The head of the Red Mansion

Jia Lian has been extremely busy lately, practically sleeping at the Ordnance Bureau.

The dozen or so master craftsmen of cannons and explosives made improvements to the things that Li the Fireworks made.

During the Southern Song Dynasty, there was a thunderous explosion, and in the previous dynasty, there was a lightning fireball. The lightning fireball, in particular, when it exploded, made a sound like thunder. It no longer relied on burning, but on the shards of porcelain and iron that exploded to injure the enemy. At the same time, the huge sound shocked the enemy, and it was also accompanied by smoke and flames.

When the famous anti-Japanese general Qi Jiguang was guarding the eastern Great Wall, he manufactured a large number of these weapons and deployed them in key passes and passes to ambush and strengthen defenses.

Because they are buried in the ground, they are also called landmines. Later, when Qi Jiguang was stationed in Jizhou, he also made a steel wheel flint detonation device - the steel wheel ignition device.

It consists of a transmission mechanism housed in a casing. When an enemy steps on the trigger, a boulder falls from the casing, causing a steel wheel to rotate. This wheel ignites the boulder through rapid friction, detonating the mine. This device improves the accuracy and reliability of the mine's detonation timing.

Based on the detonation method, mines in the early and later periods can be categorized into those that are ignited, pulled, tripwired, and mechanically detonated. In addition to single-shot mines, there are also multi-shot mines that use a single fuse to control the explosion, and "mother-and-child mines" where the explosion of one mother mine detonates several child mines.

These items were all produced in this dynasty.

They are useful, but mainly used for the defense of narrow passes and strategic points.

But Li the Fireworks could carry the grenade with him at all times; when he needed it, he would light the fuse and throw it out...

This is so useful on the battlefield!

However, since the exterior is made of porcelain, it is too fragile to break during military campaigns.

The battlefield is a complex environment, so these portable mines need to be sturdy and durable, lightweight, and easy to throw.

Jia Lian served each and every one of them, giving them whatever they wanted.

I just hope to equip them on the battlefield as soon as possible.

Family matters...

If things go smoothly here, no matter what happens at home, I can make up for it with my good deeds.

He was working hard here, but Jia Min received a reply from Tianjin the very next day.

Her mind was made up.

After reading Anwu's reply, the emperor confirmed that Prefect Yu had indeed followed Jia Min's advice and used words to ambush Shijing and Zhongcun. While feeling relieved, he was still somewhat heartbroken over the deaths of Jia Daihua, Jia Daishan, and even Jia Jing.

They could have maintained a harmonious relationship between ruler and minister, a relationship that could have been passed down through generations, a relationship that could have been recorded in history as a beautiful story, but the result was...

He went to Shou Kang Palace to visit the old man.

Unfortunately, the old man knows nothing except eating, drinking, and defecating.

He stayed with her for a few sips of water, then left.

However, the Empress then found an excuse to have Princess Rongguo, Jia Wen, and together they warmly received Old Madam Shi, Xing Shi, Jia Min, and Jia Wen. When they returned to their residences, they each received a considerable amount of gifts.

Since Jia Daishan's death, it had been a long time since Grandmother Jia had enjoyed such respect from the imperial family.

It would be a lie to say I wasn't moved.

During this period, Shen, the niece-in-law of the East Mansion, kept receiving rewards. While the old lady was happy, she was also not without regret.

Now it's finally the West Prefecture's turn.

"Mother, are you still worried?"

Seeing her mother sitting there in a daze, Jia Min personally served her a cup of tea.

"...Raising a child for a hundred years, one will worry for ninety-nine years."

Grandmother Jia accepted the tea from her daughter, saying, "Just wait, you'll have your share of worries later."

"Pfft, I certainly won't be like you."

Jia Min snuggled up to the old lady and said, "I also have my sister-in-law to help take care of Daiyu and Chang'an."

She missed her sister-in-law, and so did her daughter Daiyu.

"I really hope she can come back soon."

"..."

Grandmother Jia was speechless and wanted to knock someone's head off.

But she just couldn't bear to part with this daughter.

"The Shen family is a family that doesn't tolerate any nonsense."

Grandmother Jia sighed, "Back in our hometown... she'll probably have to make some changes."

Even Jia Jing's burial had to be on an auspicious day.

Grandmother Jia checked the almanac and it said it would take a few more days.

"She's getting older, and instead of helping to take care of Yue'er, you, as her sister-in-law, want to trouble her to take care of Daiyu and Chang'an... You..."

"Oh dear, you know how much my sister-in-law loves Daiyu."

Jia Min was convinced by her mother's words, "If I didn't let her manage things, she would probably get angry with me."

Jia Mu: "..."

"As for Yue'er, you see, she doesn't really take care of her herself," Jia Min said with a smile. "It's entirely your granddaughters and great-granddaughters who take care of her."

This has caused her to worry about her daughter, Xiaoyue, who is growing up, even at a young age.

"Hmm, looking at it this way, the Shen family has indeed been slacking off."

