There is a god in the sky

Chapter 78 Personal Maid 3

"No, no, Lord Xiao is the one who has truly been promoted. This is nothing to me."

No matter how high he rises, he'll only be a sixth-rank official. How can he compare to Xiao Ji?

Taking advantage of the opportunity to pour wine, Shen Lan approached Yu Yuanwang and deliberately gave him a flirtatious wink.

Yu Yuanwang was dumbfounded.

What does this little maid mean?

He thought he had misunderstood, and with his back to Xiao Ji, he met the gaze of the little maid again.

The young maidservant had beautiful features and fair skin, and she smiled sweetly at him.

Damn it! That maidservant seduced him!

Yu Yuanwang's heart was pounding.

He knew he shouldn't be flirting with Xiao Ji's maid, but... but this maid was really pleasing to his eye.

How to do?

Xiao Ji was very observant. Even though he didn't see Shen Lan's unusual behavior, he could tell that Yu Yuanwang was paying extra attention to her.

He said with a smile, "Speaking of which, Lord Yu and my maid are from the same hometown."

Yu Yuanwang was shocked, "Really?"

Shen Lan replied sweetly, "It's true. I'm also from Qingmu County, so I feel especially close to Magistrate Yu."

That's it!

Yu Yuanwang laughed heartily and, emboldened by the alcohol, tried to get closer to Shen Lan.

Just then, Xiao Ji was pulled aside by Prefect Song to talk, while Yu Yuanwang secretly reminisced with Shen Lan.

Meeting someone from your hometown while traveling in a foreign land is indeed a joyful thing.

Yu Yuanwang asked a few questions with restraint, and became very friendly with the maid, feeling quite pleased with himself.

Shen Lan tried to get close to him, and her words revealed that she was longing for her hometown and was overjoyed to see a fellow villager.

Xiao Ji was introduced to Song Langfang by Prefect Song.

This young master Song, seemingly just returned from some brothel, reeked of alcohol and perfume, and dealt with the situation impatiently.

Before Prefect Song could finish speaking, he yawned and said, "Father, I'm so sleepy. I'll go back and get some sleep first, and I'll talk to your good nephew tomorrow."

He left as soon as he finished speaking, which made Prefect Song's face turn ashen with anger.

Xiao Ji comforted him, "Uncle, don't worry. I can see that Brother Langfang is indeed in great distress."

"He...he...he's driving me crazy!"

He couldn't very well expose his son's shortcomings in front of outsiders, so he could only bring up a different topic with Xiao Ji.

As for the women, Madam Song relayed Prefect Song's words to Aunt Liang and her daughter, and then left it to their own devices.

The matter was still far from being settled, and she originally didn't want to bring it up.

But I really can't stand the aloof, unapproachable attitude of this mother and daughter.

When Aunt Liang heard that she was to marry Xiao Ji, she smiled. But when she heard that she was to become his concubine, her face immediately fell.

"Madam, Lian'er has grown up under your care since childhood, and you love her the most. How can you bear to make her a concubine?"

Madam Song said with difficulty, "This is not my idea, it is the master's idea, but perhaps the master was just saying it casually."

Taking advantage of the opportunity to change clothes, Aunt Liang took her daughter out for a while.

The two hid in the shadows and discussed their next move.

"Mother, I don't want to be a concubine. Why should I, the daughter of a prefect, be someone else's concubine?"

Song Yalian was proud and arrogant, and never thought of becoming someone's concubine.

"That depends on who she becomes a concubine for. That one is the youngest top scholar in the imperial examination. He reached the fifth rank at the age of twenty and has a bright future ahead of him."

To be honest, Aunt Liang was very tempted.

"But isn't she still a concubine? Once she enters the Xiao family, she's considered inferior, and the children she bears have to call someone else 'mother'."

Aunt Liang hesitated upon hearing this.

Although Prefect Song doted on her, he never challenged her position as the wife, for she understood all too well the pain of being a concubine.

