Chapter 107 Secretly observing Lin Zhi, he merely shook his head hesitantly…
With a sharp "crack," the teacup fell to the ground and shattered into pieces, bringing Lin Zhi back to her senses.
He turned to look at the pale-faced maid and frowned slightly, but he didn't scold her too harshly. He simply told her to leave.
Watching the little girl flee in panic, Lin Zhi then turned her gaze to Xie Zheng: "Young Master Xie, we are old friends, but there's no need for you to comfort me with such words."
"My love and hate with Pei Lang have been intertwined for a long time. If I could forget him, I would have forgotten him long ago."
"As for what you just said, I'll just assume you were confused from being heartbroken, and pretend I didn't hear it."
"If you have nothing else to say besides this, then I won't keep you any longer."
But as soon as Lin Zhi stood up, she was suddenly hugged tightly from behind!
Strong, powerful arms were tightly wrapped around her waist, with a strength almost equal to Pei Lang's, yet Lin Zhi was in pain all over from his embrace, and her face turned pale.
"Xie Zheng! Let me go!"
"Ah Zhi! If Pei Lang can do it, why can't I!"
"Just because he's known you since childhood? Have you forgotten what he's done to you all these years?!"
A resounding slap landed on Xie Zheng's face, and Lin Zhi, using all her strength, staggered two steps.
Xie Zheng turned his face away, the words he was about to say abruptly stopped in his throat, feeling a burning pain on his cheek.
Lin Zhi's hands, hanging limply at her sides, were still trembling uncontrollably: "Xie Zheng, you've helped me a lot, I'm grateful to you."
“But Lin Zhi is a human being, not something that can be displayed at home or worn on the body.”
"How I choose, and how others treat me, is my choice; no one else can choose for me!"
Lin Zhi had been losing her appetite and feeling heartbroken these past few days. Now, a surge of anger rose within her, and her vision blurred. She quickly grabbed the back of the chair beside her and took a half step back to avoid Xie Zheng's outstretched hand that was trying to support her.
"I'm sorry, I was too rash today and said such hurtful things to you."
Despite the red marks on his face, Xie Zheng lowered his voice and said, "I came today just to ask when you would like to arrange Pei Lang's funeral. If there is anything I can do to help, I will."
Lin Zhi exhaled a deep breath and sat down on her own: "I won't do it."
"Pei Lang's body has not been found yet, so he may still be alive."
"The ceremony will not proceed until the body is found."
Looking up at Lin Zhi's stubborn profile, Xie Zheng felt that he had been a complete jerk just now.
"But you... you can't keep deceiving yourself like this. There are many ferocious beasts below the cliff, perhaps..."
Xie Zheng didn't say anything more, but Lin Zhi suddenly stood up, grabbed his arm, and shooed him out.
"Get out! The Pei family doesn't welcome you!"
"Walk!"
With a combination of pulling and dragging, they pushed the person outside the mansion gate, and Lin Zhi then slowly squatted down against the door.
These days she has been living a life of debauchery, deceiving herself that Pei Lang might still have a chance to live, but today Xie Zheng has shattered her illusions with his own hands.
With such a high cliff and such a dangerous wilderness, even if Pei Lang hadn't died by sheer luck, his chances of survival were slim.
She raised her hand and grabbed her sideburns; the sharp pain gradually brought her back to her senses.
Mianmian is still young, and she has already lost her father. If she loses her mother as well, she will probably suffer.
She couldn't and wouldn't let Mianmian follow her old path. She still had a way out, but Mianmian didn't.
Even if it's just for her daughter, she has to live on!
"Your Majesty, these are promising talents who emerged from this year's imperial examinations. Among them, one scholar even possesses the literary talent of the former Grand Secretary Pei."
Hearing the civil official's description, Xiao Ting narrowed his eyes, picked up the policy essay, and after reading it carefully, chuckled and spoke.
"Lord Wang is truly confused. Although this person's writing is good, his logic is a complete mess. How can he be compared to Lord Pei?"
Lord Wang's expression hardened, and he quickly forced a smile and said yes. He reached out and picked up the article that Xiao Ting had thrown on the ground, and cautiously asked for instructions.
"So His Majesty means..."
"While it's not the best, it's passable. I'll just give it a random ranking."
"yes!"
After Lord Wang left the hall, he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with lingering fear. "He was clearly destined to be the second-place scholar. Alas, what a pity."
"It's not easy for Luo Qinzhi to get into the capital from a small place. It would be good for him to stay in the palace as an editor."
