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

Meanwhile, in the bustling capital city thousands of miles away, a dramatic upheaval is unfolding.

This place is the heart of the Great Qian Dynasty and the location of the most renowned capital city in the world.

On the astonishingly wide Zhuque Avenue, huge bluestone slabs were paved and polished to a mirror-like shine by the constant flow of carriages and horses. Shops lined both sides of the street, and the sounds of hawking and bargaining filled the air, creating a scene of bustling prosperity and splendor.

"Urgent report from 800 li away!"

"Urgent military report from the border region!"

Just then, a messenger with a red plume on his back rode a warhorse at breakneck speed across the wide official road, practically risking his life.

The red-feathered messenger had bloodshot eyes, filled with terrifying blood vessels, a sallow complexion, and cracked, bleeding lips. He was swaying precariously on his horse, clearly having not slept for several days and only managing to stay upright through sheer willpower to fight to the death for his country.

"Discretion, everyone!"

"Slay those who block my way!"

When the Red Feather Messenger rode his foaming-at-the-mouth warhorse to the gates of Shenjing City, the guards were terrified. They frantically waved their swords to disperse the crowd, shouting loudly, their voices hoarse and cracking from the extreme urgency.

"Tap tap tap..."

"Tap tap tap..."

The rapid, torrential sound of hooves grew closer and closer, like countless heavy hammer blows pounding on everyone's heartbeats. The soldiers defending the city moved with extreme speed to evacuate the crowd, their movements even tinged with a hint of panic and fear.

"Urgent military report from 800 li away! All bystanders must immediately retreat! Violators will be killed without exception!"

Upon hearing the commotion, the civilians and merchants entering the city turned pale with fright, screaming and frantically pushing aside like a tidal wave, their faces a mixture of fear of execution and intense curiosity about the war.

"Get out of the way!"

"Get out of my way, all of you!"

When the general guarding the capital city saw the bright red feathers, his scalp tingled with fear. He desperately pushed through the throng of people, roaring at the top of his lungs.

In the blink of an eye, a narrow passage, barely wide enough for one rider to pass through, was forcibly cleared at the main gate of the capital.

The Red Feather Messenger dared not even catch his breath for a moment. He lashed the horse's rump with a whip, and the warhorse neighed in agony. It transformed into a blood-red afterimage and charged across the road, galloping wildly toward the imperial palace, leaving behind only a cloud of dust that blinded everyone.

"Another war??"

"Where...where is war about to strike again?"

Watching the red-feathered messenger disappear into the distance, the people behind them finally came to their senses, sighing in despair, their faces showing a numbness and sorrow that had become accustomed to war and seeped into their very bones.

War...

For these ordinary people, each battle flag meant the destruction of their families and the countless deaths and separations of life and death, with piles of bones.

"drive!"

Ignoring the cries of agony behind him, the Red Feather Messenger squeezed his legs tightly against the horse's belly. The warhorse, in pain, neighed wildly and its speed surged again as it raced desperately toward the palace.

Along the way, I don't know how many roadside stalls I knocked over, or how many passersby I was so frightened that they fell to the ground.

"Whoa~"

Finally, when the tall horse was exhausted, foaming at the mouth and panting heavily, the red-feathered messenger tumbled off the saddle and stumbled to the palace gate.

"Who goes there, daring to trespass into the palace!"

Upon seeing the blood-soaked messenger, the imperial guards at the palace gates immediately drew their spears and blocked his path, shouting fiercely.

"Urgent report from the border!"

The Red Feather Messenger had no time to heed the reprimands. He pulled out a blood-stained golden token from his robes and held it high above his head—a pass he had earned with his life.

"Urgent dispatch!"

"Get out of the way at once!"

"If you delay military intelligence, you will all have several heads to chop off! You will be condemned to death!"

"What?!"

Upon hearing this, the guard's expression changed.

"Quickly! Open the palace gates!"

The guards dared not be negligent in the slightest, and roared frantically at their companions behind them, trembling.

"Squeak~"

The heavy palace gates opened slowly with a dull thud, and the Red Feather Messenger stumbled and rushed into the palace before he could even lead his horse.

"Giddy up!"

.........

The Imperial Palace!

Qianqing Hall!

This was the central location where Emperor Qianyuan made absolute decisions and reviewed memorials.

With gold bricks paving the ground, carved beams and painted rafters, and the rising fragrance of ambergris, it should have been a breathtaking display of imperial majesty.

At this moment, Emperor Qianyuan, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, had a gloomy face and no interest in appreciating the luxury of the entire palace.

He sat high on the dragon throne, his brows furrowed into a deep frown, his hand gripping a memorial tightly, his knuckles white from the force of his grip, as if he were about to crush the memorial into dust at any moment.

The memorial was marked with striking bright red ink, clearly stating the words "severe drought."

"Drought, another drought!"

"Natural disasters strike like knives every year, emptying the national treasury!"

Emperor Qianyuan frowned and slammed the memorial down hard on the dragon desk, causing the jade pen holder to tremble violently.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Your health is of utmost importance!"

Standing to the side, the chief eunuch Xia Shouzhong, though over fifty years old, was still in good spirits and quickly offered words of comfort.

"Calm down?"

"How can I calm my anger!"

"If I calm down, will there be no drought, and will the people not be displaced?!"

Emperor Qianyuan suddenly stood up and paced back and forth in the hall like a trapped beast, his tone filled with barely suppressed rage and murderous intent.

"This is the third time this year that a severe drought has been reported. The number of displaced people affected is well over a million, and the relief funds are being poured into a bottomless pit!"

"What are those prefects and magistrates good for? Why didn't they report such an important matter? Do they have to wait until the people starve to death before they're afraid?!"

Xia Shouzhong lowered his head, his back soaked with cold sweat, and dared not utter another word.

At this moment, the emperor is like a volcano about to erupt; any attempt to comfort him would only set him on fire.

Suddenly, a cacophony of noise erupted outside the hall, sharp and piercing, like a thunderclap thrown into a still, stagnant lake, instantly shattering the oppressive atmosphere inside.

This sudden commotion enraged Emperor Qian Yuan, who was already on the verge of exploding, to the point of complete rage and murderous intent.

"Xia Shouzhong, get out there and see what's wrong with these lackeys outside!"

"Unless it's something extremely important, what kind of behavior is this, making such a racket?!"

Emperor Qianyuan's brows furrowed, his face filled with murderous intent, as he roared fiercely at Xia Shouzhong beside him.

"Yes! This old servant will go right away!"

Xia Shouzhong trembled with fright, quickly bowed his head and leaned forward, retreating with utmost respect, his steps light as the wind.

As soon as Xia Shouzhong stepped out of the Qianqing Hall, he saw several eunuchs running around like headless flies, screaming in terror.

Xia Shouzhong's heart tightened, and he grabbed a young eunuch by the collar, asking in a shrill voice:

"What on earth happened? Why did he go completely insane?"

The young eunuch was terrified, and stammered, panting heavily:

"My lord, it's...it's something big happening outside the palace gates, it seems...it seems to be related to the border war!"

"What?!"

A thunderous roar erupted in Xia Shouzhong's heart. He disregarded all rules and, lifting the hem of his robe, sprinted toward the palace gate.

......