Wen Moyu disguised herself and entered Jiangzhou. The plague in Zhang County had been brought under control. Wen Mohan was currently in Jiangzhou. The dam construction had not yet been completed, and disaster reconstruction also required time. Wen Mohan would have to stay in Jiangzhou for at least another half a year.
Jiangzhou had not suffered significant losses, but the Jiangzhou Chamber of Commerce had been hit hard. The prefect of Jiangzhou and Pang Tong had both been removed from their posts. The wealthy merchants whose goods were stolen, while not losing their foundations, had suffered heavy losses. Coupled with Wen Mohan's deliberate suppression, the merchants of Jiangzhou were in dire straits.
The Cen family and the Jin family simultaneously established themselves in Jiangzhou, vying for control of the Jiangzhou market. The Shangguan family, on the other hand, secretly gathered the suppressed merchants. These merchants, already at their wit's end, eagerly accepted the olive branch extended by the Shangguan family.
Night had fallen, and only one room in the prefect's yamen of Jiangzhou remained lit. Wen Moyu's figure crept in the darkness. It was so late, and the light was still on; there was no need to guess whose room it was – Wen Mohan's.
Wen Moyu stood outside the door. From time to time, suppressed coughs could be heard from within the room. The guards at the door, hearing the sounds from inside, sighed, "His Lordship is already so ill, yet he doesn't rest early. If he continues like this, his body might not endure."
"I heard that those infected with the plague, even if cured, have their foundations weakened. His Lordship's body was already frail, and after contracting the plague, his condition has been fluctuating. He even vomited blood during the day."
"What, His Lordship vomited blood?" another person exclaimed, shocked. "I heard my mother say that vomiting blood is a sign of not living long."
"Bah, don't speak nonsense. Such a good official like His Lordship will surely live a hundred years!"
The person immediately slapped his own mouth. "Right, I spoke nonsense. His Lordship will surely live a long and prosperous life..."
Before he could finish, both of them fainted. Wen Moyu had appeared at the door silently. She had heard their entire conversation and felt an indescribable emotion.
Inside, Wen Mohan, draped in clothes, held a brush in one hand and was rapidly reviewing official documents. With the other hand, he held a handkerchief to his mouth, coughing softly. He looked exceptionally haggard and weak, evoking pity.
A shadow fell upon the desk. Wen Mohan's writing hand did not pause. "Wei Feng, go rest. I don't need attendance here."
There was no reply from behind for a long time. Wen Mohan turned around and saw a figure standing not far behind him, cloaked entirely. Yet, he recognized the person.
"Wen Moyu."
"Brother is truly so heartless. You used to call me 'Yuer' or 'younger sister,' yet now you call my name so distantly," Wen Moyu taunted.
"What are you here for?"
Wen Moyu sat down beside him. "I heard Brother contracted the plague, that your health fluctuates, and that you might not have long to live. As your sister, I naturally had to come and see you off."
"Don't sound so affectionate. I'm not close to you."
"You're not close to me?" Hearing this, Wen Moyu felt fire burning in her chest. "Wen Mohan, I am your own sister. You wanted to kill me for a woman, and now you deny my very existence?"
"I only regret not delivering a finishing blow then, allowing you to escape death." Wen Mohan continued to review documents. "After your miraculous escape, you should have gone into hiding. Why come back to my doorstep?"
Wen Moyu's face contorted. "Wen Mohan, you would kill your own sister for Xiao Man. But alas, Xiao Man doesn't love you. Don't you think you are pathetic?"
"It is you who is pathetic," Wen Mohan said coldly. "No one loves you."
Wen Moyu, enraged, lunged at Wen Mohan and grabbed him. "Wen Mohan, you are no match for me now. Killing you would be easier than crushing an ant."
"Did I say something wrong?" Wen Mohan's expression was indifferent, his face filled only with pity. "Your parents don't love you, the man you like doesn't love you, and even the man you married only uses you. Tell me, besides being pathetic, what else are you?"
"You're lying, Mother loves me!"
"Mother?" Wen Mohan pulled his collar out of Wen Moyu's grasp. "That is my mother, not yours."
"Wen Mohan, what do you mean?"
Wen Mohan walked to the desk and poured himself a cup of tea. "Father found you."
"You're lying, I am clearly Mother's biological child!"
"You are not." Wen Mohan carefully blew on the scalding tea. "Your birth mother was a courtesan. After relations with someone, she gave birth to you but then abandoned you by the roadside to fend for yourself. My infant sister died shortly after birth. Father, fearing Mother couldn't bear the blow, brought you back to replace my deceased daughter."
"You're lying, I don't believe you!"
"Whether you believe it or not, it is the truth." Wen Mohan said softly. "Otherwise, why do you think I could bear to kill you? Why could Father bear to abandon you? It's all because you were adopted."
"No, impossible. Father and Mother always doted on me. This is all a lie you've fabricated!"
"A lie?" Wen Mohan shook his head. "You should know very well whether it's a lie. Father was never particularly warm towards you. Mother, not knowing the truth, always thought you were flesh and blood from her own body. If she knew you were just the illegitimate daughter of a courtesan's indiscretion, do you think Mother would hate you for taking away her own daughter's affection for so many years?"
"Hahaha." Wen Moyu suddenly laughed, her smile desolate and fierce. "It doesn't matter anymore, none of it matters. What matters is that you will die today!"
Wen Moyu drew a dagger hidden in her sleeve and lunged at Wen Mohan. Wen Mohan remained seated, unmoving. Wei Feng descended from the sky, shielding Wen Mohan. He grabbed Wen Moyu's wrist, and with a sharp twist, she dropped the dagger and was subdued by Wei Feng.
Wen Moyu's expression turned savage. She suddenly threw a handful of powder at Wei Feng and charged at Wen Mohan again. She would kill Wen Mohan! She was the daughter of the Wen family, the daughter of the Prime Minister, and her birth mother was the Prime Minister's wife, not some lowly courtesan!
Wen Mohan watched the charging Wen Moyu with a cold gaze, a cruel smile playing on his lips. Just as Wen Moyu was about to reach Wen Mohan, a hand shot out from the side and ruthlessly broke Wen Moyu's arm!
"Ah!" Wen Moyu let out a piercing shriek, yet she did not give up. She extended her other hand, aiming for Wen Mohan's eyes.
A flash of blood illuminated the scene as Wen Moyu's tendons were severed. Cen Yu reached out, using her sleeve to block the splashing blood, preventing it from reaching Wen Mohan. Wei Feng rushed forward and decisively severed Wen Moyu's leg tendons. In the blink of an eye, Wen Moyu was rendered a cripple.