Chapter 150: Scheming Beauty

Qiao An was returning from the palace to the courtyard in the eastern suburbs. As he watched Su Jiu getting off the carriage, he felt that she was different from usual. He gently smiled and asked, “What is the good thing that happened that made the chief smile so brightly?”

Su Jiu raised an eyebrow. “Did I smile? No, I didn’t!”

With that, she touched her face.

Qiao An smiled warmly. While walking with Su Jiu to the backyard, he said casually without much thought, “I heard that Mr. Ji is back in the capital!”

The sun had set, and the lights in the courtyard were glowing. They danced around Su Jiu’s delicate eyebrows as they flickered inside. She glanced at Qiao An and replied, “Master An, I think you have also gone bad!”

Qiao An looked up and laughed. “The chief has her guilty conscience, but others can’t speak of it!”

Su Jiu stepped forward, turned her head, and looked at Qiao An with a smile. “Not guilty, Master An! I like being with Ji Yuxian!”

Before, she had not realized it when she spent time with him day in and day out. Now, however, after being separated for more than a few days, her heart would beat rapidly whenever she saw him. Her eyes would widen, and her chest would be filled with an inexplicable unique type of joy she had never experienced before.

Qiao An nodded and thoughtfully chuckled. “The chief and Mr. Ji may be fated by the hands of God! You don’t have to worry too much! What the Chief wants, she gets!”

They had originally gotten together because of a robbery. Then, the two of them came together and had feelings of affection for each other. In his view, this was fate!

Su Jiu raised her eyebrows, her eyes crystal clear, much like a star.

“I’m hungry! Let’s go eat!”

The Ji Manor, the main courtyard study room.

Ji Yuxian had just returned, and Old Housekeeper Yu followed behind him.

“How was it? What did the Su Family say?” Ji Yuxian could not wait to ask.

“Reporting to my lord!” Old Housekeeper Yu paused a little, before continuing in a deep voice, “It’s not smooth, the Su Family did not agree!”

“How so?” Ji Yuxian’s face was slightly heavy.

“I told the Su Family that Miss Su had been living in the Lotus Pavilion ever since she entered the house, and she did not share the same room with her husband. Also, the person that married you then was indeed not Miss Su, so the divorce will not do much harm to Miss Su’s reputation. To compensate them, I mentioned that they can state down all their criteria.”

“Su Wenqian kept calm and didn’t speak, but his second wife reacted fiercely. She made many unpleasant comments, even saying that even if you gave them a golden mountain, they would never agree to a divorce!”

Ji Yuxian turned slightly to look out the window, his arms resting on the ledge. His brow turned as he frowned.

“I think the Su Family will not easily agree to the matter of divorce. They are business people after all, they understand that giving fish to people is worse than teaching a person to fish. No matter how much we give, it will still be limited. However, if Miss Su becomes the Young Mistress of the Ji Family, the benefits for the Su Family would be endless,” Old Housekeeper Yu explained, providing his analysis.

If Miss Su became the Mistress of the Ji Family, then her children might become the Master of the Ji Manor, and they would have family connections with several generations of the Su Family. This was indeed not comparable to some mere gold and silver compensation in the present.

Presumably, the Su Family understood their position, and their true ambition was not just to return to the capital and settle down.

Ji Yuxian turned his eyes and smiled. “I put aside the real Miss Su and choose not to marry her, but I want a mountain bandit to be my wife instead. Why didn’t you stop me this time, Old Housekeeper Yu?”

Old Housekeeper Yu bowed his head and replied, “I think the Young Mistress is more suitable to be Master Ji’s mistress than Miss Su!”

Old Housekeeper Yu had not changed the way he addressed Su Jiu, highlighting his loyalty and who he recognized.

Especially during the previous troubles at the commercial house, Old Housekeeper Yu had great doubts about whether or not Miss Su was suitable to be the Mistress of the Ji Manor.

Ji Yuxian raised his head and smiled softly. “Whether she is suitable or not, I only recognize her as my wife!”

“Yes!” Old Housekeeper Yu nodded.

“Then, have you thought about how to persuade the Su Family?” Ji Yuxian asked quietly.

Old Housekeeper Yu frowned slightly. “I’m afraid it’s a little difficult!”

