Chapter 53 Arsonist
There was chaos outside with people putting out the fire and arresting people.
Cui Junji, who was usually calm, shouted in frustration: "Are you crazy? I can find out easily, not to mention if the Wang family searches with all their strength, you will never be able to do it... Don't even pretend, this will ruin yourself!" He grabbed Wen Youqing's arm with such force that he almost crushed her bones, trying to drag her away from this imperfect crime.
But Wen Youqing suddenly shook his hand off with such force that Cui Junji was stunned for a moment. She poured herself a glass of wine, drank it slowly, turned her head, and stared at him with her eyes, which were reflected in the firelight.
"You're still like this," she laughed, a laugh that was sad but also a little nostalgic. She tilted her head and looked at his angry expression. "You don't care whether it's right or wrong, you only care about whether someone has caught you."
"But you don't understand, what's the use of evidence?" Years of pent-up pain and resentment surged out like a flood. "My A-Lu! She was sacrificed alive! Xunyang City! It was burned to the ground by such a fire back then! Shen Zijie was also killed by them! I hope they can only watch me take revenge!"
The wine slammed onto the table, but she seemed not to feel it. She only complained with all her might, "For so many years...for so many years, I watched my enemy sleep in luxury and wealth! I watched Shen Zijie's grave lie desolate and desolate, burdened with infamy! Do you know how I lived? I helped rebuild that city, and every brick and tile felt like it was tearing at my heart! I watched it become prosperous again, but I only felt incredibly aggrieved!"
She took a step closer, practically pointing at Cui Junji's nose, and said with tears in her eyes: "What's the point of burning down the Wang family? Are those things only the Wang family did?"
For a moment, Cui Junji thought that she knew everything he had done. He was hurt by the almost tangible despair and hatred in her eyes, and even more so by the deep longing for Shen Zijie in her words.
He suddenly grabbed her again, this time practically holding her in his arms. His voice trembled and twisted with some extremely suppressed emotion: "Foolish! If burning these people could eliminate future troubles, how could there be any aristocratic families in the world?"
Cui Junji's eyes became paranoid and fanatical. His fingers caressed Wen Youqing's cheek, his movements filled with a morbid pity and possessive desire: "I really should have locked you up, not put you in that position, letting you think you can do whatever you want!"
This twisted and secret confession seemed particularly terrifying amid the flames and wailing.
The result became clear. Wen Youqing looked at the undisguised madness in his eyes without a trace of surprise. Instead, she curled her lips and smiled.
At this moment, the sounds of chaotic footsteps and the collision of weapons approached rapidly.
"There! The arsonist is there!" The officers and soldiers of the brigade kicked open the door, surrounded the room, and pointed their shining swords at Wen Youqing.
The officer in charge recognized Cui Junji and was a little embarrassed: "Master Cui, this..."
Wen Youqing looked at them coldly, without any intention of resisting, as if she had been waiting for this moment. She even stretched out her hand, waiting to be handcuffed. "Let's go."
Direct confession. Upon hearing this, veins popped up on Cui Junji's forehead. He took a deep breath, then forced himself to suppress the madness surging in his eyes and restored his usual cold expression.
He stood between Wen Youqing and the soldiers. Although his posture was protective, his eyes were still fixed on her, as if saying: If you say another word, I will kill you.
Cui Junji turned to the leading officer and spoke in a low voice, yet with unquestionable authority: "This man is an old acquaintance of mine. He has been drinking here. There must be a misunderstanding. I will take him away now. I will report all consequences to the court."
The officer hesitated: "Sir, this man set fire to the Wang family residence in public..."
"I've already said that I'll take full responsibility for everything," Cui Junji interrupted him, his eyes sharp as a knife. "Or do you want to take the person from me now?"
The officer had long heard of the reputation of this cold-faced demon from the Supervisory Department. He was intimidated by the coldness and intimidation in his eyes. He broke out in a cold sweat and finally bowed his head and said, "I dare not! Since Lord Cui has given the order, I will obey. But the follow-up..."
Wen Youqing suddenly interrupted, "Lord Cui truly possesses immense authority. With a single word, he let the arsonist go. This captain is truly spineless."
"Sir Wen, stop being so aggressive when you're drunk!" Cui Junji stared at Wen Youqing almost gritting his teeth, and the officers and soldiers were so frightened that they all knelt on the ground.
