Chapter 25 My Name is Not Mian'er (as a Slave)!

Pei Xiaoyun's statement about returning to the capital naturally indicates that it will be some time before they arrive.

He could not return to the capital with peace of mind until he had wiped out the several leaders of the Kongchan Sect who were roaming around Jiangnan.

When he left to run errands in the morning, he instructed someone to bring Mingying to his private residence in Hangzhou.

When I returned home at night, the private house was empty.

“Master, that young lady refuses to come over. You said we should consider her health, so we dare not force her.”

Upon hearing this, Pei Xiaoyun's brows darkened, and he turned and left, ordering someone to prepare a carriage to go to the Lin residence.

He considered her frail health and instructed the servants to be mindful of their behavior.

That's giving her too much credit. What right does she have to say no to him?

After taking the medicine, Mingying's fever subsided, and she felt better.

She asked the servants who served her about the Lin family's situation, but they were all Pei Xiaoyun's people. As if they had received an order, they all kept silent and only advised her: "Miss, you should come with us. This Lin residence is a sinful place and is unlucky."

Mingying rolled over in bed, a bitter taste rising in her throat.

Yesterday, the place was bustling with guests and filled with the sounds of gongs and drums. How could it be considered unlucky? It's all thanks to Pei Xiaoyun. If it weren't for his appearance, she could have had a new life.

Overnight, everything changed.

She went from being a person with her head held high to becoming his slave and his maid.

The maids were still trying to persuade him earnestly, saying things like "deep affection and loyalty," "forgive past mistakes," and "wealth and honor."

Hearing these particularly sarcastic words, she turned her head away and remained silent. To her, these few words, so light and casual, were already as worthless as weeds.

Pei Xiaoyun arrived at the Lin residence and strode into the room. He saw Mingying lying flat on the wedding bed, her fingers constantly caressing a sachet.

She wore only a pale white thin garment, her jade-like body lying horizontally, her skin embroidered with crescent moon patterns, and the bright red embroidered quilt beneath her was particularly eye-catching.

Seeing this, he inexplicably became angry.

Although he was the one who made love to her on this bed last night, the thought that this was her and Lin Xian's marital room gave him a strong sense of possessiveness.

The sachet in her hand was similar to one he had seen on Lin Xian yesterday; the two red and blue mandarin ducks on the sachet made a pair when put together.

He couldn't help but think of the past, when she would happily sit on the veranda, brewing tea and waiting for his return, making him countless beautiful knots, sachets, and pouches.

Thinking of those skillful hands diligently embroidering and sewing clothes for other men, he gritted his teeth, and without saying a word, snatched the sachet from her hand and threw it into the charcoal brazier in front of the bed.

Mingying sat up abruptly, letting out a gasp of surprise. She watched helplessly as the flames scorched the surface of the mandarin duck, engulfing it in flames, and a sharp pain shot through her heart.

Pei Xiaoyun looked at her ashen and annoyed face and sneered, "Go pick it up then."

Mingying didn't want to talk to him. She glared at him for a while, then tried to pull the blanket over herself and lie down on her side.

Pei Xiaoyun was extremely displeased by her stubbornness and, having reached the limit of his patience, lifted the obstructive bright red wedding quilt, grabbed her wrists, and pressed them against the pillow.

“I rescued you from Mianyue Tower and raised you by my side for three years, but you have become ungrateful and fled without my knowledge, and have been having an affair with Lin Xian. I have already done you a great favor by not killing you. If you obediently admit your mistake, I will reluctantly treat you as before.”

Mingying's wrist was squeezed painfully by him, and she stared straight at him: "You saved me for a while, and I have been your servant for three years. I have already paid you back. I don't owe you anything, and I have done nothing wrong to apologize to you."

Her only mistake was falling in love with him.

My only regret is that I was mentally impaired for those three years and didn't leave sooner.

"Do I still have to pay it back?" Pei Xiaoyun leaned over and pinned her down, turning her chin upside down. His broad body pressed against her, making her unable to move. "You are mine in life and in death. As long as I live, you have to serve me. When I die, I will take you with me. That's what you said before, isn't it?"

