Chapter 31: Why Is It So Hard To Marry A Wife?
Pei Wenxuan looked at Li Rong, remaining silent for a long time. Li Rong couldn’t help but smile, “You’re always talkative. Why not share a few comments now?”
Pei Wenxuan held the tablet in both hands, naturally hanging in front of him, and chuckled with his head lowered. Li Rong raised an eyebrow, “What’s so amusing?”
“Your Highness,” Pei Wenxuan looked at her with a smile, “after all these years, you’re still quite adorable.”
Li Rong was a bit puzzled. Just then, the eunuch’s summoning voice echoed in the hall, “Announcement! Princess Rong, Pei Wenxuan, enter the hall—”
Upon hearing the summons, both of them immediately composed themselves, exchanged a glance, and then entered the hall one after the other.
In the hall, consort Ning, Yang Quan’s father, and the head of the Yang family, Yang Lie, knelt on the ground together. Li Ming sat on the high seat, watching as the two entered. Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan did not glance around and knelt beside consort Ning, paying their respects to Li Ming.
“Rong,” Li Ming let them rise, speaking calmly, “you were appointed to oversee the Yang family case. How did your investigation go?”
Li Ming’s question made Li Rong hesitant to answer too thoroughly. Being too thorough and intelligent, she was afraid that it would raise suspicions from Li Ming. So, Li Rong smiled and lightly coughed before saying, “This matter is handled with the assistance of Lord Pei, he is eloquent, while I am not so skilled in speech. Let Lord Pei explain.”
“Lord Pei Wenxuan.”
“Here.”
Pei Wenxuan stepped forward, and Li Ming looked at the young official standing before him, slowly asking, “Some time ago, you were accused of murdering the wealthy merchant Taibai Yan. Recently, Taibai Yan is alive again and has come to Shuntian Prefecture to file a complaint, stating that the Yang family sent people to assassinate him. Are you aware of this?”
“Reporting to Your Majesty,” Pei Wenxuan respectfully said, “I request your permission to provide a detailed explanation.”
“Go ahead.”
“Two months ago, Princess Rong set up a spring feast in the suburban villa. Yang Quan wanted to marry princess, so he ambushed on the way back to the palace, intending to play the hero and save the victim to deceive the princess. On my way back home, I sensed Yang Quan’s intention, clashed with him in an attempt to save the princess, and was later saved by crown prince. The crown prince took both me and the princess back to the palace. In the audience with His Majesty, he sympathized with my shock and specially sent people to escort me back home. Unexpectedly, Yang Quan, bearing a grudge for disrupting his plan, dared to set an ambush to assassinate me on my way back home. In my desperate situation, I accidentally killed young master Yang.”
“Upon learning of Yang Quan’s audacious actions, His Majesty appointed princess Rong as the main interrogator, with my assistance and minister Su overseeing the investigation. We jointly investigated the Yang family. During the investigation, I received secret letters exposing the Yang family’s actions in the northwest, accusing them of colluding with a barbarian nation for many years, betraying the country.”
“You’re talking nonsense!”
Upon hearing this, Yang Lie roared at Pei Wenxuan, who remained composed. Li Rong stood to the side, smiling with her fan in hand, watching as Pei Wenxuan continued in a calm voice, “According to this person, the Rong Nation is bitterly cold, and their weapons are still mostly made of bronze, of poor quality. Yang family, to secure their own position, reached an agreement with them. Every autumn, the Rong Nation would send troops to invade, and after obtaining what Yang family needed in terms of soldiers and provisions, they would split the spoils, pretending it was a war. All the victories over the years were just the enemy paying money, cooperating with the Yang family’s act…”
“You impudent child!”
Yang Lie, agitated, stood up, and Li Rong, seeing Yang Lie’s movement, tightened her grip on her golden fan, sternly commanding, “Kneel down!”
