Wanjin Lady

Chapter 271 Can’t reach an agreement

"How could that be?" Wen Wan coughed softly, "You are my adoptive father's favorite disciple, so I will naturally share the honor and disgrace with my adoptive father and the Marquis."

In other words, they are in the same group!

Wei Zheng cupped his hands, "Then I would like to thank Junior Sister Wen for standing by my side."

Seeing Wei Zheng still had the nerve to joke, the young lady frowned. "Isn't the Marquis anxious? The smuggling case has far-reaching implications. You've cut off someone's financial resources, which is like killing their parents. If Lords Yan and Sun jointly write a letter to accuse you of your crimes, there will naturally be people who will take advantage of the situation and make things worse. You must know that the wind starts from the tip of the green duckweed, and the waves form from the ripples. The Marquis needs to prepare for the rainy day."

"Junior Sister, I appreciate your kindness." Wei Zheng sat there, his chin resting lazily on his hand. He smiled softly at the words, "However... Your Majesty already has a hundred memorials implicating me on the imperial desk. The memorials from Masters Yan and Sun will fall on deaf ears."

Wen Wan let out a barely perceptible breath when she heard this.

Wei Zheng stared at her. The man tilted his head, a warm smile in his eyes. "I thought... Junior Sister hated me."

Wen Wan smiled and said, "My Lord, you are young and promising, and you hold a high position and great power. How could I hate you?"

"Really?" Wei Zheng raised his eyebrows.

"I just..." Wen Wan's tongue trembled, "Always remember, there are many troubles around a widow... these seven words."

"I am of low status and I am afraid of tarnishing the reputation of the Marquis."

"A widow, a new noble in the court. Every step I take towards the Marquis... rumors strike me like a knife."

Really, I'm almost becoming like Pinduoduo.

"I have never disliked you, Lord. I just... am not worthy of you..."

The young lady opposite me spoke softly, her eyes drooping, her red lips slightly pursed, and she looked at me with pity.

When Wei Zheng was in Kyoto, he saw many women making this expression. They were like delicate flowers hiding their thorns, showing only their fragility and harmlessness to the world.

Wei Zheng used to think this expression was artificial.

The young men fought on the battlefield, thinking they were brave and strong.

However, they do not know that the women who manage the backyard households cannot protect themselves unless they have a ruthless nature when facing the competition among sisters, favoritism of their parents, and competition for favors among concubines.

And weakness is just their protective color.

Beneath their weak masks... lie sharp claws.

Therefore, Wei Zheng never looks down on women.

Especially...a female beast that has just given birth.

"Junior Sister Wen." Wei Zheng leaned closer, his voice like a demon, "You unconsciously play with your hair when you lie."

Wen Wan immediately loosened her fingers.

The long hair circled around her fingers and unraveled in circles.

Wen Wan pursed her lips, her face uneasy, and she wanted to refute, but finally said: "The Marquis doesn't seem to believe me very much."

"I believe in Junior Sister Wen."

The man's sword-like eyebrows raised slightly, and there seemed to be broken stars in his eyes.

"Just like Junior Sister Wen believes in me."

Wen Wan: ...

Wen Wan scratched her face, her eyes wandering. "So, how does the Marquis plan to investigate this smuggling case? I'll stay in Bozhou for a month at most. Once my father is acquitted, I'll definitely return to Ping County."

Getting back to business, Wei Zheng's face turned serious. "I've tracked down a man named Liu Guizhou in Bingzhou. He's responsible for selling goods shipped from overseas to the inland, and he's also responsible for winning over the wealthy families in the Tianshui area. According to that Yi Mama... her employers thought Liu Guizhou was running a loan business, lending money at high interest rates. They only provided the principal... and regardless of how the business was run, they would receive a share of the profits at the end of the year. Many officials' families in the city have gotten involved in this business, and it's far-reaching."

"Money laundering?"

