Pei Yuan looked down subconsciously.

He was forced to dye his toenails last night. The orange-red stings made his eyes swell and ache. Now that he was wearing shoes, although he couldn't see them, he still felt uncomfortable. It was as if the iris had stained his heart. He wanted to ignore it, but he couldn't forget it. Even when he was doing business, he was still thinking about those ten toes and always wanted to scratch them.

"It's okay." Pei Yuan said lightly, "I was bitten by a mosquito, it's just itchy."

After he finished speaking, he put his hands behind his back and left, trying to make his steps natural.

Wei Meng stared at his back and couldn't help whispering, "You're so shy, like a grown-up girl going out on the street."

Pei Yuan heard this, paused, glared back and asked, "What did you say?"

Wei Meng stopped talking immediately, smiled back and asked, "Young general, are you going back to the barracks or the mansion?"

Pei Yuan stared at him for a long time, snorted, and left.

...

Chang Xi returned to the mansion from the corner gate, avoiding people all the way, and arrived at the door of Pei Xiao's study.

Pei Xiao had just come out of Gao Feihe's room, and did not go into the study to handle government affairs. He just stood at the door, looking down and stroking a blooming rose. Chang Xi did not dare to disturb him, and waited not far away, looking at Pei Xiao's face, and saw at a glance that he was in a bad mood, and secretly guessed the reason.

The Crown Prince and his wife have always been known for their love and harmony. They have almost never quarreled. Even when the Crown Princess planned to kill Yuanzi last time, Pei Xiao was furious, but the two did not quarrel.

Compared with a big fight, this kind of superficial discord and the struggle to maintain mutual respect seem to be more exhausting.

Pei Xiao would stay overnight in Gao Feihe's courtyard every three days, and he never missed it. Chang Xi was deeply impressed by such a precise routine, and also felt that Pei Xiao was not like a human being at all. When the assassination attempt on Yandang Mountain failed, Pei Xiao stabbed himself in the stomach with a sword in order to exonerate himself. The wound did not heal for half a month. Even so, he would still go to Gao Feihe's room, and if he couldn't do anything else, he would accompany her to talk.

Chang Xi thought to himself that there was a reason why Taifu Gao loved this son-in-law so much and tried his best to support and cultivate him.

Because Pei Xiao is gentle and polite, has a measured approach and retreat, is sincere in treating others, is both civil and military, and decisive enough, he is a good candidate to ascend the throne.

Only Chang Xi knew what kind of heart was hidden under Pei Xiao's gentle and jade-like appearance. He was twisted and vicious, and had a disgusting habit of falling in love with other people's wives...

Pei Xiao pulled off a petal, gently rubbed it and slowly twisted it until it was broken into pieces. He dusted the pieces with two fingers and threw them away. He glanced at Chang Xi and asked warmly: "Why did you fail to explain your affairs?"

Chang Xi quickly knelt down to apologize.

Pei Xiao opened the door and walked into the house: "Come in and talk."

Chang Xi stood up and followed him. When he reached the back of the house, he knelt down again and bowed his head to tell him everything that happened that night and this morning.

Pei Xiao listened quietly, with the teacup at his lips, but he never drank it.

After Chang Xi finished speaking, he kowtowed and said: "I did not do my job well and ruined your plan. I beg your Highness to punish me!"

Pei Xiao felt a headache after coming out of Gao Feihe's house. After listening to Chang Xi's words, his head hurt even more.

He put down the teacup, pinched his forehead with two fingers, closed his eyes for a long time, and then asked softly: "Tell me, is there someone in the world who treats you like this, honest and open, without any suspicion?"

Chang Xi hesitated and did not dare to speak. Pei Xiao opened his eyes and looked at him, and suddenly said: "Oh, I forgot, you are a eunuch, and eunuchs cannot marry. I just touched your sore spot, don't blame me?" Chang Xi

hurriedly said: "I dare not, I dare not."

Pei Xiao said slowly: "Although you failed in this matter, you did nothing wrong. I am not a cruel and vicious person, and I will not kill you, but you But I can't stay in the mansion. You won't blame me, right?"

