Talking about romance in the dead of night
Taking advantage of Ji Shuangqiao's unconscious state, Xiao Diting disregarded the need for rest and began to drastically prepare for the funeral.
Xiao Diting had Pei Wenjin help her write a memorial briefly explaining the reasons, then she slammed her hand on the table and declared the case closed. As for the evidence pointing to high positions, she carefully collected and sealed it away one by one.
The memorial stated that the princess personally visited Jiangzhou, investigated the salt and iron accounts, discovered clues, and followed the trail to Yang Li, ultimately pinning the blame on him.
After the Yang family fell from power, Ji Shuangqiao suffered from a persistent high fever for several days. Xiao Diting was extremely worried and sent someone to carefully examine her near her bed.
During this time, Shangguan Lin, who was handling salt and iron accounts in Jiangzhou, rushed over to see the unconscious Ji Shuangqiao. She had intended to represent the Shangguan family, but Ji Shuangqiao was in poor condition and rarely conscious.
After much deliberation, Shangguan Lin instructed Xiao Diting to find a place for the old Ji Shuangqiao before quickly returning to the capital to handle important matters.
With the investigation of the draft grain bill, the Embroidered Uniform Guard was naturally busy with various tasks and had no time to rest.
Not only Shangguan Lin, but most of the Imperial Guards who accompanied her were also taken away by her. Only Pei Wenjin remained to help her reorganize Huaizhou.
Picking out Yang Li alone is not enough; he alone cannot complete such a complicated task as transporting grain.
Although we cannot reach for the heavens in one fell swoop, we must at least eradicate the long-standing problems and ills of this place.
The first priority was to interrogate Pei Wenjin about the crucial evidence he had gathered during his initial search of Huaizhou; these things must still be in his possession. Even if they had been completely destroyed, a great deal of information could still be gleaned from his verbal account.
The problem was that after leaving the Yang residence that night, she was concerned about Ji Shuangqiao's life and instructed Pei Wenjin to detain all the servants and relatives of the Yang family. The commander deliberately avoided her.
Who was Xiao Diting? He staked out Pei Wenjin for three days and three nights, and luckily managed to corner him in a dead-end corner of the street when Pei Wenjin went out in the middle of the night.
The accompanying Imperial Guards were astonished to see their master being forced into a deep alley without warning, and drew their swords to follow. Xiao Diting stepped aside to block the alley entrance, coldly ordering, "Stand guard outside. I have something to say to your master."
The two or three Imperial Guards looked at each other, not daring to make any rash moves, and let their unwilling master be dragged into the deep alley.
"What's wrong with you in the middle of the night!" Pei Wenjin was pulled so hard he stumbled, his outer robe almost being ripped in half by the prince. He looked embarrassed and tried to pull away several times but couldn't budge Xiao Diting's hand.
In his panic, he glanced at his sleeve, realizing he didn't have a homosexual fetish for the time being, and obediently stopped moving.
Xiao Diting, with boundless banditry, pushed Lord Pei all the way to the end of the alley. Seeing that his sword-like eyebrows were slightly furrowed but he was well-behaved, Xiao Diting felt a surge of affection for him.
"It's really not easy to get you to answer my questions."
Pei Wenjin quickly composed himself, removed Xiao Diting's hand that was about to grab his waistband, took a step back and leaned against the wall, letting the princess mark out his range of movement.
Pei Wenjin: "Your Highness has sent someone to give me a definite answer. This humble servant would not dare to shirk my duty."
Xiao Diting stretched out his arms and wrapped them around him, almost pressing his entire body against him, but carefully avoiding actually touching him. The beauty raised his chin, looking at him with bright eyes, and wrinkled his nose: "Nonsense."
Pei Wenjin looked away: "Your Highness knows the specifics of what I can tell you... No matter how many more questions you ask, I can only answer 'I don't know'."
Xiao Diting said, "Speak, and I will reward you handsomely after the matter is accomplished."
Pei Wenjin suppressed a laugh, his chest heaving a few times: "You should use your meager salary to feed yourself first... I don't care about gold and silver treasures."
Xiao Di listened to his words without getting angry. She took a step forward and pressed herself against Pei Wenjin. To be precise, she practically sank into Pei Wenjin's arms.
