Chapter 15 Misunderstanding: Even Royal Children Can Fall for Him?

As they walked out of Jin Cui Xuan, Pei Xu stepped forward, lifted the beaded curtain with one hand, and then stopped, the movement as practiced as if he had done it a thousand times.

Meng Lingyao followed behind him without pausing and walked out naturally.

She didn't feel there was anything wrong with it, after all, she had been waited on like this since she was a child.

As she passed by, her clothes fluttered, stirring up a gentle breeze that carried wisps of fragrance, a breeze so tangible it seemed to touch his face. Pei Xu was momentarily stunned, his fingers trembling slightly, as if questioning his own actions. He quickly regained his composure, lowered his eyes, released his grip, and strode out of the shop.

He remained calm and composed, while the servant Qingzhou, who had been following him, stared wide-eyed and remained motionless for a long time.

Songlan glanced at him secretly, thinking that the servants of the Pei family were nothing special, and that they were not as clever as Cangdian.

Clearing her throat and straightening her shoulders, she reminded them, "The masters have all left."

Qingzhou finally recovered and nodded to Songlan, "Thank you for reminding me, Miss." She then hurried after her.

Upon boarding the Pei family's carriage, Meng Lingyao's first thought was that it was clean.

The place was completely orderly, without even the aroma of incense.

Only a faint scent of ink mingled with the crisp aroma of sandalwood remained. Documents were neatly stacked on the small table, except for a small empty space on the left side where a zither sat. Judging by its placement, its owner hadn't played it in a long time, fearing it might be neglected.

She knew that someone like Pei Xu would only have official duties on his mind.

The most eye-catching item is the bow hanging on the carriage wall. It is black-lacquered and curved, with a horn bowstring polished to a shine, and the bowstring is taut as a moon. It is clear at a glance that it is not just a decorative object for appreciation.

Meng Lingyao recalled the white-feathered arrow that had repelled Lu Heming that day. Later, Cang Dian secretly picked it up, though she wondered what kind of quirk it was.

"Thank you so much for helping me out today, Lord Pei." She found a seat in a corner, looked up at Pei Xu, and said in a gentle voice, "I will definitely have my father come to express my gratitude another day."

Zhou Yizhi was not an easy person to get rid of. When she said she wanted to go home, he took advantage of the situation and offered to go with her.

Although it is unclear why Pei Xu suddenly showed kindness, it must be admitted that having him speak up does indeed save a lot of trouble.

Meng Lingyao, knowing she was clear about right and wrong, didn't hesitate to give him a friendly look.

Pei Xu's gaze did not fall on her; he merely turned his head slightly. "Miss Meng, you're too kind. It was nothing at all." His voice was calm as still water, almost devoid of any emotion.

Steam rose from the celadon teacup. Meng Lingyao took a small sip and asked, "The musical score that Lord Pei mentioned earlier..."

“That is indeed true,” Pei Xu replied. “Your father mentioned to the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices that Miss has a great interest in ancient music and could lend him a hand. However, it may not be as urgent as I said, as we are already approaching the end of the year.”

Before he finished speaking, Meng Lingyao understood that there was indeed such a job, but it was fine to do it after the New Year. Right now, the busiest thing was to prepare for the New Year.

What she didn't expect was that Pei Xu could also have moments when his words weren't entirely true.

It wasn't as rigid as she had imagined.

As she gently stroked the teacup with her fingertips, Meng Lingyao couldn't help but retort, "Lord Pei is so meticulous; he can even come up with such a pretext so easily."

Pei Xu was slightly taken aback. He looked up and met her slightly curved eyes. He had interrogated countless bandits and could naturally tell that there was no real smile in her eyes at this moment.

Unable to distinguish between praise and sarcasm, he simply said, "I only heard about it by chance and brought up the affairs of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices without permission. I hope you will not take offense, Vice Minister Meng."

"Of course not," Meng Lingyao replied on his behalf. "I'm afraid my father would have to thank Lord Pei if he knew."

Otherwise, if her father asked her for help, she would definitely empty his savings before she would even begin.

"...That's good then."

Pei Xu lowered his eyes, picked up the teapot, and added some tea for Meng Lingyao.

