Chapter 136: Provoked Every Time, Suffered Every Time

At this moment, He Ling'er broke the silence:

"Jun Zijin, speaking of which, I am luckier than you; at least, I had you as soon as I arrived here, while you walked here alone."

Jun Jun Zijin smiled lightly: "From now on, we will be each other's support."

The two began discussing the matter of building a hospital again. Jun Jun Zijin had been worried recently due to the multitude of affairs, and Ling'er's arrival meant the hospital construction plan could be put on the agenda. So, they discussed it together.

Jun Jun Zijin's mood brightened accordingly. By the time she returned to the manor, the sun had already set behind the western hills.

On the side of the Second Branch, this wait lasted nearly two hours; Xiang Xiang Junzheng and Li Shi waited here together, which was extremely rare for him.

Who knew the little maid returned alone:

"Second Master, Second Lady, the Second Young Lady said she will not come."

The little maid kept her head down, her face bitter; she had failed to bring the person back and feared punishment.

Xiang Xiang Junzheng frowned, and Li Shi stood up with a sharp rustle, frightening the little maid to step back several paces.

Li Shi roared: "What did you say? She won't come? Why won't she come?"

The little maid trembled in fear and spoke in a small voice:

"The Second Young Lady said that from now on, she will no longer manage matters unrelated to her; if she manages them well, who knows, people might not only be ungrateful but spend all day thinking about how to harm her life."

Jun Jun Zhidie was indignant and wanted to shout, but moving her whole body hurt, so she could only say in a small voice:

"She won't come, she won't come, what about my injuries?"

Li Shi was indignant: "What unrelated people? Jun Zhidie is her sister; is this what a human being says?"

Xiang Xiang Junzheng's face also turned gloomy; he did not expect Jun Jun Zijin to disregard family bonds so completely.

Qingyu felt deep contempt in her heart; refusing to treat you is disregarding family bonds, but what do you say when you are harming someone's life?

She smoothed Xiang Xiang Junzheng's back on the side with a gentle and considerate appearance,

"Master, do not be angry; please do not ruin your health out of anger."

Qingyu paused, then added:

"This concubine feels that the First Master and the Second Young Lady's attitudes being so resolute this time must be related to the incident where the Third Young Lady nearly killed the Eldest Young Master and the Fourth Young Lady."

Hearing this, Jun Jun Zhidie became agitated and wanted to get up to tear Qingyu's mouth, but as soon as she moved, the pain made her let out an "Ao!" and she almost fell off the bed.

Li Shi pointed at Qingyu and chimed in:

"You little brat, what nonsense are you spouting?"

Qingyu shrank behind Xiang Xiang Junzheng, looking afraid, but her mouth did not close:

"Even tongues and teeth sometimes clash; we have been with the First Branch for so many years, and clashes have happened, yet the First Branch has never been this angry. Master, this concubine originally did not want to speak, but this concubine truly cannot bear to see the Lady deceive you like this."

Li Shi, enraged, was about to strike Qingyu, but Xiang Xiang Junzheng shoved her to the ground.

"Qingyu, continue speaking," Xiang Xiang Junzheng said to Qingyu.

"Master, you do not know; that night, the Third Young Lady pushed the Fourth Young Lady into the lake where ice was still forming. The Eldest Young Master jumped in to save her, sank to the bottom of the lake, and both of them had one foot already in the Gate of Ghosts; it was truly terrifying at the time. Yet the Lady and the Third Young Lady went there and cursed that the Third Young Lady deserved to die. The Old Lady and the First Master were both there; they not only did not apologize but caused a huge scene."

Xiang Xiang Junzheng frowned: "Is this truly so?"

Although he also held a grudge against the First Branch, it was all in secret; the current moment was not the time to openly break with the First Branch, for under the current circumstances, without the First Branch's protection, the Second Branch was nothing.

Qingyu nodded: "It is absolutely true."

Xiang Xiang Junzheng's face was as gloomy as water, and the anger in his heart was like a blazing flame ignited; he never expected that the root cause of everything was this madwoman and that wicked daughter right before his eyes.

