Chapter 430: 198. Wei Clan Reopening the Case?

198. Wei Clan Reopening the Case?

dingdiange:

Night like ink.

In Xunyang City, some places were pitch black with lights out, while others were brightly lit.

Especially the long street in Xunyang Square located by the Xunyang River, lined with restaurants and song houses, the red lanterns along the street were like long dragons.

If looked down from the sky, it looked like a red ribbon inlaid with dazzling gems tied by an immortal by the Xunyang River.

Xunyang Tower was the most dazzling pearl among them.

The area between Xunyang Ferry and Xunyang Tower was pitch black, with only scattered lights from households.

On a street leading to Xunyang Tower, a luxurious motorcade was moving forward, guarded by a team of Xianbei guards on horseback.

The motorcade had just bid farewell to Rong Zhen and Ouyang Rong and traveled a distance when Wei Shaoqi, who was resting with his eyes closed in the central luxurious carriage, suddenly asked:

"That kid is Ouyang Lianghan? The fearless upright gentleman once called the Southeast Pearl by the Great-Aunt?"

His face was calm, and the indifferent expression from just a moment ago had vanished.

"That's right."

Wang Lengran frowned and said:

"However, to say he is an upright gentleman, that's not necessarily true. This kid is cunning and not the kind of pedantic blockhead. The so-called outspoken remonstrance might be deceiving the Emperor and selling straightness. Third Young Master, if you understand a little, you will know."

"This young master doesn't care if he is deceiving the Emperor or selling straightness."

Wei Shaoqi closed his eyes and asked again:

"Wasn't this Ouyang Lianghan the Magistrate of Longcheng?"

"Correct, this kid was in office last year, and later, by luck, he was promoted for his achievements in flood control. In the middle, he even pretended to resign from his position as a Censor in the capital."

"Last year, Sixth Brother and Mr. Qiu rushed to Longcheng, he was also in Longcheng, right?"

Wang Lengran looked at Wei Shaoqi's expression with some surprise. The carriage was driving on the street, and the surrounding lights fell into the carriage, hitting his face, somewhat uncertain in light and shadow.

"Correct." Wang Lengran nodded honestly.

"Did he have any interaction with Sixth Brother?"

"Don't know... However, Sixth Young Master should have seen him. I heard Shopkeeper Li mention it once before. This kid seemed to have been caught and teased by Sixth Young Master, but later was let go by that waste of a third young master of the Liu family who failed more than he succeeded..."

Wei Shaoqi listened quietly.

Wang Lengran sighed:

"If Sixth Young Master had slaughtered this kid back then, it would have been fine. Now this kid has hooked up with the Xunyang Prince's Mansion and become a lackey of the Prince of Xunyang, which is hateful and has repeatedly ruined our good deeds."

He whispered, somewhat sinisterly:

"Third Young Master, you must also be careful of this kid. Do not underestimate the enemy."

Wei Shaoqi laughed lightly:

"Wang Lengran, the Prince sent you here, and you have been the Jiangzhou Cishi for so long, why can't you even play with a tiny Senior Secretary like him? And you have to let this young master come to handle it?"

Wang Lengran immediately lowered his head:

"It is this subordinate's uselessness, failing the expectations of the Prince and the Young Master. This subordinate is hard to blame! I hope the Prince and the Young Master will punish me severely!"

The young man in brocade clothes, who was only a Grade 5 Assistant Jiangzhou Cishi of Hongzhou but calmly accepted the plea of an Jiangzhou Cishi of a prefecture, sneered and said:

"Alright, stop selling misery.

"This young master came here this time, not to clean up such small characters; I haven't been that free."

Wang Lengran's eyes were expectant:

"Could it be... that in Luoyang, the two Princes have decided to take action?"

As he spoke, his gaze drifted toward the Xunyang Prince's Mansion in the Xiushui Square, and his palm made a horizontal cutting gesture at his neck to signal.

"No."

Wei Shaoqi shook his head and added a faint instruction:

"Everything at the Xunyang Prince's Mansion remains as it is, do not startle the snake for the time being; the last incident has already made them wary..."

"This subordinate understands, but, what is the Young Master's purpose in coming..."

Wang Lengran asked to himself in confusion, suddenly remembering something, and asked in a low voice:

"The Prince previously entrusted this subordinate to forward a letter to General Qin... could it be, it's about the Hongzhou frontline..."

Wei Shaoqi opened his eyes, looked at Wang Lengran, and said nothing.

But the slightly narrowed eyes made Wang Lengran shiver, and he lowered his head deeply, not daring to ask again.

"Third Brother!"

At this moment, a gentle female voice came from the carriage beside them, dressed as a noble lady going out.

"What is it, Seventh Sister?"

Wei Shaoqi immediately turned his head, revealing a kind smile, his tone gentle.

This made Wang Lengran, who had been trembling with fear a second ago, stunned.

The woman who didn't show her face in the carriage asked with concern:

"This Jiangzhou weather is colder than Yangzhou, does Third Brother need to add some clothes? I prepared some when I was in Yangzhou."

