Dream of the Red Chamber: A Refined and Elegant Young Man in a Turbid World

Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia felt as if her heart had been ripped out. Aunt Zhao, standing nearby, offered words of comfort:

"Old lady, there's no need to be so sad. The boy is no longer useful. It would be better to dress him properly and let him go back home as soon as possible, so as to save him some suffering. If you keep being so reluctant to part with him, he will suffer and not live in peace in the next world."

Before he could finish speaking, Grandmother Jia spat in his face and scolded him:

"You foul-mouthed, filthy wife! Who told you to be so talkative! How do you know he's suffering in the afterlife? How do you know he's useless? What good would it do you to wish him dead? Don't dream! If he dies, I'll only take your lives. You were the ones who always instigated and forced him to write and study, scaring him out of his wits. He was like a mouse avoiding its father! It wasn't you harlots who instigated him! Now that he's dead, you've got what you wanted. I won't spare a single one of you!"

She cursed and cried at the same time. Jia Zheng, who was listening to these words, felt even more distressed. He dismissed Aunt Zhao and stepped forward to gently comfort her. Just then, someone came back and said, "Both coffins are ready. Please come out and see them, Master."

Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia was like adding fuel to the fire, and she cursed, "Who made the coffin?" She repeatedly ordered the coffin maker to be dragged over and beaten to death.

After waiting for half a day, the bald-headed monk and the lame Taoist priest still hadn't come to the door. Seeing that the two men, uncle and sister-in-law, were growing weaker and weaker, even Jia Cong was getting anxious.

Although Lady Wang was also sobbing uncontrollably, she still retained some semblance of clarity. When she looked up and caught sight of Jia Cong, her eyes lit up. She quickly pulled him to Grandmother Jia's side, and choked out,

"Grandma, it seems that no one in the manor has ever become a martial arts master or an official in all these years. Only Cong-ge'er trains in the martial arts field every day, so he is strong and brave. The foundation of the manor was built by the martial arts skills of our ancestors, and the golden armor left by them is a treasure that protects the manor. Back then, it accompanied our ancestors into battle and was immune to all evil. Now, Bao-yu and Feng-ya are being haunted by evil spirits, and seeking help from monks and Taoists has been useless. Why not let Cong-ge'er put on the golden armor of our ancestors and go to them to calm them down? It would be like inviting the spirits of our ancestors to possess him. Perhaps it can scare away those pests and save their lives!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the crying in Rongqing Hall suddenly subsided by more than half. With tears blurring her vision, Grandmother Jia grasped Jia Cong's hand and asked in a trembling voice, "Cong'er, although this matter is absurd, it is our only hope right now!"

Jia Cong pondered to himself. He was certain that the bald-headed monk and the lame Taoist would arrive today, but he waited and waited without seeing them. Baoyu and Fengjie's breaths were already as weak as candles in the wind.

At present, Grandmother Jia is heartbroken and Lady Wang is full of expectations. The whole mansion is in chaos. If he refuses, he will be seen as cold-blooded and heartless. Besides, the Duke of Rongguo is his ancestor. Wearing his golden armor can ward off evil spirits. He cannot refuse him, both morally and logically.

After a few moments of thought, he bowed and said, "Grand Ancestor, there is no reason why I would refuse. They are all my flesh and blood. As long as it can save my second brother and sister-in-law, what harm is there in giving it a try? Even if you blame me, I will do it willingly."

"Excellent! Excellent! Truly a fine offspring of our ancestors!" Grandmother Jia wept with joy and immediately ordered Lai Da...

"Quickly! Take a few capable men and fetch the ancestral master's golden armor from the wooden box in the side hall of the ancestral hall! Also, prepare some fragrant water so that Cong'er can wash her hands and groom herself, and absorb some cleansing essence!"

Lai Da dared not delay and hurriedly led four servants away.

Aunt Zhao, standing in the shadows, instantly darkened her expression. She tugged at Jia Huan's sleeve and muttered curses under her breath.

"What a nuisance! What good will wearing tattered armor do? I'd rather he make a mess of things, so he won't be an eyesore later!"

Jia Huan nodded repeatedly, a hint of resentment in his eyes, but because Jia Cong had always treated him well, he dared not cause any trouble.

