Dream of the Red Chamber: Starting from Immortal Martial Arts

Chapter 108 Explanation!

The mere mention of requisitioning cultivators from various sects provoked the assembled officials in the hall to step forward and refute Emperor Changwu before he could even react!

"I object."

"That's utter nonsense."

"Your Majesty, this move is jeopardizing the foundation of the nation; Marquis Wu Ying has no good intentions."

Jia Tang snorted coldly and sneered, "Undermining the foundation of the nation? Ha! I've only been in seclusion for a little over a month, and first Liaodong fell, then the capital was attacked, and now cultivators in various places are causing trouble. Isn't this even more destabilizing the foundation of the nation?"

Liang Pei instinctively retorted, "The one attacked Xianjing was your Jia family!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the cabinet ministers were shocked and hurriedly advised, "Grand Secretary Liang, be careful what you say!"

"Lord Wu Ying, please calm down!"

"The imperial court will definitely investigate this matter!"

"What a fine family the Jia family is!"

Jia Tang laughed in fury: "Just because it's my Jia family, does this magnificent capital not count as the Great Zhao City? Can the tragic death of this current noble be left unchecked?"

"Excellent! I hope that when Huai'an Prefecture is attacked by bandits, Grand Secretary Liang will say the same thing!"

Liang Pei's face was ashen, and his eyes, filled with shock and anger, held an uncontrollable look of fear!

The rules have already been broken by real people, and if I continue to target them as usual, I'm afraid I'll really be in trouble!

The other ministers were about to offer further advice when Jia Tang waved his hand, interrupting them: "Enough! My own family has been murdered, and the body is still lying in state. The war affairs should be discussed by you loyal and capable ministers to share the burden of the emperor!"

Emperor Changwu frowned and slammed his hand on the table: "This matter will be discussed later. Everyone, take your places."

Once the civil and military officials had quieted down again, Meng Ziming, a Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion, stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, the court could send another batch of troops north to boost morale and inspire the people."

Sheng Yuxiao asked, "According to the Grand Secretary, could it be that troops are being transferred from the Beijing Garrison?"

Meng Ziming replied, "Reporting to the Vice Minister, they could be soldiers from the capital garrison or soldiers from the guard posts."

"Except for the Shenji Battalion, which has not yet been moved, more than half of the rest of the Beijing Garrison have been redeployed. It would be inappropriate to redeploy them further," Liang Pei retorted. He paused and then added, "Besides, Liaodong is currently defending against the enemy outside the pass. The front line has already resisted the enemy army, and the soldiers at Shanhaiguan in the rear have been on high alert day and night. I expect there will be no problem with their defense."

Upon hearing this, Grand Secretary Cen Shizhang of the Wuying Hall scoffed, "According to Grand Secretary Liang's brilliant opinion, the imperial army can only passively defend and cannot take the initiative to attack?"

"Grand Secretary Cen, you should know that the war at the front is critical, consuming enormous amounts of money and supplies every day. The rear is already tightening its belt. If anything else goes wrong, can you, Grand Secretary Cen, bear the responsibility?"

"Don't flatter me, I won't fall for your words." Cen Shizhang retorted dismissively, and said to Emperor Changwu, "Your Majesty, this old minister agrees with Wu Yingbo's proposal. You should know that there is no such thing as guarding against thieves for a thousand days."

Emperor Changwu nodded slightly and asked He Xinyi, "What is the Grand Secretary's opinion?"

He Xinyi pondered for a moment and said, "What Grand Secretary Liang said makes some sense. Our Great Zhao has a vast territory and a long border. The north is not only Liaodong, but also various tribes in the northwest are making moves. We can play it safe."

Liang Pei was overjoyed and echoed, "The Grand Secretary's words are reasonable; this old minister seconds it."

After the discussion, Emperor Changwu asked again, "The three religions of Taoism and Buddhism in the Huguang region are causing trouble. What are your opinions, my esteemed ministers?"

There was much discussion among both civil and military officials, but the consensus was always to send troops to suppress the rebellion.

