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Several years later, Pei Xianhui was finally able to control her emotions and spend time with her sister in the same room.
She seemed to have not spoken for a long time, and when she did speak, she stammered like a toddler.
At this moment, the roles between the sisters seemed to have reversed. Pei Xuanji had been training outside for so long and had grown a lot. Unconsciously, she took care of her sister just as her sister had taken care of her when she was young.
After dark, Pei Xianhui tugged at her sister's sleeve and said, "Stay here and sleep together."
Pei Xuanji naturally agreed.
The maids outside heard that the room had quieted down and thoughtfully came over to ask if they wanted hot water.
Pei Xuanji agreed, and used the hot water brought by the maids to soothe her swollen eyes, and also wiped her sister's face.
She took out the clothes she had brought for Pei Xianhui and pushed them into her sister's hands, saying, "...These are the clothes I made for you. Do you like them?"
Pei Xianhui lowered her head and opened the box. Inside was a lilac-colored long dress. She reached out and touched it; it felt smooth.
Pei Xianhui took the long dress out of the box, held it up in front of her, and gave Pei Xuanji a stiff smile: "Does it look good?"
Pei Xuanji nodded: "It looks absolutely beautiful."
At home, Pei Xianhui was a young lady who loved to dress up. When various banquets were held at home, she would always discuss with Madam Zeng what clothes her sisters should wear. General Pei and Madam Zeng doted on her, and all year round, the best and newest fabrics in the house were sent to her first to choose from.
When Pei Xuanji was little, every time she went to play in her older sister's yard, her sister would always drag her around to dress her up. Her sister not only liked to dress herself up, but also loved to dress her up.
But when Pei Xuanji saw Pei Xianhui today, she noticed that the simple Taoist robe she was wearing had been washed until it was faded. Looking around the house where she was now living, she felt that it was empty and devoid of any decoration, just as pale as she was.
The tears that had been held back welled up again. Pei Xuanji forced herself to hold back her tears and watched with a smile as her sister changed into her new clothes.
Pei Xianhui was too thin, but this dress fit her perfectly, making her figure look well-proportioned, and the light lilac color made her face look more rosy.
But her expression showed some hesitation: "Really, does it look good?"
Pei Xuanji cheered and clapped, "My sister is the most beautiful! She looks good in anything!"
Pei Xianhui smiled shyly. She carefully took off her long dress, went out and called her maids, instructing them to put it away carefully.
It seemed she rarely made such a request. The maid who was called over was delighted and quickly said, "In that case, how about the nun wears this tomorrow? The palace also sent some newly made jewelry. You can choose the one you like, and we'll style your hair in a fashionable way."
The maid mentioned the palace, which made Pei Xuanji's heart tighten.
She was afraid her sister would have another attack.
Pei Xianhui's expression remained calm; she simply nodded to the maid and said "okay."
The elder sister did not seem to resist going to the palace.
Pei Xuanji cautiously probed, "I haven't seen you wearing any jewelry, sister. Do you not like the styles sent from the palace?"
Pei Xianhui turned her head and said, "I don't want to wear those standard styles."
Pei Xuanji let out a soft "uh," swallowing the rest of her words.
Every quarter, the palace would send Pei Xianhui a set amount of food, clothing, and other necessities according to the prescribed allowance. Over time, she got used to it and didn't feel uncomfortable because the items were sent by the palace.
Sun San truly cared for her, but the two were destined to be apart in this life.
Pei Xuanji sighed inwardly. Now she only hoped that they would be well and that in ten or twenty years, when time had smoothed everything over, they might be able to talk to each other calmly again.
Similarly, the same applies to Hui.
That long dress fits Pei Xianhui so well; she must have secretly come to see it many times these past few days.
Hui's sincere feelings for her mother will only be reciprocated when time heals the bloody wounds.
Pei Xuanji stayed for dinner, and Pei Xianhui sat beside her the whole time, serving her food.
"Sister, eat more, you're too thin."
Pei Xuanji covered the bowl to stop her from putting any more food in it for her.
Pei Xianhui put down her chopsticks and smiled sheepishly, "I forgot, my little sister has grown up."
My younger sister has grown up and I can protect her now.
Pei Xuanji lowered her head and stuffed food into her mouth, thinking to herself that when her sister was feeling better, she would take her to Jiangnan and the borderlands to see the scenery outside the capital.
Everything is moving in a positive direction.
Days passed by one by one, and before we knew it, a new year had arrived.
On New Year's Eve, Baozhu and Li Zhi declined their friends' invitations and stayed at the official residence, spending the New Year just for the two of them.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, after Li Zhi finished sweeping the snow in front of the door, his fingers were so cold that he quickly went back inside and rubbed his hands against Baozhu.
Baozhu absentmindedly pulled Li Zhi's hand and held it in her bosom.
Li Zhi noticed something was wrong, leaned over and kissed Baozhu's cheek, asking softly, "What's wrong?"
Baozhu sighed and said softly, "We've been away from our hometown for half a year now. It's so cold. I wonder if there's any food left in the mountains."
Li Zhi understood; Baozhu missed her sisters.
In November, things at the Temple of Strange People became much less busy, and by December, everything was back on track, and they had even more free time.
Now that everything outside is done, it's time to go back and visit.
Li Zhi thought for a moment and suggested, "Why don't we ask our superiors for permission to travel to Qiling County for a while?"
