Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

"Alright, I understand. You may leave now."

Upon arriving at her lodgings, Madam You dismissed the aggrieved young woman and fell into a brief moment of contemplation.

However, she quickly tidied herself up and headed back to the side hall.

Upon entering the hall, Jia Lian was not seen. Instead, a woman shrouded in mourning clothes was casually reclining beside the table leg.

Lady You was startled, wondering if Jia Lian had made an appointment with someone else tonight, which was why he refused her offering.

But she quickly realized. Even though it was just a back view, upon closer inspection, she recognized that it was none other than her right-hand woman, close friend, and good daughter-in-law, Qin Keqing.

Where is Uncle Lian?

Lady You walked to the spot where Jia Lian had been sitting and gracefully sat down.

Her sudden voice startled Qin Keqing, who was sitting on the ground.

Startled awake, Qin Keqing looked up at Madam You. Her mind, still reeling from the past, momentarily forgot how to reply.

Her unusually dazed appearance naturally caught the attention of Madam You.

In You Shi's eyes, Qin Keqing's eyes were not only dull and her skin was flushed, but her cheeks and the area between her mouth and nose were also blurred, whether from tears or something else.

If one didn't know that no one in the entire clan dared to disrespect her, one might think she was being bullied.

Even so, Madam You couldn't help but ask in surprise, "How did you end up here, and in such a disheveled state?"

Hearing Madam You speak for the second time, Qin Keqing seemed to awaken from a daze. She quickly withdrew the arm that had been supporting her body on the ground, straightened her headdress and clothes, and then knelt up, speaking softly:

"N-nothing, I just tripped and fell..."

What's wrong with your throat?

"No, it's nothing. I probably burned myself while drinking tea earlier. It'll be fine in a bit..."

Madam You stared silently at Qin Keqing for a long while, then bent down and tapped Qin Keqing's forehead, whispering, "You didn't even know how to resist, just letting him humiliate you?"

Who was Lady You? Qin Keqing's little tricks could not be hidden from her.

She finally understood why Jia Lian had declined her offer. The young woman was indeed lovely, but compared to the stunningly beautiful woman before her, with her captivating charm and natural allure, she paled in comparison.

She suddenly felt a little happy.

Although she was several years older than Jia Lian and nearing middle age, she never dared to hope for Jia Lian's long-term favor. However, she was quite pleased with Jia Lian's tendency to cherish old friends rather than simply seeking novelty.

Qin Keqing naturally knew that she couldn't hide it from Madam You, and the reason she lied was simply because she was ashamed and acted subconsciously.

Seeing that Madam You had seen through her, she stopped trying to hide it. She moved closer and explained in a low voice, "It wasn't really mistreatment... Maybe we were just in a hurry today, so... so he was a little rough. Grandma knows how gentle he is usually..."

These words left Madam You speechless. After rolling her eyes, she took out a handkerchief and wiped Qin Keqing's cheeks while asking, "Where is he? Has he already returned to the city?"

"Hmm...right, before he left he asked me to give this to you. He also said that he would come over first thing tomorrow morning, and we can discuss anything with Grandma in person then."

Qin Keqing reached for the booklet on the table, but found that it had already been taken by Madam You, so she didn't bother to get up.

There was no carpet in the hall; the floor was hard and stiff. Her knees were sore from Jia Lian's earlier antics, so it was a good time for her to rest.

Madam You held the manual in her hand, and without asking, she could guess that Jia Lian hadn't really looked at it much before, otherwise he wouldn't have specifically told her to come over first thing tomorrow morning.

As he pondered, his gaze fell upon Qin Keqing at his feet, who was resting her chin on her hands and knees.

The way he tilted his head slightly and stared at her without blinking was both gentle and cute, and his cuteness was full of charm. He was so charming that even she, a woman, couldn't help but stare at him for a moment.

She increasingly understood why Jia Zhen had risked public condemnation to find a way to take advantage of her completely.

Unfortunately, that person was ultimately not worthy of such a beauty, and in the end, she fell into Jia Lian's hands. It can be said that she was a phoenix perched on a parasol tree, which was just right for her.

