Chapter 229 – Speculations
“This matter shouldn’t be Ms. Hu’s doing.”
“Your sister is in such a state, yet you still defend that vile woman.”
Yan Wenfeng providing an excuse for Ms. Hu made Ms. Li quite unhappy to hear.
“It must be that vile woman Ms. Hu who spread the news. Otherwise, how would that Tian widow know your sister was…”
Yan Wenfeng stared at the sobbing mess Yan Shujing, whose eyes were swollen like lanterns.
He frowned and said, “Grandfather is still around. Even if Ms. Hu is dissatisfied with us, she wouldn’t dare to do that. Besides, Yan Shuxiu is also a daughter of the Yan family. If Jing’er’s reputation is ruined, it will more or less implicate Yan Shuxiu too. Ms. Hu isn’t that foolish.”
Ms. Li thought about it and felt Yan Wenfeng’s analysis seemed to make a lot of sense. Only then did she unclench her tightly gritted teeth.
“If not that vile woman Ms. Hu, then who could it be?”
Yan Wenfeng scrutinized Yan Shujing for a long time before finally asking in a compelling tone, “Jing’er, you better come clean. If you don’t, your brother won’t help you either.”
Hearing this, Yan Shujing’s heart tightened. She lifted her head, teary-eyed, to look at Yan Wenfeng.
Yan Bozhang was still in the county prison. Ms. Li wasn’t quick-witted. Right now, the only one who could save her was her elder brother Yan Wenfeng.
She immediately stopped crying, reaching out to tightly grasp Yan Wenfeng’s robe, not letting go of this lifeline.
“Brother, don’t be angry. I’ll talk, I’ll tell you everything. Last night, I went to wait for that general at the foot of Four Sisters Mountain. I waited for a long time but that general never showed up. Just as I was about to leave, two masked men in black suddenly appeared and blocked my way, forcing me to confess…”
Recalling what happened at the county court that night was heart-wrenching for Yan Shujing. She really couldn’t continue.
Even though she didn’t finish, Yan Wenfeng understood.
He asked with a cold face, “Those two masked men in black forced you to expose that your chastity was ruined?”
Yan Shujing clenched her fists, nodding as she sobbed, “Yes.”
Masked men in black!
That general’s army of 50,000 was stationed at Tongluo Plain near Four Sisters Mountain, scaring the bandits in the area witless, making them scatter like birds and beasts. How could there be masked men in black appearing at the foot of Four Sisters Mountain last night?
Yan Wenfeng felt the matter was very strange.
“Jing’er, did those two masked men in black rob you of your valuables?”
From last night until now, Yan Shujing had been in a state of fear and helplessness, not considering this question. Now that Yan Wenfeng asked, she finally realized.
The two masked men in black who intercepted her at the foot of Four Sisters Mountain last night only interrogated her, not doing anything else to her.
Don’t bandits usually either rob or rape?
“No, they only questioned me, then knocked me out and left.”
Yan Wenfeng had a hunch that Yan Shujing was set up.
His sister was the eldest miss of the Yan family, born beautiful. If she encountered real bandits, even if not raped, they would at least rob her.
“Jing’er, do you still remember the statures of those two masked men in black?”
“I remember.” Yan Shujing nodded with certainty.
At the time, although the light was a bit dim, she still clearly saw the statures of those two masked men in black.
“One was tall and sturdy, the other was short and not even as tall as me.”
Hearing this description, two figures appeared in Yan Wenfeng’s mind – Tian Dazhuang and Yan Xiaosi.
The tall and sturdy masked man in black was Tian Dazhuang, and the short one was Yan Xiaosi. The two of them worked together to set up the Yan family, to set up Yan Shujing.
With this speculation, Yan Wenfeng felt everything made sense now.
Ms. Hu must have gone to the Tian family to propose a marriage and the Tian widow agreed, but Tian Dazhuang was unwilling. So Tian Dazhuang went to discuss with Yan Xiaosi, and the two of them joined forces to interrogate Yan Shujing. The Tian widow learned the truth and made a scene at the Yan family this morning.
Perhaps even that general was involved.
Thinking of this, Yan Wenfeng clenched his fists so hard they cracked.
His father was framed by that jinx into the county prison. Now his sister was also ruined by that jinx. He really underestimated that jinx.
Hearing the sound of clenched fists, Yan Shujing knew Yan Wenfeng must have thought of something. She asked urgently, “Brother, have you guessed who harmed me?”
Ms. Li also stared at Yan Wenfeng with fury in her eyes.
“Wenfeng, hurry and say. If your mother finds out who ruined your sister’s reputation, your mother will tear their mouth apart.”
Yan Wenfeng said, “The two masked men in black who intercepted Jing’er at the foot of Four Sisters Mountain last night should be Tian Dazhuang and Yan Xiaosi. Perhaps even that general was involved.”
Upon hearing this, the faces of Ms. Li and Yan Shujing turned extremely ugly.
If it was only Tian Dazhuang and Yan Xiaosi involved, with the Yan family’s influence in Shaoyao Village, dealing with the two of them would be effortless. But if that general was also involved…
Suddenly, Yan Shujing cried out in resentment, wailing in despair.
Last night when she received the invitation, she originally thought that the general had taken a fancy to her, joyfully thinking she would soar into the skies and become a phoenix. She never expected that general to actually be helping Yan Xiaosi and Tian Dazhuang set her up.
“Mother, brother, can we just let Tian Dazhuang and Yan Xiaosi scheme against me like this. I won’t accept it, I won’t!”
Ms. Li cried along with her, also feeling dissatisfied, but couldn’t utter a word.
If that general was truly involved, he would certainly protect Yan Xiaosi and Tian Dazhuang. If the Yan family rashly retaliated and angered that general, the consequences would be unimaginable…
“Jing’er, don’t cry anymore. Your brother will find a way to avenge you.”
Thinking of Yan Bozhang still in prison, Yan Shujing’s reputation ruined, thinking of how much Old Master Yan previously favored Yan Xiaosi and wanted him to acknowledge her ancestry, Yan Wenfeng was so angry his tongue pressed hard against his molars.
Ms. Li feared he would act impulsively and offend the general, affecting his official career. She hurriedly reminded, “Wenfeng, don’t be impulsive.”
Her husband’s career was already ruined and her daughter’s reputation was also ruined. The only one Ms. Li could count on now was Yan Wenfeng. No matter how distressed she was for her daughter, she didn’t want her son to get in trouble for avenging his sister.
Yan Wenfeng sneered, very calmly saying, “Mother, as long as we act against the Yan third branch in secret without leaving any evidence, even if that War King stationed at Tongluo Plain wants to protect them, he can’t do anything to us without proof.”
If they could retaliate against Yan Xiaosi and her family, Ms. Li and Yan Shujing definitely wouldn’t let the chance slip by.
Hearing Yan Wenfeng say this, Yan Shujing’s swollen eyes seemed to be laced with poison.
“Brother, what do you plan to do?”
Yan Wenfeng’s gaze shifted between Yan Shujing and Ms. Li as he spoke to them in a low voice.
After hearing it, the viciousness in Yan Shujing’s eyes intensified.
