The Red Chamber begins with a bastard

Chapter 678 Brother and sister reunited

The crescent moon hung like a hook, the starry sky was dazzling, and under the gravel around the tent, unknown insects were chirping. It was a mystery how these little insects could survive in the arid desert, especially during the day when the ground temperature was extremely hot.

Inside the tent, a single lamp shone dimly. Duan Yong looked at Jia Huan and asked, "Speak, what's the urgent matter?"

Jia Huan asked, "Does Duan Zhongshi still remember how many days it has been since we left the pass?"

Duan Yong replied with a puzzled look, "If I remember correctly, it should be the seventh day. Why does the marriage envoy Jia ask this?"

Jia Huan took out a map and said, "Duan Zhongshi, look, there are four supply points from Jiayuguan to Hami City: Shanma City, Bujilong River, Chijin, and Bulongjier City. According to the normal itinerary, we should have already arrived at Bulongjier City, but in fact we haven't."

Duan Yong frowned and asked, "Jia Huan, what exactly are you trying to say?"

Jia Huan said solemnly, "Our journey has been slow. What should have been a ten-day trip may take several more days, and our water supply will only last for two more days."

Duan Yong's expression changed slightly, clearly realizing the seriousness of the problem, and he hurriedly asked, "Then what should we do?"

Jia Huan said, "Ahemaiti just came to me and said that they were almost out of water and asked to borrow some from us, but I refused."

Duan Yong nodded and said, "Good job refusing. We don't even have enough for ourselves. Where can we lend them water? By the way, they are locals and know the local situation better than we do. How could they not bring enough water?"

Jia Huan smiled and said, "That's the strange thing. Moreover, Ahemaiti also told me that there is a water source about a day's journey from here."

"That's a good thing!" Duan Yongxi said.

Jia Huan shook his head and said, "It's not necessarily a good thing."

Duan Yong was slightly taken aback, then frowned and said unhappily, "Jia Huan, what do you mean by that? I don't understand. Just say what you mean directly, why beat around the bush and act mysterious?"

Jia Huan shook his head and said, "It's not that I'm being mysterious, but if I were to tell you the truth, Duan Zhongshi might not believe me. After observing for several days, I discovered that Baiwa and Ahemaiti are deliberately slowing down their journey."

Duan Yong frowned and asked, "What evidence do you have?"

Jia Huan shook his head: "There is no conclusive evidence, but their carriages have more problems than ours, which is obviously abnormal."

Duan Yong said with some skepticism, "That doesn't prove anything. It's normal for a small country with few people to produce carriages that aren't as good as those from our Great Jin."

Jia Huan sneered, "What if Ahemaiti wasn't Ahemaiti, but Ahmaiti, the Taiji of the Turpan Khanate?"

Duan Yong's face darkened, and he said coldly, "Jia Huan, have you lost your mind? You still won't give up even at a time like this."

Jia Huan frowned and asked, "What does Duan Zhongshi mean by this?"

Duan Yong sneered, "Jia Huan, we have always given you opportunities, but you are ungrateful. You disobeyed the imperial decree for a woman. The emperor cherishes your talent and appointed you as the marriage envoy to escort Princess Kangle to a marriage alliance. This is both a punishment and a test for you. You should have just delivered the princess honestly. You will still have a bright future. But you have been stubborn and tried to sabotage the marriage alliance between the two countries."

When Baiwa didn't come, you said he harbored ulterior motives. Now that Baiwa has come, you say he's slowing down the journey and has ulterior motives. And now it's even more outrageous—you're saying Ahmaiti is Amahei, the Taiji of the Turpan Khanate. Do you really think we're idiots?
"Jia Huan, this is my last warning to you. If you dare to harbor any more wicked thoughts, then don't blame me."

Duan Yong stared coldly at Jia Huan, a murderous intent flashing in his eyes!
Now that he has a thousand elite border troops under his command, Duan Yong is clearly more confident and no longer as wary of Jia Huan as before.

