Chapter 29
Chapter 29
Xing Shuwei frowned. She was neither accustomed to nor willing to have Zhang Mingan address her so intimately.
But he merely stood there smiling.
The maids tactfully withdrew.
The man before her was an unscrupulous wastrel, quite capable of doing something that would destroy a woman’s reputation.
Xing Shuwei looked toward Pei Guofei, who was choosing flowers in the distance. She was just about to call out to him when she saw him follow Zheng Yan through the archway out of the Peony Garden.
Zhang Mingan chuckled. His slightly upturned eyes remained fixed on her. “You are in such a hurry to leave the Pei family. Have you encountered some difficulty?”
Xing Shuwei clutched her handkerchief, watching him warily.
“Thank you for your concern, noble heir. You worry too much. Everyone in the Duke’s estate treats me extremely well,” Xing Shuwei said.
She never disparaged the Pei family before outsiders.
“But Pei Guofei said you have a difficult life. He also said that for your sake, Pei Xianjing punished Pei Guofei’s mother and sister by sending them to Lady Pei’s court to learn proper behavior, leaving them to spend half the night in the rain.
“They fell seriously ill, yet their lessons could not stop.
“Weiwei, how can getting involved with someone cold-blooded and unfeeling end well for you?”
Xing Shuwei could not tell whether he meant Pei Xianjing or Pei Guofei.
But either way, Zhang Mingan was mistaken.
Pei Guofei had never made things difficult for her.
As for Pei Xianjing, she and Yan’er owed their place in the Pei family to his intervention.
“The noble heir takes such an interest in other people’s affairs. It seems everything has gone smoothly for you lately, and elder and younger brother are treating each other with perfect affection and respect,” Xing Shuwei replied without servility or arrogance.
Far from angering him, her words deepened the smile on his face.
He abruptly leaned closer. “I like that you have a temper.
“I would not like you if you were a dead fish.
“How about we make a bargain?”
“I am insignificant, and I own nothing of value. There is nothing I can do for you.” Xing Shuwei refused without hesitation.
“How do you know you cannot help me?”
As Zhang Mingan spoke, he took another step forward.
Xing Shuwei hurriedly retreated two steps.
He watched her like a cat trapped in a cage, forever poised to flee.
He continued pressing closer, and Xing Shuwei kept backing away.
Only when the backs of her legs struck the pavilion bench did she have nowhere left to go.
Color drained from Xing Shuwei’s face. “You…”
“If you jump into the pond behind you, I will certainly strip off my clothes and dive in to save you.
“Not only will I save you, but I will also shout that you have fallen into the water. By the time everyone rushes over, they will see the two of us, our clothes in disarray… a pair of mandarin ducks frolicking in the pond.”
Zhang Mingan stopped and regarded her at his leisure.
Xing Shuwei ground her teeth.
This lecher!
No matter how Pei Guofei pleaded in the future, she would never again soften and agree to accompany him to the Marquis of Qingyuan’s estate.
At that moment, she decided not to rely on Zheng Yan and the others to recover her family property.
Her property was important, but she could not throw herself into the wolves’ den of the Marquis of Qingyuan’s estate for its sake.
“What bargain do you wish to make with me?” Seeing that he had no intention of moving away, Xing Shuwei had no choice but to feign compromise for now.
Zhang Mingan saw through her at once but did not expose her.
He was certain she had no reason to refuse his terms.
“I can help you recover your family property and quickly secure your younger brother a place in the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
“All you need to do is marry me.
“Whether you become my wife or my concubine will be entirely up to you.”
His offer was tempting indeed.
The wariness that had filled Xing Shuwei’s eyes abruptly vanished, leaving them clear and bright.
The look on her face gave Zhang Mingan the satisfaction of seeing the clouds part to reveal a clear sky, and he stepped back half a pace.
Xing Shuwei steadied herself. “Do you mean it?”
“Naturally,” Zhang Mingan replied.
“And there are no other conditions?” Xing Shuwei asked.
Zhang Mingan paused, then nodded.
Xing Shuwei did not agree at once. Instead, she said, “This concerns my lifelong happiness, and I have neither father nor mother to help me weigh the matter.
“Would the noble heir allow me a few days to think?
“Once I have decided, I will seek you out myself.”
“Caution is only proper. Otherwise, you might make a rash decision, regret it later, and start making endless trouble for me.”
Zhang Mingan assumed an air of deep understanding, as if he were already imagining their future life together.
“Thank you for understanding,” Xing Shuwei said politely.
“You cannot come and go freely in the Pei family. How will you find me?” Zhang Mingan asked.
Xing Shuwei answered without thinking, “I can ask Fourth Brother to deliver a letter to you.”
“No.” Zhang Mingan refused flatly. “He cannot keep a secret.
“You may be special, but not special enough for me to contend with Yanqi over you.”
Fine words indeed. As though scheming in secret did not count as ruining the friendship between good brothers.
Xing Shuwei had said it deliberately. She also knew that Pei Guofei could never keep anything to himself.
She simply did not wish to be trapped here by Zhang Mingan.
Even if such a wastrel could marry a merchant’s daughter as his wife-which he could not-she would still refuse to marry him.
“Then I am at a loss for the moment.
“As you know, I am merely a dependent in the Duke’s estate.
“A single word from any master there could put me to death.
“Why not give me a talisman that will preserve my life?
“Something that will both allow me to leave the estate to see you whenever I wish and overawe the Pei family.”
Xing Shuwei fixed her bright eyes on Zhang Mingan and enunciated every word.
Zhang Mingan asked with an enigmatic smile, “You want Noble Consort Zhang’s token?”
Xing Shuwei’s eyes widened in surprise. “Could I… ask for that?”
Zhang Mingan’s words had indeed caught her off guard.
What she had just said was more a taunt and a probe than anything else.
She had not expected Zhang Mingan to offer Noble Consort Zhang’s token outright.
Naturally, she wanted it!
With Noble Consort Zhang’s token in hand, even Pei Xianjing would likely not dare stop her on the day she left the Duke’s estate.
“Well, you truly have the nerve to ask.” Zhang Mingan dropped his frivolous manner.
“I never held out much hope. If it is difficult, forget it,” Xing Shuwei said frankly.
Zhang Mingan considered for a moment. “It is not especially difficult.
“Someone will simply have to die a little later.
“It makes no difference to me. I will merely have to endure the vexation of hearing and seeing him for longer.”
Xing Shuwei thought of his full brother.
She did not respond and had no interest in why the brothers’ relationship had reached this point.
She said, “Everything will be done according to the noble heir’s rules.”
“Why are you pretending to be virtuous and demure?” Zhang Mingan scoffed.
Xing Shuwei was speechless.
Even this wastrel was so temperamental.
Xing Shuwei smiled and said nothing more.
“Second Master! Second Master!” A maid came hurrying toward them.
Zhang Mingan turned and strode out of the pavilion.
The maid leaned close and whispered something in his ear.
Xing Shuwei heard him say carelessly, “Is that not a good thing?”
Her heart sank.
She thought of Pei Guofei.
This was the Marquis of Qingyuan’s estate. Surely he would not do anything absurd here.
Yet the thought only made her increasingly uneasy.
“Weiwei will not disturb the noble heir while he attends to important business.” She bowed, intending to leave the Marquis of Qingyuan’s estate first and make further plans afterward.