"Lord Shen!"
When Lord Wang looked up, he was nearly scared out of his wits. He quickly closed the article in his hand, bowed, and paid his respects.
Fortunately, he had only been muttering to himself; if the emperor's father-in-law had heard him, he would have been in grave danger. But Shen Jianshan didn't even give him a second glance, brushing past him and striding into the hall, even waving away the eunuch who wanted to announce his arrival.
"Your Majesty, your humble servant Shen Jianshan requests an audience."
Xiao Ting leaned against his wheelchair, looked up at his father-in-law, smiled slightly, and excused him from the perfunctory formalities.
"Please take a seat."
"Why must my father-in-law personally go to the palace? Just send someone to inform him."
Even after Shen Jianshan sat down, his unpleasant expression didn't improve much.
"Your Majesty, I have come to the palace today for no other reason than to inquire about the Crown Prince's injuries."
"How could someone fall off a horse while riding it?"
Xiao Ting chuckled upon hearing this: "It's just some superficial injury, father-in-law, don't worry."
"The imperial physician examined him and said it wasn't serious, just a bone and tendon injury that will require a hundred days to heal. He just needs to rest and recuperate for a while."
Since taking over the military power of the Pei family, Shen Jianshan has become increasingly irritable and arrogant.
Xiao Ting looked at him with a smile, but there was no smile in his eyes.
"Your Majesty, please forgive my impertinence, but the Crown Prince is now grown up and should be sensible."
"Your Majesty must not continue to pamper him like a child. If the Crown Prince cannot shoulder his responsibilities, how will he be able to hold onto the throne and the country in the future!"
These words were ostensibly meant to imply that Xiao Yuze was young and immature, but how could Xiao Ting not understand the deeper meaning behind his words—that he wanted Xiao Yuze to step down?
With an impatient tap on the table with his left hand, Xiao Ting suppressed his irritation and said, "Father-in-law is right. In a few days, I will instruct the Empress and the Grand Tutor to discipline Yu'er properly."
Let's leave it at that for today.
Shen Jianshan's expression was somewhat unpleasant, but he ultimately didn't say anything more.
"Your Majesty! This Shen Jianshan is far too rude, daring to question you like this!"
The leader of the secret guards appeared behind Xiao Ting, clenching his fists in anger: "Why don't we let our subordinates teach him a lesson!"
Xiao Ting pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on: "How should we teach them a lesson? The Northern Rong still hold a grudge because of what happened with Chao Ya, and they keep harassing the border people."
"The only general we can rely on right now is Shen Jianshan. Without him, will you lead the troops into battle for me?"
In fact, military power was secondary; what was more important was Shen Jianshan's deep-rooted influence, which could have far-reaching consequences.
He chose Shen Shu as his empress because he valued the Shen family's good qualities, but now it has become his constraint.
The leader of the secret guards lowered his head and remained silent, but he couldn't help but say, "Your Highness, you are currently suffering from minor injuries. I'm afraid that if we continue to fight in private, it will cause you to develop chronic illnesses."
"After you have fully recovered, will Your Majesty instruct you to continue?"
Xiao Ting held the memorial in his hand. The smooth and comfortable texture made him realize it was Xuan Yun paper, just like the feeling that imperial power gave him—comfortable and irresistible.
After a long while, Xiao Ting slowly opened his eyes: "Of course we must continue. What does it matter if a crown prince gets injured?"
"My son, he should do whatever I want him to do."
“As long as he wants to compete with me for the throne, he can forget about getting anything good.”
The leader of the secret guards had been by Xiao Ting's side for many years, but upon hearing this, he couldn't help but shrink back and silently retreat.
"Mother! Drink some water!"
More than half a year has passed, and Lin Mianmian's steps have become more and more steady. She can even walk to Lin Zhi's side while holding a teacup.
Lin Zhi put down her calligraphy brush, bent down and hugged the child in her arms, continuing to fiddle with the abacus: "Mianmian is truly well-behaved and capable, a good daughter of her mother!"
Lin Zhi graciously took a sip, nuzzled Mianmian's cheek, and then simply sat her on his lap.
"Butler Hu, I'm afraid the figures on the books are incorrect."
"Including all the farmland and shops within the vast fiefdoms, there shouldn't be only this many, right?"
Butler Hu sat across from her, nervously clenching his hands, but still stubbornly refused to budge: "Madam, you are a noble person, how could you possibly know the extent of the impact of this natural disaster on these farmlands!"
"There was a lot of rain recently, so naturally there's less grain than usual..."
