"To think that the disaster in Cangzhou was actually the doing of the Crown Prince Xuan!"
Everyone's faces were filled with shock.
"Fairy sister, is what you said true?!"
Jiang Mian nodded vigorously. "Of course. I escaped from Dongli Town myself. I've always wanted to expose the good deeds of the former Crown Prince and the misdeeds of Prince Xuan to the public."
"However, Cangzhou is now under the control of Emperor Nansheng and Prince Xuan. They even want to blame this natural disaster on Emperor Beisheng, implying that the chaos in the world is all because of Emperor Beisheng's usurpation of the throne."
"But if Emperor Nansheng hadn't first abandoned his wife and son and allowed the noble consort and Prince Xuan to harm the Crown Prince, how would King Mu have usurped the throne? If Emperor Nansheng didn't even care about his legitimate son, how could he care about his younger brother?" Jiang Mian said with a cold laugh.
"Emperor Beisheng hasn't even responded to the challenge. The Great Sheng is just the Great Sheng. There's no such thing as a division between Nansheng and Beisheng. The Great Sheng has only been established for less than twenty years, and the pain inflicted on the people by the fall of the Chu State hasn't been completely healed. Emperor Beisheng doesn't want to start another war and bring harm to the people."
"On the contrary, Emperor Nansheng has been conscripting a large number of soldiers. He wants to push the people onto the battlefield to die."
The news that Emperor Nansheng was expanding the Cangzhou Army had already spread everywhere. Although things were relatively more relaxed in Guangdu County, people were still in a state of panic.
Who would want to go to war if they could live in peace?
The swords and arrows were merciless. One might lose their head before the outcome of the battle was even decided.
The others angrily cursed along. "Such a person who treats the people like grass doesn't deserve to be an emperor! They even want to make us fight each other!"
"The dog emperor just wants to use us to achieve his hegemony!"
"Fighting among brothers is too cruel," Jiang Mian shook her head. "Moreover, do you know who the wife of the former Prince Xuan, now the Crown Prince Xuan, is?"
Everyone asked in unison, "Who?"
Jiang Mian then told them how the Ye family had, eighteen years ago, deliberately stolen someone else's child in order to gain wealth and honor, hoping to use that person's fate to achieve their own goals. This once again caused a wave of scolding.
Jiang Mian sighed softly. "I really don't want to see the people in the south of the Yangtze River being deceived by them and working for them."
Qi Zhong patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, Fairy sister. Leave this to us. We'll definitely spread their deeds everywhere and let the people in Guangdu County know their true faces!"
Another person said, "We should also let the people in Guangdu County know what kind of person the former Crown Prince was. He was such a noble person, yet he was willing to sacrifice his life to save the people. Isn't he more suitable to be the Crown Prince than that so - called Crown Prince Xuan?!"
Having achieved her goal, Jiang Mian nodded in satisfaction. "I'll bring the antidote in three days. Same place, same time."
Wang Suier asked, "What if you don't come?"
"As long as you do your job well, I'll definitely come."
After saying that, she took out a money bag and threw it out. It landed next to the money bag that had been stolen before.
"This is the silver reward for you. Divide it among yourselves. There's no need to report it to Young Master Zhong."
Seeing that everyone hesitated and didn't dare to touch the money bag, Jiang Mian laughed. "Don't worry. This money bag isn't poisoned."
After leaving the mansion, Mo Zhizhang walked slowly beside Jiang Mian and said indifferently, "So it turns out that little sister planned this today to help big brother."
For some reason, Jiang Mian had the feeling that this sentence sounded a bit sour.
"You're so sure that these people will do as you say? They're just a bunch of idle thieves."
At first, Jiang Mian had deeply loathed these people. For example, Zhao Hu in Dongli Town had opened a gambling house, collected protection fees on a daily basis, and bullied the people in every way imaginable.
When she learned that Xiao Jingcheng had become their "leader", she had even gotten angry with him.
However, during the transfer of the people in Dongli Town, Zhao Hu and his little brothers had actually contributed a lot, which showed that there was still some righteousness in their hearts.
Xiao Jingcheng had once told her that it was unrealistic to expect these people to completely turn over a new leaf, but as long as they were properly used, they could also become a useful weapon.
So today, she imitated Xiao Jingcheng and planned to use the glimmer of hope in these people's hearts to achieve her goal.
Even if they betrayed their trust and ultimately failed to do the job for her, it didn't matter.
If Guangdu County didn't work, there was still the next town. There would always be someone who could do it and spread the news for her.
Emperor Nansheng and Xiao Yixuan wanted to deceive the people, use them, and even use rumors to capture her.
She just wouldn't let them have their way!
Jiang Mian smiled at Mo Zhizhang and said, "Thieves also have their uses. As long as one out of five people can do it, today won't be in vain."
Mo Zhizhang blinked and asked, "Did you make the poison on the money bag yourself?"
Jiang Mian said excitedly, "Yes. I owe it all to second brother's teachings along the way!"
She told Mo Zhizhang how she had prepared the poison and how she had poisoned the money bag.
"I originally thought I could poison one person at a time, but who knew that they all touched the money bag. It was just perfect to get them all at once," Jiang Mian said playfully, blinking her eyes.
The poison on the money bag wasn't fatal. She had made it by combining several kinds of medicinal materials. People who touched it would get rashes on their hands, and those who inhaled it would have difficulty breathing and abdominal distension and pain.
Moreover, the poison would wear off in three days even without the antidote. By the time these people realized they had been deceived, she would have already left Guangdu County.
Looking at her beaming face, Mo Zhizhang also felt extremely happy and at ease.
She was indeed very smart. After only a few days of teaching, she had already learned to use poison to achieve her goals.
She was like a jade stone covered in dust. Every time it was carved, it would reveal a different kind of brilliance.
What should he do? He didn't want to let go more and more.
Such a woman who was so clear - cut in her likes and dislikes and extremely smart really suited his taste.
Only such a woman was worthy of standing beside him.
When Jiang Mian and Mo Zhizhang returned to the inn with their things, Li Zhao and Jiang Zhiqing hadn't come back yet, and the yellow dog was lying in the room, snoring loudly.
Jiang Mian was amused by its sleeping appearance and rubbed its head.
"Look at you, so exhausted. You must have sneaked out to play while I was away."
The yellow dog smelled the familiar scent but didn't open its eyes. It just stuck out its tongue and licked her palm, then turned over and continued to sleep.
Li Zhao and Jiang Zhiqing didn't come back until afternoon.
Noticing the jade hairpin in Jiang Zhiqing's hair, the jade earrings, and her relaxed expression and the increasingly lingering look in her eyes when she looked at Li Zhao, Jiang Mian felt relieved.
Father must have feelings for Mother in his heart. Otherwise, he wouldn't have searched for her for so many years.
She also believed that Father would never let Mother down.