Chapter 37 The Night Banquet at Ganquan Palace

Le Yi straightened her disheveled clothes and hair from running, took a deep breath, and entered the main hall. Inside, the singing and dancing continued, a scene of extravagance and debauchery, unnoticed by anyone at large, turbulent undercurrents beneath the surface.

She looked around and found Madam Pei and He Jiaying gathered among the ladies. Not far from them were Consort Zheng and Princess Guangling.

After a moment of hesitation, Le Yi continued her search and finally spotted Pei Yu alone in a quiet corner. She breathed a sigh of relief and discreetly moved closer, avoiding the crowd.

Just as she was about to approach Pei Yu, a voice called out from behind: "Le Yi, where are you going?"

Le Yi turned around stiffly, forcing a smile: "I was mistaken, I thought it was Your Highness."

King Wu stepped forward and stared meaningfully at Yueyi, "You can even mistake your own husband; you deserve to be punished."

"concubine……"

"Alright," King Wu put his arm around Yue Yi and led her toward Pei Yu, calling out, "General Pei, why are you here all alone?"

Le Yi's palms were sweaty, her mind was pounding. The King of Wu was beside her, how was she going to tell Pei Yu Huiyin that something had happened?

Pei Yu frowned imperceptibly; an annoying fly had buzzed by. He lazily shifted his position and said listlessly, "Looking for some peace and quiet."

King Wu helped Yue Yi sit down in front of Pei Yu, his hand lingering on her face. "This is my new concubine, a natural beauty. What do you think, compared to Song Huiyin?"

When Le Yi heard Huiyin's name, her body stiffened.

Pei Yu had no interest whatsoever. He glanced at Le Yi's stiff expression and said listlessly, "Song Huiyin is prettier."

King Wu laughed loudly, leaned closer to Pei Yu with a mischievous grin, and said ambiguously, "I'm not talking about face."

Meanwhile, He Jiaying's face was almost stiff from smiling so much among the ladies. Taking advantage of Madam Pei's chatter with another person, she went to look for Huiyin. After searching around and not finding her, He Jiaying's suspicions resurfaced.

She looked up and saw Princess Suiyang and Su Jinghao huddled together beside the Empress, but Huiyin was nowhere to be seen. He Jiaying was still worried, so she mustered her courage and walked towards the platform.

She knelt down respectfully and bowed to the Empress and Princess Suiyang.

Empress Pei looked at He Jiaying's prostrate figure with some confusion. This little girl had always been afraid of her, so why was she taking the initiative to come forward today?

"Get up." Empress Pei smiled. After all, He Jiaying was from Madam Pei's family. Although she disliked He Jiaying's temperament, she would not make things difficult for her in public.

Suiyang asked, "Why are you here?"

He Jiaying explained her purpose: "Half an hour ago, Prince Suiyang's maid summoned Huiyin, saying she wanted to speak with her. I wanted to ask Your Highness, where did Huiyin go after you parted ways?"

In his panic, Suiyang knocked over cups and saucers. "Ah? I didn't ask anyone to look for Sister Huiyin."

“I saw it with my own eyes, it was that palace maid named Pei’er,” He Jiaying said anxiously.

Sui Yang wanted to ask more, but Empress Pei raised her hand to stop her. She beckoned to Grand Chamberlain Yao Lan, her expression serious: "Take people and investigate. Don't let anyone know."

"Send another message to Yuanxi."

Yao Lan lowered her head and strode out of the hall.

He Jiaying and Sui Yang exchanged a glance, realizing that Huiyin had probably been tricked.

The usually quiet Su Jinghao smiled slightly. "Go ahead and search. Make a big fuss, make a huge scene."

——

Le Yi was tormented. She had already wasted too much time; if she delayed any longer, Huiyin would definitely be in trouble. She had to take a gamble.

She secretly glanced at Pei Yu, who was drinking with the King of Wu, and took out a cherry-shaped silver hairpin from her sleeve and threw it on the ground.

She picked up the silver hairpin when she took Huiyin out of the house. Fearing that someone might use it to make trouble, she hurriedly stuffed it into her sleeve.

