Cursed Mountains and Seas

Chapter 139 The Eldest Sister-in-Law Brings Good Fortune to Her Husband, and the Calamity of Witchcraft

Snapped!
In the Qingxiang Palace, a corner of the imperial palace with its own independent garden and entrance gate, a teacup used for rinsing mouth was violently smashed to the ground by a large hand, scattering tea and broken porcelain shards everywhere.

"Trash! It's all trash!"

Mao Haifeng, who had just gotten out of his wife's bed early that morning, roared like thunder. Several maids who were preparing to serve their master with his washing up were so frightened that they knelt on the ground like quails and huddled together.

The same lady, still lying in bed, stretched out her fair and delicate arm and waved it, which made them feel as if they had been granted a pardon. They scrambled out of the room.

"Husband, what's wrong? Why are you so angry so early in the morning?"

The newlywed lady sat up and leaned on his shoulder. The thin blanket slipped off, and her fair skin seemed to illuminate the entire bedroom.

He casually pulled the warm, soft woman into his arms, and Mao Haifeng managed a stiff smile, forcing a consolation as he suppressed his anger:
“My lady, it’s nothing serious, I can handle it.”

Last night, he dispatched three mid-level third-rank officials of the Divine Path and mobilized a large number of guards, all to create the perfect conditions for the assassin to carry out the assassination.

Who would have thought that the foolproof plan would fail?
He had just woken up when he received this bad news; how could he not be angry?

Moreover, not only did the mission fail, but Sun Xiong, who was specifically responsible for doing the dirty work for him, was almost crippled by the "assassin" and was seriously injured and bedridden, and would not be able to fight anyone for several months.

Although he had some goodwill towards Gao Ren, who was also an adopted son like himself and was temporarily serving as the "Mountain-Carrying General" among the Twenty-Four Generals, it didn't stop him from cursing Sun Xiong for being incompetent.

Fortunately, Wang Cheng did not discover the idiots' little tricks and even rewarded the guards who almost killed him.

If it doesn't work this time, there's always next time.

I was just a little unlucky to deal with a clueless kid like Wang Cheng who hadn't experienced the harsh realities of life and had no sense of crisis.

The only pity is that with this unexpected turn of events, they can no longer pin the blame for the crown prince's murder on the delegation, nor use the prince's death to incite the entire Five Peaks Banner to rise up and counterattack the Great Zhao.

After the plaques for Xuanwu Gate and Xiangji Temple took effect simultaneously, in the first confrontation between the two heirs to the throne, Wang Cheng won by a small margin, while Mao Haifeng lost by a small margin.

Although the time has not yet come to a complete conclusion, the atmosphere surrounding both sides has already subtly shifted.

Clearly, this is a combination of abilities that even the two plaque holders were unaware of, which has been quietly activated.

Seeing that it was getting late, Mao Haifeng got up and dressed with the help of his wife.

When he inadvertently noticed a silver-pink peach blossom mark on her fair shoulder, his eyes burned with desire again. He gazed at his wife with infatuation, reached out and squeezed her hand tightly, preparing to continue his advances.

For a ruthless and cunning man like Mao Haifeng, beauty was secondary; the key was that his newlywed wife harbored a great secret.

—A superior destiny chart: the "Official Star and Peach Blossom" chart!
"This refers to the Peach Blossom Star occupying an official position, meaning that when an official is accompanied by the Peach Blossom Star, the person will not only not fail but will also become wealthy and powerful because of the Peach Blossom Star. For example, on the day of Wu-Wu and the hour of Yi-Mao, Mao is the Peach Blossom Star of Wu and also the official star."

The official star and peach blossom luck represent lifelong peach blossom luck, which is not affected by changes in annual fortune and remains effective indefinitely.

According to legend, men with the "official star" in their birth chart will not only rise rapidly in officialdom and spiritual cultivation, but will also attract romantic opportunities!

This is the kind of glamorous official career that ordinary people dream of.

He rose through the ranks of officialdom, surrounded by numerous beautiful women. He enjoyed countless good things in life, including passing the imperial examinations, his wedding night, promotions, and wealth. His life was incredibly comfortable, truly the life of a protagonist.

But this kind of fate is different when it is borne by a woman.

From a 'scandalous official career' to a 'standard feature of the strong'!
It doesn't have much impact on them personally, but it can bring good fortune to their husbands and boost their luck.

Whoever she marries is very likely to rise to prominence and become a powerful figure.