That winter, Yangzhou was blanketed in snow.

At fourteen, she was dressed in thin clothes, her eyes clear and pure. She knelt at his feet and kowtowed, saying she would repay his great kindness and follow him forever.

He used to scoff at him, and everyone avoided him like the plague. Yet this ignorant and lowly woman was saying such things to him.

He used her, and she actually went through fire and water for him, delivering messages and shielding him from arrows, disregarding her own life. Later, he believed her and tried his best to secure a proper status for her, to find a way for her to live, and to give her a place to stay.

But he never expected that she would leave, or say that she didn't want to be with him anymore.

He wanted her to know that she had to do what she said she would do.

When the past is mentioned, Mingying feels as if it were a lifetime ago, and a bittersweet feeling wells up in her heart.

Things that were broken three years ago can never be put back together; the past was just self-deception.

"Get up and come back to the manor with me. This is not a place for you." Pei Xiaoyun caught a moment of surprise on her face. He thought it was regret and emotion, so he spoke to her in a gentle tone.

"I'm not going anywhere, this is my home."

"Your home?" Pei Xiaoyun sneered.

He was mistaken; that was stubbornness, an incorrigible nature.

Mingying was too tired to argue with him any further, and only asked, "What did you do to Lin Xian?"

Pei Xiaoyun said bluntly: "I said that the Lin family head is colluding with the Kongchan Sect. As long as you are a member of the Lin family, you cannot escape responsibility."

"Then arrest me too, I'm a member of the Lin family too." Mingying was heartbroken and offered her neck for execution.

Pei Xiaoyun's eyes hardened with icy glints. He roughly grabbed her ankle and effortlessly lifted her up by the waist. "You're not a member of the Lin family. You're just my servant. If I wanted to kill you, it would only take a word. But I don't want you to die yet. You haven't paid the price for what you've done."

"Let me go! I won't go with you! Let me go!"

Mingying slapped him wildly, but the man's body was like a huge, fine net, completely enveloping her. Her struggles were like a mayfly trying to shake a tree.

Pei Xiaoyun gripped her waist, a glint of malice in his dark eyes: "My patience has its limits."

The private residences in Hangzhou are luxurious and elegant. Although they cannot compare to the grandeur of the Duke's mansion in the capital, they are still quite magnificent.

"get off."

Pei Xiaoyun got out of the car first and urged her a few times. Seeing that Mingying was leaning against the car wall and unmoved, her whole body was full of resistance.

His patience had worn thin, so he reached out and pulled her down, grabbing her wrist.

Mingying was like a puppet on a string, forced to follow in his footsteps.

Passing through rows of vermilion gates and winding corridors, a beautifully dressed young woman came forward and bowed gracefully to Pei Xiaoyun: "My lord has returned. I have been waiting for you for a long time."

Pei Xiaoyun was taken aback at first, then seemed to understand something and replied calmly, "No need to wait, go down."

The woman in purple, with her eyes full of affection and her beauty captivating, gracefully withdrew after receiving his instructions.

Mingying naturally didn't notice Pei Xiaoyun's tone. Watching the purple-clad woman's departing figure, she assumed she was his concubine and didn't think much of it.

She felt a pang of resentment. He had a multitude of wives and concubines, and was never short of women or maids. Why wouldn't he let her go?

After Pei Xiaoyun firmly settled Mingying in, fearing she might cause trouble, he assigned five or six maids to guard her, forbidding her from leaving the courtyard.

Before returning to Beijing, he told her to stay there obediently, reflect on her mistakes, and then sincerely kowtow to him to admit her wrongdoing, saying that she would never dare to do it again.

A night wind blew, and Pei Xiaoyun was handling official business in his study.

A woman dressed in black with sharp features entered, cupped her hands, and said, "Master, the Governor of Zhejiang sent a woman over during your absence."

Pei Xiaoyun held the pen with her slender fingers and wrote a line of elegant characters on the paper. She slightly raised her eyelids and said, "Understood."