The crisp sound of the silver hairpin hitting the ground caught Pei Yu's attention. The cherry-shaped hairpin looked strangely familiar. Pei Yu remembered that a few days ago, when he was having dinner with Huiyin, she seemed to have had one like this in her hair.

Pei Yu thought idly, "Is it fashionable to wear fruit-shaped jewelry now?"

He inadvertently met Le Yi's gaze and noticed that her eyes were sparkling as she looked at him as if she had something to say.

The eunuch sent by Empress Pei found Pei Yu and stepped forward to pay his respects.

The King of Wu squinted at the palace maid and asked, "Does the Queen Mother have something to instruct you on?"

The young eunuch bowed respectfully, "Your Majesty has a message for General Pei."

The eunuch leaned closer to Pei Yu and whispered in his ear.

King Wu carefully observed Pei Yu's expression, and seeing that his expression remained unchanged, he turned away with boredom and began to eat.

After the eunuch left, Pei Yu pointed to the silver hairpin that had fallen to the ground and looked at Le Yi, "You dropped something."

King Wu also turned his head to look and saw Yueyi bending down to pick up the silver hairpin. He asked, "This silver hairpin has an interesting design. Did you buy it?"

Le Yi shook her head, secretly glanced at Pei Yu, and said softly, "I just went out for some fresh air and found it outside a gray-white walled house, to the west of the stone pavilion in the northeast direction of the main hall."

The King of Wu turned his gaze away indifferently.

Pei Yu gestured for him to look behind him. The King of Wu turned around and saw the Crown Prince chatting with his ministers, his face glowing.

"Isn't Your Highness going?" Pei Yu took a sip of wine and gripped the wine cup tightly.

The King of Wu's expression changed. He had been so focused on causing trouble for Pei Yu that he had forgotten today was a good opportunity to win people's hearts. He picked up his wine cup, instructed Yue Yi to return to Consort Zheng's place, and strode away.

After he left, Le Yi quickly said, "Go and find Huiyin, she has been poisoned."

Pei Yu stood up and said solemnly, "Thank you."

——

"Whoosh." A figure emerged from the calm lake.

Huiyin braced herself on the shore, her body submerged in the lake. She was extremely hot, and many people were looking for her outside. In a panic, she hid in the lake, diving underwater to hold her breath whenever someone approached.

After several rounds, she had exhausted all her remaining strength.

More footsteps approached, and Huiyin took a deep breath and dived back into the water.

The person didn't go far; instead, they walked towards the lake and stopped directly above Huiyin.

Wang Huan stared at the dark figure in the water, his eyes filled with heartache. He knelt down and softly called out, "Huiyin, it's me."

Upon hearing the familiar voice, Huiyin surfaced, breathing heavily. She saw Wang Huan squatting in front of her, his face handsome, his robe spread out on the ground, and his white jade hair ornament gleaming in the moonlight, adding to his divine aura.

Wang Huan reached out and gently wiped away the water droplets between Huiyin's eyebrows.

Huiyin's face lit up with joy: "How did you know I was here?"

Wang Huan took off his outer robe, lifted the person out of the lake, and draped the outer robe over Huiyin. "I came out for some fresh air and saw someone looking for you. I guessed that something had happened to you and came looking for you."

Huiyin pulled her outer robe tighter, tilted her head back triumphantly, and said, "I hid in the water, and they couldn't find me!"

Wang Huan felt a pang of sadness. He reached out and touched Huiyin's head, his eyes welling up with tears. "It's alright now. I won't let anyone hurt you."

Huiyin felt better while she was in the lake, but now that she had come out of the water, her body started to feel hot again.

Wang Huan noticed that something was wrong with Huiyin and guessed that she had been drugged. He took out a handkerchief and wiped the water droplets from Huiyin's face, and said softly, "Can you walk?"

"No, I'm too weak." Huiyin sighed helplessly.

Wang Huan knelt on one knee in front of Huiyin, his moon-colored robe stained with dust. He turned to look at Huiyin, pursed his lips, and said, "I'll carry you back."

