Madam, don't do this!

Chapter 275 It's Better to Be Widowed (1)

The bright moon hangs high.

Pingyang is somewhat lively during the day, but it becomes deserted at night. It's too cold here, so there are no night markets. For the people who live here, going out for a stroll at night is probably not as comfortable as lying in bed.

When Kong Xiyan, Kong Xinghuai, and Kong Lingyan returned, it was already past midnight. Even inside the carriage, the wisps of cold wind seeping through the cracks made the three of them feel as if they were about to freeze.

"Big sister, what exactly did you say to Song Yan?"

Inside the carriage, Kong Lingyan could no longer suppress his curiosity. Song Yan had been furious earlier, but why was he so calm and collected after spending some time alone with his elder sister? Kong Lingyan could probably understand why; he always looked like that after making love with his maid.

Could it be that Eldest Sister and Song Yan did something like that alone in the guest room?

As soon as some images flashed through his mind, Kong Lingyan immediately shook his head. How could a member of the Kong family have such filthy thoughts? Besides, that was the guest hall of the governor's mansion, with outsiders like them and his wife Luo Tianxuan outside.

Even if Song Yan were crude and vulgar, he wouldn't do something so reckless.

Kong Xiyan sighed, seemingly unconcerned about the biting wind, and pulled back a curtain, peering into the darkness outside: "The rumors that Song Yan prefers older women are probably true."

Unbeknownst to Song Yan, his reputation was damaged once again.

However, Song Yan shouldn't be the kind of person who fusses over such trivial matters... I think so, Kong Xiyan thought.

“I’m already twenty-seven years old, and I’m considered an old maid. If I wait another two years, I’ll be considered unmarriageable. So, I explained to him in detail the benefits of taking me as a concubine.”

Kong Lingyan and Kong Xinghuai exchanged a glance, both with a hint of doubt in their eyes. The benefits of marrying into a powerful family like the Kong family were obvious, weren't they?

Does this even need to be specifically mentioned?
He then felt that Kong Xiyan's words were somewhat far-fetched.

Kong Xiyan sighed: "Hey, Second Uncle, Second Brother, you two are both smart people. Smart people always like to keep things to themselves when they talk about things. They always feel that it is not dignified to put the conflicts of interest in the open. But you have forgotten that Song Yan is just a martial artist... He has never experienced those things between aristocratic families."

“When dealing with someone like Song Yan, it’s not okay to keep things hidden like before. You have to make sure all the benefits are out in the open.”

Kong Lingyan and Kong Xinghuai were stunned, never expecting it to be so simple, yet for some reason they felt that Kong Xiyan's words made some sense.

After all, how could such a crude and uncouth warrior understand the etiquette and rules between aristocratic families?
"So, there's no problem with Song Yan's side?" Kong Xinghuai asked.

“There shouldn’t be any problem.” Kong Xiyan nodded slightly. “However, he is, after all, a son-in-law, so this matter still needs the consent of Luo Yuheng and Luo Tianxuan.”

Both of them breathed a sigh of relief. Compared to Song Yan, they were more used to dealing with truly superior people like Luo Yuheng, and they had more experience with them.

The two looked at each other and could both see the smile in each other's eyes.

Kong Lingyan, in particular, even had a hint of passion hidden deep in his eyes.

Luo Tianxuan.

Even though he and Song Yan are married, they haven't consummated their marriage yet... Even if they do, he won't mind.

After all, this was the first time he had ever met a woman who made his heart flutter.

He believed that Luo Tianxuan would certainly not be willing to spend her life devoted to a crude and uncouth man. He also believed that with Luo Yuheng's intelligence, she would be able to discern who was more valuable, him or Song Yan.

Thinking this, Kong Lingyan's lips curled into a smug smile. If it worked out, then Song Yan would have no reason to exist. Although divorce was an option, having an ex-husband alive would still leave her feeling uneasy. So... it would be better to be widowed.

It's just a pity that the eldest sister had only just gotten married. If Song Yan were alive, she might have become his legal wife, but she didn't have that chance.

However, everything is for the benefit of the Kong family, so a little sacrifice is still necessary.

Kong Xinghuai lowered his eyes, a faint smile on his face, and no one knew what he was thinking.

Inside the carriage, the three seemed to be preoccupied with their own thoughts. Accompanied by the cool night wind and creaking sounds, the carriage finally stopped in front of an inn.

