Chapter 65 Mortals "Men are all like this."...
Lunch was served at the Linshui Liangxuan Pavilion, where one of the dishes, rose-flavored red bean pastries, was particularly outstanding. The outer crust was as thin as a cicada's wing, and the filling of red bean paste was delicate and soft, with a subtle fragrance of roses.
Meng Lingyao had already eaten until she was about 70% full, as usual, but she couldn't resist trying two more pieces. She ate until she was completely satisfied before reluctantly putting down her chopsticks.
When it was time to say goodbye, Qingzhou was waiting at the carriage with a two-tiered food box. She handed it to Songlan and said, "These are some snacks that the kitchen just made. Miss, please keep them and try them on the way."
He mentioned it casually, his tone natural, “The pastry chef in your household is an old master of the Pei family, whose skills are comparable to those of the imperial chefs. If Miss finds it delicious, you are welcome to come and visit often when you have some free time.”
Meng Lingyao smiled and nodded, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, only offering a thank you.
One morning, Pei Xu went to court as usual.
An elderly minister standing at the front frowned slightly, his nostrils flared, and he muttered to himself, "Strange...where is this fragrance coming from?"
It is light and elegant, like the refreshing scent of grass and leaves after rain, which is very refreshing and different from the ambergris that is usually used in the palace.
"Lord Zhang." The Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works beside him gestured to Pei Xu, who was not far away, indicating that the fragrance originated from him.
The old minister asked in surprise, "Hasn't Minister Pei always disliked using these cosmetics?"
The young men of the capital all loved incense, and his youngest son was particularly obsessed with it, claiming to be imitating the elegance of the Wei and Jin scholars, but in reality, he was covered in strange smells that made his head ache.
He had always admired Pei Shaoqing's clean and refreshing nature, but one day he unexpectedly smelled a fragrance on him.
The Left Vice Minister held up his official tablet and said in a low voice, "Perhaps he has changed his mind recently. It's only human nature, so it's alright."
The Right Vice Minister, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up, "I understand."
The two of them turned to look at him.
The Right Vice Minister stroked his gray beard and said leisurely, "My wife returned from outside yesterday, carrying a small bottle that she treasured like a precious gem. She said it was a new perfume she had finally found, with miraculous effects in repelling mosquitoes and insects. The scent..."
He looked at Pei Xu thoughtfully, “It is very similar to what I smelled today.”
The Left Vice Minister's eyes lit up. "Is it a fragrance from Juxianglou? My daughter also bought a bottle back, saying that noble ladies in the capital are all looking for it."
The Right Vice Minister nodded. "Indeed. But this Juxiang Pavilion..." He glanced meaningfully at his two colleagues, "...isn't that property of Vice Minister Meng's household?"
The three exchanged glances, all recalling the widely circulated story from a while back about the two families coming to propose marriage together.
A knowing smile appeared in the old minister's eyes. He stroked his beard and slowly concluded, "So that's how it is. When a person is overjoyed, their aura naturally radiates elegance. Minister Pei... it seems he is indeed just another mortal."
After the court assembly, in the East Warm Pavilion of the Zichen Palace, wisps of aloeswood incense wafted from the Boshan censer.
The emperor dismissed his attendants, leaving only Pei Xu standing below the steps.
"Yanxing, come closer and speak." The emperor put down the memorial in his hand and pointed to the brocade stool next to his desk.
Pei Xu bowed and sat down in the designated spot.
The emperor's gaze fell on the words "Southwest" on the memorial, and he said, "I have read the military report again. My sister's journey to the Southwest has truly troubled me. The terrain there is treacherous, the tribes are numerous and varied, and it is far from the central government..."
He looked up at Pei Ningzhi, his eyes filled with deep worry. "If she hadn't insisted on going herself, I would never have agreed. After all..." The emperor paused, his words tinged with unresolved pain.
