Chapter 91 - 90: Pei Xuan Backing Up Your Majesty
Chapter 91: Chapter 90: Pei Xuan Backing Up Your Majesty
Attending Old Madam Meng’s birthday banquet at the Meng Family’s home today was an incredibly boring affair for Pei Xuan.
He couldn’t even be bothered to show his face, nor did he intend to give the Meng Family any opportunity to socialize with him.
The so-called prestigious families in Jianghuai today had histories spanning less than a century. They weren’t even as prominent as the vassal families attached to the Jianghuai Pei Family in the past. Using the excuse that they had helped Mr. Pei decades ago, they went around boasting about their ties to the Pei Family.
Pei Xuan held the utmost disdain for such behavior—borrowing someone else’s prestige to throw their weight around. If someone were to display true capability in front of him, even if it meant offending him, he would still look upon them with a degree of respect.
Pei Xuan had originally planned to just sign the guestbook and leave. He hadn’t expected to catch such a good show right before his departure.
Young Master Pei of Jianghuai was born rebellious; he had even dared to assassinate the Empress. Possessing such a rebellious spirit, he naturally admired those cut from the same cloth.
Shi Changying played her audio recording once more, causing Meng Miaoyan’s sharp, acrimonious words to echo through the hall again.
"You..." Meng Miaoyan was in sheer disbelief. A suffocating sensation gripped her chest, and her body trembled uncontrollably.
She had only made those remarks in passing. How could Shi Changying have actually recorded them?!
Emerging victorious from the initial confrontation, Shi Changying took a seat. She casually tossed her phone in her hand, deeply convinced that audio and video recording were two incredibly useful features.
If such technology had existed four hundred years ago, she wouldn’t have had to worry about her ministers boasting outrageously and then shamelessly denying their own words.
Sure, she was a relic of the past, but she was capable of learning.
Modern technology was so convenient—why weren’t these modern people utilizing it? Who was the real ancient person here? As expected, she was the only true, outstanding successor of socialism.
Shi Changying was very satisfied with her new status.
Meng Miaoyan’s face turned stark white, and her throat tightened uncomfortably. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, she felt all the blood rush to her head. It felt as though her ribs were compressing her lungs, leaving her gasping for breath. Panicked, she stammered, "Grandma, I..."
But Old Madam Meng had no time to pay attention to her. The elderly woman stood up abruptly, staring fixedly at the new arrival by the entrance.
The man was tall and straight-backed, exuding a superior, commanding aura. Yet he hadn’t stepped fully into the banquet hall. His entire figure remained cast in shadows, his facial features obscured and indistinct in the flickering light.
Old Madam Meng’s breathing quickened slightly. It was obvious she had already guessed the newcomer’s identity—a Pei Family Member!
The Pei Family had numerous descendants, but there were truly very few who were this brazen and unrestrained. After all, with Mr. Pei keeping them in check, no one dared to act out of line.
Could it be Pei Xuan, who had been designated as the Pei Family’s next heir a few years ago?!
The mere thought made Old Madam Meng’s heart tremble. What right or virtue did she possess to have the Young Master of the Pei Family attend in person?
"Housekeeper, hurry up and invite our esteemed guest in!" Old Madam Meng ordered immediately. Turning her head, she coldly rebuked Meng Miaoyan, "You disgraceful thing, I’ll deal with you when we get back!"
Meng Miaoyan gritted her teeth, tears of grievance swirling in her eyes.
Following Old Madam Meng’s orders, Housekeeper Meng went to invite Pei Xuan inside.
"Deal with her when you get back? Why wait until then?" With one hand tucked in his pocket, Pei Xuan stood perfectly still and raised his voice. "Once the doors are closed, who knows if you’ll actually discipline her or not? Spoiling a child is like killing a child—that’s a truth that has stood since ancient times."
This single sentence backed Old Madam Meng into a corner with no room to retreat. Overwhelmed by shame and anger, she barked, "Meng Miaoyan, kneel! When have I ever taught you to speak like that?"
