Zhao Qian was in the same inn with them, drinking in a corner.

He changed into a neat and clean outfit, a black robe with gold threads, which matched his fair and handsome face. He held the cup in both hands and looked around with a smile, which attracted several young women to look back at him. Zhao Qian was now in a relaxed mood, drinking slowly. He recalled that the past times of frustration were gone forever, and he felt more and more that the future was brighter and he was in a good mood. He drank a whole pot of Fenjiu

in a short while. He was a little drunk.

At this time, Bao Ning walked down the stairs slowly, holding the hem of her skirt.

She came here to take advantage of a little bargain. She heard from the waiter that there were free snacks downstairs, including sweet-scented osmanthus cake and pineapple cake, which were made by famous chefs in Beijing and tasted very good, so she came to try them. Baoning asked the waiter for a small, exquisite golden plate. She didn't know that Zhao Qian was there, so she went to the counter and concentrated on choosing.

Zhao Qian saw her at a glance, and was frightened and broke out in a cold sweat. He sat up straight immediately.

Why is the Fourth Prince's wife here? What if he is recognized? !

But on second thought, it's not surprising to meet here. This inn is called Fengxiangju, the best inn in the capital. The entrance fee is fifty taels of silver. It gathers celebrities, so the Fourth Prince will naturally not live in a poor place to save some money. Besides, he has changed into a man now, and his appearance is completely different from when he was in Lihu Manor. Baoning will definitely not recognize him.

Zhao Qian relaxed his body, leaned back in his chair and continued to drink. His vision was blurry, and he stared at Baoning's back wantonly.

As he looked, the alcohol made him bolder, and he had some other thoughts.

In fact, he and Baoning had not met many times, but the impression was very deep. It was not because of her appearance, Baoning was beautiful, but he had seen many beauties. Looking at Baoning's face, he felt his eyes brightened, but he just wanted to look at her a few more times, so as not to have any impure thoughts. What he liked most was her temperament, pure, funny, and smart. He had never met a woman more interesting than her.

Pei Yuan was lucky.

Zhao Qian suddenly thought that when Pei Xiao came to power and ascended the throne, Pei Yuan would definitely not have a good life, and it was uncertain whether she could survive. When that time came, Pei Yuan would die, what would happen to this delicate little beauty? Would she also die gracefully, or fall into the hands of thieves and be humiliated? Wouldn't it be such a pity!

Zhao Qian thought so, and a slight bitterness rose in his heart. He drank wine, his face was hot, and his heart was hot, and he was eager to do something.

Seeing Bao Ning picking snacks and going upstairs, Zhao Qian suddenly stood up. He first went to the cashier to borrow a pen and paper, quickly wrote a few lines and put them in his sleeve, then hurried to meet Baoning and whispered, "Fourth Prince's Consort?"

Baoning turned around in surprise, but didn't recognize him at first glance. She frowned and took a step back, subconsciously looking in the direction of Wei Meng.

Pei Yuan was handling official business in the guest room upstairs, and asked Wei Meng to accompany her in secret. Baoning saw Wei Meng nodded at her, meaning there was no danger, and she felt relieved.

Zhao Qian said, "Fourth Prince's Consort, I have a few words to say to you. Do you have time?"

Bao Ning glanced at Wei Meng again and saw that he still nodded. Knowing that everything was as expected, she took a deep breath and said to Zhao Qian, "Okay, let's go to the backyard."

They walked to the back door. Wei Meng spit out the date kernel in his mouth and followed quietly.

I knew that Zhao Qian was also in this inn. I wanted to take him down immediately, but Pei Yuan told me not to do it for now and to see what Zhao Qian was going to do first, so Wei Meng didn't stop him. However, no one thought that Zhao Qian would go to Bao Ning. Wei Meng hesitated again. Should he subdue Zhao Qian immediately? Or should he wait for a while. If he had bad intentions, it would not be too late to kill him.

Baoning and Zhao Qian stood two steps apart, facing each other. Zhao Qian said, "Fourth Prince's Consort, can you still recognize me? I am Qian'er."

Baoning repeated his words, "Qian'er?"

She looked at Zhao Qian's current appearance in disbelief, and was shocked. She couldn't understand how the annoying maid could turn into a man. Then she heard Zhao Qian continue, "Fourth Prince's Consort, don't blame me for deceiving you. I really... had no choice!"

