Chapter 124

Anguo Mansion.

When Luo Zijun returned, Xiaohuan had just prepared to get out of bed.

When the Young Maid opened the door for him, her hair was not yet combed, her clothes were not yet properly worn, and a pink bodice was exposed on her chest.

"Young Master, why have you returned so early?"

Luo Zijun did not answer; his gaze shifted to the bodice on her chest, which was stretched taut and bulging, then to her delicate, youthful face, and finally to those eyes that had just woken up, filled with a hint of naive confusion.

Then, he turned around and silently bolted the door.

Xiaohuan asked in confusion: "Young Master, the sky is already bright, why are you bolting the door?"

"Come into the room with me quickly, I have something to tell you."

Luo Zijun had a grave expression on his face as he walked straight into the room.

Seeing this, Xiaohuan thought something major had happened, so she hurriedly followed him inside and then closed the door.

"Young Master, what happened?"

The Young Maid was full of trepidation.

Luo Zijun did not answer; he went over to close the windows and bolt the door, then looked at her and said with a serious face: "This matter is very serious. Let's go to the bed to talk; we cannot let anyone hear."

As he spoke, he went over to take off his outer clothes and get into bed, lowered the curtains, lifted the quilt, and said: "Come, let's hide under the quilt to talk."

Xiaohuan was immediately frightened; she hurriedly went over to take off her shoes and outer garment, crawled into the quilt, and asked in a trembling, low voice: "Young Master, don't scare your servant, what is it?"

Luo Zijun stroked her delicate face, then untied the red string of her bodice behind her neck, and whispered: "It's nothing, Young Master just wanted to tell you that Young Master brought you many delicious things from outside. You must hurry and eat them all in secret; don't let anyone else snatch them away."

The Young Maid: "???"

Outside the window, the morning sun had just risen.

The Jia Family, Rongguo Mansion.

After Jia Tanchun got up, she went to her father, Jia Zheng. After dismissing the servants, she recounted everything that had happened at the Bowang Marquis Mansion the previous night, point by point.

"Daughter was indeed a bit impulsive at the time, but if daughter had not done that, I fear both Young Master Luo and that Liu Guniang would have been in danger."

"Father has always spoken highly of that Young Master Luo, and daughter also greatly admires and respects his talent and character, which is why I acted that way..."

After listening, Jia Zheng frowned slightly. After a moment, he stood up from his chair and said: "You need not worry about this matter. Later, I will go to your uncle's place and ask him if he truly intends to have Yingchun marry that Young Master Luo. If it is truly so, then it will be easy to handle."

Jia Tanchun said somewhat awkwardly: "Father, regarding this matter, I had the Bai Family's Third Miss speak to that Young Master Luo to sound him out. The other party... seems not very willing."

"Not very willing?"

Jia Zheng was stunned upon hearing this. The expression on his face shifted, and he said with some surprise: "Do you know the reason? By rights, with Yingchun's status and appearance, and my Jia Family's standing, the other party should not refuse."

Jia Tanchun shook her head: "Daughter does not know either."

Jia Zheng frowned tightly and said: "If he is not willing, then this matter is difficult to handle. Your uncle has that intention, and last night you made it clear in front of so many people. If he refuses when the time comes, wouldn't your uncle's face and my Jia Family's face both be lost?"

He pondered for a moment, then asked: "What is Yingchun's opinion?"

Jia Tanchun said helplessly: "Father, you know that girl's temperament; as long as Uncle speaks, how would she dare to refuse?"

Jia Zheng waved his hand and said: "You go back first; I will go ask your uncle's intentions."

Having said that, he walked out with a worried expression.

Jia Tanchun stood in the room for a while, then went out and headed straight for Yingchun's place.

However, Yingchun was not in the room.

The nanny who served her said: "The Second Miss went to Lin Guniang's place early this morning."

Jia Tanchun had no choice but to go to Lin Daiyu's place.

And at this moment.

In Lin Daiyu's room, two young girls were reading books while discussing the plot within.

Of course, the one doing most of the talking was Lin Daiyu.

Every plot point, every character, every passage, and every poem in the book—she could clearly explain the reason behind each one.

All kinds of historical allusions were at her fingertips.

Beside her, Jia Yingchun wore an expression of extreme admiration and reverence, thinking to herself: They all say Daiyu's talent is peerless and her intelligence is extraordinary; if she were a man, she would surely be able to take the top scholar exam. And she is born so charming and moving—I cannot compare to her.

