Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

Chapter 61 Shallowly Establishing Authority

Jia Lian soon learned about the Rongqing Hall incident, and from this he gained a clearer understanding of his maternal grandfather's temperament.

But that's just right. If you can appease an elder like that, he will protect you with all his might.

Just like how Grandmother Jia protected Jia Baoyu.

From now on, he will also have a force that is overwhelmingly in favor of his powerful allies.

Jia Lian had long foreseen that he and the second branch of the family would inevitably have a major showdown sooner or later.

Jia Zheng and his associates clearly wouldn't easily relinquish their existing gains. They would try every means to maintain their ownership of the main courtyard of the Rongguo Mansion, wanting to perpetuate the state of the Rongguo Mansion being divided in two. They might even, like him, covet the title held by Jia She, hoping to ultimately gain legitimacy...

This is not impossible. No one can predict the future. If, in the future, he is weak enough and the other party is strong enough, there is a way to seize the title.

However, just as he dares not break ties with the second wife's family, the second wife's family also dares not reveal their ambition to covet the title.

Now, he has reconciled with his maternal uncle's family. As long as his maternal uncle's family remains powerful and protects him, the second branch of the family will have to think twice before trying to deal with him in the future.

But this was just the beginning for him. What Jia Lian needed to do in the future was to spare no effort to find opportunities to further expand his power. He not only had to ensure that the second branch of the family would not dare to harbor any disloyalty on the day Jia She died, but he also had to use his overwhelming power to make them have no choice but to try every means to maintain a harmonious relationship with him as a family.

As for when to break this harmony, the initiative must be in our own hands.

In the study, Jia Lian was dealing with a small matter.

When the servant Huang Si was brought in bound by Zhang Yong and his men, he immediately understood everything upon seeing Jia Lian sitting above and begged for mercy.

Seeing this, Jia Lian knew there was no need to ask anymore; the steward had not framed him.

"What are you still standing there for? Go ahead and hit me." Jia Lian's voice was unusually cold.

When he went to the Zhang family to offer birthday greetings, he deliberately kept it a secret, and only a few people knew about it. Given Jia She's indifference towards him, Jia She would never have known if it weren't for some busybody reporting him.

In other words, all the whippings he received, the numerous cuts on his hands, legs, and even face, were thanks to this Huang Si.

Regardless of the reason, whether he had offended Jia Lian in the past or simply wanted to curry favor with Jia She, Jia Lian would not let him off the hook.

Zhang Yong, Zhao Sheng, and the others, each holding a stiff riding whip, approached Huang Si, who was lying on the ground, with cold smiles.

Huang Si cried out in alarm, "You can't hit me! I'm from the master's mansion! You... ah..."

If the topic is left unmentioned, that's fine, but if it is, Jia Lian will say, "Don't worry, I'll take responsibility if you die."

Whether it's to vent anger or to establish authority, this person can no longer be allowed to live peacefully in the mansion.

As for the consequences, what are the consequences of disciplining a servant? At most, Jia She will find out and give him another beating. Jia Erbao wouldn't dare to hit him. If he hesitates even when disciplining a servant, he, the Second Master Lian, might as well give up his post and just live like the old Jia Lian, waiting to die.

A series of crackling sounds, accompanied by screams of agony, echoed from the deep courtyard.

Others heard it, but none dared to intervene.

Some people who knew the inside story even went into whispers about it.

Zhang Yong and his men were incredibly strong; in the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, Huang Si was covered in blood, curled up on the ground, unable to even scream.

Jia Lian gave him a signal, and Zhang Yong and the others gradually stopped.

Filled with boundless fear, Huang Si, who thought he was doomed, immediately crawled forward a few steps as soon as he caught his breath, crying out pitifully, "Second Master, spare my life! Spare me! This servant will never dare to do it again..."

His strong will to survive enabled him to speak clearly in these few words.

Jia Lian said, "Spareing your life wouldn't be difficult, but if you go back and complain about me to the master, wouldn't that just cause me trouble? So it's better not to spare you..."

