Chapter 302 We're Family Too
Zhao's brows twitched involuntarily.
How could she have known about this?!
Back then, Meng Shilan was just a lowly maidservant who could be manipulated by anyone.
Given the relationship between the first and second wives, what does it matter if they send away an insignificant maid?
Who could have imagined that that seemingly casual move would backfire so spectacularly!
Looking at Zhao's deathly pale face, Meng Shilan felt nothing.
She took a breath and then slowly said, "Mother, do you know why Song Jiyun has disappeared?"
Zhao looked up abruptly, her eyes wide with astonishment.
Meng Shilan took a step closer, her voice low but clear, each word penetrating Zhao's ears.
"You've joined forces to harm my child."
“From the moment you had that thought, you should have been prepared to bear the consequences.”
"It really was you!"
Zhao screamed instantly, her eyes wide, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
"It was you! You're the one who killed the cumulus!"
She finally found an excuse to attack, as if this could cover up her guilt and fear.
"hehe."
Meng Shilan smiled.
That smile was as bright as spring sunshine, but her eyes held a depth of ice that would never melt.
"Kill her?"
"I'm also afraid of getting my hands dirty."
Her gaze suddenly turned cold as she stared intently at Zhao.
"Song Jiyun, his death is not a pity."
"But don't worry, Mother, she's still alive."
"But now they're probably living a life worse than death."
"All of this is her own fault."
Zhao felt a chill run from the soles of her feet straight to the top of her head, and she couldn't help but shiver.
She looked at Meng Shilan in horror.
This face is clearly still the same face.
But those eyes, that whole demeanor, were no longer those of the cowardly concubine who dared not even raise her head in front of him.
Meng Shilan glanced at Zhao's pale face and said nothing more.
She rose gracefully and smoothed out non-existent wrinkles on her sleeves.
"The Meng family has prepared every single gift for the bride's return visit. They are placed outside the door. Please have someone check them, Mother."
Her tone returned to its initial calm and politeness, as if the dramatic confrontation had never happened.
"Now that Cong Xian has married into the Meng family, he is now a member of the Meng family."
"I'm afraid I won't be able to come back to visit my father and mother as often as I used to."
"Please take good care of yourselves, Father and Mother."
Zhao was so angry by her string of words that her lips turned purple, but she couldn't utter a single word.
Meng Shilan's tone shifted slightly, carrying a perfectly appropriate touch of consideration.
"However, the Duke of England's mansion and the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion are not too far apart."
"If Mother really has any problems that she can't solve, she can send someone to the Meng family to let them know."
"After all, we are now considered a family."
The charity and sarcasm in those words were like a resounding slap across Zhao's face.
"you……!"
Zhao nearly coughed up a mouthful of blood.
She suddenly stood up from the daybed, and with all her might, pointed at the door and roared.
"roll!"
"Get out of here! Get out right now!"
Meng Shilan took one last look at Zhao Shi, her gaze as calm as a deep pool.
Then, she turned gracefully and left without looking back.
Zhao was left alone in the room, and in her anger, she smashed everything she could grab onto the ground.
...
Thousands of miles away, in the northern border of the Great Sheng Dynasty.
The night was as dark as ink, so thick it was impossible to see through.
The north wind howled and blew, making a sound like ghosts wailing and wolves howling.
On the city tower of Yumen, torches were blown and flickered, casting dappled light.
Zhou Congxian was dressed in a black outfit, with a black cloak that blended into the night.
He mounted his horse with clean and swift movements.
Behind him, three thousand light cavalry had already assembled.
The horses' hooves were all wrapped in thick cotton cloth, and they were gagged. The horses did not neigh, and the riders did not speak.
Only those pairs of eyes shone brightly in the darkness.
He Xun stood on the city wall, looking down at the lone army about to venture deep into the heart of the enemy's lair, his expression solemn.
Zhou Congxian looked up and clasped his hands in a gesture of respect towards the city gate tower.
No words were spoken.
Everything is understood without words.
As his arm fell, the three thousand light cavalrymen, like a black lightning bolt, silently disappeared into the vast night.
Soon, it disappeared without a trace.
It was as if it had never existed.
The Ule Grassland stretches as far as the eye can see.
During the day, the sky is clear and blue, the grass is lush and green, and herds of cattle and sheep graze.
But at night, the place takes on a completely different appearance.
The vast grasslands, on moonless nights, are like a huge, directionless maze.
People unfamiliar with the terrain and celestial phenomena can easily get lost and eventually die from exhaustion if they venture in.
Zhou Congxian and his group were night travelers on this grassland.
To avoid the spies of the Prince of Bucha and to evade the roaming tribal scouts, they chose the most difficult route of marching.
They lie dormant by day and raid at night.
During the day, they searched for any place they could hide.
Perhaps it's in a dry river valley, or behind a low hill, or in a secluded poplar forest.
Everyone remained vigilant, even taking turns to nap while sleeping, clutching their weapons tightly to their chests.
As night falls, the temperature drops sharply.
The icy wind pierced through the gaps in the armor, making one's bones ache.
This silent team will then set off again.
Guided by the stars, they traveled swiftly towards that distant goal, following the route described in Princess Yalan's letter.
The horses' hooves pounded on the soft grass with a dull thud.
Apart from the sound of the wind and the occasional howl of wolves from afar, the surroundings were deathly silent.
Zhou Congxian rode at the very front, his posture like a straight javelin.
The cold wind billowed his cloak, his eyes sharp as an eagle's, constantly scanning the surrounding terrain, matching it one by one with the map in his mind.
After several days of traveling, he also felt a bit tired.
He took out a small amulet strung with a red string from his pocket.
That was something Meng Shilan had personally placed in his hand before he left.
The faint scent of orchids seemed to linger on her fingertips.
He clutched the amulet tightly in his palm; its warm touch seemed to dispel the endless chill of the grassland night.
Shi Lan.
wait for me.
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