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

A political turmoil was disrupted by a slap and a heavy kick, leaving everything in disarray.

Upon hearing this, the scholars who were curled up on the ground immediately raised their heads, their bloodshot eyes fixed on Zhao Lu, their eyes almost spitting fire.

It's all your fault!!!

"Okay! Take him home with us!"

Xia Shouzhong's gaze was like a knife, so cold it could cut through bones.

After all that trouble and chaos, it turns out it was all because of you, you bastard, stirring things up behind the scenes!

Before long, Jia Yi and his party arrived at the Imperial Study.

Xia Shouzhong didn't even have time to catch his breath before immediately reporting the whole story to Emperor Yuankang.

"Heh...very good, very good."

Emperor Yuankang tapped his fingertips on the dragon table, his voice so deep it seemed to rise from the ground, "Zhao Lu, you've really done something 'big'."

He'd wanted to kill this bastard for a long time!

With the Later Jin dynasty gaining power and the imperial court collapsing, this guy has to take at least half the blame! But with that old fox Mark Chao standing in his way, he can't be touched for the time being.

Now that he's delivered himself to our doorstep—even if the King of Heaven himself came, he couldn't save him!

"Your Majesty! I know I'm guilty! I truly know I was wrong!"

Zhao Lu fell to his knees with a thud, his head hitting the ground with a loud thud, like the beating of a drum.

But when he saw the murderous intent in the emperor's eyes, his heart trembled and he immediately turned to look at Jia Yi standing to the side.

"Duke of Qin! For the sake of our shared service in the same court..."

Please, say something!

He wailed and cried, his face a mess of tears and snot—he didn't want to die! His newly acquired concubine was still waiting to consummate their marriage!

"roll!"

Jia Yi sneered, raised his foot and kicked Zhao Lu, sending him sprawling face-first into the mud.

"Guards!" Emperor Yuankang abruptly stood up, his voice like cold iron, "Take him to the Meridian Gate and behead him as a warning to the public!"

"No—! Your Excellency, save me! Help me!!!"

Zhao Lu screamed in agony, but before he could finish speaking, two burly generals strode in, grabbed him, and smashed his jaw with a snap.

The scream abruptly stopped, leaving only a whimpering sound in his throat, like the mournful cry of a trapped beast.

The hall returned to silence.

Emperor Yuankang slowly sat down, turned to look at Jia Yi, and suddenly smiled: "Young Jia, I'm sorry to have wronged you."

He paused, then said, "I remember you have a younger sister, right? Hmm... I'll bestow upon you a governess; train her well."

"...Thank you, Your Majesty."

Jia Yi bowed in gratitude, but his gaze narrowed slightly.

That smile... why does it have such an eerie feel to it?

It didn't feel like comforting him; it felt more like a trap had been set, waiting for him to run right into it.

And the facts proved him right—

The selection of the Crown Prince's consort has been delayed, but today, Emperor Yuankang has already made up his mind.

It's settled! It's Jia Yi's younger sister, Jia Yingchun.

Although she was Jia She's illegitimate daughter, Jia Yi was her blood relative.

This "closeness" is enough to support a future legitimate wife of the Crown Prince!

So when Jia Yi left the palace, there was an imperial carriage behind him, with the "rewarded" governess sitting in it.

"Your Excellency, your behavior is against palace rules."

The old woman cleared her throat and reprimanded sternly, "When walking in the palace, one must keep one's eyes down and maintain a composed demeanor. One must not look around, much less stride with one's head held high..."

"Shut up."

Jia Yi interrupted him coldly without turning his head.

"I can go wherever I want, it's none of your business."

The old woman choked on her words, her lips trembling slightly, finally accepting reality—

This is like casting pearls before swine!

She had completely forgotten that this man was a notorious "crazy idiot"!

Expecting him to listen? You might as well wait for the sun to rise in the west!

So she shut up completely, slunk back into the corner of the carriage, and followed silently the rest of the way.

Meanwhile, the Rongguo Mansion was in an uproar.

The civil officials who had been stopped by Jia Yi earlier had no choice but to send the imperial edict to the mansion to be read aloud after seeing that others had entered the palace.

"Hahaha!!!"

Jia She paced back and forth in Rongqing Hall, his face beaming with excitement, his voice cracking, "Yi-ge'er has risen to the top in one step, directly being granted the title of Second-Class Duke! A whole rank higher than me! Higher than me indeed!"

He said he had "expected it," but when he actually heard the imperial edict, his heart still skipped a few beats.

Bringing glory to one's ancestors! This is true glory to one's ancestors!

"yes……"

With tears in her eyes, Grandmother Jia smiled like a child, "Finally, I can stand tall and meet my ancestors!"

Everyone in the household, except for the second branch, was beaming with pride.

Only Jia Zheng's face turned ashen, his jealousy almost overflowing from his eyes and spreading across his entire face.

He lost all his official position and stayed at home doing nothing, while his nephew, who was called a "fool," suddenly became a Duke of the current dynasty, whose status even surpassed that of his father!

Why should I?!

"Mother..." He forced a smile, "I've been idle at home for too long. Perhaps I could ask Yi-ge to help me find a job through the Ministry of Personnel..."

"Yes, yes, yes!"

Upon hearing this, Jia Baoyu immediately sidled up to Grandmother Jia, clinging to her arm and pleading, "Grandmother, please, have mercy on Master! If this continues, I'll go crazy going to the clan school every day!"

Just as Grandmother Jia was about to speak, Jia She gently waved his hand.

"Mother," he sighed, "this matter... I can't persuade Yi-ge'er."

"Why don't you go and discuss it with Yi-ge?"

Jia She looked at Grandmother Jia with a sly smile, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

Grandmother Jia immediately rolled her eyes—that little brat doesn't even respect me, how can you expect him to listen to you?

"By the way," Jia She changed the subject, his eyebrows dancing with excitement, "Isn't Wang Ziteng now the military governor of the capital? Getting him to arrange a low-ranking official position for the second son would be a piece of cake, wouldn't it?"

"How could I, the legitimate son of a Duke's mansion, stoop to such a trivial official position!"

Upon hearing this, Jia Zheng's face immediately turned as long as the street, and he instantly lost his temper.

Just then, Lai Da rushed over, his steps quick and brisk: "Master, the Duke has returned to the manor!"

Now he no longer calls himself "Master," but directly calls him "Master," making his attitude very clear—whoever is in power is the master.

"Let's go pick up my precious son!"

Jia She slapped his thigh, got up, and rushed outside.

A group of people followed closely behind, like waves of wheat swaying in the wind, all rushing after them.

The girls in the manor had their eyes shining and their hearts were pounding in their throats—Third Brother was back!

Their skirts fluttered, their laughter like bells, and they ran towards the door with a burst of energy.

"You bastard! You abandoned me again!"

Jia Baoyu stood there so angry that he stomped his feet, his face turning red.

But amidst the surging crowd, he stood there all alone, like an abandoned Lantern Festival dumpling.

In the end, all they could do was grit their teeth and chase after him.

Before even reaching the gate, a tall, slender figure stepped into the mansion, followed by an elderly woman in simple clothes. Her steps were steady, yet her demeanor was extraordinary.

"Hahaha! My dear son!"

Jia She rushed forward and opened his arms to pull Jia Yi into his embrace.

"Well……"

Jia Yi's face darkened, and he took a step back. A thousand wild horses galloped through his mind—Dad, can't you have any shame?

Presumably sensing the murderous glare from his son, Jia She chuckled awkwardly, released his grip, and coughed twice to divert the embarrassment.