Chapter 280 Truth of death
Gao Shenjun said, “That woman will leak our secrets sooner or later. My Lord, you should make up your mind to get rid of this hidden danger. Kill this wanton woman to give vent to our anger!”
Zhu Quan turned his back, “I want to think about it.”
Shangguan Ming Ri approached and said in a whisper, “You don’t have to worry about this. Consort Zhou has already discovered that Concubine He often goes out late at night and frequently meets with Wang Ke. Consort Zhou pretended to maintain a good relationship with Concubine He, but in fact, hatred has been long in her heart because of Concubine He pretending to be lofty. So, Consort Zhou will certainly not let go of this great opportunity to get rid of Concubine He. We don’t have to do anything. We just sit here and watch a play.”
Zhu Quan repeated, “I have to think about it. Leave me alone.”
Gao Shenjun said in the end, “I like her charming eyes. If you want the white jade commander’s seal of Zuowei Guarding of the Capital, trade her eyes for it.”
He Danggui was puzzled. When did she offend this imperial guard Gao Shenjun? Why did he hate her so much? The imperial guards were Wuying Tower’s bitter rivals, but they had a tacit understanding that they could avoid each other and had never caused head-to-head confliction between their main forces. It turned out that Zhu Quan had arranged a spy in the imperial guards. Gao Shenjun must be of high status because he could influence imperial guards’ operation plan. In addition, he was even a minister of the Yuan Dynasty.
Powerful as he was, he could send someone to assassinate her if he wanted her to die. Shangguan Ming Ri was also the same. He could kill her like an ant. Why would they go all the way around? When Shangguan Ming Ri told her to make that witchcraft doll, she had just arrived at the mansion. She didn’t have a presence back then. If she was killed by someone at that time, Zhu Quan might not even blame the killer. Thus, why did they set such a trap?
Suddenly, a voice from the shadow wall caught He Danggui’s ears. “Huo Xiang, does your master get up yet?” “Yes, but she hasn’t cleaned up. Is something wrong?”
Hatred dripped out from He Danggui’s eyes. That voice was from double-faced Xu Siniang! This woman had disguised herself as an honest person. How many people were deceived by her! In the previous life, Zhou Jinglan and her servant Xu Siniang “helped” He Danggui a lot, so she wanted to give Xu Siniang gold and silver in return, but Xu Siniang rejected. Therefore, she thought Xu Siniang was a broad-minded personand had no desires. However, she was wrong. Xu Siniang wanted more than just gold and silver—her life!
After that, He Danggui had learned a lesson that the person who could be bought off was easy to deal with. Besides, she should be vigilant on those people who treated her well but didn’t want money in return. What did they want from her? What did she deserve to be treated well by them?
Xu Siniang smiled, “No. I just want to pay my respects.” Concubine He in the room heard their conversation and called her in. She walked into the room and asked with a smile, “My Lady, how do you feel today?”
At that time, Concubine He was too sluggish to wear makeup because she had got a lot on her mind. She felt that something bad was about to happen. Therefore, when she saw an acquaintance, she would love to talk. In this conversation, Xu Siniang threw Madam Nanny’s problem to Concubine He, but this stupid woman accepted.
Why didn’t she think about it? If Zhou Jinglan wanted to maintain Madam Nanny’s reputation, why didn’t she solve the problem on her own? One person’s secret was safest, but two people’s secret was not. Zhou Jinglan was in charge of the mansion’s finance, so she could easily solve the problem.
Then, Concubine He took Xu Siniang to see her daughter, Tian. When she happily held her daughter in her arms, Xu Siniang showed a look of jealousy at an invisible corner. However, Concubine He had no idea about what happened. Death had already raised his sickle behind her.
After that, the plot flowed as smooth as a stream of sweet springs falling from the top of the mountain, which softened the faces of Princess Xie, Senior Concubine Zhou, Senior Concubine Wan, Concubine Gu, Xu Siniang, and so on. Then, Concubine He was accused that she had an affair with the other man and used the Mansion’s money to supplement her adulterer. Everyone on site presented a contemptuous look. On the other hand, Shangguan Ming Ri and Gao Shenjun had already made Zhu Quan believe it. Therefore, Zhu Quan closed the case without even seeing the adulterer.
“Enough!” Zhu Quan turned angry suddenly. He grabbed a teacup beside him and slammed it to the ground, “Out! All of you!”
