The Incense Monopoly Order

Chapter 140 My Daughter Also Wants to Live

Shang Mingshu smiled slightly at Chi Wulang.

Backlit, Chi Wulang could only vaguely see the crescent-shaped outline of Shang Mingshu's half-face. A chill ran down his spine for no reason. The next moment, a cold and dazzling sword light flashed past his eyes. He was so stabbed that he instinctively closed his eyes. Then, he felt a pain in his feet, followed by his wrists.

In the blink of an eye, Shang Mingshu severed Chi Wulang's tendons in his hands and feet. As Chi Wulang collapsed to the ground, she leaned forward, grabbed his neck, and dislocated his jaw.

Her ruthlessness and decisiveness made Zhang Yushuang's pupils shrink.

As Chi Wulang's men gradually fell into a disadvantageous position, Shang Mingshu did not join in the cleanup. He Sui came forward with a lantern to light the way for Shang Mingshu and handed her a handkerchief.

Shang Mingshu first wiped the sword clean, then with a backhand stroke, she sheathed it. She took the second handkerchief handed to her by He Sui, carefully wiping each of her slender fingers as she slowly walked towards the carriage.

Once she boarded the carriage, the remaining Japanese pirates were all killed. Under He Mu's leadership, the guards tied up the survivors and cleared a path for the carriage to continue passing. He Sui carried a medicine box and quickly bandaged Chi Wulang's wounds.

"Are you in a hurry to get going?" Zhang Yushuang handed the hand warmer to Shang Mingshu, who then glanced at the sky.

The night was deep in the depths of winter, and Zhang Yushuang could sense that dawn was not far off. Shang Mingshu said there was still one more battle to fight, and after that battle, things should be safe. If Shang Mingshu was in a hurry, she could leave her behind and go ahead on her own.

Zhang Yushuang, pampered since childhood, had not rested all night. She was too exhausted to sleep because of the battle and knew she could not force herself to accompany Shang Mingshu on horseback through the night.

"I'll leave some people for you." Shang Mingshu did indeed want to go first.

She had arranged everything perfectly, but even the most meticulous plans can have flaws. She couldn't completely predict Shi Houqiong's actions. As long as she wasn't sure if her family was safe, she couldn't relax for a moment. She had been waiting for Chi Wulang all this way. Now that the matter was resolved, Zhang Yushuang was indeed no longer in danger.

After all, she had only decided to invite Zhang Yushuang on a whim, and Shi Houqiong could not have guessed that she and Zhang Yushuang were close friends, and that Zhang Yushuang, as a lady of the Duke's mansion, would go to such lengths for her.

Zhang Yushuang nodded, huddled inside the carriage, and wrapped herself up tightly: "I'm taking a rest now, let them travel slowly."

Leaving He Sui and a few guards behind, Shang Mingshu rode away with He Mu and two guards.

Inside the city of Huizhou, the gate of the Shi family was pushed open, leaving a bright red handprint on the wooden door. Servants hurriedly helped the person who was about to collapse to their feet.

Butler Shi personally participated, and this time the entire army was wiped out. Even he was barely alive when he ran back to report the news.

Shi Houqiong, accompanied by his wife, daughters, and trusted guards, came forward. He looked at the dying Steward Shi and his face turned pale.

"Master, hurry! There's an army! It's the Xu family army!" Steward Shi cried anxiously, his eyes filled with tears. "I rushed back at all costs, and someone is cleaning up the mess, but the Xu family army is lying in ambush in the fishing village. They're prepared, and I'm afraid they'll catch up with us soon."

"Xu's army!" Shi Houqiong was shocked. He had no information or news at all. Not only was Prefect He covering it up, but even the Imperial Envoy was covering it up. Otherwise, how could he have been kept in the dark? "I clearly sent people to investigate Xu Tianxing's whereabouts!"

