Di Lanmo rushed into the mansion in a hurry, leaving the servants dumbfounded. In the past, the eldest young lady walked slowly on her bound feet. What had gotten into her today?
She didn't care what others thought of her. After walking a few steps, she saw her younger sister, Di Tingyu. Both sisters were well - known beauties in the capital, but unfortunately, Di Tingyu had a beauty mark at the corner of her mouth that rather spoiled her good looks.
At this moment, Di Tingyu stood there as stiff as a wooden stake. She never expected Di Lanmo to come back alive. She pointed at Di Lanmo with a trembling finger, her tongue all tied up. "You... Why aren't you dead?"
"Oh? Do you wish me dead?" Di Lanmo was even more certain of her suspicion. The general's wife had sent someone to kill her and forced her to reveal the whereabouts of the Wind - Bell Seal. Di Tingyu must have been in on it too.
Only then did Di Tingyu realize she had said the wrong thing. She quickly covered her mouth and corrected herself. "I mean, you look like a ghost. Who are you trying to scare?"
She was only wearing her undergarments, covered in blood, and her clothes were in tatters, indicating that she had been in a fight. But Di Lanmo didn't look like someone on the verge of death. Instead, she exuded an imposing aura.
What had gone wrong? The people her mother had sent were absolutely trustworthy. What on earth had happened to this ill - fated girl?
"You still know I look like a ghost? Where's Mother? Is she too conscience - stricken after doing something bad to come out and face me?" Di Lanmo deliberately raised her voice, making sure everyone could hear.
Now that she was back, she was going to cause a ruckus, a huge one!
Those who dared to harm her. It seemed that Lin, the general's wife, no longer wanted to keep her position!
Di Tingyu's face turned deathly pale. Was this dead girl crazy?
"You... What are you talking nonsense about?" Flustered, she glanced at the maid Qiuyue beside her. "Arrest her. Sister has gone mad!"
"Yes!" Qiuyue took the order and stepped forward to grab Di Lanmo. But how could a little maid be a match for Di Lanmo?
"Slap—"
A slap landed on Qiuyue's face, making her mouth and eyes skew, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.
Di Lanmo showed no mercy. She slapped Qiuyue again, swelling her face. "You impertinent thing! I'm the legitimate eldest daughter and the eldest young lady of the general's mansion. How dare you act so boldly in front of me?"
Qiuyue covered her face and stared at Di Lanmo in horror, as if looking at a demon from the underworld. When had the sickly Di Lanmo become so ruthless?
Not only Qiuyue was at a loss, but Di Tingyu was also stunned.
"Shouting in public. What kind of behavior is this!" A majestic voice came. The old general, with well - defined muscles, stood in front of the study with his hands behind his back. His angry eyes made his beard and mustache tremble. Although he was in his sixties, the might of a battle - hardened warrior was still evident.
This was her biological father, General Di Mingye, the Defender of the South, wasn't it?
In the original owner's memory, since Di Lanmo's biological mother passed away, the old general had always followed Lin's advice and favored Di Tingyu more.
Anyway, he wasn't her real father, and Di Lanmo didn't intend to recognize him. "Father, you may not know. Your daughter almost got killed. The culprit is right here. I wonder if Father is willing to seek justice for me?"
Di Mingye noticed that his eldest daughter's tone was different from usual. Looking at her current state, his face grew solemn.
Di Tingyu panicked. She bowed slightly. "Father, I think Sister has been possessed by evil spirits. Her behavior is strange, and she's making unfounded accusations!"
Oh? So she was even bringing in the supernatural?
"Whether it's an unfounded accusation or not, let Mother come out and confront me. If I'm lying, I'm willing to accept any punishment." Di Lanmo wasn't afraid of anyone. She looked at Di Tingyu with a smile. "If I had died today, would you have married into the Prince of Qin's mansion without a hitch?"
"You... You're being unreasonable!" Di Tingyu was hit right in her heart. She lifted her skirt and ran to Di Mingye, nestling in his arms and sobbing pitifully. "Father, Sister is bullying me so much!"
Pretending to be weak and cry in front of her? Who couldn't do that!
"Thud—" Di Lanmo immediately knelt on one knee and clasped her fists. Her eyes were full of tears. "Father, I almost couldn't see you today. Look at these wounds on me. Could they be fake? Please seek justice for me!"
On one side was his legitimate daughter, and on the other was his beloved little girl. Di Mingye frowned. "Stop making a fool of yourselves. We'll sort out what's right and wrong in the study!"
As he stepped into the door, he took a deep look at the deep knife wounds on Di Lanmo's shoulders that were so deep the bone was visible. Finally, he couldn't bear it anymore and ordered the guards, "Call the lady here."
Inside the study, the delicate fragrance of sandalwood filled the air.
Di Lanmo knelt in the middle. A maid draped a cloak over her. Di Mingye sat in a high - seat, Lin sat beside him with a dark face, and Di Tingyu was secretly pinching her silk handkerchief with gritted teeth.
