Chapter 13: Who Has Provoked That Little Granddaughter Again?

The masked man in black, holding a short knife pressed against Liu Yueniang's neck, whispered something indistinct into her ear.

Liu Yueniang's beautiful eyes widened. A mixture of anger, resentment, and indignation surged within her, provoking a desperate urge to drag her enemy down with her in a final, suicidal struggle.

However, as her gaze fell upon the youth, all her emotions ultimately dissolved into helplessness and compromise.

Her eyes reddened, and tears began to fall.

"You truly..."

Before Liu Yueniang could finish her sentence, Song Lan, who was watching the spectacle from atop a tree, heard the sound of other blades clashing nearby. A slight smile played on his lips as a wisp of resentment quietly drifted toward Liu Yueniang.

"Mother!"

The youth's heart-wrenching scream overlapped with the sound of another group of people kicking in the door.

The masked man, who had been holding Liu Yueniang hostage to negotiate terms, stared blankly at the short knife, which was now stained crimson and dripping blood with a rhythmic *patter-patter*.

He—how had he killed her?

The masked man was utterly stunned.

"Who are you! How dare you attempt to assassinate a member of a high official's family!"

Hearing the sharp reprimand from the Zhang family's guards, the masked man knew that today's mission had failed miserably.

He had no time to ponder how the knife he held so tightly had managed to slit her throat; he hurriedly hissed "Retreat!" and fled into the darkness with his companions.

Zhang Bai, who had come personally to collect the boy, felt a slight sense of relief as he looked at the lifeless Liu Yueniang lying in a pool of blood.

With this woman dead, a great deal of trouble had been averted.

There would be no witnesses to contradict their story.

As for the identity of the youth before him, they could arrange it however they pleased.

"Second Young Master."

Zhang Bai stepped forward with apparent deference to explain his purpose.

"...You're saying I am the child of your family's matriarch? That I am the true Second Young Master of the Zhang family, whom my mother exchanged for her own biological son back then?"

From the shadows, Song Lan raised an eyebrow meaningfully.

The Zhang family truly was quick to act whenever there was profit to be made.

Just like in his previous life.

Zhang Bai's expression was humble, yet his tone was uncontrollably condescending. "Yes, that is correct. Please return to the manor with me, Second Young Master. When the time is right, the Master will take charge and allow you to be formally recognized by your ancestors."

"The kind of recognition that involves being added to the family genealogy."

Who would care for such a thing?

The youth's eyes were red. As his gaze shifted away from Liu Yueniang's body in the blood, his grief transformed entirely into hatred.

"So that's why you killed my mother?"

"You wanted to leave no witnesses, didn't you!"

"Even now that she is dead, you still want to smear her name with filth!"

Song Lan raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over Liu Yueniang's corpse. He was somewhat surprised that the youth hadn't simply followed them, but was instead loudly arguing for the posthumous reputation of the deceased.

Did these beasts—who were cowardly, bullied the weak, and only dared to brandish their blades against the defenseless—actually possess emotions during their formative years?

How interesting.

While he was still contemplating Zhao Tan's words—wondering whether Yan Jun had actually been lusting after him—Song Lan's expression changed abruptly. He looked up at the resentment that had enveloped the entire city in the blink of an eye and turned pale with shock.

Damn it!

Who had provoked this little goddess now?

Abandoning his musings, he hurried toward the source of the resentment, fearing that if he were even a moment late, this place would be incinerated by karmic fire.

Zhang Bai clearly had not expected the youth to remain unmoved by the prospect of ancestral recognition.

An illegitimate child, now presented with the opportunity to gain a legitimate status as a primary heir of the Zhang family, and he wasn't weeping with gratitude?

Truly, he was ignorant of the world!

"Second Young Master!"

"Watch your tongue!"

Zhang Bai's voice darkened slightly. "Your mother was the First Lady of the Zhang family!"

"The Zhang family is not a group of lawless criminals; we do not kill people indiscriminately!"

He swept a look of disdain over Liu Yueniang, making no effort to hide his loathing.

"That lowly maid was selfish. She swapped you for her own child, robbing you of your original life of wealth and status."

"Now that the maid's son has broken the law, the Master, in his great mercy, sees her plight and no longer wishes to pursue her crimes."

Zhang Bai's voice faltered slightly as he met the intense hatred in the youth's eyes.

"As soon as the Master uncovered the truth, he sent me here overnight to bring you back to the manor."

He glanced at Liu Yueniang. "We had originally thought that if you truly could not part with the affection of your upbringing by this maid, you could find a quiet place within the manor to provide for her in her old age."

"But no one could have predicted such a coincidence—that sightless thieves would appear here today and accidentally kill her."

Thieves?

Coincidence?

Accidental killing?

The youth sneered. "You think I'll believe that?"

"If you do not believe me, you are free to investigate the truth yourself."

Zhang Bai lost his patience. "The Zhang family acts with integrity; we have nothing to fear from any investigation!"

"Even if the magistrate handles the case, there must be complete evidence."

"Since you do not trust me, go ahead and investigate!"

The youth froze, growing hesitant.

The other man's confidence was so overwhelming that he momentarily doubted whether these two groups were performing a coordinated act.

"I will certainly find out the truth..."

The youth's voice, forced through gritted teeth, was interrupted by Zhang Bai's scoff. "But to uncover the truth, one must first have the capability!"

"I have heard that the Second Young Master is exceptionally talented in literature, possessing the brilliance of a top scholar."

"Yet, every time an exam approaches, some 'accident' occurs, causing you to miss your chance with regret."

Zhang Bai chuckled, as if mocking the boy's overestimation of himself.

"If you cannot even grasp the imperial examinations—the only way for you to rise above your station—and are constantly suppressed, what makes you think you can uncover the truth?"

"A mayfly attempting to shake a tree is merely overreaching."

"As a well-read scholar, you should understand the principle that a wise bird chooses the tree upon which to perch and rises by riding the momentum of power, shouldn't you?"

The youth clenched his fists, glaring at Zhang Bai with eyes full of hatred.

Zhang Bai remained indifferent, a contemptuous smile playing on his lips. He seemed certain that no one could resist the temptation of power and status.

Especially someone like this youth, who was born in the mud.

When given the chance to leap over the dragon gate and reach the clouds, how could he possibly give it up for something called "family ties"?

Zhang Bai cast a disgusted glance at Liu Yueniang.

A destitute, dependent mother from an unofficial union was even less worth sacrificing a bright future for.

The youth keenly caught the man's gaze, and the hatred in his heart intensified. His clenched fists looked as though they might strike the man's nose at any moment.

A desperate gamble!

Suddenly, a gust of wind brushed past his ear—chilly and cold—carrying a frigid voice that whispered softly into his ear.

The youth looked around in confusion, finding that no one else seemed to hear the voice.

Was it—a god?

He instinctively looked up at the sky, joy overflowing in his eyes.

He still naively hoped that Heaven would open its eyes.

"I accept," the youth said, looking at Zhang Bai. "But I have one condition—"

(End of Chapter)