Dream of the Red Chamber: I can see the hidden labels of the beauties.

Jia Can and Yu Hui then discussed the details of Jia Zhen's execution, such as under what circumstances Yu Hui would need to appear and assist.

After talking for a while, the two finally parted ways.

Yu Hui stood at the door, watching Jia Can leave.

Watching Jia Can's retreating figure, the smile of satisfaction on his face grew wider, and he murmured to himself:

"Great...wonderful! This may be a golden opportunity for our dynasty."

Jia Can, of course, couldn't hear these words. He had already boarded his carriage and was heading back to Ningguo Mansion along the route he had come from.

They traveled in silence until the carriage stopped at the side gate of Ningguo Mansion. Jia Can alighted from the carriage and entered the mansion through the side gate.

As soon as he stepped into the mansion, he sensed something unusual.

Inside the mansion, there were many people, with maids and servants coming and going, more than usual. They were all in a hurry and had happy expressions on their faces, as if they were busy arranging something.

Puzzled, Jia Can grabbed a passing servant and asked what was going on.

The servant, carrying a plate of fruit, was stopped by Jia Can. A hint of impatience flashed across his face. Although he held Jia Can, the second master born of a concubine, in contempt, he dared not be rude to his face and replied with a forced smile:

"Replying to Second Master, today is the day that Madam invited the old ladies and mistresses of the West Mansion to our East Mansion to enjoy the flowers. Master, Madam, and Master Rong and Madam Rong are all in the garden accompanying them."

Upon hearing this, Jia Can finally understood why he felt there were so many people in the mansion all of a sudden.

Lady You often invited Grandmother Jia, Lady Wang, and others to the East Mansion for gatherings, whether it was to admire flowers and drink wine, or to celebrate festivals. This was a common occurrence.

He knew that as a mere illegitimate son, he would never have the chance to show his face in such a scene, and he didn't want to join in the fun, lest he needlessly attract unwanted attention.

Moreover, he had to prepare for the execution of Jia Zhen tonight, so he didn't have the time for that.

He released the servant, waved his hand, and gestured for him to go about his business.

The servant, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon, picked up the plate and hurried away.

Jia Can walked towards his own courtyard.

The three of them, Cui Lü and Cui Lü, sat dejectedly on the stone steps at the entrance of the courtyard, looking listless and as if they were waiting for something.

The old woman leaned against the door frame, her eyes half-closed; the maidservant rested her chin on her hand, looking impatient; and Cui Lü crossed her arms, her face gloomy.

At this moment, the sharp-eyed maid spotted him immediately, quickly stood up, nudged Cui Lü beside her, and said:

"Second Master Can is back."

Upon hearing this, Cui Lü suddenly raised her head and saw that it was indeed Jia Can who had returned. Anger immediately surged onto her face.

The old woman and the servant girl also stood up, and the three of them together blocked Jia Can's way, trapping him at the courtyard gate.

Emerald Green stood with her hands on her hips, chin tilted back, and questioned him with obvious dissatisfaction:

"Second Master Can has finally decided to come back? Where has he been?"

It showed no respect whatsoever; it was more like questioning a servant.

Jia Can had anticipated this, and remained calm, responding indifferently:

"Where I go is none of your business, you three! Get out of my way!"

Upon hearing this, Emerald snorted coldly. Instead of stepping aside, she stepped forward and replied with a hint of resentment:

"Hmph, where you go is none of our business, but at least tell us when you leave."

"Do you know that the master just sent someone to invite you to pay your respects to the old lady of the West Mansion, but you were not there. We couldn't tell you where you went, so the master gave us a severe scolding and said he would deal with us later."

She grew angrier as she spoke, her voice rising louder and louder, her eyes filled with resentment, as if it were all Jia Can's fault.

"Second Master Can, you're having a good time, but you don't care about our lives. You go out to enjoy yourself, leaving the three of us to suffer your scolding and humiliation."

"You know the master's temper; he can say the most nasty things when he's angry. Are the three of us just supposed to take the blame for you?"

"If you truly resembled the Second Master, we wouldn't say anything. But don't you know your own status in the household?"

"You went out without a word, causing us to get scolded, and now you come back with this attitude, and you think you're right?"

Feeling angry, Cuilu no longer held back and spoke her mind. The more she spoke, the more wronged she felt and the more hateful Jia Can seemed.

They completely forgot that it was their own fault for not keeping a close eye on Jia Can, and instead pushed all the blame onto him, acting as if the villain was the one who had to accuse the other.

The maidservant and the old woman standing nearby nodded repeatedly, echoing their agreement:

"That's right, that's right, Second Master Can, that's not fair."

"We took the blame for you, and you act like nothing happened."

Upon hearing this, Jia Can's face turned cold as he stared at Cui Lü and questioned her in a deep voice:

"What a sharp-tongued girl! She's the one who's accusing me first. Who's the master here, me or you? Do I have to report to all three of you where I go?"

"Besides, when I got up this morning, you were all sleeping like logs. I was worried about waking you, so I didn't call you to get up and serve me. Now you're blaming me?"

As he spoke, Jia Can exuded an aura that, while not as tyrannical and flamboyant as Jia Zhen, possessed a dignified presence that made people dare not look him in the eye.

The three of them, Cui Lü and her companions, felt the aura of power and were instantly suppressed, their hearts skipping a beat.

Furthermore, Jia Can's words were reasonable, and the three of them were unable to refute them for a moment. They opened their mouths but did not know what to say.

After a long pause, the maidservant lowered her head and muttered something:

"We go to bed early, but you deliberately kept us up all night."

Jia Can heard it clearly, and his face grew even colder:

"What? Is it wrong for me, your master, to ask you to do some work at night? Since you're unwilling to serve, fine, I'll go and tell the master myself, and also tell him where I've been, so he won't say I've implicated you!"

After saying that, he ignored the three of them and turned to walk straight back.

Since Jia Zhen had sent someone to find him and wanted to know his whereabouts, he had to go and tell him. He could also take this opportunity to carry out his plan for tonight, and he didn't want to get entangled with Cui Lu and the other two too much.

The three women, Cui Lü and Cui Lü, stared blankly as Jia Can left, momentarily speechless, unsure whether to stop him or plead with him.

Only after Jia Can's figure disappeared around the corner did the maid come to her senses, her face turning deathly pale with fright:

"What should we do? He... he actually went to see the master."

Emerald Green scoffed, a dismissive expression on her face:

"What's the panic? Do you think the master is so easily fooled? Today, the old lady, the madam, and the young ladies from the West Mansion all came. The master wanted him to pay his respects as well, but he's nowhere to be seen."

"He's only just slowly coming back from outside. When the master sees him, who knows how he'll scold him. You just wait and see."

Upon hearing this, the old woman and the maid exchanged a glance and realized that Cui Lü's words made sense. They were no longer in a hurry, and the panic on their faces gradually faded, replaced by an expression of waiting to see a good show.

...

Jia Can followed the covered walkway toward Huifang Garden.

Huifang Garden is the back garden of Ningguo Mansion. It covers a large area with pavilions and towers scattered throughout. Several of them are adjacent to Rongguo Mansion. Generally, any gatherings or banquets in the mansion are held here.

Upon arriving at the garden gate, Jia Can stopped and, seeing two old women on duty, went up to them and asked:

"Is the master inside?"