Quick Transmigration: Why did you provoke him? He's love-struck!

Chapter 311 Towards the Golden Palace (15)

"But that's exactly what I want!" Xie Wanfang ran to her side, tugging at her sleeve and shaking it. "The daughter of Lord Xu also bought this one. I can't be without what she has, otherwise she'll look down on me!"

The woman hesitated and said, "But the public funds for this month have already been spent..."

"I don't care! I don't care!" Xie Wanfang started throwing a tantrum. "You said you would be good to me and my brother, but now you won't even buy me a hairpin. No wonder people say a stepmother is not as good as a biological mother... If you can't afford it, I'll ask Father to find me another mother who can afford it. Anyway, there are plenty of women in the capital who want to marry him!"

The woman's expression changed slightly, and she subconsciously looked at Cheng Qingshuang, hoping that she could say something to stop Xie Wanfang.

However, Cheng Qingshuang only symbolically scolded Xie Wanfang twice: "Fang'er, don't talk nonsense."

Xie Wanfang showed no restraint, making a scene and attracting the attention of many people in the jewelry store.

In the end, the woman had no choice but to agree and buy the gold hairpin for Xie Wanfang.

As they left, Yan Zhen noticed that the woman was limping and had a limp.

As Yan Zhen watched their figures disappear into the jewelry store, he looked thoughtful.

If she wasn't mistaken, the woman was Xie Zhao's second wife.

The storyline she received was from Luo Yun's perspective. In her previous life, Luo Yun was killed on her way to the capital, so Yan Zhen was unaware of what happened to Xie Zhao's family in the capital.

But even a hair's breadth of thought could give you a pretty good idea.

It was nothing more than the first sword strike after landing: the one who knew the truth. Xie Zhao became the top scholar in the imperial examination, but he despised his wife from the countryside. In order to prevent her from becoming an obstacle to his rise to power, he killed her and then married a beautiful woman.

However, judging from the current situation, this "beautiful lady" is not only not very beautiful, but also has physical defects.

Was it because Xie Zhao wanted to advance his official career that he married a girl of average looks but whose family was powerful in the capital and could help him? Or was this girl Xie Zhao's childhood sweetheart, whom he moved to Luo Family Village after falling on hard times, and then returned to the capital, became the top scholar in the imperial examination, and rekindled his romance with her?

Realizing that things were not as simple as he thought, Yan Zhen returned home and immediately arranged for people to investigate Xie Zhao.

The next day, the person sent out brought back the news.

Xie Zhao, the top scholar in the imperial examination two years ago, now serves as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, holding the official rank of sixth grade.

This is a very promising position. Although the rank may seem low, as long as one accumulates enough seniority, there is a chance to enter the cabinet and become a close advisor to the emperor.

Six years ago, Xie Zhao passed the imperial examination with top honors and stayed in the capital, where he married Meng Zhenyue, the daughter of a third-rank official in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

Opinions in the capital were divided regarding the marriage between Xie Zhao and Meng Zhenyue.

Meng Zhenyue was three years older than Xie Zhao. She was born with a limp and had neither beauty nor talent, so it was difficult for her to find a husband when she reached marriageable age. She was still unmarried at the age of twenty-four.

When Xie Zhao, a handsome and accomplished scholar who had achieved the highest rank in the imperial examinations, came to propose marriage, everyone was astonished.

Everyone thought that Xie Zhao chose to marry Meng Zhenyue instead of the many beautiful women in the capital who admired him, because he valued Meng's father's background as the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

To everyone's surprise, a year after their marriage, Meng Zhenyue was diagnosed with infertility.

In the capital, everyone mocked Xie Zhao for marrying a lame hen who couldn't lay eggs, waiting to see him make a fool of himself. But Xie Zhao made a decision that silenced everyone—

He remained devoted to Meng Zhenyue, refusing to divorce her or take a concubine. He even argued with a colleague who advised him to divorce her. He then adopted his elder brother's two children from the countryside to Meng Zhenyue's name and raised them as his own.

