Young widow in her boudoir

Pei Zhiheng accurately spotted her figure in the crowd.

Her figure was reflected in his refined eyes, like a lotus flower emerging from clear water.

She is obedient.

But after a moment, he still frowned.

Her face was beautiful; even if she were draped in a burlap sack and dressed simply, she would still be alluring. She had a voluptuous figure, yet her limbs were slender.

In particular, her slightly drooping eyes give her a unique, poignant charm that can easily arouse a man's desire.

Xie Rutang felt very uncomfortable under his gaze.

Pei Zhiheng's gaze fell on the food box in her hand. She had just made soup for Zhang Qingci in Lin Yan's kitchen.

He thought of the fertility-enhancing soup she had brought him, and his throat inexplicably felt dry. His eyes returned to their cold and deep expression, still as elegant and refined as ever.

Suddenly I remembered the last time he got drunk.

As night fell, two clumps of banana trees grew under the bamboo grove, their leaves still glistening with dew. The warm, soft body in his arms lingered in his memory.

I saw her standing with Zhang Qingci at this moment.

Pei Zhiheng slowly withdrew his gaze.

He was aloof by nature and disliked meddling in other people's business.

Therefore, whether Xie Rutang remarries or not is none of his business.

Zhang Qingci then showered her with attention, but Pei Zhiheng remained unmoved, which made Xie Rutang feel even more that she was worlds apart from him, and she became increasingly calm.

However, Lin Yan, who was beside her, saw the powerful and influential man from the Shen family and insisted on pulling her forward to build a relationship with him.

Xie Rutang was so embarrassed.

Pei Zhiheng smiled gently, but his true nature was extremely distant.

When Zhang Qingci learned that he was the famous Minister of the Court of Judicial Review in the capital, he could not hide his excitement and hurriedly bowed and introduced himself, "This humble official greets Lord Pei."

Pei Zhiheng slightly raised his eyelids, after learning that he was a scholar.

He then smiled.

Xie Rutang felt inexplicably embarrassed, her cheeks slightly flushed.

Pei Zhiheng was the top scholar in the imperial examination two years ago, the youngest Jinshi in nearly a hundred years. No wonder he looked down on Zhang Qingci's identity.

Xie Rutang lowered her eyelids to hide her unusual expression.

Especially after Pei Zhiheng touched her while he was drunk, it stirred up a long-dormant desire in her heart, causing her unbearable pain.

She needs a man.

I need someone to rely on.

Even she herself couldn't explain what it was, but she instinctively suppressed it, showing no sign of it on her face. This was her virtue as a woman, and also her sense of propriety; she could never cross the line of societal norms.

Even Su Yao looked at her with disgust.

Moreover, Pei Zhiheng did not want to inherit the family line.

Since her mother-in-law drugged her with aphrodisiacs, Xie Rutang has felt disgusted with herself and despised her. As a result, she also feels inferior in front of Zhang Xiucai.

At this moment, Zhang Qingci took the food box from Xie Rutang.

The man had to go back to interrogate the wanted criminal, so he didn't linger and left. The elegant figure on horseback seemed unreachable.

Xie Rutang heard from Lin Yan what had happened near Dali Temple that day.

It turned out that Su Yao had been harassed by local thugs on the street that day, and in desperation, she sent her maid to the Dali Temple to ask Pei Zhiheng for help.

When he arrived, still in his official robes, he found her sitting on the steps, clutching her ankle.

Considering that Su Yao was his mentor's only daughter, Pei Zhiheng allowed her to ride in a carriage and escorted her back to the Su family, personally riding alongside on horseback.

When Lin Yan saw Su Yao get out of the car, she revealed her eyes, which were still red.

Xie Rutang lowered his eyelashes slightly; she had never seen him act like that with any other girl.

Su Yao comes from a scholarly family, and her life is the envy of all women. She and he are a perfect match.

After Pei Zhiheng left.

Although Zhang Qingci's brows showed some signs of fatigue from his journey, his expression remained relatively calm as he discussed business with her.

"In the past two days, I have visited two clerks I know and also asked someone to see your brother in prison. He is in relatively stable condition, but the prison is cold and harsh, and he is bound to suffer some injustice. There are indeed ways to bail him out. As long as we raise the required amount of money for the bail and find two local neighbors to act as guarantors, we can go through the procedures to bail him out."

Upon hearing this, Xie Rutang's eyes immediately reddened.