If she could conceive a child, that would be even more remarkable, potentially adding an official star to her husband's destiny, enhancing his strength and even his official rank!

How could any man not love such a beautiful wife who is both beautiful inside and out?
However, before the large hand could continue its mischief, it was forcefully pressed down by the beauty, who scolded him playfully:
"My husband! It's already dawn."

Mao Haifeng still didn't want to give up, his face full of flattery and affection:
"Cuiqiao, it has been more than half a year since I rescued you from the sea on the battlefield and we got married, but your belly still hasn't shown any signs of pregnancy."

I'm just in a hurry, aren't I?

"Rest assured, I swear I will never care about your past. As long as we have a child, I will make you the most honored Princess Consort of the Prince of Jinghai on these four islands of Yingzhou!"

In his burning gaze, his newlywed wife was no ordinary beauty, but a trump card in his grand scheme to achieve his goals.

The intelligence gathered earlier in Da Zhao was extremely detailed, and the power of the "Official Star Peach Blossom Pattern" had already been proven in her case:

"While a famous courtesan of Qinhuai, she first married an old and ugly wealthy merchant of the seventh rank, enabling him to prosper in a short period of time."

"She then married Luo Wenlong, a painter from a family of ink makers, enabling him to successfully obtain an official position, becoming a confidant of the Junior Grand Secretary and a drafter in the Imperial Secretariat, thus elevating his cultivation level by one rank in a short period of time;"

"She married Xu Hai, the 3rd high-ranking official, the 'Heavenly General Who Pacifies the Seas,' helping him ascend to the position of leader of the pirate faction, enabling him to rival the Prince of Jinghai."

"After Xu Hai was destroyed by the Five Peaks Banner, I secretly took her away and married her to me for the fourth time. Just three months later, I successfully betrayed my adoptive father and completed the first step of my power seizure plan."

Each time she married, she brought immense benefits to her husbands, not only as a supreme treasure in bed but also as an invaluable asset to their careers.

Wang Cuiqiao is now a mid-level official of the third rank, and her destiny is quite remarkable.

The lower three grades can increase by one grade, the middle three grades can increase by half a grade, and the upper three grades can increase by at least 10%.

Mao Haifeng now only hopes that she can get pregnant with his child as soon as possible, so that even if he has to overturn the table and seize power head-on in the end, he can have another trump card.

"Oh, my husband, I'm so tired. How about I give it to you when I get back tonight?"

Wang Cuiqiao had to use a lot of persuasion to convince Mao Haifeng to give up his daytime debauchery.

"Alright, as you say, madam. I'll have the kitchen stew a hen and ginseng soup for you to nourish yourself."

After lingering for a while longer, Mao Haifeng reluctantly turned and left, completely unaware of the extremely complicated look in his wife's eyes behind him.

Half of the quilt covered her face, revealing a pretty face filled with melancholy and self-pity.
"How fortunate I, Wang Cuiqiao, am to possess the superior destiny of the 'Official Star Peach Blossom Pattern,' yet how unfortunate is this tragic life?"
She had four husbands. Her first husband was sold by a madam and forced into marriage; her third husband was kidnapped by Japanese pirates and forced into marriage.

I secretly informed Governor Hu, providing intelligence and helping the government troops and Prince Jing's allied forces kill Xu Hai. I thought I could escape this misery and return to Dazhao.

However, she was captured and forcibly married by Mao Haifeng. Counting all her fleeting affairs and four marriages, only her relationship with Wenlong was truly mutual.

When we first met, he didn't know I had a lucky fate for my husband, and I didn't know he was very wealthy. Our marriage was a natural one.

Now, in order to survive, I have successively submitted to Xu Hai and Mao Haifeng, and the person I have wronged the most is Wenlong. But how can I face Dazhao to see him now?

She dared not utter a word of complaint, only sobbing softly, her face streaked with tears, a sight to behold.

As Mao Haifeng stepped out of the sleeping quarters, the head steward, who was in charge of monitoring Wang Cheng's movements, approached him and casually asked:
"What is that silly boy doing?"

Seeing that his master was not in a good mood, the steward deliberately told him a joke:
"The big ship's bow, it's laughable, really."

Last night he rewarded the guards, and that wasn't enough; he just sent someone to your residence to ask for a loan.

They said they heard that three of our Black Peak Banner's twenty-four generals were injured and dozens of soldiers died in battle last night, and they were preparing to borrow money to reward the soldiers of the Black Peak Banner.