This act earned Xie Zhao unanimous praise in the capital. Not only was the Meng family deeply grateful to him, but even the current emperor, upon learning of this, specifically praised Xie Zhao for his loyalty and righteousness during the morning court session.

……

Yan Zhen's lips twitched after hearing this.

Good heavens, Luo Yun's two children, whom she had painstakingly raised and raised, had become Xie Zhao's "elder brother's children."

No wonder he arranged for an assassin to kill Luo Yun on the way to the capital; Xie Zhao had intended from the beginning to completely deny the existence of the original owner of this ex-wife.

This scoundrel, when he was down on his luck, used himself to get the top score in the imperial examination, and then took advantage of the daughter of a high-ranking official. He treated women like blood bags, draining them dry before replacing them with another.

Meng Zhenyue was also a victim who was kept in the dark.

Thinking deeper, the Xie family might be behind Meng Zhenyue's infertility.

After all, Xie Zhao only had a reason to bring Xie Zhaolin and Xie Wanfang to his side if his wife couldn't have children.

As for how Xie Zhao managed to conceal his marital status and the fact that he had children from his colleagues and wife, Yan Zhen still needs to investigate thoroughly.

Yan Zhen was pondering how to deal with Xie Zhao when a maid came in to report that Jiang Ming had arrived.

After arriving in Beijing, Jiang Ming was busy dealing with the shipment that had been delivered. Now that he's probably finished, he's come over to meet up with Yan Zhen.

Yan Zhen went to the main hall to greet the guests.

When Jiang Ming came this time, he brought a jar of wine and a roast chicken. Upon seeing Yan Zhen, he laughed and said, "Brother Cao, come, come, have a drink. Although this wine is not as good as your Cao family's Yaochi Zui, it is still a well-known local wine in the capital. Every time I come to the capital, I bring a few jars back to Ningzhou."

Yan Zhen did not refuse and sat down with Jiang Ming in a side hall, drinking and chatting.

Jiang Ming speaks in an unconventional way, and having traveled all over the country and done business for so many years, he has a wealth of knowledge and can chat about any topic.

Although Yan Zhen had no romantic feelings for him, she was genuinely happy chatting with him.

Only half a jar of wine had been drunk when Xue Lin's voice came from behind: "Sister."

Yan Zhen and Jiang Ming turned around at the same time. Xue Lin stood at the door, lifting the beaded curtain on the door with one hand, his expression not very good.

"Hey! Brother Xue!" Jiang Ming greeted him warmly, "Want a drink? Come and try this..."

"I don't drink." Xue Lin interrupted him without any politeness, and looked at Yan Zhen, "Sister, the housekeeper is looking for you. The well in the backyard is leaking black water. He wants you to go and take a look."

Yan Zhen was taken aback for a moment, then immediately replied, "Okay."

She stood up and said to Jiang Ming, "Brother Jiang, please sit down. I'll be right back."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ming rolled up his sleeves and said, "I'll go with you. I've never seen a well that leaks black water before."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xue Lin stepped forward and blocked his way, saying with a forced smile, "Brother Jiang... the backyard is the women's quarters, and it's not convenient for men to come in. I'll stay here and have a drink with you."

Jiang Ming thought about it and agreed, then smiled awkwardly, "I'm sorry for being so presumptuous! Please don't take offense, Brother Xue."

Xue Lin didn't answer. He picked up the wine glass on the table, raised it to Jiang Ming, and drank it all in one gulp.

Jiang Ming: "This wine glass..."

It was used by Yan Zhen.

Xue Lin feigned ignorance: "Brother Jiang, what's wrong?"

Jiang Ming felt that something was off about Xue Lin, but his slow-witted mind couldn't figure it out, so he could only laugh awkwardly and say, "It's nothing."

After dealing with the black water gushing from the well in the backyard, Yan Zhen returned to the front hall and found that Jiang Ming had already left, leaving only Xue Lin sitting there alone.

"Where is Brother Jiang?" Yan Zhen asked.

"He had something to do and went back first." Xue Lin got up, took the water brought by the maid, placed it in front of Yan Zhen, and handed her a towel to dry her hands after she finished washing them.