Forced marriage and humiliation
As the saying goes, there is no first in literature and no second in martial arts. It is a bit difficult to decide who is the best painter among women.
But all the girls unanimously nominated the first place, saying that the sight of a line of butterflies circling and resting on a painting of clusters of flowers was a testament to the artist's unpretentious yet ingenious painting skills.
This saved Pei Zhaoying a headache, but when he looked at the masterpiece, he found it was really rough and careless and could not give it a thumbs up.
The noble ladies in the capital were pretentious and, seeing how he attracted so many people, they took the initiative to submit to him.
The painter of this painting is Lu Yunqi, a new student admitted to the Imperial Hospital this year. He looks timid, afraid of displeasing Pei Zhaoying, or out of guilt - where Pei Zhaoying's hand touched the paper for a long time, an inconspicuous crimson appeared, and as her hand moved away, the red disappeared into the air.
This trick may be able to deceive others, but Pei Zhaoying saw it clearly.
However, if it is exposed in public, Lu Yunqi's reputation will be ruined and she will have no place to stand. It is not easy for a woman to be an official. Pei Zhaoying sighed deeply, unable to bear to expose her in public and embarrass her, and said with a forced smile:
"Since your paintings are so full of spirituality, and everyone is convinced of your work, Imperial Physician Lu, prepare to receive the Empress Dowager's reward."
Let's see if she is so bold as to take risks for a bucket of pearls and dare to deceive her superiors and subordinates to accept the reward.
Lu Yunqi's eyes lit up, and he bowed again, saying, "Your Highness, I have a favor to ask. Women also have heroic spirits and can wield swords. The Empress Dowager hasn't explicitly required women to only possess pearls. Could you please grant me a favor and allow me to witness the majesty of the Daytime Sword?"
He actually came for the famous sword.
Pei Zhaoying went to look for Xiao Bo's eyes: "Then you have to consider what Master Xiao means."
Pei Zhaoying acted openly and honestly, but for some reason, when she touched upon Xiao Bo, she felt inexplicably anxious and uneasy, and sat up straight and averted her gaze.
Perhaps, after Xiao Bo's amazing arrow shot, many people at the banquet mentioned the two of them together in praise, which made Pei Zhaoying feel indescribably hot in her ears.
After all, she was an unmarried woman, and she was very thin-skinned. The more she tried to cover up, the more obvious it became, and she lost her sense of dignity.
Seeing Pei Zhaoying dodging unnaturally, Xiao Bo's heart sank, fearing that she was wary of his identity as a member of the Xiao family. He smiled bitterly and replied:
"I'm not here for a reward. A gentleman should help others achieve their goals. Imperial Physician Lu likes this sword, and I'd like to exchange it with him."
Lu Yunqi was overjoyed, yet also lacking confidence. She kept glancing at the tray. Pei Zhaoying would not tolerate anyone lying in front of her, so she said:
"The sword is a dangerous weapon. Imperial Doctor Lu saves lives, and weapons are incompatible with him. I will keep it for you to avoid any conflict and bring trouble to Imperial Doctor Lu's medical career."
Lu Yunqi couldn't believe it, his eyes widened, and only after being reminded by others did he stammer out his thanks.
Pei Zhaoying took note of this. He had no time to ask in detail at the moment, but would investigate again someday to find out what had motivated this young imperial physician to take such a risk.
However, seeing Lu Yunqi's dazed and foolish look, and his calculations failing, Pei Zhaoying was amused and smiled slyly, and announced that Xiao Bo would receive a bucket of pearls.
Xiao Bo thanked her. Although the pearls were beautiful, he couldn't help but try to catch Pei Zhaoying's more radiant expression in the gaps.
However, every time he wanted to look at her again, he saw Pei Zhaoying either turning her head to admire the flowers or lowering her head to touch the embroidery on her skirt.
They were so close to each other, yet they were not connected at all.
Xiao Bo was so anxious that his palms were sweating.
The soul is still the same in the beautiful and graceful body, but he has experienced more than her. It's like after the two of them knew each other and fell in love, they have returned to being strangers again, which makes Xiao Bo worried and sad.
He repeatedly told himself that things would eventually work out, and then he began to wonder, if he was the one to receive the archery reward at the Qionghua Banquet this time, did this mean that their fates could be changed? Could he save her?
