sell
Li Wan was injured, but Xiu He and Xiu Zhu, who were standing nearby, were indignant.
"Yesterday in Meilin I pinched the young lady's mouth, and today I went to Zhenyun Hall and bruised my knees. It's hard on the young lady, who is only a concubine and cannot return to her parents' home in three days. She has no one to complain to."
Xiuzhu took the ointment and complained as she applied it.
After finishing most of a bowl of fish congee in the evening, Li Wan felt warm and her mood improved considerably.
She looked around the outer courtyard and asked, "Where is Jixiang?"
Xiuzhu snorted heavily, "She was summoned to the West Mansion by Aunt Yang early this morning and hasn't returned yet."
Li Wan nodded, "Let's go then."
Then she looked around the room again, "Where is that maid named Suixi?"
"I'll assign her to do menial cleaning work in the outer courtyard," Xiuhe replied.
Last night, Suixi and the young lady only spent a short time alone. The young lady was preoccupied with her thoughts all night. Xiuhe had a feeling that this Suixi was not simple. At the very least, the young lady did not like her. Therefore, this morning, she assigned Suixi to the outer courtyard.
Li Wan greatly admired Xiuhe's intelligence. After thinking for a moment, she gave her some advice, especially to the carefree Xiuzhu, "Suixi and we are not on the same page. In the future, avoid talking to her."
Xiuzhu was about to ask why when Xiuhe stopped her, and the two of them said in unison, "Yes."
Noon.
Jixiang returned from the West Mansion and entered Li Wan's bedroom with the guest list in her hand.
“Young Madam, the Old Madam has instructed that a plum blossom appreciation banquet will be held at the manor in three days. Our Marquis’s manor has not held a banquet for many years. This morning, Concubine Yang summoned me over to help with the preparations.”
Jixiang handed the guest list to Li Wan, saying, "This is the guest list for the Marquis's residence prepared by Aunt Yang. Please take a look and see if there are any people we need to add."
Li Wan glanced at them and found that they were all noble families of princes and marquises, whose status was comparable to that of the Marquis's family.
The Ningyuan Marquis's residence was usually quiet, but after she entered, they suddenly held a plum blossom appreciation banquet. Li Wan instantly understood the old lady's intention: it was to make up for the regret of not holding a wedding banquet for them.
She also wanted to make it clear to the people of the capital that she was now a wife, not a concubine, and to save face for the Jiang family.
Li Wan felt a surge of warmth in her heart, grateful for the old lady's thoughtfulness. However, apart from the Jiang family, she didn't know anyone else in the capital, so she returned the guest list to Ji Xiang, saying, "Aunt Yang can make the reservations."
Seeing Li Wan's unpretentious manner, Ji Xiang felt even more that this young lady had an excellent personality.
She was currently a servant at Yingyue Residence. This morning, when Consort Yang sent someone to summon her, she didn't want to go. However, Consort Yang was still in charge, and her parents and younger brother were all working on the Marquis's estate in the countryside. Her whole family was under Consort Yang's control, so how could she dare to resist?
I thought the young mistress would be angry when she came back, but to my surprise, she didn't care at all.
"Jixiang, how many years have you been in the Marquis's residence?" Li Wan suddenly asked.
Jixiang answered earnestly, "This servant was sold into the Marquis's mansion by my family when I was ten years old, and it has been seven or eight years now."
"Do you know about the old Marquis's legs..."
Before Li Wan could finish speaking, Ji Xiang's large eyes suddenly narrowed, and she looked around warily. Her voice trembled, "Young Madam, you mustn't say!"
Li Wan was taken aback. She had asked the question casually, but seeing Ji Xiang's reaction, she realized that there was more to the story than met the eye.
In her previous life, after the Jinlin Army was defeated, the imperial court issued a nationwide order of culpability the very next day. After that, she never heard of the Ningyuan Marquis's Mansion pleading for Xie Qi's innocence or resisting the imperial court.
Logically speaking, with the old lady and the Marquis of Ningyuan's family, and at the very least Xie Ye, how could they not know whether Xie Qi had women or not, and how could they allow the court to frame him?
