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墨書 Inktalez
As soon as Yi Zhenglian spoke, everyone else overlooked everything else and was deeply shocked by what she mentioned.
The master of the Marquisate... the granddaughter of Zhenyuan Marquis?
That girl?
What is going on!
Zhu Minran was stunned for a moment, shaking his head and saying, "This is impossible. The Wen Family is a founding family; how could she be a solitary girl..."
Upon hearing the term "solitary girl," he suddenly paused, clenched his fists tightly, and slowly turned to look at Qing Wu with a blank expression.
Zheng Young Master understood her. Seeing her calm demeanor instead made him feel a jolt in his heart. He gently said to her, "She's just an outsider. It's nonsense. Don't pay attention to it."
He had not heard his father mention this matter, and when he spoke, there was an eight-part certainty in his tone. To express his conviction, he deliberately raised his voice a bit. Thus, when he said this, everyone in the room had already heard it.
Only then did Zhu Minran's eyes show a hint of amusement.
Just as the two exchanged relieved glances, Master Wen laughed heartily from the side, saying, "I haven't started with you yet, but the head of the household can still recognize her; I admire that."
Yi Zhenglian smiled, "That hairpin was given to Ting Shu by me. Naturally, I recognize it. Moreover, she bears some resemblance to Ting Shu and the Heir Apparent, so it's not hard to guess."
The "Heir Apparent" she mentioned was not the current Heir Apparent Wen Qingyue but rather his deceased father.
Hearing her mention a departed relative, both Grandfather and Grandson's expressions darkened.
Just as they were feeling sorrowful, a furious shout rang out from nearby: "What are you doing!" Accompanying the voice were chaotic footsteps. Before anyone could react, a man had already rushed to Qing Wu's side and tightly grasped one person's arm.
Zeng Mingxin was angrily staring at Qing Wu and slowly approached. Suddenly caught by the wrist, he became furious and shouted at the man beside him, "Let go of me! Men and women should keep their distance; this is too improper!"
"Letting you go, allowing you to plot against her?" Zheng Ning coldly snorted, "What are propriety, righteousness, integrity, and honor? I have no idea!"
He put away his usual lazy demeanor, his brows sharp as he pried open Zeng Mingxin's palm. He then bent her fingers back.
Accompanied by a sharp scream, a short needle held in Zeng Mingxin's hand was revealed, falling to the ground with a crisp sound.
If it were a plant's thorn, it would not make such a noise. Hearing that sound and seeing the gleam of the object under the sunlight, everyone present understood that it was clearly a weapon made of metal.
No one expected that what was supposed to be a simple discussion about a painting would involve a girl bringing such an item.
As this unfolded, two or three young girls rushed out from the house and ran over to protect Qing Wu.
The others, hearing their family members' worried calls from outside, also began to come out one after another.
Master Wen's eyes widened in shock as he called for people and pointed at Zeng Mingxin, commanding, "Search! See if she has hidden any more weapons!"
Zeng Mingxin's family had not arrived; she had come with someone else's carriage. Seeing this situation, that family did not dare to step forward to help her.
Zeng Mingxin looked at Zhu Minran with a hint of desperation. However, Zhu Minran did not even glance at her but kept staring at Qing Wu. Although her expression seemed calm, her eyes were like poisoned arrows.
Having taken the weapon from Zeng Mingxin's hand, everyone around remained wary of Zhu Minran.
Qin Shuying slightly turned to shield Qing Wu, while Wen Qingyue drew out a Silver Whip from behind her waist.
Zhu Minran took a step toward Qing Wu.
Before her raised foot could land, there was a loud "crack," kicking up a cloud of dust as a whip fell right in front of her.
"Anyone who approaches carelessly will die." The young Heir Apparent raised his chin, looking at her with an arrogant expression.
Zhu Minran looked indifferently at the girl protected by the crowd behind her.
The girl was petite, with delicate features. Even Zhu Minran, a proud woman herself, couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy at her appearance and figure.
She had initially thought the other party was just an unwanted orphan. Who would have thought she was the Legitimate Granddaughter of the Marquis, whom she hadn't seen in years!
She had beauty and talent; now she even had status...
Why did she get to take all the advantages?
Zhu Minran glanced around.
Due to the arrangements made by the Zheng Family, no one from the Zhu Family had come today.
As she quickly contemplated this, the Zheng Young Master noticed something was off with her expression.
He turned to look at Zeng Mingxin, who was being held down by servants from Shen Residence and dragged away, and his heart skipped a beat. Knowing that Zhu Minran would not back down now, he forced a smile and said to everyone, "Today we were rude. I apologize on behalf of us." With that, he bowed deeply.