He didn't know that Pei Zhaoying was looking forward to his entry, and she didn't even know what she was looking forward to. She simply ignored him and tried to stay away.
Pei Zhaoying couldn't bear it any longer, so he called Qiluo and whispered to her, insisting that the craftsman should repair Xiao Bo's jade pendant with two fish holding each other's tails so well that no cracks could be seen.
In this way, I can repay him for helping me out today.
Ever since being haunted by the nightmare, Pei Zhaoying always had some feeling. She realized that she had to fight against her own fate, but she also vaguely realized that God was pushing her towards some people. She didn't know if Xiao Bo was among them, but her heart was pounding and she always wanted to go against her fate once.
In official circles, Xiao Bo would use people when she could, and she would not neglect the good ministers at hand. In private, she would avoid some members of the Xiao family and not have any personal relationships with them.
By the end of the banquet, everyone was in great joy. The poems and essays written by the talented men and beautiful women at the Qionghua Banquet were copied and circulated in the market for the common people to enjoy.
The most talked-about anecdote among them is the heroic performance of Lord Xiao Bo's blind shooting.
When no one around dared to take the bow, he stood up resolutely and hit the bull's eye even with his eyes blindfolded.
According to the anecdotes made up by the people, it is said that the eldest princess personally rewarded Lord Xiao Bo with a bucket of pearls. The man was talented and the woman was beautiful, making them a perfect match.
The competition was settled, and Pei Zhaoying followed Meng Jingxue, who was beside the empress dowager, to respond.
The Queen Mother sat behind a shadowy curtain, making her presence unclear.
"Reporting to the Empress Dowager, everything went well today and did not bring disgrace to the royal family. Especially the sons and daughters, under the Emperor's guidance, they are all brave and valiant."
Pei Zhaoying was only the daughter of a marginal prince in the royal family. Her blood relationship with Emperor Pei Heng was as thin as water. In theory, they were siblings, but they had only met twice since they were young.
There was no loyal person in the royal family who could be used, and powerful ministers could become regent at any time, so the empress dowager, the emperor and his son, mother and son, greatly employed Pei Zhaoying, the nominal imperial sister.
In the past, the empress dowager would wipe away her tears and say that the orphans and widows had to rely on Pei Zhaoying to take care of them, but since she became disabled, her former sincerity has changed.
Pei Zhaoying really couldn't bring herself to call the Queen Mother "Mother".
The Queen Mother was not over forty, and she was well-maintained. She spoke with full energy and a sense of menace:
"I have specially organized this Qionghua Banquet for you. All the men of the right age and holding official titles in the capital have been invited. Is there any man you are interested in? Only when your lifelong affairs are resolved can I and His Majesty rest assured."
Pei Zhaoying knew the answer, but followed her heart: "No. Thank you, Queen Mother, for your concern."
As Xiao and Cheng grew stronger, some of their ministers only recognized the Grand Marshal and not the Emperor. The Empress Dowager and her son came up with a plan after being worried. If they could get Pei Zhaoying to marry him, they could check and balance each other and curb Xiao and Cheng's evil ambitions.
At worst, Pei Zhaoying was his bedside companion, so when he had any rebellious thoughts, fortunately he acted quickly.
Their plan was too obvious. Pei Zhaoying could deal with it simply by dealing with it on the surface, but she hated Xiao and Cheng so much that how could she risk her life for them?
In the past, she would be soft-hearted, take on responsibilities, and just consider it a sacrifice for the country, and get married.
In the nightmare, Pei Zhaoying did not remember the specific person, but only remembered the heart-wrenching pain of being tortured in marriage. She absolutely could not marry a wolf like Xiao Yucheng!
Speaking of responsibility, Xiao Yucheng just happened to have a younger sister, so why didn't Pei Heng marry her himself?
This mother and son just wanted to squeeze out all her usefulness and not let go of even the smallest bit of her.
Pei Zhaoying felt endless sadness and swallowed it silently.
There was a hint of chill in the Queen Mother's voice:
"I didn't realize that among all the talented young men in the capital, not a single one could possibly win the favor of the eldest princess. Could it be that Daliang is full of mediocre people? Then where does that put Your Majesty?"
Female official Meng Jingxue advised with a smile:
"Don't be anxious, Her Majesty. The Princess is extremely respected, so she should take her time in choosing a husband."