As for this Marquis of Ningyuan, his attire was strange, his temperament was strange, and he was eccentric in every way.
Li Wan became more and more curious. She pulled Ji Xiang aside and lowered her voice, "Why can't we say? Is there some taboo? I just want to hear the general idea so that I won't offend the Marquis in the future. Don't worry, I will never tell any outsiders."
Jixiang hesitated for a long time, then clenched her hands tightly and whispered, "The eldest young master once ordered that no one in the manor is allowed to discuss the Marquis's legs. Last time, two guards who had drunk too much said a few words were beaten to death with sticks."
Li Wan's heart skipped a beat, and she asked, "The Marquis's leg injury wasn't an accident, it was caused by someone?" Otherwise, why couldn't she even mention it?
Jixiang nodded and then shook her head slightly. "This servant is not very clear either. I only know that six years ago, on the second day after Madam Lin passed away, the Marquis and the eldest son went to the palace together. When they left the palace, the Marquis's legs... were cut off. It was the eldest son who carried him back to the Marquis's mansion step by step."
"What?" Li Wan gasped. She lost her legs after a trip to the palace, even with Xie Qi by her side.
Who would dare to openly harm a first-rank marquis?
Li Wan's heart trembled violently. Apart from the saint on the supreme throne, she couldn't think of a second person!
The next day.
The secret guards secretly placed a roster of Jinlin soldiers in the main room of Yingyue Residence.
Li Wan handed it to Sui Xi, telling her that she had gone to great lengths to steal it from Xie Qi's study.
Sui Xi, without suspecting anything, secretly took the register and left the mansion, going to a dark alley on East Street to pass it on to someone in the Fourth Prince's residence.
In less than half an hour, the roster was in Xiao Fan's hands.
Xiao Fan's study.
Grand Secretary Chen Dong sat on the lower right of the main seat, his brows furrowed as he looked at the list in Xiao Fan's hand.
"Your Highness, can you be sure that this Jiang Feiwan is trustworthy? Is this register genuine?"
"Smack!"
Xiao Fan slammed the roster onto the table, his sinister eyes filled with rage. "I didn't write this, how the hell can I be sure?"
Chairman Chen stroked his beard and shook his head. "So, should we believe it or not?"
Xiao Fan glanced coldly at Chairman Chen, his tone displeased.
"If you don't believe me, what methods does Lord Chen have to deal with His Majesty's thorough investigation of military funds?"
"It's all because of your good subordinate Jiang Huaishan. Xie Qi caught him framing Jiang Nanyue, which led the court to investigate official corruption. Why should we rush to cut off the source of income for the military?"
Xiao Fan's unvarnished accusations infuriated Chairman Chen.
As a veteran official of two dynasties and the head of all officials, Chairman Chen could have lived a life of integrity and not sided with any of the princes.
Unfortunately, the younger generation of the family is incompetent. If he falls, the Chen family will only decline.
The crown prince has no reliable maternal family and lacks the ability to govern the country, making his position as the crown prince precarious.
The Third Prince didn't get along with him, and the other princes were incompetent, so he had no choice but to select Xiao Fan from among the princes.
Xiao Fan is the only son of the current empress, and his maternal uncle is Lin Shang, the commander of the Jinlin Army. In addition, he is quite capable, so he was thought to be the most likely successor.
But... Chairman Chen raised his eyelids and glanced at Xiao Fan. Only after working with him did he realize that Xiao Fan was a treacherous and vicious person who would do anything, shameless, and had no respect for him, an old minister.
Xiao Fan amassed wealth on a large scale in order to maintain his private army.
The embezzlement of funds related to the Hebei dikes was orchestrated by Xiao Fan, who used the cabinet as a cover to steal most of the money. After the crudely constructed dikes were destroyed, fearing exposure, he bribed Zhang, the head of the Ministry of Revenue, to frame Jiangnan Yue.
Unexpectedly, Xie Qi found out the truth in less than half a day, but he did not report to His Majesty. Instead, he killed Zhang, the steward, and Jiang Huaishan, the mastermind who framed Jiangnan Yue.
