Chapter 48 You'll Always Be Mine (Bewitched)
The identity document that Pei Xiaoyun gave to Mingying clearly stated that her new identity was the granddaughter of Xie, the esteemed censor from the Xie family, a family of scholars.
It just so happens that the Xie family lost a granddaughter many years ago and searched for her in vain. Pei Xiaoyun wants to give the Xie family a granddaughter, so they probably wouldn't dare to refuse.
All he needed to do was have Mingying marry him under the guise of being the granddaughter of the Xie family, thus silencing the gossip in the court.
He collected all the books that Mingying often read in the room, and gave her only this document, making her read it day and night until she could recite it from memory.
When he returned that night, Mingying threw the book aside and sat by the window in a daze.
His face darkened. He stepped on the flickering candlelight, shattering the candlelight, and walked over to her, asking, "How's your memorization going? Go pick it up, I'll test you."
Mingying blinked, gazing at the booklet in the corner, her thoughts drifting away.
She knew that the name on it wasn't hers, and that identity wasn't hers either; she didn't want to take someone else's identity.
Therefore, when he was not around, she remained steadfast in her beliefs and would not try to memorize such things.
But when he sat down in front of her, his words seemed to carry an uncontrollable guidance, and she inexplicably picked up the paper book again.
Pei Xiaoyun asked her to sit on his lap, and she did not resist. Her eyelashes drooped slightly, like a puppet with a bright exterior but an empty heart.
The man's long, slender, white fingers turned the pages, making a soft rustling sound. "What's your name? Where do you live?"
Mingying was very close to him, and smelling the familiar sandalwood scent on him, her mind drifted, as if she were floating on clouds. Only his hand could hold her up and prevent her from falling.
She was caught in a great dilemma and struggle. Finally, she revealed a set of white teeth and emphasized, "My name is Mingying, and I live in Yangzhou."
"wrong."
Pei Xiaoyun's voice immediately rang out.
He pinched her earlobe hard, until it turned a light pink, then pressed his forehead against hers. "Your surname is Xie, your given name is Xie Wei, you live in the capital, and you are the granddaughter of Xie Zhiting, the Left Censor-in-Chief. Remember that?"
Mingying's eyes were slightly red. She closed her eyes, shook her head a few times, and her breathing quickened.
With her last ounce of strength, she broke free from the net that bound her, snatched the document from his hand, threw it far away, and climbed off his lap: "No, my name is Mingying, I am Mingying."
How could she take someone else's surname, call someone else's name, and assume someone else's identity? She has a name, a surname, parents, and a brother.
When Pei Xiaoyun saw that she dared to resist, a faint fire shone in his eyes, and his dark eyes seemed to want to devour her.
Her disobedience must mean the dosage of that medicine isn't high enough.
"Come here." He pressed her head firmly against his chest and said gently, "I'm planning to marry you and spend my whole life with you. You have to be good and not let me plan for you in vain."
His comforting words sprouted countless invisible tentacles, gripping her tightly and leaving her nowhere to hide.
Mingying pressed herself against his chest, her breathing gradually becoming even. His breath and his words made her want to succumb to them.
But she refused to speak, refused to follow his instructions, and refused to remember a name that wasn't hers.
Pei Xiaoyun then decided to give up for the time being.
Her reaction, compared to before, surprised and pleased him greatly, and he could only proceed slowly.
After that day, he subtly added some Nianchen powder to her meals again.
Mingying really felt like she was going crazy.
He would go out on official business during the day, and she would think about what he looked like, hoping that he would return soon.
He wanted to have sex with her, and she didn't know how to resist, so she could only follow his lead and succumb to his advances.
Her clearest memories of him were those three years in Yangzhou. After that, things were hazy and indistinct. Occasionally, she would recall what he had done to her, but it was like willow catkins drifting by, leaving no trace.
Pei Xiaoyun would repeatedly tell her that they were destined to be together.
They had been together for three years, deeply in love, and had even conceived a daughter. When he returned to Beijing this time, he would marry her in grand style and grow old together with her.
She held the book in her hand, opened it herself, and scanned the lines of text...
—
Pei Xiaoyun had no need to worry that He Lianqing would discover that she had been poisoned by the Nianchen Powder.
Furthermore, even if she were discovered, could she still leave him now?
