Don't Ask Where People Go After Time Travel

Chapter 1718 Implicated
“You…are Zixiu?” Someone recognized the plum blossom sword in Fang Zilan’s hand and boldly asked, only to see her nod casually, “Good eye.”

Immediately, all that could be heard was a chorus of gasps of shock. No one had ever imagined they'd provoke Zi Xiu, this killing machine. Now, nobody was going to leave alive.

"Qian Wenxiang has escaped, the leader is dead, and you who risked your lives, are you determined to leave your lives here?" Fang Zilan curled her lips with a half-smile, and everyone's face turned pale, and they dared not even breathe.

"It seems so." Fang Zilan snorted coldly, but before she could make a move, someone shouted, "Wait!"

Fang Zilan slung her sword behind her back. "Enough nonsense, just say what you know."

The people on both sides automatically made way for the speaker, who raised his head tremblingly and looked at Fang Zilan, saying, "A couple of days ago, some yamen runners came up the mountain and carried away... a coffin..."

"A yamen runner?" Fang Zilan asked thoughtfully. "Which place and which prefecture's yamen runner? How do you know it's not someone in disguise?"

"Why do the constables under Lord Qian need to impersonate him?" The speaker looked bewildered. "It's not the first time..."

Fang Zilan frowned slightly, and then heard Hong Tai say, "You're a bandit from Mangshan, aren't you? I've seen you before."

"You've mistaken me for someone else..." The person speaking hurriedly denied it, but the moment they saw Hong Tai's face clearly, their voice stopped abruptly.

Hong Tai chuckled lightly and casually asked, "Do you recognize me?" The murderous intent hidden in his tone was an obvious warning.

The person speaking shook their head vigorously, like a rattle-drum, "I don't recognize her, I don't recognize her..."

"Let's get down to business." Fang Zilan coughed, and the person speaking immediately blurted out, "Lord Qian and our Mangshan chief are old friends. His constables often come up the mountain to deliver messages for Lord Qian. If it weren't for Feiling Mountain..."

He paused abruptly, stealing a glance at Hong Tai, "Feiling Mountain is all-powerful, used to being domineering. But evil deeds will be punished by Heaven. A while ago, during the bandit suppression, the imperial court..."

"Why did Qian Wenxiang go up the mountain?" Fang Zilan interrupted the speaker impatiently. He was stunned for a moment, then hesitated and said, "Perhaps it was to vent his anger. The soldiers captured a lot of bandits from Feiling Mountain and handed them over to Lord Qian for disposal."

"Why bring a skeleton along when you're venting your anger?" A hint of doubt flashed in Fang Zilan's eyes, and her voice lowered as she spoke, "That skeleton... someone brought it up the mountain..."

"Who sent it and when?" Fang Zilan's expression grew colder, and the person speaking said tremblingly, "How would I know? I only know that about two days ago, someone sent it up the mountain. At that time, Lord Qian was furious, and then some yamen runners came up the mountain and carried it away."

Fang Zilan hesitated for a moment, then Hong Tai said disdainfully, "You're lying through your teeth."

The person speaking pursed their lips. "I'm not lying... someone really did send him up the mountain..."

"Who is it?" Hong Tai's face was ashen. "Feiling Mountain is under the control of the government troops. Who could possibly evade the eyes and ears of the imperial court and Qian Wenxiang's men and send a corpse up the mountain out of thin air?"

"Of course, it's our strategist..." The person who spoke immediately realized that he had said the wrong thing.

“The strategist of Mangshan, Qian Wenxiang’s advisor?” Hong Tai suddenly smiled. “It seems he’s more than just Qian Wenxiang’s dog.” “Whose dog he is isn’t important.” Fang Zilan composed herself. “What’s important is where that skeleton went after it went down the mountain.”

"If it really was carried away by the yamen runners, where else could it have gone?" Hong Tai sneered. Fang Zilan tightened her grip on her sword. "Let's not delay, let's go."

Zhen Mi'er, who was not far away, changed her expression slightly, but still chased after him without hesitation. Wan Jun opened his mouth, then resignedly followed.

“Qian Wenxiang, Jingzhou Prefecture.” Zhen Mi’er’s voice was very soft. Fang Zilan heard it and shook her head. “No, it’s Suzhou Prefecture.”

Fang Zilan looked incredulous, but the old woman nodded firmly and said, "It's getting late. It would be bad if we missed the auspicious time."

Without saying a word, she pressed Fang Zilan down in front of the dressing table, and then a maid stepped forward and said, "This servant will help Miss Fang get ready."

"This..." Fang Zilan was inwardly groaning. It was only a few hours before Mu Churui and Li Qianning's wedding ceremony, and the Miluo Palace was still holding a grand banquet for guests. The day was not even over yet, but she was already being held captive to prepare for tomorrow's wedding ceremony.

As dawn approached, Fang Zilan was so sleepy that she kept yawning. Her maids had already dressed her in her wedding gown in layers of layers, leaving her sitting in front of the mirror, unable to move.

It wasn't that she was unwilling, but the wedding dress was too complicated and heavy, covered with jingling beads and jade, and the waist sash was tied very tightly. She would break out in a sweat with the slightest movement.

Even worse, if she accidentally tore off any of the accessories on her clothes, she had to start all over again. She was so exhausted that she simply straightened her back and sat motionless, letting others do whatever they wanted to her.

“Miss Fang, according to the customs of Dajing, a respected elder from your clan should perform the pre-wedding ceremony for you. But right now…” Fang Zilan paused when she heard the words “pre-wedding ceremony.” She looked up and saw the maid holding hairpins and rings in the mirror, her face showing hesitation. Just as she was about to say something, a voice suddenly rang out, “I will perform the pre-wedding ceremony.”

Fang Zilan was stunned. The face reflected in the mirror was one she knew all too well, but it was less radiant and more dignified than she usually saw.

"Today, I'm taking the liberty of addressing Miss Fang as 'younger sister'," Zhen Mi'er said, walking up behind Fang Zilan and placing her hand on her shoulder. "Would Miss Fang be willing?"

"I would be more than happy to." Fang Zilan heard a hint of bitterness in her own voice.

The old woman and the maids in the room exchanged glances and then left, leaving the space to Fang Zilan, Zhen Mi'er, and Xiao Xuan'er who followed them.

"Lan'er, if I hadn't come, would you have married Murong Qing without a word?" Zhen Mi'er sighed almost imperceptibly, making Fang Zilan almost think she had misheard.

"I..." Fang Zilan hesitated, then changed the subject, "The last time I performed the pre-wedding ceremony, it was with Old Madam Wang for the two young ladies of the Shangguan family. Now that I think about it, it feels like a lifetime ago."

"Lan'er, you..." Zhen Mi'er began to speak, but Fang Zilan interrupted her, "Sister Mi'er, my mind is made up. I will never desert my post and abandon the Fang family..."

"The Prime Minister has retired to his hometown." Xiao Xuan'er interrupted Fang Zilan, her expression pausing. "When did this happen?"

"It was the day after His Majesty issued the decree to grant the marriage." Xiao Xuan'er's voice was very soft, but Fang Zilan still heard it clearly. She breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. In the future, no matter what happens, even if I can't get away, it won't implicate the Fang family."