At the frontier market, vendors are hawking their wares enthusiastically and pedestrians are coming and going.
Under the shade of the tree, Qian Laoliu stretched out his right hand, fingers spread out, and said firmly, "Five hundred taels! Give me another five hundred taels within three days, and we'll be completely clear. As soon as I get the silver, I'll leave Xicang and go to the ends of the earth to hide out."
The sun blazed down, the heat unbearable, yet Liao Xiaodie felt a chill run down her spine. She stared at him intently, caught off guard, terrified and bewildered. She frantically pondered a plan, saying nothing.
"how?"
"You won't give it to me?"
Qian Laoliu's face instantly fell. He pointed first at his ribs, then at his right leg, gnashing his teeth and angrily saying, "I've been in the underworld for over twenty years and rarely got hurt, but I had the bad luck to take your job. I broke my ribs, limped my leg, and nearly died! If you don't compensate me, you're forcing a falling out between me and Xiao Chen."
“Once we fall out... humph, then don’t blame us for being ruthless, no one will be able to live a peaceful life!” After saying this, he turned around angrily and limped into the alley next to him.
"you--"
Liao Xiaodie was afraid of being implicated, and blurted out: "Wait!" Then she fell silent in panic, looked around vigilantly, hesitated for a moment, gritted her teeth, and chased after him.
A while later, deep in the alley
Liao Xiaodie was petite. She lifted her skirt slightly and ran quickly, "Stop!"
Qian Laoliu obeyed the order and stopped in a secluded place. There was a corner three steps away. Behind the corner was a mottled and dilapidated door. Inside the door stood a group of people: Jiang Yushu, Guo Honglei, Gong Yipeng, Wang... a dozen or so in total.
"Mrs. Gong, it's only five hundred taels. Be smart and be straightforward."
Qian Laoliu was terrified of Guo Honglei and put all his energy into his acting. He was filled with resentment and regret, saying, "Because of taking your job, Xiao Chen and I couldn't stay in the northwest anymore and were forced to leave our homeland. Shouldn't you compensate us? This five hundred taels is actually travel expenses. We're broke now. We can't even afford a mule, let alone a horse, so we can't leave."
In a quiet alley, Liao Xiaodie was in a state of panic. After a long silence, she finally couldn't stand it any longer and asked in a naturally hoarse voice, "Strange, how did you end up penniless? I paid her the reward on time, and with the money that Widow Wang was cheated out of, I had at least three thousand taels—"
"Tsk, what can three thousand taels do?"
Qian Laoliu raised his chin, confidently counting on his fingers, "I and Xiao Chen each have half. He's so unlucky that he lost almost all his fortune in the gambling house. As for me, I have five or six mistresses. They love to compete with each other, crying and begging for money in various ways. Today they want cosmetics and hair oil, tomorrow they want clothes and jewelry, it's endless. If I refuse them even a little, they won't let me get close to them-"
Liao Xiaodie frowned and interrupted in disgust: "That's enough!" A major handle was in her hands. No matter whether the other party had evidence or not, once the truth reached the ears of the Guo family, she would have no way to end it.
Rumors can be terrifying. Some things, if tainted with even the slightest suspicion, are impossible to clear.
Qian Laoliu smiled and said, "I know that Madam Gong doesn't like charlatans. Why don't you just give her 500 taels? We'll be even and never see each other again."
"The last five hundred taels has already drained my savings. Now you suddenly ask for a reward. Where am I going to get the money?" Liao Xiaodie was furious.
Qian Laoliu crossed his arms and said, "Stop crying poor! Although you are poor, your husband's family is rich. Besides, the Guo family is very generous. It's only five hundred taels. Madam can scrape together the money and have it."
Liao Xiaodie glared at him, cursing furiously, "You're untrustworthy and despicable! We were even a long time ago, and now you're asking for another five hundred taels! Humph, you're actually threatening me! Unless you kill me and leave no trace, if anything happens to me, you won't be able to escape!"
"Okay, I've been around the world, I've experienced both poverty and wealth, eating, drinking, whoring and gambling, I've enjoyed everything." Qian Laoliu looked angry and sneered, "Since you don't want to compensate me, there's nothing to talk about. Let's just wait and see." After that, he turned around again and was about to leave.
"You—stop!"
