Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

When Jia Lian returned to the mansion, it was already very late. After discussing the expenses and other matters related to the new residence with Feng Jie, he went to bed.

The next day at noon, after Jia Lian returned from the ancestral temple, he summoned people to survey the terrain of the mansion.

"Nothing else needs to be changed. We need to build an inner study here, modeled after the Mengpo Study on the Second Master's side. Yun'er, remember this."

Outside the main gate of the Grand View Garden, in the open space directly behind the east courtyard, Jia Yun, Lin Zhixiao, and several gentlemen who were well-versed in garden design surrounded Jia Lian, listening attentively and taking notes on his instructions.

Jia Lian had planned to set off for Tianjin after Jia Jing's funeral, so he could only entrust the renovation of the new house to Feng Jie and others.

However, since Sister Feng was, after all, a woman confined to the inner quarters, it was fine for her to manage the finances, but she still needed a capable person to be in charge of purchasing materials and supervising the construction.

Jia Lian assigned this task to Jia Yun.

Firstly, because Jia Yun was a member of the Jia family, it was convenient for him to manage both internal and external affairs. Secondly, because Jia Yun had become increasingly capable and mature after so many years of experience, he had almost become Jia Lian's spokesperson, so naturally no one was more suitable than him.

"After the outside is connected to this place, a side gate will be opened on each side of the main gate to connect the two mansions."

Jia Lian pointed to the main gate of the Grand View Garden and said.

After the East Courtyard and Grand View Garden were connected, the entire garden became his back garden.

The area outside the garden, including the current east courtyard, will become his private territory, and it will be inconvenient for outsiders to disturb him.

Therefore, it was necessary to have separate gates on both sides of the main gate of the Grand View Garden for Yingchun and others to enter and exit.

After explaining the basic situation outside, Jia Lian led everyone into the garden.

There's not much in the garden that needs renovation. All the pavilions and terraces were built just last year and are already perfect. Even if modifications are needed, that's for the future, so there's no rush.

The only thing that needs minor adjustments is the main building.

That was originally the imperial palace that the Jia family built for Yuan Chun, the concubine.

Although Jia Lian was not afraid, in order to reduce trouble, it was still necessary to make some minor modifications to some of the "illegal" parts.

For example, the name of the main hall, "Gu En Si Yi," sounds like praise and flattery, which Jia Lian didn't like.

After showing Jia Yun and the others around the main building and conveying all his current ideas to them, Jia Lian bid them farewell and headed alone to Hengwu Garden on the western hillside.

In summer, the grass and leaves in Hengwu Garden are lush and green, and the vines climb all over the artificial hills, creating a vibrant and refreshing scene.

However, the garden was filled with chatter.

Besides the sounds of insects chirping and birds singing from the surrounding mountains and forests, there were also the sounds of Shi Xiangyun and the maids laughing and playing.

Jia Lian did not go to Shi Xiangyun's room. He glanced at the owl dozing on the shelf under the corridor and went straight into Baochai's room.

I didn't see Baochai, but I did run into a somewhat unfamiliar maid.

He looked to be about fourteen or fifteen years old, and was quite handsome.

"Second Master, please have some tea..."

The young maid seemed somewhat afraid; her hands trembled slightly as she presented the tea to Jia Lian.

Jia Lian glanced at her, then at the tea, and asked casually, "Is there poison in the tea?"

"what?"

The young maid was completely taken aback by Jia Lian's question. After a moment's realization, she turned pale with fright, knelt down with a thud, and stammered, "No, no poison, it's..."

Unable to utter a coherent sentence, tears welled up in her eyes from anxiety.

"Why are you trembling if it's not poisonous?" Jia Lian picked up his teacup, sniffed it lightly, and took a sip calmly.

The young maid stared blankly at Jia Lian's actions, finally realizing that he was joking with her, and hurriedly explained, "Yes, yes, this servant was a little nervous when I saw Second Master, so, so..."

Her little face turned red, but she couldn't say anything coherent.

