Chapter 99 Test
You could hear a pin drop in the main hall.
Pei Ji's words just now, "I have come specially to propose marriage to the eldest lady of the mansion, Luo Zhaohan," were like a stone thrown into a deep pool.
Luo Jince was the first to recover from this huge shock.
He was young and energetic, and had always respected and protected his sister Luo Zhaohan. At this moment, he felt a surge of blood rushing to his head.
All the etiquette and rules, the idea of parents coming first, were thrown out of the window. He suddenly stood up from his seat, his brows knitted tightly into a "川" shape, his eyes like torches, shooting straight at Pei Ji who was sitting in the guest seat.
"Shaoqing Pei!" Luo Jince's voice was sharp and questioning, a characteristic of young people. "It is certainly a good thing that you have come to propose marriage today. But with all due respect, I would like to ask, are you truly sincere towards my elder sister, or..."
He paused, as if he felt that the following words were a little difficult to say, but he finally blurted out, "Or is it just due to considerations of suitable family background?"
He took a deep breath, as if gathering strength for his next words, his voice becoming even deeper. "That day at the Imperial College, my elder sister mustered up the courage to confess her feelings to you. How did you respond? You avoided the topic and were vague! Do you know that after that, my elder sister came back..."
Luo Jince recalled the sadness beneath his sister's forced smiles during that time, and his heart ached. His tone became more intense, "Do you know how sad she was? Now, with just one proposal of marriage, you want to erase everything that happened? Pei Shaoqing, how sincere are you?"
This almost rude question made Luo Dinglian and Qin Wan, who were sitting at the main seat, change their expressions.
Luo Dinglian shouted in a deep voice: "Jin Ce! Don't be rude! Back off!"
Qin Wan also looked at her son worriedly, then looked at Pei Ji, whose face was calm, and her palms were slightly sweaty.
Pei Ji did not show any anger because of Luo Jince's aggressiveness.
He raised his eyes and met the young man's burning gaze. The corners of his lips slowly curled up into a very faint arc. There was a hint of understanding and a hint of helplessness in that smile.
"Master Luo, that day at the Imperial College, Miss Luo was so open and honest. I was both honored and deeply moved. You said I avoided the subject and was vague. So, I'd like to ask you a question: did I ever say 'no'?"
Luo Jince was stunned by his question and subconsciously recalled.
That day, outside the Imperial College Library, the sun was shining brightly. My sister's cheeks were slightly red and her eyes were bright as she confessed her feelings to the cold and self-respecting Shaoqing of the Dali Temple in front of her.
Pei Ji didn't explicitly refuse at the time. He just remained silent, looking at his sister with complicated eyes, then seemed to say something else insignificant, and hurriedly said goodbye.
"No..." Luo Jince murmured subconsciously, then as if grasping something, his voice rose again, "But you didn't agree either! What's the difference between you avoiding me like that and my sister leaving sadly?"
Pei Ji shook his head lightly, looking back at Luo Jince with an open gaze, his tone frank, "What Mr. Luo said is true, but not entirely true. At that time, it wasn't that I was unmoved, nor was it that I disdained Miss Luo's feelings."
He paused, a hint of self-mockery flashing across his eyes, "On the contrary, it's Miss Luo who is too dazzling, and I, Pei, feel ashamed of myself."
"Are you ashamed of yourself?" Luo Jince was stunned. Even Luo Dinglian and Qin Wan showed surprise.
Pei Ji was born in the Pei family of Hedong. At a young age, he was promoted to the position of Shaoqing of the Dali Temple. He was very handsome and elegant, and attracted the attention of many ladies in the capital. Yet, he said that he was ashamed of himself in front of Zhao Han?
"Yes." Pei Ji admitted frankly, his voice lowering a bit. "At that time, I was just a humble student, entering the officialdom with an uncertain future and no wealth. Miss Luo, on the other hand, was the eldest daughter of the Minister of War, a daughter of a wealthy family, both talented and beautiful. I asked myself, what virtue and ability did I have to dare to dream of marrying the moon? I was afraid that even the slightest bit of frivolity would tarnish Miss Luo's reputation. Therefore, I could only avoid the topic. It's not that I refused, but I didn't dare, and I felt I was not worthy of her."
"I dare not... I am not worthy of it..." Luo Jince murmured these words, and the anger in his heart was like a punctured balloon, and most of it deflated in an instant.
He chewed over Pei Ji's words carefully, and then recalled the situation after his sister came back. Although his sister was lost, there seemed to be no despair in the depths of her eyes. Instead, there was a strange tenacity.
later……
It is the venue for the welcoming banquet.
