Chapter 34 Encounter with Miss Pei
Chapter Thirty-Four: Encounter with Miss Pei
Su Jizhi emerged from Fayun Temple filled with rage, his chest churning with the unbearable scene he had just witnessed.
Su Linyue is so shameless, engaging in illicit affairs with that纨绔子弟 (spoiled brat) from the Zhuang family in the pure Buddhist temple. If this gets out, the Su family will be utterly disgraced!
He hurried down the mountain, pondering how to report this infuriating incident to his father. As he reached a secluded path at the foot of the mountain, he suddenly heard a commotion ahead.
"Why be so reserved, young lady? How about having a drink with us?"
"That's right, this is the middle of nowhere, why don't we come and have some fun!"
Su Jizhi looked up and saw four or five richly dressed young men surrounding a woman and her two attendants.
Although Fayun Temple is located in a relatively secluded area, it is rumored to be extremely efficacious, so it is very popular and attracts a large number of worshippers, including all sorts of people.
Some good-for-nothing playboys from the capital often used this as an excuse to loiter around here, and they were known far and wide for their lewd behavior towards respectable women.
The woman wore a veil, obscuring her face, but her slender figure and dignified demeanor clearly indicated she was not from an ordinary family. Her two attendants, though trying their best to protect their mistress, were outnumbered and were pushed and shoved by the group of spoiled young men.
One of the men, dressed in a crimson brocade robe, was the most audacious, reaching out to lift the woman's veil: "Let this young master see whose young lady this is, and how beautiful she is..."
"Stop!" Su Jizhi was already in a bad mood, and seeing this scene only fueled his anger. He immediately shouted and strode forward.
The group of spoiled brats turned around at the sound, and seeing that Su Jizhi was alone, they immediately burst into laughter: "Where did this ignorant fool come from, daring to meddle in my business?"
The man in purple became even more arrogant, pointing at Su Jizhi and cursing, "If you know what's good for you, get lost, or else..."
Before he could finish speaking, Su Jizhi had already pounced on him. He had practiced martial arts since childhood and was more than capable of dealing with these good-for-nothings.
He moved with lightning speed, using both fists and feet, and in no time, those spoiled brats were lying on the ground, groaning in pain.
During the fight, the woman seemed to be pushed and lost her balance, falling backward. Su Ji subconsciously reached out and caught her steadily. In the instant their eyes met, he saw a pair of clear and bright eyes under the veil, looking at him with a mixture of panic and helplessness.
"Thank you so much for saving me, young master." The woman's voice was clear and melodious, with a slight tremor.
Su Jizhi then realized that he was still holding the other woman's waist, and quickly let go and took a step back: "Miss, you've been frightened."
The woman straightened her slightly disheveled clothes, gently lifted her veil, revealing a beautiful and refined face. She was about sixteen or seventeen years old, with eyebrows like distant mountains and eyes like autumn water. Although she was not as bright and charming as Su Su, she possessed a gentle and quiet temperament, like a secluded orchid in a valley, making people forget the mundane world upon seeing her.
Su Jizhi was taken aback. He had seen many beauties, but few were as fresh and natural as this.
"If it weren't for your help, young master, I fear I would not have escaped this calamity today." The woman curtsied, still shaken by the near-death experience. She thought to herself that she had acted on impulse today, wanting to pray for her brother, and had come in haste without bringing many guards. She never expected to encounter such a madman. Fortunately, she met this young master. Her cheeks flushed slightly, a mixture of fear and gratitude. "May I ask your honorable name, young master? I will surely repay you handsomely in the future."
Su Jizhi then came to his senses and returned the greeting with a cupped hand: "My name is Su Jizhi. I was just doing my duty. You needn't take it to heart, young lady." He paused and asked, "You don't seem to be from an ordinary family. Why are you here alone?"
The woman smiled faintly: "My surname is Pei, and my given name is Yunxi. Today I was on my way to the Guanyin Temple outside the city to pray for my elder brother, but I did not expect to encounter such a thing on my way back."
"Pei?" Su Jizhi's heart skipped a beat. "Could it be General Pei Xuan's..."
“It is indeed my elder brother.” Pei Yunxi nodded, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes. “My elder brother has been guarding the border for many years. This time, the army returned in triumph after the great victory in the southwest, but he was the only one who did not return… I am the only one left in the capital, and I am really worried. So I came here to pray for him and ask the Bodhisattva to bless him so that he can return safely soon.”
Upon hearing this, Su Jizhi felt a pang of pity. He had long heard that the Pei family was full of loyal martyrs, and now only Pei Xuan and his younger sister were left to depend on each other. Thinking that his own sister had someone to take care of her in the palace, while this Miss Pei was all alone in the capital, he couldn't help but feel even more concerned for her.
