Fang Zilan looked at Xu Youtong and his wife who were sweating profusely with fright, and continued talking to herself, "Master Xu, Mrs. Xu, I don't expect you to be very kind to Mo Han, but His Majesty trusts you, I think you can at least It should be possible to not treat him harshly and treat him as a living person."
As she spoke, her eyes fell on the stack of papers in Xu Youtong's hand, "I found this in the master's room, but it was only a small part of it, and there were two large boxes that I didn't take over. In addition, in Mo Han's I also found a box in his room."
"What do you mean?" Xu Youtong's hands tightened, almost crushing the paper.
"Mo Han has only been in your Xu family for a few months, but he has written something that should have taken several years to write." Fang Zilan's voice was astringent, "Have you ever thought about whether Mo Han's body can handle this kind of burning of oil? ? You have never thought about it. As long as Xu Yi can shine in the Ministry of Justice and rise to prominence from then on, what if Mo Han is squeezed dry? "
Xu Youtong moved his lips, but before he could say anything in defense, Fang Zilan continued: "You have never cared about Mo Han's life or death, so if he died on behalf of your son, you wouldn't think there is anything wrong, right? "
"We didn't..." Mrs. Xu shook her head like a rattle, as if she wanted to maintain her last dignity.
However, after the fig leaf is torn off, no face matters anymore, only the difference between life and death remains. Whether it is a life in which one's reputation is completely lost and one cannot raise his head forever, or a death that is confusing and attracts endless imagination, it is always just a thought.
Xu Youtong chose the latter. As a former governor of Jingzhao, he knows better than anyone the importance of public opinion and the power of emotions. Once the tragedy of the Xu family being wiped out tonight spreads, the world will only sympathize with the Xu family's experience, hate the murderer's viciousness, and fear that such a disaster will happen again...
By then the public will be so angry that the truth will not be that important.
So he rushed forward without hesitation, allowing Fang Zilan to turn the dagger in his hand and stab it into his chest.
Fang Zilan was stunned for a moment. Xu Youtong's act of almost seeking death was something she had never imagined. At the same time, Mrs. Xu rushed forward crying, "Master!"
"I owe my life to Mo Han..." Xu Youtong raised his hand tremblingly, "Fang Zilan, please, let it go..."
Fang Zilan did not hold Xu Youtong's hand, but pulled out the dagger neatly. Blood splashed on her face. The fleeting warm touch could not melt her ice-like heart.
Xu Yi's eyes widened, and he seemed to be stunned. He didn't dare to move, and couldn't even say a word.
"Don't you want Mo Han to be buried in the Xu family's ancestral grave in the name of Xu Yi?" Fang Zilan's face was expressionless, and her deep voice sounded like it came from hell, revealing an unspeakable gloominess. "Yes, but I want the entire Xu family to be buried with him." .”
Fang Zilan entered the Yuzhang Palace and saw the Empress Dowager holding a shelf and sitting high on the main seat.
She saluted in a neither humble nor overbearing manner. After greeting her, she directly explained her purpose of coming without waiting for the Empress Dowager to speak, "I came here today to ask the Empress Dowager to be noble and spare the people in the North."
As soon as she said this, even the Empress Dowager was stunned, "What do you mean, Master Fang? What do the people in the north have to do with the Ai family? You don't go to the emperor to beg the Ai family, but you come to beg the Ai family. Don't you think you are putting the cart before the horse?" ?”
"I heard that the petition from the people in the north was submitted to Your Majesty by the Empress Dowager." Fang Zilan stood upright in the center of the hall, "People in the harem are not allowed to interfere in politics. This move of the Empress Dowager is circuitous and well-intentioned. , isn’t it?”
Such straightforward words made the Empress Dowager unhappy. Who hasn't been respectful and polite to her over the years? This was the first time that he had questioned her like this and made it clear what he was doing behind her back.
Now that the words have come to this point, there is no need for the Empress Dowager to hold on. She snorted coldly and said: "Since Mr. Fang knows clearly in his heart, he should know that there is no chance that the Ai family will let everyone in the north go, so why bother? Was it all in vain?”
"Since the founding of Dajing, the people in the northern border have never made any mistakes against the Jin people to guard the border. Now that the Jin people have been destroyed, as soon as the great trouble in the northern border has been eliminated, everyone has been accused." Fang Zilan paused as he spoke. After a pause, he looked solemn and said, "The cunning rabbit is dead and the lackeys are cooked. Aren't the Queen Mother afraid of chilling the hearts of the soldiers in the four realms with this move?"
"Cold heart?" The Empress Dowager chuckled softly, "If it is said to be heart-warming, it is also the Emperor who makes people feel cold. What does it have to do with the Ai family?"
"That's true." Fang Zilan nodded in agreement, "The person who ultimately gave the order to deal with it was Your Majesty, and it has nothing to do with the Empress Dowager after all."
Hearing this, the Empress Dowager frowned slightly, "Master Fang, what exactly do you want to say?"
"I know why the Empress Dowager is targeting the people in the North. She just wants to drag me into the water and trample me to death." Fang Zilan straightened her sleeves and said lightly, "Let me die, okay. But let the people in the North Death, no."
The Empress Dowager carefully looked at the person in front of her, and saw that she was as tall as a pine tree, never flinching in panic, as if life and death were just a trivial matter, and she was so calm and composed that she did not look like a delicate young girl.
"In this case in the Northern Territory, it is said that Qi Duhu was embezzled and bribed, that the lieutenant-general occupied land and defrauded the people, and that Mr. Zhong was involved in it for favoritism. However, we have been officials in the Northern Territory for so many years, how can the royal family of the Wang family be kept clean? ?" Fang Zilan's expression was indifferent, but with a hint of harsh judgment, "Since we want to investigate, then investigate them all. I will ask your Majesty for an order and invite a minister from outside the north to investigate. Wait for the investigation to be clear. Now, no one who deserves to be punished can escape."
"What did you say?" As if she didn't expect her to say this, the expression of the Empress Dowager changed imperceptibly, "How dare you..."
"Why don't I dare?" Fang Zilan coldly interrupted the Empress Dowager, "I just don't know, who is more innocent, Lord Zhong Qi Duhu and the deputy general of the army, or the Wang family and the royal family?"
The Empress Dowager stood up abruptly and looked down at her condescendingly, "Once the investigation is carried out, not to mention whether the Wang family and the royal family can escape, how can you do better?"
This method of killing one thousand enemies and damaging one's own eight hundred was actually said by such a minister who was fighting for his life on the battlefield. The Empress Dowager only felt ridiculous, but she also felt faintly scared.
"It's not much better." Fang Zilan raised his eyes and looked directly at the person in front of him, his eyes sharp, "Master Zhong of the North, Qi Duhu, the deputy general of the army, the people standing behind them are all me. If we really check If they are found guilty, I will shoulder the responsibility, even if they end up dead and ruined. I just wonder if something happens to the Wang family and the royal family, will the people behind them be able to bear it? "
