Chapter 49 Not Our Kind of People

At dusk, when the sun was sinking in the west, Li Mingshan came alone.

Lady Liang claimed illness and refused to receive him, no matter how they tried to persuade her. Pei Yanzhou sent someone to ask Liang Shanru, and after only a moment’s thought, she changed her clothes and went to the main hall at the front.

The sky had gradually darkened, and lamps had been lit throughout the courtyard. Inside the hall, candle flames swayed gently, mingling with the light filtering in through the glazed windows from outside, making the entire room seem bright.

Only Li Mingshan looked distinctly ill at ease.

He did not often see Liang Shanru. In the past, when her father Liang Ji was still alive, he had visited frequently, but afterward, the banquets she attended with Lady Zhou had all been gatherings of women. Now that he saw her again, he suddenly realized that three years had already passed since their last meeting.

Looking at the graceful young woman before him, then recalling the schemes Lady Chai had plotted together with the Marquis and Marchioness of Changle, Li Mingshan felt even more ashamed of himself. His complexion darkened further.

Pei Yanzhou did not speak first. After a long silence, Li Mingshan gave an awkward cough, drew several folded sheets of paper from his sleeve, and placed them on the small table beside him.

“These are two shops in Hongyi Ward, in the capital. Their annual income is not especially high, but they are in a good location and have a number of regular customers. If Miss Liang takes them over, she will earn money without having to put much effort into them.

“If you do not wish to run them, you can sell the shops and still exchange them for a considerable sum of silver.”

Pei Jingxing raised a brow and instinctively glanced at Pei Yanzhou.

Liang Shanru, on the other hand, was somewhat surprised.

She had lived in the capital for more than two years and naturally knew Hongyi Ward.

It seemed the Duke of Changping truly doted on Lady Chai. The shops she had brought as part of her dowry when she married had all been located in Hongyi Ward.

Yet, judging from what Li Mingshan had just said, the annual income of these two shops was not high. Either Lady Chai had deliberately selected the less profitable ones, or she was so incapable of running a business that even shops in Hongyi Ward had been reduced to such a state under her management.

Liang Shanru pressed her lips together and remained silent, but the satisfaction in her eyes did not escape Pei Yanzhou.

Understanding at once, he picked up where Li Mingshan had left off. “This was Lady Chai’s idea?”

Li Mingshan was brimming with grievances he had nowhere to voice. When Pei Yanzhou asked, he could only sigh repeatedly.

“I cannot even begin to describe my difficulties to Your Highness. The household has been in an uproar over this matter, but…”

He hesitated and cast a glance at Liang Shanru, his words becoming more tactful.

“Miss Liang has suffered a grievance this time, and Lady Liang has fallen ill from anger. Since Your Highness came to our door to address the matter, my family must offer some explanation.

“Miss Liang may accept these two shops without worry. There will be absolutely no trouble afterward. In the future, you need not fear anyone causing trouble or seeking revenge.”

He was indeed an intelligent man. He knew exactly what Pei Yanzhou was asking.

Whether Lady Chai had agreed willingly no longer mattered, nor did the means by which Li Mingshan had subdued her.

Or perhaps, once the Marquis of Changle had yielded, Lady Chai had naturally had no choice but to stop resisting.

Pei Yanzhou looked at the deeds on the table and said calmly, “Since Lord Li puts it that way, there is nothing for us to worry about.”

He turned his head toward Liang Shanru. His normally cool, emotionless voice held a trace of warmth.

“My cousin was never worried to begin with.”

The corner of Liang Shanru’s eye twitched. She looked away and refused to meet his gaze.

Li Mingshan was visibly relieved. Then he asked, “Is Lady Liang still ill? In the end, the matter began with my family. I was simply too occupied today to attend to it, but tomorrow I will certainly bring some restorative medicine and offer my apologies.”

He could twist and turn through seven or eight meanings in a single sentence, yet the point he wished to make was exceptionally clear.

