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

All that remained was a mess in the room and faces filled with embarrassment.

"What...what should we do?" Grandmother Jia murmured to herself, her voice weak, her hands trembling as she gripped the edge of the table.

She abruptly turned to glare at Jia She, her voice filled with urgency: "The second son is still locked up inside! Don't you really have any ideas?"

Jia She sighed deeply, his face showing difficulty: "Getting someone out... isn't impossible. It's just..."

"You're short of money, aren't you?" Grandmother Jia interrupted him through gritted teeth. "Twenty thousand taels, take it! Bring the person back to me!"

Lady Wang trembled with heartache as she stood to the side—that was the private stash of money she had set aside for Baoyu!

"Mother, actually I'm not..." Jia She was about to speak when he was interrupted sternly by his mother.

"I'll add another ten thousand!" Grandmother Jia glared fiercely. "Stop talking nonsense! If you can't get this done, I'll tear your roof off!"

Jia She immediately shut his mouth.

But the corners of his mouth almost couldn't be suppressed from turning up, and he nearly burst out laughing.

Before he could even execute his plan, Jia Zheng's cronies had already emptied the treasury of silver.

If I had known this younger brother was so useless, why would I have bothered with all this scheming? I could have easily set him on fire and sent him to jail.

"...Yes." He lowered his head and replied respectfully.

But he was already making a plan in his mind: of the thirty thousand taels of silver, he would keep three thousand for himself, and the rest... would be enough to bribe a few embroidered guards' officers to have a good time with some wine and women.

"Alright."

Jia She opened his mouth, but ultimately didn't say anything. Even if the second son gets out this time, his official hat? It'll probably fly off his head on the spot.

But Grandmother Jia remained calm and composed, as if the matter were as commonplace as a leaf falling in her backyard.

And on the other side-

Zhao Lu was so happy that his mouth stretched from ear to ear.

After all that trouble, they finally kicked Jia Zheng into the Embroidered Uniform Guard's prison! That place was cold and damp, and you had to kneel to eat a meal. Just thinking about it made him incredibly happy.

Previously, Jia Zheng spent money like water, wasn't it all because of this jealous person's underhanded tactics? He secretly tripped up and stabbed people in the back, emptying their purse without even taking a breath.

"Jia Yi, Jia Yi, I can't even touch your own second uncle, but I can mess with him, hehe."

Zhao Lu laughed out loud, a malicious glint in his eyes. "What a pity... I can't brag to your face. That would take away half the thrill."

He pursed his lips, flicked his sleeve, hummed a little tune, and strode away.

At this moment, Jia Yi was sitting in the hall, slowly munching on a braised duck leg that had just been delivered from the kitchen. The rice mixed with oily soup smelled delicious.

"Brother Yi! We've come to visit you!"

A chattering sound came from afar, and a group of girls, like colorful butterflies in spring, fluttered over.

"Wow! What's with the wind blowing today? It's turned this place into a valley of flowers!"

Jia Yi smiled and put down his chopsticks and stood up. "Wait a minute, I'll get you some rare stuff."

It turned out that Yuanyang had secretly told him that the group of young maids had secretly pooled their money, each donating a few taels of silver to help him pay off the Duke's debts.

He had planned to thank them individually after the meal, but he never expected that the group of girls would come to his door as a whole.

With a thought, he retrieved the long-forgotten [Snack Gift Pack] from his system space.

With a "rip," the packaging was torn open, and colorful little bags spilled all over the table.

"Come, come, try this. It's a 'celestial delicacy' that you absolutely can't buy anywhere else."

Jia Yi smiled and pushed the snacks toward the girl.

"Wow—what is this crunchy thing? It must be from heaven!"

"This soft and chewy texture is absolutely amazing! It's even more delicious than the osmanthus cake from the imperial kitchen!"

Xichun took a bite of the jelly, and her eyes instantly lit up like a galaxy.

The next second, the style of the scene changed drastically.

Just a moment ago, these elegant and poised ladies transformed into food-grabbing warriors in the blink of an eye. One grabbed potato chips, the other spicy strips, and even the packaging was licked clean.