"Your Highness has cared for the southwest for decades. This trip will surely be able to appease the various tribes and stabilize the borders on behalf of His Majesty, thus demonstrating the Emperor's boundless grace," Pei Xu replied respectfully.
The emperor sighed deeply, seemingly lost in the past, "How could I not know? Back then, Pei Dalang was a man of extraordinary talent in both literature and military strategy, wasn't he..."
Mentioning the eldest son of the Pei family, the imperial son-in-law who died in battle in the deep mountains of the southwest, a shadow fell over the emperor's eyes. "Although my elder sister never mentions it on the surface, has she ever let it go for even a day in the past ten years?"
He waved his hand, as if to brush away the heaviness, "Fortunately, the soldiers I sent on this mission are all battle-hardened elites, and with the imperial banners protecting them, I believe we can be safe."
The conversation then shifted. The emperor gazed at the minister below, his eyes lingering on his brow, which appeared softer than usual, and a smile involuntarily appeared on his lips. "Today, as I sit on the dragon throne, I see you from afar, your face beaming with joy and your spirit soaring. Yanxing, has your wish come true?"
Pei Xu paused for a moment, then nodded and said, "Your Majesty has keen insight."
Upon hearing this, the emperor burst into laughter, pointing a finger at Pei Xu, "You taciturn fellow, you've finally met your match!"
He leaned closer and took an exaggerated sniff, "They've even started using incense. It really makes a big difference."
Suddenly, the emperor seemed to remember something and said, "A few days ago, Consort Jing seemed to mention to me that the young lady from the Meng family is very thoughtful and has a good understanding of perfumery."
He narrowed his eyes, looking at Pei Xu with a half-smile, "Is this fragrance on you a gift from your future wife, Mrs. Pei?"
A barely perceptible blush crept onto Pei Xu's earlobes. He lowered his head in silence, rose from his seat, and bowed, performing an impeccable salute.
Seeing this, the emperor was even more delighted. "Very good! When you two get married, I will prepare a generous gift for you, to add to your joy!"
Pei Xu was very pleased with the marriage alliance with the Meng family. The Meng family was not a prominent clan, but rather a family of upright character and pure lineage, without any entangled factions or powerful allies.
Pei Xu felt much more at ease about forming this marriage alliance than he would have with other powerful families in the court.
The emperor smiled warmly, like the most benevolent elder, "I have one more thing to tell you: governing a large country is like cooking a small fish; managing one's family comes first. Only when the family is at peace can everything else have a foundation."
Pei Xu bowed again, "Your Majesty, I understand your profound meaning."
At Commander Zhong's residence, Zhong Jingshu rested her chin on her hand, blinked her bright almond-shaped eyes, and looked at her cousin with a half-smile, "Cousin, you must have chosen Lord Pei."
Meng Lingyao took a sip of tea and asked, "How do you know?"
Zhong Jingshu slammed her hand on the table with a self-righteous air: "Why else? It's naturally because he's good-looking!"
After saying that, she even made a heart-clutching gesture, "Such a handsome and jade-like man, I wouldn't be able to refuse him either."
Meng Lingyao chuckled, "Jing Shu understands me best."
"Oh dear, cousin, you're so frank!" Zhong Jingshu leaned closer and whispered, "But isn't it a bit too hasty to get married just because someone is good-looking? What if later..."
Meng Lingyao remained calm, slowly peeling a grape. "Not entirely. His good looks are one thing, but he's also genuinely kind to me. And..."
She paused briefly before continuing, "His family doesn't have any elders to control me, so after marriage I can often go back to my parents' home to visit them without being bound by those mother-in-law and daughter-in-law rules. I think it's worth trying."
Zhong Jingshu blinked. "What if he changes his mind later?"
“If my heart changes, I’ll get a divorce.” Meng Lingyao answered decisively. “My parents love me and would never abandon me. Even if… even if they are gone one day, with the current momentum of Juxianglou, it’s enough to support me to live a wealthy and stable life. As a woman, having money in hand makes me feel secure.”