Wei Shaoqi shook his head, his tone kind:

"No need, Seventh Sister, but if you are cold, go to the residence first to put away your things and wear something warm. Jiangzhou Cishi Wang has already prepared our residence."

Facing the gentle questioning gaze of Wei Shaoqi, Wang Lengran nodded like a chicken pecking at rice to lead the way:

"Yes, yes, yes, Princess, Young Master, please follow this subordinate, turn left ahead."

"Thank you for your hard work, Jiangzhou Cishi Wang. If you feel cold on an autumn night, you can say so, I have prepared more men's clothes."

"Not cold, not cold, the Young Master is gentle, making this subordinate feel like bathing in a spring breeze."

"That's good."

There was a shallow smile from the woman in the carriage.

Wei Shaoqi also smiled in return, keeping his smile, and squinted at the Xunyang night scene outside the carriage...

An hour later.

Xunyang Tower, the brightly lit main hall had lost its usual bustle, with only two tables of wine and food set, and the others were empty tables.

These two tables of wine and food were rich to the point of extravagance, all rare ingredients transported from Yangzhou and Qiantang, as well as some out-of-season and out-of-region delicacies.

The Xie-Qin family banquet that Xie Xuee hosted for Qin Jingqin last time probably wasn't this rich.

Two tables of wine and food, the first table sat men, and the second table sat women.

The people sitting around the first table, besides the main guest tonight, Wei Shaoqi, also included Wang Lengran and his close subordinates, as well as some officials from other places who had defected to the Wei clan, who had also specially rushed to attend the banquet tonight.

The second table was the female relatives of the former, and the female relatives who were usually like orioles and swallows were now honest and quiet, and I don't know if they had received strict instructions from the male masters before coming to the banquet.

Wei Shaoqi was sitting at the very head of the first table.

The head position of the second table was vacant.

"Sorry, Seventh Sister might be late changing clothes, everyone can eat first if you are hungry."

Wei Shaoqi looked around, his tone apologetic.

Everyone smiled, no one moved their chopsticks.

Wang Lengran turned his head and looked at the door from time to time.

A moment later, a green-clothed official who often followed Wang Lengran walked into the building in a hurry, holding a small wooden box in his arms, and beside him was a team of Xianbei guards, protecting him closely.

"The item has been delivered, Young Master, please look, it is this item."

Wang Lengran took the small wooden box and handed it to Wei Shaoqi carefully.

Wei Shaoqi flicked open the wooden box with two fingers and took a look.

Only to see a jade ring inlaid with emerald lying inside.

On the jade ring, there was a residual dried bloodstain, and for some reason, no one went to wipe it.

Wei Shaoqi marveled and asked:

"Is this the thing?"

"Correct, Third Young Master."

Wang Lengran said seriously:

"These days, our people have been walking around in Hongzhou, thanks to the Prince's face, the generals like Grand Commander Qin on the frontline allowed us to investigate, and we found Zhu Yuheng's body. This ring was discovered near his body, hidden by the person guarding the body, and fortunately, our people were sharp enough to search it out..."

Wei Shaoqi glanced at the dried blood on the emerald ring and nodded:

"Died so miserably."

He turned his head and smiled brightly, nodding:

"Truly deserved. This Zhu Lingxu father and son, didn't defect early or late, but chose that critical moment to do such beastly things, wasting my father's trust!"

Wang Lengran sighed, wanting to speak but stopping.

Wei Shaoqi suddenly pointed at the emerald ring and asked everyone:

"However, you say, this person was fine, why did he lead the vanguard troops to defect to the Hongzhou rebel army?"

Everyone was silent as cicadas in winter regarding this.

"Could it be that he was itchy for a beating, lighting a lamp in the toilet, looking for death?"

Wei Shaoqi smiled again and said:

"If he had colluded with the rebels, that would be it, but the funniest thing is that he was publicly beheaded by the Cai Qin rebel army he defected to, truly a laughingstock of the world."

As the people around listened, they found that the tone of this Third Young Master of the Prince of Wei's mansion was a bit wrong.

Wang Lengran asked cautiously:

"Does the Young Master mean that there is a big trick in it? By the way, this subordinate remembers, this emerald ring, this subordinate seems to have seen it on Zhu Lingxu before, and I don't know when he gave it to Zhu Yuheng."

Wei Shaoqi lowered his eyes, stared coldly at the emerald jade ring for a while, and laughed lightly.

He suddenly turned his head and asked:

"Why hasn't Seventh Sister come yet?"

Wang Lengran immediately greeted the green-clothed official beside him and asked him to go and check.

The green-clothed official ran out of the door, but his figure didn't disappear for long before he ran back into the door again, returned to the table, and reported with a somewhat strange expression:

"Third Young Master, Jiangzhou Cishi Wang, the Princess's carriage is on the street not far from the building."

"Why don't you come?" Wang Lengran asked curiously.

"It seems that a group of beggars blocked the carriage, begging for food. The Princess is distributing food and clothes, and she also... she also..."

"Also what?"

Wei Shaoqi nodded and asked, looking at his expression as if he were not surprised at all.

