Dream of the Red Chamber: My Daiyu Has Been Reborn

Seeing that Wang Xifeng had seen through him, Jia Lian decided not to hide it anymore: "What do you mean by stirring up trouble? That's really awful. What she said was just the truth; she was just speaking up for me."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xifeng's heart sank.

As expected.

"What did that guy surnamed Gu say to you? Tell me everything right now."

Jia Lian then relayed Gu Jinhong's words, and Wang Xifeng's expression grew increasingly grim as she listened. After Jia Lian finished speaking, she remained silent for a long while before finally saying, "Do you really think he was standing up for you?"

"Whether he's genuinely standing up for me or not, just tell me, which of his words isn't true? The Rongguo Mansion's title, no matter how you look at it, belongs to our eldest branch. But look at everyone in the mansion now, who still respects us? Even you, Wang Xifeng, aren't you just serving your good aunt? As fellow daughters of the Wang family, the Wang family hasn't considered your feelings at all."

Jia Lian's words deeply stung Wang Xifeng. But she knew even better that Gu Jinhong's words to Jia Lian were not well-intentioned.

Wang Xifeng suppressed her anger and patiently said, "My good Second Master, think about it carefully. Why would Gu Jinhong suddenly say these things to you for no reason? You've only met him twice."

"He said it was so that we could take better care of Miss Lin, and I believe him. But before he said that, he deliberately stirred up your anger, making you full of resentment towards the second wife's side and the old lady."

"If he really wanted to help our eldest son's family, he could have easily found you a job or stood up for you outside. With his favor with the emperor, he could have done that. There's no need for him to say these divisive things. He's clearly trying to use you to make things difficult for the second son's family."

"How was Baoyu beaten at the Princess's residence? How was the Second Master impeached? The Gu family and the Second Branch have long been at odds. Now that Miss Lin is staying at our residence, that Second Master Gu probably knows that the Second Madam has a problem with Miss Lin, but he doesn't want to directly interfere in the affairs of our Rongguo Mansion's inner quarters. So he wants to use our eldest branch to check and balance the Second Branch, so that they don't have the energy to do other things."

Jia Lian wasn't unaware of what Wang Xifeng was saying, but he nonchalantly replied, "Even if he really had that intention, so what? The second branch of the family spends money like water, while we're careful with our finances; it's inherently unfair!"

"Of course it's unfair, but what can we do about it? If things escalate, who do you think will suffer? It'll be our eldest branch. Even if Gu Jinhong is really willing to back you up, he can't reach into the inner quarters of the Rongguo Mansion. In the end, you'll be the one being used as a pawn, the one who offends people for him. If something really happens, he might not be willing to cover for you."

Jia Lian broke out in a cold sweat after hearing her words. He wasn't stupid; he had only acted impulsively because years of pent-up resentment had suddenly surfaced. Now, with Wang Xifeng's words of cold water, his impulsive anger gradually subsided, replaced by a lingering fear.

"Then... what should I do? I've already agreed to keep in touch with Gu Jinhong more often."

Wang Xifeng's eyes gleamed: "Of course we must continue to move forward. Now that we've established this connection, there's no reason to back down. But you must remember two things."

Which two items?

"First, you must never let him lead you by the nose again. If he wants you to be the one charging into battle, fine, but only if you see benefits first. If he truly wants to help you, he will naturally offer tangible benefits. If he only talks the talk, then he has ulterior motives."

Wang Xifeng glanced at him sideways: "Secondly, you've already told him enough about the discord between our eldest and second branches. Be more careful with your words and actions in the future, after all, it's not something to be proud of."

Upon hearing this, Jia Lian nodded emphatically. He had originally thought that regardless of whether Gu Jinhong was using him or not, they had at least made contact. But after listening to Wang Xifeng's analysis, he suddenly realized that he had been too naive.

Seeing that he had taken her words to heart, Wang Xifeng breathed a slight sigh of relief, and her tone softened: "I'm not saying this to stop you from being ambitious. I'm happy that you have this intention. But Second Master, we must remain calm and not let others use us as pawns for no reason."

"Grandma, it seems we really can't do without you at home. I'll definitely consult with you more often in the future."

"You've got bad character," Wang Xifeng rolled her eyes at him. "Now you know how good I am."

She turned over and sat up straight on the kang (a heated brick bed), letting Jia Lian come closer. She lowered her voice and said, "Second Master, since we've come this far, I'd like to ask you something today. This matter has been on my mind for many years, and I still haven't figured it out."

Seeing her serious expression, Jia Lian also became serious: "What is it?"

"Our master is, after all, the head of the Rongguo Mansion who inherited the title. How could he be content to stay in that side courtyard and even give Rongxi Hall to the second branch of the family? No matter how biased the old lady is, there is no reason for her to make the eldest son who inherited the title move out of the main hall."

Upon hearing this, Jia Lian's expression changed immediately, and he subconsciously glanced out the window.

"This matter..."

He stammered and didn't say anything, reaching for the teacup to drink, only to find it was empty.

Seeing this, Wang Xifeng became even more certain that there was something fishy going on, and she was not about to let him off the hook: "Second Master, we are husband and wife, what is there that we can't talk about? If you don't explain yourself clearly today, don't even think about getting a single penny from me in the future."

"You..." Jia Lian was completely under her control, and could only smile bitterly, "Why are you doing this? Knowing too much about some things is not necessarily a good thing."

"Whether it's a good thing or not depends on the situation," Wang Xifeng persisted. "I've been married into your Jia family for so many years, managing all this affairs. What kind of filth haven't I seen? Go ahead and tell me, don't you trust my word?"

Jia Lian hesitated for a long time before finally letting out a heavy sigh: "Ping'er, go outside and keep watch, don't let anyone get close. You stay away too."

"Yes, Second Master." Ping'er knew that what was about to be said was definitely something important, and even if she wasn't sent away, she wouldn't dare to listen. After all, the two of them had just been gossiping about the second branch of the family without mentioning that they wanted to keep it from her.

Upon seeing this, Wang Xifeng became even more curious.

After Ping'er left, Jia Lian leaned forward before speaking. Jia Lian's voice was extremely low, almost audible to only the two of them.

"No more than a handful of people in the manor know about this. I only learned the gist of it when I overheard my father's drunken slip of the tongue that year."

Wang Xifeng's heart also jumped, and she even slowed her breathing.

Jia Lian swallowed hard: "Back when Prince Yizhong was still studying in the Imperial Study, my father was his study companion."

"What?!"

Wang Xifeng's face turned deathly pale. She felt a buzzing sound in her head, as if something had exploded. Her eyes widened as she stared intently at Jia Lian, her lips trembling as she remained speechless for a long time.

Prince Yizhong, the eldest son of the retired emperor, was the legitimate eldest son of the late empress and the rightful heir apparent. However, he later committed a crime and was punished by order of the retired emperor himself. This matter remains a taboo subject to be discussed to this day, and no one dares to mention it lightly.

And Jia She was actually the study companion who had been by his side since childhood.

Wang Xifeng's voice began to tremble; she was already regretting asking the question: "Are you trying to fool me?"