Chapter 4: Out of Favor, She No Longer Needs Her Service
Mingying practically fled in panic.
I ran back to the yard in one breath, only to find myself panting for air.
The two figures from just now lingered in her mind, along with his indifferent and displeased words, shattering the unwarranted longing in her heart.
That woman, she must be Princess Jianing, Pei Xiaoyun's fiancée.
They were a perfect match, a match made in heaven. Someone like her, standing next to them, truly looked like a servant.
The flames under the stove flickered up again, and the aroma of the tea was no longer delicate; instead, it had a burnt, bitter smell. In the short time she had been gone, the boiling osmanthus flowers had turned wilted and brownish-yellow, and a few withered leaves had splashed out with the tea.
Overcooked osmanthus dew tastes bitter; he wouldn't like to drink it.
She poured the tea into the flowerbed under the window, as if she hadn't brewed the tea at all that day.
She remembered what he told her when he left that morning: to stay in the yard and not run around, because he was afraid she would bump into his fiancée and ruin his good time.
As dusk fell, a cold wind blew against her nose and mouth, and she coughed a few times, her eyes slightly reddening.
Did he intend to keep her hidden away in the backyard as something that couldn't be presented to the public?
What will happen in the future? He dotes on the county princess so much. Once she enters the household, how will he deal with her?
As day turns to night, the lamps are lit again in the courtyard.
He said he would come back soon, but that's easy to forget.
After all, everyone loves to be with their loved ones; no one is an exception.
She ate a few bites of food hastily, and when she went into his bedroom to fumigate his clothes, she finally heard his footsteps.
He seemed to have been drinking; a faint smell of alcohol wafted through the air, along with... a few wisps of perfume.
The night was cool, and she skillfully picked up his usual clothes and walked towards him, but because of what had happened during the day, she dared not look at him. "Young Master."
Pei Xiaoyun glanced at him indifferently and said, "Get out."
Princess Xiao Fuying of Jianing County is the only daughter of Prince Yi, who holds military power. The Crown Prince intends to arrange a marriage between him and Xiao Fuying. The marriage is arranged, and when she comes to visit, he takes the opportunity to keep her company.
But unexpectedly, I ran into Mingying.
He wasn't angry that Mingying's unexpected appearance embarrassed Xiao Fuying; he could handle those things. He was angry that she had repeatedly disobeyed him.
Since arriving in the capital, she has not listened to him as much as she did in Yangzhou.
He felt he couldn't bear to punish her, and he always softened when he saw her tearful eyes.
It seems I should really teach her a lesson about whose advice to take.
The word "get out" sent a chill down Mingying's spine, as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.
She put down his clothes and went outside the door.
He's angry.
She was angry that her deliberate appearance had ruined their romance, but how could she dare to offer an explanation, to say that she didn't do it on purpose?
Fortunately, she had anticipated this and put on a thick coat in advance, so she wouldn't be so cold while keeping watch.
After a long while, a tired voice came from inside the room: "Go fetch water so I can take a bath."
A light returned to Mingying's eyes, her drowsiness vanished, and she took a step to leave.
But he interrupted her with a cold voice: "Ling Shuang, you go."
Ling Shuang, standing to the side, was incredulous. Miss Ming was guarding outside the door, so why would the master ask her to serve him so closely? She glanced at Ming Ying and saw that she was bowing her head and not saying a word, her eyebrows and eyes looking like they could burst with tears if pinched.
She dared not delay and immediately lifted the curtain to go inside.
After Ling Shuang finished fetching water, she came out and stood there for a while. Then Pei Xiaoyun called her back in to grind ink.
This night was truly unbelievable.
Mingying looked up at the clear moon in the sky, a chill creeping into her heart. She was clearly dressed warmly enough, but she was still very cold.
Pei Xiaoyun wrapped up a wad of scrap paper and threw it out.
He was not used to being served by Ling Shuang at all. Although Ling Shuang was calm and quiet, she could never compare to Ming Ying, who was a confidante.
"You can leave now."
He stared at the motionless figure in front of the door, his eyes darkening, a hint of anger in them.
Since she's unwilling to come in and admit her mistake, he doesn't need to feel sorry for her anymore.
In the following days, he did not allow Mingying to serve him personally.
The servants in the courtyard, always quick to change their tune, were spreading rumors that Mingying had fallen out of favor, and Yuzhong even stood directly in front of her window and verbally humiliated her.
Mingying's illness persisted intermittently without improvement. She swallowed a few pills and slept drowsily for half a day, only regaining some energy in the evening.
"Just go and admit your mistake. Grandpa spoils you so much. If you apologize, how could he not feel sorry for you?" Ling Shuang comforted her.
Mingying coughed until her eyes were red, then leaned quietly against the headboard, letting her thoughts drift aimlessly.
Do you spoil them?
It's pampering, but not love.
Pampering is worthless; you can be pampered today and discarded tomorrow.
When it was just the two of them, he treated her very well. But once they returned to the capital, he would have a family and have children with other people. What would she be then?
Besides, he wouldn't have liked to hear her explanation if he hadn't asked her directly.