She had long since become a vine clinging to him, growing wildly and endlessly.
He Lianqing was instructed by Pei Xiaoyun to come and check her pulse every five days to see how well she was recovering.
When he arrived that day, he saw Mingying holding a book and looking at it carefully. He spoke to her, but she didn't hear him.
He approached suspiciously and saw a few lines of writing on the booklet, which seemed to be another woman's name. He asked, "What is this? Why did he show you this?"
He became suspicious. In the past, when he saw her, she always looked worried and like a caged bird. Would she still be willing to say a few words to him?
I've seen her these past few days, and she's become more and more composed each day. Her expression is ordinary, and she doesn't talk much.
Although he had vitality and spirit, it didn't seem like a natural expression of abundant qi and blood; something strange was about him.
Mingying was a little slow to react. After a moment, she replied, "This is my new identity. He told me to remember it and that he would marry me in the future."
He Lianqing's first reaction was that Pei Xiaoyun was too shameless, marrying her under someone else's identity. What kind of nonsense was that? He must have coerced her again.
But when he heard Mingying's calm and composed words, he frowned, looking even more shocked, and tentatively asked, "You're willing to do this?"
Mingying slowly raised her eyes to look at him, wanting to say something, but the words stuck in her throat.
She didn't know what to do either; she couldn't help but follow everything he said.
In He Lianqing's view, her silence was tacit agreement.
His eyes welled up with emotion as he stared at her face for a while.
This is not the Mingying he knows.
No matter how much Pei Xiaoyun coerces her, he can only confine her body, not her heart. She will seek his help and think about escaping.
But how could she possibly agree to such an absurd thing now?
"Is Lin Xian still alive? Did Pei Xiaoyun find him and use him to threaten you and force you to do this?"
After thinking it over and over, this was the only reason he could come up with.
The name "Lin Xian" echoed in Mingying's ears, and the sealed door to her heart was gradually knocked open, allowing a few memories that seemed to come from another world to flow out.
She began to sketch the person's features in her mind, but a sharp pain shot through her heart, the pain driving away the memory without a trace.
"Lin Xian..." She clenched her fists, sweat beading on her forehead, her lips parting slightly, "Who is he?"
He Lianqing was suddenly stunned and speechless. He took her pulse again and found it to be stable without any abnormality.
How could that be?
"You don't remember? He is..."
"Since there's nothing seriously wrong, you may leave now."
In an instant, a deep, cold voice cut off He Lianqing's words from afar.
He turned around and saw Pei Xiaoyun walking over unhurriedly. He looked at the newcomer, feeling a surge of anger that he couldn't vent.
He knew that Pei Xiaoyun must have done something to her to make her like this.
"Guards, drag him out." Pei Xiaoyun met his gaze, his jaw clenched, and he waved for his men to come.
After He Lianqing left, he walked to Mingying's side and saw that her eyes were red and she was clutching her chest, looking extremely pained.
"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" He put his arm around her shoulder, asking knowingly.
He made her take the Mind-Cleansing Powder for so many days, and finally molded her into the way he liked her. Even though there were still some flaws, it didn't matter; he would slowly and carefully refine her.
"Who is he?" Mingying followed his pull, being pressed into his arms, her tears soaking his clothes, and kept asking him, "Who is he?"
Pei Xiaoyun naturally knew that the "he" she was referring to was Lin Xian.
He underestimated Lin Xian's place in his heart; after all these days, she still couldn't forget him.
He smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "He's an insignificant person. You don't need to remember him. Just remember that in this world, only I love you."
A misty haze appeared in Mingying's eyes, and everything was shrouded in a hazy shadow.
Is it unimportant? Then why does her heart ache so much?
Thinking of Lin Xian, Pei Xiaoyun wasn't so confident. He probably knew that in her heart, he couldn't compare to that person.
Therefore, he would not allow any loopholes to exist, and he would never let He Lianqing talk nonsense in front of her again.
—
"What exactly did you do to her?"
He Lianqing called out from outside the study.
He was certain that Mingying had a problem, but he couldn't diagnose it, which meant that Pei Xiaoyun's methods were extremely powerful.
He's a madman who's capable of anything.
Pei Xiaoyun disliked him and ordered his men to drag him out, threatening to cut out his tongue if he made any more noise.
