Dream of the Red Chamber: Starting from Immortal Martial Arts

The following day at 1-3 PM, at Huifang Garden in Ningguo Prefecture, Ningxi Pavilion.

Lin Daiyu, Xue Baochai, the three sisters, as well as Wang Xifeng, Li Wan, Qin Keqing, and other women, gathered together in the pavilion with their maids, admiring the flowers, drinking tea, and playing around.

In midsummer of May, the lotus flowers in the streams of Huifang Garden have already bloomed. The pond is full of lotus flowers, white with pink, as bright and beautiful as a dress.

The lotus flowers were in full bloom, and a gentle breeze carried a delicate fragrance that made one feel light and ethereal.

The pond is full of lotus blossoms, a vibrant green, and a gentle breeze caresses my face at dawn.

The clear waves ripple in the breeze, bringing a unique coolness to the pavilion.

The women sat gracefully in the lotus pavilion, admiring the flowers. Surrounded by the green leaves and pink blossoms of the pond, their hearts were immersed in the ink painting.

Today, Xue Baochai wore a silver-embroidered skirt with butterflies and flowers, a colorful brocade summer shirt with twin lotus flowers, and a satin-woven embroidered jacket. Her face was full of smiles, and her unadorned face resembled a blooming lotus flower, gentle and intoxicating.

"Sister Bao looks radiant today, what happy news do you have to tell everyone?"

Lin Daiyu, who was standing to the side wearing a light red satin pomegranate skirt with silver thread patterns and a brocade double butterfly silver shirt, and an outer brocade jacket with embroidered peonies, asked with a smile.

Dressed in a simple silver-white robe without any accessories, she appeared even more ethereal.

Upon hearing this, the wives and young ladies in the pavilion all looked at Xue Baochai with amusement. Baochai smiled helplessly and said, "What happy event could I possibly have? It's just that I've gotten rid of the troubles at home, and I feel a little better now."

"Oh? This afternoon, I saw my cousin Xue running back excitedly because of this too?"

The charming Wang Xifeng chimed in, asking, "Today she is wearing a rose-red silk skirt with scattered flowers, a pink wide-sleeved gauze shirt, and a light green collared vest with scattered flowers at the waist. She is also wearing a gold hairpin with inlaid silk and pearls. Her beautiful phoenix eyes are slightly narrowed. She is truly a stunning and elegant beauty."

Xue Baochai nodded: "You all know about the rumors surrounding our family's imperial merchant business lately. This morning, my brother took one of the Tiger Guard commanders to the Imperial Household Department, and when he came back, he said everything was fine. We owe it all to my cousin's help. Tomorrow, when he's less busy, we'll send out a thank-you note."

Wang Xifeng's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this. She was no different from these unmarried young ladies. The Directorate of Palace Attendants was one of the Twelve Directorates, far superior to any other government office.

The fact that Tiger Brother of the Eastern Mansion has been dismissed with a minor commander is enough to show how high his status and how great his power are.

Wang Xifeng's eyes darted around, and she instantly remembered what the old nun Jingxu of Shuiyue Nunnery had told her a couple of days ago. Now that Tangdi of the East Mansion was so powerful, it would be a good opportunity for the West Mansion to benefit from his influence.

Once she had made up her mind, she smiled sweetly at Xue Baochai and teased, "We're all old relatives, no need for formalities. Besides, even if you want to thank me, there's someone right here."

Jia Tang made no attempt to hide his protectiveness and closeness to her, and often went over to dine with her. Everyone with eyes could see the truth, but it was just because of the mourning period.

Upon hearing this, Xichun, being a young girl, did not understand Wang Xifeng's implied meaning and thought she was being talked about. She hurriedly stood up, raised her little head, and imitated Jia Tang by putting her hands behind her back and wandering around Xue Baochai.

The others all looked at Lin Daiyu, whose face was already flushed with embarrassment, and who was looking around nervously.

Upon seeing the two of them like this, the women in the pavilion burst into laughter.

