Chapter 69 Speaking Up for Justice "Then I can only hide behind you, for..."
A middle-aged man dressed in brocade, with a slightly ruddy complexion, shook his head and spoke in a loud voice, “Women should be gentle and obedient, support their husbands and raise their children, and manage the household affairs properly! The southwest is such a dangerous place! It is rife with miasma and fierce barbarians! We have been there for so long, but we have not seen any results.”
The diners at the surrounding tables all turned to look, some echoing the sentiment, others shaking their heads, and a murmur of discussion arose.
Meng Lingyao paused, her brows furrowing slightly.
The man, perhaps having drunk a few ounces of liquor, was completely disoriented and couldn't even tell which way was which. Showing no regard for the princess's status, he spouted nonsense: "Your Highness, even if you possess some martial arts skills, you are still a woman. In all these days, have you heard any good news? For the court to send a woman to command troops is nothing short of childish! What kind of decorum is this!"
Before Pei Xu could make a move, Meng Lingyao took three steps at a time and went straight into the noisy center, pushing through the crowd.
"When I heard the noise just now, I thought it was General Xie deploying his troops here," she said, looking the man up and down with disdain. "So it's just a good-for-nothing spouting nonsense. His Highness personally went to the front lines, fighting bloody battles, and in your mouth, it's all just child's play? What a boastful tone!"
The man, who was spitting as he spoke, was startled by the sudden outburst and turned around sharply. Seeing that the newcomer was just a young woman, disdain immediately rose in his eyes. "Ha! Who do you think you are, sir? It's just some ignorant young lady! We're discussing state affairs, what right do you have to interrupt?"
His gaze swept lewdly over Meng Lingyao, his tone suggestive, "Or... do you also want me to 'teach' you a lesson?"
"State affairs?" Meng Lingyao remained unfazed, her eyes cold. "You dare to discuss state affairs? Her Highness the Eldest Princess has taken command and personally led the army to the Southwest, bearing the weight of the nation's burdens and sharing the Emperor's worries. She has set aside her golden age and ventured into this dangerous land. How could a greasy worm like you, who only knows how to wallow in wine, possibly even begin to comprehend such courage and integrity?"
The man's face drained of color, and he roared in fury, "You bitch! Who do you think you are, daring to point fingers here? Do you even know who I am—"
"Pointing fingers?"
Meng Lingyao interrupted sharply, a mocking smile playing on her lips. She looked at the man as if he were a pile of mud. "I can distinguish right from wrong, loyalty from treachery. Why should I care about your social standing? Even if you are a king or general, you shouldn't be so disrespectful to the Princess who fights for the country. Someone like you, merely clinging to life by the legacy of your ancestors, how long can you live off their wealth? Do you even deserve to bark and sully the Princess's reputation?"
She recognized him at a glance; he was now the Earl of Anping.
In the past, the old Earl of Anping was granted the title "Anping" for following the late emperor in suppressing the rebellion in the north. Unfortunately, his descendants were all useless people who were neither good at literature nor martial arts. Now, it is the third generation.
The title of Earl had been passed down for three generations, and he was left with only the title in name only. His ancestral legacy was about to end, and his stipend was about to cease. Instead of thinking about building a career or starting a business, he could only spout wild words, which was utterly ridiculous.
The century-old title was lost in the hands of such a despicable person. If our ancestors knew this in the afterlife, they would probably be ashamed to be associated with him.
If the emperor were to find out that he dared to bark so wildly at his own sister, he would probably strip him of his title before he even passed away.
Thinking of this, Meng Lingyao was not afraid at all. She stared at him coldly, her contempt almost overflowing.
The man was hit where it hurt, and veins bulged on his forehead. "You...you bitch!" In his shame and anger, he raised his hand to hit her.
"You scoundrel!" A thunderous roar erupted as an elderly man with white hair at the next table slammed his fist on the table and stood up. "You scum! The Princess is the widow of General Pei. General Pei died on the battlefield while pacifying the southwest, and his body is still warm. Your Highness is willing to carry on her husband's will and return to this dangerous place. Such courage and integrity are worthy of my respect and admiration. How dare you insult her with such vile words?"
