From then on, the two remembered her kindness. What moved them was that Hong Lingxiang would occasionally send them small gifts afterward. Though not valuable, the gifts were full of sentiment.
Upon learning of her identity, the two were not shocked but delighted. They never expected that Sister Hong, whom they regarded as an immortal, was actually their brother's former fiancée. How wonderful it would be if she were their sister-in-law, they couldn't help but think.
Of course, at the time, Hong Lingxiang was the daughter-in-law of the prefect's family, so they dared not voice these thoughts. Upon hearing that she was widowed, they knew an opportunity had arrived.
Before returning to the Hong Mansion, Hong Lingxiang wrote to them, expressing her desire to stay at the Zhou residence with Shi Yun for a while to relax.
This led to the scene upon her arrival. After she returned to the Zhou residence, she encountered her two sisters-in-law again, who were actually waiting for Hong Lingxiang.
The two sisters left the restaurant and went directly to the Zhou residence. They couldn't wait a moment longer, fearing that things might change. Upon seeing their mother, they first comforted her properly.
"Since the two children left, the mansion feels so empty and desolate," Old Madam Zhou said, feeling a bit melancholic at the thought.
"Isn't it simple to have some liveliness? Let brother remarry. With a sister-in-law, there will soon be nephews and nieces," Zhou Wanqiu said, looking at her mother with anticipation.
"Is Hong Lingxiang really that good? If she had married into our family back then, would there be so many troubles? Shi Yun is good, but she just doesn't get along with you. No matter what, you are my daughters, and I will always stand by your side," Old Madam Zhou said with some regret as she recalled these matters.
"Sister Hong is certainly good, a hundred times better than Shi Yun. She excels in qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She alone is worthy of the position of Madam Zhou," Zhou Wanyue said, full of admiration when Hong Lingxiang was mentioned.
"I know. I will mention it to your brother," Old Madam Zhou replied weakly.
"Then you must hurry. Many people want to marry someone as beautiful and talented as Sister Hong. I heard several families are already preparing to propose," Zhou Wanqiu couldn't help but urge. Her mother, not venturing outside the mansion, was unaware of Hong Lingxiang's reputation, but they were. The reason they said this was simply to make their mother take the matter to heart.
"Alright, I will discuss it with him when your brother returns," Old Madam Zhou, who hadn't taken it too seriously at first, became anxious upon hearing how sought after Hong Lingxiang was and knowing her son had feelings for her, fearing they might miss the opportunity.
As night fell, Zhou Tianpeng was summoned to his mother's room by a servant as soon as he returned from his shop.
"I am old, and recently I have been ill. I am no longer as capable as I used to be. It is time to have a mistress of the house to share my burden, so I can enjoy my twilight years in peace," Old Madam Zhou said, staring at him intently.
Zhou Tianpeng understood his mother's meaning. He thought he should have been overjoyed at this moment, but his heart felt unusually calm. After a moment's hesitation, he nodded.
"Tell the housekeeper to find a matchmaker and propose to the Hong family tomorrow." As he uttered these words, he felt a sense of relief. The person he had longed for day and night for so long hadn't crossed his mind for several days.
The old madam nodded. "If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask the housekeeper."
Zhou Tianpeng nodded and turned to leave. He was truly exhausted today. He had encountered some problems at his business. In the past, he would definitely have consulted Shi Yun; she could always provide a solution. Now, he was alone, and after thinking all day, he still couldn't find a way to resolve it.
He walked along, rubbing his slightly aching head. Tomorrow, there would be another tough battle to fight.
Meanwhile, Wu Caiwei was thriving in the prefectural city, having opened several shops. Her businesses were booming, envied by many.
However, with growing businesses came growing troubles. Recently, several influential families had sent people to her doorstep, either wanting to buy her recipes or collaborate with her. Neither of these options was what Wu Caiwei desired. She simply wanted to run her business peacefully, but how could she remain untouched?
Just then, looking at Master Li, who was sitting before her, she felt somewhat speechless. Yet, she didn't want to fall out with him, as he had powerful connections. It was rumored that his sister was a concubine in a high-ranking official's family in the capital, and even the prefect treated him with courtesy.
"Have you considered what my steward discussed with you last time, Dongjia Wu?" Master Li asked arrogantly, as if bestowing a favor.
"Isn't it a bit too hasty? You need to give me some time to buffer and think it over properly, as this is my ancestral recipe," Wu Caiwei replied unhurriedly, as if they were making small talk.
Master Li felt his authority challenged. He slammed the table and said menacingly, "I have investigated you, and you should have heard of me. Even the Prefect shows me respect. Do you think you can contend with me? I advise you not to delay any longer or waste your efforts. You will sell this recipe today whether you want to or not. One hundred taels per recipe. I want all your dyeing recipes. Calculate how much that is. I will pay you now."
"Then let me tell you clearly, Master Li, I really don't intend to sell this recipe. No matter how powerful your backing is, you still have to abide by the law, don't you? I refuse to believe you can disregard human lives." Wu Caiwei looked directly into his eyes. She wasn't someone who was easily intimidated.
"Fine, you just wait," Master Li kicked a nearby table and immediately grabbed his leg, crying out in pain, "It hurts so much, it hurts so much!"
He limped away, resentful. He immediately spread the word that he had his sights on the Wu family's recipes and anyone who dared to help Wu Caiwei would be acting against him.
Wu Caiwei was waiting for him to make a move. Two days later, she heard that Master Li had been found with his throat slit in his sleep.
The prefect swiftly dispatched men to surround the Li mansion and conduct a thorough search. After a long investigation, nothing was found. Later, the coroner's examination suggested the work of an assassin. The reasons were that the wound was deep and fine, the technique was extremely skilled, and the killer's movements were so swift that the person was dead before any blood could flow out. However, no one had seen the perpetrator, and there were no clues to be found, so it ultimately became a cold case.
For some reason, Master Li's death reminded Wu Caiwei of the woman in black. She hadn't thought of her identity during that encounter. Having lived through several lifetimes, she had never dealt with an assassin. Sudancheng.com
If it was indeed her, it meant she was watching over her from the shadows without revealing herself, indicating she was in a difficult situation.
Wu Caiwei sighed. She was a person who distinguished clearly between favors and grudges, repaying all debts. However, she held onto every kindness shown to her, wishing to repay it tenfold.
Although she knew the woman in black was in a dangerous predicament and associating with her might drag her own family into trouble, if the woman wished to leave the darkness, and as long as her own family's safety was assured, Wu Caiwei would do her best to help.
Without Master Li, there would be Master Wang. And indeed, someone else had taken a liking to her recipes. They had brought people to her shop and issued threats. As a result, two days later, they met the same end as Master Li, with the same cause of death.