Fenglai Inn.

The name wasn't particularly pleasant, nor did it have a good meaning; no one knew why it was named that way, but regardless, it was the most upscale inn in Pingyang City. Furthermore, many things in Pingyang City hadn't been restored, and not many inns had reopened, so the Kong family had no other choice.

The carriages were parked on both sides of the inn's main gate, three on each side, with dozens of guards standing by. They were extremely vigilant, and as soon as they heard the sound of the wheels, they immediately stood up, their hands on the hilts of their swords. Only when they realized that it was their young master's carriage did they feel a little relieved.

A man who appeared to be the leader stepped forward to greet them. Kong Lingyan nodded slightly but didn't say much before heading into the inn. Kong Xinghuai, on the other hand, patted the man on the shoulder with a smile, said "thank you for your hard work," and then called over the waiter, instructing him to give the brothers on night watch an extra meal of meat.

The guards beamed with joy, praising the Second Master's benevolence and righteousness.

Kong Xiyan glanced at it briefly. She could roughly see the intrigue and backstabbing going on here, but she was just a concubine's daughter who was about to be married off. The conflicts within the Kong family were not of much concern to her. She glanced at it casually and then looked away, heading upstairs to her room.

She knew that the three Kong brothers—Kong Lingchen, Kong Lingyan, and Kong Lingyun—and perhaps Kong Xinghuai, would likely hold a small meeting, but she had no right to participate. For Kong Xiyan, the more important matter was how to obtain useful information within the Kong family to increase her value in Song Yan's eyes. Only in this way could she achieve her goal.

The lobby of the inn.

The innkeeper was still fiddling with his counting rods, calculating how much profit he would make that day. Looking at his worried face, an uninformed person might think that the inn had lost a lot of money, but those who knew the innkeeper well knew that it was simply because the money he made had not reached the number he had hoped for.

Kong Lingyan went straight to the counter, asked for their room numbers, and then instructed the manager to prepare some delicate dishes.

I'm really hungry.

For the entire afternoon at the governor's mansion, Luo Yuheng, Luo Tianxuan, and Song Yan all seemed to have forgotten about the meal. Apart from drinking tea, they had no oil or fat in their stomachs, and coupled with the freezing weather, they were finding it hard to stand. Upon seeing Kong Xiyan, they frowned slightly but still spoke up: "Elder sister, could you please ask my third brother to come to my room? There's a small matter we need to discuss."

Kong Xiyan thought to herself, "Just as I thought," and nodded before heading up to the third floor.

Of the five members of the Kong family, Kong Xinghuai stayed on the first floor because he had to guard the carriage, Kong Lingchen and Kong Lingyan stayed on the second floor, and Kong Xiyan and Kong Lingyun stayed on the third floor, which was convenient for them. This time, the Kong family had a large number of people. Not to mention Kong Xiyan, there were three of the eldest sons alone, as well as Kong Xinghuai, the second master who held a pivotal position in the family.

While the Kong family did indeed value this trade route, it wasn't to this extent. This route was actually pioneered by Kong Xinghuai, the second master, and had always been under his responsibility. However, in recent years, the family head had been arranging for his eldest sons to accompany him under the guise of helping, and this time he had even arranged for three of them, the implication of a power grab couldn't be clearer. As for Kong Xinghuai, it was unclear whether he hadn't understood the family head's intentions or simply didn't care about these matters; he showed absolutely no particular reaction, and everything remained exactly as usual.

There's something not quite right about that. Kong Xinghuai is an extremely intelligent person. It's safe to say that if it weren't for the fact that she was born out of wedlock, her father probably wouldn't be in charge of the Kong family now.

How could such a clever person not see through his father's little tricks?
They're probably planning something behind the scenes...

With that thought in mind, Kong Xiyan went upstairs.

Just as they reached the top of the stairs, they heard a faint female voice coming from a room: "Third Young Master, this girl... the Prefect's Mansion, if... there's still time..."

Then came a man's voice: "The governor's mansion? It's alright, no need to worry about it."

The sound was intermittent and not very clear.

A strange light suddenly flashed deep in Kong Xiyan's eyes.

Girl?

Governor's Office?
Although the sound was faint, the two words were still clearly heard.

