Dream of the Red Chamber: Start by gaining Zhao Yun's martial prowess, and be ennobled in a sin

In Rongqing Hall,

With a shout from Jia Jing, Zhu Que, who had been waiting outside, led a dozen or so robust old women from the East Mansion into the hall without looking to the side.

The people in the hall looked at each other in dismay at the scene, and all of them changed color.

What is this all about? Is Duke Jing going to interrogate the Princess Consort of Nan'an and the Princess Consort of Dongping?

"Your subordinate is here!" Zhuque bowed.

Jia Jing stood up, and the hilt of the Shangfang sword under his black python robe was grasped by a pair of long, thick hands with distinct knuckles. The young man had cold, sharp eyebrows, a frosty face, and eyes full of integrity.

The silent power at that moment caused everyone in the hall to hold their breath slightly!

The Jia family members were alright, as they were used to Jia Jing's occasional outbursts within the mansion and clan. However, Zhen Shi, Li Shi, Nian Shilan, You Erjie, You Sanjie, and others were deeply shaken and their faces were moved.

"By order of the Lord, the Prince of Nan'an and the heir of the Prince of Dongping, being top-ranking military officers of the Han Dynasty and having received the Emperor's favor for generations, have failed to manage their households properly, have been morally corrupt, are unable to distinguish right from wrong, and have forgotten their ancestors."

"At this time when the nation is strengthening its military and striving for national rejuvenation, instead of repaying the emperor's kindness and setting an example for the nation's military achievements, they have taken the lead in resisting military orders, causing unrest among the people, obstructing the clearing of garrisons, and attempting to undermine the court's national policies for their own selfish interests."

"The Prince of Nan'an is hereby dismissed from his post as Right Commander of the Five Armies Commandery, and the Heir Apparent of the Prince of Dongping is hereby dismissed from his post as Assistant Commander of the Five Armies Commandery. Both are hereby ordered to return to their residences and reflect on their actions."

"Within three days, submit a complete register of all military farmland seized from the two prefectures and return it voluntarily. Anyone who dares to deceive or delay will have their property confiscated and their titles revoked; no one will be spared. Do not say you were not warned!"

Jia Jing's command was like a thunderclap, startling everyone in the room and causing them to tremble in shock!

When the conversation fell apart, he went so far as to dismiss the heads of the two princely mansions from their official positions and order them to return to their residences to reflect on their actions behind closed doors. Such a forceful move...

Princess Zhen of Bei Jing frowned, her composure completely vanished, and her bright eyes stared at the young man, her heart filled with trepidation!

The Prince of Nan'an was appointed as the Right Commander-in-Chief of the Five Armies Commandery, which was the highest rank among military officials, even higher than his own prince. Unexpectedly, he was stripped of his post!

The smile that had been watching the show vanished from Grandmother Jia's face. Her aged features paused slightly, a hint of surprise and uncertainty in her eyes, and a sense of unease crept into her mind.

She just wanted her third grandson to give the two fools, the Dowager Princess of Nan'an and the Crown Princess of Dongping, a good scolding and then send them away.

Unexpectedly, the third grandson seemed to have lost his temper, and at the slightest disagreement, he even wanted to punish the Prince of Nan'an and the Heir Apparent of Dongping.

After all, these are two great princely mansions! Isn't it inappropriate to make such a big fuss?

Madam Wang looked on with disbelief and was surprised. She thought to herself, "Has this eldest son of a concubine become so arrogant that he dares to disregard even the prince?"

They even said they would confiscate his property and strip him of his title. Do you, a duke, have the right to confiscate the property of a prince?

Aunt Xue paused slightly on her fair face, secretly glancing at her beloved daughter Baochai, and pondered:

Jing-ge'er's power seems to have reached an insurmountable level! Is there anyone he can't punish? Fortunately, no one in our family has crossed him!

