【The Dream of the Red Chamber and the Yellow Millet】(Chapters 1-3)

Chapter 1
Wang Xifeng Cleverly Uncovers the Civet Cat's Scheme; Jia Tanchun
Bids Farewell to Her Adopted Brother As the saying goes, life and death are predestined, wealth and honor are determined by fate. Qin Keqing, in the prime of her youth, was a
woman of shallow fortune and short life; she fell ill and never recovered, alas! Her body lay at the Iron Threshold Temple, but we will not
dwell on that. Now, let us speak of the funeral procession from the Ning Mansion, a very lively affair. Just as they reached the city gate, Jia She, Jia Zheng, Jia Zhen, and their colleagues and subordinates arrived at various mourning tents to receive them 　　.
They thanked them one by one, and then left the city, heading straight for the main road to the Iron Threshold Temple. At that time, Jia Zhen, accompanied by
Jia Rong, approached the elders to offer them sedan chairs and horses. Thus, Jia She and his generation boarded their sedan chairs, and Jia Zhen and his generation were about to mount their horses. 　　 Fengjie, worried about Baoyu, fearing that he might act recklessly in the suburbs and disobey his family, which Jia Zheng could not control, and fearing something might happen 　　, ordered a servant to call him. Baoyu had no choice but to go to his carriage. 　　 Fengjie laughed, "Good brother, you're a respectable man, with the character of a girl. Don't be like them, all monkeys on horseback 　　. Come, shall we, sisters, ride together in the carriage?" Hearing this, Baoyu dismounted and climbed into Fengjie's carriage, 　　the two chatting and laughing as they rode forward. Jia Huan, watching from behind on horseback, couldn't help but feel jealous of Baoyu. 　　 It turned out that Jia Huan usually loved seeing the mature Fengjie, especially her full breasts and 　　round buttocks. However, because Fengjie was always cold and aloof towards him, and disliked him, he himself felt bored 　　. Furthermore, having heard the story of Jia Rui the other day, he had given up. 　　 The various ceremonies and rituals were extremely tedious, and by the time they ended, it was already late afternoon. Most of the clan members 　　rested at the Iron Threshold Temple, but Fengjie led Baoyu to the Steamed Bun Nunnery. Seeing this, Jia Huan became even more resentful, tossing 　　and turning, unable to sleep, and went straight to the temple gate. 　　 The gatekeeper saw him from afar and came forward to greet him with a fawning smile, "Where are you going, sir, on such a dark and windy night 　　?" Jia Huan, still furious, raised his leg and aimed a kick at the gatekeeper's stomach. The gatekeeper fell to the 　　ground, unable to move. It turned out that Jia Huan had some martial arts training, and this kick had really hit him hard. 　　 Jia Huan cursed under his breath, "You bastard! How dare you block my way? If you dare again, watch out for your dog 　　-like head with a dog's mouth but no dog's eyes!" He then went straight out of the Iron Threshold Temple and headed towards the Steamed Bun Nunnery. The gatekeeper, clutching his stomach and lying 　　on the ground, cursed inwardly, "You damned Jia Sanhuai, you'll surely get your comeuppance!" It turned out that Jia Huan was 　　usually very stingy with his servants, often ordering them around without taking any pay; moreover, because he was born out of wedlock, his mother, Aunt Zhao, was 　　extremely snobbish, so everyone disliked him and secretly called him "Sanhuai" (meaning "three bad guys"). 　　 After a short while, they arrived at the nunnery gate. The moon was bright and the stars were few. A young nun sat in the lamplight by the gate, 　　cracking melon seeds. Seeing Jia Huan, she asked, "Who goes there?" Jia Huan, finding the nun rather pretty 　　, smiled and said, "Little nun, I am Huan San'er from the Rongguo Mansion. What is your Buddhist name? Don't you recognize 　　me?" Unexpectedly, the nun rolled her eyes and laughed, "I only know Bao Er'er, but I don't know any Huan San'er 　　." 　　 It turned out that the nun, seeing Jia Huan's tall, thin figure and sleazy appearance, and knowing he had come alone, assumed he was a local 　　ruffian. Little did she know that her words had offended her. 　　 Jia Huan, indeed, was filled with rage, his three corpses leaping wildly. He immediately grabbed the nun's collar, 　　glaring and shouting, "Today I'll beat you to death, you little bald monk!" Then he slapped her hard across the face. 　　The young nun cried out in pain, "Third Master, spare me! I truly don't recognize you, I'll never do it again!" Jia Huan threw 　　the nun down, spat, and strode into the nunnery. 　　 The path in the courtyard was short; Jia Huan reached the east wing in a few steps and heard 　　the sounds of men and women laughing and talking inside. The voices seemed very familiar. He pressed his ear to the window and saw Bao Yu and Feng Jie. 　　 He gently poked open the window paper and was greatly surprised: the light inside was dim and hazy. Fengjie 　　was leaning against the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), propping her head up with her snow-white right arm. Her upper garment was wide open, and her red bodice had been removed, 　　revealing a pair of round, plump, white breasts. Each breast had a small, scarlet nipple 　　, the size of a fingertip, which swayed in the lamplight, making Jia Huan dizzy. She was only wearing a pair of light green underpants, 　　but her white legs were covered by Baoyu, who was sitting at the head of the kang, so only her pair of tender white feet could be seen. 　　 Jia Huan thought to himself, "So this harlot didn't bind her feet." Then he saw Feng Jie's half-closed eyes and half- 　　disheveled black hair. She giggled, "Good brother, how about mine? Can I compare to your Bao-jie?" Bao Yu stared at her large 　　breasts, blushing, and laughed, "Where have I seen Bao-jie's? Only Feng-jie's are the best. Good sister, please be 　　kind and reward me." Feng Jie continued, "Your Bao-jie and your Lin-mei are both celestial maidens: one 　　is a snowman, melting in the heat; the other lives in a painting, flying away with a breath." 　　 "How could I, a foolish woman, compare?" Baoyu agreed wholeheartedly, but chuckled awkwardly, "Sister, the song in the carriage 　　hasn't finished yet. Let me hear it again." Fengjie grasped Baoyu's wrist and laughed, "That song wasn't 　　something you knew naturally. Your second brother Lian, that scoundrel, heard prostitutes sing it and memorized it when he was out partying. Last year on his 　　birthday, he got drunk and sang it for me and Ping'er. Oh dear! That shameless filthy thing, he's been 　　drained by wine and women, and now he's completely powerless." Then she sighed, as if harboring great resentment. 　　 She parted her lips slightly and sang: "The moon shines brightly, the water flows freely, where can a dragonfly land on it? The grass is green 　　, my heart is at ease, my love, don't force me. I hate you for being so heartless, kneading my breasts so forcefully; I love you for 　　being so greedy, only wanting to eat the oil from the flowers. Fallen petals are like plum blossoms, yet you thrust and pull the pestle; teardrops are like pear 　　blossoms..." 　　 As Fengjie sang melodiously and captivatingly inside the room, Jia Huan, upon hearing it, couldn't help but feel lustful, 　　thinking: "I've long heard that this harlot has done illicit things with Rong'er and others, but the real mastermind is Baoyu." 　　 Just then, the little nun at the entrance of the nunnery suddenly shouted from behind: "Third Master Huan! Would you like some tea?" Jia Huan was terrified 　　and hurriedly fled from the nunnery. The two inside were also startled. Fengjie's face turned deathly pale. She hurriedly put 　　on her clothes and tidied her hair, then opened the door and asked, "Who is it?" 　　 The young nun replied, "He says he's from your esteemed household, the Third Master Huan. I don't recognize him and don't know if it's true. He has a slender 　　build." The siblings, filled with apprehension, returned to their room. Fengjie gritted her teeth and said, "Better safe than sorry."

"No. We must find a way to punish this scoundrel!" Baoyu sat on the kang, trembling like a leaf. From then on, Fengjie
deeply hated Jia Huan, but we will not mention him again.
