Su Xi-er gently wrapped her hands around Pei Qianhao’s waist, showing him a gentle expression.
“A-Jing, let’s go to the teahouse. Elder Brother is waiting for us.”
Pei Qianhao nodded, carrying Su Xi-er out of the posthouse despite her protests. Once outside however, the two were greeted by the sight of a woman kneeling at the corner of the street while clad in white muslin, her eyes swollen from crying.
The surrounding crowd was pointing fingers and murmuring among themselves, and the lively flower procession was forcibly stopped.
“Aiyo, so unlucky on a good day.”
“Exactly. The fireworks event is supposed to be a time of good fortune; why did we have to encounter something like this?”
However, their words amounted to nothing when it came to stopping the woman, and the guards who were patrolling soon arrived before going to pull her up.
“Do you know that wearing mourning attire on the streets is a serious offence?” A guard said sternly.
The woman’s tears fell harder upon hearing the words ‘serious offence’. “This little woman was the wife of a Yangzhou official. However, my husband is dead, and my son has been kidnapped. At my wit’s end, I could only come to lodge a report and pray that my son is found.”
Some of the people in the surroundings were moved by her words, but there was no such compassion from the guards. “Your reasons don’t matter. Wearing a white mourning attire on the streets of Xiliu before the fireworks festival is a serious offence.”
The guard was getting impatient, intending to drag the woman away when Su Xi-er and Pei Qianhao exchanged a glance, surmising that this matter wasn’t as simple as it appeared.
“Hold on.” Su Xi-er finally spoke up, her voice filled with authority.
“Who are you? Mind your own business.” The guard was dismissive of her, and planned to push her away when he found his arm stuck in Wu Ling’s iron grasp.
“Audacious! This is Princess Consort Hao of Beimin!”
Pei Qianhao’s gaze grew cold as he signalled to Wu Ling with his eyes, prompting the latter to twist the guard’s arm until it broke with a sickening crack.
“Aiyo!” The guard collapsed to the ground while the crowd cheered, happy to see him punished.
Su Xi-er walked to the woman. “Get up first.”
Perhaps the past Su Xi-er would have involved herself, but it would definitely not have been to this extent. However, her pregnancy had made her more understanding of a mother’s hardships.
Having guessed as much himself, Pei Qianhao’s eyes were filled with affection as he watched Su Xi-er help the woman up.
“Wu Ling, take her with us to the teahouse.” Pei Qianhao ordered.
He then brought Su Xi-er into the teahouse, while Wu Ling convinced the woman to change out of her mourning attire to avoid any further complications.
Du Ling had already been waiting inside the private room for a while, with an empty plate of pastries and a matching teapot to prove it.
“Prince Hao, Younger Sister, you two really took your time in coming here.”
Pei Qianhao’s expression was cold. “We met with something.”
Despite knowing what he was referring to, Du Ling didn’t expose him.
Shortly after, Wu Ling brought a woman who had been on the street, eliciting a puzzled look from Du Ling.
“Who snatched your child away?” Su Xi-er asked in a gentle tone.
