bestfiction Chapter 140 Threatening Duke Pei
Chapter 140 Threatening Duke Pei
From the moment Duke Pei entered, Pei Rujing's gaze was fixed on him.
Over the years, the father and daughter have met very few times. Because of her hatred for Duke Pei, Pei Rujing has never really looked at him properly.
Now over forty, Duke Pei's handsome face, honed by the years, has become even more angular, making him more charming than in his youth.
This person has a handsome appearance!
Pei Rujing couldn't help but wonder if her mother had been fooled by his appearance back then.
From a young age, Pei Rujing knew that the Duke of Pei had kept a mistress while the Princess was pregnant. In addition, over the years, the Duke of Pei had shown little concern for his biological daughter, and would always scold her for what she was not good at when they met, which made Pei Rujing increasingly disgusted with him.
But after all, Duke Pei was Pei Rujing's biological father. Even if she resented and hated him, she still longed for Duke Pei's fatherly love.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have married Wen Zongji in a fit of anger just because Duke Pei accused her of tarnishing Pei Ruyan's reputation.
If you really don't care, what does it matter what Duke Pei says?
But all these complex emotions vanished after he learned that Duke Pei might never have loved the eldest princess, and that he married her only to perpetuate his ducal title.
He watched indifferently as Duke Pei ordered his men to rescue Consort Wang.
"Aren't the Princess's residence and the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence enough for you to show off? What are you doing here causing trouble?"
It wasn't until Duke Pei spoke up to rebuke her that Pei Rujing regained her composure.
"As a concubine, Wang overstepped her bounds by interfering in my second brother's private affairs. What's wrong with me disciplining her on behalf of my mother?"
Duke Pei was furious: "It was I who planned to give Wang's niece to Shi Rong as a concubine. What does it have to do with Wang?"
Duke Pei would not go so far as to pin the blame on Lady Wang.
Pei Rujing found herself not at all surprised to hear this, and simply asked, "My second brother isn't married yet, and you're already planning to arrange a concubine for him? Do you think his marriage is going too smoothly?"
Duke Pei sneered, "I just think he's like a block of wood, not knowing how to get along with women. It's better to find him a woman to teach him about matters between men and women, so he won't be a laughingstock for not being able to settle down."
He certainly couldn't say that he was playing matchmaker because he felt he wasn't involved.
"Second Brother, how long have you been engaged? If you can't decide on a match yet, just take your time and see who's right for you. Who would dare laugh at us?"
Pei Rujing looked at him: "If we really let him take a concubine before he's married, that would be a laughing stock... Doesn't the dignified Duke Pei understand this much?"
Duke Pei, losing face, said in a deep voice, "I am your father, how dare you speak to me like that? Where have you learned your manners and etiquette... I said I wanted to bring you back to the manor, but the Princess wouldn't allow it. Now you've become so ill-mannered, it's all..."
"I have no manners because you only give birth but don't raise your children!"
Pei Rujing impatiently interrupted Duke Pei.
Everyone present lowered their heads. Even Pei Ruyan, who had originally wanted to add fuel to the fire, clung tightly to Aunt Wang's arm and kept her head down, afraid that Pei Rujing would notice her.
Duke Pei's face turned ashen: "You rebellious daughter! You—"
Pei Rujing looked at him coldly: "Don't interfere in your second brother's marriage anymore! Otherwise, I'll go to the palace to find my uncle and take away your title."
Duke Pei asked incredulously, "Do you even know what you're saying?"
If Pei Guogong loses his title, then Pei Rujing will no longer be the eldest daughter of the Duke, which will not benefit Pei Rujing in the slightest.
Pei Rujing said, "Even if you lose your title, I will still be the Princess of Anhe County, and my eldest and second brothers will still be my uncle's nephews. You have sacrificed so much for this title, so losing it should be very difficult for you. No, it should be painful."
As she spoke, Pei Rujing smiled.
To Duke Pei, that smile was utterly wicked.
Regardless of what Pei Rujing said, normally, taking away the title of Duke Pei would be a lose-lose situation, but it was Pei Rujing who said it.
This daughter cannot be judged by common sense; she acts recklessly and without any rules!
Duke Pei was so angry that his chest heaved, but he still dared not gamble.
When his affair was exposed, the eldest princess expelled him from her residence. Since then, their marriage has been severed.
Emperor Shun'an did nothing at the time, but a few months later he found a pretext to transfer Duke Pei from a powerful official to a sinecure. For the past ten years or so, he has been far away from the court and has long lost the ambition to revitalize the Duke Pei's mansion.
If he were to lose his title of Duke of Pei, he would truly have nothing left.
Duke Pei forcibly suppressed his anger and the humiliation of being threatened by his own daughter, and barely managed to remain calm as he said, "Shi Rong is my legitimate son. Have I not harmed him? My original intention was merely to find a way to make him less like a block of wood in front of women. It was just a suggestion, and after Shi Rong objected, I abandoned the idea."
He ultimately wanted to save face, so he couldn't say that he changed his mind because he was threatened by Pei Rujing; he could only say that he had already changed his mind a long time ago.
Upon hearing this, Pei Rujing chuckled lightly, her laughter carrying an obvious hint of sarcasm.
Duke Pei pretended not to hear and changed the subject: "You're going back to your own home with so many guards. Are you trying to keep an eye on your father?"
Pei Rujing glanced at the guards protecting her and said calmly, "My husband was worried about me, so he asked me to bring them along."
When Duke Pei saw her mention Wen Zongji, his gaze visibly softened, and he suddenly chuckled, "You and your mother are truly identical."
Pei Rujing looked at him coldly.
"I am, after all, the Duke of Pei. What is your husband? He is just a son of a commoner in a marquis's household. He does everything to please you now. How long can he maintain this gentleness and consideration? A year, two years... Jing'er, the Princess and I have been a loving couple for seven years."
Pei Rujing's gaze suddenly sharpened: "Don't compare yourself to him, you're not worthy!"
Duke Pei's mood brightened, and he said with a playful tone, "Is that so? Then I'll wait and see."
This rebellious daughter has made him lose face today. He wants to see how she will treat Wen Zongji when she is betrayed by the person she loves.
Pei Rujing hated anything that could sow discord between her and Wen Zongji. With a flick of her sleeve, she stopped looking at Duke Pei and declared, "Return to the manor!"
After saying that, he took the lead and walked outside.
As they passed by Duke Pei, he said, "Jing'er, it's actually quite easy to tell whether a man is in love with you. No one can pretend for twelve hours a day. If you pay attention, you can find clues. I suggest you go and take a look at his study or office."
Pei Rujing ignored him and continued walking without stopping.
After Pei Rujing left with her entourage, Duke Pei glanced at Madam Wei, snorted coldly, and also left Guhua Pavilion with Concubine Wang and the others.
Pei Ruyan, still supporting Aunt Wang, asked curiously, "Father, how do you know my brother-in-law has no feelings for my sister?"
Although Pei Ruyan disliked Pei Rujing, she knew very well how beautiful Pei Rujing was. How could any man not like Pei Rujing?
Duke Pei shook his head: "I don't know if Wen Zongji has feelings for Jing'er, but I can tell that Wen Zongji is not a peaceful person. He is the one who created the famous Jingbao newspaper in the capital. It can be seen that he is a capable person. Jing'er has such a bad temper, how could Wen Zongji tolerate her forever?"
He didn't understand Wen Zongji, but he understood the inherent flaws in men.
Pei Ruyan nodded in realization.