Chapter 26: The young couple rode away from the other children of the aristocratic families in the capital...
Chi Mingli's hangover was not hidden from Feng Yuyun's eyes after all, and he was punished to copy the family motto in the ancestral hall to reflect on himself.
Luo Wan's house arrest was only lifted for one day, on the day of the wild hunting. Now, there are two burly old women guarding outside the yard day and night.
Chi Mingli would come to the west courtyard from time to time. Feng Yuyun knew it all, and she just thought Chi Mingli was just a child.
But now he was hungover. Although Chi Mingli did not explain who he went out to drink with, Feng Yuyun subconsciously felt that Luo Wan was involved.
The main courtyard of Chi Mansion.
Feng Yuyun was flipping through the account books when the housekeeper hurried in and bowed, saying, "Madam, the young master of the Pei family has sent a letter, saying that he is under the order of Master Shen, inviting the eldest lady to the Shen Mansion to discuss the Spring Poetry and Martial Arts Competition."
Feng Yuyun frowned: "Poetry and Martial Arts Conference?"
"That's right." The butler lowered his voice, "I heard that Master Shen was the governor of poetry and martial arts appointed by His Majesty."
Feng Yuyun put down the account book and said, "Please invite Mr. Pei in."
When Pei Shaochuan stepped into Rong'an Hall, he immediately saw the mistress of the house sitting in the main seat with an unhappy look on her face.
He bowed to Feng Yuyun and said, "I believe the housekeeper has already informed Madam of the purpose of my visit."
Feng Yuyun said calmly, "Wanwan is so young, how can she discuss the poetry and martial arts conference with Master Shen?"
Originally, the Poetry and Martial Arts Conference did not need students like them, but Shen Zhiyan learned about the wild hunting. In addition, he also knew that Luo Wan was under house arrest, so the Poetry and Martial Arts Conference needed his students.
Pei Shaochuan certainly knew that Feng Yuyun would not give in easily, and he also knew that the Chi Mansion was a dangerous place for Luo Wan.
Hearing from Shen Zhiyan that Luo Wan was under house arrest also confirmed his guess.
Shen Zhiyan didn't ask anyone else but him, so Pei Shaochuan was secretly happy.
He said, "Master Shen is in charge of the Poetry and Martial Arts Conference, and we are one of his few students, so naturally we have to share his worries." Pei Shaochuan paused deliberately and handed the order forward. "If the Poetry and Martial Arts Conference is delayed due to the house arrest, I'm afraid Master Shen will have a hard time explaining it to His Majesty. Or does Madam not trust Master Shen's ability to teach and educate people?"
Feng Yuyun frowned and clenched the handkerchief in her hand.
Letting Luo Wan go to Hongwenguan was the most regrettable and wrong decision she had made. Luo Wan not only hooked up with Shen Zhiyan, but also had a relationship with Pei Shaochuan.
From the very beginning, she should have locked Luo Wan up in the west courtyard, preventing her from ever leaving and eliminating any possibility for her to come to the fore.
The warrant was before her. After a long pause, Feng Yuyun forced a smile. "Mr. Pei, you're joking. Since it's Master Shen's order, the court's affairs must naturally take precedence." She coldly ordered the housekeeper, "Go and lock the west courtyard."
Luo Wan in the west courtyard was leaning against the window at this moment, gently fiddling with a half-withered plum blossom with her fingertips.
Kikyo was still imprisoned in the Imperial City Prison and under house arrest, so Luo Wan was unable to go to the Imperial City to report him.
That day, Jiang Cichen took the person away in front of her. Now she was under house arrest in the courtyard. If she wanted to pick up the person under the identity of Chi Wanwan, "Miss Chi" who suddenly appeared in the Imperial City Division during the house arrest period.
Feng Yuyun could easily find out about this and wondered how Luo Wan had managed to evade the heavy guards, thus becoming suspicious of her identity.
The chain in the west yard fell to the ground with a "clatter", and the remaining petals of the withered plum tree fell on the windowsill, swirling in the wind.
Tangli said excitedly: "Miss, the door is open!"
Luo Wan stood by the window. The moment the door opened, she looked at the several figures that suddenly appeared outside the courtyard gate and was dazed for a moment.
