Chapter 158 – So You Want to Find Trouble, Huh? (Part 2)
Meng Liang twisted the napkin in his hands, looking a bit troubled as he said, “I just heard a few servants mention that there’s no curfew in Hejian, and it gets quite lively at night… Since I’m rare here, I want to have a look. But Auntie is unwell, and Uncle is busy with official duties… If I go out alone and run into ruffians, wouldn’t that ruin my reputation? So… I came to find Cousin Lan Ting.”
Jiang Pengji chuckled coldly; if he was coming to invite trouble, she couldn’t be blamed for being ruthless.
Besides, which noble lady went out without maids in tow?
How pretentious!
She hesitated and said, “But, after all, Cousin, you’re a woman. Going out like this with me… people might gossip and ruin your reputation. If you’re really feeling bored, just let a maid accompany you in the courtyard. Going out…”
Meng Liang nearly ground his teeth in frustration. He didn’t expect Liu Xi to be such a hypocrite.
Clearly having developed feelings, he still had to put on a serious facade and claim he was thinking of her.
Meng Liang planned to continue persuading, feeling increasingly gloomy.
In Cangzhou, who wouldn’t flatter him? There were plenty of people willing to kneel and lick his toes.
Yet, what was this Liu Xi, acting all high and mighty in front of him?
With that thought, Meng Liang’s anger surged, putting half the blame on the clueless Liu Xi and the other half on the foolish little servant who suggested this madness. He was definitely going to kick that fool when he got back!
Before Meng Liang could respond, Jiang Pengji added, “How about this—if you really want to go out, why not change into male attire? That way, even if others see you, they won’t say much.” Jiang Pengji suggested earnestly, “If you run into someone you know, I can say you’re just a friend I met recently.”
She wore an expression of “I’m only thinking of your well-being” as she added, “You might not know, but Xi just broke off his engagement with a lady from the Wei family. If someone sees me taking you out, certain people might spread rumors and claim Xi is fickle, that’s why he broke things off… If that happens, Xi’s reputation won’t survive.”
Jiang Pengji was expressing her helplessness; she was truly at a loss.
Hearing this, Meng Liang twitched the corner of his mouth, as if he had heard some ridiculous suggestion.
Dress as a man?
Could this cousin actually think of such a thing!
However, it was also a compromise, as seen from Liu Xi’s perspective—it seemed like a solution that worked for everyone.
Not only would it protect his cousin’s reputation, but it would also prevent him from being gossiped about while allowing his cousin to have some fun.
Though the idea was good, it still depended on whether Meng Liang was willing to agree.
Meng Liang, although a bit of a scoundrel and not the sharpest, wasn’t entirely devoid of intelligence.
In a boundless world, his life mattered most.
What if he changed back into male clothes and unexpectedly ran into Meng Hunyun?
Yet if he didn’t agree, he would miss this opportunity, and next time he wanted to persuade Liu Xi to go out, it would be hard to find an excuse.
Seeing his internal struggle, Jiang Pengji subtly reminded him, “It’s Xi’s fault, if you disguise yourself as a man, your beauty won’t be hidden anyway; whether in male or female attire, it wouldn’t make much difference… It’s getting late. If you have no further instructions, I’ll have a maid escort you back to your room. It would be bad if you tripped when it’s completely dark, and you can’t see your own hand.”
Meng Liang suddenly came to a realization.
How could he have been so foolish? The outside was so dark; if he changed into male clothes and added a little makeup, who would be able to recognize him?
Meng Hunyun was merely a junior officer; he was usually just a dog running errands for his father, and that pair of dog eyes had hardly looked at him more than a few times. As long as he covered up a bit today, in such darkness, how could Meng Hunyun possibly recognize him?
It seemed he was overthinking it—threatened by a mere little servant, and he had been so anxious.
With that thought, Meng Liang felt much more assured, smiling as he pinched the napkin to cover his lips.
“Cousin Lan Ting, why are you in such a hurry? Haven’t I hardly gone out? Listening to your bold suggestion caught me off guard.”
Jiang Pengji smiled as well, her tone light and a bit indulgent. “Then I’ll wait in the courtyard for you to change into male attire. Remember to let the maid add a bit of a heroic look to your makeup, so you won’t give away your identity.”
Hearing Jiang Pengji’s first statement, Meng Liang was still smiling, but the latter part made his heart darken a little.
If it weren’t for his knowledge that Liu Xi didn’t know his identity, he might have suspected that the comment was mocking him for being too feminine.
Meng Liang held back his frustration and maintained a smile as he elegantly departed.
Nong Qin, the newly appointed personal maid, casually escorted him to the door. Once he disappeared, the slight fear in her big, round eyes lingered. She let out a secret sigh of relief and hurried back.
“Young Master…”
Before Nong Qin could finish her sentence, Jiang Pengji had already lazily leaned against the table, flipping a fan in her hand.
“Nong Qin, go prepare a new set of clothes for a young servant.”
“Yes!” Nong Qin swallowed her concerned questions.
When she brought over the clothes, Jiang Pengji pointed with the fan and said to Nong Qin, “You wear them.”
Nong Qin looked confused, holding the clothes helplessly, “Huh?”
“Tonight, accompany me out to see some monkey performances.”
Jiang Pengji smiled knowingly, while Nong Qin, holding the clothes, watched her Young Master’s face faintly blush.
As a high-ranking maid, Nong Qin had the privilege of knowing a secret: her Young Master was actually a girl.
When she first found out, she was completely stunned.
But…
Even though she knew her Young Master was a girl, Nong Qin occasionally still found herself staring blankly at him.
To her, there were countless men in the world, yet none compared to the charm of her Young Master.
Just like that smile earlier—it felt devilishly captivating, making one weak in the knees.
Wearing the young servant’s outfit, Nong Qin found the clothes somewhat loose. She layered fabric over her chest to conceal her feminine features, applied a darker powder to her face, and lightly shaped her brows, making her look like a handsome young boy from a distance.
“Good thing I didn’t get my ears pierced, or I’d have been exposed at first glance.”
Jiang Pengji glanced at Nong Qin, slightly satisfied.
Taking Nong Qin out to see a show wasn’t due to favoritism but simply because she was the only maid without pierced ears.
Initially, she wanted to take Xu Ke out, but he was still at the farm, so that plan was off the table.
Seeing Jiang Pengji ready to leave with empty hands, Nong Qin was taken aback.
“Young Master, wait! I’ll go get some loose coins.”
How could they go out shopping without money?
She snorted, “What are you preparing for? There will naturally be a big spender to pay. If things go smoothly tonight, perhaps you could even save a dowry for yourself.”
Nong Qin was left utterly baffled.
A dowry?
