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

On December 13th, a north wind whipped up snow, and the world was a vast expanse of white. Inside the residence of Jia Ren, the general of Yanmen Pass, the charcoal fire burned brightly, yet it could not dispel the oppressive and deathly silence that seeped into one's very bones.

Jia Ren's face was ashen, and he lay emaciated on the bed, powerless. His beloved concubine beside him was already weeping uncontrollably, her handkerchief soaked with tears.

Originally, although Jia Ren's battle wounds were severe, they were not terminal. He could recover completely after a few months of quiet recuperation.

However, he was born with a fiery nature and was a restless, tough man. In addition, the border region was bitterly cold, with wind and snow like knives. After winter came, the cold air entered his body, and his old wounds relapsed. It was like a mountain torrent collapsing, and he fell ill and could not get out of bed, making it difficult for him to return to the battlefield.

"General Jia has arrived!"

A loud shout from the guard outside the door shattered the somber mood inside.

Upon hearing the sound, Jia Lang strode into the inner room.

The physician was intently taking Jia Ren's pulse, his expression grave.

Seeing Lady Jia weeping uncontrollably, Jia Lang felt a pang of pity, but knew this was not the time for sentimental musings. He went straight to the physician's side and asked in a deep voice:

"How is the General's health? Is his life still in danger?"

The physician did not answer immediately. Only after finishing the pulse diagnosis did he slowly withdraw his hand, his brow furrowed, and let out a long sigh.

"Madam, General, General Jia's pulse is as thin as a thread. Although his life is not in immediate danger, but..."

"But what? Tell me quickly!"

Madam Jia suddenly looked up, her voice trembling.

In her heart, Jia Ren was the sky, and now that the sky has collapsed, she is completely lost.

The physician glanced at Jia Ren on the sickbed and whispered, "Madam, please don't worry. However, General Jia's noble health absolutely cannot withstand the harsh winds and snow of the border."

"The climate here is harsh, which is a major no-no for recuperating from injuries."

"He needs to return to Beijing immediately for meticulous treatment by the imperial physicians of the Imperial Medical Academy. It may take a year or two for him to recover."

Upon hearing this, Madam Jia was at a loss and could only turn to her husband for help.

"General..." she called softly, her voice choked with emotion.

Jia Ren struggled to lift his heavy eyelids, waved his hand, signaling everyone to leave, leaving only Jia Lang behind.

Although Madam Jia was extremely reluctant, she dared not disobey and could only follow the doctor and servants out of the room, turning back every few steps, and gently closed the door.

"Lang-ge'er..." Jia Ren's voice was hoarse, yet it had a clear, bright quality, like a final burst of light.

Jia Lang stepped forward and tightly grasped that withered, bony hand, his tiger-like eyes slightly red:

"Uncle, your nephew is here!"

"Hehe, it's alright... Lang-ge'er, there's no need to act like a child."

A grim yet heroic smile forced onto Jia Ren's pale face. "I've spent my whole life on the battlefield, I'm thirty-eight years old. This little injury and pain won't take my life!"

Jia Lang gripped that hand tightly, feeling its icy touch, and a surge of indescribable bitterness and pride welled up in his heart.

After a long silence, Jia Lang took a deep breath and said firmly:

"Uncle, please return to the capital to recover from your injuries."

"With Jia Lang here at Yanmen Pass, it is an impregnable fortress!"

"If the Xiongnu want to take another step, they'll have to step over my dead body!"

Upon hearing this, Jia Ren stared intently at Jia Lang and laughed loudly:

"Good! What a formidable fortress! I believe you!"

He struggled to sit up slightly, his tone becoming serious and sharp:

"I will set off for Beijing early tomorrow morning."

"I will petition the Emperor to recommend you for full authority to guard Yanmen Pass."

"As for that Lieutenant General Wang, he is a wolf in sheep's clothing and will surely make a comeback."

"If he dares to target you again, don't worry about my feelings; kill him if you must, cut him to pieces if you must!"

"Though I am old, my prestige remains. Those clowns in the court can't turn the tide!"

Jia Ren knew Jia Lang's concerns well, so he deliberately left these harsh words to clear up any worries for him.

"Don't worry, Uncle, I understand!"

Jia Lang nodded emphatically, his voice resolute, "I will absolutely not allow the Xiongnu cavalry to set foot even a single step into Yanmen Pass!"

.......

The next morning, the first rays of sunlight shone on the heavy iron gate of Yanmen Pass, casting a cold, golden glow.

Clad in armor, Jia Lang stood silently at the open city gate, his figure as sharp as a spear, watching Jia Ren's carriage slowly disappear into the distance.

The wheels crunched over the frozen ground, making a sound like the lingering echo of war drums.

