Dream of the Red Chamber: Rising from Refugees to Sweep Across the Land

Chapter 104 Jia Jing: Who are you?

Emperor Yankang didn't sleep well all night, feeling that something big was about to happen.

He arrived at the Imperial Study before dawn and asked the head eunuch on duty, "Has anything urgent arrived?"

The head eunuch bowed hurriedly: "Your Majesty, I haven't seen anything urgent to deliver here."

Emperor Yankang frowned. Could it be that he's been too busy lately and is a little tired? He slowly walked to his desk, sat down, spread out the memorials and official documents, and began to review them.

As dawn broke, a few rays of sunlight shone through the window onto the imperial desk. Emperor Yankang stood up, bowed his head, and blew out the lamp on the imperial desk.

Dai Quan then brought a basin of hot water from the next room, wrung out a hot towel, and handed it to the emperor with both hands, saying, "Your Majesty, please rest for a while."

Emperor Yankang put down his pen, took a towel to wipe his face, and casually handed it to someone: "What have the Directorate of Ceremonial and the Northern Garrison been busy with lately?"

Dai Quan: "Your Majesty, apart from continuing the investigation into that child, there is nothing else."

"Is the world truly at peace now?"

Emperor Yankang lightly tapped his fingertips on the imperial desk. "How's the investigation going on that case?"

"Your Majesty, the Thousand Household Office reported back yesterday that they are still investigating."

"Still under investigation?" Emperor Yankang frowned. "Why is it always 'still under investigation'? Where is Liu Feng?"

Dai Quan dared not hide the truth: "Liu Feng has been busy building a garden lately."

"Build a garden?" Emperor Yankang paused, then asked, "What for?"

Dai Quan: "This...it's said that they're going to take the Lin family's daughter home for a visit."

Emperor Yankang was taken aback at first, then sneered, "Lacking ambition!"

Dai Quan smiled and handed over tea: "He came from a background of vagrants and used to have no ties. Now things are different. In my opinion, it's a good thing."

Emperor Yankang took the teacup, took a sip, and said, "He has something to complain about."

There's no way to respond to that.

Dai Quan lowered his head and silently tidied up the official documents on his desk.

"Do you think there's really a problem with water-soluble substances?" Emperor Yankang suddenly asked.

This was even more difficult to answer. Dai Quan carefully replied, "The Prince of Bei Jing's mansion... has been loyal to the royal family for generations. When the old prince was in office, he never betrayed the Emperor Emeritus's trust..."

""

"I'm asking about the present moment!" Emperor Yankang put down his teacup.

"This..." Dai Quan stammered.

"explain!"

Dai Quan didn't dare to speak directly, but instead pulled out a few sheets of paper from his sleeve and handed them over with both hands: "This old servant has had people compile the news about the Prince of Bei Jing's residence over the past few days..."

'

Emperor Yankang took it and turned the pages one by one, his expression gradually darkening.

After a long pause, he coldly said, "Why wasn't it delivered sooner?"

Dai Quan smiled bitterly to himself. "I've reminded you several times, but you didn't listen. What can I do?"

Before he could think of a reply, Emperor Yankang blurted out, "Perhaps it really is just a coincidence."

Dai Quan swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

Emperor Yankang held the ink-stained paper in his hand, remaining silent for a long time. He read it over and over again, but still couldn't shake the feeling of unease. Finally, he whispered, "Investigate it."

Dai Quan did not respond immediately this time. After a moment of silence, he said in a low voice, "I'm afraid it will take quite some time."

Emperor Yankang glanced at him sideways.

Dai Quan: "Not long after the palace coup that deposed the crown prince, a fire suddenly broke out in the stables of the south courtyard of the Prince of Beijing's mansion. The fire spread and burned down half of the mansion, causing many deaths and injuries. Even the spies planted by the Northern Garrison Command could not escape."

Emperor Yankang remembered this incident. At that time, Shui Rong was still a child. He fell ill from the fright and was sent to Qingxu Temple outside the city, where he stayed for more than a year before returning to his residence.

Dai Quan hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice: "How about we send Liu Feng to investigate?"

Emperor Yankang tapped his fingers lightly on the imperial desk and slowly shook his head: "If there really is a problem, alerting the enemy would only make things worse."

After a moment of silence, he said, "Let's find a way to place a few more people in the Prince of Beijing's residence..." But as soon as he finished speaking, he shook his head, "That's not a good idea."

Suddenly remembering something, Emperor Yankang frowned: "That wretched child, is he the same age as Shui Rong?"

Dai Quan was taken aback, then realized what was happening and tentatively asked, "Does His Majesty suspect..."

'

Emperor Yankang raised his hand to interrupt, turned his gaze to the window, and murmured, "Let me think... let me think..."

Dai Quan's heart was also filled with shock and horror. If this were really the case, it would be too shocking.

Emperor Yankang remained silent for a long time, but in the end, his unease about the dragon throne beneath him prevailed.

"Investigate. Start by investigating from Qingxu Temple..."

""

Emperor Yankang pondered for a moment, "We can't investigate openly. By the way, isn't the Ningguo Mansion arranging for Jia Jing to go to the city for medical treatment?"

