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

Chapter 49 Pei Yanzhi's Fear of Cats
No sooner had Han Jun finished speaking than Pei Yanzhi said, "How can you guarantee that the Dong family wasn't involved in this matter?"

Upon hearing this, Han Jun paused in peeling the fruit: "You're so thoughtful."

The prosperity of the world is for profit; the hustle and bustle of the world is for profit.

The Dong family is a fairly large business in Ling'an. If this matter is truly profitable, they might actually get involved.

If Pei Yanzhi were to ask him directly, something might be revealed.

"Is there anything else?"

After Pei Yanzhi finished reading the booklet, he looked up and saw Han Jun sitting there.

Upon hearing this, Han Jun tilted his head to look at him: "What's wrong? Can't I sit here if there's nothing wrong?"

"That's right, I'm definitely not as good as your beautiful concubine."

As he was about to get up, he saw the half-closed door being pushed open, and a snow-white ball of fluff rushed in.

With a meow, Pei Yanzhi's hand tightened immediately, and then Xiang Ning followed and grabbed the white ball of fluff.

"A stray cat has entered the yard and startled you, sir."

Xiang Ning had chased it around twice outside, and she was panting heavily and covered in sweat.

Who knows where this cat came from? What's worse, it even broke into Pei Yanzhi's house.

Han Jun walked over with a smile, reached out and touched the cat whose neck was being pinched by Xiang Ning, and then looked at Pei Yanzhi meaningfully.

"Young lady, you'd better take it out quickly, or your master will get angry."

Upon hearing this, Xiang Ning looked up at Pei Yanzhi, who was sitting inside.

He was tense all over and looked unwell. Xiang Ning nodded, bowed, and then took the white cat and walked out.

Even after walking a distance, you could still hear Han Jun saying something like, "It's been so long, why are you still afraid?"
What are you afraid of? The cat?

Xiang Ning was a little confused, and then she heard Bi Tao say that someone outside was looking for the white cat, and it was the Fifth Sister.

"So it was Fifth Sister's cat."

She smiled helplessly, reached out and picked up the white cat, then took it outside.

Outside Mosong Garden, a girl of about fourteen or fifteen years old with her hair in two buns saw the white cat in Xiang Ning's arms and immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

"Bai Tuan, why did you run into your older brother's yard? You scared me to death."

Xiang Ning placed the white cat in her hands and bowed, saying, "This servant greets Fifth Miss."

"Thank you for saving Bai Tuan. Big brother hates cats. If he finds out, Bai Tuan will be dead."

Fifth Miss Pei Miaohan smiled and said to Xiang Ning that the whole Pei family knew that Pei Yanzhi didn't like cats.

A stray cat once ran in and entered Mosong Garden, and never came out again.

Fortunately, they weren't discovered.

Pei Miaohan couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Seeing her like this, Xiang Ning didn't say anything. In fact, she had not only been discovered, but had also entered Pei Yanzhi's room.

If it weren't for that young marquis, this cat would probably be dead.

"By the way, what's your name? If you have time in the future, you can come find me at Hehua Academy. I'd really like to thank you properly."

"It was nothing, Fifth Miss, you're too kind."

Hearing Xiang Ning say this, Pei Miaohan nodded and left with the white ball in her arms.

"Although this fifth young lady is born out of wedlock, the fourth master treats her very well."

Bitao stood aside and said with emotion, "Fourth Master Pei Changqing has never married. He only has one concubine named Wanyi."

In the courtyard of the fourth household, the servants all addressed Wanyi as Madam.

It is said that the Fourth Prince wanted to marry Lady Wanyi, but Lady Wanyi's social status was not good enough, and Old Madam Pei did not agree. So the Fourth Prince has not married for many years.

Although she was a concubine, she was no different from the principal wife.

The couple also have a son and a daughter, and they are very much in love.

The fifth daughter, Pei Miaohan, received just as much love and care as anyone else from a young age.

"Status and social status mean nothing; it is the love of parents that is truly precious."

Xiang Ning couldn't help but think of Pei Yanzhi. He held a high position, but there were some things that he couldn't obtain.

It seems that God is fair after all; at least in this world, nothing is ever perfect.

"This servant greets the young marquis."

After speaking with Bitao, Xiang Ning was about to turn around when she saw Han Jun walking out.

Han Jun has a somewhat effeminate appearance, with a man's features but a woman's features. His peach blossom eyes are particularly amorous. It's a mystery how this son of the Marquis of Xuanwei, who is known for his romantic affairs in the capital, became friends with Pei Yanzhi.

"I'm just about to leave the manor. Would you mind seeing me off, young lady?"

He had just asked Chenghua, and thought that this girl was Pei Yanzhi's concubine, but he never expected that she was still a maid.

But judging from Pei Yanzhi's expression, he is very satisfied with her. Why not make her a concubine to serve him?
He was genuinely curious.

"Slave..."

"It's alright. If Pei Yanzhi asks, just say that I kidnapped you."

Han Jun raised an eyebrow slightly, smiled at Xiang Ning, and then walked forward.

"Bitao, you should go back."

Since they had already said all that, Xiang Ning had no choice but to follow Han Jun's lead.

The two walked quietly along the road.

Do you know why Pei Yanzhi doesn't like cats?

Han Jun suddenly spoke up, and Xiang Ning paused, shaking her head: "This servant does not know."

She didn't have a penchant for prying into Pei Yanzhi's private affairs.

During her three years in the Pei household, Xiang Ning learned the most important lessons: ask fewer questions, do more work, and protect herself wisely.

"Actually, he used to really like cats and dogs. You know, his parents didn't really care about him much."

"We were classmates, and we got to know each other over time."

Han Jun couldn't help but laugh when he recalled how Pei Yanzhi had cried and begged him to cover up the burning of Confucius's books.

Pei Yanzhi, of course, would not cover for him, so he was punished with twenty strokes of the cane by the teacher and vowed to make Pei Yanzhi taste the same feeling of being hit on the hand.

I never expected that the two of them would become friends in the end.

"On the day his father and mother broke up, Pei Feng abandoned everything and left the Pei family. His mother was unwilling to give up and took him, who was still running a high fever, to chase after him overnight."

"The two had a big fight, and his mother returned home disappointed, not even noticing that she had abandoned him in the middle of nowhere."

Han Jun's face showed a hint of sarcasm. What kind of parents could do this? Only Pei Yanzhi's parents could do such a thing.

“That’s a wasteland with many lonely graves. Pei Yanzhi is sick and has difficulty moving around, and he’s even wandering further and further away. You know, there are plenty of these things in the wilderness.”

"A stray cat scratched him and dragged him to a lonely grave. If it weren't for Old Madam Pei, he probably would have become an idiot."

Although Old Madam Pei's affection for Pei Yanzhi was partly due to family considerations, she was the only one in the Pei family who genuinely cared for him.

"Young Marquis, why are you telling me these things?"

Pei Yanzhi also suffered a terrible fate.
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(End of this chapter)