Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

There was a military officer in Datong Town surnamed Sun. His ancestors had achieved some official rank, so they were considered a prominent family in the area.

This military officer surnamed Sun had a son named Shaozu. Although he was arrogant, extravagant, and dissolute, he relied on his family's influence to hold the position of military officer.

Despite holding an official position, he was idle all day long, preferring to associate with all sorts of people and associating with local thugs and bullies, engaging in bullying and monopolizing the market. He was the kind of person most hated by the local people.

However, it seems that the Sun family has recently run into bad luck.

First, it was rumored that Sun Shaozu assaulted his superior and was dismissed from his post. Then, he was beaten up in the street with his head covered. Less than a month later, it was rumored that he was imprisoned for raping his friend's father's concubine while staying at a friend's house.

The people of the city were overjoyed to hear the news, but some speculated that with the power of the Sun family, they could easily get Sun Shaozu out.

However, some people say that the Sun family must have offended some powerful figure and was being deliberately retaliated against, otherwise why would the Sun family have experienced these things one after another?

Even the Sun family themselves thought so. However, despite investigating thoroughly and even offering a large sum of money to guide him, Sun's father couldn't find any clues. Instead, he quickly received punishment from above, accused of indulging his son's misdeeds and repeated offenses, and was demoted from his important position to guard the warehouse…

As for Sun Shaozu, even after being arrested and imprisoned by the yamen runners, he initially didn't take it seriously at all. It wasn't until the days passed that he realized things were far more complicated than he had imagined.

The prison guards treated him as if they had stolen his wife, and not only were they extremely rude to him, but they would also beat and kick him at the slightest provocation. Moreover, the food they gave him every day was leftovers from other prisoners, which was mostly spoiled!

After enduring more than a month of hardship, Sun Shaozu, who had just emerged from his predicament, had no time to sort out his thoughts and plan revenge against those who had wronged and tormented him, when he discovered that everything in his home had changed.

Not only were most of the servants gone, but his father was also gone.

It turned out that the Zhang family, who accused him of rape, refused to compromise. According to the laws of the dynasty, those who raped respectable women were to be sentenced to death.

The Sun family only had Sun Shaozu as their sole heir. Although he was married, he had no children, so how could the Sun family accept this? In the end, Sun's father had no choice but to personally go to the Zhang family to apologize and offered most of the family's wealth as compensation in exchange for Sun Shaozu's precious life.

The price was that his father died of anger and grief a few days after returning home.

Upon learning the truth, Sun Shaozu was determined to seek revenge on the Zhang family, but the Zhang family was also a powerful and influential family. Now that the Sun family had fallen to such a state, what could they possibly use to exact revenge?

Just when the Sun family had finished the funeral in a miserable state and were filled with despair, a relative kindly reminded them that their ancestors were people who had made contributions to the founding of the country. Now that they could no longer stay in Datong Town, why not go to the capital to seek connections and perhaps have a chance to make a comeback?

The Sun family found this reasonable, so they thanked their relatives and friends and hurriedly fled Datong to the capital.

……

"Damn it, the capital city is truly different. Datong, that tiny place, can't compare at all. I should have come to this superior place a long time ago!"

Looking at the bustling streets of the capital, Sun Shaozu felt a wave of disillusionment wash over him. Watching the people coming and going, especially the elegant women whose figures, though heavily concealed, were still undeniably graceful, he forgot all the hardships he had endured on his journey to the capital. His mind was filled with thoughts of making a comeback, rebuilding his life in the capital, and resuming his carefree and extravagant lifestyle.

"The brothels in the capital are different; the goods here are incomparable to those in that poor, shabby place like Datong..."

Seeing Sun Shaozu's eager expression as he gazed at the prostitutes posing seductively in the brothel, his attendant quickly declared, "But sir, we have no money. Before we left, Madam repeatedly instructed us that our family is not what it used to be; we just bought a courtyard and need to pay for Madam's medical treatment..."

"Damn those plague-ridden women, why didn't they die on the way? They must have been my nemesis!"

