Chapter 7 A Cousin from the He Family Who Loves Him Infatuated
Huiyin and Yanniang followed Fang Mu to the Pei residence. The carriage stopped at the side gate of the Pei residence. Huiyin helped Yanniang down from the carriage and looked at the magnificent mansion in front of her that had weathered the storms of two dynasties.
The Pei family mansion was originally the residence of a prince from the previous dynasty. After the establishment of the Southern Dynasty, the mansion was bestowed upon the Pei family, who had contributed to the rise of the new dynasty. After several renovations, it became what it is today.
Located near the inner city, this place covers dozens of acres. The roof is made of blue bricks and ceramic tiles, with layers upon layers of hipped eaves. It is impossible to count how many houses and buildings are inside this mansion. The outer courtyard is not deliberately luxuriously decorated, but it exudes the heritage of a noble family.
Fang Mu, with a sword slung across his waist, walked up to Huiyin and her servant. Upon seeing Huiyin's face, he gasped in shock and silently praised the young general's might.
Looking at Huiyin's pale face, he softened his voice and said, "The young general ordered us to send the young lady back to her residence first. Young lady, please."
Huiyin looked in the direction he pointed. The gilded and black side door was pulled open. The imposing gate tower was oppressive. Behind the door was a winding corridor with an unseen end, like a giant beast baring its fangs to devour people.
She nodded slightly to Fang Mu and stepped through the side gate. As she walked around the long corridor of the side gate, the scenery of the Pei family's back garden came into view. The huge lotus pond shimmered in the light, with artificial hills and stacked rocks. The stone pavilion in the center of the lake had upturned eaves and corners, and the brocade hanging on both sides danced in the wind.
Fang Mu led the two women to the reception area in the front hall. The path was winding, and along the way they encountered many maids with their hair in a single bun and wearing green ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), who secretly sized up the three women. After walking for nearly a quarter of an hour, the three women stopped in front of a spacious, ancient house.
The room was tall and spacious, with the main seat in the center and brocade tables for guests arranged on both sides. Kneeling on the main seat was a beautiful woman, with a delicate figure and furrowed brows. She looked to be about thirty years old and wore a dark green blouse with a hem that trailed to the ground.
She wore her hair in a high bun, adorned with countless pearls and jade ornaments, leaving no space untouched. Six maids with narrow sleeves stood on either side of her, their eyes lowered. To her left, a young woman knelt on a guest seat, leaning slightly forward, chatting amiably with the woman.
Huiyin kept walking while observing the two women's expressions and clothing. She recognized the beautiful woman; she was Pei Yu's mother, Madam Pei. The young woman must be He Jiaying, her cousin who was staying at the Pei residence. She was Madam Pei's young lady from her maternal family and, as everyone knew, Pei Yu's future concubine.
Huiyin lowered her eyes, pondering a solution. Madam Pei, due to her background, had always disliked noblewomen in the capital, and at banquets, Huiyin always treated her with indifference. Add to that her cousin from the He family, who was "deeply in love" with Pei Yu, and today would likely be difficult to resolve peacefully.
The two people inside the hall also noticed Huiyin and the others, stopped talking, and looked over. Fang Mu walked to the front of the hall, bowed, and replied, "Fang Mu greets Your Majesty and congratulates the young lady. Your Majesty, the young general has entered the palace today to report to His Majesty."
He turned slightly to the side, revealing Huiyin behind him, his face beaming with joy. "This is the concubine that the young general took in on his journey. The young general ordered us to escort her back to the manor."
A moment of silence fell over the hall, and He Jiaying's smile froze. The broken jade cup that Madam Pei was holding fell to the ground, the sound of shattering jade startling everyone.
Huiyin stepped forward, bent her knees, and clasped her hands in front of her chest to greet Madam Pei.
"Huiyin inquires after the lady's well-being."
Ignoring the maids supporting her, Madam Pei leaned forward and saw Huiyin's face clearly. Clutching her chest, she trembled and said, "Song Huiyin, how could it be you?"
Her hair was disheveled and her face was pale.
He Jiaying stepped forward to help Madam Pei up, and whispered in Madam Pei's ear, "Aunt, Song Huiyin is the daughter of a disgraced official. What if people find out that our Pei family has taken her in?"
Huiyin overheard their whispers and, seeing Madam Pei's increasingly grim expression, suddenly understood why Pei Yu had sent someone to escort her back to the manor first, and why he hadn't given her a single word of explanation. He had done it on purpose.
Her gaze shifted to He Jiaying's face. He Jiaying's eyes were filled with jealousy and hatred, and her undisguised malice was palpable. Her beautiful face became distorted by her expression.
The next moment, Madam Pei said forcefully, "What concubine? My son did not send a message. You must have been bewitched by this woman's sweet talk. Get her out of here and don't taint my Pei mansion."
Fang Mu looked completely bewildered and, seeing Madam Pei's expression, explained, "Madam, this morning the young general himself said..."
