"How dare you!"
The eunuch let out a sharp shout. His shrill voice stabbed painfully at people's ears.
Pei Ying quickly stepped forward but was blocked by the Elder Lady Pei with her walking stick.
Since the younger generation of the Pei family had withered away completely twenty years ago, the Elder Lady Pei had single - handedly propped up this large Pei Mansion. What storms had she not seen?
Luo Xiang let out a soft laugh, then looked up confidently and said, "The Elder Lady has integrity. Luo Xiang admires you very much."
"But Elder Lady, with just the favor of providing a meal to the Emperor when he was down and out, can you protect the nine generations of the Pei family?"
Seeing the Elder Lady Pei's expression gradually turn gloomy, the corners of Luo Xiang's mouth couldn't help but curl up.
She flicked her sleeve.
Then, Luo Xiang forcefully stuffed the imperial edict in her hand into the Elder Lady Pei's hand.
"It won't be long before we become family. Don't blame me for not reminding you. Think it through, Elder Lady."
Looking at her confident look, the Elder Lady Pei smiled slightly and said, "This is a family matter of the Pei Mansion. It has nothing to do with the County Mistress."
After saying that, the Elder Lady Pei leaned on her walking stick and turned around steadily. She gave an order, "Yingying, see the guests out!"
Hearing this, Pei Ying grabbed the imperial edict and together with the eunuch, she unceremoniously kicked them out of the Pei Mansion's gate.
"How presumptuous! You dare to defy the imperial authority. Is the Pei family trying to rebel?!"
The eunuch had been delivering imperial edicts for many years and had never been kicked out of a door before.
Pei Su stopped Pei Ying, who was eager to jump forward and scold.
He turned around and treated the eunuch very respectfully, "My younger sister is young. If she has offended you, please forgive her, Your Excellency."
Hearing Pei Su's kind words of persuasion, the eunuch's complexion immediately improved a lot.
His heart fluttered with Pei Su's kind words. Just as he was about to persuade Luo Xiang beside him, he heard Pei Su's tone change.
"The imperial edict should be sealed with the 'Imperial Seal for Decrees'. But when I knelt to receive it just now, I vaguely saw that the red seal was the 'Imperial Seal for Imperial Affairs'."
Luo Xiang's expression changed slightly. She frowned and looked at him, "What do you mean by that?"
Pei Su smiled, and his tone and attitude became even more gentle. "The 'Imperial Seal for Imperial Affairs' has always been used only in grand ceremonies such as sending troops, conferring titles, and offering sacrifices to heaven. Now it's just a small matter of bestowing a marriage. How could this seal be used?"
"You dare to question the imperial edict?!"
The eunuch was furious. All the guards behind him drew their swords and pointed them at Pei Su.
Pei Su showed no sign of panic. He only said, "This is just a little doubt in my heart. If such a small matter were to reach the Emperor's ears, it wouldn't be good. So, I need the County Mistress to help explain it."
Forging an imperial edict was a great crime punishable by death!
The atmosphere between the two sides suddenly became tense.
Luo Xiang was so angry that she laughed instead. She raised her eyebrows and walked towards Pei Su step by step. "Do you think that this County Mistress had this imperial edict forged?"
Did he really think she was stupid?
Pei Su raised his hands in salute and lowered his posture even more. "I wouldn't dare."
Luo Xiang let out a sneer and took two steps back. As her hand dropped, all the sword - drawing guards stepped forward one step.
She raised her chin high and showed an overbearing attitude rarely seen before. "The Pei family defies the imperial edict and seems to have the intention of rebelling! From today on, without this County Mistress's order, no one in the Pei Mansion is allowed to enter or leave."
"Those who violate this order will be killed."
Luo Xiang leaned closer and took a look at Pei Ying, who dared not speak out in anger. Her wanton laughter became even more shrill.
She twisted her waist and got on the carriage proudly.
Then she drove away.
Looking at the cold - shining blades in front of her, Pei Ying was so scared that she quickly hid behind Pei Su.