"Fine, then I'll go talk to your father."

Song Yalian breathed a sigh of relief, "Then I'll leave it to you, Auntie."

The two walked back, but unexpectedly encountered a maid when they turned around, and were immediately terrified.

The night was dark, and they couldn't see the maid's face clearly, nor did they know if she had heard the conversation.

Shen Lan came out to use the restroom.

However, she was unfamiliar with the layout of the Song residence. Following the maid's directions, she arrived here but still couldn't find the outhouse.

Overhearing the mother and daughter's conversation was truly an accident.

But she really didn't expect that Prefect Song would actually come up with this idea, to give his daughter to Xiao Ji as a concubine.

She curtsied and said, "Greetings, Your Excellencies. I am Lord Xiao's maid. Is the outhouse this way?"

Aunt Liang and her daughter exchanged a glance, then pointed behind the artificial hill and said, "Just go that way."

"Thank you." Shen Lan hurriedly left, her steps quick, showing how anxious she was.

"She probably didn't hear me, right?" Aunt Liang patted her chest nervously.

"So what if I hear it?" Song Yalian didn't care at all.

"After all, she's Xiao Ji's maid. If we go back and tell them, they'll think we look down on him."

Song Yalian casually replied, "Wouldn't that be even better? He'll know we don't want to, so he won't cling to us."

Shen Lan had just opened her mouth when she heard these words and quickly took a step back, disappearing into the darkness.

She still couldn't see the outhouse and was about to turn back and ask them when she heard these words.

She thought to herself: Does Xiao Ji know that he is so disliked?

She circled the area again and finally found the place.

By the time they returned to the banquet, it was almost over.

Xiao Ji was drunk; his eyes were bright, his cheeks were flushed, and he walked unsteadily.

Shen Lan had no choice but to do her duty and help him see off with the other officials.

Upon seeing Yu Yuanwang in the crowd, her eyes turned cold.

But when he looked at her, Shen Lan instantly smiled and nodded at him.

Yu Yuanwang's heart was always floating, as if on a cloud.

This maid is so beautiful and so enthusiastic; it's really tempting.

If only I could have it by my side.

I wonder if Lord Xiao would be willing to part with it.

Shen Lan helped Xiao Ji back to the courtyard.

As soon as he entered the room, he regained his senses and gently withdrew his arm.

"You're not drunk, sir?" Shen Lan asked in surprise, as he had indeed drunk quite a bit tonight.

Xiao Ji rubbed his face. "I'm alright, not to the point where I can't walk. I was faking it just now, otherwise they wouldn't have let me go."

He was the guest of honor tonight, and everyone was toasting him. Even someone who could drink a thousand cups without getting drunk couldn't resist.

Therefore, pretending to be drunk is the best way.

Shen Lan smiled and said, "You have a good capacity for alcohol, sir!"

Hot water was already prepared in the room. She wrung out a towel and wiped Xiao Ji's face, then asked him if he wanted something to eat.

I noticed he was only focused on drinking, and the food on the table was barely touched.

Xiao Ji shook his head: "I'm full of alcohol and can't eat anything. You should go and rest. Sui Feng is here."

Shen Lan didn't really consider herself a maid. When she saw Sui Feng come in, she left.

Xuan'er was still awake, waiting for Shen Lan to return with a meal.

What a thoughtful little girl.

"Go to sleep first, don't worry about me."

"Sister, please eat quickly. Lord Xiao instructed me to make sure to save food for you," the little girl said sweetly.

Shen Lan thought to herself: This leader is really good.

She was indeed hungry, so she ate a few bites to fill her stomach.

After taking off her outer clothes and lying on the bed, Shen Lan stared at the bed curtains above her head for a long time, unable to fall asleep.

Now that she had made contact with Yu Yuanwang, she needed to find a way to get him to tell her what to say.

Back then, he was the county magistrate, so he must have been very clear about what Liu Engui had done.

But how can we get him to tell us everything?