Her forceful command shocked Yang Lie, bringing him to partial sobriety. He gritted his teeth and knelt down again. Pei Wenxuan glanced at him indifferently and continued, “Although this is just one side of the story, given the circulating rumors, I naturally had to verify. I heard there is an out-of-town merchant named Taibai Yan in Hua Jing, who has made several purchases of cultural relics from the Yang family. So, I consulted with the princess and together we investigated this Taibai Yan. In Taibai Yan’s residence, I secretly took the account books related to transactions with the Yang family. It turns out that over the years, the Yang family has received a considerable amount of money just from Taibai Yan. The antique items sold to Taibai Yan by the Yang family were priced far beyond the normal rates, clearly not ordinary transactions. Following the leads, I checked with the Ministry of War, cross-referenced all the account books and transactions, and questioned relevant individuals.”
“Perhaps this matter reached the ears of consort Ning,” Pei Wenxuan looked at consort Ning, who knelt on the ground with an unchanged expression. Turning his head away, Pei Wenxuan continued, “To eliminate evidence, they tried to kill Taibai Yan and framed me and princess Rong. Simultaneously, Yang Lie, upon learning that his family members were trapped, plotted the killing of the frontline commander, then submitted a resignation, threatening Your Majesty.”
“Your Majesty,” Pei Wenxuan raised his head with a serious expression, “now that the accounts of the Northwestern Frontline for the past ten years, the Ministry of War records, and Taibai Yan’s account books in the Yang family’s possession have all been cross-verified, the money that flowed from Taibai Yan to the Yang family matches the timing and amounts in the records of the Ministry of War and the frontline. Combined with the testimony of Taibai Yan and others, it is enough to prove that the Yang family has been enriching themselves at the border.”
“Why do they have so much money? Why are there a large number of weapons from our Great Xia in the reports from the frontlines of the Rong Nation’s attacks? All the evidence points to the credibility of the initial informant.”
“The actions of the Yang family, deceiving the emperor, violating laws, harming the country and the people, disrespecting the emperor and disregarding the people, colluding with the enemy to deceive our Great Xia. Your Majesty,” Pei Wenxuan knelt down and kowtowed, “for such heinous crimes, the Yang family must not be spared!”
After Pei Wenxuan finished speaking, the entire court, both civil and military officials, were astonished. They stared dumbfoundedly at the kneeling Yang Lie and consort Ning. After a long while, Li Ming spoke up, “Yang Lie, do you have anything to say?”
Kneeling on the ground, Yang Lie kept his head lowered. After a long silence, he sneered, “Whatever His Majesty says is the truth.”
“Consort Ning,” Li Ming turned to consort Ning, calmly asking, “And you?”
Listening to Li Ming’s words, consort Ning raised her hand, supporting her knee, and gracefully stood up.
“At this point, what’s the point of Your Majesty asking all these questions?”
Consort Ning raised her head and looked at Li Ming, saying, “The crimes committed by the Yang family, aren’t they all at the behest of Your Majesty? When Your Majesty needed the Yang family, they fought on the border, battling for half their lives. Now that Your Majesty deems the Yang family a hindrance and wants to support the young prince, suddenly the Yang family is accused of treason, deceiving the emperor, and violating laws. Ha… ” Consort Ning burst into laughter. “How amusing, extremely amusing!”
“Consort Ning!” Li Ming shouted sternly, “You dare to be so insolent!”
“Am I insolent?!” Consort Ning pointed at Li Ming, shouting loudly, “Your Li family has pushed me to this point, and I’m not allowed to be insolent?! Let me tell you,” Consort Ning turned to the courtiers, “the situation of my Yang family today is the future fate of all of you…”
“Seize her!” Li Ming ordered coldly, “Drag this madwoman out.”
Soldiers immediately rushed forward to pull consort Ning away.
Being from a noble family, consort Ning struggled fiercely, and for a moment, they couldn’t drag her out. While pushing away the soldiers, she lunged towards Li Rong. “Li Rong, you fool! He has long wanted to depose Li Chuan! None of the men he arranged for you to marry are good! He wishes to send you away in a political marriage, letting you die outside. Yet, you still respect and love him… The Li family deserves to die! Deserves to die!”
As the soldiers continued to tug at consort Ning, she seemed as if she were fighting for her life, making her way towards Li Rong with determination.
Pei Wenxuan left no trace and stood in front of Li Rong. Li Rong quietly watched the consort Ning, her expression calm as death. Consort Ning roared and screamed until, at the moment she pulled out the golden hairpin from her head, Li Ming shouted, “Kill her!”
