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Chapter 213: Chapter 213: You Must Accept This Kiss, Whether You Like It or Not!
Vermilion Bird commanded the Hidden Guard to turn the horses around, and Yan’s carriage stopped at the back of the crowd.
Zhan Lan stood calmly amidst the chaos, letting the situation ferment, knowing in her heart that reasoning with the unreasonable was already a loss.
Without Zhan Lan uttering a single word, there were already people in the crowd who couldn’t stand by anymore.
Especially the scholars in Ding’an City, who had their complaints about the court of Nanjin and wanted to vent but couldn’t directly curse Emperor Xuanwu as incompetent.
So, someone started to release this emotion.
A spirited scholar loudly said: "Miss Zhan Liluo, General Zhan Lan is not stooping to your level, isn’t your sharp-tongued way of speaking as an elder sister inappropriate?"
"You two, one is a valiant general on the battlefield, and the other is the lady of the main branch of the Zhan Family who enjoys the protection and luxury, yet the latter has nothing to be proud of!"
Another scholarly looking scholar said: "Indeed! General Zhan is exceptionally talented, not only a student of Qingfeng Scholar but also the Martial Arts Champion. Soon, the whole world will know that General Zhan Lan is about to guard the frontier. Miss Zhan Liluo, what could you possibly be jealous of, and why would you harm her!"
"You are merely a parasitic maggot living off the main branch of the Zhan Family, while Miss Zhan Lan, considering you family, but you should reflect if your behavior is befitting!"
"Those whose virtues do not match their positions will invite calamities!"
An old woman, inspired by the righteous words of the scholars, opened the cotton cloth in her basket, revealing the white rice inside, and with her cloudy eyes addressed the crowd: "Look, General Zhan Lan from her own pocket pays for rice every month to aid us, the poor. Speaking ill of her, we common folk disagree, without Miss Zhan, this old woman wouldn’t know if I could survive this winter!"
While speaking, the old woman’s voice choked up, and she used her icy-cold hand to wipe the warm tears off her cheeks.
In a moment, Zhan Liluo was aggressively criticized by everyone, glaring looks piercing her like thousands of needles as she nervously clutched the wheelchair.
Seeing the unfavorable situation, Wang’s anger was towards Zhan Lan, this girl was too fierce, and Zhan Liluo too easily provoked, utterly foolish, not a match at all.
She couldn’t stop the murmuring crowd, and turned to scold Zhan Liluo, "I think you are confused, take the Miss back."
Zhang also did not want her daughter’s current state to be witnessed by more people, and started pushing Zhan Liluo’s wheelchair to leave.
Unexpectedly, the crowd suddenly fell silent because Mu Yan alighted from the carriage, guards from the Xingtian Department well-positioned on either side.
People who were previously talking ceased all at once.
Someone whispered, "People from the Xingtian Department here must indicate a serious matter!"
"Shh, keep your voice down. Could they be here to arrest us?"
The previously spirited scholars now felt a sense of fear.
They were shooting veiled criticisms and didn’t know whether people from the Xingtian Department were here to trouble them!
Mu Yan, draped in a great cloak, coldly looked towards Zhang and commanded: "Stop!"
The commanding voice reached Zhang’s ears, and she halted her movements.
Why are people from the Xingtian Department here, and that’s Mu Yan; she had secretly seen his face before at the Zhang Residence.
People looked over, with the Xingtian Department present and the leading man’s demeanor authoritative and compelling, no one dared to move.
Sweat formed in the palms of Wang, why were people from the Xingtian Department here with them!
Zhan Liluo, seeing Mu Yan’s handsome yet cold face, instantly wanted to find a place to hide her disgraceful self.
In her current state, the last person she wished to see was Mu Yan.
"Mother, Mu Yan is here, push me inside!" she covered her face, hiding behind Zhang.
Mu Yan stopped in his tracks in front of the second branch of the Zhan Family’s door.
He didn’t look sideways, just glanced at Zhan Lan from the corner of his eye.
Upon seeing Mu Yan, Zhan Lan quickly withdrew her gaze; this was the first time they had met since Mu Yan forcibly kissed her that night, and her heartbeat quickened upon seeing him again.
Her expression also became uneasy.
Wang noticed the hostility of the new arrival, so she nodded her head and said, "Is there a matter that brings Lord Seal Keeper here today?"
It was Li Youshui’s first time witnessing such a grand scene, and his gaze fell on Mu Yan, causing his legs to weaken unconsciously.
So this was the fear-inducing Lord Seal Keeper!
Li Changlong was cheeky and seeing that it was quiet around, immediately turned to the Old Madam and Mrs. Zhang, saying, "Grandmother, mother-in-law, please let Liluo marry me!"
His words were like a bomb, completely changing the expression on Li Youshui’s face.
Li Youshui fell to his knees before Mu Yan with a thump, "Official Li Youshui greets Lord Mu! My son has been disrespectful!"
After speaking, he looked at Li Changlong and glared at him sternly, signaling him to stop talking.
Wang spoke coldly, "Lord Mu, a ruffian came up to me at my doorstep calling me grandmother, insisting on forcibly marrying my granddaughter Zhan Liluo, sorry for the embarrassment; I will expel this person immediately!"
Mu Yan’s gaze swept over Li Changlong, so this was Zhan Lan’s cousin?
Heh, truly hard to describe!
He stood with his hands behind his back, his voice devoid of emotion, "In the eyes of this Seal Keeper, Mr. Li and Zhan Liluo are quite well-matched. Sitting in a wheelchair together at the marriage ceremony would be quite fitting!"
Mu Yan’s cold words strangely struck a chord with the onlookers.
They barely held back their laughter, almost hurting themselves internally.
They all say the Seal Keeper of the Xingtian Department, Mu Yan, is ruthless and venomous, and although they feared Mu Yan, his words were truly satisfying!
Mrs. Zhang, hearing Mu Yan’s humiliating words towards her daughter, clenched her teeth and nodded, "Seal Keeper, my daughter will not marry such a scoundrel. My daughter is naturally kind..."
"Naturally kind?" Mu Yan interrupted Mrs. Zhang, his chilling gaze landed on Zhan Liluo.
Zhan Liluo shivered after meeting his gaze just once.
Previously, she liked Mu Yan, but influenced by the Love Flower Poisonous Insect, she began to hate him.
Now that the Love Flower Poisonous Insect was gone, the love of many years couldn’t just fade in a moment; now she both loved and feared Mu Yan!
She hid further behind Mrs. Zhang.
"How did you mother and daughter initially plan to administer the Love Flower Poisonous Insect to this Seal Keeper, and then, by some stroke of fate, Zhan Liluo ended up with this... crippled fellow? Does this Seal Keeper look like someone who can be plotted against from behind? Zhan Liluo!"
He spoke very slowly, but his words resonated strongly, "You must marry him, otherwise, this Seal Keeper will push you and your mother into questioning by the Xingtian Department. Is the second branch of Zhan Family plotting against the life of this Seal Keeper?"
His eyes were cool and clear, his handsome and upright stature stood there, the chill in his eyes like an eagle in the night, aloof and imposing.
Zhan Lan seemed to see once again the resolute, decisive Regent King of her previous life.
"Lord Mu, could you give an old man some face and let this matter go?" Suddenly, from among the crowd, a voice rang out and everyone turned toward the approaching carriage.
