Nan Xuzong looked at the person standing with his back to him in the secret room. He must have been standing there for a long time. Nan Xuzong stepped forward and said, "Thank you!"
“Brothers, there’s no need for such formalities!” Huangfu Xuan turned around. “Let’s go! She can handle it.”
"I promised her I'd stay with her tonight," Nan Xuzong said as he walked with him. Nan Xuzong had already implicitly agreed to his words about whether they were truly brothers.
Huangfu Xuan was slightly taken aback, but quickly calmed down. "You really spoil her."
"She deserves my pampering." Nan Xuzong said with a slight smile as he walked into the darkness with Huangfu Xuan.
Ji Wushang went outside and saw that the outer room had been cleaned up by Hongfei and Cuiwu. Not only was there no trace of the fishy smell, but there was also a pleasant fragrance, which made Ji Wushang feel very comfortable.
"Princess Consort." Hongfei and Cuiwu immediately bowed respectfully to Ji Wushang.
"How's it outside?" Ji Wushang stepped forward. "Have you found any clues about the disposed of corpses?"
"Your Highness, none of the corpses had any keepsakes with them, so I had them disposed of," Hongfei said.
“Everything outside is stable now, we are just waiting for the Crown Princess to give the order,” Cui Wu said.
"Have your men surround the entire Marquis's residence immediately! No one is allowed to leave! Also, keep an eye on the whereabouts of Nan Aoyu's family, Aunt Zhao, Zhao Yirou, and the others. If anything seems amiss, report it to me immediately!"
"Yes." Hongfei listened and quickly went downstairs.
Ji Wushang nodded and opened the door. He saw Tie Feng and other guards escorting a large number of people, as well as some assassins sent by Nan Xuzong dressed as bodyguards, holding the black-clad assassins hostage, ready to await Ji Wushang's orders.
It wasn't just five or six people, but at least thirty or forty. It seems these people originally intended to kill him, didn't they?! How vicious!
Ji Wushang walked down the steps. At this moment, a lot of people poured in from outside. Leading them was Marquis Jinnan, followed by Consort Jin and several young ladies. A large group of servants were also gathered outside, hesitating whether to come in or not.
"Wu Shang, are you injured?" Marquis Jin Nan immediately asked as he stepped forward.
Ji Wushang's lips curled slightly upward. His status was truly different now! Were they so anxious for him? Were they afraid of his methods, or perhaps afraid that Nan Xuzong would turn cold towards him because of him? Right now, Nan Xuzong was the only hope in this manor! Back then, Nan Xuzong was called a good-for-nothing, but now, he's already changed his attitude before he's even returned?
But despite thinking this, Ji Wushang finally smiled and bowed to the Marquis of Jinnan, saying, "Wushang is fine. I was just a little frightened. I'll be alright after a rest. Thank you for your concern, Father. Tiefeng and the others are very skilled and protected me."
"That's good! Otherwise, if Cong'er comes back, wouldn't she resent me, her father, for not knowing how to protect you?" Marquis Jinnan glanced at the people kneeling on the ground. "Who are you? Who ordered you? Tell me now, or you'll be in big trouble!"
"Father, there's no need to be angry. Just let Wu Shang handle these matters." Ji Wu Shang looked at the kneeling figure with a disdainful smile. At this moment, her gaze had shifted to Aunt Jin and the others. Aunt Jin felt a chill run down her spine when Ji Wu Shang shot her such a look, and she immediately lowered her head.
Nan Xianxian looked at Ji Wushang, her heart filled with fear, unable to meet his gaze. But she felt genuinely uncomfortable. Damn it, there were so many corpses lying on the ground, so many prisoners, yet she hadn't expected to survive! If she couldn't die from all that, how could anyone possibly kill her?
Ji Wushang sneered, "No matter what schemes or plots you have, I will drag you down to hell!"
At this moment, Tie Feng ordered all the assassins to be gathered together and made to kneel down.
Ji Wushang stepped forward and glanced at everyone present. "Who ordered you to do this? To take my life? Do you need so many people? It seems my life is quite valuable."
The dozen or so men in black dared not speak. They looked at each other, their faces filled with anger and resentment. After all, this was just an unarmed woman, and they couldn't even kill her. If word got out, it would be incredibly shameful!
"Speak," Ji Wushang said, pointing to someone at random. "Speak out, and you'll be rewarded. If you can't speak, or if someone else speaks out first, you'll die a gruesome death, and they'll be rewarded. The rest of you will die the same way." Ji Wushang smiled.
