Don't ask where people go

Chapter 2019 As You Wish
"I wonder what brings you here, Your Highness?" Fang Zitong asked directly, and Murong Qing didn't beat around the bush either. "I heard everything you said."

Fang Zitong clenched her fists, hidden in her sleeves, as Murong Qing said to herself, "So, sister went to the Du family pawnshop and that's why she was poisoned by snake venom?"

"I don't know." Fang Zitong's expression was inscrutable. Murong Qing continued to ask, "Was it the Du family who made the move?"

“Your Highness, as I said, I don’t know.” Fang Zitong sighed. “If you want to know, why don’t you wait until Lan’er wakes up and ask her yourself?”

“Once my sister wakes up, some things may be too late.” Murong Qing’s expression was inscrutable, and Fang Zitong hesitated to speak easily. She then heard him change the subject and ask, “Where is my father-in-law now?”

"My father?" Fang Zitong frowned slightly. Murong Qing looked at her helplessly. "Even Miss Fang doesn't know?"

Fang Zitong remained silent, seemingly in agreement. Murong Qing chuckled and smiled, “Second Miss Fang, you really don’t know anything. I don’t know if my father-in-law has protected you too well, or if you’re just pretending.”

“Your Highness, although I don’t know where my father went, I know it was for Lan’er.” Fang Zitong stood by the bed, looking down at Murong Qing, and said, “Unlike you, you’re too busy taking care of yourself, let alone doing anything for Lan’er…”

“The Fang family is too busy to take care of themselves.” Murong Qing coughed lightly, and Meng Tingyang quickly brought him a glass of water and placed it beside him.

He didn't take it, and continued, "Besides, do you really think my father-in-law would do anything for my sister?"

"What do you mean by that, Your Highness?" Fang Zitong's expression turned cold. "If it's about sowing discord, there's no need for that..."

"What Lord Fang does is all for the Fang family." Murong Qing changed his form of address, speaking with an air of authority without anger, "not for my sister, or any particular person."

He paused, a hint of coldness creeping into his gaze as he looked at Fang Zitong. "Otherwise, Miss Fang, how do you think the Fang family could have reached its current heights?"

“Peak?” Fang Zitong repeated the word, then sneered, “Does Your Highness perhaps have some misunderstanding about the word ‘peak’?”

“I think the one who misunderstood is Miss Fang Er.” Murong Qing withdrew her gaze, took the cup from Meng Tingyang’s hand, and took a small sip.

Fang Zitong's expression was tense as she listened to Murong Qing say, "Lord Fang resigned from his post, yet the Fang family remains a first-rate merchant family in the land. My sister falsely conveyed the Empress's decree, yet the Empress herself is unharmed. Even Fang Lihui, who was at the center of the Southeast Case, would be completely unscathed if he hadn't been illegally imprisoned. Isn't that the height of their power?"

Fang Zilan's expression turned colder. "I simply won't see you. What good is it if you're standing right in front of the door?"

"Does the Crown Prince's wife want to send them away?" Xiao Xuan'er asked uncertainly. Fang Zilan replied coldly, "Why not?"

Although her expression was calm, her tone carried a heavy, oppressive force that made it hard to breathe. Even Xiao Xuan'er only opened her mouth before taking the visiting card and leaving.

“It’s not like Sister Xiao just showed up without asking, why are you being so fierce?” A-Wan frowned, but Fang Zilan didn’t care. “If I make my attitude clear, Miss Xiao will be more at ease.”

"What's the right balance right now?" Awan pressed, but Fang Zilan remained silent.

After a long while, just when Awan thought Fang Zilan would no longer answer her, she heard her voice, "Show no mercy, and take responsibility for your own life and death."

"You...are you really going to use the Mo family as a sacrifice?" Awan's heart tightened. Fang Zilan's face remained expressionless. "Words spoken are like water spilled." Couldn't they be taken back? Awan bit her lip. "But the Mo family already redeemed themselves back then. Even if we bring up the past, what good will it do?"

"Make amends for crimes?" Fang Zilan repeated the phrase, then slowly said, "Awan, do you remember what crime the Mo family committed? And what crime would the Mo family's merits offset?"

In a flash, a thought crossed Awan's mind, and she blurted out, "You mean, the Mo family's crimes aren't limited to just that one?"

“The crimes of Prince Rong’an are not limited to that one case, and the crimes of the Mo family are naturally not limited to that one case either.” Fang Zilan’s expression was inscrutable. She did not continue, and Awan did not dare to ask further.

“It’s too late to turn back now.” Fang Zilan closed her eyes, and Awan whispered, “Then don’t look back.”

Before she could finish speaking, there was a loud bang as the door was pushed open from the outside. The person who entered looked travel-worn and strode towards them; it was Mo Yang.

Fang Zilan stood silently in front of Awan, while Mo Yang glanced at her without any politeness. "Madam, if you want to use the Mo family as a sacrifice, you should at least show some sincerity."

"Do I need to?" Fang Zilan curled her lips with a half-smile, while Mo Yang's face remained ashen. "I don't care what you're going to do, whether it's to sacrifice the flag or to silence you, come at me."

"Lord Mo means..." Fang Zilan drawled, "that he wants me to spare the rest of the Mo family?"

Mo Yang clenched his fists tightly and after a long while, he finally managed to squeeze out a single "Yes".

"What if I refuse?" Fang Zilan's expression became more serious, revealing a strange stubbornness.

Mo Yang stood there, stunned, and murmured, "Even for Mo Han's sake..."

“Mo Han is Mo Han, and the Mo family is the Mo family.” Fang Zilan interrupted Mo Yang. “When Mo Han took that sword for Mo Bin, it was already considered that she and your Mo family were even.”

"What do you mean?" Mo Yang gritted his teeth. "Mo Han is still buried in the Mo family..."

“That was Li Shengxuan’s idea, not Mo Han’s wish, and it has nothing to do with me.” Fang Zilan raised her hand and grabbed Mo Yang’s throat, stopping him from saying anything more. “If I could choose, I would rather he not have been born into the Mo family, and he would rather he not have had anything to do with me, or even… never have been here.”

Her eyes reddened as she spoke the last sentence. Mo Yang was confused, but her face flushed as the hand tightened around her.

"Please accept my condolences, Your Highness." Awan grabbed Fang Zilan's wrist, trying to make her let go. "If you don't let go, you'll strangle Lord Mo to death!"

However, Fang Zilan showed no intention of letting go. Awan was extremely anxious. "I know you don't care about the lives at stake, but if Young Master Mo Han knew in the afterlife, he would surely be heartbroken."

Upon hearing this, Fang Zilan finally released her strength, giving Mo Yang a chance to catch his breath. He quickly broke free from her, retreated a few steps away, and gasped for air.

"Lord Mo knows perfectly well what the Mo family has done." Fang Zilan steadied herself. "Begging me is useless; you might as well just accept it."

"Admit it?" Mo Yang laughed out loud as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world. "Fang Zilan, since you can protect the Fang family, you can naturally protect the Mo family a second time."