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

Madam Wang choked, a breath stuck in her chest, and she almost fainted.

She desperately wanted to break off the relationship! She had wanted to break it off for a long time! But her son, Jia Baoyu, was now personally taking his precious son to the clan school every day—all because Jia Yi's reputation was too great, and the clan elders were keeping an eye on him!

She glanced at Grandmother Jia furtively, and her heart skipped a beat.

Not right.

The old lady's gaze towards Jia Yi... changed.

What used to be disdain and contempt now seems like... a hidden flame, waiting to be set off to spread?

Just then, Zhou Rui's wife stumbled in, her face deathly pale:

"Madam! Something terrible has happened! The young master... the young master has been carried back!"

"What?!"

Lady Wang and Grandmother Jia jumped up at the same time and rushed out the door.

Jia Baoyu was lying sprawled on the bed, reeking of alcohol and perfume, his clothes disheveled, and drool hanging from the corner of his mouth—clearly he had been dragged back from the pleasure boat!

Lin Daiyu, Xue Baochai, Yingchun and others rushed over upon hearing the news. After seeing the situation, they all turned cold and stepped back, their eyes full of disdain.

Eleven or twelve-year-old brats dare to imitate spoiled brats by visiting prostitutes and drinking alcohol? They've utterly disgraced the Jia family!

Meanwhile, in the study room of the east courtyard.

Jia Lian entered silently, still smelling of perfume.

Jia She, who had been waiting for a long time, suddenly stood up: "Is it done?"

Jia Lian chuckled softly and said in a low voice, "Don't worry, Master, the matter is settled."

"Baoyu has already signed the document on behalf of his second uncle - the Beijing garrison is repairing the granaries and purchasing supplies at prices that are 30% higher than the market price."

He paused, a hint of apprehension flashing in his eyes: "Your move... is truly ruthless. Getting your own nephew drunk, then signing the contract on his father's behalf... If this gets out, the censors could impeach you eight hundred times."

Jia She stroked his beard and sneered, his eyes as deep and unfathomable as an abyss: "Those who achieve great things do not concern themselves with trifles. Once the money is in hand, who cares if the methods are ruthless?"

"But sir, will Second Uncle really admit to this debt?"

Jia Lian frowned slightly, his heart pounding. He couldn't believe that his second uncle, Jia Zheng, would be so foolish as to spend a fortune on a bunch of expensive goods just because Jia Baoyu had signed his name.

"Don't worry at all." Jia She sneered, a sinister glint in his eyes. "Don't you know the second son's temperament? As soon as something comes up, he immediately dumps it on his subordinates."

He picked up his teacup and slowly blew on the hot steam. "His retainers and advisors have long been fed into submission by me. This time, even the Heavenly King himself couldn't save him."

Before he finished speaking, a venomous smile, like the flicker of a snake, appeared on his lips.

Jia Lian gasped – it's over, his second uncle has been stabbed through the back!

The Ministry of Revenue was already short of funds, barely enough to repair the warehouse. But the price listed in the official document was a full 30% higher than the market price!

With this mess, all the money was spent, the project was abandoned, and the blame fell entirely on Jia Zheng.

"Remember," Jia She suddenly lowered his voice, his eyes like knives, "not a single word of this is to be leaked."

"And also—you are my child, not Jia Zheng's adopted son!"

Each word was like an iron nail driven into wood.

"Yes! I understand!" Jia Lian nodded hurriedly, a thin layer of sweat beading on his forehead.

At that moment, Jia Zheng stepped into the Rongguo Mansion with a beaming smile.

He had just returned from the government office, his robe still dusty from the officialdom, and his smile lingering on his face. Little did he know that his "good brother" had already prepared a coffin for him, only one nail was missing.

The next morning.

As Jia Yi stepped out of the street, the morning light slanted across the bluestone pavement.

Suddenly, two pairs of eyes lit up in the shadows of the alley—like night owls eyeing their prey.

These were Xia Shouzhong's two adopted sons: Xia Xiaozi and Li Xiaozi.

