Lady Pei’s face turned pale from fright when she heard the words ‘unfilial son’.
The Patriarch is still in a fit of anger, and he’s capable of saying anything; if he suddenly goes to the Prince Hao Residence like this, something bad will definitely happen!
She immediately instructed the family servants to prepare a horse carriage to follow Pei Zheng.
~~~
In the Prince Hao Residence, Pei Qianhao and Su Xi-er were sitting in the main hall and drinking a fresh pot of tea that the latter had brewed to welcome her husband back from the morning court assembly. They were peacefully relaxing when a guard came to report Pei Zheng’s arrival.
Su Xi-er set her teacup down and answered on Pei Qianhao’s behalf. “Lead Lord Pei into the residence.”
The guard looked towards Pei Qianhao and bowed before leaving when he saw no sign of objection
Pei Zheng’s expression was still stormy, even when he entered the main hall. Upon seeing Pei Qianhao, his ire swelled even further, and he furiously pointed at him. “Unfilial son! The Pei Residence has raised you for so many years, but I never expected you to be an ungrateful dog that bites the hand that fed him. How could you treat your younger sister like this? To think that you would announce that she asked to guard the Imperial Mausoleum when you couldn’t find her! Unfilial son!”
He was repeatedly yelling the words ‘unfilial son’ so many times that even the guards standing outside the main hall furrowed their brows. Lord Pei is really too bold. Prince Hao is no longer someone who has to rely on the Pei Family! In fact, how would the Pei Family still be standing if it weren’t for Prince Hao?!
Pei Qianhao’s expression remained calm despite Pei Zheng’s fierce accusation, and he only spoke after Pei Zheng was done with his tirade. “Princess Consort, Lord Pei seems to have much internal heat. Do pour him a cup of tea so that he can calm his heart.”
Su Xi-er nodded. “Alright.” She then picked up the teapot and poured a cup, politely passing it to Pei Zheng. “Your Excellency Pei, please enjoy.”
Pei Zheng’s fury only intensified when he saw Su Xi-er. He took a step forward and deftly raised his hand, planning to knock the teacup onto the ground. However, he didn’t expect Su Xi-er to suddenly pull the cup away and set it on the table. When she turned around, there was an undeniable sarcastic undertone in her voice.
“Your Excellency Pei, as a court official, one must read the Book of Rituals to learn proper etiquette. You can choose to accept or deny the tea that I have offered you, but you can’t attempt to sweep it to the ground. Have you only come to the Prince Hao Residence to make a scene?” Su Xi-er’s voice was chilly, displaying the deportment of a female master.
“I naturally came here today to ask my unfilial son about why he’s treating the Pei Family like this? Not only did he not repay the favour of my Pei Family raising him, but he even came back to harm us!”
Faced with the interrogation, Pei Qianhao was still unperturbed; there were simply some things that he didn’t deign to say. “Your Excellency Pei, this Prince did it for your daughter’s sake.”
“For Yaran’s sake? If it’s for her sake, you should be searching for her, not saying that she volunteered to go to the Imperial Mausoleum!” Pei Zheng raised his hand once again to point at Pei Qianhao in rage.
Su Xi-er looked at Pei Qianhao’s composed appearance. I can’t take this lying down.
She looked towards Pei Zheng and began to speak. Although her voice was soft, there was an unmistakable frostiness in her words. “Your Excellency Pei, hasn’t the Pei Family already caused enough trouble these past few years? Whenever the scions of the side branches made trouble, did you, Lord Pei, play a part in suppressing any of those matters? Without Prince Hao’s help, do you think you could have continued to wear your official’s hat and attend the morning court assembly? Don’t forget how much bribes you have received, how many court officials you have willfully destroyed, and how you’ve even formed your own faction. The last of those is one of the greatest offences you can commit in the court.”
