Chapter 613: Chapter 612: Didn’t Expect It
Zhang Lanfang bore a striking resemblance to her own sister and shared a similar temperament.
"This kind of woman is perfect for me! I must have her!" Liu Zheng thought to himself.
After returning to the Liu Family residence, Liu Zheng’s three wives were already waiting for him.
Seeing Liu Zheng come back, the three wives hurried forward, bombarding him with questions.
"Husband, how are you? Have you been hurt?"
"Husband, are you alright?"
"Husband, what about that wretched maid? Where is she now?"
Hearing his wives’ questions, a cold smile appeared on the corners of Liu Zheng’s mouth.
Zhang Lanfang is dead!
Both of his sons also liked her a lot; this affair should be settled like this!
Liu Zheng’s lips curled into a wicked smile; then he instructed his three wives, "Leave today’s matters to you! You must capture that wretched maid and tear her to pieces!"
All three wives were prone to jealousy.
They couldn’t understand why Liu Zheng would show favoritism toward Zhang Lanfang.
However, they did not express their dissatisfaction.
They were adept at reading situations and seeing that Liu Zheng did not dislike them, and even protected them, they did not dare to provoke Liu Zheng. So they nodded repeatedly and said, "Husband, rest assured! We will do as you say!"
Liu Zheng nodded in satisfaction, then led his servants back to his bedroom.
That night, Liu Zheng slept soundly.
But the Liu Family residence remained awake throughout the night.
The next day, many townsfolk had already gathered on the main streets of the Liu Family residence.
All eyes were fixed on the Liu Family, buzzing with gossip.
"I heard that the assassin this time was the Liu Family’s Third Young Miss; she’s the one who killed her."
"That’s right! I heard it too. They say she left a letter for Zhang Song after killing someone. The letter contained a passage demanding Zhang Song to break off ties with the Liu Family and to take her as a concubine. But Zhang Song did not agree. So the Third Miss shredded the letter and killed her."
"Tsk, tsk! Isn’t that too cruel?"
"Alas! Such a woman is inherently malicious and ruthless! She deserved to die!"
The crowd chattered, each person adding their thoughts.
More and more townsfolk congregated at the entrance of the Liu Family residence.
Everyone wanted to see for themselves what this audacious Third Miss of the Zhang Family looked like.
The guards at the Liu Family residence went pale at the sight of so many people and didn’t dare to drive them away, fearing they might enrage the frenzied townsfolk.
At that moment, inside Liu Zheng’s bedroom.
Liu Zheng sat at his desk, a cruel smile playing on his lips as he looked at the three invitations before him.
"Lanfang, this time you’ll obediently become my concubine," he murmured.
...
Inside the Zhang Song residence.
"Bang!"
Zhang Yu smashed the teacup in her hand onto the ground.
"Damn it! That bastard Zhang Song, humiliating our Zhang Family like this!" Zhang Yu cursed angrily.
Zhang Lanfang sat in a chair, head lowered, not saying a word.
"Xiaoyu, don’t be angry about this! You are now a Commandery Princess, and this matter is really not such a big deal! Moreover, Zhang Song has now broken off with the Liu Family, so in the future, the Liu Family wouldn’t dare to act against our Zhang Family!" Zhang Lanfang’s mother consoled her.
"Mother! I can’t swallow this affront!" Zhang Yu said through gritted teeth.
"Xiaoyu, this time, our Zhang Family indeed lacked consideration. We simply cannot compare with the Liu Family. Now that Liu Zheng is an Imperial Court Appointed Official, our Zhang Family can’t possibly compete with them. Therefore, we can only choose to keep the peace," mother of Zhang Lanfang said with a bitter taste in her mouth.
Upon hearing her father speak this way, Zhang Yu gave no further argument.
After a long silence, she finally asked, "Father, I want to ask you, why did you agree to Liu Zheng’s terms?"
"Hehe! Little Yu, you are a smart child!" Zhang Lanfang’s mother laughed and patted Zhang Yu on the shoulder, saying.
Zhang Lanfang’s mother, having come from a merchant background, was smooth and adept at power and stratagem.
However, Zhang Lanfang wasn’t very good at playing cunning schemes, so among the Zhang Family, her intelligence could only be ranked fourth.
"Little Yu, I know what you are worried about!" Zhang Yu’s mother slowly began, "Actually, you have no need to worry at all. As the legitimate young miss of our Zhang Family, even if Liu Zheng is formidable, he wouldn’t dare act recklessly!"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu nodded slightly and said, "Mother, I will listen to you!"
"Mm."
...
On the other side.
The Liu Residence.
At this moment, Zhang Lanfang was packing her belongings in a room at the Liu Residence.
Several maids stood by her side.
"Third Miss, what are you doing?" a maid asked, puzzled, as she watched Zhang Lanfang packing her luggage.
"Hmph! You wouldn’t understand! All of this is thanks to your ’dear big brother’! I need to leave this place and find a quiet place to stay! I no longer have a place here," Zhang Lanfang said bitterly.
Zhang Yu’s face showed a trace of awkwardness upon hearing this.
In her heart, she knew very well why her mother decided to leave.
But she didn’t want to admit it; after all, she was Zhang Lanfang’s only kin, her precious daughter.
If it weren’t for the Zhang Family’s inability to stand against the Liu Family, they would never have chosen to compromise.
Zhang Yu had always been very diligent over the years.
But in this world, it was always the survival of the fittest.
The power Liu Zheng held within the Liu Residence was simply not something the Zhang Family could shake!
Zhang Yu could only choose to compromise.
"Mother, just stay here for now! Once I find a better place, I will help you move," Zhang Yu gently said.
Zhang Lanfang shook her head, "No need! I no longer have the face to stay here now."
"Third Miss, you don’t need to worry, the master won’t drive you out. We will try our best to ensure your safety," the maid continued to say.
"Hmph! Is this your idea of guaranteeing my safety? It looks to me like you did it on purpose!" Zhang Lanfang glared angrily at the maids before her.
These maids had been assigned to serve Zhang Lanfang since they were young, but now, they lied to Zhang Lanfang, which was exceedingly embarrassing for her.
Hearing Zhang Lanfang’s accusation, the maids immediately panicked and knelt down, kowtowing and begging for mercy, "Third Miss, we know our mistake! We will mend our ways from now on; please, Third Miss, spare our lives!"
"Third Miss, it’s not their fault! They were just following Liu Zheng’s orders!" Zhang Yu quickly spoke up to plead for the maids.
"Hmph! They’re just trying to survive, who would genuinely treat them sincerely?" Zhang Lanfang said with a cold laugh.
At Zhang Lanfang’s words, the maids fell into contemplation.
Indeed, they followed Liu Zheng’s orders solely to survive! Now that their hope for survival was shattered, why should they remain loyal to Zhang Lanfang?
"Third Miss, I will definitely report this matter to the lady!"
"Hmph! Let your lady deal with it herself! I can’t be bothered anymore!"
After saying these words with a cold laugh, Zhang Yu turned and left the room.
...
Within the Liu Residence.
"Slam!"
Liu Zheng harshly slapped the table, shouting furiously, "Imbeciles! All of you are imbeciles! To think that Zhang Lanfang has escaped!"
"Master, the Third Miss is just a woman after all, why do you need to be so enraged!" the butler hurriedly said.
"Imbeciles! All of you are imbeciles! You cannot even retrieve a delicate woman, a bunch of useless louts!" Liu Zheng bellowed.
"Master, don’t be angry, please calm down!" Liu Zheng’s wife rushed to soothe him.