"Flowers fall and water flows red, ten thousand kinds of idle sorrows, speechless, I complain to the east wind..."

"Look at this line; it uses a single poem to express Yingying's mood at the time. Isn't it more lingering than stating it in the form of dialogue..."

"I wonder who that Jun Chujian is, to be able to write such stories and essays..."

Lin Daiyu sighed softly while flipping through the pages, her fine, delicate brows knitted.

Jia Yingchun said: "The family has already sent people to search; we should know soon."

She then smiled and said: "Daiyu, if the other party is a very old scholar, will you still want to go speak with him?"

Lin Daiyu also smiled: "Why not? I would just take him as my teacher. To have such literary talent, if I could take him as my teacher, it would be considered climbing high. You don't know, Baoyu is so anxious he's spinning in circles, wanting to find that person immediately and take him as his teacher."

Jia Yingchun smiled and said nothing more.

Lin Daiyu lowered her head, closed the book in her hands, gently stroked the name on the cover with her slender fingers, and frowned slightly: "Jun Chujian... I always feel this name is somewhat familiar."

At this moment, Tanchun's voice suddenly came from outside: "Daiyu, Second Sister, what are you two chatting about in the room?"

Hearing the voice, Lin Daiyu hurriedly stood up and smiled: "We are reading."

Jia Tanchun walked in, looked at the two with a smile, then looked at the book in her hand and smiled: "West Chamber Romance? Haven't you already read it?"

Lin Daiyu said: "I have read it long ago, but these past few days I also read that Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, as well as that newly released Qiannu Youhun. I truly feel that Jun Chujian's talent is peerless and astonishing. That is why I couldn't help but take it out and read it again today."

Jia Tanchun nodded and said: "These three books are indeed written very well. During this time, these three books have been circulating in other mansions; men and women are all discussing them. The Noble Consort also likes them very much, and the mansion has already sent people to search. I heard they have already found the source of the first book; it seems it originated from a woman in a Brothel." "A woman in a Brothel?"

Lin Daiyu was startled upon hearing this. A flash of lightning seemed to cross her mind, as if she had suddenly thought of something, but for a moment, she could not grasp it.

Jia Tanchun looked at her second sister and said: "Second Sister, I have something to ask you."

Jia Yingchun stood up, prepared to go out, hesitated for a moment, and said: "Tanchun, just say it here."

Jia Tanchun glanced at the young girl beside her who was dazed and lost in thought, and just as she was about to speak, Lin Daiyu's eyes suddenly lit up: "Jun Chujian! If life could always be like the first meeting..."

Both sisters looked at her in confusion.

Lin Daiyu's face was suddenly full of excitement, and she said, "Sister Tanchun, Sister Yingchun, I think I've guessed who that person is!"

Jia Tanchun looked confused: "Which person?"

Lin Daiyu's excited little face turned red, and she pointed to the name on the book, saying: "Jun Chujian. I think I've guessed who Jun Chujian is."

"Oh?"

!

Both sisters were taken aback.

Jia Yingchun hurriedly asked: "Who is it?"

Lin Daiyu said excitedly: "Sister Yingchun, didn't you tell me last night that that Mr. Luo is the Peach Blossom Young Master who wrote poems for Sister Tanchun? He is a student at the West Lake Academy in the Outer City, and that poem 'If life were always as it was when we first met' was also written by him. It is said that it was written specifically for a woman in a Brothel, and that woman's name is Chujian. Think about it: that Young Master Luo is called Luo Zijun, and that woman from the Brothel is called Chujian. Put the two names together, Jun Chujian..."

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of Jia Tanchun and Jia Yingchun both shifted.

"Luo Zijun, Liu Chujian... Jun Chujian..."

Jia Tanchun murmured it a few times, unable to help but recall the scene from last night at the Bowang Marquis Mansion, where the young man had rushed onto the stage without hesitation to protect that woman.

Linking this to his talent, she suddenly realized: "Daiyu, it really might be him."

Lin Daiyu asked curiously: "Sister Tanchun, how did you know that woman's surname is Liu?"

Jia Tanchun paused, then said: "Last night at the Bowang Marquis Mansion, I saw that woman. At that time, that Young Master Luo rushed onto the stage regardless of everything to protect her..."

