Chapter 87 Shy
"Teacher!" Pei Ji was a little overwhelmed by the barrage of teasing. His ears felt hot and he called out helplessly with a pleading tone.
There was no displeasure on his face, and his smile became even deeper.
When Mr. Chu saw him like this, the teasing in his heart subsided a little, and his smile was filled with relief and unconditional love.
He raised his hand and patted Pei Ji's shoulder seemingly casually but very solemnly, with neither too much nor too little force.
"Xiao Ji," Mr. Chu's voice became low, he stopped joking, became extremely serious, and even had a hint of heartfelt sigh.
He squinted his eyes, as if seeing more through the falling snow, "Little girl Luo Zhaohan... is a very good girl!"
He nodded vigorously, his tone firm, "He has clear eyes, a righteous heart, a strong character, and a quick mind, but it's rare that he can remain untainted by dust."
"You are a blessed boy. God has finally made up for what he owed you."
He took a deep breath of the cold air, looked at Pei Ji with a sharp gaze, and spoke every word with a loud voice: "Protect her for me! Protect your own wife, and you will also protect the compensation given to you by God!"
This is not only a reminder, but also a heavy exhortation.
The fleeting hint of complex emotions in Old Chu's eyes still caught Pei Ji's sharp eyes.
It was not just pure relief, but also seemed to be mixed with some indescribable desolation and hidden worries.
Pei Ji's heart tightened slightly, and he subconsciously wanted to ask: "Teacher..."
"Alright, alright!" Old Chu waved his hand immediately. He rubbed his red, frozen hands, rolled his eyes, and put on his mischievous old boy look again. "The snow is getting heavier and heavier. It's freezing my old bones to death! Come on, let's go back to the house and warm up by the fire! With your injured legs and back, do you think you can freeze into a popsicle outside?"
He grabbed Pei Ji's arm and half-dragged, half-pulled him towards the warm Zhuo Ming Pavilion. "Don't let yourself get frozen silly! I have a lot of questions left to ask! Tell me, how did you get such a bright girl to nod her head? Did you use candy? Or did you read books?"
He asked repeatedly, his steps became faster and faster, but his words became more and more irrelevant.
He was in high spirits, as if the heavy instructions just now had never happened.
The thick door curtain was lifted and then dropped, keeping the howling wind and snow out.
Zhuo Ming Pavilion was instantly filled with warm, dry air. The charcoal brazier was lit again, making a crackling sound that warmed the entire room.
Warmth enveloped Pei Ji's slightly frozen limbs, as well as Old Chu's inexhaustible laughter and questioning: "Don't try to fool me! Tell me, when the girl nodded, did you almost burst into tears? Hey, don't be embarrassed! I've seen everything, old man."
Pei Ji's response, which was deliberately stern and pleading, was ultimately no match for the teacher's high-spirited teasing.
Warm air soon rose again in Zhuoming Pavilion, locking the cold, snowy night firmly outside the window.
…
The cold well wall was slippery to the touch. Luo Zhaohan held his breath and climbed up quietly like a gecko.
With the last step, she lightly flipped out of the well, landed on the ground, and quickly and silently replaced the heavy manhole cover, covering the deep secret passage below.
The biting cold wind blew fine snow foam in her face. She shivered but did not dare to stop for a moment.
Carefully extinguishing the torch in her hand, which only had a little spark left, she blended into the shadow of the night, clinging to the stone wall.
The surroundings were silent, save for the whimpering of wind and snow across dead branches. After concentrating and listening for a full half-cup of tea, Luo Zhaohan finally relaxed his tense nerves, confirming that there was no other movement nearby except the wind.
The destination is clear, the entrance to the wintersweet forest.
The snow fell harder, rustling on her thin clothes and chilling her to the bone.
She quickened her pace and walked quickly on the bluestone path covered with a thin layer of snow, leaving behind a series of shallow footprints that were soon covered by new snow.
At the entrance of the wintersweet forest, a small figure was pacing back and forth anxiously, rubbing his red, frozen hands from time to time, and stretching his neck to look into the depths of the imperial garden.
It was his younger brother Luo Jince.
"Sister!" When Luo Zhaohan's figure broke through the wind and snow and appeared in his sight, Luo Jince almost rushed over, his voice filled with tears and fear, "You finally came out! I was scared to death! For so long, I thought..."
Luo Zhaohan caught his brother who rushed towards him. His cold body was touched by this little warmth, and his heart softened.
She looked down and saw that her brother's black hair and shoulders were covered with snow, like a snow doll.
The heartache instantly overwhelmed the physical fatigue and coldness.
"It's okay, Jince, sister is fine." Her voice was very soft. She raised her hand and carefully brushed the snow off her brother's shoulders.