After all, the two had a marriage contract, personally made by the deceased Eldest Mistress. Besides, the two were already married, albeit only the bride had changed.

If they were not married, Ji Yuxian would not have her, and the Su Family could do nothing about it.

It was now clear that Ji Yuxian had married a ‘Miss Su’!

It had been registered. The name had been written and could not be changed.

If they wanted to change it, they would have to go through the government. Moreover, the reason for the divorce must be that the girl had committed severe sins. They also needed the consent of the girl’s family.

Ji Yuxian pondered for a moment before asking, “How is the Su Family’s business in Fuyang City now?”

“The Su Family is ready to return to the capital, and the family property in Fuyang City is being sold. Su Wenqian’s two sons are responsible for matters there,” Old Housekeeper Yu replied.

“Hmm…” Ji Yuxian nodded slightly and commanded, “Tell the housekeeper in Fuyang City to buy all the shops and fields of the Su Family. It doesn’t matter if the prices are higher. All are to be bought!”

“Then send another person to watch the Su Family’s recent movements.”

Slightly stunned, Old Housekeeper Yu said with a surprised look, “Yes, I will do it immediately!”

“Go!”

Old Housekeeper Yu retreated. Ji Yuxian’s phoenix eyes were jet black, and his gaze was cool under the shadow of a lamp. It seemed that that issue would be troublesome. However, it didn’t matter, and he could wait. It was just that, whatever conditions he had given the Su Family now, they had flatly refused it. They had better not regret it in the future!

Su Jiu got up late the next day, and the nanny came in and said, “There are people from Robes Square who came to send clothes, and there are two big boxes. I have already accepted it for the Mistress!”

“Two boxes?” Didn’t Ji Yuxian say that there was only going to be one cloak?

After putting on some clothes, she went forward to check out the boxes. It turned out that there were indeed two large boxes placed in the reception pavilion. One of the mahogany wooden boxes was filled with three cloaks: A silver fox fur, white fox fur, and a green brocade cloak inlaid with white rabbit hair. All had exquisite workmanship on them, and they were meticulously made. A single glance and one could tell that they were crafted by Robes Square’s top embroidery maidens.

In the other box were dresses, blouses, and even undergarments, all of which are made of fine satin.

He was probably afraid she would get cold, so good silk wool was added to the middle of the clothes, making them comfortable and warm.

The nanny smiled while watching. “The Eldest Young Master thought through this very well.”

With that, she picked up two pairs of undergarments. On them were embroidered ink lotus patterns, and she could not help but burst out in laughter. “Even the flower’s colors that Mistress likes are done so intricately!”

Su Jiu snatched them and stuffed them into the box, embarrassed. “He said that he was merely sending a cloak. Someone else must have taken matters into their own hands and added all these. What a waste!”

“I don’t think so! I think these were instructed by the Eldest Young Master. Otherwise, why are the sizes similar to what the Young Mistress usually wears?” Nanny’s mouth twitched upwards with a smile.

Su Jiu bit her lips and chuckled. “Put them away!”

“Yes!” The nanny moved the wooden boxes into the bedroom, took out the clothes, and hung them in the cabinets, one by one.

Fuyang City. The two brothers, Su Di and Su Yan received letters from their father Su Wenqian and began to sell the Su’s store in Fuyang City. This was in preparation to uproot their families and move into the capital.

Although it was not difficult to sell stores, it would take time. It would take a considerable time for someone to see the shop, negotiate the price, and make an agreement to go to the government office for notarization.

The Su Family had two restaurants in Fuyang City, a textiles shop, a tea shop, a farm, a thousand acres of fertile land, and three hundred acres of mulberry fields.

The location of the textile shop was the best, and it was also the most profitable shop in the Su Family’s business portfolio. It was quickly negotiated and the price was agreed on, waiting to be notarized by the government office.

The other businesses had also been seen by many, but they felt that the price was too high and did not agree to a purchase.

The two brothers of the Su Family had been thinking about the prosperity of the capital city. They were very anxious, desiring to enter the capital after selling the businesses off as soon as possible.

As they were waiting, several people suddenly came to buy up all the stores, including the farms, all within a day. The price had been pushed down a bit, but the people were very decisive in their purchase.

