Chapter 31: On the Chopping Block
Chapter 31: Chapter 31: On the Chopping Block
"No, it’s not—" Wang Tingyue moved his lips, but he didn’t know how to continue.
"Not what? The rumors outside are absolutely right. I am the one clinging to Lu Xiu relentlessly, but what else can I do? Only the Lu Family can overpower the Wang family!
"It’s just a pity that he didn’t show up today, so I had to set my sights on the Cao Family instead. What am I after? I’m after their high positions and great power!
"Take a good look! Now, in my eyes, there is only status and position!"
She pushed Wang Tingyue away without mercy, turned to open the door, and stepped out.
A heavy curtain of rain blurred Liang Wan’s vision, as if heaven and earth had been entirely drenched by the downpour. Her heart ached as if it were being torn apart.
A man like Wang Tingyue deserved a good ending. In this life, he shouldn’t be burdened by her again, nor should he lose his life or ruin his future for her sake.
She could not forget how he had died right in front of her.
In his final moments, he had gently wiped away her tears. With red eyes, he asked if, given the chance, she would marry him in their next life...
Liang Wan wiped her tears. However, Wang Tingyue didn’t know that she was no longer the innocent little girl from his memory. Having started this life over, the distance between them would only grow further.
She had crossed the point of no return long ago.
As soon as she turned the corner of the corridor, she saw several people looking around the courtyard, seemingly searching for something.
"Ms. Liang!"
A maid spotted her and immediately called out. The group hurriedly ran over.
Liang Wan composed herself and stood quietly, waiting for them.
The maids arrived out of breath, full of complaints. "Where did you go, Ms. Liang? You made us look everywhere! If the master loses his temper, we’ll—"
Someone tugged at the speaker’s sleeve and shot her a look, prompting the maid to shut her mouth.
Liang Wan swept a cold glance over her. "If the master loses his temper, I will naturally explain it myself. Aren’t we leaving?"
The first maid looked defiant, stiffening her neck and letting out a cold snort.
Liang Wan simply ignored her. Such people were no longer capable of angering her.
After passing through two gardens and several archways, Liang Wan finally stepped into the inner courtyard of the Sikong Mansion.
They did not take her to Wang Su’s residence, but instead led her to a secluded side courtyard.
The room was damp, and the wooden furnishings emanated a stale, musty smell. Through the window, mottled shadows of bamboo leaves fell onto the floor.
Once the maids brought her inside, they closed the door and retreated to the side.
An old nanny with wrinkled skin and white hair scrutinized her with a gloomy face. "If you are already this unruly upon just entering the mansion, Ms. Liang, how can you possibly serve the master well?"
As soon as the words fell, the maids standing behind stepped forward to strip her clothes.
Every hair on Liang Wan’s body stood on end. The memories of her past humiliation overlapped with the current situation. Gritting her teeth, she fiercely shoved the maid to the ground, but she also fell over due to her injured ankle.
Before she could get up, two more maids lunged forward and pinned her firmly to the floor.
Liang Wan struggled, panting heavily, as the maids held down her limbs and tore off her dress and inner garments.
The old nanny paced forward with a cold expression, her voice devoid of the slightest emotion.
"I advise you not to waste your energy. Whether they are princesses of imperial blood or young ladies from prestigious families, any woman who enters the gates of the Sikong Mansion is nothing more than a plaything to warm the master’s bed.
"And right now, you don’t even qualify as a plaything. Only after the inspection confirms that you are a virgin will you be worthy of approaching the master."
Once stripped bare, the chilly air made her shiver uncontrollably. With bloodshot eyes, Liang Wan remained silent, glaring viciously at the people before her. What welled up in her eyes were not scalding tears, but burning blood.
However, the people in front of her seemed completely oblivious to her hateful glare. They inspected her body inch by inch, both visually and physically, acting like puppets controlled by strings.
"Spread her legs..."
Afterward, the nanny stood up and wiped her hands. With an emotionless face, she ordered someone to take Liang Wan to the back for a cleansing.
Out of all the countless women who had undergone this inspection, every single one had screamed hysterically. The nanny had never encountered someone with such endurance; she hadn’t let out a single sound from beginning to end.
The nanny couldn’t help but cast a sideways glance at her. If she hadn’t known Liang Wan’s background, she would have suspected the girl was a mute.
Like a walking corpse drained of her soul, Liang Wan let them wash and dress her. Finally, like a freshly cooked fish, she was sent to Wang Su’s room and presented on the table for his tasting.
Seeing the submissive figure lying on the bed, thoroughly tamed, the nanny nodded in satisfaction. Before leaving, she slammed a booklet heavily onto Liang Wan’s body.
"The master doesn’t like those who know nothing."
Only after the door was locked from the outside and Liang Wan was left alone in the empty room did her soul slowly trickle back into her body. Blood mixed with saliva seeped from the corners of her lips.
Ignoring the coppery taste in her mouth, Liang Wan slowly sat up on the bed. She retrieved the embroidery needle she had kept hidden under her tongue the entire time and smiled faintly.
Ever since Wang Su had been stabbed, he had become extremely vigilant. Any woman who came near him had to be thoroughly inspected from head to toe.
She lifted her scattered long hair and tucked the needle behind her ear. Once her hair fell back into place, nothing looked amiss. She only had one chance; if she couldn’t strike true on the first attempt, she would undoubtedly die.
Liang Wan sat on the bed with her eyes closed, waiting quietly.
When the sun finally set, a noise came from the door. At the sound, Liang Wan unconsciously gripped the bedsheets beneath her.
In stark contrast to her tension, the newcomer walked at an agonizingly slow pace. He seemed to know just how much psychological pressure this unhurried approach inflicted on the one waiting, and he acted all the more leisurely for it.
Liang Wan opened her eyes and saw Wang Su stepping forward with a sinister grin, clearly heavily intoxicated.
"You little bitch, aren’t you good at running away? Why did you still obediently deliver yourself to my door?"
Liang Wan’s heart skipped a beat. It seemed Wang Su knew about her attempt to escape, which meant Zhang Shi’s death couldn’t be hidden from him either. But why hadn’t he reported her?
Forcing down her shock, Liang Wan managed a strained smile. "All lands under heaven belong to the king. You are second only to one and above all others, Master. With your immense reach and power, where could I possibly run?"
Whether it was because the flattery worked, or simply because he knew victory was in his grasp, Wang Su grabbed her chin. He chuckled hoarsely, his somewhat aged face bearing a frivolity that did not match his years.
"Whatever I want, I must get my hands on it, or else I will destroy it! To tell you the truth, if you had run off with someone that day, I would have certainly sent you to prison the very next morning."
Liang Wan lowered her eyes, not daring to look at him, terrified she wouldn’t be able to conceal her overwhelming hatred.
Wang Su’s scrawny hand locked onto her like a claw, while his other hand stroked her face. "If someone looking like you were taken away by the men from the Ministry of Justice, wouldn’t you just wither away in a cell?"
He lowered his head, breathing alcohol right into her face. Liang Wan felt an urge to vomit. She had originally thought the Ministry of Justice closed the case so quickly out of respect for Lu Xiu, but it turned out Wang Su was also behind it.
Wang Su tightened his grip, his expression twisting into something hideous. "However, you really are different from that old fool. The fact that you could strike so ruthlessly actually makes me like you a little."
Wang Su let go of her chin, only to suddenly grab her hair and yank her backward. Liang Wan’s body pitched to the side, and she let out a groan of pain. This low groan ignited his putrid passion, and an abnormal excitement flared in his intoxicated eyes.