Chapter 80 Mianmian in Danger "My lord! My lord! The young lady's bed..."
When Pei Mingli rushed over with the freshly laid eggs from the hen, he saw Lin Zhi trying to fetch water herself as soon as he entered the door, and he quickly stopped her.
"You're almost out of your postpartum period, how can you do such heavy work?"
"Put it down quickly. Didn't I tell you to come to me if anything happens?"
Lin Zhi raised her hand to wipe the thin layer of sweat from her forehead: "I just heard that you went out, cousin. It's nothing serious, just a bucket of water."
Although that's what he said, Pei Mingli's expression was still not very good.
"Now that I've taken you away from the capital, I must take care of you. You've always been frail, and now you're even more so... If I don't take good care of you, I'm afraid you'll develop chronic illnesses in the future!"
Pei Mingli didn't say what was in between, afraid of upsetting Lin Zhi, but Lin Zhi's expression froze, and she didn't continue the topic.
With bright eyes, she stared at Pei Mingli: "I originally wanted to go find my cousin today, but I didn't expect to find Sister Yujiao here. If she hadn't told me that my cousin had gone out, I'm afraid I would have had to wait for him."
Upon hearing Feng Yujiao's name, Pei Mingli's slightly darker, honey-colored cheeks flushed slightly: "You, what nonsense are you talking about, you little brat?"
"Ah Jiao is just helping me look after the house..."
"Yes, yes, our two families are separated by only a courtyard wall. When Sister Yujiao goes over to guard the gate, she has to wash all your clothes!"
Lin Zhi smiled and dodged away, watching as the furious Pei Mingli placed the egg basket on the table and prepared to leave.
She quickly called out to him, "Good cousin! Stop teasing me, I have something to ask you today."
"I want you to ask someone to send something to Mianmian."
"Mianmian?" Pei Mingli turned around in confusion, seemingly puzzled as to who Mianmian was.
Lin Zhi turned around and took out a small package from the room: "Mianmian is the nickname I gave to my child. It was chosen before the child was even born."
"Although I never had the chance to call her that, in my heart she is Mianmian."
"Here are some little trinkets. Even though I know Pei Lang will not mistreat Mianmian once she reaches her full moon, I, as her mother, still want to do my part."
When Lin Zhi mentioned Pei Lang again, her expression was extremely calm, as if she were talking about a complete stranger.
Pei Mingli frowned slightly as he looked at her, but did not reach out to take it: "Azhi, have you thought it through?"
"If we just send the things over like this, aren't you afraid that Pei Lang, being so clever, will become suspicious?"
Lin Zhi pursed her lips: "These are all ordinary items, there are plenty of them in the world. Even if Pei Lang becomes suspicious, he won't be able to find them."
"Besides, Pingyi is far from the capital. It has passed through the hands of many people in between. Pei Lang is not going to come looking for them one by one."
"And I've also thought it through. I've been corresponding with Xie Jin, so I'll trouble you, cousin, to send these things to her first, and then she can help me send them to the capital."
"I feel incredibly indebted to Mianmian, and this is the only way I can make up for it."
Pei Mingli remained silent for a long time before letting out a deep sigh: "You girl clearly knows I've planted spies in the Pei residence..."
"Fine, we can just have someone sneak into the pile of Mianmian's things. Pei Lang might not even notice."
"But you've been doing less of this delicate work lately. How are your hands?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Zhi unconsciously put her trembling hand behind her back. After being cut by the broken porcelain shards, it had become quite difficult to pick up the embroidery needle again.
She gritted her teeth and finished embroidering these little things.
The pain in her fingers was excruciating, but as long as Lin Zhi thought of that soft little bundle, she felt an immense sense of strength, and she gritted her teeth and endured it.
"Alright, it's just that it can't be delivered on the day of the full moon. That's fine too, so that Pei Lang won't be able to notice it."
Standing at the door watching her cousin leave, Lin Zhi gently clutched her clothes. It was a piece of flesh that had fallen from her body, the daughter she had carried for eight months and risked her life to give birth to. How could she not miss Mianmian?
But... in the end, fate played a cruel trick on us.
Lin Zhi once didn't want her to be born, but now they are separated by thousands of miles.
"Miss Feiyi, it's getting cold today. You're not well, so don't stay here in the cold wind."
A gentle, calm voice sounded from behind. Lin Zhi blinked, suppressing her tears, and looked at the person behind her.
Luo Qinzhi stood a few steps behind her with great courtesy, without overstepping his bounds in the slightest.
"Young Master Luo is back from the school? I heard from Aunt Luo that you weren't supposed to be back for another half month?"
The neighbors were a widow and her son, but fortunately they were kind and honest people. Although Aunt Luo was in poor health, she was very skilled at making shoes and embroidering insoles. She worked hard to support her son's education and examinations, and now her eyesight was also failing.
Fortunately, Luo Qinzhi is ambitious and filial, and works very hard.
A hint of unease flashed across the fair-skinned scholar's face: "I left some things at home, so I rushed back."
“My mother has already told me that I am very grateful to Miss Lin and Brother Pei for taking care of me these days. I thank them in advance.”
Seeing him bow to her with a solemn expression, Lin Zhi quickly waved her hand and said, "We live close by, so it's only right that we look after each other. Aunt Luo has also cooked me many delicious meals."
"Young Master Luo, there's no need for such formalities."
After the words were spoken, there was an awkward silence between the two. Just as Lin Zhi was wondering if she had said something wrong, she saw Luo Qinzhi blush before finally saying, "I am not some young master."
