Chapter 281: Murder
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The wind howled, and the air was filled with a damp smell. A heavy rain was imminent, and whether human or animal, no one could help but feel restless and irritable. Fu Mingzheng stood on the harvested fields, looking up at the thick smoke rising from the Changxing Marquis’s estate villa in the distance, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips, “What a pity, with the pouring rain coming, this fire will be extinguished soon.”
Jiang Duo followed closely behind him and whispered, “Since Fourth Master knew it was going to rain today, why bother starting this fire?”
Fu Mingzheng smiled but remained silent.
Today’s heavy rain was part of Yuwen Chu’s plan. He instructed Fu Mingzheng to find a way to block several key drainage outlets in the capital, causing internal flooding.
On the other hand, Mingzhu suggested sending people to infiltrate Jiang Shanshan’s workshop, waiting for an opportunity to exploit loopholes, incite chaos, and disrupt Jiang Shanshan’s business.
Both of them loved to command him to do things, but he only had one pair of hands. He also feared trouble, so he had no choice but to handle both tasks together. Yuwen Chu was calculating and ruthless in his actions, so he didn’t act on his own. He would do as he was told, to avoid disrupting Yuwen Chu and his father and brothers’ plans.
Mingzhu, being soft-hearted and inexperienced in such matters, lacked a bit of ruthlessness. So, he would act as the sharp knife for her. If they wanted to completely disrupt the situation here with Jiang Shanshan, how could it be done without casualties? Only with casualties could they truly exert pressure and make a big impact. When the victims carried the corpses to the yamen, crying and wailing, the Changxing Marquis’s Mansion and Jiang Shanshan would have to leave. Then, Mingzhu could send people to demand compensation or take over the craftsmen’s workshop, all in a natural progression.
At the same time, with the attention focused on Jiang Shanshan, few would pay attention to investigating the sewer system. Or, by the time they realized something was amiss, it would be too late. The person who dared to stand in the way of the investigation would surely be one of the old thief Zhongshan Wang’s men!
Fu Mingzheng feeling joyful, happily reached out and caught a large raindrop, the size of a soybean, falling from the sky. This rain was perfect. The heavier it poured, the less likely it was for the people Jiang Shanshan sent for help to bring the officials in time. It wouldn’t be easy for Jiang Shanshan herself to escape either. It would be best if she were trapped in this courtyard and couldn’t leave. If something else happened, like her clothes being disheveled or her reputation being tarnished, how could she still have the face to seduce Yuwen Chu? It would be best for her to become a nun!
The servant Min Er hurried to help Fu Mingzheng put on an oilskin cloak and a bamboo hat, while Jiang Duo also urged him, “Fourth Master, it looks like it’s going to rain heavily soon. Let’s hurry back to the city.”
If there weren’t other matters to attend to, Fu Mingzheng really wanted to stay here and watch Jiang Shanshan’s struggles in the rain from a distance.
He felt he was different from others. His older brothers would cherish and admire beautiful women, and even Mingzhu would take a second look at a handsome face. Only he, raised by a concubine, was different from the Madam. He didn’t know what it meant to cherish beauty, nor did he understand the concept of beauty. He only knew what should be done and what shouldn’t.
Having a cold heart and a vicious tongue, few girls were worthy of him. Fu Mingzheng joyfully soaked in the rain, leading a group of men and horses towards the city.
The torrential rain arrived in an instant, soaking Jiang Shanshan thoroughly. Under normal circumstances, she would have cared about her appearance, but at this moment, her heart was filled with hatred, resentment, and a panic she had never experienced since transmigrating over.
She was protected by guards from the Changxing Marquis’s estate in the middle, desperately shielded from the rampaging craftsmen who thought they had nothing to lose. However, in the raging storm, everything became difficult. She was pushed around involuntarily, almost stumbling several times, struggling to stand up, trying to remember what had happened and how to respond.
The situation spiraled out of control again after Zhou Er was killed. Both sides engaged in a melee, seemingly provoked by the enraged craftsmen, but she knew it wasn’t the case. She had encountered a terrifying situation today. The real craftsmen wouldn’t have the guts to cause such chaos; it was the other side’s doing. Even if they didn’t want her life, they wanted to ruin her reputation. She had underestimated their determination and ruthlessness.
The identity of the mastermind wasn’t hard to guess, apart from the Fu family. Fu Mingzhu’s sudden hostility and the skyrocketing prices of materials, looking around the entire capital, no one else had the means to do this except the Fu family, perhaps even Yuwen Chu was involved. The reason she endured it was that she had no choice. The suffering she endured today would be repaid many times over in the future.
Wasn’t it because they feared she would become the concubine of Ying Wang? Jiang Shanshan cursed and resented, the more they wanted her to be unlucky, the more she wouldn’t comply. Glancing around, she saw that everyone was too focused on the rain to notice her, including the most loyal Mu Di, who was struggling to wipe the rain off her face, mouth agape.
The opportunity was now. She took off her outer garment and flipped it over her head, swiftly weaving through the crowd towards the outskirts. Instead of getting into the carriage, she grabbed a horse and agilely mounted it, preparing to charge out. Just as she settled in, her sleeve was grabbed by someone; it was Mu Di, trembling as she begged, “Miss, Miss…”
It turned out that Mu Di saw her trying to escape and followed her out. Mu Di didn’t have her skills and couldn’t ride a horse, so she could only hold onto her sleeve and desperately plead for her to take her along.
Jiang Shanshan’s eyes flickered. Seeing that several guards had noticed her and were rushing over, she breathed a sigh of relief and signaled to Mu Di, “Climb onto the saddle.”
However, despite being a maid, Mu Di had the physique of a lady, pampered and unable to climb onto the horse’s back. Jiang Shanshan grew impatient, but considering Mu Di’s usual loyalty, she tolerated it. Just then, someone rushed towards them through the rain and grabbed her horse’s reins, preventing her from leaving, while reaching out to pull her, shouting loudly to the crowd, “She’s trying to escape, she’s going to call the officials…”
Several people heard the shout and rushed over. Mu Di cried in fear, tightly clutching Jiang Shanshan’s thigh and shouting for help. This useless person! Not only couldn’t she help, but she also hindered her movements. Jiang Shanshan’s eyes flashed with a cold light. Swiftly drawing a short blade from her sleeve, she turned around and ruthlessly stabbed Mu Di’s hand, causing her to scream in pain and fall into the muddy rainwater.
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