Luo Jince's mind suddenly flashed with a thrilling scene that made him inexplicably concerned: on the chaotic polo field, frightened horses neighed, and the out-of-control ball hit his sister with tremendous force.
At that critical moment, it was Pei Ji! Like an arrow shot from a bow, he rushed forward recklessly, shielding his sister with his body! And what about his sister? After the huge shock and fear, his sister almost instinctively grabbed Pei Ji's collar.
At that time, he was only concerned with fear and relief, but now when he thinks about it carefully, that sense of dependence was definitely not ordinary!
Two days ago, he accidentally ran into his sister standing by the window in a daze, with a gentle and shy smile on her lips, and the brilliance between her eyebrows was something he had never seen before.
He asked curiously, but his sister blushed and scolded him for being nosy...
All the pictures, all the details, like scattered beads, are strung together in an instant!
Luo Jince suddenly realized, and a feeling of shame and embarrassment for being kept in the dark and realizing it belatedly surged into his heart.
I see!
It turns out that Ajie and Pei Ji have known each other for a long time!
That time at the Imperial College, Pei Ji's silence was not a rejection.
The life-threatening protection he showed on the court was the most direct proof of his feelings.
And the shy smile of my sister clearly showed the sweetness of love.
They actually hid it from me!
Only he, the younger brother, is like a fool, still here seeking justice for his sister.
Luo Jince's face suddenly turned red, then quickly faded. He opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a word. He was left with only regret and grievance.
He looked at Pei Ji's frank eyes, then at his parents who also had confused and complicated expressions. In the end, he could only shut his mouth in disappointment, sat back in his chair dejectedly, and turned his face away like a child whose thoughts were exposed.
…
On the side of the main hall, behind a carved moon-shaped door, is a small side hall leading to the inner room.
The light here is slightly darker than in the main hall. The hazy sunlight of the winter afternoon shines through the window frames covered with plain gauze, casting blurry and swaying spots of light on the ground, and tiny dust particles float in the air.
Luo Zhaohan hid in this corner where light and shadow intertwined, his back pressed against the cold wall, one hand tightly covering his mouth, for fear of leaking the slightest sound.
Her heart was beating like a drum, almost jumping out of her throat.
Every word Pei Ji said reached her ears clearly through the thin partition.
"I've come to propose marriage to the eldest daughter of the mansion, Luo Zhaohan..."
"I feel ashamed of myself..."
"I dare not even think..."
"I avoid talking about it, not because I refuse, but because I don't dare, and I don't think I'm worthy enough..."
These words, like hot brands, burned into her heart again and again.
The happiness that almost overwhelmed her was intertwined with a dizzyingly strong sense of unreality, making her feel dazed.
He really came.
He said in person that he came to propose to her.
He said he never refused, but just didn't dare to have any fantasies.
He said he felt unworthy of her at first.
The sunlight enveloped her, and everything in front of her seemed to be covered by a layer of flowing mist, like a dream.
She blinked hard and pinched her palms with her fingertips. The clear stinging sensation made her sure that this was not a dream.
But even so, that strong feeling of unease still clung to her like a vine.
She's someone who died once.
Those fragments of memories from her past life, like poisonous snakes lurking in the dark, always quietly peek out at her happiest moments, reminding her of the cruelty and unpredictability of fate.
Since her rebirth, she has taken every step carefully, as if treading on thin ice.
Her feelings for Pei Ji were buried deep in the most secret corner of her heart, and she was even afraid to touch them.
She didn't dare to hope, didn't dare to be sure. Even though she sensed his feelings and her heart was surging, she still couldn't believe that he would really go this far, really stand in front of her parents and say the word "propose marriage" for her.
A drop of warm liquid slid down from the corner of her red eyes without warning, hitting the back of her hand that was covering her mouth, breaking into a small piece of coolness.
Then came the second drop, the third drop... Tears rolled down silently and violently like beads that had broken off the string, quickly soaking her fingers and sleeves.
She bit her lower lip tightly to prevent a sob from escaping, only her shoulders trembled uncontrollably in the corner where no one could see.
Did she really wait?
Does this happiness that she overheard really belong to her?
…
In the main hall, the long silence was broken by Mrs. Luo Qin Wan's hesitant call.
"Master..." Qin Wan's voice trembled slightly. She looked at her husband Luo Dinglian who was sitting in the main seat with a complicated look, which included shock, realization, and a hint of motherly heartache.
This call also brought Luo Dinglian back to his senses. He had been in the officialdom for many years and had seen many ups and downs. Even at this moment, he had to take a deep breath to suppress the turmoil in his heart.
He looked at his wife, and when their eyes met, years of tacit understanding made them understand each other's feelings.
