Chapter 30 addresses the issue of both leveraging external forces and guarding against their potential benefits.
Pei Ji was a man of his word.
The next morning, as dawn broke, he was already waiting in the small courtyard outside Yu Man's house. A set of simple white porcelain teaware sat on the stone table. He patiently warmed the teapot with hot water, rinsed the tea, and brewed it, his movements fluid and graceful. He didn't urge them, simply waiting for the person inside to wake up naturally.
Yu Man slept soundly, all the fatigue of the past few days vanishing. When she awoke, two pretty and well-mannered maids quietly entered, bringing her warm water and a delicate breakfast—a bowl of sticky, green rice porridge, several refreshing side dishes, and a plate of adorable lotus-shaped pastries. The maids helped her wash and dress, their movements gentle and efficient.
As Yu Man ate his breakfast, he felt pampered and surrounded by beautiful maids. A thought inexplicably popped into his mind: delicacies laid out, beautiful maids by his side, is this... the standard enjoyment of a male protagonist in a harem novel? Tsk, no wonder so many people dream of being the male protagonist, life is indeed pretty good.
After finishing her breakfast, she walked out of the door, feeling refreshed. Pei Ji looked up at the sound of her voice. The tea in his hand was just brewed to perfection. He took a sip and then naturally pushed a cup in front of her.
Yu Man subconsciously said, "I don't like tea..." but still took the cup. The cup was warm to the touch. She lowered her head and took a sip. It was sweet honey water, the temperature just right, and it soothed her throat.
She put down her cup and gazed at Pei Ji, suddenly sensing something amiss. She abruptly took a few steps closer, tiptoed, and gently sniffed his neck. Then, she raised her face, her expression somewhat subtle, and asked, "Did you... wear incense today?" A crisp, cool fragrance, carrying a hint of cedar, masked the familiar scent of ink and faint herbs that clung to him.
Pei Ji remained calm, raised his hand to straighten his neatly arranged cuffs, and said indifferently, "Perhaps the clothes were previously scented with incense, and the fragrance has lingered from the storage."
Meanwhile, deep within the dungeon of the villa, Gu Qiu, who was directing his men to clean up the mess, silently took a clean handkerchief and covered his mouth and nose. Even though he was used to seeing such scenes, he found the thick, pungent stench of blood in the room somewhat choking. Looking at the unrecognizable "things" on the ground, he thought, "This time, our lord is truly enraged. Even after leaving the dungeon, he'll probably need to burn incense for a long time to suppress the stench of blood."
Upon hearing this, Yu Man sniffed again. The fragrance wasn't unpleasant; it was elegant and aloof, but... it was ultimately missing a scent she was used to.
The two walked side by side out of the courtyard and down the bluestone steps. After a few steps, Yu Man suddenly stopped and looked back at the courtyard hidden among the trees.
Pei Ji turned around and asked, "What are you looking at?"
Yu Man blinked: "Where are the two benefactors who saved me in that desolate wilderness? I haven't seen them." She was still thinking about the close relationship between the two men and Pei Ji, and wanted to find out some information and formally thank them.
Pei Ji's eyes flickered slightly, but his tone remained calm: "They have other important matters to attend to and have already left."
"Oh..." Yu Man withdrew her gaze and responded with some regret. She had thought she could get more information out of him.
Pei Ji took in the changes in her expression, his eyes darkening slightly, and said, "I have prepared a generous gift for you to express my sincere gratitude to the two of them." The implication was that the favor had been repaid and there was no need to worry about it anymore.
Yu Man didn't grasp the point and continued to press, "What are their names? We should at least remember their names to repay their kindness."
Pei Ji was silent for a moment before reluctantly uttering three words: "Jin Chu Chuan, Chunyu Zhi".
Yu Man silently repeated the two names in her mind, then quickly tapped the system in her mind: ["Little System, quickly check if these two have any roles in the original work?"]
The system replied instantly: [Database search complete, no relevant character information found.]
Huh? They don't even know about the system? Judging from their demeanor, those two don't seem like extras. Yu Man was pondering this when he suddenly sensed Pei Ji, who was walking ahead, stop.
She looked up and saw Pei Ji turn around, still wearing a faint smile on his face, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. Instead, it carried an indescribable meaning as he asked in a gentle voice, "What else do you want to know?"
