Late at night, a single lamp glimmered like a bean in the Thousand-Household Commander's office.
After Mei Yuan left, Jia Huan summoned several trusted subordinates.
"Xue Fu, the garrison eunuch in Shuzhong, is very likely to have falsified military achievements, deceived the court, and embezzled army funds! We leave for Sichuan tomorrow. We must arrest that castrated dog."
After a brief pause, he said sternly:
"Given that he commands troops, we'll take eighteen hundred Embroidered Uniform Guards west this time. Leave the Capital in separate groups, and tell the men not to change horses at the relay stations!"
Against a powerful eunuch with military authority, trying to enlist Jianghu forces again would be utterly absurd.
"Yes, sir!" his subordinates answered in unison.
"Boss, shall we leave immediately?" Scholar was eager to get moving.
Only by setting Xue Fu alight could they spread the flames to the Beiliang Governor-General!
"Dismiss for now and go home. We leave the Capital at dawn."
Rongguo Mansion blazed with lights.
A carriage drove into the estate.
"Where's Baoyu? Where's Baoyu?"
Jia Mu stood before the Ceremonial Gate, pale and frantic, her voice laden with grief.
"Carry that vile beast back to Yihong Court!" Jia Zheng erupted in fury. Every last scrap of his dignity had been lost.
Lai Da and Mingyan hastily lifted the carriage curtain. Second Master Bao lay facedown on a brocade couch, his buttocks stained with blood and patches of yellow marking the crotch of his trousers.
"My son has suffered so." Seeing her Kirin Child in such a wretched state, Madam Wang felt as though knives were slicing through her heart.
"It... it was all that bastard's fault! He ordered a pack of lackeys to whip me, then had them pour urine over me to humiliate me. Mother, hurry and