Dream of the Red Chamber: Starting from Immortal Martial Arts

"It seems to be the Zhen family, but this cannot be confirmed."

Xie Jing sneered, "The Zhen family? They think they can provoke a tiger just because they have an old concubine in the palace?"

Jiang Zining waved his hand and said, "They're just a small family that rose to power by relying on women. I'll remember that for now. When that woman in the palace comes along... I'll definitely destroy their ancestral hall and exterminate their descendants."

Jia Tang nodded, took the Jiang family's account book, and after browsing through it, exclaimed in surprise, "That Lu fellow is really in there! Wow, there's a fish in the capital!"

After saying that, he shouted to the outside, "Jia An, take men and kill that man surnamed Lu and the Yangzhou garrison commander, skin them alive, stuff them with straw, and hang them on the city gate."

"only!"

"Jia, you take all the spoils into the military camp for safekeeping. In addition, reward each soldier with ten taels of silver, and add fifty taels for each rank they advance."

"only!"

"Order Wang Dahu to lead troops to follow the register. Anyone in Yangzhou City whose name is on the register should be exterminated. Send the Flying Eagle Division to other places to arrest people. Tell them that anyone of the fourth rank or below should be beheaded, and anyone of the third rank should be escorted back to the capital."

Jiang Zining waved his hand to interrupt, his face displeased: "All we've seen here is you showing off, kid. Old Xie and I haven't done anything, yet you've made us lead the troops and the Flying Eagle Division to fight a good battle."

Xie Jing nodded and added, "Call those bastards who are blocking the waterways outside the city to come with us and practice their swordsmanship."

"Alright, Jia Ping and Jia An will come along to cover for us."

The three exchanged a glance, chuckled mischievously, and then began to examine the secret letters and account books of other families. The more they looked, the more solemn their expressions became. The grain transport and grain guards had become like sieves, with some of their generals having joined the Fragrance Sect and the Inaction Sect.

Xie Jing's tone was somewhat incredulous: "Good heavens, just from what's been revealed, there's already a commander of the grain transport garrison, and three commanders have joined the two sects."

Jiang Zining thought for a moment and said, "Send the message to the capital and the Jiangnan Grand Camp along with the Wu family from Zhenjiang Guard. Then we can take action and wipe them all out."

"Anyone involved whose clan is implicated shall be executed!"

"good!"

For the next two days, cries for mercy and screams filled the city of Yangzhou. Soldiers, led by officers of various ranks, arrested people and confiscated their homes according to the ledgers.

Within the city, from the Salt Administration Office's Deputy Transport Commissioner to the ninth-rank Prefectural Magistrate, anyone with a vested interest in Yangzhou was subjected to confiscation of their property and extermination of their entire clan.

There were so many corpses in several mass graves in Yangzhou that they couldn't all be accommodated. In the end, Wang Dahu ordered the corpses to be burned before they could be taken away.

Once all issues in Yangzhou were resolved and the lockdown was lifted, the city gates were reopened.

Xie Jing and Jiang Zining led the Second Battalion of elite troops to join forces with the Flying Eagle Division to handle external affairs, while Jia Ping and Jia An controlled the internal forces.

People and clans from the Lianghuai Provincial Governor's Office, the Grand Canal Transport Office, and surrounding prefectures were all implicated. Niu Chengxian, Liu He, and others had their swords almost worn down from the bloodshed. Blood flowed like rivers, and corpses floated for miles.

As the south continued its purges, the four generations of leaders of the founding lineage were branded as bloodthirsty.

On the twenty-eighth day of the first lunar month, Jia Lian came from the capital to attend the funeral and help with the arrangements.

On the thirtieth day of the first lunar month, the Lin family's body lay in state for twenty-one days before the funeral procession began.

The Lin family ancestral tombs are located in Suzhou. To reach them, one must travel south through Zhenjiang Prefecture and Changzhou Prefecture, then along the Grand Canal through Danyang, Wujin, Gaoqiao, and Hushu Pass.

After a two-day journey, the funeral procession arrived in Suzhou, laid Jia Min's coffin to rest, and then returned to Yangzhou.

February 3rd, Lin Mansion Flower Hall.

Lin Ruhai was entertaining generals and military officers such as Jia Tang, Xie Jing, Jiang Zining, Niu Chengxian, and Xu Yunshan. Cartloads of food and drinks were being sent to the camp.

"Come, generals, thank you all for avenging the Lin family's blood feud. I'll drink first as a sign of respect."

Everyone raised their glasses to drink together. Jia Tang glanced at Lin Ruhai, who was clearly drunk. Now that his wife had been buried and the enemy had been killed, he looked better than he had a few days ago.

After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, they dispersed in twos and threes. Xie Jing and the others were to return to the capital the next day, and there were still many things to prepare, so they went straight back to the military camp.

"Yu Yin, come with me to the study."

Jia Tang followed behind with a hint of doubt. The two sat down, and the steward served tea before leaving and closing the door behind him.

