NOVEL NEXT Chapter 53: Entanglements
Chapter 53: Entanglements
After leaving Han Du’s mine, Xu Lian returned to his own and took a much-needed nap until noon.
While his Marrow Refining stage physique allowed him to go days without sleep, resting whenever possible was crucial to maintaining peak condition.
The kitchen delivered his lunch – four dishes and a soup, the standard for a manager’s meal.
Just as Xu Lian finished eating, Pei Zhaoxi’s servant arrived.
Xu Lian glanced toward the door, slightly disappointed when he didn’t see Pei Zhaoxi herself. If that fiery little pepper had come, they could have taken a nap together… that would have been perfect.
“Greetings, Manager Xu.”
The servant cupped his hands respectfully and leaned closer to speak in a low voice. “My lady has sent me to invite you to meet her this evening at the bridge on the eastern edge of town. She has something to discuss with you.”
Xu Lian’s heart burned with excitement, and a line of poetry came to mind: When the moon rises over the willow tips, a lover awaits in the twilight.
“Understood,” Xu Lian replied, nodding. “Tell your lady that I will definitely be there. We will not part until we meet.”
The servant acknowledged the answer and left immediately.
Xu Lian called to Pu Ling. “I didn’t sleep well last night. I’ll be napping again shortly – don’t disturb me unless it’s urgent.”
Pu Ling smiled and nodded. “Rest well, Manager Xu.”
After Pu Ling left and closed the door, Xu Lian lay down again.
He’d already caught up on sleep in the morning, but to ensure he was in top form, he decided to rest some more.
He slept until dusk. When he awoke, he felt refreshed, his body brimming with boundless energy. His robust physique was as strong as an ox.
“Time to close the day and open the granary,” Xu Lian announced as he prepared to leave.
Mounting his horse, he galloped toward the bridge on the eastern edge of town.
The ten-mile ride passed quickly.
At the bridge, he saw an elegant, canopied carriage parked amid a grove of maple trees. A dozen guards stood guard nearby.
The scene brought another line of poetry to Xu Lian’s mind: “Stopping by the maple woods at dusk…’ Unfortunately, it was the heart of winter, and the maple trees were bare of their fiery red leaves. If it had been autumn, the scene would have been perfect.
Xu Lian dismounted and approached the carriage. Pulling the curtain aside, he bent down and climbed in. The guards, knowing their place, discreetly moved away.
“Did you miss me, Zhaoxi?” Xu Lian asked without hesitation, putting an arm around Pei Zhaoxi.
Pei Zhaoxi’s expression remained cold. “No, I don’t.”
Xu Lian wasn’t about to let her frosty demeanor deter him. Without another word, he leaned in to embrace her, igniting the passionate fire between them.
Although Pei Zhaoxi had a temper and a proud disposition, her stunning beauty and exceptional physique – honed through years of martial training – made her irresistible.
The carriage rocked back and forth until nightfall.
In the end, Xu Lian had his way, though he was left with a lingering regret: he still couldn’t gauge Pei Zhaoxi’s feelings for him. Unlike ordinary women, this fiery young lady from a wealthy family wasn’t easily swayed.
With a frosty expression, Pei Zhaoxi finally broke the silence. “In a few days, the young master of the Fang family will come to propose marriage. What do you plan to do?”
Xu Lian replied, “We have already discussed this. You will break off the engagement and marry me.”
Pei Zhaoxi pushed him. “How am I supposed to call it off? If I tell my father that I want to cancel the engagement, he’ll beat me half to death! And the Fang family won’t let it slide either. Do you expect me to bear all the consequences alone?”
Xu Lian frowned. This was indeed a delicate matter.
Pei Zhaoxi suggested, “I have an idea. We could take care of the Fang family’s young master together. Once he’s dead, the engagement will naturally be void, and I can be yours.”
“No,” Xu Lian rejected her proposal without hesitation. “He has done nothing to us. How could we stoop so low?”
Killing an innocent man for personal gain? That wasn’t something that Xu Lian could bring himself to do.
Even though the world was cruel and chaotic and he wasn’t exactly a saint, he had his principles. At the very least, he refused to abandon his humanity and step into darkness.
Once that line was crossed, there would be no turning back-only an endless descent into depravity until he became no different from the monstrous “aberrations” he despised.
Pei Zhaoxi sighed, her interest waning. “To be honest, I don’t really want to kill him. The Pei and Fang families have been close for generations. He often visits our house, and I’ve been to his as well. It’s obvious that he likes me, and I can’t deny that I had a little crush on him. If it weren’t for my unexpected relationship with you, I would have been fine with this marriage.”
