Chapter 89: Nowhere Can Compare
Here, Gu Jincheng was talking to Cui Yan, saying that the emperor was about to grant the marriage, so he could rest assured. Cui Yan refused to admit it, but his hostility towards Qi Wuhan was indeed reduced a little.
A servant came over and whispered something to Gu Jincheng. He told Cui Yan that he had something to deal with, and then left with the servant.
When they arrived at an empty waterside pavilion, Pei Qian was waiting there.
Seeing Gu Jincheng coming, he hurried forward to greet him. Gu Jincheng asked, "Why are you here so late? The banquet is almost about to start. I thought you weren't coming."
Pei Qian was filled with anger when asked about this. Jiang Yao didn't allow him to come, so he found an opportunity to sneak out. He was too embarrassed to say the reason, but he was anxious to see the person, so he kept asking where the person was.
"I don't know if I'm helping you or aiding the evil?" Gu Jincheng said half-jokingly, "Whatever, it's better to let you give up sooner."
“…” Pei Qian was speechless.
…
On the other side, Cui Jingshu was giving rouge to everyone, and Jiang Lan also got some.
This rouge is the best rose rouge in Ningzhi Pavilion.
Ningzhi Pavilion is a time-honored brand in Beijing. The rouge and powder in the store have a delicate texture and a subtle fragrance, and are deeply loved by ladies and young ladies.
This rose rouge is custom-made and not sold in the store. You can't buy it even if you have money. Only ten boxes are made every month, which is more precious than gold. Cui Jingshu gave away six boxes of such a rare and valuable item, which is really generous.
Zheng Qian'er had wanted to use this rouge for a long time, but every time she asked her maid to make a reservation, she was never able to get in line. Today, she got a box and was very happy. She couldn't wait to go home and try the effect.
I heard that applying a facial mask for three days can make your skin fragrant, and applying it for ten days can make your skin whiter than snow and as beautiful as a fairy.
Jiang Lan basically didn't use rouge and powder before, because the ones Zhang had people buy for her were all cheap and low-quality products. She would get allergic reactions when she applied them on her face, so she simply stopped using them.
Now she uses rouge and powder from Hua Xiangrong, which is also a time-honored brand. Although it is not as famous as Ningzhi Pavilion, it is more affordable and has a guaranteed reputation.
"Sister Jiang, if you have used it up, I will have someone send it to you. It is not something precious, so please don't be reluctant to use it, Sister Jiang." Cui Jingshu said with a smile. She sounded considerate, but in fact, there was a sense of sarcasm and contempt in her voice.
Jiang Lan was too lazy to argue with her. If she wanted to show off, she could do so. It wasn't her who was embarrassed anyway.
The other girls, including Zheng Qian'er, were a little embarrassed. They were very happy after receiving the rouge, thinking it was a precious thing and naturally reluctant to use it. When they heard the last two sentences, they felt as if they were being despised.
Cui Jingshu was unhappy when no one spoke to her. She winked at Zheng Qianer, who lowered her head to look at her knees. Cui Jingshu felt even more unhappy. At this time, a maid came over, bowed to everyone, and walked up to Jiang Lan and said, "Second Miss, my young mistress invites you over."
Jiang Lan left with the maid.
Although she had only met Madam Gu once, she left a deep impression on her. She was noble and elegant, and might appear aloof and distant, making it difficult for people to get close to her. However, the last time she had taken the initiative to nod and greet her, she felt that this young lady was not as she appeared.
Some people are hypocritical, while others are cold on the outside but warm on the inside.
She felt that this young lady should belong to the latter.
When the maid brought her to the waterside pavilion, Jiang Lan saw a figure running out hurriedly from inside and immediately turned around and left. Pei Qian shouted at her to stop from behind. Jiang Lan lifted her skirt and ran forward. When Pei Qian ran in front of her to stop her, Jiang Lan immediately turned around and ran back, but someone behind her also stopped her.
"Don't be afraid, we won't do anything to you." Gu Jincheng comforted with a smile.
"....." Jiang Lan asked coldly, "You had someone trick me into coming here. Does the young lady know?"
Gu Jincheng felt a little ashamed when he heard the first half of the sentence, and the smile on his face froze when he heard the second half. He was obviously nervous, afraid that Mrs. Gu would find out. "Don't misunderstand, Second Miss, this has nothing to do with her. It was all my idea."
"Let me ask you, do you really want to marry Marquis Jin'an?" Gu Jincheng was interrupted by Pei Qian before he could finish his words. He couldn't wait to know the answer.
Jiang Lan knew that these two people had colluded to come up with this bad idea. Besides, who she married was none of his business. What right did he have to question her? It was simply unreasonable. She silently adjusted her mood and said in a calm and indifferent tone, "Second Master Pei is really shameless. Was I not clear enough last time? Do you want me to say it again in front of the prince?"
Thinking of what she had said to him in the Duke's Mansion, Pei Qian's face suddenly darkened.
Gu Jincheng asked curiously, "What did you say?"
