Jia Xu's heart stopped beating for a second.
Although he was mentally prepared, the moment Sun Lang walked out from behind Jia Shidao, Jia Xu's heart was still throbbing despite his shrewdness and shrewdness.
The former hero of Tianyuan, the unparalleled general.
His achievements were ignored by the imperial court, and his deeds were forgotten. Even his name could not be mentioned.
He had already become a legend.
After two years, he appeared again and set off turbulent undercurrents in the empire. First, it was the Ming State, then the Qin State. He was in a silent game with the emperor on the throne in the capital.
The bet might be the entire empire.
And this gambler who came back from the dead was inextricably linked to him. Because his surname was Jia, he was the grandson of the Rongguo Family and his nephew. He used to be an ignorant and incompetent playboy in the Jia Family. Later, because he ran away from home, he became the biggest joke and stain of the Jia Family.
Later, he became the most dazzling star in the Tianyuan Army. His brilliance grew with each passing day. A few years later, he was the most dazzling star on the Imperial Martial Wall. For example, Bei Chen was the center of all the stars.
A grand marshal who wasn't even thirty years old. Only during the most ferocious warring era could one achieve such fame. Once, everyone believed that this unparalleled general who had won every battle would become the new protector of the empire. Because of this, the Jia family would step onto a new peak and enjoy limitless glory and glory. It would even surpass the two dukes back then.
But the legend came to an abrupt end.
The Great Desolate Mountain, which was full of mysteries, buried the Sky Devil who had been tormenting the Divine Land for decades, buried three hundred thousand of the most elite soldiers and generals, and buried the legendary life of this peerless general.
This general who had a promising future died in the last battle of the Tianyuan War, dying together with the extraterrestrial Sky Demon. The Rongguo Family fell from the clouds overnight, and all the information was blocked. Even the most powerful general couldn't know the whole truth. Everything was buried in blood and mystery, covered by the ecstasy and pride of defeating the Sky Demon.
In the past two years, there were still people who kept investigating, and there were still people who refused to forget. But the truth was still hidden in layers of fog, and no one could touch the real truth.
Jia Xu did not waste his efforts because he was a smart person. He had thought things through.
The strange attitude of the Imperial Court, the vague truth of the Great Desolate Mountain, the references in the history books, the precedents of the previous dynasty … Everything indicated that his nephew, who had shown off his ability and dazzled the Six Armies, seemed to have violated the taboo of the emperor, to the extent that he had brought about a fatal disaster.
This was just a guess, and it could only exist as a guess. Jia Xu was a smart person, and he would not investigate the truth. As the saying goes, if a ruler wants a subject to die, the subject has no choice but to die. The reason for the ruler's death was not loyalty, but the ruler's immense power and his selfish and vicious nature.
The monarch wanted his subject to die. If the subject didn't die, the monarch wanted his entire family to die.
Since they didn't have the ability to fight back, they could only hide their fangs and endure.
Not only did they have to endure, they had to keep a low profile. The emperor was naturally suspicious and jealous. They could not allow him to become suspicious and wary of the Jia manor again, so they had to close their doors and calmly accept the fate of the Jia family's decline. Only in this way could they dispel the emperor's suspicions and give the family a chance to survive.
Jia Xu had done this for the past two years. He allowed his son to become a monk, and he was willing to be a rich man. Every day, he practiced his Qi and wrote. He did not make friends with the powerful, did not interact with the high officials, and turned a blind eye to the weakness of the Jia manor … As the saying goes, even a wise man will make a mistake. He had not expected things to develop like this.
Two years later, the person who should have died long ago actually appeared.
And his actions confirmed the guesses of many people because this former marshal, who had disappeared for two years, did not return to the capital to report on his work. He did not even appear in front of the public. He hid behind the scenes, manipulating one major event after another that shocked the Imperial Court, but he did not appear in front of the stage. It was as if he was playing hide-and-seek with everyone.
But it was clear that the target of his hide-and-seek was not the officials, but … the emperor.
In other words, he wanted to go against the emperor.
Otherwise, with his military achievements, connections, status, and reputation, even if he was late for two years, he would still be treated with great respect and support after returning to the Imperial Court. Why did he give up the glory, wealth, and high position to focus on stirring up trouble in the northern border of the empire?
Anyone with a discerning eye could see that he was demonstrating his power and stirring up trouble. It was obvious that this marshal, who had once shocked the six armies, had been treated badly in the Great Desolate Mountain. After all, this was the only reason that could make a famous general jump in the emperor's face.
These days, there were turbulent undercurrents in the Imperial Court. Even during the Imperial Court, the high-ranking officials would sometimes exchange meaningful glances. After all, such a long time had passed, and those who should know the inside story would already know. The big shots of the Martial Arts Hall were well aware of the emperor's predicament and found it interesting and satisfying. They were also thinking about the possibility of changes in the situation.
