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

"General Wang has led his troops from afar, and the journey must have been extremely arduous."

As the servants respectfully served the fragrant tea, the rising aroma instantly filled the slightly stuffy air.

Despite his injuries, Jia Ren straightened up and looked at Wang Ziteng, speaking slowly with the composure of a seasoned veteran:

"It is a pity that my old injuries have recurred and I am plagued by illness, making it extremely difficult for me to move around. I am unable to personally come out of the city to welcome you. I hope General Wang will not blame me or forgive me."

Upon hearing this, Wang Ziteng immediately stood up, his face beaming, and clasped his hands in greeting, saying:

"General Jia, you are mistaken! You flatter me greatly!"

"Wang was ordered to come and provide assistance; this was simply his duty, and there's no question of hardship."

"Besides, General Jia is injured. The most important thing right now is to take good care of your health. Don't bother with these empty formalities."

Upon hearing this, Jia Ren forced a smile onto his pale face, gently shook his head, and turned his gaze to Jia Lang, who was standing to the side, saying meaningfully:

"I, Jia Lang, the deputy general of Yanmen Pass, am still young and quite impetuous."

"If there has been any inadequacy in our hospitality these past few days, or if I have offended General Wang, I hope that General Wang will forgive me for the sake of my reputation."

Jia Ren wondered to himself, could it be that something has happened in the capital that Prince Teng has come with such a large force?

Or was it that this brat, who usually acts recklessly, really caused some trouble, giving Prince Teng a handle to interrogate him?

To everyone's surprise, Wang Ziteng shook his head slightly and laughed loudly:

"General Jia, what are you saying!"

"Although Lang-ge'er is young, he is already quite accomplished and has a handsome appearance!"

"He is upright and frank, and also exceptionally brave. Now, all the soldiers in the army respect him like a god, and there is not a trace of negligence towards him."

"General Jia is overthinking it!"

Upon hearing this, Jia Ren was slightly taken aback, but quickly recovered.

The Jia and Wang families have been close friends for generations, and it is reasonable and intimate for Prince Teng, as an elder, to address Jia Lang as "Brother Lang".

"In that case, General Wang, may I ask what brings you here?"

Jia Ren stared at Wang Ziteng and asked with a puzzled look.

He secretly wondered: Since he didn't come to complain, could it be that this old fox Wang Ziteng came simply to visit him, the injured man?

Although he and Wang Ziteng had some interactions in the capital, they were not close friends. In fact, he was nominally Wang Ziteng's subordinate. So why would he have the leisure to visit him?

Wang Ziteng smiled slightly, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes, and said slowly and deliberately:

"Hehe, I came here for two reasons, firstly by imperial decree, and secondly to visit General Jia."

"After all, we have been at Yanmen Pass for several days. It would be really unreasonable if we did not see General Jia."

"Secondly, there is some great news to tell General Jia and Brother Lang."

Upon hearing this, Jia Ren frowned slightly, a hint of displeasure rising in his heart. He said in a somewhat cold tone:

"Oh? Good news?"

"In this bloody battle, almost all of Jia's soldiers defending the city were killed; their bodies are barely cold. What is there to celebrate?"

"Could it be that General Wang has come here specifically to mock me?"

"Oh dear! General Jia, please don't be angry. Let me explain in detail!"

Seeing Jia Ren's change in expression, Wang Ziteng quickly waved his hand, his expression becoming serious and anxious, even showing a hint of undisguised envy.

"His Majesty's decree has been issued! General Jia has rendered meritorious service in defending the city this time. Although there were some flaws, his merits outweigh his faults. He is hereby promoted to First-Class Earl—Earl of Loyalty and Resilience! His fief is one thousand households!"

"For Lang Ge'er's outstanding achievements in this battle, turning the tide of the war and slaying enemy generals, he is hereby granted the title of First-Class Earl and bestowed the title 'Champion'!"

As Wang Ziteng spoke, a strong look of envy flashed in his eyes.

In his view, Jia Ren was simply blessed by his ancestors, benefiting immensely from Jia Lang's good fortune.

Without Jia Lang's heroic efforts, it's uncertain whether Jia Ren would have survived. Even if he had, the fall of Yanmen Pass would have been enough to get him beheaded ten times over.

Jia Lang's title even begins with the word "Champion"!

This means "the bravest among the three armies"!

This is an unprecedented honor in the history of the Great Qian Dynasty!

Jia Ren was incredibly lucky this time. For decades, the Daqian Dynasty had almost always lost battles and defended cities when it fought against the Xiongnu. Such a brilliant victory was unheard of in decades!

Needless to say, Jia Lang himself was also a great figure. If it weren't for the suppression and restraint from the old ministers of the retired emperor and the pedantic civil officials in the court, his military achievements this time would have been enough to make him a marquis and prime minister!

