Chapter 24 Good Brothers Have the Same Taste

Wang Muyi is a straightforward person. After listening to Nianxi's thoughts, he smiled and said:

"It would be good to open a shop together. I happened to have a shop in my dowry. Although the front is not big, the location is good. It is two stories high. When you open the window, you can see the willow trees in spring and the moon in summer. It is suitable in every way."

This is what Nianxi was waiting for.

She wanted to open a teahouse for female guests to relax, but she wanted to do more than just sell drinks and tea. She wanted to use the best materials and decoration, separate the private rooms carefully, use rosewood tables and chairs, and use pine bonsai to give ladies a place to relax.

After the two of them had discussed the details, the maid came over and said, "Madam, Miss Wen, the banquet has begun. Please follow me into the banquet."

A banquet was held at the Cheng'en Mansion, with the female guests sitting in the flower hall and the male guests sitting in the waterside pavilion not far away.

The pavilion where the two were located was relatively remote, and to go to the flower hall one had to pass through the long corridor. When walking back, they ran into Pei Jian head-on.

Wang Muyi bent his elbow and gently poked Nianxi.

Pei Jian was tall and slender with an outstanding appearance. Standing at the end of the road, he could not be ignored without any deliberate reminder.

Nian Xi withdrew her gaze.

The capital city is quite small, and he is a good friend of Gushou, so the chances of them meeting in the future are very high.

There is no need to avoid it deliberately.

He was so rude in Jiaomen Garden. Nianxi felt that given their current relationship, strangers were best.

But cousin Mu doesn't think so.

They passed Pei Jian and turned the corner in the corridor. Wang Muyi lowered her voice and asked, "Isn't Pei Jian good friends with Gu Liulang? Don't you know him?"

Nian Xi said calmly, "I've met him before, but we're not familiar with each other."

Wang Muyi didn't believe it, "But the way he looked at you just now didn't seem unfamiliar at all."

He kept staring at Nian Xi until she raised her head, then Pei Jian looked away with an expressionless face.

Wang Muyi was naturally more sensitive than ordinary people to these things. "It seems like I'm very familiar with them."

"Do you think he likes you?"

Nianxi was almost dying of laughter at this remark.

Is it possible that the sincerity that could not be exchanged for more than ten years of companionship in the previous life can be enlightened in one day?

"cousin--"

Nian Xi was somewhat helpless, and envied her cousin's wild imagination, "He and Gu Ci are good brothers."

Wang Muyi became even more excited after hearing this. He didn't know what he was thinking about, but smiled ambiguously, "Only good brothers have the same tastes~ Pei Yan's look just now was really not innocent."

She clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling, "Pei Jian doesn't seem to be powerless. If he fights Gu Ci, I wonder what will happen?"

Nian Xi stroked her forehead, glanced at her overly excited cousin, and said calmly, "This is a scene I could never dream of."

Pei Jian was the calmest and most restrained person. Fighting? That was simply a fantasy.

Besides, he didn't like her at all.

Wang Muyi believed in her instincts, "What if they both come to your house to propose marriage, who will you choose?"

Nianxi has no interest in this topic at all.

She had wasted thirteen years of her life on Pei Jian, and she still hadn't learned her lesson? Even if Pei Jian was a fairy, she wouldn't suffer that.

Forget it.

Living your life well is better than anything else.

However——

"While waiting for you just now, I accidentally heard Princess Wenshu..."

Nian Xi told her cousin Mu what she heard behind the flower tree.

Wang Muyi pressed on, "Why don't you go and tell Pei Shizhang yourself? This is a life-saving favor."

Nian Xi stepped forward and said calmly, "Avoid suspicion."

She naturally had no feelings for Pei Jian, but she had to watch him ruin his future.

The dynasty stipulated that the prince consort who married a princess could only be a wealthy and leisurely man and could no longer get involved in officialdom.

For Pei Jian, this would probably be more painful than death.

She was not the Madonna who was overly compassionate. Given their relationship, there was no need for them to be enemies.

The cause of death in the previous life has not yet been determined, so it’s just a small reminder.

But the facts prove that people cannot be too kind.

The banquet at Duke Cheng'en's mansion was of very high standard. The menu included "15 cups of wine", each cup with two dishes, served in pairs, for a total of thirty dishes.

Halfway through the banquet, Nian Xi felt drunk, said something to her mother, and left the table to change her clothes.

As soon as she walked out of the flower hall, someone stopped her on her way. "Ms. Wen, Her Royal Highness the Princess wants to see you."

Nian Xi's heart tightened.

There were so many people around and she didn't want to attract attention, so she winked at Xingyue and took Lanzhi with her maid.

Entering a secluded courtyard, Princess Wenshu sat high in front of the hall, looking down at Nianxi, "Did you ruin my good fortune?"

Nianxi: ...

How did you find out?

"What did your Highness say? I don't understand."

"Don't pretend, Yan Qing told me everything." Xiao Nanxi pointed at the black-clad guards beside the pillar and said, "When I was discussing this matter in the garden, you were the one hiding behind the tree and eavesdropping!"

She slapped the armrest hard and said angrily, "Tell me! Do you like Pei Shizhang too?"

Nian Xi looked aggrieved, "Who? Me? I don't like it at all."

"Then why did you ruin my business?"

Nianxi now understood everything——

It was all because of this guard named Yan Qing who was not a good person. Today, she was just unlucky, as she ran into the princess conspiring loudly in the busy garden. If it was anyone else, Yan Qing would have let them "eavesdrop".

After all, it's hard for the princess to accomplish anything today.

After figuring out the whole story, Nian Xi had no choice but to put on a righteous attitude:

"Master Pei and my elder brother were classmates in the Imperial Academy. My elder brother studied hard for more than ten years just to serve the court. I think Master Pei should have the same aspirations. But if he marries the princess, he will only be a rich and idle person for the rest of his life..."

Xiao Nanxi interrupted, "I didn't say that I wanted Pei Shizhang to marry me, so how can I ruin his future?"

Nian Xi: “…Ah?”

Xiao Nanxi puffed out her chest and said proudly, "This princess just wants to force herself on him, and she doesn't want him to be responsible. After today, he can go and be an official, and we have nothing to do with each other."

Nian Xi: “…Ah?!”

Xiao Nanxi no longer carried the majesty of the princess, she glanced sideways, raised her face, and hummed softly:

"Pedantic!"

Nian Xi was like being opened to a new world. She had never thought that a woman could be so carefree. "I am a pedantic person. I am not as insightful as Your Highness the Princess!"

Her tone was sincere, and her clear almond-shaped eyes were full of admiration.

Xiao Nanxi was embarrassed by the compliment, "Don't you, the scholarly families, all value propriety, righteousness, and integrity? You... really think my idea is good, and you are not just kidding me?"

If it was in her past life, Nian Xi would not agree with it, but she died and lived again, and her thoughts were completely different:

"These red tapes are nothing but shackles that constrain the world. As long as you can bear the consequences of your own actions, why not be a little unrestrained?"

"A soulmate! Definitely a soulmate!"

Xiao Nanxi stood up from the armchair excitedly and took Nianxi's hand, "Today, the princess has booked a pleasure boat at Ningbi Pond. Come with me to go boating on the lake later!"

Nian Xi doesn't want to go.

Princess Wenshu died early in her previous life, so she had never dealt with her. When she saw her today, she felt that she was a bit weird. She was just about to find an excuse to turn it down when she suddenly thought of something:

"Your Highness, I am quite knowledgeable about the Book of Changes. Judging from your face, it is best not to go near the water today. It is unlucky."