"What happened? Tell me in detail." Di Mingye asked, sounding like he was interrogating a criminal.
Throughout, Di Lanmo's eyes were fixed on Lin, not missing any subtle expression on her face. "Early this morning, Tingyu wanted to eat candied haws on a stick, so she coaxed me out of the mansion. But on the way, I was abducted. Tianshui Village is ten miles away from the capital. There were two bandits. They tried to assault me. They asked me about the whereabouts of the Wind - Bell Seal. When they got no results, they tried to kill me. They also said that as long as they killed me, they could get a reward from Mother."
She briefly recounted the whole thing. It seemed ordinary, but only Di Lanmo knew that it had been a near - death experience for the original owner!
She paused for a moment, her tear - filled eyes fixed on Lin. "Mother, why are you so cruel? Why did you instigate others to take your daughter's life? Did I do something wrong to anger you?"
Lin remained calm, as if she were an outsider.
A hint of surprise flashed in Di Lanmo's eyes. It seemed that Lin was more difficult to deal with than she had thought. She had a high psychological endurance and wasn't the kind of person who could be easily provoked.
Lin kept silent, and Di Tingyu sneered. "Sister, you're quite good at making up stories. Why don't you become a storyteller?"
If the enemy doesn't move, I will!
Di Lanmo's expression darkened. "Father, every word your daughter said is true. Those people also said that if the Wind - Bell Seal wasn't on me, it must be with you. Step - mother wanted to dig up my mother's grave and poison you. Then she would search the whole general's mansion..."
"Have you said enough!" Lin finally got angry and slapped the small table hard. "I never said such things!"
She had fallen into the trap!
Di Lanmo had used the strategy of creating something out of nothing. She immediately retorted, "When I mentioned the reward for killing me just now, Step - mother remained calm. Why are you so angry now? Which part of my words is wrong?"
Lin's pupils tightened suddenly. This little girl, Di Lanmo, was actually playing word games with her.
In the past, Di Lanmo had been inarticulate, but now that she was back, she was quite eloquent!
"None of your words are true. Although you're not my own daughter, I've always treated you like my own flesh and blood." Lin flatly denied everything. Her still - charming face showed sorrow. "A daughter grows up and becomes unmanageable. I'm just like the kind - hearted Mr. Dongguo."
Comparing herself to Mr. Dongguo, then she must be the wolf?
She was really good at playing the victim!
Di Lanmo smiled and took out a letter. "Then may I ask, how do you explain this letter? It's clearly your handwriting, Step - mother."
She had evidence?!
Lin suddenly stood up, her eyes wandering. The letter had shattered her calm. Her face showed a mixture of emotions.
"Father, please take a look. I don't understand why the bandits would carry Step - mother's letter. If it weren't for a kind - hearted person who came to my rescue in time, your daughter would surely be dead by now!"
Di Lanmo's words were firm. Lin was terrified. No, those two were her old subordinates, decisive in killing. She hadn't given them any tokens, but she couldn't be sure that they hadn't hidden something on their own.
Trying to kill the enemy but ending up hurting herself. Could she really be defeated by a little girl?
"So, the bandits are dead?" Di Mingye, who had listened to Di Lanmo's plea from beginning to end, had a cold look in his eyes, but his question took a different turn.
What did he mean?
Wasn't it time to punish Lin and break down her last line of defense?
Di Lanmo was quite familiar with interrogation techniques, such as exaggerating the facts and using false evidence to accuse. It was normal for criminals to lose their composure.
She didn't understand her father's intention, so she had to answer, "Yes, Father. Both of them are dead. If Father doesn't believe me, you can send someone to investigate... It's at..."
"I believe you." Di Mingye interrupted her before she could finish. He stood up with a solemn and imposing expression. "Since the bandits are dead, there's no evidence. This letter could also be a frame - up. Someone, go and investigate thoroughly. The lady can't be wrongly accused."
Huh?
Di Lanmo was caught off guard. Di Mingye stepped forward and helped her up by the arm. "You've suffered, Mo'er. I'll call the imperial physician right away. You should rest well these days. Don't worry about other things."
Was this really her biological father?
It was obvious that he was partial to Lin. Saying he would investigate, but in fact, he was protecting his wife and shifting all the blame.
Di Lanmo was furious, but she knew very well that no matter how much she pleaded, without catching Lin red - handed on the spot, her father would never admit the ugly in - house strife!
Fine, very well!
Di Lanmo gritted her teeth and swallowed her anger. "Thank you for your concern, Father."
She was about to leave when she heard Di Tingyu's sarcastic words. "It's really interesting. You've been hiding the Wind - Bell Seal. Even if someone wants to kill you, you deserve it!"
Asking for trouble!
She was just looking for a way to vent her anger. Di Lanmo turned around, picked up a cup of hot tea, and splashed it at Di Tingyu.