Chapter 49
Chapter 49
The day was overcast, the air heavy with mist.
Looking up, one saw a murky, oppressive sky that seemed liable to collapse at any moment.
Zhenxi Hall.
Pei Xianjing wore white military attire and held a longsword.
Shen Yanqi and Zhang Mingan stood before and behind him, one gripping an Embroidered Spring Saber and the other a long spear.
“Although the Eldest Young Master hasn’t picked up a sword in four years, he still cuts a heroic figure the moment he steps onto the field.”
“Exactly. When the Eldest Young Master trained at Zhenxi Hall, he could hardly find a worthy opponent. Even the instructors admitted themselves inferior!
“The Eldest Young Master may prefer the sword, but the weapon he excels at most is actually the long spear in Lord Zhang’s hands.”
“The Eldest Young Master once aspired to become a frontier general. Later, the court had greater need of his talent for governing, so he took the imperial examinations instead.”
“That’s right. Who would have imagined it? The Eldest Young Master trained at Zhenxi Hall from childhood, never stopping for a single day, no matter the wind or rain.
“Everyone called him a naturally gifted martial prodigy. Yet when he sat the imperial examinations, he even surpassed scholars who had studied for decades.
“He won the highest honors in a single attempt!”
Every student at Zhenxi Hall longed to become someone like Pei Xianjing, equally accomplished in letters and arms.
“Seventh Young Master Shen must be highly skilled to serve as Deputy Commissioner of the Northern Pacification Office. Can the Eldest Young Master manage two opponents at once?”
“It’s only a spar. They aren’t fighting to the death or aiming every strike to kill.”
The words had barely left the crowd when the three men began exchanging blows.
Yet none of them held back. Every move drove straight toward a fatal point.
Even with Shen Yanqi and Zhang Mingan joining forces, they could not get close to Pei Xianjing.
After only a few moves, Zhang Mingan was the first to fall at a disadvantage.
He was a shameless scoundrel and had no fear of losing face.
He simply slammed his long spear viciously toward Pei Xianjing. “You’re bullying me. I quit.”
With a clang, Pei Xianjing sidestepped, and the long spear struck the ground.
Shen Yanqi exchanged a glance with Zhang Mingan and sheathed his Embroidered Spring Saber as well.
He bowed with cupped fists to Pei Xianjing. “Thank you for your instruction, Lord Pei.”
If the fight continued, both of them would receive a harsh lesson.
Even together, he and Zhang Mingan were no match for Pei Xianjing.
Seeing this, Pei Xianjing also sheathed his sword. “And thank you both for your instruction.”
He tossed the sword to Chengde below the platform, and Chengde caught it steadily.
Pei Xianjing walked toward Zhang Mingan and extended a hand.
Zhang Mingan smiled and reached up to take it, murmuring, “You truly wanted to kill me. I’m terrified.”
Pei Xianjing hauled him forcefully from the ground. “As host, I invite you both to my estate for a talk.
“Surely neither of you will deny me this courtesy?”
He released Zhang Mingan and looked toward Shen Yanqi.
Shen Yanqi could not refuse. Before he attended, his father had warned him that if the Pei family was willing to show them respect, the Shen family could not spurn it.
Pei Congxian and Pei Xianjing were on the verge of becoming two grand secretaries from a single household.
Now Pei Xianjing had even become Imperial Tutor to the Eleventh Prince.
It would not be long before he became tutor to the heir apparent…
Shen Yanqi said, “It is my honor that Lord Pei is willing to favor me with an invitation.”
Zhang Mingan, however, refused. “I’ve always been sickly, and today has exhausted me. I won’t join the excitement.”
Shen Yanqi knew that if Zhang Mingan did not go today, this matter would not be over.
Without waiting for Pei Xianjing to speak, he stepped forward and wrapped an arm around Zhang Mingan’s shoulders. “Come with me. I want to go.”
