♂?，，

  Ming Xuan saw the expression in Pei Shu Yun's eyes and was 70-80% sure that this cold and elegant sixth sister had no interest in Gu Yuan Jing. The desolate and cold gaze was full of worries, it seemed that Pei Shu Yun had hidden a shadow in her heart for some time. Mrs. Pang's attempt to explore this marriage was probably just a one-sided wishful thinking. Looking at the annoyance and grievance on Shu Yun's face, it was likely that Mrs. Pang hadn't informed her beforehand, otherwise why would Shu Yun be willing to attend today?

  In this world, there is no mother who would lecture her daughter on the ways of intimacy in front of her face. If this matter were to spread, it wouldn't just be Madam Pang's dignity that would be lost, but also Pei Shuyuan's reputation that would be ruined.

  Ming Xuan smiled kindly at Pei Shu Yun, but his eyes couldn't help revealing a hint of pity.

  Among the unmarried ladies of the Pei family in the Zhennan Gongfu, Pei Shuyin's situation was the best. Without a doubt, Mrs. Pang cherished and loved this only daughter very much, but at this moment, this love for her daughter suddenly seemed so shallow.

  Mrs. Pang could see that Gu Yuanjing's future prospects were great, but she couldn't see that Pei Shuyin had already had thoughts in her heart. Mrs. Pang could see the future glory of the three houses of the Gu family, but she couldn't see the surging hostility between the two families of Pei and Gu. Mrs. Pang could see the benefits of Gu Yuanjing becoming the son-in-law of the second house, but she couldn't understand the danger behind this marriage.

  After all, interests are still placed before happiness.

  But this is precisely the mainstream value of the current Zhou Dynasty, where personal relationships are trivial matters, and the fate and future of the family are what must be obeyed. There are parents who treat their children with sincerity, but more often than not, daughters are treated as tools for marriage alliances that can bring the greatest benefit to the family's prosperity. Pei Shuyuan is such a case, Yu Huifei is another, and Gu Kuihuai Pei Huanghou is also one of them.

  Ming Xuan herself, how can she be exempt from vulgarity?

  She let out a sigh in her heart and still put on a bright smile towards Mrs. Pang. "Second Aunt is worrying too much, Sixth Sister is the gentle and virtuous daughter of a noble family, and her future husband will certainly be a young man with a matching social status. Grandfather will also help to pay attention to talented and suitable young people, you don't have to worry too much."

  Madam Pang saw that Ming Xuan's tone was increasingly polite, but she never mentioned Gu Yuanjing. She only said that this nephew's wife might not be able to take charge of her brother's marriage, and didn't continue to pester her. After sitting for a while, she excused herself on the grounds that there were still matters to attend to in the courtyard.

  Ming Xuan personally escorted them out. Only when she returned to the inner house did she let out a sigh of relief, and she said to Pei Jingchen, who was reading a travelogue at her desk, "The news from Er Bo's side is quite timely. He must have known that my brother had achieved great merit in Lin Nan, and after returning to the capital, he would be rewarded. That's why he let Er Bomu come here to probe me."

  Gu Yuanjing's letter did not say much, only a few words, with only two meanings: the emperor's orders were carried out, and he will return to Beijing soon. If he really made achievements, then after Han Xiuzhi went on an expedition, the emperor might promote him as another Han Xiuzhi in order to balance the court situation.

  Pei Jingxuan's mouth slightly curved up, "I heard that Second Uncle and Duke Ying have a good private relationship."

  The Duke of Ying and the Duke of Dongping are full brothers. They were both legitimate sons of the imperial clan, born to Empress Dowager Zhu. Due to the thinning of the royal bloodline, it was only during the previous emperor's reign that the younger son of his older brother was specially granted the title of Duke of a Commandery. As members of the imperial family, the Dukes of Ying and Dongping closely supported the Emperor and were adept at understanding His Majesty's intentions. They also had more opportunities to receive first-hand information.

  The two old men, Pei Xiaoqing, must have heard that the emperor would reuse Gu Yuanjing, and only then did they think of this marriage.

  Madam Pang chose to start with Ming Xuan, and it's not entirely unreasonable. The old grudges of the Yongning Hou Mansion, Madam Pang was aware of them. The person who could truly influence Gu Yuanjing's decision, she thought, was none other than Ming Xuan. If Ming Xuan relaxed her stance and helped persuade Gu Yuanjing, then the chances of this marriage succeeding would be much higher than going to the Yongning Hou Mansion to beg the Gu family.

  She just miscalculated the knot between the Pei and Gu families.

  Ming Xuan pouted, not continuing the topic, but instead smiled and said, "I think today's weather is great, warm sunshine, no wind, and it's just noon when the temperature is highest. Staying indoors all day isn't good either, why don't I push you out to take a walk?"

  She clapped her hands and said, "Just in time, the wheelchair I had someone find a skilled craftsman to make has arrived, let's try it out and see if it works well."

  Bai Jingchen's legs are still paralyzed due to the accumulation of toxins and he cannot move around. Ming Xuan had previously asked Changgeng to carry him out every day to breathe in some fresh air, but only within the range of Jingyi Courtyard. She thought about using a sedan chair to lift him up, but it would not only be laborious, but also require at least four people. Going out once was really exhausting for everyone, so she racked her brains and designed a wheelchair based on her memories from her past life.

