[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-my-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber":3,"chapter-my-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber-my-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber-chapter-51":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","My Life as a Rising Force in the Red Chamber",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2310849,4515,"Chapter 51: A Life for a Life","my-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber-chapter-51",51,"\u003Cp>The young Daoist beside him, tired of Liu Bi’s rambling, stepped forward and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am Qing Luan, disciple of Master Zhang Tianshi. My master heard that Master Jia Cong was kidnapped by bandits and grew anxious, so he sent me to visit you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, he pulled out a dark, heavy plaque: “My master is soon returning to Longhu Mountain; he has tasked me with delivering this Nine Palaces Dao Token to Master Jia Cong, to forge a spiritual bond.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Cong took the plaque with some confusion—it was heavy in his hand, engraved with intricate, elegant yin script of talismans, Bagua diagrams, and the words “Shangqing Zhengyi Palace.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing his bewilderment, the young Daoist said: “This Nine Palaces Dao Token is not given lightly. With it, you may stay and perform rituals at any orthodox Daoist temple in the land.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You could live there for three or five years without issue; should you later travel for study or reside elsewhere and encounter trouble, seek them out—they will aid you if within their power.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Cong’s heart jolted—this token was no less than a lifetime VIP pass from the future. He had this much favor? That Zhang Tianshi would bestow such a thing upon him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young Daoist noticed his expression and felt a flicker of pride, but then saw the bloodstains on his back and frowned, his eyes softening with pity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He blinked and said: “Do your family’s punishments always leave men half-dead? How could your elders strike so cruelly?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Zheng flushed again—he should have let Jia Cong meet the guest alone after speaking with him; he regretted staying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Zheng, seeing how frivolous the young Daoist was, secretly grew angry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the mention of Zhi Shao, Aunt Zhao wept again: “This old hag is useless. When the young master was away, I failed to protect the people in his quarters.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he could not rebuke the Daoist disciple, so he merely coughed loudly beside him, signaling his displeasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There are so many pleasant places on Longhu Mountain—wouldn’t that be far more comfortable?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He went to beg Zhao Yiniang to send Ma Daopo to perform rites to exorcise evil spirits—this matter became known to many in the Eastern Courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Cong stopped Aunt Zhao’s weeping and asked after Wang Shanbao’s wife.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Wang Shanbao’s wife, this wicked servant, need not be spared—since she still lives, let her pay with her life!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this news, Jia Cong’s face turned icy—he had learned the truth of the matter the day he returned home, from Guo Zhi Gui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He seemed to recall something, and filed the matter away in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that Jia She was absent, he found himself constantly caught in the crossfire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you’re unhappy at home, why not come with my master to Longhu Mountain? My master never strikes anyone, and you’ve already caught his eye.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My own elders are still present, yet you dare entice Jia Cong to become a Daoist on Longhu Mountain—do you truly think Jia Family is so easily fooled?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he sought divine aid to exorcise evil spirits, having heard that Ma Daopo of Zuo Ni Temple in the Eastern City was efficacious—she was also Bao Er’s adopted spiritual mother and close to Zhao Yiniang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aunt Zhao added: “When Wang Shanbao’s wife learned Zhi Shao had drowned herself, she was terrified—haunted by guilt, she’s been plagued by nightmares every night since, suffering unbearably.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Jia She and Lady Xing, Jia Cong still had some caution—he could only wait for the right moment to act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was said that because Jia Cong had no one to care for him, Ping’er, a maid from Lady Lian’s quarters, was sent to fetch her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aunt Zhao said Wang Shanbao’s wife had not died at Zhi Shao’s hands—she had merely struck her head, bled heavily, rested at home for several days, and recovered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Bi, standing nearby, stifled a laugh—he found the young Daoist utterly ridiculous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Daopo! Jia Cong’s heart leapt—wasn’t she the witch in the Red Chamber who incited Zhao Yiniang to use spirit dolls and black magic, nearly killing Feng Jie and Bao Yu?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had Wang Shanbao’s wife not, on Jia She’s orders, gone to the Treasury Courtyard to curse and pressure Zhi Shao, Zhi Shao would never have been driven to despair and drowned herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finally seeing off all the guests, Jia Zheng returned to Rongqing Hall, where Jia Cong’s wet nurse, Aunt Zhao, entered once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rongqing Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Mu still felt uneasy—her grandson had never been favored by her, had rarely been near her, and there was no closeness between them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In recent days, how many troubles had he stirred up? Clearly, this troublemaker was no ordinary scion of the household.