Lan Jinqin stole a sidelong glance at Xiao Rencheng.
She wondered if Xiao Rencheng had stepped forward this time for her sake or to take the opportunity to grasp the handle on Wen Zilong.
Wen Zilong had been keeping Peilan in secret. Except for a few people who were in cahoots with him in the court, few others knew about it.
Xiao Rencheng was the chief censor of the Censorate. Although the private lives of officials should be impeached by the vice - censor, Xu Buyue's elder brother was the vice - censor and was on good terms with Xiao Rencheng. And today, she had just paid a visit to Xu Buyue's mansion...
If they joined hands, they could impeach Wen Zilong for his immoral conduct.
Coupled with her own sobbing as the aggrieved party, Wen Zilong's newly - acquired position as the Minister of War would be unstable.
Lan Jinqin's fingers curled up quietly as she pondered whether to add fuel to the fire.
Peilan knelt on the ground and looked up at Xiao Rencheng. Seeing that he was wearing the same second - rank official robe as Wen Zilong and looking solemn and imposing, she knew he was Wen Zilong's colleague.
An insightful woman would surely be cautious and guard against the possibility that the man was her lover's political enemy. But Peilan was from a small family and didn't have such a mind.
As soon as she was asked, she was eager to prove herself immediately.
"Yes!" Peilan rummaged in her sleeve. "Master Wen once wrote me a promise letter. He promised me that he would surely take me into his mansion!"
"Words alone are not enough. A written proof is needed."
It had to be said that Peilan was quite shrewd in this regard. She had even forced Wen Zilong to write a promissory note with the child in her belly.
Peilan took out a flowered letter paper painted with orchids and held it up for Xiao Rencheng and the others to see.
"Everyone, please take a look. This is the promissory note Master Wen wrote for me. It contains his promise. I am truly his concubine outside the mansion, and I am truly pregnant with his child. I'm not lying!"
She clutched the letter paper warily, fearing that it would be snatched away and she would lose the evidence.
This promissory note was written by Wen Zilong after she had pestered him crying and making a fuss.
She had prepared it just in case they would keep the child but not let her into the mansion one day.
Unexpectedly, it had come in handy so soon.
On the letter paper, people did see a few lines of cursive writing:
My beloved Peilan, now that you are pregnant with my child, I, Zilong, swear that I will surely welcome you and the child into the Wen Mansion.
The signature was Wen Zilong.
Xiao Rencheng's pupils were pitch - black, barely able to conceal his anger.
This villain Wen Zilong was not satisfied with Lan Jinqin and even kept a woman outside!
No wonder Lan Jinqin wanted to make Wen Zilong childless.
Wait.
Xiao Rencheng was stunned for a moment.
He didn't know how long Wen Zilong had been taking the prescription given by Lan Jinqin.
Wen Zilong might have been unable to have children, so the child in Peilan's belly...
Xiao Rencheng's eyes narrowed slightly, and his gaze on Lan Jinqin was thoughtful.
It seemed that Miss Lan was not as weak as he had imagined.
A faint smile curled up on Xiao Rencheng's lips.
It was good that she wouldn't let others bully her.
Peilan turned around and proudly showed the letter paper to Lan Jinqin.
"Madam Wen, take a look. It doesn't matter if you pretend not to know me. With Master's promissory note here, and this is Master's handwriting. You can't say you don't recognize it, right? The Wen family has to admit me today, whether they like it or not!"
Lan Jinqin didn't say a word.
When Peilan turned the letter paper around, Lan Jinqin's breath caught in her throat, and her pupils suddenly constricted.
That handwriting...
It was completely different from Wen Zilong's usual handwriting!
But it was very similar to her father's!
This was the other handwriting of Wen Zilong that she had been looking for for four years!
Unexpectedly, she had found it on Peilan!
"Give me the letter paper!" Lan Jinqin suddenly stepped forward, looking anxious, and reached out to grab the letter paper.
Seeing her fierce look, Peilan was so scared that she quickly protected the letter paper in her arms and shouted, "You don't want to destroy my evidence!"
Then she turned around and ran!
