Ping'er took advantage of Wang Xifeng's company with Jia Baoyu and others and had no time to pay attention to him. He asked someone to pack pillows, bedding and other items and deliver them to Jia Lian himself.

Jia Lian knew that although Wang Xifeng had a bad character, Ping'er around her was kind, so she was friendly towards Ping'er's arrival.

While Ping'er let the ladies in to help Jia Lian make the bed, he grabbed Jia Lian and handed him a small box at the door.

"This is the medicine our grandma asked to bring to treat trauma. After a while, the second master asked Zhao'er and the others to rub it, and the second master's injuries will be healed quickly."

Jia Lian took it and said "Thank you very much".

Ping'er saw that Jia Lian didn't mention Wang Xifeng at all, and knew that Jia Lian was still angry, so he whispered: "Second Master, please don't bother Second Grandma. She actually cares about Second Master. Second Master doesn't I know. At noon, I heard that the second master was beaten severely by the master. The second grandma was worried. She immediately asked the daughter-in-law and others to go over and inquire about the situation. She also asked me to go to the old lady’s house to inform the eldest lady so that the eldest lady could go back. I'll help you intercede in front of the master."

Jia Lian smiled and looked up at Ping'er seriously.

He talked about how Wang Xifeng suddenly kindly sent him "warmth". Now that he heard Ping'er constantly saying good things to her master, he was even more convinced that this was not Wang Xifeng's intention.

It’s hard for this girl to be loyal. Doesn’t she know that if she came to him like this behind Wang Xifeng’s back and gave something away, it would be easy for Wang Xifeng to misunderstand that she had ulterior motives?

Jia Lian knew that Wang Xifeng was a jealous person. Not only did she use her best to eliminate the "remnants" in Jia Lian's house, but she also took great precautions against the people who came with her to marry her. There are so many opportunities to get in touch with yourself.

Perhaps this girl stood upright and was not afraid that Wang Xifeng would doubt her, so she was like this.

By the light on the corridor eaves, Jia Lian took a deep look at Ping'er.

The girl, who is in her mid-twenties, exudes the aura of youth, and her appearance is impeccable. Grandma Liu called her "beautiful and beautiful", which is not an exaggeration at all.

The most rare thing is that her eyes are clear and peaceful, her manners are decent, and she has a general air of style. Her temperament does not look like that of a maid, but more like that of a young lady in charge of the house.

It’s no wonder that even Li Wan teased Wang Xifeng, saying that she was not worthy of handling such a maid, and that she, Heping’er, should change her identity.

Ping'er wants to make peace with Jia Lian and Wang Xifeng, and doesn't want them to have any more discord.

I thought that Jia Lian was an easy-going and unassuming person who would go down the steps as long as there was one. Unexpectedly, after listening to her words today, he just smiled and said nothing. His demeanor was completely different from before, and he couldn't make up his mind for a moment. Live in JiaLian means.

Seeing him looking directly at me again, he couldn't help but couldn't help it, so he hurriedly stepped inside and helped make the bed.

　……

Jia Lian just settled down in the study outside, but his daily schedule was reported to Wang Xifeng in detail.

"The second master went to the eldest master's courtyard early in the morning to say hello, but he didn't see him. Then the second master took Wang'er, Zhao'er, and Xing'er out.

The second master didn’t seem to have any purpose. He just walked around the streets for half a day and bought some gadgets. After dinner, he went to drink tea and listen to music near the Imperial College. He happened to meet two classmates he knew, and the second master went with them. I sat and drank tea for half an afternoon, and then went back home."

"After the second master paid his respects to the eldest master, he went to the Imperial College..."

"The second master I still went to the Imperial College..."

For three or four days in a row, Jia Lian's itinerary was not only simple, but also surprisingly consistent. He wandered around the Imperial College, inviting everyone to tea and wine, and chatting together. , I didn’t even go to the Flower House, my favorite place on weekdays.

At this time, Wang Xifeng felt that Jia Lian knew that she had an informant around him, so he deliberately showed it to her?

Then she shook her head. With Jia Lian's temperament, even if he knew it, he wouldn't be able to pretend to be like this. What was he trying to do?

Is it possible that he really changed his gender and wanted to make progress and study to gain fame, so he made friends with scholars again?

Hey~ Wang Xifeng shuddered in her heart and shook her head like a rattle.

As for Jia Lian, whose level was not much different from hers, she would not be able to point her finger at him and scold him whenever he could say even a few literate words.

Wang Xifeng, who couldn’t figure out the joints, felt unusually upset and angry.

Since they met when they were young, this is the first time that Jia Lian has given her a feeling of incomprehension. She has not been able to sleep well in the past few days and has not been able to eat well. She has always been vigorous and energetic. She felt mentally declining.

Even Mrs. Wang asked her if she had too many things at home recently and forgot to take a rest?

Only then did Wang Xifeng realize that she wanted Jia Lian back.

