Chapter Thirty-Two

The Ningguo Duke's Mansion.

Xu Peiyi received an invitation with Gao Wenchang's name on it, inviting her to a winter outing to the outskirts of Beijing in three days.

She held the invitation in her hand, her bright red nail polish tapping it lightly, her expression shifting unpredictably. Even the maid who had served her for many years dared not utter a word.

After a long pause, Xu Peiyi said, "Since he sincerely invited me, then I will go."

*

Three days later, Gao Wenchang invited a group of friends to drink and visit him in a garden in the suburbs.

Xu Peiyi attended Gao Wenchang's banquet in full regalia, dressed in a crimson embroidered silk skirt with gold embroidery, over which she wore a sable fur cloak, and adorned with a glass hairpin with a luminous pearl on her head.

When Gao Wenchang saw Xu Peiyi arrive, a hint of amazement flashed in his eyes, followed by deep affection. "Peiyi, you've come. I've prepared the best seat for you, and your favorite Jade Dew Nectar."

Jade Dew Nectar is a wine made by Lady Lin, the most famous winemaker in the capital. It is extremely luxurious, requiring 300 shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain to brew a small bowl, and it also contains many precious ingredients that are not known to outsiders.

Xu Peiyi's favorite drink is this kind of expensive wine with a slightly sweet taste. She feels that only this kind of wine is worthy of her status.

As expected, Xu Peiyi nodded indifferently after hearing Gao Wenchang's words and took her seat at the banquet.

Gao Wenchang nodded helplessly, as if he were used to it, and gave a wry smile to the onlookers.

Her expression seemed to say that she was just being willful and there was nothing I could do about it.

Not long after, Gu Baozhu arrived and sat down next to Xu Peiyi.

This was a privilege given to her by Xu Peiyi. According to Gu Baozhu's status, she shouldn't have been able to sit in such a good position, but because Xu Peiyi liked Gu Baozhu, she always let her sit next to her.

With everyone present, Gao Wenchang merely nodded slightly to Gu Baozhu, showing no sign of overstepping his bounds.

“Peiyi, I really envy you. Young Master Gao treats you so well, letting you sit at the head of the banquet. What an honor! With such a husband, all the women in the world would envy you.”

Gu Baozhu's words were sincere and heartfelt. Of course she was envious; otherwise, why would she steal someone else's fiancé behind their back?

Xu Peiyi stared at Gu Baozhu's beautiful face, and wanted to tear off the mask that Gu Baozhu had been wearing all along. She wanted to ask her, "Do you have a heart?"

How many times have I stood up for you over the years? How many noble ladies and socialites in Beijing have I offended? I can't even count them on one hand.

A while ago, I even stood up for you and made the Princess of Dingbei publicly wear a straitjacket. What a disgrace that was! Did I ever blame you?

Gu Baozhu, you have no heart, so don't blame me for being heartless.

Just as Gu Baozhu was feeling uneasy under Xu Peiyi's gaze, Xu Peiyi suddenly looked away and said calmly, "Really? But I feel he's not good enough to me."

Gu Baozhu's face twitched slightly, but she quickly put on a smile again. "How could that be? Young Master Gao is really good to you. In the capital, where else can you find a husband who treats his wife so well? Peiyi, you should cherish Young Master Gao."

Xu Peiyi nodded absentmindedly. "Isn't this how it should be? I am the daughter of a Duke and the granddaughter of a princess. My family background is far superior to his. You should know that although he is the son of a Marquis, his mother was actually a merchant's daughter. He was just a concubine's son born out of wedlock. His mother died early, which is why he was registered under the name of the Marquis of Longyi. If I didn't like him, he wouldn't even be worthy of carrying my shoes. He doesn't need to flatter me; plenty of others will be eager to flatter me. It is Gao Wenchang's honor to be my fiancé."