Zhao Qian's eyes suddenly welled up with tears. He

cried as soon as he said it. Baoning was shocked. Aren't men supposed to shed tears lightly? The tears of the man in front of her seemed to be worthless.

Zhao Qian added: "I was coerced by Pei Xiao, the current Crown Prince! He threatened me with my mother's life and asked me to be Madam Su's maid, so that I could sneak into the manor and secretly be his spy... But don't worry, Princess Four, I haven't done anything to let you down. I have repented now. I know it was wrong to submit to the Crown Prince. I will tell you everything today!"

Zhao Qian bowed his head and knelt down: "I hope you will forgive me!"

Baoning was confused by his words. Before Pei Yuan had time to tell her the truth about Zhao Qian, Baoning looked at Zhao Qian kneeling there wiping his tears and felt extremely confused.

Wei Meng also felt confused. He looked at Zhao Qian in shock, wondering how he could say such words.

Bao Ning mouthed to Wei Meng: "Is it true?"

Wei Meng waved her hands hurriedly: "Fake, fake!"

Zhao Qian heard the fragmented voice and looked back vigilantly: "Who is talking behind?"

Wei Meng was startled and quickly retreated behind the door.

Bao Ning had already calmed down her emotions just now. She looked at Zhao Qian and cooperated with sympathy and indignation: "Did Pei Xiao really do it? My God, how could he be so shameless and vulgar!"

Zhao Qian's expression was strange for a moment. Bao Ning's reaction was what he expected, but it seemed a little... strange.

But the show has already begun, there is no reason to stop. Zhao Qian clenched his fists on his knees and added, "This morning, I sneaked out of the manor. I was unwilling to be a puppet anymore. I wanted to live my own life! I wanted to let this matter be forgotten, but I didn't expect to meet you at the door of Fengxiangju. I couldn't bear the guilt in my heart, so I came to you to tell you the truth. I, Zhao Qian, did something wrong. You can kill me or mutilate me, it's up to you!"

He acted so realistically that if Wei Meng hadn't said it was fake in advance, Baoning almost believed it.

But now... Baoning looked at Zhao Qian with pity and tried hard to agree with him: "No, you are such an upright person, how could I blame you? Please get up!"

Baoning was moved and said: "I really admire your noble character, Zhao Qian, don't worry, I won't let you suffer such an injustice. You wait for me here, I will be back soon. I have some silver in my hand, I will give it to your mother to show my gratitude."

Zhao Qian kowtowed and thanked him: "The Fourth Prince's wife is so kind, Zhao Qian will never forget it!"

Zhao Qian was delighted, thinking that Baoning believed his words and he was halfway successful.

He thought that after he got the money from Pei Xiao, he would leave the capital. If possible, he hoped to take Bao Ning with him. If not, after Pei Yuan died, he could persuade Bao Ning to go with him. Even if Bao Ning really didn't want to go with him, at this juncture, he could still deceive Bao Ning's trust first, and then provoke her relationship with Pei Yuan again, and get more bonus from Pei Xiao. All benefits without any harm.

Baoning was about to leave with the plate of snacks, but Zhao Qian called her again, stood up and whispered in her ear: "Fourth Prince's Consort, Zhao Qian has something else to tell you."

Baoning asked: "What?"

Zhao Qian said to Baoning in a very low voice that only the two of them could hear: "In Lihu Town, there is a brothel at the end of Anping Street. Fourth Prince's Consort should know about it, right? The Fourth Prince is often not at the manor during the day. He says that he is out on business, but in fact, he is lingering among the flowers in that gentle country. I can't bear to see him continue to deceive you, so I'm telling you now."

"Really?" Baoning looked at him blankly.

Zhao Qian said, "It's absolutely true. If I tell you a lie, I'll be struck by lightning!"

Baoning's eyes showed deep sorrow, and she said to Zhao Qian, "Thank you. I'll go back and ask him clearly!"

Zhao Qian said, "It's my greatest honor to be able to help the prince's wife."

Baoning wiped her tears with her sleeve, turned around and hurried away, then remembered something and asked Zhao Qian, "Have you booked a room in this inn? I'll come to thank you in person later!"

Zhao Qian was delighted and answered without hesitation, "Room C34, Zhao Qian is waiting for you!"

Baoning left quickly with the plate, and met Wei Meng when passing the door.

Wei Meng didn't know what Zhao Qian said to Bao Ning at last, which made Bao Ning cry. Just when she wanted to ask anxiously, she was interrupted by Bao Ning: "You keep an eye on him, I'll go upstairs for a while, don't let him run away."