Before he could finish speaking, He Jiaying interrupted him, saying, "Shut up! You're a guard of the Pei family, why are you protecting outsiders? Don't you listen to the Lady's words?"
Fang Mu stood there, his mouth moving, unsure how to explain. He had followed the young general for nearly three years, riding alongside him to fight enemies, sparring and practicing archery, but this was the first time he had encountered matters concerning women in the inner quarters of the household. For a moment, he was speechless, standing there utterly at a loss.
Madam Pei ignored him, staring at Huiyin with disgust, and waved for her maid to shoo him away. Yan Niang, fiercely protective of Huiyin, stood in front of her, blocking the Pei family maid who was about to leave.
Six maids surrounded Huiyin and Yanniang, reaching out to shoo them away. Huiyin raised her hand and grabbed the slapping hand in front of her, her gaze sweeping coldly over them. She stepped forward and said, "General Pei has made great contributions in pacifying Dong'ou. The whole city is watching the Pei family and the palace closely. Does Madam really intend to expel me from the Pei family at this time, so that the whole world will know?"
She shook off the maid who was attacking her, pulled off the shackles binding Yan Niang, shielded her behind her, and looked up at Madam Pei, continuing, "His Majesty is lenient and has not punished the Song family. I am now a law-abiding citizen and will not bring any disaster to the Pei family."
“Besides,” Huiyin glanced at He Jiaying, whose face was pale, and pointed at Fang Mu, “you don’t recognize me, but don’t you recognize him? He is General Pei’s personal guard. Without his orders, would he dare to bring me into the mansion so openly?”
Fang Mu snapped out of his daze, knelt on one knee, and clasped his hands in a fist salute. "Your Majesty, it was indeed the young general who ordered it." He secretly wiped away his sweat, inwardly complaining, "When gods fight, little devils suffer. He must have offended the young general this morning, which is why he deliberately gave him this arduous task."
Madam Pei was startled by Huiyin's words and looked at He Jiaying in a daze. Huiyin also looked up, and their eyes met in mid-air, both understanding each other's thoughts.
He Jiaying withdrew her gaze and squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth: "Aunt, what she said makes some sense. Why don't we let her stay for now and discuss it again when my cousin comes back?"
"Yes, yes, yes!"
Madam Pei nodded repeatedly, pointing to the front courtyard and saying, "Go wait at the door. I'll deal with you when my son comes back."
After speaking, Madam Pei turned and left quickly. The pearls and jade on her head swayed and jingled incessantly. Her long skirt trailed on the ground, causing her to trip over it. She took a few haphazard steps before her figure disappeared from the front hall.
He Jiaying lagged behind, her jealousy rising as she scrutinized Huiyin's face. She instructed the maid beside her, "Go and keep an eye on them. Don't let them move around freely."
Huiyin stood at the entrance of the hall. Fang Mu stepped forward apologetically, and she comforted him with a smile, "I'm fine. Guard Fang, you can go back to your work. I'm sure General Pei will be back at the manor soon."
The soil had just thawed in early spring, and green buds were just sprouting. The cold air swept through their bodies from the ground. The two of them had been in the carriage with a charcoal brazier. When they got out of the carriage, they didn't wear many clothes, only a three-layered blouse, which did not keep them warm.
It was windy in the main hall, so Yan Niang moved to a different position to shield Huiyin from the wind. She said with heartache, "Life in the Pei family is not easy."
Huiyin smiled bitterly: "Since Father's accident, not a single day has been easy."
She lowered her eyes, held Yan Niang's hands in her arms to warm them, and went through the events that had happened from this morning until now in her mind.
Yan Niang added, "I had heard before that Madam Pei couldn't handle things, and seeing it today, it's true. She's being led by the nose in everything."
Huiyin recalled the background of this Lady Pei. She was originally from a humble family in Yongchang County, Yizhou. At that time, Pei Qing, who was not yet married, was ordered to inspect Yizhou. He met Lady Pei, who was in the prime of her youth, and couldn't forget her at first sight. He overcame all difficulties to marry her.
After their marriage, Pei Qing never had another woman. There was no infighting in the Pei family's inner quarters, so she naturally had a simple and pure heart. A few years later, Pei Qing died in battle, and Pei Yu took over the family. No one would offend her, and she lived a smooth and successful life.
Yan Niang turned to look at the maid who was staring at the two of them, and leaned closer to Huiyin and said, "Miss, they only said that we are not allowed to wander around. I will help you to wait in the back corridor."
Huiyin glanced at the sky, mentally calculating Pei Yu's travel time; he should be back by now. She shook her head at Yanniang.
A quarter of an hour later, in front of the tall and majestic Twin Towers, the main gate of the Pei residence opened wide, and Pei Yu appeared at the door. He nimbly dismounted, removed his sword, and strode forward.
As soon as he stepped through the gate, he saw Huiyin standing in the front courtyard, her face pale, coughing slightly, her figure as delicate as a willow swaying in the breeze. He shifted his gaze to the maid beside him, who immediately knelt down and bowed, recounting what had just happened.
