Chapter 157:
Xie Yanyu said, “Zhao Rui is accomplished in both civil and military affairs, acts steadily and appropriately, and among the sons of prominent families in the Capital City, he is truly one of the outstanding ones. With the current shortage of talent in the court, in less than two years, he will surely rise to prominence.”
Hearing this, Xie Wanning felt relieved and grew curious again. “Since he is so excellent, what are you worried about, Elder Brother?”
“…I once heard of something,” Xie Yanyu said. “Two young ladies from the northern branch who came to seek refuge in the Zhao family have lived in the estate for many years. Now one is nineteen and the other eighteen, yet the Zhao family has never proposed marriage for the two young cousins.”
“There’s such a thing?” Xie Wanning was somewhat surprised.
A young lady of nineteen, even in this enlightened dynasty, would already be considered an older unmarried girl, yet she has never had a marriage proposal?
What scheme is the Zhao family playing at?
Do they plan to keep them later as concubines for their son, or have they already arranged something?
Her elder brother works at the Supervision Yuan and has many eyes and ears, so he knows many little-known pieces of information in the Capital City.
Such information, if investigated seriously, Princess Duanyang could certainly uncover it too, but when a mother-in-law selects a son-in-law, she mostly inquires about his character, whether his parents are easy to get along with, and if the back courtyard is peaceful. Only after all these checks pass does she mention his name to her daughter.
As for the young cousins who came to seek refuge in the estate, to be honest, in these years with frequent natural disasters and man-made calamities under the Great Khan, which prominent family in the entire Capital City doesn’t have a few destitute relatives coming to their door? Even the Xie Family has clansmen from the old homeland who are distantly related and came to seek refuge—why would it be worth specially inquiring about?
So, the two cousins in the Zhao family who have reached marriageable age yet have never had proposals—perhaps they plan to keep them as concubines for their son—Princess Duanyang surely does not know about this.
But her elder brother knows and specifically told her, wanting her to…
Thinking of this, Xie Wanning’s heart suddenly skipped a beat. She looked up at her own elder brother, composed her expression, and said, “Elder Brother, tell me the truth: do you have feelings for the Commandery Princess or not?”
Before he could answer, Xie Wanning continued, “If you truly have no interest in the Commandery Princess, why do you care who she marries? Don’t say you’re worried because of yourself, causing the Commandery Princess to rashly choose someone—that’s too far-fetched.”
“What would not be far-fetched?” Xie Yanyu glanced at his younger sister and said indifferently, “I just don’t want to cause a young lady to miss her lifetime happiness because of me.”
“I don’t believe it!” Xie Wanning could not stand him like this and stubbornly pressed, “Do you like the Commandery Princess or not?”
Xie Yanyu did not want to address her question, turned to board the carriage, but the next instant was stopped by Xie Wanning grabbing his sleeve.
He lowered his gaze. “Let go.”
“No!” Xie Wanning refused. “You won’t answer me, so I won’t let go.”
“…Your courage has truly grown,” Xie Yanyu tugged at his own sleeve and said, “Let go!”
“No, no,” Xie Wanning stubbornly shook her head. “You answer my question first: do you like the Commandery Princess or not?”
Xie Yanyu was naturally reserved; how could he be willing to discuss such a topic here with his younger sister? After being pressed several times, he helplessly said, “I really do not like her.”
Xie Wanning still did not believe it. Her elder brother had such a cold and self-possessed temperament; if he truly did not like her, why would he care about such a small matter as two young cousins living in the home of the man Pei Yuxuan was to marry?
But if he really did like her… how could he possibly not marry the girl he admired home?
Thinking this way, her suspicion loosened a bit. “You truly do not like her?”
Xie Yanyu hummed in affirmation. “I truly do not like her.”
Hearing this, Xie Wanning dejectedly released his sleeve and glared at him angrily. “I’m just waiting to see if you’re going to find a celestial fairy to be my sister-in-law!”
“…” Xie Yanyu reached out and patted her little head, helplessly saying, “With your temper, I don’t know how Changqing took a fancy to you.”
“It means your younger sister is likable,” Xie Wanning swatted his hand away and huffed, “Go on, go on!”
Urged to leave, Xie Yanyu was not annoyed. He lightly tapped her forehead before turning to board the carriage.
As the wheels turned, Xie Wanning stood dazedly for a moment, then turned back with a bitter face, only to see Pei Yuqing standing under the eaves at some point, quietly gazing this way.
Her expression froze, and she hurried forward a few steps, saying dryly, “How long have you been here?”
…He wouldn’t have heard her elder brother say he did not like his younger sister, would he?
