Chapter 18 Pei Jingxu, speak.

Pei Jingxu was supported by Hongyao and came to the East Courtyard.

She didn't know when she lost consciousness. She only knew that Hongyao fed her some medicine and she fell into a deep sleep.

In fact, Pei Jingxu did not sleep well. He dreamed that he was pushed into the pool.

She stretched out her hand to call for help, but when she opened her mouth, the pool water backflowed and her breath was quickly snatched away.

She heard the ridicule and abuse from the nobles on the shore, as if her drowning was just an unnecessary circus.

"Look, look! Sink!"

"Hahahaha, you deserve it! You dare to go against Miss Bai, you deserve to die!"

"She's just an abandoned woman whose husband doesn't want her. How stupid!"

She saw Bai Shutong crying on the river bank, wiping her tears with a handkerchief, but with a sarcastic and contemptuous smile on her lips.

——It was as if she was dispensable to all of them, or even a clown.

Pei Jingxu started learning math at the age of two, using an abacus at the age of three, and by the age of five, she could figure out even the most difficult accounts once she thought of them.

If someone gives her a penny and she can't make two cents out of it, it means she is incompetent.

Her father once told her that the Pei family had been in business for a hundred years and had to kowtow a hundred times before they could find a genius like her.

——Why did she become the cannon fodder female supporting role that everyone hated in the story?

She opened her mouth and wanted to say something, but she seemed to be choked by water and started coughing violently!

On the bed, Pei Jingxu sat up coughing. She gasped for breath and realized that she was sweating profusely.

"Girl, you're awake!"

Seeing Pei Jingxu wake up, Hongyao hurried forward and handed her the tea in her hand.

Pei Jingxu took a sip of water and calmed herself down. She said in a deep voice, "How long have I been sleeping?"

"Miss, you've only slept for two hours and your fever has just subsided," Hongyao said distressedly, "You should sleep a little longer."

Pei Jingxu shook his head. The hair on his forehead was wet with sweat, and he looked like he had just taken a bath. "Where is Rong Jianxue?"

"The eldest son has been working in his study since he left the court. What's wrong, young lady?"

"Has he come to see me?"

"No, Guard Jiang hasn't been here either..."

Pei Jingxu rolled his eyes and waved towards Hongyao, asking her to come closer: "Go to the bedroom and get my homework."

Hongyao glanced at Pei Jingxu doubtfully, but nodded: "I will go get it right away."

While Hongyao was away, Pei Jingxu took a shower.

Pei Jingxu's high fever has subsided, probably because he has taken the medicine.

She won the bet by betting on Rong Jianxue's softness.

So the next bet is——

She came to be the banker.

After changing into clean clothes, Pei Jingxu took the homework that Hongyao had brought and walked towards Rong Jianxue's study.

The rain stopped, and occasionally one or two drops of rain fell from somewhere, hitting the petals, making a crisp "click" sound.

The morning light and dew make everything fresh.

Pei Jingxu walked across the clean stone pavement and came to the door of the study.

Outside the door, Jiang Hui was guarding.

Seeing Pei Jingxu coming, Jiang Hui widened his eyes, first looked in the direction of the study, then trotted two steps and quietly came to Pei Jingxu.

"Second Madam, why are you here?"

Pei Jingxu still looked a little weak: "I came here to thank you, sir. If you hadn't saved me last night, I'm afraid I would have been... dying.

After a pause, she continued, "It's not good for me to stay in the East Courtyard. After thanking you, I will go back."

Pointing at the books and papers in her hand, Jiang Hui asked doubtfully, "What are these?"

"Ah, it's the homework that Mr. Zhang left for me," Pei Jingxu said with a twitch of his lips. "I'm too stupid and a slow learner. I couldn't sleep last night, so I asked Hongyao to get the homework and look it over."

Jiang Hui glanced towards the study again and said with some embarrassment, "Second Madam, you should go back first. The young master is... in a bad mood right now."

"Ah?" Pei Jingxu feigned confusion, "Did someone offend the adults?"

Jiang Hui looked at Pei Jingxu meaningfully, seeming to want to say something but stopping himself.

