Chapter 40: If you win, it's yours; if you lose, it's on me...

After Pei Yu finished bathing and changing into clean clothes, he took a light sniff of his body and smelled the fresh scent of soap.

He nodded in satisfaction, checked himself in the bronze mirror before leaving, straightened his clothes, and then strode off to find Huiyin, like a naive young man experiencing his first love.

He stopped outside the door, gazing at Huiyin, who was lost in thought inside the hall, his eyes revealing a tenderness he himself had not yet noticed.

"What are you thinking about?"

Huiyin turned her head to look at him. He had changed into casual clothes and was wearing a vermilion curved robe for the first time in a long time. The robe was decorated with star patterns outlined in gold thread.

Huiyin had never seen him wear such a vibrant color before. At first glance, she thought she had met a handsome groom. Even his usually aloof eyes and brows were now tinged with glamour.

"you……"

Pei Yu raised an eyebrow. "What about me?"

He was fine when he was still, but once he moved, he came alive, exuding a captivating charm with his lowered eyelashes, affectionate eyes, and a faint smile on his lips.

Huiyin seemed to think he was a fox spirit in human form, trying to seduce her. She was quite worldly, having seen all sorts of young men in Chang'an, and Wang Xuan and Pei Yu were the most handsome among them.

The former is passionate and has exquisite features. In the words of the women, he is like a loyal dog with a passionate heart, always staring at you with those moist eyes, making your heart flutter.

Pei Yu is quite the ladies' man. Not that he's promiscuous, but rather that he exudes a charming aura. His gaze is always detached and indifferent, his thin lips slightly pursed. Yet, upon closer inspection, everything about him is alluring. His face is captivating, his waist and back are alluring, and even his long legs are captivating.

He wasn't as popular with young women as Wang Xuan, but among the ladies' circles, he was definitely the one everyone envied.

Huiyin inexplicably heard a woman's teasing words: "If I could spend a night with Pei Yuanxi, I would die content." Her whole body felt hot, as if she had returned to the night she took the herbal medicine, and she couldn't help but want to press herself against him.

Seeing that she didn't speak, Pei Yu leaned closer and asked, "Are you stupid?"

Huiyin saw the mischievous smile on his lips, and her heart trembled. She stammered, "You're so strange."

"What's strange about me?" Pei Yu lifted his robe, sat down close to Huiyin, and whispered in her ear, "What's strange about me?"

Huiyin moved the brocade mat aside, avoiding his strong, lean thighs, and inappropriately recalled the erotic dream she had just had, her face instantly turning bright red. She lowered her head, clenching her fists, and cursed herself inwardly, "Song Huiyin, don't lose your mind."

"Why is your face so red? What are you thinking about?"

"No... I wasn't thinking about anything." Huiyin silently berated herself for being so pathetic. How could things have turned out like this? She felt extremely guilty and didn't dare look up at Pei Yu.

Pei Yu stared at her flushed face, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly. He wanted to take it slow, weaving a net to trap her step by step, so that she couldn't leave him, inside and out, heart and body. But now, he couldn't hold back any longer.

He grabbed Song Huiyin as she tried to escape, closing the distance between them, and pressed closer to ask, "Why don't you dare look at me? What are you feeling guilty about?"

"I didn't!" Huiyin stammered, staring at the magnified handsome face. The reason was simple: seeing Pei Yu's lips reminded her of his question, "Does it feel good?"

Huiyin covered Pei Yu's lips with her hand, looked at his exposed eyes and high nose bridge, closed her eyes tightly and then opened them again, shaking off the romantic thoughts in her heart, and her expression returned to normal.

Huiyin asked, "Why are you making things difficult for Feng Cheng?"

Pei Yu sat up straight, raised an eyebrow at Huiyin, and placed his slender fingers on his knees. "Why are you asking him? Did you go to see him?"

“You bullied him.” Huiyin frowned.

Pei Yu casually straightened his clothes and asked, "What did I do to him?"

Although his expression hadn't changed much from before, Huiyin could sense that he was angry. A look of confusion crossed her eyes; why was he angry again?

Huiyin thought for a moment, then leaned closer, her soft little hand grasping Pei Yu's bulging veins, and asked cautiously, "Are you angry that I mentioned Feng Cheng?"

Pei Yu quietly felt the warmth in his palm, then lifted his eyelids to glance at Huiyin. "What do you think?"