  Ming Xuan's drawings were too rough, but fortunately, there was a skilled craftsman in the folk who had made similar things for wealthy families. In the western part of the city, there was an old carpenter named Lao Zhangtou who had also made such things before. He worked on it for several days and finally managed to make a wheelchair for her. Although it was still rough and looked very crude, at least it could be used to push Pei Jingxuan around the house without any problems.

  Since they got married, Pei Jingxuan had always been following Ming Xuan. Upon hearing this, he smiled and said, "Let's go try out that wheelchair to see if it's any good."

  It was already mid-December, and in Shengjing, the cold weather had thoroughly set in. Although it hadn't snowed outside, and the sun was shining brightly at noon, Ming Xuan still didn't dare to slack off. She wrapped Pei Jingzhen up tightly and put on a thick fox fur cloak herself. She had Dan Hong Su carry a hand warmer and follow her from a distance as they left the gate of Jingyi Courtyard.

  Through two narrow alleys is the backyard.

  On a winter's day, all things were barren and withered. Along the way, except for some evergreen plants, only plum blossoms were still blooming on the branches. Ming Xuan gazed at the delicate petals of the plum blossoms, as if she saw the plum garden outside the auxiliary country public bamboo pavilion, where she had met that young man with ink fragrance on his sleeves. At this moment, it was as if it were a dream, and even his appearance was vaguely forgotten.

  At that time, she was eager to escape the fate of being a chess piece, even if the encounter was beautiful, and her heart could not help but weigh and calculate. How could it be like this moment, even if her husband's leg injury had not healed, even if there were hidden arrows all around, even if she was in a dangerous place, her mood was still so calm and peaceful?

  This is one moment, and that is another; this is just fate playing tricks on people.

  Ming Xuan personally pushed Pei Jingxun's wheelchair slowly along the bluestone path, and when they passed by the peach forest, she suddenly saw a few wisps of smoke rising from the depths of the forest. She frowned and hastily ordered Dan Hong beside her, "I think there seems to be smoke in front, I don't know if it's on fire or not, take two sturdy women to go and see."

  On a winter day, the trees are dry, and if a fire really breaks out, it's feared that it will be difficult to put out the flames. The back garden of the Pei family is mostly forested, with one piece connected to another, and there is no pond either.

  Not long after, Dan Hong rushed out to report back, "Madam, there is no fire in the woods, it's just that some ignorant woman was burning paper money inside. I was afraid you'd worry, so I came out to tell you first, and the few ayis have already tied her up and brought her over."

  Ming Xuan's face changed slightly. In a large household, they avoided talking about ghosts and gods. Sacrifices were held in designated places, and it was strictly forbidden for the lower servants to hold private ceremonies. Burning paper money was considered a taboo that would bring bad luck to the master of the house. If discovered, one wouldn't be let off without being beaten half to death. The woman inside not only privately worshipped and broke the rules but also hid in the peach grove. If she wasn't careful, she would start a fire, and the disaster would be huge.

  But she wasn't that kind of person who cared about taboos, and she believed in sparing others because the other party had privately mourned once, which led to someone's death, something she couldn't do.

  Ming Xuan sighed softly and thought for a moment before saying, "Take a look around to see if there are any other people who have seen this. If not, then it's not necessary to bring her in front of me. Just let her go, but make sure she remembers that she can't do such things again in the future. If Linzi were to leave, it wouldn't be something that just one woman could bear."

  Dan Hong was about to leave when Pei Jingchen suddenly called out to her, "Dan Hong, bring the person over, I have something to ask."

  He turned his head and gently pinched Ming Xuan's hand, saying in a low voice, "I once told you that this peach forest was originally a pond. Someone had drowned here before. Calculating the time, it should be around this time too. Coincidentally, when I investigated my mother's cause of death, I had some involvement with this matter. However, at that time, the people who knew about it were either dead or had disappeared without a trace, and there was no lead for the time being."

  His eyes were clear and cold, with a hint of inquiry, "I guess this private mourner must be someone who knows something about that matter back then, maybe we can get some information out of her."

  Ming Xuan was slightly stunned, and then thought that on the second day of her wedding, after paying respects to tea with Pei Jingxun, they had passed by here. She had heard about this matter before. Before the Princess Yongjia entered the house, the Crown Prince Pei Xiaoan had a concubine who was already pregnant before the princess arrived. Regardless of whether it was for the reputation of the Pei family or the dignity of Princess Yongjia, according to Pei Xiang's ruthless style, this child would definitely not be allowed to be born. Therefore, the concubine later drowned in the water, and afterwards, the pond was filled up and a peach forest was planted on top.

  What aristocratic family doesn't have a few such secrets? It's just that no one had thought that the death of that concubine would be related to the miscarriage and hemorrhage of Princess Yongjia.

  But... it's actually possible. Although the concubine getting pregnant before the mistress is against etiquette, after all, they are two living lives. Even if this matter was mostly due to Pei Xiang's instructions, those who pity her can't help but put the blame on Princess Yongjia. After all, the Pei family only took such drastic measures because they were going to marry the princess. If someone were to take revenge for the concubine, it's possible that they might make a move during the princess's childbirth.

  Her face slightly stiffened, she nodded and said, "Okay."

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