Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

The next morning, Sister Feng tidied up Jia Lian's clothes and instructed him to take good care of Yingchun and the others, saying that they were all young ladies of noble birth and that nothing could go wrong.

Jia Lian looked down at Feng Jie, who was becoming increasingly talkative and had the air of a housekeeper, and chuckled, "Really not going to come and have some fun with us?"

"Whatever I do, you'll all be either wet or dry anyway. I don't know anything about that stuff, and I don't want to embarrass myself there."

Sister Feng said with a smile.

In fact, she knew that Jia Lian was mainly taking Baochai and Daiyu out for a stroll today, since they hadn't been able to go yesterday.

If she went along, not only would the three of them feel uncomfortable with each other, but Jia Lian would also find it difficult to appease the two talented women in front of her.

Most importantly, she had to distinguish herself from Baochai and Daiyu!

Concubines and confidantes are things you can take out for fun, but the real mistress of the house is the one who manages the household.

Jia Lian was unaware of the many complex thoughts in Feng Jie's mind. Seeing that she was determined not to go, he didn't force her. Anyway, with Ping'er there, there was no worry about who would take care of the logistics.

So he kissed Feng Jie on the cheek, and just as Feng Jie was playfully scolding him, a maid's voice came from outside: "Third Miss is here."

Feng Jie hurriedly tidied her appearance, and Jia Lian also came out of the room. He saw Tan Chun, who was wearing a light blue dress and looked exceptionally capable, leading her two maids, Shi Shu and Cui Mo, up the steps.

Upon seeing him, Tan Chun smiled and said, "Second Brother Lian, are you all ready?"

"I don't need to prepare anything here. If you are ready, you can leave at any time."

"We're all pretty much done. Sister Bao and Sister Lin are in the old lady's room saying goodbye. I thought I had two things to tell my second brother, so I took the time to come."

Jia Lian nodded, signaling her to speak.

"One is Xichun, who needs to keep vigil for her father morning and night and cannot come out of the city with us. The other is Brother Bao. I went to invite him last night, but he said he was tired and didn't want to move."

Just now, in the old lady's room, she asked about it, and she didn't seem very happy. Since I couldn't persuade Brother Bao, I thought I'd ask you to help.

If you send someone to call Brother Bao, he will definitely agree to go.

Tan Chun, being naturally wise, probably understood the crux of Jia Baoyu's heart. However, she felt that Jia Baoyu was such a playful person that if Jia Lian personally sent someone to invite him, he would definitely agree to go out of the city with them for a trip.

Jia Lian didn't take Tan Chun's two questions seriously, since Ping'er had already explained them to him the night before.

Jia Jing's coffin is still in the side hall of Ningguo Mansion. At this time, it is indeed inconvenient for Xichun to go out of the city to play. Although it wouldn't be a big problem if he asked Xichun to come with them, after all, Jia Jing's seven-day mourning period has long passed, and even the funeral date was delayed due to the changes in the capital. Now they are waiting for the Imperial Observatory to re-verify the funeral date.

At worst, they could say they went out of the city to pray for Jia Jing's soul and bring him peace.

But it's unnecessary.

Today's main purpose is to send off Zhen Yuhuan; the poetry club is just a side event. Besides, if we really want to gather the entire Begonia Poetry Club, wouldn't we have to bring Li Wan, the club president, along?

Jia Lian was willing, but Li Wan certainly wouldn't dare to be taken out for a trip by her brother-in-law so openly.

Anyway, there are enough girls in the garden, so it won't matter if Xichun is missing.

As for Jia Baoyu, well, he couldn't be bothered to pay him any attention.

"Since Fourth Sister wants to keep vigil, let's skip it today. We'll take her next time when we have the chance."

As for Baoyu, since you've personally gone to invite him, he must really not want to move, so there's no need to force him.

"But I'm afraid the old lady will overthink it."

Tan Chun wanted to offer some advice, firstly because she didn't want Jia Baoyu to remain depressed and felt that the family should be lively and harmonious; secondly, she was genuinely worried that Grandmother Jia would think they were isolating Jia Baoyu.