Amidst the stalemate, Wen Youqing was the first to look away. He walked slowly out, treading on the shadows of the fearful soldiers lying on the ground. He smiled and said loudly, "This is the first time I've witnessed the power of Lord Cui with my own eyes. It's truly an eye-opener."
—
After waiting for three days, no soldiers showed up.
Li Wenqin and Shen Laixi arrived instead. As soon as they arrived in the yard, they saw Wen Youqing with one leg on a stool sharpening a dagger, and they were both startled.
The maid blocked Li Wenqin behind her. Li Wenqin subconsciously pulled the child behind her and said, “There’s not even a doorman. Madam Shen is really generous.”
Wen Youqing blew a strand of hair onto the blade, then tilted his head to glance at the newcomer. Seeing the child with a face full of pride and arrogance, he couldn't help but sneer. He put down the knife, clapped his hands, and said, as if greeting a puppy, "Xier, come here."
Shen Laixi knew that this was his biological mother, but how could a four-year-old child accept a stranger so quickly? He just stood there and said in a baby voice: "Why should I listen to Madam? Madam's words and actions are really vulgar."
At such a young age, he came from such a prominent family.
Just like Cui Junji when he was young.
Wen Youqing, who didn't like children in the first place, had already begun to dislike this child, even though he had fallen out of her belly and even though he had the blood of two modern people.
"Oh, then go back to where you came from. What are you doing in my house?" Wen Youqing ignored him and changed a knife to sharpen.
No matter how smart the child was, he was confused by Wen Youqing's shameless attitude. He couldn't refute anything and angrily grabbed Li Wenqin's skirt.
Li Wenqin, who had come with the arduous task of persuading Wen Youqing, was momentarily troubled by the way she treated her own child. However, years of living in an aristocratic family allowed her to calmly sit on a stool nearby, push Shen Laixi to her side, and say, "If you use such a foolish method to avenge Lord Shen, you will truly disgrace your reputation as a talented woman."
"Really? If this method is really stupid, why haven't I been caught yet? Instead, you are anxious?" Wen Youqing said disdainfully.
But thinking that this matter had nothing to do with Li Wenqin, he softened his tone and said, "You don't have to help Cui Junji lobby. The evil they did has nothing to do with you. You helped me raise my child, and I have no way to thank you."
"If you truly wish to thank my wife and me, then stop causing trouble, leave your hometown, and raise Xier yourself." Li Wenqin took advantage of the situation but remained unyielding. "Do you realize how chaotic things have become outside because of you? In the fire at the Wang family, everyone was killed or injured. Only Wang Ruoti, who stayed at the Cui family, survived. But who knew she wrote a letter in blood and beat the drum to report the incident? The drum's sound reaches the emperor! We must get a result no matter what."
"Did you send people to clean up the Wang family mansion? Did you find any relics from the palace?" Wen Youqing asked casually.
Instantly, Li Wenqin understood why her husband had been vying for the right to thoroughly investigate the matter. Previously, she had feared that he might have some feelings for Wen Youqing, but now she saw that the Wang family had many shameful things that would be exposed to the public, and if they were exposed, someone would suffer.
Li Wenqin subconsciously stroked the crane brocade on her sleeve, thinking in her heart about the secret passage in her own study that she had discovered when she was playing as a child. Every family has some shameful things.
"Did Cui Junji marry the one from the Wang family?" Wen Youqing suddenly grasped the crux of the matter. "Before the Wang family's misfortune?"
“Madam Shen, even if Miss Wang entered the house, it would still be called a concubine, not to mention that she didn’t enter this house.” Li Wenqin corrected.
No wonder, he had wanted to deal with the Wang family for a long time. It was just as Shen Zijie thought. He was not really helping Shen Zijie. When Shen Zijie wrote a letter to impeach the Wang family, he took in the daughter of the Wang family. While paralyzing the Wang family, he used Shen Zijie as a cover to investigate those private mines, thereby swallowing up the wallets of the Wang and Xie families.
But Li Wenqin certainly didn't know about these things. Wen Youqing shrugged and smiled, "Stay for a quick meal. I'm craving the Liuxiang chicken and braised lamb from Beijing."
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