A few days later, Fengjie sent Ping'er to summon Zhou Rui's wife, asking, "The other day,
when you were drinking with some of your maids and servants, you seemed to have said something, something about Huan-ge'er and Aunt Zhao, and
Bao-yu and Madam. What happened? Tell me again." Zhou Rui's wife broke out in a cold
sweat upon hearing this, hurriedly kowtowing as if pounding garlic, and replied, "I deserve to die! This nonsensical talk was something Lady Lai
said years ago. I was drunk that day and won some money, so I just made it up.
I have absolutely no idea what the truth is."
It turned out that Zhou Rui's wife and several of her maids and servants were drinking and gambling in the kitchen that day, which was a very ordinary
thing. Fengjie happened to be idly patrolling the mansion with Ping'er, and no one outside saw it but said nothing.
Just as she was about to leave, she heard Zhou Rui's wife shouting, "That Huan-ge'er isn't Zhao Yiniang's biological son. Zhao Yiniang
gave birth to a girl that day, and she only has Tan-chun! How could they be twins? Look at Huan-ge'er's monkey
-like appearance, and look at Tan-chun's beautiful face, tsk tsk." Feng-jie was greatly surprised to hear this, and she and
Ping-er were eavesdropping outside the kitchen door.
An old woman advised, "Sister Zhou, be careful, the walls may have ears." Zhou Rui's wife retorted, "
What's there to be afraid of? It's not a lie! There's something else you all don't know: when Master Bao was born,
he didn't have any magical jade in his mouth! That jade was actually prepared beforehand, given to the midwife to hold, and
put in his mouth as soon as he was born." The women sitting around looked at each other, and one of the maids asked, "Is that really true
? Did no one see it?"
Zhou Rui's wife, already slurring her words, still shouted, "Women giving birth, surrounded by a bunch of men,
are the women supposed to just stand by and watch?" She then burst into laughter, and everyone else joined in. This Zhou Rui
's wife was usually the most composed, which was why she was deeply favored by Sister Feng. Today, after drinking, she had completely lost her composure and revealed her true
colors.
Fengjie quietly pulled Ping'er back into the room and solemnly instructed her, "This matter is completely unfounded,
I dare not tell anyone, and we don't even know if it's true or not. If you tell, be careful what you say!" Ping'er forced a smile and said, "I think ninety
percent of the time this scoundrel wife is drunk and has lost her mind, just gossiping nonsense. Second Mistress, don't take it seriously, and save yourself
some peace and quiet. You can rest assured, even if I had the courage of a leopard, I would never dare to say it."
Fengjie then ordered someone to summon Lai Dajia's servant. Lai Dajia's servant, seeing that Zhou Rui's wife had not returned since taking her, and not knowing whether she
was in good or bad luck, hurriedly came in to pay his respects. Seeing Zhou Rui's wife kneeling to one side, he was already panicked. Fengjie
asked about the matter again. Upon hearing this, Lai Dajia's servant's eyes went black, and he collapsed to the ground.
Sister Feng ordered someone to fetch water to wake him up. Lady Lai let out a long sigh and cried, "Reporting to Second Madam, this is
absolutely true, not a lie. Even if I were arrogant, I wouldn't dare to slander men. You were still young then, and hadn't even
grown your hair yet. That year, Madam and Consort Zhao were pregnant at the same time, and the Old Madam and Master were naturally overjoyed. Later,
they were even going to give birth on the same day. Madam and Consort Zhao both wanted their children to be favored—at that time, Master Zhu
was already sickly, and it was obvious he wouldn't live long.
Madam secretly sent someone to Liulichang outside the capital to spend two hundred taels of silver to select a fine piece of jade, which was then carved into
its current shape, with flowers and characters. She also ordered the midwife to put it in Master Bao's mouth during the birth, saying it was
something he was born with, to show its preciousness and auspiciousness; meanwhile, Granny Ma, who often came to the mansion to tell Consort Zhao's fortune, saw her..."
"She likes spicy food, so she said she was pregnant with a girl.
Aunt Zhao was worried she really couldn't have a boy, so she begged Granny Ma to find a newborn boy.
Granny Ma got a lot of money, along with Aunt Zhao's old jewelry and clothes, and actually found a newborn boy.
On the day the mistress and Aunt Zhao gave birth, she used the boy to smear food and put him in her backpack before bringing him into the mansion. That day, the mansion was in chaos, and no one
cared about her. So the rumor spread that Aunt Zhao had given birth to twins.
In fact, Aunt Zhao only gave birth to a girl. Second Master Bao was born at noon that day; Miss Tan Chun was born at 9 PM
; Third Master Huan was born at midnight, and Granny Ma carried him into the mansion at 7 AM, but outsiders claimed he was
born at 7 PM. He was definitely not Aunt Zhao's biological son, and naturally, he didn't have the surname Jia. Aunt Zhao only had Miss Tan Chun as her biological son.
Therefore, Third Master Huan was older than Second Master Bao."
Hearing this was like a bolt from the blue. Fengjie sat blankly on the kang, her ears ringing, still disbelieving
. She demanded sharply, "How do you know so much? It's as if you did it all!" Lai Dajia's wife
sobbed, "Madam and Aunt Zhao are about to give birth, so naturally they need midwives. The old lady sent me to find them. I wanted to save
time and effort, and also thought 'good things shouldn't go to outsiders,' so I found two. Those two midwives are actually
sisters-in-law, both my mother-in-law's cousins."
Hearing this, Fengjie sighed deeply, her phoenix eyes widening. She said, "You two mustn't mention this,
or you'll regret it!" Zhou Rui's wife and Lai Dajia's wife hurriedly left, meekly agreeing. Fengjie
was secretly delighted, her eyes darting around, a plan forming in her mind.
A month later, Fengjie secretly sent people to find Granny Ma and the midwife who had delivered Aunt Zhao years before. Guided by Lai Dajia
's wife, they were indeed found. Granny Ma, fearing Sister Feng and having received many benefits from her, naturally dared not offend her. The midwife,
already over seventy, had lost her son and daughter-in-law, and only had a thirty-year-old grandson named Donkey to serve
her; her home was bare and empty. Sister Feng ordered someone to give Donkey five hundred taels of silver, instructing him on what to do. Donkey,
having received the silver, was overjoyed, knowing he could marry, support his family, buy a house and land, and naturally obeyed her every command.
That day, Prefect Jia Yucun of Yingtian Prefecture was holding court. His subordinates reported: an old woman was accusing Consort Zhao of the Rongguo Mansion
of conspiring with Jia Huan. Yucun was greatly surprised and quickly summoned the old woman to the inner hall for questioning. The old woman cried, "That Jia Huan
was originally my son, but Granny Ma bought him for eight taels of silver and pretended he was Zhao Yiniang's son.
Now my husband is dead, I am old and weak, and have no other children to support me. I beg you, Your Honor, to grant me this
favor and order Jia Huan to take care of me for the rest of my life." She then recounted the whole story to Yucun, and described how Jia Huan had...
A small cinnabar birthmark served as proof. Yu-cun, knowing this was no ordinary matter, went to the Jia mansion to explain to Jia Zheng. Before leaving,
he comforted him, saying, "Master Zheng, don't be angry. You'll know the truth after asking Aunt Zhao."
After seeing Yu-cun off, Jia Zheng thought carefully and realized he had indeed seen a cinnabar birthmark on Jia Huan's penis years ago. The birthmark
was in a hidden place; how could outsiders know? Furthermore, Jia Huan didn't resemble him at all, and he had never liked him in the slightest
, always feeling a distance between them, so naturally he was suspicious.
He went back to his room, grabbed a sword, and stormed into Aunt Zhao's room. Aunt Zhao, upon seeing him, was
terrified.
Jia Zheng pointed his sword at Aunt Zhao and shouted, "You good-for-nothing, you wicked woman! How dare you deceive me with an adopted son? Today
I will surely kill you!" Aunt Zhao initially resisted, but being a woman, and feeling guilty about what she had done,
she confessed after a few attempts to deny it. Jia Huan was admiring the nearly completed Grand View Garden when he heard that his father had gone to find his mother with a sword. Sensing
something was wrong, he rushed into Aunt Zhao's room, knelt down, and grabbed Jia Zheng's left leg, crying, "Master,
what are you doing? You should kill me first!"