"There's no need to overthink it. We should respect everyone's choices. Alright, it's getting late. Let's say goodbye to the old lady and then set off."

Tan Chun sighed inwardly, realizing that Jia Lian didn't care about Jia Baoyu.

Indeed, given the inherent clash of ideologies between Lian Er Gege and Bao Gege, they were destined to be unable to coexist.

Perhaps in the past, Brother Lian Er (Zhang Lian) would have been more considerate and tolerant of Brother Bao (Bao Bao) out of brotherly affection. But now that Brother Lian Er's true identity has been revealed, and the blood ties between them are gone, Brother Lian Er really doesn't need to give Brother Bao, who prides himself on being noble, any more leeway.

For some reason, when Tan Chun thought of Jia Lian's background, she looked at the handsome and tall figure walking ahead and her eyes filled with some indescribable emotions.

Throughout her life, both at home and outside, among her relatives and friends, no man had ever left such a profound impact and shock on her heart.

Let alone in reality, even after reading countless biographies and stories by actors throughout history, she couldn't find a single person as special and charismatic as her cousin.

What's even harder to let go of is that her cousin was very kind and friendly to her, his half-sister, and never looked down on her in the slightest.

She still vividly remembers the taste of that bowl of longevity noodles she ate under the peach blossoms in the Grand View Garden on the third day of the third lunar month.

She was grateful to have such a loving brother who cared for her sisters, and even more grateful that this brother was actually a descendant of the gods who had descended upon their family.

Perhaps this is a blessing from God.

Thinking of this, Tan Chun felt a surge of excitement and trepidation, but she dared not show it at all. She simply quickened her pace to catch up with the figure in front of her.

……

Before they even reached Rongqing Hall, someone outside came to announce that Master Mei had come to visit.

If it were someone else, Jia Lian probably wouldn't have shown up. Anyway, he's currently avoiding trouble, and nothing is more important than him leading his ladies on an outing.

However, it was the Mei family. Jia Lian recalled his conversation with Zhang Jian of the Embroidered Uniform Guard yesterday, so he could only give Tan Chun a few words of advice before turning and leaving through the second gate.

Upon arriving at the reception hall of Rongxi Hall, one indeed saw a middle-aged man dressed in a scholar's robe sitting solemnly at the guest table.

Upon seeing him emerge from the back hall, he quickly rose, bowed, and greeted him, saying, "This humble official, Mei Hong, a lecturer at the Hanlin Academy, pays his respects to the Duke of Rong."

Jia Lian nodded slightly, then sat down in the main seat and casually said, "Scholar Mei is a rare guest indeed."

Mei Hong pondered the meaning of Jia Lian's words.

According to family relations, the Jia family was a founding family of the dynasty, with a noble lineage, while the Mei family was a family of scholars and poets, belonging to the elite. The two families had no prior relationship and were clearly distinct, each minding its own business.

This is also his first time visiting the Duke of Kaiguo's mansion.

In this respect, he is indeed a "rare guest".

However, based on his understanding of the relationship between the Jia and Xue families, and the fact that his Mei family and the Xue family were still engaged, the fact that he was only visiting for the first time after the Xue family's daughter had been in the capital for a long time to discuss marriage made the term "rare guest" seem rather ironic.

Although he was unsure of Jia Lian's attitude, he was, after all, a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) and a member of the Hanlin Academy, so he was not intimidated by such a young and noble man as Jia Lian.

"My official rank is low, but it is my honor to be received by the Rongguo."

"Hehe, what are you standing for? Sit down and let's talk."

"Thank you, Rong Gong."

After inviting Mei Hong to sit down, Jia Lian beckoned to a maid to pour him a cup of tea, then sat down and drank it, sipping it one sip after another, completely ignoring Mei Hong.

Mei Hong was now somewhat uneasy. After thinking for a moment, he stood up again and bowed deeply to Jia Lian, saying, "I beg Lord Rong to show mercy and spare my son's life."

He was humble in his demeanor and sincere in his speech.

Jia Lian seemed somewhat surprised, and asked in astonishment, "What makes you say that, Lord Mei?"

