Chapter 11, Part 3
Ji Shu suddenly came to her senses and realized with surprise that the man who was only four or five feet away from her was the Marquis of the Twelve Counties of Yanzhou, who had taken control of Yanzhou at the age of twelve.
In less than fifteen years, they conquered twelve cities, and now they have even brought Youzhou and Chongzhou under their control.
Chunzhi wanted to say something, but Ji Shu quickly shook her head, saying that this was not the Ji residence.
Chunzhi's face paled, and she fell silent as if she had thought of something. Then she followed Lu Changming to the back of the waterside pavilion.
At noon, only Ji Shu and Pei Yanzhi remained in the pavilion.
She took a deep breath before gracefully curtsying to Pei Yanzhi, saying, "Greetings, Marquis Yan."
Pei Yanzhi raised an eyebrow. "Madam Ji?"
Ji Shu was not surprised at all that he knew her surname; such a person must have thoroughly investigated her.
Ji Shu kept her eyes half-closed until she was told to stand up, and then a deep voice sounded in her ear: "Madam Ji, are you here to offer incense?"
This was Ji Shu's second meeting with Pei Yanzhi. After a moment of deliberation, she cautiously replied, "Yes, today is the anniversary of my father's death. My grandmother lit an everlasting lamp for my father and came to offer incense in accordance with ancestral teachings."
When she spoke of her father, her face remained calm and her eyes showed no trace of sorrow.
Despite her young age, she is quite mature for her age, something Xingjian lacks.
As she spoke, Ji Shu glanced up quickly. The man's back was as straight as a pine tree, his physique was tall and strong, and his brows exuded the aura of a superior, displaying his majesty.
Pei Yanzhi nodded slightly, leaned over to pour her a cup of the brewed tea, and pushed it towards her, saying, "Don't be shy, have a seat."
These past few days have been filled with illness and a multitude of miscellaneous matters, which has naturally affected my business in Chongzhou.
Especially after learning that it was him who had come to treat her when she had a fever that day, and hearing from Chunzhi that this person had taken care of her all night, Ji Shu composed herself.
Ji Shu didn't know why he had summoned her, or if he was here to settle scores later because of Pei Xingjian.
After much thought, she concluded that the reason likely lay with Pei Xingjian.
Pei Yanzhi glanced at her indifferently and saw that she had not drawn her eyebrows or applied makeup; her hair was simply loosely tied up in a bun, her black hair styled like clouds, with only a golden begonia pearl hairpin tucked diagonally behind her ear.
Despite her illness, her complexion remained unchanged; instead, it added to her pitiful charm.
She exuded an air of pampered elegance, and when her eyes, like shimmering autumn waters, looked over, there was an indescribable allure in her brows and eyes.
Her fair cheeks and rosy complexion were further accentuated, making her appear exceptionally beautiful.
Today, when I see her again, her beauty is even more striking than before. She moves gracefully, and when I get closer, I can clearly smell the sweet fragrance she brings with her.
It carries the chill of plum blossoms, yet also the sweetness of incense.
Such a person, as pure as ice and snow, no matter what posture she takes, makes one want to hold her in their hands and admire her carefully.
Ji Shu was completely unaware that as Pei Yanzhi looked around, his deep gaze lingered for a moment on her smooth, delicate face.
"Are you feeling better from your cold? Have some hot tea to warm yourself up."
Ji Shu felt a little embarrassed, as if she were a child who was sick but still ran out to play.
She took the teacup, lowered her head to hide her guilt, and said in a very soft voice, "It's all better now, nothing serious."
"Why has Your Excellency come to this place today?"
As soon as he asked the question, he regretted it and immediately drank several mouthfuls of wine, turning his gaze to the plum blossoms outside the hall.
He secretly rebuked himself: Too much talk leads to mistakes!
Someone like him, why would he need to report to her where he goes?
