Chapter 47 Visiting to Plead for Mercy

Ji Shu slammed her hand heavily on the table, her chest heaving violently, clearly furious at the news.

"What a scoundrel! He thinks that if we really hand over the management rights of the shop to him, he can make a fortune every day."

This person's methods were so insidious, yet they hit the nail on the head.

She gripped her palms tightly, forcing herself to calm down and telling herself not to panic.

If you lose your composure at this moment, you'll be just as Ji Congwen intended.

She waved her hand, signaling Chunzhi and Changwu to leave. The two exchanged a knowing glance and silently withdrew.

Ji Shu got up and walked to the window. She looked at the sky, which was bright and sunny in the morning, but now it was covered with a shadow, as if a storm was about to break.

She knew in her heart that the only person who could help her in Chongzhou right now was Pei Yanzhi. She took a deep breath. She also knew that if she asked him for help, he might not help her. He might even take revenge on her for the humiliation he suffered that day.

Thinking of the expressionless face he gave her the last time that day, she felt another headache coming on.

Does that mean I have to go and beg him for mercy?

This trip will likely be fraught with bloodshed.

In the evening, Ji Shu hadn't eaten much all day and lay in bed, barely closing her eyes.

Then I heard a familiar male voice coldly say in my ear, "Do you think I still can't live without you? What kind of woman can't I find?"

The sound grew louder and louder—

"Ah!" She opened her eyes abruptly and realized that it was just a nightmare.

Her back was soaked with cold sweat. She slowly sat up. Chunzhi heard the noise and ran over from the small couch outside the screen without even bothering to put on her shoes.

"Young lady, what's wrong!"

Seeing Ji Shu's still-shaken appearance, he knew she had probably had a nightmare, and asked with concern, "Young lady, did you have a nightmare?"

Ji Shu closed her eyes briefly. "Zhi'er, help me with my makeup. I'm going to see him."

"Young lady..." Chunzhi looked at her with a worried expression, but dared not ask any more questions. Finally, she retreated with slightly heavy steps to prepare her bathing items.

Before dawn, a plain carriage appeared outside the prefectural governor's mansion. She sat in the carriage, lifted the curtain, looked at the words on the plaque, and took a deep breath.

He said to Chunzhi, "Go knock on the door."

Seeing the girl's struggling expression, Chunzhi vaguely guessed what was going on.

The guards at the gate had seen Ji Shu before, and naturally they had seen Chunzhi as well. Seeing the two of them at the gate at this time, they probably thought it was something important and dared not delay. They asked them to wait there while they went in to inform the guards.

Before long, Lu Changming strode over and thought he had misheard when he saw Madam Ji.

That day, he truly witnessed how terrifying his lord's face was; if anyone had said a word more, he would have been attacked with a knife.

He hurriedly said, "Please come in, Madam Ji. My lord is waiting for you inside."

Unexpectedly, he invited her to Pei Yanzhi's bedroom. Lu Changming pushed open the door, and Ji Shu could only swallow hard and step inside.

Chunzhi watched as the door was tightly closed, leaving her only able to wait outside, trying to hear what was happening inside. She wondered if the soundproofing was too good or if no one was speaking inside.

There was no sound.

Ji Shu entered the bedroom. The whole room was quiet. There was no one in the hall, only a faint candlelight was visible in the side room.

After she realized who was inside, Ji Shu's hands, which were tucked into her sleeves, were already soaked with sweat, but at this moment there was no way to retreat.

I was already feeling a bit regretful, and my mind was in a mess. Maybe I should think of another way; at worst, I could just give up the business in Chongzhou.

With her abilities, she would never lack food anywhere, so why should she invite humiliation here? The further she went in, the more nervous and uneasy she became, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.

Ji Shu closed her eyes briefly and continued forward, prompting a commotion to those inside.

The hand holding the pen paused slightly, and a drop of black ink fell from the suspended pen onto the memorial, just like a red mark on that person's snow-white skin.

The room was eerily quiet.

She regretted it; she shouldn't have come.

As soon as she stepped through the side door and saw the figure behind the screen, Ji Shu could no longer bear it. She gritted her teeth and turned to run away.

Her jade-colored silk skirt swayed as if she wanted to run outside, but she was only three or five steps away from the gate when a pair of muscular arms grabbed her waist and lifted her up from behind.

Ji Shu was so frightened that she was scared out of her wits. At this moment, she sat on the table with her feet dangling in the air, her skirt swaying slightly, and her heart was suddenly hanging in mid-air.

Pei Yanzhi supported her lower back with one hand, forcefully shoved her legs apart, and fixed his gaze on Ji Shu.

Pei Yanzhi coldly asked, "Where are you going?"

Ji Shu: "I...I need to use the restroom..."

This was obviously a lie, but looking at his face now, if I said I wanted to leave, to escape this room, he would probably fly into a rage.

The object pressing between her legs made Ji Shu panic. She thought about how it had taken her several days to recover before she could get out of bed and walk again after that day.

Upon hearing this, Pei Yanzhi's brows relaxed, and he put her down. Ji Shu immediately jumped down and took a deep breath.

He was about to open his mouth.

Pei Yanzhi glanced at her indifferently, took a few steps forward, and turned his head to say, "There is a restroom inside."

Ji Shu stared at him in disbelief. What did he mean? He actually wanted her to relieve herself in his bedroom.

Let alone a woman who is not yet married, how many married couples living together can be so open about their relationship?

Ji Shu's face turned pale and then flushed. Pei Yanzhi looked up when he saw that she hadn't spoken for a long time and saw that she looked dazed.

Seeing his extremely cold gaze upon her, Ji Shu looked embarrassed and said, "I don't really want to anymore..."

Ji Shu then noticed that he was wearing a black undergarment with the collar slightly open, revealing the perfectly smooth lines of his well-defined chest, and his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and strong arms were instantly hidden behind the undergarment.

The deep black, a heavy color, is as unfathomable as he is, and also carries a sense of oppression.

Ji Shu lowered her eyes, not daring to look again. After a while, Ji Shu thought of the purpose of her visit tonight.

She took a few steps closer and said directly, "Lord Yan, the reason I have come here is to ask you... My second uncle has bribed the clerk of the prefect you personally appointed, and wants to seize the ancestral property of the Ji family and embezzle all my dowry shops."

"...If it were just an ordinary lawsuit, I would not have come to see you so late. It is only because this person is a subordinate of one of your trusted men that I have come to ask for your help."

Ji Shu pursed her lips, lowered her eyes, and waited for his response.

Pei Yanzhi remained silent for a long time, and Ji Shu didn't know what he meant. Was he going to help or not? If he wasn't going to help, then what was the point of her staying?

They help without saying a word, keeping their own hearts in suspense while ignoring their own feelings.

Pei Yanzhi suddenly stood up and walked straight toward her. This time, Ji Shu did not back down, but stood still and watched him approach step by step.

After he stood still, he looked down at her from his superior position, his imposing presence so great that no one dared to look him in the eye.