Chapter 203: Chapter 203: Moved Back into the Pei Mansion
When encountering assassins, the debauched sons of noble families who still harbor sordid thoughts are utterly incorrigible.
However, they were too presumptuous, thinking matters would unfold as they had imagined.
In reality, the four major guards found it difficult to fend off more than a dozen assassins, and indeed, one or two managed to chase after.
Only then did Mr. Tan and Young Master Liu become terrified and tried to escape in all directions, but the assassins, worried they would call for help and disrupt the plan, directly silenced them with their blades.
Dead or not, Qu Fulan didn’t know; while fleeing, she had to think of a way to get medicine from the space.
This distraction, plus the uneven mountain roads, caused her to fall immediately.
Looking back, she saw an assassin soaring into the air, a long sword in hand, aiming to stab her.
Given the situation, even if Qu Fulan managed to scatter the medicine, the opponent could still stab her first.
Moreover, there wasn’t much time to react in such a life-and-death moment, and the opponent knew martial arts. In that instant, Qu Fulan couldn’t even muster the fear of death.
At this critical moment, there was a loud "clang" in the air.
A figure flashed by quickly, using a sword to deflect the assassin’s long sword, and with a few swift moves, defeated the opponent.
Two assassins were injured, exchanged glances, and decisively retreated.
Pei Ji’an withdrew his long sword and instructed the arriving guards, "Full pursuit!"
After speaking, he turned back to look at Qu Fulan.
"Are you alright?" he asked while extending his hand towards her.
Qu Fulan stood up with his help and, once steady, felt her legs unbearably weak and slightly trembling.
The fear of death indeed lingered in her heart.
"Who are they, and why do they want to kill me?" Qu Fulan asked while trying to calm her nerves.
"They should be remnants of a previous dynasty," Pei Ji’an replied.
"But what does that have to do with me, why are they trying to kill me?"
"These people are vicious and ruthless. You were involved in apprehending their accomplices before and played a significant role, so you might have been added to their assassination list," Pei Ji’an explained.
This was the reason he always had the four major guards follow her around.
Qu Fulan: "..."
Upon returning to the camp, everyone was shocked to see Mr. Tan and Young Master Liu being carried back, covered in blood.
Miss Tan and Miss Liu were even more horrified, fearing their brothers had died, and immediately burst into tears.
"They aren’t dead, why cry? Take them inside and find a doctor." Pei Ji’an’s expression showed a flicker of impatience.
After settling the Tan and Liu families, Pei Ji’an turned back to address everyone, sternly questioning, "Who suggested playing such a large-scale game on the mountain?"
This question made everyone shiver a bit and dare not utter a word.
Especially Cheng Ru, whose heart skipped a beat, feeling extremely flustered.
Eventually, the Third Miss stepped out, "It... it was us, I’m sorry, Second Brother..."
Wen Sichen couldn’t bear to see the Third Miss blamed, so he also stepped forward to admit responsibility, saying he should have stopped it but didn’t, so he was at fault too.
Pei Yuan also blamed himself, admitting his negligence. The mountain is vast, and playing small games in open and flat areas is fine, but finding wood always requires venturing deep into the mountains, inherently unsafe.
In the end, there would be no chance to roast the suckling pig as everyone was injured.
The Tan and Liu families took their people away.
The Princely Heir and others also returned.
Just before leaving, Qu Fulan checked the list, feeling some things were too coincidental and wanted to see if there were any clues.
However, she was told the list was burned, as it could damage young ladies’ reputations if found by others, so it was all burned.
Now, with "dead men tell no tales," there’s no way to investigate further.
Fortunately, her people were unharmed, and the matter with the Tan and Liu families had nothing to do with the Pei Family.
In the end, the wild boar was brought back to the Pei Family, where Prince An, Mr. Wen, and others stayed, including Mr. Jin and his sisters.
Without outsiders, the gathering became even more joyful.
Feng Mei’er hadn’t expected to enter the Pei Family this way, and the family’s wealth dazzled her.
Her determination only grew stronger.
However, she still needed a connection, and if Qu Fulan were still a maid in the Pei Family, it would be better.
Qu Fulan was no longer a maid but still moved freely in the Pei Family. Besides, it was a festive day, and she didn’t return to her own home, allowing Ren Hua to stay with her in the Pei Family.
Anyway, it’s a festive day, so there’s no need to mind too many formalities.
Mrs. Pei only tasted a few bites of wild boar before retiring tiredly, leaving the young people to entertain themselves more freely in the backyard.
Feng Mei’er tried hard to fit into this circle but found her efforts in vain; no one cared for her, an outsider with no ties.
Her only acquaintance was Qu Fulan, but Qu Fulan was mingling with the Third Miss and others, ignoring her.
Feng Mei’er’s heart was very uncomfortable; she couldn’t accept that Qu Fulan was living better than her.
It was a point of contradiction; she wished on one hand that the other lived poorly, miserably enough to satisfy her vanity, but if the other lived too miserably, how could she help her?
So, whether good or bad, Feng Mei’er preferred it to be within her control.
Things outside her control never brought her happiness.
Especially when she tiptoed cautiously, feeling overwhelmed by the Pei Family’s maid service, while Qu Fulan seemed to take it in stride as if well accustomed to such a life.
Feng Mei’er couldn’t bear such a contrast.
And more shocking things were yet to come.
Because Prince An and others mentioned visiting Qu Fulan’s residence soon, not only was what she made delicious, most importantly, there was mahjong to play.
Mentioning mahjong, Prince An had a set made after returning home, intending to play with his people, but it got into the hands of the family’s concubines. Now, the courtyard of An Mansion buzzed with the sound of mahjong tiles clattering daily, a vibrant scene.
The same scenario happened in the homes of Mr. Wei and others.
Don’t think having mahjong will bring peace to the courtyards; instead, the concubines fought more fiercely, ganging up at the mahjong table against each other. The one who lost all the money would cry to the master, and there wasn’t a moment of peace.
But that didn’t stop their love for mahjong; it’s more fun to come out and play with friends than to play at home, where it’s inconvenient.
Feng Mei’er then realized that Qu Fulan not only had left Pei Mansion but also had a mansion of her own. How was that possible?
Feng Mei’er immediately set her sights on staying with Qu Fulan.
With her connections to the Pei Family, if she lived with her, she would have more opportunities to connect with these noble people in the future.
Unfortunately, Feng Mei’er’s plan never even left her lips before it was aborted.
Because, under the arrangements of Heir Pei, Qu Fulan moved back into the Pei Mansion.
None other than the reason that the daytime assassins hadn’t all been caught, and for safety, it was better to stay at Pei Mansion.
Qu Fulan didn’t refuse since she also feared being sneaked into and assassinated at night, losing her life without a sound. So Pei Mansion seemed safer.
This time, she entered as an honored guest, with treatment very different from before.