Chapter 73, Pei Duo: "Uncle, you scared her..."

Jiang Ninghui finally boarded the carriage with trepidation. The curtains and windows were drawn, making the inside completely airtight. On the table were all kinds of exquisite pastries, styles she had never seen before.

Even though the person told her not to be reserved and to eat some pastries, Jiang Ninghui still didn't dare to touch them.

The carriage traveled for half an hour before stopping, and Jiang Ninghui heard the man say that they had arrived.

She hesitantly lifted the carriage curtain, and what came into view was a bustling scene she had never seen before. Occasionally, passersby would glance in her direction, making Jiang Ninghui feel uneasy.

She lowered her head in embarrassment, awkwardly clutching her coarse cloth clothes that seemed out of place as she stepped off the carriage and followed the middle-aged man into a grand restaurant she could never have imagined.

Along the way, she had been subjected to too many gazes, and the various looks made Jiang Ninghui feel suffocated in her chest and ashamed. She lowered her head and bit her lip hard, so much so that her almond-shaped eyes were filled with a faint watery light.

The middle-aged man stopped outside the private room and respectfully said to the closed door, "Master, Madam Jiang has arrived."

A deep, cool voice came from inside the private room: "Come in."

The middle-aged man replied, "Yes."

He pushed open the door and led Jiang Ninghui inside.

Jiang Ninghui kept her head down from the moment she stepped out of the carriage, and even after entering the private room, she never looked up.

She was filled with panic and unease, wondering who was looking for her and what connection they had with Pei Duo.

Before she could think further, that deep, pleasant voice rang out again from inside the room: "Is Madam Jiang afraid of me?"

Jiang Ninghui subconsciously shook her head: "...I'm not afraid."

The man's voice was like a cold winter wind; though his tone was calm and even, it carried a chilling indifference: "If that's the case, why don't you raise your head and speak?"

Jiang Ninghui hesitated before raising her head, and when she saw the person opposite her, her expression suddenly froze.

The man was wearing an indigo blue cross-collar robe with cloud-patterned trim on the collar and sleeves. His black hair was half-up and half-down, and he looked to be around thirty years old. He was extremely handsome, with a pair of clear, dark eyes.

The man picked up the teapot, and with his other slender, fair hand, he lightly brushed his sleeve and poured a cup of tea into the teacup. His every move exuded an innate air of noble arrogance.

The sound of tea flowing into the teacup brought Jiang Ninghui, who was in a daze, back to her senses.

She quickly lowered her head, her delicate eyebrows furrowing involuntarily.

The man looked very familiar, but she was certain she had never seen him before.

Jiang Ninghui recalled that the middle-aged man said that this person had a connection with Pei Duo. She finally understood why this person looked familiar. His eyebrows and eyes were extremely similar to Pei Duo's, and even the cold and aloof feeling he had was very similar.

The man said, "Madam Jiang, please sit down."

Jiang Ninghui walked over and sat down opposite him.

The man said, "May I be called, Madam Jiang?" He paused for a moment, then looked up at the overly honest and timid woman opposite him: "Thank you, Second Master Xie."

Jiang Ninghui was startled and suddenly looked up, unexpectedly meeting the man's deep, dark eyes.

Second Master Xie?

Is your surname Xie?

Aunt Xie's surname was also Xie, and he looked remarkably similar to Pei Duo. Jiang Ninghui stared in astonishment: "You are Young Master Pei's...uncle?"

Master Xie: "That kid doesn't look like me?"

Jiang Ninghui couldn't help but glance at the man's cold and handsome features again, then realized that it was extremely impolite of her to look at him like that, and quickly lowered her head: "Yes, it does."

She had never known what kind of background the Pei family had, that even the dignified prefect was wary of Pei Duo. Now that she knew that Pei Duo's uncle was in the capital, she figured that Second Master Xie must have quite a status there. She had heard her mother-in-law say before that Aunt Xie was a fallen heiress who was rescued by Uncle Pei. Now it seemed that Aunt Xie was indeed a heiress, but her supposed fall from grace was a lie.

My mother-in-law said that the Pei family receives several distinguished guests dressed in fine clothes every year.

It must be Aunt Xie's relatives in Kyoto.

Pei Duo has an excellent family background and natural talent, and he also has a powerful uncle in the capital. Even if he doesn't take the imperial examination, he will have a bright future. Not to mention that he is intelligent and will definitely win the imperial examination. His future is even more immeasurable.

Neither her nor her husband were the same kind of people as Pei Duo.

Her entanglement with Pei Duo will end in just two months. At that time, they will go their separate ways and have no further connection.

The private room was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, and the doors and windows were closed, with only occasional footsteps passing by outside.

Master Xie picked up his teacup, took a sip, and slightly raised his eyelids, glancing at the reserved and uneasy woman opposite him.

Honest and timid, illiterate, and already married—

Such a woman, yet she made his nephew fall head over heels for her.

His nephew had refused to come to Kyoto for the past year, wanting only to stay with this ordinary woman. He had gone to great lengths to get her to stay with him willingly.

