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

Jia Lian lay on the ground, his lips twitching, a million curses running through his mind—

Am I being wronged?!

Why should I care? He avoids me like the plague! Everyone knows he's the "living god" of the Ningguo Mansion, and even touching him is considered bad luck. Why should I be blamed for this?

"Enough!" Grandmother Jia slammed her hand on the armrest, instantly exuding an imposing aura.

The room fell silent instantly.

She slowly raised her eyes, her gaze sharp as a knife: "Things have come to this point, blaming anyone is useless. There is only one way now—Zhen-ge'er, open the ancestral hall and expel Jia Yi from the family genealogy."

Her voice was as cold as ice: "The Emperor Emeritus might show leniency out of respect for the Duke. We can't let our entire Jia family be buried with a fool."

"Mother!" Jia She suddenly looked up, his voice trembling, "Even if he's foolish, he's still your grandson! He's a marquis! How could... how could this happen..."

Before he could finish speaking, Grandmother Jia abruptly cut him off with a single glance.

"Boss," she said slowly, but her tone was as heavy as a thousand pounds, "If you have the ability to save him, go to the palace now and get him out. Otherwise, shut up."

Jia She choked up, and finally slumped down, head bowed in despair.

Just then, Yingchun let out a soft "Ah!" and collapsed to the ground, her eyes closed and her lips deathly pale.

"Sister Yingchun!" Lin Daiyu exclaimed, rushing forward to help her up, while Zijuan, Tanchun, and the others were in a flurry of activity.

And at this moment—

Inside the Zhenguo Mansion, Niu Jizong, already clad in armor and belt, mounted his horse.

The night wind howled, causing his cloak to flutter like a flag.

"Master!" Madam Niu rushed to the door, her voice trembling. "Jia Yi has committed a grave offense, and not only do you not avoid suspicion, but you even want to personally go to the palace to plead for him?"

Niu Jizong reined in his horse and looked back, his gaze as deep as an abyss:

"If it weren't for Jia Yi, I would have been reduced to ashes long ago in Liaodong."

He paused, his voice low and hoarse:

"That child... saved my life. He also saved thousands of soldiers. I, Niu Jizong, can betray the whole world, but I cannot betray him."

Having said that, he flicked his whip and rode off into the distance.

Outside the palace gates, the moonlight was as white as frost.

A figure had been waiting for a long time—Prince Bei Jing, Shui Rong, with his hair tied up in a jade crown and his robes fluttering.

"Uncle has arrived." He smiled and cupped his hands, but his eyes were sharp as blades.

Niu Jizong dismounted, his brow furrowed slightly: "Why is Your Highness here?"

"Brother Jia Yi has met with disaster," Shui Rong laughed loudly, standing with his hands behind his back, "We are both descendants of the founding fathers, connected by blood. How can I stand idly by?"

His eyes flickered slightly, but a scheme was already brewing in his mind—

Jia Yi is a man of great military achievements and exceptional talent; if we could recruit him to our side…

With his "big plan," what's there to worry about?

Looking around, there was no sign of the Jia family.

Shui Rong sneered, "Huh? No one from the Jia family has come?"

Niu Jizong scoffed, his face full of mockery:

"Them? They're probably arguing in the ancestral hall about how to erase Jia Yi's name from the family genealogy!"

"Since Grandmother Jia took power, the Rong and Ning mansions have declined with each generation. The empire our ancestors fought so hard to build, they only want to lie back and enjoy their wealth; their very bones are rotten!"

Shui Rong remained silent for a long time before letting out a sigh.

"Uncle, let's go." He straightened his robes. "We're going to the palace."

-

At this moment, the inner palace was filled with deafening cries.

Prince Zhongshun and his son knelt at the feet of the retired emperor, hugging his legs and wailing, tears streaming down their faces.

"Father! Jia Yi... he dared to hit his son!" Prince Zhongshun cried, his face swollen like a steamed bun.

The young Prince Zhongshun cried out in anguish, "Grandpa! Look at my face! That madman beat me so badly I'm unrecognizable! It hurts! Waaah—"

The two cried their hearts out, their faces covered in tears and saliva, looking utterly disheveled.

