Chapter 26 Accidentally Entering the Imperial Family Xiao Ting raised his hand and tapped the armrest of the palanquin: ...
Fang Shiyun finally managed to pull the two apart, and was extremely anxious: "What are you two doing?"
"You promised to take me to see the new Peking Opera star today, what? You two came in person?"
Pei Lang and Xie Zheng ignored him and sat down opposite each other at the table, neither of them speaking.
Fang Shiyun clicked his tongue and sat down between the two, his face quickly showing curiosity again: "Xie Zheng, what did you just say about your brother's wife?"
"Is it Pei Mingli's?"
Pei Lang slammed his teacup on the table with a bang, his eyes darkening: "You believe all this nonsense? Is this what Uncle Fang taught you?"
"If you do business like this, I'm afraid the Fang family will be ruined by you."
Fang Shiyun felt somewhat ashamed after what he said, but he still tried to smooth things over between the two of them: "We've been brothers for so many years, why do you two have to make such a fuss?"
"Is there anything we can't discuss?"
"cannot."
Pei Lang's resolute tone only fueled Xie Zheng's anger, and with a comically bruised face, he slammed his fist on the table: "Pei Lang! You're such a twisted person."
"Since you say it wasn't for Lin Zhi, why did you fight me? All your previous words sounded so noble, full of brotherly love and respect, but I think you were the one who didn't want Pei Mingli to come back alive!"
"idiot!"
Seeing that the two were about to clash again, Fang Shiyun, with a bitter face, quickly said, "Just say what you want to say! I haven't had much schooling growing up, are you two trying to suffocate me by playing riddles!"
After all, we've been friends for years, so we should at least give him some face.
Pei Lang snorted and tapped the table: "I'm angry because you revealed Pei Mingli's matter to Lin Zhi!"
"As for romantic relationships, when have I ever cared about such ephemeral things? Ridiculous."
Fang Shiyun nodded at Xie Zheng, who looked aggrieved: "That's true. Have you forgotten how attentive Princess Wenyu was? When did our Brother Pei ever waver?"
"Lin Zhi is just a commoner girl, how can she compare to the princesses and noblewomen of the palace?"
"I think you've really lost your mind, Brother Xie. Our Junior Tutor Pei has seen peonies before, how could he stop for a little wildflower?"
Upon hearing Fang Shiyun's description of Lin Zhi as a wildflower, Xie Zheng raised an eyebrow, gave him a wry look, and remained silent.
"If it's not for Lin Zhi, what else could it be for?"
Xie Zheng didn't believe it. On one hand, he thought Pei Lang was really crazy to fight him for a woman, but when he thought of Lin Zhi's pure and innocent face, he secretly felt that it was understandable.
"Naturally, it was ordered by the Crown Prince." Pei Lang said slowly, suppressing the fierceness in his eyes.
"His Majesty's health is deteriorating, and the Crown Prince is still young. Do you really think the court is peaceful and tranquil?"
Xie and Fang exchanged a glance. One of them was only in charge of investigating and judging cases, while the other could hardly even enter the palace, so naturally they had no way of knowing these secrets.
Is this really true?
Xie Zheng became serious, even ignoring the wounds on his face.
This is a big deal.
"Now that Marquis Lu and Prime Minister He are serving different masters, I'm afraid they were involved in Pei Mingli's affair as well."
"The Crown Prince instructed us long ago to use this as an excuse to make a big fuss. Now that you've let Lin Zhi know, if she panics and ruins everything, neither of us can bear the responsibility."
The private room suddenly fell silent, and Xie Zheng also fell silent.
"Pei Mingli is your own brother, are you just going to abandon him like this?"
Pei Lang's expression was cold. "I can't bring myself to make the old man childless, but Pei Mingli is Lin Shaowan's son, so I naturally won't do my best for him either."
"This is his fate, he just happened to be born at a time when the two sides are fighting. The Crown Prince can still use him, he should be grateful."
"As for life and death, that's up to fate."
Pei Lang's voice was cold, and a thought crossed Fang Shiyun's mind: Pei Lang was usually gentle and refined, but now he seemed even more ruthless than Xie Zheng...
"Ah Zhi, Ah Zhi?"
Lin Zhi was called twice before she reacted, and looked at her aunt in front of her with some confusion.
"What's wrong with you, child? Didn't you sleep well last night?"
Lin Shaowan picked up a few grains of fish food and threw them in, while speaking with concern.
Lin Zhi clenched her fists to clear her mind. She was still worried about her second cousin's whereabouts, and now, facing her aunt, she felt even more guilty.
"...No, I was just a little distracted for a moment."
"Thinking about... my second cousin."
Although Pei Lang forbade her to mention it, her aunt was, after all, her benefactor. She had saved her from the clutches of Lin's eldest uncle. Without her aunt, there would be no Lin Zhi today.
Her second cousin was her only support; how could she just stand by and watch?
When her son was mentioned, Lin Shaowan sighed, "Yes, it's been quite a while now, why hasn't Mingli's letter arrived yet?"
"But you don't need to worry, Azhi. Your aunt knows perfectly well how devoted your second cousin is to you."
"But if you marry Mingli in the future, you will naturally have to think about his future. Although he is a young general now, he is still far from being a full-fledged general."
"A man's future is earned, but his wife must also pay close attention to it. Many noble ladies can achieve great success with just a word in conversation."
"Let's not talk about anything else, just take your older cousin. If he's happy, he can say a few good words for you in front of the Emperor and the Crown Prince. Wouldn't that make him wise and have a bright future?"
Her aunt talked on and on, but Lin Zhi felt increasingly uneasy.
