My Lord, your wife is spreading rumors about you again.

Chapter 69 Wedding (4)

"Of course I can save you, but what can Third Sister give me in exchange?"

Ming An's eyes were blank. She murmured, "Exchange?"

Mingli chuckled, "Of course we have to exchange. I'm just your sister, not your mother. Why should I do so much for you? Besides, even Aunt Wang doesn't seem willing to fight for you, so it's even harder for me, an outsider, to intervene."

She looked at Ming'an, watched her expression gradually dim, and watched her shoulders gradually droop.

"Third sister, it is actually a good thing for a person to be useful in this world. If you don't even have the qualifications to be used by others, then that's really pathetic."

Mingli changed to a fine brush and lowered her head to write again. She waved her hand and said, "You can go now. I haven't seen you today. When the third sister gets married, I will give her a gift."

"Madame Li, please show the guests out!" Mingli shouted loudly.

Nanny Li pushed the door open and bowed, saying, "Third Miss, please come in."

Ming'an lowered her head and stood up slowly. Just as she turned around, Mingli glanced at her one last time and shook his head with a little disappointment.

She dipped the pen into ink and was about to blacken the paper under her when she heard Ming An's voice.

"Second sister, I am an ant. The only thing that can catch your eye is probably my life." Ming An turned around again. She straightened her back and her eyes were shining. She said firmly, "I would rather pave the way for you with my blood than marry someone as a concubine!"

Mingli asked her coldly, "Would you rather die than be my concubine?"

"Yes," Ming An's eyes were bloodshot, "I would rather die than be your concubine!"

"Okay, I'll grant your wish. Let you die, and use your death to pave the way for me."

Mingli stood up while talking, and took out a small wooden box from the bottom shelf behind her. Inside the wooden box were six porcelain bottles of different colors neatly arranged, and Mingli gave the blue one to Mingan.

Ming An licked his lips and asked, "Second sister, is this poison?"

"Yes, it's a poison that penetrates the intestines and kills the throat when it comes into contact with blood." Mingli raised his eyebrows, with an evil look in his eyes, "Do you dare?"

Ming An swallowed.

"Before I die, what do I need to do to help my second sister?"

Mingli said, "Leave a suicide note, accuse Meng of crimes, and force father to hand over the housekeeping power to Second Aunt. Don't worry, Third Sister, after you die, Aunt Wang will have no worries about food and clothing for the rest of her life, and I will also find a burial site with excellent feng shui for you."

Ming An didn't say anything, but just clenched the porcelain bottle tightly.

"The day after tomorrow, I want to hear the news of the third sister's death in the Zhenbei Marquis's Mansion." Ming Li leaned close to Ming An's ear and said this in a relaxed tone, and then winked at Li Ma. Li Ma immediately stepped forward and said, "Third Miss, I will take you out."

Ming An raised his eyes, looked at Ming Li and smiled: "I wish my second sister a happy wedding, a bright future and a smooth life."

After saying this, Ming'an didn't argue at all, just turned around and left with Nanny Li.

"Is it really poison?"

Zhang Zhi's voice came from the back window, frightening Mingli. She turned around and said helplessly, "You can't change your habit of climbing walls and windows?"

"It's too troublesome to submit a letter. I have to go through all the levels and I can't enter the inner courtyard. I came here to find you. I don't want to see other annoying people."

Zhang Zhi lifted his robe, turned over and landed on the ground, closing the window tightly. He sat down at the desk without any hesitation, picked up a piece of paper that Mingli had just written and drawn, and looked at it. It would have been fine if he hadn't looked at it, but he was shocked when he saw it. On the paper were written the names of Ming'an, Mingqi, Meng, and Wei. Ming'an's name was circled, with the words "fake death" written on it, and a horizontal line in the middle connected it to Meng, while Meng's name was crossed out with a big cross.

Wei and Mingqi were circled together, connected to Meng by a line, with the four characters "replace it" written on it.

Zhang Zhi looked at Ming Li in shock: "You, the fortune teller?"

"I expected Ming'an to come."

Ming Li walked over and tore the paper away. "Butler Meng, Ming Qi and Wei must have a lot of inconveniences in their operations. If there is an obstacle, then kill them. Old Madam Ming is like this, so should Meng. Once Meng falls, it will be easy for Wei to take over the Ming family."

"What about Ming'an?" Zhang Zhi asked.

"Well," Mingli frowned and thought for a while, "I heard that there are ladies-in-waiting in the palace. If she is willing, she can go to the palace and become a lady-in-waiting with her own ability, which is also a good thing. If she is not willing, then she can change her name and leave Kyoto. Just consider it as a rare good deed I have done."

Zhang Zhi nodded: "Being a female official is not bad. Then why don't you just tell her that her death was faked, and lie to her that it was poison?"

"I'm afraid she won't be able to pretend."

Mingli suddenly smiled slyly, "However, I want her to think she is really dead, and then open her eyes to find that she is not dead. This kind of life-saving grace will never be cleansed for the rest of her life."

Zhang Zhi laughed: "Second Miss Ming has such a cruel heart."

"What are you doing here today?"

"I came to tell you that His Majesty has issued an order. If everything goes well, in half a month, we and Xi Mo will accompany the Crown Prince to Jiangnan."

"Going to Jiangnan?" Mingli thought for a moment and guessed a general idea: "Are you going to investigate the salt transport case? But why bring Xi Mo with you?"

Xi Mo did make an indispensable contribution in the case of the Mo father and son, but he was not an official. Even if the prince's southern tour was related to the salt transport case, it would not be his turn.

Zhang Zhi took two teacups to the side and washed them with hot water.

He replied, "The power of salt transportation has been in the hands of the Mo family for more than ten years, and the subordinate officials have long been replaced by their own confidants. If they suddenly change people, I am afraid that there will be chaos in the salt business. Mo Zhengfeng was the most suitable person, but you killed him completely with the water slave case. In this way, Xi Mo, the illegitimate son, can only make an appearance. Your Majesty's move is intended to let Xi Mo control the Mo family."

"Did you miss a word? Your Majesty does not want Xi Mo to control the Mo family. Salt transportation is the most important thing for the country, and no emperor would want it to be parasitic on a family. If Xi Mo had not killed his own relatives for the sake of justice in Kyoto Prefecture, Your Majesty would not have focused on him." Mingli paused for a long time after saying this. She felt like there was a thread looming in her mind, as if it could connect a whole series of things together.

Her brows furrowed, "Your Majesty is promoting Xi Mo. An illegitimate child is naturally easier to control than a child from an aristocratic family. Your Majesty wants the Mo family to continue to assist the Second Prince. He is unwilling to transport salt to the Crown Prince."

Mingli said bluntly.

Zhang Zhi knew that Mingli was always sensitive about political affairs, but he didn't expect that she was so smart that it was shocking.

Before he could reply, Mingli asked again: "Zhang Zhi, tell me the truth, are you the prince's man or his majesty's man? Or are you neither of them?"

Zhang Zhi pursed his lips and looked at Ming Li with a smile.

"On the surface, I am nothing. In secret, I am your majesty's weapon against the Lin and Zhang families. In reality, I am a counselor under the prince."

Zhang Zhi brought a bowl of hot tea to Mingli and smiled: "But, Madam, have you forgotten? We are about to get married. To be honest, I am yours."

(End of this chapter)