Chapter 144: Drawing a Line with Pei Zhi

Suddenly such a mishap occurred; A Heng, who had still been a little drunk, sobered up instantly, jumped to her feet, but her mind was filled with one question: What happened?

How did Junior Tutor Pei get kicked away?

How did the Young Master come here?

Where is Miss?!

A Heng rushed down the steps in a panic, and only then saw Shen Shuangning in the corner, unable to help exclaiming, "Miss!"

Shen Shuangning was raising her arm, covering her mouth with the back of her hand, her eyes glistening with tears, her expression a mix of shock and anger, with a hint of indignation.

Pei Zhi actually dared to take liberties with her!

The slight tipsy feeling she had earlier was completely blown away by this surge of shock and anger.

Seeing her mistress like that, and also seeing the Young Master so furious, A Heng didn't dare ask what had just happened, and only timidly said, "Miss, are you all right?"

Shen Shuangning wiped her mouth clean, slowly shook her head, but said nothing.

Meanwhile, Pei Zhi was using the ground to push himself up, still unsteady, when a gleaming long blade suddenly appeared across his throat!

The cold blade pressed into his flesh, instantly drawing a bright red line!

Just a bit more force would send him to his death under the blade!

Xiao Jingyuan's eyes brewed a storm; at this moment he truly wanted to finish him off right then!

Pei Zhi, however, said calmly, "Kill me, and she must die too."

Whether it was the familiarity of the expression in those eyes or the shock of his words, Xiao Jingyuan's pupils narrowed slightly, and his grip on the hilt tightened until it trembled faintly.

An inexplicable apprehension welled up from his heart; despite his murderous intent, the blade halted before his throat and could not fall another fraction.

Pei Zhi bore the air of one who regarded life and death as nothing.

One hand hovered over his waist wound; the intense pain made his back bow slightly, losing its former uprightness, yet the resolve in his eyes conveyed a sense of having Xiao Jingyuan firmly in his grasp.

"Who exactly are you?" Xiao Jingyuan demanded, staring at him.

A flicker of surprise crossed Pei Zhi's eyes, surprised by Xiao Jingyuan's sharpness, yet his face broke into an inscrutable smile.

"You guess?"

His demeanor simply made people want to grit their teeth in hatred.

Xiao Jingyuan snorted coldly: "Playing mysterious is fun?"

The next instant, he exerted force with his wrist, turning the blade—not to slash his throat but to carve a thin, long bloodstain across Pei Zhi's handsome left cheek.

Crimson beads of blood welled up instantly, sliding down his jaw like a crack suddenly appearing in fine jade.

Pei Zhi's smile froze; following the sting, he slowly lifted his hand to his face and felt a sticky warmth.

His complexion gradually darkened, and even the surrounding moonlight seemed to grow a bit colder.

Xiao Jingyuan lowered his hand, reason finally overriding his killing intent: "Your life, I will collect sooner or later—now, get lost!"

Who would have thought that as he turned away, Pei Zhi would say, "To be honest, I've long wanted to do that, and even wanted to go further—for example…"

"I think you're just tired of living!"

Xiao Jingyuan could bear it no longer; he whirled around and swung his blade!

"Stop!"

At the critical moment, Shen Shuangning's sharp cry came from behind.

The sharp blade was only a hair's breadth from Pei Zhi's vital point.

A pair of hands pressed down hard on Xiao Jingyuan's arm.

Shen Shuangning lifted her gaze to the man on the verge of rage, her expression unusually stern as she said, "Xiao Jingyuan, put the blade down."

The man's muscles were tensed all over, the blade still hanging in midair, his black eyes fixed on Pei Zhi as if he wanted to devour him alive.

Pei Zhi, seeing this, seemed to find it pleasant, curling the corner of his mouth; that smile landing in Xiao Jingyuan's eyes made his temples throb.

"Xiao Jingyuan," Shen Shuangning called again, her voice soft yet clear, "You said you would listen to me."

Earlier, in the carriage leaving the palace, the two had agreed on three rules.

