Chapter 159 "My wife and I are deeply in love..."
Four words popped into Pei Jingyi's mind.
baffling.
He's been married for three years and is about to become a father, so where did this arranged marriage come from?
And it's the Xie family...
His brow furrowed, and he asked Shumo again, "Which Xie family? The Xie clan of Chenliu?"
Shumo nodded vigorously, "Yes, yes, that's what I heard their coachman say. It seems to be some kind of particularly powerful family?"
Especially Madam Ma, who came to our door claiming to be the mistress of the third branch of the Xie family, her haughty air of looking down on people with her chin was even more impressive than that of a noblewoman in the palace.
Pei Jingyi frowned even more deeply and subconsciously looked up at the sky.
They were just talking about the Xie family of Chenliu while they were eating, how come they're suddenly gossiping about themselves?
Is this some kind of spell that makes words come true?
"What did your father say when he sent you out? Can't he handle this on his own?"
Even if the Xie family was once noble and distinguished, that was hundreds of years ago. With each new emperor comes a new court, and the current Marquis of Changning's mansion is not someone to be trifled with or bullied.
Not wanting Yan Yi to hear these troubling matters, Pei Jingyi walked towards the bow deck while talking.
Shumo jogged to catch up, “Your Highness, don’t worry. The Marquis and his wife have no intention of acknowledging this marriage. Isn’t this just pure nonsense? They’re mainly concerned about the Princess… You are the only bloodline left by the Princess. No matter how this matter is resolved, you need to be present to make things clear.”
Pei Jingyi paused, "I understand. You go down and wait. I'll say a few words to the Second Young Master and then leave."
Shumo readily agreed, and as she passed Yan Yi's cabin, she glanced anxiously through the window.
Before leaving, the Marquis repeatedly instructed that the Heir Apparent's wife was pregnant and that they must not disturb her.
Shumo clenched her fists to encourage herself: The eldest young master is the most capable; he will definitely be able to resolve this matter quietly and beautifully.
...
Pei Jingyi arrived at the bow of the boat, where Shen Lingyue and Pei Jinghuai were fishing and arguing noisily.
They completely forgot about their "glorious achievements" from the last fishing trip.
"Huaizhou, come here."
Pei Jingyi called Pei Jinghuai aside, frowned, and gave him a few instructions in a few words, "...Help me stall for a while, I'll go back to the manor now and get rid of them. Remember, don't let your sister-in-law find out, you're too slow on the uptake."
Pei Jinghuai: ...Why do you resort to personal attacks when asking someone for a favor?
He let out two heavy, cold laughs, then turned and shouted at Shen Lingyue, "Wife, I'm going to tell on you! Pei Da is up to no good!"
Shen Lingyue dropped her fishing rod and rushed over, her eyes gleaming: "Big brother, what do you want to do?"
"Huai Zhou, you—"
Pei Jingyi's expression changed instantly. Before he could shut Pei Jinghuai up, Pei Jinghuai had already confessed everything like beans spilling from a bamboo tube.
Shen Lingyue's brows furrowed deeply: "A childhood betrothal? The Xie family of Chenliu?"
No way, no way, how come what I said actually happened?
"Never mind, I never intended to keep it from you anyway."
Pei Jingyi sighed and rubbed his forehead. He had no choice but to soften his expression and speak gently to Shen Lingyue, "Sister-in-law, I would appreciate it if you and Huaizhou could help me out. I will definitely resolve this as soon as possible and come back."
“No.” Shen Lingyue refused without hesitation.
She pulled Pei Jinghuai towards the back cabin, muttering, "Based on my years of reading experience, the more silent you are, the more you claim to be 'for your own good,' the bigger the trouble you'll end up causing..."
She even has PTSD from her beloved returning to China!
Pei Jingyi's expression changed drastically. He quickened his pace to catch up, his expression tense: "What are you doing? No, we can't let Yan Yi know, she's still pregnant..."
"You smart people just overthink things."
Shen Lingyue glanced at him, then shook her head speechlessly. "Do you really think Yanyan is that fragile? If you secretly hide it from her, that's the real harm you'll cause."
One lie leads to countless others to cover it up.
