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

Chapter 58 Don't Make That Expression

After a long while without hearing Xiang Ning's reply, Pei Yanzhi turned around to look at her.

"What do you want to say?"

"This servant didn't mean to say anything, this servant was just looking at you, sir..."

Before Xiang Ning could finish speaking, he had already taken a step forward and grabbed her wrist.

He pulled the girl into his arms, and Pei Yanzhi wrapped his arms around her waist: "Seeing that I care about you, are you happy?"

As he spoke, he raised his hand to touch Xiang Ning's cheek, where a smile hadn't faded, and she looked very happy.

Xiang Ning was taken aback. She only felt that she was about to leave the manor, not that she was happy because of Pei Yanzhi...

"Yes, I'm happy."

Forget it, let it be a misunderstanding. Explaining it will only cause more trouble.

"We're going to a banquet at Prince Qing's residence tomorrow, you should come along too."

The Prince Qing's Mansion is the premier royal garden, with pavilions and buildings comparable to a royal palace. Princess Huihe's birthday banquet was attended by many distinguished guests. It would be good to go and take a look and broaden one's horizons.

"As a servant, it might not be appropriate for me to go."

Xiang Ning looked up at Pei Yanzhi. Wasn't the old lady planning to arrange a marriage for him at Princess Huihe's birthday banquet?

What's the point of taking her along?

Others don't know your identity; they only know that you are my personal maid.

"If you don't want to go, then don't."

Upon hearing Pei Yanzhi's words, Xiang Ning quickly grasped his hand: "This servant thanks you, Master, for giving me the opportunity to broaden my horizons."

If it weren't for Pei Yanzhi, it would have been quite difficult for her to enter the Prince's mansion in this lifetime.

Moreover, Xiang Ning suddenly remembered something. She had heard from Lady Li that Prince Qing had invited many merchants from Ling'an to Princess Huihe's birthday banquet.

It is said that there will also be a tasting event.

Perhaps she can find out who her mother is looking for here?

"You really are something else, your mood changes faster than turning the pages of a book."

Pei Yanzhi felt helpless, but seeing her smile, a smile unconsciously crept onto his face as well.

"There will be a tasting event later. If you like anything, just leave my name."

Xiang Ning never asked him for anything; she simply stayed by his side, being excessively obedient and sensible. Therefore, Pei Yanzhi also wanted to give her something.

"What if this servant takes a fancy to something..."

"There's no shortage of money."

He doesn't live off the meager salary from the Dali Temple alone.

"Okay, I know this."

Xiang Ning smiled and agreed. She had just said it casually and didn't want anything from him.

In the evening, after Xiang Ning had dinner with Pei Yanzhi, he urged her to practice calligraphy.

After several days of practice, I've finally learned how to write my own name.

So Pei Yanzhi took out a copy of the Book of Poetry and gave it to her.

"I'll read it to you, and then I'll teach you how to write it."

Pei Yanzhi sat down next to Xiang Ning, opened the Book of Songs, and when he began to read aloud, his voice seemed to come from a deep valley, deep and magnetic.

Each word seemed imbued with a unique charm, slowly uttered from his mouth like a fine wine flowing through the air.

Before meeting Pei Yanzhi, Xiang Ning had only heard about him from other people.

He was aloof and unapproachable, and no one in the Pei family dared to provoke him. Few people in the Dali Temple dared to approach him either.

Everyone said he was like a demon, and that just looking at him would scare them to death.

But after getting to know Pei Yan, Xiang Ning felt that he was no different from the rest of the people.

He may also experience distress because he is not loved by his parents; he also has human emotions and desires.

It didn't look as terrifying as others had described.

Now he is willing to teach her to read and write, giving her opportunities to broaden her horizons.

If it were anyone else, they would probably have stayed willingly long ago.

Unfortunately, Xiang Ning didn't want to live a life of subservience anymore, and she didn't want her future children to suffer the same fate as her.

"What are you thinking about? Did you hear what I just said?" After Pei Yanzhi finished reading the poem, he found Xiang Ning staring at him in a daze.

Cheng Hua's words entered his mind, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

He was right; his appearance was indeed rare in the world.

Seeing her lost in thought because of her appearance, Pei Yanzhi felt a surge of joy.

"I was just lost in thought."

Xiang Ning blushed and looked away. The next moment, Pei Yanzhi stood up, bent down and took her hand.

"Students who don't listen attentively will be punished."

Pei Yanzhi's warm breath brushed against Xiang Ning's cheek, ruffling the strands of hair at her temples.

“I’ll read it to you again. This time, don’t stare at me. There’s no poetry on my face.”

His teasing made Xiang Ning feel a little uncomfortable.

She was just thinking about something; she wasn't staring at him absentmindedly...

"Wild grasses grow in the fields, glistening with dew. There is a beautiful woman, with graceful and charming eyes..."

Pei Yanzhi's voice reached Xiang Ning's ears as he recited the poem word by word.

He held Xiang Ning's hand and guided her to write this poem.

"On a beautiful day, we met a lovely lady; we fell in love at first sight and then hid in the depths of the fragrant forest. Love in this world is hard to resist."

Just like his affection for Xiang Ning, this feeling came about quite inexplicably.

Pei Yanzhi accepted it, after all, he rarely had the thought of keeping someone alive in his life.

Xiang Ning turned her head, her rosy lips brushing against his face, leaving a red mark.

"This servant will go fetch water for the master..."

After she finished speaking, she was about to get up, but Pei Yanzhi was standing to the side, still holding her hand.

"No rush. I just read it twice. You have to repeat it to me."

Pei Yanzhi enjoyed watching her flee in a panic, as if he were teasing a cat. He picked her up and sat down in a chair.

Their positions instantly reversed, and he shoved the book into Xiang Ning's hands: "Read it."

"Wild grasses grow in the fields, glistening with dew."

Do you know what that means?

Xiang Ning held the book in her hand and said something, and then Pei Yanzhi asked her a question.

She shook her head, and the next moment, his hand landed on her lower body, and he chuckled softly.

“The dew is glistening with dewdrops, the dew is sparkling with dewdrops… Xiang Ning, your body is trembling.”

The man spoke close to Xiang Ning's ear, and the originally serious verses became rather unserious after his interpretation.

His deep voice carried a hint of seduction, and she turned to look at him, their eyes meeting.

The girl's eyes were like round, purple grapes, filled with confusion and shyness.

His fingertips, glistening with a touch of moisture, landed on her chin.

Like juice squeezed from a grape, he peeled away the layers of skin, revealing everything.

"Don't make that face."

Feeling wronged and helpless, with nowhere to escape, drives one mad.

Pei Yanzhi placed his fingers to her lips, sighed, and finally let go of her.

A sense of unease and bitterness filled my heart, making it a painful and agonizing place.

Xiang Ning's dress was disheveled, revealing a patch of smooth, white skin that was dazzlingly white.

"Go out."

He smiled and affectionately touched her face.

Xiang Ning quickly got up, straightened her clothes, and left.

Pei Yanzhi was right. He rarely lost control, but every time he held Xiang Ning in his arms, she could easily stir up his emotions.

This out-of-control and irrational version of myself is really annoying.

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(End of this chapter)