webnovelfull Chapter 31, The Dream of the Red Chamber (End)
Chapter 31, The Dream of the Red Chamber (End)
The emperor was furious after being reprimanded by the retired emperor. He immediately issued a strict order to crack down on human traffickers throughout the country and to do everything in his power to find the abducted and missing persons.
At the same time, the emperor secretly wondered if this was the product of a conspiracy between the retired emperor and the Jia family to seize power.
In the past few days, he has sent people to investigate Jia Huan carefully. Jia Huan is an illegitimate son of the Jia family. He is uneducated, mediocre and incompetent, and has always been neglected. His aunt is vulgar and his own sister also dislikes him. Most importantly, he has been ill since the Imperial Concubine Yuan visited her family three years ago. His stepmother is very dissatisfied with him and has even publicly scolded and humiliated him.
Using such a useless, neglected, and sickly illegitimate son to help the retired emperor seize power, and once successful, the Jia family would become the retired emperor's trusted ministers. This deal was simply too good to pass up!
The emperor instantly understood, especially after the Five Cities Garrison and the Prefect of the Capital investigated for a month without finding anything, which confirmed his suspicions.
What kind of kidnapper could escape unscathed with his people despite the strict investigation by the Prefect of the Capital and the Five Cities Garrison?
If he had that kind of ability, he wouldn't have become a kidnapper; he could have assassinated the king.
This is a conspiracy!
The emperor dared not alert the enemy. While continuing to seize power from the retired emperor without making a sound, he continued to search for people according to the retired emperor's orders, and secretly accelerated the suppression and evidence collection against the four major families, especially the Jia family. He was busy as a spinning top.
Within the Jia family, opinions varied widely, and people had differing thoughts.
Aunt Zhao was naturally heartbroken, but as time went by, there was still no news of Jia Huan. Although she was sad, she had to face reality. She had lost a son, but she still had a daughter. She had to pull herself together!
Thinking about it this way, Aunt Zhao was no longer as eager to suck Tan Chun's blood as before. Instead, because Tan Chun would be her support in the future, she began to take good care of her. This made Tan Chun feel flattered and surprised, but also saddened by Jia Huan's situation.
Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang didn't think much of it, after all, it wasn't Baoyu who was lost. In fact, because Jia Huan was lost, Lady Wang was secretly pleased that Baoyu had one less person to fight for the family property.
However, just like the emperor, the servants of the Jia family did not believe that Jia Huan had been kidnapped. The extremely arrogant servants of the Jia family said that no one would dare to kidnap anyone from the Jia family, so it was only possible that he was secretly murdered.
The most common speculation is that Lady Wang secretly harmed her illegitimate son. After all, Jia Huan had been unknown for many years, and the most memorable thing about him was Lady Wang's insulting and harsh words when Jia Baoyu was seriously ill, which showed the deep discord between the legitimate mother and the illegitimate son.
When Madam Wang found out, she was furious, but she had no way to explain herself. She really hadn't done it, but there were only rumors circulating in the mansion. She couldn't directly explain that she hadn't done it, so she could only strictly order everyone in the mansion not to say anything.
This displeased Jia Zheng; he had already lost his son, yet he still had the mind to concern himself with the gossip among his servants.
What kind of rumor is so important?
Oh, Lady Wang has ruined Jia Huan!
!!!
Ok?
Jia Zheng was shocked, but before he could think any further, the Emperor's methods against the four great families came one after another, leaving him exhausted and with no energy left for anything else.
Unaware of this, Jia Huan had already left the capital and begun traveling far and wide, appreciating the beauty of all places.
He has a cheat code, so he's never short of money, and his mental power is enough to clear all obstacles on his journey.
He wholeheartedly experienced the beauty of this world, through the changing seasons, summer rain and winter snow, spring flowers and autumn moon.
The magnificent desert, the vast grassland, the towering mountains, and the boundless sea.
Everything is so wonderful!
As Jia Huan stood on the deck, sighing, he saw two armies clashing in the sea in front of him. The enemy army, led by the emperor himself, was advancing with unstoppable momentum and their morale was soaring. On the other hand, the general of the imperial court was weak and his legs went weak at the sight of the battle. With the help of those around him, he actually tried to flee.
An incompetent commander led to the deaths of his entire army.
If the commander-in-chief is like this, one can imagine what the soldiers around him are like.
They were all as frightened as stray dogs!
Defeat seemed imminent.
Jia Huan shook his head. "That won't do!"
Once the enemy forces successfully land, they will enter the city and commit arson, murder, and looting, and it will be the ordinary people who suffer the most.
While the enemy was pursuing them, Jia Huan took the opportunity to get close, took out the throwing darts he had made for self-defense, and threw them at the enemy commander and several generals who looked unusual. He didn't even spare the flag guards.
With the added power of mental targeting, his darts were incredibly accurate, even able to curve and strike opponents with minimal dodging.
