Chapter 14: Liu Xi, I need him!

Mu Residence.

A man clad in black bowed to Mu Yan, who was engrossed in a military treatise, and reported what he had observed.

"Liu Xi, the daughter of County Magistrate Liu, killed Li Kang." Mu Yan caressed the ink jade ring on his hand, without even lifting his eyelids.

The man in black continued to report: "Zhan Lan personally killed Madam Ji."

Upon hearing this, Mu Yan set down the book in his hand.

He lifted his eyes and smirked coldly, "Madam Ji was ruthless, and as for Zhan Lan, ruthless and fierce in action."

Indeed, Zhan Lan was no innocent young lady; first, she crafted a scheme that robbed Zhan Qingqing of her chastity and then used an illicit affair to murder Madam Ji.

All without raising any suspicion, she accomplished a double retaliation.

Furthermore, Zhan Lan made Liu Xi personally deal with Li Kang, binding them together in complicity; neither could betray the other.

Brilliant!

Mu Yan suppressed his nearly imperceptible smile, slightly furrowed his brow, and pondered: However, is her target only to harm Ji Yue's family, or the entire Zhan Family?

And why act in such a manner?

He looked at the man in black and said, "Vermilion Bird, it's time for Liu Xi to meet with her father. Liu Xi, I have a use for her."

"Yes, Master."

The man in black vanished from the Mu Residence.

...

The next morning at the General Mansion, a heart-wrenching cry echoed throughout.

"Mother!" Upon waking and learning that her mother had been drowned in a pig cage, Zhan Qingqing wept bitterly.

Her eyes swollen like walnuts, she sobbed, and Liu Xi patted her back.

"Miss Zhan Qingqing, restrain your grief. Your late mother's spirit in heaven surely would not want to see you like this."

Zhan Qingqing ground her teeth and said, "It must have been Zhan Lan; she caused my mother's death, harmed me... I will kill her!"

"Miss Zhan Qingqing, be cautious; walls have ears," Liu Xi reminded her.

Zhan Qingqing retorted angrily, "I am Miss Zhan Qingqing of the General Mansion; I fear no adopted daughter!"

She secretly made up her mind; as soon as the period of mourning for her mother was over, she would find an assassin to kill Zhan Lan.

"Sister, are you alright?" A crisp voice rang out.

Fearing that Zhan Xuerou would see her in a weakened state, Zhan Qingqing immediately wiped away her tears.

Liu Xi helped her stand up while Zhan Xuerou approached and took Zhan Qingqing's hand.

"Sister, you must have been frightened yesterday. I looked for you for a long time, only to find you've moved to the side room. How are your wounds?"

Zhan Xuerou looked Zhan Qingqing over, her face full of concern.

Zhan Qingqing managed a bitter smile, "Why has Sister Xuerou come?"

It was rare that Zhan Xuerou did not shun her because of her mother's incident and was even willing to visit her.

"Zhan Lan has been taken by the nanny to the ancestral hall; they said we should go as well."

Zhan Qingqing became anxious; she remembered that Zhan Xuerou knew about her loss of virginity.

She tightly gripped Zhan Xuerou's hand, "Sister, you will help me keep it a secret, right? I don't want to marry Zhu Touyuan."

Zhan Xuerou nodded, "Sister, don't think too much; let's first see what grandfather intends to do."

The two sisters soon arrived at the ancestral hall, with various weapons mounted on the wooden racks on both sides.

After the servants announced their arrival, the two sisters entered.

In the middle of the hall, the ancestral tablets of the Zhan Family Ancestor were displayed, and Zhan Lan was kneeling before them.

Standing slightly in front of Zhan Lan were two figures; one was an elderly man with graying hair, standing straight as a pine.

With a square face and long eyebrows, and a Sichuan-character wrinkle between his brows, his piercing eyes were fixed on Zhan Lan.

Old General Zhan Xinzhang stood with one hand behind his back, with the Old Madam Wang next to him, and beside her stood the Great Madam Qin Shuang.

Zhan Qingqing approached with trepidation, but upon seeing Zhan Lan kneeling on the ground, her heart settled.

It seemed that her grandfather must be aware of her mother's wrongful death and would surely punish Zhan Lan severely!

She hoped for nothing less than Zhan Lan's execution.

Zhan Xuerou, seeing the kneeling figure on the ground, also frowned slightly. Had Zhan Lan made a mistake?

Her grandfather had never reprimanded anyone in the ancestral hall before!

She scoffed in her heart; it seemed that her grandfather was not so biased towards Zhan Lan after all.

"Grandfather, you must seek justice for Qing'er; it was Zhan Lan who caused my mother's death!" Zhan Qingqing kneeled hastily before Zhan Xinzhang, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face.

