TIGR Chapter 91

The Imperial Guard’s Revenge

Chapter 91 Affair

Wang Yanqing’s eyes were brimming with tears as she said accusingly: “I don’t believe you. Only if you swear never to see her again.”

Lu Heng was momentarily unsure who “her” referred to and could only indulgently watch her: “Qing Qing, you’re overthinking again. There is no one else.”

Wang Yanqing thought to herself that Lu Heng seemed quite experienced in playing the unfaithful lover who had affairs with other women. Just looking at the way he was speaking was enough to make her angry. Feeling wronged, she said: “Even now, you still want to deceive me? I already know.”

Lu Heng looked at her, sighed sincerely, and reached out to wipe her tears: “You’re thinking too much. Don’t cry.”

Wang Yanqing pushed Lu Heng’s hand away, staring wide-eyed as she said: “No. In the future, if there’s her, then there won’t be me, and if there’s me, there won’t be her. So, go figure it out!”

Lu Heng quietly watched her, his gaze innocent yet helpless, reflecting his inner thoughts at the moment. However, Lu Heng’s statement only confirmed his image as a fickle and heartless person. Wang Yanqing covered her eyes and cried out in despair: “Go away, go away! I’m done with you!”

Wang Yanqing covered her face with both hands, her shoulders trembling slightly, looking utterly pitiful. Lu Heng, worried that she might genuinely be crying, reached out to comfort her by placing a hand on her shoulder. However, Wang Yanqing moved away from him, turning her body forcefully. Lu Heng sighed to himself, watched her for a moment, and then turned to leave.

People in the alley saw Lu Heng seriously leaving. Despite not showing any anger or pity on his face, he still maintained his elegant appearance, which only made the onlookers widen their eyes in disapproval.

Lu Heng’s presence was so commanding that no one dared to openly criticize him, but their gazes were full of reproach. Lu Heng remained composed and expressionless under their scrutinizing stares. After exiting Jian’an Alley, he quietly sighed.

Lu Heng was also puzzled by his luck. He had previously taken the blame for Fu Tingzhou and was scolded by the physician for only caring about his own needs without regard for a woman’s well-being. Now, he was taking the blame for Wang Yanqing, becoming an unfaithful and irresponsible cousin.

No one under heaven could make Lu Heng take unwarranted blame like this, and when he got back today, he was determined to handle all the duties expected of a heartless cousin.

Wang Yanqing, pretending to cry, listened for the sound of footsteps behind her and determined that Lu Heng must have gone far away. The manner in which Lu Heng carried out the role of a scoundrel was so convincing that even just thinking about it made Wang Yanqing angry. At this moment, she heard delicate footsteps from behind. The person seemed hesitant and finally said tentatively: “Miss, don’t cry.”

Jian Jun saw Wang Yanqing glance back slightly, with an expectant look, and sighed, saying: “He already left. Even if you cry your eyes out, he won’t see it. Why bother?”

Upon hearing that Lu Heng had left, Wang Yanqing’s shoulders slumped, clearly very disappointed. Seeing that the alley was filled with onlookers, Jian Jun, wanting to spare Wang Yanqing some dignity, said: “If you don’t mind, Miss, why don’t you come in and wash your face.”

Wang Yanqing had been waiting for this offer. She put down her hands, lowered her head, and said softly: “Thank you.”

Wang Yanqing kept her head down and followed closely behind Jian Jun, afraid of revealing that she had been pretending to cry. Seeing that Wang Yanqing continued to cover her face, Jian Jun thought she didn’t want to be seen, and thoughtfully prepared some water for her and quietly left. Wang Yanqing washed her face and came out to thank Jian Jun: “Thank you, Madam Jian.”

Wang Yanqing naturally had a reddish hint at the corners of her eyes. So, having just rubbed her eyes, they were now slightly red, and with water clinging to her eyelashes, she looked as if she had genuinely cried. Seeing the beautiful but melancholic woman, Jian Jun felt a pang of sympathy and sighed: “Miss, you and your cousin…”

Wang Yanqing responded dejectedly: “He is flirtatious and has many romantic interests everywhere. I originally thought that since we grew up together, our bond would be special. But now it seems that I am just one among many.”

