Chapter 173 Your business is my business
"I only wish my daughter peace in the future, and that she will not be entangled in this grudge. The Su family of Jiangnan!"
Ye Wanning's heart sank. A family medical classic? Could it be the "Secret Essentials of the Green Bag" that her mother had been longing for?
That was a medical book passed down through generations of the Lin family, which her mother treasured from a young age. But when she was young, the book was stolen, and her mother was heartbroken for a long time. It turned out it had been taken by the Su family of Jiangnan?
Ye Wanning gripped the letter tightly, her knuckles turning white. Her mother had always been gentle and kind, getting along well with everyone and never making enemies. What had the Su family of Jiangnan done to her to make her hold such a grudge?
She was going to Jiangnan to investigate thoroughly, retrieve her mother's medical manual, and find out exactly what had happened back then.
Chun Tao brought in tea and saw that she was sitting there with a pale face. She couldn't help but ask worriedly, "Miss, what's wrong?"
"Chuntao, I'm going to Jiangnan." Ye Wanning looked up. "I need to find out the truth about the feud between my mother and the Su family in Jiangnan."
Chun Tao was stunned: "Jiangnan is so far away, it's too dangerous for a girl like you to go alone, why don't you... tell Lord Pei?"
Ye Wanning hesitated. She didn't want to trouble Pei Zhi all the time, but Jiangnan was far away, and the Su family was clearly no small sect that could steal the medical manual. It would indeed be dangerous for her to go alone.
Just then, Pei Zhi's voice came from the doorway: "No need to tell me, I already know."
Ye Wanning looked up and saw Pei Zhi standing at the door, holding an oil-paper umbrella, as if he had just returned from outside.
"You... how did you get here?" Ye Wanning asked in a fluster, stuffing the letter into her bosom and then quickly putting it into a brocade pouch.
"I brought you some snacks, and I just happened to overhear your conversation." Pei Zhi pushed open the door and came in, placing the snacks on the table. His gaze fell on the brocade bag she was clutching tightly. "Are you going to Jiangnan to investigate your mother's affairs?"
Ye Wanning nodded, not hiding anything: "My mother's letter said that the Su family in Jiangnan stole her family's medical manual, causing her to wander from place to place. I want to find out the truth."
Pei Zhi frowned: "Jiangnan is a long way away, and the Su family is a prominent family in Jiangnan with great power. It would be too dangerous for a girl like you to go alone. I will go with you."
"No need, I can manage on my own," Ye Wanning instinctively refused.
"Can you do it?" Pei Zhi looked at her, his tone tinged with helplessness. "You don't even know the exact location of the Su family in Jiangnan, how are you going to investigate?"
"Trouble is inevitable on the road, so I feel more at ease if I go with you."
Ye Wanning fell silent. Pei Zhi was right; she knew nothing about Jiangnan. Going there blindly might not only lead to no results, but could also cost her her life.
“I know you don’t want to rely on me, but we’re husband and wife, and your business is my business.” Pei Zhi’s tone softened. “I’m going with you not to interfere, but to protect you. Once you’ve found out the truth, I won’t interfere anymore, okay?”
Looking into his eyes, Ye Wanning's defenses gradually softened, and she nodded: "Okay, thank you."
"Don't be so polite with me." Pei Zhi smiled. "We're leaving tomorrow. I've arranged everything, including our luggage and the clinic. Chen Sheng will look after them for now. What about you? Are you all ready?"
Ye Wanning was deeply moved by his quick arrangements and didn't say much, only giving a soft "hmm".
The two set off early the next morning. Pei Zhi had prepared a spacious and comfortable carriage, with soft cushions, tea, and plenty of snacks that Ye Wanning liked.
On the way, Ye Wanning mostly read or rested with her eyes closed, rarely speaking. Pei Zhi didn't disturb her, only occasionally offering her a glass of water or reminding her to eat something.
The carriage stopped abruptly near the southern border in the mountains of Jiangnan. The driver rushed over in a panic: "Lord Pei, Madam Ye, there are bandits ahead!"
Ye Wanning's heart tightened. She lifted the carriage curtain and saw more than a dozen bandits standing on the road ahead, each holding a knife and a club, looking fierce and menacing.
"Looks like we've run into some robbers." Pei Zhi frowned and said to Ye Wanning, "You wait in the car, don't get out. I'll handle it."
"No, it's too dangerous!" Ye Wanning grabbed him. "There are too many of them, you can't handle them all by yourself."
"It's okay, don't worry." Pei Zhi patted her hand. "Lock the car doors and wait for me to come back."
After saying that, he pushed open the car door and got out.
When the bandits saw Pei Zhi get out of the carriage, they arrogantly shouted, "If you know what's good for you, leave your money and carriage here, and give us some reward money, and we'll let you go!"
"You think you can compete with me? Don't you even know who I am?" Pei Zhi sneered.
He had practiced martial arts since childhood and was extremely skilled; a dozen or so bandits were no match for him. In no time, he had utterly defeated the bandits.
Ye Wanning sat in the car, watching his clean and crisp punches and kicks, each move full of power.
Just then, a bandit who hadn't been knocked unconscious rushed up from behind, slashing at Pei Zhi's back with his knife.
"Watch out!" Ye Wanning exclaimed.
Pei Zhi dodged in time, but his arm was still cut open, and blood flowed freely. He punched the bandit to the ground with a backhand, then turned and went back into the car.
"How are you?" Ye Wanning hurriedly opened the car door, and her face darkened instantly when she saw his bleeding arm.
"It's nothing, just a minor injury," Pei Zhi said with a smile, but his forehead was already covered in cold sweat.
Ye Wanning helped him into the car, took out wound medicine and gauze from the first-aid kit, and carefully bandaged him. Her fingertips touched his warm skin and thick blood, and her heart ached slightly.
"I'm sorry, it's all because of me that you got hurt." Ye Wanning's voice was choked with emotion.
"Silly girl, it has nothing to do with you." Pei Zhi felt a warmth in his heart as he looked at her nervous expression. "It was my own carelessness. This little injury is nothing."
Ye Wanning didn't say anything, but simply sped up the bandaging process.
The carriage was quiet; only her soft breathing and Pei Zhi's heartbeat could be heard. She was focused on bandaging the wound, her long eyelashes drooping down, obscuring the emotions in her eyes.
Pei Zhi looked at the top of her head, smelled the faint medicinal fragrance on her body, and felt a strange emotion welling up in his heart. He couldn't help but want to touch her hair, but he quietly withdrew his hand halfway through.
After the bandage was finished, Ye Wanning looked up and met his gaze. His eyes were gentle and doting, making her heart skip a beat, and she quickly looked away.
"Let's talk," Pei Zhi suddenly said.
Ye Wanning was stunned for a moment: "What?"
"Tell me about my childhood and my hobbies," Pei Zhi said with a smile. "We've been married for so many years, and all you know is that I'm the prime minister; you don't know anything else about me."
"I...my master doesn't like it..."
"It's okay, as long as you're willing to listen."
“My mother was in poor health and my father was busy with political affairs, so I spent most of my childhood learning martial arts and studying with my master.”
“Unlike other scions of wealthy families, I don’t enjoy eating, drinking, and having fun. I always feel that those things are meaningless.”
Ye Wanning listened quietly; this was the first time she had heard Pei Zhi talk about his childhood. Even the seemingly glamorous Prime Minister Pei did not have a happy childhood.
"So what do you like?" Ye Wanning couldn't help but ask.
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