The sword pierced through the consort Ning’s body, and in that moment, Pei Wenxuan instinctively raised his hand to shield Li Rong’s eyes.
Blood splattered on Pei Wenxuan’s sleeve as he blocked in front of Li Rong. Li Rong held a golden fan in her hand, lowered her gaze, and remained indifferent.
Her eyes could see the consort Ning’s blood spreading across the hall, extending all the way to her.
Then she heard the sound of someone dragging the consort Ning out. Suddenly, she spoke, “Wait.”
Everyone looked at her as she used the golden fan to press down on Pei Wenxuan’s hand in front of his eyes. She calmly said, watching the consort Ning being dragged out like a pig or a dog, “A noble family should not be disgraced. Bring a stretcher and a white cloth, carry her out properly.”
With that, she took off her outer garment and walked to the front of the consort Ning, covering her with it.
After a moment, people outside brought a stretcher, lifted the consort Ning onto it, covered her with a white cloth, and carried her away.
Pei Wenxuan walked behind Li Rong, looked at Yang Lie, and asked, “General Yang, do you confess?”
Yang Lie lifted his head, silently looking at Li Rong with clouded eyes. After a long while, he bowed down and said hoarsely, “This humble subject admits guilt.”
The phrase “this humble subject admits guilt” announced the complete end of the Yang family.
After a brief pause, Li Ming, somewhat weary, said, “Take them away. The next matters will be handed over to the Ministry of Justice. Detain the entire Yang family. In consideration of their ancestors’ contributions to the court, leave a complete corpse and grant them poison.”
“This humble subject…” Yang Lie trembled as he spoke, “Thanks to Your Majesty.”
After Yang Lie confessed, he was taken away. Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan also retreated together. When they reached the door, Yang Lie staggered, and Pei Wenxuan reached out to support him. Yang Lie raised his head, quietly looking at the young man who had placed his entire family in a life-threatening situation.
“Do you know what you are doing?”
He spoke hoarsely, “Young man, wielding a knife is not that easy.”
Pei Wenxuan remained calm. He looked at Yang Lie and asked, “General Yang, do you know what you are doing?”
Yang Lie was somewhat puzzled, and Pei Wenxuan supported him as they walked out. He said lightly, “I have read general Yang’s poems from his youth. General Yang once wrote, ‘Leading the troops with a white horse and a sword to the north, sweeping through the heavenly passes to repay the country’s grace.’ Do you remember, General?”
Yang Lie’s expression became vague. After a moment, he smiled bitterly, “Unexpectedly, someone still remembers those.”
“Young and ambitious, why not continue?” Pei Wenxuan looked at him, and Yang Lie shook his head, “One person can’t clean up the muddy pool.”
“Officials protect each other, relationships are intricate. Master Pei comes from a prestigious family and should understand these principles better than I do. Youthful aspirations soar high, but in the end, one will always discover that the words of the elders are always right.”
Yang Lie chuckled lightly and patted Pei Wenxuan’s shoulder.
“Master Pei, stop here.”
With that, Yang Lie turned around, carrying iron chains in his hands, walking slowly and steadily.
“One day, master Pei will understand the meaning of an old man.”
Pei Wenxuan remained silent. His hands were clasped in his sleeves as he stood on the long steps, quietly watching Yang Lie walk away.
Li Rong stood beside Pei Wenxuan and whispered, “Why ask these questions to someone about to die?”
“A person about to die,” Pei Wenxuan calmly said, “will only tell you why he is dying. And you will later understand how not to die because of it and how not to let others die because of it.”
“Do you not understand his words earlier?” Li Rong chuckled softly, “Lived for fifty years, lived in vain?”
Upon hearing this, Pei Wenxuan also smiled, “I won’t hide it from the princess. Despite living for fifty years, I indeed did not understand his words.”
“Lies,” Li Rong immediately said, “If you don’t understand these things, why compete with me for the throne? When you were young, you said you wanted the common people to live better, but in the end, it was all about personal power, contending with me.”
Upon hearing this, Pei Wenxuan fell into silent contemplation. He wanted to explain, but he knew that his explanations were not something Li Rong should know.
