‘Someone is going to do something to uncle?’
Ling Zhang frowned immediately.
Standing in front of him, Yuwen Tong suddenly reached out and tapped between his brows with his finger. “What are you panicking about? Since I know about it, I won’t let anything happen to him.”
Ling Zhang froze, leaning back slightly. He pushed aside Yuwen Tong’s finger, wearing an unnatural look.”Then let’s go for lunch now.”
Yuwen Tong withdrew his hand, pretending not to see Ling Zhang’s uneasy look.
Ling Xingzhong felt sorry again for his eldest grandson’s decision while seeing Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong walk in side by side.
‘They make such a perfect match, but why does Zhang’er not like this engagement?’
Looking at his father’s gloomy expression, Ling Zhaowen also felt helpless. He didn’t expect that his father was so satisfied with Yuwen Tong.
Although it was lively during the meal, the atmosphere was obviously not the same as before. Except for Ling Maomao, others all knew well about the reason for this change.
“Can you tell me what happened now?” Ling Zhang couldn’t help asking after leaving the front hall.
“Jia Zhong is trying to frame your uncle up in a honey trap,” Yuwen Tong said.
“A honey trap?” Ling Zhang felt it unbelievable, “My uncle and aunt are true to each other. They have been married for so many years, and my uncle never gives another woman a second look. Some people say my uncle is a typical henpecked husband. People all over Tanyang know about it. So how can Jia Zhong use honey trap?”
“Maybe that’s why he is planning that. Once your uncle falls into the trap, he will be more seriously affected,” Yuwen Tong said.
“What are they going to do?” Ling Zhang asked.
“Did your uncle ever make a stopover in Liu Family of Tai County last May?” Yuwen Tong asked.
‘Last May?’ Ling Zhang was dazed for a moment. This memory seemed very distant for him, a man who had lived through two lifetimes. He thought it over for a long time before he finally recalled that it had really happened. His uncle got angry after coming back from the Tai County, saying that Tai County’s Yamen extorted money from the Prefecture Yamen under the pretext of maintaining the house.
“It did happen,” Ling Zhang said.
“During your uncle’s stay in the Liu Family, he was taken a fancy by Liu Chengfang, the unmarried daughter of Liu Family. She really wanted to marry your uncle, but her father, Liu Weilng, didn’t want her to be your uncle’s concubine. So her father grounded her at home. Jia Zhong knows about it, wanting to take advantage of Liu Chengfang to frame your uncle up,” Yuwen Tong said.
Ling Zhang clenched his fist in anger. ‘Those scumbags!!! Trying to frame our Ling Family again and again!’
He didn’t believe that his uncle would be bewitched by this Liu Chengfang. But once the other side used some sinister tricks, his uncle could easily fall into their trap when he was unprepared.
“Thank you,” Ling Zhang said to Yuwen Tong in earnest.
Yuwen Tong must have sent someone to keep a close watch on Jia Family, otherwise, he wouldn’t have known so much in detail quickly.
“I told you that your business is also mine, so don’t say thanks,” Yuwen Tong said.
Ling Zhang looked at him, wanting to say something, but swallowed it back before the words came out of his lips as he simply didn’t know what to say.
“Remind your uncle now,” Yuwen Tong said. He seemed to have a pair of eyes with insight into Ling Zhang’s mind.
Ling Zhang, lips zipped, nodded and turned to leave.
Ling Zhaowen had to go to the Yamen in the afternoon, so he went back to his house and tidied up his clothes again before going out.
Ling Zhaowen was a bit confused when Ling Zhang came, “Zhang’er?”
“Uncle, I have something to tell you.”
…….
That evening, many people came out of the Prefecture Yamen. Ling Zhaowen still had some things to discuss with Tao Feng, so he didn’t leave on time. If on normal days, there would be few people outside. But he saw someone waiting for him when he went out.
“Lord Ling, you haven’t been dining together with us for a long time. How about joining us?”
The people waiting for him at the gate were all his colleagues at the Prefecture Yamen. Usually they got together once in a while. Ling Zhaowen sometimes joined them but sometimes not, depending on where they were going.
“I still have something to deal with in my family. I am so sorry. Maybe next time,” Ling Zhaowen declined.
“Your father is at home, and your nephew is so capable. What kind of emergency is it that makes you in such a hurry to get home now? You have refused our invitation three times. So you must join us for a drink this time.”
“They are right, Lord Ling. Don’t worry, we know that you don’t want to upset your wife, so we choose to go to the restaurant instead of any other place.”
“You can rest assured.”
Ling Zhaowen wanted to refuse, but two men came up to him and pulled his arms. “Come on, come on. Just have a drink. It won’t take you too long.”
Feeling it impossible to refuse again, he went with them finally.
The restaurant they went to was called Fengtai Restaurant, which was not far from the Ling Family. Ling Xingzhong felt a little relieved.