If he wants to deal with Prefect He, how can he not find out Prefect He's true intentions?
Prefect He is a commoner who has made his way to where he is today through his own efforts. Apart from his mentor in the imperial examination, he has no connections in the court. On the contrary, Madam He and Lady Xu are not far removed from Xu Tianxing. If he wants to make a move, he must ensure that Xu Tianxing is out of reach... Xu Tianxing has official duties and cannot leave his post. How could he be hiding in Huizhou Prefecture?
If he had known Xu Tianxing was here, he should have informed the General and raised an army in Shaoxing to catch Xu's army off guard. With this merit, even if he lost the whole game in Huizhou Prefecture, he could still escape to the island with his family...

Now, however, he is not. This time, he is full of confidence and wants to set a trap for Prefect He. The General is eager to control Huizhou Prefecture. Prefect He is unyielding and has sent people to infiltrate the prefecture several times, but they have all been thwarted by the Shang family in conjunction with Prefect He. This is why the General went to great lengths to send Chi Wulang to help him. Even the people he had previously placed in Huizhou Prefecture were all exposed, but in the end, all his efforts were in vain.

He's done.

Even if he didn't show up at all and could still argue with the officials, the general wouldn't spare his life!

"Quickly, go find Erlang and take him away!" Shi Houqiong no longer cared about her own survival; she only hoped to save her second son, Shi Guangbo, at the last moment.

"Yes……"

The guard had just turned around after receiving the order when a dagger was plunged into his abdomen. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Shi Qingyu, whose gaze was cold and sinister. In the instant he was stunned, Shi Qingyu twisted the dagger in her hand and kicked him to the ground.

This sudden turn of events turned Shi Houqiong's face ashen: "What are you trying to do!"

"What are you doing?" Shi Qingyu gripped the blood-stained dagger, a cold smile playing on her lips. "In Father's eyes, there will only ever be his elder brother and younger brother. In a life-or-death situation, he'll only try to save them? What can I do? I want to live too!"

"Men, seize this rebellious woman!" Shi Houqiong shouted the order.

Guards rushed out from both sides, half protecting Shi Houqiong and half protecting Shi Qingyu.

Shi Houqiong stared in shock at the betrayed guards behind Shi Qingyu: "You—"

"Father, Shi Guangbo has been poisoned. Du Zhong won't let him live. Rather than giving your escape route to this good-for-nothing, why not give it to me..." Shi Qingyu confronted Shi Houqiong. "Father, this time you've suffered heavy losses. I'm afraid you've angered a powerful figure. Will the powerful figure allow you to keep someone alive to carry on the family line? Once I escape, I promise you that I will have a son with the surname Shi in the future!"

"You think I'd believe you?" Shi Houqiong said sharply, her eyes bloodshot. "Don't think I don't know who instigated Dalang to go to Hangzhou to find Shang Zishu!"

"So what if it's me?" Shi Qingyu laughed. "Blame yourself for indulging this madman Shi Guangchao and treating me like a human being. He wanted to kill me and you didn't care. He brought people to try to harm me and you didn't care. I killed him, so why should you interfere!"

It was she who tricked Shi Guangchao into going to find Shang Zishu, and even the fact that Shi Guangchao's obsession with Shang Zishu was growing deeper was also her doing. She had long wanted to use Shang Zishu to kill this good-for-nothing!
"you--"

"Father, are you really going to waste this last chance to escape?" Shi Qingyu interrupted Shi Houqiong. "I am not afraid, but Father has never thought that I would live."

"Master, the entire army has been wiped out in the reed marshes..." At this moment, another steward rushed over. "I just received news that it was the Cheng family who did it. Second Master Cheng has rushed back."

The path through the reed marshes had always been a backup plan, and it was very secluded. They immediately changed course when they sensed something was amiss. They didn't expect that while they could guard against Xu Tianxing, they couldn't guard against Cheng She!
The situation was urgent. Shi Houqiong suppressed the blood rushing to his throat and said to his frantic daughter, "I can give you the remaining strength of the Shi family so that you can escape through the secret passage. Take your brother with you!"