The two brothers of the Su Family were spoiled rotten as a result of Madame Su’s arrogance, and the business was usually taken care of by Su Wenqian. Thus, the selling of the shops was, in a way, still managed by the shopkeepers.

The people who bought the stores even kept the original shopkeepers and workers in the shop, and they were not picky about anything else. The shopkeepers were also happy with no objections. They went to the government office for notarization the next day.

Within just a day, the Su’s brothers had more than fifty thousand silver taels in their hands. They were both excited and overwhelmed by their newfound wealth.

Su Di was the eldest brother; older than Su Yan by a year. Ogling the silver cheque, he said, “Second Brother, let’s just go to the capital a few days later!”

“Why so? Didn’t Father tell us to sell the store and take the money to the capital immediately? Haven’t you always been anxious about doing this before?” Su Yan asked with a puzzled expression.

“It used to be so before, but it’s now! Father gave us a month to sell the shop, but now we’ve disposed of all of them in less than ten days. With so much money in hand, why shouldn’t we spend happy times here in Fuyang City for a few days? Once we’re in the capital, we’ll be the eyes of Father, and it would be difficult for us to take so much money from him ever again!” Su Di narrowed his small eyes, staring at his brother with a sly grin.

“What Big Brother says does make sense!” Su Yan’s eyes lit up.

“Then it’s agreed on. Let’s play for a few days! It won’t be too late for us to enter the capital after that!”

“Brother, I became interested in Cai Yun from Xunfang Pavilion yesterday. However, the Zhao Family’s Third Master paid more than a thousand silver taels and snatched her away from me. Today, I beg you to help me and earn back some good reputation for me, Brother!” Su Yan grinned as he spoke frivolously.

“One thousand silver taels? That’s easy! Today, we brothers shall head down together. They used to look down on us, but we shall kill him with silver taels tonight!”

“Yes, yes, I will listen to everything Brother suggests!”

The two thought alike, and with the silver taels in their hands, they momentarily spent the money as if it was mere dirt. Bounded by no one, they felt carefree, almost forgetting about going to the capital.

Su Wenqian was still waiting for news from his two sons in the capital.

That day, the housekeeper of the Ji Manor came to the house to discuss the dissolution of the marriage contract. They weighed the pros and cons and naturally did not agree. They thought that someone would naturally come again. However, in the past few days, the people of the Ji Manor did not appear, causing him to grow increasingly frustrated.

Uneasy, Su Wenqian said, “I’m just afraid that this offends Ji Yuxian, and it will not benefit our Su Family in the future!”

Madame Su sneered, “Ji Yuxian is too much. He married a bandit to be his wife and is now addicted to her. If he wants to divorce our daughter, there is no such chance!”

“Yes, this marriage can never be rescinded!” Su Wenqian followed.

“Master, you have to bite on and not let go. Right now, Ji Yuxian is just reluctant to let that little goblin go. When the future of our daughter is firmly seated as the Young Mistress of the Ji Manor, since Ji Yuxian is such an affectionate man, maybe he will obey our daughter’s words then. When that happens, he will have to do what our Su Family says!” Madame Su gleamed with excitement as she planned her next steps.

Su Wenqian squinted his eyes. “Is it still a good thing to be affectionate? What if our daughter is mistreated?”

“Relax!” Madame Su walked over, held Su Wenqian’s arm, and threw his eyebrows up. “I will teach our daughter some tricks in the bedroom which will be able to entirely smitten Ji Yuxian. Master, please be rest assured. The most important thing now is that we must never leave that family.”

Su Wenqian flushed red with embarrassment when he heard this. “You can help Yuejiu with these things about your women’s issues!”

Madame Su chuckled. “Yes, I will go into the house today to see Yuejiu!”

It was in the afternoon. Madame Su went over to the Ji Manor.

The servant brought Madame Su into the Lotus Pavilion. Miss Su was sitting in the house, bored. Hearing that her mother was coming, she hurried out of bed and greeted her.

“Mother!” Miss Su threw herself into Madame Su’s arms.

Madame Su smiled and hugged her back. She then walked into the house and scanned the furnishings in the room, her eyes glowing brightly. “This Ji Manor is extremely magnificent. Look at this official flower vase. If it was in our place, it would be considered an heirloom collection. Yet in the Ji Manor, it is so casually placed here!”