Before long, Lai Da and the others returned carrying a sandalwood box carved with dragons and phoenixes. The copper lock on the box was polished to a shine, clearly indicating that it was regularly and carefully maintained.

Inside the box lay a set of gilded armor, its bright yellow brocade covering the chest. The cloud patterns and auspicious beasts carved on the armor plates were still clearly visible, and despite the passage of decades, they still shone with a golden light, exuding a heavy aura of killing intent.

This armor was originally a royal gift bestowed by the founding emperor, and it was not comparable to that of ordinary soldiers. The helmet was made of snowflake silver, and the top was adorned with a red gold openwork lion helmet plume with angry eyes and bared teeth, looking as if it could swallow the river. The ear guards on both sides were decorated with swirling cloud patterns, and the edges were engraved with lotus branches. When tapped lightly, it made a sound like gold and jade, unlike ordinary iron.

The neck armor is made of nine willow-leaf silver pieces, woven with silk cords that are both soft and flexible. It covers the neck and shoulders, and is integrated with the shoulder guards!

The arm guards were made of overlapping mountain-patterned armor plates, each plate engraved with tiny patterns. The left side read "The Sun and Moon Shine Brightly," and the right side read "The Country Is Forever Stable." These were all engraved by the Imperial Workshop at the behest of the Duke of Rong when he accompanied the Emperor Taizu on his campaigns. The stitches were as fine as mosquito legs, yet every character was clearly visible.

The armor consists of two layers: the inner layer is lined with sharkskin, which is soft and clings to the body, while the outer layer is made of thousands of silver-plated iron plates, woven with gold and silver threads as the weft and linked together. It is light, yet can withstand a hundred blades.

As for the octagonal breastplate hanging on his chest, it was cast from cold bronze from the Chengjiang River and polished to a shine that could reflect one's image.

The arms are covered with sleeves, narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, with armor plates in the shape of fish scales. Silver rings are fastened around the wrists, which can be opened and closed without hindering the holding of weapons. There are protective plaques hanging on the left and right sides below the waist, reaching to the waist and abdomen, engraved with cloud patterns, and connected to the leg skirt.

The leg skirt was divided into two sections, the upper section protecting the thighs and the lower section protecting the shins. The armor plates were all rectangular and connected by silver chains, making a clanging sound when walking, but without hindering the steps. The matching combat boots on the feet were made of black rhinoceros hide, with silver armor covering the boot shaft and silver nails on the toes, making them as stable as a rock when stepping on the ground.

Even more impressive was the brocade robe that lined the armor, made of crimson brocade with gold cloud patterns. The collar and sleeve edges were all trimmed with sable. Although it had been through several generations, the satin still retained its deep and lustrous color, and the gold threads did not dim. Back then, when the Duke of Rong wore this armor, he led his iron cavalry to break through the enemy camps. The red robe reflected the armor, making him look majestic and awe-inspiring. Emperor Taizu once praised him, saying, "This armor paired with this general can pacify the mountains and rivers."

Several servants stepped forward and carefully helped Jia Cong put on his golden armor. First, they put on the soft inner lining, then the breastplate, then the armor plates, and finally the golden helmet and armor sash.

This golden armor was indeed heavy. An ordinary person would probably not be able to walk steadily in it. Even though Jia Cong practiced martial arts every day and was strong and healthy, it was still a bit too big for him after he put it on. The Duke of Rongguo was obviously over eight feet tall back then and was no ordinary person.

Then Li Rong quickly retrieved the Zhaowu Golden Mace that Grandmother Jia had previously bestowed upon him from Qingyan Hall. When Jia Cong stood in the courtyard of Rongqing Hall with the golden mace in his hand, everyone in the room held their breath. The golden armor reflected the sunlight, making his face appear even more handsome. The composure and sharpness between his brows and eyes were somewhat reminiscent of the style of the Duke of Rongguo when he once galloped across the battlefield.

The group of people escorted Jia Cong and hurried toward the house where Baoyu was. As soon as they entered the courtyard, they heard Baoyu's roar: "I want to leave! Don't stop me!" This was followed by Xiren's crying.