Chapter 256 She just wanted to verify the kinship.
Zhou Wanqing stood behind the counter, fiddling with the abacus, but something felt off.
For three days in a row.
Meng Shilan and Shuang'er seemed to have vanished into thin air, never to return to the shop.
This is very unusual.
Shuang'er is such a workaholic, she'd love to split herself into eight.
She wanted to have control over everything in the shop herself before she could feel at ease.
Just a few days ago, I was excitedly discussing with her that I would go to Jinzhou in a few days to personally oversee the grain collection. How could she suddenly disappear without a trace?
The more Zhou Wanqing thought about it, the heavier her heart felt.
She needs to go to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
Hopefully nothing bad has happened.
As soon as Zhou Wanqing got out of the car, she keenly sensed the unusual atmosphere around the mansion.
There were more than twice as many guards at the gate as usual, each with a grim expression, hands on the hilts of their swords, vigilantly scanning their surroundings.
The air seemed to be filled with a lingering sense of tension.
Her heart skipped a beat. After giving her name, she was hurriedly ushered inside by the butler.
As they walked through, the servants in the mansion hurried along, their brows showing signs of lingering fear.
Zhou Wanqing's heart sank completely.
She only breathed a slight sigh of relief when she saw Meng Shilan in the side room in the backyard.
"Shi Lan! Are you alright?"
Meng Shilan's face was somewhat pale, with faint dark circles under her eyes, clearly indicating that she had not slept well for several days.
"I'm fine."
She shook her head, her voice a little hoarse, "It's just..."
Zhou Wanqing followed her gaze and then discovered that there was a person lying on the bed in the inner room, it was Shuang'er.
Shuang'er's arm was wrapped in thick bandages, and she was still unconscious, her brows furrowed, as if she was sleeping very restlessly.
"What...what's going on?!" Zhou Wanqing exclaimed in shock.
Meng Shilan succinctly recounted the dramatic events of that day.
Zhou Wanqing was speechless for a long time after hearing this.
In broad daylight, they broke into the Duke's mansion and kidnapped the great-grandson of Duke Meng!
This is absolutely outrageous!
"Outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!"
Zhou Wanqing trembled with rage. "How dare such a wicked person exist right under the noses of the emperor, right in the heart of the capital!"
Looking at Meng Shilan's haggard appearance and then at Shuang'er, who was sleeping soundly on the bed, she felt extremely distressed.
"Don't worry about things at the shop."
She grasped Meng Shilan's cold hand, her tone firm.
"I'll take care of everything."
"Don't worry about anything. Just stay in the manor and take good care of Shuang'er and Miss He Ran. Also, take good care of yourself and the child."
Meng Shilan's eyes welled up with tears, and she nodded. "Wanqing, thank you."
There's no need for thanks between us.
Zhou Wanqing comforted her with a few words.
The two then had a long conversation.
Before leaving, she instructed Meng Shilan to send someone to fetch her if needed.
Seeing that Meng Shilan agreed, she took her leave.
As Zhou Wanqing walked out of the Zhenguo Duke's mansion, she sat in the carriage on the way back, her face slightly somber.
This matter is by no means simple.
Shi Lan is about to marry into the Zhou family. Now that they have suffered such a great calamity, the Zhou family cannot sit idly by, both morally and logically.
My elder brother is not in the capital, and my father has always neglected matters concerning the inner quarters of the household.
This matter must be known to the legal mother.
She took a deep breath and said to the coachman in a deep voice, "We're not going back. We're going to the Duke of England's mansion."
The atmosphere in the courtyard of the Duke of England's mansion was equally oppressive.
Song Jiyun has been out of contact for five days.
The unease in Zhao's heart grew stronger.
Could it be... a mistake?
She was fidgeting with her jade beads when a maid came in to announce her arrival.
"Madam, the Third Miss has returned."
Zhao frowned.
Zhou Wanqing?
This illegitimate daughter, born to Consort Li, rarely comes to her, her legal mother, except during festivals.
She's probably going back to see her half-dead aunt again at this hour.
Impatient, Zhao waved her hand and said indifferently, "I know."
She didn't take it to heart.
But to everyone's surprise, the maid did not leave. Instead, she continued, "The Third Miss wishes to pay her respects to you."
Zhao paused in her movement of turning the prayer beads.
Just then, Zhou Wanqing rushed in from outside like a gust of wind, her face showing anxiety.
"Mother!"
Zhao suppressed her inner vexation, but still maintained the demeanor of a mistress, speaking in a nonchalant manner.
"What's the matter that you're in such a panic? This is unbecoming."
"Doesn't your aunt have maids and servants to take care of her?"
Ignoring the disdain in her stepmother's tone, Zhou Wanqing said urgently, "Mother, it's not about Aunt!"
"It's Shi Lan! Something's happened at the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion!"
Zhao's heart skipped a beat.
She gripped the jade bead string tightly and asked in a low voice, "What happened?"
"A few days ago, some villains broke into the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, trying to kidnap Little Fatty Xi!"
"Shuang'er was slashed on the arm while protecting her master! And Miss He Ran from the He family almost... almost lost her life while trying to get back Xiao Pang Xi!"
Zhou Wanqing's voice was urgent and rapid, filled with barely suppressed anger.