"I, Lao Hu, have been doing your accounting for more than a day or two. If I were to cheat you for such a small amount of money, how could I possibly maintain my position in the capital?"
As Butler Hu became more and more confident, he even started to complain.
Lin Zhi even began to doubt whether she had made a mistake in her calculations...
"Steward Hu is indeed not fit to stay in the capital. He should be dragged to the fields to keep those hardworking oxen company all their lives!"
"How come they work so hard, yet you exploit them so much!"
Hearing a somewhat familiar voice, Lin Zhi looked up and saw Pei Mingli walking in with his hands behind his back, his face stern and exuding an imposing aura.
"Where did this swindler come from! He even dared to deceive my sister!"
Hu, feeling guilty, got up and tried to run away, but Pei Mingli kicked him down and pinned him to the ground with one hand, twisting his arm and pressing him down.
"Tell me! Where did all the money you embezzled go?!"
The steward, kneeling face down, cried out in pain and immediately begged for mercy, "Spare me! Spare me! I was just momentarily out of my mind!"
"All that silver was converted into banknotes, which are kept in a secret box in my room! I haven't dared to spend a single one!"
Pei Mingli scoffed, kicked him in the butt, and had him taken away.
"Cousin! What are you doing here!"
After dealing with that scoundrel, Pei Mingli turned to look at Lin Zhi, who was holding Mianmian, his expression complex, half tender and half angry.
"If your sister-in-law and I hadn't come to the capital, we wouldn't have known that Pei Lang had already... How come you didn't know to write to us?"
"We've had no news for so long, we thought you'd long forgotten about us, your poor relatives!"
Lin Zhi felt a lump in her throat. Ever since Pei Lang's accident, the entire Pei family had been supported by her alone. How could she not be moved to see her family now?
"Cousin...it's my fault, I just didn't want to trouble you."
"We're all family. If you continue to say that, we'll head back to Pingyi immediately!"
Turning around and seeing Feng Yujiao carrying the child as she entered, Lin Zhi's tears fell uncontrollably, like beads from a broken string.
The two handed their children to Pei Mingli, then held each other and silently wept.
Feng Yujiao touched Lin Zhi's prominent bones with heartache, "How did you get so thin?"
"You haven't written in so long, do you know how worried your brother and I were!"
Lin Zhi felt the warm tears falling on her shoulder and cried even harder, unable to speak.
Pei Mingli turned to look at Mianmian, who seemed a little confused and curious. His heart softened, and he patted his arm on the shoulder, saying, "Mianmian, I am your uncle."
"......uncle!"
Lin Mianmian is small, but her reaction is unusually quick. She stared at Pei Mingli for a while before sweetly calling out.
Hearing this, Pei Mingli's heart softened, and he hugged her even tighter.
The little one seemed to know who was good to her, and she reached out and hugged Pei Mingli's neck, snuggling against him, which was incredibly heartwarming.
Looking at his son's stiff, straight arm, Pei Mingli felt a pang of sorrow, lamenting the injustice of fate.
"Your sister-in-law and I arrived in a hurry today with the child, but it is not appropriate for us to stay here and disturb you. We have already booked an inn and will come to visit you again tomorrow."
The dinner table became unusually lively, but Lin Zhi became anxious upon hearing this: "Since you're back in the capital, you should go home! What's the point of staying at an inn?"
Feng Yujiao gently patted her hand: "Azhi, I know you miss us."
"But the rules still can't be broken. We came here suddenly, so even if they leave us a guest room at their residence, you should have time to tidy it up."
"Besides, now that we're back, we won't leave easily."
“Your elder brother recently purchased a house in the capital. Although it’s not as nice as this place, it’s still a good place to live.”
"We'll just stay here for a while and keep you company. Once the house is repaired, we'll move in."
Lin Zhi suddenly felt that her hard-won appetite had turned to tastelessness: "Why are you leaving so soon?"
"Our two families won't live far apart in the future, so I'll come to visit you often."
"Let's not talk about that for now. What do you plan to do with this butler today?"
Pei Mingli frowned slightly. "Can you really trust me to manage the accounts if you don't do it yourself?"
Lin Zhi sighed and told the two of them about the Emperor's bestowal of honors upon Mianmian.
"Nowadays, I can't handle anything big or small in the household, and Mianmian is always clinging to me. I can't possibly manage all these fields and shops by myself."
"I just wanted a more relaxed life and to be paid more wages, but I didn't expect that people are so greedy that even the highest wages can't satisfy them."