Thinking of this, Madam You's eyes softened even more. She put down the booklet, reached out and touched Qin Keqing's face, and asked quite seriously, "Are you really willing to continue like this, without a name or status, and even having to go to great lengths to meet her?"

Even if he could summon me and dismiss me at will?

She was smiling as she looked at Madam You's face, thinking that her adoptive mother-in-law was quite gifted. As time went by, not only did her appearance not show any signs of fatigue, but it became more and more radiant.

Her already plump and round face, upon closer inspection, even exudes a sense of peace and prosperity.

Suddenly being asked such a pointed question, the skills about palace intrigue that I had learned from novels and stories over the past year were passively triggered. For a moment, I felt that perhaps Madam You was jealous of me and wanted to scheme against me, disregarding our current peaceful coexistence.

Her eyes darted around halfway, and she calmly asked, "Then, according to Grandma, what should I do?"

Seemingly sensing the wariness in Qin Keqing's eyes, she sighed:

"I've been lucky in my life. From a maid in a poor family, I became the mistress of a duke's mansion. I've been content for a long time."

If there is any regret, it is that I have not been able to have any children for so many years, which makes me feel somewhat rootless and adrift in life.

His later appearance directly filled the void in my heart. He gave me a healthy and lovely son and daughter…”

When Ms. You finished speaking, her eyes suddenly brightened, and her whole body seemed to be glowing.

Seeing this, Qin Keqing, who was still lying on her lap, couldn't help but show a hint of envy.

"Do you know, the day Heng'er and Wu'er first called me Mother, I felt that my life was completely complete. For the rest of my life, besides raising Heng'er and Wu'er and managing this Duke's Mansion for Wu'er, I have no other desires."

"But you are different."

"You are so young, and you are so beautiful, that countless women in the world cannot compare to you."

You shouldn't end up like me, confined to this Duke's mansion for the rest of your life.

I ask you, have you ever thought about breaking free from this cage and spending the rest of your life by his side?

The "he" that Lady You was referring to was naturally Jia Lian.

Qin Keqing could also tell what You Shi meant from her tone. But she had already thought about these issues and had a plan in mind, so she said with a smile, "Look at what you're saying, Mother-in-law. Right now, it's just the two of us in charge of this Duke's mansion. There are no elders to restrain us, and we don't have to worry about making a living. I'm so free and happy here. How can it be considered a cage?"

Besides, even if it's a cage, if you can stay here, Mother-in-law, why can't I?

Or is my mother-in-law tired of me and trying to find a way to get rid of me?

Qin Keqing looked at Madam You with feigned grievance. When it came to acting coquettishly, she was effective with both men and women.

As expected, Madam You felt a little reluctant upon seeing this, but for the sake of Qin Keqing's future, she continued, "Of course I don't dislike you, but I'm thinking that if you want to stay by his side for a long time, now is your chance."

Now that the master has passed away, there is no one in the manor who can restrain us.

I have two ideas right now.

One option is for me to find a pretext to send you back to the Qin family and restore your freedom.

In this way, whether you want to find another suitable husband in the future or have his second uncle take him in, there will be ways to do so.

Hearing what Madam You said, Qin Keqing was somewhat moved.

She had thought of this method herself.

Although the rule in large families is that if the husband dies, the wife continues to live as a widow in her husband's family, it is not absolute.

Especially in places like Ningguo Mansion.

Putting aside the scandals of the Ningguo Mansion, she had no "chastity" to uphold.

With all the direct descendants of the Ningguo Mansion dead, the You family in the Ningguo Mansion has the final say. If she is determined to send this troublesome daughter-in-law back to her parents' home for the sake of her own children, the rest of the clan will really have no say in the matter.

Even the Jia family would be happy.

Don't forget that when Jia Zhen and his son died, many people in the Jia clan clamored to drive her out as a jinx.

Returning to the Qin family is not difficult; the difficulty lies in how to get back to Jia Lian's side after returning to the Qin family.

As for finding another husband, she never considered it.

So after thinking for a moment, she said, "Then what's the second method?"