But asking her to give in and admit defeat was really too shameful and she couldn’t say that.

I thought, could it be that Jia Lian really ignored her from now on?

For a while, I could not help but curse Jia Lian in my heart for being heartless and uninterested, and felt secretly sad about it.

A woman who has been married for less than two years would have no way of living if she had notHow can he want to be a stranger to his husband and cut off all ties with her husband?

On the other hand, Jia Lian did not have the complicated thoughts of Wang Xifeng.

He has been hanging around the Imperial College these days, not because he really wants to restart his studies and try to gain fame.

His predecessor's foundation was too poor, and he himself studied mathematics, physics and chemistry. In this imperial examination competition, which only tests Chinese and politics, and is more difficult than the later examinations of Tsinghua University and Peking University, it is really difficult to catch up from scratch. Too difficult.

He just wanted to learn more about the situation between the government and the opposition through the mouths of those supervisors.

After all, scholars are always the most concerned about current affairs, and they also have the most gossip.

As a graduate of the Imperial College, it is very easy for me to get close to them by spending some money on tea and drinks, so I have gained a lot in a few days.

As for going to greet Jia She every day...

He didn’t want to go either, and that old guy Jia She didn’t want to see him either. He didn’t let him in even once for several days. Pass the door.

But, he must go.

Not only because it is a rule to read the morning and dusk, but after thinking about it, he discovered a truth about returning to his original nature:

Compared with racking his brains to seek power and position, it is more important to The simple situation is that once Jia She dies, he may be able to obtain a hereditary title in the Duke's Palace for free.

Once he has this title, his situation will be completely opened up.

He no longer has to make friends with the scholars, but can make friends directly with the big guys, and even stand directly in the court to watch the emperor's face...

No Wrong, he finally thought of the same place as the original person, hoping that the old thing would die soon.

However, this idea must not be known to others. If you reveal it or let others see it, you will die. Death with a ruined reputation is much more complete than sleeping with Jia She's little wife.

People say that the more you want something, the less you can show it. Therefore, not only could he not curse Jia She, he also had to show 120,000 filial piety and let everyone see it.

In this case, if Jia She suddenly dies suddenly one day in the future, it will be less and less likely for others to doubt him.

Therefore, even though Jia She made it clear that he was exempted from the morning and evening meditation, and even did not show his face when he passed by, he still insisted on going to worship every day.

He also decided that in the future he must do his best to be kind to Jia She, well, the kind that others can see...

　……

Jia Lian made an appointment to see Wang Xifeng not at home, so he went back and changed his clothes.Shang walked to the outer courtyard.

The cold war with Wang Xifeng was for no other reason than to kill her for her arrogance.

Even if it caused rumors among people in the house, or even connected it with the incident a few days ago, he didn't care.

Anyway, even if this were not the case, everyone who should have heard about it had probably heard about it. Contrary to Jia Lian’s expectation, after Jia She did not pursue him, almost no bad harm was done to him. Influence.

Except for the fact that he always suspects that others look at him with connotations...

"Second Master, please come over here."

Before he reached the study, housekeeper Lin Zhixiao intercepted him.

“At Mengpo Zhai?”

“Exactly, the master is waiting there, second master, please go quickly.”

As the second housekeeper of the Rongguo Mansion, Lin Zhixiao had the advantage of being unsmiling and the disadvantage was that he was also unsmiling. No wonder he and his mother-in-law were both called "deaf and mute" in the mansion.

But that’s good, at least you don’t have to guess whether his eyes have any special meaning...

Jia Lian felt that he was going crazy, and everyone seemed to feel the other person’s heart. Despising him. This is one of the reasons why he always goes out. People outside will never know about him.

Mengpo Zhai is Jia Zheng’s inner study.

Jia Zheng, the head of the Rongguo Mansion, is also Jia She’s younger brother.

He and Wang Xifeng were housekeepers in the Rongguo Mansion, and they were actually working for Jia Zheng, so it was correct to say that Jia Zheng was his big boss.

Mengpo Zhai is located to the east of Rongxi Hall, the main hall of Rongguo Mansion. When Jia Lian came over, he saw that Jia Zheng was the only one, instead of the usual groups of Qing guests. Jia Zheng came to him for family matters.

　"Master."

To say the least, Jia She is pitiful. Although he is older than Jia Zheng, people in the two houses mostly call Jia Zheng master. In order to distinguish The two of them called Jia She "big master".

Although it is a small detail, it can be seen that Jia Zheng oppressed Jia She in many aspects...

Jia Zheng looks much younger than Jia She, about four years old. He is more than ten years old, with a lean body shape, but a square face and a rather majestic appearance.

He was immersed in writing something, and when he heard Jia Lian’s voice, he only raised his head slightly, and then asked: "In two days, it will be the birthday of the wife of the Duke of Zhenguo. The congratulatory gift from the mansion, But everything is ready?"