With her slender neck gently twitching, Kong Xiyan slowly stepped forward. The rustling sounds inside the room suddenly stopped, clearly indicating that she had heard the noise outside the door. She didn't try to hide anything; instead, she raised her hand and gently patted the door.

A few breaths later, the door creaked open, and Kong Lingyun's repulsive face suddenly appeared before them. His expression was somewhat dangerous, but upon recognizing Kong Xiyan, the deep wariness in his eyes vanished. He glanced to the left and right, and after confirming that no one was around, his serious expression gradually softened: "Big sister, is something the matter?"

"Ling Chen, Ling Yan is waiting for you downstairs. Perhaps he has something important to discuss with you." Kong Xiyan's voice was as cold and unchanging as ever.

Kong Lingyun glanced back with some regret, then slammed the door shut.

hateful.

Kong Lingyun was furious that his chance to enjoy himself had been ruined. Although he was the eldest son, he was the third son and his status was not as high as his second and eldest brothers. He couldn't vent his anger. He gritted his teeth and obediently went downstairs.

As Kong Lingyun's figure disappeared completely from sight, Kong Xiyan didn't hesitate at all. She immediately took a step towards another staircase, avoiding the waiter who delivered the wine and the shopkeeper who was settling accounts. She had already slipped into the backyard, looked around, and found the direction of the back door.

Under the bright moon, Kong Xiyan's body cast a long shadow on the ground.

Her steps were very hurried.

For a young lady who usually stays indoors all day, running like this in the middle of the night is extremely exhausting. However, Kong Xiyan has no time to care about that now. She only knows that her opportunity has finally arrived.

She had intended to approach the three of them to see if she could eavesdrop on their conversation, but such an action was somewhat dangerous. However, she never expected that Kong Lingyun would be so understanding, placing such a valuable asset in her hands for no apparent reason. The moment Kong Lingyun opened the door, Kong Xiyan saw clearly that inside, a girl lay quietly on the floor, motionless.

Even though it was just a fleeting glimpse, Kong Xiyan still recognized that face.

That's Song Yan's sister-in-law.

She is the youngest daughter of the eldest princess.

She had once seen Song Yan leading two young maids home from afar in the guest hall of the governor's mansion. She had also asked Luo Tianxuan about the identities of those two maids. She knew Kong Lingyun's personality well, but she never imagined that Kong Lingyun would be so audacious as to dare to lay a hand on even the daughter of Princess Luo Yuheng.

This is because they are afraid that the Kong family is living too comfortably.

Song Yan wanted to strangle the Kong family, but lacked evidence.

This single piece of evidence is enough to push the Kong family into an abyss of no return, or at the very least, to skin them alive.

Based on Kong Xiyan's understanding of Song Yan, this matter will definitely not end well; it won't stop until blood is spilled.

Although Kong Xiyan knew very well that for a girl of ten years old, being kidnapped, even if nothing happened, could very likely become a lifelong trauma, and even lead to various rumors, she knew that such thoughts were inappropriate, but she couldn't help but feel an urge to thank Kong Lingyun properly.

He'll die, won't he?
She couldn't help but feel a strong sense of anticipation, wanting to see what kind of expression Kong Lingyun would have when the black-armored soldiers surrounded the inn.

She was very curious about what kind of interesting expression her father would have when he saw his legitimate son being killed.

Thinking this, a sickly, dazed smile appeared on Kong Xiyan's face, like a madwoman who had been suppressing her emotions for too long and could finally let them out freely.

With her pearly white teeth biting her lower lip, Kong Xiyan quickened her pace again. She had to finish all this before the three Kong brothers' meeting ended. If the girl in the room was really hurt after the meeting, even if she had provided the information, her merit would be greatly diminished.

She is not as gentle as she appears; she is far more cunning than others think.

Almost at the same time, on the first floor of the Wind Inn.

Kong Xinghuai picked up a piece of paper, blew on it, and waited for the ink to dry before carefully folding the paper, stuffing it into an envelope, and then waving his hand. A figure appeared out of thin air behind Kong Xinghuai.

"Deliver this letter to the governor's mansion..."

"Remember, it must be delivered to Luo Tianxuan."

The shadowy figure took the envelope and vanished silently from the room, as if it had never been there at all.

Inside the room, only Kong Xinghuai's face flickered in the candlelight.

It's about time that the Kong family descended into chaos.

(End of this chapter)