Even Pei Yanchao, who had always been adored by many noble ladies in the capital, was a bit startled.
This little girl was really...
Direct!
She was young, and when she said those words, there was a bit of sincerity in them, rather than admiration. It seemed that she was truly just surprised by Pei Yanchao's good looks. Instead, there was less of an offensive meaning. But the first mistress immediately reacted.
She quickly stepped forward. "Lord Pei, my daughter is young. Maybe she was really stunned by your good looks. I hope you won't blame her..."
The dim light in the corridor shone on Pei Yanchao's cold and handsome eyebrows, making him look even more cold and noble.
He frowned slightly. Just now, he thought this girl was the one he had bumped into at the moon-shaped gate that day, but at this moment, he was a bit dazed...
That little girl was timid and cautious, while the one in front of him was reckless... bold!
"Lord Pei, my daughter was raised in a villa before and was only brought back a few days ago. She doesn't know the rules. Please don't mind!"
Jiang Zongyuan also quickly explained.
"Is this the second young lady who was adopted by the first mistress today?"
Pei Yanchao's cold voice carried a bit of doubt.
"Yes, she's only been back for a few days!"
Jiang Zongyuan didn't know that his words inadvertently dispelled the doubts in Pei Yanchao's mind.
Jiang Sihe knew that her father's words had undoubtedly helped her. At this moment, Pei Yanchao must have dispelled his doubts.
"Master, we've found it... we've found it..."
Just then, a young servant ran back trotting with the token in his hand.
Jiang Zongyuan secretly wiped the cold sweat off his forehead with his sleeve. It was really a relief. If the token had been lost in his mansion, he might not even be able to bear the consequences with ten heads...
He didn't dare to take the thing and just motioned for the servant to return the token to Pei Yanchao.
Pei Yanchao just stood there, and the dignity around him made the servant a bit scared. The servant lowered his head and respectfully stepped forward to hand over the token.
Pei Yanchao's clean and slender hands took the token. His well - defined fingers stroked the token.
"Where was it found?"
His cold and clear voice carried no emotion.
"Back to my lord, it was on the path of serrated ladies' tresses in front of the study!"
The servant replied in a trembling voice.
Pei Yanchao's cold and aloof eyes drooped. His fingers rubbed the token. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Jiang Sihe's skirt. He quickly frowned and put the token back into his sleeve.
"Yan Lin, go and find Yan An back!"
His voice was cold and solemn, showing a bit of calmness and detachment.
"Yes!"
A figure in black hidden in the dark replied with a cold and hard word and then disappeared.
Seeing this scene, Jiang Sihe secretly sighed. No wonder he could hold great power in the court. The forces behind him must be immeasurable...
Pei Yanchao turned back and said gently to Jiang Zongyuan and the first mistress, "I won't bother your family anymore!"
Jiang Zongyuan quickly forced a smile. "You're being too polite, Lord Pei!"
Although he said so, in his heart, he couldn't help but think that he was finally able to send this great Buddha away...
Jiang Sihe also silently let out a sigh of relief. This time, she had played a little trick under Pei Yanchao's nose. She didn't know if she had completely dispelled his suspicion.
She just lowered her head lost in thought and didn't notice that Pei Yanchao looked back at her when he left.
Pei Yanchao got into the carriage. His two bodyguards, Yan Lin and Yan An, also jumped out from the wall of the Jiang Mansion.
Yan Lin sat outside, and Yan An directly lifted the curtain of the carriage and got in.
"My lord, are we just going to let it go like this?"
As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeve a bit, showing the bite mark on his wrist.
"The maids in this mansion are really audacious and not simple at all. Are we just going to let it go like this?"
Pei Yanchao didn't say a word. He just threw the token in his hand into Yan An's arms. "Put away your things!"
Yan An wanted to say something else, but was scared back by the cold and strict look in Pei Yanchao's raised eyes.
Yan An realized his mistake and quickly said,
"My lord, this time it was my negligence. I actually let a maid steal the token from me. I'll go and receive my punishment when I get back..."
Pei Yanchao shifted his gaze. His cold face showed no expression.
But in his heart, he was already clear. The token smelled of serrated ladies' tresses, and the skirt of that second young lady of the Jiang family also had the pollen of serrated ladies' tresses.
Was this just a coincidence?
Pei Yanchao lowered his cold eyes. He thought this second young lady of the Jiang family was really not simple!
...
The first mistress led Jiang Sihe back. Jiang Sihe lowered her head and followed behind. She guessed that the first mistress would scold her for being unruly.
But until they entered the courtyard of Chunhua Pavilion, the first mistress didn't say a single word to her.
"It's getting late. Go back to your room and rest quickly!"
Jiang Sihe had followed the first mistress to the door of the main house. The first mistress turned back and said with a smile.
"Mother, aren't you going to punish me for being unruly?"
Hearing this, the first mistress couldn't help but laugh. "So you've been frowning because of this?"
Jiang Sihe was puzzled and frowned slightly.
"Lord Pei does have deep and immeasurable influence in the court. But you're just a young lady in the inner chambers. If he were to take offense at a thoughtless remark, how could he handle affairs in the treacherous court..."
"But father treats him respectfully. If I'm disrespectful to him like that, will it affect father..."
Jiang Sihe was afraid that with Pei Yanchao's personality, he would hold a grudge against her father and make things difficult for him in his official career.
"Actually, Lord Pei is only in his twenties. We've watched him grow up. He has a gentle, kind, respectful, and thrifty character. It's just that later, something happened to the Pei family, and all the burdens fell on him, which made him develop a cold personality. He won't make things difficult for your father over such a small matter."
Jiang Sihe nodded. That was good!
But thinking about Pei Yanchao's way of handling affairs in the court in her previous life, it really had nothing to do with being gentle, kind, respectful, and thrifty. He was decisive in killing and cold - blooded!
"Mother, I was really reckless today. How about we send an apology gift to Lord Pei in the name of the Jiang Mansion!"
Jiang Sihe still wasn't at ease. She was afraid that her behavior had made Pei Yanchao dissatisfied with the Jiang family.
The first mistress thought for a while. "That's good. You've thought it through."
She remembered that her elder sister had mentioned today that this Lord Pei would surely rise steadily in the future. Making friends with him now might be helpful in the future!
"I'll arrange it in the mansion tomorrow. You don't have to worry about this anymore!"
Jiang Sihe felt that she had finally perfectly resolved the matter of Pei Yanchao. She let out a sigh of relief.
After she went back and took a bath, Xiuyue applied skin - nourishing floral lotion on her and lit the soothing incense. She slept more soundly that night than before.
But in the small courtyard where Concubine Ruan and the others lived, it was not so peaceful.
At night, Jiang Jingshu was woken up by the itching on her face. She lit the lamp and saw that her face was covered in red rashes.
"Lady, what's wrong with me...?"
Jiang Jingshu's voice carried panic and woke Concubine Ruan in the inner room.
Concubine Ruan put on a robe and went out to see Jiang Jingshu wailing.
"What's going on?"
"Lady, my face... is full of rashes..."
Only then did Concubine Ruan get closer to take a look. Seeing Jiang Jingshu's face full of red rashes, she was also startled.
"What did you eat tonight?"
"Lady, I only had some congee and side dishes for dinner. I didn't eat anything else..."
After Jiang Jingshu finished speaking, she seemed to remember something. Her expression panicked...