Wei Zheng frowned, puzzled. "It means... putting money of dubious origin into legitimate businesses so that the court can't trace its origin. Laundering money is what we call money laundering."

"Hmm." Wei Zheng seemed to be thinking about something. "That's a pretty accurate statement."

Wen Wan sneered, "If this continues, by the time these people realize what's happening, they'll have already been dragged into this smuggling business, and we'll only be able to cover up for them. No wonder smuggling cases are so difficult to crack."

Wei Zheng tapped his fingers lightly on the table. "So we have to follow this line of inquiry. Junior Sister Wen is a woman, and now she's on good terms with Miss Sun, so it's easy for her to get in and out of officials' backyards. If Junior Sister can use this to find out who in the Bozhou officialdom is implicated, then getting this list would be the best."

Wen Wan was worried, "This may not necessarily reveal the real owner of the smuggling business."

"Liu Guizhou is a cautious person. We've been following him for half a year, and we've only just uncovered the Bingzhou officialdom. How about my junior sister and I split up and investigate the list of officials' families, while I investigate the sale of stolen goods inland."

Wen Wan suddenly felt that she had suffered a huge loss!

If this line of investigation is continued, the officialdom in Bozhou will be shaken, and her small body... will probably be shattered.

"My Lord." Wen Wan hesitated, "Although cooperating with the court in investigating a case is the duty of every citizen, but..."

Wei Zheng's beautiful peach blossom eyes narrowed slightly, "Junior sister, what do you want to say?"

"I...I..." Wen Wan bit her teeth lightly and looked at Wei Zheng timidly, "I just feel that cooperating with the Marquis in investigating the case...only to get a city defense map in return...this deal...is a loss."

Wei Zheng was amused by her frankness, "So, Junior Sister, tell me...what else do you want?"

Wen Wan thought about it over and over again, but couldn't think of anything for a moment.

She wanted money, but she was too shy to ask for it.

Suddenly, the young lady's brows were cleared of worry, and she smiled brightly, "I don't need anything for the time being. Why don't you ask the Marquis to agree to a favor for me?"

Wei Zheng saw her acting mysteriously, and her elated and complacent expression piqued his curiosity. "What's the matter?"

"In the future... the Marquis must unconditionally promise me one thing."

"For example, like my father this time, my Wen family is in trouble. As long as I ask, the Marquis will do his best to rescue us."

"For example, if I encounter difficulties in my business and need help or funds..."

For example, if Wei Zheng remembers everything one day, he will not seek revenge on her or take away the two children.

"The specific conditions will depend on what difficulties I encounter in the future. But I promise that, first, I will not harm the people, second, I will not ask you to collaborate with the enemy and sell out your country, and third, I will not ask you to break the law."

Wen Wan stiffened her neck and challenged, "Does the Marquis dare to respond?"

"Humph. Of course I..." Wei Zheng sneered, his voice full of confidence, "I wouldn't dare."

Wen Wan: "Hmm?"

How can a dead figure be so flexible?

Aren’t you a domineering boss?

How can the word "dare not" exist in the dictionary of a domineering president?
"I'm not a fool." Wei Zheng twitched his lips, looking at Wen Wan's dumbfounded expression. An indescribable sense of pride suddenly rose in his heart. "Junior Sister Wen explained it so clearly. It's obvious that she has already thought about how to use this condition to control me in the future. If I agree, wouldn't it be like jumping into a pit with my eyes closed?"

Wen Wan was furious. No! This plot was going in the wrong direction!

Again!

Wen Wan clutched the city defense map in her sleeve and feigned anger. "Since the deal couldn't be concluded, I'll gladly accept the map. My Lord, there's no need for me to cooperate with you in solving any smuggling case. I don't want to risk my life."

Wen Wan said this and stood up and walked out.

Anyway, the city defense map is already in her hands, and she doesn't believe that Wei Zheng can snatch it from her.

Wei Zheng did not move, but sat lazily in the chair, his eyelids not raised, and his voice was faint: "Leave the city defense map."