Pei Yu nodded expressionlessly, then saw hurried footsteps coming from the left corridor. Madam Pei walked quickly, lifting her skirt, followed by a group of beautiful young maids. Before she arrived, her voice preceded her: "Yu'er, you're back."
He stepped forward two paces to bow, saying, "My son greets his mother."
Madam Pei responded repeatedly, tearfully looking Pei Yu up and down. She pulled him towards the front hall, but as she turned around, she met Huiyin's eyes, who was standing in the courtyard. Her expression instantly darkened, and the speed at which she changed her face amazed Huiyin.
Madam Pei pointed at Huiyin and said, "That brat Fang Mu brought this woman back, saying she's your concubine. Yu'er, what's going on?"
Pei Yu glanced at Huiyin, who was bowing her head and remaining silent, and said succinctly, "Fang Mu is right. I want to take Song Huiyin as my concubine."
Madam Pei was stunned: "Why her? If you take her as a concubine, what will happen to Jia Ying?"
Pei Yu did not answer, but changed the subject: "Mother, let's settle her down first."
Madam Pei glared at Huiyin with hatred and beckoned to a burly maid: "Take her to the Linshui Pavilion to settle her in."
Huiyin never once looked up at Pei Yu. After bowing and leading Yan Niang, she left with the servant. After they left, Pei Yu helped Madam Pei into the main hall and said with some helplessness, "I have said long ago that I only regard Jia Ying as my younger sister and have never had any other thoughts. Mother, you should choose a good husband for my cousin as soon as possible."
Madam Pei looked anxious. She understood He Jiaying's feelings for Pei Yu better than anyone else. He Jiaying had devoted her heart to Pei Yu since she came to the Pei family at the age of thirteen. However, the He family had fallen into decline, and her background could not support Pei Yu's position as his wife.
Moreover, the He family already had one woman who became the wife of the Pei family, and Empress Pei would never allow the He family to have another wife. Therefore, over the years, she and He Jiaying had never coveted Pei Yu's position as his wife, and only waited for Pei Yu to marry so that they could give her to him as a concubine.
Thinking of this, she squeezed out two lines of tears: "Yu'er, your cousin's devotion to you is as clear as day. Besides, the He family has long since fallen from grace. For your mother's sake, please take her as your wife."
Pei Yu was most afraid of Madam Pei's tearful appearance. Years ago, after his father passed away, he went to Dai County to take over the Pei family army and did not return for many years, leaving only his widowed mother and younger brother in the capital.
He knew his mother's character and understood that her relationship with Empress Pei in the palace was not entirely genuine. He knew that the inner quarters were lonely, and that his cousin from the He family could keep his mother company in her place, so that she could live a more comfortable life.
He held Madam Pei's hand, still not letting go: "My cousin has been with Mother for many years. All her dowry will be provided by the Pei family. Mother can choose a family closer to home for my cousin, so that she can come back to see you in the future."
Looking at her cold-faced son, Madam Pei felt a surge of grief. She pounded her chest and cried out, her voice shrill: "Everyone knows that your cousin is in love with you. Who in Chang'an would want to marry her now? You're forcing her to her death!"
He Jiaying, who arrived a step behind, overheard the conversation between the two people in the hall. She was filled with unease. Her cousin's refusal to take her in must be because of that vixen!
She stared at the backyard, her eyes filled with resentment. The maid, Shuying, shuddered at her venomous gaze. Touching the goosebumps on her body, she cautiously asked, "Young lady?"
He Jiaying withdrew her gaze, pinched herself hard, tore her hair, and rushed into the main hall with tears in her eyes. "Is my cousin so intolerant of me that he wants to marry me off to someone random? If that's the case, I might as well cut off my hair and become a nun, so that I won't be mistreated in the future!"
Seeing He Jiaying slumped on the ground in a pitiful state, Madam Pei sobbed and rushed over, embracing her and weeping bitterly. Pei Yu frowned, watching his mother and cousin cry together, and finally relented, saying, "I will no longer interfere in my cousin's marriage, but I will never take her as a concubine."
Pei Yu walked past the two and left. Madam Pei wanted to persuade him again, but her son's cold expression stopped her. He Jiaying was extremely unwilling, and looked at Pei Yu with tears in her eyes, saying, "Cousin, you are unwilling to take me as your wife, but you are willing to take Song Nu as your wife. Is it because I am not as beautiful as her?"
Pei Yu's smile vanished, replaced by a cold expression. He stared silently at the weeping man on the ground.
Seeing the change in Pei Yu's expression, Madam Pei realized that he was angry. She hugged He Jiaying tightly to stop her from speaking again. Pei Yu had been unruly and disobedient since childhood. He had been beaten by his father countless times for this temperament when he was young. Once he made up his mind, no one could change it.
She treated this niece from her maternal family as her own daughter and naturally didn't want her to be hurt.
Pei Yu glanced at He Jiaying indifferently and said casually, "Song Huiyin has already entered the manor. Please take care of the rest, Mother."
He turned and left, not giving He Jiaying on the ground another glance.
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