The emperor and his officials were never one. Everyone was selfish, and the emperor was the most selfish person in the world. Since the emperor was selfish, the officials would also plan for themselves and their families.
After all, no one was stupid. After the Great War of Tianyuan, the strong enemy was gone. The situation of being united against the outside world would turn into internal friction and a struggle between the emperor and the officials.
In peacetime, the emperor would not allow the military officials to have too much power, especially military power. A new round of struggle in the Imperial Court was inevitable.
The military officials who were unwilling to hand over their power saw a great opportunity in this matter.
A good opportunity to limit the emperor's power and expand the pie.
Anyway, it was Jia Xu who was leading the charge, and they would follow behind him. Then, they would find a chance to teach the emperor a lesson. If they succeeded, the emperor would go to the depths of the palace. If they failed, they would use Jia Xu as a scapegoat.
It could be said to be perfect.
In the Imperial Court, there were all kinds of people, schemers, fools, greedy, self-righteous, unwilling to be left out, and well-informed people. They were all thinking of their own ideas. From the current situation, a storm was inevitable. In this big event, everyone had to have their own position.
Jia Xu, who had originally planned to slack off, only wanted to curse.
Because that marshal's surname was also Jia. Coincidentally, he was a member of the Jia Family, the legitimate grandson of the Rongguo Mansion, and also this Jia's nephew. The two of them were blood relatives within five generations, so they were proper uncle and nephew.
According to the laws of the Empire, deceiving the emperor was a crime punishable by nine familial exterminations.
Of the nine clans, four were father's clans, three were mother's clans, and two were wife's clans.
F * ck.
A sentence like 'f * ck a dog' was not enough to describe Jia Xu's free spirit. Even if he f * cked all the dogs in Jinling City, it would not be able to fully express his complicated feelings. Basically, even if he rushed to the Imperial Capital, kowtowed, and sued his nephew, it would be useless.
Because his eldest nephew seemed to have completely pissed off the emperor. Two years later, he came back from the dead and angrily attacked the Imperial Court. The two were almost standing on the opposite side of each other.
Because his surname was Jia, because he was born in the Rongguo Family, no matter what he did, there was a clear mark of the Jia Family. Personal honor and family honor were one. If he was a traitor, then the entire Jia Family was a traitor.
And now, the traitor who had made him a traitor was standing in front of him.
Jia Xu narrowed his eyes at his nephew whom he had not seen for a long time.
If possible, he really wanted to slap him across the face, but he knew that this was unrealistic. After all, he was only his nephew, not his son who could be beaten and scolded however he wanted.
Moreover, this nephew was a famous general who had achieved fame and status on the battlefield. His achievements were not inferior to his ancestor's, and he was no longer a junior whom he could casually scold.
Although he could not attack, Jia Xu was still angry. After all, this junior of the clan had acted recklessly and implicated the entire Jia Family. It was only right for him to be angry.
He had originally wanted to mock him, but his heart froze when he saw Sun Lang's gaze.
The Empire was particular about ethics, and it was also particular about heaven, earth, ruler, and teacher.
Filial piety not only meant being filial to one's parents and elders, but also to one's father. This fellow even dared to offend the emperor, so it did not seem like he would have any psychological burden to beat up his uncle.
Jia Xu was a qualified wise man. He would not do useless work, nor would he put himself in a disadvantageous situation because of a momentary slip of the tongue. Thus, he endured it.
Jia Xu looked at his nephew quietly and narrowed his eyes. He was going to deal with the changes by sticking to the status quo.
Sun Lang stood on the stairs of the study. He did not bow or greet him.
The two of them looked at each other in silence.
It was as if they both wanted to see something from each other's faces.
Jia Shidao was caught between his father and his godbrother, and he was at a loss. He actually felt like he was in a hellish battlefield, drowning in water.
On one side was his father, and on the other side was his brother. He knew what they were thinking.
His father must be angry at his brother's behavior. He did not know his brother's background or what happened eight years ago, so he must be thinking of himself as an elder. He was waiting for his brother to take the initiative to greet him.
And his brother would definitely not do that.
After so many things had happened, he definitely did not want to go back to the past.
Thus, they were in a stalemate.
Jia Shidao panicked. He wanted to do something, but he realized that he could not do anything. His brother and father were in a silent stalemate, and he could not do anything at all.
At this moment, Sun Lang suddenly smiled and broke the silence. "Uncle, long time no see."
Jia Shidao was startled at first, and then he turned to look at his brother. There was shock and emotion in his eyes.
My brother is willing to go to this extent for me … He must not want to put me in a difficult position …
Before he could finish feeling touched, he heard Sun Lang's voice. "Put away your disgusting expression. Don't let your father see anything wrong. There are priorities. I'm not that rigid. By the way, this so-called 'uncle' is what Lin Daiyu calls me."
