Dream of the Red Chamber: After being exiled, I went on a killing spree in Liaodong.

On the other side, Jia Zheng saw that Grandmother Jia was standing alone on the side while Jia Yi was sitting in the main seat, and his anger flared up instantly.

"You unfilial child! Your parents are not even buried yet, how dare you sit in the main hall? What kind of behavior is this!" he shouted angrily, about to step forward to reprimand you.

Jia Baoyu hurriedly grabbed his sleeve and whispered urgently, "Father! Look outside!"

Jia Zheng was taken aback and followed his son's gaze—

Dozens of armored soldiers, armed with halberds, marched in in formation, their boots clattering like thunder, their killing intent palpable.

His face turned deathly pale.

The audience was silent.

Even the wind dared not blow anymore.

The last time Jia Yi's personal guards stormed in with such murderous intent, the courtyard was truly ravaged by blood, corpses lay strewn about, and several lives were lost on the spot.

"Hey Lai, how's your investigation going?"

"From which gossipy servant in my household did you hear that?"

Jia Yi's gaze was like a knife, coldly piercing towards Granny Lai, his tone low and deep, like the rumble of thunder before a storm.

"My lord..." Granny Lai trembled, her voice shaking, "What I heard back then was that the young ladies came to your residence to stroll in the garden, admire the flowers, and have fun..."

"They never mentioned it. Please go see the old lady."

"It's...it's her!" She suddenly pointed to the maid in the corner, her voice rising abruptly, "She's the one who secretly told me!"

Her move to slip away unscathed was incredibly ruthless—the news originally leaked from her nephew, but she conveniently passed it on to a helpless young girl, leaving herself completely unscathed.

Her nephew, hiding behind the crowd, saw his aunt relentlessly accusing others, and his legs went weak. He almost knelt down, his heart pounding wildly: Thank God, they didn't betray me!

"Your Highness, you've been wronged!!" The maidservant who had been accused collapsed on the spot, her face covered in tears and snot. "I didn't say anything, I know nothing!"

Everyone knows that Jia Yi is usually kind and gentle to his subordinates, speaking with a smile and gentle words, like a wealthy and leisurely person.

But who would dare forget—when he led his troops into battle and beheaded the enemy general with a single stroke, he didn't even flinch!

The number of souls who died at his hands is at least five thousand!

Now that this blame has been placed on her, how can she possibly survive?

Jia Yi kept his eyes down and didn't speak, but his gaze was fixed on the young servant who had just breathed a sigh of relief.

When he asked the question, the man's eyes darted around and sweat beaded on his forehead; but as soon as Granny Lai shifted the blame, he immediately straightened his back—this reaction was clearer than anything written on his face.

"Arrest that kid." Jia Yi's voice wasn't loud, but it was chillingly cold.

"Ran the Lai family's property, leaving not a single tile behind."

The moment those words were spoken, the air seemed to freeze.

The guards turned around at the sound of their orders, their armor clanging as they pounced on the Lai family's residence like wolves and tigers.

"Your Excellency, have mercy!!" Granny Lai crawled over to her knees with a thud, grabbed Jia Yi's boots, and kowtowed desperately. "Our Lai family has served the Rongguo Mansion for three generations! Please, in consideration of our past relationship, spare us this time!"

Jia Yi looked down at her, then suddenly smiled, a smile as gentle as a spring breeze:

"You say you've served the Rongguo Mansion for many years... but I am the Duke of Qin."

A single sentence, seemingly light and casual, struck like a thunderbolt.

Granny Lai froze, her mind reeling as if struck by a heavy hammer, nearly choking on her own breath—what did that mean? She served the Rongguo Mansion, not your Qinguo Mansion? What had she been all these years? A dog?

"Pfft—" Wang Xifeng couldn't hold back any longer and spat out a mouthful of tea, then covered her mouth and burst into laughter.

This Granny Lai, relying on her "seniority," had often made things difficult for her and humiliated her. Now, she'd finally met her match—a truly impenetrable iron plate!

