Three Kingdoms: Intercepting Liu Bei's forces and marrying Lady Mi.

"Sister-in-law, you handled it wrong."

"My elder brother has contracted carbuncles; this is your family's responsibility, and a disaster for the entire Zhen family!"

Zhen Mao, from the second wife's household, glared angrily at Zhang.

"Sister-in-law, you know that boils are very dangerous. If word gets out, the entire Zhen family will be ruined."

"If the authorities find out, they will definitely not let us off!"

Zhen Wen from the third wife chimed in.

Zhen Chen from the fourth branch of the family stood at the door, covering her nose with a look of disgust, afraid of being infected.

Zhang had just learned that her husband had contracted carbuncles when these people came to make a scene, and she panicked completely.

"What exactly do you want? What do I, a woman, know?"

Zhang was completely at a loss.

Zhang's words caused the third branch of the family, who had come to exert pressure, to exchange glances, and they immediately made up their minds.

"This matter must be kept secret, otherwise the Zhen family will suffer. We must kill the eldest brother now."

The second wife, Zhen Mao, said coldly.

Zhang's eyes widened in horror as she looked at Zhen Mao: "Second Uncle, have you gone mad!"

"He is my husband, and your own brother!"

In those days, smallpox was a terminal illness.

It must be dealt with immediately once discovered.

Otherwise, the patient won't survive and will infect even more people.

Therefore, if someone in the family gets this disease, the neighbors will immediately report it to the authorities.

If the family doesn't take action, the government will forcibly intervene.

Because of poor medical conditions, this disease is basically incurable, and ordinary people believe it is divine retribution.

The belief in the Smallpox God arose from this, and the government would lead the people in sacrifices every year in order to eliminate illness and avoid disasters.

Zhang's situation elicited no sympathy from anyone.

What the other three branches of the Zhen family were truly worried about was not that the Zhen family would suffer a devastating blow.

Given the Zhen family's status, such a thing is almost impossible.

What they really care about is something else.

The Zhen family's enormous wealth!

As the eldest son, Zhen Yi manages most of the Zhen family's assets.

If Zhen Yi passes away, the Zhen family's property will be inherited by the other branches of the family.

The second wife, Zhen Mao, will receive the largest share.

Therefore, the three families had already agreed beforehand that whoever received the most would contribute more.

After Zhen Yi fell ill, the three families reached a private agreement.

"Sister-in-law, we cannot stand idly by while our brother is seriously ill."

"If it were any other illness, we brothers would do everything we could to treat him, but he has carbuncles!"

The second wife, Zhen Mao, issued a stern warning: "If this matter is not handled properly, our entire Zhen family will be finished."

Zhang cried and shook her head desperately.

She's not stupid; the third wife suddenly showed up at her door because she wanted to kill her husband.

"No, I will never agree to this as long as my husband is alive."

"If you're scared, then distance yourself from us."

Zhang said firmly.

Zhen Mao's expression grew increasingly grim.

He gritted his teeth and stared intently at Zhang.

They must get rid of this obstacle before the three families can succeed.

Then Zhen Mao threatened in a gloomy tone: "Sister-in-law, my elder brother has boils. If we report it to the authorities, the entire eldest branch of the family will be implicated."

"Once the authorities investigate, you'd better think about the children's future."

As soon as Zhen Mao finished speaking, Zhang's face changed drastically, her legs went weak, and she collapsed to the ground.

Zhang knew that her second uncle was threatening her.

As she panicked and lost, Zhen Jiang, dressed in a plain white dress and draped in a white fox fur coat, walked over from the backyard.

"Jiang'er, what brings you here?"

Zhang tried to stand up, but her body was too weak.

"Mother."

Zhen Jiang walked to her mother's side and helped her up.

She didn't glance at any of her uncles or elders from beginning to end.

"Mother, do you remember the stories Father told?"

Zhen Jiang stared at her mother and asked.

Zhang shook her head gently; she had no mind to think about anything else right now.

"Mother, do you remember?"

"My father once said that he went to Liaodong to trade horses that year, and it was a cold and desolate place."

"When my father and his men reached the mountain pass, they were surrounded by a pack of wolves."