She saw Pei Shaochuan.
The boy who she used and then forgot about helped her lift the house arrest.
On the day when the classes at Hongwenguan ended, Luo Wan remembered how she said goodbye to him perfunctorily. After that, Pei Shaochuan wrote to her, but Luo Wan did not reply to any of them.
"Miss Chi." Pei Shaochuan bowed to her, his eyebrows and eyes curved just as he remembered her. "Long time no see."
"Mr. Pei."
Pei Shaochuan walked forward with a smile, but stopped three steps away from her. This distance was neither rude nor offensive to her.
He pulled out a scroll of bamboo slips from his sleeve: "This is the rules of the Poetry and Martial Arts Conference. Master Shen specifically asked me to hand it over to you."
Luo Wan took it: "Thank you."
Pei Shaochuan lowered his voice: "Your Aunt Feng wants you to be a canary, but I know you are not."
Luo Wan was about to open the bamboo slips when she heard Pei Shaochuan whisper, "Let's read it on the way." He winked at her and said, "The carriage from the Shen Mansion is waiting outside."
In the carriage, Pei Shaochuan explained the poetry and martial arts conference to Luo Wan, and talked about how he battled wits and courage with Feng Yuyun, and simply attributed Luo Wan's neglect to Feng Yuyun's obstruction.
"I heard that Feng Shi had you under house arrest. No wonder the letters I sent to you by Dunzi fell on deaf ears." Pei Shaochuan looked as if he had suddenly realized something. "She must have sent people to intercept them."
Luo Wan did not refute.
Pei Shaochuan suddenly pulled out a gilded food box from under his seat and continued to talk to himself, "Cakes from the Zuixian Inn, you like them."
When did she say she loved the cakes from Zuixian Inn?
The only time I went to Zuixian Inn was to use him to find Xu Xuan. Maybe I casually praised the pastries of Zuixian Inn at that time, but I didn't expect that he still remembers it.
Pei Shaochuan talked a lot along the way. Fortunately, they arrived at the Shen Mansion soon, and Luo Wan was able to have some peace and quiet. However, things still did not go as Luo Wan wanted. The three of them only talked in the study, so she could not understand the terrain of the Shen Mansion.
Luo Wanxin was not involved in the poetry and martial arts competition at all, and Pei Shaochuan was also a playful person. This made it no different from the beginning when Shen Zhiyan was the only one in charge.
Luo Wan was turning the brush when he suddenly saw a disciple from the Shen Mansion come to report. The disciple whispered something, and Shen Zhiyan stood up and left.
After the two of them left, Luo Wan also got up and left.
Pei Shaochuan was an impatient man. Spending the entire afternoon in the study was boring enough, and now that people were leaving one after another without knowing why, he couldn't wait any longer. He asked, "Wanwan, where are you going?"
Luo Wan said: "Let's go out for a walk."
Pei Shaochuan quickly rushed from the desk to the door: "I'm going too!"
The Shen Mansion was neither big nor small, but its layout was extremely complex. Luo Wan could tell that this was the result of the application of architectural feng shui.
I hadn't been walking around the mansion for long when I saw several groups of servants hurriedly passing by along the corridor. Upon closer inspection, I could see that they were all coming from the council hall.
Shen Zhiyan was in a hurry, and now the servants in the council hall had been sent away, which only proved that something big was happening in the council hall.
Luo Wan and Pei Shaochuan looked at each other, and quietly approached the meeting hall in tacit understanding. When they arrived, they found that the servants guarding the door of the meeting hall were dressed like the servants of the Liu family that Luo Wan had seen at the palace banquet.
I couldn't help but think of Liu Shuyi's behavior when the palace was dismissed that day.
The Chen and Liu families must have a special relationship.
Pei Shaochuan whispered, "Mr. Liu is probably here to break off the engagement."
Luo Wan was puzzled: "Cancel the engagement?"
Pei Shaochuan said, "Wanwan, you've only been back in the capital for a short time, so it's normal that you didn't know. Prime Minister Shen and Imperial Tutor Liu arranged a marriage for Shen Zhiyan and Liu Shuyi many years ago. This was common knowledge in the capital. At that time, Shen Zhiyan's talent had already begun to show, and he stood out among the children of the capital's aristocratic families. Liu Shuyi was also outstanding in appearance. The two of them quickly became a young couple praised by everyone in the capital. However, Shen Zhiyan had to go to Xiliang as a hostage due to political reasons, and they were separated for ten years."