My aunt values my second cousin so much; if she were to actually find out about this, she would probably faint—that would be the least of her worries.
If she were to fall ill from worry and become bedridden because of something she said, her conscience would be troubled.
Using the excuse that she was feeling unwell, Lin Zhi hurriedly returned to her residence. Already feeling upset, she suddenly got up and started rummaging through her dressing case.
"It was right here... how did it disappear..."
When Chun Tao brought in the tea, she saw her young mistress frantically searching for something. "Miss, what are you looking for?"
Lin Zhi straightened up and hurried to the bedside to search again: "Do you still remember the jade pendant that Princess Wenyu gave me back then?"
Chun Tao put down the tea, thought for a moment, and then went to a locked box and found it: "Miss, is this the one?"
Looking at the top-quality jade pendant in Chun Tao's hand, Lin Zhi's tightly furrowed brows relaxed: "Yes, that's it!"
Lin Zhi held the jade pendant, but still thought of what Pei Lang had told her that night, and bit her lower lip with some difficulty.
"But, it's just chatting with the princess to find out some information, nothing bad will happen, right?"
"As long as I know the palace's attitude, I won't have to worry about my aunt and uncle anymore..."
Lin Zhi murmured to herself, trying to strengthen her resolve.
Inside Yuhua Palace, Xiao Wen frowned, threw down her teacup, and exclaimed in disbelief, "What did you say?"
"Brother Lang actually carried a woman into the Pei residence?"
"Who dares to be so audacious! Daring to touch even my people!"
The personal maid, Le Ling, immediately knelt down and begged for forgiveness: "Princess, please calm down! Your health is precious, please don't ruin it for the sake of those commoners!"
"A commoner?"
Although Xiao Wen was not diligent in her studies, she was very perceptive about Pei Lang's affairs. "That woman is not only not a noble lady from the capital, but she is even just a commoner?"
Le Ling, kneeling on the ground, trembled slightly. Braving Xiao Wen's anger, she forced herself to speak: "Keep an eye on the informant at the Pei residence. Tell him that the woman is... is Pei Shaoshi's cousin, Lin Zhi..."
Xiao Wen was initially confused by the name, but then she remembered the young woman she had met briefly at the embroidery workshop.
"It was her...it was actually her!"
With a flick of her brocade robe and wide sleeves, Xiao Wen swept all the exquisite furnishings to the ground, making her chest heave rapidly with anger.
"I wonder how that little slut managed to have a cousin who lives under someone else's roof, yet her clothes are better than those of the young ladies from noble families in the capital?"
Xiao Wen was not a kind-hearted person to begin with. Her mother was the most favored Consort Gao, who herself had executed a palace maid who had made a mistake ten years ago.
His patience with Lin Zhi was only out of consideration for Pei Lang.
She could be called my cousin, but she's a vixen who wants to seduce people!
Xiao Wen's bright red lips curled slightly in anger, but her eyes were full of coldness.
"Princess, a guard reports that a young lady is requesting an audience with your personal jade pendant."
Xiao Wen's eyes flickered; she hadn't expected that Lin Zhi would deliver herself to her doorstep before she even had a chance to make a move.
Trailing the long train of her exquisite palace gown, Xiao Wen walked to the main seat in the palace and waved her hand lightly: "Go and invite her in. This is my honored guest. Please invite her in properly."
Le Ling, who was kneeling to the side, trembled in her heart, but quickly got up from the ground and went to serve her: "Princess, please don't be angry. Such a lowly girl will become sensible as long as you give her a good talking-to."
Feeling the slight coolness from the feather fan, Xiao Wen's burning jealousy subsided slightly. She closed her eyes and exhaled, "Knocking?"
"Didn't you hear me say that this is a 'distinguished guest'? Why am I giving her a warning?"
"Since she came to me personally, I only wish to teach her some manners."
Le Ling paused slightly while fanning herself, and her face paled even more.
"Miss Lin, please come with me."
When Lin Zhi was led into the palace clutching the jade pendant, she was a little flustered. She had prepared herself for Xiao Wen to reject her, but she didn't expect that Princess Wenyu would actually be willing to see her.
"Halt! Who goes there?"
Just as Lin Zhi was feeling flustered and confused, someone suddenly called out to her.
The palace maid who had led the way turned around and immediately knelt down: "Your Highness, may you be well. I am a palace maid from Yuhua Palace."
Upon hearing that it was the Crown Prince, Lin Zhi quickly bowed.
Xiao Ting sat on the palanquin, twirling the jade thumb ring on his wrist, and raised an eyebrow at Lin Zhi: "Which noble family does this lady belong to? She looks somewhat unfamiliar."
Lin Zhi quickly replied, "Your Highness, I am a cousin of the Pei family, but I am just a commoner and not a noble lady."
"The Pei family...you're Pei Lang's cousin?"
Lin Zhi hurriedly agreed, but couldn't help feeling a little flustered. She had only raised her eyes slightly when she replied, and although it was just a fleeting glance, she had already glimpsed the Crown Prince's sinister scheme.
Unlike Pei Lang, who was merely cold and aloof, making people afraid to approach him, this Crown Prince was chilling, with unfathomable meaning in his eyes.
Xiao Ting's gaze swept over Lin Zhi, then fell on the palace maids of Yuhua Palace. After a long while, he finally relented and let the two of them leave.
With his eyes slightly narrowed, Xiao Ting watched Lin Zhi follow the others towards Yuhua Palace. He raised his hand and tapped the armrest of the palanquin: "Send someone out of the palace to inform Junior Tutor Pei that... his cat has run away."
"If we arrive late, we may be torn apart and devoured."
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