Chang Xi said, "I dare not, I dare not."

Pei Xiao nodded, remembered something, and asked again: "What is the origin of that Sun Xingye, have you asked?"

Chang Xi replied: "He is a scholar who came from Dongying to take the exam. I learned from chatting that he has no parents and sold his house to get the travel expenses. He is already alone. I think he is weak but brave, loyal and courageous, and can be a warrior."

Chang Xi didn't think Pei Xiao was a wise leader, but Sun Xingye admired Pei Xiao and saved his life. Chang Xi was willing to fulfill his wish and introduce him to him.

Pei Xiao stood up and said, "I'll go see him."

"You don't have to go." He looked at Chang Xi who got up and smiled, "Oh, there is something I forgot to tell you. I am a cautious person, you should know that, you know so many of my secrets, I am worried."

Chang Xi was startled, and just wanted to refute his loyalty, Pei Xiao interrupted him and continued: "I won't take your life, but you have to make me feel at ease."

Looking at his eyes, Chang Xi's heart skipped a beat, Pei Xiao still smiled gently, stretched out his hand and touched his lips: "I am worried about your face "I cut your mouth because I'm afraid you might talk nonsense,

so I'll just cut it off." He then picked up Chang Xi's wrist and said, "You still have these hands that can write. I'm afraid you might write nonsense, so I'll just cut them off."

Chang Xi had already fallen to the ground, shaking like a sieve, unable to speak. Pei Xiao's gaze fell on his feet again, and he asked in doubt, "I heard that some people can write with their feet even if they have no hands? I'm really afraid that you will develop such a skill. Then I'll just cut them off together."

After saying that, a warm smile appeared on his handsome face, "You won't blame me, will you?"

...

Pei Yuan received the big box sent by Pei Xiao the next day. After opening it, he saw Chang Xi, who was almost turned into a human pig.

Pei Xiao had already accepted Sun Xingye as his retainer, and asked him to pass on a message that he did not know what Chang Xi had done. After Chang Xi escaped and returned to the mansion, he kept the matter secret, packed up his money and tried to leave, but was discovered by Pei Xiao, who severely punished him and sent him back to the Jinbei Palace as an apology.

Wei Meng was also shocked by such a bloody and cruel scene. It took him a long time to recover and said to Pei Yuan: "Pei Xiao is getting more and more vicious and terrible!"

Pei Yuan asked someone to give Chang Xi a quick death.

He might as well die if he lived in such pain. Sending him off was actually a good thing.

...

There was still a month before the Mid-Autumn Festival family banquet, and Pei Yuan gradually became busy.

Baoning received a gift invitation from the Ministry of Rites half a month in advance, inviting her to the banquet.

It was hot in July, and the weather was getting cooler. Baoning picked a day and went back to the Duke of Rong's Mansion with Pei Yuan.

Pei Yuan was really busy, and he had to take time out to read the letter even in the bumpy carriage.

Baoning glanced at it and saw that it was signed by Gao Dacheng.

Gao Dacheng is Sun Xingye. His real name is indeed Sun Xingye, but in order to avoid being seen, he changes his name when writing letters.

The carriage was large and spacious, covered with a soft goose-feather blanket. Bao Ning knelt behind Pei Yuan and massaged his shoulders. When he got tired, he rested his head on his shoulder and asked him, "What's it written about?"

Pei Yuan said, "Sun Xingye said that he has gained Pei Xiao's trust and presented the recipe for Xiaoxiangdan. Pei Xiao asked the imperial physician to check the recipe, and after identification, it was authentic. He believed in him even more and presented the recipe to Gao Feihe. Sun Xingye knows a little about medicine, and Pei Xiao also gave him the task of making pills. He is now often by Gao Feihe's side, and is also one of Pei Xiao's spies for monitoring Gao Feihe."

Bao Ning asked, "Have you finished reading it?"

"I'm done." Pei Yuan threw the letter into the ice basin on the carriage, and the black words melted in water and blended into a ball.

He reached behind his back and pulled Bao Ning out, then leaned back comfortably on the chair, and took Bao Ning's place on his legs, hooked her chin and asked: "Why, did you miss me?"

