Even Zhuang Hui had said so, making Old Madam and Zhuang Mingxiang, who already believed Zhao Changting, even more convinced.
Moreover, both were perceptive and experienced individuals. Seeing Zhuang Hui and Zhao Jingzhi together, they naturally guessed the truth: Could it be that Pei Zizhao despised Ah Hui’s background and had set his sights on A Zhi instead?
Realizing this, Old Madam felt both pity for Zhuang Hui and anger that Zhao Jingzhi had been targeted. She immediately snapped, “Madam Pei, why don’t you ask your son again and see if he really said something!”
With Zhuang Hui also pointing the finger and Old Madam’s tone turning cold, Madam Pei began to feel uneasy.
She looked at Zhuang Mingxiang, only to see her face flushed with anger, her eyes red—clearly, she was not only furious but also heartbroken. Madam Pei’s scalp prickled as she guessed what Pei Zizhao might have said.
She turned to Pei Zizhao, her voice also turning cold. “Zhao’er, did you really…”
Panicked, Pei Zizhao hastily interrupted, “No! Mother, I didn’t! I said nothing!”
Zhuang Mingxiang said sharply, “So, you’re saying my daughter and the young marquis are both slandering you?!”
Madam Pei’s expression immediately changed. Although she wanted to protect her son, she had no intention of truly making an enemy of the Changping Marquisate. Her proposal to marry Pei Zizhao to Zhuang Hui was not only because she liked Zhuang Hui but also because she hoped to use the marriage alliance to climb the social ladder through the Changping Marquisate.
Pei Zizhao, however, only knew he absolutely could not admit it. Otherwise, not only would this beating be in vain, but his mother might also punish him when they returned home. As he was not her biological son, his life was already difficult enough, and he could not afford to incur her displeasure.
Thus, he hurriedly said, “Madam Marquis, I truly said nothing. Are you going to force me to confess just because your family beat me? Logically, Miss Zhuang was quite far from me earlier. Even if I had said something, she couldn’t possibly have heard it. Now she insists she did—it’s a case of ‘each side sticks to its own story.’ If you don’t believe me, why don’t you report it to the authorities!”
Whether he had said it or not, reporting such a matter to the authorities would only tarnish Hui Hui’s reputation!
Zhuang Mingxiang was so enraged that she swayed on her feet.
“Mother!” Seeing this, Zhuang Hui forgot everything else and rushed forward to support her.
She was also furious. That despicable Pei Zizhao had actually angered her mother to this extent!
Supporting Zhuang Mingxiang, she looked around and quickly spotted a servant cowering in a corner. Before she could speak, however, Zhao Changting had already pointed at the servant and said, “Madam Pei, why don’t you ask him?”
“Of course, if you don’t wish to ask, there’s no need to trouble yourself with reporting it to the authorities. I’ll handle the interrogation myself.”
“First, I’ll tell you privately what your son said. Then, I’ll apply military punishment to this servant. Military punishments are simple—just military caning. If he doesn’t talk after twenty strokes, we’ll go to fifty, or eighty… In the end, I guarantee what he says will match exactly what I told you earlier.”
“How about that?”
The servant’s mental fortitude was far inferior to Pei Zizhao’s. Hearing “eighty military canes,” he was so frightened that he fell to his knees with a thud.
In fact, Pei Zizhao had already given himself away. Seeing the servant’s reaction, Madam Pei immediately concluded that Pei Zizhao had indeed said something he shouldn’t have!
Thus, before Pei Zizhao could deny it again, she could no longer tolerate it. Raising her hand, she slapped him hard twice across the face. “You unfilial son! How could you be so despicable as to do such a thing!”
Madam Pei slapped Pei Zizhao hard, then not only did she not mind his broken leg, but she also apologized with a smiling face to Old Madam, Zhuang Mingxiang, and even Zhao Changting. Only then did she have someone carry Pei Zizhao away, slinking off in disgrace.
In this situation, Zhuang Mingxiang was the most upset. She had originally thought she had picked a good match for her daughter.
But she was also relieved. If they hadn’t discovered Pei Zizhao’s true nature today and her daughter had truly taken a liking to him and married him, that would have ruined her entire life!
