Qi Yue wiped the sweat from his chest and said, "Second Brother said that Prefect Lu's nephew is a glutton, a gambler, a womanizer, and a drug user, a man of all vices. He's a regular at the Drunken Spring Pavilion. I heard that for three months straight, he spent every night in the room of the Drunken Spring Pavilion's courtesan, yet he was still in debt with an IOU. Relying on Prefect Lu's backing, the madam of the Drunken Spring Pavilion doesn't dare to do anything to him."
Xu Hongchuan nodded thoughtfully, "Prefect Lu's nephew, good. It seems we need to investigate him."
Qi Yue raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued.
Their boss had said before that the Jiang Wencheng case should be put aside, and if Jiang Yuanfa came, they should avoid him. If they couldn't avoid him, they should play it safe. Why was he suddenly getting involved now?
Qi Yue stared at Xu Hongchuan and grinned mischievously, "Tsk tsk, it seems the young lady must have served you well that night."
Xu Hongchuan reached out and punched Qi Yue, who blocked it with a laugh.
The boss was in a good mood today; he didn't even scold him. The other three had been scolded by the boss quite a bit, and only he dared to joke with the boss.
Qi Yue's relationship with Xu Hongchuan was somewhat different. He was originally the direct descendant of the Apricot Grove Clan, and in theory, he should have become a doctor.
But when he was nine years old, a plague took the lives of tens of thousands in his hometown. His grandfather and father, in order to treat the villagers, worked themselves to exhaustion and unfortunately contracted the disease, passing away.
It was thanks to Xu Hongchuan who had found him and taken him in, keeping him by his side, and it had been ten full years.
He regarded Xu Hongchuan as his own elder brother, and Xu Hongchuan treated him like a real brother.
Xu Hongchuan put on his inner robe, smiling but not smiling, "That old fox, Prefect Lu, is just waiting to watch the show. Since he's set up the stage, wouldn't it be a waste of his effort if I don't go up?"
Qi Yue playfully cupped his hands and said, "This subordinate obeys orders. This subordinate will go and inform Second Brother, Third Brother, and Fourth Brother."
In the few days since returning from Qingzhou Prefecture, Rongyue had a rare moment of leisure.
Her mother-in-law was truly in the wrong this time and, for once, was lenient. For these few days, she allowed Rongyue to rest in her room and didn't make her wait on her.
Normally, she had to serve her mother-in-law, and only had a few scattered moments of free time, and she also had to do some needlework.
With these few days of rare leisure, Rongyue set out her ink, paper, and inkstone, and quietly practiced calligraphy.
Her father had opened a school at home before he died, relying on the tuition to make a living.
Her father would teach her to read when he was free, and her mother also taught her to write. The Zanhua Small Script she wrote was taught to her by her mother, stroke by stroke, hand in hand.
Having smelled the ink for three days, Rongyue's mood gradually calmed down.
Although the pain in the private area still reminded her of the absurdity of that night with her uncle-in-law, she gradually came to understand.
Even if her husband asked about it later, it wasn't her who had seduced him first.
If he was really angry, then they would separate, and she would accept even a Divorce Letter from her husband.
If her husband was willing to continue living with her, they wouldn't be able to have children. At most, her father-in-law would find them an Heir from the clan to adopt and raise.
If her uncle-in-law had more sons, perhaps one could be adopted…
Rongyue's hand paused, suddenly remembering the sturdy body that had moved on her that night, the broad shoulders, the sweat flowing down his bulging chest muscles…
The brush hung in mid-air, not falling for a long time.
The ink dripped down the tip of the brush onto the paper. Rongyue blushed, secretly cursing herself for being shameless, even thinking about her uncle-in-law's naked body.
She put down the brush and was about to change another sheet of paper when she heard Mama Zhao's breathless call from outside: "Master, Madam, Master Xu has arrived! He's in the front hall!"
Rongyue was startled, and the paper in her hand floated to the ground.
Xu Hongchuan was here? Why would he come?
Rongyue remembered the man's unfathomable eyes and the cold, humiliating words he had spoken, and a deep unease arose in her heart. This unease gradually turned into fear, causing her to tremble slightly.
She thought that the two of them should never have any more contact in this life, and it would be best if they didn't.
After that incident, it was truly awkward to meet again.
He thought she had drugged him, even though she was completely unaware, but she was involved in the end.
He was probably already hating her to death now. If, as he said, the crime of poisoning a court official was pressed down, wouldn't she also be unable to escape the guilt?
Was Xu Hongchuan here to take her away?
Rongyue's heart trembled. She remembered the disdainful look in Xu Hongchuan's eyes that night, and she closed her eyes in shame, then opened them again, thinking that she should stay in her room tonight and absolutely not meet him.
Rongyue quietly walked to the door of her room, listening to the commotion in the courtyard.
She heard her mother-in-law angrily scolding in the main room: "What's the shouting about? Which Master Xu?"
Mama Zhao exclaimed, "Oh, Madam, it's Master Xu, the Duhushisi of Qingzhou Prefecture!"
Rongyue heard her mother-in-law shout, "Are you out of your mind!"
Mama Zhao gasped, "According to Manager Wu, the person who came was wearing a bright red Flying Fish Robe, and he announced himself as Master Xu, the Duhushisi of Qingzhou Prefecture."
Rongyue heard the sound of dishes falling and breaking in her mother-in-law's room, and then her father-in-law's voice came: "Really?"
Her father-in-law must have been so excited that he couldn't even hold his teacup…
"Master, this servant doesn't dare to deceive Master and Madam!"
As it turned out, Jiang Yuanfa lifted the curtain and stepped out of the main room, his face unable to contain his excitement, muttering to himself, "My son is here! My son is here!"
He looked around, "Where's Manager Wu?"
"Replying to Master, Manager Wu is currently serving tea to Master Xu."
"Quick! Quickly tell the kitchen to prepare some good dishes tonight. If we don't have anything, quickly send someone to buy some. Hurry!"
Jiang Yuanfa was directing the servants, himself nearly overwhelmed by the sudden surprise.
Madam Chen pursed her lips and also walked out of the main room, sarcastically saying, "You're so happy, maybe he's here to punish you."
Jiang Yuanfa adjusted the crown on his head and patted his clothes, still saying, "Do you still want him to release Chenger? He's willing to come, which means Chenger has been saved. You are truly a woman without any insight!"