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

Chapter 46 Teach him the rules of the Pei family.

Xiang Ning went in and was pressed down by Pei Yanzhi to sit in a chair.

The man bent down, put his arm around Xiang Ning, and took her hand.

"Calm your mind and focus your energy; do not get distracted."

Pei Yanzhi's face was very close to Xiang Ning's; she could hear his breathing.

He exhaled softly and slowly, gently blowing the hair at her temples.

"Watch what I do?"

Pei Yanzhi turned to look at Xiang Ning, and their eyes met. Xiang Ning hurriedly withdrew her hand, and her hand unconsciously tightened, causing an ink blot to appear on the Xuan paper.

"nothing."

She was so engrossed in watching that she didn't realize it.

This was the first time Xiang Ning had ever seen Pei Yanzhi like this.

It was as if all the biting frost on his body had melted away in that instant; it turned out that Pei Yanzhi could also smile.

Pei Yanzhi reached out and turned Xiang Ning's head around: "If you can't learn it, I'll punish you tonight."

As for what punishment to impose, that's naturally up to him, the gentleman.

After teaching Xiang Ning, Pei Yanzhi went to the side to read a book.

Xiang Ning wrote diligently, and gradually her handwriting became neater.

The book he used to teach her contained only the most basic words and phrases, and after he taught her once, Xiang Ning could naturally remember them.

At noon, Pei Yanzhi came over to check her writing.

Seeing the writing on the rice paper, he gently patted her head as if coaxing a child.

"Then, this servant will go and serve the meal."

Xiang Ning blushed and stood up. Pei Yanzhi watched her walk away, and when she reached the door, he stopped and looked back.

Pei Yanzhi raised an eyebrow slightly, as if asking her if there was anything else.
As Xiang Ning stepped out of the house, she slowly exhaled.

Is this Pei Yanzhi still the Pei Yanzhi she knows?
How strange, it's like...

Possessed by an evil god?
Banishing the thought, Xiang Ning patted her face.

Perhaps Pei Yanzhi needed comfort today, which is why he seemed much more agreeable.

During lunch, Pei Yanzhi did not have Xiang Ning accompany him.

He had a habit of taking a nap in the afternoon. After Xiang Ning made up his bed, she was about to leave when Pei Yanzhi called her back.

"You stay."

Xiang Ning sighed helplessly and decided to just assume he needed a human-shaped pillow.

Pei Yanzhi had her sit on the bed, rested her head on her lap, and, smelling the pleasant scent of soap on her body, actually fell asleep.

It's not that he has a habit of taking a nap, but rather that a short rest allows him to maintain a high level of alertness and vigilance.

He has offended too many people with his actions; those who want to kill him would probably have to line up to take his life.

Xiang Ning rested against the headboard for a while. After Pei Yanzhi woke up, she said she was going to the storeroom to get something and then left Mosong Garden.

As I walked along the road, I saw many maids, servants, and young men carrying things towards the empty Begonia Garden.

"Sister Xiangning."

A maid who had dealt with Xiang Ning in the flower room called out to Xiang Ning.

Hearing her voice, Xiang Ning asked with a smile, "Which master has moved into Begonia Garden?"

Such a grand display.

Upon hearing this, the maid whispered, "It's the mistress that the master kept, the one he asked to clean up the Begonia Garden."

This Begonia Garden is very close to Chunsong Hall, where Pei Feng used to live.

On the contrary, Qionghua Courtyard is the furthest away, so it's easy to see who is favored.

"I see."

Xiang Ning didn't say much, just smiled and told her to go about her business.

As Xiang Ning watched the little maid walk away, she was about to turn around when she bumped into someone. The child fell to the ground and immediately started crying.

"Mo'er."

A beautiful woman hurried over from a distance and helped the child up.

"Which household's maid are you, daring to be so rude?"

When Pei Feng's voice came, Xiang Ning immediately knew the identities of the woman and child.

