Chapter 723: “Eighth Slap (4)”
The sudden appearance of Fan Zhuo caused a furore to spread through the crowd!
Everyone’s eyes turned wide as they stared, mouths all agape at the elegance of Fan Zhuo, as he arrived stepping forth from within the setting sun.
A crack appeared on the mask that was Ning Rui’s face. He had sent a large number of people to seek out Fan Zhuo for a long time but it was to no avail, and the last thing he would have expected was for Fan Zhuo to suddenly appear at this most critical moment!
If he had only shown up just a few moments later, the disciples of the Zephyr Academy would have all gotten into the carriages and left the academy altogether!
With Fan Zhuo standing right before the eyes of the disciples of the Zephyr Academy now, many voices among the crowd suddenly broke into debate and dissent. Everyone knew that the rules in the Zephyr Academy stated that if the Headmaster dies, the position of the academy’s highest authority would be succeeded by his children. Fan Jin as just an adopted child and by his crime of being the “murderer” who killed Fan Qi, would naturally no longer be eligible. And at that very same time, Fan Qi’s biological son Fan Zhuo had also coincidentally gone missing and could not be located which allowed Ning Rui to snatch up the position as the acting Headmaster of the Zephyr Academy, taking charge and gaining control over all affairs, big and small, in the Zephyr Academy.
But now….. Fan Zhuo had returned…..
Countless pairs of eyes turned and they all looked in askance at Ning Rui, before swinging back to Fan Zhuo, their gazes switching between the two people before them!
Ning Rui’s expression had turned dark. If only he had managed to locate Fan Zhuo before this, he would have sent assassins to get rid of him before anything like this could happen. And if he had returned at any other time, he would still have had time to discreetly get rid of him through other undetectable means. But Fan Zhuo had chosen this very moment to make such a blatant show of his return right before all the disciples making it impossible for him to kill him there and then!
“Little Zhuo? You finally came back! When I didn’t see you for such a long period, I began to get very anxious.” Realising that he would not be able to make any moves against Fan Zhuo at that moment, Ning Rui immediately put on an expression of deep concern and tried to portray himself as a worried elder as he spoke to Fan Zhuo.
Fan Zhuo’s face was one of gentleness and smiles, just like the look of obedience and respect he had always shown to Ning Rui all this time.
“Uncle Ning, we haven’t met for quite a time, I trust that you are fine?”
Ning Rui saw that Fan Zhuo’s smiling face was still just like before and he had just addressed him as “Uncle Ning” just as cordially. That made him assume that Fan Zhuo did not know the real truth behind Fan Qi’s death and his heart was secretly relieved.
Fan Zhuo was unlike Fan Jin, being softer and weaker in character. Having stayed in isolation within the tiny bamboo grove, he was perceived that he would surely be more naive than Fan Jin was. Ning Rui had been able to even manipulate Fan Jin and looking at Fan Zhuo, he was feeling completely confident.
“Good, good. Everything’s fine. Only that your father and elder brother…..” Ning Rui said hesitatingly to Fan Zhuo, his face greatly aggrieved.
Fan Zhuo looked to be taken aback, his face creased up in worry.
“What happened to my father and brother?”
Ning Rui laughed inwardly but outwardly he did not display any change in emotion as he said: “Sigh, your father was killed about half a month ago and the person who killed your father is your brother! Who would have thought!? I’ve watched Fan Jin grow up from when he was just a little boy and I would never have thought that he would grow to be so ambitious. He saw that your health was gradually improving and was afraid that the position of Headmaster would be denied him, so he devised a scheme while you were not here to force your father to pass the position of Headmaster to him! But your father refused to submit himself to such devilry! Nobody had thought that Fan Jin’s humiliation would turn into rage and he had had the audacity to actually kill your father!”
Ning Rui narrated it all with a tearful voice to Fan Zhuo, his face filled with sadness. But hidden deep within his eyes, was a vicious glint of mockery and ridicule.
[With Fan Zhuo’s weak health and frail constitution, upon hearing such mortifying news, the shock would surely deal him a devastating blow, or at least cause him to fall unconscious!]
[And once Fan Zhuo succumbed, he would then be able send him away for “treatment” and cook up a most convenient excuse that Fan Zhuo had suffered from a relapse of his condition and send him on his way to reunite with Fan Qi!]