Still feeling listless, she sent Ling Shuang away.
—
Three days later, one morning, officers and soldiers from the Dali Temple stormed into the mansion and took Duke Qu away.
As soon as Pei Xiaoyun arrived at Rongxi Hall, he heard the old lady wailing, while his mother, Madam Lan, sat silently to the side wiping away tears with a silk handkerchief.
Unfortunately, no matter how long I wiped, not a single tear fell.
When the old lady saw him come in, she grabbed his sleeve and cried, "Eldest son, you are now working at the Dali Temple and are a confidant of the Crown Prince. You must find a way to save your father!"
Pei Xiaoyun slowly pulled back her sleeve, her eyes casual and smiling: "Father is a lucky man, and Mother isn't worried, so why is Grandmother in such a hurry?"
Caught off guard by being called out, Madam Lan instantly choked back a few tears: "What are you saying, Dalang? What good is it for a woman like me to be anxious? Don't I still need you to handle things?"
She sneered inwardly, thinking that it would be best if that old man died; with him gone, her Jing'er could inherit the title sooner.
The old lady suddenly glared fiercely at Pei Xiaoyun, "No matter what, he is still your father. As his son, how can you stand by and watch him die, so ungrateful!"
"To stand by and watch someone die? To be ungrateful?"
Pei Xiaoyun's gaze was so cold it could pierce, and she kept choking out cold laughs.
"When you drugged me and sent me to Zhaozui Temple to suffer a fate worse than death, did he ever think that I was his son?" His gaze fell on Madam Lan, and a strange smile curved his lips. "Mother, did you ever think about it?"
The servants in the hall fell silent and wisely withdrew.
What happened back then is a taboo subject that no one can mention.
Lan Shi was restless, her expression shifting: "Why are you bringing this up? It's all in the past. Besides, you're back safe and sound now, aren't you?"
Pei Xiaoyun glanced sideways at his mother and grandmother, who were his blood relatives, his eyes flashing with unfathomable coldness.
Back then, he was only nineteen years old when he followed the Third Prince to the Northwest to defend against the enemy.
The Third Prince, driven by ambition, diverted supplies from the Dingbei Army to raise his own private army, leading to insufficient food supplies at the front and repeated defeats. However, this prince of the Great Jing Dynasty was terrified by the barbarians and fled all the way back to the capital.
It was he who led the remaining troops in a bloody battle for two months before they managed to hold the six northwestern regions.
Everyone said that he would surely be rewarded by the emperor and appointed as a high-ranking official upon his triumphant return. However, when he returned to the capital covered in wounds, he was wanted everywhere for embezzling grain supplies and colluding with the enemy to commit treason.
It turns out that the current old emperor was reluctant to punish the third prince, so in order to protect his son's crimes, he made him a scapegoat despised by everyone.
At that time, no one believed him.
He secretly returned to his residence, hoping his father would submit a memorial to defend him. However, that night, he was drugged by a cup of tea and, in a daze, heard his father and mother talking.
They said that by sending him to plead guilty as soon as possible and sacrificing him, they could prevent the whole family from suffering the same fate.
It turns out, he was the one who could be easily abandoned.
It turns out that his mother had disliked him since he was a child, and it wasn't a misconception.
When he opened his eyes again, he was tied up in Zhaozui Temple. They demanded that he confess to his crimes, but he refused, so he was subjected to severe torture and poisoning.
The poison in his body was administered at that time.
Two years, two whole years of utter darkness.
He was neither human nor ghost, and his life was worse than death.
He didn't want to die, so he agreed to work for the Crown Prince, which saved his life and allowed him to leave Zhaozui Temple and go to Yangzhou...
The sky outside was bright, and the morning mist cast a layer of frosty haze over his eyes.
"Yes, I'm back safe and sound now."
He looked at the Lan family and said sharply, "From now on, no one in this family will have an easy time."
—
Pei Xiaoyun deliberately ignored Mingying for a few days, having heard that she was very ill.
I heard a few days ago that he was sick again, and I thought he would get better, but I never expected that he would not get out of bed for a whole day.
Ignoring her for a few days should make her realize her mistake.
The room on the west side was specially reserved for her, and the flowerbed under the window was full of her favorite camellias.
Once inside, she curled up in a ball, wrapped in the blanket.
She didn't sleep, she just kept fidgeting around. She's a restless sleeper and always likes to roll away his blanket at night, even though she thinks she's being very well-behaved.
He sat on her couch and patted the shifty blankets: "With all this moving around, how can the blankets stay warm?"
Mingying was startled and let out a short cry, her voice a little hoarse but also sweet.
She poked her head out: "Young master, what brings you here?"
Undeniably, even though he was very close to her, her heart still raced. She realized it had been five days since she'd last seen him, and she felt like she was dreaming.
Pei Xiaoyun touched her forehead; the fever had subsided.
He deliberately wrapped her in the blanket, leaving only her pink face exposed, like a soft, glutinous pastry that would sink in if poked with a finger.
"Did you take your medicine?"
Mingying nodded: "I drank it."