Zhong Jingshu listened thoughtfully for a while before saying, "Cousin, you've thought this through very well."
Her eyes darted around, "Does my cousin know when Lord Pei first took a liking to you?"
Meng Lingyao pondered for a moment, "It was around the time of last year's Spring Festival, I think."
“Last year! So early!” Zhong Jingshu’s eyes widened.
Meng Lingyao nodded demurely.
Back then, Pei Xu had already given her a token worth a fortune. How could he not be deeply in love with her?
"It was during that trip with my grandmother to the mountain to offer incense that I got lost while admiring the scenery, and he was the only one who saved me."
"It turns out it was a case of a hero saving a damsel in distress." Zhong Jingshu lamented, "If I had known this would happen, I would have gone with them to offer incense that day!" That way, I could have witnessed such a grand occasion up close.
She pressed on, "And then what happened?"
Meng Lingyao briefly touched upon the many entanglements in between, saying, "...When he came to propose marriage, he said that I was 'wise and intelligent, talented and outstanding, with a demeanor as bright as the sun and moon,' and that he had admired me for a long time."
She recited Pei Xu's words from that day's visit, word for word.
Zhong Jingshu was captivated by what she heard and was about to sigh when she suddenly heard a very faint rustling sound coming from the flower bushes outside the window.
Her eyes suddenly sharpened, and she abruptly stood up, her right hand flashing as she pulled the soft leather whip wrapped around her waist, shouting sharply, "Who goes there!"
In an instant, her innocent charm vanished, replaced by a fierce and menacing aura, truly befitting the demeanor of a daughter of a military family.
A few breaths later, the window was pushed open from the outside, revealing Zhong Dingming's slightly embarrassed smile, with Zhong Dingyao standing awkwardly behind him.
"It's you?" Zhong Jingshu immediately lost her momentum, lightly tapping her palm with the handle of the whip, and said disdainfully, "A grown man like you actually resorts to such despicable means to eavesdrop on your daughter's whispers!"
Zhong Dingming coughed lightly and protested, "Innocent! I just happened to be passing by...it really was just a coincidence!"
His gaze swept over Meng Lingyao, his expression suddenly turning serious. He grabbed the windowsill and said urgently, "Cousin! I just happened to overhear a few words, but there are some things I have to say! No matter how eloquently a man speaks, vows of eternal love, hearing is believing, seeing is believing. Don't be blinded by those sweet words! What matters is not what he says, but what he does!" After speaking, he looked at his brother, seeking his approval.
Zhong Dingyao nodded in agreement, "That's right, all men are like this."
Zhong Jingshu pouted, clearly not wanting to hear it. She leaned close to Meng Lingyao's ear and whispered, "Cousin, don't listen to them. General Zhao went to see my two cousins a few days ago, as if he wanted them to deliver some message for him."
Upon hearing this, the two men nearly jumped up simultaneously in a panic. "Yes, that's true! But we brothers aren't the kind of people who would side with outsiders. We refused outright!"
Meng Lingyao smiled slightly, her eyes calm, "I trust my two cousins' character."
Her gaze drifted gently to the two people outside the window. "But... I still have something I'm curious about. Aside from his unreliable words... are there other 'characters' of men? Why don't you tell me all at once, so I can be more informed in the future?"
The two cousins' faces flushed red and then turned pale. One looked up at the sky and the other at the ground, and neither of them said a word.
After a moment, Zhong Dingming hurriedly changed the subject, "Judging from this noise, the kitchen is probably almost ready! Come on, let's eat! Big brother is home today too, don't keep him waiting!"
Zhong Dingyao, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon, repeatedly agreed. The two then made their escape.
“Tch,” Zhong Jingshu rolled her eyes, “those two…”
Upon hearing that her older cousin was also home today, Meng Lingyao's eyes flickered slightly, and she seemed a little dazed for a moment.
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