Chapter 16 Pei Yu: You're so greedy for my body...
At night, a copper lamp hangs every few steps along the covered walkway, its burning animal fat oil emitting a pleasant fragrance. A group of male servants carrying palace lanterns pass by on the walkway, heading deeper into the courtyard.
Huiyin lay dejectedly on the couch, staring at the sky with her eyes open. The matter Pei Yu had given her was extremely urgent. She had to take care of He Jiaying's matter first, but He Jiaying's obsession with marrying Pei Yu was so deep. How could she dissuade her?
Huiyin recalled He Jiaying's expression during the argument over the water that day. At that time, He Jiaying said something and questioned Huiyin about why she chose the Pei family.
At first glance, there seems to be nothing wrong with what she said, but upon closer inspection, there is a big problem. Why did she say "Pei Mansion" instead of "Pei Yu"? Does she think that staying in the Pei Mansion is the most important thing?
She lay on the couch, lost in thought, and reached out to touch the jujube and chestnut rice cake in the lacquer tray beside her. This was brought to her by Yan Niang to relieve her fatigue. It had a soft and glutinous texture, with the natural sweetness of jujubes and chestnuts and the aroma of grains.
The sound of hurried footsteps rang out, as if someone was running wildly up the stairs. Huiyin was interrupted from her thoughts. She propped herself up and looked towards the door. Yanniang was panting and leaning against the wall, her forehead covered with fine sweat.
Hui asked in surprise, "Mother Fu, what's the matter that's so urgent?"
Yan Niang took two deep breaths and pointed downstairs, exclaiming, "General Pei will be spending the night at Linshui Pavilion tonight, and his servants have already brought his clothes."
"What!"
Huiyin immediately sat up, lifted her skirt, and strode downstairs. In the usually spacious courtyard stood five male servants, each tall and strong, clearly from the military.
The leader, Su Feng, clasped his hands in a respectful bow to Huiyin and said, "Madam Song, the young general has instructed us to bring his change of clothes."
Huiyin nodded haphazardly, her gaze shifting to the three wooden crates beside them: one containing clothes, one containing utensils, and one containing bamboo slips. She said with a hint of bitterness, "General Pei is only staying one night; is it really necessary to move so much stuff?"
Su Feng seemed surprised that Huiyin would ask such a question. He smiled apologetically and said, "The young general only has Lady Song by his side. She will definitely be staying here often in the future. These are just things that were hastily packed up today. Other things will be sent over later."
Huiyin was stunned. She had thought about this day coming, but she never expected it to come so soon.
The thought of spending the night with Pei Yu made Huiyin stiffen. She turned to the side and instructed Asang and the others to help tidy up the belongings.
The once spacious inner room on the second floor instantly became cramped, and the elegant boudoir was made incongruous by the cold, hard weapons and military books.
Huiyin stared at Pei Yu's things, trying to mentally prepare herself. This day was bound to come sooner or later; whether she stuck her neck out or not, she would be killed anyway.
Perhaps after she gets close to Pei Yu, he will lower his guard and gradually accept her, which would be a good thing for her and make things easier for her in the future.
Huiyin took a deep breath and couldn't help but get up and pace back and forth. She had gone to the Lindu post station that night with the intention of offering herself to him, but Pei Yu didn't touch her that night. Not long after returning to the Pei residence, he left the capital.
She kept reassuring herself that she could just close her eyes and let him do as he pleased. She had overheard the servants in the mansion gossiping that some of them looked strong and muscular, but were actually quite weak and incompetent, finishing in less than a quarter of an hour.
——
Pei Yu returned to his residence under the moonlight. As soon as he stepped into Shuofeng Hall, Su Feng greeted him with a smile, "Young General, didn't you say you would rest at Linshui Pavilion tonight?"
Pei Yu frowned. "When did I say that?"
Su Feng replied: "At the hour of You (5-7 PM), the Lady sent someone to tell us that you will be staying at the Linshui Pavilion tonight, and instructed us to send your clothes there."
Pei Yu laughed in exasperation, "You gave it to me?"
