Chapter 82: The Wrong People to Mess With

Chapter 82: The Wrong People to Mess With

The vibrant red cloak had been undone, revealing disheveled attire and a patch of fair skin beneath. She lay with her eyes tightly shut, seemingly asleep.

Surrounding the two men, one in blue and the other in gray, the blue-clothed man was initially captivated by Pei Yuanxi but quickly turned panicked upon seeing the men behind her. The man in gray took a step back, appearing ready to flee.

"I... I was trying to save this lady," the blue-clothed man said.

"Get out of the way!"

They were perceptive enough to promptly vacate the space. Pei Yuanxi rushed over to adjust Hong Baozhu's clothing, gently tapping her face and checking for breath. Her condition didn't seem like an arbitrary faint; she must have been drugged.

The two men exchanged glances, the one in gray appearing particularly aggrieved. "I was just strolling along when this lady mistook me for a thief and chased me relentlessly. She pursued me into this alley, but no matter how much I tried to explain, she wouldn't listen. Eventually, she suddenly fainted. Just as I was worried, this young master appeared. As you know, the rest is history. We truly didn't do anything to her."

"That's right. By the time I arrived, this lady was already unconscious. In my haste to save her, I momentarily forgot propriety. Please forgive my breach of manners," the blue-clothed man explained.

A dead-end alley, a lookout at the entrance, and these two suspicious men. The blue-clothed man claimed to be a rescuer while the gray-clothed one said Hong Baozhu had mistaken identities. They seemed to take everyone else for fools.

Pei Yuanxi discreetly examined Hong Baozhu's body, only relaxing once she confirmed that she hadn't been harmed. Grateful for arriving in time, she thought, otherwise...

Spring Moon and Zhao'er had already helped Hong Baozhu up, preparing to leave.

Pei Yuanxi looked at the two of them coldly. "So you're saying that you're both good people, and we misunderstood your intentions, taking you for villains?"

"That's precisely the case," the man in blue said, his gaze inadvertently drifting towards Pei Yuanxi's face. Despite his pretense, the lustful glint in his eyes could not be concealed. "I only wanted to save this young lady. If I've offended her in the process, I'm willing to take responsibility."

"Responsibility?" Pei Yuanxi's gaze turned even colder. This blue-clothed nobleman was well-dressed, seemingly from a decent family. However, his superficial demeanor revealed his true intentions from the start. "Can you really afford it? Do you know who she is? And what are you yourself!"

"Miss, you can't be ungrateful to someone trying to help. I acted out of kindness to save her, and then took the initiative to shoulder responsibility. How can you be so unappreciative?" The blue-robed gentleman's face flushed with anger, but he dared not act out with the two burly men watching closely. His eyes darted around, exchanging another look with the man in gray.

The burly man in gray had a short and sturdy build, with a fierce expression that didn't seem to indicate any benevolence. "You girls from wealthy families truly are arrogant. First, you accused me of being a thief, and now you're blaming us again. So it's wrong for the poor to even help someone while walking? There's no justice in the world like that."

"There may be no such justice in the world, but were you really just walking and saving someone?" Pei Yuanxi wasn't interested in arguing with them. She said dismissively, "Your words won't work on me. Save them for the authorities."

"The authorities?" The young man in blue stammered, "How could such a trivial matter warrant involving the government? Miss, please don't scare us. We're ordinary folk; we can't afford to offend people of your status."

Chunyue finally saw through their game – these two were undoubtedly connected to the men who had been guarding the alley entrance. They even had the audacity to claim they were rescuing them, which was infuriating. "Your story would only fool a three-year-old child. Walking to save someone? Who do you think you're fooling?"

Zhaorou's face turned pale with anger at these ruffians. They dared to talk about saving someone while they clearly had ulterior motives. If not for Second Miss Pei insisting on coming to investigate, her young miss might have fallen victim to their schemes.

"Fear not, our General and Lady will not let you off lightly!"

The blue-clothed man's terrified expression turned menacing. He knew that these young ladies valued their honor more than anything else. He dared them to make a scene; he was prepared to risk it all if they did. Besides, he had greater backing for his audacity - the General's Manor was nothing in comparison.

"Miss, I advise you to believe our words for the sake of this lady's reputation. Then she can still marry into a good family in the future. If you insist on taking us to the authorities, and we speak ill of her, her reputation will be ruined. Don't blame us for leaving no way out for her," the blue-clothed man straightened his clothes, looking rather pleased with himself.

The gray-clothed man chimed in, "Indeed. Though our actions were unintentional, we have still trespassed against this lady. If this matter escalates, how could she bear to live with the shame?"