Emperor Changwu asked, "Who is capable of undertaking this task?"

Jia Tang's expression changed slightly. He spread his divine sense around him and sent a telepathic message to Niu Jizong and the others, telling them not to interfere.

On the left, Ji Wenqing, a member of the Chongwu lineage, stepped forward from the military officer squad and said, "Your Majesty, I recommend Gong Xiangchao, the guerrilla commander of the Jiangnan Camp. He is a first-level Outer Martial Arts cultivator, skilled in archery and horsemanship, and proficient in both literary and military arts. He is capable of undertaking this task."

Minister of Revenue Zhao Enxi also stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I recommend Zhang Xinbo, the Right Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, and Liu Tingyuan, the Imperial Censor. Both of them are late-stage first-class civil officials, of noble character, and skilled in both literature and martial arts. They are capable of shouldering heavy responsibilities."

The remaining court officials also began to recommend their own people, arguing endlessly like pulling and kicking each other, while only the founding lineage watched coldly and remained silent.

Emperor Changwu observed quietly for a while, and seeing that the founding lineage remained silent, he made up his mind and said, "The one whose destiny palace is in charge is Xiang Chao."

Zhang Xinbo was appointed as deputy commander, with Liu Tingyuan, He Yun, and Ji Mo as assistant commanders. They led three battalions of troops from the Jiangnan Grand Camp to suppress the heretical forces in Huguang and restore the livelihood of the people.

He paused, then continued, "At this time of great upheaval, the nation needs virtuous men. Next year, we will hold additional civil and military examinations to select talented individuals."

The civil and military officials in the hall reacted in various ways upon hearing this. Before anyone could react, Emperor Changwu waved his hand and turned to leave: "Court adjourned."

After leaving the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the founding generation gathered together. Wu Gangwei, the commander of the three thousand battalions, asked in bewilderment, "Why is the Earl's voice appearing in my head?"

Jia Tang first used his divine sense to create a soundproofing effect, then, facing the puzzled gazes of the crowd, he calmly transmitted his divine sense, saying, "It's a secret technique obtained from a secret realm, which can only be used by those with divine sense."

The people around shook their heads in dismay; divine sense was something only those at the second level possessed.

A military officer standing nearby asked, "Why won't you let us speak, Lord? Suppressing the evil sorcerer is a military achievement, no matter how small."

Jia Tang shook his head slightly and said, "Something's fishy. Let someone else scout ahead first."

Xie Jing said in surprise, "At most, they just have powerful families supporting them. If they dare to show their faces, they'll be slaughtered."

"I'm afraid it's not just the aristocratic families; people who worship the Holy Sect have appeared, and some have even broken through to the third level. Also, everyone should stay away from the capital recently, as there may be unrest in Liaodong, and we'll have to go there again then."

"What?"

Everyone gasped in surprise upon hearing this. At this moment, Niu Jizong waved his hand and said, "Alright, everyone calm down. Anyone who dares to leak this information will be dealt with by me."

The generals suppressed their emotions and began to chatter and joke around as they left the imperial city.

A short while later, in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Xia Shouzhong entered with a bow and said to Emperor Changwu, who was sitting on the inner side of the imperial desk: "According to the Imperial Guards, the mouths of the founding lineage members were seen moving but no sound was heard. In addition, Wu Yingbo did not speak at all, but only shook his head."

Emperor Changwu frowned slightly and asked, "I only see the mouth moving, but I can't hear any sound."

"This old servant has inquired about them one by one, and they all say the same thing."

"Soundproofing? It doesn't enhance combat power at all, so it's really useless."

Emperor Changwu was puzzled and asked again, "Why do you think they don't seem to care much about the affairs of Huguang today?"

"This old servant doesn't know; perhaps it's because they don't think much of it."

"I hope nothing unexpected happens."

Emperor Changwu felt the various constraints of his hasty ascension to the throne: the civil officials with their own thoughts, the military generals who were willing to fight to the death for the country but had their own agendas, and the Flying Eagle Division not reporting any news about the area outside the capital to him!