"Master, this woman's origins are unknown; she must be a spy. Should I kill her?" The sword beside the woman in black was about to be drawn.

"Xingwei," Pei Xiaoyun said noncommittally, "You really don't remember anything?"

Half a year ago, he saved her in a battle against the Wuhuan Kingdom. She had lost all her memories, but she was highly skilled in martial arts. So he kept her by his side as a bodyguard. He never expected that she would become such a loyal and good sword.

Xingwei seemed to be trying hard to recall, his expression slightly pained and slightly confused. Finally, he shook his head and said, "I only know that I am irreconcilably opposed to the Wuhuan people. It was you, my master, who saved me. I am willing to swear to serve you to the death."

“I know you are loyal, but sometimes being too loyal is taking things for granted.” Pei Xiaoyun was satisfied with her answer, and then folded the letter in her hand and gave it to her.

"Don't move that woman for now."

Those were spies sent by Shen Chun, the Governor-General of Zhejiang. Even if you kill that woman, he will send others. It's easier to deal with those in the open than those in the shadows.

“Take this birthday greeting to the Governor’s Mansion.” Pei Xiaoyun’s profile was obscured by the orange candlelight. “He gave me a concubine, so it’s only right that I reciprocate. I should also congratulate him.”

"Yes." Xingwei took the items, accepted the order, and withdrew.

—

The night wind pattered against the windowpanes, and a few wisps of chill slipped in.

Mingying looked at the dishes brought up by the maids, but had no appetite at all.

Pei Xiaoyun said she wouldn't kill her for the time being, which must be true; right now, she's more concerned about Lin Xian's situation.

He's a madman, capable of anything.

But the walls around her were impenetrable, not even a fly could get out. Pei Xiaoyun clearly wanted to lock her up, and she couldn't get any information about the outside world.

"Please eat something, young lady, don't overeat and ruin your health." This was a newly arrived maid, with her hair styled in a high bun. She served the dishes with a smooth and efficient manner, clearly an experienced and capable person.

Mingying knew the difficulties of being a maid, so she didn't make things difficult for them. She just glanced at them and said indifferently, "I'll eat later."

"Young lady, the old man will blame you when he comes later."

When Mingying heard her address Pei Xiaoyun as "Master," she suddenly looked up and asked, "Are you from the Duke's Mansion?"

"This servant, Yuechan, was originally from the Duke's mansion, but was later sent to the private residence in Hangzhou by the master."

Pei Xiaoyun wielded immense power and had private residences in various places where he served. However, there were many people in the court, such as Shen Chun, who were not convinced of his authority and would try to plant spies around him. Therefore, he sent many of his own people to guard his private residences in various places.

Mingying's eyes dimmed, as if she had thought of something, and those unbearable memories flooded back to her: "Yuechan, have you ever met the young lady of the manor?"

After all, she is flesh of his flesh.

If Pei Xiaoyun were here, she wouldn't have asked. But now that she knows Yuechan used to be a member of the household, she can't help but want to ask.

Yuechan knew some of the secrets and knew that she was the young lady's birth mother. She nodded and said, "I've met her a few times. Don't worry, young lady, she's doing well."

"Does the Duchess treat her well?" Mingying couldn't help but ask.

Pei Xiaoyun hates her so much; if he knows she's not dead, won't he take his anger out on the child? If he doesn't even like her, how could his wife possibly...?

Living well means living like she did back then, with only a few cold meals to eat and a few thin clothes to wear, and no doctor to see her when she was sick, as long as she had a breath left.

Yuechan said, "Miss, the master is not yet married. He will personally teach you to read when he has free time."

Not married yet?

Mingying's fingers, which were hanging on her knees, twitched.

She had also heard that Prince Yi had plotted a rebellion and his entire family had been imprisoned. Perhaps Pei Xiaoyun had not yet married Prince Yi's daughter. But three years had passed; he should have married another noblewoman by now, so how could he still be unmarried?

After a moment, she stopped thinking about it.

What he does is none of her business. With his status, even if he were unmarried, he would have no shortage of beautiful women. As long as she heard that he treated the child well, she felt a little more at ease.

