Chapter 46 I'm afraid in your heart, there's only that Feng…
The maids who had already retired for the night were awakened by his knocking and peeked out to see what was happening. They ignored his knocking and told him not to even try to dismantle the door, which alerted Madam Pei in the neighboring courtyard.
Huiyin reluctantly put down the book, helped Yanniang lie down, and said, "I'll come see you again tomorrow."
Yan Niang smiled and said, "My injury is no longer a problem, and I can get out of bed tomorrow."
Huiyin frowned and said firmly, "No, it will take at least ten days."
Pei Yu was still knocking and calling from outside. Huiyin hurriedly tucked Yan Niang into bed and turned to open the door.
Pei Yu's tapping hand froze in mid-air. The moment he saw Huiyin, he reached out and pulled her out, tucking her under his arm. With his other hand, he pinched Huiyin's cheek and said fiercely, "You think you can hide from the first day of the month, but can you hide from the fifteenth?"
Huiyin struggled to avoid his large hands kneading her waist. He pinched the soft flesh around her waist, and she laughed until she was breathless, saying between stammers, "I was wrong... please stop..."
The two of them chatted and laughed all the way into the main room, their voices growing softer and softer. Yan Niang lay on the bed, gazing at the moon and sighing softly. She hadn't seen Huiyin so happy in a long time; she looked just like the vibrant Huiyin of the past, no longer the lifeless girl she once was.
May God be kind to her.
Huiyin was thrown onto the couch by Pei Yu like a sandbag. Before she could get up, he pressed her down forcefully, making her feel as heavy as a mountain. She kicked her legs hard, trying to turn over and throw Pei Yu off.
Pei Yu knelt on Huiyin, pinning her down with one hand. His clothes had come undone during their earlier playfulness, revealing his strong waist. He was slightly out of breath, and his firm abdomen rose and fell gently with his breathing.
Huiyin struggled for a while, and realizing that she couldn't break free from Pei Yu on her own, she lowered her hands, panting, and admitted defeat. "I was wrong. I forgot to tell you when I came down the mountain."
Pei Yu snorted coldly, slightly raising his hips, "Why didn't you say so on the way back?"
"I can't find an opportunity. What if you have an attack on the way?" Huiyin's eyes widened, her face full of innocence.
"Nonsense." Pei Yu pinned her hands above her head with one hand, and with the other, he pinched her chin and kissed her, silencing Huiyin's incessant chatter. He kissed her until she was dizzy and blushing before releasing his hands and quickly stripping off her clothes.
Huiyin blushed and pushed him away with both hands, saying, "I haven't taken a bath yet."
Pei Yu straightened up, loosened his inner garment and threw it on the ground, pressing against Huiyin, eager to make his move. He breathed heavily, his wild body pressed tightly against Huiyin's chest, "I'll help you wash later."
——
As dawn broke, birds chirped in the woods, and the maids in the courtyard rose to sprinkle water, the leaves rustling softly.
In the midst of peace and tranquility, there was a knock on the door, and a male voice came: "Young General, His Majesty summons you."
Huiyin turned over in her drowsy state, burying her head in the blankets to block out the noise. A fishy smell filled her nostrils, and she covered her nose in unbearable discomfort.
Pei Yu threw back the covers and got up, his long, slender legs landing on the footstool. He rubbed his hair and said in a hoarse voice, "I know."
Pei Yu wiped his face, turned around and pulled Huiyin out of the quilt, covered her with the quilt, and lowered the blackout curtains so that she could sleep peacefully.
He got up, stretched lazily, looked satisfied, and quietly pulled out a set of casual clothes, put them on, and left the room.
Chi Yan waited outside the door with his hands hanging down. When he saw him come out, he immediately came to greet him. Pei Yu took the handkerchief handed to him by the maid and washed up. He asked, "Who came to summon me?"
The maidservant withdrew on her own, and Chi Yan replied, "It's Attendant Wang, who serves His Majesty. He seems to be in a hurry."
Pei Yu had a feeling he'd figured something out. He wiped his face and asked, "How's Fang Mu doing?"
A few days ago, he sent Fang Mu to Dai County to investigate Chen Jie's bottom line. Judging by the time, the first message should have already arrived.
Chi Yan pulled out a bamboo slip from his sleeve and handed it to Pei Yu. It described in detail his life before joining the army. His father died when he was seven and his mother remarried. His stepfather was from Yizhou and his martial arts skills were learned from the Yizhou martial arts school.
