☆、155 The Second Prince's Malicious Intent
The Marquis looked at Nan Xuzong, "What is it?" In his memory, Nan Xuzong would never mention anything.
“Since Wu Shang is now the Crown Prince’s consort, shouldn’t the affairs of the household be handled by Ji Wu Shang? Although Wu Shang is still young, her intelligence and wit are well-known. I wonder what Father’s opinion is?” Nan Xu Cong raised his thick eyebrows and looked at the Marquis.
The Marquis looked at Ji Wushang, then at Aunt Zhao. Wasn't this a veiled attempt to shift all his power? What did Aunt Zhao think?
Aunt Zhao's face darkened as she listened. "Young Master, just as you said, Wu Shang is still young. How could he possibly manage such a large Marquis's mansion?"
“Aunt, you are mistaken.” Nan Xuzong looked at Ji Wushang with tender eyes. “Father is more concerned with matters of the court and naturally does not care much about the affairs of the inner court. Aunt Zhao is already exhausted from managing the entire Marquis’s mansion. Now that Wushang has married into the Marquis’s mansion, it is only right that she should take charge.”
The other concubines listened, some feeling good, while others had their own other plans.
Aunt Zhao listened, slightly annoyed. "Then, Lord Marquis, what do you think?" The Marquis of Jinnan has always doted on her; she doesn't believe he would willingly relinquish his power!
"Hmm, Wu Shang, have you ever managed any affairs in the manor?" The Marquis knew what Nan Xu Cong was thinking, and Aunt Zhao was clearly putting pressure on him. If he didn't handle things well, he wouldn't be able to please either side!
"Father, I did help my aunt manage the affairs of the General's Mansion, but I wasn't a formal steward." Ji Wushang tried his best to be humble.
Nan Xuzong knew what she meant, but she couldn't rush things. Aunt Zhao clearly wanted to hand over power to her, and this Marquis was only asking her about his background because he was under pressure from both sides.
“In that case, you can learn from Aunt Zhao and then manage the affairs of the Marquis’s mansion properly,” the Marquis said immediately. This way, he could silence Nan Xuzong without stripping Aunt Zhao of her power, thus avoiding trouble for either side.
Ji Wushang found it amusing, but of course he couldn't say it himself, otherwise others would think he was there to demand power.
Nan Xuzong glanced at Ji Wushang, who nodded. Since Aunt Zhao was still useful, there was no need to push her too hard. Nan Xuzong then nodded, "Alright, Wushang, you can try working with Aunt Zhao. The affairs of this household aren't actually that complicated. I believe that after a month, you'll have a thorough understanding of everything. After a month, I think Aunt Zhao can finally get some rest!"
Upon hearing this, Aunt Zhao exclaimed, "You mean, a month?"
"Didn't Aunt Zhao hear me clearly?" Nan Xuzong looked at her.
Nan Jinxue interjected, "Father, Aunt, I think Wushang is a clever girl. She can learn a lot in a month. A month is fine, Aunt. A month is enough to handle a lot of things."
His implication was that many things could be done within this month, and what was being discussed today was only temporary. What if Ji Wushang died a month later? What wrong did he commit? Would he still be able to manage the Marquis's mansion?
Aunt Zhao nodded in agreement. "Jin Xue makes sense, so let's do it this way!" This matter needs careful consideration. Let's give them a taste of the benefits first!
Ji Wushang bowed slightly, "Thank you for your trust, Father and Aunt."
Nan Xuzong nodded slightly. "Very good."
The concubines dared not say much. Seeing that nothing was wrong, the Marquis went out. When Concubine Zhao saw this, she took her maid and left.
Aunt Jin and Aunt Leng exchanged glances and made an excuse to leave.
Ji Wushang was bored and was about to leave, but Ji Yinxue came up to him at that moment and said, "Sister-in-law, I have something I want to tell you."
"Oh? Okay, let's go for a walk then!" Ji Wushang looked Ji Yinxue up and down. To be honest, he hadn't known how she was doing since they parted ways in the palace!