Sun Shaozu cursed, then lowered his head and pressed his attendant, "You really have no money on you?"

"I really don't have any money."

Realizing he really couldn't go inside the building to relax, Sun Shaozu cursed his bad luck under his breath. Helpless, he turned around and casually walked to a stall selling imported goods.

Seeing that he was tall and burly, and had a swaggering manner, the vendor quickly perked up and carefully introduced his goods to him.

"This thing is nice, I'll take it."

Sun Shaozu was playing with the Western-style glass pot in his hand when someone suddenly snatched it away.

Looking back, Sun Shaozu, who had been somewhat excited upon hearing the words "Grandma," suddenly gasped in shock.

Beside her stood a burly woman, who, though not as tall as his shoulder, had a muscular face and a broad back, making her look even more powerful than him.

"You...you..."

Sun Shaozu was also seeing such a top-quality item for the first time, and for a moment he was speechless.

Having always been arrogant and domineering, how could he tolerate such a rare creature bullying him? So his face darkened, his thick eyebrows stood on end, and he shouted, "Where did this fat pig come from? Get out of my way!"

As he spoke, he tried to snatch the glass pot back from her hand.

Whether it was because he had been abstaining from sex for too long and his five claws had been longing for a woman's breasts, or it was just a coincidence, he felt as soon as he made his move that he grabbed onto an endless mountain of flesh. He subconsciously touched it, and the familiar feeling immediately startled him.

It really does feel just like the pork on that butcher's chopping board in Datong Town!

While Sun Shaozu was still in a daze, the woman let out a piercing scream, then grabbed him and pinned him to the ground. She punched him repeatedly while shouting, "You dare to take advantage of me, you pervert! I'll beat you to death, you lecherous bastard! You even dared to call me a fat pig…!"

Sun Shaozu's entourage, who had witnessed everything from beginning to end, were stunned and didn't know how to react.

Pedestrians and vendors on the street were drawn to this amusing scene and gathered around with smiles.

Caught off guard, Sun Shaozu was scratched and punched before finally realizing what was happening. His face turned purple with rage, and he immediately used his powerful physique to throw off the fat pig pinning her down, then unleashed a flurry of vicious punches and kicks, making the woman scream in pain.

"Make way, make way."

Suddenly, dozens of soldiers, armed with swords and armor, pushed aside the onlookers and took control of the scene. A slightly thin but very capable-looking middle-aged officer stepped forward and lazily asked, "Who's causing trouble?"

Sun Shaozu did not expect that the security in the capital was so tight that it would alarm the government troops so quickly.

Thinking that this was the capital city and he was unfamiliar with the place, he quickly bent down, preparing to go forward and beg the official for favors.

"Replying to your question, my name is Sun Shaozu, and my ancestors..."

"Are you the one causing trouble?"

Xie Jun glanced sideways at Sun Shaozu and interrupted him. But before he could say anything, he felt a sudden tightness on his leg, as if he had been bitten by a ferocious beast.

"My lord, my lord, you must do justice for this woman! This lecherous scoundrel not only harassed me in the street, but after being exposed, he became enraged and brutally assaulted me. He's worse than a beast..."

Seeing the woman with a bruised and swollen face, clinging to his leg like a mountain of flesh, Xie Jun's lips twitched.

It took a lot of effort to pull his legs apart. Jie Jun snorted, "Is what she said true?"

"My lord, she is talking complete nonsense. It was clearly this fat woman who provoked me first, and I had no choice but to teach her a lesson."

Sun Shaozu didn't want to go back to jail as soon as he arrived in the capital. His month-long experience in the Datong Prefecture prison was a nightmare for the rest of his life, and the psychological trauma he suffered from it has not yet healed.

Therefore, he shamelessly approached Jie Jun and whispered, "To be honest, I also hold an official position; I am a military officer stationed in Datong Town, and I am considered to be in the same position as you, sir. Therefore, I hope you will be lenient with me, and I will certainly repay you in the future."