However, this kid was luckier than him.

At least he can get the person he sets his sights on with some effort.

Master Xie put down his teacup: "Madam Jiang, you haven't been here long since you came from Longchang. Do you know how my elder sister is doing these days?"

Jiang Ninghui: "Aunt Xie is in good health, Uncle Pei is in good health, and both of them are doing well."

Master Xie rubbed the rim of the cup with his fingertips, a faint, cold smile curving his lips.

Who asked that illiterate brute?

His life or death is none of his business.

He hoped that the brute would die soon, so that he could take the opportunity to bring his sister back to the capital.

The man lifted his eyelids and looked at the woman: "Does Madam Jiang know why I invited you here?"

Jiang Ninghui's soft hand, which was resting on her lap, suddenly curled up. Second Master Xie knew her name. His sudden invitation to her must be for Pei Duo. Perhaps... perhaps Second Master Xie already knew about her and Pei Duo?

Thinking of this, Jiang Ninghui felt as if an invisible hand was clenching her heart tightly. A slight, aching pain followed, along with shame and embarrassment. Her head drooped even lower, her fingertips clenched until they turned white, and her slender back trembled almost imperceptibly.

It's likely that Second Master Xie thought she had seduced Pei Duo, causing Pei Duo to become entangled with a mere woman like her, which is why he invited her here.

But... Jiang Ninghui didn't know how to explain the complicated entanglement between her and Pei Duo.

It would be a lie to say that she didn't take advantage of Pei Duo.

Pei Duo helped her husband pass the exam and helped her overcome the calamity left for her by the fortune teller. Shamelessly, she agreed to Pei Duo's request and allowed the man who loved her to live under the same roof with her.

These were originally secrets between her and Pei Duo, but this shameful affair reached the ears of Pei Duo's uncle.

If Jiang Ninghui was merely reserved and uneasy just now, she was now so ashamed and embarrassed that she wanted to crawl into a hole. She was already a married woman and older than Pei Duo. To have done such a thing with Pei Duo, who was younger than her, and to be invited to the scene by his elders, Jiang Ninghui wished she could bite her tongue and commit suicide.

She bit her lip tightly, unable to utter a single word.

She waited for Master Xie to scold her, mock her, and accuse her of shamelessly flirting with another man behind her husband's back and doing something immoral. But instead of these things, she only received a casual remark from Master Xie: "It seems that Madam Jiang already knows."

Jiang Ninghui's fingertips clenched so tightly they were stiff, numb, and she didn't even feel the pain when her fingernails pierced her palms.

She heard Master Xie ask again, "What are Madam Jiang's plans for the future?"

Jiang Ninghui felt a tightness in her throat and a sensation as if a wad of cotton was stuck in her chest, making it difficult to breathe.

She loosened her tightly clenched lower lip and whispered, "I will return to Xiping Village after my husband finishes his imperial examination."

Master Xie poured another cup of tea, and smiled, "You're quite generous."

Jiang Ninghui remained silent, feeling that she could hardly sit still any longer.

The private room was unusually quiet, but it became increasingly noisy outside.

Outside the restaurant, the Minister of Rites led Zhao Zhixue down from the carriage and said to him, "When we get to the private room on the second floor, I'll introduce you to some of my colleagues who I'm on good terms with. By the way, one of them is quite fond of you. You met him when you visited my residence last time, and you also met his daughter. I remember you seemed to have exchanged a few words with her. Do you remember?"

Zhao Zhixue immediately guessed who the Minister of Rites was referring to.

It was Li Fu, whom he had spoken a few words to at the banquet that day, but he never knew which noble family she came from.

Upon hearing this, he tentatively asked, "Your Excellency, who is that Lord Na?"

Minister of Rites: "Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review"

Zhao Zhixue was quite surprised that Li Fu was the daughter of the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, who was a fourth-rank official in the court. Hearing from the Minister of Rites that the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review had a high opinion of him, Zhao Zhixue couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.

He had always felt that his luck was bad, that he was inferior to Pei Duo in every way, and that he was always overshadowed by Pei Duo in everything. But things were different now. The Minister appreciated him, and the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review appreciated him. Although his talent and family background were not as good as Pei Duo's, he was still superior to Pei Duo in terms of connections.

Just as the two were about to step into the restaurant, they suddenly heard the sound of approaching hooves.

Zhao Zhixue turned his head and saw Pei Duo, dressed in a light blue robe, riding towards him. The young man had a cold face and a stern look. He dismounted, casually tossed the reins to the servants who came forward, and headed straight for the restaurant.

The young man walked with a brisk pace, as if he had something extremely urgent to attend to.

Before Zhao Zhixue could stop him, the Minister of Rites beside him hurriedly bowed to Pei Duo and called out, "Young Master Pei."

Pei Duo acted as if he hadn't heard them, and went straight up to the second floor, bypassing the two of them.

Zhao Zhixue froze, his gaze fixed on Pei Duo's retreating figure.

