Chapter 16: Pei Yuanyong is penalized

  "What are you doing?" Pei Zhucheng sneered, casually flipping out an old poetry collection and throwing it in front of Chen Qiming. He shouted angrily, "Open your dog eyes wide and take a good look! This poem about plum blossoms was written by me sixteen years ago when I saw the early plum blossoms on my way to see off a friend leaving the capital. Everyone knew about it back then, and it's already been included in my poetry collection. You're stealing my poem and slandering my daughter right in front of me, how dare you be so arrogant! And what have you done to my daughter behind my back?"

  His anger erupted without any restraint, and the bloody aura of the battlefield burst forth, instantly rendering Chen Qiming stunned and paralyzed on the ground.

  "General Pei... General Pei... I really... really don't know this poem..." Chen Qiming was so scared that he couldn't even speak properly, and suddenly burst into loud wailing, "General Pei spare my life, spare my life, I... I... I was also instructed by someone to..."

  Just then, Madam Zhang's voice came from outside the door: "Master!"

  As she entered, she saw Chen Qiming's disheveled appearance and her heart skipped a beat. However, she smiled and said, "Master, the imperial concubine Liu of the palace has sent an invitation to our manor, saying that she has obtained some excellent peony flowers and is inviting the young ladies of our manor to enter the palace to admire the flowers on the fifth day! It's said that not many families in the capital have received this invitation, it's a rare honor." As she spoke, she pretended to have just seen Chen Qiming's appearance and exclaimed, "What happened?"

  Bai Zhucheng ignored her and continued to ask: "Who instructed you to slander and frame my legitimate daughter?"

  Is this reasonable? First, the Marquis of Town's manor broke off the engagement, and then they came to plot against his concubine. The tiger is not showing its might, but everyone thinks it's a sick cat? Even if he returns to the capital this time to resign and is no longer the great general guarding one side, Pei Zhucheng is not someone who can be bullied by anyone!

  Was this person going to betray himself? Zhang Yun was shocked in her heart, if she let Pei Zhucheng know that she had instructed the teacher to frame Pei Yuange, she would be finished for life! With a flash of inspiration, she hastily said: "Someone instructed Mr. Chen to slander Fourth Miss? What's going on here? Fourth Miss has always been innocent and guiltless towards others, could it be... after the cancellation of the engagement with the Town National Marquis' manor, they were afraid of being ridiculed, so they intentionally splashed dirty water on Fourth Miss, just to make themselves appear righteous and dignified, making it seem like our Pei Manor was not at fault?" As she spoke, she used her eyes to signal Chen Qiming to follow along with her words.

  Pei Yuange sneered inwardly, Zhang Yun's mind was quick enough to shift the blame onto the Town National Duke's mansion in the blink of an eye, framing them seamlessly. Unfortunately, Father would not let this matter rest, and when the time came to confront the Town National Duke's mansion, the truth would be revealed, and she wouldn't need to say much, lest she arouse suspicion.

  Chen Qiming and others slid away, immediately knocking their heads heavily: "It's true, it's a small servant of the Zhen Guo Hou Fu who sent a message to let me do this. He said that if I don't do it, he will...he will kill my whole family! I am also helpless, General Pei, spare my life, General Pei, spare my life!"

  It's the Zhen Guo Hou Fu again! Pei Zhuocheng gritted his teeth in secret.

  "Master, although it's said that the Marquis of Town Country is powerful and intimidating, Chen Qiming's behavior is truly detestable. However, this matter involves Fourth Miss, so in my humble opinion as a concubine, let's not make a fuss about it to the authorities. Let me handle it instead!" Zhang Yun's face was full of concern and composure, but in her heart, she had already formed a murderous intention. If it weren't for someone from Tong Ze Institute sending her a message earlier, Chen Qiming would have probably exposed her by now. This person cannot be left alive! It seems that this matter will trouble Brother again!

  Chen Qiming still thought Zhang Yun was helping him and felt deeply grateful in his heart, fortunate that he hadn't turned Zhang Yun in just now.

  Pai Zhucheng's face was flushed with anger, and he waved his hand to have Chen Qiming taken away. His gaze shifted to Pai Yuanyong and Pai Yuanniao beside him, and suddenly he became enraged, pointing at the two of them and shouting: "And what about you two? You sisters were together in school, your younger sister was humiliated like this, and yet you two older sisters didn't say a word? And you, Pai Yuanyong, step forward and tell me, what did you mean by what you said earlier?"

