Madmen don't keep diaries

Chapter 424, Section 423: Heroines' Society

After experiencing a near-death experience, a person's desire to survive is amplified to the maximum.

Just like Xu Liansheng now.

She quickly realized what had happened.

Feng Xiuhu's shot hit the floor, shattering the glass, and she fell into the water.

The sudden shock of the icy pool water instantly extinguished his earlier boastful ambition, replaced by an indescribable sense of lingering fear.

Feng Xiuhu returned the gun to Shunzi and ordered, "Pull her up."

Shunzi instinctively pushed the gun barrel forward, trying to give Xu Liansheng a place to lean on.

But when she saw the dark muzzle of a gun pointed at her, Xu Liansheng instinctively took a step back as if startled.

Feng Xiuhu patted Shunzi on the shoulder and sneered, "Do you see now? She has never trusted you."

Shunzi lowered her gaze and did not argue.

He put the gun away and handed it to Xu Liansheng.

Xu Liansheng remained silent, placing her hand in Shunzi's palm and letting him pull her out of the water.

Xu Liansheng slumped to the ground, completely disoriented, seemingly still reeling from the panic she had just experienced.

Her clothes, soaked by the pool water, clung to her skin, revealing glimpses of her graceful figure.

After a long while, she murmured, "...Why didn't Second Master kill me?"

"That would be too easy on you."

Feng Xiuhu dragged over a chair and sat directly in front of Xu Liansheng: "I haven't had enough fun yet."

He reached out and lifted Xu Liansheng's chin so that she could look him in the eye.

Feng Xiuhu revealed a despicable smirk: "You like to play with people's hearts, so let me play with you today."

Upon hearing this, Xu Liansheng's expression changed drastically, and even Shunzi turned to look at her.

Xu Liansheng bit her lower lip: "Second Master, please have some self-respect. Whether I am a delicate flower or a pitcher plant, I have never had any affair with any man. If you want to force me, you might as well just kill me."

Feng Xiuhu was furious: "Fine! I wanted to talk about feelings with you, but you only want my body? I never thought you were such a promiscuous widow!"

Xu Liansheng was stunned—was this said backwards?
She tentatively asked, "So what exactly does Second Master mean?"

Feng Xiuhu spat: "I have no interest in you!"

Feng Xiuhu was so anxious that he couldn't hear properly, so Shunzi quickly tried to persuade him: "Brother, that's not what she meant."

Feng Xiuhu turned to Shunzi and asked, "What does she mean?"

Shunzi's face flushed red: "She, she is... asking how you want to play..."

Feng Xiuhu slapped his forehead, finally coming to his senses.

Feng Xiuhu tapped his fingertips lightly on the armrest of the chair, carefully choosing his words before asking, "Lian Sheng, answer me honestly, why are you always targeting the Duke of Da Guo?"

Xu Liansheng fell silent. She had wanted to answer that it was to avenge her deceased husband, but Feng Xiuhu knew about this, so he was sure that wasn't what he was asking.

After a long while, Xu Liansheng stared at the ground and uttered two weighty words in a deep voice.

"To save the country."

Feng Xiuhu couldn't help but laugh; this answer coincided with his guess. He then said, "That's what interests me."

Feng Xiuhu showed no surprise whatsoever, which surprised Xu Liansheng instead.

She looked up at Feng Xiuhu: "Second Master, you even guessed this?"

Feng Xiuhu shook his head: "I wouldn't say I guessed it, but your style of doing things is very similar to someone I know. I don't mean that your personalities and methods are similar, but that your self-righteous goals are exactly the same."

He glanced at Zhao Mumu beside him without leaving a trace, and asked softly, "So, when did you start working for Wei Su'e?"

These words were so powerful that Xu Liansheng's pupils constricted sharply, and Zhao Mumu exclaimed in shock, "Who exactly are you?!"

Feng Xiuhu ignored Zhao Mumu and simply lowered his eyes to gaze quietly at Xu Liansheng.