"Miss Lin, there's no need to be so polite with me. Just call me Qinzhi from now on."
Lin Zhi then understood what he meant and nodded knowingly: "I see. I should be a few years older than you, so I will call you Brother Qinzhi."
“I only have an older brother, and I have never had a younger brother.”
"Brother Qinzhi, you can rest assured and continue your studies. Aunt Luo will be taken care of by me, my brother, and the villagers."
"Only three months older..."
Luo Qinzhi murmured, but Lin Zhi didn't hear him clearly: "What did you say?"
Luo Qinzhi's face stiffened, and he hurriedly bowed and left, not daring to linger any longer.
"This child..."
Lin Zhi tilted her head, but also breathed a sigh of relief.
Although it's not nice to say it like this, the good thing is that the Luo family consists of only an orphan and a widow, and the teenager is often not at home, so she feels safe and at least somewhat at ease.
Since that's the case, and Luo Qinzhi has already been kind to her cousin, it's only right that he takes extra care of him now.
The thought had barely crossed Lin Zhi's mind when her expression suddenly froze: When did she become so similar to Pei Lang? Everything she did was for her own benefit.
Lin Zhi's face turned ashen. She dared not think any further and quickly went into her small courtyard and closed the door, as if this would shut out all her wild thoughts.
"Congratulations, Lord Pei! Your daughter is truly exquisite, like a piece of jade!"
"Congratulations! Please come in and have a drink to celebrate the baby's full moon."
Pei Lang dealt with his colleagues who came to offer their congratulations somewhat numbly. He hadn't originally wanted to make a big fuss, but some unpleasant words still reached his ears.
Some people even said in private that Mianmian was destined to bring misfortune to her parents and was a cursed lone star.
Upon hearing this, Pei Lang waved his hand and invited everyone, whether they had a relationship with him or not, to the Pei family. Since they were so disparaging of his daughter in private, he would let them all see just how blessed his daughter was.
Pei Lang frowned as he looked at the mountain of gifts, and handed them all over to the butler to handle without giving them a second glance.
There were only two things the steward didn't care about handling, so he quickly asked Pei Lang for advice.
"My lord, this is a solid gold lock sent by Young Master Fang, and a shop sent by Young Master Xie."
Seeing how generous the two were, Pei Lang was displeased and frowned, saying, "My daughter Pei Lang doesn't lack these things."
"Throw it in the warehouse, don't let it get in my way."
"Yes...yes!"
The butler bowed and hurriedly left, not daring to offend his master any further.
“My lord…” Xingyun hurried over, his expression hesitant: “Someone wants to see you.”
There are few things that can make Xingyun show such an expression. Pei Lang instructed the servants to serve the guests and then followed them over.
Unexpectedly, I ran into an old acquaintance I hadn't seen in a long time.
"Disciple Lu Heng congratulates you, sir."
Looking at the expressionless young boy in front of him, Pei Lang almost didn't recognize Lu Heng, who had grown quite a bit taller in recent days.
However, his coarse clothes made Pei Lang fall silent. When Lu Heng saw him staring at him, he chuckled and said, "The Emperor has confiscated everything in the Marquis's mansion. Although Lu Heng has survived, he is no longer the young master of the Marquis's mansion."
This child used to be so innocent, but now he's become so old-fashioned.
Pei Lang couldn't help but frown. Lu Hou and Lu Jue were both executed, while Lu Heng was only exiled because he was still young, thus saving his life.
However, he has been pampered since childhood, and I'm afraid his future will be difficult.
But Pei Lang felt only pity for a moment. He was not a person with overflowing sympathy. Apart from Lin Zhi, he had never been soft-hearted towards anyone.
When do we depart?
"tomorrow."
Lu Heng's expression was very calm, as if he were not the one being exiled. He still retained the noble demeanor of the former young master of the Marquis's mansion.
"Alright, since that's the case, have a good meal here today. From tomorrow onwards, you'll have to rely on yourself."
After all, he had watched the child grow up, so Pei Lang was unwilling to go too far and signaled Xingyun to take the person in for the banquet.
But Lu Heng suddenly spoke up, "Sir, do you regret it?"
Pei Lang paused, "Regret what?"
In the instant he turned his head, he thought he saw a shadow in the child's eyes, but upon closer inspection, it disappeared.
"It's nothing. Lu Heng just wanted to say that he regrets it. He regrets not studying properly with his teacher back then. If only he had listened to his teacher's teachings back then."
Pei Lang said nothing more. Now that they were strangers, Pei Lang felt he had done all he could.
As Xingyun led his men toward the Pei residence, they heard Lu Heng cry out in pain, "I... my stomach hurts!"
He quickly gave directions, but Xingyun waited and waited and waited but Lu Heng never came out.
"Lu Heng?"
When he rushed inside to look for him, he found the place empty; Lu Heng had already run away.
"broken!"
Xingyun's face turned pale, and he rushed to report to Pei Lang as quickly as possible. But as soon as Pei Lang got up after hearing about the matter, he saw a servant running hurriedly from the backyard.
"My lord! My lord! The young lady's bedroom is on fire!"
Pei Lang's eyes sharpened, and he kicked aside the person at his feet and rushed over, his palms clenched with cold sweat.
"Mianmian!"
When Pei Lang arrived, he saw the bedroom surrounded by raging fire and was terrified, so he tried to rush in.
But Xingyun desperately stopped him: "My lord, please don't act rashly!"
"The young lady has been carried out!"
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