So when she learned that Zhuang Hui had helped cover up the lie and hadn’t actually heard what Pei Zizhao said, she didn’t doubt Zhao Changting either. “Looking at how scared Pei Zizhao and the Pei family servant were, it’s clear he did say some unspeakable things. What you did wasn’t really helping to cover up a lie; it was just going along with the situation, and it was the right thing to do.”
“Besides, Hui Hui, for this incident, we owe the young master a debt of gratitude and should properly thank him.”
Not being deceived by Pei Zizhao and not hastily agreeing to an engagement that would have led to marrying him in the future was indeed a good thing.
Owing Zhao Changting a debt of gratitude… that was also something they should acknowledge.
Zhuang Hui said, “Yes, I’ll remember that.”
As for thanking him, she would keep it in her heart. It was better to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Besides, she was also a bit frightened today—Zhao Changting was someone who would break a person’s leg without a second thought!
Zhuang Mingxiang said, “I heard from Liu Mama that he loved sweets when he was little. When he first returned the other day, Old Madam also specifically had the main kitchen make red date cake and pea flour cake for him. So why don’t we make some sweets for him ourselves? We can make the cake that you, A Zhi, and Rui Ge’er all love, and also make him a cup of milk tea?”
“Once it’s done, you can deliver it personally. If you’re too scared to go alone, take A Zhi with you.”
Zhuang Hui shook her head without hesitation. “No, no, Mother…”
Zhuang Mingxiang pressed Zhuang Hui’s hand and said firmly, “Hui Hui, listen to me. He is not only the heir of the Changping Marquisate and the future head of the household, but he is also a third-rank military officer, a close confidant of the emperor, and has a duke for an uncle!”
“If we couldn’t get close to someone like that, it would be one thing. But now he’s practically your brother, and he’s clearly a decent and kind-hearted person. Being closer to him will only bring you benefits, not harm.”
“You must understand, with a brother like this, no matter who you marry into in the future, you won’t be easily bullied.”
Zhuang Hui wanted to say that she understood the reasoning, but the key was whether Zhao Changting wanted to be her brother or not!
If he was willing, then of course she would also be willing to get close to him and try to please him.
But if Zhao Changting didn’t want to be a brother but rather a lover, then getting close to him would be like a lamb walking into a tiger’s den!
Zhuang Mingxiang continued to persuade her. “I know your cooking skills—you’re good at eating, but not so good at actually making things. So you just need to go to the main kitchen and watch the cook make it. That counts as you making it.”
“But you have to deliver it personally. That shows sincerity.”
Although she didn’t want to upset Zhuang Mingxiang, Zhuang Hui insisted, “Mother, I don’t want to go.”
“I’ve decided, I won’t go. Mother, please don’t try to persuade me. If Pei Zizhao isn’t suitable, then I’ll just meet with Cui Lang. He’s Aunt Wang’s son, and Aunt Wang won’t make things difficult for me out of respect for you. So as long as he’s willing, I’ll marry him. With you here, I don’t need anyone else to protect me.”
When Zhao Changting first returned, Zhuang Mingxiang hadn’t intended for Zhuang Hui to seek his favor. But now, seeing how fiercely Zhao Changting protected his sister, with Zhuang Hui incidentally benefiting as well, she felt that even if this path might not be useful in the future, it would be a pity not to leave a backup plan.
Yet her daughter was stubborn and wouldn’t listen!
Angry, Zhuang Mingxiang poked Zhuang Hui’s forehead with some force. “Are you really that afraid of him?”
“Of course! He breaks people’s legs at the slightest provocation—isn’t that terrifying?” Zhuang Hui now had even more to say.
Zhuang Mingxiang: “…Then you really won’t consider Jiang Shen? Honestly, he’s the one I think most highly of!”
Zhuang Hui: “No, I won’t consider him. Don’t worry, and I won’t regret it either.”
She wouldn’t live long enough for that time to come. No matter how good Jiang Shen was, she couldn’t consider him.
Zhuang Mingxiang was so angry she didn’t even want to look at Zhuang Hui. “Fine, fine, do whatever you want. I can’t be bothered with you! Go back to your own courtyard. Don’t stand here in front of me—seeing you just makes me angry!”