“It’s getting late. If Miss Pei doesn’t mind, I’ll escort you back to your residence,” Su Jizhi said gently.
Pei Yunxi looked up at him and saw that his gaze was sincere and he didn't seem like a bad person, so she nodded gently: "Then I'll have to trouble you, Young Master Su."
The two sat side by side in the carriage throughout the journey. Pei Yunxi occasionally stole glances at the handsome man beside her. She saw that he had a clear and bright face and a refined demeanor. He had been decisive and swift in helping her earlier, but now, sitting quietly, he exuded a calm and composed air that made her feel inexplicably happy.
She grew up with her father and brothers at the border, where she was used to seeing the heroic spirit of the soldiers. After returning to the capital, she saw mostly refined gentlemen, but rarely a man who combined martial prowess with elegance.
Meanwhile, Su Jizhi was also secretly observing this Miss Pei. He saw that she was well-mannered and elegant. Although she came from a military family, she had no arrogance. On the contrary, she had a rare gentleness and resilience. Thinking that she was supporting her family alone in the capital, he admired her even more.
When Pei Yunxi was escorted to the gate of the Pei residence, the sun had already set, and the Pei residence was deserted, a stark contrast to the bustling activity at the Su residence in recent days.
"Thank you for today, Young Master Su." Pei Yunxi stopped at the door, curtsied, and her cheeks were even more flushed in the sunset.
Su Jizhi noticed her shyness and said gently, "Miss Pei, you are too kind. Although the capital is under the emperor's nose, there are bound to be some petty people. You will need to bring more people with you when you go out in the future."
Pei Yunxi nodded gently: "I will keep your teachings in mind, young master."
After watching Pei Yunxi enter the mansion, Su Jizhi turned and left. For some reason, from then on, Miss Pei's image left a clear mark on his heart.
Upon returning to the Su residence, Su Jizhi went straight to his father's study and reported in detail what he had seen at Fayun Temple that day, as well as the events involving Su Linyue and Zhuang Zedong.
"What?!" Su Mufeng was furious upon hearing this and slammed his fist on the table. "This shameless bastard! How dare he do such a shameful thing with that brat from the Zhuang family in the pure land of Buddhism!"
He paced back and forth in his study in a fit of rage: "The Emperor is now disillusioned with the Zhuang family, and that old bastard Zhuang Shijie hates our Su family to the core. These fools in the second branch, instead of thinking about how to protect the family, are trying to conspire with a tiger. Are they trying to drag the entire Su family down with them?!"
Su Jizhi said in a deep voice, "Father, please calm down. In my opinion, Zhuang Zedong's approach to Lin Yue must be for some other purpose."
"You're right!" Su Mufeng sneered. "That old fox Zhuang Shijie is definitely trying to use the second branch of the family to deal with us. Keep your people on a close watch. I want to see what other tricks they can pull!"
Just as Su Jizhi was reporting to his father, in the meditation room of Fayun Temple, Su Linyue was nestled in Zhuang Zedong's arms, her body aching and her face full of shyness.
“Zhuang Lang,” she said softly, “you promised me you would propose tomorrow, and you can’t go back on your word.”
Zhuang Zedong stroked her hair, a calculating glint in his eyes: "Don't worry, I'll keep my promise. However..."
He abruptly changed the subject, taking out a letter from his pocket: "Before proposing marriage, there's one more thing I need your help with."
Su Linyue looked up at him, puzzled.
"This is what my father asked me to pass on." Zhuang Zedong stuffed the letter into her hand. "Think of a way to put this letter in your uncle's study."
Su Linyue's expression changed slightly: "Why...why is this?"
Zhuang Zedong chuckled: "It's just some trivial matter in the court. Your uncle has recently misunderstood my father, and this letter can resolve their conflict. Once they've made up, wouldn't our marriage be even more natural?"
Su Linyue hesitated for a moment, but finally took the letter: "Then... I'll think of a way."
Zhuang Zedong smiled with satisfaction and kissed her forehead: "That's a good girl. After this is all done, I will definitely marry you in a grand and glorious way."
Su Linyue nodded, her face flushed, completely unaware of the turmoil the letter in her hand would bring to the Su family. Zhuang Zedong, looking at her innocent and naive appearance, sneered inwardly—Lord Su, you may be careful in every way, but can you truly guard against betrayal from your own family?
As night deepened, a conspiracy surrounding the Su family was quietly unfolding. And at this moment, for some reason, Su Jizhi kept seeing the beautiful figure of Miss Pei before his eyes.
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