"Brother, what should we do..."
Pei Su protected her back into the mansion. Hearing this, he stroked her head and looked very relaxed.
"What's there to worry about? There's still your brother and grandmother here!"
Pei Ying lowered her head.
—
At the beginning of Chenshi, when the morning sun shone obliquely, the gates of the Pei Mansion were wide open.
All the dukes, marquises, civil and military officials were dressed in gorgeous clothes and smilingly knocked on the door of the Pei Mansion.
In the flower courtyard of the Pei Mansion, the fragrance of flowers was refreshing.
Ninety - nine small tables were placed on the winding bridge over the pond. The noble young masters in brocade clothes and the noble ladies with gold hairpins were crowded so tightly that they all craned their necks waiting for the main characters to appear.
The drums sounded three times, and the butler kept shouting.
"The Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince has arrived—"
"The Regent has arrived—"
"The Duke of Anguo has arrived—"
"..."
Yan Liangwen came quite early today. Looking at the noble lords and ladies in the courtyard, he frowned in confusion.
Pei Zhaolin was not a person who valued formality and face. Why was he being so abnormal today, inviting so many noble lords and ladies to the banquet?
A worried male voice came from beside him. "Isn't Young Master Yan known as the all - knowing person under the sky? You've been in the mansion for so long and still can't tell the direction?"
Glancing at Chu Yingfeng, who was dressed as a servant, Yan Liangwen waved his hand impatiently. "Since I've taken your silver, I'll surely help you find Cui Jintang. Don't be impatient."
Just as he was deep in thought, he felt someone bump into his shoulder.
The latter raised a dark - faced head and said in a low voice, "Sorry, Young Master Yan."
Just about to scold the blind dog, after seeing his face clearly, Yan Liangwen fell silent.
Chu Yingfeng beside him was stunned for a moment. "You... you look so much like an old acquaintance of mine."
Zhu San blinked his eyes and only then noticed him. "Your old acquaintance is my younger brother. Is Young Master Chu here to find our young lady?"
Hearing this, Chu Yingfeng eagerly grabbed Zhu San's hand. "Do you know where she is?"
Their voices were not low, and there were many people here, so they attracted a lot of attention.
Yan Liangwen closed his fan and led the two of them aside. "There are too many people here. Let's talk somewhere else."
Zhu San said nothing and led the way in front with his head down.
After bypassing the winding corridor and turning a corner, they saw Cui Jintang sitting under the corridor, boredly feeding the fish in the pond.
Hearing the sound, she glanced over from afar. When she saw familiar faces, her eyes lit up.
She threw the fish food into the pond and then got up and walked towards them. "You're here too?"
But the joy on her face didn't spread to the three of them.
The three people in front of her all looked solemn.
The smile on Cui Jintang's face faded a bit. "What happened?"
Yan Liangwen sighed and complained a little. "During the days you've been missing, the outside world has been in an uproar! You're fine. You're surrounded by beauty and have forgotten everything, right?"
"What uproar?" Cui Jintang reacted for a moment. "Get to the point!"
Chu Yingfeng looked complicated. He stepped forward and said, "Yesterday, for some unknown reason, County Mistress Zhiheng led people to surround the Pei Mansion and didn't allow anyone to enter or leave."
"At such a critical moment, Lord Pei still insists on holding a banquet in this mansion. I'm afraid it will involve you."
Cui Jintang frowned. "Has anyone in the Pei Mansion been injured?"
Chu Yingfeng lowered his head and laughed self - deprecatingly twice. "With so many people watching, County Mistress Zhiheng dared to surround the Pei Mansion. There must be a terrifying force behind her. At this point, the first thing you care about is still the people in the Pei Mansion?"
"Just because of Pei Zhaolin?"
Facing Chu Yingfeng's questioning, Cui Jintang remained silent.
Looking at the silent people, Zhu San scratched his head and said, "County Mistress Zhiheng? Young lady, I saw her holding something and walking towards Lord Pei's study on my way here just now."