Chapter 81 Bewitched
Wen Hengzhi's arrival was low-key; the servants still opened a side gate to welcome him. Despite such caution, word still leaked out.
"The Wen family?"
Shen Shu raised an eyebrow slightly.
Madam Fang was a servant born into the household of the Earl's family, not one of Wen Lanting's dowry servants, so she did not know Wen Hengzhi's background.
"I've inquired and heard that a young master has come. He is quite handsome, but he is dressed in shabby clothes. He is probably not a member of the Wen family. I guess he is some poor relative who has come to beg for money."
Although Mrs. Fang said so, Shen Shu did not dare to take it lightly.
At this critical juncture, the Wen family suddenly appeared, which suggests they're up to no good.
Wen Lanting has been imprisoned for over a month, and the news should have already reached Baizhou, but there has been no response from there.
Could it be... that this person was sent by the Wen family to rescue Wen Lanting?
Shen Shu couldn't figure out what was going on, so she just instructed Fang Mama to keep a close eye on things.
Madam Fang initially didn't take it seriously, but seeing Shen Shu's seriousness, she dared not be perfunctory any longer and quickly agreed. She then bribed several servants to keep an eye on Wen Hengzhi's every move.
After arranging everything, Mrs. Fang thought it over and over and felt that this was not enough.
She decided to deliver the message to the Marquis of Dingyuan's residence.
After all, Madam Fang really didn't know the details of the Wen family. If this person really had bad intentions and caused any trouble, the more thoroughly she knew about them, the better she could come up with a solution.
Besides, ever since Lin Wei stormed out of the Uncle's mansion that night, there has been no news of him.
Although she didn't know what had happened between the Marquis and the Second Miss that night, or why they were so angry.
But she could tell that the Marquis's feelings for the Second Miss were genuine.
Fang's mother secretly wanted them to reconcile.
The carrier pigeon flew out and landed on Shi Feng's arm.
He untied the letter from the carrier pigeon's leg, quickly glanced at it, and his expression changed slightly.
Without waiting for Lin Wei's instructions, he turned around and went to the city gate guard post, where he took Wen Hengzhi's travel documents.
Shi Feng was thinking about how to reveal this matter to the Marquis.
After all, their lord cannot bear to hear the word "sinking" now.
Ever since returning from the Earl's mansion that night, the Marquis has had a gloomy face.
He also dismissed the bodyguards around Shen Shu, saying that he would no longer care about her life or death.
Although the Marquis said so, Shi Feng did not believe it.
He rolled his eyes, and a brilliant idea came to him.
Shi Feng moved closer to Shi Mo and then looked at the study behind him.
He exchanged a glance with Shi Mo: "Guess who I ran into at the city gate today?"
Seeing that Shi Feng was about to pull this trick again, Shi Mo silently rolled his eyes in his heart, but still cooperated: "Who is it?"
Shi Feng pretended to lower his voice, but it was actually still very loud.
"He is a relative of the maternal uncle's wife, a distant relative named Wen Hengzhi. I heard that his family has fallen on hard times, but he is very learned. He has saved up money for many years to raise the travel expenses to come to the capital. He is waiting for the imperial examination next spring. Young Master Shen took pity on him and let him stay at the maternal uncle's mansion."
Hearing Shi Feng's embellished account, Shi Mo's lips twitched slightly, but he didn't expose him. He simply followed up with a question.
"Wouldn't that mean I'd be living under the same roof as Miss Shen?"
Seeing that Shi Mo was cooperating so well today, Shi Feng was delighted and continued to speak vividly.
"That's right. There are still more than half a year until next spring. If they see each other every day, what if they fall in love? Besides, although Wen Heng's family is poor, if he passes the imperial examination in the future, he will be considered to have made a name for himself. It won't be difficult for him to marry the daughter of the Earl's family."
Shi Mo chuckled inwardly, but didn't say anything.
"Nonsense! Miss Shen has already been betrothed to our Marquis. Does Wen Hengzhi have the guts to try and steal her from the Marquis?"
Shi Feng deliberately feigned a worried expression and continued, "That's true, but didn't the Marquis say a few days ago that he would no longer care about Miss Shen's life or death?"
