I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 391 Murdering Husband and Grandson

Ping'er was prepared and immediately went downstairs to fetch two more jars of wine.

Jin Ge, impatient with drinking from a wine glass, pulled out the cork and downed most of the wine in one gulp. "That was refreshing!" he burped, and with his other hand, he pinched Ping'er's chin. "You're still the one I like best."

Ping'er glared at Jin Ge and said deliberately, "Master has been running around outside a lot lately. I thought there would be half a master in the courtyard!"

Jin Ge tilted his head back and took another big gulp. "Master ran outside because it was important."

Ping'er's eyes lit up. "Has the eldest young master gained the old master's favor?"

"What kind of person is the old master? Would he value anyone for no reason?" Jin Ge sneered. "If it weren't for the fact that you happened to accomplish something important, how could the old master have been willing to share the power of the clan with me?"

Ping'er asked cautiously, "What important thing did you accomplish, Master?"

Upon hearing this, Jin Ge opened her mouth to speak, but then remembered Old Master Jin's instructions, and her heart skipped a beat. A hint of hostility crept into her eyes as she looked at Ping'er.

Ping'er's heart tightened, and she tried her best to make her expression look one of admiration and worship.

Jin Ge's guard immediately dropped, and his mind was once again invaded by the smell of alcohol. He thought vaguely, "Ping'er is just a servant girl anyway, what difference would it make if I told her? If she dares to leak it out, I'll just find an excuse to beat her to death."

Most importantly, he really wanted to find someone to brag to.

What's the difference between accomplishing great things in secrecy and secretly traveling in fine clothes at night?
Having made up his mind, Jin Ge put down the empty wine jar, pulled Ping'er to sit in his lap, and confessed everything about meeting Wang Yuniang and catching the Yang family colluding with the Wei state to secretly open an iron mine.

"Now that the Jin family has the Yang family's weakness, the Yang family will have to rely on the Jin family from now on. The Yang family has already agreed to marry Miss Yang Qi to me as my second wife. We will get married as soon as Master finishes his mourning period."

Recalling the stunning beauty he had glimpsed from afar, Jin Ge swallowed hard, losing all interest in the woman in his arms.

Ping'er had already fallen in love and planned to get pregnant tonight, but she was ruthlessly pushed off the bed. She went forward unwillingly, but heard Jin Ge muttering about Miss Yang Qi.

Ping'er's eyes instantly reddened.

If he's already thinking about her like this before even marrying her, what place will she have after the wedding?

No, she absolutely couldn't let this marriage go through!

Ping'er ignored the drunken Jin Ge lying sprawled out, tidied her clothes, and secretly left, avoiding people as she quietly went to Old Madam Jin's courtyard.

Granny Yang was surprised that Ping'er had succeeded so quickly, so she quickly dismissed the servants and brought Ping'er to Old Madam Jin.

Ping'er knelt on the ground and recounted all the information she had gathered.

Madam Jin clenched the Buddhist prayer beads in her hand. No wonder her elder brother said the Yang family would be doomed. It turned out they had been caught in the act of colluding with the Duke of Wei!
Emperor Wu'an had long been dissatisfied with the rule of the four great families in Jiangnan, which is why he sent Tang Zhao to reform the government in Jiangnan. However, that little bitch Tang Zhao is ruthless and can even kill her own father and blood relatives. If she finds out that the Yang family had colluded with the Duke of Wei, she will definitely take this opportunity to put the Yang family to death!

Madam Jin suppressed the anger and fear surging in her heart and glanced at Granny Yang.

Granny Yang understood and stepped forward, leading Ping'er to a separate room. She lifted the silk on the tray and said, "This is a gift from the old lady."

The hairpins and jade ornaments shone with a breathtaking light under the candlelight. Ping'er held the tray with trembling arms, feeling as happy as if she were in a dream.

Suddenly, a dark shadow flashed before Ping'er's eyes. Before she could see what the shadow was, a sharp pain shot through her neck.

boom!
The tray, along with the hairpins and jade ornaments, fell onto the thick wool blanket. Ping'er grabbed the hemp rope around her neck with both hands and pulled hard, but to no avail.

Granny Yang held on tightly to the rope, and only when Ping'er's struggling strength gradually weakened and she became completely silent did she release her grip and move her into the empty box that had been prepared beforehand.

"Is it cleaned up?" Old Madam Jin asked, kneeling before the Buddha. "Yes, this old servant will have someone come in early tomorrow morning to move the box out and bury it far away."

Madam Jin nodded.

"Madam, how can we get our hands on the account books?"

“What’s the use of just having the account books?” said Madam Jin. “If you’re determined, you can find other physical evidence even without the account books.”

Granny Yang frowned. "What should we do then?"

Madam Jin looked up at the kind-faced Bodhisattva in the Buddhist shrine. "Autumn is just around the corner, and the old master's cough is about to flare up again."

Granny Yang's eyes lit up.

"Starting tomorrow, I will stew a bowl of snow pear and white fungus soup and send it to the old man every day."

"The servant understands."

As September arrived, Tang Zhao's belly grew larger. She ate and slept all day long, yet still felt exhausted. Her face became increasingly swollen, causing Gu Ci great anxiety. He tried various ways to prepare food for Tang Zhao.

While Gu Ci was cooking, Tang Zhao summoned Wu Yi'er and asked, "Is there any news from the Jin and Yang families?"

Wu Yi'er disagreed, "The young lady is so thin, she should be focusing on taking care of her health, how can she still be thinking about things outside?"

Tang Zhao felt it necessary to advocate for himself, stating, "As the First-Rank Imperial Envoy in charge of the administration of Jiangnan..."

“The girl is no longer the same,” Wu Yier said.

Tang Zhao:?
"Ever since learning that the young lady was pregnant, the son-in-law wrote to His Majesty, asking him to re-appoint an imperial envoy to manage the affairs of Jiangnan. The new imperial envoy arrived in Jiangnan incognito a month ago."

Tang Zhao:. . . . . .

Tang Zhao touched her belly and sighed repeatedly.

Wu Yi'er advised, "Miss, don't sigh. Be careful, or the young master will be born as a little old man."

Tang Zhao feigned sorrow, "Being betrayed by the closest person and having your most trusted subordinate turn against you, how can I not sigh?"

Wu Yi knelt on the ground, saying, "Your subordinate is utterly loyal to you, young lady, and would never dare to have any disloyal thoughts!"

"That sounds nice, but you won't even answer my questions."

Eager to shed the label of disloyalty, Wu Yier reluctantly lowered his head and truthfully said, "The relationship between the Jin family and the Yang family has seemingly returned to normal, but according to the information I received, Old Madam Jin already knows that the Yang family has been given leverage and has decided to take action against the Jin family."

Tang Zhao listened attentively.

"Old Madam Jin sent people to add a lot of potent drugs to the wine Jin Ge was drinking, and also selected many beautiful maids to send to Jin Ge's courtyard. After a month of this, Jin Ge's health deteriorated severely, and she has been seeking medical treatment outside," Wu Yi'er said, somewhat reluctantly.

Tang Zhao added, "Premature ejaculation?"

Wu Yier nodded with difficulty, "As for Old Master Jin, his health has become increasingly weak since autumn, and he can no longer get out of bed."

"Old Madam Jin is indeed a woman who can accomplish great things." Look at her ruthless methods of murdering her husband and grandson; most people wouldn't have such a heart.

Tang Zhao clicked her tongue in admiration. If she weren't currently confined to the manor and unable to leave, she would definitely go and meet this legendary woman.