Lady You hadn't expected Qin Keqing to accept the first condition, so she didn't waste any words: "The second condition is that after you go back this time, you should pretend to be sick, and after a while, I will announce to the outside world that you have died of illness."

After you leave the manor, you can change your identity and follow your second uncle.

This is better than the first one; at least we don't have to worry about damaging the reputation of your Qin family and his second uncle.

Clearly, Lady You said all this in order to help Qin Keqing stay with Jia Lian legitimately.

Qin Keqing could tell from this, so she smiled and asked, "You're underestimating others. Even if we've done something flawlessly, wouldn't we be exposed as soon as I return to my second uncle's side?"

So many people in both mansions recognize me…

When Qin Keqing pointed out the flaws, Lady You remained indifferent.

"Given Second Uncle's current status and position, even if everyone in both households knows you, they will all pretend not to know you when you appear beside him in a different capacity."

Qin Keqing blinked and understood what You Shi meant.

In fact, even now, she has no idea how many people in both households know about her relationship with Jia Lian.

Although they always do it very discreetly, as the saying goes, no secret can stay hidden forever. Over time and with repeated occurrences, clues will eventually emerge.

Shaking her head to dismiss the meaningless thoughts, she laughed and said, "Actually, it doesn't have to be so complicated. I think it's fine as it is now."

My second uncle has so many outstanding women around him; even if I followed him, I might not be better than them.

But now, being able to see him every few days brings a sense of anticipation and excitement every time…

Madam You blushed and spat, "Bah, how dare you say that? Do you really think you can keep impersonating Xiangling forever? It's fine now that it's happened a few times, but when it happens more often, someone will inevitably find out. Let's see how you handle that then."

Qin Keqing immediately became embarrassed and didn't dare to look You Shi in the eye: "You, you knew all along..."

"You talk as if your plan is perfect. Humph, I saw through it the first time I saw Xiangling in the manor, but I was too lazy to say it out loud."

Qin Keqing quickly said, "Actually, that wasn't my idea; it was Aunt Lian who taught me..."

Lady You's eyes widened in surprise.

She knew that Qin Keqing and Jia Lian had a good relationship, but she didn't expect it to be this good.

That notoriously jealous man would actually teach her this?

This is truly eye-opening.

Qin Keqing found it difficult to face Madam You's gaze, so she changed the subject and said, "Mother-in-law's suggestion is very good. I will find a suitable opportunity to talk to Second Uncle. Then, I will do whatever Second Uncle tells me to do."

Hearing Qin Keqing's indecisive words, Madam You could understand.

Leaving aside Qin Keqing, wasn't she the same way? Whenever she encountered a problem, the first person she thought of was Jia Lian.

Although she knew that Jia Lian had many women and that she might not hold a significant place among them, she was certain of one thing: Jia Lian would never harm her.

"By the way, why does Grandma keep criticizing me? What about yourself? Haven't you ever thought about being with Second Uncle forever?"

Qin Keqing's sudden question made Lady You laugh.

As a woman who is not yet thirty, she has naturally thought about living happily ever after with the man she likes.

But it's impossible for her.

Even if she doesn't think about herself, she should think about her children.

Right now, the mother and her two children have a complete Duke's mansion as their foundation. If they were to pursue Jia Lian to his side, they would not only have to compete with Jia Lian's other women, but they might not even be able to get more than they do now.

She's not that stupid.

The key is……

She glanced at Qin Keqing, a hint of envy in her eyes.

She used to think that Qin Keqing, like herself, was a widow who gave herself to Jia Lian.

Later she also learned that Qin Keqing had only ever had Jia Lian as her man from beginning to end, and that she had even given her virginity to Jia Lian.

She was envious, but also felt inferior.

She knew that among Jia Lian's many women, she was probably an outlier.

This is also a major reason why she never asks for too much from Jia Lian's side. It is also the main reason why she said these words to Qin Keqing today.

After spending more than a year together, she has completely accepted him.

She couldn't bear to see Qin Keqing just drift along like this. With her character and looks, she should have a place by Jia Lian's side.