“Sir, the origin of that carriage has been traced!”
In the inner chamber of the Hanlin Academy, a servant hurried in with a letter in hand.
The man behind the desk abruptly stood up, nearly knocking over the candle. “Speak quickly!”
“Reporting to you, sir, the person in the carriage that day was the concubine of Lord Wei, the heir of the Marquis of Anning. She was on her way to the Great Buddha Temple to offer incense.”
“The Marquis of Anning Manor?” Zhou Yan’s expression darkened. He never imagined that A’Yuan had entered the Marquis of Anning Manor—no wonder he hadn’t been able to find her all these years.
As for Wei Xun, Zhou Yan was no stranger to him either.
The youngest deputy magistrate of the Capital Prefecture, the most trusted powerful minister in the emperor’s presence, and the favored son-in-law candidate among the noblewomen of the capital—each of these titles commanded admiration.
Even Zhou Yan, after dealing with Wei Xun, couldn’t help but feel a mix of awe and appreciation for him.
Yet it was this very man who had taken his A’Yuan away.
Zhou Yan clenched his fists at his sides, his heart boiling with rage.
“Investigate Wei Xun’s movements over the years, especially regarding that concubine of his. The more detailed, the better!”
“Yes.”
The servant didn’t understand why his master was so concerned about a minor concubine from the Marquis Manor. But recalling his master’s unusual behavior that day, the servant felt a sudden unease—could that concubine have some connection to his master?
This was troublesome!
His master stood no chance competing with the heir of the Marquis Manor for a woman.
The servant acted quickly, but Wei Xun’s security was tight, and all he could uncover were surface-level details.
“Xie Niangzi entered the Marquis Manor three years ago. Initially, Madam Wei selected her to serve the second master of the Wei family. Later, for some reason, she was sent to the heir’s quarters. She has served the heir for three years, and the other day was her first time leaving the manor. It seems a concubine from the second master’s courtyard had passed away, and Xie Niangzi went to offer incense for her.”
“What was the name of that concubine?” Zhou Yan interrupted.
The servant tilted his head, thinking. “I believe it was Biwu.”
“So it was her.”
Zhou Yan naturally remembered Biwu. At the Chunyan Pavilion, she had often bullied A’Yuan. Back then, when A’Yuan felt wronged, she would only hide away and cry. The young girl loved sweets, and the money he earned from selling his calligraphy and paintings had all gone to satisfy her sweet tooth.
“And A’Yuan? How has she been faring?”
As a concubine, Biwu had even lost her life. How much suffering must A’Yuan, who was merely a concubine, have endured?
Zhou Yan’s heart felt as if it were boiling in oil, consumed by anguish.
The servant shook his head. “I couldn’t find out, but the heir Wei has not yet taken a wife, and Xie Niangzi is the only one in his quarters. She is likely living well…”
His voice trailed off as he observed his master’s expression.
Zhou Yan’s face darkened. He took a deep breath and spoke in a low voice, “Understood. You may leave.”
He should have been happy that A’Yuan was living well, but that happiness should have been his to give.
It was Wei Xun who had stolen his wife.
……
After the court session ended, the officials filed out one by one.
Wei Xun, dressed in his crimson official robe, appeared both dignified and imposing, standing out prominently among the crowd of ministers.
“Lord Wei, please wait.”
Suddenly called to a halt, Wei Xun stopped and turned to look.
Seeing it was Zhou Yan, he gave a slight nod. “Academician Zhou.”
As a member of the Marquis of Anning Manor, his manners were impeccable.
Though Zhou Yan held no official rank, Wei Xun showed no arrogance.
Under normal circumstances, Zhou Yan would have admired him even more. But now, knowing that Wei Xun had taken the woman he loved, Zhou Yan felt nothing but hatred for him.
“Would Lord Wei have time to share a drink?”
Wei Xun had not expected Zhou Yan to invite him for drinks. Though Zhou Yan held no official rank, he was a favored figure close to the Emperor and generally avoided overly intimate interactions with other officials to steer clear of suspicion.