Jian Jun recalled the indifferent and smiling demeanor of the young man earlier and could completely understand why such a beautiful woman as Wang Yanqing would be so deeply affected by him. Jian Jun sighed and felt compelled to advise her: “You know, if he is behaving like this before marriage, he will likely care even less about you after. Will you still go through with the marriage?”

“Otherwise?” Wang Yanqing lowered her eyes, and said at a loss, “If I don’t marry him, who else will I marry?”

After she finished speaking, Jian Jun fell silent. She stood still, lost in thought for a moment, then silently poured a cup of water for Wang Yanqing. Wang Yanqing sat down with the water and asked sincerely: “Madam Jian, I heard that your husband is also your cousin. Now that he’s… what are you going to do?”

Jian Jun smiled bitterly and replied: “What else can be done? There will be a way when the carriage reaches the mountain, right? I can only take it one step at a time.”

Wang Yanqing took the opportunity to ask: “Madam Jian, why did you marry your cousin?”

The question seemed to evoke some memories for Jian Jun. She thought for a long time and murmured: “Why I married him… I don’t really know. My father passed away early, so my mother and I were living with my uncle and aunt. We depended entirely on them. My aunt had only one son, so marrying him seemed like the natural thing to do.”

“Did he treat you well?”

Jian Jun was once again stunned. After regaining her composure, she gave a self-deprecating smile and said: “He helped my mother take care of the funeral arrangements, brought me to the Capital, and has never abandoned me. He should be considered okay.”

Wang Yanqing observed Jian Jun’s expression. Although Jian Jun was smiling as she spoke, there were no lines around her eyes, indicating that the smile was not sincere. Wang Yanqing asked: “Did he fall in love with someone else?”

Jian Jun looked down and did not respond, and Wang Yanqing understood the answer. Wang Yanqing sighed, took Jian Jun’s hand, and said: “We are both unfortunate. He used to dally with women, and I pretended not to know as long as it didn’t affect me. But the more I tolerated, the worse he became, and in the end, he even mixed with them around me. It makes me so angry.”

Wang Yanqing felt Jian Jun’s fingers tighten, and she raised her eyebrows realizing that she had guessed right. It was clear that Han Wenyuan’s affair was indeed with someone close to Jian Jun. The only person who could be considered close to Jian Jun, considering what the villagers said about Han Wenyuan and Jian Jun moving from Qingzhou with no relatives in the Capital… would be their neighbor.

Chang Tinglan. This made Chang Tinglan’s odd behavior during the day understandable.

Wang Yanqing sighed deeply and said to Jian Jun: “He’s gone now. Forget about the past and don’t torment yourself with it. According to the officials, there seems to be something suspicious about your cousin’s death. Did he offend anyone?”

Jian Jun shook her head and replied slowly: “He always handled the matters outside by himself, so I don’t know.”

“What time did he go out today?”

Jian Jun thought for a moment and said: “Towards the end of Chen (7-9 am).”

“Why did he go out?”

Jian Jun shook her head, replying: “I don’t know. He didn’t say. Maybe to meet a friend.”

Wang Yanqing asked: “If he doesn’t tell you anything, what do you do to pass the time when he’s out?”

“I work on needlework by myself, and if I feel bored, I find someone to talk to. The day just passes.” She added, “You get used to it.”

Wang Yanqing felt a pang of unease upon hearing Jian Jun’s words. For a moment, she felt as though Jian Jun was describing her own life. It was only when she came to her senses that Wang Yanqing realized she was sitting in the courtyard of a stranger’s home, subtly probing for the truth about the death of the woman’s husband. The previous feeling had seemed absurd to Wang Yanqing, so absurd that it frightened her.

She steadied herself, refocused, and asked again: “While you were at home today, did you notice any other unusual activity?”

