The head of the Red Mansion

Chapter 135 Blue Branch
Grandmother Jia had come to a deep understanding of her second son's stupidity, ignorance, and arrogance.

What Mr. Shen said is highly likely.

Since the Duke passed away, Er'er has become addicted to keeping guests and seems to crave flattery, wishing that everyone would still revolve around him as before.

This is outside...

"He wants to choose an ancestral hall, so you and Zhen'er should give him another chance. In the future... send someone to keep a close eye on him."

The children are not grown up yet.

Yuan Chun was not yet married, and Zhu'er was at a crucial stage of her studies.

The old lady's eyes welled up with tears. "Wang Shi is keeping a close eye on things too."

"Don't worry, Auntie, we're family."

Shen Ning's stunt was solely aimed at gaining the old lady's support, completely dismantling the misplaced self-confidence of everyone in the household, and then spreading the Great Zhao Law to the Rongguo Mansion.

Especially with Jia Lian and Wang Xifeng keeping an eye on them, the Rongguo Mansion is essentially half saved. "My second brother is timid and may not have the guts to choose to sever ties."

"Yes, yes, I'll go back first and give him a good beating."

The old lady couldn't sit still any longer and was eager to go back.

"My second brother is easily swayed. At the time, his wife was in the inner room, trying to persuade Zhen'er."

As Shen Ning saw her off, she complained, "For the sake of her nephew's concubine's family, she's willing to step on her own husband's family, and on Feng's husband's family..."

"That's a stupid woman."

The old woman angrily pounded the ground a few times with her cane, saying, "You wait, I will make sure the Wang family gives me an explanation."

She couldn't bring herself to kill her son, but it was a different story with her daughter-in-law.

Shen Ning knew what kind of temperament the old lady had, but well, what could she do? She disliked Jia Zheng and his wife just as much.

If Wang Shi hadn't been detained, Jia Zhu might have died young, just like in Dream of the Red Chamber.

If this old house and mansion are run by the couple, everyone can live in peace.

Shen Ning is now looking forward to Yuan Chun's marriage.

She then struck with full force, causing Jia Zheng to be so ashamed that he dared not leave the house.

Incompetent, easily swayed, and muddle-headed, what's the point of even going out?

From then on, he stayed at home and enjoyed the rivalry between Madam Wang and Aunt Zhao.

"Wang Ziteng will probably arrive soon."

Shen Ning said, "Zhu'er will be back soon too. Please speak kindly and don't be angry."

"rest assured!"

Before getting into the sedan chair, the old lady patted her hand and said, "If you're angry, just let it out."

She's old and has long since stopped being bullied by others.

Moreover, it's the Wang family's aura.

Shen Ning watched as the old lady rode away in a sedan chair, exuding a murderous aura, and felt quite satisfied.

However, this old lady is not persistent in her actions, and it is very likely that one day Jia Zheng will coax her back to her original state with a few words.

She can probably find someone else...

But who?

In the entire Western Mansion, the only people larger than Jia Zheng and his wife, and who could barely be in charge of them, were Jia She and his wife.

However, Xing felt that she was a second wife and never stood up straight in front of Wang.

Perhaps she can help her.

Just as Shen Ning was thinking about how to help, Madam You rushed over, "Mother, someone delivered a letter at the gatehouse, specifically saying it was for you."

she?
"Do you know who it is?"

Shen Ning took the letter and asked questions at the same time.

"I don't know. They just asked me to give you the letter and then left."

In the past, the gatekeeper wouldn't have accepted such a person, even if he had received a bribe and sent him to the inner courtyard, Lady You still wouldn't have accepted him.

But with Min Jianbo's example as a warning, no one dares to act on their own initiative.

Madam You was worried that the other party might be related to her mother-in-law's family, so she hurriedly sent it over.

"blue?"

Shen Ning glanced at the words on the envelope and couldn't help but frown.

This surname is very rare.

