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

Zhan Yu stood up suddenly, pointed at Han Liming, and squeezed out a few words from between his teeth: "How dare you tamper with the offerings for the ancestors!"

Han Liming sneered and feigned surprise, "Master Zhan, don't say that. I prepared these offerings myself, how could there be any problem?" He looked around with a hint of provocation in his eyes, "Could it be that Madam Zhan doesn't like me and is deliberately looking for trouble?"

I took a deep breath, trying to suppress the rage within me. I knew now wasn't the time to turn on him; I had to find solid evidence to silence him. Forcing myself to calm down, I carefully examined the other offerings again, trying to find more clues.

The ritual continued, the heavy atmosphere suffocating me. Elder Xu, the ritual master, solemnly recited the eulogy. The wisps of incense smoke filled the ancestral hall, but they couldn't mask the undercurrent of tension. I felt my palms sweating slightly, and my heartbeat quickened.

"Hmph, how shameful! Even the sacrificial offerings can go wrong. Miss Bai is truly not presentable." A young woman from the Han family said sarcastically, her voice neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for everyone around to hear.

Another member of the Han family also echoed: "That's right. After marrying into a wealthy family for so long, she can't even handle such a small matter. It's really a waste of Master Zhan's love."

Their sarcasm pierced my eardrums like needles. I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails almost dug into my flesh. I told myself to be patient and not let them succeed. Zhan Yu noticed my emotional fluctuations, gently held my hand, and gave me a soothing look.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. I carefully examined each offering, trying to find any signs of tampering. Suddenly, my eyes fell on an incense burner. Made of bronze, it had a simple, elegant shape and was intricately carved with patterns. I noticed a barely perceptible scratch on a small corner of the bottom.

This scratch… My heartbeat quickened, and a thought flashed through my mind. I remembered that while preparing offerings, I accidentally bumped into the incense burner, leaving a small scratch on the bottom. To avoid being noticed, I covered the scratch with incense ash.

If this incense burner was replaced later, then this scratch should not be there!

I held my breath and carefully brushed away the ash at the bottom of the incense burner with my fingers. Sure enough, the scratch disappeared!

My heart sank. It seemed my guess was correct; the offerings had indeed been replaced! I raised my head, my cold gaze sweeping over the Han family members. Their faces were filled with a subtle hint of panic.

I spoke slowly, my voice calm and firm: "Everyone, I think I have found the reason why there is a problem with the offering..." My eyes fell on Han Liming, and I said word by word, "This incense burner has been tampered with."

Han Liming's face turned pale in an instant. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to explain, but he couldn't say anything.

I continued, "There was originally a mark I left at the bottom of this incense burner..." I pointed at the bottom of the incense burner, my tone cold, "Now, it's gone." My hand slowly pointed at him...

I pointed my finger directly at Han Liming. The ancestral hall was hushed, a pin drop audible. Everyone's gaze was fixed on the two of us, and the air was thick with tension. Han Liming's face was pale, his lips trembling, but he couldn't utter a word. His eyes flickered, trying to avoid my gaze, but my gaze was like a shackle, firmly locking him.

"There was originally a mark I left at the bottom of this incense burner," I pointed at it, my tone cold, "Now, it's gone." I paused, looked around, and raised my voice a few degrees, "This means that someone secretly replaced this incense burner after I checked it! And this person," I locked my eyes on Han Liming again, "is you!"

Han Liming finally couldn't help but speak, his voice trembling: "You...you are slandering me! I...I didn't do it!"

I sneered, "Really? Then tell me, where did the scratch on the incense burner go? Do you dare to swear in front of everyone that you didn't touch this incense burner?"

Han Liming was speechless. He stammered for a long time, unable to utter a complete sentence. Beads of sweat oozed from his forehead, and his eyes darted around in panic, like a trapped beast. The expressions of the surrounding Han family members also changed. They whispered to each other, their eyes filled with uneasiness and anxiety.

A surge of pleasure surged through my heart, a feeling like drinking a glass of iced sour plum soup on a hot summer's day—a refreshing sensation from head to toe. Looking at Han Liming's bewildered state, I sneered inwardly: "Trying to frame me? You're still a little naive!"

At this moment, a sarcastic voice shattered the silence in the ancestral hall. "Even if the incense burner was replaced, so what? That doesn't prove it was Li Ming who did it! Maybe you accidentally lost the mark, and now you're trying to put the blame on him!"

I didn't need to turn around to know it was my mother-in-law who was speaking. She glared at me with discontent, her eyes filled with hostility. I took a deep breath, trying to suppress the anger within me. I knew she was deliberately trying to make things difficult for me.

"Mother-in-law, I checked the offerings very carefully, so there's no way I could have made a mistake," I explained, trying to maintain a calm tone. "Also, after I finished checking, I stayed in the ancestral hall the entire time and didn't leave. No one except Han Liming had the opportunity to touch these offerings."

The mother-in-law snorted coldly: "Who knows if you have left secretly? You are a new daughter-in-law and don't know the rules. The way you check the offerings is not in accordance with the rules! You won't find any problems at all if you check like this!"

I sneered inwardly. She was nitpicking! My method of inspecting the offerings, though novel, didn't violate the essence of tradition. I was about to open my mouth to refute her when I heard an old and majestic voice...

"Madam Zhan, although the young lady's examination method is novel, it is an effective method."

I turned my gaze towards the source of the voice. It was Elder Priest Xu. He slowly walked over to me, a look of admiration in his eyes...

Elder Priest Xu was highly respected and held a high reputation within the Zhan family and even the entire clan system. As soon as he said this, the ancestral hall suddenly fell silent. Even my mother-in-law shut up, but her expression remained grim.

