Dream of the Red Chamber: I can upgrade my entries!

Chapter 96 The Scorching Sun Tempers True Steel: A Heart-Stopping Scene!
"Jia Huan."

"If you can't hold on, then leave."

Li Qing, one of the twelve guards, stared at the short boy in front of him. He was mischievous, rascal, and cunning. Perhaps it was this that made him look somewhat sleazy at such a young age, far less open and honest than the others.

Dong Yong and the others noticed Li Qing's actions and smiled knowingly. Jia Yan certainly didn't have time to personally arrange these Jia family disciples, so they had to train them. As martial artists with internal strength, they had the right to choose their favorite disciples.

"No!"

Dragging his heavy and weary body, Jia Huan gritted his teeth, sweat dripping from his forehead, and growled, "Mother."

“I must stay here. I want to fight on the battlefield like Brother Yan and earn an imperial title for you.”

Boom!

Everyone present was deeply moved by these words.

Aunt Zhao was Jia Huan's biological mother. She had a lowly status in the Rongguo Mansion, even lower than the head maids. However, through her intelligence and ability to assess situations, she stood out from the many maids and became Jia Zheng's concubine.

However, Jia Huan and his mother were constantly suppressed by Lady Wang, and no one in the household respected them.

It was precisely because of this situation that Jia Huan made this choice, which made everyone look at this second son of the Jia family who had always been overshadowed by Jia Baoyu.

"If you don't want to walk, then run faster."

A hint of admiration flashed across Li Qing's face as he reprimanded him.

"what!!!"

Jia Huan roared and his exhausted body charged forward once more.

"Lan'er."

Looking at the even younger Jia Lan, Li Wan felt a pang of heartache and couldn't help but advise, "Let's go home."

Her original plan for her son was to follow in Jia Zhu's footsteps and enter officialdom through the imperial examinations. Now that Jia Lan has become the sole heir of the second branch of the Rongguo Mansion, why should Jia Huan, a son born out of wedlock, suffer here when he has no right to inherit the family property?

"Mother."

Jia Lan followed behind Jia Huan. Although he ran slowly, his steps were very firm. His little face, which was red from the sun, was filled with an unprecedented seriousness. He said, word by word, "I am your son, the son of my father."

"My father never achieved the honor of passing the imperial examination, but I am determined to do so. I will also earn an imperial title for you, just like my third uncle."

"Lan'er!"

Tears streamed down Li Wan's face, a sight that could not be stopped from her usually serene and elegant demeanor. Jia Lan was only six years old; what could an innocent child like him possibly know? It was nothing more than his love for his mother that led him to imitate Jia Huan in doing these things.

"Brother Cong!"

At this moment, Wang Xifeng couldn't help but step forward and call out to Jia Cong, whom she had never paid attention to before.

"Third Master Cong".

Ping'er looked at Jia Cong's swaying body and knew that he seemed to have reached his limit.

Along with him were Jia Jun, Jia Yin, Jia Zhi, and Jia Zhi, all of similar age, following behind Jia Huan. These little rascals were almost at their limit, barely holding on by sheer willpower.

"Wow!!!"

Aunt Zhao burst into tears, her cries echoing throughout the passageway. Li Wan covered her mouth tightly with her hands, afraid that her crying would disturb Jia Lan.

Time passed second by second, and Wang Xifeng's phoenix eyes reflected a series of figures. She had never paid any attention to these people before, but here, at this moment, each of them seemed exceptionally vivid.

"Tap tap!"

The head maid Yuanyang who served Grandmother Jia, You Shi from the East Mansion, Qin Keqing, as well as Yingchun and Tanchun, all arrived at the passageway.

"This"

The women's faces suddenly turned pale, and their voices trembled.

"Brother Huan."

"Brother Cong!"

Tan Chun and Ying Chun immediately noticed Jia Huan and Jia Cong and stood there dumbfounded.

"This is."

Yuanyang was shocked by what she saw. These people were either masters of the Jia family or members of the Jia family, and none of them were less noble than her.

Now, they're all running for their lives here, looking like they're not even human anymore. How is she supposed to report this to Grandmother Jia?

"Feng Ge'er".

"What are you doing?"
Lady You came to her senses and asked Wang Xifeng.

“Sister-in-law Zhen, you’ve asked the wrong person. These are all people from Brother Yan’s courtyard.”

With a slight twitch of her head, Wang Xifeng revealed a helpless expression.

"I"

Lady You noticed the twelve guards and wanted to ask them what was going on, but seeing their stern faces, she felt intimidated and her legs seemed rooted to the spot, unable to move. She could only stand there and watch.

"That kid is good. He's quick-witted and can be ruthless to himself. No wonder Old Li took a liking to him."

"I think this is good. Stubborn and tenacious, such a person will definitely make rapid progress in learning martial arts."

"These younger ones are all quite good. They show no signs of aging. With careful nurturing, they will surely achieve great things in the future."

The twelve guards ignored the group of Jia family women and began to comment on each of the Jia family members present.