Li Rong could never comprehend his ambitions, his aspirations, and his almost naive ideas because she was born in a high position. She had never walked through fields, seen mountains and rivers, made friends among the common people in Luzhou, or witnessed the hardships of the people.
Maintaining orthodoxy and stability was Li Rong’s faith. But he knew deep down that if this faith were to persist, the end of Daxia was already foreseeable.
However, these were words he couldn’t utter, and Li Rong couldn’t understand.
Seeing his silence, Li Rong thought she had touched a sore spot. Feeling that she might have spoken too harshly, she walked alongside him, tapping her palm with the fan, trying to salvage the conversation, “But everyone is like this. Didn’t I think about these things when I was young? You’re still afraid of me seeing blood today, but I’ve seen much more…”
“Li Rong,” Pei Wenxuan suddenly interrupted her. His expression showed neither joy nor anger. Li Rong turned to look at him, and he continued, “Every time you see blood, your left hand trembles.”
Li Rong slowly composed herself. Pei Wenxuan went on, “You always tell me that you and people like Su Rongqing are not sincere, that you are selfish. However, not everyone can, on the court, out of compassion and at the risk of their own safety, give a piece of clothing to a dead person.”
“Words spoken may not be true,” they reached the palace gate, and Pei Wenxuan stopped, turning to her, “and some words, even if said as a joke, may not be false.”
“For example?”
Li Rong asked directly. Pei Wenxuan looked at her, and after a long while, he suddenly said, “After leaving the palace this time, it may be difficult to see each other again before the wedding. During this short period, I plan to rebuild the previous information network, and I need some money.”
Li Rong: “…”
“I really want to know,” Li Rong looked at Pei Wenxuan with admiration, “how you can be so adept at asking women for money?”
“Because the money you gave me today, I can repay it twice as much in the future,” Pei Wenxuan smiled confidently, “Would you like to consider doing this business?”
In the previous life, Pei Wenxuan’s dark web was even stronger than Li Chuan’s. He had a system of his own establishment to ensure its efficiency. Many information channels of Li Rong had to go through him. The dark web was accompanied by various major businesses, ensuring Li Rong a worry-free life. It can be said that a large part of her wealth came from the money she invested in Pei Wenxuan in the early days.
Such a profitable and risk-free business, anyone not doing it would be a fool.
Li Rong was not a fool, so she handed her token to Pei Wenxuan and said, “If there’s anything, go to the Princess’s Mansion and find the steward. But I must make it clear to you, I don’t have much money now, just this little bit of assets. Don’t mess around.”
“It seems that Princess Shang isn’t that advantageous,” Pei Wenxuan took the token, showing a disdainful expression, “I wonder if other princesses might have more money…”
“Give it back to me!”
Li Rong reached out to grab the token, but Pei Wenxuan held it behind him, using his other hand to stop Li Rong, saying, “Watch your manners, Your Highness. I know I have a charming appearance, but don’t molest me.”
“Pei Wenxuan,” Li Rong was almost amused by him, “You have no shame!”
Pei Wenxuan raised an eyebrow and smiled with a sense of satisfaction. Then he turned his head and walked towards the palace gate, saying, “Princess, this is far enough. I’ll take my leave.”
“Who said you could leave! You used one of my coins, and you have to account for it! I will audit you!” Li Rong wished she could tear him apart, but with people around, she couldn’t be too harsh. After shouting with great momentum, she felt a bit relieved, turned around, and was about to leave. Suddenly, Pei Wenxuan stopped her and said, “Oh, by the way,”
Li Rong turned back, looking at the young man in front of the palace gate. He stopped and looked at her, suddenly raising his eyebrows with a smile, “If there’s another time, I’ll still cover your eyes.”
Li Rong was stunned.
“For a girl,” Pei Wenxuan’s eyes carried an indescribable tenderness, like a warm breeze in summer, gently wrapping around her. He lowered his voice, speaking gently, “It’s always good to have someone protecting you.”
After saying this, Pei Wenxuan really didn’t turn back. He walked out of the palace gate.
Li Rong quietly watched his figure. For a brief moment, she actually felt that even though they had known each other for over thirty years, she seemed to have never truly understood what kind of person Pei Wenxuan really was.
