"Sun Yuanyue, you ill-intentioned woman, are you purely trying to oppose us?" Madam Li felt it was improper for the old man, a grown man, to argue with his daughter-in-law, so she stepped in first.
"I'm just doing business normally. Is it anyone's fault if you're not as skilled? Besides, I'm not the only one opening a new shop nearby. Should everyone be forbidden from opening shops, and all business be done by your Li family?" Wu Caiwei was not one to indulge them.
"You're being unreasonable. We all know clearly that you're just unhappy that we didn't let you into the Li family." Madam Li didn't believe a word she said.
"I just can't stand the sight of the two of you, so what? Sue me if you dare!" Wu Caiwei said arrogantly.
"You've finally admitted it. Let's be frank. If you don't oppose us, we're still family. If you refuse a toast and insist on a penalty drink, we haven't lived here for decades for nothing. We have plenty of ways to deal with you," Madam Li threatened. Old Master Li nodded silently behind her, agreeing with her thoughts.
"What methods? Are you going to do like you did twenty years ago, bribe the midwife to kill your first wife?" Wu Caiwei looked at Old Master Li mockingly.
Old Master Li and Madam Li were taken aback that she would mention this matter. They panicked for a moment, then quickly regained their composure.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Bribe the midwife?"
"What I mean is, I believe everyone understands. You don't need to pretend to be confused. The midwife and her family are in our hands. Not long ago, Yu Heng and I visited her. Don't cut the grass and leave the roots behind. If anything happens to them, I'll report it to the authorities immediately."
Seeing her confident demeanor, Old Master Li and Madam Li knew that no matter what they said, she wouldn't believe them.
Watching their dejected figures leave, Wu Caiwei believed that the two would definitely take action next. However, she believed in meeting challenges as they came. She wasn't afraid of them taking action; she was afraid they wouldn't.
On the way back to the manor, neither Madam Li nor Old Master Li spoke. They exchanged a glance, knowing each other's thoughts implicitly.
Sun Yuanyue couldn't be left alive. The midwife's family couldn't be left alive either.
Usually, Li Youcai would return home directly after his business trips and hand the money to his mother. Now, he secretly sneaked into Madam Ye's house under the cover of night.
After half a month apart, they naturally had a good time together. When Madam Ye tearfully complained about her difficult life, he gave her a large portion of the money he had earned.
The next day, he seized the opportunity to sneak back home and handed the remaining money to Mother Li.
Liu Yu had no money at all. She was waiting for Li Youcai to return, planning to use his guilt to get more money for herself. As soon as she heard Li Youcai was back, she hurried out and extended her hand.
"What is this for?" Li Youcai was stunned, not understanding what she meant.
"Didn't you go out to earn money? Where's the money?" Liu Yu asked, reaching out as a matter of course. In the past, Li Youcai's earnings were always given to her. This time, she thought it would be the same.
"It's gone. I didn't earn much in the first place, and I gave it to my mother as living expenses," Li Youcai said matter-of-factly.
"What did you say? I'm your wife. Isn't it natural for you to support me? Now you tell me you have no money, so why did you marry me?" Liu Yu could hardly believe her ears. This was like a bolt from the blue for her.
"Weren't you pregnant back then, forcing me to marry you? And I'm telling the truth. I really have no money. You can search me if you don't believe me." Li Youcai looked genuinely innocent.
At this moment, Liu Yu truly regretted her decision. She deeply missed Wang Yougen.
Although Wang Yougen was poor when they were together, he treated her and their son very well. At least he wasn't as fickle as Li Youcai.
As if struck by a thought, her eyes suddenly widened, and she blocked Li Youcai's path. "You didn't give the money to that vixen, did you?"
Li Youcai felt guilty for a moment, then thought that he earned the money, and he could give it to whomever he pleased.
Seeing his reaction, Liu Yu knew her guess was right.
"Li Youcai, you scoundrel, you don't want to be married anymore, do you?" Liu Yu was truly heartbroken this time.
Li Youcai wished he could answer yes, but he was already remarried. If they divorced again and he remarried, he would probably become infamous in the area.
Not wanting to answer, Li Youcai turned and left. He wanted to escape the bothersome Liu Yu at home and planned to go to town to buy some things and deliver them to Madam Ye's house that night.
Seeing him flee as if from a fierce beast, Liu Yu burst into tears, feeling that her life was truly too bitter.
Wu Caiwei was unaware of the events in Xiaozhai Village. Even if she knew, she would have applauded. The two, in order to be together, had poisoned the original owner, causing her to fall ill and die within half a month. As for Li Zhutao, Liu Yu had married her off to a man who had beaten his first wife to death, simply because the man offered a high bride price. It was foreseeable that she would not have a good outcome either.
At this moment, she was on her way to the steamed bun shop. To save time, she always took a shortcut. The shortcut was more secluded and had fewer people passing by. It required passing by a pond.
As usual, she walked quickly past the pond. Suddenly, a dark shadow rushed towards her with lightning speed. Wu Caiwei deftly dodged, and the shadow plunged straight into the pond.
She watched as the person who fell into the pond quickly swam to the other side and escaped.
Wu Caiwei had no doubt that this was a premeditated murder. The only ones in this city with a grudge against her were from the Li family.
Fortunately, she had learned from Qiushuang and Dongzhi in the past. Later, when she had money, she also hired martial arts instructors. Otherwise, she would not have been able to evade this attack.
Since the Li family had failed, they would likely try again. She wanted to see how long the Li family could last.
She did not tell anyone about the incident on the road. Telling Li Zhutao would only make her worry, as a young girl, she couldn't help much. And Li Yuheng was wholeheartedly studying, aiming to succeed in the imperial examinations next year.
She could handle such minor matters. Of course, she was also wary of the Li family becoming desperate. She spent a large sum of money to hire many female bodyguards to protect Li Zhutao.
"Clang, clang..." Outside the main hall of the Li manor, the servants listened to the sound of Madam smashing porcelain, and they felt heartbroken for her.
"That woman actually managed to dodge it? She actually managed to dodge it." Madam Li truly couldn't understand how a woman who couldn't even lift a chicken could escape death.
The business in the manor was deserted, and goods were piling up. She saw it and was anxious.
As she became anxious, the next day Wu Caiwei discovered something in her tea. She grabbed the maid who delivered the tea, called for a doctor, and called for the authorities.
"Why are you grabbing me, Madam? I really didn't add anything to it." The maid anxiously defended herself.
"I didn't say you added anything either. Let's wait for the county magistrate to arrive, and you can explain it to him." Wu Caiwei acted as if it was none of her business, adopting a hands-off attitude. If they dared to do it, they should dare to bear the consequences.
"Please, Madam, have pity on me. I'm an unmarried woman. If I get involved with the authorities, it will be difficult to find a husband later." The maid pleaded.
"Didn't you think about these things when you were doing it? It's too late to tell me now." No matter how much the maid pleaded, Wu Caiwei was unmoved. If they dared to commit murder and poisoning, what else wouldn't they dare to do?
When the maid heard the sounds of hurried footsteps outside the shop, she knew the authorities had arrived. Her face turned ashen.