Li Xing’an said, "Just because he says so? I don’t believe him."
"Besides, did you hear a hint of a Capital accent in his speech?" Prince Luling remarked indifferently.
Li Xing’an added, "Father, it’s easy to pick up the dialect of Zhen An. We’ve been here for months now, and apart from Mother’s speech still carrying a bit of a Capital accent, because she’s seldom out, the rest of us, who doesn’t speak fluent Zhen An dialect? Even Guoguo has learned a few phrases from Sister-in-law. Pei Shenyan has lived in Zhen An Prefecture for a year or two, hasn’t he mastered it?"
Prince Luling snorted lightly, "You’re all imagining things. I know Pei Wenguang too well; any talented youth in the family with any ability, hasn’t he drawn them to his side to make use of them? He’s made use of people seven or eight generations removed."
"All the positions in court, big and small, are almost entirely occupied by Pei Wenguang’s descendants, his nephews and grandsons. With someone as outstanding as Pei Shenyan, would he really let him go unused?"
"In my view, the only connection between Pei Shenyan and Pei Wenguang is the same surname, and Pei isn’t a rare surname; where isn’t it found?"
Li Xing’an scoffed coolly, "I don’t see where he’s so outstanding."
"His writing is better than yours! He has no father or mother, yet he knows how to make a living—unlike you, the same age as him, lazing about every day." Prince Luling glared at his third son.
These words, Li Xing’an didn’t like hearing.
Nowadays, isn’t the one lazing around at home his own father?
"Father, how am I lazing around? The fish and shrimp we ate at lunch were all caught by me." Li Xing’an argued.
Oops, forgot about that.
Prince Luling gave a slight cough, "Still, compared to others, you’re lacking."
Princess Consort Luling frowned, "Husband, do you speak to your son ? On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, you didn’t earn a single coin and instead lost two hundred coins, haven’t I yet settled that with you, now you’re criticizing our son?"
Prince Luling, "..." He cast a desperate glance at Princess Consort Luling, reminding her, their son was present, give him some face.
Princess Consort Luling paid him no heed; the current state of their household was all the doing of this wastrel of a husband.
"Why are you glaring at me? Am I wrong?" Princess Consort Luling sneered.
Prince Luling was now embarrassed.
He flicked his sleeve and lifted his chin, "In any case, I don’t believe Pei Shenyan is from the Pei Family in the Capital. Besides, I’ve become so poor now, what would someone gain from getting close to me?"
He wasn’t wrong there.
The Li Family’s current situation was only slightly better than the villagers’, but compared to someone like Pei Shenyan, who had a shop in the market and quite a bit of land, they were still much worse off.
Li Xing’an couldn’t find anything to refute, so he just said, "Big Brother still doesn’t know Pei Shenyan has come to our home; Father, discuss it with him."
The Princely Heir was prudent in actions, thorough in thought; both Li Xing’an and the Second Young Master Li Xingsheng listened to the Princely Heir.
"Hmm, third son, go call your eldest brother to meet Pei Shenyan." Prince Luling nodded, "We’ve a guest at home; he can’t just remain absent, it’s inappropriate."
"Yes, Father." Li Xing’an turned to find the Princely Heir.
Once Li Xing’an left, Princess Consort Luling said again, "Husband, is that Mr. Pei really not from the Pei Family in the Capital?"
"I didn’t see anything to suggest so." Prince Luling said, stroking his beard.
"Good, if he were from the Pei Family..." Princess Consort Luling snorted coldly, "I wouldn’t welcome him!"
The Princely Heir was found by Li Xing’an and invited to the main room of the north courtyard of Prince Luling’s residence.
He heard that the visitor was the landlord of the Second Princess and also a guest of his father, so he greeted him courteously, "Mr. Pei."
Li Xing’an introduced, "This is my elder brother."
Mr. Pei responded even more respectfully, "Brother Li."
"Mr. Pei, no need for such formality." The Princely Heir returned the courtesy.
Regarding Pei Shenyan, the Princely Heir had already heard from his family when the Second Princess rented the shop, and just now he heard about it again from Li Xing’an.
He was particularly curious about Pei Shenyan. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novel[f]ire.net
Someone who looked like several young men of the Pei Family, yet claimed never to have been to the Capital—what kind of person was he?
Upon meeting him now, he was secretly amazed.
Just as his younger siblings had said, Pei Shenyan indeed resembled the young men of the Pei Family.
At least a seven-tenths resemblance.
Yet, they were entirely different in their nature.
People from the Pei Family in the Capital were all arrogant and aloof, while this Mr. Pei before him was courteous, humble, and gentle.
It seemed, having the same appearance and surname did not necessarily make one the same kind of person.
The Princely Heir was also a gentle and refined person, though dressed in country attire, his conversation was not vulgar.