"Ani..." Seeing her daughter, Yue Shi was at a loss and said, "You came at the right time. Your father was just about to see your brother..."
Kang Zhi drove all the servants out of the room, strode straight to Kang Cong, and asked solemnly, "Brother, what are you going to do?"
Kang Cong was extremely panicked and looked a little dumb: "What can I do..."
Kang Zhi stared at him steadily, gnashing her teeth and questioning angrily, "Brother, don't you want to live at all? Don't you have any hatred in your heart?"
"Of course I hate it..." Kang Cong raised his messy face and said with a smile that sounded like crying, "But Ani, when did father ever give us the ability to hate? What can we hate with?"
He clenched his shaking fists, but could only say in frustration: "I have nothing... I can't even turn a needle into a needle with all the hatred in my body!"
"That's good!" Kang Zhi took another step forward and said in a concentrated voice: "Your uselessness is the most useful dagger! Because he can't imagine that you dare to resist, this is your greatest chance and chance of winning!"
Kang Cong's eyes trembled, and he shook his head: "I can't do it..."
"Even if I tried, what would happen? Even if I really succeeded, what would happen?" His face was pale with fear. "We can't leave Jizhou City anyway. The only difference is that we will die more miserably..."
Those who dare not resist, in addition to being clearly aware that they do not have the ability to resist, are also well aware that resistance will bring about consequences that they cannot bear.
Kang Zhi was about to speak when Kang Cong interrupted her: "Ani, stop being naive."
"I am incompetent and useless. I can't do anything. She chose the wrong person. She certainly didn't expect that I would be so cowardly and would just accept death obediently..."
Chang Suining had told him that if he wanted a chance to survive, he could seek help from her or Cui Jing... But even if he was willing to be used by Chang Suining in exchange for a chance of survival, what could he give to Chang Suining or Cui Jing?
Should he send someone to Youzhou to deliver a message to Cui Jing? He had been confined by his father since he came back, and the few available people were also kept under his father's watch. He couldn't even make a sound to ask for help. How sad and ironic was that?
Kang Cong's eyes were filled with self-mockery, and there was no hope for life left in his body: "Ani, you are smarter than me. Now that things have come to this, you should find a way to take A Niang away..."
“Bang!”
Kang Zhi slapped him on the face.
Kang Cong stared at his sister in a daze.
"Shut up! From now on, don't say anything and listen to me carefully!" Kang Zhi interrupted Kang Cong's desperate monologue: "If you just want to die obediently, no one can save you!"
"If you still don't want to die, and don't want me and my mother to die with you, then hold on!"
As Kang Zhi spoke, she took out a palm-length object wrapped in black cloth from under her cloak and stuffed it into Kang Cong's hand. She whispered solemnly, "Listen, someone has hidden it for us... Take a closer look after you get on the carriage, and burn or discard it after you've looked at it!"
Kang Cong looked down, and before he could ask what it was, he heard Kang Zhi say, "As long as my brother does it, whether it succeeds or not, my mother and I will die with no regrets!"
"On the contrary, if you are a complete coward, even if we meet on the road to the underworld, I will definitely beat you to pieces! Even if I become a ghost, I will not let you go!"
"Remember it!"
Kang Cong met his sister's vicious eyes, and felt that in those deep brown-black pupils there was a desperate gamble of life and death, a risk of everything, as well as astonishing determination, and a trace of stubborn tears that were forced back.
At this time, the maid's urging voice came from outside.
Kang Cong has to go.
He hid the thing Kang Zhi had given him tightly in his sleeve, and after Yue Shi fixed his hair crown for him with trembling hands, he walked out step by step.
The moment Kang Cong stepped out of the room, Kang Zhi said without delay: "Mother, come with me."
Before Yueshi could ask anything, her daughter pulled her wrist and led her out through the back door.
After getting on the carriage, Yueshi was able to ask in a low voice with fear and trepidation: "Ani, what did you give your brother? Where did that thing come from? What do you want him to do?"
She had clearly been listening, but she felt that she could not understand her children's conversation, or she did not dare to believe the possibility in her mind -
Kang Zhi: "I want him to kill his father."
“Ani…!” Yueshi was so shocked that she almost fainted. She leaned over and grabbed her daughter’s shoulders: “Are you…are you crazy?! How could you…that’s your father!”
"What kind of father is he?" Kang Zhi looked at the weak and submissive woman in front of her, holding back tears and asked, "Before you talk to me about human ethics and filial piety, why don't you answer me a question first - either he dies, or my brother and I die, what do you want to choose, mother?"
Yue Shi paused as she clutched her daughter's shoulders. Tears of fear and anxiety rolled down her cheeks. She shook her head helplessly and said, "How could it come to this... Why must father and son kill each other... Wouldn't it be better to just do it like before? Why must it..."
"Was it good in the past? Bullying, cold eyes, ridicule...what was good about it?" Kang Zhi's eyes were also filled with tears: "Aniang was a slave. She knew how to deceive herself, thinking that having a mouthful of food was good. For this mouthful of food, she could endure all the humiliation and abuse inflicted by the master - but I am different from my brother! I can't deceive myself!"
