At the same time, in the Ningguo Mansion.
Jia Xu sat in the hall with a gloomy face. The entire Duke Ning's Mansion had been mobilized.
Unlike the Rongguo Mansion, the Ningguo Mansion had two generations of family members. Duke Ning, Jia Xu, was in his prime, and his son, Jia Shidao, was also a hero who had made great contributions on the Tianyuan Battlefield. Although such a family had few people, it obviously had a bright future, so it had a different cohesiveness.
People came and went in the hall. Loyal stewards and guards at all levels kept reporting all kinds of things.
"The children have defeated Prince Shan's entourage."
"Unrelated people are forbidden to walk around in the mansion."
"The guards of each house have put on their armors and weapons, and the horses have put on their saddles."
"There are indeed strangers peeping outside the mansion."
"We have contacted the Rongguo Mansion. It's calm for now, and the two sides are confronting each other."
Jia Xu nodded. He was good at managing his family and training his subordinates. The private armed forces of the Ningguo Mansion were more valuable than quantity, so they were a force worth relying on. For a noble family like the Duke Ning's Mansion, especially a family of generals of Tianyuan, the policy on raising private soldiers had never been strict, and the imperial court mostly turned a blind eye.
This should be a reward from the imperial court, and also to show the magnanimity of the emperor, because it was actually useless. The imperial power would only care about things that could shake its rule, and could make concessions for other things. For example, in this case, if you did not have an Imperial Army, even if you raised a thousand heavy cavalry, it would be useless.
He waved his hand and ordered the scouts to investigate again.
Now that all the men and horses had been assembled, they only needed to wait for an order to rush out of the Ningguo Mansion and rush forward on fast horses. In a moment, they would be able to surround the main gate of the Rongguo Mansion and block the Wang Clan who dared to come and provoke them.
But this was a means, not the result. Killing the Wang Family in a big battle was not his goal.
So when to show up and when to take action to gain the most benefits was a question worth thinking about.
Jia Xu frowned.
He had just started to mobilize the troops after hearing the news and had no time to think about it. Now that he had calmed down, he found the hidden mystery in this matter.
Although Wang Zixing had died in Rongguo Manor, his uncle and nephew had worked together to cover up the matter flawlessly. How could the Wang Family have confirmed the news in just one or two days and then come knocking on their door without hesitation?
Moreover, they didn't come to negotiate with the Jia Clan. Instead, they came in aggressively and smashed the door. It was as if they wanted to fight with the Jia Clan … How could the Wang Clan have such courage and decisiveness?
If it was the Shi Clan, it would make more sense. However, the Wang Clan had been without a leader for many years. How could the elders of the Wang Clan, who had different thoughts, reach such a violent consensus in such a short period of time?
"Does Wang Zixing have some kind of secret … Then who told them about this?"
Jia Xu knocked on the table and mumbled to himself, "The informant has a great influence on the Wang family, so he was able to convince them that the informant might even have something to do with the Wang family. Most importantly … the informant might be directly related to Wang Zixing's death …"
A name came to his mind again. Duke Ning said in a low voice, "Wang Xifeng, Wang Xifeng, it's not that I don't believe you, but why is the evidence piling up on you one after another?
There are only two possibilities. If you're not the murderer, you must have attracted the murderous intent of the murderer … Then, where are you hiding now? "
At this moment, hurried footsteps came from outside the door. A steward of Ning Guo Manor hurried in and said in a low voice, "Master, the man you ordered to be locked in the dungeon has woken up. He wants to see you."
Wang Zixing.
"He woke up quickly." Jia Xu sneered, "What a clown. He's just saying something ridiculous. Why should we listen to him?
Let him make all the noise he wants … "
Wang Zishan might know some inside information, but it was more likely that he didn't. After all, the Wang family sent this bastard to stall for time. Once the matter was exposed, he might fall into the hands of the enemy. A sacrificial pawn like this couldn't know too many secrets … Even if he knew, he had to use torture to pry open his mouth. Wang Zishan might not be smart, but his martial arts weren't weak. He was tough, so he wouldn't be able to get any information in a short time.
But the steward hesitated and said in a low voice, "He said that if you don't see him, you'll regret it. Because he has something that can solve your confusion."
Jia Xu raised his eyebrows, "Oh?
He wants to say it?
That's interesting. "
The doubts in his heart?
Could it be about the Wang family?
Ha, what is this guy up to?
Duke Ning thought for a while and stood up, "The situation in Rongguo Manor is still under control. It's fine to go and take a look. Lead the way."
"Yes."
The two of them hurried all the way and came to a remote courtyard. Rich and powerful families had always been the place to hide the filth. They looked bright and beautiful on the outside, but inside, there was darkness that was not known to outsiders. Ning Guo Mansion also built such a facility in case of emergency.
