The ancient war between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law in a wealthy family

The ancestral hall was filled with the scent of sandalwood, a heavy and solemn atmosphere. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. These past few days, I'd devoted almost all my energy to studying the sacrificial rituals, not daring to slack off even for a moment. Elder Xu's instructions were still fresh in my mind, and I'd committed every step and detail to memory. Yet, standing before the ancestral tablets, I felt a strange unease, as if a pair of eyes were secretly watching me, making me feel uneasy.

The sacrificial ceremony officially began. I followed the instructions, step by step. I lit the incense, placed the offerings, and offered sake. I strived for perfection in every movement, fearing even the slightest mistake. However, I became increasingly aware that something was amiss in the atmosphere. A tense atmosphere seemed to hang in the air, suffocating me. I glanced around furtively and noticed that the Han family members all wore meaningful smiles. Han Liming, in particular, had an unreadable glint in his eyes that gave me a chill.

I suppressed my uneasiness and continued with the ceremony. When I reached the step of offering the three sacrificial animals, something unexpected happened. As my hand touched the sacrificial jade plate, it suddenly made a crisp sound, and then the three animals on the plate mysteriously fell to the ground!

The sudden change stunned everyone present. The ancestral hall was suddenly filled with silence, a pin drop audible. I was completely stunned and bewildered, standing there in a daze, bewildered.

"How dare you!" Mother-in-law's sharp voice broke the silence. She stood up suddenly, pointed at me and said sternly, "How dare you blaspheme our ancestors like this? This is truly unforgivable!"

My heart sank. I knew someone was deliberately framing me. But I couldn't defend myself. I hurriedly explained, "Mother-in-law, I...I didn't mean to..."

"You didn't mean to?" The mother-in-law sneered, "I see you have evil intentions and are deliberately disrupting the sacrificial ceremony!" She turned to the Qin family head and said indignantly, "Head, this woman is disrespectful to our ancestors and must be severely punished!"

The head of the Qin family had a solemn expression on his face. He slowly said, "Bai, do you admit your guilt?"

I opened my mouth, but I didn't know what to say. I knew that no matter what I said, they would see it as a sophistry. My eyes involuntarily turned to Zhan Yu, hoping that he would stand up and speak for me. Zhan Yu's face was also very ugly. He clenched his fists tightly and pressed his lips into a straight line.

At this moment, Han Liming suddenly stood up and said in a surprised tone, "This jade plate... seems to have been tampered with..." He walked over to the jade plate and examined it carefully. Then he looked up and said meaningfully, "The bottom of this jade plate seems to be coated with a special grease..."

He paused, his eyes swept across my face, then looked at Servant Luo beside him and said slowly, "Servant Luo, you have been keeping this jade plate all this time, right?"

Servant Luo turned pale with fear. He quickly knelt on the ground and said tremblingly, "I... I don't know..."

Han Liming's lips curled up into a sinister smile. He turned to look at the Qin family leader and said, "Head, it seems there's something else going on..."

My heart sank to the bottom. I felt a huge net enveloping me... Zhan Yu held my hand, his palm warm and strong, giving me a sense of comfort. He whispered in my ear, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

The air in the ancestral hall seemed frozen. Servant Luo knelt trembling on the ground. The smug smile on Han Liming's lips stung my eyes. Mother-in-law still glared at me, as if I had become an unforgivable sinner. My palms were sweaty as I clutched Zhan Yu's hand tightly. His warmth was my only support at this moment.

At that moment, Zhan Yu stepped forward. His voice was steady and powerful, like a thunderclap that pierced the silence of the ancestral hall. "Patriarch, wait a minute." He bowed slightly, neither servile nor overbearing. "Although the Bai family is new here, we have always been respectful of the Zhan family's ancestral teachings and would never do anything that would disrespect our ancestors." He paused, his gaze sweeping across the crowd, finally resting on the three fallen animals. "Besides, the procedures and rules of this sacrificial offering are not something that can be mastered overnight. Even if there are slight deviations, they are understandable."

He went on to say, "I remember that when my great-grandfather was alive, he once overturned the incense burner during a sacrifice due to a momentary negligence. At that time, my great-grandfather was not punished for it. Instead, he warned the clan members that the meaning of sacrifice is to respect the ancestors, not to stick to the formalities. Sincerity is the most important thing." His words were loud and clear, echoing in the ancestral hall, like a breeze, blowing away the oppressive atmosphere.

The Qin family head's expression softened a bit. He stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and said, "Master Zhan is absolutely right. The most important thing in sacrifice is sincerity." I secretly breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Zhan Yu gratefully. He gave me a soothing look, and my heart gradually calmed down.

However, the Han family was clearly unwilling to give up. Han Liming's eyes rolled, and he turned his attention to Servant Luo. "Servant Luo, tell me, what's going on with this jade plate? Did someone instruct you to tamper with it?"

Servant Luo was trembling with fear. He looked at me, then at Han Liming, and stammered, "I...I...I...I'm...the young lady...she...she gave me some silver...and asked me...to put it on the jade plate..."

