Chapter 12 Birthday Banquet
"Did the Master really say that?"
Pei Jingxu lowered his head and spoke in a muffled voice.
Zhang Zheng rolled his eyes and remembered what the old woman next to the old lady had just said.
"This second lady is just stupid and ignorant. She didn't dare to do anything when Mr. Zhang just said a few words to her."
"If she really asks, just say it was the eldest son's order. She's so stupid that she won't blame you."
Zhang Zheng snorted coldly, his tone slightly cold: "Second Madam, are you unwilling to believe me? If you don't believe me, then just look at the account and don't learn!"
Having said that, Zhang Zheng turned around and was about to leave.
"Sir, don't go!"
Pei Jingxu saw this and hurriedly called to him, bowing and apologizing: "It is my fault that I have lost my moral character. I am willing to learn what you have taught me."
Zhang Zheng chuckled when he heard this, with a look of triumph in his eyes.
——It turns out that this Pei family is really as easy to bully as that old woman said!
"In that case, Second Lady, you must learn well. Otherwise, Zhang will not be able to teach you how to read the accounts."
Pei Jingxu lowered his eyes and bowed, hiding the emotions beneath his long eyelashes: "The student will follow the master's instructions."
In the next few days, Zhang Zheng came every day, but he only asked her to copy the Women's Virtues and Women's Admonitions. Even if she copied them ten times, Zhang Zheng would ask her some tricky questions casually, and if she couldn't answer them well, he would ask her to copy them again.
These days, let alone checking the accounts, I haven't even seen any numbers.
Not only that, Zhang Zheng seemed to have noticed that Pei Jingxu had no backing, and the more respectful she was, the more arrogant he became.
If any of the answers to those questions were not to his satisfaction, he would punish them with a ruler. At first, he was quite restrained, but later he became more and more unscrupulous.
Poor Pei Jingxu, his palms were already delicate, and after being beaten with the stick several times, they were so red that it seemed like blood had been seen.
Seeing Pei Jingxu being so timid in front of Zhang Zheng, Hongyao felt very distressed. "Miss, why do you have to coax him like this? If this kind of person is reported to the eldest master, he will definitely be in trouble!"
Pei Jingxu seemed to be enjoying it. He looked at his red palms and smiled lazily: "No hurry, this is not enough."
"Not enough?" Hongyao looked puzzled.
Pei Jingxu didn't intend to explain further, but simply changed the subject: "If I remember correctly, today should be Shen Congyue's birthday party?"
When Shen Congyue was mentioned, Hongyao frowned: “Yes, the girl is not wrong.”
"Did she send me an invitation?"
"Yes, not only that, the servant who delivered the invitation also said that Miss Shen had heard about the second young master and wanted to tell you at the banquet."
Pei Jingxu raised his eyebrows slightly, his eyes slightly cold.
Seeing this, Hongyao thought Pei Jingxu was shaken by what she said, and hurriedly said, "Miss, this must be a trap set by Miss Chen to trick you into attending the banquet and make you a laughing stock. You must not believe it!"
When a husband dies, his wife is not allowed to attend wedding banquets or birthday banquets during the mourning period. Shen Congyue did this just to make her be laughed at by the world!
It’s a pity that Pei Jingxu in his previous life couldn’t even understand such a simple trap.
As soon as she heard the news about Rong Xuanzhou, she no longer cared about anything else and went to the banquet alone.
As expected, Shen Congyue seized the opportunity and drugged her wine, causing her to almost lose her innocence.
Later, she announced her mourning status as a "widow" to all the guests, causing her to be ridiculed and cursed by the guests and the people of the capital.
When Old Lady Rong learned about this, she scolded her for being shameless and made her kneel in the ancestral hall for three days and three nights. As a result, her legs became diseased and she was plagued by pain.
Perhaps others were right, she was indeed stupid in her previous life.
But now, she wants to correct her mistakes.
Pei Jingxu curled her lips: "Since she gave me the post, it would be a shame not to take a look."
