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

The atmosphere in the meeting room was heavy, as if the air had frozen. The head of the family sat at the head of the room, his face sullen. Several elders sat on either side, their gazes fixed on me, a mixture of scrutiny, suspicion, and inquiry. Several members of the Han family were also present, their faces adorned with subtle sneers, as if they were certain of victory.

My heart was pounding, my palms sweating. I knew this was my last chance to prove myself. I took a deep breath, tried to remain calm, and slowly walked to the center of the hall.

"Miss Bai," the patriarch's voice was low and authoritative, "Do you have any explanation for the rumors you've been subjected to recently?"

I raised my head and met his gaze firmly. "Master, those rumors are baseless slander. I have a clear conscience."

A member of the Han family sneered, "A clear conscience? Miss Bai, do you dare to say that you haven't done those things?"

"I dare!" I answered without hesitation. "I am upright and honest, and I am not afraid of anyone's slander."

"Really?" He pulled out a letter from his sleeve. "This is an anonymous report about you. It details how you deceived people and ruined our family's reputation..."

I took the letter, quickly skimmed it, and sneered inwardly. It was written with a serious air, but it was riddled with holes, clearly a deliberate fabrication.

"This letter is pure slander!" I threw it to the ground. "The writer has sinister intentions. His goal is to destroy family unity and sow discord."

"Miss Bai, do you have any evidence to support what you said?" asked an elder.

"Of course." I turned to look at Zhan Yu, who had been silent the entire time. He gave me an encouraging look. I gathered my composure and told him everything about how I had debunked the rumors, how I had found the evidence, and how the Han family was involved.

With every word I said, the Han family members' expressions grew uglier. When I told them how they bribed Luo's servant to spread rumors, they could no longer sit still and stood up to defend themselves.

The conference room suddenly became chaotic, with all kinds of noises intertwined together, making people dizzy.

The head of the family knocked hard on the table, "Silence!"

The noise gradually died down, and the head of the family looked at me again. "Miss Bai, your explanation is reasonable, but there is no conclusive evidence after all. We need to investigate further."

My heart sank suddenly. I knew that the head of the family was still hesitating and did not completely believe me.

At this moment, a voice came from outside the door, "Master, Elder Priest Xu wants to see you."

My heart was filled with joy. I knew my chance had come... The Patriarch nodded slightly and said, "Let him in."

The door opened, and Elder Priest Xu walked in. He held a scroll in his hand, his face serious. He walked up to the Patriarch and bowed respectfully, "Patriarch, I have something important to report."

He paused, his eyes swept across everyone, finally landing on me, and slowly said, "About..."

Elder Priest Xu paused, his gaze sweeping across the crowd before finally landing on me. He slowly spoke, "Regarding the unusual phenomenon that occurred during the sacrificial ceremony a few days ago, I have already determined the cause." His voice echoed through the solemn hall, each word striking a chord with the crowd. The faces of the Han family members grew even uglier, while I felt a glimmer of hope enter my heart.

"That vision wasn't an ominous sign, but an auspicious one!" Elder Priest Xu's voice resounded. "It was Miss Bai's piety that moved the heavens, allowing the sacrificial ceremony to proceed smoothly and the family's sacrificial flame to continue."

The hall erupted in an uproar, everyone looking at each other, clearly shocked by this statement. I felt Zhan Yu's hand tightly grip mine. His palm was warm and dry, giving me endless strength. The faint scent of agarwood on him gradually relaxed my previously tense nerves. I turned my head to look at him, and he gave me a firm yet gentle look in return, as if to say: Don't be afraid, I'm here.

A member of the Han family couldn't help but jump out, "Master Xu, your words are too absurd, aren't they? How could a newly married daughter-in-law have such great merits?"

Elder Priest Xu stroked his beard and looked at him sharply. "Ridiculous? I saw it with my own eyes. How could I lie to you? During the sacrifice that day, the flame on the altar was almost extinguished. It was Miss Bai's devout prayers that made the flame burn again. Moreover, I also discovered that Miss Bai possesses an extremely high talent for sacrifice, which is extremely rare in the family's history." He paused and emphasized again, "Miss Bai not only upheld the dignity of the family's sacrifice, but also brought blessings to the family!"

Elder Priest Xu's words were like a bombshell, sending shockwaves through the meeting room. Everyone looked at me with eyes no longer filled with suspicion or scrutiny, but with awe and admiration. I felt a surge of warmth well up in my heart, and all the grievances and bitterness were released in that moment.

I took a deep breath and tried to calm my excitement. I knew this was far from enough and there was still a lot I needed to do.

The Han family members' faces turned pale. They had originally thought that they could use this opportunity to drive me out of the Zhan family, but they didn't expect that they would shoot themselves in the foot. They exchanged glances with each other, as if discussing countermeasures.

Zhan Yu's hand was still tightly holding mine, and his strength made me feel extremely safe. I knew that no matter what happened, he would stand by me and face it with me.

Suddenly, the elder of the Qin family stood up...

The Qin family elder slowly stood up, his commanding presence instantly hushing the once-noisy hall. His piercing gaze swept across the room, finally resting on me with a hint of admiration. "After careful consideration at the family meeting, we unanimously agree that Miss Bai's performance at the sacrificial ceremony was exemplary. Her piety and noble character are worthy of emulation by all of us." His voice was deep and powerful, every word ringing clearly in my ears, flowing through me like a warm current.

Thunderous applause erupted in the hall, and I felt my cheeks warm and my heart pound. Trying to remain calm, I nodded slightly, expressing my gratitude to Elder Qin and the other family members. Zhan Yu gently patted the back of my hand, his eyes filled with pride and joy, as if to say: You did it!

