Dream of the Red Chamber: Starting from Immortal Martial Arts

Chapter 120 Internal Security Crisis!

On the third day of the third month of the seventh year of Changwu, it was raining heavily!

To the west of Rongguo Mansion stands the newly completed Weihu Marquis Mansion.

Two majestic and imposing stone tigers stand on the left and right in front of the gate. The tall and heavy vermilion gate is inlaid with door studs that gleam with gold. Above it is a red wooden plaque with the four characters "Wei Hu Hou Fu" (威虎侯府) written in a powerful and vigorous style.

Inside, the five courtyards cover a thousand acres, shaded by green trees and blooming with flowers. Pavilions and waterside terraces with upturned eaves and corners, palaces and towers with carved beams and painted rafters, and squads of heavily armored soldiers patrol the mansion!

Behind them, on the spacious training ground, a group of resolute-faced, slightly rough-skinned female members of the Tiger Guards and Warriors gathered. The group numbered exactly sixty. They were the first batch of officially selected members of the Inner Guards, most of whom had reached the first level of the Mortal Refinement Realm, and some had even reached the second level. Their treatment was in line with that of the Warriors.

They were originally subordinate to the Jia family, and generation after generation they were married to Tiger Guards and soldiers. Their children also inherited the responsibility of protecting the Jia family. They had no reluctance to be selected to enter the Inner Guard, only a strong sense of honor.

Whose food you eat, whose life you serve—this has always been the case!

"Tap tap—"

"6

Lin Daiyu, dressed in a soft silver silk dress, walked in gracefully. Her face was as white as swan's cream, her lips as red as cherries, her eyebrows as dark as ink, and her expression like an ice lotus. She was graceful and elegant, as pure and cold as snow.

A jade pendant with a warm, lustrous sheen hung from her left waist, while a long, narrow token was suspended from her right. On it was carved a magnificent phoenix soaring high, and behind her, an oil-paper umbrella floated in mid-air, shielding her from the heavy rain.

On one side, Jia Tanchun wore a soft silver gauze embroidered skirt, with a phoenix pendant hanging from her waist. She had slender shoulders and a slim waist, a round face, beautiful eyes and delicate eyebrows, and a lively and spirited demeanor. Her beautiful long hair was tied up with a gold tiger hairpin, making her look exceptionally dashing and capable.

As soon as the two women entered the training ground, all the guards knelt down on one knee to pay their respects.

"No need for formalities!"

Lin Daiyu's voice was clear and bright, her eyes sparkling. Her delicate face slightly composed, and she solemnly declared, "Yesterday, our fourth generation of generals officially appointed me as the head of the inner guard, with my third sister as my assistant, to lead all the elder sisters in protecting the inner quarters and safeguarding the inner courtyard, so as to reassure the generals and the Tiger Guards!"

"Today is the day when our inner guard is officially formed, our teachings are imparted, and our weapons and armor are provided."

Lin Daiyu paused here, looked up at the gloomy sky, her eyes slightly raised, a smile appeared on her face, and a shadow fell over her snow-white face.

Upon hearing this, all the guards frowned and held their breath, quietly awaiting the instructions!

"Logically speaking, on such an important day, one would usually pray for a peaceful and sunny day to bring good fortune. But I don't think so. I firmly believe that women are inherently yin, and being deep in the inner courtyard, they are often accompanied by secret schemes and plots, which only adds to their mystery."

"This overcast and rainy day is a good omen for our inner guard!"

All the guards bowed in unison: "Yes, sir!"

Tan Chun, standing to the side, trembled and took a deep breath. She didn't know what Lin Daiyu was thinking, but this was the first time she had ever seen such a scene of people standing in formation and bowing solemnly.

A strange feeling, indescribable and inexplicable, welled up from the bottom of her heart, a blush rose on her delicate cheeks, and a flame ignited in her eyes!

Lin Daiyu didn't show it on her face, but her small hands, hidden in her sleeves, clenched into fists, and strands of blue threads burst out from the back of her fair, jade-like hands.

"I hope that you will all work together with one heart and one mind in the future to protect the mansion and the Jingyuan!"

"only!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Daiyu's gaze darkened slightly. She stretched out her arm and flicked her sleeve. Xiaoqian, who was hidden in the shadows behind her, hurriedly used her spatial ring to send out a series of black armors that gleamed with a cold light, along with slender waist knives and crossbows with sharp arrows. They landed in front of each of the inner guards in turn.

With another wave of his sleeve, bottles of pills, ointments, powders, and other Jia family cultivation elixirs appeared before the women.

"Pick up your sword and armor, put away your medicinal herbs, and follow Third Sister to the underground chamber to practice the Jia family's martial arts!"

"only!"

Upon hearing this, Jia Tanchun secretly exerted force in her waist, straightened her shoulders and back, and walked firmly to one side!

"Keep up!"

After Tan Chun led the guards away, Lin Daiyu quietly breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly turned around to ask, "Xiaoqian, did I do anything wrong?"

