Climbing on the Sparrow Branch – CH 829

Chapter 829: Summer Clothes

Li Xing paused, waiting for Pei Que’s answer, and inwardly cursed him as slippery, but was also somewhat satisfied with Pei Que’s unwillingness to interfere.

Offering thoughtful advice at a time like this was not necessarily a good thing. Seeing Li Xing walk back, Pei Que followed behind and sighed, “The moonlight is lovely.”

“Yes, the moonlight is truly beautiful.” After a sigh, Li Xing brought up the palace banquet that evening. “I noticed that many of the aristocratic families in the capital have changed hands. At the banquet, many people who toasted me were mostly strangers. Pei Que, those of you with deep-rooted aristocratic families should also establish yourselves, lest you be overtaken.”

“No rush,” Pei Que said with a light smile. “Getting a piece of meat is easy, but keeping it for days on end is difficult. Thank you for the reminder, Your Highness, but for now, I only want to do my job well in the Military Court.”

Li Xing glanced at Pei Que in surprise. Other young masters from noble families were born with arrogance, and the once haughty Pei Que was now much more cautious. However, he preferred the current Pei Que; he would not have trusted the old Pei Que to stay by his side.

After spending time with Li Xing, Pei Que had come to understand him.

Those who were not pampered from childhood would only become more suspicious after rising to a high position. The Pei family had already suffered once; they could not afford to repeat the same mistake.

When he escorted Li Xing to the courtyard, Li Erxi was already waiting, holding Li Chang’an.

Pei Que smiled as he saw him off. “Your Highness now possesses merit in Jizhou and Linshan, winning the hearts of the people, and those around you are utterly loyal. This shows Your Highness’s magnanimity. With the people’s support, everything will be easier in the future.”

Winning the people’s hearts did not mean losing the respect of those around you. This was Pei Que’s small reminder.

The late Princess Consort and Li Xing had been married for almost ten years and were respected by many. Such respect would naturally extend to Li Chang’an. Even with the support of the newcomer, attention should still be paid to the elders; one must not forget one’s roots.

Li Xing smiled at Pei Que, and the two parted ways. He took his son with him.

Pei Que watched Li Xing leave, and only after he was out of sight did Lin Feng appear. “My lord, the Seventh Prince did not mention much about the Crown Prince being chased that day. Should we still send someone to follow him?”

“Follow him, but be careful not to be discovered.” Pei Que’s gaze was far-reaching. “Li Xing has some ability, but he’s not particularly outstanding. And good fortune falling from the sky is not something everyone can handle. We need to look ahead. If Li Chang’an is capable, our clues will eventually come in handy. If Li Chang’an fades into obscurity, we will just have to put in more effort.”

Pei Que needed to plan for the next few decades, even a century, not just focus on Li Xing’s generation.

However, no one knew that in the future, the fate of the Pei family would be deeply intertwined with Li Chang’an’s. But that’s a story for later.

The next day, Li Xing submitted a petition requesting to return to his fiefdom, citing the unexpected death of his princess and his grief, wishing to return to pay his respects at her grave.

No one dared to offer much advice, and amidst the regret of many ministers, Li Xing, along with Li Chang’an and others, returned to his fiefdom.

His departure lasted for over a month.

During this time, Pei Que learned that Li Xing had secretly dealt with two concubines. However, the two families had subsequently sent other daughters to the Prince’s Mansion; ultimately, their interests were intertwined, and the connection could not be severed.

Summer had arrived, and the Empress Dowager’s mourning period was over. Li Ji formally proposed marriage.

This news shocked the entire capital.

Li Ji was currently a highly sought-after prince, possessing military power and achievements, with a promising future. Many speculated that Li Ji might also harbor ambitions of ascending to the throne. Unexpectedly, Li Ji married the daughter of a fallen family, and the wedding was set for March—a rather hasty decision.

While everyone was speculating about the timing of Li Ji’s marriage, An Zhi summoned Binglu to her side alone.

Inside the room, the wooden window was half-closed, and a gentle breeze carried the sweet scent of bamboo leaves.

An Zhi pulled Binglu down to sit, took out two wooden boxes, and opened them to show Binglu. “You’ve grown up with me. Years ago, I arranged a marriage for you and Shunzi, hoping to marry you off sooner, but it’s been so many years. This is a property I’ve prepared for you, in a street not far from the Pei Mansion. It’s a small two-courtyard house, not large, but it suits Shunzi’s current official position. There are also five thousand taels of silver notes. From now on, you will be in charge of the household. Many places require money, and you’ve learned a lot about managing a household from me, so I’m confident in your abilities.”

“No, no, this is too much money! This servant cannot accept it!” Binglu was almost in tears, shaking her head desperately.

Five thousand taels of silver—most families could not earn that much in fifty years, let alone a house.

An Zhi, however, felt it was not much. “It’s not too much at all. I do not have anyone closer to me than you. I’ve always dreamed of personally seeing you off on your wedding day, and now that it’s finally here, I have to prepare everything properly for you. Besides the house and banknotes, I’ve also prepared several acres of land for you in the suburbs of the capital. These things are for your own security; having money in hand will give you peace of mind.”

Binglu was moved to tears, her nose twitching. She knew her madam was good to them, but what she received was of an even higher standard; how could she bear to part with it?

“Waaah, I do not want to get married anymore; I just want to stay with you, Madam, for the rest of my life.”

“Silly girl, I do not believe that,” An Zhi teased with a smile. “A couple of days ago, Shunzi eagerly brought over a pile of things, followed the master around all day, and asked him questions for ages before finally proposing marriage. He’s been thinking about marrying you day and night, and you’re thinking about him all the time, too. Even before summer arrived, you’d already made his summer clothes.”

“This…how did you know?” Binglu’s face flushed instantly. “Did Chunlan tell you?”

An Zhi smiled. “Your feelings are written all over your face; I do not need anyone else to tell me. Shunzi’s idea is that to avoid any unforeseen events, it’s better to get married quickly. He has no family or relatives, and you only have us. There’s no need to send out invitations at the last minute; it’s best to set the date this month.”

“He’s in such a hurry,” Binglu said shyly, lowering her head.

“You’ve been engaged for years; it’s normal for him to be anxious,” An Zhi said. “But if you feel the rush, we can postpone it. You’re not in a hurry, are you?”

“No… let’s not postpone it.” Binglu felt her cheeks were definitely flushed. “If you and my fiancé have agreed, that’s good.”

“Then let’s do it on the sixteenth of this month,” An Zhi said. “Your wedding dress and dowry are already prepared; it will not take much time. Once the date is set, Cuisi can take care of the housework, and you can focus on preparing for the wedding.”