I'm already a concubine, who wants to fight with you?

Chapter 171 Watch a show together?
Xie Fei nodded slightly and promised to keep the secret.

That happened many years ago. Mother Liu still remembers it clearly, but although it was an old memory that she couldn't bear to recall, she can now talk about it calmly.

But she only talked about old events and did not mention how she met Yuan San.

As the mysteries became more and more numerous, Xie Fei felt as if he was in a fog. Some bold guesses formed in his mind, but he did not dare to verify them.

A few days later, the mansion began to build the stage.

Originally, Xiao Shirong also had an opera troupe, so there was already a place in the mansion for the troupe to perform.

But she thought it was not big enough, so she demolished the original one and built a more grand and spacious one.

Just wait for the famous opera troupe in the capital to arrive and listen to a good show.

In the morning, all the concubines came to pay their respects to Xiao Shirong.

Xiao Shirong looked very good. Because the fake Pei Yuan was already seriously ill and unable to speak, and the old lady was in the Buddhist temple and didn't want to come back, she had complete control over the mansion.

Soon, she will get what she wants.

"You sisters have worked hard in serving the master. When the troupe comes in a few days, you can all order a play as a reward."

Xiao Shirong was in a good mood and looked a little softer, but this gave everyone goosebumps.

Watching a play with the lady was a bit of a torture.

Xie Fei was eating cakes silently when he heard Xiao Shirong say, "When the time comes, Sister Xie, sit next to me and we can have a good chat."

Xie Fei almost choked on the pastry.

Have a chat?
You come to pay your respects early in the morning every day. What can't we talk about? Do we have to wait until the show to talk about it?

She was upset, but she said, "I appreciate your kindness, madam, but I don't like to hear it..."

"Didn't you take your servants to the city to watch an opera a few days ago?" Xiao Shirong interrupted her and raised her eyebrows, "Or is it that my sister just doesn't want to go to the opera with me?"

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became tense. The concubines except Xie Fei were all feeling as if a disaster was about to happen, fearing that the fish in the pond would be affected by the fire.

Now that things had come to this, Xie Fei had no choice but to say, "If I have ruined your fun, I will certainly apologize here. As long as you don't mind, I will definitely keep the appointment."

Xiao Shirong said coldly, "That's right. I have worked so hard to invite this troupe. If you don't come, and word gets out, won't it mean that I, the lady, am mean to you?"

Everyone thought, isn’t that mean enough?
But they couldn't say it directly, so they all nodded yes.

After everyone left, Fu Yu supported Xie Fei and walked under the curved corridor.

"Girl, the lady insisted that we all go to the theater together. Is there some conspiracy?"

Xie Fei thought so too, and the more determined Xiao Shirong was, the weirder he seemed.

"She is the eldest lady. We cannot resist what she wants to do. We should be more vigilant at that time."

Xie Fei stopped and looked at the flowers blooming on the corridor.

It’s only the beginning of spring, but the mansion is already full of flowers in full bloom. The colors are so colorful that they are breathtakingly beautiful.

Xie Fei was in no mood to appreciate the scenery, and whispered to Fu Yu, "Go and find out whether the Madam wanted to invite an outside troupe on her own whim, or whether someone else gave her the idea."

Fu Yu nodded and ran away.

Mother Liu looked at Fu Yu's jumping figure and felt a little worried.

"Miss Fuyu is still young after all. Will she let the news slip while she's investigating?"

If Xiao Shirong were to find out, there might be another disturbance.

Xie Fei smiled and said, "Don't underestimate that girl. She is very good at asking questions. As long as she wants, there is nothing she can't get out of you."

I just hope that Fu Yu can bring back useful information. Later, Fu Yu came back and told Xie Fei that it was Fang Qinrou who proposed it.

"Isn't Fang Xiaoniang's brother in the opera troupe? Maybe she had the courage to ask the eldest lady for help in order to pave the way for her brother?"

Xie Fei asked, "Did Miss Fang really ask for this?"

Fu Yu nodded, "That's right, but as to whether it was Fang Xiaoniang who took the initiative or someone else who suggested it, I didn't find out."

Xie Fei closed the medical book, feeling that this matter was becoming more and more outrageous.

Fang Qinrou is the person who fears Xiao Shirong the most in the entire Pei Mansion. She is timid by nature and usually doesn't dare to talk to Xiao Shirong. How could she be willing to meet Xiao Shirong alone?

Is it really for your brother?
Seeing Xie Fei's frown, Fu Yu asked worriedly, "Miss, are you too sensitive?"

Since coming to the Pei family, her daughter has become more and more thoughtful.

Even a small matter would be pondered over for a long time, fearing that there was fraud and that one had fallen into someone's trap.

Although it is a good thing to be thoughtful and cautious at every step, if you become suspicious and frightened by the slightest sign of trouble, will you ever have a peaceful life in the future?
Xie Fei pondered for a long time and then smiled.

"You're right. Maybe I'm overthinking it. But at that time, you still have to pay attention to the movements of the people in the Madam's courtyard and don't be careless."

"Yes."

At night, Songyueju was quiet. Mother Liu and Fu Yu were both asleep next door and there was no one keeping watch.

Xie Fei sat alone in the yard, looking at the starry sky.

The weather has been sunny and windy lately, and even the starry sky is blue and black, giving it a hint of the atmosphere of a summer pastoral scene.

Xie Fei still remembers that when she was a child, she sat alone on the doorstep and heard the snoring of the servants after they fell asleep.

Loneliness, emptiness, unspeakable solitude, thousands of emotions seemed to turn into a dark fog and completely engulf her.

She endured several years alone, and finally met Yuan San, who bought back Fu Yu. At last, she had some popularity around her.

Thinking about what he had read in a book in his previous life, that humans are social animals, Xie Fei once scoffed at it, thinking that even if he was the only one left in the world, he could still live a good life.

But when she couldn't find anyone willing to talk to her for several days, or when she woke up near dusk, she couldn't see a single person in the quiet courtyard filled with the setting sun.

Only then did I know what it meant to be indescribably lonely, as if I had been abandoned by the world.

Xie Fei was reminiscing about the past when Yuan San came to her quietly and sat down next to her.

"Still angry with me?"

Xie Fei looked at the night sky and said faintly: "I never force you."

Yuan San pressed the mask and said with a wry smile: "But you refuse to pay attention to me."

Xie Fei tilted his head to look at him and said, "You don't want to tell me the truth. This is your choice. And I don't want to talk to you because of your concealment. This is my choice. You have no right to interfere."

"What a twisted logic." Yuan San said helplessly.

Xie Fei said: "So, you and I should just keep the status quo."

There was no way Yuan San could agree to this.

He didn't even dare to think about how long Xie Fei had ignored him.

The two have known each other for five years. Although there are occasional minor frictions, they always resolve misunderstandings quickly and have never had a prolonged cold war like this time.

Xie Fei was determined to force him to speak, but there were too many things involved, even royal secrets, and he didn't dare to involve Xie Fei.

"I don't know, for you, is it better to know, or is it safer not to know?" Yuan San was also very conflicted.

(End of this chapter)