Seeing his expression, Yu Man's eyes darted around, and she counted on her fingers, asking in one breath with a smile, "Then tell me everything! Where do they live? Are their parents still alive? Are they commoners or have they already achieved official rank? And most importantly—" She deliberately drew out her words, looking at him mischievously, "Are they married?"
"..."
Pei Ji's smile faded. Without saying a word, he turned around and continued walking silently down the mountain path.
After walking a distance, Yu Man slowly caught up, tilting her head to look at his expressionless profile, and deliberately asked, "Why aren't you saying anything?"
Pei Ji gazed ahead at the winding mountain path, his tone earnest: "Focus on descending the mountain."
Yu Man finally couldn't help but burst out laughing, pretending not to notice his jealousy.
After descending the mountain and entering the prefectural city, they were greeted by the bustling sounds of people and the aromas of various foods. They had arrived just in time for the last day of the Food Festival. Along the long street, stalls of all kinds lined up one after another, and the sounds of hawkers, bargaining, and diners' exclamations of praise created a lively atmosphere.
"Freshly steamed crab roe soup dumplings, thin skin and generous filling, bursting with juice in every bite—"
"These flatbreads from the Western Regions are fragrant, crispy, and crumbly. Would you like to try some, sir?"
"Candied hawthorn berries—red hawthorn fruit, so sweet it'll make your teeth ache!"
Yu Man was like a fish in water, her eyes darting around, unable to take it all in. She weaved through the crowd, Pei Ji trailing a few steps behind. Soon, his hands were full of oil-paper packages of all sizes—glistening shrimp dumplings, fragrant roasted mutton, uniquely shaped lotus-shaped pastries, and the sugar figurines and clay dolls she had specially bought for Xiu Xiu. Many of the ladies out on the street chuckled and playfully pinched their husbands' soft flesh.
Look at them!
After wandering around for half a day, Yu Man's legs were a little sore. Amidst the various aromas of food, a clear and mellow fragrance of wine stood out. She pulled Pei Ji along and found a rather inconspicuous tavern. Unlike the other taverns, which were bustling with people, this place was quiet with only a few customers. However, the increasingly distinct aroma of wine, along with a faint, sweet scent, made Yu Man guess that there must be something special about this place.
The tavern was run by a young woman, dressed in simple clothes and with delicate features. Her eyes and brows held the gentle grace of someone from the Jiangnan water towns, yet she was also efficient and capable when greeting customers and handling accounts. Yu Man and Pei Ji found a table by the window and sat down.
"What would you two like? Our shop has homemade pear blossom wine and mulberry wine, as well as some simple snacks, soups, and desserts to go with the drinks." The woman's voice was gentle as she handed over a simple menu.
Yu Man ordered a pot of what was supposedly their signature pear blossom white wine, along with "sweet rice dumplings" and "drunken honey cake" listed on the menu. The wine arrived first; it was clear and bright, sweet on the palate, and had a delicate pear blossom aftertaste—truly excellent. Immediately afterward, the sweet rice dumplings and drunken honey cake were served.
The sweet rice balls were served in a celadon bowl, the broth clear and translucent, with plump, adorable glutinous rice balls about the size of a fingernail floating in it, the dark center of each ball revealing glimpses of the red bean paste filling. Yu Man scooped up a spoonful and put it in her mouth, her eyes immediately lighting up! The glutinous rice balls were soft and chewy, the red bean paste filling delicate and sweet, and the most wonderful thing was the broth. It wasn't ordinary sugar water, but rather had a very subtle, rich, and mellow sweetness from fermented rice wine, and it was clearly brewed with well water, making it refreshingly cool to the touch.
Drunken Honey Cake is made by mixing glutinous rice flour with fermented rice wine and steaming it. It has a soft texture, is sweet but not greasy, and has a light aroma of wine, which complements the sweet rice balls perfectly.
Yu Man ate to her heart's content. She thought that most of the cold drinks she'd seen in Dongqing County and even in other prefectures were things like mung bean soup or plum juice. Such a clever combination of fermented rice and dessert, with such rich layers of flavor, was truly rare. She wasn't particularly skilled at developing soups, especially when it came to fermented alcohol, which was a complete blind spot in her knowledge. If the restaurant could collaborate with this woman with her unique skills and introduce these sweet rice dumplings and honey cakes, they would surely become one of the restaurant's signature dishes, attracting even more customers.
