Zhutian: Starting from the Space-Time Merchant

Chapter 577 The End of the Curtain for All Members of the Jia Family

"Old dog!"

"Give me back my money!"

Inside the prison, Sun Shaozu straddled Jia She, his huge fists raining blows on his enemy's face.

He got more and more excited as he fought, throwing punch after punch.

His nose was knocked crooked, his teeth were knocked out, and his eyeball was blown out.

Sun Shaozu was venting his anger.

It wasn't just about the direct hatred between himself and Jia She, but also about venting his anger and fear over having his home confiscated and being imprisoned.

He was willing to serve the Empress, even as a slave or a servant.

Unfortunately, despite his desire to serve, they refused to take him on!

Not only did they reject him, they also confiscated his property and imprisoned him!

After being imprisoned, he was locked up with Jia She, and Sun Shaozu vented all his fear and anger on Jia She.

"Spare me! Spare my life!"

Jia She, whose body had long been ruined by wine and women, was no match for the vigorous and energetic Sun Shaozu.

"Go to hell!"

Sun Shaozu, his eyes bloodshot, really beat Jia She to a pulp.

Without a doubt, Jia She was driven to desperation by the beating.

He struggled desperately, waving his hands.
Both of them had forgotten that when Jia She had his hand cut off, Lin Dao had given him an iron hook glove.

In a subconscious struggle, the iron hook suddenly caught on Sun Shaozu's neck.

Sun Shaozu was shocked and, in pain, desperately grabbed Jia She by the neck.

Jia She was also in excruciating pain, desperately pulling at the hook.

'Kacha! ~'

'Pfft! '

Jia She's throat was crushed, and he struggled for a long time in agony before finally suffocating.

Sun Shaozu, on the other hand, had his throat ripped apart and died in agony.

In the end, the prison guards threw the two bodies onto a cart and transported them to a mass grave to be disposed of, thus benefiting those ruthless, rabid dogs.

Hehe~

"Baoyu, Huan-ge'er, give it your all, we're almost there!"

On the banks of the Grand Canal, Jia Zheng and his two sons were pulling and pushing Jia Mu's coffin back to her hometown.

After the events at the Eastern Palace, Grandmother Jia, deeply shocked, fell ill and ultimately succumbed to her illness because no imperial physician came to treat her.

Grandmother Jia, who once treated imperial physicians like servants and would call upon them for even the slightest ailment of a maid in her household, ultimately died because no doctor could treat her.

Jia Zheng and his two sons received a pardon from the Empress and were allowed to send their mother, Jia Mu, back to her hometown for burial.

However, the wealth that Grandmother Jia had accumulated over the years was all left behind to repay the debts incurred in repairing the garden.

Now there is only a thin coffin placed on a cart, and not even an ox or horse to pull it.

A group of officials followed behind, watching coldly.

Officials and constables from all levels of government in the old days were all arrested and imprisoned, awaiting strict review.

Chief Constable Qin, who has inside knowledge of the situation, is in charge of the investigation. Anyone who has ever acted as an accomplice to evil and harmed the people will not be able to escape.

The officials now in charge are all drawn from the rebel army.

This group of officials was responsible for escorting Jia Zheng and his two sons back to their hometown to bury Jia's mother. After that, they were to take the three of them to a construction site to join the other male members of the Jia family in performing hard labor.

After enjoying the people's hard-earned money for so many years, there will always be a price to pay.

Jia Baoyu was emaciated and his face was ashen; he was no longer the dashing and debonair young master he once was.

He still can't understand why things turned out this way!

"Brother Baoyu!" Jia Huan, pushing the cart, scolded impatiently, "Push harder!"

"Are you trying to exhaust me by putting in all this effort?"

In the past, Jia Huan would never have dared to speak to Jia Baoyu like that.

After all, he was an unloved illegitimate child, and in front of the beloved Jia Baoyu, he was not even as good as a dog.

But now, the Jia family has fallen on hard times, and those who once supported Jia Baoyu are either lying in their coffins or have been exiled to the brothels.

With no one backing this young master Yu, Jia Huan dared to speak loudly.