At this point, Kang Zhi's voice was slightly hoarse: "Mother, you know that the person I hated the most was you."
Yuezhi's expression suddenly froze.
"I hate that you gave birth to me but couldn't protect me at all. Instead, you taught me to be patient and flattering. I hate even more that no matter how I flatter you, our lives won't change in the slightest—"
Yueshi's fingers were cold and trembling, and she felt that her daughter's words were like sharp needles piercing every part of her body.
"Later, I didn't hate you so much, because I knew you had no other choice." Kang Zhi looked at her mother and said, "But mother, now we have other choices."
"Even if I lose, it won't be any worse for me than our original ending! I don't mind being a so-called patricide sinner. Even if I am accused of all kinds of sins, I just want to live, and live well for myself!"
Maybe she was born a bad person. It was hard for her to even stand up and survive. How could she feed her soft and holy heart that repays evil with kindness? She even dared to say that she had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time! Even though there was an abyss ahead, she was very happy at this moment on the road to escape the shackles of torture! Seeing the unprecedented eagerness in her daughter's eyes, Yue Shi suppressed all her thoughts and finally asked: "Ani...then tell A Niang, what do you need A Niang to do?"
Kang Zhi: "Mother, come with me to the Shi family to settle the accounts."
The Shi family that Kang Zhi mentioned refers to Shi Man, the military commander of Pinglu, and his family, who are now living in the temporary residence of Jizhou City.
In terms of his former official position, Shi Man was Kang Dingshan's subordinate. In terms of personal friendship, the two were from the same hometown, joined the army together, worked hard together, supported each other, and rebelled together this time. Their relationship was beyond the ordinary superior-subordinate relationship.
Also, because Shi Man had always been in charge of real military power, his weight was second only to Kang Dingshan. Therefore, after taking over Jizhou City, the size of the mansion occupied by the Shi family was second only to Kang Dingshan.
Unlike Kang Dingshan who had nine sons and six daughters, Shi Man had relatively few offspring, only two sons and one daughter. His daughter was named Shi Wen, who was sixteen years old and very spoiled.
Kang Zhi jumped off the carriage outside the Shi family's door and claimed that she wanted to see Shi Wen for something.
Being in Jizhou City during wartime, the Shi family was heavily guarded. Kang Zhi did not want to alarm the Shi family guards, so she restrained her aura and made it look like her visit was just an interaction between girls.
The doorman said that he needed to pass on a message, so Kang Zhi waited obediently with her maid.
Kang Zhi waited outside the door for a long time before the maid next to Shi Wen came to see her. The maid looked at Kang Zhi from head to toe, who had a rough complexion and was wearing muddy deerskin boots, and asked indifferently, "I wonder why Madam Kang Wu wants to see my girl?"
Her daughter is not on good terms with this guy.
Kang Zhi: "I have something I want to ask her."
The maid curled her lips imperceptibly and said, "Madam Kang Wu, please follow me."
Shi Wen was currently in the courtyard of her grandmother, Madam Shi. Madam Shi doted on her only granddaughter very much, and she couldn't help but miss her when she hadn't seen her for half a day.
Shi Wen and Kang Zhi had never gotten along, and she knew very well how to hurt Kang Zhi the most, so she asked the maid to invite Kang Zhi directly to her grandmother's courtyard.
After Kang Zhi came over, she did not go into the house, but stood in the yard waiting for her, saying that she had something to ask her alone.
Shi Wen sneered. It was obvious that Kang Zhi, who had never been cared for or loved since childhood, did not want to see the scene of her being harmonious and affectionate with her grandmother.
Shi Wen straightened her exquisite dress and cloak, and walked out with her maid, but she just stood on the stone steps, looking down at Kang Zhi: "I heard that your brother got into a big trouble, and surrendered to the enemy to save his life. Now he can't even go out of the door. Why don't you think of a way to help him quickly? Why come to me?"
As a female member of the Shi family, she knew something about Kang Cong's affairs, but not in detail.
"I was not present at the New Year's Eve banquet, but I heard that you were gossiping about me at the banquet—" Kang Zhi sneered, "They said that I was born to a dancer, so I must be good at singing and dancing. If I were there, I could dance for you to liven up the atmosphere... Didn't you say that?"
Shi Wen frowned: "So what if I said that?"
She sneered and asked, "Why, did you come here today just to settle this account with me?"
"No, I came here specially to help you." Kang Zhi raised her hand and took out the long whip from her waist. She curled her lips coldly and immediately swung the whip forward: "Don't you want to see it? I will dance for you right now!"
Seeing Kang Zhi suddenly approaching with a whip, Shi Wen screamed and dodged: "She's crazy! Stop her!"
However, an ordinary maid was no match for Kang Zhi. Kang Zhi chased Shi Wen with a whip, and the long whip tore Shi Wen's winter dress, causing chaos in the corridor.
Shi Wen kept shouting, "Go call for help! Beat her out with sticks!"
"What's going on?" Old Madam Shi was startled. Two maids helped her out. When they saw this scene, they screamed in fright.