Su Feng also sensed something was wrong. He touched his nose and said, "I've given it to you."
Pei Yu stepped out of Shuofeng Hall. When he reached the door, he turned back and asked, "How did Madam treat her while I was away?"
This "she" naturally refers to Huiyin.
Su Feng recalled, "At first, it was just so-so, but Madam Song would go and chat with the Queen every day, and over time, the Queen grew to like her quite a bit."
When Pei Yu entered under the moonlight, Huiyin had already recovered. She was waiting at the door wearing a pale yellow nightgown, her long hair draped over her shoulders. The moonlight shone on her, and for a moment, it was hard to tell whether the moonlight or she was more beautiful.
Pei Yu entered the main hall and dismissed everyone else. Everyone in Linshui Pavilion understood what was going to happen tonight and hurriedly left through the door.
Only Yan Niang gazed sadly at the girl with her back straight in the hall. She understood better than anyone what this meant for Huiyin.
Huiyin looked past Pei Yu and saw Yan Niang, who was worried about her. She smiled and shook her head slightly to reassure Yan Niang.
Huiyin stepped forward, closed the door, took a deep breath, turned to look at Pei Yu, and said softly, "General Pei, please go upstairs and rest."
The two went upstairs one after the other. There was only one lamp lit in the room, and the dim candlelight made them feel inexplicably uneasy.
Pei Yu sat down against the low table, propped his head up with one hand, and said sarcastically, "You've become smarter, now you know to start with my mother."
Huiyin assumed he was referring to her trying to curry favor with Madam Pei, so she slowly walked over and sat down next to him, the two of them very close.
She tilted her head back, and a faint fragrance wafted into Pei Yu's nose, like the scent of magnolia.
"It is a concubine's duty to please the lady."
Pei Yu scoffed, "Are you trying to please her or for something else?"
He was referring to the fact that Madam Pei had asked him to spend the night at Linshui Pavilion.
Huiyin blinked, not understanding what he meant.
Pei Yu shifted his gaze from her clear, cool eyes and chuckled softly, "You're that eager for my body?"
When Huiyin heard what he was saying, she looked up in surprise. When did she start lusting after him? What nonsense was he spouting?
Seeing her dazed expression with her mouth agape, Pei Yu raised an eyebrow, gesturing for her to look down at her clothes. "Did you dress up like this to deliberately seduce me?"
Huiyin looked down and examined it carefully for a long time. It was a very ordinary nightgown dress, only revealing her neck. How could it be seductive?
She explained, "I didn't, I'm not..."
Pei Yu interrupted her, revealing the same harsh look Huiyin knew, and said with a slight part of his thin lips, "Forget about it. You'll be sleeping on the floor tonight."
Huiyin: "..."
Huiyin stood frozen in place, watching helplessly as Pei Yu took over her bed. A few days ago, Yan Niang had specially chosen a fine plain-colored floral silk for her to make a quilt, but before she could even enjoy it, Pei Yu had already usurped it.
When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. Huiyin turned around and squatted on the ground to make the bed, then got up and lowered the curtains. The scene behind her made her blood boil. She saw Pei Yu lying brazenly on her couch, his legs together at the foot of the couch, with her favorite soft pillow placed behind his back.
She could barely stand, so she grabbed the wooden frame for support. Not wanting to see the ruined couch any longer, she turned and lay down on the floor fully clothed, forcing herself to fall asleep quickly.
She was just starting to feel sleepy when the person suddenly said, "Turn off the lights."
Huiyin resignedly got up, extinguished the candlesticks one by one, and groped her way back in the dark. She tripped over something and fell to the ground with a loud thud. A burning pain shot through her forehead, and she knelt down, clutching her forehead tightly with both hands and gasping softly.
The candlelight was lit again in the room that had just darkened, and a strong force came from her arm, lifting her into the air and placing her on the bed with someone holding her waist.
Huiyin withdrew her hand, revealing a red, swollen patch on her forehead.
Pei Yu's eyes showed a hint of impatience. "So delicate, you can get hurt just by turning off the lights."