Moreover, Jia Lang is backed by the disciples and generals of the Ning and Rong Dukes of the Jia family, who are spread all over the world. Now that he has won the prestigious title of "Champion", his future career will surely be smooth sailing. Given time, he will surely soar to great heights and his potential will be limitless!

This led to the scene where Wang Ziteng deliberately tried to get closer to Jia Lang.

Upon hearing this, Jia Ren was first stunned, then gave a slight bitter smile, his expression a mixture of self-mockery and relief, and sighed:

"I am unworthy of this honor! This old man of mine, Jia, is truly unworthy of it!"

"If it weren't for Lang'er's heroic efforts and desperate fighting, I, Jia, would probably already be a spoil of war on the backs of the Xiongnu, and I wouldn't be here to receive your decree."

It must be said that Jia Ren was quite self-aware.

Wang Ziteng quickly comforted him, saying, "General Jia, you flatter me. Your hard work and contributions in guarding the city are evident to all the officials."

"By the way, after His Majesty learned that General Jia was injured, he specially granted General Jia permission to return to the capital to recuperate. As for the 50,000 elite troops of the Beijing Garrison that I brought, they will be handed over on the spot and placed entirely under the command of Lang Ge'er."

"What?!"

Upon hearing this, Jia Ren's expression instantly became excited. Ignoring the excruciating pain from his wounds, he struggled to his feet, faced the direction of the capital, and bowed in gratitude:

"The Emperor's grace is boundless! Heaven's grace is boundless!"

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great favor! Long live the Emperor!"

Wang Ziteng also sighed:

"Yes, the Emperor's grace is boundless, and his favor is abundant."

Then, changing the subject, he asked, "By the way, General Jia, when are you setting off back to Beijing?"

"Should we travel with Mr. Wang?"

"So we can look after each other on the way, and avoid the bumpy ride aggravating the injury."

After listening, Jia Ren pondered for a moment, then slowly shook his head:

"Never mind, General Wang, you should go ahead first."

"Jia's injuries will probably require some time to heal before he can get out of bed. He cannot withstand the arduous journey, so he will not accompany General Wang."

"Once Jia has recovered and returned to the capital, we will drink and chat with General Wang until we are thoroughly drunk!"

After hearing this, Wang Ziteng laughed heartily and said:

"Haha, very well! Then let it be as General Jia says, I, Wang, will be waiting for you in the capital!"

Afterwards, Wang Ziteng exchanged pleasantries with Jia Ren at his residence for a while.

Seeing faint traces of blood seeping from the bandages wrapped around Jia Ren's abdomen, he knew that Jia Ren was indeed unable to hold on any longer, so he got up to take his leave.

Jia Ren did not try to stop him, but simply waved to Jia Lang and said:

"Lang-ge'er, you will go with General Wang to receive the 50,000 troops in my place, and then see General Wang off for me. Don't be impolite."

Jia Lang nodded in agreement, his expression indifferent, and then followed Wang Ziteng away.

.......

After leaving the mansion, Jia Lang followed Prince Teng to the military camp.

At this moment, the soldiers in the military camp were lined up neatly, their armor gleaming, yet there was a faint air of restlessness about them.

When Prince Teng announced in front of the entire army that the 50,000 troops would remain at Yanmen Pass and be under the full command of Jia Lang, the military camp erupted in chaos, with whispers and even discontented shouts filling the air.

Most of these soldiers from the Beijing garrison did not recognize Jia Lang. Looking at Jia Lang's somewhat youthful face, the soldiers below were filled with resentment.

What right does a mere child have to order us around?

However, because Wang Ziteng had accumulated considerable prestige here, they did not make a loud noise, but whispered among themselves, and the scene was still within a controllable range, but their arrogance could not be concealed.

Wang Ziteng ignored the reaction of the soldiers below, which was exactly what he had been expecting.

If Jia Lang can't even intimidate these arrogant and fierce soldiers, then he's just a showy but empty-headed figurehead, not worth the effort of winning him over.

"Nephew, this is my cousin, General Wang. He has taken good care of Lang-ge in the army in the past, and there have even been some misunderstandings that offended him. I hope that Lang-ge will forgive him for the sake of General Wang."

Wang Ziteng glanced at the embarrassed-looking Wang Canjiang beside him, then turned to Jia Lang and spoke, his words carrying a hint of probing.

Jia Lang glanced sideways at Wang Canjiang, only to see that the old man looked somewhat embarrassed, his eyes flickering, but also carrying a clear hint of resentment and malice.

Jia Lang sneered inwardly, but on the surface, he smiled warmly at Wang Ziteng and said:

"Hehe, not at all!"

"General Wang is an elder, and he has always given me guidance and care at Yanmen Pass. How could I possibly hold a grudge? The past is long gone."

"That's good...that's good..."