They even wrote an IOU, and the interest was pretty good.

Upon hearing this, Mao Haifeng finally smiled:

"Wang Cheng really hasn't improved at all; he's even managed to win people over so clumsily."

He comes to my territory and bestows lavish gifts, but how many people will be grateful? In the end, all the money he throws out still ends up back in my hands.

Does he think this is child's play with mud and urine, like playing house?

A big wave:
Give it to him! Give him double the amount.

Don't even mention borrowing; even if he wants something, I, as his elder brother, will satisfy him in every way. I must make sure to save face for him.

Even if he dies someday, no one will suspect us. Everything we give him now will return to me tenfold or a hundredfold in the future.

The head steward bowed and agreed, then hurried off to make the arrangements.

He decided to take advantage of both sides, taking more valuables from Mao Haifeng's warehouse to give to the heir, and also pocketing the interest the heir gave him.

Little did they know that he was greedy for huge profits, and Wang Cheng was also greedy for the principal, with no intention of repaying the money at all.

Mao Haifeng then entered the secluded quiet room, lit an incense stick, and looked at the unfamiliar scholar who appeared before him, asking:
"The Da Zhao delegation?"

The scholar, whose face was shrouded in smoke, bowed slightly.
"My surname is Jiang, my courtesy name is Wenyuan, and I am appointed as the deputy envoy of the mission. You may call me Jiang Wenyuan or Deputy Envoy Jiang."

"Is there any progress on the matter entrusted to you by the important person?"

Mao Haifeng recounted the events of last night without any expression:

"The assassination attempt failed. You'll need to wait a little longer."

Vice Envoy Jiang frowned, thinking he was making excuses again, and reiterated the will of the gentry and the upright officials:

"Big ship, the mission led by the Yan Party must die!"

The maritime ban must not be lifted; no one is worthy of taking a share of our profits.

We want to maintain the maritime ban, and you want to dominate the East China Sea. Neither of us wants to see those so-called General of the Sea and General of the Sea-Treading cause you trouble.

"It would be beneficial for both of us to cooperate."

Mao Haifeng didn't want to hear these grand principles, so he waved his hand:

"If you can help me get rid of the Prince of Jinghai's heir, this matter will be much easier."

Vice Envoy Jiang understood perfectly:
"So you wanted to haggle?"

As a Confucian scholar from a prestigious family, he always looked down on these lowly maritime merchants and pirates, most of whom came from humble backgrounds.

Especially this well-known collaborator, [Black Kirin].

"The prediction that the bone weight is five taels and nine mace is absolutely correct."

He is intelligent and capable, and respected by others, but he is also short-tempered, strong-willed, and can never tolerate the slightest loss in his life.

In order to fully seize all the benefits of the Donghai Kingdom, and to suppress Xu Weixue and Peng Laosheng under the guise of righteousness, they dared not decisively eliminate their target.

Little did they know that one should not exhaust one's power, enjoy all one's blessings, take all the advantages, or use all one's intelligence. If one goes too far in everything, the relationship will inevitably end sooner.

Such a person simply doesn't understand the principle of "you have to give up something to gain something." They're greedy and always want everything; what great things can they possibly accomplish?

No matter how much they despised him, the other party still wielded immense power in Yingzhou. Even if he was only known for his ruthlessness, he could still be considered a powerful figure in the region.

We still need to help him with this.

His eyes darted around as if he had just thought of something, and he burst into laughter:
"That's quite a coincidence. Have you ever heard of the witchcraft calamity that the imperial family feared most since the time of Emperor Wu of Han?"
The carpenters from the local workshop who were originally responsible for suppressing the prince with the "Taishan Thousand-Jin Stone" were sent by my teacher, Grand Secretary Xu, to lead the vanguard and have already arrived in Yingzhou ahead of the delegation.

He possessed a treasure specifically designed to kill princes and crown princes, which came from a figure whom all the crown princes feared.

I'll send someone over with the items. Once the carpenter performs the ritual, he'll use the talisman to kill the person. Then you'll catch him red-handed.

This kills two birds with one stone, confirming the mission's plot to harm the Crown Prince!

Mao Haifeng was fairly satisfied with the plan for this second assassination attempt:
"Indeed, it is you scholars who are best suited to come up with ideas and strategies."

I hope you can get it done as soon as possible!

Vice Envoy Jiang cupped his hands in greeting:

"Don't worry, we prepared plenty of scapegoats before we set off."

(End of this chapter)