Grandmother Jia was amused by her daughter's words. "Yuanyang, bring out the gifts that the Empress and the Princess bestowed upon us today. When the young ladies arrive, let each of them choose one. Oh, and call You Shi and Ke Qing over as well."

When Shen received a reward, regardless of the amount, he would share the joy with everyone.

Grandmother Jia amassed a considerable collection throughout her life, and was by no means a stingy person.

So on that day, Lady You also benefited from the good fortune.

She received Jia Zhen's letter yesterday.

Only then did I learn about the assassination attempt on my family when I passed through Xuzhou Prefecture.

Fortunately, everything was safe and sound.

Although she was pregnant, Madam You still made a vow to eat vegetarian food for three days in front of the Bodhisattva, asking the Bodhisattva to bless her family so that they could return safely and without illness or disaster.

"Don't worry, as long as you stay safe and sound, they will stay safe and sound too."

Jia Wen was ordered to take care of You Shi here, and had already moved over. "The Empress and the Princess also rewarded me quite a bit today. Come on, let's go to my place and choose one more thing."

"Then thank you very much, Aunt."

Ms. You readily agreed.

She got a gold hairpin from the old lady, a jade pendant from her fourth aunt, and she didn't want any from her third aunt.

Fortunately, her mother-in-law, she, and Keqing were all able to take care of everything.

In the evening, Aunt Zhao came to see her daughter and found that she had acquired even more jewelry. She didn't know whether to sigh or what to do.

Tan Chun has everything.

Huaner...

If Baoyu hadn't also been without one, Aunt Zhao would have been heartbroken.

……

In Jinling, the ninth and tenth families mourned as if they had lost their parents.

Not only were the school's accounts made public, but many of the clan's accounts were also made public.

And these are mostly managed by their ninth and tenth branches.

Previously, the other branches of the family were aware of their shady dealings, but because their two branches were so powerful, and the Ning and Rong mansions in the capital didn't interfere, they could only tolerate it. Now…

Who wouldn't want to redistribute the money?
However, most of the money was spent on the children's weddings and funerals.

Moreover, the family's expenses have far exceeded those of other households in recent years, so if they need the money urgently, they will have to sell their land and houses.

Why would the ninth and tenth families agree?

The two elderly ladies had been trying to see Shen Ning for several days, but the doorman ignored them completely.

If we offend the wife, wouldn't it be harming them to go up and give a reply now?
If this goes wrong, they won't even be able to work as gatekeepers; they'll be forced to work the fields on the estate.

When it comes to their livelihood, even if the two families tried to bribe them, no one dared to pay them any attention.

At this moment, Shen Ning had no interest in the messy affairs of the two families.

She received another visiting card from the prefect's wife.

The past two days could be excused by the fatigue of the journey, so it would be unreasonable to make excuses now.

After all, she is the wife of a local official.

Even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake; since my hometown is here, I have to give them face.

"Be prepared, let me know when you arrive."

Shen Ning gave instructions while helping her daughter learn to walk.

"Yes!"

The maids agreed.

So, the old ladies from the ninth and tenth houses, who were waiting in the alleyway hoping to find a chance to go in, saw the prefect's wife's carriage. The two women were delighted.

As their carriage entered through the side gate, she hurriedly followed, calling out, "Madam Chen!"

Although their husbands and children were not successful, their families owned two dukedoms, so they were always looked up to wherever they went.

The reason why Prefect Chen was able to maintain his position as Prefect of Jinling was because he first paid homage to the four great families of Jia, Wang, Shi, and Xue.

"...So it was the two matriarchs."

When Mrs. Chen got out of the car, she saw the maid trying to stop the two women, and her smile deepened. She helped them out by saying, "Are you also here to see Mrs. Shen?"

I heard that even the matriarch of the Rongguo Mansion in the capital was being suppressed by Madam Shen to the point that she couldn't even protect her own son.

These two old ladies don't even know how big their faces are when they look in the mirror.

She didn't want to get involved, but since there was excitement... she figured she might as well watch.

"Yeah!"

The old lady from the ninth house hurriedly agreed with a smile.

She yelled at the gatekeeper who was blocking her way, "Get out of the way!"

concierge:"……"

Servant: "..."

What can be done?
It can't be done in front of outsiders...

The group exchanged glances, and one of the maids quickly ran off.

Upon hearing that the old ladies from the ninth and tenth houses had also arrived, Shen Ning's expression turned sour.

"Take the girl a little further away to play."

So as not to frighten my daughter when I'm angry.

"please!"

As she got up, she slowly walked towards the flower hall not far away.

"Mrs. Chen pays her respects to Madam Shen."

"sit!"

Shen Ning raised her hand in a gesture of invitation before bowing to the so-called aunts of the ninth and tenth households.

"Niece-in-law~~~"

Before she could speak, tears streamed down the face of the ninth wife, "For the sake of us all being family..."

"This will make Madam Chen laugh at us."

