The head of the Red Mansion

Chapter 196 Unbearable
Is the eldest sister-in-law going to find the eldest brother?
On this snowy day...

"Sister-in-law! Sister-in-law!"

Jia She quickly grabbed the reins, "I'll go, I'll go and watch over Zhen'er and my elder brother for you. You and Xing Shi can take the carriage back."

He's a man, how could he act like a woman, taking a car home while his sister-in-law goes to a dangerous place in this weather?
"The person who did this behind the scenes failed here, so they're probably just waiting for you to come over too."

Jia She had no choice.

He actually wanted to wait for the officers and soldiers to come together.

But my sister-in-law is in such a hurry...

He had no choice but to bite the bullet and go ahead.

"Yeah!"

Madam Xing quickly chimed in, "Sister-in-law, how about..."

Before she could finish speaking, she saw what Shen Ning had taken out, and it suddenly went silent.

"Don't worry, I have it."

Shen Ning put the musket back in its place. "If you're worried, just wait here. We have someone who's seriously injured and they're being carried this way."

She dared not delay any longer, and spurred her horse forward, "Let's go!"

Wen Peilan cooperated and pulled hard on the reins. Her movement brought a special kind of shock. In the cold weather, Jia She's hands were already freezing cold outside. With this shock, he unconsciously loosened his grip.

Without saying a word, Fan Daming gave Jia She a slight bow and quickly followed.

In the wind and snow, Jia She and his entourage waited for them, only to watch them leave helplessly.

Jia She's heart was heavy...

It suddenly fell into the oil pan and was fried.

……

In the Shou Kang Palace in the capital, Consort Zhen also felt faint.

She already has the condition to faint.

But I dare not faint, nor can I faint.

If he faints at this moment, it would confirm his son's guilty conscience in front of the Emperor Emeritus.

By the time……

Consort Zhen dared not think further.

In this palace, how to get dizzy, and how to be dizzy, are all compulsory courses for clever concubines.

Almost everyone has some experience.

However, their experiences are never shared with outsiders.

But this time, Mr. Shi fainted...

Consort Zhen was absolutely certain that she had used some tricks.

It's hateful that she can't say these words, because men tend to believe what they see with their own eyes.

The imperial physician even said that the person was suffering from excessive worry, anxiety, grief, fear, and shock, and coupled with old age, their body could not withstand it.

ho~
Consort Zhen was filled with hatred.

This woman, whom she always called "good sister," was helping the Shen family.

Even though they were such good friends back then, she still helps her own family when something happens.

If I had known this would happen...

"The Great Emperor!"

Because Grandmother Jia fainted, Jia Min, who was also summoned to the palace, prostrated herself not far from the Emperor Emeritus, saying, "Thank you, Emperor Emeritus, for saving my life!"

Jia Min is a beauty, and this beauty is shedding tears…

"Get up and talk!"

This young girl used to visit the palace frequently.

The retired emperor always treated her as his own junior.

In particular, she married Lin Ruhai.

Lin Ruhai was stationed in Yangzhou and in charge of the salt tax in Jiangnan, which amounted to several million taels of silver annually. He was a capable and virtuous minister.

The retired emperor still held great expectations for him.

"Tell me and the Emperor the specific details of what happened at the time, how many men in black there were, and how you dealt with them."

"Reporting to the Emperor Emeritus and the Emperor."

Guided by the young eunuch, Jia Min bowed slightly and sat down a little. "Today, at the Plum Garden where my cousin Shi Ding was hosting a dinner, I encountered an assassination attempt."

what?
The Emperor Emeritus's expression immediately turned serious.

"The other party's target was my cousin Shi Ding and his wife, but fortunately my cousin was prepared and killed them on the spot."

If we couldn't see the Emperor Emeritus and the Emperor, so be it; but since we did see them...

Having lived in Jiangnan for many years, Jia Min was well aware of the Zhen family's power and influence.

On the surface, because of her maternal family, the Zhen family treated her and her husband very well, but what about the people in the family who had been bribed...?

“I had a bad feeling at the time and wanted to ask my sister-in-law to ride with me.”

Jia Min's eyes were slightly red. "But my sister-in-law probably also felt it was dangerous, and instead strongly urged me to ride in the same car as my mother."

"..."

"..."

The retired emperor and the emperor both thought of the incident on her way to the capital, when she was pursued by the Li family and Japanese pirates.

now……

The retired emperor and the emperor couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

All told, the Jia family has been targeted by assassination attempts one after another.

"The Great Emperor!"

Tears streamed down Jia Min's face. "It's not that my sister-in-law is being paranoid, but my husband from Jiangnan wrote to me, telling me not to come home for the New Year." The Lin family has a residence in the capital, and by all accounts, she should go home to reconnect with her family there during the New Year. "He repeatedly urged me to do this, and even wrote to my sister-in-law, asking her to keep an eye on me."

