After the favored concubine remarried, the aloof and powerful minister forcibly took her away.

Chapter 11 You think you can just run away after kissing me?
Pei Yanzhi pinched Xiang Ning's chin, forcing her to look him in the eye.

Their reflections were mirrored in each other's eyes. Xiang Ning unconsciously swallowed, wanting to escape.

His eyes were like a dark, deep, unfathomable pool of ice.

In his eyes, Xiang Ning had nowhere to hide and only wanted to break free.

"Why are not you talking?"

"Didn't you fall in love with me at first sight?"

For some reason, Xiang Ning felt a throbbing pain in her head as she listened to Pei Yanzhi's words.

Her heart suddenly started racing, faster and faster, almost bursting out of her chest.

The person in front of me had a normal expression, but their words were laced with unwarranted sarcasm.

In that instant, Xiang Ning felt that he had seen through her long ago, and that he was keeping her around only to see how much more of her lies could deceive him.

With her mind blank, Xiang Ning inexplicably moved closer to him.

The fleeting kiss carried the pleasant, clean scent of soapberry emanating from the girl.

Their warm, moist lips touched briefly before parting. Taking advantage of his momentary daze, she hurriedly got up.

"This servant will now go down."

After saying that, Xiang Ning turned to leave, but Pei Yanzhi reacted quickly, reaching out to grab her arm and pulling her back.

"You think you can just run away after kissing me?"

He unconsciously pursed his lips, as if the taste of her lip rouge still lingered on them.

The kiss was so light that Pei Yanzhi didn't even notice it.

Her actions were abrupt and somewhat offensive, but in that instant, Pei Yanzhi forgot what kind of answer he wanted.

Xiang Ning's face was flushed, and the red tips of her ears looked like they had been dotted with rouge.

"Forget it, let's go down."

The sound of her heartbeat reached his ears, making him inexplicably irritable.

Her hand was released, and Xiang Ning hurriedly left, her retreating figure appearing somewhat like she was fleeing in panic.

After leaving Qingyi Residence, Xiang Ning stood by the stream looking at her own face.

Like a boiled duck, it's so red it's almost cooked through.

In a moment of panic, she actually kissed Pei Yanzhi.

Xiang Ning looked annoyed. Who gave her the courage to do such a thing?
Pei Yanzhi, that's Pei Yanzhi! She must have been out of her mind to kiss him just to shut him up.

Xiang Ning closed her eyes and slowly exhaled.

At this moment, Pei Yanzhi in the room narrowed his eyes and raised his hand to touch his lips.

But the memory of that night at Lanhui Pavilion came to mind.

An urgent and passionate kiss, her response, and those unbearable moans.

Pei Yanzhi's thoughts came to an abrupt halt, and he turned to look at the gauze in his hand.

When Chenghua came in, he saw that Pei Yanzhi's wounds had been treated and bandaged.

"Sir, Mingxiang says there's been a new discovery."

Upon hearing Cheng Hua's words, Pei Yanzhi withdrew his gaze and stood up.

"Go to Dali Temple."

After saying that, the two left Qingyi Residence together. When Xiang Ning returned with the water, she saw Pei Yanzhi's back.

Seeing how anxious he was, Xiang Ning breathed a sigh of relief, at least she didn't have to feel awkward in front of Pei Yanzhi anymore.

Unexpectedly, Pei Yanzhi did not return for three days after leaving.

Xiang Ning immediately felt relieved. In Qingyi Residence, only she, her personal maid, remained.

She kept thinking about her sachet and went to Pei Yanzhi's room many times, but she couldn't find the key to open the cabinet.

That day, Xiang Ning took a wire and wondered if she could pick the lock.

Suddenly, a commotion arose outside, and Liao's mother's voice came from outside. Xiang Ning put away the wire and went outside.

"Mama Liao? What's wrong?" Hearing Xiang Ning's words, Mama Liao sighed, leaned closer to her, and said in a low voice, "Xiang Ning, the First Madam heard from somewhere that you came from a brothel, and she wants me to take you to Qionghua Courtyard for questioning."

After Xiang Ning arrived at Mo Song Yuan, she would occasionally send good things to Liao Mama.

The purpose is to have more useful information in case anything happens in the future.

Since Liao's mother had benefited from her, she naturally wouldn't hesitate to offer a few words of advice.

However, what Liao's mother said made Xiang Ning's heart tighten.

How could the First Madam know about the affairs at the brothel?
"I understand, thank you, Mom."

Xiang Ning took Liao's mother's hand and put a few pieces of silver into it.

Madam Liao nodded and whispered, "Quickly send someone to invite the eldest young master back. You have a lot of influence with him now. With his protection, the madam won't do anything to you."

This matter could be a big deal or a small deal; it all depends on whether the young master wants to protect Xiangning.

If he were willing to step in and protect Xiang Ning, this matter would simply be taken seriously and then let go easily.

"I see."

Xiang Ning lowered her head and said nothing more; Pei Yanzhi would not save her.

Instead of placing your hopes on others, you should find your own way.

Therefore, she did not allow anyone to send a message to Pei Yanzhi.

When Granny Xu came out of the small kitchen, she saw Xiang Ning leaving with Granny Liao.

She frowned, quickly put down the green beans in her hand, and went to look for her son.

After Xiang Ning followed Madam Liao to Qionghua Courtyard, Madam Pei was sitting on the veranda, holding a cup of tea in her hand.

Kneeling at the bottom of the steps was a mother in charge, and another woman dressed in a flamboyant manner.

"Kneel down."

Upon seeing Xiang Ning approach, Madam Pei uttered two words in a low voice.

Looking at it this way, Pei Yanzhi's personality is not like that of the master who is rarely at home, but rather exactly like that of Madam Pei.

Xiang Ning obediently knelt down, and then heard Madam Pei ask, "You said she's the woman who ran away from your brothel?"

This question was asked to the woman who was dressed in a flamboyant manner.

"In reply to Madam, that's right. Back then, her father sold her into the Golden Jade Pavilion. I saw that she was really beautiful and well-behaved, so I didn't assign a pimp to watch over her. Who would have thought that I would let her run away without my knowledge?"

"I spent a full twenty taels of silver to buy her back then."

The madam still felt a pang of heartache when she thought about it.

“And you, Mama Li, you were the one in charge of purchasing maids back then.”

Madam Pei took a sip of tea and uttered those words leisurely.

Upon hearing Madam Pei's question, Li Mama trembled and hurriedly lowered her head, saying, "This old servant... I didn't do my job well and couldn't find the person Madam wanted. I was afraid of being punished by Madam, so she voluntarily sold herself into the household at that time..."

"This old servant was momentarily bewitched, please punish me, Madam."

After the two finished speaking, Madam Pei put down her teacup and gave a cold snort.

"Xiang Ning, you have served me for three years. In these three years, I have seen that you are honest and well-behaved and never cause trouble. I thought you were a girl from an honest family."

"You really kept it a secret."

The Qin family, a scholarly family, would never tolerate a maid from a brothel, lest she tarnish the Pei family's reputation and become a laughingstock.

"lady!"

"Aunt, please don't be angry. If you don't want to keep her, how about you give her to me?"

Just as Xiang Ning was about to speak up to explain, she heard Pei Yongcheng's voice from behind her.

He smiled, raised an eyebrow at Xiang Ning, and looked determined to win.

"Xiang Ning, you see, in the end, won't you still end up in my hands?"

Pei Yongcheng bent down and whispered something to Xiang Ning, his tone as if she were already his.

"Madam, I have evidence to prove that I am innocent."

(End of this chapter)