Many of the enemy's high command were killed, and the enemy soldiers were left without command. Seeing that their banners had fallen, they scattered and fled.
The banner must stand; to run away is to be a deserter. Going back means certain death, and their families will also be implicated. For the sake of their families, they must fight to the death.
But now that the banner has fallen, they are considered defeated soldiers for fleeing. They will not be punished if they return, and will be reassigned to other units.
Seeing the enemy troops scatter and flee, the soldiers on the imperial side, though puzzled and wondering who the hero was who had penetrated deep into the enemy ranks to kill generals and capture flags, were also very happy and wanted to give chase. However, their commander forbade them to pursue, which angered Jia Huan so much that he threw a dart at him, sending him flying.
A major battle ended inconclusively, with both sides inexplicably losing their commanders. The imperial court fared relatively well, with only a prince dying, but the enemy army suffered the loss of their emperor and had no interest in fighting, instead turning back to vie for the throne.
After the princes caused trouble, the national treasury was empty. When the new emperor ascended the throne, there was no money. All the capable generals had been taken away by Jia Huan. There were also several brothers secretly lurking in the shadows. It couldn't be more difficult.
The situation was much better for the imperial court. They had initially thought the enemy was doomed, given their confident demeanor, but things took an unexpected turn. Although a prince had died, it was nothing compared to the defeat. The emperor rewarded the troops and then continued to crack down on the four major families.
The emperor thought to himself with delight, “I’ve heard that the four great families are very wealthy. If we get rid of them, we can probably recoup all the money we spent on rewarding the army.”
The entire capital was filled with jubilation for the victory, except for the Princess Consort of Nan'an, who wept bitterly because her son had died.
He had assumed that if his son won and returned in glory, everything would be wonderful. Even if he lost, according to custom, the other side would spare his life, and all that was needed was for the court to pay a ransom.
She then submitted a petition at the opportune moment to marry her daughter off to a foreign power, so that the court could send ransom under the guise of a marriage alliance. In this way, her son returned, the court saved face, and the enemy country also benefited.
She naturally wouldn't marry off her own daughter. She would find a family with a daughter in the capital, adopt a goddaughter, and arrange a marriage for her daughter. She had already observed the people. Didn't the Rongguo Mansion have several daughters?
She had considered everything, except that her son would die!
Jia Huan, who unintentionally saved Tan Chun's life: "......"
The emperor acted swiftly; the evidence of the four great families' crimes was practically laid bare, and a quick search yielded a massive amount of evidence.
Finally, after the death of the retired emperor, the emperor could no longer resist taking action.
After years of patient planning and scheming by the emperor, the four major families were powerless to resist. The emperor struck decisively, and although Yuan Chun and Prince Bei Jing tried to mediate, it was to no avail. The emperor was determined to deal with them.
The four major families had their property confiscated, with the Jia family being the last. The Jia family members were temporarily detained in a detention center to await judgment, while their servants and slaves were sold off on the street.
In the end, the emperor sentenced Jia Zheng and Jia Lian to dismissal and exile, and Jia She, Jia Zhen, and Xue Pan to death with reprieve. Grandmother Jia, who was already old, suffered this calamity and died without taking a breath. Lady Wang also died shortly afterward. Wang Xifeng's secret lending of money at exorbitant interest rates was exposed. Shocked and terrified, coupled with her pre-existing illness, she died in prison. The others were released without incident.
Jia Huan bought a house outside the city and brought everyone in. He also bought back Zizai Feihua, Caixia and others, bought them land, and left them a sum of money so that they could live a good life in the future.
On the day everyone left, Jia Huan specially hosted a banquet and invited everyone to drink. One by one, they had gone from being young masters and young ladies of the Duke's mansion to ordinary people, and even had to rely on Jia Huan, whom they had previously looked down upon, to make a living. Everyone felt a mix of emotions.
Jia Huan completely ignored everyone's thoughts. After everyone was drunk, he took off Jia Baoyu's jade pendant and went to the side room where a banquet had also been prepared.
Using their mental powers, they skillfully struck the jade pendant, and in no time, a monk and a Taoist priest arrived.
The two looked at him helplessly: "Young master is still so fond of playing tricks on people."
Jia Huan used to like to punch the jade pendant to find them, and they didn't expect that the first thing he did after returning was the same. This really left the two of them helpless. Fortunately, this matter will soon be over, and they will no longer have to worry about this stubborn stone.
Jia Huan paid no heed to their resistance and happily led them to the table: "Since leaving the Jia family, I have not seen you two again, and I have missed you dearly. Therefore, I have specially prepared a small feast, and I hope you will do me the honor of coming and reminiscing about the past!"
The monk and the Taoist priest exchanged a glance and said with a smile, "You are too kind, benefactor. However, we have other matters to attend to and cannot stay any longer."
