After the cannon fodder father and daughter married into the family, the whole family regretted it

This child is getting more and more disobedient as he gets older.

He survived several assassination attempts but never even had a nightmare. Now that the capital's gates are sealed off, who knows what major incident might occur? How dare he run around like this?

Qian Fengping wondered if she and Fang Tong had spoiled the child too much.

I have to give the kid a good beating.

Even the usually gentle and honest Qian Fengping was about to hit her child, which shows how angry she was.

Not long after Fang Nanzhi left the mansion, she noticed that there were fewer people on the street than usual.

Despite the winter weather, the streets and alleys of Beijing are usually bustling with people from all over the country doing business and visiting each other. But today is different. With the city gates closed, people are instinctively staying in their homes.

It's no wonder that home is a warm harbor for people; when you stay at home, you always feel like you can withstand the wind and rain.

Chen Zijun's tomb is in the southern part of the city, and it is not in the same direction as Anli Lane, which is surrounded by walls.

Otherwise, Anmei would never have taken Miss out of the manor.

We rented an oxcart and headed towards the south of the city.

At the same time, Dali Village and Anli Lane were already in chaos.

In Dali Village, when Bai Wu led his men to besiege the entire village, the two sides clashed directly.

Fortunately, the Crown Prince arrived with his men and brought the situation under control, while Fang Yin intercepted a small group of people being escorted away from a side road.

Sure enough, among those trying to escape, three were dressed in silk, clearly pampered and unlike the assassins.

Qingyan did not pursue the enemy to the bitter end, but demanded that they surrender on the spot.

But assassins are trained killing machines; obeying orders is almost subconscious.

Qingyan's brows were like swords, and his voice was chilling: "Your master will also be exposed. Do you still want to be loyal to the losers?"

Upon hearing this, some people hesitated.

They are worthless, their lives used as tools, but they are still human beings.

Humans all want to eke out a living.

Fang Yin glanced at the Crown Prince without showing any emotion, knowing that the Crown Prince had taken a liking to these people.

If the assassins carefully trained by various aristocratic families were to actually become the Crown Prince's men, those people would probably be furious.

A conflict also occurred in Anli Lane.

After the assassin's operation in the capital, the Jingzhao Prefecture began its investigation.

There were no large groups of strong men coming to Beijing.

But the eldest son was meticulous and had his subordinates screen people entering the city starting from the time the Chen Zijun case broke out.

Any strong man who came to Beijing was investigated, and their whereabouts were investigated.

They traced each one one by one until they found Anli Alley.

Fifty-three assassins were hiding in three large houses in Anli Lane. They rarely went out and were covered up by the housekeeper.

The Jingzhao Prefecture took action, first evacuating the people to prevent innocent people from being harmed.

But how could such a movement not alert the assassins inside?

We also have to act simultaneously.

Soon, all three houses were filled with the clash of swords and the constant sound of weapons clashing.

But the people from the Jingzhao Prefecture came prepared. This time, they were determined not to lose. Their goal was to ensure that no one escaped.

When Fang Nanzhi arrived at the cemetery, for some reason, it started snowing again. The worst part was that the snow was mixed with ice shards, as if it was going to hail.

Anmei advised, "Miss, after a simple prayer, let's go back quickly."

Don't wait until the hailstorm gets too bad.

Hailstones can injure people.

Fang Nanzhi nodded slightly. The road ahead was too narrow for the carriage to pass, so she dismounted.

After walking along the path, you will see a snow-white slope.

The heavy snow and hail obscured visibility, and through the haze, Fang Nanzhi could vaguely see a figure standing in front of a solitary grave on the slope.

The man, dressed in a long black robe, stood as still as a pine tree, remaining motionless for a long time.

Anmei held up an umbrella as the two of them, mistress and servant, climbed the slope. Only when they got closer could they see the man's profile clearly: a sharp jawline and eyes full of gloom.

An open jug of wine lay on the ground, and the snow in front of the monument was somewhat damp.

The man didn't turn around when he heard the noise.

Fang Nanzhi, however, stepped forward with a basket, arranged the offerings, lit three incense sticks on the grave, and bowed respectfully.

The last time she came, it was the Grand Princess's people who brought her.

It has been a long time since I last saw my uncle.

The man's gaze then fell on the little girl.

Fang Nanzhi stood up and greeted him politely, "Greetings, Uncle Yao."

"Ah."

Yao Xin stared at the little girl's face, her expression cold and hard, but there was a hint of nostalgia in her eyes.

Do you know where the ancestral graves of the Chen family are located?

Fang Nanzhi was taken aback, then honestly shook her head.

She hadn't really thought of this. The Chen family used to be a respectable small family, so they must have ancestral graves.

"Suzhou Prefecture, Ningyuan County".

Yao Xin seemed to be giving her some pointers.

"After Ziju became an official, he spent money twice to repair the ancestral graves and ancestral hall. The ancestral graves were located in a place with excellent feng shui."

"After Ziju died, the Chen clan members were exiled, and their ancestral graves in Ningyuan County were almost desecrated."