Lin Ruhai took a sip, his eyes red, and said softly to Jia Tang, "Before your aunt passed away, she instructed that Yu'er be sent back to Xianjing to live with the old lady and fulfill her filial duties. So, I will need your help to take care of her in the future."

Looking at Lin Ruhai's sorrowful expression, Jia Tang comforted him, "Uncle, it's not wrong to repay the kindness of the past by faithfully paying the salt tax, but now that Aunt Min has passed away and the salt tax deficit has been made up, you should pay more attention to your sister in the future."

Upon hearing this, Lin Ruhai's face was filled with remorse. He closed his eyes, his body trembled slightly, and he said in a hoarse voice, "I have returned the favor, the blood-soaked cage has been broken, and I will live the rest of my life only for Yu'er."

As he finished speaking, the vital energy in Lin Ruhai's dantian surged, constantly cleansing his mind, and a faint ink-colored scholarly aura began to appear on Lin Ruhai's face.

Upon seeing this, Jia Tang quickly ordered Jia He to bring some Yuan Stones to help Lin Ruhai replenish his vital energy.

Two hours later, Lin Ruhai slowly opened his somewhat weathered eyes and bowed to Jia Tang.

Jia Tang helped Lin Ruhai up and congratulated him, saying, "Congratulations, Uncle-in-law, on realizing your inner truth, embarking on the path of passing down your legacy, and reaching the age of 260."

Lin Ruhai shook his head, sighing deeply, "This advancement and lifespan extension were achieved through your aunt's sacrifice..."

Jia Tang remained silent, and the room fell silent for a moment.

"You've been busy with the funeral arrangements for so long, and haven't had a proper meeting with Yu'er yet. Now I'll bring her out so you can recognize her."

Lin Ruhai roused himself and ordered, "Steward, bring Yu'er here to meet her cousin."

Jia Tang thought about it and realized that it was indeed true.

Even when they went south to bury Jia Min, Lin Daiyu stayed by the coffin. She wasn't in the mood for jokes or laughter at the time, so they hadn't officially met since they parted two years ago.

When reunited after a long separation, one must recognize each other. When interacting with the women in the inner quarters of someone else's household, one must be led by the men of the front courtyard, even if they are relatives!

Not long after, Lin Daiyu, accompanied by her maids and servants, was led to the study by the steward.

"Yu'er, this is your cousin from Ningguo Mansion in Xianjing. You've met him before."

Lin Daiyu stepped forward, gave a curtsy, and said in a low voice, "Greetings, cousin."

Jia Tang immediately stood up and returned the greeting: "Greetings, younger sister."

"You used to call me Brother Yu Yin in front of my aunt, but after two years, you've become distant?"

"Yes, Brother Yu Yin."

Lin Daiyu responded softly and stood behind Lin Ruhai, secretly observing Jia Tang, who was seeking revenge for his mother.

The last time I met him was in a hurry with my mother, and he had already joined the army to guard the border.

Unexpectedly, this second meeting was...

Thinking this, Lin Daiyu's eyes reddened again, and tears streamed down her cheeks.

Lin Ruhai quickly offered a few words of comfort, and after she calmed down a bit, he said to Jia Tang, "The journey to Xianjing is long and arduous; I only hope you can help me out."

Upon hearing this, Lin Daiyu knelt before Lin Ruhai and wept, saying, "Father, I do not wish to go far away."

Lin Ruhai helped her up, his face full of pity: "Silly child, you've lost your mother. If you were raised by your father, how would you ever get married?"

Seeing that a somber atmosphere was beginning to build between the father and daughter, Jia Tang quickly interrupted, "I noticed that my sister is unwell and weak. What did they say when she was examined in Xianjing two years ago? Wang Gongfeng has not yet returned to the capital. Have you had him examine her as well?"

Lin Ruhai patted his daughter's slender arm and sighed, "Yu'er has a congenital deficiency and a weak body. Master Wang has examined her before, but he still couldn't cure her completely. Recently, Yu'er has also... sigh."

"Can my younger sister cultivate?"

"She is capable of cultivation, but the famous doctor she visited when she was young said that primordial energy contains all things and is subject to change and impermanence. Yu'er is already physically weak, and we are afraid that it might backfire, so we dare not let her cultivate."

Jia Tang frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and said, "When I was serving in the army in Liaodong, I heard that there was a miracle doctor in the army thirty years ago. His ancestral home was Shanyin in Shaoxing Prefecture. I sent a message to the Shaoxing Prefecture garrison to inquire about him."

After saying this, he went to his desk, wrote a few words, and summoned Jia He to deliver a letter to the Jiangnan naval camp outside the city, instructing someone to go south to inquire about the delivery.

"My younger sister is frail and delicate, but she can exercise with me every morning to improve her health."

"Yes, yes, Wang Gongfeng also said that you can practice pure Baduanjin."

"I know how, I'll teach my sister when the time comes."

Lin Daiyu was deeply moved by Jia Tang's actions towards her and curtsied, saying, "Thank you, Brother Yu Yin."