Chapter 60 Murder and Arson
Chapter 60
In order to go and check out the food, Yu Xiao suddenly left him behind. Qi Jingyan shook his head helplessly, turned his wheelchair, and came to Meng Yuning.
He smiled and was about to talk to her, but the girl didn't even look at him. She affectionately dragged her sister A Zhao into the kitchen to see some honey-glazed barbecued pork.
Qi Jingyan: “…” He is not even as good as a piece of barbecued pork.
He was silent for a moment, then his gaze shifted to Yi'er, who was eating meat from a bowl. "Yi'er, what are you eating?"
Yi'er held up her bowl to show her brother, shaking her head proudly. "A Ning's sweet and sour pork is so delicious."
Qi Jingyan stretched out his hand: "Give it to me and let me try it."
"Okay." Yi'er said obediently, putting the bowl on the table first, climbing down from the chair, picking up the bowl, and walking to Qi Jingyan. She scooped a piece of meat with a spoon and fed it to his mouth, imitating the way Ah Ning fed him, feeding her brother: "Ah."
Qi Jingyan tilted his head back with a hint of disgust: "I can do it myself."
"Brother, you haven't washed your hands." Yi'er shook his head, refusing to give him the spoon. He shouted into the kitchen, "An Ning, if you don't wash your hands, you have to eat."
Qi Jingyan poked his forehead with his finger: "You're a snitch."
Meng Yuning came out of the kitchen upon hearing the noise, holding a small bowl of freshly cut barbecued pork. She deliberately put on a stern face and said, "Your Highness, you must wash your hands before eating."
Qi Jingyan looked as if he was being taught a lesson, and nodded with a smile, "Okay, I'll remember that."
Yi'er raised her little face proudly towards him, then put the spoon to his mouth: "Ah."
Qi Jingyan did not refuse this time and ate the piece of sweet and sour pork with pineapple. After eating, he nodded and said, "Not bad." It's just a little too sweet.
Seeing that he had finished eating, Meng Yuning picked up a piece of barbecued pork with her chopsticks and fed it to him: "Your Highness, try this."
Qi Jingyan didn't open his mouth, but raised his head slightly to look at Meng Yuning: "Sweet again?"
Meng Yuning enthusiastically recommended: "Your Highness, I know you don't like sweet dishes very much, but you must try this honey-glazed barbecued pork. It's an authentic Lingnan dish."
Qi Jingyan: "Since An Ning said so, I'll try it." Then he ate the bright red and tempting piece of meat.
The barbecued pork has a crispy skin, and the meat is tender and juicy, with a hint of saltiness and sweetness. The caramel mixed with the meat aroma is surprisingly delicious.
Meng Yuning looked at him expectantly: "How is it? Is it delicious?"
Qi Jingyan nodded: "Very good."
Meng Yuning smiled and announced loudly: "Dinner is ready."
Yi'er held his small bowl and shouted, "Dinner is ready."
Cai Yuezhao came out of the kitchen with a smile: "If we don't serve dinner soon, the young marquis will finish this whole pot of barbecued pork by himself."
Everyone burst into laughter and then started eating happily.
---
After the meal, Meng Yuning carried Yi'er, who felt sleepy after eating, and took Cai Yuezhao back to the main courtyard. Yu Xiao pushed Qi Jingyan and followed slowly behind.
Several people went to the main room. Meng Yuning held Yi'er, who was too sleepy to open his eyes, and sat on the couch by the window, patting him gently to coax him to sleep. Cai Yuezhao took a palm-leaf fan and helped fan him.
Qi Jingyan and Yu Xiao sat on the armchairs, drinking tea quietly.
It wasn't until Yi'er fell asleep that Meng Yuning carried him to the bed in the bedroom, and then came out and sat on the couch. Only then did Qi Jingyan whisper, "How was Cha Cuixuan?"
Yu Xiao snorted coldly, his face darkening: "It's still that old Meng Huaifu..."
Just as he was about to curse, he remembered that Meng Yuning was still there, so he swallowed the word "thing" back. But he felt really aggrieved that he couldn't curse, so he glanced at Cai Yuezhao and said, "A Zhao, go ahead and say it."
Cai Yuezhao was unwilling to say bad things about An Ning's father in front of her. This was why she dragged her head over to the kitchen first when An Ning asked her about it, saying that she had to eat first.
Although she and An Ning have a good relationship, the old man Meng Huaifu is An Ning's biological father after all. If she says those unpleasant words, An Ning may have a grudge against her.
They had clearly agreed that Yu Xiao would come, but she didn't expect him to pass this hot potato to her again. She was so angry that she glared at him and signaled him to speak with her eyes.
Seeing that the two of them had been fighting with each other's eyes for a long time without anyone saying anything, Meng Yuning was so anxious that she wanted to slam the table: "Oh, Sister Zhao, Young Marquis, you don't have to worry about me."
"I've already told Your Highness that when I was dragged out of the Meng family's gate by two of their maids, I had already severed all ties with the Meng family. So just tell me whatever you want to say. There's no need to hide anything."
