Chapter 91 Fate Was Not His Time to Die "If that's the case..." He lowered his head...
“Songlan’s injury, and the guards you sent…” she pursed her lips, “If I hadn’t insisted on investigating, they wouldn’t have suffered this undeserved calamity.”
She clearly sensed something was wrong and could have easily suppressed it, made thorough preparations, and then sent someone to investigate... but instead, she was incredibly audacious, causing injuries to those around her.
Songlan had grown up with her and was like family, yet she could only watch helplessly as she was injured saving her. At that moment, she even began to regret not having properly learned archery from her maternal grandfather, or even just whip techniques…
“Yaoyao,” Pei Xu pulled her out of his arms, looked directly into her eyes, and said slowly, “Opportunities are often fleeting, and no one can guarantee that every choice they make is completely correct. But I know that without your determination and courage, who could have saved Shen Xiaoshan, sought justice for women who suffered like his sister? Who could have helped the court crack the major case of smuggling salt and iron, and who would have had this gain? This gain is of paramount importance, enough to shake the court and the public, and save countless lives and justice that might have been sacrificed.”
Meng Lingyao's lips curled down, "You're making it sound so nice now... I wonder who was specifically there to say I was reckless when they were arresting Lu Heming."
"And there's also Ci'an Temple..."
Pei Xu was slightly taken aback.
He thought she had never taken those words to heart, but he never expected that she would remember them so clearly.
The corners of her eyes still bore traces of redness, and a single tear dangled from her eyelashes, making her look incredibly pitiful.
Pei Xu subconsciously raised his hand, cupped her cheeks in his large palm, and lingered his fingertips over the slightly reddened edges of her eyes, carefully wiping away the moisture that was about to fall.
“No one is perfect.” His voice was a little hoarse than before. “Those who accuse me of being heartless and cold-blooded could circle the Yongfeng River several times over. At that time, our positions were different, our concerns were different, and our words may have been inappropriate. But Yaoyao—”
“I have never questioned your integrity or ability. Your sharpness is a blade that cuts through the fog, not a burden. If I had to do it all over again, I might explain things to you in a different way, but I would never stop you from doing what you believe is right.”
Meng Lingyao turned her face away, snorted, but her tense shoulder line relaxed.
"Glib talker," she muttered under her breath.
"These are my heartfelt words," Pei Xu corrected, his gaze fixed on her trembling eyelashes. After a moment's pause, he finally lowered his head and placed a very light kiss on her eyelashes, leaving her momentarily.
Meng Lingyao remained silent for a moment, and when she spoke again, her voice was much more steady, "I will cover all the expenses of those who were injured this time. If any of the injuries are too serious and affect their future careers, be sure to let me know, and I will make arrangements accordingly and will not treat them unfairly."
Pei Xu nodded. "I've already invited the best doctors to come and see them. Most of their injuries are superficial; they'll be fine after some rest. Don't worry."
Hearing his words, Meng Lingyao felt slightly relieved and then noticed something else. Her gaze lingered on his smooth chin, where she vaguely remembered some stubble from earlier that day.
“It doesn’t seem like this during the day.” She asked uncertainly, her fingertips stroking his chin back and forth.
Pei Xuwei turned his head slightly, his tone indifferent, "In the rush of the journey, one's appearance may have been somewhat lacking."
These few words perfectly encapsulate the arduous journey and tireless travel of the past two weeks.
Meng Lingyao knew that since she sent someone to deliver the letter to the capital, only half a month had passed, and he not only had to deal with affairs in the capital, but also had to rush south... The hardships he endured were self-evident.
He had cleaned his face and styled his hair meticulously, but the bluish tinge under his eyes still betrayed his weariness.
A slight bitterness welled up in her heart. Without thinking of anything else, she followed her heart, stood on tiptoe, and gently kissed his freshly washed chin.
"Thank you for your hard work, Lord Pei."
The soft, warm touch on his skin felt like sparks flying into dry grass. Pei Xu's eyes suddenly darkened, and his arms tightened.
