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

"water?"

Yes! Yes!

"Water! Quickly, bring me water!"

Upon hearing Jia Lang's words, everyone snapped out of their daze and frantically searched their bodies, with some even biting the stoppers of their water bags in their desperation.

Amidst the commotion and shoving, a young soldier struggled to emerge from the back of the crowd. Trembling, he untied a slightly worn sheepskin water bag from his waist, held it in both hands as if it were a sacred relic, and presented it to Jia Lang.

"General... I have it here."

"The water is lukewarm, still warm. If the general doesn't mind that I'm dirty..."

The young soldier stared at Jia Lang with fervent eyes. Feeling inferior and afraid that a great man like Jia Lang would find his water bag unclean, he spoke with a hint of humility and trepidation, his voice barely audible.

However, before he could finish speaking, the water bag in his hand was snatched away by a large hand covered in calluses and bloodstains.

"Glug...glug glug..."

Jia Lang tilted his head back, his Adam's apple bobbing violently, and gulped down large mouthfuls of warm well water.

For the past few hours, he had been fighting amidst piles of corpses without a drop of water, and his ability to endure until now was entirely due to his iron will.

"call--"

After drinking all the water in the bag in one gulp, Jia Lang wiped the water stains from the corner of his mouth, and his tiger-like eyes instantly regained some of their luster.

Looking at the soldier in front of him, who was so nervous he was about to cry, he laughed and patted the soldier's helmet:

"happy!"

"We're all sons of the Great Qian Dynasty, brothers who shed blood and sweat together, rolling in piles of corpses. What's there to be ashamed of?"

"General, I...I..."

Upon hearing these words, the soldiers around him felt their hearts burn even hotter, and they all straightened their chests.

The young man who was handing out water was so excited that his face turned red. He looked at Jia Lang helplessly, so excited that he could hardly speak.

"We're brothers who've risked our lives for each other, no need for sentimental words, let's go, let's get into the city!"

Jia Lang tossed the empty water bag back to the soldier, patted him heavily on the shoulder, and said with great pride.

"Yes, yes!"

"General, please! Let's go into the city!"

The soldiers surrounded Jia Lang like stars surrounding the moon, marching in a grand procession towards the interior of the pass.

.....

Meanwhile, in the study of the backyard of the Yanmen Pass garrison commander's residence.

As a general, Jia Ren owned a spacious mansion in this harsh land, though not luxurious.

Of course, this was not a privilege, but rather a means to facilitate discussions—besides Jia Ren, only military officers of the rank of lieutenant general or above were qualified to own a residence of moderate size within the pass, so as to be ready to deal with any sudden battles.

At this moment, the candlelight flickered in the study.

Jia Ren stood before the huge sheepskin map, his hands behind his back, like an anxious, trapped beast.

His eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at the red arrow representing the Xiongnu army on the map, his mind filled with the devastating news that Jia Lang's fate was unknown and the possibility of a fierce counterattack by the Xiongnu.

Just as he was deep in thought, there was a soft but hesitant knock on the door.

"Knock knock knock~"

"Come in."

Jia Ren didn't even raise his head; his voice was muffled, as if it were being squeezed out of his chest.

"General~"

With a soft call, the door was pushed open, and a woman dressed in plain brocade clothes walked in carrying a tray.

She walked lightly, afraid of disturbing her husband's thoughts.

Jia Ren glanced at it hastily, saw it was his concubine, and immediately turned his gaze back to the intricate defensive diagram on the table, his tone casual and tinged with impatience:

What are you doing here?

"Didn't I tell you to get some rest earlier?"

Seeing Jia Ren's aloof and unapproachable demeanor, a hint of grievance flashed in the woman's eyes, but she did not back down.

She hurried over to the table, gently placed the tray in her hands, and a rich aroma of ginseng soup instantly filled the air.

"General, you haven't slept for several days."

"If I keep going like this, even an iron body can't take it."

Looking at Jia Ren's haggard and sallow face, the woman comforted him with heartache, her voice gentle as water.

Upon hearing this, Jia Ren frowned deeply, his brows furrowing into a deep frown, and waved his hand impatiently.

"Okay, I'm fine."

"I know my own body best; it's not time for me to collapse yet."

"If you don't have anything urgent, go down and rest. Don't disturb my peace of mind."

After saying that, Jia Ren reached out and rubbed his throbbing temples hard, feeling his brain throbbing.

Upon seeing this, the woman gritted her teeth and, instead of retreating, circled around behind Jia Ren.

She stretched out her soft fingers and gently pressed them on both sides of Jia Ren's tense head, kneading them with just the right amount of force.

"General, I know I can't persuade you, and I also know that matters of state are of utmost importance."

"But this is a ginseng soup that I personally oversaw the cooking for an hour. It's the best for replenishing qi and nourishing the spirit. General, even if not for your own sake, for the sake of the thousands of soldiers at Yanmen Pass, please drink it while it's hot."

The woman rubbed the wound while pleading softly, her voice already choked with sobs.

"Take it! Take it!"

"Who's in the mood for ginseng soup right now!"

"With 100,000 Xiongnu troops pressing in, and Lang'er's fate unknown, I can't sleep even if I drink dragon's blood!"

Jia Ren suddenly swung his arm, roughly shoving the woman's hand away. His eyes widened as he growled at the person behind him.

The pressure of the past few days weighed heavily on his heart, almost suffocating him. At this moment, any warmth became a source of his agitation.

The study fell into a deathly silence.

Half a cup of tea's time passed, but there were no footsteps behind him, nor any response.

Jia Ren realized something was wrong and instinctively turned around to look.

The woman stood in the shadows with her head slightly lowered, her shoulders trembling slightly, her eyes filled with tears, yet she stubbornly held the bowl of ginseng soup, staring intently at him, her eyes full of obstinacy and worry.

Seeing this scene, the nameless fire in Jia Ren's heart was extinguished as if by a bucket of cold water. Looking at the woman who had been with him for many years, he felt a deep sense of powerlessness and guilt.

"That's enough...that's enough!"

Jia Ren sighed deeply, like a deflated balloon, and shook his head helplessly.

"Give me the ginseng soup."

Upon hearing this, the woman's sorrow instantly turned to joy, and a beautiful smile bloomed on her tear-streaked face. She quickly picked up the ginseng soup and brought it to Jia Ren's lips.

Jia Ren took the bowl, not minding the heat, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp, even chewing and swallowing the ginseng slices.

"Is this okay now?"

"You stayed up all night with me, go and get some rest."

Jia Ren shoved the empty bowl back into the woman's hand. Although his tone was still stiff, it was noticeably softer. He waved to the woman.

The woman took the bowl but did not leave immediately.

She pursed her lips slightly, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke again softly. Though her voice was low, it struck Jia Ren's heart like a heavy hammer:

"General, before my sister passed away, she repeatedly instructed me to take good care of your daily life."

"But now that the General is ruining his body like this, if anything were to happen to him... how could I face my sister in the afterlife..."