Di Ming

Chapter 369 "Sister-in-law, I really only know a little bit."

Ning Caiwei drank a cup of cooled tea, then took out a quill pen and began to write and draw on the paper. She pondered and drew for a long time, and her beautiful face became even more radiant, with a pair of dimples appearing as she smiled.

well.

It is indeed somewhat risky, but entirely feasible. This is a high-quality project that seems very risky, but in fact the risks are completely controllable and the returns far outweigh the risks.

She's always been very bold, adept at seizing opportunities in the business world and delivering a fatal blow to her opponents. Although this goes beyond the realm of business warfare, so what? Just do it. It's not like we're without options.

Killing four birds with one stone!
Eliminate the scourge of Prince Zhu Yi, the unscrupulous merchant group within the Shaanxi merchant guild, weaken the increasingly powerful Hui forces, and dominate the crucial Northwest commercial landscape.

If this project is successful, Ningyin Trading Company will have no more obstacles to its development in the Northwest, which can revitalize the Silk Road, improve the social and natural environment of the Northwest, and curb the expansion of Hui forces in the Northwest.

After finalizing all the plans and issuing several secret orders, Ning Caiwei finally relaxed. She walked out of the Xinqi Hall, intending to go to the garden to see the spring flowers.

As soon as I stepped out of Xinqitang, I saw Wu You standing outside, his expression calm yet seemingly profound.

"What are you doing here?" Ning Caiwei asked in a somewhat distant tone. She didn't like Zhu Yin, this so-called "younger sister." This "younger sister" was hard to figure out and hard to control. This girl seemed gentle, obedient, and harmless, but she always gave Ning Caiwei a sense of danger.

Ning Caiwei would be wary of a woman with a background in espionage.

What made her even more resentful of Wu You was that Zhu Yin had told her that Wu You had betrayed his fellow disciple, Xiushanwan. Xiushanwan, in order to resist the control of their master, Zun Shaoting, secretly contacted his fellow disciples to start a rebellion.

Wu You agreed to participate in the resistance, but then turned around and became an informer, betraying Xiushan Maru and others in exchange for Yan Shaoting's trust. Although Wu You had sufficient reasons, and Zhu Yin also felt that his actions were understandable, she still couldn't believe someone who would betray their fellow disciples.

This time, Wu You insisted on coming to Guanzhong. Ning Caiwei did not refuse this younger sister-in-law, but she also did not let her participate in confidential matters, excluding her from the inner circle.

Wu You wore a pink and white moon-white dress, with a grass-leaf hairpin under her eye, making her look like a water lily. Even Ning Caiwei had to admit that this cheap "sister-in-law" was undeniably beautiful, a rare and lovely woman.

Wu You gave a curtsy, her smile sweet and gentle, and said in a soft, sweet voice:
"I know you're wary of me, and I understand your caution. If I were you, you'd be wary of me too. After all, I'm a ninja. Even the Japanese don't like ninjas, let alone you, sister-in-law?"

Ning Caiwei said casually, "I don't dislike you. You're overthinking it. It's not really a matter of being wary."

Wu You's smile was somewhat bitter. "I know my sister-in-law doesn't believe me. Is it because I betrayed Xiushan Maru and acted as an informant? But my sister-in-law should have heard from my brother that I was forced into this situation. Xiushan Maru's rebellion plan at the time would never have succeeded; it would only have led to the deaths of more fellow disciples, which was completely meaningless. Although I secretly informed on him, my master promised me that I would only punish him."

“The act of informing is indeed despicable. But if I had to do it all over again, I would still choose to betray Hideyama Maru. I have a clear conscience, and Hideyama Maru was never my friend or relative.”

Wu You lowered her eyes and lowered her voice, "It was my brother who took me in and gave me a new home. I am no longer lonely and isolated, and I am no longer without anyone to rely on. My brother is like my own brother. He is different."

She raised her eyes, which shimmered and were as clear as water. "So, you are my sister-in-law. Although you don't quite trust me, you haven't treated me badly. The reason I insisted on coming to Guanzhong this time was actually to find an opportunity to help my sister-in-law and to get her to truly accept me."