Thinking about it this way, the Jia family's squandering of wealth wasn't all bad for Jia Huan.

At least in terms of status and position, they will no longer be suppressed.

Jia Baoyu lowered his head and did not respond.

He wasn't being lazy; he simply couldn't muster the strength.

Because if you exert too much force, you won't be able to hold it in!
Tears fell silently. Now, Jia Baoyu only wished for one thing: that it was all a dream, and that he would wake up soon.
On the banks of the Yellow River, at a water control construction site.

"Today, the Bingzi Battalion delivered 119.3 shi of grain."

"Another 17.6 jin of salt~"

"Two pigs, weighing 180 jin (approximately 40 kg)."

"One sheep, weighing seventy-six jin (approximately 34 catties)."

"Vegetables~"

"Cloth~"

"Money and goods~"

The leader of Battalion C read aloud the supplies received that day.

On a low stool to the side, Jia Lian knelt on the ground, head down, writing furiously as he took notes.

His former fine clothes are long gone; now, Master Lian is the clerk of this camp.

After finally completing the record, I handed it over to the camp manager for review.

After verifying that everything is correct, put it away and file it.

His work wasn't over yet; a large number of recruited migrant workers lined up to ask him to write letters home.

The role of scholars in this regard is still commendable.

After writing countless letters home, the sun was already setting in the distance.

Jia Lian rubbed his wrist, got up, took out his wooden bowl, and lined up to get his food.

He joined the ranks of those recruiting laborers, where he was offered not only hot rice but also meat soup.

Not far away, in the area separated by a fence, was where the sons and relatives of the nobles and military officers ate.

There was no meat broth, only cabbage soup.

There was no rice, only thin porridge, and it was made with old rice.

The laborers here are paid, but those next door are forced to perform corvée labor.

Jia Lian met many acquaintances.

People like Jia Zao, Jia Heng, Jia Fen, and Jia Fang.

I didn't see Jia Rong.

He carried the bowl over and asked through the fence, "Where did Rong-ge go?"

"Second Uncle~" Jia Fang came over with a mournful face, "Rong-ge'er's old injury from working has flared up again, and he has already been carried away~" Jia Rong had his manhood crippled by Lin Dao when he was keeping watch for his father Jia Zhen.

The injury was very serious, and it has been sustained only with the help of renowned doctors and precious medicinal herbs.

Now, when I come to work, there are neither renowned doctors nor medicinal herbs available.

Add to that the sweating from high-intensity labor, and the wounds opening up and becoming infected from the sweat, and the result is self-evident.

Jia Lian had no choice but to sigh repeatedly.

"Second uncle~"

Jia Fang cried and asked, "When can we go home?"

Jia Lian didn't know how to respond to that question.

After a moment, he handed over the bowl in his hand, saying, "At least you're still alive. Focus on your work, and you can go home when your service term is over."

Family?
Where is home anymore!
Do you even know what it means to have your home ransacked? If your home is ransacked, where is your home anymore?
"Don't worry."

Jia Lian forced a smile and comforted them, "At least we're still alive, which is much better than Jia Dairu and the others."

During the raid, everyone was arrested and interrogated.

Only those who haven't committed any major offenses are qualified to perform hard labor on construction sites.

Those who committed heinous crimes, such as Jia Dairu and others of the same generation as Jia Daishan, who were seventy years old and still forced teenage girls to marry, were sentenced to castration after being found out.

After physical removal, he was left on the street unattended and died after a few days.

At least Jia Lian and the others are still alive.

Watching Jia Fang and the others wolf down their food, snatching it from his bowl, Jia Lian couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.

He used to never even glance at such pig feed, let alone eat it.

But now, Jia Lian, who had been starving for most of the day, was beginning to regret sending the food out.

He did receive some preferential treatment.

They were assigned to do clerical work instead of going down to the river to do manual labor.

In terms of treatment, he was treated the same as a common laborer, so Lin Dao was giving him face.

Forcing himself not to smell the aroma of the food, Jia Lian raised his head and looked at the setting sun.

I wonder how that woman is doing now.