"Would you fall for a honey trap?"
Only then did Pei Wenjin turn his face back. The princess's face was so close that he could even see the fine downy hairs on her face by the moonlight, and her warm breath was blowing against his face.
Pei Wenjin paused for a moment, then said succinctly and without hesitation: "Eat."
Just as he was about to lower his head to kiss her, Xiao Diting wanted to respond, but saw him use his free hand to block between the two of them.
Xiao Diting frowned in displeasure: "You..."
She couldn't say anything more. Pei Wenjin reached out and covered the lower half of her face, his hand warm and fragrant with medicine as he kissed the back of her hand.
It originates from emotion, but is restrained by propriety.
This time, Xiao Diting felt uncomfortable all over. She opened her eyes and watched Pei Wenjin approach her with almost reverence. When she looked up, her eyelashes trembled slightly, and her light-colored pupils appeared very deep in the darkness.
The princess, who had come to arrest her with a mix of coercion and flirtation, suddenly fell silent. She finally understood the value of her looks, which had attracted the attention of the young women in the capital.
Even someone as unmoved as Xiao Diting felt goosebumps all over her body, and for a moment she couldn't tell who the target of her honey trap was.
She released Pei Wenjin's grip, turned around, and hurried away, feigning nonchalance: "Oh dear, this place really isn't suitable for talking..."
Pei Wenjin followed closely behind, took off his outer robe and draped it over her shoulders, reminding her, "The weather is getting colder, Your Highness should wear more clothes."
Xiao Diting's bones went weak from the charm of his voice. After a moment of realization, she slashed at Pei Wenjin's head with her hand and roughly slammed his outer robe down on his head, furious: "Fine, you've been playing me for a fool!"
Pei Wenjin, his face covered by his robe, trembled all over. He simply turned his back, leaned against the wall, and laughed uncontrollably.
Xiao Diting was furious behind him. She should have known that something was amiss. Pei Wenjin was not the type to keep his sharp edge hidden.
Pei Jialang's beauty was unparalleled, admired from the Central Plains to the Western Regions. Once, a queen of a vassal state wanted to "marry" Lord Pei, saying that she had been longing for him ever since they parted at the city gate, but Lord Pei, with a dark expression, refused on the spot.
When the old emperor had nothing to do, he would tease him about this, especially when he saw his handsome face tense, his anger barely contained, and his righteous indignation thwarted.
After meals, folk songs and ballads circulated widely:
He brought fresh fruit and fine wine to visit her, but the beautiful woman shyly refused to leave.
Adorned in fine clothes and jewels, she gazed upon her beloved, but the beauty whispered, "Do not visit again."
As for the last sentence, Xiao Di was busy with his documents when he heard it and couldn't remember it clearly.
The gist of the story is that the Queen sent envoys to propose marriage three times, and Pei Wenjin was furious. He beat up all the envoys blocking the door and threw them out of the house like dumplings being dropped into a pot, creating a spectacular scene.
Thus, Pei Lang became famous overnight solely because of his good looks.
It's all her fault for being blinded by lust and losing her mind for a short time.
Others who treat others based on their looks are considered arrogant and ignorant, but Pei Wenjin, putting aside his character, is excellent in every way, from family background to appearance.
Xiao Diting suppressed his anger and urge to vomit blood, forcing himself to remain calm. He thought to himself, "It's not a loss, it's not a loss. Everyone loves beauty... it's human nature."
Human beings, their nature, their emotions.
Humanity—
"Pei Wenjin!" Xiao Diting lunged forward in a rage, wildly swinging her fists at Pei Wenjin, who easily deflected her attacks, grabbing her wrist and pinning it aside, pleading, "Calm down, don't get angry!"
He was fine when he wasn't being sarcastic, but the moment he opened his mouth, he only added fuel to the fire, making Xiao Diting stammer "you you you you" for a long time before his eyes rolled back and he fainted from anger.
Pei Wenjin: ?
Pei Wenjin caught the Third Princess, who was on the verge of slipping to the ground. He couldn't believe that someone could be so angry that she collapsed. Fearing that something might happen to her, he was worried about losing his head. In a panic, he decided to carry the princess away.
