Ai-lan, clutching Zong Yu tightly, roared back defiantly."The woman who was supposed to be Zong Yi's wife should have been me!""If you hadn't taken my position, I wouldn't have had to do all this."Her...Chapter 1125: Why Help the Wicked

Fang Jinshu's expression was off, Qin Qianqian's eyes flickered, she avoided Fang Jinshu's gaze, and when she spoke again, her tone wasn't as confident as before.

"Madam, I do not understand what you are saying."

"She hit me, why should I apologize"

Fāng Jǐnxiù saw that she wouldn't repent even in death, and she had already given her a chance.

She bent down and picked up the corner of Qin Qianqian's clothes that had been wet by the cold tea. The moment she looked up, Qin Qianqian felt her heart sink half way.

It's impossible, she couldn't possibly find out.

"Do you think I wouldn't be able to smell it just because you mixed a love potion with tea"

"Is this how you truly serve the Lord Marquis"

Xiao Yue and Mu Jin's faces turned pale.

Fang Jinxiu straightened up and retreated to Zong Yu's side, a cold glint in her eyes.

"What Aphrodisiacs"

Most people in the household knew that Madam was skilled in medicine. Furthermore, Qin Qianqian's expression had been as pale as a sheet that day, it seemed Madam wasn't wrong about Qin Qianqian.

"You have such audacity, to use such despicable tactics against the Marquis."

Xiaoyueqi wished she could slap Qin Qianqian again. She was too ungrateful. Madam had known all along that she had ulterior motives and still gave her chances, hoping she would see the light and stay in Houfu to live a good life.

Instead of enjoying a life of wealth and prosperity, they chose to take risks and do such things.

Even if she succeeded today, with the Marquis's temperament, she wouldn't become his concubine. The most likely outcome would be her execution.

This was when Qin Qianqian truly started to panic, she desperately kowtowed to Fang Jinshu.

"Master, Mistress, this servant, this servant knows I was wrong. This servant was only momentarily possessed by demons. Please, Lord, show mercy! Please, Mistress, show mercy!"

"The slave truly knows she was wrong."

A flash of impatience crossed Fang Jinshui's eyes. She couldn't explain to Zongbei if she killed her.

She left Qin Qianqian in the main courtyard just to give her this obvious opportunity, but she didn't expect her to be so impatient. As soon as she found a chance that Qin Qianqian was away, she took action, but she didn't want Mu Jin to ruin her plan directly.

Just then, Zong Bo's voice rang out from the back of the crowd.

"Big brother, sister-in-law, what happened"

The commoners, hearing the sound, quickly made way for Zong Bai. He walked straight to the two people. Qin Qianqian saw Zong Bai as if she had seen a life-saving straw and grabbed hold of Zong Bai's sleeve when he passed by.

"Master Second, please, for the sake of my father, save me."

"I am willing to work like a cow or horse to repay Second Master, please, Second Master, save me!"

Zong Bai frowned in disgust, suppressing the urge to kick the person away and first asked about the reason for their intrusion.

Fang Jinshui briefly explained, then handed the choice over to Zong Bo's hands.

"I pitied her at first, and kept her at the Hou Mansion out of respect for Mr. Qin to take good care of her. But she had her heart set on climbing into your brother's bed and becoming the mistress of this mansion."

"I can't keep her around anymore, it's up to you to decide whether she stays or goes, Zong Bo."

Zong Bai, hearing that she actually dared to give his older brother a love drug, was so angry that he disregarded gentlemanly conduct and directly kicked Qin Qianqian.

Mr. Qin not only helped him make up for the lessons he had fallen behind in the past few years during his time at Zong's family, but also spared no effort to impart his knowledge to him wholeheartedly. Qin Qianqian was his only relative in this world, and Zong Bai really didn't want to hurt her.

But this doesn't mean he could tolerate others using favors as leverage to disrupt his home.

This is his bottom line, something he won't tolerate, not even from his teacher's daughter.

"Sister-in-law, the fact that you were able to save her from the manor already counts as repaying Mr. Qin's teachings. Since it was her own doing, she should bear the consequences."

