Young Master Sun lowered his voice, but sounded somewhat agitated: "Do you know what the people are saying? That the imperial family is going to kill people, that there will be a great calamity in the capital, and that it will even become a living hell. What kind of talk is this? Can you just say such things?"
Sun Hetang looked bewildered: "Third brother, I really don't know anything. You told me to stay in the yard and not to provoke Qiao Lian'er and Qiao Zhizhi. I've been listening to you these past few days. I bought so many paintings, but I haven't even finished studying them yet. How can I have the mind to care about anything else?"
"I haven't heard a single one of the rumors you're talking about outside."
“But I bought the painting with this poem on it, and it became your property. It was even printed in multiple copies and circulated among beggars and hooligans. So I thought I'd come here to ask you, Fifth Sister, is it really none of your business? This is no small matter. Such a sensitive matter should not be easily meddlesome, lest you get yourself into trouble.”
“Yes, I do have a painting with this poem inscribed on it, but so what? Does that prove that I did it?” Sun Hetang said, looking aggrieved.
"Third brother, you always protect me the most, but I never expected that I would be the first one to suspect you."
Young Master Sun couldn't help but reflect on his words and actions. There was no clear evidence to prove that Fifth Sister did it, so he shouldn't have suspected her.
But it happened right after he bought the painting, and the more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt.
Sun Hetang sneered: "Third Brother, have you ever considered that Qiao Zhizhi might have printed them herself and then found people to distribute them?"
"Qiao Zhizhi, what reason does she have to do this?"
"It's very simple. She has a grudge against us. You bought this painting, and she wanted to smear us. So she had people spread misinterpretations of the poem everywhere, trying to pin it on us. She has ulterior motives and is extremely malicious."
Young Master Sun narrowed his eyes, revealing a hint of hatred he had been suppressing: "If that's really the case, the Qiao family will definitely try to kill the Sun family."
Seeing that the Third Young Master Sun believed it, Sun Hetang pressed on while the iron was hot: "Third Brother, now all we need to do is release a message that the painting with this poem inscribed on it was painted by Qiao Zhizhi, and that Lu Guchuan has been taken away by the Dali Temple for interrogation. The Qiao family must be colluding with Lu Guchuan. When that happens, the Qiao family will be finished too."
Young Master Sun hesitated, for doing so would be tantamount to declaring war on the Qiao family.
"Just to be on the safe side, I'm afraid I should inform my grandfather and father."
"I think there's no need to say anything. Grandfather and the others are too cautious and will definitely try to stop us, which would only cause us to miss a good opportunity. Why don't we just get things done and give Grandfather a surprise?"
Young Master Sun still felt it was inappropriate, so Sun Hetang grabbed his arm.
"Third brother, you dote on me the most among the four brothers, so I am more willing to plan for you. You are not the son that grandfather and father value most. Take advantage of this opportunity to perform well and you will definitely impress them."
"The Qiao family is now a major concern for your grandfather and father, a thorn in their side. If the Qiao family falls, it will only benefit you."
Hearing her say this, Young Master Sun couldn't help but feel a surge of attraction.
Yes, if he performs well, his situation of being overlooked might change, and his future life would be completely different.
"If we're going to do it, we should do it cautiously. Princess Zhenguo is naturally perceptive. If we can fool her, we'll have succeeded more than halfway."
"Yes, she is indeed quite clever, but this time, I'm confident I can beat her," Sun Hetang said with great certainty.
She bribed so many beggars and thugs at the beginning and acted quickly because she didn't want to give Qiao Lian'er too much time to react. Now it seems that the Qiao family hasn't even reacted yet.
The Qiao family was unaware that annihilation was looming over them.
Because of a single poem, Lu Guchuan was taken to the Dali Temple. The atmosphere among the major noble families and rising stars in the capital became tense. Many households began to inspect the calligraphy and paintings in their homes, and all those with inscriptions were destroyed or burned.
Qiao Zhizhi also stopped creating paintings with inscriptions.
These past two days, she's been feeling uneasy while painting. The rumors outside are getting more and more terrifying, and the letter from Lu Guchuan that she once inscribed on a traditional Chinese ink painting was even bought by the Sun family.
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