Chapter 41 Intimidation: Sending You Where You're Belong
His brutal methods caused Mingying to cry and scream. The servants outside, hearing this, thought she had angered Pei Xiaoyun and had been severely beaten.
A few moments later, the sounds of tables and chairs being kicked and porcelain bottles shattering could be heard, mixed with the woman's low sobs and protests.
The servants dared not listen and quickly dispersed.
The noise inside the house lasted for quite a while before it finally stopped.
Mingying's wrinkled clothes were half-open, barely covering her body. She was still bound and unable to move, powerless to resist the man in front of her who did whatever he wanted. Her body and face were covered with ambiguous red marks left by his fingertips, making her look miserable.
Pei Xiaoyun's fingers and the area between her thumb and forefinger were covered in bright red teeth marks; this impromptu sexual encounter offered little pleasure.
More than anything, he desperately wanted to tame her arrogance through this method, to carve a crack in her and grind out all those annoying thorns.
After being doused with cold water, the person became obedient, but it's unclear whether they've truly changed.
He straightened his clothes, stared at Mingying who was leaning against the bed breathing softly, and sneered: "What are you keeping your vows for him? His body is barely cold, and you've already done everything you should and shouldn't have done with other men. If he knew this in the afterlife, he would surely be utterly disappointed in you. Come with me to Xuzhou and forget about him."
He was really angry with her. He thought that once Lin Xian was "dead," she would change her mind, but he didn't expect that she would be even more stubborn and unruly than before.
She absolutely refused to let him touch her, but he insisted on doing so.
Without some tricks, she won't know whose side she's on.
"Shameless corrupt official, despicable and vile!" Mingying wiped her bitten lip with the back of her hand, glared at him, chewed the words into a crumb, and threw them at him.
She hated her own uselessness, unable to resist him or kill him, and forced to be toyed with and humiliated by him again and again.
He wanted to tame her, but she refused to let him have his way. She would never truly follow him, not even to the point of death.
One day, she will take back everything she has suffered at his hands.
Pei Xiaoyun knew that it was impossible to have a calm conversation with her today, so his face darkened, and he tied her up and sent her onto the boat.
The ship moved, the sea breeze swayed it, and it stirred up gentle waves.
As soon as they boarded the ship, it headed towards Xuzhou.
In her cabin, Mingying gazed at Guanzhou City, which was receding into the distance, in the last glimmer of light as night fell.
She had no attachment to this place that had brought her pain; her only lingering affection was for the people who had died in Guanzhou.
They came in a group, but he lay there all alone.
And she could do nothing for him.
This time, Pei Xiaoyun kept her word and ordered someone to bring Shen Mingshu's letter to her.
Holding the letter, Mingying understood that this was a sweet treat after a slap, and also a reminder that her brother was still in his hands, and that she needed to obey him.
By the candlelight, she could make out the handwriting on the letter. As she read, she cried and laughed at the same time, until the paper was soaked with tears.
This is definitely my brother's handwriting.
His handwriting was still crooked and awkward, just like when he was a child. In the letter, he said that he would come to Xuzhou to find her after the turmoil in the Northwest was quelled.
There is nothing else besides that.
She knew that this was all she could say; if she said anything more, the letter probably wouldn't even reach her.
She carefully folded and sealed the papers, tucking them under her pillow, clinging to the last vestiges of warmth, and drifted through life in a daze.
At night, the maid on the boat came in to set out the meal. When she saw the mountain of exquisite dishes, she guessed that Pei Xiaoyun would come, and a feeling of disgust and helplessness welled up in her heart.
If he were to simply confine her like this, leaving her alone would be fine too.
She didn't want to see him at all.
Pei Xiaoyun dispatched a large number of private guards to guard the ship, allowing only the invisible sea breeze to freely enter and exit.
He was afraid she was full of tricks and might try to jump ship and escape, so he only left her a small window open and forbade her to leave the cabin.
When he arrived, Mingying was still sitting on the couch, leaning against the window, watching the full moon over the sea.
He didn't call her, but sat down calmly and started eating by himself.
Mingying found the clinking of the bowls and plates particularly noisy, turned her gaze back, and said calmly, "I need to get dressed."
He tied her to the boat, still wearing the dress he had torn to shreds. The slightest movement would expose her skin, so she could only sit on the couch covered with a blanket all day.