She wasted her days in this listless way, looking out the window at a small patch of sky each day, as if she had returned to the time when she was pregnant and living in the Duke's mansion.

As the red fades and the green diminishes, the water flows and the flowers wither, gradually fading away.

At night, she heard a series of low footsteps, but she remained seated, unmoved.

Pei Xiaoyun, having been busy all day, stood at the door. The room was dark, without any bright candlelight, no boiling tea in the stove, and no sign of her smilingly coming up to help him change his clothes.

Mingying sat by the window, not looking at him, staring blankly at the tassels on her clothes.

Pei Xiaoyun's lips tightened, and she suddenly felt a surge of restlessness.

The purpose of feeding her well these past few days is to let her reflect on her mistakes and return to being a gentle person, not to treat her like a queen and then give him the cold shoulder.

It seems she still doesn't realize her mistake or repent.

He frowned, patiently waiting for her to come over with open arms: "Mian'er, come and help me change my clothes."

Mingying ignored him, as if she hadn't seen him at all.

Pei Xiaoyun's eyes were deep and dark, gleaming with a cold light. He walked towards her, his broad chest and shoulders blocking the last sliver of light from the window: "Are you deaf? Speak."

Mingying finally looked up at him, a hint of stubbornness flashing in her round eyes: "My name isn't Mian'er. Who are you talking to?"

She disliked the name and had always tolerated it, but once something wore her down and she could no longer bear it, she found the name disgusting.

He said she was gentle and could be bullied by him, so he gave her this name, and called her that both in public and in private.

A fire throbbed in Pei Xiaoyun's chest, gradually spreading through his internal organs and soaring into his heart.

By denying the name, she was denying her past with him and everything, wanting to sever all ties with him and start afresh with Lin Xian.

Can it really be cleaned up?

He sneered coldly, as if appraising a beautiful object: "How many times have you served me? Doesn't Lin Xian mind that you're a withered flower? Doesn't she mind that you danced for men in Baili Qing, using your looks to please them?"

Her bright eyes finally lit up, and her hands trembled.

Her past cannot be changed.

But for the past three years, she has lived an upright life.

She supported herself by doing what she loved, but he accused her of using her looks to please men. In his heart, she was forever lowly, forever beneath the dust, unworthy to stand tall.

“Filthy”.

The two words she uttered coldly completely enraged Pei Xiaoyun.

He pressed her down on the small couch, smashing teacups one after another, and bit her lips hard, drawing blood from her newly healed wound. The strong smell of blood was like a medicine, making him tirelessly take more.

He didn't know when to retreat, but only advanced recklessly, as if he were pulling out the thorns from her body one by one, smoothing out her temperament, and letting her return to being a beautiful object to be picked by anyone.

This lovemaking was like torture. Mingying felt as if her entire skeleton was being torn apart and pieced back together again and again. She felt that it would be better to die quickly.

...

In the early morning, the person beside me had already left.

Mingying stared at the dented marks on the outer side of the bed, her heart sinking into despair. The slightest movement sent a jolt of excruciating pain through her.

Yuechan was ordered to bring her something. "Miss, this is what the master instructed me to bring, saying that it is for you to take a look."

Mingying reached out her hand, which was covered with beautiful red marks, took the document, opened it, and large tears soaked her pillowcase.

He changed her slave status document and her name to Mian'er.

He kept his word, personally dragging her back into the abyss and adding layers of shame to her wounds, crushing her until she could never rise again.

After reading the letter, she developed a high fever again, remained silent, and her eyes were empty and lifeless.

She was helped up by Yuechan to wash and dress, and sat in front of the mirror like a puppet, letting herself be manipulated. She drank a few mouthfuls of porridge, but then vomited it all up.

Yuechan was quite frightened by her appearance. Since Pei Xiaoyun was not at home, she had no choice but to ask He Lianqing for help.

Mingying sat on the couch in a daze, when she heard Yuechan say, "Miss, Doctor He has come to examine you."

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Author's Note: [Waving hands][Waving hands][Waving hands][Waving hands] If you hit someone, you can slap them both.