A stew of the Red Chamber

Chapter 46 Hints Inside the Car

Early the next morning.

Just as Wang Qinggang sat down to eat, he heard a report from outside that the Xue family's carriage was waiting at the door.

Wang Qing didn't wait long. After finishing breakfast, he went outside. He lifted his robe, about to step onto the carriage, when the coachman cried out in a panic, "Madam...Madam is inside...Master Qing, you can't!"

She had thought the carriage was prepared for her, but to her surprise, Aunt Xue insisted on personally going to fetch her.

Wang Qing cursed inwardly that the Xue family knew no manners.

He sullenly withdrew his leg, about to order someone to call a carriage, when he heard Aunt Xue inside the carriage say softly, "Qing-ge'er isn't an outsider, come and sit down!"

Come and cook? Then I won't be polite!

Wang Qing muttered a lewd remark to himself, but then slammed his foot on the carriage shaft and pushed hard, causing the carriage to sag noticeably. He had already jumped into the carriage.

Aunt Xue, who was sitting upright in the carriage, was clearly startled. She unconsciously clenched her fist and punched her chest, but then she saw Wang Qing had already crawled into the carriage.

She froze, forgetting to let go.

When Wang Qing looked up, he was met with two slightly out-of-shape, soft mounds pressing against his face. He stopped looking up in time, pretending to be worried about bumping his head, and hunched over as he quietly sat down on the side of the window.

Aunt Xue bowed slightly, cupped her hands, and feigned surprise, saying, "Wenlong only stayed at my place for one night. He's not missing any limbs. A carriage would have sufficed. Why did you have to go and fetch him yourself, Madam?"

"I……"

Aunt Xue opened her mouth, swallowed, and then smiled somewhat awkwardly, saying, "I'm just killing time anyway."

Although Wang Qing promised to release him, Aunt Xue's mind was filled with the image of Xue Pan suffering from hunger and cold. She tossed and turned all night, unable to close her eyes.

Fearing that Wang Qing would delay, she eagerly waited in the carriage early in the morning.

However, saying this aloud might sound like a complaint, so he found an excuse.

Wang Qing glanced at Aunt Xue, whose face was as full as a dough ball, and said meaningfully, "With such a good mother as Aunt Xue, who worries about Wenlong so much and works so hard for him, even if he gets into some trouble, he should be able to turn bad luck into good."

Aunt Xue clearly didn't understand the deeper meaning in his words, and said with an awkward smile, "I'm sorry to have troubled Qing-ge. I will definitely discipline him properly when we get back."

As she spoke, she pulled a heavy bundle from behind her back, bent down, and handed it over with difficulty with both hands, saying with a forced smile, "This is the money for cleaning and tidying up the yamen. I hope Qing-ge'er won't take it to heart."

Last night, Wang Qingming clearly kept everyone at arm's length. After returning home, the mother and daughter discussed it and decided to spend money to avoid further trouble.

This is also why no other carriage was ordered.

"What does this mean, concubine?"

Instead of reaching out to take it, Wang Qing leaned back, crossed his arms, and said with a grim expression, "My father was loyal to the country to the death. The court trusted me and ordered me to search for thieves and clear out idle personnel..."

However, out of respect for the old lady and the second wife, I pretended not to hear and kept quiet. Does the concubine think I'm after your little bit of money?

"this……"

Aunt Xue hadn't expected him to react so strongly, and when he brought up Xue Pan's identity as a living dead, she was speechless and her body stiffened.

Wang Qing said coldly, "I've only been in the capital for a little over a month, but I've already heard rumors. Madam, you'd better think carefully about how to discipline your son, so he doesn't talk nonsense outside..."

He paused, then softened his tone, saying, "If this matter reaches the ears of those with ulterior motives, I'm afraid I won't escape suspicion of covering it up. My aunt, please don't let your guard down!"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Aunt Xue responded repeatedly, secretly relieved.

However, as soon as she breathed a sigh of relief, she suddenly felt her arms swaying precariously, and she was about to pull the bundle back.

Unexpectedly, Wang Qing suddenly leaned forward, grabbed her hands which were supporting the bundle, and said, "Madam, hold on tight!"