Just then, Ying'er walked in carrying clothes. After understanding the situation, she smiled and said to Jia Lian, "Her name is Zhen'er. She is a maid that our mistress chose for our young lady. She has just entered the garden and does not know the rules very well yet. Second Master, please don't scare her."

Jia Lian understood.

He said that the Xue family, being such a wealthy family, would never be willing to provide their eldest daughter with two more maids.

For example, in Daiyu's Xiaoxiang Pavilion, there were at least sixteen or seventeen maids, including those arranged by Grandmother Jia and others.

As for Hengwu Garden, apart from the few people who were assigned to it at the beginning, Baochai only had Ying'er by her side, plus the even more clueless Wenxing.

Now there's finally one more.

He did have a vague impression of Zhen'er; in his memory, she seemed to be the maid that the Xue family had assigned to Xiangling.

Unexpectedly, in this life she didn't follow Xiangling, but still entered the Grand View Garden, which can be considered fate.

but……

Looking up at Zhen'er, who was still timid and hesitant even after standing up, Jia Lian shook his head and sighed.

Of these three maids, only Ying'er was somewhat clever and skillful; the other two were not even worth using.

It can only be said that Baochai is too independent and self-reliant. She doesn't need anyone to manage domestic affairs for her; they just need to be obedient.

See? She just likes useless people like Daiyu...

Jia Lian didn't say anything more, but just sipped his tea.

Ying'er, who had found her clothes inside, saw Zhen'er's fierce appearance and chuckled.

It's quite amusing that someone as important as Master Lian would actually scare a little maid like that.

"Here, take this to the girl. I'll take care of things here."

"Yes, Sister Ying'er."

The maidservant felt as if she had been granted a pardon. She took the clothes that Ying'er handed her and ran towards the bathhouse without looking back.

Ying'er went to the outer room, took a plate of melons and fruits and a plate of snacks, and brought them in, placing them next to Jia Lian.

Although Jia Lian had already guessed that Baochai was taking a bath, he still asked where she was.

Ying'er smiled and replied, "The housekeepers came in before noon and said that some gentlemen were coming to the garden today, and that we should not move around and should stay in the house."

The girl was also pulled along by Miss Yun and the others to play cards for a while, but felt a bit stuffy, so she's taking a bath now.

Jia Lian smiled. Of all the girls in the garden, Shi Xiangyun was the most active, and Baoqin was also young and playful. With these two little sisters around, Jia Lian could almost imagine Baochai making an excuse to leave.

"Doesn't your Second Madam Lian bring you ice every day? Why is it still so stuffy?"

"That little bit of ice isn't nearly enough..."

Ying'er blurted it out unconsciously, but then, fearing that Jia Lian might misunderstand, she quickly added, "No, it's because our young lady said that it's too hot and using too much ice isn't good, so she gave almost all of it to Miss Yun and Miss Qin's rooms."

Jia Lian frowned slightly upon hearing this.

If it's just about doting on your younger sister, that's fine. But if it's the former—starting to focus on health at such a young age—it's really not a good habit!

"Okay, I understand. I'll have someone send over some more ice for you later."

Ying'er beamed with joy upon hearing this, and said with a smile, "That's wonderful! I knew Second Master doted on our young lady the most..."

A dry, flattering remark.

Jia Lian turned his head and, sure enough, the girl was looking at him with a smile in her eyes, her small body standing beside him, only a hair's breadth away.

Jia Lian didn't stand on ceremony and naturally wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her directly into his embrace.

Aside from finding the young girl, barely out of her teens, to be nimble and fragrant, I also felt she was excessively light and airy.

It seems to weigh only sixty or seventy jin in later generations.

Although Ying'er desperately wanted to be close to Jia Lian, she was still quite nervous and fidgety, saying, "Don't do this, it won't be good if the young lady sees us when she comes out..."

"What are you afraid of? I'll hug you like this in front of her too."

Seeing the little maid pout as if she didn't believe him, Jia Lian lifted her chin and laughed, "Your young lady doesn't have many close people around her, and she dotes on you so much. When she marries into the family, she will definitely take you with her. At that time, I will definitely treat you two, mistress and servant, well."