"Yi-ge'er..." Grandmother Jia could no longer sit still and slowly spoke, "Lai-ma-na ...

She stopped mid-sentence.

Because Jia Yi didn't even glance at her, not even out of the corner of his eye.

No matter how much she says, it's like casting pearls before swine. Today's events are destined to result in bloodshed.

"Drag them out." Jia Yi stood up, his voice as cold as a double-edged sword. "Granny Lai, and those old women who just bullied Yingchun and the others, kill them all. Leave no one alive."

The room was deathly silent.

Immediately afterwards, cries of agony filled the air.

"My lord, spare my life!!"

"Second Miss, Third Miss, please save us!"

"I'll never gossip again, please spare my life..."

The cries were heart-wrenching, and some people even knelt down and kowtowed until their heads bled.

If they could do it all over again, they would never get involved in such a mess. Unfortunately—it's too late.

"Remember this." Jia Yi stood atop the high platform, looking down at all living beings, and said, word by word, "Those who cannot control their mouths and their hands have only one path to take—the road to the underworld."

"Yes...yes..." Everyone answered in trembling voices, their spines tingling, their souls nearly flying away in fright.

This strike cuts not only a head, but also the rules.

From then on, who would dare to have any wicked thoughts towards Yingchun and the others?

Grandmother Jia's face turned ashen, and her fingertips dug into her palms.

With Granny Lai's death, the Lai family was destroyed, and her many years of influence and connections in the Rongguo Mansion collapsed in an instant.

With Jia Yi standing behind Yingchun and the others, they would have to think twice before even saying a harsh word, let alone scolding them.

Frustrated! Frustrated! Yet there was nothing I could do!

After the storm subsided, Jia Yi's expression suddenly changed, and a smile appeared on his lips. He slowly took out a bright yellow imperial edict from his bosom, its golden dragon coiled around it, shining brightly.

"Welcome spring, come see something good."

He handed it over with a smile.

"Huh?" Yingchun took it blankly, looking completely bewildered.

Qin Keqing winked at her: "Open it and take a look."

The sisters immediately gathered around, holding their breath.

At just one glance, everyone's pupils contracted sharply, and they gasped in shock!

"This...this is..." Tan Chun stammered.

"A county princess conferment?!" Xi Chun exclaimed in surprise.

"Oh dear!" Wang Xifeng stamped her feet in exasperation. "You're all acting like you've seen a ghost! What did you write? Tell me quickly!"

Lin Daiyu smiled and said, "Sister Feng, from now on, when you see Sister Yingchun, you must bow to her—"

Xue Baochai added insult to injury: "Call her 'County Princess'."

"Huh?!" Wang Xifeng's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "Yingchun is going to be made a county princess?!"

The entire venue erupted in cheers.

Jia Yi stood with his hands behind his back by the window, gazing at the clouds on the horizon, a slight smile playing on his lips.

This is just the beginning.

Lin Daiyu covered her lips and chuckled softly, her eyes sparkling. Her laughter was like a string of silver bells jingling in the quiet hall.

"Lin girl, you just said—Yingchun has been granted the title of County Princess?!"

Jia She suddenly jumped up from his chair, his loud voice shaking the entire Rongxi Hall three times.

"Yes, Uncle." Lin Daiyu nodded gently, her smile still lingering, as if she had just said something very ordinary.

"Hahaha! Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!"

Jia She threw his head back and laughed, his eyes narrowing into slits. "My lineage has produced a son who was enfeoffed as a Duke and a daughter who was granted the title of County Princess! Heaven has opened its eyes! Heaven has opened its eyes!"

But amidst the jubilation, Jia Zheng stood in a corner, his face suddenly darkening, his eyes as cold as an icy pool.

His eldest son died young, and he had placed great hopes on him; his eldest daughter had been in the palace for many years, but had never even seen the emperor's face a few times; as for his second son, Jia Baoyu... well, there's no need to even mention him.