Seeing that Jiang Hui was unwilling to say more, Pei Jingxu tactfully did not ask any more questions.

She smiled apologetically and said, "In that case, I will return to the West Courtyard first. I will go and explain everything to my mother-in-law and will not bring trouble to you, my Lord."

She nodded towards Jiang Hui and said, "Please ask Guard Jiang to tell my lord that it was I who caused him trouble last night, and please don't blame me."

After saying that, Pei Jingxu turned around and was about to leave.

"Have I given you leave?"

A cold and indifferent voice was heard from the study.

Pei Jingxu suddenly stopped and looked towards the study.

Jiang Hui was stunned for a moment, then after he came to his senses, he immediately walked to the door of the study and opened both doors.

There was no candle lit in the study, and it looked a little quiet.

Pei Jingxu stood under the skylight, with the morning glow shining on him.

The man sat upright in front of the desk, his eyes silent and his expression slightly cold.

Seeing Rong Jianxue, Pei Jingxu bowed and saluted: "Sir."

She was holding a stack of not-too-thick books and papers in her hands, which easily attracted the attention of others.

Rong Jianxue tapped the table lightly with her knuckles, and looked at Pei Jingxu with a dark and unclear look in her eyes.

"What's in your hand?"

When he spoke, his voice was cold, like jade dipped in ice.

Pei Jingxu said timidly, "My Lord, it's...it's my homework from the past few days."

The man's eyes were as cold as a pond, without any ripples. "How is Mr. Zhang's teaching?"

Pei Jingxu bit her lip slightly and lowered her head even lower: "Master... he taught me very well. It's me who is stupid and learns too slowly."

Rong Jianxue showed no emotion: "In that case, I'll ask a few questions to see how far you've come."

"ah……?"

There was a flash of panic in Pei Jingxu's eyes. She wanted to say something, but the man spoke coldly and interrupted her.

"What does 'rollover' mean?"

"Go...and live?" Pei Jingxu repeated the word as if he had heard it for the first time, his eyes full of confusion.

"Didn't you learn?" Rong Jianxue twisted her fingertips. "What does 'borrow and demolish' mean?"

"Borrowing... should it mean... lending money?"

"Who is lending it to? To whom?" Rong Jianxue looked at her, his voice devoid of emotion.

Pei Jingxu lowered her head and bit her lip slightly.

Rong Jianxue lowered his brows, a cold look flashing in his eyes: "You should at least know what 'old management' means."

Pei Jingxu shook his head: "I haven't learned it..."

“…”

There was total silence; even the wind had stopped.

With a "click".

Rong Jianxue's Buddhist beads collided with each other, making a dull sound.

"Ms. Pei, you were so confident in the past, saying that you wanted others to look up to you. That's why I found an accountant for you to teach you how to do the accounting."

The man's eyes were cold, and his tone was deep: "After studying for a few days, you haven't learned these things yet, what are you talking about looking at me differently?"

"Holding your homework, you appear to be studying diligently, but in reality, you're just doing it to impress others. I'm afraid you might even be fooled."

"You went to the wedding banquet during the period of mourning. The fault lies with you. Now you can't even understand a few words in the account book!"

As he spoke, Rong Jianxue's eyes turned cold, and his tone was piercingly cold: "It's really hard to carve a rotten tree."

He said she was a piece of rotten wood that was difficult to carve.

Pei Jingxu stood in the courtyard with his head lowered, his expression unclear.

Jiang Hui widened his eyes and looked at his young master in disbelief.

——Why are you so angry, sir?

The woman just stood there, her fingers tightening around her homework, her head still lowered, not saying a word.

Rong Jianxue pursed her lips tightly, knocking her knuckles against the table twice, and said with a hint of anger, "Pei Jingxu, speak."

There was an eerie silence.

Finally, Pei Jingxu raised his eyes and met the gaze of the man in the study.

The corners of her eyes were red, but when she looked at him, even though tears were welling up in her eyes, she refused to let them fall.

"Your Excellency is right. This piece of rotten wood of mine is very difficult to carve."