Chapter 147:
This kiss freed Xie Wanning from her position facing the wall, but her whole body still fell into his hands.
Being held by him, he clasped her in his arms and kissed her.
He said dare not in his mouth, but the movements of his hands did not stop at all.
Xie Wanning pushed back hard, struggling with hands and feet together.
It was completely useless.
Hands and feet were all restrained by him.
“Be good, I dare not do anything else…”
His voice was still gentle in soothing, lips lightly kissing her jaw one by one.
Listening to the young lady’s full-voiced angry scolding without changing expression.
It turned into rapid panting.
The voice was charming to the bone.
Pei Yuqing listened and it hurt a bit.
More painful than yesterday at Cuiyun Pavilion after taking Warm Affection Powder.
But he dare not go overboard again.
Suddenly, he chuckled lowly.
Fingertip slightly used some strength.
Xie Wanning pinched his arm, her whole body tensed, biting her teeth and glaring at him.
But even her exhalation was lightly trembling.
Not knowing how long had passed, finally recovering some strength, Xie Wanning flipped over and got up, picked up the soft pillow and smashed it at the man beside her.
“Get out!” Her voice was furious to the extreme, with some hoarseness.
Pei Yuqing grasped the pillow, threw it aside, reached out to pull the person into his arms and encircled her, coaxing: “No more noise, sleep..”
One hand encircling the person, one hand gently patting her shoulder, looking at the warm and gentle weak man, yet his chest was broad enough to completely envelop her in his arms.
“Let go of me!” Xie Wanning was full of anger with nowhere to vent, how could she be willing to obediently stay in his arms, constantly struggling.
Soon, she stiffened her body.
“What are you nervous about, we’ve already consummated,” Pei Yuqing gripped her waist, said lowly: “You can touch and see…”
“Bastard!” Xie Wanning stuck out her neck and roared angrily: “Why did you do this to me!”
“How
The furious person changed to Xie Wanning, she could hardly believe her own ears, “Being a couple doesn’t give you the right to force yourself on me!”
Pei Yuqing seemed somewhat helpless, “What kind of force is this? I didn’t even go in.”
He turned sideways to wrap his arm around her shoulder, pulling them even closer. His adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, then said, “You just said you touched him. I… feel a bit uneasy. I can’t control my desire for you.”
“Isn’t this all your own doing? You personally arranged for him to come find me!” Xie Wanning sneered: “Which husband is so generous, letting his own wife kiss and hug other men…”
The words that followed disappeared into the man’s suddenly forceful embrace.
“Yes, it’s my own fault,” Pei Yuqing’s voice carried a hint of tremor, “I lost my mind to do such a thing.”
He had only fully possessed this young lady last night, yet he was always beset by insecurity at the moments when the two of them should be most loving.
He wanted so badly for that man to completely give up, wanted so badly for her and Lu Ziyan to sever all entanglements. Every time he thought about how, in those years, the young lady in his arms had such affection in her eyes for another man, he felt deeply uneasy.
Perhaps deep down, he felt that he could not compare to Lu Ziyan, and felt that everything he now possessed was obtained through scheming.
Therefore, he would continue to scheme against everything, and he would make blunder after blunder.
Xie Wanning was held in his arms, her head pressed down by him so she could not lift it. What she saw was his slightly protruding Adam’s apple, which gently slid as he spoke. She could not see his expression, but she could sense that this man, who was always calm and composed, was losing control of his emotions.
That towering anger instantly dissipated, turning into a chest full of complex emotions.
She thought of Lu Ziyan; facing such an arrogant and unrestrained opponent, even the infallible Pei Yuqing could not help but feel uneasy.
When a scholar encounters soldiers, what can he do?
Lu Ziyan was determined to have her, even threatening to chop him into minced meat and feed him to the dogs…
Actually, it was all her fault.
She made the Great Khan’s generals and ministers become sworn enemies for life and death.
Pei Yuqing married her, so he had to face a madman like Lu Ziyan who did not play by the rules and disregarded everything.
If she had known early on that Lu Ziyan’s true identity was the legitimate son born to the former empress, the future emperor, she would never have involved any other man no matter what.
Now… I’m already in a dilemma, unable to get off the tiger.
Thinking this way, Xie Wanning’s heart was left only with guilt.
She reached out and pushed against his chest. This time, he finally released his arms. Xie Wanning withdrew from his embrace and said, “You must not do this again in the future.”
“……Wanwan, you actually don’t resist,” Pei Yuqing paused, his voice calm, “If you truly were unwilling, I wouldn’t do this.”
He had been paying attention to her reaction all along……
Hearing this, Xie Wanning’s face flushed bright red in an instant. Fortunately, under the layers of curtains, the candlelight was already dim. She pinched her palm, trying hard to control her embarrassment, unable to utter a single word.