A buzzing sound went through Zhao's mind, as if a string had suddenly snapped.
She felt a sudden dizziness, and her vision blurred.
how so?
How could things have escalated to such a tragic state?!
She simply asked Song Jiyun to find a way to get the child out so they could do a blood test to determine paternity!
All she wanted was a result!
That idiot, how could she do such a thing?!
He also seriously injured He Ran!
Who is He Ran? She is the legitimate daughter of the He family, and Meng Shilan's future sister-in-law!
The He and Meng families formed a marriage alliance, and the He family now controls half of the army in Da Sheng! How dare they hurt her!
Hurting her is tantamount to slapping the He and Meng families in the face!
Song Jiyun is a good-for-nothing who's more trouble than he's worth!
Zhao's fingernails dug deeply into her palms, but her face showed shock and concern.
"Such a thing?!"
"Have those thugs been caught? Are Shi Lan and the children alright?"
Seeing her stepmother's concern, Zhou Wanqing felt much of the distance between them dissipate.
"The criminals were caught on the spot. Shi Lan and the children were unharmed, but they were greatly frightened."
She looked at Zhao Shi, a hint of hesitation flashing across her face.
She always felt that her stepmother's expression seemed somewhat strange.
But she didn't think much of it, assuming that her stepmother was also shocked by the horrifying news.
“Mother, think about it, Shi Lan has no father or mother, and Lord Meng is far away on the border. Now, there is not even an elder in the Zhenguo Duke’s mansion who can stand up for her.”
"She's about to marry my eldest brother, and now that such a big thing has happened, shouldn't our Duke of Ying's mansion go and pay her a visit?"
"Firstly, it's to appease Shi Lan, and secondly, it's to show outsiders the attitude of the Zhou family."
"Anyone who dares to harm our Zhou family's future daughter-in-law and grandson is making an enemy of the entire British Duke's Mansion!"
Zhou Wanqing's words were resounding and powerful.
But it just so happened that it touched on Zhao's heart.
She was originally worried that Song Jiyun had disappeared without a trace, and how she could find out the truth about the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
This is truly like having a pillow delivered to someone who's about to fall asleep.
The slight panic in Zhao's heart caused by Song Jiyun was instantly replaced by a more perfect plan.
She hesitated for a moment, as if weighing the pros and cons.
She nodded emphatically, her face showing just the right amount of tenderness and authority.
"you're right."
"Shi Lan has suffered such a great injustice. If I, as her future mother-in-law, were to turn a blind eye, wouldn't that break my heart?"
She turned to the stewardess beside her and immediately ordered, "Go, prepare that century-old ginseng and the top-quality bird's nest from the storeroom."
"In addition, pick out a few more fabrics and toys that Shi Lan and the children like."
"Prepare the carriage, I'm going to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion myself!"
Half an hour later, Zhao's carriage, surrounded by a group of servants, came to a grand stop in front of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
This was her first time visiting the Meng family. The mansion was spacious, but the furnishings were simple.
This is the flower hall.
Although simple, everything in this room is extraordinary. Given Meng Gong's great achievements, most of the items in this room were gifts from the emperor.
Meng Shilan changed into a simple dress and did not wear any makeup.
The moment she stepped across the threshold, a look of sorrow instantly appeared on her face. Her face was pale, her eyes were red and swollen, and she looked like she had been greatly frightened.
Upon seeing Zhao, her tears fell like beads from a broken string.
"aunt……"
She choked back tears, curtsied, and swayed as if she might collapse at any moment.
Zhao quickly stepped forward and helped her up.
"Good child, get up quickly."
She held Meng Shilan's hand, looking at her like this, her eyes filled with heartache.
"After suffering so much, why are you still out in the wind?"
"Quickly, come inside with me."
Upon entering the flower hall, guests and hosts took their seats.
Zhao dismissed her attendants, leaving only her trusted confidants.
She sighed and gently comforted her, "Child, I've heard everything from Wanqing."
"You've suffered."
“It’s all Congxian’s fault. If he hadn’t been far away at the border, you and your son wouldn’t have been so frightened.”
Meng Shilan pressed a handkerchief to the corner of her eye, sobbing uncontrollably.
"It's not the prince's fault, it's all my fault... It's all my fault for being useless and failing to protect the child..."
She cried so hard her heart was breaking, as if the sky were about to fall.
"Auntie, you have no idea how vicious those villains are!"
"They rushed in with knives, slashing at anyone they saw... Shuang'er's arm was almost ruined..."
"And then there's Miss He. She was slashed three times while trying to snatch Xiao Pangxi from the villain's arms. The longest cut went from her shoulder to her lower back, and blood... blood was everywhere..."
As Meng Shilan spoke, she trembled uncontrollably, as if she were back in the bloody scene of that day.
“Auntie, even now when I close my eyes, all I see is the image of Xiao Pangxi being taken away.”
"If it weren't for Miss He's desperate protection, I... I'm afraid I would never have seen my son again!"
Hearing these words, Zhao's hand holding the teacup tightened imperceptibly.
She just wanted to verify kinship; she never intended to kill anyone.
Song Jiyun... has truly gone mad.
Meng Shilan didn't notice her strangeness. She raised her tearful eyes and looked at her with lingering fear.
"Auntie, I think I saw Song Jiyun acquainted with that group of thugs..."
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