Chapter 129: Marquis Wei Takes Action

Chapter 129: Marquis Wei Takes Action

Marquis Wei loathed men who preyed on the weak—especially those who mistreated women. He’d lived honorably all his life, yet both his sons had failed to follow his example.

Wei Xun was hopeless—always spouting rules, yet even his wife ran away from him.

Wei Cong, sickly, had been spoiled rotten by both him and his wife. They indulged him in most matters, never expecting he would sink to harassing women.

From what A Yuan said, this wasn’t the first or second time he'd done such things. He played the obedient son, but behind the scenes, he was up to no good.

His face stormy with rage, Marquis Wei first soothed A Man. "Sweetheart, run along to the study for a bit. Grandfather has some matters to attend to."

A Yuan had to sneak him a letter—she was clearly desperate.

With a stern expression, Marquis Wei ordered the steward, "Drag those two good-for-nothings in here! No—bring them to the front hall!"

He didn’t want to scare A Man.

Wei Xun and Wei Cong arrived one after the other. Wei Cong hardly ever left the house—even in March, he was bundled in a fox-fur cloak.

He’d just rolled out of his concubine’s bed, pale and shaky on his feet.

"*Cough*... Third Brother, any idea why Father called us?"

Wei Xun wasn’t sure, but with A Man visiting, he could guess.

Perhaps A Yuan still wished to distance herself from him.

His lips thinned, his whole body radiating cold fury.

Wei Cong adjusted his cloak, his delicate brows furrowing slightly.

His sickly body meant he’d never inherit the marquisate.

Still, he was the elder brother—was Wei Xun already sick of him?

Both brothers stewed in silence as they walked in.

*Bang!*

Before they could blink, Marquis Wei hurled a teacup at them.

"You disgraceful brats! Kneel!"

"Father?"

Wei Cong—slower than his brother—took the cup to the temple. Blood dripped down; Marquis Wei faltered for a split second. But recalling the man’s misdeeds, he hardened his expression again.

"You’ve got some nerve—forcing women to be your concubines, letting Zhao Wan wreck innocent shops. If I don’t stop you, what’s next—storming the heavens?"

Marquis Wei’s voice boomed like thunder. Wei Cong, already unsteady on his legs, nearly collapsed in fright.

"Father... How did you know?"

Wei Cong froze. Aside from Zhao Wan, that shrew, no one else knew about him forcing Qiu Wen—had she come to the marquis’s residence to complain?

No! Impossible!

A nobody like her wouldn’t dare step foot in this house.

"Ha! How should I know? What, still trying to cover up your wrongdoing from your own father?"

Marquis Wei was livid. He wasn’t afraid of his descendants being incompetent; what he feared was that they would abuse their power for wickedness.

"Your mother and I must have spoiled you too much. Even with that wreck of a body, you still manage to sin. Get rid of those women in your harem! Focus on self-cultivation—even if you can’t serve in court, at least read the sages’ books and improve your virtue!"

If he continued carousing like this, one day he might die in a woman’s bed.

With Marquis Wei’s wrath like thunder, Wei Cong turned deathly pale and finally dropped to his knees.

The blood from his forehead wound flowed more heavily, and his vision darkened.

Unable to bear the sight, Marquis Wei waved his hand and ordered the butler to drag him away.

"Call a doctor for him, and take some men to dismiss all the women in his private quarters."

"Yes."

The steward complied, hauling Wei Cong under the arms. When Wei Cong tried to plead, the butler immediately shut him up.

This butler was Marquis Wei’s old subordinate, highly respected in the household, so Wei Cong couldn’t fight back.

After Wei Cong was taken away, Marquis Wei glared icily at Wei Xun.

"And you!"

Wei Xun stood straight, ready to accept his reprimand.

"Did you also help cover for him?"

Wei Cong alone couldn’t have hidden Qiu Wen’s matter from him, and since A Yuan had come to plead, it was clear Wei Xun had been obstructing her.

"No," Wei Xun denied.

He truly hadn’t helped Wei Cong hide anything—he had merely used the situation to trap A Yuan.

Wei Xun remained stone-faced, and Marquis Wei’s face darkened with rage.

"Don’t think I don’t know what’s on your mind! Even if you want to earn A Yuan back, you must do it honorably. What woman would love a man full of schemes?"

"As for Qiu Wen’s matter, you are not to interfere further, nor are you to trouble A Yuan again!"

"Hmm." Wei Xun lowered his eyes in agreement.

In any case, he already had another plan. If playing the victim worked, he wouldn’t need to make any more deals with A Yuan.

"Out! Out of my sight!"

Having finished scolding his sons, Marquis Wei no longer wanted to see them and impatiently waved them away.

Wei Xun walked through the rear courtyard, where A Man was squatting in the garden, watching ants march.

The little girl was digging into anthills with a stick, her hands and face covered in dirt.

Sensing someone behind her, she turned her head, and her face lit up instantly upon seeing who it was.

"Father!"

A Man barreled into him, getting mud all over him.

Wei Xun was fastidious about cleanliness, but he didn't complain when his daughter dirtied his clothes.

"Why didn’t you come find Daddy when you arrived at the Marquis' estate?"

The little girl fidgeted shyly. "Mother asked me to deliver a pouch to Grandfather, so I came to see him first."

A pouch?

Wei Xun frowned, a hint of derision flashing in his eyes.

So this was how A Yuan sent her messages.

"Then will you come play with Daddy later?"

What's done was done, and Wei Xun didn’t press further.

A Man nodded. "Okay."

She missed her daddy too.

Before father and daughter could talk much longer, Marquis Wei came to chase him off.

His little granddaughter seldom visited the estate—he couldn’t let his third-born steal her away.

As it happened, Wei Xun had other business to handle. After giving his daughter a few reminders, he left.

In the study chamber, Chang Yuan handed him a secret letter from the prime minister’s residence.

"My lord, Prime Minister Su has dispatched covert operatives. They plan to strike in three days."

"Hmm. Are we prepared?"

Wei Xun tossed the letter aside and drummed his fingers on the desk.

He had long anticipated that Prime Minister Su would use covert operatives to ambush him. Besides executing his plan of using a self-injury ploy, this was also an opportunity to expose the prime minister’s trump cards.

Chang Yuan caught on. "Everything is ready. Aside from our own men, the capital guard has also laid ambushes beforehand. We'll guarantee your safety and Mistress Xie’s!"

"Just protect her."

Wei Xun was using a self-injury ploy—how else would his sweetheart pity him if he didn’t suffer a little?

Chang Yuan nodded emphatically. "Rest assured, my lord. This plan can't fail!"

For his own wife's sake, he had to help his master make this work!

After playing at Marquis Wei’s for a while, A Man went to Wei Xun’s study chamber.

"Daddy!"

The little girl pushed aside the door curtain and peeked in. Wei Xun, seated behind the desk, smiled and beckoned her over. "Come here."

"What are you looking at, Daddy?"

A Man climbed onto Wei Xun’s lap and studied the tactical map on his desk.

The map showed potential routes the prime minister’s covert operatives might take, where Wei Xun had instructed Chang Yuan to lay ambushes beforehand.

When the little girl asked, Wei Xun feigned innocence. "Checking out fun places to visit. Does A Man want to go out?"

A Man bobbed her head excitedly. "Yes!"

"Then how about Daddy takes you and Mommy on a spring picnic?"

A Yuan would never willingly go out with him—he had to get his daughter to help convince her.