Chapter 56: Deep Sibling Affection
The doctor probably thought they were crazy. Although he didn't understand what they were thinking, he still bandaged Pei Wu's wound.
Pei Wu actually wanted to struggle, but Jiang Ru forcefully suppressed him, leaving him no choice but to submit.
The doctor bandaged Pei Wu's wound, took the money, left some medicine, and then left. Pei Wu raised his hand; his hand was wrapped up like a rice dumpling, all five fingers were bound, making it inconvenient for him to do anything.
Pei Wu continued to resist: "How can I write like this?"
Jiang Ru stroked his fur and said, "Let him rest for a few days, he'll be fine after a while."
Pei Wu stared at Jiang Ru for a long time before finally giving in.
Actually, this is what he was thinking: he was going to take up his post at the Secretariat-Chancellery tomorrow, so he would untie the gauze from his hand then…
Jiang Ru seemed to see right through him and immediately said, "Don't remove the gauze, or you're finished."
After saying that, Jiang Ru realized that her attitude was a bit harsh, so she added, "You should keep it bandaged properly, otherwise I won't be able to eat or sleep if I don't see your wound healing."
Pei Wu: "...Okay."
Even though he knew perfectly well that Jiang Ru's words were all lies, Pei Wu still readily agreed to her request.
The next morning, Pei Wu changed into his official robes and went out. Now that he had been promoted to the fourth rank, his official robes were no longer scarlet, but purple. Even his boots and fish-shaped pouch had to be changed to purple, and the leather belt around his waist had been changed to gold.
Purple is beautiful but it doesn't suit everyone. Luckily, Pei Wu has a handsome face and a tall, straight posture, otherwise wearing this purple robe would be a disaster.
It was a rather vibrant purple, but Pei Wu's attire actually masked some of his aloofness. He suited bright colors well; they made him appear slightly gentler and less unapproachable.
However, there is only one thing that doesn't quite fit.
Pei Wu was dressed in purple, but with a blue tassel around his waist, which looked extremely mismatched.
Jiang Ru found it an eyesore after just one glance. She walked over and pointed at Pei Wu's tassel: "Why are you still wearing this? Don't you think it's strange?"
Pei Wu glanced down and said, "I don't think so."
Pei Wu not only didn't find anything wrong, but also reached out and gently stroked the knot. However, the next moment, Jiang Ru untied the knot and tossed Pei Wu's knot in her hand, saying, "Don't wear it anymore, it doesn't match."
Pei Wu reached out to take the net back, but he said, "It's a gift."
"Don't take it," Jiang Ru said. "Now that you've changed into your official robes, this color doesn't suit you. Let me make you a new one."
Upon hearing this, Pei Wu finally withdrew his hand, but still seemed somewhat disbelieving of Jiang Ru, emphasizing, "Then you must make this up for me."
Jiang Ru nodded: "Go to work quickly."
In just one year, Pei Wu had already been promoted to the fourth rank. Just as Jiang Ru had said, he was now allowed to attend court. If he was to attend court, Pei Wu would have to get up at the hour of Chou (1-3 AM), when it was still dark. Some people were still awake at that time, but Pei Wu was already up.
The mist dissipated, and a faint light shone through the clouds as the sun rose. Dewdrops still clung to the blades of grass, making it a slightly damp morning.
After having breakfast, Jiang Ru went to the Prime Minister's residence to find Song Shu. During the six months she spent in Jinzhou, Jiang Ru had exchanged letters with Song Shu several times, each time writing a whole page of words. Knowing that she was going back to Bianjing, Song Shu emphasized several times that she should go see her when she returned.
If they hadn't returned so late yesterday, Song Shu probably would have already taken her away.
Jinzhou produces tea, and Jiang Ru specially brought the local specialty, Shanqing Tea, to Song Shu this time. There were already people waiting for Jiang Ru outside the Prime Minister's Mansion, and as soon as she arrived, they invited her to the backyard.
Song Shu was dressed beautifully, with a flower crown and jade-like face, a few pearls on her forehead, and a strapless pleated dress. Sitting there, she looked like a fairy. When she saw Jiang Ru, she crossed her arms and pretended to be angry. Jiang Ru had no choice but to coax her: "Miss Song, what are you angry about?"
