Even more unpleasant than Xiao Chengci's expression was Pei Minxue's.

Pei Minxue was so angry that he was trembling all over. He looked at the yellowed vegetable leaves on the table and could hardly breathe.

Pei Minxue wasn't putting on an act just because His Majesty was there.

Even if His Majesty were not here, Pei Minxue would still be just as angry.

Pei Zhi is his sister, his own sister, and this is how she's treated in the mansion?

"Minxue, when did your household become so frugal? Or have you been gambling away all of my monthly salary?"

Pei Minxue kicked the servant behind him and said, "Call the madam over here."

Pei Minxue added, "Also, everyone in the kitchen, come here."

Pei Zhi wasn't that saintly. She was also very curious as to why her first dinner after returning to the manor would be like this.

Does your sister-in-law think that she will fight with your brother for the family fortune if she comes back? Is that why she's giving her the cold shoulder first?

Okay, Pei Zhi admits that she did have some thoughts about it.

But she didn't ask for much, just a little bit. It was all her parents' assets, so it didn't make sense for her brother to take it all.

Even if Pei Minxue were a man, wouldn't it be a bit too much to have him all to himself?

The servant had been with Pei Minxue for decades, so he naturally knew what kind of temper Pei Minxue had.

This was the first time he had ever seen his young master lose his temper like this.

The servant hurriedly reported to Madam Pei, who was playing with the child and said casually, "What's the rush? I'll go over after the child falls asleep."

The servant looked bitter. "Madam, you'd better hurry up and go. Master looks terrible. There are important people waiting for you over there."

Madam Pei's smile vanished instantly. "A distinguished guest?"

"A woman brought back from outside has become a noblewoman? How noble is she?"

The servant was truly at a loss. "Madam, I've grown up with the young master since I was a child. This is the first time I've seen him so angry. Please don't dawdle any longer."

Upon hearing this, Madam Pei merely gave a cold laugh and ordered her maid to bring her an outer robe.

As they walked into the courtyard, they bumped into the kitchen servants.

Madam Pei asked a couple of questions, and the servant quickly explained the situation.

Although Madam Pei did not instruct the kitchen staff to do this, they did it for her sake.

No matter what, Madam Pei couldn't refuse her kindness.

"What? You saw your little darling was wronged, so you rushed over to settle scores with me?"

Madam Pei's expression was also quite unpleasant; she had made up her mind.

If Pei Minxue were to lose his temper with her because of the woman he brought home, she would immediately divorce Pei Minxue and take her child back to her parents' home.

Anyway, it's not like she has no one left in her family.

Let Pei Minxue go with his confidante.

Madam Pei slowly walked into the room, lifting her skirt. When she looked up and saw the person sitting in the main seat, her legs went weak and she knelt down on the ground.

Lady Pei had met His Majesty before she married Pei Minxue.

They also knew that their master was His Majesty's study companion and a key minister of His Majesty.

But Madam Pei never expected that His Majesty would come to the mansion without even announcing it.

Madam Pei knelt down to pay her respects, but this time Xiao Chengci did not speak to let Madam Pei get up.

When the servants behind him heard that His Majesty had arrived, they immediately knelt down as well, their greetings slurred and incoherent.

Pei Minxue kicked the table with his foot. "Come on, tell me, what is this dinner on the table?"

Madam Pei looked up and glanced around. When she saw the dinner, she was slightly surprised. She hadn't expected the people in the kitchen to be so unreasonable.

Generally, yellowed vegetable leaves are thrown away; even the servants in the mansion wouldn't eat them.

However, Madam Pei was in charge of the household in the backyard, so no matter how she explained it, it didn't make sense.

Moreover, Madam Pei's mind is currently in complete turmoil.

She didn't understand why His Majesty was still here.

If she wasn't mistaken, His Majesty and the woman Pei Minxue brought back were holding hands.

Pei Zhi lowered her head and played with Xiao Chengci's fingers. Pei Zhi couldn't say anything about this.

Pei Zhi didn't want any conflict between her sister-in-law and her husband's sister-in-law, so the best way was to keep quiet.

Madam Pei's maidservant knelt down and said, "Master, it was this servant who went to the kitchen to deliver the message."

"Tell them to prepare a table full of food, since the guests have come from afar, and to hurry up."

The servants in the kitchen all knelt down, saying, "Dinner is in a hurry. We were blind and didn't notice for a moment. We deserve to die."

Pei Minxue waved his hand; he knew he couldn't blame the servants.

"You all go out first, and we'll punish you later."

The servants all knelt and bowed before leaving.

Pei Minxue shook his head, sighed, and squatted down in front of his wife.

“Madam, before you got married, you managed the inner quarters of your family home. After you married me, you managed the inner quarters very well.”

"Why did you make such a big mistake today?"

Madam Pei opened her mouth, but didn't know how to explain.

Was she going to say that she had misunderstood Pei Minxue's relationship with this woman? Was she just momentarily furious?

How could Lady Pei dare to say such a thing in front of His Majesty?

"My lord, you only made an appearance at the manor today and then ran off. I don't know who this young lady is."

"I had the servants settle her in the guest room, and then I went back to my room to take care of Li Ge'er. It was really my oversight."

After kneeling and speaking, Madam Pei kowtowed in Pei Zhi's direction, saying, "I apologize for the poor hospitality today, please don't take it to heart."

Pei Zhi was not a petty person to begin with, and upon seeing this, she immediately let go of Xiao Chengci's hand.

Pei Zhi walked up to her sister-in-law and reached out to help her up herself.

Madam Pei, however, dared not get up.

His Majesty didn't tell her to get up, so how could she dare to?

Pei Zhi turned her head and looked at Xiao Chengci.

Xiao Chengci said coldly, "Get up."

Pei Zhi helped Madam Pei to her feet, saying, "Sister-in-law, please don't take it to heart. In the end, it's all my fault as your brother."

"I didn't know that after a woman becomes a mother, all her thoughts are on her child."

Madam Pei was somewhat puzzled, "Sister-in-law?"

Pei Zhi didn't understand either; what was wrong with her calling her "sister-in-law"?

Meeting the gazes of the two women, Pei Minxue scratched his head. "Zhizhi, didn't you introduce yourself to your sister-in-law?"

Pei Zhi retorted, "Didn't you say so?"

Madam Pei, caught between the two, asked, "What identity should I introduce?"

Pei Minxue patted his forehead. "Let me introduce you."

Pei Minxue pointed at Pei Zhi, "This is my younger sister, who shares the same parents. She went missing in Beicheng a few years ago, but we found her this time."

Pei Zhi gave her sister-in-law a gentle smile.

Madam Pei's voice rose several octaves: "What!!!"