Chapter 7: The Mature Woman and the Young Boy

Hair

She and Tai Shilan are both legitimate daughters of Tai Bai, the head of the Tai family and the governor of Anzhou. However, Tai Shilan's mother is the legitimate wife from a prominent family, while her mother was merely a concubine who was elevated to the status of a wife, resulting in a significant difference in their social standing. Although Tai Shitao is a son of a concubine, he was raised under the care of the legitimate wife from a young age and has already been recognized as the legitimate son. When it comes to social status, she and her brothers are indeed inferior to Tai Shilan and her brothers.

I fear there may be even more, right

Tai Shi Lan lowered her head to look at the boy, whose head was bowed, revealing two swirls in his thick black hair. Suddenly, she thought of her little white dog, Yao Ji, who also liked to sit in front of her, resting its head on her shoes and acting cute.

I twisted my ankle

This treacherous woman, who claimed she did not want revenge, actually set a trap for her before dying. She probably anticipated that someone would come soon, so she deceived her into using a drug to dissolve her own body.

The powder was sprinkled into the wound on Tai Shilan's neck, and immediately a faint pink smoke emerged, with a pungent odor. Soon, a sizzling sound came from the wound, and in almost an instant, the wound collapsed, expanded, softened, and disappeared at a visibly rapid pace.

Charges... Theft? Breaking and entering into a private residence?

Tai Shitao lives in the front residence; given the distance, how is it that he coincidentally knows someone intends to harm Tai Shilan

With a flick of the fingertip, the small knife slipped into the sleeve, its arc gleaming like the glimmer of a beautiful woman's gaze.

The pungent odor was remarkably penetrating, wafting over the wall, causing the flowers in the knight's hand, just a wall away, to suddenly wither

= = .

They were burned

They smeared a layer of mud on them

Your voice

When the blade flashed across Tai Shi Lan's face, he had once impatiently waved his hand.

Suddenly, he soared into the air

Moreover, how did she see her own face

Sister ... ... '' The boy standing at the door stared blankly at Tai Shi Lan, who was sitting cross-legged with a dirty face and short hair, wanting to recognize her but not daring to, `` Your face ... ... ''

If she had not crashed into this place, it would now be Tai Shilan lying on the ground in disarray, the entire room filled with the lascivious scent of a coupling between man and woman. Coupled with the similarly disheveled youth, the inexplicably appearing golden hairpin... It is nothing short of a shocking family drama that defies ethics and moral standards—where the younger brother steals a woman's jewelry to please and seduce his promiscuous sister, only to accidentally kill her in the midst of their entanglement.

Tai Shitao saw that his sister was safe and felt relieved, smiling exceptionally happily. Tai Shilan glanced at him and thought to herself, no wonder even the Western merchants couldn't recognize him in person; it had indeed been a long time since they last met. She just didn't expect that Tai Shilan, in this cold and indifferent family, had such a deeply affectionate brother.

Chili water

His eyes shone brightly like the stars, and in the palm of his hand, a jade-colored flower was delicately resting. Rong Chu glanced in the direction of Tai Shi Lan, and the flower at his fingertips turned slightly.

However, Tai Shitao quickly rushed back, and when he returned, his expression was one of panic, "Sister... this is bad..."

Tai Shi Lan remained as immovable as a mountain, his expression calm and cold

From the drawer, he pulled out some blood circulation oil. Just as Taishi Lan was about to apply the medicine, a sudden sound of footsteps came from outside, and a young boy's voice called out loudly: "Sister! Sister! Are you alright?" as he rushed into the room

It seems that Tai Shizhu and his associates not only want to eliminate Tai Shilan, but also intend to eradicate any trace of her by expelling her only brother, who is on good terms with her

With her injured foot hindering her movement, she had no choice but to go find medicine. In just this short amount of time, more than half of Tai Shilan's body had already decomposed; this medicine is indeed powerful

The young boy stared intently at the precious ornament, his face filled with disbelief, "Where did this come from?"

Then ... ...

At this moment, Taishi Lan is sprinkling the medicinal powder into Tai Shilan's wound

A swift horse gallops down the long street, the raised cloak tearing through the night. Leading the way is a rider whose form is as strong as iron, holding a jade-colored flower in the palm of their hand

With a sudden jolt, she couldn't help but let out a low groan; her ankle throbbed with pain. She had just fallen from the wall, and it seemed that her foot had been sprained.

So, what awaits the Tai siblings?

It is evident that as long as the siblings Tai Shilan and Tai Shitao are present, she will never be able to compare with them in terms of status or family wealth in the future. Now that she has not only become a thorn in Tai Shilan's side but has also eliminated the root of the problem, Tai Shitao, once the siblings are gone, the Tai family will be her domain.