Song Shu couldn't help but laugh: "You're just teasing me."
The two chatted for the entire morning, with Jiang Ru recounting her experiences in Jinzhou and Song Shu talking about her time in Bianjing. They each shared a few words, and before they knew it, time had passed.
Jiang Ru had lunch at the Prime Minister's residence, and by the afternoon she had only spoken a little bit, with much more to say.
As the sun was about to set, Jiang Ru decided not to stay any longer. Instead, Song Shu brought up another matter: "In a few days, the Southern Kingdom will be sending tribute to the capital. Your cousin will be very busy then."
Jiang Ru asked in bewilderment, "Aren't tributes only paid in the first month of the year?"
Song Shu: "They said something had delayed them, and it's been dragging on until now."
The Southern Kingdom is alright. It is a vassal state of the Great Xia. Although the Great Xia still needs to receive them when they come, it is much easier to get along with them compared to other brother states. After all, the Great Xia holds a high position and does not have to consider everything like it does with brother states.
They didn't arrive from the South until May, which brought a bit of novelty to the Great Xia.
Song Shu added, "At that time, the Southern Kingdom will bring many local specialties to Bianjing to sell. You should go and take a look then."
Jiang Ru was very interested and naturally wanted to go. The two agreed to go shopping together, and that's how Jiang Ru left the Prime Minister's residence.
Pei Wu arrived at the Zhongshu Gate with his hand tightly bandaged. As soon as he entered, he attracted countless stares, and some even stepped forward to ask how Lord Pei could have suffered such a serious injury.
Pei Wu gave a vague answer and moved on, then went to find Song Pingzhang amidst the concerned gazes of the crowd.
Song Pingzhang had been waiting for his return every day, and now that he had finally seen him, he sighed with emotion: "I knew you were a pillar of society, and you would never disappoint me."
As soon as he finished speaking, his gaze fell on Pei Wu's hand, and he was shocked: "What happened to your hand?"
Pei Wu glanced down at his hand and said without changing his expression, "I suffered a minor injury."
Song Pingzhang didn't believe it: "It's all bandaged up like this, how can it be a minor injury? Why didn't you say so earlier? If you had said so earlier, you could have come a few days later. Sigh, you're still too conventional."
Pei Wu didn't know how to explain that his injury was truly minor, so he could only say with a blank face, "It's nothing."
Moreover, as he said, his minor injury was indeed not a problem, because he was completely unrestricted in his movements. If there was anything wrong with it, it was that his hand was wrapped up too tightly, making it a little difficult to clench his fist.
Even his handwriting remained completely unaffected, still beautifully written without the slightest decline. Song Pingzhang stared in disbelief, looking at Pei Wu's hand and asking, "Are you sure your hand is alright?"
Pei Wu nodded: "It's nothing, just a minor injury."
Song Pingzhang praised, "Truly, patience is the key to success, as steadfast as a pine or cypress."
Pei Wu: "..." He wasn't actually that badly injured.
He couldn't argue with Song Pingzhang, and Song Pingzhang wouldn't believe him even if he told the truth, so Pei Wu could only let him think whatever he wanted.
Song Pingzhang had also told Pei Wu about the upcoming tribute mission from the Southern Kingdom. As the prime minister, Song Pingzhang naturally attended to receive him. Pei Wu had never seen such a scene before, and given his rank, he was required to attend. After briefly explaining some matters to him, Song Pingzhang patted him on the shoulder and told him to prepare well.
After speaking, he looked at Pei Wu's hand: "I just wonder if your hand... will be able to recover."
Pei Wu immediately replied, "Yes."
"Really?" Song Pingzhang was skeptical. He told Pei Wu, "Even if the injury hasn't healed, you can't bandage it. Otherwise, people will say that our Great Xia is exploiting its officials by having them attend with injuries."
Pei Wu had no choice but to assure him again, "It can be restored."
Song Pingzhang then believed it.
