The Second Master of the Red Chamber

Jia Lian rode his horse to the door of Xue's house and said to the concierge, "I have something to see you girls."

The concierge of the Xue family didn't dare to say anything. He quickly opened the door and let Jia Lian and his entourage in.

The appearance of the Xue family has not changed. It is still a quiet and elegant house with a fresh style, but it is a little more dull than before.

"Baochai has met the second brother Lian." Xue Baochai came over from the corridor of the main room and saluted Jia Lian.

"Sister Baochai, there's no need to be polite. I'm here to understand the specifics of your brother's case. Let's find a place to talk."

Jia Lian got straight to the point, so Baochai nodded and welcomed Jia Lian into the main hall of the main house.

"I'm riding a fast horse back to Beijing, so I'll go ahead. Auntie is expected to arrive in Beijing tonight."

While Baochai was serving tea, Jia Lian briefly explained, and then said: "Time is tight, so I won't beat around the bush. My aunt left Beijing the night before yesterday, so I came here mainly to get to know her. Is there any new news about Brother Pan's case in the past two days? Sister Baochai can tell me in detail."

Baochai looked grateful when he heard this, "I'm sorry for bothering my second brother Lian..."

After saying that, Baochai hesitated for a moment, took out a roll of paper from his sleeve, handed it to Jia Lian and said: "This is what I compiled, all the information about my brother's case. It not only records in detail all the events that happened that day, but also We also asked Brother Lian to review the information we got from various sources later."

Jia Lian's eyes lit up.It seems that this precious girl has been prepared for a long time, not bad.

Taking the piece of paper that seemed to carry the fragrance of orchids, Jia Lian started to look at it.The first thing that catches the eye is the rows of neat, graceful and well-formatted small regular script characters.

Although he had seen Baochai's handwriting a long time ago, Jia Lian had to raise his eyes and glance at Baochai approvingly.If not for anything else, just because he was an official of the imperial court and had practiced calligraphy hard. This regular script was still far behind this girl.

If there was a chance to turn her into his own style of calligraphy, he could instantly kill most of the bureaucrats in the court with just one hand of calligraphy.

Baochai didn't know what Jia Lian was thinking. She just felt that the way Jia Lian lowered his head to read the contents of the paper had an indescribable style and power.

He looks serious, with a reserved look in his eyes. As he flips through the paper with his fingers, he seems to have all the information in his mind and has a plan in mind.

She started preparing these notes as soon as she knew Jia Lian returned to Beijing. The purpose was to allow Jia Lian to understand all the situations as quickly as possible and prevent any omissions in the panic and loss of the opportunity to save her brother.

Seeing that Jia Lian had finished reading the content quickly, Baochai asked hurriedly: "How is it, second brother Lian is sure to save my brother?"

"Not sure."

Baochai's expression darkened. Sure enough, even the second brother Lian couldn't do it...

"Although I am not sure, since I have returned to Beijing, I will try my best. Let's talk about it later. Now I need you to prepare two things."

"Brother Lian, please speak."

"Prepare 500 taels of gold, preferably a small one. Another calligraphy and painting with a market price of at least 3000 taels, preferably a calligraphy copybook by a famous artist."

Baochai thought for a while, stood up and said, "Brother Lian, please wait a moment."

Jia Lian nodded.The Xue family is an imperial merchant and also runs a considerable pawn shop in the capital. I guess there is no shortage of gold, calligraphy and paintings for Xue Jialian.

Sure enough, after a while Baochai came back with Ying'er and another maid from the Xue family.

Jia Lian calmly rolled up the paper and put it in his sleeve, then picked up the calligraphy that Baochai had taken, unfolded it, looked at it, nodded and said with a smile: "In that case, I will leave first. Sister Baochai, don't worry, but If there is any new news, I will send someone to inform you and aunt."

While speaking, Jia Lian stood up and motioned to Aqi and Aqin to pick up the things and take them away.

"Second brother Lian, wait a minute.

Jia Lian turned around and asked, "What else can Sister Baochai do?"

Baochai had a hesitant look on her face. Faced with Jia Lian's questioning gaze, she took a step forward and asked, "Brother Lian is going to see my brother later?"