Senior Concubine Zhou and Senior Concubine Wan left obediently, but Princess Xie stayed. Her husband had been occupied by Concubine He for more than ten years, now she wanted to witness the downfall of Concubine He. Otherwise, even the most delicious food would be tasteless to her. Therefore, Princess Xie ignored Zhu Quan’s deportation order. Her expression was like saying, “I am privileged.” She looked on and stirred up trouble in order to prevent the siren from seducing the lord and mitigating the punishment.
Zhu Quan’s expression was fierce and compelling, “Do you plead guilty?”
Concubine He was extremely disappointed. She screamed and laughed, “How vicious the means are! Ha-ha! Zhu Quan, if you are afraid that I will reveal your secrets, I am willing to die for my daughter if you order me to do so! However, you even dare to put shame on your own daughter! What a monster!”
Princess Xie was puzzled. The secret of Concubine He helping Zhu Quan with Wuying Tower’s affairs was not revealed by Concubine He except a little relevant information to Consort Zhou. In the eyes of the people in the mansion, the lord was just fascinated by Taoism and entertainment. He had never done anything illegal. What were the secrets of him?
Zhu Quan’s face changed drastically so that he stepped forward and kicked Concubine He’s chest.
Concubine He vomited blood as she flew away. Then, she struggled to stand up and stared at Zhu Quan with a viper-like gaze, “I don’t hate Zhou Jinglan, Xu Siniang, or Xie Qiaofeng. I understand them. Zhu Quan, I hate you! I didn’t expect you would be a man who beats a woman! I have worked for you for more than ten years! I lost a pair of twins because of you! Now, this is the way you treat me!”
Zhu Quan’s eyes turned into a bloody red color. He gritted his teeth and said, “Burn out her throat with hot charcoal and throw her into the Water Dungeon!”
Princess Xie asked, “What about that bastard she gave birth to?”
“Throw them together!” Zhu Quan turned around indifferently.
Princess Xie immediately looked at the servants behind her, and then they hurriedly dragged Concubine He out of the room.
With no joy or sorrow on his face, Zhu Quan whispered, “Forget what you have heard until you die.”
Princess Xie lowered her head in trepidation, “As you required.”
After Princess Xie left, a man in black jumped off the roof. He was Gao Shenjun. He asked, “Why don’t you damage her muscle tendon? What if she can write down our secrets? What about her eyeballs I want? I said that she must die. Why don’t you just kill her?”
“She can’t.” Zhu Quan walked into the inner room and lay down on Concubine He’s couch. After a long time, he said, “You go back to the capital to monitor the situation. Fly me a pigeon if something happens. I’m tired, and I don’t want to see anyone this month.”
“Xie Qiaofeng is also a threat,” Gao Shenjun paused and continued, “Since Lord Jin died, his northern forces have been gradually incorporated into ours. Xie Qiaofeng’s father Xie Cheng has long been useless. So, not only Xie Qiaofeng must die, but also Xie Qiaolan, the widow of Lord Jin. They both must die!”
Zhu Quan covered his head with a quilt, and a muffled mutter came from inside, “Suit yourself.” Several people’s death was determined by the two words.
He Danggui smiled with sarcasm. Gao Shenjun was like a demon. He seemed to hate women innately. When he mentioned women’s names, he usually gnashed his teeth. But when he mentioned killing women, his tone was full of pleasure. However, Xie Qiaofeng was also her enemy. When she was in the Water Dungeon and heard people talking that Xie Qiaofeng was burned to death, she was also pleased. Unexpectedly, this mysterious behind-the-scenes culprit helped her solve an enemy.
After He Danggui learned the causes of her death, she couldn’t tell her feelings. She couldn’t understand those men who killed their wives and children for the sake of power. They sacrificed everything to fight for that supremacy position. But so what? Zhu Yuanzhang spent half a lifetime in the army. Though he enjoyed wealth and glory for decades when he was old, his energy exhausted by the tedious state affairs which were dozens of times more than what he gained from his power. What fun was left for him?
A sound from the left wall attracted He Danggui’s attention. A woman’s bedroom came into view. The girl with the skin mask was grabbing everything beside the bed and throwing them at the man in front of her. When there was nothing left, she even threw her embroidered shoes out.
However, such an attack obviously couldn’t scare the man. The embroidered shoes were even caught by him, and they were taken into his arms. He turned his back to He Danggui, so she could not see his face. Only a presumptuous male voice sounded, “They said that your face has been recovered. I didn’t expect it to be true. Tenth Sister, you are even more beautiful than before. Come here. I want to look at you.”
“Ah—” The girl was still screaming. She scratched her mask and yelled, “My face is fake! I’m as ugly as before. Leave me alone!”
