♂?，，

  He gazed at the woman in front of him, whose eyes sparkled like a warm spring day, yet remained silent. He understood the coldness and detachment hidden behind her smiling eyebrows and eyes, as well as the mocking sarcasm that escaped from the corners of her lips. His heart was twisted into knots as he watched her lean against another man's side.

  His gaze shifted slightly, casting his eyes on Pei Jingchen who was sitting by the window.

  That exquisite and handsome face, whether in the past or present life, he should have been the first to see it so close, otherwise he would not have let Ming Xuan marry him without making thorough preparations, thus forcing himself into this dilemma of being unable to get what he wants and yet unwilling to give up.

  The figure in the painting is as elegant as a fairy, with beauty that has reached its ultimate. The pure and exquisite beauty alone has already overshadowed the vast sky.

  After a long time, Han Xiu finally spoke up, "Indeed, there is something I want to say."

  He took out a delicate and exquisite brocade box from his bosom, gently placed it on the table, pushed it in front of Pei Jingchen and said, "I have met your honorable wife once, which is also fate. Congratulations to the noble couple's grand wedding, this is a humble gift, I hope Master Pei will accept it."

  The brocade box was open, and on the white silk handkerchief inside, a dagger inlaid with various precious stones lay quietly. Under the refraction of light, it shone brightly with a rich and majestic aura.

  "This is the spoils of war I obtained from the Western Xia prince, said to be made from ancient times' wrought iron and adorned with the most precious gems. Although its value is high, it's not a sharp blade for killing, so it's not very useful to me. Giving it to your esteemed wife as an ornament and for self-defense would still make good use of it."

  He composed himself for a moment. "I'm doing you a favor, Lord Pei, I don't think you'll refuse?"

  Bai Jingchen smiled and took out the dagger, carefully examining it for a while. He praised, "Indeed exquisite and unparalleled, Lord Han's good intentions. I haven't even had time to thank you, how could I refuse?"

  He leaned his body towards Ming Xuan and asked softly, "Ming Xuan, do you like it?"

  Ming Xuan nodded slightly, "I don't understand military tactics, but husband has been praising them nonstop. They must be good, and I will definitely like them."

  Her eyes were sharp, and she caught sight of the handkerchief with a dagger in the brocade box, which had faint ink marks on it. Her heart moved, and she reached out to take it out and unfold it. On the moon-white brocade, the black ink deeply penetrated the dense and intricate texture, this was an extremely bold and free-spirited flying white brush stroke, wild and uninhibited, with a man's straightforwardness and simplicity, yet also revealing a woman's charm and cleverness.

  "Peony holds dew like a pearl, beautiful woman walks in front of the courtyard. With a smile, she asks Tanlang, 'Which is stronger, the flower or my beauty?'"

  Tanlang was annoyed, and said that the flower branch was good. With a face full of coquettish anger, she pinched off flowers to hit people.

  Ming Xuan was not very familiar with poetry, but she understood that the words on the handkerchief were a love poem. The flying white strokes of the handwriting were extremely familiar to her; they could be seen in every old notebook in the study, and it was Ming Xuan's most proud penmanship from before. The handkerchief... was an old object of hers from before.

  She smiled wryly to herself, Han Xiuyi was a majestic and powerful general after all. He had once galloped across the battlefield, unmatched by thousands of people, what kind of grandeur and magnanimity that was. But now, he was using these petty tricks of women in the inner chambers, in order to drive a wedge between her and Pei Jingyuan's feelings, he truly would stop at nothing.

  Unfortunately, he didn't understand himself and also misjudged Pei Jingchen.

  As expected, Pei Jingchen's face didn't show any sign of annoyance, but instead genuinely praised, "The words are good, the characters even better. Lord Han is truly... This rare masterpiece, how can it be used as a wrapping cloth for a dagger?"

  He sighed and carefully stroked it.

  Ming Xuan smiled and said, "Husband, this is my handwriting from the past. I knew you liked flying white, and there are still many old playful works in my study room. When we get back, I'll have someone find them all for you."

  She paused for a moment, then suddenly sighed softly, "But in the future, I will never dare to write again. In those years, I once made a vow before Buddha that from now on, whether copying scriptures or writing letters, I would only use regular script, with upright words and an upright heart, humbly and modestly to avoid disaster."

  Every sentence is honest and straightforward, yet every sentence clears itself of any relation.

  Han Xi's heart ached unbearably, but he couldn't vent his emotions. His tightly clenched fists shook uncontrollably as he tried to speak again. Just then, the woman opposite him clapped her hands and laughed, "Ah, the dishes are served!"

  The little waiter brought in the dishes one after another and soon arranged a full table of food on the desk, "Guests, please enjoy your meal!"

  Ming Xuan didn't even bother to notice Han Xi's dark face, and leisurely stretched out her chopsticks to taste the exquisite dish worth several taels of silver. Indeed, it was not expensive for nothing, although a bit pricey, but also reasonably so. As she savored each bite, she occasionally picked up a piece with her chopsticks and fed it to Pei Jingzhen, asking him with a coquettish expression, "Is it delicious?"

  Pei Jingchen smiled gently and said, "Mmm, it's really delicious."

  He carefully peeled the shrimp for her, without avoiding outsiders, and fed the shrimp into her mouth. "This is the tenderest, come, try one bite, if it's delicious, we'll come again next time."

