After rebirth, I joined forces with my mortal enemy to seek revenge.

After returning to the Ministry of Central Secretariat, Pei Jiaoran handed over the affairs at hand to Dou Ge Lao, and then went to the Ministry of Central Secretariat to hand over some seals, and then went home for a ten-day vacation.

I packed a few clothes at home, wrapped myself in fox fur, and rode to Mount Zhongnan. During the few days when the snow stopped in Chang'an, there were several snowfalls on Mount Zhongnan. A thick layer of snow accumulated on the mountain road, and the winter sun shone through the gaps in the forest, casting a layer of light golden color.

Although the snow was deep, there were many people on the road admiring the snow. Fortunately, she wore a hood and covered her face with a veil, so no one recognized her.

She reined in her horse in front of the Bamboo Forest House and tied it up. Pei Jiaoran climbed over the fence and walked on the snow on tiptoe. The aroma of wine wrapped in the sound of loud conversation wafted out of the bamboo house. She quietly walked over following the aroma and looked inside from the window.

Pei Zhanran and a few friends were seen with their hair loose, gathered around a table, with a pot of wine simmering on a clay stove.

"Girl."

Hearing the voice, Pei Jiaoran turned around and saw that it was Cui Boyu. A trace of uneasiness flashed across his face. He then walked over slowly and asked, "Brother, who are you drinking with?"

"They are all hermits living in Mount Zhongnan. Do you want to meet them, girl?" Cui Boyu smiled.

"No need. I'm on vacation and Li Xiujing is not here. I might as well stay in the mountains for a few days." Pei Jiaoran turned his head and glanced inside the house. "I'll go to sleep first."

Even though she didn't come often, Pei Zhanran still prepared a room for her. He took off his fox fur coat, his jacket, and let his hair down, leaning on the table with a tired look on his face.

Cui Boyu quietly entered and saw Pei Jiaoran rubbing his forehead. He put down the charcoal basin and said in a low voice, "My dear, I have made some new incense to nourish your qi and calm your mind. I will go and light it for you."

"Okay. Thank you, Uncle Yu." Pei Jiaoran said.

After an unknown amount of time, Pei Jiaoran slowly woke up. It was already completely dark, but she was still warm beside her. The incense burner on the table was emitting fragrance. She looked around. She saw Pei Zhanran sitting opposite her, his chin supported by his hand, staring at her.

Pei Zhanran in front of him had his hair loose, tied up only slightly with a ribbon, and still had an elegant and sharp look.

"Why didn't you say anything when my brother came?" Pei Jiaoran glanced at the cup of tea poured in front of Pei Zhanran and took a sip of it.

"I spoke. But you were sleeping so soundly that you didn't hear me." Pei Zhanran smiled, "Let's eat first."

The brother and sister have been taken care of by Cui Boyu since they were young, and Cui Boyu's cooking skills are very much to their liking.

Pei Jiaoran frowned and looked at the light dishes on the table, and sighed, "I thought my brother would prepare game."

"There is game. I caught a snake before winter. Would you like to make soup with it?" Pei Zhanran grinned, "It tastes very delicious."

After glaring at Pei Zhanran, Pei Jiaoran said, "Brother, you should keep it for yourself."

"Girl, do you still not like snakes?" Cui Boyu added some chicken nuggets to Pei Jiaoran's bowl with a gentle expression, "Snakes hibernated long ago, where did the snakes come from?"

After the joke, the three of them ate happily. Although they hadn't seen each other for a long time, the table was still quiet. After finishing the meal, Cui Boyu stood up and cleared the table, leaving the brother and sister alone in the room.

He took a snow peach from the jade fruit plate on the side and handed it to Pei Jiaoran.

Looking at the peaches handed to him, Pei Jiaoran's eyes were gentle, "Brother, where did you get these peaches?"

Pei Zhanran smiled and said, "There are real hermits who live in thatched houses on Mount Zhongnan, and there are also fake hermits who seek fame and reputation. On the surface, they live in seclusion in Mount Zhongnan, but in fact, who knows how many servants they have around them."

Holding the silver knife beside him, Pei Jiaoran gently moved the blade on the skin of the snow peach. The white peach skin peeled off, and the sweet scent of peach spread out.

"There's a war going on ahead. Why are you suddenly taking a ten-day vacation?" Pei Zhanran asked with a frown.

Although he lived in seclusion in Mount Zhongnan, he was not oblivious to what was happening outside. When those fake hermits talked with him, they would occasionally discuss the government affairs of the court, and their words inevitably revealed their jealousy of Pei Jiaoran. They were jealous not only of her being a woman in the government, but also of her current position in charge of the Secretariat, enjoying unlimited glory.

The peach in his hand was fresh and tender, and tasted sweet. Pei Jiaoran lowered his head and smiled, his hands moving non-stop, "Although the war in the front is tight, it is not a time when we cannot do without people. However, the words and deeds of such a high-ranking official are all expressions of their attitude. My ten-day leave is just a slight punishment from His Majesty."

"Just when you were asleep, Uncle Boyu told me that you must have come here because of something going on in the court." Pei Zhanran's eyes showed deep meaning, and he said in a deep voice: "Jia Jia, although I am not as perceptive as you, I also know that the court situation is changing rapidly, and it is always good to have more helpers. You know, Uncle Boyu is from the Cui family, and his abilities are obvious to all. If you let him come down the mountain to help you, you will have less pressure."

"Thank you for your kindness, brother." Pei Jiaoran put the silver knife back on the jade plate, his face still calm, "But Cui Boyu, after all, is surnamed Cui."

Pei Zhanran was slightly surprised. "His surname is Cui, but the Cui family has ignored him over the years. He has also served as a recruit for the Cui family for you several times."

"Brother. His last name is Cui, so he is destined not to go too far in the current situation. Moreover, once he shows up, the Cui family will bet on him, which will not be beneficial to the court." Pei Jiaoran suddenly changed to a serious look, "The sea of ​​power is deep, and the incompetent are just seeking their own death. And you and I have no friends."

As soon as he finished speaking, footsteps were heard outside the door.

Seeing that it was Cui Boyu, Pei Zhanran looked a little embarrassed. But he smiled and bowed, "Sir, what the girl said is not without reason. Although I haven't been back to the Cui family for many years, the Cui family has not removed me from the family tree. My words and deeds are closely related to the Cui family. If I enter the court, I will help the girl. The Cui family will definitely use me to get close to the girl. This will not be good for the girl in the future."

"It seems that I am just wishful thinking." Pei Zhanran glanced at Pei Jiaoran, then at Cui Boyu, "I spoke out of turn today, Uncle Boyu and sister, please don't blame me."

As soon as Pei Zhanran left, Pei Jiaoran and Cui Boyu looked at each other and sighed.

"It's cold at night in the mountains, so you can wear more bedding, girl." Cui Boyu bowed and said goodbye.

Looking at the backs of the two people leaving, Pei Jiaoran shook her head as if she felt bored. She had understood a lot of things by the time she reached the position of Zhongshu Shilang. Many choices were not actually controlled by the family, but they were not something that could be accomplished by one person either. The reason why these aristocratic families could last for a long time was that they were good at betting on many parties.

No matter who the winner is, they can maximize the preservation of the family. But a prosperous family will inevitably fall apart. This is due to the coldness of people's hearts.

Pei Jiaoran smiled faintly and looked at herself in the mirror. The corners of her lips raised a little. She suddenly felt fortunate that she was the only one in the court. Although she was a lone minister, she could avoid many troubles.