He tolerated He Lianqing only because of his medical skills. If He Lianqing were a cripple who dared to betray him, he would have torn him to pieces and reduced him to ashes long ago.
But these people are all ungrateful and disloyal, which makes him very annoyed.
Xingwei grabbed He Lianqing's arm and led him out.
Only when they reached an empty pavilion did she warn him, "Stop shouting, or I won't be able to save you."
In the dead of night, a gentle breeze rustled through the trees, casting dappled shadows.
He Lianqing angrily broke off a hollow branch, his brows furrowing.
Working under Pei Xiaoyun is truly the worst luck imaginable. He's afraid that Pei Xiaoyun will commit all sorts of evil deeds and that retribution will fall on those around him.
"Have you ever heard of Nianchen San?" Xingwei suddenly asked, her voice muffled by the night wind.
He Lianqing's chest heaved, and a mole at the corner of his eye gleamed with a faint light. He was certain that Xingwei knew something, and pressed her for an answer: "What is this?"
"Go back, don't go looking for death again." Xingwei didn't want to say more, her words carrying a hint of warning, "If the master is really angry, he won't show you any mercy."
The phrase "念尘散" was something she overheard unintentionally that night.
That's all she could tell He Lianqing.
She was very clear about her identity. She was a secret guard. The affairs of the women in the inner quarters had nothing to do with her. She only needed to obey her master's orders. Whoever her master wanted her to kill, she would kill.
He Lianqing knew that she was stubborn and what she was worried about. Fearing that she would cause trouble for her, he stopped asking her questions.
Thoughts dissipate.
What exactly is it? It can change a person's mind.
—
Pei Xiaoyun is known for her ruthless methods in politics.
Even though he didn't get any useful clues from Xiao Yuanyan, he still managed to destroy more than a dozen of the Wuhuan people's hideouts in Xuzhou through his own investigation. This purge ensured that Xuzhou would be free of corruption for a while.
However, they still cannot return to Beijing.
He still has a score to settle with Shen Chun.
Three days later, the ship departed for Hangzhou, and he took Mingying with him, returning to Jiangnan.
The river flows on and on, obliterating all traces of its past course.
At this time, the Northwest is filled with yellow sand and dotted with stars.
The blood-red setting sun meandered like a dragon, swallowing the last sliver of blue sky.
Shen Mingshu spurred his horse and galloped away, beheading the last enemy soldier before sheathing his sword.
This battle repelled the forces of three tribes of the Wuhuan Kingdom. The Central Plains and the Wuhuan had long been locked in a life-or-death struggle. Unless the Wuhuan were completely destroyed, there would only be endless troubles and a brief period of peace.
Having resolved this battle, he had no intention of staying in the Northwest any longer.
The person he was most worried about is still in Pei Xiaoyun's hands.
He had just returned to his tent and taken off his armor when someone lifted the curtain and came in.
"General, we've made some progress on the matter you were investigating," a subordinate reported, presenting a sachet covered in mud. "Based on the portrait you gave us, we secretly searched Guanzhou for a long time and indeed found the person in the portrait."
Shen Mingshu's brow twitched. He wiped the grit off his face, took the sachet, and examined it closely.
That night, he stayed at the hunter's house. Before leaving, he noticed that Lin Xian was wearing this sachet on his waist, which must have been made for him by A Ying.
Pei Xiaoyun had told him that Lin Xian was dead, so naturally he wouldn't believe his side of the story entirely.
Lin Xian's feelings for A Ying were genuine; he could tell.
Therefore, he had to find him, alive or dead, to give Ah Ying an explanation.
At that time, the war situation was urgent, and it was inconvenient for him to stay in Guanzhou any longer. So he sent some people to search for Lin Xian in the area where he fell off the cliff, based on Lin Xian's portrait.
He never expected that Lin Xian was still alive.
"Where are they now?" His chest heaved with emotion.
If Ah Ying knew this news, she would be overjoyed.
The subordinate said, "We went up to question him, but he seemed wary of us. Before we could ask him more than a few questions, he ran away cautiously. We chased after him and found that he had dropped this sachet."
Shen Mingshu gripped the sachet tightly, his eyes dark and brooding.
Lin Xianding assumed that they were sent by Pei Xiaoyun, which is why he became wary.
