Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 844 Want Him to Die

Madam Wu tried her best to control her emotions, and she looked at Xie Yuyan with a blank expression.

"What tricks are you playing? If you want to kill me, just do it... Why go through all this..."

Xie Yuyan asked, "When you killed Jiang Zhenru, what kind of person did you think she was?"

Madam Wu frowned.

Xie Yuyan said, "At least when she died, she was a proper Princess Consort of Qin."

These words were like a knife piercing Wu Niangzi's heart, but she still tried her best to endure them.

Xie Yuyan continued, "Moreover, apart from the Prince of Huai, all the children under the Prince of Qin are Jiang Zhenru's own flesh and blood."

Madam Wu clenched her fists tighter: "What do you mean by all this? Whether Jiang Zhenru lives or dies is her decision."

Xie Yuyan shook his head and said, "No."

Madam Wu raised her head.

"It was all his choice, Jiang Zhenru's, and yours too."

After carefully considering the meaning of these words, Madam Wu understood who Xie Yuyan was referring to as "he".

A cheer came from outside. Xie Yuyan and Madam Wu didn't need to look to know that the owner's ship must have lost.

"Now that things have come to this, what do you want to do with me?" said Madam Wu. "I'm nothing but a criminal woman."

Xie Yuyan wasn't in a hurry. She took a sip of tea and said, "It seems you were indeed prepared."

Madam Wu was taken aback. She hadn't shown any emotion, so why was Madam Xie able to tell?
Xie Yuyan said, "You didn't trust the boss and made some arrangements behind the scenes, so when you learned that the boss might lose, you weren't too panicked, and you even spoke with more confidence."

"let me guess."

Xie Yuyan stood up, and Wu Niangzi felt as if someone was squeezing her throat, making it hard for her to breathe.

Xie Yuyan said, "After Jiang Ruming became the boss, you found that you, his lawfully wedded wife, lost your rightful status and position in his eyes." Madam Wu could only be Jiang Ruming's legal wife, not the boss's legal wife. Clearly, the boss had no intention of returning to Jiang Ruming.

"As his hidden status rises and he has more women and children, you can hold onto less and less."

"So this battle is not a life-or-death struggle for him. If he loses, he can simply go into hiding and try again in a few years."

"But for you, if you lose, you will lose everything, and you will be of no use to him anymore."

"The King of Qin failed to ascend the throne, the Duke of Wei died, and the Jiang family fell. He has no desire to have anything to do with the Jiang family. Your existence and that of your son will only be a burden to him. In the end, you will only die."

Madam Wu's face turned even more pale; she seemed to be struggling to breathe.

Lady Wu exclaimed in surprise, "The Duke of Wei has been defeated?"

Xie Yuyan laughed and said, "Don't you already know the outcome? What's the use of the court capturing the mastermind behind the rebels if they haven't taken them down?"

"When power changes hands, the initiative is lost. The King of Qin sits on the throne openly and legitimately, recognized by the court and the public. Who cares about the truth behind it all?"

"These things should be easy to figure out."

Madam Wu wasn't stupid; Xie Yuyan gave her enough time to think it over.

After a long silence, Madam Wu looked up at Xie Yuyan and asked, "If I tell you some secrets, what benefits will you give me?"

"Would you... release me... or... release my son?"

Wu Niangzi's eyes were full of longing.

Xie Yuyan shook her head: "I don't know any of them."

Wu Niangzi's eyes dimmed.

Xie Yuyan said, "The Jiang family is plotting a rebellion and the entire clan should be executed. If we release you, who will the people who died because of you seek justice from?"

When Madam Wu thought of the looks those people had given her when she brought her here, they looked at her with such hatred that they wished they could skin her alive.

"Then why should I say it?" Madam Wu asked. Xie Yuyan looked at Madam Wu: "You can take a bet."

Madam Wu looked at Xie Yuyan with a puzzled expression.

Xie Yuyan said, "Almost all ten managers are dead, and the Jiang family is also gone. The owner will definitely try to escape. If he survives... would that be a good thing or a bad thing for your Ye-ge?"