The Zhen family in Jiangnan was virtually unchallenged due to the presence of the retired emperor and Consort Zhen.

When officials of the fifth rank or above went to Jiangnan to take up their posts, they had to first pay their respects to the local officials.

If you don't curry favor with powerful figures, your official position... is very likely to be short-lived.

In other words, the civil and military affairs were kept relatively separate, preventing the Zhen family from extending their influence into the army; otherwise...

"My sister-in-law and I both guessed that he was attacked in Jiangnan."

These things must be mentioned.

Putting all that aside, if the retired emperor were to become suspicious, or if Consort Zhen were to investigate, it would be clear that the Jia family was guarding against the imperial family.

The Jia family can only be loyal to the imperial family, not wary of them.

Jia Min dared not cause trouble for her family.

"My sister-in-law was worried about my safety, so she let me get into the old lady's car. Her car was at the back, and everything was normal along the way until we encountered the young Taoist boy from Taixuan Temple..."

Jia Min recounted everything she had heard and seen at the time: "My sister-in-law was worried about what was happening over there, so she asked us to bring more people. My nephew, Jia Zhen, took eight people with him, but not long after they left, a fire broke out in the rear."

At this point, large tears began to fall from her eyes.

Although the Emperor Emeritus had heard it from Grandmother Jia once before, hearing it again... his hand gripping the armrest still couldn't help but bulge with veins.

He also agreed with the judgment of the Jia family mother and daughter.

The men in black were targeting more than just the Shen family.

The eldest branch of the Jia family... is the place where he entrusted the bloodline of the crown prince.

Last time on the fifteenth of August, Prince Jin coincidentally ran into Lady Shen. This time…

The retired emperor's paranoia suddenly resurfaced.

The emperor felt great pity for the crown prince's daughter who had been abandoned, and he would not do anything to tamper with this matter.

But Prince Jin and Consort Zhen...

Although he repeatedly warned himself not to think about the Crown Prince anymore, he would never tolerate being schemed against by the people around him.

The Crown Prince's daughter raised in the Qin family is currently a secret within the royal family. The only person in the palace who can glean some information from various sources is Consort Zhen, who frequently visits his side.

ho~
So brave.

The retired emperor is thinking a lot right now.

When the throne was passed to the emperor, Prince Jin blamed him while also resenting his mother, Consort Zhen.

He was initially pleased that in Consort Zhen's heart, he was more important than her son.

But now...

The retired emperor couldn't help but suspect that Zhen was frightened back then.

Indeed, the crown prince died like that, and in his illness, he suspected everyone.

Caishikou is always packed with people.

Countless others were exiled.

She dared to fart at that time...

The retired emperor slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

The Prince of Jin is becoming increasingly outrageous, and so is the Zhen family...

The retired emperor took Jia Min's words to heart.

After the Li family, who colluded with Japanese pirates, fell from power in the entire Jiangnan region, who would dare to treat Lin Ruhai like that?
The reason Lin Ruhai was sent to Yangzhou as the Salt Commissioner was because his two predecessors had died mysteriously.

Lin Ruhai was sent because his in-laws were from the Duke's Mansion.

The Jia family has many connections, and no one dares to touch their son-in-law.

So many years have passed, do those people think the Jia family is finished?

The Emperor Emeritus recalled how Lady Shi looked like she was about to vomit blood when Consort Zhen called her "elder sister".

good good!
The retired emperor's mind was wandering, but the emperor was still listening to Jia Min recount the situation at the time: "...five men in black had knives and swords, as well as crossbows from the army. The guards were caught off guard at first and were attacked unexpectedly. According to the servants, two of them were injured at the time."

Jia Min couldn't stop crying.

But Dai Quan, who was guarding the door, had to interrupt. "Your Majesty!" he said cautiously. "Lord Dong has arrived."

"...Announce!"

The retired emperor's voice seemed calm and collected, but Dong Xiaoquan, who entered, sensed an impending storm.

"The Supreme Emperor..."

He was about to shout "Long live the Emperor!" when the retired emperor interrupted him coldly, "Enough nonsense, have your men gone yet?"

"Already gone."

Dong Xiaoquan glanced at the emperor and said, "Lord Zhu of the Five Cities Garrison Command, upon hearing the news, also personally led his men there."

The two of them were in charge of security in the capital and often cooperated with each other.

They will also support each other whenever possible.

"Zhu Si still has some brains."

The Emperor Emeritus was somewhat satisfied and asked, "Does your Shuntian Prefecture have any leads regarding the group of men in black who intercepted and killed the Shen family?"

