The Later Three Kingdoms: Slaying Deng Ai, and Reviving the Han Dynasty

The carriage stopped outside the General's Mansion. Lai Zhong drew his sword and stepped down from the carriage, heading straight to the study.

He first bowed to Jiang Wei, who was in the main seat, and then sat down in the seat on the right.

"If I join the army, Qiao Zhou will likely be hostile towards me," Jiang Wei said solemnly, sitting upright with a grave expression. Then, with a hint of curiosity and a touch of melancholy, he asked, "Who do you think was behind this?"

He didn't believe that someone like He Sui could be killed by thieves; someone must have done it.

Killing someone can be simple in some ways, but it can also be quite difficult.

If things are handled carelessly, they will be exposed. To do them well, we need to send assassins. We can raise assassins in Sichuan and Chongqing, and kill He Sui in one fell swoop. Afterwards, we won't expose ourselves.

That's really impressive.

Jiang Wei felt a sense of warmth, in addition to curiosity, upon discovering that such a person was hiding in the shadows.

He was not fighting alone, but had like-minded companions.

He was not desperate about his situation, nor was he willing to give up, nor... but he did feel a little lonely.

My companion.

He really wanted to know who this person was.

"General, I can't guess who did it either." Lai Zhong shook his head, his expression turning serious. "Since he chose to assassinate, he wouldn't have exposed himself. This matter can only be borne by you, General."

After a pause, Lai Zhong got to the point, saying in a deep voice, "Qiao Zhou will definitely not let this go. Please make preparations, General."

"Mm." Jiang Wei nodded.

The two began to discuss countermeasures.

He Sui's death was like oil being poured over a raging fire.

Led by Qiao Zhou, many officials submitted a memorial to Liu Shan requesting a thorough investigation.

Qiao Zhou used his influence to attack and doubt Jiang Wei in public opinion, putting Jiang Wei in a very unfavorable position.

But Jiang Wei was, after all, a great general, and he wasn't always on the receiving end of beatings.

The two sides fought back and forth.

On the contrary, those petty people like Huang Hao watched coldly and were happy to see Qiao Zhou and Jiang Wei fighting like dogs.

While Liu Shan sent people to investigate the truth behind He Sui's death, he was also very troubled by the intense conflict between the two factions of court officials.

.............

Luocheng.

He Sui's residence.

Needless to say, He Sui's clan, sisters, maternal relatives, wife's relatives, and other relatives also belong to He Sui.

People from He Sui's hometown, whether they had a good relationship with him or not, all of whom had some influence, came to pay their respects.

countless.

He Sui's death stirred up trouble in Sichuan and Chongqing.

Someone who witnessed this couldn't help but sigh, "His life was glorious, and his death shook Sichuan. He Sui was truly a great man!"

With so many people coming to pay their respects, it's no wonder the He family couldn't keep a low profile. Even if they wanted to, it would be difficult.

The funeral was a grand affair.

But all good things must come to an end. After the funeral, those who came to pay their respects took their leave.

The He family's residence instantly became deserted.

morning.

Inside the He family's living room, Madam Lü knelt in the main seat, while her elder brother, Lü Ming, knelt to her right.

The husband's death led to a grand and elaborate funeral.

These events drained Lu's energy and spirit.

Her pretty face was deathly pale, devoid of any color, and her thin face revealed a pointed chin.

She had lost a lot of weight, but her clothes were old, and they looked as if she could fly away if the wind blew on her.

She sat there blankly, without saying a word.

"Sigh." Lu Ming sighed deeply, his feelings were very complicated.

The entire Lü family was extremely satisfied with their son-in-law, He Sui.

He Sui was born into a noble family, and his appearance and temperament were impeccable. He studied under the great Confucian scholar Qiao Zhou, mingled among scholars, and was known as a famous scholar of Sichuan and Chongqing.

Liu Han was on the verge of collapse. Qiao Zhou and He Sui had both made great contributions, and if Yizhou were to be annexed by Cao Wei in the future, they would both rise to prominence.

Since Lady Lü was He Sui's wife's family, she naturally benefited as well.

He was just one step away from victory when He Sui died.

People leave, tea grows cold; it's over.

Lu Ming took another deep breath and asked, "Sister, there's nothing we can do now. What are your plans for the future?"

The Lü family had one remaining complaint: He Sui was unable to have children. The couple had been married for many years but had no children.

He Sui was unable to make arrangements earlier.

Now, Mrs. Lü is a widow, guarding her vast family fortune.

According to the law, if a husband dies, his wife can inherit the family business, but there is one condition.

You need to have a son. Whether he's biological or adopted.

The Lü family now has two options. One is to choose an heir from He Sui's clan based on blood ties to inherit the family business.

Second, Lady Lü took part of her family property back to her parents' home, preparing to remarry.

This portion of the family fortune needs to be handled carefully; too much cannot be taken. The remaining assets of He Sui will be managed by the He clan. It's likely they will still choose an adopted son for adoption.

Anyway, a widow can't take all the family property with her.

Lady Lü's eyes regained their liveliness, and she sighed, "My husband and I are deeply in love, how can I bear to abandon him? I will adopt a son and stay by his grave until the end of my life."

Lu Ming was not very willing. Although his younger sister was twenty, she was beautiful and well-educated, so it wouldn't be difficult for her to remarry.

That way, you can have your own children.

He opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing. His sister was gentle on the outside but strong on the inside, while he and his wife were a harmonious couple.

He understood his sister's decision.

"Alright. I'll stay here for now and discuss this matter with the He clan in three days," Lü Ming said.

"Thank you, brother," Madam Lü said gratefully. She wanted to adopt her son to care for her until his death, which was of course no problem. But having her brother's help made all the difference.

With her brothers' help, she can choose one she likes. Without their help, trouble might arise.

For a married daughter, the strength of her maternal family is very important.

"Brother, I'm tired," said Madam Lü, looking exhausted.

Lu Ming felt the same way and stood up, intending to go back to his room to rest.

"Tap tap tap!!!!" The sound of hurried footsteps rang out. Lü Ming and his sister looked up at the door and saw He Sui's trusted steward burst in from outside.

The steward, pale and panting, said hastily before he could even regain his footing, "Someone claiming to be an envoy of the King of the North has surrounded the residence and broken in. Some people tried to stop him but were beaten until they vomited blood."

"The King of the North?" Lu Ming and his sister Lu looked blank. They had heard of this king before; he was arrogant, domineering, greedy, and stingy.

But we have nothing to do with him.

Lü Ming looked at his younger sister.

Lady Lü looked at her eldest brother.

Does it mean, "Is this related to you?"

Lu Ming and his wife both shook their heads, indicating their confusion.

But the matter was urgent. As the eldest brother, Lü Ming stood up without hesitation and said to his sister, "Sister, please step aside. I'll go and negotiate."

His expression was grave; the visitor was clearly up to no good.

"Thank you for your trouble, brother." Madam Lü nodded and immediately stood up to leave.

But it was too late.

"Clatter clatter clatter!!!!!" A large group of people arrived outside the living room, and two armored warriors carrying long halberds escorted a young eunuch as he entered.

The young eunuch looked at Lady Lü and nodded in satisfaction. He then bowed to her and congratulated her, saying, "The King of the Northern Lands has heard of your beauty and that you are a widow who has just lost your husband. He has specially sent me to welcome you into the palace. Congratulations, Madam! You will soon be a princess."