  At that time, the folk customs were very conservative. In Shengjing City, it was slightly better, and occasionally, young couples in love would hold hands and walk together, but in front of outsiders, they would feed each other so intimately, which was really too bold and presumptuous. In Han Xiu's view, this was a naked provocation and declaration of war.

  In fact, it is indeed.

  He constantly warned himself in his heart, not to be confused by anger, and Ming Xuan and Pei Jing Chen must have done it on purpose in front of him.

  Perhaps the two of them had reached some kind of private agreement, or perhaps there was another reason, but it couldn't be true that the Ming Xuan he knew, although her personality was bold and straightforward, would be so reckless and frivolous as to disregard etiquette and propriety, and deliberately act in an unseemly manner just to spite him.

  But though he comforted himself in his heart, he really couldn't see any trace of pretence on this affectionate couple in front of him. Their behaviour was too natural, without a hint of intentionality. The sweetness and ambiguity flowing in the air, the tenderness entwined in their eyes, could not deceive people.

  After a long while, he finally came to his senses and realized that Ming Xuan and Pei Jing Chen truly regarded him as nothing...

  Han Xiujing suddenly stood up and finally interrupted the couple who had forgotten him.

  Bai Jingchen's face showed a hint of surprise, "Lord Han?"

  Han Xiuyuan forced a smile, "I still have official business to attend to and can't stay for long. The carriage from your esteemed residence should arrive soon, please ask Lord Pei and his wife to wait for a moment. This meal is already on my account, the two of you take your time."

  He turned his gaze to Mingxuan, who was still focused on the food, and said in a low voice, "Take care." Then he left without looking back, his figure gaunt, his footsteps heavy, as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

  Pei Jingchen watched him leave, her heart filled with a mix of emotions for a moment.

  That was Ah Xuan's former fiancé! If it weren't for this person being drunk with power and tearing up the marriage alliance, would he have had the chance to become a couple with her in this life? And where could he have found her beauty and gotten such a wonderful wife?

  Seeing the long and affectionate love letter from her, although he couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy in his heart, wondering why it wasn't him who met her first. But after the sourness passed, it overflowed with sweetness and gratitude. What happened before was like floating clouds, what he has now is precious and eternal, that's enough.

  He has received little emotional support in this life, so he feels particularly precious. Once grasped, he will not let go.

  Ming Xuan raised her head and saw Pei Jing Chen silently dazed, thinking he was uncomfortable, so she gently rubbed his body and looked at the still unfolded brocade handkerchief, saying in a low voice, "That poem, indeed I wrote it before, if you don't like it, just throw it away."

  She opened her eyes wide and looked at him, her tone as gentle as water, "I was injured four years ago, that person, those things, all forgotten."

  Pei Jingchen also looked at her, and after a while, he smiled softly. His face was originally handsome to the extreme, and now that he was smiling with abandon, it was as if the scorching sunlight had dispersed the dark clouds, and the already exquisite and noble young master, under the radiant light, appeared even more majestic and elegant, illuminating the entire room.

  He gently cupped her face, not saying a word, but the smile in his eyes grew more intense. He leaned in close to her, their noses touching, just a head's distance apart, and their lips were about to meet. This ambiguous sweetness made his chest thump wildly.

  This expression absolutely doesn't look like it's in anger.

  Ming Xuan let out a sigh of relief in her heart, and unintentionally caught sight of Dan Hong and Chang Geng constantly looking in their direction from not far away. Her face suddenly turned red with shame, and she said in a low voice, "A Zhen, don't make trouble, there are still others here, wait until we get home..."

  "Wait till we get home, then what?" Pei Jingxuan asked with a smile.

  Ming Xuan's face turned red with anger and embarrassment, "A table full of delicacies, if they get cold, it'll be too late to eat when we get home, why won't you let go?"

  Pei Jingchen suddenly burst out laughing, "Alright, a table full of delicacies, although it's not our own money, we can't waste it. A Xuan, come, let me peel another shrimp for you!"

  The sound of laughter and chatter dispersed, and Chang Geng's face showed a look of astonishment. He muttered in a low voice, "I've never laughed so heartily before..."

  Dan Hong also felt a sense of nostalgia, "Since I was assigned to serve my family's young lady, it has been four years. Every day she lives in fear and trepidation, being cautious with every word and action, no matter who she is speaking to. She has never had such a carefree and relaxed day."

  She paused for a moment, "When the mountain is exhausted and the water is exhausted, there is no way to doubt, the willow is dark and the flower is bright again in the village. Miss had said that when the boat reaches the bridgehead, it will naturally go straight, but I didn't expect it to be fulfilled here."

  Before marrying into the Pei family, everyone said that the Pei family was not a good place, and Master Pei was a sickly person who would die at any moment. Even Eighth Miss said that the Pei family wanted to marry Miss because they wanted to change their luck. But who could have predicted that Master Pei's body was not as frail as rumored? Not only did he look handsome, but he also got along very well with Miss!

  In front of Shengji Wine House, a man in a green robe, Su Yan, came forward and greeted him, "Sir!"

  Han Xi's heavy heart nodded slightly, just as he was about to mount his horse, but the joyful laughter from upstairs made him feel suffocated. His eyes sank, and he whispered, "Investigate this Mr. Pei thoroughly, not a single detail can be missed."

  He raised his head to gaze at the slightly ajar window, where he could vaguely see a pair of shadows leaning against each other. His eyes froze for an instant before he turned and mounted his horse, galloping away like thunder, leaving no trace behind. "The happiness I couldn't have, nobody else can have either!"

  （）

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