In the previous life, Pei Wenxuan’s dark web was even stronger than Li Chuan’s. He had a system of his own establishment to ensure its efficiency. Many information channels of Li Rong had to go through him. The dark web was accompanied by various major businesses, ensuring Li Rong a worry-free life. It can be said that a large part of her wealth came from the money she invested in Pei Wenxuan in the early days.
Such a profitable and risk-free business, anyone not doing it would be a fool.
Li Rong was not a fool, so she handed her token to Pei Wenxuan and said, “If there’s anything, go to the princess’s mansion and find the steward. But I must make it clear to you, I don’t have much money now, just this little bit of assets. Don’t mess around.”
“It seems that princess Rong isn’t that advantageous,” Pei Wenxuan took the token, showing a disdainful expression, “I wonder if other princesses might have more money…”
“Give it back to me!”
Li Rong reached out to grab the token, but Pei Wenxuan held it behind him, using his other hand to stop Li Rong, saying, “Watch your manners, Your Highness. I know I have a charming appearance, but don’t molest me.”
“Pei Wenxuan,” Li Rong was almost amused by him, “You have no shame!”
Pei Wenxuan raised an eyebrow and smiled with a sense of satisfaction. Then he turned his head and walked towards the palace gate, saying, “Princess, this is far enough. I’ll take my leave.”
“Who said you could leave! You used one of my coins, and you have to account for it! I will audit you!” Li Rong wished she could tear him apart, but with people around, she couldn’t be too harsh. After shouting with great momentum, she felt a bit relieved, turned around, and was about to leave. Suddenly, Pei Wenxuan stopped her and said, “Oh, by the way,”
Li Rong turned back, looking at the young man in front of the palace gate. He stopped and looked at her, suddenly raising his eyebrows with a smile, “If there’s another time, I’ll still cover your eyes.”
Li Rong was stunned.
“For a girl,” Pei Wenxuan’s eyes carried an indescribable tenderness, like a warm breeze in summer, gently wrapping around her. He lowered his voice, speaking gently, “It’s always good to have someone protecting you.”
After saying this, Pei Wenxuan really didn’t turn back. He walked out of the palace gate.
Li Rong quietly watched his figure. For a brief moment, she actually felt that even though they had known each other for over thirty years, she seemed to have never truly understood what kind of person Pei Wenxuan really was.
She was lost in thought for a moment, then heard Jinglan beside her say, “Your Highness, it seems that His Majesty has finished morning court.”
Upon hearing this, Li Rong snapped back to reality, organized her thoughts, and turned around, saying, “Go and inform His Majesty.”
Li Rong had someone notify Li Ming and then hurried over to have a meal with him.
Li Ming had just finished morning court, changed into casual attire, and was wiping his hands with a handkerchief when he received the report that Li Rong had arrived. He smiled and asked to bring her in. After Li Rong saluted him, Li Ming looked her up and down, smiling, “You’ve lost weight.”
“That place is simply unbearable,” Li Rong said unhappily, “How could I not lose weight?”
“Oh, really,” Li Ming tossed the hot handkerchief back into the basin and walked to the dining table, “Blaming Us?”
“Not really,” Li Rong sighed, “It’s just that the Yang family is too overbearing. Father, you have your difficulties, and I understand.”
“You understand that too?” Li Ming laughed, inviting her to sit down, “You’ve grown up.”
“What’s there not to understand?” Li Rong sat down, “As soon as Pei Wenxuan mentioned it, I understood.”
Li Ming, upon hearing Li Rong mention Pei Wenxuan, couldn’t help but look at her more closely. “I heard you were imprisoned together with him?”
“Yes,” Li Rong picked up her chopsticks casually, “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known anyone. I would have been so scared at night with no one to accompany me.”
“You’ve been together for quite some time now.” Li Ming picked up a piece of fish that eunuchs had removed the bones from and spoke slowly, “What do you think of him?”
“Huh?” Li Rong, upon hearing this, suddenly became a bit stiff, a hint of awkwardness flashed across her face. She whispered, “Just… he’s okay.”
“What does ‘okay’ mean?” Li Ming, looking at Li Rong’s expression, had a guess and chuckled, “We gave you four candidates, Yang Quan is gone, you still have to choose one, right?”