  Bae Won-yong never thought things would turn around like this and was stunned: "Father, I...I..."

  It's obvious that it must be Pei Yuanyong who helped to testify, and he hastily made a round of excuses: "Don't get angry, old master. Who would have thought that this gentleman would be so shameless, even daring to insult the fourth miss, the legitimate daughter? And Yuanyong and Qiaoyong are just concubine daughters, they don't know how to behave properly on ordinary days. They must also be intimidated by the gentleman, after all, they're just children who don't understand things!" In order to save Pei Yuanyong, he also dragged in Pei Yuanqiao.

  "You're still the daughters of the Pei family, yet you've been intimidated by a poor and humble scholar to this extent. You didn't even care about your own sister, and instead went to receive twenty lashes. I'll have you copy out the Pei family's rules one hundred times, so that you can remember them well. In the future, if something like this happens again, and you swallow your anger and humiliate me, I'll deal with you first!"

  Pei Yuanchuo was already in trouble, but Pei Yuanrong had been pampered since childhood and had never even been scolded with a single finger. Now, suddenly being punished with twenty strokes of the cane because of Pei Yuange, she felt especially wronged and let out a loud wail before bursting into tears. Zhang Yun was afraid that her crying would further enrage Pei Zhucheng, so he hastily pulled her away.

  Pei Yuanchao looked at Pei Yuange with an unusual expression, then quietly left.

  Only Pei Yuange was left standing there, trembling with fear. The anger in Pei Zhoucheng's eyes finally dissipated, and he beckoned his little daughter to come over. He stroked her head and said, "Song'er, I've wronged you. Tell Father, do the other masters also make things difficult for you like this?" No wonder Master always came to him with complaints, saying that Song'er was disobedient. If all the masters were as despicable as this one, they deserved to be hacked to death with a knife.

  "Of course, Father, but I'm not afraid. I am the daughter of General Pei!"

  These words suddenly hit Pei Zhucheng's heart, and he grew even more fond of Pei Yuange. Suddenly, he said: "What if Father is no longer the Great General in the future? Are you still afraid?"

  "Father, are you going to be in the capital from now on?" Pei Yuange remembered that in her past life, after her father returned to Beijing, he changed from a military officer to a civil official and became the Minister of Justice. Although his rank was the same, his status and power were not comparable. Her father must have felt a sense of loss too? It was good that he showed this emotion to her, and if she could seize the opportunity, it would add weight to her own importance. So, with a gentle voice, she firmly said, "With Father by my side, I'm even less afraid! And from now on, Father can often accompany me, right? When Father is not in the mansion, I miss you so much!"

  As expected, upon hearing this, Pei Zhuceng's heart felt at ease, and he thought that this daughter was indeed lovely and endearing. Just as they were about to chat, he suddenly remembered Fu Junsheng beside him, and hastily smiled, saying: "Right, I forgot to introduce you. This is the young master of Shouchangbo Mansion, Fu Junsheng, who is one year older than you. You can just call him Brother Fu. And this is my little daughter, Pei Yuange."

  Pei Yuange made a square and rectangular bow and said: "Hello Brother Fu."

  The previous situation fully revealed Pei Yuange's cleverness, and unexpectedly she was so intelligent despite her weak appearance! Fu Junsheng secretly praised her in his heart, bowed slightly, and smiled warmly: "Good, Fourth Sister."

  Since there were still guests at her father's place, the daughter took her leave first. Although her father was present, after all, men and women are different, Pei Yuange first bid farewell to her father and then bowed slightly to Fu Junsheng before leaving. Fu Junsheng felt a little lost and subconsciously watched her leave.

  This little girl, why are you running so fast? Pei Zhucheng's eyebrows furrowed, seeing Fu Junsheng's lingering gaze, his eyebrows relaxed again. This Fu Junsheng is quite decent, gentle and polite, a hundred times better than the son of the Zhen Guo Hou Mansion, An Zhuoran. Just now he even spoke up for Ge Er, it seems he has a good impression of her, this matter may have a chance!

  But this time he must be careful and choose a suitable husband for Ge Er, absolutely cannot repeat the mistakes of the Zhen Guo Hou Fu again...