Edited by Tnyhy

“After saying so much,” Pei Lang sneered, “What do you want me to do?”

“Teacher Pei is exceedingly intelligent. I just now that this cannot be hidden from you. The saying of one tiny clue reveals the general trend, and that one will be able to tell the elegance of the song by hearing a string accompaniment, comes as such.” Shen Miao was not stingy and complimented Pei Lang before saying, “Teacher Pei is filled with talents and have the broader picture in mind, why not enter officialdom?”

“Shen Miao!” Pei Lang’s voice suddenly raised up. One did not know which of Shen Miao’s words poked his anguish that he became agitated so suddenly, that even Jing Zhe and Gu Yu casted sidelong glances. Pei Lang spoke angrily, “Do not think of that!”

“Teacher Pei must not be impatient and may even wish to calmly listen to my words first.” Shen Miao smiled, “Perhaps Teacher Pei was frightened by the story I just told. One felt that in the officialdom field, one would accidentally implicate the entire residence, and it would be filled with treachery and misfortune. After entering officialdom, Teacher Pei will probably have less freedom than now.”

Pei Lang’s facial colour gradually restored, as if returning back to the distinguished look of a teacher.

“But now Teacher is alone, with neither a spouse or a family, thus one do not need to worry about getting others implicated. Moreover… In this world, those who stood up high can see far and also do more. In order to protect those who needed protection, being a pure teacher is not enough. Admittedly it is true that Teacher is able to have students all over the skies, but…” Shen Miao lifted the cup calm and composed, clearly smiling but in that moment her voice was cold as she said, “When trouble really happens, the n.o.bles would all stay away and would not spare any effort.”

“Only when one is stronger, will it be the right way.” Shen Miao’s voice was bewitching, even more understanding of one’s conscience than Bao Xiang Lou’s music.

“Who taught you these words and what is your purpose? What benefits does he have if I were to enter officialdom?”

Shen Miao smiled gently. This Pei Lang seemed warm and gentle, and was indeed a teacher who taught without paying any attention to outside matters, but every time when it comes to debating, would always be able to ask the key questions in a moment. In the previous life, Fu Xiu Yi thought of all sorts of ways to draw Pei Lang over to his side, and afterwards even gave him a position of Nation Advisor and it was not accidental but by virtue.

“Why does Teacher Pei asked about the benefits to others, but not ask about what good does it do to you?” Shen Miao did not answer him but cleverly went around and asked, “Being promoted, gaining wealth and marrying a wife, all this are of advantage to Teacher. When doing business, how would someone ask others how much they profit but do not mention how much one gain?”

“How would I gain?” Pei Lang said lightly.

“Teacher will not gain anything but Liu Ying is the one who will.” Shen Miao smiled as she looked at him, and her bright eyes were s.h.i.+ning, “For a female to leave one’s trade meant that there would be a steady support in the second half of one’s life. This is considered as saving another’s life.”

Pei Lang stared straight at Shen Miao. If at this time he still did not understand Shen Miao’s intention then he would be a real idiot.

“What do I need to do after entering officialdom?” Pei Lang asked.

Shen Miao looked at him in satisfaction. Using the shortest possible time to weigh the pros and the cons before making the most favourable choice, had always been Pei Lang’s style. But… Her mind could not help but remember the time when Fu Xiu Yi deposed the Crown Prince. At that time she went down on her knees to beg Pei Lang but his tone of voice was just like now, rational and emotionless. Now that she had the leverage and this aloof Nation Advisor could only be fiddled by her, this made a trace of happiness appear in Shen Miao’s heart. This happiness appeared quickly on her face and became joy.

“Actually it is nothing much.” Shen Miao said, “Teacher is talented and would not actively enter officialdom. One year later, naturally there would be an eminent person who will be attracted. One hope that at that time, Teacher would not refuse the eminent person and think of ways to go along with him. But of course, only agree on the surface but is in fact employed by me.”