This?
Dong Xiaoquan glanced at Jia Min out of the corner of his eye again.

Before he came in, he had already heard that the old lady of Rongguo Mansion had fainted after pleading with the Empress Dowager.

This one...

She was a famous talented woman in the capital back then.

He had once heard Jia Jingsheng praise his younger cousin.

Dong Xiaoquan quickly considered the matter and said, "I have some doubts."

"Who?"

"..."

Dong Xiaoquan was silent for a moment, then finally looked up, "Prince Jin!"

"..." "..."

In an instant, all the eunuchs and maids in the palace held their breath.

The retired emperor stared intently at him. "Tell me about it."

"Your Majesty, a few days ago, Jia Zhen of the Ningguo Mansion sent a thief into the Shuntian Prefecture."

If a prince breaks the law, he shall be punished the same as a commoner.

These words... are best taken with a grain of salt.

Originally, he wanted to hold back.

The retired emperor is old and cannot withstand any more upheaval. If the emperor were to do something to Prince Jin, regardless of what would happen to the retired emperor, the history books would certainly not look good.

However, the Prince of Jin went too far.

Before Mr. Liu even showed up, the Prince of Jin had already killed at least four people.

Now they've targeted the Jia family again, and this time they're even eyeing the lives of the entire family of three.

That kind of people……

Dong Xiaoquan could no longer tolerate it. "The thief said he was a man of the Prince of Jin, and he was ordered to steal all the correspondence between the Jia family. According to him, the valuable letters he stole would eventually be counterfeited by a Mr. Liu from the Prince of Jin's mansion. The real letters would be kept, and the fake letters would be sent back."

I realized this was a major case, and just as I was about to summon Mr. Liu, he disappeared.

The next day, the two servants who served him at the Prince of Jin's residence caught a cold and fell seriously ill.

I requested to investigate the attendant's body, but the Prince of Jin's residence made excuses and delays.

Meanwhile, Shuntian Prefecture also received a case of corpse theft, and the person whose corpse was stolen was Feng Hanmei…

Each and every incident is inextricably linked to the Prince of Jin's residence.

Although he has not found any substantial evidence to date, his inability to find a breakthrough does not mean that the retired emperor cannot find one either.

Some things... don't need evidence, just knowing them is enough.

Dong Xiaoquan believed that the retired emperor was not yet senile.

He didn't expect to completely overthrow the Prince of Jin through this; he just wanted him to behave himself for the time being.

Stop acting like a mad dog, biting indiscriminately everywhere.

Dong Xiaoquan's mouth was making "thump thump thump" sounds, while the Emperor Emeritus's heart was pounding "thump thump thump".

A letter that's indistinguishable from the real thing...

His suspicion of the crown prince began with two letters.

"You wretched child!"

The retired emperor gritted his teeth, about to hurl some curses, when suddenly his vision went black...

He heard the emperor urgently calling out "Father Emperor," and even more people frantically calling out "Retired Emperor."

The retired emperor tried to respond, but after struggling, he not only failed to wake up, but also completely fell into darkness.

Meanwhile, Shen Ning and her two companions headed towards Tai Xuan Temple, but after only a few miles, they saw blood on the snow that was almost covered up.

"Madam, I have a message for the master. I fear something has happened."

Fan Daming glanced at the direction the horse's hooves were pointing and said, "We need to hurry."

The old man must not get into trouble.

Rong-ge'er is still young.

To be honest, they were all terrified when the old man had his accident last time.

There are still too few male descendants in the eldest branch of the Ningguo Mansion!

They'll have to pray to the gods and Buddhas for the old man, hoping that the old woman will have another baby boy.

"Then hurry up."

Shen Ning's heart was also clenched.

She had given up hope on Jia Jing, but Jia Zhen…

Since his arrival in this world, Jia Zhen has had many shortcomings, but he is extremely filial to his mother.

If they're kept in check, they can be treated like human beings.

You can even be a good person.

"Wait first!"

Wen Peilan was experienced in escorting goods, "so that she wouldn't be ambushed, she wrapped up her horse's hooves."

When they encounter people who don't give the security guards face, they usually leave quietly.

Although the snow on the ground could mask some of the sound of horses' hooves, it wasn't enough.

stab~
Fan Daming thought it made sense; Grandpa Jiao had taught them the same thing.

Without the slightest delay, he quickly made a slit in his cloak with a knife, tearing off a large section.

Wen Peilan jumped down, and the two worked together to quickly wrap them all up.

When we set off again, the sound of hooves had indeed become much quieter, changing from a clattering sound to a gentle thud.

In the wind and snow, Shen Ning dared not lower her head and hide behind Wen Peilan any longer; she also tried her best to be vigilant about her surroundings.

