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

"ha?"

Jia Yi raised an eyebrow, his face full of astonishment.

Who suddenly popped up asking me to save their life? And it's the dignified Duke of Zhenguo?

Just as he was wondering, he heard Niu Jizong lower his voice and grit his teeth, saying:

"This time... I only brought back 40,000 men. But the Ministry of War initially reported 120,000! A full 80,000 is missing—someone embezzled their pay!"

His eyes darkened, and his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

"It's Wang Ziteng! That scoundrel has turned the Beijing garrison into a complete mess, embezzling the pay of 30,000 soldiers! Now he's trying to pin the blame on me!"

He dared not tell Emperor Yuankang about this.

If they told the truth, the Zhenguo Mansion would offend all the nobles in the court—and from then on, they would find it difficult to move an inch in the capital.

Therefore, the only way to survive is with this killing god right in front of you.

Jia Yi narrowed his eyes and instantly understood.

Eighty thousand soldiers "died in battle"? Can the imperial court not hold them accountable? Even if the commander-in-chief doesn't die, he'll be severely injured!

"Don't worry." He smiled faintly, raised his hand and patted Niu Jizong on the shoulder, "I will plead your case in front of the emperor in three days."

The sound wasn't loud, but it was like a drawn sword, its cold light sharp and menacing.

Niu Jizong felt a sense of relief, his eyes reddening: "Brother Yi! Thank you so much! In the future, whenever the Zhenguo Mansion is of any use, I, Niu, will go through fire and water for you!"

"No need for formalities," Jia Yi waved his hand, a slight smile playing on his lips. "We're family, no need for formalities."

Before he finished speaking, he had already spurred his horse and galloped towards Ningrong Street.

Inside the Rongguo Mansion.

"Grandma! Third Master Yi is almost here! He'll be here in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea!"

The servant rushed in, stumbling and crawling, to deliver the message.

Grandmother Jia beamed, "Quickly! All the men of the clan, line up at the street corner to welcome him!"

"Here you go!"

Jia She immediately led a group of men out the door, all dressed impeccably and making quite a spectacle of themselves.

In the crowd, Jia Baoyu hung his head, looking utterly dejected.

Instead of spending time with her sisters reciting poetry, painting, drinking tea, and joking around, she was dragged to stand on the street and greet people.

If Jia Zheng hadn't turned around and glared at him every now and then, he would have already slipped back to Rongxi Hall.

At this moment, at the end of Ningrong Street—

"Thump! Thump thump thump!!!"

The horses' hooves thundered, shaking the bluestone slabs.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a troop of black-armored cavalry galloping towards them, their iron armor gleaming coldly and their killing intent palpable!

The man at the very front, still clad in silver armor, stained with blood, his brows furrowed with a menacing aura, looked like a demon emerging from a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood.

It was Jia Yi!

Everyone held their breath.

I subconsciously took half a step back.

Jia Baoyu's legs trembled, and his face turned deathly pale.

Even after several months, the menacing aura emanating from this guy could still scare people out of their wits!

"What...are you seeing a ghost?" Jia Yi dismounted and swept a cold smile across the entire scene.

"Yi, Yi-ge'er!" Jia She forced a smile and rushed over, his hand about to embrace him, but then he noticed the dark red bloodstains on the armor and immediately withdrew his hand in disgust. He chuckled dryly, "Oh dear, the journey has been arduous, you're covered in dust..."

Jia Yi scoffed inwardly.

Pretending? Keep pretending?

Do you think I can't see through your disgusting thoughts?

Even Jia Zheng was so ashamed that he turned his head away—his elder brother was so pathetic, he had embarrassed himself right at the palace gate!

"Yi-ge'er, how come you have two imperial edicts in your hands?" Jia Zheng asked, frowning.

Jia Yi waved the yellow silk in his hand, a wicked smile curling at the corner of his lips:

"The Emperor Emeritus felt sorry for me being all alone, so he bestowed a marriage upon me—arranging a wife for me."

[Ding! The host has successfully disgusted the entire clan, causing them all to break down. Reward: Ten female guards!]

The air froze instantly.

Jia She and the others looked as black as the bottom of a pot, as if they had swallowed a whole jar of old dog excrement.