Although there were several such establishments in the capital, she had only heard of them and never even seen them. However…

Tearing open the envelope, I pulled out two thin sheets of paper. Unfolding them, I read, "Your niece, Lanzhi, greets your aunt..."

Shen Ning's heart skipped a beat.

After skimming through it, he was left with only shock on his face.

It turned out she was the daughter of Jia Lan, the eldest sister-in-law of the Xi family who had passed away long ago, and she had even joined the army.

Although I know that there aren't as many strict gender segregation rules at the border, joining the army...

"Someone, prepare a car!"

The other party is leaving tonight.

"Bring two good ginseng roots, and also... prepare plenty of high-quality wound medicine."

"Mother, who is it?"

Madam You was quite surprised. "It's Lanzhi, the daughter of your deceased aunt Jia Lan from the West Mansion."

what?
"Don't ask so many questions, hurry up, I'll go right away."

Jia Lan and her father-in-law passed away in the same year.

She never returned to Beijing to visit her family after she got married.

Because of Jia Wen, Shen Ning thought more about her two older sisters-in-law from the original owner's memories.

Jia Lan married into the Lan family in Zhongwei, Ningxia. She gave birth to two sons before having a daughter. Originally, she and Jia Jing thought that Jia Lan, with two sons and a daughter, would not be affected by the Jia family's turmoil. However, they did not expect that she would be the first to die.

Only one letter arrived from there, saying she had died, and then there was no further contact.

Because of the distance between them, and the awkward identities of the original owner and Jia Jing, both of them tried to avoid mentioning the deceased, and gradually forgot about them.

did not expect……

"Let's invite the old man along!"

While gesturing to her maid to go find Jia Zhen, Lady You hurriedly went to prepare ginseng and medicine for her injuries.

Shen Ning ignored her and beckoned to Qingzhu, "Where's the dagger I asked you to get that time? Bring it here."

"……Yes!"

Qingzhu knew that his wife really liked that dagger that could cut wood as easily as cutting tofu, and often played with it.

Unexpectedly, even such powerful weapons were to be given away.

She rushed back to the courtyard and brought the dagger with her. Jia Zhen had already arrived. "Mother, let your son stay with you!"

Beijing is considered quite safe, but it's also unsafe... well, it's definitely not safe.

Their family offended Prince Jin and Lu Kun.

These two men, one powerful and the other wealthy, were both capable of hiring assassins from the martial arts world.

"No need, I'll be back soon."

Shen Ning shook her head. "If the old lady comes over, just tell her I have something to do and will be back later."

"Then... bring a few more people."

His cousin, disguised as a man, did not write him a letter, and Jia Zhen was indeed in a difficult position to approach her.

Shen Ning nodded, watching Qingzhu accept the gift from Madam You, and said, "Keep an eye on Yue'er's situation."

"I'll go hug her in a little while."

Shen Ning waved her hand, and the carriage quickly started moving.

This was only the second time she had left Ningrong Street since she had traveled through the Red Mansion.

It was Shen Ning's first time entering the palace, and she had no interest in looking at any of the scenery outside.

Returning from the palace with Yuan Chun and Jia Zhen, and being too tired, she had no interest in seeing any scenery.

This second time...

Shen Ning was glad that because it was summer, the car windows only had two layers of thin veil, and although the houses and people outside were vaguely visible, it added to the atmosphere.

Of course, the reason she was so comfortable in the middle of summer was mainly because there was an ice basin in the car, and Qingping also brought a fan and gently fanned her.

Well, if it weren't for the troubles caused by Jia Zheng's family, Shen Ning felt that her life would be quite comfortable.

"Mrs!"

Qingping hesitated for a moment and said, "I heard that Second Master Lian entered the palace yesterday because of the war in Ningxia, and he also took office yesterday."

"He still hasn't come back, has he?"

If he returns, Jia Zheng will not be able to show his face; Wang Zisheng and Wang Shi will have Jia Lian do it.