“You want me to be a planted agent?” Pei Lang looked at Shen Miao incredulously.

Shen Miao shook her head, “How could this be considered as a planted agent? Teacher can be promoted and gain wealth, and I promise that Teacher’s ident.i.ty will not be exposed. It is just that at some times, one need to tell me some information.”

Pei Lang was silent for a moment before looking at Shen Miao, “The so called eminent person is who?”

Shen Miao gently smiled, “Prince Ding, Fu Xiu Yi.”

Pei Lang was frightened and involuntarily looked at Shen Miao again. He knew that Shen Miao had previously admired Prince Ding, that it almost became a joke in the capital and also know that Prince Ding, who had read knowledge and was not showy, disdained Shen Miao as beneath contempt. But one did not know from when onwards, Shen Miao seemed to have changed and Pei Lang had all along thought, that there was someone behind Shen Miao that was guiding her, but now thinking about it, one could not help but guess that it could be that love turned into hate, thus she would scheme against Prince Ding?

But if it was only because of being unable to receive the love, how would it be like this?

Pei Lang was somewhat confused. The young female in front was pretty in male’s clothes and after drinking, was lightly red. She was exactly at a blooming age and was fair and adorable, with a pair of eyes that were as clean as a young cub"s, but in her gestures seemed to have some frivolous air. Pei Lang felt somewhat uncomfortable.

When those young ladies like Shen Miao’s age speak to him, it was like the younger generation speaking to an elder or the very least like a younger sister speaking to an older brother but at this moment, it seemed that he was the one in a disadvantaged position. Every single move was led by the other through the nose, unable to resist at all.

“What exactly do you want to do?” Pei Lang had asked this question many times, and till now he was still unsure whether the person doing these things were others or Shen Miao herself. It was like Shen Miao had seen clearly his last cards but he could not even see Shen Miao’s initial purpose.

He was absolutely suppressed.

“I do not want to do anything, just want to make a decision that is beneficial to me and Teacher.” Shen Miao smiled as she tucked a lock of stray hair behind her years, making her neck as fair as jade. She said, “Teacher, will one agree or disagree?”

“I can only answer it here?” Pei Lang asked.

“You have…” Shen Miao pointed to the wine flagon, “The time of this wine flagon. Once this flagon is finished, Teacher will tell me the answer.”

“No need.” Pei Lang interrupted her words, “If you can do as you promise, I will agree.”

The room became silent. After a moment, Shen Miao smiled as she got up. She lifted the flagon and filled up the empty cups with wine and picked up the cup in front of her to toast to Pei Lang.

Pei Lang hesitated a moment before raising his cup. A strange feeling rose from his heart as he drinked with his student in a restaurant… His heart was even feverish.

“Wis.h.i.+ng Teacher’s future prospects be brilliant and infinite.” Shen Miao smiled as she downed the cup in one gulp. She drank it so very quickly that a trace of wine flowed out from the corner of her mouth, drawing a line down to her chin and going down to her white clothes.

Pei Lang looked away, no matter how pretty a blooming lady was, she was young and inexperienced, especially people like Shen Miao who was delicate and attractive, would be even more reserved and composed. It was not that Pei Lang did not like beautiful people, but there was a slight moment in that his mind was slightly chaotic, and felt that it was an extremely wrong thing to do.

There was a flash of carefreeness in Shen Miao’s eyes.

Most likely it was because one had drank some wine, and some of the emotions that had been hiding in one’s heart escaped. She remembered Pei Lang’s upright behaviour and his particular attention to reasoning. In front of Pei Lang, she had interpreted the six words ‘Mother of all under the Heavens’ vividly and thoroughly but at the end was defeated by Pei Lang’s list of merits and drawbacks.

