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

Maid Luo did not dare to delay and immediately put down the tea tray and ran to the study.

I paced anxiously, my heart beating fast.

Not long after, Zhan Yu came over in a hurry.

"What happened?" He asked with a hint of worry in his tone.

I quickly told him everything I had heard.

After he heard this, his expression became serious.

"It seems that they are going to tamper with the sacrificial ceremony." Zhan Yu said in a deep voice.

The next day, the sacrificial ceremony was held as scheduled.

As the new wife of the Zhan family, I am responsible for assisting the old priest Xu in performing the ceremony.

The atmosphere was solemn and dignified, with smoke curling around the air.

I took every step carefully, but there was always a shadow in my heart.

The people from the Han family were standing not far away. Their eyes were like poisonous snakes, staring at me closely, making me feel uneasy.

When the ceremony reached the critical part - offering sacred objects to ancestors, Han Tao suddenly stood up, pointed at me and said loudly: "She did it wrong! She doesn't understand the rules of sacrifice at all. This is a great disrespect to the ancestors!" His voice was sharp and piercing, instantly breaking the solemn atmosphere of the ceremony.

Everyone's eyes were on me, and whispers were heard one after another.

I felt like I was stripped naked and exposed in front of everyone, helpless and ashamed.

Elder Qin also frowned slightly and looked at the old priest Xu, as if asking for his opinion.

My palms started to sweat and I was so nervous that I could hardly breathe.

At this moment, Zhan Yu stood up. He walked over to my side, held my hand, and looked at Han Tao firmly, "You're talking nonsense! Every step she took was strictly in accordance with the ancestral teachings. You are deliberately slandering her!" He turned to look at Elder Qin, his tone calm and powerful, "Elder Qin, I trust my wife, and I also trust the professional judgment of Elder Xu, the priest. I hope you can be more discerning!" Han Tao sneered, "Zhan Yu, you are shielding her! How could she, a girl from the Bai family of humble origins,..."

Before Han Tao could finish his words, Zhan Yu interrupted him coldly: "Humble origin? Han Tao, I respect you as my elder, so I have always been tolerant of you. The Bai family has been a scholarly family for generations, so how can we say we are humble? It is you who, in order to achieve your goals, do not hesitate to stir up trouble in front of our ancestors. You are the real humble one!" His powerful words shocked everyone present.

Han Tao's face turned pale and blue, but he was speechless for a moment.

I held Zhan Yu's hand tightly. His palm was warm and dry, giving me great strength.

I took a deep breath and tried to stay calm.

Han Tao refused to give in. He pulled out a yellowed piece of paper from his sleeve and held it high. "This is a record I found in the family tree. It clearly states that the sacred objects must be presented personally by the daughter-in-law of the eldest son of the direct lineage. And you..." He pointed at me, his tone full of contempt, "You are just..."

"Enough!" Elder Qin shouted, interrupting Han Tao, "Where did this piece of paper come from?" His eyes were as sharp as an eagle, as if he could see through everything.

Han Tao was a little flustered, his eyes flickering: "This is... this is what I found in the family tree..." His voice became smaller and smaller, and his confidence was obviously lacking.

The atmosphere at the scene was extremely tense, and the air seemed to be frozen.

I felt that all the eyes around me were focused on me, with suspicion, ridicule, and sympathy.

My heart was beating faster and faster, almost jumping out of my throat.

Zhan Yu clenched his hands tighter. He turned his head slightly and whispered in my ear, "Don't be afraid, I'm here." His voice was low and firm, like a reassurance, which gradually calmed my panicked heart.

Han Tao was still hesitating to explain the origin of the paper, and I noticed beads of sweat on his forehead.

He kept wiping the sweat off his face with his sleeves, his eyes wandering around, not daring to look anyone in the eye.

Suddenly, as if he had made up his mind, he raised his head, pointed at me and said loudly: "Even if this piece of paper is fake, you can't prove that you understand the rules of sacrifice! You are not qualified at all..."

