Chapter 5 She is really the woman you like
"Did she really say that?"
Shen Yi was surprised, with a hint of gossip in his eyes.
The guard said, "It's absolutely true. This statement came from Miss Zhuang. Now, not only the servants of the Zhuang Mansion know about it, but even the porters carrying vegetables at the entrance of the alleys in the capital have heard about it."
Shen Yi laughed heartily, then looked at the person writing a letter at the table. He saw him lowering his head slightly, but still moving.
But Shen Yi knew that Pei Xingju was probably not in a good mood at the moment.
"What a love at first sight..." Chen Yi smacked his lips. "He even climbed over the wall to write poetry and spoke sweet nothings. Hmm... A lifelong promise is quite interesting..."
Pei Xingju suddenly put down his pen and glared at him, "You have so much free time? Yesterday, the Ministry of Rites submitted a memorial to build the Imperial Ancestral Temple. I heard that the Empress Dowager was very supportive. Now you still have the leisure to laugh at me?"
Chen Yi touched his nose and said, "I have already thought of a solution for this matter, but how should I deal with your problem?"
"Don't say that..." He said with a certain gloating pleasure: "Miss Zhuang, what you said sounds quite plausible."
Pei Xingju smiled dangerously: "Climbing over the wall to write poetry?"
"I'm talking about the encounter with the startled horse." Chen Yi walked over to the chair and sat down. "You probably don't remember, but three years ago, when we were returning from Hezhou on business, Guard Lu rode ahead and did startle the carriage of a wealthy young lady. The terrain was rough at the time, and the carriage was swaying, frightening the woman inside. That young lady was from Lord Zhuang's household. Later, Miss Zhuang even got out of the carriage to speak to you."
Pei Xingju was bewildered: "Is this true?"
Chen Yi looked at Guard Lu at the door, and Guard Lu nodded: "I remember it now, it is indeed true."
Guard Lu said, "Afterwards, the Zhuang Mansion sent a thank-you gift, which you accepted, sir."
"I accepted it?"
"Yes." Guard Lu said with certainty, "You had just returned from the palace, and the housekeeper asked if you wanted to accept it. You nodded and went into the study."
Pei Xingju was stunned for a moment, then continued writing the letter.
"Actually, I'm a little suspicious..." Chen Yi said mischievously, "Maybe you really are having an affair with Miss Zhuang."
Pei Xingju was too lazy to pay attention to him.
"Otherwise, how would she know your original name? Didn't you accidentally let it out when you were being affectionate with her?"
Pei Xingju's face darkened: "Enough is enough."
Chen Yi spread his hands: "But how do you explain this?"
Speaking of this, both of them became serious.
"What do you think?" Pei Xingju asked.
"It's hard to guess." Chen Yi said, "But one thing is clear, there must be someone behind Miss Zhuang."
Pei Xingju's identity is his biggest handle. If he was really instructed by someone, the person behind the scenes would not have to arrange a woman. He could just announce it to the world and kill Pei Xingju without any effort.
"So..." Chen Yi pondered, "A woman who is facing the confiscation of her property as punishment would reveal such a shocking secret. There can only be one reason."
"What's the reason?"
"She is really the woman you like."
“…”
"Otherwise, I really can't guess." Chen Yi said: "Since she has no one to direct her, she met you now because she wants you to save her. And she mentioned your name probably because she knows you have lost your memory, and she is trying to gain your trust. Look, she even knows that you have lost your memory, and she still says that there is no private relationship between you?"
“…”
Shen Yi asked: "What are you going to do next?"
After finishing the letter, Pei Xingju fanned the ink and said, "To be on the safe side, let's get the person in first."
"Please bring it in?"
"What else can I do? Now everyone knows that I have an affair with her. Regardless of whether it is true or not, it would be disadvantageous for me to let her go at this time."
"Besides..." Pei Xingju's eyes turned cold: "It's safer to keep someone like this by my side. I want to see how much she knows."
.
The Zhuang family was a large and prosperous family, so even the three accountants would need two days to keep the records. Therefore, the people from the Ministry of Justice went back after working until the evening, planning to come back tomorrow.
During the house search, Zhuang Wan was called in for questioning, primarily regarding a discrepancy between the items in her boudoir. She had no idea what was going on, but fortunately, two maids were there with the items in the register to check with them.
It was already evening, the setting sun casting a long, slanting shadow over the wall. While the maids negotiated with the officials, she sat in the porch, gazing at her own shadow in a daze.
Madam Zhuang, old and ill, was naturally unable to go to the Jiaofangsi and would be sent to the Imperial Court to die. Meanwhile, Master Zhuang had already committed suicide in prison, and her former brother, Master Zhuang, had been exiled from the capital. Although she had escaped this fate, her future was fraught with uncertainty, and her fate was uncertain.
"Why am I so unlucky!" She sighed with her head down.
"What bad luck?"
Mrs. Zhuang was supported by someone and came over. She stopped in front of the corridor and coughed for a while.
Zhuang Wan hurried around the pillar and asked, "Why is mother here?"
"I heard that things weren't explained clearly here, and I was afraid you wouldn't be able to handle it, so I came to take a look."
"It's nothing, Qiu Tan and Dong Ning are here."
Mrs. Zhuang nodded.
She stood quietly in the courtyard, looking around. Every blade of grass and every tree here was familiar to her. But she suddenly had to leave the place where she had lived for more than ten years.
"I just hope this is a dream." Dusk fell on her face, haggard and pale: "After waking up from the dream, our family is still together. Your father is still there, Hun'er is still naughty, and you..."
She looked at Zhuang Wan as if she were looking at someone else, and murmured, "My Wan'er is still sitting on my lap, begging for candy..."
"Madam... please stop talking." The maid beside her couldn't help but lower her head and wipe away her tears: "Take good care of yourself, the eldest master will come back."
"Wan'er." Mrs. Zhuang called softly.
"Your father was wrongly accused, do you believe it? He was a good official and would never have joined his own party to attack others."
Zhuang Wan was stunned for a moment and was about to say something, but saw that Madam Zhuang had already turned and left.
Looking at her lonely figure disappearing in the setting sun, for some reason, Zhuang Wan felt a surge of bitterness in his heart.
.
The night was like a fog, slowly creeping in. Zhuang Wan, exhausted from dealing with the unexpected events of the day, was about to order a bath and rest after dinner.
Qiu Tan ran in happily, "Miss, Miss, someone else is coming to your house."
"Who?"
"This is good news," she said excitedly, "I heard from the Ministry of Justice that you don't have to go to the Music Bureau anymore. Lord Pei has sent someone to pick you up."
"So soon?"
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