Having made up her mind, she saw that the woman had a moment to spare, so she got up and went over to her with a friendly smile: "Greetings, madam."
When the young woman saw her approach, she stopped wiping the table and said gently, "Is there anything else you need, sir?"
Yu Man shook his head and got straight to the point: "I just tried the sweet dumplings and honey cakes at the shop, and they were absolutely delicious. To be honest, I also run a food shop in Dongqing County called Manxin Food Shop. I wonder if you would be interested in cooperating with me? For example, you could supply the goods and I could sell them? As for the price, I'm sure you'll be satisfied."
Upon hearing this, the young woman's face flashed with surprise, followed by a hint of embarrassment. She glanced at Yu Man, then subconsciously looked towards the kitchen. Her voice remained gentle, yet carried a firm refusal: "Thank you for your kind offer, madam. However… my family originally made a living by brewing wine. These snacks are reconstructed by my mother from memory after my father's passing. Now, my mother is advanced in years and her energy is waning. She can only make enough for this small shop's own needs and occasionally entertain regular customers. She simply cannot make more. This business… I'm afraid we are willing but unable to do it, and I will have to disappoint you, madam."
Her words were earnest, and her eyes held a sincere apology, making it impossible to press her further.
Although Yu Man felt regretful, she understood; every family has its own troubles. She smiled and said, "It's alright, I was being presumptuous. My wife's cooking is excellent, I wish her a prosperous business."
Back in her seat, Pei Ji observed her. After she sat down, he leaned over and said in a low voice, clear and cold like a jade chime, with a calm understanding of the world: "Although her words were sincere, there seemed to be something hidden in her words and expression, and she was not telling the whole truth."
Yu Man nodded, also lowering her voice: "I know. When she refused, her eyes darted around slightly, especially when she mentioned her mother. But... it's not easy for a young woman like her to run a tavern on her own. Perhaps she really has some unspeakable difficulties that she doesn't want to tell outsiders. Since she doesn't want to, we won't force her."
Pei Ji said nothing more, only turning his gaze to the entrance of the tavern. Just then, a man dressed in a slightly worn long robe, with a face that could barely be considered handsome, walked in, went straight to the lady behind the counter, and said a few words in a low voice with a familiar smile on his face.
When the woman saw him, her gentle demeanor deepened. She turned and took a slightly heavy embroidered money pouch from under the counter, handing it to the man. He took it, weighed it in his hand, and his smile widened. He then whispered something in the woman's ear, causing her to cover her mouth and chuckle softly. An intimate atmosphere, difficult for others to intrude upon, flowed between them.
Yu Man followed his gaze and saw the man holding a money pouch, chatting and laughing with his wife. She immediately understood. It seemed this woman's heart might not be in this.
Having seen the culinary delights, she had some inspiration for the new dishes at the restaurant, so she didn't linger any longer, paid for her drinks, and got up to leave. The two rented a carriage and prepared to return to Dongqing County.
When they reached a fork in the road hidden by trees, Pei Ji said, "Stop for a moment." The carriage slowly came to a stop.
He said to Yu Man, "I still have some trivial matters to attend to during this trip, so it is inconvenient for me to return home immediately. I need to go back to the academy first, and I will be back in about two or three days."
Yu Man nodded in agreement, then casually asked, "How are you getting back?"
Pei Ji gestured for her to look at the roadside: "There is naturally a way."
Curious, Yu Man lifted the carriage curtain and looked out. He saw a slightly worn mule cart parked at the intersection. It looked somewhat familiar and seemed quite similar to the one Chunyu and the others had ridden in that day.
Pei Ji explained with a hint of helplessness, "They left it behind." He paused, then added, explaining the origins of the two men, "According to the seniority of our sect, they are my junior brothers."
Upon hearing this, Yu Man imagined what it would be like for someone like Pei Ji to be crammed into such a mule cart, and couldn't help but smile. She waved her hand and said, "I know, you can go now."
The system couldn't resist popping up again to make its presence felt: [Tsk tsk, he just left like that? Didn't even personally escort you back to your village? How inconsiderate!]
Yu Man leaned against the car wall, closed her eyes to rest, and replied lazily in her mind, "How do you know he didn't give me a ride?"