Jia Huan shook his head and sighed, "Good advice is hard to persuade a damned ghost. Fine, since you don't believe me, you'll only bring about the annihilation of the whole army. Don't regret it then!" With that, he turned to leave.

Duan Yong's gaze shifted, and he shouted, "Stop! Explain yourself before you leave."

Jia Huan spread his hands and said, "Since Duan Zhongshi doesn't trust me, what's the point of saying more?"

Duan Yong sneered, "Don't try to fool me with this kind of rhetoric. Tell me, what evidence do you have to prove that Ahemaiti is Amahei? If you can't produce any evidence, hehe, I'll have you tied up and killed on the spot. Don't doubt whether I have the authority to do so!"

Jia Huan calmly replied, "I have never doubted that Duan Zhongshi has this authority. Isn't this exactly what the Emperor sent you here to do?"

Duan Yong said with a dark face, "Enough with the nonsense, what evidence do you have?"

"Didn't I save a merchant not long ago? He happened to have seen Ah Mahei before and recognized him," Jia Huan said casually.

Duan Yong sneered, "What a coincidence!"

"It is indeed a coincidence. If Duan Zhongshi doesn't believe it, he might as well ask him himself."

Duan Yong ordered his men to bring Xue Pan from Jia Huan's tent. He questioned Xue Pan carefully, and Xue Pan answered truthfully, cleverly avoiding a single glance at Jia Huan throughout. After Duan Yong had Xue Pan taken away, his expression shifted, clearly still doubtful, even suspecting that the merchant was arranged by Jia Huan beforehand—otherwise, what a coincidence!
Jia Huan is a cunning fellow. He dares to disobey the imperial edict for the sake of his sweetheart, so it's only natural that he would secretly plot to sabotage the marriage alliance. However, if Ahemaiti is really Ahmahei, then the situation is dangerous, and the entire marriage alliance procession might be in trouble.

Duan Yong pondered for a moment, then noticed Jia Huan sitting calmly cross-legged and said unhappily, "If Ahemaiti is really Amahei, the Taiji of the Turpan Khanate, why would he risk impersonating Hami's wedding envoy and infiltrate the capital of the Great Jin? Isn't he afraid of his identity being exposed and his life being in danger?"

Jia Huan said calmly, "That depends on him. Maybe he wants to find out the strength of the Great Jin, or maybe he just wants to have fun and show off his courage. If it's the former, after Ahemaiti goes back, Turpan will probably launch a military attack on the Great Jin."

"Then he's courting death!" Duan Yong said angrily.

Jia Huan shook his head and said, "On the way back, Eunuch Duan saw the situation in our country."

Duan Yong fell silent. Although Liaodong was temporarily at peace, natural and man-made disasters were rampant in the country, and the people were rising up in rebellion. If Ahemaiti was really Ahmahei, seeing all this misery, there was a high possibility that he would take the opportunity to launch an attack after returning home.

Jia Huan added, “At first, King Baiwa of Hami refused to come to Jiayuguan, but later he suddenly agreed to come. I suspect that Ahemaiti forced him to come. If so, their target is not only our marriage alliance, but they may even be eyeing Jiayuguan.”

That's all I have to say. Whether you believe Duan Zhongshi or not is up to you, but I advise you to be vigilant. If I'm not mistaken, they'll make their move in the next couple of days, especially tomorrow on the way to the water source.

After Jia Huan finished speaking, he left Duan Yong's tent. Duan Yong's expression changed, and he hesitated to speak. Not long after Jia Huan left, he summoned the commander of the thousand Suzhou border troops and gave him instructions.

After leaving Duan Yong's tent, Jia Huan walked to the princess's tent in the center of the camp and said to the two eunuchs guarding outside, "Jia Huan has come to pay his respects to Her Highness the Princess."

Two eunuchs said with a smile, "Her Highness the Princess has already retired for the night. It would be inconvenient to disturb her. Please leave, Envoy Jia."