After hearing this, Wang Ziteng looked at Wang Canjiang with a helpless expression, and then slowly smiled at Jia Lang.

"Now that the handover is complete, I, Wang, am in a hurry to return to the capital to report, and I, your nephew, also need to report on military affairs to the General. I will not disturb your farewell and reminiscing any longer. I will take my leave now."

Jia Lang, feigning flattery, said from the side:

"Uncle Wang, please take care. I am busy with military affairs, so I will not see you off any further."

After saying this, Jia Lang, without caring whether Wang Ziteng could detect the coldness in his words, clasped his hands in a salute, turned and left, leaving everyone with only his tall and straight back.

As Jia Lang's figure disappeared from sight, Wang Canjiang's face instantly filled with anger. He then slammed his hand on the crenellation of the city wall, making a dull thud, and angrily said to Wang Ziteng beside him:

"Nephew! Look at this kid! He's utterly arrogant!"

"They don't even respect you!"

"This arrogant attitude... what will they do in the future? It's utterly presumptuous!"

Wang Ziteng's expression remained calm as he gazed in the direction Jia Lang had left. He slowly waved his hand, his tone peaceful yet carrying a chilling undertone:

"Uncle, please don't be angry. Young people are often impetuous."

"Like a wild horse newly emerged from its herd, it's bound to run wild for a while; how can it know its worth if it's not tamed?"

"Moreover, he has just made such an unparalleled contribution and is deeply favored by the emperor. He is riding high on his success."

"If I had achieved such remarkable military exploits at his age, I would probably have been even more arrogant than him."

Wang Ziteng narrowed his eyes slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Then Wang Ziteng paused, shook his head slightly, and looked at Wang Canjiang, lowering his voice to ask:

"Uncle, I didn't take you with me when I returned to the capital this time, but left you at Yanmen Pass. Do you have any complaints?"

General Wang looked puzzled and frowned as he said:

"That's exactly what I wanted to ask you!"

"I've always been at odds with that brat Jia Lang, and we even have old grudges. Now that he's in power and the entire Yanmen Pass is under his control, if I continue to stay here, wouldn't I be like a fish on a chopping board, completely at his mercy?"

"If that's the case, things won't be easy from now on!"

"Although Yanmen Pass is a strategically important military location, it's now under his control. I have nowhere to go; I'm on pins and needles!"

Wang Ziteng smiled faintly, a smile that held an unfathomable meaning:

"Uncle, there are naturally many advantages to keeping you at the border."

"Now that Jia Ren is in poor health, he will eventually have to return to the capital to retire."

"At that time, the real power over Yanmen Pass will probably fall into Jia Lang's hands."

"Although this Lang Ge'er is only eighteen years old now, he is incredibly brave in battle and a deadly weapon. However, he is still young and has spent many years on the frontier. He doesn't understand the rules of the court, and his understanding of how to conduct himself is certainly not as shrewd and insightful as yours."

"Furthermore, the Jia family and the Wang family are old friends with a very close relationship."

"You stay here and offer him more compliments, avoid acting like an elder, and refrain from saying anything inappropriate. Appeal to his emotions and persuade him with reason, so that he cannot find fault with you."

"In this way, we can do a favor for Marquis Zhongyi, Jia Ren, and Jia Lang, and ease tensions."

"Secondly..." Wang Ziteng paused, his gaze fixed on Wang Canjiang, and continued.

"Secondly, I will instruct several trusted lieutenants among these 50,000 troops to fully assist you."

"With these 50,000 troops as our backing and eyes and ears, Jia Lang won't dare to underestimate you as he used to. He might even have to rely on you, a veteran, to stabilize morale!"

"It's not impossible that in the end, you could sideline Jia Lang and make him a puppet, so that the actual military power at Yanmen Pass falls into your hands."

"Thirdly, even if you haven't made any great contributions by staying here, you've still put in a lot of hard work."

"When you return to the capital in the future, even if the Emperor does not bestow any rewards upon you, he will remember you in his heart."

"If anything happens in the future, His Majesty will remember the impression of you 'suffering' on the frontier."

Upon hearing this, Wang, the adjutant, suddenly understood. A greedy glint appeared in his eyes, and he gave a thumbs-up, saying with admiration:

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!"

"Your thinking is indeed thorough and far-sighted, my nephew!"

"In this way, Jia Lang's impression on the Emperor will be greatly diminished due to his 'disrespect for elders and stubbornness,' and we can also take this opportunity to gain the trust of Marquis Zhongyi, Jia Ren. I might even be able to take control of Yanmen Pass without losing a single soldier!"

"This is a win-win-win situation!"

"This plan is simply brilliant! I was quite worried before, but now it seems I was overthinking it! My nephew is truly a genius!"

Wang Ziteng simply smiled without saying a word, his eyes revealing a fox-like unfathomable depth as he gazed at the vast Yanmen Pass, lost in thought.