Hearing her say this, Cai Yuezhao felt even more distressed for her and held her hand tightly: "A Ning, don't be sad, you still have me and His Highness."
Meng Yuning said anxiously, "Sister Zhao, I'm really not sad. Please tell me quickly."
Cai Yuezhao finally spoke: "The young marquis and I went to the second floor of Cha Cui Xuan earlier..."
Cai Yuezhao put on a veil hat, took off her sword, disguised herself as Meng Yuning, and went to Cha Cuixuan.
As soon as I entered the room, I asked the tea boy who greeted me, "How do I get to the private room on the second floor?"
The tea boy, who must have been instructed in advance, looked her over a few times, as if confirming her identity, and then said with a smile, "Young lady, please follow me this way."
The tea boy led Cai Yuezhao up to the second floor. When they reached the private room, he knocked on the door. After receiving a response from inside, he said, "Sir, the person you are waiting for has arrived."
Then he bowed to Cai Yuezhao and went downstairs.
Cai Yuezhao pushed the door open and walked in. She saw a middle-aged, obese man who looked like a manager sitting inside drinking tea. Upon seeing her enter, he slowly stood up and bowed, "This old servant greets the young lady."
Cai Yuezhao didn't recognize this person, but seeing that he seemed to know An Ning, he deliberately changed his voice. When he spoke again, his voice was hoarse and unpleasant: "Sit down."
The steward looked surprised and asked, "What's wrong with your voice, young lady?"
Cai Yuezhao, relying on the memory of the last time she met An Ning, imitated her lotus steps and slowly walked to the chair and sat down: "You're getting angry."
The steward suddenly realized something: "The eldest lady has been traveling south with His Royal Highness Prince Shen. The journey has been tiring and she must have suffered greatly."
The steward wore a respectful smile, but a hint of disdain lingered in his eyes. Cai Yuezhao suppressed the urge to punch him twice and went straight to the point: "Tell me, why did you call me here?"
The steward slowly sat back in his armchair, poured himself a cup of tea, took a sip, and then said, "I am here on the orders of the master and his wife to pass on a few words to the young lady."
"Master said that the Empress Dowager was furious that day, and her imperial decree was as heavy as a mountain. In order to protect the Meng family, Master had no choice but to send the eldest daughter to the carriage of Prince Shen's mansion."
Cai Yuezhao snorted coldly. A dog slave actually acted so dismissively, simply because he saw that Sister An Ning was in trouble and had no one to support her.
A little impatience can ruin a big plan, she advised herself in her heart, and asked in a hoarse voice, "So?"
The manager obviously didn't expect that the "young lady" would be so calm and composed. She didn't show any panic or anxiety about being abandoned by her family, nor did she show any dependence on someone who had come to her house. Instead, he was speechless for a moment and didn't know how to respond.
After coming back to his senses, he put on a fake smile again: "Master and Madam still miss the eldest girl. Master said..."
Halfway through his words, the steward stood up, walked to Cai Yuezhao, stopped two steps away from her, bowed slightly, and lowered his voice to a very low voice.
"The master said that the Third Prince has won the favor of the Emperor and will ascend to the throne one day."
"If the young lady is willing to serve His Highness, when His Highness ascends the throne, the young lady will surely be favored by His Highness the Third Prince. Even the position of Imperial Concubine is not out of the question."
Cai Yuezhao's heart was boiling with anger. This old bastard Meng Huaifu was treating An Ning like a thing, giving her away to this man today and that man tomorrow.
She suppressed her anger and asked in a cold voice, "Is this what the master meant, or did the Third Prince say it himself?"
Seeing her reaction, the steward thought she was moved. His face wrinkled and he said in a low voice, "The master is now the most popular person in front of the Third Prince. The master's opinion is naturally the Third Prince's opinion."
That means that old bastard wants to sell his daughter for fame again. Cai Yuezhao asked again: "Tell me, how can the master ask me to 'serve' you?"
Upon hearing this, the steward hurriedly pulled out a brocade bag from his bosom and carefully spread it out in his palm: "This is what Madam specially prepared before I left the house. It is colorless and tasteless, and dissolves instantly in water. Just a little bit of it can make someone die silently."
Cai Yuezhao felt a chill running down his spine, his hands clenched tightly in his sleeves. "If I do as you say, how will I escape?"
Seeing this, the steward hurriedly took a half step closer and said, "Don't worry, young lady, this medicine won't take effect immediately."
He held up a finger. "It will take at most one day, at most three days, for the medicine to take effect. When Prince Shen... someone will come to take the young lady back to the capital in style."
Cai Yuezhao reached out and took the purse: "Is there anything else?"
"That's it," the steward said, pulling out an envelope from his pocket. "Also, the master said you left home in a hurry last time and he didn't have time to prepare anything. This time, he asked me to bring you a thousand taels of silver. Please use it first. If it's not enough, the master will send more."
