Wang Tieniu had rushed in, wanting to get answers from Qian Jiaoniang—only to find that Xing Muzheng had returned to the estate. Startled, he flinched and nearly backed out again. But finding himself in too deep, and emboldened by wine, he pointed at Xing Muzheng and began cursing loudly: “General Xing, I used to respect you as a hero, but I didn’t think you’d be such a despicable man—snatching another man’s wife! Return Jiaoniang to me!”
Xing Muzheng raised an eyebrow at the man before him, his calm gaze carrying a weight of menace. “Return her to you?”
Jiaoniang was his? He dared to say that out loud? Xing Muzheng stood up and walked step by step toward Wang Tieniu, towering over him with chilling authority.
The more terrified Wang Tieniu became, the more he spouted nonsense. “Was it you who blocked—last night—”
“Brother Tieniu!” Qian Jiaoniang suddenly interrupted him, stepping forward quickly and staring into his bleary eyes. “You’re drunk so early in the morning. Go home. Don’t make a scene in the Marquis’s estate.”
“I’m not drunk! Jiaoniang, tell me—last night—”
“Brother Tieniu!” Qian Jiaoniang cut him off again, this time raising her voice. “Guards! Guards!”
Qingya rushed out at once. Dongsheng and Sanzha followed her. Qian Jiaoniang ordered, “Quick, get him out of here!”
Qingya went to push Wang Tieniu away, but in his drunken rage, he shoved her aside. Ah Da and Wang Yong came charging in from outside the courtyard. “Madam, what’s the matter?”
Xing Muzheng pulled Qian Jiaoniang to his side and said darkly, “Why didn’t you let him finish? Afraid I’d find out that last night… he tried to take you and run?”
Qian Jiaoniang’s heart skipped a beat. Just then, Xing Muzheng moved like lightning—he grabbed the sword from Wang Yong’s waist, and before anyone could react, drove it straight into Wang Tieniu’s abdomen!
Gasps and stifled screams echoed throughout the courtyard.
Wang Tieniu’s eyes went wide. He slowly lowered his head, watching blood gush down the blade and drip onto the ground.
“Xing Muzheng!” Qian Jiaoniang screamed in horror.
Xing Muzheng turned to look at her, expression calm and terrifying.
Qian Jiaoniang knew—if he pulled that sword out now, Wang Tieniu would not survive. “Don’t kill him. I’m begging you,” she said slowly, one word at a time. “Don’t kill him.”
Xing Muzheng stared at her in silence. Qian Jiaoniang inhaled deeply and met his gaze.
Everyone held their breath.
Finally, Xing Muzheng slowly released his grip on the sword’s hilt. Wang Tieniu collapsed to the ground, the sword still embedded in his body.
“Carry him out. Call a physician to stop the bleeding.”
Ah Da and Wang Yong quickly lifted the man and carried him away. The courtyard was deathly silent, and the vivid pool of blood on the ground was shocking to behold.
Qian Jiaoniang clenched her teeth hard. Her chest was full of anger with nowhere to release it. She turned and stormed back into her room.
Xing Muzheng followed her in.
Dongsheng and Sanzha, still shaken, ran over to Qingya and asked, “Miss Qingya, who was that man? Why did the Marquis want to kill him, but Madam tried to save him?”
Qingya gave them a cold sideways glance. “If the masters want to speak, they’ll tell you. If they don’t, it’s none of your business. Now go fetch some water and clean this place up.”
***
As soon as Xing Muzheng stepped into the room, a screen came crashing down toward him. He dodged to the side, but immediately after, flying projectiles followed: teacups, teapots, vases, oil lamps—even a footstool flew at him.
Xing Muzheng dodged them all and in a swift lunge, he grabbed Qian Jiaoniang and pinned her against the wall. A fierce kiss landed hard. His fever hadn’t fully broken yet—his lips and tongue burned with alarming heat. He pressed against her delicate lips with force, his scorching tongue invading her mouth recklessly and wantonly.
He was kissing her again? He dared kiss her again? After stabbing Wang Tieniu right before her eyes, he still had the nerve to kiss her? Was he insane?
Qian Jiaoniang was seething with rage, seeing stars from fury. He was gripping her chin tightly, making it hard to bite. Finally, she found her chance—she bit down hard, nearly severing Xing Muzheng’s tongue. Xing Muzheng sucked in a sharp breath. Qian Jiaoniang shoved him away, panting, and glared at the man so close to her, her eyes flashing with venom. “Xing Muzheng, aren’t you afraid I’ll poison you to death?!”
Was that an admission she had poisoned the Tian couple? Xing Muzheng was in too much pain to speak for a long moment. Eventually, he said, “If you dare poison me to death, I’ll go tell Mother in the afterlife it was you who did it.”
Qian Jiaoniang’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You’d tattle on me?” Listen to what he just said! After treating her like this—bullying her like this—he still had the shamelessness to complain about her to his mother?
This reaction of hers—so genuinely indignant—made all his anger melt away. The way she said it really did make it sound like he was being petty. “Fine, I won’t tattle.”
Qian Jiaoniang was still stunned. He wouldn’t tattle? And he even sounded a bit wronged about it? Was this man completely shameless? “Did you make it to general by being this shameless?”
