vrcanaries Chapter 1467 Underestimation
Chapter 1467 Underestimation
That morning, just as dawn was breaking, whispers began to circulate in the streets of Jingcheng.
It first spread from teahouses, taverns, and vegetable markets.
"Have you heard? Two more people have died in the west of the city."
"Another epidemic? Wasn't this disease already under control?"
"Alas, the strange thing is that as soon as the young city lord entered the city, his illness worsened again."
The speaker lowered his voice, his eyes darting around, and deliberately moved closer to the crowd: "I heard from an old Taoist priest that Mo Ziyu is cursed with a solitary star, bringing misfortune to his father and mother, and also carrying a jinx. The former city lord's disappearance was suspicious; perhaps he was the one who cursed him to death!"
"Really?" someone exclaimed.
"Of course it's true! Look, as soon as he entered the city, a plague broke out in Jingcheng, and more and more people died. Isn't that a jinx?"
The rumors spread like sparks dipped in oil, igniting the entire city overnight.
Some people added fuel to the fire: "My relative works at a clinic and said that the number of people getting sick has been increasing day by day, and the clinic is almost out of medicine."
"It's all because of him! A baby who's still breastfeeding, what kind of city lord is he? He's angered the heavens!"
"I think it's the bad luck he brought that's keeping Jingcheng in turmoil!"
The more it was spread, the more outrageous and malicious it became.
By the afternoon, the sentiment had shifted to: "Mo Ziyu is a jinx reincarnated. If we keep him around, Jingcheng will be emptied of people!"
"Only by driving away the scourge can the epidemic be cured!"
“Deputy City Lord Zhou is the one who can protect us. If a mere brat becomes the city lord, we common people will suffer!”
On the streets and alleys, the people who originally had some awe for Zhan Miao's authority on that day were now swayed by fear and rumors. Their faces were filled with panic, and their gazes toward the City Lord's Mansion had changed from awe to fear, disgust, and even hatred.
As evening approached, people had already gathered outside the city lord's mansion, not daring to approach, but pointing at the gate from afar, cursing and crying.
"Hand over the jinx!"
"We don't want a jinx as our city lord!"
"Lord Zhou, please save Jingcheng!"
The noise grew louder and more chaotic.
In the city lord's palace.
Mo Ziyu was sitting at his desk, practicing the characters Zhan Miao had taught him, stroke by stroke. Hearing the commotion outside, his small body trembled, and the tip of his pen poked a dot of ink on the paper.
He looked up, his big eyes instantly filling with tears, but he bit his lip tightly, not daring to cry out.
He heard everything they were saying outside.
A jinx.
He caused the death of his father.
Because of him, some people died of illness.
Every word was like a small knife, stabbing into his heart.
Princess Youyi was mending clothes when she heard the shouts outside. Her face turned pale instantly, her hand trembled, and she pricked her fingertip with the needle, drawing blood.
She hurriedly stood up, hugged Mo Ziyu tightly in her arms, covered his ears, and her voice trembled:
"Ziyu won't listen, he won't listen! It's all nonsense, it's all fake!"
But she herself couldn't stop trembling all over.
Is the little bit of peace she's finally found going to disappear again?
Having finally gained a family, are they really going to be pushed out and used as a sacrifice?
Lin Yiwan stood by the window, her face grave: "Zhou Chongshan is quite cunning. He doesn't fight us for military or power; he targets the weakest link: the hearts of the people. The people are most afraid of disease and death. When they are afraid, they will believe anything."
Zhan Yan, clad in iron armor, stood under the corridor, exuding a chilling aura: "I'll go arrest the troublemakers outside, and then bring Zhou Chongshan here for questioning. Anyone who dares to spread rumors and cause trouble will be executed on the spot."
"No."
Zhan Miao spoke slowly, his voice calm and steady.
She stood in the hall, dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, her eyebrows and eyes sharp as knives, yet she showed no sign of panic.
“If Father arrests people now, it will only confirm the people’s suspicions and make them think that we are guilty and suppressing speech. Then the rumors will be even more rampant, saying that we are protecting a jinx and disregarding the lives of ordinary people.”
"What Zhou Chongshan wants is for us to get angry and for us to kill innocent people indiscriminately."
Zhan Yan frowned: "So we just let them make a scene?"
Zhan Miao smiled faintly, but a cold glint flashed in his eyes: "Let them make a scene. The bigger the scene, the easier it will be to deal with."
She turned around, walked to Princess Youyi and Mo Ziyu, squatted down, gently pulled Youyi's hand away, and looked earnestly into Mo Ziyu's eyes.
The child's eyes were red and swirling with tears, and his little shoulders were trembling, but he stubbornly refused to let them fall.
"Aunt Miao'er!" His voice choked with emotion, "Was it really the calamity I brought? Did I really cause Father's death?"
Zhan Miao felt a pang of pain in her heart. She reached out and gently wiped away the tears from the corner of his eyes, her tone unwavering:
"No."
“Your father abandoned you and your mother! That was his fault! It has nothing to do with you! The epidemic was a natural disaster, not a man-made one. The deaths of people were due to inadequate medical care, insufficient protection, and deliberate negligence by some people, and it is not your fault.”
She etched each word clearly into Mo Ziyu's heart: "Remember, you are not a jinx. You are the son of City Lord Mo, the rightful young master of Jingcheng. Those who believe in you will naturally believe in you. Those who believe in you are being blinded. Your aunt will help you tear off the blindfold."
Mo Ziyu looked into Zhan Miao's clear and firm eyes, which held no trace of disdain or wavering, only complete trust and protection.
His small fist slowly clenched.
My heart, which was on the verge of collapse, is slowly straightening up again.
He nodded vigorously, and tears finally fell, but they were no longer from fear; instead, they were a mixture of grievance and determination: "Yes, Ziyu will listen to Auntie."
Youyi looked at Zhan Miao, tears streaming down her face, but finally calmed down.
She knew that if Zhan Miao said it was okay, then it must be okay.
Zhan Miao stood up and looked at Zhan Yan: "Father, I have ordered people to investigate three things. First, the true source of the epidemic in the west of the city: was it a natural outbreak, or was someone deliberately poisoning it and letting it run its course?"
Second, who started the rumors on the street, and who is behind them?
Third, who has Zhou Chongshan seen in the past two days, and what medicine, food, and soldiers has he procured?
Zhan Yan nodded with satisfaction; his daughter was now capable of handling things on her own.
He replied in a deep voice, "Alright, I'll investigate myself."
He turned and disappeared outside the mansion, his black shadow moving like lightning, leaving no trace.
Zhan Miao then looked at Lin Yiwan: "Mother, you must take people to the city's traditional Chinese medicine clinic and pharmacies to inventory all the medicinal materials used to treat the epidemic. I suspect that Zhou Chongshan deliberately withheld and cut off the medicine, allowing the epidemic to spread, so as to shift the blame onto Ziyu."
Lin Yiwan nodded: "I understand, I'll go right away."
Soon, only Zhan Miao, Youyi, and Mo Ziyu remained in the hall.
The commotion outside grew louder and louder. People started throwing stones and smashing the courtyard gate. The guards drew their swords and were on guard. A fight was about to break out.
Youyi nervously grabbed Zhan Miao's sleeve: "Miao'er, what if they... what if they rush in?"
Zhan Miao took her hand in return, smiled gently, and said calmly, "No, with me here, no one can hurt you and your child."
She looked at the darkening sky outside the door, her eyes growing colder.
Zhou Chongshan, do you think you can force me to back down, force Ziyu to leave, and make all the people of Jingcheng side with you by using a few rumors and a few epidemics?