Which elder brother would not mind his own younger sister being so disdained?
Pei Yuqing’s expression was composed, showing no joy or anger, and he only said softly, “I’ve been here for a while.”
With that, he took her hand and said, “Whatever you have to say, we’ll talk in the carriage.”
The manor’s guests had already been seen off, and as the hosts, they should return to the Capital City too.
In the carriage, it was still the couple sitting opposite each other.
Xie Wanning thought for a moment, recounted everything Xie Yanyu had told her, and asked, “You didn’t know about these things?”
Pei Yuqing was taken aback. “I have not specifically looked into this yet.”
It was true that he commanded the Qing Tian Guard, but he was not so idle as to know every trivial detail like how many relatives had come to seek refuge in someone’s back courtyard.
However, if his own younger sister truly took a fancy to someone, he would naturally investigate the other’s ancestors for three generations thoroughly.
Xie Wanning said, “Something like this still needs to be told to Xuan’er. If Zhao Rui truly has something with one of the young cousins in their estate, it would be quite off-putting.”
Pei Yuqing naturally had no objection. He nodded and said, “Then find an opportunity to tell her. I’ll also send people to investigate and see what exactly is going on.”
Xie Wanning agreed, then said, “Speaking of which, Xuan’er’s decision today was really too hasty.”
“I saw that when she accepted the flower branch Zhao Rui sent, even Mother was taken aback, clearly a spur-of-the-moment decision without prior notice. Choosing something as important as marriage this way is too frivolous.”
For Xie Wanning, her own marriage had been hasty, but not to the point of just glancing from afar, seeing the other slay a fierce beast, exchanging not even two sentences, and directly accepting the other’s overture.
But hearing this, Pei Yuqing’s expression was mild, and his tone indifferent. “If she truly marries the wrong one, there’s no need to fear. If the couple can live harmoniously after marriage, that’s naturally good. If not, they can simply divorce. Xuan’er has her own Commandery Princess’s Mansion and can keep whoever she likes to serve her as she wishes. As long as she is happy, no one can control her.”
With that, he smiled lightly again. “Your elder brother is quite the warmheart.”
Xie Wanning was speechless.
She felt he was implying something.
He must have heard what her Elder Brother said, right?
Pondering his words again, Xie Wanning’s expression gradually turned strange. Seeing his gaze on her, she could not hide her envy and said, “I knew you were truly an excellent elder brother. If it were my Elder Brother, he wouldn’t allow me to…”
Her words came out haltingly, but they made Pei Yuqing pause, his expression turning serious.
“What do you want to say?” His eyes grew cold and stern, locking tightly onto her. “Hurry up and drop that thought. You can’t even think it!”
Xie Wanning: “…”
She pursed her lips, feeling somewhat at a loss for words.
How rare it was to see him change faces so instantly.
The more she thought, the more unconvinced she became, and she muttered softly, “Your younger sister can, but I can’t even think about it. Why!”
It was just a Commandery Princess; she was a noble lady of the Marquis’s Estate too. In the Capital City, it was not as if there were no noble madams who, after divorcing, took their dowry to establish their own household, closing the doors to keep a few male companions for their days.
She had actually just said it in the heat of the moment out of competitiveness, but Pei Yuqing, who understood people’s hearts, completely failed to see it this time and lost his usual composure.
Hearing her mutter, his warm and handsome face instantly took on a frosty edge, and his voice was icy cold. “If Wanwan wants to hold a pipa and leave, even exhausting all the water in the moat could not wash away your husband’s hatred.”
Xie Wanning knew how deep and unpredictable this man’s thoughts were, and his methods ever-changing, but when had she ever seen such a cold and stern look from him? Hearing this, her heart truly pounded wildly, and for a moment, she did not know what to say.
That morning when they came, the couple had been so sweet they wished to stick together; now, while having a good conversation, the atmosphere had turned cold again.
Actually, the moment the words left her mouth, Pei Yuqing somewhat regretted it inwardly.
Due to his heart condition, from childhood, his temperament had far surpassed his peers. No matter in front of whom, he had never lost control of his emotions to the point of speaking rashly.
Only this young lady made his emotions fluctuate violently time and again, filled with insecurity, hesitation, and overthinking.
He dreamed of locking her in his arms; that possessiveness even he dared not dwell on.
His inner demon was gradually taking root.
The carriage was quiet for a moment, and this time, Pei Yuqing could not hold back first. He reached out his arm to hold her hand.
“Wanwan,” his voice returned to its usual gentleness, his tone soft and slow. “I am your husband; how can you show, right in front of me, your intention to divorce and keep male companions?”
