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

Chapter 24 Wait for me to come back tonight
Pei Yanzhi didn't say anything more until he finished a bowl of clear soup noodles.

After he finished using it, Xiang Ning took the bowl away. The thought of having to keep watch for Pei Yanzhi made Xiang Ning feel like she had a fishbone stuck in her throat.

Why did she go to all that trouble?

With a long sigh, Xiang Ning took the quilt and went to Pei Yanzhi's room. A screen separated the bed from the soft couch outside.

Xiang Ning consciously placed the quilt on the soft couch and said softly, "If you need anything, just call me."

Pei Yanzhi's reply came from behind the screen, and Xiang Ning then lay down fully clothed and pulled the quilt over herself.

With someone else beside them, neither of them could sleep. Pei Yanzhi lay on the bed, glancing sideways at the figure on the soft couch beyond the screen.

Xiang Ning is fairly well-behaved when she sleeps. After three years in the household, if she hadn't learned the rules of being a servant, she would have been kicked out by the head maid long ago.

She lay on her side, her eyes open, looking out the window.

In the pitch-black night, the night sky was as dark as ink, the moon was bright and the stars were few, but Xiang Ning couldn't help but think of what happened three years ago.

Before her mother passed away, she held her hand and told her to run far away and never come back.

She couldn't understand why her kind and honest parents would provoke such vicious people.

Xiang Ning looked down at the faded marks on her hands. Even though so much time had passed, she would never forget the pain of the torture.

The pain in my fingers is excruciating.

After an unknown amount of time, Xiang Ning finally drifted off to sleep, curling up and covering herself with the blanket.

Mother, if you knew how many bad things I did to survive, would you blame me...?

And her sachet, which Pei Yanzhi had locked away, she still hadn't been able to get her hands on.

The next morning, as soon as Pei Yanzhi moved inside, Xiang Ning opened her eyes.

She quickly got up, folded the quilt, and tiptoed out. After washing her face and getting ready, she came back, and Pei Yanzhi woke up as well.

The man sat on the edge of the bed, his usually cold expression suddenly appearing somewhat languid.

It seems he finally got a good night's sleep, something he rarely does.

In fact, Pei Yanzhi never expected that having another person by his side would lead him from initial discomfort to eventual acceptance.

Xiang Ning always had a faint fragrance about her. Apart from the first scent he smelled, Pei Yanzhi felt that the fragrance was somewhat familiar.

He just couldn't quite remember.

"Master, this servant will help you change your clothes."

After putting the basin of water aside, Xiang Ning walked to the screen and said something.

Pei Yanzhi raised his hand to rub his temples, signaling her to come in.

Xiang Ning took the official robes and helped Pei Yanzhi put them on. After straightening the hem, Xiang Ning was about to get up when she suddenly noticed a tear in Pei Yanzhi's robe.

"what happened?"

She remained motionless, which puzzled Pei Yanzhi, who then asked her a question.

Xiang Ning tugged at the hem of the garment and said, "It will be done in a moment. I'll embroider a piece on it for you, Master."

Pei Yanzhi looked down and saw the crack on it. He had been caught off guard when he was interrogating the prisoner yesterday, and the knife had been taken from him.

As I dodged to the side, he slashed at the hem of my clothes.

Before long, Xiang Ning returned with her sewing basket, threaded the needle, and quickly patched up the crack with a koi fish.

The interplay of red and gold threads doesn't appear jarring at all.

When Xiang Ning got up, Pei Yanzhi suddenly reached out and put his arm around her waist, and Xiang Ning looked a little confused.

"Wait for me to come back tonight."

Pei Yanzhi looked into her eyes, left those words, and then departed.

Xiang Ning was left standing there, as if stunned by his words.

Tonight, waiting for him? What does that mean?
Could it be what she meant?

After Pei Yanzhi arrived at the Dali Temple, he asked Mingxiang to bring out the evidence from last time.

On the plain handkerchief that covered the blood-stained gold bracelet, a delicate bamboo leaf lay in one corner. "Look, isn't the stitching pattern the same here?"

Pei Yanzhi pointed to the koi carp on the hem of his dress, and then showed Mingxiang the bamboo leaves on his plain handkerchief.

Mingxiang bent down to take a look, his gaze shifting to the bamboo leaves. He frowned and said, "They do look somewhat alike, but the details don't seem to be embroidered by the same person."

"You previously said that this gold bracelet came from the Lu Family Trading Company's Jade Workshop?"

Upon hearing Pei Yanzhi's question, Mingxiang nodded in response: "Yes, what is it, sir? Is there any new discovery?"

"Chenghua, go and buy some fabric, just the same material as this plain handkerchief."

Cheng Hua walked in through the door and nodded in agreement upon hearing Pei Yanzhi's instructions.

Lu Family Business, Lu Xiangning—if Pei Yanzhi hadn't seen Xiangning's indenture beforehand, he probably wouldn't have thought of it this way.

Is there really such a coincidence in this world?
Or rather, even if Xiang Ning has no connection with the Lu family business, her embroidery skills must have been taught by a teacher.

"Your Excellency, the Empress Dowager summons you to the palace."

A message came from his subordinate at the door. Pei Yanzhi hummed in response, straightened his clothes, and got up to leave the Dali Temple.

The carriage headed towards the palace, and Pei Yanzhi encountered an unexpected person at the palace gate.

Marquis Anping, Wei Ziqian.

Both men served the Empress Dowager, but Wei Ziqian was adept at flattery and was very popular with her.

"Lord Pei, it's been a long time."

Wei Ziqian has a somewhat devilish appearance, and when he smiles, his peach blossom eyes appear even more charming and affectionate.

People in the capital say that Wei Ziqian's appearance is so striking that anyone who doesn't know him would think he's the Empress Dowager's lover.

"Marquis Anping"

Pei Yanzhi merely glanced at him, bowed to him according to etiquette, and then left.

Wei Ziqian, standing behind Pei Yanzhi, spat as he watched his retreating figure.

"They really think they're something special, huh? Pshaw."

A hint of resentment appeared on Wei Ziqian's face.

If it weren't for Pei Yanzhi's appearance, he would be the most favored person by the Empress Dowager's side now.

But when Pei Yanzhi arrived, the position that had been promised to him was taken over by Pei Yanzhi.

That Pei Yanzhi is truly despicable.

"My lord, Marquis Anping's face is so contorted with anger."

Cheng Hua couldn't help but chuckle. Wei Ziqian had always been at odds with Pei Yanzhi and always tried to outdo him.

Unfortunately, I don't have much ability.

Pei Yanzhi didn't say much. After following the eunuch to Cining Palace, before he even entered, he heard the Empress Dowager shout a stern rebuke.

"You can't even brew a cup of tea properly? Is this how I've always taught you?"

Upon hearing this, there was a thud, followed by the sound of a palace maid begging for mercy.

Before long, the palace maid was dragged out, and the maid at the door spoke up, "Your Highness, Lord Pei has arrived."

"come in."

Pei Yanzhi stepped forward, and a palace maid lifted the beaded curtain and pushed open the palace door.

Inside the hall, precious incense was burning in the incense burners on both sides, and a beautiful woman in gorgeous clothes sat not far away.

Although she is in her thirties or forties, her face is well-maintained and she looks very young.

"Has the case of the stolen disaster relief funds been solved after all this time?"

"Your Majesty, I have some clues, but I don't know if you want to hear the truth or a lie."

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(End of this chapter)