"I wouldn't dare, I absolutely wouldn't dare. If you spare my life, I will only listen to you from now on and serve you like a slave!" Because his face had been whipped several times, the skin and flesh were torn open, and it hurt him terribly when he spoke, but he couldn't care less.

Judging from the way they were acting just now, they really meant to kill him!

Zhao Sheng sneered, "You think you're worthy to be Second Master's slave?"

Zhao Sheng knew perfectly well that Huang Si, who had been whipped and kicked so many times, would be half-crippled even if his injuries healed. How could Jia Lian possibly use him? Not killing him was already an extraordinary act of mercy.

Jia Lian's original intention was to establish his authority in the mansion, but he didn't necessarily have to kill people.

"You really don't dare? With such serious injuries, what will you say if someone sees you and asks you about it?"

Upon hearing this, Huang Si knew that his life depended on these words, so his mind was working overtime. Finally, he nodded and said, "If anyone asks, I will say that I lost money gambling outside and that's why I was beaten. I will never tell the master again. Please, Second Master, have mercy and spare me this time."

Jia Lian smiled, not thinking that this would fool others. His intention was simply to make the people in the manor gradually realize that offending other masters was acceptable, but offending him was not. Otherwise, he wouldn't have brought the person here in broad daylight without even trying to silence him.

"I'll give you ten days to recover from your injuries. Then you can go south and guard the estate, and I might spare your life. If you don't believe me, you can go and complain to the magistrate and see if he can protect you. If he can't, I won't be so merciful next time you fall into my hands."

Alright, Zhao Sheng, take him back now. You don't need to watch him. If he wants to go to the east courtyard to complain, let him go.

"Thank you, Second Master, thank you, Second Master, this servant dares not..."

Huang Si was incredibly resilient; despite suffering such severe injuries, he still managed to respond to every word Jia Lian uttered.

After Zhao Sheng took the barely breathing Huang Si away, Zhao'er personally took a handkerchief and wiped the bloodstains off the ground. Only then did Jia Lian call him to the second gate and bring him his two canes.

Before long, Qingwen, accompanied by Xiangling, hopped and skipped into the study.

When Qingwen was learning manners in Grandmother Jia's courtyard, she was fine; she kept her thoughts to herself.

Ever since Jia Lian brought her to the courtyard, she considered herself to be the woman with the highest status in the entire courtyard, second only to Feng Jie. And after discovering that Wang Xifeng truly didn't care about her, she gradually let herself go.

They're incredibly adept at tailoring their treatment to different people!

She was relatively well-behaved in front of her masters, such as Jia Lian and Wang Xifeng, but when facing those lowly maids with no connections or status, she became incredibly domineering. In just half a month, she had scolded two maids who were even younger than her until they cried.

Jia Lian had received complaints about this, but he thought that the maids didn't have much to do all day long, and it was common for them to have minor squabbles. As long as it wasn't excessive, why bother?

"Second Master, did you call us here to go back?"

Qingwen rushed to Jia Lian and asked with a smile.

Since she and Xiangling helped Jia Lian to the study in the morning, she had wanted to stay with him there, but Jia Lian called them back, saying he had something to take care of.

She had actually seen through it long ago: Jia Lian's sickly appearance was an act! But since she and Xiangling had nothing else to do, and Jia Lian was willing to use them as crutches, she and Xiangling were happy to accept it.

Jia Lian smiled and nodded, beckoned Xiangling over, put his hands on her shoulders, and stood up from his chair.

To make a performance believable, you have to go all the way.

Besides, there are perks to faking illness. Take his two personal canes, for example. Any man who could get one of them would probably be willing to be seriously ill every day.

For example, right now, Xiangling and Qingwen are helping him walk towards the courtyard with all their might. He has one arm around each shoulder and the other around a fragrant neck.

As for Xiangling, he felt sorry for her background, and Jia Lian restrained himself from the moment they returned from the ship, not wanting to frighten her.

But he didn't need to be so polite with Qingwen, who dared to hug his neck and kiss him.

Xiangling, standing nearby, looked at the two of them with a puzzled expression: What happened between Qingwen and the Second Master? What did the Second Master mean by what he suddenly said?

Do not understand.