"Sister-in-law's husband, what are you talking about?" Thirteen-year-old Caiyu looked at Wen Zilong, half understanding.
She had accompanied her father to the capital for a routine report on his duties when she was six. At seven, she returned to the Jin region and had stayed there ever since, never going back to the capital again.
It was her eldest sister who had accompanied their father to the capital for another routine report a few years ago. That year, she heard that her eldest sister had fallen in love with a man.
The first time she saw Wen Zilong was when he came to the Jin region to propose marriage.
At that time, she had hidden behind the screen and secretly watched her eldest sister's shy and happy look. Seeing her future sister-in-law's husband being so gentle and considerate, she had been extremely envious.
Wen Zilong doted on his wife and held a wedding banquet for his eldest sister in the Jin region as well.
In the Great Ye and other countries, weddings were usually held at the groom's place. Only Wen Zilong broke the convention by holding a wedding banquet in the Jin region.
That wedding banquet had been the talk of the town in the Jin region. People had all said that Lan Jinqin had married an unparalleled good husband.
Wen Zilong had truly been suave and elegant back then.
But today, she felt that there seemed to be a faint red glow in this sister-in-law's husband's eyes. He was like an evil devil, and his smile at her seemed to hold a hidden meaning, which made her shiver.
"Sister-in-law's husband, I'm scared," Caiyu said timidly. "When will eldest sister come to see me? And second sister? Is second sister still alive?"
Wen Zilong still had a smile on his face, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Shu'er, be good. When I rushed there, your second sister had already disappeared. Your eldest sister was so heartbroken that she fell ill and can't come to see you for the time being."
"Second sister!" Caiyu choked with sobs, her eyes turning red.
On that day, they had been massacred by corrupt officials. Her second sister had been covered in wounds in the pit.
Her second sister was just a weak woman. Disappearing in the cold and desolate mountain in the snow, the chances of her survival were slim.
Wen Zilong watched as Caiyu sat on the couch, swaying from grief. Even though her face was full of tears, her charm still couldn't be hidden. He couldn't help but sigh in his heart.
The three sisters of the Lan family were all extremely beautiful.
It was a pity that Lan Jinxiang had disappeared.
Otherwise, if these two sisters had been trained together, they could have been a great help to the crown prince.
Now, only Lan Jinshu was left.
Caiyu tightly grabbed the corner of Wen Zilong's robe and looked up at him. Tears rolled down her fair cheeks. "Sister-in-law's husband, please save the Lan family, save second sister and father!"
"Father said that the Lan family was framed! Sister-in-law's husband is now an official in the capital. You must have a way, right?"
Wen Zilong stopped his sigh and held her hand instead. His long, slanting phoenix eyes showed a hint of morbidity as he slowly tempted her nerves.
"I'm useless, a low-ranking official with no influence. I can't save your father... But, Shu'er can save them!"
She could save her family...
Just because of Wen Zilong's words, Caiyu had stayed in Yangzhou and trained for three years.
Wen Zilong had told her that this was a matter of great importance and that she must not have any contact with anyone or anything from her past.
So she had gritted her teeth and persevered alone until she was sent to the Yan region.
She had thought that whether it was herself or Wen Zilong, they were both carefully planning for the Lan family's affairs.
Even though her younger brother was in the hands of the crown prince, she still hoped that the crown prince could help clear the Lan family's name.
But the truth that Sheng Jiangli had told her had completely overturned her perception.
She had never expected that her eldest sister's husband would treat her eldest sister like this.
Such a heartless and ungrateful person, how could he really want to save the Lan family?
Coupled with the assassination attempt by the crown prince on her way to the capital, she clearly realized that the beauty trap was just a conspiracy!
The crown prince had never intended to clear the Lan family's name!
Caiyu's face flickered in the shadow of the catalpa tree, making it hard to read her thoughts.
Suddenly, a candied date on a golden thread appeared from behind her ear and waved in front of her eyes, pulling her back to reality.
Caiyu turned her head and saw Sheng Jiangli standing behind her, with a smile in his eyes.
"What are you thinking so intently about? Could it be that you're thinking about me?"
He always talked nonsense!
Caiyu glared at him angrily. She itched to grab him, but since this was the palace, if a maid like her dared to beat a second-rank military official, she would probably be beheaded on the spot.
Caiyu could only turn her head away and bowed to Sheng Jiangli properly.
"This maid pays respects to General Sheng."
Sheng Jiangli found her serious look even more interesting. "Well, be excused, beauty."