Xu Peiyi's stunningly beautiful eyes swept over Gu Baozhu's flustered gaze. "Baozhu, if you like him, I'll give him to you. I've seen plenty of men like this who are eager to have their way with you."

Xu Peiyi's words were a mix of truth and falsehood, and Gu Baozhu lowered her head to drink her tea to cover up her misunderstanding. "Peiyi, don't joke around. Marriage is a serious matter and shouldn't be taken lightly. How can we keep giving and taking things back and forth like this?"

Xu Peiyi rested her chin on her hand, watching the song and dance on the high platform. The Hu girl spun rapidly, revealing a glimpse of her snow-white, slender waist, which made the men's eyes smile.

"Whatever you say, that's fine. We're best friends, aren't we? We're sworn brothers!" After a long pause, Xu Peiyi turned to Gu Baozhu and said.

Gao Wenchang made sure everyone was satisfied with the meal, so he arranged for singing and dancing, and also held games like pitch-pot.

As evening approached, everyone had eaten and drunk their fill and went back to rest. Xu Peiyi was no exception and returned to the courtyard that Gao Wenchang had prepared for her to stay in.

She brought a large number of guards with her this time. These were all skilled soldiers left to her by her father for self-defense. They were extremely good at hiding and infiltrating, and each of them could take on ten men.

With the moon high in the sky, Xu Peiyi, under the cover of the guards, sneaked into Gao Wenchang's courtyard. Standing behind a plum tree, she could vaguely see Gao Wenchang and Gu Baozhu embracing intimately in the warm pavilion, looking like a pair of celestial lovers from afar.

Gao Wenchang stroked Gu Baozhu's hair, "Baozhu, wait for me. I will make that bitch Xu Peiyi wish she were dead! So what if she comes from a noble family and is the descendant of a princess? She is a woman, and she has to be subservient to others!"

Gao Wenchang, who had always been a refined and gentle man, now revealed a vicious and ruthless look in his eyes. It was clear that he had been tolerating Xu Peiyi's temper for years, and the ruthlessness he showed now was as if he had had enough and was ready to explode at any moment.

Upon hearing this, the guards around her all looked at Xu Peiyi.

Xu Peiyi remained unfazed, watching Gao Wenchang and Gu Baozhu intently to see what they would say next.

Upon hearing Gao Wenchang's words, Gu Baozhu froze, biting her lower lip lightly. "But, Gao Lang, I'm still afraid. What if Peiyi finds out?"

Gao Wenchang loved seeing beautiful women looking shy and timid. He couldn't help but affectionately pinch Gu Baozhu's nose and said, "No, the medicine I found is colorless and odorless. Once its effects wear off, it disappears without a trace, and no one can find out. I put the medicine in Xu Peiyi's favorite Jade Dew Nectar. At the entire banquet, only she drank that wine; no one else got to drink it."

Looking at their intimate posture, the two seemed inseparable like mandarin ducks with their necks intertwined. Instead of getting angry, Xu Peiyi's eyes became exceptionally clear.

She arrived here today without eating or drinking, precisely to guard against Gao Wenchang causing trouble.

Before long, a guard came to report from behind Xu Peiyi, "Miss, a bloated man sneaked into your courtyard and into your room. We have caught him."

The overweight man was Gao Wenchang's cousin, but he was the son of a wealthy family in the capital.

Without Gao Wenchang's connection, he wouldn't even be able to sit at the same table as Xu Peiyi. Yet Gao Wenchang chose someone like him, just to thoroughly disgust Xu Peiyi.

It was late at night, and Gao Wenchang knew he had important matters to attend to the next day, so he couldn't act recklessly.

Gao Wenchang escorted Gu Baozhu to the door, and the two kissed for a while, reluctant to part, making secret and ambiguous sounds, tsk tsk.

After a long while, Gu Baozhu left, turning back every few steps.

Xu Peiyi looked at Gao Wenchang's handsome face, which was as beautiful as ever, and casually played with a strand of hair by his temple.

