The Murong family of Sijiou had no fear of the Li family village.
They were neither a benevolent family, nor a filial and loyal one, nor one of military martyrs!
At best, they were nouveau riche who had risen from the grasslands in recent years, leveraging certain factors to join Sijiou.
If any member of the Murong family dared to stubbornly protect Murong Mingyuan, Li Qianfan would absolutely unleash his killing intent upon them!
Before Li Qianfan's words had even fallen—
More than ten disciples from the Hall of Punishment slowly advanced, heading in their direction.
They looked at the Murong family as if they were already dead!
"Ten, nine, eight."
Jing Ran began her countdown.
With each number she spoke, she took a step back.
After ten steps, the countdown would be complete, and Li Xingtang and his men would unleash a massacre upon everyone from the Murong family present!
She feared getting splashed with blood.
"Seven—"
As Jing Ran retreated to her fourth step, beads of cold sweat visibly formed on the foreheads of the more than ten Murong family members.
Murong Mingyuan trembled uncontrollably, her previous arrogance completely gone.
Li Xingtang and the others maintained their cold expressions, drawing their weapons from their waists.
Helan Longqi quickly and quietly distanced himself once more.
Bai Yujing and his group moved several times faster than Helan Longqi.
They had wisely evaded the scene as soon as Jing Ran began her countdown.
"Three."
Jing Ran had retreated to her eighth step.
Around the Murong family members of Sijiou, apart from Li Xingtang and his men in front, there was a ten-meter cordon of empty space to their left, right, and rear.
"Two."
Jing Ran stepped back to her ninth step, a smile playing on her lips, her eyes filled with malice.
Li Qianfan sighed, finally withdrawing his left hand from Lan Yunhai's mother's waist.
One!
One!!
One—
Lan Yunhai, lying on the table, along with Young Master Tianci, roared inwardly in secret, assisting Jing Ran’s countdown.
Jing Ran lifted her left foot to retreat.
Just as it was about to land, Murong Mingyuan finally shrieked, "I will bear my own actions, do not harm my family! Li Qianfan, you just want to sleep with me, don't you? I'll let you sleep with me!"
Despite their hearts pounding, their faces pale, and cold sweat pouring down their brows, with lips almost bitten through, none of the Murong family members stepped aside!
"The Murong family of Sijiou does possess some backbone."
Jing Ran sneered, "Unfortunately, they failed to manage this little mare properly."
Murong Mingyuan quickly walked out from the crowd.
But Li Qianfan said to Jing Ran, "Not necessarily. If they truly had backbone, they wouldn't let her walk out. They would have stood with her, facing life and death together. The reason they are not stepping aside is that none of them dare to bear the responsibility of bringing such shame upon the entire Sijiou Murong family."
The Murong family members all lowered their heads.
Li Qianfan's words had stripped away their last shred of dignity.
"Regardless, it's better to avoid killing if possible,"
Jing Ran sat down, casually crossing her legs, and said lazily, "And as it happens, I am famously soft-hearted."
The muscles in Li Xingtang's jaw twitched rapidly.
If another woman from the Li family claimed to be soft-hearted, they might have reluctantly believed her.
But for Jing Ran to claim it—
Who in the world could compare to Jing Ran, who, over twenty years ago, had wiped out her entire foster family, the Jing family, who had raised her?!
Li Qianfan also did not take Jing Ran's boast seriously.
He merely watched Murong Mingyuan, clad in snow-white feet, biting her lip fiercely as she slowly approached, frowned, and then looked at Jing Ran.
According to the plan of "whoever is stronger," Li Qianfan was next to take Lan Yunhai's place in consummating the marriage with Murong Mingyuan.
He had also sworn that he would "take good care" of Murong Mingyuan for Lan Yunhai.
But as the moment arrived—
Jing Ran looked at him coldly, her face a mask of disappointment, as if he were a hopeless case.
As Li Qianfan avoided her gaze, her words from reading the will echoed in his ears: "Qianfan, by the time you read this email, I may no longer be alive."
With a *whoosh*!
Li Qianfan roughly pushed Chu Yazhi, whom he had been holding, away and stood up, raising his hand to grab Murong Mingyuan by her hair.
Ah!
Murong Mingyuan cried out in pain, instinctively trying to struggle.
Li Qianfan, however, kicked her hard in the abdomen.
Murong Mingyuan immediately clutched her stomach with both hands, curling up at his feet, struggling to breathe.
Li Qianfan looked at the Murong family and said softly, "Remember this, all of you. Until I'm tired of her, if she dares to be touched by any other man, I will kill one person from the Murong family. If touched twice, I'll kill two. And so on, until you are all dead."
