Chapter 93 Plum Garden
Xie Jinglan didn't answer in a hurry, but instead moved his face closer, and his intention to ask for a reward was obvious.
Wen Ning wasn't shy this time, she gently stroked his chin with her fingertips and then quickly kissed him there.
The man reached out and pulled her into his arms, his palm still rubbing her lower abdomen gently.
He spoke slowly, explaining to her word by word why Concubine Lu died and what he had heard from Concubine Hui.
Wen Ning's brows furrowed slightly as she heard this, her fingers unconsciously clutching his collar. After a moment's hesitation, she looked up and asked, "Then, Lord Marquis, do you think... Concubine Lu and Imperial Physician Zhang were wrongly accused?"
The candlelight cast tiny shadows in his eyes, and the man's tone became a little deeper.
"What does it matter whether it's true or not? This case was decided by His Majesty himself, and the files have long been filed. If we want to overturn the verdict, wouldn't we have to force His Majesty to admit his fault? The most impossible thing within these palace walls is to make the emperor bow his head."
Wen Ning pondered for a moment, then suddenly stood up and gently pressed against his warm chest. "The Imperial Physician Zhang that the Marquis just mentioned, could it be that same Imperial Hospital attendant—Zhang Zhenghe—that Ning'er had seen while browsing medical books in the Border Town Library?"
Xie Jinglan nodded slowly, "Yes, it's him."
The man could feel the person in his arms stiffen slightly, as if surprised by the answer.
Wen Ning frowned and gently pressed her face against his chest.
Xie Jinglan said nothing more, just looked at her quietly, his palms protecting her waist, letting her lean on his chest in deep thought.
After a while, Wen Ning slowly stood up. Moonlight shone through the window lattice onto her face, making her eyes shine like water-hardened glass.
"Your Majesty is extremely intelligent. What Ning'er has thought of, you must have thought of long ago."
She paused for a moment, bit her lower lip lightly, and finally whispered, "If...if he is really...Master, what will happen?"
Xie Jinglan held her hand in his palm, gently stroking her slightly cool fingertips with his fingertips, with a hint of approval in his voice.
"Ning'er is really smart. She guessed it just like that."
He reached out and slowly brought the person into his arms, saying softly, "This matter is still unclear, and there are many complicated issues involved. It will definitely not be sorted out in a day or two. But since you respect and value him, I will remember this favor. Even if we investigate, we will get to the bottom of it and determine right and wrong. He will definitely not be wronged."
"Yes." She responded, her eyes showing no evasion, only frankness. "Rules and regulations are in place. My Lord, please do as you please. Don't worry about me."
Xie Jinglan chuckled softly and said gently, "Ning'er is so insightful. I will report something to you first."
"What is it?"
"Your master once told me that he's most concerned about his daughter in the palace, saying she works for the Fifth Princess. But I had the secret guards keep an eye on her for two months, and even looked through the roster of the Fifth Princess's palace, but I still couldn't find anyone who matched her."
As he spoke, he took Wen Ning's hand and looked into her eyes with a burning gaze. "So, I might go to the Fifth Princess to investigate personally. If any rumors come out, Ning'er must believe me, okay?"
Wen Ning did not answer directly, but instead pointed out his flaws in his previous words.
She lowered her eyes to look at their clasped hands, and suddenly pinched the back of his hand with her fingertips, not too hard or too light.
"So the Marquis has long known that Master is from the Imperial Hospital. He is quite patient, hiding such a big thing from me for so long."
Xie Jinglan chuckled, his eyes falling on the place on the back of his hand where she had just pinched him. He lowered his head and kissed that place, his action natural and indescribably intimate.
"This is not my fault. Ning'er's master warned me repeatedly, fearing that you, his good disciple, would know about his past affairs and be disturbed. That's why he didn't let me tell Ning'er."
He paused deliberately, watching the anger in her eyes fade a little, before he continued slowly, "Besides, it was Ning'er who figured it out herself just now, not me who took the initiative to reveal it. So, it's not like I didn't keep my promise, right?"
Wen Ning bit her lip and glared at him, but then she thought of her master, and a layer of worry appeared between her brows again.