Seeing Jia Lian feigning ignorance, Mei Hong's expression hardened, and he knelt down, saying, "It was my fault for delaying the marriage with the Xue family. I am willing to go to the Xue family in person to apologize to Madam Xue."

However, all of this was our husbands' idea and had absolutely nothing to do with our child.

This is a major case of treason, and it involves so many deep-seated issues. How could you, Lord Rong, bear to see my young son, who is not yet twenty, involved in such a serious case and suffer the loss of his head?

Please, Lord Rong, have mercy.

Faced with Mei Hong's kneeling and begging, Jia Lian slowly asked, "Did Zhang Jian send you?"

Mei Hong's expression shifted, and he nodded, saying, "I dare not deceive you, Lord Rong. It was only after receiving guidance from Vice Commissioner Zhang that I came to pay my respects to you."

Jia Lian said, "If your wife had treated you this way when she first came to visit, things wouldn't be like this today."

Mei Hong hurriedly explained, "My wife comes from a rural background and is not good at manners. She made some outrageous remarks at your residence the other day, and I have already given her a severe lesson after we returned home."

Please rest assured, Lord Rong, that I had a very close relationship with the Second Master of the Xue family. Even though he is no longer with us, I only intend to care for his descendants and have no intention of bullying them. Therefore, even if my son is doomed this time, I will definitely return the marriage certificate to the Xue family and have no intention of letting the Xue family's daughter become a widow.

At this moment, Mei Hong truly hated his wife for being more trouble than she was worth.

She was supposed to go to the Jia family for help that day, but not only did she not get any help, she also offended them. The key point is, he wouldn't have known if he hadn't heard it from Zhang Jian!

Last night, he went to the Northern Garrison Command with a feeling of unease, but unexpectedly, Zhang Jian seemed to have anticipated his arrival and was waiting for him inside the Northern Garrison Command's office.

At first, the other party tried to dodge his questions, but after he said all the nice things and handed over a sum of money, the other party finally revealed the "truth" to him.

According to their interrogation by the Northern Garrison Command, Mei Qi had already been found to be unrelated to the Crown Prince's rebellion.

Just then, the Rongguo Mansion sent people, saying that on the day of the incident, Rong Gong and his personal guards personally witnessed Mei Qi interacting very well with a group of advisors from the Crown Prince's Mansion. Moreover, Mei Qi was arrested when the Crown Prince's villa was breached, so he must be involved in the major treason case and must be interrogated rigorously and not let off easily.

Rongguo Gong Jia Lian was the first hero to save the emperor in the previous rebellion, and he was also present at the scene, so his words were naturally credible. Therefore, the Northern Garrison Command had no choice but to send Mei Qi's case back for retrial...

Of course, Mei Hong didn't believe a word of this. What merit or ability did his son possess to attract the attention of Jia Lian, a Duke of the current dynasty and the grandson of the retired emperor, and to the point that he would lower himself to become a tainted witness?

So, shamelessly pressing for answers, he finally learned from Zhang Jian that his Mei family had offended someone after he took Zhang Jian to Shangkangfang and spent a lot of money there.

Mei Hong dared not be negligent. If it were just baseless slander, that would be one thing, but his son had indeed been captured from the Crown Prince's palace by the soldiers who were suppressing the rebellion.

For this reason alone, it's not unjust for the imperial court to have his son chopped in half!

Not to mention, with a Duke like Jia Lian personally keeping an eye on him, Mei Hong knew he couldn't compete with him in terms of power. So he got ready early in the morning and came to apologize in person, begging to save his son's life.

"Does Lord Mei even believe what he's saying?"

Faced with Jia Lian's almost blatant mockery, Mei Hong's face showed a hint of unease, but he pretended not to notice and said according to his plan: "If my son is fortunate enough to escape this prison safely, I am willing to abide by the contract between the two families and immediately arrange for him to marry the Xue family's daughter..."

As Mei Hong spoke, seeing Jia Lian raise an eyebrow, he changed the subject, saying, "Of course, if the Xue family is unwilling to acknowledge this marriage because of our previous mistake, I will personally return the marriage certificate. From then on, the two families will not interfere with each other, and marriage will be free for both families."

