Pei Huaian didn’t want to switch marriages, firstly because the one he had been dreaming about was always the Third Maiden of the Shen family, and secondly, because he simply couldn’t imagine himself being married to the Eldest Miss of the Shen family—that was the “sister-in-law” he had been addressing for over a month.
Upon arriving at Junzhi Courtyard, Pei Huaian quickened his pace to walk ahead of his elder brother and said to him, “Elder Brother, let’s split up to ask. I’ll go see Third Maiden Shen, and you see Eldest Miss Shen.”
Although Pei Huaijin understood his seventh brother’s thoughts, since Third Maiden Shen was originally his sweetheart, and he himself had already wronged him by stealing his love, he couldn’t very well deny them even the chance to speak now. So he said, “Alright…”
By this time, Shen Youran, fully dressed and proper, had long left the bedchamber and was sitting with her elder sister in the left side room. Tinglan and Danruo had been summoned back and were guarding outside the room, sighing quietly.
Inside the room, Shen Youran’s eyes were swollen from crying, and she had exhausted all her strength, lying weakly slumped over the table as her elder sister analyzed the pros and cons for her.
Her elder sister said that both the Pei and Shen families were prominent households in the capital. Since such an incident had occurred, it must be covered up and not spread, otherwise it would damage both families’ reputations. As for these two marriages—whether to let the mistake stand and switch them, or cancel one to preserve the other—weighing the lesser of two evils, the Pei family would likely choose the former…
Shen Youran sniffled, her voice still thick with tears: “I won’t switch. I want to break off the engagement. At worst, I’ll become a nun in the mountains…”
“Don’t talk nonsense. The Eldest Young Master of the Pei family is a gentleman many girls in the capital wish to marry. You wouldn’t be losing out by marrying him…”
“I know he’s very good, but we’re not suited for each other, just like how you and Seventh Young Master Pei aren’t suited either,” Shen Youran said with deep regret. “I was so foolish—why didn’t I realize it back then? What sixteen-year-old youth looks that mature? I was just muddle-headed…”
The sensation of skin contact seemed to linger, and the oppressive feeling of him forcing her fingers apart still remained. Shen Youran looked at her own hands, a wave of nausea rising up, and she couldn’t help retching dryly…
Seeing her younger sister so resistant, Shen Yunshu found it hard to continue persuading her and could only sit by her side, sighing quietly.
The door was knocked, and Tinglan, who was guarding outside, came in to report: “Eldest Young Master Pei and Seventh Young Master Pei have returned. Seventh Young Master Pei wishes to come in and speak with Third Sister for a while…”
Shen Youran looked at Shen Yunshu at a loss, shaking her head: “Sister, I don’t want to see anyone.”
“Alright, if you don’t want to see anyone, then you don’t have to.” Shen Yunshu patted her younger sister’s hand and asked Tinglan, “What about Eldest Young Master Pei?”
“Eldest Young Master Pei is in the main hall.”
It seemed they had already reached a decision at the old madam’s place, so they came back to inform them.
Shen Yunshu stood up and said to Shen Youran, “I’ll go out to see them. Wait for me here, and don’t cry anymore—your eyes weren’t good to begin with…”
“Mm.”
As soon as the door opened, Pei Huaian tried to rush in but was stopped by Shen Yunshu: “Seventh Young Master, Third Sister has been frightened and doesn’t wish to see anyone right now. If you have something to say, you can tell me first, and I’ll relay it to Third Sister for you.”
“No, there are some things I must say to her face to face,” Pei Huaian leaned against the partition, half his body stretching through as he called inside, “Third Maiden, please let me in?”
There was no response from the room for a long while. Not wanting to put Third Sister in an awkward position, Shen Yunshu pushed him out and closed the door behind him.
“Young Master Seventh, how did the discussion at Chunxuan Hall go?” she asked.
“Go ask Eldest Brother,” Pei Huaian tossed out these words before turning and walking away.
He was determined to see Shen Youran tonight.
Shen Yunshu thought he had left in anger because of her, so she went to the hall to find Pei Huaijin.
A few lamps were lit in the hall. Pei Huaijin stood with his hands behind his back, his posture elegant yet undeniably aloof. When he noticed her enter, his slightly distracted gaze shifted toward her. He gave a slight nod, gesturing for her to take a seat, his expression maintaining a polite distance.
