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

Chapter 131 Ah Ning, Stop Making Trouble

Upon hearing Pei Yanzhi's words, Huang Xu felt as if he were being pricked by thorns, wishing he could run far away immediately, and would never dare to provoke him again.

He was filled with remorse. If he had known that Pei Mingxiu had come looking for him, he should have agreed without hesitation.

If I had agreed then, I might have been able to make a fortune from it.

Pei Yanzhi straightened up, took out a handkerchief from his bosom, and wiped the dirt off his hands.

"I will pay you the compensation you owe. Since Young Master Huang has nothing more to say, let's leave it at that."

When he said this, Pei Yanzhi's expression was cold and stern, and his gaze never fell on Huang Xu.

Huang Xu knelt on the ground, his body trembling slightly, and nodded repeatedly: "No need for compensation, sir. I, I don't want it."

How could he dare to take Pei Yanzhi's money? Unless Pei Yanzhi was tired of living and didn't want to stay in Yangzhou any longer.

Pei Yanzhi completely ignored Huang Xu's refusal and didn't care what Huang Xu said.

He will give what is due, and he will not allow others to refuse.

In the end, Huang Xu nervously accepted the money Pei Yanzhi had paid as compensation and left looking rather disheveled.

As he walked, he was thinking to himself that he had to hurry back to find his father and explain the whole story.

In case Pei Yan wants to deal with the Huang family later, they should have a way to deal with it.

After dealing with Huang Xu, Pei Yanzhi turned his sharp gaze to Zhu Zhang.

"Yangzhou, under Lord Zhu's governance, is truly..."

He paused, and Zhu Zhang involuntarily swallowed, a strong sense of unease welling up inside him.

His intuition told him that there was nothing good to say next.

"It's a complete mess."

Upon hearing these words, Zhu Zhang felt his legs go weak and he almost collapsed to his knees.

"grown ups……"

He thought that after Lord Ming came looking for him, he could keep his official hat for a little longer.

"You should know what the Empress Dowager hates most."

"I don't care what Yangzhou was like in the past, but if something like this happens again in the future, don't blame me for being ruthless."

After saying this, Pei Yanzhi threw the handkerchief in his hand on the ground, then stomped on it and turned to leave.

Zhu Zhang bowed deeply, barely daring to breathe, and only after watching him walk away did he finally let out a long sigh of relief.

"Sir, you and the Huang family..."

The advisor stepped forward cautiously and asked a question.

Lord Pei's meaning is simply to forbid the master from having any further collusion with the Huang family, isn't it?

Could it be that Lord Pei's next step is to deal with the Huang family?
"The Huang family has been all-powerful in Yangzhou for long enough. I don't need to risk my life for them."

A ruthless glint appeared in Zhu Zhang's eyes. As long as he remained the head of the prefectural government, he would not suffer any loss no matter who took his place.

But if he were to lose his official position, that would truly be a loss that outweighs any gains.

At this time, Yangzhou was covered with a thin layer of snow, and the streets were sparsely populated, making it exceptionally quiet.

After leaving the government office, Pei Yanzhi returned to his residence.

Cheng Hua was already waiting at the door. Upon seeing Pei Yanzhi, he hurried forward.

"My lord, Pei Mingxiu has already left Yangzhou. However, he seemed to be plotting something with the Su family. Should we make a move?"

Upon hearing this, Pei Yanzhi's eyes instantly darkened, like a bottomless, icy pool.

He hesitated for a moment, then slowly said, "No need."

He knew what Pei Mingxiu was planning; it was nothing more than to suppress the Huang family and then rescue Xiang Ning.

As it happened, he himself also had the idea of ​​dealing with the Huang family.

The Huang family's lawlessness and recklessness in Yangzhou were solely due to the protection they received from government officials. Furthermore, the Huang family's immense wealth and the large sums of money they paid annually meant that the government often turned a blind eye to their actions.

However, Empress Dowager Feng was a person who could not tolerate any wrongdoing.

What she detested most was the prevalence of corruption.

However, Zhu Zhang was indeed still useful; otherwise, Pei Yanzhi would have been too lazy to say more.

Cheng Hua turned around and pushed open the door. Pei Yanzhi stepped into the courtyard. The courtyard was quiet and peaceful, as if it were isolated from the world.

Only the sound of snowmelt dripping from the eaves, crisp and rhythmic, stood out clearly in the quiet atmosphere.

Pei Yanzhi walked straight to Xiang Ning's room. The servant was already standing respectfully to the side. Upon seeing Pei Yanzhi, he quickly bowed and said, "My lord."

"After I delivered lunch to the girl, she rested in the room."

Chenghua, who was standing to the side, said something at the right time.

Pei Yanzhi remained silent, his expression calm and composed.

He pushed open the door and went in, and saw Xiang Ning lying on the bed with her back to him; he couldn't see her expression.

Xiang Ning opened her eyes immediately upon hearing footsteps.

A chilly embrace came from behind, and in that instant, Xiang Ning seemed to smell the scent of frost and snow, cool and pure.

"you……"

She was about to say something when Pei Yanzhi interrupted her.

"Don't move, lie down for a while."

Pei Yanzhi's weary voice fell into her ear, deep and gentle.

Then came the sound of boots being taken off. Pei Yanzhi didn't lift the blanket; he lay down fully clothed, hugging himself tightly to the blanket.

"What do you want to do with Huang Xu?"

After a long silence, Xiang Ning heard Pei Yanzhi ask a question.

She didn't speak, her hands, which he held tightly, gripped the blanket tightly, her mind filled with a myriad of thoughts.

Is it really that hard for you to accept that I'm by your side?

A hoarse, low voice, tinged with mockery, drifted over, carrying a hint of warmth.

Pei Yanzhi closed his eyes, savoring the fragrance emanating from her body; it was still that wonderful scent.

She seemed to have washed herself; there was no blood on her body anymore. The scent of medicine mixed with her unique fragrance gave Pei Yanzhi a long-lost sense of peace.

He went to the prison to look for her after arriving in Yangzhou yesterday. After talking with Pei Mingxiu, he didn't sleep all night.

At this moment, Pei Yanzhi's body had reached its limit, and he actually fell asleep.

The cold wind blew against the window, making a soft sound, like a whisper.

The occasional soft crackling of the charcoal fire inside the room added a touch of warmth to the tranquil atmosphere.

On a table not far away, water was boiling over a stove, and wisps of steam rose up, making the world seem quiet.

His light breath tickled her neck, making Xiang Ning feel a little itchy, and she wanted to push him away.

But in return, he gave her an even tighter hug.

"A-Ning, stop fooling around."

The affectionate nickname came out of Pei Yanzhi's mouth so naturally. Xiang Ning's lips parted slightly, but she didn't say anything in the end, her heart filled with mixed feelings.

It wasn't that Xiangning found it hard to accept being by his side; it was that she couldn't accept being a slave for the rest of her life.

What she always wanted was to be able to live with dignity.

Xiang Ning sighed silently. Anyway, as long as she didn't die, she would definitely find a way to escape.

(End of this chapter)