"Indeed! Your Highness is a man of unparalleled righteousness!"
"Her Highness the Eldest Princess is truly a heroine!"
"Get out—"
Amidst the scornful shouts, the Earl of Anping's face turned from red to green, then to deathly pale, a mixture of shame, anger, and fear coursing through his teeth. He roared, his voice trembling with fear, "Rebellion! Rebellion! You bunch of scoundrels! Do you know who I am? The head of the Anping Earl's mansion! Offending a noble family, how many heads do you have?"
Just then, the crowd silently parted. A tall, slender figure slowly emerged; Pei Xu, dressed in a blue robe, exuded a cool and aloof aura, like frost descending from a cold spring.
His gaze was calm, not even lingering on the man's face, but he slowly walked to Meng Lingyao's side.
He said nothing, not even glancing at Anping Bo. He simply stood there quietly, like an iceberg pressing down, making the air in the entire hall freeze.
The sound of his knees hitting the ground was unusually dull.
Upon seeing who it was, the Earl of Anping was struck dumb, his knees buckled, and he knelt on the ground with a thud. "Pei... Pei Shaoqing."
He knew perfectly well who was standing before him. Pei Xu, a junior minister in the court, a favorite of the emperor, wielding the power of life and death. In Pei Xu's eyes, his own insignificant rank was nothing more than a slightly larger ant.
The arrogance of just now melted away completely, like boiling water poured on snow.
Pei Xu lowered his eyes to look at him, his expression indifferent, and asked casually, "How has the Earl of Anping been lately?"
His tone was so calm, as if he were asking about the weather, but it made Anpingbo feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
There was no threat or intimidation in these words; they were even quite polite. But it was precisely this nonchalant attitude that was most chilling.
In the capital, everyone knows that once Pei Xu starts to "care" about someone, that person's days are numbered.
"I...I am terrified...I am well...thank you for your concern, Lord Anping." The Earl of Anping stammered, his forehead covered in cold sweat.
"That's good then." Pei Xu nodded, his expression still calm. "The heat in the capital has been unbearable lately, and petty thieves are running rampant. I hope the Earl of Anping will be careful."
Before he could finish speaking, the Earl of Anping was utterly terrified.
He dared not linger for even a moment longer. He scrambled and knocked over tables and chairs, and amidst the scornful shouts of the crowd, he leaped out of the restaurant and disappeared into the depths of the streets.
The turmoil subsided.
The white-haired old man bowed to the two of them, saying, "The young lady is righteous, and the gentleman is dignified. I am deeply impressed."
Meng Lingyao's eyebrows curved into crescents, completely losing her previous sharp features, and she was clearly a beautiful and charming young woman. "Uncle, you flatter me."
Pei Xu nodded slightly and reached out to protect her. "It's time to go back."
Stepping out of the riverside residence, the sun was already setting, casting a golden glow on the river. The two walked slowly along the stone path, the clamor of the restaurants fading into the distance behind them.
"Thank you, Yaoyao." Pei Xu suddenly said, "For speaking up for Her Highness the Princess."
Meng Lingyao tilted her head slightly, the river breeze gently brushing her temples. "Your Highness has treated me well, it's only right. Besides, she is your aunt, your closest elder. Even if she weren't a princess, I cannot allow others to humiliate her."
She spoke calmly and naturally, as if it were a matter of course, yet every word touched the softest spot in Pei Xu's heart.
"Is that so?" A faint smile appeared in his eyes as he asked, "Your words were sharp and fearless just now, as if you were confident of victory?"
Meng Lingyao chuckled softly, her cunning and quick wit resurfacing. "Your Excellency is very perceptive. I recognized that the man was just a down-on-his-luck nobleman with a weak foundation, which is why I was so fearless."
"What if we had encountered a powerful nobleman instead of just an empty shell today?" Pei Xu asked, following her words, his gaze falling on the corner of her upturned lips.