Pei Yuqing lightly rubbed his fingertip, his gaze darkening slightly, and said in a hoarse voice: “No more teasing. Go to sleep.”
He didn’t take the initiative to hold her again, which was exactly what Xie Wanning wanted. She turned her back to him and fell asleep.
…………
The next day, they returned to Duke Pei’s Mansion.
In the biting cold winter, aside from the servants sweeping snow in the courtyard, the entire Pei Mansion was quiet and peaceful. Surprisingly, no one knew about their not returning for the night.
Including Princess Duanyang, no one came to inquire. Xie Wanning was happy to be at ease and pretended as if nothing had happened.
Not long after lunch, Pei Yuxuan, wrapped in a ginger-yellow cape, braved the wind and snow and appeared at Xuan Hua Courtyard.
Her big eyes were red and bright, whether from the cold or something else.
Seeing this, Xie Wanning quickly called Yuan Zhu and Yuan Yue to bring hot tea.
She thought that coming in such weather must mean there was something important to discuss, but unexpectedly, the entire afternoon, Pei Yuxuan just listlessly propped her cheek, looking lazy.
Xie Wanning summoned two musicians to play and sing new tunes.
The sister-in-law pair spent the afternoon like this, eating tea fruits.
Until dusk fell, just before Pei Yuxuan prepared to bid farewell and leave, her listless expression gradually faded. She drained the hot tea in her cup, straightened her posture, and said: “Sister-in-law, after spring begins, Mother will discuss a marriage proposal for me.”
Xie Wanning was stunned.
Pei Yuxuan continued: “Liking someone should be happy. I won’t like your elder brother anymore. From now on, for my marriage, I’ll only listen to Mother.”
This little sister-in-law, who had been innocent and lively just a few days ago, seemed to have grown up overnight.
Xie Wanning hesitated: “Yesterday…… my elder brother……”
“It’s not his fault,” Pei Yuxuan sniffed, smiled faintly at her, and said: “Your family’s elder brother is a very good person. I asked around—he doesn’t like me, so I won’t like him anymore.”
With that, she avoided her personal maidservant’s hand, put on her cape herself, and slightly curtsied to Xie Wanning before taking her leave.
Xie Wanning saw her off to the courtyard entrance, watching her receding figure, feeling a bit emotional inside.
The daughter of a princess, raised with a thousand pets and favors, always walked with brisk steps before, but now she also had the poised demeanor of noble ladies.
Even the proud and noble little Commandery Princess had her imperfections……
She was truly curious—did her elder brother really need to find a celestial fairy?
Not long after Pei Yuxuan left, before Xie Wanning could turn back to the courtyard, Pei Yuqing happened to return from the front courtyard. Seeing the young lady’s graceful figure standing under the eaves from afar, his heart softened suddenly.
He quickened his pace up the steps, took her hand, frowned, and said: “It’s so cold, and you’re out here without even draping a piece of clothing.”
“Xuan’er just left; I was seeing her off,” Xie Wanning withdrew her hand and turned toward the main hall.
It was already time for dinner, and the meal had been laid out in the side hall. The two ate together, and by then, it was completely dark outside.
Xie Wanning looked at the man preparing to enter the room with her, pointed at the door, and said: “Get out.”
Pei Yuqing paused in his steps and asked: “Where should I go?”
“Go back to wherever you were sleeping before,” Xie Wanning said: “You’re not allowed to move back in!”
Not allowed to move back in……
Pei Yuqing stood at the door. Hearing this, he lowered his eyes, savored the words for a few breaths, then silently closed the door behind him.
The sound of the door closing made Xie Wanning turn her head. Seeing the man who hadn’t left, she frowned slightly: “Why haven’t you gone?”
Pei Yuqing looked at her fixedly: “You really want me to leave?”
With that, he walked up to her in a few steps, lowered his head to look at her, and said: “Wanwan, why do you want me to leave?”
Xie Wanning realized that this man had changed quite a bit.
Before, he had always been completely compliant, never resisting no matter how she bullied him—it was all up to her.
If he played mind games, it was always behind the scenes, catching you off guard.
But now, just because she wouldn’t let him move back in, he was questioning her.
Back then, wasn’t it he who had taken the initiative to move out……
Or perhaps, the previous gentle and refined demeanor, the good temper, were all just a facade.
This current man, faintly exuding a sense of pressure, was his true nature?
Perhaps even just the tip of the iceberg……
At this thought, Xie Wanning’s lips twitched unconsciously. She truly admired how, at his age, he could pretend to be so gentle and harmless to trick her into the trap.
The man before her stared at her with burning eyes. Xie Wanning’s combing motion gradually stiffened. She paused, then simply set down the jade comb in her hand and said straightforwardly: “I’m still angry, so I don’t want to share a bed with you.”
