Don't ask where people go

Chapter 1304 Dream Return

"Master Fang, are you testing me?" Fang Ziqin raised her eyebrows, the corners of her lips slightly raised, but there was no smile in her eyes.

Fang Zilan felt a chill on her spine and sighed softly, "Since the Queen is unwilling to tell me clearly, why don't I guess?"

Fang Ziqin didn't say anything, so she continued, "When the Queen asked me about Pei Xiaoze, she called him by his full name without adding the word 'Master', which shows that the Queen didn't care about his official position. However, what the Queen said was all about analyzing his way of being an official..."

She paused for a moment, then said while thinking: "I think the Queen comes from a famous family, and she knows better than anyone how important family background is to people in the officialdom. So she used the official position to hint at me, just to ask me whether Pei Xiaoze is in power in the Pei family. I wonder if my guess is right?"

"Yes, and no." Fang Ziqin's expression became a little more serious. "Pei Xiaoze is not powerful in the Pei family. I'm afraid everyone in the capital knows this. Otherwise, why do you think he has been the one to perform in the New Year's Festival Opera for several years in a row?"

"Since the Queen knows all about this..." Fang Zilan paused, her eyes sharpened, "Why bother beating around the bush with me?"

She bowed respectfully and said, "I am Alan, and I, my younger sister Awan, would like to greet General Mo and his wife. I wonder why the two elders have asked my sister to come here to question them?"

Mrs. Hu's expression relaxed a little, and she asked tentatively, "You said your name is A Lan?"

Fang Zilan felt helpless. Mo Han called her Sister Lan, but his mother only noticed her name now.

But she remained expressionless, nodded slightly and said, "My name is Lan."

"But is it the Lan in Lancao?" Mrs. Hu asked. She said calmly, "No, it's the Lan in Yanlan Yunxiu."

"The 'Lan' in 'Yanlan Yunxiu'..." Madam Hu repeated her words blankly. Mo Bin coughed and got straight to the point. "Han'er said that you recognized him with the jade pendant as a token of trust. Where is the jade pendant now?"

"Of course it's in my hands." Fang Zilan took out the jade pendant, held it in both hands and placed it on the table next to Mo Bin's seat, "Please have a look at it, General Mo and Madam."

Mo Bin and Mrs. Hu could not take their eyes off the jade pendant as soon as it appeared. As they looked at it, their expressions changed slightly, and there was a hint of uncontrollable excitement in their eyes.

He and Mrs. Hu carefully turned the jade pendant over and over again and examined it carefully. It was a long time before they put the jade pendant back on the table, with such gentle and respectful attitude as if they were treating a priceless treasure.

"Master Fang, why do you think Pei Xiaoze has fallen into this situation?" Fang Ziqin asked bluntly. Fang Zilan considered every word and said, "Being excluded by others?"

"Not entirely." Fang Ziqin shook her head slowly. "Master Fang has worked with him before, so he should know him to some extent. He has good abilities, but his personality is a little bit bad."

Fang Zilan frowned slightly upon hearing this, "His personality is a little mild, but not bad."

"It's fine if you are humble, self-disciplined, and gentle." Fang Ziqin's eyes seemed to flash with disdain, "The worst character is the one who muddles through and is submissive."

Fang Zilan asked doubtfully, "What does the Queen mean by this?"

Fang Ziqin snorted coldly and suddenly changed the subject, "Master Fang, do you know why he has not married yet?" "I don't know." Fang Zilan shook her head honestly, "If the Queen hadn't told me, I wouldn't even know that he hasn't married yet."

"You?" Fang Ziqin's face flashed with surprise, and then she admonished: "Remember to be more careful next time. Check out the people around you. It's not too late to get along with them after you know them well."

"Oh." Fang Zilan replied in a daze, and then listened to Fang Ziqin's words, "Many years ago, he and a son of another noble family, the Su family, fell in love with the same girl. But since they were already friends, he reluctantly gave up his love and made the other's life a happy one. Later, he fell in love with a maid in his family, but the Pei family would never allow a maid to be his wife, so the maid is still hiding in his room without a name or status. As a result, even though the Pei family is powerful, few famous families in the capital are willing to marry their girls to him."

Seeing Fang Zilan didn't react, Fang Ziqin suddenly asked, "If you were him, what would you do?"

"Me?" Fang Zilan said thoughtfully, "If you really like that maid, you can leave the Pei family and find your own way. If you want to be better than everyone else, you can give up that maid and marry someone else. But no matter which one, it is not easy to do."

Fang Ziqin said confidently: "If you were a man, I believe that no matter which one you choose, you can do it. But Pei Xiaoze can't do any of them, so he can only muddle through today."

Fang Zilan pursed her lips and couldn't help asking, "The Queen has told me so much, what exactly do you want to say?"

"Just now, Zitong and I were in the Imperial Garden, and we happened to run into Pei Xiaoze who was coming to the palace to meet His Majesty." Fang Ziqin sighed, "I saw that Zitong acted like a little girl, and I'm afraid she has fallen in love with him."

Fang Zilan's heart skipped a beat, and she murmured, "Given Second Miss Fang's personality, she is used to being arbitrary and dictatorial. I'm afraid..."

"Who said it wasn't true?" Fang Ziqin looked at Fang Zilan deeply. "My father tried every means to obstruct Zitong's marriage to Liren, but he never thought that she would secretly ask the elders of the Fang family to be witnesses, saying that she would not marry anyone other than Liren. She even broke into the family ancestral hall without permission and tried to steal the family tree..."

She stopped talking halfway. Fang Zilan looked puzzled and couldn't help asking, "Mr. Fang Liren and Miss Fang Er are both members of the Fang family. Their names should be on the family tree. Why did Miss Fang Er break into the ancestral hall and steal the family tree?"

Hearing her ask this question, Fang Ziqin calmed down and seemed relieved. "According to the laws of Dajing, people of the same clan cannot marry within three generations."

"Does Second Miss Fang want to cross out her name from the family tree?" Fang Zilan frowned. She didn't expect Fang Zitong to be so bold for the sake of her lover.

Fang Ziqin did not comment, but whispered: "Later, the matter became more and more serious, and it was too late to reverse it. My father had no choice but to agree."

As she spoke, the expression on her face gradually dimmed. "Now, even if Pei Xiaoze is not a good man, if Zitong really likes him, I'm afraid no one can stop her."

Fang Zilan stretched out her hand to try to comfort her, but dropped it halfway and whispered, "Don't worry, Queen. Lord Fang has always loved Miss Fang and will never let her suffer any injustice."

"Grievance?" Fang Ziqin glanced at her sideways, her tone more sarcastic and cold, "Sir Fang, don't you know best? The grievance seen by others may not be felt by the person involved. It's not just one person who thinks that a weak determination can outweigh the gossip."

(End of this chapter)