Chapter 019 Wei Wanlan Enters the Wolf’s Den
The next day at dawn, the east was already bright.
A few rays of morning light seeped into the bamboo basket, and Wei Wanlan, hugging his knees, felt someone moving outside the basket, so he curled up tighter inside.
His icy cold fingers were stiff and curled up.
“So cold…”
The bamboo basket was lifted up.
Wei Wanlan’s hair was caught on the bamboo strips, strand by strand pulling painfully.
The pain and the morning light woke him up, and he felt his lips dry, hoarsely using his sleeve to cover his face: “Don’t kill me, I’m a good person, I didn’t mean to violate the night curfew, wuwu. Don’t kill me, don’t…”
“Whose little lady is this, sleeping in a basket to avoid the night curfew, the poor thing is frozen silly.”
Wei Wanlan felt someone’s hand touch his hair, tracing down to his forehead, the palm so soft and warm, stirring his tear ducts, making him think of his mother.
A cold tear slid down his eyelashes.
Wuwu, wuwu.
He just couldn’t stop crying.
The stroking hand on his forehead trembled a bit, and the woman’s voice became even more gentle and caring: “Oh dear, why is this child still crying, don’t cry don’t cry, you must have gotten scared last night. A Zhong, bring the carriage over for me to carry this young lady!”
A’Zhong, over forty years old, with bronze skin and weathered features, a sturdy build and resolute appearance, was lame and taciturn, seeing his wife already carrying the young woman in the yellow dress, he silently nodded.
A narrow carriage slowly drove into the alley.
The carriage had no lanterns on the four corners, indistinguishable from which household it belonged to, the back was a cargo hold, with a few green vegetable leaves stuck between the wooden planks, this was a carriage for a noble household’s supplies.
Yun Niang stepped on steadily, even while carrying someone, she placed Wei Wanlan next to her. Wei Wanlan felt the warmth, quickly curling up instinctively. His complexion looked quite helpless, appearing very obedient.
Yun Niang, who had no children with A’Zhong, liked Wei Wanlan even more: “Poor child, if it weren’t for our Wang carriage not being allowed to be ostentatious, we two would only be able to go through the back door to get supplies, otherwise we might not have even discovered you. What would you have done then?” She said to A’Zhong, “Drive the carriage.”
A’Zhong, hearing this, shook his head slightly, reminding, “She is of unknown origins, I fear she cannot enter.”
Yun Niang’s expression stagnated for a moment: “Ah, that’s right.”
Thinking of the Regent King’s identity, her thoughts wavered a bit, over the years there had been no shortage of assassins trying to sneak into the Wang Manor to attack, although those who tried to assassinate the Wang Ye were, without exception, all killed by the Wang Ye in the end.
But they were the ones procuring for the Wang Manor, having watched the Wang Ye grow up, they really shouldn’t get him into trouble.
So Yun Niang stroked Wei Wanlan’s hair: “Then let her warm up in the backyard for a while, when she wakes up, we’ll send her away.”
A’Zhong nodded: “En.”
The rocking carriage entered the side gate of the Wang Manor.
The sentry soldiers routinely checked the pass, A’Zhong showed his token, the soldiers inspected the vegetables and other supplies needed by the household in the cargo hold, confirmed everything was in order and opened the gate, smilingly asking, “Uncle A’Zhong, Auntie Yun Niang, what are we having for lunch today?”
A’Zhong didn’t answer.
Yun Niang smiled and said, “Bought some wine! And don’t forget your two liang of meat!”
The soldier also laughed out loud, “Good, good, it’s so cold in the twelfth month, we’re craving that wine.”
“Be careful the Wang Ye catches wind of alcohol on you, the discipline in the Wang Manor is strict, no drinking while on duty, understand?” Yun Niang said.
“Understood, understood,” the soldier quickly responded, then explained, “Alas, the Wang Ye has not returned to the manor for several days now, he’s so busy, how could he have time to come back.”
“Busy in the court?”
“Very busy, the Wang Ye just overturned the Eastern City Gang, interrogating the ringleaders overnight, normally these minor matters should be handled by the Three Institutions, but our Wang Ye didn’t even let them get involved, I heard he personally went on patrol in the city today, did you see him?”
“Actually we didn’t see him, we took the small road, the Regent King personally patrolling the city, no wonder I said it’s so quiet in the city today.” Yun Niang chatted with the soldier for a while.
As they were about to enter, the soldier finally noticed the extra person in the carriage and stopped Yun Niang, asking, “Auntie, who’s this?”
“A little girl, I picked her up!” Yun Niang said bluntly.
***
Wei Wanlan’s consciousness gradually recovered from the haze.
His body was wrapped in soft bedding, a faint ginger tea aroma pervading the air. He moved his fingers, his body gradually regaining warmth, opening his eyes to see the ceiling of a bed.
Then he saw the face of a middle-aged woman.
Wei Wanlan quickly sat up.
“You’re awake,” Yun Niang smiled, “You caught a chill last night, have some ginger tea to warm you up.”
He really did need some liquid replenishment now.
Wei Wanlan gratefully nodded, cupping the ginger tea with both hands, sipping it little by little, the spicy sensation stimulating his throat, making him feel more warm, finally asking, “Where am I? Who are you?”
“Just call me Aunt Yun.” Yun Niang took away the empty bowl, “This is the… manor, you can rest here for a while to regain your strength.”