Pei Qian's expression darkened further, and he glanced at him again, as if to say, "Could you please stay away?" Gu Jincheng then walked away, and Jiang Lan followed. Gu Jincheng was a little surprised and jokingly asked, "Could it be that the Second Miss has fallen in love with me?" Jiang Lan replied with three words, "Shameless."
Gu Jincheng just laughed it off, and Pei Qian's expression grew even darker, feeling that the term "shameless" was also applied to him.
"Just ask whatever you want to ask, the dinner is about to start," Gu Jincheng reminded.
"If you're asking why you're inferior to the Marquis, then I'm telling you, you're inferior in every way!" Jiang Lan didn't care about being embarrassed anymore. She just wanted to let Pei Qian know how much he loved Qi Wuhan, so that he would completely give up and stop harboring those unrealistic and foolish fantasies. "He's a thousand times, ten thousand times better than you. He's the person I love most. I want to marry him, I'm willing to marry him. I want to grow old with him and have children and grandchildren. What's it to you?"
Pei Qian was so angry that he felt like vomiting blood, and his face became ferocious. Gu Jincheng seemed to be unable to bear it anymore and spoke up for Pei Qian, saying, "Second Miss, you are being too harsh."
This is called mean, what a good brother, Jiang Lan sneered and said sarcastically, "It is true that all crows are black, birds of a feather."
Gu Jincheng's face also turned a little cold.
"If he was really that good, why would he have an affair with the concubines in the palace?" Pei Qian sneered.
"Stop talking!" Gu Jincheng's expression changed, and he quickly stopped Pei Qian from continuing.
"Your own heart is dirty, so naturally everything you see is dirty." Jiang Lan sneered coldly and turned away.
"Stop right there!" Pei Qian was about to rush over and grab her, but was stopped by Gu Jincheng.
Jiang Lan clenched her fists and took a deep breath to suppress her inner anger. She really wanted to turn around and slap him a few times, but reason told her that it was better to leave first.
The two of them are birds of a feather. She just said a few truths, but the other party said she was mean. If she really slapped him a few times, she might not be able to leave now.
She walked forward for a while with her fists clenched, and suddenly a hand hugged her waist. Jiang Lan was startled for a moment, but when she looked up and saw the person, she was a little surprised again, but then she felt relieved.
"Are you okay?" Qi Wuhan asked gently, his eyes full of concern.
Jiang Lan shook her head and said it was okay. After leaning on his arms for a while, she told him that the dinner was about to start and they should go back first.
Qi Wuhan agreed "OK" and took her back first.
"Why are you so impulsive? You can't just say that kind of words casually. What if someone hears you? Will you lose your head?" Gu Jincheng had just finished speaking when he suddenly felt a chill on his back. When he turned around, he met the cold eyes of Madam Gu. He panicked for a moment, then asked her with a smile why she was here?
Mrs. Gu turned and left without saying anything.
Gu Jincheng asked Pei Qian to go back first and hurried to chase Madam Gu.
Pei Qian stood there dejectedly, not wanting to go back and face Jiang Yao's unreasonable behavior. He felt that his life was really depressing. Sometimes he really wanted to divorce Jiang Yao with a letter of divorce, even if he was cursed by the world. However, it was just a thought in his mind, and he didn't dare to really do it.
Now Jiang Yao is pregnant. If he divorces her at this time, his career and fame will be ruined.
Pei Qian was just thinking about where to go to relieve his depression when he heard a quarrel. Seeing that Gu Jincheng and Madam Gu had an argument, he felt it was not appropriate to stay here any longer, so he left first.
At the banquet that followed, Jiang Lan noticed that Madam Gu was forcing a smile, as if she had just had an argument with someone and looked a little tired.
On the other hand, Gu Jincheng was not in a good mood at the men's table. Although he was smiling, his eyes were cold. When he came to toast, Qi Wuhan casually asked him if he had had a quarrel with Madam Gu.
Gu Jincheng immediately understood that he was the one who brought Madam Gu over. His expression suddenly turned cold and his tone became impolite, "My Lord, you are meddling too much in other people's business."
"Isn't it the same for the prince?" Qi Wuhan asked nonchalantly, then changed the subject, "Don't meddle in matters that shouldn't be your business. If there's a next time, I won't be as polite as I was today."
Gu Jincheng felt a little guilty, so he didn't argue with him. He finished his drink and left. After walking a few steps, he turned back and said a few words for Pei Qian, saying that Pei Qian didn't do anything, he just said a few words to Jiang Lan. The implication was that he should not cause trouble for Pei Qian.
"Didn't I just say that you shouldn't meddle in matters that aren't your business?" Qi Wuhan said with a smile. There was a dark chill in his smile that made people shudder.
Gu Jincheng knew that nothing he said would help, so he decided to send someone to inform Pei Qian so that he could take precautions.
It was still a step too late. Pei Qian was taken away by the black-armored guards as soon as he left the Marquis' Mansion.
After the banquet, Qi Wuhan first sent Jiang Lan to the carriage, then escorted her all the way back, and also escorted Jiang Cheng and Jiang Rui.