The kind face was just an appearance. Meng Jingxue sighed again and changed the subject:
"But Your Highness is already twenty-three years old this year. You've devoted yourself to Daliang for so many years, and it's a bit late. You've also been delayed for a long time due to recuperation. You should think more about yourself. Otherwise, the world will mistakenly think that Your Majesty and the Queen Mother are mean to Your Highness."
"I dare not... Your Majesty and the Queen Mother are very kind to others." Pei Zhaoying replied with a strong sense of humiliation and oppression, her hands on her knees, her nails already leaving marks on her numb legs.
Her hands were shaking, not out of fear, but because she saw her fate falling step by step, and she wanted to climb up to save herself. The surroundings were as slippery as the walls of a well, and her hope was ignited bit by bit.
Qiluo lowered her head and said nothing, her fingertips trembling slightly with anger. She only hated that Meng Jingxue was just a servant of the royal family, who relied on the empress dowager to dare to humiliate her eldest princess in such a way.
If it were in the past when Pei Zhaoying led the troops to war, the empress dowager's face would have wrinkled with smiles, right?
Furthermore, the Empress Dowager deliberately did not dismiss the palace maids, leaving everyone in the Cining Palace to watch as Pei Zhaoying walked on thin ice, being forced into marriage and humiliated. This was truly excessive!
After Meng Jingxue conveyed the Queen Mother's thoughts, the Queen Mother could sigh and play the role of a kind elder:
"Forget it, kid, think about it carefully. The Xiao family has good sons, but time waits for no one."
Tears welled up in Pei Zhaoying's eyes, but she still forced herself to express her gratitude.
Seeing Pei Zhaoying leave, Meng Jingxue whispered:
"Your Highness, your Highness has a fiery temper. You must not push him too hard, or he might become desperate. The Xiao family will definitely want to form an alliance with him. If your Highness really cannot accept the Grand Marshal, you can consider other sons of the Xiao family. As long as we can insert a pawn into the Xiao family, our first step will be secure."
The Queen Mother rubbed her temples, frowning and complaining, "After all, she's not my biological child. If Your Majesty had a biological sister, how could Pei Zhaoying refuse to accept the toast? After all these years, you still can't tame her. She refuses to devote her wholeheartedly to Your Majesty, making excuses and making excuses. How disgraceful."
After leaving the palace and being put on the carriage by the personal guards, Pei Zhaoying burst into tears silently.
Since she was injured, she had never hated her disability as clearly and strongly as she did at that moment.
If it weren't for this incident, she would still be a skilled martial artist and agile. The palace walls could not restrain her. At worst, she could just leave. The world is so vast, how could she be manipulated like an object?
She kept thinking about the Queen Mother's words, torturing herself. Suddenly, the words "the son of the Xiao family" gave her a flash of inspiration, and she thought of another person...
Perhaps, there is another way to strike a balance... Pei Zhaoying stopped crying and began to think and plan nervously. As luck would have it, the carriage was stopped at this checkpoint.
The guards shouted, "How dare you!"
The dandy who stopped the carriage had just come from the Qionghua Banquet and was very drunk. He swayed left and right as he saluted:
"I dare not. This young master has long admired the eldest princess. At the Qionghua Banquet, with such a talented man and such a beautiful woman, I cannot let them down..."
His shouting was so loud that it could be heard inside the carriage.
There is still some distance from the palace gate to the actual outside of the palace. Many people went home from here, but they were all waiting for Pei Zhaoying's carriage to go first. After being disturbed by this person, all their attention was focused on him.
Qiluo was about to lose her temper when Pei Zhaoying laughed in anger, lifted the carriage curtain, and ordered with murderous intent:
"Go on." The more this person spoke, the more offensive he was, and the less lenient she would have to be in punishing him.
"The eldest princess, although she is a daughter of gold, she is also disabled. I am the eldest son of the Duke of Anguo and will definitely inherit the title in the future. I think I am more than qualified to be your wife and I will not mind your disability. Can you see my sincerity?"
The Xu family, Duke of Anguo, had many illegitimate sons. Pei Zhaoying smiled brightly and prepared to give the Xu family's illegitimate sons a chance.
Just when Master Xu thought that this desperate move would be a success, he heard Pei Zhaoying's smiling command:
"This man has committed treason and disrespected the royal family. Drag him down to the roadside and give him fifty military sticks."
Fifty blows of the military stick could directly take a person's life. The onlookers were horrified. The eldest princess was simply killing someone in the street.