This reason was perfectly reasonable.
Pei Yuqing’s expression paused slightly. He leaned in closer and asked: “How long?”
Xie Wanning was puzzled. She raised her eyes, met his deep gaze, stiffened, then abruptly turned her head away: “We’ll talk when my anger fades.”
“What will it take for your anger to subside?” He seemed determined to press on relentlessly, asking, “What do I need to do for you to calm down?”
Xie Wanning said, “Can’t we just go back to how we were before and continue like that?”
“That won’t quite work,” Pei Yuqing said with drooping eyelids. “Wanwan, I want to hold you while I sleep.”
Xie Wanning fell silent for a moment, then couldn’t help but push him farther away, saying angrily, “Why are you acting like a lustful demon!”
Pei Yuqing: “…”
This was probably the first time in his life that he had been called a lustful demon, and his gaze went blank for an instant.
After reacting, a flash of discomfort crossed his face. He turned his body sideways, stood for a while, and said awkwardly, “Then I’ll go out.”
Xie Wanning hummed in acknowledgment.
Only when the sound of the door closing rang out again did she reach out to touch her flushed face, full of annoyance.
……How could she curse at him like that!
And……he didn’t even refute it!
…………
In the following days, even though the couple had already consummated their marriage, they were still living separately.
Soon it was the year-end, and this was Xie Wanning’s first time celebrating the New Year at her husband’s family.
The Pei Family had few members, but the year-end banquet was held very grandly.
After the New Year, during the first month, the ancestral hall was opened for ancestor worship for several consecutive days. Such matters were not for Xie Wanning, the new bride, to handle, so she was happy to have the leisure.
Soon it was the Lantern Festival, and the imperial palace held a lantern-viewing banquet.
In the new year, it was Xie Wanning’s first time entering the palace, but the circumstances were completely different from the last time.
Lu Ziyan had already restored his prince identity, changed his surname to Qi, and been added to the imperial family register. His Majesty had even personally granted him a courtyard as his prince’s mansion.
The news that he was not Lu Family Offspring reached the ears of Several Madams of the Lu Family. Old Madam Lu fainted on the spot. The elderly lady was advanced in age; although the imperial doctor treated her in time, she showed signs of stroke, with half her body numb and no longer able to move freely.
First Madam Lu was also greatly shocked. It was only then that everyone learned that Old Marquis Lu had not informed the women of the household about fostering the prince at home.
Before they could lament that the loyal and valiant Lu Family was facing extinction of lineage, Lu Ziyan revealed that the Second Wife of the Lu Family had bloodline left outside—precisely the son borne by the pregnant concubine he had brought back from Bianzhou.
It turned out that Lu Family’s Second Master, who had died in battle on the battlefield, had a son left wandering outside, and the pregnant concubine whom Lu Ziyan had brought back was that son’s widow.
Now that Lu Ziyan had restored his prince identity, Lu Yunpei had naturally become the Lu Family’s sole remaining descendant.
Therefore……Lu Ziyan did not have a fiancée-raised concubine, nor did he have a concubine’s son before marrying his main wife.
He was still that Killing God who kept away from women, treated only his fiancée differently, and was single-minded in slaying enemies.
……Yet because of the rumors, he had lost his fiancée.
Thinking further of how the stern young general had rushed thousands of miles back to the capital city just to stop his fiancée from getting married, the noble ladies with softer hearts were all moved.
After all, a suddenly appearing adult prince—and a legitimate prince with illustrious military merit at that—the real-life story of hundred-refined steel turning into soft fingers spread far and wide. In the mouths of the capital city populace, Lu Ziyan was nearly becoming the contemporary saint of romance.
These rumors spread far and wide, naturally reaching Xie Wanning’s ears.
She was practically shocked to drop her chin; even with ten brains, she couldn’t connect the term “saint of romance” with Lu Ziyan.
Thanks to this contemporary saint of romance, Xie Wanning’s name once again became the noble lady most mentioned in the capital city, from high officials and nobles to street vendors, in their idle chatter after meals.
But this time, many who had not seen her or were unfamiliar with her were extremely curious about her.
What kind of young lady could make a young hero like Lu Ziyan bow his head.
Their love story had already circulated in several versions.
Most were the bittersweet series about lovers who loved each other but could not be together.
Some even resented Xie Wanning for firmly breaking off the engagement and then hastily getting married.
In short, Lu Ziyan, such an iron-willed young general, had become an object of pity for everyone in those stories.
Because it was the year-end, Xie Wanning had not gone out for over half a month, so although she had heard bits and pieces, she had not yet personally felt it.
It was not until this palace banquet, when Xie Wanning attended together with Pei Yuqing, that upon entering the hall, she could feel many lines of sight gathering on her……