"Maybe this marriage will be canceled at any time. Who Miss Shen marries is none of the Marquis's business, is it?"
Shi Mo listened and also thought it made a lot of sense: "Hmm...a talented man and a beautiful woman, it can be considered a beautiful story."
No sooner had he finished speaking than the door to the study behind him opened.
Lin Wei's face was dark.
Seeing this, Shi Feng thought that it must be because his and Shi Mo's words had an effect.
But he still managed an awkward smile and said, "My lord... we were just talking nonsense... please don't..."
Before Shi Feng could finish speaking, Lin Wei strode out.
Shi Feng was startled, feeling that Lin Wei's reaction seemed a bit off.
I wondered if their words had gone too far and backfired.
Shi Feng exclaimed in surprise, "My lord! Where are you going?"
Inside the princess's palace.
Xie Mingzhu looked at Lin Wei, who was already sitting in her palace and had drunk three cups of tea, and said quietly, "Cousin Lin Wei... what's wrong with you? Don't scare me."
Lin Wei held the teacup in his hand, unsure of what to say.
After a long pause, he asked, "You've always loved hosting poetry and tea parties, why haven't you done so lately?"
Xie Mingzhu felt like she'd seen a ghost: "Cousin Lin Wei, you came all this way just to ask this?"
If this isn't seeing a ghost, then what is?
Normally, if she pestered Lin Wei and talked to him a few more times, Lin Wei would find her annoying.
I've been to her palace today, drinking three cups of tea and sitting for most of the day, just to ask if she's going to hold a poetry and tea party?
"Cousin Lin Wei, could it be that some evil spirit has possessed you?"
As Xie Mingzhu spoke, she looked Lin Wei up and down with an air of seriousness, as if she could really see something unclean.
Lin Wei: "..."
He also wondered if he was bewitched.
Otherwise, why would they have been so easily swayed by a few words from Shi Feng and Shi Mo to come to Mingzhu to arrange such a matter?
Although he knew Shi Feng's words were impossible, what if it were true? What if Shen Shuzhen really fell for Wen Hengzhi?
After all, the expression on Shen Shu's face when she said she wanted to break off the engagement that night didn't seem like she was just saying it out of anger; she meant it.
In Shen Shu's eyes, he was not a desirable catch.
Even if Lin Wei was too ashamed to go and beg Shen Shu for reconciliation, he couldn't sit still any longer.
If she keeps acting all high and might get kidnapped, Shen Shu might actually be taken away by someone else.
Seeing his expression, Xie Mingzhu had some guesses in her mind, and tentatively asked, "Cousin Lin Wei, you wouldn't... want me to hold a poetry gathering and invite Shen Shu as well, would you?"
When Lin Wei's thoughts were guessed, his hand trembled, and he almost spilled the tea in his teacup.
Xie Mingzhu immediately understood and couldn't help but tease, "Cousin Lin Wei, you should have said so earlier. I'll send out invitations right away and invite all the young men and women in the capital to attend the chrysanthemum appreciation party in October. Don't worry, it won't seem deliberate."
As Xie Mingzhu spoke, she instructed the palace maids to prepare writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, as she intended to personally deliver an invitation to the Shen family.
She chuckled to herself.
I never thought that my cousin Lin Wei would be so heartbroken over a woman. It's true that even heroes can't resist the charms of a beautiful woman.
…
When the invitation from the palace arrived at the Shen residence, the servants were about to deliver it to Shen Shuyuan when Shen Lian stopped them.
He glanced at Wen Hengzhi beside him and said to the servant, "You may leave. This is none of your business. Young Master and I will inform Miss ourselves."
Chen Lian held the post in his hand, seemingly showing it off.
"Her Highness is holding a chrysanthemum appreciation party and has invited young men and women from all over the capital. Our Bo Gong Mansion is naturally among those invited. Hengzhi, you are from a remote place in Baizhou, so you must have never been to such a scene before."
Wen Hengzhi immediately understood the veiled sarcasm in Shen Lian's words.
He remained calm and went along with him, saying, "I am but a commoner and naturally have no opportunity to attend such occasions. Since I have happened to be here, I wonder if the young master would be so kind as to take me along so that I may broaden my horizons."
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