I want the divorce papers...
Wen Zilong stared blankly at Xiao Rencheng.
It was clearly a simple sentence, but to Wen Zilong's ears, each word was like an obscure character.
He couldn't understand it.
"You're asking for the divorce papers on behalf of Lan Jinqin?" Wen Zilong repeated the words. "You're asking for the divorce papers on behalf of Lan Jinqin?"
"On what grounds?" Wen Zilong forced a strange smile. "Who are you to her?"
You're neither her father nor her elder brother.
On what grounds?
Xiao Rencheng lifted his eyes slightly. His expression was profound, and there was a cold smile on his lips, adding to his overbearing and aggressive aura.
"Because I'll be her future man."
With a "bang!"
Wen Zilong swept the teapot on the table to the ground, and it shattered again.
His fingers trembled as he pointed at Xiao Rencheng and roared, "Xiao Rencheng! You've gone too far! Stealing someone's wife is immoral! I'll go see the emperor right away and let him decide!"
"Lord Wen, please calm down." Facing Wen Zilong's agitation, Xiao Rencheng seemed unusually calm.
He took out a ledger from his bosom.
The moment Wen Zilong caught sight of the ledger, he immediately jumped up from his official chair and reached out to grab it. "It's really in your hands?!"
However, Xiao Rencheng was much quicker than him.
Like lightning, he easily picked the ledger back into his own hands.
Wen Zilong missed and roared, "Give it back to me!"
The reason he was so panicked after losing 200,000 taels of silver notes and wanted to throw Lan Jinqin into prison was that the ledger was missing.
He suspected that Lan Jinqin had taken it.
The ledger contained records of his collusion with the crown prince.
That's why he joined forces with Di Shikai and tried to torture Lan Jinqin to find out the whereabouts of the ledger.
Otherwise, for the case of Peilan's murder, he could have just asked the jailer to force Lan Jinqin's finger to sign. He didn't need to go to so much trouble.
Xiao Rencheng smiled faintly and shook the ledger, making it rustle. "You want it? Then it depends on your sincerity."
Wen Zilong stared at him with wide eyes. The anger in his eyes almost burned through Xiao Rencheng.
"The divorce papers?"
Xiao Rencheng nodded. "Lord Wen, it's not worth insisting on a mistress who has cuckolded you. There's no need to entangle with Miss Lan until the end... This ledger is related to Lord Wen's future and the interests of the crown prince. It's a good deal for Lord Wen to exchange it for a divorce paper."
He looked at the sky and tapped the table with his finger, urging, "Lord Wen, it's getting late. We should all go to court. Please write the divorce paper quickly!"
Wen Zilong slumped back into his official chair. His mind was blank, and his heart sank like a stone tied to it...
In the majestic imperial city, the solemn Qianqing Palace was extremely quiet. It was so quiet that the sound of sparrows flapping their wings under the eaves could be clearly heard.
As expected, after Xu Ziyi reorganized the case as Sheng Jiangli had said and presented it to Emperor Guangwu.
Emperor Guangwu threw the dossier away and roared angrily, "Outrageous! Just beat someone because you don't like them?"
"I've spoiled him! Let him be so slack on weekdays that he doesn't even pay attention to the laws and regulations of the court!"
Xu Ziyi lowered his head and echoed Emperor Guangwu's words, "Your Majesty is wise. Although General Sheng is a bit unruly, he is ultimately brave and just... It's excusable."
"Humph!" Emperor Guangwu was still angry. He looked at Xiao Rencheng again. "The person was beaten by Sheng Jiangli. Why did you rush to confess your guilt? Is the prison of the Dali Temple more comfortable than the cell of your Censorate?"
Xiao Rencheng stepped forward, knelt down, and reported with his head down, "Your humble servant has a case to handle and needs to disguise himself and sneak into the Dali Temple prison. Coincidentally, the case of Lady Wen happened. Your humble servant just found an excuse to get in first. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
Xiao Rencheng was cunning. He knew that the excuse Sheng Jiangli had taught him was just to tease him, so he calmly found another appropriate excuse.
Emperor Guangwu's eyes flickered slightly. As an emperor, his eyes were always sharp. How could he not see what was going on on the stage?
It was all a farce!
Fortunately, Xu Ziyi's judgment result allowed his important minister, Xiao Rencheng, to get out safely.
