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

"Eighty percent?!"

"General Jia, this isn't about drinking and gambling; this is a matter of national importance!"

"Don't you dare gamble with our brothers' lives!"

When everyone heard this number, their jaws dropped, and they all gasped in astonishment, exclaiming in surprise.

"Ahem... This humble general believes that Vice General Jia must have made a slip of the tongue, or perhaps he was trying to appease us."

"Very well, General, I'll take on this task!"

"Anyway, I'm already crippled. Even if I lose an arm outside, it won't be a big loss for Yanmen Pass!"

General Xu, who was standing to the side, first offered Jia Lang a way out, then slammed his remaining arm on the table and volunteered with undiminished bravado.

Upon hearing this, the officers looked at the one-armed strong man with complicated expressions. They had been working together for years, sharing life and death, how could they bear to see him go to his death?

"You shameless Xu, you only have one hand left, how many barbarians can you even kill?"

"Don't drag our army down!"

"General, let me go!"

"My men are all elite troops!"

A lieutenant first mocked and belittled Lieutenant Xu, then knelt down on one knee with a thud and pleaded with Jia Ren for his orders.

"Let this humble general go. This old man has lived enough; it wouldn't be a loss to take a few down with me before I die!"

"Hey, you old codger, what are you doing causing trouble? Let the young and strong go!"

"General, choose me!"

"My lord, I am also willing to pledge my life to raid their supplies!"

In an instant, cries of "Go! Go!" rose and fell in the council hall. The generals were all red-faced and eager to die, creating an atmosphere of intense and tragic heroism.

As Jia Ren looked at the scene before him, his eyes welled up with tears, and he felt both gratified and deeply helpless.

Knowing full well that the road to the underworld was long and arduous, not one of these old brothers retreated; they still pressed on one after another. Their courage and loyalty were enough to move heaven and earth.

But reality is cruel. Right now, not just anyone can solve the problem. Apart from Jia Lang, if these people go, it's like throwing meat buns to a dog—they'll never come back.

Thinking of this, Jia Ren once again turned his gaze to Jia Lang, who remained calm and detached from the situation throughout, and struggled with his inner conflict for a long time.

At this moment, Jia Lang also sensed the heavy gaze from above and looked up to meet it.

"Gentlemen, please hear what I have to say!"

Jia Lang cleared his throat, gathered his strength, and his voice, like a resounding bell, suppressed all the noise.

"You are all men of courage and integrity, but this mission cannot be accomplished without me!"

"Even if things don't go well, with my skills, no one in this world can stop me. Escaping back will be a piece of cake."

"Therefore, generals, please don't try to claim this immense credit from me!"

With his signature bright smile on his face, Jia Lang teased the crowd.

"Deputy General Jia, you..."

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes were filled with complex emotions, including gratitude, anxiety, and above all, a loving and worried feeling as they watched their own children and nephews grow up.

Although Jia Lang was nominally their superior, in their hearts, he was still the big, goofy guy who had come to them two years ago with a wide grin, asking them for martial arts advice.

Even though this kid was incredibly arrogant a year ago, after experiencing life-or-death battles, that composure has been etched into his bones.

"Generals, there's no need for further words!"

With a wave of his hand, Jia Lang's expression instantly turned stern and iron-like, exuding the majesty of a commander.

"This plan is risky, but it's not without a chance of success!"

"If it succeeds, it will be a great achievement!"

After Jia Lang finished speaking, he looked at everyone, blinked, and continued to laugh:

"Are you generals going to bully me and try to steal this credit from me, the youngest of us?"

It was meant to be a joke, but to everyone, it sounded worse than crying, and no one could laugh.

This journey would be a perilous one with a slim chance of survival. Even they themselves probably wouldn't have possessed the composure and calmness of this young man, who remained unmoved even in the face of a collapsing mountain.

"General! Your humble servant Jia Lang requests permission to lead two thousand troops to raid the enemy's supply lines!"

"If we fail, you'll come back with your head!"

"We will not fail in our mission!"

Seeing everyone silent, Jia Lang suddenly flung his battle robe aside, knelt on one knee again, and clasped his hands heavily in front of Jia Ren, his voice shaking the roof tiles.

"Hahaha...."

"Ha ha ha ha..."

Jia Ren suddenly stood up, his previous gloom vanishing in an instant, replaced by a hearty, unrestrained laugh that sent dust swirling down from the roof beams.

"What's wrong, generals?"

They all look like wilted eggplants!

"Vice General Jia is nothing but a young boy, barely twenty years old, yet he possesses such audacious audacity. Are you all becoming more and more regressive as you grow older? Have you lost your courage?"

"Deputy General Jia! I grant your permission! Go ahead and gamble!"

Jia Ren, his eyes blazing, looked solemnly at Jia Lang and roared with boundless pride:

"If you fail, and even take a slow step on your journey to the underworld, I will then lead my army to attack!"

"On the road to the underworld, I'm sure I won't be alone. We men can still fight side by side, battling until the world is turned upside down!"

"Hahaha...."

Amidst the maniacal laughter, there was a hint of resolute sorrow.

"Deputy General Jia, you can go for it without worry!"

"Give me two days. Even if I have to turn the Xiongnu camp upside down, I will find out exactly where the grain is and lend you a hand!"

Lieutenant General Li, standing to the side, also loudly pledged his support, his eyes burning with a fierce fire—a belief and determination to win!

..........

The time it takes for an incense stick to burn passes in the blink of an eye. As the ashes of the incense stick fell, the generals' discussions on matters such as city defense deployment and holding out for reinforcements finally came to an end.

With the war imminent and urgent, Jia Ren, seated at the head of the table, did not say much. He simply gave a few solemn instructions on the ironclad rule of defending the city to the death, and then waved his hand to dismiss all the officers and soldiers in the room.

However, just as Jia Lang turned to leave the council hall with the others, a deep and powerful call came from behind him.

"Deputy General Jia, wait a moment, please stay here."

"Yes."

Hearing the sound, Jia Lang stopped and turned to look at the figure shrouded in shadow behind the desk. There was no fear of being left alone on his face. Instead, he wore a friendly smile and responded in a carefree manner.

In the past two years, if it weren't for the great care and support of the General-in-Chief above him, who was like a teacher and a father to him, Jia Lang would never have been able to hold the position of Deputy General of Yanmen Pass and wield military power in a region at such a young age.

Moreover, there is an inextricable connection between General Jia Ren and Jia Lang. In fact, it could be said that the character "Jia" in Jia Ren's name originally referred to the Jia family of the capital.

Jia Ren, the general of Yanmen Pass, was born into a family of rogues, and his status was so lowly that it was practically dust.

However, it should be noted that the "hooligan" mentioned here is not the same kind of rogue who caused trouble and harassed respectable women as Jia Lang did in his previous life.

The term "hooligan" here refers to a person who is "homeless, landless, rootless, and adrift in the world like duckweed."