Huiyin was indeed out of strength. She tied her outer robe and leaned on Wang Huan's shoulder.

Wang Huan walked steadily, his back was broad, and Huiyin looked at the bright crescent moon in the sky, her eyelids gradually drooping.

Wang Huan avoided crowds and took the side paths the whole way, remaining silent the entire time.

Only when Huiyin's head rested on his shoulder and neck, her warm breath spraying onto his skin, did he gently turn his head, his cheek pressed against Huiyin's damp hair, his voice extremely soft: "I regret it."

He regretted upholding his gentlemanly conduct and regretted waiting for Huiyin to come to her senses, so he requested a postponement of the engagement.

If he had settled down with Huiyin earlier, he could have rightfully intervened when the Song family was in trouble, taken care of Huiyin, and protected her from harm.

Instead of being powerless like we are now.

"Huiyin, I regret it."

Huiyin leaned on Wang Huan's shoulder, feeling drowsy. The effects of the drug were kicking in again, and she started to feel dizzy once more.

"What did you say? I didn't hear you?"

Wang Huan smiled wryly for a moment, then shook his head and said, "It's nothing. Do you remember? This isn't the first time I've carried you on my back."

Huiyin perked up and recalled the past: "I remember, one year on the Shangsi Festival, our two families agreed to go out for a spring outing and horseback riding together. For some reason, the little horse I was riding went crazy and threw me off, injuring my leg. You came to save me and carried me all the way back. Unfortunately, it started raining halfway there, and we were both soaked to the bone."

"Yes, if only we could go back to the past." Wang Huan laughed, but there was sadness in his eyes. He saw the people waiting in front of him.

Wang Huan stopped and turned his head to call out to Huiyin.

Huiyin looked up in confusion. Ten steps away, under a tree, Pei Yu was waiting alone, his gaze fixed on the two of them.

"Pei Yu, you've arrived," Huiyin murmured softly.

Wang Huan gripped Huiyin's knees tightly, then reluctantly released her. He gently placed her down, tidied her disheveled hair, and murmured, "Go."

Huiyin's legs felt weak. She clutched her outer robe tightly and slowly walked towards Pei Yu. Her body was alternating between hot and cold, probably because she had been in the water for too long and had caught a chill.

Pei Yu's gaze had never left Huiyin. When he noticed that her steps were unsteady, he immediately strode forward, picked her up in his arms, and carefully pressed his cheek against Huiyin's forehead.

"Song Huiyin, you have a fever."

Pei Yu's cheek was cool and refreshing to the touch. Huiyin squinted, wrapped her arms around Pei Yu's neck, and pressed her skin against his neck, saying in a pitiful voice, "Pei Yu, I feel uncomfortable."

"I'll take you back." Pei Yu hugged Huiyin tightly and nodded slightly to Wang Huan. "Thank you."

He turned and left with Huiyin in his arms, and soon Pei Yu's figure disappeared into the darkness.

Wang Huan stood there, gazing in the direction they had gone, and for the first time understood what it meant to be heartbroken.

He wanted Huiyin, he really wanted her.

——

Pei Yu carried Huiyin back to Yingfeng Pavilion and walked towards the backyard, shouting, "Yan Niang, prepare water, cold water, and send someone to fetch the physician."

Hearing the shouts outside, Yan Niang hurriedly put on her coat and went out. She saw Huiyin lying in Pei Yu's arms, her hands tightly gripping Pei Yu's collar, her expression pained.

"Okay, I'll go right away." Yan Niang put on her shoes and went to knock on the doors of the side rooms one by one, asking Aheng to fetch water and A Sang to call the doctor.

After giving her instructions, she followed Pei Yu into the house. Pei Yu placed Huiyin on the bed, and Yan Niang then noticed that Huiyin was soaked to the bone, with even her hair dripping wet.

She quickly picked up a clean handkerchief and carefully wrapped it around Huiyin's wet hair, intending to change her into clean clothes first.

Yan Niang turned to look at Pei Yu standing by the bed and said anxiously, "Young General, I need to change my wife's clothes first."