Ning Caiwei's sharp, narrow eyes gazed into Wu You's eyes. After a moment of eye contact, Ning Caiwei's gaze softened considerably.

"Does my sister know something?" Ning Caiwei asked, her tone becoming warmer.

She suddenly gave a self-deprecating laugh. Wu You was only a sixteen-year-old girl; what did she have to worry about? Was it because Wu You was too beautiful that she didn't trust her?

Wu You lowered her head slightly and said in a soft, melodious voice, "May I ask, sister-in-law, are you planning to deal with the Prince of Qin's mansion? Are you already making plans and will launch them within a few days?"

Ning Caiwei's expression hardened, her gaze instantly turning cold, and her tone carrying a hint of frost, "You're spying on Xinqitang's plans?"

This plan was highly confidential, known only to a few people in her inner circle—those she absolutely trusted. Hongying, Galuo, Hongxiu, and Kang Qian were obvious examples, but even her acceptance of Tian Chouze, who had only been with the family for six months, was due to a deep-seated blood feud with the Qin Prince's mansion.

Wu You knew about the plan; he must have obtained it through ninja methods.

Japanese ninjas are indeed a force to be reckoned with! I was already being very careful, yet Wu You still managed to find out about me so quickly.

"Sister-in-law, you've misunderstood. Please don't be angry." Wu You smiled slightly, revealing a pair of shallow dimples. "How could I dare to pry into Xinqitang's confidential plans? But even if I didn't deliberately try to find out, I could guess the general idea. The reason I brought it up was because I was concerned about your safety. I hope you're safe and sound. I promised my brother that I would secretly protect you."

Wu You was a very intelligent woman. She knew very well that her treatment and status in the Zhu family depended not only on her elder brother Zhu Yin, but also on her sister-in-law Ning Caiwei's attitude.

If her sister-in-law never trusts her, then she will always be just a guest in the Zhu family.

"Oh? Little Tiger asked you to protect me secretly?" Ning Caiwei was a little surprised. She didn't think Wu You had the ability to protect her secretly.

Wu You nodded, "Sister-in-law is a woman of both literary and martial talents, an unparalleled woman in the world. She is heroic and intelligent, and I admire her very much. But as the saying goes, even the most meticulous plans can have flaws. Although you are a heroine, you are still in the public eye. It's better to be safe than sorry."

"The Prince of Qin's mansion sent someone to deliver the royal decree, after which my sister-in-law and I held a secret meeting behind closed doors. Two hours later, we split up and acted separately, all with enigmatic expressions and in a great hurry. Moreover, I observed that Sister Hongying and Sister Galo both had murderous intent in their eyes and looked excited. Kang Qian looked solemn, while Mr. Tian even seemed to be weeping with joy. And I already knew that Mr. Tian and the Prince of Qin's mansion had an irreconcilable feud..."

"By observing their expressions and putting myself in my sister-in-law's shoes to figure out how to deal with the Prince of Qin's mansion, it's not hard to deduce that my sister-in-law has a grand plan. The best way is to use someone else to do the dirty work and eliminate the Prince of Qin's mansion. Precisely because this plan is so grand, once the Prince of Qin's mansion is destroyed, the court won't even suspect that it was my sister-in-law's doing..."

Ning Caiwei couldn't help but smile wryly, "Little sister, you ninjas are really hard to guard against."

Wu You's gaze was clear and honest. "Not all ninjas can be like me. I actually received my master's true teachings. Although I have learned some skills, I only want to help my brother and sister-in-law."

Ning Caiwei smiled sweetly, stepped forward and took Wu You's hand, "Sister, come with me, let's go to the garden to talk."

The two walked hand in hand into the garden, sat in the pavilion in the pond, and talked while admiring the beautiful spring scenery.

Ning Caiwei asked, "I haven't asked yet, but my sister said she received your master's true teachings. What skills does she possess?"

Wu You looked a little embarrassed. "It's not much of a skill, and it would be embarrassing for my sister-in-law to say it. It's just that... I know a little about knife skills, a little about hidden weapons, a little about poisoning, a little about stealth, a little about archery, a little about grappling, a little about disguise, a little about ventriloquism, a little about forging handwriting, a little about assassination, a little about singing, dancing, and playing musical instruments, and a little about acting... Does seduction count? I know a little about that too. Oh, although I'm young, I'm actually already considered a master of ninjutsu."

