After the favored concubine remarried, the aloof and powerful minister forcibly took her away.

Chapter 100 She must run far, far away.

The room where Pei Yanzhi was staying was the same one that Xiang Ning had stayed in.

Stepping inside, one sees that everything has been cleaned and tidied up.

The bed was made so perfectly smooth without a single wrinkle, and the tables and chairs were arranged in perfect order, as if she had never been there before.

A potted green ivy sits by the window, its emerald leaves stretching freely, brimming with vitality.

If you get close to the potted plant, you can still see some tea leaves that have cooled down.

Pei Yanzhi rested his hand on the windowsill, and all he could see was a bustling and lively street scene.

People come and go, bustling about, with shouts and cries of vendors rising and falling – a beautiful scene of everyday life.

Pei Yanzhi's mind was not on the street scene. Even though Steward Lin had not said it outright, he was already certain that the so-called Miss Zhao was Xiang Ning.

If it weren't for her, why would she be so afraid to see me?

Knowing she was afraid, yet still daring to run away resolutely, Pei Yanzhi didn't know whether to call her bold or cowardly.
"My lord, everything has been arranged."

Mingxiang entered the room and respectfully said something to Pei Yanzhi.

Then, Pei Yanzhi asked thoughtfully, "If you were her, with the city gates closed and no way to escape, what would you do?"

This somewhat puzzling question startled Mingxiang, and a hint of doubt flashed through his mind.

However, Mingxiang quickly realized what Pei Yanzhi was asking; he was asking about Miss Xiangning.

Mingxiang lowered his head slightly, pondered for a moment, and then replied seriously, "If I were Miss Xiangning, and there was no way to escape, perhaps I would have no choice but to compromise."

Pei Yanzhi seemed to have given Xiang Ning a choice, but Cheng Hua had told Ming Xiang that Xiang Ning was a kind person.

Kindness, sometimes, is precisely a person's greatest weakness.

Being kind-hearted means one cannot be ruthless and decisive, and therefore one would not disregard Steward Lin's safety and escape alone.

Pei Yanzhi was fully aware of this. He knew Xiang Ning's weakness, so he used Steward Lin as a way to exploit it.

"There should be some small paths leading out of the town. Let's take a few people to search them."

Pei Yanzhi slowly withdrew his hand and said this in a calm voice.

To catch a turtle in a jar, you first need a jar.

Every corner of this water town will become his hunting ground to capture Xiang Ning; he will never let her escape easily.

It will also make Xiang Ning understand the consequences of betrayal.

As night fell, the deep darkness enveloped the entire water town like ink.

Xiang Ning lay quietly in bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.

In order to better protect Xiang Ning, Xiao Ming, Monkey, and Xiao Si did not choose to live with her here.

They still live in the same courtyard as before.

After escorting Xiang Ning here this morning, they left in a hurry, saying they were afraid that Pei Yanzhi's men would discover something amiss.

Before leaving, he thoughtfully left enough food for Xiang Ning to eat for several days.

The group secretly prepared for a protracted battle, thinking that with their meticulous arrangements, they could temporarily avoid the limelight and keep Xiang Ning safe.

No one expected that Pei Yanzhi was a sharp-minded and insightful man who directly detained Steward Lin.

The person Pei Yanzhi caught a glimpse of outside the inn was Monkey.

Xiang Ning knew nothing about this, but for some reason, a sense of unease welled up in her heart.

She tossed and turned in bed for a long time, unable to fall asleep. In desperation, she sat up, reached for the clothes placed beside the bed, put them on, and went outside.

This courtyard is small and exquisite, with a unique charm.

The courtyard is planted with many flowers, trees and shrubs in a well-organized manner. In the spring when flowers are in full bloom, it must be a riot of colors.

But it was autumn, and everything was desolate; the flowers, plants, and trees were withered and forlorn.

The branches were already bare, with only a few withered yellow leaves shivering in the wind.

The withered branches, lying askew, seemed even more lonely and desolate under the waning moon in the sky. Xiang Ning stood in the courtyard, her thoughts drifting away.

She knew Pei Yanzhi would come looking for her. After all, a prodigy like him had been high above others and had a smooth and successful life since birth. He probably never thought that anyone would dare to deceive him.

Born into a prominent family with a noble status, he was adept at navigating the officialdom and possessed exceptional skills; it seemed that nothing could stump him.

Fang's mother once told Xiang Ning that Pei Yanzhi was willing to offer her the position of a noble concubine, which was an immense blessing for her.

Being by Pei Yanzhi's side and deeply favored by him, even if she couldn't become his legal wife, she could still live a life of wealth and luxury, never lacking in food, clothing, or other necessities.

To outsiders, it might seem that giving up such an opportunity would be the act of a madman to leave the Pei residence.

Ke Xiangning knew in her heart that she was not crazy.

She knows what she wants: not wealth and luxury, but freedom—to be a truly independent person.

She has hands and skills; no matter how difficult the world is, she will always find a place to survive.

Therefore, Xiang Ning never believed that she could not support herself without Pei Yanzhi.

Pei Yanzhi may have many good qualities, but once you become his concubine, it means you will have to stay by his side forever and depend on him for everything.

She spent her entire life in a lowly position, becoming a concubine who could only depend on others.

When they are bullied by others, they can only silently endure it; when they see someone of high status, they must humbly kneel down and pay their respects.

Once you bend over and kneel down, you can never straighten up again.

If Xiang Ning had been born with this fate, she might have accepted it, but she did not.

Thinking of this, Xiang Ning looked up at the crescent moon in the sky, her eyes revealing a firm and resolute determination.

She won't go back; she must run far away, escape the cage that confines her freedom.

I will never see Pei Yanzhi again.

Xiang Ning took a deep breath, turned around and went back into the house.

Xiao Ming said he would send her away, but Pei Yanzhi is currently guarding the town. If he discovers her, Xiao Ming's life will be in danger.

So she decided to go by herself.

She wasn't familiar with the water town, but Xiao Ming left her a map of it.

She can find a suitable route to leave.

If she really falls into Pei Yanzhi's hands, then consider it a calamity in her life, and as long as it doesn't implicate others, it's fine no matter what.

After making up her mind, Xiang Ning's gloomy mood improved considerably.

The next day, she got up and cooked a meal, only to hear a commotion outside.

Xiang Ning put down her chopsticks and slowly walked towards the door.

"Isn't this Manager Lin from the Lu Family Trading Company? How come he's harboring a serious criminal of the imperial court?"

"It's written above that this is a capital offense, punishable by beheading."

The intermittent whispers of passersby reached Xiang Ning's ears, and her face turned deathly pale.

Pei Yanzhi arrested Lin Bo and wanted to execute him?
She reached out and grabbed the wall for support, taking a deep breath.

Pei Yanzhi would do anything to force her to show herself.

"Miss Zhao, Miss Zhao, please take this letter and do not come out. There are soldiers everywhere outside."

The monkey's voice came from the corner of the wall. Xiang Ning looked up and saw him throw in a letter.

A stone was tangled in the letter. After rolling twice, it came to rest at Xiang Ning's feet.

"How is Uncle Lin?"

She asked hurriedly, and Monkey pursed his lips before replying, "Don't worry, no matter how powerful he is, he can't do anything to Manager Lin without evidence."

"My elder brother specifically instructed you not to come out. Pei Yanzhi said that if he catches you, he'll break your legs first."

(End of this chapter)