Pei Yu turned and went out. "I'll wait outside. Call me if you need anything."

After he left, Yan Niang reached out to untangle Huiyin's disheveled outer robe.

Although Huiyin was not fully conscious, she was still alert. When she sensed someone trying to undress her, she opened her eyes, grabbed her collar tightly, and refused to let go.

Yan Niang coaxed softly, "Huiyin, it's me, it's Madam Fu. Madam Fu is here."

Huiyin slowly loosened her grip, looking at Yanniang with distress, tears welling up in her eyes, and said aggrievedly, "Mother Fu... I feel unwell, I feel so hot."

"Good boy, we've already gone to fetch a doctor. You won't feel bad after taking the medicine." Yan Niang's heart was breaking. She kept stroking Hui's head with her large hand and coaxing him softly.

Seeing that Huiyin had calmed down, Yanniang turned to get some clean clothes, but Huiyin grabbed her hand. She looked back and saw that Huiyin's eyes were filled with tears, and she held her hand tightly, her palm warm.

"Mother Fu, don't go."

Yan Niang held Huiyin's hand, "I won't go, Madam Fu won't go. Huiyin, be good, Madam Fu will help you change into some clean clothes."

“Okay.” Huiyin nodded obediently.

Pei Yu sat in the outer room, hearing the whispers and murmurs inside clearly. He recalled the way back with Huiyin, when the drug took effect, and she buried her face in his neck, rubbing against him and humming softly, saying she was hot and asking Pei Yu to help her.

Those soft murmurs reached Pei Yu's heart, making him feel hot, as if he had been drugged.

Pei Yu softly uttered, "Huiyin."

By the time the physician arrived to prescribe and prepare the medicine, and then served it to Huiyin, it was already past midnight. During this time, Madam Pei and He Jiaying returned from the palace banquet and both came to see Huiyin. They were relieved to see that she was alright before leaving.

He Jiaying was unwilling to leave and wanted to stay until Huiyin woke up. She blamed herself for not causing the abnormality sooner and making Huiyin suffer. After returning, she knelt down and cried by Huiyin's bedside.

Pei Yu, however, felt that her crying was too loud and would disturb Huiyin's rest, so he had a maid drag He Jiaying away. As He Jiaying left, she clung to the doorframe, sobbing miserably, "Cousin, you must find the mastermind and avenge Huiyin!"

After taking her medicine, Huiyin fell asleep peacefully. Yanniang took the opportunity to check her body and found that apart from a few bruises on her thighs, she was unharmed. Relieved, she went outside and saw Pei Yu still waiting inside.

Yan Niang stepped forward and said, "Young General, your wife has already gone to sleep. You should go and rest too."

Pei Yu looked at the figure lying on the bed through the curtains and said, "You can go now. I'll stay here and watch over her."

Yan Niang was worried, but Pei Yu's gaze left no room for doubt.

She slowly left the room and closed the door.

After Yan Niang left, Pei Yu went into the inner room and sat on the bed, gazing quietly at Huiyin's sleeping face. He noticed that Huiyin's brows were still furrowed in her sleep, and he couldn't help but reach out and gently smooth them.

But after he smoothed it out, Huiyin's brows furrowed again involuntarily the next moment.

Pei Yu laughed. As expected of her, she looked gentle and weak, but was actually more stubborn than anyone else.

He leaned closer to Huiyin and whispered in her ear, "Song Huiyin, you frown when you sleep. That's not a good habit."

Huiyin seemed to sense something, and her brows slowly relaxed.

Pei Yu's smile deepened.

The lights in the inner room stayed on all night until dawn.

Yan Niang got up at cockcrow and waited hesitantly outside the door, unsure whether she should push the door open and go in.

Yesterday, the doctor told her that Huiyin had been soaking in the lake, and that the sudden change from hot to cold could easily cause wind-cold to enter the body. He told her to keep an eye on her this morning, and if she didn't have a fever today, then everything would be fine.

As she paced back and forth outside the door, the door inside the room suddenly opened. Pei Yu was still dressed in the same clothes as last night. He closed the door and said to Yan Niang, "I just checked her forehead, and she didn't have a fever. Tell her to rest well."