"Yes!"

Sure enough, Qingping nodded, "Madam, if the old lady of the West Mansion knew that Miss Cousin was in the army..."

"So, she didn't send any letters over there!"

Shen Ning sighed.

Neither the Min family nor the Lan family appears in Dream of the Red Chamber.

It's possible that it happened, but Min Jianbai didn't get into the Rongguo Mansion. He's just a little kid begging in the capital... I don't even know if he'll survive until winter.

I wonder where Jia She is now.

Will Jia Wen be able to wait?

Hopefully, we can wait that long!
"There's no need to tell anyone about this."

Women can certainly join the army.

While most women cannot match men in terms of physical strength, there are exceptions.

Especially when the war is at its most intense.

"Yes!"

Qingzhu and Qingping exchanged a glance and nodded in unison.

The carriage sped through several streets and soon arrived at the inn where General Jiang Yu of Ningxia was staying.

At this moment, Lan Zhi, who had already risen to the rank of seventh-grade nomadic deputy lieutenant, was taking stock of the various wound medicines that everyone had quickly bought from the capital.

The Armory will provide them with these supplies, but once a battle breaks out, relying solely on the Armory's limited medical supplies might not be enough.

Fortunately, the Emperor managed to obtain the silver, so they no longer needed to send gifts everywhere, and the Imperial Treasury said it would fully cooperate.

This saves a lot of money.

They were poor and shameless, so they returned the gifts they had bought to each household in exchange for these life-saving items.

"Lord Lan!"

A loud voice rang out from outside the courtyard, making one's ears hurt: "Quickly, a lady wants to see you."

What?
Lan Zhi glared at the guy sticking his head out, making sure he wasn't faking it. She paused for a moment, then quickly turned around and took a few steps out.

At this moment, the Ningguo Prefecture's carriage was parked in the shade, with six guards each in their respective positions, and the postmaster was talking to someone with a big smile on his face.

Who is coming?

Lan Zhi's heart started racing, and she quickened her pace as she walked towards them.

"Are you Lan Zhi?"

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Shen Ning saw eyes on the handsome young man's face that were very similar to Jia Zhu's.

Yes, they really are family.

"Yes!"

Lan Zhi was slightly flustered, but seeing that the other party's smile was warm and kind and there was nothing else unusual, she quickly calmed herself down and said, "Niece greets Aunt."

She did not perform the woman's bow, but instead bowed like a man.

Moreover, his voice was deep and slightly rough. If Shen Ning hadn't already known, she would have mistaken him for a man. "Why are you being so polite with us? We're family." She helped him up herself. "Let's go, let's talk in the living room."

It's too hot outside.

"Yes!" Lan Zhi hadn't expected the meeting to be like this.

I've always heard that the separation of men and women in the capital is very strict.

She thought that after writing the letter, at most a stewardess would come, but unexpectedly, it was her aunt who came in person.

Moreover, her letter had only been sent not long ago.

She had originally planned to leave that night, so there would be no need for the conflict of whether or not to come and see him.

Lan Zhi naturally helped Shen Ning up and they entered the living room together, led by Yi Cheng.

This is the finest living room; even ice basins are provided.

As soon as Lan Zhi entered, she felt a cool sensation all over her body.

I know you're busy.

Shen Ning waved to the postmaster and watched him leave before saying, "But there are some things I still need to ask."

"You say."

"How did your mother die?"

"Seriously ill!"

"Where's your father?"

“He also passed away less than half a month after his mother.”

Lan Zhi tried to speak in a calm tone, "Then there's the eldest brother, and the second brother."

Shen Ning's expression turned serious. "...What's the reason?"

It's impossible that they all died of illness.

"When my mother was ill, she wrote to the capital, hoping that her uncles would take care of my siblings and me, but she received a letter of reprimand instead."