After a brief pause, he suddenly said, "Miss Meng seems to have a long-standing relationship with Young Master Zhou?"

Meng Lingyao raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise flashing across her mind. If anyone else had asked such a question, she would have assumed they were interested in her. Wouldn't that be the most typical jealous husband's face? Jealousy was evident in every word. She'd seen it all before.

But the person in front of me is Pei Xu...

Is he interested in me?

Just thinking about it sent chills down her spine.

Pei Xu had always been distant from women and never overstepped his bounds. Meng Lingyao couldn't help but think more deeply; there must be something fishy about this.

"Why is Your Excellency concerned about this matter?" she asked cautiously.

Pei Xu looked ahead: "Although the Zhou family are imperial merchants, there have been some... problems lately."

Meng Lingyao's heart skipped a beat. Something was wrong? She recalled the absurd dream from a few days ago, the image of Zhou Yizhi entangled with the little monk reappearing before her eyes, and the feeling of nausea returned.

"What do you mean by that, Lord Pei?" she asked, forcing herself to remain calm.

"The business world is ever-changing; what is successful today may not be successful tomorrow," Pei Xu replied tactfully, his tone calm. "Miss Meng is from a distinguished family and has a bright future ahead of her. You should think carefully before proceeding."

The words struck Meng Lingyao like a thunderclap.

What did Pei Xu mean by this?

Given his character, he wouldn't look down on Zhou Yizhi because of her status as a businessman. Even so, he wouldn't say that to her; that would be too presumptuous and overstep his bounds.

Unless he feels he has a reason he cannot avoid speaking out.

Could it be—

Did he know that Zhou Yizhi was a homosexual?

Yes, as the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, he wouldn't be uninformed. No matter how well Zhou Yizhi concealed it, he couldn't hide it from the eyes and ears of the Court of Judicial Review.

Meng Lingyao's face was pale, and she gripped her sleeve tightly, her fingertips sinking into the soft fabric. Thus, in Pei Xu's eyes, she was a fool entangled with a homosexual.

As for the scene in the store just now, Zhou Yizhi's relentless pursuit was just an attempt to use her as a shield.

The moment this thought arose, she was overwhelmed with shame and indignation, which was then overwhelmed by a surge of intense anger.

“As the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, Your Excellency is indeed well-informed.” Her voice suddenly turned cold. “You even know such private matters.”

Pei Xu raised his eyebrows slightly. "Miss Meng has misunderstood."

"Misunderstanding?" Meng Lingyao sneered. "Since Lord Pei knew that the Zhou family was not a good match, and even reminded me of it, doesn't that mean he knows something?"

Pei Xu's eyes held a hint of doubt, wondering why the person before him had suddenly changed her emotions, like a lovelorn woman forced to sever ties with her lover. But judging from the situation in the shop just now, he could at least conclude that Miss Meng genuinely wanted to get rid of Zhou Yizhi.

He pursed his lips. "I only heard about this in the course of official business and felt that I should remind you."

Official business? Meng Lingyao felt even more embarrassed and angry. Her face turned red from her earlobes to the back of her neck. In her anger, her eyes even welled up with tears.

How could such a private matter become official business of the Dali Temple? The more she thought about it, the more embarrassed she felt, as if she had become the laughing stock of the entire capital.

"Lord Pei's official duties are quite extensive," she said sarcastically, "even involving matters like this."

Pei Xu looked up and stared directly into her eyes, only to be caught off guard by her shimmering black eyes. A thin layer of red covered the corners of her eyes, like a blush emanating from her skin.

In stark contrast to the sharpness of her words, she looked utterly pitiful.

Pei Xu remained silent for a few moments before slowly saying, "Miss Meng seems to have misunderstood. What I said was inappropriate; I meant that the Zhou family has recently been involved in a major case, which may be inappropriate."

Before he finished speaking, he immediately frowned.

He shouldn't have done that; he shouldn't have revealed the Dali Temple's case to unrelated people.

Meng Lingyao was taken aback, realizing that she might have misunderstood. But the words of embarrassment had already slipped out, and now she was in a difficult position.

