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

Zhan Yu squeezed my hand and gave me a reassuring look. "Don't be afraid, I'm here." His voice was low and firm, sinking into my flustered heart like a rock.

The Third Master of the Han Family continued to shout, but the madness in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by a cold complacency. I became even more certain that he had a trick up his sleeve. I stared at the Han Family members intently. Their gestures grew faster and more complex, like some ancient incantation, or some secret signal. A chill rose from the soles of my feet to the top of my head.

At this moment, the mother-in-law, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly spoke up. "Wait!" Her sharp voice cut through the clamor of the sacrificial field, and everyone's eyes were focused on her. "Bai, your sacrificial steps are wrong! You don't understand the rules at all. This is a blasphemy against our ancestors!"

I sneered inwardly. Sure enough, she was at it again. Every time I performed a ritual, she'd find excuses to find fault with me. Even if I performed perfectly, she'd find fault with me. I knew she didn't truly care about the priests; she just wanted to embarrass me, to make me lose face in front of everyone.

"Mother, now is not the time to talk about this." Zhan Yu's voice contained a hint of warning.

But her mother-in-law ignored her and became even more aggressive. "Why isn't this the right time to talk about this? Sacrifice is a serious matter, there's no room for sloppiness! Bai, why don't you correct yourself?"

I took a deep breath and suppressed the anger in my heart. "Mother-in-law, every step I took was strictly according to the records in the family tree. There are no mistakes."

"Family tree?" Mother-in-law sneered. "Everything in the family tree is dead, but the rules of sacrifice are alive! What do you, a married outsider, know?"

Her words were like a sharp knife, piercing my heart. "Outsider"—those three words were like a brand, forever etched on me. I knew that in their eyes, I would always be an outsider, never truly fitting into this family.

My hands began to tremble unconsciously. Zhan Yu sensed something was wrong and held my hand tightly. "Mother, that's enough!" His voice was cold, with a hint of unquestionable majesty.

The mother-in-law wanted to say something, but was stopped by Zhan Yu's sharp eyes. She closed her mouth unwillingly, but her eyes were full of resentment.

I tried to remain calm and continue with the ritual. The Han family members continued their gestures, and I felt an invisible pressure, like a giant net, enveloping me tightly.

Suddenly, Elder Priest Xu spoke. "Madam Zhan did the right thing." His voice was old and deep, carrying an undeniable power. "The sacrificial method she used, while slightly different from what we normally see, is a variation of ancient rituals and a sign of respect for the ancestors."

He paused, his eyes sweeping over everyone present, "This variation..."

Elder Priest Xu paused, his eyes sweeping over everyone present. "I've seen records of this variation in ancient books. It's said to have been created by the ancestors of the Bai family. It's not surprising that Madam Bai, being from the Bai family, understands this ancient sacrificial method."

His words undoubtedly reassured me. I glanced at him gratefully, feeling a little more at ease. But my mother-in-law's expression grew even uglier. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but ultimately, nothing came out.

The third master of the Han family also changed his expression. He looked gloomy and his eyes flickered. I noticed that the gestures of the Han family members also stopped. They exchanged uneasy glances, as if discussing something.

"Since Master Xu has said so, let's continue the sacrifice." Zhan Yu's voice carried a hint of unquestionable majesty.

I took a deep breath, suppressed my uneasiness, and continued with the ritual. As I performed the complex ritual, I secretly observed the Han family members' actions. Their eyes, their expressions, every subtle movement, I could see.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck me, and everything clicked. I finally understood the Han family's conspiracy! They weren't performing any ancient rituals at all; they were interfering with my sacrifice, attempting to tamper with its results! And my mother-in-law was their accomplice, deliberately picking on me, distracting me, causing me to make mistakes, giving the Han family an opportunity to exploit!

Thinking of this, my heart was filled with anger. I raised my head abruptly and stared at the Third Master of the Han family with a sharp gaze, "Third Master Han, what on earth are you doing?!"

My voice was clear and loud, standing out in the silence of the sacrificial field. Everyone's eyes were focused on me, and the face of the Third Master of the Han family turned pale in an instant.

"Bai, what nonsense are you talking about?!" he retorted with forced calmness.

"I'm talking nonsense?" I sneered. "Your gestures and actions are not part of a sacrificial ritual at all! You're interfering with me, trying to tamper with the results of the sacrifice and pin the blame on me, making me bear the charge of blasphemy against our ancestors!"

My words resonated like a thunderclap in the sacrificial field. Everyone present was shocked. They looked at the Third Master of the Han Family in disbelief, their eyes filled with suspicion and anger.

The third master of the Han family's expression became even uglier. He opened his mouth and wanted to defend himself, but found that he could not say anything.

"Bai, what evidence do you have?" An old voice rang out. It belonged to the elder of the Qin family. He slowly stood up and scanned everyone present with a sharp gaze.

I took a deep breath and pointed to a pattern on the altar. "Here's the evidence! This pattern is the key to the sacrifice. It represents the blessing of our ancestors. However, the Han family has been using their hand gestures to interfere with me, trying to make me draw the wrong pattern, thus causing the sacrifice to fail!"

My fingers trembled slightly, but I still pointed at the pattern firmly, meeting the gaze of the Qin family elder without fear.

"Elder Qin, you are the most respected elder in the family. You must be able to see that this pattern has been tampered with!"

The Qin family elder slowly walked to the altar and carefully observed the pattern. His expression grew increasingly solemn, his eyes growing deeper... He reached out his hand and gently stroked the pattern. After a long moment, he slowly spoke...

