Chapter 21
Chapter 21
“Eldest Young Lady Pei, this young lady does not seem willing to cooperate with you!”
When Xing Shuwei did not put brush to paper for so long, a clear voice suddenly rang out from the crowd-
Zhang Mingan was fanning the flames.
The moment she heard that voice, a chill crept down Xing Shuwei’s spine.
“Who asked you to speak?” Pei Xuanfei’s expression darkened.
Zhang Mingan wore a moon-white brocade robe. Even among the gathered young masters, his height and looks were exceptionally striking.
He stood a full six feet one, his hair bound beneath a golden crown that somehow did not appear ostentatious.
His face was sharply defined, with a hint of roguishness that nevertheless held no aggression.
His swordlike brows were jet-black, as were his eyes.
Whenever Xing Shuwei saw those deep, captivating peach-blossom eyes, she felt that even if he were looking at a block of wood, his gaze would appear deeply affectionate.
The equally striking Shen Yanqi stood beside him.
With their arms slung over each other’s shoulders, they truly resembled a pair of scoundrel brothers who cared only for eating, drinking, and pleasure.
Shen Yanqi’s gaze settled on Xing Shuwei without regard for anyone else.
It was her. There could be no mistake.
He could not be mistaken about that faint osmanthus fragrance.
The fabric of her clothes was identical to the scrap he had found in the woods that day.
Sensing his gaze, Xing Shuwei abruptly raised her eyes, and their gazes collided.
Today, she had deliberately worn clothing made from the same fabric she had worn to the Shen family banquet.
Over the past four years, Pei Guofei had given her more than half of the clothes and shoes she usually wore.
She dared wear only the things he gave her.
Because the fabric was not of the finest quality, it did not attract attention.
“I will write now.” Xing Shuwei stared at Shen Yanqi as she accepted Pei Xuanfei’s demand.
“I am honored by everyone’s regard. It is Weiwei’s privilege to contribute to your enjoyment.
“If my calligraphy is unsightly, I hope you will not hesitate to offer guidance.”
As she spoke, she lowered her eyes. The slender fingers of her right hand lightly gathered her sleeve while her left hand wielded the brush and wrote: “The wind and rain are dark as night; the rooster crows without cease. Now that I have seen my noble lord, how could I not rejoice?”
After finishing, she set down the brush and raised her eyes again, looking at Shen Yanqi without the slightest evasion.
The instant their gazes met, Zhang Mingan stepped forward and blocked Shen Yanqi from view.
Shen Yanqi planted a hand on his shoulder as though to shove him aside.
Xing Shuwei lowered her eyes, unwilling to spare Zhang Mingan another glance.
Pei Xuanfei disliked studying, so naturally, she had no idea what Xing Shuwei’s sentence meant.
She only wanted to take the calligraphy to Princess Jin’an as quickly as possible.
Since Zhang Mingan happened to be there today, she would have Princess Jin’an decide the matter and bestow Xing Shuwei upon Zhang Mingan as a concubine.
“Now that… what… not…”
Pei Xuanfei could not recognize all the words Xing Shuwei had written.
Without some grounding in brushwork, this wild cursive truly was difficult to read.
Pei Xuanfei glared at Xing Shuwei and thought, What nonsense did she write?
Forget it. Everyone said her handwriting resembled Eldest Brother’s, so her cursive likely did as well. The resemblance was all that mattered.
She lifted the sheet of rice paper and deliberately showed it to everyone. “What do you all think of this calligraphy? Does it look familiar?”
As Shen Yanqi studied it, conflicting emotions churned within him.
He suddenly looked toward Xing Shuwei and found her clear eyes fixed upon him as well.
Could that line have been written for him?
For no apparent reason, Shen Yanqi’s heart began to beat faster.
Zhang Mingan’s gaze tightened as he scrutinized Xing Shuwei.
He knew this handwriting well.
He jabbed an elbow into Shen Yanqi’s chest. “Don’t you think this handwriting looks familiar?”
Distracted, Shen Yanqi nodded and murmured assent twice.
“Did you even hear what I said? What are you agreeing to?” Zhang Mingan turned to look at him and found an utterly foolish grin plastered across his face.
