Chapter 165 Pei Zhi Comes to the Door

In the western part of the country, dawn breaks very early.

Pei Zhi sat in a chair, staring blankly with huge dark circles under his eyes.

He didn't sleep a wink all night; his mind was racing with images of what Xi Han had seen, and his own eighteen years of carefree eating, drinking, and having fun.

His father never forced him to read any classic texts or practice any strategies for governing the country.

His mother, on the other hand, only wished for his safety and happiness, and hoped he would stay out of those deadly struggles.

So he was perfectly content to be a playboy, indulging in cockfighting and dog walking, living a life of unbridled joy.

He always felt that this was the greatest kindness his father and mother had shown him.

But this trip to the Western Cold Region completely shattered his bubble!

He saw Xie Sangning, a beautiful young woman, who had brought life to this awful place! The way the people looked at Xie Sangning was as if they were looking at a living goddess!

The shock was immense! So immense that it made him panic.

He suddenly realized that he, the ninth prince of Daqing, had lived a life of luxury for twenty years, but apart from spending money and having fun, he was utterly useless!

It has never brought any benefit to a single ordinary person!

He didn't sleep a wink all night, tossing and turning, feeling anxious.

He felt he had to do something for the people, but he had no idea how to do it.

After much thought, it seemed there was only one place that could give him the answer.

So, at the crack of dawn, he kicked awake his bodyguard, Ah San, who was sleeping like a log.

"Hey, you Indian! Get up! Prepare a gift! It has to be... a decent one! Something that shows sincerity!" Pei Zhi's voice was a little hoarse, and he sounded a bit anxious.

Ah San rubbed his sleepy eyes, looking completely bewildered: "Ninth Master? You're going to...?"

"Send a formal invitation! Go to the Xie residence! Pay a visit to Princess Jianing!"

Ah San's eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

His master, taking the initiative to visit someone? And with sincerity? Has the sun risen in the west? That's so bizarre.

But he didn't dare ask any more questions and quickly got up to do it.

The message was quickly delivered to Xie Sangning's residence.

At the Xie residence, Xie Sangning had just finished practicing a set of boxing techniques. This was a habit she had maintained for many years. Although it wasn't difficult to master, it was at least good for her health and helped her avoid getting sick.

With beads of sweat still clinging to her forehead, she received the gilded visiting card handed to her by the gatekeeper.

Upon opening it, they were surprised to find it contained the Ninth Prince, Pei Zhi.

She raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised, but not entirely.

You Fu must have really fooled that spoiled prince these past few days; it seems to have worked quite well.

Xie Sangning handed the invitation to the steward next to her, "Tell the kitchen to prepare extra food for lunch. If any guests come, invite the Lin family's cousins ​​over to keep them company."

The manager immediately agreed and went to do it.

Pei Zhi, having received a reply from the Xie family, finally felt a little relieved.

But as the carriage drew closer to the Xie residence, that inexplicable sense of tension surged up again.

He didn't know why he was so nervous.

He's never been this terrified of his father!

But the thought of facing Xie Sangning's eyes, which seemed to see right through him, made him a little uneasy. He even subconsciously straightened his already neat collar and cuffs, as if he were about to pay respects to his teacher.

The carriage stopped, and Ah San jumped down first to place the footrests. Pei

Zhi took a deep breath, straightened his back, tried his best to display the majesty of a prince, lifted the carriage curtain and stepped down.

The area in front of the Xie residence was very clean. A middle-aged man dressed in a neat blue robe, who looked like the manager, was waiting with two servants.

Upon seeing him alight from the carriage, the steward immediately stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and said without obsequiousness, "I am Xie An, the steward of the manor, here to welcome Your Highness. The county princess is already waiting in the flower hall. Your Highness, please follow me."

He nodded, trying his best to maintain the demeanor of a prince, and followed Xie An inside.

The interior of the mansion was surprisingly simple yet grand.

There are no winding streams or artificial gardens, no magnificent carved beams and painted rafters. The roads are paved with bluestone, and the houses are laid out in a square and practical manner, exuding a unique ruggedness and efficiency characteristic of Xihan.

The servants who occasionally passed by always walked in a hurry, with calm expressions. When they saw them, they would only bow slightly and give way, never giving them a second glance.

The atmosphere made him feel like he had stumbled into a military camp.

Xie Sangning was already standing at the entrance of the flower hall, waiting.

"Greetings, Your Highness." Xie Sangning nodded slightly, displaying impeccable manners.

"Ahem... Princess, there's no need for such formalities."

Upon entering the flower hall, guests and hosts took their seats.

Tea and snacks were served quickly.

Pei Zhi picked up his teacup, trying to hide his unease, but found that Xie Sangning's gaze was already on him, with a hint of scrutiny.

"Your Highness, have you adapted well to your stay in Xihan these past few days?" Xie Sangning asked. "Has You Fu been showing Your Highness around properly?"

"Excellent, excellent! Steward You has made excellent arrangements!" Pei Zhi quickly put down his teacup. "Xihan has changed a lot, truly broadening this prince's horizons!"

"Your Highness is traveling for study by imperial decree. If you can gain something from it, then your trip will not have been in vain."

"This prince is indeed deeply moved. The diligence of the people of Xihan and the county magistrate's governance are truly admirable."

He paused, then finally managed to squeeze out a genuine thought, "Much better than this prince."

He himself felt a little embarrassed when he said that.

A prince admitting he's inferior to a woman? In the past, he would never have said that, even if you beat him to death.

Xie Sangning seemed a little surprised by his bluntness. Her hand holding the teacup froze in mid-air. She looked at him for two seconds before slowly putting it down.

The scrutiny in his eyes seemed to have faded somewhat: "Your Highness is too modest. You are of noble birth, born into wealth and honor, and it is only right that you enjoy peace. Xihan is merely a place where we commoners struggle to survive, and it does not deserve the word 'admiration'. We cannot speak of governance; we have only pushed people to the brink and tried every means to help us survive and live a life that is at least somewhat human."

Her words were spoken calmly, but to Pei Zhi, they struck him like a whip.

Just as they were feeling awkward, a burst of hearty laughter came from outside the hall.

Several young members of the Lin family arrived.

Several young men, dressed in clean and neat brocade robes, were quick-witted and outgoing. They greeted Pei Zhi warmly, their attitude respectful yet neither servile nor arrogant, quickly dispelling the awkward atmosphere that had just filled the flower hall.

Xie Sangning spoke up at the opportune moment: "Your Highness is a guest from afar. The Lin family brothers are also familiar with Xihan, so they can keep Your Highness company and chat. A luncheon has been prepared, consisting of simple local Xihan dishes. I hope Your Highness will not find them offensive."

Pei Zhi looked at these energetic young people, and then at Xie Sangning, who had picked up his teacup and started daydreaming again, clearly intending to be a hands-off manager. He felt a little disappointed.

He eagerly came to ask for advice, but they just found him a few playmates instead.

It seems that Pei Zhi's reputation is completely ruined.

Fortunately, the Lin brothers got along well with Pei Zhi.

They didn't mention anything romantic or profound, but instead enthusiastically chatted with Pei Zhi about the local customs and culture of Xihan, the novelties in the craft workshops, and jokes about the military training camps outside the city. Their words were full of recognition of Xihan and pride in being Xie Sangning's cousin, and their admiration for her was undisguised.