Don't Ask Where People Go After Time Travel

Chapter 1777 Thoughts

"Miss Zhen wanted to see me?" Fang Lihui sat down without any formalities. Fang Zilan didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point: "I invited Young Master Fang here for the grand finale of the Fang family's Spring Festival Gathering."

"Miss Zhen had already made an agreement with me before, could there be any change?" Fang Lihui asked seriously. Fang Zilan shook her head and said, "I always keep my word and am not the kind of person who would change things at will. Young Master Fang can rest assured."

Fang Lihui remained noncommittal, his fingers tracing the folding fan as he said, "I certainly believe Miss Zhen, but..."

He didn't continue, but Fang Zilan understood. "This matter is crucial for both of us, so I need to go over the details with you again to ensure everything goes smoothly."

“For example…” Fang Lihui began tentatively, but before he could ask anything, Fang Zilan interjected, “For example, right now, all the guests know that the grand finale of the Fang family’s Spring Festival celebration is the news of Qianjinfang, but they don’t know about some other news, or what it’s related to. If we keep it hidden, the current fervor will quickly dissipate.”

She paused for a moment, then continued, "Therefore, the timing of the release of the grand finale, the related information, and the bidding method all need to be precisely controlled. Otherwise, a slight misstep could lead to complete failure."

Fang Lihui's expression hardened. Fang Zilan stared at him intently and said seriously, "I don't think Young Master Fang would want to take all the blame for someone else and watch the Fang family be ruined by you, would he?"

“What Miss Zhen says is very true.” Fang Lihui nodded and said, “Lihui is willing to serve Miss Zhen at her beck and call.”

"It's good that Young Master Fang is determined. However, the Fang Family Spring Gathering has always been hosted by you, and I won't interfere in other matters." Fang Zilan picked up her teacup, took a sip, and asked, "When will Yin Quanzhang arrive?"

"First thing tomorrow morning," Fang Lihui replied quickly. Fang Zilan pondered for a moment and said, "When Yin Quanzhang enters Zuiyue Tower, have the manager announce that the grand prize is not just Qianjinfang, but three."

"So fast?" Fang Lihui was stunned for a moment. Fang Zilan said calmly, "We can't let the stove we finally got going cool down. We need to keep adding firewood and fueling the fire."

As she pondered, she said, "After announcing the number of items, you should have the staff in the building spread some rumors, saying that they overheard our conversation or that they bribed Mingxiang to find out that the information is related to the treasure."

“Treasure? No…” Fang Lihui had barely opened his mouth when Fang Zilan pressed her index finger to her lips, making a shushing gesture. “The reason a secret is a secret is that no one knows what it is until it is revealed.”

Her voice was soft, yet it possessed a seductive power: "Treasure, leverage... whatever Young Master Fang orders his servants to say, as long as part of it is true enough, that's fine."

Fang Lihui listened intently and couldn't help but ask, "Does Miss Zhen have any suggestions?"

"A scandal would be best," Fang Zilan said casually. "Take Young Master Fang as an example. Do you think the world wants to know about your life of luxury and wealth, or about the sordid secrets behind your business dealings?"

Upon hearing this, Fang Lihui coughed lightly, "Miss Zhen, my reputation isn't very good to begin with..."

“You’re all the same old playboys and young philanderers. We’ve heard it all before.” Fang Zilan curled her lips into a half-smile. “But what if there were rumors that the Drunken Moon Pavilion’s glory today was all because Young Master Fang murdered someone for money? Do you think people would be even more curious?” Fang Lihui’s face paled slightly. Fang Zilan poured him a cup of tea and placed it in front of him. “Whether it’s public opinion or people’s hearts, as long as we can stir them up to their peak, everything else will fall into place.”

As she spoke, she lightly tapped the rim of the cup with her fingers. "When you're standing at the forefront of a storm, it's easier to give someone a push. I think Young Master Fang understands this principle very well."

Fang Lihui pursed his lips, and Li Shengxuan, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up: "Are you willing to fabricate lies just to stand in the eye of the storm?"

“This is the fastest way.” Fang Zilan withdrew her hand and said casually, “Fairness and justice take time. Not only is the process tortuous, but even if we put in a lot of effort, few people have the patience to listen or watch. As long as the result is good and what we want, that’s enough.”

In an instant, Fang Zilan understood everything—Dugu Linxiu's daughter died the year she went to the Western Territory to find Warners.

At that time, she was burdened with the heavy responsibility of maintaining good relations between Dajing and Persia. With Fang Liren's request, she risked her life to rescue Warners. However, she never expected that the Ghost Gate would reach out and kill Dugu Linxiu's daughter, completely destroying her relationship with the Dugu family and turning her into a pawn and a vicious dog.

"You've thought of all that?" Awan's lips were still curled, but her face was devoid of any smile. "At that time, Wu Xiaotong wasn't just concerned about you, but also about the Dugu family head. What if something happened to Warners, what if the Sassanid family head, out of love for his daughter, did something..."

"So let alone Dugu Linxiu's daughter, even if Dugu Linxiu were dead, the Dugu family head would pretend that nothing had happened." Fang Zilan interrupted Awan's next words. She listened patiently and nodded, saying, "The affairs of a country are above the affairs of a family. You people who guard the borders and defend the frontiers certainly understand this better than others."

“It is true that Warner is the daughter of the Sassanid patriarch, but Dugu Linxiu’s daughter is also her beloved. How can human life be divided into noble and lowly?” Fang Zilan’s face was ashen, and Awan said woodenly, “However, if I had not poisoned her, I would be the one who died.”

"A-Wan..." Fang Zilan began to speak, but A-Wan stopped her, "There are always things that need to be done. Fang Zilan, you said it."

She paused, "As for me, as a female healer of the Ghost Gate, the young master's orders are an inviolable principle, which is perfectly reasonable. As for Dugu Linxiu, as a mother, it is only natural that she does not want her daughter to die an unclear death. It's just that no one saw her at that time."

"And no one saw you," Fang Zilan interjected. "Since you were never discovered, why did you reveal the truth, and why did you specifically choose this crucial moment?"

"Just because I want to try." Awan pursed her lips. "I'll tell you everything I know, and see if I can help you fight against the Ghost Gate and get the justice you want."

"It's too late." Fang Zilan lowered her eyes and said, "The justice that Dugu Linxiu wanted for her daughter is no longer possible."

Not only did she fail to obtain it, she even sacrificed herself. Her departure from Xiguan City to secure the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Jiangnan Camp for Fu Congnan—how much of it was for power, and how much for her deceased daughter—remains unknown.

All that everyone saw was Madam Fu, known as the vicious dog, standing in the courtroom awaiting trial. People say that evildoers are devoid of thought, but how can outsiders know the intricate reasons and causes involved?