Nan Xuzong and Nan Jinxue looked at Ji Wushang and Ji Yinxue with mixed feelings, especially Nan Jinxue, who looked like she wanted to beat Ji Yinxue to death with one blow! That damned woman, she was the one who hindered her pursuit of Ji Wushang, which is why she ended up as Ji Wushang's brother-in-law!
He was filled with unease, but still needed to meet an important person, so he said, "Brother, I'll go out for a bit."
"Go ahead!" Nan Xuzong nodded and walked to the side. He was just worried that Ji Wushang might be bullied by Ji Yinxue. Ever since Ji Yinxue married into the Marquis's mansion, he felt that there would be no good days ahead of her!
Ji Wushang and Ji Yinxue walked side by side down the corridor. She didn't speak, and Ji Wushang didn't want to speak first either.
Ji Yinxue took a few steps before saying, "Sister-in-law, sit over there in the pavilion."
“Okay.” Ji Wushang nodded.
The two sat in the pavilion. Ji Yinxue looked at Ji Wushang without saying a word. Ji Wushang, however, remembered something and asked, "How did Second Sister die?"
"Hmm?" Ji Yinxue reacted instinctively, then said, "Died of illness. I don't know what happened. Once a person is gone, they're gone. Anyway, they were in a lot of pain. It might not be a bad thing if they died sooner."
“But I heard that her health had improved a lot, but I didn’t expect that she still couldn’t escape death!” Ji Wushang looked at her with a cold gaze. “Do you remember the day you got married? Blood stained the courtyard. I didn’t expect that you were the only one who survived.”
Ji Wushang reminded her that if she knew what was good for her, she shouldn't try anything funny. He knew that if she didn't behave herself, her name would definitely be among those who died!
"Sister-in-law, I'm guessing this matter has something to do with you, right?" Ji Yinxue wasn't a good person. After what happened that day, she felt something was off. She felt that Ji Wushang had changed and become very nice to her. She thought that Ji Wushang was really thinking of their sisterly bond and had let down her guard. But she didn't expect that something like this would happen. She killed Aunt Bai and Ji Meiyuan, but she was almost killed by Ji Meiyuan!
Of all the people involved, only Ji Wushang was unharmed!
Ji Yinxue's gaze fell on Ji Wushang. Ji Wushang looked at her and smiled, "Sister-in-law, you really have a lot of ideas. With such a good imagination, you won't be afraid of coming up with other methods in the future. Sister-in-law, why don't you imagine how Second Sister died?"
"Died of illness! Sister-in-law, I've already said, died of illness, that's all!" Ji Yinxue said with a ferocious expression. "Or perhaps, sister-in-law, you still want to go and check on him?"
Ji Wushang sneered, "I don't have that much free time. Just like you said, I'd like to go down and keep Aunt Bai company as soon as possible. That would be fulfilling her filial duty! Oh, right, I forgot to tell you, you'd better be prepared. Aunt Nangong's suffering shouldn't end for long."
What do you mean?
"That's the idea." Ji Wushang stood up, exuding a condescending air of authority. "The lotus flower makeup on your face is actually quite pretty, even more so than before!"
"You!" Ji Yinxue stood up abruptly. "This lotus makeup is only possible because of you!"
"Oh, then you should thank me properly!" Ji Wushang looked her up and down, then suddenly realized, "Oh, this scar, how did you get it?"
"You, Ji Wushang!" Ji Yinxue pointed at Ji Wushang, about to curse him angrily, but then, as if remembering something, she immediately lowered her hand. "You're really something, Ji Wushang!"
"Don't you know you'll be punished for directly addressing the Crown Princess by her given name?" Ji Wushang replied coldly.
"Yinxue deserves to die! Please forgive me, sister-in-law!" Ji Yinxue's face changed upon hearing this. Damn it, she almost fell for her trick! Ji Yinxue knelt on the ground, not daring to get up.