Even a clay figure has some spirit, and Huiyin was no exception. She pushed Pei Yu away, got out of bed, took out some ointment, applied it to herself, and then lay back down on the floor. She didn't say a word during the process, completely ignoring Pei Yu.
Pei Yu stared at Huiyin, who was already lying down, and looked down at the hand she had pushed away. He was both amused and annoyed. He raised his hand to extinguish the candle, and deliberately made a loud noise when he got into bed. He turned his head and saw Huiyin impatiently shrinking into the covers, blocking all view.
He raised his hand and pulled down the curtains sharply, turning over to face inward. He sank into the bedding, his body enveloped in Huiyin's faint fragrance, which densely penetrated his nostrils, heart, and lungs, making it impossible for him to sleep.
Pei Yu listened to the shallow breathing coming from the ground. He turned over and looked over. Huiyin had already poked her head out from under the covers, her hands unconsciously crossed in front of her abdomen, her chest rising and falling with her breath.
The curtains were blurry, and he couldn't see her face clearly. Tonight, she was different from her usual sweet and obsequious self; she even dared to throw a tantrum at him.
He touched the scar on his neck. It was five years ago when he heard that a wild deer had appeared in the woods on the eastern outskirts of Chang'an. He was so eager to find it that he secretly left the capital to search for it without telling anyone in the Pei family.
Pei Yu wandered in the forest for three days without finding the deer. He also ran out of water and dry food. To make matters worse, he got lost in the forest and didn't emerge until it was completely dark.
Exhausted and filthy, unable to discern directions, they could only seek lodging at a nearby rural farmhouse.
That place must have been the rural farm of a wealthy family in the city. There were twinkling lights. He was led into the farm by a servant. When he passed a pavilion courtyard, he saw a little girl, about twelve years old, sitting inside. She was dressed in pink and white, with her hair in two buns. She was innocent and very beautiful.
At that time, Pei Yu was just a fifteen-year-old boy. He couldn't help but glance at the little girl a few more times, which unexpectedly caused a misunderstanding. Although the little girl was young, she was very perceptive. She immediately pointed at Pei Yu's figure and ordered the surrounding servants to drive him away.
Pei Yu tried to explain, but the little girl smiled and said, "So what? You offended me."
The boy retorted indignantly, "So what if I glanced at you? Will you lose a piece of flesh?"
"This is my family's estate. I don't need a reason to kick you out!"
Without hesitation, she ordered her men to seize Pei Yu. He was powerless at the time, and was quickly lifted up by the servants of the Song family and chased out, suffering some injuries to his neck.
He could only endure the night in the wilderness, waiting for the city gates to open at dawn before returning home. Because the incident was so shameful, he remained silent no matter how much people questioned him, and his father even punished him by making him kneel for half a day.
He later learned that the little girl was the daughter of the Duke of Song. He wanted to find her and take revenge, but the Xiongnu invaded, his father died in battle, and he also went to Dai County.
Years later, when she returned to Xijing, Song Huiyin had long since shed her naivety and innocence, and had become a noble lady praised by everyone.
No matter how thick the bedding is, it's not as comfortable as a bed. Just as dawn was breaking, Huiyin woke up. She sat on the floor, rubbing her aching lower back, and looked into the inner room. Although the curtains were drawn, she could still vaguely see some figures; Pei Yu was still fast asleep.
She quietly got up and leaned closer to the bronze mirror to examine her injury. Fortunately, it wasn't serious; the swelling had gone down overnight, leaving only some red marks.
At breakfast time, Huiyin and Peiyu ate their own meals, kneeling face to face in front of the lacquered table, with only the sound of chopsticks touching the lacquered utensils.
After finishing his meal, Pei Yu went out to his office. He now held the title of General of the Guards and also served as the Tiger-General of the Central Army, commanding the elite Imperial Guards.
As soon as he left, Huiyin instructed Asang and the others to thoroughly clean the Linshui Pavilion, especially her bed, which had to be replaced inside and out.
