Chapter 1307: Breaking Apart Lovebirds

“Nonsense!” Zu An wiped his face and reacted quickly. “I’m smiling because I was able to see you after finally coming back!”

Pei Mianman harrumphed. “Hmph, knowing you, it was definitely another girl!” Despite saying those words, however, she still felt happy. His honeyed words were extremely effective.

𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

“I didn’t expect you to have gone through so much. Sigh, it’s a pity that I wasn’t able to stay by your side,” she said regretfully.

Zu An had told her pretty much everything that happened in the Great Snowy Mountain, but of course, he hadn’t breathed a word about his intimate experience with Yan Xuehen. Even so, his experience had still made Pei MIanman cry out in alarm several times.

“Still, not even all of this can compare to what we went through in Yinxu,” Zu An said with a smile as he pulled her into his embrace.

Pei Mianman was also moved. They had been husband and wife for several generations in Yinxu. She replied, “Hmph, I thought that you might’ve gotten bored of me after staying in Yinxu with me for all that time.”

Zu An gave her charming face a kiss and replied, “How could that be? All of that was just an illusion; time flew much faster. It wasn’t actually several lifetimes.”

Pei Mianman scowled and shot back, “Then are you saying you’re already tired of me after just a few decades?”

Zu An was speechless. Can you not word it like that?

He reacted quickly, immediately pouring out a huge pile of flowery praises. “Of course not. Manman, you don’t understand how great your charm is. Other men want nothing more than to devour you…”

Still, Pei Mianman didn’t take the bait at all, asking, “Then what about you?”

“I’m going to devour you right now!” Zu An exclaimed, reaching out with both hands.

Pei Mianman was ticklish, so she quickly moved out of the way. Still, how could she move faster than Zu An? She quickly ended up laughing so hard that her body rocked back and forth.

Suddenly, the door opened from the outside. A voice began, “Sir Zu, I have something to say to you…”

The voice came to a screeching halt halfway through the sentence.

“Father…” Pei Mianman murmured, jumping in fright when she saw who it was. Even though there wasn’t much of a father-daughter relationship between them, they had lived under that pretext for so many years. There was no way she wouldn’t feel any guilt at all.

The one who had arrived was, of course, City Lord Pei Shao. He was normally rather good-natured; or, at the very least, there was often a smile on his face. At the moment, though, his expression was completely dark.

Zu An moved his hand back from Pei Mianman’s neck and asked, “So… How’s it been, Sir City Lord?”

He had been too invested in his fun with Pei Mianman, and Yan Xuehen hadn’t closed the door properly when she left. That was why Pei Shao had ended up running into them. Being caught in action by a woman’s father… No matter how thick one’s skin was, they’d still feel embarrassed, right?

“Sir Zu is now the Great Lady Count; I am not worthy of you calling me sir.” Pei Shao harrumphed. He was furious. The precious daughter he had raised all this time had already been ruined by a pig without his notice! Anyone would be furious in such a situation, right?

You have successfully trolled Pei Shao for +311 +311 +311…

Zu An’s eyes twitched when he heard the name ‘Great Lady Count’. He replied, “What is City Lord Pei saying? I have always held Sir Pei’s character in high prestige…”

What followed was a mountain of cringe-inducing flattery. Even Pei Mianman frowned, so how could Pei Shao’s reaction be any better? He couldn't stand it anymore and said, “Enough, enough. I came to ask what your relationship with my daughter was like, and why she would take such a huge risk to impersonate a Golden Token Envoy. Now, it seems there is no need for that.”

Zu An said with a sigh of amazement, “City Lord Pei really has incredible insight after all! My admiration for you flows endlessly like a relentless river…”

Pei Shao was speechless. I’m so pissed, but what can I even say?

Pei Mianman took a deep breath. She grabbed Zu An’s arm and said, “Ah Zu and I have already pledged ourselves to each other.”

Pei Shao’s eyes twitched. In the end, he still couldn't help but slam the table and yell, “Nonsense! Do you know what a pledge like that, without the parents’ approval, means? Such a thing is laughable even among normal families, let alone in our Pei clan!”

Pei Mianman said with her head raised, “We are happy to be with each other, and love will prevail. There is nothing to laugh at at all!”

“You…!” Pei Shao was so angry that even his facial hair was starting to stand on end. He retorted, “You are the future wife of King Qi’s heir, and possibly even a future empress. How can you have such little self-respect?”

Zu An took a step in front of Pei Mianman and replied, “City Lord Pei, let me correct you on something. The wife of King Qi’s heir will never become the empress.”

“Hmph! Even the major clans are not sure who will come out on top between King Qi and the crown prince; who do you think you are to say something like that?” Pei Shao snapped. He had been annoyed to begin with. When he heard Zu An make a bold statement like that, he became even more blunt.

You have successfully trolled Pei Shao for +444 +444 +444….

“So what if I said it?” Zu An replied indifferently. “I was able to crush the legs of King Qi’s heir back then, and I wouldn’t mind crushing his third leg too. Let’s see how he’ll get himself a wife then.”

“You!” Pei Shao exclaimed. He was so angry his entire body was shaking. “You crude, coarse man! As expected of someone who used to be a commoner, you don’t have the upbringing of a true noble at all!”

You have successfully trolled Pei Shao for +599 +599 +599…

“A true noble?” Zu An sneered. “Does City Lord Pei feel no shame when you say that? Which among these so-called top noble clans isn’t made up of thieves and whores? The only things that might be clean are the stone lions by their front gates.”

Pei Shao choked. He knew what Zu An said was true. Such things really were common occurrences in the great clans. As long as it wasn’t something that violated a basic principle, it wouldn’t damage their noble reputation at all.

What was important to the nobility? Naturally, it was their etiquette, their long history, and acknowledgement from other clans. The rich would marry the rich, while the poor would marry the poor. That was a societal rule.

For example, even though he was already a count, the way someone like Zu An did things didn’t match the etiquette of the nobility at all. He was still someone who would be mocked by the inner circles in private.

Pei Mianman didn’t want the two to fight over such a thing, so she said, “I’ve already rejected the marriage with King Qi’s heir. If you want a marriage so badly, you can marry him yourself.”

“Good, good, very good!” Pei Shao spat, shooting Zu An a glare. “So it turns out that last time, when you advised me not to agree to King Qi’s marriage that early, it was because you had these wicked thoughts!”

He felt worse and worse when he thought of that. He had been completely played!

You have successfully trolled Pei Shao for +555 +555 +555…

Pei Mianman said, “That matter is unrelated. We already pledged to be married when we were in Brightmoon City. If you insist on this marriage with King Qi’s heir, I don’t mind making this public. Let’s see if he’ll still dare to marry me then!”

“You!” Pei Shao shouted. He was now really angered beyond belief. As expected, daughters are all raised for others!

However, he suddenly thought of something. He gradually calmed down and said, “There’s been progress in the matter we talked about last time. That side has already agreed; are you still going to go or not?”

“Really?” Pei Mianman replied, sounding shocked and happy.

“Of course it is.” Pei Shao harrumphed. “Follow me back for now.”

Pei Mianman hesitated for a moment, but eventually said, “Alright.”

Zu An was stunned. What is going on?

Pei Mianman approached him and said, “Ah Zu, I might have to be apart from you for a while.”

Zu An expected it to be like the plot of a TV drama, but to his surprise, Pei Mianman explained excitedly, “I’m going to meet a master! I’ll join a top-level sect similar to the White Jade Sect!”