My elder sister forced me to become a concubine; I was reborn and remarried into the emperor's

Pei Ji meant well when he said this, but the listener didn't take it to heart.

Man Xinghe is a straightforward person, and being young, he has never been involved in matters between men and women before.

In his view, Wei Nanxun was younger than him and of a different generation than Pei Ji, so how could she possibly be thinking about personal feelings?

He felt that he was a man, and naturally different from Wei Nanxun. Such a beautiful girl, who looked like a fairy, should be given way.

The only thing I'm unhappy about is that my uncle was supposed to let me win a game, but he didn't let his own nephew win!

He's not even as good as an outsider!

“Uncle, I’m leaving in a few days, and you won’t see me for quite a while. Can’t you let me go?”

Wei Nanxun dared not even think about it. This man was really too strange today. She was afraid that if he said anything more to the Empress Dowager, it would lead to some kind of marriage decree from the Empress Dowager, and then she would be finished.

This is the best approach: say less, make fewer mistakes; ideally, say nothing at all.

Pei Ji rubbed his forehead with one hand, lazily glancing away and saying, "Noisy."

But his gaze lingered on Wei Nanxun, intentionally or unintentionally. The little girl's attempt to distance herself from him was both adorable and infuriating.

It makes you want to keep watching.

Unfortunately, someone lacked tact and stood between the two with a raised eyebrow.

"uncle."

It would be impossible for Pei Ji to say that he hates Man Xinghe. In this family, the only person he has feelings for is this older sister, who has treated him like a sister and a mother since childhood.

Most importantly, she never forced him to do anything and always respected him.

Her only son resembled her, so naturally he liked him too.

But this brat is too dim-witted. He sneered, raised his eyes and stared at the half-grown boy. Remembering that the boy had just said he wanted to marry Wei Nanxun, he was furious.

"Did you bring your sword?"

Man Xinghe was stunned for a moment before realizing what it meant, and his eyes immediately lit up.

“Yes, I brought it! My uncle hasn’t handled it in three or four years.”

Pei Ji propped himself up and sat up, hooking his fingers around the buttons on his collar. With a forceful tug, the dark robe embroidered with dragon patterns came undone, revealing a matching inner garment underneath.

Wei Nanxun was the least involved person in this matter. She was still pondering what kind of code the uncle and nephew were using when suddenly everything went black.

He was covered from head to toe by a long robe.

She was instantly enveloped by a faint, cool fragrance. She was very familiar with this scent; it was his scent, still carrying his body temperature.

Wei Nanxun's face flushed red almost instantly.

What's even more infuriating is that a man's voice, tinged with a hint of laughter, came from above: "Sorry, I missed."

!!!

Throw it! Throw it all off track! The dignified Regent, who can shoot down enemy soldiers from a hundred paces on horseback, how could he possibly throw such a big heated kang (traditional heated bed) at her head?

They're just kidding.

However, this was just a minor incident, as everyone's attention was focused on the two of them.

The so-called "passing through hands" turned out to be a martial arts competition.

As soon as Wei Nanxun lifted the robe covering his head, everyone in the hall had disappeared. Through the large window by the kang (a heated brick bed), he could see the two of them gesturing in the open space in the courtyard.

Pei Ji used a broadsword, the blade as wide as her palm, entirely black, emitting a faint, shimmering light, the patterns on it were not visible from a distance.

Even someone as ignorant about weapons as her could tell at a glance that this was an excellent weapon.

Man Xinghe, on the other hand, wields a longsword, its blade snow-white and sharp, just like him—sharp and spirited.

Pei Ji's swordsmanship was so superb that he would often appear on the other side before she could even react to his thrusts. Man Xinghe's swordsmanship was agile and unrestrained, which matched his personality even more.

Although she couldn't understand swords, she was certain that Pei Ji's sword was more imposing.

He wore a black undergarment, slightly fitted, revealing his muscular chest and flat stomach, exuding masculine charm. In contrast, Man Xinghe truly looked like a boy.

He either doesn't attack at all, or when he does, it's always aimed at a vital point, clean and swift. Man Xinghe's swordsmanship focuses more on techniques, with more elaborate sword flourishes and a more visually appealing style.

She had always thought she was afraid of bloodshed, but watching them fight today, there was no bloodshed at all; instead, she felt a sense of exhilaration and freedom.

This was a brilliance and sharpness she had never encountered before.

Wei Nanxun looked at her palms, which were hands that had never done any heavy work and whose ten fingers had never touched water. She used to love to dye her hands with nail polish and keep them fair and delicate.

Now she feels utterly useless. If she had even a fraction of her abilities, she wouldn't have been imprisoned by Pei Yuyan and forced to hide everywhere to avoid him.

Man Xinghe seemed like a very easy person to talk to. It's a pity that he's going back to the Northwest in a few days. Otherwise, if I asked him to teach me a few self-defense moves, he probably wouldn't have refused.

As for what he said to *** about marrying her, Wei Nanxun didn't take it seriously.

Although he was good in every way, she would not consider anyone from a royal or noble family.

Besides, Man Xinghe is too childish. She has lived a second life and is actually older than him. Looking at him always gives her the feeling of looking at the little brother next door.

While she was lost in thought, the situation between the two of them underwent a dramatic change.

Pei Ji was actually losing ground.

Not only did his sword strikes become slower, but his reactions also seemed to slow down; several times, the sword's edge, shimmering like a galaxy, barely grazed his robes.

The danger was almost as great as when she fell into the valley.

Wei Nanxun's heart skipped a beat for no reason, and he couldn't help but wonder if his previous injuries hadn't healed yet.

After all, she knew best how badly he was injured. If Pei Ji hadn't had an extraordinary physique, anyone else would have been dead long ago.

If you think about it carefully, it's only been two or three months since he was injured. The doctor said that most people would only be able to get out of bed after two or three months, but he was already moving around freely and fighting with others.

I heard that he has been reviewing memorials in the Imperial Study for many days in a row, so he must not have been able to rest properly.

Even someone made of iron couldn't withstand such sleepless nights.

Wei Nanxun had already mentally searched for faults in him from head to toe. She was both annoyed that he didn't cherish his body and angry that he only knew how to be strong, truly putting face above all else.

Just as she was thinking this, Pei Ji seemed to sense her gaze and looked at her through the crowd.

He pulled at the corners of his mouth and gave a faint smile.

Is this person crazy? She can't even beat her own nephew, yet she's still smiling at him?

Just as Wei Nanxun was about to look away from him, she saw Man Xinghe leap high into the air, thrusting his sword toward Pei Ji's back.

The snow-white sword blade, bathed in sunlight, gleamed with a sharp, cold light, and was about to touch his clothes.

Pei Ji, however, seemed oblivious, still staring intently at her, as if she were the only one in his eyes.

Wei Nanxun's pupils dilated involuntarily, and his heart seemed to freeze. He couldn't help but exclaim, "Be careful!"