Chapter 51
The atmosphere froze for a moment. Wu Shiyan looked at Qi Yu with a dim gaze: "Ayu, what exactly are you dissatisfied with about me?"
"Am I really that much inferior to Pei Jin?"
Qi Yu was deflated, her eyes drooping, and she looked quite listless: "What are you saying, Your Majesty? Who can compare you to others?"
"It's just that I'm a mediocre person. I only like people who flatter me, and I don't like people who force me or treat me coldly. The fault doesn't lie with Your Majesty, but with me."
"Your Majesty, I am not in the mood to deal with this at the moment. You may leave now. Eunuch Tian should have already prepared Your Majesty's residence."
Qi Yu smoothed her hair, her gaze lingering on the hairpin in Wu Shiyan's hand for a moment.
She was extremely annoyed. Why didn't he take off his own outer garment before getting into bed, instead of trying to pull out her hairpin?
Wu Shiyan was helpless against Qi Yu, who was full of soft thorns: "What if I don't leave?"
Qi Yu turned her face away: "Then I will be helpless... Isn't it precisely because Your Majesty knows this that you have so brazenly taken me to bed?"
Given Wu Shiyan's behavior, how could she not feel disappointed in him, and how could she not feel joy upon seeing Pei Jin?
She's not someone who only revolves around Wu Shiyan.
Isn't Pei Jin appealing?
Wu Shiyan's gaze darkened, and his tone turned cold: "You're thinking about Pei Jin."
Qi Yu blinked, her eyes regaining their clarity.
"You want me to leave because you're afraid Pei Jin will be wronged, isn't that right?" A hint of tears flashed in Wu Shiyan's eyes as he lifted his eyelids to conceal his emotions.
Qi Yu looked puzzled, not noticing this detail. She was very confused as to why Wu Shiyan would ask such a question.
Isn't it clear enough that she doesn't want to, that she's unwilling?
Qi Yu looked at Wu Shiyan, her brows furrowed slightly, and said slowly and deliberately, "It was my own unwillingness."
Upon hearing this, Wu Shiyan's brows suddenly relaxed.
He suddenly realized that even without Pei Jin, Qi Yu would have someone else by her side, sooner or later.
It was he who remained obstinate all along, not Qi Yu who was stubborn towards him.
He couldn't hold onto Qi Yu; it was just that Qi Yu was unwilling to compete with him, and each time he did this, he was wearing down Qi Yu's affection for him.
Yes, Wu Shiyan felt that Qi Yu had liked him, just as she liked Pei Jin now.
It's not that she particularly liked Pei Jin, but compared to him, she could openly tell him that she liked Pei Jin.
If she were to actually face Pei Jin's questioning, Qi Yu would hesitate, just as she had never truly told him she loved or liked him.
But is Qi Yu sincere?
Wu Shiyan felt that it was true, otherwise how could he have received so much indulgence from Qi Yu?
Wu Shiyan knew what kind of person Qi Yu liked, and Qi Yu had never hidden it; she was adorably straightforward.
But ever since he vaguely learned about Qi Yu's identity in Qingshui County, he felt that she would never leave him. After all, so many people had tried to get close to him and kill him, and if Qi Yu's family had a grudge against him, how could they possibly bear to leave him?
Therefore, during those days, he was too unrestrained towards Qi Yu and never thought of pretending again to win her favor.
Qi Yu already has a very good temper. No matter how he treats her, she will only take revenge on him in the moment, but she doesn't even have the ferocity to bite off a piece of flesh.
Moreover, he liked the marks she left on him, and wished they would leave scars that would never heal.
When he gets old, he can point to these scars and say to Ayu, "When did you bite these?" Ayu will say, "You old man, you have such a good memory!" and she will be helpless against him, or she may give him a good beating.
Just thinking about that scene made Wu Shiyan feel joyful.
They have a long road ahead of them.
Therefore, the more Qi Yu disliked him at the time, the happier he was, after all, they were very close, and his bad temper was greatly indulged by Qi Yu.