Cai Yuezhao took it without hesitation and asked, "Is there anything else?"
The steward shook his head. "Nothing else matters. The master has repeatedly told you that you only need to do that one thing well and everything will be fine."
Cai Yuezhao nodded in agreement, took the banknotes and poison, stood up and left: "Prince Shen has already noticed your arrival, you'd better leave now."
The steward's face changed drastically, and he hurriedly bowed: "Yes, yes, I will go back and pack my things and leave immediately."
Cai Yuezhao sneered, opened the door and left.
After leaving Cha Cuixuan, she saw Yu Xiao gracefully descending from the roof of the private room where she had just stayed. The two looked at each other, and quickly hid in the dark, staring at the door of the teahouse.
Soon, the steward hurried out and ran all the way to the inn. He returned to the room and immediately packed up his things. He took four guards from the Shangshu Mansion, led the horses, and went straight out of the city.
Cai Yuezhao took Yu Xiao and chased after him, with Yuan Qing Fudong following closely behind.
The four chased the man for ten miles outside the city and stopped him in a deserted place.
The four of them covered their faces and landed lightly in front of them, looking like they were ready to kill and rob.
The steward immediately recognized Cai Yuezhao, his expression changed drastically, and he pointed at her and said, "You are not a young lady!"
Cai Yuezhao snorted coldly and said in his own voice: "You can't even recognize people, but you were sent out by that old bastard Meng Huaifu to do things. I don't know whether to say you are stupid or he is blind."
Thinking about what he had just said in the teahouse, the manager regretted his preconceived notions and carelessness. After thinking about it carefully, he suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.
With a fierce look in his eyes, he ordered his followers: "Kill, kill them all, don't leave any alive."
The four followers responded, immediately drawing their swords and rushing forward, their eyes filled with murderous intent.
Yu Xiao stood beside Cai Yuezhao, and Fu Dong stood behind them with a knife drawn to prevent sneak attacks from elsewhere.
None of the three took action, except Yuan Qing, who drew out the long knife from behind, flashed forward, and rushed forward. When he stopped not far away, the four followers had all fallen to the ground, holding their necks.
The manager turned pale with fear, his legs went limp, and he began to crawl, trying to escape.
Yuan Qing raised his knife and wanted to kill him, but Cai Yuezhao shouted, "Yuan Qing, I'll do it." Yuan Qing obediently stood aside with his knife in hand.
Cai Yuezhao rolled up his sleeves, clenched his fists, walked over, flipped the steward over, and punched him with his fists: "You old killer, you dare to disrespect my sister An Ning? Today I will send you to the west."
Cai Yuezhao's iron fist was so powerful that the manager wailed a few times and then fell silent. He was knocked unconscious.
Cai Yuezhao was still not satisfied, so he raised his foot and stomped on him hard several times. There were a few cracking sounds, and he didn't know how many ribs were broken.
Yu Xiao grimaced, rubbing his arms together and taking two steps back. This was too cruel.
Cai Yuezhao took out a handkerchief to wipe the blood off her hands. Turning around, she saw Yu Xiao backing away with an indescribable expression on his face. She immediately threw the handkerchief at him and glared at him fiercely: "What do you mean by that expression? Do you think I'm a vicious person?"
Yu Xiao frantically caught the handkerchief that flew away in the wind, and went forward attentively, grabbing her hand and continuing to wipe it for her: "No, no, our sister Zhao looks good in everything she does."
Cai Yuezhao didn't bother to pay attention to his smooth talk, and shouted without turning his head: "Yuan Qing, clean up."
Yuan Qing swept the knife across the manager's neck, then moved the men into a row, searched them carefully one by one, collected all the things that looked useful, and piled them up again.
Fudong found some dry firewood and hay from the roadside and piled them on the men. Yuanqing lit a tinder and threw it on the hay.
The weather was dry and the flames rose. Soon, several corpses were ablaze. Not long after, they were burned beyond recognition, leaving several charred corpses...
The two men watched for a while, and when they could no longer recognize the face, they put out the fire with soil and branches. In order not to scare passers-by, the two men also considerately cut some branches to cover the fire.
After the two of them finished, Yu Xiao nudged Cai Yuezhao's arm with his elbow and said, "Ah Zhao, these two in your family are really good helpers in murder and arson."
Cai Yuezhao glared at him and said, "How good is your brother Yan Shi?"
Yu Xiao patted Cai Yuezhao on the head, then laughed out loud. The four of them picked up their pace and ran back to the city.
---
Cai Yuezhao finished her speech concisely and in detail, then looked at Meng Yuning anxiously: "Sister An Ning, are you okay?"
Qi Jingyan and Yu Xiao also stared at her closely.
Unexpectedly, the girl who should have been depressed, angry, sad, or even collapsed rubbed her hands, her big eyes shining: "Sister Zhao, where is the one thousand taels of silver?"
Qi Jingyan: “…”
Cai Yuezhao: “…”
Yu Xiao: “…”
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