Chapter 1: With his two cousins tormenting him like this, Pei Lang must be thoroughly fed up...
"I won't be a concubine! Let me go!"
"You bully me because I have no parents, you don't deserve to be my uncle! Ugh!"
The young, sharp-witted girl, dressed in a crude wedding gown, had her mouth viciously gagged. Despite her desperate struggles, she could not escape being bound and put into a sedan chair.
Hearing the thud as the person was thrown in, Lin Fengyuan spat in dissatisfaction: "What trouble can a little yellow-haired girl cause?"
"Quickly send him to Master Huang! He's such an eyesore!"
Even in the dead of winter, he felt that his cloak was not enough, but he ignored Lin Zhi's thin clothes.
"Lift the sedan chair!"
"Wait a minute."
Lin Fengyuan, who was about to return to his residence, frowned and turned around, only to see a magnificent carriage parked in front of the Lin family mansion. He squinted as he scanned it, and although he had never seen one before, he knew that it belonged to someone of great wealth and status.
The carriage curtain was lifted, and an elegant noblewoman was helped down from the carriage.
"Bring the person down."
Lin Fengyuan watched as the other party's servants brought Lin Zhi down from the sedan chair, frowned and walked over: "Who dares to interfere in the affairs of our Lin family?"
But as soon as the well-maintained lady turned her face, Lin Fengyuan's expression changed abruptly: "You are... Lin Shaowan?"
Lin Shaowan glanced at the pitiful Lin Zhi, who was as thin as a seedling.
"Sister Shaowan!"
Lin Fengyuan was overjoyed. He never expected that his cousin, who had married into a wealthy family in Beijing, would come back to see him!
He had only taken two steps forward to try and get closer to her when he was stopped by a servant of the Pei family: "This is Madam Pei, you must not be rude!"
Seeing Lin Shaowan's imposing presence, Lin Fengyuan reluctantly stopped and asked, "Madam Pei... I wonder if Madam Pei is visiting her hometown?"
Lin Shaowan said calmly, "There are no relatives left in the family. I'm just returning to my hometown to offer incense."
"This child looks very familiar."
Seeing her staring at Lin Zhi, Lin Fengyuan felt a little guilty: "Ah, yes, she is my younger brother Fenghe's daughter. Her parents passed away early, and she is about to get married."
But as if she heard his words, Lin Zhi, whose hands and feet were bound, frantically spat out the cloth stuffed in her mouth, "You're clearly trying to sell me!"
Lin Fengyuan panicked for a moment, quickly signaling to a servant to cover her mouth, and awkwardly rubbed his hands together, saying, "It's not that..."
"I remember this child isn't even old enough to come of age yet, how come she's getting married already?"
Lin Shaowan slowly walked up to Lin Zhi, staring at her delicate face and beautiful almond-shaped eyes, which were still exquisite despite the heavy makeup.
Indeed, he bears a resemblance to an old friend.
"Let her come with me."
"As for the money, I will give back whatever amount they gave me."
Greed flashed in Lin Fengyuan's eyes. While saying it was inappropriate, he hurriedly accepted the silver notes handed to him by the servant of the Pei family. "Sister, you really have a good eye. I remember that my nephew of yours is over ten years old. It's time to add a concubine."
"Lin Zhi is family after all, so you can trust him to use, right?"
Lin Shaowan ignored Lin Fengyuan's words and got into the carriage.
"What are you pretending to be so high and mighty for? She's just a concubine who's been made the official wife, isn't she?"
Lin Fengyuan pursed his lips and muttered a rebuke to Lin Shaowan. When he looked up, he saw Lin Zhi, who had climbed onto the carriage, staring at him with a pair of bloodshot eyes full of resentment beyond her years.
Seeing this, he unconsciously shrugged his shoulders.
"Mother! You're finally back! I've missed you so much these past few days!"
Lin Shaowan raised her hand and tapped her youngest son on the forehead: "You're as unruly as a monkey. You're already sixteen and still don't know any better. It's a waste that the Emperor appointed you as a Major General."
"Only when you can be like your older brother will Mother be able to rest easy!"
"They're only a year apart, how come they're worlds apart?"
The Pei residence in the capital was indeed ornately decorated. Lin Zhi, curious, peeked out, only to be met with the icy gaze of the slightly taller boy.
Although he had sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, and a straight nose, his pale, thin lips, slightly pursed, exuded an inexplicable air of authority.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly looked away as if she had been burned.
She had heard her aunt mention that the first wife of the Pei family had passed away early, and the eldest son who left behind was polite to her aunt but not close to her.
"Alang, Mingli, this is your cousin Lin Zhi."
"From now on, A-Zhi will live in your residence..."
Pei Mingli was very interested in this cousin and kept pestering her with questions, but he received very few responses.