As for his sharp blade on the border, although his actions were absurd, they were harmless. In other words, he was also saved.
This result was exactly what Emperor Guangwu wanted.
Emperor Guangwu said sternly, "Since that's the case... Lord Xiao was doing things for the court. This matter will not be pursued anymore. As for Sheng Jiangli..."
Emperor Guangwu thought of that prodigal son and felt both love and hatred. He said, "Beating my Lord Wen is hateful! Let him stay in the prison of the Ministry of Justice for a while and reflect on himself!"
Xu Ziyi said, "Your humble servant obeys the order!"
Emperor Guangwu pondered for a moment and then asked, "What about the case of Lady Wen's murder?"
Xu Ziyi said, "This matter has also been decided. It turned out that it was Peilan's cousin who did it."
"Cui Shichang owed a huge gambling debt. He threatened Peilan with an affair to get silver. The two had a conflict, and Cui Shichang accidentally killed Peilan."
Emperor Guangwu's eyes flickered slightly. His gaze swept over the faces of several parties involved one by one.
He knew that this case was absurd, but he didn't expose it.
This was the best result.
This case was hastily concluded with the joint efforts of several people.
Above the imperial city in Shangjing, the sky was high and the clouds were vast. Occasionally, a wisp of white cloud was embedded in the blue sky like a ribbon.
The Drunken Fragrance Tower.
"Sorry, in order to let Miss Lan get divorced smoothly, I exchanged the ledger back to Wen Zilong." Xiao Rencheng picked up his teacup and clinked it with Song Xinghuai's. "Master Xu did an autopsy on Peilan. It should be the work of the crown prince's secret guards. I'm afraid it will become an unsolved case."
Song Xinghuai took a sip of tea and said with a gentle smile, "It doesn't matter. If I can help Brother Xiao win the beauty's heart, not to mention a ledger, even a mountain of gold and silver, I'm willing to help."
Xiao Rencheng nodded. "Thank you, Your Highness."
A bitter smile flashed across his face.
Win the beauty's heart?
I'm afraid the beauty thinks I'm threatening her and hates me.
Otherwise, why would she propose such an absurd idea of being my mistress?
Xiao Rencheng paused and said, "What about you, Your Highness? Are you still angry with Miss San? Do you really plan to lock her up at home?"
When it came to Caiyu, Song Xinghuai's head hurt.
He heard that the girl had been on a hunger strike to protest in the past two days, and she had lost a lot of weight.
Song Xinghuai supported his forehead with his hand and sighed, "Sheng Jiangli is still in the prison of the Ministry of Justice. If she finds out about this, I don't know what she will do. It's better to lock her up for a few more days until Sheng Jiangli is released."
"But the emperor wants Sheng Jiangli to reflect in the prison. He didn't say when he would be released. You can't keep having a cold war with Miss San, can you?"
"Don't blame me for not reminding you. If you keep a woman cold for too long, her heart will turn to someone else. Especially that Sheng Jiangli. He is good at pleasing women. His face is so handsome that it's a disaster to the country, and his mouth is more likable than yours. Most importantly..."
Xiao Rencheng took the risk of being attacked by Song Xinghuai and reminded him regardless.
"They are childhood sweethearts. Childhood sweethearts... You know the power of a first love, don't you?"
When it came to childhood sweethearts, Song Xinghuai's face turned ugly.
After a while, he sneered, "You'd better take a look at yourself first. Your Miss Lan doesn't have a good impression of you either. A fake bandit who takes advantage of the situation and a hypocrite who covets someone else's wife... You'd better pray for your own good."
After saying that, the two men stared at each other, and they both saw helplessness in each other's eyes.
After noon, after Xiao Rencheng separated from Song Xinghuai, he went to the Ministry of Justice.
The case was over, and it was time for him to pick up his Miss Lan and take her back to the mansion.
Before Xiao Rencheng arrived at the Ministry of Justice, another unexpected guest came to the prison of the Ministry of Justice.
Sheng Jiangli watched as Qingqing was escorted into the prison by Xu Ziyi himself. His eyes almost popped out.
"Hey! You little girl!" Sheng Jiangli grabbed the iron railing of the prison and stopped Xu Ziyi. "Lord Xu, why did you arrest her?"
"What did this girl do wrong?"