Jia Huan's smile faded, and he lowered his eyes to look at the wine cup in his hand, his mood appearing particularly somber: "There are only two people here who can truly confide in me, but I can sense that you are about to leave, and perhaps you will never return to this place again. Therefore, I have specially prepared this table of fine wine and delicacies to bid you farewell... and also to send myself off!"
"Why does the young master utter such sorrowful words?" the two asked in surprise.
Jia Huan sighed softly, his expression becoming even more desolate: "I have no family here, nor any friends by my side. No one knows the loneliness in my heart. For me, it would be better to die quickly than to live in pain!"
After saying that, he looked up at the two people opposite him, his gaze sincere, yet carrying a hint of barely perceptible sorrow.
"..."
Hearing his earnest words, the monk and the Taoist priest felt pity welling up in their hearts and could no longer refuse. They picked up the wine cups on the table and said, "Since you have made up your mind, young master, we will not insist on keeping you. We can only offer you this small wine to express our gratitude!"
Upon hearing this, Jia Huan was overjoyed. He raised his wine cup and clinked it with the two men's. The red wine swirled slightly in the delicate porcelain cups, and the three of them drank together, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.
After downing three cups of fine wine, Jia Huan wiped his mouth and smiled, "What do you two think of the taste of this wine?"
This wine is made from thyme that Jia Huan purchased at great expense. It has a rich and mellow aroma, a smooth and delicate taste, and a long finish, making it a truly fine wine.
Just as the two were about to offer their praise, they suddenly felt a sharp pain in their abdomen, their strength waned, and cold sweat poured down their backs.
They were enlightened by the Fairy Disenchantment and are now immortals. How could a few cups of wine be so insignificant?
"This wine... uh... what did you put in the wine?" The monk clutched his stomach, his face contorted in pain.
"What's wrong with you all? It's just a few drinks, why are you reacting so strongly?"
Seeing this, Jia Huan looked anxious, quickly stepped forward, stood between the two, and placed his hands on their backs.
The monk and the Taoist priest realized that the wine was poisoned and tried to escape, but it was too late. Jia Huan moved quickly, and with a flash of sword shadow, two peach wood swords pierced through their backs and chests.
"You... dare to kill an immortal..."
The Taoist priest's eyes were bloodshot, veins bulged on his forehead, and his finger trembled as he pointed at Jia Huan and roared.
In a fit of anger and shock, the Taoist priest flicked his whisk with all his might, which was about to strike Jia Huan. Jia Huan snorted coldly, reached out and pulled open his collar, revealing the Buddhist amulet hanging on his chest. Just as the whisk was about to hit him, the amulet emitted bursts of golden light, blocking the attack.
Before the Taoist could even react in surprise, Jia Huan kicked the monk to the ground, then pulled out the wooden sword from the Taoist's body and struck him repeatedly in the heart.
The Taoist priest's eyes widened, and he collapsed to the ground, dying instantly.
After eliminating one, Jia Huan turned his attention to another person inside the room. With a swift movement, he rushed to the monk's side.
The monk slumped weakly to the ground, managing to utter a few words: "We are immortals, sent by the Fairy Disenchantment of the Realm of Illusion to guide..."
Without giving a chance to explain, Jia Huan swung his peach wood sword repeatedly, the sword flashing, until the monk fell silent, and then he stopped.
Jia Huan calmed his breathing before slowly getting up. Looking at the two corpses, his gaze was cold: "Today, even if you two are neither immortals nor demons, neither human nor ghost, you won't be able to leave this door alive!"
After finishing speaking, he cleaned up the two bodies, carried them into the carriage he had prepared, drove the carriage straight out of the city, found a secluded open space, and set fire to the two bodies and the carriage together.
Jia Huan breathed a sigh of relief and threw in all the Buddhist amulets, prayer beads, prayer wheels, talismans, peach wood swords, Bagua mirrors, wind chimes, copper coins, and other items he had on him.
“When I asked you why you came here, you wouldn’t answer; when I asked you how you were going to get back, you wouldn’t answer either. Since you’re unwilling to say anything, then you’ll never say anything again.”
He had long harbored murderous intent towards these two, but after testing them a few times, he realized he was no match for them and could only lie low for the time being.
However, since there are such extraordinary people as these two in this world, there must also be ways to restrain them.
So he devised a plan to leave the Jia family mansion and travel all over the country, ostensibly to enjoy the scenery, but actually to search for a way to kill the two of them.
Fortunately, his hard work paid off, and he finally succeeded. As the two bodies turned to ashes and scattered in the wind, the pent-up frustration that had been weighing on his chest for so many years was finally released.
As Jia Huan watched the faint light of dawn illuminating the sky, he climbed up the mountain next to the open space, looked down at the masses below, and then leaped off the mountain.
"My fate, whether it be life or death, is solely in my own hands!"