Chapter 103: The Plan to Kill Feng Gao
Zheng Tai’s voice seemed to come from the depths of a dark, abyssal hell.
“Boss Qin, Boss Qin—”
Qin Mingxu picked up his teacup and drank the tea in one gulp. He stared at Zheng Tai and said word by word, “Tell me, what should I do?”
Zheng Father, standing beside him, smiled with satisfaction. He held the incense burner in his hand, narrowed his eyes, as if Qin Mingxu’s performance was entirely within his expectations.
Zheng Tai stood up, took a silver pot with carved hollows from the charcoal fire, and personally refilled Qin Mingxu’s teacup. He said, “Boss Qin, don’t rush. This is autumn rain tea. It needs to be steeped four times to bring out its flavor. Drink it slowly, and let’s chat at our own pace.”
Qin Mingxu’s hand reached for the teacup, his knuckles turning white and trembling.
The more nervous he became, the more triumphant Zheng Tai felt.
“Killing Feng Gao isn’t that easy,” Qin Mingxu said.
Zheng Tai chuckled, “Of course, it’s not that easy. Not to mention his formidable martial arts and cunning, even his unusual alertness makes it difficult for ordinary people to get close to him. I’ve always said that the only person who can kill him is someone he would least expect. He needs to let his guard down for it to succeed.”
“How does Lord Maternal Uncle know that he doesn’t have his guard up against me?” Qin Mingxu lowered his head.
In the Qin Manor’s garden, Feng Gao’s arrogance and suspicion were still vivid in his mind. In truth, Qin Mingxu wasn’t confident he could succeed in killing him.
Zheng Tai sat down next to Qin Mingxu, tapping his fingers lightly on the tabletop. “You both have a common goal now, which is to rescue Zhu Sangyu. At this critical juncture, he won’t be wary of you. We just need to set a trap…”
Feng Gao asked Qin Mingxu to bring the evidence to the Zheng Residence for negotiations.
Then, they would pretend this negotiation was successful.
The Zheng Residence would agree to release Zhu Sangyu. However, because the tribute wine case involved the Imperial Supply Bureau and the Ministry of Revenue, it was a matter of great importance. To cover their tracks, after being released from prison, Zhu Sangyu and her entourage would have to temporarily leave Yangzhou to lie low.
Given Feng Gao’s concern for Zhu Sangyu, he would undoubtedly escort her himself.
The Zhu family members would travel in two horse carriages, taking a small path around Guanyin Mountain to leave the city. At that time, Qin Mingxu and Zhu Sangyu would be in one carriage, while Zhu Xifeng, Hua Lian, Ying Tao, and others would be in another. Feng Gao would ride ahead on horseback.
A trap would be set on the necessary route through Guanyin Mountain.
Feng Gao would then die without anyone suspecting a thing.
Once the dust settled, Qin Mingxu and Zhu Sangyu could both return to the city and resume their former peace…
The autumn rain tea had been steeped for the fourth time. Listening to these words, Qin Mingxu’s lips trembled slightly.
If Sang Yu knew that Feng Gao’s death was related to him, could she ever find peace for the rest of her life?
Zheng Tai seemed to read his mind and said slowly, “Boss Qin, you can rest assured. There are many hunters on Guanyin Mountain, and it’s not uncommon for people to accidentally fall into traps. This will just be an accident. No one will ever blame you for this. You just need to lure him there; you don’t need to worry about anything else. Nothing will be your concern.”
Before they knew it, noon had arrived.
The sun had risen more than a bamboo pole high. The winter sunlight lacked its usual intensity, its warmth felt distant, gently shining on the lingering snow.
Qin Mingxu pondered for a full two quarters of an hour.
After a long silence, he said, “Why should I believe you? After this is done, we will be safe.”
Zheng Tai said, “I don’t want the evidence Feng Gao gave you. You can keep it as a protective charm. How about that? Is that enough to make you believe in the Zheng family’s sincerity?”
“Allow me to think about it again…” Qin Mingxu murmured.
Zheng Tai held his hands towards the fire and smiled slightly, “It’s alright. Boss Qin can wait, and so can I. I just wonder if your Madam and the child in her womb can endure the cold and hardship of the prison. Can they wait?”
A few faint rays of light filtered through the window lattice, falling onto Qin Mingxu’s handsome and elegant face.
He gritted his teeth and said, “I agree.”
Zheng Tai clapped his hands and said, “Good, good, good! I knew from the start that Boss Qin is a smart person. The owner of Tiansheng Tower, with such a large business, knows how to weigh things. After this matter is settled, Boss Qin will only benefit, not suffer any harm. When your Madam gives birth, I, Zheng Tai, will definitely come to congratulate you and have a drink of celebratory wine.”
Qin Mingxu said, “I want to go to the prison cell to see my wife.”
Zheng Tai hesitated for a moment and looked at Zheng Father.
Zheng Father said, “If Boss Qin acts according to the agreement, he will be reunited with his Madam soon. Why the rush?”
Qin Mingxu shook his head and said, “If I don’t see her, I won’t be at peace.”
