As a married woman, she shouldn't have casually visited another man's home. However, since her husband didn't share the same heart with her and she couldn't rely on him, she had to brazenly enter Lord Xiao's mansion.
Lan Jinqin sized up Xiao Rencheng's mansion. The mansion of a high - ranking official of the second rank was neither spacious nor had luxurious furnishings. It was shabby and old - fashioned. Apart from a few servants cleaning the place, it was empty.
Xiao Rencheng invited Lan Jinqin to the main hall. Seeing her looking around curiously, he smiled faintly.
"The Xiao Mansion must seem a hundred times shabbier than the Wen Mansion. Please don't mind, madam. Take a seat."
Lan Jinqin withdrew her gaze and sat down, feeling a bit embarrassed. "I've always heard that Lord Xiao is incorruptible, upright, and adheres to principles. Now that I've seen your mansion, it's really true."
She wasn't a naive country girl. The salaries of officials in the Daye court were not high. If an official didn't embezzle money and came from a humble background, his mansion should look like the Xiao Mansion.
Both Wen Zilong and Xiao Rencheng had participated in the imperial examinations that year. They both came from humble families. Wen Zilong ranked forty - sixth among the successful candidates in the highest imperial examination, while Xiao Rencheng was the second - place finisher.
After Wen Zilong passed the imperial examination, he married Lan Jinqin. Relying on his father - in - law's connections, he climbed up the ranks in the Ministry of War. But Xiao Rencheng had worked his way up step by step and finally became a close official to the emperor.
Logically speaking, as an official in the Censorate, Xiao Rencheng had many opportunities to embezzle money. But he didn't. Wen Zilong was different. After starting with Lan Jinqin's dowry over the years, he embezzled a large amount of money and supplies by abusing his power. The Wen family's wealth was already as vast as mountains of gold and silver. The Wen Mansion, like those of other officials in Daye, was built extremely luxuriously, showing off their status.
It was obvious that Xiao Rencheng was at least a good official. Her impression of Xiao Rencheng had changed.
Xiao Rencheng personally poured tea for Lan Jinqin and then sat upright in front of the table, wearing a plain white robe, looking elegant and refined. The celadon incense burner in the room emitted curling green smoke.
Xiao Rencheng quietly watched as Lan Jinqin gradually relaxed from her vigilant look. Then he smiled and said, "Madam Wen, please have some tea."
His eyes revealed maturity and worldly wisdom, which couldn't be covered by the smile at the corners of his eyes.
Lan Jinqin hesitated for a moment but still picked up the tea and took a sip. It wasn't good tea, just the most common kind that ordinary people in the market used.
Remembering the silver, Lan Jinqin took out the jade pendant from her bosom and put it on the table. She said,
"I've come to ask Lord Xiao for the silver you owe. You said the silver was already prepared. Can you give it to me now?"
Xiao Rencheng keenly noticed the urgency in Lan Jinqin's eyebrows, and his anger rose again silently. What on earth was wrong with Wen Zilong? According to the evidence in his hands, Wen Zilong had embezzled at least five hundred thousand taels of military pay and supplies over the years. As an affectionate couple, why was Lan Jinqin so eager to get this mere five thousand three hundred taels of silver?
Xiao Rencheng was silent for a moment, sipping the light tea, his mind churning with speculations. The relationship between Wen Zilong and Lan Jinqin might not be as harmonious as he had imagined.
Over the years, he had dared not listen to anything about Lan Jinqin. Because he was afraid that if he heard about her being affectionate with Wen Zilong, his heart would ache. So he didn't know much about the Wen family.
Since he learned that Lan Jinqin had used carp powder last time, he had also planned to secretly investigate. Who would have thought that just two days later, before the people he sent had replied, Lan Jinqin had come to his door again.
Maybe... it was because of the exiled members of the Lan family!
Xiao Rencheng took a deep breath and still took out the silver note from his bosom and pushed it over.
"I, Xiao, always value my promises. I will never go back on what I promised you, madam."
"You seem to be in trouble, madam. I'm not very capable, but if you need any other help, you can tell me. I will surely do my best to assist you."
Lan Jinqin looked at his determined face, and her eyes grew a bit moist. Since the downfall of the Lan family, no one in the Wen family had stood up to offer a helping hand. Instead, they had taken advantage of her misfortune. The noble ladies who used to be friendly with her had also kept their distance. She had been struggling alone to handle the affairs of the Lan family.
