Chapter 45 Adding Flowers to Brocade "My lord... what kind of eyebrows are you drawing?..."

The saying goes that a gentleman is cautious even when alone. Meng Lingyao never makes things difficult for herself by trying to be a gentleman, but she is indeed someone who dresses up carefully even at home, and even her nightgowns must be both comfortable and good-looking.

Unfortunately, I wasn't satisfied with the makeup I tried on this afternoon. After washing everything off, I felt lazy and didn't bother to redo my makeup since it was getting late.

So she went about her business without makeup and dressed casually, and Pei Xu saw her clearly. Although this was normal in her own courtyard, it was still quite undignified for him to see her like this. She always valued her image in public, especially in front of Pei Xu, and didn't want to appear inferior.

She added again, "Please remember what I look like now, sir."

Pei Xu's eyebrows twitched slightly. "What do you mean?"

Meng Lingyao raised her chin, the moonlight shining on her carefully made-up face. "Just now at home, I hadn't washed or groomed myself, which was improper. Now I've dressed up again, Lord Pei, please remember that."

"Is that a fashionable decoration in the capital?" Pei Xu suddenly asked.

Meng Lingyao paused for a moment before remembering her hand, which was wrapped in gauze. She raised her hand and casually pulled off the white gauze.

The rough movements made Pei Xu frown.

"I was accidentally pricked by a thorn earlier." She opened her palm, revealing scattered wounds, some of which had already scabbed over with brown scabs, while the deeper ones were still red.

She clearly didn't care. She lowered her hand, looked up at Pei Xu, and emphasized, "Remember, this is how I usually am."

Pei Xu carefully examined her face, his gaze sliding from her eyebrows to her cheeks, looking at her one by one, before slowly saying after a long while, "I did not notice anything different."

"How could there be no difference?" Meng Lingyao asked hurriedly, "You must not have looked carefully!"

Pei Xu remained silent.

She took another half step closer, determined to make things clear. Raising her finger, her tone leaving no room for argument, she precisely pointed to the end of her eyebrow, “My eyebrows are painted with the style of distant mountains,” her fingertip gliding along the smooth lines to the center of her brow, “rising like distant peaks and falling like clouds and mist, drawn stroke by stroke with the finest azurite.”

Pei Xu followed her fingertip and saw that her arched eyebrows, like distant mountains shrouded in mist, were indeed exquisite in the moonlight.

“And this makeup,” Meng Lingyao pointed to her cheeks, turning them to the left and right to show them more fully, “is called the Flying Clouds Makeup. According to the ancient method in Yuwen Shiji’s ‘Records of the Dressing Table’ from the Tang Dynasty, the rouge should only be applied thinly, blending from the temples towards the center of the face, so that the blush is natural, like the gradual spreading of rosy clouds…”

"As for the lip rouge, today I'm wearing a rose color," she said, lightly touching her lips again with her fingertip, "made with the finest cochineal, blended with honey and pearl powder..."

Pei Xu's gaze was unusually focused, following her dancing fingertips, slowly and quietly tracing over her meticulously drawn eyebrows and eyes, her cheeks smudged with rouge... and her full, crimson lips. The lamplight danced in his deep black eyes, like a wisp of fire thrown into an ancient well.

Stared at by those eyes for too long, Meng Lingyao's voice gradually lowered, and before she could finish her sentence, she suddenly met Pei Xu's gaze.

His brow bone was prominent, and his two long eyebrows seemed to be dipped in thick ink and flew deep into his temples. His brow peaks were like swords, sharp and unyielding. His eyes were naturally upturned at the corners, and he looked very imposing when he looked up at people.

"My lord... what kind of eyebrows are you drawing?" she blurted out almost without thinking, completely forgetting who was in front of her.

Pei Xu paused, probably not expecting this question either. A faint look of surprise flashed across his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and said, "I haven't drawn my eyebrows."

Not drawing?

That sharp, defined curve...

As if an unseen hand had gently pushed her from behind, Meng Lingyao inexplicably raised her arm. Her fingertips crossed the remaining distance between them, lightly touching the edge of his brow. "Really?"