Xiao Jingyuan's hand gripping the hilt bulged with veins, yet he ultimately lowered it unwillingly.

Shen Shuangning took a deep breath, turned and walked up to Pei Zhi, lifted her face, and said disappointedly, "I thought you were a true gentleman."

The very first words out of her mouth caused a faint crack in Pei Zhi's normally unflappable composure.

"Master Pei, this is the last time I will address you thus." Shen Shuangning's voice was calm yet resolute: "No need for more words—thank you for your continual care of me; if you ever need help in the future, I will repay this kindness. However…"

Shen Shuangning pressed her pale lips together and said, word by word, "We need not meet in private anymore. Who I marry and what life I lead are no concern of yours."

Saying this, she lifted her hand, took off the bracelet still warm from her wrist, and shoved it into Pei Zhi's hand in one swift motion.

"This gift is too much for me to accept, Junior Tutor—you should give it to a mutually enamored lady instead. Farewell."

Every word, every sentence was drawing a clear boundary.

Having said that, she no longer glanced at Pei Zhi's expression, turned, and stepped up the stairs of the Duke's mansion.

"Even as a token of friendship, would that not do?" Pei Zhi's voice sounded from behind, tinged with a barely perceptible hoarseness.

Shen Shuangning's steps paused, but she ultimately did not turn back, walking straight into the night.

A Heng saw this, turned back to glare at Pei Zhi, her little face flushed red, her voice full of anguish: "Master Pei, I never imagined you were such a person!"

She had always thought Junior Tutor Pei was warm and smooth like jade, a rare gentleman.

Only today did she realize she had misjudged him! If she hadn't trusted him so implicitly before, he wouldn't have had the chance to take liberties with the miss!

A Heng then turned to the Young Master and said, "Young Master, I stake my life on it—the miss and he are completely innocent, with nothing between them!"

Xiao Jingyuan had long understood, and simply replied, "I know," his eyes still hostile as they fixed on Pei Zhi.

"A Heng, why aren't you coming back yet?" Shen Shuangning, already standing by the door, urged.

A Heng dared not linger any longer, answered "Coming," turned and ran, not forgetting to shout back at the gatekeeper, "Shut the door quickly!"

The door creaked shut.

Ah Heng caught up with Shen Shuangning, seeing her stride forward in a straight line, sleeves fluttering, and knew she had completely sobered up.

"Miss, will the Young Master… misunderstand you because of this?" Ah Heng asked anxiously.

"I already explained just now; if he still wants to misunderstand, there's nothing I can do." Shen Shuangning said without turning back: "Drinking leads to mistakes; I'll never touch alcohol again."

Ah Heng nodded repeatedly, deeply agreeing.

Outside the door, Pei Zhi only gradually withdrew his gaze after that slender figure had completely vanished behind the Duke's mansion gate.

The bracelet in his palm was icy cold, piercing to the bone, and his chest felt suffocated.

Xiao Jingyuan looked at him with eyes full of mockery, the corner of his mouth slightly lifted, his mood already shifting from gloom to bright, even pleasant.

Shen Shuangning's attitude is the best answer.

"You're quite pleased with yourself?" Pei Zhi stared at him coldly.

"Why shouldn't I be?" Xiao Jingyuan laughed, "Just now I suddenly figured something out."

Pei Zhi remained silent, having no interest at all in listening to what Xiao Jingyuan would say next.

The pain in his waist and abdomen made it hard for him to stay calm—Xiao Jingyuan's kick had given him an internal injury.

Xiao Jingyuan casually sheathed the long sword at his waist; the metallic clink rang especially clear in the silent night as he looked down at Pei Zhi's pallid face.

"Before I couldn't see through you, but now I know—Pei Zhi, you actually enjoy playing the fool."

Pei Zhi snapped his head up: "What do you think you are, some kind of good person?"

"I'm indeed not a good person." Xiao Jingyuan said frankly, "But she still chose me, which is better than being with someone who wears a mask all day without knowing how dark his heart truly is."

Pei Zhi felt choked by those words, the pain in his chest worsening. He tugged at the corner of his mouth, revealing a mocking smile: "Using military merit to exchange for an imperial decree to force her into marriage—there is no one more shameless than Young Master Xiao in the world."