Jia Zheng's eyes widened, and with a single stroke of his sword, he slashed a long gash across Jia Huan's face, blood instantly spreading across his
face. Jia Huan sat on the ground, clutching his face, too afraid to breathe.
Jia Zheng cursed, "You beast! I really should kill you first!"
Fortunately, the maids and servants, seeing that Jia Zheng was truly enraged and fearing collateral damage, had already informed Grandmother Jia and
Lady Wang. Soon after, everyone arrived.
Grandmother Jia trembled with rage, pointing at Jia Zheng and yelling, "Are you out of your mind? How dare you kill your wife and son!" Jia Huan
cried out, "Grandmother, save me!" Seeing his mother, Jia Zheng naturally dared not be disrespectful. He threw his sword to the ground, chased the maids
out of the room, and told Grandmother Jia and the others the whole story.
Grandmother Jia stood there stunned for a moment, only crying, "What a tragedy!" Supported by Yuanyang, she left weeping. Lady Wang, feeling
guilty herself, dared not say anything more and left with Lady Xing and the others. Only Fengjie returned with a secret smile. Meanwhile, Baoyu was hiding
in the Prince of Beijing's residence. Jia Zheng pointed at Jia Huan and shouted, "You wretched child, get out! You are not a descendant of the Jia family, and you
are never allowed to step into the mansion again!"
Aunt Zhao buried her face in the quilt, sobbing uncontrollably. Jia Huan was now half-mad, half-conscious. Although he
didn't believe it, few people knew about the birthmark on his genitals, which was now the size of a small coin
. Jia Zheng cursed again, "I said you're nothing like me! Your two elder brothers, especially your eldest brother Zhu, are
a thousand times, ten thousand times better than you. I thought dragons had nine different offspring, but it turns out you're a bastard! Do you expect
me to kill you with my sword? Get out!"
With that, he pulled a silver ingot from his pocket and threw it at Jia Huan. Jia Huan couldn't dodge in time, his head was broken, and blood immediately
flowed down. Jia Zheng slammed the door and left. Jia Huan sat on the ground, his face covered in tears and blood.
An hour later, it was noon, and the whole mansion knew about the incident.
The sun overhead made everyone feel uneasy. Daiyu lay listlessly on a low couch, her delicate hands clutching
a handkerchief, weakly fanning herself. Zijuan skipped into the room, washing her face as she said to Daiyu, "
Why don't you go out for a walk, Miss?" Daiyu sighed softly and said hesitantly, "You little rascal, you're always so carefree
, you don't know how I suffer all alone in this room." Zijuan laughed, "How can it not be hot at this time of year? The other
girls all go to the old lady to get fresh fruits and vegetables to eat, especially the chilled ones, they're the best for cooling off!"
Daiyu pretended to be angry and said, "Don't you know I can't eat those things? I'll get diarrhea if I do!"
Saying this, she got up and pretended to hit Zijuan. Zijuan laughed and dodged, "Oh, oh, oh! Miss, be careful not to hurt your back!" Looking at the adorable
Zijuan, Daiyu couldn't help but chuckle.
As the two were laughing and joking, the maid Xueyan came in and said, "Miss, Miss Shi and Miss Xue are here
. They're in Pear Fragrance Courtyard, waiting for you."
Hearing that Xiangyun and Baoqin had arrived, Daiyu was genuinely happy and quickly instructed Zijuan to help her with her dressing and grooming.
Before Daiyu had finished dressing, she heard a sweet voice outside the window laughing, "Sister Bao, look at that lazybones in the tree! The sun
is high in the sky, and they still haven't gotten up!"
Daiyu tidied her hair slightly and smiled at the door, "You, Yun'er! You're teasing me as soon as you arrive!" Sure enough
, three beautiful girls entered from outside the door—Baochai, Xiangyun, and Baoqin.
Xiangyun laughed, "How did I tease you? Today I'll make you explain!" As she spoke, she
unbuttoned a few buttons on her collar, revealing a large expanse of snow-white skin.
Daiyu scooped up a handful of water from the basin and splashed it at Xiangyun. Xiangyun giggled and dodged, but then put her fingers
on her cheek to tease her. Baochai walked over and stopped Daiyu and Xiangyun, who were playing around, and laughed, "You two are so
unruly! How can you act like an older sister in front of my sister?" Xiangyun suddenly hugged Baochai and laughed, "Sister, you're so
biased! You think your sister is your sister, but Lin Jie and I aren't?"
Baochai quickly pushed Xiangyun away and laughed, "This isn't the time to play, it's too hot!"
Daiyu teased Baochai, "Everyone says that Sister Bao is plump, even more so than Yang Guifei. Today I see that's true
." Baochai didn't retort, just laughed. Baoqin, finding it amusing, also laughed along. After
the girls had laughed for a while, Baochai took Daiyu's hand and laughed, "You said you wanted my good book last time, why don't you come
and get it for me right now!" Daiyu saw the meaning in her eyes and had no choice but to leave Xiangyun and Baoqin behind and obediently follow, leaving only Xiangyun
making a fuss. At this moment, Daiyu and Baochai were chatting and laughing in their private quarters in the Pear Fragrance Courtyard when they were both
greatly shocked to hear about Jia Huan's situation.
Although they both knew Baoyu didn't particularly like Jia Huan, he often bought them books and paper
as gifts. Girls, after all, are made of water (a metaphor for being kind and gentle), and are naturally simple and kind-hearted. Daiyu said, "Third Brother
must be heartbroken right now."
Thinking of Jia Huan's tragic fate and her own life, she couldn't help but cry. Baochai also wept, saying, "Although
we don't particularly like him, he hasn't done anything truly bad, yet his life is still so tragic. We
should go and see him off." The two decided to go find Jia Huan together.
Meanwhile, Jia Huan sat there blankly for a while, sometimes laughing loudly, sometimes crying bitterly. Finally, he knelt before Aunt Zhao and said, "You come..."
You've raised me for so many years and never mistreated me, yet I've been unfilial. I've
been content to be a young master for so many years. Today I'm leaving, and I don't know where I'm going or when I'll see you again
. You'll suffer even more in the household. Aunt Zhao embraced Jia Huan, weeping uncontrollably, "My poor son, you are
unlucky. I thought this matter would never be revealed, but I never expected..."
At this moment, Tan Chun ran into the room, crying loudly, "Brother, are you really leaving?" Seeing her sincere emotions and her
haggard face, Jia Huan cried, "Good sister, no wonder you are so smart and beautiful. We are twins, the essence of heaven and earth
has been taken by you alone? So that's how it is, so that's how it is. I beg you
not to hold a grudge against me for the things I have wronged you in the past."
Tan Chun's eyes were red and swollen from crying. First, she grasped Jia Huan's hands with pity, then she handed over a few taels of
loose silver from her sleeve, crying, "This is all I have. How will you live all alone?" Jia Huan cried, "
I appreciate your kindness, sister, and I won't refuse this silver. I'll go out now." After saying this, he thought of how this
"biological sister" had always been the best to him, and naturally, he was overcome with sorrow again.
Suddenly, Jia Huan remembered something. He kicked the silver that Jia Zheng had left behind to the corner of the wall, then opened a small
box on the kang (heated brick bed) and took out two bundles of peach-pink and willow-green silk thread. He handed them to Tan Chun, crying, "The other day, my sister
said she was short of needles and thread, but we couldn't ask the mansion for
more. The other day, when Feng Ziying celebrated his birthday, I went to the banquet. I passed a shop, and the owner's son, whom I know, gave me these threads—they weren't bought with money. Everyone
envies us, but they don't know we're illegitimate children, and thus unlucky.
What will happen if others bully you when I'm not by your side?"
Tan Chun, hearing this, lowered her head and wept even more. The two cried for a long time before Tan Chun raised her head and sobbed, "We've
always relied on each other. No matter what others did, brother was always my support. Now you're no longer my
brother, so who will I rely on from now on?"
