Chapter 42 Chapter 42 The injured one is Li Zhan
Duan Wenpei looked around the flower hall and walked straight towards Nanxu. Madam Hou felt a little more relaxed when she saw him coming.
"Go get a chair for your uncle and put it next to Ah Xu."
The Marquis's wife smiled sincerely, her lips curled up slightly. "Huaizhou, is breakfast ready? I heard you've been very busy with official duties lately, but even if you're busy, you still have to eat. Tell me what you want to eat, and I'll have someone make it for you."
Duan Wenpei sat down next to Nan Xu and calmly wrapped her clenched fist in his own. Feeling his fingers slowly intertwine with hers, he nodded warmly to Madam Hou. "Thank you for your concern, Mother. Huaizhou just missed the snacks from your small kitchen, so I came to bother you. I didn't expect to hear such outrageous remarks the moment I entered the courtyard." Noticing Nan Xu's attempt to break free, he squeezed her firmly. "It's really affecting your appetite. Huaizhou can have some more once everything is settled."
"How dare you!" the female official shouted.
"You are so bold. What is the rank of the Earl? What is your status? The princess hasn't even said anything, and you dare to scold the Earl!" Liu Hui, who was following behind, retorted before he could stand firm.
"My princess is the only sister of His Majesty. Even the prince has to show courtesy to her when he sees her. What I say and do is naturally on behalf of the princess. How dare you despise her!" The female official puffed out her chest, very arrogantly.
Liu Hui continued to refute, "The emperor is guilty of the same crime as the common people, not to mention that it was Her Royal Highness who spoke rudely first. My uncle was just telling the truth. So, is telling the truth also a crime?"
"Smooth-tongued! Scheming with all sorts of nonsense!"
"I wouldn't dare to say that. Thank you so much."
…
The female official and Liu Hui were talking back and forth, and everyone focused their attention on them. They couldn't help but sigh that Duan Wenpei's attendant had an extraordinary mouth.
For a moment, no one noticed the couple's little actions.
Nan Xu's face was flushed red, and she was afraid of being seen, so she leaned closer and whispered to Duan Wenpei to let go.
Duan Wenpei also followed her lead and moved closer, saying, "No."
Scoundrel!
Nan Xu was furious. She didn't know what had happened that day that had triggered this man's helpless temper.
Jingyi sat in the main seat and saw everything the two did. Seeing them kissing as if no one was around, she was so angry that she crumpled the handkerchief in her hand into a ball. She glanced at Li Zhan behind her and saw that he was staring at the two people below him with his eyes wide open.
Jingyi sneered twice, bent her elbow and hit him hard in the stomach.
Jingyi felt relieved when she heard the suppressed groan coming from behind her.
She stroked her temples and said coldly, "That's enough! I've always spoiled you, and you can't even talk down to a servant. Why don't you shut up? Don't you think you've lost face enough?"
The female official quickly shut up and stood back with a look of panic on her face.
"Wei Yangbo, isn't what I said wrong? Since you came to the capital, how many powerful people have fallen at your hands? If you don't care about killing, who will?" She turned to the Yong'an Marquis, "My Lord, don't blame me for not reminding you. Even though you and Duan Wenpei are now related by marriage, if one day your Yong'an Marquis Mansion has no foothold in this capital, do you think Duan Wenpei, the God of Killing, will still keep you?"
Will you stay?
Yong'an Hou's body stiffened, and the pride on his face slowly cooled.
Duan Wenpei is a knife in the emperor's hand. It is not up to him or the Yong'an Marquis' Mansion to decide on whose head this knife will fall and when it will fall. It all depends on the order of His Majesty.
He and the Marquis' wife beside him exchanged a glance, then both looked silently at Nan Xu and Duan Wenpei.
Now it seems that the relationship between the couple is pretty good, but so what? Love between men and women is never a matter between two people.
Family, interests, trade-offs... human nature cannot stand the test...
Nan Xu felt uncomfortable being stared at by the two of them. She scratched Duan Wenpei's palm and struggled hard, finally breaking free.
She felt relieved and deliberately didn't look at Duan Wenpei's expression. She said to the leader with a fake smile, "Princess, what you said is so boring."
"Oh? I thought the second young lady of the Nan family who was favored by my father in the past couldn't speak anymore? It turns out she can open her mouth. Tell me, what's so uninteresting about what I said?" She seemed to be in high spirits again. She changed her posture and leaned against Li Zhan, and even reached out to hook Li Zhan's chin.
Li Zhan was forced to bear it, and felt a chill in his heart. He secretly looked at Nan Xu, but only saw her profile.
Duan Wenpei had already noticed his gaze, looked at Li Zhan provocatively, and stepped forward to block it.