“Well…” Li Rong blushed, “Well… he’s quite good.”
Li Ming rarely saw Li Rong acting so coy and couldn’t help but laugh out loud, “Since when did our Rong become so unclear in her speech? If that Pei family lad doesn’t suit you, then how about Cui Yulang or Master Ning? You can choose one.”
“I didn’t say he doesn’t suit me.”
Li Rong became anxious and quickly said, “Master Pei is quite good.”
“At least that’s the truth,” Li Ming raised his chopsticks to pick up some food, smiling, “No one has been able to control you for so many years. This Pei lad does have some ability. How did he talk to you? After I imprisoned you, didn’t he come crying and scolding me?”
“He told me that Your Majesty loves me and would definitely help me. He believed that there must be difficulties for you, otherwise, you wouldn’t treat me this way. With father and daughter united in heart, I stand by Your Majesty forever. I am always Your Majesty’s daughter.”
“He’s not entirely wrong about this.” Li Ming sighed, “This time you went to jail, you’ve grown up a lot. And what about your mother? Did she visit you?”
Hearing Li Ming’s words, Li Rong suddenly showed a look of disappointment. “She… she must also have her difficulties.”
Li Ming chuckled, “Indeed, she has her difficulties. While you were in prison, she didn’t care about you at all. Every day, she came to argue with me on behalf of Chuan, never mentioning you.”
As Li Rong listened, her eyes turned red. Li Ming stopped eating for a moment, and after a while, he slowly said, “With father around, there’s no need for you to be sad. Today, I didn’t announce the marriage between you and Pei Wenxuan in the court because I thought it might not be appropriate with all the emotions. Later, I’ll have someone deliver the imperial edict to the Pei residence. After you get married and move into the princess’s Mansion, you won’t have to worry about the affairs in the palace.”
“Can’t I continue to live in the palace in the future?”
Li Rong lifted her head, looking at Li Ming with teary eyes. Li Ming smiled helplessly, “Where is there a princess who always lives in the palace? After you get married, live a good life with Pei Wenxuan.”
Li Rong lowered her head again, looking somewhat saddened. Li Ming paused with his chopsticks, then said, “Ah, enough of crying during the meal. Let’s not talk about this. Cheer up. Let’s discuss some details about your wedding. I plan to set the wedding date on the third day of next month. What do you think?”
“Listen to father emperor.”
Li Rong sniffed and said, “Hasn’t my marriage been discussed long ago? The matter with the Yang family delayed it for two months, and the Ministry of Rites just let it go?”
“Don’t blame them.” Li Ming smiled, “The Ministry of Rites not only takes care of it but also prepared two sets of wedding dresses for you to choose from.”
“Really?”
Talking about clothes, Li Rong’s eyes lit up. Li Ming saw her acting like a child and couldn’t help but laugh. “Daughter, can I lie to you?”
Li Rong became happy, discussing the wedding process with Li Ming as if she were an eighteen-year-old girl, sticking to her father and talking about trivial matters. After finishing the meal, both father and daughter were in a good mood. Li Rong escorted Li Ming to the study, and before leaving, Li Ming suddenly remembered, “Why did you dress up consort Ning like that today? Aren’t you afraid of blood?”
“Why not be afraid?” Li Rong smiled, “But I am a princess, I can’t let people laugh at me. consort Ning… I have interacted with her before,” Li Rong sighed, “looking at her, it’s pitiful.”
“You,” Li Ming pointed at her with some regret, “are too soft-hearted. Alright, go back. Fulai,” he turned to the eunuch beside him, “have the Ministry of Rites send both sets of wedding dresses to the princess for her to choose. If the princess has any requests, add them. My princess’s wedding,” Li Ming patted Fulai’s shoulder, “don’t mess it up.”
After hearing this, Fulai bowed and respectfully sent Li Ming into the study. Then he turned to Li Rong and smiled, “Your Highness, see how much His Majesty cares about you.”
“Of course,” Li Rong smiled, quite proud, “I am father emperor’s most beloved daughter.”
With that, Li Rong waved her hand, “I’ll go back first, Fulai, you don’t need to accompany me.”
