Chapter 22 (What we saw was Wei Mingsu with his belt unbuckled)
The Registrar and the County Magistrate rushed over and were shocked to see Wei Mingsu, whose shoulders were covered in blood and whose blue robe was burned and tattered. They stepped forward to apologize.
A fire suddenly broke out in the cell next to Wei Mingsu's, and then someone disguised as a soldier sneaked into the prison to kill Lu Huaying. No one would believe that there was nothing suspicious about this. Both of them suspected that Zhou Qin had sent someone to set the fire, but they dared not voice their suspicion. They could only secretly lament their dereliction of duty.
Fortunately, Wei Mingsu did not blame the two men, but asked them to stay and put out the fire before turning and leaving.
The magistrate breathed a sigh of relief and quietly instructed the steward, "Quickly prepare hot water and new clothes for Governor Wei, as well as the things we prepared before, and send them over."
This paragraph contains an image. Please visit the correct website, disable ad blocking, and exit your browser's reading mode.
Wei Mingsu did not return to his new residence. Covered in blood and smelling of burning, he walked into the courtyard where the prisoners were held.
Young Afu ran out of there in a panic: "Ah Lang! Everyone's dead!"
Wei Mingsu's face remained expressionless as he stepped inside: "How did he die?"
Flames blazed fiercely. Ah Fu wiped the sweat from his brow and said, “We captured them just now. Two were seriously injured, and three were captured alive. As Ah Lang instructed, we searched them all, took their weapons, and tied them up. Unexpectedly, the three who were captured alive secretly untied themselves and, when we weren’t looking, strangled the two seriously injured ones to death, and then bit off their tongues and committed suicide.”
This paragraph contains an image. Please visit the correct website, disable ad blocking, and exit your browser's reading mode.
Wei Mingsu squatted in front of the corpses on the ground, turning over the dead soldiers one by one, looking at their palms, and untying the headbands on their heads to examine them.
This paragraph contains an image. Please visit the correct website, disable ad blocking, and exit your browser's reading mode.
This paragraph contains an image. Please visit the correct website, disable ad blocking, and exit your browser's reading mode.
Afu didn't understand, scratched his head, and then his gaze fell on Wei Mingsu's right hand, and he gasped.
This paragraph contains an image. Please visit the correct website, disable ad blocking, and exit your browser's reading mode.
Wei Mingsu glanced at his right hand; his arm, exposed through the burned sleeve, was covered in red, swollen burns and blisters.
He seemed oblivious to the pain, stood up indifferently, and instructed his companion who had followed him in: "Take men to the south of the city immediately."
Tong Jin nodded, and before turning around, asked, "Master, I've looked around. The houses in this courtyard are very low, the walls aren't high, and the roofs are all flat. It's easy for others to climb over the wall and get in. Should we send a few more people to guard Lu San Niang?"
Wei Mingsu looked at the corpse on the ground and said, "Take her to the inner courtyard."
This paragraph contains an image. Please visit the correct website, disable ad blocking, and exit your browser's reading mode.
This paragraph contains an image. Please visit the correct website, disable ad blocking, and exit your browser's reading mode.
This paragraph contains an image. Please visit the correct website, disable ad blocking, and exit your browser's reading mode.
Zhou Qin, wearing a cloak, stood by the window, his brows furrowing as he watched the distant firelight gradually disappear.
Who started the fire?
His subordinates stood behind him, shaking their heads, and said, "Minister, we dare not act without your orders."
“I reckon you wouldn’t dare…” Zhou Qin frowned and said, “It doesn’t matter if I kill Lu San Niang, she’s just a lowly commoner, but Wei Ming Su cannot die at my hands.”
He was furious that Wei Mingsu had ruined his plans and wished that the fire would burn Wei Mingsu to ashes. However, Zhou Qin had not lost his mind. Wei Mingsu was the governor of a prefecture. The Empress had demoted him and then quickly reinstated him two months later. If he assassinated him before finding out the reason for his sudden demotion, even his superior, Suo Yuanli, would not be able to explain it to the Empress.
If we really want to get rid of Wei Mingsu, we can't do it in Xizhou, and we can't leave any trace of him.
The subordinates all respectfully replied that they had remembered.
One of them stepped forward and asked, "Minister, besides us, who else wants Governor Wei dead?"
Zhou Qin sneered: "This fire wasn't aimed at Governor Wei; someone wants to kill Lu Sanniang."
The subordinate pondered for a moment: "Is it Prince Chai? He's worried that Lu Sanniang will identify him and kill him to silence him."
Zhou Qin shook his head: "Chai Sanlang wouldn't do that. The person who wants to kill Lu Sanniang the most right now is the real murderer."
The subordinates were stunned for a moment, and then they remembered that the real culprit who killed Wu Yanxing had not yet been caught.
Zhou Qin had no interest in catching the real culprit. Looking at the soldiers in the courtyard who were working hard to put out the fire, he curled up his lips and said, "Wei Mingsu only brought two attendants to Xizhou. The soldiers who run errands for him were assigned to him by the governor of Xizhou. They are a mixed bag. With a new official in office, how can those soldiers be loyal to him? Lu Sanniang is not dead, so this fire will not be extinguished."