"My dear sister-in-law, I was just joking. If the servants saw you kneeling on the ground, they would think I was bullying you!" Ji Wushang smiled. "Get up!"
"Yes." Ji Yinxue sneered inwardly, but still stood up. "This scar was done after I came back from the Wenge embroidery session. Nothing else is that important!"
"That's great." Ji Wushang examined her for a moment. "To be honest, this lotus flower makeup is very pretty and suits you quite well. Your husband should like it a lot!"
Upon hearing this, Ji Yinxue's face paled instantly. If it weren't for her, would Nan Jinxue have remained so cold and indifferent towards her? And now she's saying Nan Jinxue should like her? Like my ass! He even calls her name in bed, damn it! Bitch! Ji Yinxue's hands clenched into fists under her sleeves, but a smile bloomed on her face, "That's right, my husband likes it quite a bit, saying I look better with makeup than without."
"Yes, that's good." Ji Wushang smiled. "It's getting late, I'm tired, I'm going back."
Ji Yinxue watched Ji Wushang walk away, then stomped down on the stone bench. "You bitch, I'll make sure you die a horrible death! Ji Meiyuan is dead, do you think you'll still be alive? Nan Jinxue, didn't you like your stinking body? I'll send him to be your match someday!"
When Ji Wushang returned to Moxuan Garden, he found that Nan Xuzong was not in the courtyard. Instead, a maid came in and called out that she wanted to go to the accounting office to look at the account books and learn how to manage accounts.
Ji Wushang immediately agreed to go with them.
After leaving home alone, Nan Jinxue took a carriage to a lively restaurant. Seeing that no one was following her, she went upstairs, looked through several private rooms, and finally arrived at one. She knocked on the door, and it opened immediately.
He slipped inside and closed the door.
"Young Master Nan, this way please." The servant stepped forward and led Nan Jinxue inside.
Upon entering, Nan Jinxue saw a man wearing a silver mask sitting at the table. He exuded an aura of dominance, wore a long silver robe, and had a jade hairpin in his hair that signified his noble status.
"Greetings, Second Prince," Nan Jinxue said, bowing.
"Sit." Huangfu Ting's eyes were unfocused, and he was still playing with the bronze fan in his hand. He muttered to himself, "I just don't understand why Sixth Brother always likes to play with a fan like this. This fan is so easy to break, don't you think?" As he spoke, in front of Nan Jinxue, he snapped the bronze fan in two. The bronze fan was not easy to break, but it was broken by his powerful internal force.
"Your Highness's martial arts are truly impressive; they have broadened my horizons considerably," Nan Jinxue complimented.
“I’m not here today to listen to your nonsense. I’d like to ask you, how’s the matter going? Have you confirmed Nan Xuzong’s identity?” Huangfu Ting tossed the broken bronze fan aside and instead picked up the wine cup in front of him and poured himself a drink.
"Your Highness, in my opinion, my elder brother is my elder brother, and he is my half-brother. He has no special status whatsoever."
"Is that so?" Huangfu Ting sneered. "You are extremely foolish."
"Yes, yes, I was foolish..." Nan Jinxue secretly wiped away a bead of sweat, cursing him in her heart. Why did he have to investigate? She had been keeping an eye on Nan Xuzong, but had never found anything amiss.
"Where does he often go?" Huangfu Ting asked, picking up his wine glass and pouring it down his throat. He closed his eyes, seemingly savoring the finest wine in the world.
"It should be Panyaoju or Jiuyuelou, those are the two places. I don't go to other places much." Nan Jinxue looked at his wine glass, feeling a little thirsty.
"Do you want a drink?" Huangfu Ting asked, swirling his wine glass with a slight smile on his face.
Nan Jinxue, not understanding his meaning, could only reply, "This subordinate dares not."
Huangfu Ting's thin lips, hidden beneath his mask, parted into a slight smile. He flicked his finger lightly at the wine pot, and instantly, the wine pot moved towards Nan Jinxue's face!
