Chapter 29 Showdown
Before the two even reached the door, Chunzhi and Pei Xingjian quickly walked up to them.
"Young lady, where have you been? The prince and I are so worried about you."
"I got lost just now, but luckily I met the Marquis halfway."
Pei Xingjian looked anxious and stepped forward to take her hand, but Ji Shu gently pulled her hand back into her sleeve, leaving Pei Xingjian awkwardly standing still in mid-air.
Pei Yanzhi coughed softly, and only then did he come back to his senses, looking at his father who had been standing behind Ji Shu without saying a word.
He said awkwardly, "Father."
Pei Yanzhi glanced at his hand without showing any emotion, hummed in response, and said, "You didn't even know that Madam Ji was coming to the manor?"
Recalling the scene of Wei Ziming stopping Ji Shu just now, Pei Yanzhi's expression turned displeased, and he said in a darker tone, "Do you know what Wei Heng's true intentions are in secretly inviting Lady Ji to the mansion?"
After being asked two questions in a row, Pei Xingjian looked ashamed and said to Ji Shu in a very low voice, "Shu'er, I'm sorry. I didn't think it through and made you suffer."
Ji Shu watched the father and son quietly, especially when Pei Yanzhi questioned Pei Xingjian, she was quite surprised.
Despite being an outsider, he managed to get the Marquis of Yan to reprimand his son in front of everyone.
After thinking it over, I can only conclude that it might be due to his upbringing.
She accepted the offer gently, saying, "Your Highness, Lady Wei only acted this way because she likes you; she didn't actually do anything to me."
Pei Yanzhi found it extremely irritating to look at the loving couple's faces. She was the one who had been set up, yet she had to comfort Xing Jian instead.
Not wanting to watch them argue any longer, I simply said, "I have something to do. You two talk."
Before leaving, Pei Yanzhi gave Ji Shu a meaningful look. Upon hearing this, Ji Shu turned around and bowed to him. He nodded slightly and then left.
After Pei Yanzhi left, Pei Xingjian said in a low voice, "Shu'er, it's all my fault. I'll arrange some guards at your residence these next few days so I can know if anything happens in the future. Don't worry, something like today will never happen again."
Ji Shu shook her head very lightly: "Your Highness, no need, I won't come again."
Pei Xingjian thought that Wei Heng was inviting her here, and that she would never be invited to this place again.
"Alright, Shu'er..." Before he could finish speaking, Ji Shu interrupted him.
"Your Highness, it's getting late, I'd like to go back soon."
Seeing the slight weariness on her face, she said with heartache, "Alright, Shu'er, I'll take you back."
Ji Shu knew that if she didn't explain things to him clearly, he would keep bothering her like this.
In the long run, he can simply walk away, but if she stays in Chongzhou, there will likely be endless troubles ahead.
She nodded upon hearing this. Pei Xingjian did not let Chunzhi follow him closely, but personally helped Ji Shu into the carriage.
After the carriage left the prefect's residence, although Ji Shu's expression remained normal, Pei Xingjian felt that Shu'er was unusually distant from him today.
After getting into the carriage, she closed her eyes tightly, looking like she didn't want to talk. Looking at her beautiful face, my heart sank.
If he didn't explain clearly, there might be a rift between them, so he said urgently, "Shu'er, I... I can explain what you saw today."
Ji Shu opened her eyes, looked at his anxious appearance, and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, I know that Madam Wei deliberately wanted me to see this, and I understand her purpose. Your childhood friendship is indeed something I cannot compare to."
Upon hearing this, Pei Xingjian felt a sinking feeling in his heart, and he suppressed his discomfort.
"Shu'er, you are so intelligent, can't you see that my feelings for Wei Heng are only those of a brother and sister?" Pei Xingjian bowed and held Ji Shu's hands.
"Because it was an arranged marriage by our ancestors, it is true that if I had not met you, I might have gotten married like that. But it was because I met you that I learned what love between a man and a woman is."
"Besides, I have already written to my grandmother to break off the engagement with the Wei family. I also spoke to my father last night, and he agreed. No one can stop us now."
Looking at his young and handsome face, Ji Shu thought that if she hadn't known the ending of the book and how things would develop, perhaps falling in love wouldn't have been so bad.
But now… pulling his hand away, Pei Xingjian was stunned, staring at her and asking, “Wh-what’s wrong?”
His tone was panicked: "I'm still angry about what happened just now. If you're not happy about it, I'll never see Wei Heng again. I'll send her away tomorrow, okay?"
For Pei Xingjian, this was already the biggest concession, but Ji Shu just looked at him quietly for a moment.
"Your Highness, if you hadn't met me, you would surely have married Lady Wei this year."
Pei Xingjian was stunned, and his voice lowered: "Well... I'm not young anymore, and my grandmother has always been looking forward to my marriage."
Ji Shu suddenly smiled softly, a slight curve appearing at the corners of her lips, and slowly spoke: "Young Master, in truth, we've only known each other for a little over a month, and our meetings... have been brief. How much do you really know about my character, temperament, and family background? In the end, do you really like me that much? Or do you just like this decent-looking face?"
Her voice was soft, yet every word cut to the heart: "If one day a woman more beautiful than me appears, will you still love me this much?"
Pei Xingjian was shocked and looked at her in bewilderment, not knowing why she was belittling herself like this, nor why she was demeaning herself in this way.
"Shu'er!"
"How could you think that way? I broke off my engagement for you, defying my elders. Isn't my sincerity enough to show my feelings?"
Ji Shu interrupted him and continued, "Have you ever thought about how this marriage was arranged by your grandfather's generation? What about your father, grandmother, and even your grandfather in heaven? All for a woman with no redeeming qualities?"
Is it worth it?
Ji Shu gazed at the passing street scene outside the window and murmured to herself, "Besides, I never thought of marrying into a high-ranking family. If I had a choice, how could ordinary people be free?"
Pei Xingjian panicked completely, and asked in a strained voice, "Shu'er, what's wrong with you? Didn't we agree a few days ago that I would ask Father to annul the engagement, and you would just wait to get married in peace?"
Ji Shu leaned against the edge of the carriage and said in a calm, almost ruthless voice, "Your Highness, as the future Marquis of Yanzhou, you cannot give me the life I want."
"Why??" Pei Xingjian's face was full of confusion and helplessness. He couldn't understand how everything could have changed in just one day.
He suddenly realized, yes, Wei Heng must have said something without his knowledge.
She invited Shu'er over, which was definitely not just to make her misunderstand; it must have been to verbally humiliate her, or even threaten her.
It must be so, it must be so.
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