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

"No need, he's already dead."

Inside the main hall, a deathly silence lasted for a full ten breaths before Emperor Qian Yuan finally spoke in a low voice.

Upon hearing this, Wang Ziteng's heart skipped a beat, as if struck by lightning. He froze on the spot, then murmured in disbelief, "He... he's dead?!"

"This man was lawless at the border, treating military discipline like a joke. He has already been executed on the spot by Jia Lang without prior notification."

As if he had anticipated Wang Ziteng's reaction, Emperor Qian Yuan slightly raised his eyes and coldly explained.

Wang Ziteng felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, but being a seasoned veteran, he forcibly suppressed the turmoil and raging anger within him, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace, and hurriedly bowed, saying:

"Your Majesty is wise! Wang Can's actions are heinous and he deserves to die!"

"To die by the blade of First-Class Earl General Jia is a stroke of good fortune he's accumulated over many lifetimes!"

At this point, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and he added through gritted teeth:

"If this creature falls into my hands, I will tear it apart, skin it alive, and make it wish it were dead. I will never let it die so easily!"

Now that things have come to this, with the person dead and the lights extinguished, how could Wang Ziteng not see the truth?

Emperor Qianyuan is making an example of him to warn others; he's giving the Wang family a warning!

Seeing his "sincere" attitude, Emperor Qianyuan's frostiness lessened slightly, and his tone softened a bit, though it still carried a warning tone:

"I am very pleased that Minister Wang has such awareness."

"I hope you will take this as a warning in the future, strictly control the children of your clan, and never raise such a villain who brings disaster to the country and the people again."

After all, Prince Teng held the important position of Military Governor of the Capital Garrison, commanding a large army, and was the last line of defense for the capital.

Emperor Qianyuan did not want to push him too far, nor did he want him to fight Jia Lang, a fierce general, to the death right now.

Before the news spreads completely, we should first summon Wang Ziteng and give him a warning. This would both give the Wang family a way out and imply that the matter should end here and they should stop causing trouble for Jia Lang.

"Your Majesty's decree will be obeyed!"

Wang Ziteng fell to his knees with a thud, kowtowing heavily. Cold sweat poured down his forehead like rain, soaking the gold brick floor.

"You may leave; I am tired."

After finishing his beating, Emperor Qianyuan waved his hand listlessly, a hint of weariness and indifference flashing deep in his eyes.

"Your subject takes his leave."

Prince Teng bowed tremblingly in farewell, then turned and slowly withdrew from the main hall.

Walking along the long corridor outside the palace, surrounded by towering palace walls, the oppressive atmosphere made it hard to breathe.

Wang Ziteng's hands, hidden in his sleeves, had already turned white from clenching them. In his heart, he cursed the entire lineage of that Wang Canjiang.

A useless piece of trash who's good for nothing and good for making things worse!

To get him into the Emperor's sight, he had spent countless amounts of gold and silver, pulled many strings, and even incurred numerous favors.

Before this investment has even yielded any return, this fool is already in a hurry to reincarnate, ruining his own life!

How could Wang Ziteng not be furious? How could he not be heartbroken?

"Jia Lang... what a Jia Lang!"

Wang Ziteng stopped in a secluded spot, uttering these words through gritted teeth, his voice low and menacing, like the howl of a wolf.

He absolutely refused to believe that Jia Lang didn't know that Wang Canjun was a member of his Wang family!

Knowing this, they still dared to cut him down without even giving a warning. This shows no mercy whatsoever and is a slap in the face to Wang Ziteng!

At this moment, Wang Ziteng's face was so gloomy that it seemed as if water could drip from it.

But Emperor Qianyuan's warning was still ringing in his ears, and as a subject, he dared not openly defy the imperial decree.

He had no choice but to swallow his anger.

However, he remembered this blood debt!

We'll see! As long as we seize the opportunity, we'll definitely avenge today's humiliation!

.......

After returning to his residence, Wang Ziteng informed several respected elders of the clan about the death of Wang Canjiang.

The news caused an uproar at the Wang Family Ancestral Hall.

The clan elders, their beards bristling and eyes wide with righteous indignation, pounded on the table and clamored for Jia Lang to pay with his life.

"Arrogant! Utterly arrogant! A mere collateral branch of the Ningguo Mansion dares to defecate on the head of my Wang family! They must pay for this in blood!"

An elder was so angry that he trembled all over, and he pounded the ground with his dragon-headed cane.

"Yes! We can't just let this go!"

Another elder was so excited that he slammed his fist on the table.

However, faced with the elders' indignation, Wang Ziteng simply sat coldly in the main seat, picked up his teacup, and slammed it on the table.

"Alright!"

"Jia Lang is a first-class earl of the imperial court. Moreover, this matter was indeed our fault. It is fortunate that the emperor did not implicate the Wang family. Let's not create any more trouble."

Under Wang Ziteng's swift and forceful suppression, the elders' anger had not subsided, but they dared not act recklessly again. They could only give up indignation, but the resentment in their eyes deepened.

At the same time, Lady Wang of the Rongguo Mansion also received the news.

Upon hearing that her uncle had been killed by Jia Lang, Madam Wang's expression did not change much, after all, the bloodline of that General Wang was already beyond five degrees of kinship with her.

However, Wang Canjiang would send her a considerable amount of silver every year, and now that she was missing out on this tribute, Madam Wang was somewhat displeased.

However, she was just a woman, the second wife of the Rongguo Mansion, and her influence extended to the Ningguo Mansion, let alone the affairs of the border.

This matter could only be kept to oneself, or one could find an opportunity to sow discord between Grandmother Jia and others.