Because Jia Lian deliberately spoke in a frivolous manner, Ying'er was extremely embarrassed.

She hesitated for a long time, then snorted, "Second Master can enjoy our young lady, but I am unworthy of being enjoyed by Second Master..."

"Hey, how could that be? It's more exciting to have both together!"

"Second Master is a scoundrel..."

Burying her head in Jia Lian's chest, lost in thought, she suddenly looked up and said shyly, "I'll tell you a few good things about our young lady, but you mustn't tell anyone else, and you mustn't tell the young lady that I told you..."

"Oh, what are the benefits?"

Jia Lian straightened up slightly.

Although he had gleaned many secrets about Xue Baochai, the recluse in the mountains, he was confident that she could not compare to Ying'er, who served him day and night.

Thinking that she might tell him some secrets about Baochai's physiology, Jia Lian understood why a young lady from a prominent family would take her personal maid with her when she got married.

Otherwise, if these maids were to marry someone else and reveal their secrets to that person, it would be a huge problem.

Ying'er sat up slightly, looked at Jia Lian with a proud smile, and said, "Our young lady has several advantages that no one else in the world has, and her looks are second to none!"

"Oh? Tell me about it."

"Hehe, Second Master, do you know about the 'Cold Fragrance Pill'?"

I've heard a little about it.

"Then Second Master should know that the Cold Fragrance Pills our young lady eats are made by simmering the stamens of flowers from all four seasons, along with water from all four seasons, honey, and white sugar..."

"I know the recipe. Get to the point."

"The key point? Hehe, I don't know if it's because our girls often eat that kind of food, but anyway, our girls always have a fragrance all year round, and the fragrance is different in each season..."

"Oh? What do you mean?" Jia Lian, eager to know what would happen next, focused on playing the straight man.

"For example, in spring, our girls smell of peonies. In summer, they smell of lotus flowers..."

"Hehe, I see. So, in that case, there's the fragrance of white hibiscus in autumn and the cool fragrance of winter plum blossoms in winter?"

"Second Master is truly wise; that's exactly right. Our young lady is a natural treasure; any man in the world who obtains her will be blessed."

It's clear that Ying'er greatly admires her daughter.

Jia Lian's gaze shifted, and he also longed for the day when he could pluck Baochai, this fairy who exuded the fragrance of flowers in all four seasons.

Suddenly he realized something was wrong.

"No! Last time in the carriage, when I kissed your girl, I tasted a faint peony fragrance."

At the time, I wasn't sure, but now that you've said it, I'm certain—it's the fragrance of peonies.

But by then it was no longer spring.

Jia Lian looked at the person in his arms with suspicion, as if questioning why she had lied to him.

"Oh, really?"

Ying'er was also a little confused, but she had witnessed Jia Lian's sneak attack on Baochai in the carriage that night, and she seemed to have heard Jia Lian say that there was the fragrance of peonies.

Master Lian wouldn't lie...

Ying'er thought for a long time but couldn't figure it out, only saying, "I don't know either, anyway, our young lady has the fragrance of flowers from all four seasons on her. If Second Master doesn't believe me, he can verify it himself later, uh..."

Ying'er realized that if her mistress heard her speaking to Jia Lian like that, her good days would be over.

She glanced guiltily at the door, calculating the time it would take for Baochai to bathe, before lowering her voice and saying, "Then let me tell you the second good thing about our young lady..."

Jia Lian was extremely satisfied, feeling that it was definitely the right decision to win over this girl ahead of time.

Although he knew he would eventually find out all of Baochai's secrets, it was still incredibly novel and exciting to glean them from a maid.

So he sat up straight and listened attentively to the teachings.

Ying'er was very satisfied with Jia Lian's attitude and generously offered her advice: "Second Master, do you know that our young lady not only has skin as white as snow, but her whole body is also as translucent as snow, even..."

Just as they were about to get to the crucial point, footsteps came from outside the door.