After the guards bowed, they opened the mechanism. The steward held a torch and Jia Xu walked in. A damp and moldy smell hit his face. His expression didn't change as he asked, "Tied up?"
The steward replied, "Don't worry, master. We all know how powerful he is. His entire body is tied up with steel and cow tendons. Even the gods wouldn't be able to move him. If you didn't specifically tell us not to hurt him, we could have used something safer."
Jia Xu just smiled. Unless it was necessary, he wouldn't go to extremes.
At this moment, a loud laugh came from inside, "Duke Ning, you're so considerate!
After being deceived by me, you're still so kind to your brother. I'm ashamed. "
The person who spoke was Wang Shan.
His laughter was hearty, as though being a prisoner didn't make him angry. He was still talking and laughing. If he wasn't stupid, then he had something to rely on.
However, Jia Xu was a careful person. He heard something else from the laughter, "He's a little excited … There's a tremor at the end of his laughter … Fear?
What's he afraid of? "
Suppressing the doubts in his heart, Jia Xu took the torch and strode forward. Dark Prison did not have many guests all year round, so it lacked human touch. It was also neglected to clean up, so the environment was not good. He walked all the way to the deepest cell and saw Prince Shan who was tied up.
He said, "Brother Zishan, I'm sorry."
Wang Zishan stared at him. Suddenly, he opened his mouth and revealed a strange smile. He couldn't move his head and could only speak, "It's okay, it's okay. It's just for a while."
Jia Xu clasped his hands behind his back, "Oh?
Brother Zishan means that you'll be able to see the light of day again soon?
You're too confident. The Duke Ning residence isn't a place where you can come and go as you wish. "
Putting everything else aside, his eldest nephew is in the Rongguo Manor next door. Even if your Wang Clan clings onto a big thigh, even if you have a strong backer, even if you invite an expert who can fight, what's the point?
Furthermore, your Wang family forced their way into the Duke Ning residence and bullied the old and young. How can he let this go?
Wang Zishan looked at him and chuckled.
His laughter was strange and cold. In this dark and damp prison, it added to the eeriness.
Jia Xu didn't say anything. His hands in his sleeves were slowly clenched. His vital qi started to circulate. He was secretly on guard, "Brother Zishan, if you have something to say, just say it. Why are you laughing?"
Wang Zishan chuckled a few times. His tone became serene as he said, "You must be thinking that you have very, very powerful helpers on your side. How can I, Wang Zishan, escape from this inescapable net?"
Jia Xu's heart skipped a beat but he didn't say anything.
"Don't deny it. I don't even know what happened just now. After I woke up, I was tied up tightly … Although my martial arts aren't top-notch, I'm still a reputable figure in Jinling. To be able to silently take me down in one move, it must be one of the few great grandmasters in the world."
Wang Zishan looked at Jia Xu with a strange smile.
Jia Xu hated this smile because it was full of mockery. It was as if he was mocking a fool. For a wise person, there was no expression more uncomfortable than this.
This meant that something was out of his control.
Jia Xu took two steps back and said slowly, "If Brother Zishan only wants to talk nonsense, then forgive me for not keeping you company."
"What's the rush?
Fine, fine, I just want to say a few more words. "
Wang Zishan suddenly sighed. He seemed to be talking to himself but also seemed to be talking to Jia Xu. "Do you know what a chess piece is?
A chess piece is a chess piece. Normally, you can stay quietly and do whatever you want, but once the right time comes, once you are in the right place, you have to play your role without hesitation. For example, the pegasus doesn't fire its cannon, and the pawns retreat their chariots. This is their task, and they have to do it. Even if they will be easily killed in the next round, and then fall into the chess basket. "
There was a hint of melancholy in his eyes. "But I didn't expect a pawn like me to cross the river so early, so early …"
Jia Xu's expression changed. He said coldly, "What did you say?"
Wang Zishan looked at Jia Xu with a mocking smile. "Someone asked me to pass you a message … Do you really think that your nephew is your nephew?"
Even someone as shrewd as Jia Xu paled at this moment.
He looked at Wang Zishan in disbelief and said in a low voice, "Nonsense!"
"I'm just a messenger. You know whether to believe me or not."
Wang Zishan laughed bitterly. "One sentence, I just need to pass on one sentence. This is my mission … Jia Xu, there will be people coming to find you in the future. This is all I have to say. Chess piece, chess piece …"
Jia Xu's expression changed. He wanted to stop Wang Zishan, but Wang Zishan's body trembled and the light in his eyes quickly dimmed.
"Wang Zishan!"
Even someone as calm as Jia Xu panicked. He rushed forward and said anxiously, "Pawn, whose pawn are you?
Who are you? "
Wang Zishan's consciousness was rapidly dissipating. He tried his best to smile and said softly, "We sold our souls. This is the price. Ha, Wang family, Wang family …"