His glance made Huiyin's heart, which had regained its composure, leap violently again. In that brief moment, she thought of many things.

The suspicions she had once suppressed resurfaced.

Huiyin always understood where her strengths lay; she had a very beautiful face, and with that face, she could gain a lot.

If she had chosen the King of Wu back then and entered his palace, it wouldn't have been difficult for her to win his favor through her own means. Perhaps many things would have been much simpler than they are now.

She disliked the King of Wu, even despised him. She chose Pei Yu over him. That night at the Lindu post station, she went to Pei Yu with the intention of offering herself to him.

But later, everything went awry. When she learned that Pei Yu had no interest in her, she breathed a sigh of relief. At least she could still retain a shred of self-respect.

Like everyone else, Huiyin always knew that Pei Yu had someone in his heart. She envied Liu Tan for having someone who wholeheartedly protected and waited for her.

Huiyin thought that Pei Yu might not have fallen for her, but he must have liked her a little, the kind of liking a man has for a woman.

Liking someone and having other women are not mutually exclusive. It is common for scions of noble families to have multiple wives and concubines. It would be strange if her father only had her mother as his wife.

Huiyin was not good at love, but she could sense that Pei Yu was treating her differently. The way he looked at her was very different from his previous indifference.

She thought Pei Yu had changed his mind and wanted her. But the night he didn't touch her—was it because his conscience bothered him and he felt guilty towards Liu Tan, or was he simply upholding his gentlemanly conduct?

Huiyin found this inexplicably funny. Does Pei Yu have the demeanor of a gentleman?

She composed herself, squatted down in front of Pei Yu, and explained earnestly, "Feng Cheng is like an older brother to me. I am very grateful to him for helping me in every way. Please don't make things difficult for him, okay?"

Seeing Pei Yu's softened expression, Huiyin added, "There is only brotherly and sisterly affection between us, nothing more."

Pei Yu snorted: "Then why are you questioning me today on his behalf?"

Huiyin: "..." What's with this complaining tone? And where did she question me?

She continued to soothe him, saying, "In the heat of the moment, the young general is magnanimous and will certainly not hold a grudge against a woman like me."

Pei Yu smiled, lowered his head to cup Huiyin's face, and pressed his forehead against hers, "When did you become so good at talking?"

Huiyin retreated in embarrassment, touching her burning face. Seducing Pei Yu was no easy task; it required strong self-control, otherwise, she wouldn't even know who was being seduced.

"I came here today to ask you if there has been any news of my younger brother?"

Pei Yu held her soft hand tightly, not letting go. He said, "A caravan passed by the cliff on the day of the accident. Perhaps your brother was taken away by them. I have already sent people to chase after them, and news will come soon."

Huiyin felt like crying; this was the best news she had heard in the past three months.

"Thank you, Pei Yu."

——

June 1st

Three thousand elite soldiers surrounded the entire garden like an iron barrel, with twelve black dragon banners erected on seventy-two high grounds.

Emperor Xuan stood in the highest tower of the imperial garden, gazing with satisfaction at the disciplined army below. He was accompanied by the Three Dukes, the Nine Ministers, and members of the imperial family.

As he waved the Xuanlong Banner in his hand, the army awoke like a sleeping fire dragon and began to move about.

As the war drums sounded, three thousand warhorses on the Northern Army's training ground simultaneously pawed at the ground and neighed incessantly. The cavalry on the left and right flanks swiftly closed in and changed formation, like an arrow piercing the mountains.

Three thousand cavalrymen surged forward, their roar like thunder. A moment later, the cavalry formation shifted again: from a circular formation to a skirmish formation, and then back to a square formation.

Despite the ever-changing battle formations, the three thousand cavalrymen were well-trained and not a single one made a mistake, demonstrating their superb horsemanship and effective training.

At this moment, the army turned around and the three thousand cavalrymen headed towards the garden. At the very front, a figure charged out. The man was wearing a red cloak and a military crown. Even from a distance, his facial features could be vaguely seen. He was handsome and extraordinary.

He was far ahead, and a moment later, he suddenly leaped up and stood on his horse's back. With a steady body, he drew his longbow and shot a sword directly through the long flag erected below the garden.

"good!"

Emperor Xuan exclaimed in surprise. He squinted at the general and grabbed the prime minister beside him, asking, "Isn't that the general in the red cloak Yuan Xi?"