Liang Shanru could not help looking at him a little longer. Suddenly, she felt a faint sense of pity.

A man like Li Mingshan had married Lady Chai and allowed her to ruin his entire life.

For once, curiosity stirred in her. She could not understand why the Duke’s household had never supported or advanced him.

Before Pei Jingxing spoke, he glanced first at Pei Yanzhou.

Pei Yanzhou happened to lift the small celadon cup beside him. As he raised his hand and drank, he gave the slightest nod, so subtle that no one else might have noticed.

The tea was warm, and a faint mist of steam drifted between them, but Pei Jingxing saw the gesture clearly.

He withdrew his gaze and looked at Li Mingshan with a smile that was not quite a smile.

“Lord Li, you are being far too courteous. There is really no need. My mother is not one to dwell on such things. Once she returns to the capital, she will have forgotten all about it. It is only that…”

He drew out the last word slightly, his smile turning awkward.

“After seeing Lord Li, she will remember the things Lady Chai said. Even if you are here to apologize, my mother may not be able to calm herself.

“The physician said that she became ill from a sudden fit of anger. Two or three days of quiet rest should be enough, but if she keeps growing angry, she may need a very long time to recover.”

Only after he had finished refusing did Pei Yanzhou continue in his place.

“Lord Li is kind to think of her, but there is no need to trouble yourself over such a small matter. Our family is not lacking in restorative medicine. I accept your good intentions on behalf of Third Aunt.”

It was, at least, a courteous response.

But Li Mingshan understood their brothers’ attitude even more clearly.

The matter would end here. They had merely wanted to vent Liang Shanru’s grievance and obtain some compensation from Lady Chai. They had no intention of waiting until later to settle the score.

That reassured him.

He therefore smiled and agreed readily, while not forgetting to explain himself.

“It is not that Lady Liang is narrow-minded or bent on revenge. I truly feel that my wife handled this matter improperly, and I very much wished to apologize in person. But since she is recovering from illness, I had better not disturb her.”

Then he turned to Liang Shanru.

“My wife is a foolish woman. She has lived more than half a lifetime without ever truly understanding how to conduct herself. She has done many things that leave others speechless. You have been wronged, Miss Liang.

“They say that public opinion is frightening, but in my view, when unrelated people chatter about unrelated matters—especially when their words are unpleasant and offensive—you should simply pretend you never heard them. It is best not to take them to heart.”

Afraid she might misunderstand, he hurried to add, “I am not trying to excuse her. I am only advising you to take things more lightly—not merely this time, but whenever you encounter something similar in the future. You should certainly seek an explanation, but do not let the matter weigh upon your heart.”

He might not have meant much of it kindly. Most of those words had been spoken for Pei Yanzhou’s benefit, for fear that Pei Yanzhou would continue troubling the Li family and was merely using her grievance as a pretext.

Liang Shanru understood perfectly, though nothing showed on her face. She smiled and nodded, accepting all that Li Mingshan had said.

“I will remember your words. In truth, that is how I have always thought. If I took every word spoken by others to heart, I would never be able to live my own life.

“You have gone to such trouble for me despite being neither kin nor acquaintance. I am truly grateful.”

She looked as though she meant to rise and offer him a formal courtesy. Li Mingshan no longer dared remain seated and hurriedly took his leave.

Pei Jingxing watched his departing back and shook his head. Only after the sound of footsteps had faded did he sigh.

“He is a rare man—clever, and clear-sighted. It is a pity that the Chai family has ruined his life.”

He, too, could not understand it, and simply asked Pei Yanzhou, “With such an in-law, why did the Chai family never give him a hand?”

Pei Yanzhou gave a quiet acknowledgment.

“They are not people who walk the same path. They could never help one another. Nor does Li Mingshan want the Chai family’s help. Otherwise, he would not be in his present circumstances.”

At those words, the light in Liang Shanru’s eyes dimmed once more. She gave him an unreadable look, rose, and walked away.

“I am going to tell Aunt about this. I will not stay and keep my cousin company.”