Now that he has been granted a title, he must have a lot of things to attend to. It seems unlikely that he will be able to go on an outing outside the city."

Then she said to Aunt Xue, "I feel really bad for bothering you for so long, Aunt. I am deeply grateful for your hospitality."

I will definitely prepare good water and tea for my aunt when I return, and invite her over for a chat to express my gratitude.

Seeing this, Aunt Xue naturally tried her best to persuade Daiyu to stay, but Daiyu was determined to leave, and she could not stop her. So she busied herself arranging carriages and servants to escort Daiyu back.

Seeing that Daiyu refused, Baochai said, "She's not an outsider, so Mother doesn't need to be so polite. When we came in, Lian Ergege's guards said that they were waiting outside and told us that if we were to go out, we must ask them to come with us."

Moreover, before my second brother Lian went to the palace, he left his carriage behind so we could ride it back.

Aunt Xue asked, "Are you going back too?"

Seeing Aunt Xue's expression, Baochai knew that Aunt Xue wanted to speak to her alone and asked her to stay.

Daiyu naturally understood as well.

When she heard Baochai say that she was not an outsider, she gave Baochai a half-smile, and then said directly, "Sister Bao, you don't need to come back with me. It's rare for you to come home, and your aunt probably has a lot to tell you. You should stay and keep your aunt company."

After saying this, Daiyu bid farewell to Aunt Xue, found her two maids, Zijuan and Xueyan, and returned to the Grand View Garden under the escort of Jia Lian's guards.