Song Wanying was finally sentenced to fifty strokes of the cane. This time, without Pei Yu's interference, the strokes landed on Song Wanying for real, and she was almost half - dead.
After Song Wanying's execution, the two elders of the Song family wailed and took her back to the mansion. Because they had compensated Song Ruotang for the bracelet last time and treated the heir of the Marquis of Guangping, and also paid for Pei Yu's medical expenses, almost half of the Song family's savings had been depleted.
Now that Song Wanying had been punished again, a great deal of silver had been spent.
When Song Wanying was carried back to the Song Mansion, Song Ruotang happened to pass by her. Song Wanying was lying on the stretcher, groaning in pain. Song Ruotang was dressed in a snow - white robe, wearing a fox fur of the same color, and holding an oil - paper umbrella painted with pink hibiscus flowers. She was walking slowly along the street.
Song Wanying turned her face sideways. Song Zhen and Nie Rong were bustling around beside her. Amidst the flurry of figures, she saw the other woman slightly lift the umbrella, revealing the lower half of her beautiful face.
She slightly curled her lips. Her plump red lips were shiny, and her chin was slender with a graceful curve.
Song Wanying stared fixedly. Then she saw the umbrella being lifted higher, revealing Song Ruotang's almond eyes filled with autumn water. Her eyelashes were curly, fluttering like a flying butterfly when she blinked.
The two sisters passed by each other, presenting a different scene. Song Wanying was covered in wounds, unable to move, and in a sorry state, while Song Ruotang was dressed in luxury and as beautiful as a celestial being. It seemed that their situations had been reversed.
Song Wanying instantly widened her eyes. Excitedly, she wanted to say something, but the pain all over her body made her gasp. Nie Rong was concernedly saying beside her, "Aying, bear with it. We'll see the doctor soon."
But Song Wanying stretched her neck and tried to look at where Song Ruotang was. She saw her walking slowly towards the Court of Judicial Review. Amidst the moving figures, a gentle and elegant figure walked out of the door and walked straight under Song Ruotang's umbrella.
Song Ruotang was very close to that person. Song Wanying was being carried further and further away from them, but in a daze, she still saw Pei Zhiyan's face.
She almost stared wide - eyed, trying hard to see the other person's face clearly to confirm if she was wrong. How could Song Ruotang be related to Pei Zhiyan?
But it was the Spring Festival today. There were too many people on the street, and the crowd was crowded. Despite her efforts to stretch her neck, she didn't see Song Ruotang and Pei Zhiyan again.
"Aying, what's wrong?" Nie Rong noticed her abnormality and asked her with tears in her eyes.
Song Wanying shook her head. "It's okay. I must have seen wrongly."
Today was the Spring Festival. Pei Zhiyan told Song Ruotang that he would get off work earlier and accompany her to go shopping on the street. But Song Ruotang knew that Song Wanying would be punished today, so she wanted to come and have a look. Coincidentally, she met her being taken back.
"Why didn't you wait for me in the mansion?" Pei Zhiyan took the umbrella and held her other hand. "It's too much trouble to come here."
"Today is the first time the master said he would accompany this concubine to go shopping. This concubine couldn't help but come earlier to see the master." Song Ruotang held Pei Zhiyan's hand back and smiled gently.
Pei Zhiyan smiled silently. Song Ruotang took out a veil and put it on. The corners of Pei Zhiyan's mouth, which had just curved up, flattened again.
He opened his mouth but didn't say anything. After all, he understood that Song Ruotang did this for whom.
Seeing her crescent - like eyes exposed outside, he tightened his grip on her fingers. With people bustling around, he pursed his lips and led Song Ruotang to a mask stall.
Song Ruotang was a little puzzled. Pei Zhiyan picked up a mask, turned his head and said to her, "You don't have to cover up. Just go shopping with peace of mind."
After saying that, he paid the silver and put on the mask.
He didn't want Song Ruotang to live furtively because of him. If anyone should cover up, it should be him. In this way, the impact on Song Ruotang would be smaller.
Song Ruotang was touched. Through the mask, she met Pei Zhiyan's affectionate eyes. For a moment, she felt that the noisy market around them had become quiet.
She could hear her heart pounding like a drum, and it started to beat uncontrollably faster.
Song Ruotang quickly lowered her eyes and saw a beautiful fox mask in the stall. She picked it up and put it on, then smiled. "Do I look good?"
Pei Zhiyan slightly curved his lips. "You look good."
Pei Zhiyan knew that she wanted to be the same as him, so he didn't stop her. After paying the money, they went to other places to go shopping together.
Knowing that Song Ruotang had stayed in the manor for a long time, Pei Zhiyan also kindly explained to her what the special things on the street were.
They didn't return to the mansion until the lights were dim. Song Ruotang's feet were a little sore from walking, but she was very happy. In the previous sixteen years of her life, she had never strolled so freely on the streets of the capital. There had only been endless dirty clothes and odd jobs waiting for her.
Pei Zhiyan was holding a bunch of candied haws in one hand and holding her hand in the other. When they walked to the pavilion by the lake, he turned his head and looked at Song Ruotang. "Do you want to sit down?"
Song Ruotang was really a little tired, so she nodded.
They sat in the pavilion. The night wind blew, and the bells hanging on the four - cornered eaves of the pavilion jingled melodiously.
Song Ruotang looked at the lake not far away, where the water was sparkling under the candlelight. She closed her eyes and leaned on Pei Zhiyan's shoulder, feeling the gentle breeze caressing her cheeks. She felt an indescribable sense of relaxation.
Pei Zhiyan was silent for a while. Looking down at the red candied haws, he said softly, "Ruotang, you have been repeatedly harassed in the outer mansion. I want you to go back to the main mansion of the Pei family with me."
He took a deep breath and his tone was very solemn. "By then, I will complete all the formalities and publicly announce our relationship openly."
As he spoke later, the corners of his mouth slightly lifted, and there seemed to be expectation in his eyes. "Ruotang, I wonder what you think?"
After Pei Zhiyan finished speaking, he didn't get an answer from Song Ruotang for a while. He was a little puzzled. "Ruotang? What's wrong?"
He was a little nervous, thinking that Song Ruotang didn't want to go back to the main mansion with him. He turned his head and saw that his lips brushed against her cheek, and Song Ruotang's peaceful sleeping face came into view.
Song Ruotang had her eyes closed, and her eyelashes fluttered with her breathing. Pei Zhiyan was stunned for a moment and then shook his head helplessly. It seemed that she hadn't heard what he said just now.
He reached out his hand to tuck in the fox fur on Song Ruotang's body, adjusted his posture, and gently picked her up. Song Ruotang frowned, found a comfortable position in his arms, and then continued to sleep.
Pei Zhiyan smiled, still holding her, stepped on the thin snow, and walked towards the mansion with the gentle breeze and the rustling sound.
The next day, Song Ruotang woke up early, but when she turned over, she found that the bed beside her was still empty.
She was a little puzzled. Although Pei Zhiyan usually got up early, at this time like today, he should have just gotten up not long ago and hadn't gone out yet.
But when she reached out her hand to touch the bed, it was already cold. It seemed that he had been out for a long time.
Song Ruotang sat up, feeling a little lonely. She turned her head and looked at the table. The things they had bought last night were still on it. Most of them were small trinkets that Pei Zhiyan had bought for her.
Song Ruotang walked to the table and picked up the mask she had worn last night. Xiaoxi heard the sound and walked in. "Madam, this maid will help you dress."
"Why did the master go out so early today?" Song Ruotang turned her head and looked at Xiaoxi.