The Prime Minister's face was wrinkled, and he smiled, "Your Majesty has a good eye; it is indeed General Pei."

Emperor Wu laughed heartily: "This lad took the lead. Did you all see him just now? He was standing on his horse, drawing his bow, looking very dashing, just like his father!"

The crowd echoed, "Like father, like son."

Emperor Xuan felt a rare pang of melancholy. He recalled the times he and Pei Qing had ridden together on horseback to hunt when they were young and full of passion. Now, his friend was gone, but his voice and image remained.

The women had already taken their seats on a high platform built on the ground. There was no breathtaking view from the watchtower, but the sight of thousands of riders galloping around was still incredibly impactful for these women who rarely left their homes.

Huiyin stared at the galloping figure. The black horse kicked up dust, and the person leaned against the horse's back. The scarlet cloak was like a burning fire, fluttering in the wind.

Perhaps sensing something, he suddenly looked up and gazed at her. Although they were far apart, that one glance went straight into Huiyin's heart.

The next instant, the man on horseback flicked his wrist, and the spear he held in reverse flew out like a silver snake. He leaped up from his horse, the spear spinning in a semi-circular silver arc in his palm.

Before Huiyin could even see his movements, he had already landed steadily back on his horse, his spear pointing diagonally at the ground, exuding heroic spirit and unstoppable momentum.

The banquet was still arranged with men on the right and women on the left. On the high platform to the south, there were two honored seats. Empress Pei sat on the left, followed by Consort Zheng, Consort Xiao, and others. Consort Ping stayed in the palace to serve Empress Dowager Ping.

Looking further down, you see the female relatives of the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers. Huiyin and He Jiaying are sitting behind Madam Pei, next to Consort Xiao. The two princesses have been summoned to the palace tower by His Majesty and are not here at the moment.

Behind the banquet platform, ice chests were continuously brought in, and then carried by palace servants to each seat. With fans blowing air, the originally hot platform instantly cooled down.

During the banquet, someone congratulated him, saying, "General Pei is exceptionally brave and heroic; his future prospects are sure to be bright."

Madam Pei smiled like a flower, covering her mouth as she said, "I only hope that my children are safe and healthy. As for their future, I will not force them."

Consort Zheng scoffed coldly: "Madam Pei, do you think anyone would believe that?"

She was increasingly annoyed by Guangling's constant complaints these days. She went to ask His Majesty for help, but His Majesty gave her the runaround, saying that princes and princesses were subject to the same laws as commoners.

Consort Zheng was furious and ordered people to find out the reason. Only then did she realize that Guangling had done something foolish, and his attempt to steal a chicken had backfired, causing her to suffer the consequences.

What angered her even more was Pei Yu, who dared to attack Guangling for the sake of Song Huiyin, showing no regard for the Zheng family.

Madam Pei was put on the spot, her face instantly stiffened, and she lowered her head in an unpleasant manner.

Empress Pei disapproved of Consort Zheng's arrogance, but as the Empress, she couldn't afford to engage in a verbal battle with a concubine in public, lest she become a laughingstock.

Madam Pei was short of breath, and one sentence from her made her shrink back and dare not utter a sound.

Taking advantage of this point, Consort Zheng continued to mock, "You say you don't care about your future, you only care about peace. First, have your son relinquish his official position."

Seeing this, Consort Xiao, who was sitting to the side, spoke up to defuse the situation, saying, "A mother naturally hopes that her child is safe and healthy; she asks for nothing else."

Consort Zheng gently waved her fan, her eyes sparkling: "What a joke! You, who have never given birth, dare to say such a thing."

Huiyin sat next to Madam Pei, watching her lowered head and the barely perceptible frown on her brow.

She looked up and saw that Consort Zheng was wearing a deep purple robe with a curved hem. She was plump and beautiful, and her every move exuded the charm of a mature woman. She was very beautiful, and Princess Guangling inherited her looks from her.

Beside her stood Empress Pei, dressed in bright red, with a blooming peony adorning her high bun. She exuded elegance and grace, but upon closer inspection, the smile on her lips was noticeably less pronounced than usual.

Consort Xiao, who had just spoken up to defuse the situation, remained as low-key as ever. The moment Consort Zheng uttered the remark about not having borne any children, the color drained from her face, and she fell silent.

The other ladies nearby were chatting and laughing with those around them, seemingly oblivious to the power struggle.

