The head of the Red Mansion

Chapter 202 Starting Over (Second Update)
At Ningguo Mansion, Lanzhi stayed in Shen Ning's courtyard.

Her parents and brother are all dead, and she lives alone. Now, the only thing she can truly care about is...

The entire Jia family can be said to consist only of the eldest aunt.

"Aunt, I plan to go to the West Mansion to find Jia Zheng and Wang Shi first thing tomorrow morning."

Shen Ning: "..."

She had been looking forward to this day for a long time.

If we can get this done before the New Year, we can have a peaceful holiday.

"Auntie, what's wrong with your eyes..."

When Lanzhi heard that her aunt had killed five men in black with a musket, she even went to Shuntian Prefecture with some people to see the corpses. "Why do I have a feeling that you also want to fight them?"

"Hmm~"

Shen Ning's throat still hurt, so she could only speak sparingly.

"So...do you support me killing them?"

"..."

Shen Ning fell silent for a moment.

If she could kill, she would have done it already.

However, things that she couldn't do, Lan Zhi could.

She was the only one left in the Lan family.

If she were Lan Zhi, killing only Jia Zheng and his wife would actually be considered showing mercy.

"...Have you considered this for me?"

Lan Zhi was undoubtedly clever.

If my aunt objects, she will shake her head even if she can't speak.

"With you saying that, I feel more at ease."

Her maternal uncle, Jia She, had a special talk with her.

That person's nickname was "Second Idiot Zheng".

That person was a bully at home, but when he was coaxed by outsiders, he lost all sense of direction.

He talked about how he ruined his career, and how he told the emperor how stupid that person was, doing things for others and still being called an idiot.

It is said that the Wang brothers all treated him like a fool. Lu Caishen wanted to apologize to his cousin Zhen through Jia Zheng, so he sent 100,000 taels of silver to the Wang family, and what he got in return was a piece of chicken-blood stone.

For the sake of a piece of bloodstone, he was determined to pressure his cousin Zhen to let go of anyone who might be in cahoots with the assassins.

Ultimately, the emperor, after hearing his foolish words, dismissed him from his post and sent him home.

They also mentioned living in the ancestral hall and spanking, among other things.

Her kind aunt still lives in the small Buddhist shrine.

Unsurprisingly, he spent his entire life living in the small Buddhist shrine.

But... is that all?

In the Jia family's view, cutting off Jia Zheng's official career and making Wang Shi live in the small Buddhist hall was the greatest punishment, but it wouldn't be acceptable for her here.

Her father died, and her two older brothers also died.

Although they died on the battlefield, it was through Jia Zheng that Wang Ziteng used her brothers' lives to do favors for others.

Is Jia Zheng his maternal uncle?
That's an enemy.

"They're used to being high and mighty."

Lan Zhi sneered, "My eldest uncle from the West Mansion said that letting them suffer is better than taking their lives. But being locked up in Pear Fragrance Courtyard, where maids and servants wait on them for everything, is that what you call suffering?"

Shen Ning: "..."

She had always admired this girl, and now she admired her even more. "What...do you want to do?"

Although her throat still hurt, she still asked the question.

"Don't they pride themselves on their high status?"

They look down on her mother, her father, and her whole family.

"Where are the second master and second mistress of the Jia family?"

Lan Zhi smiled slightly, "You mean, what if they lost this status..."

"Not too possible."

Shen Ning took another sip of lightly salted water. "Yuan Chun and Zhu'er can't possibly refuse to help."

Lan Zhi paused for a moment, "...Aren't they also worried that I would harm the Second Master and Second Madam?"

This?
It really is.

Yuan Chun and Jia Zhu were both intelligent children.

Just being a child...

This world values ​​filial piety.

"During the war, I received a lot of medicinal herbs from them."

Lanzhi could feel their hearts. But what could ever make up for the lives of her father and brothers?
“As long as I don’t use a knife, I think… they’re willing to accept any conditions that are feasible.”

"..."

Shen Ning nodded with satisfaction.

Just then, a maid rushed in to report, "Madam, the Second Master of the West Mansion has arrived, and he's carrying a bundle of brambles with him."

what?
Shen Ning frowned, and Lan Zhi's face darkened. "Is he alone?"

"Yes!"

The little maid nodded hurriedly.

In fact, Grandmother Jia was quite pleased to know that her second son had come to terms with things and was willing to take the initiative to apologize.

What happened back then, a mistake is a mistake.

If you don't admit it and just hide, what's the point?

Now, the eldest son, Jia She, really likes Lan Zhi. He even told her that Lan Zhi saved his life that day, and he followed Lan Zhi to the battlefield that the Duke had once wanted him to go.

If Er'er continues like this, the old lady is worried that even without Lanzhi's intervention, her eldest son will go to Lixiang Courtyard to tie people up and then throw them to Lanzhi like pigs.

It's even possible that it will be when she is unable to come to the rescue.

If that happens...

Grandmother Jia was reluctant to part with it.

That was the child she carried for ten months before giving birth.

Although he's useless and stupid, but...

If you raise a child for one hundred years, you will be worried for ninety-nine years.

Grandmother Jia supported her son's decision to go.

They even thought that since Shen Ning was currently unwell and unable to speak, as long as her second son could sincerely apologize, Lan Zhi, being young and easily embarrassed, might be let off lightly.

Even if they don't forgive, even if they still have to hit... they can at least be a little bit lighter.

So, Jia Zheng came over.

He was dressed thickly, so if he were to be punished further... the thick clothes would at least protect him from some of the damage.

"You're Lan Zhi?!"

Jia Zheng saw her from afar outside the mourning hall.

At that time, upon hearing that she was Lan Zhi, they were so shocked that they turned around and hid.

just now……

"You look a bit like your mother."

Jia Zheng's eyes reddened. "I'm sorry, I'm your second uncle, I... I was wrong."

He suddenly knelt down on the ground with a thud.

“Sister-in-law, we agreed that Lanzhi could punish me however she wanted, and I… I am willing to accept the punishment.”

Shen Ning: "..."

Lan Zhi: "..."

"I was wrong. I'm sorry to your mother, I'm sorry to your father, I'm sorry... to my two nephews, I've caused you to suffer at such a young age..."

Jia Zheng glanced furtively at the large knife Lan Zhi had placed on the table. "Go ahead and hit me!"

Zheng~
Blue branch pulls out the knife.

The room suddenly became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Jia Zheng was so frightened that he collapsed to the ground.

The older brother said that she single-handedly killed three people that day.

A man in black had his head split in half diagonally, and white brain matter and blood spurted out together.

"beat?"

Lan Zhi sneered, "Sure enough, scholars really know how to talk. You angered my mother to death, making her die in unease, and caused the deaths of my father and two brothers. You think a mere 'beating' can solve everything? Second Master, do you think you have a lot of face?"

Jia Zheng: "..."

His heart trembled, and he looked to Shen Ning for help.

But can Shen Ning help him?

She lay in bed, and without any pretense, she naturally appeared weak.

Lanzhi stepped forward and used the tip of her knife to lift Jia Zheng's pale face. "In this freezing weather, carrying a few brambles is no easy task! Are you trying to fool me or a ghost?"

Ah?

Jia Zheng trembled with panic.

"Do you know what it means to 'plead guilty with thorns on your back'? It means to be shirtless."

With a swift swing of Lan Zhi's broadsword, Jia Zheng's thick cotton-padded coat was torn open, revealing his undergarments.

"If you don't want to die, then carry your thorny branches, go shirtless, and start over."