Zhao'er trembled with anger. These two were obviously villains, yet they pretended to be righteous. Their words were so disdainful; if the lady found out, she would never let them off.

But what about the lady's reputation then?

Why didn't she stop the lady from getting involved?

"Who instructed you to do this?" Pei Yuanxi asked abruptly.

The blue-clothed man's eyes darted around, "What are you talking about? There's no one instructing us. My friend here just had bad luck, and I happened to be nearby. Had you not threatened to report us, I wouldn't have said those things."

Not a single word from them did Pei Yuanxi believe.

"You did indeed remind me just now that I shouldn't turn you two over to the authorities."

Upon hearing her words, the two men's faces lit up with delight. They knew that young ladies of noble birth valued their reputation more than their lives. Not only would they not dare to publicize this incident, but they might even offer them money to keep quiet.

"The lady is indeed wise. A woman's reputation..." The blue-robed man spoke with a sense of accomplishment, his gaze becoming bolder. He openly scanned Pei Yuanxi's face without restraint and even shot lecherous glances at the unconscious Hong Baozhu from time to time.

A chill flickered in Pei Yuanxi's eyes. "I should hand you two over to Lord Gongyi for judgment."

"You... What did you say? L-Lord Gongyi, he's the grand admiral..." The blue-robed man stammered, his face turning pale with fear. The gray-robed man was no better, his eyes filled with terror.

Lord Gongyi, were they referring to the same Lord Gongyi they knew?

Who exactly was this lady?

"Miss, please don't frighten us. The grand admiral isn't someone one can meet at will. Even though you have a pretty face, he's not an ordinary man. He may not fall for your tricks," the blue-robed man said, sounding both startled and skeptical, as if trying to convince himself.

Pei Yuanxi ignored them, gesturing for Chunyue and Zhaorong to help Hong Baozhu out. The two men who had followed them didn't move, standing in front of the blue- and gray-robed men with cold, lifeless stares.

Seeing that they were really leaving, the blue-robed man, upon catching another glimpse of the murderous glares from the two men, suddenly shouted, "Miss, I'll speak! We were indeed acting on someone else's orders. Who could blame this lady for not recognizing whom she should or shouldn't provoke? That person is not someone you can afford to mess with."

Pei Yuanxi continued her stride, ignoring him entirely.

He panicked, "You must have heard of Marquis Xuanping's residence, right? The betrothed of the Grand Marshal is the legitimate daughter of the Marquis's household. It was that Second Miss Pei from the same residence who instructed us. Do you think the Grand Marshal would blame us?"

Spring Moon was startled. Wasn't Second Miss Pei from the Marquis Xuanping's residence her own lady? Her lady had always been on good terms with Miss Hong. How could she possibly harm Miss Hong?

Zhaorou was also taken aback and found herself hesitating to look at Pei Yuanxi. Her heart pounded as she struggled to believe that Second Miss Pei would harm her lady.

Pei Yuanxi gently knitted her delicate brows and slowly turned to face the blue-clothed man, "You claim that the one who instructed you was the second daughter of the Pei family?"

"That's correct," the gray-clothed man found his confidence, "We may not understand the affairs of high society, but we do our jobs for payment. This young miss has incurred the displeasure of Second Miss Pei, who wanted to teach her a lesson. Second Miss Pei is the Grand Marshal's fiancée; you can't possibly contend with her. If you're wise, you'll forget about this, and we'll pretend we never met."

"Do you know who I am?" Pei Yuanxi asked.

"How could we know who you are..." The blue-clothed man suddenly stumbled in his words. Rumors said that Second Miss Pei was as beautiful as a celestial maiden. It was only because of her stunning appearance that she had caught the eye of the Grand Marshal. His eyes widened in realization, "You... You can't be... that Second Miss Pei from the Pei family."

"Indeed," a mocking curve formed on Pei Yuanxi's lips, "I am the very Second Miss Pei you mentioned, who supposedly instructed you. Now, I'm even more curious about how I supposedly did so and who is impersonating me to harm others."

The blue-clothed man's knees buckled, and he fell to the ground in fear. The gray-clothed man was equally terrified, thinking to himself that they might have been manipulated by someone.

Despite their desperate hopes, they could not convince themselves that the person before them was the one who had ordered them, especially since the person they had harmed was actually saved by the one who had supposedly given the order.

It made no sense.

The man in gray knelt down with a thud, saying, "Please spare us, Second Miss Pei. We truly acted under your instructions. People from your residence found us and said that this lady here had offended you without realizing her limits, asking us to teach her a lesson."

