Chapter 74: Chain Stratagems

Seeing Zhen Rong's appearance, Yuan Shang felt a slight sense of triumph in his heart.

Gao Lan was just a pawn he had idly placed, never expecting that his second brother would swallow it so easily. Once the bait was taken, there was no turning back.

He said with a pained expression, "General Gao's trip to Beixin City was actually a secret mission I entrusted to him, to investigate what my second brother was doing there."

"According to reports from scouts within the military camp, General Gao Lan led several personal guards out of the camp late at night, clearly having discovered extremely important secrets."

"However, a large number of troops from Beixin City intercepted them, and since then, General Gao has been missing for half a month!"

Zhen Rong exclaimed in shock, collapsing to the ground, tears welling up in her eyes.

After so long without any news, the chances of Gao Lan being alive were slim!

She murmured, "How could this be?"

"I've only been married to him for a year…"

She helplessly raised her head, her eyes filled with confusion, completely overwhelmed by the news.

Yuan Shang was secretly pleased, sighing, "Second brother has gone too far. General Gao was loyal to our Yuan family, yet he suffered such a cruel fate. It's truly undeserved."

Zhen Rong wiped away her tears and finally regained her composure, bowing and saying, "I implore you, young master, to seek justice for my husband."

Yuan Shang looked down at Zhen Rong's curvaceous figure, noticing the loose strands of hair falling from her bun, revealing her fair and slender neck. He couldn't help but feel a stirring in his throat, swallowing hard. He said with hesitation, "It's difficult. After all, he is my second brother. Even if he has done something wrong, Father will not punish him, and will most likely cover it up."

Zhen Rong raised her head, anxiously asking, "Then what should be done?"

"The Zhen family is just a family of merchants. Who can I turn to for justice? Will this matter just be dropped?"

Yuan Shang put on a hesitant and doubtful expression, "I understand your suffering, madam. Unless your second brother has a major scandal, there's really no way to deal with him."

Zhen Rong murmured, "Scandal, scandal… what scandal could there be?"

Seeing that the moment had arrived, Yuan Shang said, "It's not that there's no solution."

"Tomorrow, my second brother will lead his troops away from Ye City. When he returns, it will be to marry your younger sister."

"If you don't take action tonight, the person your sister will marry in the future will be the enemy who killed her brother-in-law."

"Madam, you wouldn't want such a thing to happen, would you?"

Zhen Rong was now completely led by the nose by Yuan Shang.

On one hand, it was because Yuan Shang had an excellent reputation, and most of the gentry under Yuan Shao had sided with him, spare no effort to promote and support him.

On the other hand, Zhen Rong was distraught upon hearing the news of Gao Lan's death, and Yuan Shang's rhetoric was very clever, gradually leading her into a trap.

Yuan Shang always had advisors offering advice and strategies, capable of handling military affairs for Yuan Shao and suppressing Yuan Tan. He was definitely not an ordinary person.

How could a woman like Zhen Rong, who rarely left her home, see through his schemes?

Zhen Rong thought of her husband, whom she had been married to for less than a year, a pillar of the court, yet so humble, flattering the gentry officials, living cautiously and fearfully, now murdered!

She immediately bowed and said, "Please, young master, show me a clear path."

Yuan Shang smiled, "Tonight, I will arrange a farewell banquet for my second brother."

"You can attend with my wife."

"I will persuade him to drink more wine, and when he is drunk, I will have you help him back to his room."

"Once inside, he will inevitably take advantage of his intoxication and try to get physical with you. At that time, you can cry out, and my wife will bring people to stop him."

"When this matter spreads, my second brother's reputation will be ruined!"

He sneered inwardly, 'Second brother, don't you want prestige?'

'Forcing himself on the unmarried elder sister of his future wife, I will make your name infamous in Ye City, in Ji Province, and throughout the world!'

Zhen Rong faintly felt that something was not right, "Wouldn't that be framing him?"

"Besides, even if the second young master drinks wine, he may not necessarily behave indecently towards me."

Yuan Shang sighed, "Indeed, it's not entirely aboveboard, and it would tarnish your reputation, madam, so I am very hesitant."

"We can only hope that he drinks more wine. I will dismiss all the maids in advance. After you help him back to his room, whatever happens in the room will depend entirely on your word."

He said with a grave expression, "I don't want to do this either, but you know, my second brother is highly favored by Father. This is the only way to deal with him."

"General Gao was highly valued by me, and I don't want him to die such an unjust death."

"If you don't want to do something against your conscience, madam, I will never force you."

Zhen Rong's mind was completely muddled at this point. Finally, thinking of Gao Lan, she gritted her teeth and said, "Since young master trusts me so much, I will avenge my husband!"

"Please, young master, make the arrangements!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shang sighed, "Madam's virtue is evident to heaven and earth!"

"I, Shang, will surely avenge your husband's death!"

"If your reputation is damaged as a result, I am willing to take you as a concubine!"

"Your brother, Zhen Yao, works under me, and I will vigorously promote him!"

Hearing this, Zhen Rong panicked and said, "Young master must not do that. This is my own free will, and I will never implicate you afterwards."

Only then did Yuan Shang smile and say, "We'll talk about this later. Madam, please go find my wife first. I will arrange the banquet."

After watching Zhen Rong leave, a smile curved on Yuan Shang's lips.

The women of the Zhen family are still too naive. A few words were enough to easily persuade them.

If Zhen Rong had refused, he would have had several subsequent ideas, but now he saved a lot of trouble.

Moreover, Zhen Rong would never have thought that Yuan Shang never expected Zhen Rong to come forward and accuse Yuan Xi.

Instead, he wanted to create a fait accompli between the two!

Yuan Shang opened the cabinet beside him and took out a porcelain bottle. This was his secretly stored Five Stone Powder, its effects extremely potent.

At that time, Five Stone Powder had not yet become popular and was only spread privately among certain sects, so its reputation was not prominent.

Unlike ordinary Five Stone Powder, the one in Yuan Shang's hand not only had the hallucinogenic and mind-altering effects of Five Stone Powder but also had a strong aphrodisiac effect.

Once the drug took effect, a lonely man and a widow in the same room would definitely end up in bed in no time.

Zhen Rong thought that Madam Hong would bring people to rush in, but in reality, no one would come.

Because Yuan Shang would also drug Zhen Rong.

This was the safest approach.

Once the deed was done, Yuan Shang would lead people into the room and expose this adulterous scene.

Moreover, Zhen Rong was a widow who had just lost her husband. As long as Yuan Shang spread the word slightly, pointing the finger at Yuan Xi for Gao Lan's death, this scandalous affair would inevitably spread widely among the gentry.

The gentry of Ji Province might not dare to spread it, but what about the gentry of the whole world?

There were many enemies of the Yuan family who would be more than happy to spread this news!

In this way, Yuan Xi's reputation would be ruined, and his marriage with Zhen Mi would also fall through.

As for Zhen Rong, by the time she understood, it would be too late. Even if she wanted to go back on her word and accuse him, who would believe her?

Second brother, now that you have chosen to join forces with the eldest brother, don't blame me for being ruthless.

However, second brother can be considered fortunate, Zhen Rong is young, with good looks and figure, it can be considered my compensation to you.

But second brother shouldn't even think about Zhen Mi. By then, the Zhen family's reputation would also be damaged, and those who have the ability to marry Zhen Mi might not dare to marry her. The prophecy of great wealth and honor is something that ordinary gentry are really wary of.

Only he, Yuan Shang, has the ability and status to marry Zhen Mi!

Killing several birds with one stone!

Yuan Shang couldn't help but burst out laughing.