Before she finished speaking, the curtain was lifted, and two people entered. To find out who these two people are, please read the next chapter.
Chapter Two :
Brother Ni, out of righteousness, helps his old friend Jia Sanhuai, who is forced to flee to the border . As
the saying goes, "What is destined to be yours will be yours, and what is not, you cannot force."
Another poem says: "Boundless sorrow wounds the heart, endless weeping breaks the soul. Wealth and honor turn to ashes, glory enters the halls of power. Treasures are not decaying
wood, but it is hard to part with a beautiful maiden. Even on the day of death, one still laments that the journey is not yet over."
Then, the curtain was lifted, and Daiyu and Baochai entered, both with tear-streaked faces. Daiyu choked back tears, saying,
"Third Brother, don't be sad. Things might be better outside than in the manor." She then pulled a
dagger inlaid with seven-colored gemstones from her bosom. "My father was once a military officer; this was a gift from him.
Keep it for self-defense. You must venture out into the world eventually; a good man's ambition lies in all directions." Baochai
also took out a small, gleaming, carved bronze plate from her sleeve, saying softly, "Huan'er, you've always lived a
life of luxury, never wandering alone. This plate is a token of our Xue family; it can be exchanged for silver at several banks.
If you ever encounter any trouble, go to my brother. Although he's not very bright, he'll do his best to help you." She then
told Jia Huan the names of the banks.
Holding the objects still warm and fragrant with the two women, Jia Huan saw Daiyu, Baochai, and Tanchun, all like lotus blossoms glistening
with dew, pear blossoms in the rain, and was overwhelmed with emotion, tears streaming down his face again. He had previously regarded Daiyu, Baochai, and
Xiangyun, who lived in his own home, as celestial fairies, and had never dared to show the slightest disrespect to them. Therefore, he thanked them, saying, "Sister Bao,
Sister Lin, I, Huan'er, will never forget your great kindness.
Great kindness needs no words of thanks; I must take my leave now." At that time, Yingchun, Xichun, Xiangyun, Baoqin, and others also came to see him off, and everyone
wept again. Thus, Jia Huan left in tears. Just then, Tanchun, disregarding the rules of propriety, loudly called out
, "Brother! Take care of yourself!"
At that moment, Jia Huan ran out of the back gate of the Jia mansion, taking nothing but his clothes, having taken nothing from the Jia family; he was clearly utterly destitute. The gatekeepers,
however, looked down on him, and several gatekeepers kept spitting and cursing. Jia Huan stood in the middle of the road,
pointing his right index finger at the gate of the Jia mansion, gritting his teeth and cursing, "You bastards! Today I'm truly 'a tiger
fallen into the plains, bullied by dogs.' One day I'll make sure you all suffer a terrible death!" Hearing his vicious curse,
some of the servants were afraid, only a few bolder ones jumping up and down, continuing to hurl insults back.
Jia Huan wanted to continue his tirade, but fearing he would be at a disadvantage if a fight broke out, he reluctantly left. From the shadows of the gatehouse,
a young woman sighed, "What a fine young master, what's with this talk? 'A fallen phoenix is no better than a chicken.'" The one who spoke
was Qingwen, the head maid of the mansion. Her brother worked as a gatekeeper, and she had come to him to discuss redeeming herself
, but her brother showed no pity for his sister, only indulging in drinking.
Her brother's nickname was "Duhuo Chong" (meaning "muddle-headed worm"), as he was a drunkard who wouldn't rest until he married an extremely alluring woman.
The woman was extremely unchaste, often dressing extravagantly to seduce the strong men in the mansion, thus earning the
nickname "Sister Duo." Even Jia Lian, who had long been a patron of brothels, fell at her feet
. Qingwen lamented inwardly, but there was nothing she could do.
Jia Huan, since being expelled from the Jia mansion, had been wandering around Chang'an for several days, having almost spent all the money Tan Chun had given him
, and was truly exhausted and hungry.
He searched for his supposed birth mother—the old woman who had complained—but there was no trace of her. It turned out that the old woman was not Jia Huan's birth mother at all; his birth mother was a low-class prostitute who had long since disappeared. The old woman was 　　a fake, found by
Granny Ma and her donkey. 　　 Jia Huan was reluctant to exchange the copper plate Baochai had given him for money, nor was he willing to sell the dagger Daiyu had given him. Just as 　　he hesitated, he suddenly heard someone call out from behind, "Isn't that Huan-ge'er up ahead?" 　　 Jia Huan quickly turned around and saw a burly man with a dark face, a wide mouth, eyes like cowbells, and a full steel beard; he 　　wore a black cloth robe and carried a satchel. It was none other than Ni Er, the famous hero of the capital known as "Drunken Vajra." Jia Huan 　　quickly forced a smile, blushed, and bowed, saying, "It is indeed Second Brother. It has been many days since we last met. I am 　　busy today, but I will treat you to wine another day!" He turned and left. 　　 Ni Er laughed, "'Good news doesn't travel far, but bad news travels fast.' Huan-ge'er, don't be stubborn. I'll take care of your business."

"I understand." He then pulled Jia Huan towards the Taibai Tower.
Jia Huan hadn't eaten meat for several days, and seeing the fine wine and delicacies, his mouth naturally watered. He finally ate until he
was completely stuffed. Ni Er asked, "Is there anywhere you can go?" Jia Huan smiled bitterly and said, "I am an orphan
, and I have no relatives or friends. Where can I go?" Ni Er nodded. After another round of drinking, Ni Er asked again, "Can you
write?"
Jia Huan smiled and replied, "I did study for a few years, so I can recognize a few characters." Ni Er clapped his hands and laughed loudly,
"That's good! My brother's name is 'Laughing Buddha' Ni Da. He used to be an outlaw in the mountains, but later he was recruited by the imperial court and is now
the deputy commander-in-chief under Lord Tang Zhongda of Shanhaiguan. Come, come, come, I'm not very good at writing, but you write what I say.
We'll write a letter and I'll introduce you to him so you can get a job as a scribe or something."
Upon hearing this, Jia Huan immediately knelt down and bowed. Ni Er helped him up with both hands and sighed, "You used to be a master in the mansion, after all
. 'A man's knees are worth gold,' but this kneeling makes us worthless." He then ordered the waiter to bring the writing materials, and Ni
Er dictated the letter, which Jia Huan wrote down. However, he changed his surname in the letter to "Zhen," and became known as Zhen Huan
. Ni Er then took out a personal seal from his satchel, breathed on it, and clumsily stamped it on the end of the letter. He then
put the letter into an envelope and sealed it with sealing wax.
Jia Huan thought to himself, "I thought this 'Black Iron Tower' was a rough man, but I didn't expect him to be so meticulous." Ni Er then took out
several ingots of silver and gave them to Jia Huan. Jia Huan declined slightly before accepting them. That day, Jia Huan bid farewell to Ni Er and
set off for Shanhaiguan that very night with the letter. The journey was long and arduous, and he didn't know what dangers lay ahead.
Meanwhile, Qingwen returned to her residence, still pondering her redemption. She sat blankly on a stone
bench, her hands supporting her chin. Suddenly, someone tiptoed up to her and gently patted her on the head, startling her. Qingwen
quickly turned around and saw Musk Moon standing behind her, smiling. Qingwen laughed and scolded, "You little hussy! Instead of
learning your chores properly so you can marry a good man and avoid being unable to hold a needle or thread, lest your husband's family laugh
their heads off, you come to me with this nonsense?"
Musk Moon bent down and laughed, "You little flirt, all you do is talk big. I can't argue with
you, but I'll have my husband deal with you tomorrow. You're sitting here longingly, you must really be missing a man
. I've come to congratulate you." Qingwen spat, "Pah! Can you even utter ivory from your mouth?" Musk Moon brushed a
strand of hair from her forehead and laughed, "You're the dog! I wouldn't dare argue with you. Sister
Xiren told me to tell you: once the garden is repaired, she'll ask the old lady to assign you to Baoyu's
room. That way you won't be thinking about leaving all the time, and it'll put your mind at ease." Qingwen remained silent,
laughing heartily. To her, this was indeed excellent news.
