A Beautiful Duchess with a Dark Heart – Chapter 146

Chapter 146

After leaving her uncle’s house, Wen Yu sent Yan Zhu and Chen Wenjie back.

“Zhu Zhu is your elder sister, Ah Jie, don’t be so restrained. There’s also Lan Zhou and Mu Ling at home…they are all very nice people. If you need anything, just tell Zhu Zhu, Zhu Zhu is a good cook. I don’t live with you on weekdays, but I will visit almost every day!”

“Okay.” Chen Wenjie replied obediently.

Yan Zhu lifted a corner of the carriage window and looked out at the street scene.

Wen Yu was talking in the carriage, and Li Jiang said from outside: “Miss, do you see that tall building in front? It’s one of the two biggest gambling houses in the capital, the Eight Directions Gambling House! It’s amazing, I don’t know how much silver goes in and out every day!”

The Eight Directions Gambling House, he’s so familiar with it?

Wen Yu suddenly remembered, “Pull over and stop for a bit, I want to take a look!”

The entrance was wide, making it easy to park. Wen Yu had the carriage stop a little further away and poked her head out to look.

Li Jiang acted as a commentator, “Look, it’s five stories high! The fourth floor is the VIP room. Don’t even think about going in without a thousand taels of silver! The first floor is the biggest, you can look around, but don’t cause any trouble! Otherwise, you see those strong men outside, they will beat people up!”

Li Jiang was talking enthusiastically, and someone passing by stopped.

The man was tall, with dark skin and thick eyebrows. There seemed to be a scar on his face.

He wore an extravagant black sable fur cloak, followed by several servants. He looked like he was about to go to the Eight Directions Gambling House.

He glanced at Li Jiang…and then looked around at Wen Yu, who was showing a small part of her face in the carriage.

He blurted out: “Miss Wen?”

When Wen Yu heard his voice, her heart skipped a beat. She turned to look…an unfamiliar face, who was this?

“Why are you here?” He spoke again, and this time Wen Yu understood.

Qi Wu?

Wen Yu blinked hard, the voice was clearly his, but the person was wrong.

“You are…”

“The Yue Lai Teahouse over there, third floor, I’ll wait for you there…” After saying that, he left.

Li Jiang was quite quick-witted, and he took a step forward excitedly and whispered: “Miss…it’s Fifth Master…”

Wen Yu said: “I know. La Ba, come with me. Li Jiang, you send them back, and then come back here and wait for me.”

“Yes.” Li Jiang didn’t dare to say anything more.

La Ba helped Wen Yu get out of the carriage.

The master and servant walked forward for a while, and La Ba said, “Miss, it seems like we have a tail.”

Wen Yu understood as soon as she heard that, it would be strange if she didn’t have a tail when she went out.

She spoke a few words to La Ba and walked slowly forward, looking at the shops along the road. After a while, they arrived at the “Yue Lai” Teahouse.

Perhaps someone had given instructions in advance, as a waiter and a female tea server greeted Wen Yu enthusiastically.

La Ba spoke a few words to the waiter.

Then, the female tea server led Wen Yu to the third floor.

As soon as they reached the top, the door opened, and “Qi Wu” was standing inside.

Neither of them spoke, Wen Yu entered, and La Ba closed the door, staying outside.

Downstairs, a man wanted to enter the teahouse, but he was hesitant. The waiter in the teahouse asked arrogantly: “Are you here for tea? Or to buy tea leaves?!”

The man looked at the luxurious teahouse, he couldn’t afford either! The waiter blocked the door and wouldn’t let him in. He could only smile awkwardly and leave.

The room Wen Yu entered was very large, with many things inside. Against the north wall was a huge desk. A large carpet covered the floor…

Thick curtains hung on the walls of the room, and many lamps and candles were lit.

A charcoal brazier burned in the middle, making the room very warm.

“Have a seat!” Qi Wu said.

Wen Yu took off her cloak, revealing a light pink silk-padded jacket and a pleated skirt underneath.

This was her deliberately gentle attire in front of her uncle and aunt.

Qi Wu felt a sense of peace in his heart, feeling that Wen Yu like this was very well-behaved.

Wen Yu looked at Qi Wu carefully and said: “You look like this, I really can’t recognize you. How did your face shape change?” He had also gained some weight…

“I had to do it for something. When did you arrive?”

“Three or four days ago. I sent a letter to Madam.”

“I haven’t been home these days.”

“Are you investigating the Eight Directions?”

