These words enraged Li Xinzhi, who blushed and said, "Is your affection just a series of threats to keep me from having any peace?"
Gu Shouping's voice was even louder: "I did that for our future, Xinzhi. Have you ever thought about it? For you, I'm still unmarried."
Li Xinzhi: "Are you not getting married because of me? Gu Shouping, do you need to repeat how many women you've had affairs with?"
Gu Shouping: "That was all just for show. You're the only one in my heart."
The two of them forgot their situation, one hanging in mid-air, the other arguing fiercely without regard for the presence of outsiders.
Chu Jinjin felt as if she didn't exist.
Does love drive people that crazy?
Once she realized the two weren't acting, Chu Jinjin exclaimed helplessly, "Stop arguing!"
She's here on official business.
But without understanding the situation, there's no way to proceed.
Chu Jinjin thought for a moment, then turned to Li Xinzhi: "Mrs. Li, you go first."
Li Xinzhi turned her head angrily: "I have nothing to say, and I can't help you. Do whatever you want with me."
Chu Jinjin could only kick Gu Shouping: "What about you? Don't you want to talk either?"
She didn't beat up Li Xinzhi because Li Xinzhi could help, while Gu Shouping was of little use. Judging from what he said earlier, he seemed to have questionable character, and she had wanted to beat him up for a long time.
“Zhou Guoshou is a beast!” Gu Shouping began with a clenched gritted tongue.
Zhou Guoshou was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) with exceptional talent. However, it has always been difficult for people from humble backgrounds to advance in officialdom, and they needed someone to recommend them if they wanted to take the next step.
He was spotted by Li Xinzhi's grandfather at first glance.
From then on, Zhou Guoshou's career took off, and at the same time, his true colors were gradually revealed.
He disliked Li Xinzhi, not at all, but he had no choice but to marry her for the sake of his career.
When they got married, Li Xinzhi's grandfather, who had once held a high position in the government, seemed to have foreseen this day. He had Zhou Guoshou sign a contract that he would never take a concubine for the rest of his life unless Li Xinzhi violated the virtues of a woman.
Now, this high-ranking official of the second rank, who wielded real power, was no longer the poor, pedantic scholar who had to fawn over others. He had plenty of people who wanted to curry favor with him.
Because of this well-known contract, he could only watch helplessly as beauty appeared before him.
Then, they found Gu Shouping.
Gu Shouping was of average talent, but he was a skilled painter, especially adept at portraiture.
"Enough!" Seeing that she was about to reveal the specific details between the two, Li Xinzhi couldn't bear it any longer and interrupted, "Chu Jinjin, you kill him, and I'll help you plead with Zhou Guoshou, even if it costs me my life, how about it?"
Chu Jinjin shook her head and said regretfully, "I'm sorry, I can't kill him."
If someone were to kill someone, they would simply be killed.
Gu Shouping was a man of some importance. His sudden disappearance would surely have prompted his family to report it to the authorities. While others might not know, Zhou Guoshou was aware of the situation and could easily track down Li Xinzhi.
Murder is illegal; she's not going to do something that doesn't make her money.
Chu Jinjin frowned as if she had thought of something: "That's not right. If you really wanted to kill him, it should be easy, right?"
Regardless of her status as a titled lady or whether she belonged to the Zhou or Li family, there were always ways to get things done.
Li Xinzhi blushed so much it almost bled: "He, he took my undergarment."
Chu Jinjin understood.
In this era, the dudou (a type of traditional Chinese undergarment) was a very representative private item for women, and most of them were unique. Even if the style and pattern were the same, the details would vary greatly.
This Gu Shouping has been using the undergarment as a threat.
Chu Jinjin came up with an idea: "How about this, I'll break his arms and legs, and you push him off the cliff."
Thus, Li Xinzhi was the principal offender, and she was an accomplice; they were both in the same boat.
Chu Jinjin acted immediately, stepping on Gu Shouping's wrist with her toe, waiting only for Li Xinzhi's consent.
Having just returned from the edge of a cliff, Gu Shouping dared not linger on any hope. His eyes were filled with despair: "Xinzhi, do you really hate me so much that you want me dead?"
"Shut up." Chu Jinjin kicked some ash into his mouth.
I want to punch men like that.
Large tears suddenly welled up in Li Xinzhi's eyes. She wiped them away fiercely and said, word by word, "Gu Shouping, I have only one request: give me back my undergarment, and never let me see you again."
This man once briefly pulled her out of despair, only to turn around and push her into even greater despair.
"You're not going to do anything right." Chu Jinjin understood human nature all too well. It was Li Xinzhi's attitude that had led to the current situation. The right thing to do was to prevent this from happening again.
Chu Jinjin pulled out that flashy, unsharpened dagger and plunged it into Gu Shouping's palm.
The right hand was stabbed.
Large amounts of blood gushed out immediately.
Gu Shouping tried to struggle and shout, but then he was punched in the face, and immediately saw stars and his head was buzzing.
“A little deeper, and you’ll never be able to paint again.” Chu Jinjin stabbed slowly, maximizing the pain. “You only have one chance. Nod if you agree.”
Gu Shouping nodded frantically without even considering it.
Chu Jinjin drew her dagger and took the opportunity to teach Li Xinzhi a lesson: "See? Isn't it simple?"
Li Xinzhi: "..."
Gu Shouping's face was covered in blood: "In the hidden cabinet in the manor."
As a painter who specialized in painting portraits of dignitaries, he was quite wealthy and owned three estates. The estate where Dudou lived was not far from here.
Chu Jinjin said directly, "Madam Li, I'll go get it. Where will I find you later?"
Her kindness was reserved only for her own people; as long as she could get the gold mine back, she wouldn't hesitate to use the undergarment to threaten Li Xinzhi again.
Li Xinzhi understood what she meant. She stared blankly at Gu Shouping, who was covered in blood and dirt, and nodded numbly after a while: "Tonight, I will visit Miss Chu at the Chu family."
After saying that, she sighed deeply as if she had just come back to life: "Most of the people around me were arranged by Zhou Guoshou, and there are not many I can trust. If he finds out that you and I met, it will be even more difficult."
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