Seeing that she looked calm, Wei Meng felt a little relieved and said yes.

Bao Ning trotted upstairs and opened the door. Pei Yuan was leaning in the wide rose chair, with his legs crossed on the table, looking down at a book. Hearing the voice, he looked up and saw Baoning's red eyes, his heart tightened, and he asked anxiously: "What's wrong, what happened?"

Baoning put the plate of snacks on the table, patted his chest and said: "Ayuan, I met a master, that Zhao Qian, he is really a master!"

"His face," Baoning gestured with his hand, "is so thick!"

"Oh?" Pei Yuan put down his legs, squinted and asked, "You met him?"

"We talked a lot..." Baoning sat next to Pei Yuan and told Pei Yuan everything that Zhao Qian had said to her at that time.

Pei Yuan's face was gloomy at first, but it became brighter as time went on. Finally, he smiled and asked, "He said I went to a brothel. Didn't you have any doubts?"

"What did you doubt?"

"Don't doubt me?"

"How can such a petty trick alienate our relationship?" Bao Ning held one of Pei Yuan's hands with both hands, looked into his eyes and said, "I believe my own eyes. I know that you only have me in your heart now. I can feel it. So no matter what others say, no matter how true they are, as long as you deny it, I will believe you. But A'yuan, I'm very sensitive. If one day, my place in your heart becomes smaller, I can also notice it."

"That day will not come." Pei Yuan pinched her chin and shook it gently, "Let's wait and see."

Bao Ning smiled and hugged his waist. No matter what happens in the future, she really feels that life is very good now.

Pei Yuan put his hand on her back, patting it from time to time. The faint panic that had lingered in his heart since leaving Chongyuan Marquis Mansion also dissipated a lot. He felt very happy. It turned out that the feeling of being trusted was like this, which made people satisfied.

At that time, when Pei Yuan heard Bao Ning say in such a hesitant tone that she was a concubine's daughter and was marrying above her station, his heart really skipped a beat. He was very afraid that one day, Bao Ning would misunderstand him because of some gossip, or could not bear the pressure and resolutely leave him. But now Pei Yuan doesn't think so. His Bao Ning is growing up slowly, becoming stronger and more confident. Besides, his Bao Ning is the flesh and blood of his heart. How could his flesh and blood leave him?

Pei Yuan's eyes fell on the plate of cakes on the table. He kissed Bao Ning's cheek tenderly and said, "I believe you, too."

Bao Ning looked up, confused, and followed his line of sight. She was shocked to see that under a piece of osmanthus cake was a folded piece of paper. She took it out and opened it. The top three words were "To Bao Ning", and the following lines of tender love words clearly expressed the unrequited love and deep longing.

It was Zhao Qian who put it in when she was not paying attention.

...

After being outside in the cold wind for a long time, Zhao Qian sobered up a lot. He paced anxiously in the room, thinking about what had just happened.

Was he too impatient?

Zhao Qian recalled Bao Ning's words and expressions at that time, and he was increasingly unsure whether she really believed him. However, Bao Ning said she would come, and based on his understanding of Bao Ning, she would not lie.

Zhao Qian sat down at the table again and drank a cup of tea.

Finally, he could no longer bear the uneasiness in his heart, so he pushed the door open and wanted to find out what was going on, but he was blocked back as soon as he stepped out of the door. Zhao Qian looked at Pei Yuan in front of him with horror. Pei Yuan held a long whip with a silver handle in his hand. He lifted his chin with a smile and forced him to retreat into the house step by step.

He raised his eyebrows and said, "Look at the appearance of our son-in-law. What a good-looking man." "He also has a good mouth. He is very good at talking." Pei Yuan poked his lips with the handle of the whip. "Didn't you say it very well then? Come on, say a few more words for me to hear."

Zhao Qian trembled. He was extremely scared. His mind was blank. He knelt down with a thud and said, "Fourth Prince, I was wrong. I was blinded by greed. You are magnanimous..."

Pei Yuan squatted down and asked him, "Didn't you say that if I tell a lie, I will be struck by lightning?"

Zhao Qian didn't dare to speak.

"Don't worry, God won't want to strike you down." Pei Yuan snorted and laughed, "With such a graceful little body, it would be a waste of God's gift if you don't send her to a brothel to be a prostitute."

"Then send her there."