Chapter 8

 

Chengping touched his face and said, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Pei Xiaoyuan did not hide it and frowned: “Chengping, it’s not that I’m being meddlesome, there’s no shortage of beautiful women around you, why do you want to get into another romantic debt?”

Cheng Ping was exposed by his words, smiled, and simply admitted: “To be honest, I do have a good impression of her. Originally, she was your wife-to-be, so of course I didn’t dare to have any disrespectful thoughts, but now that you two have broken off the engagement, and you are not interested in her, I don’t have to worry about it.” After saying this, seeing that his face was still solemn, he continued: “I will tell you the truth again. When I saw Miss Ye yesterday, I don’t know why, I felt that she looked familiar, as if I had seen her somewhere before, but I couldn’t remember where. This must be the so-called fate.” After saying that, he pressed his right hand’s two fingers together and raised them toward the sky, making a vow: “It’s absolutely true! If I talk nonsense, I’ll be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!”

He tried explaining and swearing an oath, but seeing that Pei Xiaoyuan still looked displeased, he laughed, gently tapped his shoulder, and said, “You’ve only been a brother for a day, and you’re already acting so serious? You don’t need to say anything, I know what you think of me. Don’t worry, she’s different from other women, I know not to mess around!”

Pei Xiaoyuan slowly let out the nameless anger that was stuck in his chest.

“Whatever you want to do, I can’t stop you. But I’ll put a word down on you first. I’ve already acknowledged her as a righteous sister, and she’ll be no different from my own sister from now on. Don’t forget your father’s expectations of you. If you dare to treat her the same way you treat other women, don’t blame me for not acknowledging you in the future!”

His tone was very serious. Chengping was actually relieved after hearing this, and told him to rest assured, “I know! Whether I’ll marry a princess or not haven’t been decided. Besides, now it’s just me who’s thinking about it, and I don’t know if she’s willing to give me a good face!”

Pei Xiaoyuan left in a huff, but Chengping didn’t care how dissatisfied he was. He really didn’t leave that day. He found an opportunity to follow Zhu’er to the outside of Miss Ye’s residence and asked Zhu’er to pass a message in, asking her to paint a picture. Zhu’er came out quickly and said that the young lady had replied through the door that she was doing something, and asked the prince to find another painter to avoid delays.

“Just this one sentence?”

“That’s all.”

Although he had a premonition that Miss Ye was not someone who was easy to approach, he was still unwilling to be turned away without even meeting her. However, Chengping was not a barbarian. He was very generous and said loudly towards the inner room: “That’s fine, tell her something for me. Since she is busy, I dare not disturb her. However, my desire to ask for a painting is purely out of admiration. I will go first and visit her again when she is free!”

Chengping waited in vain that day. The next day, it was still in vain. On the third day, she still did not show up. No one knew what she was busy doing in the room, and why she was so focused. According to Zhu’er, she did not even take a step out of the courtyard. Chengping still did not believe it, and waited in vain for another day, and finally gave up in despair. In the evening, he said to Pei Xiaoyuan: “Forget it, it seems that she not only despises you, but also despises me. If I stay for one day, I guess she won’t come out for a day. How can she spend her days in the room all the time? It’s my fault!”

In the past few days, Chengping had been waiting for the beauty. But for Pei Xiaoyuan, because he had been away for some time before, now he was very busy, and even didn’t come back until nightfall today. He didn’t say much after hearing this, and just glanced at him calmly: “Have you thought it through this time? Are you sure you’re leaving tomorrow? You won’t change it again?”

Chengping smiled bitterly: “If I don’t leave now, I’m afraid she will be annoyed, which will be bad.”

Pei Xiaoyuan nodded: “I’ll send you off tomorrow.”

Naturally, he would not make fun of Chengping about this. Chengping was also a straightforward person. He and the woman had only met by chance and only caught a glimpse of her. Why would he be so reluctant to let her go? He just made a few self-deprecating remarks and the matter was over.

Nothing happened that night. The next day, Chengping got up early and, accompanied by Pei Xiaoyuan, went to say goodbye to Pei Ji again.

Whether he was leaving or not, he had been running to Xuyu’s place these days, and Pei Ji had naturally heard about it. But it was a matter between the younger generation and nothing big happened, so he pretended to be deaf and dumb and pretended not to know. After saying goodbye, he stood up to see him off. How could Chengping dare to accept it? He bowed and declined. Pei Ji finally stopped outside the study and asked his nephew to see him off.

Pei Xiaoyuan accompanied Chengping out. As soon as he came out, he ran into Zhu’er walking over and said, “Master Pei! Have you seen Miss Ye? Has she come to the county governor’s place?”

Pei Xiaoyuan stopped and asked: “What’s wrong? Isn’t she in her room?”

