The abstinent and powerful minister is cold and aloof during the day, but he adores her in his dream

Chapter 253 Proving Innocence with Death

Zhiwan was caught off guard by Old Madam Lu. Just as the cane was about to hit her head, suddenly her arm tightened, and the next moment, she was pulled into a broad embrace.

"Snapped!"

The dull thud of the cane striking his back rang out, accompanied by the man's groan of pain.

Before Zhiwan could react, she heard her aunt scream.

"Azhan!"

"Big brother!" Lu Jun exclaimed in surprise.

Zhiwan realized what was happening and hurriedly broke free from the man's embrace, wanting to let him check her, but he grabbed her wrist and said, "It's nothing, don't worry."

"Madam, if anything happens to A-Zhan, I'll never forgive you!" Madam Wei said angrily, her face ashen. If her son hadn't reacted quickly and protected Wan'er, the old lady's cane would have struck Wan'er on the head.

She couldn't imagine what the consequences would be if the cane hit Wan'er on the head.
Madam Lu hadn't expected her grandson to stand in front of Zhiwan, and she was startled when she saw the cane hit him.

At this point, after being berated by Madam Wei, he moved his lips slightly, but ultimately realized he was in the wrong and said nothing more.

“Miss Zhi, please continue,” the official said, wiping the sweat from his brow.

Zhiwan composed herself and continued, "After Lu Lan was defiled, she took her anger out on me, simply because at the time, Miss Lu Xin wanted to frame me, but I didn't fall for it, so Miss Lu Xin set her sights on Lu Lan instead."

Lu Lan, having suffered this misfortune, believes it was because I refused Lu Xin's invitation that she was hurt; she feels that Lu Xin took the blame for me.

"Miss Zhi, how did you know that Miss Lu was taking her anger out on you because of her own misfortune?" the official asked in surprise.

Zhiwan glanced at Lu Lan, who was pale and swaying, and said indifferently, "Because the day after the incident, Lu Lan came here to find me and said in person, 'How wonderful it would be if I went to Lu Xin's room?' Moreover, not long ago, she tried to frame me, and apart from that incident, I can't figure out what else I did to offend her."

"Miss Lu, did you really take your anger out on Miss Zhi, just as Miss Zhi said?" the official asked Lu Lan in turn.

Lu Lan seemed to be trembling uncontrollably with fear. She covered her ears and cried out hoarsely, "My wound had just scabbed over, why did you pick at it and make me bleed again?"

Are you trying to drive me to my death?
In this way, the blame for matricide can be pinned on me, and Zhiwan can be cleared of suspicion; no one can be blamed on her.”

Seeing her like this, apart from Zhiwan and a few others, they all felt a pang of pity for her.

"Lan'er..." Old Madam Lu's eyes instantly reddened. She put down her cane and tenderly hugged Lu Lan into her arms.

Lu Jingsi rarely showed fatherly love. He glanced at everyone in the room and said in a deep voice, "Lan'er, as long as your father is here, no one can slander you!"

Seeing this, the official frowned and said, "Miss Lu, we have no choice but to reopen your wounds because you are a prime suspect in your aunt's death. Please cooperate with the investigation."

Lu Lan burst into tears and suddenly broke free from Old Madam Lu, crying out, "Since you suspect that I killed my aunt, no matter how I explain, you will not believe me. So I can only prove my innocence with my death. Anyway, my aunt is dead, and I don't want to live anymore..." After saying that, she slammed her head against the wall behind her.

She moved quickly without the slightest hesitation, and even the guards, including Jiang Shi, who reacted swiftly, were unable to stop her.

With a loud thud, Lu Lan's head slammed against the wall, a trickle of blood flowing down her forehead, and she collapsed limply to the ground.

"Lan'er!" Old Madam Lu cried out in alarm and rushed over.

But Lu Jingsi was faster, rushing over first and pulling Lu Lan into his arms.

Looking at his youngest daughter in his arms, pale-faced, thin, and with a bloody mess on her forehead, Lu Jingsi was shocked. He had never taken this illegitimate daughter seriously, thinking she was just a weak and incompetent person, but he never expected her to be so fierce.

