Don't Ask Where People Go After Time Travel

Chapter 1735 Take it seriously
"I said..." Fang Zilan coughed lightly, "If you want me dead, that's fine, that's a matter of江湖恩怨 (jianghu grievances). But now Mr. Xie and the Xiahou family head are here, if you make a move, that becomes a matter of the imperial court."

She paused, her expression turning serious. "After today, you will be wanted criminals. Even if you escape to the ends of the earth, you will only face death."

"If we can perish together with Zixiu..." Before the old man could finish speaking, Fang Zilan's plum blossom sword pierced through his chest, "the only one who will die is you."

The old man's eyes widened in disbelief, while Xiahou Mingxun, standing beside him, was equally dumbfounded. "You just killed him like that?"

"Otherwise, should I wait for him to kill me?" Fang Zilan said irritably. Xiahou Mingxun composed himself. "That's not what I meant..."

"Even if you ask, Lieutenant Ye and his men won't tell you their whereabouts." Fang Zilan seemed to have already guessed what Xiahou Mingxun was thinking and said first, "Instead of wasting your breath, you should think about how to cure the poison in you and Mr. Xie."

Xiahou Mingxun remained silent. Xie Chen took out a porcelain bottle, poured out the medicinal pills, gave one to Xiahou Mingxun, took one himself, and finally handed one to Fang Zilan.

"There is no poison in the world that can kill me." Fang Zilan did not accept the attack, and Xie Chen did not stop either. "I know you are powerful, but the current situation is unclear, and I cannot let you disregard your health."

"Mr. Xie, are you afraid I'll abandon you?" Fang Zilan smiled knowingly. "Don't worry, since this matter started because of me, I will make sure it ends because of me."

She hesitated for a moment before taking the pills from Xie Chen's hand, saying, "Consider it a commission."

"The commission for hiring Zixiu?" Xiahou Mingxun couldn't help but ask. Fang Zilan glanced at him and said, "It's not usually this price. It's a great deal that's fallen into our laps. Patriarch Xiahou, why not take advantage of it?"

Her words about being mercenary made Xiahou Mingxun feel somewhat embarrassed. "My Xiahou family won't take advantage of you for nothing..."

"Then how does Patriarch Xiahou intend to settle this?" Fang Zilan interrupted Xiahou Mingxun. "The debt of a life cannot be calculated in this way."

Xiahou Mingxun clenched his fists. "Zixiu, do you have to be so extreme?"

“Patriarch Xiahou, you and I are destined not to walk the same path.” Fang Zilan said indifferently, “In that case, it’s better to make things clear from the beginning.”

After she finished speaking, she looked at Xie Chen and said, "Mr. Xie, what do you think?"

"Thank you for your trouble, Miss Zixiu." Xie Chen bowed respectfully. Fang Zilan accepted his bow and said, "Wait for me here. If I am not back by noon tomorrow at the latest, Lieutenant Ye and the others are likely to be in grave danger. At that time, we can file a case directly. If necessary, you can summon the Fang family."

Her voice and figure vanished into the night, obscuring Xie Chen's question about "you".

There are reasons why they can't come back, but they are not something that can be told to outsiders.

"You say Fu Congnan isn't a good match, but his advantage is that he's honest and obedient." Fang Zilan didn't let Dugu Linxiu off the hook. "You're used to being manipulated, so you want to find someone to be manipulated by you? Dugu Linxiu, you shouldn't have come to this..."

"Shut up!" Dugu Linxiu's eyes reddened as she tried to lunge forward, but was restrained by the constables behind her. "You clearly know nothing!"

“Yes, I didn’t know.” Fang Zilan stepped forward. “But I do know that to take back myself, even if I have to suffer a bloody defeat, I cannot rely on the power of others. Otherwise, I will only fall into another cage.”

Upon hearing this, Dugu Linxiu suddenly burst out laughing, "Just like your... friend?"

Fang Zilan nodded. "She risked her life and fortune, gambling not on anyone else, but on her own life and death." "That's good." Dugu Linxiu sighed. "I dare not even think about winning for myself in this life. If there is an afterlife, I hope your friend wins, and I hope I can live for myself."

“Even without an afterlife, she will still win.” Fang Zilan said with great certainty. Dugu Linxiu stared at her intently, as if she could see someone else through her.

"It's a pity I won't be able to see it." Dugu Linxiu smiled bitterly. "Princess Consort, if your friend wins the bet in the future, remember to offer incense for me and let me know."

“Even if you can’t see it…” Fang Zilan paused, her voice lowering slightly, “I promise you.”

"Good, good..." Dugu Linxiu said "good" several times, then bowed to Fang Zilan, "Thank you for informing me, Madam. I have no regrets about my actions today."

She bit her lip. "But there's still a little regret..."

Fang Zilan understood immediately and asked, "What does Madam Fu want to know?"

"My beloved daughter's death." Dugu Linxiu's expression became even more resolute. "The physician named Awan who served the Crown Prince's wife once accompanied the late Duke of Yue to Xiguan City, and my daughter died at that time."

"What Madam Fu means is..." Fang Zilan didn't finish her sentence, but Dugu Linxiu said in a deep voice, "I don't think it's a coincidence. Miss Awan must know the inside story. Whatever it is, I hope she can tell me."

Fang Zilan remained silent, and Dugu Linxiu bowed again, "I hope that the Crown Prince's wife will consider my impending death and ask Miss Awan to speak."

“I can ask Awan for you,” Fang Zilan said, “but whether she’s willing to speak or how much she wants to say is entirely up to her. I will never force her.”

"With the words of the Crown Prince's wife, I am at ease." Dugu Linxiu straightened up and let the yamen runners take her to the prison.

Only after her figure disappeared did Fang Zilan turn back to look at the figure under the corridor pillar, "How long is Your Highness going to hide?"

"I'm not hiding." Li Qiyou stepped out, his expression inscrutable.

"If it's not hiding, then what is it?" Fang Zilan raised an eyebrow. "Could it be self-blame?"

As if his secret had been exposed, Li Qiyou's face turned pale and then red, and he opened his mouth but no sound came out.

“Your Highness, what the Dugu family did can be seen as for your royal ambitions,” Fang Zilan said calmly. “But Dugu Linxiu is different, and the Fu Congnan she chose is even more different.”

As she spoke, her expression turned somewhat cold. "Not everyone in the world lives for you."

“That’s not what I meant.” Li Qiyou shook his head, his expression darkening slightly. “I just feel…”

"What do you think?" Fang Zilan interrupted Li Qiyou without any politeness, but he was not annoyed. "I am just a pretext for their ambitions."

His voice was very soft, but Fang Zilan heard it clearly, "Your Highness is right. It's true that you are their pretext for doing whatever they want, but their ambition..."

She paused deliberately for a moment, "Is it really only them who have it? Has Your Highness never had it at all?"