Pei Yu handed the wooden slip to Chi Yan, "Send a message to Fang Mu, telling him to focus on investigating this martial arts school. Chen Jie was selected for the Imperial Guard, so his martial arts skills must be extraordinary. A martial arts school in a remote county town can't possibly teach him."
Chi Yan noted it down, took the food brought by the maid, and followed Pei Yu out the door. He handed over the food on the lacquer plate, but Pei Yu had no appetite and waved his hand to indicate that he should take it away.
Chi Yan added, "The maid said that Lady Song instructed her to prepare it."
Pei Yu waved his hand, then turned his arm and picked up the roasted meat pie from the lacquer tray with a smooth and effortless movement.
He entered the inner palace and followed the guidance of the eunuch to Linguang Palace. The forests of Ganquan Mountain were deep and secluded, and the summer heat was greatly reduced here.
The Lingguang Palace is situated in this cool and serene place. Although its halls are not as grand as the Weiyang Palace, they are more exquisite and have a distinct Jiangnan garden style.
Wang Tuo, who was guarding outside the palace, saw Pei Yu and immediately greeted him with a smile, his attitude as respectful and amiable as before. "General Pei, you have arrived. His Majesty has been waiting for you for a long time."
Pei Yu nodded to him, removed his shoes, and entered the hall. Emperor Xuan was wearing only a dark blue robe and was casually leaning against a low table, tapping a scroll of bamboo slips with his fingertips. The hall was so quiet that the dripping of the water clock could be heard.
Pei Yu stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I wish you good health."
Emperor Xuan gestured for Pei Yu to rise, asking, "How is your injury healing?"
Pei Yu raised his hand and twisted his shoulder, laughing, "I've been recuperating from my injuries these past few days, and I'm almost crippled."
Emperor Xuan slightly raised his chin, gesturing for Pei Yu to sit down. "Stop being so glib. I'm letting you recuperate for your own good. Don't neglect your health while you're still young."
He took a bamboo slip from the table and handed it to Pei Yu, saying, "Take a look."
Pei Yu took it and examined it closely. His eyes narrowed. The assassin Chen Jie, along with the remaining Xiongnu assassins, had all committed suicide in prison. After their deaths, they confessed that the person behind them was an official who had been demoted from Chang'an a year earlier and harbored resentment, colluding with the Xiongnu to assassinate His Majesty.
Pei Yu put down the bamboo slips and remained silent for a long time. He knew that this matter was not simple and involved a wide range of people. His Majesty, out of various concerns, would suppress the matter and leave it unsolved.
Unexpectedly, he quickly silenced the witnesses, shifted the blame onto others, and closed the case early, clearly intending to protect the person behind the scenes and not want anyone to investigate further.
Emperor Xuan didn't miss a single expression on Pei Yu's face, watching him go from shock, confusion, and anger to calm.
Pei Yu raised his eyes, his displeasure evident in them. "May I ask why?"
Emperor Xuan sighed softly, rose and walked to the window, and said heavily, "Since the beginning of summer, there has not been a single rain. This is an internal problem. In August, the horses are fat and strong, and the Xiongnu are restless. This is an external problem."
"Given internal and external troubles, some things naturally have to be put aside. Do you understand?" Emperor Xuan stood with his hands behind his back.
Pei Yu calmly replied, "Your subject understands."
Emperor Xuan nodded in satisfaction, his face breaking into a warm smile. "You've rested long enough. Go back to your office starting today."
Pei Yu responded respectfully, bowed, and took his leave.
After leaving Lin Guang Palace, he encountered the Crown Prince and Su Jinghao walking side by side. The two had smiles on their faces and seemed to be traveling together.
Pei Yu stood still for a few moments. Ever since he learned that Su Jinghao had repeatedly plotted against Huiyin, he had felt utterly disgusted with this woman. She had a gentle face on the surface, but a heart of a venomous snake inside. She was no good person; she could turn against her sister of more than ten years for a man.
As for Huiyin, Pei Yu didn't think she had done anything wrong. If there was anything wrong with her, it was probably that she was blind. With such an outstanding man like him right in front of her, how could she still be thinking about the Crown Prince?
He cleared his throat, stepped forward, and bowed to the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince was unusually happy to see Pei Yu, and he pulled Pei Yu aside to ask about his well-being and injuries.
Pei Yu answered them one by one, then changed the subject, "Where is Your Highness going?"
