Chapter 131

Chapter 131: How Vivid Was It

Nanny Fan collapsed to the ground at once.

But at that moment, Sheng Zhi Wan spoke up, saying, “Wait.”

Hope immediately rose in Nanny Fan’s chest.

That was right. In the past, Heir’s Wife had always been gentle and kind, always speaking well even to servants. Even if Heir’s Wife had changed now, the core should still be the same.

Maybe Heir’s Wife still wanted to leave Nanny Fan a path to live.

But Nanny Fan was disappointed.

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “There should be someone else backing her up, or else how could this thief have entered my courtyard so easily? Tonight’s household guards on duty should all be sold off as well.”

Nanny Fan burst into tears.

Among the household guards on duty tonight were Nanny Fan’s husband and Nanny Fan’s son.

How could they be sold off?

Nanny Fan tried to plead, but Qi Shu Xian had already nodded and said, “Fine.”

They were only a few servants. As long as Sheng Zhi Wan did not pursue Madam Cui, selling them off was nothing.

Nanny Fan tried to shout, “No! Madam, say something, clearly-”

Qi Shu Xian’s eyes turned icy as Qi Shu Xian ordered, “Gag her! Drag her out!”

Servants rushed forward at once and stuffed cloth into Nanny Fan’s mouth, then dragged Nanny Fan away.

That night’s air was especially cold.

Madam Cui watched the nanny who had accompanied Madam Cui for years being taken away. Madam Cui’s face was as pale as yellow paper even without powder.

Sheng Zhi Wan stood up and covered Sheng Zhi Wan’s lips lightly.

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “Leave this man to Heir Apparent to deal with. Mother, if you are fine, then rest early. Eldest Sister down below surely would not want you to grieve too much.”

With that, Sheng Zhi Wan smiled and left.

Qi Shu Xian’s face was dark to the extreme. As soon as Sheng Zhi Wan left, Qi Shu Xian sent Meng Yang away as well.

Only then did Qi Shu Xian look at Madam Cui with red-rimmed eyes.

Madam Cui felt guilty under that gaze. Thinking of Nanny Fan being dragged away only made Madam Cui feel even more stifled and irritated.

Madam Cui snapped, “Enough. Why are you staring at me like that?”

Qi Shu Xian demanded, “Mother! Why did you do this? Before you acted, did you ever think Sheng Zhi Wan was my Principal Wife?!”

Qi Shu Xian was furious.

Madam Cui had been feeling guilty, but being questioned by Madam Cui’s son like that made anger surge up instead.

Madam Cui shouted, “Because she killed my Yan’er!”

Madam Cui continued, “Haven’t you seen it? She already doesn’t care about you, and she doesn’t care about the Duke Manor. Why keep such a Principal Wife?”

Madam Cui said, “You should get rid of her. Then Mother will find you a Noble Lady and make her your new wife!”

Qi Shu Xian’s temples throbbed as Qi Shu Xian barked, “Mother, watch your words!”

*Knowing Meng Yang came out first, Sheng Zhi Wan guessed Qi Shu Xian had already realized it was Madam Cui’s hand behind everything.

But so what if Qi Shu Xian knew?

Sheng Zhi Wan sneered. If Qi Shu Xian wanted to protect Madam Cui, then Sheng Zhi Wan would grant Qi Shu Xian’s wish.

Not only that, Sheng Zhi Wan would let Madam Cui live to a ripe old age.

After all, only by living long could Madam Cui feel pain long.

Sheng Zhi Wan only hoped Madam Cui would not regret it.

That night, blood stained the outer courtyard of the Duke Manor red.

When Sheng Zhi Wan woke the next day, Sheng Zhi Wan learned Qi Shu Xian had not only beaten Nanny Fan to death, but had also beaten Nanny Fan’s husband and son to death as well, along with the young performer from Li Hui Garden who had dared to break into Sheng Zhi Wan’s courtyard.

Qi Shu Xian left no loose ends.

Qi Shu Xian was truly ruthless when cleaning up the aftermath for Madam Cui.

As Sheng Zhi Wan was thinking, An Zhi hurried in to report, saying, “Princess, Xiu He Miss has arrived.”

Sheng Zhi Wan raised an eyebrow.

