That day, after being called back to the mansion, Zhao Chunmei did not cause any further trouble. Instead, she obediently returned to serve Wu Yueniang. Ximen Qing was quite satisfied with this and merely gave her a slight warning before leaving her alone.
It wasn’t that Ximen Qing was careless; it was mainly because, in this era, masters had countless ways to deal with their servants. For instance, Pan Jinlian’s previous master marrying her off to an ugly man was not considered particularly harsh. More ruthless methods included selling someone into secret prostitution or crippling them. As long as it was handled properly, the victim would have no choice but to accept their fate.
If she were an ordinary servant, she naturally wouldn’t dare to speak up. But Zhao Chunmei was a modern person who had traveled from a society governed by the rule of law. Moreover, she was someone who had once been critically ill and struggled to survive. As such a person, she deeply understood the importance of the word “living.” Seeing Wang Po and her accomplices plotting to take a life right before her eyes truly crossed her bottom line.
So, although she didn’t show it outwardly, she had already begun making plans in secret.
In truth, saving someone wasn’t particularly difficult. Wang Po’s plot to poison Wu Dalang relied mainly on ruthlessness; the rest were just ordinary folks whose actions weren’t particularly thorough. The next day, under the pretext of buying rouge, Zhao Chunmei went out and found Yun Ge’er, the pear seller. She recounted Pan Jinlian and Wang Po’s plans to him, then grasped the young man’s hand and said gravely, “I can’t get close to Wu Da now. His life hangs by a thread, and you’re the only one who can save him.”
Yun Ge’er’s face flushed bright red, and he stammered, “Ah, Madam Pang, there’s no need for this. I’m on good terms with Wu Da, and I’ll definitely help.”
“I trust you, but please be careful, young master,” Zhao Chunmei advised before turning to seek out He Jiu. For the plan to succeed, the coroner’s assistance was indispensable.
He Jiu was well-known throughout the area as a good-natured man. Moreover, fearing Wu Song’s wrath and potential retribution, he readily agreed.
On the day the poison was to be administered, Wu Da had prepared by tucking a sweat towel under his collar. He pretended to drink the medicine in one gulp, but in reality, he poured it onto the towel. He then bit his tongue to draw some blood, successfully deceiving everyone.
Afterward, He Jiu followed the plan and delivered the prepared statement. Finally, he selected an unclaimed corpse from the mortuary, wrapped it in white cloth, and set it ablaze in front of everyone. From that day on, Wu Da vanished from the world.
When the few of them met afterward, they couldn’t help but feel a lingering fear. Without a word, Wu Da immediately knelt and kowtowed to the two of them. “Thank you both for your help! If it weren’t for you, I would have surely met my end at the hands of those villains!”
Zhao Chunmei and He Jiu quickly helped him up. He Jiu comforted him, saying, “You were fortunate to encounter such a righteous young lady. She ran back and forth countless times for you. I merely carried out my duties and didn’t contribute much. You should properly thank her.”
“As the Buddhist saying goes, ‘Saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda.’ Helping you has also accumulated blessings for myself,” Zhao Chunmei shook her head, skillfully shifting the topic. “Now, the mortuary is usually deserted. You might as well stay here to recuperate while waiting for your brother to return. I’ve been going out frequently lately and have already displeased my master, so I’m afraid I won’t be able to visit you often. Take good care of yourself.”
Wu Da nodded in agreement, and they parted ways.
…
As mentioned before, the imperial court demanded that Yanggu County submit the “grain tax tribute,” which was no small amount. The local magistrate racked his brains but could only gather a little over half of it. Turning a blind eye to his brother-in-law extorting the Ximen family was likely also an attempt to skim some profit for himself.
Now, truly unable to raise the funds, he had no choice but to spend money and pull strings to plead with higher-ups. Wu Song was the one tasked with transporting the money. It must be said that although Wu Song possessed extraordinary martial prowess, he was no reckless brute. He handled matters with great efficiency and care. Carrying such a large sum of money, traveling back and forth between two places, he completed the task flawlessly, without a single error.