Zhu’er shook her head and said that she had followed her instructions a few days ago and not disturbed her. She would take the food outside the door and leave it there, and the young lady would take it herself. But for some reason this morning, the food she had sent over had not been touched. Zhu’er went to knock on the door, but there was no answer. She pushed the door open and found that no one was in the room.

“I just looked for He Amu, and she said she didn’t see her. I thought she came to the county governor’s place!”

Pei Xiaoyuan and Chengping looked at each other, and they turned around and walked quickly to the house. When they arrived outside the residence, He shi was rushing out with a letter in her hand. When she saw Pei Xiaoyuan, she raised it and shouted, “Master, you came at the right time! Zhu’er asked me about Miss Ye just now, so I came over and saw this in her room!”

Pei Xiaoyuan took it and glanced at it. The beautiful small calligraphy on the envelope caught his eye, with the words “To elder Lord Pei” written on it.

He suddenly felt a little uneasy, and without caring who the letter was for, he opened it on the spot. As expected, inside the envelope was a note from her.

“Dear Lord Pei, I am grateful for your kindness and your advice to stay. I should respectfully accept your kind offer and comply with your wishes, but due to reasons I cannot disclose, I am compelled to decline your generosity without expressing my gratitude in person. Please forgive for my impoliteness.

“By the time you read this letter, I will be on my way back to where I came from. When I was young, I travelled extensively with my grandfather, and Inns were like home. I know how to protect myself on the road. Please do not worry about me, and there is no need to search for me, sincerely. I once again thank you deeply for your kindness and bid you farewell.

“Also: I have painted a portrait of you. My clumsy brush cannot express one tenth of your dignity, but I dare to offer it to you to express my gratitude.”

“What did she say?” He shi asked anxiously. Pei Xiaoyuan didn’t have time to answer her. He still held the letter in his hand and ran into the house, went straight into the bedroom, and pushed open the door.

The utensils and bedding in the room were neatly arranged, but the room was empty and no one was there.

His eyes fell on the table and saw a scroll. He walked a few steps closer and spread it along the table. A portrait appeared in front of him. The painting was painted on silk, about five feet long and more than three feet wide. It was a portrait, without any signature, and was outlined with ink and delicately colored. The person in the painting wore a three-beam Jinxian crown, purple clothes, and held a cornered ivory tablet in both hands, slightly raised in front of his chest. The brushwork followed the precision required for a portrait, but was not just restricted to the standard shape, with line flowed skillfuly. The face of the person was thin and elegant, with slightly high cheekbones and a beard on the lower jaw. His eyes were wise and deep, staring straight ahead, with a solemn and kind expression, and exuding a kind of inner majesty. The portrait was lifelike, capturing both the essence and form of the subject.

The person in the painting was Pei Ji.

“What’s going on?”

At this time, Pei Ji also rushed over after hearing the news. He walked quickly forward, saw the portrait of himself spread out on the table, and looked at his nephew.

Pei Xiaoyuan handed over the letter in his hand. Pei Ji glanced at it, his eyes showing anxiety: “Quick! Call Qingtou——”

Pei Xiaoyuan had already headed for the gate before he gave the order. Pei Ji couldn’t wait and turned around to follow. The group hurried to the gatehouse, but Qingtou was still unaware. When asked when Miss Ye left and why he didn’t inform the head of the family, he was at a loss. When he heard that she had left, he panicked and said that he woke up at the fifth watch and saw that the gate was indeed not bolted when he came out. At that time, he thought he forgot to bolt it last night, so he scratched his head and passed by. He didn’t expect that it was Miss Ye who opened the gate and left.

Qingtou knelt on the ground with a sad face, full of regret.

Zhu’er also came, her eyes red as she said, “After returning from seeing County Governor that day, she stayed indoors and told me not to disturb her unless I was called. I didn’t dare go in, but I saw that she seemed to be doing something day and night, but I didn’t know what. Sometimes when I got up in the middle of the night, I saw the candlelight in her room. I was very confused at first, but today I know that Miss Ye was painting a portrait of County Governor for several nights! I guess she left after the portrait was finished!”

He shi was extremely anxious: “You live with Miss Ye! Don’t you have any idea why she left?”

Zhu’er seemed to have suddenly thought of something. She opened her mouth and was about to speak, but when she saw Pei Xiaoyuan, and Chengping who was rushing over to stand behind him, she closed her mouth again.

Although the change in her face was subtle, it did not escape Pei Xiaoyuan’s eyes: “Do you know something?”

Zhu’er avoided his gaze, shook her head and said nothing.

“You know? Hurry up and tell us!” He shi urged.

Zhu’er lowered her head even lower, motionless like a quail.

Pei Xiaoyuan said: “If you know, say it boldly. We won’t blame you no matter what happens.”

Zhu’er bit her lip.

He shi was so anxious that she stamped her feet beside him: “You girl, what time is it? Just say it quickly!”

