Jia Lian

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Jia Lian (贾琏)
Alias(es)	Lian, Second Master; Second Master Lian
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Rongguo Mansion; the Jia family, a branch of the Four Princes and Eight Dukes 13
Occupation/Role	Salt Surveillance Censor 14
First Appearance	Chapter 13 13

Background / History

Jia Lian is Jia She’s son and a member of Rongguo Mansion. The Sun and Jia families were old acquaintances; when the Sun family fell on difficult times, Sun Shaozu often brought Sun Shaozong to Rongguo Mansion, giving Jia Lian and Sun Shaozong a prior, if superficial, connection. 13 27

At Granny Jia’s request, Jia Lian travelled repeatedly between the capital, Yangzhou, and Suzhou to manage the aftermath of Lin Ruhai’s death. He handled the funeral over several months and escorted his young cousin Lin Daiyu back to the Jia household. 13

He invited Sun Shaozong and his companions to stay at Lin Ruhai’s official residence and offered them passage back to the capital aboard his ship. Sun’s help in clearing the remaining Yangzhou affairs in only three days transformed Jia Lian’s cordial acquaintance with him into genuine friendship. 13 16

Jia Lian remains deeply affected by Daiyu’s losses. While drunk during a banquet, he breaks down crying over her orphanhood, declining health, and increasing silence. 14

Appearance

Jia Lian was originally regarded as a handsome young master. Over time, he increasingly adopts cosmetics, conspicuous perfume, actorly gestures, and feminine dress and mannerisms. 420 880

• Initially described as handsome in appearance. 880
• Wears makeup and leaves behind a heavy fragrance. 420
• Studies opera under Jiang Yuhan and develops an intentionally graceful, feminine stage presence. 752 880
• His cross-dressing appearance eventually attracts the Crown Prince’s attention. 961

Personality

Jia Lian is sociable, flamboyant, and fond of drink, luxury, and showing off. He eagerly retells Sun Shaozong’s investigations as though they reflect on his own importance, taking particular pleasure in presenting Sun’s achievements to the women of Rongguo Mansion. 30 31

He can also be politically alert when the family’s standing is at risk. After the Shuiyue Nunnery scandal, he recognizes Sun Shaozong’s unspoken request for favors, flatters Chou Yunfei into keeping the matter quiet, and helps negotiate the case’s aftermath. 208

His temper is volatile and easily exploited. Jia Zhen successfully incites him against Sun Shaozong by presenting the You sisters as a matter of Jia family honor; Jia Lian immediately leads servants to confront Sun. 371 He repeatedly avoids responsibility for the consequences of his actions, blaming Sun Shaozong after humiliating himself at Wangjiang Restaurant. 374

Jia Lian’s marriage to Wang Xifeng is marked by jealousy, infidelity, and power struggles. He is implicated alongside her in Rongguo Mansion’s embezzlement scandal, fights with her over the accusations, pursues other women, and later threatens her with a sword during an argument. 157 394 395

Skills

Household and Social Management

Jia Lian is capable of managing travel, funerary logistics, and social obligations when compelled by family duty.

• Managed Lin Ruhai’s funeral and Daiyu’s return journey to the capital. 13
• Quickly understands the need to contain the Shuiyue Nunnery scandal before Jia Yuanchun’s imperial visit. 208
• Uses praise and family status to secure Chou Yunfei’s discretion. 208

Performance

His later pursuit of Sun Shaozong leads him to formally study opera under Jiang Yuhan.

• Chooses formal apprenticeship rather than casual instruction. 752
• Develops an unusually convincing feminine performance style within months. 880
• Is specifically summoned to perform for the Crown Prince, who subsequently keeps him at the palace. 961

Relationships

• Jia She — Father; Jia Lian is the son of Rongguo Mansion’s First-Rank General. 27
• Wang Xifeng — Wife. Their marriage deteriorates through financial scandals, mutual suspicion, Jia Lian’s affairs, and violent confrontations. 157 394 395
• Lin Daiyu — Young cousin. Jia Lian manages her father’s funeral and escorts her back to Rongguo Mansion; he is openly distressed by her misfortunes. 13 14
• Jia Baoyu — Cousin and frequent companion. Jia Lian joins him in household matters and entertainment, though Baoyu often objects to his conduct. 371 483
• Sun Shaozong — Old family acquaintance, early friend, later rival and object of Jia Lian’s infatuation. Their relationship moves from cooperation to open conflict, attempted reconciliation, and Jia Lian’s increasingly overt pursuit. 13 371 394 675
• Ping Er — Concubine and Wang Xifeng’s chief attendant. Jia Lian treats her as a bargaining piece, at one point promising to give her away. 105 491
• Lin Hongyu — Concubine who accompanies Jia Lian during his late-night visit to Sun Shaozong’s residence. Jia Lian repeatedly uses her in attempts to ingratiate himself with Sun. 675 691
• Jia Zhen — Kinsman who provokes Jia Lian into confronting Sun Shaozong over You Erjie. 371
• Jiang Yuhan — Opera performer from whom Jia Lian formally studies performance. 752
• The Crown Prince — Takes Jia Lian into the palace as a plaything after being captivated by his cross-dressing performance. 961

Story Role / Major Arcs

Yangzhou and Daiyu’s Return

Jia Lian oversees Lin Ruhai’s funeral arrangements and escorts Lin Daiyu back to the capital. During this period, he hosts Sun Shaozong, provides him transport, and grows closer to him after Sun resolves the remaining Yangzhou affairs with exceptional efficiency. 13 16

Patron of Sun Shaozong’s Reputation

After returning to the capital, Jia Lian enthusiastically promotes Sun Shaozong’s detective work. He boasts of Sun’s rapid murder-case solutions and vividly recounts the Vice Prefect’s investigations before Granny Jia and the women of Rongguo Mansion. 30 31

Rongguo Mansion Scandals

Jia Lian and Wang Xifeng are among the first exposed in Rongguo Mansion’s embezzlement case. He claims that Xifeng used his name in her schemes, though others suspect their dispute concerns the division of illicit gains. 157 Later, when theft and murder among the household servants are exposed, he orders the young servants assembled for identification, reacting with shock and anger at the corruption within his own household. 269

Conflict with Sun Shaozong

Jia Zhen persuades Jia Lian that Sun Shaozong has stolen You Erjie from him. Inflamed by jealousy and family pride, Jia Lian storms Wangjiang Restaurant, only to find himself entangled with Prince Zhongshun’s people and publicly humiliated. 371 373 374

The conflict escalates when Jia Lian, enraged after being discovered with Bao Er’s wife, draws a sword on Wang Xifeng and then turns it on Sun Shaozong. Sun effortlessly breaks the sword, lifts Jia Lian up, and leaves him stranded on a gate tower to cool off. 394

Obsession with Sun Shaozong

After secretly watching Sun Shaozong rescue Jin Chuan, Jia Lian becomes increasingly infatuated with him. 446 He attempts reconciliation through banquets, gifts, and exaggerated magnanimity, while Sun remains wary of his motives. 463 482

Jia Lian later visits Sun Shaozong at night with gifts and Lin Hongyu, then bluntly asks to “borrow auspiciousness” by sleeping with Sun’s concubine. 675 676 Seeking to make himself more appealing to Sun, he decides to become Jiang Yuhan’s opera apprentice and deliberately remakes his mannerisms around feminine performance. 752 880

Palace Fate

Jia Lian’s performance eventually attracts the Crown Prince, who summons him to Wangjiang Restaurant and takes him into the palace as a plaything. 961