Sun Shaozu, after all, came from a family of military officers and had once held the position of an eighth-rank official himself. He knew the principle of mutual support and influence. Although he had long been dismissed from his post for assaulting his superior in a verbal dispute, he figured the person in front of him had no idea.

Sun Shaozu had assumed that revealing his identity would change the officer's attitude towards him, but to his surprise, Xie Jun shouted, "You say she provoked you, but I clearly only saw you beating her. Besides, you claim to be a military officer; don't you know that knowingly breaking the law is an even greater offense?"

The onlookers, who had initially assumed that Sun Shaozu's self-proclaimed official status would lead to collusion among officials, were surprised to find that Xie Jun showed no such intention and appeared to be upholding justice. Immediately, a busybody laughed and said, "Your Honor is right. We all saw it. It was indeed this man who molested this lady... This lady started it. When he failed to molest her, he resorted to violence. We urge Your Honor to make a fair judgment."

"That's right, that's right..."

"That kid is a real jerk, his taste is really... unique..."

Hearing the agitated crowd around him, Xie Jun suppressed a laugh and said coldly, "The facts are before us. What else do you have to say? Take him away!"

Seeing that Jie Jun was easily swayed by others, Sun Shaozu's face turned extremely ugly when he realized that if they were to arrest him, he would be taken advantage of. He had always been the one to bully others in Datong Town, and had never known the taste of being oppressed. Therefore, he could no longer maintain his composure and said in a menacing voice, "Do you know who I am? I am a descendant of a founding hero, and my ancestor was a third-rank general who followed the Duke of Rong. I have come to the capital to visit the Duke of Rong's mansion. You dare to arrest me?"

Jie Jun's men were naturally officers and soldiers from the West City Military Command. When they heard Sun Shaozu say that he was a disciple of the Rongguo Mansion, they were all stunned and looked at Jie Jun.

Xie Jun's lips twitched. He gave Sun Shaozu a strange look, then glanced at the stunned young men around him and immediately began to yell, "What are you all standing there for? Didn't you hear what I said?"

The officers and soldiers of the Military Command regained their spirits. Well, since you, Commander, don't give the Commander-in-Chief any face, what are we worried about? If the Commander-in-Chief really wants to investigate, you, the tall guy, will take the blame.

"You have some nerve! You don't even respect the Rongguo Duke's mansion! Aren't you afraid of losing your official hat?!"

Sun Shaozu truly hadn't expected this. He'd even brought up the Rongguo Duke's mansion for such a trivial matter, and the other party was still relentless! At the same time, he was genuinely anxious. Only he knew his family's situation. Currently, the Sun family had no foothold in the capital. If these unreasonable soldiers took him away, suffering would be the least of his worries; he feared his family wouldn't be able to get him out. As for the Rongguo Duke's mansion, he didn't truly believe that the high and mighty Rongguo Duke's mansion would take the Sun family seriously now.

"What, you dare resist arrest? You harassed a woman and committed violence in the street. If you dare resist arrest, you will be killed without exception."

Xie Jun revealed his true colors and drew his sword. The gleaming steel blade instantly shattered Sun Shaozu's last bit of confidence, leaving him speechless and unable to utter another word, allowing the soldiers to brutally capture and take him away.

The onlookers, finding the gossip amusing, showed no sign of dispersing even as Xie Jun and the others left.

Some people remarked, "I feel like the security in Xicheng District has been getting better and better in the past two years. It's becoming increasingly rare to see scenes like this where men and women are bullied."

"Tch, don't you even know who's in charge of the Western Military Command now? He's the number one celebrity in our Great Wei Dynasty, the dignified Marquis of Zhenyuan."

"The Marquis of Zhenyuan is the kind of man who dares to beat even the heir of the Prince Duan's mansion to death. What ordinary spoiled brat would dare cause trouble in our West City? If they fall into the hands of the Marquis of Zhenyuan, crying and begging won't help!"