Although Xue Baochai maintained a smile on her face, she sighed inwardly. Without revealing the situation, she stepped forward, pulled Xichun aside, and pinched her cheek: "Don't turn around. I'll send out invitations to all the sisters to come to my place tomorrow for a gathering. We'll compose poems, drink, play drinking games, and have a good time. Don't you love crystal pork knuckle? There'll be plenty for you tomorrow."

"We also need rose pastries and lotus pastries."

Xichun said with a smile that these two pastries were also her favorites.

"Alright, alright, whatever you say."

···

At dusk, Jia Tang, who had just returned from the camp, strode towards his study. Behind him, Amber, looking bewildered, stood guard outside the door. This was the first time he had entered the study since being assigned here; in the past, he would bathe first and then go to the West Mansion for a meal.

Just now, when entering the city, Jia Tang noticed that the vendors at the city gate had hung a red flag. This was a way for his intelligence agents to indicate the level of recent intelligence events, divided into six levels: white, green, blue, red, gold, and black. Red meant that something big had happened.

Upon entering the study, Jia Tang hurriedly picked up the letter on the top shelf of the desk, quickly glanced at it, and his pupils constricted. It read: "The peasant uprising in Shanxi has spread to the three prefectures of Pingyang, Lu'an, and Fenzhou, and the three prefectures of Liao, Qin, and Ze. Some members of the Flying Eagle Division have defected, resulting in the deaths of four soldiers from a thousand-household garrison. The refugees are scattered and spreading, with a potential for expansion into Henan."

"Someone secretly intercepted and killed the messenger. After multiple investigations and encounters, it is believed to be a member of the Southern Linlang Alliance, though there is no concrete evidence."

"A messenger has been secretly released and should arrive in Xianjing around midnight tonight."

"Jia He, bring me the map of Shanxi."

Jia Tang stood up, turned to look at the map that Jia He had brought, pondered for a moment, then took out a blank sheet of paper from the drawer and began to write.

After a moment, he stopped writing, put the letter into three envelopes, and said to the other three generals, "Jia Kang, give this letter to Uncle Liu and have him meet you at the military headquarters."

"Jia Ping, go and deliver this letter to the residences of the Marquis of Baoling and the Marquis of Xiangyang."

"Jia An, go and deliver these two letters to Uncle Xie and Uncle Jiang. If no one is at the manor, go to the main camp; if no one is at the main camp, go to the restaurant. They must be delivered before 9 PM."

"only!"

As the three left, the room fell silent again, leaving only Jia Tang with an uncertain expression and Jia He with a blank look on his face.

Jia Tang handed him the secret letter, and Jia He immediately growled in disbelief, "These civil officials are really audacious! They managed to cover up the peasant uprising in late March until today, and they even dared to intercept and kill the messenger."

Jia Tang nodded slightly: "Since things have come to this, we can only send troops to suppress them. Now that I have advanced to the second rank, it is impossible for me to be dispatched. We can only unite with the various prefectures to send the four of them out and promote their ranks."

After pondering for a moment, Jia Tang wrote another secret letter and asked Jia He to arrange for it to be sent to the Imperial Academy.

He then got up and left the study to enter the underground secret room to discuss matters with several of the worshippers.

After the discussion, Jia Tang sat cross-legged in front of the Five Directions Flag, absorbing the surrounding misty Yuan Qi with his martial body. Instantly, vortex-shaped vortexes spread all around, and the seven divine martial patterns in his dantian shone brightly and rotated on their own.

In the sea of ​​consciousness, the visualization of the Thunder Tiger Fighting was filled with radiant light. Within the visualization, a giant purple tiger, obscuring the sky and the sun, strolled in the boundless sea of ​​thunder. Its figure appeared and disappeared in the purplish-black thunderclouds. Countless purplish-black divine lightning bolts around it continuously struck the tiger's fur, which reflected divine light.

The next moment, the enormous tiger claw tore through the thunder pool, even ripping a hole in the sky, carrying immense power as it slammed straight into the depths of the thunder sea.

As if a thunderous roar echoed in Jia Tang's ears, he became completely absorbed in his enlightenment.