Liao Xiaodie felt guilty and hurriedly chased after him, but had no choice but to compromise: "Three days is not enough, ten days, let's arrange a place and meet in ten days. By then, we must sign a receipt. You take the money, leave the northwest immediately, and never come back."
Qian Laoliu stopped at the corner, turned around and asked, "Oh? Where do we meet?"
"We'll see then!"
"Let me be frank, this is the last time. If you blackmail me again, you will force me to turn against you. Instead of being threatened and blackmailed by a scoundrel, I'd rather take the initiative to confess to the Guo family. No one will survive!" Liao Xiaodie found herself being harassed by a scoundrel and stared anxiously.
The sun was blazing. Qian Laoliu wiped his sweat with his sleeve, glanced at the door beside him, and said casually, "Yes, this is the last time. We, we are all honest people in the world. We really have no choice but to ask Madam for some money for the journey."
"Keeping your word? Ha." Liao Xiaodie laughed sarcastically, gradually calming down. She asked worriedly, "Where's Chen Xijin? He hasn't been arrested? Who's hunting him down? Humph, you've done countless wicked things. Maybe it's an old enemy who's holding you accountable, but you're trying to blame me!"
Qian Laoliu waved his hands vigorously and said with a wry smile, "Madam, don't feel wronged. Xiao Chen and I have been terribly hurt by you. If we had known this would happen, we wouldn't have dared to take the job, let alone 500 taels, even if it was 5,000 or 50,000 taels."
Liao Xiaodie sneered, "Regret? Too late! Look at you, a coward like a mouse, yet you have the nerve to brag about 'walking the world for twenty years'? Where's Chen Xijin? Where is he hiding?"
"Xiao Chen?" Qian Laoliu slowly moved forward and pointed. "Hey, look, there he is."
Liao Xiaodie looked over and asked, "Where?"
The next moment, the mottled and dilapidated door slowly opened, revealing her husband and the Guo family.
When the two sides met and fought, Liao Xiaodie was struck by lightning in an instant. Her eyes widened, her mind went blank, her legs went soft, and she staggered backward until she leaned against the wall. Her knees bent, and she slid down against the wall.
She looked at Qian Laoliu, then at the people inside, trembling and speaking incoherently: "You, you guys... Brother Peng, you, why are you--"
Guo Honglei's face was expressionless. With a wave of his hand, the guards who had been secretly following him understood and quickly escorted Qian Laoliu away. With a cold gaze, he looked down at Liao Xiaodie, then turned to look at Gong Yipeng and explained, "I've been secretly investigating for months. Although I have evidence, I'm afraid of alerting the enemy and wrongly accusing the innocent. After careful consideration, I specially asked Brother Shi to come here. Seeing is believing, otherwise, you probably won't believe it."
Gong Yipeng was stunned. He looked at his wife with the eyes of a stranger. He opened his eyes wide and opened his mouth, but could not speak.
"As expected, 'You can only know a person's face but not his heart'. I never thought, Xiaodie, you'd be such a vicious person. Poor Qiaozhen, it turns out you were the one who killed her!" Wang's face turned pale, and she was so angry that she staggered. "I, I——"
Jiang Yushu and others hurried to support her. "Old Madam, calm down and take care of yourself." She sighed and said softly, "It's not convenient to talk here. Let's go home and discuss it later."
Guo Honglei naturally had no objection and ordered his confidant to get a carriage from the alley and help Wang get in.
"Alas, everyone advised you to stay at home and wait for news, but you went out with him--" As the youngest son, Guo Hongxuan dared to grumble.
Wang slumped down, leaning back in her chair and pounding her chest, interrupting, "Who would have believed Xiaodie to be so cruel if they hadn't seen it with their own eyes? In my life, I've followed the family motto, emphasizing merit and rewards, doing my best to do good and accumulate merit for my children and grandchildren. I've helped Xiaodie many times, and I have no regrets! And yet, not only is she ungrateful, but she's even ungrateful."
"I clearly did good deeds, but I got bad rewards? Oh my God, oh my God, why does God punish the Guo family so many times?" Wang recalled her deceased husband, eldest son, and eldest daughter-in-law, and was overwhelmed with grief and burst into tears.
Guo Honglei helped his wife into the car and whispered, "Comfort your mother."
"Well, be careful to keep an eye on people, and watch out for her yelling in the street." Jiang Yushu glanced at her with fear: Liao Xiaodie was in tears, kneeling in front of her husband, and Gong Yipeng let her shake, like a clay sculpture or wooden statue, motionless and silent.
