Last night, Sun Lang and Jia Shidao rushed from Qinzhou to Summer State and arrived at Jinling City in the morning.
They first went to the Ningguo Mansion to find Jia Xu, then went to the Wang Family to do the autopsy, and then they bumped into the Shi Brothers. After a series of chaos and accidents, it was already afternoon.
Under the scorching sun, they turned back to the Wang Family because they got some useful clues and information from the Shi Brothers. This information needed to be verified.
Jia Shidao calculated the harvest of this trip and looked at the sky. "Brother, are we going back today?"
Sun Lang nodded and said, "Yes, this is what Wang Wuan and I agreed on. The Qinzhou thing is not settled yet. Now we are going to fight on two fronts, and we have to deal with the counterattack from the Emperor."
Jia Shidao was a bit uneasy when he heard this. He said softly, "Thank you, brother."
Originally, Sun Lang had won a great victory in the Bai Clan Fort. Not only had he obtained the Golden Luminous Sacred Sword, he had also taken the initiative. He could have used Bai Yuwei's death to stir up a storm in the Imperial Court and shake the hearts of the people. He could have sat calmly on the fishing platform and played chess with the emperor leisurely. But now, he was in the Summer Province, running around for the Rongguo Mansion. He didn't need to do this.
Because he actually had nothing to do with the Rongguo Mansion.
He said that the Emperor would not wait for death and would definitely use the Rongguo Mansion as a breakthrough point. But the reason why the Rongguo Mansion became a breakthrough point was because he cared.
It was the Rongguo Mansion that dragged his brother's revenge.
Sun Lang said, "If I don't want to do it, no one can force me to do anything."
Jia Shidao sighed softly.
Sun Lang said indifferently, "Don't think of me as some benevolent, friendly, and selfless warrior. I acted to save the Jia family because I had some considerations and not because of righteous indignation … Just as your father said, the aristocratic families of Jiangnan are a power that cannot be underestimated. They thirst for a powerful leader. It just so happens that I also need help. Controlling Jinling is only the first step. I have to first kick away the unstable elements entrenched here."
Jia Shidao nodded.
Sun Lang pondered for a moment: "There's still some time. After visiting the Wang family, we still have to meet your father … Wang Ren's situation is very interesting. Not only is he not the trash that everyone thinks him to be, he also has a very important item. This item is very important to the Wang family, and the Shi family also wants it. The Shi brothers said that it is something like an account book. Could it be that it records some shady transactions?"
Jia Shidao continued, "Uncle Wangsan must know about this … but he doesn't seem to want to talk about it."
Sun Lang said coldly, "He will."
Jia Shidao was confused. "Brother, are you going to show up and meet him?
What if the news gets out? "
"Meet him directly?"
Sun Lang sneered. "There's no need to meet him. If he doesn't want to talk, we can just torture him and kill him. I've just figured out the methods and methods of the Shi family's martial arts. We can use the Shi family's methods to kill him and blame his death on the Shi family. Anyway, the Shi brothers were here today, and we can use this to pressure those two idiots. They will be more obedient in the future."
Jia Shidao was shocked. He stopped walking. "Brother …"
Sun Lang said, "What's wrong?"
Jia Shidao hesitated for a moment and said softly, "Brother, although Uncle Wangsan is a little pedantic, he doesn't do too many bad things. After all, he is an elder of the Wang family, and Sister Xue Baochai's mother is also from the Wang family …"
Sun Lang turned to look at him. "For Wang Zixing, that thing is very important and precious, so much so that it can make him instantly fly into a rage, not hesitating to fall out with the Shi family. If we ask him nicely, he won't tell us."
"And that thing is with Wang Ren, and it's even closely related to his death. If we find that thing, we might be able to uncover the cause of Wang Ren's death and track down Wang Xifeng's whereabouts. If we find Wang Xifeng, we might be able to solve the mystery of Rongguo Mansion, break through the fog, and remove the enemy hiding in the dark … If we don't do it, we will still be as confused as we are now, unable to do anything about the complicated and unpredictable situation in Jinling."
He looked at his brother and said, "I don't know Wang Wangxing, and he's not Xue Baochai's father. If his death can solve the crisis of Rongguo Mansion, why not?"
For Sun Lang, life had weight.
There was no difference between innocent and not innocent … In his eyes, there were only relevant and irrelevant lives.
People who had nothing to do with him … It didn't matter if they died or not.
Jia Shidao swallowed involuntarily. Being stared at by his brother, he felt as if there was a mountain pressing down on his heart … He knew that his brother was no longer the brother he used to be. His martial arts and intelligence were better than before, and he had abandoned compassion and kindness, which made him more terrifying and cruel.
