Favoring a Hidden Mistress? Engagement Broken-Chapter 169 - 129:

Otherwise, if the opponent gets desperate and attacks her again, the consequences are not something he can bear.

If possible, he should continue to set up a target.

And Tang Manrou, who has already given birth to the Lu Family’s eldest son, would be the best choice.

But Tang Manrou has already been sent to the military camp by him.

And Lu Ziyuan would never have such thoughts again.

After all, he is truly afraid, and no longer dares to self-righteously believe he is doing good for her by pretending to dote on other women.

Their relationship has reached such a point in this lifetime that it cannot withstand any misunderstandings.

For this life, their union might depend entirely on his persistence.

He wants her, and he wants her heart as well.

He does not believe that with two lifetimes of entanglement, she can truly forget him.

Lu Ziyuan quietly watched Pei Yuqing’s departing figure, his eyes swirling with dark ink.

One year, this kind of torment, he can bear for at most one more year.

After one year, no one can stop him from having her.

After a long time, he withdrew his gaze and looked down at his two trusted aides.

"Who took it upon themselves to send people in to me?"

Ming Fengming Jian did not rise, still kneeling on one knee, and lowered their heads after hearing the words: "We know our guilt."

"Go and receive twenty strikes from the military whip. Next time you dare to alter my decisions without permission, you won’t follow me anymore." 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Ming Fengming Jian’s expressions changed dramatically, only hearing Lu Ziyuan say blandly: "I do not keep disobedient people by my side."

"Yes!"

...

On the other side, Pei Yuqing boarded the carriage, and after instructing Pei Er for a moment, the latter listened with urgency and mounted up to drive the horse ahead.

Within Xuanhua Courtyard, Xie Wanqing was accompanying Pei Yuxuan, casually chatting.

As the year-end approaches, each family begins hosting banquets and rituals, while the girls’ favorite poetry and flower parties have quieted down.

Typically, Pei Yuxuan, who is always running outside and never seen, became bored and came to her sister-in-law’s place to pass the time.

The two sisters-in-law were of similar age and not petty, so their relationship grew ever closer.

Today’s Pei Yuxuan seemed to have something on her mind, supporting her chin with one hand, her gaze fixed unblinking on Xie Wanqing’s delicate and fair face.

Xie Wanqing was filling out a music score and raised her head from the focused gaze, saying, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You’re really pretty, and I love looking at pretty people," Pei Yuxuan sighed. "The face is still the same, but it somehow seems even more beautiful."

It’s like a rose, carefully nurtured, blooming under constant attention.

Proud and enticing.

Xie Wanqing cast her an exasperated glance.

Pei Yuxuan flashed her a radiant smile: "Wanwan, you’ve been married for several months; do you feel happier married, or are single days more joyful?"

At these words, Xie Wanqing paused her wrist, set the pen down slowly, and gave it some thought, saying candidly: "Both have their own merits."

Pei Yuxuan puzzled, "I see you and my elder brother so devoted to each other, and I thought you’d say married life is better."

"Then you think too simply; regardless of life after marriage, it can’t compare to the days spent beside your parents while single."

Looking at the little princess, loved by her parents, Xie Wanqing said: "There are countless men in this world, some true and loyal, others fickle and indifferent, but people change, and their feelings change with them. We can’t prevent this; all we can do is not fixate too much on their affections."

Pei Yuxuan listened in a daze; no one had ever told her this, and she hadn’t doubted mutual affection before, especially since her parents had been loving for most of their lives.

Dazed, she said: "I recall your parents being very deeply committed, how could..."

"For men, love is a distraction in idle moments. For women, whose world is confined to the inner courtyard, falling in love leads to deeper entrapment."

"It’s true, my parents have remained affectionate, but in earlier years my mother was always prepared for others to enter the courtyard," Xie Wanqing said. "Whether my father took concubines or not wouldn’t impact her overly."

Mrs. Zheng never pinned all her happiness and expectations on her husband.

Regarding her husband’s affections, she was serene in their gain, indifferent in their loss.

Pei Yuxuan nodded in partial understanding, then charmingly said: "Your elder brother is certainly a man of true loyalty."

"..." Even though she was praising her own brother, Xie Wanqing still felt a bit exasperated at her sister-in-law. Despite explaining so much, she was still starstruck over her crush.

She said helplessly: "He’s not just loyal; he’s a blockhead. Can you manage with that?"

"I can’t manage!" At these words, Pei Yuxuan was deflated and muttered, "Mother says after the New Year she’ll officially start arranging a match for me. If he still doesn’t like me, then I’ll have to marry someone else."

This was the source of her troubled days recently.

The proud, playful little princess was now like a frost-bitten eggplant, totally dispirited.

Xie Wanqing looked at her, feeling quite compassionate.

But in matters of the heart, she couldn’t help, even with her own sister.

Over the years, she had never seen her brother treat any girl differently.

"Come on, Wanwan, help me think of a way," Pei Yuxuan said. "I always feel he treats me differently than others."

"...How is it different?" Xie Wanqing wondered if she was overthinking.

"I’ve blocked him many times on his way to and from duty, always successfully!" Pei Yuxuan said proudly. "I’ve looked into it, and other girls have blocked him before, but they were dismissed within a few days."

Xie Wanqing: "..."

So, the Little Princess hadn’t been playing with her sisters but was actually blocking Xie Yanyu?

"...Is there more?" Xie Wanqing said. "Besides giving you the chance to block him, is there anything else different?"

Pei Yuxuan opened her mouth but couldn’t mention anything else.

Thinking of her brother acting like a lady, always taking a carriage when going out, Xie Wanqing asked: "Did he always see you each time?"

Pei Yuxuan sighed despondently, still without words.

Looking at her dejected little figure, Xie Wanqing felt a pang of affection, wondering if Xie Yanyu was looking for a fairy to marry.

The Little Princess is wonderful, so pretty with a proud but not reckless temperament, like a little sun. With so many noblemen in the capital, her status matches with anyone abundantly.

But she happens to like...

"If it really doesn’t work out, then just let it go," Xie Wanqing said. "My brother’s only good feature is his face. He’s stiff in character, not good at talking, won’t please a girl. Being with him would make you feel bored."

Her words were sincere, but a young girl in the throes of love hardly listens.

Pei Yuxuan shook her head stubbornly.

"Even if I really have to give up, I need to know his feelings clearly. I want to hear him reject me outright; otherwise, I won’t give up."

She always felt that the graceful Heir Xie couldn’t be entirely uninterested in her.