"Zhan Lan, you poisonous woman!" She pointed her finger accusingly at Zhan Lan's face.

"What a disgrace!" Old General Zhan rebuked angrily.

"Yes, Zhan Lan is really outrageous!" Zhan Qingqing cried out.

"I was talking about you!" Zhan Qingqing was startled by the voice above her head and trembled all over.

She looked up to see her grandfather's angry face and, frightened, she got up and quickly took two steps back, bending over.

Old General Zhan, with a cold face, turned to look at Zhan Qingqing, "Zhan Lan has been accepted by Qingfeng Scholar as a disciple and is currently venerating our ancestors. Your wailing and screaming here, how does that resemble the bearing of a military family descendant!"

Zhan Qingqing: "..."

She felt as though struck by lightning, realizing that her grandfather was not punishing Zhan Lan but was boasting to their ancestors about Zhan Lan's achievements.

Grandfather's tough love; his expression was as proud as a hen that not only laid a golden egg but also hatched a golden phoenix.

"Zhan Lan, after you've paid your respects, get up!" Old General Zhan restrained his joyful expression and sat down solemnly on the wooden chair in the ancestral hall.

Madam Wang knew that the master was going to give a lecture; she signaled to Nanny Liu with her eyes, and the latter bowed and closed the dark red door from the outside.

The inside of the ancestral hall immediately darkened, and Zhan Xuerou inwardly cursed Zhan Qingqing for being dumb and also secretly despised Old General Zhan for his favoritism.

Zhan Lan was merely an adopted daughter; why should she also be allowed to venerate the Zhan Family Ancestors.

She was not worthy!

"Zhan Qingqing, kneel down!" Old General Zhan's face turned even colder than before.

"Grandfather, why should your granddaughter also..." Zhan Qingqing was utterly confused.

"Do you need us to spell out the good deeds you've done?" Old Madam hit her cane with a bang.

"Zhan Qingqing, you were intimate with your betrothed before marriage. If word of this spreads, where would you have us put the face of General Mansion!"

Hearing Old Madam's words, Zhan Qingqing was so scared that she almost lost her soul; grandfather also knew.

She secretly thought it must have been Zhan Lan who told on her, but she failed to notice the slight smile playing around Zhan Xuerou's lips.

Old General Zhan's face turned ashen, wishing he could put this girl who disgraced his family name to death with a single shot!

But she was his granddaughter!

He could not bring himself to do it!

Just last night, Madam Wang had told him all about Madam Ji's affairs.

With Madam Ji and Zhan Qingqing both causing scandals for General Mansion, Old General Zhan felt that he had neglected his parental duties on ordinary days, feeling sorry for his son Zhan Beicang fighting on the front lines.

Zhan Qingqing, trembling all over like a sieve, kneeled and inch by inch moved to the front of the incense table and knocked her forehead on the ground several times.

"Forefathers, your granddaughter is also a victim, it was Zhu Touyuan who bullied me!"

As Zhan Qingqing spoke, a dull thud resounded through the hall.

Thud!

It landed squarely on Zhan Qingqing's head from the ancestral tablet of the Old Zhan Family Ancestor in the middle.

"Ah!" Zhan Qingqing cried out in pain, clutching her bloodied head.

Old General Zhan quickly stood up, his brow furrowed, he picked up the ancestral tablet and Old Madam handed him a brocade handkerchief. He carefully wiped the nanmu tablet again and again.

After placing the tablet down, Old General Zhan grabbed Zhan Qingqing; looking at her bruised face and the lump on her head, he spoke feebly, "Look at the trouble you've caused, even the ancestor couldn't stand to watch it!"

"The Zhu Family has already sent us a letter; they will take you at the end of the month!" Old General Zhan announced the decision.

"No, I won't marry!" Zhan Qingqing stumbled several steps backwards.

Old General Zhan trembled with rage, and with calloused hands, he pointed at Zhan Qingqing's nose.

"Shut up! The Zhu Family has laid all bare, do you want me to spell out your misdeeds? You, you are the architect of your own misfortune!"

The Zhu Family had already sent someone to General Mansion to apologize early in the morning.

They feared offending General Mansion and spilled all of Zhan Qingqing's exploits. Old General Zhan looked at Zhan Lan with distressed eyes, wondering how such a young girl could have borne such grievances and said nothing.

It seems that she must have suffered quite a bit at the hands of Madam Ji and her daughter on ordinary days.

Of course, Zhan Lan didn't complain, knowing that there are no walls in the world that don't leak. Old General Zhan would certainly find out about this matter.

Better to wait calmly for someone with intention to speak up than to actively complain and leave a bad impression.

Of course, she didn't do nothing, silently bearing it, waiting to be beaten passively.

She also prepared a little 'gift' for Zhan Qingqing.