.......

Our gaze returns to Yanmen Pass.

After finding those top contemporary architects, Jia Lang immediately led them to conduct on-site surveys at Yanmen Pass.

It's not just about walking, it's about measuring.

After several days of meticulous visits and repeated discussions, taking into account the terrain and landforms, the masters had already formed a grand blueprint in their minds.

In the spacious courtyard meticulously arranged by Jia Lang, the masters immediately immersed themselves in their work, wielding their brushes and ink to draw detailed blueprints for the renovation and expansion of Yanmen Pass.

Meanwhile, exciting news also came from Li Tiedan's side.

This simpleton not only successfully completed his recruitment mission, but also successfully sent the recruited greenhorns into the army.

Three days later, at dawn, the first rays of sunlight pierced through the clouds and shone on Jia Lang's residence, bringing a touch of warmth.

Jia Lang was sitting under the old locust tree in the courtyard, holding a piece of dried meat in his hand, occasionally throwing it into his mouth to chew. At this moment, he was thinking about the next step in his military training plan.

Just then, a guard in light armor strode into the courtyard, presenting an urgent dispatch order with both hands, his expression respectful:

"My lord, an urgent dispatch order from the capital, eight hundred li away!"

Jia Lang put down his teacup, took the transfer order, and with a flick of his finger, the sealing wax was applied.

Upon unfolding it, one could see that it clearly stated:

The 50,000 troops originally sent to support Yanmen Pass are to immediately break camp and return to defend the capital.

After reading it, Jia Lang curled his lips into a cold smile, casually tossing the transfer order onto the table without the slightest surprise.

Those who are meant to leave will eventually leave. Although these 50,000 troops are elite, their hearts are not in Yanmen Pass, and forcing them to stay would be a hidden danger.

Meanwhile, in the distant imperial palace of Kyoto, Emperor Qianyuan sat on his dragon throne, holding in his hand the same memorial concerning the mobilization of 50,000 troops.

He sighed softly, his eyes revealing a deep sense of regret and helplessness.

Originally, this army of 50,000 was a "dowry" that he had specially allocated to Jia Lang, intending to help Jia Lang gain a foothold on the frontier.

Unexpectedly, the political situation in the court was unpredictable, and the situation in the capital was tense, so the 50,000 troops had to be recalled to protect the emperor.

Jia Lang was naturally unaware of Emperor Qian Yuan's inner thoughts and believed that the letter he had written to Emperor Qian Yuan a few days ago had played a role.

However, although the Xiongnu might be tempted to make a move without the 50,000 troops in the open, Jia Lang was certain that they had just suffered a great loss and would not dare to easily invade Yanmen Pass again in the short term.

What made him even happier was the 10,000 new soldiers that Li Tiedan had recruited!

These soldiers were all villagers from the villages surrounding Yanmen Pass.

Their homes were burned down by the Xiongnu, and their parents, wives and children were brutally slaughtered. Their hatred for the Xiongnu was etched into their very bones!

Upon hearing the news of the great victory at Yanmen Pass, these people came to join us with tears in their eyes and carrying hoes and sickles.

Such soldiers don't need mobilization; just give them a knife, and they'll fight the Xiongnu to the death!

With systematic training, this will be a force for revenge, an iron army!

In the future battle against the Xiongnu, we will surely be invincible and victorious!

Meanwhile, the blueprints for the renovation of houses at Yanmen Pass have been completed.

Although limited by the times and lacking computer assistance, the drawings are somewhat rough, but in today's world, it is already a masterpiece of ingenuity.

The entire Yanmen Pass presented a magnificent scene of bustling activity and everything waiting to be rebuilt.

Standing atop the towering city wall, gazing upon this vast land, Jia Lang felt a surge of pride and joy.

Everything in the city was progressing steadily according to his will.

The refugees from outside the city poured into Yanmen Pass like a tide. They knew that this would be their new home, an impregnable fortress that could stop the Xiongnu cavalry.

As a result, no one slacked off, and no one complained.

Men carried stones and rammed earth, women boiled water and cooked, and the elderly and children helped deliver bricks and tiles.

Everyone worked like madmen because they knew they were building homes for themselves and fighting for their survival!

If anyone dares to cheat or shirk responsibility, even without Jia Lang's military supervisor taking action, the surrounding people can drown him with their spit and make him so ashamed that he'd want to crawl into a hole in the ground!

Jia Lang originally estimated that, at this rate, it would take at least six months to completely transform Yanmen Pass.

However, reality slapped him in the face—no, it gave him a huge surprise!

In just over three months, all the houses and fortifications inside Yanmen Pass were completed!

Thanks to careful planning in advance, the city's streets are wide and orderly, and the houses are well-arranged, sturdy, and beautiful.

From the air, the entire Yanmen Pass resembles a giant steel fortress, or a magnificent painting, pleasing to the eye and impregnable!

With housing secured, all worries about the future have been resolved.

With a wave of his hand, Jia Lang shifted all his energy to training troops.

Although the search for a subordinate general had been fraught with difficulties, now it presented him with the perfect opportunity to showcase his talents.

Without those incompetent officials stuffed into his ranks by powerful families, he could build a mighty, iron-blooded army that was loyal only to him, Jia Lang, and the Ming Dynasty, and dedicated to killing the Xiongnu!

Sharpening the sword, ready to be drawn!

Jia Lang stood on the command platform, looking at the pairs of eyes below filled with hatred and longing, and gripped the embroidered spring knife at his waist.

This will be his second great gift to the Xiongnu, and also his biggest trump card for standing firm in this chaotic world!