You had feelings for him, but you’re still willing to kill him? Xu Lian was alarmed. Being with Pei Zhaoxi would require caution – she was certainly no saint.
He couldn’t help but ask, “What about now? Between him and me, who are you leaning towards?”
Pei Zhaoxi looked at him. “I don’t know. You’ve completely messed up my heart.”
This is karma, Xu Lian thought. “Is there any way to break off the engagement without resorting to killing him?”
Pei Zhaoxi thought for a moment. “We could elope. If I disappear long enough, he’ll let go eventually. Once he’s married to someone else, the engagement will be irrelevant. Then we can return.”
Xu Lian shook his head. If it had been Sister Xia asking him to elope, he wouldn’t have hesitated to go to the ends of the earth with her. But with Pei Zhaoxi, he hadn’t reached that level where he’d give up everything for her.
Pei Zhaoxi scowled. “This is not going to work, this is not going to work – you just want to take advantage of me without dealing with the consequences! You want my family to bear everything!”
She’s sharp. Xu Lian tried to calm her down. “That’s not what I meant. I’m just discussing this with you. We’ll figure something out together and get through this.”
Pei Zhaoxi sneered. “Fine, how about this? I’ll hide the fact that I’m no longer a virgin and go through with the marriage. On the wedding night, I’ll swap myself out – it shouldn’t be too hard to fool them.”
“Don’t!” Xu Lian shouted. “I couldn’t bear it. You’re already my woman – I don’t want you with another man.”
Pei Zhaoxi snorted. “If you can’t stand it, then solve the engagement problem. That way, I’ll belong to you alone.”
Xu Lian was really afraid that she might act on her words. “Alright, alright, don’t rush me. Let me think of a solution.”
He thought deeply. It wasn’t easy to break off an engagement in a prominent family. It wasn’t just a personal matter – it was a matter of pride. The rejected side would lose face and probably become enemies.
Seeing his indecision, Pei Zhaoxi became impatient. “Don’t you know the quarry patrol inspector? Ask them to pressure the Fang family to break off the engagement.”
Xu Lian frowned. “Won’t that make the Fang family hate us even more?”
Pei Zhaoxi thought about it and nodded. “True. If force doesn’t work, then use incentives. After all, the purpose of a marriage alliance is benefits. Offer them something so valuable that they can’t refuse, and they will naturally leave us alone.”
Xu Lian felt cornered. “I’m just a mine manager. What could I possibly offer to sway one of the three great families of Green Bamboo Town? I don’t even know what they value most.”
Pei Zhaoxi narrowed her eyes at him. “Don’t play dumb with me.
My father and brother told me that your relationship with the Quarry Patrol Inspector isn’t ordinary. You’re more than just a mine manager.
If you wanted to, you could offer something that would make the Fang family relent.
As for what the three great families value most, it’s to join the Yi Sect and become disciples. That’s the ultimate goal for all of us. If you can secure a place in the Yi Sect, the Fang family will be happy to cancel the engagement.”
A discipleship in the Yi Sect? Their ultimate goal? Xu Lian’s gaze flickered. It seemed like he had overestimated the three families. In the eyes of the Yi Sect, they were insignificant.
“Alright, I’ll see what I can do. It shouldn’t be too difficult,” Xu Lian finally agreed.
Pei Zhaoxi hesitated. “If possible, could you secure one for my family as well? My father’s greatest dream is to join the Yi Sect.”
Hearing the plea in her voice, Xu Lian couldn’t resist teasing her. “That depends on how well you behave, Zhaoxi.”
Pei Zhaoxi, no longer an innocent girl, immediately understood his intentions. With just a bit of pretense, she gave in to him once again.
The night grew deeper.
Only then did Xu Lian allow Pei Zhaoxi to return home.
With rare tenderness, he escorted her to the outskirts of the Pei estate to avoid any mishaps with the night patrol. He stopped just outside the main gate to keep their meeting a secret.
Although the Pei family had immunity from the blood tax inside their compound, that didn’t apply outside. If they encountered the Night Patrol outside, they’d suffer the consequences just like everyone else.
Before leaving, Pei Zhaoxi invited Xu Lian to attend a hunting event of the three great families tomorrow. She suggested that it would be a good opportunity to meet the head of the Fang family and discuss the engagement and the exchange.
“All right,” Xu Lian agreed. He wanted to settle this matter quickly so that he could marry this fiery woman. Then he could enjoy her at his leisure without these long interruptions.