Chapter 162: with translation of chapter title

Zhao Tian, long time no see. Ye Qingran gave a half-smile, and without realizing it she had already walked up to the two little rascals.

Her gaze flicked to them—either they lowered their heads to play with their fingers, or they turned their backs on her, pretending not to know her; the corner of her mouth twitched as she thought about settling the score with them later.

Ye Qingran, you wouldn't be trying to protect them, would you?

Seeing Ye Qingran standing in front of the two children, Zhao Tian couldn't help but frown, his tone displeased.

What exactly did they do, Zhao Tian, that you want to kill them?

Ye Qingran did not directly answer Zhao Tian's question, but instead repeated what she had just said.

A sinister glint flashed across Zhao Tian's eyes.

Both children wore masks and had no interaction with Ye Qingran; he naturally never imagined they were the National Master's children. Ye Qingran's unprovoked protection of two strangers made him quite angry.

They gravely injured my son! Don't they deserve to die?

Ye Qingran glanced at Zhao Hao, who was moaning off to the side, then quickly looked away, lifted her eyes, and said lightly, "So it's Zhao Hao who's been seriously injured—then they did a good thing, didn't they? How could we kill them?"

As soon as she said that, everyone's faces turned strange.

Seriously injuring Zhao Hao—is that doing a good deed?

That actually sounds somewhat reasonable—what's going on?

Even Mo Xiaohu and Fu Qianchen suspiciously lifted their heads.

The two little rascals exchanged a knowing glance, each seeing doubt in the other's eyes.

Fu Qianchen asked with his eyes: "Did we do a good deed?"

Mo Xiaohu shrugged and answered with his eyes: "I don't know!"

……

Zhao Tian nearly laughed in anger upon hearing Ye Qingran's words.

Seriously injuring his son—is that doing a good deed?

"Ye Qingran, is your brain not messed up?" Zhao Tian let out a cold laugh; his patience had almost worn thin.

"My brain is fine, so there's no need for you to worry, Zhao Tian."

"Then go ahead and explain what you mean by that."

Ye Qingran scoffed: "Zhao Tian, you ask this, but Zhao Hao has over the years committed countless murders, arson, rape, plunder, and wanton killing—his crimes are numberless. If someone were to kill him, wouldn't that be eliminating a harm to society? So seriously injuring him isn't that a good deed?"

Ye Qingran's voice was clear and bright, like pearls falling on jade, utterly moving. Upon hearing her, everyone nodded in sudden understanding, instantly grasping what she meant by saying that seriously injuring Zhao Hao was a good deed.

Zhao Hao's reputation in Xiliang City is terrible. But because he has a formidable father, many matters are blown down from major to minor. That Zhao Hao is still alive is merely a loophole in the law; death is his ultimate fate.

"You!"

Zhao Tian never expected Ye Qingran to be so brazen; in front of everyone she gave him no face at all, his facial muscles twitched, and a blazing anger welled up in his eyes.

Just then, the doctor Zhao Tian had sent for arrived, accompanied by Wang Yan.

Seeing Zhao Hao lying on the ground covered in blood, moaning, his complexion pallid, Wang Yan was instantly frightened, her face draining of color.

"Zhao Hao is her only son; if anything happened to him, she wouldn't want to live!"

"Hao'er, are you alright? What happened? Don't scare Mother!"

Wang Yan lunged forward, wailing shrilly.

"Madam Zhao, I still need to examine the young master; please make way."

Wang Yan refused to listen, so Zhao Tian pulled her aside to make room for the doctor.

"Husband, what on earth happened? Who injured our Hao'er!"

Wang Yan grabbed Zhao Tian's lapel, asking through gritted teeth.

Zhao Tian narrowed his eyes and pointed forward…

Wang Yan looked over, and the first thing she saw was Ye Qingran.

Her eyes widened, she instantly understood, and fury twisted her face into a hideous grimace.

"Ye Qingran, you wretch! Last time it was you who seriously injured our Hao'er, and this time it's you again! What exactly do you want?"

