I did it all for the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 270 Zhen Mi's Sober Reflection

Yuan Shao's victory brought joy to the powerful clans of Hebei.

Although Youzhou is often called a bitterly cold place, it also has a large amount of arable land and farmland!
These will be a feast for all the wealthy families of Hebei!
Apart from Lady Zhen of Wuji, whose daughter Liu Miao specifically asked to be taken away...

The sorrow and the blessing of the blessings, the blessings of the blessings.

No one in the world should feel this sentiment more deeply than Wuji Zhenshi!

After a lifetime of struggle, exhausting countless connections and betrothing countless favors, he finally managed to arrange for his daughter to become Yuan Shao's daughter-in-law.

Ten days!
Just one more ten days!
Zhen Mi will be able to marry into Yuan Xi's family and become his principal wife. At the same time, the Zhen family of Wuji will also be able to establish a relationship with Yuan Shao and become a prominent family in Hebei!
If Yuan Xi were to become the governor of Youzhou in the future, the Zhen family of Wuji would almost become a super family that dominates the entire province!

But all hope was shattered by the "Langya Alliance".

The Zhen family racked their brains but couldn't understand how Liu Miao, who was completely unrelated to them, had become such a calamity for them!

After learning that "The Alliance of Langya" involved their family, the entire Zhen family was as if struck by lightning, completely devoid of any hope.

Those powerful and influential families who had previously visited Zhen Mi because she was to marry Yuan Xi were now unwilling to set foot in the Zhen family home.

Even the husbands of Zhen Mi's four older sisters no longer had any contact with the Zhen family.

The once bustling gate was now deserted, as if the entire Zhen family had become dead, and the place had turned into a cemetery, off-limits to the living.

Zhen Mi's father and elder brother died early, and now her two elder brothers, Zhen Yan and Zhen Yao, manage both household affairs and external matters.

Both brothers were recommended as candidates for the civil service examination, and Zhen Yan was even appointed as a clerk to the Grand General and served as the magistrate of Quliang, which meant he had a bright future ahead of him.

In particular, their ability to make Zhen Mi Yuan Xi's wife demonstrates the brothers' exceptional social skills.

Unfortunately, no matter how ingenious the calculations, they all seem powerless and insignificant when faced with unexpected disasters.

For Liu Miao, the "Langya Alliance" was like heaven itself! It was unavoidable, unavoidable, and they could only endure it.

Zhen Yao asked his elder brother in a low voice, "Is the Yuan family really unwilling to refuse Liu Miao on our behalf?"

Zhen Yan glanced helplessly at Zhen Yao: "If the Yuan family had such thoughts, how could they possibly agree to the 'Langya Alliance'?"

Being forced to sign this alliance by Liu Miao was already humiliating enough.

Now you want to tear up this alliance? Do you want Yuan Shao to lose face and let the whole world trample on him?

"Then... is sending my little sister to the south really the only option?"

Zhen Yao was extremely terrified.

The relationship between Yuan Shao and Liu Miao is already common knowledge.

These two are basically locked in a life-or-death struggle.

As Yuan Shao quelled Gongsun Zan's rebellion, everyone was certain that Liu Miao would be the last one to die!

Sending Zhen Mi to Liu Miao's side is practically suicide.

A ruthless glint suddenly flashed in Zhen Yao's eyes—

"Brother, do you think it's alright if we don't let my little sister go to Liu Miao's place?"

"Aren't you afraid of being blamed by Lord Yuan?"

"It's not that I'm unwilling, but that I can't!"

Zhen Yan then understood what his younger brother meant!
"You mean... you killed the little sister?"

"What's the death of a woman for the sake of the Zhen family?"

Zhen Yao had even prepared a reason for Zhen Mi—

"Tell me that after learning that Liu Miao was demanding things from her, the younger sister, not wanting to be defiled, committed suicide!"

"In this way, we can preserve her innocence and also leave our Zhen family with a reputation for loyalty to Lord Yuan. Why not do it?"

"..."

Zhen Yan pondered for a moment, about to speak, when he suddenly noticed a beautiful figure flash past in front of him.

Upon seeing the beautiful figure's face, Zhen Yan felt a chill run down his spine and quickly asked, "When did you arrive, little sister?"

"I merely saw you two elder brothers here from afar and came to pay my respects." The newcomer had towering, cloud-like hair, long, slender eyebrows like crescent moons, lips as red as cinnabar, and teeth as white as gourd seeds. Her bright eyes sparkled, and sweet dimples appeared on her cheeks as she glanced around—truly a peerless beauty!