With his official duties completed, he was in good spirits. The first thing he did upon returning to the county was head straight to his brother’s house. However, along the way, Wu Song sensed something amiss. Pedestrians on the street seemed to be subtly avoiding him.
Wu Song felt puzzled but didn’t dwell on it, heading straight for Zishi Street. Upon reaching the door, he called out loudly, “Brother, sister-in-law, Wu Song is back!”
But after knocking for a long time, there was no response. Finally, unable to resist, he pushed the door open.
With a creak, the door swung open. The interior was cold and desolate, clearly uninhabited for a long time. Yet, that wasn’t the main issue.
Wu Song stared at the memorial tablet placed in the center of the room, feeling as if all the blood in his body had frozen.
“Brother… Brother!!!” A beast-like roar erupted from the man inside the house.
Much later, Wu Song, his eyes red, stepped outside and found Wang Po across the street. He immediately asked, “Do you know how my brother died? Where is he buried? And where is my sister-in-law?”
Wang Po, who had long prepared her response, spat out a melon seed shell and tilted her head impatiently. “Died of illness, of course. The family had no money for a burial plot. Your sister-in-law had no choice but to have him cremated. She observed mourning for a while, then remarried and moved away.”
Wu Song was no fool. Even though her answer seemed flawless, he could still detect something off. He gave Wang Po a cold glance, couldn’t be bothered to argue with her, and immediately decided to find the coroner for verification.
Along the way, his anger and grief overwhelmed him. Memories of time spent with his brother flashed before his eyes one after another. This stalwart man of seven feet couldn’t help but feel tears welling up in his eyes. It was early morning, and although there weren’t many people on the street, Wu Song still ducked into an alley. He roughly wiped his eyes with his sleeve, forcing himself to pull himself together.
Just then, a pale, slender hand suddenly grabbed him from behind.
Wu Song instinctively twisted it away, his heart turning cold.
“Ow! That hurts, hurts, hurts!”
A woman’s voice rang in his ears. Wu Song focused his gaze and saw a woman of delicate and handsome appearance. He instinctively released her hand, feeling somewhat awkward. “Who are you? Why sneak up on me from behind?”
Zhao Chunmei clutched her reddened wrist, sizing up this tiger-slaying hero. To be honest, based on appearance alone, it was hard to believe he and Wu Dalang were blood brothers. He was tall and powerfully built, with well-developed muscles. His facial features were strong and handsome, with thick eyebrows and large eyes that perfectly fit the era’s aesthetic. Seeing the suspicion in his eyes, she couldn’t help but smile wryly. “With the difference in our builds, how could I possibly sneak attack you?”
In a foul mood, Wu Song merely snorted and didn’t reply.
Sighing, Zhao Chunmei stepped closer and whispered a few words into his ear. Wu Song first stared blankly, then was overcome with wild joy, obediently following the young woman. When he saw Wu Da at the funeral parlor, he rushed forward and tightly embraced his elder brother, trembling with excitement, momentarily unable to speak!
Although their appearances were completely different, the two brothers shared an exceptionally close bond. Having lost both parents at a young age, Wu Da had essentially been both father and mother to his younger brother. Wu Song had a fiery temper since childhood, and every time he caused trouble, it was his older brother who stepped in to clean up the mess. Similarly, with his younger brother around, Wu Da suffered far less bullying.
So, after hearing about his brother’s recent ordeal, Wu Song was furious and immediately wanted to rush out to settle scores with that despicable couple.
“Absolutely not!” Wu Da quickly grabbed his brother’s sleeve tightly, pleading earnestly, “You’ve finally managed to make something of yourself. Are you really going to abandon everything and break the law because of me?”
“Home is wherever you are. If I can’t even protect you, what use is this petty official position to me?”
“Foolish! You’re being foolish!” Wu Da rarely showed genuine anger, but now he pointed at his brother and said, “Even if not for yourself, think of others! My life was saved by so many people! You might feel satisfied killing Ximen Qing, but have you considered Yun Ge, Ninth Uncle, and even Lady Pang? She’s a maid in the Ximen household—wouldn’t you be harming them?”
Wu Song was stunned and turned to look at Zhao Chunmei, who was standing nearby with an awkward expression.