"Well... maybe. The case will be tried in court in the future. If you want to reverse the case, it should be sooner rather than later. Before that, it would be best to meet Brother Pan."

Baochai said: "In that case, second brother Lian may take me with him... Second brother Lian doesn't know that when my brother was detained in Shuntian Mansion earlier, Shuntian Mansion allowed my mother and I to visit, but later the Ministry of Punishment took my brother away. , we were not allowed to visit again.

I haven’t seen my brother for a while, and I want to see him..."

Baochai said with a sad expression.In fact, she not only wanted to see Xue Pan, but also wanted to follow Jia Lian to see how Jia Lian dealt with his brother's difficult case.

The incident involving her brother made her even more aware of the decline of the Xue family.She couldn't help but think that if Xue Pan was really gone and the huge Xue family's foundation fell on Aunt Xue's shoulders alone, it would be too much for her.

As a daughter, she will have to help her mother in the future.How to help? A lady who stays at home will definitely not be able to help. She has to learn how to help.

Learn from Jia Lian and meet Jia Lian.Today is an opportunity to understand the rules of the upper level with your own eyes.

Faced with Baochai's sudden request, Jia Lian wanted to say that it was not necessary.The Penal Department Prison is a very dark and depressing place, not suitable for a beautiful girl like Baochai.

But looking at Baochai, who had always been calm and reserved, and looked like someone who was very deep in the world, looking like he was about to cry, Jia Lian didn't know how to refuse for a while.Suddenly remembering the agreement with Aunt Xue, Jia Lian felt that this seemed to be an opportunity.

Didn't I regret that I never had the chance to take her out to play?

So he nodded and said: "In that case, you can go out with me later. But... you'd better change your outfit."

Jia Lian looked at Ying'er behind Baochai and said with a smile: "That's what she is wearing. I think it's pretty good. I will wrong Sister Baochai and pretend to be my maid later. It will be more convenient this way. After all, I will do it later." The place to go is not just the prison of the Ministry of Punishment."

Baochai didn't notice anything inappropriate in Jia Lian's words, so he nodded in agreement and then told Ying'er to avoid him.

Jia Lian had waited for Daiyu Xiaonizi to change her clothes, and he probably knew the time when the girl would change her clothes.I originally thought that Baochai would be limited even if he was sharper, but to Jia Lian's surprise, Baochai came back with Ying'er very quickly.

At this time, Baochai removed the excess hair accessories and simply tied two maid buns on the back of her head.The most important thing is that she is wearing the same goose-yellow dress that Ying'er wore before, while Ying'er changed into another one.

Now Jia Lian believed Aunt Xue's words that Baochai was very obedient.He just said it casually, but he didn't expect Baochai to be so strong in execution.

Looking at Baochai who was less glamorous and more pure as a girl, Jia Lian smiled with satisfaction and said, "Let's go, I've asked the housekeeper to prepare the carriage."

……

At the gate of the Xicheng Army and Horses Department, Baochai walked out of the carriage with his head raised. He looked at Jia Lian who dismounted and walked to the carriage and stretched out his hand to her. He hesitated for a moment, then obediently put his hand into Jia Lian's hand and jumped out of the carriage with Jia Lian's strength. .

"Is this the Military and Horse Officer's Office?"

Baochai followed Jia Lian and walked forward, looking at the Yamen in front of him with the words "Xicheng Soldiers and Horses Division" hanging high in his eyes.

In her eyes, the Bingma Si Yamen was not luxurious and majestic. On the contrary, it even seemed a bit simple.It's just that in this simplicity, there is an aura of majesty everywhere.This is the smell of power.

"See your lord!"

The loud roar of the guard standing at the door shocked Baochai, and he couldn't help but follow Jia Lian a little closer.As Jia Lian came to the back hall, many officers came to greet him and report.Baochai could see clearly that even though Jia Lian just dismissed these people casually, these people all looked at Jia Lian with reverence.

Obviously, Jia Lian, the chief officer, has already gathered the entire army and horse department into his own force.

Baochai didn't speak. She stood quietly behind Jia Lian, fully fulfilling her role as a maid.

"Sir, why are you back suddenly?" A slightly lean middle-aged officer hurried over.