Xie Qi was extremely intelligent and had a firm grasp on the political situation. He naturally knew that His Majesty favored and doted on Xiao Fan, so he deliberately let Xiao Fan off the hook.
However, now Xiao Fan wants to steal the roster of Jinlin Army soldiers and officers in order to cover up his embezzlement of Jinlin Army's military pay and use it to forge military pay disbursement ledgers.
But Xie Qi is a man of great stature; how could we allow him to obtain it so easily?
Xiao Fan was well aware of what Chairman Chen was thinking.
Xiao Fan looked at the list on the table, his fingers behind his back rubbing together, hesitant: even if Jiang Feiwan dared not lie to him, how could he be sure that Jiang Feiwan had stolen the real list?
While Chen and Xiao were still in silence and hesitating, a servant came in and reported, "Your Highness, there is a man in black who says he has come to see you on the orders of his master."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Fan kicked the servant hard, "What kind of dog is this who doesn't even give his name? This prince can see me whenever he wants."
The servant, who had been kicked down, lay prostrate on the ground in pain, took something out of his pocket and handed it to Xiao Fan, saying in a fright, "The man in black didn't say his name, he just said that if I give you this thing, you will see him."
Xiao Fan took the item, looked down, and saw that it was another roster of Jinlin Army soldiers and officers.
Xiao Fan and Chairman Chen exchanged a glance, and Xiao Fan instructed, "Let him in."
A moment later, the young-looking man in black stood in front of Xiao Fan, without bowing, and simply relayed his message in a formal and methodical manner.
"Fourth Prince, my master said that the list you received half an hour ago was fake. The person who gave you the list is ostensibly your man, but is actually working for someone else."
"My master also said that the list he just gave you is definitely the real list, and that you shouldn't be suspicious."
"Alright, I've finished speaking. I'm leaving." The boy in black turned and walked out.
Xiao Fan immediately clapped his hands twice, and suddenly a group of soldiers with swords rushed in from outside the door, surrounding the black-clad youth.
Xiao Fan sneered as he sized up the young man in black. "Your master... Xie Qi?"
The boy in black smiled slightly. "Otherwise what?"
Xiao Fan held the register of names. "Why did you help me, Lord Xie?"
The young man in black paused for a moment, then spoke the truth, "Perhaps my master took pity on you because he saw you being played by a woman and another man."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Fan's eyes sharpened. The woman must be Jiang Feiwan, and the other man... the Third Prince Xiao Xian.
It could only be Xiao Xian, because the only thing he could hold against Jiang Feiwan was her affair with Xiao Xian.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Feiwan colluded with Xiao Xian to try and bring him down using a fake roster.
On the other hand, this means that Xie Qi knew Jiang Feiwan was his spy and also knew about Jiang Feiwan's affair with Xiao Xian.
Why would Xie Qi help him? Could it be that he hates Jiang Feiwan for being promiscuous? Did he expose Jiang Feiwan to him so that he could get rid of her?
"I have to go back and report. You can think about it yourself." Seeing that Xiao Fan was deep in thought, the young man in black became impatient and continued walking out.
"Wait a minute," Xiao Fan interrupted, wanting to ask more questions.
The guards, upon receiving the order, were about to draw their swords to stop the young man in black when, in a flash, a cold light flashed past them.
"Bang, bang, bang!"
One by one, the guards fell to the ground, each with a thin, deep, and neat sword wound on their throat.
The young man in black, however, sheathed his thin sword expressionlessly, flicking the blood droplets off it as he said, "I already told you I'm in a hurry to leave."
Xiao Fan and Chairman Chen were shocked by this scene, their pupils shrinking as they watched the young man leave.
Half an incense stick later.
The servants had already carried out all the bodies, and the bloodstains on the ground had been wiped dry.
Chairman Chen frowned. "Xie Qi's subordinates are ruthless. Your Highness should not have let him leave so easily."
Xiao Fan waved his hand, "They're just a few guards, no need to say more."