Lin Shaowan hesitated for a moment, then walked up to Pei Lang and said in a low voice, "Azhi's background is pitiful, I hope A Lang can tolerate her..."
Pei Lang glanced at her briefly before looking away: "Since Father agrees, I naturally have no objections."
“Mother, I will be entering the palace today. The Crown Prince is diligent, and as the Junior Tutor, I naturally cannot slack off.”
Lin Shaowan seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and stepped forward to straighten his clothes: "So anxious... Well, it is the Emperor's good fortune to give you an important position."
“You are the one your father can trust the most, so take good care of yourself.”
Pei Lang nodded, noticing that the servant beside him was already waiting at the door.
But he still stopped beside Lin Zhi, staring at her withered and shriveled appearance with a slight frown.
"Have you read any books?"
Lin Zhi's hands unconsciously clenched again, and they were sweaty.
"I read 'Instructions for Women' when I was young..."
Hearing her stuttering voice, Pei Lang impatiently looked away: "It's all useless stuff."
"Now that you've entered the Pei family, you must abide by its rules and study to understand principles."
Watching Pei Lang's tall and straight figure disappear into the distance, Lin Zhi secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Seeing the little girl so frightened, Pei Mingli couldn't help but burst out laughing.
“That’s just how my older brother is. As the Crown Prince’s tutor, he teaches students every day, and even the princes and princesses are afraid of him.”
"But you don't need to be afraid. My elder brother lives in the palace and rarely goes home. You can study whenever you want at the Pei residence, or go play whenever you don't want to study!"
Lin Zhi bowed to Pei Mingli with some gratitude, saying, "Thank you, Second Cousin."
Seeing that the two children got along well, Lin Shaowan smiled with satisfaction.
Not long after the New Year, news spread from the palace that the emperor had fallen ill and fainted.
This illness lasted for three years...
"Miss, Miss! The Second... the Second Young Master is back!"
Lin Zhi, who was doing her makeup in front of the bronze mirror, was delighted and was about to get up when the stinging pain on her head made her eyes red.
"Oh, my lady!"
Chun Tao, who was doing her hair, was also startled and quickly loosened her grip.
"Miss, why are you in such a hurry? Your hair isn't even done yet. Did you pull on it and hurt yourself?"
Chun Tao went around to her and hurriedly rubbed her head, but her gaze was drawn to her slightly red almond-shaped eyes.
She still vaguely remembered being assigned to serve her cousin's room by the mistress three years ago. At that time, her cousin was a thin and haggard little girl.
But now, in just three years, the young lady has grown into a pink and sweet peach, with a rich fragrance and a honey-like aroma.
Her thin and frail figure was now shapely and graceful, a far cry from her former appearance. Even she couldn't help but blush when she looked at her for a few more moments.
Lin Zhi urged her softly in front of the bronze mirror, but then became puzzled: "That's not right, my second cousin wrote that it will be another half month before we can return to the capital."
"Why so fast this time?"
As Chuntao continued to gather the remaining black hair for her, she silently responded in her heart.
Naturally, it was to rush back for the young lady.
During these three years, the two were childhood sweethearts, and although no one in the household dared to say anything, they all knew the truth in their hearts.
These cousins would be a perfect match if they were to become husband and wife.
A few days ago, Young Master Lu pestered Miss so much that he even threatened to kill himself to force her to marry him, causing a great uproar in the city.
I'm afraid it has already reached the Second Young Master's ears on the winds blowing towards the border.
Chun Tao remained silent, but Xia Ying interrupted her hastily.
"Miss...you, you must go and see! The master is about to use family discipline!"
Xia Ying was out of breath, clearly having rushed over.
Why!
After inserting the last jade hairpin, Lin Zhi hurriedly lifted her skirt and stood up.
"The Second Young Master returned to the capital without imperial decree, alarming the Emperor..."
Xia Ying glanced at Lin Zhi's expression, her voice growing softer and softer.
Lin Zhi's face also turned pale, and her originally rosy complexion gradually lost its color. She picked up the hem of her skirt and hurriedly went to the front hall.
"You unfilial son! You hold an important position, and you still dare to sneak back!"
"How can you face the Emperor? How can you face your father?"
"Your mother has worried about you every day, and so many of her hairs have turned white. How dare you! How dare you!"
Before she even reached the main hall, Lin Zhi could hear her uncle's angry voice from afar.
My heart clenched, and I quickened my pace in my embroidered brocade shoes.
Upon entering, one could see Pei Mingli wearing only his undergarments, his back covered in bloody welts from being whipped.
The snow-white undergarment was torn into rags, a shocking sight.
But Pei Mingli still gritted his teeth and refused to budge: "If I don't come back, Azhi will be bullied by that young Marquis Lu!"