After watching her go in, until she disappeared from his sight, the smile on his face instantly faded, and a dark and dangerous aura emanated from his eyes.
"Go back." Qi Wuhan ordered casually.
Ling Feng bowed and said, "My Lord, please be gentle."
Qi Wuhan curled his lips into a smile and said nonchalantly, "If I don't teach him a lesson, he will think that I dare not do anything to him."
…..
On this side, after Duke Pei and his family came back, Jiang Yao came to complain to Duke Pei and his wife that Pei Qian had run out to fool around again and left her alone at home without caring about her. As she spoke, she began to cry in grievance.
Duke Pei felt a little annoyed after hearing this, but he didn't know what to say. The Duke's wife couldn't stand hearing the crying either, so it was the eldest sister-in-law, Mrs. Li, who comforted her with kind words and finally made Jiang Yao stop crying.
Pei Yu said that he would take people to look outside, and that he should be with his friends, so Jiang Yao should not think too much.
Late at night, Pei Yu came back and said that he had not found anyone, and the family began to worry again.
Jiang Yao was also afraid that something might have happened to Pei Qian, and she was so worried that she burst into tears.
The Duke's wife was already feeling annoyed, and when she heard the crying, her headache came back. She asked Li to take Jiang Yao away quickly. Duke Pei sent another group of people out to inquire about Pei Qian's whereabouts.
It was not until late at night that Pei Qian was brought back on a stretcher by the servant who had gone out to look for someone.
Duke Pei was shocked and asked the servant what had happened.
The servant reported back that the person was brought back from the Jin'an Marquis' Mansion, and the other party said that Pei Qian accidentally fell off his horse and broke his arm.
Pei Qian's right hand was fixed in a splint, and he groaned in pain.
The Duke's wife wanted to go to the Marquis' Mansion to ask for an explanation, but was persuaded by Duke Pei. He then asked Pei Qian if he really fell off the horse. Pei Qian was in so much pain that he couldn't speak.
The Duke's wife quickly sent for a doctor. Then Jiang Yao wanted to come over to see Pei Qian, but the Duke's wife came out to comfort her, saying that she was fine and was afraid that she would get hurt and hurt the baby in her belly.
After the doctor came, the wife of the Duke brought Jiang Yao to see Pei Qian. Seeing Pei Qian's hand, Jiang Yao was still shocked. The wife of the Duke told her not to worry and to take care of herself, as she was pregnant. Li also came to comfort her. Jiang Yao cried for a while and then calmed down.
After examining Pei Qian, the doctor told him to rest well and wait for the bones to heal slowly. Fortunately, Pei Qian was still young, so the bones would heal faster, but it would still take at least three months.
Just in case, the Duke's wife asked the doctor to stay in the mansion so that he could see Pei Qian at any time.
Pei Yu stayed to look after Pei Qian, while Li first persuaded Jiang Yao to go back and rest.
After working most of the night, Duke Pei was tired and ready to rest, but his wife didn't want to sleep. The more she thought about it, the more she felt that it was Qi Wuhan who was behind it. She asked Duke Pei to go to the emperor tomorrow to file a complaint and seek justice for Pei Qian.
Duke Pei said that he would wait until he asked Pei Qian tomorrow before making a decision. If it was really the other party who did it, then the account would naturally be taken back.
After breakfast the next day, Duke Pei came to ask Pei Qian what happened yesterday. Pei Qian didn't want to say anything. Duke Pei asked if Qi Wuhan did it. Pei Qian didn't say anything, as if he agreed.
Duke Pei had an idea in mind, so he called Pei Yu out and gave him some instructions before having his carriage prepared.
The carriage first went to the Jin'an Marquis's Mansion, stopped outside the door for a while without going in, and then went to the palace.
After meeting the emperor, Duke Pei tearfully accused Qi Wuhan of bullying others by taking advantage of his power.
"I don't know how I offended the Marquis, but he actually resorted to such cruel means, breaking my hand. I went to his house to seek an explanation, but he refused to see me and even had me driven away. I have no place to complain. Your Majesty, please help me~"
Then the emperor summoned Qi Wuhan into the palace and asked him what was going on?
Qi Wuhan admitted that he broke Pei Qian's hand.
Duke Pei was suddenly filled with grief and indignation, and strongly begged the emperor to severely punish Qi Wuhan.
The emperor first asked him the reason.
Qi Wuhan said that Pei Qian sneaked into the Changxing Marquis Mansion yesterday to harass Jiang Lan. Breaking one of her hands was considered light. If it happened again, he would break her leg as well.
Duke Pei didn't believe it and insisted that Qi Wuhan was talking nonsense.
The emperor glanced at him, and Duke Pei immediately quieted down and stopped making noise.
Qi Wuhan asked to go to the military camp to receive a hundred military sticks. The emperor reduced the number by fifty considering that he had a justifiable reason, and asked Duke Pei if he was satisfied.
Duke Pei was naturally dissatisfied, thinking the punishment was too light, but he did not dare to show his dissatisfaction, so he replied with a standard answer:
"Everything is up to your Majesty, and I have no complaints."
......
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