When it comes to the tribute missions from the Southern Kingdom, there are many intricacies involved. In exchanges between the two sides, it is inevitable to have both literary and martial arts competitions. Pei Wu is certainly good at literary matters, but he is somewhat inferior in martial arts.
Although he was a civil official and not needed, he still had to prepare in advance. So Pei Wu went to a military academy to study, where all the officers were military officers, and he was able to learn a lot there.
Therefore, after Pei Wu finished his duties, he would go to the martial arts academy again. The martial arts academy was affiliated with the Imperial Academy, and the students there were naturally those who had not yet taken the imperial examinations. When Pei Wu suddenly appeared, everyone was curious and surprised. After watching him for two days, they all developed a good impression of him and were willing to teach him everything they knew.
Pei Wu learned martial arts, archery, and horseback riding, running around like a spinning top every day, his energy was truly boundless.
Under Jiang Ru's "meticulous care," his wound had almost fully healed, and the gauze was removed after a few days, with the scabs scabbed over and healed.
Jiang Ru didn't notice anything amiss while practicing martial arts and shaping her body, until one day she suddenly saw Pei Wu and immediately sensed a change in him. It was hard to explain in detail, but the change was too obvious.
He was probably much healthier now, with a fierce look in his eyes, no longer as frail as before. Sometimes he walked with a powerful stride, which startled Jiang Ru.
Pei Wu, who had just returned from martial arts training, was dressed in a smart outfit, looking capable and efficient. It wasn't so obvious when he was wearing a long robe before, but now that the clothes were close to his body, Jiang Ru could see clearly that his shoulders and back used to be very thin, like those of a young boy. Now they were relaxed, his shoulders and back were strong, and his waist and abdominal muscles contained endless power. The lines were smooth and the beauty was outstanding.
It's like I suddenly grew up.
At first, Pei Wu didn't know how to balance. Sometimes he learned their habits and sat with a bold and unrestrained posture.
Noticing Jiang Ru's gaze, he would subtly adjust his posture, becoming upright and handsome, as if the person from just now was not him.
His changes were always hard for Jiang Ru to describe. If you said he had improved, he had indeed undergone a complete transformation and his physical condition had also improved. If you said he hadn't improved, it was just that he had been surrounded by men for too long and always carried a very straight-man vibe.
He also carried arrows with him at all times. Once, he drew his longbow and shot down a bird, which died tragically in the courtyard.
Seeing this, Jiang Ru punched him hard: "Are you sick? Why are you shooting birds for no reason?"
Pei Wu probably also felt that he had been possessed, and he glanced at Jiang Ru somewhat embarrassedly: "I forgot."
People who study martial arts often do this; he just followed suit and learned from them.
Jiang Ru found him indescribable, unable to understand how Pei Wu had become so assimilated in just a few days. She stared at Pei Wu for a while and said, "Why don't you learn to weave nets with me? That might help you turn things around a bit."
To calm his mind and cultivate his character, and to at least balance things out so that he wouldn't just be fighting all day, Pei Wu would spend half an hour each day weaving nets with Jiang Ru.
Jiang Ru made the knotted cord to give to Pei Wu, to match his official robes, so it was yellow. Pei Wu made the corded cord pink. He learns quickly in most things, but he's not good at making knotted cords, so Jiang Ru always has to teach him step by step.
Jiang Ru had to demonstrate several times before Pei Wu could learn it.
The candlelight was lit, and the two of them sat at the table, one teaching and the other learning. The atmosphere was harmonious and warm, and Jiang Ru couldn't help but think of an idiom: "a loving mother and a filial son."
No, Pei Wu is the older brother, and she is the younger sister, so this term shouldn't be used.
The phrase "brotherly love and sisterly respect" is correct.
Jiang Ru was extremely satisfied. Seeing that Pei Wu had made another mistake, she couldn't help but correct him: "Wrong, wrong, you've made a mistake again."
She touched Pei Wu's hand; it was warm, and the fingertips were somewhat rough.
When she touched him, Pei Wu suddenly released his grip, and the tassel fell to the ground.
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Author's Note: Pei, slowly growing into a man...
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