“We have already ordered a private room upstairs. The wine we have ordered is also the latest from Taifeng Restaurant’s cellar. We’ve also asked a hunter to go up the mountain and hunt for today’s meal. We have asked this restaurant to prepare the dinner. We planned to come here at the right time, but we delayed for a while to wait for you. Now, the meal should have been served.”
These people clustered round Ling Zhaowen into the Fengtai Restaurant and went straight to the second floor.
They did book a room, which was completely cut off from the outside. It was also spacious and undisturbed, definitely a right place for drinking and chatting.
The dishes in the room were indeed served and hot. They could enjoy these dishes at anytime.
“How do you feel? Are you relieved? These people are all our colleagues.”
Ling Zhaowen indeed relaxed his vigilance, and was invited to sit at the head of the table.
“We won’t talk about work today, just little chat. What do you say, Lord Ling?” Someone asked.
Ling Zhaowen nodded, “Of course.”
“We all know that you are so forthright. Lord Ling, please try these dishes and see if you can tell what it is.”
Now that Ling Zhaowen had been invited to the head of the table, he must take the first bite. He first tried the braised meat in front of him, which was soft, tender and delicious.
“What do you think of it? Did you taste what kind of meat it is?”
Ling Zhaowen was a little surprised, “Venison?”
“That’s right. It took the hunter quite a long time to catch the deer.”
“Hurry up, everybody try it.”
With the delicious food, they naturally began to drink wine. After a few cups of wine, everyone’s face turned a little hot.
After a few more drinks, everyone flushed.
Ling Zhaowen had a moderate drinking capacity and was slightly tipsy after several cups. After being urged several times to drink, he drank some more and became drowsy.
“No, no, I can’t drink any more. I…I would be scolded by my wife if I was drunk,” Ling Zhaowen said.
“Lord Ling, you…you are so henpecked that you are ruled by your wife!”
“Yes, if my wife dares to bind me like this, I…I shall have to divorce her!”
All began to talk nonsense and boasted how they dominated their wives at home after getting drunk. And they complained bitterly about their wives and concubines in an arrogant way.
Ling Zhaowen never complained about his wife, so he didn’t join them. He staggered to his feet and said, “I really have to go back, you guys enjoy yourselves.”
“Lord Ling, don’t go, let’s have more.”
“Right, right, if you refuse, you despise us.”
“Let’s have more.”
Ling Zhaowen was tugged back to the seat, and the cup in front of him was filled again. So he had no choice but to drink.
After the first drink, there came the second, the third… At last, he could hardly get up.
The rest of people were drunk, some even lying on the ground. They were either asleep or talking nonsense; anyway none of them was sober.
Ling Zhaowen struggled to get up, but it made no difference even after he tried for a long time. His vision gradually blurred, and he had difficulty to concentrating. He didn’t even see clearly when the door of the private room was opened.
“Hum, as expected, he is drunk. Hurry up, take him next door.”
“Got it.”
Ling Zhaowen was lifted from the chair and carried outside. He was completely drunk that he thought the men supported him were his servants and coachman who usually served him, so he didn’t struggle.
The men carried him out of the room and put him next door directly.
A woman was waiting for him in the next door. Her face was half veiled except for her eyes; she was wearing pink clothes and delicate jewelry; only a woman of wealthy family would dress up like this.
“Miss Liu, we have brought Lord Ling to you. Whether you can take this chance depends on yourself.” The man who brought Ling Zhaowen in looked at the woman with evil eyes, saying in a disgusting tone.
The veiled woman kept her eyes on the drunken Ling Zhaowen. She didn’t care at all about the eyes cast by others. She said, “Now that I have promised you, I will not go back on my word. You guys get out.”
“Oh.” The man who brought Ling Xingzhong in gave a disdainful laugh before he took others out from the room and closed the door.
Ling Feng was sitting on the chair in the room, completely stoned, and almost fell into a stupor.
The woman came over in delight. “Lord, lord, do you still remember me?”
She looked at Ling Zhaowen obsessively, reaching out to touch his face. “Dear Lord.”
Ling Zhaowen frowned slightly. Although he was no longer conscious, the strange voice of this woman made him instinctively wary. He wanted to resist and wake up.
“Lord, soon you will be mine. You must marry me. I have been looking forward to this day for a long time. I can do anything for you!”
The woman stared at Ling Zhaowen like crazy. She took off the veil from her face. Her red lips should have been beautiful, but now her face looked distorted and demented with excitement, which made her as frightening as a ghost.
“…” The woman put her hands on the handle of the chair that Ling Zhaowen was sitting on then slowly approached him.
When she was about to touch Ling Zhaowen, she was suddenly hit by a stone shot through the window. The stone hit her right on the acupuncture point, which made her unconscious.
Ling Zhaowen, who was drunk, suddenly opened his eyes, looking much sober than before.
