A young man walked in from outside. He looked to be in his early twenties. He was dressed in a green robe and had straight eyebrows. He looked like a gentleman despite being thin. He walked in and praised, “You’re right. Everyone should love with dignity. I don’t mean to mock you. Although in Guangwen Hall, we teach knowledge, we also need to teach morals.”
The students fell silent.
Shen Miao stared at the young man.
Pei Lang was a teacher from Guangwen Hall. He was both talented and virtuous. He was the only man in Guangwen Hall who could enter the hall to teach as a scholar. Scholar Pei was gentle and patient. Compared to other strict teachers, he was more respected among the students. Even someone like Shen Miao, who was always at the bottom of the class, was never scolded by Scholar Pei. He would always explain patiently.
If that was the case, this person was indeed a good gentleman. Unfortunately, Shen Miao also knew his other identity.
He was Fu Xiuyi’s most trusted aide. After Fu Xiuyi ascended the throne, he was conferred the title of chief state strategist.
As the chief state strategist, he had indeed done a good job. Shen Miao thought that Pei Lang was an intelligent and upright person, but when the crown prince was deposed, he did not do anything.
The personal relationship between Shen Miao and Pei Lang was not bad. Back then, it was Pei Lang who suggested that Shen Miao go to the State of Qin to be a hostage. Pei Lang said, “This is all for the sake of Ming Qi’s empire. If you can go and help His Majesty, in the future, the whole empire will be grateful to you.”
However, in fact, when she returned to the palace five years later, Concubine Mei came out of nowhere, and these subordinates of Pei Lang, who used to respect her, started to be wary of her.
When the crown prince was deposed, Shen Miao even knelt down and begged Pei Lang because he was Fu Xiuyi’s trusted aide. As long as Pei Lang asked, Fu Xiuyi would definitely listen to him. However, Pei Lang helped her up and said to her, “Your Majesty, I can’t do anything about it.”
“Pei Lang! Are you going to watch the crown prince be deposed? You know very well that deposing the crown prince is not right!” She was furious and questioned him.
“This is inevitable. Your Highness, accept your fate.” Pei Lang sighed.
Accept your fate.
……
Shen Miao stared at the young man in front of her. He was righteous, and he was cruel. He was good-tempered, and he was also cold-blooded. As an official, Pei Lang was a loyal one. However… as long as he was Fu Xiuyi’s aide, he was her enemy.
At this moment, Fu Xiuyi should not have persuaded Scholar Pei to join him yet. Then, should she cut off the possibility of Scholar Pei teaming up with Fu Xiuyi? Or should she… just kill him in the cradle.
Only then did Scholar Pei put down the book in his hand. He was sensitive enough to sense a gaze on him. He looked up and met Shen Miao’s strange gaze.
Shen Miao sat at the back, staring hard at Pei Liang. Only then did Scholar Pei feel that this gaze contained a kind of scrutiny and judgment, as if she was weighing the pros and cons and judging something.
He paused, wanting to see Shen Miao’s expression clearly again, when he saw the girl pick up the pen on the table and lower her head. Pei Lang smiled and shook his head, thinking to himself that that kind of expressions couldn’t possibly belong to Shen Miao, who was the stupidest and most timid girl in Guangwen Hall.