Xiao Fan handed the register of names to his advisor and ordered him to prepare the account books as soon as possible.
Chairman Chen asked, "Does Your Highness trust Xie Qi?"
Xiao Fan gave a forced smile, "Lord Chen, you're getting old and don't understand men's jealousy. If Xie Qi found out that his woman was having an affair with Xiao Xian, let alone a list of names, he'd probably want to kill Xiao Xian even more than I do right now."
Chairman Chen wanted to say that he had served in the same court as Xie Qi for many years, and Xie Qi had risen to the position of Minister of the First Rank at a young age, so he was definitely not a person who acted on emotion.
However, Chairman Chen only opened his mouth before swallowing back what he wanted to say.
Meanwhile, the boy in black had already arrived at the Ningyuan Marquis's residence.
"Mo Shi".
Shen Jie called out to him, "Have you finished your errand?"
Mo nodded.
Shen Jie walked to his side, smelled the blood, and frowned, "You did it?"
"Master didn't say we can't take action," Mo Shi said matter-of-factly.
Shen Jie sighed helplessly. "Fine, then let's do it."
"I'm going to report back to my master," Mo Shi said as he walked towards Zhenyun Hall.
Shen Jie stopped him, "The lord has gone to the West Mansion."
West Mansion Flower Hall.
Xie Qi and Li Wan were called over by the old lady for lunch.
When Li Wan arrived, she discovered that besides her and Xie Qi, Xie Ye and a gorgeously dressed, strikingly beautiful woman were also sitting at the table.
The old lady introduced, "Awan, this is Aunt Yang, and this is your uncle Ye'er."
Li Wan looked at Aunt Yang and said, "Aunt, are you well?" Then she turned to Xie Ye and whispered, "Uncle."
Xie Ye smiled and raised an eyebrow in response, "Sister-in-law." His eyes held a playful glint.
Li Wan knew he must be thinking about Qingzhu Residence, so she glared at him secretly and then looked away.
Aunt Yang, however, was cunning; she warmly took Li Wan's hand.
"She truly is the legitimate daughter of the Minister of Revenue. Not only is she well-educated and reasonable, but she also has skin as white as snow and hair as black as ink, as beautiful as a fairy. The eldest young master has excellent taste."
While praising Li Wan, he also flattered Xie Qi.
Li Wan silently withdrew her hand and said politely, "Thank you, Auntie. You look beautiful too."
Aunt Yang smiled and said, "Awan, please try to flatter me. I've worked hard in the Marquis's mansion for so many years, I've long lost my beauty, what's there to look at?"
After saying that, she paused for a moment, and then said, "But now that Awan has come, once you take over the management of the household, I can finally rest."
Li Wan understood that Aunt Yang was testing her, to see if she would compete with her for control of the household.
She had no interest in managing the household, so she smiled and said, "I know you've worked hard, Aunt. To be honest, I was in poor health when I was young and I never learned how to keep accounts or manage a household. The Marquis's mansion is so large and powerful that I can't handle it all myself. So I'll have to trouble you to take care of things from now on."
Upon hearing this, the group members all looked slightly surprised.
Li Wan remained calm, glanced at Xie Qi who had a composed expression, and continued, "However, once my husband marries his legal wife, then I, as a concubine, will be able to rest in peace."
As soon as he finished speaking, the astonishment in their eyes grew even stronger. They had clearly never expected that this young lady would be such a calm and unassuming person.
Even Xie Qi turned his head and glanced at her.
The old lady paused for a moment and said to Aunt Yang, "Awan has just arrived and is not yet familiar with the mansion. You will have to work hard for a while longer, Madam Yang."
Aunt Yang smiled and said, "Yes, Madam."
Finally free from dealing with Aunt Yang, Li Wan breathed a sigh of relief.
The maids and servants served lunch to the table in turn, a sumptuous feast of delicacies from land and sea, steamed dishes, and more.
Born into a rural farming family, Li Wan could forgo gold and silver jewelry, but she couldn't help but swallow her saliva whenever she saw these delicacies.
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