Xing Muzheng leaned in again, and Qian Jiaoniang instinctively tried to kick him. But he grabbed her thigh and, leaning in close to her ear, said darkly, “If you ever dare see Wang Tieniu again—he will die. If you ever dare run away—he will also die.”
Qian Jiaoniang’s chest rose and fell sharply. She pushed him away and sneered coldly, “Xing Muzheng, I thought you were a decent and upright man. Turns out you’re despicable and shameless!”
Xing Muzheng laughed. “Silly girl, who walks off the battlefield as a ‘decent and upright man’? The ones who spout virtue and righteousness are all bones in the ground now.” After speaking, he let go of her and stepped over the wreckage on the floor as he left.
Qian Jiaoniang clenched her fists tightly and wiped the dampness from her lips. She couldn’t kill him—she was afraid his mother would blame her. But if she didn’t kill him, she was constantly at his mercy. She refused to believe he was invincible. She would find his weakness—and when she did, she’d make sure he paid.
Xing Muzheng stepped out of the courtyard and ran into Ah Da and Wang Yong returning to report. Bloodstains were still visible on their clothes. Ah Da was cursing under his breath—the new outfit he wore today was ruined by blood.
Wang Yong reported, “Commander, we’ve already sent Wang Tieniu to Dr. Bai. From what I can tell, the kid won’t die.”
Xing Muzheng gave a faint “Mm” and strode forward. He’d never intended to kill Wang Tieniu anyway—if he had, that sword would’ve gone somewhere else. “Who let him in?”
Of course the Commander had figured it out. Wang Yong shot a look at Ah Da and gave him a meaningful glance. He had said to block Wang Tieniu and drive him out, but Ah Da insisted they all act blind, letting Wang Tieniu barge right into Madam’s courtyard.
Ah Da, feeling guilty, said cautiously, “It was me…”
Xing Muzheng stopped, glanced at Ah Da, who broke into a cold sweat. But then he heard Xing Muzheng say, “Go claim your reward.”
With that, Xing Muzheng walked off. Ah Da wiped the sweat from his bald head and let out a huge sigh of relief. Wang Yong stared in disbelief and punched him. “You lucky b*stard!”
***
Later, Qingya made some inquiries—Wang Tieniu had been saved and had already been carried home. It was said that Xing Muzheng visited him once afterward. He didn’t finish the job with a second strike, but no one knew what he said. All that was known was Wang Tieniu returned looking completely defeated.
Wang Tieniu had acted rashly, but Qian Jiaoniang still felt that everything had started because of her. She wanted to send some money to the Wang family—as a kind of compensation. But she was penniless. After thinking long and hard, she remembered how she had been injured by Xing Muzheng before and had paid thirty taels to Old Doctor Wan for treatment. After some deliberation, she decided that debt should be on Xing Muzheng’s tab.
So Qian Jiaoniang found Steward Ding Zhang and told him the matter, instructing him to collect thirty taels from the accounting office on her behalf.
That afternoon, Ding Zhang came back holding a fine little rosewood box. Inside were thirty taels of silver and a personal seal carved in a bold, calligraphic style: “Seal of Qian Jiaoniang.” Qingya looked it over from every angle—it certainly seemed like Xing Muzheng’s own handwriting. Beside the seal lay two rather plain-looking brass keys.
“Madam,” Ding Zhang said with a cheerful smile, “the Marquis said that from now on, if you need money, simply take the seal and draw it from the accounting office—no need to give a reason. One of these keys is for the storeroom. If you see something you fancy, feel free to take it and play with it.”
Qian Jiaoniang gave him a sharp sideways look. “Who wants his money? These thirty taels are owed to me for my injury—he should pay me! Leave the thirty taels. Take the rest away.”
Qingya, intrigued, said, “Steward Ding, you said one key was to the storeroom—what about the other one?”
“This servant doesn’t know either. The Marquis only said for Madam to hold on to it. In time, you’ll understand.” Ding Zhang smiled obsequiously, said a few more flattering words to suit Qian Jiaoniang’s mood, and quickly made his exit.
Qingya played with the two keys, glancing at Qian Jiaoniang with a teasing smile. “My, my. In the blink of an eye, the pauper’s turned into a rich lady.”
Qian Jiaoniang looked longingly at the thirty taels of snowflake silver. “But blink again, and the rich lady turns right back into a pauper.” Her fingers weren’t even that leaky—so why couldn’t she hold onto money? Any time she had even a little bit, it vanished before she could blink.
Qingya followed her gaze and looked over, then chuckled. “Who said anything about the thirty taels? I meant these two keys.”
Qian Jiaoniang didn’t even spare them a glance. “That has nothing to do with me.”
Qingya said, “Can’t you tell the Marquis is trying to please you?”
Qian Jiaoniang stood up with a bright smile and stretched her waist. “That’s all none of my business! We’ll just wait until he can’t hold out anymore and lets me go. Then, sister, you and I can go out on our own, stand on our own two feet, never rely on a man again. Just thinking about it makes me happy.”
Qingya thought of that kind of life too, and smiled.