Qin Wan's thoughts involuntarily drifted back to the carriage on the way back from the welcoming banquet.
The daughter's face was pale, but her eyes were surprisingly bright. She seemed to be hesitant to speak to her and the master, and a suspicious blush appeared on her cheeks...
At that time, she had a vague feeling that her daughter had someone in her heart, but she never expected that person to be the young and promising Dali Temple Shaoqing Pei Ji!
No wonder... No wonder my daughter looked so strange that day!
But why did this girl keep such a big thing so secret? She didn't even tell her family a word? Qin Wan felt both distressed and resentful. She subconsciously cast her eyes at Pei Ji again, scrutinizing and probing.
Luo Dinglian's idea coincided with his wife's.
He cleared his throat, his expression returned to his usual solemnity, and his eyes fell steadily on Pei Ji.
"Master Pei," Luo Dinglian's voice was deep and powerful, breaking the slightly stagnant atmosphere in the hall. "My wife and I have heard everything you said today. This concerns my daughter's life, so I would like to speak with you alone."
This means testing the future son-in-law.
Upon hearing this, Qin Wan immediately stood up without hesitation.
She understood her husband's responsibilities and intentions as a father, and it would be inappropriate for anyone else to be present at this moment.
She nodded slightly to Luo Dinglian, then looked at Pei Ji deeply with a complicated look in her eyes, but in the end she said nothing more, turned around and walked out.
Although Luo Jince was full of curiosity and wanted to know what his father would talk about with Pei Ji, his mother had already stood up and his father's meaning was so clear that he had no choice but to stand up as well.
He glanced at Pei Ji, then at his father's serious face, and finally, with his head hung, he followed his mother dejectedly, leaving the main hall, looking back every few steps.
The heavy hall door closed gently behind Qin Wan and Luo Jince, blocking out the light and sound from outside.
In the huge main hall, only Luo Dinglian, who was sitting in the main seat, and the tall and graceful Pei Ji were left.
The sunlight shines through the window panes, casting long shadows on the ground, flowing silently.
Luo Dinglian did not speak immediately, but looked at the young man in front of him with his eyes that had seen the world without any reservation.
Pei Ji also looked back calmly, his posture as straight as a pine tree, neither humble nor arrogant.
General Fuyuan Luo Dinglian sat upright on the main tiger-skin armchair, his gaze as if it had substance, falling heavily on the young man below the steps, from head to toe, not sparing a single inch.
This boy is indeed not an ordinary person.
Pei Ji lowered his head slightly, his attitude respectful but not flattering.
The brief silence seemed to be prolonged.
"Shaoqing Pei." Luo Dinglian finally spoke, his voice deep and powerful.
"I dare not address you in front of the general." Pei Ji immediately bowed, his voice clear and calm, "Pei Ji's courtesy name is Jingzhi. If the general does not mind, you can call me by my first name or my courtesy name."
He didn't look up and kept a very low profile.
He knew that any trace of usurpation or disrespect at this moment could push the already delicate situation into the abyss.
Luo Dinglian's thick black brows twitched imperceptibly. Humble, yet able to assess the situation. This was his second impression.
He did not change his words immediately. His knuckled fingers tapped lightly on the smooth and cold rosewood armrest, making a slight sound.
"Well, Pei Ji," Luo Dinglian asked in a deep voice, "I have a question that I hope you can answer."
"General, please speak. Pei Ji is all ears."
"Suppose someone could imitate your handwriting perfectly, forging a letter to frame you. With all the evidence, witnesses, and evidence, you would...how would you escape this situation?"
The question was abrupt and tricky.
Pei Ji said two words without hesitation:
"There's no way."
This answer clearly caught Luo Dinglian by surprise. His fingers, tapping the armrest, suddenly paused, the scrutiny in his eyes instantly turning into a sharp inquiry. As the Junior Minister of the Dali Temple, specializing in criminal justice, faced with such a daunting dilemma, he simply declared, "There's no way"?
Is it perfunctory, self-deprecation, or... something else?
Luo Dinglian's voice suddenly deepened, and the sense of oppression doubled, as if wind and thunder were gathering in the hall. "Why do you think so? Tell me in detail!"
Pei Ji raised his head, his eyes not avoiding or avoiding, meeting Luo Dinglian's sharp gaze that could penetrate people's hearts.
"General, please understand," Pei Ji said in a steady voice. "First, someone who can imitate my handwriting to such an exact degree is definitely not accidental, nor can it be quickly achieved by simply copying calligraphy. This person must be extremely familiar with Pei Ji's calligraphy, having spent time with him day and night, observing every stroke and understanding it by heart."
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