The Qin family elder's finger rested on the pattern for a long time, as if trying to peer through the ancient lines to discern the truth of history. He slowly raised his head, a glint of wisdom gleaming in his cloudy eyes. "What the Bai family said is true. This pattern has indeed been tampered with." His voice was deep and powerful, echoing in the silent sacrificial field.

Instantly, everyone's gaze was focused on the Third Master of the Han Family. Their gazes were like sharp blades, peeling back layer upon layer, revealing his ugly true face. The Third Master's face was as pale as paper, his lips trembling, but he couldn't utter a single sound. The members of the Han Family behind him also lowered their heads, not daring to meet anyone's gaze.

"Master Han," the Qin family elder's voice was as cold as ice, "As a member of the family, you actually did such a despicable thing. Do you know your crime?!"

The third master of the Han family fell to his knees with a thud, "Elder, spare my life! I... I was confused for a moment..."

"Confused?!" the Qin family elder shouted angrily, "You tampered with the sacrificial pattern and intended to disrupt the sacrifice. This is a great disrespect to our ancestors! What else do you have to say?!"

The third master of the Han family was trembling all over, sweating profusely, but he could no longer utter a single word. Behind him, the members of the Han family also knelt on the ground, begging for the elder's forgiveness.

Looking at their hideous appearances, I felt no pity, only endless disgust. These people, for their own selfish gain, were willing to desecrate our ancestors. Their crime is simply unforgivable!

"Come here," the Qin family elder ordered, "bring the Third Master of the Han family and his clansmen away and await their punishment!"

Several family guards immediately stepped forward and escorted the Third Master of the Han Family and his clansmen away. The sacrificial grounds suddenly fell silent, with only the rustling of leaves in the wind.

I breathed a long sigh of relief, a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. This conspiracy had finally been exposed, and my innocence had been proven.

Zhan Yu walked over to me and held me tightly in his arms. I could feel his strong heartbeat and the joy and pride emanating from him. He said nothing, just held me tightly, as if trying to melt me ​​into his body.

I buried my head in his chest, feeling his warm embrace, my heart filled with a sense of security and happiness. At this moment, all the grievances and fatigue disappeared, leaving only full of sweetness and warmth.

The ritual continued, and I completed all the ceremonies as normal. When the final note fell, concluding the ceremony, I felt a powerful force descend from the sky, enveloping me. I knew it was the blessing of my ancestors, the reward for my hard work.

After the ceremony, Zhan Yu and I walked out of the ancestral hall side by side. The sun shone warmly on my face, as if everything was filled with hope. Yet, a subtle unease lingered within me. Although the conspiracy had been uncovered, the actions of the Han family had undoubtedly shaken the clan deeply. What new situation would the family face after the ceremony?

"It seems that things are not that simple..." Zhan Yu suddenly spoke, his voice low and solemn, his eyes looking into the distance, as if he saw something...

Sunlight filtered through the ancient ancestral hall windows, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The afterglow of the rituals lingered, the air still thick with the crisp scent of sandalwood. I took a deep breath, trying to dispel the lingering gloom. Although the Third Master of the Han family's conspiracy had been exposed, his underlying motives, and the potential involvement of deeper forces, still shrouded me in mystery.

Zhan Yu held my hand, tighter than usual. "Don't worry," his deep voice echoed in my ear. "Everything will be fine."

I forced a smile. "I know, but..." I paused, unsure how to express my inner unease. The Han family was a powerful force within the clan. Even if Third Master Han was punished, there was no guarantee that others wouldn't continue to stir up trouble.

Leaving the ancestral hall, family members gathered in groups of two or three, whispering to each other. Their expressions varied: surprise, confusion, gloating, and even a subtle hint of...fear? I keenly caught these subtle emotional shifts, and my heart grew even more uneasy.

"It seems that this pool of water is deeper than we imagined." Zhan Yu's voice sounded again, and his eyes swept over everyone with a hint of coldness.

Following his gaze, I saw the Qin family elders conversing with several highly respected elders. Their expressions were serious, as if they were discussing something important. The other members of the clan, however, kept their distance from us, as if avoiding the plague. This sense of alienation made me feel very uncomfortable.

"Let's go and take a look." Zhan Yu took my hand and walked towards the elders of the Qin family.

"Elder," Zhan Yu bowed respectfully, "I wonder what plans the family has for the future?"

The Qin family elder looked at us deeply and sighed, "The actions of the Third Master of the Han family have seriously damaged the interests and reputation of the family. We must investigate this matter as soon as possible and give an explanation to all the clan members."

"The elder is wise." Zhan Yu agreed.

"However," the Qin family elder changed the subject, "this matter has far-reaching implications, and we must handle it with caution to avoid causing further unrest." His gaze fell on me again, and he said meaningfully, "Bai, you have performed a great service this time. The family will not forget your contribution."

I nodded slightly, "I just did what I should do."

"Okay, you guys go back and rest first. Let us old guys handle the rest of the matter." The elder of the Qin family waved his hand, signaling us to leave.

Zhan Yu and I turned and left, and I heard a whisper behind us. I looked back and found that the tribesmen were still staring at us, as if we were monsters.

"What on earth are they thinking?" I whispered.

Zhan Yu didn't answer, but just held my hand tightly and quickened his pace.

When we returned to our courtyard, servant Luo was already waiting. "Master, Madam," he approached with an anxious look on his face. "Someone just delivered a letter, saying it's..." He hesitated, looked around, then lowered his voice, "It's for Madam."

I took the letter and opened it with suspicion. Inside was a note with a line of beautifully written small characters: "Be careful, there's a mole around you."

My heart sank, a chill running from my feet to my head. Zhan Yu snatched the note, his face instantly turning livid. He jerked his head up, his gaze sweeping around, finally landing on Servant Luo...