Did Miss become a nun today?

As the two exited the palace gates, they happened to run into Meng Qi'an, who stepped forward and bowed to them.

"Your Highness Prince Su, Vice Minister Pei."

"Meng Hanlin, what a coincidence! I was just inviting Changyu to my residence for tea. Would you like to join us?" Zhao Zhang said with a smile.

"Then I shall respectfully comply."

Pei Changyu's smile deepened, but his eyes darkened.

Meng Qi'an looked at him, "Why is Vice Minister Pei looking at me like that?"

"It's nothing, I just think that Hanlin Meng is truly a man of exceptional talent and learning, worthy of His Majesty's high regard."

"Vice Minister Pei is too kind. I am not as capable as you."

Prince Su looked between the two men, as if he understood something, and a smile curved his lips.

Wow, what a promising young man! He has the same flair he had back in the day.

The carriages and horses traveled along the long street, but the interior was quiet.

Zhao Zhang waved his fan, in a good mood.

Oh dear, after Pei Changyu, I've discovered another interesting person.

Let them fight it out, let them taste the bitterness of unrequited love.

Prince Su looked outside and exclaimed, "Eh?" "Changyu, isn't that your second brother?"

The two followed his gaze and saw Pei Changfeng, with Su Yu and Su Yao beside him.

"Your brother isn't really going to marry Su Yao, is he? Look at her, that girl's eyes are glued to him."

"He's quite popular with girls."

He has two younger cousins ​​at home and a Miss Su outside the family. He's very fortunate.

"I remember that Meng Hanlin and the second young master of the Pei family were close friends?"

Meng Qi'an shook his head, "We were indeed good friends before, but now... we rarely see each other."

Pei Changfeng and Su Yu were getting close, and he had tried to persuade them twice, but they wouldn't listen, so he stopped saying anything.

Pei Changyu stared outside, his already bad mood getting even worse.

Last time, the Ministry of Revenue investigated merchant ships, but the investigation ultimately came down to their own people.

He closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose, and thought, "This idiot."

The carriage entered the Prince Su's residence, where Zhao Zhang lavishly entertained them with fine wine and food.

After a few rounds of drinks, he was a little drunk and started talking without thinking. "Changyu, did you even listen to what I told you today? If you don't hurry, it'll be too late."

"Thank you for the reminder, Your Highness. I understand."

Upon hearing this, she turned to Meng Qi'an and said, "Meng Hanlin, you too... you'd better hurry up, or someone will snatch you away."

Meng Qi'an smiled and responded, but his answer was completely different from Pei Changyu's: "Your Highness, what are you saying? I can't bear to treat the girl I love like that."

Prince Su was so drunk he could barely stand, so the two men helped him up and took him back to his bedroom.

There weren't many servants in the Prince Su's mansion, and today there wasn't a single one in sight. Meng Qi'an handed the servants over to Pei Changyu and went out to call for help.

Zhao Zhang groggily opened his eyes, grabbed Pei Changyu and whispered, "Changyu, if you have any difficulties, just tell me, and I will definitely help you."

Pei Changyu assumed he was just drunk and replied, "I understand."

Meng Qi'an searched the entire mansion but couldn't find any servants, so Pei Changyu had to go himself.

After the man left, Prince Su pulled Meng Qi'an aside and repeated the same words, finally asking again and again, "You're new to the court and don't have many connections. It must be difficult for you to marry that girl. Don't you really need any help?"

"I think you're a good match... so I don't mind lending you a hand."

Meng Qi'an lowered his eyes, "Your Highness is busy with many affairs of state, so there is no need to trouble Your Highness with such trivial matters."

"It's always more sincere to do these things yourself."

When Pei Changyu returned, he brought his steward with him, and the two finally took their leave.

Once the person was gone, the steward looked outside to make sure he could no longer see their back before saying, "Your Highness, they've all left."

Zhao Zhang sat up, dusted off his sleeves, and looked in the direction the two had left.

The steward chuckled, "Young Master Pei is of a calm and composed nature. Why does Your Highness need to test him so many times?"

"You don't understand," Zhao Zhang said jokingly. "That kid is good at pretending. People like that need to be let go of their madness. It's so interesting."

"And... what about that Young Master Meng?" the steward asked.

"Meng Qi'an seems to be a gentleman at the moment, but I don't know how long he can maintain this gentlemanly demeanor."

The steward sighed, "When will His Highness change his temperament?"

They love watching the drama unfold. They're both officials of the imperial court; what if they actually start fighting?

Zhao Zhang loved watching plays, but the plays on stage were too boring. The more a calm and self-controlled person was pushed to the point of losing control, the more interesting it became.

If he can't have it, why should anyone else?

Even if you get it, you'll have to peel off a layer of skin first.

*

Pei Changyu and Meng Qi'an left the Prince Su's residence with normal expressions, but their eyes had already clashed several times.

"I heard Miss Xie has entered the Eastern Palace. Didn't Vice Minister Pei go to see her?"

This sounds normal, but on the day Xie Yun Chu entered the palace, the Crown Prince issued a decree that the two young masters of the Pei family were not allowed to come.

Meng Qi'an seemed to just realize what was happening. "I apologize, I forgot the rules of the Crown Prince's Palace."

He cupped his hands in greeting, smiling broadly, "Tomorrow I will be discussing state affairs with His Highness the Crown Prince. I will certainly convey my regards to Vice Minister Pei then."

Having said that, he turned and got into the carriage, heading back home.

Pei Changyu gracefully boarded the carriage. In the secluded spot, he couldn't maintain the smile on his lips.

Guan Yun dared not make a sound, but then she heard a voice from inside, "Have you seen where Changfeng went?"

"Reporting to young master, we went to the teahouse on Suzaku Street."

"Go, tie them up."

Guan Yun wanted to say something more, but in the end she didn't dare to speak and left in response.

When they returned to the Marquis's residence, the person had already been taken to the ancestral hall. When Marquis Zhaoping and Cen Jingyan heard that their eldest son had tied up their second son and taken him to the ancestral hall, they knew that things had gotten out of hand.

Pei Changfeng was bound hand and foot, gagged, and struggled for a long time until his elder brother came in and he fell silent.

Pei Changyu sat to one side and instructed the two servants who came in behind him, "Let's get started."

The two servants didn't hold back either, lashing him with their whips one after another, tearing his skin and flesh. At first, he could still scream, but later he lost his voice and passed out.

"Splash it to wake me up."

A bucket of cold water was poured over him, and Pei Changfeng was barely breathing, unable to utter a single word. Yet Pei Changyu still asked, "Do you know your mistake?"

What mistake? Pei Changfeng was still in a daze, not knowing what he had done wrong. He hadn't done anything these past few days, could it be because of the provocation he had caused last time?

What's the big deal? Why are you so angry?

"What did you say to Su Yu today? Did you leak information about the Ministry of Revenue's merchant ships? Or did you report the actual amount of military pay?"

"Second brother is really generous, sharing all the information he gathered from his own family with Su Yu. Should we hand over the entire Marquis's mansion to the Su family as well?"

Pei Changyu's face was gloomy. He had been suffering from insomnia for days and already had a headache. Now he was even more irritable.