MFURCC -Chapter 58 Second Master Fu Is Dead

“It was my maid. She changed into the servant’s clothes in the mansion. Besides taking Feng Lunian away, she was responsible for poisoning him.”

Today, the Dingyuan General’s mansion was filled with guests. The Fu family would certainly hire some temporary help from outside, or release the maids and servants who were rarely used to serve.

And indeed, that was exactly what happened.

With so many unfamiliar faces in the mansion, the Fu family wouldn’t find it strange.

The poison she had prepared for Fu Yunqi was specially concocted by Doctor Chen. It was even stronger than the poison Fu Yunqi had used on the calligraphy and paintings.

It was colorless and tasteless. Once it took effect, the poison would dissipate. Unless someone checked the pulse before it activated, even the most skilled imperial doctors couldn’t detect it after the effects had begun.

She had Yuliu hide the poison under her thumbnail and sprinkle just a bit into Fu Yunqi’s wine when serving it.

As long as the action was swift, no one would notice.

She had timed it carefully and found that Fu Yunqi’s medicinal effects wouldn’t trigger immediately. So she deliberately went to talk with Fu Yunyi to buy some time.

When the poison’s effect was nearly due, she left with the maid called Lianxin.

As soon as she left, Fu Yunqi followed her.

What happened next unfolded naturally: Yuliu led Feng Lunian to the room Fu Yunqi had prepared for her. Under the influence of the poison, events transpired just as Du Panpan had kicked the door in before.

Madam Yuan felt a sense of satisfaction.

“Liuzheng, you really turned the tables. Those who intended to harm you finally got their comeuppance!”

If she hadn’t been sharp and decisive, the one losing her honor and becoming the laughingstock today would have been Liuzheng.

Madam Yuan didn’t think Liuzheng was cruel.

Being merciful to those who harmed you is actually being unkind to yourself.

But soon, Madam Yuan thought of Liuzheng’s fifth younger brother.

“Don’t forget this person. He’s the true mastermind behind it all.”

Liuzheng smiled wryly. “Sister Yuan, my fifth brother also attended the banquet today. Did you happen to see him?”

Madam Yuan shook her head. “No, I didn’t…”

Liuzheng said, “Soon, a courtyard in the Fu residence will catch fire…”

She lifted the curtain and already saw thick smoke rising from the Dingyuan General’s mansion not far away.

“See, the fire has started. The weather is dry, and they were careless with the candles.”

Madam Yuan followed her gaze and soon saw the smoke.

“What’s going on here?”

Liuzheng briefly explained.

After Feng Lunian and Fu Yunqi ran into trouble, Ruan Mingzheng would naturally go to the scene to inspect.

But he was cautious and didn’t follow Fu Yunsheng immediately. He waited until the first group had gone before finding an excuse to leave the table.

It was at that moment that Pan Hong knocked Fu Yunqi unconscious.

Besides Fu Yunqi, Lianxin was also rendered unconscious.

To avoid being noticed, Fu Yunqi had cleared everyone from that courtyard, leaving only Lianxin to lead her.

As soon as they entered the courtyard, Liuzheng knocked her out and threw her into a woodshed.

After the incident with Fu Yunqi, Pan Hong also threw the unconscious Ruan Mingzheng into the same woodshed.

Once Liuzheng left, they set the fire.

“He is the mastermind, and I definitely won’t let him get away!”

She had considered dealing with Ruan Mingzheng slowly afterward.

But upon reflection, today was the perfect opportunity.

If Ruan Mingzheng died at home, the Madam would take advantage to smear her, and suspicion would inevitably fall on her.

But if he died in the Fu residence, and alongside the Fu family maid, then it would be Ruan Mingzheng’s own problem.

Madam Yuan was both surprised and impressed.

“I thought you might not be able to handle so many people at once. I underestimated you.”

Liuzheng said, “Sister Yuan, do you think I’m cruel? After all, he’s my fifth brother…”

Madam Yuan repeated her earlier words: being merciful to those who harm you is being unkind to yourself.

“Besides, if he truly regarded you as his eldest sister, why would he treat you this way? He doesn’t see you as his eldest sister, so why should you treat him as your fifth brother?”

Hearing this, Liuzheng’s nose tingled unexpectedly.

Her blood relatives hurt her, hated her, resented her—but Sister Yuan, who shared no blood with her, knew her, understood her, and protected her.

“How fortunate Liuzheng is, to have a friend like you.”

“Don’t say that. It’s my luck that you allow me close to you.”

She usually had no friends. When her husband was busy with official matters, she had no one to keep her company.

Her two children weren’t her biological children, and they were already grown when she raised them. No matter how well she treated them, it didn’t feel like family.

Liuzheng was like a beam of light suddenly shining on her.

She saw the hardships Liuzheng endured, her courage and resilience, and truly admired her from the heart.

“I regret not meeting you sooner,” Madam Yuan said with a smile.

Liuzheng was about to reply when Yuliu’s voice came from outside.

“Miss.”

Liuzheng said, “Tell the coachman to stop and come up.”

“Yes.”

The carriage stopped quickly, and Yuliu lifted the curtain and entered.

She had changed back into her original clothes and was neatly dressed.

Seeing Madam Yuan present, Yuliu swallowed the words she had intended to say.

“It’s fine. Sister Yuan is one of us. You may speak.”