He held out the candied date again and said with a smile.
"This is a reward from this general."
Caiyu gasped and quickly looked around.
She saw that many officials were already looking at them, with knowing expressions on their faces.
The amorous General Sheng!
He couldn't even lift his feet when he saw a beauty.
"That maid is really extremely beautiful," Gong Qingliang whispered to a group of officials in the capital and started gossiping. "Did anyone see which family she belongs to just now?"
"I saw when I entered the garden. She belongs to His Highness the Prince of Yan."
Everyone suddenly realized. "Caiyu, right? The maid that General Sheng chased all the way from outside the pass!"
"Seeing her today, she is truly a beauty that could topple kingdoms. No wonder General Sheng is attracted. If I were a dozen years younger, I would also be tempted..."
"Stop talking. Don't you see that His Highness the Prince of Yan is angry?"
Song Yinghuai's knuckles turned white as he held the teacup tightly. There was a fierce look in his eyes as he stared at the man and woman under the catalpa tree in the distance.
The two under the tree were very close.
The candied date in Sheng Jiangli's hand was almost at Caiyu's mouth.
It looked very ambiguous.
There was a dark surge in his black eyes. He didn't want to stare at them, but his eyes just wouldn't listen.
As long as it was Caiyu, his self-control, which he was so proud of, would be completely destroyed.
The young man sitting next to Song Yinghuai leaned over. He curiously followed Song Yinghuai's gaze to look at what was happening under the catalpa tree and asked.
"Fourth brother, is that your maid? She is really beautiful."
The one who asked was Song Yongzhen, the Prince of Qi, who had been summoned to the capital a few months ago and almost had his fiefdom revoked. His mother had a low status, just a noble concubine.
She had died in childbirth when giving birth to Song Yongzhen.
Because Emperor Guangwu had taken Song Yinghuai, the biological son of Concubine Yao, and sent him to Empress Ma to be raised, he had always felt guilty. So he had sent Song Yongzhen to be raised by Concubine Yao.
Song Yongzhen was young, only twenty this year. He had no scheming and just respected his fourth brother, Song Yinghuai, very much.
It was precisely because of this that the crown prince, Song Chengyuan, had wanted to start with the Prince of Qi and cut off Song Yinghuai's arm.
Unexpectedly, Song Yinghuai had planned carefully. After the Princes of Zhou and Qi entered the capital, the officials had strongly opposed any attempt to kill them. So the crown prince had no choice but to keep them in the capital, which was also a kind of soft imprisonment.
Song Yinghuai didn't answer, but Song Boming, the Prince of Zhou, next to him pulled Song Yongzhen. "Twelfth, are you interested in your fourth brother's maid again?"
Song Yongzhen said with a smile. "Hey, a fair maiden is a gentleman's good match. Fourth brother has always been generous to me. In the past, the beauties that others gave to fourth brother were all given to me and ninth brother. Give this one to me today too, fourth brother!"
Only then did Song Yinghuai turn his face and looked at Song Yongzhen coldly. He said a sentence. "Twelfth, she is not someone you can covet."
Song Yongzhen was stunned and his eyes widened in surprise.
What did he hear?
Fourth brother had actually refused him for a maid...
He exchanged a look with Song Boming. Both of them were shocked.
They had never seen Song Yinghuai get angry at his own brother for a woman before.
In full view of everyone, Caiyu didn't dare to open her mouth. She could only reach out her hand again and gently push away the candied date. She gritted her teeth and whispered angrily.
"Are you looking for a beating?"
When she turned her head, Sheng Jiangli's eyes fell on her neck. His eyes immediately filled with blood and heat.
That hickey...
It was clearly visible and extremely eye-catching.
He tightened his fingertips that were holding the candied date and frowned. "Open your mouth. Qingqing said that you just finished your period. Look at your complexion... How did he take care of you!"
"If you don't eat it, I'll just keep holding it."
Caiyu's face, which had been normal just now, immediately turned red. She cursed Qingqing in her heart.
How could that girl so casually tell a man about a woman's private matter!
Helplessly, Sheng Jiangli was more stubborn than Caiyu. Moreover, they couldn't make a scene in this situation.
Caiyu had no choice but to slightly open her red lips and take the candied date...
With a "bang", the teacup in Song Yinghuai's hand was smashed hard on the table.
He was just about to stand up when a sharp and ear-piercing announcement came.
"His Majesty the Emperor is coming! Her Majesty the Empress is coming!"