Spring Moon finally regained her composure, worried that Zhaoruo might jump to conclusions. How could her young miss harm Miss Hong? It was absolutely impossible for her young miss to do such a thing.

"You're lying! Don't you know that my young miss is the closest friend of Miss Hong? She would never do something like this! You're slandering her!"

Zhaoruo looked alarmed but echoed, "You must be trying to shift the blame now that you've been caught!"

"Exactly." Spring Moon spat out in anger. "Sister Zhaoruo, don't believe a word they say."

Pei Yuanxi gazed at the unconscious Hong Baozhu. These two men wouldn't make up such stories for no reason. Someone must have pretended to be her and committed the act. In that case, she was indeed connected to the matter.

"Take them away. I'm sure your superiors have ways to extract the truth from them."

The man in blue and the man in gray were promptly subdued by the burly men. Before they could even cry out, they were knocked unconscious.

When Hong Baozhu woke up, she was utterly confused. Wasn't she chasing after a thief? How did she end up sleeping in her own room, and why was Sister Yuanxi here too?

She held her head, trying to piece together the memories.

"I... What happened to me? Where's that damned thief?"

Madam Hong was both furious and worried. "You're still thinking about catching the thief? Mother has told you countless times not to act recklessly outside, but you never listen. If it weren't for Second Miss following you out of concern, you... How could you put Mother through this!"

"Mother, what... What exactly happened? I remember chasing him down, he was so cunning. I cornered him in an alley and was about to catch him when suddenly, I smelled a fragrance..." At this point, Hong Baozhu seemed to grasp something. "Fragrance? That thief used dirty tricks!"

"When we arrived, not only was the thief there, but another man as well. He claimed to have been trying to save you. The thief you mentioned also protested his innocence, saying you had mistaken your target. I wanted to take them to the authorities, but they said they were acting on someone else's orders."

"It must be someone's scheme, using such perfumed smoke. They must be fearless, daring to plot against a young lady. If I ever cross paths with them again, I'll beat them until they cry for their parents. If I find out who did this to me, I'll give them a taste of their own medicine." Hong Baozhu tried to get out of bed, ready for action, but Pei Yuanxi gently held her back.

Pei Yuanxi looked at her with utmost seriousness. "They said the person who ordered them was me."

Hong Baozhu's eyes widened, and Madam Hong wore an expression of disbelief.

There was no incense burning in the room; one wall was adorned with bows, arrows, and crossbows, lacking the gentle fragrance typically associated with a young maiden's boudoir. On the other side, a cabinet displayed various intriguing objects, none of which were precious jade trinkets or antiques.

The Hong mother and daughter exchanged glances, but it was Lady Hong who eventually looked away first.

"It's impossible. How could it be you? They must be lying; someone must be framing her!" Hong Baozhu was indignant. "If I find out who wants to harm me, they'll have to face the consequences!"

Lady Hong had already realized that Second Miss Pei couldn't have done it. Ignoring the fact that Second Miss Pei had always been on good terms with Baozhu, if she were truly the culprit, she wouldn't have admitted it so openly.

The person who could frame her must be familiar with the Marquis Xuanping's residence.

Baozhu had always been impulsive and might have inadvertently offended someone without realizing it. However, recently, she had been spending more time with Second Miss Pei and hadn't had any conflicts with others. So, who would want to harm Baozhu?

"I will uncover the mastermind behind this, and I won't conceal their identity when the time comes."

Pei Yuanxi's words further impressed Lady Hong. As she saw her out, Lady Hong thanked her again. She mentioned that she had always worried about Baozhu getting into trouble outside and hoped that this incident would teach her a lesson.

"Baozhu's temperament is as changeable as the wind. I've told her countless times to avoid being so reckless. She's just like her father, hating injustice with a passion. This setback might be for the best; she'll learn to be more cautious in the future."

As they approached the door, Lady Hong seemed to bring up a topic intentionally. "Baozhu's character isn't suited for the aristocratic families. I'm considering finding a young officer with an unblemished background from her father's subordinates. That way, we can protect her in the future."

Pei Yuanxi understood that Lady Hong was clarifying the previous intention of an alliance between their two families. As parents, they always wanted to plan for their children's long-term future. Sister Hong's personality indeed wasn't suitable for the intense rivalries within noble households.

Halfway through the carriage ride, she was informed of the identity of the mastermind behind the scene and that this person had already been taken away by the Grand Marshal. It wasn't unexpected; it aligned with her suspicions.

Upon arriving at the Marquis residence, she was promptly invited to the Xuanting Courtyard by Madam Shen.

Before even entering the courtyard, Gu's sobs could be heard. Upon seeing her, Gu clung to her as if she were a savior, "Yuanxi, you have to save your cousin. She... She's been taken by Liu Wei."

