Lian, Second Master

Ever since entering Great Zhou territory, there had no longer been any distance between Sun Shaozong and Ruan Rong. They spent every day talking and laughing together, whispering sweet nothings in each other's ears, as inseparable as newlyweds.

Ruan Rong was one thing. The young girl had only just fallen in love, and as long as she could be with the man she loved day and night, she wanted for nothing else.

But though Sun Shaozong looked honest and simple on the surface, he was no monk who had never tasted meat. With a beauty who loved him as much as he loved her right beside him, how could he possibly be content to live like some foolish monk subsisting on vegetarian fare and chanting sutras?

Thus, before they had traveled three or five days, he had already coaxed a kiss from her sweet lips and indulged his appetite for verbal pleasures.

Some days later, under the pretext of snuggling together for warmth, he slipped his pair of wicked hands into Ruan Rong's bosom.

By the time the three of them passed through Yun-Gui, took the Jing-Xiang route, drifted down the Yangtze River, and arrived in Yangzhou City, Sun Shaozong had conquered every inch of Ruan Rong save for the final step.

It was not that he did not want to pierce that last layer of window paper. Ruan Rong simply refused to agree, insisting that she would only give herself to him completely after her status had been formally established before the Sun family.

In any case, from Yangzhou, following the Grand Canal north would bring them to the capital in little more than a month. Sun Shaozong could afford to wait that long—though naturally, he did not refrain from sweet-talking her into giving him a few other treats.

That morning.

Sun Shaozong carried breakfast to Ruan Rong's room and knocked on the door. Seeing her wash her tender, pale hands again and again, as if she wished she could scrub a layer of skin off, last night's scene immediately surfaced in his mind...

He could not help letting out a few lecherous chuckles before putting on a serious face. "Rong'er, rest at the inn for now. I'll take Feng Xin to the docks and see if there are any suitable passenger ships. After noon, I'll take you around Yangzhou City."

As a transmigrator, he naturally knew that women needed to be indulged. Thus, whenever they encountered any famous scenic spot or historic site along the way, he would always take the initiative to accompany Ruan Rong there.

He would also set up a little romance now and then, whispering a few sweet nothings that left Ruan Rong utterly enchanted and more convinced than ever that she had chosen the right man.

Hearing that Sun Shaozong was going out to handle business, Ruan Rong hurriedly put aside her embarrassment. She stepped forward to straighten his collar and said, "Yangzhou City isn't going anywhere. We can explore it whenever we like. We should reserve a passenger ship first and discuss the rest afterward. It's almost the end of November, so we mustn't miss the New Year."

Sun Shaozong casually agreed, then took the opportunity to nip half of her silver-ingot-like earlobe between his teeth. After whispering several shamelessly suggestive remarks that made Ruan Rong raise her hand to hit him, he finally burst into laughter and fled the room.

Yangzhou City truly deserved its reputation as an ancient city. Carriages and horses streamed along both riverbanks, boats darted back and forth like shuttles, and the rising and falling cries of vendors rang out without end.

It was just past Chen Hour when dozens of pleasure boats docked one after another, disembarking gentry and wealthy patrons whose steps were unsteady, yet who still lingered reluctantly.

The singing girls aboard the boats leaned over the railings, coquettishly displaying their charms across the river, making the sightseers on both banks salivate with desire.

Those with empty purses merely took the chance to feast their eyes before hurrying off to make a living. Those with a little spare money stood there commenting on each girl in turn, pondering which establishment they would visit that night to enjoy themselves.

When Sun Shaozong had first become a police officer, he had taken part in anti-prostitution raids several times a year. He had long since grown tired of women from such places.

Now, let alone a few singing girls flaunting themselves across the river, even if they stripped naked and danced pole dances on the boats, he would not feel the slightest stir—though if they all jumped into the river, he might stop to watch.

But Feng Xin was different. He had gone without for months in Qinglin Prefecture, then spent the entire journey as a third wheel, watching Sun Shaozong and Ruan Rong act lovey-dovey every day. He had long been full of pent-up lust.

Now, seeing all these beautifully dressed women, his steps slowed with every pace while his eyes darted rapidly over the singing girls' waists, legs, buttocks, and breasts.

"Look at you, with no more ambition than that!"

Sun Shaozong made a mock kick at his backside and laughed as he scolded, "Hurry up and rein in those wandering thoughts. Once we've hired a ship, you can go have your fun."

