Chapter 1790 – Change of Name and Surname
“Does Zixiao think I’m too heartless?” Even Jiang Pengji would care about her image in her partner’s eyes. “After all, this body of Liu Xi does not belong to me. I took over this body but repeatedly plotted against Liu Xi’s relatives…”
To an ordinary person, Jiang Pengji’s actions might indeed seem excessive, so much so that calling her heartless wouldn’t be far off.
Wei Ci, however, said, “The Lord does not scheme for no reason, does she? When it comes to feelings, the Lord has done more than enough.”
Jiang Pengji used Liu Xi’s body, but she wasn’t the one who harmed Liu Xi. She simply took a body that had no owner. This wasn’t hidden from Liu Xi’s family; Liu Zhi, Gu Min, Gu Zhen, Lady Die, and even Liu Zhao were all aware and had enjoyed the benefits provided by Jiang Pengji. What’s the use of remaining silent when enjoying the perks, then shouting complaints afterwards?
The Lord’s temperament was to say what she meant and mean what she said.
Since she promised Gu Zhen a life of luxury, she would never go back on her word. But Gu Zhen was dissatisfied with what she had and fancied getting more, wanting to control real power and even manipulate Jiang Pengji. It’s greed that knows no bounds; who knows what more she might seek in the future… Where in the world does such a good thing happen? If she dared to push her luck, she shouldn’t blame the Lord for turning against her.
To put it plainly, Jiang Pengji was the principle, the worldview, and the bottom line for Wei Ci, and no one should try to cross that line.
In this way, how could Wei Ci think of her Lord as heartless?
If she truly were heartless, let alone Liu Zhi and Liu Zhao, the entire Liu Clan would have been crushed by her, just like in her previous life.
In the previous life, the Liu Clan was also the kind that wouldn’t face consequences if they didn’t act foolishly; their end was indeed brought upon themselves.
“Zixiao’s words always resonate well with me.”
She had known Wei Ci for over ten years. They have only clashed faces twice in all these years, each incident lasting only a few hours, triggered by Jiang Pengji acting recklessly. They were both adults and wouldn’t engage in the childish “you are heartless, you are irrational” drama, nor would they allow misunderstandings to grow more significant, causing bigger rifts in their relationship.
Thus, with the alarm lifted, Jiang Pengji, carefree once again, started teasing Wei Ci. Seeing her in recovery, he merely took advantage of her verbally and turned a blind eye, allowing Jiang Pengji to run wild. Their relationship even became more harmonious.
They were in their own little world, unaware that the outside was rocked by the news of Jiang Pengji’s assassination attempt.
Reactions from various forces were mixed; some were skeptical, some worried, some felt guilty…
Huang Song belonged to the skeptical group.
There was simply no avoiding it; back then, Jiang Pengji had lured him into a trap using a fake assassination plot, which had unfortunate consequences for Huang Song. So many years later, he still cringed at the thought. He was probing for news, and even knowing Jiang Pengji had indeed been attacked, he still found it hard to accept.
When Jiang Pengji was attacked, Feng Jue was also present and witnessed the whole incident.
He said to Huang Song, “Although the specific injuries are unclear, given her blood loss, it seems quite serious.”
Huang Song didn’t know how to respond. Even with his friends as witnesses, he still felt the news was hard to believe.
He remarked, “With Lan Ting’s martial skills… I don’t think we can draw any conclusions immediately.”
He hadn’t forgotten the events from the Hui Alliance at the Huangshui, when the noble families went to Chenzhou Royal City to protect the Emperor.
The most memorable thing was when Jiang Pengji used a hulking board to smash a demon into bits right in front of Huang Song.
A being capable of using a board as a murder weapon would be critically wounded by an ungraduated student?
Absurd!
“Based on my understanding of Lan Ting, who knows what she has up her sleeve,” Huang Song shook his head. “Years ago, she was indeed a fierce general, freely traversing the battlefield, able to cut down several of the enemy’s generals single-handedly. Even if she has spent years cultivating peace, her inherent vigilance won’t just disappear, right? No assassin, no matter how skilled, can take her life.”
He was willing to bet everything he owned that there was definitely a scheme involved.
“The rumors out there are wild, one moment claiming Lan Ting was attacked, another saying she suffered grievous injuries and has passed away—quite the believable tale. Some doubt, yet some believe.”
Huang Song laughed coldly, “This is just Liu Xi’s usual trickery, so whoever believes is a fool. Didn’t she just use this trick to get rid of several stubborn aristocratic clans of Nan Sheng?”
Like that unfortunate Nan Family of Fenzhou.
They attempted to assassinate her but ended up dead instead, and got caught in her trap, resulting in their entire clan being executed.
Feng Jue smirked, “Using the same old method again?”
