In the cramped room, only the papered windows let out a faint light.
Yuanyuan wiped her face when she was tired from crying, stood up and patted the door. The sound of iron chains clanging could be heard from the lock outside.
"..."
She sat on the dusty stool, huddled in sadness.
Western suburbs——
Bang——
The closed wooden door was kicked open, and the woman in the courtyard tightly protected her daughter in her arms.
The mother and daughter were trembling all over, and the eyes of the person looking at the door were full of fear and hatred.
"Mother, I'm afraid!"
The girl looked at the sword-wielding guards around her, her eyes filled with tears, and she was shaking even harder.
"Master Pei, please let the little girl live. She is still young and she doesn't know anything."
The woman's voice was filled with tears, and she shrank into the corner with her child in her arms.
Pei Zhiyan had a sword on his waist, and his cold white slender fingers rubbed the jade stone on the hilt, and walked past the two of them towards the main room.
The house was in disrepair and filled with dust, and the floors creaked underfoot.
The sharp sword was unsheathed, and the cold light suddenly released.
"No! No!"
When the woman saw him prying the wooden board with his long sword, she ran towards him like crazy and sat on her knees on the floor, her arm bleeding from the sharp blade.
"Let me guess, underneath this is the only son of Madam and Wang Shangshu, right?"
Pei Zhiyan's eyes were cold and sticky, like a poisonous snake that spits out its seeds.
"No..." The woman's face turned pale and she shook her head crazily: "He is already dead, there is nothing down here..."
"Pry open!"
Wu Xian pulled the man away and ordered his men to take action.
The wooden board was pried open, and sure enough there was a five-year-old boy hidden underneath. He was caught and thrown in front of Pei Zhiyan.
The boy looked at him in horror, tears welling up in his eyes.
"No! Please! No!"
The woman's eyes were red, and she struggled hard to protect her child, but was held tightly and unable to move.
"Bring the other one here too."
Pei Zhiyan wiped the sword blade in his hand, half of his face hidden in the shadows.
Soon a pair of children were thrown in front of the woman.
"Choose one, who will die first?"
"..."
The woman's body slumped to the ground, knowing in her heart that no matter whether she chose or not, she would definitely die today.
Listening to the two children crying for their mother, her heart broke into pieces.
"Then I'll choose for you!"
Pei Zhiyan raised the knife and dropped it. A blood mist appeared in front of his eyes, and the boy fell to the ground.
"Pei Zhiyan, you are such a cold-blooded castrated dog. How could Old General Pei have been loyal and brave all his life and give birth to a beast like you that is inferior to a pig or a dog!"
The woman looked at the lifeless child with eyes filled with lust, wishing she could eat his flesh and chew his bones.
"It's my father and sister who are blind when they protect you wolf-hearted people."
Pei Zhiyan had a cold look in his eyes, raised the knife in his hand and dropped both heads.
"Throw it out and let the wild dogs eat it."
He wiped the blood from his sword, walked out of the courtyard, got on his horse and returned to the palace.
Youshi——
The door of the straight room was opened from the outside, and the two of them went out with the child who looked sad.
After being locked up in a small dark room for two hours, Yuanyuan had lost her enthusiasm for this white-haired old man.
Wangyue Pavilion is located in the most corner of the palace, with two guards guarding the door.
The courtyard was clean, but it was empty without any flowers and plants, and it was a bit deserted.
Pei Zhiyan came back from the palace and was taking a bath. The two of them were waiting outside with their children.
After burning the incense, a sound came from inside.
"Let her in."
Yuanyuan walked into the main hall. The decoration inside was simple, without many luxurious items. The floor was covered with blankets that were soft to step on.
Sandalwood was burning in the incense burner in the palace. Pei Zhiyan was dressed in white, with his hair disheveled and damp, sitting on a soft couch reading a book.
"What is your name?"
"..."
Yuanyuan didn't say a word, walked quickly to him, stretched out her little hand to get the pastries on the small table next to him.
I'm almost starving after not eating for a day!
"Are you mute?"
The book in Pei Zhiyan's hand blocked her hand, and he looked at her with lifeless eyes.
"snort!"
Yuanyuan immediately stretched out her other hand, grabbed a piece of plum blossom cake and stuffed it into her mouth. She took a few steps back to avoid him grabbing it.
As a result, I ate too quickly and got stuck. I quickly patted my chest with my little hands, and my little face turned red from suppressing it.
"idiot!"
Pei Zhiyan stood up and patted her back with his palm, taking out the small piece of stuck pastry.
"I want to drink!"
Yuanyuan looked up at him, still feeling a little choked.
"You haven't answered my question yet, what's your name?"
Pei Zhiyan looked at the clothes she was wearing. They were not the clothes of the Qing people, nor were they the same as those of the barbarians. The style was very novel.
"My name is Yuanyuan, old man, I want to drink water."
The little guy tugged at the corner of his clothes. He was stained with dust and had pastry crumbs stuck to his mouth, like a dirty kitten.
"The water is on the table, go get it yourself."
Pei Zhiyan pointed at the white jade pot on the sandalwood table and stared at her back to appreciate what she just said.
Old man?
Old man?
he?
Yuanyuan held up some heavy jade pots with both hands. She had never used such an utensil to drink water.
He held the pot in his little hands and studied it, then found the water spout and put his mouth on it and drank.
"..."
Pei Zhiyan used to be the young prince of the Zhongyong Marquis Mansion. He was of noble birth and his appearance and behavior were well-educated.
Even if he was in trouble later, he had never seen anyone behave in such a crude way.
After quenching her thirst, Yuanyuan went to eat the cakes on the plate again. This time she ate a little slower, barely pleasing to her eyes.
For some reason, Pei Zhiyan always felt a little familiar when looking at her face, as if she had known her before.
Breaking into the palace without permission was a capital offense. He had no intention of keeping the child alive, but his subordinates would make the mistake of keeping her.
He was not a merciful person, but he didn't want to take her life now.
Maybe he killed someone today and didn't want to see blood again.
Forget it, save it for killing tomorrow!
"Congratulations to the host, the target's favorability towards you has increased to 1%."
007 looked at a number that slowly popped up on the panel, and there was no joy in his tone.
It's better than nothing.
One is the beginning, it can only comfort itself in this way.
From the corner of her eye, Yuanyuan noticed that the old man was watching her eating. She got up and ran to squat behind the screen to eat.
"..."
Pei Zhiyan felt a strong sense of disgust from her, and his eyes flashed with sadness.
It is normal for a eunuch like him to be disliked by others for being a eunuch who everyone calls for beating.
After eating, Yuanyuan didn't run around. She sat quietly on the carpet and looked at the moon outside the window, feeling sad for no reason.
The summer wind was cool, and she leaned against the screen and fell asleep with her eyes squinted.
Even in summer, you will get cold if you lie on the ground sleeping like this.
Pei Zhiyan looked at the child huddled up in a ball, hugging his legs insecurely, with a tear remaining in the corner of his eye.
She looks so pathetic…
This was his first thought when he saw this scene, and he unknowingly felt compassion for her.
During those months on the run, whenever he closed his eyes, he saw the scene of his mother and sister being insulted to death. When he woke up, his face felt like it had been washed by water.
Everyone has the softest place in their heart, and she touched it at the perfect time.
