Wanjin Lady

Chapter 259 Ma Changshun Returns

Mr. Tu grabbed Ma Changshun's arm and dragged him inside. Ma Changshun glared at Mr. Tu several times, indicating that he knew the way.

Mr. Tu said: No, you don’t know.

Ma Changshun's safe return caused quite a stir in the Wen family. Chen Ma in the kitchen was so happy that she added several more dishes and even thanked all the gods while cooking. "Master Ma is back. There will be no problem with our winery's Ruiguo pulp in the second half of the year!"

Hongmei reminded her with a smile, "And there's the master! Judging from the tone of the girl, the master will be home in a month at the latest! That will be a true double happiness!"

Aunt Chen sighed, "I just hope that after today's meal, our Wen family will be safe and sound, and nothing else will happen."

Hongmei added, "Right! As soon as the master comes out, we'll leave and return to Ping County. We'll leave Bozhou, this dangerous place, as soon as possible!"

Lunch was not ready yet, so Wen Wan went to the backyard. Yao Shizhen and Cheng Yunzhang were sitting under a tree playing chess. Wei Zheng was feeling bored after sitting there for a while when a seven or eight-year-old girl with two small buns on her head half-hid behind the tree and peeked at him.

He remembered that Wen Wan had a younger sister.

Wei Zheng turned his head and faced the little girl head-on.

The little girl was caught, but there was no shyness on her face. Instead, she walked out from behind the tree with confidence. When she got in front of him, she stunned him with just one sentence.

The little girl asked him crisply, "My Lord, are you my brother-in-law?"

Wei Zheng smiled and said, "I haven't married yet. I don't have any plans to get married at the moment."

"Oh."

Wei Zheng raised his eyebrows, "Why do you ask that?"

Wen Jing frowned and looked at him carefully, "Your voice... sounds a lot like my brother-in-law. His figure is similar, too."

I've heard Wen Wan say this before.

No wonder Wen Wan was lost in thought when she looked at his face that day at Wandang Mountain.

"Your brother-in-law..."

"he died."

"Oh."

Chat ended.

Fortunately, Mrs. Yao's voice came at the right time, "Jinyu, it's time for dinner."

After dinner, Zhaozhao and Hun'er needed a nap. Cheng Yunzhang continued to play the unfinished chess game with Yao Shizhen, while Wei Zheng sat on the armchair under the tree and watched them play chess.

Wen Wan walked quickly to the backyard, where a room was vacated for Master Ma to live in. Ma Changshun couldn't sit still, so he pulled Master Tu to ask about what had happened in the past three or four months. When he was listening to something extremely dangerous, he looked up and saw Wen Wan walking in.

"Young Master!" Ma Changshun stood up, his face beaming with joy. "I heard from Brother Tu that... the young master will be acquitted soon?"

Wen Wan walked in, and Master Tu immediately offered her a seat, then brought over a stool to sit down. "The evidence in Father's case is complete, and Lord Xiong's documents will be sent to the Ministry of Justice soon. We'll get a response within a month." Wen Wan went straight to the point. "Master Ma, thank you for your hard work. You've been disappearing like a ghost these past few days, which has worried us terribly."

"I knew the young master wouldn't ignore me! I've been waiting for you to come and save me!" Ma Changshun felt wronged when he thought of what Brother Tu said just now. "Young master, don't worry! I haven't said a word about the recipe! I'm not that bastard Shi Jinquan!"

Wen Wan smiled and said, "Don't employ people you doubt, and don't doubt people you employ. I have never doubted your loyalty, Master Ma."

Ma Changshun calmed down his excitement. "The old boss was actually suspicious that night, especially after what those wine merchants said about Widow Wang. But the old boss thought they were using a honey trap and probably didn't take it seriously."

"After I helped my old boss to the backyard, the wine merchants dragged me back to the table. They stuffed me full of yellow liquid, and when I woke up, I was in a separate courtyard."

"My room was completely sealed, with everything except the doors and windows. They never mistreat me with their meals. But they kept asking me for the recipe for the Ruiguo syrup. I knew in my heart that was what they were after!"

Wen Wan asked: "Then they didn't torture you?"

"During this time, I met Yuan Qi once. He said he hoped I would cooperate with them. As long as I agreed, he promised me the position of the master chef of Cheng's Winery."

"I pretended to delay and asked that quick-talking person for information, only to find out that such a big thing had happened to the old boss! I was extremely anxious, but I couldn't leave. It was really..." Ma Changshun patted his thigh. "After two or three days, I calmed down. I thought that with such a big thing, the young master would definitely come to Ping County."

"I'm locked up in that villa, and I can't do anything. I can't help the young master, but at least I can get some information."

Seeing Wen Wan's interested expression, Ma Changshun puffed out his chest, thinking that even if he was captured by the enemy this time, he would not bring shame to the Wen family winery.

He then told Wen Wan all the information and speculation he had gathered, "I know that's the Cheng family's third branch's villa. Yuan Qi keeps saying he's avenging Yuan Liulang, but I know he's actually just jealous that our Ruiguojiang stole the limelight from his new wine at the Bozhou Wine Cooking Festival."

"This... I already have a guess."

"However... the young master certainly doesn't know that the Bozhou wine-drinking party was actually Yuanqi's big day. It's said that the cousin of Madam Sun, the Tongpan family's wife, was also present that day... The wife's husband is a military officer, holding a fairly high position in the army, supposedly a legitimate fourth-rank official. She has a concubine daughter who's reached marriageable age, and there are signs of a possible marriage between the two families."

“The Cheng family are merchants. Even if the Chen dynasty values ​​literature over military affairs, how could Yuan Wulang possibly be of such a high social standing?”

Ma Changshun had been imprisoned in the harem for several months, and his thoughts had become more meticulous than before. "This wealthy family is very thoughtful, and they are naturally betting on the Cheng family's literary talent. If they pass the imperial examination, one of the two brothers will go into politics and the other into business, and their lives will naturally prosper. What's more, Yuan Qi is the most promising of the younger generation. Now that Madam Yuan has semi-retired, it will be difficult for her to show up in public and do business after Master Cheng passes the imperial examination. The Cheng family winery will definitely fall into the hands of the Yuan family."

"They think Yuan Qi will be the next head of the Yuan family." Wen Wan understood. "What's more, by sacrificing only one concubine's daughter, there's a chance of getting a rich reward. This marriage... although it's not quite equal, it's still a good deal."

Ma Changshun nodded, "The first time the two families met was during the Bozhou Wine-drinking Festival."

Having said that, Wen Wan understood everything.

Yuan Qi wanted to marry into a wealthy family, but when he first met the girl's family, he was overshadowed by Old Man Wen. No wonder he had evil thoughts.

Wen Wan asked, "So... the two families won't get married anymore?"

"No." Ma Changshun waved his hand, but he couldn't guarantee the truth of the news at this point. "I heard that the woman didn't show any dissatisfaction that day. She didn't say it was a success, nor did she say it was a failure. Anyway, I didn't hear any rumors when I left."

"A slow knife cuts the flesh the most painfully." Wen Wan recalled what Old Madam Yuan had said that day, a cold smile on her face. "The people from the third branch of the Yuan family... I'm afraid they're blaming me."

Especially Mrs. Jia.