This was the moment they had been waiting for.

Upon seeing Jia Yi approach, the performance immediately began.

"Have you heard? The people who died outside the city weren't killed by bandits at all!" Xia Zi said in a low voice, making it sound very vivid.

"Huh?" Little Li stared wide-eyed, mouth agape, utterly shocked. "But didn't the imperial court send a large army to suppress the bandits?"

"Bullshit!" Xia Zi scoffed. "Let me tell you the truth, it was those two dukes, Su Xing and Luo Hong, who did it! They don't get along with the Marquis of Zhongyong, so they had their personal guards disguise as bandits and go around killing and burning people."

"Once Marquis Zhongyong leads his troops out of the city, they will immediately withdraw. This back-and-forth will make His Majesty think Marquis Zhongyong is incompetent, having made a wasted trip, and the blame will naturally fall on him!"

After they finished speaking, the two of them looked around mysteriously.

Jia Yi paused, not because what they said was credible, but because—these two people were too strange.

With delicate skin and a prominent Adam's apple, he spoke in a high-pitched, soft voice, just like two eunuchs.

Moreover... his posture was proper, and he walked silently, clearly a demeanor cultivated in the palace.

People from the Prince Zhongshun's mansion?

They haven't even finished cleaning up yet, and they dare to show their faces again?

Jia Yi's eyes turned cold, and he was about to step forward to take him in for questioning—

"Yi-ge'er! Yi-ge'er—!"

A hurried voice came from afar.

Niu Jizong scrambled over, grabbed Jia Yi's arm, and dragged him into the teahouse next door without a word, heading straight for a private room on the second floor.

Guards stood in formation outside the gate, sealing it off tightly.

"Oh my god... I really don't know whether I should say this or not..." Niu Jizong was panting as if he had run thirty miles. He picked up a cup of tea and gulped down two cups before he could calm himself down.

"Last night, Su Xing and Luo Hong came to visit in person."

"They told me... to persuade you to accept a salary without working."

"Earning a salary without working?" Jia Yi's pupils contracted sharply, his voice so cold it could freeze.

Niu Jizong nodded heavily: "I also advise you... to take a bite of this filthy rice first. Otherwise, those two old swindlers will come after you sooner or later."

Jia Yi stared at him, enunciating each word clearly: "Uncle, do you mean... they've already made their move?"

"Yes!" Niu Jizong gritted his teeth, "Those civilians who died tragically outside the city... they were most likely responsible for their deaths!"

His hands were shaking as he said this.

That night, the two dukes chatted and laughed, but when they said that slaughtering civilians was like stepping on ants, it sent chills down his spine.

Jia Yi slowly stood up, his eyes blazing with anger.

So... what those two eunuchs said was true.

You dare to scheme against me?

court death!

He turned and left, his sleeves billowing in the wind, his killing intent palpable.

"Yi-ge'er! Where are you going? Calm down!!" Niu Jizong jumped up suddenly and reached out to stop him—

The figure flashed and disappeared without a trace.

Only a gust of wind made the curtains dance wildly.

Niu Jizong stood frozen in place, his face deathly pale.

it's over...

This time, something big is about to happen.

"Guards! Bring me my armor—this time, I'm going to personally accompany Yi-ge on a crazy adventure!"

"He's out! The Marquis is out!"

Xiazi and Lizi, with their sharp eyes, spotted Jia Yi striding out of the mansion and were about to approach him to flatter him and say a few kind words.

The next instant, the two felt a tightness around their waists and were lifted into the air—Jia Yi lifted them up one in each hand, like carrying chicks, his arms motionless, as if he were carrying two bundles of straw.

"My lord...my lord, spare my life!"

"We didn't do anything, sir!"

Xia Zi's face turned pale, and his teeth chattered. Li Zi's legs went weak, and he almost collapsed. They weren't naive fools; who was Jia Yi? A border god of war, whose blade could rumble through the ranks of Jin cavalry without even breaking a sweat!