"Xiang Xiang Junzheng, listen to her nonsense!"

Li Shi climbed up, pointed at Qingyu, and angrily rebuked:

"She is sowing discord; you must not be deceived by her words!"

Xiang Xiang Junzheng, however, did not pay attention to Li Shi; his eyes were filled with confusion and shock. He never thought that the "truth" he believed in was not the whole story.

Xiang Xiang Junzheng walked toward her, his face unfriendly, and asked coldly:

"Whether it is true or not, an investigation will reveal it. Do you know what I hate most? I hate most being deceived by others as if I were a fool."

Xiang Xiang Junzheng paused, his gaze at Li Shi sharp as a knife, his tone icy:

"Tell me, is what Qingyu said true?"

A flicker of panic flashed in Li Shi's eyes, but she still spoke stubbornly:

"I do not know what you are talking about."

Xiang Xiang Junzheng's hand clenched tightly into a fist, his eyes filled with anger and disappointment:

"Li Shi, do you think you can deceive me? Speak, is what Qingyu said true!"

Having finished speaking, Xiang Xiang Junzheng grabbed Li Shi by the collar of her clothes and dragged her toward the door.

Jun Jun Zhidie was terrified, lying on the bed and daring not to move.

The servants around had long grown accustomed to this couple fighting; Li Shi lost every time, yet she did not learn from the beating and provoked every time. But seeing Xiang Xiang Junzheng's ferocious, demon-like appearance, they feared a life might be lost and dared not go up to stop him.

Li Shi was dragged by Xiang Xiang Junzheng all the way into the main hall; she struggled and shouted:

"Master, Master, I was wrong; I will tell you the truth."

Xiang Xiang Junzheng stopped his hand, his eyes full of disgust:

"Speak!"

Li Shi, trembling, recounted the entire sequence of events exactly as it happened, including how Jun Jun Zhidie had envied Jun Jun Shuyan and how she had plotted to frame her, and so on.

After listening, Xiang Xiang Junzheng kicked Li Shi away and roared:

"You mother and daughter are truly vicious enough."

The main issue was not just that they were vicious, but that they were so stupid; even when harming people, they could not do it cleanly, leaving behind such a huge incriminating piece of evidence.

Previously, they relied on the First Branch to shield them from wind and rain; now that this protection is lost, many affairs in the future must be handled alone.

Li Shi, kicked, let out continuous "Ao, Ao!" cries; her body trembled slightly, and fear and unwillingness flashed in her eyes. Her bulging eyeballs stared fiercely at Qingyu, who flashed triumph and provocation in her eyes. She understood that Qingyu was her greatest threat.

Qingyu pretended to advise on the side:

"Master, please calm your anger. Lady's actions have already plunged the Second Branch into difficulty, but Master must not let this ruin your health; Qingyu would be heartbroken."

Seeing Qingyu so sensible, Xiang Xiang Junzheng's rage eased slightly, but the moment he saw Li Shi, his fury flared up again. Wasn't the Second Branch already in trouble? Xiang Xiang Junzheng was so angry that the veins on his face bulged.

Li Shi, fearless, roared:

"You wretched girl, shut your mouth!"

Xiang Xiang Junzheng, who had been standing still, stepped forward and slapped Li Shi, shouting in anger:

"Shut your mouth!"

Li Shi covered her face, a flicker of terror passing through her eyes; she had not expected Xiang Xiang Junzheng to be so merciless.

The corners of Qingyu's mouth curled upward slightly, a hint of triumph flashing in her eyes.

"Xiang Xiang Junzheng, you dare hit me!" Li Shi screamed hoarsely, her voice filled with despair and unwillingness.

Xiang Xiang Junzheng looked at her coldly, his inner rage impossible to quell. His eyes were filled with indifference and detachment, even flashing with a touch of resolve, his voice harsh and cold:

"Hitting you is the least of it."

Just as the Second Branch was in the midst of a heated uproar, a young servant rushed in to report:

"Second Master, the Eldest Master requests your presence."