There are currently no loyal and capable people available, so the only option is to hold an additional imperial examination to create a new batch of martial merits. This will require separating the national and martial arts factions, which may lead to further disputes.

"Daban, do you think the real person who attacked and killed Jia a few days ago was one of Father Emperor's men?"

"This—this old servant does not know—"

Emperor Changwu had found his answer. He cast a glare towards Tianshou Palace and murmured, "Father, oh Father, just how chaotic do you want the dynasty to become?"

After leaving the imperial city, Jia Tang first returned to the underground chamber to practice Taoist arts for a while, and then headed towards the western mansion.

Upon arriving at Rongqing Hall, the various officials in charge of the West Mansion had been waiting for a long time.

Forgetting all formalities, the old lady asked, "Are you heading to Liaodong?"

Jia Tang shook his head: "We'll talk about everything after the funeral."

Jia She's eyes flickered slightly, and he asked in surprise, "You don't want the Liaodong territory anymore?"

"Of course!"

...

Jia Tang thought for a moment and replied, "It can be considered as luring the enemy deep into our territory. Three ranks have already gone north to Liaodong to secretly protect Uncle Liu."

Jia She was somewhat puzzled: "Why is that?"

"I'll wait until Emperor Changwu offers an even higher price to confirm my suspicions!"

Jia Tang wanted to see if the official position promised by the Chen family had any luck or any hidden tricks up its sleeve, given that the war in Liaodong was at a stalemate and the country was losing ground.

The highest level in the world right now is only the third rank. He, along with his family retainers and the eight prefectures of the Immortal Capital, has already been seated at the table, making him half a dealer!

The group then discussed the funeral arrangements. Eight days had passed since the three men were killed, and Grandmother Jia suggested that the coffins be kept in state for another six days until the 27th day of the first lunar month, which is the third day of the first lunar month, when the funeral procession would begin.

Grandmother Jia wiped away her tears and said, "The world is getting more and more chaotic now. It feels like we've returned to the end of the previous dynasty, as our ancestors described it."

"At this juncture, it is truly inappropriate to keep the body in state for an extended period. Let's hold the funeral as soon as possible so that Jing'er and the others can be laid to rest in peace!"

Jia Tang nodded: "That's fine then!"

Seeing this, Grandmother Jia breathed a sigh of relief and said to Jia She, "At the twenty-eighth hour, send out invitations to each household."

"clear."

After a moment's hesitation, Grandmother Jia asked, "Was it the Chen family who did it?"

Jia Tang and Jia She exchanged a glance and said, "It's most likely them, if not them, then it has to be."

Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia sighed and said, "Is it still a problem with this formation?"

He continued, "I don't think so. If they remain unchanged, when a fourth-tier, god-like figure emerges, whether it's a formation or not will be the same thing."

"Therefore, there must be some other reason that I don't know about. Perhaps Tiger's talent frightened the other party, or perhaps there is a secret treasure hidden in the mansion that the other party desires."

Thinking that the two family retainers had broken through to the third level in just one month, Grandmother Jia said, "Tiger, if it is truly unavoidable, we should lead the troops to escape, preserve our strength, and plan for a comeback."

"With you here, the Jia family mansions will not truly perish!"

Jia She stroked his beard and added, "Take Yu'er away, to continue the bloodline!"

Jia Tang's eyes flashed with malice as he said hatefully, "It shouldn't have come to this. I was wrong about what happened. I thought they wouldn't be in such a hurry. Those bastards—"

Grandmother Jia ignored him and interrupted him directly: "Whether you guessed right or wrong, remember what I'm saying: if things don't look good, just leave!"

"I'll guard the manor for you then, and when you return, you can offer the enemy's blood as a sacrifice to my incense—"

"Remember this: always prioritize your own safety!"