Huh?
Lin Daiyu?
But she wouldn't call my father Uncle ah ….
However, Jia Shidao had learned to observe people's expressions and to play dumb in the years he spent with his brother. He would not expose such trivial matters. After all, he had already known how narrow-minded someone could be.
On the other hand, Jia Xu heaved a sigh of relief.
At least this kid knew some manners and did not become a maniac who did not recognize his family.
Since Sun Lang had given him a way out, Jia Xu, who was smart, immediately went along with it. He glanced at Jia Shidao and said, "Let's go in and talk."
Sun Lang turned around and entered the house first. Jia Shidao greeted his father and said in a low voice, "Father."
Jia Xu glanced at him and snorted coldly without saying a word.
Little bastard, I thought of a way to send you out, but you came back with your brother. Are you afraid that the Jia family will die together?
But at this point, it was useless to say anything. Let's take one step at a time.
He led Jia Shidao into the house. Sun Lang was already standing aside with his hands behind his back. He turned to Jia Xu and said lightly, "Uncle, I saw that you were in a hurry. Is there something urgent?"
Hearing this, Jia Xu's face darkened. "It's a long story. Let's not talk about this for now. Since you're working in Qinzhou, how can you leave Bai Castle without permission?"
Although his tone was stiff, there was concern in it. After all, his nephew was doing something big in Qinzhou. He was fighting against the Emperor and the Imperial Court. How could he be distracted and come to Xia State at such a critical time?
After all, the Emperor was not someone to be trifled with.
Sun Lang replied, "I had to come. I have the Emperor's weakness. If he wants to get rid of the passive situation, he has to do something else. The Rongguo Mansion is a very suitable target."
"I sent a letter to Mingzhou yesterday to ask Xue Baochai about the Jia family. She wrote back that the old lady was unwell … I don't know if it's a coincidence or a conspiracy. Just in case, I'll come and take a look first."
Hearing this, Jia Xu's face darkened. "I received news yesterday that the old lady was sick. When I hurried over, I found your grandmother sick in bed …"
Sun Lang frowned. "How is she?"
Jia Xu's face darkened. "Not good. I heard that she was just not feeling well at first. The old lady is strong and has always been healthy, so she didn't think much of it. Later, she realized that something was wrong …"
He looked a little tired. "Last night, I was at the Rongguo Mansion massaging Auntie's blood and nourishing her organs. She only felt better after working for half the night."
Sun Lang said coldly, "I'm asking what happened to her."
Jia Xu glanced at him and did not pursue the rudeness in Sun Lang's tone. He knew that his nephew had a deep relationship with his grandmother. It was a good thing that his nephew was anxious because of their old relationship.
He answered, "I don't know. The doctors we hired couldn't find anything. The old lady is only drowsy and listless. Her vital Qi is also not working well. Other than that, there are no obvious symptoms."
Jia Xu glanced at Sun Lang and asked curiously, "Didn't you go back to take a look?"
Sun Lang said calmly, "Now's not the time."
This was the way to talk to smart people. If you were vague about certain things, the other party would automatically fill in the blanks for you. This would increase your credibility.
Jia Xu nodded thoughtfully. "You're right. The old lady is old and can't take surprises and shocks. You still have important things to do. You can't be distracted for now."
He believed Sun Lang's words for the time being.
It was not his fault. No matter how smart a person was, their way of thinking would be limited by their own understanding. Even Jia Xu could not have imagined that his nephew was an impostor.
That was because his greatest impression of his nephew was that he was a famous general who had made many contributions on the Tianyuan Battlefield. The man in front of him was a grandmaster in terms of martial arts and bearing, which completely matched his impression. After all, his temperament and power could not be faked at all.
He wanted to ask Sun Lang about his next plan, but a thought suddenly flashed through his mind. He remembered something. "Wait, you said that you received Xue Baochai's letter from Mingzhou yesterday?"
Sun Lang nodded. "Uncle, did you notice it too?
Xue Baochai's information came from the Rongguo Residence, of course. It would take at least two to three days to send a letter from the Summer Province to Mingzhou even with the fastest messenger eagle. It would take Xue Baochai at least a day to send the letter to me after receiving it. That is to say … "
He looked at Jia Xu and said casually, "The old lady has been unwell since a few days ago … At first, I was wondering if someone was blocking the news, but now, it doesn't seem to be the case. I only informed you yesterday because the old lady didn't take it seriously and didn't want to disturb you."
Murderous intent appeared on Jia Xu's face as he said coldly, "That's not necessarily the case."
Sun Lang raised his eyebrows. "Oh?"