Miss Su’s eyes flickered as she felt somewhat proud by this comment. “The Ji Manor is the richest place. Whatever food and items this place uses are very expensive!”

Madame Su smiled brightly. “Our girl is blessed to be able to marry into the Ji Manor and even become the Mistress of the Ji Family!”

Miss Su’s complexion changed. She looked around and complained, “Mother, what did you call me? I am Su Yuejiu!”

Madame Su covered her mouth and then sneered, “What are you afraid of? There is no one in this room!”

“The wall has ears. if I was heard by others, I would be finished!” Miss Su frowned.

“Yes, yes. Your mother is not careful. I will pay attention the next time!”

Miss Su’s complexion relaxed a little. “Mother, is there anything wrong with you today?”

“I’m okay. I just came to see you, okay?” Madame Su sat on the soft chair and saw the tribute oranges on the table. She couldn’t help but say, “This tribute orange is valuable, and it’s generally impossible to buy!”

Miss Su flicked her lips in disdain. “I eat them every day and I’m tired of it!”

“Then I’ll take two back and let your dad try!” Madame Su took two and held them in her arms.

“Mother, just two oranges. Don’t embarrass your daughter! When your daughter takes power in the Ji Manor, whatever you want, I will give you the box!” Miss Su did not like Madame Su’s calculative methods. However, what she failed to recognize was that she too had inherited this trait from her.

“Yes, yes! I’m not afraid that I can’t buy these good tribute oranges outside!” Madame Su was embarrassed by her daughter pointing out her greed and put the oranges back again.

“Yes, Yue’er, how have you been in this Manor? Has anyone bullied you?” Madame Su asked.

“I am the Young Mistress, how could anyone dare to bully me?” Miss Su snorted coldly and said, “However, It’s boring every day. I just stay in this courtyard each day. At first, I found it interesting and fresh, but now all I want is to be able to see the scenery outside and that’s more than enough!”

“There are so many servants waiting on you. Clothes and food are served to you. You are indeed blessed but you don’t know that!” Madame Su cried.

Miss Su was glad to hear this, but she lowered her head and wrapped her finger around the tassel on her clothes, making an indifferent expression. “So it is!”

“However, you should also sink your roots here as quickly as possible and hold firmly to your position as the Young Mistress of the Ji Manor!” Madame Su leaned towards her daughter and whispered, “Ji Yuxian sent someone to find your father a few days ago. He wanted to cancel the marriage agreement between our two families!”

Miss Su’s face abruptly changed. “Cancel it? Aren’t we already married? How can he do that?”

“However, the person whom he married is not you, so the Ji Manor can completely say that he has never married you, push the marriage arrangement away, or take a further step back and call for a divorce!”

“Divorce?” Miss Su’s face panicked. “What should I do? I will never leave the Ji Manor! Ji Yuxian married Su Yuejiu and that is me!”

Madame Su patted Miss Su’s hand to appease her. “Yue’er, you don’t need to panic. Your father and I will never agree to that!”

Miss Su felt uneasy and nodded. “You must not agree!”

“Relax, our innocent girl married into this house. For him to even ask for a divorce, that’s impossible!” Madame Su raised her chin as she declared.

Miss Su felt a little more at ease, but she still felt trepidation after hearing that the Ji Family had the idea of divorcing her.

“Men always love the new and dislike the old. Ji Yuxian will soon forget that hissy from before, and admit that you are his wife! But Yue’er, you must step up your game too!”

“How do I step up my game?” Miss Su asked anxiously as she seemed to have lost all composure.

“You have been in the Ji Manor for more than half a month. Have you slept in the same room with Ji Yuxian?” Madame Su asked.

Miss Su’s face suddenly turned red as she shyly said, “No, I only came here for two days before Ji Yuxian went away for business. He just came back, and he hasn’t been here to see me!”

“How can this be like that? A couple’s feelings are cultivated in bed. How can he like you without going to bed with you?” Madame Su grew more explicit with her words.

Miss Su blushed even harder. “But if he doesn’t come to find me, I can’t take the initiative to find him. Moreover, I had also been there once. He was very fierce to me and did not let me go back into the main courtyard in the future!”