Upon seeing this, Nan Jinxue had no choice but to use her hands to catch it. Unexpectedly, the force of the wine pot made Nan Jinxue's arms ache.
"Pour it for yourself." Huangfu Ting raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Yes!" Nan Jinxue poured the wine with trembling hands. Under Huangfu Ting's gaze, she slowly picked up the wine glass and drank it. She had thought it was some kind of fine wine, but found that it was just plain and tasteless water!
Nan Jinxue asked in surprise, "Second Prince, what's going on?"
"If you think of wine, then it is wine." Huangfu Ting stood up, gazing into the distance. "If you want to achieve great things, you should treat water as wine! Hmph, but I think you don't understand! You'd better investigate further! Don't say I won't give you a chance!"
"Yes." Nan Jinxue watched Huangfu Ting leave before she finally felt a little relieved. This was no ordinary wine! What did he mean by what he just said?!
Nan Jinxue sullenly called the waiter to remove the water and replace it with fine wine.
Here, Nan Xuzong and Gong Shu arrived at Panyao Residence, which was located in a forest. Few people came to this forest, and when Nan Xuzong and Gong Shu went in, they still didn't see anyone.
Just as he was about to leave, he saw a person standing outside the door. Nan Xuzong looked up and saw that it was the Monk Buyan.
The monk who didn't speak looked at Nan Xuzong and said, "Old Man Panyao is gone, why did you come back?"
"Then what are you doing here?" Nan Xuzong looked at him. "Could it be that Senior Brother still can't see through the affairs of this mortal world, so you came to see me?"
"So that I wouldn't let you make the same mistake again, I came back." The silent monk entered the bamboo house. "Come in and let's talk."
Gong Shu then pushed Nan Xuzong inside. After pushing him inside, Gong Shu walked away and went outside to stand guard.
“I’ve been so obedient, I haven’t done anything. Shouldn’t you be happy?” Nan Xuzong said with amusement, looking at him with his back turned.
"How can I be happy when you drag innocent people into this?" The silent monk turned around, his eyes blazing. "Junior brother, what do I have to say for you to stop?"
"Impossible." Nan Xuzong looked at him. "If you can't stand it, go back up the mountain!"
"You've already pulled the young lady into the water, aren't you worried about her?" The Monk Silent was quite angry. "You can do whatever you want, but you can't harm the innocent!"
"I didn't hurt her. She's the most important person in my life. How could I possibly hurt her!" Nan Xuzong said, a hint of anger in his voice. "I've never told her about this! I've always been careful, always leaving her a way out, so that even if something happens to me, she can live a peaceful life!"
"You're truly stubborn!" The silent monk's eyes, which had seen through the world's illusions, now held anger. "When are you going to make your move?"
"I won't tell you, besides, the time isn't right yet! The Western Regions are in chaos, the Japanese pirates are treacherous, and the Bohai Kingdom has a strong and well-equipped army. It would be unwise to provoke trouble now!"
"It seems you still have some sense!" the silent monk said coldly. "You'd better stop now and stop harming others!"
"Senior brother, if your mother were framed and killed, and your legs were crippled, would you tolerate it forever?" Nan Xuzong looked at him, his hands gripping his wheelchair tightly.
"I have already seen through the illusions of the world, why bother with these hypotheticals?" The monk who did not speak spoke after a long silence.
"No, you wouldn't." Nan Xuzong sneered. "What have you been doing all these past few months?"
"It's nothing." The monk shook his head. "Take care of yourself. I won't try to persuade you anymore, I won't."
"Thank you, Senior Brother!" Nan Xuzong extended his hand. "Please give my regards to Master."
"Hmph!" The silent monk took a scroll from his hand and placed it on the table in front of him. "This is for you. Take a look for yourself!" This sound seemed to be a sigh, yet also a sigh of helplessness. He put it down, walked out, and disappeared into the depths of the forest in a short while.