The Crown Prince gazed at Su Jinghao with affection in his eyes, blushed, and said, "I will take Jinghao to the Empress Dowager's place. She has been studying palace affairs there these days."
Su Jinghao smiled gently and curtsied slightly.
Pei Yu returned the greeting coldly, his sharp gaze fixed on Su Jing, a half-smile playing on his lips. "So, Miss Su, you've learned the palace rules very well? Do you know what the punishment is for wantonly harming others?"
Su Jinghao took a step back and hid behind the Crown Prince, replying somewhat fearfully, "This concubine is of limited knowledge and does not understand General Pei's intentions?"
The Crown Prince stepped in front of Su Jinghao at the right moment, saying, "Cousin, don't scare her."
Pei Yu: "...Just asking a question, why are you being so protective?"
“You’ll understand when your cousin finds someone he loves.” After saying this, the Crown Prince’s earlobes turned red. He glared at Pei Yu and pulled Su Jinghao away.
Pei Yu stood there, watching the two figures hurriedly leave, feeling a little regretful. He should have beaten the Crown Prince a few more times when he was young to make him more clear-headed.
——
Pei Yu returned to Yingfeng Pavilion. The doors and windows of the main room were wide open, and the plain-colored curtains fluttering in the wind could be vaguely seen inside. The maids in the courtyard squeezed under the curtains to let the breeze through the hall, each holding a bowl of chilled mung bean soup.
Upon seeing him return, the women quickly put down their earthenware bowls and knelt to pay their respects. Pei Yu raised his hand to stop them. He looked around but couldn't see Huiyin. "Where is my wife?"
A familiar-looking maid stepped forward. Pei Yu recognized her; her name was Aheng. Aheng swallowed the bean soup in her mouth and said respectfully, "Just now, Madam went out alone without asking us to follow."
Where is Yan Niang?
Aheng replied, "Yanniang is recuperating inside the house."
Pei Yu asked again, "Where did she go?"
Ah Heng looked troubled and hesitated, saying, "My lady didn't tell me, but judging from the direction, she should be heading east."
Pei Yu looked in the direction she pointed. The path was quiet and deserted. Huiyin was afraid of the heat and usually didn't have time to cool off. Why did she go out in the middle of the day without anyone with her?
Huiyin was in a hurry when she left home and didn't bring anything to cover herself, so Feng Cheng picked a large lotus leaf for her to put on her head.
Huiyin held up a lotus leaf, her soft sleeves sliding down her arms to reveal a section of her fair wrist. "Brother, what's the matter that's so urgent?"
Just after finishing lunch, Feng Cheng sent someone to tell her to come out and meet him. He sounded very anxious and the meeting place was not very secretive.
Feng Cheng grabbed Huiyin's wrist and led her behind a tree. He first looked around furtively before taking out a wooden box from his sleeve and handing it to Huiyin.
He said nervously, "This thing was found by my people at Yuan Zhi's old residence in Chang'an. It's all written in classical Chinese. I had them bring it out for you to see."
Yuan Zhi's father was a renowned scholar of ancient Chinese characters, and his reputation was great among students. Yuan Zhi was able to enter officialdom because of his father's reputation, so it was not surprising that his family had such connections.
Huiyin opened the wooden box, inside which were stacks of silk scrolls. She flipped through them one by one, and they were all written in ancient Zhou script, which was very different from the modern script and extremely complicated.
Huiyin had always enjoyed studying ancient characters and could understand a few sentences. She suddenly stopped flipping through the pages, her fingertips tightened, and she trembled as she touched the two characters in the middle. She couldn't be mistaken; these two characters were her father's name, Song Wei.
Huiyin closed the cloth and carefully packed away the wooden box, saying with difficulty, "This thing is very important; I need to take it back and study it carefully."
“Okay,” Feng Cheng nodded repeatedly. “Yuan Zhi hid this thing very well. I guess there’s something wrong with it. I’ll go back and wait for your news.”
Huiyin was in a state of confusion. She nodded haphazardly and almost tripped over a tree branch as she turned around, but Feng Cheng caught her.
Seeing Huiyin's restlessness, Feng Cheng put his arm around her shoulder and patted her gently, comforting her, "The net of heaven is vast, and though its meshes are wide, nothing escapes it. The things the Su family has done cannot go unnoticed."
"I'm worried about you looking like this, I'll take you home."
Huiyin was still being supported by him. She didn't hear what Feng Cheng said. At this moment, her mind was full of those ancient characters. She could vaguely sense that this was an important piece of evidence.
