The Incense Monopoly Order

Chapter 56: The world is vast, and there are many wise men

It is not that I don’t want to, but that I don’t know.

Watching his daughter's thin and slender figure walking away, Shang Jinliang opened his mouth to speak, but his raised hand fell dejectedly.

He had a lot of things stuck in his chest, but at this moment he lost the right to express them.

Shang Wenshu felt no less guilty and heavy than Shang Jinliang. Seeing that her father was always turned away by her third sister, she simply kept silent and said goodbye to Shang Jinliang and Xiao Yu.

Shang Zishu had a lot to say and wanted to ask Shang Mingshu about it, but she knew clearly that Shang Mingshu was not in a good mood at the moment, and was even in a bad mood, so she tactfully returned to her own yard.

Shang Mingshu didn't bother to pay attention to the thoughts of her family. She asked He Mai to order the small kitchen in her yard to make some of her favorite food. They worked until the moon was above the willows, and the whole family had not had dinner.

While eating, she instructed Hemai to go shopping tomorrow.

"Madam San, Mu Mian wants to see you. The master ordered me to come and report." The voice of the maid in the main courtyard came from outside the house.

Shang Mingshu gave He Mai a look and continued eating.

When she came back from her walk to digest her food, Mu Mian was taken to her small teahouse and knelt respectfully on the carpet. Shang Mingshu stood outside for a while, but Mu Mian remained upright the entire time.

Hearing the faint sound of footsteps behind him, Mu Mian waited until Shang Mingshu came to the front before bowing solemnly: "Third Lady."

"Why do you want to see me so late at night?" Shang Mingshu stood in front of Mu Mian with a cold tone.

"Sanniang, please give me a way to live." Muqian said as she bowed deeply again, her forehead touching the ground, her attitude pious and humble.

"What you said is quite telling." Shang Mingshu almost chuckled for a moment. "Those who don't know the truth will mistakenly think that our Shang family is killing our slaves... Oh, no, you are a good citizen now. That's not calling for the killing of our slaves, but killing innocent people indiscriminately."

"Madam San, I am willing to stay in your house for the rest of my life. I beg you to take me in." Mu Mian kowtowed continuously.

Shang Mingshu ignored him and said, "I promised you that day that if you performed meritorious service for me, I would set you free. Today, you have performed a great deed, and I will fulfill my promise and free you from slavery."

Shang Mingshu had already written Mu Mian's certificate of release, and it was this certificate that had convinced Mu Mian to abandon Mu Xiaoniang and join her. Before returning home today, she took the certificate to the county government office to have Mu Mian's status changed to a good person.

"Madam San, they won't let me go..." Mu Mian burst into tears.

She was an insignificant person, but she ruined those people's big plan. They couldn't touch Shang Mingshu, and it only took a word for them to make her a pariah.

"Muqian, why do you think I should keep you safe?" Shang Mingshu asked casually.

Mu Mian opened her mouth but paused, swallowing the words that were on the tip of her tongue. She felt extremely regretful. The person in front of her was smarter than anyone else, and she couldn't fool him easily. She could only plead, "Third Lady, I was wrong. I didn't do it on purpose. I... I was worried that Third Lady would destroy the bridge after crossing it, so I..."

According to Shang Mingshu's plan, she was to immediately hand over the stolen drug powder to the guards assigned by Shang Mingshu. After receiving the drug, she was inexplicably compelled to stay, just to leave a way out for herself. When she arrived at the court, she learned that the case involved the murder of an imperial official, and it was not an ordinary competition between peers. She completely blocked her escape route.

Shang Mingshu wanted to frame the Shi family for the drug, just like Wen Yan's painting. She waited a long time for the drug, and there were so many drugs in the world. She couldn't just pick one and put it on the wrong person.
Mu Mian destroyed the most critical step of her counterattack and sent the drugs back to the Shi family. No matter how eloquent Shi Houqiong was, even if she could escape, she would have to pay a greater price. She would never let it go lightly like now with a simple excuse of making a bad friend!
"Bang, bang, bang!" Muqian knocked her head harder, and even through the thick carpet, it became red and swollen. "Third Madam, Third Madam, please, please give me a chance to live. Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda..."

"Mu Mian, do you think the only thing that angered me was the undelivered drug?" Shang Mingshu said straight to the point. "You've met Fang Chaofeng, and you know that Mu Xiaoniang's lover is him. You deliberately didn't tell me in court because you wanted to use it as a bargaining chip to negotiate with me."

Mu Man, with a red and swollen forehead, looked at Shang Mingshu's clear eyes with surprise and even fear.

Realizing that the matter was of great concern, Mu Mian realized that she had secretly hidden drugs to destroy Shang Mingshu's plan, and quickly found another way out for herself. She did not expect Fang Chaofeng to be confessed by Wen Yan, and she did not expect Mu Xiaoniang to accuse her so easily. Mu Mian always thought that she would be a crucial link.

"Muqian, I have one last message for you: When dealing with people, don't think too highly of yourself. The world is vast, and there are many wise people, not just you." Shang Mingshu instructed Hemai, "Send Madam Muqian out."

Mu Mian knew that there was no room for maneuver. She racked her brains to find something that could impress Shang Mingshu, but she discovered in despair that she was of no value to Shang Mingshu at this moment, and she didn't even have the slightest leverage over Shang Mingshu.

"Hahahaha... What gives you the right to be so high and mighty and scold me?" Mumian couldn't help but vent his anger. "You rich and powerful people never take us, lowly ants, seriously! We're just toys for you to beat and kill at will! Even if I do what you say today, you still won't protect me! Why bother pretending?"

Shang Mingshu walked towards the bedroom, and behind her was the increasingly unbearable insults from Mu Mian who was being dragged away.

He Mai couldn't stand it any longer and hurried after her. When Mu Man was pushed down at the gate of the Shang Mansion, he stepped forward, hands on his hips, and angrily shouted, "After my wife knew that Mu Xiao Niang was a spy, she sent my brother to the government office to ask how to obtain the status of a good citizen? How to change a person's name? She asked about the wealthy places far away from Huizhou, and whether it was safer to travel by land or by water. She even wanted to pay for a escort agency to escort you away!"

My wife never mistreats anyone who truly treats her! You're the one who doesn't know how to appreciate what you've been blessed with! If it weren't for my wife, how much wealth could you have saved even if you were to become a good woman? Whose blessing is it that has helped you recover from your broken health? You've received so many benefits, do you remember my wife's words of praise?

A heartless and ruthless person!"

After cursing, He Mai turned around and went back home.

The door of the Shang Mansion slowly closed, shutting heavily, isolating Mu Mian's agonizing sobs.

Shang Mingshu did not rest immediately after returning to the house. She was waiting for He Sui to come back. Since she and Shang Zishu were taken away, she asked He Sui to find Cheng She and ordered Cheng She to keep an eye on the Shi family's movements at all times.

I hope Cheng She can gain something.

"Madam, Mr. Cheng asked you to meet him at the teahouse at noon tomorrow." He Sui returned at almost noon, bringing back only one sentence from Cheng She.

Shang Mingshu did not ask any further questions and rested calmly.

The next day, Shang Mingshu went into the small kitchen early in the morning. She couldn't stop Cheng Mian from taking the exam, so she did her best to show her appreciation.

The Cheng family would prepare pens, ink, paper, inkstone, bedding, and kettle, and she would make some food for Cheng Mian.

(End of this chapter)