Ning Caiwei: "..."

You know so much? Why don't you just fly to the moon?

Ning Caiwei touched her forehead, "You only know a little bit of everything?"

Wu You nodded, "Yeah, I only know a little bit about everything. I've only scratched the surface of everything."

Ning Caiwei suddenly raised her hand and grabbed Wu You's wrist with lightning speed, clearly the result of several years of practice.

This small grappling technique was launched without any prior warning, making it a surprise attack.

They switched to someone less experienced, but Ning Caiwei had already locked her wrist and taken her pulse.

However, Wu You reacted extremely quickly, flipping his wrist as if by reflex to grab Ning Caiwei's wrist, his movements equally agile.

"Huh..." Ning Caiwei immediately changed her move, and casually elbowed Wu You in the left cheek.

But Wu You not only didn't dodge, but instead lunged forward and grabbed Ning Caiwei's arm.

"Good!" Ning Caiwei cheered, raising her knee to strike Wu You's abdomen. Wu You dodged easily by sidestepping.

The two engaged in close-quarters combat, grappling and seizing at each other, but neither could gain the upper hand after several moves.

"You call this grappling technique only a little bit?" Ning Caiwei said resentfully. "Then does that mean I only know a little bit of grappling techniques too?"

Ning Caiwei and Ding Hongying had studied martial arts for five or six years, and their swordsmanship and fist techniques were already quite proficient. Their individual martial arts skills could be considered those of a female knight-errant. Her grappling techniques had been honed over several years, and she could easily subdue an ordinary strong man.

But she was only about as good as Wu You, who claimed she only knew a little bit. "Huh?" Wu You didn't know how to answer, so she could only say, "It was my sister-in-law who let me. Otherwise, my little sister would have been captured. I really only know a little bit."

Ning Caiwei stomped her foot, "Let's fight with swords!"

Soon, the weapons were brought up. Both women had changed into tight-fitting short clothes; Ning Caiwei held a brocade spring knife, and Wu You held a Japanese sword.

"Come on! Just don't hurt anyone!" Ning Caiwei said, "You go first!"

Wu You gripped the hilt of her sword and lunged forward, simultaneously drawing her katana and unleashing a swift and deadly iaido slash. Her iaido slash was incredibly skillful, clean, and deadly.

"Sister-in-law, be careful!"

Ning Caiwei used the "Snake-Slaying Style" from the "Xin You Sword Technique" to block Wu You's attack.

Amidst the clanging of swords, the two had already exchanged more than a dozen blows, their movements as nimble and graceful as two butterflies flitting among flowers, dazzling the eye.

The two women's swords flashed, their strikes swift and fierce, each one seemingly ruthless, yet they were both skilled swordsmen with great restraint due to their years of experience.

After exchanging blows a few more times, Wu You suddenly stepped back, sheathed her katana without even looking at it, and said, "Little sister is no match for sister-in-law."

“You’re no worse than me!” Ning Caiwei shook her head slightly, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and stuck the nicked Embroidered Spring Blade into the ground. “We’re about the same age, and our martial arts skills are about the same, but you can’t say you only know a little bit, can you? What about me?”

Wu You breathed slightly, her chest heaving. She wiped the sweat from her round forehead and smiled, "I was just being modest before. My swordsmanship and fist skills are actually quite impressive. I'm not just good at a little bit."

"Now I have another sparring partner." Ning Caiwei cheered up and said with a smile, "Let's stop sparring and talk first."

After two competitions, the two women suddenly became closer.

After sitting down properly, Ning Caiwei said directly, "I'm going to the Prince of Qin's residence the day after tomorrow morning. If you want to go, you can come with me."

Wu You was very happy. "I want to go with my sister-in-law. Can you tell my younger sister about the plans?"

After thinking about it, Ning Caiwei told Wu You about the plan.

Wu You listened attentively the whole time, and after Ning Caiwei finished speaking, Wu You couldn't help but admire Ning Caiwei even more.

My sister-in-law is no ordinary woman. Not only is she skilled in business and making money, but she also knows swordsmanship and martial arts, and she has such courage!

