Dream of the Red Chamber: Starting with a Chronicle of Tragic Love

Jia Zhen knew perfectly well that someone was plotting against him behind this incident.

Lian'er's death was by no means an accident.

Can......

He has no evidence.

Moreover, that fool Jia Rong took the potent drugs first, causing such a disgraceful incident, which gave others an opportunity to take advantage of him.

Ultimately, it's because he himself is not good enough!

Jia Zhen took a deep breath and suppressed his anger.

"Chance?"

"How many chances have I given you?"

"Look at yourself! What have you done!"

"If you hadn't recklessly taken that potent drug and caused such a disgraceful incident, how could this whole series of disasters have happened?!"

"Now the marriage is off, Lian'er is dead, and the Ningguo Mansion's reputation is ruined!"

"You still want another chance?!"

Jia Rong was so scolded that he didn't dare to look up and could only sob.

But he was unconvinced.

What's wrong with taking strong drugs?

Which man wouldn't eat that?

Besides, that medicine...

He suddenly remembered the packet of "Golden Pill for Nourishing Yang and Prolonging Offspring".

That medicine does seem to have a problem.

The drug was too potent.

And it looks like it was found?

I was lost in thought.

A voice suddenly came from outside the door.

A smile played on his lips, yet a chilling undercurrent emanated from it.

"Brother Zhen, please calm down."

"The matter of taking the medicine last time may not have been Rong-ge'er's fault."

Jia Zhen and Jia Rong were both taken aback.

Look up.

Qian Chou was already standing at the door of the study, unnoticed.

A meaningful smile was on his face.

Jia Zhen frowned deeply.

"Lord Qian?"

"How come you...?"

Why is he here?

Moreover, how did he know about "taking the medicine"?

Qian Chou smiled and stepped in.

"I apologize for coming uninvited, Brother Zhen."

"I just heard some interesting news today, and I couldn't resist sharing it with you, Brother Zhen."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Jia Rong kneeling on the ground, then looking at Jia Zhen.

"Brother Zhen, have you ever thought about...?"

"Why would Rong-ge'er inexplicably take such potent medicine in the manor?"

Jia Zhen's heart stirred.

"What do you mean by that, Lord Qian?"

Qian Chou smiled and said:

"It means..."

"That medicine, perhaps it wasn't something Rong-ge'er wanted to take himself."

"It was someone who deliberately made him eat it."

Jia Zhen's expression changed.

"Was this done on purpose?"

The image of Madam You flashed through his mind in an instant.

Trouble arose from within?

Qian Chou shook his head.

"No, no."

"Brother Zhen, please don't misunderstand."

"That medicine...is quite remarkable."

Jia Zhen frowned even more deeply.

"What's their background?"

Qian Chou looked at him and said, word by word:

That medicine is produced in only one place.

"It is... the largest pleasure boat on the Qinhuai River."

"Cloud Tower on the Huai River"

"Brother Zhen, why ask so many questions? If you want to know the truth, just come with me."

-----------------

Night had fallen, and the Qinhuai River was brightly lit, with the sounds of music faintly audible.

The Cloud Tower has four floors.

Unlike the hustle and bustle downstairs, this place is enveloped in a lazy and pleasant tranquility.

Liu Rushi leaned against the soft couch by the window.

She wore only a loosely draped light green silk robe, her black hair cascading down her back, and though she wore no makeup, she possessed a breathtakingly alluring charm.

Butterfly, obediently kneeling on the carpet beside the couch, was vividly recounting the latest intelligence she had just heard.

"Sister, you didn't see it! I heard that after that young master Jia Rong took the medicine, he chased after Madam Zhen all over the yard like a mad dog, and he kept swearing at her!"

Butterfly's eyes sparkled.

"Later, he even pounced on a young maid in public; it was unbearable to watch!"

Liu Rushi listened and laughed without any attempt to hide her sneer.

"Should!"

She spat lazily.

"Serves him right for being so blind before, trying to scheme against Brother Jiao. This is karma, and it came fast!"

Butterfly also giggled, and the master and servant laughed together, filling the air with a joyful atmosphere.

After laughing, Die'er's expression gradually turned into a hint of worry and confusion.

She hesitated for a moment, then asked in a low voice.

"Sister, I still don't understand. That Miss Qin clearly also had feelings for our benefactor."

"You've gone to so much trouble to help her, first arranging for her to meet you, and then agreeing to help her ruin her wedding... What if she really ends up with your benefactor? Won't she try to steal your man?"

The smile on Liu Rushi's face faded.

Finally, she sighed softly and propped her face up with her hand.

"Rob it or not?"

"Butterfly, you're still young, there are some things you don't understand. A man like Brother Jiao is like an eagle in the sky, destined not to be bound by any 'nest'."

"For him, the gentle embrace of women may be a place to rest, but it will never be the end."

She paused, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the cold windowpane.

"The only thing I can hope for is that I can occupy just a small place in his heart. That would be enough for me."

Butterfly's eyes were blank.

She only knew that her sister was deeply in love with her benefactor, but she couldn't understand the tolerance behind that deep affection.

In this quiet and slightly melancholic moment—

"Slap, slap, slap."

Suddenly, a few rounds of applause came from the doorway.

Liu Rushi and Die'er were both startled and turned their heads sharply to look at the doorway.

The door had been pushed open at some point.

Qian Chou stood at the door with his hands behind his back, a forced smile on his face.

Behind him stood several constables dressed in the official robes of Yingtian Prefecture, their hands on their waist knives, and two middle-aged men, though dressed in civilian clothes, with sinister airs and sharp, hawk-like eyes—

Those were agents of the Eastern Depot mixed in with the constables.

"What a deeply affectionate and moving confession!"

Qian Chou strolled in leisurely.

"Whether I can occupy more space in Jiao Si's heart, I don't know, and I'm not interested in knowing."

"However, Lady Liu, I'm afraid you'll soon have a place in the dungeon of Yingtian Prefecture."

Liu Rushi's face turned deathly pale instantly!

His inherent fierceness overcame his panic.

She chuckled softly.

"Lord Qian, you've made quite a grand entrance."

She slightly raised her chin and looked directly at Qian Chou.

"Even the officials of the Eastern Depot have been alarmed. If the Eastern Depot gets involved, this matter might actually come to fruition."

"Lord Qian has gone to such lengths; the pain of losing his nephew must be excruciating."

"I wonder, Lord Qian, why are you serving the Eastern Depot so diligently? Could it be that you've finally learned your lesson and are preparing to switch sides and join the Eastern Depot?"

Qian Chou's face flushed red instantly.

"Quick-witted and eloquent!"

"Guards! Seize this vixen! Take her back to the yamen and interrogate her thoroughly!"

"yes!"

Several constables and agents from the Eastern Depot immediately pounced on them like wolves and tigers!

"elder sister!"

Die'er was terrified. She screamed and rushed forward to try and stop those people.

"Butterfly!"

Liu Ru used all her strength to forcefully push the fluttering butterfly aside.

"Listen to me! Don't move! Stay here and behave yourself! Wait for Jiao Si to come back! Tell him what happened today!"

After saying that, she stopped looking at Die'er and let the bailiffs roughly grab her arms and twist them behind her back.

Die'er collapsed to the ground, watching her most beloved sister being roughly taken away by those fierce-looking men.

She could only cover her mouth, tears streaming down her face like a burst dam.