Ye Qingran shrugged innocently; everyone looked at her with sympathy, and when they glanced at Wang Yan, a hint of embarrassment flickered.

Zhao Tian was also stunned by Wang Yan's sharp tirade.

"It's not Ye Qingran; it's those two children."

"Two children?" Wang Yan tilted her head, then looked behind Ye Qingran and indeed saw the two masked children with their heads down. After a few seconds of silence, she glared at Ye Qingran again: "Ye Qingran, is it you? You must have ordered them to do this, right? You vicious, heartless wretch!"

A flash of icy coldness crossed Ye Qingran's eyes.

Leng Yue could bear it no longer and stepped forward: "Madam Zhao, before you speak, couldn't you think first? You haven't even figured out the truth, yet here you are raving like a mad dog—is this the bearing of the Guanglu Fu? Truly an eye-opener!"

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded slightly, clearly agreeing with Leng Yue.

The conduct of the Zhao Family of Guanglu Fu is simply crude and shocking.

"You lowly servant, what are you? Do you even have the right to speak here? Seize her and drag her away—quarter her with five horses!"

"Zhao Tian, are you sure you won't intervene?" Ye Qingran raised her eyebrows, giving a half-smile as she said.

Hearing the murmurs of the crowd, Zhao Tian couldn't help but furrow his brows, pondered a moment, then still pulled Wang Yan behind him and warned her not to speak again.

"His life is not in danger, but…" At that moment the old doctor shook his head and sighed.

Wang Yan startled, "But what?"

"That part, it can't be saved…"

Wang Yan felt as if struck by lightning; her face turned deathly pale, and she swayed on the verge of collapsing.

Zhao Tian also staggered.

Although he had already guessed as much, hearing the doctor's verdict he still found it hard to accept. Anger flared in his chest; Zhao Tian took two steps forward, his expression grim, his voice icy and terrifying: "Ye Qingran, if you're wise, get lost—today I will surely kill them to avenge Hao'er!"

Faced with Zhao Tian's threat, Ye Qingran remained unmoved: "What if I say no?"

Zhao Tian narrowed his eyes, sharp cold light flashing from the slits, his killing intent shocking the heavens.

Ye Qingran, you damned whore, what right do you have to block? Could those two children not belong to anyone else, but the wild offspring you and the wild man produced by fooling around?

Wang Yan planted her hands on her hips and shouted loudly.

A flash of extreme cold passed through Ye Qingran's eyes.

Ye Qingran is Mo Xiaohu and Fu Qianchi's Reverse Scale, and likewise, they are Ye Qingran's Reverse Scale.

She will never allow anyone to call them wild offspring in front of her and the children!

She moved like a specter; while everyone was still stunned, she stepped before Wang Yan, raised her hand, slapped her, and sent her sprawling to the ground.

The slap was full‑force; Ye Qingran had no intention of holding back.

The crisp sound echoed through the Wine House, chilling everyone's spine.

Wang Yan, if you speak out of turn again, watch out—I'll cut out your tongue!

Wang Yan covered her bruised face, trembling violently at the words, lifted her eyes and glared maliciously at Ye Qingran, momentarily at a loss for how to react.

Ye Qingran, those two children are unrelated to you, and Guanglu Fu is at least your Ye Family's in‑law; why must you bend your elbow outward?

A strange, yin‑yang‑tinged voice came from outside the Wine House.

Two figures entered from outside the Wine House following that remark—a middle‑aged man and a young woman.

On closer look, it was Mu Yuanzheng, Head of Mu Clan from the Wuji Hall steward family, and young lady Mu Qingrou.

Brother Zhao!

Brother Mu!

Mu Yuanzheng and Zhao Tian clasped fists in greeting.

Mu Yuanzheng's gaze at Ye Qingran was gloomy as water, with a cold light of hatred flickering in his eyes.

Could it be, just as Madam Zhao said, that those two children…

Mu Qingrou smiled maliciously.

Everyone was startled. Ye Qingran wouldn't protect those two children without cause; could it be…