"Young Madam is meticulous and observant, able to spot details that are difficult for ordinary people to perceive," continued Elder Priest Xu. He picked up the replaced incense burner and examined it carefully. "The scratches on this incense burner have indeed been deliberately erased. The technique is very skillful. If Young Madam hadn't marked it beforehand, it would probably be difficult to detect."

I glanced at Elder Priest Xu with gratitude; his words undoubtedly helped me out. My mother-in-law was unhappy, but out of respect for Elder Priest Xu, she couldn't say anything. Han Liming's face turned even paler, and he lowered his head, not daring to meet anyone's gaze.

At that moment, Zhan Yu walked over to me, gently held my hand, and gave me an encouraging look. His hand was warm and strong, as if telling me: Don't be afraid, I'm here. A warm feeling welled up in my heart, and my nervousness gradually subsided.

"Mr. Xu, do you think there is any problem with this incense burner?" asked Zhan Yu.

Elder Priest Xu took the incense burner and carefully examined it again, then shook his head. "There's nothing wrong with the incense burner itself; it's just been replaced. It seems someone doesn't want this sacrifice to go smoothly."

His words once again heightened the tension within the ancestral hall. The Han family members exchanged glances, their eyes filled with unease. I knew they must be worried about being exposed and punished.

"Since there's a problem with the incense burner, let's suspend the sacrifice this time." The Qin family elder said, "We'll resume the sacrifice after we find out the truth of the matter."

His words were agreed by everyone. Although my mother-in-law was unwilling, she had no choice.

I looked at Han Liming and his people and sneered in my heart. Do they think they can get away with this? I won't let them succeed!

After the ritual was suspended, I wasn't idle. I had servant Luo secretly monitor the actions of the Han family members, while I myself searched for more evidence. I believed that as long as I worked hard, I would be able to find the mastermind behind this and make them pay!

In the evening, I strolled alone in the garden, my mind reeling over what had happened that day. Han Liming's behavior was so unusual. Why had he replaced the incense burner? What was his purpose? Was it simply to disrupt the sacrifice?

I feel like things aren't that simple. The Han family seems to have a bigger conspiracy. Why are they targeting me? Is it because I've discovered some secret of theirs?

Just as I was lost in thought, Servant Luo hurried over, his face panicked. He whispered something in my ear… My heart sank. Han family, it seems you really don't intend to stop…

Servant Luo whispered in my ear, "Young Madam, Han Liming has secretly gone to the forbidden area in the back mountain..." The forbidden area in the back mountain is a place that only the heads of the Zhan family have set foot in. What was Han Liming doing there? A chill ran up from the soles of my feet to my heart. My intuition told me that the Han family's conspiracy this time was no small matter.

As the night deepened, I ordered the servant Luo to guard the courtyard while I changed into my nightgown and quietly made my way to the forbidden area behind the mountain. The mountain path was rugged, the night wind howled, and the shadows of the trees swayed, as if countless eyes were watching me from the dark. I gripped the dagger tightly in my hand, vigilantly observing the movements around me.

At the entrance to the forbidden area in the back mountains stood an ancient stone tablet, inscribed with the words "Trespassers will be killed," a chilling feeling. I took a deep breath, stepped around the tablet, and slipped into the forbidden area. Towering ancient trees towered over the ground, blocking out the sun. Moonlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground, adding a touch of eeriness.

I walked cautiously along the path. The air was filled with a faint scent of sandalwood. This smell... was exactly the same as the one in the incense burner used for sacrifices! My heart trembled and I quickened my pace.

After walking for about an incense stick of time, I arrived at a cave. The entrance was obscured by dense vines, making it difficult to spot without careful observation. I pushed aside the vines and carefully entered.

The cave was deep, and a chilling atmosphere filled me. I lit a tinder, and in the dim light, I saw some ancient stone tablets and sacrificial offerings placed inside. At the deepest point, I spotted a familiar figure—Han Liming.

He was kneeling before a stone platform, mumbling something, holding something resembling a map. By the light of the fire, I could vaguely make out the location of the Zhan family's ancestral tomb, along with some strange symbols. Could it be...he was planning to rob the tomb? The thought gave me chills.

I held my breath and quietly moved closer to him, trying to hear clearly what he was saying.

"...As long as I find that thing, everything in the Zhan family will be mine..." Han Liming's voice was low and gloomy, with a hint of madness.

"That thing?" I wondered in my heart, what exactly was the "that thing" he was talking about?

At this moment, Han Liming suddenly stopped chanting and turned around. His eyes were sinister and cold, like a beast waiting to devour its prey. "Who?!"

I was shocked. I was exposed! Without thinking, I immediately hid behind a huge rock.

"Come out!" Han Liming shouted sternly, his voice echoing in the cave.

I clung to the boulder, not daring to make a sound. Han Liming, holding a torch, searched for me. The flickering flames of the flames made my heart beat faster and faster.

Suddenly, he walked towards the boulder where I was hiding. I gripped my dagger tightly, ready to strike at any moment.

"I know you are here!" Han Liming's voice was getting closer and closer, and my heart was in my throat.

Just as he was about to reach the boulder, suddenly, a voice came from the cave entrance: "Liming, what are you doing?"

It’s the voice of the head of the Han family!

Han Liming paused, a look of panic crossing his face. He quickly hid the map behind him and turned to face the Han family leader.

"Chief, why are you here?"

"I heard you were in the forbidden area, so I came to take a look." The Han family head said in a serious tone, "What are you doing here?"

Han Liming stammered, "I...I just came to see the relics of my ancestors."

The Han family leader gave him a suspicious look, then his gaze swept across the furnishings in the cave, finally landing on the boulder where I was hiding... He slowly walked over, reached out his hand, and pulled aside the vines that were covering my view...