Trust is a precious thing; it can be very strong, or it can be very fragile.
“That’s right, that’s right.” Pei Jinghuai chimed in, nonchalantly saying, “That arranged marriage is something I’ve never even heard of. What are you worried about? My sister-in-law isn’t that petty.”
Anyway, he and A-Yue have always been completely open with each other and discussed things together. That's what husband and wife are all about, the closest people in the world.
Pei Jinghuai sold out his brother without any remorse, and even asked Shen Lingyue for a reward: "Good wife, did I do the right thing?"
Shen Lingyue blew him a kiss, then pushed open the door.
"Yan Yan!"
Pei Jingyi stood at the door with a cold face, listening to Shen Lingyue finish her incessant explanation of the whole story. He didn't even dare to look up to see what Yan Yi's expression was at that moment. His whole body tensed up uncontrollably, and he unconsciously clenched his fists.
Until a light footstep stopped in front of him.
Yan Yi pulled up his fist, pried open his fingers one by one, and placed her own hand on top of it.
Pei Jingyi snapped out of his daze and immediately gripped her hand tightly without thinking. He looked up to meet her gaze, feeling somewhat guilty and inexplicably embarrassed: "Madam, I..."
"Since Father has sent people to look for us, let's go back now."
Yan Yi smiled faintly at him, "We're husband and wife, we have to face things together, right?"
...
The front courtyard of the Marquis's residence, the reception hall.
Pei Xian and Meng Wanyin sat at the head of the table, their eyes meeting several times.
Finally, Pei Xianqing cleared his throat, looked at the middle-aged woman sitting to his left, slowly sipping her tea, and said politely, "Madam Ma, the Princess did indeed intend to form a marriage alliance with the Xie family before her death, but that was more than twenty years ago. And if I remember correctly, your Xie family didn't follow up after receiving my son's betrothal letter. If this can be called an engagement, isn't it a bit... wishful thinking?"
Madam Ma paused in her tea-blowing motion, set down the cup with a light touch, raised an eyebrow, and gave a snort without any politeness.
"Lord Pei, you are mistaken. It was the Princess who took the initiative to earnestly promote the marriage and frequently sent letters to express her goodwill that made the Xie family agree to consider it. Otherwise, with the talent, beauty and character of our Xie family's daughter, would we have any trouble finding a husband?"
Madam Ma took the hand of the girl sitting next to her, her face full of affection and admiration, and patted the back of her hand with emotion, "Look at our Ninth Miss, to put it bluntly, the Xie family produced several empresses and princesses in the previous dynasty, how is she any less than those ancestral aunts?"
Meng Wanyin used the act of drinking tea as a cover to quickly glance at him.
She was indeed an exceptionally beautiful girl, with fair skin and a refined, ethereal charm.
But no matter how good she is, Yunzhao is already married and has a family.
The Xie family came at the wrong time of day, saying they wanted to fulfill their marriage agreement. They couldn't possibly divorce Yan Yi, who was heavily pregnant, could they?
Besides, this was a marriage arranged by Consort Gao and bestowed by His Majesty. How could it be changed so easily?
"Madam Ma, if I may be so bold, Chenliu is only a three- or four-day journey from the capital. When the Imperial Concubine acted as matchmaker and His Majesty bestowed the marriage upon the Xie family three years ago, did the Xie family not receive any news?"
Pei Xian did not comment on the Xie family girl, but asked sincerely, "Three years ago you did not come in time to fulfill the marriage agreement. Now my son and his wife have a deep affection for each other and are about to become parents. Why do you have to show up again? Do you want my Pei family to bear the bad reputation of disobeying the imperial decree, divorcing my wife and marrying another, and driving the pregnant woman out of the house?"
He chuckled twice, his expression ambiguous, and said, "I had no idea that my son, who's about to become a father, is still so sought after."
Madam Ma showed a hint of unease, while Miss Xie Jiu pulled her hand back with a stiff face, lowered her head and remained silent, a blush rising behind her ears, whether from shame or anger, it was hard to tell.