He stiffly turned to look at the Minister of Rites: "Why did Your Excellency perform such a grand ceremony for him?"

Zhao Zhixue, who had finally surpassed Pei Duo in terms of connections, was struck by this scene as if by a slap in the face. This bloody reality told him that even in terms of connections, he was no match for Pei Duo!

Then the Minister said, "This young master Pei's uncle—" The Minister paused, then continued, "His official rank is higher than mine, so I naturally have to pay my respects when I meet him."

Zhao Zhixue stood frozen in place, as if struck by lightning, completely bewildered.

The Pei family even has a relative who is an official in the capital, and his official position is even higher than that of the Minister of Rites!

Uncle Pei was just a镖师 (bodyguard/escort), and Aunt Xie was just a poor young lady. Zhao Zhixue recalled what the Minister had just said about Young Master Pei's uncle. Could it be that Aunt Xie was not a poor young lady, but rather his sister who held a high-ranking official position in the capital?

If that's the case, why did Aunt Xie marry Uncle Pei?

And why did the couple choose to live in the remote Xiping Village instead of the bustling and scenic capital city?

Thinking back to yesterday when he first arrived in Kyoto, he told Pei Duo that he was not familiar with Kyoto. He was afraid that Pei Duo must have been laughing at him in his heart at that time!

He only gained the favor of the Minister of Rites through the recommendation of the prefect, a position he had to climb with utmost respect and caution to reach, while Pei Duo was born with it. The only advantage he felt he possessed over Pei Duo now seemed like a joke!

Zhao Zhixue felt a surge of resentment and jealousy, as well as hatred for the injustice of God!

But he couldn't help but wonder, the Minister of Rites was a third-rank official, and he said that Pei Duo's uncle held a higher rank than him. Could his uncle be a second-rank or first-rank official? If so, why did Pei Duo still need to take the imperial examination? Wouldn't it be better if he could get an official position with just a word from his uncle?

Zhao Zhixue suddenly remembered something else. No wonder Pei Duo knew the questions for the provincial examination. It turned out that it wasn't because he was intelligent enough to predict them in advance, but because his uncle had leaked the questions to him beforehand!

Pei Duo helped him time and time again, providing him with exam-related questions; he must have been pitying him!

His uncle held a high-ranking official position, so he could get whatever he wanted with ease. A little bit of what he let slip through his fingers could be something that he could never obtain even after a lifetime of struggle. Therefore, Pei Duo, who had lived with him for a year, probably laughed at him every day, watching him act like a clown, accepting his charity and then expecting him to be grateful!

Zhao Zhixue was filled with hatred!

But what good is hatred?

Now that he knows Pei Duo's identity and that the article he gave him must be the questions for the provincial examination, he cannot afford to fall out with Pei Duo or let him see through his disguise. He still needs Pei Duo to get the questions for the palace examination to help him pass with flying colors!

Zhao Zhixue suddenly heard the Minister of Rites say, "Just now, the way you looked at me seemed to indicate that you knew Young Master Pei?"

Zhao Zhixue smiled and said, "We are more than just acquaintances. We come from the same place and our two families have been neighbors for more than ten years. We also grew up together since childhood. However, I did not know that Brother Pei's uncle was in the capital."

The Minister of Rites stroked his beard and gave Zhao Zhixue a meaningful look: "I see. Let's go, we should go to the second floor."

Zhao Zhixue respectfully replied, "Okay."

Inside the private room on the second floor, Jiang Ninghui was restless.

After Master Xie said, "You're quite willing to spend money," the two did not exchange another word.

She hesitated, unsure how to tell Master Xie that she wanted to leave, when the middle-aged man's voice came from outside: "Young Master Pei."

Before she could finish speaking, the closed door to the private room was pushed open from the outside, and Jiang Ninghui heard Second Master Xie laugh.

She turned her head and saw Pei Duo walking towards her. The young man's dark eyes were fixed on her, as if he wanted to stare a flower into her face. Jiang Ninghui felt embarrassed and uncomfortable under his gaze, and quickly lowered her head to avoid Pei Duo's gaze.

His uncle is still here, watching him and her. How could he be so bold and presumptuous?

Jiang Ninghui became increasingly restless.

She wanted to get up and leave.

Stay far away from this restaurant, from Master Xie, from Pei Duo, and from them all.

But her legs felt like they were made of lead, and she couldn't move an inch. Her buttocks also seemed to be nailed to the chair, unable to budge an inch.

Pei Duo saw Jiang Ninghui as soon as he entered the room, and he also noticed her pale face and the watery look in her eyes.

The young man's broad, sparse eyebrows suddenly furrowed slightly.

He stepped forward, pulled up a chair, and sat down next to Jiang Ninghui. His knees were pressed against the woman's tightly closed legs, and he took her two tightly clenched hands into his own palms. He glanced at Xie Erye with a cool look and said, "Uncle, you scared her."

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Author's Note: There's a red envelope in this chapter! Update will be before 5 PM tomorrow! [Sprinkling flowers]