Don't Ask Where People Go After Time Travel

Chapter 1383 City Palace

Fang Zilan said sternly, "Your Excellency is making things difficult for General Xiahou, but what are you trying to cover up? Master Ranzhu is still here, and the assassin has not yet been identified. Your Excellency, please do not confuse the importance of the matter."

Upon hearing this, Xiahou Yunzhao looked over and saw that although Fang Zilan's words were harsh, her face was pale and her lips were tightly pursed. She was just pretending to be an empty shell. So she stopped talking and let Xie Chen take over.

"Madam, what you said makes sense." Xie Chen nodded slightly and looked at Master Ranzhu, who had caused an uproar as soon as he appeared in the hall. "Master, this blood letter clearly states that Zhongling Temple occupied land and bullied the people, and committed many evil deeds. It was also signed and sealed by the people..."

Before he finished speaking, there was an uproar outside the hall. Fang Lihui in the hall also changed his expression slightly. He looked at Fang Zilan, but saw that she was silent, like a puppet.

Did she already know this? Fang Lihui was stunned for a moment, and then realized that if she borrowed the identity of Zhen from Qianjinfang, it wouldn't be surprising if she knew that the temple was misbehaving.

However, when Li Shengxuan ascended the throne, he had the help of Master Yuan, so after he ascended the throne, he continued to be favored, making the prevalence of Buddhism almost at its peak. However, there must be a shadow under the glory, and as long as it can be hidden, it is an indulgence of turning a blind eye.

But now, the Zhongling Temple in Jiangnan, which is as famous as the Baiye Temple in western Beijing, has been exposed to a scandal. It is natural that people will have doubts. Master Liaoyuan is the first to be affected. How can the Zhuge family behind him get away with it?

In addition, before the assassin committed suicide, he called out not only King Yucheng, but also Lord Zhuge...

Fang Lihui felt a chill all over his body and didn't dare to think any further. Sister Lan, is this really how you protect the Fang family?

Fang Zilan noticed Fang Lihui's gaze, but kept her eyes down, as if she was unaware.

She knew that now that things had come to this, in Fang Lihui's eyes, she was the instigator behind the scenes. This move was tantamount to abandoning the pawns to save the pawns, just like a reckless man.

Not only Fang Lihui, but also Zhuge Yu might hate her. Even if she said she had no idea, no one would think she was innocent.

Zhongling Temple... How could Qianjinfang not know about such a case? I think they were just trying to hide it from her. The only ones who could hide it from her were Zhen Mier or Wan Jun.

Qianjinfang was isolated between the court and the underworld, and it was not easy to maintain her status, and social interactions were inevitable. Even if she concealed one or two shameful things, she didn't care.

But how did Murong Qing know this? Today was only the second day of the public trial, and Master Ranzhu, who was far away in Zhongling Temple, was brought to court by Mr. Canghai Liu, who even arranged an assassination, pushing the case to a climax...

This was not a day's work, Murong Qing's plan came much earlier than she expected. It is very possible that the so-called keeping the promise and protecting the Fang family for her is just a part of his plan.

Fang Zilan was uneasy, but she was in court and could not act rashly. She could only force herself to focus on the case.

"All land owned by the temple can be exempted from taxes for three years." Xie Chen said in a dignified manner, "Zhongling Temple used this as a convenience to confiscate the land of thousands of households nearby as the temple's property, and then sublet the land to make huge profits."

These two sentences are so sharp. Let's not talk about the reasons why the temple requisitioned the land, and whether it was done to any extreme. Just think about how the thousands of families make a living after losing their land. If they don't leave their homes, they will inevitably have to rent the land requisitioned by the temple.

Under the layers of exploitation, not only did they lose their land, but they also lost the people's hearts. After the war and plague, those who thought they had waited for peace, waited for another kind of persecution. It is true that when a country prospers, the people suffer. When a country perishes, the people suffer.

"This..." Pei Xiaoze said after careful consideration: "There are regulations on the process of expropriating land for temples..."

"What do you mean, Master Pei?" Another master wiped the sweat off his forehead and said, "All the land of Zhongling Temple is legal..."

Su Yun's expression turned cold, and he asked in a deep voice, "Are they really all legal and compliant?"

After Fang Zilan settled Cong Rong, she took A Wan back to the inner room. After making sure that no one was around, she asked, "What did you want to tell me on the way?"

A Wan sat next to Fang Zi Lan, frowning slightly as she asked, "Why did you take Cong Rong in?" Before she could even start, she added, "Don't tell me it was for some empty talk about getting back to the original source and being fair and just, or some nonsense about not being able to bear Cong Rong's plight, I don't believe it."

Fang Zilan chuckled and asked instead, "Awan, what do you think of Cong Rong's situation? How does it affect the Fang family and the Wang family?"

"No matter what, Fang Yuhan is in the wrong. It's a family scandal for the Fang family, so we have to cover it up as strictly as possible. As for the Wang family..." Awan pondered for a moment, and said carefully: "The daughter of the Wang family is Fang Yuhan's wife. There are many wealthy families with three wives and four concubines. Even if she knew about this, she would have nowhere to complain about her pain. She can only swallow her anger, but I'm afraid she will be cold towards Fang Yuhan."

"You're right." Fang Zilan looked at her approvingly and said softly, "Then why do you think I should take in Cong Rong, Awan?"

"Buying people's hearts?" A Wan pursed her lips and said as she thought: "After all, the Fang family is our source of income, so it's understandable to cover up for them. But you just asked about the Wang family..."

She didn't say anything more, Fang Zilan said, "Wang Quanzhi played a trick on me in the Northern Border case, and I will pay him back sooner or later. If those who know about Cong Rong's pregnancy keep silent, then why not keep it a mystery? If we keep her, as long as we use her appropriately, she will be enough to make the daughter of the Wang family lose face. If we rise together, we all rise together, and if we fall together, the Wang family will naturally not be in a good situation."

"You..." A Wan stared at her in a daze, only to hear her continue, "As for the Fang family, I am not just trying to buy their hearts. It is true that the Fang family must do me a favor regarding Cong Rong's matter, but what I want is leverage over the Fang family. Once the Fang family becomes suspicious of my identity, Cong Rong is the hush money."

After she finished speaking, a hint of jade appeared in her hand. It was the jade pendant that originally belonged to Fang Yuhan that Cong Rong took out at Fang's house just now.

She neither returned the jade pendant to Cong Rong nor gave it to Fang Lihui, but kept it in her own hands.

A Wan stared at her in amazement. She then put away the jade pendant and said with a smile, "A Wan, I am not a good person. Since someone has bullied me, I will always fight back. This is the rule, isn't it?"

Awan turned her head away, her expression showing a little more pity, "You are willing to use her to hurt innocent people?"

"Use?" Fang Zilan chewed on the word softly and said calmly, "Rather than using, it's better to say it's a transaction. I protect Cong Rong, and she is used by me, that's all."