Transmigration Of An Assassin

Planning

"How is their marriage?" Tang Shushui asked after taking a slow breath. "A powerful wife who overshadows her husband. Such things rarely end well."

"They're said to have a good marriage," Bai Fengju replied. "Wang Jin never took a concubine after marrying Lady He. People say he's very devoted to her. They had a daughter early on; she's fourteen now and soon to be married. Later, Lady He gave birth to their only son, who's about seven."

Tang Shushui leaned back slightly. "And this devotion, what is it like?"

"Quite excessive," Bai Fengju said. "He never raises his voice, always sides with her, and doesn't even keep maids for personal service. Lady He is known to have a bad temper, but he never argues with her."

"Of course he treats her that way," Tang Shushui said, a faint smile on his lips. "She's his source of success. Wang Jin was a poor scholar before marrying her. Scholars of his kind look down on merchants, yet he married into a merchant family. That already tells you he had a reason beyond affection. His son's attitude toward merchants shows the same thing; he doesn't like them. That comes from his father. It's either that Wang Jin really loves Lady He, or he's waiting for the right time to act."

"I think he loves her," Bai Fengju said after some thought. "He's never gone to a brothel, even when other officials invited him. Because of that, he's lost a few connections."

Tang Shushui gave a quiet laugh. "Maybe. But to me, his behavior feels a bit too careful. Even I, a ger, sometimes go to brothels for business. That doesn't mean I'm unfaithful. Brothels are places for meetings and dealings, especially among nobles. For him to refuse completely, to lose favors just to prove his loyalty, there's something deliberate about it. Either he's deeply devoted, or he's hiding something and wants his wife to believe he's above suspicion."

He set down his cup, his tone calm but steady. "The more he acts this way, the more secure Lady He feels. She'll think, 'My husband doesn't even discuss business in brothels; how could he ever betray me?' Once she starts thinking like that, she'll stop paying attention to small changes around her. And when that happens, she'll be the last to see the truth if something ever goes wrong."

Bai Fengju was quiet for a long moment before speaking. "You think he's pretending?"

"I think people are complicated," Tang Shushui said simply. "Some men love with sincerity, and some with purpose. Whether it's love or a mask, it'll show in time."

"So what do you plan to do?" Bai Fengju asked carefully.

"I wanted to go in person and ask about the situation involving his son and my daughter. But from the servant's attitude, I can see it's not likely they would apologize. To have injured my daughter like that? I will not let it go with a light punishment. I'm going to bring their family to destruction," Tang Shushui said coldly.

"I believe in you, Shui'er, but this..." Bai Fengju said. Tang Shushui knew her doubts weren't unfounded. After all, even she had difficulties bringing them down.

"I know, but I won't need to personally destroy them. A little push from me, and that rotten household will come crumbling down," Tang Shushui sneered.

"But what if the family in the capital knows?" Bai Fengju said, concerned.

"I know, but the incident today made me realize how powerless I am. I won't be taking the exam until spring, and that will only make me a xiucai. No one else in my family is educated enough to be a scholar, except for the little one, and well, they're still children. With a growing business, if I don't make moves, the powerful will crush me at will. At this point, I have no choice, and the Wang family is the perfect chicken to kill to warn the monkeys," Tang Shushui explained, a cold glint in his eyes.

Bai Fengju felt shivers down her spine, but she agreed. She was powerless in her husband's house, at the mercy of her mother-in-law and sister-in-law. Her daughter suffered, yet she could only tell her to swallow those grievances. But looking at Tang Shushui, a commoner with less power than her, going against a magistrate just for his daughter, not even blood-related, filled her with deep shame, and inspiration.

"You're right. It is I who was shortsighted. Whatever you need help with, let me know. Such an opportunity to repay my brother's grievance, how could I pass it up?" Bai Fengju said with a cold smile.

"There is no need for you to act openly," he said. "The Wang family is sensitive. Any movement from you would alert them too soon."

Bai Fengju nodded. "Then what do you intend to do first?"

"The Wang family cannot be touched directly," he said after a moment. "Not yet. Wang Jin's position is too clean. If he is attacked first, Lady He will only close ranks around him."

Bai Fengju frowned slightly. "Then you intend to move against Lady He?"

Tang Shushui nodded. "She is the pillar of that household. Wang Jin stands because she and her family allow him to stand. If she falters, the funds will stop, and everything else will follow."

Lady He's strength did not come from affection or loyalty, but from certainty. She believed her husband was entirely under her control, that his reputation, his restraint, even his obedience were proof of his dependence on her. As long as that belief remained intact, the Wang household would appear unshakable.

"And how do you plan to test her?" Bai Fengju asked.

"By doing nothing obvious," Tang Shushui replied calmly. "Lady He is proud. She trusts what she can see. So the first step is to make her see something that should not exist."

He lifted his gaze. "Not scandal. Not accusation. Only doubt. For now, I want everything about Wang Jin that seems normal, his itinerary, everything. If I could have even the slightest evidence of infidelity, this ordeal would be much easier."

"She watches Wang Jin closely," Bai Fengju said. "If anything changes in his behavior, she would've noticed."

"Exactly," Tang Shushui replied. "Which is why nothing about him seems out of place."

Tang Shushui didn't say it out loud, but he knew that in this era, where women were grateful if their husband had only one concubine, some things would definitely slip past Lady He, and he would take full advantage of that.