The Second Master of the Red Chamber

Gu Qingyi, who was born as the top courtesan, has the best manners and temperament, and she is not afraid of others' comments about her.

Sitting quietly in front of the guqin, she waited until the noise of the audience died down before she spoke slowly, "I have already played the music I prepared for the banquet. What other music would you like to hear? Please tell me, and I will surely play it for you with all my heart."

Because there were no elders around, the sisters felt more relaxed in front of Jia Lian and started talking about their favorite songs one after another.

Finally, Tanchun smiled and said, "I happened to hear Sister Gu play a piece of music at Longcui Temple last time. It was like hearing the sound of a fairy. It was just that the old lady was there and I didn't have time to ask in detail. I guess it must be a new piece of music composed by Sister Gu. Could you play it again for us today?"

"I wonder what song the Third Miss is talking about?"

"Well, I can't really put my finger on it, but I can barely remember two lines of the tune..."

Tanchun didn't know how to describe it. Since everyone here was brothers and sisters of the same generation, she hummed the tune she still remembered in a low voice.

Gu Qingyi understood. After knowing which poem Tanchun was talking about, she inexplicably felt a little more favorable towards Tanchun. After all, it is hard to find a soulmate.

"The song that the Third Miss is humming is called 'Love Song of the West Sea'. However, this song was not composed by me. In fact, many of the songs that have been published by me were composed by the Marquis, including this one."

When Gu Qingyi said this, she glanced at Jia Lian with admiration.

If she was like this, let alone others. Even those who knew the truth, such as Daiyu, looked at Jia Lian with complicated eyes.

Second brother Lian, are you a genius?
Jia Lian accepted all these admiring looks. Anyway, his original intention was not to deceive the world and steal fame for the sake of deceiving the world, his original intention was just to share the good things he knew with these lovely people he liked.

Knowing that the song was composed by Jia Lian, everyone became more interested and sat upright, waiting for good news.

But Gu Qingyi hesitated again, and called over her maid Xiao Zi, and instructed her, "Go back and fetch the guzheng."

Fearing that this might cause dissatisfaction among the crowd, Gu Qingyi immediately said to Jia Lian, who was sitting at the top of the table: "Ever since the Marquis taught me this song, I have liked it very much. I have tried playing it with different instruments, but ultimately I felt that this song was not very suitable for playing with the zither.

The sound of the zither is deep, quiet and elegant. The tune is high and unrestrained, like wild geese soaring in the desert of the Western Regions, showing its vastness.

Compared with the qin, the guzheng has a more transparent and ethereal tone, and can better express the rhythm and artistic conception of this song. "

What Gu Qingyi meant was that playing "Love Song of the West Sea" on the zheng is better than on the piano.

Jia Lian naturally had no doubts about this, as most of his musical accomplishments were acquired from Gu Qingyi, so he would not take the initiative. Although he thought that the Guqin version of the West Sea Love Song was already very nice.

"Hey, you want the guzheng, right? Why bother asking her to go all the way back to get it? I have it right here. Just wait."

Feng Jieer, who had been eating melons silently, wiped her mouth and said to Ping'er, "Ping girl, go and take a look in the storehouse in the backyard. I remember that a few years ago, the edict of the Duke of Shang's mansion gave a guzheng to the old lady. Because the old lady had no room for it in her room, she gave it to me. I kept it in that room. Go and get it."

Ping'er went there with two maids, and soon brought back a guzheng.

Gu Qingyi took it and felt it. Although it was not as good as the one Jia Lian gave her in her room, it was also considered top-quality. She placed it on the table, then put on her artificial nails (the strings of the guzheng were tight to prevent hurting her hands), concentrated and calmed her mind for a moment, and without the help of the music score, she slowly composed this song that she knew by heart.

The clear, lofty and extremely beautiful melody immediately filled the entire flower hall.

Everyone who heard it for the first time was amazed. Such a refreshing and heavenly melody was truly worthy of Tanchun's praise of it as "celestial music".

Even Jia Lian couldn't help but sit up straight.

When the song was over, everyone was intoxicated.

Daiyu stared blankly at Gu Qingyi who was sitting quietly, not knowing what he was thinking.

Daiyu didn't come to her senses until she heard the praises in the hall. She noticed that Jia Lian was looking at her, so she lifted her hair and complained quietly: "This song is much better than the "Love Tomb"."

Daiyu also knew how to play the piano, so Jia Lian found some music scores from Gu Qingyi for her to practice.

"It's not that the Tomb of Infatuation can't compare to this song, it's just that your attainments can't compare to others."

This simple retort made Daiyu's eyes widen in anger. If she hadn't been concerned about the presence of so many people, she would have strangled Jia Lian to death.

How dare you say that to her.

With just one performance, Gu Qingyi won the hearts of all the guests.

Everyone said that they had not heard enough and wanted Gu Qingyi to play again, but Jia Lian felt sorry for Gu Qingyi as she had already played almost ten songs in a row, so he interrupted everyone and asked Ping'er to take her and her servants downstairs to eat and rest.

Although everyone felt sorry, they did not force it and began to chat and joke casually.

Baochai saw that the time was almost right, so she also brought a glass of wine to Jia Lian and said with a smile: "This glass of wine is to thank Second Brother Lian for the gift he gave me yesterday, and to express my gratitude to Second Brother Lian on behalf of my mother."

Jia Lian took the wine glass from Baochai and pretended to be puzzled: "Oh?"

Baochai then told the story in public about how the Xue family was taken care of by the West City Military Department during the time of war and chaos in the capital.

"The West City Military Department is responsible for the public security of West City and protecting the interests of all citizens. This is just part of their job."