Pei Xiaoyun seemed surprised that she would speak to him first. Her knuckles bent slightly, and her chopsticks paused. Her tone was teasing: "Why are you wearing clothes? Is it easier to run away if you're dressed?"
The two faced each other; he sat upright, while she was dressed in tattered clothes.
Mingying lowered her head in embarrassment and anger, her nails digging into her palms as if she wanted to pierce her flesh.
Then, a cold wind swept in, and Pei Xiaoyun threw a cloak that she had taken off, tossing it straight over her head.
"Put these on and come eat."
Mingying ripped off the clothes that exuded an annoying and strong sandalwood scent. Unable to bear his naked, wandering gaze, she could only put them back on, put on her shoes, and get out of bed.
If she openly argues with him, he will only become more and more insane, and she will not fare well.
Wearing that ill-fitting dress, her posture was strange and awkward as she sat opposite him at his silent command.
She wasn't hungry and couldn't eat anything. She just wanted to finish this unbearable dinner as soon as possible. She grabbed a few bites of food haphazardly, stuffing her cheeks slightly.
Since he brought her back, Pei Xiaoyun had rarely seen her so quiet and obedient. He felt a surge of satisfaction and, for the first time ever, added a spoonful of soup to the empty bowl in front of her. "This sea cucumber and fish maw soup is quite good."
Mingying already had no appetite, and seeing the soup he served her made her even less interested. She swallowed the food in her mouth with difficulty, put down her chopsticks, and said, "I'm full."
Then, he sat back on the bed to look at the moon, took off his clothes, and casually draped them on the shelf, as if he were throwing an object away in disgust.
Pei Xiaoyun's hand, which was holding the soup spoon, froze in mid-air, her bones twitching with a force that threatened to break the porcelain handle.
There's a stubborn rock stuck in my heart, impossible to crush.
He lost his appetite and ordered all the dishes to be removed. He angrily reviewed some memorials, glancing at her every now and then. Seeing that she was still gazing at the moon, lost in thought, he frowned and swept the memorials away with a flick of his sleeve.
Is it because the moon is so beautiful, or is it because I'm thinking of someone through the moon?
He wouldn't allow her to think about other men in front of him.
He extinguished the candle, climbed onto the bed, pressed his chest against her back, wrapped his arms around her waist, and forcefully pulled her into his embrace.
Mingying sighed softly, powerless to struggle. She looked out the window at the vast river and moon, ignoring his actions.
The river surges and crashes against the rocks, instantly creating a white rainbow that bursts forth like a torrent.
The moon in the middle of the river hangs high and never sets, bright and clear.
She was indeed gazing at the moon, longing for the one who had left her.
She remembered that he liked to sing about the moon and paint the moon. They had been to many places and seen the moon in many places.
She looked up and felt that he was with her, right beside her, like a shadow.
Pei Xiaoyun followed her gaze, the pale moonlight shining into his eyes. He seemed to recall the past as well, resting his chin on the top of her head. "That year, we took a boat from Yangzhou to the capital. The river breeze was strong, and the moon was full. Do you remember?"
At that time, she lay in his arms, and they were still whispering sweet nothings to each other, their love tender and affectionate.
He taught her a line of poetry, which she remembered and read aloud to him many times.
Mingying's lips twitched slightly, but she did not reply.
How could I not remember? In a person's life, there are always two kinds of things to remember: the most beautiful things and the most hated things.
It's unbearable to look back on, and I can't forget it even if I want to.
Pei Xiaoyun persisted, saying, "The poem is: 'The river and sky are one color, without a speck of dust.'"
For a long time, there was a deathly silence; no one answered his next question.
He was absurdly talking to himself.
His Adam's apple bobbed, and he placed his hand on her warm neck, forcing her to look at him, trying to make his voice as gentle as possible: "Mian'er, what's the next line? I taught you."
He deluded himself into hoping that when she saw the moon, she wasn't thinking of anyone else, but of their past.
Mingying seemed tired and slowly closed her eyes.
"Speak!" he hissed.
"I don't know," she said calmly. "I'm illiterate, my knowledge is limited, and I really don't know anything about poetry or literature. Please let me go."
For a moment, Pei Xiaoyun wished time could turn back, so she could become the Mian'er she used to be.