Upon hearing this, Jia Lian smiled and said, "Is this Lord Mei's true opinion?"

"Before Lord Rong, I dare not lie."

Jia Lian didn't respond for a moment, and the hall became quiet, with only the crisp sound of his fingers tapping the table.

Just as Mei Hong was about to speak again, he finally heard Jia Lian say, "In that case, let's go back and fetch the marriage certificate."

Upon hearing this, Mei Hong thought to himself that Zhang Jian had indeed not lied to him.

He responded with a "yes," but then reached into his robes and pulled out a silk scroll, clearly a book, which he then respectfully presented to Jia Lian.

Seeing the look of surprise in Jia Lian's eyes, he said solemnly, "My son has been involved in the treason case this time. I know that my son is no longer a suitable match for the Xue family's daughter. I know that the Xue family probably intends to break off the engagement. Therefore, I brought the marriage certificate with me before I came. I would be very grateful if you could return it to the Xue family on my behalf."

Jia Lian smiled genuinely, "Lord Mei is very thoughtful."

"That's only right..."

Although Mei Hong offered some flattery on the surface, he was filled with contempt in his heart.

Last night, after watching the courtesan's performance, as the wine flowed freely, Zhang Jian suddenly asked him, "What does the Xue family girl, who is engaged to your young master, look like?"

He said, "Although I have never seen her in person, according to those who have, this girl is very beautiful."

"That's right."

Then Zhang Jian arranged for Jia Lian to marry Xue's legitimate daughter, and Jia Lian may also have taken a fancy to Xue's illegitimate daughter. He told Jia Lian that if he wanted to gain the Rongguo Mansion's forgiveness, he should return the marriage certificate as soon as possible, otherwise, not to mention Mei Qi, his Mei family might face disaster sooner or later...

Although he had long intended to break off the engagement, it was clearly not the same as him being forced to hand over the marriage certificate because someone else had taken a fancy to his future daughter-in-law.

It's impossible not to feel aggrieved, but for my son's life, I have no choice but to endure it.

Jia Lian was unaware that Mei Hong despised him in his heart. When Mei Hong handed him the marriage certificate, he opened it without thinking.

But there was nothing special about it; it was just an ordinary engagement contract in a common style and with a common cut.

While Jia Lian was looking at the marriage certificate, Mei Hong did not disturb him. Seeing that Jia Lian had finished reading it, he tentatively asked, "The marriage certificate has been returned. I wonder if my son..."

Jia Lian nodded and said, "Although I am a duke, I am not in charge of criminal matters, so I have no right to comment on your son's case."

However, judging from Lord Mei's character, it is unlikely that your son would be so foolish as to get involved in a major treason case.

Please rest assured, Lord Mei, if the Northern Garrison Commander comes to question me again, I will certainly speak well of your son.

Upon hearing Jia Lian's confirmation, Mei Hong finally relaxed and instinctively clasped his hands in thanks.

Looking up at Jia Lian, who was giving him a half-smile, he realized that his attitude had changed too quickly after he succeeded. He blushed and was about to kneel down again to express his gratitude.

Although the imperial court did not stipulate that lower-ranking officials had to kneel before higher-ranking officials, given the difference in rank between him and Jia Lian, kneeling would not have been too humiliating for him.

In other words, given Jia Lian's status as the grandson of the emperor, as an official of the Great Wei, he should kneel in a proper position.

Jia Lian suddenly reached out to help him up, and said with a smile, "Lord Mei is a man of integrity and renown, so there's no need for such formalities."

Actually, because of Madam Mei, Jia Lian initially intended to teach Mei Hong a lesson.

However, seeing that he clearly came from the Hanlin Academy, which valued reputation the most, yet was willing to kneel and beg for mercy for his son, Jia Lian felt some pity and did not make things difficult for him.

After helping him up, Jia Lian said, "I have other matters to attend to today. If Lord Mei has nothing else to do, let's continue our conversation another day."

Mei Hong nodded, not worried that Jia Lian would go back on his word. After all, apart from the marriage with the Xue family, the Mei family and Jia Lian really had no conflicts.

After thanking him repeatedly, he left the hall with his attendant.