Chapter 40: Deception

"Are you really not angry?" Zhuang Wan asked.

“…I’m not angry.”

After a moment of patience, Pei Xingju asked, "Is that all he said?"

"Yeah." Zhuang Wan nodded. "I was going to say that, but you came to pick me up."

Pei Xingju frowned and looked at the incense burner on the coffee table, not knowing what he was thinking, and remained silent.

After a while, he snapped his fingers, and there was a slight sound of the stove cover, and the incense in the stove went out.

A gust of wind blew, and the clouds and mist in front of Zhuang Wan dissipated, and everything became clear.

She was stunned for a moment, as if she had temporarily lost some of her memory. She turned around and saw Pei Xingju standing outside the window with an unhappy look on his face. She jumped in fright.

"Yuzhi, why didn't you say anything when you came?"

"Is there something you want to talk to me about?" Zhuang Wan asked again.

"What are you doing?" Pei Xingju asked.

Zhuang Wan quickly put the blueprint away and said with a wry smile, "I was just looking at it casually. I've been enjoying shopping lately, so I thought I'd go somewhere else sometime."

Pei Xingju nodded, then took out a sandalwood box from his sleeve and handed it over.

"For me?"

"Your birthday gift." Pei Xingju said.

He had prepared it long ago, but something unexpected happened during the day, so he didn't give it to her.

"Yuzhi treats me so well." Zhuang Wan's expression softened instantly, and she winked slyly, "What's the gift?"

Pei Xingju smiled faintly.

Zhuang Wan weighed the box inconspicuously and found it a little heavy, so she was secretly happy.

Giving gifts is the best way to build closer relationships. Zhuang Wan, who had benefited from it, warmly invited him, "Yuzhi, would you like to come in and sit down? I made some cakes this afternoon that you like."

Pei Xingju was in a complicated mood and had no appetite for pastries.

"No need, I have something else to do."

After saying that, he turned and left.

Zhuang Wan pretended to see him out of the yard, but when she saw him go away, she immediately ran back to open the birthday gift.

When the box was opened, a piece of emerald green jade was seen lying inside.

Qiu Tan came over and exclaimed, "Wow, Miss, this is really good jade."

"You understand?"

"My hometown is a jade producing area. This piece of jade has a rich, pure, and even color, and it has plenty of water. It's obviously top-notch jade."

Zhuang Wan was delighted when she heard this and asked in a low voice, "Then how much do you think this is worth?"

Qiu Tan thought for a moment and said, "They say gold has a price but jade is priceless. It should be worth a thousand taels."

Zhuang Wan immediately and carefully closed the box. "Qiutan, go find a sturdy sachet later, preferably one that can be hung around your neck."

She had to hide such precious jade well, as she would rely on it to buy a house and keep a lover for the rest of her life.

.

Here, Pei Xingju returned to the study, and Xue Gang stood beside him with his fists clasped, trying hard to suppress a smile.

Pei Xingju sat back at the table with an expressionless face and took care of the chores.

Xue Gang smiled to himself for a while, then seeing that he looked unhappy, he said with a stern look, "I have something else to do, so I'll be leaving first."

After going out, he met Chen Yi who came rushing over.

Chen Yi asked, "What good thing happened to you?"

Xue Gang recounted how Pei Xingju had tested Zhuang Wan, and Chen Yi clapped his hands in laughter.

He was not polite at all and laughed very loudly.

"He has come to this day!"

When investigating Zhuang Wan, the relationship between her and Liang Jinxian was already clear to him. Liang Jinxian's words must have been intentional, and there might even be a provocative meaning in them.

Pei Xingju originally went there to get some information, but he unexpectedly got himself cuckolded. Although the cuckold was fake, it was still disgusting enough.

The more Shen Yi thought about it, the funnier it became.

After a while, he entered the study and saw Pei Xing reading official documents seriously. He coughed.

"The moon is beautiful tonight. Why are you working hard here by candlelight instead of going out to meet your beloved on this beautiful day?"