“Unusual activity?” Jian Jun frowned and pondered for a moment before saying, “I didn’t pay attention to any unusual activity. When Brother Ji left in the morning, everything was as usual. Later, after my cousin left, I asked Sister Sun to come over and help me with needlework. While we were sorting threads, we seemed to have heard the neighbor’s door open briefly.”

The neighbor’s door opened? By that time, Ji Huan had already left. Was Chang Tinglan the person who went out? Given the normal speed of needlework, Chang Tinglan’s departure should have been not long after Han Wenyan’s. Could it be that Chang Tinglan was following Han Wenyan?

Or perhaps Han Wenyan went out to meet Chang Tinglan?

Wang Yanqing thought for a moment and asked nonchalantly: “Did the door only open once?”

Jian Yun shook her head: “I don’t know about that.”

Wang Yanqing considered Chang Tinglan but didn’t forget their real purpose this time. Using the excuse of drinking water, Wang Yanqing glanced around. The Han family residence was simpler than the Ji family’s, but it was clean and neat. One room was completely cleared out to serve as a study, with a desk covered in writing materials, showing indication that it was used frequently.

Wang Yanqing withdrew her gaze and sighed: “Your collection of books is quite impressive.”

Seeing the study, Jian Yun responded: “Oh, many of them aren’t our books, they are temporarily being borrowed.”

“Being able to read so many books is still impressive. Wang Yanqing said, “I heard from Master Ji that Master Han writes and compiles books in his spare time. With his extensive reading, he must have excellent literary talent.”

Jian Yun was taken aback for a moment before smiling and saying: “I don’t dare to claim that. We’re just fortunate that the noble doesn’t mind, and we’re able to make a living.”

Wang Yanqing, intrigued, asked: “What noble?”

“The noble who commissioned him to write books.” Jian Yun explained, “This noble enjoys reading narrative books, so my cousin writes things for him in his spare time, which also serves as a source of income.”

Wang Yanqing nodded, showing great amazement. In reality, she had already guessed that the patron Jian Yun was referring to was most likely the Marquis of Wuding. Although there were many powerful people in the Capital, very few could afford to patron a scholar specifically to write narratives for them. The members of the cabinet would not have such preferences. Lu Heng clearly stated that he would not engage in such matters. Going down the list, it could only be the Marquis of Wuding.

Wang Yanqing seemed to gain sudden inspiration and quickly suggested to Jian Jun: “Does this noble have any connections with the government? Since Master Han is favored by a noble, why don’t you go to the noble and ask him to get justice for Master Han? The noble surely has many capable subordinates, and perhaps with just a small gesture, they could resolve Master Han’s situation.”

Jian Jun only smiled and said: “Nobles are not people we can easily meet. We are of low status, and every time, it is Brother Ji who speaks on our behalf. We haven’t even had the chance to meet the noble, how could I dare to make such a request?”

“Really?” Wang Yanqing asked, “Then if your script is well-received and you receive a reward from the noble, how will it be given to you?”

“Brother Ji helps us retrieve it.” Jian Jun added, as if understanding Wang Yanqing’s doubts, “Brother Ji is fair and just and would never be greedy for money. We owe our livelihood to Brother Ji’s connections. Without him, we might have ended up on the streets. Since Brother Ji has helped us greatly, how could we doubt him over a few coins?”

Wang Yanqing nodded in agreement and said: “Indeed. Trusting each other without suspicion is the mark of a true friendship between gentlemen. Your relationship is truly enviable. How did you both come to know Master Ji?”

Jian Jun pressed her lips together, a faint smile on her face as she said: “We met ten years ago. Back then, we were still in our hometown, and we became acquainted at a poetry gathering through our shared appreciation of poetry.”

Wang Yanqing sighed softly and smiled: “That really is fate.”

While smiling and conversing with Jian Jun, there was a hint of coldness in her gaze as she calmly observed Jian Jun’s face. Earlier, when discussing the writing for the “noble,” Jian Jun’s voice had lowered and her expression restrained, but when talking about her acquaintance with Ji Huan, her demeanor was much livelier, and she even used hand gestures.

Jian Jun must know that the “noble” was the Marquis of Wuding. Given her previous evasiveness, she clearly knew what books the Marquis of Wuding was publishing.

