Upon investigation, the problem was found to be with the female teacher. If one dares to act, one must bear the consequences. When she threatened to report to the authorities, the other party pleaded incessantly.
"Doctor Leng, please spare me this once. If I am reported, I will have no way out but death. If you can overlook my minor offense, I promise to mend my ways and never do such a thing again. I beg you to be magnanimous." The female teacher knelt down, weeping profusely.
Wu Caiwei, considering the harshness of this era towards women and the fact that a jail sentence would likely spell her doom, felt a twinge of pity. She pondered for a moment, then asked meaningfully, "How much silver did she pay you?"
"One hundred taels." Although the female teacher didn't understand why she was asking, she answered without hesitation.
"How about this: I won't report you, but you must give me one hundred and twenty taels of silver. The extra twenty taels will serve as your punishment."
The female teacher, though finding twenty taels a significant sum, felt it was a small price to pay to avoid jail.
After a moment's hesitation, she immediately agreed and sent the money over that very day.
Wu Caiwei kept her word and didn't pursue the matter further. However, this teacher could no longer be employed. She had offended Madam Zhou, and it was unlikely Madam Zhou would remain inactive. The temporary calm was merely a prelude to a greater storm. Wu Caiwei decided to keep Shuqin from her studies for now, instead having servants buy fresh novelties from the market daily, allowing the young maids to have their fill of fun.
One day, a troop of men entered the prefectural city, each mounted on a tall horse, wielding broadswords, their fierce countenances suggesting they were not to be trifled with. They attracted much attention as they swaggered towards the Zhou residence before dismounting.
Upon hearing this, Madam Zhou's spirits immediately lifted. For days, the memory of the two slashes Wu Caiwei had inflicted on her face had fueled her hatred. While her face had largely healed, scars remained, making her appearance unsightly, and she worried if they would leave permanent marks.
She wore a veil even within the manor, unable to show her true face. Xu Yijie had visited many times, only to be driven away. If that man hadn't been so incompetent in dealing with Wu Caiwei, forcing her to intervene personally, she wouldn't have had to endure such suffering.
Now, learning that her father had sent her reinforcements, she eagerly went to meet them. The group numbered about fifty. Madam Zhou was immensely pleased with the formidable force, imagining they would allow her to do as she pleased within the city.
The arrival of this troop quickly spread throughout the city, and Wu Caiwei soon learned of it. If she wasn't mistaken, these men were likely after her. After all, Madam Zhou had been conspicuously silent for so many days; it seemed she wasn't inactive, but merely waiting for backup.
The medical clinic wasn't far from the Zhang residence, and Wu Caiwei often walked home with her personal maid. The primary reason was to stretch her limbs after a day spent sitting.
One day, as she walked down a slightly narrow alley, she turned a corner and saw five burly men standing ahead, looking at her with ill intent. Glancing back, she found, as expected, that five more men had appeared behind them without her noticing.
Her personal maid trembled with fear at the sight. Wu Caiwei quickly pushed her aside. The burly men began to posture and stretch, having been informed by Madam that this woman might possess some martial arts skills, especially since she could scale walls with ease. They were well-prepared.
To avoid implicating her maid, Wu Caiwei leaped onto the wall, using its momentum to vault over the five men in front of her. After running a few steps, she drew her dagger and engaged the men with swift, decisive strikes.
During the actual combat, the men realized they had underestimated her strength and began to fight with their full attention, their expressions growing increasingly serious. It seemed they would be unable to complete the task assigned by Madam today.
Wu Caiwei moved with ease among them, and soon had them all subdued. She then潇洒d her personal maid and departed.
The burly men were unwilling to accept defeat but were powerless to do anything. They couldn't win, and each had sustained leg injuries, rendering them unable to stand.
Madam Zhou, upon hearing the report from her subordinates, slapped the leader of the group across the face, saying resentfully, "You can't even defeat one woman. What use are you useless wretches? My father praised you to the skies."
The leader's face darkened. Although he was loyal to the Bai family, he was usually a respected figure. It was the first time someone had slapped him, and this woman continued to nag after hitting him. He had to exert great effort to suppress his dissatisfaction.
When she was alone in the room with Qian Lan, she used all her strength to overturn the cups and teapot on the table. Then, she quickly went to her dressing table, removed her veil, and touched the two scars. Afterward, in a fit of rage, she grabbed something and smashed the bronze mirror to pieces.
Qian Lan, watching Madam's actions, trembled slightly and huddled in a corner, trying her best to remain inconspicuous.
Although Lord Zhou did not care much for Madam's well-being, he still kept her under surveillance, fearing she might do something too outrageous that would bring him too much shame. He heard about today's events as soon as he returned home.
He immediately went to Madam Zhou's courtyard. Seeing the mess strewn across the room, he said calmly, "Although our Zhou family fears no one in the city, we must still be mindful. We shouldn't push things too far, nor should we create too much disturbance, lest we give others an excuse to seize upon."
Madam Zhou listened, utterly disappointed. This man had never shown concern for her. Her tone was unconsciously tinged with resentment, "My face has become like this, and instead of helping me get revenge, you're afraid I'll drag you down."
Lord Zhou looked at her with a strange expression and stated matter-of-factly, "Isn't someone taking revenge for you? Those fifty men are your reinforcements. Besides, we are merely a couple in name. It would be odd if we were too close."
Madam Zhou heard this and sat down on a stool, sulking. Lord Zhou looked at her with a bewildered expression.
Finally, he cautioned her again to not go too far. The more he spoke, the harder Madam Zhou slammed the table. Lord Zhou awkwardly touched his nose and turned to leave.
Madam Zhou watched him leave, unable to utter a word to make him stay. She slumped onto the table in despair and began to cry.
Qian Lan seized this opportunity to quickly clean up the mess on the floor, carefully observing Madam's mood as she worked. To her surprise, Madam was genuinely heartbroken this time. Though she was her personal maid, she didn't dare to step forward and offer comfort or inquire.
After crying her fill, Madam Zhou wiped her tears, her fighting spirit reignited. Recalling Wu Caiwei's words that day, she harbored a secret hatred and sent for Xu Yijie to be dragged to her.