Before he could finish his words, I felt a surge of rage rising to my head. I stood up abruptly, glared at the servant Luo, and shouted, "Nonsense! When did I ever give you money? Why are you slandering me?"

Servant Luo was so frightened that he dared not look up. He just kept kowtowing and repeating, "Young Madam, please spare me... Young Madam, please spare me..."

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. I knew the more panicked I became, the easier it would be for me to fall into their trap. I had to stay calm and find evidence to prove my innocence.

I slowly pulled out a neatly folded handkerchief from my sleeve and slowly unfolded it...

The handkerchief was embroidered with a delicate, lifelike lotus flower, meticulously stitched. I had embroidered it myself, intending to give it to my mother-in-law as a birthday gift. But now, it had become the key to proving my innocence.

"Mr. Luo, take a closer look. Do you recognize this handkerchief?" I asked in a deep voice.

The servant raised his head, looked at the handkerchief, and his face turned pale. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

"I accidentally dropped this handkerchief in the garden a few days ago," I continued. "You picked it up, but hid it. Today, you put it under the jade plate and tried to put the blame on me. Am I right?"

Luo's lips trembled. He wanted to deny it, but he didn't dare. He looked at Han Liming, his eyes filled with fear and help.

Han Liming's face was gloomy. He glared at Maid Luo fiercely and said in a harsh voice, "Maid Luo, what on earth are you doing? Tell the truth!"

Servant Luo shuddered all over. He fell to his knees and cried, "Patriarch, please spare me! Young Master, please spare me! Young Madam, please spare me! It was...it was Young Master Han...Young Master Han gave me...gave me a hundred taels of silver...let me...let me..."

His words were fragmented, but they were enough to prove my innocence. I finally felt relieved and breathed a sigh of relief.

The Qin family head's expression turned very ugly. He looked at Han Liming and said sternly, "Master Han, do you have anything else to say?"

Han Liming's face turned pale. He gritted his teeth and said, "Chief, this... this is just a misunderstanding... Servant Luo... he must have been instructed by someone to deliberately frame me..."

"Enough!" the Qin family head shouted angrily, "The facts are already clear, and you still want to quibble! The Han family's children actually did such a despicable thing, it really brought shame to the Han family!"

The rebuke from the Qin family head made Han Liming feel ashamed. He lowered his head and dared not speak again.

Zhan Yu held my hand tightly. His hand was warm and strong, like a warm current flowing into my heart. I looked up and met his deep gaze, which was full of love and support. I knew that no matter what happened, he would stand by me, protect me, and support me.

I shook his hand back and gave him a resolute look. Although this incident was thrilling, it also deepened our relationship.

The atmosphere in the ancestral hall gradually calmed down, and the Qin family leader announced that the sacrificial ceremony would continue. I straightened my clothes and walked towards the altar.

However, just as I was about to reach the altar, a sinister glint flashed in Han Liming's eyes. He quietly pulled something out of his sleeve... A subtle sneer appeared on his lips, and he whispered, "The show has just begun..."

Although the atmosphere in the ancestral hall had eased somewhat, tension still hung in the air. I took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. I knew Han Liming wouldn't let this go; this situation was far from over.

Zhan Yu's hand was still tightly clasped in mine, his palm slightly damp. I knew he was nervous too. I gave him a reassuring smile, telling him not to worry.

I walked towards the altar step by step, taking every step with extreme caution. My peripheral vision swept over Han Liming, who was looking down, his facial expression unclear, but his clenched fists and slightly trembling body revealed his inner uneasiness.

Finally, I reached the altar. Various offerings were placed on the altar, and sandalwood burned in an incense burner. Smoke curled around the air, filling it with a faint fragrance. Following the ritual, I lit three incense sticks and respectfully placed them in the burner.

Just as I was about to proceed to the next step of the ritual, I suddenly felt something strange. I subconsciously stopped and glanced at the offerings on the altar.

The offerings were neatly arranged, and nothing seemed amiss. But I felt something was amiss. I carefully examined each offering, and suddenly, my eyes fell on a plate of pastries.

This plate of cakes was an essential offering in sacrificial ceremonies. Made from glutinous rice flour and brown sugar, it should have been snow-white. However, its color was slightly yellowish, and the surface seemed to have a faint oily sheen.

My heart skipped a beat, and a bad feeling washed over me. I reached out, picked up a piece of cake, and sniffed it gently. A faint scent of bitter almonds wafted into my nostrils.

The smell of bitter almonds... A terrible thought flashed through my mind. Bitter almonds contain cyanide, a highly toxic substance!

My heart sank. Had Han Liming poisoned the pastry? Who was he trying to kill? Zhan Yu? Me? Or… the entire Zhan family?

I didn't dare to think any further. My hands were shaking slightly, and I could barely hold the cake. I looked up at Zhan Yu, and his expression became very solemn.

he asked quietly, a hint of worry in his voice.

I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. I handed him the cake and whispered, "Smell it! There's something wrong with this cake."

Zhan Yu took the cake and sniffed it carefully. His face instantly turned pale. He raised his head abruptly, looked at Han Liming with a sharp gaze, and said word by word: "Han Liming, you..."