Fang Nanzhi was shocked and furious: "Why?"

Yao Xin watched her expression intently: "Because it's a prime location, others are naturally eyeing it. With the Chen family's downfall, they want to seize it."

Seizing a cemetery means digging up corpses? How can anyone do such a despicable thing?

Fang Nanzhi felt a surge of anger. She didn't know who Chen's ancestors were, and had never paid homage to them, but perhaps they were connected by blood.

Her first reaction was anger.

She took a deep breath, suppressed her emotions, and bowed respectfully to Yao Xin: "Thank you, Young Master Yao, for protecting the Chen family's ancestral graves."

Fang Nanzhi understood immediately that since Yao Xin knew about this matter and even spoke out about it, she must not have just stood by and watched.

A hint of appreciation flashed in Yao Xin's eyes. She was a perceptive child, much like Ziju in that respect.

But his face remained indifferent, as if he were standing in the shadows, the overwhelming whiteness unable to conceal the gloom on his body.

"No need. I just want you to know that living is what lasts. Once a person is gone, forget about ideals and ambitions, even the legacy of one's ancestors is just empty talk."

Fang Nanzhi pondered these words deeply.

It seems to be saying that the uncle was forgotten after his death, but it also seems to be more than that.

She didn't quite understand.

She raised her head, her eyes bright and piercing: "Uncle Yao, there are many people in the world who will kick you when you're down, but there are also those who will offer help when you're in trouble."

When the Chen family fell from power, her mother was rescued on her way to exile.

Even if Uncle Wan's motives were more personal, he was still helping out of kindness.

Uncle Yao protected the Chen family's ancestral graves; wouldn't that be considered taking care of them?

Yao Xin turned around with a sullen face and strode away, feeling that the girl was clueless.

However, after taking only four or five steps, he stopped again.

"Don't trust the Chen family's retainers too much; they were never your uncle's people."

With those words, Yao Xin truly left.

Fang Nanzhi was completely bewildered.

What does this mean? That Chen's troops are loyal to someone else?

In the snow, Fang Nanzhi rolled up her sleeves and swept the snow off the tombstone.

Although it's still snowing, and soon there will be new snow on the tombstone, we'll keep it clean for as long as possible.

With no outsiders around, Fang Nanzhi started chatting with her uncle.

"Uncle, why did you end up like that back then? Why didn't you leave a message for your relatives, like telling Ninth Grandfather?"

This way, they'll have a direction to clear their names.

Unlike now, where everything depends on guesswork.

"Uncle, everyone says I look a bit like you, but they've never seen a portrait of you..."

"My second uncle and the crown prince went to catch the assassins. Do you think they can wipe them all out in one fell swoop?"

“I vaguely understand that your death is related to the aristocratic families, but there are also good people in the aristocratic families, and Jin Yunting is helping us.”

"Uncle, my father said that Uncle Wan wants my mother's grave to be moved to Beijing. Do you want to see my mother?"

In fact, Uncle Wan lied to them, saying that the ancestral graves were in the capital. The Chen family did have graves in the capital, but they only contained the remains of Chen family members who died in the capital in the previous thirty years.

Moreover, since her mother was a married woman, it was still a question whether she could be buried in the Chen family cemetery.

The real ancestral graves should be the place Yao Xin mentioned.

"I think we should wait until things are settled before I take you back to the ancestral graves, or bury you next to my mother?"

“My parents always say I’m brave, but I’m actually very scared. I’m afraid I’ll drag my whole family down with me and cause them to lose their lives. Last time, my mother was tied up. Although she wasn’t hurt, I still feel very guilty.”

This mother is Qian Fengping.

“But my parents said that what it means to be a family is to share weal and woe. I think that makes sense, and I should stand up for myself because I am their precious daughter.”

Fang Nanzhi's words had a touch of charming naiveté.

After chatting about various things, Fang Nanzhi's suppressed emotions dissipated considerably.

Only then did he return with Anmei.

On the way back, the hail indeed intensified, and we could hear the crackling sound even from inside the carriage—it was the hail hitting the tiles.

The canopy on the carriage was also being smashed loudly.

The coachman could only hurry on his way. When they arrived at the general's mansion, Fang Nanzhi tried to persuade him to stay.

"Uncle, why don't you have a cup of tea at your residence and wait for the hail to stop before returning to the carriage shop?"

The coachman stood nervously at the entrance of the general's mansion, never expecting that the young woman who rented the car was a wealthy young lady.

He bowed and scraped, saying, "Thank you, Miss. I must go back and report."

Does someone like him deserve to be in a general's mansion? Forget it.

Fang Nanzhi, however, said that the time before he returned was counted as the time she rented the car, and even advised him that going back in the hail would not only be painful for the person, but also for the horse.

The coachman was genuinely worried about the horses getting into trouble, as he couldn't afford to pay for the damages, so he agreed.

The butler sent someone to greet the coachman, and then personally invited Fang Nanzhi: "Miss, Madam is waiting for you in the backyard."