“This… I truly didn’t think this through,” Wu Song said, ashamed. Not only had he failed to express gratitude to the person who saved his brother, but he had almost repaid kindness with harm.
“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Zhao Chunmei waved her hands repeatedly, inadvertently revealing a section of her red and swollen arm. Seeing this, Wu Song felt even more ashamed.
Zhao Chunmei had acted out of conscience and had no desire to demand repayment for her kindness. After exchanging a few words with the brothers, she steered the conversation elsewhere. “Actually, to deal with Ximen Qing, Second Master doesn’t need to take action himself.”
“Oh? Do you have a plan, benefactor?” After learning how his brother had been rescued, Wu Song had come to deeply admire Zhao Chunmei, both for her character and her wisdom, without looking down on her in the slightest because she was a woman.
Zhao Chunmei first declined the title of “benefactor,” but under Wu Song’s insistence, she reluctantly said, “Do you know of a troublemaker in the county town named Ma Liu? He’s been wanting to cause trouble at the Ximen Family but lacks the manpower. If you go to help him, even if you do nothing but stand behind him, Ximen Qing won’t dare act recklessly. Not only will this make him pay dearly, but the county magistrate, due to his kinship with Ma Liu, won’t say anything either.”
In fact, the magistrate of Yanggu County had long been dissatisfied with the meager amount Ximen Qing had paid. Now that everything had been settled and Ximen Qing was no longer needed, and with Ma Liu’s parents as a pretext, even if Ximen Qing were truly extorted, he would likely have no choice but to accept it.
Afterward, Ma Liu would likely share some of the benefits with Wu Song. With that money, the two brothers could leave Yanggu County and start anew elsewhere.
Upon hearing this, Wu Song immediately agreed to take on the task. After giving his brother a few more instructions, he left with an imposing air.
After he left, Zhao Chunmei sighed with a sense of melancholy.
“Lady Pang, what’s wrong? Are you worried my brother won’t handle this properly? Don’t worry, I’ve repeatedly reminded him—he definitely won’t expose you,” Wu Dalang said with concern.
“No, it’s just… I’m just…” Zhao Chunmei shook her head, her thoughts in turmoil.
I remember when I first transmigrated, she still looked down on Ma Liulang with great disdain. Yet now, she had to borrow the hands of a villain to punish another villain. Once, she had only heard of the so-called “Four Treacherous Officials” in the court, but in the common streets, even in a small place like Yanggu County, she had lost count of the snakes, insects, rats, and ants she had encountered since transmigrating. It seemed that if these people gained power, they might be even worse than that Gao Qiu or Cai Jing. And the root cause of this phenomenon was this chaotic society—it didn’t allow good people to live peaceful lives.
The reason Zhao Chunmei felt so troubled was because she sadly realized that even when facing minor characters like Wang Po, whom she looked down upon, she was still living a worse life than them.
The road ahead was long, and she had no idea where her future would lead.
Wu Song handled matters with incredible speed. Before evening, he returned to the funeral parlor with a large bag of gold and silver.
“That scoundrel looked at me as if he’d seen a ghost. When Ma Liu demanded money from him, he even tried to fight back, so I kicked and broke one of his legs,” Wu Song said coldly, clearly having vented his anger.
Zhao Chunmei urged him not to delay, suggesting that the two of them leave Yanggu County completely that very night.
“I’ll listen to Lady Pang, but it won’t be just the two of us,” Wu Song said as he took out a thin piece of paper from his pocket and handed it over. “Before leaving, I demanded Lady Pang’s deed of servitude from that Ximen Qing and went to the authorities to have it annulled. Now, Lady Pang is free. Would you like to travel with us?”
“With talents like yours, staying here as a servant is truly a waste.”
Zhao Chunmei was stunned for a moment. She took the deed, her eyes filled with complex emotions as she looked at this thing she had longed for day and night since transmigrating.
After a long pause, she took a deep breath and tore it into shreds. Lifting her head, she said firmly to Wu Song, “I’ve troubled both of you.”
No matter what, the path ahead was one she had to carve out herself. She refused to believe that after transmigrating once, she couldn’t make something of herself!