Those around them trembled with fear. Marquis Jin Nan and Consort Jin exchanged a glance, both feeling a chill. Nan Xianxian looked at Ji Wushang in surprise, never expecting her to say such a thing. How could such words come from a lady of high birth, a princess consort?
Nan Zhaoxue calmed herself down slightly and continued reading.
"I don't know, no need to ask!" the assassin who had been chosen said coldly. She's just a woman; at worst, she'll suffer some physical pain, but she'll get through it! Or he could just stab her directly to save her the pain! That would be fine too!
Ji Wushang smiled, his eyes crinkling. There were always some ungrateful people who dared to challenge Ji Wushang's authority, but Ji Wushang was extremely patient with them!
“Cut off pieces of his flesh until he reveals who he is.” Ji Wushang took a few steps back, then turned her back. “Do it.” Her tone was cold, leaving no room for negotiation!
Even the Marquis of Jinnan couldn't stop her. He knew all too well that this woman in front of him had managed to extricate him from Prime Minister Gao Zuo's elaborate schemes and order Tie Feng to bring men to protect him, thus saving his life. She could also take his life back at any moment!
I can only try to avoid provoking her... As long as she still acknowledges me as her father and doesn't hinder my development, I can definitely turn a blind eye!
At this moment, several guards stepped forward and pulled the man aside to prepare for execution. The other men in black watched, each one worried whether he would truly be sliced to pieces! This was death by a thousand cuts!
If he were to reveal who was behind it all, then it would be the dozen or so of us who would die! Should we tell or not?
Ji Wushang leisurely had a chaise longue brought out, then sat down on it. She didn't look at the impending bloody scene, but instead turned her back and had some snacks brought to her, which she then began to eat.
But she put the food in her mouth, then stopped, and turned to the Marquis of Jinnan and Concubine Jin standing there, "Father, Concubine, Third Miss, Fourth Miss, Fifth Miss, why don't you come and have some snacks with us?"
"This, Wushang, if you're hungry, just eat it yourself. Father isn't hungry." Marquis Jinnan felt a chill run down his spine. How could she possibly eat snacks like this?
Nan Xianxian, Nan Zhaoxue, and Nan Zaixin trembled with fear, shaking their heads in disbelief. Aunt Jin nestled beside Marquis Jinnan, "My lord, shall we leave?"
"No, if something happens and we can't deal with it in time, it will be a disaster!" said the Marquis of Jinnan.
Aunt Jin pursed her lips, wondering why he would say that.
Tie Feng glanced at Ji Wushang and, seeing that she had no intention of retracting her order, immediately made a gesture. Two guards immediately pinned the man down, and another guard drew his sword and slashed down on his thigh!
"Ah!" A bloodcurdling scream pierced the sky! The assassin's face contorted in agony; the pain in his leg was shooting straight from his nerves to his brain, an unbearable agony!
Ji Wushang closed his eyes slightly, "Continue." His soft voice sounded like a vengeful ghost.
Just then, someone nearby shouted, "I'll say it!"
Ji Wushang put down the pastries in his hand. In fact, he had no appetite. He was just putting on an act!
“No! He knows nothing! I’ll talk, I’ll talk!” the assassin, whose flesh had been cut off, immediately said. “They know nothing, they were just trying to deceive you to save their own lives!”
"I don't care, I just want you to tell the truth. If you can't, I've said it before, one by one, you'll be stabbed." Ji Wushang got up from the chaise lounge and walked in front of them. "Speak. This is your last chance!"
"Yes, it was Second Master who ordered us to kill you!" the assassin, whose flesh had been cut off, said.
Ji Wushang's eyes, however, held a smile, much to the astonishment of those around him! "Someone, please bring Second Uncle over!" Ji Wushang strode up to Marquis Jinnan and Concubine Jin. "Father, Concubine, did you both hear that?"
"I heard you!" Marquis Jinnan was furious. That damned thing, why doesn't he know how to restrain himself! He brought this upon himself, he deserves it! "This matter is yours to handle!" Marquis Jinnan said, turning to leave, but then turned back, saying, "Wu Shang, it's best not to make too much noise about this, lest we disturb Mother!"
“Yes, Wu Shang certainly knows how to behave, but Wu Shang wants an explanation and justice,” Ji Wu Shang said.
"Alright, you handle it..."