The retired emperor sat on the dragon throne, his temples throbbing, and he really wanted to kick those two things out of the palace.

"Alright, alright!" he waved his hand impatiently. "Stop howling! You're behaving like a shrew from the streets, what kind of behavior is this!"

Just as he was about to lash out, he caught a glimpse of Dai Quan giving him repeated winks—

The Emperor Emeritus paused, and a name flashed through his mind like lightning: Jia Yi…

He was no ordinary subject.

That was the ruthless star who cleaved a ten-mile-long bloody path with a single slash on the Liaodong battlefield!

He took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and turned to look at the silent figure standing in the hall:

"Jia Yi, tell me what's going on—"

His voice softened, yet carried an undeniable air of authority:

"Why...why did you attack Prince Chungshun and his son?"

He was no ordinary subject—single-minded, ruthless, and incredibly powerful.

If you really anger him, he might even tear down all the glazed tiles of the imperial city.

The Emperor Emeritus's heart skipped a beat. He immediately suppressed his anger, softened his tone, and slowly asked, "Speak, what happened?"

When Dai Quan saw that the Emperor Emeritus had understood the distress signal in his eyes, he immediately felt a huge sense of relief, and his back went limp.

"Reporting to the Emperor Emeritus," he bowed and said, "the matter concerns... the Crown Prince Chungsun."

"If Prince Zhongshun wants to kill me, I can only teach him a lesson." Jia Yi stood aside and casually added, as if he were talking about how many mouthfuls of porridge he had this morning.

"Oh?" The Emperor Emeritus's eyes darkened, his gaze sharp as a knife, slashing directly at the father and son kneeling in the hall.

King Chungshun's heart skipped a beat, and he exchanged a glance with his son—that's true, but it sounds like we've become the villains.

The two of them subconsciously scratched their foreheads, as if that would bring them back to their senses after being beaten.

At this moment, Dai Quan quietly leaned close to the Emperor Emeritus's ear and whispered the truth that the Embroidered Uniform Guard had uncovered.

After hearing the whole story, the Emperor Emeritus stared at Jia Yi and slowly nodded.

This kid may not be the brightest, but his unwavering loyalty is truly heartwarming.

"Insolence!" The Emperor Emeritus slammed his fist on the table, his voice echoing throughout the hall. "Prince Zhongshun and his son—kneel before me!"

For a moment, the air seemed to freeze.

King Chungshun's eyes widened, and he froze on the spot.

My father... has never once spoken a harsh word to me from childhood to adulthood!!!

Before he could react, Jia Yi stepped forward, his hands pressing down on his shoulders like iron clamps, and with a thud, the father and son fell to the ground, their foreheads hitting the gold bricks with a crisp sound.

The eyelids of all the civil and military officials in the hall twitched wildly, and even the corner of the Emperor Emeritus's mouth twitched involuntarily.

Heartbroken? Of course I feel heartbroken!

But the play has already begun, and with a flick of his dragon robe, he has no choice but to continue acting.

"How much blood has the Marquis of Loyalty and Valor shed for our Great Qian Dynasty? How many years has he fought?" The Emperor Emeritus roared, his eyes wide with fury. "I wouldn't lay a finger on him, yet you, one by one, dare to harbor murderous intent?"

"Are you trying to rebel?"

He suddenly stood up, pointed at Prince Zhongshun, and roared, "Do you want me to vacate this dragon throne right now so you can sit on it? Then you can see if this empire will also be under your control!"

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the hall.

Niu Jizong and Shui Rong rushed over, and as soon as they arrived at the door, they heard the Emperor Emeritus's thunderous roar.

"What? The Emperor Emeritus is scolding Prince Zhongshun?" Niu Jizong stood there stunned, subconsciously picking at his ear.

Is it because you haven't cleaned your ears for too long that you're hallucinating?

"Uncle... I also thought I misheard." Shui Rong swallowed, his face pale. "But this voice... it really isn't an illusion."

Who can tell him why the sky suddenly collapsed?