"Why does my lord consider this 'redemption money' as a life-saving fund rather than a 'death warrant'? It is the attack on the heart that kills without drawing blood." Among Shen Tang's subordinates, probably no one understood the darkness of the human heart better than Gu Chi. He sneered, "Brother Qiu disregards past grievances and generously gives away his wealth to save people. Can Qiu Cheng, who once fought with his brothers and murdered his own brother, accept this aid?"
Akio may have genuinely put aside past grievances to save his younger brother, but he may also have thoroughly understood Akio's temperament—as proud as Akio is, he would not accept charity from Akio; as suspicious as Akio is, he would not believe that Akio truly came to save him.
The point is not what Qiu Dalang does.
The key point is Qiu Cheng's reaction.
With Qiu Cheng dead, Qiu Dalang's great revenge was finally achieved.
Qiu Chenghuo, Qiu Dalang earned a great reputation.
Shen Tang stroked the cold gold in her hand.
"If I were a novice lecher, I would probably accept it with shame. At worst, I could go back and bow my head to Qiu Dalang, then keep a low profile and live a comfortable life as a wealthy man, at least without worries about food and clothing. However, given the novice lecher's temperament, it's hard to say. He would probably be terrified and angry. He would worry that Qiu Dalang had ulterior motives for doing this, and be angry that the two brothers' situations had been reversed, and that he himself had to be reduced to relying on Qiu Dalang's charity to survive..."
"Yes, people are prone to judging others by their own standards." Gu Chi's thin lips curled slightly as he spoke sarcastically. "You see everyone as your kind because you are a certain kind of person yourself. If Qiu Cheng is a hypocritical gentleman, how could his own brother be an honest gentleman in his eyes? My lord, would you be interested in making a bet with me? Let's bet on what will happen to Qiu Cheng when the news of the ransom reaches his ears?"
Shen Tang now has PTSD related to gambling.
but--
Excessive gambling is harmful to health; moderate gambling is merely for fun.
What are the benefits of winning a bet?
Gu Chi said, "It is up to our lord to decide."
Shen Tang immediately slammed her hand on the table: "Fine, you said it!"
Her reaction was so quick, as if she was afraid Gu Chi would change his mind.
The two agreed to write words on their palms and show them at the same time. Upon seeing the result, Shen Tang said disappointedly, "Alas, the bet is off."
Because they all wrote the character "死" (death).
Shen Tang joked, "I was originally thinking that if I won the bet, I would make you work overtime at the government office for ten or fifteen days without any conditions, and I would take your monthly salary. I never expected that we would be so in sync and give the same answer. Wang Chao, did you write this because you heard what I was thinking?"
"No, it's because we have a telepathic connection."
The Qiu family sent the ransom money, and Qiu Cheng had to die.
Even if you don't die, you're doomed!
Shen Tang snapped the wooden box shut.
He beckoned to a minor official and said, "Go to Tangyuan and tell Old Cai... ah, no, I mean tell Wenyan Gong some good news: the Qiu family has sent the ransom money. He's regained his freedom, and I'll send someone to escort him back to the Qiu family tomorrow."
Shen Tang emphasized the last sentence.
"This matter is very important, and you must convey it to us truthfully."
Some blame must always be borne by someone.
Shen Tang and Gu Chi exchanged glances, their unspoken understanding unspoken.
The minor official acknowledged the order: "Understood."
The prisoners were held not far away.
Qiu Cheng and his family live alone in a courtyard.
The ransom was delivered to Xiaocheng in the morning, the news was sent to Tangyuan at noon, and Qiu Cheng committed suicide by sword that night.
The details were exactly as Shen Tang and his companion had predicted.
When the clerk appeared with a beaming face, Qiu Cheng and his wife felt a chill run down their spines, worried that Shen Tang might have some tricks up her sleeve—the previous delivery of Miao Shu's body had kept them up at night for several nights. Qiu Cheng, a former leader of a local power, had managed to remain calm.
"What brings the messenger here?"
The minor official bowed with his hands clasped and said, "Congratulations, Lord Wenyan."
Qiu Cheng raised an eyebrow: "Oh, what's the cause of your joy?"
The clerk said with a beaming smile, "This morning, the Qiu family sent over the ransom money for Wenyan Gong. My lord sent me to inform Wenyan Gong. My lord also said that he will send someone to escort you and your family back to the Qiu family tomorrow. Wenyan Gong, you will be free soon."
Unexpectedly, Qiu Cheng was not as happy as anticipated.
Instead, she grabbed the clerk's sleeve and pressed him, "You said it was the ransom money sent by the Qiu family? Not someone else?"
He mentioned several family names in a row.
With his father-in-law unreliable and the Qiu family in the hands of his sworn brother, Qiu Cheng was desperate and could only write to his former classmates for help. However, before they could arrive, Qiu's men came first, which gave Qiu Cheng a bad feeling.
The clerk looked bewildered: "It wasn't them, it was the Qiu family."