Nan Xu watched him suddenly lean forward, then reluctantly moved aside. "I was once fortunate enough to accompany the princes and princesses in their studies in the palace. The sages say not to speak, listen, or see anything that is not proper. Princess, in her childhood, was also taught by great Confucian scholars. Why are you repeatedly breaking those rules in my Yong'an Marquis' residence today?"
"Nan Yun's matter is my family's, and family matters should be handled by the family. Princess, not only did you come uninvited, but you also unjustly tried to stop me. Isn't that just abusing your power? Who would believe that?"
She paused, quickly glancing at the people beside her, and continued, "My husband has dealt with many powerful people, but he was only fulfilling his duty according to His Majesty's wishes. Ultimately, he was serving the king and the country. Why is it that in the princess's mouth, he is too murderous and even belittles me, the baron's wife whom His Majesty personally arranged to marry. I am truly unworthy of such words." Nan Xu shook her head. "Nan Yun is my sister, and the princess shouldn't compare her with her own sister and brother-in-law."
Duan Wenpei had never seen her speak so eloquently, and he felt a sense of admiration. But then he remembered how she usually hesitated to speak in front of him, and he was scratching his head. Seeing her wrinkle at the corner of her mouth, he hurriedly brought the tea to her lips.
Nan Xu wanted to say that she was not thirsty, but she couldn't refuse his kindness in front of everyone, so she could only take a small sip.
Perhaps encouraged by Nan Xu's words, Nan Yicheng, who had been silent for a long time, continued, "Indeed, the Yong'an Marquisate has existed since the time of Emperor Taizu. The survival of the Marquisate is not a matter for Your Highness to discuss." He bowed towards the palace and said, "Your Majesty will make the final decision."
Jingyi sneered repeatedly at what the brother and sister said. She could no longer hide her anger and sat up with a wave of her wide sleeves.
"So what!"
"Those sour words of the Confucian scholars, I will listen to them if I want to, and not listen to them if I don't want to."
"I am the sovereign, and you are my subjects. I hold great power now. You, the Yong'an Marquis, are but ants. How dare you, with your ant strength, fight me? I will definitely take care of Nan Yun's affairs today!"
"Come here, search the entire mansion for me, and find the third young lady of the Nan family!"
Princess Jingyi was so serious about her actions that she would not care about others. A group of armored and sword-carrying guards rushed in from the door and were ordered to go to the backyard of the mansion.
Marquis Yong'an quickly stood up to stop them. If his hereditary marquisate was raided like this today, he would have no face to stay in Kyoto anymore if the news got out.
"Princess, do you really have to break up with me today?"
Princess Jingyi glared at him, "My Lord, this is serious. I just can't stand you bullying others, so I'm just trying to help you. Why are you so anxious?"
The guards obviously did not take the Marquis of Yong'an seriously. They walked up to him and roughly pushed him away and left without caring whether anyone was hurt.
Just as the group of people were about to leave Jiahui Hall, everyone was angry but dared not say anything, when someone blocked the group of guards at the door and held them back.
Seeing that it was Yu Rong, Princess Jingyi's face fell and she questioned Duan Wenpei, "Master, are you going to interfere?"
Duan Wenpei ignored her and took Nan Xu's hand into his palm again.
Since Emperor Xuanwu ascended the throne, Jingyi had never been ignored like this. Her blood boiled, and she felt a surge of murderous intent. She stood up and approached, suddenly drawing the guard's sword and placing it across Duan Wenpei's neck. "If you don't let me, I will make you bleed here today!"
"Princess, calm down."
"Princess, you can't."
After all, Duan Wenpei was an important official in the court. If the princess killed an official, even if she was still favored by the emperor, the censors in the court would be able to drown her with their spit.
The female official was worried about her master, while Li Zhan was considering the Li family.
Duan Wenpei tilted his head and gave Nan Xu a soothing smile. He leaned forward, his neck actually leaning towards the blade, "Princess, please do as you please."
"Duan Wenpei!" Nan Xu was startled by his actions, and quickly took the initiative to pull him back. However, she was too weak to pull him back, and instead bounced back, almost hitting Princess Jingyi's sword.
Duan Wenpei quickly pulled her into his arms.
Seeing that the two were still flirting with each other at this critical moment, Princess Jingyi's eyes were full of ferociousness. She made up her mind, turned the direction of the sword in her hand, and slashed it towards Nan Xu, "Bitch, die!" She couldn't do anything to Duan Wenpei, but who could do anything to her if she killed a little Nan Xu?
There were chairs and tables blocking the way on both sides, making it difficult to avoid. Duan Wenpei simply used his arms to block. Nan Xu was pressed tightly in his arms, not knowing what was going on. Only Jingyi's hysterical word "bitch" fell into her ears. She leaned against Duan Wenpei's chest, her eyes dark.