The moment the fingertips touched him, Pei Xu's body tensed abruptly. Having practiced martial arts for years, he could have easily retreated several feet in an instant, but now, his feet seemed rooted to the spot, the touch freezing all his movements. The fingertips pressed against his brow bone, soft and warm, causing him to freeze completely.

Meng Lingyao not only touched it, but also, with an almost obsessive curiosity, slowly stroked it back and forth a few times. The man's eyebrows felt slightly rough, not as soft as the woman's, but had a unique texture, like the grain of the raw Xuan paper she often used.

After rubbing her fingertips, she looked down at them with great regret, as there were indeed no signs of copper or blue pigment.

"Miss Meng... has it been verified whether it's true or not?" Pei Xu's voice was slightly hoarse, and his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

Meng Lingyao quickly lowered her hand, put it behind her back, lowered her eyes slightly, and coughed lightly, "Your Excellency is naturally beautiful; I was being narrow-minded."

Pei Xu's gaze was deep and unfathomable, settling on her hair. His thick eyelashes cast two shadows beneath his eyes, making his expression unreadable. After a moment of silence, he spoke slowly, his tone now as steady as ever, "I once saw a piece of imperial brocade at the Princess's residence. Using the method of 'interweaving warp and weft, and varying colors according to the flowers,' even the most skilled embroiderers in Jinling would need more than ten people working together, taking half a month to produce just one piece. Then, the palace's master craftsmen would apply hundreds and thousands of stitches to embroider countless floral and bird patterns..."

His gaze swept over the carefully applied colors on the face of the person in front of him, and he continued, "Those embroidered patterns are certainly beautiful when adorning it, but in the end, they are nothing more than icing on the cake for the brocade itself, which is radiant and naturally formed."

Meng Lingyao blinked, and the slight annoyance in her heart melted away like thin ice touched by a spring breeze. The corners of her lips involuntarily lifted slightly, her eyes were clear, and she pursed her lips and said softly, "My lord is very knowledgeable and has a great deal of knowledge about fabrics."

This person must have been working at the Dali Temple for a long time, even his praise is so serious and rigorous, as if he were quoting the law in court, yet every word hits the mark where it is most useful.

"Miss Meng, you flatter me."

Pei Xu knew the importance of knowing when to stop, so he said no more, only saying, "It's late, Miss Meng, you don't need to see me off anymore. You should go home early."

Meng Lingyao, who wasn't really going to show him off as a host, readily agreed upon hearing his suggestion, gave a graceful curtsy, and turned to leave. Her steps were light, and the hem of her skirt swirled in the deepening night, carrying a hint of relieved liveliness.

Only after that slender figure disappeared behind the hanging flower gate did Pei Xu silently turn around. The carriage waiting outside had been waiting for a long time. The carriage rumbled along the stone road, the light inside dim. Qingzhou sat sideways beside the carriage shaft, occasionally stealing glances at Pei Xu deep inside the carriage by the scattered lights from the houses along the road.

The light flickered, and he actually caught a faint, seemingly relaxed gentleness on the adult's usually stern face? The thought was so terrifying that he couldn't help but ask in a low voice after a long while, "My lord... seems unusually cheerful today?"

Pei Xu glanced at him, his gaze not meant to be menacing, but enough to make Qingzhou's spine tighten. The words he was about to say caught in his throat, and he lowered his head sheepishly, though his face showed little fear.

The carriage arrived at Jingguan Temple. This area was close to various government offices, and although it was quite noisy during the day, it became exceptionally quiet at night. The sound of the vermilion doors creaking shut seemed abrupt.

Dan Yue, who was left behind, hurriedly came forward upon hearing the sound, "Sir, a message has come from the old house."

Pei Xu didn't stop walking. He took off the cloak he had casually untied and handed it to Qingzhou. "What is it?"

Dan Yue followed half a step behind him, keeping pace with him. "Yes... Madam Yang has arrived and is currently at the manor. The old master requests that you return home as soon as you have time."