“That is not a long-term plan. We should think of a solution!” Madame Su’s face showed that she was planning once more.

Miss Su bit her lip and kept her silence.

After a while, Miss Su whispered, “Mother, will a woman bleed for the first time?”

Madame Su suddenly smiled when she heard this. “Yes, but don’t worry, it only hurts once when the man enters, but it will get better soon.”

Miss Su’s complexion alternated between red and white, and she bit her lips without saying a word.

She no longer had her first time, and she could not recall if it had hurt her then. However, if she was in the same room as Ji Yuxian, would he doubt her if he didn’t see her blood?

When she thought of this, she could not help but worry more.

Peering at her ugly expression, Madame Su thought she was still worried about her impending first time. She whispered to appease her, “It’s just a little blood! Don’t worry too much about it and it will be very comfortable in the future!”

Heat rose in Miss Su’s cheeks as she blurted out, “Mother!”

“Okay, okay, let’s not talk about this!” Madame Su smiled delightfully and took her daughter’s hand. “The marriage agreement can never be rescinded. You must fasten your grip over Ji Yuxian as soon as possible. In time, your two elder brothers are coming to the capital, and our Su Family will support you. You don’t have to be afraid of anything, and never let that hissy fox succeed!”

Miss Su suddenly remembered Su Jiu’s beautiful face. A flash of bitter coldness emerged over her eyes as she nodded. “Yes!”

…

It was the home of Chang Zheng, the seventh-ranked official of the court. He was holding a banquet. Naturally, his relative, Xie Shiyun, who was now an official, ought to be attending the event. Besides, they were related, so it was the best time to curry favor.

The banquet was held in the front courtyard. Chang Zheng and his son Chang Bo accompanied the guests in. They also invited dancers and singers to provide entertainment.

After three rounds of drinking, all the officials, who were usually serious in court, were red in their faces, and their eyes were frivolous. They spouted vulgarities and some of the drunks even embraced the dancers.

The wine was a good thing. It made people reveal their true nature.

Xie Shiyun drank too much wine and went out to pee. As he went out, he pushed the servant who helped him aside and stumbled along the fence and into the garden.

He came often to the Chang Manor and was familiar with this home and everyone in it. It was as if it was his own home.

It was winter, and there were only several cypress greens left in the garden. The other flowers and trees had withered their leaves, and their branches were messy. The place was quiet and cold.

In front of the reception pavilion, there were silk bamboos that shielded the place from the hustle and bustle from elsewhere, making the small garden ever quieter.

Xie Shiyun came out of the later, picked up his trousers, and was about to go back along the greenstone trail. It was then when he noticed a woman sitting under a tree.

The woman’s figure was slim, and her hair was piled up. She leaned on a plum tree with a thick trunk, gazing at the moon.

Dumbfounded, Xie Shiyun walked involuntarily towards her.

He wanted to get closer and use the moonlight to better see the woman’s face.

She was a beautiful girl, so beautiful that the moon got so shy it had hidden itself up out of her sheer beauty.

Seeing this woman today, Xie Shiyun knew that the ancients were not deceiving others. Such a beautiful woman truly existed. He saw that the girl had long eyebrows, mysterious eyes, fair skin that were as white as clouds, a long neck, and a tiny waist. She was a classic beauty indeed.

So gorgeous and beautiful!

At this time, the beauty looked at the moon, and her eyes showed a mournful sorrow, which made him even more enchanted by her.

Xie Shiyun ignorantly ambled over and smiled softly. “Why is a beautiful looking at the moon alone and wallowing in sorrow by herself?’

The woman heard his voice and looked back. It seemed that she had just realized that someone came over. She hurriedly stood up and said, “I didn’t know that the lord was here. Apologies for being rude!”

As she stood up, her weak body swayed under the little stress the action placed her in. It made people ever more smitten to help her.

Xie Shiyun’s intoxication from the alcohol was rising, and he just couldn’t bear it. His obese face showed obsessed obscenity as he reached out to raise the woman’s chin. “Who is this girl, and why haven’t I seen you in the Chang Manor before?”

The woman looked down, her elegant and sullen face ashamed and dejected. “I was snatched into the Chang Manor by Young Master Chang. Just then, Young Master Chang sent someone to inform me that today, he will be doing it with me.”