Seeing this, Consort Zheng became even more arrogant. Her voice was two decibels louder than before, and her smile was radiant.

He Jiaying leaned close to Huiyin's ear and pleaded, "Consort Zheng has gone too far. Could you please teach her a lesson?"

Huiyin turned around expressionlessly and glared at her.

He Jiaying lowered her head guiltily. She now felt that Huiyin was omnipotent, and a mere Consort Zheng was naturally no match for her.

After a moment of contemplation, Huiyin lifted her skirt and knelt down next to Madam Pei, pretending to be attentive and pouring her wine.

Madam Pei turned her head in confusion, while Huiyin subtly leaned over to teach her. Upon hearing this, Madam Pei perked up, her eyes lighting up. After giving her instructions, Huiyin returned to her original seat.

“Every word I have said is from the bottom of my heart. Your Majesty, you do not know that Yuanxi was covered in wounds after going to the battlefield.”

Madam Pei's tears flowed uncontrollably, pattering onto the table. She covered her mouth and sobbed, "After he went to the border, I worried about him day and night, fearing something might happen to him. The year he returned to the capital, he had a knife wound in his chest that took three whole months to heal..."

His words were sincere and heartfelt, delivered with great cadence and intonation.

Consort Zheng was silenced by her sobbing and wailing. She sat up and carefully examined Madam Pei, who was covering her face and crying. When did this dough-like person start talking back?

For a moment, she forgot to refute.

Empress Pei also looked at the sobbing Madam Pei with surprise. Her sister-in-law was truly hopeless; anyone could frighten her with just a few words.

The other two branches of the Pei family were sent to other posts, leaving her as the only female member of the Pei household. She had to attend every banquet that came her way. Empress Pei had put a lot of effort into teaching her, but no matter how diligently she studied or how eloquently she spoke, she would become furious as soon as she stepped outside.

Empress Pei was angry at her lack of ambition, but there was nothing she could do; she couldn't very well beat or scold her widowed sister-in-law. She urged Pei Yu to get married, firstly in the hope that he would continue the family line, and secondly in the hope that he would quickly marry a capable matriarch to succeed Lady Pei.

She glanced at Huiyin, who was smiling faintly behind Madam Pei, and understood. Without making a sound, she picked up her teacup and gave Consort Xiao a meaningful look.

Consort Xiao understood and quickly had someone help Madam Pei up. "Madam, we all know how much you've suffered. General Pei's achievements are all earned through his own hard work and he deserves them all. Don't listen to those sour words; they're just jealous of you."

Consort Zheng suppressed her anger and glared at Consort Xiao: "What do you mean? Who said such sour things? Explain yourself to me!"

"My poor son!!"

Madam Pei suddenly raised her voice and wailed, completely drowning out Consort Zheng's voice.

Huiyin's lips twitched, and she secretly tugged at Madam Pei's sleeve. She had only told Madam Pei to show weakness and retreat in order to advance, but forgot to warn her that she was being overacted.

Empress Pei spoke up in time: "Alright, today is a good day, let's not talk about those sad things. His Majesty knows in his heart how Yuan Xi is, and will not treat him unfairly in the future."

Madam Pei sighed tearfully, pretending to wipe her tears, while secretly glancing at Huiyin behind her. "I did a pretty good job, didn't I?"

Huiyin nodded encouragingly, saying that people need to be praised more often, as the more they are praised, the more motivated they become.

After receiving approval, Madam Pei beamed with joy, sat upright, and exuded an air of arrogance and pride.

A short while later, Emperor Xuan led the three dukes and nine ministers to the high platform and sat down one by one. He first said a few words, just like at the palace banquet that day, and then praised Pei Yu.

He was described as a "tiger general" and someone who "had the same style as his father."

After praising her, he asked Empress Pei beside him with an eager look, "I remember that Your Majesty's horsemanship was also superb in the past. Would you like to try it out today?"

Empress Pei laughed and said, "Your Majesty is too kind to me. I haven't ridden in for many years and my riding skills have become rusty, so I won't join in the fun. I'll just wait here for Your Majesty to return with a full load today."

"Very well," Emperor Xuan then asked Consort Zheng, "And you?"

Consort Zheng glanced at Empress Pei and said with a charming smile, "Of course I'm going. His Majesty promised to teach me riding and archery."

"Very well, come with me to change your clothes."

Consort Zheng walked to Emperor Xuan's side and looked at Empress Pei provocatively.

