Fuquan suddenly knelt down towards the evening and said in a rather heavy voice, "To be honest, Miss, I have a younger sister who has long been in love with Dachong. They only need a matchmaker. But Dachong is acting so strangely now, and I suspect he is possessed."
Startled by Fuquan's sudden kneeling, Xiang Wan turned to the side, pondered Fuquan's words, and found them somewhat unbelievable.
"Everyone has moments of emotional instability. How can you be sure that the tiger is possessed by an evil spirit, rather than being sick or stimulated?"
“Miss, I dare not speak carelessly. When I fought with the tiger earlier, I saw his eyes, which were bloodshot and very frightening. I was terrified that people would think the tiger was possessed by a ghost and harm him.”
"Aren't you afraid I'll do something to the tiger if you say that?"
"Since you were able to explain the reward and punishment system, Miss, you must be a very perceptive person. I am merely reporting this to you. As for whether it is true or not, you can verify it yourself."
Unexpectedly, Fu Quan was quite adept at seizing opportunities, turning suspicion into a report. She had told Wan that there was a reward for reporting; if he was telling the truth, he would be rewarded, and if he was lying, it would at least clear up his suspicions. Compared to the punishment he might receive, the benefits outweighed the drawbacks.
Xiang Wan and Xuan Yuanlan exchanged a glance, their expressions somewhat grave. After Fu Quan rose, Xiang Wan instructed a maid to bring him food. Before leaving, she said to him, "You're a smart man; you know what to say and what not to say."
Fu Quan nodded, and Xiang Wan then walked out of the woodshed with peace of mind.
Xuan Yuanlan followed behind Xiang Wan without saying a word, her brows furrowed tightly. Xiang Wan, not wanting to interrupt her thoughts, walked to the woodshed where the tiger was imprisoned.
“Miss,” the two servants at the door greeted Xiang Wan with a bow as she approached, “the young master just came by.”
Xiang Wan paused in her act of pushing the door open, then turned around and asked, "What brings you here, young master? When did you arrive, when did you leave, and what happened inside? Tell me everything in detail."
When the two servants heard Xiang Wan ask this, they exchanged a glance. One of them said, "Not long ago, the young master came with another servant. The two of them went into the woodshed together. We stood at the door and didn't go in. After the young master went in for a while, we heard what sounded like roaring and hurried footsteps inside, and then it quieted down."
"The young master left and the young lady arrived right after; we haven't even had a chance to go in and see her yet," another servant interjected.
Xuan Yuanlan couldn't wait for Xiang Wan to ask any more questions and pushed the door open, leaving Xiang Wan no choice but to follow. After the maid came in, she lit a few more candles, and only then could Xiang Wan see the situation inside clearly.
Xuan Yuanlan squatted in front of Da Chong, pinching his philtrum. Xiang Wan instructed a maid to bring over a cup of water. Xuan Yuanlan took it, opened her mouth and drank a big gulp, then "pfft" spat it onto Da Chong's face.
The tiger's eyes moved slightly, then it slowly opened them. The blood vessels in its eyes were not very noticeable; you couldn't really see them unless you looked closely.
Da Chong coughed, sat up, and after seeing the situation before him, rushed to Wan Yi and bowed deeply: "Miss, what brings you here?"
"Big Worm, why did you attack Fuquan?"
The tiger straightened up and asked in confusion, "Huh? I've been following the young master the whole time, when did I hit him?"
Judging from his condition, he either has no memory of it or is pretending to be stupid.
"Big Bug, where did your son-in-law go?"
"Oh, the son-in-law told me to come back and get something, but I don't know why I ended up here."
What are you getting?
"Ahem, the son-in-law forbids me to say."
"Okay, then why do you have scars on your face?"
The worm touched its face in confusion and exclaimed in surprise, "Which bastard scratched my face? If I find out, I'll beat him to death!"
Xiang Wan asked some other questions, but Da Chong said he didn't know or couldn't remember them. Looking at his honest face, he didn't seem to be lying.
Xuan Yuanlan shook her head at Xiang Wan, who had no choice but to put aside her doubts for the time being. She still ordered the two people to guard the tiger and not let anyone in, including Shi Liefeng.
On the way back, Xiang Wan asked in a low voice, "Master, is Da Chong really possessed by an evil spirit? Or is he lying?"
Xuan Yuanlan sighed and said, "The situation is more complicated than I imagined. It's hard to explain in a short time. In short, you must protect yourself."
Xiang Wan nodded gently, then said, "Then my father..."
"Don't worry, with me here, I can at least guarantee that no one can harm him."
"Is my father still in danger?"
"Girl, since I entered the manor, you haven't asked me a single question about your father's illness. I'm sure you're aware of the strangeness of it all. Today's events may only be the beginning. Based on my deduction, you must know who's behind this. The reason you haven't acted yet is probably because of that sliver of hope, or perhaps a sliver of kindness, in your heart."
"I won't offend others unless they offend me," this saying is generally true. However, there's also the saying, "Raising a tiger will lead to future trouble." If you wait until something happens before trying to deal with it, it's too late!
Xuan Yuanlan's words struck a chord with Xiang Wan. Yes, she had come to take revenge on Shi Liefeng and Shi Yuanyuan, yet she clung to her own stubbornness, waiting until the villains revealed their true colors before striking. She already knew the plot and had a significant advantage; why not let the villains walk right into her trap without compromising her principles?
After returning to her room, Xiang Wan thought about it all night. After breakfast, she called everyone to the courtyard, especially Shi Liefeng and Shi Yuanyuan, and rewarded Fuquan in front of them.
"I'm sure everyone has heard about the fight between the two of them yesterday. I've found out what happened; it was Fuquan who got beaten up because he wanted to report Dachong. As for what he reported, I might as well tell you all about it."
My son-in-law and I haven't lived in the same room since we got married; everyone knows this in private. Even if I don't say it, you all talk about it quite a bit. Fuquan told me that Dachong wasn't behaving normally. I didn't believe it at first, but last night when I asked Dachong what had happened in the woodshed, he couldn't say a word and didn't remember how he got into the woodshed.
Fu Quan wasn't lying; his report was meritorious and deserves a reward. From this day forward, he will be responsible for accompanying Lie Feng, while Da Chong will remain in the outer courtyard to continue his previous duties.
As soon as she finished speaking, the people below started to murmur among themselves, some in agreement and some in disagreement. Xiang Wan didn't pay much attention to them, and then announced another matter: "Tonight, my son-in-law and I... you must be on duty diligently, and no one is allowed to come and disturb us."
Xiang Wan glanced shyly at Shi Liefeng, making him blush slightly and cough lightly. Shi Yuanyuan clenched her hands tightly, her nails digging into her flesh.
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