Mistakenly Connected to the Jade Flower Branch

Chapter 123 Framed

The bathtub wasn't big, but it was full of water. Luo An sat down, and the water rose up to Nian Yao's nose and eyes. Nian Yao held her breath, too lazy to move, so Luo An picked her up and sat her on his lap.

The room was filled with steam. Nianyao wiped her eyes and whispered, "Xu Lai has always thought I'm not good enough for you."

Is it Xu Lai or Uncle Xu Lai? Luo An said, "The heart moves with the will, and the will arises from the heart. To act according to the heart and follow the will is called the unity of will and action, which is the highest joy in life..."

Nianyao shook her head: "I don't understand, it's too profound... Father once said that marriage should be between equals. Mother is a fairy from Yaochi, and should be matched with a celestial being. He is just a mortal and not worthy of her. Before we got married, Father also told me that I am the successor leader of the Great River Gang and can be on equal footing with anyone..."

Luo An said, "Father is right. With the strength of the Great River Gang's navy, as long as supplies are sufficient, they can control the rivers. That's why there's a saying that whoever controls the Great River Gang controls the world. War isn't just about having a lot of people. It's not impossible for elite soldiers to take on ten or even a hundred scattered soldiers..."

Nianyao asked in surprise, "Don't you know nothing about military strategy?"

Luo Andao said, "This is standard reasoning..."

Nianyao asked, "Alright, what did you mean by 'unity of mind and action' just now?"

Luo An gently pinched her nose: "Love comes from the heart, and has nothing to do with social status..."

Nianyao sighed: "Don't they think so?"

Luo An said, "You're not going to marry them anyway."

That makes sense! Nianyao kicked up a spray of water with her foot: "Luo An, I might really not be suited to be the gang leader. I'll go back to Heaven and Earth with you..."

Luo An twirled his hand in the water, and the water swirled around him, like a transparent lotus flower.

Luo An said gently, “The leader of a gang is like a king. You are what you are, and so is the leader. It’s not that you have to be a certain way just because the leader should be a certain way. You can be wise and kind, or you can be cold-blooded and cruel…”

Can he be cold-blooded and cruel? Nianyao turned to look at him: "I know you're trying to comfort me, thank you. But I'm not that fragile. I have a sense of right and wrong, and I can still understand reason."

Luo An said, "I know you're not fragile, and I'm not just trying to comfort you, I'm telling you the truth."

Nianyao smiled and said, "At first, I suspected Xu Lai and Qin Jiu. Yan Zeyu is a ship captain who has passed through layers of examinations, so it's impossible that he doesn't even know the most basic etiquette. Since the two of us and Uncle Liu didn't show up, according to convention, he couldn't have left with the ships first."

I suspect that Xu Lai and Qin Jiu interfered, allowing Yan Zeyu to leave first. Therefore, I can only suspect Yuan Feng and Yan Zeyu. Yuan Feng denies it, and Yan Zeyu's absence provides no corroboration.

Later, I remembered that Uncle Liu had mentioned Yan Zeyi looking familiar more than once… Uncle Liu must have seen Yan Zeyi before the shipyard selection competition. The people Uncle Liu and Xu Lai had met in the Dahe Gang were basically the same. Xu Lai had no doubts about Yan Zeyi, nor did he help me recall, he even deliberately interrupted me…

When I went to Yuan Feng at the Yuan residence to confirm, she denied it again, proving that the person must be related to Dongyang. Xu Lai, a former member of the Imperial Guard, possessed the loyalty and bravery of a military general, and was devoted to Dongyang. The return from Yuezhou, the sinking of the Jingwei ship, and Yan Zeyu's rendezvous—it's all too coincidental…

I fell down the steps on Jiangxinzhou Island. If I were really pregnant, the baby would surely be lost. Yan Zeyu's hopes were dashed, and his disappointment was palpable in that instant... "Why didn't they kill Uncle Zhou? If they had killed Uncle Zhou, Yan Zeyu would naturally be the ship owner of Jiangxinzhou Island, and together with Xu Lai, they could control Jingdong from both ends..."

Luo An said, "Yan Zeyu may not want to kill Zhou Yan, but he just can't. The few people Zhou Yan trusts the most are all people he selected from the Southern Yue army. He knows their backgrounds and they have clean families."

