Chapter 248 Assassination Attack
Meng Shilan suddenly raised her eyes and quietly looked at the old lady Zhou in front of her.
The Zhou family's children.
That's really ironic.
Under the Bodhi tree, the old lady, who had lived a life of luxury, wore a perfectly measured, kind smile.
But that smile never reached his eyes.
In those cloudy yet shrewd eyes, there was calculation regarding the string of Buddhist beads and a weighing of the golden words of Master Huineng.
This is an assessment of what benefits a granddaughter with a "precious destiny" could bring to the British Duke's mansion.
There wasn't a trace of genuine affection for the child, Fu'er.
Meng Shilan sneered inwardly.
It's just a string of Buddhist prayer beads and a fortune telling.
It can instantly transform an old lady who previously ignored them into a loving grandmother.
ridiculous.
A faint smile curved Meng Shilan's lips, conveying indifference and aloofness.
"Thank you for your kindness, Madam."
"In the past few years, Fu'er and Xiao Pangxi have been with me. Although they haven't lived a life of extreme wealth, they have been well-fed and clothed and are safe and healthy."
She gently stroked the top of Fu'er's head, her gaze so tender it could melt hearts.
"As a mother, I may not have any great abilities, but I can still protect them and help them grow up."
The meaning behind those words couldn't be clearer.
From the moment Fu'er was born, the Zhou family ignored her and never cared for her. She raised the child alone.
Now, they no longer need to pretend to "take care" of us.
For a moment, the smile on Madam Zhou's face froze.
She hadn't expected Meng Shilan to dare to respond so firmly and decisively.
She offered her a way out, but she wouldn't take it.
Is this still the same honest and dutiful Lady Jiang from the backyard?
Mrs. Gao's face also darkened, and she took a step forward, as if she wanted to say something.
However, Old Madam Zhou slightly raised her hand to stop her.
Her gaze returned to Meng Shilan, the feigned kindness fading away, revealing a scrutinizing and indifferent expression.
"It seems that the prestige of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion has indeed given you a lot of confidence."
Meng Shilan met her gaze calmly, without flinching or avoiding it.
"Confidence is not given by anyone, it is earned by oneself."
"If Madam has nothing else, I will take my leave now."
She didn't even wait for Madam Zhou to speak before curtsying gracefully and calmly.
Then, she took Fu'er's hand, turned around, and left.
Decisive and efficient.
Madam Zhou stood there, watching her departing figure, her knuckles turning slightly white as she held the Buddhist prayer beads.
Madam Gao leaned forward and whispered, "Madam, this Miss Jiang... Miss Meng is so ungrateful!"
Old Madam Zhou snorted coldly.
"Once you've grown strong enough, you'll naturally forget which muddy swamp you crawled out of."
"But it's okay."
She turned her head and looked in the direction of the Mahavira Hall. "Master Huineng's words are golden, and such blessings have fallen on the Zhou family's children. It can be considered that she has done a good job."
"It's not too late to properly train her after she's in the family."
Madam Gao lowered her eyes and said, "The old lady is right."
...
The atmosphere was somewhat somber on the return journey in the carriage.
Fu'er was tired from playing and fell into a sweet sleep in Meng Shilan's arms, the Buddhist beads on her wrist radiating a warm glow.
Looking at Meng Shilan's calm profile, Shuang'er finally couldn't help but speak.
"Sister, the old lady...she didn't make things difficult for you, did she?"
She had served by Madam Zhou's side before and knew the old lady's temperament very well.
On the surface, he is kind and gentle, and a devout Buddhist, but deep down he is the most concerned with personal gain and family reputation.
"Difficult?"
Meng Shilan smiled and reached out to tidy up the stray hairs on Fu'er's forehead.
"She doesn't have that ability yet."
Shuang'er was still worried.
“But… Fu’er received Master Huineng’s Buddhist beads, I’m afraid the old lady…”
She bit her lip and whispered her worries.
"The old lady is a believer in these things the most. Now that she has received a master's words that her 'destiny is precious,' she may have other ideas."
"What if she tries to take Miss Fu'er back to the Zhou family..."
Meng Shilan's eyes suddenly turned cold, but she quickly regained her composure.
She patted Shuang'er's hand to comfort her.
"Peace of mind."
Her voice was soft yet firm and resolute: "I am no longer the Jiang Niangzi who could be manipulated by others."
"Now, Meng Shilan has the ability to protect her child."
Her gaze fell on the Buddhist prayer beads on Fu'er's wrist, her eyes resolute.
“This string of Buddhist prayer beads is a blessing given to Fu’er by Master Huineng, not a bargaining chip for the Zhou family to take the child away.”
"No one can take my child away from me."
Shuang'er looked at her, and seeing the determination and resolve in her eyes, and her anxious heart slowly calmed down.
yes.
My sister is not the same as she used to be.
They no longer have to live a life of dependence on others and having to be subservient to them.
The weather can change in an instant.
Just moments ago it was only somewhat gloomy, but in the blink of an eye, thick dark clouds rolled in from the horizon, making it hard to breathe.
A bolt of lightning ripped across the sky, followed by a deafening roar.
Large raindrops pelted the roof of the car.
The world seemed to be shrouded in this torrential rain.
Shuang'er instinctively hugged the chubby little Xi tighter in her arms, and looking at the sky outside the window that had suddenly darkened, a sense of unease rose in her heart for no reason.
This rain came too suddenly and too fiercely.
The carriage jolted violently and came to an abrupt stop with a cry of surprise from the driver.
"What's wrong?"
Startled awake, Meng Shilan immediately sat up straight.
Amidst the sound of rain outside the car, Wei Xun's steady voice could be heard.
"Miss Meng, don't be afraid. The road surface was washed by the rain, and the wheels got stuck in the mud."
Meng Shilan lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and saw that the outside was already shrouded in a misty rain.
The road was muddy and the wheels were stuck in a mud pit, unable to move.
As she watched the rain outside intensify, her unease grew stronger.
I have a feeling that something bad is about to happen.
Wei Xun's voice came again, still calm.
"Miss and Shuang'er, please sit in the carriage. I'll go and untie the horses from the carriage behind. Pulling with both horses together should get us out."
Meng Shilan hummed in agreement.
Be careful.
"yes."
Wei Xun replied.
He turned around, preparing to walk towards the carriage behind him.
But before he could finish speaking...
A sudden change has occurred!
A sharp, cold light silently pierced through the rain and went straight for his back!
Almost the instant the murderous aura struck, Wei Xun's muscles tensed up instantly.
Without a second thought, he suddenly spun around, and his sword was drawn from its sheath with a clang.
"clang!"
A piercing clang of metal against metal sounded particularly sharp amidst the torrential rain!
He looked up.
In the rain, three masked men appeared out of nowhere, each wielding a uniform longsword, and surrounded their carriage.
Wei Xun gripped his longsword tightly, his eyes icy cold.
"Who sent you?"
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