The First Madam pursed her red lips, deeply worried.
Qiu Cheng pressed for details: "Did you receive any letters?"
The clerk shook his head: "No."
Qiu Cheng pondered the words the clerk had brought him over and over again, not even noticing when the clerk left. By the time he came to his senses, it was already dark outside. The First Madam remained by his side, her eyes filled with worry: "My lord, you scared me to death."
"Whoa—"
A long sigh escaped Qiu Cheng's lips.
His spirit visibly collapsed.
He sighed, "The eldest son's family has decided to kill me. If I fall into their hands, well, I'm afraid I won't even die a dignified death."
The First Lady was startled and asked, "Why do you say that, Master?"
Qiu Cheng suddenly said sternly, "Don't you know how the boss is? If he hadn't used those underhanded and despicable methods back then, how could he have been the one to be adopted out? All the elders clearly preferred me, but he was the one chosen!"
Back then, the eldest branch of the Qiu family had no one to carry on the family line, so they had no choice but to adopt a son from the second branch. The second branch had two children, Qiu Dalang and Qiu Erlang, also known as Qiu Cheng. They were both born to the second branch's principal wife and were full brothers.
In adoption, it's generally the younger child who is adopted, not the eldest son who is taken from another family. Qiu Cheng was smarter than his older brother, started his education earlier, and was also well-liked by the clan elders. He thought he was the obvious choice and even dreamed of leading the Qiu clan to greater heights before the results were announced.
But it was Qiu Dalang who was taken away.
This reality dealt Qiu Cheng a heavy blow.
From that moment on, the two brothers received vastly different treatment.
The second wife's savings had long been squandered by the previous generation, leaving her with little savings. She struggled to make ends meet and couldn't even afford to support many servants. Meanwhile, Qiu Dalang thrived in the first wife's household, studying under famous teachers, becoming a renowned scholar, holding a high position, and enjoying the adulation of thousands.
Qiu Cheng racked his brains to maintain the basic dignity of a noble family's son, living a life of financial hardship and growing increasingly resentful.
At some point, he had the cruel thought that it would be better if the boss were dead, but when he calmed down, he felt remorse and shame. He thought he could control the demon in his heart, but he overestimated his morality and underestimated the resentment brought about by jealousy.
The thought of killing his brother grew stronger each day, while the regret and shame that followed his calming down gradually diminished until he could no longer feel them at all.
Qiu Dalang stole the life that was rightfully his.
Why should he feel guilty and remorseful?
So he lay low and waited for the right opportunity.
Until chaos ensued, Huang Lie rallied the masses and raised an army.
He inexplicably agreed, completely disregarding his brother who was still held hostage by Zheng Qiao. If Zheng Qiao were to kill his brother in a fit of rage, he could use Zheng Qiao's head to appease his brother's family in the future, thus fulfilling their brotherly bond in this lifetime.
Unfortunately, no matter how much he planned, he never expected that the eldest son's family would escape death, nor did he expect that he would be defeated in Sibao County and become a prisoner, urgently needing his eldest son to pay money to redeem his family.
The First Madam spoke up to comfort him: "My lord, in my opinion, perhaps... perhaps that's not what you meant... How can brothers not resolve their deep-seated hatred? At worst, go back and apologize to your uncle. He can't possibly kill you, can he?"
Has Qiu Dalang lost all sense of reputation after murdering his own brother?
Qiu Cheng shook off her hand: "That's just a woman's opinion!"
The first wife was thrown back and staggered two steps before falling to the ground.
“Escort him back to the Qiu family… Hah, what a fine way to say it is to say he’s back to the Qiu family… I almost killed his entire family, do you think he’ll just pretend that never happened? If it were you, would you let it go? The eldest brother isn’t exactly a saint! He was afraid of my troops before, so he had to cower like a coward. Now that I have no troops, once I’m back to the Qiu family, I’m afraid I won’t even have a choice in whether I die or not.”
Qiu Cheng seemed to be possessed, his eyes were bloodshot, and he was breathing heavily. This unfamiliar appearance made the First Madam feel afraid.
"My Lord..." she cried out, her voice filled with sorrow.
"I can't possibly lose to him..." Qiu Cheng's gaze fell on his sword. The sword, which once seemed to weigh a thousand pounds, was now easily drawn by him. The blade reflected the ferocity on his face. "I'd rather die than fall into his hands and be humiliated."
The sword was held horizontally in front of his neck.
The First Madam was stunned by this scene.
When she came to her senses, all her strength had left her hands and feet. She practically crawled to Qiu Cheng's side, raising her hand to cover his neck, which was gushing blood. At this moment, Qiu Cheng had not yet completely passed away; his spiritual energy could prolong his remaining time in this world.
"After I leave... he will certainly not dare to neglect me... Second wife, you may... you may find another good match..."
——————
_(:з」∠)_
It's hard to say whether Qiu Dalang wants Qiu Cheng dead, but Tang Mei really wants him to die... and the key is that he won't have to take the blame.
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