His subordinates all laughed and said, "Governor Wei doesn't know what's good for him. He doesn't cooperate with the Vice Minister. He deserves it!"
There were no screams in the fire.
The shouting sound dampened Zhou Qin's interest, and he turned and went back to his room.
"Your Excellency, a young master named Cheng requests an audience! He says he knows a secret about Governor Wei and Lu San Niang, and he wants to report it to you."
Zhou Qin immediately became interested: "The secret between Governor Wei and Lu Sanniang? Let him in."
Cheng Can strode into the house and greeted Zhou Qin with a smile.
Zhou Qin narrowed his eyes. The scions of prominent families in Luoyang disdained associating with cruel officials and were afraid of being caught by them. They avoided them like the plague. However, Cheng Can in front of him was all smiles, amiable and flattering. When he saw Zhou Qin, although he tried to cover it up with a smile, he still revealed his nervousness and fear.
This is a cowardly bully who preys on the weak, hypocritical, vindictive, and outwardly fierce but inwardly weak.
Zhou Qin had handled many cases and could tell at a glance what kind of person Cheng Can was beneath his noble appearance. He raised an eyebrow and said coldly, "What secrets do Governor Wei and Lu Sanniang have? Speak your mind and don't keep me in suspense."
Before entering the house, Cheng Can had made a plan. He first exchanged a few pleasantries with Zhou Qin to build rapport, then accused the Chai family of being out of touch with reality and daring to look down on the Wu family, thus luring Zhou Qin into a trap. He then revealed that he knew the secrets of Wei Mingsu and Lu Huaying, inciting Zhou Qin to deal with Chai Yong and Wei Mingsu. However, when he met Zhou Qin's venomous eyes, he broke out in a cold sweat, and when he heard Zhou Qin's gloomy tone, his legs went weak.
"Minister Zhou, Governor Wei met Lu San Niang four years ago! The two even had an affair!"
Cheng Can shouted loudly.
Zhou Qin was stunned for a moment, a hint of surprise flashing across his face.
Cheng Can could tell he didn't believe him. He wiped away his cold sweat and his voice changed: "Minister Zhou, everything I said is true! Governor Wei was a sutra copyer at Luyuan Temple four years ago, and that's when Lu Sanniang met him! One of them was the legitimate daughter of one of the five noble families, and the other came from a humble background. They actually had a secret affair, which was immoral! The Lu family was furious and banished Governor Wei from Chang'an, so he later went to Luoyang. The Lu family covered up this scandal to protect their reputation, and I only remembered today that the sutra copyer's surname was Wei!"
Zhou Qin's pupils contracted slightly.
To curb the power of aristocratic families, the Empress promoted a large number of people from humble backgrounds. Four years ago, Wei Mingsu arrived in Luoyang and was appreciated and promoted by the Empress. Half a month later, he was sent to Bazhou.
Li Xian committed suicide, and Wei Mingsu was demoted for the first time, and then sent to Yangzhou as an official.
Soon after, Li Jingye launched a rebellion in Yangzhou, sending a proclamation written by Luo Binwang to nearby prefectures and counties, and gathering troops to attack the city.
The rebel army attacked Wei Mingsu's city. At that time, the governor had already been captured. He held firm to the city and refused to surrender. When the imperial army arrived to punish the rebels, he and the army cooperated from within and without, and defeated the rebels.
After quelling the rebellion, Wei Mingsu was summoned back to Luoyang by the Empress. He was admitted to the Dali Temple for his merits and began to ruthlessly slaughter members of the Li Tang imperial family and powerful clans.
The people of Luoyang are familiar with Wei Mingsu's experiences after he rose to prominence, but they know less about his past. They only know that he came from a poor family and made a living by copying Buddhist scriptures. He once copied scriptures at Luyuan Temple.
Zhou Qin never imagined that the cold and aloof Wei Mingsu had a past of youthful recklessness.
Four years ago, he was penniless, yet he disregarded etiquette and social hierarchy, and had an affair with a woman from a wealthy family.
I thought he had copied too many Buddhist scriptures, and that he was going to be a monk for the rest of his life, without marrying or taking concubines!
So he can actually fall for a woman!
Zhou Qin was overjoyed.
Wei Mingsu also has weaknesses!
With his back to her, Wei Mingsu took the belt from the shelf, put on his boots, and stormed off.
She looked up and met a calm gaze.
Wei Mingsu rolled up his sleeves, picked up a wooden stick, and adjusted the wick that was soaking in oil. This was something he had done countless times and was already very skilled at, but now that his arm was injured, it took him a few tries before the lamp lit up.
Chai Yong's eyes, which were always smiling, were dark and cold. He didn't say a word and put the knife back into its sheath.
The moonlight slowly shone into the room through the window; the night was deep.
Two servants ran over with fawning smiles, but when they got closer, they noticed his ugly face and gloomy eyes. Their legs went weak, and they knelt down together.
The bedroom window was high, and moonlight streamed down, casting a hazy glow on the bed, as if shrouded in a light mist. Under the spread-out blankets, first a wisp of loose black hair was visible, then snow-white shoulders.
