Mei Xin's heart stirred. She had been terrified, fearing that the person inside would say something they shouldn't.
She harbored murderous intent, but struggled to find an opportune moment.
Just then, a perfect chance appeared before her.
She didn't have time to ponder further.
Why had Zhang Yu and Zhang Lei, after interrogating for so long and finally about to break the person's will, suddenly left?
She didn't want to think about it. She was supposed to be here following Zicao's instructions to find Ziyu.
How could she have suddenly seen the peddler who had been delivering messages for her?
Everything about this felt unusual.
But at this moment, Mei Xin had no time for contemplation.
Because she had a more important task at hand.
That was to protect herself, to silence the person in the woodshed, or she too would become a discarded pawn of the organization.
Mei Xin thought to herself, and crept over. She saw the peddler, whom she had met before, lying on the ground, his mouth stuffed tightly with a piece of rag.
He was also the one who could expose her identity.
Her heart tightened. She glanced around, her gaze locking onto the wood-chopping knife not far away.
She quickly picked up the knife and walked towards the peddler.
"Mmmph mmmph mmmph..." The moment he saw Mei Xin, the peddler thought she was there to save him.
But when he saw her holding the heavy, sharp chopping knife, and the fierce glint in her eyes, he knew he was mistaken.
This damn woman was here to kill him.
"Mmmph mmmph... mmmph" He had been interrogated for two full hours, endured many severe torture devices, yet he hadn't divulged any crucial information.
Because he knew very well.
If he said nothing, he still had a chance to live.
He gambled that these people wouldn't kill him easily.
From the fact that they captured him but let Ziyu go, he knew this.
But what he never expected was that he could endure the enemy's torture, yet not escape the butcher's cleaver of his own people.
Time, circumstances, and fate!
He shook his head desperately, trying to explain.
They could beat him to death, and he wouldn't betray her, but it was useless.
At this moment, Mei Xin was filled with the desire to silence him and protect herself.
Mei Xin's wood-chopping knife descended, aiming to strike the peddler's head.
But a whistling sound cut through the air.
Mei Xin's hand went numb, the knife dropped, and its spine landed squarely on her own instep. The pain made her cry out, "Ah...", and she fell to the ground.
She stared blankly as the blood from her instep stained her embroidered shoes, adorned with peonies.
"Who dares to kill here?" Zhang Yu kicked the door open, her brows furrowed in anger.
Upon seeing her return, Mei Xin, enduring the pain, pointed at the peddler and shouted, "He's a bad man! He tried to bully me, I, I had to chop him with the wood knife!"
Zhang Yu sneered, exchanged glances with Su Xiaoqi and the Shen Yun couple who had arrived behind her, and shrugged.
Mei Xin also saw Shen Yun and Su Xiaoqi arrive. Her mind raced, and she immediately rushed forward, hugging Shen Yun's leg and crying out her grievances.
Shen Yun suppressed the urge to kick her away and coldly ordered,
"Someone escort Miss Mei Xin back, and please send for a doctor to tend to her."
Hearing this, Mei Xin felt a wave of relief. Had she passed the test?
She hobbled out, leaning on Zicao and Ziyan, affecting a delicate demeanor.
Meanwhile, Su Xiaoqi turned her attention to the peddler.
This ordinary man, not tall and not particularly striking in appearance.
Earlier, while dining with Madame Zhao, Zhang Yu had quietly approached her once.
She said he was tight-lipped, that they had used many tortures, but couldn't make him speak, and were at their wit's end.
Su Xiaoqi happened to see Mei Xin looking around furtively, which gave her an idea to lure Mei Xin into assassinating him.
The saying goes, brute force is useless; attacking the heart is paramount!
With this ordeal, the peddler's spirit was instantly crushed by Mei Xin.
Coupled with Su Xiaoqi's promise that if he revealed the information she wanted, she would spare his life.
"You really won't kill me?" The peddler looked at Su Xiaoqi's beautiful face, disbelief etched in his features.
