Don't Ask Where People Go After Time Travel

Chapter 1971 Fulfillment
“Since it’s useless, then so be it.” Du Ruohan sighed. “Later, when my father passed away, I also fell seriously ill. At that time, I wanted to go with him, but I felt that I couldn’t just die like that.”

She paused, "I survived, and lived these many years in a daze. Although I am still alive, it feels like I have never grasped anything."

Fang Zilan remained silent for a while before suddenly speaking, "So that's why you gave up the choice and let A-Yu make the decision herself?"

"What did you say?" Du Ruohan was stunned for a moment, then realized what she meant, lowered her eyes and softly replied, "Yes."

"You just want to be chosen firmly this once." Fang Zilan's simple words felt like a death sentence for Du Ruohan.

As if out of control, Du Ruohan's eyes reddened, and tears fell like broken beads onto Fang Zilan's outer garment. "I..."

She choked out her words, but Fang Zilan waved her hand, indicating that it was alright. "Miss Du, I don't think we have much of a relationship, and there are some things I shouldn't be saying. But since you're willing to talk about the past with me, you must trust me to some extent, so I'll just say it, and you can just listen."

Du Ruohan cried uncontrollably. She raised her hand to her chest and nodded, "Speak freely."

"Choosing yourself is more important than being chosen by others." Fang Zilan's expression was arrogant, her tone revealing an unhurried and confident air. "Some people become generals and prime ministers at a young age, while others toil half their lives and remain servants and laborers. Yet, generals and prime ministers can become prisoners overnight, while servants and laborers can ascend to the throne in their sixties. Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, who can judge whether someone is useful or not, and what does it all matter?"

After saying that, she threw the plum blossom sword onto the incense table, where it landed squarely in front of the Buddha statue. "Your fate is not for others to decide, but for you to decide."

“You…” Du Ruohan looked up, staring blankly at the uninhibited person in front of her. She saw the person stand up and say to the Buddha statue, “Your father has passed away, which means that the gods and Buddhas of heaven did not agree to your deal. Your lifespan is still on you, and you can decide what to do in the future. Since you have made so many requests and are so sincere, the gods and Buddhas of heaven will surely protect you.”

"Don't you... not believe in gods or Buddhas?" Du Ruohan asked hesitantly. Fang Zilan looked down at her. "Just because I don't believe doesn't mean I can't be your witness."

As she spoke, she looked at the Buddha statue in front of her and said, "Miss Du, whether you believe it or not, I am a person of my word, so anything I witness can be fulfilled."

“I believe you.” Du Ruohan stumbled to her feet and returned the outer robe she was wearing to Fang Zilan. “In Zhongling Temple, the one who gave me the answer was you.”

“Your Highness, if you want the answer, you can’t just look at the present.” Master Ranzhu clasped his hands together. “Everything has a cause and effect. Perhaps he foresaw today’s situation.”

Fang Zilan remained silent, so Master Ranzhu continued, "At that time, the Great Chu was on the verge of collapse. The four borders were in chaos, and bandits were rampant in the mountains. There were refugees everywhere. General Zhenbei and Prince Pingnan encountered such a scene on their way to the border, so he specially took the route through Zhongling Mountain and went to the temple to burn incense."

"A man who kills and ravages, actually believes in gods and Buddhas?" Fang Zilan snorted coldly, but Master Ranzhu was not annoyed. "Of course he doesn't believe, but he hopes that everyone in the world will."

Upon hearing this, Fang Zilan was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

Master Ranzhu did not answer directly, but said, "Since the Crown Prince's wife is willing to marry far away to Miluo for the sake of peace between the two countries, and is able to come to this old monk in the case of the Southeast to ask for an answer, she must have some means."

"What exactly is the master trying to say?" Fang Zilan frowned. Master Ranzhu didn't answer but asked in return, "This old monk dares to ask the Crown Prince's wife, how can you appease people's hearts?" As soon as he said this, Fang Zilan understood most of it. After a long while, she murmured, "So, back then, he already knew that he couldn't go on?"

Master Ranzhu seemed not to have heard clearly and pressed on, "What did the Crown Prince's wife say?"

"It's nothing." Fang Zilan pursed her lips and said, word by word, "The world is not at peace, and people's hearts are not at peace."

Master Ranzhu stared intently at the person before him, his eyes filled with obvious astonishment, and he even trembled involuntarily. "Who...who are you?"

Seeing this, Mr. Liu quickly reached out to support the swaying Master Ranzhu, asking, "Master, what's wrong?"

“No…impossible…” Master Ranzhu shook his head violently, panting heavily, and it took him a while to calm down. “Please forgive me for losing my composure for a moment, but the words of the Crown Prince’s wife are exactly the same as what General Zhenbei and Prince Pingnan said back then.”

Fang Zilan clenched her fists tightly. "What's the big deal? I've heard a lot about what the Great Chu was like back then, and what the General of the North and the Prince of Pingnan were like. It's understandable that they would place their hopes on gods and Buddhas when the four borders couldn't be pacified."

She deliberately tried to mislead people, saying, "Unfortunately, the incense at Zhongling Temple was not effective, and he still perished in the deep sea of ​​Yue."

"Does the Crown Prince's wife believe that General Zhenbei and Prince Pingnan offered incense at Zhongling Temple for his own benefit?" Master Ranzhu's expression suddenly turned cold, but Fang Zilan seemed oblivious. "Otherwise, what was it for?"

"A sheltered woman, so short-sighted," Master Burning Candle sneered. "And I thought..."

"What does the master think?" Fang Zilan snorted. "What I want is an answer. I have no time to listen to the master talk about those old, outdated stories from the past."

Master Ranzhu was speechless, and Fang Zilan said in a deep voice, "I don't care why General Zhenbei and Prince Pingnan offered incense at Zhongling Temple. I only ask one question: Did the Zhongling Temple grant his request? If so, did they fulfill it?"

Her questions grew increasingly harsh, until the very last one forced Master Ranzhu to take two steps back. "Regarding matters of gods and Buddhas, the entire Zhongling Temple..."

"Is what he's asking truly a matter concerning gods and Buddhas?" Fang Zilan interrupted Master Ranzhu, who stammered, "Zhongling Temple is also helpless..."

"Helpless?" Fang Zilan's face was as cold as ice. "Master Ranzhu, everyone has a hard time in these chaotic times. I can understand Zhongling Temple seeking a way to survive. But to push others to their deaths just to save Zhongling Temple's life, what kind of logic is that?"

"Zhongling Temple didn't..." Master Ranzhu's rebuttal was cut short by Fang Zilan, "Didn't? Master Ranzhu, with all the gods and Buddhas above, do you dare to swear an oath?"

Master Ranzhu's lips moved, but no sound came out. All that could be heard was Fang Zilan's angry voice: "If it weren't for Zhongling Temple, how could the Hong Clan have fallen to this state?"

“I understand now.” Master Ranzhu breathed a sigh of relief and said with relief, “The Crown Prince’s wife has come today not only to seek answers for Lord Zhuge Yu, but also for the Hong family.”