As Xu Yan’s words fell, the sound of the wine jar hitting the ground came out again.
The crowd’s hearts tightened as they listened.
The Duke of Zhen could not help himself, and was about to order someone to break open the wine cellar when a rustling sound came, followed by the sound of stumbling footsteps.
The door of the wine cellar was opened from the inside and Shen Yan came out with red eyes, his green tunic spattered with wine and emitting a strong smell of alcohol.
Ming covered her mouth as tears streamed down her cheeks. She shouldn’t have told Shen Yan about Xu Qingwan’s return when he wasn’t ready, just for the sake of the bit of resentment in her heart.
Shen Yan propped himself up against the door frame with one hand, his body swaying, his crimson eyes staring intently at Xu Yan.
The only person who could get Xu Yan to send a message was Wan’er, and although he knew that Wan’er would not want to see him again, he could not help but have hope in his heart.
“Go and take a bath first, we’ll talk when you’re sober.”
Xu Yan gave him a wink as he spoke.
A guard came forward and helped Shen Yan towards his courtyard. Ming didn’t even have time to wipe her tears and hurriedly followed him, instructing the maid to quickly prepare water as she went.
The Duke of Zhen instructed the housekeeper to take the men to the wine cellar to clean up.
After all, now that Shen Yan and Xu Qingyuan are both married, they should try not to get involved, but when he thought of the state of Shen Yan just now, all his words turned into a sigh.
He walked up and patted Xu Yan’s shoulder, saying, “He’s in the capital these days, if you have nothing to do, come over and spend more time with him.”
Only when Xu Yan came over would Shen Yan not go looking for Xu Qingyuan. After half a month, he would let Mrs. Shen Yan follow him to the border, so that the couple would be closer together and their relationship would naturally be better.
Xu Yan instantly understood the meaning of the Duke of Zhen’s words and felt a little guilty in his heart. He really shouldn’t have involved Shen Yan in this, but only Shen Yan could do something to stimulate Wan’er.
“Uncle father, don’t worry, I know.”
During those years when Xu Qingwan and Shen Yan were betrothed, the relationship between the two families was also very good, and Duke Zhen did not allow the Xu family to call him Duke of State, Xu Yan was used to calling out uncle.
The Duke of Zhen patted him on the shoulder once again and led his own wife away.
Xu Yan was led to the meeting room.
Shen Yan quickly washed up and changed his clothes again and came over.
Although his face was still ruddy, his eyes were much clearer. He came in and sat down, waving away his subordinates and looking hopefully at Xu Yan.
“It’s not Wan’er.”
He should have known that since Wan’er had said that, she was asking him not to bother her anymore, so why would he specifically ask Xu Yan to give him a message?
“But it’s a matter of figuring out what happened to Wan’er when she disappeared.”
Shen Yan’s tiger eyes instantly erupted with killing intent, “Wan’er has remembered?”
Xu Yan shook his head and told him the plan he had discussed with Song Wan Yue.
Shen Yan frowned after hearing this, if he really did that, it was fine if Wan’er could remember what happened back then, but if she couldn’t, Wan’er would hate him in the future.
“Are you sure?”
“Yue’er knows the art of healing, since she said so it is feasible, this is the only way we can do it, otherwise if we let Wan’er go back like this, we are not at ease.”
After all, Wan’er had married someone and could not live in the capital all the time.
“Let me think about it.”
“There’s no time to think, Wen Zhong has already hitched a ride with the Duke of Qi’s house, and when they become in-laws, it will be even harder for us to move them.”
“What if ……”
Shen Yan paused for a moment, “If even after being stimulated, Wan Er didn’t think about it, what should we do?”
“It won’t.”
Xu Yan said with conviction, “Wan’er will definitely think about it, for sure.”
……
The next day, Xu Yan wanted to take Meng Yang around the capital, and Song Wan Yue “heard about it” and wanted to go along.
“I want to talk to my uncle and grandfather about business, and I want to see what business is good in the capital, so we can learn how to do it when we get back.”
Knowing that she was interested in business, Xu didn’t stop her.
“Let Yi’er go along with you one, while your father and I go to the pastry shop to help.”
“Mother should stay home with Grandma, let my father go on his own.”
When she received Meng Yang yesterday, Meng was so happy that she drank two glasses of wine, and this morning she got up with her head still a little heavy.
Xu was also uneasy and nodded at her words.
After Meng Yang and the others had left, Xu followed Song Lin to the gate and watched him get into the carriage before turning around and coming back to keep Meng company.
Meng was leaning on the soft collapse with a thin blanket on her body, and Sister Wu was massaging her head. When Xu entered the room, she instructed Sister Wu to get up and she sat down to help Meng with the pressure.
Noticing it was her, Meng opened her eyes, “I am really getting old, I got drunk after just two glasses of wine, I thought I was no match for your uncle back then.”
Xu’s hand gently pressed, “Mother is a bit overwhelmed because she hasn’t drunk for many years.”
“You are right, I will drink a small glass every day from now on, after a long time, I will be able to drink more, when your uncle comes again, I will drink with him.”
……
The carriage suddenly stopped.
Song Lin’s body leaned forward and he scrambled to raise his hand to hold on to the wall of the carriage so as not to bump his head.
“What’s wrong?”
“Auntie, auntie ……”
Hearing that the coachman’s voice was not right, Song Lin lifted the curtain of the carriage and caught a glimpse of Shen Yan, who was sitting on the opposite end of the horse, radiating a coldness.
Before he could say anything, Shen Yan waved his hand and his personal guards quickly came forward and dragged the coachman down.
The moment he did so, Song Lin dropped the curtain and jumped out of the carriage window.
The driver cowered on the ground in fear, not daring to move.
Shen Yan sat on his horse and looked at him from above, his body emitting a coldness that was oppressive, “Go and tell Xu Qingwan that I have taken him away, if she wants him, let her go to this place to find me. Remember, she is the only one who has gone, if a second person finds out, Song Lin will be dead.”
After saying that, he turned his horse’s head and left without panic.
The close guard threw a slip of paper in front of the coachman.
The coachman hastily picked it up and watched as he lifted Song Lin onto his horse and followed Shen Yan away. Only then did he get up from the ground with weak hands and feet, turned his horse around and rushed back for his life.
When he reached the entrance of the house, he tried desperately to control his panic and tethered the horse before running towards the house, until he reached outside Meng’s courtyard and stopped a small maid who was leaving the courtyard, “Is Miss here, Madam?”
“Yes.”
“Go and call Miss out, the aunt says the pastry shop is too busy over there and asks Miss to go over and help.”
The little maid turned her head and went back to report. Xu was puzzled, she should not have arrived in South City yet after such a short while, let alone come back.
Then something occurred to her and she rose haughtily, “Mother, I’ll go out and see.”