“Escort Your Highness.”
Fulai bowed, showing respect.
After discussing the marriage with Li Ming, Li Rong returned to the imperial palace yawning. At the same time, Pei Wenxuan also arrived at his own home.
He had just been released from prison in the morning and had informed Tong Yezhan to come pick him up after court. After court, he avoided the carriages of other elders from the Pei family and waited for Tong Yezhan to come get him.
Tong Yezhan brought an old carriage over, complaining, “Young Master, don’t mind the shabby carriage. We didn’t return the one we borrowed from the yard last time, and the old lady in charge of the carriages asks me for money every day. You’ve been away for so long, and I don’t have the money to pay her. She said if we don’t pay, she won’t let us use the carriage anymore. It’s good that we could borrow one today.”
Pei Wenxuan sat in the carriage with his eyes closed, indifferent to these trivial matters. Seeing him silent, Tong Yezhan sighed and said, “These old servants are just bullying us. Look at the young masters in the second and third masters’ yards; who would be harassed over a carriage? But, young master, when will you receive your monthly salary? We need to return the carriage money soon, or you won’t be able to attend court tomorrow.”
“I’ll have money after changing into a new set of clothes.”
By changing into new clothes, he meant going to the princess’s residence to get money. With Li Rong’s money, he planned to buy himself a carriage. He couldn’t buy an expensive one; if Li Rong found out, she might scold him for extravagance. He decided to buy a random one for now and, when he had enough money, replace it with a better one.
Pei Wenxuan calculated earnestly, and Tong Yezhan, hearing his words, became quite worried, feeling that Pei Wenxuan might have experienced some shock in prison.
When Pei Wenxuan arrived at the Pei residence and entered, walking through the corridors to reach his courtyard, he sensed that something was wrong. He vaguely saw a crowd of people gathered in his courtyard, and he immediately felt uneasy. He began to analyze who could be waiting for him in his courtyard.
There were only two groups of people who could bring a crowd to wait for him at the Pei residence: either his mother or his second and third uncles.
Both groups, regardless of who they were, probably wanted to prevent him from marrying Li Rong. His mother had never liked the idea of him marrying princess Rong, but she had no choice but to accept it. Now that the imperial decree for the marriage had not been issued, it was entirely possible that his mother had come to “rectify the situation.”
If it was his second or third uncle, they would also dislike him marrying the princess, as it would mean he had a powerful support and would be less under the control of the Pei family.
Thinking about these people trying to disrupt his wedding, he felt annoyed.
Although marrying Li Rong was a forced decision, it had become his goal. He killed Yang Quan and ruined the Yang family for the sake of marrying Li Rong. Now, someone was trying to stop him?
Feeling irritated at the thought of interference in his marriage, he shook his sleeves and strode forward. With a low shout, he said, “Why is it so difficult to marry a wife?”
Tong Yezhan was a bit confused, then he saw Pei Wenxuan holding a ceremonial tablet, his face cold, as he entered the small courtyard. He glanced at the servants waiting for him and sternly asked, “What are you doing here? Who gave you permission to enter?”
Pei Wenxuan was ready; anyone who dared to interfere with his marriage today would face the consequences, and he intended to use these servants to make a point.
Unexpectedly, a plump woman at the forefront approached Pei Wenxuan, greeted him, and respectfully said, “Eldest young master, it has been almost two months since eldest young master borrowed the carriage. Upon hearing that eldest young master returned today, we specially waited here for you.”
“Why are you waiting for me?” Pei Wenxuan frowned, sensing that something was not right.
The woman smiled gently, “It has been nearly two months since eldest young master borrowed that carriage. The account hasn’t been settled yet. Originally, one carriage might not be a big deal, but after all, it’s a family’s property. It’s necessary to establish some rules in everything. Please don’t think that this old servant is making things difficult for you. Would you like to settle the account with money, or return the carriage?”
Pei Wenxuan: “…”
Pei Wenxuan remained silent for a moment, adjusted his emotions, and calmly asked, “How much?”
The woman raised two fingers, “Two hundred taels.”
His monthly salary, excluding additional subsidies for food and fabric, was only two taels. Well, he was certain—
He couldn’t afford it.
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