All alone? What about your parents and siblings? What are we to you? Ancestors worshipped on ancestral tablets?

But looking into Jia Yi's eyes, which held a half-smile, they swallowed their anger.

This guy is truly ruthless and doesn't hesitate to kill!

On the contrary, the onlookers couldn't hold back their laughter, covering their mouths and chuckling, their shoulders shaking.

"Let's go, let's go inside." Jia She forced a smile, grabbed Jia Yi's arm, and wished he could shove him through the gate immediately to cover up this embarrassing scene.

The sound of hooves faded into the distance, and the street gradually quieted down.

But what just happened has already caused quite a stir in the neighborhood.

After turning left and right and passing through several moon gates, we soon arrived at Rongqing Hall.

The beaded curtain rustled softly inside the hall. Grandmother Jia and her female relatives were already seated at the head of the table, their eyes fixed on the doorway as if waiting for some divine intervention. Lin Daiyu couldn't help but lean out, her slender fingers slightly clenching her handkerchief—she was quite curious about what her cousin Jia Yi, who had been missing for many years and was now returning in triumph, looked like.

Yingchun couldn't sit still any longer, her eyes glued to the door, even her breathing became soft. Seeing her young mistress like this, Siqi couldn't help but smile, thinking: "That's perfect! Third Master is back, who would dare lay a finger on our young lady now?"

"Third Master Yi has arrived—" came the announcement, as clear as the wind rustling through the treetops.

Jia She led the way across the threshold, followed by a tall, imposing figure. The man was still clad in armor, his black battle robe stained with blood. His brows were sharp as knives, and his eyes flashed like lightning. With each step he took in, the warm fragrance that filled the room seemed to be swept away by a cold wind.

"Third Brother!"

Yingchun couldn't hold back her tears and rushed over with red eyes, like a little sparrow that had finally found its nest.

Jia Yi stumbled and almost lost his balance. If the system hadn't already fully absorbed the original owner's memories and known that this girl was like a younger sister to him, he would have knocked her to the ground on the spot.

"Oh ho?" He chuckled, raising his hand to pat her back. "Haven't seen you in years, how come you've developed such a frail body? You cry at the slightest touch?"

"I didn't cry!" Yingchun tilted her head back, stubbornly refusing to admit it. As soon as she finished speaking, she blew a small bubble out of her nose with a "pop".

"Hahaha--"

The room erupted in laughter, even Lin Daiyu covered her mouth and trembled slightly. Shi Xiangyun laughed so hard she pounded the table, while Xichun stared wide-eyed, her teeth itching with envy. Originally, everyone was like caged birds, but suddenly Yingchun had gained a powerful marquis brother who held considerable military power—wasn't this blatant betrayal?

"Alright, alright, stop hugging." Jia Yi looked down at the dried blood clots on his body. "It's filthy, and you'll be covered in my evil aura later."

"I'm not afraid!" Yingchun shook her head, her little face stubborn.

Jia Yi glanced at Jia She, his eyes darkening. The old man's heart skipped a beat, his expression changed slightly, and he chuckled dryly.

"Here, have a little something for you." Jia Yi suddenly smiled, thinking that the female guards the system had given him were just sitting idle and it was a waste, so he might as well give them away as a favor.

He subtly summoned the people to the open space outside the courtyard, then clapped his hands—

Snapped!

The silence was suddenly broken.

Ten lithe figures burst through the door, their boots clattering loudly, exuding a chilling aura. All dressed in black robes cinched at the waist, wielding short blades, and with their hair tied in buns, they possessed an imposing and dignified presence, each step seeming to pound on the very heart of the inhabitants.

The room erupted in uproar.

Jia She, Jia Zhen, and Jia Lian, father and son, nearly popped their eyes out of their sockets. They were used to seeing delicate singing girls and dancers, but they had never seen such a ruthless character who could take someone's head with a laugh. Especially that lecherous little Jia Baoyu, whose eyes were now bigger than lanterns and whose saliva was about to drip down.

"Yingchun, from now on, they are under your command." Jia Yi said calmly, "If anyone dares to bully you, just say the word—shut them up, I'll cover for them."

Having said that, his gaze was like a knife, piercing straight at Jia She.

The air froze instantly.