It seemed that the mask on her face was made from the finest ice silk. Scratch couldn’t hurt it at all. Only Skin Mask Remover could take it off, but Qi Xuanyu didn’t give her one. She didn’t know how to take off the mask. She was crying desperately, “Why can’t I take it off? I don’t want this mask. I want my own face!”
“Tenth Sister, what are you talking about?” That man staggered as if he was drunk too much. He smiled as he approached her, “Do you have a fever? Come here, let me hug you. I know how to treat you.”
The girl shook her head in tears and whimpered, “Third Brother, you cannot do this to me. I will tell our father…”
Third Brother? Father? He Danggui frowned and squinted. Just at this moment, the “camera” turned its angle, and the man’s face was revealed. He was about 25 years old, and he was…Lord Jin, Zhu Gang! Although he was very young, He Danggui still recognized him because she used to help Zhu Quan against him.
Zhu Gang sneered, “Tell our father? Then you have to see him first. You haven’t seen him for four years, right? But I can see him every day and even speak ill of you to him.” Seeing that the girl was stunned, he took the opportunity to take a few steps forward and threatened, “If you are not obedient, I will let our father send you to the wild land and make you marry those barbarians. People there eat raw meat and drink blood. Their women are inferior to cattle. One woman will be used by several brothers in turn. Do you want to try?” Then the girl cried out in fright and called for help.
Seeing that Zhu Gang had successfully captured the girl, covered her mouth, and acted indecently towards her on the bed, He Danggui felt disgusted. She thought that Luo Chuangu was disgusting enough, but Zhu Gangwas worse. He even wanted to rape his half-blooded sister. As a royal, he could have any women he wanted. Seeing the girl with the same face as her give up and close her eyes tightly, He Danggui was even angrier. No matter whether it was useful or not, she went up and hit the wall. She hoped that Zhu Gang would let go of the girl.
However, her efforts were useless. So, He Danggui shouted sharply and prepared to break this wall. But she was in a child’s body and couldn’t use her Kungfu. She was getting more and more furious as Zhu Gang slowly undressed the girl. At this time, Zhu Gang suddenly stopped, saying that he needed to leave the room because he drank too much. He warned the girl not to move. Otherwise, she would face more punishments. After that, he tied the girl to the bedpost before leaving.
The girl broke free immediately after he left. She ran to the door but was driven back by two eunuchs. They smiled maliciously and told her to serve Zhu Gang with her best skills. The girl wandered around the room like a headless fly, and finally, she found a red candle. He Danggui was stunned because the girl lit her mask with the candle and then threw away the candle with a cry. The girl didn’t go to the washbasin to put on the fire before the fire spread.
When Zhu Gang returned, he thought the burned-out girl would bring bad luck, so he left immediately. The girl writhed on the ground in pain, and the carpet was wet with her tears. At this moment, a man in a pair of boots with gold thread stopped in front of her. He was tall and wore a cloak.
The girl called for help with difficulty, “Gao Jun, you’re here! I’ll promise you. I want to go with you. I don’t want to stay here anymore. Lord Jin will send me to the wild land!”
The man didn’t bend his waist, ignoring the girl’s pain. He asked her, “Why do you want to go with me?”
The girl gasped, “Gao Jun, you told me that we Mongolians should live on the prairie under the guidance of nature. We should live there freely...”
The man squatted down and said slowly, “But you are no longer fit to be a Mongolian princess. You show Mongolians up. In fact, you are no longer worthy of living.”
As he said, he picked up a dress on the ground, wrapped it around the girl’s neck, and tightened it with the girl’s whimpers. Finally, the girl fell asleep forever. She would no longer suffer and cry with pain. She would not need to cry for mercy anymore.
As the plot advanced, white banners were hung outside the palaces. The young Qi Xuanyu ran over to ask what happened. A servant replied that Tenth Princess was dead, and this was her funeral. The porcelain bottle in Qi Xuanyu’s hand fell to the ground, and the blue liquid in it went all over the floor. He Danggui recognized that it was a bottle of Skin Mask Remover.
He Danggui quietly stared at this picture full of white banners. Was this her previous life of the previous life? A Mongolian princess? Zhu Yuanzhang’s daughter? What a tragedy.
At this moment, a sinister voice came from the right wall, “My Lord, there is no need to hide it from you anymore. Everything about Concubine He was just a play made by Shangguan Ming Ri and me. They are all fake. She didn’t betray you. That baby was really your daughter. But I heard that your daughter died within a few days in the Water Dungeon. Surprisingly, Concubine He is still breathing.”
This chapter is updat𝙚d by f(r)eewebn(o)vel.com