Although she tried to control herself, Lanzhi couldn't help but let her eyes turn red as she spoke. "It was a letter from the second wife of the Rongguo Mansion. They reprimanded him severely and said that they had sent a letter to the Second Guards Commander, requesting that my father, eldest brother, and second brother take turns guarding the vanguard squad. At that time, we had frequent clashes with the Tatars. My father met with misfortune the very night he was transferred. He killed three Tatars in a row, but finally, he was too weak and was beheaded."

Then came my eldest and second eldest brothers, who also passed away within three years of each other.

Shen Ning: "..."

"If the eldest brother went, the second brother wouldn't have needed to go."

Lan Zhi's eyes glistened with tears. "But the garrison of Ningxia Second Guard has some connection with the Wang family."

"...Do you still have that letter?"

Shen Ning believed her.

This is something only the Wang family and Jia Zheng would do.

"No more."

Lan Zhi shook her head sadly, "When I was hastily fleeing Ningxia Erwei, I set fire to my house."

Shen Ning: "..."

"Auntie!"

Lan Zhi sniffed. "You need to be careful of the Wang family."

Although her cousin in the armory seemed decent, providing all the military supplies they needed, according to her investigation, her second cousin was also married to a woman from the royal family.

"……I know."

At this moment, Shen Ning thought about many, many things.

Wang and Wang Ziteng originally intended to harm her and her eldest son.

It was just that Jia Jing made the first move.

"Are you with General Jiang now?"

"Yes!"

Have you ever thought about... coming back?

Now that she had said it, Shen Ning no longer hesitated, "I can come back and regain my female identity..."

"Auntie!"

Lan Zhi shook her head. "I'm fine now. Don't let my thinness fool you, I can eat a lot. When I was little, I was stronger than my older brothers."

She also wants to avenge her family.

"..."

Shen Ning looked at the girl who was half a head taller than her, "Don't worry, I won't let the Wang family get away with this. As for Jia Zheng... I won't let him off the hook either."

She can manage the household, but there's going to be war in Ningxia!

Shen Ning didn't dare to mention your return anymore. "On the battlefield, weapons have no eyes. Be careful."

"I know."

Lan Zhi nodded.

"Where there is life, there is hope."

Shen Ning added, "On the battlefield, we shouldn't just fight blindly. When the enemy advances, we retreat; when the enemy camps, we harass; when the enemy tires, we attack; when the enemy retreats, we pursue. By wearing them down, we can wear them down to death."

"……Um!"

When she was young, her mother told her that Jia Jing, her cousin of the same generation as her, was the most powerful.

did not expect……

Lan Zhi nodded solemnly, "I will also pass on Aunt's words to Lord Xia."

Although the Tatars on the grasslands are swift and elusive, making it difficult for them to handle such matters, these words sounded impressive to her and might even provide Lord Xia with some inspiration.

Moreover, with the support of the Armory Command this time, they might be able to get more warhorses.

As long as there are enough warhorses, the men of Ningxia Guard are not afraid of those Tatars.

“Your second cousin Jia Lian works in the Armory. If there’s anything you can’t get, just write to me and I’ll get it for you.”

"it is good!"

Although it was their first meeting and they only exchanged a few words, Lanzhi clearly felt her aunt's sincerity. "My mother once said that if we went to the capital, we could come and visit my aunt."

"Yes, you can come to me anytime."

Did the original owner of the body not come looking for him in Dream of the Red Chamber because he died?

Shen Ning felt a pang of heartache. "I will also remind your older cousin and his wife."

As she spoke, she glanced at the things Qingzhu and Qingping had placed on the table, "I came in a hurry, so I only brought you some medicine for your injuries. Please take good care of it."

"Hmm~"

Lanzhi felt a little ashamed because she hadn't given her aunt a gift.

"I'll have your older cousin send some over later."

Shen Ning didn't notice her expression; she was only worried that she might have given too little.

On the battlefield, swords and spears truly have no eyes.

"Oh, right, I also have a dagger here."

