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

After watching the imperial guards and messengers depart, Emperor Qianyuan slowly sank into the golden dragon throne that symbolized supreme power, casually tossing the secret letter, weathered by the winds and frosts of the frontier, to Xia Shouzhong, who was standing beside him.

He picked up his teacup, downed the slightly cool tea in one gulp, moistening his throat, which was parched from shock. Then, his gaze sharpened, locking onto Xia Shouzhong, and he asked in a deep voice:

"Have you heard of Jia Lang, mentioned in this secret letter?"

Upon hearing this, Xia Shouzhong's heart skipped a beat, and a look of surprise flashed across his face. He did not dare to reply immediately. He took the secret letter with both hands, unfolded it, and scanned it rapidly with lightning speed.

With just one glance, his pupils suddenly contracted!

As his gaze shifted downwards, those shrewd and calculating eyes were overwhelmed by a surge of shock.

If it weren't for the bright red "Eight Hundred Li Urgent Delivery from Yanmen Pass" seal prominently displayed at the end of the letter, he would almost have thought he was reading some absurd and fantastical tale!

Emperor Qianyuan took in Xia Shouzhong's astonished expression and shook his head slightly, his tone carrying a complex mix of surprise:

"When I first read this book, I was also deeply shaken."

"If Jia Ren hadn't sworn an oath to the heavens in his letter, speaking with absolute certainty and without a single falsehood, I would truly find it hard to believe that such a fierce general existed in the world!"

In his imagination, a figure like Jia Lang, who was so determined and ambitious, should only exist in the legendary tales told by storytellers; he was a mythical military genius!

Every word in the secret letter was like a thunderclap.

Before the battle, he dared to lead more than a thousand elite soldiers to infiltrate the enemy camp and burn the grain and fodder of the 100,000-strong Xiongnu army, causing the enemy to fall into chaos before the battle even began and cutting off their means of survival.

Then, he went berserk and led only eight hundred elite troops to launch a surprise attack on the Xiongnu camp like a tiger unleashed from its cage!

That battle was a bloodbath!

He killed thousands of Xiongnu cavalrymen and chopped off the heads of more than ten tribal leaders as easily as cutting melons and vegetables, pulling Yanmen Pass back from the brink of certain death!

It can be said that without Jia Lang, Yanmen Pass would have changed hands long ago!

This extraordinary feat instantly ignited the flame of ambition in Emperor Qianyuan's heart, making him crave this "Jia Lang" like never before.

"Have you finished watching?"

Seeing Xia Shouzhong lost in thought for a long time, Emperor Qianyuan frowned slightly, and his voice carried a hint of impatience as he urged him on.

"Tell me, who exactly is this Jia Lang?"

"That name sounds very familiar. Could it be the son of some noble family in the capital?"

Emperor Qianyuan stroked the jade thumb ring on his thumb while muttering to himself in a seemingly ambiguous manner.

Upon hearing this, Xia Shouzhong's mind flashed back to that seemingly insignificant incident in the capital several years ago. He quickly composed himself, carefully choosing his words, and cautiously replied:

"Your Majesty, I have a vague recollection of this young General Jia Lang; it seems... he comes from the Ning and Rong mansions."

However, his tone was somewhat hesitant. After all, it was an old story, and it was just a farce in the inner quarters back then. Who would really care about the life or death of a concubine's offspring?

"The Ning and Rong mansions?"

Emperor Qianyuan paused, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

These four characters were widely known during the Qianlong era.

However, since the passing of the two Dukes Ning and Rong, these two former residences of military gods have been like the setting sun. Although the facade has not collapsed, the interior has long been rotten and decayed.

Now, they barely maintain their status as top nobles only thanks to the remaining influence of the Dowager Lady Shi of the Rongguo Mansion and her ambiguous past relationship with the Emperor Emeritus.

Thinking of this, Emperor Qianyuan's brows furrowed into a deep frown, and the passion that had just ignited in his heart was instantly extinguished by a bucket of cold water.

Most of the founding military heroes were former subordinates of the retired emperor, and the Jia family was naturally a branch of this great tree.

