Dream of the Red Chamber: From a Border Ruffian to a Capital Tyrant

Back in that slightly deserted little courtyard, Jia Lang's mind was still filled with Jia Ren's heartfelt words. He felt a burning sensation in his chest, as if a raging fire was burning inside him—the long-lost warmth of family affection.

Jia Ren is now thirty-seven years old, in the prime of his life, but unfortunately his wife passed away from an illness five years ago. He has no children and is all alone.

Jia Lang deeply respected this man who cared for him like a strict father and could even be considered his only support in the world, and regarded him as his own father.

Even at a victory celebration banquet a year ago, Jia Lang, this half-grown boy, fueled by alcohol, pounded his chest loudly in front of the entire camp of generals, his neck red and his tongue thick with slurred speech, shouting:

"When General Jia passes away in the future, I, Jia Lang, will definitely carry his funeral banner and smash his basin in his final moments!"

When these words were spoken, everyone in the room was shocked. Jia Ren was both amused and annoyed, but his dark face was so sullen that it seemed like he wanted to sew the brat's mouth shut.

Of course, Jia Ren didn't mistreat this "cheap and good son".

Inside Yanmen Pass, the soldiers who were unaware of the inside story had been gossiping among themselves, all guessing that Jia Lang was the illegitimate son of the general who had been separated from his family. After all, they shared the same surname, and Jia Lang was young yet held a high position and commanded a military force. Who but a biological son could enjoy such honor?

However, even though he held a high position and was favored by the emperor, Jia Lang always had an unresolved problem in his heart, which was the anxiety of a time traveler.

"When others transmigrate, they either inherit the original owner's memories and possess unparalleled superhuman skills, or they come with a system panel and can easily sweep through everything. Why am I so unlucky?"

"I also want to reach the top through my own efforts, show off the most, and slap the most faces in the face!"

"Dark Blue! Give me some points!!"

Jia Lang looked up at the azure sky, silently shouting in his heart.

However, these were just some unrealistic fantasies that Jia Lang indulged in when he had some free time.

After all, everyone likes something for nothing.

"Hey, system, I've been in this world for three whole years, can't you at least say something?"

"Could it be that I wasn't given a protagonist's script, but a cannon fodder's script?"

Thinking of this, Jia Lang was overcome with grief and muttered to himself, his tone full of resentment.

Just as Jia Lang was lost in thought and almost questioning his existence, a clear and melodious electronic voice, like heavenly music, suddenly exploded in the depths of his mind!

"Ding~ Ding~ Ding~"

Although the sound was soft, it was like a thunderclap to Jia Lang! He suddenly sprang up from the bed, his pupils dilated to their maximum size, and he felt as if he had been struck by lightning, his face filled with unbelievable ecstasy.

"I...I..."

"system?"

"System, is...is that you?!"

"Ding~ Ding~ Ding~"

Jia Lang's fist clenched tremblingly, his knuckles turning white from the excessive force, and even his voice was trembling.

Although he had already traveled through time for three years and fought on battlefields filled with corpses and blood for two years, which had forged him into a heart of steel, Jia Lang's usually calm and resolute face instantly collapsed upon hearing this notification that was three years late. He was so excited that he trembled all over.

"Three years! Do you know how I've spent these past three years?!"

"Three years! How many three-year periods does one have in a lifetime?!"

"System! You scoundrel! Why are you so late?!"

Jia Lang trembled all over at first, then roared like a child who had suffered a great injustice. His two-meter-tall, burly body seemed somewhat helpless at this moment.

Two years of bloodshed on the battlefield, countless times crawling in and out of piles of corpses, he relied entirely on his own flesh and blood!

"call..."

After venting his anger, Jia Lang let out a long breath, forcibly suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and trying to make his voice sound as authoritative as possible.

"Enough. The three-year agreement is up. Fortune changes every thirty years; don't underestimate a young man's potential!"

"System, now that you're here, I'll let bygones be bygones, but you must compensate me!"

"Now, immediately, right now! Bring me the newcomer's gift package!"

With a stern face, Jia Lang solemnly gave the order to the air.

One second, two seconds, three seconds... ten seconds...

Ten breaths passed, and my mind and ears remained completely silent, with no notification of the legendary "gift pack distribution".

Jia Lang, who had been pretending to be serious, could no longer keep up the act, and a layer of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

"system?"

"Dark blue?"

"Xiao Ai (AI assistant)?"

"Little Bubba, Little Bubba?"

"Hey! Siri?"

"Open Sesame?"

"Two tigers can run fast?"

Undeterred, Jia Lang recited all the wake words for the smart assistants from his past life, even bringing up nursery rhymes like "Open Sesame," but apart from the sound of the wind outside the window, there was no response whatsoever.

"Could it be... that I'm hallucinating?"

"Looks like I'm not the chosen one after all, I'm just a fake time traveler..."

"System, Daddy!"

"Come out and see your big son! Stop messing with me!"

Jia Lang slumped back onto the bed, his face filled with despair. Just as he was about to give up on treatment and conclude that he was schizophrenic...

"Ding~ Ding~ Ding~"

That crisp sound rang out again, as if from nowhere!

