Chapter 488 This Movie King Game
Wei Shaoqi walked out of the Supervisory Council.
He squinted slightly under the bright morning sun.
He turned his head and looked at the two stone statues of the mythical beast Xie Zhi at the entrance of the Control Yuan.
Legend has it that this mythical beast possesses the ability to distinguish right from wrong and can differentiate between loyalty and evil, thus it is regarded as a symbol of impartiality, law, and justice.
Behind them, in this Supervisory Council building, were many resident censors and female officials, wearing xiezhi (a mythical beast) crowns, symbolizing fair law enforcement and the punishment of evil, and representing the existence of a supervisory mechanism.
A carriage bearing the banner of the governor slowly came to a stop at the entrance.
Wang Lengran lifted the carriage curtain and cautiously called out:
"Third Young Master?"
Wei Shaoqi turned around and boarded the carriage.
The passionate and indignant expression he had displayed not long ago in the lobby of the Supervisory Commission, as well as his angry and frustrated argument with Ouyang Rong, was now completely gone from his face.
Wei Shaoqi's expression remained as calm as a lake.
He sat upright in the carriage with his hands flat on his knees, eyes lowered and silent.
This calm expression made Wang Lengran somewhat nervous.
The atmosphere was somewhat tense, and Wang Lengran took the initiative to ask:
"Third Young Master, there is something I don't understand. The Mythical Sword is such an important matter, a top secret among our secrets. Why would you reveal it, even though it has already been lost?"
Wei Shaoqi glanced at him:
"Father means that Rongzhen and Lin Cheng... can be put at ease. Whether this case can be overturned, and how many cases can be overturned, and whether our Wei family can mend the estrangement in His Majesty's heart, depends on them... Of course, it would be even better if they could retrieve the Ding Sword or identify the owner of the Butterfly Love Flower."
Wang Lengran nodded reluctantly.
"Very well, Your Highness and the Third Young Master are wise and must have a brilliant plan. But it's one thing for you to discuss this with Rong Zhen and Lin Cheng, but what about Ouyang Lianghan? Does he also have plans...?"
"Tsk tsk."
Wei Shaoqi spoke aloud while shaking his head, interrupting Wang Lengran.
“Ouyang Lianghan, didn’t they already know about this cauldron sword?” he asked.
"You already knew?" Wang Lengre asked in surprise.
Wei Shaoqi took a stack of envelopes from his pocket and threw them into Wang Lengran's arms:
"The secret letter that Li Li sent back when he was in Longcheng detailed the events in Longcheng. It mentioned that Ouyang Lianghan, Xie Lingjiang, and even the Xunyang King's family may have already known about the ding sword that the Liu family forged."
"This cauldron sword became known to many people the moment the old swordsmith jumped into the furnace as a sacrifice and it left the furnace."
"Back then, when the Ding Sword was born in Butterfly Creek in Longcheng, it caused such a big commotion that it even caused the Yunmeng Marsh upstream to rise. I don't believe that Ouyang Lianghan, the county magistrate in charge of water management, would not know about it."
"Not to mention that my sixth brother once imprisoned him on Little Lonely Mountain, and later there were rumors of Mr. Qiu's physical contact with Xue Zhongzhu, the eldest daughter of Yunmeng..."
Wei Shaoqi nodded:
"What I needed to know, I already knew. And what I didn't know, I'll find out soon enough."
"Does the young master mean that the Xunyang Prince's Mansion and Ouyang Lianghan, who works as a consultant for the Prince's Mansion, both know about the Liu family's forging of the cauldron sword? Then... then have they...?"
Wang Lengran was suddenly startled, realizing what was happening, and stammered for a moment.
Wei Shaoqi asked on his behalf:
"Are you asking whether the Xunyang Prince's Mansion and Ouyang Lianghan's lackeys also went to look for the Dingjian, or... is it possible that Sixth Brother's Dingjian was intercepted by them?"
“Yes! Exactly.” Wang Lengran nodded vigorously.
Wei Shaoqi stared intently at the old prefect, his voice soft:
"That's why we should let him stay for today's meeting, so that he can also listen in."
"Huh? Third Young Master did this on purpose, or was he going with the flow? But why would Third Young Master do this?"
Wei Shaoqi lifted the car curtain, squinted at the autumn sunlight on the street outside, and said in a light tone:
"They'll definitely know anyway, so we might as well say it out loud and see how this kid reacts."
"Now it seems that the Wei family's cauldron sword is not with the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, and the owner of Butterfly Love Flower is probably not related to them."
"However, the Prince of Xunyang's mansion may also possess some evidence that we, Rongzhen, and Lin Cheng do not have."
Wang asked in a strange tone:
"Um, why is that? What did the Third Young Master glean from Ouyang Lianghan's reaction?"
Wei Shaoqi lowered his head and straightened his clothes, including the right cuff.