But now everything is different. Qi Yu doesn't need him anymore. She took pity on Pei Jin and told him that she and Pei Jin had made love.
It turns out she was never his from the beginning.
Wu Shiyan felt depressed and utterly despondent after hearing those words, and could only pretend to be calm, trying to gloss over the matter.
He was in a daze before and had no idea how to deal with Pei Jin or how to sever their relationship.
But now, looking into Qi Yu's determined eyes, Wu Shiyan had a new plan.
Wu Shiyan softened his voice: "I know, I really know."
"Since Ayu doesn't like it, we won't do anything."
Qi Yu looked at Wu Shiyan with hesitation.
Wu Shiyan smiled faintly and held Qi Yu's hand: "I have Tian Wenshan bring Pei Jiu here to serve you. Afterwards, A Yu will dine with me."
He leaned forward: "I have been traveling all this way and haven't had a proper chance to use anything yet."
Qi Yu was secretly on guard and reached out to touch Wu Shiyan's cheek.
Wu Shiyan looked satisfied, then got out of bed and left.
It wasn't until Pei Jiu came over that Qi Yu snapped out of her daze at Wu Shiyan's initiative to lower his head.
This time seems different from the last time; Wu Shiyan is much gentler, both inside and out.
Seeing that the bed was not in disarray and that the Empress had not shown any signs of crying, Pei Jiu felt somewhat relieved.
"Your Majesty, let me comb your hair."
Qi Yu blinked, smiled at Pei Jiu, and sat down on the small round stool in front of the bronze mirror.
Tian Wenshan was in the kitchen overseeing dinner. After Qi Yu sat down, she found that all the dishes were her favorites. Some of them were quite complicated to make, and only the imperial chef who cooked for Wu Shiyan could prepare them.
It's not hard to guess that they brought the cook with them.
Wu Shiyan naturally served Qi Yu a meal, which Qi Yu was already used to, and Wu Shiyan pleased her in this respect.
As night deepened, Wu Shiyan stayed behind.
Qi Yu was lying in bed, not very sleepy, when suddenly, Wu Shiyan, who was next to her, turned to the side and reached out his arm to hug her.
Qi Yu nudged him: "Your Majesty?"
Wu Shiyan whispered, "I missed you so much, let me give you a good hug."
Finally, Wu Shiyan whispered intimately in her ear, as if murmuring or sighing, "Ayu—"
Qi Yu couldn't help but face Wu Shiyan. Seeing that he didn't take any further steps, she loosened her grip on him and curled up in his arms.
As drowsiness overcame her, Qi Yu fell asleep with her head on Wu Shiyan's arm.
Hearing Qi Yu's steady breathing, Wu Shiyan opened his eyes.
Looking at Qi Yu's peaceful sleeping face so close to his eyes, he couldn't help but smile. A Yu hadn't become estranged from him yet.
Thinking of this, Wu Shiyan hugged her even tighter until Qi Yu frowned slightly, at which point he quickly relaxed.
On the other hand, after Qi Yu and Wu Shiyan left, Tian Wenshan invited Pei Jin away so that the imperial physician they brought could treat him.
Pei Jin was not afraid of regaining his memories; he never thought he would give up on Qi Yu.
The imperial physician inserted more than a dozen needles into his head, which terrified Tian Wenshan, who was watching from the side. However, Pei Jin, who only had one memory, remained extremely calm.
Sweat gradually formed on the imperial physician's forehead. He withdrew his hand and said, "It should take about two or three days for Lord Pei to regain his memory. In the next two days, he may experience headaches. I will prescribe a few more doses of medicine. Lord Pei can drink them as needed. If you don't have a headache, you don't need to drink them. Only drink them if your headache is severe."
Tian Wenshan wrote them down one by one.
A moment later, the imperial physician removed the silver needles and left with the palace servants.
Tian Wenshan said, "Lord Pei, please rest well. This servant will take his leave now."
