Chapter 244: Principal Offender And Accomplice
This is a clichéd story of a phoenix man who wants to climb a high branch and kills his original wife and child.
The blue-clothed woman Qing Niang was the wife who was abandoned and killed.
Perhaps her fate was not meant to end, Qing Niang luckily escaped from the sea of fire, her appearance completely destroyed, to the extent that just showing her face could scare little friends.
Hatred sustained her survival, and for five years, she thought of nothing but revenge against Zhan Liang, but she knew her chance would come only once.
Thus, to take revenge on Zhan Liang, she prepared for a full five years.
Why start with the merchant caravan? That was because Qing Niang accidentally saved another woman who had been let down, namely Boss Yang’s wife Yun Shi.
Boss Yang and Zhan Liang were birds of a feather; he despised his wife for being old and faded, dull and uninteresting, and unable to find a good excuse to divorce her, so during a business trip he abandoned her in a desolate mountain, claiming outwardly that Yun Shi had eloped with someone.
Yun Shi had followed Boss Yang traveling far and wide, not an ordinary secluded woman, and one mountain could not trap her.
She was unwilling to accept it; she had borne children for Boss Yang, only to end up abandoned.
She begged her way back to Qingyang Prefecture, and after great hardship returned home, only to learn that Boss Yang had already married a new wife.
People in the merchant caravan discovered Yun Shi and told Boss Yang.
Boss Yang did not want his new wife to discover that Yun Shi was alive, so together with several subordinates from the merchant caravan, he bound Yun Shi and threw her into a dry well, intending to starve her to death.
Qing Niang had always been watching the movements at Zhan Mansion; the merchant caravan was Zhan Liang’s money tree, naturally within her scope of attention.
She noticed Boss Yang and the others’ unusual actions, so she quietly followed and accidentally saved Yun Shi.
After that, it was the revenge of the two women against Boss Yang and Zhan Liang.
Curse, mechanism, hidden weapon… the two women joined forces, playing the entire merchant caravan around in circles.
If Shang Wan had not discovered that roll of silk thread on the tree and reported it to the government, this death game could have continued.
And the reason Qing Niang could appear silently in the youth’s room was that she had dug a tunnel connecting to the large courtyard kitchen.
Killing the fat cook was also because the fat cook always liked staying in the kitchen, too much in the way.
After being caught last night, perhaps knowing she could not escape, after Shang Wan simply interrogated her a couple of questions, Qing Niang confessed everything and took all the murder charges upon herself.
She said Yun Shi only helped her set up mechanisms and tie up loose ends, never killing anyone with her own hands.
And Yun Shi, waiting long for Qing Niang without her coming, actually came to throw herself into the net and took the charges upon herself.
The two women competed to confess guilt and nearly fought, leaving Shang Wan speechless.
These two, one principal offender and one accomplice, neither could escape.
Helping to hand them over to the prefectural yamen, Shang Wan used this to exchange some benefits with Lord An.
She hoped the government could help apply pressure to Zhan Liang, best to show some intent of bribery, to facilitate their bargaining with Zhan Liang.
Lord An was very obliging, not only helping to apply pressure but also specially instructing the officials to wait until everything was settled before arresting.
“Wanwan is still the capable one.” Hua Niangzi hooked her arm around Shang Wan’s arm, her beautiful eyes full of admiration.
Niangzi Shu folded the contract and tucked it into her bosom, smiling, “This time it was truly thanks to Shopkeeper Shang.”
Ten thousand taels of silver to buy a hundred-man merchant caravan—no one would believe it if told.
“Let’s go take a look at the merchant caravan.” Niangzi Lou suggested.
Shang Wan had exactly this in mind, “Just in time to pick out all the parasites in the merchant caravan.”
They had just taken over the merchant caravan and were not familiar with its internal situation, but there was one acquaintance.
Who knew the merchant caravan’s internal situation better than the caravan’s accountant?
The youth, that is Wu Liang, knew he had a new owner and that the owner was the acquaintance who had kidnapped him, his mood was extremely complicated.
Although he had little loyalty to Zhan Liang, seeing his former owner fall into the hands of the new owner so quickly, he inevitably felt some pressure, even his invisible tail clamped tighter.
“The accounts are all here?”
“Yes.” Wu Liang straightened his back, trying to look more spirited, “If there is any unclear part in the accounts, Head Owner may point it out, and this one will answer everything without reservation.”
Head Owner was Shang Wan; she alone had put out five thousand taels of silver and held the largest share in the partnership.
The remaining five thousand taels were pooled by the sisters of Lancang Association, with Niangzi Shu holding the largest share as Second Owner.
The other sisters each contributed roughly the same amount of silver, all as Third Owners.
“I heard there are people in the merchant caravan wearing human skin but not doing proper work.” Shang Wan did not look at the accounts, slapping the list of merchant caravan personnel taken over from Zhan Liang on the table, “Circle them all.”
Wu Liang: “…”
On such a cold day, he still broke out in a back full of sweat.
Head Owner wanted to weld him firmly onto their ship.
Seeing Wu Liang sitting motionless, Shang Wan raised an eyebrow, “Don’t want to circle?”
Damn, this threatening expression was all too familiar; Wu Liang immediately picked up the brush, righteously: “For the future of the merchant caravan, this one is willing to serve the owners loyally.”
Here he was circling names, and as per Shang Wan’s request, noting clearly what scoundrel deeds these people had done.
On the other side, the three Niangzi Shu were discussing from another list whom to promote as merchant caravan leader.
Boss Yang had intentionally murdered his wife and was locked in the prefectural yamen prison; the merchant caravan could not be without a leader.
Under Shang Wan’s ‘friendly inquiry,’ Boss Yang had given three successor candidates.
Just looking at the list naturally revealed nothing; Niangzi Shu had already called a shop assistant to invite them.
The matter of the merchant caravan’s owners changing was known to everyone in the caravan.
Of course, they had also heard the juicy details about the former owner and leader, knowing that although the new owners were all women, none were easy to handle.
Therefore, when the three arrived, they were all respectful and proper, without the slightest lack of etiquette.
“All sit and talk.” Niangzi Shu smilingly invited the three to sit.
The three sat in turn.
“Now Yang Wu has committed a crime and entered the prison, the merchant caravan leader position is vacant. I hear that all three are veterans of the merchant caravan and know its situation best. I wonder which of you three feels capable of taking the leader position?”
Asking them directly?
The three were extremely surprised in their hearts.
Usually in such situations, the owners would send their own confidant as leader. But from what this Second Owner meant, it seemed like she wanted to select from among them?
For a moment, the three’s thoughts became active.
Who wants to be second if they can be the boss?
Although there were still owners above, when the merchant caravan was traveling, how much could the owners manage?
There was plenty to gain from traveling merchant business, with ample benefits, as long as not done too excessively, owners usually wouldn’t mind.
Among them, the leader could skim the most, after all, with the greatest power.
The three exchanged glances, all wanting the other to speak first to test the waters.
The scene became quiet for a moment; Wu Liang looked up, then under Shang Wan’s stare quickly lowered his head to continue circling.
Niangzi Shu took a sip of tea, “You three are unwilling? If so, then…”
“Second Owner!” Seeing the cooked duck about to fly away, someone panicked, “Qin is willing to recommend himself.”