It turns out that the Chen and Liu families have such a relationship. No wonder Liu Shiyu deliberately targeted her at the palace banquet. It must be a misunderstanding.
But eyes can't lie. When I saw the way Liu Shuyi looked at Shen Zhiyan that night, I could tell she was a complete nymphomaniac. How could she want to break off the engagement after just a few days?
Luo Wan said: "How do you know it's about breaking off the engagement, not negotiating the wedding date?"
Pei Shaochuan said, "Generally speaking, the man selects an auspicious date and sends a matchmaker to inform the woman of the date. If she agrees, the wedding date is set. But now, neither you nor I have seen the matchmaker. Moreover, if they were discussing the wedding date, why would they send away the servants and make it so secretive?"
Pei Shaochuan sighed: "It's a pity that Miss Liu waited for ten years."
In just a few words, Luo Wan had made up his mind.
Shen Zhiyan and Liu Shuyi’s marriage cannot be cancelled. Not only can it not be cancelled, but they must get married immediately, the sooner the better!
The wedding of the Prime Minister's legitimate son is a rare happy event in Prime Minister Shen's residence. There will be congratulations from all the ministers, and that will be the best time for Luo Wan to steal the medical book.
Soon, the protagonist of the meeting hall came out.
The first time Luo Wan met Grand Tutor Liu Zong, he had a reserved edge that could not be ignored.
His steps are steady, and his eyes are as deep as an ancient well, without any ripples.
Luo Wan couldn't help but hold her breath. Although this person was clearly standing far away, her heart inexplicably trembled.
She frowned slightly, trying to grasp the fleeting sense of familiarity, but the more she thought about it, the more ethereal the feeling became, and in the end, only a sense of inexplicable melancholy remained.
Shen Zhiyan and his father Shen Mo also came out. Shen Mo said goodbye to Liu Zong, and Shen Zhiyan saw Liu Zong off.
Luo Wan grabbed Pei Shaochuan's sleeve and immediately followed.
At the gate of the mansion, Shen Zhiyan raised his hand and bowed solemnly: "In this matter, I was the first to break my promise and failed the expectations of Master Liu and Miss Liu."
Liu Zong gently stroked the jade ring in his sleeve: "Since the engagement has been cancelled according to Master Shen's wishes, I hope you will not provoke my daughter again in the future."
As expected, it was just as Luo Wan expected, Shen Zhiyan wanted to cancel the engagement.
"No!" Luo Wan appeared, dragging the staggering Pei Shaochuan with her. "You can't cancel the engagement!"
Liu Zong's eyes were slightly cold: "You guys?"
Shen Zhiyan introduced, "These two are my junior students, Pei Shaochuan and Chi Wanwan."
His serious expression suddenly softened, and Liu Zong smiled slightly and said, "Are you Chi Wanwan?"
Without having time to ponder the reason for Liu Zong's sudden change of expression, Luo Wan bowed and said, "Master Shen and Miss Liu's engagement cannot be cancelled."
Liu Zong was neither annoyed nor angry at this little girl who suddenly appeared. Instead, he asked patiently, "Miss Chi, do you have any other opinions?"
Luo Wan said, "Master Shen has been away from the capital for ten years, so it's inevitable that he's become estranged from his friends there. He's only been back a few days now, and he's only met Miss Liu a handful of times. Why do you think they're not a good match? I believe that Miss Liu is a refined and kind-hearted woman, both talented and beautiful. She and Master Shen are a match made in heaven. It would be too hasty to call off the engagement simply because of the unfamiliarity during our brief reunion. It would be better to give each other some time to spend together, and perhaps they will develop a different understanding."
Pei Shaochuan's arm was twisted: "Ah, yes, yes, yes!!!"
Luo Wan struck while the iron was hot and said, "I heard that Furongju has come up with a new way to eat it. It's perfect for winter, with charcoal fire in a copper stove, and you can cook it while you eat. Master Pei and I have been envious of it and want to invite Master Shen and Miss Liu to go with us. Why not today?"
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