Chapter 88 Feeling Unwilling
Pei Yanzhi lowered his gaze to her pair of peach blossom eyes, and asked calmly, "Do you envy this kind of life? Or do you envy that your father doesn't take a concubine?"
Although they had only known each other for two months, for some reason, he always had a feeling that Ji Shu was quite different from ordinary young ladies.
Her reading, incense making, and business dealings all demonstrate that she was a woman who was extremely unwilling to depend on men.
If she hadn't met me, and if Chongzhou hadn't fallen, she would surely be living the life she wanted.
Ji Shu nodded without any attempt to hide her feelings, her gaze fixed on the bowl, and said, "You men can have three wives and four concubines, but you would never even consider how a wife could be willing to share her husband with someone else."
"What's more, it's the person who used to share a bed with me every night?"
“But it has always been this way since ancient times, without exception!” Pei Yanzhi’s tone remained gentle.
Ji Shu looked up at him, put down her chopsticks, and stared intently into his eyes. "That's why I don't want to. Just thinking about my husband and another woman making love on that bed makes me want to throw up my dinner from the night before."
“If one day I find out…” her voice was very soft, “I will kill him myself.”
Only now did Pei Yanzhi finally understand why she was unwilling to move into Shanshui Residence.
Such a temperament, such a resolute attitude!
He looked at Ji Shu with great interest for a few moments, until Ji Shu was puzzled for a moment, before whispering, "I understand."
Ji Shu was completely confused by what he said: "What do you understand?"
Pei Yanzhi just smiled and remained silent.
The residence of Marquis Wenxing, Wei.
After returning to his residence, Wei Ziming felt increasingly uneasy. He could explain his encounter with Ji Shu on Nanshun Street, but then he happened to run into Marquis Yan.
There are hardly any coincidences in this world. Thinking of the embroidered shoes inside the carriage, Wei Ziming's heart sank. Could it be that the person inside really was her?
A knock came at the door: "My lord, Geng Er is back!"
"Come in!"
After Geng Er entered the study, Wei Ziming looked up at him and asked, "How did it go? Did you get a good look at the woman's face?"
Ever since he realized that the woman inside was Ji Shu, he had Geng Er follow her closely, just to see who that person was.
Geng Er bowed and greeted the man. After standing up, he said, "My lord, I followed her all the way to the gate of the Marquis's mansion, but dared not get any closer, so I did not get a clear look at the woman's face."
Wei Ziming looked impatient. How could he not see clearly? He raised his voice and questioned, "Why couldn't you see clearly?"
"Lord Yan carried the woman inside..."
"What?" Wei Ziming suddenly stood up and paced back and forth anxiously, the vague premonition in his heart growing stronger.
She turned to him and asked, "Any other clues?"
Geng Er pondered for a moment, then said, "However, I have also discovered something else."
"explain."
"According to the servants of the Pei family, the woman was brought back from Chongzhou when Marquis Yan returned a few days ago."
Even though he had suspected it beforehand, the confirmation of the news was still like a thunderbolt, leaving Wei Ziming in a state of shock and disbelief.
He swallowed hard, closed his eyes, and asked, "And the young master, has he been in the manor these days?"
"This... I don't know. I'm afraid of alerting them, so I'll return to my residence first."
"Good, you did a great job. Go and collect your reward."
"yes."
Wei Ziming slumped into his chair, utterly astonished that this woman could have climbed up to the Marquis of Yan; he simply couldn't comprehend it.
How could the Marquis of Yan be so easily seduced by her appearance? Or was it that back in Chongzhou, Ji Shu was already having an affair with Xing Jian while secretly pursuing his father?
If that's the case, then everything makes sense. Why did Marquis Yan refuse to allow Pei Xingjian to annul the engagement? It's not that the engagement couldn't be annuled, but rather that if it were, Pei Xingjian would have to marry Ji Shu.
When the truth comes out, the father and son will inevitably become enemies.
He held his forehead and breathed heavily, feeling a throbbing sensation in his temples. Thinking of what he had seen on the street that day, he even felt a pang of jealousy.
Jealous of not having Pei Xingjian's dazzling background or the Marquis of Yan's power, she knew that even if she wanted to curry favor with him, she was never one of her choices.
He couldn't help but think of the glance Yan Hou had given him on Nanshun Street earlier that day—was he warning him not to set his sights on her?
Enraged, Wei Ziming slammed his fist on the desk and shouted outside, "Someone come here!"
Geng Da came in from outside and stood to the side with a bow. Wei Ziming looked at the two brothers with a turbulent gloom in his eyes.
He said, "Go and investigate. Find out everything about the past between Marquis Yan and that woman. Don't let anything slip by."
Upon hearing this, Geng Da paused, then clasped his hands in a fist and replied, "Yes," before leaving.
The only sound in the room was his rapid breathing. After a long while, he leaned back heavily, his knuckles gripping the armrests of the chair tightly.
He gave a bitter laugh. Even if he found out something, what could he do? Could he tell Xing Jian directly, or could the master himself tear down this cover-up?
Neither is acceptable. The Wei family needs this marriage to solidify their position in Yanzhou, while he needs the Pei family as a powerful backer.
But his heart told him that he was unwilling to accept it!
After dinner, with some official business still to be finished in the study, Pei Yanzhi gently touched her cheek, gazing at her with deep eyes: "I'll go to the study first, and come find you later."
They both tacitly understood what he meant. Ji Shu lowered her eyes and remained silent, while Pei Yanzhi chuckled softly and left with his hands behind his back.
The servants went inside to tidy the table. After Chunzhi came in, she nodded slightly to Ji Shu, who finally breathed a sigh of relief.
After everyone left, she lowered her voice and asked, "How was it? Is there a place in this mansion where you can brew medicine?"
At this moment, Lian'er also came in, and Ji Shu waved her over. Chunzhi thought for a moment and said, "Yes, we do have some, but we need to think of a way to find an excuse to say that it is a tonic that we have been using for you all year round!"
Ji Shu frowned slightly. "That's easy. Tomorrow, have a doctor come and take your pulse. Just say you need a few doses of tonifying medicine to regulate your body, and you'll be fine."
Lian'er bit her lower lip, ultimately not daring to speak. The young lady had touched the Lord's sore spot several times; what would happen if she were discovered?
But once a woman makes a decision, no one dares to stop her, so thinking of this, she didn't dare to speak.
The night outside the window was cool and still. After washing up, Ji Shu sat by the window to cool off and dry her hair.
When Pei Yanzhi pushed open the door, he saw the dim candlelight shining on her beautiful face, making her unadorned face appear even more delicate and smooth.
She looked down at the book in her hands, her posture languid, wearing only a plain gauze dress, with delicate features.
Truly, she had crimson lips and pearly white teeth, a graceful and beautiful face like that of a goddess!
This was his residence for over thirty years, but it felt as if she had only stayed there for one night, and the atmosphere in the room was already different.
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