A day later, Jia Huan arrived at Shanhaiguan. In recent days, the Russian Empire, along with Goryeo and Japan, had each mobilized an army of 300,000
to invade, and the borders were in dire straits.
Because Goryeo and Russia were both located in the northern border region, Shanhaiguan was under the greatest pressure. The general of Shanhaiguan was named Tang
Zhong, courtesy name Boquan, from Jinan Prefecture, Shandong Province. He was fifty years old, with a red face, long beard, eight feet tall, and a waist
nine spans wide. He was skilled with a large, golden-backed broadsword, possessing exceptional martial arts skills, and was known as "Little Guan Yu." Furthermore, he was well-versed in military strategy and tactics,
making him a truly dignified general. He was originally the commander of the Imperial Guard in Chang'an, but because he was not good at flattery, he offended
Prince Teng and Shi Nai. Coincidentally, the border was in crisis, so he used this opportunity to come to Shanhaiguan.
Firstly, to protect his country; secondly, to avoid trouble. Tang Zhong had no sons, only three daughters: the eldest, Wan
Yu, was twenty-nine; the second, Xian Yu, was seventeen; and the youngest, Yan Yu, was just sixteen. All three
daughters were exceptionally beautiful, their fame widespread. Countless suitors came to their door. However, Tang Zhong politely
refused them all.
Each time he declined, he would explain, "When my three daughters were young, they all had the same dream. In the dream, they saw four people—it was
Zhuge Liang, the Marquis of Wuxiang, leading Guan Yu, Zhang Fei of Yan, and Zhao Yun of Changshan!" The daughters were terrified
.
Then Kongming laughed and said, "Girls, do not be afraid. We are all ancient people. Our country is in peril, our army weak, and treacherous
officials are in power, allowing foreign powers to see through our weaknesses and look down on our great nation. Although you are daughters, you bear the heavy
responsibility of serving your country. This is the will of Heaven, and cannot be defied. Now I will teach you military strategy and tactics, and the art of divination; the Second and Third Generals, along with
General Zilong, will teach you martial arts. When the Purple Star Lord arrives in a few years, you must assist him in driving out the Tartars and
recovering lost territories. Remember, remember." "And so the girls learned martial arts in their dreams."
In reality, this was merely Tang Zhong's own words; who would truly believe it? It turned out that those seeking marriage were either sons of officials or
from wealthy families, which Tang Zhong was extremely unwilling to accept, yet dared not offend them. Desperate, he devised this
scheme. It was merely a formality, a helpless act. However, the three women of the Tang Clan were indeed highly skilled in martial arts
and knowledgeable in strategy, displaying a spirit that rivaled any man. This wasn't some famous general from the Three Kingdoms period teaching them; their mentor was none other than
their own father.
Jia Huan arrived at the pass and first paid his respects to "Laughing Buddha" Ni Da. Ni Da and Ni Er were almost identical in appearance;
if it weren't for his completely bald head, shiny and slicked back, making them look almost identical, it would be difficult for others to tell them apart.
Ni Da received his brother's letter, had his men read it, and was naturally pleased. He thought that although Jia Huan wasn't particularly valiant, he was still
presentable, and his considerable height compensated for any shortcomings.
He asked with a smile, "Young brother, how old are you? How many years of schooling have you had?" Jia Huan replied, "I've been growing up for
seventeen years. I started attending a private school when I was five. I've read all four books, but of the five classics, I've only read the *Book of Documents*,
the *Book of Rites*, and the *Spring and Autumn Annals*, and I'm not very proficient in them.
In my spare time, I've also read historical works like the *Records of the Grand Historian* and the *Book of Han*." It turned out that Jia Zheng's education of his children heavily emphasized
Confucian classics, but he disliked the *Book of Poetry* and the *Book of Changes*. This Ni Dadou, who was completely illiterate, was bewildered,
as if listening to gibberish. Then, he laughed self-deprecatingly, "There are very few scholars in this military camp. Damn,
your arrival today is like the arrival of a top scholar!" Seeing that Jia Huan spoke elegantly and behaved politely, he was also very pleased
and immediately took him to see General Tang Zhong.
Just then, the sound of cannons and gunfire erupted from below the pass. Ni Dadou's eyes widened, and he exclaimed, "Wow!"
"Oh no! Those red-haired devils are coming to seize the pass!" Without waiting for Jia Huan, he hurriedly donned his armor, turning completely
black, and strode out of the tent, carrying a large axe.
Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly turned back to Jia Huan and said, "Brother Zhen, why don't you come along and see the battle?
You should at least see something."
At this moment, Jia Huan, hearing the deafening shouts of battle below, was already terrified, his legs going weak, frozen in place. Hearing Ni Da call
him, he involuntarily let out a terrified "Ah!" Ni Da, however, didn't hear him clearly and mistakenly thought Jia Huan also
wanted to go, laughing loudly, "What a straightforward man!" He then turned to his soldiers and ordered, "Quickly
prepare weapons and horses for Brother Zhen!" He forgot to ask Jia Huan if he knew any martial arts. The soldiers, obeying the order, found a suit of armor that fit well
and hastily dressed Jia Huan. Jia Huan looked at his reflection, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
In an instant, the shouts of battle erupted like a raging sea. Jia Huan was helped onto a fine horse by his soldiers, and someone
asked, "What weapon do you use, sir?" The soldiers, seeing his tall, thin frame, didn't seem like a military officer, hence the question. Jia
Huan reluctantly replied, "What weapon is the lightest?" The soldiers on the ground offered various suggestions: a longsword; a saber;
a fire poker; or even a reed stick—a cacophony of opinions.
Jia Huan finally chose a fire-and-water club used by the government for interrogating prisoners. The club was square, about the length of a person,
and made of extremely resilient wood. Jia Huan, clutching the club, cautiously approached the pass.
At that moment, a large contingent of Japanese cavalry below the pass was shouting and preparing for their next attack, while another contingent of musketeers
fired incessantly, and Chinese soldiers on the pass returned fire with arrows. Jia Huan dismounted, carrying the fire-and-water club, and reached the pass, his legs
still trembling uncontrollably. Ni Da was seen discussing something with a general whose back was to Jia Huan. This general was
Tang Zhong, the garrison commander of Shanhaiguan. Behind Tang Zhong stood three slender and graceful figures,
their elegance still evident despite their leather armor.
These three women were Wan Yu, Xian Yu, and Yan Yu, also with their backs to Jia Huan. Jia Huan seemed oblivious to
the danger, only stepping forward to examine the women's faces. Ni Da, along with several lieutenants, turned to leave the pass to meet the enemy.
Seeing Jia Huan indeed arrive, Ni Da was inwardly impressed, thinking, "I thought he was just a pale-faced scholar, weak and helpless
. Who would have thought he'd actually dare to come? He's a fine man!" He forgot that it was precisely because of his orders that the soldiers had
surrounded Jia Huan, forcing him to come.
Ni Da walked to Jia Huan's side, took his hands, and laughed, "Good brother! Come with me out of the pass
to meet the enemy. You keep watch and cover my formation while I go and kill them!" He then pulled Jia Huan down
the pass together. Jia Huan had no strength to break free, and even if he did, he wouldn't dare, so he had no choice but to go down the pass.
Three cannon shots rang out from Shanhaiguan Pass, and dozens of war drums began to beat simultaneously, creating a deafening roar. Ni Da went down the pass, had several
lieutenants and Jia Huan stand in formation, and then led a contingent of cavalry and infantry to charge forward. Ni Da shouted, "Brothers
! If we don't kill all the bandits now, when will we?"
With that, he swung his great axe, and the soldiers roared and fought bravely.