"Brother Yi, thank you for treating us to these amazing snacks!"

Lin Daiyu smiled and suddenly took out a small red cloth bag from her sleeve: "This is a peace charm that I went to Ci'en Temple with the old lady a few days ago. I hope that Third Brother will have a smooth journey and return safely."

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire room fell silent.

Yingchun's hand trembled, Tanchun's face stiffened, and Xichun silently withdrew her hand into her sleeve...

We're doomed!

The gifts they pulled out were all amulets!

"Barbie has touched everyone's hearts!!"

Several people inwardly groaned: Why did we all have to have the same style?!

"Thank you, cousin."

Jia Yi took the amulet, carefully put it close to his chest, and looked at them with gentle eyes, as if he were holding a priceless treasure.

"Um... Third Brother, actually I... I also prepared a peace charm."

Yingchun's ear tips were red, and her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz.

I should have asked Lin Daiyu what to give her... Now look at me, so embarrassed I could crawl into the secret underground chamber.

"Me...me too." Tan Chun lowered her head and twisted her handkerchief, wishing she could disappear on the spot.

"Me too!"

"Me too!"

The sounds rose and fell, and the girls looked at each other, speechless with grief.

This is outrageous! Their perfect teamwork turned into a gift-giving disaster!

"What a coincidence, isn't it?" Jia Yi laughed heartily. "Perfectly divided tasks—this one protects the head, this one guards the left hand, and this one stabilizes the right foot..."

He then tied five amulets to his wrists and ankles, looking just like an exorcist about to go into battle.

"Hahaha!!!"

Everyone could no longer hold back, laughing so hard they were doubled over and tears streamed down their faces.

A young girl's unrequited love was transformed into a beautiful spring breeze by his playful antics.

After playing around, the girls dispersed and went back to their rooms to rest.

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, Jia Yi was planning to have Yuanyang pack her belongings and move back to her own manor—

People from the palace have arrived.

Emperor Yuankang issued an imperial edict: Enter the palace immediately, without delay.

The air seemed to freeze the moment he stepped into the imperial study.

The retired emperor sat in the main seat, with Emperor Yuankang standing to the side. Niu Jizong was still in full armor, his eyes fierce enough to split mountains.

In the corner, a chair had already been placed—right next to Niu Jizong, clearly reserved for him.

"Jia Yi, sit down first, we'll talk after everyone's here."

Emperor Yuankang spoke calmly.

A moment later, Grand Secretary Mark Chao and Vice Grand Secretary Wu Ci'en arrived in haste.

As soon as Mark Chao entered the room, his gaze swept over Jia Yi, and he was so startled that he instinctively jumped back, almost knocking over the screen.

Seeing that the other party didn't make a move, he patted his chest and quietly moved three seats away.

"Oh? The dignified Prime Minister can walk with such a swaying gait that he's practically intimidated?"

Wu Ci'en sneered, "Could it be that you sleepwalked last night and stepped on some will-o'-the-wisp, and now your bones are itching?"

"snort!"

Mark Chao's face turned ashen, and he managed to utter a single word, not daring to look at Jia Yi again.

"Gentlemen, take a look at this."

The retired emperor spoke in a deep voice, and Dai Quan immediately presented a secret memorial.

Mark Chao took it with trembling hands, and after just one glance, half his soul flew away—

[The Duke of Hu and the Duke of Zhao secretly colluded with the Later Jin dynasty, plotting to surrender the pass and accept their captivity.]

"This...this is impossible!"

He staggered backward, his knees buckled, and he almost fell flat on his backside.

Wu Ci'en snatched it and took a look; her face instantly turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

"Damn it! Your Majesty, the Emperor Emeritus, these two must be captured immediately!"

"Take him to the Meridian Gate and behead him as a warning to others!"

Niu Jizong erupted in anger, slamming his fist on the table, making the teacups bounce: "I'm about to go to war against the Later Jin with Jia Yi, and these two traitors dare to stab me in the back!"