Jia Xu seemed to have thought of something. He was furious and slapped the desk next to him. With a boom, wood chips flew everywhere. "That bitch!"
Sun Lang said casually, "Uncle, please speak nicely."
"…"
Jia Xu looked at Sun Lang with dissatisfaction. He felt that something was amiss. He felt that this nephew of his did not respect him as an elder or uncle. He was too arrogant and impudent.
However, now was not the time to be polite. He said coldly, "You just came back. I'm afraid you don't know yet, but the news that the old lady is sick in bed has spread all over the city."
Sun Lang and Jia Shidao looked at each other, and they saw the surprise and amusement in each other's eyes.
Jia Xu's face was gloomy, and he didn't notice the details of their conversation. He continued, "The old lady has been supporting the Rongguo Residence for the past two years. She means a lot to the Jia Family. If she falls, half of the Rongguo Residence will collapse, and all kinds of clowns will jump out. Therefore, the news that she's sick should be kept a secret …"
"But it has spread all over the city," Sun Lang said. "That's why we suspect that there's a mole in the Rongguo Residence."
Jia Xu looked at him in surprise. "You?"
Sun Lang nodded. "What a coincidence. We know about this. When we came into the city this morning, we heard the news in a teahouse by the roadside. We caught the ruffian who was talking nonsense and interrogated him. When we came here, we found that uncle wasn't here. I discussed with Shidao and decided to investigate this first."
Jia Xu's expression changed. "What did you find?"
"Wang Ren, a member of the Wang Family, Wang Xifeng's brother. According to the rumor monger, the source of the rumor seems to be Old Master Wang."
Sun Lang said, "We can ask Old Master Wang if it has anything to do with Wang Xifeng."
Jia Xu was surprised to hear Sun Lang call Wang Xifeng's name, but soon, the surprise was replaced by another expression.
He said slowly, "Then you're destined to return empty-handed."
Sun Lang frowned. "What happened?"
"That's why I came back in a hurry."
Jia Xu's face was gloomy, and his tone was cold. "I was busy for half a night last night, and I only went to bed after I finished channeling my spiritual energy for auntie. But this morning, I was woken up by a commotion … Because since last night, the news of the old lady being bedridden has spread throughout Jin Ling city.
Sun Lang said, "With the Jia Family's power and influence, it's easy to trace the source of the rumor."
Jia Xu heard this and his tone became heavier. "Yes, Jinling is the world of the Four Great Families. With the Jia Family's power, it's not difficult to find the source of the rumor. It only took us an hour to find the source of the rumor. Just like you, it's Wang Ren from the Wang Family."
Sun Lang said faintly, "Old Madam is bedridden. Everyone in the Rongguo Residence should have kept their mouths shut. Not many people know about it. The only person who has the right to know and contact Wang Ren is probably Wang Xifeng. She's very suspicious."
Jia Xu replied in a gloomy tone, "Of course it's huge. After finding out the source of the rumor, Wang Xifeng disappeared without a trace. We searched the entire residence but couldn't find her. Everyone in the residence is in a mess."
At this point, Jia Xu glanced at Sun Lang. "There are no males in the Rongguo residence, so we have to give an explanation to the Wang family. I have no choice but to deal with Wang Ren personally. Furthermore, Wang Xifeng is nowhere to be seen. Perhaps she has returned to her maternal home. Since that woman is from the Rongguo residence, we have to capture her for questioning."
Sun Lang said calmly, "But it seems like Uncle returned empty-handed."
"No, there's something to be gained."
Jia Xu's tone was cold. "The Jia Residence has been weak for the past two years. The other three families don't even put us in their eyes. When I went to the Wang Family, they were polite. When we talked about this matter, they only threw out a steward who served Wang Ren as a scapegoat. When I asked about Wang Ren's whereabouts, they avoided the topic. When I asked about Wang Xifeng, they didn't even know."
Jia Xu's face was filled with dissatisfaction, but a trace of joy flashed in his eyes.
Sun Lang noticed this detail. "I think something surprising must have happened."
"It was indeed a surprise."
Jia Xu sneered. "I was arguing with the Wang Family Head when a servant suddenly rushed in and said that Wang Ren was dead. At that time, the old man's face was very good."
"Silenced." Sun Lang raised his eyebrows. "Uncle, since you're so happy, could the person who killed him be …"
"Wang Ren was slapped to death in the house. His chest was shattered. He died under the Wang Family's ancestral White Dragon Palm. There aren't many members of the Wang Family who have such power."
Jia Xu said, "Check the wound. The palm print is small and the edge of the palm is soft. It's the work of a woman."
"A woman, a member of the Wang Family. The list of suspects has been narrowed down. After screening all the female members who have such power and submitting witnesses, there's only one person left."
Sun Lang nodded. "Wang Xifeng."