Baochai shook her head: "Although that was the case, the entire capital was in chaos at the time. If it weren't for Brother Lian, the governor, how could the military department be able to mobilize so many soldiers and horses to protect the Xue family in such a timely manner?
No matter what, my mother and I must accept Second Brother Lian’s kindness.”

Jia Lian smiled and stopped being polite, drinking the cup of fragrant wine in one gulp, causing Daiyu beside him to frown.

Baochai took the empty wine glass from Jia Lian and said, "My mother told me to ask Second Brother Lian if he has any other plans for the evening.

If I have time, my mother would like to prepare some wine at home to thank Second Brother Lian for his care. "

Now Jia Lian hesitated. After all, he had already had two meals of drinking today. If he went to Xue's house to eat again in the evening, wouldn't he be like Jia She back then and become a complete drunkard?
But then he thought that he had always liked the wine of the Xue family. Moreover, although Baochai had agreed to be his woman, his progress in the past few months was so slow that it was not an exaggeration to describe him as a tortoise.

This is not because he is careless or incompetent, but simply because the opponent's defense point is too high.

If we go to Xue's house for a drink tonight, it might be an opportunity... Before Jia Lian could think it over, Feng Jieer next to him interrupted.

"Why did my aunt invite him alone to the banquet? Could it be that I, your niece, am not as good as him in my aunt's eyes and not worthy of drinking this glass of wine?"

"Look at what you said. My mother would be so happy if you would come.

She invited you many times before, but you were unwilling to go."

Feng Jieer just smiled and said nothing more.

Although she didn't want Jia Lian to get too close to the Xue family, after all, her cousin's character was there, and if they had more contact, problems would inevitably arise.

The only thing that made her feel at ease was that she knew her cousin was very ambitious, and with her and Daiyu in front, the other party would not easily interfere.

After all, it was a formal dinner party to express gratitude, so it was not easy for her to interfere.

After Feng Jie'er's interruption, Jia Lian thought it over and accepted Aunt Xue's invitation.

Others such as Xiangyun, who had heard that Aunt Xue was throwing a banquet, also wanted to get a piece of the pie, but when they saw that Sister Feng had given up, they felt even more embarrassed to come "uninvited".

6◇9◇Book◇Bar

"Sitting here is boring, why don't we play some games?"

One person made a suggestion, and everyone agreed and started discussing what to play.

As the host, Jia Lian neither actively participated in the discussion nor spoiled the fun. He just tasted wine and admired the various behaviors of the girls.

Just when I was having fun, I suddenly saw the capable Aqin walking towards me.

"My Lord, Su Keguang and Fan Jin are here to see you."

"What are they doing here?"

"The court has made the appointment. Su Keguang replaced the Marquis as the commander of the Firearms Battalion, while Fan Jin was promoted to deputy commander of the West City Military Division and will temporarily serve as the commander."

Ah Qin's tone was somewhat indignant. Although she did not go to Tiewang Mountain with Jia Lian this time, she had roughly learned everything from her sister and others, and now she felt sorry for Jia Lian's experience.

Jia Lian ignored this and was just thinking about this appointment.

Obviously, this was Emperor Ningkang's intention. Because both Su Keguang and Fan Jin were recommended to Emperor Ningkang by Jia Lian before, and it was unknown whether Emperor Ningkang accepted all of them just to reassure him.

Although Fan Jin was only the deputy commander, given his reputation, this was already an exceptional promotion.

At this time, the two of them must have just received their appointments, and they rushed to meet him, obviously to show their loyalty.

But this move was undoubtedly to flatter him. If Emperor Ning Kang really just laid him off to protect him, then that would be fine.

If Emperor Ning Kang really was afraid of him, the actions of the two would probably confirm Emperor Ning Kang's psychology.

So Jia Lian almost didn't think much about it, and directly ordered: "Go back and tell them that I have something to do and don't have time to see them. The court has bestowed grace on them, and they should be careful and fulfill their duties, so as not to disappoint His Majesty and the court's sincere cultivation.

In addition, I have told Zhao Sheng and the others that from today onwards, any officials from the court who come to see me should be dismissed on the grounds that I am at home in mourning."

Aqin took note of Jia Lian's words, then glanced at everyone in the hall and turned away.

Such strict and resolute manner caused the maids in the hall to secretly look at him. As expected, he was a third-class guard appointed by the princess. He was so brave and heroic, and he was as good as a man. He really brought honor to the girls.

Although Jia Lian and Aqin spoke in low voices, those who were nearby could still hear what they said.

Someone like Baochai, who has some insights into officialdom and the court, can smell many different flavors just from Jia Lian's few words, and she seems to be thinking about something.

But for more people, they were secretly happy when they saw that Jia Lian did not go out with Aqin.

The atmosphere is just right. It would be so boring if Second Brother Lian ran away.

"Second Brother Lian, since today is such a nice day and Sister Feng has bought such a great venue, why don't we just start a poetry club? Anyway, it's only two days away from the actual day of our poetry club, so we can just start it two days earlier this time."

Xiangyun, Tanchun and others have reached a consensus and are now coming forward to seek Jia Lian's final decision.

If Jia Mu and others were present, they would definitely not dare to make this suggestion. After all, filial piety to the country and family...

Afraid that Jia Lian would not agree, they all looked at him with hopeful and pity eyes.

Jia Lian, who didn't care about red tape, naturally knew what to do when faced with so many beautiful eyes.

"Okay, but it seems the president isn't here."

"I'll go and ask my sister-in-law to come back!"

Xiangyun flew out immediately.

"And the girl Baoqin..."

"Sister Bao, where did Auntie take Baoqin? Did she go back to your house?"

"Let's not call her today. After all, something like this happened to her. Even if we force her to come here, she won't be able to let go, which would ruin everyone's fun."

Everyone felt that Baochai's words made sense, and no one said anything more. (End of this chapter)