Feng Yujiao was even more dissatisfied, "Why is the emperor giving so many rewards to such a young child like Mianmian? What if someone gets jealous and tries to harm her in secret?"
"This person has no good intentions at all!"
Pei Mingli clicked his tongue lightly, fearing she might say something inappropriate, and quickly stopped her.
But this made Lin Zhi realize that Xiao Ting was already quite wary of Pei Lang, so why would he treat the mother and daughter well?
Moreover, the imperial decree bestowed upon him was obtained by Xie Zheng and the court officials. Even if Xiao Ting did not make a move openly, how could those who had previously disliked Pei Lang possibly behave themselves?
Thinking back on the past six months, apart from the incident with Steward Hu, life at the Pei residence had been remarkably peaceful, but Lin Zhi felt a growing unease.
Was someone secretly stopping these people who coveted the property?
Or does that person want to monopolize the Pei family's assets?
She had a restless night and couldn't sleep, and when she woke up again, she was woken up by Mianmian.
"Mommy! Uncle and Aunt are here!"
Lin Mianmian pulled her little hand and walked outside. Lin Zhi only saw the figure of the family of three before Lin Mianmian ran over and pulled Pei Zhen's chubby little hand to pick flowers.
"Brother and sister-in-law, I overslept today, I'm so sorry."
Pei Mingli didn't care about such formalities and waved his hand, saying, "We're all family, why say such things? By the way, I went to see an old friend from the capital yesterday."
"That man surnamed Hu has been taken to the yamen. He used to swindle money from many wealthy families, and he'll probably be locked up for a few years."
"As for the new housekeeper, I've also found a suitable candidate for you."
Upon hearing this, Lin Zhi couldn't help but chuckle: "Cousin, are you really not joking?"
"I've been in the capital for so long and haven't been able to find a suitable one, and you've found one after only a few days?"
Pei Mingli raised an eyebrow: "Don't you even know who your brother is?"
Come here!
Lin Zhi, holding Feng Yujiao's hand, craned her neck curiously to look over, but only saw a familiar figure.
"Brothers Qin?"
The Luo Qinzhi in front of her was completely transformed. If it weren't for the fact that his appearance hadn't changed, Lin Zhi wouldn't have dared to recognize him.
Although Luo Qinzhi was scholarly in the past, he was somewhat weak and frail, and one could tell at a glance that he was a scholar from a poor family.
Although Luo Qinzhi still dresses simply, his demeanor is completely different now, gentle and refined, making people feel like they are bathed in a spring breeze.
"Miss Lin!"
Luo Qinzhi suppressed his excitement and bowed respectfully.
Lin Zhi quickly helped him up, saying, "Brother Qinzhi, there's no need to be so polite. We're old friends, and you've helped me a lot. There's no need for such formalities!"
"Brother, is this the steward you were talking about?"
Pei Mingli nodded smugly: "I didn't force anyone to come. My wife and I only found out yesterday that Brother Qin has passed the imperial examination!"
"I'm afraid I'll be taking up a post in the palace soon. Before that, wouldn't it be a waste of my talents to keep you as a steward?"
Luo Qinzhi smiled shyly: "Thank you for speaking up for me, Brother Pei. Actually, I'm not a very good rank. Even if I am fortunate enough to enter the palace, I'm afraid I will only get the lowest official position."
"If Miss Lin doesn't mind, I can check your past records for you, which will make things easier for you in the future."
Lin Zhi naturally had no reason to refuse, but he did not expect Luo Qinzhi to be so efficient. He brought the account book with him that very night.
"I discovered some issues with the accounts from this spring, and they've remained incorrect until now. I thought I'd come and let you know as soon as possible. I hope this isn't bothering you?"
Lin Zhi had just coaxed Mianmian to sleep when she gently waved her hand and placed a candlestick on the stone table in the courtyard: "No, you can tell me."
Although the two did not sit next to each other, they were looking at the same ledger, so they inevitably sat closer together.
A night breeze swept by, and Lin Zhi shivered involuntarily, looking up and around.
"What's wrong?"
Luo Qinzhi looked up at her, but Lin Zhi only hesitated and shook her head: "It's nothing."
She always felt like there was a pair of eyes watching her from the shadows.
"It's chilly at night, are you cold?"
Lin Zhi was startled for a moment, but in the blink of an eye, she saw that the candle flame that had been burning brightly on the stone table had been shot out by a delicate arrow, leaving wisps of smoke.
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Author's Note: Who's the eye in the shadows? [Question mark] It's so hard to guess! [doge]
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