More importantly, there was only hatred in his brother's heart now.
In this case, it was already the limit for him to maintain the kindness and ties to Rongguo Mansion. Why would he care about the life of Uncle Wang who had nothing to do with him?
This was normal … It was something his brother would do.
It was reasonable.
Since his brother had already made the decision, it was impossible to persuade him.
And it seemed that there was no need to persuade him.
Jia Shidao looked at his brother's emotionless eyes, and his heart beat faster.
People's kindness and morality often succumbed to reality and all kinds of concerns. For example, everyone knew that they should help those in need, but after seeing an old man who had fallen on the ground, they worried that the old man would blackmail them. When they saw a beggar on the side of the road, they wondered if the beggar was rich because he was a beggar.
This was human nature, and it was the heartless scum who overdrew the kindness and trust between humans.
Jia Shidao also had concerns in his heart.
He didn't have much of a relationship with the Wangs, but his relationship with his brother was a little delicate.
Therefore, although he felt that his brother's approach was a little inappropriate, he lost the courage to oppose it loudly. The safety of Rongguo Mansion was one reason, and the other was that he was worried and hesitant.
The relationship between him and his elder brother was already delicate enough. It would be unwise for him to offend his elder brother and even anger him for an unfamiliar Uncle Wang San …
Because today was different from the past.
In the past, in his eyes, his brother was a blood relative, a cousin, an elder brother who had the same surname as him. Therefore, he could ask and argue when he encountered problems. His brother might laugh at him, beat him, or scold him, but he wouldn't really be angry because he was his brother's younger brother, and they were brothers.
But now … things were very different.
Although he still called him brother, and he still regarded him as his brother in his heart, he didn't know what his brother was thinking, and he didn't know how much he still cared about the Jia family.
In this delicate situation, he couldn't be as unscrupulous as before.
So … let it be.
Giving up and being decisive, cold and ruthless, his brother's approach was the best way to solve the problem. If it was his father, he would definitely agree with his brother's approach … I'm still too naive.
Thinking of this, Jia Shidao said softly, "Yes, brother, you're right. I was wrong."
Sun Lang looked at him expressionlessly. After a while, he turned back and said lightly, "Then let's go."
Jia Shidao responded, and then followed silently. The two quickened their pace.
Neither of them spoke.
Jia Shidao had been confused since the beginning. After he gave in to his brother, he felt that something was wrong and strange. He walked forward in silence, sometimes looking at his toes, sometimes looking at his brother's back, and sometimes looking at his brother's back. He was in a daze.
He didn't agree with his brother's behavior.
Because in the past, his brother … wouldn't have done this either.
Yes, in terms of efficiency and results, this was the best solution to kill two birds with one stone. But because it was so efficient, only cold efficiency was left.
There was no pity, no kindness.
In the current situation, this was the most efficient and time-saving way.
It was also the decision made by his colder and more dictatorial brother.
But … but …
Even so, I don't agree … I can't agree with it.
As if there was some force driving him, Jia Shidao said unexpectedly, "Wait a minute."
Sun Lang stopped and turned to look at him. "What now?"
Jia Shidao looked at his brother and took a deep breath. "I don't agree with what you're doing."
Sun Lang said lightly, "What's the reason?"
Many reasons came to his mind. Jia Shidao was also a person who could speak well. Justice, kindness, righteousness, compassion, interests … There were many reasons not to kill Uncle Wang.
But these weren't things that could persuade his brother.
But these weren't things he was determined to do either.
He looked at his elder brother and said softly, "Before this, you told me about Old Bai and his son. You told me about Bai Zhenming's regret before his death. He regretted that his father didn't raise him to be a hero."
Sun Lang didn't comment.
"You said that I'm different from Bai Zhenming because my father has been teaching me to be a hero, so I won't have any regrets … But you're only half right."
Looking into his brother's eyes, Jia Shidao stood straight and said firmly, "It wasn't just my father who taught me to be a hero, it was you … the past you.
Those few years of learning from my elder brother are important memories that I will never forget for the rest of my life. You set an example and guided me to become a hero, to become an indomitable person … It was you who taught me to be like this. "
"So, I don't agree with what you're doing. It's not just my own opinion, but also the teachings of my brother. No matter what you think of your past self, to me, the former General is the greatest hero in the world, and that will never change … If I back down today, it will be a betrayal of that memory and the teachings of the past."
His heart was pounding, his ears were buzzing, and his brain was jumping. He didn't know if he was excited or scared, but an inexplicable force supported him and let him finish the last word.
"You taught me to be like this … So, I don't agree with what you're doing now. At least, you can't kill innocent people."
