Liu Zhiyi originally wanted to ask him properly, and she didn't believe that a young lady from a wealthy family like herself would be inferior to a country girl. However, her brother advised her to be patient. With the wedding so close, any trouble would affect both families.
The wedding proceeded with both of them harboring their own schemes. Liu Zhiyi liked Zhu Chenxing, but there was always a knot in her heart. Her smile was not entirely genuine. As for Zhu Chenxing, he was constantly worried if the servant had successfully taken her away, fearing that he would be caught by Miss Liu and be put in a passive position.
Of course, on the surface, the groom was tall and handsome, and the bride came from a prominent family. It seemed like a perfect match.
The next morning, Madam Zhu and Master Zhu sat on the high platform, quietly waiting for the arrival of the newlyweds.
To their great surprise, Wu Caiwei was helping Zhu Yuxuan walk slowly from the entrance. Wasn't he always confined to bed? How did he seem to be getting better and better? Madam Zhu couldn't help but feel a sense of doubt.
Although Master Zhu disliked him, he did not want his son to die young. Seeing him so much better, he was happy. "Rest well and strive for a speedy recovery."
Zhu Chenxing nodded. Soon, the newlyweds arrived, and Madam Zhu's face immediately broke into a smile. With Madam Zhu presiding, the family reunion went very smoothly, and the gifts they received were all very valuable.
The couple, having seen countless luxuries, remained indifferent to the gifts. They only wished for this family reunion to end sooner. Once it was finally over, upon returning to their courtyard, they saw a young maid winking at her.
Upon seeing this, Wu Caiwei hurried over. The maid glanced behind her. Wu Caiwei discreetly signaled for them to move away. "Madam, we've received news that the second young master's men sent to the south have returned. Our people have been following them closely and discovered that he has arranged for the person to stay in a small courtyard in the southern part of the city."
"Well done! Give her one hundred taels of silver later, fifty taels each," Wu Caiwei said with a smile, patting her shoulder to encourage her.
Having obtained the exact address, she found a young beggar and delivered the message to Miss Liu, who was now the second madam.
When Liu Zhiyi received the message, she didn't know the sender's intentions, but she was unwilling to let that woman off the hook. She immediately sent people to investigate thoroughly.
The thought of Zhu Chenxing keeping a mistress and then speaking affectionate words to her upon returning home made her feel utterly disgusted. After entering the Zhu family, she even began to regret it. Although Zhu Yuxuan was frail, he now seemed to be getting better and better, and he treated the eldest young madam with utmost care, always putting her first. As for Zhu Chenxing, while he appeared to be talented and handsome, he was actually deeply corrupt within.
On the third day, when they returned to her family's home, she secretly told her brother about Zhu Chenxing's affair outside. She believed that her brother would definitely avenge her.
Her thoughts were correct. As soon as she left, Liu Pengyuan sent people to investigate. That night, some local ruffians broke in over the wall. Their screams alerted the surrounding neighbors. The thieves fled in a panic, and only some valuables were lost in the courtyard.
As to who was responsible, they had no idea. By the time the surrounding villagers rushed over, they had already scaled the wall and left. This time, Liu Pengyuan had learned to be clever. Instead of paying people to do his bidding, he spread rumors near these ruffians, hinting at things that would lead them to take the bait themselves. That way, even if they were caught by the authorities, he would not be implicated.
Li Wenwen couldn't sleep all night. The thought of people in the crowd looking at her with strange eyes made her feel that her status as a mistress had been discovered and was looked down upon.
Yes, she knew Zhu Chenxing was married, but she had years of feelings for him. She couldn't bear to let go. Furthermore, the Zhu family was wealthy, possessing fortunes she could never touch in her lifetime. As long as she held onto him tightly, it would be within her reach. She didn't want to miss this opportunity to turn her life around. Su Dan Novel Network
However, after only a few days in the city, she encountered such an incident. Frankly, she was a little scared, but she did not regret her actions.
The next morning, Zhu Chenxing heard the news and felt his heart ache so much he couldn't breathe. He rushed to the courtyard, held the trembling Li Wenwen, and blamed himself. "It's all my fault. I didn't consider things thoroughly enough, leaving only a few women here to be targeted by those with intentions. Don't worry, such things will not happen again. I've brought some trusted men today to guard the entrance for you from now on."
"Yes, I believe you. It hasn't been easy for us to come this far. We cannot shrink back from any difficulties we encounter. You must not let me down, otherwise, I will have no way to survive," Li Wenwen said, looking at him with teary eyes.
"What are you thinking? We've had feelings for each other for so many years. I would betray anyone before I betrayed you," Zhu Chenxing said, holding her tightly in his arms and comforting her.
Liu Zhiyi, who remained at the mansion, learned that he had gone to that courtyard and was furious. She overturned all the tea sets on the table. The two maids guarding the door trembled every time they heard objects falling. Others might not know, but the servants who accompanied them knew that their young lady had a terrible temper and would often take her frustrations out on them after she had vented. Thinking about it made them tremble with fear.
Exhausted, Liu Zhiyi quickly wrote another letter to her brother, urging him to think of a solution. If one plan failed, she would devise another, determined to eliminate that woman.
Wu Caiwei watched from behind as they had their big argument, finding it quite exciting. Zhu Yuxuan shook his head indulgently. This was just the beginning; there would be more drama to come.
As expected, something else happened that night. Li Wenwen was fast asleep when she suddenly smelled a suffocating smoke. She stumbled to her feet, only to be tripped by a stool next to the table and fall to the ground. She couldn't get up for a long time, and her throat felt extremely uncomfortable, as if she were dying.
She was a tough woman. She casually pulled a hairpin from her hair and pricked her thigh hard, making herself more conscious. When she opened the door, she found that the fire outside was even bigger, making it impossible to get out.
No one knew how the fire started. All they knew was that they were awakened by the smoke and discovered that the fire had already become very large. Everyone rushed to fetch water from the courtyard to extinguish the flames. Even the neighbors, seeing the thick smoke billowing from this direction, came to help. After all, they lived very close to each other, and if the fire here couldn't be put out, it might even affect their own homes.
No one paid attention to Li Wenwen, who was still trapped in the house. Or rather, they noticed her but deliberately chose to forget her. With such a large fire, who would dare to go in and save her?
Just as everyone thought Li Wenwen was bound to die, a man with a wet cloth wrapped around his head rushed into the inferno.
The smoke inside was very thick, making it impossible to see clearly. After searching for a long time, Zhu Chenxing finally found her figure. He quickly helped her up and struggled to walk towards the door.