♂?，，

  Ming Xuan followed the maid to a garden connected to the front yard, where a giant tree shaded the area, making it look cool and refreshing. She looked up and saw two men sitting across from each other at a stone table not far away, seemingly discussing something - Pei Jingchen and Gu Yuanjing.

  She slightly furrowed her brow as she gazed at the surrounding maids, all of whom were from the Yang family. It seemed that her brother had found an excuse to borrow this place from the young master of the Yang family to avoid the commotion. That's why they could speak freely without avoiding others. However, she clearly remembered that on that day, Mother had brought back words that her brother wanted to talk to her about...

  If it's not a private matter, then telling Madam Yan is the same, no need to wait until meeting Yang Yougong in person.

  Pei Jingchen's gaze had been fixed on her since Ming Xuan entered his line of sight, but when he saw her up close, he suddenly became dazed and couldn't help but chuckle, his tone filled with a pampering helplessness. "Ah Xuan, your uncle is here, what are you spacing out for? Hurry over!"

  He slowly stood up, smiling warmly at her, with a thread of tender feelings in his eyes.

  Ming Xuan hastily stepped forward and bowed to Gu Yuanjing "Brother."

  Gu Yuanjing took a wooden box from the hands of his attendant, opened it gently, revealing a small wooden bow inside. He smiled and said, "I got this thing a few days ago. Does it look like the one my father made for me when I was young? Originally, I wanted to let Yan Niang bring it over to give to you, but thinking that we would meet today anyway, I'd rather give it to you myself."

  He handed it over and asked softly, "Do you like it?"

  Ming Xuan carefully accepted it. The bow and arrow looked extremely delicate, no more than a fifth of the usual size, with intricate carvings, and came with a quiver. Inside, there were about ten feathered arrows inserted.

  She has been here for four years, and has seen countless good things, so her eyesight is naturally not bad either. After stroking it for a long time, she recognized that the bow was made of rhinoceros wood, and the string was made of fine iron thread. Although it looked like a toy, it was actually a weapon. Her heart moved, and she took out a feathered arrow to look at it. The arrowhead was made of raw iron, sharp and small, but if the force was sufficient, it could probably see blood and seal the throat.

  Gu Yuanjing saw Ming Xuan silent and not speaking. He thought she was thinking of the past, and his eyes were slightly dimmed, and he said in a low voice, "The bow that my father made for me when I was young is the most beloved thing, and it has always been carried with me. When I left home that year, I took it away and carried it on my body, wanting to encourage myself at all times, not to forget my father's grievances. Also don't forget that there is still a younger sister at home waiting for me to rely on."

  He slightly paused, "That small bow accompanied me through bloody battlefields, it was my biggest thought for those few years. Unfortunately, I lost it on the battlefield later. Last month, I unintentionally found a craftsman on West Street, seeing that his craftsmanship was good. So I took these materials over and had him re-forge one according to my memory of its appearance. See if it's still the same as before?"

  Ming Xuan felt a sourness in front of her eyes and nodded involuntarily "The same, just the same."

  She had never actually seen the bow and arrow before, but Gu Yuanjing's thoughtfulness touched her deeply. She suddenly felt a little grateful that she had taken Ming Xuan's place back then. Otherwise, with their family broken and their people gone, they wouldn't even have had any last thoughts left, and Gu Yuanjing probably wouldn't have been able to hold on either.

  Pei Jingchen saw that his wife had tears in the corners of her eyes, gently lifted her head to wipe them away for her, and then put away the bow and arrow and handed it to Dan Hong "Take care of it for your sister-in-law."

  Ming Xuan calmed down a bit and said in a low voice, "I really like this little bow, it's true."

  Gu Yuanjing's mouth slightly curled up, and he said with some emotion, "I will be leaving soon, this thing is just right for self-defense."

  Ming Xuan was taken aback, and asked in surprise, "Didn't brother say that he had already petitioned the Emperor to stay in Shengjing for a long time? I heard from grandmother that the Emperor has also agreed, why do you want to go on a distant journey again?"

  Gu Yuanjing's gaze inadvertently swept over the maid beside him, and he smiled, saying "It's an errand entrusted by His Majesty, I'm going to make a trip to the south."

  "Ming Xuan looked puzzled and asked, 'The south?' "

  Is it South Xinjiang?

  Pei Jingchen smiled and intercepted the conversation "Ah Xuan, I've already spoken to my uncle, in two days' time, we'll host a farewell banquet for him at Mingxiang Building, how about that?"

  Ming Xuan is not a foolish person, and he understood it with just one thought. Perhaps Gu Yuanjing's words were intentionally said here, and the purpose was to spread the news of his trip to the south through these Yang family servants to Yang Youzhong's ears.

  Yang Youcheng thought that as long as Commander Pei knew, it was just like he himself knew.

  She didn't understand the morning affairs, nor did she quite comprehend why Gu Yuanjing was doing this. At this time, she was also in Yang's family Huayuan, surrounded by Yang's eyes and ears everywhere. She couldn't continue to ask questions, so she could only smile and nod "Hmm."

  In the carriage back to Pei's mansion, Pei Jingchen asked in a low voice, "Just now when you went to find the young master's wife, did she say anything?"

  It was he who personally sent Ming Xuan back to Tingfeng Building at noon. Perhaps due to his long illness, he had not shown up for a long time, but this was the first time he appeared in a banquet and was so stunning. His appearance made the noblewomen sigh, and many people praised him and his wife for being harmonious. When Yang heard these words, her face naturally looked bad. He was afraid that after he left, Yang would make things difficult for Ming Xuan, which is why he asked this question.

