Chapter 137: To laugh at the joke?
"Please rest assured, Your Highness, I will live up to your expectations on this trip!" Pei Zhao said with a bow.
The man behind the desk raised his hand slightly and said calmly, "I have faith in Master Pei's ability, but I still have a question for you."
"Your Highness, please speak."
Xiao Mingyi's gaze suddenly sharpened, and his voice trailed off:
"You're breaking off the engagement today. Are you afraid of delaying your beloved, or are you afraid that I have selfish motives and won't appoint you as the Supervisory Censor?"
Pei Zhao raised his head and curled his lips calmly: "Both."
The bright candlelight in the hall illuminated Xiao Mingyi's expressionless face. A sneer lingered on his lips: "You are quite honest."
"You just took up your position as a Hanlin Academy scholar last year, so the position of Superintendent of Censors shouldn't have fallen to you. However, there aren't many officials in Kyoto who are capable and willing to take action. Since you're willing to travel all the way to Qizhou for your brother, you'll be considered one of them."
Pei Zhaomo did not respond and did not comment.
Xiao Mingyi picked up the teacup beside him and brushed away the foam in it, his gesture elegant. "I will not harbor any selfish motives in the affairs of state. The position of Supervisory Censor is very important. I am not an incompetent ruler. To resist foreign aggression, we must first stabilize the internal situation. The problem in Qizhou is imminent. Lord Pei's willingness to recommend himself has solved my urgent need, and I must thank you."
"You are welcome, Your Highness."
Pei Zhao knew that Qizhou had many problems, and that it could take anywhere from a year and a half to three to five years. Rather than continuing the engagement, dragging Lingyi along, and causing both families to worry, it would be better to be more relaxed.
…
At night, the fluttering snow once again swept across Kyoto City.
The candlelight in Zhilan Garden was dim and it was extremely quiet.
The partition window carved with crabapple patterns was half open. Song Lingyi held her chin with one hand and sat on the soft couch, watching the broken snow gradually covering the courtyard. The crabapple tree in the snow was dressed in white, and her bright black eyes were flushed, but her face was as calm as water.
The two maids stood guard at the corridor of the side room, secretly looking towards the main room and whispering:
"Master Pei is so cruel. He didn't even show up for such a big thing as breaking off the engagement!" Yun Yao was extremely angry.
"If she shows up, the girl will be even more upset."
The two people who were chatting and laughing happily in Changsheng Temple suddenly broke off their engagement today. No one would be able to get over it.
"That's better than not seeing him at all. I heard that Master Pei will be leaving Beijing for his new post tomorrow. I don't know if I'll be able to see him again..."
"Pah, pah, pah, what unlucky words are you saying?"
Hongqiu poked Yunyao's arm and said, "Hurry up and send the tranquilizing soup in."
"Oh~" Yun Yao pouted.
A charcoal brazier was burning in the main house, so even with the windows open, it didn't feel very cold. Yun Yao walked lightly towards the soft couch and placed the calming soup on the table. The movement was subtle, but the girl by the window didn't react at all.
Yun Yao bent her waist and looked into the courtyard following Song Lingyi's gaze, but could see nothing but snow on the ground.
"Girl, what have you been looking at for so long?" she asked curiously.
After two breaths of silence, the girl suddenly said, "I'm watching the snow."
Yun Yao smiled awkwardly. "What's so nice about snow? It snows every year in Kyoto, but this year there are more snowy days than last year. The snow comes and goes quickly, and it will stop soon. You should go to bed early."
Song Lingyi picked up the soup bowl with one hand and stirred it slowly with the porcelain spoon. Her tone was remarkably calm, "Heaven is not willing to be with you forever. My fate with him is probably like this sudden snowstorm."
The pair of delicate eyes and eyebrows shrouded in white mist were as delicate as glass. Yun Yao was stunned for a moment and said in a muffled voice, "Young lady, are you blaming Master Pei?"
blame?
Song Lingyi's eyes trembled, and a bitter smile appeared at the corner of her lips.
Pei Zhao had recommended himself for the position of Supervisory Censor out of respect for his brother's injustice and for the stability of Qizhou. She had no right to complain, nor could she complain.
Yun Yao realized that she had said the wrong thing just now. She moved her lips and wanted to say something more, but seeing the girl's depressed look, she swallowed her words back.
After Song Lingyi finished drinking the calming soup, Yun Yao picked up the teacup and walked out. She ran into a black shadow that quickly passed by. Her almond eyes widened: "Little Master——"
In the blink of an eye, the shadow entered the main house.
Song Lingyi lowered her eyes and looked at the divorce document spread out on the table.
He left the hall without taking it, and in the evening asked Hongju to retrieve her copy. The handwriting on the document was elegant and graceful, and it was immediately clear that it was Pei Zhao's handwriting. He was worthy of being a famous talent in Kyoto. The words were both euphemistic and ruthless.
While she was still lost in thought, a shadow suddenly loomed behind her. Before Song Lingyi could react, the document of breaking off the engagement on the table was taken away by an outstretched arm.
She was startled and turned around to look back.
The dim candlelight illuminated the young man's deep profile. The corners of his lips raised slightly with a cold smile. He quickly scanned the document of breaking off the engagement. As soon as he finished reading it, the document was quickly taken away by a bare hand.
"What are you doing?!"
When Song Lingyi glared at Lu Qian who suddenly appeared, her pretty face flushed red, obviously out of anger.
What an impertinent fellow.
I haven't seen her for a few days, and as soon as I see her, I take out her divorce papers to look at!
The young man in the brocade robe and jade belt was cold from the wind and snow, and his hair was slightly wet, as if he had hurried back from outside.
"I heard that you broke off the engagement, so I came back to see you." Lu Qian's eyes were deep and his voice was low and mellow.
"..." Song Lingyi frowned speechlessly.
It was hard to tell whether he had changed his personality or was gloating.
A few days ago, I swore to him that I would not cancel the engagement, but now I just feel pain in my face, and the sadness and melancholy that lasted all day have been replaced by shame and anger.
"I'm fine, thank you for your concern, you can go now."
"Your eyes are red from crying. How can this be considered good?" Lu Qian glanced at the divorce document hidden behind her, his lips curled slightly. "I heard that the sour scholars in the city are holding a farewell party for him at Bishui Yuntai. Do you want me to go and vent your anger for you?"
Song Lingyi glared at him and gritted her teeth, "He hasn't done anything wrong to me, so why should you intervene? Besides, didn't you come here tonight just to see me make a fool of myself?"
"Who said I came here to laugh at the joke?" Lu Qianrui narrowed his eyes.
A thick shadow suddenly descended. Seeing him approaching, Song Lingyi involuntarily stepped back until her heels touched the couch, and she bent her knees and sat down.
"you……"
Before she could utter a word, the tall figure pressing over leaned forward and closed the partition window behind her, muttering, "What's wrong with the servants in your yard? Opening the window when it's snowing, what if they catch a cold?"
“…”
Suddenly, the distance between them shortened, and Song Lingyi noticed keenly that after not seeing Lu Qian for a few days, he seemed to have grown taller, and his body wrapped in a brocade robe was obviously much stronger than when she first came to Kyoto.
Click——
A snap of her fingers brought her scattered thoughts back to her senses.
"What are you thinking about?" Lu Qian said in a light tone.
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