Mr. Xu's screams were like a pig being slaughtered, almost piercing one's eardrums. Someone couldn't bear it and said:
"Your Highness, please forgive me. I think this man just spoke carelessly. Your Highness is kind-hearted. Why don't you forgive him this time?"
"Yes, Your Highness, fifty military sticks would probably kill someone."
Most of those who pleaded for Master Xu were his cronies. This time, Master Xu got drunk and boasted that the princess had been disabled for a long time and still unmarried, and who knows, if a man came to propose marriage, she would agree, and from then on she would become a prince consort and enjoy endless wealth and glory.
Mr. Xu was instigated by his bad friends and actually did this.
Pei Zhaoying really seemed to be someone who could be manipulated by anyone.
Pei Zhaoying had just accumulated a lot of suppressed resentment with the Empress Dowager and had nowhere to vent it. She ignored her pleas and laughed loudly, echoing Master Xu's cries for his parents, like a beautiful yaksha.
Pei Zhaoying actually smiled as he watched the fifty military sticks being beaten, with admiration in his eyes, before he set off again with satisfaction.
In the crowd, Xiao Bo, inconspicuously, cast a worried and concerned look at him.
He understood her, knew her pride and self-esteem, and that her deliberate arrogance in front of others was all to cover up her numerous grievances and fragility. Being humiliated in public, with no one to understand her, how much pain must her heart be in at this moment?
Someone said fearfully, "This is terrible, this is terrible, the Princess is someone you really can't mess with."
"How dare you," Xiao Bo said coldly, "Mr. Xu insulted the royal family and disrespected the eldest princess. For this alone, the family deserves to suffer. How dare you confuse right and wrong right here in front of the imperial palace?"
"Hey, Lord Xiao, we are all officials in the same dynasty, and what you said is too inconsiderate..." Someone wanted to argue with Xiao Bo, but was pulled away by his comrades who knew the current situation.
Xiao Bo, who had always been as gentle as jade, showed his power and suppressed all his gentleness. At a certain moment, he even had a murderous intent that was even more ruthless than Da Sikong.
Those who were smart and clear-headed shuddered and dared not provoke.
"Let's not go back home yet, just take a walk."
Pei Zhaoying suppressed her tears and gave instructions to her subordinates.
Returning to the Princess's Mansion, she had to be strong enough to become a hostess who could take responsibility for the lives of hundreds of people. She wanted to take a breath, even for a while.
When she lowered the curtain for the last time before setting off, she saw Xiao Bo in the crowd. She felt inexplicably upset, fearing that he also thought she was cruel like most people.
I couldn't let out that breath.
She actually started to care about his opinion, and she didn't want to.
The subordinates agreed, and the personal guards provided orderly escort. The carriage chose to pass through the beautiful cityscape with willows and painted bridges, hoping that Pei Zhaoying would feel better when she saw it.
As dusk fell, the carriages suddenly stopped, and Jin Chenxiao, the personal guard in charge of intelligence, came to report:
"Your Highness, we have news of the witness in the 'husband-murder case'. She has arrived in Beijing. She is a tofu seller from Yuzhou. To save money, she is staying in the warehouse of a small tavern in the capital, not far from here."
Pei Zhaoying said anxiously:
"How can people live in a warehouse? It's hard enough to travel all the way to the capital. Let's go take a look and resettle the people."
Jin Chenxiao obeyed. The streets became increasingly narrow, unable to accommodate many people. Pei Zhaoying was determined to confirm the safety of the witness with her own eyes. Jin Chenxiao stopped the main force at the street corner and formed a five-man elite team to push Pei Zhaoying's wheelchair inside.
This area is in a dilapidated state, with only empty houses or warehouses and no one living there.
Therefore, when the sound of fighting came, Pei Zhaoying heard it very clearly and shouted anxiously:
"There's the sound of swords! Coming at the witness! Protect the witness!"
Jin Chenxiao was startled, afraid that some thieves would take advantage of her situation to harm Pei Zhaoying again. Pei Zhaoying pushed her on the waist:
"This place is very narrow and can't accommodate many thieves. You go first! I have people here too!"
Jin Chenxiao then drew her sword and rushed forward. The sound of fighting stopped for a moment. When she saw the scene in the warehouse, she was speechless for a moment.
Pei Zhaoying, who arrived later, was also stunned.
