Thanks to Ruan Niang's meticulous care, Wei Dongling's injuries were getting better day by day. Although her leg was still lame, she could already go shopping on the street with Ruan Niang and Cui Huan.
Ruan Niang, who had rarely gone out for a stroll since coming to the capital, was highly interested in everything. She couldn't put down the cloth, silk, rouge, and face powder, but she didn't buy much. She just spent two hours looking at the medicinal herbs in the pharmacy and selected some rare medicinal materials to take back.
On the street, they saw Luo Xunlong rushing over in a hurry. He lowered his voice and said to Wei Dongling, "Lord Shen is in trouble!"
"What?" Wei Dongling felt a sudden pang of fear and trembled as she asked, "What happened?"
It turned out that today Lord Shen had taken the witness to the Ministry of Justice to cooperate with the investigation. On the way, they were ambushed by villains. Lord Shen and the witness were both injured by hidden weapons. Fortunately, they were protected by the servants and managed to escape.
Cold sweat broke out on Wei Dongling's forehead. It seemed that the Zhao family was cornered and trying to kill the witness to cover up their crimes. They dared to assassinate a court official in broad daylight. How audacious!
Wei Dongling's face turned pale. She gritted her teeth and asked, "What about the witness? How is Lord Shen's injury?"
Luo Xunlong replied in a solemn voice, "The hidden weapons were poisoned. Lord Shen was injured in his right hand, and the witness is in critical condition due to excessive blood loss. The Ministry of Justice has invited the imperial physician for emergency treatment. Lord Shen and Brother Lang are also waiting at the Ministry of Justice."
Seeing that Wei Dongling's face was pale and absent - minded, Ruan Niang took her hand and comforted her, "Shall we go to the Ministry of Justice and wait for Lord Shen?"
Wei Dongling nodded. The group got on the carriage and rushed straight to the Ministry of Justice. Then they waited outside.
After more than two hours, from afar, they saw Uncle Li and Lord Shen coming out. Everyone rushed up.
Wei Dongling asked Lord Shen worriedly in a soft voice, "How is your injury, Lord Shen?"
The thin and dark - skinned Lord Shen's wound on his arm had already been bandaged. Fatigue was evident in his eyes. Looking at Wei Dongling, he sighed, "Thank you for your concern, Miss Wei. My injury is not serious."
Uncle Li said in a low voice, "The world is deteriorating, and villains are becoming more and more rampant. Let a few of us brothers take turns to protect Lord Shen."
Lord Shen nodded and didn't decline.
Wei Dongling bit her lip and asked, "How is the witness?"
Lord Shen replied, "The imperial physician is still treating him. The bleeding has stopped, but he is still in a coma due to the serious injury. We don't know when he will wake up."
Wei Dongling sighed inwardly. This was going to be difficult. If the witness remained in a coma, the case - overturning matter would have to be postponed. If the witness couldn't be saved, it would be even more troublesome.
Uncle Li patted Wei Dongling on the shoulder and said in a low voice, "The imperial physicians are treating him carefully. Don't worry too much, girl. You should go back first!"
At the moment, there was nothing they could do but wait.
Helpless, Wei Dongling had no choice but to go back first.
The cicadas were singing outside the window. Wei Dongling sat cross - legged on the bed and took out Yu Zixi's letter and jade pendant from the small drawer beside her pillow. She looked at them carefully. The cool jade pendant made the restlessness in her heart subside a bit.
There was a faint commotion downstairs, which was getting louder and louder. Then there was a crisp sound that startled everyone.
The sound could be clearly heard by Wei Dongling on the second floor.
Wei Dongling put away the letter and jade pendant, tidied up her clothes, and strode out. As she was going downstairs, she heard a familiar voice coming from the first floor.
"This woman from the brothel, I don't know what kind of seductive tricks she used to make my stupid elder brother lose his mind. He took her back to the mansion and let her stay for several nights. Later, because my father didn't allow it, she wasn't taken as a concubine and was driven out. I didn't expect that after a few days, I would see her serving tea in this newly - opened teahouse."
Judging from the voice, the speaker was Yu Xingze, Yu Zixi's half - brother. Did he even have the time to come and drink tea?
This Second Young Master Yu had grabbed Cui Huan last time and insisted on making a fuss and driving her out of the Yu Mansion. This time, he actually came to humiliate them?
Wei Dongling was secretly shocked. She wondered if Luo Xunlong had heard these remarks.
Limping downstairs, Wei Dongling caught a glimpse of Luo Xunlong standing in front of the kitchen door with a dark face, seemingly having heard every word clearly.
Wei Dongling felt extremely sad. Looking up, she saw a delicate purple sand teapot shattered on the ground, and boiling water splashed everywhere.
A Cheng was helping Cui Huan up. Cui Huan covered her arm with red - rimmed eyes. No one knew if she had been scalded.
There were still some people drinking tea at the next few tables. Hearing the remarks here, they looked at Cui Huan with malicious looks.
There were also several young and elegant gentlemen sitting around Yu Xingze, the Second Young Master of the Yu Family. One of them sneered, "Your elder brother has a good eye. This woman is quite charming. It's a pity that she comes from a brothel. It's absolutely impossible to take her back as a concubine. How could she soil the lifelong integrity of the supervisor - censor!"
Another person beside him echoed, "That's right! This girl has been in the arms of thousands of men and kissed by countless people. Taking her back would be a joke! I say, girl, since you can't even serve tea well, you'd better go back to the brothel and take off your clothes!"
Cui Huan's face instantly turned deathly pale.
The group burst into laughter.
Wei Dongling scanned the crowd with a dark face. She didn't see Ruan Niang in the crowd. She rolled up her sleeves and stepped forward, smiling loudly, "Oh, isn't this the Second Young Master of the Yu Family who is so arrogant and beats his elder brother?"
As soon as she said this, all the laughter stopped abruptly. Several people looked up, with angry expressions on their faces.
The guests drinking tea at the next few tables also looked over.
Wei Dongling covered her lips and smiled, "You're really a rare guest, Second Young Master Yu. Your presence makes our humble place shine! By the way, I just want to ask the Second Young Master, how is the First Young Master Yu, who was beaten thirty big boards by you last time?"
As soon as she said this, the guests at the next few tables were secretly shocked. They thought to themselves that they didn't expect the Yu Mansion to be so ill - bred that they would even allow the younger brother to beat the elder brother.
Yu Xingze thought for a long time. He did pick on Yu Zixi occasionally and beat him, but when did he beat him thirty big boards? With his elder brother's physical condition, could he withstand thirty big boards?
But the woman in front of him looked somewhat familiar.
The gentlemen looked ugly. One of them asked, "Who are you?"
Wei Dongling hooked her lips and smiled, "I'm not very talented. I'm the young stewardess of this teahouse. Hearing the Second Young Master Yu spouting wild words and insulting my family, I really can't bear it. So I came here specially to advise the Second Young Master to be more restrained. You are so arrogant in the Yu Mansion and beat your elder brother. It's because your father didn't teach you well. But if you come out and bark wildly, slandering our innocent and good girl, don't blame our teahouse for not welcoming you."
As soon as she said this, everyone was stunned.
Cui Huan was shocked. Her look at Wei Dongling had changed.
Yu Xingze's face turned black with anger. He stood up and roared, "You, you, you! A mere woman, spouting nonsense! How am I slandering? This girl clearly comes from the Xiaoxiang Pavilion, a brothel!"
Everyone was in an uproar, and their looks at Cui Huan became even more disdainful.