Chapter 56
Chapter 56
Pei Xianjing’s voice betrayed neither joy nor anger. “Let’s go and see Grandmother and the others.”
Chengde immediately understood. The Eldest Young Master was going there for Miss Xing.
The people distributing porridge today were all female relatives of capital officials. The Eldest Young Master must be worried that someone would make things difficult for Miss Xing.
And that was precisely what was happening.
Xing Shuwei was ladling porridge for the refugees alongside the officials’ female relatives.
Not far away, Pei Xuanfei stood beneath an umbrella. She glared viciously at Xing Shuwei, then turned to Pei Guofei beside her.
She said, “Why are you still dawdling? Do you think stalling will help her escape this?”
Pei Guofei kept his head lowered.
Pei Xuanfei’s anger surged. “If you insist on siding with that wretch against your own family, then don’t blame me for disregarding our bond as siblings and pulling out the bellyband you embroidered for Zheng Yan right now.”
“Don’t.” Pei Guofei grew anxious. “I already promised to lure Weiwei over there.
“You’re asking me to do something utterly unconscionable. You have to give me some time.”
Pei Xuanfei snorted. “Fine. Take your time thinking. I don’t have your patience.”
With that, she pulled a corner of the pink bellyband from her sleeve.
Pei Guofei’s face changed drastically. He hurriedly said, “Don’t be crazy. I’ll go now.”
Malice glinted in Pei Xuanfei’s eyes as she jerked her chin toward Xing Shuwei. “Go on, then.”
Having no choice, Pei Guofei crept forward.
The officials’ female relatives were in such a frantic rush that no one could pay attention to anyone else.
The refugees crowded together in complete disorder.
The servants were doing their utmost to hold the refugees back and keep them away from the madams and young ladies.
Xing Shuwei concentrated on ladling porridge, so busy that her head spun.
Suddenly, someone bumped her from behind, sending her pitching toward the scalding cauldron.
“Careful.” Pei Guofei appeared just in time and caught her by the shoulders, steadying her.
But her loosened sleeve still fell into the cauldron of porridge.
“How can you be so careless?” a nearby madam said in disgust.
As soon as one person spoke, another immediately took up the refrain.
“You’re only a merchant’s daughter, yet you’re so clumsy that you make yourself seem more delicate than all of us officials’ wives and daughters.”
“You would be better off standing aside. If you get scalded and blame us, you’ll bring nothing but bad luck.”
The madams and young ladies who had long since conspired with Pei Xuanfei did not hold back in the slightest with Xing Shuwei.
One of them even stepped forward and shoved her aside.
Pei Guofei spoke at just the right moment. “Weiwei, let me take you to change your clothes first.”
Xing Shuwei held up her arm. The dripping sleeve clung stickily to her dress, genuinely uncomfortable and rather indecent-looking.
“All right.” Xing Shuwei nodded in agreement.
She took a spare set of clothes and followed Pei Guofei forward.
“The Marquis of Qingyuan’s estate reserved those two neighboring inns ahead for the madams and young ladies to rest in.
“Miss Zheng is inside as well. You can go in and change without worry.”
After they had walked some distance, Pei Guofei stopped and raised a hand to point ahead.
Xing Shuwei followed his gesture. Through the light mist, she could see several richly dressed madams seated before the inn, drinking tea.
Xing Shuwei nodded and said to him, “Thank you for the trouble, Fourth Brother.”
Pei Guofei shook his head and urged her to hurry. He said he would not accompany her, lest they provoke more gossip.
Xing Shuwei glanced ahead and behind before finally walking forward.
She kept looking back and forth but noticed nothing amiss.
In the past, even within the Duke’s estate, Pei Guofei would not have reached out when she fell for fear of impropriety. Yet today, before so many people, he had shown no such concern…
Xing Shuwei could not help finding it somewhat strange.
Besides, she had been wedged among a crowd of officials’ female relatives. How had Pei Guofei managed to appear so promptly?
Perhaps I’m overthinking it, Xing Shuwei told herself, quickening her steps.
If not for him today, with Qiutong absent, she would likely have been scalded by the porridge already.
Only after Pei Xuanfei watched her enter the inn did she finally withdraw her gaze from Xing Shuwei’s back.
Before long, everyone would know that the refugees had thoroughly ravaged that wretch Xing Shuwei.
Princess Jin’an’s people had long since placed men infected with the epidemic inside that inn.
Xing Shuwei would be defiled by them and contract the epidemic. Even if she were shameless enough not to kill herself, she would never be allowed through the gates of the Duke’s estate again.
The madams at the inn entrance had been arranged there by Menglian, Princess Jin’an’s senior maid.
The instant Xing Shuwei entered, the inn doors were locked from the outside behind her.
Xing Shuwei had only just stepped onto the stone stairs when the sound of the door being locked behind her alerted her that something was wrong.
Gathering her skirts, she instinctively turned to flee, but several filthy men suddenly sprang out.
They wore ragged clothes. Half of one man’s face had rotted away, and he leered obscenely at her as he called, “Beauty.”
“The young ladies in the capital really are different from the ones back in our little mountain villages.
“Look at her-young and tender enough to bruise at a touch. Tsk, tsk.”
“To enjoy myself with a beauty like you before I die-even becoming a ghost will be worth it.”
Five men surrounded Xing Shuwei in the courtyard.
Without time to think, Xing Shuwei bent down and picked up a slab of bluestone from the ground.
“Help!” Holding the bluestone slab high, she shouted toward the entrance.
“Stop shouting. No one is coming to save you.”
A refugee with blackened teeth said, “We’re the ones among these refugees who caught the epidemic.
“This place is used specifically to confine us. Even our meals are only tossed down at the entrance. Who would dare come near and court death?
“You can scream yourself hoarse, but no one will come in here to die.”
“Why are you shouting ‘help’? You ought to be shouting-Master, be gentle. My skin is so delicate, and I’m afraid of pain.”
“Hahaha!”
Their lewd laughter drew closer and closer.
Xing Shuwei felt as though she had been struck by lightning.
She had sensed something was wrong, yet she had still chosen to trust Pei Guofei.
For the past four years, he had been the one member of the Pei family who had always treated her well.
But now he had personally lured her into this abyss!
The infected refugees lunged at her, and she raised the bluestone slab and swung it wildly.
“Don’t come any closer! Get out! Get away from me!”
Xing Shuwei let out a piercing scream.
“Beauty, save your strength. Stop shouting.” The man with the rotting face charged first, opening his arms to seize Xing Shuwei.
Xing Shuwei took aim at his head and smashed down with all her strength.
“Ah!” With his scream, the smell of blood quickly spread.
The other refugees stared blankly for a moment as the man with the rotting face collapsed, blood covering his head. Then they closed in again, cursing.
“You want to die? How dare you hit him that hard!”
“Just wait and see how we kill you…”
Xing Shuwei clutched the bluestone slab, not daring to lower her guard for even a moment. Whenever one approached, she struck him.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“Get away from me!”
“Help! Someone, help me!”
Never in her life had she cried out for help so wretchedly.
Her cries mingled with sobs, and she felt as though her throat would tear apart.