Young widow in her boudoir

In any case, she ultimately escaped a calamity.

Pei Zhiheng safely escorted her back to the Xie residence, then immediately rode out of the city, leaving the capital for Anyang.

That night, Xie Rutang lay on the couch, her mind filled with images of the past few days spent with him.

Flames blazed in the courtyard outside the earthen house. Pei Zhiheng arrived alone in the night, kicking open the door to reveal an archer beside him.

He had been an official for many years and was ruthless in his duties. Whenever she saw this second master, his decisive and ruthless aura would frighten her into a state of panic.

And then there was the day she barged into the front yard and accidentally bumped into a man. It was Pei Zhiheng who walked towards her in the rain with an umbrella and silently took her hand.

Cold raindrops fell on his eyebrows and eyes, then dripped from his sharp eyelashes.

Second Master's palms were large and burning hot.

She was completely different from her deceased husband.

My husband Shen Yuan's hands are rather slender and delicate.

The two people have different feelings.

Pei Zhiheng's hands could completely envelop her, with room to spare.

He had been wielding weapons for years, and his fingertips were covered in thick calluses. The rough texture of his fingers brushed against her delicate skin, which was used to wearing silk.

Like a clash between rudeness and delicacy.

Her frail, deceased husband was not at all so domineering and fierce... he wished he could devour her.

Xie Rutang lay on the bed, turned over, and her heart involuntarily quickened.

She didn't know what Pei Zhiheng's words in the carriage meant.

Wasn't he unwilling to give it to her?

The man's authoritative words seemed like an invitation, luring her into an abyss of disregard for the rules and etiquette of her aristocratic family...

Xie Rutang felt uneasy in the Shen residence, and she was even more unsure how to face him in the future.

Moreover, his relationship with the Shen family is complicated and involves too many things.

If he were to actually have something happen with her...

How can she, a widow, avoid suspicion from the Shen and Pei families?

He was her late husband's close friend, almost like a blood relative.

Xie Rutang closed her eyes, lying on the cold and lonely bed. Whether she opened or closed her eyes, all she could see was Pei Zhiheng's unsmiling face.

Before falling asleep, all I could think of was Pei Zhiheng's agile and fiery body as he practiced martial arts during the day...

Xie Rutang suddenly opened her almond-shaped eyes and buried her flushed face in the quilt.

It's dying.

……

After a restless night, Xie Rutang finally got up as dawn broke. She walked to the dressing table, scooped up a handful of cool water and applied it to her face to calm herself down.

Jin Yue was tidying up the luggage she had brought back from outside when her fingertips suddenly touched something that was completely different from the dresses she usually wore.

Jin Yue was slightly taken aback, and gently took out the garment.

I then realized it was a men's outer garment.

Xie Rutang looked over and saw that it was the same garment that Pei Zhiheng had casually tossed to her in the outskirts of the capital and made her wear.

His dark blue outer robe, with its subtle cloud pattern, was understated and dull. The material was the rare Jiangning tribute satin, and it still retained his faint, pine-like aura, making one think of the steady and reliable Second Master Pei, who was staying at the Shen residence.

Jin Yue asked, "Madam, what should we do with these clothes?"

Xie Rutang stared at the faint dark patterns on the fabric, her mind in turmoil. "Wash it clean, take it to the yard to dry, and then return it to Second Master."

only……

Xie Rutang's heart suddenly skipped a beat.

This was ultimately a man's possession; she was a widow, while he was the esteemed second master of the Pei family.

If she returns the clothes, there are many servants coming and going in the mansion. If someone sees her doing this, it will definitely ruin her reputation, and then things will get out of control.

Unexpectedly, Pei Zhiheng's clothes became a troublesome thing.

Xie Rutang sighed inwardly.

When he comes back, she'll find an opportunity to return the things to him; she doesn't want to owe him a favor.

Jin Yue dared not say anything more, picked up her outer garment and retreated to the well to wash.

Xie Rutang finished getting ready and slowly stepped out of the gate of Cuiwu Courtyard, where she met Shen Shuming at the flower and tree fork in the front yard.

Shen Shuming stood by the corridor and saw a hint of shyness flash across her face. He couldn't help but smile, his voice refined and gentle.

"Madam Shen."

Upon hearing the word "Madam," Xie Rutang's fingertips trembled slightly.

She had almost forgotten about Shen Shuming after being kidnapped by the Zhang family; she hadn't even asked him to conceive her child yet.