Lan Yunhai had once said similar words to Su Ziyu.
Logically, Li Qianfan should have said these words to Lan Yunhai.
But the noble Young Master Lan, the "gentleman like jade," was no longer a man at this moment and would naturally not touch Murong Mingyuan again.
Therefore, Li Qianfan had to direct these words to the Murong family.
The Murong family members gritted their teeth so hard they could hear the clicking, yet none dared to utter a word.
Jing Ran added, "The Lan and Murong families are both listening. Until my son is tired of her, she is not allowed to divorce Lan Yunhai. From now on, she can only return to Sijiou for one night a month. She must stay with the Lan family and take good care of her disabled husband and widowed mother-in-law."
The Lan and Murong families—
"Go, son. I wish you a pleasant first journey tonight."
Jing Ran chuckled, waving for Li Qianfan to hurry up and go do what he needed to do.
Li Qianfan nodded vigorously, dragging Murong Mingyuan by her hair, and strode towards the back door of the hall.
Two female disciples from the Hall of Punishment quickly followed.
They were there to ensure the absolute safety outside the room during the village chief's first "journey."
The finest guest room in Yufeng Mountain Villa was Lan Yunhai and Murong Mingyuan's bridal chamber.
It was decorated sumptuously and exuded festive cheer.
Even someone with extreme myopia could see the bridal chamber clearly as soon as they stepped out of the hall's back door.
Under everyone's watchful eyes.
Li Qianfan, dragging Lan Yunhai's new wife, exited the hall's back door.
Jing Ran raised her hand and waved at the master of ceremonies hidden in the crowd.
The master of ceremonies dared not approach, yet he had no choice but to do so.
Bowing and scraping, his face beaming with fawning subservience, he asked, "Madam, what is your command?"
Jing Ran said, "My son has worked hard to take my eldest son's place in the bridal chamber. Why is there no celebratory music playing?"
The master of ceremonies seemed to realize, and quickly replied, "I'll play the music right away!"
The sound of celebratory music soon echoed throughout the hall.
Jing Ran stood up and scanned everyone in the hall, asking, "My son has worked hard to take the eldest son's place in the bridal chamber. Everyone, why aren't you drinking to celebrate? Does no one like my son taking the eldest son's place in the bridal chamber?"
Who dared to refuse?!
Young Master Tianci was the first to raise his wine glass and stand, saying, "Come, all esteemed guests. Let us raise our glasses together and congratulate Mr. Li Qianfan on his hard work in taking the eldest son's place in the bridal chamber!"
Without a doubt.
Whoever stepped forward first at this moment would offend the Lan and Murong families.
After all, Li Qianfan's "hard work" was a humiliation to the Lan and Murong families!
"Du Tianci, has your brain short-circuited?"
Du Yingjun's expression changed, and he quickly reprimanded Du Tianci in a low voice.
Du Tianci, however, sneered, "Do I need your permission to do what I do?"
Du Yingjun—
Before he could react, he saw Bai Yujing stand up and raise his glass, saying, "Come, let us all toast Mr. Li!"
Du Yingjun was even more stunned, then realized with a dawning understanding, and cursed inwardly, "Disaster! I only remembered that there was no need to offend the Lan and Murong families, but forgot that this is a great opportunity to curry favor with Li Qianfan (and the power behind him)! It is Du Tianci, this fool, who understood it first."
More and more people began to understand.
Amidst the festive melody, they watched the two coffins and the few hanging figures, and then raised their glasses, drinking heartily.
Jing Ran nodded approvingly at Du Tianci.
However, she then instructed Li Xingtang, "Carry Young Master Lan to the door of the bridal chamber. Let him hear with his own ears how hard my son is working to take his place."
Jing Ran did not kill Lan Yunhai, but was instead further attacking his spirit!
Li Xingtang naturally had no objections to her orders.
Lan Yunhai's vision darkened, and he just wanted to curse.
But the world was so beautiful—
"Wait."
Jing Ran suddenly thought of something and said to Li Xingtang, "My son is a rookie, completely clueless about certain matters. At this moment, he needs a coach to teach him the techniques hands-on."
She said this, looking at Chu Yazhi.
Chu Yazhi immediately understood what she meant, her delicate face flushing instantly.
She instinctively clamped her legs shut.
Jing Ran looked at her with a half-smile and said, "Coach Chu, you can say no."
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Having been writing since last night, I can finally catch up with the progress. Thank you all for your support!