Yan Zeyu lived in Houtun, which Zhou Yan claimed was for ease of management with the Nanquanzhou brothers, but secretly it was to keep him isolated. When Yan Zeyu arrived at Chongming Island, Uncle Liu died. As long as the real culprit remained unidentified, Yan Zeyu could not escape suspicion.

Nianyao praised, "You are so thoughtful."

Luo An said, "Xu Sheng told me."

Nianyao was slightly taken aback: "Xu Sheng?"

Luo An said, "On the morning we left, Xu Sheng said that you and Xue Yunting were attacked. It must have been someone who framed Xue Yunting."

Nianyao shook her head: "The possibility is extremely low. Xu Lai and Yan Zeyu must know my background. It is unlikely that they would frame Yunting. Zhou Yan and the others will not believe it. Yan Zeyu would not be stupid enough to challenge both me and Xue Yunting."

Luo An said, "Among so many brothers in the Dahe Gang, how many are Zhou Yan? If you are really injured, no matter who makes the move, everyone will be in a state of panic. Xue Yunting will be just like Yan Zeyu back then, unable to escape suspicion."

"You're going to die. As an outsider on Jiangxin Island, it wouldn't be a problem to directly identify Xue Yunting as the murderer… You trust Xue Yunting that much? Are you sure he won't hurt you?"

If she were injured, the Dahe Gang would naturally assume that Xue Yunting wanted to harm her and fear that she would side with Dongyang. From Xu Sheng's perspective, someone was framing Xue Yunting.

Nianyao then thought of Xue Yunting's words: "Sister, I have a country to protect, parents and family to safeguard, and sometimes I have no choice in what I do..."

Such a small throwing knife, aimed at her stomach, couldn't possibly kill her instantly. If she were injured, Zhou Yan would investigate thoroughly. If Xue Yunting were truly worried about her, she would tell Zhou Yan about what happened that night, and Zhou Yan would remind her and investigate as well. But Zhou Yan seemed completely unaware.

Nianyao said, "So, Xue Yunting wanted to frame Yan Zeyu?"

Luo An was stunned for a moment, then got up, grabbed a towel to dry himself, put on his clothes, and pulled her up.

Nianyao got up and quickly submerged back into the water, splashing water everywhere and soaking Luo An's clothes. Nianyao grabbed a towel: "I can do it myself..."

Luo An said, "You've already taken a bath together, isn't it too late to be shy?"

Luo An's mood changed quickly, and his mind was equally impulsive. Just moments ago he was scheming and plotting, and in the blink of an eye he was flirting with her. Nian Yao said, "I'm not as shameless as you. Get out."

Luo An didn't force her, put down the towel and obediently went out, leaving Nian Yao bewildered: So easy to talk to?

Luo An sat on the edge of the bed, pondering Nian Yao's words. Xue Yunting couldn't possibly let Uncle Liu die without a clear explanation. Nian Yao already suspected Yan Zeyi; it wasn't impossible that he would use this opportunity to frame Yan Zeyi.

Nianyao stepped forward and stood next to Luo An: "...Why don't you suspect Qin Jiu?"

Luo An said, "Qin Jiu Niang's real name is Qin Yu Zhu, Qin Feng's cousin. Qin Jiu and Xu Sheng are cousins..."

Qin Jiu and Xu Sheng are cousins? Then Qin Jiu and Luo An are... Nian Yao couldn't quite grasp it.

Luo An fiddled with the white silk ribbon and said calmly, "I have no relation to Qin Jiu. At most, we're just chess friends."

Nianyao raised her hand to let her hair down, but Luo An grabbed her wrist to stop her and pulled her to stand in front of him: "Don't think about it. The Dahe Gang needs you to stabilize the situation. You won't be in danger for the time being..."

Nianyao looked down at him: "Yeah, I don't want to. Anyway, you're here, you'll save me if something really happens."

Luo An smiled: "It's good that you have this awareness. Nianyao, we are husband and wife. If anything happens to you, you must tell me immediately. Don't let me hear anything about you from other people, okay?"

Nianyao hesitated for a moment: "Luo An, I didn't mean to hide it from you. I know you don't like these things, I just..."