Don't ask where people go

Chapter 1844 Argument
“Princess Consort, no matter what the Zhuge family has done, you shouldn’t have dragged A-Yu into this.” Shang Zhongyi’s expression was solemn, a stark contrast to his previous lazy demeanor. “I can clear him of the blame this time, and I can do it again next time. As for you, you’d better watch yourself.”

Ayu? Fang Zilan had a plan in mind. It seemed that Shang Zhongyi and Zhuge Yu had a close relationship. But why did he suddenly appear? Was it just to clear Zhuge Yu of the suspicion of poisoning the Prince of Zhongzheng, as he said?

"Why is the Crown Prince's wife looking at me like that?" Shang Zhongyi met Fang Zilan's gaze, and she stared at him steadily. "Does Young Master Shang have nothing else to say to me?"

"Yes." Shang Zhongyi nodded. "I heard that His Highness Prince Yucheng is going to Zhongling Temple to perform a religious ceremony for my uncle. I hope his trip will be safe and successful."

"What did you say?" Fang Zilan's expression turned cold, but Shang Zhongyi smiled. He was originally a handsome man with a broad forehead and a strong jaw, but for some reason, he now exuded an arrogant and domineering air. "Since His Highness Prince Yucheng wants to stay in the Southeast, I think this trip will allow him to get what he wants."

With each word he spoke, Fang Zilan's expression grew more somber, yet he remained oblivious, continuing, "I've also heard..."

He paused deliberately, "These past few days, there's been an extra coffin at the mortuary outside the city. The person inside doesn't seem quite dead yet. But once the coffin is nailed shut, can the person still live?"

Fang Zilan's eyes flashed with a fierce light. "Who's inside the coffin?"

"The Crown Prince's wife should know him." Shang Zhongyi's smile widened. "After all, she attended his brother's ghost marriage not long ago. Although she messed it up, there must be some connection between them..."

Before he could finish speaking, Fang Zilan turned to leave, but he called her back, "Princess Consort, you can only choose between life and death."

Fang Zilan stopped and listened as Shang Zhongyi said to himself, "But if I were you, I wouldn't choose either of you."

"Is it that you can't, or that you're incapable?" Fang Zilan suddenly turned around and took a step forward. "If the person Cheng Zhiming is talking about is you, then I'd like to see what you've got."

"You'll regret this, Your Highness's wife." Shang Zhongyi laughed, clearly implying that no one could do anything about him.

Fang Zilan didn't waste any more words with him and left quickly. Fang Zitong thought for a moment, then instructed Meng Tingyang to take Awan and Wang Shen back to the Fang family first, and then chased after them.

"Wait for me." Fang Zitong couldn't catch up and a layer of fine sweat appeared on her forehead. But she saw Fang Zilan slow down, so she quickly grabbed her sleeve and whispered in her ear, "If Shang Zhongyi is the culprit, you might as well give up now."

"You know Shang Zhongyi?" Fang Zilan's expression froze. Fang Zitong's reaction made her realize that Shang Zhongyi was probably more than just the nephew of the Prince of Rong'an. She couldn't help but ask, "Who is he?"

“His surname is Shang,” Fang Zitong said quietly. “Haven’t you guessed it yet?”

"So what if the surname is Shang?" Fang Zilan clenched her fist, her hand hidden in her sleeve. "There are quite a few people with the surname Shang in the southeast..."

“He’s from Yancheng Manor. Otherwise, why do you think Mr. Xie was so easy to talk to just now, taking Cheng Zhiming into custody and then letting it go?” Fang Zitong interrupted Fang Zilan sharply. “He’s right. You shouldn’t have chosen either of them.”

"The lord of Yancheng Manor is not worthy of my deference," Fang Zilan sneered. "Besides, isn't Shang Zhongyi the lord of Yancheng Manor?"

“Yancheng Manor belongs to the Shang family.” Fang Zitong tried her best to keep her voice down, but she still couldn’t hide her emotions. “What kind of entity is Yancheng Manor? Even His Majesty and the King of Miluo treat it with the utmost respect and dare not antagonize it.” “Those in power are most afraid of ruining their reputation, so they fear being drowned in the spittle of Yancheng Manor and having their names tarnished for eternity by the pens of scholars and writers.” Fang Zilan said it casually, “But I’m not afraid.”

Fang Zilan frowned, and almost blurted out, "The Hong siblings became outlaws precisely because..."

She stopped abruptly halfway through her sentence, and Yin Quanzhang interjected, "It's true that the Hong siblings are doing this for Prince Yuning, Ji Ningtian, but he is far away in the capital and cannot interfere in the southern officialdom on his own. Moreover, this is exactly the situation that Ji Ningtian wanted to see."

He said with a hint of sarcasm, "So what if you become a bandit leader? Compared to the imperial army, who wouldn't call mountain bandits and outlaws a rabble? Only by aligning yourself with the government can you achieve lasting peace."

"So the Hong siblings compromised?" Fang Zilan's voice was very soft, but Yin Quanzhang still heard it. He nodded and said, "Yes, they had no choice but to compromise."

Fang Zilan turned her head away. The robbery of Lord Su Che's family was originally an accident, but it was exploited by various parties, and even the culprits could not be punished...

“I suspect that Miss Fang is feeling indignant on behalf of Lord Su Che’s family, but that’s not the whole story.” Yin Quanzhang’s expression was inscrutable as he said in a deep voice, “I have met Miss Su Yuexi.”

"What did you say..." Fang Zilan turned around, staring intently at Yin Quanzhang, her eyes filled with obvious shock.

“Miss Su Yuexi is patient and intelligent. She was able to lie low for many years and use the Xiahou family to restore justice for her own family.” Yin Quanzhang met Fang Zilan’s gaze and said with a hint of bitterness, “But even so, she was kept in the dark for many years and never knew the truth until her death.”

"What is the truth..." Fang Zilan's voice trembled violently. She had guessed to some extent, but she couldn't believe it.

"The murder of Lord Su Che and his family was not an accident, but a deliberate act." Yin Quanzhang's hand trembled, and the candle flame in his hand flickered as if it would go out at any moment.

"The people pulling the strings behind the scenes are the Su family."

Fang Zilan involuntarily took two steps back. When her back hit the railing, she felt a dull pain, but it was nothing compared to the heart-wrenching pain caused by Yin Quanzhang's words.

"I don't believe it, why..." Fang Zilan raised her hand and gripped the railing tightly, as if a drowning person had grabbed onto a piece of driftwood.

"Lord Su Che is fair and incorruptible; Miss Fang must have heard of him." Yin Quanzhang's brows furrowed, and his voice carried a chill. "However, no noble family can be considered truly innocent. Especially the Su family, who used elixirs to curry favor with the former emperor, exchanging flattery for wealth and power..."

“That was the Su family of the past, and now…” Fang Zilan abruptly interrupted Yin Quanzhang, and retorted sharply, “But Lord Su Che is the Su family of the past that you speak of.”

Fang Zilan lowered her head like a defeated rooster. Seeing this, Yin Quanzhang softened his tone and said, "Lord Su Che's impartiality and integrity were incompatible with the Su family in the past. If he continues to refuse to compromise, the Su family will naturally not let him off the hook."

“But he has already retired…” Fang Zilan was eager to argue, as if trying to prove that Yin Quanzhang was wrong. However, she knew in her heart that what he said was very likely true.