Before His Majesty issues an edict, Lord Pei should avoid offending him if possible.
Who would have thought that Lord Pei's mother was a rebel king—another daughter of the King of Qi who had been living among the common people and was raised by her mother, who came from a merchant family. Later, she met Pei Jin's father, and the two got together.
However, Pei Jin's mother was unaware of this background from birth, which shows her innocence. Later, she met Pei Jin's father. Five years ago, Pei Jin's parents passed away in the military camp. At that time, His Majesty was grieved and gave Pei Jin many important positions.
At that time, the Qi King's army suffered a crushing defeat, but his remaining subordinates were still a force to be reckoned with. They frequently created chaos by having spies in various prefectures.
Pei Jin learned the truth at that time and accepted the power handed over by the remnants of the rebel king, intending to secretly eliminate them.
King Qi was extremely ruthless to himself, so the remnants of the rebel king naturally had to choose a leader according to King Qi's standards. For example, they would have their bodies made immune to all poisons by taking hundreds of medicinal baths and drinking countless medicines, many of which were poisonous. If not handled properly, they would be plagued by diseases.
Pei Jin accepted the offer and succeeded. He eliminated dissidents and consolidated power within this force while removing the most troublesome figures from the court.
As a result, the forces of the remnants of the anti-king regime weakened considerably in just a few years, and they were severely understaffed.
In July of this year, His Majesty demoted Lord Pei to a local post. Lord Pei's actions became much more blatant, directly exposing his true colors and leading to a fierce counterattack from the remnants of the rebel king.
If it weren't for Lord Pei's foresight, he might have lost his life.
Given the great merit that Lord Pei has made, His Majesty may not kill him. If he were to kill him, he would not have wasted words with Lord Pei in front of the Consort.
After Tian Wenshan left, Pei Jin took out the sachet, smelled it lightly, and then looked at it again and again.
-
Qi Yu has been eating and sleeping well these past two days, but there's one problem: Wu Shiyan has to stay by her side all the time.
Even when she went to see Pei Jin, Wu Shiyan would follow, but afterwards he would always be jealous.
If a cold, aloof person stood next to her, anyone would want to keep their distance.
Naturally, some rumors disappeared completely because of Wu Shiyan's behavior. After all, apart from the day His Majesty arrived, Lord Pei and the Consort did not usually have close contact.
After Pei Jin regained his memory, Qi Yu quickly received the news. Wu Shiyan was by her side and remained calm upon hearing it.
Qi Yu subconsciously stood up, her heart filled with unease.
In just a few days, her relationship with Pei Jin was not very strong; it was in danger of breaking down in an instant if Pei Jin did not acknowledge it.
However, after thinking about it, Qi Yu felt relieved. If she were Pei Jin, the safest thing to do would be to deny her relationship with the current imperial concubine.
She wouldn't blame Pei Jin for doing this, but the matter of Hengwu Courtyard was destined to remain hidden from the public eye.
Wu Shiyan took Qi Yu's hand and said, "Ayu, Lord Pei has regained his memory, we should go and visit him."
It was a beautiful sunny day outside, the morning was not hot, and Qi Yu nodded.
She looked down at herself and found that her clothes were adequate, so she didn't change them.
When they arrived at Pei Jin's residence, Pei Jin was standing by the window, looking at something.
His eyes were much clearer, and he no longer looked sickly but instead exuded a sense of wisdom and integrity. The sunlight shining on him warmed the hearts of all who saw him.
On her way here, Qi Yu had already pried Wu Shiyan's hand off, ignoring his dissatisfaction and resentment.
She calmly observed Pei Jin's appearance.
Pei Jin was not surprised to see the two of them. A bitter smile played on his lips. His Majesty's constant contact with Qi Yu was a warning to him.
"Your humble servant pays respects to Your Majesty and the Imperial Concubine."
Qi Yu could tell from his tone that he was different from when he had amnesia. She felt a little lost, but more than that, she felt confused.