"Isn't there anything you want to say to me?" Although he was concerned about her illness, it didn't mean he had forgotten what happened that day.
He finally gave her a chance, and Mingying explained to him in detail that she hadn't intentionally left the courtyard that day.
Pei Xiaoyun seemed to be infected by her softness and gentleness, and his expression gradually softened. He pinched her soft earlobe, "You only told me today?"
Mingying smiled faintly, buried her face in his arm, and her voice became a little muffled, "If you don't ask, I'm afraid you'll get angry, so I don't dare to say."
Looking at her cute appearance, Pei Xiaoyun smiled.
His Mian'er was obedient and adorable, not very timid, and easy to coax. She was born to be tied to his side and not allowed to go anywhere.
He took out a small square box from his sleeve, and with a flick of his slender fingertips, the clasp opened, revealing a crystal-clear jade-colored begonia bracelet.
"This is a gift from my colleagues at today's banquet. They said it's jade from the Western Regions. I think it suits you, so I'm giving it to you to wear."
Like a cat, give it a handful of dried fish, and it'll come back up and stick to the feed.
The cool, refreshing jade bracelet slipped onto Mingying's wrist, like a clear, sweet spring flowing into her heart, bringing the parched, cracked earth to life.
This was something he used to cheer her up.
He still had some feelings for her.
But once the county princess enters the family, will he still give her such a rare item first?
—
After the rain cleared, Mingying's illness improved.
Seeing that she had regained favor, the servants in the courtyard dared not neglect her anymore and spoke to her in a soft voice.
She carried several pots of camellias that had been soaked by the rain to the sun to dry. Some of the flowers were blown off by the wind, and the soil became loose.
She took a small shovel, dug up some fresh soil, and replanted the plants one by one.
If they could survive for a few more days, they could live.
A maidservant who came in through the back door ran to her side: "Miss Ming, someone is looking for you through the back door. They say they recognize you."
Mingying frowned, wondering who would come looking for her.
After thinking for a moment, he washed his hands with a basin of water and went to the back door.
She walked to the back door, looked up and peered out. The brown-clad man who had been dozing against the doorframe approached her warmly: "Good sister, it's me."
Mingying recognized her sworn brother, sighed, and took a few steps back: "What are you doing here looking for me again?"
The man's face darkened. He circled her a few times and said sarcastically, "Tsk tsk, look at all this gold and silver. This is a respectable family. I don't think they're ungrateful. My mother is sick and we don't have money for medicine. Shouldn't you give her some?"
Her mother adopted her years ago, but sold her because she had no money. Little did she know she was lucky; she learned some seductive tricks and managed to seduce the master of the Duke's mansion.
“Didn’t I give it to you at the White Horse Temple that day?” Mingying said coldly.
"Two strings of cash are not enough," the man said. "My mother raised you for a year. Even if she sold you, it was out of necessity. Besides, without that year, you would have starved to death long ago. Now that she is sick, you are living a life of luxury with your master. You can't just stand by and watch her die, can you?"
Mingying didn't want to provoke him, so she turned and left, saying, "I'm broke, don't come looking for me."
She had been incredibly kind and compassionate to their family.
The man shouted from behind, "You have no money? Then I'll ask your master for it. You must be the master of the manor. I'll go and block him at the gate."
"Stop right there."
Mingying stopped in her tracks.
Pei Xiaoyun only knew that she had met someone at the White Horse Temple and that's why she got so angry.
She dared not let him ask Pei Xiaoyun for money.
Seeing that she had given in, the man pleaded with her in a gentle voice, "I knew you were kind-hearted. My mother is really bedridden, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered you."
Mingying didn't have much cash. She didn't go out often, and the gifts Pei Xiaoyun gave her were mostly jewelry. If she asked for more money, she wouldn't be able to come up with any more.
"I really have no money left."
"Aren't all your jewelry pieces worth more than silver? Give me any piece to pawn for a couple of days. Once I get the money to buy the medicine, I'll redeem it and return it to you immediately." With that, the man reached for the jade bracelet with the begonia pattern on Mingying's wrist.
"This won't do!" Mingying held on tightly, hesitated for a long time, and then pulled out an elegant hairpin for him. "This is all I have. You must return it to me in two days."
This hairpin was a gift from Pei Xiaoyun a long time ago. It's not very eye-catching, but she can get it back in two days.
The man angrily took it and walked away.
As he walked away, he spat to the side: "Trying to fool me with something like this! She's nothing but a whore!"
The carriage slowly came to a stop in front of the mansion gate.
Pei Xiaoyun got off the carriage and suddenly saw a strange man come out from the back door. The man stuffed a short tassel coral hairpin into his pocket, and his face was full of joy.
This hairpin appears to have been given to Mingying by him when he was in Yangzhou.
He turned his head to look towards the back door, and a pink skirt disappeared right before his eyes.
"Sir, what's wrong?"
Kong Qing noticed that he had stopped.
Pei Xiaoyun's eyes were deep and unfathomable. He casually pointed and said, "Follow that person. If he takes anything from the manor, chop off his hand."
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