"Perhaps it would be better for you if your master died, so that at least your Ye-ge'er could get something. Otherwise, your Ye-ge'er would become a discarded pawn in your master's hands."

"Everyone knows what happens to those who are abandoned."

Wu Niangzi's forehead was covered in cold sweat. The feeling of being seen through made her even more fearful.

Xie Yuyan continued, "Given the master's familiarity with the sea and with you, he can easily find your son, but the imperial court may not be able to do so."

"That's what I meant when I said you can gamble."

"If the gambling tycoon dies and the imperial court can't find your Ye Ge'er, then your Ye Ge'er can survive this calamity, change his name and identity, and live a peaceful life."

"Do you want to give it a try?"

Wu Niangzi picked up the tea with trembling hands and took a few sips. Tea dripped down her lips and onto her clothes, but she didn't notice at all.

After a long while, she looked at Xie Yuyan and asked, "How were you able to guess so much?"

Xie Yuyan remained silent, perhaps because she understood these people's thoughts and knew how ruthless they were.

Madam Wu knew that she didn't have much time left, and this was her only chance.

Lady Xie was right. She had seen through the current situation long ago. With the Prince of Qin ascending the throne, she and Ye-ge'er would still be able to survive and support the Jiang family.

Conversely, they are doomed.

Since learning of her master's plans, she had been secretly recruiting people for Ye Ge'er and had also secretly taken some money. When the time came, Ye Ge'er would take these people and leave Daliang.

Madam Wu said, "I don't have that much ability. What I left for Ye-ge was one of the escape routes that the master prepared for himself. If he finds out about it... he will definitely harm Ye-ge."

At this point, Madam Wu raised her face: "You're right, I'd rather he were dead." As she said this, a hint of pleasure flashed in her eyes.

“He faked his death and left home, saying it was for the Jiang family and for Ye Ge’er, but it was actually for himself.”

“He is dead, and I can no longer have any other children. I am bound by my identity as Jiang Ruming’s wife. I not only have to manage the Jiang family’s inner quarters, but also have to risk my life for him.”

“If something really goes wrong, he can leave, but we can’t.”

"Before I went to Bianjing, I wanted to send Ye Ge'er away as soon as possible, but he refused, fearing that the court would find out and ruin his important plans. How could I entrust Ye Ge'er's life and death to him?"

"Now that things have come to this, I can only pray that the Jiang family prospers and that Ye-ge'er inherits the title."

Madam Wu's hunchback deepened even further; what more could she ask for? His children multiplied year by year, and the number of women around him was countless.

What he wants is different from what she wants, so how could they possibly be of the same mind?
Fortunately, she could still rely on the Duke of Wei and use that identity to make some arrangements.

If Lady Xie hadn't brought it up, she wouldn't have made these things public. Her fear of him was such that, aside from doing things in secret, she dared not utter many things aloud.

Now that her employer has lost, she seems to be able to catch her breath, and all those grievances, resentments, and various emotions are surging out all at once.

“He had a lot of frogmen under his command. These frogmen were not only good swimmers, but they could also stay underwater for longer than ordinary people. They could pull him underwater, and he could breathe with just a bamboo tube.”

"If he gets too far from the shore, he will use a small boat for cover, catch his breath, and then continue on his way."

At this point, a mocking smile appeared on Madam Wu's face: "He put in a lot of effort when it came to escaping for his life."

“He was exceptionally familiar with the surrounding islands. You may not know this, but he was outwardly at odds with the locals, but behind their backs, he promised them some benefits so that they would allow him to build tunnels and stay on the islands until things calmed down, at which point he would take the opportunity to leave.”

Xie Yuyan looked at Madam Wu: "You mean, he released the small boat, seemingly as reinforcements, but actually wanted to use the chaos to escape underwater under the cover of the boat?"

Madam Wu nodded: "Possibly, but... it depends on the timing, after all, the frogman can only be used once. As for which island he will escape to, I have no idea."

Xie Yuyan lifted her foot and walked out of the cabin. Wu Niangzi couldn't say it very accurately, but it was enough for her.

(End of this chapter)