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

Chapter 69 Give Her a Chance

Pei Yanzhi nodded in agreement after hearing Cao Sizheng's words: "I understand."

"I will keep an eye on the Dali Temple for you, sir."

Cao Sizheng replied to Pei Yanzhi, and Pei Yanzhi responded with an "Mmm".

"The Empress Dowager wishes that you, sir, depart as soon as possible to prevent them from destroying the evidence."

After all, Ling An's group wasn't stupid. If they arrived even a moment later and things went wrong, none of them could afford the consequences.

Pei Yanzhi didn't say anything more. After arranging things at the Dali Temple, he left.

Xiang Ning had only rested in the room for a short while when she heard Bi Tao say that Master had returned.

She hurriedly got up and went outside, her hair somewhat disheveled in her haste.

Pei Yanzhi's eyes darkened slightly as he watched Xiang Ning limp towards him.

Do you blame me?

After Xiang Ning entered the house, she heard Pei Yanzhi ask this question.

She shook her head: "It is right for you to punish me, Master."

Upon hearing this, Pei Yanzhi smiled and pulled the person to his side: "Since it hurts, then remember this: if you dare to deceive me again, your fate will be ten times worse than this."

"Xiang Ning, do you know what I do? There are many ways to torture people in the Dali Temple prison."

As Pei Yanzhi spoke, he touched Xiang Ning's face with his hand.

He had never met a woman who dared to deceive him, especially one who spoke of her love for him.

Pei Yanzhi thought she was incredibly audacious, but he couldn't bear to actually use the methods of the Dali Temple to deal with Xiang Ning.

So he decided to give her a chance. If she really behaved herself from then on, he could pretend that nothing had happened.

"Be good and listen to me."

Pei Yanzhi gently rubbed Xiang Ning's head, looked into her eyes, and nodded.

In this situation, she has no right to refute.

"I will be away for a few days. During this time, if I need to go out, I will have my guards accompany me."

Pei Yanzhi's words stirred Xiang Ning's already calm heart again. Was he going to leave?
"But aren't you and Miss Wen about to exchange betrothal gifts?"

Xiang Ning asked a question, and Pei Yanzhi's departure was tantamount to giving her a legitimate opportunity to leave.

But the engagement wasn't finalized, and she didn't know if her words would be enough to persuade the old lady.

If she fails once and arouses Pei Yanzhi's suspicion, it will only become more difficult for her to go out in the future.

Upon hearing this, Pei Yanzhi pulled the person into his arms: "No rush."

He pinched Xiang Ning's chin, making her look up, and then kissed her directly.

Their wet, hot lips touched, and Xiang Ning was so overwhelmed by his kiss that she lost all sense of direction.

Pei Yanzhi chuckled and used his fingertip to wipe the glistening moisture from Xiang Ning's lips.

The atmosphere between the two was ambiguous, so Bitao and Chenghua outside naturally dared not come in.

When Pei Yanzhi came out, Xiang Ning's lips were already incredibly red.

He made a special trip back to Mosong Garden just to personally warn Xiang Ning.

So that she would remember his temper.

Do not forget why the people of the Pei family are afraid of him because of his gentle words these days.

As soon as Pei Yanzhi left Mosong Garden, the smile on his face vanished.

"Keep an eye on her."

Pei Yanzhi looked up at the distance and then heard a bird chirping.

He didn't believe Xiang Ning would behave herself, but he wanted to give her a chance.

That's why they arranged for bodyguards to watch over her.

I hope Xiang Ning won't let me down.

"Sister, this is the medicine that Master just instructed Chenghua to give you."

Bitao walked over and said something to Xiangning. Hearing this, Xiangning came back to her senses.

"No need, I've already applied the medicine."

Upon hearing Xiang Ning's reply, Bi Tao asked worriedly, "Why did Master punish Sister yesterday?"

He made me kneel all night; my legs are all ruined. "I upset him."

Xiang Ning said helplessly, and Bi Tao sighed, "Sister never gets angry with anyone, it must be Master's problem."

Bitao never saw Xiangning get into any arguments with anyone.

On the contrary, it is the man's personality that makes him more prone to conflicts with others.

"If I hear you say that, I won't let you off the hook."

Xiang Ning's initially gloomy mood improved thanks to Bi Tao's words.

“I only told my sister this. If the master finds out, it means my sister told on me.”

"If I get punished, I won't talk to my sister anymore."

Because of their young age, their expressions were so vivid and lifelike.

"Alright, alright, I can't let you get punished, otherwise I'll take all the blame."

The two burst into laughter, which dispelled much of the gloom.

After Pei Yanzhi left the Pei residence, everything remained the same, with no major changes.

After Xiang Ning's leg injury healed, she went out of the manor alone.

She wanted to go out and try her luck, to see if she could run into any of the merchants from Ling'an so she could ask them about her mother.

Unexpectedly, she encountered Pei Mingxiu.

"Miss Xiang Ning?"

"Third Young Master."

The two nodded in acknowledgment, and Pei Mingxiu smiled and asked, "Did you come out today to sell your embroidery, Miss?"

He looked at the Ruyi Embroidery Workshop not far away and asked a question. Xiang Ning was not very willing to talk to Pei Mingxiu, but simply nodded in acknowledgment.

"If there is nothing else, Third Young Master, this servant will take her leave now."

After saying that, without giving Pei Mingxiu a chance to react, Xiang Ning had already walked away into the distance.

Pei Mingxiu watched Xiang Ning's hurried footsteps and, recalling Ping An's words earlier, his smile deepened.

This girl, Xiang Ning, seems to have many secrets.

Xiang Ning didn't care what Pei Mingxiu thought; she just felt uncomfortable every time she met him.

Whether he was hiding his talents to make a living, or pretending to be weak to take advantage of others, or had other motives, it doesn't matter.

For Xiang Ning, these were not things she should concern herself with.

She hasn't even settled her own affairs yet.

"Xiang Ning?"

As Xiang Ning was pondering these things, she heard Yao Yao's voice coming from afar.

Her face lit up with joy, and she took a few steps over.

"Yaoyao."

"Why are you here?"

Yao Yao was also very happy to see Xiang Ning. She handed the things in her hands to the maid and asked, "Shall we go to the teahouse for a while?"

Xiang Ning smiled and nodded: "Of course."

The two walked hand in hand toward the teahouse, but the waiter looked at Yao Yao with disdain.

"Our teahouse cannot afford to entertain this courtesan."

He spoke so loudly that the few customers in the teahouse could hear him.

Yao Yao clenched her fists angrily, but in the next instant, a cup of tea was poured over her.

"He must not have brushed his teeth this morning, that's why he said such awful things."

"Since teahouses have to differentiate between customers, we can't afford this bowl of tea."

After saying that, Xiang Ning pulled Yao Yao away, while the waiter, whose face had been splashed with water, grumbled behind them.

Just then, Lu Jiang and Tang Yanjun stepped down from the private room on the second floor.

Lu Jiang said softly to Tang Yanjun, "In that case, I'll leave this matter to you, Brother Tang."

"Brother Lu, what are you saying? Since we call each other brothers, your affairs are my affairs."

(End of this chapter)