“The Eastern City Gang is chasing me, but I haven’t done anything wrong,” Wei Wanlan carefully looked at Yun Niang, “Aunt Yun, won’t they cause you trouble if they come?”
He thought of the jade-faced Xun Ye’s face that looked like it wanted to swallow him alive.
But the woman laughed, her crow’s feet revealing a hint of sharpness: “Dare to come here? He must not want to live.” Yun Niang pulled Wei Wanlan’s blanket up a little more, reassuring him, “Don’t worry, Auntie will protect you.”
【This is the Regent King’s manor.】
“Cough, cough cough cough…”
He just couldn’t stop coughing!
That sentence could practically choke him to death. Wei Wanlan’s little face even turned red from coughing, Yun Niang kept patting his back to help him catch his breath.
“What’s wrong with you?”
– The Regent King’s manor, is that a place he could just casually stay at?
He knew the system wouldn’t lie to him, and Yun Niang also looked like someone with martial arts skills.
But Wei Wanlan felt more and more uneasy the more he heard it. Having just escaped the tiger’s den, he’s now entered the wolf’s den, his secret visit was precisely to escape the Regent King, yet he ended up going there himself.
If that big villain discovered him, he would surely…
Wei Wanlan covered his mouth, feeling the scab on his lips touching his palm, wanting to quickly jump off the bed and escape.
【Don’t you dare run!!!】
The system decisively electrocuted him five or six times.
Zap, zap, zap, zap zap!
The invisible electric current ran through Wei Wanlan’s entire body, his cowlick hair standing on end.
Wei Wanlan was in so much pain that his eyes were sore and hot, big tears spilling out, dripping onto the bedding, forming blotchy water spots the size of peach blossoms.
Seeing this, Yun Niang’s heart ached, quickly wiping Wei Wanlan’s tears: “What’s wrong again? Little crybaby, just now you were fine…”
【I originally wanted you to leave the palace and gather intelligence about the Regent King’s birthday from the jianghu informants. But you’ve ended up entering the Regent King’s manor, this is destiny.】
Destiny wants me to enter the villain’s lair? QAQ
【You have to inquire about the news from the manor servants.】 The system did not allow the host to refuse. 【Act pitiful, stay put.】
Wei Wanlan didn’t even know how to express his despair.
Dealing with the Regent King is not on the same level as dealing with that jade-faced Xun Ye, he would be bitten by Su Jingzhi.
But he was also afraid of being electrocuted, so he could only follow the instructions, crying as he entered the Wang Manor.
Wei Wanlan said through his tears:
“Aunt Yun, please save me, if I leave this door it will be terrible… I can’t even go home, if I go home I’ll also be in trouble… I have a very powerful person at home, he’ll surely scold me if he sees me coming back… wuwu…”
The little emperor was stating pure objective facts: the Regent King and the system, he couldn’t offend either of them.
But Wei Wanlan didn’t know that his words, when heard by Yun Niang, would automatically be translated into “a young lady forced out of her home, accidentally chased by the Eastern City Gang”, this kind of tragic fate. Yun Niang’s compassion immediately overflowed: a weak and helpless child, so pitiful.
She felt a pang in her heart, afraid of frightening this delicate little dear again, and then remembered the sentry soldier’s words that the Regent King had not been in the manor recently, and breathed a sigh of relief.
“Auntie will tell you the truth, this manor actually belongs to my master, my master’s identity, you must have heard of it…”
Yun Niang paused for a moment, giving Wei Wanlan time to mentally prepare.
Wei Wanlan cooperated very well, opening his wide, watery eyes: “Who is it?”
“The reigning Regent King, Su Yan.”
Wei Wanlan tried his best to adjust his expression.
He was afraid that if he displayed too much fear, he would also need to have the appropriate shock, this emotional state was very complex, and he had to make up for it with words, raising his voice in a slightly forced innocent tone: “Of course I know the Regent King, I’ve always admired him so much~”
He had to fully portray the image of a young lady admiring her idol.
Wei Wanlan had to act out a naive and adoring manner: “Although I have never had the chance to see the Wang Ye, the Wang Ye’s renowned reputation, just being able to breathe the air of the Wang Manor makes me feel the utmost honor! Please let me stay for a few days and do some work for the Wang Manor!”
Ugh—
Today’s dose of false modesty has increased again.
He felt like the whole person was being dishonest.
The system: 【Well done.】
Yun Niang had no suspicion about Wei Wanlan’s slightly exaggerated reaction. It was only natural, their Wang Ye was heroic and handsome, high in status and power, his halo of achievements and moral integrity, he could be called the number one diamond bachelor of Chang’an without exaggeration.
Perhaps the women of the city all had this attitude when hearing about the Wang Ye?
Yun Niang suppressed her thoughts, nodding slightly: “Then you can stay here for a few days, coincidentally your Uncle A’Zhong also serves as the gardener in the Wang Manor, his legs and feet are inconvenient, you can help water the flowers every day, the work is not too tiring, oh right, little lady, what’s your name?”
【If you reveal your imperial surname in this den of thieves, you’ll be dead.】 The system promptly prevented the host’s foolish act.
Wei Wanlan: …
He could only reveal his courtesy name that only family would call him: “Xiao’wan. My name is Xiao’wan.”
“Xiao’wan?” Yun Niang murmured the name.
The Great Wei Emperor Wei Wanlan, officially started working in the Regent King’s manor.
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