When her cold fingertips touched her brother's warm little face, Luo Jince couldn't help but shudder, but she hugged her sister's waist even tighter.
"Let's go home." Luo Zhaohan hugged his brother and said decisively.
It's not advisable to stay here for long.
The brother and sister walked hand in hand towards the outer gate of the Imperial Garden.
The wind and snow became stronger, making it almost impossible to open your eyes.
As they walked, Luo Zhaohan suddenly felt something strange. She paused and turned her head to ask her brother, "Jin Ce, where's Yi Heng? Why isn't he with you?"
Ye Yiheng is his uncle's cousin. He has always been inseparable from Jin Ce and they are closer than brothers.
Luo Jince looked up bewilderedly. "Cousin Yiheng? Not long after the dinner started, he said he had something to do and left. I haven't seen him since. I thought he went back home first."
Luo Zhaohan frowned slightly. Leaving the dinner? This didn't seem like Ye Yiheng's usual calm demeanor.
The strange feeling in her heart became stronger.
"Ask your uncle when you get home." Luo Zhaohan suppressed his doubts and pulled his brother to continue walking quickly.
However, a vague thought flashed through his mind uncontrollably - could Yiheng's departure be related to the secret passage?
This idea was so groundless and absurd that even she was shocked.
She shook her head vigorously to suppress this groundless association, but her pace quickened a little.
Amidst the wind and snow, Luo Zhaohan protected his younger brother and quickly arrived at the front gate of the Imperial Garden with his extraordinary leg strength and familiarity with the paths in the palace.
At this moment, most of the carriages and horses parked in front of the palace gate had left, but there were still a few families who had not left for various reasons. The coachmen and servants were stamping their feet in the wind and snow, waiting.
The appearance of Luo Zhaohan and his sister did not attract much attention.
"Zhaohan! Jince!" A crying voice came.
Luo Zhaohan looked in the direction of the voice and saw his mother Qin Wan, supported by a maid, standing beside his carriage. She was looking over here despite the wind and snow, her face full of anxiety and worry.
Seeing them, Qin Wan immediately pushed away the maid's hand and staggered towards them.
"Mom!" Luo Jince rushed over first.
Qin Wan hugged her youngest son into her arms, feeling him up and down, and repeatedly asked, "Are you frozen? Finally you're out! I'm glad you're okay! I'm glad you're okay!"
Her eyes then turned anxiously to her daughter, "Zhao Zhao, how are you? Why are you so pale? Your hands are so cold! Quick! Get in the car!"
Qin Wan didn't say anything and grabbed Luo Zhaohan's hand and dragged him towards the carriage.
Luo Zhaohan felt warm in his heart as his mother held his hand tightly and felt her undisguised concern and nervousness.
However, this warmth made her involuntarily think of another thing, something that made her mind instantly confused.
Pei Ji, Shaoqing of the Dali Temple.
Before he left, he said in a low but clear voice: "When this matter is settled, I will come to propose marriage."
Come to propose marriage!
Luo Zhaohan only felt a surge of heat rushing from the base of his neck straight up to his cheek, burning like fire.
She subconsciously wanted to lower her head to hide it, but although the light in the carriage was dim, Qin Wan was holding her hand and looking her up and down with concern.
"Zhao Zhao?" Qin Wan immediately noticed something was wrong with her daughter.
In the dim light, my daughter's cheeks were abnormally flushed, and even her ears were stained red.
This is definitely not frozen!
Qin Wan's heart skipped a beat, and her voice rose a few notches. "Why is your face so red? Are you feeling unwell? Do you have a fever?"
She hurriedly reached out to touch her daughter's forehead.
"No...no! Mom, I'm fine!" Luo Zhaohan hurriedly turned his head to avoid his mother's hand, his heart beating like a drum.
What should she say? Should she say: Mother, Pei Ji said he wanted to propose marriage, and I blushed when I thought about it?
No! I absolutely can't say that!
Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the belt around her waist, rubbing it. How could she explain this sudden blush? Her mind raced, but nothing came to mind.
In the end, one thought prevailed: Let that blockhead Pei Ji tell the story himself!
Will he be able to remain as calm and composed facing his parents as he was when he was interrogating a criminal? Will he be so nervous that he can't speak? Or will he put on a stern face and say solemnly, "General Luo, Madam Luo, I wish to marry your daughter"?
Imagining Pei Ji's always cold and serious face, and the embarrassment and even stuttering he might appear when proposing marriage, Luo Zhaohan's tense heartstrings inexplicably relaxed, and a smile came over him that he couldn't help.
She quickly lowered her head, but the corners of her mouth uncontrollably curved into a sweet arc.