Bravely looking into his brother's eyes, Jia Shidao gritted his teeth.
Sun Lang looked at him and said coldly, "You're better at talking than singing. What can you do with just your heart?
Can you solve the current predicament and the crisis of Rongguo Mansion by shouting a few righteous slogans? "
"Of course not!"
Jia Shidao hurriedly said, "We don't need to kill Uncle Wangsan. We can find a place, like asking my father to imprison him, and let him out when the matter is over. The effect of imprisoning Uncle Wangsan and killing him are similar. Sometimes the former is better because they don't know if Uncle Wangsan is dead or missing, and we can set up a maze …"
Sun Lang stared at him without saying a word.
Jia Shidao trembled under this gaze. He clenched his fists and forced himself not to look away … Since he had already done it, he couldn't back down.
"This plan is a bit far-fetched. There are some hidden risks and assumptions. It's quite rough."
Sun Lang said.
"But —"
He turned around and continued to walk, leaving a sentence, "Since you're brave enough to stick to your own views and fight to the end … let's do it."
Jia Shidao froze in place, but soon, a touched and surprised smile appeared on his face.
He eagerly followed after him. "Big Brother …"
"… Back off, stay away from me."
His brother's smile was as bright as a pug's.
Because he was really happy.
His brother's words and actions just now made him see the shadow of the past. He firmly believed that the hero back then wasn't an illusion, but a real existence … No matter what happened, a hero would always be a hero.
He said softly, "Actually … Brother, there's another reason. You wouldn't have done this in the past, and I hope that the current brother will …"
Sun Lang said coldly, "Didn't I teach you not to meddle in other people's business?"
Jia Shidao looked regretful. "… Oh."
After the two of them walked for a while, Sun Lang suddenly said, "Since we're not going to kill Wang Zixing, we can't torture him too hard, in case he resents me and I have to kill him to get rid of him … Then it's decided happily. We'll change to a gentler way of torture. Don't you want kindness and compassion?
Then you'll be the one to carry out the torture. "
Jia Shidao was stunned and said awkwardly, "But I'm not very good at torture."
"It's okay. It's a simple humanitarian torture that's easy to understand."
Sun Lang pinched the pocket of his windbreaker as if nothing had happened. The can of herring wasn't used in the Bai Family Fort, but he still picked it up later. "I'll teach you. You're so smart, you'll definitely be able to learn it quickly."
Jia Shidao heard Sun Lang's words and didn't have any objections.
Besides, his brother wouldn't hurt him. At most, he would be teased … So be it.
The young and innocent Jia Shidao thought so.
There was a price to pay for being a partner of justice.
The two of them hurried to the Wang Family's house and looked in the direction of the main gate. Sun Lang said, "Let's climb over the wall. We don't have time to talk to him. Let's find an opportunity to kidnap that guy."
Jia Shidao naturally had no objections.
Just as they were about to move, Sun Lang's expression suddenly changed. "Huh … Isn't that your father?"
Hearing that, Jia Shidao looked up and saw his father hurrying out of the Wang Family's house with a few people with gloomy faces, cursing. For a shrewd father like him, cursing in front of others was simply unimaginable.
No one knew his father better than his son. He was startled. "What happened?"
Sun Lang said, "Just ask."
He stared at Jia Xu in the distance and condensed his Qi into a thread. The sound waves were controlled into a beam of sound by his powerful inner strength and subtle techniques, crossing hundreds of meters and directly entering Jia Xu's ears.
"Uncle, go east. We'll meet at the second intersection."
Jia Xun was a shrewd person. Hearing this, he did not bat an eyelid. He kicked away the servant of the Wang family who had brought him a horse. With a gloomy expression, he mounted the horse and left. He seemed to be really angry.
Sun Lang said to Jia Shidao, "Let's go and meet your father."
Although riding a horse was fast, it was not fast enough for a peerless warrior who had reached the top of the planet. Jia Xu rode to the second intersection in the east. Sun Lang and Jia Shidao were already waiting there.
Jia Xu got off the horse with a gloomy face and looked at Sun Lang. "You came at the right time. What did you find?"
"It's a long story."
Sun Lang replied, "I found some clues on Wang Ren's body. Coincidentally, the Shi brothers came to visit, so I followed them and asked a lot of questions."
He summarized, "Wang Ren is not a good-for-nothing playboy. He hides his strong martial arts skills. Other than that, he seems to be keeping something important. It should be a book like an account book. The Wang family wants it, and the Shi family also wants it. However, it disappeared without a trace. It might have fallen into the hands of Wang Xifeng. Other than that, the Shi family is a little interesting …"
Although Jia Xu's face was gloomy, the amount of information in Sun Lang's words made him feel like shit. He said, "I was arranging a search for Wang Xifeng in the mansion when I suddenly heard that the Shi Brothers were causing trouble in the Wang Family. Does that mean Wang Ren's body is already in the Shi Family's hands?"