The roads were deserted in the afternoon, and they hardly encountered anyone on their way back. Feng Cheng saw Huiyin to the door, hesitated for a moment, but finally asked, "Do you know that Madam Pei is choosing wives for the Pei brothers?"
"What?" Huiyin looked up blankly, her eyelashes trembling.
Feng Cheng was indignant. "These days, Madam Pei has been attending banquets at Ganquan Palace, and her words have revealed that she intends to arrange a marriage between Pei Yu and Pei Yan this year."
Huiyin lowered her eyes, her heart aching, but she forced herself to remain calm and said, "I understand."
Feng Cheng lowered his voice and roared, "You need to make plans soon! That Pei Yu is no good man."
Huiyin's lips were pale. She said nothing upon hearing this and sent the still angry Feng Cheng away. She remained standing there calmly for a moment before turning back.
She turned around and saw Pei Yu standing outside Yingfeng Pavilion, looking at her. She didn't know how long he had been standing there.
Huiyin subconsciously hid the wooden box behind her back and slowly walked over, saying, "You're back."
Pei Yu shifted his gaze from Feng Cheng, who had left, to Huiyin's face. Fine beads of sweat glistened on her forehead, and her cheeks were flushed from the sun. An inexplicable fire surged up from her heart, burning her internal organs with pain.
He asked coldly, "What were you talking to him about?"
Huiyin: "It's nothing, we just met and chatted for a bit."
Pei Yu pressed on, his eyes mocking, "What could you possibly want to talk about that would make you go see him alone in the middle of the day?"
Huiyin frowned, realizing he was angry. She softened her tone and explained, "I asked Brother Feng to find some ancient books before, and he came today to deliver them."
As Huiyin spoke, she took out the wooden box hidden behind her and opened it for Pei Yu to see.
Pei Yu picked up the silk book from the wooden box and flipped through it haphazardly. It was indeed written in ancient Chinese, and he didn't recognize a single character.
He didn't ask anything more, stepped aside to let Huiyin in, and said calmly, "Don't see him next time. If you need anything, just ask me directly."
Huiyin paused, his tone not one of discussion, but of command, and even the expression on his face was more serious than ever before.
She glanced around; several guards were still standing at the entrance. Huiyin didn't want to say these things in front of them, so she suppressed her anger and pulled Pei Yu into the west courtyard.
"I've already explained to you that Feng Cheng and I have a brother-sister relationship, not what you think. I'll definitely tell you in advance next time I go to see him, okay?"
Pei Yu withdrew his hand, his tone cold, "You two are not related by blood, so what brotherly or sisterly affection do you have? Song Huiyin, you are a married woman. Don't you think it's a problem that you meet with other men in private?"
Huiyin conceded again: "I'll bring Yanniang next time, and I won't meet with him alone again, okay?"
Pei Yu scoffed, "No, what you mean by brotherly and sisterly affection is that you two hug and cuddle and act intimately? Forgive my ignorance, but I've never seen such a brother and sister."
His face was full of sarcasm, and he had a sarcastic and unsettling look.
Huiyin was also angered, "You were following me?"
Pei Yu took the lead and walked towards the main house, saying, "I don't have time to follow you."
Seeing the awkward atmosphere between the two, the maidservant squeezed into the room along the wall and closed the door.
Huiyin lifted her skirt to catch up with him, and questioned, "Then did you have someone spy on me?"
Unable to contain his anger, Pei Yu kicked the door open and retorted, "If I hadn't had someone keep an eye on you, how would I have known that you two were like this, 'hugging and cuddling' like siblings?"
"Shut up!" Huiyin was truly angry; the smile on her face vanished completely. "We are completely innocent; you are being petty."
Pei Yu laughed in anger, and shouted, "Me, a petty person? I'm afraid in your heart, only Brother Feng and Young Master Wang are true gentlemen."
He dragged unrelated people into this again, and Huiyin didn't want to get involved with him anymore. What she cared about now was that Pei Yu had someone keep an eye on her. "You should take those people back."
"We won't retreat!"
The argument between the two disturbed Yan Niang in the next room. Despite her illness, she opened the door and shouted anxiously, "Madam, Young General, what's wrong?"
Huiyin was brought back to her senses by Yan Niang. She took a deep breath and smiled to comfort Yan Niang, "It's alright, you should go back now."
Yan Niang refused and tried to persuade her again.
