Chapter 59
Chapter 59
“Speak!” Pei Congxian roared when he saw them hemming and hawing.
Terrified out of her wits, Pei Xuanfei dropped to her knees with a thud.
She did not dare mention Princess Jin’an and could only push all the blame onto Pei Guofei. “Guofei, you are closest to Xing Shuwei.
“You were the one who took her out. Hurry up and answer whatever Eldest Uncle asks. Do you intend to drag me into your punishment too?”
Pei Guofei was instantly speechless. Dazed and helpless, he met Pei Congxian’s furious eyes.
His mind raced as he weighed his options.
He absolutely could not involve Miss Zheng.
She was an orphaned girl already living a difficult life with her mother in her maternal grandparents’ home.
In any case, Weiwei had Eldest Brother to protect her, so she would certainly be fine.
Having made his decision, Pei Guofei also knelt rigidly before Pei Congxian.
“Eldest Uncle, I only thought that distributing porridge and saving people was a good deed, so I brought Shuwei with me.
“Th-Those two inns were reserved by the Marquis of Qingyuan’s estate for the officials’ female relatives to rest in.
“A refugee bumped into Shuwei and soiled her clothes, so I told her to change at the inn. Everyone knows that.”
“Eldest Uncle, I truly didn’t know there were refugees with the epidemic inside.
“Could the Marquis of Qingyuan’s estate have been trying to frame Eldest Brother and used Shuwei to do it?”
Smack! Pei Congxian slapped Pei Guofei across the face.
The Third Madam’s heart quivered with pain for her son. She clenched her fists tightly but dared not step forward.
“You have learned to spout nonsense too!” Pei Congxian shouted sternly. “If you refuse to tell the truth, I will beat you until you do.
“Someone, bring out the instruments of family punishment!”
The Third Madam panicked at those words, tears pouring down her face. Just as she was about to plead for mercy, Pei Xianjing’s voice came from within the gates of Qiansheng Pavilion.
“Father, I will personally give the Emperor and the Eleventh Prince an explanation for this matter. There is no need to trouble yourself.
“There is, however, something I cannot attend to right now. I must ask Father to handle it for me.”
Pei Congxian stepped forward and asked with concern through the courtyard gates, “Jing’er, are you unharmed?”
“Thank you for your concern, Father. The estate physician has examined me, and I am unharmed,” Pei Xianjing said. “For now, I need Father to take charge and ensure the refugees outside the city are treated well.
“Establish two more porridge stations in Weiwei’s name and distribute porridge to the refugees for half a month.
“Father must also write to Yuzhou and ask whether they have developed a prescription for the epidemic.
“The case must be investigated thoroughly, but the refugees with the epidemic dozens of li away are innocent and must be treated kindly.”
“If anyone asks, say that mountain bandits disguised themselves as refugees in an attempt to abduct officials’ female relatives.
“Weiwei and I nearly fell into their trap because we were concerned about the epidemic.
“The men killed were mountain bandits, not refugees with the epidemic.”
Pei Congxian listened patiently, momentarily at a loss for words.
Behind him, the three kneeling members of the third branch quietly sighed in relief at what they heard.
Hatred immediately rose anew in Pei Xuanfei’s heart.
That wretch Xing Shuwei was far too fortunate! Eldest Brother was willing to go this far for her!
“Very well.” After hesitating for several breaths, Pei Congxian agreed.
Whether Pei Xianjing was openly protecting Xing Shuwei or merely seeking to settle the situation quickly, this was indeed the best solution at present.
Dowager Lady Pei came forward with feigned concern. “Jing’er, since you are unharmed, you should move out of there.
“Just leave a few maids to care for Weiwei.
“Oh, you have no idea how worried Grandmother has been.”
Pei Xianjing said, “Although I have not contracted the illness, there is still a risk.
“Never mind me-no one in Qiansheng Pavilion can leave at will right now.
“Father, my uncles, and my younger brothers still need to attend court. I cannot delay you on my account. Everyone should disperse.”
Pei Congxian acknowledged him twice, then turned and waved a hand at the crowd.
Everyone went their separate ways. Lady Pei followed behind him, hurrying toward Panlin Court.
The moment they entered the courtyard gates, Pei Congxian abruptly stopped.
“My lord,” Lady Pei had only just called out.
A vicious slap struck her face.
Lady Pei fell to the ground. Her cheek burned with pain, and the taste of blood instantly filled her mouth.
“Vicious woman!” Pei Congxian looked down at her, his face full of disgust.
“You schemed behind my back to give the noble title to the Fifth Young Master, and I tolerated it.
“Now you even want Jing’er’s life!
“You forced me to kill Jing’er’s birth mother and promised you would treat him as your own, yet now you have actually set your sights on his life.”
After speaking, Pei Congxian’s anger burned even hotter.
He raised his foot and kicked Lady Pei.
Qingling hurried over and shielded Lady Pei.
Lady Pei craned her neck and argued, “My lord is certainly skilled at absolving himself.
“Wasn’t it because you coveted the power of my natal family and wanted to advance your own career that you ordered that wretch to die?
“She belonged to the Empress Dowager. If she had not died, would the Emperor have valued you and admitted you into the Grand Secretariat?”
“You still dare argue.” Pei Congxian kicked Qingling aside, crouched down, and seized Lady Pei by the throat.
Lady Pei did not resist. She stared at him with provocative eyes.
After a long while, Pei Congxian finally released her, turned, and stormed away.
Qingling and Matron Gao hurriedly helped Lady Pei from the ground and brought her into the bedchamber.
“You should not have quarreled with the master, my lady. You have endured this way for so many years.
“Now that our Fifth Young Master is the Young Duke, everything you do and say must take him into greater consideration.”
Matron Gao held an egg and rolled it over Lady Pei’s face.
Lady Pei sat before the dressing table. The pain in her body was nothing compared with the pain in her heart.
“He bled the Gao family dry, and now he turns around and bullies my son and me. I have endured more than enough over the years.
“Only now do I understand. It may have seemed that I was forcing him back then, but in truth, he was putting on an act with me to preserve Pei Xianjing’s life.
“If we had not publicly claimed that Pei Xianjing was the eldest legitimate son I gave birth to, would the Emperor have let him live?
“Even if he had survived, would the Emperor value him as he does now?”
“I was young and ignorant. My lord deceived and used me.”
Matron Gao and Qingling had nothing to say. Their lady had indeed suffered too much over the years.
Lady Pei stared fixedly at her swollen, reddened face in the mirror and seemed to mutter to herself, “A person who should have died long ago should not exist in this world.”
* * *
When Xing Shuwei opened her eyes the next day, it was already a quarter past ten.
Pei Xianjing held her in his arms, sleeping deeply.
As Xing Shuwei looked at his thin lips, she suddenly remembered how he had kissed her yesterday without regard for anything else.
Her throat tasted bitter, and with every breath, it felt as though she were swallowing needles.
For a moment, she could not tell what Pei Xianjing truly meant.
She tried to pull her hand from his, but the moment she moved, Pei Xianjing woke.
He sat up with a frown, his first reaction to feel her forehead.
“You don’t seem as hot as you were last night. How do you feel? Are you better?”
His voice carried concern.
“Mm. Better,” Xing Shuwei replied.
“I’ll summon the estate physician to examine you. Can you stomach anything? You vomited everything you drank last night. It was terribly worrying,” Pei Xianjing asked.
“I’d like some plain rice porridge,” Xing Shuwei answered.
She had to recover as quickly as possible. Yan’er was still waiting for her.