After the favored concubine remarried, the aloof and powerful minister forcibly took her away.

Chapter 113 Don't Try to Pretend It Never Happened

Bitao's heart was filled with turmoil and unease.

Even though she was unwilling, she would never dare to disobey Pei Yanzhi's orders.

Bitao sighed, suppressing her unease, and walked towards the house.

Inside the room, Pei Yanzhi sat on Xiang Ning's bed. For some reason, Bi Tao felt that his figure exuded an indescribable loneliness.

He held a contract in his hand, which stood out prominently between his slender fingers.

This is a stub that Xiang Ning left behind when she deposited money at the money exchange. Xiang Ning thought that she would never come back after she left, so there was no need to take these things anymore.

She had withdrawn all the money, so the receipt was now useless.

Pei Yanzhi's gaze slowly swept over each word on the contract, each ink character seeming to transform into a sharp thorn, piercing his heart.

He couldn't help but sneer, his heart filled with bitterness and anger.

Xiang Ning is indeed a swindler with not very clever methods, yet she managed to fool him completely.

But ironically, the only time Pei Yanzhi ever truly failed was because of her.

This realization left him feeling both helpless and resentful.

"Master."

Bitao entered the room and called out softly, her voice filled with barely concealed nervousness.

"sit down."

Pei Yanzhi placed the contract face down on the bed, his voice calm.

Bitao was terrified and filled with fear.

She dared not sit down. In her eyes, Pei Yanzhi was like a volcano that could erupt at any moment, making her afraid to make the slightest move.

Seeing this, Pei Yanzhi withdrew his gaze and stopped looking at her.

Did Xiang Ning tell you beforehand where she was going?

Pei Yanzhi's words rang out abruptly, startling Bitao.

She slowly shook her head: "This servant does not know, sister has never said much to this servant."

Pei Yanzhi's question seemed to suddenly remind Bitao of something.

Why are you asking this, sir? Is it because my sister is still alive, but we can't find any trace of her?
Once the thought arose, it grew wildly in her heart like weeds.

Bitao was secretly delighted, but she dared not show it on her face.

Pei Yanzhi's gaze swept over Bitao, his eyes seemingly able to penetrate her soul, leaving her nowhere to hide.

After a moment, he told Bitao to leave.

Bitao wasn't lying; Pei Yanzhi could tell.

Xiang Ning really wanted to run away; she had never told anyone about anything she had done.

No one knows where she's going, and even if they did, given her personality, she'd likely change her route halfway through.

She wanted to run away; she wanted to have nothing to do with him anymore; she wanted him to be her eternal past; she wanted to pretend that nothing had ever happened.

But he won't give her that chance.

Pei Yanzhi slowly stood up and casually tossed the contract in his hand onto the ground.

Then he walked outside with firm steps.

"Sir? What's wrong?"

He beckoned to one of the servants with his finger, and the servant hurriedly stepped forward and asked cautiously.

"From now on, she is not allowed to enter Qingyi Residence."

Pei Yanzhi's voice was icy cold, devoid of any warmth.

"You know the consequences if you let people in."

As he said this, Pei Yanzhi's gaze was fixed on Fu Liu, who was standing not far away.

The servant followed his gaze, his heart skipped a beat, and he bowed his head in agreement.

Fu Liu listened to Pei Yanzhi's words, her heart filled with resentment.

She couldn't understand what was so special about Xiang Ning that made Pei Yanzhi so obsessed with her.

She bit her lip, a hint of jealousy and resentment flashing in her eyes.

But she also knew that she couldn't show any dissatisfaction at this moment, and could only bury this resentment deep in her heart.

In the evening, the Wen family returned all the remaining betrothal gifts, and Bitao counted the items and put them into storage.

Pei Yanzhi then gave an order: he instructed his steward to find craftsmen to connect his room with Xiang Ning's. Bells and light gauze were to be hung under the corridor. From now on, in Qingyi Residence, apart from Bitao who serves Xiang Ning and Chenghua who serves Pei Yanzhi, no one else would be allowed to set foot here.

The butler listened to Pei Yanzhi's instructions and felt somewhat puzzled.

This doesn't look like they're going to renovate the yard; it looks more like they're going to turn it into a prison to lock people up.

However, the butler didn't dare to say it aloud.

For the next two days, Pei Yanzhi stayed at the Dali Temple and did not return to the Pei residence.

After the Wen family returned the betrothal gifts, Wen Caifu decided to go to Xiangguo Temple to cultivate herself in seclusion.

She stayed at the Wen family residence, where her father and mother faced greater pressure than she did.

The Wen family also has unmarried sisters; her presence in the Wen family would tarnish their reputations.

The clan elders all came to our house to ask how to handle this matter.

Going to Xiangguo Temple for quiet contemplation is the best solution.

As for Lu Jiamin, Wen Caifu also needs to come up with a foolproof solution.

This would both ruin Lu Jiamin's reputation and avoid implicating the Wen family.

"Mother, don't see me off, go back."

Wen Caifu, dressed in plain clothes, felt a pang of pity as she looked at Madam Wen, whose eyes were filled with tears.

Upon hearing this, Madam Wen raised her hand to wipe away her tears: "Fu'er, even if you stay at home, no one will dare to say anything."

"If I go to Xiangguo Temple, when will I be able to see you again?"

Madam Wen was extremely reluctant to part with her daughter. She only had this one daughter and had always thought that she would live a peaceful and smooth life. She never expected that she would encounter such a thing.

“If Mother misses me, she can come to Xiangguo Temple.”

"It's good to leave the capital. The temple is peaceful, and there won't be any gossip."

Wen Caifu reached out her hand, and Lvzhi placed a sachet in her hand.

"I made this myself, as a keepsake for my mother."

Madam Wen looked down at the sachet that Wen Caifu handed her, took it, and when she looked up again, Wen Caifu had already left.

The carriage drove away in front of her, and Madam Wen couldn't help but take a step after it.

"lady……"

The maid beside her reached out to support Madam Wen.

Now that Miss is leaving, if Madam wants to see her again in the future, she will have to go to Xiangguo Temple.

This world has always been harsh on women.

Inside the carriage, Green Branch couldn't hold back her tears and asked, "Miss, will we never be able to go back?"

"Perhaps it'll be possible once the storm has passed."

Wen Caifu reached out and wiped away the tears from the corners of Lüzhi's eyes: "Good girl, don't cry. You've suffered since you came with me."

When she decided to go to Xiangguo Temple, Wen Caifu originally wanted to leave Lüzhi at home.

After all, she went there to cultivate herself, not to enjoy a life of luxury.

There was no need for someone to serve her, but Green Branch insisted on coming along.

So Wen Caifu had no choice but to bring her along.

“I am not suffering, it is you, Miss, who is suffering.”

After Miss Mingming returned, Li's mother saw her and confirmed that Miss Mingming was clearly innocent.

But the rumors circulating outside were getting harsher and harsher.

"By the way, did you give the things I asked you to deliver to the Pei residence to Miss Xiangning?"

"Why is Miss still thinking about Lord Pei's concubine?"

Upon hearing Cai Fu ask about Xiang Ning, Lü Zhi turned her head away and said something.

"It was fate that we met, but I never expected that Lord Pei and I would break off our engagement."

"That thing was originally prepared for her."

Wen Caifu smiled helplessly. She thought that although Xiang Ning was well-behaved, Pei Yanzhi's favor was a sharp blade to her.

It's uncertain whether Pei Yanzhi's future wife will be able to tolerate her.

Having money to rely on makes things much better.

(End of this chapter)