The capital city, the laundry department.

'Boom! '

A large basin filled with clothes was thrown in front of Sister Feng.

The stern-faced manager snapped, "Hurry up and wash! Don't eat until you're done!"

With her hands cracked from the cold, Sister Feng lowered her head, pulled over a large basin, and silently washed the clothes.

The former second mistress of the Rongguo Mansion is now just a laundry worker in the laundry department.

The empress no longer lived in the palace, and the palace staff was also reduced on a large scale.

Nowadays, the laundry department mainly washes military uniforms.

As Sister Feng washed clothes with her head down, tears welled up in her eyes.

'Bastard!'

'The eagle doesn't recognize its owner when it's being uprooted.'

'I've served you for so long, let me do the laundry~'

Sister Feng complained about Lin Dao, but that was all she did.

After all, compared to Madam Wang and Madam Xing, who were sent to the brothel, and Granny Lai, who had her head chopped off, she was already considered lucky.

Lin Dao is not a heartless person; in fact, he has already taken care of her.

If it weren't for Lin Dao's help, and if things had been handled according to the rules, Sister Feng, who lent money at exorbitant interest rates, would have been beheaded long ago.

At least I'm still alive.

"Second Grandma~"

A shout startled Sister Feng, who was engrossed in her work.

Looking up, I saw that it was Ping'er.

Overjoyed, she got up and rushed over, hugging Ping'er and bursting into tears.

"Second Madam, please don't do this." Ping'er, who was carrying a lunchbox, nodded to the steward and led Wang Xifeng to a resting place to sit down.

Opening the lunchbox, I took out several dishes and drinks. "Second Grandma, eat them while they're hot."

"I haven't spoiled you for nothing."

Wang Xifeng picked up her chopsticks and wolfed down her food.

"Everything is fine at home. Qiao'er is now in school, and I accompany her to and from school every day."

Ping'er was talking about family matters, but Wang Xifeng didn't respond, busy eating heartily with her head down.

There was no way around it; the work at the laundry department was too tiring and demanding, but in her eyes, the food was nothing more than pig swill.

What were once ordinary, unremarkable dishes and drinks are now considered delicacies.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Wang Xifeng eagerly asked, "What did he say? When will he let me go back?"

Ping'er shook her head helplessly, "Young Master Lin only comes to see His Majesty occasionally."

"I'm just a maid, how could I possibly have a chance to speak?"

"Then go and beg Miss Lin, no, beg His Majesty for mercy!" Wang Xifeng said urgently. "Look at my hands, they're like this from washing clothes!"

"I've already asked for it, I've asked for it several times."

Ping'er sighed again, "His Majesty said she would listen to Young Master Lin."

"Second Grandmother," Ping'er said, getting up after packing her things. "It's getting late, I need to hurry back to the palace."

"Good Ping'er." Wang Xifeng hugged her tightly and instructed, "You must find a way to save me."

Back at her workstation, continuing to wash clothes, Madam You from the Ningguo Mansion, not far away, said with envy, "At least you have a caring maid. I haven't even had to visit my sisters."

Wang Xifeng remained silent and continued working.

On her way back to the palace, Ping'er passed through Caishikou.

Even though it was already dark, Caishikou was still bustling with activity.

Amidst the cheers and applause of the onlookers, the booming drums signified that the killing was still ongoing.

It's been going on for many days, beheading people non-stop, there are just too many.

"I've heard before that Mei Hanlin comes from a scholarly family."

"I never imagined that there were so many sordid things happening in my family."

"Even his own wife is... what a refined scoundrel!"

"They deserve to have all the men in their family executed!"

"It's truly gratifying to see Mei Hanlin skinned alive and stuffed with straw!"

Ping'er listened to the conversation among passersby, then lowered her head and hurried on her way.

After showing their waist tags and passing through layers of soldiers' checks, they finally returned to Rongning Street, which is now the Imperial Street.

The plaques that once belonged to the Rongguo Mansion and Ningguo Mansion have all been taken down.

These two mansions have now been combined into one, serving as the Empress's palace!

(End of this chapter)