The incident happened so suddenly that even Xiao Rencheng was stunned.
But Lan Jinqin's urgent look made him help her without hesitation.
Xiao Rencheng stretched out his long arm, trying to stop Peilan. However, there were too many onlookers. Peilan plunged into the crowd, causing a commotion.
"Help! Help!" Peilan grabbed the men and women around her for help without thinking.
Among the onlookers were common people, curious female relatives of officials, and even officials who had just finished court and their servants' carriages.
In short, it was in a complete mess in an instant.
Lan Jinqin was extremely anxious. Regardless of her status, she just grabbed Xiao Rencheng and ordered:
"I want that letter paper!"
Xiao Rencheng glanced down at the delicate fingers on his robe sleeve. His eyes flashed, "...Okay."
If Miss Lan wanted it, he would grab it even if it meant disregarding his own status.
He pushed aside the crowded people and got closer and closer to Peilan.
Seeing that things were going badly, Peilan panicked and ran out of the crowd.
Xiao Rencheng leaped into the air and reached out for Peilan in mid - air.
Peilan only felt a shadow covering her head. Looking up, she saw the man with his robe fluttering in the wind and his palm wind sharp, with a whistling momentum. She was so scared that her soul almost left her body.
Her fingers loosened, and the letter paper flew out and floated into the ditch beside her feet.
The ditch was where the kitchens of the mansions on this street drained their sewage.
It was filthy and filled with stinking, sour - smelling wastewater.
As soon as the letter paper fell, it was completely submerged and turned black.
As soon as Xiao Rencheng landed on the ground, he glared at Peilan fiercely. "You!"
He gasped when he saw the letter paper in the ditch.
It was probably.
Really destroyed beyond recognition.
Lan Jinqin stumbled forward. Looking at the letter paper floating in the ditch, she suddenly squatted down with a solemn face and was about to fish it out.
Xiao Rencheng grabbed her and pulled her back. His face was as black as coal. "Are you crazy! The words on the letter paper are already ruined!"
He didn't know why Lan Jinqin was so persistent in getting that letter paper.
Was it because she really didn't know that Wen Zilong had a concubine outside?
Was she so deeply shocked that she had to get the letter paper to find out the truth?
But Lan Jinqin seemed not to hear Xiao Rencheng's dissuasion. She struggled desperately to break free from Xiao Rencheng's restraint. "Let me go! I want that letter paper! I want to see the words on it!"
Anger welled up in Xiao Rencheng's eyes. His fingers trembled slightly with heartache. "Do you care about him so much?"
He had a concubine outside.
Was Lan Jinqin still so persistent and reluctant to give up?
No wonder for so long, even though they were a couple in name only, even though they chose to fight to the bitter end, she had never thought of asking for a divorce.
Lan Jinqin suddenly turned her head and looked at Xiao Rencheng angrily and mercilessly. "Whether I care about him or not has nothing to do with you, Lord Xiao!"
Wen Zilong was a scumbag, but what about Xiao Rencheng?
Maybe he knew that Wen Zilong had a concubine outside and thought he had a chance. He might be coveting her beauty and just wanted a one - night affair!
Xiao Rencheng's breath caught in his throat, and he unconsciously loosened his hand.
Lan Jinqin squatted down again and was about to reach for the filthy ditch.
Her hand was grabbed again.
Xiao Rencheng's angry voice sounded. "Get out of the way. I'll pick it up."
After all, he couldn't bear to see Miss Lan, as pure as a lotus, like this. Xiao Rencheng swallowed his anger and used a branch to pick out the letter paper.
Peilan squatted beside them, sobbing loudly. "It's gone! My evidence is gone! The letter paper Master gave me is gone... Madam Wen is so cruel..."
The words on the letter paper had already blurred into a mess, mixed with the oil stains and sewage, emitting a stench.
Lan Jinqin stared blankly at the thing on the ground that could hardly be called paper. Her heart ached.
The evidence... was gone just like that.
She had been looking for it for four years, and finally, she had come across such a piece of evidence.
She slowly turned her head, grabbed Peilan up, and stared at her menacingly. "Do you have any other letters from him at your place?!"