Pei Minxue returned from his father's courtyard with a worried look on his face.

Upon hearing from the servant that Pei Zhi had come to see him, Pei Minxue immediately composed himself, forced a smile, and entered the courtyard.

"Second sister, why are you looking for me so late at night? Is there something important?"

Pei Zhi asked with concern, "Brother, you don't look well. Is something wrong?"

Before Pei Yin's marriage is settled, Pei Minxue will not casually mention it, even if it is Pei Zhi.

"Nothing much, just some trivial matters in officialdom."

Pei Minxue was the son of a Duke and had been a tutor to the Crown Prince since childhood.

He naturally didn't need to take the imperial examinations and become an official like ordinary students.

Pei Minxue was arranged by the Crown Prince to enter the Hanlin Academy a few years earlier, where he could gradually rise through the ranks by gaining experience.

"Has someone in the manor bullied you? Or is something wrong?"

"No, I just heard that my elder sister is getting engaged to the Second Prince. As her younger sister, should I prepare some gifts?"

Pei Zhi planned to use Pei Yin's marriage as a starting point before discussing her own affairs.

"There's no rush."

"Huh?" Pei Zhi was taken aback. "Why?"

Everyone in the manor is saying that Pei Yin is the future princess consort.

Why did Pei Minxue suddenly become less anxious? Could it be that something has changed?

Pei Minxue paused for a moment, then changed his words, saying, "If you really want to prepare, the Second Prince's birth mother likes to burn incense and pray to Buddha. Go to the temple and ask for a very auspicious fortune for their marriage. That would be the best gift."

It's not surprising what kind of gift Pei Zhi prepares; the sentiment is what matters most.

Pei Zhi finally took the initiative to offer Pei Yin a gift, which was also an opportunity to ease the tension between the two sisters.

"Alright, I'll ask my mother for permission and then find a suitable opportunity to go out."

Pei Minxue nodded slightly. "By the way, you still don't know the Second Prince's name, do you?"

Pei Zhi didn't understand these things: "Do you need these things to draw lots?"

"If you ask for a marriage fortune slip, the high monks in the temple will give you a sachet containing the names of the two people, some auspicious words, and some blessed lucky charms."

Pei Minxue explained to Pei Zhi that many people in the capital would go to temples in the suburbs to draw lots.

Many people are seeking marriage partners, saying that the current emperor and the empress were betrothed in a temple.

The servant brought paper and pen, and Pei Minxue wrote down the Second Prince's name and handed it to Pei Zhi.

Pei Zhi took it with both hands and glanced at it casually.

Seeing this, Pei Minxue asked, "What's wrong? Is my handwriting too bad?"

“How could that be?” Pei Zhi retorted with a smile. “Brother is underestimating himself too much. How could your handwriting be bad?”

Pei Min learned calligraphy from contemporary masters, and his brush calligraphy is a pleasure to behold.

"Xiao Chengyan, the Second Prince's name is quite nice."

Upon hearing this, Pei Minxue said, "The princes of this generation belong to the 'Cheng' generation."

Pei Zhi feigned curiosity, "So, only princes are qualified to have this name, right?"

"Of course, who in the whole world would dare to court death and be on par with a prince?"

"Only members of the imperial family and relatives of the Xiao clan have this qualification."

Pei Zhi exclaimed, "So Xiao is the imperial surname?"

Pei Minxue also sighed, "You, you've been back all this time, never leaving the house, and you don't even know this basic common sense."

Pei Zhi pursed her lips, pretending to be a little embarrassed.

Pei Zhi truly didn't know that the original owner of this body was a pig butcher who only cared about being well-fed and watered every day. She had no time to care about such things.

As for Pei Zhi, she spends all her time in the Duke's mansion and has no chance to interact with outsiders. Who can she ask?

I originally planned to subtly probe Pei Minxue today, but before I could even ask, the answer came out first.

Xiao Chengyan, Xiao Chengci.

Pei Zhi hadn't expected that she would be so lucky.

I just casually got to know him, and he turns out to be a prince?

Pei Zhi guessed that Xiao Chengci's identity was extraordinary.

The fact that he can freely enter and leave Mr. Yuan's residence, and even has guards and servants stationed there, suggests that he is a noble young master.

Pei Zhi hadn't expected Xiao Chengci to have such a noble status.

At this moment, Pei Zhi didn't care about the choice she made last time.

Now, Xiao Chengci is out of the picture for her.

Pei Zhi clutched the note Pei Minxue had given her as she walked back, lost in thought.

What should she do to sever ties with Xiao Chengci?

Xiao Chengci's status is too high; she can't reach it.

Outsiders may not know, but how could the royal family not investigate?

Knowing she used to be a pig butcher, would he really marry her?

Even if the Duke's mansion were to offer her a concubine, Pei Zhi would not be willing to accept it.

Moreover, Pei Yin's marriage to the Second Prince is a done deal.

Even if Pei Zhi was stupid, he would understand that it was impossible for a Duke's mansion to have two women who married princes.

The maid whispered a reminder: "Miss, watch your step."

Pei Zhi came to her senses and realized that there was a pond in front of her.

Pei Zhi turned around, intending to return to the courtyard, but seemed to hear a soft sobbing sound.

Pei Zhi gestured for the maid to be quiet and then moved closer to her.

"Young Miss, stop crying, or you'll go blind."

Pei Yin choked up and said, "What does it matter if I go blind? Nobody cares about me anyway."

"Miss, don't talk nonsense. You're about to become a prince's consort. When that happens, who won't fawn over you and treat you like royalty?"

Pei Yin sneered: "I'm afraid I won't be able to be a prince's consort."

"How could that be? It's all over the place. There's no way this could be wrong."

Pei Yin said plaintively, "Father and Mother wish they could give all the good things in the house to my sister. They probably want to give them to my sister too, just in case I get married."

Upon hearing this, Pei Zhi decided not to listen any further and quietly left with her maid.

The question of whether she was a real or fake heiress is actually quite unfair to both her and Pei Yin.

Pei Yin, who had been pampered and spoiled for more than a decade, suddenly discovered that she was a fake heiress.

With her biological parents gone, Pei Yin could never go back.

On the surface, one must appear guilty and helpless, yet also magnanimous.

It's impossible to stop Pei Yin from overthinking.

The person who did wrong was Pei Yin's mother. It can't be said that the debt is wiped away by death, but Pei Yin can't be held responsible either.

After all, Pei Yin was just an infant in swaddling clothes back then, and she didn't understand anything.

Now, regardless of what Pei Yin does behind the scenes, at least on the surface, she is still very generous and caring towards Pei Zhi.

Pei Zhi didn't want to antagonize Pei Yin either; there was no need for it.

As for the marriage that Pei Yin mentioned, Pei Zhi really didn't want it.

Marrying a prince meant that she could not be with him for life.

Let's not even talk about the princess consort, let's just talk about the Duke's mansion.

Pei Minxue, Pei Zhi's older brother, is not married yet, but he already has two maids who share his room.

In this day and age, these things are perfectly normal.

Pei Zhi was not interested in Pei Yin's marriage.

Pei Zhi clutched the note in her hand; she had lost interest in Xiao Chengci.