That was the Nation Advisor of the last lifetime that could determine life and death, but now she was holding on to his weak spot. She had to put on the bearing of an Empress in front of Pei Lang and could not cry for Wan Yun who would be in a marriage alliance. Now… She did not have the Empress’s composure and did not have to follow the strict virtues of a married woman. Dressing in a male outfit, visiting places of pleasure, drinking with a teacher, such frivolous actions and abandonment of all restraints. And what could Pei Lang do?

He could not do anything to her.

But that carefree feeling was for just a short moment.

When Pei Lang agreed to it, she knew that there was no need to continue to be entangled.

The tipsy look in one’s eyes faded, and little by little she sobered up. She stood up and slightly raised her chin returning to the stern and prestigious Shen Miao.

“Once Liu Ying has settled down, one will inform Teacher of the embroidery workshop address.” Shen Miao nodded her head, “The bill has been settled, Teacher can slowly drink the Lu wine as one could not often drink it.”

One did not know if the last sentence was sarcasm or polite, and Pei Lang’s brows slightly wrinkled as he watched Shen Miao leaving with the few people.

He took a mouthful of wine but the originally mellow wine was very harsh in his mouth.

As they walked out the door, Jing Zhe and Gu Yu did not dare to speak as they could tell that Shen Miao’s mood was unexpectedly good, and they had heard Pei Lang’s words but were puzzled like being amidst the clouds and mist. They felt that this was no trivial matter, so they dared not speak of it lightly.

Once the cold wind blew, the reddish tint on one’s face cleared up. Shen Miao closed her eyes and when she opened them again, there was only coldness in them.

Towards Pei Lang, one had after all resented how he stood by the side and no matter how it was hidden, a shred of it would be revealed.

However, the goal was achieved.

“Return to the residence.” She walked towards the horse carriage.

At the adjacent room of that room in Kuai Huo Lou was a secret room and the few people inside were silent.

One had seen a good show just now and at first glance, one would feel that it was endlessly interesting, but now since the people were gone and the tea has cooled, it was especially astonis.h.i.+ng and frightening when one thought about it.

Ji Yu Shu swallowed his saliva and seemingly wanted to break the heavy atmosphere, “This floor is really good, at least it is very convenient to eavesdrop. Not only one can listen, one can also see. It is rather good.”

Behind the carved pillar, there was a huge gla.s.s which was set by the banister. It was said to be gla.s.s that come from the West that allows this side to see that side, but that side unable to see here. Together with the bronze pillar filled with holes, one could hear everything clearly when others are speaking.

But when Ji Yu Shu finished this sentence, the other two people in the elegant room did not answer him. Gao Yan propped his chin with the fan and this was a common posture he did when thinking. Xi Jing Xing supported his head with a fist and his other hand was playing with the tea cup as he was thinking.

Unable to withstand such an atmosphere, Ji Yu Shu opened his mouth to say, “Both of you do not be silent any more. This is just about the matter of the Prefectural Magistrate Pei"s residence of the Lu state, and Pei Lang is Prefectural Magistrate Pei’s son!”

Shen Miao spoke of the story easily and that was because Pei Lang could understand, and because the three of them here were not stupid, they were able to understand it with little thoughts.

In the criminal Prefectural Magistrate Pei"s residence of the Lu state, there was a pair of children, the older sister was Liu Ying and the younger brother was the current Pei Lang. During the escape, in order to safeguard Pei Lang, the people that the Pei family arranged, abandoned Liu Ying and afterwards Liu Ying was debased to prost.i.tution. But the Pei family have long arranged an escape route for Pei Lang and turned him to a Ding capital figure. He had been living here since childhood with a merchant family background, and both parents had pa.s.sed on a few years back, thus he was currently alone.

This kind of highest quality of life experience, no one found it out for so many years.

However… Xie Jing Xing’s lips hooked up, “So, how does she know about the background information that Bai Xiao Shen is unable to investigate?”

When he reached the end, his voice turned cold and there was a murderous air in that pair of peach eyes.