Xiao Diting, who had been feigning sleep with her eyes closed, succeeded in her scheme. She broke free from his grasp like a fish, viciously lifted her skirt, and kicked the dazed Lord Pei—
"Hiss... Your Highness!"
The two wrestled and playfully rubbed against each other in the alleyway, until Pei Wenjin removed her hands from his grasp and surrendered first: "Why are you touching me like that... weren't we supposed to be asking questions?"
Xiao Diting stepped aside to straighten his wrinkled clothes, and without thinking, shifted the blame: "It's all because you tricked me into playing around, and you almost delayed our important business."
The moment she opened her eyes, she spouted a string of lies. Pei Wenjin gave the princess a resentful look and reached out to help her put the crooked hairpin back on.
Xiao Di heard that the person was standing properly, but their mouth might not be so: "Why didn't you light any calming incense?"
"Dog nose...don't move." Pei Wenjin twisted a lock of her hair with his fingers, wrapped it with a hairpin, and tidied it up for her. While replying, he also tidied the back of her collar, his fingertips intentionally or unintentionally touching the back of her neck. "I came in too much of a hurry and forgot to bring it."
“I can tell you haven’t rested well. Just find a doctor on the spot and get a prescription; it won’t make a difference.”
"It doesn't smell as good as what the imperial physician gave me."
Xiao Diting was in a great mood after he had made her look proper and dignified. She turned around, put her arm around his shoulder, tilted her head and smiled at him: "What a thoughtful person... Why are you so picky? Marry me, and I can promise you countless riches and honors."
The princess herself lived a very frugal life. Pei Wenjin frowned and lowered his eyes, not wanting to tease her while discussing romance, so he could only continue the conversation: "I won't marry."
"You stingy person." Xiao Diting wrinkled his nose and let go of her hand.
Pei Wenjin sneered: "I am the daughter of the Queen of Xiliang, whom even she wouldn't be interested in marrying. What will Your Highness use to win my heart?"
In the darkness, Xiao Diting blinked, as if shocked by someone's shamelessness: "You're even waiting for a higher price? How shameful!"
Lord Pei arrogantly raised his chin, narrowed one eye, and looked like a wicked fleece that had succeeded in its scheme: "Fine, I'll go back and talk to him."
The princess nodded: "Alright, let's take this as a matter to be handled."
After saying that, the two burst into laughter.
After all, Pei Wenjin is twenty-two years old this year. He still has the mindset of a young man. He usually has to deal with a bunch of weirdos and monsters, and he has to put on airs. It's normal for him to become a bit old-fashioned.
Needless to say, the princess was three years younger than him. As a modern person, Xiao Yu's mental age was approaching thirty, and his personality was not dull; in fact, he could be described as lively.
"You really have to leave, otherwise your subordinates will think I did something to you."
Xiao Di had sharp ears and could hear his subordinates pacing anxiously back and forth at the alley entrance.
This wasn't the subordinates' fault; the two of them got carried away while fooling around in the alley, sometimes throwing punches and kicks, sometimes laughing together.
Although the princess and her master were not exactly at each other's throats, it was certainly not the kind of relationship where they could be playing around at this time. To outsiders, it sounded very strange.
"I volunteered, it's okay."
Xiao Diting subtly stepped on his foot, warning him to watch his mouth. Pei Wenjin gasped in pain, swallowing the rest of what he shouldn't have said.
The Imperial Guards outside, scratching their heads for most of the day, finally managed to get the two powerful figures to come out.
The two Buddha statues walked away as if nothing had happened, completely avoiding the other person as if he were a monster.
It was as if the laughter from before hadn't come from the two of them.
Pei Wenjin automatically avoided the probing gazes of his subordinates, coughed lightly, and said seriously, "What business does Your Highness have with me in the middle of the night?"
The subordinate's eyes widened: So you haven't reached an agreement with His Highness yet?
Xiao Diting glanced at him and said succinctly, "It's nothing important. Focus on what you want to do first."
Pei Wenjin's arched eyebrows, reaching high into his temples, indicated his incomprehension.
Xiao Diting was also completely confused and asked in bewilderment, "You're not sleeping in the middle of the night, you can't be saying you're avoiding me, can you?"
Pei Wenjin nodded: "That's true."
Xiao Diting was so angry that he kicked out!
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