"Who exactly are you?" The county magistrate finally reacted, realizing that Liu Dacai's capture was not an accidental discovery on her part, but had been orchestrated long ago.
"I am merely someone who cannot stand seeing them deceive and harm the common people. On the contrary, you, a benevolent official, not only fail to serve the populace but also cover up for them. Today, I will kill you to eliminate a scourge for the people." Wu Caiwei knew that without a bit of intimidation, he wouldn't speak the truth.
Seeing the sword drawing ever closer, the magistrate instinctively closed his eyes and stammered, "Don't, don't, don't, I'll tell, I'll tell..."
The expected pain did not come. He stealthily opened one eye. The sword stopped a centimeter from his heart. He breathed a sigh of relief.
No longer daring to hide anything, he confessed truthfully, "It's not that I wanted to let Liu Dacai go. It's just that Magistrate Wu and the Prefect behind him are old acquaintances. I had to save face for the Prefect. I ordered him to leave quickly and pretend the matter never happened. Besides, I brought Qiyue out of Qingfeng Tower and kept her in my own courtyard as a maid to do chores. It's better than being a courtesan."
"No matter what, you cannot betray your conscience. Letting Liu Youcai go is no different from releasing a tiger back into the mountains; who knows how many more girls will suffer. Those who do much injustice will surely perish. I want to see what your end will be. I cannot entrust that young lady to someone like you who colludes with evil. I will take her with me. Give me her deed of sale immediately."
The magistrate nodded repeatedly in agreement. Qiyue, looking bewildered, was lifted from her bed and followed the man beside her out of the yamen. She was still somewhat dazed, not knowing who he was or what his intentions were in taking her away.
Wu Caiwei didn't want to waste words on her. She pulled her onto the small boat they had arrived in. Qiyue hunched her shoulders, trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible. She had moved several times recently and felt insecure, unsure of her fate.
Like a puppet, she followed Wu Caiwei, walking and stopping, until a familiar village appeared before her eyes. She could hardly believe what she was seeing.
"This, this... Who are you? Why are you helping me?" For some reason, she felt the other person's figure bore some resemblance to Liuyue, but her demeanor, her walk, and her voice were vastly different.
"I was sent by your sister Liuyue to help you. I believe after this ordeal, you have understood that the so-called mountain god in your village is a fraud. It was a trap set by the village chief and his son to cheat village girls and sell them for a good price." Although Wu Caiwei felt that after the journey, she should have understood everything, she heard that Qiyue had been drowsy on the boat and didn't know if she was aware that it was the village chief's son who had sold her to that place. She wanted to remind her to be more careful in the village.
"I will live well with my father and mother. I have no sisterly affection for her, only hatred. If it weren't for her, I would still be an innocent girl in the village. How could I have gone through this? Don't think that just because you saved me, I will be grateful. The Liu family raised me for so many years, let alone repaying their kindness, they dragged me down with them. I never want to see her again in this lifetime." Qiyue glared at Wu Caiwei indignantly.
"So you knew long ago that Liuyue was not your biological sister? Why did you pretend to be so close to her every day?" The conversation today completely overturned Wu Caiwei's impression of the Liu family. It turned out everyone knew, except her.
"I just liked seeing that fool being played by us. The slightest look of trust she showed, and she would rush forward to shield us from everything. Since she's gone, she should stay far away and never come back." Qiyue looked at him smugly. She had to admit, Liuyue was truly foolish. Even she could see their mother's intentions, but Liuyue remained completely oblivious.
Originally, she had feelings for Liuyue, but that was because she believed Liuyue was her biological sister. When she accidentally overheard her parents' conversation and learned that they had no feelings for Liuyue and had always been using her, and also knew that she had wealthy parents, her jealousy knew no bounds. Why should they all have grown up in the Liu family, yet she had a good background while she did not?
Hearing their conversation, she knew that if her parents were to come looking for her, they would prepare to substitute Tang Jie to placate them. How could she allow that? She planned to go herself, after all, she was only a little over a year younger than Liuyue, and strangers wouldn't be able to tell the difference. She wanted to be a young lady of a wealthy family.
Unexpectedly, the mountain god chose her. Countless times over these past days, she had cursed Liuyue to the depths of her heart. She had resigned herself to her fate, but then a turn of events occurred. At the magistrate's residence, she saw how the true daughter of an official lived. If there was no opportunity to leave, so be it, but since there was an opportunity to become a young lady of a wealthy family, she was determined to take her place.
Knowing that Liuyue was the one who sent people to rescue her, her first reaction was to drive her away. Only if Liuyue left would she have a chance.
Wu Caiwei was speechless. She had initially worried that if she sent Qiyue back like this, it might anger the village chief, and they would retaliate. Now, it seemed that even if they met with misfortune, it would be their own doing. This family was entirely malevolent.
Qiyue, seeing that the other person was slow to agree, felt uneasy. She asked again, "Did you hear what I just said? Don't ever appear in the village again. If you're going, go far away."
Wu Caiwei was silent for a moment before nodding under Qiyue's expectant gaze, saying meaningfully, "I will take her away, and from now on, she will have nothing to do with your Liu family. You raised her, and her parents gave money. No one owes anyone anything."
Qiyue breathed a sigh of relief. Only then did she realize that the other person seemed to know some things and was not as ignorant as she had imagined. When she wanted to ask for clarification, she looked up only to see his receding figure in the distance. With a hint of boredom, she let out a cold snort and turned to walk towards home.
As soon as it was dawn, Wu Caiwei canceled the lease on her rented house and returned to the prefectural city, no longer caring about the fate of that family.
As soon as he appeared, Shopkeeper Zhou rushed to find him, pulling him to a secluded spot and whispering, "My people reported that Shopkeeper Sun seems to suspect your identity and has sent people to investigate you."
She had known this day would come. Wu Caiwei was not surprised at all. She raised an eyebrow and said with great interest, "Where will they investigate?"
"He has a young servant in his shop named Liu Shan. He received a considerable reward from him a while ago. I find it very suspicious. I was planning to start with him, but you returned." During their time together, he had come to deeply admire her knowledge, talent, and courage. He instinctively felt she was not problematic, but some people had malicious intentions and might try to cause trouble. He wanted her to be prepared.