Feng Xin was overjoyed at once and was about to thank his lord for leniency beyond the law when someone suddenly called loudly from behind them, "Is that Sun family Second Master up ahead?"

Then came another shout: "Worthy brother Shaozong, wait for your elder brother!"

How could Sun Shaozong have imagined that he would run into an acquaintance in a place of wine, powder, and pleasure?

He instinctively turned toward the voice and saw a young gentleman in a Brocade Cap and Sable Coat, with a Moon White long robe beneath, hurrying up from behind. Before the man even reached him, a fluent capital accent had already filled his ears. "It really is Second Master! We haven't met in over a year, and you've grown even more imposing. I almost didn't recognize you just now."

Sun Shaozong examined the newcomer closely. He was tall and straight, with a face like polished jade and a pair of peach-blossom eyes that seemed to bring spring wherever they looked. He was clearly one of those flirtatious dandies born into great wealth—and at that sight, a name sprang appropriately into Sun Shaozong's mind: Jia Lian, Lian, Second Master.

Jia Lian came from Rongguo Mansion, one branch among the Four Princes and Eight Dukes. Since Rongguo Mansion and the Sun family had been old acquaintances, when the Sun family had fallen on hard times, Sun Shaozu often took Sun Shaozong to Rongguo Mansion to mooch meals and favors. Thus, the two of them had become fairly familiar with Jia Lian.

Remembering the man's identity, Sun Shaozong hurriedly laughed and cupped his hands. "So it's Second Master Lian. Why aren't you enjoying the good life in the capital? What brings you all the way to Yangzhou? Don't tell me you angered your wife and got thrown out of the house?"

In his memories, this Lian, Second Master seemed to be somewhat henpecked, so Sun Shaozong casually teased him about it.

"Bah! Even if you gave that woman twice the courage, she wouldn't dare drive me out!"

Jia Lian snorted disdainfully, then his expression grew somewhat more serious. "Actually, my uncle-by-marriage unfortunately passed away while serving in Yangzhou. His clan has few members, and he had only one young daughter. So my family's Old Madam sent me here to help out and handle my uncle-by-marriage's funeral arrangements."

As he spoke, he gave an exaggerated slap to the top of his thigh and complained, "Over the past half year, I've made several round trips between the capital, Yangzhou, and Suzhou before finally getting everything settled. I nearly ran my legs off!"

Without waiting for Sun Shaozong to respond, he curiously asked, "By the way, Second Master, weren't you sent to work in that Qian Xiang Country? How did you end up in Yangzhou City too?"

Although the two families could barely be considered old acquaintances, Jia Lian's relationship with the Sun brothers in the capital had only been superficial. His current warmth was probably eighty percent due to the excitement of meeting an old acquaintance in a foreign place.

Since Rongguo Mansion had once helped the Sun brothers, Sun Shaozong could not treat Jia Lian coldly. He found a nearby teahouse and briefly explained what had happened in Qian Xiang Country.

Lian, Second Master could only click his tongue in astonishment, repeatedly saying, "Second Master, you've truly come into your own. You actually accomplished something so great that even His Majesty was alarmed."

When he heard Sun Shaozong say that he had been ordered back to the capital and was looking for a passenger ship north,

Jia Lian immediately took charge, saying, "I thought it was something serious. You needn't look anymore. There's plenty of room on your second brother's ship. What does it matter if we take a few more people? And don't stay at some inn. Come stay at my uncle-by-marriage's official residence for a few days. Once I finish things here, we'll set off for the capital together!"

Sun Shaozong declined a few times, but seeing that Jia Lian's hospitality was impossible to refuse, he could only agree.

There are always people who cannot figure out the timeline. They do not read the explanation in the author's notes, then leave comments accusing me of making things up, so I can only clarify it here in advance.

When Daiyu was five or six, her mother died, so she was sent to live at Jia Manor for several years.

In the spring when she was eleven, Lin Ruhai fell gravely ill, and Jia Lian escorted Daiyu back to Yangzhou to attend Lin Ruhai.

In the autumn of her eleventh year, Lin Ruhai passed away. Jia Lian spent several months handling the funeral.

That winter, he took Daiyu back to Jia Manor to live there again, where she remained until her untimely death.

What the book depicts is Daiyu's winter at age eleven.

So stop asking me why Daiyu did not go to Jia Manor until she was eleven, why Zijuan was already there before she went, or why she already knew there was a Brother Bao in the manor...