The woman’s tone softened, and her pair of eyes displayed embarrassment and self-pity. “But I do not want to do it, so I came here alone, thinking that it would be better to just die!”

Pitying her, Xie Shiyun said gently, “Chang Bo is overbearing. He is the son of an official, but to think that he would do such things to bully a woman. It is indeed abominable!”

He said lightly while stroking the back of the woman’s hand. “You can rest assured that I will go to his father now and tell him to let you go!”

“Don’t go, sir!” The woman reached out to block his arm and leaned on his shoulder. “If the lord stands up for me this time, Chang Bo will give in on the account of you. However, the lord cannot guard me forever. Just maybe, he will take this resentment out on me in the future, and the consequences for me will be even more miserable!”

The woman’s soft fragrance was wrapped in his arms. Xie Shiyun’s heart thumped rapidly and he stammered, “So… what should I do?”

The woman looked up at him. “My lord doesn’t have to do anything. Just do nothing and pretend you did not see me. My life is meaningless, and I cannot blame anyone for it!”

With that, she let go of Xie Shiyun, turned around, and walked deeper into the garden.

Xie Shiyun’s heart throbbed. How could he bear to let her leave like that? He took the woman’s arm, dragged her into his, and hugged her. Her softness and gentleness seemed to heat him as he slowly got warmer. He said in a low voice, “Will the lady be willing to be mine?”

“My lord?” The woman looked up at him in amazement, her red lips agape. Her eyes brimmed with tears, and she was a look of boundless charm and gracefulness.

Xie Shiyun’s head was hot and heavily intoxicated by alcohol. He kissed her lustfully and savagely, his thick lips wrapping around the woman’s cherry lips.

At that time, he had completely lost the dignified look of a mature forty-year-old man. His supposed calm and sophisticated self completely gave in to his lust. He eagerly and greedily swallowed the woman.

“Ah…” the woman made a soft moan, as she closed her eyes and fell in his arms.

The woman’s coquettishness and acquiescence made Xie Shiyun irrational. He pressed the woman against the plum tree behind her, and he could not wait to take off her outer shirt and reach in.

“Don’t!” The woman shyly stopped. “My lord, don’t do it here!”

Xie Shiyun stopped and looked around, knowing that there were several pavilions for temporary rest behind the garden. He quickly lifted the woman and walked towards them.

The woman’s clothes were disheveled, and her hair was messy. She hugged the man’s fat shoulders tightly. Under the moonlight, her face was pale, and her half-hanging eyes had a cold gaze, which was even colder than the moonlight of this winter night. She slowly looked up at the dead winter night, her eyes desolate.

The banquet in the front courtyard lasted for quite some time before people started leaving. Some officials who had good relations with Xie Shiyun asked, “Why do we not see Minister Xie?”

Chang Zheng replied, “Earlier, he said that he needed to use the latrine. Indeed, he has been there for quite some time. I will send someone to find him immediately!”

With that, he called his servants to head to the back garden to find Xie Shiyun.

“Maybe he is drunk and fell asleep somewhere!” An official joked while chuckling.

“If he is drunk and sleeping outside in this cold weather, he will most certainly catch a cold!” Another person chimed in.

Chang Zheng listened to their conversation and was afraid that Xie Shiyun would get into mishaps in his home. Anxious, he sent out a few more people to find him.

Everyone was drinking tea and merrymaking for a while when a servant came in and told them, “Reporting to the master, the servants of the warm Pavilions said that they saw Minister Xie entering the pavilions!”

“Look, I’m right! Minister Xie was drunk and had gone to find a place to go to sleep. To think that we’re still waiting for him here!”

“Then Minister Xie shall rest here tonight. Shall we still wait for him?”

“Send someone to ask him!” An official said.

They came to the banquet together. If they left Xie Shiyun here alone, it would be a bit rude on their part.

Chang Zheng found out that the servant seemed to have something to say, and continued to frown at him.

With a quick thought, he said to his son, “Your uncle is drunk and powerless. Go with me to take a look!”

Chang Bo was drunk and was half lying on a chair. He didn’t want to move, but with everyone around, it was not good to refute his father’s wishes. Thus, he got up reluctantly and followed him out.