Seeing his respectful and bent back, Zhu Minran suddenly felt as if the anger in her heart had been doused with hot oil; she could no longer hold back and raised her voice, shouting, "You are the son of the Imperial Teacher. How can you bow down to others so easily!"
The Zheng Young Master paused for a moment and replied softly, "Today we were in the wrong from the start. Since we made a mistake, we naturally need to apologize." He gestured towards Zhu Minran and shook his head.
He was aware of Zeng Mingxin's actions with a weapon. Everyone knew that Zeng Mingxin had come along with them and that they had a good relationship. Now that Zeng Mingxin had done such a thing, he took a step back to ease the atmosphere.
Zhu Minran thought he regretted helping her, regretted calling the Young Masters from the capital to support her with Willow Branch votes.
The most trusted person suddenly betrayed her, leaving her unable to bear it. Looking at the few people eyeing her menacingly in front of her, and glancing at the onlookers who were whispering with mocking expressions, she felt her heart burn with anger and hatred. In a fit of rage, she took a few steps toward Zheng Young Master. Taking advantage of his unpreparedness, she yanked something from his arms and then pulled off the stopper on top.
A whoosh sounded.
A bright light shot up from her hand. It then flew into the air, followed by a loud bang, bursting into a brilliant flower.
Zheng Young Master was momentarily stunned, staring in disbelief at Zhu Minran. He then raised his hand and slapped her hard, angrily scolding, "Fool!"
Most of the ladies and Young Masters present did not recognize the object that had flown up; they thought it was fireworks and were busy watching it, not noticing the slap, and then praised its beauty.
Wen Family Ancestors and Descendants, Qin Shuying, Zou Kefen, and Yi Zhenglian recognized it as a signaling device.
Yi Zhenglian decisively returned to her previous position. She quickly grabbed He Family, who was about to get up, and held her down.
Master Wen leaned over to Qin Shuying and whispered a few words before pushing him hard, urging, "Hurry!"
Before Qin Shuying could respond, his expression suddenly changed. He spread his arms and urgently told those nearby, "Step back!"
As he spoke, a sharp arrow suddenly flew in, landing precisely where Qin Shuying had been standing earlier.
The sudden turn of events shocked everyone in the courtyard.
Dozens of dark figures suddenly appeared in the courtyard, glaring menacingly at the group encircled in the center.
The ladies screamed as they ran out. The young men turned pale and retreated while moving out as well.
He Family saw Qing Wu and the others surrounded in the center and were so nervous they almost cried. However, fearing their daughter would worry, they forced themselves to hold their breath and pretended to be calm as they moved forward.
But she was stopped by Yi Zhenglian.
"Zheng An is not easy to deal with," Yi Zhenglian's voice was calm and low, whispering in He Family's ear, "If you want that girl to suffer less restraint, do not act rashly."
He Family immediately understood her meaning.
She was Qing Wu's mother. If they captured her, wouldn't that become an excuse to restrain Qing Wu?
But that was her daughter... how could she...
As He Family was lost in thought, they heard Yi Zhenglian scoff lightly and murmur a few words.
It seemed to be—
"Although Yi Family promises that seeing the hairpin is like seeing the person, the holder can exchange it for a wish. But they do not know that only the descendants of Ting Shu can do so."
Everyone knew about Yanghuai Yi Family.
They were rooted in Jiangnan, with descendants spread across various places. To outsiders, they appeared to be mere wealthy merchants.
But only those who had followed the Former Emperor as loyal ministers knew the true strength of Yi Family.
After years of warfare and immense expenditure, it was Yi Family that had devoted their entire clan's strength to assist in great undertakings.
And only those trusted by the Former Emperor knew that the newly appointed head of Yi Family, Yi Zhenglian, had once been ambushed by brothers who sought to usurp the throne and nearly lost her life.
Fortunately, she encountered Wen Family's daughter-in-law, Wen Tingshu, and was saved.
Recalling the past, Yi Zhenglian's expression was calm as she pressed down on He Family's fingertips but slowly let go.
"You go out first," Yi Zhenglian said softly. Then she gave her a gentle push and whispered an instruction. Suddenly, a person appeared from nowhere and pulled He Family into the crowd of running people, forcibly taking her away.
Afterward, Yi Zhenglian looked at the three men in black who had suddenly appeared beside her and calmly said, "I will go over myself. You need not worry." With that, she stepped toward the group in the center of the courtyard.
Qin Shuying held onto Zhu Minran while Wen Qingyue restrained Zheng Young Master. They formed a circle, and with Yi Zhenglian who was brought in later, they faced off coldly against a dozen sword-wielding men in black.
On the surrounding walls stood a row of archers, bows drawn, their arrows aimed directly at the few people in the courtyard.