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew his father was fearsome, yet he dared defy him even at the cost of being beaten half-dead—none of the other nephews or cousins had such spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old maids who witnessed the beating said he was nearly dead, yet never cried out or begged for mercy—his heart was hard, and cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he had sent his second son to deliver that message and assigned a pretty maid to comfort him, this troublemaker did not seem easy to manipulate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he continues acting as defiantly as he did toward his father, harboring resentment and shouting his grievances before outsiders, there’s nothing we can do to stop him now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Jia Mu seethed with suppressed anger, her second son returned to Rongqing Hall; she immediately asked about the guest meeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Zheng recounted how Jia Cong had spoken politely and handled matters with wisdom during the meeting, his face filled with paternal pride.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Madam Wang, seeing her husband’s expression, added to ease the mood: “Mother, please don’t worry. Though the boy is stubborn, he still knows his place.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Mu finally exhaled in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She asked: “Why has that old man Liu Yanxiu suddenly decided to send him to some academy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Family has its ancestral clan school—why must he study elsewhere? What would that make us look like?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Mu asked this because since the founding duke, Jia Family had established its clan school exclusively for its young heirs’ education.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only if a pupil secured a quota from the Imperial Academy would they leave the clan school to study at the National Academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In past years, Jia Jing and Jia Rong of the Eastern Branch, and Jia Zhu of the Western Branch followed this tradition—though Jia Jing and Jia Zhu truly studied, one becoming a Jinshi, the other a Xiusheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Rong and others merely went to obtain the title of National Academy student.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Jia Family’s Imperial Academy quotas were reserved only for legitimate sons—Jia Cong, a lowborn bastard, had no hope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, by normal means, Jia Cong was meant to study in the clan school.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To attend an outside academy without permission would dishonor the ancestral school—this was filial impiety, punishable by family law at the ancestral hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Zheng sighed: “Mother may not know—last year, Elder Brother notified Grandmaster Dairu to expel Cong-ge from the clan school.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When Master Jing’an learned of this, he felt Cong-ge was a promising talent and feared his studies would be wasted, so he recommended him to Qingshan Academy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Mu looked baffled: “Why expel him? Why forbid him from studying at the school?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Zheng looked embarrassed—he found it absurd even to say: “Elder Brother said he was unworthy of learning, so he removed his name from the school roster.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, Jia Zheng still spared his elder brother’s face—there was Jia Mu and many ladies present, so he did not repeat Jia She’s accusations that Jia Cong was vile, base, and a waste of study funds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Mu felt a wave of helplessness—this boy wrote beautiful calligraphy and composed verses praised by all—yet he was deemed unworthy of learning?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could her son have conceived such a foolish notion, expelling him from the clan school, only to let outsiders seize the chance and arrange for him to study at a grand academy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wasn’t this like slapping Jia Family’s face—declaring us blind and foolish? And the hand delivering the slap? Her own son had handed it to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Mu struck her embroidered cushion several times, overwhelmed with bitterness, nearly weeping with rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Truly, misfortune never comes alone—I never want to hear such idiotic nonsense again. Let them do as they please.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Zheng hurriedly said: “Mother, please don’t overthink it—Master Jing’an is a renowned scholar of his age; his recommendation of Cong-ge to Qingshan Academy is a great honor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s a privilege others beg for—it brings great prestige to Jia Family. Mother should simply let Cong-ge go study.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Mu was not senile—she knew this was indeed a good thing. But why did it feel so twisted, so humiliating to accept?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1479,"2026-06-20T12:19:54.434Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","054e8dd049b843eadfc4e5a235239ef877f192175f38f6400f8a62879828ed8b","my-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber-chapter-52","my-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber-chapter-50",920,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmy-life-as-a-rising-force-in-the-red-chamber-cover.jpg"]