Do whatever you want with it, I don't care.

After finishing his speech, Zong Bai moved to one side. Qin Qianqian cried and shook her head, chasing after Zong Bai and pleading for mercy.

Fang Jinshu nodded.

"Okay, then I've made my decision."

"Qin Qianqian, although your father owes Zongbei a debt of teaching, our family has saved both you and your father's lives several times. Emotionally and rationally, we owe you nothing."

"Since you desire to be a wife of an official so much, I can fulfill your wish."

"I'll send you to a place where you can meet many officials. Whether or not you can become an official's wife depends on your own abilities."

Hearing this, Qin Qianqian's pleas for mercy came to an abrupt halt. She turned her head to look at Fang Jinshu, her eyes filled with disbelief and astonishment.

"Are you truly so kind"

Fang Jinshu smiled coldly, "I don't think I'm being kind."

Qin Qianqian's mind raced. After today's incident, Fang Jinshu was definitely not going to tolerate her presence in the Hou Mansion. Rather than being driven out with shame and humiliation, she might as well follow her arrangements and take a gamble.

Instead, she bet on her chance to turn things around. Then we'll see if they dare look down on her!

"Okay, I'll go."

Fang Jinshu waved her hand, letting Zhao Xingzhou take the people away to handle it.

The place where one could come into contact with many officials was the fireworks garden established by the imperial court. The women inside were all family members of officials who had committed crimes, providing a place for imperial court officials to find pleasure.

Officials who go to such places are generally low-ranking and lack ambition. Those with true status, aspirations, and ideals would not debase themselves by going to such places.

Qin Qianqian thought this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance for survival, but it would actually bring her endless pain and torment.

She will also pay the price for her foolish actions here.

"Alright, everyone, disperse."

Xiaoyue dismissed all the servants. The two aunts who were close to Qin Qianqian were the first to run away, as fast as they could.

Fang Jinshi looked at Zong Bai, "Are you here to find me or your elder brother"

Qin Qianqian's matter here could only be considered a small episode, it passed and that was that.

Zong Bai's expression immediately became much more serious. "Brother, it's best if you listen to this as well."

Come in.

Three people arrived at Zong Yu's study. Xiao Yue sent a pot of tea and then went out to stand guard not far away, Mu Jin was also there.

"Little Yuejie, you said my temper is how to change. Today if Madam hadn't noticed the medicine in the tea, then Qin Qianqian would have definitely clung onto me and wouldn't let go. It would have caused Madam more trouble for sure."

Little Moon smiled, "You know that already."

"But luckily today you spilled her cooling tea. If the Marquis had actually drunk it, that would have been truly disastrous."

"You've unwittingly done a good deed, madam won't pursue this."

"From now on, I must not be so impulsive. My wife's situation is not as easy as we see it. I cannot drag her down or cause her trouble."

Mulan hurriedly nodded, this lesson she remembered deeply.

In the room, Zong Bai had investigated what Fang Jinxiu had asked him to look into last time.

There are hundreds of villages, big and small, in the four suburbs of the capital city. Nearly half of the population has been deceived out of their land and property, and most of them are still working the land for the other party.

Because of the shackles of a contract, they dared not run away, nor did they dare to rebel.

And those who were left to beg for a living within the city walls, were those whose able-bodied menfolk had died at home, having become useless.

Fang Jinxiu and Zongyu's faces turned incredibly ugly after hearing this. Fang Jinxiu was so angry that she slammed her fist on the table.

"These beasts! Their appetite and manner of eating are simply appalling. They dare to be so brazen and audacious even under the Emperor's very nose."

"Have they found out who's behind this"

Zong Bo nodded.

"Found him, it's Yuan Buyu."

Hearing this name, Fang Jinshu was not at all surprised, only she really couldn't understand why Jiang Chuang would help the tyrant. Didn't he know that their contract with deception had killed countless ordinary people!Isn't it just a medicine for wind-cold fever How can it be so expensive"Although these people say this, they all know deep down that Xizhou is vast with mountains and forests, and its climate is the m...