"Elder sister, you..." Fang Zilan looked at Fang Ziqin in disbelief, but she saw her nodding firmly and said: "That moment was probably the only time in my life when I lived as Fang Ziqin."
Fang Zilan's voice couldn't stop trembling, but she still asked, "What happened next?"
"Later His Highness Prince Xiang stopped me from seeking death and proposed a deal." Fang Ziqin gently held Fang Zilan's hand holding the tea cup, "I will marry him for you, and he will protect the Fang family for a hundred years. "
"Why..." Fang Zilan's eyes turned red, but Fang Ziqin smiled, "Maybe he is Ajun's best friend, maybe my father is alone, maybe you and I have a sisterly relationship, but I can't bear to let him go. only……"
She paused, "I thought that transactions were stronger than feelings, but I never thought that we would eventually reach this point."
"Extreme prosperity must inevitably decline, elder sister, don't worry..." As soon as Fang Zilan's words of comfort came out, she was intercepted by Fang Ziqin, "Lan'er, ask yourself, do you believe this? If you believe it, why do you still think so? Are you in danger? At the risk of your life, do you want to prevent His Majesty from continuing the investigation?"
Hearing this, Fang Zilan clenched her other hand hidden in her sleeve into a fist, "Sister, the Fang family is not innocent, and the family cannot withstand investigation. If Your Majesty...if you persist in your obsession, sooner or later you will become the enemy of the world, and the capital will …”
"Unrepentant?" Fang Ziqin cut off the rest of Fang Zilan's words without comment, "Your Majesty is not afraid, so are you?"
"I..." Fang Zilan lowered her eyes and said, "I'm not afraid, it's just..."
She did not continue, but Fang Ziqin knew clearly in her heart that she was worried that aristocratic families would attack together, dynasties would change, chaos would reappear, the capital would suffer internal and external troubles, and wars would continue in all directions...
A person who fights will have sharper intuition than ordinary people, and her uneasiness will always be realized.
Fang Ziqin has no doubt about this, but if this continues for a long time, how many years can the superficial peace be maintained?
"The Fang family is not afraid of innovation." Fang Ziqin held Fang Zilan's hand a little tighter, as if to comfort, but more like to declare, "One generation after another, if we want to move forward, change is inevitable, Fang The family can lead the way and not be afraid of becoming an outcast."
"But eldest sister, the Fang family is a merchant and is caught between His Majesty and the aristocratic family. She is destined to be a pawn..." Fang Zilan opened her mouth, "If an abandoned son can only be an abandoned son, the Fang family will never be able to turn around."
"But Lan'er, how long will it take to exchange your life for His Majesty's compassion?" Fang Ziqin's expression was dark and unclear, "He is the emperor of Dajing..."
"I know." Fang Zilan pursed her lips and said softly: "I asked him and I know the answer. Fortunately, I didn't marry him at the beginning. Otherwise, we would only be tired of seeing each other now."
Fang Ziqin couldn't help but soften her tone, "Lan'er, he chose you once and gave the Fang family a chance to breathe. You..."
"I understand that he can't always choose me." Fang Zilan said coolly: "The love between children is just the icing on the cake. Yes, it's good. If not, there's no need to force it."
Fang Ziqin let go of his hand and breathed a long sigh of relief, "Now, you know my answer."
She raised her head numbly, "Isn't it that Mr. Lu Tang transferred the business in my hands to Mr. Fang in order to get rid of the crime?"
"Sanniang, you...you actually helped her frame me!" Lu Tang was shocked, but Huo Sanniang smiled disdainfully, "I'm not related to Master Fang, so why would I help her frame you? Now that there are witnesses and material evidence, we have no choice but to deny it. Or are you planning to blame it all on me, Mr. Lu Tang, and ask me to take the blame for you?"
"Sanniang, you know I can't..." Lu Tang hurriedly defended, but Huo Sanniang interrupted him coldly, "You can't. You won't plead guilty with me, right?"
Fang Zilan looked coldly at the two people going back and forth in the court, and said to Zhong Yao in the hall: "Master Zhong, these two are fighting each other. I have nothing to say, and I would like to ask Master Zhong to make a decision."
"Master Lu Tang, even if you come from a famous family and hold an official position, you must not act arrogantly in court." Zhong Yao spoke solemnly, with a majestic air, "The evidence is as solid as a mountain, do you know your guilt?"
Lu Tang ignored Zhong Yao's words and just looked at Huo Sanniang blankly, as if he didn't understand why she was like this.
Huo Sanniang sat upright on her knees and kowtowed deeply.
After that, she held her head high and said loudly: "Today, Mr. Zhong is upholding justice, and Mr. Fang, the Lord of the North, is by my side. I have nothing to hide. How many people from the famous family in Yanzhou are involved, and how many people have been harmed? How many lives have been lost, I have written it all clearly in my confession. If there are still people who are unwilling to admit it and try to cover up the matter with money and power, although I, a little girl, cannot touch them in the slightest, the justice of God is at home in the hearts of the people. All of you and the people in this hall can bear witness that I, Huo Sanniang, will not let them go even if I have to pay my life in court today!"
As soon as she finished speaking, she hit the beam on the side of the court hall.
The government officials and Lu Tang beside her had no time to stop her. They could only watch her hit the beam and her blood splattered in the courtroom, hanging by a thread.
"Sanniang!" Lu Tang staggered to her side, but she used her last bit of strength to throw him away, "Master Fang, please..."
Hearing the voice, Fang Zilan knelt down next to her and held her hand, "I know, don't worry."
"Sanniang!" Lu Tang knelt down beside her, crying and shouting hoarsely, "Why are you here?"
"Lu Tang, if I die, I won't owe you anything anymore..." Huo Sanniang was as angry as a gossamer, but her eyes were brighter than ever before, "You will never be able to repay what you owe me in this life..." "
She died after saying the last word, her eyes filled with tears but the corners of her lips curled up, and she died in front of everyone in the most extreme way.
The courtroom was completely silent for a moment, but within a short time, the people in the hall were extremely excited, shouting for the guilty to be brought to justice.
The crowd was roaring with voices as if a pot was exploding, as if they would swarm into the courtroom the next moment.
Fang Zilan reached out and closed Huo Sanniang's eyes, stood up slowly, took a deep breath, and her solemn voice covered all the noise and reached the ears of everyone present.
"Today Huo Sanniang is suing the dignitaries of Yanzhou headed by Lu Tang. We, Zilan, now guarantee as the lord of the North that we will bring the guilty person to justice and give her an explanation so that she can die in peace."
Every word she spoke seemed to weigh a thousand pounds, causing the whole room to fall silent, and all eyes focused on the Lord of the North, whose face was as deep as water.
After she finished speaking, she turned to Zhong Yao, who was sitting as straight as a pine tree in the court hall, and said in a deep voice: "Master Zhong, pronounce the sentence."