So many people hate the King of Qin, but who dares to do what his sister-in-law did? Countless so-called high-ranking officials and dignitaries could only swallow their tears and endure humiliation in the face of the King of Qin's bullying, unable to do anything to him.

But her sister-in-law was different; not only could she not bear it, she also wanted to turn around and destroy the King of Qin.

That's so satisfying! So satisfying!
Wu You said, "Sister-in-law, this is a case of using someone else to do your dirty work, using one tiger to devour another, luring the tiger away from the mountain, and deceiving the heavens. You pretend you can't, and you pretend you don't. The fierce tiger hides its claws and teeth, and the lamb is wrapped in poison. If my sister can't see the loopholes, then it must be foolproof."

Ning Caiwei smiled and said, "With you joining us now, things will be more stable. Little sister, your skills might come in handy."

……

The following evening, as soon as the bells and drums of Xi'an began to toll, everyone returned to their respective guild halls to report to Ning Caiwei. Ning Caiwei then presided over a secret meeting once again in the Xinqi Hall.

Unlike last time, this time there was one more person participating: Wu You.

“Aunt Wei, Galo and I have selected twelve sisters,” Ding Hongying reported first. “Most of them are female guards from the Zhuang ethnic group that Aunt Wei brought back from Guangxi. They are all fierce and fearless women. Soft armor and weapons are also ready. Fifteen of us women are enough to be worth a hundred soldiers.”

Ding Hongying was fully confident; she could hold off twenty armored soldiers by herself. Not to mention, she had also prepared egg-sized thunderbolts from Daishan, which she could hide in her hat.

Ning Caiwei pointed at Wu You, "With her included, there will be fifteen of us entering the Prince of Qin's mansion together."

Ding Hongying glanced at Wu You and laughed, "Aunt Wei, what a good idea. I've known for a long time that Wu You's wife is a ruthless character."

Kang Qian stepped forward and handed over a wax pill: "Madam, this is the reply from the Northwest Wolf. Please take a look."

The "Northwest Wolf" he mentioned was, of course, Li Xuancheng, the top intelligence agent in charge of the Northwest. Li Xuancheng had been operating in the Northwest for several years, and his intelligence network was quite sophisticated. Last year, when Zhu Yin campaigned in Ningxia, he was in charge of intelligence.

Xi'an is the center of Huya's Northwest Station. Li Xuancheng spends most of his time in Xi'an, directing the intelligence network that spans the Northwest. All the important targets in the Northwest are specifically handled by Li Xuancheng's people.

From the Qin Prince's Mansion, the Governor-General's Office, the Three Envoy Offices, the guild halls of major merchant groups, the Imperial Garden and Horse Temple, the Hui settlements, and the Governor-General's Office of the Three Border Regions, to the Gansu Military Command, the Hetao region, Qinghai Mongolia, Tibet, and the Western Regions, Tiger Tooth agents have spies everywhere.

The Northwest Station of Huya receives an annual budget of up to 30,000 taels of silver; such a large sum of money is not wasted.

Ning Caiwei took the wax pill from Li Xuancheng, cracked it open and read it once, then burned the letter over the lamp flame.

“The Northwest Wolf hasn’t been idle these past few years,” Ning Caiwei praised Li Xuancheng. “He’s very reliable and has done a great job.”

Gu Hongxiu stepped forward and said, "Madam, Mr. and Mrs. Tian have read your letter and said they understand and can rest assured. They also said that you can visit them after you have finished your business matters."

Ning Caiwei nodded. What she asked her uncle to do was actually very simple. She told him that she was going to the Prince of Qin's residence, and if she was detained and placed under house arrest by the Prince, she asked her uncle to find Xu Gui, the "Governor of Shaanxi and other places," and ask Xu Gui to enter the Prince of Qin's residence to intercede for her release.

This is a contingency plan in case the plan fails. If something goes wrong with the plan and it can't be launched on time, she will be trapped in the Prince of Qin's residence, in a dangerous situation. In that case, the problem will need to be solved through official channels.