"Reporting to the master, I have already prepared it and written the list. Do you want the master to take a look at it?"

Although he and Wang Xifeng came together to help with the housekeeping, Wang Xifeng was in charge of the inside and he was in charge of the outside, but how could the inside and outside be completely separated?

Wang Xifeng also loves to seize power to show off his strength, so Wang Xifeng's authority as a housekeeper has long surpassed his.

Nowadays, except for some things that really need to be handled by the man's family, or that Jia Zheng directly ordered him to do, almost all other matters in the house, big and small, are handled by Wang Xifeng. Then just report to Mrs. Wang.

Jia Lian naturally has no intention of competing with Wang Xifeng for the right to manage the family, so in the past few days, there are only two or three things that need to be handled by him, and naturally there will be no delay.

Jia Zheng didn’t mean to ask any more questions. He nodded and immersed himself in writing for a while. Then he sighed and said, “Letter from Yangzhou, your aunt is dead.”

Jia Lian was shocked.

Jia Min, is he finally dead?

In other words, Daiyu is going to Beijing?

Unable to express his feelings, Jia Lian had to ask: "Does the old lady know?"

Jia Zheng nodded, "Your wife has already sent the letter in."

Seeing Jia Lian's silence, Jia Zheng sighed again: "Her illness has been lingering for so long. Now that she is gone, it may be a relief for her, but the old lady may not be able to let go. Of the brothers and sisters in the family, the one she loved the most was you, my sister-in-law."

"You don't have to be too sentimental, there is no resurrection after death. I came to you for one thing. I'm telling you.

Your aunt has gone, and the old lady may be very sad. You will take good care of her in the future, and select a reliable person from the house to go to Yangzhou to worship on your behalf. This matter is important and cannot be ignored. Sloppy."

Jia Zheng was explaining, and the boy's voice came from outside the door: "Master, the old lady asked you to come over."

Jia Zheng put the envelope in front of him. , handed it to Jia Lian and said: "This is the memorial written by me. You ask the leader to take it to the south and burn it in front of your aunt's grave. This will count as my visit to her in person."

" You should go there too.”

…

He and Jia Zheng left Mengpo Zhai one after another. Before they passed Rongxi Hall, they saw a figure. The lithe woman bumped into him.

"I was just going to find the master, but I didn't want to meet him here..."

The woman gave a false bow lightly, and then stood in front of Jia Zheng. Next to him, Jia Lian was pushed to the back.

Jia Zheng was a little unhappy, “What do you want from me?”

The woman’s mouth curled up,Started to act coquettishly: "Master~"

Jia Zheng scolded: "What time are you talking nonsense? If you have anything to say, please tell me, the old lady has something to do over there!"

The woman did not dare to act like a monster and cried, "It's not about Huan'er. Master, Huan'er has reached school age. Why doesn't Master let Huan'er go to school with Baoyu and the others? Master, Huan'er is also your biological son..."

Jia Lian was behind, quietly looking at Jia Zheng's little wife, Aunt Zhao.

With white skin, big eyes, thin lips, oval face, and a particularly curvy figure, she is indeed a beautiful young woman with extraordinary grace. No wonder even the serious Mr. Jia Zheng's heart melted, and he gave birth to a son and a daughter, becoming the only slave in the house who dared to challenge the head wife, Mrs. Wang...

"It's a good thing that Huan'er wants to go to school. Why don't you ask your wife?"

"My wife said that Huan'er is still young and should not go to school too early. In addition, the husband in Xiyuan is rich in money. The bachelor I hired, Huan'er, is naughty. I'm afraid it won't be good if he clashes with me. It would be better to wait for another year or two and go directly to a home school to study..."

Jia Zheng's grievances and cries made Jia Zheng agitated. Listening to it, I feel that Mrs. Wang has selfish motives.

Although there are differences between direct and concubine, they are both his sons after all, so it is not a big deal to put an extra desk in the school.

But Jia Zheng has always disliked trouble, and would not embarrass his wife over such a trivial matter, so he said, "What Madam said makes sense. I have my own arrangements for Huan'er to go to school."< br />
“Master~”

Aunt Zhao is a little reluctant and still wants to fight for it. Xu knew how to impress Jia Zheng most easily, so he unconsciously called out the tone of his voice.

Jia Zheng blushed and glanced back subconsciously.

At this glance, Jia Lian seemed to be looking at Aunt Zhao.

Suddenly thinking of the rumors in the government recently, Jia Zheng's face straightened and he said to Aunt Zhao: "Ms. Zhao, go back first!"

His harsh tone made Aunt Zhao After a pause, he glanced at Jia Zheng. After all, he didn't dare to make any mistakes, so he had to leave aggrievedly.

Jia Zheng’s abnormal reaction was naturally noticed by Jia Lian.

It’s so pitiful that he didn’t do or say anything from beginning to end.