novelraw Chapter 1942 Shortsightedness
Chapter 1942 Shortsightedness
Chapter 1942 Shortsightedness
Fang Zilan composed herself. "The people sent by the Wu family to assassinate the Xiahou family head failed and accidentally injured Miss Awan. Now that we have news of them, I wanted to ask Lord Wu about it."
Seeing that Fang Zilan was lying without batting an eye, Xie Chen did not expose her, but instead followed up by asking, "What does the young master's wife want to ask?"
"In the end, it has nothing to do with Mr. Xie." Fang Zilan looked unwilling to say more. Xie Chen stared at her intently. "If it is related to the Southeast case, then it is related to me."
"Mr. Xie, do you mean that Miss Awan's injury is related to the Southeast case?" Fang Zilan met Xie Chen's gaze and said with a half-smile, "I originally thought that Miss Awan's injury was due to being implicated by the Xiahou family head and was an innocent victim, but I never expected that there was another hidden story?"
"If there's no other hidden reason, why would Miss Awan be detained at the Shang family's villa?" Xie Chen pressed on, while Fang Zilan's face remained ashen. "Mr. Xie, are you trying to conflate these two matters and pin the blame on the Wu family?"
“I didn’t say anything.” Xie Chen shook his head. “I just wanted to tell the Crown Prince’s wife that Miss Awan might know more than you think, otherwise she wouldn’t have been threatened with her life time and time again.”
“I cannot agree with Mr. Xie’s words.” Fang Zilan’s brows were covered with a layer of frost. “Someone is interested in Miss Awan because she is a female doctor with superb medical skills and can save many people, such as the Xiahou family head and Young Master Wenran.”
“The Crown Prince’s wife is right.” Xie Chen nodded slightly. “In that case, Miss Awan can also kill many people, such as Madam Fu’s beloved daughter.”
“Mr. Xie, do you really have to go against me?” A murderous glint flashed in Fang Zilan’s eyes. Although it was only for a moment, Xie Chen still caught it. “I don’t want to go against the Crown Prince’s wife. I just think that if you want to protect someone, you have to find out everything about her.”
Upon hearing this, Fang Zilan remained silent for a while before softening her tone, "Mr. Xie, do you think I can't cover for Miss Awan?"
"With the Crown Prince's wife's abilities, it shouldn't be difficult for her to cover for anyone," Xie Chen said quietly. "However, if things aren't cleared up, they might turn against each other in the future."
What I fear even more is the inevitable hatred I feel for that version of myself.
Xie Chen didn't say the last sentence, but it already made Fang Zilan freeze in place. "Judging from what Mr. Xie said, it seems that you've fallen out with someone over this?"
“I have overstepped my bounds.” Xie Chen took a half step back without changing his expression. Fang Zilan stared into his eyes. “I’ve heard that the Xie family of Baiyue once had twins, not just Mr. Xie alone…”
“Madam.” Xie Chen interrupted Fang Zilan’s words with a hint of sharpness in his tone. She pursed her lips. “Mr. Xie kindly reminded me, and I have taken note. But I am not you, and Miss Awan is not like your old friend.”
Xie Chen didn't say anything more, and Fang Zilan then said to herself, "I'm going to see Lord Wu. There's no need for Mr. Xie to accompany me. Please make yourself at home."
After she finished speaking, she strode towards the depths of the prison. Xie Chen watched her figure disappear from sight, then turned around and walked out, standing in the light.
"Mr. Xie..." The guards outside saw Xie Chen come out and were about to go forward to ask him something when they saw him wave his hand, showing no intention of leaving or going back in, as if he was waiting for something.
Hidden in the shadows, Fang Zilan felt a mix of emotions. Xie Chen was a straightforward and honest person; he wouldn't just speak ill of Awan to sow discord. It meant he had found something related to Awan.
Thinking of this, she quickly found the cell where the head of the Wu family was being held. Looking at the hunched figure inside, who resembled an old man in his twilight years, she said in a deep voice, "Lord Wu, are you doing well in prison?"
Upon hearing the voice, the Wu family patriarch looked over. When he saw that it was Fang Zilan, he was stunned for a moment, then rushed over. "As long as the result is what I want, the process doesn't matter." Fang Zilan still stubbornly insisted. Fang Chongzheng glanced at her and said, "When did you become so short-sighted? What is the result now? It's far from time to draw conclusions."
As he spoke, his tone grew harsher, "Aren't you afraid that in the end you'll end up with both sides suffering heavy losses and being eliminated, without any sense of fairness?"
Fang Zilan remained silent for a long time before speaking: "Yes, I am not only short-sighted, but also afraid. I am afraid that things will get complicated if I stay in the dark, afraid that the truth will be buried, afraid that justice will be hard to come by, afraid that the wicked will die peacefully, and afraid that the deceased... will die with their eyes open."
She paused, then said, "If that's the case, how will I face them after I die?"
“Lan’er, I know your concerns,” Fang Chongzheng said earnestly. “But the path you are on requires the most patience. Without perseverance, you cannot succeed.”
Fang Zilan did not argue, nor did she say that her days were numbered. She simply turned her head away, like a disobedient child, and said, "Since it is the path I have chosen, there is no need for Lord Fang to trouble himself."
"Are you trying to sever ties with the Fang family like Dugu Linxiu?" Fang Chongzheng frowned, but Fang Zilan didn't answer. She just closed her eyes briefly and then suddenly asked, "Do you want me to do that?"
Fang Chongzheng stared intently at Fang Zilan. "I hope that if that day ever comes, it will be for yourself, not for anyone or anything else, and certainly not for the Fang family."
Fang Zilan's heart skipped a beat, but she still spoke firmly, "Lord Fang, you are overthinking it. I am now the wife of the loyal heir of Miluo, and I would never do anything for the Fang family."
Fang Chongzheng remained noncommittal, saying, "I hope the Crown Prince's wife will keep her word."
“Alright.” Fang Zilan stood up and extended her hand to Fang Chongzheng. “There’s no point in saying more now. Please give me a written oath to remove my name from the Fang family genealogy. From now on, I will have no further connection with the Fang family.”
“If that’s your attitude, then I might as well lay everything out with you.” Fang Chongzheng stared at Fang Zilan and said before she could speak, “If all you ask for is a corner of the southeast, that’s the best you can do now. Even if you do nothing, Xie Chen will give the world an explanation.”
Fang Zilan took a deep breath. "What if what I want is more than just the southeast corner?"
“That means reaching the heavens.” Fang Chongzheng was not surprised at all. “Let me ask you, what is the heavens?”
“Even if it takes to Li Shengxuan, I’m determined to get this justice.” Fang Zilan didn’t answer directly. Fang Chongzheng shook his head. “What if he’s also part of the injustice? What will you do then?”
Fang Zilan didn't speak, but her outstretched hand clenched into a fist, revealing her helplessness.
"Even Mo Han, who changed the law, knew when to advance and retreat, and dared not uproot it completely. How dare you, who uphold justice, go against the world?" Fang Chongzheng's expression became more stern. "You are now hanging in the balance; if you take another step, everyone will condemn you..."
“Then I cannot back down even a step.” Fang Zilan interrupted Fang Chongzheng. “Even if it means breaking through the sky, I will try.”