Chapter 23

Seeing Pei Qie's awkward and uncomfortable appearance, Xi Xiao couldn't help but smile. Compared to someone's unfathomable scheming and cunning, the young marquis's mind was as clear as a mountain stream.

Recalling our first meeting, I felt this person was arrogant and unworthy of the weight of his title. Who would have thought that in such a short time, his circumstances would be completely transformed, and I would even find this awkward young man much more pleasing to the eye.

Thinking of this, her tense nerves relaxed a bit, and a smile appeared on her lips. She readily replied to Pei Qie, "Young Marquis, your hospitality is too kind to refuse. I will go with you."

Before she could finish speaking, she stopped Yunwu, who was about to follow, and said in a very soft voice, "Go to the 'Apricot Blossom Wine' tavern outside the city and wait for me. After this matter is settled, I will come to find you."

Upon hearing this, Yunwu's face instantly filled with confusion and anxiety, and she said urgently, "I have to go with you!"

Xi Xiao frowned slightly, not intending to explain. She lowered her voice and said in a volume that only the two of them could hear, "The Marquis's mansion... is not a good place either. Listen to me, go outside the city first and try to contact your senior brother. I will get away later and meet up with you immediately."

Seeing the worry deepen in Yunwu's eyes and her lips move as if she wanted to argue again, Xi Xiao decisively leaned forward, leaned close to her ear, and whispered in a barely audible voice, "Pei Yun... his mind is unpredictable, and he acts solely on his own whims. His 'let you go' may not be true. You go ahead, pack your essentials, and wait for me outside the city. After I bid farewell to the Marquis's residence, I will come to find you immediately. Don't delay!" The last few words carried a hint of urgency.

Yunwu sensed the gravity in her words, and her heart sank. Despite her thousand worries and reluctance, she bit her lower lip and turned her heartfelt words of advice into a heavy nod.

*

The moment she stepped onto the painted boat, a warm breeze, a mixture of the scents of wine, perfume, and the misty lake air, rushed towards her. However, Xi Xiao's steps abruptly halted as a sticky, chilling gaze clung to her like a leech, a feeling... strangely familiar. She frowned, raising her eyes to follow the source of the unsettling feeling.

Inside the boat, a young man in brocade robes was lounging lazily on a brocade couch, with a seductive dancer in his arms. His long, upturned phoenix eyes were slightly narrowed, and a faint, ambiguous smile played on his lips, but his gaze was fixed on her with undisguised scrutiny and interest.

She frowned slightly, already regretting coming here. She had thought that if she could see the Marquis's wife, she might be able to pass on a few words to her senior brother, but she never expected that Pei Qie would only bring his friend.

She felt a wave of helplessness, thinking that her senior and younger brothers' minds were really... indescribable.

Suppressing her annoyance, Xi Xiao calmly found a corner furthest from Lingzhou Mausoleum and sat down, determined to exchange a few pleasantries and then take her leave. However, the young man in the main seat seemed to be deliberately picking a fight, slowly pushing away the dancer in his arms and picking up a crystal grape with his slender fingers.

"I heard that Young Master Pei's incurable illness has been cured, all thanks to your miraculous healing skills, Miss. I've been feeling tired lately, I wonder if you could take a look at me?" After he finished speaking, he waved his hand and said boldly, "Don't worry, Miss, my fee is much higher than that scoundrel Pei Yun's, I will definitely not treat you unfairly."

Xi Xiao's sneer inwardly deepened. The man before her had a rosy and radiant complexion, and his breathing was steady and long, clearly indicating that he had practiced martial arts for many years and was full of energy. Moreover, he was clean and tidy, showing no sign of "fatigue" whatsoever. He was clearly deliberately making things difficult for her.

Just as she was about to refuse, Pei Qie turned to her and said, "This is Ling Zhouling, the son of the Regent." He hesitated for a moment, then revealed everything without any hesitation: "This father and son are like oil and water, but he... is one of us."

He didn't lower his voice; it could be heard by anyone on the wind. Pei Qie felt he had done it very discreetly. After speaking, he even took a sip of tea to cover up his actions.

At this moment, Xi Xiao was completely speechless at Pei Qie's "cleverness". She took a deep breath and spoke in a cold and distant voice towards Ling Zhouling: "Your Highness is full of energy and has strong bones. If you drink less strong tea in the evening, you will naturally sleep soundly without any worries."

"Oh?" Ling Zhouling raised his slender eyebrows, his smile deepening on his overly delicate face. "You haven't even taken my pulse, how do you know I'm healthy?" He deliberately dragged out his words, and beneath his stunning appearance, his difficult temperament and sinister eyes diminished most of his beauty, leaving only a chilling aura.

Xi Xiao's polite smile completely disappeared. "Please forgive me, Your Highness. I am bidding farewell to the young marquis by attending this banquet. Once the banquet is over, I will be leaving the marquis's residence and I am afraid I will not have time to serve Your Highness anymore."

The fake smile on Ling Zhouling's lips vanished instantly. He stared at Xi Xiao expressionlessly, his exquisite features seemingly covered with a layer of frost. "So... Miss is not willing to give me this face?"

Even the slow-witted Pei Qie could sense the suffocating atmosphere in the air. He hurriedly tried to smooth things over, his voice tinged with urgency: "Hey, Brother Ling, Doctor Xi is really leaving. Your little ailment is nothing more than a calming incense, enough to keep you sleeping until noon. Why... why bother such a renowned physician? It's a waste of his talent, a waste of his talent!" He chuckled dryly, attempting to ease the tension.

Upon hearing this, Ling Zhouling let out a cryptic chuckle, his gaze sweeping over Xi Xiao's face before finally letting up. However, his eyes remained unfathomable, making one feel uneasy.

