Du Pengzhi asked, puzzled, "Eli, how are you going to seduce someone if you cover your face like this?"
Upon arriving in Shuzhou, it became common to see women going out, and many no longer wore veils.
Du E'li frowned. The word "seduce" made her very uncomfortable. She didn't want to explain further. "That's better."
Du Pengzhi felt sorry for the woman's ignorance, but he didn't try to persuade her further.
The two arrived at a quiet tavern, which was built in an exceptionally elegant style, with pavilions connected to the second floor. There were not many people inside.
"Where would you like to sit, sir?" The waiter looked at the two guests and felt a chill just looking at the woman.
Wearing so little, her family must not have much money.
Du E'li thought for a moment, then walked upstairs towards the room by the window.
Du Pengzhi followed her.
The waiter stopped the two of them, saying, "This room is already reserved. Please go to another room, sir."
Du E'li smiled and said, "Then let's go to the side."
The brother and sister sat in the room next door. Du Pengzhi opened the menu, his forehead veins throbbing.
Du E'li took out a piece of silver from her sleeve pocket. "Brother, I've saved up some money over the years. This meal is on me."
She didn't want to spend any money, but she also didn't want to appear too shabby in public.
Du Pengzhi breathed a sigh of relief and readily ordered two dishes and a plate of pastries.
"Then I'll benefit from your success, brother."
The waiter went downstairs with some surprise, not expecting the person to be wealthy.
Before the food was even served, noises came from the next room.
The sound was indistinct.
Du E'li, wearing a veiled hat, walked to the pavilion outside the house and leaned against it to look at the street below.
A cold wind blew intermittently, causing the white cloth in front of her to flutter and fall.
Prefect Wang Hezhi, who was eating in the next private room, looked up and saw the woman.
When the veil was lifted by the wind, the face revealed was extremely beautiful, and the woman's figure was also extremely graceful.
He smiled, his eyes gleaming, and stroked his gray beard. "Go find out who lives next door. If they don't have any connections, just say I invited them to dinner."
The guard behind him responded and quickly left.
Within ten minutes, the guard returned. "Reporting to you, sir, there is only a poor scholar and his sister nearby. I went to invite them, but they refused."
Wang Hezhi snorted coldly, "Refuse? What did you say?"
The guard shuddered. "They said they were full and thanked you for your kindness, sir."
Wang Hezhi burst into laughter. "Good, good, you're full! I see that little hussy is quite eager. Here's what we'll do: go tell them now that I want to take her as a concubine, and tell her to prepare."
The guards were used to it. The prefect was the highest-ranking official in Shuzhou, not to mention that he had an older brother who was the Minister of Revenue and the maternal uncle of the sixth prince. He always took any woman he fancied as a concubine.
A small sedan chair leads straight to wealth and glory, something many women envy.
In the late afternoon, the guard reported back to Wang Hezhi in Shuzhou Prefecture, "Sir, the woman neither agreed nor disagreed. She simply admires your talent and wishes to meet you."
Wang Hezhi raised an eyebrow. "Did she really say that?"
The guard nodded.
That evening, Wang Hezhi took a horse-drawn carriage to the home of his classmate Du Pengzhi.
When his classmate saw that it was the prefect, he was terrified. But Du Pengzhi comforted him and told him to calm down. He then smiled and went to Du E'li's room.
Du E'li had changed out of the ruqun she wore during the day and was now wearing the most conservative ruqun, covering her entire body completely.
As soon as Wang Hezhi entered the room, she quickly glanced at him, then immediately lowered her head and gave a graceful bow, saying, "This humble woman greets Your Excellency."
Wang Hezhi was still marveling at that fleeting glimpse of her face, which did not disappoint him at all; on the contrary, it was absolutely stunning!
"No need for formalities." He smiled lewdly, walked over and put his hand on Du E'li's shoulder, his hand unable to resist caressing her.
Despite her disgust, Du E'li put on a shy expression and gently pulled Wang Hezhi's hand away.
Wang Hezhi felt as if the place he was touched was on fire, tingling and numb, and his nose was filled with a faint fragrance, which smelled very nice.
He was eager to hug Du E'li, but Du E'li turned around and retreated behind Du Pengzhi. "My lord, although I am a weak woman, I have a strong backbone. I only obey my parents' orders and the matchmaker's words."
Wang Hezhi cleared his throat, glanced at the hem of Du Pengzhi's clothes behind him, and gave the guard a look.
The guard took out a box and placed it next to Du Pengzhi, saying, "This is a token of the master's appreciation."
Du Pengzhi opened the box and was so dazzled by the gleaming silver inside that it hurt his eyes, and his heart was pounding.
Du E'li pulled him aside and shook her head at him.
Du Pengzhi ignored her and quickly put the box away. "Excellent, excellent. It is truly an honor for my sister and me to become in-laws with you, sir."
Du E'li was so angry that she dug her fingers into her palms. "That money-grubbing idiot! She could have gotten so much more money!"
Wang Hezhi was very satisfied with Du Pengzhi's sensibility.
Du Pengzhi was about to walk outside when Du E'li grabbed his sleeve, her glistening tears welling up and falling onto her eyelids.
She looked at Wang Hezhi, "My lord, no, my husband~ I have never had a father since I was a child. My brother raised me. Could you give me two days to say goodbye to my brother properly?"
Her voice was tinged with a fragile sob, but it wasn't a desperate cry, which made Wang Hezhi feel a pang of heartache.
He stepped forward and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. "Okay, I'll do whatever you say."
It's only two days, he's not in a hurry for these two days.
A surprised smile bloomed on Du E'li's face. She raised her hand, gently grasped the hem of Wang Hezhi's clothes, and placed a kiss on his cheek.
It touched and then left, like a warm feather brushing against you.
Wang Hezhi stroked his face, wanting to kiss her.
Du E'li, however, put her finger to his mouth and called out sweetly, "Husband~ there are still people here."
Wang Hezhi coughed lightly, his heart itching with desire. He flicked his sleeve and said, "I will send someone to fetch you in two days."
He left after saying that; he needed to find someone to vent his frustration on. This little vixen was making him uncomfortable.
But he couldn't help feeling sorry for her, a feeling that was quite novel.
Du Pengzhi respectfully saw Wang Hezhi off, and his classmate He Shaoqi came over very warmly, saying, "Brother Du, you know Prefect Wang, why didn't you say so earlier!"
Du Pengzhi waved his hand modestly, "Oh, it's nothing. I just want to make a name for myself with my own talent and skills."
He Shaoqi looked at him with admiration, "Brother Du is indeed noble! It was a sin to make Brother Du sleep on the floor before. I will move to the study and Brother Du can sleep in my room."
Du Pengzhi simply waved his hand, "That won't do, you're the host!"
He Shaoqi stepped forward and pulled him, saying, "No, no, Brother Du, don't be so polite."
Previously, I thought the Du siblings were just poor people with no background. Although I coveted Du E'li's looks, I never took any action because of this.
In retrospect, Du E'li was a very good wife candidate.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