Pei Jin lowered his head and continued, "I suffered amnesia a few days ago and thanked Your Highness for taking care of me. Although I have regained my memory thanks to the imperial physician, I cannot remember anything after the amnesia. I asked the palace maid who took care of me and learned that it was Your Highness who saved my life. I have no way to repay Your Highness's life-saving grace. If Your Highness has any need for me, please do not hesitate to ask."
Wu Shiyan relaxed his furrowed brows and smiled: "My dear minister, there's no need for such formality. It is because you have done so many practical things for the common people that Heaven has blessed you so much."
When others call him Lord Pei, it's a respectful title; but when Wu Shiyan calls him Lord Pei, it's a harsh and sarcastic remark.
It's clear that Wu Shiyan is in a good mood right now.
"Since you are unharmed, and the remnants of the rebel king were wiped out a few days ago, you may return to the capital as soon as possible."
Wu Shiyan grasped Qi Yu's hand, and Qi Yu forgot to pull away, letting him have his way.
They had agreed beforehand to let Pei Jin return to the capital.
He wouldn't tell Qi Yu that Pei Jin had known her identity from the very beginning back in Hengwu Courtyard, but he pretended not to know, which made her work hard to impersonate Madam Pei.
Pei Jin also needs to inform Qi Yu as promised that his relationship with Qi Yu is null and void, and from now on they should go their separate ways.
Pei Jin agreed, but he didn't expect that the method of amnesia would be used to downplay the matter.
Qi Yu suddenly spoke up: "Your Majesty, I would like to speak with Lord Pei alone."
She felt a little sad; the amnesiac Pei Jin had vanished with the wind, and she was also somewhat unwilling to accept it.
At least get back what you've given away.
There's no point in keeping Pei Jin around any longer.
Wu Shiyan gripped Qi Yu's hand tightly, becoming nervous: "Ayu, let's go back."
Pei Jin spoke up at the opportune moment: "I wonder what Your Highness wishes to tell me? I am all ears."
Wu Shiyan knew, of course, that Pei Jin wanted to be alone with Qi Yu, but that wouldn't do. What if one of them lost control and the news got out, and he became the villain who ruined their relationship?
—Although he was always like that.
Wu Shiyan smiled at Qi Yu with a hint of grievance and said, "Is there anything I can't hear?"
“Of course Your Majesty can listen.” Qi Yu blinked away the tears that had gathered in her eyes.
She looked up and reached out to Pei Jin, saying, "Lord Pei, you have a sachet on you, but it's useless to you now. Return it to me."
Wu Shiyan's expression froze. What sachet? Ayu hadn't given him anything special.
Pei Jin took out a sachet from his pocket and hesitated, "Is this the one Your Highness is referring to?"
Qi Yu nodded.
Pei Jin smiled and said, "If it is this one, please forgive me for not being able to comply. This is something I have hidden in my bosom. Although I do not know how it came into my possession, the fact that I have it here means it must be very important to me."
“Your Majesty, I have already lost a very precious memory and cannot lose this precious sachet as well. However, Your Majesty can choose another gift to return.”
Qi Yu couldn't help but curl her lips into a smile.
Wu Shiyan said coldly, "My dear minister, you still have a wife at home. Since you have escaped death, you might as well choose a few gifts for your wife."
Even though Qi Yu knew the inside story, her joy gradually subsided.
Pei Jin smiled slightly: "Your Majesty is absolutely right. I knew I would be hunted down after leaving the capital, so I made arrangements for my wife in advance. I still remember that when we were in the capital, my wife would recite essays to me, give me the first embroidered purse she had ever made, and allow me to sleep on the bed because she couldn't bear to see me like that... Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I have said too much."
Qi Yu: "..."
Wu Shiyan's focus was somewhat off: "Why are you sleeping on a couch?"
Pei Jin's gaze fell on Qi Yu for a moment: "You've angered Madam."
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