Chapter 224
"Then why are you so nervous? It's not like your daughter is going to eat them?" After saying this, Lady Yao sat down and leisurely drank her tea.
"So, you are Master Li's mother-in-law?" Li Zhiwei was almost amused by Niu Shi's sheer audacity.
So, this person was trying to set her father up with a honey trap?
Fortunately, she and her mother had returned in time. Otherwise, her foolish father might have fallen for the scheme, and would he then have had to marry this woman's daughter?
Thinking of this, Li Zhiwei's eyes filled with ruthlessness. This damned woman actually dared to covet her father?
"Of course!" Niu Shi raised her head high, having almost convinced herself of her own lie.
"Master Li's mother-in-law passed away over a decade ago. What kind of mother-in-law are you supposed to be?" Li Zhiwei said mockingly.
"Hmph, I am the mother of Master Li's new wife, naturally making me his mother-in-law. If you know what's good for you, get out of the Li family immediately!" Niu Shi said with a smug expression.
"Might I ask, which noble family's daughter is this new wife of Master Li?" Li Zhiwei wasn't angry; instead, she asked in a gentle tone.
Seeing Li Zhiwei's good attitude, Niu Shi thought she had submitted.
She felt triumphant in her heart.
Once her daughter married into the Li family, all the Li family's wealth would be theirs.
"My daughter is the legitimate daughter of Lord Xu from the Court of the Imperial Stud!" Niu Shi declared proudly.
"The Court of the Imperial Stud? What does that do?" Li Zhiwei frowned and asked Qinghua beside her.
She hadn't been in the capital before, and currently only knew about the Six Ministries. She wasn't really sure about the duties of other officials, especially this rarely heard-of Court of the Imperial Stud. She truly didn't know.
"Miss, the Court of the Imperial Stud is in charge of raising horses for the Emperor," Qinghua said, covering her mouth.
"Oh, I thought it was some prestigious family. So it's just a horse keeper. On what grounds does your daughter think Master Li would take a fancy to her?" Li Zhiwei deliberately crouched down, pinched Xu Jin'an's chin, and spoke while shaking her head.
This girl, while somewhat pretty, couldn't really be considered beautiful by capital standards.
After all, in the capital, there were plenty of noble young ladies who were both beautiful and talented.
This girl didn't look like a well-bred lady from a good family at all.
How dare she have the nerve to try and seize her mother's position?
"Mmm..." Xu Jin'an was somewhat frightened, but her hands and feet were tied, so she could only mumble and look to Niu Shi for help.
The women who had originally followed Niu Shi all stepped back one after another. Earlier, they had just wanted to watch the drama and didn't know Niu Shi's background. They hadn't expected she was merely the wife of a horse keeper.
Combined with Niu Shi's earlier actions, everyone understood: this person was probably trying to set up Master Li, just to force him to marry her daughter.
"Someone, take this lady to the Court of the Imperial Stud and ask who this madwoman belongs to, that she dares to cause trouble at my Li family!" Li Zhiwei ordered with a cold face.
Soon, someone seized Niu Shi.
"What do you think you're doing? I am an official's family member!" Only now did Niu Shi feel some panic in her heart.
"Take her away!" Li Zhiwei had no desire to hear another word from Niu Shi.
"We're leaving too, we're leaving!"
Seeing the situation, several women quickly fled.
They were afraid that if they stayed any longer, they would be the next ones dragged to their husbands' workplaces. If that happened, they would probably be beaten to death by the men in their families.
Xu Jin'an was scared, but she didn't dare make a sound. Otherwise, she didn't know what Li Zhiwei might do to her.
"Thank you, ladies, for speaking up for my father earlier. My mother and I have just returned. Once my mother has rested, we will invite our neighbors to our home as guests." Li Zhiwei ignored Xu Jin'an on the ground and said with a smile to the few ladies who had been watching.
"You are too polite, Miss Li. Since Lady Li has come to the capital, once she is rested, we will definitely visit and bother you," one lady replied with a smile upon hearing this.
Li Zhiwei exchanged a few pleasantries with the ladies with a smile, then prepared to close the gate.
"Miss, what should we do with this person?" Qingyue asked, looking at the trussed-up Xu Jin'an on the ground.
"Let her go. If I see you again, young lady, you won't be so lucky next time." Li Zhiwei didn't bother with Xu Jin'an, figuring this was probably all her mother's idea.
But if she remained obstinate and unrepentant, Li Zhiwei would definitely not let her off lightly.
An Prince's Mansion
Xu Heming sat watching Zheng Qiaoshu, who was already covered in wounds, and asked once more, "Who told you to do this?"
Xu Heming's face was dark. He hadn't expected Zheng Qiaoshu's mouth to be so tight.
Even after having her tortured, she still hadn't revealed the mastermind behind this.
He didn't believe the Zheng family had the guts to treat his mother this way.
"You can beat me to death, I still won't tell," Zheng Qiaoshu said, looking at Xu Heming with a smug expression.
She just wouldn't say.
Her master would surely come to rescue her.
"What a tough bone!" Xu Heming looked coldly at Zheng Qiaoshu.
If she wouldn't talk, he had plenty of other ways to make her speak.
"I told you, if you marry me, I'll tell you who is behind this!" Zheng Qiaoshu looked at Xu Heming and said again.
"In your dreams!" Xu Heming refused without a second thought.
"Heh, then just wait. Wait for my master to kill everyone in your An Prince's Mansion, one by one." After saying this, Zheng Qiaoshu burst into loud laughter.
"This time, that old woman was lucky. Next time, she won't be so fortunate. With the old woman gone, who do you think should be next? Your son? Or perhaps your fiancée?" After saying this, Zheng Qiaoshu laughed loudly again.
"Cousin, marry me, and I'll tell you who that person is, okay?" Zheng Qiaoshu looked at Xu Heming, tempting him once more.
She didn't believe she was any worse than Li Zhiwei. Why could Li Zhiwei marry her cousin, but she couldn't?
"It seems the torture wasn't severe enough." Xu Heming's face was as dark as it could get. He hadn't expected Zheng Qiaoshu to still have the nerve to propose marriage to him.
"Don't you want to know who's behind this?" Zheng Qiaoshu was somewhat afraid in her heart. After all, the whip lashes truly hurt.
But she was just unwilling. She only wanted to marry him. Such a small wish, and she couldn't even achieve it for herself. How could she possibly betray her master for him?
As long as she didn't betray him, her master would surely find a way to rescue her.
Lanhuai Prince's Mansion
"Useless!" Upon learning that Xu Heming had already brought Li Zhiwei and Xu Qingshi back to the capital, Prince Lanhuai was furious.
"Your Highness, please calm your anger. We also didn't expect Prince An to travel by water route," Shanzi said, kneeling on the ground.
"Since Prince An has returned, withdraw our people from over there." The thought that Prince An had returned didn't lessen Prince Lanhuai's anger one bit, but the immediate priority was to quickly plan the next step.
"Since that pawn in the An Prince's Mansion is useless, proceed with the second step." Prince Lanhuai looked in the direction of the An Prince's Mansion and said coldly.
