Thrown out of the house, the wet nurse enters the noble household and becomes a person of high statu

"Pei Zeyu!"

Ignoring the outward appearance of brotherly affection, Pei Dingxuan sternly rebuked him.

Having achieved his goal, Pei Zeyu released Liu Wenying and gently brushed his lips against hers.

The lip rouge on Liu Wenying's lips had smudged, and her almond-shaped eyes were glistening with moisture.

"This lip rouge color doesn't suit you; I still prefer the one from last time."

Realizing he was referring to the box of clove-scented lip rouge, two blushes rose on Liu Wenying's cheeks, so vibrant they seemed to drip with moisture.

Pei Zeyu wiped away the smudged red from her face. "The banquet is about to begin, you should go back first."

If the occasion weren't so inappropriate, he would definitely kiss her enough before letting her go.

Liu Wenying lowered her eyes in embarrassment and anger, and without bothering to bow, went to the front yard.

As she passed Pei Dingxuan, the hem of her blue-green skirt brushed against his drooping fingers, like a wisp of wind that could not be grasped.

Pei Dingxuan suddenly moved, grabbed Pei Zeyu by the collar, and pulled him forward a few steps.

"Do you know what you're doing? She's Ye'er's wet nurse. The mistake she made at the birthday banquet was enough. How can you keep making the same mistake? And you still don't know how to... restrain yourself!"

Pei Zeyu let him pull him along, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"I know exactly what I'm doing. Once she leaves the manor and sheds her identity as a wet nurse, she will simply be Liu Wenying."

Pei Dingxuan's eyes were bloodshot, and he said with great distress, "How could you make the same mistake as Yaojun?"

"Are you confused? Do I need to explain why Wenying went from Tinglan Courtyard to Mingxi Hall?"

He paused, then asked, word by word, "Who made the mistake first?"

Words, like sharp knives, pierced through Pei Dingxuan's long-standing pretense.

He stood there, stunned and speechless.

Pei Zeyu pulled out his collar, smoothed out the wrinkles in his clothes, and stared intently with a deep, meaningful gaze.

Instead of grandly criticizing others, you should first look at your own heart. It's hard to say who is more despicable.

Pei Zeyu turned and left, leaving Pei Dingxuan standing there alone.

Regret and bitterness surged within him, making it hard for him to breathe, and he bent his straight back.

He planted the seeds of bitterness himself. If Liu Wenying hadn't left Tinglan Courtyard for Mingxi Hall, there wouldn't have been the complicated and tangled mess that followed.

Initially, seeing her intelligence and gentleness, he harbored selfish desires and wanted to forcibly take her as a concubine.

She refused to yield and went to Mingxi Hall instead, which gave Pei Zeyu an opportunity to take advantage of the situation and allow the newcomer to surpass her.

Pei Dingxuan suddenly realized that their downfall was never due to her deliberate seduction.

Pei Yaojun is not, Pei Zeyu is not, and he... is not either.

At first, however, he refused to admit it...

Pei Dingxuan suddenly punched the green bamboo beside him.

The bamboo snapped in two, and sharp bamboo thorns cut the back of his hand, drawing blood down his knuckles.

He was completely unaware, staring blankly at the crimson stain.

If only everything could start over...

At the very least, he wouldn't let her leave Tinglan Courtyard.

Meanwhile, Liu Wenying hurried back to the front yard, just in time for the banquet to begin.

As the music of string and wind instruments began, the guests took their seats.

She suppressed her panic and embarrassment, stood quietly beside the princess, her eyes lowered, ready to serve at any moment.

But her gaze kept drifting towards the group of guests, and she felt uneasy.

Before long, Pei Zeyu sat down, his expression as usual, still as gentle and refined as ever.

It was as if the stubborn provocation under the bamboo shade just now was all an illusion.

He also cast a glance his way, but Liu Wenying looked away as soon as their eyes met and immediately lowered her head.

Pei Zeyu didn't mind at all, chatting and laughing with the guests around him, completely at ease.

Liu Wenying quietly raised her eyes again. The old man had not appeared for a long time, and she couldn't help but feel a little worried.

It wasn't until half a cup of tea had been brewed that the mysterious figure quietly took his seat.

He frowned and stared intently; his right hand was bandaged, and faint red marks could be seen.

He's injured? Did the eldest and second eldest uncles get into a fight?