"Where is Father going? This matter should be handled by Father. Wu Shang has no right to punish Second Uncle, after all, Second Uncle is Wu Shang's elder... But, Wu Shang definitely wants an explanation from Father!" Ji Wu Shang's tone grew colder.
Marquis Jinnan paused for a moment, then nodded, reluctantly accepting the task... Ji Wushang was putting pressure on herself! As a junior, even if her second uncle was to be punished, Marquis Jinnan should step in, otherwise it would be unfilial. But she insisted on getting an explanation, which was a way of indirectly making him punish Nan Aoyu.
It can't be too lenient, or it won't convince the public, since it involved sending someone to assassinate the Marquis's heir's wife! It can't be too severe, because Nan Aoyu is, after all, his own younger brother. If he were killed, wouldn't outsiders say that he, as the older brother, was cruel for killing his younger brother?
The people around were furious when they heard the man in black say those words. They were afraid of losing their lives! Now that someone had spoken first, wouldn't they be at the mercy of Ji Wushang, who would slice them to pieces?
"Men, take them aside. We'll need them later!" Ji Wushang ordered, and Tie Feng immediately had his men gather the dozen or so assassins together.
"It's terrible! My lord, my lady-in-law! The second master is missing! Concubine Liu, Concubine Dou, and the others are also missing! We can't find the young master and young lady either! All the gold, silver, and valuables are gone!" At this moment, a maid ran in from outside, followed by some guards and iron guards.
"Reporting to the Crown Princess, the Second Master and his entire family have gone missing!" one of the guards added.
Ji Wushang nodded slightly and waved her hand, signaling them all to stand aside. "They will come back. We'll wait." Her words were like a bolt from the blue. How could they possibly come back after all that they'd escaped?
Did she foresee this all along? Otherwise, how could she have escaped unscathed, without a single injury? The Marquis of Jinnan now realized—she must have anticipated it! Had she foreseen all of this? Such a person is truly terrifying!
"If you have anything else to confess, you can confess. If you do, I can handle the situation accordingly. If you don't confess, ha!" Ji Wushang sneered, her laughter both alluring and cruel!
"Princess Consort, this is what happened! Second Master was furious. He was resentful of being kicked out of the Marquis's mansion, so he had all of us brought out, saying that if we killed the Princess Consort, we could get at least two hundred taels of gold! So, all the brothers discussed it together, and if it succeeded, we would divide the gold among ourselves..." The assassin, whose flesh had been cut, hurriedly spoke while covering his wound, haphazardly bandaging it. He was deeply afraid of being stabbed again!
Someone nearby immediately said, "This idea of surrounding and killing people was his own!" As he spoke, the person immediately pointed to the black-clad man whose flesh had been cut off.
Ji Wushang sneered. This was just like dogs fighting over bones, just like Ji Meiyuan, Ji Wuxia, Ji Yinxue, and the others before!
"You're making baseless accusations! These things were all done by everyone together! And everyone thought of them together!" the man immediately retorted.
The Marquis of Jinnan listened with a hint of anger, looking at them coldly, but he didn't say a word.
Just then, a number of people were seen escorting several others as they walked in from here.
Leading the group were Hongfei, a maid, and several guards. The guards escorted Nan Aoyu's entire family into the Moxuan Garden and forced Nan Aoyu and the others to kneel on the ground.
"Father, you see, I told you they would definitely come back." Ji Wushang smiled and looked at Nan Aoyu. "Second Uncle, why did your family have to leave in such a hurry? You clearly agreed to pack up in a couple of days before leaving. Why were you so impatient?"
"Ji Wushang, stop pretending!" Nan Aoyu glared at Ji Wushang with resentment. "I don't understand how so many people couldn't kill you!"
"Maybe I'm just lucky!" Ji Wushang smiled, then walked up to Nan Qinghao and Nan Xueyan, waved for the guards to release them, squatted down and smiled, "Good boy, Yan'er."
Nan Qinghao and Nan Xueyan both retreated timidly, their eyes reflecting a hint of fear. A wave of pity washed over Ji Wushang. Their parents' sins shouldn't be borne by them; they were innocent… But just looking at these children reminded him of his own child who had been beaten to death… If only he could have had a child like that! How precious that child was, yet he died at the hands of those vicious people!
Ji Meiyuan and Nan Jinxue are both dead, but there's still Aunt Zhao, and all the people in this house from the Marquis's mansion! They all harmed and hurt him! Should he forgive them? No!