Zhang Mingan tried to fling his arm away, only for Shen Yanqi to clamp down hard around his neck, denying him even the chance to speak.
Shen Yanqi dragged him from the platform, stuffed him directly into a carriage, and set off for the Duke’s estate.
“Have you lost your mind? The two of us just joined forces to trip him up. How could anything good come of his inviting us over now?” Zhang Mingan dropped his usual dissolute air.
“Didn’t you see that he truly wanted to kill us during the spar?”
Shen Yanqi corrected him coldly, “You tripped him up. Don’t drag me into it.”
Still unable to suppress his anger, he punched Zhang Mingan in the back. “You only told me you would hire a killer, frame someone else, and make sure none of it implicated us.
“You never said the person you meant to frame was Miss Xing, or that Pei Xianjing would ultimately be drawn into it.
“What a brilliant scheme. You even schemed against me.”
Zhang Mingan’s expression turned serious. “I wanted you to see clearly and stop provoking Xing Shuwei.
“He’s willing to go this far for that woman. Do you truly think he doesn’t care about her?
“If I hadn’t charged ahead for you and made you see the truth, you would have been the one he wanted to kill today.”
Shen Yanqi lowered his eyes without a word.
Zhang Mingan stared at him. “She isn’t a suitable match for you, and you cannot protect her. Stop thinking about her.”
He wanted to marry Xing Shuwei, but he did not want to lose Shen Yanqi, his good friend.
He had indeed used Shen Yanqi, but that did not mean he did not care about him.
* * *
A banquet had been laid in Qiansheng Pavilion.
After bringing Zhang Mingan and Shen Yanqi inside, Chengde asked them to wait in the courtyard.
Pei Xianjing entered the bedchamber.
“Brother Jing.” Xing Shuwei hurried forward to greet him.
The banquet was ready, and she had intended to leave, but Gao Li stopped her.
Gao Li said Pei Xianjing had instructed Xing Shuwei to wait in the bedchamber.
Not only that, he had also ordered her to change into clothes far above her station.
Xing Shuwei vaguely sensed something unusual. She was just looking for a chance to slip away when, unexpectedly, Pei Xianjing returned so quickly.
“Undress me.” Standing before the window overlooking the courtyard, Pei Xianjing spread his arms.
“I’ll summon Gao Li.” Xing Shuwei moved to leave as she spoke.
Pei Xianjing said coldly, “I never call a maid for such personal service.”
Indeed, in the four years since Xing Shuwei entered the estate, she had never seen a maid personally attend Pei Xianjing.
He was a noble gentleman, openhearted and pure, a luminous moon in the heavens untouched by mortal dust. That had once been Xing Shuwei’s impression of him.
Later, he shattered that image with his own hands.
“Very well.” Xing Shuwei went to the cabinet, took out a set of robes, and quickly returned to Pei Xianjing.
She wanted only to satisfy him so that he would let her leave as soon as possible.
She had just undone Pei Xianjing’s belt and reached up to remove his outer robe when-
With a creak, Pei Xianjing pushed open the window.
Xing Shuwei’s heart tightened. Instinctively, she tried to withdraw and hide.
But Pei Xianjing’s long arm had already circled her waist, pulling her forcefully into his embrace.
She wanted to escape, but could not.
Through the window, her panic-filled eyes met the gazes of Zhang Mingan and Shen Yanqi in the courtyard.
At that moment, Xing Shuwei felt like a monkey locked in a cage and forced to perform.
She raised her hands in panic and pushed hard against Pei Xianjing.
“What is it?” There was a cool edge to Pei Xianjing’s voice. His long, well-defined fingers hooked beneath her chin and forced her to turn toward him.
“Were all the words you said in the carriage nothing but lies meant to deceive me?
“Now that you’ve seen Zhang Mingan, are you going to reveal your true colors? Hmm?”
As he spoke, his arm tightened. Bending down, he ordered, “Kiss me.”