Seeing this, Xie Jinglan gently stroked her furrowed brows with his fingertips and began to soothe her...
Outside the window, a crescent moon hangs quietly in the night sky, its bright light spreading over the carved window lattices and casting fine silver light on the tassels of the brocade curtains.
It is like a silent listener, gently listening to the endless chatter of this couple tonight.
…
Just after noon on the second day, Xie Jinglan arrived at Cai Huichun's residence.
He was sitting in a wheelchair, hunched over, staring at the glass jar in front of him.
Several colorful poisonous insects were biting each other in the jar, with skinny fingers holding silver needles hanging at the mouth of the jar, their eyes focused to an almost weird degree.
"Does your wife have six fingers on her feet?" Xie Jinglan stood in front of him and asked directly without any greetings.
Cai Huichun's hand suddenly stopped, and the poisonous insects fighting in the jar seemed to have noticed something unusual and suddenly stopped moving.
He slowly turned his wheelchair and squeezed out a few words from between his teeth after a long while, "So what?"
"Her body is in Consort Lu's coffin," Xie Jinglan stared at him, his eyes sharp. "Sir, shouldn't you explain this?"
Cai Huichun's cloudy eyes suddenly widened, and his Adam's apple rolled violently a few times, as if something was blocking his breathing.
He trembled and said, "It's been twenty years. How could the dead man's coffin see the light of day again?"
Xie Jinglan lowered his eyes to look at his trembling fingertips, his tone so flat that no emotion could be heard, "A desperate criminal, robbing the mausoleum without hesitation."
Two lines of turbid tears suddenly flowed from the corners of his eyes. Cai Huichun tightly grasped the armrest of the wheelchair, and a choked gasp escaped from his throat, but he forced himself to suppress his sobs.
"I have nothing to say now. I only want to ask the Marquis... I ask the Marquis to take my daughter out of the palace."
Speaking of his daughter, he raised his eyes stubbornly, "I just want her to live a normal life like a normal girl. If I do that, I will not only cure the poison in your body, but also tell you the truth. It's a win-win situation. Please take care of it, my Lord."
Xie Jinglan saw Cai Huichun's expression and understood what was going on.
No matter what you ask at this moment, he will never say a word.
Only when he sees his daughter and confirms that she is safe, can he reveal the secrets and complicated past of the past twenty years.
Xie Jinglan curled his fingertips lightly in his sleeves, his eyes swept over the poisonous insects still wriggling in the jars, and finally said in a deep voice, "Okay."
Cai Huichun seemed to suddenly remember something important. He slammed his withered hand on the wheelchair armrest and said urgently, "My Lord, the palace is a place where people are complicated. Ning'er is a kind-hearted child and cannot withstand those despicable schemes. I beg you, my Lord, please... do not let her enter the palace."
Xie Jinglan raised his eyebrows slightly, a sharp look flashed across his eyes, and his tone was so firm that it left no room for doubt. "She is my woman, so she will stay by my side."
After a pause, he lowered his eyes to look at Cai Huichun, his gaze as calm as still water, "She has no right to get involved in the muddy waters of the palace."
…
As soon as the twelfth lunar month began, the fifth princess held a plum blossom viewing banquet at the "Qimei Garden" in the suburbs of Beijing.
The garden was originally the old residence of the former Taifu, and was later requested by the fifth princess as a birthday gift.
The courtyard at the foot of the mountain is elegant, but there is another world on the mountain.
Thousands of red plum trees are planted in layers along the mountainside, and a stepped plum viewing platform is built according to the natural terrain. When the flowers bloom, the entire valley is immersed in rouge-colored fragrant mist, which is very beautiful.
Because the plum blossoms only bloom once a year, all the dignitaries in Beijing are proud to receive invitations to the plum blossom viewing banquet.
In previous years, Xie Jinglan never bothered to attend such banquets, as they were nothing more than empty social engagements.
But today he changed his mind.
The secret guards watched for two months, but there was no maid named "Yin'er" in the Fifth Princess's palace.
Since it is not in the palace, could it be placed in this Qimei Garden?
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