Pei Yanzhi, however, had excellent hearing. Upon hearing this, he raised an eyebrow at Ji Shu and said calmly, "The military camp is stationed at the front. Staying at the prefectural governor's mansion involves too many complicated matters. It's better to find a quiet place to have some peace and quiet."
Ji Shu suppressed her surprise and looked up at him. Was he explaining something to her?
"I haven't even thanked you for saving my life a few days ago, and I didn't even know that I had gone to invite you here."
Pei Yanzhi raised an eyebrow: "How shall I thank you?"
Ji Shu hadn't expected him to be so direct, and for a moment she didn't know what to say, but she quickly...
This...this is completely unconventional...
She thought for a moment, but given his status, she really couldn't think of anything to give him right away.
A gift that is too insignificant would be disrespectful to him, while a gift that is too expensive would be something he has seen before.
A polite smile appeared on her lips: "Your Excellency is too kind. I grew up in Chongzhou. If you ever need my help, please just ask."
Pei Yanzhi simply stared at her, scrutinizing her for a moment, then a slight smile played on his lips, as if to say, "Do you think there's anything about you that I could use you for?"
It's not very harmful, but extremely insulting.
"There's no need to feel pressured. Besides, if it had been someone else that night, they wouldn't have stood by and watched someone die."
Ji Shu pondered this sentence carefully. The "other person" he was referring to was none other than Pei Xingjian.
Fortunately, Ji Shu was no longer as afraid of him as she was when she first came in, and in the past few days she had gradually heard about Pei Yanzhi's deeds.
He is thirty-five years old this year and currently has only one son, Pei Xingjian, who is just turning twenty and is extremely favored by Pei Yanzhi.
It's clear from the fact that he was made heir apparent at the young age of ten, but the identity of Pei Xingjian's birth mother remains a mystery.
Some say she was a slave Pei Yanzhi rescued during a battle, while others say she was the daughter of a noble family who died during childbirth.
There are all sorts of rumors, but Pei Yanzhi has never clarified them, as if he never cared.
Recalling many details, Ji Shu's shoulders tensed for a moment before relaxing.
Pei Yanzhi looked at her delicate face and said, "Look up."
The commanding tone naturally carries a sense of authority.
Ji Shu subconsciously looked up at his dark, unfathomable eyes. "That night we met, it was fate. From then on, Chongzhou was under the jurisdiction of Yanzhou, and you are also my subject."
Ji Shu snapped out of her daze and quickly lowered her eyes.
She didn't know why, but she could clearly feel that these words were meant to comfort her; it was an indescribable feeling.
"Thank you, my lord."
"Um."
Ji Shu glanced at the sky; it was getting late. She hesitated, unsure how to begin.
Seeing this, Pei Yanzhi asked, "Is there anything else?"
Ji Shu shook her head repeatedly, "It's alright, it's alright."
"Well then, you may leave. I'll stay a while longer."
"yes."
As he turned to leave, Ji Shu subconsciously looked back and found that he had already stood up, turned his back to her, and was looking at the lake opposite.
Standing with his hands behind his back, seemingly unaffected by the cold, his black crane cloak made him blend into the mountains and rivers, exuding a chilling solitude that seemed to seep from his very bones.
In that instant, Ji Shu felt that the figure of this all-powerful man was more desolate than the blood of Chongzhou in the deep winter. She was startled by her own thought and hurriedly lowered her eyes and left.
After leaving the waterside pavilion, Ji Shu remained silent.
Chunzhi thought the young lady had been wronged inside, and hurriedly asked, "Young lady, did that Marquis Yan make things difficult for you?"
Ji Shu said absentmindedly, "No, I was just thinking that he wasn't as scary as the rumors said, and he even made me feel lonely..."
Chunzhi followed beside her, her expression somewhat strange: "Young lady, do you know what you're saying?"
"Never mind, perhaps I misjudged him. How could someone who possesses the world be lonely?"
For the next three days, Ji Shu did not see anyone.
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