If the Jia family son makes such a great contribution, should the credit be attributed to me or to the retired emperor who is "alive even though he is dead"?

A strange sense of irritation and disappointment welled up in Emperor Qianyuan's heart, and his interest in Jia Lang immediately waned.

He waved his hand somewhat listlessly and said coldly:

"Go, investigate this thoroughly for me!"

"I want to know every detail of Jia Lang's ancestors, from the eighteenth generation down to the smallest thing, even how many times he wet the bed as a child!"

"As you command!"

Xia Shouzhong hurriedly bowed to accept the order, a fine layer of cold sweat seeping from his forehead.

He had intended to take the opportunity to offer a few words of advice about the Jia family's current situation, but seeing Emperor Qianyuan's cold and aloof demeanor, he swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue. He thought it best to investigate thoroughly before presenting them to avoid incurring bad luck.

...

Time flies like an arrow; in the blink of an eye, the sun is already setting.

The setting sun, like blood, dyed the entire Forbidden City a magnificent golden-red. The glazed tiles shimmered with light like scattered gold fragments, and even the dragon reliefs on the palace walls seemed to come alive at this moment, exuding a solemn yet oppressive noble air.

Outside the Qianqing Hall, Xia Shouzhong received the secret memorial that had just been presented from a young eunuch.

He dismissed those around him, carefully removed the sealing wax, and his gaze swept across the area quickly. Then, a smile like a chrysanthemum bloomed on his wrinkled old face.

He quickly tucked the secret letter into his pocket, straightened his clothes, tried to suppress his inner elation, and pretended to be in a great hurry as he ran into the main hall.

"Your Majesty! Great news! This is an incredibly joyous occasion!"

Before the people arrive, the sound comes first.

As soon as Xia Shouzhong stepped across the threshold, he greeted everyone with a loud "Yes, sir!" his face flushed.

Emperor Qianyuan, overwhelmed by a mountain of memorials, raised his eyelids upon hearing the sound, glared at the old man, and reprimanded him irritably:

"What are you yelling about! How old are you? Don't you know any manners?"

Although he was cursing, Emperor Qian Yuan's body betrayed him by leaning forward slightly, his eyes gleaming with a light that seemed to be focused on the "Eight Trigrams."

After all, it was no small matter that could cause Xia Shouzhong to lose his composure like this.

Xia Shouzhong hurriedly knelt down to pay his respects, but couldn't hide the smile on his face:

"This servant deserves to die! This servant knows his crime!"

This news is truly astonishing; this servant is momentarily overwhelmed with emotion!

"The background of that young General Jia Lang has been thoroughly investigated!"

"Oh? You've found out?"

Emperor Qianyuan paused in his writing, his previously nonchalant gaze instantly sharpening as he stared intently at Xia Shouzhong.

"Tell me! What exactly happened?"

"If you can't please me, I'll send you to wash chamber pots!"

Xia Shouzhong chuckled and, without keeping anyone in suspense, rattled off a string of words:

"Your Majesty, Jia Lang is indeed a descendant of the Dukes of Ning and Rong, but their relationship... well, it's practically irreconcilable!"

"He is the grandson of Jia Daihua, the first-class Divine Might General of Ningguo Prefecture, and his father is Jia Gong's third son, surnamed Jia."

"It's a pity that Master Jia died young, and this family of orphans and widows were driven out of Ningguo Mansion to fend for themselves."

"Later, Jia died of illness, leaving his wife to raise their young son Jia Lang in hardship."

"Not only did those bloodsuckers in the Jia family turn a blind eye, but they also came knocking on our door to demand repayment three years after Jia Lang's mother died!"

"Jia Lang was also a man of fiery temper. In order to bury his mother, he had to sell the only two acres of meager land his family owned. As a result, Lai Er, the head steward of the Jia family, still pressed him for repayment. In a fit of rage, Jia Lang caused a huge scene at the Ningguo Mansion, turning the place upside down!"

"Afterwards, in order to get rid of these vampires, he sold all his ancestral lands to Lai Er at a low price, scraped together the money, and begged the old lady of the Rongguo Mansion, which is how he managed to find a way to join the army at Yanmen Pass!"