“Yes.”

“I made an appointment with Madam to see her tomorrow.” Wen Yu said with a smile.

“Then…Mother will have to go alone this time, I’m still tied up.”

So you would go if you weren’t tied up? He was quite good at talking this time!

“Is this place yours?!”

“You could say that, if you have something urgent, you can send a message here.”

“Okay.”

The two were silent for a while, Wen Yu didn’t know what to say.

✿✿✿

Neither did Qi Wu.

Once they stopped talking, the atmosphere became tense.

They looked at each other for a while longer. Qi Wu’s makeup was very special, even the shape of his eyes had changed.

But Wen Yu was still familiar with his posture and voice…

For some reason, Wen Yu suddenly wanted to laugh, she chuckled and then held it back.

The candlelight reflected Wen Yu’s youthful appearance. Qi Wu felt like he had drunk two jars of wine…

He had been busy since he came back, with many things to do every day. However, sometimes before going to bed, this woman’s graceful figure would appear in his mind…

Feeling his face getting hot, he spoke first: “Mother said that she wants me to visit the Wen family during the New Year.”

“Our marriage was arranged by Madam. Does anyone else in your family object?!”

“No problem. Fourth Brother said that Miss Zhang will also come to the capital after the New Year.”

When he mentioned this, Wen Yu remembered the important matter, “I have two things to tell you, is it convenient to listen now?”

“Go ahead.”

“I heard that Magistrate Zhang and his elder brother were suppressed for so many years because they had a conflict with someone?”

“Grand Secretary He.”

“Is he still suppressing them?”

“I don’t know about that.”

Wen Yu said: “I grew up with the Zhang children since I was a child. Magistrate Zhang’s son, Zhang Jiangqing, has already started working. He has helped me a lot. Now that I’m in the capital, I lack someone like him who knows the details and can handle these trivial matters…Do you have a way to transfer him to the capital?”

“I can handle these things too.”

“Some things are very trivial. I can’t always go to you.”

“Okay, I’ll transfer him here.”

“…” Wen Yu originally wanted to elaborate a bit more to persuade him, but he agreed immediately, so that was it?

She felt like she had: effortlessly achieved something difficult.

“Good. There’s one more thing. I just went to my uncle’s house. Back then, my uncle’s family was implicated in something and their family fell from grace, so they settled in the capital. Do you know Lord Mo in the court?”

“I’ve heard of him.”

“Yes, my uncle is working for him. My younger cousin has picked up many bad habits. My uncle has been strict with him, but it has had little effect. I see that he’s not good at studying, is there any place to throw him in to train him properly? Learn some skills, so that he can have something to do in the future. I’m worried that if he continues like this, he will be ruined.”

“How old is he?”

“Less than fourteen.”

“Okay.” Qi Wu agreed, “It will be hard at the beginning, your uncle won’t feel sorry for him, right?!”

“He won’t feel sorry for him. But he needs to be strictly controlled, don’t let him run away.”

“He won’t be able to run away. I’ll arrange it after the New Year.”

Things went too smoothly!

With her worries settled, Wen Yu began to carefully examine him…

“You look like this, is it because the work you’re doing is dangerous?”

“Mostly it’s because I don’t want to be recognized. It’s not really that dangerous! At most, it won’t succeed, for now, there’s no threat to my life.”

“That’s good…Madam is going to let me manage the shop!”

“Yes.” Qi Wu didn’t care about this matter.

“La Ba, you sent her, right?”

“You could say that.” Although he didn’t send her directly, it was pretty much the same thing.

“She’s quite capable.”

“Not bad.”

Why was it always me asking and him answering? “Do you have anything you want to say to me?”

This question made Qi Wu a little nervous, what should he say to her?

He blinked, his mind racing, what to say?

The more nervous he got, the more he couldn’t think of anything, “Um…there’s a mutton soup restaurant around the corner from the shop you and Mother are going to, it tastes very good. Why don’t you and Mother go there for lunch. There are private rooms…”

“At noon, we might go back to the courtyard I bought for lunch. Two shops, we might even open a restaurant. I need Madam’s opinion.”

“A restaurant?! That’s great. Grandfather loves good food. But since Grandmother passed away, his life has been dull. When the restaurant opens, I’ll take him there to show our support! I’ll also…take my friends there to eat…”

Yes, she knew how to take care of her own business, that was more like it.

“When are you going home?”

“In a couple of days.”

And so, with her asking and him answering, they sat there for a long time…