Wei Xun narrowed his gaze. “I still have official duties to attend to, so I fear I cannot…”
“Does Wei Xuan consider Zi Qian beneath him?”
Zhou Yan cut off Wei Xun’s words before he could finish. His somewhat aggressive tone also alerted Wei Xun to something unusual.
He had heard about Zhou Yan’s character as well. Since entering the Hanlin Academy, Zhou Yan had always acted alone and was never known to be close to any high-ranking official.
Moreover, though he came from humble origins, he lacked the petty, pedantic air typical of those from poor backgrounds. Instead, his proud bearing had caught Wei Xun’s eye more than once.
But today, Zhou Yan was forcing him to drink, making Wei Xun suspect he might have some ulterior motive.
Thinking of the unresolved case of the abused woman in the capital, Wei Xun lowered his gaze and agreed.
“If Zhou Yan insists on inviting me, then I shall go.”
“Please, Wei Xuan.”
They each boarded their carriage, and after a short journey of less than half an hour, the carriage stopped at Jing Garden.
This was the most famous tavern in the capital. The flower girls here sold their talents but not their bodies, yet they could charm men to spend fortunes just for a song.
As they stepped out of the carriage, several beautiful flower girls greeted them. Though they hadn’t changed their official attire, the flower girls seemed oblivious, flicking their handkerchiefs to hook onto their clothes.
“Please come inside, gentlemen. Do you have a favorite girl? If not, shall I sing a song for you?”
Men who came to Jing Garden were either wealthy or noble, and the flower girls were accustomed to this.
Moreover, Wei Xun and Zhou Yan were young and exceptionally handsome gentlemen. If they could attach themselves to them, the girls would gladly pay the price themselves.
Zhou Yan observed Wei Xun’s expression, but the man was always deep and inscrutable. Zhou Yan watched for a long time but couldn’t discern anything.
They sat down one after another. A flower girl wanted to serve them, but Wei Xun brushed her off with a flick of his sleeve. “Just leave the wine.”
“Sir…” The flower girl bit her lip, looking aggrieved.
This was the first time she had ever been rejected.
Zhou Yan chuckled lightly. “Coming to Jing Garden, how could Wei Xuan not choose a flower girl here? Drinking alone is so dull!”
Wei Xun glanced up at him, smoothing the sleeve that the flower girl had touched and placing his official hat beside him. His usually cold lips curved into a faint smile. “My family is strict. If I bring back any scent, there will be trouble when I return home.”
His tone was natural, his eyes filled with affection. Zhou Yan’s hand in his sleeve suddenly clenched, and he took a few breaths to calm himself before finally speaking.
“Has Wei Xuan married?”
“No.”
“Then who does ‘family’ refer to?”
Zhou Yan clenched his fingers, holding his breath as he waited for Wei Xun’s answer. But Wei Xun merely lifted his cup and sipped lightly, changing the subject.
“Did Zhou Yan invite me for drinks just to inquire about my household affairs?”
Zhou Yan pursed his lips. “Of course not. I just didn’t expect that someone as lofty and noble as Wei Xuan would also have someone he cares for.”
“Humans have seven emotions and six desires. I am no exception.”
He lowered his head to sip his wine, his dark eyes narrowing.
Compared to him, Zhou Yan was still inexperienced. At least when Wei Xun was Zhou Yan’s age, he had already learned to conceal his emotions.
Who else could Zhou Yan be indirectly probing about, if not A’Yuan?
Behind the wine cup, Wei Xun’s lips curled coldly. The one who intercepted A’Yuan’s carriage that day was him too, wasn’t it?
He wondered where Zhou Yan got the courage to dare snatch someone who belonged to him.
Wei Xun drank in silence. Zhou Yan tried several times to fish for information, but Wei Xun brushed him off with a few words each time. In the end, Zhou Yan realized how difficult he was to deal with and stopped trying to extract information from him, instead starting to urge him to drink.
Wei Xun refused none of it. He wanted to see what Zhou Yan was up to.