He lowered his eyes, his appearance still as noble and aloof as a snow-covered mountain, but his voice became softer, "If you want to express your gratitude... this is probably not enough."
His deep voice resonated in her ears. Not to be outdone, Meng Lingyao opened her mouth and gave him a light bite on the chin, scolding him, "Greedy."
Pei Xu made no attempt to hide his feelings, nodding frankly and letting out a warm "Mm."
Meng Lingyao's eyes darkened further, and she pressed her elbow firmly against his firm chest. "Lord Pei, this is the courtyard!"
Upon hearing this, Pei Xu's lips suddenly curved upwards into a barely perceptible arc, as fleeting as a dragonfly skimming the water, so quick that it seemed like a mere illusion cast by moonlight.
"In that case..." He lowered his head, his breath brushing against her sensitive earlobe, "Shall we move to the inner room?"
Before he finished speaking, he had already picked her up in his arms.
Meng Lingyao gasped softly, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck. In an instant, his unique, cool scent completely enveloped her. The moonlight in the courtyard swirled before her eyes, and her heart pounded like a drum in her ears.
Countless erotic scenes from storybooks flashed through my mind.
During her month on the ship, she truly learned a great deal. Xie Chengyu had somehow found some storybooks with intricate plots and bold language. The stories were about young ladies and grooms, young widows and their younger brothers-in-law, and so on. They were far from the usual clichéd tales of talented men and beautiful women. The two of them almost lost their sense of time while reading them.
A series of blush-inducing images flooded my mind like a swarm of startled butterflies.
Pei Xu carried her, his steps steady and powerful, as they crossed the moonlit courtyard. Pushing open the door to the main room, warm candlelight poured out. She was gently laid on the brocade couch, the soft mattress supporting her back.
She looked up at him, her face slightly tilted back, still somewhat dazed, the romantic fantasies in her mind not yet fully subsided.
Pei Xu bent down and, with effortless ease, removed her soft satin embroidered shoes, which were damp with night dew, and neatly placed them on the footstool. Then, he pulled over the folded brocade quilt beside her and, starting from her shoulders, carefully tucked it in inch by inch, wrapping her up tightly, making her look like a cocoon with only her pink and white face showing.
Finally, his warm, broad palms gently patted her hair twice, the touch so gentle it carried no hint of intimacy, like soothing the fur of an uneasy little animal.
"Sleep now," his voice had returned to its usual calm and clear tone, as if he had never provoked you at all. "I'll stay here and watch over you."
Meng Lingyao: "..."
She blinked, completely enveloped in the warm and safe "cocoon," with only her bright eyes gazing at him. Pei Xu was already seated in the lamplight by the bedside, his figure upright, the candlelight dancing on his handsome profile. His brows were lowered, his expression calm and serene, like a jade statue, devoid of any trace of worldly concerns.
Where is the person who spoke such wild and inappropriate words under the moon in the courtyard? Those thrilling and ambiguous moments seem to have been nothing more than a hallucination after she was frightened.
That's all?
All the ambiguous, lingering, and tentative romances that flashed through her mind in those stories were now crushed by this dignified and solemn reality.
Meng Lingyao was speechless for a moment, staring at that aloof profile, but ultimately said nothing. She slowly pulled her head back into the blankets and closed her eyes. Her nerves, which had been tense all day, completely relaxed in the safe and warm embrace.
All was quiet, except for the occasional soft popping of the candle wick, and I slept soundly through the night.
When she woke up the next day, there was no one by her bedside. It was not unexpected. Meng Lingyao knew that he must be very busy in Jinling and would not be able to sleep until noon like her.
Hearing the commotion, Bei Zi, who was serving outside, came in with hot water and a wrung-out handkerchief to help her mistress wash up.
When did he leave?
Bei Zi paused for a moment before answering, "1:15 AM."
Heaven knows how surprised she was when she saw Lord Pei walk out of the young lady's room; she was almost startled out of her wits. Lord Pei, on the other hand, seemed more like someone who belonged in the young lady's room than she was. He appeared calm and composed, and even nodded to her, informing her that the young lady was still resting.