It was clearly the child who bumped into her, but she could only bow her head and apologize: "This servant was reckless, please don't hold it against me, sir."

Out of respect for Pei Yanzhi, she didn't want to cause trouble. "Is Mo'er alright?"

Pei Feng walked over, picked up the child, and asked, "It's alright. Mo'er didn't see the road herself. It's not her fault." Rong Niang shook her head: "It's alright. Mo'er didn't see the road. It's not her fault."

Upon hearing this, Pei Feng scoffed coldly. Even so, he still had to punish the maid.

Otherwise, if the people in the manor see that Rongniang is so easy to talk to, they might mistreat her in the future.

“Mo’er is the mistress of this mansion, while she is merely a servant. To be so ignorant of manners, she should be punished.”

"Kneel here for an hour before you get up."

After saying that, Pei Feng picked up the child and took Rong Niang to the Begonia Garden.

Xiang Ning exhaled and knelt down.

If I had known, I wouldn't have come out. I got punished for no reason.

She could easily see that Pei Feng was using her to establish his authority over his mistress.

In Qingyi Residence, Pei Yanzhi had almost finished reading a book, but Xiang Ning still hadn't returned.

For some unknown reason, he got up and walked out of the house.

"Is the master going out?"

Cheng Hua stood at the door and asked a question, but Pei Yanzhi did not reply and walked directly out of Mosong Garden.

Not far from Mosong Garden, Xiang Ning could be seen kneeling on the road.

He frowned, stepped forward, and helped her up: "Who punished you?"

Hearing Pei Yanzhi's voice, Xiang Ning turned to look at him: "It's Master."

This couldn't be kept secret any longer, so Xiang Ning answered truthfully.

"Are you stupid? You think you can just take whatever punishment you get?"

Pei Yanzhi spoke in a cold tone, and Xiang Ning was taken aback, her expression turning somewhat unpleasant.

She was just a servant girl; how could she resist when her master ordered her to kneel?

If she weren't in the Pei residence, she wouldn't need to be so subservient to others.

Having just knelt here, Xiang Ning's resolve to leave only strengthened.

She would rather be a slave for the rest of her life than be free.

"It's my fault..."

"Shut up."

Pei Yanzhi held Xiang Ning's hand tightly, silencing her with a single sentence.

“Go back to Mosong Garden.”

After saying that, he released Xiang Ning and walked towards the Begonia Garden.

Xiang Ning stared blankly in the direction he went, wondering if he was going to support her.
"Master?"

Remembering Pei Yanzhi's relationship with Pei Feng, Xiang Ning disregarded everything else and hurriedly caught up with Pei Yanzhi.

The man, however, had already reached the entrance of the Begonia Garden.

In the courtyard, Pei Feng sat on a stone bench holding the child named Mo'er, while Rong Niang wiped the sweat from Mo'er's forehead.

You can often hear the father and son talking, enjoying each other's company.

Pei Yanzhi, standing at the door, seemed like an outsider.

Mo'er got up from Pei Feng and threw the pastries in her hand at Pei Yanzhi.

The newly changed clothes were stained with some dirt. Xiang Ning walked over in a few steps: "Master, are you alright?"

She wiped the pastries clean with her handkerchief, and then heard Mo'er say, "What are you doing standing at the gate of our courtyard?"

Although the child was young, the malice in his words was palpable.

Mo'er and Rongniang are definitely not as simple as they seem.

"Chenghua, teach him the rules of the Pei family."

Pei Yanzhi reached out and took Xiang Ning's hand, making her stand behind him, and looked up at Pei Feng.

These words were uttered slowly, as if carried by a cold wind and rain.

Their home?

How could he not know that the Pei residence was their home?

Cheng Hua agreed and reached out to pull Mo'er, but Pei Feng walked over and scolded, "Let's see who dares!"

Pei Yanzhi, you're pathetic, but I really want to see what you'll be like after your wife runs away, hahaha.

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(End of this chapter)