Yan Niang hadn't expected him to take the physician's words from the previous night to heart. She nodded, watching Pei Yu's departing figure with a complex expression.

Given Pei Yu and Huiyin's current status, it wouldn't be a good thing for either of them if either of them were to fall for her.

Pei Yu was tempted. With his status and position, it would be easy for him to keep Huiyin. Besides, he would marry sooner or later, and if not Liu Tan, it would be another noblewoman.

If Huiyin were to fall in love with a man who couldn't belong to her alone, it would be too cruel for her.

Yan Niang sighed and went into the side room to start making soup. An hour later, the aroma of the soup filled the courtyard.

Yan Niang tiptoed into the house. She went into the inner room and found that the room was exactly the same as when she left last night. Even the strands of hair she had placed on Huiyin's bedding were still there.

This means that Pei Yu did not touch Huiyin last night, nor did he go to bed. There were no signs of anyone sleeping in other parts of the room. Could it be that he stayed up all night watching over Huiyin?

Yan Niang was relieved. Fortunately, Huiyin hadn't figured it out yet. It seemed that Pei Yu was the one who was interested first. As long as she used him to avenge the Song family, she could then find a way to escape.

——

Pei Yu left Yingfeng Pavilion and headed towards Yuanlin Horse Ranch. Chi Yan and Fang Mu were waiting outside the ranch with three horses, chatting idly with smiles on their faces. Upon seeing Pei Yu, the two immediately became serious.

"How's the investigation into last night going?" Pei Yu took the reins from Fang Mu and nimbly leaped onto his horse.

Chi Yan and Fang Mu also mounted their horses and walked slowly behind Pei Yu. Chi Yan replied, "We've found out. Besides Princess Guangling, there was another person. She bribed Princess Suiyang's maid, Pei'er. However, Pei'er hanged herself last night. We haven't found out who was behind it yet."

Pei Yu: "Where is the Prince of Lu?"

Chi Yan: "King Lu is really unlucky. He knows nothing. Last night, someone deliberately provoked him, and King Lu chased after that person all the way there."

Fang Mu stepped forward and continued, "He's not innocent either. He's a womanizer. If Madam Song hadn't left first last night, he would have definitely harmed her."

Pei Yu sneered: "Find a pretext to make the Prince of Lu make a mistake, and lock him up for a month."

"As for Guangling, hand over all the land she forcibly seized in the west of the city to the Prefect of Jingzhao. Give it back to me in the same way she took it in."

Chi Yan and Fang Mu laughed at the same time. Well, two more unlucky guys have run into us.

"What about the person behind it all?" Fang Mu asked.

Pei Yu raised his whip and galloped towards the garden, his voice carried on the wind, "She knows who it is."

"Her?" Fang Mu didn't understand. "Who is she?"

Chi Yan shook off Fang Mu and said speechlessly, "What do you think?"

"Wait for me." Fang Mu came to his senses. Right, since it was targeting Huiyin, it must be someone who had a grudge against her.

Over here, at Yingfeng Pavilion, they're also asking about this topic.

After Huiyin woke up, Madam Pei came to see her first. Perhaps influenced by Madam Liu's words, she treated Huiyin with some strangeness and left after sitting for a short while.

No sooner had Madam Pei left than He Jiaying arrived. She pulled Huiyin aside to discuss the mastermind behind last night's events, "Besides Princess Guangling, who is the other one?"

Huiyin ate the soup, the rising steam blurring her features. He Jiaying heard her calm voice: "Su Jinghao,"

Before He Jiaying could react, Yan Niang smashed the lacquer tray in her hand. He Jiaying turned her head and saw that Yan Niang looked furious, her nails clenched so tightly that the lacquer tray turned white.

Yan Niang took a deep breath, unable to control her emotions, and couldn't help but curse out loud: "You ungrateful wretch, you'll go to the eighteenth level of hell after you die!"

Filled with confusion, He Jiaying asked weakly, "What's wrong with me?"