While tidying up with his eyes lowered, he said with a smirk:
"If the Ding Sword were truly in their hands, and the Butterfly Love Flower Master were also one of their people, then Ouyang Lianghan would not have spoken up for Yunmeng Jianze."
"Even when I and Rongzhen raised the suspicion of Yunmeng Jianze, he probably wished we would think that way."
"Instead of making statements that only increase others' suspicions."
Wang Lengran looked at the calm-spoken third young master of the Wei Prince's mansion with some astonishment, and couldn't help but show a look of admiration, praising him:
"The Third Young Master is truly a genius; he even considered such a small detail. Ouyang Lianghan is completely being manipulated by the Third Young Master without even realizing it."
"I bet he's still gloating over getting into our meeting, and he might even be underestimating the Third Young Master, unaware that he's the real insider."
Wei Shaoqi waved his hand, not paying any attention.
"Where is Seventh Sister now?" he asked.
"The princess heard that there are many poor people in Xingzifang, so she took the women of my family to distribute porridge there. She probably won't be back by noon."
Wei Shaoqi turned his head and glanced out the window:
"Send someone to keep a close watch, don't let any fools dare to offend the pearl of the Wei family, just like last night."
"Yes, Third Young Master!"
Wei Shaoqi glanced at Wang Lengran's hesitant expression.
"Spit it out if you have something to say."
Wang Lengran asked in a low voice:
"Why did you bring Princess Anhui with you on your trip to the front lines in Hongzhou, Third Young Master? Hongzhou has just been recaptured, and it's in chaos and war; it might be dangerous there..."
"Third Young Master, why not leave Princess An Hui here in Jiangzhou? I am also in Jiangzhou and can help take care of her. In addition, the women in my family can go and keep Princess An Hui company when they have nothing to do..."
Wang Lengran offered his advice and suggestions.
Wei Shaoqi stared intently at the old governor who was talking non-stop.
Wang Lengran was halfway through his sentence when he noticed Wei Shaoqi's gaze. He immediately shivered, lowered his head, and said no more.
Wei Shaoqi raised one index finger of his right hand, which was resting on his knee, to indicate:
"Go on. I'm listening."
"No... I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare."
No, you have something on your mind.
Wei Shaoqi shook his head and encouraged him:
"Speak up, what are your thoughts? Tell me."
Wang Lengran cautiously observed Wei Shaoqi's expression and said:
"I have a son who has just turned twenty. He has been quite talented in his studies since childhood, is well-dressed, and handsome. I wonder if Princess Anhui..."
Wei Shaoqi interrupted:
"No need to ask, she'll definitely be fine. Seventh Sister has been well-behaved since she was little and listens to her father and brothers. Her marriage is entirely arranged by her uncle and father."
Hearing Wei Shaoqi's attitude and tone, Wang Lengran felt as if she had received a pie falling from the sky. Her expression was one of overwhelming flattery, and she even stammered a little:
"Then...then I will immediately find a distinguished person to act as matchmaker..."
Wei Shaoqi's expression returned to calm, and he shook his head to interrupt:
"Wang Lengran, you still don't quite understand your own status. Is the son of a mere governor worthy of my uncle's beloved daughter, a noble lady of the Wei family?"
Wang Lengran was speechless, as if he had choked, and his face visibly turned red.
Wei Shaoqi spoke in a calm tone:
"I'm just telling you the truth, so you won't have any unrealistic fantasies."
"However, the threshold for family background is actually hard to say."
He changed the subject, smiling slightly, and said:
"My father values lineage and family reputation more, but my uncle, Prince Liang, values outstanding individuals more, much like the Xie family of Chenjun among the Five Surnames and Seven Noble Families. Forget about mediocre or eccentric people."
"But Wang Lengran, what is your son? He's twenty and still holed up at home. He's not even as good as that pretty boy Ouyang Lianghan. At least he's also around twenty, and he's a fifth-rank official with a good reputation. He's a recognized expert in water conservancy in the court and among the people. Tsk tsk."
Wang lowered his head, his tone somewhat embarrassed, and hurriedly apologized:
"What the Third Young Master says is true. I was overthinking things. It's like a toad trying to eat swan meat—wishful thinking on my part."
Wei Shaoqi suddenly interrupted and asked:
"Did you deliver the letter that Father asked you to forward to General Qin?"
"It's been sent!" Wang Lengran nodded vigorously.
"Has there been no reply yet?"
"Not at the moment."
"Alright. If you have it, present it to me immediately."
"yes."
The conversation ended abruptly, and Wei Shaoqi closed his eyes, sitting in the carriage as if deep in thought.
Wang Lengran sat upright, his eyes fixed on the ground, trying not to make a sound.
Inside the bumpy car, only the rumbling of the wheels could be heard.
Until someone's voice rang out again:
"I heard that when General Qin first took office and was organizing his troops in Xunyang City, he didn't see anyone else, but he did see Ouyang Lianghan and even showed him great favor."
"I heard that when General Qin went to war, he even left behind his granddaughter, Lady Qin. Lady Qin took a sum of money and donated it to Xunyang Grottoes on behalf of the Qin family... Is that true?"