"There were too few people at the time to stop the wolf pack."

As Zhen Jiang recounted the story, she brushed the dust off her mother's clothes.

Zhen Mao from the second branch of the family, along with the other members of the clan from the other two branches, listened attentively to Zhen Jiang's words.

"Everyone thought they were going to die, but my father came up with a plan—to deliberately injure the warhorses they had bought and then drive them away."

"When the wolf pack found prey, they went after it, and my father eventually returned home safely."

The story is simple; it usually sounds like a thrilling escape.

But now, this metaphor is very apt.

The second, third, and fourth wives of the Zhen family were like a pack of greedy wolves, and the Zhen family's assets were the warhorses her father had owned back then.

The second wife, Zhen Mao, changed his expression, staring at Zhen Jiang with immediate suspicion.

Zhen Jiang turned to Zhen Mao and the others and bowed: "Uncles and elders, I speak frankly. Please forgive me if I have offended you."

"My father is seriously ill and unable to manage the household. Please handle these matters for him so he can focus on his recovery."

Do you agree?

Zhen Mao squinted at Zhen Jiang: "Big brother's daughter is indeed capable."

"Can."

Zhen Mao then looked at the third and fourth wives.

The two did not want to stay long and immediately nodded in agreement.

After the third and fourth wives nodded, Zhen Mao stopped talking.

They only care about seizing the family property; nothing else matters.

They didn't care whether their father was alive or dead.

Zhang looked at her daughter.

Zhen Jiang turned to the crowd, then shook her head and told her mother.

Right now, saving my father's life is the most important thing.

She understood that these uncles were not relatives, but wolves who wanted to seize her family property.

Zhang had to sacrifice her own flesh and blood to feed the pack of wolves in order to save her father's life.

Zhang nodded with tears in her eyes.

The mother and daughter stood in the biting cold wind, with no one to help them.

Just as Zhen Mao, the second wife, was about to agree, there was a knock on the door.

"Reporting to the First Madam, a guest from outside requests an audience."

The servants' voices came from outside the door.

Zhen Mao frowned.

"At a time like this, you still don't know your place. Get out of here, I won't see you!"

Zhen Mao didn't want any further complications; he just wanted to divide the assets quickly and leave as soon as possible.

"Second...Second Master, that man said he was the son of the magistrate of Zhuo County..."

"What magistrate of Zhuo County? If he won't see me, he won't see me. Let them leave!"

Zhen Mao interrupted the servant impatiently before he could finish speaking.

The Zhen family was extremely wealthy, a fact known to people in the surrounding counties.

It is common for family members of officials to visit, hoping to gain some benefits.

In the past, to avoid offending anyone, they would receive guests and give generous gifts.

They don't have time to deal with that today.

The visitor was merely the son of the county magistrate; they would only consider him if he were the son of the prefect.

Let alone the magistrate's son, even if the magistrate of Wuji County came in person, he would still have to be polite to the Zhen family.

As Zhen Mao finished speaking, the servants outside the door had not yet left.

"Second...Second Master, that person..."

Clang!

Zhen Mao kicked open the door behind him, wanting to see who was being so inconsiderate.

Seeing this, Zhen Jiang and Zhang's mother and daughter remained silent.

"Snapped!"

"You filthy lackey, I'll beat you to death!"

Zhen Mao kicked open the door, slapped the servant hard across the face, and said some harsh words.

The servant was so frightened that he knelt down, covered his face, and looked completely innocent.

"Second Grandfather, that man claims to be the son of Chen Xin, the magistrate of Zhuo County from Yingchuan... Second Grandfather, please spare my life..."

The servant finally finished speaking, albeit haltingly.

He wanted to finish speaking all at once, but was interrupted several times by Zhen Mao's stern voice.

Just as Zhen Mao was about to raise his hand to strike again, his arm stopped in mid-air when he heard the words "Chen family of Yingchuan".

The Zhen family could disregard the magistrate of Zhuo County and his descendants, but they would never dare to underestimate the "Chen family of Yingchuan".

The entire Zhen family was treated this way, and even the governor of Jizhou had to show respect to the "Yingchuan Chen family".