It's as if they're on their way to the capital right now.
The howling river wind and her cold, heartless words pulled him back from his reverie.
He secretly mocked his own foolishness for thinking such absurd things.
He gripped her neck, feeling the pulse in her veins. With just a little force, he could strangle her to death and throw her into the sea to feed the fish.
From then on, she vanished without a trace, never to cause him any more trouble.
He could have any woman he wanted; a bunch of well-educated, sensible, and beautiful women would be better than this hard rock in front of him.
But he hates deception the most. Would he let her go so easily?
He had been very kind to her, giving her many chances, but she still showed no remorse.
"I'm giving you one last chance. Will you talk or not?"
Mingying knew very well that his madness had relapsed.
Rather than forcing her to recite that poem, it was more like forcing her to submit and bow down.
He could bind her body, but he could never take her heart unless she died.
She shook her head: "I am lowly, I cannot."
Pei Xiaoyun nodded and sneered, a laugh that was cold and eerie, as chilling as a demon rising from hell: "You really don't want to be with me?"
Mingying opened her eyes abruptly. This was the first time she had ever heard him ask her if she was willing.
If he truly dislikes her and intends to let her go...
“I know I am not good enough for you, and I dare not have any wishful thinking or presumptuousness,” she replied quickly.
"You're right." Pei Xiaoyun's hand roamed over her body, touching her two soft mounds, and he pinched them hard as if to vent his anger, causing her to gasp suddenly.
“I will let you go.” He curved his lips into a smile, but the smile did not reach his eyes. “We were destined to meet, and I will send you back to where you belong, back to where you came from.”
Mingying was filled with anxiety all night because of his words.
She didn't understand what he meant, what he meant by "go back to where you came from".
This made her even more anxious than if she were killed outright.
At dawn, the sun rises in the east, shrouded in mist.
The boat slowly approached the shore, and the red sun shone brightly.
The ferry crossing at Xuzhou has been reached, and people are coming and going.
Mingying followed him off the boat, walking slowly, feeling slightly uneasy. The sunlight shone on her, but she felt no warmth at all.
In the distance, a carriage had been waiting for a long time.
Pei Xiaoyun had sent his servants to Xuzhou first. He was cautious and never felt at ease in any new place he stayed, so he would always send a trusted confidant to investigate first.
The trusted aide stepped forward and said, "Master, everything is normal at the mansion. Shall we return to the mansion first?"
Pei Xiaoyun shook his head, pulled Mingying into the carriage, and ordered, "Don't go back to the manor, go to Ningxue Tower."
His voice trailed off with a light, rising tone, making the three characters "Ningxuelou" sound exceptionally mysterious and enchanting.
Mingying's heart skipped a beat, and when she thought of what he had said last night, a chill ran down her spine.
"Where is that?" She stopped abruptly, her mind in turmoil for a moment.
"What are you afraid of?" Pei Xiaoyun held her hand. "It's a place you know well."
He had already received news that the Kongchan Sect, which had already sided with the Wuhuan people, had once lingered at Ningxue Tower, and the business there must have been more than just shady in name.
He wanted to investigate this matter, and it would be good to have her by his side, send her in so she could learn the rules she had forgotten and temper her temperament.
The carriage indeed stopped in front of Ningxue Tower.
The brothel's patrons, their hair adorned with fragrant robes.
It was the largest brothel in Xuzhou.
Mingying hadn't even gotten out of the car yet, but through the curtain, she could smell the lingering scent of perfume and hear the soft, delicate female voice. Almost instinctively, she remembered something unpleasant, and her breathing became rapid.
"We've arrived, get off the bus."
"I'm not going." Mingying kept shrinking back into the car, clinging to whatever was in it, afraid that if she let go even slightly, he would drag her out. "What have I ever done to wrong you? You can't treat me like this, I'm not going!"
It took her several years to erase the shadow of that place.
She doesn't want to go back to that kind of place.
Pei Xiaoyun would no longer be soft-hearted; her resistance was like a mayfly trying to shake a tree in his hands.
The more panicked she became, the more decisive he was: "I gave you a chance, but you didn't take it."
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Author's Note: This chapter is a bit short because of pacing issues; it can't be combined with later chapters. I'll update more tomorrow. [kissing emoji]
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