Qingzhu hurriedly brought over the dagger.

"It was left to you by your great-grandfather. Keep it with you for self-defense!"

"...Thank you so much, Auntie!"

Lan Zhi gently drew her dagger; its cold gleam was dazzling. "A fine sword!"

Although it was a bit short, it was just right for her.

"you……"

Just as Lanzhi was about to say something more, she heard someone calling her from outside.

"I know you're busy, go ahead!"

Shen Ning glanced outside and said, "I'll wait for you to come back so I can tell your aunt about the great victory."

"Ok!"

Lan Zhi nodded solemnly, "I will definitely come back."

She thought she had no family left, only her brothers in the army.

But unexpectedly, a letter brought her family back.

"Aunt, let me see you off."

"……it is good!"

As Shen Ning nodded and walked out, she asked her softly, "Are there any other girls like you in the Ningxia army?"

"some."

A hint of a smile crept into Lan Zhi's eyes. "When the Great Zhao Dynasty was founded, there was a women's army in Ningxia. I was the deputy captain there."

"That's good!"

The original owner came from a family of civil officials and only knew about the Ningxia Guard, but really didn't know the specific situation in Ningxia.

But Lan Zhi was the superior officer there, and Shen Ning still admired her greatly. "Auntie is waiting for your triumphant return."

When she gets home, she needs to get some more brown sugar and have Jia Zhen bring it over.

Hmm, perhaps we could let Aunt Li research red ginger candy.

"My aunt will treat me to something delicious then."

Lan Zhi smiled and said, "When I was little, my mother missed the food in Beijing the most."

“Okay, I’ll have them make all the dishes we’ve eaten at home for you in rotation.”

The carriage had been gone for a while when Shen Ning turned around and saw Lan Zhi standing there, watching her leave.

She couldn't help but sigh.

"hurry up!"

Shen Ning gave instructions to the coachman.

Since Lanzhi enjoys food, some of today's imperial snacks can be sent over.

It's too hot to keep it open, so I can ask my colleagues for help!
On the battlefield, in moments of life and death, whether someone is watching over you or no one is a completely different matter.

……

Rongguo Mansion, Lixiangyuan.

With a scar on his head, Wang Zisheng finally managed to carry two tree branches on his back after being coaxed and threatened by his older brother, Wang Ziteng. "Aren't we waiting for my brother-in-law and the others?"

If you're going to Ningguo Prefecture, let's go together!

What's the point of having just the two of them?

Wang Zisheng felt that he had escaped death, and even relatives should give way to him.

But this time he was injured again, and his older brother insisted that he go and apologize.

"...Let's go!"

Wang Ziteng glanced at the courtyard gate and sighed, "If we don't leave now, that old lady probably won't care whether you're injured or not; she'll come over and scold you first."

Wang Zisheng: "..."

"No need to look."

Wang Ziteng sighed helplessly, "My brother-in-law and the others haven't come back yet; they must be getting scolded!"

After Yuan Chun returned, her in-laws' mother clearly didn't love her brother-in-law's family as much as before.

In the end, the Rongguo Mansion still belongs to Jia She.

Just a few months ago, he and his sister were plotting to bring the Ningguo Mansion over.

But now even the Rongguo Mansion has been lost.

Their family... has been having a really bad time lately!

"Why should they?"

Wang Zisheng was furious and was about to say something when a group of people arrived at the courtyard gate. Old Madam Jia, like Madam Shen, also came over in a sedan chair.

"It's perfect that my nephew is here."

Grandmother Jia's face was filled with anger. "You know what happened here, don't you? Tell this old woman, how should those two be punished? Is my servant Zheng'er implicated because of them? Are you trying to fool him?"

Jia Zheng: "..."

He was truly bound with thorns, his face flushed red, too ashamed to look up at anyone.

I'm begging for votes for this 5000-word chapter! Any kind of vote will do.
(End of this chapter)