Xu Gui, the eunuch in charge of Shaanxi, was the most suitable person to step forward. He was the only person in the entire city of Xi'an who could rival the Prince of Qin. In Xi'an, the Prince of Qin dared to offend anyone—the governors, provincial governors, and imperial inspectors were all beneath his notice—but he dared not offend the Grand Eunuch Xu Gui.

Xu Gui was actually a confidant of Consort Zheng, serving as the military supervisor of the four garrisons of Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, and Yan'an. In reality, he was in charge of monitoring the military affairs of the entire Northwest for the emperor, wielding immense power. Although he was Consort Zheng's man, he had also once been a subordinate of Tian Yi, who had done him a favor.

As long as Tian Yi asks Xu Gui to intervene, Xu Gui can also persuade the Prince of Qin to release him should he be caught in the Prince of Qin's mansion.

Tian Chouze stepped forward and said, "Madam, my trusted confidant has indeed found the Ma family father and son at the Zhongnan Grand Manor of the Prince of Qin's residence. His son is indeed named Ma Shouying. He read your letter and said that he would reassure the brothers of the Seven Temples and Thirteen Wards in the west of the city, and that he has agreed."

Ning Caiwei smiled and said, "The Ma family has a deep-seated hatred for the Prince of Qin's mansion. They will definitely send people to the Seven Temples and Thirteen Wards to verify. There are people from the Hui people in the Seven Temples and Thirteen Wards. Once they go, the two major Hui tribes in Xi'an will be able to reach an agreement. Within three days, when the news spreads that the Prince of Qin has tortured and killed the Hui beauty Mulan and that the Prince of Qin has issued an edict to increase taxes on the Hui people, they will definitely rebel."

"The Hui people in Xi'an have always wanted to rebel; they've rebelled before. But this time, I'll make them rebel only against the King of Qin!"

According to Huya's intelligence, the King of Qin did indeed capture Mulan, who was known as the most beautiful woman in the Hui region. Moreover, Mulan had died tragically in the King of Qin's mansion two days ago. However, the Hui people in Xi'an were unaware that Mulan, whom they regarded as the flower of the Hui region, had died tragically and humiliatingly in the King of Qin's bed.

Countless young girls were killed by the King of Qin, the vast majority of whom were Han Chinese women. Mulan was not only a Hui woman, but also a noblewoman within the Hui community, which made her different.

As for the Qin King's edict to increase taxes on the Hui people, that was obviously not true. However, Ning Caiwei was able to get the Hui people to receive the "royal edict" and believe it to be real. Mu Lan's tragic death and the "tax increase on the Hui people" would thoroughly enrage them. Even if they weren't angry, the Tiger Fang spies infiltrating the Hui people would fan the flames and make them furious!
These facts alone are not enough to prompt the Hui people to immediately attack the Prince of Qin's residence. However, if the Hui leaders believe that they will find evidence of the Prince of Qin's rebellion after capturing the residence, they can atone for their crimes and the court will not pursue their culpability for attacking the Prince of Qin's residence.

The plan, of course, wouldn't be that simple. If anything went wrong, the plan would fall apart. Therefore, Ning Caiwei had to ensure everything went perfectly.

The troop deployment in Xi'an and the troop movements of the Prince of Qin's residence were all planned.

On the one hand, it is necessary to ensure that the Hui tribe can attack and capture the Qin Prince's Mansion quickly. On the other hand, the Hui tribe must not be allowed to wreak havoc on the people of Xi'an. The garrison and guards must be able to return to Xi'an in time to suppress the Hui rebellion and prevent the Hui tribe from threatening the entire city.

Once the Qin King's Mansion is destroyed, the Hui people, having lost their usefulness, will face suppression by the garrison and guards.

perfect!

PS: The *History of Ming Dynasty, Western Regions* states, "The area outside Jiayuguan Pass is called the Western Regions, and the Hui people inside the pass are called the Hui tribe." Therefore, the name "Hui tribe" is correct; it didn't originate in the Qing Dynasty, but existed in the Ming Dynasty. Furthermore, the Hui people in the northwest of the Ming Dynasty rebelled many times, not just at the end of the Ming Dynasty. That's all for today. Tomorrow I'll write about the downfall of the Qin Prince's Mansion! Thank you! Please vote and leave a review!
(End of this chapter)