She then led Yan Niang to see Madam Pei, who was in a bad mood and lay listlessly on the couch.
Huiyin took the medicine packet from Yanniang and handed it to Madam Pei. "Last time I saw you, Madam, your knees seemed to be aching from the cold. This is a folk remedy from my mother's hometown. Crush it and apply it to your knees; it will effectively relieve the pain."
Madam Pei was quite surprised. Ever since giving birth to Pei Yan, she had suffered from this chronic ailment; her legs would ache from time to time, and despite seeing many doctors, she had not gotten better.
She felt a sense of relief and patted Huiyin's hand, saying, "You're so thoughtful."
Huiyin tentatively asked, "Madam seems to be in a bad mood. Would you like to talk to Huiyin about it?"
Madam Pei hesitated, but seeing Huiyin's sincere expression, she finally sighed and said, "It's all Jiaying's fault. I was the one who kept urging her to become Yu'er's concubine. But as you know, Yu'er doesn't want to take her, and I can't make that decision for him. Jiaying, she..."
Huiyin comforted her, saying, "Everyone knows how much the lady cares for her cousin. She's just not quite there yet, but I'm sure she'll be fine soon."
Madam Pei sighed, "I hope so."
She then asked about something else, "I heard you didn't call for water last night. What? Did you and Yu'er not consummate your marriage last night?"
Huiyin was extremely embarrassed. Those two rough and sturdy servants were really gossipy. It hadn't been long before Madam Pei found out.
"No, there really isn't..."
Madam Pei asked in surprise, "Why?"
"That shouldn't be," she thought, leaning against the railing and scrutinizing Huiyin. It was late at night, a lone man and woman, a beauty in her arms, yet they hadn't consummated their relationship? Her son didn't seem like a virtuous man either. Could it be that he had some hidden ailment?
"Tell me, what happened last night?" Madam Pei grabbed Huiyin's hand and questioned her carefully.
Huiyin recounted the events of the previous night truthfully. After she finished speaking, the room fell into a silence that was unsettling.
Madam Pei's face turned pale and then red. She muttered to herself, "No wonder. I told him that I had repeatedly offered to arrange sensible maids for him, but he refused. He even sent away every maid the Empress had bestowed upon him. I thought I had given birth to a lovestruck child who would remain chaste for Liu Tan."
When Madam Pei got emotional, she stood up and paced back and forth in the room, sometimes muttering "my poor son," and sometimes clasping her hands together and repenting to the heavens, saying that she had let down the Grand Marshal and the Pei family.
"Aunt Qiao! Aunt Qiao!" Madam Pei opened the door and shouted outside.
Qiao Ao rushed out from the side room, "Your Majesty, I'm here, what's wrong?"
"Quickly, go and fetch the Imperial Physician!"
Upon hearing this, Huiyin disregarded everything else, lifted her skirt, and ran out to stop the person, shouting, "Don't go!"
Madam Pei was somewhat angry, and looked at Huiyin with a hint of rage, "What do you mean?"
"Madam, perhaps it's a misunderstanding, please don't worry."
Huiyin's heart was pounding. She didn't know if Pei Yu was capable or not, but if she let Madam Pei continue to make a scene, she would be the one who couldn't succeed.
“How could it be a misunderstanding? Every single thing is true.” The more Madam Pei thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. In her eyes, Pei Yu’s former self-discipline was now all evidence of his “impotence.”
"But you can't make it known to everyone!"
Huiyin was genuinely annoyed. No wonder Empress Pei had specially sent someone to assist Madam Pei in managing the household. Her actions were ill-considered and reckless; she had brazenly gone to summon the Imperial Physician. Within a day, the whole city would know.
Madam Pei stopped Huiyin and calmed her down. She grabbed Huiyin's hand and nodded, "You're right, we can't go."
She slapped her forehead and blurted out, "I'm going to the palace to discuss this with the Empress."
Huiyin couldn't stop her and was left standing there, watching her departing figure, tears welling up in her eyes. She was finished. Forget about getting close to Pei Yu; he probably wanted to kill her now.
My life is over.
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