Mo Ting felt sorry for himself; he was just a lowly servant, and he couldn't afford to offend anyone.
The master is not easy to fool, and this future mistress is no pushover either.
He's caught in the middle, pleasing neither side; it's really pitiful.
Nanxing stared at him intently, saying nothing, yet her expression was already chilling.
Mo Ting felt a chill run down her spine under her sharp gaze and quickly surrendered, "I'll tell you, I'll tell you right away..."
Indeed, this was a master he couldn't afford to offend, and one he couldn't negotiate with.
Please, you two, stop harming each other and leave the people around you alone.
After giving his instructions, Mo Ting cautiously looked at Nanxing: "Miss, what do you think..."
"Have everyone leave."
"Okay, all done!"
Mo Ting cleared the area, Nanxing pushed open the door and entered.
Pei Shen lay on the bed, looking at her and smiling, "I heard Mo Ting ordering everyone to leave, so I knew you were here."
He looked exactly the same as before, but his hoarse voice and the bandages wrapped around his legs revealed what he had been through.
Seeing Nanxing's gaze fall on his legs, Pei Shen chuckled, "I tripped over a collapsed beam when I came out... It's nothing."
Collapsed roof beams?
The situation at that time was, as one can imagine, quite like.
Nanxing felt a tightness in her throat, especially since she now knew what he was trying to save.
That is their past.
But those are all inanimate objects. Even if they were left behind, could they travel back in time?
And is their past worth going back to?
Nanxing silently stepped forward and poked him in the wound.
Pei Shen hissed in pain.
Nanxing: "It's alright, I can still feel it."
Pei Shen: "... You can ask me."
That really hurts!
"Even if I ask you, you might not tell the truth." Nanxing pulled up a chair and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Are your bones broken?"
"No. But if I lose my leg and become lame, will you despise me?"
"Why don't you keep trying? After all, making assumptions is meaningless."
Pei Shen: "... So ruthless!"
Nanxing's lips curled into a smile.
What are you laughing at?
"A woman who isn't ruthless won't have a stable position."
Who said that?
"Your Highness, Princess."
I guessed so.
She was completely different from before, and the biggest reason for that was probably because she met the Consort of the Prince of Jin.
"Have someone come in and clean up for you," Nanxing said.
"What are you packing?"
"I'll deal with you."
Pei Shen: "..."
"... Then I went to request an audience with the Princess Consort."
"Why?"
I'm letting you go.
Just go, what are you talking about?
Nanxing's expression clearly conveyed the second half of the sentence.
"Are you so worried that I'll break my leg?" Pei Shen asked with a smile.
Nanxing ignored him and walked to a smoke-stained box. "Is this it?"
Is this what you risked your life to salvage from the fire?
Pei Shen's smile gradually faded, replaced by bitterness.
He nodded.
"Vermilion Bird, I've been waiting for you."
He waited for a very, very long time, so long that if he still didn't have these things to keep him company, he would almost doubt that Vermilion Bird was just a dream.
Nanxing drew his sword, ready to strike.
Pei Shen exclaimed in surprise.
Nanxing stopped and turned to look at him.
Pei Shen suddenly felt relieved and waved his hand, "You handle it."
What's the point of having those inanimate objects when she's right in front of you?
When the fire started, he was so disoriented that he abandoned her to grab things.
Over the past few years, that has been the most important thing to him; this concept has almost been ingrained in his very being.
Nanxing put down his sword and reached out to open the chest.
The first thing you see is a string of bright red coral beads.
That was their token of love.
On the day he left, Nanxing threw the bracelet on the ground, scattering the beads all over the place.
She didn't know how Pei Shen later picked up the stones one by one and strung them back together.
But she noticed that several of the beads had cracks.
Then there were the handkerchiefs she had used, the clothes she had worn, even the bath soap she had used halfway through—he kept them all...
"It used to carry your scent, but it disappeared over time," Pei Shen said.
"Is this what the main courtyard is used to store?"
"The main courtyard was originally intended for you to live in, so naturally it can only hold your things."
Unfortunately, it was burned down, and she didn't get to see everything he had personally arranged for her.
"Who is the lady?"
"Only Mo Ting knows that you are the Madam. That's why he cried out in desperation that day."
Too many misunderstandings, too much love and hate, ultimately led to tragedy.
This time, all misunderstandings must be nipped in the bud.
Nanxing's expression remained unchanged as he calmly said, "I'll go back and tell the Empress first. Have someone carry you over."
Pei Shen: "You're panicking. Little Birdie, don't be afraid, don't be afraid to love me..."
This time, he will never let go again.
Nanxing closed the box and turned to leave.
Even if she were willing to repeat the same mistakes and throw herself into the fire like a moth, the Prince's mansion is still in grave danger.
Regardless of whether the Xiao Family was right or wrong, she owed Xiao Family.
She reported back to the prince.
Not to mention, there's also the connection with the Princess Consort.
She told herself, "Nanxing, don't be soft-hearted. You shouldn't become the next Vermilion Bird."
You're already Nanxing!
When Pei Shen arrived, Tang Zhuyun re-examined his wound and confirmed that it had not reached the bone.
But she had even better burn medicine, and she also prescribed medicine for his throat injury.
After seeing Pei Shen off, Xiu'er said, "Your Majesty, why are you so good to him? It's one thing to maintain appearances, but to treat his throat like that, humph!"
Pei Shen should be Zidu, then let's see if he dares to bully Nanxing again.
Tang Zhuyun said meaningfully, "Sometimes, men do make their voices out too."
Don't spoil Nanxing's sex life.
Xiu'er understood immediately and blushed instantly.
Oh no, she's gone astray too!
Nanxing: "..."
No, she has to leave.
"Nanxing, don't you think so?"
Nanxing: As expected, they've arrived.
The Empress's sharp tongue is never absent.
Xiu'er then asked Nanxing, "If there's trouble in the backyard, why does the Marquis have to personally take charge?"
Nanxing said calmly, "There might be something important."
Seeing that she didn't want to talk more, Tang Zhuyun smiled and said, "Why don't you go check on Pei Shen? You need to be careful with his wound."
"I'm not going, I have other things to attend to."
"Um?"
"This servant will go and see if Qiao Jiao has figured out how to help."
This is just an excuse.
Most importantly, she wanted to ask Qiao Jiao.
Although it's cruel.
But if it weren't cruel, how could they make Qiao Jiao remember the hatred for a long time?
Only a deep-seated hatred could allow Qiao Jiao, with nowhere else to turn, to cling to the Prince's mansion for so long.
At the same time, Nanxing realized that she could no longer delay and had to act as soon as possible.
The defenses she had built up against Pei Shen over the years were rapidly crumbling...
It turns out, nothing has changed; he is still her nemesis.
If you're destined to suffer this fate, then do what needs to be done first.