Hongyao's eyes widened when she heard this. "Miss, you're going to attend her birthday party? No way! If the old lady finds out, she'll use this as an excuse to punish you!"
Pei Jingxu raised the corners of his lips: "Not only do I want her to know, I also want Rong Jianxue to know."
If she remembered correctly, Rong Jianxue was also present at Shen Congyue's birthday party in her previous life.
She must make good use of this opportunity to achieve her goal.
--
On the other side, the study in the east courtyard.
"Sir, are you really going to the Shen Mansion for a banquet?"
Jiang Hui helped Rong Jianxue tidy up her clothes and asked again.
"Well," the man responded without any emotion, "The secret guards sent a message saying that an assassin will wait for an opportunity to kill Lord Shen at this banquet. I'm worried."
Jiang Hui: "Then I will stay by Lord Shen's side and be able to help him at any time if anything happens."
Rong Jianxue nodded, his eyes falling on the paper and pen on the table. He was slightly stunned: "How has Pei's study been these days?"
"Ah?" Jiang Hui, seemingly unprepared for his young master to suddenly ask about the Second Lady, said hurriedly, "I've seen Mr. Zhang go to the West Courtyard all day. I think he's doing well in his studies."
"I haven't verified Zhang Zheng's abilities. Although I've looked at his past teaching papers, I'm not sure if he can teach students in accordance with their aptitude."
Jiang Hui smiled nonchalantly, "Although Mr. Zhang's abilities aren't the most outstanding among all the accountants, he has a good temper and should be a good match for the Second Lady."
After hearing this, Rong Jianxue didn't say anything else.
After tidying up his clothes, the man walked out of the house and got on the carriage to the Shen Mansion.
Pei Jingxu left the house through the back door only after Rong Jianxue left.
She didn't intend to hide from anyone. Anyway, by the time she returned from the banquet, Madam Rong would definitely have received the news.
This time when he went to the Chen Mansion, Pei Jingxu did not bring Hongyao.
Firstly, she remembered that there seemed to be an assassination at this banquet, and it was too dangerous to bring Hongyao with her; secondly, she went there alone in her previous life and did not bring Hongyao with her. She was worried that if she brought Hongyao with her this time, the plot would change.
Just in case, she left Hongyao in Rong Mansion.
When we arrived at the Shen Mansion, the banquet had already begun.
The welcoming servant was startled when he saw Pei Jingxu arriving late, then bowed and said, "Second Madam Pei, you're here. Please come in."
Pei Jingxu looked anxious: "Where is Chen Congyue? Didn't she say she had news about my husband?"
The servant said, "Miss Shen asked you to take a seat first. After the banquet begins, we will naturally come to find you."
Pei Jingxu suppressed the emotions in his eyes, nodded, and walked into the gate of the Shen Mansion.
Rong Jianxue doesn't often attend banquets, but when she came to the banquet this time, she instantly attracted the attention of many guests and court officials!
As he walked a few steps towards his seat, there would always be groups of ministers coming forward to chat with him.
Several elderly ministers even asked the Young Master if he was married, and tried their best to recommend their daughters or granddaughters.
After dealing with everyone, Rong Jianxue sat down leisurely.
Today is the birthday banquet of Shen Congyue, the daughter of the Shen family. In addition to the male guests, many female relatives and celebrities in the capital have also been invited to the women's banquet.
The men's and women's seats were separated by a screen. The moment Rong Jianxue appeared in everyone's sight, the women's seat became restless.
"Look! It's Master Young Master!"
"What? Lord Rong is coming to the banquet?"
"Congyue, you are so influential that you can even invite Master Shaofu!"
Shen Congyue, who was surrounded by the crowd, just lowered her head and smiled shyly when she heard this: "Oh, don't talk nonsense! Master Shaofu was invited by my father..."
"That's because Miss Shen is so important. Normally, Master Shaofu wouldn't come to attend a girl's birthday party!"
As they said this, Shen Congyue lowered his head, and the corners of his lips slowly rose.
“Ms. Pei has met Miss Shen.”
An anxious and clear voice came from a distance, interrupting the harmonious atmosphere among the women.
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