The thought vanished in an instant, and Liu Wenying shook her head, realizing she was overthinking things.

The eldest and second eldest uncles weren't as impulsive as the third eldest uncle, so how did they end up fighting?

Besides, she didn't have that much ability to get the two gentlemen to do things for her.

The banquet continued, and the night banquet at the Princess's residence was lively and luxurious, with music playing in unison, no less grand than the banquet at the imperial palace.

After the wine had flowed freely and everyone was in high spirits, the emperor's personal attendant presented the imperial edict, and everyone put down their wine cups and prostrated themselves on the ground.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Princess Zhaoning has given birth to twins, a dragon and a phoenix, bringing auspicious omens to the family."

The princess's daughter is hereby granted the title of Princess Yunshu, and bestowed with one hundred taels of gold and one thousand bolts of brocade. The princess's son is hereby granted the title of Marquis Yunzhang, and bestowed with one thousand acres of land and a mansion. This is the imperial decree!

The eldest princess and her husband accepted the imperial decree and expressed their gratitude.

The guests offered their congratulations one after another.

"Congratulations, Princess! Congratulations, Prince Consort! You are blessed with a son!"

"Princess Yun Shu and Marquis Yun Zhang—these titles and ranks are no less prestigious than those of princes and princesses!"

"His Majesty truly dotes on the Eldest Princess; as a result, the younger princes are also exceptionally favored!"

Liu Wenying quietly wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. She and the midwife had personally pulled the two children back from the brink of death, and now that she had received this honor, she was happier than anyone else.

After the princess and her husband received the imperial decree and took their seats again, the guests prepared to raise their glasses in celebration.

The eunuch did not leave, but continued to unfold the second scroll of bright yellow silk.

"Lady Liu receives the imperial decree upon hearing the oriole's song—"

In an instant, hundreds of gazes converged on Liu Wenying, so dense that they made her feel uncomfortable and her back stiff.

The eldest princess gently nudged her from the side, "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and accept the imperial decree!"

Liu Wenying snapped out of her daze, walked to the center of the room, and bowed respectfully.

"This servant, Liu Wenying, receives the imperial decree!"

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Liu Wenying, a commoner, has rendered meritorious service to the nation and protected the safety of the Princess, the County Princess, and the County Marquis and their children."

The title of Lady Bu Ning is hereby bestowed upon her, along with an imperial gold medal, a residence, a thousand taels of gold and silver, and two boxes of pearls and jade. This is the imperial decree.

Her heart was pounding in her chest; Liu Wenying couldn't believe it.

It felt like my eardrums were sealed with a layer of water, blocking out all the noise and commotion.

Until his palm felt a weight, and he caught the bright yellow silk and the cool, gilded plaque.

The gold medal was engraved with the characters "Bu Ning" on the front and an imperial dragon pattern on the back.

"This humble woman accepts the imperial decree and expresses her gratitude. Long live Your Majesty!"

Liu Wenying held it in her arms, a smile spreading from her lips to her eyes, which sparkled brightly.

She slowly straightened up, looked past the throng of people, and gazed at the Second Prince's seat.

Xiao Yiheng's face showed appreciation, and he silently mouthed: Congratulations.

On the other side, the eldest and second eldest uncles sat next to each other.

Pei Zeyu raised his cup and offered a toast to her from afar.

Liu Wenying didn't want to see it, but she still saw Pei Dingxuan's deep, dark eyes, feeling both happy and wistful.

In addition, the guests in the hall were in an uproar, discussing the matter at length.

"Bu Ning Niangzi? What's that? I've never heard of her before."

"I heard it was created by His Majesty, and is specially bestowed upon women who have rendered meritorious service to the royal family's offspring."

"Just who is that person?"

"You forgot? She was the maidservant of the old lady of the Duke of Yu's mansion! Later she went to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion to serve the old lady Yu, and then she entered the palace to take care of the eldest princess."

"Tsk, this woman is quite capable. She's served many nobles, and now she's even been personally bestowed a title by His Majesty..."

In an instant, Liu Wenying became a sensation, her fame spreading throughout the entire capital.

Everyone knows a woman named Liu Wenying, who is not only good at raising children, but also skilled at taking care of the elderly.

She even stepped forward to help the eldest princess during her difficult childbirth, and was personally bestowed the title of Lady Bu Ning by the emperor, receiving great honor and favor.

…………