Chapter 156 Asking for a Sachet
These past few days, she had been inexplicably sleepy. Seeing that her mistress had already closed her eyes and fallen asleep, Chunzhi quietly closed the door and went out.
After spending the afternoon outside, as dusk approached, Ji Shu returned to the mansion with Chunzhi. Just as they walked through the corridor, they ran into Pei Xingjian.
When he saw Ji Shu, his eyes lit up, but quickly dimmed again.
Ji Shu thought of the handkerchief and sachet she had left at Qingyun Residence. Now that he was about to get married, these things would only add to their troubles.
She had wanted to get it back for a long time, but before she could even speak...
He asked first, "Has your father made things difficult for you?"
When Chunzhi heard her mention Lord Junhou, she looked around in a panic. There were many people and eyes in this mansion, and it was hard to guarantee that the news wouldn't reach Lord Junhou's ears.
Ji Shu was slightly taken aback. She recalled the past two days. Although Song Yunshu had been sent out of the mansion, Pei Yanzhi had not said anything to her.
Seeing her silence, Pei Xingjian assumed that her father had made things difficult for her, and he became both angry and anxious.
He clenched his fists, wishing he could rush into the military camp and fight his father.
With red eyes, he pressed on, "He must have made things difficult for you, right?"
“I knew it… He’s so petty, how could he not do anything to you? He’s also much older than you, and he’s always been cold-hearted and heartless.”
"I was wrong that day, and I've already told my father that I'll be getting married next month, and from now on..."
He didn't say it aloud, but his meaning was clear.
Chunzhi was both anxious and frightened by these words. This was in the manor, after all. What exactly did the young master want to say?
She coughed lightly twice, hoping the prince would at least show some consideration.
Ji Shu came to her senses and looked at Pei Xingjian, feeling completely confused. She said calmly, "The Marquis didn't reprimand me at all. In fact, he wasn't even in the manor last night. What exactly is the young master referring to?"
It would have been better if she hadn't brought it up, but once she did, Pei Xingjian immediately thought of his father's furious expression in the study the other day. How could he not make things difficult for Ji Shu?
But seeing her reluctance to talk about it, he stopped speaking.
Ji Shu then said, "The handkerchief I left at Qingyun Residence that day, and the sachet I gave you in Chongzhou, I would like the young master to return to me."
Pei Xingjian looked at her in disbelief, "What do you mean by this?"
"You want to take back the items you gave away to others?"
Ji Shu said calmly, "That day at Yuqing Temple, you asked me what the pattern on the sachet meant to me."
"Today I can tell you that I didn't think much about it at the time. I just thought the flower pattern was pretty, so I embroidered it for you. That same night, I also gave your father two sachets."
"Those two sachets are still under your father's pillow."
No words could be more hurtful than these. Pei Xingjian felt as if all his strength had been drained away, and he staggered back two steps.
He looked at her with a bitter tone: "You...you also sent two to Father?"
Ji Shu said calmly, "That's right, so it was never about friendship. I hope Your Highness will not make any more assumptions."
Pei Xingjian stood there, stunned for a long time, unable to come to his senses. It was true.
It was all just my own imagination.
He smiled wryly, took out a sachet from his sleeve, and handed it over. Chunzhi stepped forward and took it, noticing the frayed edges.
A shiver ran through her. How much the young master must cherish this sachet! It would be more accurate to say he adores his wife than to say he values the sachet itself.
"Where's the handkerchief?"
His throat felt bitter and dry, and he couldn't hide the disappointment in his eyes. "My father took the handkerchief and burned it in front of me."
Ji Shu remained silent for a moment, then slowly looked in the direction of Wenxin Pavilion before saying, "Okay, I understand."
Having finished speaking and received everything, she turned to leave when Pei Xingjian suddenly asked, "Do you love him?"
Ji Shu paused slightly, recalling their conversation in the study that night. A hint of mockery flashed in her eyes. She didn't answer his question and left on her own.
Pei Xingjian was left standing there, finally realizing that from beginning to end, it was all his wishful thinking, and she had never given him even the slightest chance.
...
As soon as Ji Shu stepped into Wenxin Pavilion, she saw Wu Yang walking in from outside.
He first stepped forward and bowed, then said, "Mistress, the master has returned."
Seeing Wu Yang at this hour, one would naturally guess what was going on.
She nodded slightly upon hearing this, walked towards her bedroom, and instructed Chunzhi, "Burn that sachet later."
Chunzhi understood: "This servant will take care of it later."
As soon as I stepped inside, I saw that the candles were already lit, and the person was sitting behind a desk, looking at something.
Hearing the noise at the door, Pei Yanzhi raised his head, his dignified eyes looking straight at him.
Ji Shu did not stop walking. She then casually walked to the dressing table and sat down, asking Chunzhi to remove the hairpins and rings from her head and change into a light dress.
Pei Yanzhi touched the tip of his nose when he saw that she was ignoring him, feeling a little confused, since she was perfectly fine yesterday.
Who has provoked her again?
Sometimes he really wondered if he had married a firecracker, who made him suffer every day at home.
He put down the book in his hand, walked to her side, and winked at Chunzhi. Chunzhi understood and withdrew.
Pei Yanzhi stood behind her and saw that she had her hand supporting her chin and her eyes closed. Her profile glowed with a luminous sheen in the light. He looked her up and down.
He wondered if it was just his imagination, but he felt that she seemed to have grown up quite a bit since he last saw her, and her brows now exuded the charm of a young married woman.
Seeing that there was no movement behind her, Ji Shu slightly opened her eyes, only to find that the person in the bronze mirror was standing behind her, which startled her.
She gave him a cold glance: "My lord, what brings you back today?"
Pei Yanzhi spread his arms and encircled her in front of the small dressing table. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I was thinking of coming back to have dinner with you after I finished my work."
Upon hearing this, Ji Shu merely raised an eyebrow slightly. With a wave of her hand, the fragrance of her clothes wafted as she removed all the hair ornaments that had not yet been taken down, causing a "clinking" sound to echo on the dressing table.
All of them were expensive jewels and ornaments in her hair. Pei Yanzhi straightened up, picked up the mandarin duck hairpin with intertwined branches, and examined it closely.
He asked casually, "Where did you go today? I heard from Wu Yang that you've all been enjoying the deepening autumn colors these past few days?"
Ji Shu nodded, "We'll open the day after tomorrow, so I'll stop by and see if there's anything we're missing."
Pei Yanzhi rarely saw her so concerned about something, so he asked her what he knew.
"Are you planning to sell Chongzhou Qiuyi Nong?"
Ji Shu hadn't expected him to be so well-informed, but then she realized it was quite normal; he probably knew everything she said and did.
He probably already knows about seeing Miaoyin in the attic today.
A hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes; no one would be too happy living under the constant scrutiny of others' reports.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com