Madam Shen was extremely worried, "Yuanxi, quickly go beg the Grand Marshal. Liu Wei must have made a mistake in capturing her."

"Maternal Aunt, did you inquire as to why Liu Wei arrested Cousin Yurong?" Pei Yuanxi asked.

Lady Gu was fraught with anxiety, "How would I know? They... burst into the Marquis's residence without any explanation, seized your cousin, and took her away... In broad daylight, under the clear sky, is there no law in this land..."

Her last words were barely audible, spoken in a hushed tone, for she dared not complain loudly, fearful that prying ears beyond the walls might hear. Yet, she was filled with a terrible mix of fear and hatred, scared to the core while seething with resentment.

Yurong is, after all, a lady from the Marquis household. Those Liu Wei guards are notoriously rough and unfeeling; I wonder how she is faring now.

"Yuanxi, hurry and seek the aid of the Grand Tutor. If you delay any further, your cousin might be in grave peril," Madam Shen anxiously urged.

"Since Aunt doesn't know what crime Cousin Yurong has committed, how can I even ask the Chief Commander for help?" Pei Yuanxi didn't look at them, her eyes half-lowered. "I did come across something today. Perhaps I should share it with Aunt."

Gu was anxious, and Shen was equally desperate. Seeing that she still had the mind to discuss her outing, one wore an expression of blame while the other was puzzled.

She still didn't look at them, slowly recounting what had just transpired.

They were both seasoned matriarchs of the inner household, so they could easily discern the connection between the two incidents. However, how did Liu Wei come into the picture?

"Yuanxi, I've wanted to tell you for a while to keep your distance from Miss Hong," Gu said, shifting her tone. "Young ladies should know better than to stir up trouble. If she hadn't been meddling in other people's affairs, she wouldn't have landed in this mess."

Shen wanted to advise, but seeing her daughter's indifferent face, she swallowed her words. She truly didn't want to further estrange herself from her daughter, her gaze inadvertently revealing her cautiousness.

Pei Yuanxi lifted her gaze and looked at Gu. "Aunt, that audacious thief claimed he acted on someone else's orders. Who do you think could have instructed him?"

Her question caused a subtle change in Gu's expression.

How could Gu not understand the underlying meaning in her niece's words? But before the truth was uncovered, this niece was already siding with outsiders. How could that not provoke anger?

"Yuanxi, Yurong is your cousin. Putting aside the possibility that Yurong was indeed reckless, was Miss Hong completely innocent? As a young lady, she should have known decorum and propriety, not behaving provocatively. Even without any instructions, she would sooner or later attract unwanted attention."

"Aunt, you're suggesting that Miss Hong was at fault here. That she brought trouble upon herself by meddling, and the person who harmed her is blameless. Is that right?"

Madam Gu truly had no desire to engage in such disputes with her; all she wanted was for Yuanxi to seek help from Gongye Chu as soon as possible. "Yuanxi, you must not blindly believe others' words. Yurong is your own flesh and blood cousin, how could she possibly do such a thing? It's more likely that Miss Hong has orchestrated this drama to sow discord between you and us, all so she can fulfill her ambition of marrying into the noble household."

Upon hearing Gu's words, most people would ponder and consider them carefully.

Gu assumed that her words would certainly sway Pei Yuanxi's resolve.

Yet Pei Yuanxi shook her head slowly. "At first, they didn't implicate Cousin Yurong. They claimed they were acting on my orders."

"What?" Madam Shen gasped in astonishment.

Madam Gu was taken aback. "Yuanxi, you're saying they accused you of orchestrating it?"

"Indeed. If someone framed me, I can't just sit idly by. The Grand Marshal stood up for me, thus exposing the real mastermind. You ask why I would save someone who tried to harm me."

Madam Shen gasped, and Madam Gu wore an expression of disbelief.

Both women stared at her, one muttering 'impossible' and the other whispering 'there must be a misunderstanding.'

Her gaze was tepid. "Could the Grand Marshal have made a mistake?"

Who was Gongye Chu? If he could make such a mistake in a matter like this, then he wouldn't be Gongye Chu.

Gu Shi took two steps back and held onto the table to steady herself. Her eyes were filled with disbelief and darkness as she kept repeating, "How could this happen? How could this happen?" Then, she rushed forward and grabbed Pei Yuanxi's arm tightly. "Yuanxi, she's your own cousin, born from your father's elder brother's line. Perhaps she made a momentary mistake. You can't turn a blind eye to her plight."

Pei Yuanxi looked at her and said firmly, "Aunt, you're asking too much of me."