The lights gradually dimmed, and the words on the yellow paper became blurry.
Lu Huaying smiled slightly and closed her eyes.
...
She begged Wei Mingsu to spare her family, and then she was brought to this courtyard.
She thought of Pei Jingyao's elder brother, and of the greedy faces on the Lu family's faces after their property was confiscated.
One sat on the bed, the other stood beside it; one was almost naked, the other disheveled. They both looked at each other, but avoided eye contact.
Wei Mingsu closed the yellow paper, closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, then blew out the oil lamp and got up to go back to his room.
r />
The doctor applied the medicine to him, gave him some instructions, and then left. From the moment he entered until he took his leave, the doctor didn't dare to raise his eyes.
The person under the blanket was only wearing a white gauze dress.
Two servants stood guard at the door, their faces beaming with smiles.
A shout rang out in the night, and Pei Jingyao galloped in on horseback, pushing open the door and entering the house: "Third Brother, Governor Wei sent men to the south of the city and took Sister-in-law away!"
As the thick smoke dissipated, moonlight streamed down, illuminating the study window.
...
If this is also what Wei Mingsu wants.
Lu Huaying's heart skipped a beat, her eyes widened in disbelief.
The guard shook his head: "Governor Wei is already asleep. Please return, gentlemen."
Lu Huaying was startled and opened her eyes.
The two servants exchanged a glance and then withdrew.
He sat up and pulled back the covers.
A flash of anger crossed Chai Yong's eyes: "Prefect Wei's men just took away Lady Wang from the Lu family. What crime has Lady Wang, a woman who never leaves her house, committed?"
A weight settled on my shoulder.
The blanket fell on her, covering her body.
As the blanket fell, Lu Huaying woke up, rubbed her eyes, and subconsciously sat up. The blanket, her black hair, and her gauze dress slipped off her shoulders, revealing her bare back, slender arms, and full breasts. Bathed in moonlight, the healed scars on her body were not as noticeable as they would be in daylight.
The man's aura had become very unfamiliar.
Just now, two servants brought her to this room, brought her hot water to bathe, and asked her to change into the new clothes they had prepared.
The young noblemen who had been led to the courtyard by the guards were relieved and went back to their rooms to sleep.
Wei Mingsu did not sleep.
This time, the purse that Steward Gu handed out was returned by the guards: "Young Master, it's already past midnight, Governor Wei has no time to see you."
The fire is out.
Wei Mingsu remained silent.
After changing her clothes, Lu Huaying sat on the bed and slowly fell asleep.
The room was small and simply furnished. Behind the curtain was a bed against the wall, covered with a blanket.
Wei Mingsu waved his hand, indicating that he did not want anyone to serve him.
Chai Yong flew into a rage and placed his right hand on the hilt of his sword.
A soldier went in to deliver a message and came out shortly after: "Young Master, Governor Wei's men say that Lady Wang is suspected of arson, so they want to arrest her for questioning."
...
"Young Master! Don't be impulsive." Steward Gu held his hand and pulled him away. "Since Governor Wei is already asleep, let's go back and find a few people to prove that Madam Wang hasn't left the house. We can definitely rescue Madam Wang tomorrow."
When he woke up, he saw Wei Mingsu with his belt undone.
Wei Mingsu strode out of the house and stood with his hands behind his back in front of the door.
He sat by the oil lamp reading official documents, his burned arm resting on the table.
Chai Yong went back to his room to change his clothes, and several holes were burned into the hem of his clothes.
Wei Mingsu sat down, took off his boots, placed them by the bed, loosened his belt, and lay down fully clothed.
Wei Mingsu frowned and looked at her coldly.
Lu Huaying's gaze swept over the boots she had taken off by the bedside, the black belt hanging on the rack, and the unbuttoned outer robe on Wei Mingsu's body. She was dazed for a moment, her heart filled with mixed feelings, and slowly lowered her eyes.
A breeze blew into the room through the cracks, causing the curtains to sway gently, and a faint, delicate fragrance drifted on the wind, filling the entire room.
This courtyard belonged to the registrar of Liucheng and was usually uninhabited. The winds and sandstorms were frequent in Xizhou; after a gust of wind, a layer of sand would settle on the roof and in the courtyard. Tongjin left the servants who had been tending the house and had them clean it.
Wei Mingsu immediately released his grip and got out of bed.
She stared blankly as his slender figure disappeared through the doorway.
“Madam Wang hasn’t even left her house, how could she be suspected of arson?” Pei Jingyao, pale from running, stepped forward and said angrily, “Brother Lu has been arrested, and Madam Wang has been arrested too. Governor Wei is just randomly accusing them!”
Chai Yong hurriedly changed his clothes and requested an audience with Wei Mingsu.
Wei Mingsu pushed open the door and entered the room.
Soft breathing could be heard from under the blanket beside me.
Wei Mingsu bent down and stretched out his hand, the shadow looming closer and closer until it covered Lu Huaying.
She can give.
Wei Mingsu suddenly opened his eyes.
Please move the original, unmodified content to the official website of [website name - implied]. If it's already there, please disable ad blocking and exit browser reading mode.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
