Marrying a treacherous official

Yunji discerned a deeper meaning in Pei Yun's paused words.

He recognized himself at a glance.

She had no other distracting thoughts; she only wanted to get back to the Gu residence before the city gates closed to avoid any unforeseen complications.

"I appreciate General Pei's kindness, but I'm in a hurry to get on my way and can't afford to be so particular."

Yunji looked at him with a cold expression and said, "Please, General Pei, allow me to pass."

As Pei Yun listened to the clear, melodious voice that washed over him, he thought about how she had spoken to him again after three years.

"Wait a quarter of an hour, and we'll release you after the remaining smoke is cleared."

He ordered his soldiers to move the fire downwind, clear away the debris, and bury it nearby.

Yunji nodded to him in greeting and then continued on her way.

Pei Yun grabbed the horse that the guard had brought, mounted it, and rode after the three of them.

Seeing that he was relentlessly chasing after him from behind, Huo Xi turned around, brandished his sword, and stood in the middle of the official road.

"Why did General Pei follow us into the city?"

"I have something to ask Gu Jinyu."

"Young Master Gu—!"

Huo Xi shouted these words with a booming voice, and said to Gu Jinyu, "You stay here and have a good chat with General Pei. We'll be going now."

Gu Jinyu reined in his horse and stopped it by the roadside, helplessly watching Huo Xi catch up with his elder sister and leave him far behind.

Pei Yun rode over and led him at a distance.

"Why did she leave the city gate? Was she mistreated by Cui Zemin?"

"no."

Gu Jinyu didn't want to talk to him about his elder sister, since she was already married and his concern would only damage her reputation.

"Then tell me, why didn't Cui Zemin accompany her out of the city gate?"

Seeing that he closed his mouth with a troubled expression, seemingly saying nothing, Pei Yun said everything: "What is this if not mistreatment?"

The two entered the city in silence.

Pei Yun whispered to him, "She can come to me if she needs anything."

Gu Jinyu flatly refused, saying, "Even if my elder sister has something to do, she won't come to you."

"But you can come to me."

Pei Yun looked at him resolutely, a look that Gu Jinyu knew all too well, so well that he couldn't say "no".

Back in Qianzhou, my father and Pei Gong were very close friends, and he arranged for my eldest sister to marry Pei Yun early on.

Pei Yun would visit her every few days. Even if he couldn't meet his elder sister, he would at least catch a glimpse of her from afar. Whenever things didn't go as planned, he would come to her.

He would either give his elder sister a hand-carved jade hairpin or bring her fresh candied fruit. He would always try to curry favor with his elder sister with anything he could offer.

Gu Jinyu had been their messenger since childhood, and it turned out he would continue to be one as an adult.

The old friendship was so heavy that he couldn't refuse when Pei Yun asked him to pass on a message.

Pei Yun reined in his horse and stopped outside the main gate of the Gu residence, watching Yun Ji's figure enter through the side gate and disappear from sight.

"Ayu, protect her well."

"Brother Pei, I know what to do."

After Gu Jinyu left, Pei Yun waited outside the Gu residence until dark, reluctant to leave.

He was haunted by a nightmare for three whole years.

In his dream, the flames roared upwards, the pine wood crackled and popped as he watched the beams, pillars, and bricks around him crumble, and he called out her name with all his might.

The Cui mansion, engulfed in flames, remained silent.

The guard knelt on the ground and swore on his death that Madam Cui was hiding in this main courtyard.

He watched as the suicide bombers who rushed in were engulfed in flames and retreated in panic. He stumbled backward, repeatedly hesitating, and watched helplessly as the fire consumed the entire building.

When all hope was lost, Cui Zemin carried her through the sea of ​​fire and out of the burning place.

He could never forget the look in her eyes when she lifted her cloak and looked at him, a look that was completely unfamiliar, as if there had never been any connection between them.

Later, he consulted a master who interpreted the dream. After pondering for a long time, the master could only sigh.

"The love from a past life is not yet over."

He remembered those words vividly.

In his previous life, after Cui Zemin died by a sword, he climbed to the pinnacle of power, and he stood smiling until the very end.

As long as he can wait, she will still become his woman, just like in her previous life.

Madam Gu visited the villa twice during the day, but failed to see Yunji either time.

Hua Chao either said that the lady had gone to pay her respects to the old lady, or that the lady had just fallen asleep during her afternoon nap. In short, it was all bad timing, and she made two unnecessary trips back and forth.

She arrived just before dinner this time, and as soon as she entered, she saw Yunji sitting in front of her dressing table doing her makeup. She smiled and teased her:

"I also said that if you don't wake up soon, I won't leave you that jar of cherry omelet; I'll give it to Shan'er as a treat later."

"Since Auntie has said so, that jar of cherry omelet is definitely mine."

Looking through the bronze mirror, Yunji smiled at Madam Gu and said, "Where's my cherry pancake? Auntie, you didn't come in empty-handed, did you?"

Madam Gu sat down on the round stool that Hua Chao had brought over, took the jar of cherry juice from Granny You's hand, and fed it to her one cherry at a time.

"Fortunately, I listened to your advice and declined the marriage proposal from the He family. A few days ago, the second son of the He family got into trouble."

"What happened?"

With a cherry in her mouth, Yunji pressed for an answer.

Madam Gu Er said with a sense of relief:

"Before the New Year, the second master of the He family went to a brothel to visit prostitutes. Perhaps he drank too much and became so drunk that he was unconscious. When he reached Yunqi Bridge, he started acting crazy and stripped himself naked. This was seen by passersby, and the news spread like wildfire throughout the neighborhood."

Upon hearing this, Yunji knew that it was Cui Zeming who had done this.

She feigned concern, saying, "What girl would want to marry someone like that in the future?"

Madam Gu nodded in agreement, then leaned close to her ear and chuckled:

"Your second uncle was very insistent on marrying Shan'er into the He family. After this incident, he didn't dare to say a word about it. He has to watch my face in everything. Not to mention Shan'er's marriage, I make all the decisions, big and small, in this mansion."

Yunji was reminded of the important matter after her reminder.

"Does Second Uncle know that Aunt is stockpiling grain outside?"

"Your second uncle never gets involved in the shop's affairs; I haven't told him yet."

After pondering for a long time, Madam Gu discussed it with her:

"The fields north of the Huai River have all been affected by the disaster. Now the price of grain in the city has soared. It is time to sell grain. I am thinking that I should sell all the grain I have stockpiled so that it will not rot in the granary."

"Auntie, we should save this grain for later."

Yunji secretly planned everything: "This grain isn't for making money, but for getting my second uncle promoted."