Not to mention the Duke's mansion wouldn't dare defy the imperial order; even hidden forces wishing to sabotage the marriage would have to be wary threefold. Xiao Jingyuan's move clearly blocks every retreat.

—Shen Shuangning must marry him.

Xiao Jingyuan didn't explain, merely lowering his voice slightly, his tone extremely low, laden with naked threat:

"From now on she belongs to me; no outsider may interfere. I'll note today's offense for now, but if there's a next time, I'll personally strip away your fair skin, hang it on the city wall, and let everyone see just how filthy and ugly your inner self truly is."

Pei Zhi's pupils contracted sharply.

The night wind lifted their robes—one in white, stained with dust and looking disheveled; the other in black, upright, with a fierce aura.

The air reeked of blood and held a tension as taut as gunpowder; this silent contest had only just begun.

Last night I drank a lot of fruit wine; when I woke, the sun was already high, and my temples still throbbed with pain.

Just thinking about what happened last night made Shen Shuangning's head hurt more; she simply drew a line and stopped wasting her thoughts on it.

After washing up, Ah Zhao brought over a cup of cooled chrysanthemum tea, and Shen Shuangning took a big sip.

She accidentally choked, began coughing, and Ah Zhao silently rubbed her back gently.

Ah Heng told Ah Zhao about last night's incident; Ah Zhao knew Pei Zhi had offended their young lady, and felt a wave of guilt.

First, the last time Pei Zhi secretly kissed Shen Shuangning, she hadn't reminded her in time; second, when she learned Pei Zhi was visiting last night, it was she who had someone report it to Shen Shuangning.

Originally, secretly meeting an outsider man at night is improper etiquette, especially for a lady already engaged—she shouldn't see him at all.

Moreover, Shen Shuangning had been drinking then, and her tolerance was poor; she wouldn't have thought much—going ahead like that would be like throwing a sheep into a tiger's den. She should have kept it from the young lady.

The more Ah Zhao thought about it, the more she blamed herself, yet she dared not show it.

Shen Shuangning didn't notice Ah Zhao's expression; out of the corner of her eye she caught a hint of brown on the pillow, reached out, and picked it up from beside the embroidered quilt.

It was a simple wooden hairpin, with no superfluous carvings anywhere, only a delicate orchid finely etched on the tip.

The curve of the petals and the veins of the leaves were all painstakingly chiseled stroke by stroke with a knife; though lacking gold or silver inlay, it exudes a rustic vividness.

Yesterday was her birthday; this is a birthday gift.

Although the mansion's defenses aren't impenetrable, they certainly aren't something just anyone can slip in and out of. To enter her chambers so silently and place the gift quietly by her pillow could only be done by one person.

After paying respects to her grandmother, Shen Shuangning needed to go out today to confirm something.

The mortuary of the Embroidered Uniform Guard is set in a secluded rear courtyard, the air thick with mugwort, yet it still cannot suppress the summer stench of rotting corpses; even from afar one can smell that nauseating foul odor.

Shen Shuangning stood at the courtyard gate, her face somewhat pale, yet she stubbornly gazed at the tightly shut door.

Su Chen felt helpless, so he ordered his subordinate to open the door, stepping aside to let her in: "All right, since you don't insist on seeing, just go in and put your mind at ease. But I'll warn you beforehand—the sight may not be pleasant."

The moment the door was pushed open, a stronger stench rushed forth.

Inside the room the light was dim, only a bit of daylight seeping in through the side windows; several corpses covered in white cloth lay side by side, with flies buzzing around.

Su Chen covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief, pointing at the middle corpse: "This is the one. The face has been burned to blackened ruin, making the original features unrecognizable, but earlier we checked the traits—Xie Yan has two cinnabar moles side by side on the sole of his foot, and this body matches that, with a similar build."

He paused, then added: "Earlier, the Marquis of Yongning himself came to identify the body, slumped beside it weeping so hard he almost fainted; looking at that, it's likely the real person."