Xiaoqian appeared in her spirit form upon hearing the voice, her beautiful face beaming with a smile, and replied, "Of course not, Mistress did a very good job. Your expression was dignified and your aura was imposing, which gave this servant quite a fright."

Lin Daiyu rolled her eyes at Xiaoqian, a smirk playing on her lips, and scoffed, "All you do is sweet-talk me!"

"This servant dares not presume; I am truly and sincerely convinced."

Xiaoqian smiled and curtsied, then asked, "Mistress, this is the inner guard that His Majesty has assembled for you. Why are you being so cautious?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Daiyu's beautiful eyes curved slightly, revealing a resolute expression.

"Therefore we should do our utmost so as not to fail our brother's trust!"

There's another unspoken point: the teachings of Grandmother Jia and others.

"Only by combining authority with virtue can one truly win people's hearts."

"My brother has set a good example for me, so I absolutely cannot let him down!"

The rain fell in torrents, creating a misty, hazy atmosphere that enveloped the world.

Where Lin Daiyu couldn't see, Jia Tang, leading Jia Kang who had just returned from the Northwest, stood at the top of the main hall of the Marquis's mansion, watching her with a smile as she meticulously instructed the guards.

This was truly unexpected for Jia Tang.

I thought Lin Daiyu would be in a flustered state.

Indeed, Lin Daiyu's fate in this world is completely different from her past life. She did not suffer any difficulties or cold treatment from the Rong Mansion or the Jia family. In addition, she was raised to adulthood by Jia Min and experienced many dangers from the Lin family. Therefore, she has no shortage of resilience and adaptability.

Jia Tang withdrew his gaze, led Jia Kang back to the study in Ruihu Courtyard in the blink of an eye, and after they sat down, asked, "How is the Northwest?"

Jia Kang replied, "My late King Dazhuang arrived in the Northwest and explored Chijian Ridge. The blood land inside, like the blood land of Lianghuai, also has garrisoned cultivators, but they are destroying burial mounds and collecting supplies for relocation."

"I wanted to catch them off guard and steal the Blood Grass, but they've already dealt with it."

Jia Tang's eyes flickered slightly, and he asked in surprise, "You went to the Northwest not long after killing a third-tier enemy, how could they have gone ahead of time?"

"From this perspective, either there is a method for transmitting sound over ten thousand miles, or there is a third-level method for a ten-thousand-mile rapid attack."

Jia Kang thought for a moment and then said, "It cannot be ruled out that someone is hiding outside the range of my divine sense."

It's possible, but very unlikely.

The third-tier cultivators currently appearing in the world are those who entered the tier through the refinement of mortals and advanced refinement. There are only three: Chen Kan, Chen Yu, and Chen Yuan of the Chen family, and one True Person from the Li family. Even the True Persons of the eight prefectures, such as Niu Lian of the Niu family and Hou Xiaoli of the Hou family, are only at the sixth level of refinement.

Because those who have now entered the third tier are basically figures from the founding period of the country. Back then, resources were scarce, so they would break through whenever they could.

The divine sense of the third rank is three times that of the second rank. The average cultivator's range is only 15 to 18 li. If one wants to be outside Jia Kang's 21-li range of divine sense, not to mention having a golden body, one would need to refine blood eight times, and the energy flow would be so strong that the drums would shake the heavens!

This kind of profound knowledge cannot be hidden even if you want to!

Jia Kang continued, "After leaving Chijian Ridge, I secretly went to the grasslands and explored the mountain range that faces the Great Wall on the border."

"But for some reason, it's as if an invisible barrier surrounds the mountains, preventing me from going in to investigate!"

"And the nomadic tribes from the grasslands, which belong to the mountainous region, are also unable to escape!"

"I was separated from you by an invisible wall, watching helplessly as an unknown beast with wings on its back, three eyes, four ears, and a green skin with two tails devoured a foreign race while baring its teeth at me!"

"Then I went to the stronghold of the Qingyun Merchant Guild at the border and learned that the barrier only blocked cultivators who had entered the advanced stage, while cultivators who had reached the mortal level would gradually be opened up."

Jia Tang was taken aback upon hearing this. "Open up little by little?"

"From initially being unable to advance to the third realm, to now being unable to advance to the fifth realm, it's gradually diminishing the barrier's power!"

Jia Kang sighed, "What a pity! No matter how many spies of the third or fourth level entered, not a single one came out!"

Jia Tang pondered silently, seemingly lost in thought; this method of obstruction strongly suggested a form of protection from heaven and earth.

Perhaps the forces inside are weak and need time to recover after returning to the world, or perhaps they are too strong and need time for people of this era to improve!

However, this is understandable, as the appearance of a secret realm has an opening time.

"Then let's wait and see. Whether it's a mule or a horse, it will eventually come out on stage."

Just as Jia Tang was about to say something, the Tiger Demon Flag within his body suddenly stirred, and he immediately turned to look at the Rong Mansion, a cold look appearing on his face.

.

