The hibiscus flowers in the Pei family courtyard were scattered all over the ground. Su Xingmian, dressed in red, ran past, bringing up a patch of fallen petals that fluttered along with her skirt.
She ran into the house excitedly and said loudly, "Mom, my second cousin said there is a horse race organized by the girls today, and I want to go too."
Mrs. Su was chatting with Aunt Pei in the room. Seeing her rush in so recklessly, she scolded her: "You have no manners. You don't even know how to greet people before you arrive!"
Su Xingmian blinked, looked at the women in the room, bowed slightly and said, "Hello everyone..." She had only been back for a few days, and since there were a few people she didn't know, she picked the ones she knew and called out their names and bowed to them.
"I've met Aunt Hua, Aunt Zhuan, and Aunt Yu..."
Several women looked at the lively and playful little girl, and when they heard her say that she was going to participate in the Marseille, they couldn't help but envy the vitality of young people.
After Su Xingmian greeted everyone one by one, he looked at his mother with sparkling eyes and asked, "Mom, can I go now?"
Su waved his hands helplessly: "Go, don't cause trouble."
Su Xingmian smiled and replied, "Don't worry, my daughter knows her limits."
However, Mrs. Su was not at all reassured by her words, but this girl was too naughty to be controlled at all.
As soon as Su Xingmian left, the women started talking.
"Your girl is so pretty and lively. Have you told me about her?"
Su shook her head helplessly: "This child has been spoiled by us since she was young. She is very willful. I have proposed several things to her, but she doesn't like them all."
"So what kind of guy does she like? There are quite a few talented young men on our street. Why not take this opportunity to introduce a couple to her?"
A woman laughed and joked, "Speaking of talented young men, Sister Pei's family already has two! The eldest is a garrison commander, and the second is a military doctor. They're both very talented."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's eyes fell on Aunt Pei.
Aunt Pei's face was full of smiles: "Of course not. Although my Yanli and Yu'an are single, Miss Xingmian is the daughter of the Tongzhi."
"Isn't that a perfect match?"
When a woman responded so enthusiastically, there were also people who poured cold water on her.
"I'm afraid Yanli won't be able to do that. He's in love with Miss Sisi from the Li family down the street! I heard they even hired a matchmaker this morning to discuss their marriage!"
Aunt Pei's smile froze, and she quickly waved her hands in denial: "That's not true. We just took pity on those two girls, so we took extra care of them."
Seeing Su's anxiety, she explained, "Ruge, you don't know. When those two girls first came to Dong'an City, they rented my side yard. They said they had no parents, so I felt sorry for them and took better care of them."
She defended herself seriously, "At first, my Yanli didn't want to help! It was only after I kept persuading him that he agreed to help."
"I heard that girl seems to be the wife of a high-ranking official in the capital?"
"That's right! It's the wife of the censor who came recently..." The woman looked mysterious, as if she knew the most, and she poured out everything she had heard from others like pouring out beans.
As Su listened to their words, she thought of the censor who was very close to her husband, a young man from a noble family with a temperament as gentle as jade.
I heard that the gentleman won the first place in the autumn examination at the age of sixteen, entered the officialdom at the age of seventeen, got married at the age of eighteen, and his wife died of a sudden illness just over a month later. After that, his official career went smoothly.
He was only nineteen years old this year, but he left the capital and came to the war-torn northwestern frontier, aiming to achieve his own success without relying on his family's influence.
What would the wife of such a talented young man look like? Why would she leave the capital and come to the desolate northwest?
As they were talking, they saw a man and a woman walking in side by side.
The man was wearing a black robe and had a stern expression, but when he looked at the girl in the light blue dress beside him, he showed a faint gentle smile.
The woman was dressed simply yet elegantly, with gorgeous facial features, and when she smiled, she looked like a hibiscus flower in the sun, charming and lovely.
When the two men walked to the hibiscus tree and saw the room full of women, they suddenly stopped.
A woman inside the house said with a hint of meaning, "Sister Pei, I'm not saying anything bad about you, but you should clean up those withered flowers in your yard, or they won't ruin your ever-higher door lintel!"
Her voice was neither loud nor soft, but Li Sisi in the yard could just hear it clearly.
The women in the house were all familiar faces in this street. They would always greet each other with a smile when they met in the past, and occasionally stop to chat when they had free time.
Now they just looked at him like that, no longer as enthusiastic as before.
Li Sisi's eyes unconsciously fell on Aunt Pei among the crowd. She saw that she was staring at her with an unhappy expression, as if she was not welcome.
Li Sisi stopped moving forward, looked up at Pei Yanli, and whispered, "It seems that today is not a good time. I will come next time."
With that she turned and left.
Pei Yanli hurriedly followed, and after leaving the Pei family's gate, he said, "Sisi, don't worry too much. I will explain everything to my mother. You just need to wait for my mother and I to come and propose marriage together."
Li Sisi's originally depressed mood was rekindled by his words. She raised her eyes and said seriously, "Pei Yanli, you shouldn't be the only one trying to do this. I will also try to change your mind."
Pei Yanli raised his hand, placed his palm lightly on her head, and whispered, "Okay, but don't be too wronged. I'm the one who decides my marriage. Whether my mother agrees or not, it won't affect me."
Feeling the gentle force on her head, Li Sisi muttered, "Don't have a conflict with Auntie because of me. She's a very good mother. Whatever she does is for your own good."
Pei Yanli remained silent after hearing this.
His mother might be considered a good mother, but his favoritism since he was a child was also obvious.
However, Sisi likes his mother, and this is his biggest bargaining chip.
Compared to Xiao Yunchen, he only has a few things that can keep Sisi.
After sending Li Sisi back to Li's residence, Pei Yanli went to the government office.
Pei Yanli went straight to Xiao Yunchen's office.
The desk in front of Xiao Yunchen was filled with books and files, and he was handling official business.
When he heard Ru Liu say that Pei Yanli was coming, he didn't even raise his head, but just ordered the person to come in.
Ru Liu looked at the man in a black robe, with a straight back, who looked upright and selfless, and felt indignant for her own master.
"How dare you come to my young master?!"
Xiao Yunchen raised his hand and said, "Ruliu, stop talking." He raised his dark eyes to look at the man in black and asked gently, "Master Pei, what brings you here?"
Pei Yanli bowed respectfully towards him, then said, "I respect Brother Xiao's character, and I thank you for understanding Sisi's feelings today."
Xiao Yunchen raised his hand to interrupt him and spoke slowly, "Brother Pei, this is serious. Since you took the initiative to find me, you must have some plans. Then let me tell you some real facts that you don't know yet."
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