1m

In Daiyu's courtyard, Jia Tang had just arrived at the gate when he saw Zijuan, Chunxian, and Xueyan waiting beside him with a fish basin, a handkerchief, and fragrant tea. Lin Daiyu, dressed in a snow-white robe as white as frost, stood in the courtyard holding a sharp sword. Her long hair cascaded down, and as she turned slightly, her long skirt spread out. Every move she made was as graceful as a willow swaying in the wind. As her long sleeves danced, streaks of cold light passed through, like the moonlight in the jade osmanthus tree, clear and deep.

After performing a set of sword moves, Lin Daiyu held the sword behind her back with her hand in reverse. Her big eyes curved into crescents, and a smile graced her fair and delicate face, which was as smooth as warm jade. She looked at Jia Tang with a beautiful expression.

But then he thought of the deaths of Jia Jing, Jia Zhen, and others, and the smile on his face slowly faded.

He then strode forward, took the sword, and walked into the house.

Lin Daiyu looked at the lingering murderous aura in Jia Tang's eyes and said softly, "Brother, you look so much older in just one month."

With a gentle smile in his tiger-like eyes, Jia Tang looked at the person he hadn't seen for three hundred days and nights and said cheerfully, "I've just figured out a few things. Let me see what stage my sister has reached in the mortal path."

Lin Daiyu looked at the outstretched hand and couldn't help but roll her eyes at Jia Tang, but she still placed her fair and delicate hand in Jia Tang's palm, her pretty face slightly flushed.

Jia Tang gently kneaded her skin, a hint of surprise in his eyes. "My sister has developed an iron body? Truly a gifted girl."

Lin Daiyu shook her head slightly, and her clear voice rang out: "The spiritual energy of heaven and earth has surged, and I feel that my cultivation speed has increased considerably."

2

Jia Tang pulled Lin Daiyu into the room, personally poured her a cup of fragrant tea, placed it in her hand, waved away the maids, and said calmly to those behind him, "Come out."

Lin Daiyu stared in bewilderment, only to see an oil-paper umbrella suddenly appear behind Jia Tang, followed by long, black hair. Then, a woman dressed in white stepped out gracefully, startling Lin Daiyu so much that she gripped Jia Tang's hand tightly.

Jia Tang patted the back of her hand to reassure her, and Nie Xiaoqian timidly stepped forward, knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "This servant greets Mistress."

Lin Daiyu's face visibly began to flush, and she glanced at him before lowering her eyes with trembling eyelashes.

Jia Tang chuckled and said, "This is the spirit that was formed after the death of someone I subdued. It is roughly at the first level of cultivation. It will stay by my sister's side and protect her from now on."

The intelligent and perceptive Lin Daiyu first told Nie Xiaoqian to get up, then asked, "Is this perhaps the reason why my brother disappeared this month?"

"That gate of light—"

Realizing she had been probing into his secrets, Lin Daiyu hurriedly swallowed the rest of her sentence.

Jia Tang first used his divine sense to create a soundproof barrier, then smiled and nodded, saying, "Yes, I had a fortuitous encounter that allowed me to locate the secret realm. It will happen once a year from now on, at varying times."

"Aren't there no living creatures in the secret realm?"

Jia Tang shook his head and slowly approached: "Actually, it's not really a secret realm. After all, even the flow of time is different. It's more like an alien realm from another world. There are court officials and common people inside, different cultivation systems, and demons and monsters. Xiaoqian was originally captured by a tree demon and had her do things for her. Later, I killed the tree demon and she stayed by my side."

"We explore once a year, and the rare and precious materials inside can accelerate the cultivation speed of me and my guards, greatly reducing the time required."

With a wave of his hand, several jade bottles appeared out of thin air on the table. Jia Tang continued, "These are pills made by alchemists from other regions to accelerate cultivation. There are Body Tempering Pills suitable for the Flesh and Tendon Refining stages, Vajra Pills for the Bone Forging stage, Blood-Increasing Pills for the Blood Refining stage, and so on. Sister can take them. Combined with the Tiger Tendon Pills, Tiger Bone Pills, and Blood-Generating Pills in the manor, you will definitely make rapid progress."