"Of course not."
Sun Lang laughed. "I buried Wang Ren in the ground of his house. There are no traces of Photoshop at all. I reckon the Wang family would never have guessed … Find a time to bring the body back. Uncle, you can study it when you have time and see if there are any other things left behind."
Speaking up to this point, he glanced at Jia Xu and said, "After Big Uncle left the Wang Clan, he has been carrying killing intent on his face. Why? Did something happen to him?"
When Jia Xu heard that, he recalled what had just happened. Anger and … a little panic surfaced on his face.
Taking a deep breath, he continued, "Don't be angry, listen to me first … The Wang Clan was humiliated by the Shi Brothers, and I heard that they snatched Wang Ren's coffin right in front of Wang Zixing. When I heard the news, I immediately rushed over to the Wang Clan to check on the situation. After all, you were also inside, but I couldn't find you or Wang Zixing. After I interrogated them, they finally told me the truth …"
Sun Lang's face turned cold.
"It's just like what you think."
Jia Xu's voice was filled with anger. "Wang Zixing was humiliated by the Shi Family, but he couldn't do anything about it. After all, the Wang Family was in decline and couldn't fight against the Shi Family, so he went to the Rongguo Mansion."
"Madam Dowager is from the Shi Family, and the Rongguo Mansion is also coveted by the Shi Family. He must have wanted to drag Madam Dowager onto the war chariot against the Shi Family."
Sun Lang said slowly, "How dare he."
Jia Shidao was furious. He finally understood why his father was so angry. "How could Wang Zixing do that?
Madam Dowager is still sick! "
Jia Xu gritted his teeth. "He's desperate. He doesn't care."
Sun Lang went silent for a while and said, "Let's go to the Rongguo Mansion."
Jia Xu sighed. "I've calculated the time. I'm afraid Wang Zixing has already arrived. He won't be able to make it in time. So, let's think about how to deal with him."
"Deal with him?" Sun Lang looked at Jia Shidao. "Forget what I said. I'm going to tear him apart piece by piece."
Jia Shidao was also very angry. Madame Shi was the common elder of the Rong Mansion and the Ning Mansion, and filial piety was the most important thing in aristocratic families. How dare Wang Zixing use this to disturb the sick Madame Shi, and it was very likely that the rumor of Wang Xifeng killing her brother would spread.
He said, "I won't let him go even if my brother doesn't say anything."
Sun Lang nodded slightly and looked at Jia Xu. "Uncle, many people in Jinling City know you. We'll be too conspicuous if we go with you. Let's split up and go to the Rongguo Mansion quickly. Shidao and I will take a shortcut."
Jia Xu nodded. "Let's do that. You and Shidao don't wait for me when you arrive. Just go straight to Wang Zixing. If Wang Zixing hasn't met Madam Dowager yet, we'll find a way to mess things up. That's your house, and you're more familiar with it than I am. It'll be easier for you to find him."
Hearing this, Jia Shidao smiled bitterly in his heart.
His own house … His brother didn't know the way.
Sun Lang's expression didn't change. He nodded and said, "That's right. We'll go first."
Jia Shidao said goodbye to his father. Jia Xu looked at his son on the horse and said lightly, "Be careful. Don't cause trouble for your brother."
Jia Shidao nodded and left with Sun Lang.
Sun Lang was in the front, and Jia Shidao was in the back. Neither of them spoke.
Jia Shidao was worried. With Sun Lang's complicated feelings about the Jia Mansion, he was still hesitating whether to go to Rongguo Mansion. But now, Wang Zixing had taken matters into his own hands and forced his brother to go.
He wondered what his brother was thinking about now.
This was not his home, and it had a special meaning for him. His brother was finally going to the Rongguo Mansion to meet those strange yet familiar people.
Sun Lang suddenly said, "You're familiar with the Rongguo Mansion, aren't you?"
Startled, Jia Shidao answered in a low voice, "Kind of … I didn't visit them much when I was young, but I got closer after that. During the war, I went home to visit my parents. I sent a few letters home for my brother and talked to them a few times. In the past two years, I've been visiting them more often. I often come to the Rongguo Mansion to accompany Madam Dowager."
Sun Lang said lightly, "That's good. At least you know the way."
Jia Shidao's heart ached. He said softly, "I'll show you the way. It's easy to remember."
"Okay."