Therefore, at least a portion of the manuscript for The Biography of Heroes must have been written by the Han family.

Wang Yanqing finished her water and, putting down the cup, suddenly asked: “Has Han Wenyan shown any unusual behavior these days?”

“Unusual?” Jian Jun frowned slightly and said slowly, “Not that I can think of. However, my cousin seemed to be preoccupied lately and has been frequently losing his temper.”

Wang Yanqing nodded, stood up to say goodbye: “I’ve troubled you for long enough, I should take my leave now. Thank you for today.”

Jian Jun also stood up to see her off: “We are all simply fellow sufferers. If we can help another, we should. Is your house far from here? It’s getting dark, and as a young lady, how will you manage to get back?”

Wang Yanqing then remembered her “unfaithful” cousin who had just abandoned her. She lowered her gaze, showing a hint of desolation, and said: “I can manage on my own. Thank you, you should go back inside quickly.”

Jian Jun escorted Wang Yanqing to the door. After watching her leave Jian’an Alley, Jian Jun turned and closed the door. As Wang Yanqing exited the alley, she was stopped by a carriage at the corner.

Without asking, she lifted her skirt and got into the carriage. Lu Heng was reading The Biography of Heroes. Hearing her footsteps, he looked up at Wang Yanqing with a faint and amused smile: “Cousin, you’re back.”

Wang Yanqing, still preoccupied with the case, hadn’t even settled into her seat before she said to Lu Heng: “Brother, I’ve figured out who wrote The Biography of Heroes.

Wang Yanqing’s wide skirt flowed behind her like a blooming flower as she bent slightly to get into the carriage. Lu Heng grasped Wang Yanqing’s arm and pulled her onto his lap, effortlessly pinning her waist: “No need to rush, let’s discuss another matter first.”

She was wearing a six-panel pleated skirt today, made of ordinary gauze because she was going to investigate a case. Inside, she wore a light blue slip. Now that she had fallen onto Lu Heng’s lap, the pleats of the skirt were disordered and spread out, trailing to the ground, with one corner even catching on his waist-side embroidered spring blade, resembling a cloud settling on his knee.

Lu Heng, with his lean and strong legs, held Wang Yanqing steadily. Wang Yanqing tried to get up quickly, but her waist was caught by a hand: “Cousin, you think I’ve been getting colder towards you. It’s my fault for making you suspicious. I’ll prove it to you now.”

This posture was exceptionally intimate, allowing Lu Heng to easily control every part of her body. Wang Yanqing sat on Lu Heng’s lap, and her instincts warned her it was dangerous. She dared not move, even tightening her waist, she whispered: “I was just pretending, I said it casually.”

Lu Heng held the beauty’s slender waist with one hand, his gaze slowly tracing her cheek as he spoke leisurely: “It pains me to see my cousin doubting me over something so trivial.”

Although there was no physical contact, his gaze almost felt tangible, as if it could slice through her clothing. Wang Yanqing felt a strong sense of invasion. She sighed inwardly, knowing that Lu Heng was unlikely to be genuinely upset over such a minor matter, but he was bound to seize the opportunity.

With someone as scheming and manipulative as Lu Heng, refusing and reasoning was futile, though voluntarily surrendering might offer a glimmer of hope. Wang Yanqing leaned back on Lu Heng’s chest and said: “I misspoke, please forgive me, Brother.”

Lu Heng remained silent, so Wang Yanqing decided to go all in. She reached out and embraced his waist, coquettishly saying: “Brother, you said you loved me the most. Could it be that you’re going to scold me over a few words?”

Wang Yanqing’s tone carried a hint of complaint and childish affection, her demeanor completely reminiscent of a young girl. Lu Heng was completely softened by her calling him “Brother” and could not bring himself to refuse. He looked at Wang Yanqing for a moment and then sighed in resignation: “Whatever Qing Qing says. Ah, once you learn this trick, I won’t be able to manage you in the future.”

Wang Yanqing thought to herself that Lu Heng was quite outstanding, thinking all that. She pretended to retract her hand and said: “If it’s difficult for you, then forget it.”