Jia Lian asked him: "Where is Sun Shaozu?"

"Replying to your lord, this boy is in the prison of our Military and Horse Department!"

Xie Jun probably guessed the purpose of Jia Lian's return to Beijing, so he hurriedly explained: "That day, this boy followed the Xue family uncle to Jinxiangyuan. Unexpectedly, something happened to the Xue family uncle, and this boy took advantage of the chaos and escaped.

He also wanted to pack up his bedroll and run away. If the adults hadn't asked me to keep an eye on him and catch him halfway, I'm afraid he would have escaped long ago. "

Jia Lian nodded.

When he had people take Sun Shaozu into the Prison of Soldiers and Horses for torture, he never imagined that the Sun family, which only had a sick daughter-in-law and a widowed mother, would actually have the ability to get into Jia Zheng's hands.

Jia Zheng thought that the ancestors of the two families had some intersection, and Sun Shaozu had not made any serious mistakes, so he wrote to Jia Lian to intercede.Jia Lian thought that simply letting Zhongshan Wolf enjoy the pain of prison would be boring, and it was not his original intention to go all the way to trick Sun Shaozu into coming to the capital.Therefore, Xie Jun was asked to release him and monitor him closely instead, and added more luster to his life.

It was unexpected that he met Xue Pan and fell in love with him, but it was the guidance and arrangement of Xie Jun and others that he went to the gambling house to gamble his life.

"Take me to have a look. It's time to meet this Zhongshan Wolf."

Instructing Xie Jun to lead the way, Jia Lian turned around and looked at Baochai with a smile: "Do you have the courage to go and see it together?"

Baochai nodded, but he was wondering in his heart: It sounds like this person that his brother has just made friends with might still have a grudge against Brother Lian. Why does Brother Lian look so disgusted with this person?

Xie Jun had long since discovered that Jia Lian had brought a beautiful maid over today. Seeing how Jia Lian explained to her, he knew that Baochai was not a simple person.As soon as I took a quick look, I was immediately struck by Baochai's beautiful appearance. I was very envious in my heart. I deeply felt that I was worthy of being a dragon or a phoenix among people. Even the women around me were as stunning as the others.

……

The dark cell environment did bring some discomfort to Baochai, but she did not show it.

After following Jia Lian to a cell, she watched Jia Lian stop, so she obediently stayed behind him.

Jia Lian looked quietly at Sun Shaozu inside the cell door.Sun Shao slumped to the ground, but looked at him suspiciously.Although Sun Shaozu still didn't know Jia Lian, he knew from his posture that the identity of the visitor must be something special.

Jia Lian took a second look and lost interest, and calmly ordered: "Bring him out."

"Yes."

Sun Shaozu was granted amnesty and thought that the savior had arrived.But Jia Lian added: "Break his legs."

The officers and soldiers of the Bingma Division executed Jia Lian's orders extremely well. Several people rushed out and immediately held Sun Shaozu down.This frightened Sun Shaozu and quickly begged loudly: "My lord, please spare my life. I don't know what mistake I made to make you behave like this. Please make it clear to me that I will repent and reflect..."

Jia Lian didn't pay attention to him at all.

Jie Jun, on the other hand, knew Jia Lian's dislike of Sun Shaozu from the beginning, and seeing him wailing at this moment actually gave him a perverted pleasure.He held Sun Shaozu down and said with a ferocious smile: "Boy, it's because you shouldn't have done evil, and you shouldn't have done it in the hands of my family! When you are reincarnated in the next life, remember to be a good person."

Sun Shaozu was stunned.After suffering several losses at the hands of Xie Jun, he already knew the other party's identity.At this time, hearing Xie Jun address Jia Lian as "my lord" with such respect, not only did he immediately realize Jia Lian's identity, but he also felt like he suddenly woke up and saw the light through the clouds!

"It's you! Has it always been you? Did you harm me?!"

Sun Shaozu is not stupid.Since the beginning of last year, their Sun family, especially his Sun Shaozu, has been cursed, from a family of mid-level military officers to where they are today.

Perhaps at first he thought it was an unfair fate, or even retribution for his many years of evil deeds.