The words "Madam Yang" carried a heavy weight in the air, instantly shattering the ease and comfort of the journey home.

The Yang family of Hongnong, once a prestigious clan with "four generations and three dukes," though no longer as powerful as before, is still a formidable family that commands attention in the capital. The Madam Yang mentioned by Dan Yue is Pei Xu's mother's younger sister, his aunt.

Many years ago, Madam Yang married a son of the Cui family's direct line. At first, they were a harmonious couple. However, after the marriage, the Cui son gradually revealed his true nature. Not only was he idle and lazy, but he also frequented brothels and other brothels. Madam Yang had visited Pei Xu countless times to complain, but whenever the topic of helping her get a divorce came up, she would fall silent.

Pei Xu's steps were unwavering, a soft "hmm" escaping his throat, his tone flat and unreadable. He strode straight into the inner room, leaving Dan Yue standing outside the threshold with her head slightly bowed.

The moment the inner room door closed, Qingzhou, who was standing to the side, suddenly reached out and grabbed Danyue's sleeve, pulling him into the shadows of the pillar. He scolded in a low voice, "You tactless thing! The master is finally having a day off, and you have to bring up Madam Yang now? You've spoiled the master's mood!"

Dan Yue shrank back, glanced at the tightly closed door, and whispered an apology, "The old mansion is pressing us hard, they're practically at our wits' end! I... I was just worried that if something really urgent happened this time, it might cause a delay..."

He forced a fawning smile and leaned closer. "Good brother, what is it that makes the master so happy today? Please tell me, I'm clumsy with words and afraid I won't get the point right..."

Qingzhou lightly slapped him on the forehead, giving him a disgruntled look. "You'd be wasting your time figuring out an adult's thoughts even if you did it for a hundred years!" He looked around the spacious courtyard paved with blue bricks. A few stone lanterns cast a dim light, and the flowers and trees in the shadows at the base of the wall swayed forlornly in the breeze.

“It’s too quiet here,” he sighed softly. “It’s eerily quiet. If there were someone around to talk to and relieve the boredom, even just to add some warmth, it would save the master from being so lonely all day long.”

Dan Yue was puzzled. "I see that the lord is usually either buried in files or practicing martial arts to strengthen his body. The files are piled up higher than the back wall. I'm afraid he doesn't have time for such leisure activities. It would be a miracle if he could play the zither for a few moments. Besides, judging from the lord's appearance and demeanor... he doesn't seem like the kind of person who indulges in women..." He paused, then added, thinking he was being thorough, "Ahem, of course, there's absolutely no such thing as male favorites or homosexuality!"

"Let go—" Even Qingzhou, usually so shrewd and diplomatic, was so angry she almost cried out. She forced back the curse words that were about to come out of her mouth, her face turning red. She pointed her finger at Danyue's forehead and gritted her teeth, scolding in a low voice, "What do you know! You idiot! Hurry up and prepare the water!"

The steamy bathhouse was filled with Pei Xu's usual scent of soap. Water, carrying the day's hustle and bustle along with a strange warmth, slid down his body. He closed his eyes and sank into the large camphor wood tub, the water enveloping him, trying to wash away all his troubles.

After a long silence, he stepped out of the water and returned to his bedroom wearing only a plain silk undergarment. The night was deep and still, yet his thoughts were exceptionally clear. His fingers unconsciously touched his brow, where the warmth of her fingertips seemed to linger.

His fingers were calloused, rough and hard, and when he touched his eyebrows, it was a completely different sensation from the soft, smooth touch that had unexpectedly landed between them. It was a touch that was almost without any sharp edges, as if carrying a rich, warm fragrance, which was magnified and savored infinitely in the dark and quiet pillow at this moment.

He abruptly pulled his hand back, clenching his fingers tightly. The fleeting aftertaste was abruptly cut off. In the darkness, he turned to the side, his face turned towards the deep night outside the window.

I shouldn't think about it anymore.

When he was still lucid, he was able to control his thoughts.

But when he was feeling drowsy, he had a dream.