However, Lu Heng was not about to let her leave. So, he took advantage of the situation to grasp her wrist, pressing her back against the carriage wall. With a half-smiling, half-teasing expression, he said: “Is this all the sincerity Qing Qing has?”

Planning to leave after getting what she wanted?

Wang Yanqing knew that they were in the street, and he wouldn’t do anything inappropriate. So, she adjusted her position, confidently wrapping her arms around his neck and saying: “Brother, I’m hungry.”

Lu Heng raised an eyebrow, his eyes full of amusement as he looked at her, fully aware of her thoughts. Wang Yanqing held her ground with composure and added: “I’ve been standing outside all afternoon, and I am exhausted. Let’s go eat first.”

Lu Heng, unable to do anything about the person in his lap, had no choice but to take her out for a meal. Since the beginning of autumn, the days had grown shorter, and by the time they finished eating, it was already dark.

Neither Lu Heng nor Wang Yanqing were in a hurry to return. Wang Yanqing sat by the window in their private dining room, propping up her chin as she admired the scenery of the Capital. She asked: “Brother, what did you investigate after leaving?”

“I looked into Han Wenyan’s activities.” Lu Heng replied, standing behind Wang Yanqing as they both watched the city bathed in the glow of autumn leaves and the first lights of the evening, “His actions are surprisingly numerous.”

“Are you saying he was having an affair with Chang Tinglan?”

“Not just that.” Lu Heng said, “He did indeed meet with Chang Tinglan today. After Ji Huan left, Han Wenyan and Chang Tinglan left one after the other. About half an hour later, Chang Tinglan rushed back home in a panic, but Han Wenyan did not reappear.”

At this point, Lu Heng gave a meaningful smile, leaned down, and placed a hand on Wang Yanqing’s shoulder, asking: “Guess what Han Wenyan took Chang Tinglan out for?”

Wang Yanqing received vague information from Jian Jun, but the Imperial Guards were quickly able to cbeck Han Wenyan’s actions. Wang Yanqing had already anticipated this, but after hearing Lu Heng’s confirmation, her heart was filled with mixed emotions.

She knew that political marriages among the wealthy often involved multiple wives and concubines, however, ordinary people seeking love might still face betrayal, even from childhood relatives.

 Wang Yanqing replied coolly: “To have an affair?”

“An affair outside?”

Wang Yanqing was momentarily stunned, then turned back in disbelief: “He was having an affair with Chang Tinglan in Ji Huan’s house…”

Lu Heng’s eyes held a trace of amusement as he said: “It’s also possible that it happened in Han Wenyan’s own home.”

The scene flashed in Wang Yanqing’s mind, and she immediately showed a look of disdain. Lu Heng, finding it amusing, remarked: “What is it? The Capital is full of sordid and filthy affairs. This world is far dirtier than you imagine.”

Seeing Lu Heng’s indifferent gaze, Wang Yanqing suddenly felt uncomfortable: “Brother, because you’re so used to seeing affairs and infidelity, do such matters seem trivial and unremarkable to you?”

“No.” Lu Heng grasped the railing, leaned in close to Wang Yanqing, and looked down at her: “I only find them dirty and foolish. The more cases I see, the more I realize that most cases stem from similar causes. They are like animals driven by desire, repeatedly displaying their disgraceful behavior for the same reasons. I constantly remind myself not to make the same mistakes as those fools.”

After saying this, Lu Heng casually tapped her nose and asked: “Are you reassured now?”

Wang Yanqing pressed her lips together and smiled, remaining silent. She often felt as if she were completely exposed in front of Lu Heng, with her every thought laid bare to him. Embarrassed to continue the topic of infidelity, she asked: “So, what did he ask Chang Tinglan to do?”

Before Lu Heng could respond, a cautious knock came from outside the private room: “Master, the fish is in the net.”

Lu Heng smiled, withdrew his hand, and stood up from the railing: “Let’s go. Rather than straining to guess, it’s better to ask directly.”

Prev TOC Next