But as time passed, he couldn't help but reflect, was someone deliberately trying to harm him?It's just that I haven't been able to find any clues, and there's no way to confirm it.

Just today, in Xie Jun's simple words, he suddenly understood that everything that happened to their Sun family, especially his Sun Shaozu, was all thanks to the person in front of him!
This man is the inheritor of the Jia Jiarong Palace, the commander of the Army and Horses Division, and the world-renowned Marquis of Zhenyuan!

Everything can be explained.It's ridiculous. At first, he considered himself a disciple of Rongguo Mansion, trying to make a comeback for the Sun family through this relationship!
Looking up at Jia Lian's indifferent eyes, Sun Shaozu confirmed his thoughts.Then he saw that one of his legs had been forcibly held up by the officer of the Military and Horse Department, and Xie Jun had already pulled out the scabbard and was about to break his leg alive.

Sun Shaozu was not a kind person to begin with, and the meekness he had shown in front of Xue Pan before was just due to his desire to survive.At this moment, he truly understood his situation, and a surge of overwhelming hatred suddenly surged in his heart. Unexpectedly, he burst out of strength from nowhere, and in a few strokes, he broke free from the Yamen who was restraining him, and rushed towards the cell door with all his strength. Jia Lian rushed outside!

"Even if I die, I still want your kid to pay for it with my life!!"

"Lord be careful!"

"Protect adults!"

The sudden situation shocked everyone.

Xie Jun was also staggered by Sun Shaozu.Although he knew that Jia Lian was not a man without the strength to tie a chicken, he also knew that with his hands bound, Sun Shaozu, who was defenseless, was unlikely to cause any harm to Jia Lian.

But he still instinctively raised the saber in his hand and slashed hard at Sun Shaozu who was trying to seize the way.

He was originally planning to use the scabbard to break Sun Shaozu's legs, but now he even skipped the step of drawing the knife.If he hadn't known that Jia Lian's keeping of Sun Shaozu would still be useful and deliberately left a three-point margin, this knife would have been enough to kill Sun Shaozu.

But even so, the scene of the sharp steel knife slicing through the tall Sun Shaozu's back, and the blood splashing out from the blade, was still so shocking.

Baochai had been frightened when Sun Shaozu burst out and revolted. When he saw such a terrifying scene, a girl's nature made him immediately throw himself into the arms of the person who felt most secure around him.

Jia Lian was naturally calm from beginning to end, but subconsciously stepped back to protect Baochai.Seeing her beauty turn pale, Jia Lian threw herself into his arms. Jia Lian hugged her tightly, patted her back and comforted her in her ears: "Don't be afraid, it's okay..."

In my heart, I actually think more highly of Baochai.It's good, I didn't get scared enough to scream.

Looking back at Sun Shaozu, who was still staring at him even though he was convulsing on the ground, Jia Lian coldly said don't let him die, and then considered whether to pick up Baochai and take him away.

It's just that Baochai has an unusual temperament after all, and she is already 16 years old, so she is not an ignorant girl.She quickly realized that it was inappropriate to throw herself into Jia Lian's arms, so she gathered her thoughts, got out of Jia Lian's arms, and gave Jia Lian an apologetic look.

Although Jia Lian felt a little regretful in his heart, he did not make any extra moves and raised his legs to leave.After walking a few steps, he saw Baochai's face deep in thought. Jia Lian was afraid that what he saw today would leave a bad shadow on Baochai's heart, so he asked, "Girl, do you think I'm too cruel to this person?"

Baochai shook his head.

"This person is a treacherous person and would not regret his death. Moreover, he cannot be compassionate towards his enemies..."

Speaking of this, Jia Lian frowned and suddenly stopped.Looking at Baochai, who was frowning thoughtfully, Jia Lian changed his words: "But girls still have to be kind, so that they can be liked by others. Especially before you are sure that the other party is an enemy of life and death, you must not act rashly and take the lead." When a flaw is revealed, a woman should put self-protection first..."

Although Baochai was puzzled by Jia Lian's sudden and confusing remarks to her, she still nodded politely and replied: "I understand. Thank you, second brother Lian, for your teaching."

Jia Lian twitched the corner of his mouth and said no more.I hope today's trip will not have any bad impact on Baochai. (End of chapter)