Chapter 501: Chapter 180 Teacher_2
It seemed that too many people in Shengjing wanted him dead, so much so that upon his return, he was struck with the sudden realization that, without the Pei family, he had nowhere to go.
The old man from the Privy Council whom he had pleaded with also died shortly after he left the capital, and the current Commander of the Privy Council was Yan Xu.
He knew about the relationship between Yan Xu and his mother and had handed over the items to Yan Xu.
Yan Xu, having received the items, still ignored him.
In fact, it was more than just ignoring him; at first, Yan Xu was very averse to him.
He could feel the indifference and annoyance in Yan Xu’s gaze every time it fell on him, but for some reason that he couldn’t explain, Yan Xu had still saved him from that ambush, and later, saved him many more times.
Initially, he also harbored hostility and suspicion towards this man who had been entangled with his mother, but later...
The relationship between people is indeed hard to describe with any word other than "marvelous."
He propped up his head, picked up the teacup and took a sip, lamenting, "Though I say that, don’t you feel a tiny bit of secret joy when you hear me calling you that?"
Yan Xu’s eyes showed mockery, "You’re far more sentimental than your mother."
Pei Yunmeng nodded, his lips curling into a smile, "If my mother were still alive and saw you treasuring her painting by hanging it meticulously in your study, she might regret not having been more sentimental."
Yan Xu choked.
A trace of unease flashed in his eyes, and the man scoffed, turning the subject, "Well said. If you really honored your teachers so much, what were you doing pulling out a sword just now?"
He scoffed, "With all the yelling and fighting, it seemed as if someone might think you were about to commit patricide."
"I didn’t actually draw it," Pei Yunmeng innocently interjected, "and besides, it was because you were too fierce. I was afraid you would scare her."
"Scare?"
Yan Xu laughed as if he’d heard a joke, "A half-dead person is in front of her, and she’s calmly stitching up wounds. I remember you vomiting for half a day the first time you saw a dead body."
"She was much tougher than you back then."
Pei Yunmeng reflected for a moment, then looked at him earnestly, "Such admiration? Don’t tell me you also want her to call you ’teacher’?"
Yan Xu did not take the bait, only responding indifferently, "A commoner female doctor who single-handedly killed Qi Yutai’s hound, unflinching at the sight of a corpse, dares to drink my tea, and even dares to use ’Xing Tong’ to threaten a court official. This woman has a gutsy audacity not befitting a delicate lady."
He lifted his eyes, "Is this the one you’ve chosen as the Princely Heir’s consort?"
"Cough cough—"
Pei Yunmeng nearly choked on his tea.
He set down his teacup, his face showing helplessness, "I’ve told you, she’s a creditor."
"What creditor causes such trouble? How much do you owe?"
Pei Yunmeng massaged his brow, compelled to disclose the entire incident at the Su Nan execution ground, concluding with a sigh, "She has saved my life; she once said she’d never forget our reunion. Now, constantly harassed by the Qi family, I am not someone who forgets kindness and betrays principles."
"I can’t just stand by and do nothing, can I."
The room fell silent.
After a while, Yan Xu suddenly broke the silence, "She’s not interested in you?"
Pei Yunmeng was stunned, "It’s not that..."
Yan Xu scoffed with contempt, "Useless."
"..."
Pei Yunmeng, at a loss for words, saw Yan Xu take a sip from his teacup, his expression finally softening a bit, and after some thought, he finally spoke, "However, after this ordeal, the Qi family should be able to persuade the Crown Prince to give up on me completely. Perhaps by tomorrow, they will instigate the Privy Council to create trouble for the Palace Front Office."
Yan Xu smirked disdainfully, "What does the Qi family count for? They’ll end up as guests of Yama sooner or later. But that Cui Min," he glanced at Pei Yunmeng, "no sooner had the Privy Council’s invitation been sent than they readily delivered your savior to your doorstep, hoping for a one-way trip."
"Your savior has made quite a few enemies."
Pei Yunmeng nodded, changing the subject, "You’re not concerned about her then?"
Yan Xu suddenly grew furious, "Take your knife and get out, now."
Pei Yunmeng, "Oh."
...
After leaving Yan Xu’s residence, Pei Yunmeng did not immediately return to the Palace Marshal’s Mansion.
He made a point of strolling around the eastern corridor near the Youyi Gate, ensuring that countless people saw the bruise on the corner of his mouth, only returning to the Palace Marshal’s Mansion as the sunset began to fade.
In the small courtyard, the dog kennel was empty, without a sign of Duan Xiaoyan feeding the dogs. As soon as Pei Yunmeng entered, he saw Duan Xiaoyan sitting at the table in the main hall of the Palace Marshal’s Mansion with one hand spread out on the table, listening attentively to the person in front of him.
Upon seeing him enter, Duan Xiaoyan hurriedly waved happily, "My lord has returned!"
The person sitting with his back to him turned around upon hearing this.
Pei Yunmeng paused, asking, "What are you doing here?"
Before Lu Tong could speak, Duan Xiaoyan eagerly answered, "Doctor Lu said he took a good rest for over half a month and came to deliver the summer medication prescription. Recently I’ve felt bloated and unable to digest well, and since I’m free anyway, I had Doctor Lu prescribe me a digestion aid too."