After the farce that had unfolded that evening, the two who should have become husband and wife could only sit apart, speaking to each other with the formality of strangers.
“Is she alright?”
“She just finished crying…”
“Hmm,” Pei Huaijin remained silent for a few moments before speaking slowly, “Although it was a misunderstanding, we have nearly completed the wedding rites. I must take responsibility for her. Our marriage can only be called off.”
“It is good that Eldest Young Master is willing to take responsibility for Youran,” Shen Yunshu showed no surprise at his words. “What do the elders say?”
“The elders’ opinion is to let the mistake stand and have me and Seventh Brother exchange brides. But since you and Seventh Brother have not completed the rites, if you wish to withdraw unscathed, I can help persuade them…”
Withdraw unscathed?
Shen Yunshu had considered it, but she could not leave. She was unwilling to leave Third Sister alone in the Pei residence, and she dared not leave because Lu Yi was still waiting outside, watching like a tiger eyeing its prey.
“Thank you for your consideration, Eldest Young Master. But if I leave, it would only confirm the bride exchange. Our two families would likely become the subject of gossip and ridicule. If I stay, we need only silence the servants and announce to the outside that the two marriages originally arranged were between you and Third Sister, and me and Young Master Seventh. This might help preserve some dignity for both families…”
Pei Huaijin raised an eyebrow slightly, surprised by her response.
“I heard from my mother that you attended Grandmother’s birthday banquet before. There were many guests at the time, and they already knew your identity. The servants in the residence can be silenced, but how can we stop the gossip outside? Moreover, dignity is ultimately superficial and won’t harm the foundations of our families. It is not worth sacrificing your marriage for.”
“I know Young Master Seventh’s character. Marrying him would not be a sacrifice…”
“But you and Seventh Brother are not well-matched,” Pei Huaijin did not want to tell her how Seventh Brother had vehemently opposed the idea in Chunxuan Hall, so he only hinted gently, “Seventh Brother once mentioned that he does not like women older than him…”
“If that is the case…” she pondered for a moment before saying, “A forced marriage is not a happy one. If I truly cannot live with Young Master Seventh, we can separate in the future. After all, I have already worn wedding robes once. Even if I withdraw from the engagement now, it would be no different from a separation.”
“You need not force yourself to endure such hardship.”
Shen Yunshu could not reveal her true intentions and could only politely decline his offer: “Since the bride exchange is the best solution at the moment, Eldest Young Master, please do not try to persuade me further.”
Pei Huaijin did not understand why she was so stubborn, but since she had made up her mind, he could say no more.
His expression remained cool. As she rose to leave, he brought up another matter.
“After returning to the manor, I heard there was a bride abduction during the day. Yet the capital has been peaceful and orderly, with corruption eradicated and governance clear. Such a vicious incident hasn’t occurred in a long time. Xiao Ci, the Court of Judicial Review at Dali Temple, was once my classmate. He specializes in handling difficult cases in the capital, and I intend to ask for his assistance in investigating this matter. Do you have any clues you could provide us?”
His gaze swept over her calmly, his tone even and steady, yet laced with suspicion.
He had indeed begun to suspect that the daytime bride abduction was connected to the bride.
A chill ran through Shen Yunshu, though she had anticipated someone might grow suspicious. She showed no sign of panic, instead lifting her eyes to meet his probing gaze, her expression the picture of innocence. “It happened so suddenly, I didn’t notice any clues…”
“Forgive my bluntness, but before the wedding, were there any men with ill intentions around you?”
Shen Yunshu steadied her breath, replying with composure, “I came to the capital two years ago. Third Sister and I have lived secluded in the inner courtyard, rarely going out. The only time I interacted with an unrelated man was three months before the wedding, on the day of the City God Temple fair. I accompanied Third Sister to meet the Liang family’s Sixth Son from the Garrison General’s household. However, that meeting ended inconclusively because of Seventh Young Master’s appearance…”
The more detailed her account, the more she could distance herself and Third Sister from any suspicion. Even if the Dali Temple later discovered that the mastermind behind the abduction was her stepbrother Lu Yi, she would firmly insist she knew nothing of his feelings for her.
Observing her calm and seemingly truthful demeanor, Pei Huaijin withdrew his probing intent and returned to the matter of the switched marriage. “Since you have no objections to the marriage swap, let us inform Third Maiden Shen together. Afterward, I can report to the elders at Chunxuan Hall.”
