Chapter 13: Plan

Soon after Mu Zhian left the room, Bai Ruoxi comforted the oppressed girl and followed him out. 

"What are you going to do next?" she asked softly, glancing at him. Killing Gongsun Zan might provide momentary satisfaction, but it would undoubtedly lead to significant trouble. While the Mu family could handle such trouble, it would still incur losses.

Mu Zhian seemed lost in thought. After a long pause, he snapped back to reality and asked, "What should I do?"

Bai Ruoxi hesitated before responding, "It's about Gongsun Zan..."

"What does Gongsun Zan's matter have to do with me?" Mu Zhian retorted, confusion evident in his voice.

Bai Ruoxi was taken aback for a moment. Then, as if realizing something, she said, "You want to leave this mansion secretly?" She quickly shook her head. "No, the Gongsun family's servants have seen you enter. If you leave now, they'll inform Gongsun family."

Mu Zhian walked silently along the path in the yard, lost in thought.

"Do you regret it?" Bai Ruoxi suddenly asked.

He gently shook his head. "Give me another chance; I would still do it."

"Master Mu is such a good man," Bai Ruoxi replied softly. 

With Mu Zhian's status, he didn't need to involve himself in such matters—no one in Tianxuan City could touch him. Yet, he chose to intervene, inviting trouble upon himself without any apparent reward.

"I'm not a good person; I just don't want to be a bad one," Mu Zhian smiled.

"I can't stand seeing others do bad things in front of me." Bai Ruoxi wanted to voice her thoughts about his dubious reputation but reconsidered. Reflecting on Mu Zhian's actions over the past few days, she swallowed her words. If he truly intended to do something immoral, he could have taken advantage of her in the carriage. 

Bai Ruoxi had been uncertain about Mu Zhian's character, but now she found herself confident in her assessment: he had changed. 

Unaware of her thoughts, Mu Zhian suddenly asked, "Aren't you afraid Gongsun Zan's servants will escape while you're here?"

Bai Ruoxi shook her head. "Miss Meng Rou is at the gate of the courtyard. No one dares to leave."

Understanding that Sister Meng Rou was outside, Mu Zhian felt a sense of relief.

"Master Mu, how do you plan to handle Gongsun Zan's situation?" Bai Ruoxi inquired, unable to contain her curiosity. They had initially intended to contact Gongsun Zan for clarification, but with his death, the situation had become more complicated. If not managed properly, the Mu family would face repercussions.

"I'll deal with it as it should be," Mu Zhian replied nonchalantly. "Cremation, water burial, or throwing him out to feed dogs—any of those will suffice."

Bai Ruoxi frowned, concerned. How could he joke at such a serious time? Didn't he realize the trouble he was about to face from the Gongsun family?

Anticipating her thoughts, Mu Zhian smiled and added, "In fact, Gongsun Zan is much more useful now than when he was alive."

Bai Ruoxi was taken aback. "Isn't Gongsun Zan dead?"

"Miss Bai, you don't understand," Mu Zhian said, locking eyes with her. "Sometimes, living people may not be more useful than dead ones."

Bai Ruoxi was puzzled. "Gongsun Zan is dead... but he's more useful than when he was alive?" She opened her mouth to ask for clarification but realized they had unknowingly reached the front of the yard.

The servants, gathered in an open space under Wei Mengrou's watch, stared at Mu Zhian in horror. They had overheard the confrontation between Gongsun Zan and Mu Zhian, and after that, Master Gongsun had fallen silent. The absence of the colleagues sent to assist only added to their dread.

"Sister Mengrou," Mu Zhian addressed Wei Mengrou, who nodded gently. She pointed at the seven or eight servants and asked, "How should we deal with these people?"

As soon as she spoke, the servants felt a chill run down their spines. Some even knelt, pleading, "Master Mu, spare me! I only came here to confiscate the house under Gongsun Zan's orders. I—"

"Forcibly attacking the maids in the mansion, was that also an order from Gongsun Zan?" Mu Zhian interrupted, sarcasm dripping from his tone.

The servant fell silent. "Don't worry; someone will convict you later, and that person is not me."

Mu Zhian surveyed the servants coldly. "I won't kill you either... of course." He paused, then asked, "What did you see in the mansion just now?"

"Nothing..." they replied almost in unison.

"No," Mu Zhian corrected them firmly. "You saw it."

The servants exchanged fearful glances, realizing the implication of his words. 

"You witnessed Gongsun Zan oppressing the women, and Mu Zhian stood up for them and stopped Gongsun Zan," he continued. Bai Ruoxi glanced at him, recognizing that this reasoning wouldn't explain Gongsun Zan's murder. They had been seen walking down the street, and the Gongsun family would surely find out.

"After that, Mu Zhian left, and Gongsun Zan was killed by a mysterious black-robed man after the house search. Do you understand?" 

Black-robed man...? The servants shared confused looks but quickly nodded in agreement.

Mu Zhian turned to Wei Mengrou. "Sister Mengrou, the rest is up to you."

She responded with a soft "um." As someone in the Core Formation realm, Wei Mengrou could modify the memories of others or provide psychological suggestions, requiring cooperation from the subjects.

At this moment, the servants had no choice but to comply. Their only concern was survival, regardless of Gongsun Zan's actions. 

Bai Ruoxi approached Mu Zhian, her worry evident. "The patriarch of the Gongsun family may not believe this."

After all, who would accept the existence of a so-called black-robed man without seeing him? The Gongsun patriarch was particularly shrewd.

"Just like this, the patriarch will certainly not believe it completely," Mu Zhian replied with a smile. "But if he sees the black-robed man with his own eyes, would he still doubt it?"

Bai Ruoxi was taken aback. "A mysterious master of the Core Formation Realm sneaks into Tianxuan City silently... Such a significant threat should unite everyone, right?"

Mu Zhian looked at Bai Ruoxi's beautiful profile and smiled. "What do you think, Miss Bai?"