Huang Song replied, “The method may be old, but if it works, what’s wrong with it? Look at how she operates, it’s perfectly lured in foolish fish.”
Their deductions were based on their trust in Jiang Pengji’s combat prowess, but others did not share the same sentiment.
They only heard stories of how strong Jiang Pengji was; they had no concrete idea of just how formidable she really was.
Jiang Pengji had been attacked in full view of the public; the blood loss wasn’t fake, and the location of the wounds couldn’t be either, especially since the arrowheads were fitted with military-designed barbs.
The news of her dying from her injuries was false, but the truth of her assassination attempt was real, and the fact that she had no children was also true.
No matter how skilled she was, could she really turn the tide in such dire circumstances?
As for the Liu Clan, it was in chaos.
Liu Heng was deeply disappointed facing the room full of elders and esteemed relatives.
He knew the Liu Clan had been trying to recruit students from Golden Scales Academy, but he was unaware that these old folks would come up with such audacity.
“Weren’t we supposed to agree that recruiting those commoner students was for the family’s future? Back then, the words sounded so nice?” Liu Heng was nearly driven mad with anger. This news even reached the ears of his ailing father, causing Liu Ji to spit blood and faint, saying a line about the Liu Clan being in serious trouble. “With Liu Xi gone, there are still Liu Zhi and Liu Zhao! How dare your old folks’ descendants covet her legacy?”
Several elders held lofty status in the clan and had never been scolded by the younger generation like this before.
They were contemporaries of Liu Ji’s father; to them, Liu Heng was just a junior.
Moreover,
“The assassination incident was not orchestrated by us; it must be someone setting us up.”
Liu Heng laughed in anger.
Setting us up?
“With no proof, how can you expect anyone to believe you haven’t done anything?” Liu Heng said, “Liu Xi has evidence proving this incident is tied to the Liu Clan and you elders. Just pray and hope Liu Xi remains unscathed, and for the sake of my uncle, may she forgive you. If anything were to happen to her, the entire Liu Clan will pay the price, including you!”
Liu Heng’s words were far too blunt, and several elders felt their pride was at stake.
They had to deal politely with Liu Ji, yet what was Liu Heng thinking?
One of them replied, “If Liu Xi really were to meet an untimely demise, then wouldn’t it be better? At least Liu Zhi is not heartless and ungrateful like that girl.”
Liu Zhi still cared for the clan, but Liu Xi seemed indifferent to the concept of family.
After Jiang Pengji split from the clan, the elders felt increasing unease.
Since Jiang Pengji disregarded the family, what’s more, she had even actively suppressed them. Though Gu Zhen was supposedly her mother in name, she too was restricted.
What kind of unfilial descendant is this?
Another elder added, “If Liu Zhi takes over, he would only have the lowly-bred illegitimate son Liu Zhao left under him. Liu Zhi is deeply devoted to Gu Min, yet he harbors great disdain for the illegitimate son Liu Zhao, having stated he wouldn’t let Liu Zhao inherit the family business. At that time, we elders could select outstanding legitimate offspring from the clan to adopt him; the Liu Clan’s direct lineage and bloodline would be vastly superior to Liu Zhao’s.”
Most importantly, Gu Zhen supported this plan.
In sync with Gu Zhen, they could handpick several talented Liu Clan offspring to be by Gu Zhen’s side.
On the surface, it would appear that Gu Zhen felt lonely, and having children around would liven things up. In reality, they were nurturing the future “crown prince.”
Since Jiang Pengji was reluctant to give Gu Zhen real authority and status, she would seize it in this manner through her own machinations.
The children were young and easier to manipulate, much more so than Jiang Pengji, who was inherently rebellious against the family.
At the same time, this also provided Gu Zhen with greater assurance.
Liu Heng just laughed.
These old folks were truly naïve; didn’t they realize how ridiculous they were?
Even if Liu Zhi despised his illegitimate son, he was still flesh and blood. If there were a fortune at stake, why would he transfer it to someone else’s child?
Moreover, Jiang Pengji wasn’t dead yet.
Liu Heng understood clearly; once these old folk were exposed, they would be no match for his cousin Liu Xi.
“You all just keep dreaming; don’t drag the family down with you.”
The elders insisted, “Whether you believe it or not, we did not orchestrate the assassination.”
They plotted and schemed but would be wise enough to wait for the right moment; why would they recklessly operate so blindly?
Seeing their reactions didn’t seem false, Liu Heng’s heart gradually sank.
If it wasn’t these old men who had instigated the Liu Clan’s arrangements, then who could it be?
The pawns could not have acted without any instructions; they weren’t out to end their own lives.
“Investigate thoroughly, and ensure the Liu Clan is cleared from this mess.”
Liu Heng took a deep breath; if they couldn’t manage it, they’d have to sever ties for survival.
Meanwhile, other families were equally bewildered.