"No need for that. Just have Zhang Daoshi take the Taoist physician from Qingxu Temple over there, saying they're going to check Jia Jing's pulse."

He paused, then looked at Dai Quan: "You go out of the city yourself and see Taoist Zhang."

"Yes," Dai Quan replied, then suddenly remembered the lessons learned from previous leaks and whispered, "There are probably people watching the Directorate of Ceremonial and the Northern Garrison. Perhaps this old servant should go to Liu Feng first and have him personally escort me to the Xuanzhen Temple..."

Emperor Yankang thought for a moment and nodded.

Just then, the head eunuch on duty led a group of junior eunuchs carrying two bamboo baskets of memorials to the door. He bowed and said, "Your Majesty, these are memorials forwarded by the Grand Secretariat, all of them impeaching Lin Ruhai."

The moment the emperor touched his lips, many people panicked.

The most panicked was Jia Zhen.

Jia Jing wasn't sick at all. If this were to be exposed, how would he handle the situation?

Jia Zhen was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

Jia She retorted irritably, "What's the rush?"

Jia Zhen's voice changed: "This is a crime of deceiving the emperor!"

Seeing Jia She's indifferent expression, Jia Zhen became furious and rushed over: "If you don't come up with a solution..."

"Son, don't blame me later for telling you it was you who instigated this!"

Jia She was stunned. The snuff bottle in his hand fell to the ground with a "crack" and shattered into pieces, scattering snuff particles all over the ground.

Jia Zhen, having no other choice, declared, "If you don't take action, I'll kneel down outside the Meridian Gate right now and beg for forgiveness!"

Jia She stared at him for a long time, then suddenly blurted out, "You look just like my son."

Now it was Jia Zhen's turn to be dumbfounded.

Jia She casually stroked his beard: "You haven't learned a single good thing about your master... Is it really worth coming here for advice on such a small matter? If he's not sick, why not just make him sick?"

"Is...is he sick?" Jia Zhen hadn't quite grasped the situation yet.

"Good. Go find some croton seeds and force-feed them to your great-grandfather. Make two trips to the outhouse, then lie down on the bed... When the doctor comes to ask later, just say he's not feeling well."

Jia Zhen's eyes lit up, and without caring about anything else, he turned and ran.

Jia She bent down, tidied up the broken pieces and tobacco dust on the ground, stood up and walked to the window, looking up at the distant sky: "Old Immortal? Hmph... That old thing, he's probably been fed by that hypocrite Shui Rong for the past ten years or so."

"7

This is where Jia Jing practiced alchemy and cultivated Taoism? It's quite peaceful.

..

Liu Feng accompanied Dai Quan, who was dressed as a wealthy gentleman, into the Xuanzhen Temple.

Without giving any prior notice, the two went directly to Jia Jingqing's courtyard.

They happened to run into Jia Zhen and his son Jia Rong, who were accompanied by an old Taoist priest with a sage-like appearance, and a middle-aged Taoist priest carrying a medical bag, as they came out of the house.

"Oh, the Grand Eunuch!" Jia Zhen, with his sharp eyes, immediately came over and glanced at Liu Feng, as if to say: Why is this old eunuch here?

Dai Quan smiled and nodded, then went to greet Zhang the Taoist priest, cupping his hands in greeting: "Old Immortal..."

""

Liu Feng gestured towards Zhang the Taoist priest with his lip, meaning: "He's coming for him."

Jia Zhen felt a sense of relief and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Amitabha! May the Inner Minister enjoy good health and longevity. It has been some time since you last visited the palace, and your complexion is getting better and better." Zhang the Taoist priest said with a smile and a clasped hand.

Dai Quan smiled and exchanged a few pleasantries with Zhang Daoshi, casually inquiring about Jia Jing's situation. He then said to Liu Feng, "You are the junior, go in and pay your respects." After saying that, he pulled Zhang Daoshi towards the side room.

Jia Zhen was delighted and quickly instructed Jia Rong to accompany the Taoist doctor to get the prescription, while he led Liu Feng into the main room.

As soon as he entered the bedroom, Liu Feng covered his mouth and nose.

Jia Zhen looked embarrassed; he hadn't controlled the amount of croton oil properly and had used too much.

The closer you get to the bed, the richer the scent becomes.

Liu Feng wanted to leave but didn't dare to say so, so he could only bite the bullet and move forward.

Jia Jing lay stiffly on the bed, his eyes tightly closed, his face as yellow as wax. If it weren't for the slight trembling of his beard, he would have looked as if he were lifeless.

"Grandpa, Liu Feng is here." Jia Zhen nudged Jia Jing.

Jia Jing grunted and slowly opened his eyes, ignoring Jia Zhen and looking directly at Liu Feng.

Liu Feng bowed and greeted him: "Grandpa."

Jia Jing stared at Liu Feng for a while before saying to Jia Zhen, "Go and guard the door."

"Yes." Jia Zhen felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He turned around, covered his mouth and nose, and fled as if he were escaping.

Only Liu Feng and Jia Jing remained in the bedroom, staring at each other without saying a word.

After a long while, Jia Jing suddenly blurted out, "Who are you?"