Jia Huan had never seen such a sight before. Having grown up in luxury, he had never left the capital, Chang'an, and had never seen the strangely
dressed, large-nosed, blue-eyed, red-bearded Russian soldiers. He was utterly astonished, his body swaying slightly, nearly
tumbling off his horse. The Russian cavalry and the Chinese soldiers should have been evenly matched, but the Russians had musketeers
providing cover, and those muskets were far more effective than bows and arrows.
Before long, Ni Da's troops had suffered heavy losses, and Ni Da himself seemed wounded. Coupled with the enemy's ferocity, the great axe
became even heavier. How could Jia Huan's lieutenants stand idly by? They roared and led the remaining
soldiers forward to attack. Jia Huan, initially hesitant to advance, clenched his legs tightly around his horse.
But his warhorse, seasoned by battle, knew its master's clenched legs were the command to advance, and charged forward on its own
, ignoring its master's orders. Jia Huan gripped the reins tightly with his left hand, dragging his fire-and-water club backwards with his right. He lay prone on the horse's
neck, eyes closed, teeth clenched, inwardly groaning.
The surrounding shouts of battle were deafening. Jia Huan thought he had been dead for a long time; he had been sweating profusely just moments before, but now
he dared not sweat. Surprisingly, after a long while, he was completely unharmed—his luck was incredible. At this point
, only seven or eight cavalrymen remained by his side; the infantry were either dead or held back by the Rakshasa cavalry. Jia Huan
secretly opened his eyes and saw a Rakshasa officer about a hundred paces away. The officer was older, and his attire
differed from the others; he immediately guessed that the officer was an enemy general.
Meanwhile, Ni Da had already been shot five times and suffered countless knife wounds. His battle robe was stained with blood, and even his black horse
was almost red. He was already bloodthirsty, his great axe swirling wildly, oblivious to life and death.
Suddenly, he saw Jia Huan and several cavalrymen charging into the Russian camp. Ahead was the Russian commander,
Filimonov, a general in the Russian army. Ni Da, with all his might, shouted, "
Brother Zhen! Capture the leader first! Kill that red-bearded old devil!" He yelled again, coughed up blood, and died from exhaustion, his body
falling from his horse.
General Tang Zhong, seeing Ni Da's death from afar at the pass, was naturally overwhelmed with grief. Now, blinded by rage
, he was determined to fight to the death.
It turned out that in his youth, Tang Zhong had fought against bandits and later encountered Ni Da, then a bandit leader. He defeated Ni Da and
captured him alive, but spared his life. Grateful for his life, Ni Da surrendered to the government army and had
served Tang Zhong faithfully for over twenty years. The two addressed each other as brothers, their friendship extremely deep.
At this moment, the three sisters, Wanyu and Xianyu, quickly pulled Tang Zhong back. Wanyu advised, "Father, don't be impulsive! The enemy's strength
is superior to ours. A reckless attack will likely result in defeat!" Xianyu also advised, "Sister is right. The Russians' firearms
are extremely powerful. Our army cannot use our weaknesses to attack their strengths!" Yanyu, the youngest, simply held onto her father, wanting to say something
but unable to speak. Tang Zhong then came to his senses. He slapped his forehead and cried out, "Brother Ni, I will definitely
avenge you!" He then stood up again and walked towards the pass.
Jia Huan suddenly heard Ni Da calling from behind. He turned around but couldn't find him. He knew something was wrong. Suddenly,
a surge of heat seemed to burst from his chest. He didn't know where the heroic spirit came from, but he charged forward recklessly
. He had learned some martial arts on his own, though he wasn't proficient. However, fighting desperately, he managed to knock down several Russian riders.
The soldiers were at war. Suddenly, a fierce storm arose, and rain began to fall. The Russian muskets, soaked by the rain, could no longer fire.
At such times, the Russians would usually retreat and wait for the rain to stop before resuming the battle. However, today the Russians had
the upper hand, killing one of their generals. When Filimonov saw Jia Huan charging recklessly, the general
sneered, secretly mocking the young Chinese general's overestimation of his abilities. He waved for the musketeers to put away their muskets, and the soldiers
moved aside, drawing their sabers and spurring their horses forward to engage Jia Huan.
Meanwhile, Tang Xianyu quietly discussed with her sisters, "Father is the commander-in-chief and cannot easily engage in battle. Although we
are girls, we are no less capable than men. Now that the Russians are no longer firing, we should have the archers provide cover
while we lead a surprise attack. We are sure to succeed." Wanyu and Yanyu agreed in unison.
The three sisters approached their father. Wanyu said, "Father, you ordered the archers at the pass to fire ten thousand arrows. We
three sisters will lead a thousand soldiers out of the pass to fight and rescue the soldiers below, and retrieve Uncle Ni's body
." Tang Zhong frowned slightly. These three daughters were his precious jewels; how could he bear to part with them? However, his daughters' words
made sense. How could a general disregard military matters and only pity his daughters? So he solemnly said, "Be careful!" The three
sisters obeyed and left the pass.
Below the pass, General Filimonov had already ridden up to Jia Huan's horse. He loudly mocked in Russian, "Little
brat, go home and drink your milk!" His large red beard trembled. Although Jia Huan didn't understand, he could
guess what was going on from the general's expression.
At this point, he was reckless. Although he was naturally afraid, he still mounted his horse with a fierce air, his left hand
holding a fire-and-water staff, while his right hand slowly reached into his robes. It is said: He wields a fire-and-water staff on the battlefield, and rides a fine steed in the face of the enemy.
Which daring young general is this?
Chang'an Huan'er is not surnamed Jia.
To know the outcome of Jia Huan's battle with Filimonov, please read the next chapter.
Chapter Three :
General Tang, exhausted, captures two women; Vice-General Jia, promoted, marries three wives .
As the saying goes: A loss may turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
There is also a poem, "Yanshan Pavilion," which speaks of the impermanence of life: Cutting ice-silk, lightly layering
several sheets, lightly applying rouge. A new and beautiful makeup, overflowing with fragrance, shaming even the palace maids. Easily withered, how much more so by
the merciless wind and rain.
Sorrow! Asking the desolate courtyard, how many springs have passed? Entrusting my heavy sorrow, these swallows, have they ever understood human speech? Heaven
is far away, earth is far, ten thousand rivers and mountains, where is his old palace? How can I not think of it, except in dreams I sometimes go there. Unfounded, and a dream,
I'm new to this.
This was painted by the tyrannical Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, so I'll just use it for now.
Now, the Russian general Filimonov spurred his horse forward, aiming a slash at Jia Huan's neck. Jia Huan's martial arts were
poor to begin with, but fortunately, the Russians relied solely on brute force, and naturally, they couldn't compare to Chinese martial arts.
Jia Huan quickly ducked his head, but the blade swept past his head, sending a chill down his spine. Immediately afterward, Filimonov
turned and struck again. Jia Huan hastily parried with his water-fire staff, but the wooden staff
snapped in two with a "crack." Jia Huan was terrified; all his initial heroic spirit vanished, and he immediately turned his horse and
fled. Filimonov laughed loudly and spurred his horse in hot pursuit.
Jia Huan rode away, but pulled a copper plate from his robes—the very same copper plate Baochai had given him that day.
Jia Huan, holding the copper plate in his hand, silently prayed, "Sister Bao, I'm so sorry. I hope this copper plate can save my
life and strike the Russian devil." With that thought, he turned around to get a clear look and, with lightning speed,
threw the copper plate. The copper plate was quite heavy and perfectly round, like a flying saucer, hurtling towards Filimonov.
Filimonov, in his pursuit, had already lost control of his horse. He only saw something flying towards him, emitting a
bright yellow light. Trying to dodge, it was too late; the copper plate struck him on the forehead. He screamed, blood streaming down
his face, and he fell from his horse, motionless. Jia Huan was overjoyed and rushed towards Filimonov.
Filimonov was still lying on the ground, unconscious. The Russian soldiers behind him rushed to his aid, but they were
too far away. By the time they retrieved Filimonov, he was already a headless corpse. Jia Huan dismounted, drew
the seven-treasure dagger given to him by Daiyu, and with a slight slash, the bearded man's head fell to the ground. Jia Huan breathed a sigh of relief
, picked up the bronze plate and Filimonov's head, mounted his horse, and rode back to his own lines.