Fang Nanzhi paused, a hint of hope in her eyes: "My mother knows?"

The butler kept a straight face and didn't say anything, but the meaning in his eyes was clear: Guess?

Fang Nanzhi hung her head and obediently went to the backyard.

Qian Fengping was really disciplining her daughter; she even had the ruler ready, but she just banged it on the table, unable to bring herself to hit her.

Anmei, on the other hand, volunteered for punishment. She had taken her mistress out of the manor without permission and deserved to be whipped ten times.

Qian Fengping had never done such a thing before, and besides, Anmei was a loyal and devoted woman.

Unable to dissuade Anmei from her insistence, Qian Fengping deducted a month's salary from her pay.

Fang Nanzhi wanted to make up for the mistake privately, but Anmei insisted on not doing so. Punishment is punishment, and a mistake is a mistake.

Now Fang Nanzhi really regretted it; she had been too willful.

The little girl went to the study to reflect on her actions.

The city gates of the capital finally opened, and there stood the imperial guards holding back a long line of people, with an oxcart behind them.

Three men dressed in silk were bound hand and foot on the oxcart.

Anli Lane is also cleaning up the battlefield.

Seriously, it's not a pleasant experience to fight against hailstones. Zhu Guanfeng was really unlucky; he got hit on the head by a huge hailstone.

There was no bleeding, but the impact caused a large bump to swell up on his forehead, like a horn.

Both sides sent the captured assassins to the Ministry of Justice.

Well, the Yue people aren't stupid; catching assassins is what the Jingzhao Prefecture should do.

However, His Majesty has already handed over the complex case involving the assassin to your Ministry of Justice, and our Jingzhao Prefecture cannot overstep its bounds.

In other words, the Jingzhao Prefecture regained its lost face without getting into any trouble.

Minister of Justice: ...

What could he do? Refusing the person was impossible; he wanted to involve the adults in the interrogation.

The older man clutched his lower back, complaining of back pain.

"Oh dear, getting old is no good. I must have twisted my ankle while catching the assassin. I need to go back to my residence and rest properly."

After saying that, he really left.

The Minister of Justice's face darkened.

Old fox, how come the people of Yue have lost their kind and generous spirit from when they were young? Now they're slippery as eels.

But his gaze fell on Zhu Guanfeng, who had "long horns," and a smile appeared on his face.

Lord Zhu is also from the Jingzhao Prefecture. We can use his personnel to achieve the same result.

Young people are so lucky! I hope you're taking this case very seriously.

The Minister of Justice composed himself and feigned difficulty: "Lord Zhu, with so many assassins, I'm afraid the Ministry of Justice's prison won't be able to hold them all."

Zhu Guanfeng was taken aback. Looking at the people being escorted, he thought that squeezing in shouldn't be a big problem.

"And those three," the Minister of Justice pointed to the people on the oxcart, "their safety is very important. Why don't we send them to the Jingzhao Prefecture prison first?"

Is there anything Zhu Guanfeng doesn't understand?

Thinking of the man who had said goodbye early, I knew he didn't want to cause trouble.

If he, as a subordinate official, were to act on his own initiative...

Zhu Guanfeng cursed inwardly, thinking that even the senior official was being unfair, and in the end, it was he, the subordinate, who was in a difficult position.

"Yes, I will personally escort them."

He harbored resentment in his heart, but Zhu Guanfeng remained respectful in his words.

He agreed because he knew that these assassins were backed by too many powerful forces, and the Ministry of Justice alone could not withstand the pressure from all sides.

If the Jingzhao Prefecture shared the burden, things would be a little better.

Only then will Chen Zijun's case progress more smoothly.

At worst, he'll get a scolding from the Yue people afterward.

The Minister of Justice nodded in satisfaction and praised Zhu Guanfeng for his broad perspective.

Zhu Guanfeng felt his head was hurting even more. What was going on?

Qingyan had already returned to the palace, and Fangyin had returned to her residence when she learned that her niece had disobeyed and left the residence.

He and his niece have been "friends" since childhood, and he is even more reluctant to punish her.

He could only change the subject and get to the point: "The men in Dali Village all have questionable identities, and their families probably only have a vague understanding of them."

"In addition, there are more than sixty people who came to Dali Village a month ago under the pretext of visiting relatives. These people are also suicide squad members."

"The Crown Prince led the Imperial Guards and captured them all; not a single person escaped."

"I glanced at it briefly, and the people arrested in Anli Lane were also assassins, more than fifty of them. Adding them together, there are more than 140 people, all of whom are highly skilled in martial arts."

In the previous assassination attempt outside the capital and the arson at the teahouse, few of the assassins involved survived.

Adding in these 140-plus, that's quite a formidable force.

Qian Fengping's face paled slightly upon hearing this: "To keep so many assassins under the emperor's nose, they really have a lot of nerve."

Fang Yin nodded. Yes, he was also alarmed.

His family came from humble beginnings. After Fang Yin became a general, he considered himself decisive and efficient, but in terms of courage and skill, he was still far inferior to those from aristocratic families.