Wang Lengran was startled and turned to look. He saw that Wei Shaoqi had already opened his eyes, squinted and asked, his voice as light as a cat's.
“Yes…that’s true,” he replied.
"Oh," Wei Shaoqi replied indifferently.
But Wang Lengran immediately realized what was happening and analyzed it:
"Third Young Master, however, Ouyang Lianghan is already Xie's chosen son-in-law. It seems that the Xie family arranged the meeting with General Qin, and the family banquet was the pretext. It shouldn't be what we imagine."
Wei Shaoqi nodded slowly: "I see."
A short while later, the carriage passed by the governor's mansion and stopped temporarily, letting Wang Lengran off.
However, before leaving, Wang Lengran slapped his forehead:
"Oh, right, young master, I almost forgot, here's something for you, please keep it safe."
"This is?"
Wei Shaoqi looked down and glanced at the small bundle that Wang Lengran had taken out.
Wang said in a low voice:
"These are some of the Sixth Young Master's belongings, some clothes he left behind. They were sorted out by Li Li before, but Li Li also had an accident and never returned... It's perfect, the Third Young Master can take them back to the Prince."
Wei Shaoqi fell silent, his eyes gradually dimming, and he took a deep breath.
Okay. Got it.
He pretended not to care and turned his head to look out the window, not blinking even though his eyes were sore from looking out for so long.
Wang Lengran couldn't help but say, "Third Young Master, please accept my condolences."
Wei Shaoqi packed up his bundle, leaned back in his chair, and waved his hand without turning his head.
Wang Lengran hesitated, but wisely left, leaving behind a somewhat lonely figure in the carriage.
Before long, the carriage continued its journey, gradually moving away from the governor's mansion.
Inside the carriage, Wei Shaoqi sat alone, staring blankly ahead for a while.
After a moment of silence, he reached out, picked up the bundle, placed it on the small round table in front of him, and stared at it.
"Sixth Brother."
The forlorn and sorrowful expression on Wei Shaoqi's face vanished without a trace, replaced by a cold, indifferent gaze and a cruel smile at the corner of his mouth.
"Why didn't you die sooner? Huh? If you had died sooner, none of this would have happened. It's all your fault."
"Ah, your father is so good to you, he gives you all the good things in the world, you bastard son."
"It's the same with taking Master Qiu as your teacher, the same with recognizing the sword as its master, and the same with the marriage alliance with the Qin family. Whenever there's something good, Father always thinks of you first and arranges things for you. If you didn't know better, you'd think you were the legitimate son born to the principal wife."
"Are you worthy? Are you worthy? Your mother is a maid! Your mother is a maid!"
"What do you think you are, you little bastard? You dare to possess the Mythical Sword? You dare to marry the granddaughter of the Left Guard General?"
"Good riddance! Good riddance!"
"Do you know how much your brothers want you dead?"
"My eldest brother is quite pretentious. He seems honest and obedient to our father and mother, but he's actually the one who wants you dead the most, and so does I. As for my second brother, he's always telling us that we brothers should be united and loving, but he's the one who's the most ruthless among his subordinates."
"What? You're asking about your third brother? Hahaha, your third brother cares about you a lot!"
"Do you know how upset I was when I found out that you secretly met with Zhu Lingxu and had a pleasant conversation and exchanged personal tokens?"
"It's so painful, so painful that I wish you were dead right now. I really want to kill you, Sixth Brother. But we were too far apart at the time, and you, you damned devil, were still not back. So I had to endure it, endure it, endure it until you set off north and entered the pass. Then I'll pick a good place with Li Li and send you on your way."
"But now it seems, hahaha, it's fake, it's actually fake. You died a long time ago, I wonder which hero killed you. Zhu Lingxu too, if you were real, would he really bet on you and support you?"
"Does a lowly traitor like him even have the right to stand on some teams? He's really out of his mind, so arrogant and ignorant... He deserves to die, he deserves to die!"
"They all died for good. If it weren't for the Butterfly Love Flower Master's foolish act of intercepting the Ding Sword, I would really like to thank him properly. I would never have been willing to report him to the police. I would have been too busy protecting him, hahaha."
Wei Shaoqi laughed heartily, overjoyed, tears welling up in his eyes. He lowered his head and used Wei Shaoxuan's clothes to wipe the glistening tears from his eyes.
Just then, the carriage slowly came to a stop in front of the mansion gate.
"Third Brother, you're back? How's Sixth Brother's situation? Have you heard anything from him...?"
Outside the carriage, a concerned and worried voice came from a member of the Wei family.
Inside the carriage, the young man in the brocade robe rubbed his face, picked up Wei Shaoxuan's belongings, stepped down from the carriage, and went to greet him with a sorrowful expression.
Wei Anhui saw his red eyes and choked up:
"Seventh Sister, your Sixth Brother... he died so unjustly!"
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