"This...this is real?!"

Jia Lang suddenly looked up, his eyes widening like copper bells again. He held his breath and tentatively whispered:

"System Daddy?"

"Ding~ Ding~ Ding~"

There was a response!

"System Daddy!!"

"Ding~ Ding~ Ding~"

There was still a response!

"System, Daddy!!! I'm going to slaughter my way through this world!!"

"Ding~ Ding~ Ding~"

After calling out several times and receiving a response each time, Jia Lang finally felt relieved.

So it turns out there was a system, it's just that the wake-up command was a little...embarrassing?

But no matter what, as long as there's a system, you can call anyone "father" or even "ancestor"!

Jia Lang took a deep breath to calm his excited emotions and prepared to formally begin the conversation:

"System, I want to claim..."

Before he could finish speaking, that damned "ding-ding-ding" rang again! And this time, the sound was no longer a hallucination in his mind, but came very realistically from outside the door, and it was even getting closer and closer!

"No, System, could you please stop just making noise and not saying anything...?"

"Ding~ Ding~ Ding~"

The sound is already at the door!

Jia Lang could even sense that the sound was coming directly from the courtyard!

"Ding~ Ding~ Ding~"

Sure enough, with a final crisp sound, the door was pushed open, and there was the simpleton Li Tiedan, carrying a crudely made bell in his left hand and a wooden stick in his right, walking in while tapping it.

"Ding~ Ding~ Ding~"

Seeing his general's murderous expression, Li Tiedan froze, standing awkwardly in place.

"Li! Tie! Dan!!!"

"I curse your ancestors!!"

Jia Lang's roar instantly shattered the tranquility of the courtyard.

...

Inside a small courtyard at Yanmen Pass.

On the stone table sat the culprit's small bell and a wooden stick.

Jia Lang sat on the stone bench with a dark face, picked up the cup and took a big gulp.

That's right, the cup contains cooled boiled water.

It wasn't that he didn't understand elegance; it was just that the ancient "tea" was too unpalatable.

When tea leaves are crushed and boiled with ginger slices, orange peel, and even some unknown grass leaves, the taste is just like dishwater. Only the locals enjoy it, but Jia Lang would never touch it and only drinks plain boiled water.

At that moment, Li Tiedan was kneeling in front of Jia Lang, trembling all over, with a fawning smile on his face that was more like a grimace.

The general's expression, as if he were about to tear a person apart alive, had truly terrified him.

"call..."

After a dozen or so breaths, Jia Lang suppressed the frustration in his heart, rubbed his throbbing temples, and spoke with a sorrowful expression:

"Tell me, what exactly happened?"

"You'd better give me a reasonable explanation."

The dramatic rise and fall from hell to heaven and back to hell almost caused Jia Lang's heart to stop.

"Well..."

Li Tiedan cautiously raised his head, pointed to the small clock on the stone table, swallowed hard, and said:

"General...you mean this treasure?"

"hehe...."

"baby?"

Jia Lang gave a forced smile, revealing a set of white teeth. "What do you think?"

"Hehe..." Li Tiedan shrank his neck and muttered under his breath:

"Well... I overheard the General complaining the other day that life on the frontier was boring and he wanted to listen to some 'music' to relax."

Although I don't know what that 'music' is, I imagine it must be related to musical instruments..."

"So you just went to the market and bought this piece of junk?"

Jia Lang raised an eyebrow.

"Yes...yes!" Li Tiedan slapped his thigh and said, as if showing off a treasure:

"This little bell is exquisite and small, with a clear, melodious sound, perfect for entertaining the General. So, as soon as I bought it, I rushed to deliver it to the General..."

"Um?!"

Jia Lang's eyebrows shot up as he caught the fatal word.

"Seeing someone off at their deathbed?!"

"You bastard, Li Tiedan!"

"You're hoping I die, aren't you?!"

"You want to see us off when we're finished?!"

"Good! Good! Good!"

"You don't need to take care of me in my final moments; I'll take care of you right now!!"

With both old and new grudges surging in his mind, Jia Lang immediately lost his temper and was about to get up and beat someone up.

"ah?!"

"General! General, please calm down!"

Li Tiedan then realized what nonsense he had said, and was so frightened that he kowtowed repeatedly, begging for mercy.

"A misunderstanding! A huge misunderstanding, General!"

"I'm clumsy with words. I meant 'to send off the spirits,' not 'to send someone off to their death'!"

"I just wanted you to hear a sound!"

"snort!"

Jia Lang snorted coldly. Looking at the cowardly look on this simpleton's face, his anger subsided considerably, but he still couldn't avoid a beating.

"You bastard, of all things to give, you had to give me a clock!"

"And it just keeps going on and on!"

Jia Lang kicked Li Tiedan in the backside and laughed, cursing:

"Get down there and receive ten lashes! Also, throw this broken bell somewhere far away!"

"I don't want to see your face today!"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

Li Tiedan, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon, fled in panic, scrambling away from the troublesome place, leaving Jia Lang alone, sulking at the small bell, secretly vowing to himself:

When the real system arrives, the first thing I'll do is boost this idiot's intelligence!