Don't Ask Where People Go After Time Travel

Chapter 1828 Forced
Upon hearing this, Zhuge Yu couldn't help but sigh, "I have been to the Prince Yucheng's residence and met with the prince."

Fang Zilan lowered her eyes. "Is he... alright?"

"You yourself committed the act, so you should know better than anyone else the appropriate level of force," Zhuge Yu said quietly. "Fang Zilan, have you gone mad?"

He rarely addressed Fang Zilan by her full name like that. She opened her mouth, but her words of protest turned into soft sobs, "The one who died was Mo Han..."

"You feel wronged and resentful, but aren't Prince Yucheng and the Xu family also pawns in this scheme?" Zhuge Yu frowned slightly. "You know that someone is orchestrating this, and Prince Yucheng and the Xu family are merely pawns in it, so why..."

"So what if I know?" Fang Zilan interrupted Zhuge Yu angrily. "Even if it happens a thousand or ten thousand times, I will not regret it."

"Fang Zilan!" Zhuge Yu clenched his fists tightly. "Do you have to be so extreme?"

"Zhuge Yu, let me ask you something." Fang Zilan blurted out without thinking, "When Zhuge Shan passed away, if you had the ability, wouldn't you have killed Wei Mao?"

Zhuge Yu's face turned pale, as if a thorn buried deep in his heart had been pried open, causing his heart to bleed profusely and ache unbearably.

Fang Zilan suddenly realized she had misspoke, "Ayu, I..."

“Yes, I’ve thought about it.” Zhuge Yu spoke quickly, as if out of control. “Do you know? I’ve had the same dream more than once. In the dream, I killed Wei Mao, my hands covered in blood, but I felt no pleasure, only endless emptiness.”

He paused, took a deep breath, and continued, "Killing Wei Ang will not solve any problems; on the contrary, it will cause endless trouble. I will not kill him, regardless of whether I have the ability or not."

A profound sense of powerlessness welled up in Fang Zilan's heart. Zhuge Yu was right; killing wouldn't solve the problem. What good would it do if she killed the entire Xu family? Mo Han wouldn't come back to life; on the contrary, the corruption case in Jiangnan would be left without anyone to investigate, leading to endless troubles.

Thinking about it this way, I'm afraid Mo Han, even in the afterlife, would never forgive her...

"His Majesty just instructed me to convey to Prefect Xie of the Capital Prefecture that the case of the fire at the Xu residence must be concluded within seven days." Zhuge Yu's voice lowered slightly. "Even now, His Majesty is still protecting you."

“His Majesty is not protecting me.” Fang Zilan composed herself and said softly, “His Majesty originally issued a secret decree ordering Lord Xu You to go to Jiangnan to investigate a corruption case, but now…”

She hesitated for a moment, but continued, "Only by acting swiftly and decisively can the next official to investigate the corruption case in Jiangnan gain the upper hand; otherwise, they will be led by the nose."

"The corruption case in Jiangnan? This was originally you..." Zhuge Yufu began, but then changed his tone, "The Southeast Prefecture has been following this case all along, so you must know as much as Lord Xu Youtong."

“I will be heading to Jiangnan soon,” Fang Zilan continued, following Zhuge Yu’s words. “Sooner or later, I will be going to Jiangnan, so let’s take this opportunity.” Zhuge Yu did not speak, but a look of inquiry appeared in his eyes. Fang Zilan said bluntly, “I had a young master named Chu Bin in my household who went to Jiangnan to check the accounts for me, but we haven’t heard from him since.”

Chu Bin? Zhuge Yu felt the name sounded familiar, but couldn't recall when or where she had heard it before. "Do you suspect something happened to him? Or..."

“It’s not that I’ve come to terms with it.” Zhuge Yu’s voice was low, as if he couldn’t control himself, and some words involuntarily escaped his lips. “It’s just that before I went to the capital, she said something similar to me. If I go to the capital, we will never see each other again in this life.”

"Ayu has finally gone to the capital," Fang Zilan added, her tone filled with unspoken regret.

"Yes." Zhuge Yu gave a bitter smile. "I thought she was just saying that in a fit of anger, and that I could go back to see her after I achieved success."

“She didn’t say it in anger, but out of selfish reluctance.” Fang Zilan’s voice was a little hoarse, with a hint of deep meaning as she said, “She secretly wanted you to stay, but she didn’t want to extinguish your ambitions. She seemed disappointed, but she still left a glimmer of hope. She put the choice in your hands, but in the end, she let you down.”

Zhuge Yu stared blankly at Fang Zilan and murmured, "Does Sister Lan think I have let her down?"

"Yes and no." Fang Zilan's tone was solemn and dignified. "What Ayu failed was the girlish feelings of a certain moment in the past, but what she did not fail was the heart she has always cherished. I remember when we were under the city walls of Liujin, Ayu told me that there are always things in this world more important than life. There are many people who are forced to do what they want, but Ayu has already done a great job of not failing herself."

Her words were like a ray of light, illuminating the darkest corner of Zhuge Yu's heart that he least wanted to look at, making him suddenly see the light and sighing, "So be it."

He immediately composed himself, changing his expression and reverting to his usual calm and collected demeanor as the Second Young Master Zhuge. "Let's not talk about my affairs. Sister Lan, what is your intention in presenting this scene today?"

“A life for a life is impossible, and we can’t abandon Warner.” Fang Zilan pondered for a moment and said, “Ayu, you have extensive connections. Please ask everyone in the various prefectures to make inquiries about the barbarian bandits that have appeared in the western border over the past six months. I will go out of the city to investigate the various areas outside Xiguan City to see if I can find the bandits’ whereabouts. I will have Lao Cao go with you, so that we can help each other if anything happens. We will split up and meet at the inn tonight.”

Zhuge Yu nodded in agreement, "Sister Lan, please leave the intelligence gathering to me. However, since Vice General Cao is skilled in tracking and reconnaissance, it would be better if he followed Sister Lan."

“But I’m worried about you being all alone.” Fang Zilan frowned slightly, while Zhuge Yu smiled with a hint of slyness. “Back in the Northern Border, I already notified the Zhuge family’s guards to come to Xiguan City. I’ll go and meet them later. Are you relieved now, Sister Lan?”

"As expected of the Second Young Master Zhuge, whose plans are flawless. I've been worrying for nothing." Fang Zilan smiled helplessly, got up and walked to the door.

As soon as she opened the door, she saw Deputy General Cao standing there, hesitant and awkward, his hand frozen in mid-air as he tried to knock, and A-Wan standing beside him with her arms crossed and empty-handed. She couldn't help but chuckle and said, "Didn't you go to buy medicine? Where's the medicine?"

"I went out onto the street and then I realized I'd already brought all the medicine I needed, so there's nothing else to buy." A-Wan blinked innocently, and Deputy General Cao nodded in agreement. "Boss, what do we do now?"

"You two come with me out of the city to investigate the bandits' whereabouts." Fang Zilan finished speaking and walked out of the room. Deputy General Cao and Awan hurriedly followed, and Zhuge Yu also left the inn with them.