"Miss He, I wasn't scolding you, I was scolding Su Jinghao," Yan Niang said embarrassedly.

He Jiaying swallowed and nodded silently. It was the first time she had ever seen Yan Niang so furious. But weren't Su Jinghao and Huiyin best friends? Thinking this, she asked aloud.

Huiyin put down the lacquer bowl, wiped her mouth, and said expressionlessly, "We were enemies before, and we will be enemies to the death from now on."

"What did she do?" He Jiaying blinked and asked cautiously.

Huiyin shook her head slightly, "I'm sorry, I can't go into the details of the reasons."

He Jiaying didn't ask any further questions. Her eyes darted around: "Your cousin was so worried about you last night. Don't worry, he'll definitely get revenge for you."

Huiyin paused in wiping her mouth. She remembered everything that had happened last night. She recalled the murmurs she had uttered in Pei Yu's arms when the medicine took effect, and her face flushed.

He witnessed the most embarrassing and wretched moments of her life.

“I don’t need his help, I can do it myself,” Huiyin replied.

"What are you planning to do? Let me help you!" He Jiaying excitedly leaned forward.

Huiyin smiled gently and said, "First, help me find out about someone. Her name is Leyi. I was very grateful to her for helping me last night."

He Jiaying patted her chest and said, "Leave it to me."

After He Jiaying left, Yan Niang was extremely conflicted, unsure whether she should tell Huiyin that Pei Yu had taken care of her all night. Gazing at Huiyin's serene profile, she ultimately chose to suppress her thoughts.

Yan Niang sat in front of Hui Yin with the ointment in her hands. Since they were indoors, Hui Yin was only wearing a thin gauze nightgown. Yan Niang lifted Hui Yin's skirt, revealing her legs, and with her fingertips dipped in the ointment, she gently applied it to the bruises in the snow-white area.

"Three times a day, and the bruises will disappear in a few days." After applying the medicine, Yan Niang straightened Huiyin's skirt.

Huiyin still had residual effects of the drug in her body, and she was unable to exert any strength in her limbs, feeling extremely weak.

Yan Niang had someone bring over a bamboo mat and low couch, placing it in the courtyard near the ventilation opening. Dark curtains were used to block out the light, allowing Huiyin to rest during the afternoon.

Huiyin lay on the couch, a gentle breeze blowing, the rustling of flowers and grass, and the chirping of birds all around her. She sank into the soft pillows, closed her eyes, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

She had a dream she hadn't had in a long time. In the dream, she returned to the artificial hill where she had met Guangling and her lover the night before. However, in the dream, Guangling had become herself, and a man with sword-like eyebrows, bright eyes, and luscious lips was squatting in front of her.

Huiyin leaned against the artificial hill, feeling utterly weak, her eyes filled with tears.

The man beneath her held Huiyin's waist with both hands and asked in a hoarse voice, "Is it comfortable?"

Huiyin saw his face clearly and woke up instantly. Panting, she stared at the dark curtains above her, her heart pounding. She hugged the summer quilt tightly, her legs unconsciously intertwining. How could she have such a strange dream? And how could the person in her dream be Pei Yu?

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Huiyin's body. She covered her burning face with embarrassment. It must be that *** that affected her, it must be.

She lifted the curtain, her voice soft: "Mother Fu, I want some water, something cold."

Because of that strange dream, Huiyin felt extremely uneasy all day. She felt a chill in her heart, wondering how she would face Pei Yu when he returned.

Now, whenever she thinks of Pei Yu's face, it's as if she's returned to that enchanting dream.

Just thinking about Pei Yu asking her if she was comfortable made her face turn red, her mouth go dry, and she kept drinking water.

Yan Niang thought the food was too salty today and planned to tell them to send over some lighter food in the evening.

The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the sky orange-gold, and the slanting gold spilled into the courtyard. Huiyin leaned against the door frame, listening to the laughter coming from the neighboring courtyard.

He Jiaying and Pei Yan's voices came from Madam Pei's courtyard, but they didn't call her.

Her attitude towards Huiyin changed drastically. What exactly did Lady Liu say to her?