"Go and search again. If you see him again, reveal my identity."
Meanwhile, he also received news that Pei Xiaoyun had taken Aying back to Hangzhou.
His most important task right now is to go to Hangzhou to find Aying, tell her that Lin Xian is still alive, and then find another opportunity to rescue her.
That was his own sister; he would never let Pei Xiaoyun succeed.
—
After a half-month voyage, Mingying finally returned to Hangzhou.
She often has a hazy memory, only remembering that she once escaped from here, but now she has returned.
Upon arriving at the mansion, Pei Xiaoyun found her many books, all of which recorded the words and actions of noble ladies, and asked her to memorize them and recite them to him.
Sometimes she doesn't want to watch it, feeling annoyed or uneasy, and can't bear to watch it.
She didn't know why she was looking at these things, or what they had to do with her.
Seeing her slackness, Pei Xiaoyun didn't punish her. Instead, he hugged her, made some promises, and told her to listen to him.
Whenever she recited these lines, she would memorize a couple more the next day, but she would still procrastinate.
Pei Xiaoyun wasn't in a hurry; once back in Hangzhou, he would have plenty of time to spend with her.
Shen Chun's collusion with the Wuhuan people was exposed. Taking advantage of his time in Xuzhou, he consolidated the troops in Jiangnan, became powerful and independent, and completely broke with the court. It seems that a war is inevitable sooner or later.
The fortress of Hangzhou is located in Qingshui Bay. Whoever takes this island in the sea first and establishes control will have victory in their grasp.
But whether it's friend or foe, there's one thing that's indispensable for completely capturing Clearwater Bay—a topographical map.
He had to admit that Lin Xian was a genius in the art of painting.
Three years ago, he defeated the Prince of Yi's army and seized power by relying on the map of the Northwest drawn by Lin Xian.
After that, he spent a lot of money to find painters in all over the north and south, but they were all mediocre and none of them could paint the work.
It seems we still need to find Lin Xian.
He was somewhat relieved that Lin Xian hadn't fallen off the cliff and died.
Mingying remained silent all day, sometimes not uttering a single word for an entire day.
Over time, Pei Xiaoyun felt somewhat lonely. Although he had personally turned her into this, he did not want to see her depressed for days on end.
It seemed like a long time since he had seen her bright smile and charming words.
He finally felt a pang of pity and stopped her from reading those books. He was too busy with official duties to attend to her, so he wanted to find someone to talk to her.
But looking around, there wasn't a single person to be found.
After much deliberation, he hosted a flower-viewing banquet at his residence and sent invitations to the female relatives of local officials in Hangzhou, hoping that Mingying would make some friends and have more conversations with them.
But she couldn't get along with those women, and the daughters of those officials openly and secretly mocked her and ridiculed her background.
He heard these words with his own ears and was furious. He also severely punished his father and brothers, who were officials.
At night, Mingying washed her hair, her face serene, and sat under the lamp. She thought about being ridiculed to her face during the day, but her heart was not greatly disturbed.
Feeling guilty, Pei Xiaoyun took the dry handkerchief from the maid and twisted a strand of her hair for her.
Seeing that she didn't speak, he thought she was angry and gently comforted her: "From now on, if anyone dares to talk about you, I will stand up for you."
Mingying was held in his arms, her head drooping in his arms. After a long while, she said softly, "Don't let them come again."
She didn't like that, and didn't want to fit in with them.
“Okay,” Pei Xiaoyun agreed.
Once he marries her, no one will dare to speak ill of her identity; whoever does, he will rip out their tongue.
A moment later, the body in her arms stirred. "Who am I?"
Mingying blinked her dim eyes. She was in a daze all day long, and even she herself couldn't tell what her name was.
Pei Xiaoyun was taken aback by her words and didn't know how to respond for a moment.
There was a moment of silence in the room.
"No matter who you are, you are mine." He put his arm around her shoulder tightly and answered her firmly.
She didn't like talking to people, so to cheer her up, he specially hired a troupe of acrobats the next day.
A stage was set up in the courtyard for various performances of acrobatics and variety shows.
The servants put down their tasks and gathered in small groups to watch, chattering and making a great commotion.
Mingying heard the clattering and clanging noises coming from the courtyard, but remained unmoved.