“Third Sister is still emotionally unsettled. Could Young Master allow her a little more time to calm down?”
“She will have to face it sooner or later. We shouldn’t keep the elders waiting too long…”
Unable to dissuade him, Shen Yunshu had no choice but to accompany him to the left side chamber.
Unbeknownst to them, while they were speaking in the main hall, Pei Huaian had already circled to the back of the room and pushed open the window of the left side chamber.
At that time, Shen Youran was still slumped over the table, lost in self-pity. Hearing a noise from the window, she assumed the wind had blown it open and couldn’t be bothered to turn and look.
Then came the soft sound of someone landing lightly, as if they had climbed through the window. Slowly, she turned her head to find a figure already standing beside her.
Just as she was about to scream, her mouth—already agape—was covered by the other’s hand.
“Don’t be afraid, it’s me,” Pei Huaian met her frightened, watery eyes. “I am Pei the Seventh, the husband you were supposed to marry tonight.”
“I know you don’t wish to see anyone right now, but there are things I must say to you in person. Don’t scream, don’t make a fuss, and I’ll let you go. Alright?”
Shen Youran nodded.
He withdrew his hand, pulled over a stool, and sat beside her, studying her intently.
Shen Youran looked back at him curiously: So this was Pei the Seventh, the man she was supposed to marry.
His stature was not as tall and imposing as Pei the Eldest’s, yet he was elegant like bamboo. The red wedding robes enhanced his jade-like grace, making him appear even more refined and striking. The candlelight spilling across the table illuminated his delicate features, his cool fair skin, and his dark eyes. His eyebrows arched slightly, carrying a youthful vigor and boldness unique to a young man.
He was also exceptionally handsome, though he bore no resemblance at all to Pei the Eldest.
If only she had seen this face before the wedding, she wouldn’t have mistaken Pei Huaian for his elder brother?
At this thought, her eyes grew hot, and waves of grievance and shame washed over her once more.
Before Pei Huaian could speak, he saw her pout as if about to cry again and hurriedly said, “I know you’re upset, but don’t be upset just yet. Earlier in Chunxuan Hall, the elders urged me and my elder brother to swap marriages, but I don’t want to marry your sister, and you don’t want to marry my elder brother, right?”
Shen Youran struggled to hold back her tears: “Mm.”
“Since neither of us wants this, let’s pretend tonight never happened. You’ll still be my wife, and in the future, I’ll take you to live in Quanzhou, where you’ll never have to see my elder brother again…”
“Go to Quanzhou?” Shen Youran thought of her second elder brother studying in Quanzhou, but she wasn’t close to him. She’d rather stay with her elder sister. “Then I won’t be able to see my elder sister anymore? Or Father and Mother…”
“Ah?” Pei Huaian hadn’t considered that. Having grown up in Quanzhou with his father often there for business, he’d assumed she’d willingly follow him.
He hadn’t expected her to care so deeply about her family.
Asking her to abandon her kin and settle in Quanzhou was indeed thoughtless of him.
“Then… how about we move out of the estate later? My father owns a residence in Wuyi Alley. We could move there, what do you think?”
“This…” That might work.
Shen Youran’s heart stirred, almost ready to agree, but…
“Aren’t you bothered?” She lowered her gaze, unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes. “Your elder brother and I already… already…”
She bit her lip, too ashamed to say it aloud.
“I…” It would be a lie to say he wasn’t bothered, but he’d already defiled her in his dreams multiple times. Now she was before him—if he could overcome this hurdle, he could truly have her.
Besides, the elders insisted on swapping marriages. If he couldn’t reclaim her, he’d have to marry that “sister-in-law.”
Pei Huaian took her hand, showing his resolve: “I’m not bothered.”
The unfamiliar touch reminded Shen Youran of that forceful, strong hand, sending a chill through her heart. She tried to pull away.
“But I am…”
Pei Huaian racked his brains to comfort her: “Don’t overthink it. Just consider it as if you were bitten by a dog…”
The door swung open abruptly, and a calm voice drifted in.
“Who’s the dog?”
Author’s Note:
The younger brother almost persuaded the younger sister. Guess how the elder brother will turn the tide? [Milk tea]