Shen Ning interrupted the old lady of the Ninth House, "Please wait a moment, I need to take care of some family matters first. Aunts, would you like to move over for a bit?"

"Let's do it here!"

The tenth matriarch, fearing that she would lose face if she moved away, said, "Niece-in-law, we are all family. No matter how bad your uncles are, they are still your uncles. They made mistakes, please be magnanimous..."

"That's really nonsense."

The smile in Shen Ning's eyes didn't reach her eyes. "No matter how big the matter is in this world, it can't be bigger than the law of the country. Are you two aunts really forcing me to have Zhen'er send them to the authorities for punishment?"

what?
The two who were about to cry immediately fell silent.

No, we're all family.

If they were really handed over to the authorities, the Jia family would become a laughingstock...

"It seems that the two aunts really don't know that the Great Edict has already been implemented in the two mansions in the capital."

Is Shen Ning the kind of person who's afraid of being laughed at?
Hiding things is what makes people laugh.

"Niece-in-law~~"

The old lady from the ninth branch tried one last time, pleading, "Please give us a few more days of leniency! We're all family, you can't drive us to our deaths!"

"What about the nineteenth house?"

Shen Ning's eyes were icy cold. "Only two children remain from the nineteenth branch of the family. Under the guise of taking care of them, you have been dividing up their family fortune."

"Those were two girls..."

bang~
Shen Ning flicked her sleeve, and the cup smashed down on the spot.

"What's wrong with girls? Aren't girls of the Jia family bloodline? Aren't girls worthy of being called human beings? Or are you men? Aren't you women?"

Shen Ning hates this kind of thing the most: even though she is a woman, she makes things more difficult for women than men do.

"When you took things from my Jia family to support your own families, did you never think that you were women, or that a married daughter is like water spilled from a bowl?"

Shen Ning was too lazy to talk to them anymore. "Someone, take the two old ladies out and tell the old man that the matter between the two families has been handed over to the authorities and will be dealt with according to the law."

"Oh no, that can't be!"

"Niece-in-law, we were wrong! You can't do this!"

"If you keep doing this, I'll kill myself right here."

Seeing the servants approaching, the old lady of the ninth house slammed her head against the corner of the table.

slap~
Wen Peilan acted swiftly, lashing out with a whip.

"Shen, you are unfilial!"

Seeing that her ninth sister-in-law was dazed and confused after being thrown around, the tenth matriarch was both angry and frightened. She tried to use her status to suppress her, saying, "We are, after all, your elders..."

"Has Tenth Aunt forgotten that I am the matriarch of the clan?"

Shen Ning's voice was cold, "If you've done something wrong, I have the right to have Zhen'er write a letter on your behalf and divorce you directly?"

"..."

"..."

The scene was completely silent; even Mrs. Chen tried to hold her breath.

“Niece-in-law, it’s our fault.” The old lady of the ninth branch, who had calmed down a bit, hurriedly said, “We are willing to compensate you. Please don’t send us to the authorities. Just pretend we didn’t come today.”

"Yes, yes, we were wrong, we'll compensate you!"

If she really gets divorced, where can she go?

What will happen to her daughter?
The tenth old lady was also so frightened that she burst into tears.

“Tell Zhen’er that the compensation for the ninth and tenth branches will be increased by 30%. If they don’t pay, they will be sent directly to the authorities. Those who should be divorced should be divorced. If they bother me again, they will have to kneel in the ancestral hall.”

Shen Ning waved her hand at the servants, telling them all to get lost.

For those who enjoy acting like shrewish trolls, just start with what they're afraid of.

Being vague and ambiguous will only embolden them.

"Yes!"

Several maids rushed over and carried the two old ladies away.

They wanted to wail again, but seeing Shen Ning's cold and aloof expression, one of them gulped down and fainted on the spot.

Even when I'm confused, I'll still get things done.

The flower hall was quickly cleaned up.

Madam Chen was surprised by her decisiveness; her eagerness to watch the spectacle vanished in a flash.

This visit was extremely polite.

When they returned, Prefect Chen was already waiting for them.

What officials from all sides actually fear about the Jia family is Shen Ning.

"What? Is Madam Shen giving you a hard time?"

When Prefect Chen saw that his wife's face had turned pale, he immediately had many bad guesses.

"Don't mention it."

If you really want to teach her a lesson, then she brought it on herself.

Madam Chen patted her chest. "Now I understand why Madam Shen is known as a shrew, and why she could silence those Jurchen princes."

"What happened? Tell me quickly!"

Prefect Chen's curiosity grew even stronger.

"Let's not talk about that now."

Madam Chen waved her hand. "Madam Shen said that the Japanese have all been imprisoned, and they've been bothering her repeatedly. She asked me to inquire whether Jinling City belongs to the Great Zhao or the Japanese?"

what?
Prefect Chen jumped up immediately.

"She said the prison cells need to be kept very close watch; arrest those who should be arrested, kill those who should be killed!" (End of Chapter)