"It was actually her! Liu Chujian..."

Lin Daiyu's face was full of astonishment, and then she became even more excited: "Sister Tanchun, Sister Yingchun, I can be sure now that that Jun Chujian is that Young Master Luo!"

Then she couldn't help but sigh: "That Young Master Luo has such world-shaking talent and also possesses such admirable character; it is truly rare."

Although she hadn't seen that scene with her own eyes last night, hearing Sister Yingchun describe it still made her heart surge.

Thinking back to that day at Jinshan Temple, when he would rather be taken to the yamen than point out the culprit to protect a maid's reputation, she felt even more admiration for that young scholar.

"I really didn't expect... that it would be him."

Jia Tanchun's expression was complex as she murmured this, then added: "It should be him. Without his level of talent, how could he write such a good book?"

Jia Yingchun, who was to the side, seemed to only just react, and she said in a daze: "Daiyu, are you saying... that, that Jun Chujian who wrote the book is... is Young Master Luo from the Bai Mansion?"

Lin Daiyu nodded and said: "It is him, it should be almost certain."

Jia Yingchun had a dazed expression on her face, and the image of the delicate and handsome young man who had spoken to her gently last night couldn't help but surface in her mind again.

Jia Tanchun glanced at her and said: "Second Sister, you were also there for what happened last night. I wanted to ask you today, are you satisfied with that Young Master Luo? Are you willing... to marry him?"

At a time like this, she didn't have time to be long-winded.

She estimated that once their father finished talking with their uncle, their uncle would call them both over for questioning, so she needed to know her second sister's intentions quickly.

Upon hearing this, Jia Yingchun's fair face instantly turned red with a "whoosh," and she lowered her head, saying: "I... I..."

Lin Daiyu, listening from the side, was completely bewildered.

Jia Tanchun frowned and said: "Second Sister, at a time like this, you cannot be indecisive anymore. If you like him, just say it directly. If your father calls us over later, just say it like that. Otherwise, it will be hard to resolve what I said on his behalf last night."

Jia Yingchun lowered her head and said shyly: "I... I will listen to you..."

Jia Tanchun: "..."

Lin Daiyu hurriedly asked: "Tanchun, what is going on? Why is Sister Yingchun suddenly going to marry that Young Master Luo? Doesn't that Young Master Luo already have a sweetheart?"

As soon as these words were spoken, both sisters were stunned.

Jia Yingchun raised her head, her expression dazed, her eyes filled with confusion.

Jia Tanchun paused and said: "Daiyu, are you talking about that Liu Chujian, Miss Liu?"

Lin Daiyu nodded and said: "Yes, since that Young Master Luo wrote such a poem for her and protected her regardless of everything last night, he must have long considered her his sweetheart."

Jia Tanchun was silent for a moment after hearing this, then said: "That Miss Liu is actually the Young Lady of Minister Liu's family. After Minister Liu met with trouble and his home was confiscated, that Miss Liu ended up in a Brothel. I heard she only redeemed herself a while ago. Last night..."

"Sister Tanchun."

Lin Daiyu interrupted her and said softly: "Daiyu feels that that Young Master Luo would not care about these things. Otherwise, he wouldn't have dared to scold and rebuke the Young Lady of the Marquis Mansion, or even that Bowang Marquis himself, in front of so many powerful people."

Jia Tanchun looked at her, nodded, and said: "Judging from the situation last night, he indeed would not care. However... I must go and find out what their relationship really is. Even if the two of them have already pledged their lives to each other, it does not matter; it is very normal for a man to have three wives and four concubines, as long as we let Sister Yingchun be the main wife when the time comes..."

Speaking of this, she paused and said: "Forget it, I will go to the Bai Mansion this afternoon first."

Jia Yingchun stood to the side with her head lowered, her face red, her expression distracted, her heart filled with wild thoughts.

Just at this moment, a maid's voice came from outside: "Miss Yingchun, Miss Tanchun, the Master wants you to come over."

Jia Yingchun trembled in fear.

Jia Tanchun took her small hand and comforted her: "Don't be afraid, I will go with you."

Both sisters walked out together.

Lin Daiyu was alone in the room, thinking for a while longer, then she lowered her head, looked at the book in her hand, and couldn't help but sigh: "It was actually that Young Master Luo... so young..."

(End of this chapter)