Yuliu began, “Pan Hong asked me to inform you that everything has been taken care of. The fire started, and they were busy with Second Master Fu, so they didn’t rush to put it out immediately. By the time they brought the buckets, the two people inside were already burnt beyond recognition. Their clothes were completely burned, and their identities couldn’t be confirmed. Pan Hong said he stayed behind to check the situation, so he sent me back to find you first.”

Liuzheng nodded.

Then Yuliu said, “Second Master Fu is dead.”

Liuzheng looked up in shock.

“How could this be?”

Even with the tongue tied cut, and two highly skilled doctors present, it shouldn’t have been possible to die so easily.

Madam Yuan was also surprised.

“Weren’t the doctors there? How did he die? Is this news reliable?”

“I saw them go to the coffin shop, so I sneaked over and overheard that the tongue tie had been cut too deeply—almost half the tongue was severed. The bleeding wouldn’t stop, and the doctors couldn’t save him. He passed away soon after.”

Madam Yuan looked at Liuzheng worriedly.

“Will you be implicated?”

Liuzheng wasn’t worried about herself and reassured Yuan, “I’ll be fine.”

The carriage arrived at Madam Yuan’s residence.

“Sister Yuan, go home first. I’ll handle the rest myself. But what happened today cannot be told to anyone.”

“Don’t worry. Even my husband won’t hear a word from me.”

Liuzheng nodded and watched Madam Yuan leave before getting back into the carriage herself.

She pulled out a set of men’s dark ink-colored clothes from under the seat.

“Take a ride around for a while. I’ll return to the Dingyuan General’s mansion.”

The coachman was one of Pan Hong and Pan Zhan’s men—reliable and discreet.

After giving instructions, Liuzheng changed and jumped off the carriage.

By now, night had slowly fallen.

Liuzheng snuck into the Fu residence under cover of darkness and quickly found Pan Hong.

“General.”

“How’s the situation?”

“Fu Yunqi is dead. The two in the woodshed have not yet been identified, so no one dared report it.”

Liuzheng nodded.

“Where is General Fu now?” she asked.

“I’ll take you to him,” he replied.

“Good.”

The Fu household was in chaos.

News of Fu Yunqi’s death hadn’t been hidden from Madam Fu.

She had fainted several times.

Old Master Fu and Fu Yunyi were taking care of her.

Fu Yunqi’s funeral arrangements were entrusted to Fu Yunsheng.

When Liuzheng and Pan Hong used lightness skill to reach Fu Yunsheng via the eaves, he was instructing his men to purchase items for the funeral.

Once the servants left, Liuzheng leapt in front of Fu Yunsheng.

Since Fu Yunsheng was loyal to Prince Su and had followed him in a past life, she could temporarily trust him and speak with him.

“General Fu.”

“General Ruan?” Fu Yunsheng was momentarily stunned, then looked around before lowering his voice, “Why are you here? Come inside quickly.”

“Mm.”

Liuzheng followed him in.

Once the door closed, Fu Yunsheng said, “My second brother is dead.”

“I’ve heard. But I don’t understand why.”

As she spoke, Liuzheng kept her eyes fixed on Fu Yunsheng.

There was no sorrow in his eyes for his brother’s death—only a suppressed sense of satisfaction.

Liuzheng roughly guessed that Fu Yunqi’s death had something to do with Fu Yunsheng.

Sure enough, after a moment of hesitation, Fu Yunsheng confessed everything.

“Fu Yunqi insisted that his affair with Feng Lunian had something to do with General Ruan, so I guessed that General Ruan would have a countermeasure and wouldn’t fear him. When you two signed the agreement, I knew the one to ultimately enforce it would be him.”

“So, while you were arguing over evidence, I coated a small knife I had with a medicine. The medicine promotes blood flow. Once his tongue tie was cut, the bleeding wouldn’t stop, eventually causing death from blood loss.”

“And I deliberately applied extra force when I did it…”

Liuzheng wasn’t surprised. Cutting a tongue tie alone wouldn’t easily kill someone—it had to be intentional.

“I just don’t understand why you wanted to kill him?”

Even she had shown mercy to Fu Yunqi and spared his life.

And yet Fu Yunsheng, his own brother, had chosen to kill him.

Could it be to demonstrate loyalty to Prince Su?

After all, it was under Prince Su’s orders that Fu Yunsheng had invited her to the mansion.

He knew in advance that she intended to deal with Feng Lunian.

Fu Yunsheng took a deep breath, finally letting his hatred surface.

“Fu Yunqi has always been reckless in matters of men and women. In the past, I never interfered; while our parents were alive, they managed him.”

“But after I returned to the capital, I realized he had been secretly involved with my wife. Even the child she’s carrying now is his!”

“Worse, our parents knew all along but didn’t tell me to avoid sowing discord between us brothers.”

Fu Yunsheng clenched his fists until his knuckles cracked.

“Now that he’s dead, my great revenge is finally complete!”

A bright light gleamed in his eyes.

It was the satisfaction of avenging a long-standing humiliation.

“After the funeral, I will make her miscarry, then divorce her!”

At that moment, Liuzheng recalled that in her previous life, Fu Yunsheng had later used his wife’s miscarriage as a pretext to divorce her, never remarried, and remained childless.

Her doubts were answered, though her expression was still grim.

“But have you considered? With Fu Yunqi dead, it might interfere with the matters the Prince ordered me to handle.”