He actually used his death to prove his innocence.

Seeing her daughter on the verge of death, Lu Jingsi felt a pang of guilt.

"Lan'er, Lan'er..." Old Madam Lu shook Lu Lan's hand, tears streaming down her face.

Lu Lan kept her eyes closed and remained silent.

Lu Jingsi picked up Lu Lan and looked at Zhiwan with a sinister gaze. "Zhiwan, if anything happens to Lan'er, I will not let you off!"

Looking at Lu Lan in his arms, who seemed to have already died, Zhi Wan clenched her fingers.

Lu Lan's move to cut off the enemy's supply lines was truly brilliant.

This not only cleared him of suspicion of matricide, but also won the sympathy of Old Madam Lu and Lu Jingsi.

"You dare to touch Zhiwan?" Lu Zhan shielded Zhiwan behind him, his gaze icy as he looked at his second uncle. "Lu Lan is only making this scene to clear herself of suspicion, can't you see that? Or are you deliberately condoning and protecting her?"

Meeting his nephew's cold gaze, Lu Jingsi's pupils contracted slightly, but looking at his daughter in his arms, whose life or death he didn't know, he couldn't help but puff out his chest and scold, "Lu Zhan, you have no respect for your elders and are arrogant and conceited. Aren't you afraid that I will impeach you?"

"You don't need to threaten me. On the contrary, you are the one protecting the daughter who murdered her mother. If this gets out, you won't be able to escape unscathed either!" Lu Zhan's voice was as cold as ice. "Furthermore," he said, his gaze falling on the unconscious Lu Lan, "she thinks she can clear herself of the suspicion of murdering her mother by pretending to commit suicide? The net of justice is vast, and though its meshes are wide, nothing escapes it. She will be severely punished for killing her own mother!"

Lu Jingsi was shocked, but the scene of his daughter committing suicide by hitting her head against the wall still impacted him. He couldn't help but retort, "Lu Lan has always been weak and honest. She would never kill her mother. Don't even think about pinning the blame on Lan'er. I will definitely report this matter to the Emperor and ask for His Majesty's judgment!"
"No matter how capable you are, Lu Zhan, can you really protect the real culprit?" With that, he glared at Zhi Wan, then picked up Lu Lan and hurriedly left.

Before following him out, Old Madam Lu looked at Lu Zhan with disappointment, "Jinzhi, you are really confused. You have lost your mind because of a woman. Lu Lan is your own cousin. How can you deal with Lu Lan for the sake of an outsider?" After saying that, she sighed, shook her head, and left.

Madam Wei was so angry that her chest heaved rapidly. "How could these two be so stupid? The old lady has the nerve to call others muddleheaded. I think she's the most muddleheaded person in the whole household!"

The official wiped his sweat.

He never expected things to develop to this point.

Originally, Lu Lan was indeed a serious suspect, and he could have taken her back to the yamen for trial according to the law. However, she suddenly caused this incident, so he had to put it aside. After all, Lu Lan's fall was quite serious, and he didn't know if she could survive.
"Lord Lu, how should this matter be handled?" the official asked Lu Zhan for instructions.

Lu Zhan did not answer, but asked, "Who was it that reported this to Lord Chen?"

"It was a maidservant, but I don't know her name," Lord Chen replied. Because it involved the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, he dared not delay upon receiving the report and immediately led his men to the Duke of Dingguo's mansion.

Lu Zhan nodded and asked, "When did you receive the news from the authorities?"

"Si Shi..." Lord Chen's heart skipped a beat as he said this. The deceased died around Si Shi, but he received the report from the authorities around Si Shi. In other words, he received the report from the authorities before the deceased died.

How could the person who reported to the authorities know in advance that the deceased would die?
Unless it was premeditated.

Thinking of this, Lord Chen wiped the sweat from his brow and hurriedly ordered his constables, "Quickly, find the maid who reported to the authorities. As long as we find that maid, we'll know who the murderer is."

Before Lu Zhan could say anything, Madam Wei understood and said, "I'll have all the maids in the mansion summoned to the front courtyard. See if the maid who reported to the authorities is among them!"

(End of this chapter)