Nine Chapters of Strange Cases

Chapter 171 Sisters' Battle
Zhou Zhao kept a straight face, trying hard not to distort his expression.

As Han Xincheng passed by her, he smiled at her and said, "Young Master Zhou."

Looking at his smile, which was both gentle and resolute, sickly yet full of life, Zhou Zhao really wanted to punch him in the nose!

Is this the face that Han used to captivate her entire family?
Upon Zhang Ran's death, Zhou Buhai hurriedly led Zhou Cheng'an to pay their respects. Without much pleasantry, the group boarded their carriages and departed.

Zhou Zhao stood at the door, listening to the sound of horses' hooves fading into the distance, and looked at Su Changying in front of him, "You should go back first and exchange what you need."

Su Changying understood that she was referring to the subordinate of Gongzi Yu who had been arrested. He nodded slightly, lowered his head, and whispered in Zhou Zhao's ear, "I'll take Min Cangzhi to retrieve the things."

Zhou Zhao felt a heat on the tip of her ear, as if Su Changying's warm breath had enveloped her. She gently shook her head.

Perhaps I've seen too much love and romance today, my brain is practically poisoned, especially by that bastard Han Xincheng, whose poison is so potent it's deadly.

“This case has been sealed off. Tell Min Zangzhi to keep a low profile,” Zhou Zhao said, his eyes flickering. “Call Han Ze along too.”

Although they have now caught Zhu Li, the mole, Han Ze's sudden departure from the Imperial Household Department to join the Northern Army may well be a pawn deliberately planted by someone.

Su Changying nodded, lightly touched the ground with her feet, and instantly disappeared into the shadows.

Zhou Zhao turned around and looked towards the palace, his gaze unusually deep.

"The autumn night is chilly, little sister, please don't stand in front of the door. I was able to enter the Court of Justice thanks to Lord Zhang who asked His Majesty to arrange the Court of Justice Grand Examination. You should have gone with Father to offer condolences earlier, so that people wouldn't say we were impolite."

Hearing Zhou Xuan's words, Zhou Zhao smiled at her and said, "Changying and I have already gone."

Not only did they go there, but they also learned that Zhang Ran was very likely involved in the Shanming Changyang case.

If Zhou Buhai knew about this, he would probably cause a scene at the funeral hall, drag Zhang Ran out, slap him awake, and interrogate him.

She thought for a moment, gathered her thoughts, and walked over to Zhou Xuan. When Zhou Xuan wasn't looking, she secretly glared at Zhou Wan: Is this how you protect your older sister?
Zhou Wan empathized with Zhou Zhao's anger. She gritted her teeth and rolled her eyes at Zhou Zhao: "That vixen is too cunning and shameless. She just patted her butt and ran away. How am I supposed to keep an eye on a whole family of white rabbits?"
Zhou Zhao was speechless. She grabbed Zhou Xuan's arm and said, "That Han Xincheng looks like a short..."

Before Zhou Zhao could finish speaking, Zhou Wan interrupted her. She felt a sharp pain in her arm and, out of the corner of her eye, saw Zhou Wan's sinister hand reaching out from behind Zhou Xuan, along with a new eye roll: "Are you stupid? The words 'short-lived ghost' shouldn't make the eldest sister feel pity."

“My sister’s divorce today is a great blessing, as she is leaving that den of wolves and tigers. I was just worried that my mother would be heartbroken if she were to marry far away from Chang’an tomorrow. Zhou Cheng’an and my younger sister are so busy at the Court of Justice that they are nowhere to be seen. Once I leave, the mansion will be empty.”

As Zhou Wan spoke, her eyes reddened slightly. She lowered her gaze and secretly gave Zhou Zhao a third eye roll: Learn from this!
"It's just in time for my sister to come home. She can stay at home for a while longer and spend more time with my mother."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xuan reached out and patted Zhou Wan's head. "I've always been careless, and my little sister has always been unruly. It's kind of you to be in the middle and think so carefully for our parents."

Zhou Wan's eyes reddened even more. She sniffed and rested her head on Zhou Xuan's shoulder, leaning against her gently as if she had no bones.

