The wheels of the carriage screeched roughly outside the compartment.
The sound was particularly harsh in this narrow and silent space.
Song Yinghuai was rarely stunned, but at this moment, he was shocked speechless by Caiyu's words just now.
It was a long while before he found his voice and heard himself say uncertainly,
"Yuer... What are you talking about?"
Caiyu held the jade token in front of herself and him. Her eyes were firm and gentle, as if they could see into one's heart and melt any cold soul.
"My lord, use it to take my virginity. Next time, no one will question you anymore."
Song Yinghuai's Adam's apple bobbed violently.
He closed his eyes briefly, then suddenly pulled Caiyu into his arms. His throat was dry, and he couldn't utter a single word.
...
Wen Zilong rushed off the carriage and headed into the mansion. As he walked, he tugged at his disheveled clothes and the trimmed top of his hair. Irritated and enraged, he asked the servants in the mansion,
"Where's the madam?"
But the servant panicked and stammered.
Wen Zilong suddenly stopped in his tracks. He looked at the servant suspiciously, narrowing his eyes dangerously.
"I'm asking you, where's the madam?"
The servant knelt down with a thud. "The madam said she was sending Concubine Peilan back to Lanfangju and hasn't returned yet!"
Wen Zilong angrily threw his official hat at the servant and roared, "Who allowed the madam and Peilan to go out? What did I tell you before I left?"
The servant kowtowed on the ground. "My lord, please calm down! But the madam said she promised to bring Concubine Peilan into the mansion and wanted to accompany the concubine back to Lanfangju to pack her luggage. The old madam was so happy that she insisted we let them go. We didn't dare to stop them!"
Not long after Wen Zilong left home today, Lan Jinqin suddenly went to see Peilan and Wen Linshi.
She said that since the matter had become public knowledge, she was willing to give in and let Peilan move her things into the Wen Mansion first.
Her concession made the other two women overjoyed. They didn't care about Wen Zilong's instructions at all.
They immediately ordered the guards to prepare the carriage and let them leave.
Wen Zilong's breath caught for a moment. For some reason, he remembered the destroyed letter outside the Wen Mansion that day.
Lan Jinqin had always been insistent on not letting Peilan into the mansion, but now she suddenly changed her mind...
The timing was just right, right after that letter appeared.
Since the Lan family's downfall, that letter was the only time Wen Zilong had used a handwriting that wasn't his own.
Back then, Peilan had pestered him to write a letter of commitment because of the child in her womb.
The Wen family had a single heir, and it was a rare opportunity for a woman to be pregnant.
Naturally, Wen Zilong didn't dare to let Peilan cry and be sad every day, for fear of harming her and the baby.
But he was also on guard against Peilan using that letter to blackmail him in the future, so he used another handwriting to write the letter of commitment.
If Peilan really dared to use it to blackmail him in the future, it would be useless even if it was taken to the Golden Hall.
After all, his usual handwriting was completely different from the one on the letter.
But Wen Zilong remembered that day when he had just rushed to the Wen Mansion gate, he heard Lan Jinqin urgently ask Peilan,
"Do you still have any other letters from him in your place?!"
Any other letters from him...
Why did Lan Jinqin want to find his other letters?
He had left many calligraphy works in his study, and he had recently written a letter asking Lan Jinqin to take to the Xu family.
If Lan Jinqin wanted his other letters, she could just ask.
Why did she go to Peilan's place to look for them?
Sweat suddenly trickled down Wen Zilong's forehead.
His palms began to sweat slightly.
It was because the handwriting on that letter was different...
That handwriting was imitated from Lan Yuanyi's. Naturally, Lan Jinqin would recognize it.
Back then, as a member of the Lan family, Lan Jinqin must have also gone to confirm the letter of treason...
So.
Suddenly, Wen Zilong strode out of the mansion. He hurriedly jumped onto the carriage again and urged repeatedly, "Lanfangju! Hurry!"
Although the attendant didn't understand why his master was suddenly so anxious, he didn't say a word and whipped the horses to drive the carriage.
"Giddy-up!"
The magnificent carriage turned around and quickly disappeared into the vast night.
The Wen Mansion's carriage passed by Xiao Rencheng's carriage at the crossroads.
Xiao Rencheng told his men to stop the carriage. He lifted the curtain and looked back, narrowing his eyes slightly.
Where was Wen Zilong's carriage going in such a hurry instead of returning to the mansion?