They all held hereditary titles of the third rank: Light Cavalry Commandant. If they weren't Jia Yan's personal guards, they would at least be fourth-rank guard commanders if they were sent out. Apart from Jia Jing and Jia She, no one in the Jia family was worthy of their high regard.

"Snapped!"

The youngest, Jia Lan, was the first to give in and was about to fall when Guan Ye caught her in his arms.

"Lan'er."

Seeing this, Li Wan's pretty face turned pale. She wanted to step forward to care for Jia Lan, but was stopped by someone.

"Boss."

"I'll leave this to you."

Guan Ye left behind a sentence, his figure moving like a shadow as he went directly into the backyard of Ningguo Mansion.

"Clap! Clap! Clap!"

Jia Lan's collapse seemed to trigger a chain reaction, as younger members such as Jia Huan and Jia Cong also succumbed to the illness.

Li Qing and his personal guards, each carrying a small radish, followed Guan Ye away.

"Brother Huan."

“Cong-ge’er”.

This scene, witnessed by Aunt Zhao, Tan Chun, and Ying Chun, made their hearts clench, leaving them breathless.

"Judging from their expressions, Brother Yan must have made arrangements in advance, so you don't need to worry too much."

“The young men in the mansion are all his brothers and nephews, so naturally he cannot sit idly by and do nothing.”

"Perhaps this is an opportunity that others would beg for but cannot obtain."

Wang Xifeng, who was observing from the sidelines, was more astute than Li Wan and the other women. She noticed some clues and realized that the twelve guards did not seem to be deliberately torturing the Jia family members. Rather, it was a selection process. Only when the Jia family members could not endure it would they be sent to the East Mansion.

“Feng Ge’er is right.”

"There's a fire in my second brother's courtyard, and a lot of medicinal herbs are being boiled. He certainly won't let these boys suffer any accidents."

"If you're really worried, why don't you come with me?"

As the first wife of the Ningguo Mansion, Madam You spoke to comfort the women present.

"it is good."

Without a second thought, Li Wan and Aunt Zhao agreed and followed Madam You to Ningguo Mansion. Tan Chun, Ying Chun, and Yuan Yang also went along.

"grandmother."

After most of the women had left, Ping'er called out to the dazed Wang Xifeng, somewhat puzzled.

"If only he were here too."

Wang Xifeng sighed deeply, her phoenix eyes filled with unspeakable regret and remorse.

"grandmother."

Ping'er understood her meaning and said, "Master Rong from the East Mansion was also here just now, and Second Master has arrived."

"Yes, with his temperament, how could he possibly hold out until the end?" Wang Xifeng smiled self-deprecatingly. Of course, she wanted Jia Lian to be promoted and rise above others, but she knew very well what kind of person her man was.

"Is Grandma worried about Third Master Cong?"

Ping'er's sudden remark made the atmosphere somewhat strange.

“My brother Cong has indeed impressed me, but I am not worried about him.”

"Right now, what I care about is that so many members of the Jia family have caught Yan's eye. I'm afraid there's going to be some excitement in the Eighth Branch of the Capital."

"Let's go there too."

Wang Xifeng had already started walking and headed towards the backyard of Ningguo Mansion.

As early as that day, when Jia She was talking to the couple, he told her to report to the Imperial Clan Court and list Jia Lian as the heir to the title. Jia Cong was just a son of a concubine, and no matter what, he could not threaten Jia Lian's inheritance of the Rongguo Mansion.

However, Jia Cong's rise will only make the power of the eldest son's family stronger, which is even more of a good thing for Jia Lian and his wife.

In the backyard of Ningguo Mansion, large vats were set up in the open air, with raging fires burning underneath and a layer of brown foam floating on top.

"Pfft!"

Guan Ye was the first to throw Jia Huan into the vat.

"Puff puff!"

Then the guards who arrived threw Jia Lan, Jia Cong, Jia Jun, Jia Yin, Jia Zhi, and Jia Zhi into the room one by one.

"So hot, so hot."

The scorching heat made the little ones' eyes widen in surprise.

"Stay put and don't come down for at least an hour."

Guan Ye glanced at the little ones and said with a serious expression.

"Yes."

Jia Huan, Jia Cong, and the others then endured the heat and stayed in the large vat, absorbing the essence of the medicinal liquid that had been simmering for an hour.

When Li Wan and the others arrived, they saw heads and bodies submerged in large vats, looking like boiled shrimp with bright red skin and flesh. The women of the Jia family were even more worried.

"Little Snow."

"What is this, second brother?"

Madam You didn't want to say much, but seeing Li Wan and the others looking at her pitifully, she had no choice but to step forward and ask.

"There is no need for you to worry."

Xiaoxue stepped forward gracefully and explained, "The sprint just now exhausted their energy and pushed them to their physical limits."

“Taking a medicinal bath at this time can not only repair the damage to their bodies, but also further strengthen their muscles and bones.”