System: [Where? There was clearly only one slow-moving caravan behind them; his mule wagons are long gone!] As it spoke, the electronic voice suddenly paused, [Wait… that caravan… could it be his men in disguise?]
Yu Man's lips curled slightly: "Maybe so." She was just guessing. Pei Ji always had an inexplicable protective instinct towards her. Ever since that time when they were young, whenever she went to the county town to deliver goods, if he couldn't accompany her, he would always ask someone to go with her, either openly or secretly. Not to mention his father and Aunt Xiang, even Xiao Chun's mother had accompanied her a few times. This time, she had experienced the danger of the dungeon, and he hadn't allowed her to leave the courtyard for several days. The fear from that experience had obviously not completely subsided. How could he really let her go back to the county alone with a coachman?
Hearing her confident tone, the system asked doubtfully, "Host, don't you feel very restricted by being monitored and controlled? In your human terms, what's the difference between this and being locked in a dark room?"
Yu Man opened her eyes and looked at the gradually familiar pastoral scenery passing by the window: "You call that a dark room? That courtyard is almost five times the size of my family's restaurant. You have people to take care of your food, clothing, and lodging. The scenery is beautiful, and you can eat and drink well. Just think of it as a free vacation and a good rest. What's wrong with that?"
System: [...] It was powerless to refute. Moreover, looking at the host's profile, which carried a hint of helplessness yet also a subtle sense of pleasure at being cared for, it felt as if its database had been stuffed with something, making it feel a little bloated.
Meanwhile, Pei Ji did not board the mule cart. After Yu Man's carriage disappeared at the end of the road, Gu Qiu appeared silently like a shadow and whispered, "My lord, as you instructed, we have settled Elder Chen in a farmhouse at the foot of the academy mountain ahead."
The gentleness that Pei Ji usually displayed when facing Yu Man had vanished, replaced by his usual calm and coldness. "Let's go," he said calmly, turning and walking towards another, more secluded path.
The master and servant arrived at what appeared to be an ordinary farmhouse. Pushing open the slightly weathered wooden door, they saw Old Mr. Chen with his sleeves rolled up, chopping firewood in the yard. He was alone in the yard; as the axe fell, wood chips flew everywhere, and although his movements were still relatively steady, they clearly revealed a sluggishness stemming from a lack of strength.
Hearing footsteps, Old Chen stopped what he was doing, put down his wood-chopping knife, straightened up, wiped the sweat from his forehead with a cloth, and smiled at Pei Ji with a hint of self-mockery in his smile: "Alas, I'm really getting old and useless. Back in the day in the army, I could capture even a three- or five-foot-tall brute, but now, just chopping a few pieces of firewood, my arms are already a little sore and trembling."
Having said that, he straightened his slightly disheveled robes, bowed to Pei Ji according to custom, and spoke in a tone that was no longer as respectful as before, but seemed to lack something: "This old servant greets Your Majesty."
Pei Ji stood in the courtyard, not immediately telling him to get up. His gaze calmly fell on the man's hands, which were red and calloused from exertion. His voice was unreadable: "Sir, there's no need for this. You were fortunate enough to survive the bloody battle back then. You could have found a beautiful place to live out your days in peace."
Old Chen slowly straightened up, the respectful smile on his face fading, replaced by a look of reminiscence. He rubbed the red marks on his hands from the firewood: "My lord, you have never been to the battlefield, so you do not know what a living hell it is. On your left are the severed limbs of your comrades who were drinking and laughing with you just yesterday; on your right, perhaps lies the head of someone with wide-open eyes, dying with unresolved grievances... Even with the strongest calming incense burning at night, the lingering smell of blood is still indelible, heavy and nauseating. How can one sleep peacefully?"
Pei Ji listened in silence, his face unmoved.
Old Chen took a deep breath and continued recounting the past: "So, when they found this old servant and told him of your whereabouts, this old servant agreed. Even though I am old and frail, these old bones... cannot forget the past!"
Pei Ji finally spoke, his voice still calm, yet mercilessly piercing his ambition: "Old grudges?" He raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible coldness, "The one you keep mentioning, where is he now...? Has he turned into a mound of nameless yellow earth in the Gongshan mass grave, or has he long since become food for insects?"