As soon as they left, the servant inched towards Chang Zheng’s ear and said, “Master, the servant of the Pavilions said that they saw Minister Xie bringing a woman in!”

Chang Zheng paused in his steps and turned to ask, “Woman? What woman?”

“It was dark, and the woman was held in Master Xie’s arms. The servants did not see clearly!”

Chang Zheng’s face changed, and he hurriedly walked to the pavilion behind the garden.

Xie Shiyun had lost all his virtues after drinking. If he had forced a maid to do it with him, that would not matter. However, if she was a concubine in his house, that would be a very shameful matter!

Chang Bo stumbled in the back, not hearing the words of the servant. He merely shouted incoherently, “Dad, go slowly! What’s the hurry!”

Chang Zheng ignored him and walked faster. The corner of his robe was blown up by the wind as they quickly entered the pavilion.

The servants who served in the pavilions were waiting to see their master. They hastily took him to where Xie Shiyun was resting.

They were outside the room when they heard the rough breaths of the man inside and the ambiguous moans of the woman. They could not care for the world and were engaging with one another with no inhibitions.

Chang Zheng did not know who the woman was inside, and did not dare to offend Xie Shiyun, so he had to wait anxiously outside.

Chang Bo came over, heard the sound, and woke up just a little. Astounded, he asked, “Who’s inside?”

“Hush!” Minister Chang made a muffled expression, frowning tightly. He glanced inside and pulled Chang Bo to wait outside.

“Don’t say anything first!”

Minister Chang then called two servants to come over. “Go to the front courtyard and tell those waiting there that they don’t have to wait. Tell them that Minister Xie is drunk and fast asleep and will not go back tonight! Also, go to the backyard to check which Mistress is not around!”

“Yes!”

“Will do, sir!”

The servants went away. The father and son waited anxiously, albeit angrily too, outside for a very long time. Finally, they detected a little movement inside.

Minister Chang took a step forward and cried out carefully, “Minister Xie? Minister Xie?”

Xie Shiyun collapsed on the woman at this time, and he was breathing heavily. Upon hearing the sound from outside, he was shaking all over. The alcohol in his system and the lust he had felt dissipated immediately.

He couldn’t help but feel a little ashamed, so he got up and got dressed.

The woman in bed was blushing. She took her hand and asked nervously, “My lord, what should I do? I will be beaten to death!”

“Relax, I am here. I will protect you well!” Under the faint light, the woman’s long hair was tousled, her shoulders were round, and her face was glorious. She seemed ever more charming even after coitus. Xie Shiyun only felt that his soul was the only thing not smitten by her.

Now dressed, Xie Shiyun went out and grinned abashedly. “How rude of me! I fell asleep after getting drunk!”

Chang Bo was young and full of vitality, unlike his father, who had the patience to wait and bide his time. At this time, when the curtain was lifted and he spotted the woman in the room, he was appalled and furious. “You, you shameless slut! How dare you seduce my uncle? I will make sure to kill you today!”

Indignant, Chang Bo rummaged about for something to beat her up. He moved so frantically that he was utterly scary to look at.

Minister Chang and Xie Shiyun immediately intervened and stopped Chang Bo.

“My lord, save me!” The woman hid in the bed and hugged the quilt, tears streaming out of her eyes. She looked very pitiful.

Xie Shiyun walked in immediately and hugged the woman in his arms. “Don’t be afraid, no one will dare to hurt you with me around!”

Minister Chang stared at the woman on the bed, but he was shocked. He didn’t know Lan Zhihui, and he hadn’t seen her in the manor before.

Chang Bo saw that the woman was held in the arms by Xie Shiyun, and he became even angrier. Even though he was seeking revenge on Lan Zhihui and he had no feelings for her, no man could calmly watch his woman being held in the arms of his uncle.

While Minister Chang was busy calling Chang Bo out of the door, Shen Sheng asked, “Who is that woman?”

The fact that Chang Bo had kept Lan Zhihui in the house had not been made known to his father. This was because he had been in his courtyard, and Minister Chang had to go to the palace every day for work, so he had never been aware of it.

However, he couldn’t hide it at this time, so he told him all about Lan Zhihui’s origins.