"Don't you already believe that?" Su Xiaoqi retorted.
The peddler lowered his head, met by the knowing look in Su Xiaoqi's eyes.
He had indeed believed from the start that they wouldn't kill him, which was why he had held out.
But now he discovered an awkward truth: while they clearly stated they wouldn't kill him, his own people were busy silencing him.
It made sense; he himself had been busy trying to kill Ziyu earlier. This was karma, a retribution that came swiftly.
"Alright, I'll talk!" Once the peddler's psychological defenses were breached, all his resistance crumbled.
He agreed readily.
"Did Mei Xin weave a story for you to spread through storytellers?" Su Xiaoqi asked directly.
The peddler shook his head. "No. She just told me to investigate the matter of the monk Kongshan at Huang Jue Temple."
Su Xiaoqi's brows furrowed slightly. Hmm, not Mei Xin, then who?
It wasn't hard to guess; perhaps it was another admirer of Shen Yun's.
Zhang Yu, having followed Su Xiaoqi all along, was familiar with her situation.
As soon as Su Xiaoqi ruled out Mei Xin and mentioned another person, she directly stated the name: "Zhao Xiaohua."
Su Xiaoqi gave her a thumbs-up.
After speaking, Zhang Yu asked with a hint of confusion, "I've investigated this matter for so long and haven't found any trace of Zhao Xiaohua's involvement.
How did she manage it?"
Zhang Yu didn't particularly like Zhao Xiaohua. She always felt she was strange, as if she knew too much.
In her presence, Zhang Yu felt exposed.
"That is precisely what we need to investigate."
Su Xiaoqi's feelings were the complete opposite of Zhang Yu's.
Zhao Xiaohua had lived through this life once before, and she had lived in the capital with Shen Yun for a long time.
Having mingled in high society, she was undoubtedly familiar with the noble ladies in the imperial court.
Su Xiaoqi hadn't thought deeply about it before.
Now that she considered it, the entire affair had felt off from the start.
From her inexplicable involvement to the unfolding events, it seemed as if an invisible hand was guiding their progression.
Although Su Xiaoqi hated to admit it, she had to concede that if Zhao Xiaohua was involved, she was likely the mastermind.
It was possible that everything was her conspiracy.
Su Xiaoqi's heart grew heavy, a knot forming in her chest.
She, who knew the plot, had the unsettling feeling of being outmatched by a reborn individual.
Everything she knew was closely related to the male protagonist.
His struggles in the court, the political affairs he handled.
However, the author rarely mentioned matters concerning the noble ladies of the capital in the book, and even when mentioned, they were glossed over.
"Go and investigate Madam Li, and also Madam He," Su Xiaoqi instructed. If Zhao Xiaohua intentionally drew her into this scheme, then she needed to start by investigating the person who initially guided her involvement.
Zhang Yu expressed some surprise. "Madam Li and Madam He are also problematic?"
Su Xiaoqi shook her head. "It's hard to say for now. Make your investigations first before drawing conclusions."
Zhang Yu nodded and, before leaving, asked what to do with the peddler.
"He is part of the 'Network.' The Lord probably hasn't deeply investigated this organization yet. Hand him over to the Lord, just make sure he isn't killed."
After all, she had promised not to kill him.
Zhang Yu nodded, reached the doorway, and then hesitated before returning. "What about Mei Xin?"
Although she was not involved in this matter, the peddler had confessed that ever since Mei Xin moved into the Champion's Mansion, she had leaked their information outwards frequently.
It was like having an extra pair of eyes in your private space.
Constantly watching you, making you feel uneasy.
Su Xiaoqi beckoned Zhang Yu closer. "Wait until the Lord has finished questioning him, then have someone go out and say that you're going to report him to the authorities, and then..."
The mistress and subordinate whispered for a while. Zhang Yu nodded repeatedly, then confidently went out.
In the courtyard, she called for Zicao and Ziyan and gave them instructions.
Both of them looked astonished.