The carriage fell silent, so quiet that the sound of horses' hooves clattering over the flagstones could be heard.

After an unknown amount of time, Meng Lingyao cleared her throat.

"It was Lingyao who was impolite." She bit her lip lightly, turned her head away, and did not look at Pei Xu. "Thank you for your reminder, Lord Pei."

Pei Xu seemed to remain silent for even longer.

“Miss Meng, you’re too kind. This concerns official business of the Dali Temple, so please do not disclose it to others.”

Meng Lingyao nodded subconsciously, then, fearing that Pei Xu hadn't seen it, replied, "I know."

Outside the carriage, Songlan's voice rang out at the right moment, "Miss, Wuweizhai is just ahead. Master loves their chestnut flour cakes the most. Would you like to get him some?"

Good woad!

Meng Lingyao breathed a sigh of relief, secretly glad that she had told Songlan before getting on the car.

“My father likes the pastries from this shop.” She quickly changed the subject. “Please go ahead, Lord Pei, so that I can go and buy some snacks.”

Pei Xu nodded and stopped the carriage.

Meng Lingyao lifted her skirt and fled from the carriage. The cold wind brushed her face, but it couldn't dispel her frustration.

That damned dream made her lose her composure so much in front of Pei Xu...

She gritted her teeth in anger and stormed into the pastry shop with a gust of wind in her sleeves.

Not to mention how overjoyed Meng Shaoqing was to receive the pastries from his daughter, and how he proudly showed them off at the Taichang Temple. Meng Lingyao tossed and turned all night after returning home, unable to sleep, her mind filled with the thought of losing face in front of Pei Xu. She was like a chestnut flour cake being tossed and turned in an oven.

She only calmed down when she heard the night watchman's drum outside. Of all things, her appearance was the most important. If she continued like this, all the beauty treatments she had received at the hot springs over the past few days would be for nothing.

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and fell into a deep sleep on the pillow.

Songlan, who was keeping watch outside, listened intently for a while, and finally heard no more noise from inside the bed curtains. She relaxed, pulled the covers tighter, and drifted off to sleep.

In the following days, Meng Lingyao did not go out again and stayed quietly until the New Year.

We stayed up all night with our family, and the next day was the first day of the Lunar New Year.

According to the custom of this dynasty, the emperor would hold a court ceremony on the first day of the month and host a banquet for his officials and their families. Officials of the fourth rank and above were all entitled to attend, and Meng Lingyao's father happened to be among them.

Because her father had worked at the Court of Imperial Sacrifices for many years, Meng Lingyao was familiar with many of the etiquette and rules of the palace. In addition, there were several palace banquets every year, so she did not feel nervous.

With Songlan's help, she changed into a sky-blue embroidered jacket and skirt with intertwined branches, her hair adorned only with a white magnolia hairpin. Elegant and dignified, she was neither ostentatious nor lacking in the demeanor of a noblewoman. On such a day, avoiding mistakes was paramount; the palace was filled with noble ladies, and this was not the time for a lowly official's daughter to flaunt her status.

After checking herself in the mirror to make sure everything was in order, she boarded the carriage heading to the palace.

The palace was already adorned with splendor, with fragrant women and piles of brocade and embroidery adorning the halls.

As soon as I stepped into the palace, a woman's voice came from beside me.

"Miss Meng looks very well today."

Meng Lingyao turned her head and saw Princess Suxin wearing a long red brocade dress, her hair tied up in a high bun, and a red-gold peony hairpin adorning her forehead. She looked exceptionally beautiful under the lamplight.

"You flatter me, Princess Suxin," Meng Lingyao said, bowing.

Princess Suxin sized her up for a moment, a dark and ambiguous light flashing in her eyes. "Miss Meng is dressed very beautifully today. I wonder how many talented men she will attract."

"My humble daughter's brilliance is like that of a firefly, how can it compare to the county princess's graceful bearing?"

Princess Suxin shook her head slightly, a smile playing on her lips. "Miss Meng is both beautiful and talented. Let alone any talented scholar, even a member of the royal family would fall for you."

A note from the author:

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Wishing all my friends the best of luck in the college entrance exam! [Lop-eared rabbit head][Lop-eared rabbit head]