"A woman's reputation is of paramount importance; how can I, as her elder brother, turn a blind eye to it!"
"Besides, the army is already on its way back; I just rode back a few days earlier."
"What wrong have I done!"
Lin Shaowan frowned and reached out to pull Lin Zhi to her side.
She watched as her husband's thick eyebrows shot up in anger once again.
"You brat, still being stubborn, huh!"
"Now that His Majesty is ill, you have returned to the capital with a large army without imperial decree. If someone wants to impeach you and accuse you of treason, what will you do?"
Pei Mingli was whipped twice more, his voice hoarse as he muttered resentfully, "So what? I still have an elder brother in the palace..."
Upon hearing him mention Pei Lang, Pei's father's breathing quickened, and he slammed the family discipline stick on the ground.
“Your elder brother has returned home very few times in the past three years. Countless eyes in the court are watching him, hoping that he will make a mistake so that our Pei family will be ruined!”
"Instead, you're still paying back... paying back..."
Seeing that her husband looked unwell, Lin Shaowan decided to stop standing by and do nothing.
After instructing the servant to help the master rest, he then had his son helped up, looking on with exasperation.
"Your father has a bad temper, can't you be a little gentler?"
"Alright, alright, let's go apply the medicine first."
"Azhi, please persuade your cousin for your aunt's sake, and stop him from causing any more trouble."
Before leaving, Lin Shaowan did not forget to give Lin Zhi some instructions.
Lin Zhi bit her lower lip and nodded, silently following Pei Mingli back to his residence.
The maid carefully cut open his undergarment, and Lin Zhi's heart trembled as he looked at the bloodied and mangled back.
Pei Mingli didn't seem to care, lying on the couch as if nothing had happened.
“Azhi, don’t worry. Father knows his limits. This is not even three-tenths of the strength he uses on the battlefield.”
With slender fingers, she slowly applied the ointment to the wound, and Pei Mingli shifted uncomfortably.
"Let the servants handle these matters..."
But as soon as he turned around, he saw the little girl biting her lip, crying silently and almost unable to breathe.
"Oh dear! Don't cry! It doesn't hurt at all."
Pei Mingli sat up and sighed, "Actually, I didn't come back just for that bastard Lu Yu."
Lin Zhi, her eyes red, murmured an "Mmm": "Cousin, you're thinking that this triumphant return is too conspicuous."
"You deliberately let someone find fault with you to put the Emperor at ease."
Pei Mingli's eyes lit up: "The book my brother made you read carefully is really useful. You're a very clever girl!"
The thought of Pei Lang sending a thick stack of books every few months made Lin Zhi's arms ache.
It was one thing to copy and read carefully, but that person still insisted on checking on me from time to time.
Now, she wants to stand up straight whenever she hears the name Pei Lang.
Such tormenting behavior suggests that Pei Lang is utterly disgusted with this burden.
Feeling uneasy, Lin Zhi looked up at Pei Mingli, who was applying medicine to her.
She thought to herself: Her family consists of elders, and she can only feel a little more at ease when her second cousin comes back.
Men and women should not touch each other. Lin Zhi watched him apply the medicine and then left.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he stepped out of the courtyard and through the pavilion, he bumped into the person coming towards him.
Lin Zhi was preoccupied with her thoughts and focused only on walking with her head down, not looking at anyone.
I felt as if I had bumped into a wall, and my forehead was probably swollen.
She couldn't eat due to the summer heat, and after the fright she had just experienced, her legs felt weak and she was about to fall.
Her fair wrist was gripped by a force like an iron claw and pulled back.
Lin Zhi rushed back after smelling the faint scent of cedarwood on the person's chest and nose.
With her head bowed and not daring to look up, she whispered in a voice barely above a whisper, "Big cousin...are you well?"
In sight, a pair of dark gold-patterned boots appeared and disappeared as they stepped on the blue bricks.
Once the fear around her subsided somewhat, Lin Zhi was able to confirm that Pei Lang had gone far away.
He breathed a sigh of relief.
Chun Tao quickly steadied her: "Miss, the eldest young master has returned. He's not back to interrogate us, is he?"
Upon hearing her words, Lin Zhi's eyes also showed a hint of fear.
Although her aunt and uncle treated her well, it was still someone else's family after all.
Everyone in the Pei family knows that the eldest son, Pei Lang, is the most promising. Even his aunt has to give him some face.
My aunt only saved her because of the past relationship she had with my parents, and I can't cause my aunt any trouble.
The trouble caused by Young Master Lu a few days ago was bad enough, but now this whole mess with Second Cousin...
Lin Zhi's face paled slightly as she gripped Chun Tao's hand tighter, but her eyes hardened. "Go back and prepare cold water for me."
A note from the author:
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