Before leaving, Jia Ren held Jia Lang's hand tightly and earnestly instructed him:

"Lang'er, Wang Canjiang is no benevolent man. This journey will take many years, so you must proceed with extreme caution."

"Although Lieutenant General Xu and Lieutenant General Li are not as brave as you, they are all veterans of the battlefield, and they are meticulous. When dealing with matters, listen and observe more, and do not be arrogant."

Jia Lang nodded slightly, a faint, cold smile playing on his lips.

In his eyes, Wang Canjiang was nothing more than an ant jumping around, not worth mentioning.

Three days later, the sky was clear and the air was crisp, with a gentle breeze blowing.

A grand procession of carriages and horses came to a stop in front of Jia Lang's mansion.

General Wang, dressed in brocade robes and beaming with pride, followed closely behind an imperial eunuch in a python robe as they hurried into the mansion.

"General! General! This is great news!"

Li Tiedan rushed into the study like a gust of wind. Before he even arrived, his voice preceded his arrival, causing dust to fall from the roof beams.

"Someone from the palace has arrived! They're already at the main gate! That old dog surnamed Wang has returned, and he's brought a eunuch with him!"

Jia Lang was sitting upright at his desk studying military texts when he heard this. He slowly put down his book, his eyes flashing, and muttered to himself:

"They arrived quickly. It seems Uncle was right; that old dog really did go to fetch reinforcements."

Li Tiedan sidled up to Jia Lang, buzzing around like a fly:

"General, let me tell you, that eunuch has fair and delicate skin, not a single beard, and his voice is as shrill as a rooster being strangled!"

"I've never seen anything like this before in my entire life!"

Jia Lang frowned, gave him a disdainful look, and leaned back slightly.

"Li Tiedan, shut up! Stay away from me! You're a grown man, staring at a eunuch for so long, do you have some kind of special fetish?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang San, Li Si, and other guards suppressed their laughter and silently distanced themselves from Li Tiedan by three steps.

Li Tiedan immediately became flustered, his face turning red, and waved his hands repeatedly:

"No, General! I'm just curious!"

"I prefer wives; my family needs me to carry on the family line! I'm not into that kind of thing!"

"Say one more word, and I'll castrate you and send you to the palace!"

Jia Lang glared at him, startling Li Tiedan so much that he quickly covered his mouth and dared not utter another sound.

A moment later, Jia Lang led everyone to the front hall.

The eunuch held a bright yellow scroll in his hand, his face full of arrogance.

Jia Lang stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "I was unaware of your presence, sir. I have failed to greet you properly."

The eunuch raised an eyebrow, displeased.

According to custom, the imperial envoy should be addressed with a kneeling bow, but Jia Lang only performed a fist-and-palm salute, clearly showing that he was a crude and uncouth warrior who did not understand the rules.

Seeing this, Wang, the military officer standing nearby, immediately seized the opportunity and interjected sarcastically:

"Deputy General Jia, seeing an angel is like seeing the Emperor. Your rudeness shows you disrespect for the Emperor! Kneel down and address him as 'angel'!"

Jia Lang glanced sideways at Wang Canjiang, a mocking smile playing on his lips:

"None of your business. Where did this stray dog ​​come from, barking like that?"

"You're making a fuss before your father-in-law has even spoken."

"You!" Wang Canjiang's face turned red with anger, his finger trembling as he pointed at Jia Lang, but Jia Lang's cold gaze silenced him.

"It's alright, Lord Jia is a man of few words."

Although the eunuch was furious, he had heard of Jia Lang's favor with the emperor, so he didn't dare to lash out on the spot. He only planned to give him a hard time when the imperial decree was announced later.

"Lord Jia, I am about to deliver the imperial decree."

The eunuch gave a special reminder, waiting to see Jia Lang kneel down in a panic.

To everyone's surprise, Jia Lang simply nodded, and even pulled up a grand chair, sat down, and crossed his legs.

"Okay, Father-in-law, go ahead and announce it. I'm listening."

This left not only the eunuch stunned, but also General Wang dumbfounded.

This is an imperial edict!

This madman dares to stand and listen to the imperial decree?

General Wang was secretly delighted: He's courting death! This is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of his family!

He immediately knelt down with a thud and shouted, "Your subject respectfully welcomes the imperial edict!"

Jia Lang, however, remained calm and unmoved.

The eunuch's face darkened, and he said in a shrill voice:

"What? Is General Jia going to disobey the imperial decree?"

Jia Lang's gaze was sharp as a knife as he stared directly at the eunuch, a playful smile curling at the corner of his lips:

"You flatter me, Your Excellency. I fought a bloody battle with the Xiongnu a few days ago and injured my leg. The imperial physician instructed me that I must not kneel."

"If you kneel, the loss of your legs is a minor matter; what's more important is delaying the crucial task of guarding Yanmen Pass. Can you, sir, bear that responsibility?"