Xiu He belonged to Shang Xing Yu, and Shang Xing Yu was in Te Dan. If Xiu He came to find Sheng Zhi Wan, then news must have come from Te Dan.

Sheng Zhi Wan told An Zhi to bring Xiu He in.

A moment later, a delicate-looking young woman followed behind An Zhi and entered.

It was the first time Sheng Zhi Wan had seen Xiu He’s true face. The last time they met, Xiu He had been disguised as An Zhi.

Sheng Zhi Wan sent everyone else out.

Only then did Xiu He take out a letter and hand it over, saying, “Princess, this is the letter Master sent last night, for you.”

Sheng Zhi Wan accepted it but did not open it right away.

After thinking for a moment, Sheng Zhi Wan asked Xiu He, “You can also send messages back?”

Xiu He paused. Remembering Master’s instructions, Xiu He nodded and said, “Yes. Master’s Merchants’ Guild has relay stations between every prefecture. Te Dan also has Master’s people.”

This time, Sheng Zhi Wan was the one who felt stunned.

Sheng Zhi Wan had only planned to have Xiu He carry a letter back to Shang Xing Yu, but Xiu He revealed all this directly.

Since Xiu He said it, Shang Xing Yu must have allowed it.

Shang Xing Yu trusted Sheng Zhi Wan that much?

It seemed the true master of the Qin Clan Merchant Guild was already Shang Xing Yu.

Was Shang Xing Yu showing Sheng Zhi Wan a trump card?

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “Sit for a moment. I will write a letter for you to bring to him.”

Xiu He replied, “Yes.”

Sheng Zhi Wan returned to the study and wrote a letter.

After Xiu He took it and left, Sheng Zhi Wan finally opened Shang Xing Yu’s letter.

Shang Xing Yu’s letter was written with a goose-feather pen. The handwriting was dense, filling several thick pages.

Sheng Zhi Wan thought it would be something extremely important. After opening it, Sheng Zhi Wan realized the first page truly did discuss serious matters.

Li Lan Flower bulbs had completely ignited Te Dan’s market, spreading rapidly from the noble class to farmers.

A few days earlier, farmers began selling oxen they had raised for a year just to trade for a single Li Lan Flower bulb.

At first, people found it unbelievable, but very soon, something even more unbelievable happened.

In only three days, the farmer who traded one ox for a bulb earned back three times the profit, because even crazier Li Lan Flower fanatics were trading the value of three oxen for it.

Many farmers earned silver in only a day or two that they could not have earned in one year, three years, or even ten years.

Countless stories of sudden riches were bragged about and spread, sparking even more frenzied pursuit.

Now in Te Dan, aside from the most extravagant nobles, almost no one was willing to spend effort cultivating a Li Lan Flower bulb properly.

More people spent huge sums only to store it away, waiting for it to rise again so they could trade it for even greater profit.

Sheng Zhi Wan smiled and murmured, “Desire was bottomless… the human heart really never found true satisfaction.”

It seemed Shang Xing Yu was not far from closing the net.

Sheng Zhi Wan flipped to the second page.

Then Sheng Zhi Wan froze.

Sheng Zhi Wan could not help laughing.

The second page did not only have writing. It also had a drawing, sketched from the viewpoint of the roof beam, looking down on Qi Shu Xian bursting into Sheng Zhi Wan’s room.

The drawing was simple, but Qi Shu Xian in it looked fierce and ugly, with an upturned nose, hideous horns, huge webbed feet, and eyes full of viciousness.

The words below were even funnier, saying, “Forgive me, forgive me. I know it is bad to speak behind someone’s back, but Qi Shi truly frightened me that day, so I have dreamed of him every night lately. Does Princess think my drawing captured him well?”

Sheng Zhi Wan paused, took the pen Sheng Zhi Wan had just used to write a letter, and wrote the character for “ten” on the page.

Only then did Sheng Zhi Wan continue reading.

The rest was a series of little drawings with explanations, mostly introducing Te Dan’s folk customs and the laws that differed from Sheng Kingdom.

Without noticing, Sheng Zhi Wan read all the way through.

By the last page, Sheng Zhi Wan even felt reluctant for it to end.

When Ting Lan saw Sheng Zhi Wan come out, Ting Lan could not help being curious and asked, “Princess, what were you reading? You laughed several times just now.”