After a while, she said, "Bring over my favorite Jade Dew Nectar. After Gao Wenchang falls asleep, give it to him to drink. Also, bring over his cousin."

He turned to leave, but then seemed to remember something and ordered, "Knock Gu Baozhu unconscious and bring her over as well."

She pointed to Gao Wenchang's room and smiled charmingly.

Gao Wenchang had important business to attend to the next day, so he could only bid a reluctant farewell to Gu Baozhu.

Back on his bed, he was so excited he couldn't sleep. The thought of what tomorrow would bring filled him with euphoria. He picked up a glass of water from the bedside, took a sip, and lay back down, forcing himself to sleep. But somehow, he felt his body getting hotter and hotter...

His consciousness gradually became blurred. He seemed to see someone enter, followed by a mountain pressing down on him. Gao Wenchang smelled the greasy stench of sweat and alcohol. He kept pushing away, but he couldn't push it away no matter what he did.

Skin to skin, tearing pain; a mountain of flesh that couldn't be pushed away; wanting to escape, but unable to; a living death...

As soon as Gu Baozhu returned to her room, she inexplicably thought of Xu Peiyi's strikingly beautiful and sharp features from earlier that day, and felt a little panicked. She calmed herself down and forced herself to go to sleep.

She thought that by tomorrow morning everything would be fine, and Xu Peiyi would never be able to turn things around again.

So what if Xu Peiyi is the daughter of a noble family? Starting tomorrow, Xu Peiyi will no longer be someone she looks up to.

Gu Baozhu had just lain down to sleep when she was knocked unconscious with a single blow. Then, a dark figure grabbed Gu Baozhu by the back of her neck and slid down the eaves towards Gao Wenchang's courtyard.

Xu Peiyi had waited here specifically for Gu Baozhu. When she saw Gu Baozhu being dragged over, she grabbed Gu Baozhu by the neck, took a small wine pot, and personally poured the priceless Jade Dew Nectar down her best friend's throat. "Baozhu, don't blame me for being stingy. I'm willing to let you drink a whole pot of this expensive Jade Dew Nectar!"

Then, he raised his chin, signaling the man in black to push Gu Baozhu into Gao Wenchang's room.

Hearing the loud noises coming from inside, Xu Peiyi raised her chin and smiled even more brightly.

Don't you all think I'm arrogant and domineering? In the past, I always directed that arrogance at others. Today, you'll see how it feels.

Moreover, today Xu Peiyi is using their own methods against them; this game wasn't started by her.

They started this game, but only she can end it!

Xu Peiyi knew she was arrogant and domineering, but she was certain that she was sincere towards Gao Wenchang and Gu Baozhu.

She remembered that when she was very young, she was playing and ran away by herself. She accidentally fell into the water and was saved by Gao Wenchang. From then on, she secretly fell in love with him. When her father asked her who she wanted as her husband, she chose Gao Wenchang, whose family background was not prominent, without hesitation.

The Duke of Ningguo loved his eldest daughter dearly and truly obeyed her wishes, choosing Gao Wenchang as her fiancé.

Gao Wenchang was only the second son of the Marquis's family. His birth mother was just the daughter of a merchant and a concubine of the Marquis's family. However, because he wanted to marry Xu Peiyi, the Marquis of Longyi had the idea of ​​passing on the title to Gao Wenchang.

Gu Baozhu was just the daughter of a fallen count, but Xu Peiyi was willing to help her make friends and give her a place in the circle of socialites and noble ladies in the capital.

Xu Peiyi knew that Gu Leyao was the real daughter of the Earl's family, but she was willing to personally suppress the innocent Gu Leyao in order to protect Gu Baozhu's precarious position.

These two people actually wanted to ruin her! She trusted them completely, and they actually wanted to destroy her!

Then she'll destroy them first!

As Xu Peiyi thought this, a single, crystal-clear tear slowly rolled down her cheek.