Chapter 232: Fake Death

Zhang Zhang Jiaqi gave no one a chance to explain; she simply smashed the wine cup violently onto the ground, causing everyone to jump in shock. The wine on the floor quickly turned black, bubbling up with foul-smelling foam like a mass of rotting flesh. Everyone present felt a chill, as if they had witnessed the arrival of the Grim Reaper themselves.

Poison! The thought flashed through everyone's minds.

She spoke with a flat expression: "When I studied in the mountains, my master taught me about many poisons. I interrupted Liu Liu Yifei only because I noticed something was wrong with this wine."

Her tone was calm and untroubled, as if speaking of a trivial matter. Yet the information revealed in her words left everyone stunned.

Hearing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu felt a chill run down his spine. That cup of wine had been only an inch from his lips; had Zhang Zhang Jiaqi not acted in time, his life would have ended right there.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his flesh. He ground out two words through his teeth: "Who is it?"

His voice was extremely cold, and his eyes radiated a deadly killing intent. He looked like a trapped beast ready to erupt at any moment. The guests present instantly turned pale, sensing that Jiang Jiang Mingyu's anger had reached its peak.

Zhang Zhang Jiaqi frowned and scanned the surroundings, observing everyone's expressions and subtle movements, trying to identify the mastermind. She knew this poisoning incident was not simple; someone must be manipulating things from the shadows, and the target was not just Jiang Jiang Mingyu. She also felt a sense of crisis, unsure if she could protect Jiang Jiang Mingyu or escape this dangerous situation.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu also stared at the guests with bloodshot eyes, looking terrifyingly ready to explode. His heart was filled with confusion and rage; he did not understand why someone wanted to harm him, nor how he could uncover the truth. He knew only one thing: he could not easily let any single suspect go.

The entire scene fell into an atmosphere of extreme tension and awkwardness. Everyone guessed in their hearts who had tampered with the wine and intended to put Jiang Jiang Mingyu to death. This was a puzzle and a crisis. Whoever could solve this puzzle could walk out of this crisis. Whoever failed would have only one path: death.

"Who exactly did this?!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu slammed his fist onto the table, his eyes spewing fire. The guests present instantly fell silent as if frozen by fear, secretly wondering in their hearts: Could it be that someone, seeing Lord Jiang's power expanding day by day, deliberately came to eliminate this major threat?

"Bring them! Search the entire manor! Catch the assassin; under no circumstances must he escape!" With a sharp shout from Jiang Jiang Mingyu, the retainers in the manor immediately fell into chaos, searching everywhere.

Just then, the female knight Zhang Zhang Jiaqi stepped forward slowly, frowning: "This technique of mixing poisons is beyond the capability of the manor's servants. I fear a Gao Ren is interfering from the shadows."

"Mixing poisons?" Jiang Jiang Mingyu did not understand. "What does that mean?"

Zhang Zhang Jiaqi spun the wine cup in her hand and whispered: "The wine is not poisonous, the cup is not poisonous, but when the two combine, they become a deadly poison. It is a sinister method beyond our ordinary people's imagination."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu pondered for a moment, then his face suddenly changed: "Could it be that beast Fei Hou is playing tricks again?!"

"Fei Hou!" Tu Tu Kesiluo, standing nearby, flew into a rage. "Just wait until I personally flay your skin!"

Zhu Ge Yu was also furious: "Master, we must guard against Fei Hou using the poison hands of his death soldiers again!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu looked dejected: "They come without a shadow and leave without a trace. Preventing these death soldiers is truly extremely difficult..."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu pondered for a moment and spoke in a low voice: "Capture all the servants, purchasers, and cooks from today's banquet immediately. Find out which link had the problem!"

Zhu Ge Yu shook his head hurriedly: "No, that would scare the snake out of the grass and only make the enemy more alert."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu frowned tightly: "This won't work, that won't work either. What do you suggest we do?"

A cunning smile appeared on the corner of Zhu Ge Yu's mouth: "Actually, I have an idea that might draw the enemy out."

"What plan?" Jiang Jiang Mingyu asked urgently.

Zhu Ge Yu mysteriously spat out two words: "Fake death."

"Fake death?" Jiang Jiang Mingyu did not understand.

Zhu Ge Yu explained: "The enemy's target is the leader of the righteous army. If you, Master, 'die', the assassins will surely come to confirm. At that time, I will set up a net of traps within the manor to capture them in one stroke, which will benefit both of us."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu's eyes lit up, and he agreed: "Excellent! Immediately hold a mourning ceremony in the manor and spread the rumor that I have died from a poisonous scheme. Furthermore, instruct the family to keep strict secrecy; anyone who leaks it shall have their entire clan executed!"

