I, the villainous eldest prince, will suppress everything!

Even when he sensed Qin Li approaching, Pei Yunhe remained motionless.

Just when he thought Qin Li would make them rise, he saw Qin Li walk straight to Pei Qingluan beside him.

"Miss Pei, we meet again."

Qin Li reached out and helped Pei Qingluan up, smiling as he spoke.

The Pei family members, heads bowed and bodies bent, exchanged glances, unsure of Qin Li's intentions.

Just now, Pei Qingluan said that last night she went to the Yellow Crane Tower, drew her sword, and stabbed Qin Li.

Qin Li not only refrained from causing trouble for Pei Qingluan, but also went out of his way to help her up. What exactly did he mean by that? Could it be that he had taken a liking to Pei Qingluan...?

They looked at Pei Yunhe questioningly, but Pei Yunhe didn't know either. He told them to stay put and observe the situation.

Pei Qingluan hadn't expected Qin Li to help her up alone, after all, Pei Yunhe was the head of the family, while she was just an ordinary member of the Pei family, and a girl at that.

"Your Highness, you..."

Pei Qingluan looked up at Qin Li, somewhat bewildered.

Qin Li still smiled: "What, don't you recognize me? Didn't we meet at the Yellow Crane Tower last night?"

"Ah, yes, yes, it was Qingluan's fault last night," Pei Qingluan said.

"It's alright."

Qin Li replied.

Releasing Pei Qingluan's arm, Qin Li looked up and said, "This is your Pei family? It's truly impressive. No wonder you're the number one family in Jiangnan."

Pei Qingluan said, "This was built by my second uncle. I don't know where he got so much money to build such a big mansion."

Upon hearing this, Pei Yunhe's lips twitched violently. It was intentional, absolutely intentional.

"Your second uncle is the head of the Pei family, right? Which one is he? Show him to me quickly."

Pei Qingluan didn't trust Qin Li and didn't know which one was Pei Yunhe; Qin Li was doing it on purpose.

She pointed at Pei Yunhe and said to Qin Li, "Your Highness, this is my second uncle, the current head of the Pei family."

Qin Li then looked at Pei Yunhe and said, "Greetings, Patriarch Pei."

Pei Yunhe was so frightened that he immediately knelt down. He was just a family head, how could he dare to let Qin Li come and see him, unless he didn't want to live anymore.

"Your Highness is too kind, too kind, too kind indeed! I should be the one who has met Your Highness, please don't say that."

Qin Li then told everyone to rise, put his hands behind his back, and said, "Alright, it's getting late. Take me inside and have a look."

……

Inside the Pei family mansion.

Pei Yunhe led Qin Li on a tour, introducing things along the way.

Qin Li listened absentmindedly, occasionally turning his head to whisper to Pei Qingluan.

Pei Yunhe endured it again and again, truly unable to fathom where Pei Qingluan's charm came from.

Didn't they say she stabbed Qin Li last night? Could it be that they became friends after a fight, and their hatred turned into love?

I can't figure it out, I really can't figure it out.

"Hey, by the way, why is your second uncle the head of the family instead of your father? Your father is a sword immortal, one of the three great masters of our Great Zhou. If he were the head of the family, no one in the Pei family would object, right?" Qin Li asked.

Upon hearing this, Pei Yunhe secretly clenched his fist.

Isn't it a bit inappropriate to say this in front of him, the current head of the family? Qin Li is really treating him like dirt.

But he was at a loss; he couldn't just cover Qin Li's mouth.

Pei Qingluan said, "My father's ambition is not to be the head of the family; he's just a sword fanatic. On the contrary, my second uncle is diligent and conscientious, and is a good head of the family."

Hearing this, Pei Yunhe felt a little better. So this is how Pei Qingluan viewed him.

It seems he'll have to treat Pei Qingluan better from now on; after all, her father is a sword immortal.

"A good patriarch? I don't think so. I had someone invite the six great families to dinner at Yellow Crane Tower, but not a single one of them showed up. Is this the kind of good patriarch Miss Pei speaks of?" Qin Li said.

Pei Qingluan looked at Pei Yunhe: "Second Uncle, I'm not sure how to answer this. You should answer His Highness the Crown Prince."

Pei Yunhe quickly turned around and bowed to Qin Li: "Your Highness, please forgive me. It's not that I'm unwilling to keep the appointment, but that I had no idea about it at all."

"Don't know?" Qin Li narrowed his eyes.

"I really don't know." Pei Yunhe said without changing his expression.

"Nonsense!"

Zhou Biao couldn't help but stand up and say, "The first thing our Crown Prince did upon arriving in Jiangnan was to have Marquis Wuyang invite your six great families to the Yellow Crane Tower. Do you dare say that Marquis Wuyang, Dong Jin, didn't invite you?"

Pei Yunhe shook his head again: "I really don't know anything about this. Please investigate, Your Highness."

Anyway, Dong Jin is no longer in Jiangxia, but has returned to Huozhou.

If Pei Yunhe simply insists that he knew nothing about it, Qin Li won't be able to blame him.

Zhou Biao wanted to say something more, but Qin Li stopped him.

Qin Li said, "I will trust Patriarch Pei this once. Since you don't know, I will personally invite you today. Seven days from now, I invite Patriarch Pei to a gathering at Yellow Crane Tower. Patriarch Pei must attend."

Pei Yunhe cupped his hands in greeting, a smile on his face: "Definitely, definitely! I am truly honored that His Highness the Crown Prince has invited me to his banquet. Even if it's raining knives on that day, I will still go."

Qin Li then said, "Then, I wonder if Patriarch Pei could do me a favor?"

Pei Yunhe said, "Your Highness, please speak freely."

"Since Patriarch Pei has agreed, then please send someone to the other five great families to speak with them and invite them over."

Pei Yunhe's face stiffened, and he thought to himself: Oh no, we've fallen into their trap!

Qin Li didn't give him a chance to refuse, and asked, "What's wrong? Is Patriarch Pei having some kind of difficulty?"

"No, no!" Pei Yunhe quickly waved his hand and said.

"That's good."

Qin Li said, "Let's continue exploring. This mansion is so big, I want to take a good look around."

Pei Yunhe had no choice but to continue shopping with Qin Li.

……

At the midday banquet, Qin Li sat alone in the main seat.

Apart from Pei Qingluan, the other members of the Pei family have not yet arrived, presumably discussing countermeasures elsewhere.

Since he had nothing better to do, Qin Li took the initiative to talk to Pei Qingluan: "Even now, I still can't tell which side you're on."

Pei Qingluan blinked her big eyes and said, "Of course I'm on His Highness's side."

"But you are a member of the Pei family, and your surname is Pei," Qin Li said.

"I don't have to be surnamed Pei. I can change my surname to Li, just like my father did. From now on, I will be called Li Qingluan."

Seeing Pei Qingluan's directness, Qin Li was becoming increasingly unsure about this girl.

Xia Liu was right yesterday; Pei Qingluan is too unconventional.

Before anyone arrived, Pei Qingluan secretly poured herself a glass of wine, took a small sip, and asked, "Why is Your Highness inviting the six great families to dinner?"

"Want to know?"

Qin Li looked at her and asked.

Pei Qingluan nodded, like a chick pecking at rice.

"I won't tell you unless you tell me your true purpose in deliberately approaching me."

Pei Qingluan frowned: "Who deliberately approached His Highness? I didn't."

"Really not?" Qin Li moved closer.

"No, really."

Pei Qingluan spoke each word carefully, her expression serious.