The three Tang sisters, who had witnessed this clearly, were overjoyed and commanded their troops to pursue. Seeing their commander
dead, the Russian soldiers' morale plummeted; they had lost all will to fight and fled in disarray. Thus, the Chinese army achieved a great victory,
driving the Russians more than eighty li away in the pouring rain, beheading over twenty thousand, capturing over thirty thousand, and seizing
countless muskets, warhorses, and other spoils of war. They then captured Xiaoyingkou Town in Liaobei in one fell swoop, and stood in a stalemate across the river with the Russian-occupied Shenjia Village.
Now, let's turn to another story. On the Russian side, their commander, Filimonov, had been killed by a thin, frail Chinese
youth, causing widespread outrage within their ranks. Among the Russian army were two eighteen-year-old women, one named Anna and the other
Maria. The former had blonde hair and blue eyes, the latter red hair and blue eyes;
both had high noses, full lips, and snow-white skin. While both were strikingly beautiful, their bodies were tall, strong, and voluptuous.
The Russian army did not discriminate against women; if a woman was skilled, she could also lead troops into battle. These two women
were both nieces of Filimonov, possessing strength comparable to men and being adept at Western swordsmanship. Naturally, they gritted their teeth and secretly
decided to assassinate Tang Zhong and Jia Huan, seeking revenge for their uncle. But let's leave that aside.
Jia Huan formally met Tang Zhong and the three Tang sisters in Xiaoyingkou Town. Jia Huan addressed him as "General,"
bowing deeply. Tang Zhong quickly helped him up with both hands. Everyone exchanged greetings and introduced themselves. Tang Zhong then asked, "
Where does Zhen Xianqi come from? He seems to know my adjutant, General Ni."
Mentioning General Ni brought sadness to everyone's eyes. Jia Huan stared intently at the three Tang sisters, but
replied with a slight smile, "I am from Chang'an, the capital, and grew up there. Due to a sudden misfortune in my family, I have no one to rely on
. Being of limited ability, I have been searching for work. The other day, I happened to meet General Ni's younger brother, and through his introduction, I've come to seek a job
as a scribe, just to earn some military pay to make ends meet."
The three Tang sisters were displeased by the seemingly impolite look in Jia Huan's eyes.
Tang Zhong exclaimed, "What a coincidence! Zhen Xianqi is well-versed in literature, but what about his martial arts?" Jia Huan smiled awkwardly.
"I am a novice, only skilled in some fancy moves, not worth mentioning," Tang Zhong laughed. "My dear friend
, don't be so modest. Why not practice a few moves here in the hall?" Jia Huan sighed, then casually pulled out the thinnest bamboo-jointed steel whip from the weapon rack . Just as he was about to show it off, he heard a sweet, delicate voice say, "Brother Zhen, 　　you are both learned and skilled in martial arts. You have already made great achievements
since you arrived. I would like to learn from your excellent skills." 　　 The voice was like the warbling of a nightingale, making Jia Huan's bones melt. He turned around and saw it was Tang Zhong's youngest sister, Yan 　　Yu. Tang Zhong laughed, "My three daughters don't like dresses, but they love military attire. 　　It would be good for you, my dear friend, to spar with my daughters. Let them know that there are always people more capable than themselves, so they won't become arrogant and disdainful of others in the future." It turned out that the three Tang sisters were 　　annoyed by Jia Huan's rudeness but didn't dare to say anything. Just as they were hesitating, they saw their father say this and decided to take the opportunity to teach 　　Jia Huan a lesson. 　　 Yan Yu drew her sword, her movements as swift as autumn water, and formed a sword gesture before standing in the hall. Jia Huan, carrying a bamboo 　　whip, barely stood. Yan Yu, unaware of Jia Huan's lack of martial arts skills, became even more wary of his casualness and 　　dared not attack rashly. Jia Huan, meanwhile, simply stared at Yan Yu's exquisitely beautiful face, remaining still. Seeing him staring at 　　her, Yan Yu felt both shy and angry. She thrust her sword forward, aiming it at Jia Huan's chest. Though seemingly ordinary 　　, this was a clever move, capable of both offense and defense. 　　 Jia Huan stood there, lost in lewd thoughts, oblivious to the danger. Yan Yu's sword tip 　　was only five inches from Jia Huan. Seeing his lack of evasion, she was greatly surprised. She feared he was highly skilled and might use some clever move to counter 　　her; yet she also worried he was unskilled and might be struck. 　　 Caught in this dilemma, Yan Yu quickly turned her sword, shifted her body to the side, and adopted a defensive stance. Jia Huan 　　, finally regaining his senses, was filled with lingering fear and panic. A light sweat beaded on his forehead, and he involuntarily took two steps back. 　　 Seeing that he still didn't attack, Yan Yu, being a young girl, assumed Jia Huan looked down on her. Enraged, 　　she swung her sword backhand, aiming a horizontal strike at Jia Huan's head. Jia Huan quickly parried with his bamboo-jointed steel whip. Although his martial arts skills were far inferior to Yan Yu's, 　　his strength was no less. Yan Yu tested him several times, and seeing that his moves were ordinary, she felt much more at ease. She thrust her sword at the 　　square scarf binding Jia Huan's hair, intending to cut it or perhaps sever a lock of his hair to teach him a lesson. 　　 Jia Huan, having defended several times, was already in disarray, panting heavily. Seeing Yan Yu's sword aimed at his 　　head, in his panic, he also thrust his steel whip at Yan Yu. He didn't realize that this was an extremely clever move: 　　if neither of them stopped, they would inevitably both be seriously injured. Yan Yu was horrified when he suddenly used a suicidal move 　　and quickly withdrew her sword. Unexpectedly, the bamboo-jointed steel whip had four iron rings on its guard, one of which snagged 　　the sword. With their strength evenly matched, a twist of the four hands broke the sword in two. 　　 The weapon breaking meant its owner had lost; Jia Huan had won in a daze, unaware of his own defeat 　　. Yan Yu, filled with shame, bit her lower lip and sobbed softly. Her two older sisters behind her, filled with anger 　　, stood up. Tang Zhong, an expert, had already seen that Jia Huan's martial arts were mediocre and that he would surely 　　suffer if the fight continued, so he stopped his daughter from intervening. 　　 Jia Huan scratched his head, at a loss; he couldn't bear to see girls cry. Tang Zhong laughed, "My dear friend 　　, you have already won. Yanyu, why are you crying like this? It's impolite. Wanyu and Xianyu, 　　go and rest with your sister." Jia Huan lowered his head and returned to his seat dejectedly. Tang Zhong had already noticed Jia Huan's 　　affection for his daughter, but he didn't like her looks or martial arts, so he naturally didn't dare to easily take her as his son-in-law. 　　 He smiled and said, "Girls are naturally temperamental, my dear friend, don't worry. Tonight we'll hold a celebration for your victory and reward 　　the entire army." After saying this, he dismissed everyone. 　　 Jia Huan sat blankly in the barracks, filled with regret. Ever since he saw the three Tang sisters, he had felt lust, but 　　he had no malicious intent, just like when he saw Daiyu, Baochai, and Xiangyun. That 　　 evening, a grand banquet was held in the army, naturally a scene of debauchery and revelry. Yan Yu, with her sallow face, 　　didn't even glance at Jia Huan; Xian Yu glared at him angrily; Wan Yu simply sat quietly drinking. Jia Huan felt guilty, and 　　the fine wine and delicacies tasted like wax, utterly tasteless. After a while, he claimed to be unwell and returned to his tent, and that 　　was not mentioned again. 　　 Tang Zhong, having won a battle but lost his sworn brother, was filled with mixed emotions of joy and sorrow. He unknowingly drank himself into a stupor and was carried 　　back to his tent by his soldiers. Soon, he was snoring loudly. Little did he know that two assassins were lying in ambush under his bed 　　—the Rakshasa women Anna and Maria. Seeing Tang Zhong fast asleep, they quietly crawled out, each carrying a 　　rapier and a short musket. The two women exchanged glances, nodded slightly, and first left the main tent, strangling the two guards to death with brute force 　　. Then, they crept back into the tent, and their swords swiftly plunged into Tang Zhong's chest! 　　 Tang Zhong cried out and struggled to sit up; the effects of the alcohol had long since worn off. Fortunately, the rapier was extremely thin and long, and it hadn't pierced 　　his heart, thus saving his life. He roared and desperately grabbed at the two women's heads; the two women, terrified 　　, fired simultaneously, the bullets striking Tang Zhong's chest, but Tang Zhong also grabbed their hair; Tang Zhong's eyes 　　flashed with a sharp light, and with a forceful slam, the two women's heads collided, and they fainted with a muffled groan. 　　 At this moment, blood gushed from Tang Zhong's wounds, and he had no strength left, so he could only lie limply on the bed. 　　 The three Tang sisters, Jia Huan, and others, hearing the commotion, rushed into the tent. Seeing that their father was in grave danger, the three sisters couldn't help but 　　burst into tears, and everyone else also wept. Tang Zhong instructed his daughters, "You sisters have never liked needlework since childhood, only 　　martial arts. I taught you martial arts, but then regretted it, realizing you didn't live as comfortably as daughters from ordinary families. 　　Back in Chang'an, so many people proposed marriage, but I refused them all. I only wanted to find the best families for you three sisters 　　. 　　 Who would have thought that my ambitions were so high, but my fate so fragile? Now I'm dying, and your mother died young, leaving us 　　with no relatives or elders..." 　　 Tang Zhong was now bleeding from his mouth and nose, barely breathing. He grabbed Jia Huan, tears streaming down his face, and said, "Zhen 　　Xianqi, I can see you care for my daughters. After I die, I fear they, weak women, will be alone and helpless. From today 　　onwards, you will be their husband, and they will be your wives. The three sisters will be treated equally, regardless of rank, only by age. Are you 　　willing?" 　　 Jia Huan saw the hope in Tang Zhong's eyes, and seeing the three sisters' tearful faces, she naturally felt a surge of affection, but...