Minister Chang frowned. “It turned out to be the daughter of Lan Xiang. I heard that she had been in the Ji Manor all these years.”

“Yes, but now the Ji Manor doesn’t want her anymore, so they drove her out!” Chang Bo hurriedly explained, lest his father blamed him for offending the Ji Manor. Although he enjoyed having fun, he still understood the pros and cons of certain actions. This was especially important as this place was the capital. If he offended certain powerful people, he would likely be convicted of a crime and put to death. Therefore, a player like him knew best who they could afford to offend and who they could not.

“Then why did she get in bed with your uncle today?” Minister Chang glanced at the inner room and whispered.

“This lawless slut. I will beat her to death!” Chang Bo gritted his teeth and bellowed.

“No!” Minister Chang shook his head vigorously. “Can’t you see that your uncle likes this woman very much? I think you should be magnanimous about it and give her to your uncle!”

He felt that this woman sleeping with Xie Shiyun was not by accident. If it was done intentionally, this woman had a deep scheming mind. Letting her stay in his manor would certainly bring future disasters!

Chang Bo was enraged about this. “I’m not willing to give her away. Besides, is giving my concubine to my uncle appropriate?”

If it was a servant someone had fancied, they could be given away as a gift. However, Lan Zhihui was his concubine!

Even if there was no official title as yet, there was still the intention to.

“You just said that you brought her in, but you haven’t engaged in coitus with her and that is all!” Minister Chang’s words were firm, and there was no room for discussion. “This is the case. As long as your uncle wants her, let him take her away. It’s good for you and nothing bad. If you like, you can just buy two more girls and let them enter the manor!”

Chang Bo could only nod and agree. “Yes, your son listens to Father’s arrangements!”

The two agreed on the matter. Minister Chang then entered the room, called Xie Shiyun in, and smiled politely. “This woman was originally a girl that Bo’er had brought in. He wanted to make her a concubine. However, they had not slept together. To think that today, she seduced Minister Xie! She truly deserves to die!”

No matter how thick-skinned Xie Shiyun was, he was a bit embarrassed at this time. After all, the two were not only colleagues in court but also relatives.

Chang’s wife, who was Chang Bo’s mother, was Xie Shiyun’s half-sister.

He had slept in his brother-in-law’s manor, with a woman who was supposed to be the concubine of his nephew. If this was made known, it would be a real joke.

Neither of them could afford the shame that this would bring.

“I was drunk for a while. My actions are truly laughable!!” Xie Shiyun smiled embarrassedly.

“No! It’s common sense for a man to lose control for a while, but now that this girl has engaged in coitus with Minister Xie, then I can only give her to you. Once she is in your manor, whether she is to be a maid or a concubine, it’s all up to you, Minister Xie!” Minister Chang’s words were polite as if he was the one who had provided this lady in the backyard to Xie Shiyun. Xie Shiyun’s lips broke into a smile as he truly liked this woman. For so many years, although he had concubines in his manor, and would occasionally go to the tavern with friends to have fun, he felt like he had never loved a woman like her today. It made him feel as if he was ten years younger.

“However, where did this woman come from?” Xie Shiyun asked.

Minister Chang replied, “To tell you the truth, this woman is the daughter of the former Lan Xiang.”

Xie Shiyun was surprised. When Lan Xiang was still in power, he was an official in Yunzhou. He had not been familiar with the case at that time, and he had only heard that Lan Xiang was wronged. Later on, he had also heard about Lan Xiang’s daughter being in the capital. The daughter was renowned as the top beauty in the entire capital.

He did not expect that one day, she would get into his arms.

Later, the case on Lan Xiang was overturned, and the Lan Family was cleared of their charges. Therefore, Lan Zhihui was no longer the daughter of a criminal, so there was no taboo to be with her.

“Since she is the daughter of a loyal court official, she should be treated more favorably!” Xie Shiyun smiled and replied.

“Yes, yes. When she enters your manor in the future, please take good care of her!”

“Yes!”

Immediately, the embarrassment from earlier dissipated. The two parties behaved politely with one another. It was a harmonious sight.

It was night. Lan Zhihui was taken back to the manor by Xie Shiyun. She had temporarily become Xie Shiyun’s concubine, raised in the backyard of his harem.