Before he could finish his words, the old priest Xu walked out slowly.

He held a thick ancient book in his hand, looked at Han Tao with a sharp gaze, and slowly said: "Han Tao, the sacrificial rules you mentioned come from..." He paused, his eyes sweeping over everyone present, "from this forged family tree."

The words of the old priest Xu were like thunder, exploding in the ancestral hall.

Everyone's eyes were focused on the ancient book in his hand.

He flipped open the book, pointed to a passage, and said in an old yet resonant voice, "The true sacrificial rules are written here! There's no rule that the eldest daughter-in-law of the direct line must offer the sacred objects! This forged genealogy is a sham, a mistranslation of concepts. The perpetrators are despicable!"

Han Tao's face turned pale in an instant, his lips trembled, but he couldn't say a word.

The yellowed paper in his hand was like a branding iron, burning his cheek.

"Han Tao, do you have anything else to say?" Elder Qin's voice was majestic and cold, with an unquestionable sense of oppression.

Han Tao knelt dejectedly on the ground, and the Han family members behind him also lowered their heads, not daring to look directly into Elder Qin's eyes.

Their faces looked very ugly, like eggplants hit by frost.

I looked at the scene in front of me, feeling mixed emotions.

This sacrificial ceremony should have been a solemn and sacred event, but because of Han Tao's conspiracy, it has turned into the current tense situation.

Elder Priest Xu walked up to me, patted my shoulder lovingly, and said, "Son, you've done a great job. You respect tradition, yet you're not bound by formalities. You're able to respond flexibly to crises. This is the true spirit of sacrifice."

Elder Qin also came over and nodded in appreciation. "Miss Bai, your performance today is worthy of learning for all of us. You not only safeguarded the honor of the family, but also demonstrated the elegance of a woman of the new era."

The family members around me also looked at me with approval, their eyes full of admiration and recognition.

I felt a warm current surge in my heart, and all the grievances and pressure disappeared.

Zhan Yu held my hand gently, his eyes full of tenderness and pride.

I shook his hand back, my heart filled with gratitude.

I know that without his constant support and encouragement, I might not be where I am today.

After the ceremony, I stood outside the ancestral hall and looked into the distance.

I know that although Han Tao's conspiracy has been exposed, the challenges in the family are far from over.

I took a deep breath, my eyes determined... "Let's go." Zhan Yu's voice sounded in my ears.

The wind outside the ancestral hall blew across my cheek with a hint of coolness.

Zhan Yu held my hand, and the warmth from his palm made me feel a lot more at ease.

"What are you thinking about?" His voice was low and gentle, like a ray of warm sunshine, dispelling the haze in my heart.

"Although Han Tao has been brought to justice, this is just the beginning." I sighed softly, my eyes falling on the rolling hills in the distance, as if countless secrets and challenges were hidden there.

"I know." Zhan Yu tightened his grip, and his thumb gently stroked the back of my hand. "The waters of the Zhan family are deeper than I thought."

I turned my head and looked into his deep eyes, a trace of worry welling up in my heart.

"Have you...ever suspected anyone else?" My voice was so soft that only the two of us could hear it.

Zhan Yu was silent for a moment, with a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

"I have some suspicions, but no evidence." He paused and added, "However, I will find out." I nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

Some things are better left at the right time. I know Zhan Yu has his own way of dealing with them.

"Let's go back and have some rest." Zhan Yu put his arm around my shoulders and led me out of the ancestral hall.

I looked back and saw that the door of the ancestral hall was closed, as if all the secrets were locked inside.

I could feel that after the sacrificial ceremony, the family members still looked at me with complicated eyes, and I didn't know what they were thinking.

I know that this matter has not completely passed. Han Tao's downfall may just be the prelude to the internal strife of the Zhan family... Just as I was about to look away, I noticed a black figure that flashed by and disappeared into the shadow of the ancestral hall.

I stopped abruptly, "Wait..."