Zheng Father pondered for a moment, then said, “If that’s the case, we’ll arrange for you to go. Remember not to stay long, and don’t let anyone discover anything.”
“I will. I’ll only stay for a quarter of an hour, then leave,” Qin Mingxu quickly agreed.
He clutched the evidence in his embrace and bid farewell to the Zheng father and son, then walked out of the hall.
He saw the woman who resembled Sang Yu again.
She had already put away the grief from burning paper money earlier. Holding a pipa, she was charming and radiant.
As she passed by Qin Mingxu, she seemed to be singing a song: “Alas, a stream of wind and moon, do not let it shatter the jade. Leaning on the saddle by the green willow bridge, a cuckoo’s cry heralds the dawn…”
Alas, a stream of wind and moon, do not let it shatter the jade.
Qin Mingxu walked to the long corridor and looked back three times at this woman.
In the prison cell.
The jailer impatiently threw a few stale steamed buns in front of me.
This was my lunch.
I quickly grabbed them, patted them lightly with my hand, and began to eat them greedily.
I have two children in my womb, so I cannot go hungry. Whether it’s fine food and clothing or the ordeal of prison, I have to take care of them.
I eat whatever I can get.
Several jailers sat at a small table, the candlelight dim. They were eating peanuts and drinking wine, talking amongst themselves.
“We do this tough job, and all year round, our pay is meager. We wake up earlier than chickens and work harder than oxen. When will we get promoted? There’s no hope.”
“Be content. What’s the point of being a high-ranking official? Did you hear? The Director of the Eastern Depot died on his way back to the capital a few days ago. An avalanche. Nothing could be done, tsk tsk tsk. A natural disaster, no one could have predicted it. His Majesty bestowed a noble title and a lavish burial, but what’s the use? It’s better to be alive, right?”
“That’s true, that’s true…”
The steamed bun in my mouth suddenly felt hard as stone, choking me as if my stomach were burning.
I stood up, grabbed the cell door, and asked, “Officers, what did you say? Who died? Which Director of the Eastern Depot?”
The jailer snapped, “What are you shouting about? What business is it of yours? If you keep making noise, I won’t even give you stale steamed buns! A few days of starvation will make you quiet!”
“Tell me, who exactly died?” I pleaded.
“How many Directors of the Great Ming’s Eastern Depot are there? It’s none other than Feng Gao, Director Feng. Mind your own business. You’re already in prison, and you’re still worrying about these things!”
My vision went black, and I collapsed onto the ground.
My heart felt torn, convulsing, I couldn’t even feel the pain anymore.
Dou Ya’s beautiful yet tragic peach blossom face suddenly filled the prison cell.
Impossible.
How could he die?
My Dou Ya was always invincible.
Heaven owed him so much; how could it take his life through a natural disaster?
The jailers said it happened a few days ago. Dou Ya, are you really no longer in this world? Then why didn’t you come to my dreams, why didn’t you say goodbye to your Elder Sister?
In a daze, someone helped me up.
“Sang Yu, Sang Yu, what’s wrong?”
I slowly raised my head.
It was Qin Mingxu.
His voice was full of worry.
I grabbed his shoulder, “Mingxu, why are you here too? There’s been a huge mess, why aren’t you running? Run!”
Qin Mingxu hugged me, “Sang Yu, if you’re in trouble, how could I possibly run? I’ll be able to get you out soon. Really.”
My tears flowed like a breached dam.
“Mingxu, take me to find Dou Ya, okay? An avalanche, he’s buried in the snow, he must be so cold. He must be as helpless as he was when we were children. I want to find him, I want to bring him home, to my side. By my side, he won’t be cold anymore…”
“Sang Yu, calm down,” Qin Mingxu gently patted my back.
“When I was little, Dou Ya fell into the river. When they pulled him out, he was almost drowned. I went to the temple and made a wish to the Bodhisattva. I said, ‘Take my life in exchange for Dou Ya’s life.’ No one else knew, but the Bodhisattva knew. The Bodhisattva knew. Mingxu, Dou Ya is the only family I’ve had since I was a child. Mingxu, Mingxu, do you know?” I cried out in despair.
“Sang Yu, don’t be like this. You’re making me really heartbroken,” he said, flustered by my tears.
On the filthy, dark, and cold walls, Dou Ya’s lips curved innocently, and he said, “Elder Sister, we’ll be together forever.”
Dou Ya, our fates are like duckweed that cannot be held. How far is the “forever” you spoke of?
“Sang Yu, listen to me. In three days, I will come to pick you up. Director Feng will also be here. He is not dead,” Qin Mingxu said into my ear, as if making a great resolution.
Like a drowning person, I grasped a life-saving straw.
“Really?”
“Really.”
From the moment I met Qin Mingxu, I had never seen him so serious.
The candlelight in the prison licked our faces, licking the abyss-like wounds.
The silence at this moment was dim and moving.
“Sang Yu,” he called me.
“Yes.”
“I love you,” he cupped my face and kissed me.
His kiss was like fish in a pond of bitter herbs; every ripple of water was bitter.
“Mmm.”
“Sang Yu, I love you. Truly,” he said again.
His face was weathered by wind and snow.