Truly afraid of angering Zhuang Mingxiang further, Zhuang Hui quickly said, “Alright, alright, I’m leaving, I’m leaving. Don’t be angry. Even if you don’t care about yourself, you still have to think of my sister or brother.”
Zhuang Mingxiang didn’t want to engage with her, merely waving her hand dismissively to urge her to leave quickly.
After Zhuang Hui left, she sighed and called for Liu Mama, instructing her: “Go to the kitchen and tell Cook Zhang to prepare a cake tomorrow, the kind Ah Hui had made before, and also a serving of milk tea without any added ingredients. Tomorrow, you personally go to fetch them and deliver them to the young master. Just say it’s Ah Hui’s gesture of gratitude.”
“Ah Hui is truly grateful to the young master and actually wanted to make and deliver them herself. But today’s events both saddened and frightened her. I couldn’t bear to see it, so I told her to wait until next time.” Speaking of the day’s events, Zhuang Mingxiang genuinely felt distressed.
Liu Mama promptly agreed and spent some time comforting her.
…
Over at Fushou Hall, Old Madam and Zhao Changting were also discussing the matter.
With no outsiders present, Old Madam asked again, and Zhao Changting briefly explained a few things.
Even though he only summarized the situation and softened Pei Zizhao’s wording, Old Madam was still angered. Her face darkened as she said, “What insolence! He dares to be picky! You should have broken both his legs!”
Zhao Changting: “After all, he was invited by Madam.”
Though he stated this fact in his usual tone, Old Madam detected the underlying sarcasm.
After a moment of silence, she said, “We can’t entirely blame her either. Madam Pei has a good reputation outside, and her two daughters are also well-regarded. Who would have thought the son she raised would turn out like this… Sigh, Madame Zhuang is worried too. After all, Ah Hui isn’t our family’s biological child. No matter how well we treat her, outsiders will still find fault.”
“And Ah Hui’s temperament is simple. Being the wife of a younger son or a concubine’s son in a prominent family isn’t easy, so we can only choose a family with slightly lower status and simpler circumstances for her, so she can be the wife of a legitimate son.”
Zhao Changting was initially impatient with such talk, but recalling how Zhuang Hui had spoken up for him in front of Zhao Jingzhi earlier and even provided false testimony on his behalf, her sense of responsibility had impressed him. So, he refrained from interrupting Old Madam.
However, once Old Madam finished speaking, he didn’t respond. Instead, he abruptly changed the subject: “Grandmother, I asked Matron Li. Ah Zhi’s attitude toward studying is lacking. Please remember to speak to her about it. She’s not a child anymore.”
“Also, I’ve instructed Matron Li to be stricter with her. Please don’t interfere when you see it. Matron Li must be given that authority; otherwise, she won’t be able to manage A Zhi, and A Zhi will never learn anything.”
“Furthermore… never mind, there’s nothing else.” He had originally intended to say that Zhuang Hui studying together would only hold Zhao Jingzhi back, and that Zhuang Hui should stop attending.
But as the words reached his lips, he remembered how Zhuang Hui had spoken up for him earlier, so he swallowed them back.
Consider it as repaying her kindness.
Old Madam inwardly cursed Matron Li for being too harsh, but having just spoken up for Zhuang Mingxiang, she was afraid of displeasing Zhao Changting and dared not say anything more. She only replied, “I understand. This is for A Zhi’s own good. I’ve already told Matron Li to punish her when necessary.”
“However, A Zhi is still quite young. She won’t be marrying for at least three or four more years, so there’s no need to rush too much. She needs time to adjust gradually. Otherwise, if she becomes rebellious, it will only cause more trouble.”
Zhao Changting: “I know, which is why I’ve already kept her study hours very short. If she were a boy, whether studying literature or martial arts, a single day would involve far more than just that little bit of time.”
But she wasn’t a boy—she was a girl!
Old Madam: “She still has to practice the qin every day, and her embroidery skills aren’t up to par yet either.”
Zhao Changting: “She can learn those after she masters etiquette and manners. As you said, she’s still young and has time.”
Old Madam: “…”
Who on earth did this grandson of hers take after?
Why was he so difficult to communicate with!
Both his father and mother were extremely easygoing by nature, yet he—willful as a child and now autocratic as an adult!
And she didn’t dare to discipline him, forced to simply agree!