Chapter 16 Chapter 16 After years of love between husband and wife, he would not fail to...
==Chapter 16==
When Feng Wenyu stepped into Pei Mansion, she did not notice that a carriage suddenly stopped at the corner of the street.
Mu Fan looked back again and again in disbelief.
Gu Yushi opened the curtain. Unlike when he was in the capital, his face seemed pale, but his eyes were still as cold as jade. He asked, "What's wrong?"
He was injured a few days ago, but he couldn't tell anyone about the injury to avoid it leaking out. Gu Yushi didn't even call a doctor.
Mu Fan still couldn't believe it, he said hesitantly:
"I...I seemed to have seen Miss Feng just now."
Gu Yushi's expression changed slightly, and he suddenly followed Mu Fan's gaze, but he couldn't see Feng Wenyu.
Mu Fan kept wondering: "Maybe I saw it wrong."
But Gu Yushi didn't think he was seeing things.
Mu Fan didn't know, but Gu Yushi knew very well that Feng Wenyu's grandmother's home was in Yangzhou City.
Given the previous broken engagement, Feng Wenyu was very likely to have come to Yangzhou.
Thinking of this, Gu Yushi couldn't help but feel his blood boiling. He suddenly coughed. He didn't expect Feng Wenyu to appear in Yangzhou City at this time.
The current situation in Yangzhou City is turbulent, and it is just barely maintaining the calm on the surface.
Gu Yushi looked at the plaque of Pei Mansion, and his frown relaxed slightly. Among all the officials in Yangzhou, at least Pei Xuzhu was relatively clean. He retracted his gaze and said:
"Send someone to look after her."
After a long moment, he added in a deep voice, "Don't get close to her."
Mu Fan hesitated to speak: "Master, Miss Feng has come to Yangzhou City, would you like to meet her?"
It took a long time before Gu Yushi's voice was heard from the carriage:
"She and I have already called off our engagement, so we shouldn't get entangled anymore."
It was just that they had been married for many years, and even if they broke off the engagement now, he couldn't just ignore Feng Wenyu.
The moment he finished speaking, the arrow wound on his arm seemed to relapse, and there was a faint pain from the flesh and blood. Gu Yushi ignored it and just let Mu Fan continue to move forward.
Mu Fan listened to his master's contradictory orders and complained in his heart, saying that there should be no more entanglement and he even sent people to take care of her secretly. When did his master develop the habit of saying one thing and doing another?
Feng Wenyu had no idea that she had just passed by Gu Yushi. At this moment, she and her aunt were entering the prefect's backyard.
As soon as she stepped into the crowd, Feng Wenyu became keenly aware that someone was observing her.
She looked up calmly and was surprised to find that the person observing her was the lady of the house.
Although the prefect was only a fourth-rank official, not as high as Feng Wenyu's father's official position, as a prefect, the Pei family had an extraordinary status in Yangzhou City. Mrs. Pei sat firmly in the main seat, and no one dared to steal her limelight.
Seeing Mrs. Lu coming, Mrs. Pei also had a faint smile on her face, neither enthusiastic nor perfunctory. After the two sides greeted each other, Feng Wenyu clearly noticed that Mrs. Pei's gaze swept over her subtly.
Feng Wenyu felt doubtful.
She must have never met Madam Pei before? Even if it was true as she guessed, and Pei Yan was from the Pei Mansion, the Pei Mansion shouldn't have such an attitude.
This kind of subtle scrutiny made Feng Wenyu feel a little uncomfortable and offended from the bottom of his heart.
Therefore, her attitude was just indifferent. He was just a local official and not worth her enthusiastic approach.
Mrs. Lu didn't notice anything. When someone asked about Feng Wenyu's identity, she smiled cheerfully:
"This is my niece. Her second brother came back from the capital to prepare for the exam, and she came with him. I was worried that she would be bored in the mansion, so I brought her along to this party."
In a few words, Mrs. Lu simply explained Feng Wenyu's origins.
The relationship between the Zhou and Feng families was no secret, and there were few fools among those present. When they heard Mrs. Lu specifically mention the word "capital", they immediately understood Feng Wenyu's background.
For a moment, some people's eyes changed slightly. Although they were both fourth-rank officials, local officials and Beijing officials could not be compared at all.
Someone immediately covered their lips and laughed, "So it's the daughter of the Feng family. After taking a closer look, I realized that Miss Feng and her mother are really very similar. Both are beautiful and charming, making people unable to take their eyes off them."
The Zhou and Feng families both had their ancestral homes in Yangzhou, so it was normal for someone present to know Zhou Yueyu. However, the Feng family had settled in the capital for more than a decade, so they didn't have many other connections.
Feng Wenyu just smiled and said nothing in response to the compliment.
Mrs. Pei took in the entire scene. No one knew what she was thinking. Suddenly, she interrupted the noise in the room and said with a faint smile:
"Speaking of which, I also want to thank Miss Feng."
Everyone was confused, even Mrs. Lu was a little surprised.
Feng Wenyu realized something. It seemed that her initial guess was correct. Pei Yan was indeed related to Prefect Pei.
But Feng Wenyu showed nothing. She looked at Madam Pei with a surprised expression:
"Why do you say that, madam?"
Madam Pei shook her head helplessly. "Two days ago, my rascal finally returned home. He said he encountered bandits on the road and lost all his belongings. If it weren't for Miss Feng's help, he wouldn't have been able to return so safely."