In the Rongguo Mansion, in Wang Xifeng's courtyard, on the kang (a heated brick bed) covered with a large red felt strip, against the east wall stood a brocade backrest and a pillow, covered with a large satin cushion with a gold center and green shimmering. At this moment, the beautiful and charming Wang Xifeng was half-reclining on the kang, holding an account book, staring at the entries of income with a beaming smile, unable to stop smiling. She couldn't help but calculate in her mind: "In just twenty weeks, we've added about four thousand taels of silver. This year we can have seventy or eighty thousand taels. That's really good."

Seeing her second mistress's state, Ping'er couldn't help but complain, "It seems that you really were short of money in your past life, Grandma."

Wang Xifeng was displeased and laughed, scolding, "You little hussy! Everything you wear and put on your face was bought with money. Every single thing in this mansion relies on money to survive. If it weren't for my painstaking efforts to increase our income, this Duke's mansion would have collapsed long ago. And now you're complaining."

"Yes, yes, it's all my fault."

Ping'er pleaded for mercy, then asked, "Didn't our master distribute shares in the salt merchants to the household? Aren't the annual profits enough to subsidize the household?"

"Where would we get enough? The expenses in this mansion are enormous!"

When Wang Xifeng heard the word "Master," she gently stroked her lower abdomen with her jade-like hand, and as she thought about it, her face became rosy and her eyes filled with tears.

Seeing this, Ping'er teased, "Look, our hot-tempered woman can't help but get hot as soon as she hears your name, Master."

"Pah, you're making fun of your grandma. You're the loudest one here."

"Nonsense, it was clearly you."

The two girls playfully pushed and shoved each other, laughing merrily.

After a short while, the two stopped, panting. Wang Xifeng glanced at the heavy rain outside, her eyes darting around, and said, "Ping'er, go and take the soup I'm simmering in the small kitchen to Lin Yatou."

Ping'er laughed upon hearing this, "So you're already trying to win over the First Wife?"

"Bullshit!"

Wang Xifeng pinched Ping'er and scolded, "I am still the eldest wife of the main branch of the West Mansion. Why do you need to please the wives of other branches?"

""

"It's just sisterly affection—"

As she spoke, Wang Xifeng burst into laughter.

Ping'er rolled her eyes and replied, "Yes, yes, yes, it fulfills our friendship—"

.——

In Daiyu's courtyard, because Lin Daiyu and Tanchun had gone to the Marquis of Weihu's mansion, only Yingchun, Xichun, and Xue Baochai remained, practicing their cultivation in the pouring rain. Their personal maids were more comfortable, waiting under the covered walkway where they were sheltered from the rain, but judging from their muddy legs, it seemed that their attempts to persuade them had failed.

Ying'er, dressed in a rather simple and elegant manner, was looking at her young lady with great anxiety. It was like a sudden downpour, and she was still going out to cultivate. She was sure that her body would get soaked.

So she turned to Siqi beside her and said, "Good sister, let's go and persuade the girls again. The rain is too heavy. They haven't been cultivating for long, and their bodies can't take it."

Upon hearing this, Siqi's face showed a hint of worry, but she still glared at Ying'er.

"Who can make decisions for a girl? How could I not know what you're saying? But our Marquis has been practicing cultivation since he was six years old, rain or shine, without stopping even when the snow was taller than a person!"

"Besides, we've already tried to persuade you twice and got scolded twice. If we try to persuade you again, I'm not going."

Siqi was quite surprised when she mentioned this, as her daughter was usually taciturn, always modest and evasive, and easily persuaded by those below.

But when it came to cultivation, he followed Miss Lin in practicing martial arts without fail, and his personality truly changed, which broadened everyone's horizons.

That makes sense, though. If she could cultivate, she would definitely be even more diligent than her own daughter.

Ying'er sighed upon hearing this, and just as she was about to say something, she suddenly heard faint footsteps coming from the rain behind her.

Turning my head, I saw Jin Chuan carrying an oil-paper umbrella, her clothes half-soaked, carefully protecting a food box as she walked over.

Upon seeing this, Ying'er hurriedly went to greet her and led her into the corridor. Siqi Ruhua and Zijuan also surrounded her.

"Sister Jin Chuan, what's wrong?"

Jin Chuan wiped the raindrops from her cheeks with her sleeve and smiled gently, "The rain has been pouring down all day. Madam knows that Miss Bao is still practicing martial arts, so she ordered me to bring all the young ladies a bowl of ginger soup to warm them up and ward off the cold."

A knowing look appeared in Zijuan's eyes. Because of the Marquis, the Second Madam was polite to her young lady on the surface, but she had never shown such thoughtfulness and care.

If this is how she treats Miss Bao, it makes sense, since everyone knows she is very fond of Xue Baochai!

Perfect, my daughter isn't in the yard, so I don't have to worry about refusing or putting her in a difficult position.

Just then, Jin Chuan smiled and exclaimed, "Where are Miss Biao and Third Miss?"

Zijuan replied, "I was tired from studying these past few days, so I took a day off to visit the Marquis's residence."

Jin Chuan was secretly overjoyed, but remained outwardly calm: "So that's how it is. But this soup—I'm afraid we won't be able to finish it."

.