Chapter 403 A Bolt from the Blue
Back in Beijing?
Mei Qingyun was stunned for a moment. Gu Jingxi's return to Beijing was something she had expected, but it still felt a bit sudden to her. The white moonlight of her youth was still captivating to see again, especially after comparing him with her husband.
She hadn't seen Gu Jingxi for over ten years since she left Beijing with her husband to take up his post. She didn't know how long it would be before they met again, and perhaps when they did, they would both be in their twilight years.
The boy who amazed her in her youth, she missed him, and that was a lifelong regret. Then, when she faced her husband, it was another lifelong resentment.
She could have had a better husband, but because of a momentary lapse in judgment, she's tied to her current husband for life.
Seeing the disappointment on her face, Lord Wei waved his hand to signal the maid to leave, and then said sarcastically, "So what if you're still thinking about him? He didn't even say a word to you about leaving, let alone inform you. Aren't you pathetic? He's already married and has a loving and harmonious marriage, while you're still living in the past."
Upon hearing this, Mei Qingyun immediately flew into a rage: "Wei Heng, have you said enough? If I hadn't been deceived by your appearance, why would I have married you? You're a liar. I must have been incredibly unlucky to marry someone like you."
Lord Wei countered, "Mei Qingyun, am I deceiving you, or are you deceiving me?"
He glanced at Mei Qingyun and said mercilessly, "We are where we are today because of your own actions. You despised him for being a good-for-nothing, you abandoned him, and now you ridiculously can't forget him. How despicable!"
Mei Qingyun's face turned pale and then red: "You..."
Lord Wei warned, "If you want to maintain a respectable image in public, be a good Mrs. Wei and don't mention that good-for-nothing Gu Jingxi to me again. If you don't want to be one, I don't mind announcing that you're sick and you'll spend the rest of your life recuperating in the courtyard."
After saying that, he turned and left.
Mei Qingyun's eyes were filled with resentment as she watched his departing figure. She was filled with regret once again. If she had known this would happen, she would have accompanied Meng Jinyao that day and, upon learning that Gu Jingxi had woken up, gone to see Gu Jingxi and told him about Wei Heng's actions. Gu Jingxi was the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. If he knew about Wei Heng's affairs, he would definitely investigate thoroughly. At that time, Wei Heng would not only lose his official position, but he might even lose his life.
A wife suing her husband will result in imprisonment, and even if the husband is found guilty, he will still have to go to jail. But she will only be imprisoned; Wei Heng will die. Her family members are officials in the court, so even if she goes to jail, she won't have a bad life.
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Meanwhile, after leaving the courtyard, Lord Wei went directly to the courtyard of his other concubines. Seeing the young and beautiful concubines, who were only sixteen years old, gently and considerately coaxing him, his mood could not improve.
Seeing his gloomy face, the concubine dared not speak anymore and quietly stayed with him.
Lord Wei asked, "Why aren't you saying anything?"
The concubine carefully replied, "My lord is in a bad mood. Why don't you listen to me play a tune? I've just learned a new piece."
Lord Wei replied listlessly, "Then play it."
The concubine had her maid bring over the zither, and then she played it for him.
As Lord Wei listened to the melodious and soothing zither music, he remembered that this was a piece that Mei Qingyun often played. It seemed that Gu Jingxi liked this piece, so Mei Qingyun played it the best.
As he listened to the music, his face grew increasingly gloomy. Finally, he suddenly stood up and strode away, leaving his beautiful concubine staring at the zither, questioning the meaning of life.
Before he knew it, Lord Wei arrived at the door of his study. It was already dinnertime, but he had no appetite and stepped into the study.
As soon as Lord Wei sat down at his desk, his gaze fell upon a row of bookshelves. His eyelids twitched instantly. For some reason, he suddenly felt uneasy and subconsciously reached for the key hanging around his neck. Finding it still there, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Mei Qingyun knew about the secret room in the study, but only he could open it. The key to the mechanism was on him; he carried it with him at all times, and no one else could get it.
Lord Wei stood up, walked towards the bookshelf, glanced at the hidden keyhole, and, thinking of seeing what was in the secret room, took the key off his neck, inserted it into the keyhole, and turned it twice. The bookshelf, which was normally immovable, slowly moved aside, revealing the entrance to the secret room.
Lord Wei turned around to get a lamp, then entered the dark room through the entrance, lit the oil lamp in the dark room, and the gold and silver treasures inside came into view.
He glanced at it casually, then went to the cabinet next to him, opened one of the drawers, and when he saw that the drawer was empty, he felt as if he had been struck by lightning. His mind was buzzing and completely blank.
Immediately afterwards, a chill ran up from the soles of his feet, spreading throughout his body and making him feel cold all over. Fear also overwhelmed him like a tidal wave, and he almost fainted.
Where are the ledgers?
What about the letters?
The last time he entered the secret room, the things were still in the drawer, and only he had the key to open the secret room mechanism. The key had always been on him and had never left his side. So how could his account books and letters have disappeared?
He did go to the backyard to see his concubines, but he did not stay overnight at their places. His concubines could not get his keys, and he would not let the maids bathe him.
The only one who might have a chance was Mei Qingyun, who shared his bed.
Thinking of this, Lord Wei trembled with rage. He knew that Mei Qingyun hated him and that she would do some crazy things, such as murdering his children and concubines and then showing off her success to him. But he never expected that Mei Qingyun would go so crazy as to want to die with him.
She's tired of living, but he isn't.
After a long while, Lord Wei finally found his voice, gritting his teeth and saying hatefully, "Mei Qingyun, you crazy woman, you've really gone mad!"
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, but his thoughts were chaotic and filled with resentment, almost making him lose his ability to think. He wasn't sure if Mei Qingyun had taken the ledger and given it to Gu Jingxi.
He recalled carefully that when he took Mei Qingyun to the Gu residence to visit Gu Jingxi, who was unconscious from illness, Mei Qingyun should not have brought the account book with her at that time, since there was no place to hide the account book in the clothes she was wearing that day.
In that case, the three account books and letters should still be in Mei Qingyun's hands, as long as she doesn't go crazy and hand them over to Gu Jingxi.
Lord Wei breathed a slight sigh of relief and calmed down considerably. He hurriedly left the secret room, closed the entrance, and then left the study to find Mei Qingyun.
Seeing him rush over, Mei Qingyun immediately ordered the maid to leave and closed the door as soon as he entered the room. Seeing his anxious expression, as if something urgent had happened, she smiled and asked, "What is it that has made my husband so anxious?"
The smile on her face, in Lord Wei's eyes, was the gloating smile of someone who had succeeded in their scheme. Lord Wei took three steps at a time, walked up to her, grabbed her shoulders tightly with both hands, and asked through gritted teeth, "Mei Qingyun, have you gone mad? Even if you're going mad, you should have some restraint. We are husband and wife. If something happens to me, do you think you can get away with it?"
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