Qin Wan's hand paused in mid-air as she watched her daughter first dodge in panic, then lower her head to tug at the corner of her clothes, and finally she actually laughed secretly to herself...
How could she be sick with her curved eyebrows and rosy cheeks? She was clearly...
Qin Wan's heart was instantly gripped by huge surprise!
She was an experienced person, and she was very familiar with this kind of girl's behavior. This was clearly the shyness that only comes from being moved and having a loved one.
Who was it? Who had won the favor of her precious daughter who was so picky?
Qin Wan was so excited that she almost asked on the spot.
However, the words were on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed them back. The lesson of rejecting Pei Ji's marriage last time was still fresh in her mind! At that time, she just thought it was normal and didn't take it too seriously. As a result, her daughter refused without saying a word, and she was upset for a while.
We can't make the same mistake again this time.
What if she spoke rashly and scared her daughter, or if the other party hadn't made up his mind yet, wouldn't that ruin her daughter's plans?
No, we have to stay calm and take a long-term view!
Qin Wan forced herself to suppress her excitement and curiosity, trying to maintain a calm expression. She simply held her daughter's hand tighter and said softly, "It's good that you're okay. It's good that you're okay. Come on, sit down and have some hot tea to warm yourself up."
She gestured to the maid to pour tea, but her eyes could not help but linger on her daughter's shy and smiling face.
The carriage started slowly, rolling over the snow-covered road in front of the palace gate, making a squeaking sound.
In the carriage, Luo Jince snuggled up to his mother and soon fell asleep in warmth and exhaustion.
Luo Zhaohan held the warm teacup and sipped it, his eyes fixed on the snow scene passing by outside the window, but his mind had already drifted away.
Pei Ji...what is he doing right now? Will he really come to propose marriage? Will my parents agree?
Thinking of her parents' possible reactions, her heart rose again and the heat in her cheeks rose again.
Qin Wanze sat opposite, seemingly resting with her eyes closed, but in fact her heart was pounding and her mind was racing.
Judging from the way my daughter looks, she must have a lover!
The most urgent thing is to go home and discuss it with her husband, General Luo! She must find out the truth as quickly and quietly as possible.
What is the other person's family background? What is their status? What is their character? What is their temperament? Has they achieved any honors? Does they have concubines? Are their elders easy to get along with?
Every single thing must be checked clearly and thoroughly!
She quickly listed the criteria in her mind.
As for family background, it doesn’t have to be extremely prominent, but it must at least be a noble family and cannot bring disgrace to the Luo family.
Character is the most important thing. One must be upright and responsible. He must not be a frivolous and dissolute person who favors concubines over his wife.
It is best if the temperament is similar to that of my daughter. My daughter has a strong temper, so the husband should be tolerant and understanding, but not too weak.
As the standards flashed by, Qin Wan subconsciously used the person she was most familiar with as a reference - Pei Ji.
"At least his character can't be much worse than Lord Pei's, right?" This thought naturally emerged from the bottom of his heart.
Although Pei Ji had been rejected by her daughter, Qin Wan had to admit in her heart that, putting aside her daughter's displeasure, Pei Ji came from a noble family, and at a young age he was the Shaoqing of the Dali Temple. He had a bright future, and was also famous for his uprightness and prudence, with first-class abilities and skills.
It is actually very good to have such a person as a son-in-law.
Qin Wan was surprised by her subconscious comparison, but then she felt it was natural.
Since my daughter has a lover, she naturally wants to find someone who is no less good. Pei Ji is a good example. My daughter's vision can't be worse than Pei Ji's, right?
The more she thought about it, the more urgent it felt, and she wished the carriage would fly back to Luo Mansion immediately.
When I get home, I must discuss it carefully with my husband and make sure I know everything clearly before he officially comes to visit.
This time, there must be no mistakes.
Qin Wan secretly clenched the handkerchief in her sleeve, with a gleam of determination in her eyes.
…
Inside Zhuoyun Pavilion, the warm stove was burning and the wafts of incense were curling, blocking out the biting cold wind outside.
In the huge palace, there were only the Crown Princess and her son, the emperor's grandson Chao Yunye.
The hustle and bustle of the daytime palace banquet faded away, and now only an almost stagnant silence remained.
Chao Yunye knelt on the cushion at his mother's feet, his fingers twisting the corners of his clothes unconsciously, his young face full of worry that was not in line with his age.
He finally couldn't help but raise his head and looked at his mother, his voice filled with cautious pleading: "Mother, when the dinner was over, I saw that Mr. Pei looked very bad, as if he was enduring great pain. I want to go to Zhuoming Pavilion to see him, is that okay?"
He paused, fearing that his words were not enough, and added hastily, "The teacher treats me very well, and teaches me to be sensible and to distinguish right from wrong. I cannot ignore him."
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