Was Wen Zilong in the carriage or was it an empty carriage?
And where was Lan Jinqin?
The attendant asked outside the carriage, "Lord Xiao, should we follow the carriage or go to the Wen Mansion?"
Xiao Rencheng pondered for a moment and said, "Follow the carriage."
Ordinary people definitely wouldn't be able to get into Wen Zilong's carriage.
It was late at night, and it was impossible for an empty carriage to go out on business.
So it was very likely that Wen Zilong was inside.
Since Wen Zilong had left the mansion, Lan Jinqin would be safe in the mansion.
He might as well follow and see what Wen Zilong was going to do in the middle of the night.
Lanfangju was located on the west side of the outskirts.
There were rural cottages all around. In order to avoid attention, Wen Zilong had built Lanfangju to look no different from a two - courtyard rural house.
No wonder no one had noticed it in the past four years, and no one had deliberately investigated Wen Zilong's private life.
At this moment in the suburbs.
All was silent except for the chirping of insects and the croaking of frogs.
Suddenly, the sound of hooves and wheels in the distance broke the silence of the night.
A magnificent carriage, out of place in the rural area, appeared in the distance.
Lanfangju was brightly lit. Two maids and two servants who served Peilan were still busily loading the luggage onto the carriage.
Wen Zilong had left for the wine - boat banquet in the afternoon.
Lan Jinqin had taken Peilan out close to evening. The time was too tight.
Lan Jinqin didn't mind staying in Lanfangju to search slowly.
But she knew that once Wen Zilong returned, she wouldn't have another chance to stay in Lanfangju.
As for Peilan, she couldn't wait to get into the Wen Mansion. How could she be willing to stay in this rural place any longer?
So the two women urged the servants to pack up overnight.
When Wen Zilong rushed into the yard like a whirlwind, the luggage was just about to be packed up.
"Madam!"
Wen Zilong charged at Lan Jinqin menacingly. He grabbed her fair wrist tightly, his eyes fierce.
"Why did you come to Lanfangju?"
The force with which he grabbed Lan Jinqin's wrist was so strong that a sharp pain shot through her. She struggled twice but couldn't break free.
Lan Jinqin raised her head, showing a look of confusion and innocence in her eyes.
"Didn't you and mother always hope that I would give in and let Peilan into the mansion?"
"Now that I've agreed and specially accompanied her to pack her luggage, why do you look like you're going to kill someone?"
"Do you not want Peilan to enter the mansion anymore?"
Hearing this, Peilan, who was holding a bolt of silk, immediately panicked.
She threw the silk on the table with a "snap" and tried to pull Wen Zilong's hand away. As she pulled, she pounded on the man.
"You heartless man! You don't want me to enter the mansion anymore?"
"You brute! I've been pregnant with your child with so much hardship, and you don't even want to recognize us mother and child... All your vows of love have gone to the dogs!"
"You explain it to me! If you don't explain it clearly, I'll go to the court and beat the drum to complain tomorrow!"
Wen Zilong was driven back step by step by Peilan's crazy behavior. He involuntarily let go of Lan Jinqin's hand. Angrily, he grabbed Peilan's hands and shouted,
"Shrew! When did I say I wouldn't let you in?"
"Don't jump to conclusions!"
Peilan stared at him blankly. "You're not stopping me from entering? So I can move into the Wen Mansion tonight?"
Lan Jinqin took two steps back and slowly rubbed her painful wrist. She coldly watched the man and woman in front of her.
Wen Zilong managed to steady his nerves. His gaze swept around Lanfangju.
He saw only a few calligraphy works he had left in Lanfangju stacked on the table.
Wen Zilong let go of Peilan's hand and strode forward to flip through them.
They were all fine. They were just his usual paintings.
Peilan was a rural woman who could hardly read. She had never noticed that his handwriting was in two different styles.
Wen Zilong let out a sigh of relief. At the same time, he met Lan Jinqin's inquisitive and cold eyes, and his heart skipped a beat.
His mind raced. He slowly put down the calligraphy works in his hand and put on a gentle smile on his face.
"Not tonight. Mother had already gone to bed when I returned to the mansion just now."
"If you move into the mansion in the middle of the night, you'll not only disturb mother's rest but also wake up the neighbors."
Wen Zilong narrowed his eyes slightly. "Be good, Peilan. Let's talk about it tomorrow!"