Bao Ning said: "No."

Pei Yuan narrowed his eyes, he no longer thought about other things, his mind was all on her, he pressed her nose upwards with his thumb, and smiled: "Like a little pig."

Bao Ning was hurt, and she also wanted to press his nose unwillingly. Pei Yuan grabbed her wrist, lowered his head and bit her lower lip, and asked softly: "Little pig doesn't miss me? Then why are you so clingy and have to get behind my back?"

"You go out early and come back late every day, and it's been a long time since you had a serious talk. It's not easy to be alone during the day, and you want to read the letter again." Bao Ning muttered softly, "If you are like this, your eyes will be blurry when you get old, and you may even go blind. Don't look at it now."

"Just take care of this part, it will be fine in the future." Pei Yuan kissed her eyes again.

Bao Ning smiled and dodged: "Don't touch it, there is rouge on her eyelids, and a little silver powder, be careful not to eat something bad."

Pei Yuan moved away from her, and then he could see clearly that she had dressed up specially.

Bao Ning asked: "Does it look good?"

"..." He couldn't say no, and didn't want to offend her, so he asked, "How much money does it cost to put on such makeup?" "

..." Bao Ning thought to herself, she really asked him unnecessary questions, she didn't know anything.

After a short silence, Pei Yuan felt embarrassed. It was just a sentence that offended him, so he said it. He held Bao Ning's face and praised, "As beautiful as Chang'e."

Bao Ning asked: "Have you seen Chang'e?"

Pei Yuan was silent again.

Bao Ning secretly pinched his thigh and saw him frowning in pain, which made her feel better.

She put her face on Pei Yuan's shoulder and listened to his heartbeat. Then she thought of something and asked, "General Wei has taken the fragrant pill for more than half a month. How is the effect? ​​I haven't seen him for a few days."

Pei Yuan smiled when talking about this, "It's very useful. But after taking ten pills, I looked at him and found that his skin was much smoother. There was a faint fragrance on his body, but he couldn't smell it. The other brothers in the barracks laughed at him behind his back, but they didn't dare to say it out loud. Later, Chen Jia told him that Wei Meng was very proud of it. "I was so happy that I immediately decided to go to Qingluofang again..."

Baoning clapped his hands and said, "Then it's done. This time there must be a girl who likes him!"

Pei Yuan shook his head: "The girls thought he had changed his mind, so they surrounded him and ridiculed him, saying that he must have gone to another brothel to have an affair, otherwise why would he have such a strong scent of women? Especially those who were originally in love with him, they were even more convinced that he was a treacherous man and cried until their eyes were blurred with tears. Wei Meng's excuses were useless. She got angry and drank too much, and she missed the stairs and fell down."

"I didn't expect that." Bao Ning covered his lips in surprise, "How was General Wei injured?"

"The injury is not serious, just a scratch." Pei Yuan smiled even more, "But after he returned to the barracks, he happened to run into a few soldiers making fun of him, saying that he was a womanizer. Wei Meng was furious and punished those gossiping soldiers. After returning, he threw away the remaining incense pills and tried his best to get rid of the fragrance."

Bao Ning asked: "What method did General Wei come up with?"

"Fight poison with poison. If the fragrance is too strong, treat it with stench. He asked his subordinates to buy the stinkiest stinky tofu in the capital and ate it for three consecutive days." Pei Yuan looked at Bao Ning, "Who would have thought that the tofu my subordinates bought was so stinky, and then he had diarrhea for three days, vomiting and diarrhea, and could only lie in bed. Today he was barely able to get up, so I can rest for a day and accompany you back home."

"General Wei is too pitiful." Bao Ning sighed and looked at Pei Yuan again, "Why do you look so happy?"

"Really?" Pei Yuan said seriously, "I see that his illness has improved, I am happy for him."

Bao Ning didn't believe it. But the carriage had stopped, and Chen Jia knocked on the door outside and said it was here. Pei Yuan got off the car first, Chen Jia brought a small stool, and Bao Ning slowly got off.

Duke Rong and his family had been waiting for a long time.

In the crowd, Baoning saw a familiar face, but he never expected to see it here.