Xu Liansheng swallowed hard, hesitated for a moment, and finally spoke.

"Yes... Not long after Zhenbang left, the Duchess took the initiative to contact me. She asked someone to tell me the truth about Zhenbang's illness and said that she hoped to join forces with me to bring down the Grand Duke."

Zhao Mumu said urgently, "Madam! This is of utmost importance, we cannot tell him!"

Feng Xiuhu pointed the knife at them and said, "If you dare to utter another word, I'll cut out your tongue."

Zhao Mumu glared at him angrily, and Feng Xiuhu, not one to tolerate her, made a move to get up and actually fight—Xu Liansheng quickly grabbed Feng Xiuhu's wrist and said in a panic, "Second Master, please don't be angry. I've told you everything I know, please don't take it out on Mumu!"

Having said that, to show her sincerity, she quickly revealed everything she knew: "The Duke of Daguo is becoming increasingly powerful, but the President is keeping a low profile. The countries of the Western Continent are using the Duke of Daguo to gradually erode Daxuan. This is like a slow poison. If we wait until the disease is terminal before we think of a good solution, it will be too late to regret it."

"The Duchess was deeply worried about the Great Xuan Dynasty and could not bear to see the country fall apart. Therefore, she secretly established the Heroines' Society to recruit women of ambition in the court to work together to save the country. I am one of them."

Feng Xiuhu stroked his stubble: "Only women?"

He suddenly remembered something: "That Zheng Sulan who met with you a few days ago..."

Xu Liansheng nodded repeatedly: "That's right, so is she. Most of the members of the Heroines' Society are female relatives of high-ranking officials in Taijing. They can not only get timely access to the secrets of the powerful, but also exert influence to a certain extent."

"Zheng Sulan's trip to Fancheng was ostensibly to visit relatives, but in reality, she was there to investigate whether the structure of the Fancheng government had changed after the evil god's invasion. The Duchess is now in Taijing and is not as well-informed about the Duke as before, so this is the only way she can use."

"Zheng Sulan came to Qianyu City this time to convey the words of the Duchess of the State."

"Sail City Mayor Yan Qingtian perished in the battle against the evil god. The Presidential Palace has sent the latest news that it intends to transfer Xu Deru, the current mayor of Qianyu City, to Sail City. As a result, the mayoral position of Qianyu City will be vacant. Although the specific person has not yet been decided, Da Guogong is mediating between them, attempting to transfer his supporters to Sail City in order to resolve the shipyard's obstruction. The Duchess told me to prepare in advance."

It was like pulling up a radish and bringing out the mud; Feng Xiuhu never expected that his casual question would lead to such a big incident.

It wouldn't be accurate to say that this matter has nothing to do with him—in Fancheng, which is currently without a mayor, Qian Guangtong is in charge, and it's hard to say what might happen if Xu Deru is transferred there.

But he couldn't figure it out for the time being, so Feng Xiuhu waved his hand and steered the conversation back on track.

He pointed at Zhao Mumu and asked Xu Liansheng, "So she was sent by Wei Su'e, right?"

Xu Liansheng replied honestly, "Second Master, you may not know this, but the Duchess of the State has the support of the Marriage Temple; otherwise, she wouldn't be able to maintain the reputation of the Women's Society."

Feng Xiuhu couldn't help but sneer: "Zhao Mumu says she's protecting you, but in reality, she's also monitoring you. I don't believe you can't figure that out."

"Of course I know."

Xu Liansheng nodded and said, "But this is only human nature. Even if I were the Duchess, I would still make the same arrangement. Besides, Mu Mu and I are like sisters and there has never been any distance between us. As for the so-called surveillance, we both know it, and we would never bring it up."

"Do they really know the truth?"

Feng Xiuhu's smile grew even more sinister: "Then let me ask you, why does Wei Su'e have two maids by her side, while you only have one?"

(End of this chapter)