"Don't worry, she won't have the chance to shout!" Guo Honglei was busy making arrangements, and the group quickly returned home.
Afternoon · Guo Mansion
The younger generations stood by the bedside.
"I'm old, I can't figure it out, and I don't have any ideas. You young people should discuss it." Wang lay on her back, feeling frustrated and depressed. Her snow-white hair was slightly messy, her face was covered with wrinkles, and her cloudy eyes were lifeless. She tiredly ordered, "No need to guard. Go ahead. I need to rest for a while."
The younger generation tried their best to persuade her, but they had to leave. Before leaving, Jiang Yushu sighed, "Stay with her every step of the way. Don't be careless."
"Yes." The two maids bowed and did not dare to move a step.
Xuyou Side Hall
The seat at the top was empty. Guo Honglei sat side by side with his wife and younger brother, and opposite them sat Gong Yipeng and his wife.
In addition, Wang Qiaozhen's trusted maids, Ping'er and Xiaomei, were kneeling on the ground.
"Brother Peng!"
"Brother Peng, please listen to my explanation. I, I know I was wrong, but you don't know that I have my own difficulties and I was forced to do it." Liao Xiaodie was panicked, knowing that only her husband could save her. She knelt down, raised her tearful eyes, bit back, and cried:
"In fact, Qian Laoliu and Chen Xijin were found by my cousin's wife first. Everyone in the Guo family knows that my cousin's wife dislikes me very much. She often taunts me and makes things difficult for me. I dare not do anything and can only endure it. But I never expected that she would be instigated by the maid and secretly hired a killer to harm me."
"Nonsense!" Wang Qiaozhen's trusted maid was shocked. Ping'er refuted her, and Xiaomei questioned:
"Who instigated you? Are you looking at what we are doing?"
Liao Xiaodie was like an ant on the hot pot, desperate and feigning grief and indignation. She raised her hand to touch the scar on her cheek and asked, "Why did my face become disfigured? Who bought the moss-inducing powder? It was Ping'er who instigated my cousin's wife to secretly give me the drug and viciously destroy my appearance. Xiaomei, tell me, am I right?"
"I--" Xiaomei was speechless and subconsciously looked at her companions, speechless.
Ping'er's face turned pale as she stubbornly denied it: "You, you are slandering me!"
So everyone understood that the incident of Liao Xiaodie's face being stained by moss was most likely the work of Wang Qiaozhen and her servant.
Jiang Yushu's head hurt. She said sternly, "My cousin is dead. There's no evidence. How can we believe one side of the story? Unless you can produce evidence, who should others believe if you three continue to talk nonsense and accuse each other?"
"That's right!" Guo Hongxuan glared at him. "Liao, you hired someone to kill someone. The evidence is irrefutable, and yet you still have the nerve to cry out for justice? You're ungrateful, a wolf in disguise!"
Gong Yipeng lowered his head and has not said a word since he discovered his wife's true face.
Guo Honglei's face was sullen as he slowly said, "If you dare to speak nonsense in court someday, you will be punished with a beating. I doubt your words will be as strong as the torture instruments."
"Court?" Liao Xiaodie suddenly turned her head.
"Court?" Ping'er and Xiaomei trembled, kowtowed desperately, and begged, "Sir! Please spare my life, please, please don't report it to the authorities."
"I know I was wrong. My mistake was not reporting it in time, but I swear to heaven that I absolutely did not instigate Madam."
"We are just servants, following orders."
"Madam, Madam didn't make a mistake on purpose. It's all her fault. She planned it all out and set up a vicious trap. Step by step, she harmed Madam badly!" Ping'er raised her hand and pointed directly at Liao Xiaodie.
Liao Xiaodie held onto her husband's legs the entire time. "It was clearly you who watched your master make mistakes, step by step! You were the ones who brought those two charlatans here. You've shot yourself in the foot. Who can you blame?"
The two sides argued endlessly and the situation was chaotic.
Guo Honglei drank a sip of tea, discussed with his wife for a moment, and then calmly asked, "Brother Gong, how do you think this matter should be handled?"
Jiang Yushu responded, "It has to be resolved, so that both families can live in peace."
Gong Yipeng shuddered violently, waking up from a dream. He slowly stood up and looked down at his wife.
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