Zhou Zhao watched, thinking to herself, "How shameless! How dare they try to steal my older sister from me like this!"
She wanted to learn, but her stubbornness, which made her insist on wearing clothes backwards, wouldn't allow her to back down!
Zhou Zhao was so angry she nearly fainted. Tomorrow she would leave the city, and a fox spirit would be nailed to every coffin she laid down!

"If I were truly thoughtful, I wouldn't have been so blind, failing to see through that family's monstrous nature for so many years. As the saying goes, appearances can be deceiving, and time reveals all. That man surnamed Shen used to be a smooth talker, always obedient to my sister; who could have foreseen..."

Zhou Wan's voice was soft and gentle, with a slight inflection. Even Zhou Zhao felt that she was a truly kind and sincere person.

"Fortunately, my sister has returned home now, so she has plenty of time to choose a true love!"

As Zhou Wan spoke, she looked at Zhou Zhao with a gentle expression, which gave Zhou Zhao goosebumps. Zhou Zhao then playfully scolded her, "After I leave Chang'an, little sister, you must help your elder sister find out more information and write to me when the time comes."

After Zhou Wan finished speaking, she gave Zhou Zhao a flirtatious look, then hugged Zhou Xuan's arm and shook it. "Sister, you can't forget me just because I left Chang'an. If you find someone you love, you must write to me and tell me. I'll run back to Chang'an and set up eighteen tests to challenge my new brother-in-law."

Otherwise, I'll secretly cry.

Zhou Zhao felt goosebumps rising all over her body, but when she looked at Zhou Xuan, her eyes were smiling like crescent moons, just like King Zhou of Shang who was obsessed with Daji.

Not good!

Her older sister, Zhou Xuan, was truly susceptible to the charms of a vixen.

As expected, Zhou Xuan chuckled, "I know, I know. Sister just returned home today, how could she be thinking about marriage? I'll stay with Father and Mother, so you two can rest assured while you're away."

Zhou Zhao glanced at Zhou Wan speechlessly, and sure enough, she looked over as well, her eyes full of smugness.

As she was thinking, she felt a sharp pain on her forehead; Zhou Xuan's finger, which had been flicking her forehead, was still there.

"Why aren't you saying anything? Your older sister knows what you're worried about! Don't worry, your older sister knows what's going on!"

Zhou Zhao nodded heavily. "You know what you're doing, but I'm afraid you'll be bewitched by countless vixens."

Zhou Xuan put her arm around one of the sisters, and the three sisters passed through the hanging flower gate and headed towards the backyard. Red silk was hung everywhere in the mansion, but Zhou Zhao showed no sign of joy. Tomorrow, Zhou Wan would be married and leave Chang'an, and no one would secretly roll their eyes at her anymore.

Thinking about it this way, I suddenly felt a little uncomfortable.

“Little sister, you must be tired after a long day. Go back and rest early. Mother should be waiting for you in the house right now. Tomorrow we will be the most beautiful brides. Although the three of us sisters will be separated in the future, the children of the Zhou family are not cowardly. We have each other in our hearts and will reunite sooner or later.”

As Zhou Xuan spoke, her eyes reddened, "You're not allowed to cry and whine then."

This time, Zhou Wan's eyes were truly filled with tears; she wasn't faking it. She softly hummed in agreement, "From now on, I will be your support."

Zhou Zhao listened and coughed a few times, "It has to be me."

Zhou Xuan and Zhou Wan exchanged a glance and both laughed. "Yes, yes, it's you. We're waiting for you, Lord Zhou, waiting for you to become the Minister of Justice."

Zhou Zhao puffed out his chest. "Yes, tonight I'll put a sack over Li Tingwei's head, and tomorrow I'll take over."

The three sisters laughed heartily as they talked.

The Zhou family children were indeed not coy people. When they reached the fork in the road, the three of them separated and went towards their respective courtyards.

Zhou Zhao walked for a while, then turned around and saw Zhou Xuan standing there with his hands on his hips, watching the two leave.

The path where Zhou Wan lived was empty, but Zhou Zhao still spotted the corner of her clothes that she hadn't tucked away behind the old banyan tree.

She smiled, said nothing more, and walked towards her courtyard.

The room was quiet, and so was the bamboo scroll; no new omens of death appeared.