Chapter 82 Xie Guanlan is supporting her

Xie Guanlan didn't ask him to get up, but just glanced indifferently at the Xiling Tower Ship.

The black-armored guards were carrying a middle-aged man out and throwing him fiercely in front of Xie Guanlan. "Sir, he is Lai Zhongliang, the owner of Xiling Tower Ship!"

Lai Zhongliang knelt on the ground and begged in fear, "Commander, please spare my life! Commander, please spare my life!"

Xie Guanlan spoke gently, "Over the years, Boss Lai has used the restaurant as a platform to gather information on government and military matters at official gatherings and banquets, under the guise of serving food and wine. He's sent everyone to pass on all of this information to Du Guanghong, truly putting in a lot of effort."

"I won't dare to do it anymore!" Lai Zhongliang burst into tears, his legs shaking. "I beg you, Commander, to understand. It was Governor Du who forced me to do this!"

He crawled on his knees to Xie Guanlan and reached out to grab the hem of his robe.

Xie Guanlan calmly moved the amulet away to avoid his touch.

Lai Zhongliang pleaded bitterly, "Taishu Du threatened my wife, children, and mother, so I had no choice but to get information for him. But I was very sensible and only gave him insignificant information! I had no choice but to do this!"

He was not lying, Du Guanghong almost killed his mother.

When he learned that Du Guanghong had been killed by Xie Guanlan that day, he wanted to set off fireworks to celebrate.

But he did do something wrong.

He only hoped that this confession could move Xie Guanlan.

But even though his eyes were red and swollen from crying, the legendary "gentle and humble" commander still had an indifferent expression and didn't even lift his eyelids.

Lai Zhongliang was flustered and looked around, when he suddenly saw a delicate and fresh figure.

According to the information he collected, this girl is Xie Guanlan's stepsister.

Look at the golden butterfly hairpin in her bun. It was made by Xie Guanlan at his cousin's jewelry shop. Apart from the expensive gold material, the labor fee for the master craftsman alone cost a full one thousand taels of silver!

It can be seen that Xie Guanlan really loves his stepsister very much.

Lai Zhongliang swallowed his saliva, holding on to the last glimmer of hope, and suddenly crawled to Wen Xingluo on his knees.

He pleaded, "Miss Wen, I'm really desperate, so I'm helping Governor Du—bah! I'm helping Du Guanghong. If I had a choice, I'd just be an honest businessman! Could you please put in a few good words for me in front of the commander?! From now on, when you and your friends come to Xiling Tower for dinner, I won't charge you!"

Wen Xingluo subconsciously took half a step back.

From childhood to adulthood, no one has ever knelt down to her.

I'm not used to it...

She glanced at Xie Guanlan.

He was looking at her too.

He raised his eyebrows, and a hint of interest appeared on his handsome face, as if he wanted to see how she would respond.

Wen Xingluo covered the lower half of her face with a round fan and said, "I'm just a girl from a distant past. I don't understand the twists and turns of government affairs. Boss Lai, you've asked the wrong person for help."

Asking the wrong person?

Lai Zhongliang swore that with his more than 20 years of experience in the business world, he definitely did not ask the wrong person for help!

He said in despair, "Among the people present, the only one who has a say in front of the commander is you, Miss Wen! I have elderly parents and young children to support. If I die, what will happen to them? Miss Wen, I beg you!"

“Daddy!”

A clear and childish voice suddenly came.

A little girl of six or seven years old ran over with staggering steps and hugged Lai Zhongliang.

She cried out two strings of tears, mature and sensible, "Please sister, save my daddy, wuwuwu!"

The father and daughter hugged each other and cried bitterly.

Wen Xingluo was in trouble.

Although she sympathized with the father and daughter, she didn't think Xie Guanlan would make concessions on political matters for her.

Xie Guanlan was a ruthless and decisive person. In order to wipe out the roots of the Du family, he even spared no effort to kill the daughters of the Du family.