There was a frightened woman inside, three burly men tied together, and Xiao Bo, who was leaning against the window leisurely.
Pei Zhaoying stammered, "I guess this lady is the witness. Sir Xiao, you are here, so you captured these thieves?"
"Um."
Although Xiao Bo's answer was simple, the rising tone at the end of his voice subtly revealed that he wanted to be praised.
His clothes were not even soiled, yet he fought against three people alone and captured his opponent alive. Pei Zhaoying knew that Jin Chenxiao had arrived late, and there was no one else here who could help, which was still a little unbelievable.
It was because Xiao Bo was as leisurely as a tourist who had accidentally stumbled upon this place.
Pei Zhaoying praised his skills dryly.
Xiao Bo turned his back to hide his fleeting smile and introduced the witness, Aunt Zhu. Aunt Zhu slowly came to her senses, tears streaming down her face, and wanted to pay her respects to the princess, but Pei Zhaoying excused her from the formalities.
Aunt Zhu was full of enthusiasm to testify for her neighbors, but she didn't realize that her life would be in danger, and she was terrified.
Xiao Bo said that he also came to confirm the safety of the witness after receiving the news:
"Why not stay at the Dali Temple and take care of it as usual?"
"Okay, I'll send five people to escort them back."
The two quickly reached an agreement. Pei Zhaoying frowned as he looked at the burly men tied up on the ground.
"It's obviously a murder for hire."
"I have found their identity documents on them. They were murdered by hired assassins hired by local tyrants."
Soon, the officers from the Dali Temple came and took the murderers away. Pei Zhaoying had a complicated expression and said to the man who was planning the whole thing:
"Master Xiao is truly well-informed."
Pei Zhaoying holds a high position, and Jin Chenxiao has been trained under her for many years. There is no news that Jin Chenxiao cannot find out.
And Xiao Bo actually learned about the witness earlier than her.
Whether friend or foe, this person's power cannot be underestimated.
Xiao Bo faced her suspicion and said:
"Your Highness, what are you worried about? Even though I am well-informed, I came here ahead of time to save people and the common people."
Pei Zhaoying remained silent. What he said was true. If he had not arrived earlier, Aunt Zhu would have been hacked to death. When she arrived, she would have only seen blood on the ground.
"Your Highness, the sharpness of a blade depends on where it is used and who wields it."
Xiao Bo spoke softly and guided step by step.
His claws were revealed under his gentle appearance, but he was not afraid to show them to Pei Zhaoying, even if it brought suspicion and doubt.
Xiao Bo insisted on being fully visible in Pei Zhaoying's eyes and heart.
Xiao Bo took a step closer to Pei Zhaoying's wheelchair, and Jin Chenxiao drew his sword warily.
But Xiao Bo was not afraid. He stretched out his hands to show that he had no weapons or hidden weapons. He took another step forward, as if he wanted Pei Zhaoying's answer.
Pei Zhaoying's eyelashes trembled:
"Master Xiao is from the Xiao family, and the head of the Xiao family is the Grand Marshal. I think...Master Xiao still follows the Grand Marshal's lead."
Pei Zhaoying stumbled, perhaps her words were untenable, because if so, Xiao Bo would not have to confront Xiao Yucheng twice.
But this may be a move by the Xiao family to bet on both sides, so we have to be on guard.
Xiao Bo said slowly:
"The road ahead is long. Your Highness, please wait and see who will hold this sword of yours and purge the evil spirits for the well-being of the people."
Pei Zhaoying's heart was pounding.
Pei Heng sought a secure throne, Xiao and Cheng sought power and status, and other corrupt officials sought to seize power and wealth. Consequently, the dynasty was in decline, with warring states dividing the country and frequent wars.
There was a man standing shoulder to shoulder with her, who had saved a civilian woman from the brink of death a moment ago and said he wanted to eliminate the evil spirits for the people.
But she had to be extremely cautious in everything.
Xiao Bo also knew what she was thinking, so he didn't come any closer. He bowed and turned around, his clothes flying. When he left, their shadows merged together.
"I still need to return to the Dali Temple to interrogate the murderer. I will go ahead and compile the confession before copying it to Your Highness' residence. Your Highness, please wait."
Pei Zhaoying saw the figure riding away in a dashing manner, and his eyes turned gloomy. Can he hold this sword?
What she is waiting for is not only the confession, but also the people's hearts.
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