As soon as she finished speaking, Zijuan poked her head out from inside and said, "The princess is still awake. Please invite Jia, the marriage envoy, in to speak with her."

The two eunuchs had no choice but to step back. Jia Huan lifted the curtain and went inside, immediately drawing several pairs of beautiful eyes to him. Lin Daiyu and Xue Baochai were indeed still awake. Daiyu was playing chess with Xiangling, while Baochai sat quietly on a cushion reading a book. Upon seeing Jia Huan enter, she smiled gently, stood up to greet him, and said softly, "Huan... Brother, is something the matter that brings you here so late?"

After being kissed and embraced by Jia Huan in public that day, the secret was broken, and the dignified and quiet Baochai finally let go of her reserve and started calling Huan-di (brother Huan), omitting the word "brother".

Jia Huan nodded and said, "There is indeed something. The medicine that Sister Bao used to give me was quite effective. Do you still have any?"

Xue Baochai's heart tightened, and she nodded, saying, "Yes, is Huan-di injured? Is he alright?"

Lin Daiyu, who was engrossed in a game of chess with Xiangling, dropped her pieces upon hearing this and nervously stepped forward, grabbing Jia Huan's hand to examine him. Jia Huan laughed and said, "Look how nervous you are! It's not me who's injured!"

Both Daiyu and Baochai breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this and asked, "Then who is injured?"

To avoid arousing Lin Daiyu's suspicion, Jia Huan pulled the two women close to him and whispered, "Brother Pan!"

Upon hearing this, both women exclaimed in surprise. Xue Baochai's delicate body trembled slightly as she asked, "Really? Huan-di, you're not lying to me?"

"Have I ever lied to Sister Bao?" Jia Huan whispered. Seeing the two beautiful faces so close to his eyes, he couldn't help but lightly kiss each of the two women's cheeks.

Lin Daiyu raised her hand and gave someone a sharp rap on the head. Xue Baochai was so excited and eager that she had no time to care about the person taking advantage of her. With red eyes, she pleaded, "Good Huan-di, please take me to see him quickly."

Jia Huan nodded and said, "Sister Bao, take the medicine and come with me, but you must act as if nothing is wrong."

Xue Baochai nodded repeatedly in agreement.

Next, Jia Huan left first. Then, Xue Baochai and Xiangling used the excuse of delivering medicine to Jia Huan to leave the princess's tent and head towards Jia Huan's tent.

Before even entering Jia Huan's tent, Xue Baochai's eyes were already red. When she saw her elder brother Xue Pan's weathered face, she felt even more heartbroken, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"Little sister, why are you crying? Big brother is fine!" Xue Pan forced a smile, wiping away Xue Baochai's tears, but the next second he couldn't help but shed tears himself.

The brother and sister were reunited after a long separation and had so much to say, but to avoid arousing suspicion, they did not dare to stay together for too long. After exchanging a few words and applying medicine to Xue Pan, Xue Baochai left with Xiangling.

Jia Huan escorted Baochai to the vicinity of the princess's tent. The latter hid in a dark corner and sobbed softly. Jia Huan felt a pang of heartache and wanted to hold Baochai in his arms to comfort her, but there were sentries patrolling nearby, so he could not act rashly. He could only whisper to comfort her, "Baochai, don't worry, Brother Pan only suffered some minor injuries."

Xue Baochai shook her head and said softly, "I wasn't worried. I'm just happy for my brother. Although he has suffered some hardships, he has finally learned to support himself. Huan-di, thank you!" As she spoke, she quickly hugged Jia Huan when no one was around, and then blushed and hurried away.

"Miss, wait for me!" Xiangling hurriedly chased after her.

Jia Huan touched his chest, the soft and alluring touch still lingering in his mind, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of desire. Hehe, even the reserved and dignified Baochai has learned to take the initiative. She's made progress!

(End of this chapter)