The man raised an eyebrow, watching Shi Lan brush against his arm and walk away, and smiled enigmatically, "Oh? So, in your opinion, what kind of person is the eldest young master of the Liu family?"
Shi Lan sat down at the table, trying her best to suppress her unstable breathing due to her weakness. "Liu Hanchi, he read the Analects at the age of five, could compose poems at the age of eight, discussed the eight-legged essay with the scholars of the previous dynasty at the age of fifteen, and joined the army at the age of eighteen," Shi Lan looked up at him, "Now he has taken control of most of the military power of the Liu family and is known as a contemporary hero who is both literate and martial."
The man lowered his head slightly, pressed his fist to his lips, and chuckled softly twice.
"Young mistress, you flatter me. I am but a mere martial artist, unworthy of the title of hero."
Shi Lan curled her lip, "Young Master Liu, there's no need to be modest. Just from your courage in storming the Zhu family all by yourself, one can see a lot."
Liu Hanchi coughed awkwardly, knowing that it was indeed impolite to barge into a woman's residence like this. "Please forgive me, young mistress. I am an impatient person. I heard that you have something that the Liu family is interested in, so I came uninvited."
Shi Lan twitched the corner of her mouth and nodded, saying, "I understand. I also know a little about what happened ten days ago."
Liu Hanchi's dark pupils contracted, and his face immediately darkened.
"Is the young mistress implying that I, Liu, am incompetent in command?"
Shi Lan waved her hand and gestured to the chair opposite her, "Young Master Liu, please sit down."
Liu Hanchi glanced at Shi Lan, who remained calm and composed, unable to figure out what she was trying to tell him.
Shi Lan smiled slightly as she watched him sit down before saying, "Young Master Liu, please don't misunderstand. In battles between two armies, victory and defeat are inevitable. Anyone who has led troops and fought in battle knows this." Shi Lan refilled the teacup that Liu Hanchi had drunk some of, and continued, "The Liu family, like the Shi family, is a family of scholars. In terms of learning, we are naturally second to none, but in terms of leading troops, we are far inferior. When Young Master Liu joined the army in anger, although the elders of the clan did not say anything, they inevitably harbored some resentment. Before, when Young Master Liu's strategies were sound and he won one after another, they naturally did not say much. But as soon as there was a slight setback, they would definitely complain endlessly, and some might even try to interfere with military power."
Shi Lan smiled slightly, "Young Master Liu must already have a deep understanding of these things."
Liu Hanchi picked up his teacup, took a sip, and when he put it down, a scrutinizing look appeared in his eyes.
“Indeed, Miss Shi’s insight is profound. I admire her.”
Shi Lan seemed oblivious to his sudden change in address, and shook her head, saying, "I wouldn't call it insightful; it's just my humble opinion. Young Master Liu is too kind."
Looking at Shi Lan's fair and serene face, with a composure beyond her years, Liu Hanchi couldn't help but admire her inwardly.
No wonder she comes from a family with a long history.
Shi Lan took a sip of tea to moisten her throat and continued, "The world is in chaos now. As the saying goes, times create heroes. The Liu family has a unique vision and rose with the tide, and has now become a regional hegemon. But my Shi family, due to limited vision, is stuck in one place, holding a money jar that everyone envies, but has no strength to protect it."
At this point, Shi Lan looked at Liu Hanchi sincerely and said, "Shi Lan would like to ask Young Master Liu to help the Shi family out of consideration for our shared noble families. In return, Shi Lan is willing to present the Zhu family's military distribution map in Yunping and other cities."
Liu Hanchi's eyes widened suddenly, his straight back tensing. "Is this really true?"
Shi Lan nodded. "Of course it's true."
Liu Hanchi couldn't help but re-examine this woman who had repeatedly surprised him. After a few seconds, he relaxed, his expression filled with suspicion. "You are the young mistress of the Zhu family. With the Zhu family's protection, why would your Shi family need to go overseas? Besides, how can you guarantee that this map is genuine? What if I let you go and then find out that the map is fake? Wouldn't I have gained nothing at all?"
Shi Lan smiled slightly, "Wealth can move people's hearts. Faced with the Shi family's vast wealth, how could the Zhu family let me off the hook? As for the blueprints, I guarantee they are genuine. To put your mind at ease, I will stay here as a hostage. I would never risk my life, would I?"
Liu Hanchi sat up straight, his already tall frame leaning slightly forward. "Miss Shi's attitude towards life and death is truly admirable."
Shi Lan ignored his seemingly genuine teasing and stared at him quietly with her dark eyes. After a long while, she said, "As soon as the Shi family boards the ship and sets sail, I will immediately present you with the military map."
Liu Hanchi stared at her intently, without saying a word, while Shi Lan calmly met his gaze, showing no sign of yielding.
After a long pause, Liu Hanchi exhaled and extended his large, well-defined hand, "Then it's a deal."
“It’s a deal,” Shi Lan said, looking down at his large, calloused hand. She then extended her slender, white, and delicate lower hand, touching it briefly before pulling away.
Liu Hanchi rubbed his fingers together as if he had touched a piece of white jade, then stood up briskly. "Miss Shi, we'll meet again."
Shi Lan nodded slightly.
Liu Hanchi immediately opened the door and, like a nimble leopard, leaped out of the study window.
With the alliance successfully formed with the Liu family, Shi Lan felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her heart. Now it was time to deal with those two inhuman scoundrels.
The next morning, Shi Lan put on a loose-fitting blouse, returning to her previous dignified and elegant appearance.
Zhu Yan, unwilling to give up, came over and wandered around. When she saw the clothes that barely showed her waist, she couldn't help but snort in disgust.
Shi Lan pretended not to see it and slowly ate her white porridge.
Zhu Yan spun around twice in a huff, then turned to leave.
Thinking of their upcoming plans, Shi Lan quickly stopped him, saying, "The wives of our division commander and regimental commander sent me invitations to see a play and have tea, but I always got delayed by one thing or another. Now that I've been married into the family for a while, it's only right that I return the favor. I happen to have some free time these days, so what do you think? Should I invite them over to our house to sit down, catch up with them, and maybe pave the way for your future?"
Zhu Yan was unhappy because Shi Lan was ignoring him, but when he heard that she was thinking of him, he was happy again. "Okay, let's do it that way. Here's what we'll do: you send someone to deliver the invitation first, and I'll go and tell Father so that he can also say something, so that those people won't gossip behind our backs."
After saying that, he left in a hurry.
Shi Lan smiled as she watched his retreating figure, a faint chill emanating from her dark eyes.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and the wives of Zhu Jiajun's officers with ranks of captain or above came at his invitation.
Based on her past experience, Shi Lan carefully prepared a banquet. After three rounds of drinks, she invited the women, dressed in fine silks but unable to hide the vicissitudes of time, to watch a play.
The opera troupe invited this time was the Fengxiang Troupe, which was popular in several nearby cities. The most popular actress, Boss Xue, was best known for her role in "Chenxiang Visits His Mother". Shi Lan was not good at these kinds of operas, so she randomly chose the one she was best at. Unexpectedly, it received unanimous praise from the ladies.
Hearing these people's discussions, Shi Lan realized that Boss Xue was getting old and had long since stopped singing, but she didn't know why she had specially gone on stage to sing today.
Shi Lan unintentionally received good news, which was overheard by Wang Yuan, who was far away in the west. In an instant, the sound of cups and saucers shattering and breaking came from Xianglan Garden.
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