Though adorned with rouge and powder, she is like a lotus emerging from water. She is as faint as light clouds veiling the moon, as ethereal as swirling snow in a gentle breeze. A passing breeze reveals her goddess-like beauty; the bright moonlight reveals her celestial countenance.

Zhen Mi, the youngest daughter of the Zhen family.

The fortune teller Liu Liang once examined the faces of the Zhen family's daughters, but he pointed to Zhen Mi and said, "This girl will be of immeasurable nobility in the future."

From then on, the Zhen family regarded Zhen Mi as a precious treasure!
Unexpectedly, this treasure has now become a jinx that wiped out the entire family!
Neither Zhen Yan nor Zhen Yao dared to look at Zhen Mi.

On the one hand, it was because Zhen Mi was so beautiful that no ordinary man could resist her. Even her brother was often captivated by her beauty.

On the other hand, the two had just been discussing plotting to kill Zhen Mi... Now that they saw their loved ones beside them, they naturally felt somewhat guilty.

However, upon hearing Zhen Mi say that she had come from afar, Zhen Yan assumed that Zhen Mi had not heard their conversation, so he pretended to be calm and said, "Little sister, you don't need to pay attention to us here. Go play in the backyard."

Zhen Mi's skin was purer than snow, and her face was more beautiful than peach blossoms.

Hearing that Zhen Yan intended to send her away, Zhen Mi bowed gracefully and asked, "Brother, do you remember what you said to me after I used your brush and inkstone to write?"

Zhen Yan was taken aback, but shook his head slightly.

My brother laughed at me, saying that women should learn needlework. What's the use of studying? Do you think I want to become a female PhD?

Zhen Yan then nodded slightly: "It seems that this is indeed the case."

"Later you answered: In ancient times, virtuous women would learn from the successes and failures of their predecessors to warn themselves. If you don't read books, what can you learn from them?"

After Zhen Yan finished speaking, he said with some emotion, "You have been exceptionally intelligent since childhood. If you were a man, you probably wouldn't be much less intelligent than me, would you?"

Zhen Mi nodded with a smile, her every frown and smile seemingly sparkling with starlight.

“What my brother said is a truth I understood when I was nine years old.”

"But now, why can't you understand the reasoning behind this, brother?"

Zhen Yan immediately became serious: "Little sister, if you have something to say, please speak frankly."

"I have searched through the history books and have not seen anyone who was resented by a monarch and escaped unscathed."

"Now that the Langya Alliance has been signed, the Zhen family name has appeared on it... Doesn't my brother know what this means?"

Seeing Zhen Yan and Zhen Yao's confusion, Zhen Mi then revealed the mystery—

"This means that the Zhen family will henceforth become a disgrace to Lord Yuan."

"As long as the Zhen family appears, Lord Yuan and his close associates will think of the humiliation they suffered in the 'Langya Alliance'."

"In short, the Zhen family, under Yuan Gong's rule, will probably have their official careers completely cut off and will not be able to prosper."

Zhen Mi was not only beautiful, but her voice was also soft yet resilient.

But what she said made Zhen Yan and Zhen Yao feel as if they had fallen into an ice cave!

The two brothers then realized that the Wuji Zhen family had completely lost all hope in Hebei!

No matter how much the two brothers flattered Yuan Shao or how many merits they made, if anyone mentioned, "Is this the Zhen family from the 'Langya Alliance'?" then the members of the Wuji Zhen clan would never be given important positions or rewards!

Not only will they not be given important responsibilities!
Even more terrifying is that the Zhen family of Wuji might be coveted and annexed by others, at Yuan Shao's intentional or unintentional instigation!
After all, the Zhen family of Wuji has become a disgrace to Yuan Shao!

If that's the case, then why keep Lady Zhen alive to constantly remind the world of the humiliation Yuan Shao suffered?
Both Zhen Yan and Zhen Yao considered whether to kill Zhen Ji to cleanse the reputation of the Wuji Zhen clan. Why didn't Yuan Shao eliminate the Wuji Zhen clan to cleanse his own reputation?
It's ridiculous that such an obvious thing was noticed first by Zhen Mi, a young woman! How could this not make Zhen Yan and Zhen Yao blush with embarrassment?

However, the two brothers clearly had no time for shame or jealousy.

What they care about most is—

"In your opinion, how should the clan protect itself?"

How else can we protect ourselves?

Zhen Ji looked south, leaned gently against a pillar, and her eyes, which could make all the stars pale in comparison, were filled with endless resentment.

"Besides that General of the Cavalry in the south, where else can we go?"

(End of this chapter)