"You..." The eunuch was speechless, never expecting Jia Lang to be so shameless.

"General Jia, I'm only doing this for your own good."

The eunuch tried to regain his composure, his tone sinister.

"No need for you to trouble yourself. Please hurry up and announce the decree, Your Excellency. This general is busy with military affairs and has no time to waste with you."

Jia Lang urged impatiently, as if the person before him was not an angel, but a debt collector.

General Wang, kneeling on the ground, was overjoyed.

Jia Lang, Jia Lang, your arrogance has reached its end!

Unexpectedly, the eunuch suddenly put on a smiling face and chuckled:

"Since General Jia has difficulty walking, he may receive the decree while standing."

"This person is certainly reasonable and understanding; we should give him this much face."

The scene was utterly ridiculous—Wang Canjiang knelt on the ground like a lapdog, while Jia Lang stood upright like a pine tree. Li Tiedan and the others followed suit, bowing only slightly, which made the eunuch's eyes twitch with anger.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: The Earl of Zhongyi, Jia Ren, is hereby ordered to return to the capital to recuperate due to serious injuries."

"Yanmen Pass cannot be without a general for even a day. Therefore, we hereby appoint First-Class Champion Earl Jia Lang as the commander-in-chief and Wang Canjiang as his assistant, to jointly guard the pass."

"So be it!"

"Your subject accepts the imperial decree and expresses his gratitude!"

Jia Lang casually cupped his hands in acknowledgment, as if accepting the imperial decree.

Wang Canjiang quickly got up, skillfully took out a silver note from his sleeve, and quietly stuffed it into the eunuch's sleeve.

The eunuch pinched the thickness of the cloth, his face crinkling into a wide grin, his eyes revealing greed and smugness.

Then, the eunuch looked at Jia Lang, as if waiting for something.

Jia Lang slapped his forehead as if suddenly realizing something:

"Oh dear, look at my memory."

"Father-in-law, you've come all this way, thank you for your hard work."

"Tie Dan, go to the backyard and bring back some of our Yanmen Pass's specialties for Gong Lu to try."

Li Tiedan responded and left, returning shortly afterward carrying a heavy oil paper package.

Jia Lang took the package, handed it to the eunuch, and said with a smile:

"A little local specialty, nothing more."

The eunuch beamed and took the package, thinking to himself that Jia Lang was quite sensible.

"I will not linger any longer. I hope that you two generals will work together to protect our great border defenses."

"Farewell, 'angel'!" Jia Lang waved his hand, his smile meaningful. "Take care, sir. If you come again next time, just let me know in advance. If the contents of this bag are not enough, I will have someone send you some more."

After the eunuch disappeared around the street corner, Wang Canjiang approached with a suspicious look:

"General Jia, the special gift you gave the angel... could it be that dried mutton?"

"Oh? General Wang also knows about this good stuff?"

"The taste is quite good!" Jia Lang looked at him mischievously, his eyes full of mockery.

General Wang chuckled twice: "That's right, that's right."

After saying this, he hurriedly took his leave, but his heart was filled with both disdain and curiosity about that package of "local specialties".

After the person had gone some distance, Li Tiedan approached, looking pained.

"General, those are top-quality dried lamb legs and beef jerky, a full ten pounds!"

"Isn't it a huge loss to just give someone something without any foundation like this?"

"A loss?" Jia Lang sneered. "Do you think my money comes from thin air? Do you think I'd give it to him for nothing?"

"Then why..." Li Tiedan scratched his head, puzzled.

"You don't know anything."

Jia Lang gazed into the distance, a deep, unfathomable smile curving his lips. "In the Emperor's eyes, I am a military general who is 'loyal, brave, and inept at human relationships.'"

"If I gave him a large gift, that would be forming a clique for personal gain."

"If I were to be stingy, that would be arrogant and rude. But if I gave him a packet of dried mutton and spoke of it so casually, what would that be called?"

"What's your name?"

"Call it 'Casual Tips from a Vulgar Warrior'!"

Jia Lang laughed loudly, "When this eunuch goes back, he will definitely cry to the emperor that I was rude and arrogant, that I didn't even kneel, and that I was given a bag of dried meat to get rid of him."

"If His Majesty hears this, he won't blame me at all. On the contrary, he'll think I'm genuine and disdainful of such underhanded tactics, and he'll trust me even more!"

Li Tiedan was stunned, and after a long while, he finally gave a thumbs up:

"General, you're so quick-witted! This is just too... too cunning!"

"Disparagement? That's called wisdom!"

Jia Lang's smile vanished, his gaze sharpening. "In this cutthroat world of officialdom, sometimes being called 'naive' is far safer than being praised for being 'sensible'!"

As the wind swept past Yanmen Pass, Jia Lang stood with his hands behind his back, his expression radiating confidence that he was in complete control.