Free Web NovelChapter 340: Chapter 341: Do or Die
Hua Manman wasn’t actually going to marry Ah Qi.
She just wanted to use the wedding as an opportunity to wipe out all the West Liang people in the village.
This was the main reason she had been so reluctant to leave with Ah Qi.
Xiao Hong was a brave and skilled warrior, but he was also cruel and bloodthirsty. If he were allowed to return to Xiliang, he would surely slaughter four cities in a row, just as the original story’s plot dictated.
She had to take his life in Great Zhou before he could return!
Hua Manman whispered a few words in Si Yun’s ear.
Si Yun looked surprised. "Will this work?"
Hua Manman said, "We have to try. This is our last chance. It’s do or die."
Her voice sounded light and breezy, yet it gave Si Yun the grim feeling of being on a battlefield.
Si Yun couldn’t help but tense up.
She clenched her fists, silently encouraging herself.
’We have to succeed!’
A wedding required a wedding maid, but there were only three women in the entire village: Hua Manman, Si Yun, and He Qiuwen.
Compared to the inexperienced Si Yun, He Qiuwen, who was already married, was clearly a more suitable choice for a wedding maid.
Furthermore, He Qiuwen was a relative from Hua Manman’s side of the family. It was customary for such a relative to see the bride off on her wedding day.
And so, He Qiuwen was unceremoniously brought before Hua Manman.
He Qiuwen stared in disbelief. "Are you insane? You’re really going to marry that West Liang man? Aren’t you afraid Prince Zhao will hunt you to the ends of the earth?!"
Who didn’t know of Prince Zhao’s fearsome reputation? If he found out his own Princess Consort had married another man, he would surely tear the adulterous pair to pieces.
Even if Hua Manman and Ah Qi managed to flee back to Xiliang, Prince Zhao could still lead an army there to kill them.
If that Evil God truly lost his mind, was there anything he wouldn’t do?!
Hua Manman sat before the vanity, slowly undoing her hair as she spoke in a leisurely tone. freewёbnoνel.com
"Are you really in a position to worry about Prince Zhao right now? The West Liang people are leaving after tonight. Have you thought about what they’ll do with you?"
He Qiuwen froze.
She truly hadn’t considered that.
She asked blankly, "They’ll take me with them, right?"
Hua Manman glanced back at her. "You’re useless to them. Bringing you along would just be a burden."
He Qiuwen stammered, "S-So they’ll just leave me behind?"
’If that’s what happens, that would be wonderful.’
’She couldn’t wait to get far away from those West Liang people.’
Hua Manman said, "You’re thinking far too charitably of them. Leaving you alive risks exposing their movements. Based on my understanding of them, they’ll be sure to clean up every trace before they go—and that includes you."
He Qiuwen’s face turned pale. She asked with difficulty,
"You mean... they’ll kill me to tie up loose ends?"
Hua Manman didn’t answer.
But He Qiuwen had already found the answer in her expression.
’Those West Liang people were vicious. For them, killing someone was as easy as drinking a cup of water.’
A chill ran down He Qiuwen’s spine as fear spread from the depths of her heart.
She rushed forward, grabbing Hua Manman’s sleeve and pleading in a trembling voice.
"Save me! I’m your aunt, we’re family! You can’t just stand by and watch me get killed!"
Hua Manman pulled her sleeve from the woman’s grasp and soothed her gently.
"Don’t be afraid. As long as you do exactly as I say, not only will you survive, but we can make sure those West Liang people are the ones who die."
He Qiuwen nodded vigorously. "I’ll do whatever you say. As long as you keep me alive, I’ll do anything."
...
The sun sank in the west, and wisps of smoke curled up from the kitchen.
To prepare for the celebration, the West Liang people had built a bonfire on the village’s threshing ground and set up dozens of low tables around it.
Two army cooks were spinning in circles, overwhelmed with work in the kitchen.
They were solely responsible for tonight’s feast.
Even with several people brought in to help, they still couldn’t keep up.
Just then, He Qiuwen arrived.
She said to the two army cooks, "The Princess Consort is still getting ready; it will be a while. Since I have nothing to do, I thought I’d come and help."
One of the West Liang people helping with the fire snickered.
"She’s about to be Ah Qi’s wife. She’s not your Great Zhou’s Princess Consort anymore."
Another West Liang man chimed in with a malicious laugh. "I never thought a nobody like Ah Qi would get to share a woman with the world-renowned Prince Zhao. The kid’s got some real luck!" frёewebnoѵēl.com
He Qiuwen pretended not to hear their jeers. With a subservient posture, she walked over and began to sort and wash the vegetables.
A West Liang man ran in, holding a small wine jug.
He said conspiratorially,
"Look what I found in the cellar!"
The West Liang people were fond of their drink, and these men were no exception.
Upon seeing the jug, the West Liang men in the room stopped what they were doing and crowded around it.
When the clay seal was broken, the rich, mellow aroma of wine filled the room.
It made everyone’s mouth water.
They scrambled over one another to get a drink.
Finally, the two army cooks shouted at them to stop.
"What the hell do you think you’re doing? I brought you here to help, not to fight over food! Get back to work or get the hell out!"
The men sheepishly returned to their stations and went back to work.
It wasn’t that the two army cooks didn’t want a drink. They were simply too busy. Many of the dishes for the feast were not yet prepared, and if they didn’t have everything ready by the auspicious hour, they would have to answer to the Young General.
He Qiuwen placed the washed Xiangma Fruit on the prep table.
She said quietly to the two army cooks,
"I’ve heard that when you stir-fry Xiangma Fruit, adding a bit of cooking wine makes it taste even better."
One of the cooks replied without looking up, "We don’t have any cooking wine."
As soon as he said it, he remembered. ’We don’t have cooking wine, but we just got a small jug of fine liquor!’
He turned his head to look at the wine jug on the floor.
The other West Liang men wailed, "It’s too much of a waste to use such fine liquor for cooking!"
Seeing their reaction only strengthened the cooks’ resolve to use the liquor in their cooking.
’Leaving the jug here will just distract those guys from their work. It’s better to cook with it.’
And so, the jug of fine liquor was requisitioned by the army cooks.
He Qiuwen watched them pour the liquor into the wok, mixing it with the crushed Xiangma Fruit.
She felt a thrill of both nervousness and excitement.
A peculiar aroma wafted from the wok.
It made all the West Liang men in the room gulp.
Even the two cooks in charge of the wok were drooling with anticipation.
Unable to resist, they picked up their chopsticks and took a bite under the pretext of tasting the dish for seasoning.
As the other West Liang men watched with longing eyes, the two cooks let out a heartfelt exclamation of praise.
"This is so damn good!"