  Ming Xuan said with a light and quick tone, "The young master's wife was very unhappy, but in front of everyone, she could only speak to me with gentle words and smiles. So not only did she not say anything to me, but she even had to speak up for me!"

  She thought to herself, and couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter. "I don't know, just now my brother called me over to talk, it seems that several officials' wives saw us, and someone even whispered that Yang is stingy, guessing that she didn't allow my brother to come to the Pei residence to see me, so we took advantage of the opportunity when the Yang family was hosting a banquet to meet as siblings."

  Once the image of a troublemaker is established, it's hard to shake off, especially since Yang had always been arrogant. Those officials' wives may have respected her status and not dared to say anything to her face, but inwardly they had long been dissatisfied with her. Now that they finally had this opportunity to vent their grievances, why would they let it go easily?

  Pei Jingchen also smiled and said, "It's better if she doesn't make things difficult."

  "He paused for a moment 'At lunchtime, I heard that Miss Yang's third daughter is going to be engaged to Yan Tanhua?'"

  Ming Xuan's eyes moved slightly as she slowly recounted the story of Yang San Miss falling into the water and Yan Tanhua saving her, without leaving out any details. She furrowed her brow and said, "Just now with so many people around, I didn't think much of it, but now that it's been brought up again, I keep feeling a sense of trepidation. I remember at the time, my skirt was also stepped on by someone, if not for Second Brother's wife pulling me back, the one who fell into the water would have been me."

  She suddenly changed her complexion, grabbed Pei Jingchen's hand and said "No, Yang San Miss was standing at the bow of the boat. It was my second sister who took two steps back, fell on Yang Si Miss, was bounced by the force onto Yang Xiao San Miss, which made her fall into the water. But my second sister was trying to hold me!"

  If Min hadn't pulled Ming Xuan back, he wouldn't have fallen backwards due to lack of strength, and Yang San would not have been pushed into the lotus pond by that force. It can be seen that Yang San was only implicated because originally it should have been her who fell into the lotus pond, but she had taken care of Ming Xuan instead.

  Pei Jingxuan's eyebrows were deeply furrowed, "Do you still remember who was standing behind us at that time?"

  Originally, there were many people on the small boat, and it was nothing to trample on each other's hemlines. However, considering the consequences, he had to think more carefully. If it weren't for Min Shi's credit today, Ming Xuan would have fallen into the water and been rescued by that Yan Tanhua, and just these idle words might have drowned her.

  He himself believed her, but it was hard to stop the rumors from spreading, and rumors could also be deadly.

  Ming Xuan furrowed her brow and thought for a moment before suddenly lifting her head and saying "It's Miss Yang Si."

  The one who stepped on her skirt was Miss Yang Si, and the one who pushed Min Shi onto Miss Yang San's body was also Miss Yang Si.

  She thought of what Lady Min had reminded her and hastily asked Pei Jingzhen, "I heard that the young master's wife once wanted to marry Yang Si Miss to whom? Was there ever a discussion about the engagement? Were the betrothal gifts exchanged? I listened to Yang Erniang's words and between the lines, my second brother's wife also mentioned it again, and it seems that Yang Si Miss still has feelings for him!"

  Miss Yang Si was born beautiful, but unfortunately she couldn't speak. The aristocratic families were afraid to marry her. She was just a nominal daughter in the house of Madame Yang Er, although she had the name of a legitimate daughter, she was actually born out of wedlock. Madame Yang Er naturally wouldn't make plans for her future with all her heart and soul like a biological mother would.

  So you're going along with Yang's movement and wanting to marry off Yang Si to Pei Jingzhen?

  Otherwise, a sickly and dying person is also someone Yang wants to get rid of. What's wrong with Yang's second wife that she would agree to marry her daughter to the master of the Pei family? If it were her own biological daughter, even if she were mute and couldn't speak, she wouldn't be able to marry into a noble family, but based on her background, she could at least marry a minor official from a humble family, and no one would dare to bully her. Why did she have to go and become the widow of the Duke's household?

  It turned out that Miss Yang Si was indeed as Mrs. Min said, having had feelings for Pei Jingzhen early on, but now he's already married, and she, a young and beautiful lady of the Right Chancellor's Manor, couldn't possibly put aside her dignity and pride to become a concubine for the Pei family's master, could she? Even if there were any thoughts in the past, they should be let go.

  Then she had no reason to harm herself in public view.

  "Over the years, the Crown Prince's wife has not been idle in arranging my marriage. She had indeed suggested to our grandfather that I should marry Miss Yang number four as my wife, but our grandfather did not agree and so it was dropped. Not to mention exchanging betrothal gifts, there wasn't even any discussion of engagement. As for Miss Yang number four, I have never even seen her."

  He snorted, "Having never even seen her face before, how can you talk about being dead or not? This is just an excuse for the young master's wife."

  Ming Xuan's heart moved slightly "Lend? What does the young master's wife want to do again?"

  Pei Jingxuan gazed at her and sighed, then wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his embrace. "Now that I'm in good health, the manager of Qingyi Courtyard is keeping a tight grip on things, and the wife of the crown prince can't get her hands in. She must be getting anxious, and I reckon she's been thinking of sending someone to cause trouble for us two lately!"

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