Thinking back to the earlier scene, Qing Wu understood somewhat. She said to Shen Shuihua, Lu Pingting, and Zou Kefen, "You few have nothing to do with this. Find a way to leave first. They won't make things difficult for you."
"I won't leave," Shen Shuihua was the first to speak. Her face was pale as she said, "This is Shen Residence. I am part of Shen Family. I have a responsibility to protect you all. I won't leave."
Wen Qingyue glanced back at her for a moment before quickly turning away again.
Zou Kefen smirked slightly and said, "They would love to capture me." After all, she was General Zou's close relative!
Lu Pingting fearfully grabbed Zou Kefen's sleeve and shook her head.
Qing Wu remained silent.
The man in black pointed his sword at Qing Wu, his voice muffled by his mask, "You, come here! Otherwise, I will take this woman's life!" With that, he made a feint with his sword toward Lu Pingting.
Lu Pingting immediately began to cry but could only sob quietly.
Qing Wu did not expect to be the first one targeted. After a pause, she intended to step forward.
Others may not know, but Qin Shuying understands best why those people are targeting Qing Wu.
He quickly sidestepped, placing himself between the tip of the sword and Qing Wu. He raised his hand to stop her from advancing.
"Anyone can go, but you can't," he said urgently. "For him."
For him.
Those few words stirred waves in Qing Wu's heart.
If Qin Shuying is captured, Huo Yun'ai will undoubtedly be restrained as well.
But if others go, it would be fine...
Does that mean...
"She won't go." Wen Qingyue clenched her hand into a claw, pressing her fingertips against Zheng Young Master's throat. "If your master doesn't want his son to die, then clear a path!"
"Our master?" The group let out a sinister laugh. "We don't know this young master. Why would our master care about his life or death?"
Zheng Young Master's face turned pale instantly.
In shock, Zhu Minran suddenly screamed. It was unclear where she found the strength, but she broke free from Qin Shuying's restraint and reached out with her five fingers towards Qing Wu.
"You wretched person! You bring misfortune! If it weren't for you, how would I have ended up in this situation today!"
Her hand reached halfway, about to touch Qing Wu's sleeve. Suddenly, a sharp sound pierced through the air.
A short sword suddenly lunged forward, making a muffled sound as it struck, sending a spray of blood.
Zhu Minran watched as the sword pierced through his palm, letting out a howl as he clutched his wrist and rolled on the ground.
The man in black sensed something was wrong. He turned around sharply, only to realize that the archer on the wall had vanished without a trace.
Realizing the situation was dire, the man's gaze turned fierce. He brandished his sword and charged towards Qing Wu and the others.
—Since he could not save his own life, he would take one with him!
Swords and blades came rushing in. Wen Qingyue and Qin Shuying hurriedly defended themselves. However, these attackers were exceptionally skilled; each of them could only face one opponent!
At that critical moment, men dressed in Imperial Guard uniforms quietly filed in. The first few wore agile outfits, their skills even surpassing those of the men in black!
In an instant, the black-clad men either had their wrists broken or shoulders dislocated, losing all ability to fight back!
Amidst the chaos, footsteps slowly approached the courtyard.
Behind the black mask, the man in black glared furiously at the entrance of the courtyard.
A figure stepped inside. Tall and imposing, he exuded an extraordinary presence. Although he appeared to be only fifteen or sixteen years old, he possessed a calmness and composure beyond his years.
His cold eyes scanned the surroundings.
Anyone who met that unfeeling gaze broke into a cold sweat. Lu Pingting was so frightened that she kept retreating until her back hit a pillar, finally steadying herself.
Mu Hai, leading the Imperial Guard, respectfully brought a chair from inside and placed it behind him.
The young man lifted his robe and sat down calmly.
"Wen Qingyue" called out "Liu Erge" with suspicion, just as he was about to step forward when he was startled by a thud as someone knelt beside him.
"Zheng Young Master" trembled, his voice shaking as he said, "It has nothing to do with me, it has nothing to do with me..."
The young man lowered his gaze and order calmly: "Slap him."
"Zheng Young Master" begged for mercy, but with just one strike, the shouting abruptly stopped. Following that were muffled whimpers and the sound of harsh slaps as someone held his chin tightly.
The young man suddenly raised his eyes to look at "Zhu Minran," who was rolling on the ground.
"Zhu Minran" felt a surge of terror. The immense fear that had never appeared when the black-clad men came or when her palm was pierced suddenly enveloped her entire being.
She cried out in desperation, wanting to plead for herself. However, before she could speak, the young man coldly issued an order.
"Dislocate her jaw. Drag her out and give her thirty strikes; life or death is irrelevant."
"Huo Yun'ai" slightly curled her lips, revealing a bloodthirsty smile reminiscent of a god of death.
"You dare to touch my people. It seems you are tired of living."
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