Don't Ask Where People Go After Time Travel

Chapter 1917 Guidance
“Since Young Master Fang wants to be a good person, then I’ll give you that chance.” Fang Zilan said, releasing Honghe and walking straight towards Fang Lihui. With each step she took, Fang Lihui’s face paled further. “Miss Zixiu…”

"Miss Honghe says she doesn't know, does Young Master Fang also want to say he doesn't know?" Fang Zilan curled her lips, and Fang Lihui felt an indescribable sense of oppression, making him almost unable to breathe.

Li Shengxuan, who had been sitting quietly to the side, watched Fang Zilan without showing any emotion, a faint worry lingering in his heart. He couldn't tell whether Fang Zilan was just putting on an act or if she really wanted to take her anger out on Fang Lihui.

“Miss Zixiu, I am a merchant, driven by profit.” Fang Lihui’s voice trembled slightly. “As for the bandits, although I have traded with them, I was unaware of their collusion…”

"Is that so?" Fang Zilan looked down at Fang Lihui, her eyes showing no murderous intent, and could even be described as calm and undisturbed.

Fang Lihui immediately realized what was happening and cooperated by begging for mercy, saying, "Miss Zixiu, I'm just a guide. As long as someone wants to go up Feiling Mountain to see..." He stopped mid-sentence, realizing he had spoken out of turn.

Fang Zilan sneered, "Why did you stop talking? Who are the ones who want to go up Feiling Mountain to see the Hong siblings?"

“Miss Zixiu, I never ask about your identity when I lead the way…” Fang Lihui had barely started to speak when Fang Zilan interrupted him, “I remember very clearly that before the life-or-death game, Young Master Fang asked me who I was.”

Fang Lihui gasped, "That... was an accident, I just did it on a whim."

“Young Master Fang’s whims are not a one-off occurrence.” Fang Zilan raised an eyebrow, and Fang Lihui stammered, “Miss Zixiu, is it really only this once?”

“Young Master Fang, you know I have a short temper.” Fang Zilan raised her hand and grabbed Fang Lihui’s neck. “If you want to leave here alive today, you’d better tell the truth.”

She didn't use any force; her hand merely rested lightly on it. However, Fang Lihui understood immediately and pretended to be out of breath. "I said... there's a... deputy general from the Jiangnan camp..."

Upon hearing this, Fang Zilan released her grip, and Fang Lihui quickly touched his neck, feigning the lingering fear of surviving a close call, so as not to let Honghe and Li Shengxuan see his smooth skin without any marks.

"What's the name of the deputy general of the Jiangnan camp you mentioned?" Fang Zilan asked, looking at Fang Lihui, who was putting on an act even more convincingly than she was.

"I can't remember, what was my name again..." Fang Lihui said with a bitter face, his voice also becoming weaker.

He had no idea about the specific personnel interactions; he only deduced from the conversation between Fang Zilan, Li Shengxuan, and Honghe that people from the Jiangnan Camp were involved.

It's highly unlikely that the commander of the Jiangnan camp would be colluding with the bandits, and even if he were, he wouldn't let him know. But someone who could contact the bandit leaders, the Hong siblings, wouldn't be some nobody, so he could only casually guess that it was the deputy commander, thinking that Fang Zilan would cover for him.

As expected, Fang Zilan began tentatively giving names, saying, "Yao Wu? Zhou..."

"Yes, that's him!" Fang Lihui seemed to have a sudden inspiration and was so excited that he almost jumped up. However, Fang Zilan was standing in front of him, and her intimidating presence made him afraid to move.

He knew that anyone whose name Fang Zilan mentioned must have been someone whose identity had been uncovered, so he exaggeratedly echoed her, making Honghe tremble with fear, thinking that they all knew. In her panic, she might accidentally reveal more names. "Yao Wu?" Fang Zilan repeated the name, thoughtfully saying, "I remember that three generations of the Yao family were in the Southeast Camp, only Yao Wu went to the Jiangnan Camp when the camps were divided."

These were words that Li Shengxuan had said to her before, and now that she was saying them so familiarly, it would be no problem to intimidate Honghe.

"How could you know so much..." Honghe's eyes were filled with fear, as if she were looking at a monster.

“I am also a woman.” Fang Zilan interrupted her, leaving no room for argument, “If Madam Pei does not wish for Young Master Fang to enter, he can stay here, and I will go to visit the Duchess of Jin.”

Fang Lihui nodded in agreement and chimed in, "What Lord Fang says makes sense. Then I will wait for Lord Fang here."

Madam Pei Poming was stunned for a moment. Before she could stop her, Fang Zilan got up and walked out of the hall. She hurriedly chased after her, "Lord Fang, you mustn't..."

"What do you mean, 'cannot'?" Fang Zilan stopped in her tracks and said sternly, "Lord Duke Jin was a high-ranking official, second only to the emperor. Yet after his death, everyone in your Pei family has been hiding things, not even allowing anyone to see the Duchess of Jin. What are your intentions?"

"I..." Pei Poming's wife opened her mouth, but couldn't say anything. She could only watch helplessly as Fang Zilan rushed into the backyard before she remembered to call for help.

The servants and attendants of the Pei family could not stop Fang Zilan at all, and she found Fang Zitong lying on the verge of death next to Pei Jinqing's coffin in the Pei family ancestral hall.

"Lady of Duke Jin?" Fang Zilan squatted down, put her arm around Fang Zitong's shoulder, helped her up, and checked her over.

Fang Zitong had no obvious external injuries; she seemed weak and listless due to lack of water and food. Seeing this, Fang Zilan felt somewhat relieved, put her arm around her shoulder, and helped her out of the ancestral hall.

However, as soon as Fang Zilan and Fang Zitong stepped out of the ancestral hall, they were surrounded by the servants of the Pei family. An old woman, supported by Pei Poming's wife, stood in front of them and said angrily, "What is the Duke of Yue doing?"

"What are you asking me? That's what I should be asking Old Madam Pei." Fang Zilan sneered. "If I hadn't been here today, how would Old Madam Pei have planned to deal with the Duchess of Jin?"

"How to deal with Fang Zitong, this poisonous woman who murdered her husband, is a matter for the Pei family, and has nothing to do with Lord Fang," said Old Madam Pei with righteous indignation. Fang Zilan, however, laughed out loud. "Old Madam Pei, let's not even talk about how the Duchess of Jin is entitled to a title and cannot be dealt with arbitrarily. Even if Lord Jin truly died from murder, it would be a homicide case, and the case should be handled by the Prefectural Magistrate's Office. Old Madam Pei, as a noblewoman of an official's family, don't you even know this?"

"Lord Fang, you..." Old Madam Pei trembled with anger, but Fang Zilan said with an air of authority, "Today I am taking away the Duchess of Jin. If Old Madam Pei feels this is inappropriate, please ask Lord Xu of the Prefectural Governor's Office to come here so we can have a proper discussion."

“Lord Fang…” Pei Poming’s wife couldn’t help but speak up, but Fang Zilan did not give her a chance to speak, and said sharply, “Get out of the way.”

Unmoved by the crowd before her, Fang Zilan curled her lips into a contemptuous smile, "Madam Pei, do you think you can keep me here like this?"