Pei Yu suddenly shouted angrily, "Where are the others? Help her inside! When masters are arguing, how can a servant interrupt?"
Upon seeing this, Ah Heng and the others, who were huddled in the room, quickly went out and persuaded Yan Niang to go back inside.
Yan Niang had no choice but to let them help her back, fearing it would only escalate Pei Yu's anger.
Pei Yu turned to look at Huiyin and threatened, "If I see you meeting with another man in private again..."
Huiyin interrupted him without even glancing at him, "What do you intend to do?"
Pei Yu pursed his lips, his knuckles cracking as he gripped her tightly. Huiyin's expression was completely different from before; if she was angry just now, she was now cold and indifferent.
Huiyin walked straight in without turning her head and said, "I am not your pet. You have no right to interfere with who I see or who I befriend."
She gracefully straightened her skirt and sat down, opened the wooden box, took out the silk book inside and spread it on the table, her expression indifferent. "General Pei, if you want to punish me, so be it. I have other matters to attend to. Please go and rest elsewhere."
Pei Yu stood there, then suddenly chuckled, slammed the door, and left. "Fine."
After he left, Huiyin tried to study the silk manuscript, but she couldn't concentrate and couldn't calm down.
She looked up at the slammed wooden door, a lump forming in her throat, her fingertips gripping the brush so tightly they turned white. Several figures peered in from outside, so she got up and closed the door, shutting out their view.
After Pei Yu slammed the door and left, he became angrier and angrier. His heart felt like it was being squeezed tightly by something, both sore and swollen, making it hard to breathe.
He barely asked her a couple of questions before she yelled at him and argued with him, protecting Feng Cheng tightly. He had never seen her care about him or defend him like this before.
Pei Yu felt a surge of heat rush to his head, and his ears were ringing. Or perhaps he felt a chill run through his body, as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
Their argument drew the attention of a maid from the east room, who came out to investigate, her eyes darting over. His gaze instantly turned cold, veins bulging on the back of his hand. He smashed a ceramic lamp on the wall with his fist and roared, "Get out!"
The maid dared not look any longer and shrank back inside the door. Pei Yu glanced back at the silent west courtyard, not even a single maid had chased after him, and his aura suddenly plummeted before he strode away.
Yan Niang entered the room, leaning against the wall, and saw Huiyin sitting motionless, looking lost in thought, her eyes gazing into the distance. She slowly sat down, carefully putting away the silk books on the table, patted Huiyin's shoulder, and said softly, "Go and rest for a while."
Huiyin snapped out of her daze, lowered her head in distress, and said, "Why did you get up? Go back and rest."
Yan Niang sighed, "With you all arguing like this, how can I possibly rest?"
Huiyin lowered her head like a child who had made a mistake, her eyes red from rubbing them. Yanniang pulled her into her arms and comforted her like she used to when they were children, "What happened? You were fine yesterday, but today you've been arguing like this."
Huiyin felt very pathetic. She couldn't help but want to cry after just a few words. She forced herself to say, "I went to see Feng Cheng, and he got angry when he saw me. He told me I'm not allowed to see him again."
“I originally wanted to explain things to him properly, but he wouldn’t listen. He even had someone monitor me, and he got angry at you.”
Yan Niang wiped away her tears and said gently, "He's just jealous. He's upset because he cares about you. After what happened last time, he was worried that something might happen to you again, so he found someone to protect you."
Why did Fu's mother speak up for him?
Yan Niang sighed, "I'm not speaking up for him, I just don't want you to feel bad."
Huiyin didn't speak, nestled softly in Yanniang's arms, her vision blurred as if covered by a layer of fog, making it difficult to see clearly.
After a long pause, she finally said, "Then what about him taking his anger out on you?"
Yan Niang laughed and said, "I'm just a servant girl. It won't hurt me if people say a few words to me."
Huiyin sat up, pursed her lips and shook her head, "You are not a servant, you are my maternal grandmother. You are to me as Madam Pei is to him. I am very angry that he does not respect you."
She wiped her face and angrily went to rummage through the wooden box. "It's his fault. I won't back down."
Yan Niang pressed her hand down, "I won't let you lower your head. You've been sitting for a long time and you must be tired. Go and get some sleep."
Huiyin obediently let her do as she pleased, lying on the bamboo mat, while Yanniang stroked her hair and fanned her. Huiyin moved to the side, pulled Yanniang onto the bamboo mat, hugged her arm, and closed her eyes.
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