Aunt Xue was plump, and her hands were smooth and warm like jade, which made Wang Qing's heart flutter.

Aunt Xue's hands were held by Wang Qing, and the pressure of the bundle was relieved, but her arms felt weak and her heart tightened.

While it was certainly embarrassing for her to have her hands wrapped in Wang Qing's large hands, it was understandable that Wang Qing had done so in a moment of urgency, even though he had held her hands.

Besides, his son is still in his hands. How could he possibly make a big fuss and turn against him?

However, she had no way of knowing whether Wang Qing's actions stemmed from a fear that the burden he was carrying would fall on his foot.

Or was it all just an act, a pretense, that they deliberately pushed me aside when they saw I was trying to back down, and then half-heartedly accepted the money?

She hesitated for a moment, and her arms were sore and weak that she couldn't muster any strength. She was also worried that she might misunderstand someone's intentions, so she remained in a stalemate.

Just as Aunt Xue's soreness subsided and she was about to tentatively withdraw her hand, Wang Qing suddenly patted the back of her hand.

He immediately pushed the bundle in front of her, withdrew his hand, and said, "I don't lack money. I appreciate your kindness, Madam."

At this point, she changed the subject and said, "However, once bitten, twice shy. Although I don't care about apologizing, in order to make Wenlong remember this lesson, I still need to trouble you, my aunt, to go back and think carefully about how to make him remember it."

These words were quite meaningful, and Aunt Xue couldn't quite figure it out for a moment. She wondered if he had weighed the burden and felt that his family's sincerity was insufficient, or if he had some other deeper meaning.

He had no choice but to agree and put the bundle back behind him.

When I turned around, I saw Wang Qing leaning against the carriage, resting with his eyes closed.

After this physical contact, Aunt Xue felt a little embarrassed and decided not to bother Wang Qing, instead pondering how to apologize.

They remained silent the entire way until the carriage came to a stop.

Wang Qing then opened his eyes, stood up and said, "There are too many people in the yamen, so please don't get out of the carriage, Madam. I'll have someone bring Wenlong here."

He wasn't worried about Aunt Xue being seen, but he had left in a hurry yesterday and only asked the gold shop owner about the situation. He left the details of the confession, signing, and other follow-up matters to Zhuang Ze.

Wang Qing was worried that he would be too eager to report and let something slip.

After getting out of the car, Zhuang Ze bowed and stepped forward. Wang Qing raised his hand and spoke first: "Bring all the troublemakers from Heng Shudian here!"

Anyway, the hints had already been given in the car, and the rest was up to the Xue family to figure out.

Wang Qing didn't deliberately dawdle; he was just worried that Zhuang Ze might misunderstand the message and bring the gold shop owner along as well, so he emphasized Heng Shudian.

The officials were aware of this connection and did not take any action against Xue Pan. However, he had been imprisoned for a night, and the cell had no charcoal fire for warmth, so he was somewhat listless.

When Xue Pan saw his own carriage, he straightened his back, seemingly wanting to act tough. But then he caught a glimpse of Wang Qing, who was grinning insincerely, and he shrank back in fright, hurriedly clutching his arm that had been dislocated the day before.

Although his arm had long been reattached, Xue Pan had never suffered such an ordeal before.

Wang Qing gave him a disdainful smile, and with a slight bow, said, "My concubine is in the carriage; I won't see her off any further!"

Immediately, he waved to Zhuang Ze beside him and left without looking back.

Upon arriving at the duty room, he gestured for Zhuang Ze to sit down before asking, "How did things go?"

Zhuang Ze respectfully took out the document and handed it over, saying, "As instructed, sir, make two copies!"

Wang Qing took it, casually placed it aside, and said, "Family scandals should not be aired in public. Tell the subordinates not to spread this around. I will give this confession to the old lady for review later!"

Even the best hand, once played, can only give you an initial advantage.

Only by holding it in one's hand and keeping it within reach can one deter the opponent.

"Understood!" It was the norm for relatives to conceal each other's wrongdoings, so Zhuang Ze quickly agreed.

Wang Qing then waved his hand. After Zhuang Ze left, he picked up the confession, read it carefully, and then put one of the copies into his pocket.

……