"Girl, go take a look! That person can dance on swords and breathe fire!" Yu'er peered through the doors and windows, finding the acrobatics novel and interesting, and she wanted to go out and watch.
Such a wonderful play, yet for some reason, Miss Ming seems rather uninterested.
Unable to resist the fish's persistent nagging, Mingying was dragged into the courtyard by her.
The servants brought her a chair, placed a soft cushion on it, and laid out delicate pastries and fruits on the table.
She sat there in a daze as the performers on stage put on their best performance. When she saw the kicking of the water jar, the leaping and dancing, the flower drum swallowing the sword, she finally stepped back in shock, her heart rippled with emotion.
She looked at the man on the stage wearing a Nuo mask and holding a sword, and felt that his figure was inexplicably familiar.
When Shen Mingshu arrived in Hangzhou, he learned that Pei Xiaoyun was going to invite a variety show troupe to perform at his private residence. He bribed the troupe leader and disguised himself to sneak in.
He was wearing a Nuo mask and was originally performing a sword dance. When he saw Mingying come out, he was obviously stunned on the stage for a moment.
After not seeing her for so long, her face was deathly pale and lifeless, she looked much more haggard, and she was so thin that she was just skin and bones.
He gripped the sword hilt tightly, his eyes bloodshot.
Pei Xiaoyun is such a despicable person; he treated her so badly!
The mansion was surrounded by guards, so he couldn't force her out. He could only remain calm and not let anyone notice anything amiss.
He put on the Nuo mask and continued to practice his sword dance skillfully. Halfway through the dance, he suddenly jumped off the stage and used a trick he had just learned to light a ball of fire on the blade. As he continued to dance, the fire suddenly went out and turned into a handful of camellias still covered in raindrops, which he presented to Mingying.
Mingying subconsciously reached out and took it. When she saw the flower she liked, the corners of her mouth slightly curved up. When her eyes met those of the person in front of her, her pupils suddenly trembled, her fingertips trembled, and a sharp soreness rose in her nose.
Even after ten years apart, she could still recognize her brother with just a glance.
She couldn't make a sound; she could only hold the flowers tightly in her hands.
When the guards saw someone approaching Mingying, and that the man was holding a sword, they rushed to protect her.
Mingying calmly said, "It's just a flower, it didn't hurt me. You can all leave now, I want to keep looking."
Seeing that she was safe, the guards withdrew on their own.
The bouquet of flowers was wrapped in spring ointment paper and tied tightly with a ribbon. Mingying held it in her palm and felt that it was cold and hard inside, indicating that there was something inside the spring ointment paper.
The acrobatic performance lasted from afternoon until nightfall, and Mingying watched helplessly as Shen Mingshu left with the troupe.
Before Pei Xiaoyun returned to the manor, she went back to her room, dismissed the maids under the pretext of taking a nap, carefully untied the ribbon, opened the aphrodisiac packet, and took out the two items inside.
It was a complete little letter, along with a... dusty, not-so-clean indigo sachet.
Every stitch of the sachet magnified infinitely before her eyes. As she ran her fingertips over it, some hazy memories flooded her mind.
It was a snowy night on a long journey, with only a dim lamp.
Lin Xian said he would draw her portrait so he wouldn't forget her.
She sat down beside him and sewed this sachet for him.
It was one of the few nights that was peaceful and serene. Her tears fell onto the sachet, wetting it drop by drop. She clutched it tightly, as if grasping at that fleeting memory.
Lin Xian, her husband, is the person in this world who loves and respects her the most.
Nobody else, nobody else...
To buy her time to escape, he fought with the thugs and tumbled down a cliff...
Her brother gave her the sachet, was he trying to tell her if Ziming was still alive?!
The more she thought about it, the more out of control her mind became, wanting to fade and erase her memories.
She clutched her convulsing chest, breathing heavily, as if a thousand knots were tightly binding every inch of her skin.
With a crash, she swept the cups and saucers off the table. She stared at the gleaming tiles on the ground, her eyes reflecting the shimmering light.
She picked up a sharp piece of it, and without thinking, aimed it at her fair and slender forearm, slowly making a cut.
In an instant, blood droplets flew everywhere, gushing out like a spring.
The things that bound her loosened a bit.
The person she couldn't forget became even clearer in her mind.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