"My lord, you may not know this, but Mingke has had a hard life. She lost her parents at a young age and grew up under her grandmother's care. Three years ago, the old lady passed away, and Mingke was so heartbroken that she fell seriously ill. Her aunt, who had become a nun, took her to the mountains to recuperate, and also to observe mourning for her grandmother. That's why the flowering season was delayed..."
Madam Ma cleared her throat. "Although I am her aunt, I cannot stand by and watch such a good girl lose her support. It just so happened that when we were cleaning out the old house, we found letters between Princess Qinghe and her mother from back then, so I was sent to the capital with Mingke to try my luck."
She played the emotional card and humbled herself, appearing very sincere: "These two children should have been a perfect match, a beautiful story, but due to unforeseen circumstances, they were destined to be apart. Isn't that a pity?"
"It's a pity," Pei Xian nodded listlessly, "but this is the best we can do."
Madam Ma frowned, glancing left and right as if to make sure no one was eavesdropping, before her expression hardened slightly: "Lord Pei, please reconsider. Our Xie family's desire for a marriage alliance is sincere. Don't you want a grandson with Xie blood as your heir? Our Chenliu Xie clan has been renowned for centuries, producing many talented individuals, each with their own unique brilliance… We've heard that the current heir's wife comes from a mediocre family, and her mother's family is from a merchant background…"
"Madam Ma, please be careful with your words."
Pei Xian frowned and interrupted unhappily.
Pei Jingyi hasn't returned yet, but his patience has run out.
"There's no need to say anything more. Our Pei family is not worthy of the Xie family's bloodline. The so-called marriage agreement need not be mentioned again. Please, Madam Ma, leave behind the princess's handwritten letter. From now on, Miss Xie's marriage will have nothing to do with our Pei family, and we will absolutely not spread rumors outside to damage our daughter's reputation."
Pei Xian picked up his teacup, his gesture clearly indicating that he was seeing his guest off.
Madam Ma was getting annoyed when she saw that he wouldn't listen to reason or threats. She was always treated like a star in Chenliu, with wealthy families and wives of officials showing her great respect and bringing lavish gifts to establish connections with the Xie family. When had she ever been ridiculed and mocked like this?
She wanted to get angry but held back, clenching her palms to force herself to calm down. "My lord, don't be so absolute. Even if the Marquis of Changning's mansion is favored by the emperor, our Xie family is not to be trifled with. The plaque with the words 'Orchids and Precious Trees, Pure Streams and Legacy' personally written by the founding emperor still hangs in the main hall of our family. If he were alive, would the Pei family's reputation be any better if he knew that our Xie family's daughter was seduced and then abandoned?"
"I have never met Miss Xie before, so how can you say that I started a relationship and then abandoned her?"
Pei Jingyi pushed open the door with a cold face and bluntly accused, "My wife and I are deeply in love and our love is unwavering. It's none of your business, whether you're a nobody or a nobody, to break us up."
After saying that, he turned around and took Yan Yi's arm, lowering his voice and speaking very gently, "Be careful of the threshold."
Yan Yi stepped into the room and nodded slightly to her parents-in-law, who looked surprised.
"Father and Mother need not worry. My husband and I are completely innocent and there is no need to hide anything."
Shen Lingyue followed closely behind, rushing in angrily, but paused for a moment when she met Xie Mingke's face.
"It's you?!"
Isn't this the strange girl she met by chance in Madam Chen's peony garden that day?
Ah! No wonder the name "Chenliu Xie Clan" sounded familiar when she heard it last time...
Shen Lingyue glared at her angrily, "Didn't you come to visit relatives? How did you turn into someone trying to steal my sister-in-law's boyfriend?"
Xie Mingke didn't expect to see her here. He subconsciously stood up and was about to explain when Madam Ma pulled him behind her.
"It seems we can't reach an agreement today."
Madam Ma glanced quickly at Pei Jingyi, her gaze settling on his tightly clasped hands with Yan Yi's. She snorted, "Back then, Princess Qinghe devoted herself to her son's future, passing away early. If she knew that the young master had broken his promise and betrayed her efforts, I wonder how heartbroken she would be."
Are you close to my mother? Or did she appear in your dream?
Pei Jingyi said coldly, "If my mother could see my husband and me being so loving and sweet, she would only feel gratified and praise me for having such good taste, being able to have such a smart, beautiful, intelligent and perfect wife."