With a whistle from the flower vendor, the knights mounted their steeds, galloping away like the wind, vanishing in an instant around the street corner

Tai Shi Lan contemplated a certain possibility, stood up, and walked away

Time rewinds to before Taishi Lan was pushed off the wall by a strange wind

Tai Shitao was left blushing and went to find water to rinse his mouth after being spoken to by a certain unscrupulous person. In his embarrassment, he also forgot that the smell of corpse-dissolving drugs is fundamentally different from that of leeks

Tai Shitao was taken aback, touched his sleeve, and pulled out a gold hairpin adorned with emeralds and glazed beads, known as the Eight Treasures Hairpin.

The flower in hand suddenly fell down

Suddenly, she recalled the manner of Tai Shilan's death, and a smirk of delight involuntarily appeared at the corner of her lips—let that wretched woman, even in death, be humiliated once more before the eyes of all!

Sister! Just as she settled down, the door was suddenly pushed open with a bang. A young man, dressed only in a thin garment and casually draped in an outer robe, rushed in. Upon seeing her sitting on the ground, he was momentarily taken aback.

He came all the way here, and in the middle of the night, from the front courtyard to the back courtyard, no one noticed? As soon as he arrived here, someone immediately came?

The flowers shimmer in the moonlight, gradually blooming, fully opening beneath the back wall near the kitchen of the Tai family courtyard

The strange odor during the process of decomposition was still detected by him

As if sensing the breeze, the enduring fragrance of a thousand miles lingers in the air, and that budded flower suddenly begins to slowly bloom

Behind him were Tai Shizhu and others, all dressed in casual clothes, following him with beaming faces

Tai Shi Lan gazed into his eyes; the youth bore a resemblance to Tai Shi Lan, with clear eyes and handsome features. Although he still carried a hint of boyishness, he was fortunate to possess an innate elegance and brightness. That touch of youthful innocence was like a delicate silk painting, infused with a hint of bright sunlight, radiant yet gentle.

In that instant, she understood Tai Shilan's intention

Tai Shi Lan raised his eyes to look at him

Such a distant space, such a casual wave of the hand, even if one were standing under the wall at that moment, it might not be noticed. However, upstairs, with the image and the book, Rong Chu suddenly paused with the knife in hand

The dead are secretly buried, while the living are driven out.

Tai Shi Lan was unaware of the interlude outside the wall, not knowing that she had almost been easily found because of a flower. Her hand was frozen in mid-air, her face pale as iron

Tai Shitao sat for a while, then suddenly sniffed in confusion, "What is that smell?"

Tai Shi Lan suddenly reached out his hand and tugged at the back of his neck. After tugging, he realized that this was not a chick and could not be lifted up.

It is actually a corpse-dissolving drug

Tai Shilan touched his face and only then realized that he had inadvertently wiped his face with his sleeve while drying his hands. It is rare that Tai Shilan had already noticed this yet remained composed, indicating that he is indeed a person of considerable depth.

"Sister, did you hurt your foot?" The young man saw the medicinal oil on the ground, immediately picked it up, and half-knelt to apply it to Tai Shi Lan's injury. His movements were not very skilled, but he was very earnest. In the end, he even lowered his head to blow on it and smiled, saying, "This way, it won't hurt anymore"

Did you have chives for dinner?" Tai Shilan glanced at him expressionlessly and said, "Strongly flavored food can cause an unpleasant odor when sweating

Tai Shitao was taken aback by her cold, almost disdainful gaze. He paused for a moment, suddenly feeling that the person before him was unfamiliar. After regaining his composure, he anxiously said, "Second Sister... Second Sister and the others came to find me!" He anxiously paced in circles, "This place is close to where my sisters live; I shouldn't be here... I told Xiaohuan not to say anything, how did Second Sister and the others find out..."

Here, Taishi Lan calmly kicked back a finger that was exposed under the bed board

This is the "Unheard" flower, "Unheard only knows the fragrance of a thousand miles". On anyone, as long as they are touched by a hint of the "thousand-mile fragrance", it will trigger the blooming of the "Unheard" flower. The stronger the fragrance, the more abundant the blossoms.

However, there was no place to hide a corpse in the room. The boy's voice grew closer and closer. Just before he pushed the door open, Tai Shilan suddenly dragged over a bed board, placed it over the body of Tai Shilan, and sat down on the bed board.