After the news spread, Jiangfu was filled with wailing. The scene of the brightly lit banquet instantly changed into a cold and solemn funeral.

A atmosphere of sorrow and desolation instantly filled the interior of Jiangfu.

The spacious main hall was swept clean. The original dazzling decorations were all removed, replaced by white hemp cloth covering the sky and earth, covering every inch of space tightly.

Dozens of white silk banners hung under the eaves outside, fluttering gently in the wind, bearing sorrowful words such as "Lord Jiang has passed away." Everywhere were retainers wearing coarse hemp clothes and hemp hats, moving back and forth busily with mournful expressions.

In the center of the main hall stood an empty coffin. Zhu Ge Yu, Tu Tu Kesiluo, Liu Liu Yifei, and others sat around it, dressed in coarse hemp clothes, looking as if they had lost all hope in life. They whispered prayers and wept while stroking the coffin, occasionally throwing themselves onto it in heart-wrenching grief.

"Lord Jiang, you died before your time; this is truly heartbreaking!"

"How can we, your brothers, ever repay your kindness of recognizing our talents in the future?"

Their heart-wrenching cries echoed through the vast courtyard, along with earth-shattering wails and sobbing, as if venting their infinite grief and indignation over this sudden tragedy.

If anyone looked closely, they would discover the sharp glint hidden in their eyes and their covert exchanges. This mourning was merely one part of the fake death plan, intended to lure the snake out of the hole and capture all the death soldiers in one net.

The night over Cangzhou City was hazy, and a faint candle flame flickered in a hidden small courtyard.

The veiled woman sat quietly, appearing calm and melancholy. She wore a plain long dress, her face covered by a veil, revealing only faint eyebrows and eyes, with a hint of expectation mixed in her sorrowful expression.

At this moment, light footsteps approached from afar. The door was pushed open, and Tang Xing Youli walked in gracefully, looking energetic: "Master, I am back. Jiang Jiang Mingyu is dead, and the manor is holding a mourning ceremony!"

The veiled woman was slightly stunned, and a complex expression flashed in her eyes. She murmured softly: "You have finally died..." After speaking, she burst into loud laughter, and her laughter even contained an excited sobbing sound.

Tang Xing Youli looked at the veiled woman in confusion, seeing her eyes filled with tears and her delicate body trembling slightly. She could not figure it out in her heart; there must be an unresolvable blood feud between her master and Jiang Jiang Mingyu.

Just as she was lost in thought, the veiled woman had already regained her composure, and her tone became calm again: "Go and check. Jiang Jiang Mingyu is deep in schemes; do not be careless."

Tang Xing Youli immediately realized that Jiang Jiang Mingyu's death was too suspicious and could not be taken lightly. She immediately replied: "Yes, I will go investigate again immediately and will certainly not fall into his trap."

Having spoken, she put on her veil again and slipped into the night. Her heart held only the determination for revenge, swearing to avenge her father and put Jiang Jiang Mingyu to death.

The veiled woman watched her departing figure, her expression complex, seeming to show both pity and compassion, and sighed: "Child, I hope you do not repeat the same mistakes and walk a different path..."

The night was vast, and Tang Xing Youli lay in ambush in the dark corner beside the high wall of the Cangzhou Prefecture. She watched the front alertly, constantly guarding against soldiers who might appear.

Just as she prepared to act, six black-clad figures suddenly darted out from the base of the wall, surrounding her layer by layer. Under the moonlight, the cold light of the long swords in the hands of the six men shone with a chilling cold glow, trapping Tang Xing Youli in a sea of sword light and blade reflections.

"Not good, I've fallen into a trap!" Tang Xing Youli thought secretly. These people were obviously arranged by Jiang Jiang Mingyu to intercept and kill her.

The six men pressed forward step by step, the blade edges getting closer and closer to Tang Xing Youli. She had no choice but to draw the short sword hidden in her bosom and block the encirclement of the six men alone. Only the clashing sound of swords rang endlessly in her ears. She used her agile skills to parry one man's long sword, but was immediately seized by another's opening, and a sword slashed toward her neck!

After all, they were many and she was few; soon Tang Xing Youli could not hold out and was captured.

Tang Xing Youli was roughly dragged into the manor by soldiers. She looked up and saw Jiang Jiang Mingyu standing at the head, wearing a playful cold smile on his face.

"Zhu Ge Yu, your scheme truly worked. Only this much time has passed, and our guest has delivered herself to us." Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded in satisfaction.

He took two steps forward and suddenly ripped off Tang Xing Youli's veil, revealing her spoiled and arrogant face: "Ah, so it is you. We meet again."

Having spoken, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's tone suddenly turned cold: "Speak properly. Who is the mastermind behind you?"