Yan Yi blushed at his straightforward praise and quickly pinched the thin skin on the back of his hand.
Pei Jingyi was delighted, turning his head slightly, his eyes filled with undisguised infatuation and adoration for her.
Finally, their son returned... Pei Xian made a decisive decision: "Someone, see the guest out."
Madam Ma tried to continue arguing, but Xie Mingke suddenly shook off her hand and ran away.
"Mingke, stop right there!"
Madam Ma hurriedly chased after Xie Mingke, grabbing his hand at the entrance of the Marquis's residence. Her face was unfriendly: "Why are you running? You were the one who proposed to Prince Pei first. Are you really not as good as that daughter from a poor family?"
"Third Aunt, you said you would take me to the capital to visit my grandmother's old friends, so I went out with you."
Xie Mingke's eyes were red and her voice was choked with sobs, "I didn't know anything about this marriage. Why would I go out of my way to humiliate myself? Just because my parents are gone and my grandmother is gone, does that mean I can be manipulated and used by you at will?"
She didn't expose her third aunt's thoughts in public just now because she was well-mannered and didn't want to expose the Xie family's shortcomings in front of outsiders.
That doesn't mean she'd be foolish enough to be sold off.
Mrs. Ma looked anxious and quickly stopped her from continuing, "Enough! Don't you remember your surname is Xie! Don't you think about your own future, or your other brothers and sisters?"
The Xie family has been far removed from the center of power for far too long; they desperately need an opportunity to return…
“I’m doing well cultivating Taoism with my aunt, why should I worry about my future?”
Xie Mingke suddenly burst out with strength, forcefully shoved Madam Ma aside, and ran away without looking back. He disappeared into the maze of alleyways after a few turns, leaving Madam Ma's shouts far behind.
She felt wronged, and the image of Shen Lingyue's surprised and disdainful face kept replaying in her mind.
She'd bury Peony with the water. Such an interesting girl; they could have been friends. She must hate herself now…
Xie Mingke wandered aimlessly with her head down, unaware of how far she had gone, until a high wall appeared in front of her, as if her life had been blocked, with no way out.
She stood there blankly for a while, then wiped away the tears on her face.
What's there to be afraid of? At worst, she can just go back and continue cultivating Taoism with her aunt. What does family honor have to do with her?
Grandma said that her little Ke'er didn't have to do anything, she just needed to be happy...
Xie Mingke had figured it out, so he cheered himself up and turned to leave. He hadn't taken more than a few steps when he was surrounded by several menacing figures.
The leader of the thugs, with a lewd look on his face, slowly approached, rubbing his hands together: "Little lady, lost? Brother will take you home."
Her face changed, and her voice trembled uncontrollably: "What are you doing? Get out of the way and let me out—help, help me!"
Xie Mingke shouted at the top of his lungs towards the outside of the alley.
Seeing that things were not going well, several thugs immediately rushed up, covered her mouth, and dragged her deeper into the alley.
Xie Mingke struggled frantically, disregarding the dirt, and bit down hard on the hand covering her mouth. Taking advantage of the other person's pain and release, she pushed them away haphazardly and stumbled outwards.
There's a bustling street right outside the alley; if she can run out, she'll definitely be able to find someone to ask for help...
"ah--"
A brute force pulled her back from behind, accompanied by a scoundrel's sneer, "Let's see where you run now!"
Xie Mingke lost her balance and fell to the ground. Her expensive dress was covered in mud and dirt. She struggled, digging her hands into the ground, not caring that her nails would break.
"...Help! Someone help!"
Just when she was at her most desperate, a tall figure slanted down from the alley entrance.
The next second, he turned his head and showed a dashing face, a long sword on his back, which he drew with a backhand and pointed at the other side.
"Let her go."
-----------------------
Author's Note: Pei Da: Words become law?
Author: You didn't renew your subscription [empty bowl]
Don't worry, Xie Xiaojiu is a good girl and wouldn't cause any drama or messy situations. [Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers]
// Quiz: Who came to the rescue? [doge emoji] Hint: It's a character who hasn't appeared in a very, very long time~
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