Chapter 301: A Chance of Three Sentences

Jiang Jinshi didn't show any surprise after hearing this, and one could even say he was completely calm. He just tapped his fingers on the table, his tone somewhat teasing.

"Miss Cui, your methods are quite good! In just a few days, you've investigated Jiang clearly."

As soon as the words fell, the killing intent in Jiang Jinshi's eyes burst out, and even his tone became cold.

"But Miss Cui, you investigated Jiang, and you still have the guts to invite me here. Are you looking for death? Or..."

"Do you think Jiang is easy to talk to?"

Jiang Jinshi's rise to power was carved out through killing. Especially when fighting against the Xiongnu, he took the lead and didn't know how many people he had beheaded. When he truly had the heart to kill someone, perhaps only the other party knew what they were facing!

Cui Wangshu looked at the man in front of her. The transition from lazy to murderous happened in an instant. That kind of intense unease and fear completely enveloped her. At this moment, she didn't doubt at all that if the person in front of her wanted to kill her, she wouldn't have a way to survive.

Even though the other party hadn't done anything, Cui Wangshu still felt as if her throat was being strangled, and her breathing became rapid and difficult.

"Jiang... Jiang... Young Master..."

Cui Wangshu tried to explain, but found that she, who was usually calm and composed, couldn't control her trembling, and she couldn't even speak clearly; her mind was blank.

Jiang Jinshi suddenly withdrew his momentum and played with the glazed glass cup by his hand, "I'll give you a chance of three sentences. If I'm not satisfied..."

"You will die!"

Even though this was the Cui family's territory, and Cui Wangshu only needed to shout, the surrounding guards would swarm up.

But Jiang Jinshi still had this confidence. With the distance between him and Cui Wangshu, it would only take one breath for him to snap her neck.

In Jiang Jinshi's view, it did not matter if you investigated his identity; in any case, he had never deliberately hidden himself in Beijiang. Many commoners' households even enshrined his longevity plaque, and there were also secluded young women who hung portraits of Jiang Jinshi in their boudoirs.

But you already knew his identity, and you still dared to invite him here. Jiang Jinshi didn't believe in words like being negligent and apologizing to him.

A smart person's approach would be to pretend not to know, to avoid the other party's resentment, and even if there was a plan, it should be done slowly.

Cui Wangshu and Jiang Jinshi had no hatred, and there was even less talk of conflict of interest. Rashly offending the other party would bring her no benefit at all.

But Cui Wangshu did the opposite, so there were only two possibilities. The first was that the scholar-gentry families standing behind the current emperor wanted to get rid of him, and the second was that the other party had a plan for him.

Just now he threatened coldly, and no guards or killers ran out, so the first possibility could be ruled out.

As for this second one...

Daring to have ideas about him, did he need to give the other party a good face?

Cui Wangshu sat upright, but her back felt a bit cold. The identity of the Cui family's eldest young lady had always made her like a fish in water. From the day she was born until now, no one had ever dared to threaten her to her face.

But she wasn't some spoiled eldest young lady. The experiences of these years forced her to calm down. Jiang Jinshi only gave her a chance of three sentences, and she had to think deeply before speaking.

Cui Wangshu didn't dare to gamble, to gamble that Jiang Jinshi didn't have a real heart to kill her. This was the approach of a gambler or a fool; how could a smart person let themselves stand under a dangerous wall!

Today she invited Jiang Jinshi, and she indeed had her own goals, but at this moment, it was clearly not the right time.

What she needed to analyze was Jiang Jinshi's intention for going south. Only by catering to his preferences could she please the other party and win a glimmer of survival for herself.

And this was also the reason why Jiang Jinshi gave her a chance of three sentences. Cui Wangshu analyzed step by step. Jiang Jinshi was the master of Beijiang. Logically speaking, the caravan business shouldn't be something he had to do personally, so the caravan was just a facade to cover up his real purpose.

Cui Wangshu had already learned about Jiang Jinshi's actions in these few days. After all, they were in Yangzhou City, so this bit of news couldn't be hidden from the Cui family. Cui Wangshu didn't know more before this, so she could only reason through Jiang Jinshi's behavior these days.

First was the matter of the other party going to the brothel, but it was said that he only tasted wine and listened to music, and didn't do anything else.

Cui Wangshu didn't know Jiang Jinshi's character and hobbies, so this behavior couldn't be defined for the time being.

But the other party would go to the vicinity of the market every day, and didn't sell any goods like the first day. Such behavior was definitely abnormal.

What was near the market that could attract Jiang Jinshi to go every day?

Jiang Jinshi wanted to board the boat for the poetry gathering, but he didn't have any intention of participating. The intention behind this might already be very clear.

Combined with Jiang Jinshi's identity as the master of Beijiang, and the latest news from Beijiang, all of this didn't seem hard to guess.

Cui Wangshu took a deep breath and exhaled very slowly. She didn't know if her guess was right, but she could only say these three sentences.

Jiang Jinshi didn't urge Cui Wangshu, his gaze just hung on Cui Wangshu's brow.

"First sentence!" Her voice was still trembling, but every word was clear, "Young Master Jiang went south to seek out great talents who can help you govern Beijiang and stabilize the people's livelihood, not to enjoy the mountains and rivers."

Jiang Jinshi was expressionless, "You have two more sentences!"

"Second sentence!" Cui Wangshu's back straightened a bit, and her speaking speed became steady, "Young Master Jiang's trip is quite secretive, using the pseudonym Jiang Shi. I think you don't want others to disturb you. My Cui clan has no manpower in Beijiang, but we have a say in the south. My Cui clan can help hide your tracks!"

"Last sentence!" Jiang Jinshi raised his index finger.

Cui Wangshu knew this was the last chance and where all her bets were placed.

Her hands were quietly clenched into fists under the table, and her voice was subconsciously lowered.

"Third sentence, the great talent you seek, young master, is far away in the sky and close before your eyes. It is not my arrogance, but the scholar-gentry families in Jiangnan are deeply rooted, and outsiders can't move an inch."

"If you want to seek true talent, young master, rather than mediocre people or those harboring evil intentions, you need a pair of eyes that know the roots and the bottom, and a path that can knock open many high-minded families."

"And I, Cui Wangshu, am willing to be your eyes in the south!"

"What I seek is not power and wealth, but only a glimmer of survival when Beijiang is stable and the trade routes are smooth in the future, a fair opportunity to stand between the north and the south."

Jiang Jinshi lowered his hand and looked at Cui Wangshu seriously for the first time. No wonder the scholar-gentry were like maggots attached to bones; even a woman in the clan had such courage and vision. They were truly not easy to deal with.

Cui Wangshu's first two sentences were easy to understand. The first sentence was to test whether Jiang Jinshi's purpose was the same as she guessed, but unfortunately, Jiang Jinshi didn't reveal any clues.

The second sentence was to show her strength and also tell Jiang Jinshi from the side that her Cui clan hadn't planted any manpower in Beijiang.

But the third sentence had hidden meaning.

The other party was talking about herself, not the Cui clan!

This woman, her heart is very big!!

What she wanted wasn't a glimmer of survival either. After all, if she continued to be the eldest young lady of the Cui clan, what crisis could there be?

So what she wanted was a fair opportunity. What kind of opportunity?

Needing the help of someone in the position of the master of Beijiang, and mentioning fairness, Jiang Jinshi suddenly had an unbelievable idea...

This woman... wouldn't she want to be the head of the Cui clan?! ===== CHAPTER 302 =====