Chapter 55 Anger

Seeing her tears still flowing, he pulled her into his arms and whispered, "It's alright, it's just applying some medicine. You don't want to feel uncomfortable walking tomorrow, do you?"

Ji Shu stared blankly at the curtain above. After her breathing calmed down, her voice was as soft as a wisp of smoke: "Why do you always have to humiliate me like this? In broad daylight, right here in the carriage... you treat me like a prostitute."

Thinking about what happened during the day, she wondered if the people outside had heard anything. At one point, she even felt that she was just a tool for him to vent his lust, only to satisfy his own desires.

The more she thought about it, the more embarrassed she felt, and the tears she had just stopped started flowing uncontrollably again. He didn't know that she was forcing herself not to think about it.

How can one maintain dignity so that when getting off the carriage, one doesn't have to worry about what others think?

She even disregarded her own health on one or two occasions, without giving any explanation, and even made Chunzhi secretly go out to buy contraceptives herself.

Pei Yanzhi watched her sobbing in his arms, feeling a pang of heartache but mostly anger. He knew he had gone too far in broad daylight.

But he had been in the same room with her for days, taking good care of her, applying medicine to her body, and speaking kindly to her.

Besides, was it only him who forced himself on her in the carriage? Didn't she feel any pleasure? Right now, she's acting all wronged as if it's all his fault.

He sat up abruptly, his expression turning completely cold, and asked, "If you don't want to in the future, just say so. Don't act like I'm forcing you."

Seeing his reproachful look, Ji Shu's pent-up grievances and resentment finally burst forth. She threw off the covers and said recklessly, "Yes, you are the Marquis of Yanzhou. Life and death are in your hands. How dare a little lady like me interfere?"

She couldn't help but sneer, deciding to speak her mind about what had been on her mind all this time: "But have you ever considered that I am also a daughter of a good family, a person with a heart and blood, not one of your concubines in the Yanzhou mansion, whom you can do whatever you want with me!"

Pei Yanzhi looked at her eyes, which burned with a unique beauty due to anger, his eyes filled with a mixture of shock and rage. He grabbed her chin and said in a deep voice, "Do you think you are any different from the concubines in my harem? I say one thing and they dare not say another. Take a good look at the concubines of noble families. Which one of them doesn't accept being beaten or punished? They can be beaten and killed with a single word from their master."

"Even giving it away to others is just a matter of a word."

After saying this, Ji Shu's face became even paler and more frighteningly pale.

He was so angry with her that he said such hurtful things.

"I think I've really spoiled you, that's why you're talking nonsense."

Ji Shu suppressed the fear in her heart, looked up into his eyes, and asked, "Am I living a good life now?"

"Fine, fine, you really know how to make me angry."

Looking at her stubborn yet beautiful face, Pei Yanzhi held back his temper and managed to refrain from losing it.

He turned and left without looking at her again.

Seeing his lord leave with an angry expression, Lu Changming knew that Lady Ji must have upset his lord again. It was strange that things had changed so much in just a few months.

The lord has always kept his emotions hidden and remained calm no matter what storms he faced. However, when he encountered Lady Ji, it was as if he had touched a thunderbolt, and he would explode at the slightest touch.

Silently following behind Pei Yanzhi, he couldn't help but think deeply, they hadn't even reached Yanzhou territory yet.

Once we return to Yang County, what if the Crown Prince finds out? How should the Lord decide?

She let out a soft sigh.

Upon hearing this sigh, Pei Yanzhi's barely suppressed anger flared up again: "What, now even you think I'm in the wrong?"

Lu Changming hurriedly bowed and said, "Your subordinate knows his mistake. Your subordinate did not think that way."

"I just...feel that Lady Ji is really pitiful!"

"What?" Pei Yanzhi turned around abruptly, seemingly startled by the words, and frowned.

"Throughout this journey, I have observed that Lady Ji is not a delicate young lady confined to her chambers. We men are used to marching and fighting, but Lady Ji has never complained about the hardships of traveling and sleeping in the open. I suppose she understands the difficulties our lord faces."

“But young ladies of this age are all pampered and protected by their families. Even my younger sister is still spoiled by her parents.”

These words made Pei Yanzhi feel like an animal, but fortunately, the night was deep and no one noticed the unnatural expression on his face.

He coughed lightly and said, "So, according to you, you mean you want me to bow down?"

Startled, Lu Changming hurriedly tried to kneel down, but was stopped by him raising his hand. "It's alright, just say it."

"In my opinion, although Lady Ji is proud, she is not arrogant. As long as you speak to her in a slightly kinder tone, I am sure Lady Ji will not embarrass you."

Upon hearing this, Pei Yanzhi snorted coldly, saying that he hadn't meant to embarrass anyone. If he hadn't been without a knife at the time, he probably would have drawn it directly.

Such a young woman, yet she has such a strong temper.

However, I did take some of what he said to heart.

That night, Pei Yanzhi did not stay at the post station.

After he left, Ji Shu remained lying there. She had stopped crying, but her eyes were red and swollen, making her look truly pitiful.

She looked at the bed curtains and thought: If I am rejected by him like this, it would be better.

That way, I wouldn't have to go to Yanzhou with him, nor would I have to suffer this inhuman torture. In the end, I was just overthinking things.

The next day, Ji Shu was in her room making notes about the incense she was going to develop when that person walked in.

Ji Shuxin's heart skipped a beat, thinking he was about to cause trouble.

He walked into the house, his gaze first falling on her, then he thought of what Lu Changming had said last night.

His originally cold and hard words softened a bit: "The governor of Kangzhou is hosting a banquet tonight, you will come with me."

Ji Shu didn't even look up, her voice muffled: "What am I supposed to do?"

She was neither his subordinate nor one of his wives or concubines, so what status did she have to attend the banquet?

Looking at her, Pei Yanzhi said in a slightly somber tone, "If I leave you here alone and you fall into the hands of someone with ulterior motives, do you think I should save you or not?"

Ji Shu felt a tightness in her chest, and wanted to blurt out: "Save me if you want, otherwise get lost."

Pei Yanzhi, however, was worried that since he hadn't brought many men this time, he didn't know if he could handle Song Zhaonian's feint attack.

Pei Yanzhi would only feel at ease if he had him fastened to his waistband, but of course he couldn't tell her this.

In the end, Ji Shu simply gave a soft "hmm," which was taken as her agreement.

Pei Yanzhi walked out with his hands behind his back, and as he stepped across the threshold, his eyebrows silently twitched.

As dusk deepened on the street scene, the setting sun on the horizon shone like snow.

The carriage was ready, and the two set off. Not long after they departed, the Song family received the news.

Local powerful officials, civil servants, and generals gathered in the main hall of the Song residence, all eager to witness Pei Yan's demeanor.

The main hall of the prefectural governor's mansion was bustling with activity, as guards announced, "Distinguished guests from Yanzhou have arrived!"

The hall fell silent for a moment, then quickly returned to normal.

Song Zhaonian winked at the guards behind him, took a deep breath, exhaled, and greeted them with a smile.

He led the crowd to the gate, and soon the sound of horses' hooves came from afar. The leader sat on a high horse, followed by a carriage.