"You—!" Old Chen's carefully maintained facade of composure shattered abruptly, his cloudy eyes flashing with shock and rage as if a sore spot had been struck. He took a sudden step forward, his withered finger pointing at Pei Ji, his voice trembling with agitation, carrying the stern tone of an elder reprimanding a junior, "You brat! How dare you slander our late lord like this?! Do you know—"
“I know.” Pei Ji interrupted him, his gaze clear and sharp. “I know why he died. I also know what you are seeking by assisting me now.”
He took a step forward, and although he was young, the pressure emanating from him made the enraged Old Chen choke.
“What you seek is not merely to fulfill his last wish, nor to sincerely assist me,” Pei Ji changed his form of address. “What you seek is to become the first meritorious official in the founding of the dynasty, to have your name, Chen Chang, recorded in history.”
"It's just a selfish motive."
Old Chen's expression changed drastically, his lips trembled, and he wanted to refute, but under Pei Ji's all-seeing gaze, he was speechless for a moment.
Pei Ji looked at him and finally said, "But none of your requests will be fulfilled."
"A meritorious official is first and foremost a subject; it's a pity you haven't even grasped this basic principle."
"You—" Old Chen roared angrily.
Pei Ji remained largely unmoved. It was not that he lacked ambition; on the contrary, his schemes were far grander than Elder Chen could have imagined. How could he not see through Chen Chang's ambition to be subordinate to others and to use his name to carry out his own hegemonic ambitions?
However, when one's power is still developing and one's foundation is not yet secure, a person like Elder Chen has value. He is familiar with the connections of his old subordinates and is proficient in military and political affairs; he is a sharp enough weapon. Pei Ji has always used this weapon with a clear mind, both utilizing its strength and guarding against its sharpness.
He tolerated Old Chen's overstepping of boundaries in certain matters, including his unauthorized visit to Dongqing County, but he could not tolerate his murderous intent towards Yu Man—since the blade was disobedient and wanted to devour its master, it was time for it to be broken.
Old Chen stared intently at Pei Ji's young yet incredibly calm face. Suddenly, as if he had grasped something, he burst into a desolate and sorrowful laugh, which sounded particularly jarring in the quiet farmhouse courtyard.
"Hahaha...hahaha...I was wrong! I was wrong!" He laughed until tears streamed down his face, pointing at Pei Ji, his voice hoarse. "I always thought you were reserved and lacked decisiveness, unlike the late lord who was so outspoken...but it turns out I was blind! You clearly still have his blood flowing in your veins. Your ability to scheme against people, your willingness to endure and bide your time to achieve your goals...clearly you already have his shadow! In fact, you've even surpassed him! Hahaha...you hate him, but you will eventually suffer the same fate as him..."
He laughed at his own wishful thinking, at his attempt to control a tiger that had already taken shape.
Pei Ji neither refuted nor showed any emotion. He had achieved his goal and needed no further words. He turned and walked out of the courtyard.
Gu Qiu followed closely behind, asking in a low voice, "My lord, the people lying in ambush outside the courtyard... should we..." He made a throat-slitting gesture. After all, Old Chen knew too many secrets.
Pei Ji continued walking, his voice flat: "No need. After this incident, he... won't want to live anymore."
Before he had finished speaking and had walked far, he heard Old Chen let out a long sigh from the courtyard behind him, and even Gu Qiu could hear the despair in it.
Immediately afterwards, a man in gray quickly rushed forward, knelt on one knee, and reported in a deep voice: "My lord, Old Chen... he committed suicide inside the house."
Chen Chang, the once-renowned "Ghost Doctor" in the Gongshan army and a former military advisor, who had once stirred up a storm in the region, has now vanished from the world without a trace.
However, in the eyes of the world, he actually died more than 20 years ago.
Pei Ji nodded slightly, indicating that he understood. "Gu Qiu," he instructed, "go and guard Xiao Man, make sure she returns to the food shop safely, and then protect her from the shadows. Do not show yourself unless absolutely necessary."
"Yes." Gu Qiu accepted the order. "Then, my lord is..."
Pei Ji looked up and gazed in the direction of Shanqing Academy. "I should go back to the academy too. After all, Jin Chuchuan and Chunyu Zhi specifically came to remind me. I should go back and see them."
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Author's Note: Xiaoman and Xiaopei are both starting to focus on their careers! [Sprinkling flowers]
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