Just as the awkward silence was about to engulf everyone, a clear and delicate shout suddenly rang out from the lake outside the boat, piercing through the sounds of string and bamboo instruments: "Pei—Qie—!"

The voice carried the unique clarity of a young girl, along with a hint of obvious annoyance.

Xi Xiao looked in the direction of the sound and saw a delicate little painted boat approaching, with a pretty young girl standing at the bow. She had her hair styled in double buns and wore a light yellow gauze dress, which made her look like a forsythia blooming in early spring, bright and playful. At this moment, she had one hand on her hip and the other pointing at the painted boat where Pei Qie was, her almond-shaped eyes wide open.

Upon hearing this, Pei Qie shuddered violently, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. He instinctively wanted to burrow behind Xi Xiao beside him, wishing he could disappear into the ground on the spot.

The girl in yellow, with her sharp eyes, saw his guilty look and became even more furious. Her voice suddenly rose, filled with the grievance of betrayal and raging anger, clearly echoing throughout the entire pleasure boat: "Pei Qie, what are you hiding for? I saw you a long time ago! So, you dare to seek pleasure on this pleasure boat behind my back! You wait, I'm going back to tell Madam right now, let's see how you explain yourself!"

Pei Qie felt a chill run down his spine, as if a thousand needles were pricking him. His face flushed red, he frantically winked at his servant, then growled in a low voice, "Tangyuan, quick, get the boatman to set sail! Let's go!"

Tangyuan, however, remained motionless like a clay or wooden sculpture, his face even displaying a nonchalant "here we go again" expression. Even more outrageous, he actually reached out his arm and steadily supported the sulking girl in yellow, helping her nimbly jump onto the painted boat.

Pei Qie was so angry he almost fainted, and glared fiercely at Tang Yuan. But his anger only lasted for a moment, because the girl had already grabbed his ear with great force.

"Ouch! Chen Youyou, are you being unreasonable?!" Pei Qie winced in pain, dodging the attack in a disheveled manner, while shouting with a fierce but weak voice, "Today, I am here on my mother's orders to properly host a farewell banquet for Doctor Xi. Even if you complain to the Emperor, I am still in the right!"

Xi Xiao was about to speak up for Pei Qie, but her gaze swept over the young couple. Although Pei Qie was avoiding her eyes, his ears were burning red, and Shen Youyou, though seemingly fierce, also had two rosy cheeks. She understood, a faint smile appearing on her lips, but she swallowed the words that were about to come out and simply watched from the sidelines.

Ling Zhouling, who was standing to the side, took in the whole scene and let out a soft chuckle that was hard to decipher. He glanced at Xi Xiao and said in a lazy tone but with every word venomous: "Tsk, childhood sweethearts, a perfect match, really...enviable, Miss Xi, don't you think?"

His gaze, like a cold snake's tongue, carried undisguised malice and scrutiny as he meticulously examined Xi Xiao from head to toe, as if appraising an item. Then, his thin lips parted slightly, precisely piercing Xi Xiao's most hidden sore spot: "How could a legitimate son of a noble family be allowed... to marry a person of unknown identity... a remnant of the Southern Frontier?"

Xi Xiao trembled violently, almost losing her balance. She bit her lower lip hard, tasting a metallic sweetness, barely managing to maintain her swaying figure. She forced down her surging blood and tried to argue back.

However, Ling Zhouling gave her no chance to catch her breath. His cold voice, like a venomous snake's tongue, continued to coil around her: "Today, the Marquis's mansion... only sent the naive Pei Qie. I thought that with your clever mind, Miss, you should have understood the deeper meaning long ago..." He shook his head with feigned regret, but the mockery in his eyes was so thick it couldn't be dissolved. "You think that saving that person is a great favor in the eyes of noble families?"

He scoffed, his voice suddenly turning sharp, carrying the condescending sarcasm and judgment of a superior: "Knowing so much, yet letting you leave alive and preparing this farewell feast is already an act of great kindness and leniency from the Marquis's mansion, considering your insignificant contributions. Miss... don't be ungrateful and harbor any unwarranted, delusional thoughts, lest you... bring shame upon yourself!"

Every word is piercing! Every sentence is like a knife!

Xi Xiao suddenly recalled the meaningful look in Madam Pei's eyes on the night they traveled to the southern border. She felt as if the blood in her body had frozen. She stood there, frozen like a statue, her face drained of all color, as pale as paper.

Ling Zhouling leisurely enjoyed the wonderful changes on her face. After a while, he seemed to find it boring, so he lazily leaned back on the soft couch, put his arm around the dancer next to him, and started to tease her as if no one else was around, as if his words of piercing the heart were just a speck of dust.

Pei Qie had just hurriedly explained the situation to Shen Youyou, and both of them blushed deeply. They were lowering their heads and whispering something to each other.

Xi Xiao took a deep breath, using all her strength to suppress all the turbulent emotions churning within her. When she turned to face Pei Qie, her face was completely expressionless, like a calm, still lake. Even the corners of her lips managed a faint, cold smile: "Young Marquis, I appreciate your kindness. I will forever remember the Marquis's grace. Therefore… I take my leave."

"Of course, of course!" Pei Qie remained seated, only calling out, "Tangyuan! Stop the boat! Properly escort Doctor Xi ashore!"

Xi Xiao said no more. She straightened her back and walked steadily towards the side of the ship. Her skirt brushed against the smooth deck without getting messy.

As she stepped onto the gangplank leading to the shore, Ling Zhouling's nonchalant voice suddenly came from the painted boat behind her again, "Miss Xi, we'll meet again someday... Until we meet again."

Xi Xiao's steps did not falter at all, nor did she hesitate even for a moment. As if she hadn't heard anything, she stepped straight onto the solid ground. The lake breeze fluttered her clothes, bringing a cool, fishy smell.