He instinctively wanted to retreat, but his body was unable to move, and he looked at her with terrified eyes.
"Speak, who sent you?" Wu Caiwei asked with a stern expression.
"No one ordered us. We brothers just took a dislike to you and wanted to teach you a lesson. We haven't done anything to you, so please be merciful," Wang Dali said, his mouth twitching as he pleaded.
"Are you sure? If I hadn't been quick-witted, would you be speaking to me in this tone? I heard your brother say he wanted to sell me into the pleasure quarters," Wu Caiwei said, tapping his face with the back of her knife with ill intent.
"It's all a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding," Wang Dali said, nervously watching her knife.
"If I press down hard, what do you think will happen?" Wu Caiwei said, gesturing with the bloody knife at his neck. Inadvertently, her hand slipped, and his neck was cut, blood dripping down.
Wu Caiwei turned the bloody knife over and over, examining it closely, muttering in amazement, "It's red. I wonder if your heart is black or red. Shall we take a look together?"
"Shopkeeper Zhou, you do have a sense of humor. Of course, my heart is red. If we take it out to satisfy your curiosity, and it leads to trouble for us, this deal doesn't seem worth it. I hope you'll reconsider," he said, deeply regretting it. Everyone in the city said she was difficult to deal with, and he had heard about her affairs long ago, but the money offered was too much and too tempting.
At the same time, they thought a woman raised in a nunnery couldn't be very capable, and that the people who came before were useless. Who would have thought they would fall into her hands one day? They now knew this woman was a menace.
"Do I look like such a fool? To put myself at risk for a few of you? You think too highly of yourselves. I believe those who work in your line of business know there are many ways to make life worse than death. It's a pity to die; it's better to live and suffer." Wu Caiwei eyed him up and down with a knowing look. Su Dan Novel Network
He felt as if he were being stared at by a venomous snake, feeling a chill all over his body. Trembling, he said, "Shopkeeper Zhou, you must know who you've offended. We can't identify them, or we won't see tomorrow's sun, and we'll implicate our families."
"You are not innocent, and I truly pity you. If I report this to the authorities, you'll never get out of prison, but the ones who took the silver can clear themselves and live freely," Wu Caiwei said, shaking her head and looking at them with feigned sympathy.
The man wanted to say something, but swallowed the words. Reason told him that if he confessed truthfully in court, there might be a glimmer of hope.
Wu Caiwei was well aware of the effects of her medicine. She knew that although the two men had fallen, they were not unconscious. Thinking of their lecherous eyes just now, she walked over to them and beat them up as revenge.
Wang Dali couldn't bear to hear his brother's screams, but he was powerless. He had already told them not to mess with her, but they didn't listen, provoking this ferocious woman.
After venting her frustration, Wu Caiwei stretched her legs and clapped her hands with satisfaction. She sent them to the authorities. The three of them, with rare unanimity, took the blame. As Wu Caiwei did not suffer any substantial harm in the end, the three were sentenced to five years.
Her repeated escapes forced those with ill intentions towards her to reconsider. One incident could be attributed to luck, but two, three times? It couldn't be that lucky every time, especially since the people who went recently had all learned martial arts. They considered a possibility: perhaps Wu Caiwei was not the weak woman they imagined, but a martial arts master. They couldn't find out when she learned her skills, only that she had studied medicine with the abbess at the nunnery, and her medical skills were superb.
Wu Caiwei was never one to be at the mercy of others. Before, she simply felt that the Prime Minister held great power and authority, and hadn't figured out how to bring him down. Now, with his repeated attacks, she didn't believe she could be so lucky every time, and decided to take the initiative.
The Prime Minister's biggest regret in life was not the grief of a parent burying a child. His youngest son had been in poor health since birth, and living to twenty was already a miracle. He had long prepared himself for it, but it was still sad.
His greatest regret was that his vast Prime Minister's mansion would have no heir. Although he had three sons, none of them were promising. The three brothers spent their days indulging in food, drink, and debauchery. He had beaten them and scolded them, but they were incorrigible.
The third young master, Lin Zhanyang, was unaware of his father's thoughts at the time. He was at a theater, listening to opera. Recently, a famous actress had joined the troupe, and every move she made captivated him. He patronized the theater every day. If he weren't afraid of being beaten at home, he would have wanted to bring her to the mansion.
The name of the Lin family's third young master was very well-known. People instinctively made way for him, which made him very proud.
Although many people wanted to strike up a conversation with him, no one dared to approach him. The main reason was that the third young master Lin looked down on others, believing that chatting with such people was beneath him.
One day, as he was listening intently and applauding the famous actress on stage, he was startled by a sudden sound. He didn't know when a slender man had sat down on the other side of his table, looking at him with great interest.
This made his heart tighten, but also piqued his interest. Everyone knew his habits, and few people would come forward to bother him. This was the first time.
"No one visits without a reason. You must have something you need my help with. Tell me, perhaps when I'm in a good mood, I'll take pity on you and help you out," he said playfully.
"I pity you, third young master. You're indulging in a life of pleasure, unaware that danger is approaching." The man's pity made him inexplicably puzzled.
He couldn't help but ask, somewhat confused, "Tell me, what danger am I in? My father is second only to the emperor. No one dares to offend me except royalty. Which blind fool would want to harm me?"
"Does the third young master know that the Prime Minister had very high hopes for you three brothers, but you have not met his expectations? Although the Lin mansion appears prosperous, its assets are not particularly substantial. The Prime Minister is still in office, but no matter how high his position, there will come a day when he retires. How will the third young master fare then?" This man was Wu Caiwei in disguise. She was truly curious about how the Prime Minister's wife had raised her sons, given that all three children had no sense of impending crisis.
"My father only has us three sons. I believe with his intelligence and wisdom, he will make proper arrangements for us." Lin Zhanyang was a little angry, but also a little guilty. Although he didn't want to admit it, he knew himself well enough to know that without his father, he was nothing.