Empress Pei ignored her and smiled more broadly as she watched Pei Yu approach.

As soon as Emperor Xuan left with Consort Zheng, Empress Pei ordered the palace servants to remove Consort Zheng's desk and replace it with a wider, more spacious low table made of rosewood.

She ordered the palace servants to summon Consort Xiao, Su Jinghao, Huiyin, and He Jiaying to her side.

Once everyone was gathered, she asked them to sit down and enthusiastically had Yao Lan set up a Liubo chessboard, inviting the four of them to start gambling.

Consort Xiao covered her face and laughed, "Why did Your Highness decide to play this game today?"

"I'm in a good mood today, so a couple of bets won't hurt," Empress Pei replied with a smile.

Empress Pei sat in the main seat, with Consort Xiao to her right and Su Jinghao to her left. Huiyin and He Jiaying sat on one side.

Su Jinghao asked, "How big of a game does Your Majesty want to play?"

Empress Pei raised an eyebrow. "How about we go big? One ingot of gold per round?"

Consort Xiao: "Great! I was just worried about not having any money to spend lately, and now the Empress has brought me money."

"You're just full of empty boasts," Empress Pei said with a laugh.

Although Su Jinghao didn't particularly like Liubo, she wouldn't spoil Empress Pei's mood in public. He Jiaying's eyes lit up at the mention of a game worth one gold ingot, while Huiyin looked pale and sickly—simply because she was broke.

After a moment of internal struggle, Huiyin finally spoke softly, "Your Majesty, I... have no money."

Empress Pei didn't hear clearly, "What?"

Su Jinghao answered faster than anyone else, "Your Majesty, Sister Huiyin said she has no money."

Huiyin avoided her mocking gaze and looked pleadingly at Empress Pei, hoping she would say something to remove her from the competition. Winning would be wonderful, but if she lost several rounds in a row, where would she get the money? She couldn't very well borrow from Feng Cheng.

Empress Pei was taken aback at first, then burst out laughing. She and Consort Xiao laughed for a while before stopping.

Huiyin felt a little embarrassed, while He Jiaying beside her was still saying that she could lend her money.

Empress Pei glanced at Huiyin, who was whispering with He Jiaying, and with an amused expression, ordered someone to fetch Pei Yu.

Huiyin suppressed He Jiaying's idea of ​​borrowing money and looked up at the Empress. She saw Empress Pei staring intently behind her, saying, "Pei Yuanxi, is this how you act as a husband? You won't even let me use your money?"

Huiyin froze, not daring to turn around. She heard Pei Yu's familiar tone; he was laughing, "Aunt, I don't understand, please explain."

Empress Pei teased Huiyin, "I've come all this way today and would like to gamble a couple of rounds, but you, my little lady, have no money?"

Huiyin lowered her head, her ear tips flushed red; she had once again lost face in front of him today.

The familiar scent of soapberry wafted over, and someone leaned close to her, placing a money bag in front of her. The clinking of gold coins inside the bag was crisp and pleasant.

"If you win, it's yours; if you lose, it's on me."

Huiyin looked up and saw that he had changed into a black outfit, with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, straight eyebrows, and bright eyes, exuding a heroic spirit.

Huiyin didn't know what to say. Someone behind her called Pei Yu's name. He lazily turned around and responded, then raised his hand to pat Huiyin's head before turning and leaving.

After he left, the gambling began. Huiyin was somewhat unsettled because of his words and lost several rounds in a row, leaving her bag empty of gold coins.

He Jiaying, standing to the side, was making a fortune and couldn't stop smiling.

In the following rounds, she forced herself to calm down, and although she didn't win, she managed to break even.

After playing for a while, Empress Pei became a little tired and left to rest. Huiyin ignored Su Jinghao's sarcasm and counted the gold coins inside her bag. She only looked up after Su Jinghao left.

He asked He Jiaying beside him, "Where did Guangling go?"

He Jiaying pointed to the pavilion at the bottom of the East Gate Tower and said with certainty, "I've been watching her the whole time, and she went in there."

"Did you see that male concubine?"

He Jiaying shook her head. "Could it be that Guangling didn't bring him?"

Huiyin: "No, she's so fearless. She even dared to have an affair with a gigolo on the night of the palace banquet, let alone today."

He Jiaying's eyes widened. "You...you told me they were getting a massage!"

"Just kidding."