Zhu’er was frightened and stammered, “I was just guessing…that day…that day…”

She looked at Pei Xiaoyuan again, but ultimately she didn’t dare to say it to his face, so she pulled He shi aside.

This girl was dodging behind his back. He didn’t know what she said to He shi, but she always looked back while talking. He always felt that it was related to him. Pei Xiaoyuan suppressed his temper and waited. He didn’t expect that after He shi finished listening, her expression became strange when she came over.

“What on earth did the girl say?” Pei Ji was also anxious.

He shi glanced at Pei Xiaoyuan.

Pei Ji immediately shouted: “Everyone retreat!”

With just this shout, several servants who had gathered nearby upon hearing the news, along with Qingtou and others, immediately dispersed, leaving only Pei Xiaoyuan and Chengping.

“You two, step back too!”

Pei Ji shouted again without even turning his head.

The important minister who once supported the country was now old and no longer favored by the emperor. He had been away from the court for many years, but his prestige still remained.

Pei Xiaoyuan obeyed immediately. Chengping did not dare to disobey Pei Ji, and followed Pei Xiaoyuan to step back. The two stopped at a distance. He looked at He shi who was talking to Pei Ji beside the screen wall, and said, “It’s fine for me, I’m an outsider. But what’s the matter? Why even you can’t listen?”

Pei Xiaoyuan said nothing, but the looks of the maid and He shi made him feel a little ominous, as if it was involved him.

His premonition was soon proven to be true. Pei Ji walked towards him quickly, said “Follow me” as he passed by him.

Pei Xiaoyuan had no choice but to follow him. He followed Pei Ji to a nearby side hall. As soon as he entered, Pei Ji’s face darkened: “Did you complain to Little Ashina about your marriage with Xuyu the night you came back?”

For many years, his uncle treated him better than his own son. When he spoke to him in the past, he rarely spoke in a loud voice, and it was rare for him to look stern like this.

Pei Xiaoyuan’s heart skipped a beat and he hesitated. Before he could open his mouth, he heard Pei Ji say, “That girl said that the morning after you came back, she accompanied Xuyu to see me. On the way, she met you and Little Ashina. She overheard what Little Ashina said, saying that you only agreed to the marriage reluctantly because of me!

“Yes or no?”

Pei Ji suddenly raised his voice and asked a question, which made Pei Xiaoyuan’s heart skip a beat. He quickly remembered the scene a few days ago when he and Chengping came out of the study and walked in the corridor.

He never expected that she was actually walking towards him at that time and heard the conversation between him and Chengping.

He wanted to argue, but he knew it was futile, as things had already come to this. Moreover, if one looked deeper, it was indeed his fault. If he had been more cautious when he came back that night after learning about the marriage, or if he had shown the joy of a man who was about to get married, how could Chengping have seen through the clues and lead to the subsequent changes?

He fell silent.

If his nephew didn’t argue, then it was true.

Pei Ji was extremely angry for a moment. He looked at his nephew with a frown, and his eyes were full of disappointment. “Xiaoyuan! You started to learn poetry and books at the age of four. Do you not understand that beyond cultivating oneself, one must also cultivate virtue? I thought you were always cautious, but why are you so frivolous? If you really didn’t want to get married, would I force you to nod? How can you agree in front of me and then express your dissatisfaction in front of others? Where do you want to put Xuyu? How is this behavior different from humiliating her? The girl said that she sat alone in the corner of the courtyard for a long time before coming to see me. She must have been very sad, which is why she felt discouraged and found an excuse to break off the engagement, until today when she left a letter. You… you really disappoint me!”

This was a very harsh statement. But think about it. An orphan girl came from afar to get married, only to find out that her future husband treated her like this behind her back and said such things in front of his friend. Anyone with a little self-respect would never stay and humiliate herself.

Pei Xiaoyuan felt extremely regretful and ashamed. He lifted up his clothes and knelt down on the spot, “It’s all my fault! Please forgive me, Uncle. I will go get her back right away to make up for my mistake!”

Pei Ji frowned.

“I will definitely give her an explanation for this matter. She mentioned her destination in the letter she left behind, so she must have returned to her previous home, and she must not have gone far. Please allow me to catch up with her right now, and I will explain and admit my mistakes to her. As long as she is willing to come back, I will do anything!”

“Go now!”

“Yes!”

Pei Xiaoyuan hurriedly stood up, turned around and was about to leave, when he suddenly heard Pei Ji’s voice behind him again.

“Be sure to bring her back!”

He stopped and turned around.

“Ye Zhongli… afraid he won’t come back, that’s why he sent his granddaughter to me.”

Pei Ji looked at his nephew and spoke word by word with a serious tone.

Pei Xiaoyuan understood what he meant, nodded, turned around and walked away quickly.

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