12dz Chapter 8 When it comes to stealing a wife, moral considerations are unnecessary when necessary.
Chapter 8 When it comes to stealing a wife, moral considerations are unnecessary when necessary.
The carriage moved slowly through the streets. Xie Zhan leaned against the side of the carriage, quietly watching the shops lining the streets and the crowds coming and going.
As the sun set in the west, the evening glow sprinkled down upon the earth, covering the heavens and the earth with a layer of golden light.
He squinted slightly, finding the sunset too dazzling.
When Cheng Yan stopped the Xie family's carriage, he slightly lifted his eyelids, his face expressionless.
Finally, he ordered his attendant to lift the carriage curtain and smiled at the newcomer: "Lord Cheng, are you here to arrest me? May I ask, Lord Cheng, what crime have I committed?"
Cheng Yan sat on horseback, staring intently at him, ignoring his sarcastic tone, and said directly, "Xie Zhan, return the letter."
"A letter? What letter?" Xie Zhan raised an eyebrow and smiled, turning the fan open with his finger and shaking it gently twice.
He wore a white robe and a jade crown, leaning casually against the carriage, exuding an air of elegance and extraordinary handsomeness.
"The letter you got from Huizhen."
"Lord Cheng is joking. When did I receive a letter from Princess Huizhen? Besides, does Lord Cheng have any evidence? If there is no evidence, you cannot arbitrarily convict someone. Perhaps Princess Huizhen simply lost it somewhere..."
Judging from Xie Zhan's words, it seems he intends to deny it.
Cheng Yan frowned slightly, his face darkening, but he didn't intend to argue with Xie Zhan any further. He said coldly, "I know you took it. Don't force me to do it. Give it back."
Xie Zhan's expression turned cold, and he said sarcastically, "Lord Cheng is as domineering and tyrannical as ever. If he can't get something, he'll just snatch it."
This statement, while seemingly about a letter, actually carries a deeper meaning.
“That’s not yours,” Cheng Yan replied.
Qin Yizhen had no romantic feelings for Xie Zhan back then, and she still doesn't now. Even if Xie Zhan does have feelings for Qin Yizhen, it's just wishful thinking on his part.
Cheng Yan believed that since they were not mutually in love, he and Xie Zhan should be equals, and whoever could snatch it would depend on their own abilities.
Even though his methods were indeed somewhat dishonorable.
But when it comes to stealing a wife, there's no need to worry about morality when necessary.
He admitted he was somewhat in the wrong, but didn't think he was wrong or regretted it.
"If it's not mine, then it's yours?" Xie Zhan retorted.
Cheng Yan said, "It wasn't originally mine, but since I managed to snatch it, it's mine now."
It didn't belong to anyone before, but he snatched it, so it's his now.
"How dare you say that?" Xie Zhan sneered. "Yes, you managed to snatch it, but she can't be happy every day, and that's all because of you."
Xie Zhan took out a letter from his sleeve, held it between two fingers, and then flung it away: "Take it and get out."
Cheng Yan reached out and took the letter, opened it, and saw that it was Qin Yizhen's handwriting. He then folded the letter and put it back into the envelope.
"Thank you."
He thanked them, then put the envelope back in his pocket and prepared to leave with his men.
Xie Zhan watched his departing figure, chuckled twice, and then the smile on his face gradually faded.
There doesn't seem to be anything funny about it.
He angrily slammed the folding fan to the ground: "Let's go back to the Xie family."
.
After such a long delay, it was already quite late when Cheng Yan returned to the Pingxi Marquis's residence.
Because he had something on his mind, Cheng Yan didn't walk very fast on his way back. He did think about a lot of things along the way.
Although he relied on his elder sister becoming the Empress Dowager to seize the opportunity to marry Qin Yizhen before she could realize her feelings for Xie Zhan, he managed to do so.
It looks like he won and got what he wanted.
Xie Zhanzhan was right. Qin Yizhen had not been happy for the past three years. Because of the rumors, she stayed in the deep courtyard of the Pingxi Marquis's mansion and rarely went out. She confined herself to that small world and was depressed.
He didn't know how to cheer her up.
"My lord, we have arrived."
Song Nian, the attendant following behind him, saw him sitting on his horse staring at the plaque of "Pingxi Marquis's Residence" for a long time, and couldn't help but remind him.
Cheng Yan grunted in acknowledgment, then dismounted, handed the reins to his accompanying guard, and began walking into the mansion.
Song Nian waved for his guards to disperse and rest, then quickly followed.
Steward Zhou hurriedly came out of the manor to greet him: "My lord, you've finally returned!"
"What's wrong?" Cheng Yan frowned when she saw his anxious expression. "What happened?"
"No! Nothing happened!" Butler Zhou said happily, his face crinkling with fine wrinkles.
He said, "My lord, since you have returned in triumph today, the princess has ordered a banquet to be prepared at Chunxie Courtyard to welcome you back and wash away the dust of your journey."
"What?" Cheng Yan was stunned, wondering if he had misheard.
Steward Zhou continued, "Seeing that the Marquis had not returned for a long time, the princess ordered me to wait here. If the Marquis still hadn't returned after a while, the princess also instructed me to send someone to the palace to see if you were having a meal with the Empress Dowager."
Cheng Yan was stunned for a long time before he came to his senses.
In the past, Qin Yizhen never cared about his affairs. She didn't care when he went out or came back. But today she actually wanted to give him a welcome dinner.
Yes.
Cheng Yan suddenly remembered that Qin Yizhen's attitude towards him seemed a little different this time he came back. She had cried for a long time just now and had spoken to him properly, unlike before when she didn't want to see him at all.
Before he left, she was still a little reluctant to see him go.
Thinking of this, Cheng Yan couldn't stay any longer and didn't want to listen to Steward Zhou's nagging, so he walked into the mansion.
Butler Zhou was dumbfounded when he saw Cheng Yan leave while he was talking.
Song Nian patted him on the shoulder: "Old Zhou, don't say anything more. The Marquis doesn't even bother with you anymore."
Steward Zhou was someone Cheng Yan brought out of the Cheng family years ago. Back then, when Empress Dowager Cheng and Cheng Yan had a hard time in the Cheng family, this steward took good care of the two siblings in private. Later, Empress Dowager Cheng and Cheng Yan naturally brought him out of the Cheng family as well.
Butler Zhou asked him with some concern, "Do you think the Marquis and the Princess can reconcile?"
After being away from home for two or three months, constantly on edge, Song Nian felt waves of fatigue wash over him as he relaxed.
Upon hearing this, Song Nian's eyes suddenly lit up, and he was no longer sleepy. He put his arm around Steward Zhou's shoulder and walked into the mansion with him like two brothers.
"Come on, let's go take a look. We'll know once we see!"
"Huh?" Butler Zhou hesitated. "Wouldn't that be inappropriate?"
"What's wrong with that?" Song Nian chuckled, unconcerned. "Let's take a look around, so we can come up with some ideas later, right?"
Upon hearing this, Butler Zhou agreed, saying, "Then come with me."