No one can save the person he wants to kill.

During the stalemate, Xie Guanlan asked with a smile, "What do you think, Ningning?"

Wen Xingluo said seriously, "If it were me, considering that Boss Lai was threatened, I would probably give him a light punishment but a heavy warning. But the one making the decision today is my eldest brother after all, so the final decision on what to do next still rests with my eldest brother."

After she finished speaking, she looked at the little girl crying in her father's arms.

The little girl was plump and fair, dressed beautifully and exquisitely, and had two gold bracelets on her wrists. It was obvious at first glance that she was raised and loved by her father.

A complex emotion flashed across her almond-shaped eyes.

It is really a wonderful thing to have a father who loves you!

So she added lightly and cryptically, "Perhaps my choice is too soft-hearted in my elder brother's eyes."

Xie Guanlan twisted the goose yellow ears of corn and said in a playful tone, "Ningning, what you said is that I am not kind enough."

Wen Xingluo lowered his brows and closed his eyes, "I dare not."

Wen Yueyin looked at the two of them, his mind in turmoil.

She had lived in the Zhenbei Palace in her previous life, and she knew what a cruel person Xie Guanlan was.

An idea struck her, and she bowed respectfully. "Your Excellency, I think Boss Lai deserves death for aiding and abetting the evil! He dared to collude with Du Guanghong today, and he'll collude with others tomorrow. Fence-sitters like him should be executed in public to serve as a warning to others!"

In his previous life, Xie Guanlan hated her to the core.

She has catered to his needs in this life, so he can't hate her anymore, right?

Wen Yueyin waited nervously for a long moment, only to hear Xie Guanlan sneer, "Lai Zhongliang was forced to commit evil for his mother's sake. His filial piety is evident. He's not a wicked person, so why should he be beaten to death? They say Miss Wen has a kind heart, but why does she seem so cruel and ruthless today? Could it be that all her previous reputations were deliberately cultivated by Miss Wen?"

Wen Yueyin suddenly raised her head, her face full of disbelief.

She is cruel and ruthless? !

How could Xie Guanlan have the nerve to say that she was cruel and ruthless?!

She was just cooperating with him!

He ruined her reputation with just a few words. He is the one with a truly evil heart!

Sensing the contemptuous looks from those around him, Wen Yueyin broke out in a cold sweat and knelt on the ground, "My Lord, please understand, that's not what I meant!"

Xie Guanlan ignored her and just glanced at Fushan.

Fushan understood and said loudly, "Lai Zhongliang colluded with Du Guanghong and sold out military and political secrets. Considering that he was coerced and showed his filial piety, he will be spared the punishment of caning and exile. He will be fined 100,000 taels of silver within three days. If he commits the same offense again, he will be beheaded in the street!"

One hundred thousand taels of silver is equivalent to most of Lai Zhongliang's wealth.

But at least I saved my life, didn’t I?

Lai Zhongliang, who had survived the disaster, burst into tears and kowtowed to Xie Guanlan.

Xie Guanlan looked gloomy.

Fushan glanced at his expression and reminded him, "Boss Lai, you should thank our young lady."

Lai Zhongliang hurried to thank Wen Xingluo again.

Wen Xingluo's gaze swept across Wen Yueyin, whose face was pale, and fell on Xie Guanlan.

So, he went through so much trouble just to support her?

He wanted to let everyone present know that she, Wen Xingluo, was not just a stepdaughter of the Zhenbei Palace in name only, but a master with the right to speak...

Lai Zhongliang raised his sleeve and wiped away his tears. "If Miss Wen hadn't come to my rescue this time, my life would have been in danger! Last time, under the orders of the Commander-in-Chief, Guard Fu went to my cousin's jewelry store and customized this gold hairpin for Miss Wen. I believe Miss Wen likes this style of jewelry. Tomorrow I will go to my cousin and customize a few more pieces of jewelry for Miss Wen to repay him for saving my life!"