Should we forgive these young children?
Ji Wushang's lips curled up, "Granny Long."
The old woman, Long, who was standing to the side serving, immediately stepped forward and said, "Please give your orders, Your Highness."
"Take Hao'er and Yan'er down here! Give them food and water, and let them rest well." Ji Wushang smiled.
Granny Long glanced at Marquis Jinnan, who immediately nodded, saying there was nothing excessive about it and that it was permissible to do it!
Granny Long immediately ordered several maids to come forward, and then headed towards the backyard.
As Nan Aoyu watched her two children being taken away, she immediately shouted, "Ji Wushang, where are you taking them?"
“Eating and drinking are just in the backyard, Second Uncle, why are you in such a hurry?” Ji Wushang said.
Aunt Liu looked at Ji Wushang, her voice trembling slightly, with a hint of pleading, "Princess Consort Wushang, please have mercy and don't hurt Hao'er!"
"Auntie, aren't you overthinking this?" Ji Wushang looked at her and said, "Everyone heard it. Did I say how to treat Hao'er and Yan'er? Are you trying to deliberately slander Wushang? To spread the word and make Wushang bear the blame for hurting his younger siblings?"
"I... I didn't mean that! And Ji Wushang, let me tell you, why are you holding us captive like this! What did we do wrong?" Aunt Liu said angrily, her fox-like eyes looking at Ji Wushang, upturned, with a charming air.
"She really is a vixen!" Ji Wushang sneered, but his mind was filled with memories of that time in his previous life.
She had finally managed to make herself a new dress and was overjoyed. She was only thinking of pleasing that scumbag man, so she hurriedly walked through the corridor. Little did she expect that Aunt Liu would be walking towards her!
Aunt Liu swayed her slender waist, still as glamorous as ever, her very being exuding charm. "Isn't this Wu Shang? Oh, you've changed into a new outfit? It's quite pretty!"
"Thank you for the compliment, Aunt. If there's nothing else, Wu Shang will head back to her courtyard now." Ji Wu Shang dared not provoke any conflict with her.
"Okay, you can go now!" Aunt Liu smiled, and Ji Wushang immediately lowered her head and walked over. Unexpectedly, Aunt Liu suddenly stuck out her foot, and Ji Wushang was tripped and fell to the ground! Just as she was about to get up, Aunt Liu stomped on her new clothes several times! Ji Wushang endured the pain, got up, and was about to argue when Aunt Liu slapped her across the face!
"You little hussy, how dare you block my way! Guards, tear her new clothes to shreds!" Aunt Liu gave the order without further ado.
Seeing that no one was around, the maids and servants became bolder and came forward to tear their new clothes to shreds!
At that time, I was timid and could only swallow all of this in my heart. When I entered Yu Xue Garden, Nan Jin Xue made sarcastic remarks without asking why. At that time, I was still foolish to think that he was angry because he could not wear new clothes, which is why he said those heartbreaking words!
Ji Wushang took a deep breath, then looked coldly at Aunt Liu in front of her. She might not know what Aunt Liu had done to her in her past life, but she would never forget it! She didn't want her to be on the ground, didn't want her new clothes to be torn. Instead, she wanted Hao'er to be the one throwing money at her when she was walking down the street, begging in utter despair! And Hao'er to be calling someone else "Mother" right in front of her…
Ji Wushang glanced at her, then walked up to the Marquis of Jinnan and knelt down before him, "Father, please do justice for Wushang!"
"Uh... Wu Shang, quick, get up first!" Marquis Jin Nan immediately helped Ji Wu Shang up. Ji Wu Shang raised his head slightly, his cold and proud gaze looking at him, the meaning of which was very clear!
Marquis Jin Nan nodded, "Father will give you justice!" He then immediately walked towards Nan Aoyu, "Second brother, why did you send so many assassins to kill Wu Shang? Do you have anything to say about this?"
"My life is over, what else is there to say!" Nan Aoyu said. "What I hate is that I couldn't kill her!"
"Pah!" Marquis Jinnan slapped Nan Aoyu across the face. "I originally spared your life because you are my own brother. I was already being magnanimous with Jin Xue's death. Considering our half-brotherhood and the fact that you've served as the steward of the Marquis's mansion for over a decade, I was originally thinking of giving you a chance. But you didn't know how to cherish it! You have disappointed me greatly!" Marquis Jinnan's expression turned cold. "Now, what do you have to say?"