“…” Xie Wanning was silent for a moment, thinking to herself that this man really knew how to change faces—one moment so fierce, now…
She huffed lightly. “You said it first. I… I just followed your thought for a bit.”
Pei Yuqing’s eyebrows curved, and he coaxed along her words. “It’s my fault; I spoke wrongly.”
With that, he rose and sat beside her, putting his arm around her shoulder, and said gently, “We are husband and wife; neither of us is allowed to think or mention divorce, alright?”
Xie Wanning neither agreed nor refused, but leaned her head on his shoulder. After thinking for a long time, she said, “I dare not promise you, because you will deceive me.”
Pei Yuqing smiled bitterly. “I will never deceive you again, really.”
“We’ll talk about it later then.”
Xie Wanning could no longer fully trust him wholeheartedly. She brushed it off with a couple of sentences, afraid he would keep pressing for a promise, and quickly changed the subject to what she had encountered in the peach blossom grove today.
After recounting what she had seen today, she asked her supremely intelligent husband, “Do you think they suspected it was me…”
Before she finished speaking, a hand suddenly appeared under her chin, and then their eyes met. The man’s handsome face was right before her, his beautiful eyes deep as ink, full of her image…
Xie Wanning’s heart skipped a beat, and she heard him say, “You say Cousin Ji helped you out of the situation?”
She was stunned for a moment and wanted to nod, but her chin was held tightly by him, so she could only hum softly.
Then she saw the man’s Adam’s apple roll, his voice slightly hoarse. “How did he help?”
Earlier, she had only briefly described the incident without detailing it, after all, this man was a jar of vinegar too…
But she had not expected him to be so sensitive, able to catch such a key point even in her succinct words.
Look at what he was asking…
Xie Wanning was helpless and lowered her eyes, wondering if she should make up a couple of lies, when the fingertip at her jaw suddenly tightened a bit.
“Be good, Wanwan,” his voice grew even more low and hoarse. “Look into my eyes and say it.”
Her chin was held, forcing her to meet his gaze; this feeling was actually not very comfortable. Xie Wanning pursed her lips and said, “The situation was urgent at the time, to avoid being discovered by them…”
At this point, she paused, not knowing if her expression had changed, but speaking under his intense stare made her throat unconsciously dry.
Pei Yuqing waited very patiently, even leaning down to kiss her forehead.
As the warm lips touched down, Xie Wanning said, “We hid behind the rockery.”
Pei Yuqing did not speak. After a few breaths, he only hummed lowly, showing no clue.
Xie Wanning reached out to push him back a bit, her voice somewhat dry, and asked, “Do you think Cousin Ji shouldn’t have helped me out?”
“Don’t think that way; I don’t mean that,” he said. “I will personally visit to thank him.”
With that, Pei Yuqing’s lips curved into a relaxed smile. “In Wanwan’s eyes, am I such an inflexible and petty person?”
His smile was like a spring breeze, exceedingly handsome.
Xie Wanning’s heart suddenly relaxed. Was she too influenced by Lu Ziyan’s madness? She had even become cautious in front of Pei Changqing.
She inwardly berated herself and quickly shook her head. “Of course not; I know you are the most generous!”
Her words were genuine praise, but to Pei Yuqing’s ears, they were utterly grating. His teeth clenched slightly, and with a pair of eyes hidden with jealousy, he stared at her fixedly for a moment before finally giving in, lowering his head to capture her lips.
Kissing her.
The hand on her chin gripped firmly, as if afraid she would push him away, but Xie Wanning did not.
She merely paused slightly, then obediently responded to his kiss, her arms even climbing onto his neck.
His kiss was lingering and tender, lasting longer than she had expected.
Until the carriage stopped, she pounded his shoulder a few times, and only then did he release her lips, which had been sucked red and swollen, gasping for breath.
Although it was already spring, days were still short and nights long.
The sunset scene before boarding had turned into complete darkness when they alighted.
Xuan Hua Courtyard was already lit up brightly.
Xie Wanning covered her kiss-swollen mouth and hurried into the washroom, too rushed to even stop the man who followed her into the room.
So when she came out, the warm and refined man was already half-reclining on the bed as if it were natural. Hearing the footsteps, he turned his head to look this way.
The young lady, with makeup washed off and hair down, wore thin smoky-red nightgown, standing a few paces away with a bare face. Her long hair was slightly damp, her watery almond eyes looking at him somewhat dazedly, the tips of her hair still dripping water, which she was gently wiping with the cotton cloth in her hand.
Pei Yuqing’s Adam’s apple rolled unconsciously. Afraid of startling her, he tried hard to control his gaze to not be too aggressive.