Pei Xingju ignored him and said, "If you have something to say, please tell me."

Chen Yi restrained his expression and spoke seriously, "The Lu State delegation will arrive in Beijing the day after tomorrow, along with the second prince and fourth princess of Lu State. This is the proposal for the ceremony sent by the Ministry of Rites. Please take a look..."

.

The moonlight is bright and the courtyard is quiet.

Liang Jinxian walked through the corridor with his hands behind his back, but suddenly heard someone speaking not far away.

"Where did you go?"

He stopped, turned and walked towards the man.

"Father, why are you still awake so late?"

Duke Xin stood at the entrance, his brows scowling. "You also know it's too late?"

Liang Jinxian didn't respond.

"You just had your coming-of-age ceremony last month. You're twenty now, and you'll be entering the government in the second half of the year. I'll leave you alone in the past, but once you enter the court, you must put aside your chaotic thoughts."

"My son knows."

Duke Xin looked at him seriously, and after a moment, he suddenly laughed.

"Your personality is exactly like mine back then. Among the seven brothers, you have the most stubborn temper, but you're also the smartest."

"However," he said, adopting a rare fatherly tone, "Intelligence must be used in the right place. I know what you've been doing, but twenty years have passed. Even if you find it, it's meaningless."

"A smart person should be able to see clearly what is most important to him."

Liang Jinxian bowed and said, "Son, I understand. I will never forget your teachings."

Recalling something, Duke Xin instructed, "The Lu Kingdom delegation will visit the day after tomorrow. The Ministry of Rites and the Honglu Temple will jointly receive them, with Jingzhao Prefecture also assisting. The Empress Dowager has recommended you to the Emperor. This is your first assignment before entering the officialdom. Get it done!"

"Yes, son, I will do my best."

"Yes." Duke Xin nodded: "Go ahead."

After returning to the house, Liang Jinxian threw the folding fan behind him and the servant hurriedly caught it.

When opening the wardrobe, he paused slowly.

After a moment, he took out an old sachet and examined it carefully between his fingertips.

"My Lord," the servant said, "this sachet is old, do you want to replace it? The other day, Madam asked the embroiderer to bring it to you..."

Liang Jinxian's eyes became fierce, and he suddenly pinched the servant's neck.

He could only hear the sound of bones creaking, and the servant was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat. He didn't understand what he had said wrong to make the prince angry.

He begged for mercy in a hoarse voice: "I was wrong... I know I was wrong..."

After a while, Liang Jinxian slowly let go.

His brows darkened: "From now on, don't try to be smart in front of this prince!"

"Yes, yes, I won't dare to do it again!"

.

That night, Zhuang Wan placed the jade under her pillow.

Perhaps it was because she had a pillow made of a thousand taels of silver, that she slept extremely comfortably. In her dream, she had several more lovers, some handsome, some pretty, some clingy, some coquettish.

After a happy night, I woke up the next day feeling a little guilty.

Although she had no choice but to do so in order to survive, Pei Xingju didn't owe her anything. She cheated him of his money and sex... Ugh! What are you talking about!

After a while, she jumped up.

Forget it, I'll make some sweets for him before I leave, as compensation.

.

Today was a day off, so Pei Xingju didn't need to go to court. He got up early and practiced sword in the yard.

After it was over, Guard Lu came over and said, "Sir, this is a letter sent by carrier pigeon from the south. It arrived early this morning."

Pei Xingju took the letter, read it quickly, and asked, "Where is Xue Gang?"

"He was out of town last night and should be back by now."

"Go and call him."

"yes."

Pei Xingju put away his sword and hung it on the wall, then went straight to the clean room to bathe.

Not long after, someone knocked on the door.

Thinking it was Xue Gang, Pei Xingju said, "Come in."

He stood up and wrapped himself in a long towel. "You were out of town last night? How was the investigation?"

After he finished speaking, the person who came didn't say anything, so he turned around suspiciously.

The next moment, he froze when he met Zhuang Wan's surprised gaze.