Baochai, however, remained calm, her pear-like white face showing no change in expression. She pondered, "The only Minister of State in charge of military affairs, who is in charge of all military matters, is no ordinary person!"

"Yes, Your Excellency!" Zhuque loudly clasped her hands in response.

At this moment, the Princess Dowager of Nan'an was filled with shock and anger. In her seventy-plus years of life, she had never seen such an arrogant person.

They actually took away her son's job right in front of her, and even said they would take away their royal title!

Her family's royal title was bestowed by the founding emperor and is meant to be shared with the nation. Do you think you can just take it away like that?

"How dare you!" The Princess Consort of Nan'an suddenly stood up, her dragon-headed cane slamming heavily on the ground with a dull thud.

Her well-preserved old face was now ashen, veins throbbing at her temples, and her voice trembled slightly with extreme anger as she questioned:

"My son, Ming'er, is a Prince of the current dynasty, a title of the highest rank, hereditary and perpetual, bestowed by the founding emperor to be with the nation forever!"

"You, a minister of the Ministry of Military Affairs, have no right to dismiss a prince of the current dynasty without an imperial edict, and to presumptuously confiscate his property and strip him of his title? This is overstepping your bounds! This is usurpation! This is deceiving the emperor!"

She gasped for breath, her chest heaving, her gaze piercing Jia Jing like a knife. Her voice suddenly rose, filled with a desperate, reckless rage as she shouted:

"If you dare to act recklessly today, I will beat the drum of petition, kneel in the ancestral temple, and file a complaint with the emperor! I want to personally ask His Majesty and the Emperor Emeritus whether the Han dynasty still upholds the law!"

"Do these officials still respect the rules set by the founding emperor? I refuse to believe that you, Jia Jing, can control everything and silence the public!"

The Princess Consort of Nan'an spoke with such sternness that no one doubted her authenticity!

Everyone in the hall watched the scene of conflict with fear on their faces. To be precise, most of their eyes were on Jia Jing, who had a calm expression.

"You want an imperial edict?" Jia Jing's face was cold as he took out the red-gold imperial decree from his robes and held it high.

The candlelight reflected on the gold plaque, its golden light shimmering so brightly that everyone in the hall lowered their heads, unable to look directly at it.

The young man's voice was deep and resolute, each word carrying immense weight, echoing throughout Rongqing Hall:

"This is a golden plaque bestowed by His Majesty. Whoever holds this plaque is as if His Majesty were personally present. I act on behalf of Heaven, and my words are more powerful than any imperial edict."

"Don't think that merely stripping him of his title as Prince of Nan'an is enough. If he dares to disobey orders and obstruct the court's policies again, I will personally lead troops to the Prince of Nan'an's residence and behead him. This is within the authority of this imperial edict, and no dissent will be tolerated!"

Retrieving the gold medal, Jia Jing's gaze swept across the pale face of the Princess of Nan'an with a sharp, piercing look. Too lazy to waste any more words with the two women of the inner quarters, he parted his lips slightly and uttered three words, cold as a biting wind sweeping across ice:

"Get him out!"

Before the Princess Consort of Nan'an could say anything more, several burly old women pounced on her like wolves and tigers, grabbing her arms without any politeness, preventing her from moving an inch.

Seemingly never having encountered such treatment before, the Princess of Nan'an was momentarily stunned, then struggled to shake off the attack.

But her body, which had been pampered for decades, was no match for these strong women who had been trained by Xuanwu in the East Mansion.

"Clang!"

The dragon-headed cane fell to the ground and was kicked into a corner by an old woman.

The Princess Consort of Nan'an was dragged out, staggering, her gold and kingfisher feather phoenix hairpin askew, and a few strands of gray hair falling around her ears.

The crimson brocade jacket with floral patterns was torn and crumpled during the struggle, completely losing the elegant and imposing appearance she had when she entered.

"Jia Jing, you just wait..."

"I'm going to file a complaint with the emperor..."

"Your Highness, please open your eyes and take a look..."