Chapter 139 – The Heart is So Black It Can’t Be Cleaned (Part 2)
“What is this? Dying before the battle has even begun?”
Jiang Pengji frowned slightly, and upon seeing the screen filled with laughter, she showed a mischievous smile rather than feeling irritated.
“Young Master, do you have a solution?” Xu Ke asked.
Secretly, he hoped Jiang Pengji would seek Liu Zhi’s assistance, as the Liu family’s second branch was extraordinarily wealthy and acquiring that batch of grain would be a piece of cake.
In his mind, Jiang Pengji was Liu Zhi’s only legitimate child, so it was only natural that she would inherit all his family assets, while the other illegitimate sons would be lucky to get a mere fraction and some antiques. If Liu Zhi was on board, it was almost a sure thing.
“I do have an idea; I’m just thinking… since it’s about getting something for nothing, why not take it to the extreme?”
The curve of Jiang Pengji’s lips was perfectly balanced, neither friendly nor distant, just right.
“Take it to the extreme?” Xu Ke was confused.
“Every time the streamer shows that smile, I get the chills; someone’s about to have a bad day!” Stowaway Non-Money commented.
Among all the viewers in the live stream, it seemed that this one had been following Jiang Pengji from the start and knew her best.
Jiang Pengji’s working style was sharp and indecisive at the same time.
She never wiped out her enemies in one fell swoop; instead, she would confirm whether they still had any exploitable value. If they did, she would let them live a few more days; if not… only after she confirmed their value was gone would she strike.
She narrowed her eyes and smiled meaningfully, “Xiaoyu, do you know where the culprit behind the chaos in Cangzhou Meng County is now?”
Xu Ke was puzzled and did not see the connection to the previous statement.
“The Cangzhou Meng Clan, if we’re talking wealth, how many can compare to them in the entire Dongqing? One legitimate son for a shipment of grain—what a deal.”
Xu Ke’s eyes widened in surprise, and after a moment, he managed to say, “Young Master, are you saying that person… is right within the mansion?”
Jiang Pengji fanned herself with a sandalwood fan, smiling as she concealed her amusement, speaking in a teasing tone, “Yes, it’s someone who came knocking on our door themselves.”
“So… you want to disguise as bandits and exchange Meng’s grain for him? That won’t work; if Meng Liang says just a couple of words, won’t this whole scheme get exposed?” Xu Ke shook his head in disapproval, but he was alert enough to sense something was off.
Despite having only spent a few days with Young Master, that time was enough for him to understand a fact.
His Young Master was ruthless and sharp-witted, always seeking profit and never shooting herself in the foot.
“Fool, do you think your Young Master is that silly?” Jiang Pengji let out a cold snort, disdainfully saying, “Naturally, we’ll have Meng Liang write a letter and send a confidant to request grain. All we need to do is arrange for someone to take over; the rest is none of our concern. As for Meng Liang spilling the beans… hehe, you really think that after causing all that chaos in Cangzhou, and still trying to swagger in Hejian, he can live?”
In ancient times, there was a saying: dead men tell no tales, and if they can die without a complete corpse, that’s even better.
Of course, in her era, that saying was laughable because corpses could actually leak secrets more easily than living beings.
However, in this extremely backward society, as long as Meng Liang died beyond redemption, no one would ever find a trace against her.
Xu Ke was at a loss for words, “So your plan is to use Meng Liang, and then…”
He mimicked a slicing motion with his hand.
Jiang Pengji scoffed, “So in your eyes, your Young Master is that weak?”
Xu Ke was bewildered, feeling as if he no longer recognized the words Jiang Pengji was speaking, “Then what does the Young Master plan to do?”
Jiang Pengji shook her head, wearing an expression of disdain as if she was saying, “A child that can’t learn.”
“Do you know the fundamental rule of schemes? It’s to make sure all the benefits are yours, while others take the blame, and no one can say a bad word about you, keeping a pristine image untouched by the mud.”
Ignoring how Xu Ke evaluated her words, the live stream audience felt their primal instincts rising uncontrollably.
“The Great Landlord’s Wife”: Only the streamer could describe shamelessness so elegantly.
“Detective Curly-haired”: As a newbie in the stream, I’ve heard tales of Meng Liang’s shamelessness and disgusting behavior. But now that this unfortunate kid has crossed paths with the streamer, I can’t help but feel sorry for him. What karma did he bring upon himself to end up with the streamer?
“Divine Lord Red Lotus”: Same here—+1 for sympathy. With a high-tier streamer like this, I feel he won’t even know how he will die.
Though Jiang Pengji had turned utterly black-hearted, in this era, being ruthless was far more appealing than being a naïve saint. The viewers watched the stream for excitement and thrills, and her actions indeed struck a chord with their inner cravings.
One word: Refreshing!
Two words: Utterly satisfying!
“Sweet Melon Seeds”: #LOL, am I the only one who noticed the streamer said that’s just the basics of strategy? Then what would more advanced tactics look like… Gosh, I’m trembling in anticipation, feeling sorry in advance for the streamer’s future opponents.
As Jiang Pengji let loose and bullied some poor little boy, the system was already starting to feel a headache.
System: “Though that’s true, what if things go wrong, and the Meng Clan traces the grain back to you?”
Jiang Pengji thought casually, “Isn’t there no capital to buy grain? If I don’t find a way, how can I play?”
Hearing her say this, the system cautiously observed Jiang Pengji’s expression and hesitantly spoke, “Host, your cheap father isn’t very well-off? The dowry… cough, the family assets he gave you listed plenty of grain storage. If you don’t want to rely on Liu Zhi, the store also has exchange and loan services. You can get as much grain as you want without any risk.”
Having money at home, if Jiang Pengji wished, she could easily trade for a massive stockpile of grain without worry. Why take the risk?
But Jiang Pengji replied, “I won’t do it for three reasons. First, Liu Zhi is Liu Zhi, and I am me—those assets are my old man’s legacy, and I have no intention of touching them. Second, I could get a batch of grain from you, but how would I explain its source? Liu Zhi is a real fox; do you think he wouldn’t raise doubts just because I’m his daughter? You’re thinking too much.”
“As for the third, and the most important point, System, don’t you think this is far more entertaining? If it’s too easy to obtain, you won’t cherish it because it’s too simple and easy to grasp. To me, the added value is far too low.”
In other words, Jiang Pengji liked doing this more because it’s risky, making her find it interesting.
Compared to the final outcome, she enjoyed the process of attaining the results even more—the exhilarating sensation of controlling every moment.