Seeing her granddaughter being chased, Old Lady Shi was so angry that smoke came out of her head. She tapped her cane anxiously and said, "That lunatic from the Kang family, why don't you stop it now!"
The Shi family was of grassroots origin, but after her son became an official, Old Madam Shi wanted to work hard to become a lady of a famous family, and all her expenses and habits were in line with those of famous families. Therefore, the female relatives in the inner courtyard were all maids and old women, and it was rare to see any male servants or guards.
Although I have sent someone to call for help, the mansion is too big, and it will take a lot of time to go back and forth! —— Old Madam Shi thought so, and she was so anxious that she simply threw the cane in her hand at Kang Zhi, but it hit nothing.
Madam Shi was very old and had no walking stick in her hands, so two strong maids hurried to support her, looking very frightened.
Over there, Shi Wen, whose hair was all scattered, ran to the stone steps, but she slipped and fell to the ground.
The next moment, Kang Zhi, who was chasing her, stepped heavily on her back.
"Kang Wu, just wait!" Shi Wen struggled and cried, "If you bully me like this, I will let Envoy Kang peel off your skin!"
Although Kang Wu was a stubborn person, he never dared to offend her like this, otherwise she would not be so defenseless - her father was Shi Man, and as the only daughter of the Shi family, which man or woman in the Kang family would not give her some respect? "You want to peel off my skin? Why don't you peel one off and try?" Kang Zhi bent down and grabbed Shi Wen's hair.
Shi Wen cried out: "...It hurts, it hurts!"
"Apologize to me!"
"I would rather die than ..." Shi Wen was halfway through her words when Kang Zhi pulled her hair harder. She had no choice but to grit her teeth and cry while changing her words: "It's my fault, okay! Let go!"
"I'm not listening, speak louder!"
Kang Zhi held a whip in her other hand. She would whip anyone who dared to approach her. No one could get close to her.
Madam Shi was so anxious that she didn't care about her noble manners anymore and cursed: "Evil creature, damn evil creature! Who can take this evil creature away!"
She pushed away the woman who was protecting her and said, "Don't worry about me, just save Wenwen!"
The two maids didn't care about anything else and just walked forward quickly.
At this moment, Yue Shi came over holding a brocade box and shouted in surprise, "Ani, what are you doing?"
Soon after Kang Zhi came in, Yue Shi went to the gatekeeper of the Shi family, saying that her daughter had forgotten to take a gift and she needed to deliver it. The Shi family looked down on Yue Shi and did not take her seriously. They waved their hands impatiently and sent a maid to lead the way.
"Yue Ji, you're here at the right time! Take care of her!" Old Madam Shi's eyes were about to spit fire.
Yue Shi was so frightened that she dropped the brocade box in her hand, and cried as she rushed to Old Madam Shi to apologize: "Old Madam, it's all my fault for not teaching my daughter well!"
Old Madam Shi was so angry at her cowardly look that she trembled: "What are you crying for? Stop her now!"
"Yes, yes!" Yue Shi responded, and hurriedly got up. She staggered and rushed towards Old Madam Shi.
Madam Shi subconsciously reached out to help, but the next moment, she suddenly felt a chill on one side of her ear and neck.
Madam Shi's figure suddenly stiffened: "What are you holding in your hand?"
"Dagger... dagger..." Yue Shi held the dagger and pressed it against Madam Shi's neck with trembling hands.
Madam Shi screamed: "...What do you want to do!"
"Hoard...hostage you..." Yueshi's hands shook even more violently.
Madam Shi screamed, "You crazy woman, you don't want to live anymore! Someone, come quickly!"
"Please... please stop being so fierce..." Yue Shi's tears were about to fall, and she said in a trembling voice: "The more fierce you are, the more afraid I am, and the more my hands tremble!"
As she spoke, her hands became unstable and the dagger cut through Old Madam Shi's loose skin, and blood immediately oozed out.
Old Madam Shi screamed again: "You crazy woman! Hold it steady!"
At this time, a dozen guards hurried over and were shocked when they saw the situation in the courtyard.
They had only heard that the fifth lady of the Kang family wanted to beat up the girl of the Shi family, so they subconsciously thought it was just a quarrel between the girls and did not take it too seriously... But when they saw it, why was the dagger placed on the old lady's neck? !
They suddenly realized the seriousness of the matter and that the Yuezhi mother and daughter did not come here to pull their hair flowers, but it was too late.
Kang Zhi had let go of Shi Wen and took the dagger and Old Madam Shi from Yue Shi.
4400 words update, see you tomorrow! (According to everyone’s advice, I will start saving up my manuscripts from today)
Thank you for your support last year, which helped Chang'an Hao achieve the eighth place in the monthly ticket ranking. Today, Qidian awarded some operating funds. There is a monthly ticket reward post in the Qidian book review area. If you still have monthly tickets, you can reply first and then vote. The rewards of the two posts can be combined and obtained on a first-come, first-served basis. You can take a look! Good morning and good night today. When the manuscripts are ready, I will make up for the debt!
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