After a long time, several screams suddenly sounded in the flower hall. Someone shouted to call a doctor quickly. Among the shadows, a figure seemed to be flying towards her. Nan Xu slowly raised her head and smelled the scent of blood. She was startled and hurriedly looked up to see if Duan Wenpei was injured.
Duan Wenpei held her hand, his tone a little complicated: "I'm fine, the one who was injured is..."
Nan Xu followed his gaze and saw Li Zhan half-lying in front of her.
His face was pale, his eyes were tightly closed, and his lips were trembling weakly. Nan Xu moved closer, as if possessed by a spirit, and heard him say incoherently, "Don't... don't... hurt Ah... Xu, I... will listen to... you... in everything..."
The accident came suddenly, and Nan Xu's mind went blank. Looking at this face that was both strange and familiar, the past involuntarily flooded into her mind. Suddenly, her heart ached, and tears flowed uncontrollably.
She could no longer care about anything else and used the handkerchief in her hand to cover the wound on his back caused by the sword. The small handkerchief was soon soaked with blood, and tears fell like beads with broken strings, mixing with the gurgling blood.
Tears blurred her vision, and she couldn't see anything. She just instinctively looked for Duan Wenpei, "Save him!" She opened her mouth, but the words seemed to be stuck in her throat and couldn't come out. She was so anxious that sweat broke out on her forehead and she clenched her fist and hit her throat. Duan Wenpei was distressed and quickly reached out to stop her. He wiped her tears, but no matter how hard he tried, they wouldn't stop. Duan Wenpei smiled, but then felt that he was being foolish. Nan Xu didn't even notice him at this time...
"I understand, Nanxu. I'll find someone to rescue him right away."
*
Princess Jingyi didn't expect that she would hurt Li Zhan in public. She looked at the blood on the ground coldly, and her eyes seemed to have turned red.
Li Zhan, ah Li Zhan, since you want to die for Nan Xu, then I will grant your wish.
Her face was full of madness as she swung her sword down...
"Princess! His Majesty has summoned you to the palace!"
Jingyi was about to strike when a eunuch rushed in with a message, "Master Gan said that His Majesty is very angry. If the princess delays for even a moment, it might upset His Majesty."
After being stopped by the eunuch, Jingyi could no longer swing the sword in her hand.
Not to mention that her brother had passed the sword to her, even if Duan Wenpei was here, she would not have had the chance at all. She threw the sword to the ground in anger, making a loud muffled sound.
"Let's go, Manager Xie."
She took two steps forward and turned back to slam down a harsh word, "Marquis Yong'an, this matter is not over yet!"
Xie Huan glanced at the messy flower hall, turned around and was about to leave when he suddenly bumped into Duan Wenpei's inquiring gaze.
As they passed by him, Xie Huan said in a voice that only two people could hear: "The Concubine Dowager asked us to tell Uncle that the second young lady is young, so please take good care of her. I was negligent in not noticing Li Qi's matter, so I hope Uncle will not be offended."
He spoke very quickly, and only after everyone had walked two or three steps away did Duan Wenpei look him up and down from behind.
The doctor was called over, and the servants carried Li Zhan into the back room. Nan Xu wanted to follow him in, but after taking a few steps, she stopped and looked at Duan Wenpei, "Huaizhou, I..."
"Go ahead, I'll wait for you outside."
Nan Xu sniffed and nodded vigorously.
"Okay, wait for me."
*
Seeing that Princess Jingyi was leaving in a hurry, Marquis Yong'an didn't know what the palace meant, so he simply asked people to wait at the palace gate.
Although the Yong'an Marquisate did not like Li Zhan, he was the imperial son-in-law after all. If he died in the Marquisate, it would probably cause a lot of trouble.
The Marquis's wife was only flustered for a moment, then she calmly made her arrangements.
First, he ordered that no news should leak out, and then asked Yin Wu to take the female relatives away and settle down in each room and courtyard. Then he sent the servants to clean the flower hall inside and out.
Yin Wu agreed and busied herself with making arrangements. When she remembered Aunt Zhou, she was no longer in the hall.
Everything started with her, so Yin Wu didn't dare to be careless and quickly sent someone to look for her.
Turning around, she saw her husband walking out with a face full of sorrow. She held him back angrily, "Master, why are you leaving at this time? Uncle is still sitting in the hall. Ah Xu just went in again. You should at least sit with him and say a few good words for Ah Xu."
Nan Yicheng thought for a moment, came to his senses, and secretly annoyed himself that he had become stupid from reading too much every day and was not as delicate as a woman.
No matter how bad the Hou Mansion is, it has now connected to the Weiyang Marquis Mansion. Ah Xu must not become estranged from the Marquis again. He only has this one sister, and he will not be at peace if she does not live well.
He then patted his wife's hand, smiled and walked over to greet Duan Wenpei.
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