"That's true. Heh heh heh, that kid was ridiculous just now, daring to use his status as a student of the Rongguo Mansion to threaten the military officers of the Military Command. Does he not even know who's in charge of the Military Command? What a stupid and unlucky fellow..."

Just as everyone was discussing the matter, one of the main characters of the day, the fierce woman who had been taken advantage of, got up from the ground on her own. Ignoring everyone, she glanced at the departing soldiers, then slapped her behind and quickly walked away.

……

Xie Jun personally escorted Sun Shaozu to the prison. Before leaving, he instructed the jailer: "Take good care of him. This is someone the magistrate personally ordered to be given special attention."

Upon hearing this, the jailer's expression changed. In the Western Military Command, the only person whom Xie Jun and others could address as "Sir" was the esteemed Commander.

Therefore, let alone just looking after a criminal, as long as they can curry favor with the commander, they are willing to do any job, no matter how difficult or arduous.

Take his immediate superior, Jie Jun, for example. He was originally just a low-ranking official, but because he climbed up to the Commander, he's rumored to be promoted several ranks soon and become a Qianzong (a military officer)...

Therefore, the jailer bowed deeply and nodded, making every effort to ensure that Sun Shaozu would be taken care of "everything in a thorough manner".

Upon arriving at the back hall of the yamen, Xie Jun saw Jia Lian exchanging matters with Fan Jin and others. He dared not disturb them and waited until Fan Jin and the others had all left before approaching.

Jia Lian looked up at him and said, "It's done."

"I accomplished this with a simple trick. Sun Shaozu is now in prison. Would you like to interrogate and deal with him personally, sir?"

"No need."

Seeing Jia Lian continue to examine the documents with his head down, Xie Jun, eager to take credit, continued, "Your Excellency is indeed wise and powerful. Although Sun Shaozu is tall and strong, he has a wicked look on his face. You can tell at a glance that he is a criminal who often commits crimes. Now that Your Excellency has condescended to deal with him, it can be considered as eliminating a scourge for the people."

Seeing that Jia Lian didn't react, he tentatively asked, "I just don't know how this kid offended the master..."

He regretted asking the question as soon as he finished. Jia Lian looked up at him, his eyes calm but making Xie Jun's heart skip a beat. He immediately dared not say another word, bowing his head and admitting his mistake.

Jia Lian then put down what he was holding and asked, "You said he was very tall and strong?"

"In reply to your question, sir, that is indeed the case. When I led the men to arrest him, he actually tried to resist. If we hadn't held a knife to his neck, that kid probably wouldn't have behaved himself."

According to my observation, his physique is almost twice my size, and he weighs at least two hundred pounds.

"In that case, let's make him lose half his weight this winter. It's not good for him to be too fat."

Upon hearing this, Xie Jun immediately smiled maliciously, then leaned closer to Jia Lian and said, "My lord, would you like to..."

Xie Jun subtly made a throat-slitting gesture. In this era, few soldiers were kind-hearted, and Xie Jun had long considered himself a disciple of Jia Lian. Now that Sun Shaozu had offended Jia Lian, there was no reason not to eliminate him completely.

Jia Lian frowned, but then suddenly remembered something, and his eyes turned cold: "We can let him live a little longer."

He paused for a moment, then said, "Try to live as long as possible."

After saying this, Jia Lian got up and walked out of the hall, leaving Xie Jun standing there, still trying to understand the true meaning behind Jia Lian's words.

He then laughed. It seemed that this man surnamed Sun had offended their master quite badly. Having followed Jia Lian for so long, this was the first time he had ever discovered that Jia Lian so deliberately hated someone.

He had originally thought that since Jia Lian was going to Tianjin, he couldn't continue to serve Jia Lian at his side, fearing that he might lose favor if he stayed too long.

Now it seems that Sun Shaozu, who has fallen into his hands, is a ready-made treasure. If he handles this matter well, his status in the eyes of the adults might rise to another level.

Thinking about the cruel methods he had yet to put into practice, Xie Jun sighed for Sun Shaozu: "Who told you to be so unlucky? Of all people to offend, you had to offend our master."