Fortunately, everything has been alright.

that……

After a while, Shen Ning stared ahead, and she seemed to hear the sound of swords clashing.

Just as we rounded a bend on this hillside, we saw the corpse of a guard and the corpse of a man in black.

Further ahead, nine men in black were still attacking the carriage.

And those who fought back...

Shen Ning didn't dare to hesitate for a moment before taking out her musket.

"dismount."

The recoil of a musket is terrifying.

If she were to fire a gun from horseback, she would likely be thrown off.

"Do you believe me?"

Wen Peilan raised her hand, "Press on my shoulder and hit me."

"..."

Shen Ning naturally trusted her, and time was too urgent, so she didn't waste any words and promptly placed the musket on her shoulder.

Wen Peilan flicked her whip, binding the two of them, then held the reins in one hand and helped her steady the musket with the other.

At this moment, Fan Daming had already charged forward with his broadsword.

The men in black spotted them and quickly separated into three groups.

Shen Ning calculated the time perfectly and quickly lit the fire rope with a tinderbox.

bang~
With a loud bang, the man in black who had come with a knife was knocked off his horse on the spot.

"Hissing sound~~~"

The horse beneath Shen Ning was also startled, leaping up and neighing loudly. Fortunately, Wen Peilan held on tightly, and after running a few steps, it finally regained its footing.

"Son of a bitch~"

The men in black were surprised that they had firearms.

Two more people were quickly separated.

They are extremely fast.

However, Shen Ning's movements were not bad either, after hearing Pei Lan hold the gun.

Quickly load gunpowder, lead pellets, and fuse.

Fortunately, she wrapped each item in oil paper, so all she had to do was bite open the end of the paper and pour it in.

The enemy was getting closer and closer. Shen Ning lit the fuse with a tinderbox, and just as she was about to see the enemy's broadsword, she fired another shot with a 'bang'.

"Ah~"

"Hissing sound~~~"

Screams and the neighing of horses rang out simultaneously.

Seeing that another man in black had steadied his horse and was about to attack before the muskets were ready, Wen Peilan tugged at the whip and with a slight pull of her other hand, she smoothly threw Shen Ning off the horse. "Madam, stay away."

Shen Ning: "..."

What could she do?
She could only rely on her musket.

After running a few steps, she busied herself packing the medicine.

At this moment, Wen Peilan's whip was already cracking loudly.

Shen Ning was disappointed. She had prepared six rounds of ammunition, and she had already fired four, leaving only two rounds remaining.

My hand was sore and numb from shooting, but thankfully I could still hold the gun.

The man in black who was fighting with Wen Peilan glanced at her when he saw that she had a tinderbox in her mouth and was already lighting the fuse. It wouldn't be long before she could fire again, and he couldn't help but feel uneasy.

A musket is nothing until it's loaded with ammunition.

But once the ammunition is loaded, it's a different story.

he……

He was so close.

The man in black fought and retreated.

Be prepared to run away or jump off the horse at any time.

Escaping seems a bit difficult, but vaulting is still possible.

As long as you dodge this shot...

Huh?
Wait, what was the name of the woman who just shouted "fire the gun"?
Mrs!

Yes! It's your wife.

Is this woman surnamed Shen?

The Shen family of Ningguo Mansion?

Distracted, Wen Peilan lashed his right hand with her whip.

slap~
The sound of hitting the meat was very loud.

As his knife fell to the ground, a fierce glint rose in his heart. With his other hand, he abandoned the reins, reached out sharply, and grabbed the whip.

But as soon as he got involved, he regretted it.

Wen Peilan pulled sharply, and although he regained his balance, his body still leaned slightly forward.

At that moment, Wen Peilan suddenly leaped up and, using the force of the other man's pull, kicked him in the head.

As a guard, when encountering enemies, the natural duty is to protect and kill them.

However, the wife lacked martial ethics and used a musket.

Including the two we just killed, we've killed four now.

Wen Peilan was eager to kill someone to prove she wasn't just a nobody, to prove she could do it.

"Well done!"

The man in black jerked his body to the side, and while enduring the pain in his right hand, he snatched back the falling broadsword.

In that instant, Wen Peilan's whip, using her foot as a spring, quickly looped around his head.

slap~
Wen Peilan, who had turned over, slapped the horse's rump.

The horse, in pain, neighed and galloped forward.

Wen Peilan pulled the whip sharply again, and with a thud, the man in black fell to the ground, struggling to breathe.

oops~
The man in black went berserk; he frantically swung his broadsword, trying to cut the whip in half.

But after two consecutive slashes, the neck tightened more and more, and the other person's whip made a faint metallic sound.

Damn it, there's a steel wire...

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