Meng Lingyao paused, turned around, and faced him. The setting sun bathed her in its warm light. She suddenly reached out and lightly patted his sleeve, saying seriously, "Then I can only hide behind you and cheer you on."
Pei Xu was slightly taken aback, then his heart softened. His eyes shimmered like water, clearly reflecting her tiny figure, and a single word escaped from his throat.
"good."
The clear, crisp voices echoed in the twilight river breeze, and the two shadows, stretched long by the setting sun, nestled together on the bluestone path.
The riverside residence was still warm.
"That person just now..." a scholar said in a low voice, his tone filled with reverence, "must be Vice Minister Pei of the Court of Judicial Review?"
"Exactly!" someone at the table slammed their hand on the table. "That Lord has really lost his mind! Her Highness the Princess is the widow of General Pei and also the aunt of Junior Minister Pei! To slander her to his face is just asking for death!"
"Tsk tsk, no wonder he was so scared when Pei Shaoqing appeared that he wet himself."
"Eh?" A young scholar suddenly looked up. "I remember now! That young lady just now was Miss Meng. I had the honor of catching a glimpse of her beauty at the Shangsi Festival gathering. Her talent and appearance are both top-notch in the capital. She truly lives up to her reputation!"
"Oh? She's the daughter of the Meng family?" Everyone suddenly realized, and then they remembered the uproar over the marriage proposal in the capital a few months ago.
A tall, thin man who frequented teahouses said mysteriously, "You don't know this? A few days ago, the Pei family and the Marquis of Wuxing's family sent so many gifts to the Meng family. Hey, that was the talk of the town! And what happened? The Meng family didn't respond at all! Guess what? That very day, Pei Shaoqing personally went to the Meng family's door!"
"Really?" The other person was skeptical. "Someone as upright and unyielding as Pei Shaoqing, would he...?"
"Absolutely true!"
The tall, thin man patted his chest, "Old Wang, the gatekeeper in the alley next door, saw it all clearly! Pei Shaoqing went in for about half an hour, and when he came out..."
He deliberately dragged out his words, "Hey! Although Pei Shaoqing usually has a calm demeanor, Old Wang said that he was beaming with joy, and he couldn't hide it! Anyone could tell he was in a great mood. Even if he's like an immortal, he's still human! When you get what you want and marry the person you love, who can keep a straight face?"
The white-haired old man stroked his beard and chuckled, "So that's how it is! Then I can say that I've witnessed it today? Young Master Pei, good things are about to happen."
"A match made in heaven! A perfect couple!"
"Miss Meng's courage and righteousness today truly deserve the title of Mrs. Shaoqing!"
Praise poured in like a tidal wave.
Amid the commotion, a young man slowly rose from a corner. His face was ashen. He placed a piece of silver on the table, silently walked through the crowd, and exited the Riverside Residence.
No one knows that he was the other protagonist in that sensational marriage proposal scandal that rocked the capital.
The immense sense of loss was like a cold hand, gripping his heart tightly, and a dull pain spread to every part of his body.
Zhao Xu squeezed his eyes shut. At that moment, he finally realized with clarity that there was no longer any possibility between him and Meng Lingyao.
The second-floor private room of the riverside residence had its windows half-closed.
The maid Shuang'er held her breath and carefully closed the carved wooden window, leaving only a thin crack. Her voice was very soft, "Princess, the river breeze is getting chilly. Close the window, or you'll catch a cold."
Princess Suxin sat upright at the table, her teacup long since cold. Her expression was a strange mix of crying and laughing. "So he really was engaged to Meng Lingyao. He even came to propose in person... They weren't lying to me after all."
She murmured to herself, "Good, excellent."
Seeing her mistress in such a state, Shuang'er was filled with fear and racked her brains to comfort her: "Princess, please don't worry. You are of noble birth and have a bright future ahead of you. There are plenty of fine young men in the capital..."
"A promising future?" Princess Suxin suddenly turned her head, her eyes fixed on Shuang'er, the dark emotions churning within them startling Shuang'er so much that she took a half step back.
“Heh—” she chuckled softly, “Since they are so in love, this county princess will naturally… grant them their wish.”
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