After much deliberation, she tiptoed back into the room for a quick look. The young lady was bundled up tightly and dressed neatly, which put her mind at ease.
Meng Lingyao calculated that Pei Xu hadn't rested for very long in total.
Could it be because I was too tired from traveling for days that I was like this last night...?
Shaking off the jumbled thoughts in her mind, Meng Lingyao got up, washed up, and went to see Songlan first. After a night's rest, her condition was visibly much better.
Do you know who was the first to apply medicine to you yesterday?
Songlan shook her head. She was in pain and scared, and had already fainted. She was in a daze and didn't see anything.
Meng Lingyao: "Shen Xiaoshan."
"Xiaoshan?" Songlan's eyes widened.
"Exactly."
Songlan sighed with emotion, "This really is... the pastries and steamed buns I gave him back then weren't wasted."
Meng Lingyao couldn't help but laugh, "That's right, he seems to have grown a lot taller since I last saw him a few months ago."
When she casually saved Shen Xiaoshan, she only thought he had a pair of stubborn and bright eyes, like a sparrow that was still unwilling to give up even when it was in a cage. She never expected that he would grow into a hawk.
After chatting with the person for a while, seeing that Songlan looked tired, Meng Lingyao knew that the medicine must have taken effect, so she took her leave.
As soon as I stepped out of the courtyard gate, I saw the person I had just been talking to.
Shen Xiaoshan ran over with bright eyes, "Miss."
“Xiaoshan,” Meng Lingyao nodded, “what are you doing here? Didn’t you go out to help your parents?”
"My master has ordered me to accompany Miss these few days. Jinling is likely to be quite unsettled lately, so Miss shouldn't go out alone." Shen Xiaoshan scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Actually, my martial arts skills aren't quite up to par yet..."
"Not at all. I saw that you were very agile yesterday, and you even learned some medical skills?" Meng Lingyao said with satisfaction, "Lord Pei brought you to Jinling on business, which shows that he trusts you very much."
Shen Xiaoshan didn't dare to say that his medical skills were only superficial and that he had only learned the way of examining injuries as a coroner. He smiled and said, "There are left and right prime ministers in charge in the capital, and I can't be of much help. So, sir, you brought me out to broaden my horizons."
He paused for a moment, then continued, "It's also because the adults are considerate. Now that this matter is settled, I can go home and see my parents and sister."
Meng Lingyao patted him on the shoulder, "They will be delighted to see you like this now."
Shen Xiaoshan nodded emphatically, his eyes glazed over as he reminisced, "Back then, it took me more than half a year to walk from Jiangnan to the capital, but this time it only took me nine days to come back."
They traveled day and night as before, but no longer felt lost and uncertain about the road ahead. By his side were the trustworthy Lord Pei and many colleagues, and ahead lay Miss Meng, whom he could protect. Although the journey was bumpy, and he nearly fell off his horse several times, he did not feel tired.
“Nine Heavens…” Meng Lingyao murmured softly. This was even faster than Mr. Zhang had previously told her.
"Yes," Shen Xiaoshan said, "We changed horses several times along the way. Luckily we made it in time, otherwise..."
If it had been any later, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Fortunately, the magistrate acted decisively, and without delay after receiving the letter, went to see the emperor immediately.
Meng Lingyao asked, "How did you happen to arrive at Xiuyai Mountain?"
"When we were almost at Jinling City, the lord received a carrier pigeon saying that Miss had gone to Xiuyai Mountain, so he immediately changed our route." At this point, Shen Xiaoshan's face was full of admiration. "It was Mr. Zhang. These past few days he had been surveying the map of Jinling and had people investigate the surrounding area. He deduced that there might be mineral veins in the Xiuyai Mountain area. But he discovered it too late. By then, Miss had already set off. He sent people from the city to chase after her while sending a message to the lord."
After hearing this, Meng Lingyao's expression became complicated.
It was such a small difference. If Mr. Zhang had found out earlier and told her, she definitely wouldn't have gone.
I really don't know if she was just unlucky or if her life wasn't meant to end.
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