Not daring to disobey, Meng Miaoyan had no choice but to drop to her knees.
Pei Xuan remarked unhurriedly, "Making a descendant kneel at the drop of a hat hardly seems like proper behavior for an elder. No wonder you raised such offspring."
A deathly silence continued to shroud the entire banquet hall.
Ming Chengli took a sharp breath and couldn’t help but ask, "Shuangqiao, what’s this guy’s background?"
Xu Shuangqiao was equally perplexed. "I’m not sure. Everyone I know from Jiang’s social circles is already seated."
"Someone with power and influence, naturally, and with a status higher than the Meng Family’s. Otherwise, why wouldn’t Old Madam Meng dare to talk back?" Shi Changying casually chimed in while sneaking bites of the small cookies Shaoyuan had bought for her the day before.
Indeed, Old Madam Meng didn’t dare to retort. She was desperately hoping the Meng Family could latch onto the Pei Family’s connections, so she spoke up again, "Meng Miaoyan, apologize!"
For Meng Miaoyan, apologizing was a fate worse than death. However, she had no other way out, so she forced herself to say unwillingly, "I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said those things."
Pei Xuan spoke again, "Why does that sound so incredibly reluctant to my ears?"
"I’m sorry, it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have said that poor people are vicious. I’m the vicious one." Meng Miaoyan’s voice trembled with a sob, her words stumbling over one another. "My grandma never taught me this. I was just speaking without thinking. Please forgive me."
Pei Xuan remained unmoved. "A verbal apology is the most insincere of all. You ought to show some substantive remorse, shouldn’t you?"
"You are absolutely right. It is my failure in educating her!" Old Madam Meng felt her face flush with embarrassment. "Miao Yan’s parents passed away early, and she—"
Her words were cut short by the sound of footsteps.
Having lost interest, Pei Xuan turned and walked away, completely unwilling to linger for even a second longer.
In her panic, Old Madam Meng actually hobbled out the door with her walking stick, but Pei Xuan was nowhere to be seen. Only a car speeding away in a cloud of dust remained.
Old Madam Meng was gripped by endless remorse. It had been hard enough to get the Pei Family to accept the invitation, yet they had witnessed such an embarrassing spectacle and left so thoroughly displeased. Was there any chance left for the Meng Family to connect with them in the future? The elderly woman felt a physical ache in her chest.
If Shi Changying hadn’t played that recording publicly, things wouldn’t have escalated to this point today. She might have even been able to enjoy drinks and a pleasant chat with the Pei Family Member.
Today’s birthday banquet had well and truly been ruined by Shi Changying! She should have listened to Meng Shuyan and Meng Miaoyan’s advice early on and never allowed this outsider father-daughter pair to step half a foot into the Meng Family’s home!
However, as if knowing exactly what was going through her mind, Housekeeper Pei, who had yet to leave, suddenly turned around. With a smile, he said, "Old Madam Meng, our Young Master said that if he ever hears of the Meng Family continuing its practice of bullying the weak and throwing its weight around... Well, you certainly wouldn’t want that to happen, would you?"
Old Madam Meng broke out in a cold sweat. Forcing an apologetic smile, she promised, "I assure you, nothing of the sort will happen. Please rest assured."
Being addressed as "Young Master" confirmed her suspicions—the guest was indeed Pei Xuan! The regret in her heart nearly overflowed into a river. It felt as though a thousand insects were gnawing at her heart, leaving it aching and sore.
Housekeeper Pei smiled again. "In his entire life, our Young Master has despised nothing more than people using their power and status to oppress others. Old Madam, tell me, how could you let the Young Master witness such a thing of all things?"
Startled once more, Old Madam Meng stammered, "I—"
"SCREECH!"
The car that had driven off earlier suddenly returned. However, it wasn’t driving forward; it was reversing straight back down the exact path it had taken.
The two security guards by the entrance recoiled in shock, unable to fathom what kind of lunatic would drive like that.
The window next to the driver’s seat rolled down, revealing that it was Pei Xuan himself behind the wheel.