tallest building

Chapter 70 Hidden Moves

I've thought about this too, but after consulting many people about the child's birth chart, they all said it wouldn't harm the parents.

“No wonder Madam can’t understand it. I can’t figure it out either. Could it be that the child wasn’t killed by Song Shi? Or was it someone else?” Sang Er was very confused.

“Now that I’ve just regained control of the household, it’s not wise to be too aggressive with the Song family, or we might end up losing more than we gain,” Wen Mingqian said. “However, the Song family is already in disarray. We just need to fan the flames from the sidelines, and when they can’t hold back any longer and take a risk, we can close the net.”

Wen Mingqian also knew that it would not be easy to find out what happened back then. If it was really difficult to find out, he might as well let the Song family make the same mistake again.

Since Song would not let him off no matter what, he didn't need to be merciful to her.

"Let me tell you, you can't hide the truth forever, and black can never be white," said Zhang Ma. "I have to go cook now."

Gong Chang'an went to play in the courtyard, and Sang Er said to Wen Mingqian, "Madam must be a little tired. Why don't you loosen your clothes and lie down? I'll give you a massage."

Sang Er is skilled with her hands. Her fingers look slender and delicate, but she can be quite powerful when giving a massage.

"Okay!" Wen Mingqian did as she was told, taking off his outer garment. Sang Er washed her hands and began to massage her with moderate pressure.

“I’ll take you to your uncle’s place another day,” Wen Mingqian said gently, closing his eyes. “So he can see you and put his mind at ease.”

“What does he not trust me with? I don’t want to see that old man,” Sanger said.

“You can’t say that. You’re young and don’t know many things yet. Your uncle is getting older and his leg ailment is getting worse. You’re his only family in the world, so you should visit him often. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have had to separate.” Wen Mingqian’s tone was filled with guilt.

“Mother, please don’t say that. If it weren’t for you, my uncle and I would have frozen to death in the snow long ago,” Sang Er said. “Later, you gave us money to start a business, which is why we are where we are today.”

Although my uncle and I don't get along, there's one thing he said that I believe is true. He said that one should never forget one's roots, and that one should repay kindness received to be worthy of being a decent human being.

“Actually, you and your uncle have the same temper, stubborn on the outside but soft on the inside.” Wen Mingqian chuckled. “You’re willing to risk your lives for each other, but when there’s nothing going on, you can’t stand each other and won’t say a kind word to each other.”

As the two were talking, Yunying floated in from outside and said softly, "Madam is back. Have the guests from the Feng family left?"

"Madam has been back for a while now. Where did you go, sister?" Sang Er asked.

"I went for a stroll in the garden after I finished my work," Yunying said. "If I had known Madam was coming back, I would have come back earlier."

"What's the big deal? There's no urgent work to do," Wen Mingqian said. "Besides, I didn't bring you in here to do chores and serve me."

"Madam, are you going to give Sister Yunying to Gong Er in a few days?" Sang Er asked.

“Yes,” Wen Mingqian nodded, “I think Gong Er is very satisfied with her. If we want to bring down the Song family, this is a necessary step.”

"This was agreed upon long ago. If it weren't for Madam redeeming me from that place, I really can't imagine what kind of life I would be living," Yunying said calmly. "Now I'm just Gong Er's concubine. Not to mention he's not old, even with his family background and wealth, I'm not being treated unfairly."

Yunying and her parents were all servants born into the household and were exiled to Shuangxi along with their master.

Yunying was thirteen that year and had grown into a beautiful young woman.

The warden's wife then ordered her and a dozen other women to be sent to the military brothel, where they became the lowest-ranking military prostitutes.

Fortunately, after less than a year there, she caught the eye of Wen Mingqian, who bought her for three hundred taels of silver. This was against the rules, but rules can always be circumvented.

Wen Mingqian gave her the money, and they erased Yunying's original name, only reporting that she had died of illness. The arrangements had been made in advance, so how could anyone expose it?
In border regions like Shuangxi, there is no shortage of prisoners to be exiled.

Those like Yunying, who were exiled as slaves, were as insignificant as ants.

For the person in charge, being able to extract several hundred taels of silver from them was truly a windfall.

Yunying escaped the hellish situation. Wen Mingqian and his nephew Sang Er took her away from Shuangxi. They lived in Wuqiao for a few years before coming to the capital.

Therefore, she was very grateful to Wen Mingqian and did not mind marrying Gong Xu as a concubine.

She had a very open-minded view of her fate and also took a very light view of romantic love between men and women.

But she was not a heartless person. She valued gratitude and had a sense of shame, but her sense of shame was not in matters of romantic love.

“Yesterday, Gong Xu was entangled with the Song family again. Go to the second gate early today to welcome him over,” Wen Mingqian said to Yunying. “Gong Xu is a very awkward person. He always considers himself a gentleman, but he is narrow-minded and muddle-headed.”

However, he's very susceptible to gentleness; if you use your full strength, you probably won't even need three rounds to capture him.

Wen Mingqian no longer has any feelings for Gong Xu, and over the years she has ruthlessly dissected Gong Xu countless times.

She knew how to make Gong Xu powerless to resist, but she disdained to use these methods.

Because she would no longer have any marital affection with Gong Xu. Old habits die hard, and Wen Mingqian's inherent pride and fastidiousness could never be changed.

No matter how gentle and compliant she may appear on the surface, there are some things she will never do.

"Don't worry, Madam, I have my own tricks up my sleeve," Yunying said with a light smile. "Just wait and see!"

“Sister, you have such a beautiful smile.” Sang Er said to Yun Ying, “When Gong Er sees you, he will be like a starving fish seeing bait.”

"Your analogy is really funny." Yunying couldn't help but pinch her cheek. "Actually, you are much prettier than me, but how can a pure and innocent girl like you get entangled with such an old man? I, a rascal and a down-and-out, should hang out with him instead."

"What are you doing, peeking out your ears here?" Zhang Ma caught Gong Chang'an, who was acting suspiciously, at the door.

"Shh, be quiet!" Gong Chang'an winked at her as if he were killing a chicken, "I just want to hear what they're saying."

"That's all adult stuff, why are you listening to that?" Zhang Ma couldn't help but scold him.

“When I grow up, I’m going to marry Sang Er,” Gong Chang’an protested. “She can only be mine!”

"You've got good taste, kid," Zhang Ma sneered. "It's a pity Sang Er is eight years older than you! Why should she wait for a little monkey like you?"

"I……"

Gong Chang'an was about to argue when Zhang Ma gently pushed him aside and called out loudly into the room, "You two come over here and help serve the dishes and attend to the madam's meal. I'll go over there and deliver the dishes to the old lady."

(End of this chapter)