Because Liu Heng’s people discovered that the pawn the Liu Clan had arranged had made contact with other families too, though those families were entirely unaware of this, thus being framed.
But who was behind framing the Liu Clan remained utterly unclear.
Of course, it was a joke; Jiang Pengji staged this entire scene without leaving any loopholes.
She wiped out her enemies cleanly, giving them no chance for revival.
Aside from these families, others who had covertly extended their claws toward Golden Scales Academy were also frightened.
Some quaked at the mere hint of trouble, while others clung to “risking everything for a jackpot” mentality.
What if Jiang Pengji didn’t catch wind of their involvement?
They had invested considerable resources and efforts into cultivating their hidden pieces; letting it all go would be a waste.
This thought put them into a deadly predicament.
After a few more days, all students from Golden Scales Academy completed their graduation examinations.
Due to Jiang Pengji’s assassination incident making such waves, no one dared cause disruptions during the subsequent exams, allowing this graduation class to proceed smoothly.
Final results would only be announced a few days later, followed closely by the graduation ceremony.
“You think Lan Ting will show up that day?”
The students chatted privately, hoping Jiang Pengji would appear to bolster their importance while fearing another assassination attempt.
“Hard to say… With the air so tense in Wanzhou right now, I’m not even eager to return home.”
Jiang Pengji hadn’t shown herself in public; they remained clueless about the specifics.
They waited until the day results were announced, when things took a shocking turn.
Changsheng rushed to Feng Residence early in the morning to find Feng Yi, who was just finishing breakfast and practicing martial arts.
“Brother Rongli, what day is it today for you to be leisurely practicing? We should hurry before we can’t even squeeze in later.” Changsheng grabbed Feng Yi’s hand and pulled him outward, chattering, “The results are out today; doesn’t Brother Rongli feel curious?”
Feng Yi was quite calm, “What’s the rush? Knowing early or late, the scores won’t change.”
Today, as they would push through the crowd to check the results, might as well wait until the masses had dispersed.
Changsheng stamped her foot in annoyance, “Isn’t this about worrying for Brother Rongli? I want to know right away.”
Feng Yi smiled, “But I also don’t want the precious Changsheng to struggle through the crowd. After lunch, I’ll accompany you to check.”
With Feng Yi’s soothing words, Changsheng managed to calm down somewhat.
Before they could exchange more words, Sun Lan hurried up to them.
“Is A-Lan also here to see the rankings?”
Sun Lan rushed in, still catching her breath.
“What ranking? Something big happened!!!”
Feng Yi asked, “What big deal?”
Sun Lan exclaimed, “Lan Ting has awakened.”
“That’s good news.”
Sun Lan added, “If it were that simple, it would indeed be good news, but… Lan Ting… sigh, now I don’t even know how to address her…”
Feng Yi was baffled.
How to address?
Certainly, it would be ‘Lan Ting’!
Soon, Feng Yi understood why Sun Lan felt that way.
Last night, late into the night, it was rumored that the gravely injured, comatose, and critically endangered Lan Ting had awakened.
As a woman cloaked in myth, Jiang Pengji’s ability to transform what seemed like imminent peril into fortune had deep roots in this tale.
During her days of unconsciousness, she had presumably encountered her revered teacher in dreams, who related to her the legends of the divine book. The old immortal had informed her of the identity of the assassin dispatched to kill her, and their discussions extended over several days without exhaustion.
In the end, the old immortal regretfully conveyed, “If you don’t awaken now, you might never wake up again.”
“What does Master mean by this?”
As soon as Lan Ting finished speaking, the old immortal waved his sleeve, conjuring a gust of wind, whisking her away.
A short while later, she awakened.
Upon waking, she realized the medicine brought by the Maidservant had contained arsenic!
Had the old immortal not alerted her, she might have remained asleep indefinitely.
Capturing the Maidservant and interrogating her under duress led to the discovery that she was actually arranged by her stepmother, Gu Zhen.
Lan Ting naturally doubted this and sent people to investigate Gu Zhen, soon uncovering her treachery.
Thus, Lan Ting viewed the contents of her dreams with skepticism and again dispatched people to follow the clues, which returned information that matched perfectly with what the old immortal had stated. Several forces were implicated, including the Liu Clan and stepmother Gu Zhen, alongside other families.
All of this was substantial proof!
It was one thing for others to act against her, but for her own family and stepmother to plot her demise was another level of betrayal.
Lan Ting felt utterly disheartened, lamenting how vast the world was yet offered no place for her…
The old immortal then reappeared in her dreams, proclaiming her a child of destiny, granting her the surname “Jiang” and the name “Pengji,” referring to her as “Pengji.”
Hearing this, the three Feng brothers exchanged glances, astonished.
Jiang… Peng… Ji…
The third mischievous kid’s dream had actually come to pass!!!