“Stop looking. She is a distant cousin of the Pei family and a merchant’s daughter. The two of you are destined never to be together in this life,” Zhang Mingan said, pouring cold water on his hopes.
After Zhang Mingan delayed him, Xing Shuwei had already vanished by the time Shen Yanqi looked for her again.
“She may be destined never to be with you, but we are perfectly suited,” Shen Yanqi said. “My family is not a household of princes, marquises, or high ministers. Our marriages do not follow the rules of status and family standing that govern your marquis’s estate.
“The fact that she is a commoner’s daughter makes her perfectly suitable. If she truly were the noble daughter of some great house, matters would become difficult, and I would have to beg the Emperor for special dispensation.”
Service in the Shen family’s Embroidered Uniform Guard was hereditary, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard served as the Emperor’s claws and teeth.
Anyone holding an important post in the Embroidered Uniform Guard was someone the Emperor trusted.
The Embroidered Uniform Guard also controlled part of the capital’s military forces. Given the importance of their position, the Emperor naturally would not allow them to form marriage alliances with great aristocratic clans.
Even Lady Shen had only been able to marry Commander Shen because her father belonged to a newly risen military family that had followed the Emperor to power.
Shen Yanqi looked at Zhang Mingan with a thoughtful smile and said, “She is no simple woman.”
Inwardly, he hoped he might see her once more.
Shen Yanqi pretended to be a scoundrel, but at heart, he understood propriety.
Zhang Mingan was different. He was a genuine scoundrel.
Shen Yanqi would never enter an area reserved for female guests, yet Zhang Mingan came and went freely without regard for anyone.
Whenever people saw him, they scattered as though avoiding the plague.
That made things convenient for him.
On a shaded garden path, he blocked Xing Shuwei’s way. “Have you secretly given me your heart? Have you been unable to stop thinking of me since we parted at the Shen residence? Now that we have finally met again, were you so eager to declare your feelings?”
Xing Shuwei treated him coldly. “I do not understand what the noble heir is saying.”
She moved around him and tried to leave.
Zhang Mingan brushed off his robe. “You had someone deliver me a love token. Why pretend we are strangers when we meet?”
Xing Shuwei froze and lowered her gaze. In his hand was the sachet she had entrusted Princess Jin’an to deliver to Zheng Yan.
How had it ended up with him?
“What exactly do you want?” Xing Shuwei did not wish to offend the Marquis of Qingyuan’s estate, yet Lord Zhang insisted on being so difficult.
Zhang Mingan did not answer. He merely said, “Your handwriting resembles that of an old acquaintance of mine. Who taught you?”
Xing Shuwei thought he was lying.
She considered everything he had ever told her. Most of his words were true, but they were always laced with lies and could not be trusted.
As a child, she had written with her left hand. No matter how her mother taught her, she could not learn to use her right, so eventually, her mother had allowed her to continue.
After she came to the Pei family, Pei Xianjing thought she was illiterate and insisted on teaching her to write with her right hand, stroke by stroke. She learned handwriting identical to Pei Xianjing’s.
When Pei Xuanfei made her write in public just now, Xing Shuwei had feared creating further complications, so she wrote with her left hand, using the script her mother had taught her.
Her mother was a native of Qizhou, and her entire maternal family had died in the chaos of war.
Her maternal family had no conceivable connection to the capital. Zhang Mingan must be lying to trick her.
“My mother taught me,” Xing Shuwei answered crisply.
She held out her hand for the sachet. “Return it to me. It was never meant for you.”
Zhang Mingan concealed the contemplation in his eyes.
He did not return it. Instead, he tucked it into his robes and said flippantly, “Walk through the garden with me. Otherwise, I will hang it from my waist and parade through the streets.
“Once everyone knows, you will have to enter my estate whether you agree or not…”
“Miss Xing.” Someone suddenly called for Xing Shuwei.
Xing Shuwei no longer had time for Zhang Mingan. She quickly put a good distance between them before answering, “I am here. What is it?”
“The Princess and Lady Pei ask you to come over,” said Qingling, Lady Pei’s senior maid.
A palace maid in court dress had accompanied her to summon Xing Shuwei.