Don't Ask Where People Go After Time Travel

Chapter 1817 Clarification
"Everyone knows that Zi Xiu is not easy to kill, but no one expected that the female healer from the Ghost Gate would be just as difficult to kill." A clear and gentle voice came from behind the crowd, but the owner of the voice did not show himself.

"Who are you?" Awan was covered in dust and dirt, and the scrapes on her body were throbbing with pain, but she still managed to stand up straight with all her might.

"Who I am is unimportant." The man called out, "I am here on the orders of the young master to invite you to my residence. Please, young lady."

"If I go to your mansion, will I still be alive?" Awan spat, and the man chuckled, "If you refuse to cooperate, you will inevitably suffer. But if you are willing to cooperate, you will naturally be an honored guest in our mansion."

Awan remained silent, while the man said thoughtfully, "This place isn't far from the mortuary. Are you perhaps trying to stall for time and wait for that general to come and rescue you?"

“He might not save me.” Awan clenched her fists. The man agreed, “That’s true. If he wanted to save me, he wouldn’t have waited until now.”

“I can go to your residence.” Awan stared intently at the crowd before her, as if trying to see through them to the speaker behind them, but to no avail. “But I need to know what your purpose is.”

"You'll know when you get there, young lady." The speaker seemed unwilling to say more, and the people surrounding Awan stepped forward and blindfolded her.

"Is your residence so shameful?" Awan was not happy, but she had already used up most of the poison in her body and could not deal with so many people, so she could only let them take her away.

Not far away, Meng Tingyang punched a tree in frustration. He recognized the speaker as Xiahou Qi from Yancheng Manor, who was also Xiahou Qi of the Xiahou family.

The Xiahou family was like a mantis stalking a cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. Why did they go to such lengths to take Awan away? He couldn't understand it, but he knew that with Xie Chen presiding over the trial, the Xiahou family, even though they were in the eye of the storm, could still remain stable.

And their heir's wife might not be able to remain calm. Moreover, the bargaining chip this time is Awan.

He dared not think any further and could only return to the Fang family to explain the situation to Murong Qing and Fang Zitong.

"Are you sure it's Xiahou Qi?" Fang Zitong's face was solemn. Murong Qing remained silent, but her expression didn't seem much better either.

“Confirmed.” Meng Tingyang nodded, and Fang Zitong felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave. “Since Xiahou Yan’s death, Xiahou Qi has been the most outstanding among the younger generation of the Xiahou family, and there is even a faint trend of pushing him to become the next head of the family…”

“Xiahou Mingxun is in his prime. As long as he doesn’t retire, he can remain the head of the family for at least another one or two decades.” Murong Qing interrupted Fang Zitong’s next words. “Moreover, Xiahou Yunzhao is a man of his word.”

"How does Your Highness know that the Xiahou family isn't using a feint?" Fang Zitong said coldly, "The Xiahou siblings are being used to attract attention, while Xiahou Qi is secretly making his moves."

"The beneficiary." Murong Qing stood up, and Fang Zitong asked in surprise, "What did the young master say?"

“Miss Fang, as you said, the Xiahou siblings will suffer greatly in this situation, regardless of the outcome. However, Xiahou Qi is different. Even if there are any changes, as long as the Xiahou family still exists, he will be the beneficiary.” Murong Qing said calmly, “I don’t think the Xiahou siblings would sacrifice themselves just to pave the way for him. Even if they were willing, Xie Chen might not be.”

"Before becoming one of the five great families of Lingnan, the Liu family was originally a general under the Xiahou family." Xiao Xuan'er explained in detail, "After the Baiyue Xia family submitted and changed their surname to Xiahou, in order to dispel Emperor Tai'an's concerns, they also recruited many people with other surnames, including many capable generals. The Liu family was one of them."

Fang Zilan frowned slightly. "But it seems to me now that the Liu family has not only severed ties with the Xiahou family, but they are even at odds with each other?" "This all started with Liu Neng's father," Xiao Xuan'er explained. "Back when the Xiahou family was suppressing bandits, the Liu family was also at the forefront. But the situation changed when the Prince of Rong'an was enfeoffed to the southeast."

She paused, "The bandits of Mangshan are known for their opportunism. It is said that in order to counter the Hong clan of Feiling Mountain, they were the first to pledge allegiance to the Prince of Rong'an. The Xiahou family is cautious, and there were bound to be some clashes during that period."

“The Liu family is not like the Xiahou family, which is not only among the nine great ministers but also has the support of the Imperial Concubine Yu in the palace,” Fang Zilan interjected. “Is that when the rift between the two families began?”

"Yes and no." Xiao Xuan'er lowered her eyes and said, "Liu Neng's father was loyal to the Xiahou family. He believed that the bandits had been harassing the people for a long time, and even with the secret support of the imperial relatives, they could not be ignored. As for Liu Neng, as you said, he knew better how to advance and retreat. He knew that once the Xiahou family broke ties with Prince Rong'an, his Liu family would be nothing more than pawns. Protecting himself was the best policy."

Fang Zilan was silent for a moment, "It's a pity that Liu Neng's father didn't listen to his advice, right?"

Xiao Xuan'er nodded. "It is said that Liu Neng's father once had a big argument with him, and he left the Liu family after leaving behind a painting."

"What painting?" Fang Zilan couldn't help but ask. Xiao Xuan'er shook her head. "I'm not really sure, I only know that it's related to Mangshan."

Fang Zilan had a guess in her mind, "And then what?"

"Later, Liu Neng's father took Liu Yong to Mangshan to suppress bandits, but apart from Liu Yong, no one in the entire army returned." Xiao Xuan'er pursed her lips. "No one knows what exactly happened in Mangshan. All that is known is that Liu Neng returned to the Liu family and became a wealthy and idle man, while Liu Yong became the new head of the Liu family. From then on, he stopped raising troops and fighting, and completely severed ties with the Xiahou family."

"Who goes first and who goes last?" Fang Zilan suddenly asked, and Xiao Xuan'er was taken aback. "What?"

Fang Zilan spoke quickly, "I mean, after the bandit suppression in Mangshan, who returned to the Liu family first, Liu Neng or Liu Yong?"

Xiao Xuan'er thought for a while before saying, "If the news is correct, and if I remember correctly, it was Liu Neng who returned to the Liu family first."

Fang Zilan's expression was solemn. "Liu Yong was able to survive and even become the head of the Liu family. It's probably related to Liu Neng."

"You mean..." Xiao Xuan'er slowly said, "What did Liu Neng do, or what did he exchange for, to protect Liu Yong?"

“I suspect so,” Fang Zilan said calmly. “If I’m right, then the fact that Liu Neng is the strategist of Mangshan is most likely true.”

"But even after Prince Rong'an died, the bandits of Mangshan didn't disappear. Instead, the Hong clan of Feiling Mountain..." Xiao Xuan'er didn't finish her sentence, and Fang Zilan sighed, "This means there's someone else behind the Mangshan bandits, not just Prince Rong'an. Or..."

"Or what?" Xiao Xuan'er interjected, "Do you suspect that someone deliberately pushed the Hong Clan of Feiling Mountain to the forefront, confirming that Prince Rong'an was colluding with bandits, thereby diverting attention?"

“It’s not impossible.” Fang Zilan nodded and said, “Everyone knows that Feiling Mountain bandits are a menace and have killed many people from the court, offending the Xiahou family to the core. But they don’t know that the Feiling Mountain bandits are surnamed Hong, from the Hong clan of the previous dynasty.”

(End of this chapter)