Now, the man who offered to help was someone she had only met a few times. It was impossible not to be touched. But Lan Jinqin wasn't an impulsive woman.
She knew very well that a man who had no acquaintance with her but said he would offer all - out help must have some ulterior motives. Although Xiao Rencheng had concealed his feelings for her, she still noticed it. This man... was interested in her.
Lan Jinqin sighed silently in her heart. He was a good official. It was a pity that his interest in married women was a bit perverted.
Lan Jinqin took the silver note, maintained a proper smile, and declined politely. "Thank you for your concern, my lord. My husband and I have a harmonious relationship, and my in - laws take good care of me. There's really nothing I need your help with. I just couldn't stop thinking about the money and couldn't sleep or eat well, so I came here in a hurry to ask for it."
Although the case of the Lan family needed to go through the Censorate if it was to be reversed, Lan Jinqin didn't dare to ask Xiao Rencheng for help without sufficient evidence. After all, since ancient times, officials have always protected each other. Xiao Rencheng seemed to have a good official style on the surface, but who knew what he was really like in private?
Seeing that she was very tight - lipped, Xiao Rencheng didn't force her. "In that case, madam, please feel free."
There was no need to be in a hurry. There would be plenty of time in the future. Song Yinghuai had already instructed him to secretly investigate the case of the Lan family. He and the Lan family would eventually be entangled.
After saying that, Xiao Rencheng didn't try to detain Lan Jinqin any longer, which made Lan Jinqin a bit surprised for a moment. She didn't expect that Xiao Rencheng was really a gentleman. He really gave her the silver as he promised and didn't do anything improper to her.
Lan Jinqin suppressed the pounding of her heart, quickly stood up to say goodbye, and left the Xiao Mansion in a hurry. Behind her, Xiao Rencheng's well - defined features became a bit hazy and mysterious in the curling smoke.
Lan Jinqin was still worried even though she had the silver in her bosom. Five thousand three hundred taels was still a drop in the bucket compared to two hundred thousand taels.
In the night, the lanterns at the entrance of the Wen Mansion were swaying. Wen Zilong was getting off the carriage and met Lan Jinqin at the door.
Wen Zilong was gentle - looking and good - looking. Otherwise, he wouldn't have caught Lan Jinqin's eye back then. Hearing the noise behind him, he turned his head and saw Lan Jinqin. He squinted his eyes slightly and smiled.
"Madam, where have you been having fun so late?"
The smell of alcohol on him was overpowering, and there was also a strong smell of rouge. The smell was very familiar to Lan Jinqin. It was the rouge that Peilan, the woman Wen Zilong had kept outside, liked to wear.
Wen Zilong wasn't a self - disciplined man, but he was a man who cherished his reputation. He was just like the saying goes, wanting to be a prostitute and still build a chastity archway. He wasn't satisfied with just having a wife at home, but he didn't want to go to the brothels to have fun. So he kept a mistress outside. Or rather, through Wen Linshi's mouth, he had always been expressing his intention to take a concubine. Since Lan Jinqin didn't agree, he had no choice but to secretly keep the woman outside the mansion.
Lan Jinqin felt nauseous at the smell of rouge on him. She took a step back calmly and said indifferently,
"I went to the outskirts of the city to find a doctor who specializes in gynecology. I wanted to condition my body so that I could give my husband a son. It's a pity that the doctor wasn't in the clinic today. I made a wasted trip."
"I see."
Seeing that there were other court officials returning home one after another outside the mansion, Wen Zilong staggered forward drunkenly and put his arm around Lan Jinqin's shoulder. His lips immediately moved to her ear. The smell of alcohol and rouge instantly filled her nostrils.
"You've worked hard, madam. You've suffered so much, but unfortunately, we still don't have our own child."
The passing officials saw the two of them embracing from afar. It seemed that they were very affectionate, and they all involuntarily showed understanding smiles. What a loving couple! Minister Wen had been married for almost eight years, and he and his wife were still as affectionate as ever. It was worthy of praise!
Lan Jinqin almost vomited. Wen Zilong's weight was pressing her so hard that she was about to fall. She pushed him hard.
"Wen Zilong, don't touch me with your dirty hands!"
Wen Zilong curled his lips into a smile and whispered, "Madam, I've just been promoted to minister. Whether your father and the others will suffer less or more depends entirely on my word. Why do you have to make things difficult for me?"