Now that she's back home, it's inevitable that she'll have to interact with Shen Shuming and cultivate their relationship.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves and fell on his shoulders, his features serene.

Shen Shuming was dressed in a scholar's robe, exuding a scholarly air.

If it weren't for her lingering feelings for her deceased husband, Shen Shuming would seem like a very good choice.

Xie Rutang tugged at her handkerchief. She didn't dislike Shen Shuming, so she gave him a faint smile and turned to go to the old lady's Shou'an Hall.

Once inside, she knelt down deeply, her shoulders and back slender, and said, "I beg my mother-in-law to have mercy and allow me to return to my parents' home to visit my father."

The old lady glanced at her.

She had tormented and made things difficult for Xie Rutang for a whole month. Even a clay idol would have some temper, but Xie Rutang still kept her eyes down and was gentle. She had never heard her daughter-in-law say anything bad about her, her mother-in-law, in the mansion. She was quite capable.

Since her son's death, Madam Xie has been quietly observing mourning, diligently paying her respects morning and evening without ever mentioning remarriage, and has simply stayed by Yuan'er's side.

The old lady touched the armrest.

After a long silence, he slowly relented and said, "Fine, you may return to your parents' home for one day."

Xie Rutang let out a long sigh, lowered her eyes and curtsied, "Daughter-in-law thanks mother-in-law for her understanding and kindness."

After the woman left the house.

The old lady in the chair thought of her deceased son, and suddenly her eyes welled up with tears.

……

Two days later, as dawn broke and the sky began to lighten, the mountaintop was bathed in sunshine.

Today is Xie Rutang's homecoming day, and the servants have prepared gifts in advance.

Her father, Xie Chengen, was one of the wealthiest merchants in Yangzhou. The Xie family had been in business for generations and were very wealthy.

Xie Rutang's mother, Gu, gave birth to a son and a daughter for him, Xie Rutang and his elder brother Xie Huai. However, she was depressed and grieving every day and was bedridden with illness. In the end, she could not make it through.

Before his mother's body was even cold, Xie Chengen couldn't contain himself and hastily married a new wife, with whom he had another two children.

This is also the reason why Xie Huai has been so estranged from his father over the years; the father and son have never been on good terms.

After Xie Chengen became successful, he simply went to the capital and bought a spacious and luxurious mansion, leaving Xie Huai and his daughter-in-law Lin Yan alone in their ancestral home of Yangzhou, ordering the two of them to guard the ancestral home.

Until a month ago, Xie Huai moved to Beijing with his wife and children, hoping to find a quiet job and a stable life by asking someone to pull strings.

Unexpectedly, a sudden disaster struck, and the family was on the verge of being torn apart.

Although she knew there was no hope, Xie Rutang still wanted to go back to her parents' home.

Half an hour later, Xie Rutang gracefully stepped off the carriage.

A maid stepped forward and knocked on the door.

The Xie family's vermilion gate remained tightly shut.

Xie Rutang frowned. Yesterday, someone had sent an invitation in advance, saying that he would come to visit his father today. There should be someone at home.

After waiting for a long time, the doorman slowly came to open the door. When he saw that it was the young lady outside, he suddenly slammed the door shut again.

"Young Miss, Master said that whether Young Master lives or dies has nothing to do with the Xie family anymore. His behavior is absurd and unruly, disgracing the family and bringing shame upon the Xie family ancestors. Master said that it is as if this son never existed..."

Xie Rutang felt a chill run down her spine.

She still held onto a sliver of hope, thinking that since father and daughter were bound by blood, even if Xie Chengen favored his second wife, he would at least show some leniency towards Xie Huai for the sake of his daughter. But she never expected her father to be so cold-hearted as to utter such cruel words that severed ties with his own flesh and blood.

Xie Rutang wore a plain dress embroidered with lotus flowers, exuding a sense of coldness.

Now, even her own daughter is being turned away when she returns to her parents' home.

The wind chilled her to the bone.

She wrapped herself tighter, lowered her eyes, and said, "It's windy here, let's go back."

The master and servant were just about to return to the Shen family.

As a result, two menacing-looking constables on the roadside suddenly stopped her and brandished a search warrant.

"Madam Shen, a woman named Zhang Huanghua from Yangzhou has filed a complaint accusing you of secretly bribing officials and engaging in corrupt practices. We would be grateful if you would accompany us to the Dali Temple."