Chapter 55 It turns out he is Pei Zhao

In addition to showing off, these words also contain an implicit warning.

The Duke and his wife are filial, and Song Lingyi can win the old lady's heart. She will surely enjoy wealth and glory in the future.

A noble lady who could understand wouldn't be foolish enough to go against her, but the round-faced girl in pink didn't understand, and she wasn't one to let it go. She snorted and sneered, "They say girls from remote places tend to be a bit petty, but today I see Sister Song is so generous and decent, not at all like the bad temper the young master said she is."

The Duke's Mansion held a banquet, and everyone was curious about this cousin, so they couldn't help but ask a few more questions.

Song Lingyi clenched her fists under her sleeves, took a deep breath, and said with a fake smile, "I'm new here, and my cousin is just not used to it. Don't take his casual words seriously. If I listen to him, won't it ruin the relationship between us?"

The answer was polite but distant, and in one sentence he directed the criticism at the round-faced girl in pink. She turned pale and was speechless with anger.

Everyone looked at each other awkwardly, and the room was silent for a while.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted from the main hall next door. A noblewoman sitting by the window seemed to have caught a glimpse of something and exclaimed in surprise, "Oh...it's the Second Young Master of the Pei Family!"

When the ladies heard this, they were all delighted and stood up to peek through the doors and windows.

Song Lingyi was the only one indifferent in the room, even showing a hint of disgust.

Why was there all this commotion, like seeing a celebrity at the airport? Pei Jia Erlang was, after all, just a scholar from a good family. How could he deserve such attention from these noble ladies? Did he have horns on his head or a tail behind him?

The girls' attention just happened to be elsewhere. The young girl smiled faintly at the few noble ladies who hadn't had time to squeeze over to see her. "My cousin is still out greeting guests. I can't stay in the side hall all the time. Please do as you please."

After saying that, she knelt down and saluted, then turned and walked towards the door.

When she reached the corridor, the girl heaved a long sigh.

Since she came to this shabby dynasty, her luck has never been good. She used to think that the Lu family was kind and treated her well, so she thought everything was going in the right direction. But today, the gossip of the noble ladies has brought her back to her original state.

The more Song Lingyi thought about it, the angrier she became. However, she couldn't complain to Lu Yu about these trivial matters, so she could only endure it silently.

The front yard was overflowing with guests, and the main hall and flower hall were filled with laughter and the sounds of feasting. Knowing that the group of young men were in the east courtyard, Song Lingyi didn't want to see Lu Qian and deliberately avoided him.

The Duke of Jin's Mansion is located in the outer circle of the imperial city, covering a large area. All the pavilions and towers are elegant, the rockery and pools are beautiful, and the winding corridors with green tiles and red roofs are exquisite.

The girl walked aimlessly along the corridor until she came to an area with flowers and weeping willows. She found a pavilion by the pond, sat there for a while, leaning against the beauty, letting her mind wander.

A gentle breeze blew across the pond, and voices came from the corridor opposite the pavilion.

Song Lingyi looked in the direction of the voice and saw her uncle walking side by side with a young man, talking and laughing happily.

The young man was wearing a moon-colored brocade robe, with his back facing her. He had a slim and beautiful figure. Her specific appearance could not be seen clearly, but he should be young, about twenty years old.

As the two were talking, Lu Tanwei suddenly glanced towards the pavilion and saw his niece sitting alone in it, looking like a poor little thing who was being excluded, and his brows were slightly frowned.

"Lingyi, why are you sitting here? Where are Aqian and Ayu?" These two little bastards were just busy playing by themselves.

The young man turned his head and looked at her. The warm sunlight was shining on him. He just stood there quietly, as elegant as if he was standing on a high platform under the bright moon.

From a distance that was neither too far nor too close, Song Lingyi could just see his appearance clearly. He had long eyebrows and handsome eyes, and his temperament was gentle and noble. At first glance, he looked very familiar... When she thought about it carefully, wasn't he the kind-hearted man she met on the outskirts of Qingshi Town!

While she was thinking, Lu Tanwei had already brought the young man to the outside of the pavilion.

"A Zhao, this is my niece Lingyi. You went to Xuancheng to look for her before. It's a good opportunity to meet her today."

Song Lingyi was thinking a lot. She could see that her uncle was very satisfied with this young man. He must be a young man from an aristocratic family who was on good terms with the Duke's Mansion. How could it be such a coincidence that they met in Kyoto.

Pei Zhao smiled and said, "My lady, I'm Pei Zhao, courtesy name Jianzhi. My family and the Duke's Mansion are old friends. This is our first meeting, so please don't be too abrupt."

“…” Song Lingyi pursed her lips.

It turns out that he is Pei Zhao.

In addition to being stunned, the girl also felt a little uneasy.

When we met on the outskirts of Qingshi Town, she lied and said she was from Ruyang and had encountered robbers on the road and had no choice but to ask for help. If she had told me the truth that day, perhaps there would not have been all the trouble afterwards...

But then she thought about how miserable she had been that day. Even if she returned to the Duke's Mansion, others would inevitably misunderstand her. Women in this dynasty valued their reputations, and if their innocence was tarnished by a misunderstanding, they would be despised and looked down upon.

Seeing Pei Zhao's unfamiliar expression, he probably didn't recognize her.

The girl drooped her eyelashes and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Mr. Pei is well."

The surface of the pond was shimmering with light. The girl smiled up at him, her eyes shining like stars, making it impossible to look away.

Looking at those bright and charming eyes, Pei Zhao's expression froze for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure.

Lu Tanwei didn't notice the subtle atmosphere between the two and said to his niece, "There are many girls around your age here today. Why don't you interact with them and instead sit here alone?"

"I just sat in the side hall for a while and felt stuffy, so I came out to get some fresh air." Song Lingyi said.

There is no point in telling the elders about the quarrels between the little girls. After all, it is not a big deal.

Lu Tanwei didn't think much about it. Coincidentally, a servant came to call him from the corridor. He gave a few simple instructions and left the two juniors to go to the front yard.

A cool breeze blows and the green shade grows thicker.

The atmosphere in the pavilion was quiet. Song Lingyi looked at the elegant young man in front of her, feeling a sense of joy at meeting someone after a long separation.

"Girl." The young man spoke softly, with a gentle and handsome smile, "Have we met somewhere before?"

Song Lingyi lowered her eyes, regained her composure, and subconsciously tried to hide that embarrassing past.

"Really? Why don't I remember?"

Pei Zhao's expression remained as gentle as ever, his smile unwavering: "Maybe I remembered it wrongly."

The atmosphere was stagnant for a moment.

Suddenly, the girl in front of him chuckled, her laughter as clear and moving as the sound of cool spring water.

"What are you laughing at, girl?" Pei Zhao was a little confused.

"Mr. Pei, don't you think that the chatter you just said was cliché?" Although she said this, there was no sarcasm in Song Lingyi's eyes.

Pei Zhao was stunned for a moment, then met those clear, bright eyes. He shook his head and laughed, "It's my fault for being so abrupt that I caused the young lady to misunderstand."

After saying that, he bowed and apologized.

“…” Song Lingyi didn’t expect the other party to think this way.

He originally wanted to liven up the atmosphere and dispel Pei Zhao's doubts, but this man not only looked serious, but was also extremely polite in his words and deeds.