Knowing that his sisters were almost certainly unwilling, he could only say, "How could I possibly have such good fortune? Your daughters are all
exceptionally beautiful and virtuous..." Tang Zhong shook his head to stop him, saying, "I see you are a good child, although your martial arts skills
are only average. I have already made the decision; it is the will of your parents, and none of the three dare disobey. I wrote a letter at dawn and sent it
to the capital, recommending you for the position of military advisor. Now that I am dead, you can temporarily assume the position of general."
After saying this, he stroked the heads of his three daughters with both hands and sighed sadly, "For a general, dying on the battlefield is the best
end. I have found a good home, and you should be happy. You may not have wanted to marry Zhen Xianqi, but
my judgment has never been wrong. When you were young, some people said that you would not even deign to be noble ladies, and that you would surely become very
rich and powerful." Suddenly, he exclaimed loudly, "Your Majesty's grace is boundless! Your subject, Tang Zhong, regrets that I cannot drive out the barbarians and serve the country; I deserve
to die a thousand deaths!" He then died, his eyes wide open in death.
The crowd wept again. After a while, Jia Huan advised, "Everyone, please stop crying! The General has passed
away; we should prepare for his funeral as soon as possible." Sure enough, some people stopped crying and carried Tang Zhong's body out to wash and prepare it for
burial. The three Tang sisters were naturally reluctant to part with him and hugged the coffin, weeping incessantly.
At that moment, several deputy generals said to Jia Huan, "Sir, before his death, General Tang appointed you to act as General. Please
assume the General's seal and report this matter to the court." Jia Huan nodded in agreement. The crowd then asked, "
What should we do with these two Rakshasa female assassins?" Jia Huan picked up a candlestick, squatted down, and looked at the two Rakshasa
women by the light. Although they were large, their faces were beautiful, their skin was fair, and their breasts were full,
quite different from Chinese beauties. He felt a pang of pity.
He said, "These two Rakshasa female ghosts have committed heinous crimes and cannot be easily killed. They
should be imprisoned for now and await further judgment." Soldiers immediately bound the two women tightly and dragged them to the prison. They remained unconscious.
Everyone went about their business throughout the night. The next day, the entire army wore mourning clothes for Tang Zhong's funeral. Because Jia Huan had been chosen as Tang Zhong's
son-in-law, according to custom, he walked in front with the three Tang sisters. Jia Huan carried the mourning staff, and the soul-summoning banner was placed in front of the coffin, with the three Tang
sisters following behind. Although they were betrothed, the wedding had not yet been arranged, and the three Tang sisters were extremely unwilling, so
the four of them walked in silence. The people of Xiaoyingkou Town, hearing of Tang Zhong's funeral procession, lined the streets, weeping as they saw him off.
A few days later, an imperial edict arrived from Chang'an, and Jia Huan and the others knelt to receive it. The eunuch read aloud: "By the grace of Heaven
, the Emperor decrees: Tang Zhong, the late General of Shanhaiguan, since his arrival, has diligently performed his duties, defending against foreign invaders and securing the interior, achieving truly great
merit. Tang Zhong is hereby granted the title of Duke of Lu, and his son-in-law Zhen Huan inherits this title. Tang Zhong's three daughters are all granted the title of Filial and Virtuous Lady.
Because of their past military achievements, the eldest daughter Wanyu is granted the title of Princess Jinfeng, the second daughter Xianyu the title of Princess Yufeng, and the third daughter Yanyu the title
of Princess Caifeng.
Before his death, Tang Zhong had recommended Zhen Huan for the position of Military Advisor. Because Zhen Huan has killed the enemy commander, he is now granted the title
of General Bingzhong, Prince Consort of Fengwu, General of Shanhaiguan, and Prefect of Liaodong. Zhen Huan and others are ordered to
annihilate the foreign invaders, including the Russians, Koreans, and Japanese! This is the imperial decree." The crowd accepted the decree and expressed their gratitude.
Jia Huan hosted a banquet to entertain the envoy. As the wine flowed freely, the angel laughed, "General Zhen, you've achieved such great merit at such a young age;
your future is limitless!" Jia Huan also laughed, "I am deeply humbled by His Majesty's favor." The angel, already somewhat drunk,
whispered in Jia Huan's ear, "Where is the Emperor's favor? The Emperor is now over sixty and unable to manage state affairs.
It is Consort Jia who is in power now. All the memorials and petitions are reviewed by Consort Jia, and even this imperial edict
was issued by Consort Jia."
Jia Huan was stunned upon hearing this, and unconsciously thought of his sister Yuan Chun. He asked softly, "Whose family is Consort Jia from?
Is it the Rongguo Mansion?" The angel nodded in agreement.
Jia Huan was greatly surprised, thinking of his beloved sister from his childhood, feeling both sad and heartbroken. After a long silence, he finally said
, "Then isn't the Rongguo Mansion's Chief Eunuch elevated through his daughter's influence?" The envoy laughed again, "That's not the case. Consort Jia
presides over court affairs, and the officials don't even know it, let alone the Chief Eunuch. Only we eunuchs who attend to him know." Jia
Huan then asked, "Then why is it only Consort Jia? The Emperor has three thousand concubines in his harem; why don't the other concubines participate in politics?"
The envoy sighed, "Consort Jia is exceptionally intelligent and learned; even men rarely possess such talent, let alone women
." Jia Huan became melancholy and remained silent for a long time.
After seeing the envoy off, Jia Huan lay on his bed, tossing and turning. Not long after, the guards announced, "The three
princesses request your presence." Because Jia Huan and the others were not yet married, they could not address the three Tang sisters as "Madams." Jia Huan tidied himself up
and went to the three sisters' tent. It turned out that the three sisters had lived in the same room since childhood, and now that they were grown up,
they still shared a tent.
To find out what happens next, please read the next chapter.
(to be continued)
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【The Dream of the Red Chamber and the Yellow Millet】(Chapters 1-3)

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