When the word “detain” was uttered, the hall fell silent for a moment. Then, a louder voice erupted, “Yes, she should be detained! Who knows what she really wants to do!”
Such voices kept coming. No one paid attention to Wangquan Baye's expression at the moment. They were lost in their own world.
As for Churi Huaizhu, she didn't know what to say. She couldn't tell what had happened last night. All she could do was listen to those elders, who had been somewhat amiable before, suggesting that she be detained.
“Enough! I'm the clan leader. This matter has nothing to do with Huaizhu. Elders, it's better for you to leave as soon as possible.” Wangquan Baye slapped the table. With a cold look on his face, he stared at those elders. He could hardly bear their nonsense any longer.
However, he didn't expect that even when he brought out his status as the clan leader, it only intimidated some of them. More elders still kept talking.
“Clan leader, this matter can't be settled so easily. Who knows if she's trying to plot against you or bring ruin to the Wangquan Manor?” an elder of high seniority said, his words full of suspicion towards Churi Huaizhu. The other elders all echoed him.
Wangquan Baye stared coldly at the elder who had just spoken. This elder had always wanted to be the next clan leader. When Wangquan Baye succeeded to the position, he was the first one to express his dissatisfaction.
“Clan leader, the Wangquan Manor doesn't belong to you alone! If you insist on going your own way, don't blame us for being merciless!” an elder with a fiery temper said as he flung his sleeve and stood up, turning his head away without looking at Wangquan Baye.
This made Wangquan Baye even angrier. Just as he was about to order someone to take that elder away, Churi Huaizhu stepped forward.
“Hubby, I have no ill intentions towards the Wangquan Manor. Since the elders don't believe me, I'm willing to be detained. I'll prove my innocence with sufficient evidence to make the elders believe me.”
As soon as Churi Huaizhu said this, the people around were greatly surprised. They didn't expect her to say such a thing. But it was more beneficial for them.
Wangquan Baye looked at Churi Huaizhu. The feeling of helplessness he had last night swept over him again. He watched helplessly as Churi Huaizhu was taken away by the guards. The elders left contentedly.
The guards took Churi Huaizhu to the dungeon. This was the place where important criminals in the manor were detained. Putting Churi Huaizhu here now was for the convenience of interrogating her.
The long night passed. The next day, when Churi Huaizhu was counting the bars in the dungeon, a man in strange clothes appeared in front of her. The guards showed great respect to this man.
“I'm the judge of the Wangquan Manor. I'm here to judge people like you.” His cold voice and mocking eyes all showed his contempt for Churi Huaizhu.
Churi Huaizhu looked at the man, feeling a bit confused. She had never seen this man before, nor had she heard Wangquan Baye mention anything about a judge.
“Confess honestly. What have you done in the Wangquan Manor? Why has the clan leader become like this?” The judge's cold and toneless words reached Churi Huaizhu's ears. She was tied up and couldn't move.
She didn't reply. She had done nothing. What could she answer?
The judge thought this was Churi Huaizhu's provocation. So he picked up a thick whip and lashed it at her.
The torture tools hanging on the wall were put to use again, cold and bloody.
Night fell after a day of bloodshed. Churi Huaizhu was chained to the bars and couldn't move at all. She stared blankly at the moonlight coming in.
While she was lost in thought, Dongfang Qinlan, Mei Sanniang and others came to the Wangquan Manor. They quietly bypassed the guards and came to the dungeon. Seeing Churi Huaizhu who had been whipped, the group was extremely angry.
Dongfang Qinlan held back her tears and softly called out to Churi Huaizhu, “Sister...”
The familiar voice brought Churi Huaizhu back to her senses. She couldn't believe her eyes when she saw Dongfang Qinlan. She thought she was hallucinating.
Dongfang Qinlan carefully hugged Churi Huaizhu. Only then did she know that the masked hero before was Wangquan Baye. The Wangquan brother was the same person as this Wangquan clan leader.
But just as she found out, she saw her sister being treated like this. So she quickly asked Mei Sanniang and others to take her here to save her sister.
“Sister, come with us. Since they in the Wangquan Manor misunderstand you, why do you still stay?” Dongfang Qinlan persuaded Churi Huaizhu.
She came this time to take her sister back. Those people thought her sister had ill intentions, as if their manor was so great. Her sister would never do anything to their manor!
“No. If I go with you, they won't let it go. I'm upright and not afraid of any slander. If I leave, they'll completely think that I have designs on the Wangquan Manor.”
Churi Huaizhu's firm attitude left Dongfang Qinlan at a loss. Even if her sister wasn't afraid, she was! Her sister had been beaten like this by those people. What if they didn't want to admit her sister's innocence?
Suddenly, Churi Huaizhu heard faint footsteps. Her heart tightened. She quickly said to Dongfang Qinlan, “Qinlan, don't worry. I'll be fine. This is just temporary. You should go out quickly with Sanniang and the others. I'm afraid someone will come soon.”
Churi Huaizhu urged Dongfang Qinlan. Her gentle eyes made Dongfang Qinlan unconsciously agree. She looked at her sister, then turned around and left the dungeon with Mei Sanniang.
She wanted to become strong. She must become strong, just like the former Wangquan brother, to protect her sister.
The group kept running in the Wangquan Manor. Mei Sanniang told Dongfang Qinlan to run in front. She, Zhili and Zhiyu blocked the pursuers behind.
The footsteps Churi Huaizhu heard were those of the night patrol guards. Although Mei Sanniang and the others got out quickly, they were still spotted by the guards. The guards chased after them, leaving them no time to dodge.
“Run quickly. Don't stop after you get out!”
Mei Sanniang quickly told Dongfang Qinlan. Then she pushed Dongfang Qinlan and let her out of the gate of the Wangquan Manor.
Dongfang Qinlan looked at the gate of the Wangquan Manor and kept running. She didn't dare to stop.
As for Mei Sanniang and the others, they fought with the guards in the Wangquan Manor. The continuous fighting alerted more guards, who found that someone had sneaked in.
The group did their best to resist the attacks of the guards to buy time for Dongfang Qinlan. But they didn't expect that more and more guards surrounded them.
In a short while, the group was captured by the guards and taken to the hall to wait for the master's disposal.