"This one vat alone costs tens of taels of silver, and the basic formulas used by ordinary noble families are far less effective than this."

'Thump!'

The women of the Jia family looked at each other, their faces blank.

The first to calm down was Aunt Zhao, who muttered to herself, "Huan'er is such a hopeless child. What could be better than spending tens of taels of silver on her?"

"Auntie."

Tan Chun quickly stopped Aunt Zhao, saying, "What are you talking about? This is a blessing that many people would rather die for. How can it be measured in money?"

'.'

Li Wan, You Shi, Qin Keqing and other female relatives glanced at Aunt Zhao and realized that she was indeed from a humble family and not presentable.

"Little Snow Girl".

"Where is my brother Yan?"

Wang Xifeng, who arrived late, couldn't help but ask about Jia Yan.

"Second Madam Lian".

Xiaoxue said gently, "Master has been traveling a long way back from Datong and hasn't had a good night's sleep."

"He's resting in the inner room now. I've already given instructions that even the girls are not allowed to disturb him."

"The backyard is not like other places. If you have nothing else to do, please leave now."

"As for them, someone will take them back this evening."

"This"

Upon hearing this, Li Wan, Aunt Zhao, and other female relatives hesitated.

"Sister-in-law Zhu, Aunt Zhao."

“You can rest assured that Huan-ge’er and Lan-ge’er are here.”

"This backyard is, after all, Yan's residence."

Wang Xifeng offered a few words of advice.

"Ah."

Li Wan and Aunt Zhao then realized that they were both women, and if word got out that they were lingering in the courtyard of Jia Yan, a man who had not yet come of age, there would be endless gossip.

"My second and third sisters rarely come to the East Mansion."

"Why don't you stay here and play? I'll send someone to take you to Fourth Sister's and Lin Sister's courtyard for a while, shall we?"

Unlike Wang Xifeng, who was unconventional, Lady You was still very courteous. Noticing Yingchun and Tanchun's lingering affection, she offered her advice.

"Thank you for your help, Sister-in-law Zhen."

Yingchun and Tanchun, who were thinking of Jia Cong and Jia Huan, did not refuse.

"Rong's daughter-in-law".

"Take your second and third sisters with you."

"Yes."

Qin Keqing, being sensible, led the way, taking Yingchun and Tanchun to Xichun's courtyard.

"I won't stay any longer. There's a lot of work to be done in the West Mansion. Let Ping'er stay here and take care of things."

Before Lady You could stop her, Wang Xifeng waved her hand and headed straight back to the Rongguo Mansion.

"I still need to report to the old lady, Madam, please wait."

Yuanyang didn't presume; she bowed slightly in greeting and turned to leave.

Upon seeing this, Li Wan and Aunt Zhao, though reluctant to part with their son, left together out of respect for etiquette, leaving Ping'er alone to watch over the Jia family's children. She secretly noted down everything so she could tell Wang Xifeng later.

A short while later, at Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

"He's certainly willing to spend that much."

Grandmother Jia leaned against the couch, her wrinkled old face lost in memories. Once upon a time, all the outstanding sons of the eight branches of the Jia family had to go to the Ning and Rong mansions to receive medicinal baths and take medicinal meals to lay the foundation for martial arts, so as to become the personal guards of the heads of the Ning and Rong mansions.

Every member of the founding family did the same, making ample preparations for the future early on, passing the torch from generation to generation.

Unfortunately, as time went by, each generation was worse than the last, and they couldn't even endure the hardships of martial arts training. Of the four kings, eight dukes, and twelve marquises, how many could be as outstanding as their ancestors? The Jia family was no exception; Jia Lian and Jia Zhen had no martial arts foundation whatsoever.

It's not just because of this, but also because the expenses of learning martial arts far exceed those of learning literature. If a martial artist wants to enter the Ming Jin realm, he has to invest resources from a young age, requiring at least several thousand taels of silver. Which family can afford that?
Even though Jia Yan eliminated many, leaving only a dozen or twenty people, the expenses would still be considerable, amounting to tens of thousands of taels. Neither the Ning nor Rong mansions would be willing to spend money on these distant relatives for no reason.

"old lady."

"Uncle Rong from the East Mansion, and Uncle Rui and Uncle Qin from the clan, have not left behind."

Yuanyang recounted in detail the stories of the tribespeople she had witnessed who had voluntarily given up their tribe.

"They have no reason to blame others for their own lack of ambition."

"Tell Brother Feng to send ten taels of silver to each of these eliminated members of the clan."

A strange light flickered in Grandmother Jia's cloudy old eyes as she instructed, "The others, send some cloth."

"Yes."

The mandarin ducks understood each other perfectly. Those who were eliminated each received ten taels of silver, and their resentment dissipated. Even if they regretted it later, they had no one to turn to.

The remaining members of the Jia family, valued by Jia Yan, would certainly not lack money. Martial arts practitioners wear out their daily clothes excessively, and this fabric would be enough for them to buy a few more sets of clothes and to forge a bond of friendship.

(End of this chapter)