"She asked this subordinate to come and call Third Young Master, to see if Xunyang Tower's kitchen can prepare more food and send it over to those poor people."

"Can, of course can, this is a good thing, why not?"

Wei Shaoqi smiled and shook his head, sighing to everyone to explain:

"My cousin's personality, always following her birth mother, the Zhao Princess of the Prince of Liang's mansion, is gentle and kind, and the Prince of Liang, the Uncle, also dotes on her very much.

"Eh, Seventh Sister is truly the bright pearl of our Wei clan, conforming to the family style of our benevolent family. I really don't know which stinky boy will be lucky enough to marry my cousin in the future. I am truly envious."

"Yes, yes."

"Third Young Master's words are very true."

"Long heard of it, Princess Anhui is naturally kind and treats the poor well. In Luoyang, there are even poor people who burn incense and set up shrines for her, truly a beautiful story..."

Everyone nodded and echoed.

"Eh, really can't do anything about her."

Wei Shaoqi smiled and shook his head, and in a good mood, he took Wang Lengran and others out of the door to the street.

Immediately, he saw a luxurious carriage surrounded by beggars, and on the carriage was a young lady wearing a purple veil, half-squatting, distributing pastries and clothes to the beggars surrounding the carriage with her maids.

At this moment, a night breeze blew the veil away, and everyone immediately saw the face of this gentle and kind Wei clan woman.

Only to see her round face, smiling to reveal dimples, with a gentle temperament, looking ordinary, about twenty years old, although not a beauty, but also extra kind.

The beggars around who were swallowing food whole knelt down one after another, calling "Living Bodhisattva."

"Third Brother."

Seeing Wei Shaoqi bring people closer, Wei Anhui asked with concern:

"Can you get some more food from the restaurant? The pastries are almost gone."

"Asked them to prepare, it will be sent over soon. Cousin, you go in first, it's cold outside, I'll wait here and help you distribute. You are a daughter, it's not convenient here."

"Good, Third Brother, remember to give them more hot rice, they have been hungry for a long time, they can't suddenly eat greasy big fish and meat, it's easy to get a stomachache."

"Okay, Seventh Sister, go in quickly."

The somewhat nagging Wei clan woman, surrounded by maids, walked into Xunyang Tower.

Watching her enter the building, Wei Shaoqi turned his head back.

While distributing food and clothes to the beggars, he sighed:

"You met my cousin, truly a blessing for eight lifetimes. My cousin was too embarrassed to mention it, but as her brother, I have to say, this cannot be given for nothing, you still have to repay her."

"Noble person, may I ask what to repay the Bodhisattva?"

A beggar asked cautiously.

Wei Shaoqi smiled and turned his head, greeting the cold-faced guards on the side:

"Dig out all their eyes and throw them into the river, and for those who picked up and touched Seventh Sister's veil, cut off their heads and throw them into the river too."

"Yes."

"By the way, stay away, don't disturb Seventh Sister." He didn't forget to instruct.

"Obey, Young Master!"

The Xianbei guards dragged all the wailing beggars out, and clothes and food fell all over the ground.

Among them, a beggar struggled free and ran away. Three seconds later, he was stepped on by a Xianbei Qi-refiner man who walked out of the guards, his chest bones cracking and spitting blood.

Wei Shaoqi walked over, pulled out a jeweled curved saber from the waist of the Xianbei Qi-refiner, and cut off a head straight away.

He threw it casually into the arms of Wang Lengran, who was sweating profusely, and asked curiously:

"Jiangzhou Cishi Wang, I didn't break the law, did I?"

"No... no, these blind things offended the noble clan girl, they deserve to die according to the law."

"That's good, you have to handle things impartially, don't open the back door."

"Third Young Master, please rest assured..."

Wei Shaoqi laughed, took a red satin gold-threaded silk handkerchief, wiped his hands, walked toward Xunyang Tower, and said casually:

"The daughters of the Wei family, the noble ladies who haven't left the boudoir, are they something that the dog eyes of you people have the blessing to see? Eh, this young master has discovered that you things are all bright when given a little sunshine."

Wei Shaoqi threw away the blood-stained handkerchief, his expression emotional, and a moment later, returned to his seat in the first-floor hall.

He smiled and turned his head, asking his cousin who had put on the veil again with concern:

"Seventh Sister, the food is getting cold, eat quickly, we've been waiting for you."

"Sorry to keep Third Brother waiting for so long, Third Brother, what's wrong with your hand? Why is it bleeding?"

"Oh, someone else's blood."

"Whose?"

"Should be the blood on this ring, just touched it."

"I thought Third Brother was hurt. By the way, why is there blood on this ring?"

"It's the ring owner's, a pair of wastes."

"Third Brother is not allowed to scold people."

"Sorry, couldn't help it, but the owner of this ring is indeed stupid. Eh, Seventh Sister, you say these father and son are stupid, why did the blood have to splash on our family?"

"What is Third Brother saying... what splash on us..."

"Now we have to find a way."

"Then what to do?"

"What else can we do, wipe it."

(End of chapter)

dingdiange ===== CHAPTER 431 =====