She and Lin Yan had been living in fear and anxiety for half a month, and nothing had calmed her down more than Zhang Qingci's gentle voice at this moment.

She was about to curtsy and express her gratitude.

Zhang Qingci gently helped her up, saying, "It's nothing, no need to thank me, but this sum of money is not a small amount."

Xie Rutang gently wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, her resolve as strong as grass and trees. "Don't worry, my sister-in-law and I will definitely find a way to raise the money."

……

After saying goodbye to Scholar Zhang.

Xie Rutang walked along, her mind preoccupied with the kitchen preparations for tomorrow.

My mother-in-law has been having a poor appetite lately, so I wanted to try some new dishes to please her. After thinking it over, I realized that the only thing I was missing in the kitchen was a good piece of tofu, so I turned a corner and headed towards the tofu stall on East Street.

The tofu stall on East Street was set up under an old locust tree at the street corner.

This tofu is made so delicately that Xie Rutang often comes to buy it, and they've become quite familiar with each other over time.

I had just bought the tofu, and the sky was still dark.

Suddenly, Xie Rutang was dragged into a dimly lit alley.

This alley is very dilapidated, and almost no people come here.

The tofu in her hand fell to the ground.

Upon smelling the faint sandalwood scent emanating from the man, Xie Rutang froze, no longer daring to move.

"Does Madam Shen want to remarry that poor scholar?"

He stroked the strands of hair at her temple, his fingertips cool and suggestive, yet sending chills down one's spine.

Her hair also carried a delicate and lingering orchid fragrance.

Pei Zhiheng's gaze darkened. She smelled wonderful everywhere, and her body was incredibly soft. Her neck seemed like it would snap if you pinched it, as delicate as a lotus leaf in a pond.

Xie Rutang bit her lip tightly, not daring to utter a sound.

Pei Zhiheng placed his hand on her slender waist, both cold and hot. "You're a widow. Don't you know why he approached you?"

She's lost weight again.

"Don't you know, you're very attractive to men? That poor scholar is just lusting after your looks and body, scheming to get his hands on you."

The woman's alluring fragrance lingered in his nostrils, and he couldn't help but swallow twice.

She was a widow, and Pei Zhiheng knew all too well what those men were thinking.

Because he is also a man.

Xie Rutang's eyes were glistening with tears. Seeing his malicious speculation about Zhang Qingci, she clenched her fist and said, "Zhang Xiucai is a good person."

"He and I are from the same hometown, and we know each other very well. He would never harbor any intention to harm me. Pei Zhiheng, your speculations and slander are utterly humiliating!"

Pei Zhiheng's dark eyes were shrouded in a cold mist. He let out a low, scoffing laugh, a chilling and grating tone. "A good person?"

"It seems that the lady is truly considering remarrying."

Xie Rutang's shoulders trembled slightly. She could feel that the Pei Zhiheng in front of her was a different person from the Pei Zhiheng who usually appeared in front of others.

In public, he was the Minister of Justice, a refined and elegant gentleman.

In private, however, he was a refined scoundrel.

That's absolutely outrageous!

Pei Zhiheng grabbed her wrist, pinning her against the dark alleyway. He suppressed his urge to ignore the faint fragrance emanating from her wrist. "As long as you live, you are a member of the Shen family. Even in death, you will remain a ghost of the Shen family."

Xie Rutang felt that his fingertips were rough, his palms were hot, and there were blue veins on the back of his hands, which made her feel frightened and scared.

Her eyes flashed coldly. "Pei Zhiheng, you should respect me!"

Pei Zhiheng seemed not to have heard these words.

Men who have lost their minds, especially those who have held power for many years, are only interested in her body.

"If Madam Shen wants to remarry, I will break your legs on behalf of both the Shen and Pei families." He leaned close to her neck, his cool breath brushing against her ear, speaking almost as if he were right next to her ear.

Pei Zhiheng's actions seemed to show no mercy to women, just like when he judged cases in the imperial court.

Xie Rutang shivered.

Her soft, boneless body began to tremble.

She believed that, given Pei Zhiheng's current status, he was capable of doing such a thing...

When tears welled up in her almond-shaped eyes, the man's throat bobbed.

Her pitiful appearance would soften even the hardest heart.

After venting his anger on her, Pei Zhiheng released his grip and left. "I've been in the Dali Temple for many years; you know my methods."

"If I discover that you have cheated on me, I will strip you and your lover naked and throw them into the street."