Although he was called a brat, Mrs. Pei could not hide the intimacy and love in her words.
Madam Lu's eyes lit up. She had not expected that Feng Wenyu and Master Pei had such a connection.
Unlike Madam Lu, Feng Wenyu became even calmer. She shook her head nonchalantly, "I just gave your son a ride along. Madam Pei, don't worry about it."
Mrs. Lu finally noticed Feng Wenyu's somewhat cold attitude, and her mind suddenly became clear. She figured something out, and she frowned slightly.
Feng Wenyu has been in Yangzhou City for three days. So, that Young Master Pei also returned three days ago.
If the Pei family really meant it, they should have expressed their gratitude to the Zhou family before today, instead of just mentioning it in a bland way at this time.
Now that I think about it, the invitation sent by Pei Mansion was the second day after Feng Wenyu arrived, or perhaps this invitation was originally sent for Feng Wenyu.
Thinking of this, Mrs. Lu's heart sank. She didn't understand what Mrs. Pei meant.
When Madam Pei heard Feng Wenyu's words, she shook her head in disapproval:
"You did help my child, so how can you pretend nothing happened? I've had someone prepare a small gift. Please be sure to bring it back when you return, Miss Feng."
The people around were all smart people. They vaguely heard something from this conversation. They looked at each other and subconsciously kept quiet.
Madam Lu did not speak either, but her expression had turned slightly colder. The look she gave Madam Pei was ambiguous, no longer as warm as before. She patted Feng Wenyu's hand in a reproachful manner.
"Look at you. You didn't even bother telling your aunt about such a big thing."
"Mrs. Pei only has one son, Master Pei. You saved him, so how could Mrs. Pei not express some gratitude? Please don't refuse, or Mrs. Pei will probably keep thinking about this matter."
Her words seemed innocuous at first, but upon closer listening, one could hear her sarcastic tone.
Feng Wenyu finally raised her eyes and looked at Madam Pei seriously. After a moment, she chuckled, "Madam, if you insist on doing this, it's hard for me to refuse."
She nibbled a junior, her words unclear.
Mrs. Pei's expression did not change. As long as she could repay the favor, it would be worth it even if it cost a little.
After leaving Pei Mansion and getting on their own carriage, Mrs. Lu's expression completely fell. She did not shy away from Feng Wenyu and scolded him harshly:
"You've barely secured your position, and you're already putting on airs with me. When I first came to Yangzhou City, I don't know who was the one who was trying to get closer to us by being so humble every day."
A strong dragon cannot defeat a local snake.
When Prefect Pei first came to Yangzhou City to take office, he encountered many difficulties. Officials were uncooperative and the aristocratic families looked down on him. It was Mrs. Pei who constantly socialized among the women of the aristocratic families that helped Prefect Pei break the deadlock in Yangzhou City.
Feng Wenyu heard something: "Is Governor Pei's term of office about to end?"
Mrs. Pei's face was still very bad. She nodded:
"I should be going to Beijing to report on my work at the end of this year."
Mrs. Pei frowned as she finished speaking. She sighed guiltily, "It was my aunt's inconsiderateness that almost caused you to suffer."
Mrs. Pei's intention was clearly to repay the favor and sever ties between Pei Yan and Feng Wenyu.
Feng Wenyu half leaned on Madam Lu's shoulder and comforted her aunt softly:
"What does it have to do with my aunt? She specially prepared a banquet for me to come. Even if it doesn't happen today, there will be another time."
Feng Wenyu was not stupid, so she naturally realized that this flower-viewing banquet was meant for her.
Not only did she fail to curry favor with the Feng family, but she also nearly caused Feng Wenyu to suffer injustice. The Pei family had made her lose both face and dignity. Madam Lu really couldn't swallow this anger:
"She thinks that Prefect Pei is leaving and won't need us anymore, so she dares to act like this."
Madam Lu sneered, "She makes me unhappy, so don't blame me for making him unhappy during his final term in office!"
The network of relationships among the aristocratic families is complicated. Even Prefect Pei has to give her master some face when he meets him. Madam Lu has already figured out how to complain to her master when she returns.
Hearing this, Feng Wenyu did not say anything to persuade them. People like them care about their reputation the most. Madam Pei had lost face for the Zhou family in public. If they really did nothing, they would be looked down upon.
Speaking of Feng Wenyu herself, her mood was not very good either.
Thinking of Pei Yan again, she used to have a good impression of him, but now she doesn't have a good impression of him anymore.
At the Pei Mansion, after all the guests had left, Mrs. Pei rubbed her forehead tiredly.
Her nanny was a little worried: "Mrs. Lu is always petty. Madam has offended the Zhou family today. I'm sure she will bear a grudge."
Mrs. Pei pursed her lips and sighed.
"If it was just Miss Feng who saved Yan'er, I wouldn't mind owing the Feng family a favor, but Yan'er—"
She didn't finish her words, but Mammy understood what she had left unsaid.
Who would have thought that the young man would fall in love with a girl just by being away from home.
The nanny sighed and said, "I am worried that the young master will feel resentful towards the lady because of this."
Madam Pei was silent for a long time. There was worry in her eyes, but she concealed it. She whispered:
"Yan'er has always been sensible, he will understand me."
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