I secretly took a deep breath, savoring this hard-earned recognition. When I first joined the Zhan family, I faced doubt, suspicion, and challenges. Now, I've finally proven my worth through my actions. It felt like finally seeing an oasis after walking through a vast desert for a long time. It filled me with immense comfort and satisfaction.

The Han family members' expressions were as grim as if they'd eaten a fly. They'd thought they could use this opportunity to drive me out of the Zhan family, but it backfired, and they'd shot themselves in the foot. They stood in the corner, looking like a group of abandoned clowns, completely out of place. One of them, Han Li, was livid, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails practically dug into his flesh. He glared at me fiercely, his eyes filled with resentment and unwillingness, sending a chill down my spine.

I ignored Han Li's hostility. I knew that people like him would never sincerely bless me. I just had to be myself, prove myself with my strength, and leave them speechless.

Elder Qin continued, "In recognition of Miss Bai's achievements, the family has decided to record Miss Bai's name in the family tree and grant her the title of 'Daughter of Piety'." As soon as he finished speaking, warm applause rang out in the hall again.

The title of "Daughter of Piety" is not only a recognition of my performance at the sacrificial ceremony, but also a recognition of my personal character. I know that this honor is hard-earned, and I must work harder to live up to my family's expectations.

After the ceremony, I followed Zhan Yu back to our courtyard. Servant Luo had already prepared refreshments and, upon seeing us return, hurried over to greet us. "Congratulations, Madam! Congratulations, Madam!" His face lit up with a genuine smile that warmed my heart.

I smiled and thanked him, then took the teacup he offered me and took a sip. The aroma of the tea filled the air, refreshing my heart and completely relaxing my tense nerves.

Zhan Yu sat beside me, looking at me tenderly. "Thank you for your hard work," he said softly, his tone full of heartache and love.

I shook my head and said, "It's not hard. It's all worth it." I looked into his eyes, felt his love and support for me, and my heart was filled with happiness and satisfaction.

Suddenly, servant Luo rushed in, looking panicked, "Master, Madam, something's wrong..."

Servant Luo was sweating profusely, his face was pale, and he stuttered a little: "Young... Young Master, Young Madam, Young Master Han... Young Master Han Li is... He is in the ancestral hall..."

My heart skipped a beat. Ancestral hall? What was Han Li doing there? An ominous premonition washed over me. Zhan Yu also realized the seriousness of the situation. He put down his teacup, stood up, and asked, "Tell me slowly, what happened?"

Servant Luo took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. "Young Master Han Li…he broke into the ancestral hall, saying he wanted to…worship his ancestors, but…but after he went in, he never came out again…"

The ancestral hall is the sacred place of the Zhan family. Except for sacrificial ceremonies, no one is allowed to enter at will. Han Li's intrusion into the ancestral hall at this critical moment must have bad intentions. I immediately stood up and said to Zhan Yu, "Let's go and take a look."

Zhan Yu nodded, and we hurried toward the ancestral hall. The door was tightly closed, and a chilling, cold air seeped out from inside, making people shudder. Zhan Yu pushed the door open, and a strong smell of blood hit me in the face. I couldn't help but cover my nose.

In the center of the ancestral hall, Han Li lay motionless, a dagger lodged in his chest, his blood staining the ground red. I gasped. What…what was going on?

Zhan Yu quickly walked to Han Li's side, sniffed his breath, and then shook his head: "He is dead."

My mind was buzzing. Han Li was dead? In the Zhan family ancestral hall? This…this was a truly catastrophic event! I forced myself to calm down and carefully observed my surroundings. Aside from Han Li's body, there was nothing else unusual in the ancestral hall, and there were no fingerprints left on the dagger.

"What...what is going on?" Maid Luo was so scared that his face turned pale and his whole body was trembling.

Zhan Yu's brows furrowed. He looked around, his eyes sharp as a hawk. "It seems someone wants to frame us."

My heart sank. Zhan Yu was right. Han Li died in the Zhan family's ancestral hall, and right after I had been recognized by the family. It was hard not to suspect we were the one who did it. But why would we kill him? Besides, we didn't have the time to commit the crime.

"This matter must be reported to the Elders Council immediately." Zhan Yu said in a deep voice.

I nodded. I knew that this matter was of great importance and that if we were not careful, it would bring us disaster.

We left the ancestral hall and were about to look for Elder Qin when we saw Elder Xu, the priest, hurrying over. His face was grave, and upon seeing us, he immediately asked, "What happened?"

Zhan Yu told the old priest Xu what happened in the ancestral hall. After hearing this, Xu's face changed drastically: "This... What should we do?"

"The most important thing now is to find out the truth and find the murderer." Zhan Yu said in a deep voice.

Elder Priest Xu nodded. "That's right. We must get to the bottom of this. Otherwise, the consequences will be disastrous." He paused, then added, "I will report this matter to the Council of Elders immediately. You all go back and wait for news."

We returned to the courtyard, my heart pounding with anxiety. Han Li's death was like a time bomb, and I didn't know when it would explode.

"Don't worry," Zhan Yu held my hand and comforted me, "We will find out the truth."

I looked into his eyes and tried to calm myself. I knew Zhan Yu would protect me, but this time, my opponent seemed stronger and more cunning than ever before.

As night fell, the entire Zhan household was shrouded in a gloomy haze. Servant Luo brought dinner, but I had no appetite. I sat by the window, staring out at the dark sky, feeling a surge of anxiety and unease.

Suddenly, a rapid knock on the door shattered the stillness of the night. My heart skipped a beat, and a sense of foreboding settled over me. Zhan Yu stood up to open the door, and I stared at it intently, my heart in my throat.

Outside the door stood two family guards dressed in black. Their faces were serious and their tone was cold: "Miss Bai, the Elders Council would like you to come over."