Upon hearing this, Baozhu's eyes lit up, and she exclaimed happily, "How come I didn't think of this idea? I've been thinking that the New Year holiday is only fifteen days long, which is too short for us to make a round trip."
Without hesitation, Li Zhi sat down at his desk and drafted a letter, intending to deliver it to Pei Jiangping's residence when he paid his New Year's visit.
They didn't have many relatives and friends to visit in the capital, and they could finish visiting them in two or three days. After discussing it with Baozhu, Li Zhi chose Protector Pei's place as their first stop.
Pei Jiangping lived alone in a larger official residence. She was almost sixty years old and had never married. She lived a simple life and felt gratified when Li Zhi came to her door with simple gifts.
“Every year during the Lunar New Year, I’m afraid the Celestial Masters below will come to pay their respects with lavish gifts. You’re not bad, kid,” Pei Jiangping said with a smile.
Li Zhi took out the letter and handed it to Pei Jiangping, saying with a smile, "If you find this letter acceptable after reading it, then it is truly excellent."
Li Zhi was young, but extremely calm and talented. Pei Jiangping had worked with him for some time and thought highly of him. She took the letter with suspicion, read it quickly, and sneered, "I wondered what it was about. Even if you didn't say it, I wanted you to go out and gain some experience."
And so the matter was settled. After the New Year, Baozhu Li Zhi bid farewell to his friends, packed his bags, and boarded King Jinlin's ship.
They traveled and explored along the way, and after more than half a month, they finally set foot on their homeland again.
The south was no longer cold at this time, and tender green buds were sprouting on the trees along the roadside.
They returned to Fuxia Village. Li Zhi first cleaned up the old courtyard of his house, and then he and Baozhu drove the newly bought carriage up the mountain.
The closer Baozhu got to her hometown, the more uneasy she became, and every day she dreamed of red foxes.
When the mountain finally came into view, she could no longer contain herself, transformed into a fox, and rushed into the mountain.
Li Zhi, driving the carriage, heard the long cry of the pearl echoing through the mountains.
After a while, the cry of another fox came.
Seeing this, Li Zhi quickened his pace, driving the carriage with difficulty through the mountains. Before long, two foxes appeared before him, one snow-white and the other fiery red, leaning against each other and affectionately licking each other.
This is his sister-in-law.
Li Zhi alighted from the carriage, hesitated for a moment, then slowly approached them, bowing softly to the red fox and saying, "I am Li Zhi."
He suddenly spoke, startling the red fox that was nuzzling Baozhu. It jumped high with a squeak, staring at Li Zhi with its wide, bronze eyes.
Li Zhi looked at it, and it looked at Li Zhi.
After a long while, the red fox slowly walked step by step to a spot two steps away from Li Zhi, stretching its neck and sniffing gently.
It smelled the pearl on Li Zhi, and its eyes widened as it turned to look at the pearl.
“He’s my mate!” Baozhu stepped forward and nuzzled the red fox with her nose. “What about the male fox you liked? Don’t you like him anymore? I’ll find you another one.”
Upon hearing this, the red fox turned around and let out a loud cry into the woods.
A moment later, a handsome male fox emerged from the forest, and then—
Baozhu gasped in shock as she watched five fluffy little foxes emerge from behind the male fox and stumble as they ran toward the red fox.
She nearly fainted! She'd only been gone for six months! The red fox's love affair was one thing, but how did she end up with five cubs!
Baozhu let out a mournful cry.
The red fox and its five cubs turned to look at her.
“I was wondering why your fur was so rough and you’d gotten so thin.” Baozhu’s nose stung, and she burst into tears. “You’ve suffered so much. It’s all my fault for being gone for so long.”
She cried so hard, and the red fox also felt down.
The much thinner red fox walked to her sister's side, puzzled, and licked away her tears soothingly. Then it turned back, picked up its most beautiful cub, and presented it to Baozhu, gesturing for her to see.
Baozhu looked down at her little fox niece and nephews, who were rolling around on the ground with bright, sparkling eyes. She held back her tears and licked their little heads one by one.
The little foxes immediately became excited and jumped up to climb onto the pearl.
Baozhu quickly lay down, letting the little foxes climb all over her, gently nibble at her ears, and whimper from being teased by her tail.
As expected of the offspring born to her sisters, each one is beautiful, lively, and healthy.
Baozhu looked at the expectant red fox and burst into laughter through her tears.
Then she turned to Li Zhi and said in a thick nasal voice, "I didn't expect there to be five more cubs. It seems we didn't prepare enough jerky. I'm going to go into the mountains to hunt some more. Wait for me."
Li Zhi hesitated, thinking that there were four or five hundred catties of dried meat on the carriage, which could be delivered after the Red Fox family finished eating.
But seeing Baozhu's guilty expression, he swallowed his words and praised her instead, "Baozhu is so thoughtful."
Baozhu shook off the meat off her nephews, stood up, and said to the red fox, "The dried meat on the carriage is all yours. I'll hunt some fresh meat for you."
The red fox understood and cried out happily. The two foxes disappeared into the forest one after the other.
Li Zhi, who was watching the carriage, and the male fox, who was watching the child, were left in an awkward silence.
Li Zhi glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and thought that her brother-in-law looked handsome. She figured that they were sisters after all, and their tastes were the same.
"My name is Li Zhi."
He turned around and bowed solemnly to the male fox.
The male fox tilted its head and let out a puzzled cry.
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