Indeed

As the knight lowered his head, he noticed the flowers had withered, his expression changed, and he turned his horse away

A very handsome young man, in just two years, with this face alone, will not know how many young girls he will captivate

Calmly, Chu leaped from the rooftop to the wall below, receiving orders from the guard in just an instant

Why are you sitting on the ground

In the room, Taishi Lan stood up

Sister, it's good that you are fine. He felt relieved and laughed cheerfully, coming over to squat in front of Tai Shi Lan. "I heard that Sister Shi Zhu and the others were coming here, saying they wanted to... saying they wanted to..." He suddenly stuttered, pausing for a moment before saying, "I was very worried and wanted to come over to check, but I was held back by the old lady. Fortunately, you are fine..." He let out a long sigh

I have been deceived

Suddenly, the sound of fluttering garments arose, and a figure swiftly darted past. With a leap, it caught a flower, then immediately vaulted over the high wall, landing on a steed behind it. There, a row of black-clad knights stood majestically in wait, their bright and alert eyes shining in the night.

The wide robe billowed gracefully in mid-air, akin to a cloud being scattered by the wind, and in an instant, it had landed on the rooftop

It is truly a clever yet absolutely ruthless scheme, filled with a woman's insidious style.

What madness has Tai Shilan fallen into, choosing to destroy her own body instead of preserving it intact?

Although filled with anger at this moment, Tai Shilan could not help but secretly admire Tai Shilan's cleverness, being able to think of such a tactic at the brink of death, even at the cost of leaving no trace of her remains, which was both ruthless and decisive

Tai Shilan suddenly looked up, glancing around. His first instinct was to avoid the situation, but he soon realized that the door of the room led to the outer area, and stepping outside would inevitably result in an encounter with someone. There was no way to escape, so he had to hide Tai Shilan's body first; otherwise, if someone saw it, he would likely be embroiled in a legal case.

The more Tai Shizhu thought about it, the more delighted she became—after the passing of the previous lady, the substantial dowry had all fallen under Tai Shilan's name. Now that she is dead, this wealth will revert to her father. With money in hand, what worries could her father have about not being able to rise to prominence in the future? Not to mention, the Duke of Jin is currently in Anzhou, and it is said that he will attend the banquet tonight, enjoying the famous local opera in the front hall. With him speaking a few good words for the family, her father's promotion is merely a matter of time!

Rong Chu smiled faintly

The young man looked at her with suspicion, always feeling that something was somewhat off, but who else could possibly be here at this moment besides his sister, Shilan?

Tai Shizhu must not be unsuccessful; this brilliant plan of killing two birds with one stone is timed perfectly, and not everyone can accomplish it. She has made arrangements and incurred a small expense for this, but compared to the benefits gained from eliminating the Tai siblings, this minor expense is negligible

Tai Shi Lan let out a cold laugh

Tai Shi Lan's gaze softened slightly as he nodded and said, "I am fine"

The noise outside grew increasingly loud, the lights were on, and more people had gathered. The guards, who had not appeared until now, finally showed up. A large group of people arrived, led by an elderly man whose face resembled a heavy jujube. His round face was imposing, yet his features were so tightly packed that they seemed almost glued together. At this moment, he was in a bad mood, frowning, which made his nose appear as if it were about to poke into his eyes

The young boy touched the back of his neck and chuckled, revealing that he was a child with a very good temperament. Tai Shilan chatted with him and soon learned that this boy, Tai Shitao, was the half-brother of Tai Shilan. He had been raised under the name of Tai Shilan's mother and grew up alongside her. After the death of the Tai family's matriarch, who was also Tai Shilan's mother, Tai Shilan entered the palace. By the time she returned, she had become a neglected consort, living in seclusion at the family temple. Tai Shitao had tried several times to see his sister but was obstructed by various people in the household. Today, upon hearing that someone intended to harm Tai Shilan, he rushed over without hesitation.

As long as Tai Shi Lan temporarily takes on the role of Tai Shi Lan, those sisters will undoubtedly not let her off the hook. At that time, Tai Shi Lan will inevitably become their enemy, which would also indirectly help Tai Shi Lan take revenge

The more she laughed, the happier she became, and she walked forward with a light and cheerful step

Once Tai Shilan goes missing, Tai Shilan becomes a suspect and will be apprehended and sent to court. To escape this predicament, Tai Shilan must first leverage her face, which closely resembles that of Tai Shilan, to get through this initial hurdle.

The building stands tall with a solitary figure, the long wind howls fiercely, the robes flutter and billow, stirring up the starlight across the sky

As he turned, a rustling sound came from his sleeve, and Tai Shi Lan suddenly said: "Your sleeve?"

I just do not understand how such a clever person could ultimately end up in this situation

In the distance, the spring breeze caresses the tall buildings, with jade-green railings, while on the upper floor, a figure points a slender blade towards the southern sky