Ying'er, with her sharp ears and keen eyes, jumped off Jia Lian in an instant and quickly straightened her clothes.

Outside the door, Wenxing walked in carrying some inner garments, and looked suspiciously at Ying'er, who was standing next to Jia Lian with a flushed face.

However, like Zhen'er, she dared not meet Jia Lian's gaze, gave a slight bow, and went into the inner room.

As Wenxing walked back to the backyard, Jia Lian immediately called to Ying'er, "Continue, what happened next?"

Still shaken, Ying'er glared at Jia Lian with annoyance. "I'm not talking to you anymore. I'm going to check on the young lady in the back!"

He then turned to leave.

They've gotten really bold...

Jia Lian called out softly, "Come here."

Ying'er dared not disobey and slowly returned. Seeing Jia Lian's unfriendly gaze, she pleaded, "Miss is coming back soon. If she hears me talking about her, I'm finished. Second Master, please have mercy on me. You'll find out sooner or later anyway..."

Jia Lian wasn't actually in such a hurry; just like with Daiyu, he was enjoying the whole process.

Seeing that Ying'er begged for mercy, his gossipy thoughts faded.

Then she saw Ying'er standing pitifully in front of her. Although her face shape was similar to Daiyu's, she was clever and sharp, but her skin was more like Baochai's, as white and white as snow.

Especially today, perhaps knowing she wouldn't be going out, this girl dressed just like the Third Sister You from the manor, with a thin garment covering her and a triangular bodice peeking out from the neckline.

The undergarment was a light yellow, which matched the skin tones of the master and servant perfectly.

Jia Lian, on a sudden inspiration, took one of her small hands and asked, "Do you like willow yellow?"

Ying'er was taken aback at first, then hurriedly looked down and blushed.

But she still nodded obediently: "Yes. Besides this, I also like emerald green..."

Well, it's classic emerald green again.

Jia Lian discovered that eight out of ten girls of this age liked this color.

I especially like to use it as a bellyband.

As Jia Lian pondered, his hand had already touched the willow-yellow surface.

Ying'er said shyly, "Second Master, what are you doing?"

Jia Lian snapped out of his daze and noticed An Lushan's hand on his body, but he felt no remorse. Instead, he said matter-of-factly, "I happen to like this color too, so give it to me."

"What?"

"It's this one you're wearing."

"ah……?"

"Hurry up, you don't want your girl to see this when she comes out, do you?"

Ying'er blushed as white as snow, stood there blankly for a long time with her head down. No one knew what kind of mental journey she had gone through before she numbly reached behind her neck.

Jia Lian had only meant to tease her casually, but when he saw that the girl was genuinely willing to give herself to him, he smiled.

"Come closer, I'll get it myself."

He took the little maid, who was like a marionette, by the hand, lifted her hair with both hands, reached behind her neck (which he could easily twist with one hand), and untied the rope in no time.

Seeing that the little girl's face was as red as blood, but she was stubbornly hanging her head as if she was ready to be dealt with, Jia Lian did the same thing and untied another rope behind her waist.

Although they are all slip knots, it is always difficult to operate through clothing, so it is inevitable to lift up the clothes and run your hands along the skin.

For a naive young woman, standing so close to a young man and having him reach inside her clothes to remove her bra, the shame she must have felt is unimaginable.

She was in a daze, not knowing what to do.

Fortunately, Jia Lian didn't let her suffer for too long. Once the two knots were untied, Jia Lian grabbed the silk willow branch from her collar, gently pulled it, and a delicate fragrance drifted into his hand.

Two white lights could be vaguely seen flashing by, but they were obscured by the yellowish-brown color, so Jia Lian couldn't see them clearly.

When he finally looked closely, he found that Ying'er had already crossed her arms over her chest, glared at him with shame and indignation, and then ran away like a crab with its pincers broken.

The speed surprised Jia Lian, but when he looked down at the still-warm willow branch in his hand, he didn't care anymore.

After thinking for a moment, Jia Lian slipped the tea into his sleeve, leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, and leisurely continued drinking his tea.